The Signal Loyalty and Devotion of Gods Saints Part 2, Part 2 · Chapter 6 · Floating text 1
An Act for a publick Thanksgiving to Almighty God every year, on the fifth day of November.
FOraſmuch as Almightie God hath in all ages ſhewed his power and mercy, in the miraculous and gracious deliverance of his Church, and in the protection of religious Kings and States: And that no Nation of the earth hath been bleſſed with greater benefits than this Kingdom now enjoyeth, having the true and free profeſſion of the Goſpel under our moſt gracious Soveraign Lord King Iames, the moſt great, learned and religious King that ever reigned therein, enriched with a moſt hopefull and plentifull Progeny, proceeding out of his Royal loyns, promiſing continuance of this happineſſe and profeſſion to all poſterity: the which many malignant and devilliſh Papiſts, Ieſuites and Seminary Prieſts much envying and fearing, Conſpired moſt horribly, when the Kings moſt Excellent Majeſty, the Queen, the Prince, and all the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons ſhould have been aſſembled in the Upper Houſe of Parliament upon the fifth day of November in the year of our Lord 1605. ſuddenlie to have blown up the ſaid whole Houſe with Gunpowder; An invention ſo inhuman, barbarous and cruel, as the like was never before heard of, and was (as ſome of the principal Conſpirators thereof confeſſe) purpoſely deviſed and concluded to be done in the ſaid Houſe, that where the ſundry neceſſarie and Religious Laws for preſervation of the Church and State were made, which they falſly and ſlanderouſly term cruel Laws: enacted againſt them and their Religion, both place and perſons ſhould be all deſtroyed and blown up at once, which would have turned to the utter ruine of this whole Kingdom, had it not pleaſed Almighty God, by inſpiring the Kings moſt Excellent Majeſtie with a Divine ſpirit, to interpret ſome dark phraſes of a Letter ſhewed to his Majeſtie, above and beyond all ordinarie conſtruction, thereby miraculouſly diſcovering this hidden Treaſon not many hours before the appointed time for the execution thereof: Therefore the Kings moſt Excellent Majeſtie, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and all his Majeſties Faithfull and loving Subjects, do moſt juſtly acknowledge this great and infinite Bleſſing to have proceeded merely from God his Great Mercy, and to his moſt holy Name do aſcribe all the Honour, Glory and Praiſe. And to the end this unfeigned Thankfulneſſe may never be forgotten, but be had in perpetual Remembrance, that all Ages to come may yield praiſe to his Divine Majeſty for the ſame, and have in memorie THIS IOYFULL DAY OF DELIUERANCE.
Be it therefore enacted by the Kings moſt Excellent Majeſtie, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons in this preſent Parliament aſſembled, and by the Authoritie of the ſame, That all and ſingular Miniſters in everie Cathedral and Pariſh-church, or other uſual place of Common prayer within this Realm of England, and the Dominions of the ſame, ſhall alwaies upon the fifth day of November, ſay Morning Prayer, and give unto Almighty God thanks for this moſt happy Deliverance. And that all and everie perſon and perſons inhabiting within this Realm of England, and the Dominions of the ſame, ſhall alwaies upon that day diligentlie and faithfullie reſort to the Pariſh Church or Chapel accuſtomed, or to ſome uſual Church or Chapel where the ſaid Morning prayer, preaching, or other ſervice of God ſhall be uſed, and then and there to abide orderlie and ſoberlie during the time of the ſaid prayers, preaching, or other ſervice of God there to be uſed and miniſtred.
And becauſe all and everie perſon may be put in mind of this Dutie, and be the better prepared to the ſaid holy ſervice, Be it enacted by Authoritie aforeſaid, That every Miniſter ſhall give warning to his Pariſhioners publikelie in the Church at morning prayer, the Sunday before everie ſuch fifth day of November, for the due obſervation of the ſaid day. And that after morning Prayer or preaching upon the ſaid fifth day of November, they read publicklie, diſtinctlie, and plainlie this preſent Act.
Upon this occaſion there was a ſpecial Book of Prayers and Thankſgivings, compiled by the Biſhops and Clergy, preſcribed by Authority to be annually read in all Churches and Chapels, on the 5th. of November, wherein (amongſt others) there were four remarkable prayers and thankſgivings relating to the King, Queen, Prince, all the Royal poſterity, Nobility, and Magiſtrates, which I ſhall here inſert.