Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 12.djvu/192

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NOTES AND QUERIES. m s. xn. SEPT. 4, 1915.

The full text of the proclamation is printed in The London Gazette, 16-20 Dec., 1755.

A similar proclamation was issued for Scotland ; and directions were to be put forth by the Duke of Devonshire, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, for a similar fast to be observed in that country.

The whole kingdom was stirred deeply upon this occasion, and The Gazetteer and London Daily Advertiser, 1 Feb., 1756, states :

" By virtue of a special order there was no market yesterday in Smithfield after 9 in the morning."

" Yesterday about 2 o'clock a complaint was made to the Lord Mayor, that some Quakers near the Meeting House in Lombard Street kept their shops open, when his Lordship sent some of his officers to give orders that they should be shut up ; but soon after the officers were gone, the shutters were taken down again ; which obstinate behaviour soon caused a mob to assemble, who in a short time broke the shop windows of a silver- smith, a watchmaker, and a brazier in Lombard Street, and two others in that neighbourhood, and obliged them to put up their shutters again."

Throughout the country special sermons were preached. The Rev. Dr. Forster preached before the King at St. James's.

The Bishop of Lincoln preached to the House of Lords at Westminster Abbey text Isaiah xxvi. 9.

The Rev. Dr. Terrick preached to the House of Commons at St. Margaret's text Jeremiah xviii. 7 and 8.

The Lord Mayor and aldermen went to St. Paul's," where the Rev. Mr. Bearcroft preached to a very crowded congregation."

The London Evening Post, 57 Feb., 1756, says that " the Jews yesterday had Publick worship at their several Syna- gogues.'

In The Gentleman's Magazine, 1756, pp. 116-17, there is a long essay upon the attitude of the Quakers upon this occasion. Very large numbers of sermons were printed, and many of these will be .found detailed in Watt, ' Bib. Brit.,' under ' Sermons Fasts.'

A satirical print was issued entitled :

" The Acceptable Fast : or Britannia's maternal call to her children to keep Humiliation, Repent- ance, and Amendment in Heart and Life. Publish'd according to Act of Parliament, Jan^ 17th, 1756, by T. Kitchin at the Star opposite Ely House, Holborn Hill, London, Price 6 d, where may be had a print of the Earthquake."

The fast of 13 Dec., 1776, was proclaimed in The London Gazette, 29 Oct. -2 Nov., 1776. The following is an extract which shows that it was for the purpose of im-

ploring God's intervention for averting the defeat of the Colonists by the rebels in North America :

A Proclamation for a General Fast. GEORGE B.

We, taking into our most serious Considera- tion.... the measures of Force which we are obliged to use against our rebellious Subjects in

North Ameiica, and putting our trust in

Almighty God that He will vouchsafe a special blessing on our Arms by Sea and Land, have resolved .... That a publick Fast and Humiliation

be observed throughout England Wales

and Berwick upon Tweed upon .... 13 th Dec. next .... imploring His blessing and Intervention speedily to deliver our loyal subjects. . . .in North America from the Violence, Injustice, and Tyranny of those daring rebels who have assumed to themselves the exercise of Arbitrary power .... to open the eyes of those who have been deluded by specious Falsehoods into Acts of Treason and Rebellion ; to turn the Hearts of the Authors of these Calamities, and finally to restore our People in these distracted Provinces. .. .to the happy condition of being free Subjects of a free State ; under which heretofore they flourished so long, and prospered so much.

The Quakers again gave trouble and opened their shops in some places.

The Bishop of Lichfield preached in Westminster Abbey before the House of Lords text Psalm cxix. 59.

Archdeacon John Butler preached at St. Margaret's before the House of Com- mons text 1 Kings viii. 59.

A. L. HUMPHREYS,

187, Piccadilly, W.

CLERKS IN HOLY ORDERS AS COMBATANTS (11 S. xii. 10, 56, 73, 87, 110, 130, 148, 168). I do not think that the Rev. J. W. Adams, V.C., who was a chaplain on the Bengal estab- lishment of the Queen's Indian Service, not a Chaplain to the Forces, is rightly termed a combatant. He was by chance placed in a position to do a gallant and brave deed, and he did it at great risk to himself. He was Senior Chaplain with Sir Frederick Roberts' s force, and was on the staff of that distin- guished officer. At a certain critical mo- ment it was necassary to send a message to the C.O. of a regiment in the fighting line. There was no galloper at hand. Adams, who was mounted, volunteered to take the message. As he was returning he passed a Horse Artillery gun which had capsized when being taken across a nullah. The available men were trying to right it ; but their combined strength was just too little for the purpose, and they were in danger of losing the gun, and their lives too, from an advancing overwhelming force. Adams dis-