ELIZABETH by the grace of God Queene of England, France and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. To all and singuler Archbishops, Bishops, Archdeacons, Deanes, and their Officials, Parsons, Vicars, Curates, and to all other spirituall persons whatsoeuer they be: And also to all Iustices of peace, Maiors, Sheriffes, Bailiffes, Constables, Churchwardens, Headboroughes, and Officers of cities and townes corporate, and all other our officers, ministers, and faithfull subiects whatsoeuer they be, as well within liberties as without, to whome these presents shall come, gree­ting. WHEREAS we are credibly giuen to vnderstand, as well by the pitifull supplication and petition of our poore and true subiects, the poore inhabitants and townesmen of our townes of Pensance, Mousehole, and Newlin, in our countie of Cornwall, as also by the testimoniall of sir Frances Godolphyn knight, sir VVilliam Beuill knight, and Richard Carew of Anthonie esquire, deputie lieutenants in our said countie of Cornwall, Reginald Mohun esquire, Charles Treuanion esquire, Iohn VVrey esquire, Hannibal Viuian esquire, Thomas Seintawbin esquire, Thomas Chiuerton esquire, George Greinuile esquire, Iohn Hender esquire, and Thomas Trenance esquire Iustices of peace there. THAT vpon the three and twentith day of Iuly last past, about sixe of the clocke in the morning, being mistie, cloudie, and darke weather, certaine Enimies to our Realme landed in the westerne part of Mountesbay in our said countie of Cornwall, and by a very sudden incursion spoiled and burnt the mar­ket towne of Pensance aforesaid: the townes of Mousehole and Newlin aforesaid: togither with the parish Church of Saint Paule, and diuers dwelling houses within the said parish, vnto the said townes neerest adioining: And likewise rifeled, wasted, spoiled and burnt diuers fisherboates, & other goodes of our said subiects, to the impouerishing & vndoing of the greatest number of the said poore inhabitants, their wiues and children, and the great losse and hinderance of the rest of the said inhabitants: and presently in all haste fled to the sea againe: by reason whereof a great number of the said inha­bitants that heretofore were very well able to maintaine themselues, their said wiues, children and families in good sort, and to be helpfull to others that stood in need, are thereby at this present in such poore estate, that a great number of them can hardly recouer their estates, or maintaine themselues, and their poore wiues and children, vnlesse they be charitably holpen and relieued with the deuotions and beneuolence of well disposed people in that behalfe, Knowe ye therefore, that we tendering the lamentable estates of the said poore inhabitants, and esteeming verie necessarie the reedifying, buil­ding, and erecting of decaied townes and places neere the sea side for the preseruation of this our realme, and especially such townes as are very neere borderers vpon the sea: Haue licenced, and by these presents do licence the inhabitants of the townes of Pensance, Mousehole and Newlin aforesaid, or any of them, their sufficient deputie or deputies bearers hereof, or the duplicat or true copie hereof, to aske, gather, receiue, and take the charitie and beneuolence of our louing subiects inhabiting and dwelling within our counties of Deuon, Dorset, Somerset, South. Gloue. VVigorn. Oxon. Berk, VViltsh. Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Salopp. Midd. Essex, and VVarw. with our citie of London, the suburbs thereof, our cities of Gloucester, Bristoll, Exceter, and Caunterburie, with all other our cities and townes corporate whatsoeuer, in any of the same seuerall counties, and not else where, as well for the reliefe of the said poore distressed inhabitants, their wiues and children, the reedifying, building, and new making of the said parish Church and houses, as also for the better strengthe­ning of that open and naked bay hereafter against the enimie, and so much the rather, for that we haue granted no other collection for the losse and spoile of the said townes, but onely this. VVherefore we will and command you and euery of you, that at such time or times as the said inhabitants, their deputie or deputies shall come and repaire to any your Chur­ches, or other places, to aske and gather the beneuolence and deuotion of our louing subiects (as is aforesaid) quietly to permit and suffer them and euery of them so to do, without any maner your lets, interruption, or contradiction. And you the said Parsons, Vicars and Curats to declare the tenour of these our letters pattents vnto our said louing subiects, with our recommendation and request therein: exhorting them to extend their charities in this behalfe. And for the more bet­ter and speedie collection of the charitie and deuotion as aforesaid: VVe will and command all and singular you the said Constables and Churchwardens of the parish Churches where collection shall be made, that ye immediately vpon the declaration hereof, do collect and gather of our said louing subiects, their charitable beneuolence and deuotions accor­dingly. And to set downe in writing, as well the name of euery parishioner in euery parish, as also the summe and summes of money by them so giuen in this behalfe: which summes of money so gathered togither, with the names of the giuers thereof, we will shall be truly accounted and deliuered vnto our welbeloued subiects the aforenamed sir Frances Godol­phen knight, and sir VVilliam Beuill knight, Hannbaill Viuian esquire, and VVilliam Trefrie esquire, to be equally and proportionably distributed vnto the said poore inhabitants according to their seueral losses, as in their discretions shall be thought meet. In witnesse whereof we haue caused these our letters to be made pattents for the space of two whole yeeres next after the date hereof to endure.