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‘DIEV ET MON DROIT’‘HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE’
IAMES, By the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, & Freland, De­fender of the Faith, &c.
To all and singuler Archbishops, Bishops, Archdea­cons, Deanes, and their Officials: parsons, Thears, Curats, and to all spi­rituall persons: And also to all Iustices of Peace, Maiors, Sheriffes, Bayliffes, Cōstables, Churchwardens, and Headboroughs: And to all Officers of Cities, Boroughes, and Townes corporate: And to all other our Officers, Ministers, and Subiects whatsoeuer they bee, aswell within liberties, as without, to whome these presents shall, greeting.

WHEREAS by the humble Supplication and Petition of our tive and Royall Subiects the Inha­bitants of our Towne of Staines within our County of Middlesex, Wee are gtuen to vnderstand aswell of the great ruynes & decayes of the Bridge of Staines, as also of the wasting & decayes of the Causway of Eg­ham which leadeth to the said Bridge from the Westerne parts to one Citty of London; Whereupon Wée forthwith directed our Commission under our great Seale of England. to our sight trusty & wel beloued Tho­mas Lord Knynet, Sir Iohn Dodderidge Knight one of the Iustices of our Benth, Sir Iohn Derham. Kinght one of the Barone of our Exchecquer, sir Henry Spiller Knight, William Mynterne, & Adryan Moore Esquiors, to authorise them to forney the foresait ruynes and decayes of the said Bridge & Causway, and to make Certificate vnto Vs of the present neecssity of the reparation of the same, of the charge therof, and how the same may bee raised; the which accordingly they haue performed: and they do find, aswell by their owne view, as also [...]on the examination of the Wardens of the said Bridge & diuers skilfull workmen in these affaires, that the said Bridge is so dan­geroully ruynated in the Foundation therof, and generally in all the parts, & the Causway so worne & eaten away by great Floods, as of necessity there must be speedy reparation; the charge wherof, will amount nóere vpon the Sum of One Thousand Pounds. And moreouer there haue been many breaches which haue béen made by reason of the said great floods, which haue drowned vp the Country thereabouts, and vndone many of the Inhabitants. And forasmuch as many inconueniences & great hindrances will daily arise in stopping of recourse of trading & other occasions for the seruice & prouision of our Citty of London, (the said Causway & Bridge being the direct & only passage for diuers Counties in the Westerne parts to our foresaid Citty, and from the said Citty into those Countries againe, it bée [...]ng also the on­ly way for our own Carriages to passe ouer, as often as our occasions call vs that way, Our selfe beeing lately and eye witnes of the ruines and decayes aforesaid, & of the present necessity of repayring the same,) Wee haue thought good (vpon doe consideration had therof, aswel for preuenting of many mischiefes & vntimely accidents that happen heerafter, as also for the maintaining & preseruing of the passage there, it beeing of that coasequence & ymportance as concerneth the generall good of the Common wealth, to take some course in time for the raising of the forsaid Sum of Money, that those decayes may speedily be repaired & amended. And albeit our poore Subiects the Inha­bitants of Staines are most ready & willing to the vttermost of their power, to contribute towards the finishing & performing of this good & necessary work, yet finding the charge therof far beyond their power (they receiuing yeerely by the tolle of the passengers there, but Twen­ty Foure Pounds at most, & hauing in stocke but Eighteene Pounds, the which is already ymployed in Timber towarts the begin­ning of this worke) they haue most humbly besought Vs for the better furtherance therof, to commend this good & laudable deed vnto the charitable consideration of all our louing & wel disposed subiects within certaine Counties of this Kingdome, and especially such as may or viually haue recourse of trading that way, not doubting but that all good Christians & true Subiects (well weighing the premisses) will be ready & forward (and the rather for our good commendation heerof) to extend their liberal contributions towards speedy finishing and performing of this néedfull & necessary worke. And forasmuch also, as it plainely appeareth to all those to whom these presents shall come, that this worke tendeth not to the priuate good of any particular person, but generally to the ea [...]e & benefit of ye Conmon wealth, and that the necessity of the performance therof requireth a speciall course abone other ordinary Collections, and a care extraordinary to be had for the speedy collecting & bringing in of present supplies of moneys on this behalfe, Wee haue thought good to Commend the furtherance of this good worke vnto the serious consideration & beneuolēce of all our louing subiects within our Citties of London, & Westminster, with the suburbs & liberties therof, & in our Counties of Middlesex, Surrey, Sussex, Southampton, W [...]ltes. Dorset. Somerset, Devon & Corn­wall, with out Citties of Chichester. & Winchester, wt our Isle of Wight. & Town of Souch ampton, & in our Citties of Salisbury, Bristoll, Bath, & Wells, & Exeter, with our Town & County of Poole: And in all Townes corporate, priuiledged places, Parishes▪ Villages, & in all other places whatsoeuer within our foresaid Counties, for and towards the raising of the Sum of moneys aforesaid, to finish ye said worke.

NOW know yée therfore, that Our pleasure is, & Wee do by these our Letters Patents authorise & require euery Church warden & Pet­ty Constable of euery Parish within any the Counties, Citties, Townes corporate, or priuiledged places before recited, that forthwith vpon receipt of these our Letters Patents or ye Briefe therof, they collect & gather of euery person within their Parish from house, to house, their contributions towards this good worke. and to endorse the names of the giuers, and the Sum giuen, on the back side of the Briefe, and to returne the Briefe & moneys therupon collected, vnto such Iustices of the Peace in euery County, Citty, or Towne corporate, as our Justices of Assize in their next Circuit shall nominate & appoint. And Our further pleasure is, that those Justices of the Peace shall returne the money to them deliuered by the Churchwardēs or Petty Constables, vnto the Bridge. Masters of Staines Bridge, before the end of Easter Tearme next ensuing the date of these our Letters Patents, that this necessary worke may speedily be finished & performed. Any Statute, Lawe, Ordinance, or prouision heeretofore made to the contrary in any wise not withstanding.

IN witnesse whereof, wee haue caused these our Letters to be made Patents for the space of One whole yeare next after the data héereof to endure.

❀Steward

❀ God saue the king.

Printed by Thomas Purfoot.

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