WHEREAS wée are credibly giuen to vnderstand, by a Certificate vnder the handes and Seales of our trusty & welbeloued Subiects, the Mayor, Aldermen, & Sheriffes, of our Towne of Kingston vpon Hull, within our County of Yorke, That our poore distressed Subiect William Chapman of the same Towne, Ma­ster and Marryner, hath heretofore bin a man of good worth and ability and a very skilfull and sufficient per­son in his vocation, hauing had heretofore frequent trading and Commerce in diuers places beyond the Seas, vntill such time as it pleased God to visite him with sundry great losses from time to time, as namely by the King of Poland in Danske, vn­der whom he was forced to serue in a Ship called the Angeleuer, in which Ship he was the same voyage taken by the King of Sweueland, who despoyled him of all he had in the said ship. And afterwards he making in the said Ship a Fishing voyage to the Wardhouse for the good of the Country, it so fortuned that the said Ship & goods to the value of Eleuen hundreth pounds, was taken by certaine Denmarkes to his great hinderance and almost vtter vndoing. Also he made another voyage for Amsterdam in the good Ship called the Content, in which voyage be lost Seauenty péeces of Carsey to the value of One hundred and Fourescore pounds more, by reason of all which losses and hinde rantes together with some ill Debtors (Amounting in the whole losse to the value of Fiftéene hundred pounds) our said poore, Subiect is now quite vndone, who before these vntimely losses liued in good credit and vsed the trade of Marchandize, relieued the poore and set many men at worke, and yet he is not now able to helpe himselfe, nor to sustaine his poore Wife and Children, who liue in great want and are like to continue the rest of their dayes in great misery, vnlesse some charitable course be forthwith taken for the reliefe and comfort of our said poore Subiect, whose poore and vnhappy estate wée much pitty, and haue thought good (vpon the humble request of all our foresaid trusty and welbeloued Subiects, the Mayor, Aldermen and Sheriffes, made vnto Vs on his behalfe) to commend the same vnto the charitable consideration of all our louing & weldisposed Subiects within certaine places hereafter mentioned, not doubting but that all good Christians well weighing the premises, will be ready and willing as féeling members one of anothers misery, to extend their liberall contributions towards the reliefe and comfort of their poore distressed Brother in this his great necessity.

KNOW yée therefore, That of Our especiall Grace and Princely Compassion, Wee haue giuen and granted, and by these our Let­ters Patents, doe giue and graunt vnto our said poore Subiect William Chapman, and to his Deputy and Deputies, the bearer or bea­rers hereof, full power, licence, and Authority to aske, gather, receiue, and take to Almes and charitable beneuolence of all our louing Subiects whatsoeuer. Inhabiting within our Counties of Norfolke, Suffolke, Essex, & Kent, with our Citties of Canterbury, Rochester and the Cinque Portes, with our Citty of Norwich, And in all other Citties, Townes Corporate, Priuiledged places, Parishes, Villa­ges, and in all other places whatsoeuer within our said Counties and not else where, for and towards the recouery of his said losses, and the reliefe and maintenance of himselfe, and his poore Wife, and Children.

WHEREFORE wée will and Commaund you and euery of you, that at such time and times, as the said William Chapman, or his Deputy or Deputies, the bearer or bearers hereof, shall come and repaire to any your Churches, Chappels, or other places, to aske and receiue the gratuities and charitable beneuolence of our said Subiects, quietly to permit and suffer them so to doe, without any man­ner your lets or contradictions, And you the said Parsons, Vicars, and Curats, for the better stirring vp of a charitable deuotion, delibe­rately to publish & declare the Tenor of these our Letters Patents or the Coppy of Briefe thereof, vnto our said Subiects vpon some Sa­baoth day, when as the same shall be tendered vnto you. Exhorting & perswading them to extend their liberall contributions in so good and charitable a déed. And you the Churchwardens of euery Parish, where such Collection is to be made (as aforesaid) to collect and gather the Almes and charitable beneuolence of all our louing Subiects, aswell Strangers as others, and what shall be by you so gathered to de­liuer it to the bearer or bearers of these our Letters Patents and to no other person. when as thereunto you shalbe required. And lastly, whereas we are informed of the great abuse which is now crept in amongst these poore people, who sell their Lycences vnto some other person, whereby mens charity goeth not the right way, but vnto such as deserue it least: That from henceforth our will and pleasure is, that if it may appeare vnto you or any of you, that the said William Chapman, hath contracted any bargains, or made or shall make sale of these our Letters Patents, whereby the benefit should passe from him to any other person, That thereupon these our Letters Patents shall be voide & of none effect. Any Statute, Law, Ordinance, or Pronision, heretofore made to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

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