WHEREAS Wee are giuen to vnderſtand, by the Lords and others of Our Priuie Counſell, that there are a great number of the Inhabitants of the Iſle of Ree, together with their Wiues and Children, profeſſing the true Reformed Religion with vs, who out of a iuſt apprehenſion, and feare of the malice and cruelty of their enemies, practiſed againſt them in former times vpon all occaſions, haue abandoned their owne Countrey, their Houſes and Eſtates, and other earthly Commodities, and haue withdrawen themſelues into this Our Realme, and vnder Our protection, for the ſecurity of their perſons, and more free exerciſe of their Religion. And that very many of them are in great diſtreſſe, eſpecially occaſioned through the ſuddenneſſe of their leauing their owne homes and liuelyhoods; Wee being mooued with a Princely and Pious compaſſion towards them, as fellow Members of the true Church, and with comfort remembring the charitable and hoſpitable refuge and reliefe, which Our Dominions haue in former times affoorded to all ſuch Strangers, who haue ſuffered for the profeſſion of the Goſpel, And that the religious practice of this Chriſtian duety to others, will, by the bleſſing of God, bee a meanes to preſerue Vs, and Our people from the like diſtreſſes, And taking notice that the Lords, and others of Our Priuie Counſell for the inciting of the Charity of others, haue rated themſelues to ſuch a proportion of bounty and reliefe to theſe diſtreſſed Strangers, as may giue incouragement to ſo charitable a worke, which example Wee earneſtly deſire, that all other of Our louing Subiects, according to their degrees, would chearefully follow. KNOW yee therefore, That Wee, of Our Princely grace, doe order and grant, that a Collection be made of the charitable deuotion, and liberality of all Our louing Subiects throughout Our Realme of England, and Dominion of Wales, in all places whatſoeuer, aſwell within liberties as without, towards the reliefe and ſuccour of the ſayd poore Inhabitants of the Iſle of Ree, liuing diſperſed and diſtreſſed in ſundry parts of this Our Realme, as in Plimouth, Southhampton Portſmouth, and in the Citie of London, and elſwhere to bee executed and ordered in manner and forme following: That is to ſay, Wee will, grant, appoint, and require, that Sir William Becher Knight, one of the Clerkes of Our Priuie Counſell, ſhall and may procure to bee printed ſo many Briefes of theſe Our Letters Patents, as may ſuffice for the accompliſhing and performance of this good worke, and ſhall cary and ſhew theſe Our Letters Patents, vnder Our great Seale, to the Lord Biſhop of London, and ſhall alſo leaue with him ſo many of theſe printed Briefes, as there bee Churches of Chappels, wherein publique or Diuine ſeruice is vſually ſayd within the circuite or precinct of the ſeuerall Prouinces of Canterbury and Yorke. And Wee require the ſaid Lord Biſhop of London to receiue the ſaid Briefes, and to ſend and diſtribute them with ſpeede vnto euery Archbiſhop and Biſhop within theſe Our Dominions, ſo many of the ſayd Briefes, as are requiſite within their ſeuerall Dioceſſes, the ſaid Briefes to bee ſent by the ſayd Archbiſhops and Biſhops to the Miniſter and Curate of euery Pariſh Church and Chappell within their ſeuerall Dioceſſes. And Wee alſo will and require euery Miniſter or Curate of euery Church or Chappell to whom ſuch printed Briefes ſhall bee deliuered that without any long delay, vpon ſome Sunday or Holy day, when the Pariſhioners be there fully aſſembled to heare Diuine Seruice they publikely declare in their ſeuerall Church or Chappell vnto the Congregation there aſſembled, the tenor of theſe Briefes, with an eſpeciall exhortation vnto them to yeelde their liberall and extraordinary Contribution to ſo charitable a worke. And We alſo will and require you the Churchwardens and ouerſeers of the poore, to make diligent Collection of the charitable deuotion of the people within the ſaid Church or Chappell ſo aſſembled, and that after Collection ſo made, you doe publiquely declare in that Church that whole ſumme of money ſo by you collected, and then procure the ſame ſumme to bee ſet downe on the backeſide of the ſaid Briefe vnder your hands, and the hand of the Miniſter of the ſayd Church or Chappell; And then that you the ſaid Churchwardens, or Ouerſeers, or one of you, after the receipt of the money ſo collected, deliuer the ſame together with the Briefe vnto ſuch Miniſter of the Deanry, where the ſaid Collection ſhall be made, as the Lord Biſhop of the ſaid Dioceſſe ſhall aſſigne or appoint to receiue the ſame. And Wee doe hereby require and authorize the Biſhop of euery Dioceſſe to name and appoint one fitte and able Miniſter in euery Deanry to receiue the ſaid Collections accordingly. And We alſo require you the ſaid Miniſter which ſhall bee ſo appointed to receiue the ſayd money from the foreſayd Ouerſeers, that you receiue the ſame with the aforeſaid Briefe, and that within tenne dayes after the receipt thereof, you pay and deliuer the ſame with the Briefe, whereby the ſame hath been collected, vnto the Lord Biſhop of the Dioceſſe, where ſuch collection is made. And Wee alſo require you the Archbiſhops and Biſhops of euery Dioceſſe reſpectiuely that you receiue of the ſaid Miniſter the ſaid money with the Briefes, whereby the ſame hath beene collected, and deliuer ouer all the ſayd Collections, which haue been ſo made within the ſeuerall Dioceſſes, to the Lord Biſhop of London. And we likewiſe require you the Biſhop of London, to tranſmit wihtout delay to the ſaid Sir William Becher, or ſuch as hee ſhall appoint vnder his hand and ſeale, all the ſummes of money ſo collected within the ſeuerall Dioceſſes, taking a receipt for the ſame vnder his hand. And Wee hereby require and command the ſayd Sir William Becher, to diſtribute the ſame to the ſaid poore diſtreſſed Strangers, according to ſuch directions as from time to time the Lords and others of Our Priuie Counſel ſhall giue therein. All which for the furthering of the ſaid charitable worke without any diminution, Wee require to bee performed by all the perſons employed therein, without any deduction of charges, and to be iuſtly and duely executed, any Statute, Law, Ordinance, or prouiſion heretofore made to the contrary in any wiſe notwithſtanding. In witneſſe whereof Wee haue cauſed theſe Our Letters to be made Patents for the ſpace of two yeeres from the date hereof to continue.