WHEREAS Wee haue receiued certaine information, aswell by the Ministers and Elders of the Dutch Churches, both in parts beyond the Seas, and in Our Citie of London, as by the speciall and earnest recommendation of Our dearest Sister, and her Royall Consort, Our deare Brother the Prince Elector Palatine, of the most distressed and lamentable estate of the poore exiled Ministers of the Palatinate, their Wiues and Children, who falling into the power of their cruell enemies, haue been spoyled of all their Temporall estates, and exposed vnto vnexpressible miseries, and are now inforced, as Exiles, to retire and hide themselues from the violence of their aduersaries, in seuerall Cities, Towns, and other places, where they liue in very great penury and want, most of them hauing formerly had plentifull and liberall meanes to sustaine their owne charge, and to be helpefull to others, whose cases are the more to be deplored, for that this extremity is fallen vpon them for their sincerity and constancie in the true Religion, which Wee, together with them, doe professe, and which Wee are all bound in conscience to maintaine, to the vttermost of Our powers, whereas these religious and godly persons, being inuolued amongst many others their Countrey-men in the common calamitity, might haue enioyed their estates and fortunes, if with other backesliders, in the times of triall, they would haue submitted themselues to the Antichristian yoke, and haue renounced or dissembled the profession of the true Religion: WEE taking these things in Our Princely consideration, and being mooued with the bowels of compassion towards them, as feeling members of the same bodie, whereof Christ alone is the head, and beeing certainely in­formed, that those of the Vnited Prouinces, and diuers other Protestants in other places, haue bountifully contributed towards their necessities, and being well assured, that all Our louing Subiects of this Our Kingdome, who haue long enioyed the freedome of the Gospel, and haue tasted largely of the comfort thereof, will not be inferiour to any, in worke so full of piety and charity towards their distressed brethren, haue resolued to commend the distressed estates of these poore soules vnto charities of all the people of this Our Realme. KNOWE ye therefore, That Wee, of Our Princely grace, doe order and grant, that a generall Collection the made of the charitable deuotions, and liberalities of all Our lo­uing Subiects throughtout this 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 Exiles, liuing now dispersed and distressed in such sort, as aforesayd, which Collection Wee will and command, shall bee made and ordered in manner and forme following: That is to say, Wee first will and grant, that by the discretion of the Lord Bishop of London, Our owne Printer at Our owne charge, shall foorthwith print so many Briefes of these Our Letters Patents, as shall bee sufficient to disperse them into euery Church and Chappell, where publique and Diuine Seruice is usually celebrated, in, and throughout this Our whole Kingdome and Dominion: And that the Letters Patents themselues vnder Our great Seale, bee left with the sayd Bishop of London; that the Lord Bishop of London doe receiue all these Briefes from Our Printer, that sayd Lord Bishop of London shall withall speede send so many of them vnto euery Archbishop and Bishop within this Realme and Dominion, as shall bee requisite for euery Church and Chappell with­in their seuerall Diocesse to haue one of them; that euery Archbishop and Bishop in euery Diocesse, doe disperse them into euery Parish Church and Chappell, to be deliuered to the Minister of that place, that the Minister and Curate in euery Church and Chappell receiue them, and in the time of Diuine Seruice on some Sunday publish them, with an exhortation to the stirring vp of their Christian deuotion to a worke so full of charity, that the Churchwardens and Ouerseers of the poore make diligent collection of all the Parishioners, and persons present, that after the money shall be collected, the summe collected be indorsed on the backe of the Briefe, and that it bee publiquely declared vnto the Con­gregation what that summe doth amount vnto, which is ther collected, that every Archbishop and Bishop doe nominate in euery Deanry with­in his Diocesse, one able and fit Minister to bee the Receiuer of all the money collected within that Deanry, to whom the Churchwardens and Ourseers, of euery Parish being within that Deanry, shall within three dayes after the Collection, pay ouer the money collected, and deliuer the Briefe indorsed, receiuing from him a Note vnder his hand of the summe so payd, that euery such Minister within sixe dayes after the receipt of the moneys within that Deanry, pay the ouer to the Lord Bishop of the Diocesse, or his Officiall, that the Bishop of Diocesse deliuer or pay the same ouer to the hands of the Bishop of London, within fourteene dayes after, that the Bishop of London, as hee shall receiue any summe of one hundred pounds, or aboue, foorthwith send and deliuer the same to the Ministers and Elders of the Dutch Congregation in London, at their meeting in their Consistory, and receiue from them a Note in writing, vnder the hands of foure of them at the least; that the Ministers and Elders of the Dutch Congregation in London, on whose fidelities and honesties in this behalfe We will trust, doe with all conuenient speede send, or by exchange make ouer the same into the parts beyond the Seas, and diuide and distribute the same vnto, and amongst these poore distressed soules for their reliefe and sustenance, in such manner as for their cares, faithfulnesse and discretions, they will be answerable to Vs for the same: And to that end, that they keepe a perfect account in writing of all their receipts, paiments, and distributions of the sayd moneys, to be shewed vn­to Vs, whensoeuer, for Our satisfaction We shall call for the same. In witnesse whereof Wee haue caused these Our Letters to be made Patents for the space two yeeres now next ensuing the date hereof to continue.

Witnesse Our Selfe at Westminster, the nine and twentieth day of Ianuary, in the third yeere of Our Reigne.

God saue the King.