¶ His Majesties Declaration, for the Relief of the poor Miners, within the County of Derby.
VVHereas We are well informed, by such as We have expresly imployed, That the Miners and Workmen of Our Mines in Our County of Derby are falling into great wants, and likely to be deprived of the means of sustaining themselves and families by their labours, by occasion of severall oppressions, and the stoppage of the Vessels employed in the carriage of Lead (the commodity upon which, by their labours, they subsist) by the illegall and hostile Courses used by Sir John Hotham at Hull. We therefore, tendring the relief of Our said poor Miners, out of Our Princely care, have thought good hereby to declare: That all such of Our said Subjects who are willing, and able in body, and shall voluntarily repair to Nottingham, to Our present Army, without sound of Drum, shall forthwith receive five shillings a peece for their charges in coming thither, and be afterwards entertained, and duly receive their pay of six shilings by the weeke, during their Service in Our present wars. And, upon the disbanding of Our Army, all such of the Miners aforesaid, as have faithfully served Vs, shall be, during their lives, freed and exempted from payment of Lot, Cope, and Custome for all such Dare as they shall digge in Our said Mines; and if it shall happen, any of them to dye in Our said Service, the Widdow of the deceased shall have liberty to employ a Servant, and injoy such benefits, anb priviledges, during their lives, as their Husbands should have had, in case they had survived.
And to the end, that this Our Declaration, and pious Intention may be made known to Our said Subjects, We do hereby require such Parsons, Vicars, and Curats in Our said County, to whom these presents shall come, forthwith to publish the same in their Parish Churches: And for so doing this shall be, as well unto them, as unto all others whom it may concern, a sufficient Warrant and Discharge.
Given at Our Court at York, this 15 of August. 1642.