WHEREAS a Commission under the Great Seal of England, bearing date at Westminster the Three and Twentieth day of August now last past, hath been directed unto Me, and divers others in the said Commission nominated, Authorizing the said Commissio­ners, or any Four or more of them, by such Ways and Means as therein is di­rected, to enquire within the City and Diocess of Canterbury in the County of Kent, as well within Liberties as without, for the due Execution of the Statute made in the Three and Fortieth year of the Raign of our late Sove­raign Lady Queen Elizabeth, what Lands, Tenements, Rents, Annuities, Profits, Hereditaments, Goods, Chattels. Money, and Stocks of Money, have been heretofore given by any well-disposed Person or Persons for Relief of Aged, Impotent, and Poor People, Maintenance of Sick and Maimed Soldiers and Mariners, Schools of Learning, Free-Schools, and Scholars of Universities, Repair of Bridges, Ports, Havens, Causeways, Churches, Sea-Banks, and High-ways, for Education and Preferment of Orphans, for or to­wards the Relief, Stock or Maintenance for Houses of Correction, Mar­riage of Poor Maids, Supportation, Aid and Help of young Tradesmen, Han­dycrafts-men, and Persons decayed, Release and Redemption of Captives, Aid or Ease of any Poor Inhabitants, concerning Payment of Fifteens, Set­ting out of Soldiers, and other Taxes, and of the Abuses, Breaches of Trust, Negligences, Misimployment, not Imploying, Concealing, Defrauding, Mis­converting and Misgoverning of the same Lands, Tenements, Stocks of Mo­ney, and other Things given to any of the Charitable Uses aforesaid, and to set down such Orders, Judgments and Decrees, as that the same Lands, Te­nements, Money, and other things may be duly imployed to and for such of the Charitable Uses aforesaid for which they were given, limited or ap­pointed by the Donors and Founders thereof:

These are therefore to Will and Require you, the next Lords Day after the receipt of this Order, in your Parish-Church after the Nicene Creed, publickly to Read the same; to the end that all Persons may know it, and have the benefit thereof. And that all due Proceedings may be had for Recovery and Settlement for the future of such Charitable Uses as have been misconverted and misimployed, I have appointed Tho. Bourchier Doctor of Laws, our Com­missary of Canterbury, George Thorpe Doctor in Divinity, one of the Preben­daries of Canterbury, and William Man Esquire, or any one of them, to re­ceive all such Complaints as shall be made. And that all Persons concerned may come fully prepared, they are to produce to the Persons abovesaid, or some one of them, all such Wills, Charters, Evidences, and other Writings, whereby the respective Charities were given, limited and appointed, who will then give them such further direction as shall be necessary for the due Prosecution of such Complaints.