WHEREAS wee are very crediblye giuen to vnderstand by the humble supplication and peti­tion of our faithful and loyng Subiects the Maior & Burgesses of the Burrough or Towne of Yarmouth in the Isle of Wright in our Countie of Southampton, That our said Town is an ancient Burrough, and was sometimes so peopled and inhabited, as that it had in it three Churches, which Towne in the beginning of the Raigne of our noble Progenitor King Richard the second, was wholly burnt and made desolate by the French, and two of the sayd Churches and the body of the 3. Church vtterly burnt, rased & defaced, so as there remained onlie the ruinated Chancell of one of the said Churches, which the late Inhabitants of the said Towne haue re­paired and maintained for the exercise of diuine seruice, and administration of the Sacraments. Now forasmuch as the op­portunitie of the place (by reason of the conueniencie of harbour and our Castle there, together with our incoporating the same, and graunting liberties therevnto) hath induced many to resort vnto, build, and dwell in the said Towne, whereby the said Chauncell is not of sufficient greatnes and capacity to containe the present Inhabitants who resort thither to diuine ser­uice, and the estate of the said Towne and the Inhabitants thereof is not such, as that they are able to build a Church fit and decent for those who do already reside there, much lesse for those who in future times are hoped to resort thither.

KNOWE yee therfore, that we tendering the good of the said Towne and Inhabitants thereof, and fauouring their ho­nest and religious saue concerning the enlarging and reedifying of their Church (holding it one of our chiefest cares, and a speciall part of our dutie to giue way and furtherance to so good and charitable a worke, whereby not only a competent and conuenient place for preaching the word, and other diuine exercises may be prepared, but also that Trade and Traffique for the benefite of the said Inhabitants and other our louing Subiects, may hereafter bee there increased.) Of our especiall Grace and Princely compassion haue giuen and graunted, and by these our letters Patents doe giue and grant vnto our said louing Subiects the Mayor and Burgesses of our said Towne of Yarmouth and their Successors, and to their Deputie the bearer hereof, full power, licence, and authoritie to aske, gather receaue, and take the charitable deuotion and liberall con­tribution whatsoeuer of all our louing Subiects aswell spirituall as temporall within our Cities of London and Westminister, & Suburbes thereof, and in our Counties of Southampton, Dorset, Wilteshire, Somerset, & Devon, with our Cities of Winchester, Salisburie, Bristoll, Bathe, and Exeter, together also with the Towne of Poole, the Isle of Wight, and Towne of Southampton: And in all other Cities, Townes corporate, priviledge places, Parishes, Villages, and in all other places & liberties What­souer within our sayt Cities and Counties, and euery of them, and not elsehwere, for and towards the new building and re­cdifying of the said Church of Yarmouth.

WHEREFORE wee will and commaund you and euery of you, that at such tune and times as said Mayor and Burgesses or their Deputie the bearer hereof, shall come and repaire to any your Churches or other places, to aske, and receaue the gratitutes and charitable beneuolence of well disposed persons, quietly to permit and suffer them so to dee, without any manner your i [...]s & contradictions. And you the sayd Parsons, Vicars and Curats, for the better stirring vp of a charitable beneuolence, deliberatly to publish and declare the Tenour of these our letters Patents vnto our sayd Subiects,, Exhorting and charitably moouing and perswading them to extend their liberall contributions in so good and charitable a deede. Any Statute, Law, Ordinance, or Prouision heretofore made, to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

IN witnesse whereof we haue caused these our Letters to be made Patents for the space of Our whole yeare next after the date hereof of endure