WHEREAS wee are credibly giuen to vnderstand aswell by the humble supplica­tion; & petition of our poore distressed Subiect Iohn Long of our Borough of Lymmington in our Countie of Southampton, as also by a Certificate from the Maior & other Inha [...]tāts of Lymmington aforesaid, & of the Parishes adioyning, sealed w ^t the vsual Seale of the Cor­poration of Lymmington: That our said poore Subiect Iohn Long hath alwaies béen a man of honest life & conuersati­on, and one that liued in good reputation, vntill such time as it pleased God to visit him with great losses by Sea, who beeing owner of a Barque called the Ioane of Lymmington, and lading her with yron & Timber, in the yéere 1612, to bee transported from Lymmington to Famouth in Cornwall, it so hapned, that the said Barque in her returne home­wards beeing reladen with Tyn & other Marchandizes was through tempestuous weather cast away with the losse of Three mens liues at Bigbury Bay, together with all the goode in her, Amounting in all to the value of Sixe Hundred and Ten Pounds or ther abouts, To the vtter vndoing of our said poore Subiect, who before this vntimely accident liued well, and was able to defend the world, but hath little or no meanes now left to helpe himselfe, or to sustaine his poore wife and Children, who liue in great want, and are like to continue the rest of their daies in great misery vn­lesse they bee charitably holpen and relieued by the good deuotion and beneuolence of our louing & wel-disposed Subiects, in this their great necessity.

KNOWE yee therefore, that wee (tendering the lamentable and distressed estate of our said poore Subiect) of Our especiall Grace & Princely compassion, haue giuen & granted, and by these our Letters Patents doe giue & grant vnto our said poore Subiect Iohn Long, and vnto Robert Clarke his Deputy, and to their Deputie and Deputies, the bearer or bearers heereof, full power, licence and authority to aske, gather, receiue & take the Almes and charitable beneuolence of all our louing Subiects whatsoeuer Inhabiting within our Counties of Kent, Surrey, Middlesex, & Essex, with our Citties of Westminster, Canterbury, Rochester, and the Cinque Ports: And in all other Citties, Townes corporate, priui­ledged places, Parishes, Villages, & in all other places whatsoeuer within our said Counties, and not elsewhere, for and towards the recouery of his said losses, and the reliefe & maintenance of himselfe, his poore wife & Family.

WHEREFORE wee will & command you, & euery of you, that at such time & times as the said Iohn Long, and Robert Clarke his Deputie, or their Deputy or Deputies the bearer or bearers héerof, shall come & & repaire to any your Churches, Chappels, or other places, to aske, and receiue the gratuities & charitable beneuolence of our said Subiects, qui­etly to permit and suffer them so to do, without any maner your lets, or contradictions. And you the said Parsons, Vicars, and Curats, for the better stirring vp of a charitable deuotion, deliberately to publish & declare the Tenor of these our Let­ters Patents, or the Copy or Briefe therof, vnto our said subiects, within One Month next after your receipt therof, v­pon some Sabboth day when no other Collection shall be made, Exhorting & perswading them to extend their liberall con­tributions in so good and charitable a déed. And you the Churthwardens of euery Parish where such Collection is to bée made, (as aforesaid) to collect & gather the Armes & charitable beneuolence of all our louing Subiects, aswell) strangers as others, from seat to seat; And what shall bée by you so gathered, to endorse on the Back-side heerof, in words at length, and not in figures, & the same deliuer to the bearer or bearers héereof, when as therunto you shall be required. Any Sta­tute, Law, Ordinance, or prouision héertofore made to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

IN witnesse whereof, wée haue caused these our Letters to bée made Patents for the space of One whole yeare next after the date heereof to endure.