WHEREAS wée are credibl [...] giuen to vnderstand, aswell by the humble supplication and petition of our poore distressed Subject Robert Lawe, Vicar of the Mother Church of Saint Maries, in our Borough of Huntington, and County of Huntington, together with a Certificate from our true and loyall Subjects the Bayliffes and Burgesses thereof, and Thomas Beard Doctor of Diuinity, and one of our Chaplins, As also by another Certificate vnder the handes of our right trusty and welbeloued Oliuer Lord Saint Iohn, Thomas Maples Esquire, our high Sheriffe for our Counties of Huntington and Cambridge, Sir Oliuer Cromwell, & Sir Robert Paine Knights, Edward Germin Doctor of Diuinity, Robert Awdley, and Thomas Hetly Esquires, Iustices of the Peace within our foresaid County of Huntington, That our said poore Subiect Robert Lawe, hauing all his life time beene a painefull and industrious person in his calling, and a man of honest vse and conuersation, is now fallen into great want and pouerty, by reason of a lamentable and scarefull Fire hap­pening on the Frist day of Iuly last past about midnight, which consumed and burnt downe to the ground not onely his dwelling House lately built, together with all his Houshold-stuffe therein being sulle furnished, and all his Bookes and Writings of good moment, with great store of Timber ready squared, which he had prouided for the building of other Houses, Amounting in all the whole losse to the va­lue of Two hundreth pounds and vpwards: but also the whole Towne and people in their Beds was in great danger to haue béene con­sumed, had not the Countrey Shepheards discouered the same and raised the Towne, to the vtter vndoing of our said poore Subject, who before this vntimely accident liued well, but hath now lost in a moment that little estate which with great care and trauell all his life time he had saued together to relieue himselfe, his poore Wife and Children in his latter dayes, who being now néere vpon Thréescore yeares and sickly, is not able to take that paines in his vocation for his liuing as heretofore. And therefore be hath most humbly besought Vs to commiserate his poore estate, and to commend his wants vnto the charitable consideration of all our louing & welsisposed Subjects with­in certaine Counties hereafter mentioned, not doubting but that all good Christians well weighing with themselues the vncertainty of mans estate in this world through these ineuitable accidents, will be ready and willing as feeling members one of anothers misery, to extend their charitable contributions towards the reliefe and comfort of their poore afflicted brother in this his great necessity, none know­ing how soone nor whose chance may next happen into the like calamity.

Know yee therefore, That of Our especiall Grace and Princely Compassion, Wée haue giuen and granted, and by these our Let­ters Patents, doe giue and graunt vnto our said poore Subject Robert Lawe, and to his Deputy and Deputies, the bearer or bearers hereof, full power, licence, and authority to aske, gather, receiue, and take the Almes and charitable beneuolence of all our louing Sub­jects whatsoeuer Inhabiting within our Counties of Middlesex, Essex, Bedford, Buckingham, Northampton, Leicester, Cambridge, Huntington, Suffolke, Norfolke, Lincolne, Yorke, Nottingham, and Darby, with our Citties of Peterborough, Norwich, Lincolne, and Yorke with our Vniversity of Cambridge, and Isle of Ely, with our Towne and County of Kingston vpon Hull, and our Towne of No [...]tingham. And in all Townes Curporate, Priuiledged places, Parishes, Villages, and in all other places whatsoeuer within our said Counties and not else where, for and towards the new building of his said House, the rerouery of his losse, and the reliefe and comfort of our said poore Subject, his Wife, and fiue Children.

WHEREFORE wee will and Commaund you and euery of you, that at such time and times, as the said Robert Lawe, or his Deputy or Deputies, the bearer or bearers hereof, shall come and repaire to any your Churches, Chappels, or other places, to aske and receiue the gratuities and charitable beneuolence of our said Subiects, quietly to permit and suffer them so to doe, without any manner your lets or contradictions, And you the said Parsons, Vicars, and Curats, for the better stirring vp of a charitable deuotion, deliberately to publish and declare the Tenor of these our Letters Patents, vnto our said Subjects vpon some Sabaoth day, when as the same shall be tendered vnto you. Exhorting and perswading them to extend their liberall contributions in so good and charitable a déed. And you the Churchwardens of euery Parish, where such Collection is to be m [...]de (as aforesaid) to collect and gather the Almes and charitable bene­nolence of all our louing Subiects, aswell Strangers as others and what shall be by you so gathered to deliuer it to the bearer or bearsts of these our Letters Patents and to no other person, when as thereunto you shalbe required. And lastly, whereas we are informed of the great abuse which is now crept in amongst these poore people, who sell their Licences vnto some other person, whereby mens charity go­eth not the right way, but vnto such as deserue it least: That from henceforth our will and pleasure is, that if it may appeare vnto you or any of you, that the said Robert Lawe, hath contracted any bargaine, or made or shall make sale of these our Letters Patents, whereby the benefit should passe from him to any other person, That thereupon these our Letters Patents shall be voide and of none effect. Any Statute, Law, Ordinance, or Prouision, heretofore made to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

IN witnesse whereof, Wee haue caused these our Letters to be made Patents for the space of One whole peace next after the date hereof to endure.