WHEREAS Wee are giuen to vnder­stand, by the Lords and others of Our Priuie Counsell, that there are a great number of the Inhabitants of the Isle of Ree, together with their Wiues and Children, professing the true Reformed Religion with vs, who out of a iust apprehension, and feare of the malice and cruelty of their enemies, practised against them in former times vpon all occasions, haue aban­doned their owne Countrey, their Houses and Estates, and other earthly Commodities, and haue withdrawen themselues into this Our Realme, and vnder Our protection, for the security of their persons, and more free exercise of their Religion. And that very many of them are in great distresse, especially occasioned through the suddennesse of their leauing their owne homes and liuelyhoods; Wee being mooued with a Princely and Pious compassion towards them, as fellow Mem­bers of the true Church, and with comfort remembring the charitable and hospitable refuge and reliefe, which Our Do­minions haue in former times affoorded to all such Strangers, who haue suffered for the profession of the Gospel, And that the religious practice of this Christian duety to others, will, by the blessing of God, bee a meanes to preserue Vs, and Our people from the like distres­ses, And taking notice that the Lords, and others of Our Priuie Counsell for the inciting of the Charity of others, haue rated themselues to such a propor­tion of bounty and reliefe to these distressed Strangers, as may giue incouragement to so charitable a worke, which example Wee earnestly desire, that all other of Our louing Subiects, according to their degrees, would chearefully follow. KNOW yee therefore, That Wee, of Our Princely grace, doe or­der and grant, that a Collection be made of the charitable deuotion, and liberality of all Our louing Subiects throughout Our Realme of England, and Do­minion of Wales, in all places whatsoeuer, aswell within liberties as without, towards the reliefe and succour of the sayd poore Inhabitants of the Isle of Ree, liuing dispersed and distressed in sundry parts of this Our Realme, as in Plimouth, Southhampton Portsmouth, and in the Citie of London, and elswhere to bee exe­cuted and ordered in manner and forme following: That is to say, Wee will, grant, appoint, and require, that Sir William Becher Knight, one of the Clerkes of Our Priuie Counsell, shall and may procure to bee printed so many Briefes of these Our Letters Patents, as may suffice for the accomplishing and perfor­mance of this good worke, and shall cary and shew these Our Letters Patents, vnder Our great Seale, to the Lord Bishop of London, and shall also leaue with him so many of these printed Briefes, as there bee Churches of Chappels, wherein publique or Diuine seruice is vsually sayd within the circuite or pre­cinct of the seuerall Prouinces of Canterbury and Yorke. And Wee require the said Lord Bishop of London to receiue the said Briefes, and to send and distribute them with speede vnto euery Archbishop and Bishop within these Our Dominions, so many of the sayd Briefes, as are requisite within their seuerall Dio­cesses, the said Briefes to bee sent by the sayd Archbishops and Bishops to the Minister and Curate of euery Parish Church and Chappell within their se­uerall Diocesses. And Wee also will and require euery Minister or Curate of euery Church or Chappell to whom such printed Briefes shall bee deliuered that without any long delay, vpon some Sunday or Holy day, when the Parishioners be there fully assembled to heare Diuine Seruice they publikely declare in their seuerall Church or Chappell vnto the Congregation there assembled, the tenor of these Briefes, with an especiall exhortation vnto them to yeelde their liberall and extraordinary Contribution to so charitable a worke. And We also will and require you the Churchwardens and ouerseers of the poore, to make diligent Collection of the charitable deuotion of the people within the said Church or Chappell so assembled, and that after Collection so made, you doe publiquely declare in that Church that whole summe of money so by you collected, and then procure the same summe to bee set downe on the backeside of the said Briefe vnder your hands, and the hand of the Minister of the sayd Church or Chappell; And then that you the said Churchwardens, or Ouerseers, or one of you, after the receipt of the money so collected, deliuer the same together with the Briefe vnto such Minister of the Deanry, where the said Collection shall be made, as the Lord Bishop of the said Diocesse shall assigne or appoint to receiue the same. And Wee doe hereby require and au­thorize the Bishop of euery Diocesse to name and appoint one fitte and able Minister in euery Deanry to receiue the said Collections accordingly. And We also require you the said Minister which shall bee so appointed to receiue the sayd money from the foresayd Ouerseers, that you receiue the same with the aforesaid Briefe, and that within tenne dayes after the receipt thereof, you pay and deliuer the same with the Briefe, whereby the same hath been collected, vnto the Lord Bishop of the Diocesse, where such collection is made. And Wee also require you the Archbishops and Bishops of euery Diocesse respectiue­ly that you receiue of the said Minister the said money with the Briefes, whereby the same hath beene collected, and deliuer ouer all the sayd Collections, which haue been so made within the seuerall Diocesses, to the Lord Bishop of London. And we likewise require you the Bishop of London, to transmit wiht­out delay to the said Sir William Becher, or such as hee shall appoint vnder his hand and seale, all the summes of money so collected within the seuerall Dio­cesses, taking a receipt for the same vnder his hand. And Wee hereby require and command the sayd Sir William Becher, to distribute the same to the said poore distressed Strangers, according to such directions as from time to time the Lords and others of Our Priuie Counsel shall giue therein. All which for the furthering of the said charitable worke without any diminution, Wee require to bee performed by all the persons employed therein, without any de­duction of charges, and to be iustly and duely executed, 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 two yeeres from the date hereof to continue.

Witnesse Our Selfe at Westminster, the fourth day of Ianuary, in the third yeere of our Reigne.

God saue the King.