William the Third, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the faith, &c. To all and singular archbishops, bishops, archdeacons, deans, ... and to all other our officers, ministers and subjects whatsoever they be, as well within liberties as without, to whom these presents shall come, greeting Whereas it hath been humbly represented unto us by the petition of William Ebourne, John Ebourne, William Marshall, Thomas Huggins, and Marmaduke Roberts. and above one hundred others sufferers by fire, in the parish of Saint Mary Magdalen Bermondsey, in the county of Surry: ... That on the fourteenth day of June last, there happened near the river of Thames, in the said parish ... a most dreadful and sudden fire, which in the space of a few hours consumed and burnt down to the ground the dwelling-houses of the said poor petitioners, ... Know ye therefore, that of our royal favour ... do give and grant ... full power, license, and authority, to ask, gather, receive ... charitable benevolence ... We have caused these our letters to be made patents, and to continue for one whole year from Michaelmas next, and no longer.

Abstract

At end of text: Witness our self at Westminster, the eight and twentieth day of May, in the twelfth year of our reign. Fall [per] Pearson. God save the King. Steele notation: Ireland, Whereas May,. Printed in black letter; royal arms at head. Ordering the collection of money to aid those who lost their property in the fire; 116 houses were burned. Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library, Oxford.