To the Iustices of Peace, or chief Gentlemen of our Parishes, and all other officers, toward the furtherance of this good work,  
ELizabeth by the grace of God, queen of england, France, and ireland, defender of the faith &c. To all men to whom these presentes shall come gretyng.  
Where as in and adioinyng to our county of devon, there is between the haven of Exmouthe in the said county of devon, and our Cobbe of Lime Regis in our county of Dorcet, one bay very daungerous in time of Winter and tempests: In and nere which place in times paste, hath been a good and safe Port and haven; called Culliton haven at Seaton, in our said county of devon: as may well appear both by ancient writings, and other evidence: and also by sundry Anchors and ship timber, daily found in the land meadows, and Marshes there about, as we are informed. which haven at that time was of great use and commodity, for the trade and traffic of merchandise, for the benefit and relief of the Subiectes of this our realm, for the profit of the country adjoining, for the maintenance of the navy, Fishermen, and Mariners, as well of our Proginitours, as of their Subiectes. And especially hath been a great succour, and place of refuge, and safeguard for ships and men, arriuyng about the same coasts: and where by the decay and stopping of the said haven, and for lack of such a sure place of arrival in so great a space, and vpon so large and daungerous seas, great number of ships, and bodies of Englishe merchants, Passengers, Mariners, and other people, and also of sundry strangers merchants, and other being in amity with us, haue yearly been most lamentably cast away and perished, and are like to bee cast away and perish, if good remedy in that behalf be not provided: All which matters together, with the great importance, necessity, and profit to this our realm, that the haven there may be repaired and restored, hath been certified unto us by the Iustices of Peace, and other Gentlemen, inhabiting within our said county of devon. And where our loving and faithful Subiectes, the good men and inhabitants of our town of Culliton, in our said county of devon, haue not onely made their most humble suite to us, that of our gracious goodness and clemency, it would please us to provide some convenient mean, that the said haven may be new made, and repaired: But also haue offered to employ their travails, diligences, and expenses of their goods, to the uttermost of their abilities, for the performance of the said good and charitable work. And for that the finishyng thereof, far surmounteth their power and substance, and the benefit is to grow thereby not to themselves alone, but to the whole body of our realm and Subiectes, either trading the Seas, or having commodity and use of things carried out, or brought in by way of merchandise, and specially to those whose persons of their friends or goods, may by so good a Port be preserved: they haue most humbly besought us to commend the same good laudable deed, and the charitable furtherance thereof, to the benevolence of all our Subiectes, trusting that all good Christian and Englishe persons, will for common charity and love to their country, and the rather for our good commendation, the more liberally contribute, that the same may be speedily and substantially doen and performed. Wee therefore tendering the said humble petitions, and of our due and royal care for the preservation, defence, and advancement of this our realm and Subiectes, esteemyng no one thing more necessary then the increase of the navy, Fishermen, and merchants, which without good ports and havens, can not bee sustained: Of our special grace, certain knowledge, and more motion, haue given and granted, and by these our Letters patents, do give and grant full licence, permission and authority, to our well-beloved Subiectes john clerk, Walter Rawlin, inhabitants of the said town of Culliton, and Thomas Weston, and william Morris merchants of London, and every of them, and to all and every other person, that shalbe thereunto deputed and assigned by the said john clerk, Walter Rawlin, Thomas Weston, and william Morris, or any of them, under their, or any of their hand writing, to ask and receive of all persons, as well spiritual and temporal, as also Englishe born and strangers, in all places within this our realm of England, and all other our Dominions, the charitablt gifts and contributions, that it shall please any persons to give, to the new making, repairyng, and mainteinyng of the said haven, during the space of xij. yeres now next ensuing, and of our said grace, we do by these our present letters patents, will, require, and straightly command all our Archbishoppes, and bishops, within this our realm of England to whom these presentes, or the exemplification thereof, under our great seal shall bee shewed, that they, and every of them in his several province and Dioces, do at, and vpon the request of the said john clerk, Walter Rawlin, Thomas Weston, and william Morris, or one of them, not onely by their letters commend the claritable furtherance of the said good work: but also the said Bishop shall constitute and appoint such, and so many trusty persons, as the said john clerk, Walter Rawlin, Thomas Weston, and william Morris, or one of them shall name, and in such limits, diocese, and jurisdictions, as to them, and the said john clerk, Walter Rawlin, Thomas Weston, and william Morris, or any of them shal be thought best, during the said term of xij. yeres now next ensuing, to ask and gather the contributions, and gifts of all persons in every several church and parish, towards the making and repairyng of the said haven.  
And we will that the said trusty persons, and every of them so to be appointed, shall not onely ask and collect, as is abovesaid: but also shall yearly, during the said term, within xiiii. daies after every of the several feasts of the Annunciation of S. mary the virgin, and of S. michael the archangel, deliver, or cause to be delivered in our city of London, to the hands of the said Thomas Weston, and william Morris merchants there, or to one of them, or to such other person or persons, as by such Bishop or Archbishop shalbe appointed, and to such Collector so signified, with thassent of the said john clerk, Walter Rawlin, Thomas Weston, and william Morris or one of them, so much money as they, or any of them, shall then haue collected, in form aforesaid together, with a true note and certificat of the several names of such contributers, and the several sums that they shall so contribute, and their dwelling places, taking and deductyng to the said Collectors, for the portage of the said sums, according to the usual allowance, vpon paunentes made to our use. And we do do by these our present Letters patents, straightly charge and command, and therewith also to appoint, and authorize the said Thomas Weston, and william Morris, and either of them, and all and every other person, to whose hands any of the said collectors shall pay any of the said sums, in form aforesaid, that such sums so to them to be paid, they do with all convenient speed pay, or cause to bee paid over to the hands of our right well-beloved Subiectes, sir Gawen Carewe knight, sir john Moore knight, sir Robert Denis knight, sir humphrey Gilbert knight, bernard Drake Esquire, and john clerk, and Walter Rawlin, inhabitants of our said town of Colliton, or to some one of them: which said Gawen, john, Robert, humphrey, Barnard, john, and Walter, or any four of thē, whereof we will alway some of the knights aforesaid to be two, wee shall by our letters appoint to oversee, and direct the said works, and pay the workmen about the said haven, and once every half year to advertise us, or our privy counsel what shall haue been doen in the premises. And we further will and command all parsons, Vicars, Curates, ecclesiastical Ministers, and Churchwardens, that they do their beste endeavours, for the augmentation of the benevolence, and contribution of charitable persons toward the said work, both by the declaring of the intent of our pleasure herein expressed, with the considerations here mentioned that haue us moved, the benefit that shall thereby grow to the commonweal, and the preservation of our Subiectes, and by exhorting their Parishioners and Auditors to be liberal in such contribution, and also by aduisyng and putting in mind of wealthy persons in time of sickness, to further the said works, by way of their gifts & legacies, in their last wills and testaments. And out pleasure is that the said haven being made and finished, that then the inhabitants of the said town of Colliton, shall haue the preferment & pre-eminence, to sue for the obtainyng of a corporation, for the maintenance of the said haven, before any other town within the said county of devon. In witness whereof, we haue caused these our Letters to be made Pattens.  
witness ourself at Westminster the third day of February, in the xvij. year of our reign. God save the queen.   

Here is to be noted, that these Letters patents are to be laid up, and kept fom year to year, until the yeres herein mentioned bee expired. And once every year to be red in your parish church, and that when the Bishop or Archdeacon shall command the same, or the collector.