¶ By the Lords of His majesties Privy Council.  
WHereas in divers Ports of this Kingdom, the Officers of the said Ports do exact a certain petty duty, commonly called Head-money, upon every Passenger, aswell at their going forth, as at their entrance into the Kingdom, which is now absolutely taken away and abolished, by a Treaty some few years since made and concluded betwixt His Majesty and the most Christian French King, that now is, both in these His majesties Kingdoms, as also in the Realm of France, and all other Dominions belonging to that Crown, as concerning those of the English and French Nation: These shall be to let you know, that His Majesty intending (as always he hath done) really to observe the said Treaty in that and all other Articles therein contained, hath given straight charge and commandment, that no Officer, nor other person whomsoever, shall presume hereafter to exact or demand the said Head-money, upon any Subjects of His good Brother the most Christian French King, that shall have occasion to pass at that Port, or any the members thereof, either at his going forth or landing, but that it may be free for all such persons, of what condition or degree soever, against whom there shall be no other particular cause of restraint to pass, as aforesaid, without the exaction of this or any duty of the like nature whatsoever. To which His majesties Royal pleasure and express commandment; We do in his highness name straightly charge and command you and every of you, whom it may concern, to conform yourselves, that you do not henceforth demand, or suffer to be demanded the said pretended duty, commonly called Head-money, nor any thing in the nature or Lieu thereof, as you will answer the contrary at your peril, and as you will avoid His majesties high displeasure.  
Given at the Court at Whitehall the fifteenth of March, in the fifteenth year of His majesties Reign of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the one and fifty, 1617. To all Majors, Portreeves, Customers, controllers, Searchers of Ports, and all other His majesties Officers whom it may concern, and to every of them. 

G. Cant.  
Pembroke.  
Th. edmond's.  
Fr. Bacon, Canc.  
T. Arundel.  
Tho. Lake.  
T. Suffolk.  
james Hay.  
jul. Caesar.  
Lenox.  
F. Cary.     

❧ Imprinted at London by Bonham Norton, and john Bill, Deputies and Assigns of Robert Barker, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty. AN. DOM. M.DC.XVII.   

receive, and take the moiety, or one half thereof, according to the true meaning of this our grant of and from the Merchants and owners of the goods in the Ships, Hoys, Barks and vessels, from time to time, according to the quantity of the goods and merchandises wherewith the said Ships, Hoys, Barks or vessels shall be fraught or laden.  
And that the said persons hereafter named, their or either of their Executors, Administrators or Assigns, substitute or substitutes one or more of them shall or may likewise lawfully demand, receive and take of every Ship, Hoye, Bark, Fisherman or vessel being the Ship, Hoye, Bark or vessel of any Alien, Denizen or stranger, not being our natural born Subjects, that shall happen to sail, or pass from Port to Port, by or alongst the said North Coast, the like duty of one penny upon the Tun, in the voyage outward and inward, as aforesaid, which we will and ordain, for us, our Heirs, and Successors, shall be collected and taken by the persons hereafter named, their Exequetors, Administrators, Debutis, or Assigns, at or in the Port, Harbour, creak, or Road within any part of our Dominions where the said Ships, Hoys, Barks or vessels of any such stranger, shall harbour or put in, although the same Ship, or vessel shall not there be unladed or discharged of any the goods or Merchandizes, wherewith it shall be fraught or laden.  
And that the same duty of one penny upon the Tun as aforesaid being once paid, and the receipt thereof being testified by those who shall be appointed to receive the same, the said Masters and owners of Ships and other vessels, as well our natural born Subjects as strangers, shall be then freed and discharged of and from the payment of the said duty, in every or any Port or Ports in which the said Ships or vessels, shall or may happen or come in every or any such voyage as aforesaid.  
KNOW YE therefore that we as well in consideration of the premises, as for divers other good causes and considerations us hereunto moving of our special grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, have given and granted, and by these presents for us, our Heirs & Successors, we do give & grant unto our trusty & well-beloved servants Sir Wiliam Erskin Knight, and john Meldrum Esquire, their Executors, Administrators and Assigns, as well in regard of the true, faithful, and acceptable service by the said Sir William Erskine & john Meldrum to us heretofore done, and as being the first suitors unto us for the erecting and setting up of lighthouses at or near Winterton aforesaid, as also for other good causes and considerations us thereunto moving free liberty, licence, power and authority, that they or any of them shall and may lawfully make, build, erect, set up, remove, and maintain, or cause to be made, builded, erected, set up, removed and maintained in all such place and places of the said North Coast within the compass of two miles of the Town of Winterton in our County of Norfolk as to them shall seem most fit, needful and requisite, such and so many convenient Light-howses, with continual Lights to be burning in them during all the night time, whereby the said Seafaring men may take notice and be warned of the dangers thereabouts and so be the more able to avoid and escape them, and the said ships and vessels may the better arrive & come into their Ports and Harbours without peril, as to them the said Sir William Erskine and john Meldrum, their Executors, Administrators and Assigns or any of them shall be thought fit, requisite and needful.  
And for the great & continual charges to be from time to time sustained & borne in & about the erecting and maintaining of the said Lights and Light-howses, we do for us, our Heirs, and Successors will, ordain, give and grant to the said Sir William Erskine and john Meldrum, their Executors, Administrators, Deputies and Assigns full power and authority, that they and every of them shall and may lawfully demand, receive, have and take of, and from the Masters and Owners of Ships, Hoys, Barks, Fishermen, and other Vessels passing or sailing by or alongst the said North Coast one penny upon the Tun according to the burden of the same Ships or vessels for every whole voyage inward & outward as aforesaid, to be from time to time answered and paid either in such Port or places where the same Ship or Vessel shall be fraught or laden, or else in such Port or place where the same Ship or Vessel shall be discharged and unladen as aforesaid. Nevertheless our will and pleasure is that for the erection, reparation, renewing removing and continual maintenance of all or any such Light-house or lighthouses heretofore erected & set up, or which hereafter shall or may be erected, renewed, altered, removed and maintained, at or near Winterton, or within two mile's compass of the same as aforesaid, no other or further duty or payment to be demanded or taken of our subjects or others, than the aforesaid duty or payment of one penny in the Voyage upon the Tun outward and inward as aforesaid.  
AND WE do further of our special grace, certain knowledge, & mere motion for us, our Heirs, and successors, give & grant unto the said Sir William Erskine and john Meldrum, their executors, administrators and assigns, full power and authority that they and every of them at their wills and pleasures shall or may lawfully erect, set up, altar, change, renew and remove by or at their proper costs and charges, and by and with the advise and direction of expert and skilful Seafaring men, dwelling or trading upon the aforesaid Coast, such and so many Lights and lighthouses, at or near Winterton aforesaid; or within the compsse of two miles thereof as aforesaid, as shall be thought fit and as just occasion or necessity shall require. To have, hold, exercise and enjoy the said liberties, licences, powers & authorities, & the said duty or payment of one penny upon the Tun as aforesaid before by these presents given and granted and every of them unto the said Sir William Erskine and john Meldrum their Executors, Administrators & Assigns, for & during the full end and tear me of fifty years from the date of these presents fully to be complete & ended.  
AND for as much as any other order or course cannot well be taken for the due leaviing of the said duty or payment of one penny upon the Tun in the Voyage outward and inward as aforesaid for and towards the effecting and continuance of this so good and necessary a work, then by appointing the payment and collection of the same, to be had & made within the Ports, Harbours, Roads and Creeks, unto the which the said Ships, Barks, and Vessels shall or do come and arrive, we do by these presents for us, our Heirs and Successors, will, ordain and appoint and also straightly charge, command, and authorize all and every the Customers, Collectors, controllers, Receivers of entries of ships, Water-baylifes & all other the officers whatsoever of and concerning the Customs to us, our Heirs & Successors, and all other the Wardens or keepers of any our Havens and Ports now being, and which from the time hereafter shall be as well in our several Ports of London & Newcastle, as in all and every other the Ports, Harbours, Creeks, Roads, and places within our Realm of England to whom it shall or may appertain, that they or some of them being first lawfully deputed and appointed by the said persons herein before named, their Executors, Administrators or Assigns, or some of them for the levying and receiving the said duty of one penny upon the Tun as aforesaid from time to time & at all tunes hereafter during the said term of fifty years before such time as they or any of them shall or may give any Cocket or other discharge whatsoever, or before they shall receive or take any entry respectively of or for any Ship, Bark or Vessel which hereafter shall pass or repass by or alongst the North Coast aforesaid shall demand, collect and receive the said duty and allowance of one penny upon the Tun in the voyage, outward and inward herein before specified, respectively of and for all and every such Ship, Hoye Bark, or Vessel, belonging to any Merchant, Fisherman, or other person or persons our natural born Subjects, Denizens and Strangers as shall sail and teade from Port to Port by or along the Coast aforesaid, except the Master or Owner of the same Ship, Bark or Vessel shall produce & show forth a receipt or acquittance of and for the payment of the said duty under the hand and seal of such officer or officers as shall be deputed and appointed by the said persons herein before named, their Executors, Administrators or Assigns in every or any such Customhouse or place from whence the said ship or Vessel shall come testifiing the payment and receipt thereof to be there duly had and made.  
And that all and every such Customer, collector, or other officer in our said Custome-houses to be appointed and deputed as aforesaid, shall yield and make just and true accounts and payments, of all and every such collections sum & sums of money, as by him them or any of them, shall be collected or received from time to time, unto the said Sir William Erskine Knight, and john Meldrum their Executors, Administrators or Assigns, to be by them, either or any of them, received and retained to their own proper use and behoof, for & in respect of their great and continual charges, to be sustained and borne, in erecting, renewing, altering, removing and continual maintaining of the said lighthouses and Lights, in the night season as aforesaid, without any account or other thing therefore, or for any part thereof by them to be made or given for the same, other than the yearly rent hereby to us our Heirs and Successors received, yielding, and paying therefore unto us, our Heirs and Successors, the yearly rent or sum of six pounds thirteen shillings and four pence of lawful money of England, at the receipt of our Exchequer at Westminster, or to our Receiver or Receivers, of our County of Norfolk for the time being, at the feast of the Annunciation of the blessed virgin Mary, and at S. Michael the Archangel, by even and equal proportion, during the said term, or within thirty days next after either of the said feasts.  
And to the end, that the said S William Erskine and john Mledrum, their Executors, Administrators and Assigns, shall and may the better have & enjoy the full force, benefit and effect of this our present grant; and to the intent and purpose, that the Master, Wardens and Assistants of the Trinity House of Debtford Strand aforesaid, and all others whosoever, may be restrained during the term of Fifty years aforesaid, from continuing, repairing, renewing, removing and maintaining, any Light-house or lighthouses already erected and set up, since March last, within the space of two Miles of the Town of Winterton aforesaid, and from erecting and setting up during the said term, any other new Light-house or lighthouses, at or near the said Town, or within two miles thereof and of and from the receiving, having or taking, by any ways, means, or pretences whatsoever, any collection, contribution, sum or sums of money whatsoever for the same, during the said Term of Fifty years before specified, notwithstanding any former course, taken or had, by, or for the said Master, Wardens and Assistants of the Trinity house of Debtford Srond aforesaid, for the lighthouses since March last by them ecected, at or near Winterton aforesaid.  
We do by these presents, for us, our Heirs and Successors, authorise, the Lords of our Privy Council for the time being, and we do also straightly charge, require and command all Mayors, Sheriffs, justices of peace, Captains of our Castles, and Forts, Bailiffs and other Officers and Ministers whatsoever, of us, our Heirs and Successors to whom it doth and shall appertain, that they and every of them be from time to time hereafter aiding and assisting unto the said William Erskin Knight & john Meldrum, their and either of their Executors, Administrators and Assigns, substitutes, factors and servants, and every of them, in & concerning the premises upon every complaint to be made touching or concerning the same, according as in justice shall be by them or any of them desired and requested in that behalf, and these presents or the intolement thereof shall be unto them and every of them a sufficient warrant and discharge for the doing, performing and executing the same.  
AND lastly we do hereby signify and declare our express will and pleasure to be, and we do for us, our Heirs and Successors, straightly charge and command the said Master, Wardens, and Assistants of the Trinity house of Debtford-Strond and their successors, that they and every of them, their factors and servants appointed by them shall and do immediately from henceforth surcease and desist as well of and from erecting or setting up of any Light-house or lighthouses at Winterton aforesaid, or within two mile's compass thereof as aforesaid, as of and from the continuing or maintaining of any Light or Lights burning in any Light-house or lighthouses since March last by them there erected or set up, & that they and every of them shall for bear from henceforth to demand, receive or take any duty, payment allowance, or benefit of or from any our subjects or others trading or passing by or alongst the said Coast, for or in respect of the same Light-house or lighthouses by or under any colour, pretence or pretext, whatsoever any Act, Statute, Ordinance, Provision, Charter and Grant, heretofore had made, enacted, or provided, or any other cause, consideration, matter, or thing, to the contrary thereof in any wise, notwithstanding, & that upon the pain and peril of incurring our high and heavy displeasure for their contempt or neglect of this our royal will and commandment herein so expressly declared in this behalf, although express mention of the true yearly value or certainty of the premises or of any of them, or of any other gift or grant by us or any of our Progenitors or Predecessors to the aforesaid Sir William Erskine and john Meldrum or either of them before these times made in these presents, is not made, or any Statute, Act, Ordinance, Provision, Proclamation or Restraint heretofore had made, set forth, ordained or provided or any other matter, cause or thing whatsoever to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.  
In witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made Patents, witness ourself at Westminster the 18 day of Feb. in our 15 year of our Reign of England, France and Ireland and of Scotland the 51.  
God save the King.