To the right reverend Father in God, my very good Lord and Brother, the Lord Bishop of London.  
Right reverend father in God, my very good Lord, I have received from his Majesty his Princely letters, written in favour of the Inhabitants of the Town of weasel; the tenor whereof here ensueth.  
MOST Reverend father in God, right trusty and right-wel-beloved Counsellor, We greet you well. Whereas the Magistrates of the City of weasel, situate in the confines of Germany, by their special messengers sent hither, have represented unto us, that where heretofore for long continuance of time, their said City hath been a place of succour and retreat to many afflicted Strangers, such as have been exiled for the profession of true Religion, as well from this Kingdom of ENGLAND, as from other Countries, are now fallen into great miseries and distresses, aswell by the continual calamity and spoils of the war, which heretofore they have endured, as more particularly some four years since, by the sudden and woeful surprise of their City by Marquis SPINOLA, general of the King of Spain his Army, and ever since by the surcharge and oppression of a mighty Garrison of almost four thousand Spaniards and other nations: By reason whereof the said City is become so impoverished (the wealthier Citizens having retired themselves from thence) as they are not able any longer to sustain the charge, neither of the ministery, nor of the Free-school, which heretofore they have erected for the propagation of God's true religion: nor of the multitude of their poor people, which are by the calamities aforesaid infinitely increased of late, without the benevolent assistance of others; and to that end having humbly besought us for a charitable contribution to be levied amongst our subjects: We in tender commiseration of their distressed estate, and in gratitude for the benefits which heretofore they have afforded to others, when God enlarged them with means and occasion, are graciously pleased to grant their request. Wherefore we do require and hereby authorize you to write your letters to the several Bishops of the Dioceses in your Province, that they do give order to the Ministers and other zealous men of their Dioceses, both by their own example in Contribution, and by exhortation to others, to dispose our well-beloved subjects in their several charges to a charitable and bountiful contribution towards their relief. And for the better advancing thereof, our pleasure is that those Collections made in the particular parishes, be returned to the Bishops of the Dioceses, and by them transmitted to such persons, as by the advise and nomination of the said messengers you shall think convenient to appoint. Given under our Signet at our Manor of Greenwich, the seventh day of june in the 16 year of our reign of England, France and Ireland, and of Scotland the 51.  
Hereby it appeareth that God hath been pleased so far to try the faith and patience of these his children, as that they who formerly gave relief unto others, yea to divers of our Countrymen in the time of persecution under Queen MARY, are now constrained to seek relief of others, which should incite us to enlarge the bowels of our compassion towards them, taking knowledge of God his mercy the more upon us according to his own saying; It is a more blessed thing to give, then to receive, which cannot be better expressed of our parts, then by having commiseration and a fellow feeling of them, making the same profession of faith which we do, yet do suffer such adversity, and so remarkable a calamity: I pray your Lordship therefore, to your power, to advance and set forward this work, which tendeth to no other end but to the honour of Almighty God. And to send the money contributed unto me, that so it may be delivered over to Philip Burlamachie and some other Merchant strangers, so to be conveyed to the Town of weasel, according to his majesties gracious direction. In the mean time I leave you to God, and remain  
Your Lordship's very loving brother. G. CANT. Lambehith: june 25. 1618.  
AS my Chancellor at the reading of these letters did entreat you my brethren of the ministery to advance this collection to the uttermost of your power, so I pray you all, and every one of you, that you will use both the best arguments and means to enrich and make as good as may be this Collection, and with as much speed as may be to return the same unto me, that so I may satisfy both his majesties desire, and my Lord of Canterbury's direction. And so I leave you to God his protection.  
Your loving friend Io. London.  
THE money that shallbe gathered by virtue of these letters, to be given unto the Archdeacon's officials, or registers, that it may be presently conveyed into the hands of my Lord of London.