I ² R  DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon or coat of arms  
JAMES, By the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, & Freland, Defender of the Faith, etc. To all and singular Archbishops, Bishops, Archdeacon's, Deans, and their Officials: parsons, Thears, Curates, and to all spiritual persons: And also to all justices of Peace, majors, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Churchwardens, and Headboroughs: And to all Officers of Cities, boroughs, and Towns corporate: And to all other our Officers, Ministers, and Subjects whatsoever they be, aswell within liberties, as without, to whom these presents shall, greeting.  
WHEREAS by the humble Supplication and Petition of our tive and Royal Subjects the Inhabitants of our Town of stains within our County of Middlesex, We are gtuen to understand aswell of the great ruins & decays of the Bridge of stains, as also of the wasting & decays of the Causeway of Egham which leadeth to the said Bridge from the Western parts to one City of London; Whereupon We forthwith directed our Commission under our great Seal of England. to our sight trusty & well beloved Thomas Lord Knynet, Sir john Dodderidge Knight one of the justices of our Benth, Sir john Derham. Knight one of the Barone of our Exchequer, sir Henry Spiller Knight, William Mynterne, & Adryan Moor Esquiors, to authorize them to forney the foresait ruins and decays of the said Bridge & Causeway, and to make Certificate unto Us of the present neecssity of the reparation of the same, of the charge thereof, and how the same may be raised; the which accordingly they have performed: and they do find, aswell by their own view, as also ●●on the examination of the Wardens of the said Bridge & divers skilful workmen in these affairs, that the said Bridge is so dangeroully ruinated in the Foundation thereof, and generally in all the parts, & the Causeway so worn & eaten away by great Floods, as of necessity there must be speedy reparation; the charge whereof, will amount nóere upon the Sum of One Thousand Pounds. And moreover there have been many breaches which have been made by reason of the said great floods, which have drowned up the Country thereabouts, and undone many of the Inhabitants. And forasmuch as many inconveniences & great hindrances will daily arise in stopping of recourse of trading & other occasions for the service & provision of our City of London, (the said Causeway & Bridge being the direct & only passage for divers Counties in the Western parts to our foresaid City, and from the said City into those Countries again, it being also the only way for our own Carriages to pass over, as often as our occasions call us that way, Ourself being lately and eye witness of the ruins and decays aforesaid, & of the present necessity of repairing the same,) We have thought good (upon do consideration had thereof, aswell for preventing of many mischiefs & untimely accidents that happen hereafter, as also for the maintaining & preserving of the passage there, it being of that coasequence & importance as concerneth the general good of the Common wealth, to take some course in time for the raising of the foresaid Sum of Money, that those decays may speedily be repaired & amended. And albeit our poor Subjects the Inhabitants of stains are most ready & willing to the uttermost of their power, to contribute towards the finishing & performing of this good & necessary work, yet finding the charge thereof far beyond their power (they receiving yearly by the tolle of the passengers there, but Twenty Four Pounds at most, & having in stock but Eighteen Pounds, the which is already employed in Timber towards the beginning of this work) they have most humbly besought Us for the better furtherance thereof, to commend this good & laudable deed unto the charitable consideration of all our loving & well disposed subjects within certain Counties of this Kingdom, and especially such as may or vivally have recourse of trading that way, not doubting but that all good Christians & true Subjects (well weighing the premises) will be ready & forward (and the rather for our good commendation hereof) to extend their liberal contributions towards speedy finishing and performing of this needful & necessary work. And forasmuch also, as it plainly appeareth to all those to whom these presents shall come, that this work tendeth not to the private good of any particular person, but generally to the ea●e & benefit of the Conmon wealth, and that the necessity of the performance thereof requireth a special course above other ordinary Collections, and a care extraordinary to be had for the speedy collecting & bringing in of present supplies of moneys on this behalf, We have thought good to Commend the furtherance of this good work unto the serious consideration & benevolence of all our loving subjects within our Cities of London, & Westminster, with the suburbs & liberties thereof, & in our Counties of Middlesex, Surrey, Sussex, Southampton, W●ltes. Dorset. Somerset, Devon & Cornwall, with out Cities of Chichester. & Winchester, with our Isle of Wight. & Town of Souchampton, & in our Cities of Salisbury, Bristol, Bath, & Wells, & Exeter, with our Town & County of Poole: And in all Towns corporate, privileged places, Parishes▪ Villages, & in all other places whatsoever within our foresaid Counties, for and towards the raising of the Sum of moneys aforesaid, to finish the said work.  
NOW know ye therefore, that Our pleasure is, & We do by these our Letters Patents authorize & require every Church warden & Petty Constable of every Parish within any the Counties, Cities, Towns corporate, or privileged places before recited, that forthwith upon receipt of these our Letters Patents or the Brief thereof, they collect & gather of every person within their Parish from house, to house, their contributions towards this good work. and to endorse the names of the givers, and the Sum given, on the back side of the Brief, and to return the Brief & moneys thereupon collected, unto such justices of the Peace in every County, City, or Town corporate, as our Justices of Assize in their next Circuit shall nominate & appoint. And Our further pleasure is, that those Justices of the Peace shall return the money to them delivered by the Churchwardens or Petty Constables, unto the Bridge. Masters of stains Bridge, before the end of Easter Term next ensuing the date of these our Letters Patents, that this necessary work may speedily be finished & performed. Any Statute, Law, Ordinance, or provision heretofore made to the contrary in any wise not withstanding.  
IN witness whereof, we have caused these our Letters to be made Patents for the space of One whole year next after the data hereof to endure.  
Witness ourself at Westminster, the eighteen day of February, in the Sixteenth year of our Reign of England, France and Ireland; and of Scotland the Two & Fiftieth. ❀ Steward 
 ❀ God save the king.   

Printed by Thomas Purfoot.