I 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, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. To all and singular Archbishops, Bishops, Archdeacon's, Deans, and their Officials, Parsons, Vicars, Curates, and to all spiritual persons. And also to all justices of Peace, Mayor, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Churchwardens and Headboroughes: And to all Officers of Cities, Boroughes, 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 come, greeting:  
WHEREAS we are credibly given to understand, by a Certificate under the hands of our right trusty and well-beloved Cousin William Earl of Sal●sbury, Henry Lord Hunsdon, Sir john Butler, Sir Thomas Po 〈…〉 Blunt, and Sir Henry Goodere Knights, justices of the Peace within our County of Hartford, That our poor distressed Subjects George Ballard, john Bridgman, and Alice Hughes, Widow of Bishops Hatfield in our foresaid County, are now fallen into great want and poverty by reason of a sudden and fearful Fire happening on the Tenth day of October last passed, which in short time between Eight and nine of the clock in the night, consumed and burnt down eighteen bays of Housing, in Barnes, Stables, and other houses, together with Four and twenty Loads of Hay and also Wheat, Oats and Pease, with other goods and substance, and also sire Poulters Horses with their furniture and some of their loading, Amounting in the whole loss to the value of Two hundred and Fifty pounds or thereabouts, to the utter undoing of our said poor Subjects, who before this untimely accident lived well of themselves without any help from others, and gave relief unto the poorer fort, but they are not now able to help themselves having lost their only means and substance, which should support and sustain both themselves Families, who through mere want of things necessary are enforced to crave the Alms and charitable benevolence of our loving & weldisposed people, not doubting but that all good Christians well weighing with themselves the fickle estate of man through these inevitable accidents, will be ready and willing as feeling members one of another's miseries, to extend their contributions towards the relief and comfort of our said poor Subjects in this their great necessity, none knowing how soon nor whose chance may next happen into the like Calamity.  
KNOW ye therefore, That of Our especial Grace and Princely Compassion, We have given and granted, and by these our Letters Patents, do give and grant unto our said poor Subjects George Ballard, john Bridgman, and Alice Hughes, and to their Deputy and Deputies, the bearer or bearers hereof, full power, licence, and Authority to ask, gather, receive, and take the Alms and charitable benevolence of all our loving Subjects whatsoever, Inhabiting within our Counties of Hertford, Bedford, Buckingham, Middlesex, Kent, Essex, and Cambridge, with our City of Westminster and the Liberties thereof, and in our Cities of Canterbury, Rochester, and the Cinque Portes, with our University of Cambridge, and Isle of Ely, And in all other Cities, Towns Corporate, Privileged places, Parishes, Villages, and in all other places whatsoever within our said Counties and not else, for and towards the recovery of their said losses and the relief and maintenance of themselves and their Families.  
WHEREFORE we will and Command you and every of you, that at such time and times, as the said George Ballard, john Bridgman, and Alice Hughes, or their Deputy or their Deputies, the bearer or bearers hereof, shall come and repair to any your Churches, Chapels, or other places, to ask and receive the gratuities and charitable benevolence of our said Subjects, quietly to permit and suffer them so to do, without any manner your lets or contradictions, And you the said Parsons, Vicars, and Curates, for the better stirring by of a charitable devotion, deliberately to publish and declare the Tenor of these our Letters Patents, unto our said Subjects upon some Saboth day, when as the same shall tendered unto you. Exhorting and persuading them to extend their liberal contributions in so good and charitable a deed. And you the Churchwardens of every Parish, where such Collection is to be made (as aforesaid) to collect and gather the Alms and charitable benevolence of all our loving Subjects, aswell Strangers as others, and what shall be by you so gathered ●o deliver it to the bearer or bearers of these our Letters Patents and to no other person, when as thereunto you shallbe required. And last●y whereas we are informed of the great abuse which is now crept in amongst these poor people, who sell their licences unto some other ●erson, whereby men's charity goeth not the right way, but unto such as deserve it least: That from henceforth our will and pleasure is, that if it may appear unto you or any of you, that the said George Ballard, john Bridgman, and Alias Hughes, have contracted any bargains, or made or shall make sale of these our Letters Patents, whereby the benefit should pass from them to any other person, That thereupon these our Letters Patents shall be void and of none effect. Any Statute, Law, Ordinance, or Provision, heretofore made to the contrary in any wise not withstanding.  
IN witness whereof, We have caused those our Letters to be made Patents for the space of One whole year next after the date hereof to endure.  
Witness ourself at Westminster, the Fourth ●●y of December, in the Eighteenth year of our Reign of England, France, and Ireland: And of scotland the Four and Fiftieth. 1620. ❀ Steward. ❀ God save the King▪   

Printed by Roger Wood, and Thomas Symcocke.   

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