I R  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 aswell by the humble Supplication and Petition of one Religious Philotheos a Grecian, and Procurator general of the Covent of the holy Cross of Golgotha in jerusalem, situate in the very same place where our Saviour died upon the Cross for our Redemption, as also by other sufficient testimony. That in the foresaid most sacred and holy Place, that ever renowned and famous Saint HELEN, out of her extraordinary zeal and devotion unto our blessed Saviour, built a most rich and sumptuous Monastery and Temple, the which (not without great injury and dishonour to Christian Religion) the Turks would have made a Mesquit of Mahomet, for which cause the Religious of the foresaid Monastery were forced to promise the payment of three thousand crowns yearly to the great Turk, that only they might have liberty to celebrate divine Service in that sacred place, where the precious blood of Christ was shed, the Turks having deprived them of the Rents thereunto appertaining, and which heretofore they did possess, wherefore being persuaded that all Christian Kings and Princes which believe that CHRIST JESUS died in the aforesaid place, to be bound in charity to secure with their gifts and alms the foresaid Religious men there residing, especially in regard they are engaged to pay six thousand crowns to free from death thirteen of the said Religious men, which were condemned to death unjustly, and in the defence of the holy Faith of JESUS CHRIST, by those barbarous Infidels, as is manifest by evident testimony, who not having wherewith to pay down the said six thousand crowns, were constrained to undertake the payment of fifteen in the hundred yearly for interest, until the principal money be paid, to which end the King of Spain hath already sent his Royal alms, Therefore the said Religious Philotheos hath most humbly besought Us, that of Our Princely favour, and bounty in a matter of so great a consequence, We would be pleased for the better maintenance of the said Temple, and preserving the same from the brabarous Infidels, and for the redemption of the said thirteen Religious men, to afford them such relief as to others hath been granted by way of a Collection of the charity of well disposed persons aswell within Our City of London as in certain Counties in this Our Realm, unto whose request (We being moved with a Princely and pious commiseration towards the poor Christians in that place residing, and for the preservation of those ancient monuments which yet remain in the place of our Redemption, from the hands of Infidels, have thought fit to condescend unto as a matter well beseeming Us, being determined to contribute Our Princely alms to the same end and purpose Ourself: Not doubting but that all good Christians upon the due consideration of the premises, will be ready and willing, and the rather for Our commendation hereof, and Our own example herein, to extend their liberal contributions towards the furtherance of so good a work.  
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 the said Religious Philotheos, on the behalf of the foresaid Covent and to his Deputy and Deputies the Bearer or Bearers hereof, full power, licence and authoritic, to ask, gather, receive and take the alms and charitable benevolence of all Our loving Subjects whatsoever, inhabiting within our Counties of Wilts, Leicester and Buckingham, with our Cities of Salisburic, and in all other Cities, Towns Corporate, Privileged places, Parishes, Villages and in all other places whatsoever, within our said Counties and not elsewhere, for and towards the payments above mentioned, and the relief and maitenance of the foresaid place, and the poor Christians therein residing.  
Wherefore, We will and command you and every of you, that at such time and times as the said Religious Philotheos or his Deputy or Deputies, the Bearer or Bearers hereof, shall come and repair unto any your Churches, Chapels, or other places, to ask and receive 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 up of a charitable deliberately to publish and declare the Tenor of these Our Letters Patents, unto Our said Subjects in your Parish Church, in your Pulpits upon the next Sabbath day after your receipt thereof, and that no other Collection be made on the same day for any other person, exhorting and persuading them to extend their liberal contributions in so pious and Religious a work. And you the Churchwardens of every Parish where such Collections are to be made as aforesaid, carefully to collect and gather from Seat to Seat, the alms and charitable benevolence of all Our loving Subjects aswel Strangers as others, and such as are absent from Church to repair to their houses for their benevolence. And what shall be by you so gathered to be by the Minister and yourselves, first set down in words at length and not in Figures in a white paper book, which shall be tendered unto you by the said Religious Philotheos or his Deputy or Deputies, the Bearer or Bearers hereof, being subscribed with the hand of the said Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of London, and afterwards to endorse the same upon the backside of these Our Letters Patents, or the Copy or Brief thereof, and the sum and sums of money so gathered and endorsed, to deliver to the said Religious Philotheos or his Deputy or Deputies, the Bearer or Bearers of these our Letters Patents, and to no other Person when as thereunto you shall be required: Any Statute, Law, Ordinance, or Provision heretofore made to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding.  
In witness whereof We have caused these 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 thirteenth day of October, in the nineteenth year of Our reign of England, France, and Ireland, and of Scotland the five and fiftieth. STEWARD. 
 God save the King.