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, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc. TO ALICE and singular Archbishops, Bishops, Archdeacon's, Deans and their Officals, Parsons, Vicars, Curates, and to all Spiritual persons. And also t● all Justices of Peace, Mayor, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Churchwardens, and Headboroughes, And to all Officers of Cities, Boroughes, and Towns coporate, 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 our poor distressed Subjects Amy Lynsteed Widow, the late wife of William Lynsteed, & joane the wife of Robert Morse, both of Shadwell in the Parish of Stepney, in the County of Middlesex Marrinors: As also by a Certificate under the hands of our true and loyal Subjects, Robert Salmon now Ma●●er of the Trinity House of Deptford Strand in our County of Kent, and others the Wardens and Assistants of the said House, being also subscribed by the Churchwardens and other the Inhabitants of Stepney aforesaid: That the said William Lynsteed went Master's Mate in the good Ship called the Prudence of London, whereof john Chester was then Master, in his unfortunate Voyage into the straits, wherein the said William Lynsteed adventuring his whole estate of the value of Four hundred pounds and upwards, was with the said Ship and all the Company in her in January, 1621. spoilt and burnt by those miscreant Sea robbers the Turks, whereby our said poor Subject Amy Lynsteed did not only lose her Husband's life, but also all their means which her said Husband had with him in the said Ship: And that the said Robert Morse being Boatswain of the good Ship called the Anne of North Yarmouth, whereof Abraham Wheeler was then Master and bound on a Voyage for Lisbon, was about the month of February, 1622. taken in the said Ship by those cruel Infidels the Turks, whereby the said Robert Morse was not only deprived of all his estate that he then adventured with him in that Ship, amounting to the sum of Two hundred pounds and upwards, but also of his liberty being carried to Argier, where he is detained a Captive in great slavery and misery amongst those inhuman Creatures; from which place of Bondage the said Robert Morse cannot be released without the payment of 〈…〉 at sum for his Ransom, which his poor wife having a great charge of small Children is no ways able to procute, so that the poor Captain having already endured intolerable misery under those unmerciful Pagans, is likely there to end his woeful days and to leave his Wife and small Child for to the wide world, and that the said poor Widow Amy Lynsteed is utterly impoverished and disabled to relieve herself and her charge of small Children, which her said deceased Husband left upon her hands, so that they are all exposed to extreme want and much sorrow, unless some charitable course be forthwith taken for their reliefs herein, whose most lamentable and dejected estate is much to be pitied. And therefore we have thought good to commend the same to the charitable comsideration of all our loving & well disposed Subjects, aswell within our foresaid County of Middlesex, as in certain other Counties and places hereafter mentioned, not doubting but that all good Christians well weighing the premises, will be ready and willing as feeling members one of another's miseries, to extend their liberal and cheerful contributions towards the relief and comfort of poor distressed Christians in this their great necessity.  
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 Amy Linsteed, and joane Morse, 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 City of London, with the Suburbs and Liberties thereof, and in our Counties of Middlesex, Hertford, and Essex. And in all Towns corporate, Privileged places, Parishes, Villages, and in all other places whatsoever within our said Counties, and not else where, for and towards the recovery of the said Losses, the redeeming of the said Robert Morse from the Turks, and the relief and maintenance of themselves and Children.  
WHEREFORE We will & command you and every of you, the High Constable of every Hundred within any of our foresaid Counties, that at such time & times as the said Amy Lynsteed, and joane Morse, or their Deputy or Deputies, the bearer or bearers hereof, shall come & repair unto you or any of you, with these our Letters Patents under our great Seal of England, that forthwith upon sight thereof, you receive the Briefs of these our Letters Patents, and deliver them or cause them to be delivered to the Minister or one of the Churchwardens of every Parish within your several Hundreds, to be published by the said Minister of every such Parish the next Sabbath day after the receipt thereof if with conveniency if may be done, otherwise the next Sabbath day following, without further delay, And you the said Parsons, Vicars, and Curates, for the better stirring up or a charitable devotion, deliberately to publish and declare the Tenor of these our Letters Patents or the Brief thereof, in your Parish Church unto all our loving Subjécts within the time before prefixed, and that when no other Collection shall be made for any other person at all. 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 Collections are to be made (as aforesaid) shall immediately after the publishing of these our Letters Patents or the Brief thereof, carefully Collect and gather from seat to seat the charitable benevolence of all our loving Subjects, as well Strangers as others, And what shall be by you so gathered, to be by the Minister and yourselves endorsed on the backside of the Brief, under your hands in words at length and not in figures, and the sum or sums of money so gathered and endorsed together with the Briefs, you the Churchwardens or petty Constable of every Parish within our foresaid Counties, aswell in every City and Town corporate as else where, shall returns unto the next High Constable within one week after the collection. And you the High Constables, to deliver all and every the said monies and Briefs unto our said poor Subjects Amy Lynsteed, and joane Morse, and to their Deputy or Deputies, the bearer or bearer hereof, when as thereunto you shall be required. And lastly, whereas we are enforined of the great abuse which is now crept in amongst these poor peole, who sell their Licences unto some other person, whereby men's charity goeth not the right way, but unto such as deferne it least, That from henceforth our will & pleasure is, that if it may appear unto you, or any of you that the said Amy Lynsteed, & joane Morse, have contracted any bargain, or made, or shall make sale of these our Letters Patents, whereby benefit shall pass from them to any other person, That thereupon these our Letters Patents shallbe void and of none effect. 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 Fifth day or February, in the one and Twentieth year of our Reign of England, France, And Ireland. And of Scotland the Seven and Fiftieth. STEWARD. 
 God save the King.   

Printed by Edward Allde.