C R  HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE  royal blazon or coat of arms  
CHARLES by the Grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, defender of the Faith, etc. To all and every our loving subjects to whom these presents shall come or to whom it doth, shall or may appertain greeting.  
Whereas we ar● seized in fee in Right of our Duchy of Lancaster of and in the Tolle, aswell of Carts and Wagons laden with wood, corn, oil, wool, wine or any kind of merchandizes saleable, as of horses laden with an● kind of the said Merchandizes, and of Cattles as oxen, steers, kine, sheep, lambs, hogs, and such l●ke passing through and over the Towns and bridges of Hartford, Ware, Stansted, Theale, Hatfield and Belbarre in our County of Hartford; which said Tolles in the Towns of Hartford Ware and Stansted h●ve been (as we are credibly informed) from time to time collected and gathered by such as have bee●e farmers thereof to us and our Progenitors, and a great yearly rent therefore answered to our use and ●he use of our said Progenitors and parcel of the revenues of our said Duchy. And whereas we are likewise informed that tolle for ●ll the things before mentioned hath been taken in Hatfield and Belbarre near unto the same in the right of our said Duchy, whic● tolle in the places last above mentioned by the negligence of our farmers there hath been discontinued and decayed to our disinherison and the diminishing and decrease of our Rents and Revenues of our said Duchy. We willing to preserve our inheritance i● the premises and not to lose that which of right appertaineth therein: do by these presents declare and signify our will and pleasure to be. And do therefore straightly charge & command and enjoin all and every our said subjects whom it doth or may concern, that shall pass through Hatfield and Belbarre or any of the Towns or Bridges aforesaid or either or any of them respectively, w●th any Cart, Wain, Wagon or Horse loaden with any the merchandizes aforesaid or with any other merchandizes whatsoever so●d or to be sold, or which shall drive any droves, of any such cattles as aforesaid through Hatfield or Belbarre or any of our tow●es or bridges aforesaid or either or any of them sold or to be sold upon pain of five hundred pounds a piece to be levied upon h●s their and every or any of their Lands, Tenements, Goods and Chattels to our use; that he they and every or any of them forthwith upon sight or knowledge hereof do pay unto Nathaniel Weston our Farmer thereof or his deputy or deputies assign or assigns lawfully appointed and authorised for collection of the same. All such sum and sums of money as are due and have been used and anciently paid to the farmer and Farmours of the said tolle in all or any of the place or places aforesaid heretofore by ●●e space of Forty years now last past as oft as he or they or any of them shall pass through and over the said Town and Bridges ●nd either or any of them without any resistance or denial of any of our said subjects or any of them upon the pain and penalty aforesaid, and as he and they and every or any of them will avoid our displeasure and answer the contrary at his and their and every of any of their perils unless such person or persons so refusing to pay tol●e as aforesaid can or do show forth some cha●●er record or writing of privilege for discharge thereof. And to the end that all and every our loving subjects may understand and take notice and knowledge what sum or sums of moneys he or they ought to pay to our said Farmer for the premises respectively, and that no other or greater sum of sums of money may be exacted or required of them or any of them by colour of the premises. We have by the advice of our Chancellor and counsel of our said Duchy cause such particular Rates there unto be herein expressed and set down as have been heretofore usually paid for the premises: To wit for all carts, wanes ●r wagons laden with any kind of Merchandizes to be sold two pence a pence, for horses wanted, a penny a Horse, for Horses not wanted a half penny a Horse, for Horses loaden with Corn, a Farthing a Horse, and for droves of cattles, as Horse, oxen, steers, kine and such like four pence the score, and for sheep and Lambs and the like, two pence the score. And for their b●●● satisfaction and knowledge hereof and herein: We will and command all Majors, Bailiffs and other 〈◊〉 of the aforesaid Towns and every of them respectively, that they and every of them upon request to them made on our behalf forthwith do publish these our Letters in the open markets and other public places of the said towns and every of them by r●ading the same. And further also that they and every of them our said Officers, and all our justices of Peace and other our officers 〈◊〉 and in our said County be aiding counselling helping and assisting our said Farmer is deputy and deputies, assign or assigns f●●m time to time as the case shall require in the due Collection of the said tolle as aforesaid as they and every of them will answer the contrary at their and every of their perils.  
Given at our said Palace of Westmins●●r under the seal of our Duchy of Lanca● ter aforesaid the seventh of April in the twelfth year of our reign. 
 God save the King.