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DIEV ET MON DROIT   
CHARLES' by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, & Ireland, defender of the Faith, etc. To all and singular Archbishops, Bishops, Archdeacon's, Deans, and their Officials, Parsons, Uicars, 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, that by reason of grievous visitation in this time of the great Contagion of the Plague amongst Our poor Subjects, in the Cities of London and Westminster, and Borough of Southwark, and parts adjoining, the inhabitants of some Parishes and places are brought into such distress, as that the Parishes are not able of themselves to support and relieve the poor of the said Parishes, and to provide for the infected, and for the necessary watching and warding of the houses which are shut; And albeit, the Justices of Peace have done their best endeavours, by taxing the Parishes and Towns adjacent, to supply these wants and necessities; yet so many difficulties have occurred, that although for the time passed they have provided in some competent measure, yet by the continuance of the Infection, they find the burden to grow every day more and more heavy: Whereof Ourself being informed on the twenty fifth of September last, have with the advice of Our Council, thought fit, that for the present, a Collection should be made of the charitable Benevolences of well disposed people, within the Cities of London and Westminster, and in the Counties of Middlesex and Surrey, and Borough of Southwark, and to the Benevolence of all Cities, Towns Corporate, Villages, and Privileged places within the said Counties, not extending the same further for the present; because it is hoped, that by God's goodness, the Infection will abate (the Winter season, and cold weather now approaching) before it shall be needful to pray the aid of more remote Counties; Not doubting, but that all good Christians, duly considering the misery, and pitiful calamity, which so many poor distressed and dejected Christians do undergo by such an inevitable and grievous visitation, will in their own pious commiseration of their great extremity, be herewith moved, out of the bowels of compassion, and forward, as feeling members one of another's miseries, freely and willingly to extend their liberal Contributions towards the relief and comfort of a number of wretched creatures in this their great necessity. KNOW YE therefore, that We well weighing the woeful and lamentable estates of Our said poor and distressed Subjects, and commiserating the same, of Our especial grace, and Princely compassion do order and grant, that a Collection be made of the charitable devotions, and liberalities of all Our loving Subjects, within the several Counties, Cities, and Towns Corporate above named, for, and towards the relief and succour of the said poor inhabitants of London, and other Infected places adjoining: Which Collection, We will, grant, appoint, and require, shall be ordered in manner and form following: That is to say, We will, grant, appoint, and require all and singular Parsons, Vicars, Curates of the several Churches and Chapels within the said Counties, Precincts, Cities, Villages, and Towns Corporate above mentioned, with all possible speed to publish, and recommend this Collection to the charity of all well disposed persons within their Churches and Precincts, with an especial exhortation to the people, for the better stirring up of their liberal and extraordinary Contributions in so good and charitable a deed. And We will and command, that you the Churchwardens of every Parish within the Counties, Cities, and places aforesaid respectively, to take a care of the furtherance of the said Collection: And if any householder, or parishioner be absent when these Our Letters Patents shall be there published, you the said Churchwardens, to go to the habitations of such persons, and to ask their charity for the purpose aforesaid: And what shall be by you so gathered, to be by the Minister and yourselves, endorsed on the backside of these Our Letters Patens, or the Copy or Brief hereof, in words at length, and not in figures, with your names subscribed thereunto: And the sum and sums of money so gathered and endorsed, to be paid over as is hereafter mentioned. And lastly, Our will and pleasure is, that the moneys Collected in Surrey, be paid over to the hands of Sir Thomas Grymes Knight, and Edward Bromefield Esquire, Justices of Peace in the said County of Surrey, for the present relief of Southwark, Newington and other places adjacent as stand in need by reason of the Infection. And the moneys collected in Middlesex, to be paid to the hands of Thomas Gardiner Esquire, Recorder of London, and to john Herne Esquire, two of the Justices of Peace for the County of Middlesex, or to either of them, for the present relief of Westminster, and other places in Middlesex adjacent, or near to the Cities of London and Westminster, as stand in need by reason of the Infection. And the moneys Collected in London, to be paid to the Lord Maior there for the time being, and by him to be delivered ever, as there shall be any remainder at the end of his year, to his Successor: Which monies so Collected in London, to be, upon conference between the said Lord Maior and Recorder of the City of London, disposed as shall be most needful, not only for the relief of such places, as by reason of the Infection, do, or shall stand in need, in London, Westminster, and Middlesex, but also as occasion and necessity shall require, shall out of the same add thereunto to the aid and relief of Southwark, Newington, and other places in Surrey, in manner and form before recited, according to the true meaning of Our gracious intention by these Our Letters Patents, 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 four whole months, next after the date hereof to endure.  
WITNESS Ourself at Copt-hall, the seventh day of October, in the twelfth year of Our Reign. Daw. God save the King.   

¶ Imprinted at London by ROBERT BARKER, Printer to the Kings most Excellent Majesty: And by the Assigns of JOHN BILL. 1636.