Die Sabbathi, 24. Maii, 1645.  
IT is this day Ordered by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament, That a Collection be made of all well-affected persons, within the Cities of London, Westminster, and Parishes within the Bills of Mortality, and likewise within the County of Middlesex; the Associated Counties late of the Earl of manchester's Association, and the four Associated Counties late of Sir William Waller's Association, to be employed for the relief of the poor distressed Inhabitants of the Town of Taunton, and such of the adjacent places, to be disposed of, as to the Committee of the West shall be thought meet and convenient.  
Jo: Brown Cleric. Parliamentorum. H: Elsing, Cler. Parl. D.Com.   

THe Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament having thought fit, that a Collection shall be made for the distressed people of the Town of Taunton (as by the Ordinance now read appears:) That you may be the better quickened to second it with a free Contribution; It is thought fit that thereunto should be subjoined, a brief Delineation of their pressing Miseries; They being such as call for tenderest bowels of compassion from all that bear the name of Christians: It is notoriously known to all the Kingdom, That the said Town hath for these two years past, endured all the calamities almost that War (the sharpest of all outward judgements) can bring upon a people: The first of these two years they lay groaning and fainting under that Affliction, of which the poor oppressed Church complains, Lam. 1.5. Their Adversaries were the Chief; and they that hated them, ruled over them: So that they were deprived, many of them in an instant, of their liberties, by close imprisonment; of their estates, by Plunder, and by heavy impositions; of their dearest Friends, by flight; yea (which is yet sad and doleful) of their Ordinances and their God. The latter of them, they endured three as sharp & cruel Sieges from a bloody Enemy, as ever any place hath suffered since the Wars began; in which their houses were consumed by fire, their persons slain, the Famine and the sword contended which should prey upon them first; poor Mothers looking when the time would come, that they should hear the Children cry for bread, and there would be none to give them; When they should see them swoon in the top of every street, as Lam. 2.11. However, God upholds their spirits with unshaken resolution in the midst of fire and blood; and in the end; wrought out a great salvation for them, whose almost matchless magnanimity, and resolute Defence of that place, hath put a greater stop to the proceedings of the King, in hindering His Recruits, and opened a more fair advantage to the Reducing of the Western parts, than can be easily expressed.  
But yet by these calamaties and troubles, the estates of those who have escaped the sword, are utterly exhausted and consumed, five hundred of their houses burnt down to the ground, (being one half of the Town) by which almost one thousand Families are turned harbourless and helpless to the mercy of their Neighbours, who can only melt upon them, and weep over them, but are not able to relieve them.  
And therefore, you that have escaped these miseries, are earnestly besought to look upon this sad Distressed Town, (sometimes the most eminent of those parts for building and situation, and which is more, for Piety and true Religion) now by the just displeasure of the Lord against it, raked in its own ashes, reduced almost to the extremity of misery and want, for the Defence of that Cause which you profess, and take upon you to maintain: Listen and hear it crying to you in the church's Lamentation; See if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger: and do not stop your ears against their cry for pity from you, lest the Lord deal accordingly with you, and stop his ears against your cries for mercy, when you have most need of it. In such a singular and extraordinary case as this, stir up yourselves to do some extraordinary thing; Do not draw out your purses only to your poor distressed Brethren, but your very souls too, as the Prophet speaks: This is your duty, and this will be your policy, if you desire to save your persons, houses and estates, from that heavy misery which hath exposed them to your mercy.   

London, Printed for Edward Husband, Printer to the honourable House of Commons, Sept 9 1645.