O PAX QVAERITUR BELLO OLIVARIUS DEI ◆ GRA: REIPUB: ANGLIAE, SCOTIAE, ET HIBERNIAE, & c PROTECTOR  blazon of the Commonwealth P  
OLiver Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, and the Dominions and Territories thereto belonging To all Parsons, Ministers, Lecturers, Vicars, and Curates. And also to all our Justices of the Peace, Mayor, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Churchwardens, Collectors for the Poor, and Headboroughs; And to all other Officers, Ministers and People, whatsoev●● as well within Liberties as without, to whom these Presents shall come greeting. Whereas the Minister, Churchwardens, and the r●●● of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Edgbaston, in our County of Warwick, have made their humble Petition to us, thereby showing That whereas the Parish-Church of Edgbaston aforesaid, was heretofore a decent Structure, fit for celebrating the public Worship a●● Service of God, part of the said Church was in the time of the late Wars burnt, and the residue thereof, with the Steeple and Bells demolished and thrown down by the Appointment of Colonel John Fox, than Governor of the Garrison thereto adjacent. And that the Inhabitants of 〈◊〉 said Parish, being all or the greatest part of them Tenants at will, are utterly unable to re-edify the same, (the Charge thereof (being computed) amount unto eight hundred pounds and upwards) As by a Certificate of the Premises, under the Hands and Seals of divers Justices of the Peace of our said Cour● of Warwick hath appeared. And therefore the said Petitioners have humbly besought us, That we would be graciously pleased to grant unto them 〈◊〉 Letters Patents under our Great Seal of England, to enable them to collect and receive the Charity and Benevolence of well-disposed People, for and ●●wards the rebuilding of their said Church. Forasmuch therefore as the said Inhabitants by reason of their poverty, are not able to accomplish the rebuilding of their said Church, without the accession of the charitable assistance of others. And for that ever since the demolishing and burning of 〈◊〉 said Church, they have been destitute of a place to resort unto for the public Worship of God. And for that also their said humble suit unto us is of 〈◊〉 great Concernment, in regard that they the said Inhabitants are destitute or a fit and convenient place to assemble themselves in, for the Worship 〈◊〉 Service of God, and for the good of their Souls, in their Attendance on God's holy Ordinances, and in sanctifying the Lords days; for which heave●●● purposes, that the public Meetings of the said Inhabitants may no longer be obstructed, but be effectually revived, promoted and furthered, because 〈◊〉 Gracious God hath in his holy Word declared, that his love is in a more especial manner towards the public Assemblies of his people, then to their priv●●● Devotions, for therein it is recorded, that the Lord loveth the Gates of Zion, more than all the dwellings of Jacob; We therefore have thought fit to gr●●● unto the said Inhabitants their said humble suit, being well assured that all good people will be zealously assected towards the advancing of this so pio●● Work, and readily extend their helping hands thereunto, by their liberal Contributions in that behalf: Know ye therefore, that we of our Christ●●● Zeal and Compassion, have given and granted, and by these our Letters Patents we do give and grant unto the said Minister, Churchwardens, and rest of the Inhabitants of the said Town and Parish of Edgbaston aforesid, and to their Deputy and Deputies, the Bearer or Bearers hereof, full power, cence and authority, to ask, gather, receive, and take the Alms and charitable Benevolence of all good and well-disposed people, inhabiting within several Counties of Warwick, Stafford, Chester, Worcester, Northampton, and Hereford, our Cities of Coventry, Lichfield, Chester, Worcester, Peterborou●● and Hereford. And in all other Cities, Towns Corporate, privileged places, Parishes, Villages and Hamlets, within our said Counties, and not e●●●where, for and towards the re-building of the said Church, wherefore we will and command you, and every of you, That at such time and times as 〈◊〉 said Inhabitants , their Deputy or Deputies, the Bearer or Bearers hereof shall come and repair to any of your Churches, Chapels, oerther places, to ask and receive the Gratuities and charitable Benevolence of good and charitable Christians, quietly to permit and suffer them so to do, without any manner of your Lets or Contradictions. And you the said Parsons, Ministers, Lecturers, Vicars and Curates; for the better stirring up of charitable devotions, deliberately to publish and declare the tenor of these our Letters Patents, or the true Copy or Brief hereof unto the people, upon 〈◊〉 Lords day next after the same shall be tendered unto you, exhorting, persuading, and stirring them up to extend their liberal Contributions towards 〈◊〉 said pious Work. And you the Churchwardens of every Parish, and Collectors for the Poor, where such Collection is to be made as aforesaid, together with two other honest active men, there (nominated by the Minister and yourselves,) are hereby willed and required, to collect and gather the Alms 〈◊〉 charitable Benevolence, of the said charitable and well-disposed people, not only Householders, but also Strangers, Servants and others: And if you fi●● it more expedient to an effectual advancement of this pious Work, You are hereby required to go from house to house in your respective Parishes upon 〈◊〉 week days, to gather the Alms of the said good people, setting down in the presence of each particular person what his particular gift is. And w● shall be by you so gathered in the said Parishes or Places, the same is to be by the Minister and yourselves endorsed on the backside of these our Let●●●● Patents, or the true Copy or Brief hereof, in words at length; Which Endorsement is to be subscribed with the hands of you the said Ministers, Chur●● wardens, and such other in each Parish and place as have assisted in such Collection. And also to be Registered in the Books of your respective Paris●●● And the sum and sums of money so gathered and endorsed, to deliver to the Bearer or Bearers of these our Letters Patents, warranted and allo●● to receive the same, and to no other person or persons, when as thereunto you shall be by them required; whose receiving thereof with their Acquittance or Acquittances, shall be your sufficient discharge. And lastly, for the more Assurance of faithful and equal dealing, in the Receipt, Account, and distribution of the moneys hereby to be Collected, our will and pleasure is, That no man shall be employed to receive any of the moneys Collected by virtue of these our Letters Patents, but such as shall be appointed thereunto by Deputation, under the Hands and Seals of Richard Walter, and Robert W●…ter Gentlemen, or one of them; whom we do by these our Letters Patents, Constitute, Nominate, and Appoint, the Treasurers of all such moneys as s●●●● be collected by virtue hereof as aforesaid; And that the monies Collected and Raised by virtue of these Presents, shall be by the said Treasurers, o● their Appointment, disposed of to the use intended, for the re-building of the said Church. And they the said Treasurers, in like manner to appoint 〈…〉 whose hands the moneys so Collected shall be kept, until the same shall be Distributed for the said Work, according to the true intent and meaning of 〈◊〉 Christian-will and pleasure herein declared, any Statute, Law, Ordinance, or Provision heretofore made to the contrary hereof 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 end● and no longer,  
Witness ourself at Westminster, the eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred fifty and eight.