THe Keepers of the Liberty of England by Authority of Parliament, To all Parsons, Ministers, Lecturers, Vicars, and Curates, and also to all our Justices of the Peace, Majors, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Constables, Churchwardens, Collectors for the Poor, and Headboroughs, and to all other Officers, Ministers and People whatsoever, as well within Liberties as without, to whom these presents shall come, greeting.  
Whereas the Major, Bailiffs, and Burgesses of the Borough of Barwick upon tweed, on behalf of several of their Neighbours, have humbly presented unto the Parliament their humble Supplication and Petition, thereby certifying and setting forth, That a sad and lamentable Fire broke out in the said Borough, upon the Eight day of June last passed, which was so suddenly dispersed by the Winds (which blew extraordinarily violent) that it destroyed Five and thirty Houses with Householdstuff and Goods amounting to the value of near Three thousand pounds, as it hath been estimated by persons appointed to value the same. And therefore the said Major, Bailiffs, and Burgesses, did by their said Petition humbly pray the Parliament to Authorise them by Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England, to gather and receive the charitable contributions of well disposed persons towards the relief and succour of the Sufferers by the said Fire. Which Petition the Parliament having taken into their serious consideration, and well weighing the same, have thereupon Ordered, That a Brief be granted under the Great Seal of England, for a Collection of well disposed People in the several Counties and Cities hereafter mentioned, for relief of the persons who have suffered the said great losses by the said Fire.  
Know ye therefore, That we have given and granted, and by these presents do give and grant unto the said Major, Bailiffs, and Burgesses of the said Borough of Barwick upon tweed, their Deputy and Deputies; the Bearer and Bearers hereof, full Power, Licence, and Authority, to ask, gather, receive, and take the Alms and charitable Benevolence of all good and well disposed people, whatsoever inhabiting within the Counties of Cumberland, Northumberland, Westmorland, Durham, and York, and in the City of York, and County of the same City, the Cities of Durham and Carlisle, the said Town and Borough of Barwick upon tweed; the Town and County of Newcastle upon Ti●e, and the Town and County of Kingston upon Hull, and in all Cities, Towas corporate, privileged places, Parishes, Villages, Hamblets, and in all other places whatsoever, within the said Counties of Cumberland, Northumberland, Westmorland, Durham, and York, and not elsewhere, for and towards the recovery of the said Losses of the said persons sufferers by the said Fire. Which being a business of so Christian and of so great concernment to the said Persons sufferers by the said Fire, will doubtless find ready acceptance with all such as have any thing of Bowels and Compassions in them, who will thereby be easily provoked to such a cheerful and liberal Contribution as shall be answerable to so great a loss  
Wherhfore we will and command ●ou and every of you, that at such time and times as the Deputy and Deputies, (the Bearer and Bearers hereof) of the said Major Bailiffs, and Burgesses of the said Borough of Barwick upon tweed, by them thereunto Deputed by Deputation under the Seal of the said Borough, shall come and repair to any of your Churches, Chapels, or other places, to ask and receive the Gratuities and charitable Benevolence of the said 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 the Lord's Day next after the same shall be tendered unto you by the said Deputy or Deputies, exhorting, persuading and stirring them up to extend their liberal Contributions towards so good and charitable a work, and you the said Churchwardens of every Parish, and Collectors for the Poor, where such Collection is to be made as aforesaid, together with such honest active men there, as shall be nominated by the Minister and yourselves, are hereby willed and required to collect and gather the Alms and charitable Benevolence of the said charitable and well disposed people not only Householders but also Servants, Strangers and others. And for the more effectual advancement of this pious work; you are to go from house to house in your respective Parishes upon the Week days to gather the Alms of the said good people, and what shall be by you so gathered in the said Parishes and Places, to be by the Ministers and yourselves endorsed on the back side of these our Letters Patents, or the true Copy or Brief hereof in words at length and not in Figures, which endorsement is to be subscribed with the hands of you the said Ministers, Churchwardens, and such in each Parish or place as shall assist you in such collection, and also to be registered in the Books of your respective Parishes and the sum and sums of money so gathered and endorsed, you are to deliver to the said Deputy or Deputies, the Bearer or Bearers hereof, upon his or their demand, and to no other person or persons whatsoever, whose receiving thereof with his or their Acquittance or Acquitances, shall be your sufficient discharge for so doing  
And we do by these presents give and grant unto the said Major, Bailiffs and Burgesses of the said Borough of Barwick upon tweed, their Deputy and Deputies the Bearer and Bearers hereof, full power, licence and authority to send or deliver true Copies or Briefs of these our Letters Patents unto all Congregations that are not distinguished by Parishes in any of the said Counties, Cities, Towns Corporate, Parishes, Villages, Towns, Hamblets, or Privileged places first showing unto their Officer or Officers, or some of them, these our Letters Patents under our said Great Seal: Which said Officer or Officers, or some or one of them, upon serious consideration of this pious work, are hereby desired to exhort and stir up their respective Congregations to this charitable and pious work, and to receive their Benevolence, endorsing the Sum or Sums so given on the backside of such true Copies or Briefs of these our Letters Patents as shall be delivered unto them as aforesaid, in words at length, and not in figures, two or three of them subscribing the same Endorsment, and paying the Sum or Sums so gathered, and delivering the said Copies and Briefs so as aforesaid endorsed and subscribed, to the Bearer or Bearers of these our Letters Patents so as aforesaid deputed upon his or their demand, and to no other person or persons whatsoever, Whose receiving thereof with his or their Acquittance or Acquittances shall be their sufficient discharge for so doing. Which said Bearer or Bearers of these our Letters Patents are hereby willed and required forthwith to pay and deliver all the moneys by them so to be received as aforesaid by virtue of these presents, together with these presents and the said Copies and Briefs endorsed as aforesaid, unto our well-beloved Lionel Davison, Henry Howitson, and William Roger's Gentlemen, whom we do by these presents name, constitute and appoint the Treasurers of all such Sum and Sums of Money as shall be collected and received by virtue of these our Letters Patents, unto whom or any two of them the same is and are to be delivered and paid at or in the now dwelling house of the said Major of the Borough of Barwick aforesaid for the use and behoof of the said sufferers by the Fire aforesaid.  
And lastly for the prevention of the pawning or selling of these our Letters Patents, to the end to defraud or defeat the said sufferers of the benefit hereof, and 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 collect any of the said moneys by virtue of these our Letters Patents so to be collected as aforesaid, but such only as shall be appointed thereunto by deputation under the hands and seals of the said Treasurers or any two of them, And that the moneys collected and raised by virtue hereof shall be by the said Treasurers or two of them disposed of to the said pious use hereby intended, and according to the true intent and meaning of these presents. And therefore we do hereby will and require the said Treasurers or two of them to pay the said moneys so to be collected as aforesaid unto the said persons sufferers by the said lamentable Fire proportionably according to the just losses of each of them; 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 endure, and no longer. Witness Ourselves at Westminster the Nine and twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand six hundred fifty and nine.  
By Authority of Parliament. CARVILE,