❧ By the King.  Royal blazon or coat of arms.  
¶ A Licence for a Collection throughout England and Wales, towards the redeeming of a number of poor English men captives under Muley Abdawelly King of Morocco.  
CHARLES by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. To all and singular Archbishops, Bishops, Archdeacons, deans, and their Officials, Parsons, Vicars, curates, and to all spiritual persons, and also to all Iustices of Peace, Maiors, Sheriffes, bailiffs, Constables, Churchwardens and Headboroughes, and to all Officers of Cities, boroughs, and towns Corporate; and to all other Our Officers, Ministers, and subiects whatsoever they be, as well within Liberties as without, to whom these presents shall come greeting. WHEREAS we are credibly informed, as well by the humble petition of captain John Harison our late agent into Barbarie, as also by a certificate of diuers Merchants of London trading into those parts, that there are many of our poor subiects in miseserable captivity in those parts, within the Dominions of Muley Abdawelly King of Morocco, the certain number of them being not known, from which barbarous and cruel slavery, and the manifold grievances and distresses of soul, mind and body, which accompany the same: from which barbarous and cruel usuages they cannot be freed until their ransoms be satisfied. Now forasmuch as it can be no small forture and affliction for poor distressed Christians to suffer under those merciless and inhuman people, and for that their ransoms will require a far greater sum of money than can otherwise be raised for their redemption: Wee taking into Our Princely consideration, the wretched and miserable estate of our said poor subiects, haue thereupon, and for other occasions sent over the said captain John Harison into Barbary, with Our most gracious Letters to the said King of Morocco, for obtaining their redemption and liberty. And for the better and more speedy effecting thereof, haue thought good, according to the laudable custom of other Christian Princes in like case by a general Collection within this Our realm of England, and Dominion of Wales, to commend their miseries and pitiful calamities unto the charitable consideration of all Our loving subiects: not doubting, but that all good Christians well weighing their misfortunes and the unspeakable anguish which their poor brethren do endure for the testimony of their faith in Christ Iesus, will in a religious and pious commiseration of their extremities, be moved, as feeling members one of anothers miseries, freely and willingly to extend their liberal contributions for the redemption of so many distressed Christians from the slavery and bondage of the merciless Barbarians. KNOW ye therefore, that we of our Princely grace do order and grant, that a general Collection be made of the charitable deuotions and liberalities of all our loving subiects throughout this our realm of England, and Dominion of Wales, and in all places whatsoever, as well within Liberties as without, towards the redemption of the said poor distressed captives as aforesaid, which Collection we will and command shall be made in manner and form following. That is to say, we first will and grant the protection hereof be left with George Lord Archbishop of Canterbury, and a duplicate also with the Archbishop of york, or in the vacancy, with the dean and Chapter of those archiepiscopal seas, and they respectively to recommend the printed briefs of these our Letters Patents, to the Bishops of the several provinces, and every Bishop in his several diocese, to appoint some one sufficient man in each several deanery, to take care of distributing the briefs into every Parish Church and chapel to be delivered unto the Minister of that place, that the Minister and Curate in every Church and chapel receive them, and in the time of divine service on some Sunday publish them, with an exhortation to the people, for the stirring up of their christian devotion to a work so full of charity. That the Church-wardens and overseers of the poor, make diligent collection of the Parishioners and persons present; that after the money shall be collected, the same be endorsed on the backside of the brief of these our Letters Patents, in words at length, and not in figures; and that the it be publicly declared unto the congregation, what that sum doth amount unto which is there collected: and then that you the said Church-wardens or overseers, or one of you, after the receipt of the money so collected, deliver the same together with the brief unto such sufficient man of the said clergy, where the said collection shall be made, as the Lord Bishop of the said diocese shall appoint or assign to receive the same. And We do hereby require and authorize the Bishop of every diocese, to name and appoint one fit& able person in every deanery, to receive the said collections accordingly:& we also require such person which shall be so appointed to receive the said money from the aforesaid overseers, together with the aforesaid brief, and that within ten dayes after the receipt thereof, the same moneys be paid and delivered over together with the brief, whereby the same hath been collected, unto the Lord Bishop of the diocese where such collection is made. And we also require you the said Bishops of every diocese respectively, that you receive of such person so appointed the said money with the briefs, whereby the same hath been collected, and deliver over all the said collections, which haue been so made within your several dioceses unto the said Lords Archbishops of both provinces respectively, or in their vacancy, to the dean and Chapter of those archiepiscopal seas: and you the said Lords Archbishops, or deans and Chapters respectively to pay the same over to the Lord Maior of Our City of London for the time being; and the said Lord Maior to transmute such moneys without delay to such sufficient Merchants trading into Barbary, as he shall think fit, to be by thē employed for the good work and purpose aforesaid, upon account to be by them from time to time delivered up to the said Lord Maior how the money aforesaid shall be disbursed. And if there be more moneys collected than shall suffice this occasion, Our will and pleasure is that it may rest in the said Lord Maiors hands, until We shall give direction for the disposing thereof for the like or other charitable use as there shall be occasion hereafter: So as the moneys to be delivered to the Merchants as aforesaid may be employed to the use intended, for the redemption of the said poor captives, and not otherwise; and the same duly accounted for from time to time according to Our royal will and pleasure herein declared: Any Statute, Law, Ordinance, or provision heretofore made to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. In witness whereof we haue caused these our Letters to be made Patents for the space of one whole year next after the date hereof to endure. witness ourself at Westminster the fifteenth day of October, in the seventh year of Our reign.  
God save the King.   

Imprinted at London by WILLIAM jones. M.DC.XXXI.