His MAJESTIES Gracious LETTER to the Lord Maior and Court of Aldermen of the City of London, About employing the Poor and Vagrants.  
CHARLES R.  
RIght Trusty and Well-beloved, We greet you well. Whereas Our Royal Father of Blessed Memory, did in the year 1632. Constitute and Establish a Society of Fishers, and Declared that He was resolved by all good occasions favourably to assist, and graciously accept the forwardness of all those that should express their zeal to His Majesties Service in so general and public an Undertaking; It being then Resolved and Concluded by His Majesty, that it was very honourable and necessary for this Kingdom. Now that the true managing and most advantageous prosecution thereof, is by experience discovered by Philip late Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery and his Associates, who did cause sundry Fishing Vessels to be provided and built, which employed many Families in making of Nets and other Provisions( one Vessel employing Twenty Families in work) besides the breeding of Country Youths to be made serviceable Mariners in short time, as by the Book called The Royal Herring Buss Fishings, presented unto Us, doth plainly appear. And whereas We are informed that the Nation doth abound with great numbers of poor Families and Vagrants, who for want of employment are like to perish, unless some speedy care be taken for their Relief: And that the several Wards and Suburbs of this Our City of London and Hamblets adjacent, are burdened with multitudes of poor people, not only which are born in the said places, but such as come out of sundry countries to seek Relief: For Redress whereof, We do hereby recommend unto the care of You Our Lord Maior of the said City, to advice with each Alderman, and cause his Ward-moote Inquest to give in a particular of all the poor Inhabitants within his Ward, what their employment is, and how many are without employment, and present the same to the rest of the Inhabitants in his Ward, with a Copy thereof, and excite them to a free Subscription for raising a Stock to buy Hemp and Clapboards to make Herring Fishing-Nets, and Barrels for the furnishing and fitting out of one Buss or Fishing Vessel to belong to the said Ward, which will give all the Poor and Vagrants employment; the said Ward husbanding the same to their best advantage. The which We shall in like manner recommend to all the Counties, Cities, and Towns within our Dominions, whereby to make it a National employment for the general good, and will give all fitting assistance to the Undertakers for their encouragement. That so when Provisions shall be made ready and Store-houses built in commodious places about the River of Thames,( where breaches have been made) and the like in the several Ports, Magazines may be fitted with Nets, cask, Salt and all things in readiness, the Busses may all go forth to Our iceland of Sheteland as their rendezvous to keep together in their Fishing, according to certain Orders prescribed in the aforesaid Book. And to take that privilege of the Fishing-grounds which belongs to Us before all Nations whatsoever. And so We bid you hearty farewell.  
Given at Our Court of Whitehall this 23 day of July, in the Twelfth year of Our Reign. By His MAJESTIES Command ED. NICHOLAS.   

To Our Right Trusty and Well-beloved the Lord Maior of Our City of London, to be Communicated to the Court of Aldermen.  
Whereupon His Majesty hath granted a Commission under the great Seal of England, and therein hath nominated and constituted a council of the Royal Fishings of Great Britain and Ireland, of which His Majesty will vouchsafe ever to be and be called Protector, and therein hath granted many privileges and Immunities as to Persons, Vessels, and Goods, as therein is largely expressed: And having granted Letters Patents for a free Collection, whereof is Printed 20 Thousand Commissions and Briefs, committed to the Care of the High Sheriffs in every County, who having made no return of the Briefs nor Moneys, the employment could not go forward, although the council of the Royal-Fishings have wrote 52 Letters unto the Sheriffs, but receive no answer: And having lately written 26 Letters to the Bishops, they have made Enquiry, and find that most Parishes in their diocese have not received any Briefs at all, and therefore no Collection could be made; So that the council for the Royal-Fishings can only give account of the Collections in London and Suburbs, which is particularly here expressed.  
  l. s. d. St. Andrew Undershaft 07 11 11 St. James Dukesplace 01 10 09 St. Allhallowes Barking 04 08 00 St. Margaret Pattens 02 10 04 St. Magnus 02 12 0● St. Botolph Bishopsgate 05 10 00 St. Christophers 08 12 00 St. Martin Outwitch 05 04 06 St. Botolphs Algate 14 00 00 St. Peters Corn●●●● 04 19 00 St. Clements Cheap 01 10 03 St. Mary Woolnoth 12 12 06 St. Nicholas Acons 02 08 00 St. Stevens Walbrooke 02 08 00 St. Swithins 08 08 04 St. Peter Pauls Wharf 03 05 00 St. Mary Mounthaw 00 17 06 St. Michael Royal 02 03 06 St. John Zachary 03 00 09 St. Olaves Silverstreet 02 03 06 St. Margaret Moses 02 13 04 St. John Evangelist 01 17 00 St. Mary le ●ow 05 01 00 St. Gregories by Pauls 08 00 04 St. laurence Jewry 03 01 03 St. Mildred poultry 08 01 00 St. Albans Woodstreet 01 18 04 St. Michael Woodstreet 02 03 09 St. Olaves Jewry 03 02 06 St. Matthew Fridaystreet 02 08 00 St. Faiths 13 03 1 ½ St. Michael the Quern 03 13 02 St. Brides 19 04 04 St. Andrew Holborn ●0 14 01 St. Kat●●●ine Creechurch 02 10 09 St. Dunstans East 10 01 03 St. Mary Hill 11 01 08 St. Andrew Hubbard 02 13 06 St. Margaret Newfishstr 01 08 00 St. Ethelborough 02 02 10 St. Barthol. Exchange 04 00 00 St. Peter le poor 03 03 04 Trinity Minories 01 00 00 St. laurence poultry 00 19 00 St. Michael Crookedlane 02 08 08 St. Edmunds Lumbardstr. 06 00 00 St. Gabriel Fenchurch 03 15 05 St. Mary Bothaw 01 18 04 St. Nicholas Olaves 00 07 00 St. Mary Summerset 00 18 00 St. James Garlickhithe 02 15 9 ½ St. all-hallows the less 00 08 02 St. and Aldersgate 01 17 00 St. Leonards Fosterlane 02 04 08 St. Mildred Breadstreet 01 08 06 St. Antholins 01 03 00 St. Andrew wardrobe 01 16 09 St. Bennet Pauls wharf 00 05 04 St. Martins Ironmonger. 03 07 00 St. Bennet Sherehog 02 01 10 St. Mary aldermanburic 07 17 06 〈…〉 0● 10 ●● St. Stevens Colmanstreet 03 08 00 St. Foster in Fosterlane 02 00 06 christ-church 02 18 07 St. and Black-Friers 05 06 08 St. bartholomew the Great 07 02 06 St. sepulchers 13 18 05 St. Katharine Colman 02 05 06 St. Olaves Hartstreet 11 00 00 St. Botolphs Billingsgate 02 05 00 St. George Botolphlane 00 15 10 St. Bennet Grace-church 01 05 09 St. Hellens 02 03 00 St. Bennet Fynch 02 08 08 St. all-hallows the Wall 05 05 09 St. Michael Cornhill 04 11 02 St. Martins Orgars 03 18 00 St. Dionis Back-church 11 10 00 St. all-hallows Staining 05 08 06 St. Mary Woolchurch 03 19 03 St. John Baptist Walbrook 02 11 00 St. Michael Queenhithe 00 19 06 Trinity Parish 00 07 00 St. Thomas Apostle 03 01 00 St. Botolphs Aldersgate 02 00 00 St. Mary Stainings 00 14 0 ½ 〈◇〉. Mi●●●●l D●●ss●sh●m 01 12 10 St. all-hallows Breadstreet 01 11 01 St. Mary Aldermary 03 03 00 St. Maudlins Oldfishstreet 00 14 00 St. all-hallows Honilane 00 18 06 St. Mary Colchurch 02 15 00 St. Giles Cripplegate 25 19 06 St. Maudlins Milkstreet 00 18 06 St. Margaret Lothbury 06 14 08 St. Peters Cheap 01 16 06 St. Austins 03 10 08 St. Martins Ludgate 09 18 06 Bridewell 01 00 10 St. Bartholomew the less 02 14 11 St. Alhall. Lumbardstr. 08 15 08 The whole sum of these 102 Parish Collections, amounts unto 456 08 08  

The 9 Out Parishes, viz.  St. Katharines 03 10 00 Wapping 08 09 02 St. Maudlins 05 05 00 St. Olaves Southwark 16 03 00 St. Saviour 21 00 00 Stepney 12 02 00 St. Leonard Shorditch 05 11 02 Whitechappel 10 03 04 Stratford le Bow 00 14 03 sum is, 82 17 11  
The council of the royal Fishings further show, That in pursuance of His Majesties Commission they have caused their Agent Simon Smith, to provide a fitting wharf and ground at Depthford adjoining to His Majesties Shipyard there, containing five Acres, whereon is four large new Work-houses and Graneries, with Cranes, and Docks, and Sawpits, for building of Busses; and hath erected a Tan-house, with a large Copper, for the Tanning of the Nets, with all other Commodities belonging, to entertain the building of Busses, &c. making of Nets and Cask, &c.  
About which is laid out 3256 l. 04. s. 00. d. whereof is paid him by the Collections, but 390 l. The rest of the Moneys the Earl of Pembroke's Agents have gotten, and are to be called to account for the same, according to the accounts given in the 13. May 1663. as followeth.  
    l. s. d. Thomas King of Harwich, hath received of 17. Sheriffs and others   246 18 03 William Gibbons hath received of 12. Sheriff● and others   216 16 06 Joseph Sabbarton hath received of 2. Sheriffs   083 08 00 The Earl of Pembroke hath received of the 102. Parishes in London   456 08 08 And of the 9. Out Parishes mentioned in his account   082 17 11   total 1086 09 04   Whereof is paid but 390 00 00   Resting to be accounted for 696 09 04  
If the Earl of Pembroke's Agents had been careful and faithful, there might have been moneys enough Collected whereby to have erected wharves and Work-houses, and Store-houses in all the Fishing-Towns, for building of Busses and other Vessels, and making of Nets, and all commodities for the Fishing employment, as His Majesty hath directed; and by this time the English might have been enabled to take their own Fish, and the Strange● should have bought the Fish of them, as heretofore they did.  
Wherefore the premises considered, it is desired that the City and Hamblets will begin the employment, for encouragement of all others to follow their president, otherwise the obstruction will lie at their doors.