WHEREAS it is the highest Prerogative and most desirable Advantage of Kings and Soveraign Princes to have it in their Power and Will to do Acts of Publick Clemency and Beneficence , and since nothing makes them more to resemble the Great God of Heaven , from whom Onely they derive their Authority , than to imitate the Divine Goodness in the Works of Vniversal Mercy and Compassion , WEE being informed that great Numbers of French Protestants have lately taken Refuge in This and Our Other Kingdoms , whereof divers being persons of good Birth and Quality , having formerly lived in Plenty and Prosperity , are now reduced to extream Wants and Necessities , and many others that were bred up and well skilled in useful Crafts and Mysteries , are , by reason of their present Poverty and Distresses , utterly disabled as yet to exercise the same , either for the Support of Themselves and their Families , or for the Publick Benefit of this Our Kingdom , WE have thought Our Selves obliged by the Laws of Christian Charity and Common Bonds of Humanity , to take their deplorable Condition into Our Tender Care and Princely Commiseration , And to this end WE have resolved to receive into Our Gracious Protection as many of them as shall live in entire Conformity and orderly Submission to Our Government established both in Church and State ; And besides other Testimonies of Our Royal Pity and Bounty towards them , WE have Condescended to Grant them these Our Letters Patents under Our Great Seal of England , to License and Authorize them to ask and receive the Alms and charitable Contributions of all Our Loving Subjects within Our Kingdom of England , Dominion of Wales , and Town of Berwick upon Tweed , being very desirous that they should not only find all kind Reception here , but also that Benevolence and Charity which ( WE doubt not ) all Our Loving Subjects will in a bountiful manner contribute towards their present Relief and Comfort in this their Affliction : KNOW YE THEREFORE , That of Our Especial Grace and Princely Compassion , WE have Given and Granted , and by these Our Letters Patents under Our Great Seal of England , do Give and Grant unto the said Distressed Protestants , and to their Agents who shall be Lawfully Authorized on their Behalf , full Power , Licence and Authority to ask , gather , receive and take ( according to the Rules specified in these Presents ) the Alms and charitable Benevolence of all Our Loving Subjects , not only Housholders , but also Servants , Strangers , and others , within all and every the Counties , Cities , Boroughs , Towns Corporate , Priviledged Places , Parishes , Chappelries , Towns , Villages , Hamlets , and all other places whatsoever in Our Kingdom of England , Dominion of Wales , and Town of Berwick upon Tweed . WHEREFORE WE Require and Command all and singular the Archbishops and Bishops of all the Provinces and Diocesses within Our Kingdom of England , and Dominion of Wales , ( unto whose Paternal Care and Inspection WE chiefly recommend the pursuit of these Our Letters Patents ) That they , and every of them , do give a particular Recommendation and Command to all the Parsons , Vicars and Curates of all and every the Parishes , and other places , as well within Liberties as without , within their respective Diocesses , for the Advancement of this so Pious and Charitable a Work ; And the said Parsons , Vicars and Curates , upon the first Lord's Day , or second at farthest , after that the true Copies of these Our Letters Patents shall be delivered to them , shall deliverately and affectionately publish and declare the Tenor of the some unto Our said Loving Subjects , and earnestly perswade , exhort , and stir them up to contribute freely and chearfully towards the Relief of these Distressed Christians , by such Motives and Inducements onely as in these Our Letters Patents are contained ; And the Churchwardens are also hereby Required upon the Week days next following the said Lord's Day , to go from House to House , to ask and receive from all the Parishioners , as well Masters , Mistresses , and Servants , as others in their Families ) their Christian and Charitable Contributions , and to take the Names in Writing of all such as shall contribute thereunto , and the Sum or Sums by them respectively given ; And after such Collection made , they are , in the presence of the respective Inhabitants , on the next Lord's Day following , to subscribe the whole Sums upon the said Briefs under their Hands , and also to enter them into Books of Accompts for the said Parishes and Chappelries respectively , and the Places where and the Times when such Sums were collected ; And they are also to deliver the same to the said Parsons , Vicars and Curates respectively , and the said Parsons , Vicars and Curates are to send the said Monies , together with the said Briefs , unto their respective Archdeacons ; Or if the Parish be Exempt , to the Archdeacon within the compass of whose Archdeaconry the said Parish lies ; And the said several Archdeacons , to the respective Bishops of the several Diocesses , as herein after is declared and directed ; And for the better performance of this so Pious and Charitable a Work , the said Parsons , Vicars and Curates respectively , are required ( where conveniently they may ) to accompany the Churchwardens in asking and receiving the Contributions , or procure some other of the chief of the Inhabitants in the said Parishes respectively to do the same . AND Our further Will and Pleasure is , and WE do hereby , for the better Advancement of these Our Pious Intentions , Will , Require and Command the Bishops , and all other Dignitaries of the Church , that they make their Contributions distinctly , to be returned in the several Provinces to the respective Archbishops of the same ; And also that all Our Loving Subjects of this Kingdom , of what Dignity , Degree , or Quality soever , may manifest their zeal in so good a Work , WE do Recommend it to all Heads and Governors of Colledges and Halls in Both Our Vniversities , and also to the Iudges and Officers of all and every Our respective Courts at Westminster , and the Professors of the Law , Both Common and Civil , and to all Students of the several Inns of Court and Chancery , by their several Bodies and Societies , That they , and every of them , will contribute their free and charitable Benevolence herein . AND LASTLY , Our Will and Pleasure is , That the Churchwardens of every Parish where these Our Letters Patents shall be Read , do collect the Charity of each Parishioner in manner aforesaid , and do pay the same within Ten days unto the Parson , Vicar or Curate of their respective Parishes , which said Parson , Vicar or Curate , shall within Ten days next after the Receipt of the said Money , make Return thereof , together with the Printed Briefs , to his respective Archdeacon , as aforesaid ; And where there is no Incumbent , the Collector or Collectors shall pay the said Money to the respective Archdeacon ; And that the Archdeacons of the several Archdeaconries do likewise return the said Collections within Twenty days next after their Receipt thereof , unto the Bishops of their respective Diocesses ; And that the said Bishops do return them within Thirty days next following , into the Chamber of Our City of London , From whence WE do hereby Authorize , Nominate and Appoint the Most Reverend Father in God the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury , the Lord High Chancellor of England , the Lord High Treasurer , the Lord President of Our Council , the Lord Privy Seal , the Duke of Ormond , the Duke of Beaufort , the Lord Chamberlain , the Earl of Huntington , the Earl of Peterborough , the Earl of Bridgewater , the Earl of Craven , the Earl of Berkley , the Earl of Nottingham , the Earl of Plymouth , the Earl of Middleton , the Lord Viscount Fauconberge , the Right Reverend Fathers in God the Bishop of London , the Bishop of Durham , the Bishop of Winchester , the Bishop of Ely , the Bishop of Glocester , the Bishop of Rochester , and the Bishop of Peterborough , the Lord Preston , the Lord Dartmouth , the Lord Godolphin , the Chancellor of the Exchequer , the Lord Chief Iustice Herbert , the Lord Chief Iustice Jones , the Lord Chief Baron Mountague , Sir Job Charlton , Sir Francis Wythens , Sir Robert Wright , Our Attorney General , and Our Sollicitor General , the Lord Mayor of London for the time being , Sir William Turner , Sir William Pritchard , Sir Robert Jefferies , Sir John Holt , Sir William Gostlyn , Sir Peter Vandeput , Sir John Buckworth , Sir John Mathews , Alderman Charles Duncombe , John Jeffries Esq ; the Dean of St. Pauls , the Dean of Canterbury , the Dean of Norwich , the Dean of Windsor , the Dean of Worcester , the Dean of St. Asaph , Doctor John Horden , Doctor Jeffreys , Doctor Scot , Doctor Cave , Sir Thomas Exton , Doctor Raines , Doctor Edisbury , Samuel Peppys , William Bridgman , and William Blaythwayte , Esquires ; And they , or any Five or more of them , are to dispose and distribute the Money which shall be collected by virtue hereof , in such manner as may best answer those Ends for which these Letters Patents were intended ; And WE do hereby Direct and Command , That the said several Archdeacons shall and do make Returns unto the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury , of what Sums they have received at the time when they shall pay them to the Bishops ; And that their respective Accompts be stated in Words at Length , and not in Figures onely , and Subscribed with their own Hands , Any Law , Statute , Act , 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 , and to continue for One whole Year from the Date hereof , and no longer .