Selected quad for the lemma: england_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
england_n	king_n	letter_n	patent_n	4,082	5	10.2279	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46605	James the Second, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Defender of the faith, &c. ... Whereas by our letters patents, bearing date the fifth day of March, in the second year of our reign, we were pleased to signifie our royal pleasure, to all our loving subjects, on the behalf of the distressed French Protestants, ...; Proclamations. 1688-01-31	England and Wales. Sovereign (1685-1688 : James II)	1688 (1688)	Wing J402; ESTC R223699	4,092	1

JAMES the Second 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 all other Spiritual Persons And also to all Iustices of the Peace Mayors Sheriffs Bayliffs Constables Churchwardens Chappelwardens Headboroughs Collectors for the Poor and their Overseers And also to all Officers of Cities Boroughs and Towns Corporate and to all other Our Officers Ministers and Subjects whatsoever they be as well within Liberties as without to whom these Presents shall come Greeting WHEREAS by Our Letters Patents bearing date the fifth day of March in the second year of Our Reign VVe were pleased to signifie Our Royal Pleasure to all Our loving Subjects on the behalf of the distressed French Protestants in these words following viz. WHEREAS it is the highest Prerogative and most desirable Advantage of Kings and Sovereign Princes to have it in Their Power and VVill to do Acts of Publick Clemency and Beneficence And since nothing makes Them more to resemble the Great God of Heaven from whom only They derive Their Authority than to imitate the Devine Goodness in the VVorks of Universal Mercy and Compassion VVe 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 VVants and Necessities And many others that are bred up and well skilled in useful Crafts and Mysteries are by reason of their present Poverties 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 VVe 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 Compassion And to this end VVe have resolved to receive into Our Gracious Protection as many of them as shall live in entire Conformity and orderly Submission to Our Government And besides other Testimonies of Our Royal Pity and Bounty towards them VVe have condescended to Grant them these Our Letters Patents under Our Great Seal of England to License and Authorise 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 VVhich Letters Patents so given and granted were to continue in force one whole year from the date thereof and no longer AND whereas since the expiration of the Term of the said Letters Patents VVe have been informed that although all the several Sums of Money which were Collected by Virtue thereof have been faithfully expended and applyed to the Uses and Purposes within that Brief specified and by that means a very considerable Number of those French Protestants have been put into a Condition of exercising the Arts and Mysteries they were skilled in or otherwise providing for themselves and Families without being any longer burthensom to any Yet nevertheless a great many others who are altogether uncapable of getting their own Livelyhood are still under pressing Necessities and as yet remain utterly unprovided for the Publick Stock of Charity upon which they subsisted now failing And not only so but as VVe are informed great Numbers of distressed French Protestants have since that time come over into this Our Kingdom and do still daily come over so that without the continuance of Our Royal Grace and Compassion and the further Supplies and Charitable Contributions of Our loving Subjects a great many of those miserable People must inevitably perish UPON these Considerations and for the setting an Example to all Our Subjects of Kindness and Humanity to all Persons in Distress and Affliction of what Perswasion soever VVe have condescended to renew and now again to grant Our Letters Patents under the Great Seal of England to all these distressed French Protestants without any distinction in as full and ample manner as VVe did before being very desirous that they should not only find all kind Reception here but also that Benevolence and Charity which VVe doubt not all Our loving Subjects will in a bountiful manner contribute toward their present Relief and Comfort in this their Affliction KNOW YE THEREFORE That of Our Especial Grace and Princely Compassion VVe 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 License 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 Servants Strangers and Others within all and every the Counties Cities Boroughs Towns Corporate Priviledged Places Parishes Chapelries Towns Villages Hamlets and all other places whatsoever in Our Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales and Town of Berwick upon Tweed WHEREFORE VVe 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 VVe 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 VVork And the said Parsons Vicars and Curates upon the first Lords-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 same to all Our said loving Subjects and earnestly persuade exhort and stir them up to contribute freely and chearfully towards the Relief of these distressed Christians by such Motives and Inducements only as in these Our Letters Patents are contained And the Churchwardens are also hereby required upon the VVeek-days next following the said Lords-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 VVriting 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 Lords-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 Chapelries 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