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1. Iames the 2nd by ye Grace of God of England, Scotl: France & Ireland King, Defender of ye faith &c. To ye most Reverend Father in God our right trusty & right well-beloved Councellr Wm Ld Archbishop of Cant: Primate of all Engl: & Metropolitan & to our right Trusty & right well-beloved Councellr George Ld Ieffreys Ld. Chr. of Engl: & to our right Trusty & right well-beloved Cosin & Councellr Laurence E. of Rochester, Ld high Treasurer of Engl: & to our right Trusty & right well-beloved Cosin & Councellr Robt E. of Sunderland, Prsident of our Councel & our principall Secretary of State, Nathaniel Ld. B of Durham, & to ye right Reverend Father in God our Trusty & well-beloved Councellr. Sr Edw: Herbert Kt. Cheif Iustice of the Pleas before us to be holden assign'd Greeting.

2. We for divers good weighty & necessary causes & considerations us hereunto especially moving, of our meer motion & certain knowledge by force & virtue of our Supreme Authority, & Prerogative Royal doe assigne name & authorize by these our Lettrs patents under our great Seal of Engl: you ye sd Ld. Archb of Cant: Ld Ch: of Engl: Ld high Treasurer of Engl: Ld. President of our Councel, Ld B of Durham, Ld. B of Rochester, & our cheif Iustice aforesd, or any three or more of you (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) from time to time & at all times during our pleasure, to exercise, use, occupy & execute under us all manner of Iurisdictions, priviledges & preheminencies in any wise touching or concerning any Spirituall or Ecclall Iurisdictions within this our Realm of Engl: & Dominion of Wales, & to visit, reform, redresse, order, correct & amend all such abuses offences, contempts & enormities whatsoever, wch by ye spiritual or Ecclesl laws of this our Realm, can or may lawfully be reformed, order'd, redressed, corrected, restrained, or amended to ye pleasure of Almighty God, the increase of Virtue, & ye Conservation of ye peace & unity of this Realm.

3. And we doe hereby give & grant unto you or any three of you or more of you as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld Ch: to be one) thus by us named assigned, authorized, & appointed by force of our Supreme Authority and Prerogative Royal, full power & authority from time to time, & at all times, during our pleasure under us to exercize, use & execute all the prmises according to ye tenor & effect of these our Lettrs patents any matter or cause to ye contrary in any wise notwithstanding.

4. And we do by these prsents give full power & authority unto you, or any three or more of you as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld Ch: to be one) by all lawful ways & meanes from time to time hereafter during our pleasure, to enquire of all offences, contempts, transgressions and misdemeanors done, & committed, & hereafter done & to be committed contrary to ye Ecclall Laws of this our Realm, in any County, City, Burrough or other place or places, exempt or not exempt within this our Realm of Engl: & dominion of Wales, & of all & every ye Offender or Offenders therein, & ym & every of ym to order, correct, reform & punish by censures of ye Church.

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5. And also we do give & grant full power & Authority unto you, or any three or more of you, as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) in like manner as is aforesd from time to time, & at all times during our pleasure, to enquire of, search out, & call before you all & every Ecclecall person or persons of wt Degree or Dignity soever, as shall offend in any of the particulars before mention'd, & ym & every of them to correct & punish for such their misbehaviors, & misdemeanors by suspending or depriving ym from all promotions Ecclall & from all Functions in ye Church; & to inflict such other punishments or Censures upon ym according to the Ecclcall laws of this Realm.

6. And farther we do give full power & authority unto you or any three or more of you as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one): by virtue hereof & in like manner & form as is aforesd, to enquire, hear determine & punish all Incests, Adulteries, fornications, Outragious misbehaviors & disorders in Marriages, & all other greivous or great Crimes or Offences wch. are punishable or Reformeable by ye Ecclcall laws of this our Realm, committed or done, or hereafter to be committed or done in any place exempt or not exempt, within this our Realm according to ye tenor of ye Ecclcall laws in yt behalf. Hereby granting you or any three or more of you as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) full power & authority to order & award such punishmt to every such Offenders by Censures of ye Church, or other lawfull wayes as is aforesd.

7 And we do farther give full Power & Authority to you, or any three or more of you as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) to call before you or any three or more of you as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) all & every offender and offenders in any of ye premises; & also all such as by you or any three or more of you as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) shall seem to be suspected persons in any of ye prmises, & them to examine touching every or any of the prmises, wch you shall object agt ym, & to proceed agt ym & every of ym as ye nature & quality of their offence or suspition in yt behalf shall require, & also to call all such witnesses, or any other person or persons, yt can inform you concerning any of ye prmises, as you or any three of|r| more of you as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld Ch: to be one) shall think meet to be call'd before you, or any three or more of you as is aforesaid (whereof you ye sd Ld Ch: to be one) & ym & every of ym to examine upon their corporal oaths, for ye better tryal & opening of ye Truth of ye premises, or any part thereof. And if you or any three or more of you as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) shall find any person or persons whatsoever obstinate or disobedient either in their appearance before you or any three or more of you (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) at yor calling & com̄andmt. or else in not obeying or not accomplishing yor Orders, decrees or Com̄andmts. or any thing touching ye prmises or any part thereof, or any other brat|n|ch or clause contain'd in this Com̄ission, yt yn you or any three or more of you as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) shall have full power & Authority to punish ye same person & persons so offending by Excom̄unication Suspension, Deprivation, or other Censures Ecclcall.

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8 And where any person shall be convented or prosecuted before you, as aforesd, for any of ye causes above expressed, at ye Instance & suit of any person prosecuting ye offence in yt behalf yt then you or any three or more of you as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) shall have full power & Authority to award such costs & expences of ye suit, as well to & agt ye party as shall preferr or prosecute ye sd offence, as agt ye parties yt shall be convented according as their causes shall require & to you in Iustice shall be thought reasonable.

9. And farther our will & pleasure is. That you assume our well beloved Subject Nc: Bor. Esqr one of ye Clerks of our Councel or his sufficient Deputy, or Deputies in yt behalf, to be your Register, whom we do depute by these prsents to yt effect, for ye Registring of all your Acts, Decrees & proceedings by virtue of this our Com̄ission: & yt in like manner you or any three or more of you, as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) by yor discretions shall appoint one or more Messenger or Messengers, & other officer or officers necessary & convenient to attend upon you for any service in this behalfe.

10. Our Will & expresse Com̄andmt also is. That there shall be two paper books indented & made, ye one to remain wth ye sd Register, or his suffcient Deputy or Deputies, ye other wth such person & in such place as you ye sd Com̄issioners or any three or more of you as is aforesaid (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) shall in your discretions think most fit & meet. In both wch books shall be fairly entred all ye Acts, Decrees & Proceedings made or to be made by virtue of this our Commission.

11. And whereas our Universities of Oxford & Cambridge & divers Cathedral & Collegiate Churches, Colledges, Grammer Schooles, & other Ecclcall Corporacons have been erected founded & endowed by several of our Royal Progenitors, Kings & Queens of this Realm & some others by ye Charity & bounty of some of their subjects, as well within our Universities, as other parts & places, ye ordinances, Rules & Statutes whereof are either imbezil'd, lost, corrupted or altogether imperfect: We do give full power & Authority unto you, or any five or more of you (of whom we will you ye forenam'd Ld Ch: allwayes to be one) to cause & com̄and in our Name all & singular ye ordinances, Rules & Statutes of our sd Universities, & all & every Cathedral or Collegiate Churches, Colleges, Gram̄ar-Schooles, & other Ecclcall Incorporacons, together wth their several Lettrs Patents, & other writings, touching or in any wise concerning their several Erections & Foundations to be brought & exhibited before you, or any five or more of you, as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) willing, cm̄anding & Authorizing you or any five or more of you as is aforesd, (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) upon ye exhibiting & upon diligent & deliberate vieu, search & examinacon of ye sd Statutes, Rules & Ordinances, Lettrs Patents & writings as is aforesd, ye same to correct, amend & alter, & also where no statutes are extant in all or any of ye aforesd cases, to devise & sett down such good Orders & Statutes as you, or any five or more of you is aforesd (whereof you the <2v> sd Ld Ch: to be one) shall think meet & convenient to be done by us confirmd ratified, allowed & sett forth for ye better Order & Rule of ye sd Universities Cathedral & Collegiate Churches, Colledges & Grammar Schooles, Erections & Foundations, & ye Possessions & revenues of ye same, & as may best tend to ye honour of Almighty God, Increase of Virtue, Learning & Unity in ye sd places, & ye publick weal & tranquillity of this our Realm.

12. Moreover our Will, pleasure & Com̄andmt is, yt you our sd Comrs. & every of you shall diligently & faithfully execute this our Com̄ission & every part & Branch thereof in manner & form aforesd, & according to ye true meaning hereof: Notwithstanding any appellation, Provocation, Priviledge, or Exemption, in yt behalf to be had, made, prtended or alledged by any person or persons resident or dwelling in any place or places, exempt or not exempt within this our Realm; Any Laws, Statutes, proclamacons or other Grants Priviledges or Ordinances wch may be or may seem contrary to ye premises Notwithstanding.

13. And for ye better credit & more manifest notice of yor duty in the Execution of this our Com̄ission, our pleasure & Com̄and is yt you or any three or more of you as is aforesd {illeg} forth, had, made, decreed {illeg} the places as shall be appointed {illeg} aforesd for ye due Execution of this our Com̄ission {by you or any} three or more of you as is aforesd (whereof you ye sd Ld. Ch: to be one) shall cause to be put & fixed a Seal engraven wth a Rose & Crown, & ye Letter I. & a figure 2 before, & ye Letter R after ye same, wth a Ring or Circumference about ye same Seal containing as followeth, Sigillum Com̄issariū Regiæ Majestatis {illeg} {ecclesiasticas}.

Finally we will & com̄and all & singular other our ministers & Subjects in all & every place & places exempt & not exempt within our Realm of Engl: & Dominion of Wales, upon any knowledge or request from you or any three or more of you as is aforesd to ym or any of ym given or made to be {given}, {illeg} & {illeg} unto you, & at your Com̄andmt. in & for ye due executing of yor Precepts, Letters & other processes, requisite in & for ye due executing this our Commission, as they & every of ym tender our pleasure & will {illeg} ye contrary at their utmost peril. In In witnesse &c.

© 2024 The Newton Project

Professor Rob Iliffe
Director, AHRC Newton Papers Project

Scott Mandelbrote,
Fellow & Perne librarian, Peterhouse, Cambridge

Faculty of History, George Street, Oxford, OX1 2RL - newtonproject@history.ox.ac.uk

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