Whereas, wee by our Commiſſion vnder our great Seals of England, bearing date with theſe preſents, haue giuen power and authoritie vnto our Commiſſioners therein named or mentioned, or any two or more of them (amongſt other things) to grant Licence and Licences to ſuch fit perſon and perſons as ſhall haue occaſion to trauell beyond the Seas, and which ſhall be deſirous to goe forth of this Kingdome, at our Port of our Citie of Br • ſtoll, or at any other Port, Hauen or Creeke, betweene our ſaid Citie of Briſtoll and Bewmawrice, or at the Port of Bewmaurice, or at any other Port, Hauen, or Creeke between Bewmawrice and our Citie of Cheſter, or at the Port of Cheſter, or at any other Port, Hauen, or Creeke betweene our Citie of Cheſter and Leuerpool • , or at our Port of Leuerpoole, or at any other Port, Hauen, or Creeke betweene Leuerpoole and Workington, and before their going forth to examine them of their names and ſurnames, and the place of their birth and abode, their ſtate, degrée, vocation, trade, myſtery, or occupation, and the true cauſe or cauſes of their going ouer, together with the place or places wither they intend or are to goe▪ and the time that they intend, or are like to ſtay, and tarry before their returne, and all other queſtions that in the diſcretions of our ſaid Commiſſioners, according to the occaſions they ſhould thinke fit of. All which perſons and their anſweres in the poynts afore-ſaid, or what elſe in the diſcretions of our ſaid Commiſſioners, ſhould be thought fit to be demanded of them and of the time of their paſſage, Our will was, that our Commiſſioners ſhould cauſe an orderly and per •• ct entry to bee made into a booke by ſuch Clerke or Clerks as wee had nominated or appointed, or ſhould nominate and appoint thereunto, vnder our Great Seals of •• gland, or his or their deputie or deputies, which booke might be extant vpon all occaſions, as by our ſaid Commiſſion, amongſt diuers other things therein contained more at large it doth and may appeare. Now know yée that wée to the end this our pleaſure may be the better executed, we doe hereby authorize and of Our e •• eciall grace, certaine knowledge, and meere motion, haue willed, ordayned, conſtituted and granted, and by theſe preſents for vs our Heires and Succeſſors, doe, will, ord ••• , conſtitute, and grant, that for euer hereafter there ſhall be one certaine Office to be called and termed as hereafter in theſe preſents is in that behalfe mentioned and expreſſed. And we doe hereby for vs our Heires and Succeſſors erect create and make an Office to be and be called the Office of Clerke of vs our Heyres and Succeſſors, for writing and entring of Licences and paſſes to bee granted by any Commiſſioners to any perſons going out of this Realme, from the Port of B •••••• l, B • wm •• r • c • , Cheſter and Leuerpoole. And that for euer hereafter there be and ſhall be one or more officer or officers by vs our Heyres and Succeſſors from time to time nominated, conſtituted, and appointed, which ſhall be and ſhall be called the Clerke or Clerkes of vs our Heyres and Succeſſors, for writing and entring of Licences and paſſes to be granted by any Commiſſioners to any perſons going out of this Realme from the Ports of Briſtoll, Bewmawrice, Che • ter and Leuerpoole. And our further will and pleaſure is and we doe hereby for vs our Heyres and Succeſſors ordaine and appoint that the ſaid officer and officers do from time to time by vs our Heyres and Succeſſors, to be named and appointed (and none other perſon and perſons whatſoeuer) by himſelfe or themſelues, or his or their ſufficient Deputy or Deputies ſhall haue the writing, Regiſtring, and entring into ſeuerall bookes firmely bound and made vp of the names and ſurnames, place of birth and abode, ſtate, degree, vocation trade, myſtery and occupation of all and euery perſons or perſons which by vertue of our Commiſſion aforeſaid, or any other Commiſſion or Commiſſions hereafter to bee made or granted to the ſame or like purpoſe, ſhall be licenſed or permitted to paſſe out of this Realme at the aforeſaid Port of Briſtoll, or at any other Port, Hauen or Creeke betweene B • iſtoll and Bewmawrice, or at the Port of Bewmawrice, or at any other Port, Hauen or Creeke betweene Bewmawrice and Cheſter, or at the Port of Cheſter, or at any other Port, Hauen or Creeke, between our Cities of Cheſter and Leuerpoole, or at the Port of Leuerpoole, or at any other Port, Hauen or Creeke betweene Leuerpoole and Workington aforeſaid, and the cauſes of their going ouer, together with the place or places whither they intend to goe, and the time that they intend and are like to ſtay and tarry before their returne; and other their anſweres in the premiſes, together with the paſſes themſelues. And becauſe it is requiſite that the ſaid Officer or Officers, their Deputie and Deputies ſhould haue ſome conuenient recompence for their labour, care and paines to be beſtowed and taken in the execution of the ſaid Office, wherein our Princely care ſo farre extendeth it ſelfe, as that we will not any of our Subjects bee vnduely exacted vpon. Wee doe therefore hereby for vs, our Heyres and Succeſſors, ordaine, conſtitute and grant that it ſhall and may be lawfull to and for the ſaid Officer and Officers, and his and their Deputie and Deputies, to demand take and receiue for the execution of the ſaid Office, and for his and their paines and labour to be taken in the premiſes of euery perſon, who ſhall p • ſſe beyond the Seas, as aforeſaid, the fee, reward or ſomme of ſixe pence; and hath heretofore v • ually beene taken for the like, and not in any ſort to exceed the ſame. K • ow yee alſo further that we for the better execution of this our will and pleaſure, repoſing truſt and confidence in the fidelity, diligence, vnderſtanding and diſcretion of our wel-beloued Subjects Patricke Craford and Mathew Birkenhead, Gentlemen: Of our eſpeciall grace, certaine knowledge and meere motion, haue giuen and gran • ed, and by theſe preſents for vs, our Heyres and Succeſſors, do giue and grant vnto the ſaid Patricke Craford, and Mathew Bi • kenhead, the ſaid Office of Clerks of vs our Heyres and Succeſſors, for writing and entring of Licences and Paſſes to be granted by any Commiſſioners to any perſons going out of this Realme from the Por • of B •• ſtoll, Bewmaw •• ce, Cheſter and Leuerpoole. And them the ſaid Patricke Craford and Mathew Birkenhead, the firſt and preſent Clerke and Clerkes of vs our Heyres and Succeſſors for writing and entring of Licences and paſſes to be granted by any Commiſſioners to any perſons going out of this Realme from the Ports of B •• ſt •• l, Bewmaw •• ce, Cheſter, Leuerpoole and Workington, to do and execute all things in manner aforeſaid to the ſaid Office belonging or appertaning, or herein mentioned to be thereunto belonging or appertaining, or by the Officer or Officers afore ſaid to be done and performed, we doe hereby for vs our Heyres and Succeſſors, nominate, make▪ ordaine, create, conſtitute, and appoint by theſe preſents. To haue, hold and enjoy the ſaid Office with the appurtenances to the ſaid Patricke Craford, and M • thew Birkenhead, and to execute and exerciſe the ſame aſwell by himſelfe or themſelues, or his or their ſufficient Deputie or Deputies, during the naturall liues and the na • urall life of the longer liuer of them, together with the foreſaid fees, rewards, and ſommes of money, in as large and ample manner as we can or may giue, grant or diſpoſe of the ſame. Requiring, charging, and commanding by theſe preſents for vs, our Heyres and Succeſſors, that no perſon or perſons whatſoeuer, other then the ſaid Patricke Craford, and Mathew Birkenhead, and other then the Officer and Officers by vs, our Heyres and Succeſſors to be nominated, conſtituted, and appointed according to the tru • meaning of theſe preſents, and his and their Deputie and Deputies doe entermeddle or deale in the ſaid Office, or doe, or execute any thing or things therevnto belonging, or herein or hereby mentioned or intended by the Officer or Officers aforeſaid to be done, executed or performed vpon paine of the indignation and diſpleaſure of vs our Heyres and Succeſſors, and vpon ſuch further paines and penalties as by the Lawes and Statutes of this our Realme, may be inflicted vpon them for their diſobedience and contempt in that behalfe.

Neuertheleſſe, to the intent that We, our Heyres and Succeſſors may be from time to time ſatiſfied of all procéedings to be had in the premiſes. Our further will and pleaſure is, and we doe hereby for vs, our Heyres and Succeſſors, require and command that as well the ſaid Patricke Craford and Mathew Birkenhead, as all others who ſhall ſucceed them in the ſaid Office, their Deputie or Deputies ſhall yearely once in euery yeare returne and certifie in one or more booke or bookes, vnder their hand or hands writing, all things by them or any of them to be entred or Regiſtred by vertue of this our grant into the Office of the Remembrancer of the Exchequer of vs, our Heyres and Succeſſors there to be extant vpon all occaſions. And laſtly, We doe hereby for vs, our Heyres and Succeſſors, ſtraightly charge and command all and ſingular Iuſtices of peace, Mayors, Sheriffes, Bayliffes, Conſtables, Head-boroughes, and all other the Officers, Miniſters and Subjects of vs, our Heyres and Succeſſors whatſoeuer, to whom it ſhall or may appertaine, to bee ayding, helping, and aſſiſting vnto the ſaid Patricke Craford, and Mathew Birkenhead, and all others which ſhall ſucceed them in the ſaid Office, their Deputie and Deputies and euery of them in the execution of the ſaid Office, and of our will and pleaſure herein expreſſed in all things, according to the true meaning of theſe preſents, as they tender the pleaſure of vs our Heyres and Succeſſors, and will auoyd the contrary at their perils. Although expreſſe mention of the certainty of the premiſes, or of any of them, or of any other guifts or grants by vs or any our Progenitors or Predeceſſors to the ſaid Patricke Craford, and Mathew Birkenhead, heretofore made in theſe preſents, is not made, or any Statute, Act, Ordinance, prouiſion Proclamation or reſtraint to the contrary thereof heretofore had, made, ordained or prouided, or any other thing cauſe or matter whatſoeuer in any wiſe notwithſtanding.

In witneſſe whereof, Wee haue cauſed theſe our Letters to bee Patents.