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Not farre from Westminster, by the River, there is erected a goodly Building, not yet finished, for Students in Di∣vinity commonly knowne by the name of Chelsey Colledge, whereof I thought fit to make mention, because I finde an Act of Parliament made in the seventh yeere of King, Iames, in the behalfe of the same Colledge, as also a Declaration pub∣lished by Authority in the yeere 1616. containing the Reasons that moved his Majesty and the State to erect the same which here followeth.
WHereas his Majesty, of his most Royall and zealous care for the defence of true Religion now e∣stablished within this Realme of England, and for the refuting or Errors and Heresies repugnant unto the same, hath been graciously pleased, by his Letters Patents under the great Seale of England, to found a Colledge at Chelsey, neere London, and therein to place certaine learned Divines, and to incorporate the same by the name of the Provost and Fellowes of the Col∣ledge of King Iames in Chelsey, neere London, of the foundation of the same Iames King of England, and hath of his most gracious bounty and goodnesse, not onely endowed the same with cer∣taine Lands, Priviledges, and Immu∣nities, but hath also for their further maintenance and sustentation, given unto them a capacity and ability to re∣ceive and take from his Majesty, or any of his loving Subjects, any Lands, Te∣nements, Hereditaments, Gifts, Be∣nefits, and Profits whatsoever, not ex∣ceeding in the whole the yeerely value 〈◊〉〈◊〉 three thousand pounds, as in and by 〈…〉〈…〉 Letters Patents doth more at large appeare. And whereas also it is manifest and evident, that the bring∣ing in of fresh streames of running wa∣ter into the City of London, is very con∣venient, necessary, and profitable, as well for the private use of such as shall rent the same, as a helpe for cleansing the said City in the time of sicknesse, and preserving the same against all so∣daine adventures of fire: It is therefore enacted, &c. that it shall and may be lawfull to the said Provost and Fel∣lowes, their Successors, Deputies, and Assignes, at all and every such place and places in the open Fields or Mar∣shes lying betweene the Bridge called Lock-Bridge, in or neere the Parish or Hackney, in the County of Middlesix, and the Bridge called Bow-Bridge, at Stratfort-Bow in the Parish of Stepney, in the said County, (As by the said Provost and Fellowes, their Successors, Deputies or Assignes, by and with the consent and allowance of the occupiers and owners of the soile in the said place or places, and in default of such assent and allowance, by such composition first to be made with the said occupiers and owners of the said soile, as by the Commissioners, by vertue of this Act