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Die Lunae, 18 Septembris, Anno XIX CAROLI REGIS.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE LORDS AND COMMONS Assembled in PARLIAMENT.
For the Reliefe of the Distressed CLERGY of IRELAND.
WHereas it appeareth by an humble Petition this day Read, That the distressed Clergy of the King∣dome of Ireland, were at the beginning of the Rebellion there despoyled of their Personall Estates, and have beene ever since deprived of their respective Livings by the barbarous Rebells, and are now ready to perish with their Wives and children, for want of present lively-hood: The Lords and Commons now Assembled in Parliament, having taken the same into their charitable conside∣rations, doe thinke fit that there shall be a Collection made in and throughout the Cities of London and VVestminster, and the severall Counties of Middlesex, Essex, Kent, Surrey, and Hertford, for their Reliefe.
Be it therefore Ordained by the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled, That all and every the Church-Wardens and Over-seers of the poore, within all and every the severall places and Parishes of the Cities of London and Westminster, and Burrough of Southwarke, and of the severall Counties of Middlesex, Essex, Kent, Surrey, and Hertford aforesaid, shall & may forthwith, and before the twenty sixt day of November next, within their respective Parishes and places aforesaid, aske, take, receive, and gather the severall gifts and charitable benevolences, of all and every person and persons, to and for the reliefe of the said distressed Clergy and their Wives and Children, And the summes so received and gathered in each severall place or Parish, which shall be within the distance of ten miles to the City of London, to set downe in a Note in writing, in words at large, and not in figures, the same to be subscribed by the Minister, Parson, Vicar, or Curate of the said place or Parish, and by the said Church-Wardens or one of them, and to be payd and delivered unto Doctor William Gouge, Minister of Black-Fryers London, Doctor Ioshua H••••le, M〈…〉〈…〉ter of Stepney; D〈…〉〈…〉 Minister of Battersey, M. Joseph Carrill, Preacher of Lincolns-Inne; M. William Brice, Minister of Mild••ed 〈…〉〈…〉, M. Cheynell, M. Wilkin∣son junior, or any three of them, who by this Ordinance are appoynted Receivers and Treasurers of the same, or to such deputy Receiver as they shall appoynt, at Doctor Gouges house in Black-Fryers aforesaid, at or before the thirtieth day of November aforesaid; Which said Receivers, or one of them, or their deputy Receiver, are to give severall Accquittan∣ces for the same: And the summes so received and gathered in each severall place and Parish, which shall be above tenne miles distant from the City of London, to be kept in the hands of the Church-wardens, till they be demanded of them by a person as shall be designed by the aforesaid Ministers (and that designation made knowne under the hands of the Knights and Burgesses which serve for the said Counties, or any seven of them) from whom they shall receive Accquit∣tances for their discharge.
Be it further Ordained by the Authoritie aforesaid, That the said Receivers, or any two of them, immediately after the Receit of the severall summes of Money from the Church-Wardens of the respective places or Parishes within the severall Cities and Counties aforesaid, shall call to their assistance William Newman and Griffith Perse, Ministers and Agents for the said distressed Clergy, or one of them, who are to advise concerning the sending over the said Moneys (the necessary Charges of the said Agents, and of such others as shall be necessarily imployed in the execution of this Ordi∣nance being first discharged) unto faithfull and trustie Persons in Dublin, and other places of Ireland, to be by them dis∣posed of to such of the Clergy there as are in distresse, according to their merit, and proportionable to the Exigencies of them and their Families.
Be it further Ordained by the Authoritie aforesaid, That the Ministers, Parsons, Vicars and Curates of all and every the Cities of London and Westminster, and Counties aforesaid, shall publish this Ordinance in their severall Pa∣rish Churches and Chappels respectively, upon any Lords day after the same shall come to their hands, within the afore∣said time limitted, and shall use their best endeavours to move and perswade their Parishioners liberally to contribute to so good a Worke. And that if any Minister, Parson, Vicar, Curate, Church-Warden, or Over-seer of the Poore within the severall places or Parishes of the Cities, Burrough, and Counties aforesaid, or any of them, shall neglect his or their dutie in the due execution of the premisses, That he or they shall be accomptable in Parliament for such his or their neglect. Provided alwayes, That this Ordinance shall not be put in execution touching any such Collections as aforesaid, longer then or from or after the thirtieth day of November next.
Die Lunae, 18 Septembris, 1643.
ORdered by the Lords and Commons Assembled in Parliament, that this Ordinance be forthwith Printed and published.
Joh. Browne Cleri. Parliament.