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The letter displayed below is a transcript of that sent out from the Government officials of the day regarding distribution of charity payments to those who suffered loss in the Great Fire of Haughley.

Anne by The Grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Queen Defender of the Faith etc. To all and fingular Archbishops, Archdeacons, Deans, and their officials, Parsons, Vicars, Curates, and all other Spiritual Persons, and to all Teachers and Preachers of every Separate Congregation: and also to all Juftices of the Peace, Mayors, Sherriffs, Bailiffs, Conftables, Church-Wardens, Chapel-Wardens, 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 thefe Prefents fhall come Greeting.

Whereas it hath been Reprefented unto us as well upon the humble Petition of John Ely, George Collifon, Richard Edgar, Chriftopher Palmer, and others. Sufferers by Fire at Haughley in the County of Suffolk, as alfo by Certificate under the Hands of Our Right Trusty and well-beloved Sir Dudley Cullum and Sir Robert Davers, Baronets: Chriftopher Calthorpe, Thomas Taylor, John Wenyere, Anthony Wroth, Thomas Macro, and Edmund Colman, Efquires. Our Justices of the Peace for the County of Suffolk, made at their General Quarter Sessions of the Peace held by Adjournment at Bury St Edmonds in and for the faid county on Munday the Ninth Day of May in the Eigth Year of Our Reign, that on Munday the Eleventh Day of April then laft paft, about Nine of the clock in the morning, a fudden and terrible Fire did break forth at the faid town of Haughley, which in the fpace of Five hours did burn down and Consume the Dwelling Houfes, Shops, Malting Office, Barns Stables and Out-houfes together with the great part of the Houfhold - Goods Hay and Corn of the faid Petitioners, by means whereof the faid Petitioners and their families are totally impoverifhed and no way able to Subfift; but muft inevitably Perifh, unlefs timely relieved by the Charity of Our Good Subjects.

That not only the Truth of the Premiffes hath been made appear to Our faid Justices in their Open Seffions upon the Oaths of the faid Sufferers but alfo a particular eftimate hath been made and taken of the Lofs and Damage fuftained by the faid Sufferers upon the Oaths of Able and Experienced Workmen; and the fame, upon a moderate computation, amounts unto the fum of eight hundred fixty three pounds and upwards.

Wherefore, the faid Poor Sufferers have humbly befought Us to Grant unto them Our Gracious Letters Patents, Licence and Protection under Our Great Seal of Great Britain, to impower them to Ask, Collect and Receive the Alms and Charitable Benevolence of Our Loving Subjects in the feveral Counties, Cities, Towns, Parifhes and Places hereafter mentioned for the fupport of themfelves and poor Families.

Unto which their humble Requeft we have Graciously Condefcended: not doubting but that fuch of Our Loving Subjects to whom thefe prefents fhall be made known, will readily and cheerfully contribute to the fpeedy Relief of the faid Poor Sufferers.

Know Ye Therefore That of Our efpecial Grace and Princely Compaffion. We have Given and Granted, and by thefe Our Letter Patents under Our Great Seal of Great Britain, we do Give and Grant unto the faid John Ely, George Collifon, Richard Edgar, Chriftopher Palmer and the reft of the Poor Sufferers by Fire at Haughley aforefaid, and to their Deputy and Deputies the Bearer and Bearers whereof (Authorized as is herein after directed) full Power, Licence and Authority to Ask, Collect and Receive Alms and Charitable Benevolence of all Our Loving Subjects within our feveral Counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Effex, Kent, Cambridge, Huntingdon, Suffex, Surrey, Hampshire, Wilts, Somerfet. Dorfet, Devon, Cornwall, Derby, Nottingham, Warwick, Oxford, Gloucester and Hertford: Our Cities of Canterbury, Rochefter, Briftoll, Bath and Wells, Norwich, Gloucester, Coventry, Chichefter, New Sarum, Exeter and Peterborough. Our Towns of Lyn Regis, Great Yarmouth, Ipfwich, Colchefter, Nottingham, Southampton and Warwick, and in all other Cities, Boroughs, Towns Corporate, Hamlets, Cinque Ports, Diftricts, Parifhes and Places whatfoever within the said Counties and not elfewhere for the Relief of the faid Poor Sufferers in this their great distrefs.

And therefore in purfuance of the Tenor of an Act of Parliament made in the Fourth and Fifth Years of Our Reign Intituted An Act for the better collecting Charity - Money on Briefs by Letters Patents and Preventing Abufes in relation to fuch charities (which we truft will have the intended Effect and be an Encouragement to Our Well Disposed Subjects to Contribute more largely to the Relief of their Afflicted Brethren) We will and Require all Ministers, Preachers and Teachers, Church Wardens, Chapel Wardens and the refpective teachers and Preachers of every feparate Congregation and to any person who teaches or preaches in any Meeting of People called Quakers that you and every of you under the Penalties to be inflicted by the faid Act do Receive the fame.

And you the refpective Minifters and Curages, Teachers and Preacher and Perfons called Quakers are by all perfwafive Motives and Arguments to exhort your refpective Congregations and Affemblies to a liberal contribution of their Charity to the faid Poor Suffers.

And we do by thefe Prefents Nominate Conftitute and appoint the moft Noble Henry Duke of Grafton, The Right Reverend Father in God Charles Lord Bishop of Norwich. Sir Thomas Hanmer, Sir Dudley Cullum, Sir William Barker and Sir Robert Davers, Baronets Charles Whitaker and Joseph Weld Efquires. Serjeants at Law Edmond Pooley and William Cropley Efquires. Richard Ray Clerk Robert Colman Samuel Batteley, Charles Batteley, Stephen Baron, John Smith, Samuel Walker, Henry Muskett, Samuel Goldsmith and John Gough Gentlemen Trustees and Receivers of the faid Charity and they or any five or more of them are to give Deputations to fuch collectors as fhall be chofen by the faid Sufferers, or the major part of them. And the faid Truftees and Receivers are to dall all reafonable and neceffary Acts for the advancement of the faid Charity, and are to Diftribute the Money when collected, amongft the faid Sufferers in proportion to their feveral loffes.

And Laftly, Our Will and Pleafure is, That no Perfon fhall Receive any the Printed Briefs or any the Monies collected therein, but fuch only as fhall be for those deputed and made the Bearer and Bearers of thefe Prefents, or Duplicates hereof.

In Witnefs, we have caufed thefe our letters to be made Patents and to continue in force for One whole Year from Michaelmas next and no longer. Witness Our Self at Weftminfter the Twenty fourth Day of July, in the Ninth Year of our Reign.

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN

Printed by the Affigns of Thomas Newcomb, and Henry Hills deceas'd; Printers to the Queens moft excellent Majesty 1710

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