Anne, by the grace of God, of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Queen, defender of the faith, &c. To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting: As the welfare and support of the Church of England, as by Law Established, have been always our greatest care, so We have since Our Accession to the Crown frequently reflected on the miserable Condition of Her Majesty reflecting on the mean Condition of a great Number of the Clergy, discharges the Arrears of Tenths due on small Livings not exceeding 30 l. per Annum. a very great Number of the Clergy of this Our Kingdom, by reason of the mean and insufficient Provision for their Maintenance in several Places, ... We were resolved to do as much as in Us lay, towards easing of the Clergy, and were graciously inclined to think, That the Ministers who served those Cures might, in respect of their Poverty, be true Objects of Our Royal Compassion; and that it would tend to the Honor and good Discipline of the Established Church, if those Benefices were filled with able Clerks, legally instituted and inducted: ... on Condition that the respective Churches were first filled with Institution and Induction; And Our Lord High-Treasurer signified Our said Bountiful Intention by Letters directed to Our Archbishops and Bishops accordingly: And in order to settle a Fond for increasing Her Majesties Message to the Commons, signifying, She was pleased to remit the Arrears of Tenths, and would make a Grant of Her Revenue of First-Fruits and Tenths for an Augmentation of the Maintenance of the Poor Clergy. the Maintenances of the Poor Clergy, ... That We having taken into Our Serious Consideration, the mean and insufficient Maintenance belonging to the Poor Clergy in divers Parts of this Kingdom, To give them some Ease, had been pleased to remit the Arrears of the Tenths to the Poor Clergy; And that for Augmentation of their Maintenance, We would make a Grant of Our whole Revenue arising out of First-Fruits and Tenths, as far as it then was or should become free from Incumbrances, to be applied to this purpose: And if the House of Commons could find any proper Method by which Our Good Intentions to the Poor Clergy might be made more effectual, it would be a great Advantage to the Publick, and very acceptable to Us.

Date:

1704]