As early as June, 1630, a special committee of the Council itself had been appointed commissioners for the poor[357], but in January in the next year a further step was taken and a commission was issued to the chief people in the country. The minutes of a few of its meetings have been preserved, but these relate mainly to an inquiry into the administration of Mr Kendrick's charity at Reading[358]. Its influence seems to have been very considerable, but to have been exerted not so much through the proceedings of the commission as a whole as through the appointment of local committees, and through the delegation of its powers for administrative purposes to various sub-committees. It had the power to ask for the appointment of local commissions, and it was in this way that it could most effectively deal with abuses in any particular district. Thus if there was a complaint of great distress or if charitable funds were not properly applied, a local commission was suggested. Such commissions were granted for Bury, Exeter, Colchester, for the parishes in and about London, and for Stamford in county Lincoln[359], and would be a terror to evildoers in matters of charitable endowments. [357] In June 1630 the following Privy Councillors were appointed "Commissioners for the Poore." Lord Privy Seal. Earl Marshall. Earl of Bridgwater. Earl of Danby. Lord Viscount Wimbledon. Lord Viscount Dorchester. Lord Viscount Falkland. Mr Trer. Mr Vic. Chamb. Mr Secre. Coke, "or anie foure of them." The petition of Viscount Wimbledon is referred to them on 12th Nov., 1630. [358] _Dom. State Papers_, Chas. I., Vol. 213, dated Jan. 1631. This volume is said to contain the minutes of the proceedings of the Commissioners of the Poor, but after a few pages there are few entries relating to the poor at all. There was an inquiry into the hospitals of London and into Kenrick's charity at Reading, but little besides. [359] _Privy Council Register_, Commissions for Exeter and Colchester were issued 29th Feb., 1631/2, for Stamford 2nd July, 1632, f. 127, for the London parishes 31st May, 1632. One for Bury had been issued before 29th Feb. 1631/2, and further complaints were referred to its members. All these commissions are stated to be issued in accordance with the commission of the 5th Jan. 1630/1 for putting in execution the "lawes for the reliefes of the poore," which authorised the granting of commissions for inquiry into charitable trusts at the request of six of the commissioners.