A letter of Henry the fourth king of England &c. vnto Frater Conradus de Iungingen the master generall of Prussia.
HEnrie &c. to the most noble and mighty personage of sacred religion Fr: Conradus de Iun∣gingen Master general of the order of the Dutch knights of S. Marie, our most deare friend, greeting, and continual perfection of amity.
When as your messengers and ambassadors were of late personally present in Holland, and there expected the arriual of our ambassadors vntill the first day of the moneth of Nouember last expired, that there might bee by way of friendly conference a remedie prouided in regard of cer∣taine iniuries pretended to be off••••ed, by both our subiects one against another•• for the publique commoditie of both parts, we were determined to haue sent vnto Dordract, at the foresaid daye, our welbeloued and faithfull knight William Sturmy, and our welbeloued clerke Iohn Kington, vpon our ambassage-affayres: hauing as yet in our desires, for a peaceable ending of the matter, (which, our foresayd ambassadors, by reason of the shortnes of time, or the finding out of some other remedie and happy conclusion of all and singular the foresaid attempts concerning the principall busines, could by no meanes at that instant attaine vnto) that vpon some other more conuenient day (to the end your ambassadors might not returne home altogether frustrate of their expectation) there might be, after the wonted friendly maner, a conferēce & agreement with your foresayd am∣bassadors, euen as by other letters of ours directed vnto your sayd ambassadors the second day of the moneth of Nouember aforesayd wee haue deliuered our mind vnto them. But it fortuned not long before the departure of your ambassadors into their owne countrey, that no sufficient shipping could be found wherein our sayd ambassadors might haue secure and safe passage vnto Dordract, or Middleburgh, neither was it thought that they should get any passage at all, till the ships at Middleborough were returned into our kingdome, by the force whereof they might be the more strongly wafted ouer. And so by reason of the departure of your ambassadours, all matters re∣maine in suspense till such time as the sayd ambassadors shall againe meete with ours to adde per∣fection vnto the busines as yet imperfect. Wherefore (our friend vnfainedly beloued) desiring from the bottome of our heart that the integritie of loue, which hath from auncient times taken place betweene our & your subiects, may in time to come also be kept inuiolable, we haue thought good once again to send one of our foresaid ambassadors, namely William Esturmy knight to Dor∣dract, giuing him charge thither to make haste, and there to stay, till some of your messengers, at your commandement doe in time conuenient repayre vnto that place, there (by Gods assistance) to bring the matter vnto an happy conclusion. May it please you therefore of your vnfay••ed friendship, without all inconuenience of delay, to returne, not vnto vs, but vnto our forenamed knight an answere in writing, what your will and determination is. Neither let it seeme strange vnto you, that we haue not at this present sent our forenamed Iohn Kington clerke together with the sayd William: for the cause of his abode with vs is, that he may in the meane season employ his care and diligence about those matters which must be preparatiues for the finall conclusion of the foresayd busines. Honorable sir, and most deare friend, we doe most heartily with increase of pro∣sperity and ioy vnto your person. Giuen in our palace of Westminster the 14. day of Feb. in the yeare of our Lord 1407.