The principal nauigations, voyages, traffiques and discoueries of the English nation. [vols. 1-3] made by sea or ouer-land, to the remote and farthest distant quarters of the earth, at any time within the compasse of these 1600. yeres: deuided into three seuerall volumes, according to the positions of the regions, whereunto they were directed. The first volume containeth the worthy discoueries, &c. of the English ... The second volume comprehendeth the principall nauigations ... to the south and south-east parts of the world ... By Richard Hakluyt preacher, and sometime student of Christ-Church in Oxford.

The Queenes Maiesties Letters to the Great Sophy of Persia, sent by M. Anthonie Ienkinson. 1561.

ELIZABETHA Dei gratia, Angliae, Franciae, & Hiberniae Regina, &c. Potentissimo & inuictissimo Principi, Magno Sophi Persarum, Medo∣rum, Parthorum, Hircanorum, Carmanorum, Margianorum, populo∣rum ••is & vltrà Tygrim fluuium, & omnium intra Mare Caspium, & Per∣sicum sinum nationum atque Gentium Imperatori salutem, & rerum pro∣sperarum foelicissimum incrementum. Summi Dei benignitare factum est, vt quas gentes, non solum immensa terrarum spacia, & insuperabiles marium vasti••ates, sed & ipsi etiam coelorum cardines longissimè disiunxerunt, ipsae tamen li∣terarum bono & mentis certa cogitata, & humanitatis grata officia, & intelligentiae mutuae multa commoda facilè inter se & opportunè possint communicare. Itaque cùm perdilectus, & fidelis noster famulus Antonius Ienkinson, qui has literas nostras perfert, cum bona venia, fauore, & gratia nostra hoc Angliae nostrae regnum excedere, & in Persiam vsque, vestrásque alias ditiones Dei benignitate penetrare constituerit, hoc illius institurum perlaudabile qui∣dem grato nostro fauore prosequi, & promouere studuimus: id quod eo nos libentiùs faci∣mus, quoniam hoc eius propositum ex honesto studio commercij constituendi potissimum cùm vestris subditis, alijsque peregrinis hominibus, ad vestra regna confluentibus, omninò ex∣ortum sit. Proptereà nobis & scribendum ad vestram Maiestatem, ab eaque petendum esse duximus, vt nostro rogatu dignetur concedere huic famulo nostro Antonio Ienkinson literas publicae fidei, & salui conductus, quarum authoritate a••que praesidio, licitum, liberúmque s•••• illi, vnà cum suis familiaribus, seruis, sarcinis, mercibus & bonis vniuersis, per vestra regna, do∣micilia, ditiones, atque prouincias liberè, & sine impedimento proficisci, ire, transire, redire, abi••e, & istic morari, quamdiu placuerit, & inde recedere, quandocunque illi vel suis lubitum fuerit. Si haec sancta hospitalitatis iura & dulcia communis humanitatis officia, inter nos, no∣stra regna, nostrósque subditos libentèr constitui, sincerè coli, & constantèr conseruari queant, speramus nos, Deum Optimum Maximum effecturum, vtab hijs paruis initijs, grandiora re∣rum momenta, nobis ad magna ornamenta atque decus, nostris ad summa commoda atque vsus, aliquando sint oritura: siquidem, vt non terra, non mare, non coelum, ad nos longissimè seperandos, quàm diuina ratio communis humanitatis, & mutuae beneuolentiae ad nos fir∣missimè coniungendos plus virium habuisse videatur. Deus salutem omnem, & foelicem in

terris, & perpetuam in coelis, vestrae concedat Maiestari. Datum in Anglia, in celebrinostra v••be Londino, 25 die mensis Aprilis, anno mundi, 5523, Domini ac Dei nostri Iesu Christi, 1561, regnorum verò nostrorum tertio.

The same in English.

ELizabeth, by the grace of God, Queene of England,* 1.1 &c. To the right mightie, and right vic∣torious Prince, the great Sophie, Emperour of the Persians, Medes, Parthians, Hircans, Carmanians, Margians, of the people on this side, and beyond the riuer of Tygris, and of all men, and nations, betweene the Caspian sea, and the gulfe of Persia, greeting, and most happie increase in all prosperitie. By the goodnesse of the Almightie God it is ordeined, that those peo∣ple, which not onely the huge distance of the lands, and the inuincible widenesse of the seas, but also the very quarters of the heauens do most farre separate, and set asunder, may neuerthelesse through good commendation by writing, both case, and also communicate betweene them, not onely the conceiued thoughts, or deliberations, and gratefull offices of humanitie, but also ma∣ny commodities of mutuall intelligence. Therefore whereas our faithfull, and right welbelo∣ued seruant Anthonie Ienkinson, bearer of these our letters, is determined with our licence, fa∣uour, and grace, to passe out of this our Realme, and by Gods sufferance to trauell euen into Persia, and other your iurisdictions: we minde truely with our good fauour, to set forward, and aduance that his right laudable purpose: and that the more willingly, for that this his enterprise is onely grounded vpon an honest intent, to establish trade of merchandise with your subiects, and with other strangers traffiking in your realmes. Wherfore we haue thought good, both to write to your Maiestie, and also to desire the same, to vouchsafe at our request, to grant to our sayd ser∣uant, Anthonie Ienkinson, good pasports, and safe conducts, by meanes, and authoritie whereof, it may be free and lawfull for him, together with his familiars, seruants, cariages, merchandise, and goods whatsoeuer, thorow your Realmes, Dominions, Iurisdictions, and Prouinces, free∣ly, and without impeachment, to iourney, go, passe, repasse, and tary so long as he shall please, and from thence to returne whensoeuer he or they shall thinke good. If these holy dueties of enter∣tainment, and sweet offices of naturall humanitie may be willingly concluded, sincerely embra∣ced, and firmely obserued betweene vs, and our Realmes, and subiects, then we do hope that the Almightie God will bring it to passe, that of these small beginnings, greater moments of things shall hereafter spring, both to our furniture and honours, and also to the great commodities, and vse of our peoples: so it will be knowen that neither the earth, the seas, nor the heauens, haue so much force to separate vs, as the godly disposition of naturall humanity, and mutuall beneuolence haue to ioyne vs strongly together. God grant vnto your Maiestie long and happy felicity in earth, and perpetuall in heauen. Dated in England, in our famous citie of London, the 25 day of the moneth of April, in the yere of the creation of the world, 5523, and of our Lord and God Iesus Christ, 1561, and of our reigne the third.

Notes

• * 1.1

  This letter was also writ∣ten in Hebrew, and Italian.