cum nauis{que} praefecto conuenerit, vtin insulam Chium ad quas dam diuersi generis merces onerandas primo nauigaret, in Candiámque mox aliarum mescium osserandarum gratia re∣diret, omnes quidein in hoc nostrum regnum postmodùm aduecturus ad valorem circiter duo∣decim millium ducatorum, quemadmodum expactionis, conuentionis que instrumento aper∣tius constat, accidit, vt praefatus Diego vestrae Serenitatis subditus, dictis susceptis mercibus, & iam in itinere parùm fidelitèr, & longè praeter initas conuentiones, grauissimo certe nostrorum subditorum detrimento, vbi in Portugalliae portum diuertisset, sententia huc nauigandi mutata, in eodem portu commoretur, nostrorúmque etiam subditorum merces detineat: quam iniuri∣am (quum subditis nostris in vestrae Serenitatis regno, & ab eius subdito illata sit) exaequitate, ac iustitia ab ipsa corrigi, emendaríque confidimus, nostro quoque potissimùm intuitu, qui ve∣strae Serenitaris ipsiúsque subditorum causas, mercésque, si quando in hoc nostrum regnum ap∣pulerint, semper commendatissimas habemus, id quod superiori anno testatisumus: proin de ipsam vehementerrogamus, vt Iohannem Ratliffe praesentium latorem, & dicti Iohannis Gres∣ham nouum constiturum procuratorem, huius rei causa istuc venientem, velit in suis agendis, in dictisque bonis recuperandis, impunéque asportandis remittendisque vectigalibus (quod nos in vestros subditos fecimus) quum per nauis prefectum fraude, ac dolo istuc merces fuerint aduectae, nisi istic vendantur, ac toto denique exaequitate conficiendo negotio, sic commenda∣tum suscipere, sicque ad suos, quos opus fore intellexerit magistratus missis literis rem omnem iuuare, & expedire, vt perspiciamus ex hac nostra commendatione fuisse nostrorum subdito∣tum iuri, & indemnitati quàm maximè consultum. Quod nobis gratissimum est futurum, & in re consimili, aut grauiori vestra Serenitas nos sibi gratificandi cupidissimos experietur, que foe∣liciter valeat. Ex Regia nostra de Waltham, Die 15. Octobr. 1531.
The same in English.
TO the high and mighty prince, Iohn by the grace of God, king of Portugale, and of Algarue on this side and beyond the sea in Africa, lord of Ghinea, and of the conquest, nauigation, and traffique of AEthiopia, Arabia, Persia, India, &c. our mostdeere and welbeloued brother.
Henry by the grace of God, king of England and of France, defender of the faith, and lord of Ireland: to Iohn by the same grace, king of Portugale and Algarue, on this side and beyond the sea in Africa, and lord of Ghinea, and of the conquest, nauigation, and traffique of Aethiopia, Ara∣bia, Persia, India, &c. our most deare and welbeloued brother, sendeth greeting. So much ye more willingly and readily we vndertake the recommending of all iust causes vnto your highnesse, be∣cause by the daily testimonie of our subiects which traffike in your kingdoms and dominions, we are informed, that according to the dutie of a most worthy prince, so carefully and exactly you mi∣nister iustice vnto euery man, that all men most willingly repaire vnto your highnesse, with full trust to obtaine the same. Whereas therefore our welbeloued and trustie subiect Iohn Gresham merchant of London, of late in humble maner hath signified vnto vs, that one William Heith his Factor and Agent, certaine moneths agoe had hired in Candie a certaine Portugale ship called Santo Antonio, (the patrone whereof is Diego Perez) and couenaunted with the patrone of the sayd ship, that he should first saile to the Isle of Sio, to take in merchandize of sundry sortes, & then eftsoones returne to Candie, to be fraighted with other goods, all which he was to bring into our kingdome of England, to the value of 12000 ducats, as by their billes of couenant & agreement more plainly appeareth: it so fel out, that ye aforesaid Diego your highnes subiect hauing receiued the said goods, very trecherously & much cōtrary to his couenant, to the exceeding great losse of our subiects, putting in by the way into an hauen of Portugale, & altering his purpose of cōming into England, he remaineth still in that hauen, & likewise detaineth our subiects goods. Which iniury (seeing it is done in your Highnes kingdome) we hope your Highnes will see reformed according to equity & right, the rather at our request, which alwayes haue had a speciall care of the causes & goods of your Highnes, & of your subiects whensoeuer they come into our kingdome, whereof we made proofe the last yeere. Wherefore we instantly request your Highnes, yt you would so receiue Iohn Ratcliffe the bearer of these present letters, & the new appointed agent of Iohn Gresham, which cūnteth into your dominions about this busines, being thus cōmended vnto you in this bu∣sines, & recouering & freely bringing home of the said goods, & in remitting of the customs, vnlesse they were sold there (the like whereof we did towards your subiects) seeing by the fraud & deceit of the patron of the ship, the wares were brought thither, & finally in dispatching ye whole matter, according to iustice, & so further the same by directing your highnes letters to your officers whō it may concerne, that we may perceiue, that our subiects right and liberty hath especially beene maintained vpon this our commendation. Which we will take in most thankfull part, and your highnes shal find vs in the like or a greater matter most ready to gratifie you, whom we wish most heartily well to fare. From out Court at Waltham the 15. of October 1531.