The decades of the newe worlde or west India conteynyng the nauigations and conquestes of the Spanyardes, with the particular description of the moste ryche and large landes and ilandes lately founde in the west ocean perteynyng to the inheritaunce of the kinges of Spayne. ... Wrytten in the Latine tounge by Peter Martyr of Angleria, and translated into Englysshe by Rycharde Eden.

¶The copy of the letters missiue which the right noble princ•• Edwarde the .vi. sent to the Kynges, Princes, & other potentates inhabytynge the Northeast partes of the worlde towarde the myghtye Empire of Cathay, at suche tyme as syr Hugh Willoby knyght and Rychard Chaunceler with theyr com∣pany attempted theyr vyage thyther in the yeare of Chryst .1553. and the .vii. and laste yeare of his reigne.

EDwarde the syxte by the grace of God, kyng•• of Englande, Fraunce, and Ierlande▪ &c. To all Kynges, Princes, Rulers, Iudges, and go¦uernours of the earthe, and all other hauynge any excellent dignitie on the same in all places vnder the vniuersall heau••n: Peace, tranqui∣litie, and honoure, bee vnto yowe, and your landes and regi∣ons

which are vnder yowr dominions, and to euery of yowe as is conuenient.

Forasmuche as the greate and almyghty god hath gyuen vnto mankynd aboue al other liuing creatours, such a hart & desyre, that euery man desyreth to ioyne frendeshyppe with other, to loue and bee loued, also to gyue and receaue mutu∣all benefites, it is therfore the dewtie of all men, accordyng to theyr poure to maintayne and increase this desyre in euery man with well deseruynge to all men, and especially to shewe this good affection to such as beinge moued with this desire, coomme vnto them from farre countreys. For in howe much the longer viage they haue attempted for this intent, so much the more doo they therby declare that this desyre hath byn ar¦dent in them. Furthermore also thexemples of owre fathers and predicessours doo inuite vs hereunto, forasmuch as they haue euer gentelly and louyngly intreated such as of frendely mynde came to them aswel from countreis nere hand as farre remote, commendynge them selues to theyr protection. And if it bee ryght and equitie to shewe such humanitie toward all men, doubtlesse the same owght chiefely to bee shewed to mar¦chauntes, who wanderynge abowt the worlde, searche both the lande and sea to cary such good and profitable thinges as are founde in theyr countreys, to remote regions and kynge∣domes: and ageyne to brynge from the same, suche thynges as they fynde there commodious for theyr owne countreys: Bothe, aswell that the people to whom they go, may not bee destitute of such commodities as theyr countreys brynge not furth to them, as that also they may bee partetakers of suche thynges wherof they abounde. For god of heauen and earth, greatly prouydynge for mankynde, wolde not that al thinges shulde bee founde in one region, to thende that one shuld haue neede of an other, that by this meanes frendshippe myght bee establysshed amonge all men, and euery one seeke to gratifie all. For thestablysshynge and furtherance of which vniuer∣sall amitie, certeyne men of owre realme moued hereunto by the sayde desyre, haue institute and taken vppon theym a vy∣age by sea into farre countreys to thintent that betwene owre people and them, a way bee opened to brynge in and cary owt marchaundies, desyryng vs to further theyr enterpryse. Who assentynge to theyr peticion, haue licenced the ryght valiante

and woorthy syr Hughe Wylloby knyght, and other owre trusty and faithful seruauntes which are with hym according to theyr desyre to go to countreys to them heretofore vnknow¦en, aswell to seeke such thynges as we lacke, as also to cary vnto them from owre regions, suche thynges as they lacke. So that hereby not only commoditie may ensewe both to thē and to vs, but also an indissoluble and perpetuall league of frendshippe be establysshed betwene vs bothe, whyle they per¦mitte vs to take of theyr thynges suche whereof they haue a∣bundaunce in theyr regions, and we ageine graunt them such thynges of owrs wherof they are destitute. Wee therfore de∣syre yow kynges and princes, and all other to whom there is any poure on the earth, to permitte vnto these owr seruantes, free passage by yowr regions and dominions. For they shall not touche any thynge of yowres vnwyllyng vnto yow. Con¦syder yow that they also are men. If therfore they shal stand in neede of any thynge, we desyre yowe of all humanitie, and for the nobilitie whiche is in yowe, to ayde and helpe theym with such thynges as they lacke, receauynge ageyne of them such thynges as they shalbe able to gyue yowe in recompense. Shewe yowre selues so towarde theym, as yowe wolde that wee and owr subiectes shulde shewe owr selues toward yowr seruauntes, if at any tyme they shall passe by owre regions. Thus doinge, wee promesse yowe by the God of all thynges that are conteyned in heauen, earth, and the sea, and by ••he lyfe and tranquilitie of owre kyngedomes, that we wyl with lyke humanitie accepte yowre seruauntes if at any tyme they shal coomme to owre kyngdomes, where they shall as frendly and gentelly bee inte••teyned as if they were borne in owr do∣minions, th••t we may hereby recompense the fauour and be∣nignitie which yow haue shewed to owr men. Thus after we haue desyred yow kynges and princes. &c. With all huma∣ni••••e and fauour to interteyne owr welbeloued seruantes, wee pray owre almyghty god to graunt yowe longe lyfe and peace which neuer shall haue ende. Wrytten in London whiche is the chiefe citie of owre kyngedome: In the yeare frome the creation of the worlde .5515. in the moneth of I••ar, the .xiiii. day of the moneth, and seuenth yeare of owre reigne.

¶ This letter was wrytten also in Greeke and dyuers other languages.