May 13. 1854.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



443 



for the slaves which they cause yearly to be trans- 

 ported from your island. 



We therefore beg your highness, by the good 

 and long friendship existing between us, to grant 

 to us the same privilege in regard to this hind of 

 commerce within the territories of your highness, 

 as is enjoyed by both our said neighbours and allies, 

 which although it ought to be conceded to us simply 

 on account of our mutual friendship and our affec- 

 tion towards your highness and the illustrious 

 Order of Malta, still we shall receive so gratefully, 

 that if at any time we can do anything to please 

 your highness, we shall be always ready to do it, 

 with all attention, and most willingly. 



In the meantime we heartily recommend your 

 highness and all the members of the illustrious 

 Order of Malta, as well as all your affairs, to the 

 Divine keeping. 



Given from our palace of Westminster on the 

 12th day of February, in the year of our Lord 

 1673, and of our reign the 25th. 



Your Highness' good Cousin and Friend, 

 Chari.es Rex. 

 No. XII. 

 Charles the Second by the grace of God, of Great 



Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of 



the Faith, &c. 



To the most eminent Prince, the Lord Nicholas 

 Cotoner, Grand Master of the Order of Malta, 

 our well-beloved cousin and friend — Greeting : 



Most eminent Prince, our well-beloved cousin 

 and friend. 



The military order over which your eminence 

 most worthily presides, having always used its 

 power to render the navigation of the sea safe and 

 peaceable for Christians, we in no way doubt that 

 our ships of war, armed for the same purpose, will 

 receive from your eminence every office of friend- 

 ship. We therefore are desirous of signifying to 

 your eminence by these our letters that we have 

 sent a squadron of our royal fleet to the Medi- 

 terranean sea under the command of Sir John 

 Narbrough, knight, to look after the safety of 

 navigation and commerce, and to oppose the 

 enemies of public tranquillity. We therefore 

 amicably beseech your eminence that if ever the 

 above-named Admiral Narbrough, or any of our 

 ships cruising under his flag, should arrive at any 

 of your eminence's ports or stations, or in any 

 place subject to the Order of Malta, that they 

 may be considered and treated as friends and allies, 

 and that they may be permitted to purchase with 

 their money, and at just prices, and to export pro- 

 visions and munitions of war, and whatever they 

 may require, which, on similar occasions, we will 

 abundantly reciprocate to your eminence and to 

 your most noble Order. 



In the mean time we heartily recommend your 

 eminence to the safeguard of the Most High and 

 Most Good God. 



Given from our palace of Whitehall the last 

 day of November, 1574. 



Your Highness' Cousin and Friend, 



Charles Rex. 



No. XIII. 



Charles the Second by the grace of God, of Great 



Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender 



of the Faith, &c. 



To the most eminent Prince the Lord Nicholas 

 Cotoner, Grand Master of the Order of Malta, 

 our well-beloved cousin and friend. 



Most eminent Prince, our cousin and well- 

 beloved friend — Greeting: 



Although we in no way doubt of the sincere 

 readiness of your eminence and of your holy Order 

 of Malta to do everything which might be known 

 to be expedient for our interests, still we could 

 not read your eminence's letters under date of 

 24th March last, in which such readiness is fully 

 set forth, without the greatest pleasure. Our affec- 

 tion is sharpened and excited by the mention of 

 the good will of our predecessors, the Kings of 

 Great Britain, evinced in every age towards your 

 most illustrious Order, which, as your eminence 

 in your said letters so honourably commemorates, 

 so will we studiously endeavour to imitate, and 

 even to surpass. From our admiral, Sir John 

 Narbrough, knight, and also from other parties, 

 we have heard with how much benignity your 

 eminence lately received him, and caused him and 

 the other officers of our fleet to be supplied with 

 what was requisite for our ships of war, which we 

 consider not less worthy of the piety and valour 

 of your Order than of our friendship ; and we on 

 our part, on opportunity presenting itself, will be 

 careful to abundantly reciprocate by every kind of 

 good offices. 



It remains to recommend your eminence and 

 the whole of your holy Order militant to the safe- 

 guard of the God of Hosts. 



Given from our palace of Whitehall the 19th 

 day of May, 1675. 



Your Eminence's good Cousin and Friend, 

 Charles Rex. 



No. XIV. 

 Charles the Second by the grace of God, of Great 



Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender 



of the Faith, &c. 



To the most eminent Prince the Lord Nicholas 

 Cotoner, Grand Master of the Order of Malta, 

 our well-beloved cousin and friend — Greeting: 



Most eminent Prince, our well-beloved cousin 

 and friend. 



We know not how it came to pass that our 

 admiral in the Mediterranean sea, Sir John Nar- 

 brough, knight, should have given such cause of 

 complaint as mentioned in your eminence's letters 

 addressed to us under date of the 5th of April, as 

 to have refused to give the usual salute to the city 



