A.D. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



most willingly repaire unto your highnesse, with full 

 trust to obtaine the same. Whereas therefore our wel- 

 beloved and trustie subject John Gresham merchant of 

 London, of late in humble maner hath signified unto us, 

 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 covenaunted 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 cove- 

 nant & agreement more plainly appeareth : it so fel out, 

 that ye aforesaid Diego your highnes subject having 

 received the said goods, very trecherously & much con- 

 trary to his covenant, to the exceeding great losse of 

 our subjects, putting in by the way into an haven of 

 Portugale, & altering his purpose of comming into Eng- 

 land, he remaineth still in that haven, & likewise 

 detaineth our subjects goods. Which injury (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 have had a 

 speciall care of the causes & goods of your Highnes, 

 & of your subjects whensoever they come into our king- 

 dome, wherof we made proofe the last yeere. W^herefore 

 we instantly request your Highnes, y^ you would so 

 receive John RatclifFe the bearer of these present letters, 

 & the new appointed agent of John Gresham, which 

 cummeth into your dominions about this busines, being 

 thus commended unto you in this busines, & recovering 

 & freely bringing home of the said goods, & in remitting 

 of the customs, unlesse they were sold there (the like 

 whereof we did towards your subjects) seeing by the 

 fraud & deceit of the patron of the ship, the wares were 

 brought thither, & finally in dispatching ye whole matter, 

 according to justice, & so further the same by directing 



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