Notes.
ORIGINAL ENGLISH ROYAL LETTERS TO THE GRAND MASTERS OF MALTA.
(Continued from Vol. ix., p. 101.)
It will be remembered that the last English royal letters which we sent were translations of those from Henry VIII. to L'Isle Adam; and finding none recorded of Edward VI., Mary I., Elizabeth, James I, Charles I. (or from Cromwell), we come to the reign of Charles II. We have now before us ten letters bearing the autograph of this monarch, all of which we hope to forward in due course according to their dates. The two of the earliest date are as follow. The first was written to introduce the English Admiral, Sir Thomas Allen, who had been sent with a squadron into the Mediterranean to protect English commerce; and the second, to claim from the Order a large amount of property which belonged to Roger Fowke, the English consul at Cyprus, and had been seized by a Maltese commander in one of his cruises against the Turks in the neighbourhood of that island. Their perusal will serve to show the deep interest taken by Charles II. in all which related to the commercial affairs or legal rights of his subjects.
William Winthrop.
Malta.
No. VII.
Charles the Second by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c.
To the most illustrious and most high Prince, the Lord Nicholas Cottoner, Grand Master of the Order of Malta, our well-beloved cousin and friend—Greeting:
Most illustrious and most high Prince, our well-beloved cousin and friend.