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 Narbrough, 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
of Malta, unless, perhaps, he had thought something had been omitted on the part of the Maltese which he considered due to our dignity, and to the flag of our royal fleet. Be it, however, as it may, your eminence may be persuaded that it is our fixed and established intention to do and perform everything both ourselves and by our officers amply to show how much we esteem the sacred person of your eminence and the Order of Malta.
In order, therefore, that it should already appear that we do not wish greater honour to be paid to any prince than to your eminence and to your celebrate Order, we have directed our above-mentioned admiral to accord all the same signs of friendship and good will towards your eminence's ports and citadels as towards those of the most Christian and catholic kings; and we no way doubt your Order will equally show that benevolence towards us which it is customary to show to the above-mentioned kings, or to either of them.
It only remains to us to heartily recommend your eminence and all your military Order to the safeguard of the Most High and Most Good God.
Given from our palace of Whitehall on the 21st day of June, 1675.