Your Eminence's good Cousin and Friend,
Charles Rex.
No. XV.
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.
Not only by the letters of Sir John Narbrough, knight, whom we appointed in right and power to be the admiral of our fleet in the Mediterranean sea, but also from other sources, we have heard how benignantly your eminence, both by command and example, and all the sacred Order of Malta, have treated him and the other commanders of our ships, so much so that they could not have been better at home, and in our dockyards, than in your port of Malta. This is, indeed, a sign of great friendship, and the more so that our kingdoms and seas are so far distant from the usual navigation of the sacred Order of Malta, that few occasions could be expected to offer themselves to us of reciprocating the friendship of your eminence. Some other mode, therefore, must be sought by which we may testify our gratitude and affection towards your eminence and the other members of your most sacred Order, to do which we shall willingly embrace and studiously search after every opportunity which may offer.
In the mean time we 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 the 26th day of January, 1675-6.
Your Eminence's good Cousin and Friend,