Charles Rex.
No. XVII.
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 thanks which your eminence, by your
letters written under date of the 15th of August last, returns to us on account of the fifty knights of your Order liberated by our assistance from the slavery of the barbarians, could hardly be more acceptable to us than the prayers adjoined in the above-mentioned letters for the liberation from the slavery of the Algerines of another member of your holy Order, the German, John Robert A. Stael. We in consequence, in order that we my not appear to be wanting either in the will or in affection towards your eminence, have communicated our orders to our well-beloved and faithful subject, Sir John Narbrough, knight, commanding our fleet in those seas, that if the city of Algiers should be constrained to agree to a treaty of just peace and submission by the force of our arms, assisted by Divine help, he should use every effort in his power, so that the liberty of the said John Robert A. Stael be obtained.
Your eminence is already well aware of the fidelity and zeal of our above-mentioned admiral, and we have no doubt that he will willingly and strenuously observe our orders on that head.
It remains for us to heartily recommend your eminence and the whole of your military Order to the safeguard of the Most High and Most Good God.
Given from our palace of Whitehall the 2nd day of November, in the year of our Lord 1678.