The Queenes Majesties Letters to the great Sophy of Persia, sent by M. Anthonie Jenkinson, 1561.
ELIZABETH, by the grace of God, Queene of England,
&c. To the right mightie, and right victorious Prince,
the great Sophie, Emperour of the Persians, Medes,
Parthians, Hircans, Carmanians, Margians, of the people
on this side, and beyond the river of Tygris, and of all
men, and nations, betweene the Caspian sea, and the
gulfe of Persia, greeting, and most happie increase in
all prosperitie.
By the goodnesse of the Almightie God
it is ordeined, that those people, which not onely the
huge distance of the lands, and the invincible widenesse
of the seas, but also the very quarters of the heavens
do most farre separate, and set asunder, may neverthelesse through good commendation by writing, both ease,
and also communicate betweene them, not onely the
conceived thoughts, or deliberations, and gratefull offices
of humanitie, but also many commodities of mutuall
intelligence. Therefore whereas our faithfull, and right
welbeloved servant Anthonie Jenkinson, bearer of these
our letters, is determined with our licence, favour, and
grace, to passe out of this our Realme, and by Gods
sufferance to travell even into Persia, and other your
jurisdictions: we minde truely with our good favour,
to set forward, and advance that his right laudable
purpose: and that the more willingly, for that this his
enterprise is onely grounded upon an honest intent, to
establish trade of merchandise with your subjects, and
with other strangers traffiking in your realmes. Wherfore we have thought good, both to write to your
Majestic, and also to desire the same, to vouchsafe at
our request, to grant to our sayd servant, Anthonie
Jenkinson, good pasports, and safe conducts, by meanes,
and authoritie whereof, it may be free and lawfull for
him, together with his familiars, servants, cariages,
merchandise, and goods whatsoever, thorow your
Realmes, Dominions, Jurisdictions, and Provinces, freely,
and without impeachment, to journey, go, passe, repasse,
and tary so long as he shall please, and from thence to
returne whensoever he or they shall thinke good. If
these holy dueties of entertainment, and sweet offices of
naturall humanitie may be willingly concluded, sincerely
embraced, and firmely observed betweene us, and our
Realmes, and subjects, then we do hope that the
Almightie God will bring it to passe, that of these small
beginnings, greater moments of things shall hereafter
spring, both to our furniture and honours, and also to
the great commodities, and use of our peoples: so it
will be knowen that neither the earth, the seas, nor the
heavens, have so much force to separate us, as the godly
disposition of naturall humanity, and mutuall benevolence
have to joyne us strongly together. God grant unto
your Majestie long and happy felicity in earth, and perpetuall in heaven. Dated in England, in our famous
citie of London, the 25 day of the moneth of April, in
the yere of the creation of the world, 5523, and of our
Lord and God Jesus Christ, 1561, and of our reigne
the third.
