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The Queenes Majesties letters to Shaugh Thamas the great Sophi of Persia, sent by Arthur Edwards, William Turnbull, Matthew Tailbois, and Peter Gerard appointed Agents for the Moscovie companie, in their sixt voyage to Persia, begun in the yeere 1579.

To the most noble and invincible Emperour of Persia, King of Shirvan, Gilan , Grosin, Corassan, and great Governour of the Indies.

ELIZABETH by the grace of God Queene of England, France and Ireland , defender of the faith, &c. To the most noble and invincible Emperour of Persia, King of Shirvan, Gilan , Grosin, Corassan, and great governour even unto the Indies, sendeth greeting. Most noble and invincible Prince, it is now tenne yeeres since, or thereabouts, wherein (after the honourable ambassade of the noble man Anthony Jenkinson our welbeloved subject, to your most noble and invincible father performed) we laboured to bring to passe by Thomas Bannister and Gefferey Ducket merchants, our subjects, that throughout all the kingdomes subject to his empire, free power might be given to Will. Garrard, Thomas Ofley, William Chester knights, Rowland Haiward, Lionel Ducket, William Allen, Thomas Bannister, Gefferey Ducket, Lawrence Chapman Merchants, and unto their societie, to enter into his lands and countreys at al times when they would and could, there to exercise & use their trade of merchandise, and from thence likewise after exchange or sale made of those wares, which they should bring with them with his like good leave and favour, to carie from thence those things wherwith his dominions do abound & with us be scant. Which our petition the most noble prince your father took so thankfully and in such good part, that he not onely graunted franke and commodious leave, as was desired: but the same he would to bee unto them most free and beneficiall, and to have continuance for many yeeres and times. The benefite of the which his wonderfull liberality, our subjects did enjoy with such humanitie & freedome as there could be no greater, till the time that by reason of wars more and more increasing in those partes, by the which our subjects were to make their journey into Persia, they were debarred and shut from that voyage & traffique. The which traffique the said societie being eftsoones desirous to renew to the weale and commoditie of both our dominions they have now sent into Persia their factors & Agents Arthur Edwards, William Turnbull, Matthew Tailbois, Peter Gerrard merchants, with their associats, whom we beseech your invincible majesty to entertaine with that favour wherewith your father did imbrace Tho. Bannister & Geffrey Ducket, and to enfranchise their whole societie with that freedome, that neither they through any their misdemeanours towards your subjects, may thereof seeme unworthy (as we hope they will not) neither we our selves otherwise enjoy them, then with the perpetuall remembrance of your good affection towards us, and with the like favourable inclination of our part towards you. The matter it selfe & tract of time shall sufficiently prove the foresaid maner of traffike unprofitable to neither of us. For so hath one God the chiefe governor of all things disposed of our affaires on earth, that ech one should need other. And as for our people & subjects of the English nation, in verie deed your majesty shal find them made and fashioned so pliant to the perfourmance of all dueties of humanity, that it can never repent you to have graunted them this franke traffike, nor shame us to have obteined it for them at your hands. That therefore it may please your majesty to yeeld unto them this at our request, most earnestly we beseech you. And we (as it wel beseemeth a prince) if ever hereafter we may, wil shew our selfe not to bee unmindfull of so great a benefit. We wish your majesty wel & prosperously to fare. Given at our palace of Westminster the 10. day of June, in the yere of our Lord 1579. and of our reigne the 21.

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1579 AD (2)
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