Letter to King of Aceh (1601)

by Elizabeth I

ELIZABETH, by the grace of God, Queene of England, France, and Ireland, Defendresse of the Christian Faith ang Religion. To his great and mightie King of Achem, &c. in the Island of Sumatra, our living brothet.

Greeting!

The eternall God, of His divine knowledge and providence, hath so disposed His blessings and good things of His creation for the use and nourishment of mankind, in such sort that, notwithstanding they growe in divers kingdoms and regions of the world, yet by the industrie of man (stirred up by the inspiration of the said omnipotent Creator) they are dipersed into the most remote places of the universall world, to the end that even therein may apeare unto all nations His marvelous workes, He having so ordained that the one land may have need of the other, and thereby not only breed intercourse and exchange of their merchandise and fruits, which doe superabond in somme contries and want in others, but also in gender love and friendship betwix all men, a thing naturally divine.

Whereunto we having respect, right noble King, and also to the honourable and trully royall fame which hath hither stretched of Your Hignesse humane and noble usage of strangers which repaire into that your kingdome, in love and peace, in the trade if merchandise, paying your due customes, wee have beene mooved ti give licence unto tjese our subjects, who, with commendable and good desires, saile to visite that your kingdome, notwithstanding the dangers and miseries of the she naturall to such a voyage wich (by the grace of God) they will make, beeing the greatest that iss to be made in the world, and to present traffocke unto your subjects. Which their offer, if it shall bee accepted by Your Highnesse, with such love and grace as wee hope for of so great anf magnanimous a prince, wee for them doe promise that in ni time hereafter you shall have cause to repent thereof, but rather ti rejoyce much; for their dealing shall be true and their conservation sure, and we hope that they will give so good proofe thereof that this beginning shall be a perpetuall confirmation of love betwixt our subjects on both parts, by carrying from us such things and merchandise as you have need of there.

So that your Highnesse shall by very well served, and Spaniards, our enemies, who only, and none else of these regions, have frequented those your and the other kingdomes of the East, not suffering that the other nations should doe it; pretending themselves to be monarchs and absolute lords of all these kingdomes and provinces as their owne conquest and inheritance, as appeareth by their loftie title in their writings; the contrarie wherof hath very lately appeared unto us, and that Your Heghnesse and your royall familie, fathers and grandfathers, have, by the grace of God and theri valour, knowne not only to defend to defend your owne kingdomes, but also to give warres unto the Portugals in the lands which they possesse, as namely in Malaca, in the yeere of the humane redemption 1575 , under the conduct of your valiant captaine Ragamacotta, with their great losse and the perpetuall honour of Your Highnesse crowne and kingdome.

And now if Your Highnesse shall be pleased to accept into your favour and grace and under your royall protection and defence these our subjects, that they may freely doe thier businesse now and continue yeerely hereafter, this bearer, who goeth chiefe of this fleet of fource ships, hath order (with Your Highnesse licence) to leave certaine factors, with a setled house of factorie, in your kingdome, untill the going thither of another fleet, which shall goe thither upon the returne of this; which left factors shall learne the languange and customes of your subjects, wherby the better and more lovingly to converse with them.

And the better to confirme this confederacie and friendship betwixt us wee are contented, if Your Highnesse be so pleased, that you cause capitulations reasonable to be made, and that this bearer doe the like in herein as in other agreements and arguments which he will communicate unto you; to whom we doe greatly desire Your Highnesse to give intire faith and credite, and that you will receive him and the rest of his companie under your royal protection, favouring them in what shall be reason and justice. And we promise, on oir behalfe, to re-answere in like degreee in all that Your Highnesse shall have need out of these our kingdomes.

And we desire that Your Highnesse would be pleased to send us answere by this bearer on this our letter, that wee may thereby understand of your royall acceptance of the friendship and league which wee offer, and gretly desire may have an happie beginning, with long yeares to continue.

[Queen Elizabeth, sign and stamp]