Florentines, Sicilians, and Malteses, on the other part our countreis
committed to your charge: which abouesaid Christians will not quietly
suffer their egresse and regresse, into, and out of our dominions, but doe
take and make the men captiues, and forfeit the shippes and goods, as the
last yeere the Maltese did one, which they tooke at Gerbi, and to that end
do continually lie in wait for them to their destruction, whereupon they
are constrained to stand to their defence at any such time as they might
meet with them. Wherefore considering by this means they must stand vpon
their guard, when they shall see any gallie afarre off, whereby if meeting
with any of your gallies and not knowing them, in their defence they do
shoot at them, and yet after when they doe certainly know them, do not
shoote any more, but require to passe peaceably on their voiage, which you
would deny, saying, the peace is broken because you haue shot at vs, and so
make prize of them contrary to our priuileges, and against reason: for the
preuenting of which inconuenience the said ambassadour hath required this
our commaundement. We therefore command thee, that vpon sight hereof thou
doe not permit any such matter in any sort whatsoeuer, but suffer the sayd
Englishmen to passe in peace according to the tenour of our commandement
giuen, without any disturbance or let by any meanes vpon the way, although
that meeting with thy gallies, and not knowing them afarre off, they taking
them for enemies should shoote at them, yet shall you not suffer them to
hurt them therefore, but quietly to passe. Wherefore looke thou that they
may haue right, according to our priuilege giuen them, and finding any that
absenteth himself, and wil not obey this our commandement, presently
certify vs to our porch, that we may giue order for his punishment, and
with reverence giue faithfull credite to this our commandement, which
hauing read, thou shalt againe returne it vnto them that present it. From
our palace in Constantinople, the 1. of Iune 1584.

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