general very often with grieuous and sundry complaints, crauing and humbly
beseeching at his hands, that he would vouchsafe graciously to prouide for
them as his faithful and loial subiects, as touching the restitution of
their losses: especially seeing that so much wealth of the English
marchants was euery yeere to be found in Prussia, as being arrested, they
might obtaine some reasonable satisfaction for their losses. Which thing
the Master general aforesaid and his predecessor also haue deferred vnto
this present (albeit to the great losse of their subiects) therby hauing
meere and principal respect vnto those special curtesies and fauours which
your excellent Maiesty and your worthy progenitors haue right gratiously
vouchsafed vpon our Masters and Order: neither yet for the iniuries
aforesaid, was there euer any maner of offence, or molestation offered vnto
any of your subiects noble or ignoble whatsoeuer. Moreouer, in the name and
behalfe of our foresad Master general we do propound vnto your excellency
by way of complaint, that in the yere last past, 6 dayes after the feast of
the Ascension, certain persons of your realm of England, with their ships
and captains comming vnto the port of Flanders, named Swen, and finding
there, amongst sundry other, 6 ships of Prussia resident, which had there
arriued with diuers goods and marchandises: and being informed that they
were of Prussia, and their friends, they caused them and their ships to
remain next vnto their owne ships, protesting vnto them, that they should
in no sort be molested of damnified by themselues or by any other of their
company, and that they would faithfully defend them, as if they were their
own people, from the hands of their aduersaries: and for their farther
security and trust, they deliuered some of their own men and their
standerds into our mens ships: howbeit a while after being stirred vp, and
bent far otherwise, they took out of the foresaid ships al kind of armors,
wherwith they were to gard and defend themselues from pirats, and they
deteined the masters of those ships, not suffring them to return vnto their
own ships and companies, one also of the said ships (hauing taken al the