knowledge of the said common society) intimate, declare, and make known
vnto you (hono. sirs) Henr. Westhoff citizen and deputy of the city of
Lubec, Henry Fredelaw, Ioh. van Berk citizen of Colen, Mainard Buxtehude
citizen, and deputy of the city of Hamburgh, M. Simon Clawstern clerk, sir
Iohn de Aa knight deputie of the citie of Rostok, Herman Meyer deputy of
the citie of Wismar, being as the procurators, messengers, and
commissioners of the foresaid cities, assembled together at the town of
Hage in Holland, with the forenamed Will. and Iohn in regard of the
foresaid redres and reformation: that, euen as our said soueraign L. the
king his meaning is not to disturb or hinder such priuiledges as haue bin
heretofore granted and vouchsafed vnto the common society of the marchants
aforesaid, by the renoumed kings of England, and the worthy progenitors of
our L. the K. that now is, and by himself also vnder a certain form
confirmed: euen so he is determined (without the preiudice of forren lawes)
vpon iust mature, and sober deliberation, by his royall authorise to
withstand such priuiledges, as by reason of the abuse thereof, haue bene
infinitely preiudiciall vnto himselfe and his subiects.

Inprimis the said ambassadours doe affirme as afore, that whereas all and
euery the Marchants of the said company, as often as they would, were, both
in the Realme of England, and in other territories and dominions subiect
vnto our soueraigne lord the king, admitted and suffered (according to the
tenor of the forenamed priuiledges granted vnto them) freely, friendly and
securely to traffique and conuerse with any of his Maiesties liege people
and subiects whatsoeuer, or with other people of whatsoeuer nation liuing
in the realme of England, or in the dominions aforesaid: the said common
society of marchants by their publike and deliberate common counsel did
appoint and ordain, that no society in any cities, townes, or places,
neither yet any particular man of any such society (there being no lawfull
or reasonable cause why) shoulde in any wise admit any marchants of the