foresayd busines. Honorable sir, and most deare friend, we doe most
heartily wish increase of prosperity and ioy vnto your person. [Sidenote:
1407.] Giuen in our palace of Westminster the 14. day of Feb. in the yeare
of our Lord 1407.

* * * * *

To the right noble and valiant knight Sir William Sturmy sent at this
present by the most souereigne King of England &c, as his ambassadour
vnto Dordract, his most sincere friend.

Honorable sir, our most entier friend, wee receiued the royall letters of
the most mighty prince and lord, our lord the king of England and France
and lord of Ireland, sent vnto vs vnder the date of the 14. day of February
(which we receiued at our castle of Marienburgh the 11. of April)
containing, amongst other matters, that his Maiesties purpose was once
againe to sende one of his ambassadors, namely your selfe our very sincere
friend vnto Dordract, giuing you in charge that you would make haste
thither and there stay; vntill some of our subiects might at our
commandement, in conuenient time repaire vnto the same place, there (by
God's assistance) to bring our matters vnto a happy conclusion. And then he
requested that wee should without delay write our determination vnto you,
as the conclusion of the said letter importeth. Howbeit (our most deare
friend) the treaties and conferences about the redresse or reformation of
uniust attempts committed by the subiects of our sayd lord and king and our
subiects, one against another, are both on our behalfe, and on the behalfe
of the common societie of the Hans marchants, hitherto had, made, and
continued common. And so our commissioners vpon our full and absolute
commandement, shal, for the managing of these and of other affaires of the
foresaid societie, many waies vrgent and difficult, vpon the feast of our