unless, perhaps, he had thought something had been omitted on the
part of the Maltese which he considered due to our dignity, and to the flag
of our royal fleet. Be it, however, as it may, your eminence may be
persuaded that it is our fixed and established intention to do and perform
everything both ourselves and by our officers amply to show how much we
esteem the sacred person of your eminence and the Order of Malta.

In order, therefore, that it should already appear that we do not wish
greater honour to be paid to any prince than to your eminence and to your
celebrate Order, we have directed our above-mentioned admiral to accord all
the same signs of friendship and good will towards your eminence's ports
and citadels as towards those of the most Christian and catholic kings; and
we no way doubt your Order will equally show that benevolence towards us
which it is customary to show to the above-mentioned kings, or to either of
them.

It only remains to us to heartily recommend your eminence and all your
military Order to the safeguard of the Most High and Most Good God.

Given from our palace of Whitehall on the 21st day of June, 1675.

Your Eminence's good Cousin and Friend,
CHARLES REX.

No. XV.

Charles the Second by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and
Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c.

To the most eminent prince the Lord Nicholas Cotoner, Grand Master of the
Order of Malta, our well-beloved cousin and friend--Greeting:

Most eminent Prince, our well-beloved cousin and friend.

Not only by the letters of Sir John Narbrough, knight, whom we appointed in
right and power to be the admiral of our fleet in the Mediterranean sea,
but also from other sources, we have heard how benignantly your eminence,
both by command and example, and all the sacred Order of Malta, have
treated him and the other commanders of our ships, so much so that they
could not have been better at home, and in our dockyards, than in your port
of Malta. This is, indeed, a sign of great friendship, and the more so that
our kingdoms and seas are so far distant from the usual navigation of the
sacred Order of Malta, that few occasions could be expected to offer
themselves to us of reciprocating the friendship of your eminence. Some
other mode, therefore, must be sought by which we may testify our gratitude
and affection towards your eminence and the other members of your most
sacred Order, to