he receipt of your said gracious letter, which (p. 227)
was the 19th day of August nigh noon, unto the making of these
simple letters. What in getting and enarming of as many small
vessels as we might, doing brew both ale and beer, purveying
wine and other victual, for to charge with the same vessels, we
have done our busy diligence and care, as God wot. In which vessels,
without [besides] great plenty of other victuals, that men of
your city of London aventuren for refreshing of your host to the
coasts where your sovereign presence is in, we lowly send with
gladdest will unto your sovereign excellence and kingly majesty
by John Credy and John Combe, your officers of your said city,
bringers of these letters, tritty botes [thirty butts] of sweet
wine, that is to say, ten of Tyre, ten of Romeney, ten of
Malmesey, and a thousand pipes of ale, with two thousand and five
hundred cups for your host to drink of, which we beseech your
high excellence and noble grace for our alder comfort and
gladness benignly to receive and accept; not having reward
[regard] to the little head or small value of the gift itself,
which is simple; but to the good will and high desire that your
poor givers thereof have to the good speed, worship, and welfare
of your most sovereign and excellent person, of which speed and
welfare, and all your other kingly lusts [desires] and
pleasances, we desire highly by the said bearers of these
letters, and other whom your sovereign highness shall like, fully
to be learned and informed. Our most dread, most sovereign Lord,
and noblest King, we lowly beseech the King of Heaven, whose body
refused not for our salvation worldly pain guiltless to endure,
that ye, your gracious person, which for our alder good and
profit so knightly laboureth, little or nought charging bodily
ease, in all worship and honour evermore to keep and
preserve.--Written at Gravesend, under the seal of Mayoralty of
your said city of London, on the day of the Nativity of our Lady,
the blissful maid.
"To the King, our most dread and most sovereign Lord."

After every deduction is made from this singular epistle on the (p. 228)
ground of flattery and words of course, it proves that in expression,
at least, the Mayor and good citizens of London not only heartily
seconded