hominibus ad nos commeantibus liberrime
concedimus. Datum Londini quinto die Nouembris: anno regni nostri
tricesimo nono: annoque Dom. 1597.

The same in English.

To the most inuincible and puissant king of the Abassens, the mightie
Emperour of Aethiopia the higher and the lower.

Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England, France and Ireland,
defender of the faith, &c. To the most high and mightie Emperour of
Aethiopia greeting. Whereas it is a matter requisite and well beseeming all
kings and princes of what lands or nations soeuer, be they neuer so much
disseuered in place or differing in customes and lawes, to maintaine and
preserue the common societie of mankinde, and, as occassion shall be
offered, to performe mutuall duties of charitie and beneuolence: we for
that cause concerning most undoubted hope of your princely fidelity and
courtesie, haue giuen vnto this our subiect Laurence Aldersey intending to
trauell into your dominions, these our letters to be deliuered without
faile vnto your Highnesse, to the end they may be a testimony of our good
will towards you and of our saide subiect his departure from England. Who,
after his trauels in many forren countreys, being as yet enflamed with a
desire more throughly to surueigh and contemplate the world, and now at
length to vndertake a long and daungerous iourney into your territories and
regions: both the sayd Laurence thought, and our selues also deemed, that
it would very much auaile him, as well for his owne safetie as for the
attayning of your fauour, if, being protected with our broad seale, hee
might transport vnto your Highnesse a testimony of our louing affection and
of his departure from hence. For sithence almightie God the highest
creatour and gouernour of the world hath allotted vnto kings and princes
his vicegerents [sic--KTH] ouer the face of the whole earth, their designed
portions and limits to be ruled and administred by them; and by this his
gift hath established among them a certaine law of brotherly kindnesse, and
an eternall league by them to be obserued: it will not (we hope) seeme
vnpleasant vnto your highnesse, when you shall haue intelligence of our
louing letters sent so huge a distance ouer sea and land, euen from the
farthest realme of England vnto you in Aethiopia. On the other side our
selues shall take great solace and delight, when as by the relation of our
owne subiects, the renowme of your name shall be brought vnto vs fr