and by the tenour of these presents doe confirm, the composition, ordination, concorde, and treaty aforesayd. In testimony whereof we have caused these our letters to be made patents. Witnesse our selves a Westminster the 22. of October, in the thirteenth yeare of our reigne. By the king and his counsell. Lincolne.

A briefe relation of William Esturmy, and John Kington concerning their ambassages into Prussia, and the Hans-townes.

INPRIMIS, that in the moneth of July, and in the yeare of our Lord 1403, and the fift yeare of the reigne of our sovereigne Lord the king that nowe is, there came into England the ambassadours of the mighty lord Fr: Conradus de Jungingen, being then Master general of Prussia, with his letters directed unto our foresayd sovereigne lord the king, requiring amends and recompense for certaine injuries unjustly offered by English men unto the subjects of the sayd Master generall, written in 20. articles, which amounted unto the summe of 19120. nobles and a halfe &c.

Item, that the third day of the moneth of October, in the yeare of our Lord abovewritten, and in the fift yere of the reigne of our soveraigne lord the king, between the reverend father in God, Henrie then bishop of Lincolne lord chancelor, and William lord de Roos high treasurer of England, on the one party and the sayd ambassadours on the other party, it was (according to their petition) amongst other things ordayned: namely that the liege people of our soveraigne lord the king should freely be permitted, untill the feast of Easter then next after ensuing to remaine in the land of Prussia, and from thence with their goods & marchandises to returne unto their own home: and also, that the subjects of the sayd Master generall in the kingdome of England should have licence and liberty to doe the like. Provided alwayes, that after the time above limitted, neither the English marchants in the land of Prussia, nor the Prussian marchants in the realme of England should use any traffique of marchandise at all, unlesse in the meane space it were otherwise agreed and concluded by the sayd king and the sayd Master general.

Item, immediately after our sayd soveraigne lord the king sent his letters by John Browne marchant of Lin unto the foresayd Master generall, for to have mutuall conversation and intercourse of dealing to continue some certain space, betweene the marchants of England and of Prussia: promising in the same letters, that he would in the meane season send unto the foresayd Master his ambassadors to intreat about the pretended injuries aforesaid: which letters the foresayd Master, for divers causes, refused to yeelde unto, as in his letters sent unto our lord the king, bearing date the 16. day of the moneth of July, in the yeare of our lord 1404. more plainely appeareth.

Item, that after the receit of the letters of the Master aforesaid, which are next above mentioned, our sayd king, according to his promise, sent William Esturmy knight, M. John Kington clerke, and William Brampton citizen of London, from his court of parliament holden at Coventrie, very slightly informed, as his ambassadours into Prussia.

Item, before the arrival of the sayd ambassadours in Prussia, all intercourse of traffique betweene the English and the Prussians, in the realme of England, and in the land of Prussia was altogether restrained and prohibited: and in the same land it was ordayned and put in practise, that in whatsoever porte of the land of Prussia any English marchant had arrived with his goods, he was not permitted to conveigh the sayd goods, out of that porte, unto any other place of the land of Prussia, either by water, or by lande, under the payne of the forfeiting of the same: but was enjoyned to sell them in the very same porte, unto the Prussians onely and to none other, to the great prejudice of our English marchants.

Item, that after the arrival of the sayd English ambassadours in the land of Prussia, it was ordayned, that from the eight day of the moneth of October, in the yeare of our lord 1405, all English marchants whatsoever should have free liberty to arrive with all kindes of their marchandise in whatsoever port of the land of Prussia, and to make sale of them in the said land, as hath heretofore from auncient times bene accustomed. Also sundry other commodious priviledges unto the realme of England were then ordayned and established: as in

the indentures made for this purpose it doth more manifestly appeare.

Item, the said English ambassadours being arrived in the land of Prussia, demanded of the said Master generall, a reformation and amends, for the damages and injuries offered by the Prussians unto the liege people of our sovereigne lord and king, written in fifteene articles, which losses amounted unto the summe of 4535. nobles.

Item, the said Master generall, besides the articles exhibited unto our soveraigne lord the king (as it is above mentioned) delivered unto the sayd ambassadours divers other articles of certaine injuries offered (as he sayth) unjustly by English men, unto his subjects, which amounted unto the summe of 5100. nobles.

Item, it was afterward concluded, that upon the first of May next then insuing, namely in the yeere of our Lord 1406. or within the space of one yeare immediatly following there should bee made a convenient, just, and reasonable satisfaction, for all molestations unjustly offered on both partes, as well on the behalfe of our soveraigne lord the king, as of the foresayd Master general. Which satisfaction not being performed, the Prussians with their goods & merchandises, within three moneths after the end of the sayd yere next following, were without molestation or impediment, enjoined to depart out of the realme of England with their ships and goods, and the English men likewise, out of the territories and dominions of the said Master general, & both of them, without any further admonition, to abstaine & separate themselves, from both the countreis aforesayd. For the performance of which premisses, the ambassadors on both parts being sufficiently instructed, were appointed to meete the first day of May, at the towne of Dordract in Holland.

Item, that the sayd William Esturmy and John Kington in their returne homewards from Prussia towards England passed through the chiefe cities of the Hans, and treated in such sorte with the Burgomasters of them, that there were sent messengers and agents, in the behalfe of the common society of the Hans marchants, unto the towne of Dordract, to conferre with the ambassadors of England, about the redressing of injuries attempted on both parts: where divers agreements were set downe

betweene the sayd ambassadors, and messengers, as in the indentures made for the same purpose it doth more manifestly appeare.

Item, that the meeting appointed at the towne of Dordract, upon the first of May, was by the letters of the foresayd ambassadors, proroged unto the first of August then next ensuing, and afterward by vertue of the kings letters unto the first day of March next following and there was another day of prorogation also.

Item, that after the prorogations aforesayd, the ambassadors of England, and the messengers & commissioners of Prussia met together at the towne of Hage in Holland, the 28. day of August, in the yere of our lord 1407. And there was a treaty between them concerning the summe 25934. nobles and an halfe, demanded on the behalfe of the sayd Master generall for amends and recompense in consideration of wrongs offered unto himselfe and unto his subjects of Prussia, as is aforesayd. Also the sayd Master and his Prussians, besides the summe not yet declared in the articles, which is very small, are to rest contented and satisfied with the summe of 8957. nobles, in lieu of al the damages aforesaid: no times of paiment being then assigned or limited, but afterward to be reasonably limited and assigned, by our sayd soveraigne lord the king. Insomuch, that our said soveraigne lord the king is to write his ful intention & determination concerning this matter, in his letters to be delivered the 16. day of March, unto the aldermen of the marchants of the Hans residing at Bruges. Otherwise, that from thenceforth all league of friendship shall bee dissolved betweene the realme of England and the land of Prussia.

Also it is farther to be noted, that in the appointment of the summe next before written to be disbursed out of England, this condition was added in writing, namely, that if by lawful testimonies it may sufficiently and effectually be prooved, concerning the chiefe articles abovewritten, or any part of them, that satisfaction was made unto any of those parties, to whom it was due: or that the goods, of and for the which complaint was made on the behalfe of Prussia, in the sayd articles, did or doe pertayne unto others, or that any other just, true, or reasonable cause may lawfully be proved & alledged, why the foresaid sums or any of them ought not to be

payed that then in the summes contained in the articles abovementioned, so much only must be cut off, or stopped, as shalbe found, either to have bene payd already, or to appertaine unto others, or by any true, just, and reasonable cause alleaged, not to be due. Neither is it to be doubted, but for the greater part of the summe due unto the Prussians, that not our lord the king, but others (which will in time be nominated) are, by all equity and justice, to be compelled to make satisfaction.

Also, at the day and place above mentioned it was appointed and agreed upon, that our lord the king and his liege subjects, for the said 4535. nobles demanded of the English in consideration of recompense to be made for injuries offered unto the Prussians, are to discharge & pay the summe of 764. nobles, which are not as yet disbursed but they have reserved a petition to them, unto whom the sayd summe is due, or if they please, there shalbe made satisfaction: which will be very hard and extreme dealing.

Item, that in the last assembly of the sayd ambassadors of England and messengers of Prussia, holden at Hage, made as is aforesayd, for the behalfe of England, there were exhibited anew certaine articles of injuries against the Prussians. The value of which losses amounted unto the summe of 1825. nobles and three shillings.

Item, on the contrary part for the behalfe of the Prussians the summe of 1355. nobles, eight shillings and sixe pence.

Item, forasmuch as divers articles propounded, as well on the behalfe of England, as of Prussia, and of the cities of the Hans, both heretofore and also at the last convention holden at Hage, were so obscure, that in regard of their obscurity, there could no resolute answere bee made unto them: and other of the sayd articles exhibited, for want of sufficient proofes, could not clearely be determined upon it was appointed and concluded, that all obscure articles given up by any of the foresayd parties whatsoever, ought before the end of Easter then next ensuing, and within one whole yeare after, to be declared before the Chancelour of England, for the time being and other articles evidently exhibited, but not sufficiently proved, to be proved, under paine of perpetuall exclusion. Which being done accordingly, complete justice shall be administred on both parts.