y first communication I did myself the pleasure to send you a correct
list of all the royal letters which had been sent by different English
monarchs to the Grand Masters of Malta, with their dates, the languages in
which they were written, and stating to whom they were addressed. I now
purpose to forward with your permission from time to time, literal
translations of these letters, which Mr. Strickland of this garrison has
kindly promised to give me. The subjoined are the first in order, and have
been carefully compared, by Dr. Vella and myself, with the originals now in
the Record Office.

No. I.

Henry by the grace of God, King of England and France, Defender of the
Faith, and Lord of Ireland, to the Rev. Father in Christ, Philip
Villiers de L'Isle Adam, Grand Master of the Order of Jerusalem.

Our most dear friend--Greeting:

The venerable and religious men, Sir Thomas Docreus, Prior of St. John's in
this kingdom, and Sir W. Weston of your convent, Turcoplerius, have lately
delivered to us the epistle of your Reverence, and when we had read it,
they laid before us the commission which they had in charge, with so much
prudence and address, and recommended to us the condition, well being, and
honour of their Order with so much zeal and affection, that they have much
increased the good will, which of ourselves we feel towards the Order, and
have made us more eager in advancing all its affairs, so that we very much
hope to declare by our actions the affection which we feel towards this
Order.

And that we might give some proof of this our disposition, we have written
at great length to His Imperial Majesty, in _favour of maintaining the
occupation_ of Malta, and we have given orders to our envoys there to help
forward this affair as much as they are able. The other matters, indeed,
{558} your Reverence will learn more in detail from the letters of the said
Prior.

From our Palace at Richmond,
Eighth day of January, 1523,
Your good friend,
HENRY REX.

No. II.

Henry by the grace of God, King of England and France, Defender of the
Faith, and Lord of Ireland, to the Rev. Father in Christ, Philip
Villiers de L'Isle Adam, Grand Master of the Order of Jerusalem.

Our most dear friend--Greeting:

By other of our letters we have commended to your Reverence our beloved Sir
W. Weston, Turcoplerius, and the whole Order of Jerusalem in our kingdom;
bu