Charles I 'Letter to Shah Safi of the Safavid Empire (1630)'

Charles by the grace of God King of England, Scotland, France & Ireland, Defender of the Christian Faith. &c./

To the High & Excellent Monarch the great Lord Shaugh Suffie Emp[ero]r of Persia, Media, Parthia, Armenia, & of the famous kingdomes of Larr & Ormus & of many other large & populous provinces sendeth greeting & wisheth health & prosperity, & to your sword the edge & glory of victory. When with ioy & pleasure we call to mind the glory of y[ou]r father of renowned memory the valiant & victorious Shaugh Abbas, & like the renewing of a sweet perfume doe remember the mutuall freindship betweene our ancestors: wee could no longer omitt, both to congratulate the inauguration oyf our Highnesse vnto your kingdomes & dominions so long & gratiously possessed & derived from your Royall Progenitors; and to signify vnto you our ioy & desire to continue with the same freindship, amity & correspondence; w[hi]ch shall on our part bee inviolably kept & maintained. Neither can wee refuse in this occasion to acknowledge & give you thankes for the favour, protection & Iustice w[hi]ch you are pleased to extend to our Subiects & Merchants trading & residing in your dominions: w[hi]ch as I doubt not, is & shall bee profitable for both our Estates & Kingdomes, so the fame thereof spreadeth it selfe like the sunne-beames upon the fruitfull Medowes, to the Comfort of our freinds, & Confusion & despight of all the Envious. Amongst other your Regall virtues, the Renowne of y[ou]r prowesse & valour in Armes having like lightning throwne it selfe into all the parts of o[u]r dominions, & inflamed the hearts of many of our subiects to see that glory of w[hi]ch they heare with so much admiration: it hath occasioned this bearer, o[u]r Cozin subiect & servant Will[ia]m Earle of Denbigh to desire to bee an eye-witnesse, & satisfy his heart with the fullnesse of his your princely presence, & the glory of your Royall Court & greatnesse. And this being the only Cause of his vndertaking so great a Voyage, wee have beene content to spare him from our necessary service, being one of the Princes of our kingdome, famous in armes & faithfull in Counsell, who hath served vs in our Court & Warres as Admirall & cheife Com[m]aunder of our victorious Armadas & Fleetes at sea. Wee shall therefore desire537v desire you, to receive him, & to extend vnto him your grace & favour in that measure as to our freindship & greatnesse of y[ou]r bounty & greatnesse of his merit & quality shall bee requisite; & to give him leave, when he hath satisfyed himselfe w[i]th the aboundance of your glory, to returne vnto vs, to bring vs the welcome newes & assurance of your health & prosperity; w[hi]ch shall bee as acceptable to vs as the gold & spices of both the Indyes. so wee pray vnto the allmighty God to honour & blesse all them that depend vnto him. Given at o[u]r Royall Pallace at Westminster in the sixt yeare of o[u]r raigne, & of o[u]r obedience to the blessed Law of Iesus the Sonne of God & only Saviour of man. 1630.