Mohammed esh-Sheikh es-Seghir, Sultan of Morocco 'Letter to King Charles I (1637)'

The Kinge of Morocco's letter to Kinge Charls Kinge of Great Brittane &c

When Theise our Lynes Letters shalbe happye to come to your Ma[jes]t[ies] sight, I wish the Spirritt of the righteous god maye soe direct the powers of yo[u]r Mynde, That you maye ioyfullye imbrace the Message I send, pr[e]senting to you the meanes of exalting the Ma[jes]tye of God, and yo[u]r owne renowne amongst men, The regall power allotted to our Charge makes vs first Comon Servant[es] to our Creator/ then to those whome we gou[er]ne (the people) Soe that in the observing the duetie to our God, that we owe wee deliver blessings to the world, and in p[ro]viding for the publique good of our States we magnifye the honor of God, like the Celestiall Bodyes/ that though they haue much venerac[i]on serve onlye to yield Benefitts to the world/ It is the Excellencye of our Office, to be the Instrum[en]t[es] whereby greate happynes is deliu[ere]d to the Nations/ pardon mee, this is not to instruct, for I knowe I speake to one of A Clearer and quicker Sight then myself/ but I speake this/ because god bine pleased to graunt mee an happy victorye one some parte of those rebelling Pyrats/ [tha]t haue soe long molested/ [th]e peacefull Trade of Europe/ & haue p[re]sent furth[e]r occasio[n] to route out [th]e generac[i]ons of those that haue bine soe p[er]nitious to the good of our Nations. I meane that since itt hath pleased God, to bee soe auspicious to our begin[n]ing in the Conquest of Salley/ wee might ioye and p[ro]ceed w[i]th hope of like Successe of Warr against Tunnis Argiere and other places, dens and reseptacles for the inhumame Villanies of those that abhore rule & gou[ern]m[en]t, herein while wee extirpate [th]e corruptions, and Malignant Spirrits of the world, we shall gloryfie [th]e great God/ & p[er]fect A great dutye/ [tha]t will shine as glorious as [th]e sonne & Moone/ w[hi]ch all [th]e Earth will see & reverence A worke [tha]t shall assend sweet as the p[er]fume of [th]e most p[re]tious Odours in [th]e Nostrills of the Lord/ A worke gratefull & happye to men, A worke whose memorye shalbe reverenced, as long as there shalbe anye remayning Amongst men/ [tha]t loue & honor the pietye and vertue of noble Myndes, This action I willinglye present to you/ whose pious vetues are equall to the dignitye of your power/ that wee that are both Servantes to the great and mightie God/ maye hand in hand tryumph in [th]e glory this actio[n] pr[e]sents to vs/ Now because [th]e Ilands w[hi]ch you gou[er]ne haue bene eu[er] famous for the vnconquered strength of yo[u]r Shipping/ I haue sent these my trustye Servants & Ambassadors to know whether in yo[u]r princelye wisedome/ you shall thincke fitt to assist mee w[i]th such Forces by Seas/ as shalbe au[n]swerable to those that I p[ro]vide by Land/ w[hi]ch if you please to Graunt I doubt not but the Lord of Hosts will p[ro]tect and assist those [tha]t fight in soe glorious a cause nor ought you to thinke it strange/ That I whoe soe much reu[er]ence the peace and accord of nations/ should first exhort to A warr/ your great prophett Christ Iesus/ was [th]e Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah/ as well as [th]e Lord & giver of Grace/ w[hi]ch maye signifie to you/ [tha]t he that is A Lover & mayntayner of Peace/ must appeare w[i]th the Terror of the Sword/ & wading throughe Seas of bloud, must arrive to tranquillitie/ This made Iames yo[u]r Father of glorious memorye, soe happylie renownd of all Nations It was [th]e noble fame of yo[u]r princelye virtues, w[hi]ch resoundeth to the vtermost Corners of the Earthe/ [tha]t p[er]swaded mee to intreate you to p[ar]take of the Blessinge wherein I boast my selfe most happy; I wish god may heape [th]e riches of his blessings on you, increase yo[u]r happynes w[i]th yo[u]r dayes/ & hereaft[e]r p[er]petrate [th]e greatnes of yo[u]r name to all ages

/ Finis