foedus ab illis colendum sanxerit:  non erit (vt arbitramur) ingratum vobis, cum beneuolentiae nostrae significationem, tam immensa maris ac terrarum spatia transgressam, ab vltima Britannia ad vos in Aetheiopiam perferri intellexeritis.  Nobisque rursus erit incundum, cum subditorum nostrorum praedicatione, ab ipsis Nili fontibus, et ab ijs regionibus quae solis cursum definiunt, fama vestri nominis ad nos recurret.  Erit igitur humanitatis vestrae huic subdito nostro eam largiri gratiam, vt in ditionem vestram sub praesidio ac tutela vestri nominis intrare, ibique saluus et incolumis manere possit:  quod ipsum etiam ab aliis principibus, per quorum regiones illi transeundum erit magnopere petimus, nobisque ipsis illud honoris causa tributum existimabimus:  neque tamen maiorem hac in re gratiam postulamus, quam vicissim omnium principum subditis, omniumque gentium 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)