Fredericvs Dei gratia Danorum Gothorum et Vandalorum Rex Noruegiae electus slesuici Holsatie ac Stormariae Dux Comes in Altenburg et Delmenhorst, eadem illa gratia serenissimo ac potentissimo Principi Henrico eius appellationis octauo Anglorum Francorumque Regi fidei defensori ac domino Hybernie fratri et amico charissimo felicitatem imprecatur, Serenissime ac potentissime Rex frater et amice charissime, Exhibuerunt nobis hisce diebus quasdam literas vestras Hamburgenses subditi nostri, in quibus a maiestate uestra accusatur, vt qui Britannis in insula nostra Islandia uim et iniuriam hoc anno intulerint, Exhibuerunt autem demu(m) animo et consilio quod se coram nobis purgare et innocentiam suam per nos apud maiestatem vestram, liquido testari uoluerunt. Nos ut de re controuersa certo compertum haberemus prefectum nostrum cui regendam Islandiam commisimus in colloquium ad hibuimus, Et ab illo quidem intelleximus id quod relatum ad nos antea quoque fuit, non semel subditos uestros nostris hominibus Islandiam et alias insulas nostras inhabitantibus non ferendis modis molestos iuxta vt onerosos esse a multis annis, ingerunt se piscature quam ob hominum memoria Islandienses nostri in mari contermino exercuerunt et sibi uendicauerunt soli. Quod grauius est apertam vim Insulariis intentant, predas agunt ex agris, libera corpora in seruitutem perpetuam abducunt, Nobis vero debitum tributum hoc anno ex dimidia parte uiolenter ademerunt, fuerunt etiam qui nihilomino dare uoluerunt, Immo qui pisces nostros in usum nostrum collectos et destinatos populabundi diripuere, Qua re cum se preter aequum et bonum immerito grauari prefectus noster videret, vocauit in adiutorium nostro nomine hamburgenses vt subditos et Bremenses et confederatos, Illorum opera suffultus intentatam vim contraria vi reppulit, In eo conflictu ceciderunt aliquot ex subditis uestris (neque enim id potest negari) sed ita meriti precedentibus admissis, omnes vt non debuerint, immo non potuerint aliter tractari. Rebellionem aduersus constitutum a nobis magistratum in Insula nostra mouerunt, Censum uectigalem exoluerunt, et quod utroque grauius est rapere pro libitu et uendicare sibi tam nostra quam Insulanorum et extraneorum bona non erubuere, Nimirum intelligit facile Maiestas uestra non sine causa ab armis presidium expetitum esse, et ab illis hominibus collatum qui subiectionis et amicicie nomine Prefecto nostro adiutorium imploranti denegare nihil potuerunt, Proinde rogamus et petimus amice vt uelit maiestas uestra Hamburgenses et Bremenses mercatores tamque subsidiarios legitime potestatis nostrae conseruatores benigne excusatos habere, nolit illorum negotia in terra Anglia impedire aut remorari, ne quod grauius ex ea re incendium rogati, et ab illo cogacti cui operam communicare si quando necessitas expostulat iure tenentur, Nos subditis uestris pro ueteri more liberum mercature vsum in regnis ditionibusque nostris haud grauate permittimus, adeoque illos gratia et propenso fauore nostro libenter prosequimur, Coeterum ledi ab illis Maiestatem uexari et opprimi contra ius phas, aequum, et bonum indigenas, id vero perferre et tollerare non possumus, Eo nomine expostulamus a Maiestate uestra ut uelit ea suis author esse, ne simili modo per uim et uiolentiam in posterum grassentur in Islandia nostra. Immo si qui adhuc extant e turbatoribus bona pacis ac tranquillitatis, in illos uelit pro facti qualitate cum adhibito serio animaduertere, Nos prefecto nostro precepimus Hamburgensibus et Bremensibus commisimus, nequid pro se designent, quod ui magis quam bono iure possit defendi, Nec dubium nobis est quin iussum nostrum sint exequuturi si non prouocabuntur subditis uestris, Certe mercimonijs ti contractibus hominum vndequaque consultum rectissime cupimus esse, propterea in hanc sententiam tam prolixe scribimus, et responsum ad has literas nostras hoc nunctio expectamus, Viuat et valeat Maiestas uestra Deo optimo maximo foeliciter commendata Ex arce nostra Gottorp decima tertia die mensis Octobris, Anno m^o D^o xxxij^o

Intelligimus preterea ex Islandiensi prefecto nostro, quod Ludolphus Smydt ciuis Hamburgensis hac aestate negotiationis gratia cum Ruberto legge, et Ion Wylre subditis uestris collata manu contendit, Quorum uterque suae naui tum forte fortuna præfuit, post multam dimicationem pactus est cum Ludolpho smydt Ruberte Legge, Alter nempe Ion Wylre in nostrum littus impegit ibique naufragium fecit, Ac tum quidem naufragi bona ex recepta et confirmata temporibus maiorum nostrorum consuetudine illius patriae nobis adiudicata sunt, Recepit ea nostro nomine praefectus noster, Germanis qui in colligendo adiutores fuere redemptionis pretia persoluit, id quod testandum hoc scripto putauimus esse ne Maiestas uestra ciuem Hamburgensem, eo nomine conueniendum et accusandum existimet.

Frederich by the grave of god etc. To the most noble and myghtie Prynce Henry of that name the VIIIth kinge of Ingland and of France defensor of the faithe and Lorde of Ireland his mwst derest brother and ffreend praieth grace and felicitie. Mwst noble and myghtie Prince our derest brother and freend certyne of our subiects of Hamburgh haue exhibited vnto vs your lettres in the whiche they been accused by your Maiesthies that they haue don violence and Inimice to the englyshe men in our Isle of Islande and for that entente haue they exhibited those lettres vnto vs onlie to trie purge and testifie their Jnnocencie by vs to warde your Maiestie, and because we wolde knowe the trewthe and certentie of his controuersie we haue commoned with our officer and Ruler vnto whom whe haue commytted the Regymente and gouuernance of the saide Isle by whom we haue vnderstanded (as also it hath not ons been related vnto vs before this) that your subjeets by many yeres haue been very chargeable and by many waies and Means not tollerable haue molested our people inhabitinge Island and other our Isles. They clayme to haue a fysshinge place whiche of tyme oute of mynde our people of Islande haue occupied in the See and challenged onlie vnto theymselffe, ye (and whiche is more grewus and intollerable) they attempte open and playne vyolence force and Jniurie to our inhabitants of the saide Isle, they drywe there praies out of the land, they bringe our bondage, they have vyolentlie taken awey the halfe parte of our tribute due vnto vs this yere, ye and somme there were whyche wolde gywe nothinge att all and also take awey our ffysshe wiche was appoynted for our owne vse, wherfore when our saide head officer did perceyue hymselfe to be so greved and molested without cause and agenste all equietie, he called vnto hym for ayde and helpe in our name the people of Hamburgh as our subiects and the Bremes as our Confederates and beinge garnisshed wilh their industrie and secours did repell and resiste the said violence by a contraire violence. In whiche conflict sonime of your subiects were slayne. Nor trewlie it cannot be denyed but that the premysses considdered, they all as they deserued ought to haue been non otherwise entreated. They mowed rebellion agenste our officer appoynted in that our isle, they wolde nott paie the Custome, and, whiche is more grewus then bothe, they where not ashamed to spoyle chalenge and take away for there pleasure as well our goods as the goods of our saide Insulanes and Inhabitants trustynge that your Maiestie lightlie can perceyue that saide helpe ayde and Secours was not withoute cause loked for and by theym brought and gewen whiche coulde nott denye it vnto our hedde officer demandynge the same on the name of subiection and frendship, Therfore we beseche and freendlie desire that your Maiestie will benyglie haue excused our Marchants of Hamburgh and Breme beinge as our subiects and confederatos of our lawfull Power, and that ye will nott moleste nor hynder there causes and busynes in England, leste that a more Jnconueuyence or displeasure there of do aryse, for that whiche they did vnto thynglisshe menn, they did it att requeste and commendement of hym to whome they be bonnde by the lawe to gyue theyr helpe and Industrie when soeuer necessitie requirethe, we do permytte and suffer your subiect for the annciente custome to haue free use and hunnte of Merchandise in our Realmes and domynyons, and so doo wy right hartelie fauour and loue theym, but for to be hurte by theym, wexed wronged and oppressed agenste all Right and equytie that trewlie we can nott suffer. Therefore we beseche your Maiestie in suche wise to rule your subiects as here after they doo nott vse any suche rage force or violence in our Island, and yet yf there be any of the perturbers and violators of the good peax and tranquyllitie that ye will in a good erneste facion (the qualitie of the offence considered) ponysshe theym accordingelie, we haue commanded our hed officer our Hamburghmenn and Bremes that they shall by nothynghe for theym selffe but thatt they can defende by good right rather then by vyolence. And we doubt nott butt they will execute our Commendemente yff they shall nott be prouoked by your subiects, for trewlie we desire to haue good regarde aduyse and deleberation taken in eny part for cause of Marchandises and contracte of the people. And for that purpose doo wee write so largelie and by this berer we doo loke for your answer to thiese our lettres and so well maye fare and lyve your Maiestie feliceouslie commandinge the same to almyghtige god. Ffrom our Palace of Gott(orp), the XIIIth Daie of Octobris the yere of our Lord M. Vc. XXXII.

Ferther mere we vnderstande by our saide hedofficer and Captayne of our saide Island that Ludolf Smydt a Citezen of Hamburgh this summer for cause of his Marchandise contended and faught with Robert Legge and Johan Wylre your subiect whiche bothe were Capteyns of theire owne shipps as it fortuned. And after moche fightynge and bataill Robert Legge did parte and agree with Ludolff Smydt, but the other called Johan Wylre ran a grounde on our shore and made a schippwrake, and then the goods were adiudged to us as ours accordinge to an annciente custome of the country, made and confirmed in the tyme of our ancestors. Our saide Capteyne toke and receyued them, to our vse and for vs the paide the price of the redemption to the Germans whiche were adiutors and helpers to the collection and gatheringe of the said good, whiche we haue thought to be receeded in this writinge leste that your Maiestie shulde thinke the saide Citezien of Hamburgh for that to be convented or accused.