Europe - The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques And Discoveries Of The English Nation - Volume 4 - Collected By Richard Hakluyt
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But Your
Sayd Letters Giuing Onely A Short Generall Mention Of Some Misdemeanour
Committed By Him, Expressing No Particulars, We
Were of opinion that this
offence was not so hainous, as that it might vtterly extinguish all your
former princely
Fauour towards him, but that vpon his humble submission to
your Maiesty, or vpon better examination of the matter of the displeasure
conceiued against him, the offence might haue beene either remitted, or he
thereof might haue cleared himselfe. And to that end we were not onely by
his great importunity long sollicited, but by the intercession of some of
our Nobility giuing credit to his owne defence, we were intreated on his
behalfe to vse his seruice once againe into Russia as our messenger to your
Maiestie, whereby he might haue opportunity to cleare himselfe, and either
by his answere or by his submission recouer your Maiesties former fauour:
whereunto our princely nature was mooued to yeeld, wishing the good of our
subiect so farre foorth as his desert might carry him, or his innocencie
cleare him.
Thus noble Prince, our most louing and dearest brother, it may appeare vnto
your Maiesty how we were induced to vse the seruice of the sayd messenger,
aswell for the recouery of your Maiesties fauour towards him (if he had
been found woorthy of it) as for experience of the maners and fashions of
your countrey, where he hath bene much conuersant. But sith by your
Maiesties letters it appeareth that he hath not cleared himselfe in your
Maiesties sight, we meane not to vse him in any such price hereafter.
And as touching your Maiesties conceit of the breuitie which we vsed in the
setting downe of your Maiesties stile and titles of honour: as nothing is
further from vs, then to abridge so great and mighty a Prince of the honour
due vnto him (whom we holde for his greatnesse to deserue more honour then
we are able to giue him) so shall we need no further nor surer argument to
cleare vs of the suspicion of the detracting from your Maiesty any part of
your iust and princely honor and greatnesse, then the consideration of our
owne stile, which is thus contracted, videlicet, Elizabeth by the grace of
God Queene of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith &c. which
kingdomes and dominions of ours are expressed by these generall words,
videlicet, England, France, and Ireland: in euery of which there are
seuerall principalities, dukedomes, earledomes, prouinces and countreys:
which being seuerally expressed would enlarge much our stile, and make it
of great length: which by our progenitours hath not bene vsed:
notwithstanding, we thinke it no dishonour to vs, compendiously to abridge
the same in all our writings and letters written to what Prince, King, or
Potentate soeuer. Whereupon we inferre, that holding your Maiesties
generall stile, we offer your Highnesse no dishonour in not expressing all
the particular prouinces: albeit we can willingly content our selfe, upon
the knowledge of your vsages and customes, to obserue that course, which
your selfe shall thinke most honourable.
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