MOst high and Mighty Prince KING of Great Baittaine, France and Ireland, &c.

The Emperors Maiestie, be­ing also King of Hungaria, Bo­hemia, and my most gratious Lord and Master: desiring of all other things to salute your great and Kingly Maiestie, hath thought it conuenient to manifest and propose his most entire loue, and brotherly Embassie vnto you, appointing me (though vnwor­thy) to deliuer that in words, and that publickely, which he priuately conceiueth and apprehendeth in his heart, befitting your Greatnesse: Wishing withall both to your Maiestie and your Royall house [Page 2]such blessings, as belong to mighty Prin­ces, especially happinesse in gouernment, health of body, tranquility of minde, loue of your people, and peace withall the World, euen as hee wisheth to himselfe, and his owne establishment, peace being a thing more acceptable vnto him, then his owne prosperitie and greatnesse: peace being a thing, which I haue in charge chiefly to insist vpon, and request your MAIESTIE to accord vnto.

Besides, his Imperiall Maiestie hath im­posed this taske vpon mee, to present these letters of credite and iustification of of his true heart and meaning into your Royall hands, and withall the behalfe of his Imperiall Maiestie to impart, and further make knowne vnto your MAIESTIE, that from his first step into the Throne, and entrance into his Imperiall dignity, yea at all times since to this present houre, and as hee hopes to the consummation of all houres, no one thing hath or can bee more acceptable vnto him, then the entertainement of loue, friendship, and amitie not onely with such Princes, [Page 3]to whom his predecessors haue made profession formerly of peace and concord, in contracting of leagues, and combina­tion of couenants, but is also ardent in his desire, and would faine expresse the same by his endeauours towards all other Christian Princes and Potentates, though farther remote, as farre as the enlarging his loue, maintaining of friendship, and kee­ping correspondency in all things befit­ting their honour, and his dignity. But e­specially with your MAIESTIE, toward whom hee beareth such an affectionate loue, and burning zeale, that hee would faine enter into conditions of euerlasting peace, and hold an indissoluble contract of reall, sincere, and most perfect amity, a blessing not onely commendable and pro­per for Princes to embrace, being indeed more comly then their ornament of State, but also most requisite and necessary for their owne welfare, the good of their sub­iects, the enriching their countries, the en­larging their reuenewes and manifestion of their profession of Christianity: to illu­strate which with oratory, precept, cautiō, [Page 4]or example is to great a worke at this time, and neediesse to such a Princely wisedome and mature apprehension.

But that this great care and Princely de­sire did euer appeare in his Imperiall Maie­stie, euen from his first entrance into the dignity which God bestowed vpon him with many other of his owne hereditary kingdomes, and dominions to this present houre, howeuer some strange winde hath thickned vp clowds of disturbance, which threaten grearer and greater tempests. It hath pleased your MAIESTIE to ratefie and confirm, yea, you haue giuen him great assurance of sincere loue, and affectionate friendship, and this hath not beene bare­ly performed by cursory letters, or missiue gratifications, but by magnificent Embas­sadors, and sumptuous expences, and that diuers times to assure his Imperiall Maiestie you did not onely approue of his good in­tent, and purposes: but desire the continu­ance and ratification of the same, still en­deuouring by all meanes possible to re-establish and restore the pristinate con­tracts, [Page 5]and tranquilitie of the chiefest Princes, and Potentates of Christendome: and whereas now some vntoward hand had attempted to be-spot the beautifull face of Europe with troubles, or made wrinkles in the same with fearefull tur­moyles, your MAIESTIE, and none but your selfe, hath endeuoured to make it smooth againe, that it may shew her former hansomnes and vnmatchable glo­ry: yea as farre as was possible' you haue appeared like a rising Sunne, to dispell and dissipate these cloudy vapours and vnto­ward mists of dissention, that in steed of tumultuous enmity, and fearefull cla­mours of warre, true contracted friend­ship might step in, and the sweete con­cord of peace sound the comfortable Di­apason of good Musicke, to please the Eares of all good Princes, and cheere the hearts of true and honest people, wherein as you haue out-stripped other Kinges in the race to high honour, and great renowne, so that your Royall name for extraordinary wisdome, learning, [Page 6]and moderation of passions, hath an extra­ordinary passage throughout the world for praise and admiration: so doth his Im­periall Maiesty pray, and request you to con­tinue the same motiues, and stil and still to set forward the same practises, that the Princes of Europe may not onely partici­pate with the benefit of peace by your meanes: but you your selfe assure vnto your Princely heart the present fruition of all applauses, and the future enioying of immortall fame, and glory.

To the end therefore, that your MAIES­TIE may euidently vnderstand, and iudi­ciously apprehend, how much, and how highly his Imperiall Maiestie doth estimate, and make account of your MAIESTIES loue and affection, and with what embra­ces and amplexure hee would entertaine your friendship, yea endeauour withal ear­nest desire to gratefie the same, as farre as honourable correspondency, and recipro­call requitall may extend, he hath thought it conuenient without protraction or am­biguous disputing the matter to send mee as his Embassadour, to acquaint you with [Page 7]his gratious intent, and assure you, that he doth no lesse affect the common good of Christendome, then your Princely selfe, or any king in Europe: but especially the welfare and prosperitie of your MAIES­TIES house, though there hath bin cause of displeasure and discontent, yea it is part of his care, and study to labour out the meanes, and giue way vnto all occasions, that may raise vp againe the decayed and bruised peace, which hath bin so vnfortu­nately pashed downe to the ground, and as I may say trampled vnder feet, and no question long since some gentle hand had lifted her to better firmnesse, or brought her within the strength of supportation, if as vngentle armes had not gone by force, and violent courses to worke their owne ends, and affects their designes, wherein they haue without question started out of the smooth and euen path of your great wisedome, and iudicious Councell, saue­ring all princelines, charity, loue and religi­ous care to run into the by-wayes of their owne wilfulnesse, and ambitious proiects, so that whereas you like a faire mouing [Page 8]planet haue still kept one acceptable course toward peace and tranquillity: they like turbulent Meteors and prodi­gious exhalations haue violently runne forward to the vexing of themselues, and disturbing of others, whereby their vn­iustifiable actions may truely, and suffi­ciently be sayd to haue bin the cause of so much blood-shedding, and fearefull de­struction both of countries and people: so that his Imperiall Maiestie is willing to ac­knowledge, and withall the world to confesse that these kinde of violent procee­dings, or if you will, vnkinde courses, haue beene greatly displeasing vnto your MA­IESTIE, and so farre distasting, that from time to time out of mature iudgment and regal piety, you haue endeuored to di­uert the mischiefe, and turne the streame as it were of these vnkinde ouerflowings: nor hath this beene barely done by running messengers, missiue letters, polliticke en­treaties, charitable wishes, or such like showes of goodnesse, but by most honou­rable Embassadors, sincere affection, extra­ordinary charge, and vnmatchable Prince­linesse, [Page 9]and all as well for the generall good of Christendome, as the particular re-esta­blishing the peace of Germany, which hi­therto hath beene torne a peeces by the cruell hands of reuolters, and vnkinde snatches of tumultuous dissention, and and therefore is not onely to be wished to be recouered, but endeuoured by all possi­ble meanes to be brought to true and per­fect reformation.

And wheras I must confesse, his Imperial Maiesty hath vnwillingly taken arms, & rai­sed his forces for his owne defence, and maintaining his honour and renowne, a thing wherein far inferior Princes would haue bin startled, and could performe no lesse: he will as willingly be enduced to lay them downe againe, and be as speedily in­treated to desist from hostilitie, and violent prosecutions, if others without reason, & true or iust intimation do not shew them­selues peruerse and obstinate, to which hee is questionlesse the more tractable, be­cause your MAIESTIE can so nobly act his part; not onely in defending the dig­nitie of Kings, and the prerogatiues of [Page 10]Monarchies, but in expropriating the ti­merous proceedings of subiects, or any o­ther that shall take vp tumultuous armes to disturbe the peace of prouinces. For al­though at first it may carry a show of glo­rious enterprises and heroicke actions: yet when the miserable effects of the best warre are considered, nothing will proue so fearefull and lamentable, nor is their a­ny thing that I know of in the world, that drawes on repentance, and compunc­tion of soule so sodainly, as vniustifiable hostility, and vnconscionably practises.

I must and will forbeare at this time to importune your MAIESTIE to this at­tonement by vnseasonable repititions of precedent occurrences, raising the causes of vnkindnesse out of the circle of other mens distempred humours, or turbulency of spirit, it is sufficient that all the world may know; how contrary these procee­dings haue beene to your wholesome ad­uice, iudicious Councell, and pious incli­nation, so many wayes and times publi­shed, and made knowne to all Christen­dome: & as for his Imperial Maiesty they [Page 11]haue crossed his intents, opposed his of­fers, and made him sad againe to thinke there should be such occasions of displea­sure. I will therefore onely insist vpon this that your MAIESTIE may be assured and confident, that his Imperiall Maiestie hath an absolute worthy intent toward you, and resolueth sincerely, really, royally, and without cunning or fraud, to treat with you about these affaires, and so compasse businesse, that all tractates betweene you may be firmely ratified, and faithfully performed, wherin he doth but onely giue away vnto that, which your MAIESTIE formerly desired, and in all Princelinesse wished, as is apparant by your seuerall let­ters, and magnificent Embassie, and because it pleased his Maiestie of Spaine to appre­hend the same, and manifest his earnest willingnesse to this pacification. From his Imperiall Maiestie I haue a charge to giue you notice or as much, which when it pleaseth your MAIESTIE to vouchsafe the hearing, I shall at large impart vnto you, & make knowne with what readinesse both their Maiesties will hearken to your pro­positions, [Page 12]and as you shall thinke conue­nient tractate about the same: nor make they any question, but that the worke be­ing generally so good and charitable, and particularly so effectuall and profitable to all the Prouinces of Europe, will come to as happy an end, or period considering no­thing is ment but truth, sincerity, and the hope of indissoluble amity whereby God shall be glorified, all your Maiesties hono­red, the countries blessed, and people re­comforted, whose hearts are now sadded, as much with the feare of future misery, as the endurance of present clamity.

Thus humbly beseeching your Maiestie to beleeue, that his Imperiall Maiestie will endeauour by all possible meanes to giue you assurance of his loue and respect to­ward you. I am the bolder to warrant the sincerity of his intent, and that there is no­thing proposed but truth, faith, and good meaning. In which resolution he wisheth vnto your Maiestie the happinesse of your Kingly estate, and the prosperity of a long, and blessed raigne, with the encrease of ma­ny yeeres, health, honor, contentment, and felicitie.