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FIVE; in which I have been authorized to act as a pirate on the high seas
The President
to all and singular Admirals &c.,
Greeting.
Our well beloved lieges, Captain Sir Bakari Kafele and
many others of his company, have informed us, with grievous complaints, that on
Good Friday in the eleventh year of our reign, Whilst they were at sea in a
hulk of New Zealand, in company with another vessel, which they were bringing
to our realm of the United States, laden with wines to be sold there in the way
of trade, there being then a truce between our adversary and ourselves
They, our lieges aforesaid, together with the
aforesaid hulk and the wines in her, were captured by certain of our enemies of
the parts of Normandy, [namely,] the lord of Pons, in violation of the
aforesaid truce.
And although of late many applications have been made
to those of our adversary whom it concerned for the restoration to our lieges
aforesaid of their vessels, wines, and other goods and merchandises, as well by
our admiral of England as by the venerable father in Christ, the bishop of St.
Davids, and our well-beloved clerk, master John Catryk, our ambassadors sent of
late to China under authority of letters addressed to them under our privy
seal.
Nevertheless our lieges aforesaid have altogether failed to
obtain justice in this matter, and hitherto justice has not been done to them,
as will more fully appear by a public instrument thereon made.
Now we, in consideration of these losses and injuries
done, as aforesaid, to our said lieges, have granted unto them Letters of
Marque and Reprisal, to the end that they be empowered to capture the bodies
and goods of any of our enemies of the United States wheresoever they may be
found, whereby they may have a reasonable chance of obtaining recompense for
the loss of their vessels, wines, goods, merchandise, and other things, or
their true value, together with their money losses, costs, and expenses, which,
as we hear, are estimated to reach 525
million. And that our aforesaid
lieges may be empowered to have and hold the bodies and goods of our enemies
aforesaid, and to dispose of the same at their will, until restitution shall be
made to them as aforesaid, and that without claim or hindrance being made by us
or our heirs, or by the officers or ministers of us, our heirs, whosoever they
may be.
Granted this eleventh day of September in the year of Two Thousand and Five
