No. III
Henry by the grace of God, King of England and France,
Defender of the Faith, and Lord of Ireland, to the Rev. Father in Christ,
Philip Villiers de L'Isle Adam, Grand Master of the Order
of Jerusalem.
Our most dear friend — Greeting:
Ambrosius Layton, our subject, and brother of the same
Order, has delivered to us your Reverence's letter, and from it we very well
understand the matters concerning the said Order, which your Reverence had
committed to his charge to be delivered to us ; but we have delayed to return an
answer, and we still delay, because we have understood that a general Chapter
of your whole Order will be held in a short time, to which we doubt not that
the more prudent and experienced of the brethren of the Order will come, and we
trust that, by the general wish and counsel of all of you, a place may be
selected for this illustrious Order which may be best suited for the imperial
support and advancement of the Republic, and for the assailing of the infidels.
When therefore your Reverence shall have made us acquainted with the place
selected for the said Chapter, you shall find us no less prompt and ready than
any other Christian prince in all things which can serve to the advantage and
support of the said Order.
From our Palace at
Fourth day (month omitted), 1526,
Your good friend,
HENRY REX.