Elizabeth, by the grace of God Queen of England, France and [reland, Defender of the faitß etc. To our right trustie and welbeloued, the Maior and Sheriffes of our Cilie of London, greelfog. ') Aas A Treatise of Commerce by f. Whesler. London, 1601. 4. p. 91- Der Anhang ist nnr in der Deber- setzong aas den lübecker Acten bekannt .)

1598, Januar 13.

Wheras there hatb bin directed a commandment by the name of a Mandate, from the Romaine Em- perour to all Electors, Prelates, Earles and all other Officers and subiectes of the Empire, reciting sundry, complainles, made him by the allied Townes pf the Dutch Hanses in Germany, of diuers iniuries committed against them in our Realme, and like wise vpon complaint made by them against the companie of the Merchant Aduenturers, without hearing any answere to be made to the saide Hanse Townes in disproofe of their complaints, the same being most notoriously vniust and not to be mainleyned by any trueth: and yet neuertheles by this Mandate the English Merchants, namely the Merchant Aduenturers are forbidden to vse any trafficke of Merchandise within the Empire, but are commanded to depart from thence vpon paines, and to forbeare openly and secretly from all hauens and landing places, or to vse any commerce by water or by land in the Empire, vpon paine of apprehension of their persons and confiscation of their goods, with sundry other extreme sentences pronounced against our said subjects: berevpon, although we haue sent our letters expresly to the Emperor and to the Electors and other Princes of the Empire, declaring our opinion of this proceeding, to be vniustly prosecuted by the said Hanse Townes, and therefore haue required to haue the saide. Mandate either reuoked or suspended, yet being vncertaine what shall follow hereupon, we haue thought it agreeable to our honour in the meane time, to commaund all such as are here within our realme, appertaining to the said Hansetowns, situate in the Empire, and especially all such as haue any residence in our cilie of London, either in the house commonly called the Steelyard, or in any other place elsewhere, to forbeare to vse any maner of trafficke of merchandise or to make any con- traetes, and likewise to depart out of our dominions in like sort, as our subjects are commanded to depart out of the Empire, vpon the like paines, as are conteyned against our subiectes in the said Mandate. And for the execution of this our said Citie of London and the Sheriftes shall forthwith repaire to the house, called the Steelyarde, and calling before you such, as haue charge there of or do reside there, to giue them knowledge of this our determination and commaundement: charging them by the foure and twentieth day of this moneth (being the day that our merchants are to depart from Stade) they do depart out of this Realme: charging them also, that they giue knowledge thereof to such as be of any of the Hanse Townes belonging to the Empire, remaining to any part of our Realme, to depart likewise by the said day. And you the Maior and Sheriffes, calling vnto you two of the officers of our Customhouse, to take possession of the said house the said 24 day, to remain* in our custodie, vntill we shall vnderstand of any more fauourable course taken by the Emperour, for the restitution of our subiects to their former lawfull trade within the Empire. And this shall be your warrant for the execution of the premises. In witnesse whereof wee haue caused these our letters to be made patent. Witnesse our selfe at Westminster: the thirteenth of Januarie, in the for tieth yeere of our Reigne.

Anhang vom 16. d. M., betreffend die Hansestädte in Polen. Es ist zu verstehen, dass durch diess der königlichen Maj. Befehlich oder Mandat keinem von des Königs von Polen Unterthanen in diesem Reich residirend zu verharren verboten sei, sondern dass sie mögen bleiben und ihr Gewerb in diess Reich in gleicher Maasse treiben, als die Unterthanen von

24»

188 1598, Januar 26.

England zugelassen sein, ihren Handel in den Gebieten des Königreichs Polen fortzustellen, es sei denn Sache, dass Einige von gedachtem Königreich Polen wären, so von der Hanse zu sein vorwendeten, öffentlich Uberzeuget würden, dass sie mit den Hansestädten in der ungerechten und schmähaftigen Klage dem Kaiser Ubergeben gewilligel hetten, worauf die Kaufleute von England in einer Manirea aus Deutschland verbannet sein; zu solchen ist es keine Billigkeit andere Gunsten zu erzeigen, dann gegen den Kaufleuten von England in Deutschland vorgenommen werden mag. In der Rathsstuben zu Whitehall, den 15. Januarii, Anno 97.