“Many wars, carried on by my ancestors, the kings of France, and many victories gained by them, as well over their neighbors as over distant kingdoms, having been followed by profound peace, the merchants of my kingdom, who trade throughout Europe, have taken occasion very humbly to beg me to open for them the way into other parts of the world to sail and to trade thither like the other European nations; and I have the rather inclined to accede to their request, from its being seconded by the wishes of the princes and nobles among my subjects, and by my own curiosity to be exactly informed of the manners and customs of the great kingdoms exterior to Europe, of which we have hitherto known nothing but from the narratives of our neighbors who have visited the East. I have, therefore, to satisfy as well my own inclination as the prayers of my subjects, determined to send deputies into all the kingdoms of the East; and as my envoy to your high and sovereign majesty, I have selected _Francis Caron_, who understands Japanese, and who has many times had the honor of paying his respects to your majesty, and of audience from you. For that express purpose I have caused him to come into my kingdom, knowing him very well to be of good extraction, though by misfortunes of war stripped of his property; but re-established by me in his former condition, and even elevated in honor and dignity, to make him more worthy to approach your high and sovereign majesty with all due respect. An additional motive for selecting him was fear lest another person, from ignorance of the wise ordinances and customs established by your majesty, might do something in contravention of them, and so might fall under your majesty’s displeasure; whence I have judged the said Francis Caron the most capable to present my letter and my requests, with such solemnities as might secure for them the best reception on the part of your majesty, and to make known my good affection and my frank desire to grant to your sovereign majesty whatever you may ask of me, in return for the grant of what I ask: which is, that the merchants of my kingdoms, who have united themselves into a company, may have free commerce throughout your majesty’s empire, without trouble or hindrance. I send you the present of trifling value here noted.... I hope it may be agreeable to your majesty, and that some things useful to your majesty may be found in my country, of which I voluntarily leave open and free all the ports. “At Paris, the twenty-fourth year of my reign [1666]. “THE KING LOUIS.”