My Lord: I have the honour to address to Your Eminent Highness the medal which I have lately had struck. It is an Homage of gratitude, my Lord, which is due to the interest you have taken in our cause and we no less owe it to your virtues and to Your Eminent Highnesses wise Administration of Government. Permit me, my Lord, to demand your protection for such of our citizens as circumstances may lead to your ports. I hope that Your Eminent Highness will be pleased to grant it to them and kindly receive the assurances of the profound respect with which I am, my Lord, Your Eminent Highnesses most humble and most obedient servant, B. FRANKLIN. _____ _The Grand Master of Malta to Benjamin Franklin._ (p. 092) To His Excellency B. FRANKLIN. Malta, 21 June, 1783. Sir: I received with the most lively sensibility the medal which Your Excellency sent me, and the value I set upon this acquisition leaves my gratitude unbounded. This monument of American liberty has a distinguished place in my cabinet. Whenever chance or commerce shall lead any of your fellow citizens or their vessels into the ports of our Island, I shall receive them with the greatest Welcome, they shall experience from me every assistance they may claim. I shall observe with infinite pleasure any growing connection between that interesting nation and my subjects, especially if it will tend to convince Your Excellency of the distinguished sentiments with which I am, Sir, Your Excellency's most affectionate servant, The Grand Master, ROHAN. No. 15. (p. 093) PLATE XV. _1784._ Benj. Franklin natus Boston. XVII Jan. MDCCVI. [Rx]. Eripuit coelo fulmen sceptrum que tyrannis. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. BENJ. FRANKLIN NATUS BOSTON. XVII JAN. MDCCVI. (_Benjamin Franklin natus Boston, 17 Januarii, 1706: Benjamin Franklin, born in Boston, January 17, 1706._) Bust of Franklin, facing the left. On edge of bust, DUPRÉ F. (_fecit_). ERIPUIT COELO FULMEN SCEPTRUM QUE TYRANNIS. (_He drew fire from heaven and wrenched the sceptre from tyrants._) A genius pointing with his right hand to a lightning-rod attracting the electric spark, and with his left to a broken crown and sceptre at his feet. Exergue: SCULPSIT ET DICAVIT AUG. DUPRÉ ANNO MDCCLXXXIV. (_Sculpsit et dicavit Augustinus Dupré, anno 1784: Engraved and dedicated by Augustin Dupré, in the year 1784_).[56],[57] [Footnote 56: See INTRODUCTION, pages x and xxiii.] [Footnote 57: For original documents, see No. 16, page 95.]