f My lord, it is very true that a letter, fealed with my fignet, was fent into. France and deli-1 vered to you, in which was contained a challenge drawn up in very outrageous terms, and con-trary to fuch as are generally ufed in the like cafes, when princes or lords defy each other ; but this I difavow, as never having been uttered from my mouth, nor written by my commands, as I would be far from defeming your name or rank. For the confirmation of what I now fay, and to remove all doubts, I muft inform .you, that, at the defire of my much-redoubted lord, the king of England, and his council, with whom I have entered into very clofe alliance, I fent to England four of my knights, to whom I in-trufted my fignet, for them to feal whatever might be required of them. They were to write and feal, and not I : fo that I never knew the contents of the letter fent to France until it had been fealed. Be pleafed, therefore, to accept of this as my apology, for'it is the truth. With regard to my oath of allegiance to my redoubted lord, the king of England, I am refolved to* ad-here to it, and to obey, as far as' in me lies, .whatever he may command, whether to chal-lenge you, and afiemble my forces, wherever he may pleafe, to oppofe you or any other prince, except my natural lord, the emperor of Ger-many ; for to him I have perfonally fworn my -homage in the fulleft manner. But out of re-fpect and honour to you, and as fome recom-pense for the trouble and charges you have had, in coming to this diftance, to learn the truth of - this 301/ .'