A decorated border surrounds the inscription on the letter, featuring motifs of birds, flowers, and leaves. At the centre of the bottom is an incision for affixing a seal. On the reverse, the signature Ellis Leighton (secr.) appears. Dated 22 July 1664, this letter was sent in the same year by James, Duke of York, to the King of Ardra as a formal diplomatic attempt to establish English influence in West Africa through symbolic gift-giving. It referred to an accompanying crown as 'the Badge of the highest Authority,' a gesture intended to honour the king and foster favourable trade relations, particularly for access to enslaved Africans for the English slave trade. The aim was to legitimise England’s presence and outmanoeuvre rival European powers. However, the mission faltered when Dutch Admiral Michiel de Ruyter intercepted the ship carrying the letter and crown, seizing both as war trophies during a campaign to expel the English from African trading posts. Rather than securing an alliance, the letter became part of a Dutch mock ceremony and was later archived in Amsterdam, marking the collapse of England’s diplomatic efforts in Ardra at that time.