this proposal thought he should not let slip so fair an opportunity He writ a letter to his Brother at Algiers to send him immediately by Sea ten little Guns with all things requisite for them which his Brother did sending him five Galliots loaden with Artillery Powder and other Ammunition Barberossa having receiv'd them took a good quantity of provisions which he put upon Horses and began his march towards Tremesen Several Nations of Moors through whose Countries he pass'd submitted to him and some follow'd him in hopes of good booty But Aruch Barberossa finding himself got so far into the Country was afraid the King of Tunis who was driven out of his Kingdom might return with some Moors to recover it and prevent his retreat or that the General of Oran might come out with his forces and hinder his return All this hindred not his marching into the Country commanding his third Brother Isaac Beniioub to keep the City of Tunis with two hundred Musketters Turks and some Moors He march'd four leagues beyond Oran where he met with Abuziien King of Tremesen who knew nothing of the infidelity of his Subjects but hearing of Barberossa's advance he thought it fitter to meet him in the field with his forces then to expect him and suffer himself to be shut up in a City as not being over-confident of the Citizens of Tremesen His Army consisted of six thousand Horse and three thousand Foot As soon as both Armies were in sight they were set in order for an engagement The place was very fit for it was in the spacious Campagne about Aganel The fight began very furiously on both sides but Barberossa soon had the advantage by reason of the great number he had of small Shot and his small Guns so that the King 's best Troops were defeated and himself forc'd to retreat to Tremesen where the Citizens his Subjects took him Prisoner and cut off his Head before Barberossa got thither to whom they sent the Head by their Deputies with the Keys of the City promising him as they had done before submission Two days after he made his solemn entrance into Tremesen confiscating the Goods of the deceas'd King as well to pay his Souldiers as to make some Fortifications about the City for he conceiv'd his Neighbour-hood would not be well lik'd by those of Oran and to secure himself he immediately entred into a confederacy with Muley-hamet King of Fez promising him assistance against the King of Morocco against whom Muley-hamet was in open War conditionally that Muley-hamet would defend the Kingdom of Tremesen against their common enemies the Christians Barberossa to enjoy himself after his Victories resided the remainder of the year 1517. at Tremesen leaving for his Lieutenant at Algiers his second Brother Cheredin But it was the pleasure of Divine Justice at length to give a check to these great Successes for Barberossa's third Brother Isaac Benijoub who commanded the new Conquests at Tunis and other places through his extraordinary Exactions and Tyrannies become so odious to the Moors of the Country that they revolted and kill'd him with all his Turks except forty who thinking to make an escape were all cut to pieces Barberossa was extremely troubled at the Death of his Brother but desert'd his revenge to a fitter opportunity In September in the year 1517. came into Spain King Charls who afterwards was Emperour with a powerful Naval Army The Marquess of Comares advertis'd of his Arrival went in Person to wait on him and give him an account of what had pass'd in Africk And the Pyrat Barberossa growing daily more and more dreadful he advis'd his Majesty to quench that spreading fire And to animate his Majesty the more he carried along with him Abuchen-men King of Tremesen who had taken refuge at Oran and got of his Majesty ten thousand Souldiers to engage against Barberossa and the Turks Which the Pyrat hearing of sent for assistance to the King of Fez according to their mutual confederacy But seeing that the relief came not with the expedition he expected and that the Marquess of Comares was already got to Oran and marching with his Forces towards him he thought it his best course not depending on the relief from Fez to come out of Tremesen with fifteen hundred Turks and Andalusians Arquebusiers and five thousand Moorish Horse But considering that the said number of fifteen hundred Arquebusiers were not able to oppose ten thousand Christians for he had no great confidence of his Moorish Horse he resolv'd to continue at Tremesen expecting from day to day the relief from the King of Fez. But when the Marquess was come in sight of Tremesen Barberossa observ'd that the Citizens began to flinch from him whereupon he took a third resolution which was to get away with his Turks in the night time without giving any notice thereof to the Citizens and to make all the haste he could towards Algiers This resolution was prosecuted but at the first halt he made the Marquess having intelligence of it so speedily pursu'd him with some Fire-locks that he overtook him about eight Leagues from Tremesen at the passage of a River named Huexda Barberossa finding himself pursu'd so closely and his Turks kill'd made use of this Stratagem to gain time to cross the River He caus'd to be strew'd along the High-way great quantities of Money Plate and other things of great Value thinking by that means to amuse the Christians while he got over the River But that valiant Marquess encourag'd his Souldiers with so many urgent reasons that they slighted all those rich Baits to take Barberossa alive who as I said was at the River-side ready to cross it when the Christians furiously charg'd the retreating Turks Which Barberossa perceiving fac'd his Enemies resolving to Dye generously in Fight The fifteen hundred Turks and Barberossa among them defended themselves like Lions but in a short time they were all Kill'd and Barberossa also Thus ended all the great designs of Barberossa who first brought the Turks into Barbary and taught them the way to get Wealth out of the Western parts of the World laying the Foundations of what the Turks are to this Day possess'd of in Barbary The Marquess of Comares satisfi'd with this Victory return'd to Tremesen with the Head of the Tyrant on a Pike for a Trophey and without any opposition of the people put the King Abuchen-men in possession of his Kingdome Fourteen days after this defeat the King of Fez Abdeda came neer Milta with twenty thousand Moorish Horse to assist Barberossa But hearing of the defeat of his Army and his Death fearing the like misfortune he return'd the same way he came and the Marquess leaving the King of Tremesen re-establish'd in his Kingdome return'd to Oran Thus dy'd Aruch Barberossa after he had continu'd fourteen years in Barbary committing incredible out-rages on the Christians by Sea and doing the Moors of Barbary much greater mischiefs by Land For he
the Mediterranean there was a City called Jol which was rebuilt by Juba the Father of Ptolomy who chang'd the name of Jol into Jol-Caesaria affirming further that the said City had a little Island before the Port at the 37. degree of Elevation Whence it may be inferr'd that he speaks of Algiers inasmuch as there is no City on the Coast of Africk at the 37. degree which hath a little Island before the Port but this It is to be observ'd that we speak here of young Juba Son of King Juba the first of that name and Nephew or Grand-child to that great Boncho King of Mauritania This Juba of whom I speak was taken in the Battel wherein the forces of Pompey being retreated out of Africk were defeated by the Caesarian Party And this young Juba was carried to Rome fasten'd to the Emperor 's triumphal Chariot according to the custom of the Romans Being a young man he was brought up at Rome and prov'd so successful in his Studies that the Emperor Augustus not onely gave him his liberty but also married him to a daughter of Mark Anthony's and Cleopatra named Silenâ— Queen of Egypt as Suetonius affirms lib. 1. and for dowry gave him his Father's Kingdom to wit all Mauritania which at that time comprehended the Kingdoms of Morocco Trâ—â—ante Fez Tremesen Oran Tunis Algiers â—â—gy as far as Bona which is a vast space of a very fertile and rich ground Thence is it that Plutarch saies that Juba had a fortunate Slavery and as Suetonius affirmes lib. 2. Juba in acknowledgement of the kindness he had receiv'd and to continue in the Emperor's favour gave that City the name of Joâ—-Caesaria Whence it may easily be conjectur'd that this City was in that time a place of great account since Juba made choice of it among all those of his Kingdome to eternise the name of that glorious Prince Augustus Caesar since he Re-built it and kept his Court there as Pliny affirms lib. 5. ch 2. After Juba's Death Ptolomey his Son succeeded him in his Father's Kingdome But the Emperour Caligula caus'd him to be Kill'd and by that means became Master of all those Kingdoms dividing them into two Provinces calling the one Mauritania Tingitensis from the name of the City Tingis now called Tangiers according to Suetonius lib. 2. making that City the Metropolis of Mauritania Tingitensis and calling the other part Mauritania Caesariana taking that name from Jol-Caesaria inasmuch as that City was the Metropolis of that great Province In that met the Assembly which the Romans called Conventus Provinciarum and the Roman Governours kept their Residence there The Emperour Claudius who succeeded Caligula inrich'd that City with Roman Colonies with the same freedome and priviledges as the Citizens of Rome then had In the year of our Lord 427. Guntario and Genserico Kings of the Vandalls and Alans having subdu'd Spain pass'd into Africk destroy'd and sack'd the two Mauritania's especially the two Metropolitan Cities And in the year 697. the Alarbes or Arabians destroy'd in a manner all Africk but notwithstanding that second Destruction that City was still Inhabited and that by reason of its excellent Scituation For the Sea strikes against the Walls of it and a little Island distant from the City about a Bow-shot serves for a Port to it The Fortifications in that time were very good and the Soil very fertil by reason of a great many Springs which water the Gardens Whence it came that this City never wanted Citizens The change of the name of Jol-Caesaria was caus'd by the Alarbes who conquer'd Africk for they call'd it as indeed they do at present Algezir which signifies an Island inasmuch as there is a little Island before the City as if they meant by Algezir the City of the Island But in regard Foreiners cannot well pronounce the word Algezir the Italians and Spaniards call it Argil the French Alger and the English commonly Algiers When the Alarbes were absolute Masters of Africk and had made a division of all the Provinces Mauritania Caesariensis fell to the King of Tremesen to whom those of Algiers paid tribute a long time till one Albuferiz a very powerful King of Tunis became Master of the City of Bugy forcing even the King of Tremesen to be his Tributary The King of Bugy dying divided his Territories among his three Children and gave the youngest whose name was Habdulhaziz the City of Bugy making it as it were the Metropolis of that new Kingdom This King Habdulhaziz engag'd himself in a War against the King of Tremesen those of Algiers finding themselves incommodated by the War and considering that the King of Tremesen to whom they paid a great Tribute had no care of them nor Foâ—ces sufficient to defend them were oblig'd to pay Tribute to the King of Bugy and so they declar'd themselves enemies to the King of Tremesen This subjection lasted till the Count Pedro Navarro in the year of our Lord 1509. got for the King of Spain the Cities of Oran and Bugy Those of Algiers fearing the same success as Oran and Bugy thought it their best course to put themselves under the protection of the great Prince of the Alarbes named Selim Eutemi who had always Liv'd in the Campagnes about Algiers This Selim came and made his residence in the City of Algiers to defend it which he did for some years till the Turks by Tyranny became Masters of Algiers as shall be seen in the subsequent discourse How the City of Algiers came under the power of the Turks THe ordinary exercise of the Citizens of Algiers in that time was to play the Pyrats with their Barks with Oars and this exercise increas'd daily In the year 1592. in which King Ferdinand got the City of Granada great numbers of Moors pass'd as well from Granada as from Valentia and Arragon into Africk who had been brought up in Spain So that knowing the ways the Language and being vers'd in the business of War all their work was by perpetual Incursions to infest the Coasts of Spain Majorâ—a Minorca Ivica and the other Islands The City of Oran being reduc'd in the year 1509. as we said before King Ferdinand sent a powerful Fleet to destroy the City of Algiers with all Pyrats belonging to it and to clear the Sea of that barbarous Nation Those of Algiers seeing that Naval force ready to fall upon them submitted to the King of Spain obliging themselves to pay him an annual Tribute And whereas the main design was to destroy the Pyrats the Spaniards made a Fort within the City kept by a Captâ—in and two hundred Souldiers This place was always well furnish'd with Ammunitions and Provisions and kept both Pyrats and Citizens in awe As long as that great Monarch liv'd those of Algiers paid their Tribute and patiently endur'd the inconvenience of that Fort not presuming so much as to Mutter till the Death of that King which happen'd in the year
was the first who reduc'd them into that condition wherein they now are of being Subjects and as it were half Slaves to the Turks The news of Barberossa's death was soon carried to his younger Brother Cheredin Barberossa who Govern'd at Algiers It troubled him very much upon a double account both out of a consideration of the loss of his Brother and a fear that the victorious Marquess might come and besiege him in the City of Algiers Whereupon he was neer resolving to leave the place and to retire with twenty two Galliots towards the Levant But some Pyrats advis'd him to expect a while to see which way the victorious Christians would take their march And finding that the Marquess being return'd to Oran sent his Men aboard in order to their Transportion into Spain the Turkish Souldiers with the Pyrats chose Cheredin for their King and Captain-General of the Kingdome of Algiers And indeed he was a Person deserv'd to succeed his Brother Being possess'd of that Kingdom the first thing he did was to send a Galley with some Letters to the Grand-Seignor acquainting him with his Brother's death and desiring his protection and assistance against the Christians promising either to pay Tribute or put the Kingdom into his hands together withall he was possess'd of in Barbary The Grand Seignor hearing this news not onely return'd a favourable answer but also sent him an assistance of two thousand Turks accepting of the proffer he made him that the City of Algiers with its Territories should be put into his hands All these transactions happen'd about the beginning of the year 1519. The Reader may here see how and when the City of Algiers came into the hands of the Turks I thought it not besides my purpose to bring in this short History to undeceive those who imagin'd that Aruch Barberossa had made these acquests in Barbary as a General of the Grand Seignor's For what he did was upon his own account without any other title then that of a Pyrat by Sea and a Tyrant by Land In the year 1530. Cheredin finding himself incommodated by reason of the Fort which the Christians kept in the Island before the Port resolv'd to beat it down with Cannon-shot and afterwards to make a Port from the City to the Island which very design Aruch Barberossa had in the year 1516. For by reason of that Fort the Ships were oblig'd to secure themselves on one side of the City neer the Gate called Babazon where they lay in great danger to be cast away upon the least tempest Cheredin Barberossa began his enterprise upon the Fort with this stratagem Two young Lads Moors by his secret order went and delivered themselves to those of the Fort saying they would embrace the Christian Religion They were kindly entertain'd and the Captain who commanded the Fort named Martin de Vargas took them into the house and caus'd them to be Catechiz'd that they might receive the holy Sacrament of Baptism On Easter-day when the Governor and all his Souldiers were at Church these two Youths went up to the top of a little Tower whence they gave the signal to those of the City by a Flagg which being observ'd by a Servant-maid of the Governors she immediately went and acquainted her Master with the treachery who came presently out of the Church with all his Souldiers and fearing the enemies he put these two youths in prison and a while after caus'd them to be both hang'd up in an eminent place whence those of the City might see the spectacle Cheredin had soon notice of it and was extreamly incens'd thereat as if it had been done in derision of the Mahumetane Religion He sent a Boat to the Fort with a Renagado named Alcade Huali to tell the Governor that if he would deliver up the place he and his people should have good conditions otherwise they were to expect no mercy The Governor made answer that he was astonish'd that Cheredin Barberossa a person so highly esteem'd for his experience in military affairs did not consider that he had to do with Spaniards who value their honour above all things and laugh at the menaces of their enemies That he was further to know that he was of the House of Vargas that he glory'd not so much in the Nobility as his endeavors to imitate the Heroick vertues of his Ancestors and that therefore he would expect the utmost attempts of Cheredin Barberossa and do all he could to shew himself faithful to his God and his Prince Cheredin having receiv'd this answer took some great Guns out of a French Galion which chanc'd to lye before Algiers and some other pieces which had been cast there some months before for that purpose May 6. 1530. he rais'd a Battery which plaid fifteen days and nights without any intermission and the distance being but two hundred paces or thereabouts the Muskettiers also shot continually so that the sixteenth of May the Walls were almost broken down and a great number of the besieg'd kill'd or wounded Cheredin took one thousand three hundred Musketteers and Archers Turks in fourteen Galliots and being come to the Fort they landed without any obstacle For the Governor was wounded with fifty three of the Soldiers and the rest extreamly tyr'd out as may be easily conjectur'd having been sixteen days in continual alarmes The Captain Martin de Vargas yeelded up the place on certain conditions and after three months imprisonment he was without any reason bastinado'd to death in the presence of Cheredin Thus dy'd that valiant Captain carrying along with him to heaven the crown of Martyrdom and leaving to his Successors an example of valour and fidelity which vertues are so deeply rooted in that illustrious family that there are to this day in the Low-Countries Knights who are not onely heirs of that Noble House but also imitators of the Vertues of their Ancestors and such as are look'd upon all over the world as examples of Valour and Fidelity After the massacre of this brave Captain he employ'd the Christian Slaves to make a Moal from the City to the Fortress which was finish'd in two years Of the Scituation Strength and Government of the City of Algiers THe scituation of this famous Den of Pyrates is on the ascent of a mountain which rises by degrees from the Sea-side up into the Country representing to those who â—ail by it the several stories of a Theatre the variety of the Structures whereof a man hath as it were a full sight makes the prospect the more delightful Insomuch that there is no house but all the rest may be seen from it which way soever a man turns his eye when he is upon the Terraces wherewith they are covered They have also all of them this convenience that they have a prospect into the Sea as far as eye can see It is in a manner square and about three thousand paces in compass The Walls are of Brick built after the
antient way of fortification with little square Towers The Ditch about it is not above sixteen foot wide and about the depth of a Pike dry full of filth and ill kept having no fortifications without The whole City is commanded by the hills which encompass it and the Inhabitants can make no advantage of the Walls as to defence in regard there is no Champion behind them but the want of room in the City hath forc'd them to build houses on the Râ—mâ—arts which serves for one side of Walls The streets are very narrow and are chain'd up in the night time save onely the principal streets which runs cross the City from the Poâ—t of Babaloet between the Grand Mosquey and the Bassa's Palace to the Gate of Babazon which is not shut up There are many Mosqueys The Bassa's Palace is a publike structure for those who are advanc'd to that charge well built after the modern way of Architecture Since the year 1650. part of the Garrison is lodg'd in five great publick houses built square with a spacious Court in the midst which may serve for an Armoury They will contain each of them about six hundred Soldiers each whereof hath a room to himself not paying any thing for it But some of the best accommodated take lodgings in other great houses well built which they call Fondâ—cas and belong to private persons The Castle called Alcazabar is onely that part of the City which lies Southward divided by a Wall which begins at the Rampart on the East-side and reaches to that on the West About three hundred paces from the City there is in the Sea a little Island which in the year 1530. was joyn'd to the City by a Moale made for the safety of Ships and Gallies which about the beginning of the year 1662. was carryed away by a Tempest with the loss of many Vessels and Gallies There are also some inconsiderable Fortresses without the City whereof the chiefest is that built by Asan Bassa in the year 1545. about one thousand and seven hundred paces from the City on a Hill at the same place where the Emperor Charles V. had set up his Tent in the year 1541. Neer that place is the source of the Spring which supplies the City with fresh water which it does so plentifully that they need no other besides that and the rain water which is preserv'd in Cesterns It is convey'd by Arches and Pipes under ground which fill the Reservatories in divers places as well in the upper as lower part of the City even to the Gate at the water-side where all the branches fall into one great Channel which conveyes the rest of the water into the Sea and there the Gallies and other Vessels take in their provisions of water At every Reservatory or Conduit there is a Cock with a dish standing by for the convenience of those who would drink Those who come to these Conduits for water take it in their Turns save onely the Jews who are to give way to every Slave who comes after them and to be serv'd last of all The water which falls to the ground is receiv'd into holes neer those Conduits and is convey'd into Common-Shores under ground which carry away the filth of the Privyes about the City all whith fall into these Shores and meet together in one neer the three Gates of the Store-houses where all falls into the Sea The hundred thousand Souls which inhabit this City are divided into twelve thousand Souldiers Turks belonging to the ordinary Garrizon thirty or fourty thousand Slaves of all Nations and the rest Citizens of Algiers Moors Moriscoes and Jews and some Christian-Merchants The chief Governour of all these is the Bassa who takes it not unkindly to be flatter'd with the title of Sultan He acknowledges a kind of subjection to the Grand-Seignor in words but makes little account of his orders Pass-ports or the Treaties he hath concluded with other Soveraign Princes if he hath not agreed to them himself The Soldiery is more dreadful to him then the Grand-Seignor Accordingly his greatest work is to see them punctually pay'd at every new Moon for if he delay it three hours after it is due he is in danger of being Massacred or at least imprison'd This is done out of the Tributes which the Alarbes and some petty Princes Moors about Algiers pay him as also out of the contributions of the people and his proportion of the Prizes The Bassa is also to be careful that he take no more then his due for fear of incensing the Soldiery which prognosticates certain death to him as it did in the year 1661. in the month of September to Ramadan Bassa whose throat with twenty eight persons of his Councel were cut by the Soldiers and their bodyes cast to the Dogs in the Streets for having caus'd to be adjudg'd to himself a greater proportion of a prize of Wheat then was due to him The rest of the Councel being forc'd to the water-side got into a Fisher-boat and put off from land to avoid the fury of the mutinous Soldiery but they were taken by the Malteses After this exploit the soldiers took out of prison another Bassa whom they had imprison'd some years before because they were not punctually paid and re-advanc'd him to the Government exhorting him to do righteous things which yet he forgot within three days after thinking of nothing so much as to be reveng'd of an Aga who had prosecuted his former imprisonment and to execute his design he promis'd ten thousand Patacoons to two soldiers to kill his enemy which they undertook and went with that resolution to the Aga's and desir'd to speak with him The Christian Slave who spoke to them judging by their countenances and the Scimitars they had contrary to the custome of Soldiers who wear onely long Skeenes when they walk about the City that they were engag'd upon some lewd attempt made answer that his Patron was gone abroad though he were not and went presently and gave his Master an account of all who having discover'd the Bassa's design made his complaints to the Souldiers who mutiny'd seiz'd his person and shut him up between four walls without any covering where he had onely room enough to sit down with a hole to put him in some meat The Aga thank'd the soldiers for the speedy justice they had done offering himself to be their Bassa with a promise to augment their pay by a Double a month which they accepted The necessity of this punctual payment obliges the Bassa to endeavour the getting of mony above all things by hook or by crook by breach of Treaties or a wrong interpretation thereof This last reason was the cause that his Majesty of Great Brittain in August 1661. sent his Admiral the Earl of Sandwich with eighteen Men of War to lye before Algiers to demand reparation for that the Pyrates had taken out of the Vessels of his Subjects some persons who were not English
with him at noon on what he should get between that time and the hour appointed to set their Jaw-bones a-grinding One day about ten in the morning he invited my Companion R. Saldens to dine with him conditionally he would take a turn with him about the City Fontimama carry'd Saldens among some Jews changers of money whereof there are many at Algiers taking up their standings in the Streets with a little Table where they change Patacoons and half-Patacoons into Aspers making some small gain by that exchange Fontimama ask'd for Aspers for a half-Patacoon shewing a piece which was good he help'd the Jew to tell them and after they had done he proffer'd the Jew a counterfeit piece The Jew who knew money well enough would have his Aspâ—rs again which he could not so get but that some stuck to the hands of that crafty thief From him they went to another Jew and so to another till at last he had done his work so well that about noon Fontimama return'd to the Bath with a couple of Pullets and money enough to procure their skins full of Wine Another time being in our Patron 's Galley on the Coast of Barbary before a place called Terrevecchia Fontimama with some other slaves were sent ashore to take in fresh water for the Galley The Alarbes Inhabitants of the Country came presently about the Slaves asking them whether they had any Iron to sell for it is very dear about that place and the slaves sometimes sold them Nails and such pieces of old Iron Fontimama's Companions having sold all they had the buyers told their Neighbours that they had bought Iron of the slaves of the Galley Two Alarbes hearing there was Iron to be had pretty cheap 〈◊〉 to the Sea-side to buy some and address'd themselâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Fontimama who told them he had some to sell and thereupon sold them the Anchor of the Galley for five Patacoons He receiv'd the money and said to them Friends it is impossible for you two to carry so heavy a burthen go and call some of your neighbours and I will help you also The innocent Alarbes went to get the assistance of their Neighbours in the mean time Fontimama got into the Galley and put a Plaister over one of his eyes Thâ— two Merchants return'd accompany'd by twenty Alarbes to carry away the Anchor and began to undo the Cable for it was the greatest Anchor of all and then aboard the Galley Alli Pegelin who was lay'd down to rest himself at the Poop saw those Alarbes at the Prow of his Galley quarrelling with the Turkish soldiers who would not suffer them to carry away the Anchor One told Pegelin the story how that Fontimama had sold the Anchor He gave order in the first place that that crue of Alarbes should be sent packing out of the Galley which was immediately put in execution with good Bulls-pizzles The Alarbes being sent away with good store of bangs instead of the Anchor Pegelin ask'd Fontimama why he had sold the Anchor of the Galley being not his to dispose of Fontimama reply'd that he thought the Galley would go better being discharg'd of that weight All the Galley could not forbear laughing at that answer and Fontimama kept the five Patacoons There was in the same Bath a Brabander named Frâ—ncis de Vos but he was otherwise call'd the Student He did not belong to Pegelin but by order from his Patron and Pegelin's permission he liv'd in the Bath having an Iron chain 〈◊〉 hundred weight at his leggs that he might not stir thence which was done to hasten the payment of his ransom This man was a kind of Secretary to the slaves of the Low-Countries Dunkirk and Hamborough being always employ'd in writing of Letters for them without any other reward save that he would accept of a dish of drink And whereas he was by reason of his Letters always accompany'd by Flemings and Dutch-men who came to him and made him drink for his pains when he had done he made a shift to subsist by that means For the Taverner at whose Lodge he wrote found him meat all that day in requital of the advantage he made by selling his Wine to those who employ'd him There was also a French Cavalier who had been six years in slavery yet had not receiv'd a peny out of his Country He was always well clad for a slave did eat and drink of the best and many times invited his Companions to dine with him He had great acquaintances among the French-Renegadoes who lent him money at interest he being oblig'd to repay it at a certain time But to pay some he took up mony of others upon the same termes Now all the Renegadoes being soldiers and always abroad in the wars by Sea and Land it happen'd that some of his Creditors died every year and they having no Relations Wives or Children the Debt was paid at their deaths And though there were some obligation in writing it signify'd nothing for the Cavalier being a slave the obligation was of no force I knew a Spaniard whom I shall here call Rodrigo a person who though far from being valiant yet liv'd by the reputation of his sword that is a kind of a Hector These people in Spanish are called Vendevuidas This Rodrigo got his livelihood by composing differences between the Slaves bringing them to drink together after they were reconciled and making good cheer among them But it was his main business to set the Spaniards together by the ears and afterwards to mediate between them and take his share of the drink at their argeement Rodrigo would be always haunting the Taverns of the Bath where he thought the greatest Drunkards resorted for commonly when the reckoning came to be paid there was some dispute between the drunken Turks and the Christian Taverner Rodrigo compos'd those differences with a Spanish gravity saying Gentlemen it is sufficient that a person of my rank and quality says it And when the Turks would not pay the Taverner Rodrigo gave notice of it to the Guardian who presently lock'd up the Bath and when the drunken Turks drew their Knives Rodrigo came behind them with a Ladder and getting the Turks head between the rounds laid him all along which he might do to part them for a Christian is not to strike a Turk upon pain of death and then the Guardian came in and caus'd the Turk to pay or made him leave something in pawn For such services as these was Rodrigo much esteem'd among the Taverners of the Bath having for his reward a good supper There was a Muscovite among us about fourscore years of age not able to do any thing of hard labour as having been bruis'd He made clean the necessary house of the Bath and every week went a begging of alms of the Slaves for his pains With what was given him he made a shift to subsist There was also a young Lad a Hamburgher who at his being taken had lost
I took you to be I shall keep my word as I have done with several other persons naming to me among others a Merchant of Genua called Marco Antonio Falconi But as I have said elsewhere the treaty concerning my ransom was put off for some days and I return'd to the Bath The same night I enquir'd of some slaves of my acquaintance wheâ—her our Patron had kept his word with his slaves when they had agreed with him and what was the story of Marco Antonio Falconi of whom he had spoken to me They told me that they had been Eye-witnesses of it against their wills for they then row'd in the Galley and they told me the whole story to this effect A Genua-Merchant who had resided long at Cadiz in Spain where he had carryed on a great Trade being grown very rich and having but one child a Daughter thought it time to give over trading and return into his Country He set all things in order and embark'd himself with his Daughter who was about nine years of age in a Brigantine They always kept in sight of land for fear of meeting with the Turkish Pyrates Being on the coast of Valentia Pegelin whose Gallies were thereabouts discovers the Brigantine at a great distance and gave order for the chasing of her Those of the Brigantine endeavour'd all they could with the help of Sails and Oars to get to land but the Gallies by reason of their abundance of Rowers being come within Musket-shot of the Brigantine the Genua Merchant and the Marriners cast themselves into the Sea and made a shift to swim a shore and the young Girle was onely left in the Brigantine Some Turks by Pegelin's order went into the Brigantine to bring it away The Merchant being got ashore and seeing his Daughter in the hands of the Turks went as far as he could into the Sea and holding up his Handkercher made a sign to the Gallies to come and take him in The Turks were astonish'd to see such a thing and Pegelin himself who sent out the Boat for him The Voluntary-prisoner was brought before the General Alli Pegelin who jeering him ask'd why having so fortunately escap'd he would of his own accord come into slavery which makes the most confident to tremble The Merchant perceiving that he who spoke to him was the General began this speech in the Italian Language which Pegelin understood very well Your Excellency is astonish'd to see me voluntarily render my self up a slave a condition which men by a natural instinct have all the reason in the world to fear But the reason I shall give your Excellency will take away that astonishment I am a Merchant of Gâ—nua I have traded some years in Spain and I thought to retire with this Daughter my onely childe into my Country Your Excellency hath made her your prisoner and you have taken me with her for though it seem'd that I had escap'd yet was I more a Prisoner then she by my Fatherly affection And therefore I thought fit to render my self to you and if your Excellency will set me at a ransom I will pay it if I can if not the satisfaction of having done what I ought for my daughter will make me the more easily support the difficulties and inconvencies of slavery Pegelin having attentively harkened to his discourse said to him You shall pay for the ransome of your self and your Daughter six thousand Patacoons The Genoese immediately reply'd I will do it There was in the Galley a Genoese slave who desir'd to speak with the General which being told Pegelin he was admitted and said to him I know this prisoner very well he is my Country-man I have heard that he pays your Excellency six thousand Patacoons but he is able to pay four times as much Pegelin reply'd Parola de mi e parola de mi that is My word iâ— my word This shews that Turks and Infidels keep their words to the shame of Christians who many times take occasion to break theirs RELATION XX. None so cautious but Wine and Women may betray A Gentleman of one of the most illustrious families of Portugal whom we shall here call Dom Oenophilo had been engag'd in many Duels and differences But every one being blind in his own passion he must needs have committed many great miscarriages for notwithstanding his great quality he had been twice sentenc'd to death at Lisbon and yet by the intercession of that powerful Advocate Mr. Mony which sometimes interprets the Laws as he pleases and with the assistance of his Friends D. Oenophilo was twice pardon'd In the year 1637. he was further accus'd of some Murther and to avoid the rigor of the Law he embark'd in the nigh-time with his wife to go for the Indies the common Sanctuary of the Portuguez Malefactors Having been some days at Sea the Ship was taken by the Turkish Pyrats and Dom Oenophilo and his Wife were sold to a Moor named Cagarino This new slave agreed with his Patron for the ransoming of himself and his wife conditionally that he should remain as a Hostage and that his wife should return home at liberty to send over the ransom His wife was sent away and he devoutly expected the mony and being not oblig'd to work as the other slaves were Idleness found him somewhat to do for he fell in love with his Patroness and not daring at first to discover his affection he sate down in hopes of a convenient time to do it It happen'd that he made acquaintance with two Knights of Malta who were French-men and slaves These observing in Dom Oenophilo a great judgement noble education and an extraordinary natural eloquence it so far heightned their friendship that the two Knights invited Dom Oenophilo to drink a glass of wine and press'd him to take a greater dose of it then he was wont to do in Portugal Having his head full of wine and his mind of Love he return'd home and began to court his Patroness His Patron coming in and surprising him at it fell upon the Gallant and gave him two or three good cuffes o th' ear Dom Oenophilo who was no more circumspect in his slavery then he had been when he was at liberty return'd the blows in the same coin together with the interest His Patron incens'd upon a double account as well for the blows he had receiv'd as for what had pass'd between him and his wife being mad to be reveng'd for that double affront ran streight to the Bassa's Palace and made his complaints requiring that according to the Turkish Laws he should be burnt alive Order was given to the Sauses who are the Officers of Justice to bring the Criminal before the Tribunal to answer for himself Dom Oenophilo being brought before the Bassa he said to him You are accus'd for having beaten a Turk and which is worse your Patron and according to the Laws of this Country you are either to renounce the
some call'd Ho ho for Tituan and it was the same which had been sent to receive them Hans Maurus notwithstanding all his experience and skill in Sea-matters was seiz'd by a Panick fear and said to his Companions Ly down on the ground they are Fisher-men of Tituan we shall be secur'd and beaten In the mean time the boat had cross'd two or three times by the place appointed and reiterated the aforesaid cry striking on a Steel the signal agreed upon between them whereto those ashore were to answer with the like noise But those in the boat seeing no body appear and considering that it was within an hour of day as also that the watch on the Coast of Tituan had perceiv'd them and given the signal to the City by a fire resolv'd to be gone The going away of the boat satisfy'd the Knight and Hans Maurus that those of Ceuta had made the appointed signal whereupon they began to strike with the Steel and to call upon them but all to no purpose and too late so that perceiving their design was discover'd they made their retreat without any noise towards Tituan getting into the City at several Gates where they understood that that night there had been an alarm in the City and that a party of horse had been commanded out into the Country by reason of a fire which had been made by the watch on the Sea-side This body of Horse consists of Citizens who to enjoy some priviledges and the title of imaginary soldiers oblige themselves upon any alarm to ride out into the Country and engage any enemy they meet with All this had pass'd yet so as that those of Tituan knew nothing of the occasion of it nor did they much enquire after it in regard the alarms are very frequent there by reason they are so near neighbours to the City of Ceuta Yet were the Undertakers still in some fear of being discover'd and could not forbear quarrelling at Hans Maurus who had occasion'd the miscarriadge of their design whereat he was so troubled and became so melancholy to think that by his mistake himself and his Companions had miss'd so fair an opportunity of recovering their liberty that he fell sick Yet did his Companions assist him all they could and concern'd themselves as much as might be in the recovery of his health but perceiving he grew every day worse and worse and that whatsoever was administred to him did little good they bethought themselves of endeavouring the welfare of his soul To that end the Knight who knew that Hans Maurus had led a morally good life and that he feared God made it his business to exhort him to renounce Lutheranism and to embrace the Roman-Catholick Religion discoursing with him concerning the difference of those perswasions as he had done several times before Hans Maurus being a person not much acquainted with Letters and the Knight no great Divine he took occasion to remonstrate to him that being born in Norway he had follow'd the Lutheran Religion without any enquiry into the Romane-Catholick that the former was a new and the other the ancient way surpassing the inventions of Luther by fifteen ages and that the latter had been follow'd by his Ancestors whom it would be impious for him to believe damn'd for that and that they were rather wiser then he that he had often said while he was in health that he would do better if he knew what were better that it now concern'd him to think seriously of his conscience and that to that end he would bring him a Priest who would tell him more and that more effectually This discourse made to him in the extremity of his sickness wrought this effect on Hans Maurus that he acknowledg'd to the Knight that it was true he had been exhorted to follow the steps of his Ancestors but that he thought there was so little difference between both Religions that he conceiv'd he might safely enough persevere in his own but since he was now in treated by his friends whom he knew to be real sincere to consider seriously of it he desir'd that a Priest might come to him to give him satisfaction in some doubts The Knight immediately sent for a Religious Dominican a Spaniard and a slave who satisfy'd the doubts of Hans Maurus and undeceiv'd him so that he became a Roman-Catholick made his Confession and communicated with great fervency to the great satisfaction of the Christian slaves who were present and the second day after his conversion he dy'd In this conversion may be seen the goodness of God who gave Maurus the grace to profess the Catholick Faith in recompence of his moral Vertues and good life by a strange accident whereby he was depriz'd of his experience and skill on Saint James's day which made him loose his corporal liberty to give him the incomparable liberty of enjoying the sight of God Eight days after Maurus's death the Knight paid his ransom and went to Ceuta and thence by the way of Gibraltar to Madrid where having receiv'd rewards from his Catholick Majesty he went thence to the Low-Countries having suffer'd greater miseries then any of us though we had been made slaves at the same time And he who shall attentively consider all our Knight did will find that humane Prudence is subject to strange oversights and miscarriages and that God onely is the disposer and director of all human actions RELATION XXXIX What happen'd between my Companion in slavery M. Caloen and his old Patroness THe condition of slaves implies in it self a necessity of their suffering of somewhat from the hands of their Patrons but on the contrary M. Caloën made his Patroness endure many inconveniences I have said elsewhere that an old Moorish Dame had bought him at fourteen hundred Patacoons to be exchang'd for her Grand-son Mustapha who was in the power of Caloën's friends The payment of that sum troubled the old woman as if it had been so many drops of blood got out of her dry'd carkass never considering that it was for the redemption of one so neerly related to her The coverous woman thought to ease her self of some part of the grief by finding out some invention to make M. Caloën to pay seven hundred Patacoons besides the exchange of her Grand-son and this busied her brains day and night One while she resolv'd to use violence but fearing her Mustapha might receive the same treatment she forbore it another she imagin'd that to represent to him how much he had cost her would be a more likely way to compass her design since that it was indeed done as much for M. Caloën's liberty as for her Mustapha's so that it was but just he should pay his proportion but the fear of being laugh'd at and making him more obstinate after she should acquaint him with her intention made her resolve rather to be silent While she was troubled with this diversity of resolutions an Edict was publish'd that all