ARTICLES OF PEACE Between His Sacred MAJESTY, CHARLES THE SECOND, KING of Great Britain, France and Ireland, &c. and the City and Kingdom of Algiers, concluded by Thomas Allen Esquire, Admiral of His said Majesty of Great Britain's Ships in the Mediterranean Seas, according to Instructions received on that behalf from His Royal Highness the Duke of York and Albany, Earl of Ulster, Lord High Admiral of England and Ireland, &c. Constable of the Castle of Dover, Lord Warden of the Cinque-Ports, and Governour of Portsmouth, &c. Being the same Ar­ticles concluded by Sir John Lawson Knight, on the 23. of April, 1662. and afterwards more so­lemnly confirm'd on the 10. of November following, and since ratified by the Grand Signior.

EDINBURGH, Re-printed in the year, 1664.

PREFACE.

IT is not needfull to say much concerning the late agreement betwixt His Sacred Majesty Charles the Second, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, &c. and the City and Kingdom of Al­gier; (the Articles whereof are in these follow­ing Papers, word for word exhibited) For certain­ly, that man is very little read in the world, who sees not how much this Peace imports the benefit and security of the English Commerce, and no less the honour of the English Nation; especially considering the start it has given us of our powerfull Neighbours, who are still labouring under great trouble, charge and difficulty with those people: and the Accord is yet more glorious, if we observe the time wherein it was made; that is to say, it was made at a time when the English lay patiently exposed to all the inconveniences, which ei­ther the Fables or the Councils of Holland could give them; menaced in the very Channel by an open Force, and deserted in the Mediterranean after such a manner, that we are loth to make use of a word, answerable to the quality of the action: the Hollanders having first invited us into a conjunct engagement with them, and afterward not only quitting the place by stealth and surprize, but invading at the same time our Rights in Guine: And yet so it is at last, that notwithstanding all these practises and disappointments, we have now liv'd to see the Hollanders swallow their own resolutions, by with-drawing their Shipping, and contenting themselves with the blind Passage of the North, rather then adventuring to give his Royal Highness the Lord High Admiral of England, the un-mannerly provocation of pres­sing through the Channel. And we ha [...] likewise liv'd to injoy the Fruits of that Peace, which others have in vain attempted; and not only so, but to fee our selves acquitted of the guilt of the [...] by a solemn Declara­tion of the Government it self of Algier, and the breath charg'd upon the tumults and disorders of their own Subjects: they themselves not sticking publickly to avow, that an agreement with England was to them so neces­sary, that they were not able to maintain an entercourse and correspondence without it.

This being the sum and state of that Affair, gives sufficiently to under­stand, how great a care His Majesty hath of the reputation and welfare of His people, and of the true interest of the English Crown and Nation. And it is our further happiness, that the Orders and Directions of so wise and gracious a Prince, are committed into the hands of suitable Officers and Ministers, as hath been manifested throughout the whole course and con­duct of this Transaction.

Articles of Peace between His Sacred Majesty, CHARLES the II. King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, &c. and the City and Kingdom of Algiers, concluded by Thomas Allen Esquire, Admiral of His said Maje­sty of Great Britain's Ships in the Mediterranean Seas, &c.

I. THat from this day, and for ever forward, there be a good and firm Peace between His Sacred Ma­jesty, the King of Great Britain, &c. and the Bassa, Duan, and Governours of Algiers, and the Dominions thereunto belong­ing; And the Ships, Subjects, and People on either party, shall not do or offer any Offence or Injury to each other, but treat one another with all possible respect and friendship; And any Ships belonging to the King of Great Britain, &c. Or any of His Majesties Subjects may freely come to the Port of Algiers, and buy and sell as in former times: And also unto any other Port that belongs to the Go­vernment of Algiers, paying the Custome of 10 per Cent. as in former times; And no man within the Jurisdiction of Algiers shall give the Subjects of His said Majesty, a bad word, or a bad deed, or a bad action.

II. That all Ships, as well those belonging to His Sacred Ma­jesty, the King of Great Britain, &c. and any of His Majesties Subjects, as those belonging to Algiers, shall freely pass the Seas, and Traffique without any search, hinderance, or molesta­tion whatsoever.

III. That all Subjects of the King of Great Britain, &c, now Slaves in Algiers, or any of the Territories thereof, be set at liberty, and delivered upon paying the price they were first sold for in the Market; And for the time to come, no Subjects of His Majesties be bought or sold, or made Slaves of in Algiers, or its Territories.

IV. That if any Ship of Tunis, Tripoly, or Sally, or any other, do bring any Ship, Men, or Goods belonging to any of the Sub­jects of His Majesty, the King of Great Britain, &c. into Algiers, or any of the Ports thereunto belonging, the Gover­nours there shall not permit them to be sold within the said Ter­ritories.

V. That any Merchant of the Subjects of the King of Great Britain, &c. dying in Algiers, or its Territories, his Goods, or Money shall not be seized by the Bassa, Aga, or any other Minister, but remain with the English Consul.

VI. That the English Consul that lives in Algiers be allow­ed a place to pray in, and no man to do him, or any of his said Majesties Subjects any wrong or injury in word or deed what­soever.

VII. That in case any of His said Majesties Subjects should happen to strike a Turk, or a Moor, if he be taken, let him be pun [...]shed, but if he escape, nothing shall be said to the English Con­sul, or any other of His said Majesties Subjects upon that account.

VIII. That if any Ships of War of His said Majesties, shall come into Algiers, or other the Ports of that Govern­ment, with any Prize, they may sell and dispose of it at their own pleasure, without being molested by any, and that they be not oblieg'd to pay Customes in any sort; And if the said Ships of War shall want Provision, Victuals, or any other things, they may freely buy it at the rate in the Market.

IX. That any Ships belonging to the Subjects of His Majesty, the King of Great Britain, &c. coming into Algiers, or any [Page 6]of the Ports in its Territories, shall, for such Goods as they sell, pay the dues according to Custome, and the Goods they sell not, they shall freely carry on board, without paying duties for the same.

X. That no Ship-wrack belonging to His said Majesty, or any of His Subjects, on the Coast belonging to Algiers, shall become Prize, and that neither the Goods be forfeited, nor the Men made Slaves, but that the People of Algiers shall do their best endeavours to save them and their Goods.

XI. That the Consul, or any other Subject of His Sacred Majesty, be not bound to pay the debts of any other English Man, unless he become Surety.

XII. That no Subject of the King of Great Britain, &c. in matter of Difference shall be liable unto any other Judgment, but that of the Duan.

XIII. That the Subjects of His said Majesty, in difference among themselves, shall be subject to no determination, but that of the Consul.

XIV. That no Merchant, nor other Subject of His said Ma­jesties, being a Passenger, in, or unto any Port, shall be molested, or medled with.

And for the better practising of the second Article, according to the true intent and meaning thereof, It is agreed, that the Algiers Ships of War meeting any Merchant Ships, belonging to the Subjects of the King of Great Britain, &c. not being in any of the Seas appertaining to His Majesties Dominions, have liberty to send one single Boat with but two Sitters, more then the common crew of Rowers; and no more to enter the said Merchant Ship but the two Sitters, without the express leave of the Com­mander of the said Merchant Ship; that upon producing unto them a Pass under the Hand and Seal of the Lord High Admiral of England, the said Boat do presently depart, and the Merchant Ship to proceed on his Voyage; and although the Commander of the said Merchant Ship produce no Pass from the Lord High Admiral of England, yet if the major part of the Ships Compa­ny be Subjects to the King of Great Britain, &c. the said Boat shall presently depart, and the Merchant Ship proceed freely, and so though there be Strangers, and their Goods on Board, [Page 7]they shall be free, both they and their Goods; And any Ship of His Majesty, the King of Great Britain, &c. meeting with any Ships of Algiers, if the Commander shall produce a Pass firm'd by the chief Governours of Algiers, and the major part of the Ships Company be Turks, Moors or Slaves, then the Al­gier Ship to proceed freely; and though there be Strangers and their Goods on board, they shall be free, both they and their Goods.

That presently after the Signing and Sealing these Articles by the Governours, or chief Authority of the City and Kingdom of Algiers, all Injuries and Damages sustained on their part shall be quite taken off and forgotten, and this Peace shall be in full Force and Virtue. And for all Damages and Depredations, that shall be afterwards done and committed by either side before notice can be given of this Peace, there shall be full satisfaction made, and whatsoever remains in kind be restored.

That if any Grievances happen on either side, it shall not be lawfull to break the Peace till satisfaction be denyed.

Signed and Sealed in the Presence of the great God, Octob. 30. 1664.

This following Article added 30. October, 1664.

THat the English Consul, upon any Breach or Difference between His most Excellent Majesty, the King of Great Britain, &c. and the Governours of Algiers, shall have free liberty, when he pleaseth, to depart to his own, or any other Country; And that the English Consul shall be permitted to chuse his own Druggerman; and that when the Consul de­parts, he shall carry with him all his Servants and Goods what­soever, without the least interruption or hinderance; And fur­ther, that he may freely go on board of any Ships in the Road, and have the liberty of the Country.

The Translate of a Certificate Subsigned by the Go­vernours of Algiers, acknowledging the Breach of the late Peace betwixt His Majesty of Great Britain, &c. and the said Governours to have been the act of their own Subjects.

THese are to certifie that we, who have here-under Subsigned, do acknowledge that the Breach of the Peace between. His most Excellent Majesty, the King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, &c. And us of Algiers, was committed by our Subjects; for which we have drowned one, banished another, some others fled to escape our Justice, and divers have been imprisoned to give satis­faction in part to His said most Excellent Majesty.

Signed and Sealed the 30. of October, 1664.

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Text Creation Partnership. Searching, reading, printing, or downloading EEBO-TCP texts is reserved for the authorized users of these project partner institutions. Permission must be granted for subsequent distribution, in print or electronically, of this EEBO-TCP Phase II text, in whole or in part.