lime Porte, and plundered and pillaged their goods and property, it was expressly ordained and commanded, that the goods so plundered should be restored, and the captives released; and that if after such commands the Tunisians and Algerines should, contrary to the tenor of our Capitulations, again molest the said merchants, and pillage their goods and property, and not restore the same, but convey them to the countries and ports of our sacred Dominions, and especially to Tunis, Barbary, Modon, or Coron, the beglerbeys, governors, and commandants of such places should, in future, banish and punish them, and not permit them to sell the same.

XLVIII. That it is written and registered in the Capitulations, that the governors and officers of Aleppo, and other ports of our sacred Dominions, should not, contrary to the tenor of the said Capitulations, forcibly take from the English merchants any money for their silk, under the pretence of custom or other duty, but that the said merchants should pay for the silk, by them purchased at Aleppo, the same as the French and Venetians do, and no more. Notwithstanding which, the commandants of Aleppo have, under colour of custom and duty, demanded two and a half per cent. for their silk, and thereby taken their money: wherefore We command that this matter be investigated and inquired into, in order that such money may be refunded to them by those who have taken the same; and for the future, the duty exacted from them shall be according to ancient custom, and as the Venetians and French were accustomed to pay, so that not a single asper more be taken by any new imposition.

XLIX. That the merchants of the aforesaid nation, resident at Galata, buy and receive divers goods, wares, and merchandizes, and after having paid to our customer the duties thereon, and received a tescaré, ascertaining their having paid the same, preparatory to loading such goods in due time on board their ships, it sometimes happens that, in the interim, the customer either dies, or is removed from his situation, and his successor will not accept of the said tescaré, but demands a fresh duty from the said merchants, thereby molesting them in various ways; wherefore We do command, that on its really and truly appearing that they have once paid the duties on the goods purchased, the customer shall receive the said tescaré without demanding any fresh duty.

L. That the merchants of the aforesaid nation, after having once paid the duties, and received the tescaré, for the camlets, mohair, silk, and other merchandize, purchased by them at Angora, and transported to Constantinople and other ports of our sacred Dominions, and having deposited such goods in their own warehouses, have been again applied to for duties thereon; We do therefore hereby command that they shall no longer be molested or vexed on that head, but that when the said merchants shall be desirous of loading such goods on board their ships, and on its appearing by the tescaré that they have already paid the duties thereon, no fresh custom or duty shall be demanded for the said goods, provided that the said merchants do not blend or intermix the goods which have not paid custom with those which have. 1.

LI. That the merchants of the aforesaid nation, having once paid the customs on the merchandize imported into Constantinople, and other ports of our sacred Dominions, and on those exported therefrom, as silks, camlets, and other goods, and being unable to sell the said goods, are under the necessity of transporting them to Smirna, Scio, and other ports; on their arrival there the governors and custom-house officers of such ports shall always accept their tescarés, and forbear exacting any further duty on the said merchandize.

LII. That for the goods which the merchants of the nation aforesaid shall bring to Constantinople, and other ports of our sacred Dominions, and for those they shall export from the said places, the Mastariagi of Galata and Constantinople shall take their mastaria, according to the old canon and acient usage, that is to say, for those merchandizes only whereon it was usually paid; but for such merchandizes as have not been accustomed to pay the same, nothing shall be taken contrary to the said canon, neither shall any innovations be made in future with regard to English merchandize, nor shall one asper more be taken than is warranted by custom.

LIII. That the merchants of the aforesaid nation shall and may always come and go into the ports and harbours of our sacred Dominions, and trade, without experiencing any obstacle from any one, with the cloths, kersies, spice, tin, lead, and other merchandize they may bring, and, with the exception of prohibited

goods, shall and may, in like manner, buy and export all sorts of merchandize, without any one presuming to prohibit or molest them and our customers and other officers, after having received the duties thereon, according to ancient custom and the tenor of these sacred Capitulations, shall not demand of them any thing more, touching which point, certain clear and distinct Capitulations were granted, to the end that the beglerbeys and other commandants, our subjects, as also the commandants and lieutenants of our harbours, might always act in conformity to these our Imperial commands, and let nothing be done contrary thereto.

After which, in the time of our uncle, deceased, blessed and translated to Paradise, Sultan Murad Chan (whose tomb be ever resplendent!), the aforesaid King of England sent Sir Sackville Crow, Baronet, as His Ambassador, with a letter and presents, which were graciously accepted; but the time of his embassy being expired, another Ambassador, named Sir Thomas Bendish, arrived, to reside at the Porte in his stead, with His presents, and a courteous letter, professing the utmost friendship, devotion, and sincerity; and the said Ambassador having brought the Capitulations formerly granted to the English, and requested they might be renewed according to custom, he represented the damage and injury sustained by the English, contrary to the tenor of various Articles of the Capitulations, viz.

That before the English merchants repaired to the Customhouse, some one went on board the ship, and forcibly took out their goods; and before any price could be fixed on the best and most valuable articles, or the accounts made out, he took and carried them away; and that the said merchants, having punctually paid the duties thereon in one port, and being desirous of transporting the same goods to another port, the customer detained them, and would not suffer them to depart until they had paid the duties a second time: and whereas it is specified in the Capitulations, that in all suits wherein the English are parties, our judges are not to hear or decide the same, unless their Ambassador or Consul be present; notwithstanding which, our judges, without the knowledge of their Ambassador, have proceeded to imprison and exact presents from the English mer

chants, and other subjects of that nation, besides being guilty of other oppressions: and whereas it is further ordered in the Capitulations, that no duties shall be taken on such sequins and piastres as by the English merchants shall be brought in, or carried out of, our Imperial Dominions, and that a duty of three per cent. only shall be demanded on their goods; notwithstanding which, the customers have exacted duties on the sequins and dollars, and demanded more duties than were due on the silk bought by them, besides demanding six per cent. on the goods transported from Alexandria to Aleppo, which abuses were heretofore rectified by an express hattisherif; notwithstanding which, the English merchants still continued to experience some molestation, by the customers valuing their goods at more than they were worth, so that although it was the custom to receive but three per cent. only, the latter exacted six per cent. from them, and the servants of the custom-house, under colour of certain petty charges, took from them various sums of money, and that a greater number of waiters were put on board their ships than usual, the expences attending which, were a great burthen to the merchants and masters of ships who sustained it:

That the customers, desirous to value goods at more than their worth, were not satisfied with the merchants paying them duties on the said goods at the rate of three per cent. but interposed numerous difficulties and obstacles:

The said Ambassador having requested, therefore, that such abuses might be rectified, and the laws of the Imperial Capitulations be duly executed, his request was represented to the Imperial Throne, when We were graciously pleased to order:

LIV. That the English merchants having once paid the duties on their merchandize, at the rate of three per cent. and taken them out of their ship, no one shall demand or exact from them any thing more without their consent: and it was moreover expressly commanded, that the English merchants should not be molested or vexed in manner aforesaid, contrary to the Articles of the Capitulations.

Since which, another Ambassador of the King of England, Sir Heneage Finch, Knight, Earl of Winchelsea, Viscount Maidstone, and Baron Fitzherbert of Eastwell, arrived to reside at the

Sublime Porte, with presents and a courteous letter, demonstrating His sincere friendship, and professing the utmost cordiality and devotion; which Ambassador also presented the Capitulations and requested that the most necessary and important Articles thereof might be renewed and confirmed, according to custom, which request was graciously acceded to, and the desired privileges granted to him, viz.

LV. That the Imperial fleet, galleys, and other vessels, departing from our sacred Dominions, and falling in with English ships at sea, shall in nowise molest or detain them, nor take from them any thing whatsoever, but always show to one another good friendship, without occasioning them the least damage or injury; and notwithstanding it is thus declared in the Imperial Capitulations, the said English ships are still molested by the ships of the Imperial fleet, and by the Beys and Captains who navigate the seas, as also by those of Algiers, Tunis, and Barbary, who, falling in with them whilst sailing from one port to another, detain them for the mere purpose of plunder, under colour of searching for enemy's property, and under that pretence prevent them from prosecuting their voyage; now We do hereby expressly command, that the provisions of the old canon be executed at the castles and in the ports only, and no where else, and that they shall no longer be liable to any further search or exaction at sea, under colour of search or examination.

LVI. That the said Ambassador having represented that our customers, after having been fully paid the proper duties by the English merchants on their goods, delayed, contrary to the Articles and stipulations of the Capitulations, to give them the tescarés of the goods for which they had already received the duty, with the sole view of oppressing and doing them injustice; We do hereby strictly command that the said customers do never more delay granting them the tescarés, and the goods whereon they have once paid the duty being transported to another port, in consequence of no opportunity of sale having occurred in the former port, entire credit shall be given to the tescarés, ascertaining the payment already made, agreeably to the Capitulations granted to them, and no molestation shall be given to them, nor any new duty demanded.

LVII. That notwithstanding it is stipulated by the Capitulations