fortified and established; which his request was to the faid Sultan Ofman most acceptable; and the ancient capitulations, articles, privileges, herein written and confirmed, and the long fince contracted peace and amity by him promised and accepted.

XLVII. After whom, in like manner, in the days of Sultan Ofman Han, the King of England having again fent unto this High Port his ambaffador, the Excellent and Honourable Sir Thomas Roe, Knight, with his letters and prefents, which were most acceptable; and proffering, in the name of the King his lord, all good terms of friendship and good correfpondence and defiring that the ancient capitulations, and all the articles from his ancestors, and from himself, formerly granted to the English nation, might be anew confirmed, and the peace and league long fince between both parties contracted and ratified; and that fome other articles, very neceffary, might be added to the Imperial capitulations, and divers others already granted might be renewed, amended, and in a better form explained, which his requeft and demand was very acceptable unto him; and in conformity thereunto, the ancient Imperial capitulations, and all the articles and other privileges in them often confirmed, and the peace, amity, and good correfpondence contracted in the times of his ancestors, grandfather, and father, and himself, confirmed, were again by Sultan Ofman then ratified, established, promised, and accepted; whereupon, by him there was exprefs command given, that, for the time to come, the tenor of his renewed capitulations fhould be of every one obferved, and that all men fhould be careful and refpectful to the faid peace and friendship established and contracted on both parts; and that no man fhould prefume to violate, or to do any act contrary thereunto; which ambaffador did often declare that the caddees, and other of our ministers, in many places and provinces, contrary to the Imperial capitulations, and will of the Imperial Majefty, have impofed and laid divers taxes, VOL. II. burdens,

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burdens, and monies, upon the faid English nation, and thofe under their banner; for which caufe, as it is above declared, it being found neceffary to make additions of fome new articles in the faid Imperial capitulation, of which the faid ambaffador made declaration in writing, and prefented the fame to the Imperial prefence: the faid Sultan Ofman Han, with his Imperial hand and feal, did presently give express order and command, that, in the time to come, all those articles and privileges which were already in the Imperial capitulations, and thofe articles which now are therein by our order newly added, fhall be of all our fubjects and flaves duly obeyed and obferved, according to the fincere meaning of this our Imperial capitulations.

XLVIII. In as much as it is publicly known, that certain pirates of Tunis and Algier, contrary to our Imperial capitulations, mind, and will, do take and rob in the feas, the fhips, merchandize, and men, fubjects to his Majefty of England, and of other Kings and States in league with this our Impérial Port, to the great damage and injury of the faid English nation; we do command, and by these prefents we do ordain, that feveral Imperial commands be given for the entire reftitution of all goods and merchandize to the English nation fo taken away: and that all fuch English as have been taken and made flavès, or imprifoned, by the faid pirates, fhall be immediately fet free. And after the date of this our Imperial capitulatións, if it fhall be known that the faid pirates of Tunis and Algier fhall rob them again, and fhall use and continue their outrages, and will not reftore their goods and men, we do command that the faid pirates be not received into any port of our dominions, especially into the fcales of Tunis, Algier, Modon, or Coron. Our beglerbegs, and other minifters, fhall not fuffer them to enter, nor harbour nor receive them; but the beglerbegs, caddees, or other minifters, fhall perfecute, banish, and punish them.

XLIX. Being

XLIX. Being informed that in our dominions, many of our customers and other officers in Aleppo, contrary to the Imperial capitulations, under colour of taking custom and reft upon filk of the English merchants, have violently taken from the faid merchants a great fum of money. And whereas in the Imperial capitulations it is written, that for filk which the English fhall buy in Aleppo, they fhall pay as the French and Venetian merchants do, and no more; notwithstanding, the faid customers, befides the twoand-half per cent. for custom and reft, have taken from that nation a great fum of money lately under namne of reft; wherefore we command that this bufinefs fhall be examined, and that the said money be restored back, and for the time to come, the ancient custom may be kept; and that this nation fhall only pay as the French and Venetian do, and that never be taken one afper by name of such impofition.

L. Whereas the English merchants refident in Galata, ordinarily buy divers goods and merchandize, before they can lade or fend them away upon their fhips, and do pay unto the customers the cuftom of the faid goods, receiving a bill or acquittance to have paid the fame, and after carry the fame merchandize to their own warehouses: in the mean time, before they can load and fend away the faid goods, it happens, that either the customer dies, or is removed from his charge, and the new cuftomers will not accept of the faid acquittances, but pretend another custom, troubling and molefting of them many ways. Wherefore we do command, that of all the merchandize which they fhall buy, it appearing really that he hath paid once his cuftom, the customer fhall accept of the faid acquittances, and shall not demand of the merchant a fecond cuftom.

LI. It being ufual to buy in Angora, camblets, mohairs, filks, and other forts of merchandize, which they tranfport to Conftantinople, and other places of Gg 2..

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our dominions, and pay their customs, taking acquittances for the fame, and fo put the goods into their own warehouses; and after, being defirous to fhip them. away, the cuftomers do demand again the custom; therefore, for the time to come, when the faid merchants fhall defire to lade fuch goods, and it be true that they have already paid their cuftom of fuch merchandize, they fhall not demand any second or new customs, provided that the faid merchants do not mingle their goods, which have not paid cuftom, with those which have already paid custom.

LII. The English merchants, of all the merchandize which they fhall bring into our dominions, and of the merchandize which they carry out of our dominions, as filk, camblets, and other goods, having paid the custom, and not fold the goods unto another; and being afterwards to fhip it away for Scio, Smyrna, or any other scale, and the faid goods there arriving, the customers and officers fhall always accept of their acquittances, which they have in their hands, and fhall not take other custom of their merchandize.

LIII. The English merchants, of all the commodities which they fhall bring to Conftantinople, or to any other port of our dominions, and of all fuch as they fhall transport, the Mestaragi of Galata and Conftantinople fhall take their mestaria or brokidge according to the ancient canon and ufance, that is, of fuch merchandize as of old custom was wont to pay it, of fuch they fhall only take meftaria; but of fuch merchandize as was not anciently accustomed to pay it, fhall not be taken meftaria contrary to the ancient canon. Farther, upon the English merchandize, there fhall nor be made or laid any impofitions or other duties, nor from the faid nation fhall not be taken one afper more, which fhall be contrary to the ancient canon and accustomed ufance.

LIV. The English nation fhall and may freely come into all the ports of our dominions, to nego

tiate and bring in cloth, kersey, fpice, tin, lead, and all other merchandize; and no man fhall do them any hinderance or moleftation. In like manner, except only goods prohibited, they fhall and may buy, and export, all fort of merchandize without the prohibition or molestation of any man; and the customers and other officers, the faid nation having paid their custom according to this Imperial capitulation, and the ancient ufe, fhall not demand of them any thing more. In the time of the happy memory of my uncle Sultan Murat Han, the King of England fent his ambaffador Sir Sackville Crow, Baronet, with his present and letter, which was received in good part; and the time of his embaffy being expired, Sir Thomas Bendish arrived to refide at the Port, with his prefent and courteous letter, the which was in like manner well accepted; and the faid ambaffador having tendered the Imperial capitulations formerly granted, that according to the ancient canon they might be renewed; it is hereby again commanded, that all the points and particular articles therein be obferved and maintained.

LV. And because, contrary to the fenfe and tenor of them, the ships of the English merchants, before they arrive at the fcale, feveral officers did go upon them, and violently force out of the fhips the goods of the merchants, taking away the choice of them without agreeing for the price, or making any account with the

owners.

LVI. And farthermore, the faid merchants having once paid the custom for their goods at the customhouse, and being defirous to tranfport the fame goods into another scale, the customers did hinder and detain them, until they received a fecond cuftom for them.

LVII. And whereas in the Imperial capitulations it is expreffed, that in all the differences and fuits with the English nation, our magiftrates are not to hear nor Gg 3 decide