A.D. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



1583. 



betweene the Grand Signior and her Majesty, he would 

 give us five or six safe-conducts for our ships, that 

 meeting with any of his gallies or galliots, they might not 

 meddle with them neither shoot at them : who made me 

 answere he would neither give me any safe conduct nor 

 commission to his men of war not to meddle with them, 

 for that he trusted to take some of them this yere, and 

 made good account thereof. In like maner I spake to 

 the chiefe of the Janisers and the Levents, who made me 

 answere, the best hope they had this yere was to take 

 some of them, and although they have the Grand Signiors 

 commandement we care not therefore : for we will by 

 policy, or one meanes or other provoke them to shoot 

 some ordinance, which if they do but one piece, the peace 

 is broken, and they be good prizes. And some of them 

 say further, we care not for their safeconduct, for if they 

 shew it us, we will convey it away, we are sure the dogs 

 cannot be beleeved against us. The premisses con- 

 sidered, your honor is with all speed to procure the 

 Grand Signior his favorable letters directed to Hazan, the 

 Cady, Captaines, Janisers, & Levents, & another like to 

 Romadan Bassa, king of Tripolis, commanding them in 

 no maner whatsoever to deale with our English ships 

 bound into those parts or returning thence with their 

 commodities, although they should shoot one at another : 

 for when our ships shall meet them, for that, as your 

 honor is advertised, the gallies of Carthagena, Florence, 

 Sicilia and Malta have made a league to take all our 

 ships comming in or going out of the Grand Signiors 

 dominions, therefore if they meet with any of these 

 gallies of Alger or Tripolis, thinking they be of them, 

 and not knowing them a far off, they may shoot at them, 

 which if therefore they should make them prizes, were 

 against Gods lawes, the Grand Signior his league, all 

 reason and conscience, considering that all the world doth 

 know that Marchants ships laden with marchandise do 

 not seeke to fight with men of warre, but contrariwise 

 to defend themselves from them, when they would do 



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