A LETTER FROM THE Government of Algier, TO ADMIRAL RUSSELL. ⟨10. Sept. 1695.⟩
These are to give you to understand, that it is impossible for Tongue to Express, or Pen to Write, the Friendship we have for You; We pray to God Almighty, that your, and our Enemies may be speedily brought under such Afflictions and Troubles, that they may never be able to rise up against us, and we desire our Love may always encrease: Thanks be to God, you are this Year come into the Mediterranean, which gives us much Joy. The Ships you sent to us are come in Safety, and the Captain your Servant, with the Consul, who always Exalts your Fame, brought us your Letter into the Divan, which gave us the Assurance of the Friendship of that Great King, and Your Excellency to us; after which we caused our Castle to Salute him, which made those that Love you Rejoyce, and our Enemies to burst with Vexation. We all know the English are, and ever were, our best Friends, and we pray to God to keep you and us from all Disasters: We were very Joyfull at the appearance of Their Majesty's Ships, and as often as you can, we desire to see more of them, which will be very Pleasing to us. This your Captain is a Man of Great Wisdom and Conduct, and we esteem his Courtesie and good Behaviour; but we could not shew him that Kindness which is due to him: You are to know that our Successful Governour, and Master, is now besieging Tunis, with Thirty Thousand Men, his Absence is the Reason of it, which we pray you not to take in evil Part; but as soon as it pleaseth God he returns with Victory, we know his Favour to the English will be Great. You likewise give us to understand that His Majesty has granted our Desire in appointing Mr. Robert Cole (a Man well known) to be His Agent and Consul with us, and that our old Friend Mr. Baker was ordered to return home in Their Majesty's Ship; this we assent to with our Head and Heart; but He being our Successful Governour's approved Friend, cannot now go, without seeing him; it may be on his Return to this City, our Governour may send to the King of England News and Letters, and show some more Friendship: In Forty or Fifty Days we expect him; though the Consul is very willing to be gone, we all desire him to wait our Governour's coming, and he shall not want a Ship of our own at his Service, if their be none of His Majesty's Ships waiting for him; and we hope you will not be displeased, because his farther small stay may be for the [Page] Service of his Master and our Benefit, and we hope hereafter it may be acceptable to you, and cause great Troubles to your Enemies. We thank you for your Kindness in giving protection to Our Ship against those of the Dutch, which are under your Command, we own the Favour and desire God Almighty's Blessing on you for it; they also were good Friends to us heretofore, until some wicked French-Man raised and fomented the War, that still continues; but the Time will come, if our good Friend the King of England Continue in this World, (which God Almighty grant) when we shall renew our Former Brotherly Kindness; Nor is War a strange thing, since there are more Troubles than Pleasures; but if the Dutch should be obedient to the King of England, and shew us Favour, it may be by the Help of God hereafter for their Good, and the Love the King of England bears to you and us, and we to His Majesty and You, may it remain in Truth for ever, Amen:
If it please God Almighty, This to be deliver'd into the Hands of the Famous and Valiant General, under the King of England.
I Have sent you a great many Presents of this Sort, but understand they have most of them stopt by the way, at Brest or St. Maloes. I will not think my Letters so miscarried, to be altogether lost; because it is not amiss, that our Enemies as well as Friends, should know what Glory and Advantage the Confederates reap by the English and Dutch Fleet's choaking the Streights. This Letter came from a Barbarian, but that which brought it, will also bring Ambassadors and Letters from the fine and civil Italians, as it has already Security to Catalonia, and Thanks from all Spain; it has lately demolish'd Cazal, and it may do as much to other Fortresses. In a Word, the Party of Dolphinizing Spaniards, was very great, and Barcellona in a very ill Condition, before our Arrival; but we have open'd their Eyes, and given them new Life, and made them good and able Subjects again. The Bombardments of St. Maloe, Granville, and Calais, are owing to our Fleets riding in the Mediterranean, and so will the safe Arrival of the Turkish Fleet, whene'er it happens. I think this is enough to shew that our Continuance in these Seas, breeds something else besides Worms in the King's Ships, from which I wish the Heads of your great Politicians were as free;
London, Printed by Tho. Hodgkin, and are to be Sold by J. Whitlock near Stationers-Hall, 1695.