of the foregoing lines wee do hereunto sett our hands in Tunis this the 26th day of April 1678. FRANCIS BAKER _Consul_ FRANCIS BARRINGTON BENJM STEELE. Charles II. must have written to Muhamed Tabak Dey and Ali Bey on the subject of this protest, for I find that A.H. 1093 (A.D. 1682) they forwarded to England two almost identical answers. The following is Ali Bey’s letter:— To Charles the Second by the Grace of God (King of) Great Brittain and others his Majtie’s Dominions the greatest and most Powerfull amongst the Kingdomes and Nations of the Messias the most worthy and most noble Protector of the Believers in Jesus Christ Allj Beyh the Generall of the Camp & Kingdome of Tunis his faithfull and kynde friend sends hearty wishes of health Prosperity etc Some months agoe I recd from yr Majtie a most acceptable letter wherein you were pleased to bring a fresh to my memory the injuries my Brother Mahamat Beyh offered unto Fransis Baker ye Consul and the rest of yr subjects here; and to take pticular notice of the mony he had violently forced out of their hands In answer whereto I entreat yr majtie not to wonder at those unworthy Proceedings of my said brother, for he tooke an opportunity whilst I was abroad, with all the land forces of this Govmt (doing such service as was then judged necessary for its preservation and welfare) and came hither with a great number of outlaws assaulted the unarmed Citty, for a little time made himself master thereof and did most cruelly abuse and plunder every Xtian nation forcing great sūmes of money from them besides impudently attaquing our Royall Castle, but when his attempts proved vaine and he knew I had notice of his being here, he and his followrs fled away . . . . . . But I am ready to pform all the dutys of a true frnd to yr majtie and have found a way to render to ye said Consul and Merchants due satisfatton for the losses they have sufferd as I believe yr majtie will have been informed before this letter kisses yr Royall hands. I do heartily wish and hope that your Majtie will lett me be honored for the future with a more frequent intercourse of our letters, because nothing can be more gratfull to me than either the good news of yr Majtie’s well being or an imploymt in yr services in these parts. I am now to acknowledge the Receipt of many favors from yr Majtie by ye hand of yr aforementioned subjects residing here, and entreat the addition of one more. Wee are in great want of Gunpowdr and Saile canvas and doo therefore desire yr Majtie to pmitt Francis Baker yr Consul to send us out such a supply of each as we have told him our necessitys require, this I shall esteeme a singular kindnesse and it will be as a tye on our part to maintain the ancient peace and ffriendship amongst us, which I never had and thoughts of violating. Dated in Tunis 25 Jumad (Elaoul) 1093