Bargrave's catalogue: Rara, Antiqua, et Numismata Bargraviana (Canterbury Cathedral Lit MS E 16a) (60). The picture in little of Shaban Agaà il Grand d' Algeers, or the King
of Argeers, to whom I delivered
his Maties
(Charles II.) credential letter, and with whom I had
chiefly to do in points of difficulty, though I bought slave by
slave from each particular Turkish patron, as one buyeth horses in Smithfield. A poor painter, an
Italian slave, stood
privately to draw me this picture at several times when I had
audience of Shaban Agaà. It
is ill work, but the clothes and mode is like him, as he (and as all
the country doeth,) sat cross-legged on a Turkey carpet on a bench, I sitting at the
turning of the bench by him, with my hat on, in my clerical habit; I
finding him mostly very courteous. But in a 500lb business, that he would have had me pay for slaves that
had made their escape, we were both very hot, and had like to have
broken the peace, but at
lenght
length
my reasons prevailed. But at the end of all, when all the
slaves were redeemed and sent on board his Maties man-of-war that
attended us, it was a thousand to one but that the peace between us
had binn broken, and I and my fellow commissioner, Dr. Selleck, had bin made
slaves. It was but a greine in a pair of golden scales, whether aye
or no—they having that night brought in an Englishman as a prize; but by God’s blessing, and much
difficulty, I played my part so well with threatening, that we got
off. But poor consul Browne
paid for it; for we were no sooner gone from their coasts but they
broke the peace, and took all the English as formerly.