(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.

This Mr. Browne, the consul, went over in the same man-of-war with us, and we dieted and lay at his house. He had formerly lived long among them, and had their Lingua Franca perfectly. However, we were no sooner gone but they seized on all he had, shaved his head, and made him a slave, where he helped to draw timber and stones to a fortification, receiving so many blows a day with a bull’s nerve, until he was beaten to death, and his body cast out upon a dunghill; which doubtless had binn our fortune if God had not binn pleased to bless us for the good work that we had done.

All the difficulties lay upon me, by reason that my brother commissioner had never binn beyond the seas, nor could speak a word of their language, and so understood not his danger until it was over.[*] On the back of the drawing (which is on parchment), is the following inscription: "Shaban Aga il Grand d’ ALGEERS. The King of Argeers, to whom I delivered his Maties letters credential, when in 1662 I went his Maties commissioner for the redemption of the English captives there with hierarchical and cathedral money, with which I redeemed and brought home with me all, viz. 162 slaves. John Bargrave, Gent., of Kent. Canon of Christ Church, Canterbury. An Italian slave, a painter, drew me this rude piece at Argeers, very like as to face and habit. The copies of which in large I gave, one to his Matie Charles the Second, who hanged it in his private closet; another I gave to my patron, Archbishop Juxon; a third to Archbishop Sheldon; and a fourth I kept for myself, in memorandum of that Christian and noble imploy, 1662.”