Description
Summary of the reports from the Barbaria mission. In July 1672 the provicar of Tunis sent a letter to PF, stating that in Malta two young girls were converted to Christianity. Because they wanted to gather more information, they wrote to the inquisitor who informed them that for ten years there had been a slave in Malta with two daughters, who were all bought by a Maltese. After ten years, the woman ransomed herself and went to Tunis (her home country), to collect money and ransom her children as well. Her daughters converted to Christianity during her absense, which was completely voluntarily. When the mother returned and saw her children had converted, she was very angry. Because of this PF sent a letter dated 19 December to the provicar of Tunis. PF informed him about the situation, and ordered him to make sure that the slaves were well treated, and were not being forced to convert.
The inquisitor stated that the woman (who was taken slave again), wanted to talk with her children, and to follow their example; she wanted the opportunity to travel to Tunis again, in order to collect the ransom of 400 (no currency given), after which she wanted to return to Malta and live their with her daughters.
Date discussed: 1676-02-04
Additional comments
Relation
See for the letter to the provicar of Tunis: APF LETTERE 59, 36r (database item 607).
See for the same summary in the ACTA: APF ACTA 46, 24r-25r.