Two letters from a slave in Tunis to PF, 1663-02-14 and 1663-02-24, Tunis

Two letters from a slave in Tunis to PF, 1663-02-14 and 1663-02-24, Tunis

Tunis

Slaves (Christian & Muslim)

Ransom

Two letters from Giovanni Andrea Grella, slave in Tunis, to PF which are very similar in content. Grella sent two letters due to fears that his first one (of which he also had sent a duplicate) would not arrive. He explains that they did not tell the Dey of Tunis that the money that he had promised for the ransoming of a slave had been recovered by PF, because otherwise the Christians in Tunis might be mistreated. The Dey is already threatening to imprison the vicar apostolic [Jean Le Vacher], and will compensate his monetary loss through the siezing of any non-English merchant ship, or any alms that arrive in the city. Grella therefore asks that PF puts the sum of 1,000 pezze in the hands of a trusted person (or the superior of CM in Rome), so that whenever it is needed, the governor could send certifying proof and compensation for the damage. Grella also asks PF to write to the Duchess of Mondragone and ask her to release one of her slaves, called Agrimut. The price for Grella's own freedom is 700 pezze, an amount he owes, but his master does not want to free anyone if Agrimut does not return. A summary follows on f. 48r-v, which shows that PF secretary believes the Maltese [Giuseppe and Francesco Guevara] do not have any right to the money.

Date discussed 1663-07-03

Additional comments

Giovanni Andrea Grella

APF SOCG 254, 44r-48v

1663-02-14 and 1663-02-24

Addressed to PF

See for the discussion of this petition: APF ACTA 32, 152r, 156v-157v (database item 382).
These letters were discussed together with a petition of Jean Le Vacher: APF SOCG 254, 39r-v, 40v (database item 381).

Italian

Latin

Letter

382

Origin: Tunis

Destination: Rome