Letter from Lorance to PF, [Algiers]

Letter from Lorance to PF, [Algiers]

Algiers

Ransom

Slaves (Christian)

Trinitarians

Letter from Lorence, vicar apostolic, to PF. Last September Lorence sent two priests away. One of them is member of the Trinitarian order, and is named Gioan Antonio Vello. He had been the administrator of the hospital for nine years. At the end of his time, he had aquired a debt of 40,000 otto reali, though there were not any specific reasons for such spending; the only reason seems to be that he was involved in commerce. In Spain there is a priest of the same order, who paid a big part of the debts of Vello, through his fortune aquired in the wool industry. After this, Vello was sent to Spain. He later returned to Algiers were he organized great banquets for his friends, which caused a big scandal. The other priest is a certain Giovanni di Santa Maria, a Minor Observant. He once released 38 Portuguese, five of whom died, and the others left together with Giovanni to Livorno, on 23 November of this year. This all happened thanks to the king of Portugal who gave Lorence and the English consul 12,968 pezze da otto. Giovanni had debts for around 3,000, but they paid some creditors so that he and the freed slaves could leave. However, both Giovanni and Vello lived scandalous lives, and tried to take possessions from the slaves. Lorence asks PF to impede their return, and to write to the king of Portugal. There are still 11 Algerian vessels that raid other ships, and most raids happen on the oceans, and not in the Mediterranean.

Additional comments

Lorence

APF SC Barbaria 1, 71r-72v

no date

[Adressed to PF]

original; signed

Italian

Letter

876

Origin: [Algiers]

Destination: Rome