Note 54 — Chapter IX

There appear to have been at this time a number of Friends at Algiers, who had been captured. In the early times of the Society many of its members were seafaring men; and to such, of whatever religious profession, it was no uncommon thing to be taken at sea by the Algerines or other corsairs, who continually scoured the Mediterranean, and ventured occasionally beyond its limits to make prize of merchant ships, and consign their crews to slavery.

Great care was exercised towards these captive Friends by the Society, and efforts made for their redemption. They are mentioned in the Yearly Meeting epistles of 1682-1687, and in most of the succeeding ones. In the epistle of 1698 it is stated, “Divers of our Friends who were captives at Mequinez, and suffered great hardships there, are dead; and there yet remain five, for whose ransom great endeavours have been used, but it is not yet effected.” The epistle of the following year states, “Earnest endeavours have again lately been used for the liberty of our Friends, captives in Barbary, though not as yet obtained; and there being at this time some negotiations on foot, by the tenderness and care of the government, for the redemption of all the English there; and though the persons in Barbary, employed therein by Friends, do wait some time to see the effect of that, yet we shall continue our further endeavours for their discharge, and in the meantime take care to send them supplies for food, they having little allowance in that country, of anything to support their bodies, under the great severities of labour, and undeserved stripes, that captives often endure.”

In the epistle of 1702 the conclusion of the Barbary captives is stated, namely, that live Friends, being all who remained alive in that long and sore captivity, have been this year redeemed, whose ransom (including a Friend’s son from Pennsylvania) cost the Society upwards of £480. The redeemed tenderly and gratefully acknowledged Friends’ love and care of them.