which they enjoyed for many years: so that all strangers, and also many Englishmen, did trade thither of long continuance, and went and came in safety.
In this meantime, the Prince PEDRO DORIA, being a Genoese, became a captain to serve the Emperor with thirty or forty galleys against the Turk. And since that time, divers other captains belonging to Genoa, have been in the service of King PHILIP against the Turk. Moreover, whensoever the Turk made out an army, he perceived that no nation did him more hurt than those Genoese who were his tributaries. Likewise at the Turk's siege of Malta [in 1551-53 A.D.]—before which place he lay a great while; with loss of his men, and also of his galleys—he found none so troublesome unto his force as one JUANETTE DORIA a Genoese, and divers others of the island of Scio, who were his tributaries. At which sight, he took such displeasure against them of Scio, that he sent certain of his galleys to the island, to seize upon all the goods of the twenty-four Mauneses; and to turn them, with their wives and children, out of the island: but they would let. none other depart, in order that the island should not be unpeopled. So that now the Turk hath sent one of his chief men to rule there: whereby now it will be more easy for us to obtain our safe-conduct than ever it was before.
For if the townsmen of Scio did know that we would trade thither, as we did in times past; they themselves, and also the Customer—for the Turk in all his dominions doth rent his customs—would be the chiefest procurer of this our safeconduct for his own gain. Which is no small matter, for we must pay no less than ten in the hundred throughout the Turk's whole dominion: insomuch that if one of our ships should go thither, it would be for the Customer's profit 4,000 ducats at least; whereas if we should not trade thither, he would lose so much.
Also the burgesses and the common people would be very glad of our trade there, for the commonalty do get more by our countrymen than they do by any other nation whatsoever: for we do use to buy many of their silk quilts and of their scamato and dimity, that the poor people make in that town, more than any other nation; so that we would not so gladly trade, but the people of the country would be twice as willing. Wherefore they themselves would be a means unto 4*
