AN ANSWER To the Merchant's LETTER, DIRECTED TO Ralph Mean-well, Now on Board the VAN-HERRING: With a Pursuit of the former Legorn Letter. 19 JANVARY 1679.  
WORTHY SIR,  
I RECEIVED yours, and in pursuance of your Directions, myself, with some others, have made it our Business to procure Subscriptions to a Petition (humbly desiring our Captain that his Council may sit on the day prefixed) in which undertaking we have not been a little discouraged for (which you'd hardly believe) not one in fifteen throughout the whole Ship would subscribe; nay, on the contrary, some there were on Board us, who instead of setting one hand to it, failed not to use both and tore it; but we have called them to account for it, though we fear to little purpose: but this usage has not wholly disheartened us, for by fair words to some, and threatening speeches to others, when we saw a Sailor in quandary whether he should set Pen to Paper or no, we told him there was no greater Test to prove him either an Algerine or a Christian; by which, and with other means, we have mustered a considerable number of hands: but because I will not flatter your expectation, with shadows instead of real substances; to deal truly with you, they are most of them but the Riff-raff of our Ship; but such as they were, some half a score of our principal Fore-mast-men humbly presented it to our Captain; but, Bless me! had you but seen how disdainfully he received both them and their Cables length of Scrawles; for indeed most of them were no other, for first you had a Name or two written in a tolerable hand, but then three or four Marks instead of Names, pursued them; which our Captain took for Hebrew Characters ●ill enquiring into the Quality of the Mark-makers, he was informed the● were formerly educated in the Art of Button-makers, Taggers of Points and Laces, and such like Manufactures, whom the frowning World forced to Sea, and now are become Sailors; but in short, the Captain no way allowed of our proceed, which we dare not own to our Ships Company: but on the contrary, have given out that he vouchsafed us a gracious Answer; which we suppose has wrought such Effects, that within few days we doubt not but some others of our Company will appear in the like Cause.  
YOU may remember you mentioned two pernicious Passengers lying on Board us in our great . Al●s Sir! We have nearer Two Score, and some of them of dangerous consequence; in particular, one who has so often changed his Religion, when there has been alteration of Commanders, that he scarce knows what Government he would have aboard us; besides many others, who are daily buzzing in our Captain's Ears, that were we not assured of his great Conduct, some of them  this time had betrayed us into our Enemy's hands: As to the Sultaness, there is great hopes she will (in a Pinnace of the Captains) leave our Ship and return to Algiers, the place of her Nativity; but for the Renegado we are like to be pestered longer with him; for we have had Advice from aboard the Pinnace he steered, that he bred such Dissensions between the Sailors and their Captain, that 'tis thought, if ever they catch him aboard their Pinnace again, they'll Keel-hale him.  
I thought convenient to acquaint you, That our Council of War have Tried Five Mussullmen, and have found them guilty of High Misdemeanours, in that they have by Order ot their Mufti read the Alcoran publicly, and have endeavoured to Algerize some Christians; for which Facts according to Law they have received Sentence of being Tied 〈◊〉 to the Yards Arm.  
Further, I must acquaint you, That one of the Chief of our Council of War has been charged with a little underhand Deal, by brow-beating our Material Evidence, and privately setting on Shore some Mahometans charged as Actors or Abettors in the Conspiracy; chief the discharging our Surgeons Mate, when so clear Evidence appeared against him; how he will clear himself of these and other Crimes, he is charged with, my next shall inform you.  
Thus have I given you an Impartial Account of our present unhappy Condition, which cannot but amaze you and the rest of our Worthy Owners, to whom I desire you would be pleased to impart this; and what other Transactions offers, you shall have by my next: Yet doubting not but our BRAVE CAPTAIN will by his Mature Courage and Conduct, use his utmost Endeavour for the due Prosecution of our Enemies; which will much exhilerate the hearts of our Ships Company, and especially the Heart of  
Your Faithful Servant, RALPH MEAN-WELL.