The sublime and noble signature of the emperor which acquires dominion by the help of the Lord God commands that the example of the magistrates of the religion of the Christians, residing in our blessed port, the ambassador of England John Finch Knight, whose end be happy, having sent his Arzuhal to our high pavilion informing us that Paul Rycaut consul in Smyrna, and the scales thereto belonging being removed from his consulship one of the Beighzadehs of England William Raye by name, a just and knowing person is appointed in his place to oversee the affairs of the English coming to Smyrna, and of the merchants ships belonging to the English, and of the merchants coming under the English Bandiera, according to our imperial capitulations, and requesting that according as hath been accustomed a Berat may be given: I have given this imperial signature and commanded that the aforesaid William Raye be consul in Smyrna, and the scales thereto belonging, and according to the imperial capitulations, oversee all the affairs of the English coming to the scales in those parts, and of the merchants retaining to the English, and of their ships, the merchants aforesaid in all difficult cases repairing to him. And the ships of England coming to the scales aforesaid, and the merchants passing under that Bandiera onto whatsoever scale they shall be imported, so soon as they are imported according to the ancient custom shall give a manifest of all their merchandises, and the dues of ambassador age and consul age, and what else hath been accustomed according to the imperial capitulations, as they gave to the former consul to the aforesaid William Raye consul they shall give, and till they have his Teskereh leave of departure shall not be given to the ships. And for what is needful for clothing and lodging, and meat and drink for the consul no customs shall be required. And the consuls being Vekils of the ambassadors shall upon no account be put in prison, neither shall their horses be sealed up, neither shall their persons be sought after, if the suit be for more then 4000 aspers, it shall be heard in our blessed Port, it shall not be judged in any other place, whatsoever such shall happen it being sent up to our blessed port, their ambassadors shall give answer. And if disputes happen among the English one with another, their own consuls, as it hath heretofore been practiced, shall enquire into them, and determine them, and no other person shall intermeddle with them. And every of the magistrates in our dominions being diligent in loving manner that no wrong be done to their men, or to their beasts, or to their habitations according to the tenour of the above named particulars shall give judgment, and all proceedings shall pass according to the imperial capitulations, and this our sublime signature, and in no wise shall any allowance be shewed to any contrary act. So let all know and give credit to the noble signe. Written in the beginning of the month of Rebielevel in the year 1089 in the fields of Daout Pasha, that is in the beginning of April 1678.
