SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL: (1581-1660) French Catholic Priest. Venerated both in the Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion. Canonized in 1737 by Pope Clement XII. Vincent de Paul is known for his humility and for serving the poor. Extremely rare with excellent content L.S., `Vincent de Paul I.[ndigne] P.[retre] d[e] l[a] M[ission]´, (''Vincent de Paul, Unworthy Priest of the Mission''), three pages, 4to, Paris, 19th July 1658, to the Superior of Marseille, Firmin Get, in French. Saint Vincent de Paul refers to the plan of liberating the French slaves in Algiers, stating in part `La grâce de N.S. soit avec vous pour jamais! Je rends graces à Dieu de ce que vous ne cessez d´agir vers la ville de Marseille pour la porter à contribuir à l´entreprise de M. le Chevalier Paul, et à inviter les autres villes maritimes du Royaume d´y contribuir aussi; il faut en attendre de Dieu la résolution et l´effet. Si vous offrez au dit Sieur Chevalier la Somme que je vvous ai dite, il ne faut pas lui dire que vous l´avez, ni d´où elle provient, et encore moins la lui promettre qu´avec cette condition, qu´il délivrera, non quelques esclaves, mais tous les Français qui se trouveront en Alger, et qu´il ne touchera rien, que cela ne soit fait´ ( Translation: “The grace of Our Lord be with you forever! I give thanks to God that you do not cease to work with the city of Marseille to bring it to contribute to the enterprise of M. le Chevalier Paul, and to invite the other maritime cities of the Kingdom to contribute as well; the resolution and effect must be expected from God. If you offer the said Knight the sum that I told you, you must not tell him that you have it, nor where it comes from, and even less promise it to him, only with this condition, that he will deliver, not a few slaves, but all the French who will be in Algiers, and that he will not receive anything until this will be done”) Saint Vincent de Paul further refers to the King´s reaction regarding the project, saying in part `… l´objection qui vous a été faite de delà, à savoir que le Grand Seigneur s´en pourra ressentir et faire arrêter tous les marchands de France qui se trouveront en Levant; mais on m´a répondu qu´il ne faut pas craindre cela, ni que le Grand Seigneur trouve mauvais que le Roi tire raison des griefs qu´il a reçus de la dite ville d´Alger et des vexations que ses sujets en reçoivent, quand il saura les mauvais traitements qu´elle a faits au consul de Sa Majesté, et les prises injustes et continuelles qu´elle fait sur les Français. Il en a déjà fait une dpêche à Mr. de la Haye, ambassadeur à Constantinople, afin qu´il en porte ses plaintes au Grand Seigneur et à la Porte´ (Translation: “…the objection that has been made to you, saying that the Grand Seigneur may feel the bad effect of and have all the merchants of France which will be in the Levant arrested; but I was told that this should not be feared, nor that the Grand Seigneur finds it wrong that the King takes right of the grievances he has received from the said city of Algiers and the vexations that his subjects receive from it, when he has learned of the treatment they have given to Her Majesty's Consul, and the unfair and continual attacks they are making on the French. The King has already dispatched a letter to Mr. de la Haye, ambassador in Constantinople, so that he forwards his complaints to the Grand Seigneur and to the Ottomans”) Saint Vincent de Paul further again refers to the consul in Algiers and expresses his distrust and explains that he cannot believe as truth the reports his receives, and continues explaining all the decisions taken. Former tears to the folds professionally repaired, slightly reinforcing the sheets. G