Hi Jim The way I read it is that the funds would go towards paying ransoms on people taken prisoner by the Turks (perhaps a generic term for non-Christians), not Turkish people taken prisoner. I don't imagine there were any Turks (or Turkish sympathisers) in Leicestershire in the 17th century - unless someone knows otherwise? John ----- Original Message ---- From: jim goodman <jimgoodman@telus.net> To: Leicestershire <leicestershire-plus@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, 29 January, 2008 6:20:46 PM Subject: [LEI] Turkish captives, 1684 Any thoughts on why Turkish captives would be in this area circa 1684 jim BEQUEST TO MOST INDIGENT, POOREST, AGED, DECREPIT, MISERABLEST PAUPERS. Hallaton, Leicestershire. Valentine Goodman, by will, dated in 1684, bequeathed £800 to be laid out in land, and the profits thereof given to the "most indigent, poorest, aged, decrepit, miserablest paupers," viz. six from Easton, four from Medbourn, four from Hallaton, and two from Blaston ; and if any part of the money (was) employed for easing town levies, or not according to the intent of the testator, then he declared that the gift should cease, and the money be employed for the redemption of Turkish captives. The produce of the land in 1822, 1823, and 1824, is reported at £100 each year. The names of the recipients are regularly entered Jn a book, with the amount paid to each.— XXXII. pt. v. p. 235.