82 Travels in India. Part it 



As for Sieur des Marefts, he was a Gentleman, born in the Daupinnatc, near 

 to Loriol, who having kilPd his Adverfary in a Duel, lied into Poland, where 

 hefo far fignaliz'd himfelf, that he won the efteem and atfedion of the General 

 of the Potman Army. At that time the Grand Seignior kept in the Prifbn of 

 the Seven Towers at Covftantinople, two Noble Polomans ; whereupon the p ~ 

 Ionian General obferving the courage and addrefs of this Des Man ft s, who was 

 a daring Fellow, and a good Engineer belides, made a propoial to him, to go to 

 Cotiftantiricple, and to endeavour, if -he- could by any means in the world, to 

 itt thole Princes at liberty. Des Marefts vtWWngiy accepted the employment, 

 and without doubt he had fucceeded in his defign, had he not been difcovered 

 by fome Turks, who accifs'd him for having been too circumfpeft in viewing 

 the feven Towers, feeing him with a Chalk Pencil in his hand, ready to take 

 the draught thereof, which feem'd to tend to no good defign. This had been 

 enough to have ruin'd the Gentleman, had not Monfieur de Cefy the French 

 Ambafladour ftifl'd the further examination of the bufmefs by lbme prefentj 

 which in Turfy is the molt fovereign remedy upon all accidents of danger ; telling 

 the Viper, that he was only a French Gentleman that travel'd for his pleafure, and 

 one that was going for Perfia with the firft opportunity. However it was not 

 Marefts defign"at that time to go very far, for he intended to have return'd into 

 Poland, fo fbon as he had us'd his utmoft endeavours to fet the Princes at liberty ? 

 but for his own fafety it behov'd him to give it out that he was gone to Per fa 

 and at length he was conltrain'd to go thither indeed. As for the Grand Seignior, 

 he had refolv'd never to let the two Noblemen at liberty. But at length they 

 were (6 fortunate as to gain the love of a young Turk;, who was the Son of the 

 Captain of the Seven Towers ; with whom the Father ufually trufted the Keys 

 to open and fhut the Gates of the Prifbn. The night .appointed for their flight, 

 he made as if he had (hut fome doors, the Padlocks whereof he left all open, 

 But he durft not do fo by the two firft. Gates, near one of which the Captain 

 with a ltrong Guard lay, for fear of being dHcover'd. The young man, who 

 had entirely devoted himfelf to ferve the Princes, having forefeen this diffi- 

 culty before, had bethought himfelf of Rope- Ladders to get over the two 

 "Walls; to which purpofe it was neceflary to have a correspondence within and 

 without. Finding therefore that becaule the utmeft of (everitv was not us'd 

 toward thofe Princes, they had the liberty to receive fcveral Dimes of Meat 

 from the French Ambafiadors Kitchin, the Clerk of the Kitchin was made of the 

 plot, who thereupon fent them in feveral Cords in Pafties, whereof they made 

 Ladders. The bufinefs fucceeded fo well, that the efcape was made, and the 

 young Tv>x fled with the Poloman Lords into Poland, where he turn'd Chriitian, 

 and receiv'd ample rewards both in Employments and Money. The fame gra- 

 titude proportionably was obferv'd toward thole, who had contributed toward 

 the liberty of the Princes, who amply acknowledg'd the fervices which they 

 had receiv'd from every one of them. 



In the mean time the Sieur Des Marefts arrives at Ifpahan, and addreffing 

 himfelf to the Capuchin Fryars, they brought him to my Lodging, where he 

 had the freedom of my Table , and a Chamber. He ftaid lbme time at Ifpa- 

 han, during which he got acquainted with the EngUJh and Hollanders, who had 

 a great efteem for him, finding him to be a perfon of merit. But it happen'd 

 one day, chat his curiofity putting him upon a bold attempt, had like to have 

 been the mine of him and all the Franks in Ifpahan. Near the Inn where we 

 lodg'd there was a large Bath, where the men and women by turns take their 

 times to come and bath themfelves ; and where the Queen of F)fapo*r s during 

 her flay at Ifpahan, as fhe return'd home to Mecca, delighted to go and prattle 

 with the French mens Wives. The Sieur Des Marefts having a paffionate de- 

 fire to lee what the women did, fatisfi'd his curiofity, by means of a cranny in 

 the Arch of the Vault, which he had obferv'd when he went thither ; for having 

 found out a way without fide to get up to that Arch, through a blind hole that 

 was next to the Inn where we lay, the Arch being flat, as I have defcribM them 

 in my relations of Perfia, and the Seraglio, he laid himfelf upon his belly, and 

 faw through the cranny what. he lb much long'd to behold. * He was at this fport 

 fome ten or twelve times ; and not being able to contain himfelf, he told me 



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