82 



^Travels in India. 



Part II. 



As for Stem des Mar efts, he was a Gentleman, born in the Dauphinate, near 

 to Loriol, who having kill d his Adverfàry in a Duel, fled into Poland, where 

 lie fb far fignaliz'd himfèlf, that he won the efteem and attention of the General 

 of the Polonian Army. At that time the Grand Seignior kept in the Prifon of 

 the Seven Towers at Con ft antinomie, two Noble Polonians ; whereupon the Po- 

 lonian General obfèrving the courage and addrefs of this Des Aï ar eft s, who was 

 a daring Fellow, and a good Engineer befides, made a propofal to him, to go to 

 Confiant inople, and to endeavour, if he could by any means in the world, to 

 let thole Princes at liberty. Des Marefts willingly accepted the employment,, 

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

 by fome Tmkj, who accus'd him for having been too circumfpect in viewing 

 the fèven 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 

 Ambaflàdour ftifl'd the further examination of the bufinefs by fome prêtent; 

 which in Tmkj is the moft fovereign remedy upon all accidents of danger ; telling 

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

 one that was going for Per ft a 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, fb foon 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 fia ; 

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

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

 were fo fortunate as to gain the love of a young Turh^, 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 Prifon. The night appointed for their flight.,, 

 he made as if he had fhut 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 difcover'd. The jroung man,, who 

 had entirely devoted himfelf to fèrve the Princes, having forefèen this diffi- 

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

 Walls; to which purpofè it was neceflàry to have, a correfpondence within and 

 without. Finding therefore that becaufe the, utmoft of feverity was not us'd 

 toward thofe Princes, they had the liberty to receive lèverai Difhes of Meat 

 from the French Ambaffadors Krtchin, the Glerk of the Kitchin was made of the 

 plot, who thereupon fent them in lèverai Cords in Parties, whereof they made 

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

 young %nrk_ fled with the Polonian Lords into Poland, where he turn'd Chriftian, 

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

 titude proportionably was obfèrv'd toward thofe who had contributed toward 

 the liberty of the Princes, who amply acknowledge the fervices which they 

 had receiv'd from every one of them. w 



In the mean time the Sieur Des Marefts arrives at J r fpah an, and addreffing 

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

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

 ban, during which he got. acquainted with the, Englijh and Hollanders, who had 

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

 one, day, that his curiofity putting him, upon a bolcL attempt, had like to have 

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

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

 times to come and bath themfelves. j, and where the Queen of Vifapour, during • 

 Uerûay ztlfipaban, as fhe return'd home to Mecca } delighted to go and prattle 

 with the; French mens wives. The , Sieur Des Mqrefts having a paflionate de- 

 fire to fee; what the women did, fatisfi-d his curiofity, by means of a cranny in 

 the 4ïfchj of the Vault, , which he had obfèrv'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 defcrib'd them 

 ® my relations of tiPÀjm and the Seraglio, he laid, himfelf upon his belly, and 

 f w through the cranny what he fo 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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