2 54 Travels into ^/^e L e v a n t. ' Part L 
concerned in the bufinefs, but they were no fooner come into the Caftle, 
when they were fent home again to their Houfes ; though for all that, it coft 
them an hundred Piaftres a piece to the Aga"i and ChiaoHx, as a reward for 
the pains they had been at. The other two Confuls lay feveral days in Prifon, 
nay, and were for the firft day put in Chains, and at length were not releafed, 
till their Nations paid great fums for their liberty, and promifed the Bafha 
to pay within a few Months, the value of the Ships Loadings ; for which 
sll the Merchants v>^ere obliged under hand and Seal. If the Capitulations 
made by Monfieur de Breves-, were obferved, fuch violences would not be 
ufed,as I my felfhave feen pradticed by the Son/- Bafja, who fent his Officers 
one night into the quarter of the French, fome Merchants walking then in 
the open place, which is at the end of their Quarter, having perceived them 
coming, retired to their homes, but the Villains purfuing them to the very 
tops of their Houfes, hailed them cut, and with all the fpeed they could 
dragged them to a nafty Prifon, upon pretext that they had found themi 
abroad at unfeafonable hours, for it is prohibited to walk abroad in the 
ftreets in the Night-time ^ but the French are excepted by the Capitulations, 
which fpecifie that the SoHfbapa is not to enter into their Quarter: They 
ran away with them in allhafte, for fear they might be taken from them; 
and to make them run the fafter, each of them was led by two Cowas^ one 
Cow^s. holding one Arm and the other the other. Thefe Cowas are Moorifli Recors 
I or Officers, tall ftrong fellows, vi/ho wear no other Cloathsbut blew-Shirts, 
fewed clofe like Womens Smocks , they carry ftaves as long as themfelves, 
and as big as a Mans Arm ; and when they carry any man to Prifon, they 
give him now and then a blow with their Cudgel, which they hold in both 
hands by the end, that they may lay on the better. Thus were thefe Gentle- 
men dragg'd away , each of them by two of thefe great Devils, who empti- 
ed their pockets by the way, and pulled even the Rings off of their Fingers: 
but what was worft of all, other Cow.is followed them at the back, who fo 
banged their fides with their poles, that they were forced to keep their 
Beds for fome days after. In the mean time the other Merchants, who thought 
that if they let them alone till next day, the Charges would be the greater, 
v/ent immediately with the Conful, (though it was eleven a clock at night) 
to the Sorif £.iP)a, and prefented him vv^ith a Purfe, in confideration whereof 
he releafed the Prifoners, and let them go home with the reft. Two days 
afier, theBaiha threatened to Iroprifon the fame Merchants, under pretext 
that the Souf Bafiia's Officers had found them with Women, though it was 
falfe, and though they could draw no evidence of the matter from fome Bar- 
berins whom the Souf Balha's men found at the fame time in the French Quarter, 
and purpofely clapM into Prifon when they apprehended the French Merchants -, 
however it coft: them three Purfes more to take up that affair. Monfieur 
Honore de Bermond^ in whofe Family the Confullhip of Egy^t continued for 
many years, had a defign to remedy all thefe Diforders, who being a man 
ofRefolution and very well beloved in that Countrey, purpofed toraifehis 
Office to as high a pitch as ever it had been, and for that end, fent his 
Chief Trucheman to Confiamimple, with inftrudions to foUicite the Grand 
Signior for feveral Orders,and among the reft, for one to have two or three of 
the chief Jews Hanged before their own Doors in C^?>f, thereby to terrify 
the reft from putting their tricks upon the French: and another of no lels 
importance, to wit, that the Jews (hould not demand from the French, re- 
payment of the money they had lent them, becaufe they had received double 
the principal in Intereft, (for they take one perce;?? Ufury a month, adding 
the Intereft to the Principal every month, which amounts to confiderable 
gains, doubling almoft the debt in twenty fix months time.) He fpared not 
Money to accomplifh thefe things, and would eafily have obtained them, if 
Âio7 fitter de Beguehzd not come at that time, for his coming broke all the 
others meafures, bred a confufion among the Nation, and coft them above 
threefcore thoufand Piaflres^ for he promifed the Bafha great fums of Money 
to adn.'it of him to be Conful, and to fend Monfienr de Bermond^ who for 
fome time was obliged to give way to that violence. Had he obtained thefe 
orders from the Port, they might have contributed fomewhat to the prevent- 
