'The travels of Sir John Chardin into Persia and the East Indies, through the Black Sea, and the country of Colchis. Containing the author's voyage from Paris to Ispahan. To which is added, the coronation of the present King of Persia, Solyman the III.' [‎9] (38/594)

through the Black-Sea, and Colchis.
Cheat that was put upon 'em, though fo palpable and of fo
great a Confequence ; but fo foon as they found it out, they
^vere fo incens'd, that they laid moft heavy Impoficions upon,
the French, ufing 'em no better then Counterfeiters of Money,
though the Dutch and Genoefes had a hand in it as well as
they. Thereupon they forbid 'em to utter any of thofe Pieces
which they call'd Timmins, but fuch as were ftamp'd with the
real Arms of France^ which they alio brought down and put
at Five Sous apiece. So that all the Merchants, ex
cept the Englipj, were loaded at that time with great Quan
tities of thole Jimm s. Their Warehoufes were full, whole
Ships Loadings of em arriv'd daily, and they began to Coin
'em in all parts. But foon after, this Money being cry d
down, feveral of thofe Money-Merchants loft all their
Gains, and many much more then ever they got.
. The Englifh were the Procurers of this Decry. For had
that Money continu'd Currant, their Trade had been ruin'd,
which confided chiefly in the purchafe of Silks. And the
realbn was, becaufe the 'i/w/w/Vj-Merchants caus'd an advance
to be .made upon the price of Silks, not caring what they
gave, provided the Sellers would take their Pieces of Five
in payment, I have feen above Fifty feveral forts of Coins
of this fort of Money. But the mofi: common fort carri'd on
the one fide a Womans Head with this Motto, Virtu lis
imago : On the other, the Arms of with this Imprefe,
Currcas per tot am Afiam,
There are no People in the World that have been more fre
quently cheated , or that are more eafily gull'd then the
"iHrks; as being naturally very dull, and thick-skull'd, and
apt to believe any fair Story : Which is the reafon that the
Chriftians have impos'd a f houiand Cony-catching-Tricks,
and Cheats upon em. But though you may deceive em once
or twice, yet when their Eyes are op'n, they ftrike home, and
pay ye once for all. And thole fort of Impoficions which
they lay upon Offenders in that Nature, are call d ;
which are not always unjuft Impofitions neither ; they being
like the Confifcations fo frequent in Cuftom-Houfes: Where
for the moft part the Chief Minifters and their Officers devour
the People, while the 'Port winks at all the firft time, and only
exhorts to Amendment. If the Complaints ceafe, the Offence
is ftifl'd ; but if the Clamour grow too loud, the Tort lends
to take off the Head of the Party accus'd, and Confilcates his
Eftate. By which means the People are fatisfi'd, the Trea-
D fury