'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.' [‎339] (316/594)

| through the B lack-Sea,
for by chat means I fold him at a much cheaper rate. The
fame day a little after I was return'd to my Lodging the
Princefs his Wife fent for me,to make her a price of lome cer
tain Jewels which fhe had made choice of. But jufl as I was
ready to take Horf^the General of the Mint, and the Kings
Slave came to give me a vifit, fo that I could not go to the
Caftle that day : neither would I go the three next days as
being the three laft of the Paffion Week ; but the Fourth of
April I went. So foon as I came,the PrinceflTe's Steward, who
was an old Eunuch, told me,That the Princefs was extreamly
angry that I had ftay'd fo long, and that if one of the Coun
try fhould have ferv'd her fo, (he would have made him
feel two hundred Drubs upon the Soles of his Feet. At which
1 laught, and askd the Eunuch, if his Lady were wont to
pronounce Sentences. Sir, faid he, fhe is one of the Haugb-
tieft Ladies in the Woild ; and for the leaft fault exafts a
moft fevere punifhment. If it be a man that has offended
her, {he fends her Eunuchs to feize him, who bind him hand
and foot, and put him in a Sack, carry him into the
into her prefence, and punifh him according to her Com*
mands, without letting him out of the Sack, or fuffering him
to know where he is. But I never yet knew that the
Ladies ever infiided fuch fort of punifliments. And there
fore I defir'd the Eunuch, to let the Princefs know the Reafon
that had kept me at home, and that I was always ready to
obey her Commands. I tarry'd above four hours at the en
trance into the Seraglio, while the went and came
back. At length a Bargain was made between us for fo ma«
ny Jewels as amounted to Four Hundred Pounds, for which [
received my Money the next Morning.
The I went to the Governor, and defir'd him to give me
leave to depart 5 for that I was in haft to be at Court. He pro'
mis'd to difpatch me after Dinner: and I waited on him again
j at his time appointed. At what time, he ask'd me with a
fmiling Countenance what was the value of the Gold Box 1
had given him, when he came to vifit me. 1 knew not what
his defign was, and therefore in my anfwer I valued it at Ten
Pounds. Pray then Sir, faid he, oblige me to take it again and
give me the value of it in Keys, in Springs and Strings for Wat*
ehes. I was not a little furpriz'd at his Propofal, which did not
leem to be very civil for a Perfon of hisQuality. However I an*
fwcr'd him,that! was ready to do what he pleas'd;& added that
I had feveral Watchmakers Tools, that I had brought for the
C c c c Kings