'A New Account of East-India and Persia, in Eight Letters. Being Nine Years Travels, Begun 1672. And Finished 1681. Containing Observations made of the Moral, Natural, and Artificial Estate of Those Countries: Namely, of their Government, Religion, Laws, Customs. Of the Soil, Climates, Seasons, Health, Diseases. Of the Animals, Vegetables, Minerals, Jewels. Of their Housing, Cloathing, Manufactures, Trades, Commodities. And of the Coins, Weights, and Measures, Used in the Principal Places of Trade in Those Parts.' [‎389] (436/506)

The Artizans alfo confpirem this, that Strangers are to be cozen- Cb XIV
ed; from whence refults the neceflity of employing Broakers or
Banyans, that tbe Cretes may deal with the Cretes ; or as our Em- the
lijh Proverb hath it, Always fit a Knave to catch a Knave. g X"
For all thefe Mifcarriages, not the Government fo much, as the
Admimftrators of Juftice, are to be blamed : For the Laws are found
enough, were not the Magiftrates faulty in the Execution 5 and the
Reafon is plain, their Offices being purchafed at high Rates, indired
Courfes muft be taken to repay themfelves: Wherefore there is
hardly any Viliany unconnived at, if they bribe but honeftly, and
have the wit not to be open in their Cheats; fo that thofe, whofe
duty it is to preferve the Commonweal, are fo far from being intent
thereon, that on the contrary, their main fcope is directed how to
vex and opprefs the Innocent; whereby, inftead of being Difpenfers
of Equity and Right to the Citizens, they are the only Plague and
Grievance they lie under: For their Gain arifes moftly from the Ills
they contrive for thofe under their malevolent Authority, as may ap'
pear by the fubfequent, much to be lamented Story.
A certain Droger or Calenture of a City, being introduced by the The viliany
power of Gold, that he might the better make himfelf whole.began to of a Droger,
ruminate within himfelf (nor is the Devil wanting to fuch Servants;)
wherefore, befides the ufual Exadions, to wit, to load the kich
with Injuries, Tributes, Prifon, Stripes and Shackles; whereas he
could not bring that to account to all, he devifed a more Cure and
available Stratagem; he enters a League and Amity with all the Men
of Note, treats them civilly abroad, and invites them friendly at
home, but not without defign; entertaining at the fame time corre-
fpondence with all the Pimps, Panders and Bawds of the Town, and
charges the latter to mix with all the lawful Wives in the publick
Baths (fince only Men of the higheft Rank have them in their
Houfes) and to obferve their Manners, Geftures, Garments, Shoes,
and their very Smocks, and give him an account; nor dare they be
deficient in their part; At the next Aflembly, where every one drives
to the utmoft of his Gravity to behave himfelf, he puts on a fober
Vizor, looks concerned, and out of order ; after many Expreflion^
of rincerity,and a deep fenfe of Honour, he burfls out into heavy fighs^
at which the Good Man, to whom he dircd:s his Difcourfe, afflided
to fee him in thefe Dumps, muft to his own ruin ask the occafion of
his fudden alteration: He craftity returns, The bufinefs is no other-
wife mine, than as it relates to my Friend, whofe Credit is dearer to
me than mine own, nor can I endure to fee him abufed; then the de*
ceived Coxe grows more inflant, begging that he would not conceal
it from him* .
The Droger being Matter of his Science,perrifts; What comfort can
I reap from your difturbance* It were better I (hould be filent; yet*—-
whereat the other inflamed, thinking the Mifcarriage aimed at him,
greedily fwallows the Bait; and whilft he endeavours to clear tne
doubt, is much more intricated than before, and therefore leaves
not off till he have wrought him to difcover the dangerous Secret j
the Droger with much ado fuffers himfelf to be overcome, snd then
ne
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