They have been sometimes still more dangerous to a country, by harbouring other spies, who, under the disguise of Gipseys, made excursions, surveying cities and countries, without being noticed. An example of this kind is recited in the Adventures of a certain French engineer, Peter Durois; which is a circumstance, in the records of Louis XIV. perhaps as much unknown as it is remarkable. It relates, that at Padock (Patak), in Upper Hungary, a great fire happened, through the carelessness of the Gipseys; by which not only the little city adjoining the fort was burnt, but the beautiful Bruderhoff was also reduced to ashes: on which occasion seven supposed Gipseys were taken into custody, one of whom was the French engineer above mentioned. This person had travelled about with them during nine years: he had sketches of all the principal fortifications in the whole Roman empire, and the imperial hereditary dominions, taken in the most concise manner, with remarks where each place was least defensible.—This affair has still another voucher, who says, “in the month of June of the year 1676, the Gipseys fired this little city (Patak), together with the church. With these Gipseys was found a French engineer, named Peter Durois, who had been nine years in this disguise, and received considerable remittances from France. He was taken by the imperialists, and there were found upon him plans of almost all the cities of Upper Hungary, and the German empire.” Thus these people, in whatever point of view they are considered, are found to cause incalculable damage and mischief, without, in general, returning the smallest profit or benefit to the state in which they reside. CHAPTER XIV. _Concerning the Toleration of the Gipseys by the different States of Europe_. FROM the inherent bad and pernicious qualities of the Gipseys, the question arises, What a government can do with them? The evil they occasion has long been a subject of serious consideration, and various means of security have been devised. As banishment was a mode punishing formerly often resorted to, nothing could be more natural than that it should likewise be exercised against the Gipseys. The clergy and politicians inveighed strongly against the toleration of these people; and their exile was actually resolved upon in most countries of Europe.