‘The perillous and most unhappy voyages of John Struys, through Italy, Greece, Lifeland, Moscovia, Tartary, Media, Persia, East-India, Japan, and other places in Europe, Africa and Asia. Containing, I. Most accurate remarks and observations of the distinct qualities, religion, politie, customs, laws and properties of the inhabitants: II. A due description of the several cities, towns, forts and places of trust, as to their site and strength, fortifications by nature, or art, &c. with other things worthy of note: and III. An exact memorial of the most disastrous calamities which befell the author in those parts (viz) by ship-wrack, robberies, slavery, hunger, tortures, with other incommodities and hardships’ [‎156] (205/470)

The Voyages of lohn Struys. V oy. in.
m ^ rc . As the Titles of the Prince are great, fo his Revenues are confor-
imftrUl mable. The Kabacks or Taverns are altogether farmed through
Rtvtmts the Empire of the Emperour himfelf, whereof there are 3 at
Noyogorod which bring up yearly Tea Thoufand Gilders , and fo all
others according to proportion. The Tmpofition upon Iron, Corn,
Salt} Tar, Furs and other Commodities are very confiderable. If
fo the Revenues ofthis Prince be Great , fo likewife his Courtis as
luaiptuous, and Houfe-keeping very Royal, befidcs the vaft Char
ges in maintenance of the Str , who are exaftly and duly
paid.
c/iheu Their Laws, as we have elfewhere faid, are very rigorous againft
jufliu, Malefactors , and quite different from other Nations. Thefirftand
lightcft is the Battoki , which is when the Patient is to lie upon his
belly, then come two men, one fitting down upon his Neck and the
other upon his Leggs , who beat him till the Judge or Officer com
mands them to hold up. The is a Puniffiment of a higher
"degree, and fuch as ufuallythofe that fell Brandy, Metheglin or To
bacco without a fpecial Licenfe from the , are punilhed with, and
is after this manner : The Executioners Servant takes the patient and
ftrips him from the middle downwards , and takes him upon his
back, which done the Executioner with a fcourge of Thongs made
of a raw Elks-hide dried gives, him a certain number of ftripes , ac
cording to a Ticket which is delivered him immediately before he
takes the fcourge in his hand. This punifhment is exceeding fevere,
and yet not fufficient to fupprefs continual fmuckling , and felling
byftealth , which the more they are puniffi'd and threatned , the
more eager they are to do it. The Executioner and his Office are not
there fo contemptible as with us , for it. is fometimes purchafed by
the moft wealthy Merchants in the Land. Other Crimes are punilhea
with Chapping off a Hand or a Foot , and fometimes onlya Finger
according to the enormity of the crime. Falfe Coiners have liquid
mettal poured down their Throats : andRaviffimentof Virgins [or
^s our L3.W8 call it zRape ] is expiated by gelding of the Delffiquantj
of which if he tecover well and good, but it is very rare that any does.
GHAF.