‘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’ [‎270] (333/470)

The Voyages of V oy. Ill
J uxe. of theway. This Lake as we afterwards underftood was very plen-
J671. tifull of many kinds of delicate Fifh, which are fold very dear and
highly efteemed of abroad throughout all that part of the Countreyj
and indeed it was once our thoughts to make a T rial if we could take
any thing, till meeting with thefe new murthered Perfons , we chufed
rather to let the Fifh remain in their Element than by the probable
confequence to pay too great a price for our fport.
On the 9 happened a very Tragical paffageat Scamachy , which,
notwithftanding the horrible fpeftacle 1 had feen the Day before,
made my Heart beat withrn my Breaft, as it did many times after that,
when it came into my mind. A Woman and a Slave was taken
by a Perjian for his Wife. Whether ihe had fom private Quarrel with
him, or that Ihe was confcious of fom misbehaviour to him I cannot
determine, however fhe came to my Patron the Poltfh Ambaflador,
firft making a large Demonftration of her State, and of her Friends
and Family in Poland, fhe requeftcd that my Lord would vouchfafe
her his Protection, till Inch time as fhe could meet with an oppor
tunity to convey her felf clandeftinly home into her own Countrey,
My Lord , at the earneft intreaty of fom Domeftics who were his
Minions, alien ted: but after fhe had fo privily held her felf about the
fpace of 14 days, her Husband got Intelligence by fom Pick-thank
or other, where fhe was, applies himfelf immediatly to Court, where
Rafter a lide foliciting) he gets an Order to fetch her out, and ufe
her as feemed good to him. But confidering that the Domeftics of
my Lord were too numerous and a little unruly, he durft not attempt
to make the demand, but went back again to Couct defiring Aili-
ftance upon which the Prince fent fom of his, Officers , who when
our People faw that they were com in a warrantable way, durft not
oppofe them, nor had they any conveniency to put her out of the
way, fo that Ihe was forthwith delivered into the hand of her Huf-
band. The Man having as was faid permiffion to punifh her at
his own Dilcretion had already provided a Wooden Crofs , upon
which, with the help of his Servants, he bound her faft, being mother
naked, and with his own hands flea'd her whilft yet living. Iftood
my felf all the while at the Door with a great Company of Men,
Women and Children , and heard her cry out moft bitterly. Yet
none thought that his cruelty was of fo high a nature till we law the
Car-