‘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’ [‎38] (79/470)

^ 8 The Voyages of lohn Struys. V o y . I.
moft part are of brafs , and ofaneat fafhion, but generally chafed.
i^> o - , Xhey are alfo very cleanly in their Chamber, and furpafs any other
in thd/ people that I have feen, either before or fince. They keep their bo-
hml'td. d ies cleaner than the Turks themfelves , and baththemfelvesofter
ahout" than they eat, which is not only their Head, Hands and Feet, as
their so- was t ) ie Cuftome of the Talmudifts, and thofe under the Levitical
Law, but all over; which being done, they anoint themfelves with
perfumed Confedures, made of fragrant Spices, and Herbs. Some of
them I have known ufe an Oyntment made of or , wood of
Aloes , Sandal, Musk , and Ambergreece, tempered with Kofe-
water , . which befides the deleftable odour it renders , is a great
Prefervative againft epidemical and peftilential Airs.
Men homWhenfoever their Devotion moves them to go and vifit their
Sheila- Friends , or the Pagods , which they frequently adore, they bath
brtad. and anoint themfelves after this wife, and afterwards , attire them
felves in a Garb peculiar to fuch Solemnities : the Men have all their
fingers leaden with gold Rings , as many as they can well put on,
without hindring the due ufe of their Joynts, and a long Cotton
Robe , or Caffock, of divers colours either fo woven , or pain
ted j which appears very gorgeoufly : this is their Habit from the
middle downward > under that they wear a Shirt of very fine Linnen,
or Cotton, of red, white, or other colours: above the middle a kind of
Surplice, with wide fleeves (like the Gown of a Batchlour of Art
in our Univerfities )Head, Hands and Feet are all bare.
mme» The Women have their hair tied up in a round ball, on the crown
how at- 0 f the head, faftned with a golden Bodkin, 5 or 6 inches long. At
" rsd ' their Ears they hang Pendants of Gold about a finger long, which
are faftned to the Tips of their Ears , by great wide holes, bored
when they are Young, the head where they fallen the Pendant is
fet with Precious ftones, as Ruby, Diamond, Amethift, Emerald or
Pearls. Befides the Rings , which are alfo fet with Diamonds, or
other Stones , and fometimes plain , they wear others about their
arms, which are maffie and ponderous.They wear alfo a long Vefture
of 7 or 8 foot long , and 6 or 7 broad, painted of divers colours,
being faftned with a Surcingle about i6fcot long. , wound round
their body , which is neatly embroidered with Gold; From the
middle upward they have nothing but a Cotton-cloth, or a Scarf of
co"
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