‘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’ [‎46] (87/470)

4 <J The Voyages of Vo y . I,
fEBR.that were impeached with their hands tied behind their backs being
16 i0 - all the time guarded with a Body of S oldiers rand being c ome to the
place ,they ilript them naked and put their feet in warm Water, to
make them tender ; after that the Soldiers paired of the skin with
razours. Afterwards they were brought before certain Officers, no
minated by the King as Examinators for that day, and were affifted
by the chief of the Bon^i , who infilled upon them to co nfefs the F aft,
■* which but upon their ftedtall denial, had the * pronounced againft
them , and fo tranfmitted to the Tormeiiters, who were forced to
lih that run over the hot coals without their So foon as they
'vMctf'' were COIlie through the fire their feet were vilited; and if they were
Law ,bliftered , it was concluded by the , that they were guilty, and
wmJlis ^ away to the place appointed for them to be kept in, till all the
to'drtk fuppofed Criminals were turn'd through the Furnace; but when thofe
the Officers had don their vilits as they were injoyned, they found none,
'jetUoufy ^ llt: what were bliftered, and confequently condemned as guilty
fome there were on whom this impious Teft was impofed , that
indeed with a ftrong refolution ran through, without receiving much
damage :yet many there were who fell down flat in the middle of the
Fire, where they expired their laft, for ( as we were afterward in-
form'd } there was a ftrift: charge given, as well to the Speftators, as
Officers, not to reach forth their hand to pull any perfon out, upon
pain of Death. A Sc^ne (I muft confefs} fo fad as I have never feen as
yet, and hope I never ffiall. That was thrown into the brazen
Bull, which he had prefented to the T yrant Ph alar is , to puniffi fuch
as he was offended with, had good colour of Jurtice; but that fo
many in innoccncy ihould be maflacred upon bare fupicion , and
that with fuch unheard-of Cruelty , is in no wifejuftifiable. It is a
fpeftaclc difmal enough , none can deny , to fee a Ship rent upon
the Rocks ; and the diftreffed marriners Swimming upon nwfts and
planks , to fave their lives j but yet harder to fee fo many rare Perfo-
nages burnt alive , and fried in their own blood; for that is from a
Divine hand , to which we ow our very Lives and Being : but this
the effects of a wretched Tyranny from our fellow-creatures, where
• Juftice it felf had nothing to demand.
Every perfon who had part this horrid Purgatory, and by the afore-
faid rule convicted , was led afidc, and by the Soldiers made faft