‘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’ [‎139] (188/470)

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Chap. V. The Voyages of /ohn Struys. 137
profit, efpccially if it be any thing of Food.
The Rujfes feed moft of Roots ,PulfeandFifh , ufe much Onions
and Garlick in their Pottage and alfo for fauces. Their Bread is
moftly of Courfe Ry. As for Fifh they eat it rather pickled than frefli,
which is plentifull in their Markets , and by reafon that wafhing and
making clean the fhambles is a kind of anAbomination to thoie people,
you cannot come within a hundred paces of the Market, unlefs you
Itop your nofe, fo naufeous and hatefull is the fmell. T hofe of the grea-
teft Rank and ability do in general hold good Tables ,i)ut eat moft
Spoon-meat although it were but bread out of Water thatpifli has been
boil'din. Cayetr is a great Dainty amongft them, but not fo high in e-
fteem, there as abroad. When they have drunk more than well agrees
with them, fo that their ftomach be furcharged, they prepare a certain
Difli which they call Pochmelie made up of cold Beef or Mutton
fliced very thin, and ^uas : is a Liquor which they ufe as Beer
ofwhichitis made , with a Compofition of Water, Beer- Vinegar,
Garlick and Pepper : this J?uas being fo prepared they put their meat
into it,and feeth it a litle,which afterwards they eat with Spoons. The
poorer fort have a certain Liquor much in ufe among them,which they
alfo call Jj)uas, this is made of Water with a litle Bran and Barley-
meal , which according to their ability they temper thicker or thinner.
The Gentry drink Beer, that there is very ftrong and heady , but
more commonly Metheglin , which they make of the beft Honey,
adding Cloves, Cinnamon , Pepper , Galangal, Cardamom and
other Spices : Thisisa very ftrong and Healing Liquor of it felfj yet
they think good to mix it with Brandy to make it more effectual.*
Brandy which they call Wina they covet above all other Liquors ,'
which without any difcretion or noted difference is drunk both by
Spiritual and Temporal, Nobles and Plebeians, Men and Women,
Young and Old , and that at all times of the Day, before and after
Meals > Sometimes to add a medicinal vertue they put a litle Pepper
^amongft it. Nay, fobefotted are the Vulgar with Brandy , that in
the (harpeft Weather , they will not only part with their Caps or
J Coats for the Reckoning, butlikcwife with their Boots, Shirts and
J Stockings, fo that I have feen fome of them come mother-naked out
Id of the Kaback or T ipling-Houfe. T he Common people were formerly
J fo irregular and void of Order that they would drink themfelves full,
S 2 and