‘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’ [‎220] (279/470)

2.1 1 The Voy ages of V o y. HI.
Jvty. Anfwer j to this EfFicr, Sir , All haye , anA
ttyo* ffoaty 0U way hereafter mike shdl
make me renounce mj Faith, for I im-
brace Mahometanism. He hearing me fay fo did not for that timeprefs
me much more.
On the 9 tl1 ' dito I continued ftill in Chains, at what time the
young Damofels that had been with me beforej were fent again,
who, as they did the laft time, endeavoured to perfwade me to turn
Mahometan, neither did they dcliii to ufe all manner of Allurements
they could devife, to entice me toly with them, for fo they thought
that if 1 had done that, I muft either become Turk, or dy a mi-
ferable Death; They further did what they could to put me in mind
of my prefent mifery, and told me that 1 muft never expeft to en
joy any better than what I faw before my eies ; and in the conclu-
llon of all, told me that they wondred at the Folly and Vanity of
the Chriftians who were fo ftri£tly tied to Monogamy, or only to
marry one Wife , when as the Mahometans might have as many as
they lifted, or thought themfelves capable to maintain.
My Mafter altho he was a Prince yet thought it nodilhonour to
trade in Commerce: but the chief thing he had whidi brought him
up the moft Revenues , were the Baths which he kept ; having
fom almoft in every City, as wellinhisownJurifdi&ionasinPtr/fo
and other Countreys, whereof thofe were the moft confiderable,
at Derbent y at Scam achy, and at which brought himinavaft
fum of Money yearly.
The reafon why the Baths are there in fuch efteem , and fo
much frequented by perfons of all Ranks and Degrees, is not on
ly their aftecled Cleanlinefs , in which they furpafs all others: but as
well thro Superftition: for that after the ufe of their Wives , they
are to bath, being till then reputed unclean, and may not enter the
Mofques: and this both fexes are injoyned to upon fuch Cafes by the
K^Alcoran.A man among them may not ly with his wife from
Conception to her Delivery: which is probably inftituted as a Pre
cept in the Alchoran to make thofe Countreys more populous for
fo one Man is capable of generating many Children in one year.
The Baths are frequented from Break of day to the Setting of the
Sun. From morning till noon the Men bath, and from noon fill
night the Women, fo taking it by Turns. On