Travels into Turkey: containing the most accurate account of the Turks, and neighbouring nations, their manners, customs, religion, superstition, policy, riches, coins, &c. The whole being a series of remarkable observations and events, interspers'd with great variety of entertaining incidents, never before printed / translated from the original Latin. Of the learned A.G. Busbequius. With memoirs of the life of the illustrious author.

Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq

Date:: 1744

Credit: Travels into Turkey: containing the most accurate account of the Turks, and neighbouring nations, their manners, customs, religion, superstition, policy, riches, coins, &c. The whole being a series of remarkable observations and events, interspers'd with great variety of entertaining incidents, never before printed / translated from the original Latin. Of the learned A.G. Busbequius. With memoirs of the life of the illustrious author. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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Table, and went to my Chamber; but as for Them, they went away fad, becaufe they had not their full Swing at the Goblet, but were able to Hand upon their Feet. As foon as I was gone, they fent a Youth after me, defiring me to let them have their Fill of Wine, and that I would lend them my Silver Cups to drink it in ; for they were willing, by my Leave, to fit at it all Night in fome Corner or other of the Houfe. I granted their Requeft, and ordered fo much Wine to be given them, as they defired, with Bowls to drink it in. Being thus accommodated, they tippled it out fo long, till they were even Dead-drunk, and tumbling down, lay faft afleep upon the Ground. You mull know, that it is a great Crime in turkey to drink Wine, efpecially for thofe who are well ftricken in Years; as for the Younger Sort, they think the Offence to be more Venial, and therefore more excufable in thern. But feeing they expedf no lefs Punifhment, after Death, for drinking a little Wine, than if they drank ever fo much, when once they have tafted of that Liquor, they go on- to drink more and more; for having once incurred the Penalty of their Law, now, they think, they may Sin gratis^ and account Drunkennefs as a Matter of Gain. This Opinion, and others more abfurd than This, do the Turks hold concerning Wine, of which, I will give you a remarkable Inftance: I faw an Old Man at Cmjiantinople^ who, after he had taken a Cup of Wine in his Hand to Drink, us’d firft to make a hideous Noife ; I aficed his Friends, Why he did fo ? They an- fwered me, that, by this Outcry, he did, as it were> wain his Soul to retire into fome fecret Corner of his Body, or elfe, wholly to Emigrate, and pafs put of it,- that fhe might not be guilty of that Sin w.hiclii

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