Quotes

Quote 126 of 281

[According to Mr. Pargiter:] ... though Mosco is a very great city,
yet it is, from the distance between house and house, and few people
compared with this---and poor sorry houses, the Emperor himself
living in a wooden house---his exercise only flying a hawke at
pigeons and carring pigeons ten or twelve mile off and then laying
wagers which pigeon shall come soonest home to her house.  All the
winter within doors, some few playing at Chesse but most drinking
their time away.  Women live very slavishly there.  And it seems, in
the Emperor's Court no room hath above two or three windows, and
those the greatest not a yard wide or high---for warmth in winter
time.  And that the general cure for all diseases there is their
sweating-houses---or people that are poor, they get into their
ovens, being heated, and there lie.  Little learning among things of
any sort---not a man that speaks Latin, unless the Secretary of
State by chance.

Pepys' Diary, 16 Sep. 1664

Tags: chesse threewindows mosco carring wintertime pigeons hawke ovens pigeon emperor warmth secretaryofstate diseases doors exercise