Stuff on period russian booze laws

[bunnyjadwiga]

The Land and Government of Muscovy

"Heinrich von Staden's account of the state of affairs in Muscovy was written in late 1578 and 1579, not long after the author returned from there to Western Europe."

All those who were found drunk at night in the streets were seized and brought before the law here. The fine was ten altin, which is equal to thirty mariagroschen or Polish groschen; and whenever beer, mead, or brandy was found in illegal taverns, it was taken and brough to the court. [The culprit] then had to pay the set fine of two rubles, which is six talers, and he was then publicly whipped in the marketplace with a lash. There were many prikazchiki or officials who supervised this. They could right a wrong in the street before a person was brought to this court, and on the other hand, could also wrong a right. If thesed officials did not like some meerchant or tradesman and knew he had money, a young tramp would be sent to his house carrying a small bottle of brandy in his house. The officials would immediately appear with jurors and seize the boy and the man and woman of the house, together with the servant and maid. This man could not spare his purse then, if he wanted to keep his skin.

Apparently, in the chancellories, beverage service was available:
In summer a number of boys or youths went around with wooden cups and stone jugs in which ice lay. When a person was thirsty, he could drink one, two or three times for a Bohemian penny. Some, who went into all the chancelleries, had a drink to sell called sladkii mors. It was prepared like this: the Russians took some water from a fresh-flowing stream, then placed some juniper berries in the water, which thereupon became bitter. Then they took honey and mixed it with the water and strained [the mixture] through a hair sack, making it as sweet as one wished, and one paid for it accordingly.

Both of these are from
Staden, Heinrich von. The land and Government of Muscovy: A sixteenth-century account. Translated and edited by Thomas Esper. (Stanford, CA: Stanford Universty Press, 19867)

Comments

[dr-zrfq.livejournal.com]

If thesed officials did not like some meerchant or tradesman and knew he had money, a young tramp would be sent to his house carrying a small bottle of brandy in his house. The officials would immediately appear with jurors...

Planting evidence is period!

[paquerette.livejournal.com]

aha! now I know what to do with all those juniper berries.

I wouldn't drink it (blech) but I know some gin lovers who might. :)