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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65012	The travels of Sig. Pietro della Valle, a noble Roman, into East-India and Arabia Deserta in which, the several countries, together with the customs, manners, traffique, and rites both religious and civil, of those Oriental princes and nations, are faithfully described : in familiar letters to his friend Signior Mario Schipano : whereunto is added a relation of Sir Thomas Roe's Voyage into the East-Indies.; Viaggi. Part 3. English	Della Valle, Pietro, 1586-1652.; Roe, Thomas, Sir, 1581?-1644.; Havers, G. (George)	1665 (1665)	Wing V47; ESTC R7903	493,251	479

The same day after dinner I took leave of the Consul with all my other Friends and was by his Servants and many others of the Italian Nation accompany'd out of the City Before we mounted our Camels I was desirous to see in the Suburbs of Aleppo the Churches of the Oriental Christians which stand in a Street call'd Giudeida not from the Jews as some who skill not of Languages erroneously imagine but from the Arabick word Gedida which signifies New perhaps because this place of the Suburbs was built more lately then others Here a little out of the Street on the right hand I found four Churches all together led unto by one Gate onely from the Street but the place being spacious enough within conveniently divided and separated about the Court or Yard Two of them belong'd to the Armenians the greater a fair one indeed call'd Santi Quaranta or the forty Saints and the less Della Madonna or our Lady One of the other two call'd San Nicolo belong'd to the Greeks and the other which is the least of all to the Maronite Catholicks call'd Sant ' Elia. In another place a good distant from this I saw alone by it self another Church hansome and large for the Country built after our manner with three Naves or Isles upon Pillars it belong'd to the Syrian Jacobites and was call'd Sitaa Assedi or Santa Maria. This Church hath adjoyning to it a good House with a little Garden and other conveniences according to the use of the Country wherein lives the Patriarch of the Jacobits calld Heda for whom I had brought from Bassora a Letter of F. Basilio di San Francesco a discalciated Carmelite wherein he invited him to a mutual friendship and correspondence from which he might draw some benefit to the service of God by reason of his skill in the Arabick and his residence here in behalf of the Christians of the Country This Letter I had gotten presented to the Patriarch and transmitted his answer to F. Basilio but had never visited him as the Father desir'd me in order to second his Letter and settle a friendship between them because he liv'd far from the Venetian Consul's House where I resided and all the while I remain'd in Aleppo I was lame of one foot by a hurt caus'd by walking in ill shoos that day when we were in danger of being assaulted by thievs so that I could not walk and was not wholly cur'd when I departed Nevertheless hapning to be so near his Church now I would not omit to visit him I found him a very compleat civil and courtly man according to the mode of the Country he had not the fame of being learned but yet was accounted wise and generous He told me he was glad of F. Basilio's Letter and residing at Bassora and building a Church there so peaceably and with so much favour of the Turks as he advertis'd him and that he would continue correspondence with him He also shew'd me two fair Books of the Gospels written in large Parchment-sheets with excellent Syrian Characters one of them as I remember written four hundred years ago the Letters whereof were all either of Gold or Silver and this Book they say was found by the Turks in Cyprus when they took the Island and carri'd to Constantinople from whence it was afterwards redeem'd with money and brought hither Indeed no Manuscript could be more goodly or rich with gold and miniature it had also a velvet Cover adorn'd with Silver gilt but made by themselves the ancient Cover which they said was set with jewels of great value being taken away by the Turks 'T is the custom of the Orientals to make great account of Books so fairly written and richly adorned as likewise S. Jerom reports they us'd to do in his time though himself being a Scholar was better contented as he saith with his schedules of a less fair Character but correct The other Gospel which the Patriarch shew'd me was more ancient namely four hundred and fifty years old but written with ordinary ink and few miniated Figures this he told me they bought lately at Cyprus for two hundred Piastres He added that the Church of Aleppo was not his Patriarchal See although under his jurisdiction but it was near the City of Mousul which is in the place of the ancient Niniveh After much more discourse he caus'd very good Sherbets of Sugar with snow to be given us to drink as the custom is and offer'd us a Collation of fruits which we receiv'd not because it was already late and time to be gone At last at my taking leave he pray'd me to do reverence to his Holiness in his name and so when he had given me many benedictions as their manner is I left him and departed Being come to the place where the Camels with the Women waited for me I took leave of all those friends that had accompani'd me thither and chose not the direct way to Alexandretta which the Caravans commonly use but one somewhat longer hard by Antioch out of a desire to see the remains of that ancient City which I had not yet seen After a short travel we rested till the Moon arose and then proceeded all the remainder of the night in bad and uneven ways August the twenty fourth We pass'd by some Villages and places cultivated with Olive-trees which I was joyful to see not having beheld any for many years About Noon we rested amongst certain ruins of Stone-buildings which had once been very magnificent and seem'd to be the remains of some noble City in ancient times Here the Archbishop Isciva-jahab's men the one nam'd Abdisciva and the other Hendi overtook me with his Letter I receiv'd them and carri'd them with me as I had promis'd The said place is call'd Hhalqa which signifies a Circle because 't is a great Plain almost surrounded with Hills Three hours after Noon we set forth again we pass'd by another Village belonging to the Territory of Hhalqa and at night took up our Quarters near a running Water under another Village call'd Harta At midnight the Moon rising we set forth again and travell'd all the remainder of the night August the twenty fifth Continuing our journey we came into a great Plain and travelling along the River Orontes according to the stream which we had found at day-break we cross'd over the same upon a good Stone-bridge Here the Plain is contracted being streightned on the right hand with high and on the left with lower mountains travelling in which Valley about Noon we arriv'd at Antioch which is fronted with high mountains almost on the North beyond the River Orontes and back'd with lower toward the South the walls of the City being extended over the same We enter'd at the East-gate and took up our Quarters near a great Cistern which is on the left hand of the Gate divided only by a wall from the Street and pav'd round with white Marble it is fill'd by a

from that Fall and therefore it was necessary that there should be one more than a Man to do it for him and that that One could not be Mahomet That this One was Christ God as well as Man God to satisfie the Mahometans themselves confessing that Christ was the breath of God and Man to suffer death as he did That Christ the Son of God coming into the World about that great Work of satisfying Gods anger against Man for sin it was necessary that he should live a poor and laborious life here on Earth at which the Mahometans much stumble and not a life that was full of pomp and pleasure and delicacy That the Gospel of Christ and other holy books of Scripture which the Christians retain and walk by contain nothing in them that is corrupt and depraved But there is very much to be found in their Alcaron which is so That the great worth and worthiness shining in the Person of Christ was by far more excellent than any thing observable in Mahomet for they themselves confess that Christ lived without sin when Mahomet himself acknowledgeth that he had been a filthy person That the feigned foolish and ridiculous miracles which they say were done by Mahomet were nothing comparable to the Miracles done by Christ who as the Mahometans confess did greater Miracles than ever were done before or since him That there was a great deal of difference in the manner of promulgating the Gospel of Christ into the world and the introducing of the Laws of Mahomet That Christ hath purchased Heaven for all that believe in him and that Hell is prepared for all others that do not rely on him and on him alone for Salvation There were many more particulars besides these which that Jeronymo Xaveere laid down before the Mogol to ground his arguments on which that King heard patiently at several times during the space of one year and a half but at last he sent him away back again to Goa honourably with some good gifts bestowed on him telling him as Felix did after he had reasoned before him that he would call for him again when he had a convenient time Acts 24.25 Which time or season neither of them both ever found afterward These Particulars which I have here inserted with many more I might have added to them upon all which that Jeronymo Xaveere enlarged himself before the Mogol in his arguings before him were given unto me in Latine by Francisco Corsi another Jesuit resident at that Court while I was there and long before that time And further I have been there told by other people professing Christianity in that Empire that there was such a Dispute there held and for my part I do believe it For that Francisco Corsi he was a Florentine by birth aged about fifty years who if he were indeed what he seemed to be was a man of a severe life yet of a fair and an affable disposition He lived at that Court as an Agent for the Portugals and had not only free access unto that King but also encouragement and help by hifts which he sometimes bestowed on him When this Jesuit came first to be acquainted with my Lord Ambassadour he told him that they were both by profession Christians though there was a vast difference betwixt them in their professing of it And as he should not go about to reconcile the Embassadour to them So he told him that it would be labour in vain if he should attempt to reconcile him to us Only he desired that there might be a fair correspondency betwixt them but no disputes And further his desire was that those wide differences 'twixt the Church of Rome and us might not be made there to appear that Christ might not seem by those differences to be divided amongst men professing Christianity which might have been a very main Obstacle and hinderance unto his great Design and endeavour for which he was sent thither to convert people unto Christianity there Telling my Lord Embassadour further that he should be ready to do for him all good offices of love and service there and so he was After his first acquaintance he visited us often usually once a week And as those of that society in other parts of the world are very great intelligencers so was he there knowing all news which was stirring and might be had which he communicated unto us And he would tell us many stories besides one of which if true is very remarkable And it was thus There are a race of people in East India the men of which race have if he told us true their right legs extraordinary great and mishapen their left legs are like other mens Now he told us that they were the posterity of those who stamped St Thomas the Apostle to death come thither to preach the Gospel and that ever since the men of that race have and only they of that Nation that great deformity upon them Some few people I have there seen of whom this story is told but whether that deformity be like Geheza's leprosie hereditary and if so whether it fell upon that people upon the occasion before-named I am yet to learn The Jesuits in East India for he was not alone there have liberty to convert any they can work upon unto Christianity c. The Mogol hath thus far declared that it shall be lawful for any one perswaded so in conscience to become a Christian and that he should not by so doing lose his favour Upon which I have one thing here to insert which I had there by report yet I was bid to believe it and report it for a truth concerning a Gentleman of quality and a servant of the great Mogol who upon some conviction wrought upon him as they say would needs be Baptized and become a Christian. The King hearing of this Convert sent for him and at first with many cruel threats commanded him to renounce that his new profession the man replied that he was most willing to suffer any thing in that cause which the King could inflict The Mogol then began to deal with him another way askking why he thought himself wiser then his Fore-fathers who lived and died Mahometans and further added many promises of riches and honour if he would return to his Mahometism he replied again as they say for I have all this by Tradition that he would not accept of any thing in the world so to do The Mogol wondring at his constancy told him that if he could have frighted or bought him out of his new profession he would have made him an example for all waverers but now he perceived that his resolution indeed was to be a Christian and he bid him so continue and with a reward discharged him The late Mogol about the beginning of his reign caused a Temple to be built in Agra his chief City for the Jesuits wherein two of his younger Brothers Sons were solemnly Baptized and delivered into their

may thereby come to be thought by his natural Prince too partial to and too intimate with the Prince with whom he treats and also by this means disparages himself as if he need to beg the mediation of foreign Princes to his natural Lord and of such Princes too with whom he negotiates in behalf of his own which by no means seems handsome Then Venk-tapà Naieka inquir'd concerning the rest of us and Vitulà Sinay answer'd his Questions telling him of me that I was a Roman and that I travell'd over so great a part of the World out of Curiosity and that I writ down what I saw with other things of the same nature Venk-tapà Naieka ask'd me Whether I understood the Language of the Moors I answer'd that I did together with the Turkish and Persian but I mention'd not the Arabick because I have it not so ready as the other two to be able to make use of it before every body He seem'd sufficiently pleas'd in seeing me and understanding that I was born at Rome and came thither so great a Traveller highly esteeming the ancient fame of Rome and the Empire and its new Grandeur and Pontificate of the Christians These and other Discourses which I omit for brevity lasting for some time he caus'd to be brought to him a piece of Silk embroider'd with Gold such as the Indians wear cross their shoulders but with us may serve to cover a Table or such like use and calling the Ambassador before him whither we accompany'd him gave it to him and caus'd it to be put upon his shoulders whereupon we were dismiss'd and so going out to Horse again we were reconducted home with the same solemnity and company After this as we were walking through the City late in the Evening without the Ambassador we saw going along the streets several companies of young girls well cloth'd after their manner namely with some of the above-mention'd wrought and figur'd Silk from the girdle downwards and from thence upward either naked or else with very pure linnen either of one colour or strip'd and wrought with several besides a scarf of the same work cast over the shoulder Their heads were deck'd with yellow and white flowers form'd into a high and large Diadem with some sticking out like Sun-beams and others twisted together and hanging down in several fashions which made a prety sight All of them carry'd in each hand a little round painted Stick about a span long or little more which striking together after a musical measure besides the sounds of Drums and other instruments one of the skilfullest of the company sung one verse of a song at once at the end of which they all reply'd seven or eight times in number of their meter this word Colè Colè Colè which I know not what it signifies but I believe 't is a word of joy Singing in this manner they went along the street eight or ten together being either friends or neighbours follow'd by many other women not dress'd in the same fashion but who were either their Mothers or their Kins-women I imagin'd it was for some extraordinary Festival and I was willing to have follow'd them to see whither they went and what they did but being in the company of others I could not handsomely do it nor had my Companions the same Curiosity as indeed the Portugals are not at all curious I understood afterwards that they went to the Piazza of the great Temple which is moderately large and there danc'd in circles singing their songs till it was late and that this was a Festival which they keep three dayes together at the end of a certain Fast in Honor of Gaurì one of their Goddesses Wife of Mohedaca and therefore 't is celebrated by girls November the ninth Walking about the City I saw a beam rais'd a good height where in certain of their Holy-dayes some devout people are wont to hang themselves by the flesh upon hooks fastned to the top of it and remain a good while so hanging the blood running down in the mean time and they flourishing their Sword and Buckler in the Air and singing verses in Honor of their Gods Moreover in a close place opposite to the Temple I saw one of those very great Carrs or Charriots wherein upon certain Feasts they carry their Idols in Procession with many people besides and Dancing-women who play on musical instruments sing and dance The four wheels of this Carr were fourteen of my spans in diameter and the wood of the sides was one span thick At the end of it were two great wooden Statues painted with natural colours one of a Man the other of a Woman naked in dishonest postures and upon the Carr which was very high was room for abundance of people to stand and in brief it was so large that scarce any but the widest streets in Rome as Strada Giulia or Babuino would be capable for it to pass in I saw also certain Indian Fryers whom in their Language they call Giangàma and perhaps are the same with the Sages seen by me elsewhere but they have Wives and go with their faces smear'd with ashes yet not naked but clad in certain extravagant habits and a kind of picked hood or cowl upon their heads of dy'd linnen of that colour which is generally us'd amongst them namely a reddish brick-colour with many bracelets upon their arms and legs fill'd with something within that makes a jangling as they walk But the pretiest and oddest thing was to see certain Souldiers on Horse-back and considerable Captains too as I was inform'd who for ornament of their Horses wore hanging behind the saddle-bow two very large tassels of certain white long and fine skins they told me they were the tails of certain wild Oxen found in India and highly esteem'd which tassels were about two yards in compass and so long as to reach from the saddle-bow to the ground two I say hung behind the saddle-bow and two before of equal height and two others higher at the head stall so that there were six in all between which the Horse-man was seen upon the saddle half naked and riding upon a Horse which leap'd and curvetted all the way by which motion those six great tassels of skin being very light and not at all troublesome but flying up and down seem'd so many great wings which indeed was a prety odd spectacle and made me think I saw so many Bellerophons upon severall Pegasus's The same Evening I saw the companies of girls again and following them I found that they did not go into the Piazza of the Temple as they had done the two nights before but into one of the King's Gardens which for this purpose stood open for every body and is nothing but a great field planted confusedly with shady and fruit-Trees Sugar Canes and other Garden plants Hither almost the whole City flock'd Men and Women and all the companies of the flower'd Virgins who putting

Propositions he would carry his Ambassador with a good will otherwise he intended to depart the next night all the intermediate day being allow'd his Highness to determine With this Reply he re-manded the young Child Cicco honor'd with some small Presents and the other Men that came with him without sending any of his Portugals on purpose or going ashore to refresh himself and visit the Samorì as he was by him invited the Vice-Roy having given him secret Instruction not to trust him too far because these Kings Samorì had never been very faithful towards the Portugals Nevertheless the General forbad not any Souldiers to land that were so minded so that many of them went ashore some to walk up and down some to buy things and some to do other business as also many people came to the Fleet in little boats partly to sell things and partly out of curiosity to see the Portugals who in regard of their almost continual enmity with the Samorì seldom us'd to be seen in Calecut The same day December the two and twentieth whilst we were aboard in the Port of Calecut I took the Sun's Altitude with my Astrolabe and found him to decline at Noon from the Zenith 34 degrees and 50 minutes The Sun was this day in the thirtieth degree of Sagittary whence according to my Canon of Declination which I had from F. Frà Paolo Maria Cittadini he declin'd from the Aequinoctial towards the South 23 degrees and 28 minutes which according to that Canon is the greatest Declination if it be not really so the little that is wanting may be allowed for the anticipation of four hours if not more that the Noon-tide falls sooner at Calecut than in any other Meridian of Europe according to which my Canon of Declination shall be calculated so that if from the 34 degrees 50 minutes in which I found the Sun you substract the 23 degrees 28′ which I presuppose him to decline from the Aequinoctial towards the South the remainder is 11 degrees 22′ and so much is the Elevation of the North Pole in this place and consequently the City of Calecut lyes 11 degrees 22′ distant from the Aequinoctial towards the North. After dinner I landed also with the Captain of my Ship and some other Souldiers we went to see the Bazar which is near the shore the Houses or rather Cottages are built of Earth and Palm-leav's being very low the Streets also are very narrow but indifferently long the Market was full of all sorts of provision and other things necessary to the livelihood of that people conformable to their Custom for as for Clothing they need little both Men and Women going quite naked saving that they have a piece either of Cotton or Silk hanging down from the girdle to the knees and covering their shame the better sort are wont to wear it either all blew or white strip'd with Azure or Azure and some other colour a dark blew being most esteem'd amongst them Moreover both Men and Women wear their hair long and ty'd about the head the Women with a lock hanging on one side under the ear becommingly enough as almost all Indian-Women do the dressing of whose head is in my opinion the gallantest that I have seen in any other Nation The Men have a lock hanging down from the crown of the head sometimes a little inclin'd on one side some of them use a small colour'd head-band but the Women use none at all Both sexes have their arms full of bracelets their ears of pendants and their necks of jewels the Men commonly go with their naked Swords and Bucklers or other Arms in their hands as I said of those of Balagate The Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Calecut and the In-land parts especially the better sort are all Gentiles of the Race Nairi for the most part by profession Souldiers sufficiently swashing and brave But the Sea-coasts are full of Malabari an adventitious people though of long standing for Marco Polo who writ four hundred years since makes mention of them they live confusedly with the Pagans and speak the same Language but yet are Mahometans in Religion From them all that Country for a long tract together is call'd Malabar famous in India for the continual Robberies committed at Sea by the Malabar Thieves whence in the Bazar of Calecut besides the things above-mention'd we saw sold good store of the Portugals commodities as Swords Arms Books Clothes of Goa and the like Merchandizes taken from Portugal Vessels at Sea which things because stollen and in regard of the Excommunication which lyes upon us in that case are not bought by our Christians Having seen the Bazar and stay'd there till it was late we were minded to see the more inward and noble parts of the City and the out-side of the King's Palace for to see the King at that hour we had no intention nor did we come prepar'd for it but were in the same garb which we wore in the Ship Accordingly we walk'd a good way towards the Palace for the City is great and we found it to consist of plots beset with abundance of high Trees amongst the boughs whereof a great many of wild Monkies and within these close Groves stand the Houses for the most part at a distance from the common Wayes or Streets they appear but little few of their outsides being seen besides the low walls made of a black stone surrounding these plots and dividing them from the Streets which are much better than those of the Bazar but without any ornament of Windows so that he that walks through the City may think that he is rather in the midst of uninhabited Gardens than of an inhabited City Nevertheless it is well peopled and hath many Inhabitants whose being contented with narrow buildings is the cause that it appears but small As we walked in this manner we met one of those Men who had been at Goa with the Vice-Roy and because he saw us many together and imagin'd there was some person of quality amongst us or because he knew our General he invited us to go with him to his King's Palace and going before us as our guide conducted us thither He also sent one before to advertise the King of our coming and told us we must by all means go to see him because his Highness was desirous to see us and talk with us Wherefore not to appear discourteous we were constrein'd to consent to his Request notwithstanding the unexpectedness of and our unpreparedness for the visit The first and principal Gate of the Palace opens upon a little Piazza which is beset with certain very great Trees affording a delightful shadow I saw no Guard before it it was great and open but before it was a row of Balisters about four or five foot from the ground which serv'd to keep out not onely Horses and other Animals but also Men upon occasion In the middle was a little pair of Stairs without the

hands to be trained up in Christianity The young Gentlemen growing to some stature after they had had their tuition for some years desired them to provide them Wives out of Christendom fitting their Birth in which having not sudden content they gave up their Crucifixes again into the Jesuits hands and so left them Who had these conjectures upon this their revolt that either the King their Uncle caused them to be Baptized to make them more odious to the Mahometans being so near of his blood or else it was his plot to get them beautiful Wives out of Europe which himself meant to take if he had liked them The Jesuit I last named Francisco Corsi upon a time at our being there having his house amongst very many more consumed by a sudden fire it so was that his wooden Cross set on a Pole near the side of his house was not as he said consumed Upon which he presently repaired to that Court carried that Cross with him and told the King thereof The Prince Sultan Caroom who was no favourer of the Christians being then present and hearing him talk how his Cross was preserved derided him saying that it was one of his fabulous miracles and further added that he would have a fire presently made before the King whereinto he would have that Cross cast and if it consumed not his Father himself and all the people there would presently become Christians but if it did himself should be burnt with it The Jesuit not willing to put himself upon so sudden and so hot a trial answered that he durst not tempt God who was not tyed to times and it might be that Almighty God would never shew that people that infinite favour to make them Christians or if he had such a great mercy for them in store it might be that the time of manifesting it was not yet come and therefore if he should now submit to that trial and Almighty God not please to shew a further and a present miracle his Religion would suffer prejudice there for ever after and therefore he refused It should seem that the Jesuits there do exceedingly extol the Virgin Mary which I have gathered from poor people there Natives of that Country who have often asked Alms of me when I stirred abroad amongst them and whereas one hath desired me to give him some relief for Christs sake there are many who have begged it for the Virgin Mary's sake Well known it is that the Jesuits there who like the Pharisees Mat. 23.25 That would compass Sea and Land to make one Proselyte have sent into Christendom many large reports of their great Conversions of Infidels in East-India But all these boastings are but reports the truth is that they have there spilt the precious water of Baptism upon some few Faces working upon the necessity of some poor men who for want of means which they give them are contented to wear Crucifixes but for want of knowledge in the Doctrine of Christianity are only in Name Christians So that the Jesuits Congregations there are very thin consisting of some Italians which the Mogol entertains by great pay given them to cut his Diamonds and other rich Stones And of other European strangers which come thither and some few others of the Natives before mentioned So that in one word I shall speak this more of the Jesuits in East-India that they have there Templum but not Ecclesiam When I lived in those parts it was my earnest desire and daily prayer to have put my weak hands unto that most acceptable but hard labour of washing Moors that the Name of Jesus Christ might have been there enlarged if God had pleased to honour me so far by my endeavours But there are three main and apparent obstacles besides those which do not appear that hinder the settlement and growth of Christianity in those parts First The liberty of the Mahometan Religion given the people there in case of Marriage Secondly The most debauch'd lives of many coming thither or living amongst them who profess themselves Christians per quorum latera patitur Evangelium by whom the Gospel of Jesus Christ is scandalized and exceedingly suffers And lastly The hearts of that people are so confirmed and hardned in their own evil old ways their ears so sealed up their eyes so blinded with unbelief and darkness that only he who hath the Key of David that shuts when no man can open and opens when no man can shut can open to them the door of life FINIS Inter eos qui relationes suas de hoc Regno sc. M. Mogolis prodiderunt facilè fide dignatione princeps est Thomas Roeus Mag Britanniae Regis ad superiorem Indiae Regem Legatus Saith John de Laet. Lib. 15. Lib. 2. c. 9. Lib. 4. c. 6. Lib. 6. c. 2. Lib. 10. c. 1. Lib. 15. Lib. 15. Lib. 15. Part 3. tir 19. c. 8. and elsewhere Lib. 2. Lib. 2. Lib. 2. Var. Hist. l. 12. c. 32. Lib. 15. De Vita Apoll. lib. 3. cap. 6. Lib. 8. Lib. 19. Lib. 2. Lib. 15 Lib. 2. Lib. 1. Lib. 15. Lib. 15. cap. 15. Lib. 15. Lib. 15.