‘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’ [‎304] (325/508)

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IV.
The Travels of Peter Delia Valle,
which returned the found of a Trumpet once or twice very
pleafantly.
December the eighteenth. The General of the Malteje-Q^Wi^
fet fail for Malta, and the next Morning two other Gallics of
Malta arriv'd from Medina in the Port of Syracuse, This day
we went to fee the Capuchins Covent without the City 5 in whofe
Gardens are feen extream deep cavities and precipices ^ for the
Soil being all ftony;, was in ancient times dig'dinthat manner
for ftones , and one may fee where goodly Pillars have been cut
out all of a piece, as others might ftill be .• neverthelefs in tbofe
dark vallies and cavities there are Gardens and Trees planted,
which bring forth goodly fruity at which I wonder'd the more,
becaufe fome of them are never feen by the Sun, the Soil is folow
and clofely furrounded with high Rocks. Thefe are Lapidicint,
or Stone-Quarries, where the Athenian Prifoners were put, who
after the lots of many battels both by Land and Sea, at laft yield
ed at Syracuse, as Thncydides relates.
Dernier the twentieth, TheBifhop made an Ordination ac
cording the cuftom of Four times of the year, and this Morn
ing ordain'd above two hundred perfonsof feveral Orders, for
this Diocefs is fufficiently populous 5 and many,to avoid the ni>
merous grievances impos'd upon the Ring's people, willingly put
themfelves into the Church.
; December the one twentieth, Another Proceflion like the
former was made in the Evening, wherein the facred Image of
S. Lucie was carry'd from her own Church, where it had bem
till now, to the Cathedral, in which it is ufually kept inalittl-
Chappel well guarded, and lock'd with many keyes. When
the Image was come thither, and the Bifhop ftandingatthe
Altar, tirft fhewM the Magiftrate, and'then the People the
Reliques of the Saint, (to wit, a dark blew Mantle, and a
Slipper like that of the Pope) holding the fame to them to kife,
and diftributing Cotton to them which the faid Reliques had
touch'd. After which the Bilhop entertain'd the Senate with
a Supper.
December the two and twentieth. The two ^//ejd-Gallies de
parted for Malta, and the next Evening the General of Mdltn
return'd to Syracufe for more provifion, the Hland of Malta being
in great want thereof.
December the four and twentieth. The faid General ftiip'dall
the Corn he could pofiibly, as well by Health as openly, (^becauie
he had not Licence forfo much) and in the Evening fet fail for
Malta, He informed us that the Prior of the Church was com-'
ing Ambaliador extraordinary to the Pope, in order to pacitie
his Holinels who was much otiended at certain things which they
had lately done ill at Alalta : Whereof I fhall give you this
brief account.
A while (ince two or three Commendams of Malta, becoming
void by the death of a Commendator, who held them all toge
ther,
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