‘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’ [‎308] (329/508)

>8 The Travels of Peter Delia Valle,
fuch Gentlemen as had vifited roe, as alfo fuch Gentlewomen of
the Family of U Valle as hadfent tovifit me. The next day
I went to S. Francis's Church to fee the Chappel and Tombs of
the Family of U Valle, in whofe arms I found fome difference
from my own as to the colours, Cwhich was only the Error
of the Painter J they giving the Lions and Stars, Or, in a field
gules} but we at Rowe, the Lions azure, and Stars, guies in a
field Or. And being Arms are commonly taken from old Stone-
monuments which have no colours,'twas no hard matter for fonie
Modern Painter to miftake, and put one for another. In the
Evening, I was vifited by the Magvftrates of Catania, whom
they call Guirati f JuratsJ > and news came that a Proclamation
was publifh'd at Palermo, whereby as many as were obiig'd ei
ther by Tenure, or otherwife to military fervice in Sicily in
in times of need , were commanded to appear forthwith in the
field, in order to a General Mufter, and then be diftributed in
to feTeral places, for fear of an invafion by the Englifti Fleet,
which they faid was enter'd into the Mediterranean upon de-
figns of mifchief. 4
' January the third, I return'd the Vifit to the Magiftrates in tbc
City-Palace, being receiv'd by them with much honour, andat
my departure accompani'd almoft to the Gate. After dinner,
having vifited Sig; Don Francefco della Valle fiaron of MiragliMj
who was upon his Quarantine in the Church of the Infirm with
out the City, I took leave of all my honourable Friends, and
departed from Catania towards Syracuje , arriving at Lmtmi
two hours after Sun-(et, where I lodg'd intheHoufeof the Ba
ron of Bagnara.
11. January the fourth. Having heard Mafs in the Church of the
Saintsand his Brethren, and din'd early, we departed frons
Lentini, and at night arriv'datS. Cofmane, a place twelve miles
from Syracuje, famous for making Sugar. It being late,we took
up our Quarters in a Houle, where we faw the Machins, Fur
naces, and other contrivances for that Work.
January the fifth, About Noon, we arriv'd at Syrachfe, being
met without the Gate in a Coach by Sig: Faolo Faraone, Sig:
Don Diego Landvlnia his Couzen, Sig: Don Gajparo DiamAt^t^
and others of the Biftiop's Houfe.
January io cil ,We went abroad a {hooting in a boat upon the fa
mous River Alfeo, which falls into the Port of syraexje, juft op-
polite to the walls of the City, pafling firft under abridge
one arch, exadtly according to the princed figure of the Pafto-
ral of Cavalier Cuarini call'd il Fajiorfido, wherein the River
Alfeo fpeaks the Prologue.
January the eleventh, I faw the fubterraneous Grottoesof SL
Johns Church without the City? they are many, great, an J
handlom, contrived almoft like a Labyrinth, and appear to have
been intended for Sepulchres, in fome places the light is adnic-
ted a little by Cupola's, which probably ferv'd for the people to
ailemble