‘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’ [‎367] (388/508)

J Voyage to E AS T-INDI A, &c.
va *ajcrand minor y from the Moluccoes, and from other places
thereabouts : In which, as in the Molucco Iflands 3 and thofe
other parts too from whence the richeft Spices come, the Low-
CountTy Merchants have got fuch footing, and fuch 1 particular
intere r, that our Englifh factors there (^for theprefent^ buy
thofe Commodities 5 as we fometimes do buy Provifions and
Commodities here at rhome, out of the engroffing Huckfters
hands : So that our Engliih in thofe parts have a free Trade for
no kind of Spice, but for that, which is one of the loweft
prized, namely. Pepper, which they fetch from Bantam, Which
more general T rade of the Dutch, they have formerly gained at
a very vaft expence, by fortifying themfelves there, in the
places where-ever they fettle 5 and then ftanding, upon their
Guard, put a kind of force upon the to fell them their
Commodities.
What the carriage of that people hath formerly been in thofe
pans towards our Englifh, (where their Swords hath been longefi)
isfufficiently made known by other Pens: This I may conclude
from their example ( and I would they were fingularand alone
in it) that when a people will not be ordered by that Royal
Law , which commands us. Matth. 7. 12. To do nothings hut
what we would be content to fuffer -^as to do nothing unto others 3 but
what we would be well content to fuffer from others : But on the
contrary, when they meafure things, not by theftrait and even
Rule of Equity, but by the crooked and oblique Line ofPower^
arming their Tnjuftice to do what they pleafe, becaufe they can
do what they will; This caufeth many to make very bold with
God in cafes that feem to give advantage unto their high
thoughts and Commodities: For what evil cannot Ambition and
Covetoufnefs do, when they are backt with an Arbitrary and
unlimitted Power here beloWjifthey be not checkt by a ftronger
Arm from above? Whence we fee it often cometopafs, that
when the Laws of Nature and Nations, yea of God himfelf, lye
in the way of their profit, or earthly advantages ( what-ever
their (ufferings or lofs be afterward ) they either (purn them
thence, or elfe tread aiid trample upon them at pleafure, to com-
pafs their ends for the prefent. This I can fay of the Dutch
(fomething from my own knowledge , but more from there-
port of others) that when I lived in thofe parts, and we Englifli
there were more for number than they, and confequently could
receive no hurt from them, we there ufed them as Neighbours
andBiethren, but in other places, where they had the like ad
vantage of us, they dealt with us neither like Chriftiansnor
Men. But I will not here any longer digrefs, but return *
to fpeak further of the Commodities to be had in Eafi~
India,
The Indico we bring thence, is a good, and a rich Commo
dity. It is there made of little leaves, not bigger than thofe
on our Goof-berry bullies, and the flirubs that bear tbole leave$
are
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