‘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’ [‎461] (482/508)

A Voyage to E'A S T-I N D I A, ^6
together;, to fee if the Ape could draw out the Name of the
true Prophet, this done,, the Ape put his paw amongft thcni 3 and
pull'd forth the Name of Chrift. The Mogol a (econd time 3
caufed thofe twelve Names to be written again in twelve other
Scrolls and Charadlers, and put together 3 when the Ape as be
fore puird forth the Name of Chrift.
Then a great Nobleman of that Courtj and
in high favour with the King, faid 3 that it wasfome impofture
of the Chriftians Cthough there were none that did bear that
Name there prefent) and defired that he might make a third
trial 5 which graiited 3 he put but eleven of thofe names toge
ther, referving the name of Chrift in his hand 5 the Ape fearch-
ing as before;, puird forth his paw empty^ and fo twice., or
thrice together, the King demanding a reafonfor this, was an-
fwered, that haply the thing he looked for was not there ; he
was bid to fearch for it, and then putting out thofe eleven
names one after the other, inafeeming indignation rent them 5
then running to Mabohet-Chan caught him by the hand where the
Name of Chrift was concealed, which delivered, he opened the
Scroll, and fb held it up to the King, but did not tear it as the
former^upon which the Mogol took the Ape 3 and gave his Keeper
a good Penfion for to keep him near about him, calling him the
Divining Ape,and this was all that followed upon this admirable
thing, except the great wonderland amazement of that people.
There was one fome years linfce wrote this ftory (but fojne-
what varied from that I have hfcfe related) in a little printed
Pamphlet, and told his Reader that I had often feen that Ape
while Hived in thofe parts,which particular he fliould have left
out 5 but for the Relation it felf, I believe it was fo,becau(e it
hath been often confirmed there in its report unto me by divers
perfons, who knew not one another, and were differing in Reli-
on 3 yet all agreed in the ftory ,and in all the circumftances thereof.
Now for the difpofition of that Kingpit ever feemed unto me
to becompofed ofextreams5 for fometimes he was barbaroufly
cruel,andat other times he would feem to be exceeding fair and
gentle. ' ^ j u
For his cruelties^he put one of his women to a miferable death,
one of his women he had formerly touched and kept Company
withall,but nowfhewas fuperannuated 5 for neither himfel^nor
Nobles (as they (ay} come near their wives,or women, after they
exceed the age of thirty years 3 though they keep them,and allow
them (ome maintenance.The fault ot that woman^this: the Mogol
upon a time found her,&one ofhis Eunuchs kiffing one anotheij
and for this yery thing, the King prefently gave command that a
round hole fhould be made in the earthjand that her body Ihould
be put into that hole,where fhe fhould ftand vyith her head only
above ground, and the earth to be put in again unto her dole,
round about her,that fo (he might ftand in the parching Sun, nil
the extream hot beams thereof did kill herein which torment ^e
lived one whole day,and the night following, and almoft till the