‘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’ [‎14] (35/508)

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ThsT^TifVels of Petct Delia Vallc,
ing 5 and very courteous ^ he fpeaks no Italian, but SpaniOi very
well, as being born zt Antwerp : He lives in a goodly Palace,
which hath many diftindt apartments,with feveral entrances into
a Court, like fo many different houfes, qnely included within
the fame wall, which is entred into by one great Gate : Here the
Commendator holds the beft and largeft apartment to himfelf,
in the reft lodge fome of their graveft Merchants^Vhich are of
the Council for management of affairs, in order to their better
conveniency and union , befides many others of inferior con-
dition,which live out of this great inclorure,difpers 3 d elfewhere in
the City, and when occafion requires, they all repair to the Pa
lace of the Commendator. Amongft thofe whofe habitation
was in the Palace of the Commendator, Donna. Lucia's Husband
has one of the principal, where he lives with his family and
and Wife, whom,according to the cuftom otlndia, he maintains
with much fplendor and gallantry.- Now upon their knowledge
ot our arrival. Donna Lucia prefently fent her coach to bring Sig:
Mariuccia to her houfe, for her better accommodation with her,
till we had fetled out bufinefs, and provided lodgings. I was well
pleas'd with the motion, becaufe till I had welt accommodated
my felf with a place of refidence, the Sig: Marinccia could not
be better difpos'd of then with this Portugal Gentlewoman, who
is a Chriftian, and withal fecretly a Catholick, with the privity
and connivance of her Hufband , although in publick fhe makes
a virtue of neceffity, and in appearance conformes to the unhap
py mode of that Nation, into whofe power the fortune of war
and the difafter of her Country-men hath brought her. Sig: Al
berto Scilling^ had,before we came from the Sea-fide, importun'd
me in the name of the Commendator to lodge at his houfe >
which favour I much thank'd him for, and handfbmely declin'd,
not thinking fit to accept it, becaufe I had receiv'dand wav'd
the like invitation made to me before by the Englilh Prefident,
who thought me the more oblig'd to comply with his offer, be
caufe I came in their Ships : But I excus'd my felf both to the
Commendator and the Prefident 5 partly, becaufe I was defirous
to be at liberty by my felf, and partly,for that it was requifite for
Sig: Mariuccia to be amongft Women, of which there was none
in the Englilh Houfe. Being got quit of the Cuftom-houfe,
I went to fee for a Houfe 5 and becaufe I was a new comer, and
and had no leryantthat knew the City, I referr'd my felf to the
direction of Sig: Alberto, who took this care upon himfelf, and
foon after told me he had fent to get one prepar'd and put in good
orders But by what I found afterwards, hehad contriv'd with
the Dutch Commendator onely to delude me 5 for as he was car
rying me to the place where he pretended to have taken a Houfe
for me, he made me pafs by the Palace of the Hollanders, out
of the Gate whereof a Gentleman belonging to the Commen
dator ftep'd forth, and invited me in his name to alight from my
^Horfe, and at leaft ftay and dine with him that day, the rather
becaufe
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