‘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’ [‎16] (37/508)

The Travels of Peter Delia Valle,
5H
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going to vifit hiin 5 butfenthim a Letter in juftification of my
felf ? with all the civil expreffions I could devife. At firft he was
fomething backward to receive ir, doubting perchance that I
had written angerly to him, in regard of iny preceding vifit:
yet at length^upon the requeft of fbme mediators whom I made
ufe of, he took it, read it, and remain'd very well fatisfied with
my proceedings, in which there was nothing but gcntlenefs.
The Commendator likewile, being one of an excellent nature,
us'd all means he could to give the Prefident latisfadlion, and to
fhew him that what he had done with us was to no ill end 5 he
wentpurpofely to vifit him, carrying Sig: Alberto with him, to
the end he might juftifie himfelf too: both of them intreated,
and both of them took the blame upon themfelves, in fine, fo
much was done and faid that the Prefident wasreconcil'd with
all. And becaufe it was infifted on my behalf that he would
admit a vifit from me, he confented upon this condition, that
this firft time fhould not be fimply my vifit but his invitation ,
which accordingly he made to us to come al] together that
night to fupper with him, where he treated us very fplendidly,
and every thing ended in jollity and friendfhip as at firft. And
all the while that I ftay'd at Snrkt^ he oblig'd me continually
with fundry demonftrations of his affedionparticularly, by
often fending his own Coach to me,with his Interpreter,who is an
Armenian Chriftian, and a Catholick, call'd Scander^ Brother to
F. Agofiino BagiezTji of Alingia, a Dominican, my acquaintance
in Ferfia: which Interpreter being fkill'd in the Country, and
converfing with me in the Perfian Tongue, carry'd me frequent
ly abroad to fee fundry things. As for the Hollanders, the ca-
reffes and civilities which they have done, and ftill continue to
me, are fb numerous, that I fhall have them in remembrance as
long as I live. But 'tis time now to fpeak a little of this City,
and the curiofities which here and elfewhere I have lately feen. '
The City ofsurat^ is of a handfome greatnefs, and, for thefe
Countries, of fufficiently good building .• Tis very populous,
a11 cities an(1 places are in India^ which every where
/ // abounds with people. The Inhabitants are partly Gentilos^ and
partly Mahometans 5 and, if I am not deceived, the former are
the greater number ; However, they live all mixt together and
peaceably, becaufe the Gran Moghel^ to whom is now
a / t l ^ ^ omet imes had a diftinft King ) although he be
a Mahometan < but not a pure one, as they report ) makes no
merence in his Dominions between the one fort and the other :
and both m his Court and Armies, and even amongft men of the
ug left degree, they are of equal account and confideration.
let the Mahometans, as the Mafters, efpecially thofe of the
iOgholian Race,which now is the Imperial in thefe parrs, feems
to have fome little more of authority. But forafmuch as I have
formedy furvey d and obferv d the manners of the Mahometans
both in Turkey and Ferfta , I now turn my mind to thofe of the
Gentile
xy /t
Vl.
ay
^7