‘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’ [‎24] (45/508)

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The Travels ^fPcter Delia Valle,
red, or wrought with Gold and Silver ^ for other colours they
little u(e» Likewife their Clothes are oftentimes red, of the
fame rich and fine linnen 5 and their Drawers are alfo either
white or red, and oftentimes of fundry forts offilk-ftuf^ftripM
with all forts of colours. When they go along the City;, if it
be not in clofe Coaches, but on foot or on horfe-back, they put
on white vdls, wherewith they cover their faces, as 'tis the cu-
ftomeof all Mahometan Women : Yet the Indian Gentile Wo
men commonly ufe no other colour but red, or certain linnen
ftamp'd with works of fundry colours, (which they call Cit)
but all upon red, or wherein red is more confpicuous then the
reft 5 whence theit attire feems onely red at a diftance. And for
the moft part they ufe no garment 5 but wear onely a clofe Wafte-
coat, the lleeves of which reach not beyond the middle of the
Arm -y the reft whereof to the Hand is cover'd with bracelets of
Gold, or Silver, or Ivory, or fuch other things according to the
ability of the perfons. From the wafte downwards they wear a
long Coat down to the Foot, as I have formerly writ that the
Women do in the Province of Moghojian in Perfta, near Ormuz.
When they go abroad, they cover themfelves with a Cloak of
the ordinary fhape like afheet, which is alfo us'd by the Maho
metan, and generally by all Women in the Eaftj yet it is of a
red colour, or elfe of Cit upon a red ground, that is, of linnen
ftamp'd with fmall works of fundry colours upon red. Thofe
that have them, adorn themfelves with many gold-works, and
jewels 5 efpecially their Ears with pendants fufficiently enor
mous , wearing a circle of Gold or Silver at their Ears, the
diametre whereof is oftentimes above halfafpan 3 and 'tis made
ofa plate two fingers broad, and engraven with fundry works,
which is a very difproportiOnate thing. The Pagan Women go
with their faces uncover'd, and are freely fcen by every one
both at home and a broad : Ncverthelefs they are modeft, and
honor'd much more then the Mahometans, and amongft'them
'tis a certain thing that there is not any publick Courtifan 3 but
amongft the Mahometan Women there are infinite, who go every
day publickly ro houfes, and where they pleafe 5 to play on
Mufick, fing, dance, and do what elfe belongs to their profe^ffion.
But of thele things, enough for this time.
I came from Perfta with a great defiretogoto Cambaia, in
regard of what I had heard of it 5 being told that in that City
which is one of the ancienteft pf India, the Pagans are very nu
merous, and above meafure oblervers of their Rites 5 fb that I
might probably fee more remarkable Curiofities there of thofe
Idolaters then elfewhere: Sig: Alberto SciUing had the fame de-
hre 5 lq that upon my imparting my mind to him,and his confent-
mg thereunto, ^both of us defir'd the Dutch Commendator that
when any of his Nation wen t to Cambaia, as they us'd to do
lometimes about their affairs, he would do us the favour to ad-
vcrtife us thereof, that we might go thither in their company.
The
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