‘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’ [‎65] (86/508)

Into the E A S T-IN D I E S.
(^^^TTh^e agreed with him to bring his Boat out
ofthe River to the Sea -fide, and take mem at the Port which is
fome diftance from the mouthof the River, where I have ap-
poTnted to meet him to morrow morning. It remains onely
that I take leave of the Dutch Commendator and the Enghjb
Prefidetit from whom I have receiv'd infinite Obligations du-
SSl 4 refidence here 5 particularly to the S.g' Commendator i
he remembrance whereof (hall continue w.th me during L fe.
1 hope God willing,to write to you fpeeday from G^and in the
mean thfte humbly kifs your Hands.
LETTER H.
FrdmGorfj April sy* 1 3'
I Now falute you ( my dear Sig: Mario) fromG<w j
indeed I am, but no India*. Having pafs d through the
man, and afterwards the P^Garbj lam again tranf-
vefted into our European. In THand would not ,
have known me, but could not miftake me xnlndja , where I
have atoft refum-d my firft fhape. This is the third transforma-
tion which my Beard hath undergone, having here met with an
odd Barber who hath advanc 'd my muftachios according to
the PortuealMode, and in the middle of my chin (haven after
the Perlian Mode, he hath left the Eutofaan tuft. Buttocon-
tinuemv Diary , where I left off in my laft Letter, which was
iboutmv departure from Snut. the three and
twentieth Having taken leave of all Friends, a little after
Dinner Het forth to depart, but met with fo many obftacles in
the Dogana, or Cuftom-houfe, that they detain'd metill almoft
nicht before I could get away. The occafion was this; In the
Pafs (riven me (without which none can depart) the Governour
three times exprefly prohibited my Perto Servant C^ o
on with me \ and this for no other caufe but for that himlelt,
IcfhTthould be kn«nn>k;t bj' C™
ate there intheferviee of the Great and not knomng
that in India there is Liberty of Confc .enceandthataManmay
hold or change what Faith he pleafes, not the leaft trouble being
eiven to anv perfon touching Religion in the Dominions of the
Mogh'ol ; not knowing thefe things, 1 ® vtcfw hra inP^«
fefs himfelf a Chriftian before any that
for a Moor, had declar-d in the Bogana, when ^ a
thereupon, that he ^ Mujliman, which thcy'nterprct zM^
although the word properly fignifies W< or^e^ that .
right Faith j and therefore byChnftians ^underftandmg nm