‘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’ [‎109] (130/508)

; earned
Into the EAST-INDIES.
to the fervants of the Temple), he reftores the other half to him
that ofFer'd them 5 and were it but one Indian Nut, heiplitsit
in two btforc the Idol 5 and gives half to him that brought
its who takes the fame with reverence, and is afterwards to
eat it with devotion as facred food, and tafted of by the
Idol.
In the Evening, by the Captain of the Fort (who was a Moor
of Dacan^ and fometimes an Officer under one a Captairi
otAdil-Scihh) in the Frontiers of Goa, but being taken Prifon-
er in a War between Adil-Sciah and Venl^tapk Naieka, and after
wards fet at liberty, remain'd in the fervice of Venf^tapk 5 and
hath been about five and twenty years Governour of this For-
trefs, and is calTd jWir-lta*) wasfenta Prefent of Sugar Canes
and other refreftiments to eat, to Sig; Gio: Fernandez 5 whom al-
fothe fame night Vitula Sinay^ who traveli'd with us*, but apart
byhimfelf, cametovifit, and entertain'd with the fight of two
young men, who fene'd very well a good while together, onely
with Swords made of Indian Canesi On which occafion, I (hall
not omit that amongft the Indians, 'tis the cuftom for every one
to manage and make ufe onely of one fort of Arms, whereunto
he accuftoms himfelf, and never ufes any other, even in time
of War. So thatlbmeSouldiersfight onely with Swords, others
with Sword and Buckler, others with Lances, others with Bows
and Arrows, and others withMulkets? and fo every one with
his own Arms, never changing the fame, but thereby becom*
ing very expert and well pradis'd in that which he takes to. The
way from Garfopa to Govarada Naghar was about five or fix mile^
and no more.
November the fecond, £arly in the Morning VituU Sinay firft
vifited Sig; Gio: Fernandez, and afterwards the Captain of the
Fort, accompanied with a great number of hisSouldierswith
feveral Arms, but moft had Pikes, Lances in the form of half
Pikes, and Swords 5 onely two had Swords and Bucklers: one of
them had a (hort and very broad Sword like a Cortelax, but the
edge-part bowed inwards after a ftrange fafhioni Thofe twa
with Swords and Bucklers came before the Captain, dancing and
fkirmifhing after their manner, as if they fought together. The
vifit was received in the Porch of the little Temple above men-
tion'd , and lafted a good while. Vitula Sinay , whofpokc
the Pwta(^/-Tongue well, ferv'd for interpreter between our
Ambaflador and the Captain, and handfomely intimated to the
Ambaflador, that when he returned back it was fit to give a
Prefent to this Captain, and vifit him in the Fort 5 that the cu
ftom was fo 5 and he had already done the like to the Ambaffa-
dor; that fince he did it riot now, he had already made an ex-
cufe for it, by telling him that the baggage was gone before, and
that he did not go to vifit him, became he had no Prefent to
carry him, but he would do it at his return. In the end of this
vifit, Vitula Sinay caus'd a little Silver balket to be brought full
of