‘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’ [‎130] (151/508)

The Travels of Peter Delia Valle,
not with ftrangers at the Table) but to takefome of their
fare ^ which we thank'd them for, but accepted not, being
delighted onely to fee them feaft fo together, difpers'd in fe-
veral places of the Garden 5 this being the night that the
Faft ended.
The fame night a PoftfromG^ brought the Ambaflador a
Letter from the Vice-Roy, with another for Fitula Sinay^ and a
third from the Captain of Onor. The Ambaflador imparted
his intelligence to none 5 but forbad the Poft to let it be known
that he had brought Letters 5 whence I conceiv'djthat the News
was not good 3 otherwi(eit would have been prefently publifh'd 5
onely I heard fomeobfcure talk of the Malahariaftr^ out F would
not inquire further into the matter, as that which did not belong
to me 5 efpecially amongft the Portugals who are very dole and
referv'd towards ftrangers.
November the tenth, I faw paffing along the ftreet a Nephew
otVenkctapl Naiek*, his Sifters Son^ a handfbme youth, and fair
for thatCountry 5 he was one of thofe that alpire to the fucceffion
of this State^nd was now returning from the fields without the
Town, whither he ufes to go every Morning. He is calTd Sedh-
Siva Naieka, and was attended with a great number of Souldiers
both Horfe and Foot marching before him, and behind with
many Cavaliers and Captains of qualify , himfelf riding alone
with great gravity 5 He had before him Drums, Cornets 0 and
every fort of their barbarous inftruments; Moreover, both in
the Front and in the Rear of the Cavalcade, were, (I know
not whether for magnificence or for guard) feveral Elephants
carrying their guides upon their backs 5 and amongft them was
alio carried his Palanchino or Litter.
November the eleventh. The Ambaffador went again to Au
dience, to prefent to Venkctty* 1 Naieka the Letter writ to him
in the King of spam's Name, and declare what that King re-
quir'd of him. He went alone without any of us, or of the for*
tugals his Companions, either not willing that we (hould be
preient at the debating of bufinefs, or becaufe he went in a ?a-
Unchinoy and had his two Horfes led before him, but there^erc
neither Valanchino s nor Horfes enow in the Houfe for the reft
of us» With thofe that came to fetch him, came alfo a publick
Dancing-woman, who perform'd a prety piece of Agility in his
prelence 5 for ftanding upon one foot, when the Drums and
other inftiuments (bunded, with the other (he (wiftly turn'd
roun m the Air a large Iron Ring, about a fpan in Diametre,
without letting it fall off her great Toe, and at the lame time
wuh one hand tofs'd twoCymbaisorbrafs balls, catchinsr one
in her Hand whilft the other was aloft, andfo alternately, and
very nimbly without ever letting them fall 3 which indeed was
great dexterity, to be imploy'd at the fame time with the foot
and the hand, ftanding firm all the while on the other foot with-
out lupport, and yet attending to the Mufick, and this for a
good