‘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’ [‎134] (155/508)

The Travels of Peter Delia Valle,
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xxu.
where his Houfe ftood , and after the laft dance he remain d
there and the reft went away. They told me, this honor was
done him. becaufe they had then cafl: water upon his Head, and
perform 'd fome other Ceremony, equivalent to our ordaining
one in Sacris, or creating a Doftor. As I was going along the
ftreets to behold this Pomp,! faw many perfons come with much
devotion to kifs the Feet of allthofe Giangamoes, who on Foot
follow'd the principal Giangamo who was in the Palancbifto $ and
becaufe they were many, and it took up much time tokifsthe
Feet of them all, therefore when any one came to do it 9 they
ftood ftill all in a rank to give him time 5 and whUft fuch peribns
were kiffing them, and for more reverence touching their Feet
With their Fore-heads, th^fe Giangamoes ftood firm with a kem-
ins 1, feverity, and without taking notice of it, as if they had
been abftrafted from the things of the World ^ juft as our Fryers
ufe to do when any devout perfons come out of reverence to kifs
their Habit ^ but with Hypocrifie, conformable to their fuper-
ftitious Religion. V . ,, • u
Returning home, I met a Corps going to be burn d without
the City, with Drums founding before it 3 it was carryed fitting
7 in a Chair, whereurtto it was ty'd that it might not fall, cloth'd
in its ordinary attire, exactly as if it had been alive. The (eat
/ was cover'd behind, and on the fides with red and other colours,
/L I know not whether Silk or no. It was open onely before, and
there the dead perfop was to be (een. By the company, which
Was fmall, I conjedur'd him to be one of mean quality. But
they told me, All dead people arc carry'd thus, as well fuch as
are buried, ^as the LingAvani ^ whom they alfb put into the
Earth fitting^) as thofe that are burnd 5 and that he, whom I
faw, was to be burnd, we gather'd from the Fire and Oyle which
they carry d after him in'veffels. Thenight following there
i . was a great folemnity in all the T emples, by lighting of Candles,
finging, Mufick, dancing, about twenty Dancing-women, who
went in Procefiion with the Idol into the Piazza, dancing before
the great Temple 5 but,as I was told,they began very late,name
ly, at the rifing of the Moon , which was about an hourjrifore
mid-night 5 fo that I was gone to bed before I knew of it,although
in the Evening I faw the lights in the T emple. But though I
faw nothing, yet I heard of it as I was in bed, being awaken d
by the noife 5 and hearing the fame was to be aded over again
the next night, I purposed with my felftofee it.
November the fourteenth, I went at night to the Temple to
(ee whether there was any extraordinary^folemnity ^ but there
was nothing more then ufual,nor did the Idol come forth : onely
in the great Temple and its Inclofure or Court, into which they
fuffer not ftrangers to enter, they made their accuftom'd Pro-
ceflions with mufical inftruments, finging, and other Ceremo
nies, which, I conceive, were the fame with thofe I faw in Abi^
mil : onely they are celebrated here every nighty becaufe as 'tis
•: a more