‘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’ [‎137] (158/508)

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moving her toi
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Into the EAST-INDIES.
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adekiidStole
slorv'd I afk'd concerning the Ornaments and Flowers (he
wore and they told me, that fuch was the Cuftom, in token of
the Male's joy (they call the Woman, who' intends to burn her
felf for the death of her Hufband, Map) in that (he was very
Ihortly to so to him, and therefore had reafon to rejoycej
whereas fuch Widows as will not dye, remain in continual fad-
nefsand lamentations, (have their Heads, and live in perpetual
mourning for the death of their Hulbands. Atlaft Gzaccam*
caus-d one to tell me, that fte accounted my coming to fee her a
great good fortune, and held her felf much honour d as well
by my vifit and prefence, as the Fame which I fhould carry of
her to my own Country; and that before (he dyd (he would
cometo vilit meatmy Houfe, and aifo to a(k me, as t eir cu
ftom is that I would favour her with fome thing byway ot
Alms towards the buying of fewel,for the fire wherewith (he was
to be burnt. I anfwer'd her, that I (hould much efteem her ymt,
and very willingly give her fome thing ; not tor wood and fire
wherein to burn her felf, (for her death much difpleas d me, and
I would gladly have diflwaded her from it, if I could) but to
do fomethingelfe therewith, whatjierfelf mod lik'd; and tnat
I nromis 'dher, that fo far as my weak pen could contribute, her
Name (hould remain immortal in the World. Thus I took leave
of her mote fad for her death then her felf, curfing the cuftom
ot India which is fo unmerciful to Women. Giaccam* was a
Woman of about thirty years of age, of a Complexion very
brown for an Indian, and almoft black, but of a good afpeft, ,
tall of ftature, well (hap 'd and proportion d. My Mufe could
not forbear from chanting her in a Sonnet, which I made upon
her death, and referve among my Poetical Papers. . .. v-
The fame Evening Lights being fet up in all the Temples, and XXIV,
the ufual Mufick of Drums and Pipes founding, I faw in one
Temple, which was none of the greateft, a Mimfter or P tied
dance before the Idol all naked, faving that he had a fmall pieee
of Linnen over his Privities, as many of them continually go 5 ^
he ha3 a drawn Swori in his Hand, which he floun(h d as it he ^
had been fencing but his motions were nothing but latavious_
eeftures. And indeed, the greateft part of their Worflup ot
their Gods, confifts in nothing but Mufick, Songs, Dances, not
not onely pleafant but lafcivious, and in ferving_ their Idols
as if they were living Pertbns 5 namely, in prelcnting to t em
things to eat, wafting them, perfuming them, giving them
leavs, dying them with Sanders, carrying them abroad m Pro-,
' ceffion, and fuch other things as the Country-people account
delights and obfervances. In rehearfing Prayers, I think t ey
are little employ'd, and as little in Learning. I once alk an
old Ptieft, who was held more knowing then others, grey, ana
clad all in white, carrying a ftaff like a Shep-herds crook in is
Hand, What Books he had read, and what he had ftudied .
Adding that my felf delighted in reading, and that if he won
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