‘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’ [‎139] (160/508)

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then thofe us'd by others, even the King himfelf i for thefe are
commonly the Enfignes of Grandeur. On each fide the Valan-
chwowent many rows of Women, either pnblick Dancers or
Whores; but becanfe thefe were not to dance, they went bare-
fac'd indeed, ( as the Pagan Women here little care for covering
their Faces) but with a cloth bound about their Heads, and
hanging down both behind upon their Shoulders , and before
upon their Breafts. Some of them next the Palmchmt, carry ed
in their Hands certain little Staves, either of Silver, or Silver d
over - at the end of which hung thick, long, and white tufts of
the hair of Horfes tails, with which fas'tis the cuftom of great
Perfons in Ittdi* to ufethem) they went fanning the Air, and
either drove away the Flies from the Idols in the or
at leaft performing this Office as a piece of Grandeur, as with us
the tame is done to the Pope, with fans made of the tails of white
Peacocks, when he goes abroad in tontificaUbus. Neither
were there wanting about the Idols many of their Pnefts or Mi-
nifters of the Temple who accompany'd them ; particularly,one
who fcem'd the chief and Archimandrita of the refti befides,
abundance of Torches whofe light difpell'd the darkriefs of the
Moon -lefi night. In this order they came into the Piazza, and
there after they had made a large ring, the dancing began 5
firft two Ballatrici, or Dancing-women, one from one fide of
the circle and another from another , yet both with their Faces
always turn'd towards the Idols, walk'd three fteps forward,
and then three backward ; and this they did innumerable times.
i fuppofe, it was a way of faluting the Idols. After the faid two
Dancers alone had done thus, two others from the feveral hdej
ioyn'd with them, and they did the fame again , three and
three. This Salutation, or Preamble of the Bali, being many
times repeated, they began to dance, namely , two that danc d
better then the reft, one on the right fide of the circle, and
the other on the left, both with their Faces, never with their
back towards the VaUnchino of the Idols, though often in the
Dance they retir'd backwards as well as went forwards. Their
dancing was high, with frequent leapings and odd motions, fome-
times inclining their pofteriors as if they meant to(itdown,fom€-
times rifing very high, and difplaying the Coat wherewith they
are cover'd from the girdle downwards, and almoft holding
one Arm ftretch'd out before them, wherewith they now and
then made as if they were thrufting or fencing 5 befides other
mad geftures which were all accornpany'd with words which
they fung, and fometimes with cries more ^pt to give horror
then delight. Hence, while all the other Dancing-women,
(that is, thofe who were uncovered and loofe for dancing )
danced all in a company together further diftant frp 13 ^ t ^ ie *
fnapping their little ftieks and finging, being guided by a Man
who danced with them and was their Mafter. But the other
Dancers who were clothed, ftood about the Idols, but dancea
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