‘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’ [‎159] (180/508)

Into the EAST-INDIES.
1 59
onely fo much as to contain the Perfon of the King 3 the reft of the
room being bare, faving that it was pollifla'd with Cow-dung.
Befide the King, but a little farther on his left hand, fate upon a
little matt, fufficient onely to contain him, a Youth of about
fifteen or eighteen years of age, call'd Bate Rairh, who was his
Nephew, and is to fucceed him, being the Son of his deceafed
Sifter, who was Daughter to the prefent Queen. The Father
of this Youth was a neighbour Gentile Prince, whom they call
the King ofCuwhia, ( or perhaps more corrcftly, Kunble) call'd
by his proper name Kamo-Nkto An ^ of which
is the proper name, and Art the title* They (aid he was ftill
living, though others at Goo. told me afterwards that he was
dead. But being this young Bale Rairu was not to fucceed his
Father, but had Right of Inheritance in Olaza, therefore he
liv'd not in his Father's Country, but here at Mane I with his
Grand-mother and his Uncle. None other fate with the King,
but three or four of his more confiderable fervants ftood in the
room talking with him 5 and in the great Porch, without the
little onc,ftood in files on either fide other fervants of inferior de
gree, two of which neareft the entrance ventilated the Air with
fans of green Taffeta in their Hands, as if to drive away the flyef
from the Ring or the entrance 3 a Ceremony us'd , as I have faid
elfewhere by Indian! Princes for Grandeur ^and they told me, the
green colour was a Ceremony too, and the proper badg of the
King of Olaza, for the Ring of Banghd ufes Crimfon 5 other
Princes, white, as I faw us'd by Pen&apa Naiefa 5 and others,
perhaps other colours: A fmall company indeed, and a poor ap
pearance for a Ring 5 which call'd to my remembrance thofe
ancient Rings, Latinus^ Turms^ and Evander, who, 'tis likely,
were Princes of the fame fort. Such as came to fpeak with the
King, ftood without in the Porch, either on one fide, or in the
mddle of the little Porch 5 either becaufe the room was very
fmall, and not fufficient for many people 5 or rather, as I believe,
for more State. The Ring was young, not above feventeen
years of age, as they told me, yet hisafpeft fpokehim elder 3
for hte was very fat and lufty, as I could conjecture of him fitting,
and befides, he had long hairs of a beard upon his cheeks, which
hefuffer'd togrow without cutting, though they appeared to
be but the firft down. Of Complexion he was dulky, not black,
as his Mother is, but rather of an earthy colour, as aJmoft
all the Malabars u(e to be. He had a lowder and bigger voice
then Youths of his age ufe to have, and in his fpeaking, geftures,
and all other things he (hew'd Judgment and manly gravity.
From the girdle upwards he was all naked , faving that he
had a thin cloth painted with feveral colours caft crofs his (boul
ders. The hair of his head was long after their manner, and
ty'd in one great knot,which hung on one fide wrapt up in a little
plain linnen, which looks like a night-cap fallen on one fide.
From the girdle downwards I faw not what he wore, becaufe he
never