‘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’ [‎193] (214/508)

Into the EAST-INDIES.
mixt with the Nairi in the Maritime Parts 3 and are Moors in Re
ligion and all other Cuftoms 5 I heard onely this Remarkable^
That by a received and univerfal pradife amongft the Women 3 f ^
they will never lie under the Men in the Ad of Coition 5 which, ^
becaufe a thing extraordinary, I would not omit to mention. * /
December the twenty third, A good while after Sun-rife
departed from Calecut, but had the wind all day againft US;, and
made but little way. At night we caft Anchor, becaufe there is
feldom wind enough for failing in the night time 5 and being we
coafted along the fhore, we might caft Anchor at any time we
pleas'd.
the twenty fourth,We had the wind contrary again,
making very little way 5 fo that we caft Anchor many times,and
in the Evening , becaufe it was Chriftmafs-Eve, the Litanies
were fung in all the Ships ^ and afterwards we had Collations of
Sweet-meats, and celebrated the Feaft as well as the place afford
ed. In our Ship,fome Souldiers, who Were employ 5 d to make a
fort of fweet fritters of Sugar, for fport put into many of them
certain powders which caufed giddinefs; fo that almoftall the
Souldiers that ate of them, after the Collation feem'd drunk-,
and were conftrain'd to betake themfelves to fleep, which they
did all night much more then that time and place required ^ for,
had Enemies come , the greateftpart of the Souldiers being in
this nlanner, I know not how we ftiould have done.
December the twenty fifth, By break of day we arriv'd at
nanor, where we prefently landed to hear the divine Offices. f
Can an or is a little place upon the fhore, but near a Promontory, / y/1
which makes a kind of Haven. The City is furrounded with
walls, not very ftrong and well made, but in fome places I /
Know not by what negligence decay'd. It hath four Churches,to
wit. La Sede^ or the Cathedral 5 La Mifericordia ^which is a Con
fraternity, and much like our Monte del/a Pieta, Santo Spirito
and other fuch 5 it hath correfpondencewith another : There
are of them in all the Plantations of the Vortugals, and they do
many good works, for almoft all the pious works,which amongft
vis are done by divers Houfes and Societies, this one place oi La
Mifericordiados amongft the Portugals ; as,keeping of things De-
pofited , tranfmitting Bils of Exchange fafe 5 relieving the poor,
the fick, and imprifoned , maintaining expos'd Children 5 mar
rying young Maids 5 keeping Women of ill Lives when con
verted 5 redeeming Slaves 5 and, in (hort, all works of Mercy,
whereof a City or Country can have need. A pious thing in
deed, and of infinite benefit to the Publick, the rather becaufe
they are in all Territories of the Portugal^ android correfpon
dence together, even thofeof India with thofe of Portugal ^ fo
that they all feem but one body extending its members and in
fluences incredibly profitable to feveral Countries, 1 his pious
Place is govern # d by Secular Confreres 5 to which Confraternity
none are admitted but worthy Perfons, upon certain decent
Cc Conditions,
3
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C?