‘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’ [‎212] (233/508)

212
The travels Peter Delia Valle,
mi
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V
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he ha s taken Baghdad may very well be true, during the pre-
fent ill State of the Turkifti Affairs, after the late tu mults in that
Court, and the death of Sultan Snkiman who was lately mur-
der'd and his formerly depos'd Uncle Sultan Mufiafk reftor'd
to the Empire;, as I was lately affur'd hereby zn Armenian who
told me that he was atConJiantinoplein the time ofthefe Revolu
tions 5 and that Sultan Mujiafa was very loth tore-afiume the
Government by reafonof the ill deportment of the Minifters 5
and that he would have no more Women or Concubines, but had
married and difmifs'd all that were in the Seraglio, that, if any
woman came into his prefence, he ran at her with his Ponyard,
profeffing to lead a cbaftand religious life, not meaning to have
other Succeflbrs then his Brothers two Sons, the elder of which
is Sultan Mahomad Son of Sultana Kiofme^ who, I alwayes be-
liev'd, would by his Mother's Arts one day come to rule, and
now without doubt, whether fhe be living or not, f if the above-
faid relations be true) will at leaft reign after his Uncle Afujiafa,
Now forafmuch as in thefe violent mutations of Empire^
the Government alwayes fuffers deterioration , becaufe with
out fome evil difpofition of the Government fuch violen
ces in Royal Families cannot a rife 5 therefore, I (ay, perhaps
this ill pofture of affairs hath afforded the Scuh occafions
making himfelf Matter of Baghdad ^ efpecially if the Ty
rant Bechir Subafct^ who had in a manner ufurp'd it to him
felf, have given it into his power 5 (which is an eafie thing even
in the good State of the lurkjfo Aff airs) being perhaps afraid
of Sultan who,they lay, is very prudent and wholly
intent to reform the Diforders of the Empire without caring to
attend forreign enterprifes^whence perhaps having an eye too up
on the Diforders of Baghdad^he was about to raife a fbong Army
for removing the faid Tyrant, who by this means became ne-
cellitated to yield it to the Sdah, Neverthclefs in thefe matters
I have fome doubt, becaufethe fame Armenian told me, that Sul-*
tan Mufiafa had made peace with the Terfian for twenty years^and
/ if the taking of Baghdad be true, it is a breaking of the peace i
// which amongft theMoors,and confideringthe Cuftoms'of Scuh
Abbas is not impoffible. At prefent I fufpend my belief, and
defire to have more certain and particular informations of thefe
matters, of which in Goa there is little plenty,
I V. By the fame Veflel came a Letter from Sig.Uicolao de Silva Ve-
odor da Jazenda, or Treafurer at Mafcat^ to one of the Inquiiitors,
wherein he fignifi'd to him that he underftood by the Letters of
the French Conful at AleppOythat at Rome Gregory X V. was dead,
and a new Pope already chofen, Card. MaJJeo Barberint } about
fifty four years old, who had affumed the name of Vrban VIIL
The fame Letter further advertis'd that in the Marriage
between the Prince of England^ and the Infanta was celebrated
upon the day of our Ladie's Nativity in Septembers and that
the Infante Don Carlo was to accompany her into England, and
from