‘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’ [‎272] (293/508)

Tbe Travels of Peter Delia Val le,
with srafs at the time of my paffing through it, yet withgrafs
moft commonly thorney, and good onely for Gamels to eat. The
hear, even in thefe Summer-months, was alwayes lupportable,
and provided a Man were (helter'd from the Sun, the wind was
continually To great and conftant that it caus'd coolnefs, though
Ibmetimes itmolefted us with theduft. The nighi v \vCic alwajs
fufficientlycool, and, to avoid catching cold, it was requifittio
be very well cover'd. But to return to my purpole, on the day
above-faid, a good while before noon we ftay'd to reft in a little
Village of Arabians, (not fubjedt to the E^r, but \ aflals of
Aleppo) call'd Lttdehi, lying in a fertile Valley irrigated u-ith a
running water. From hence! dilpatchd my Ser\ 3nt GiovitiH
Rubehh with a Camelier to which was about a League off 5
and I writ Letters by him to the moft Illuftrious Sig. Aluyje di Ca,
the Venetian Conful in that City^ and alfotoDcCtor LuigiRunn
his Phyfitian 5 a Roman both byBirth and Education, (upon which
account I hop'd, thatthoughl was unknown by fight, he would
neverthelefs be favourable to mej giving them account ctiny
coming, and defiring the Doftor to provide me a convenient it-
fidence for my felf and the Women with me. The Conful fent
fome of his (ervants to introduce us into theCity,without diftuib-
ance from the Turks or Cuftom -Officers j which to me, in re
gard of the Coffin wherein I carry d the Body of Sitti
a great happinefs } for if it had been feen , I might havefoutKi
much trouble from the Turks j as alfo by reafon of the Books
which I had in their Language, fome about matters of Religion,
which, (as it had hapned to fome others at Aleppo) 'tis likely
would have been taken from me. After my Servant was gone,
we follow 'd him till within a mile of Aleppo, where we fhyd 'his
return in a Mejchita or Sepulchre, upon the way, of oneSceicb
Saddi, venerated for a Saint 5 and becaufe either the Confal s
Servants mifs'd of me and took another way , or elfe ray Servant
arriv'd there late 5 therefore hearing of no Anfwer, we remain d
in this place all night.
JmIj the thirtieth. In the Morning I writ again to the Cooful,
and to Sig: Giovan Maria de Bona, his chief Interpreter, and
my ancient Friend, to whom I had not written the day before,
becaufe I beliv'd him dead, as was falfely reported at Baffsn5
but underftanding in the laid Mejchita by certain Women that he
was alive and well, I would not omit to write to him allb. I
gave account both to the Conful and to him where I was, and
defie'd of both the fame favours of being met and provided
of a habitation, as I had done the day before. As foon as my
Letters arriv'd at Aleppo, the Conful fent feveral perfonsto tetch
me, who the Evening before had fought me a good while, but in
vain, and went to look for me at the Town of Ludehi, whencel
fent the firft advice. There came from the Conful's HoufeSig:
Andrea hisFa&or,(bme Janizaries,and other fervanrs^
with whom came alio fome Officers of iht Doganier, or Chiet-
Cuftomei