‘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’ [‎294] (315/508)

I
The Travels 0/ Peter Delia Valle,
Ship: but at night, left th^increafing South-wind (hould drive
us top inuch to Land, we put forth to Sea Southwards 3 and left
Cdndi-ion the ri^ht hand Northwards, fofar that we could not
f^it. The next day, theSky being very cloudy, wedifcover 'd
Aiaita whilft We were at dinner, very near-hand, fthe thick Air
paving intercepted it before ) and , a good while before
night, we caft anchor juft without the Port of the faid Iflandi
foon after which a Guard-boat came to fee who we were, and
whence we came (in order to inform the Grand Mafter there
of:) the Officer demanded our Bill of Health, which we had
from CyprHs r h\it would not touch it till it had been firft dipt in
Vinegar, in regard of the great fufpitions there were here of the
Plague, which ragd much at Conjiantinopk^ and other parts of
Turkie, But he not returning that night to us again with an an-
fwer, we remain'dall aboard, being fuffer'd only to fend for wa
ter without the City.
YU. (jtfoher the twenty ninth, Early in the Morning,thc fame Of
ficer, nam'd Sig. Deftderio Moniemagni^ return'd and told us,
that the Knights made, a little difficulty concerning my Bill of
Health made at by the Venetian Conful, which was not
fo plain as that of the Ship which was made at Cyprus alfo the
Cicqe day by the French Conful ^ wherefore he made an excufe
tome in theirname for the delay of expediting me (o fuddenly,
I tobkallwell, commended the diligence of the Kiiight, thankt
i|iem for their cpurtefie, and profels'd my felf obedient to their
commands. After which 5r i deliver d the Meffenger a Letter for
Monfig. Vjfconti, Inquilitor Apofrolical there^wherein I gave him
account of my rrrival, ancj defir'd him to favour me in orderto
a fpeedy exepetion. F. Orjtno writ another to him, both which
bath'd likewife in Vinegar Sig.Dcfidcho promis'd to prefent with
his own hand. The fame day after dinner,the Sig.Commendator
Fra. AIarctwtorio ErancacdOy a prime Neapolitan Cavalier, niy
ancient friend at Naples, and Sig: Fra: Mandofio a Rc-
ipan Cavalier, both of the Religion o£ Malta, came to vifit me
fn a Boat, which yet ftay'd a little diftance from our Ship (^3 the
Guard-boat alio did J and they offer'd me their perfons to ferve
me with much courtefie.. I received much news of them con
cerning ibme of my friends at A^/ejand elfewhere, after which
they departed, giving me hope, that in a Councel to be held
that day about other weighty affairs of the Religion, my Ex
pedition fhould be taken into confideration.
In the Evening 5 Mor.fig: rz/aw// fentmea Prefent of Ibmere-
frcfhmentpg and lignifi'd to me that he hid earneftly mov'd the
Grand Mafter concerning the bufinefs of my expedition 5 and
when the Councel broke up, I fhould hear the refult thereofby
h5sSecretary. Awhileafter, the Secretary brought me word
that the Councel held very long, having determin d a difference
between two Spanifh Knights, who pretended to the Priorateof
Navarre, by giving it to one of them 5 and alio created a new
u- . . . General