‘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’ [‎299] (320/508)

Into the EAST-INDIES.
Bookof Expences, and a Latine Treatife of the Countries Tub-
jcft to the modern Empire of Perju'y from which Books 3 where- /
in mention is made thereof, I extraded the faid Relation. It was
read in the Council., and they being fatisfi'd with it 3 at length
fent in the evening to give me Prattick 5 caufing us firft to fwear
that we knew not of any dead of the Peftilence in any place
where we had been 3 nor yet in our Ship. Which truth^ve fwore
to ^ whereupon they granted us Prattick 3 and promis'dusa good
Bill of Health at our departure. •
November the three and twentieth^ In the Morning my Lord
the Inquiiitor fent to congratulate with me for my Prattick, and
to invite me to dine with him. After dinner, I went with his
Secretary to the new City, call'd. La Valletta^ and therein the
Palace I did Reverence to the mod Serene Grand Mafter,caird 5
frat* Antonio cle Paula , a French-man, who receiv'd me with
much courtefie, and offer'd me his utmoft favour, both in order
to my departure, or any other occafion. After which laccom-
^pany'd his Highnefs to Vefpers in the Church ofS. John 0 together
with all the other Knights, and back again to the Palace , and
after much converfation with the Commendator Brancaccio^ at
night I return'd to my own Houfe, waving the favor of my Lord
the Inquifitor who invited me to lodg in his ^ becaufe I would not
leave my own people alone.
November the four and twentieth, Idin'd with my Lord the
Inquifitor according to his invitationjand in the Evening accom-
pany'd the Grand Mafter to the Church of S. Catherine^ where
becaufe the faid Saint is their Patronefs, and her Church is us'd
for the Italian Tongue, the Knights of Italy folemnizd a
Feftival.
November the five and twentieth, I went ro hear Mafs in the
new City at the faid Church, where Ifawthe Reliqueof the
laid Saint's Ring, wherewith fhe was marry'd by our Saviour 5
'tis a Gold Ring, of very plain, antique, and coarfe work,having
a green (lone, which, probably, is an Emerald, (a ftonein thofe
times much in requeft) bur, whether it be ill pollifh d , or be de
cay'd by time/tis a great Table foraJEUng, but appears no very
fair Jewel of it felf.
December the fecond, Two Gallies of Malta^ being ready to
depart from Me\Jina^ I would not Jofefo good an opportunity
of palling the channel fecurely 5 but having gotten my Bill of
Health ready, (wherein though they mention*3 my wife's Body
which I carryM, yet they madeitto my fatisfaftion, and full
enough to prevent trouble elfe-where^) and difpatcht all things
that needed 5 in the Evening I put all my goods aboard the
Galley Santa Maria, whereof SigiGio.Francefco Geronimo Salvago^
a Genouefe was Captain. But becaufe it departed not this nighty
I repair'd to lodg at the Houfe of hay Lord the Inquifitor, and
left the Women in that of Sig: Don Francejco Ciantar^ouv Friend
and Patron of the Benefice and Houfe del Salvadore*
On 2 December