‘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’ [‎322] (343/508)

3^
The Travels of Peter Delia Valle.
I.
ini
3O
LETTER XVIII.
}'o lot' ) w* srii 1 • • t •
From Rawe, Auguft r, 1626.
ON Saint James s day, the twenty fifth of July laft paft. In
tending to bury the Body of Sitti Jldaani Gmrida my
Wife (which I had brought with me fo many Voyages)
io our Chappel of S. Taul, belonging to the Church of AraCceti
in the Capitols (a place, which befides being the ancient Se
pulchre of my Anceftors 5 is., undoubtedly, theNobleft, and
one of the Holieft in the world ) before I inclos'd it jp a Coffin of
Lead which I had prepar d, 1 refolv'd to open the innermoft
wooden Coffin, that I might fee how it was after fo many years.
Accordingly I open'd the fame in the prefence of Sig rs » Laura
Gaetana my Coufin, SihU n?y Daughter, Sig" Maria, and-all
the women of the Houle. I found that the fle(h of the Head
which ! could perceive at a rent of the Linnen which cover'd it'"
was wholly confiino^d, nothing remaining but the bone , at
wbiclLl wondcr'd not3 becaufe the brain not being taken out of
the^ fkuil at firft,thence proceeded the caufe of this confiamption.
XhereA of the Body fcena'd better preferv'dj but becaufe the
Face was no longer to be feen, I would notunfold the Linnea
to fee further.. That dry Herb where-with I had firft fill'd the
vacuities of the Coffin was ftill iruire ^ and £b aKb was the
or Ma^a'^ood of the Coffin, and the pieces of Linflcn-
Cloth glu'd upon the ConimifJiarcs theteo£ Having najU'd up
this innermoft Coffin, of it was at firft, infkad of putting
the fame into the other outwaird wooden Coffin ki which k
came From Malts to Ro we, I in clog* d it in a Leaden one whkh I
caus'd to be well fbder'd, and upon a large Plate faftned near the
feet, I caus'd this Epitaph to be er^raven at the foot of a great
ereded Crofs, , ^
MAANl G10EK1DM HERO IN AS
PRJExrANTIS&IMAS-
PETRI DE VALLE PERINI VXORIS
MQ RTA LE& EX VKliJE,
Having thus prepar'd all things, late in the Evening, f cau^d r
n to be carry d fecretly to AraCozli, having firft obtain'd leave'
of Card. Me lino, the Pope's Vicar for thatpurpoie > and it was
accompany d thither by Sig; Gajparo Albertino my Friend, Hora
tio the Steward ot my Houfe, and others of my familiar ac-
quaintance 5 whilH; I, with Sig ra Maria, and my Daughter Silvia,
waited in the Church. When it was come, I lay'd it in the
VaultlOtuhe left hand of the Altar as you enter into the Chappel,
v. here Jyealfomy Father, my Mother, my Uncles, and almoft
all