‘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’ [‎349] (370/508)

A Voyage to E A S T-I' N DI A, &c>
great variety, and abundance of Gods good Creatures \ and in
the dayesof D^^/fo populous, that there werenumbred ink
at one time thirteen hundred thou fund fighting men , 2 Sam. 24.9,
befides Women and Children, and others untit to draw fwords 5
which was a moft wonderful thing to confider that fuch a fpot of
ground in comparifon , not above one hundred and fixty miles in
length,from Dan to Berfieba^nd not above fixty miles in breadth,
homjoppa to Jordan, fhould be able to bear and feed fuch a nu
merous people^and now the very felf fame trad ofearth,either for
want of manuring, or (which is rather to be conceived} for the
want of the bleffing of Almighty God which once (hined r pon it,
but is now long fince witb-drawn from it, (For a fruitful Land the
Lord makes barren for the wickednefi of them that dwell therein,
Pfal. 107.34.) is now become unable to luftain one in an hundred
of fucb a number. v
F rom Si don they got a pafi'age by Sea unto Alexandretta, now
called Scanderoon (in the extreameft bottom of the Mediterra*
nean Sea) which is one of the unwholfomeft places in the world 5
where I have often heard that no ftranger (that was born far
from it) comes to continue there tor the fpace of one moneth 5
but is fure to meet with a ficknefs i which very often proves
mortal. At this place his Englifh Companion left him, and
turned his face towards England^ and he prefently took his way
towards Aleppo in Syria, about feventy miles or more difbmt
from Scanderoon, which is as much renowned for wholfomne(s 5
as the place before-named for being unwholfome ^ and therefore
his called, fweet-airdAleppo. Here he being kindly received
by the Englijh Conjul * ftayed a time to gain the company of a
Caravan^ which confifts of a great mixt multitude of people
from divers parts, which get and keep together travelling thole
parts, for fear of the incurfions and vioiences by thieves and
Murtherers, which they would undoubtedly meet withall, if
they travelled (ingle, or but few together. With thefehe after
fet forwards towards, and to that City anciently called Niniveh
in Ajjyria, which we find in the Prophtfie of jonah was lome-
times agreat and excellent City of three dayesjourney, Jonah 9. 3.
but now fo exceedingly leilen d and lodg'd inobfcurity, that
paflengCrs cannot fay of it, this was Niniveh 5 which now hath
its old name changed, and is called Mozel. From hence they
journied to Babylon in Chaldea, fituated upon the River Euphra
tes, oncelikewife fb great that Arijiotle called it a Country, not
a City, but now it is very much contraded, and'tis called ^
dxt. From this place they proceeded through both the
niaes ^ and cither did, or elfe our Traveller was made to be
lieve, that he faw the very Mountain whereon the-^r^.
of Noah refied after the Flood, Gen.8. And from hence they went
forward towards the Kingdom of Perfa, and there to Vzjpahdn#
the ufual place of Refidence for that great King, then called r/ ,
Abbas^ oi King Abbas. And after they went to anciently 1 '
called
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