‘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’ [‎406] (427/508)

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the man keeps all his body but head under water, on which he
Mens that counterfeit fowl to ftand fore-right on the top
thereof, and thus coming amongft them, he plucks them (as
they fay) by their legs under water at his pleafure. But this I
have 6nly by tradition. , •
For other paftimes abroad, this I am furc of, that when the
weather is more temperate, they fhoot much in their Bows, and
are very excellent Marks-men, fomewhat like thofe left-handed
men fooken otjudg, 20. 16. And with their Guns in whioi
they fhoot fingle bullets ( for they have not the ufe or ~
(hot) they are fomwhatlong in taking their aim, but they will
come very neer the mark. • v •
Other delight themfelves very much in managing their excei«
lent Horfes 5 But fo (hall not I delight my Reader 5 if I dwell
too long in particulars. And therefore having fpoken of their
Buildings, 1 (hall now invite him, though not to eat, ortafte,
yet to take notice - --■
i AVi 71
JOibti
„ SECTION x.
Of their Diet ^ their Cookery in drejjing it y Sec,
. r >• . r
).)
A Nd though this Country affords very much variety of ex-
/ \ oellent good Provifions, yet the Mahometans feed not
fteely on anV flefli, but on that which isiftrange, and forbidden
(of the Hindoos Diet I fliall fpeak afterwards): but for the Ma-
hometans they are a people^s I conceive,not much given to their
Palate} but are very careful of^ and tempeiate* in their iJictj
as having learndby experience, that full bellies do moreop-
prefs, than ftrengthen thebody^ that too much of the Creature
doth not comfort but deftroy Nature 5 It being a tried truth,
that Gluttony reacheth, and kills thofe whom fwords cannot
touch. All Difeafes of the body for the moft part being con-
traded to it by Surfeits, in on kinde or other 5 and therefore they
keep themfelves to a thin Diet, and eat not to pamper and pleafe
their Appetite, but to fatisfie and fupport nature, which is con
tented with a little every where, but with lefs in hot Countries,
where mens digeftion of food is not fo quick and good 5 this be
ing further a tried truth, that thofe bodies are mofl: fi:iong,activc,
and healthy j which are moft temperate.
Therefore though they have abundance of flelh and towl, and
have fifh too, yet are they temperate in all of them. 101 Swipes
flefh, it is an abomination unto the Mahometans ^ andtheiefore
they touch it not. And for other kind of fiefh, they eat very
little of them alone, to make their full meals of them, for they
drefs no kind of fkfh in great pieces, or whole joynts, nor fcarce
any of their fowls whole. ^