"رحلات السيد بيترو ديلا فالي، وهو نبيل روماني، إلى الهند الشرقية وصحراء الجزيرة العربية. وفيها يصف بدقة البلدان المختلفة، وكذلك العادات، الأعراف، التجارة، الطقوس الدينية والمدنية، لهؤلاء الأمراء وتلك الأمم الشرقية: في رسائل وديّة إلى صديقه السيد ماريو سكيبانو. وتم إضافة سرد عن رحلة السير توماس رو إلى جزر الهند الشرقية" [‎٣‎٠‎٧] (٥٠٨/٣٢٨)

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Into the EAST-INDIES.
307
the thirtieth. Having heard Mafs in Santa Maria di .
Giefu a-little without theCity^we went to the Church of the Saints
Alfio, Philadelfo^nd CirwOy three French Brethren-JVlartyrs and
Proteftorsof Lentini *, which City isftyl'd Ftecundifsima Lenti-
norntfi Vrbs^ and gives for its Arms a Lion Rampant, the anci
ent badg of the Leontines y as appears by their ancient Medals^
and I obferv'd by the Bill of Health which they gave us 3 for by
reafon of theContagion at P^/er^^without taking a Bill of Health
at every place, After dinner we departed^nd not far from
Lentini^ pafs'd over a little River which they call il flume di Len~
tini) and probably is the Vantagia of Virgil. Before night, we
arriv'dat Catania^ which lies but eighteen miles from Lentini^nd
lodg'd in the houfe of Sig: DonAngelo Campochiano di Calatagiro-
ni^ who was then Vicar General to the Biihop of Catania, and
upon the recommendation of the Bilhop of Syracufe^ receiv'd
and treated us here with much refpcdt, being alfo fomething al-
li'd to the Sig: ddla Valle ot Catania. v
December the thirty firft, I was vifited by all the Sig; delta
Valle^ and many other Eminent Gentlemen of feverai Families,
their Alliances. They were fo many that I fhall not particularly
name them 5 only I (hall intimate that at this day there are in
Catania five Chiefs of the Family of la Valle, all deriv'd from the
fame ftock 5 namely, firft Sig; Don Franc, delta Valte Baron of
Miraglia^ who being newly come from abroad, was put upon his
Quarantine in a Church without the City 5 fecondly, Sig; Don
Gutteres delta Valte^ Brother of the above-faid Baron, who w^s
abfent at Palermo 5 thirdly, Sig: Don Diego delta Valle^ whom I
knew many years ago at 5 fourthly, Sig: Don l incenzo
delta Valle, Baron o( Schiji, which they hold to be the ancient
Naxus ^ and fifthly, Don Franc, della VaUe who was in an Eccle-
fiaftical Habit: with many of thefe Gentlemen.;, who did me the
honour to accompany me, I went this morning to fee the Mo
ther-Church, where in a clofe Chappel the body of S. Agatha \s
kept. After which I was conducted to fee the Benedictine s Mo-
naftery of S. Nicolas, (which is a handfom building,) and the
ReliqiTes kept there in the Sacriftie^ amongft which was ftieWn
me a Nail of our Saviours Crofs, an Arrow of S. Sebafljans, a
piece of S. George** Coat of Mail, fomeof S. Teter the Apoftles
beard, and fomeof the beard of S. Zaccharios Father of S.jf^«
Baytifi, I fa w atfo the ruins of the Amphitheater and the Cirque,
the Fountains without the Walls of the City by the Sea-fide,
which being fo many Spouts on a row, make a pretty fight, near 1
the place where S. Agatha was put into the fire.
January the firft, 1626. Accompani'd by the fame Gentlemen^
who did me that honour at all hours, I went to fee the prifon ot -
S. under ground, and her Sepulchre, where there is alio
another Church, and in that the place where S. Lucy appear d
to her 5 and a little further a little Chappel apart where her
breafts were cut oft. After which, I fpent the day in vifitino;
R r 2 feh
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