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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65019	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.; Viaggi. Parte 3. English	Della Valle, Pietro, 1586-1652.; Havers, G. (George); Roe, Thomas, Sir, 1581?-1644.; Terry, Edward, 1590-1660. Relation of Sir Thomas Roe's voyage.	1665 (1665)	Wing V48; ESTC R10032	493,750	487

but ill cut as well as the rest of the figure which for its bigness hath a very great Belly I know not whether through the Artificers fault who seems to have been little skilful or else because the Indians as I have also heard of the people of Sumatra account it a great Beauty and perfection to have a great Belly This figure of Brahma stands upright and at his Feet two other less carv'd figures which as they say are his two Sons Sunnet and Sunnatan On each side of Brahma stand likewise two Statues of Women somewhat less then Brahma himself and they call them his Wives Savetri and Gavetri On the left side of this narrow Temple stand two other figures of the same bigness being two naked Men with long Beards whom they pretend to have been two religious persons I know not whether Doctors or Disciples of Brahma or Pythagoras one is call'd Chescuèr the other Ciavan de Chescuèr On the same side downwards are many other Idolets as one with an Elephants Head and divers others formerly by me mention'd All which Idols are serv'd ador'd perfum'd offer'd to and wash'd every day as for delight for the Indians account it delight to wash often by the Brachmans who assist at their service with much diligence I must not forget that the Banians say this Town Naghera was the King's Seat and principal City anciently the Head of the whole Kingdom of Cambaia and that the City now properly call'd Cambaia and rais'd to greatness by the ruine of this old is a modern thing whence I have sometimes suspected that the Indian Character call'd Naghra us'd by the learned was denominated from this City wherein it was anciently us'd but 't is onely a Conjecture and I have learnt by long and much experience that in the derivation and interpretation of Names especially of Places there is no trusting to the resemblance of Words because by reason of the diversity of Languages and the casual Conformity of Words which signifie things sufficiently different according to the variety of Places gross errors are easily admitted Nagher in the Indian Language signifies a Great City Coming from Naghra I saw some naked and besmeared Men of deportment almost like the incinerated Gioghi who were of a Race of Indians accounted by themselves the most sordid and vile Race of all in India because they eat every thing even the uncleannest Animals as Rats and the like whence they are call'd in Persian Hhalal-chor which signifies a Man that accounts it lawful to eat any thing the Indians call them Der and all people in general abhor not onely to converse with but even to touch them Concerning Religion I have heard nothing particular of them but believe them Gentiles as the rest or perhaps Atheists who may possibly hold every thing for lawful as well in believing as in eating They are all sufficiently poor and live for the most part by begging or exercising the most sordid Trades in the Common-wealth which others disdain to meddle with but they either because their Rite teaches them so or necessity inforces them are not at all shie of March the fifth We visited the King's Garden again and many other Gardens where we tasted divers fruits and beheld several Flowers of India unknown in Europe amongst the rest one very odoriferous which I kept in a Paper which they call Ciompa Without the City we saw the Saltpits and also the Field by the Sea-side where the Indians are wont to burn the bodies of their dead which may be known by the reliques of many fires and pieces of bones not wholly burnt which are seen scatter'd about the same The next Morning early we return'd to this Field and saw several Bodies burnt and particularly observ'd the Funeral of one Woman from the beginning to the end They carry the Corps wrapt in a cloth of Cit of a red colour for the most part and much in use among the Indians for other purposes They carry it not upon a Biere as we do but ty'd to and hanging down like a sack from a staff lay'd cross two Men's shoulders They make the funeral pile of wood lay'd together in form of a bed of equal length and breadth and sufficient to receive the Body upon which beginning then to lament with a loud voice they lay the carkass naked and supine with the Face and Feet towards the Sea which I believe is likewise observ'd where the Sea is not towards Rivers Lakes and Cisterns the Indians having a particular devotion to the Water nor do I know that herein they have respect to any Region of Heaven They cover the privities with a piece of wood anoint the Hands and Feet put a coal of fire in the Mouth and then all things being prepar'd they set fire first at the Throat and afterwards to the whole pile round about beginning first at the Head but with their Faces turn'd another way as Virgil saith our Ancestors did Then sprinkle Water on the ground round about the pile which they continually stir up with staves in their Hands and blow with the motion of a cloth to the end the flame may not spread but burn more speedily The body being consum'd by degrees they reduce the fire into a round form and when all is burnt they leave the ashes and sometimes a piece of a bone not wholly consum'd there in the same place The cloth wherein the body was wrapt before it was committed to the pile they give in Charity to some poor person present Such as have where withall are burnt with odoriferous and precious wood in which the rich spend much but they that cannot reach so high use ordinary wood Children under two years of age are not burnt but buried as we saw some in the same Field Nor let the Reader wonder that in the same day and hour we hapned to see so many dead persons for besides that Cambaia is a large City and very populous as all the Cities and Lands of India are the Gentiles are wont to perform this Ceremony of the dead onely in the Morning at a set hour and in that place so that all that dye in the whole City during the twenty four hours of the day are brought to that place at the same hour The same day we had News of a Jesuit's coming to Cambaia from Goa with a Cafila of Portugal Frigats which was going for Agrà Whereupon in the Evening Sig Alberto Scilling and I in company of a Venetian Merchant went to visit him at the house where he lodged and having told him that we were to go the next day for Suràt I desir'd him to give a letter to the Jesuits of Daman and Bassaim where I hop'd to touch upon the way to Goa which he very courteously condescending to do we went again the next Morning to see him before we departed March the seventh In the Morning we visited the Father Jesuit who was not a Priest but one of those whom

severity and without taking notice of it as if they had been abstracted from the things of the World just as our Fryers use to do when any devout persons come out of reverence to kiss their Habit but with Hypocrisie conformable to their superstitious Religion Returning home I met a Corps going to be burn'd without the City with Drums sounding before it it was carryed sitting in a Chair whereunto it was ty'd that it might not fall cloth'd in its ordinary attire exactly as if it had been alive The seat was cover'd behind and on the sides with red and other colours I know not whether Silk or no. It was open onely before and there the dead person was to be seen By the company which was small I conjectur'd him to be one of mean quality But they told me All dead people are carry'd thus as well such as are buried as the Lingavani whom they also put into the Earth sitting as those that are burn'd and that he whom I saw was to be burn'd we gather'd from the Fire and Oyle which they carry'd after him in vessels The night following there was a great solemnity in all the Temples by lighting of Candles singing Musick dancing about twenty Dancing-women who went in Procession with the Idol into the Piazza dancing before the great Temple but as I was told they began very late namely at the rising of the Moon which was about an hour before mid-night so that I was gone to bed before I knew of it although in the Evening I saw the lights in the Temple But though I saw nothing yet I heard of it as I was in bed being awaken'd by the noise and hearing the same was to be acted over again the next night I purpos'd with my self to see it November the fourteenth I went at night to the Temple to see whether there was any extraordinary solemnity but there was nothing more then usual nor did the Idol come forth onely in the great Temple and its Inclosure or Court into which they suffer not strangers to enter they made their accustom'd Processions with musical instruments singing and other Ceremonies which I conceive were the same with those I saw in Ahineli onely they are celebrated here every night because as 't is a more eminent Church so consequently the service is more pompous besides that they told me Venk-tapà Naieka had a great and particular devotion to the Idol Agoresuàr who is here worship'd On the fifteenth of the same moneth came first in the day-time and afterwards at night to our House twelve or fifteen publick Dancing-women who by consequence are also publick Strumpets although very young being conducted by certain of their men In the day time they did nothing but talkt a little and some of them made themselves drunk with a certain Wine made of dry'd Raisins or a sort of Aqua Vitae and other mixtures call'd in India Nippa I say some of them because certain others of less ignoble Race as they are more abstinent in eating so they drink not any thing that inebriates At night they entertain'd us a good while with Balls or Dancing after their mode accompany'd with singing not unpleasant to behold for they consist of a numerous company of Women all well cloth'd and adorn'd with Gold Jewels and Tresses of several fashions who sing and snap their wooden instruments They begin all their Balls slowly and by degrees growing to a heat at last end with furious and quick motions which appear well enough Amongst their other Dances two pleas'd me well one in which they continually repeated these words and another wherein they represented a Battel and the actions of slaughter in the conclusion the Master of the Ball who directs all and was one of those that brought them dancing in the midst of them with a naked Ponyard wherewith he represented the actions of slaughter as the Women did with their short sticks But the end of this shew was more ridiculous For when they were dismiss'd they not onely were not contented with the largess of the Ambassador although I added as much of my own to it but went away ill satisfi'd testifying the same by cholerick yellings which to me was a new Comedy November the sixteenth I was told that the above-mention'd Woman who had resolv'd to burn her self for her Husband's death was to dye this Evening But upon further enquiry at the Womans House I understood that it would not be till after a few dayes more and there I saw her sitting in a Court or Yard and other persons beating Drums about her She was cloth'd all in white and deck'd with many Neck-laces Bracelets and other ornaments of Gold on her Head she had a Garland of Flowers spreading forth like the rayes of the Sun in brief she was wholly in a Nuptial Dress and held a Lemon in her Hand which is the usual Ceremony She seem'd to be pleasant enough talking and laughing in conversation as a Bride would do in our Countries She and those with her took notice of my standing there to behold her and conjecturing by my strange Habit what the meaning of it was some of them came towards me I told them by an Interpreter that I was a Person of a very remote Country where we had heard by Fame that some Women in India love their Husbands so vehemently as when they dye to resolve to dye with them and that now having intelligence that this Woman was such a one I was come to see her that so I might relate in my own Country that I had seen such a thing with my own Eyes These people were well pleas'd with my coming and she her self having heard what I said rose up from her seat and came to speak to me We discours'd together standing for a good while She told me that her Name was Giaccamà of the Race Terlengà that her Husband was a Drummer whence I wonder'd the more seeing Heroical Actions as this undoubtedly ought to be judg'd are very rare in people of low quality That it was about nineteen dayes since her Husband's death that he had left two other Wives elder then she and whom he had married before her both which were present at this discourse yet neither of them was willing to dye but alledg'd for excuse that they had many Children This argument gave me occasion to ask Giaccamà who shew'd me a little Son of her own about six or seven years old besides an other Daughter she had how she could perswade her self to leave her own little Children And told her that she ought likewise to live rather then to abandon them at that Age. She answer'd me that she left them well recommended to the care of an Uncle of hers there present who also talk'd with us very cheerfully as if rejoycing that his Kins-woman would do such an action and that her Husbands other two remaining Wives would also take care of them I insisted much upon the tender

with abundance of little canes sometimes whitish with salt and sometimes cover'd with thickets of Shrubs Iune the twenty second We travell'd again till Noon and as we were reposing in these Plains which were all cover'd with small dry grass a little sparkle falling from some of the Cameliers who according to their custom stood sucking the smoke of Tobacco set this grass on fire and the flame increas'd so suddenly that we had much ado to save our Goods from burning but at length we extinguish't it by casting cloths and thick coverings upon it for water the place afforded none and we had only enough for drink Departing thence two or three hours before night we quarter'd in another place call'd Ehathuer where two or three men whom we met with their laden Camels inform'd us that the great Cafila which went so many days before us from Bassora had incounter'd many difficulties and was stopt by Emir Nasir who besides taking a great sum of money from them also constrain'd many of the people to go to Mesched Hhussein to fight with the Qizilbasci with whom he was now at enmity in which conflict which prov'd little successful to the Arabians the chief Leader of the Cafila was slain his Son succeeding him in his Charge with other like news which made me doubt of the good estate of our Francks who went along with that Cafila Iune the twenty third the twenty fourth and the twenty fifth We travelled and rested at our usual hours during which dayes we had the Iland Geuazir of the Chaldean Lake on our right hand and on the last of them we reposed at a place wherein grew certain low and thin plants which to me seemed to be Juniper Iune the twenty sixth We travelled from day-break till two hours before Noon and then rested near certain Pits where we had on the right hand afar off Mesched-Ali the place where anciently stood the City of Kufa and where Ali the Son-in-law of Mahhammed was slain the name Mesched-Ali signifying the place of the Martyrdom of Ali whom they hold a Martyr And though the City of Kufa is no longer in being yet upon account of the said Sepulchre venerated by Mahometans and adorned with a noble Fabrick the place is frequented and inhabited when we passed by it was in the power of the Qizilbasci whereas it used to be in that of the Turks whilst they were Masters of Baghdad From hence we continued our Journey till two hours within night Iune the twenty seventh We set forth by day-light and at Noon rested near a water which rising out of the ground runs under a thicket of Canes where we stayed all day The next day setting forth and resting at our accustomed hours we passed over many dry Lakes which seem'd to have had water in them at some time of the year Iune the nine and twentieth Two or three hours before Noon we rested by a water near the ruines of an ancient great Fabrick perfecty square with thirteen Pillastres or round Columns on each side without and other compartiments of Arches within which were many Chambers with a Court of no great bigness and uncover'd The Arabians call this Fabrick Casr Chaider I could not conjecture whether it had been a Pallace or Temple or Castle but I incline to believe it a Palace rather then any thing else In this place we had within half a dayes journey on the Right Hand Mesched-Hhussein which signifies the place of the Martyrdom of Hhussein and where Hhussan the Son of Ali and Muhhammed's Daughter was slain and buried by his Emulators which place in the Country call'd Kierbela being inhabited and adornd with the said Sepulchre which the Moors visit as Holy a very sumptuous Fabrick after their mode was now in the Hands of the Qizilbasci into which it fell with the other Territories of Baghdad which is but a little distant from thence Here we stay'd to pay a Gabel to Emir Nasirben-Mahhanna Lord of these Desarts or rather to Sceich Abitaleb his Son for Sceich Nasir being now old and devoted to a Spiritual Life as he that had been in pilgrimage at Meka had resign'd the Government to his Son and both of them were now remaining in Tents about a League from the place where we rested towards the North-East Iune the thirtieth In the Morning the two Capigi's that were in our company went separately to carry their Letters and Presents from the Serdar to the Sceich namely Ibrahim Aga to the present and Mahhmud Aga to the preceding Serdar who as they said was poyson'd either by others or by himself for fear of worse because he had not been diligent enough in the war of Baghdad yet this his Capigi having been sent to several other places could not come hither sooner to the Sceich After dinner in the absence of the Capigi the Sceich's Men came to demand a Gabel and after I had pay'd them as much as they requir'd to wit twelve Piastres for onely two Chests and two or three more Piastres of free-gift nevertheless they open'd all my Trunks breaking some for haste turning all things topsie-turvy and taking away for the Sceich and themselves some things of value which they lik'd a rich Persian Turbant of Silk and God a piece of fine checker'd Silk to make Cassocks withall after the Persian Mode many dishes of rare Porcellane beautifi'd with Gold and colours an Harquebuse belonging to my Servant much curious Paper of Iapan and India besides many other toyes which I rememb●r not telling me that they would buy them notwithstanding that I told them that they were not things to be sold but onely such as I carry'd for my own use and service Moreover they made me by force that is refusing to hear any of my Reasons to the contrary but saying that the Sceich commanded so though in truth I ought not pay twenty Piastres to my chief Camelier their Friend alledging that the same were for the Guide which he would have hired at Cuvebeda which Guide I neither hir'd nor made use of and if I had I ought to have pay'd onely half at most the said Camelier having other Carriages besides mine and all of Merchandize But they were resolv'd to do a kindness to the Camelier who was an Arabian and a Thief like themselves and gave not this money to any Guide but kept it for his own use Hereby the Readers may observe how we Christians are us'd by these Barbarians in their own jurisdictions At length they would have taken for the Sceich a Sword and Changiar or Arabian Ponyard the hilts and garniture whereof were Silver-gilt and which belong'd sometimes to Sitti Maani my Wife Whereupon being no longer able to suffer so many insolencies I resolv'd to go to the Sceich my self and present him a Letter from the Basha of Bassora which he had writ to him in commendation of me Accordingly leaping upon a Mule of Aga's who was already return'd and highly angry with the

Village call'd Menego but all these Villages in former times well peopled are now almost wholly destroy'd and uninhabited September the ninth Being return'd to the Ship the next day I took the height of the Sun with my Astrolabe in the Port della Saline of Cyprus and found him decline Southward from the Zenith 29 degrees 29 minutes 50 seconds On which day he was in degrees of September the thirteenth I went ashore in the Morning to Larnaca again from whence upon the Consuls instance I was accompany'd by Sig Gio Francesco Parente two other Venetians a Greek nam'd Meser Manoli my servant Michel and a Janizary for our guard to a delicious place of Devotion call'd by the Greeks Agia Nappa that is Holy about eight leagues from Larnaca upon the Eastern Sea-coast near Capo della Greca where there is a Church built in a Grotto wherein a miraculous Image of our Lady was found Having rid all day almost continually by the Sea-side we lodg'd at the Village Ormidia and the next day early passing through the Village Xylofago and the Cape di San Georgio where many Ships especially Pyrats use to put in for water at a River which falls into the Sea on the East of the said Cape we arriv'd at the Village Agia Nappa We found it like all the rest that I saw in Cyprus almost wholly destroy'd partly by the ordinary tyrannies of the Turks partly by the Pestilence which a few years before had swept away most of the people The Church being built almost like a little square Castle perhaps for fear of the Pyrats is still standing and being under ground is descended into by many stairs A Papas or Greek Priest who officiates there hath charge of it together with certain Calogrie or Nunns who having renounc'd the world have addicted themselves to God's Service and are modestly cloth'd in black though they be not Recluses In the middle of a great Court or Yard stands a marble Fountain not ill built over which they have lately built a great Cupola upon four Pilasters with seats round about where we not onely entertain'd our selves all day but slept at night the murmur of the water rendring the place sufficiently pleasant The next Morning Mass was sung in the Church after the Greek Rite and I was present at it till the end of the Gospel On one side of the Church in a place apart is an Altar where our Latine Priests say Mass when any comes thither In summ the Church is an indifferent large Grotto the Image ancient and the Altar adorn'd after the Greek manner without any thing else remarkable Here we eat a great quantity of Becca-fichi or Fig-snappers a sort of Birds call'd by the Greeks Sicalidia which are so plentiful in Cyprus that abundance of them are sent sows'd in Vinegar to Venice and else-where but those at Agia Nappa sometimes are not good by reason of their having eaten Scammony which is not known to be found there-abouts but probably they feed upon it in some other place September the sixteenth We departed from Agia Nappa to return to Larnaca and passing through the Village Xylofago we alighted there to see the Church of San Giorgio wherein amongst other Saints I saw one painted whom they call Agios Mapeas that is San Mama much venerated by the Greeks who say He was a Martyr and bury'd in Cyprus but I know not according to what History they paint him between a Horse and a Lyon September 17th Returning a Ship-board by the way I visited a Church of the Greeks but heretofore of the Armenians call'd S. Lazaro some of the stones whereof I observ'd engraven with Armenian Letters 'T is a very ancient stone-structure of an extravagant form though us'd by the Greeks in sundry places namely consisting of 3 Nave's or Isles supported onely by 4 Pilasters with three Cupola's on a row in the middle Nave the place within amongst the Pillasters serving for men and that round about for women by themselves Behind the Altar they shew a Subterranean Sepulchre like a little Grotto and enter'd into by a square hole like that of a Tomb they say it was the Sepulchre of Lazarus rais'd by Christ and that he built the Church whilst he was Bishop here and at last dy'd here from whence his Body was afterwards transported first to Constantinople and then to Marseilles The truth whereof they affirm is prov'd by the Miracles done every day in the said Sepulchre as healing the sick and the like but this is repugnant to the History we have in the Breviary Martyrologie c. September the twentieth The Consul gave me a piece of Ladano-Vergine that is pure without any other mixture as it comes naturally whereof there is plenty in Cyprus and some intelligent persons of the Country whom I consulted purposely told me 't is generated of the Dew which falls from Heaven just as Manna is and that 't is gather'd off the leavs of a plant no higher then a span and half or two spans which matter they boyle and being viscid like wax form into rolls like little Candles which they wrap afterwards round together The said Ladanum is black hath a good quick Aromatical Smell and in our Countries mixt with other things makes a good Perfume and perhaps serves for Medicinal Uses as you know very well September the one and twentieth Sig Cicach gave me some of the stone Amiantus a sort of stone that may be spun of which the Ancients made the Cloth which they say was incombustible and the fire onely cleans'd it as water doth other Linnen in which Cloth they burnt dead bodies and so preserv'd the ashes thereof from being mingled with those of the wood At this day none knows how to make the Cloth or to spin the matter although a whitish matter like Cotton is clearly seen to issue out of the stone not uncapable of being spun The colour of the Stone when intire is greenish inclining to black but shining enough almost like Talk yet when 't is broken or spun the matter that issues out of it is white I remember I once saw some of this Stone and the Cloth woven thereof in the Study of Ferrante Imperato at Naples amongst other Curiosities September the twenty fourth The Consul invited us to dinner in the Venetian Ship Cacciadiavoli where we stay'd not onely to dine but also to sleep all-night being entertain'd with Musick and the good conversation of Sig Parente Flatro Rocco Andreani who were there The next day we return'd to our own Ship and the Evening following I went ashore again A new man was expected to come to govern the Island the old being already departed upon the arrival of an Officer of the new who as their custom is was come with the Title of Musselem to prepare the place for his Master But before this New Elect arriv'd at his Residence in Nicosia News came that by a fresh command of the Grand Signior at

who being newly come from abroad was put upon his Quarantine in a Church without the City secondly Sig Don Gutteres della Valle Brother of the above-said Baron who was absent at Palermo thirdly Sig Don Diego della Valle whom I knew many years ago at Messina fourthly Sig Don Vincenzo della Valle Baron of Schisi which they hold to be the ancient Naxus and fifthly Don Franc. della Valle who was in an Ecclesiastical Habit with many of these Gentlemen who did me the honour to accompany me I went this morning to see the Mother-Church where in a close Chappel the body of S. Agatha is kept After which I was conducted to see the Benedictine's Monastery of S. Nicolas which is a handsom building and the Reliques kept there in the Sacristie amongst which was shewn me a Nail of our Saviour's Cross an Arrow of S. Sebastian's a piece of S. George's Coat of Mail some of S. Peter the Apostle's beard and some of the beard of S. Zaccharias Father of S. Iohn Baptist. I saw also the ruins of the Amphitheater and the Cirque the Fountains without the Walls of the City by the Sea-side which being so many Spouts on a row make a pretty sight near the place where S. Agatha was put into the fire Ianuary the first 1626. Accompani'd by the same Gentlemen who did me that honour at all hours I went to see the prison of S. Agatha underground and her Sepulchre where there is also another Church and in that the place where S. Lucy appear'd to her and a little further a little Chappel apart where her breasts were cut off After which I spent the day in visiting such Gentlemen as had visited me as also such Gentlewomen of the Family of la Valle as had sent to visit me The next day I went to S. Francis's Church to see the Chappel and Tombs of the Family of la Valle in whose arms I found some difference from my own as to the colours which was only the Error of the Painter they giving the Lions and Stars Or in a field gules but we at Rome the Lions azure and Stars gules in a field Or. And being Arms are commonly taken from old Stone-monuments which have no colours 't was no hard matter for some Modern Painter to mistake and put one for another In the Evening I was visited by the Magistrates of Catania whom they call Guirati Jurats and news came that a Proclamation was publish'd at Palermo whereby as many as were oblig'd either by Tenure or otherwise to military service in Sicily in in times of need were commanded to appear forthwith in the field in order to a General Muster and then be distributed into several places for fear of an invasion by the English Fleet which they said was enter'd into the Mediterranean upon designs of mischief Ianuary the third I return'd the Visit to the Magistrates in the City-Palace being receiv'd by them with much honour and at my departure accompani'd almost to the Gate After dinner having visited Sig Don Francesco della Valle Baron of Miraglia who was upon his Quarantine in the Church of the Infirm without the City I took leave of all my honourable Friends and departed from Catania towards Syracuse arriving at Lentini two hours after Sun-set where I lodg'd in the House of the Baron of Bagnara Ianuary the fourth Having heard Mass in the Church of the Saints Alfio and his Brethren and din'd early we departed from Lentini and at night arriv'd at S. Cosmano a place twelve miles from Syracuse famous for making Sugar It being late we took up our Quarters in a House where we saw the Machins Furnaces and other contrivances for that Work Ianuary the fifth About Noon we arriv'd at Syracuse being met without the Gate in a Coach by Sig Paolo Faraone Sig Don Diego Landolnia his Couzen Sig Don Gasparo Diamante and others of the Bishop's House Ianuary 10th We went abroad a shooting in a boat upon the famous River Alfeo which falls into the Port of Syracuse just opposite to the walls of the City passing first under a bridge of one arch exactly according to the printed figure of the Pastoral of Cavalier Guarini call'd il Pastor fido wherein the River Alfeo speaks the Prologue Ianuary the eleventh I saw the subterraneous Grottoes of S. Iohn's Church without the City they are many great and handsom contriv'd almost like a Labyrinth and appear to have been intended for Sepulchres in some places the light is admitted a little by Cupola's which probably serv'd for the people to assemble in either to the Obsequies or Funeral-suppers Yet certain Figures of ancient Saints and other Tokens argue them to have been us'd by Christians 't is a goodly Fabrick for a work under-ground being all cut out of the natural stone by hand Ianuary the thirteenth Four Maltese-Galleys arriv'd at Syracuse and because they intended for Messina and one of them for Naples and perhaps further to carry the Prior of the Church who as I said was going extraordinary Ambassador to Rome and was here imbarqu'd I desir'd to take the opportunity of these Galleys to Messina and accordingly went to speak with the General who was gone a hunting with the Prior of the Church near the River Alfeo The General courteously granted me passage in his own Ship to Messina but as for going to Naples in the Galley with the said Prior I could not obtain this favour from him and though his excuse was that but one Galley went thither and that with many Passengers and my people and goods were not few yet I perceiv'd that the Prior on whom the courtesie depended although he had been my Friend at Malta and shew'd himself such here also was unwilling to grant me the same because I lodg'd in the house of the Bishop with whom the Prior was displeas'd because the Bishop had neither visited him nor yet the General of the Galleys as they pretended he ought to have done but the Bishop pretended the contrary namely that they ought to have visited him first so that between the punctilio's of both sides I was fain to suffer an inconvenience as it commonly happens in such cases However I resolv'd not to decline the General 's offer of passing to Messina in these Galleys and accordingly taking leave of the Bishop and all other Friends after supper I went aboard of the General 's Galley with my people and at the second watch we set sail The winds being contrary we could not pass further then Augusta where we anchor'd a little without the Port but because we did not salute the City in regard we stood off from it and were upon departing a great Gun was discharg'd from thence against us with a bullet Which though the General was offended at yet because there was nothing else to be done he sent a Spanish Gentleman of his Order to make excuse to the Governor for not having saluted him as not being the custom