‘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’ [‎165] (186/508)

' leani ^bei.
w i^
') (|o aYoidf^
{ l ^ and to
nandfomejli
Mch purpofeji
iftion to be bid
been need of i
it off by ftakii:
We which |
wing in this mi
at down at I\KI
^'d) where
fsofanordinarji
is'dno moretk
)wn5croffingiii|[
on help'd mei
fasldefir'd.fe
iansnot ufinga
tkir cuftomis,;
?r to eat
that Tree, wlii
Hgals'mlniuji
] leaf they had fc
manner, onelf'
)od on onefe
d butter ffldtdi
idian Figg?, d#
in red herbjComi
/ Bredo, fwif
). In another p
: the reft, M
m preferv'^"'
one fort p®
re was none,
j wbich was*'
y to want M
'dmctoeat.f
aitettaino® 1 '
.fore-hanii,!*
tnotep 1 ® 1 ®?';
certain ^
with Butter, the Pulp of Indian Nuts 3 (inftead of which, in our
Countries Almond Milk may be us'd, being equally good, and
of the fame virtue^ and all forts of Spices, particularly, Carda
moms and Ginger, (which we ufe but little) befides herbs,
fruits, and a thouiand other condiments. The Chriftians who
eat every thing, add Flefti or FiQi of all forts, fometimes Eggs,
which, without doubt, make it more favory, efpecially, Hens
or Chickens cut in fmall pieces : With all which things is made a
ki«d of Broth, like our Guazzetti, or Pottages, and may be made
many feveral ways 5 this Broth with all the abovefaid ingredi
ents, is afterwards poured in good quantity upon the boyled
Rice, whereby is made awell-tafted mixture, of much fub-
ftance and light digeftion, asalfoofvery little pains 5 for it is
prefently boyled, and ferves both for meat and bread together.
I found it very good for me, and ufed it often, as alfo the Pilao
elfc-where fpoken of, and made of Rice boyled with butter and
flefti fryed therein, befides a thoufand other preparations of
feveral forts which are fo common to every body in Afta 5 and I
account it one of the beft and wholfomeft meats that can be
eaten in the world, without fo many Artificial Inventions as our
gutlings of Europe (withall, procuring to themfelves a thoufand
infirmities of Gouts, Catarrhs, and other Maladies, little known
to the Orientals) daily devife to the publick damage. But to re
turn to my Relation, the Ring told me, he would have given me
a better entertainment, butyetdefired me to receive this fmall
extemporary one, and eat without any refped or (hinefs of thofe
that were prefent > for thereby he fhould underftand that I liked
it. I anfwer'd, that the Favour and Courtefie which his High-
nefs (hew'd me, was fufficient: But as for eating, the time being
now paft, I did it onely to obey him 3 and fo, to comply with
him, although I had little will to eat, Itafted lightly here and
there of thofe fruits and herbs, where-with my Hand was but
little foiled, which upon occafion I wiped with my handkerchief,
being they ufe no other Table-linnen, nor had laid any for me.
The^Kingfeeingthatl touched not the Rice,fpoke to me feveral
times to eat of it, and to powre upon it fome of that butter which
flood by it prepared. I did not, becaufe I would not greafe my
lelf, there being no fpoon for xhz Indians eat every thing with
the Hand alone, and fo do the Portugals 5 I know not, whether
as having learnt fo to do in India of the Indians 5 or, whether it
be their own natural cuftom , but they too, for the moft part eat
with the Hand alone, ufing no fpoon, and that very ill-favoured-
ly 5 for with the fame Hand, if need be, they mingle together
the Rice, the Butter, the Cartl, and all other things how greafie
fbever, daubing themfelves up to the wrift, or rather waftiing
their Hands in their meat before they eat it 5 (a fafhion indeed
fufficiently coarfe for people of Europe) : and thought at their
Tables, which are handfome enough, there want not knives,
Ipoons, and filver forks 9 and fome few fometimes make ufe
thereof ^
Into the EAST-INDIES.