‘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’ [‎239] (260/508)

Into the EAST-INDIES.
which before they disbeliev'd and accounted only a report to
keep the foldiers in fufpence) almoft all of them changed thehr
purpolej and refolv'd to continue at the war, after they had been
at only to provide themfelves (bme neceffaries. Of fuch
moment to the publick good is the authority and prudent dif-
courfe of a worthy perfon amongft people. We had news from
them, that Ruy Freira had quitted Lare^ becaufe the Englifh
at the inftance of the Perfians had gone thither with their Ships
to drive him thence, whereupon having firft deftroy'd certain
Shops of Provifionp which he had made there for convenience of
the foldiersand a weak Trench he remov'd with his Ar
mada of Oars to a defart ftation of Arabia a little beyond the
place where we were^ and there we fhould find him 5 that if we
had gone to Lare^ we fhould have incurr'd the danger of fal
ling into the enemies hands ^ and therefore;, as foon as they faw
us 5 they (hot off a Warning-piece to recall us from that bad way.
They told us moreover., that before the Tortugals were driven
from Lare^ Frem? going one day with the greateft part of
his Ships to make an appearance about Ormn%^ a great Tempeft
arofe 3 by which four Ships which he left at Larek^, were driven
upon the Rocks of the Ifland, and loft 5 with the death of many
people 5 and that it was a great mercy of God that Ruy Freira
was not there with his other Ships, becaufe they would have been
all loft, although they wanted not a ftiare of trouble too by the
tempeft in the place where they were* Hence I concluded that
misfortunes every day increas'd upon'the Portugals in India^ fb
that I know not what good judgment can be made of their affairs
for the future.
the eighth, in the morning. We departed from the
place where we were, and coafting along in le(s then an hour, we
arriv'd at a little Iffend which they call delle Capre or delle Ga-
zelle^ near the Continent of Arabia^ almoft within a Bay which
affords an ample and fecure Port for fmall Veflels. This place
lies almoft diredly overagainft Ormu^ (bthat Ormuz, will come
to be fixty leagues diftant from Mafcat, and confequently
eighteen from Lima, Here we found Rny Freira with part of his
Ships, of which fome were mending 3 I fay. Part, becaufe he
had fent (bme to the Cape of Giask, to wait for the Armada of
Goa^ fome to for Provifion ("of which he had but fmall
ftore) and fome to the Port of Gnadel to (cout, and fbme about
other fer vices. Aflbon as we had caft anchor, Ruy Freira czv&S
in perfon to our Ship acompani'd by lome of his Captains, and
ftay'd there between two and three hours receiving and diftribu-
ting amongft them certain fmall provifions of Vi&ual and Arms
which were brought himjreading the Viceroy'sLetters and many
other which came to him from Goa, and difcourfing with Don
Francefco Contigno Cavacio^ and others 3 giving them account ot all
his fucceiies, and inquiring concerning the Armada and other
things which we knew. And becaufe we aflur'd him,the Armada
could