‘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’ [‎347] (368/508)

A Voyage to EAST-INDIA, &c.
there yet reinajning, is part of an exceeding great Houfe, which is
continued by Tradition to have been fometimes a part of the fa
mous Palace of great Ring Priawus,
From Smyrna he found a Paffage to Alexandria in JEgyjpt $
JFgyptjhzt is called by fome, in regard of the Plenty it produ-
ceth, the Granary or store-houfe of the World. And in Egypt neaLt
Gran-Cairo (antiently called Memphis) he obferved what re A
mains of the once fam'd Pyramids. Returning thence back to
Alexandria with one Englifhman more, they found a pafs by
Sea to 'jatta, antiently called ^oppa, and there they met fome
others going tojerufalem, which is about twenty Englifh miles
diftantfrom Joppa y whence they departed together towards
JerttJalem 3 and found it a very folitary , rocky uncomfor
table-way, full of danger, by reafon of the wild Arabes^ who
keep about thofe Paflages to make poor Travellers t\mx prey
and Jpoyl. But they came fafe to Jernfalem, now inhabited by
Turks) and that place called by them Cutts 5 where he told
me, that himfelt and his Companion were courteoufly re
ceived by the Father Guardian of the Convent of Francijcan
Friars that keep their refidence in Jerufalem, and by fome of
them were met at the Gate of the City, where they were com
pelled by theTurkifh Souldiers who keep thole Gates ("as all
others that bear the name of Chriftians are) at their firft com
ing thither to redeem their heads by paying each of them the
value of five JhiMings, before they could have admittance into
that place 5 which they had no fooner entred, but they were
prefently carried by thofe Francifcans which met them fo their
Convent 5 and then the firft thing they did to or for them, they
wafhed their feet, then let fome comfortable refedHon before
them, and after went in Procejjzon ^ibout a little Cloy Her they
had,praifing God that he had brought in fafcty thofe two Vo
taries ("as they called themj to vilit that Holy Place. A day or
two alter they accompanied them to Bethlehem, the place of our
Blejted Saviour s Birth, about five Engljlh miles diftant from
Jerufalem 5 and in the way betwixt thofe two places fhewed them
a Rock, on which (asthey faidj the Blejfed Virgin fate down,
as Ihe went on a time betwixt Jerufalem and Bethlehem, to
give her Babe fuck 5 and that the Rock^ might not feel hard
under her, it yielded (as they told themj to her body like a
Cujhion, and that impreffion made by her fo fitting remaineth
tinto this day, and is moft devoutly killed by Votaries as they
pafs up and down. After this they returning back, Ihewed them
all that was to be feen in and jlbout JeruJalem, Many parti
culars they told them (ftories which are there kept by Tra
dition ) concerning our Blelied Saviour and his Mother :
Then they had a light of as much of Mount Calvary (where
our Blelied Saviour fuffered ) as could be Ihewed them,
that Hill being now enclos'd within the walls ofjerufalem. They
undertook to Ihew them afterwards the place wherein our blel-
Yy 2 fed