‘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’ [‎403] (424/508)

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J Voyage ^ E A S T-1N DI A, &C.
nor Couchesj nor Tables^nor Beds, endofed with Canopies 5
or Curtains, in any of their Rooms. And the truth is, that if
they had them, the extrearti heat there would forbid the life of
many of them •, all their bravery is upon their Floors, ail which
are made eeven with fine Earth or Plaifter, on whieh they fpread
their moft excellent Carpets in their Tents, as well as in their
dwelling houfes, laying fome Coarfe thing under to preferVe
them , on which they fit (as Taylors on their fhop-boards) when
tfaey meet together, putting off their fhooes (which they ufual-
ly wear asllippers and their feet bare in them) when they come
to tread upon thofe foft Pavements^ and keeping them off till
they remove thence, this helps to keep Cool their feet, and is
very pleafant in thofe hot Countries. On thofe Carpets they
deep in the night time, orelfe upon an hard Quilt, or lying up
on a flight and low Bed-ftead they call a Cot^ bottomed with
broad Girt-web made ofCottennvool. But where-ever they lye 5
they ftretch themfclves out at their full length when they goto
fleep, uiually upon their backs, without any Pillow, or Bolfter, to
raifeup their heads. Very many of the meaner fort of people
(as I have often obferved) lye thus ftretched out to take their reft
upon the ground, in the dry feafon of the year, with a white
Callico-cloth fpread all over them, which makes them to appear
like fb many dead corpfes laid forth for burial. - This lying fo
at length with their bodies thus extended, may be one
reafbn why the people there are all fo ilraight limn d, ha-^
ving none crooked amongft them ? and another, becaufc they
never girt, nor lace in their bodies (as before was obferved).
Some of thole flight Bed-fteads, they call Cots, in their ftanding
houfesbang by ropes, a little above ground, which are faftnedto
the four corners, thereof $ moved gently up and down, by their
fervants, to lull them afleep* - t
They have no Inns in thofe parts for the entertainment 01
ftrangers -> but in fbme great Towns large Houfes they cajl
raas very fobfVantially built, with brick, or (lone, where any
Paflengers may find houfe-room andufe it without any recom-
pence s but there is nothing to be had befide room, all other
things they mufl provide and bring with them, as when tiey
lodge in Tents. . r , •
' Amongft their Buildings I muft take fpecial notice ot their
Wells andTankes, upon both which in very many places they
beftow exceeding much coft in ftone-work 5 then e s
which are fed with Springs^ they make them round, but very
wide and large. They are wrought up with firrn ftones laid in
fine Plaifter 5 they ufually cover thofe Wells with a building
over-head, and with Oxen draw water out of them, which riletu
up in many fmall Buckets, whereof fome are^ alwa}s
down, others continually coming up, and emptying themlelv 3
in troughs, or little rills, made to receive, and convey the wa
ter whither they pleafe. Th .
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