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Title:  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.
Author: Della Valle, Pietro, 1586-1652.
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day there, will slip on loose Coats over the other, made either of quilted Silk, or Callico, or of our English Scarlet-broad-cloth (for that is the colour they most love.) Under their Coats they have long Breeches like unto Irish-trouses, made usu∣ally of the same cloth, which come to their Anckles, and ruffle on the small of their legs. For their feet, they keep them (as was before observed) always bare in their shooes.Some of their Grandees makes their Coats and Breeches of striped Taffata of several colours, or of some other silk stuff all of the same colour, or of slight cloth of Silver or Gold, all made in that Country. But pure white and fine Callico-laune, (which they there make likewise) is for the most part the height of all their bravery; the collars, and some other parts of their upper coats, being set off with some neat stitching.Upon their heads they wear a long wreath of cloth, about half a yard broad, usually white, but sometimes of other co∣lours. Which cloth worn for their head-covering, is sometimes inter-woven in spaces with threds of coloured silk, or silver, or gold; and when not so, one end of that wreath of cloth worn by Gallants is usually thus inter-woven; and so put upon their heads, that its gayness may appear. This head-covering of theirs, they call a Shash, which incircles their heads many times, and doth mervellously defend them from the violence of the Sun. And because this covering must needs keep their heads hot, they provide for this, as well as they can, by shaving the hair continually from off them. And they have girdles made of the same wreaths of cloth for the better sort, thus inter-woven, which come twice at least about them, made very trim with that kind of weaving, especially on both ends, which hang down di∣rectly before them.And thus have I presented a Mahometan there in his proper dress whose habit will more visibly appear together in the Mo∣gols Picture, portrayed and after put into this discourse.Now for the Mahometan women, (because I had never sight of those of the greatest quality) I cannot give such an account of them in respect of the Habits. For these, unless they be dis∣honest, or poor, come not abroad; but for the fashion of their Garments, they do not differ much from those the men wear, for they wear Coats, and Breeches one very like the other, on∣ly women bind their long hair with Phillets, which hang down behind them. They wear likewise upon their heads Mantles or Vails (usually made of white Callico, or of their Pintado's) which hang down over their other Garments. Further, the women have their Ears boared, not only in their flaps, but round about them, wherein they wear very little Pendants; those of the richer sort are made of flat, narrow and thin pieces of Gold or Silver; those worn by the poorer sort made of Brass, or Iron kept bright, so that all are in the same fashion; they bestow some work upon the edges and ends of those Pendants. And those 0