Pietro Della Valle

Potrait of Pietro della Valla

Pietro Della Valle (Latin: Petrus a Valle; 2 April 1586 – 21 April 1652), also written Pietro della Valle, was an Italian composer, musicologist, and author who travelled throughout Asia during the Renaissance period. His travels took him to the Holy Land, the Middle East, Northern Africa, and as far as India.

Quotes

• This Island of Salsette is full of very fair Towns and abundance of Houses. Above all the Jesuits have the goodliest places, and ’tis counted that perhaps a third part of the Island is theirs; for, besides three good Towns which belong wholly to them, they have also dominion and government in all the other Towns too which are not theirs; they have Churches everywhere, Lands and store of goods, and, I believe, all the Parishes are govern’d by them in Spirituals with Supreme Authority; whence this people acknowledge more Vassallage to the Jesuits than to the King himself. The case is the, same in another Island call’d Bardeos, adjacent also to that of Goa, but more Northward, which is under the government of the Franciscans. Nor is it otherwise in almost all the other Territories of the Portugals; so that it may justly be said that the best, and perhaps too the greatest part of this State is in the hands of Religious Orders.
  • Pietro Della Valle, The Travels of Pietro Della Valle In India, Ed., Edward Gray, First Published 1892, Asian Educational Services, 1991. quoted from Jain, M. (editor) (2011). The India they saw: Foreign accounts. New Delhi: Ocean Books. Volume III Chapter 14

• On March the first there was also another Procession in Goa of the Disciplinanti, which I went not to see; the like is made every Fryday during all Lent, and therefore I shall not stay to describe it. I believe there is no City in the world where there are more Processions than in Goa all the year long; and the reason is because the Religious Orders are numerous, and much more than the City needs; they are also of great authority and very rich, and the People, being naturally idle and addicted to Shews, neglecting other Cares of more weight and perhaps more profitable to the Publick, readily employ themselves in these matters; which, however good as sacred ceremonies and parts of divine worship, yet in such a City as this which borders upon Enemies and is the Metropolis of a Kingdom lying in the midst of Barbarians and so alwayes at Warr, and where nothing else should be minded but Arms and Fleets, seem according to worldly Policy unprofitable and too frequent, as also so great a number of Religious and Ecclesiastical persons is burdensome to the State and prejudicial to the Militia.
  • Pietro Della Valle, The Travels of Pietro Della Valle In India, Ed., Edward Gray, First Published 1892, Asian Educational Services, 1991. quoted from Jain, M. (editor) (2011). The India they saw: Foreign accounts. New Delhi: Ocean Books. Volume III Chapter 14

• In the Evening of every Fryday of Lent there is a Sermon upon the Passion in the Church of Giesu; and so likewise in other Churches, but upon other dayes and hours. At the end of these Sermons certain Tabernacles are open’d, and divers figures, representing some passages of the Passion (according to the subject of the Sermon), are with lighted Tapers shewn to the People; as one day that of the ‘Ecce Homo;’ another day Our Lord with the Cross upon his shoulders; and the last day the Crucifix; and so every day one thing suitable to the purpose. Oftentimes they make these figures move and turn, as they made the Robe fall off from the Ecce Homo and discover the wounded Body; at which sight the devout People utter prodigious Cryes, and the Women force themselves to shriek out; and the Signore, or Gentlewomen, are so zealous that they not onely cry out themselves, but make their Maids do so too and beat them even in the Church if they do not and that very loudly, whether they have a will to it, or no. Strange devotion indeed!
  • Pietro Della Valle, The Travels of Pietro Della Valle In India, Ed., Edward Gray, First Published 1892, Asian Educational Services, 1991. quoted from Jain, M. (editor) (2011). The India they saw: Foreign accounts. New Delhi: Ocean Books. Volume III Chapter 14

• On the twenty-ninth of the same month, being the day of S. Pietro Martire, who, they say, was the Founder of the Inquisition against Hereticks, the Inquisitors of Goa made a Festival before their House of the Inquisition which is in the Piazza of the Cathedral and was sometimes the Palace of Sabaio, Prince of Goa, when the Portugals took it, whence it is still call’d la Piazza di Sabaio. After solemn Mass had been sung in the Church of San Dominico, as Vespers had been the day before, in presence of the Inquisitors, who, coming to fetch the Fryers in Procession, repair’d thereunto in Pontificalibus, in the evening, many carreers were run on horse-back by the Portugal Gentry, invited purposely by the Inquisitors; and a day or two after (for this Evening was not sufficient for so many things) there was in the same Piazza a Hunting, or Baiting, of Bulls after the Spanish fashion; but the Beasts, being tame and spiritless, afforded little sport; so that I had not the curiosity to be present at it. This is a new Festival lately instituted by the present Inquisitors, who, I believe, will continue it yearly hereafter.
  • Pietro Della Valle, The Travels of Pietro Della Valle In India, Ed., Edward Gray, First Published 1892, Asian Educational Services, 1991. quoted from Jain, M. (editor) (2011). The India they saw: Foreign accounts. New Delhi: Ocean Books. Volume III Chapter 14

• On February the tenth, as a beginning of the solemnities for the Canonisation, the Jesuits sung Vespers in the Church of the Professed-house of Giesu. The night following they caused a numerous Maskerade of young Students, not Collegians, but Outliers, to pass through the streets on horse-back, clothed in several rich habits and following a Standard whereon were pourtrayed the Effigies of the Saints. The next day there was a solemn Mass in the same Church, and a Sermon made by the Visitor, F. Andren Palmuro, at which the Vice-Roy was present. In the Evening upon a very great Theatre, erected without the Church in the Piazza, for representing many dayes together the Life of San Francesco Sciavier, they caused a Squadron of young men mask’d in the habits of Peasants to dance many gallant Ballets with Musick.
  On the twelfth of February, in the presence of the Vice-Roy and of all the Nobility and People of the City, (for whose conveniency scaffolds and seats were erected in the Piazza round about the Theatre, both for Men and Women) the first Act of the above-said Comedy, or Tragedy, (as they said) of the Life of Santo Sciavier was represented. Of which Tragedy, which was a composition represented by about thirty persons, all very richly clothed and decked with Jewels, no less extravagant than grand, whereunto they entered to act the rare Musick, gallant dances, and various contrivances of Charriots, Ships, Galleys, Pageants, Heavens, Hells, Mountains and Clouds, I forbear to speak, because I have the printed Relations by me.
  On the eighteenth of February, the Vice-Roy being indispos’d, the proceedings were suspended and nothing was done. But on the three following dayes, by two Acts a day, the whole Tragedy was rehearsed. It comprehended not only the whole Life, but also the Death of San Francesco Sciavier, the transportation of his Body to Goa, his ascension into Heaven, and, lastly, his Canonisation.
  On the seventh of the same moneth Mass was sung in the College of San Paolo Nouvo, and a predication made by F. Flaminio Calo, an Italian, upon the Beatification of the Blessed Luigi Gonsaga, who was also a Father of the Society. In the Evening the Portugals of quality passed about the streets in a Maskerade, accompanyed with Chariots and Musick; about twelve of us went out of the House of Sig: Antonio Baraccio, all clothed in the same Livery, which I took care to get made according to my Phansie… On February the eighteenth, in the Morning, solemn Mass was sung and a Sermon made upon the Canonisation of Saints in San Paolo Vecchio…
  • Pietro Della Valle, The Travels of Pietro Della Valle In India, Ed., Edward Gray, First Published 1892, Asian Educational Services, 1991. quoted from Jain, M. (editor) (2011). The India they saw: Foreign accounts. New Delhi: Ocean Books. Volume III Chapter 14

• On February the nineteenth a very solemn Procession was made from San Paolo Vecchio to Giesu, through the principal streets of the City: which Procession exceeded all the rest in number of Pageants, Chariots, and Ships, and other Erections, filled with people who represented several things, and good Musick, accompanyed with several Dances on Foot, and many other brave devices: of all which things I speak not, because I have a printed Relation thereof by me. In the rear of the Procession was carried by many of the Fathers, dressed in their Copes, the Body of San Francesco Sciavier, inclos’d in a fair and rich Silver Coffin, with a Silver Canopie over it, made very gallant, and the Effigy of the Saint behind. Then came, a great Standard with the pourtraytures of the Saints, carry’d likewise by some of the Fathers; and after that, all the Crosses of their Parishes of Salsette, and onely one Company of the Fryers of Saint Francis. Of the other Religious Orders in Goa none appeared here; because they said they would not go in the Processions of the Jesuits, since the Jesuits went not in those of others. With this Procession, which ended about noon, ended also the solemnities for the above said Canonisation.
  • Pietro Della Valle, The Travels of Pietro Della Valle In India, Ed., Edward Gray, First Published 1892, Asian Educational Services, 1991. quoted from Jain, M. (editor) (2011). The India they saw: Foreign accounts. New Delhi: Ocean Books. Volume III Chapter 14