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CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM
Exerpta Cypria
page 27 View PDF version of this page EXCERPTA GYPRIA.
MÀRTQXI.
Nicolai de Murthoiio Notarli Liber Peregrinalionis ltd Loca Banda was edited in 1806 for the Berne de VOrient Latin, t. m. no. 1, by M. Leon Le Grand, from MS. 6021 in the National Library at Paris. The author, a notary of Carinola, near Calvi in Campania, embarked at Gaeta June 17,1894, for Alexandria; visited Cairo, il. Sinai and Jerusalem, and on November 27 arrived at Famagosta. In barbarous Latin, bnt simply and conscientiously, he relates what lie saw in that eifcy, at Nicosia and S. Croce. He telle us naively enough of the risks he ran, seeing lie was small of stature, short-sighted and could not swim. His troubles were severe, the worst however met him on his return to Carinola, when he learned the death of his wife, which had been hastened by anxiety for his safety.
When I reached Famagosta, and hoic it teas built.
On the 27th of the said month of November (1394) I landed at Famagusta. Famagusta belonged formerly to the king of Cyprus, and is situated in the kingdom of Cyprus. Cyprus is α good island, with η circuit of five hundred miles. But now the Genoese hold the said town. The city of Famagusta is large, as large, I reckon, as the city of Capna, and has fine squares, and houses very much like those of Capna, but a great part, almost a third, is uninhabited, and the houses are destroyed, and this has been done since the date of the Genoese lordship. The said city has finer walls than I have seen in any town, high with broad alleys round them, and many and high towers all round. This city is jealously guarded day and night by the Genoese through fear of the king of Cyprus. There are seven hundred aimed soldiers in the pay of the Genoese who guani that city with great punctuality.
Of the castle of the city. Tho castle of the city is fine, and is nearly all in the sea, except perhaps a fourth part on the city side, and there are fine ditches there constructed on either side which are filled with the sea water, and remain always full of the said water, making the said castle impregnable.
Of the harbour of Famagosta.
The city of Famagosta has a pretty fine harbour, protected from every wind. And in this harbonr in front of the city gate is a wooden jetty, a stone's throw in length, and vessels come np to this jetty, and therefrom merchandise is carried to the vessels.
Of the population of the city, ami the bad air. In this city live a certain nnniber of Genoese, and a large number of Greeks, because the whole island of Cyprus is peopled by Greeks; and there is made a great quantity of camlet, liiere is one custom in force in this city, and throughout the island, that no woman can go out of the city of Famagosta without the leave of tho Commandant, and cannot escape giving bail in the Commandant's court for her-return to the city: and this is rarely granted to any woman. The reason alleged is that men cannot live in that city but for the women who spin and prepare wool for the camlet, for they have hardly any other means of living. There is another reason too for keeping np the men in the city, which for decency's sake I pass over in silence. But the air of the city is very bad ; at all seasons of the year there is mortality, and men die in great numbers, of the Genoese far more than of the Greeks. While I was
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