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Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
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CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM
Exerpta Cypria
page 73

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J. LOCKE. I can learn nothing of John Locke, who visited Cyprus in 1553, but transcribe his account of the island from Richartl Ilttkluyt, The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiqnes, and Discoveries of the English Nation, fol., London, 1590, vol. 11, Να 51, pp. 102—110. The Voyage of M. John Locke to Jerusalem, I John Locke, accompanied with maister Anthony Kastwold, with divers others Hol-landers, Zelandese, Alumines and French pilgiïmes entered the good shippe called Fila Ca vena of Venice, the 16 of July 1553, and the 17 in the morning we weighed our anker and sayled towardes the coast of Istria, to the port of Ronigno and the said day there came aboard of our ship the Perceuena of the shippe named Faiuisart, for to receive the rest of all the pilgrimes money, which was in all after the rate uf 55 Crownes for every man for that voyage, after the rate of five shillings sterling to the crowne: This done, he returned to Venice. The 24 we were past Ragusa 14 miles, and there we mette with two Venetian ships, which came from Cyprus, we thought they would have spoken. The 11 in the morning, we had sight of the island of Cyprus, and towards noone we were thwart the cape called Ponta ilalota, and about four of the clock we were as farre as Baffo and about sunset we passed Cavu Bianco, and towards nine of the clock at night we doubled Cavo de le Gatte, and ankered afore Limisso, but the wind blew so hard, that we could not come neere the town, neither durst any man goc on land. The town is from Cavo de le Gatte twelve miles distant. The 12 of August in the morning we went on laud to Limisso : this towue is ruinated and nothing in it worth writing, save onely in the m ids of the towne there hath been a fort resse, which is now decayed, and the walls part overthrowen, which a Turkish Rover with certaine gallies did destroy about 10 or 12 yeeres past This day walking to see the towne, we chanced to see in the market place, a great qnantitie of a certaine vermine called in the Italian tongue Cavalette. It is as I can learne, both in shape & bignesse like a grassehopper for I judge but little difference. Of these many yeeres they have had such quantity that they destroy all their corne. They are so plagued with them, that almost every yeere they doe well nie loose hälfe their corne, whether it be the nature of the countrey, or the plague of God, that let them judge that best can define. But that there may no default be Iaied to their négligence for the destruction of them, they have throughout the whole land a consti-tuted order, that every Farmer ur Husbandman (which are even as slaves bought & sold to their lord) shall every yeere pay according to his territorie, a measure full of the seed e or egges of tliese fore-named Cavalette, the which they are bound to bring to the market, and present to the officer appointed for the same, the which officer taketh of them very straight measure, and writeth the names of the presenters, and putteth the sayd egges or seed, into a house appointed for the same, and having the house full, they beate them to pouder, and cast them into the sea, and by this policie they doe as much as in them lieth for the destruction of them. This vermine breedeth or ingendereth at the time of come being ripe, and the corne beyng had away, in the clods of the same ground do the husbandmen find the nestes, or, as I may rather tenne them, cases of the egges of the same vermine. Their nests are much like to the keies of a hasel nut tree, when they be dried, and of the same length, but somewhat 811 EXCERPTA CYPRiA.

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