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cavalry could easily be raised, while from the Frankish inhabitants they could array twenty-four or twenty-five thousand infantry, all of whom, upon the enemy's approach, would be seen massed upon the hills round the Salines, and make the Turks afraid to land, lest they shonld be compelled at once to join battle in the plain, as before Barbarossa when he attempted to seize the island. For myself, and all of ns who were made slaves by the Turks, heard that they were fully persuaded that Cyprus had a strong and efficient force of cavalry, and a sufficient number of brave and stalwart soldiers not only to garrison the fortresses, but to meet and withstand them in the open field, and that there really were plenty of soldiers, both horse and foot, all Venice knows, for as far back as the time of Giacomo Gisi the Signory had disbanded many stradiots and five hundred arquebusiers, who were formerly enrolled and paid for the defence of the island. The Lieutenant, the Coadjutor and his brothers took the opposite view, holding that the enemy would certainly force a landing, and that it would be inexpedient thus to risk the few available soldiers and horsemen, and to weaken the defence of the fortresses, to which they would have to retreat in a march of eight and a half leagues. They further professed to rely on the opinion and counsel given beforo a meeting of the Signory by the right noble Sforza Pallavicino. Would to God this counsel had not prevailed! for Signor Estor Baglione, in no little wrath (it was said) left finally with his detachment for the defence of Fainagusta, as the Lieutenant would not allow him to carry ont his own plane, framed upon the principles uf the art of war, for the protection of the kingdom. Hence it was that to onr capital city there came no reinforcements, no new Lieutenant, no Proveditore, officers of whom we had supreme need : no colonels or captains, aud even the one commander left to Nicosia we lost by the fine management of the Lieutenant Nicola Dandolo, the root and reason (as everyone says) of the ruin of the realm. Would to God we had lost him too ! Meanwhile the most Reverend Contarmi, Bishop of Puffo, raised at his own cost one hundred soldiers, Gioan Bragadino three hundred, the Count of Tripoli three hundred, Gioan Filippo of Milan six horsemen and twelve foot soldiers, all the feudatories and pensioners as many as, and more than, they were bound to furnish ; and many others who were under no obligation offered either horses or foot soldiers. Many of the Cypriot nobles were created captains with two hundred infantry apiece : Signor Hector Podocatoro ... ... ... ... ... 200 „ Tutio Constauzo ... ... ... ... ... 200 „ Livio Podocatoro ... ... ... ... ... 220 „ Thomaso Sinclitico ... ... ... ... ... 200 ,, Jason de Nores ... ... ... ... ... 200 „ Francesco Maria de Nores ... ... 200 „ Ugo Flatro, who afterwards took, as Lieutenant to the Proveditor, the company of gentlemen, his own company being given to Signor Gioan Filippo of Milan ... ... 220 „ Giona Flatro ... ... ... ... ... 200 „ Giofredo Cornare ... ... ... ... ... 200 „ Scipio Caraffa, who was sent to tho mountains to collect recruits: his company was given to Signor Maiitio Zimblet 200 „ Pietro Paolo Sinclitico was sent also to get recruits from the mountains; his company was offered to Gioan Faglier, who refused it, and it was given to Signor Orssato Gistiniano ... ... ... ... ... 200 128 EXCERPTA CYPRIA.

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