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CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM
Exerpta Cypria
page 43 View PDF version of this page evening we put into the port of Salina, and made fast the ship with anchors and poles. The captain had himself and his servants at once taken ashore, hired horses and rode to Nicosia, which is the capital of Cyprus, to the Queen, for he wished to see his wife who was the Queen's bedchamber woman.
When the captain had left we pilgrims stood on the galley looking at the shore, and Τ stood with them, talking to those who were near me about the barrenness of that port, and the condition of the land, for in my former pilgrimage J had stayed there several days. I pointed ont to the gentlemen the places which Τ knew, and among them the mountain of S. Cross. It is the highest in the whole kingdom, and on the crest is a church in which hangs the cross of the thief who was crucified on Christ's right hand, and I told them what is said abont that cross as will appear presently. And when these gentlemen and other pilgrims were wondering about the cross, and looking at the mountain, which was five German miles from us, I said to them, "Look here, my dear brethren, the captain has gone to Nicosia, and will hardly be back by to-morrow evening. We cannot start before his return, and to-morrow we shall have a very long and wearisome day. Now then, if any one will come with me to the holy mountain, let hiin come to the poop, and we will visit the holy cross and be here early to-morrow. With these words I went off to the poop, arid many of the nobles followed me thinking I was joking. I brought np a servant to the poop who knew the way to the holy cross, and promised that each of my companions should give him a Marcella, and hired a boatman to pnt us on shore. And when the gentlemen saw that the affair was no joke they left my company, with the exception of these who stayed with me.
My lord Heinrich von Schanmlmrg, a noble knight and brave man.
John the Priest, an archdeacon uf Transylvania, a devout and learned man.
Caspar Siculi, knight, a daring aud vigorous youth.
Bure hard von Nnsdorf, knight, a good and cheerful man.
One Rudolf, a Swiss of Zurich, a tall and honest man.
One John, a merchant of Flanders, a very thirsty soul.
And I brothei' Felix, who had stirred them all to go, and a servant whom I had hired, called Andreas. We eight got into the boat, landed and conferred abont onr pilgrimage. The hour was late, the snn had set, it was growing dark. Our servant and guide led ns thus in the dusk to a town called Oruyca, a mile from the sea, and there fetched up a countryman known to him. This man brought ont bread and wine and cheese, and we ate and drank. We hired in the town eight mules, which we mounted, and went off jubilant. Meanwhile the moon rose, scattered the darkness and gladdened us with her light. We were eight picked friends, the weather was fine, the country famons and the road good. The bushes gave out a most sweet smell, for nearly all the plants of the island are aromatic, and particularly fragrant at night when Iwithed in dew. We continued our journey until the rising of the morning star, and reached a village called Santa Croce; there we tied up our beasts, and my companions lighted a lamp and drank. 1 said matins and abstained, because 1 proposed to celebrate mass on the mountain. A Ve lay down to take a little rest, and slept until it was high morn, lying beside our beasts on the ground.
On the 20th, the feast of the holy martyrs John and Paul, when we got up we begged the Greek before whose house we rested to provide a good meal for ns, for we intended to return from the mountain hungry. We mounted our beasts and went on, having the holy mount before our eyes, and shuddering somewhat at its height. However, at its foot we came to a delightful valley, through the midst of which flowed a stream, clear, sweet and sparkling; its course was full of beautiful flowers nuknown to us, and of fragrant shrubs. There were
3ίί
EXCERPTA CVPRIA.
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