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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 24

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J. UK VERONA. L. ΛΌΝ SUCHEN. 19 counsel was first taken for the destruction of Troy, for Helen was taken captive as she journeyed thither. In this temple also all ladies and damsels before their betrothal yielded themselves to men; for in Cyprus above all lands men are by nature most luxurious. For the soil of Cyprus, and especially where the eastle is, if a man sleep thereon, of its own self will all the night through provoke a man to lust. Near Paphus is the place where S. Hylarius lived and worked many miracles, and many other places where many saints lived, and especially S. Mamas, who was by family of Lucania, whom tho Greeks devoutly and intently invoke for the cure of abscesses. Concerning the vineyard of Engadi. In this same province of Paphus is the vineyard of Engadi : its like is nowhere found. It is situated in a very high mountain, and measures two miles in length and in breadth, girt on all sides with a lofty rock and a wall; on one side it has a very narrow entrance, and within it is quite level. In this vineyard grow vines and clusters of many different kinds, some of which produce grapes of the bigness of plums, others small grapes like peas, others again grapes without stones, or grapes iu shape like an acorn, all transparent, and grapes and clusters of many other kinds aro seen therein. It belonged to the Templars, and more than a hundred Saracen captives were daily therein, whose only task was to clean and watch that vineyard, and indeed I have heard from many of experience that God had made for the use of men no fairer or nobler ornament under the sun. And so we read of it in the Song of Songs " my beloved is unto mo as a cluster (of Cyprus) in the vineyard of Engadi." Concerning the littfr Engadi, and the city of Nymocinum, Not far from Paphus is the city of Nymocia, which was once fair but now laid waste by constant earthquakes and by floods coining suddenly from the mountains. This city is set on the seashore directly facing Tyre and Sydon and Baruch. After the loss of Aeon the Templars and the Friars of the Hospital of S. John and other nobles and burghers dwelt here, and many of their palaces and castles are seen there. Concerning the vineyard of Engadi. Near Nymoeine is another vineyard called the little Engadi, in which grow vines of many different kinds, which a man cannot gird with his arms. But they are not tall, nor do they produce much fruit. In this diocese there live monks of the house of the Tentonic (knights) in a place called (Pravimunt or Perrinunt), also English monks of the order of S. Thomas of Canterbury. There too is a very high mountain, very like to the little Thabor, on the top whereof is a fair monastery, in which are monks of S. Benedict. In this monastery is the whole cross on which hung the thief at the right hand of Christ, which was brought thither by S. Helena, and this monastery was by her endowed and built. The cross is devoutly saluted by all seafarers when near to death, and in this mountain for the honour paid to that cross God works many miracles. From hence mount Libanus is clearly seen. Concerning the city of Famagusta. The third city of Cyprus is called Famagusta, situate on the seashore : here are the harbours of all this saa and realm and a concourse of merchants and pilgrims. It lies directly opposite to Armenia, Turkey and Aeon. It is the richest of all cities, and her citizens are the richest of men. A citizen once betrothed his daughter, and the jewels of her head-dress were valued by the French knights who came with us as more precious than all the ornaments of the Queen of France. A certain merchant of this city sold to the Sultan a royal orb of gold, and thereon four precious stones, a ruby, an emerald, a sapphire and a pearl, for sixty thousand florins; and anon he sought to buy back that orb for a hundred thousand florins, bnt it was denied him. The Constable of Jerusalem had four pearls which his wife wore by way of a clasp, and, when

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