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cannot sleep at night, and this on account of the pigs which they keep in their houses. In the morning I rose early, and continned my journey to Nicosia on foot, being unwilling to squabble with the owner of the cart who was always complaining about my beating the oxen and my bad driving. When I reaeìted Nicosia, and about the shape of the city. On Thursday, December 10, I walked all day, and towards sunset reached the city of Nicosia. Nicosia is larger, I consider, than Aversa, and through its midst flows a brook which a man can cross on stones when it does not rain. When it is rainy weather a great quantity of water runs down, and so there are several bridges over the stream, some of stone and some of wood, by which men cross during rain. In some parts the city is but sparsely inhabited, and there are fine houses. The house in which the king of Cyprus lives is fine ; it has a courtyard as large as that of the new castle at Naples, and many fine apartments round it, among which is a large hall. At the end of that hall is a very beautiful throne with many fair columns and ornaments of various kinds. I fancy that few things or none will be found more beantiful than that throne. Around the hall runs a kind of arcade, beautifully adorned with columns. Such daring had 1 that 1 went light up to the entrance of the king's room, and had the door been open I was ready to enter and talk with him. In the courtyard of that house is a fountain of good water, to which many of the city folk come to draw water for their use. The king of Cyprus lives most of his time in this city of Nicosia, since he lost the city of Famagosta, and keeps great state, especially as regards the chase, for he has twenty-four leopards and three hundred hawks of all kinds, some of which he takes every day to hunt. Of Sania Sofia. The said city of Nicosia has an Archbishop, and his church is dedicated to S. Sofia, it is a fair and great church, vaulted, and the whole of the vault from the choir-arch to the high altar is painted with fine blue and golden stars. The chureh was formerly worth 25,000 ducats a year, but now the king of Cyprus annexes and takes a large part of its dnes. Of the Monasteries and the conditimi of the city. In this city are monasteries and xjlaces, of S. Francis to wit, of S. Dominic and S. Augustine, which are very large and fair, and each monastery has two cloisters, one large and another small, with oranges and other fruits. Within the city are many gardens and orchards, and fields sown with green stuff, wheat and barley. And truly near the monastery of S. Angustine I saw a field sown with wheat and barley within the walls of the city of about 30 modia (over 6 acres). I saw too the gardens of S. Theodore, which is a chureh of Nuns, also within the walls of the city, of cabbages and sundry other fruits, which are of about 20 inodia (over acres). In another place yon would think yon saw the city of Alisia, with shrubs and gardens in it. In this city is abundance of bread and wine, and the wine is generally sweet, and is kept in large jars because they have no casks. I intended to remain there a month or so, on account of the abundance of bread and wine, but I could not because there are no innkeepers who keep beds to lodge strangers in, and but for a good woman called Ambrosa from the parts of the west, who for the love of God lent me a room with a bed, I should have had to sleep all those days on the ground. 20 EXCERPTA CYPRIA.

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