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CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM
Exerpta Cypria
page 76

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J. LOCKE. 71 and correspondent in circuit to the bottome, the belly very great and round, it holdeth full twelve gallons, and hath a top hole to drawe wine out thereat, the jarre is very auncient, bnt whether it be one of them or no, I know not. The aire of Fainagusta is very unwholesome, as they say, by reason of certaine mari&h ground adjoyning unto it. They have also a certaine yeerely sicknesse raigning in the same towne, above all the rest of the Ilaud : yet nevertkeles&e, they have it in other townee, but not so much. It is a certaine rednesse and paine of the eyes, the which if it bee not quickly holpen, it taketh away their sight, so that yeerely almost in that towne, they have about twentie that lose their sight, either of one eye or both, and it comineth for the most part iu this monoth of October, and the last raoneth : for I have met divers times three aud foure at once in companies, both men and women. Their living is better cheape in Famagusta then in an}' other place of the island, because there may no kinde of provision within their libertie be solde out of the Citie. The second of October we returned to Arnacho, where we rested untili the sixth day. This towne is a pretie village, there are thereby toward the sea side divers monuments, that there hath bene great overthrow of buildings, for to this day there is no yere when they finde not, digging under ground, either coines, caves, and sepulchres of antiquities, as we walking, did see many, so that in effect, all alougst the seaeoast, throughout the whole Island, there is much ruine and overthrow of buildings: for as they say, it was disiuhabited sixe and thirtie yeres before Saint Helens time for lacke of water. And since that time it hathe beue ruinated and overthrowen by Richard the first of that name, king of England, which he did in revenge of his sisters ravishment comming to Jerusalem, the which inforcement was done to her by the king of Fainagusta. The sixt day we rid to Nicosia, which is from Arnacho seven Cyprus miles, which are one and twentie Italian miles. This is the andeutest citie of the Island and is walled about, but it is not strong neither of wallea nor situation : It is by report three Cypras miles about, it is not throughly inhabited, but hath many great gardens iu it, and also very many Date trees, and plentie of Pomegranates and other fruités. There dwell all the Gentilitie of the Island, and there hath every Cavallier or Conte of the Island an habitation. There is iu this citie one fonntaiue rented by Saint Marke, which is bound, every eight dayes once, to water all the gardens in the towne, and the keeper of this fornita ine hath for every tree a Bizantin, which is twelve soldée Venice, and sixpence sterling. He that hath that to farine, with a faire and profitable garden thereto belonging, paieth every yeere to saint Marke, fifteene hundred erownos. The streetes of the citie are not paired, which maketh it with the quantitie of the gardens, to seeme but a rurall habitation. Bnt there be many faire bnildings in tlie Citie, there be also monasteries both of Frank & Greekce. The cathedrall chureh is called Santa Sophia, in the which there is au old tombe of laspis stone, all of one piece, made in forme of a cariage coffer, twelve spannes high, which they say was found under ground. It is as faire a stone as ever I have scene. The seventh day we rid to a Greeke Frierie hälfe α mile without the towne. It is a very pleasaut place, and the Friers feasted us according to their abilitie. These Friers are such as have bene Priests, and their wives dying they must become Friers of this place, and never after eate flesh, for if they do, they are deprived from saying masse: neither, after they have taken upon them this order may they marry againe, but they may keepe a single woman. These Greekish Friers are very continent and chast, and surely I have seldome seen (which I have well noted) any of them fat. The 8 day we returned to Arnacho, and rested tliere. The 9, after midnight my company rid to the hill called Monte de la Croce (but I not disposed would not go) which hill is from

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