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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 34

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MABTOXl. Ο. D'ANGLCHE. 20 high altar. There we were shown one of the nails with which our Lord Jesus Christ was nailed npon the true cross. Behind the said chapel is another small chapel in which is the said holy cross of the good thief. And know that this holy cross is a thing wonderful to be seen, for it is very great and thick, and is borne in the air, yet you shall not be able to see that anything bears it, and when one touches it it shakes much. After this we left that place about noon and went to rest at a town called Nissa. There we rested in a house which belongeth to the king. Tuesday following, January 4, about noon we entered tho city of Nicosia, which is a very goodly city, and fair and great. And in this city the king of Cyprus dwells more often than in any other town or fortress of this country. The king of Cyprus is a pretty fine man, and speaks French well enough. He made us good cheer, and showed great signs of love to the pilgrims: for, as has been said before, as soon as he knew that we were arrived at Limeso, and that wc desired to see him, he sent n s horses and mules to go to Nicosia, that is to "the Friars Minor, and thither he made them bring us clean beds from his palace, namely mattresses of wool to lie on, and carpets to put around our rooms. Wednesday, the fifth day of January, which was the eve of twelfth-night, the king of Cyprus sent us pilgrims a gift of one hundred fowls, twenty sheep, two oxen, fonr vessels full of a very good red wine, and fonr skins full of a very good wine of Marboa, and very great plenty of very good white bread. The following Sunday, the ninth day of January, the king sent us again presents, to wit one hundred partridges, sixty hares, and five wild sheep, a sight fair to see. He was η prince who greatly loved hunting. He had a little beast no bigger than a fox. It is called carabi?, and there is no wild animal but this little beast mil catch it, especially the animals named above. For the rest the king made us right good cheer, and sent some of his finest coursers to bring us before him in his court. And when we came before him he received us very grandly. And when he had spoken with us for a space he sent to the Queen (Heloïse de Brunswick) to bid her come to the hall. Then came the Queen to the hall, very nobly and royally attended, to wit by four of her sons and five of her daughters, and knights and lords and ladies and damsels, and she greeted us all very graciously. The Queen of Cyprus was very honourably adorned, and had a very rich and noble chaplet of gold and precious stones on her head. Her four sons were habited and adorned with goodly raiment. The five daughters were well arrayed, and each had a chaplet of gold and pearls and precious stones on her head. Then the Queen turned and sainted all the pilgrims as she left. After this the king led ns to the fields to go a hunting, and then we came back to our quarters to rest. True it is tliìs kingdom of Cyprus, which is an island, is a very unhealthy and sickly land to people who are not wont to dwell therein, for a kind of fever prevails there which is lightly taken, and from which unless his luck is good a man shall scarcely recover. [M. de Sale-bruche (or Sarrebruck, stepfather of M. d'Anglure), one of the pilgrims, a hale and hearty man, was seized with this on Saturday, January 15, and on the Tuesday following resigned his soul "moult debonnairement et doulcement" to his Saviour. He was buried in the church of the Franciscans at Nicosia, in a fair tomb duly inscribed ; his effigy and arms were painted on the wall above it, and a lance carrying a banner with his arms. The Archbishop of Tarsus, who visited and comforted him throughout his sickness, sang High Mass at his funeral. H.I.P.]

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