THE LOSS OF FAMAGUSTA 



service. It seemeth also a thing not impertinent to the 

 matter, to signifie to you, how I, by the especiall grace of 

 God, was delivered out of their cruel hands, I having 

 paied within two & fortie dayes (all the which time I was 

 slave) five hundred Zechins for my ransome to him, 

 whose prisoner I was, by the meanes of the Consul for 

 the French merchants, a ligier then at Tripolis, who a 

 litle before came from Tripolis in Syria unto Cyprus, into 

 the Turkes campe. Yet for all that I had paied this 

 summe of money to him, hee would not so set me at 

 libertie, but fed mee up still with faire wordes, and pro- 

 mised mee that hee would first bring mee unto his 

 governement, which abutted upon a piece of the famous 

 river of Euphrates, and afterward dismisse me. The 

 which malice and falsehood of his I perceiving, deter- 

 mined with my selfe to give him the slip, and to flie ; so 

 I waiting my time, and repairing often to the Citie, at 

 length met with a small Fisher boate, of the which a 

 poore Grecian was Owner and master, with whom in one 

 night with two onely oares and a small saile made of two 

 shirts, I passed over from Cyprus unto Tripolis, being in 

 very great danger of drowning, whereas I remained in 

 covert in the house of certaine Christians, untill the five 

 and twentie of September, at what time I departed from 

 thence in a little French shippe called Santa Vittor, which 

 came into these partes, and as wee rode, wee touched at a 

 part of Cyprus Westward, called Capo delle Gatte, where 

 as I came on land, and talking with certaine of the inhabi- 

 tants of the Villages, who were then by chaunce a 

 Hauking, demaunded of them, how they were intreated 

 of the Turkes, and after what sort the Island was tilled : 

 to the which they answered, that they could not possiblie 

 bee in worse pickle then they were at that present, not 

 enjoying that quietly which was their owne, being made 

 villaines and slaves, and almost alwayes carying away the 

 Bastonados, so that now (they sayd) they knew by triall 

 too perfectly the pleasant and peaceable government of 

 the Christians, wishing and praying God that they might 



149 



A.D. 



I57I. 



* Begliarbei 

 signifieth lord 

 AdmiraU. 



* Sa?igiaccho, 

 is that person 

 w^ the 

 TurkeSy that 

 governeth a 

 province or 

 countrey. 

 God suffereth 

 much to be 

 done to his 

 servants^ but 

 never for- 

 saketh them. 

 'Necessitie oft 

 times sharp- 

 eneth mens 

 wits., y caus- 

 eth boldnes. 



The nature of 

 every commo- 

 ditie is sooner 

 understood by 

 lacking, then 

 by continuall 

 enjoying of 

 the same. 



