AD. THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



c. 1580. 



Medians, Persians, Arabians, and other sortes of people, 

 which resort thither by reason of the great traffique. 

 This citie is governed by a Basha, which ministreth 

 justice, together with the Cadie throughout the whole 

 kingdome. Also there are two and twentie Sanjackes, 

 whose office is onely to oversee and guarde the kingdome 

 for every good respect. There are also seven thousand 

 Turkes in pay, to wit, three thousand Janizaries, and 

 foure thousand horsemen : The rest of the people in 

 Cairo are for the most part marchants which goe and 

 come, and the remnant are Moores and other base people. 

 About two miles from Cairo there is another little Cairo 

 called The olde Cairo, which containeth in circuit litle 

 more then tenne miles, and the better halfe is not in- 

 habited, but destroyed, whereof I neede not make any 

 other mention. The new Cairo answereth every yeere 

 in tribute to the grand Signior, 600000 ducates of golde, 

 neat and free of all charges growing on the same, which 

 money is sent to Constantinople, about the fine of Sep- 

 tember, by the way of Aleppo, alwayes by lande, under 

 the custodie qf three hundred horsemen and two hundred 

 Janizaries footmen. The citie of Cairo is adorned with 

 many faire Mesquitas rich, great, and of goodly and 

 gorgeous building, among which are five principall. The 

 first is called Morastano, that is to say, The hospitall, 

 which hath of rent five hundred ducats of golde every 

 day left unto it by a king of Damasco from auncient 

 times ; which king having conquered Cairo, for the 

 space of five dayes continually put the people thereof 

 to the sword, and in the end repenting him of so great 

 manslaughter, caused this cruelty to cease, and to obtaine 

 remission for his sinne committed, caused this hospitall 

 to be built, enriching it as is abovesaid. The second 

 famous monument of Cairo is called Neffisa, of one 

 Neffisa buried there, who was a Dame of honour, and 

 mooved by lust, yeelded her body voluntarily without 

 rewarde, to any that required the same, and sayde she 

 bestowed this almes for the love of her Prophet Maho- 



334 



