492 A. D. 1321. 



fubiedts. Sometimes the failure of the overflow of the Nile occafions a 

 famine in Egypt, as happened after the lofs of Aeon and Syria. In 

 fuch a calamity, the Egyptians, if not fupplied with corn Carried to 

 them by the Mediterranean, mufl emigrate or perifli *. As Egypt pro- 

 duces no timber, iron, or pitch, and procures all thofe materials for 

 building vefTels by the Mediterranean lea, if the importation of them 

 were withheld, the fultan would lofe his duties of one fourth of the 

 value paid on thofe articles, and three byfants annually from every 

 velTel, whether large or fmall ; and the merchants and artificers in Ba- 

 bylon, and alfo the fultan with his admirals and army in Cairo, would 

 ftarve for want of the corn, which is brought by water from all parts 

 of the country. 



Sanuto, having endeavoured to prove, that the Egyptians were de- 

 pendent upon the Chriflians for the fupply of their wants, as well as for 

 the fale of their redundant native commodities and manufadures and 

 their imported merchandize, propofes that, in order to transfer the 

 commercial advantages, now engroffed by them, to the Chriflians, and 

 to accomplifh the pious work of recovering the Holy land, the prohi- 

 bition of trading with the fubjedts of the fultan (fee above, p. 451) 

 fliould be moft rigoroufly, and univerfally, enforced by flationing a fuf- 

 licient number of armed gallies upon the fea ; and he alfo recommends 

 a military force in proper places upon the land, becaufe gallies cannot 

 keep the fea in ftormy weather, nor do they willingly keep out in win- 

 ter nights, and even in fummer they cannot be many days at fea with- 

 out landing for frefli water, and alfo, becaufe tranfgreflx)rs, laying afide 

 the fear of God, go to the fultan's territories, where they are kindly 

 received, and find no difficulty in landing their cargoes on their re- 

 turn. 



The prohibition of trade ought alfo to extend to all Africa and the 

 Saracen dominions in Spain, the confequence of which would be a con- 

 fiderable diminution of the trade of the fultan's dominions, which is 

 very much fupported by the trade with thofe countries. Neither ought 

 any trade to be carried on with the coaft of Turkey, which was an- 

 tiently called Greece ; for there many veflfels are loaded with timber, 

 pitch, Chriftian and pagan boys and girls, and other merchandize, for 

 the fultan's dominions, and in return import fugar, fpiceries, and linen, 

 fufficient for the fupply of other countries as well as their own. — And, 

 as the only means to prevent fmuggling, let no Chriftian purchafe or 

 receive any fpicery or Indian merchandize, filk, fugar, or linen, which 

 may be fufpeded to come from the fultan's dominions. Let the captain 

 of the holy church carry on a perpetual and univerfal perfecution againft 



* Sanuto did not fiippofe that there exiftcd any pcrfon in Egypt, endowed with the forefight o£ 

 Jofcph, to make the redundance of one year provide for the deficiency of another. 



