when the exterior pressure is removed. Our his- conqueror, and under the archway where he trod, tory is redeeming republican governments from this charge of ingratitude.

and entered into the most miserable abode which human misery has made for itself, amid the ruins of ancient power. But we must not be led too far from our proper object by these sad recollections of former grandeur. Our business is with Cyprus, and not with Tyre.

During the civil wars which agitated Greece, Cyprus remained tranquil, still divided into nine kingdoms, and governed by nine kings. The Persian monarchs gradually recovered their influence, and maintained it, with occasional interruptions, Alexander was well satisfied with the zeal of the till the middle of the fourth century. During this Cyprian kings, and dismissed them to their dominperiod happened the episode of Evagoras, related ions with substantial marks of his favor. But his by Diodorus, who resisted the Persian power, but career was soon cut short, and he fell the victim of finally submitted; preserving, however, his honor his own passions. In the division of his empire, and his crown. This is the king so highly praised Egypt was assigned to Ptolemy Lagos, who soon by the rhetorician Isocrates, in a funeral discourse sought to augment his power by foreign conquest. pronounced in honor of his memory. He sent a fleet and army to Cyprus, which at first But a new conqueror now made his appearance, met with success-overthrowing some of the insuand the Persian sceptre was broken by the Mace-lar kingdoms, and inflicting terrible evils upon the donian hero. The battle of the Issus was fought country. A powerful enemy, however, soon made and gained, Asia Minor was subjugated, Syria was his appearance. This was Demetrius, son of Anoverthrown, and Damascus, and Sidon, and Gaza, tigonus, another of Alexander's generals, who had captured; and Tyre, "the crowning city, whose received Asia as his share of the spoils of his masmerchants are princes," was besieged. The little ter, and who had been sent by his father into the Cypriot kings, hastening to deprecate the wrath of island, to arrest the power of his rival. The Egypthe advancing warrior, offered their voluntary sub-tian army was defeated, and the son and brother of mission; and in proof of their sincerity, brought Ptolemy made prisoners, and Antigonus remained their fleets to aid in the reduction of the great the ruler of Cyprus, till the battle of Ipsum, where maritime capital, which so long detained the impa- he was defeated and slain. After this decisive tient captain from his march to universal conquest, event the Egyptians recovered their influence, and before its sea-girt walls. And there it yet is, stand-reduced the country to subjection. During these ing upon the Syrian coast, and looking out upon contests between the successors of Alexander, the the Mediterranean; and there we encamped, upon independent states of Cyprus disappeared, and the its sandy beach, after an oppressive ride from its authority of the Ptolemies was firmly established, desolate neighbor, Sidon, and found no shelter from so that the island was henceforth governed by one the sun, but a ruined tomb. Though we were over- of the princes of that family, who was sent there powered by heat and fatigue, we chose to seek rest to exercise the functions of viceroy. But we now on the sand, and to trust to our slender stores for approach the period when the Roman power began refreshment, rather than to expect either in the to overshadow the earth. That ambitious, but pomiserable heap of ruins before us. We had found, litic people, contented themselves for awhile with too, during our journey, that the Egyptian authori-directing the power and seizing the treasures of ties were disposed to treat us with more attention the various states, which fell in succession before than we deserved or desired, and we determined to them, leaving to their native princes the adminislook at Sidon, en passant, and to leave it, without tration of their internal affairs, with a show of ausubjecting ourselves to well-meant but importunate thority. Thus Cyprus continued to be governed civilities. But we were not destined to escape so by Egyptian rulers, till a few years before the birth easily from the city of Hiram. We were in the of our Saviour, when a decree of the senate sudmidst of a comfortable breakfast, which our inge-denly dissolved its connection with Egypt, and annious cook had prepared from very scanty materials, nexed it to the Roman domination. Cato was sent when a drum-and oh! what a drum-proclaimed to take possession, and to collect and transport to the approach of a military detachment; and pre- Rome the immense riches which, according to pubsently a body of the Pacha's troops made their ap-lic rumor, the island contained; and which, said pearance to do us honor, led by the Governor of Sextus Ruffius, excited the cupidity of the Roman Tyre; and this successor of Alexander was as people to seize the island, more by avarice than by swarthy and as ugly a negro, as was ever sold in justice. The result seems to have satisfied, and the slave-market of Cairo, and afterwards crawled indeed to have overpassed, even Roman cupidity; to power, by arts which open the career of advance- for we are told that the wealth which the Proconment in the East. Never was the imprecation of sul brought back was so great, that the city of the prophet more strikingly verified, than by such Rome was astonished, and could not conceive how an entrance into such a place. The procession, so small a region could have amassed such treathe leader, and the crowd of wretched spectators, sures. None of the conquered countries had ever passed along the mound raised by the Macedonian contributed so largely to the public chest. It may

be that the amount of this contribution was not less ruined what little had been spared by other misfordue to the disinterestedness of the agent, than to the riches of the island.

tunes. The heavens became as brass-the rivers and rivulets were dried up-and during thirty-six years, so goes the story, no rain fell to relieve the parched earth! The inhabitants abandoned the

Half

We shall not follow the history of Cyprus under the Roman domination, and indeed the materials for such a work are not very abundant. The power island, and sought refuge in the neighboring reof Rome, in the latter years of the republic, and at gions, leaving their deserted country a habitation the commencement of the empire, was almost co- for venomous reptiles, who took possession of it, extensive with the civilized world; and a little island and increased to an extent unknown to human obin a remote part of the Mediterranean, possessed servation. This beautiful, but then unfortunate no sufficient interest to excite the attention of wri- spot, might have become the permanent abode of ters who looked at events, whether domestic or these disgusting animals, and been thus wrested foreign, as they affected the Eternal City, or awa- forever from the power and use of man, had not a kened the passions of the turbulent crowd who lucky accident sent a deliverer, who had both the filled its streets, and called themselves the Roman will and the means to extirpate these enemies, people. which had obtained possession of such a goodly But, in a stable in Palestine, was now born a heritage. The Empress Helena, the mother of greater than Cæsar, and his everlasting kingdom Constantine, had made her pilgrimage to Jerusawas now commencing-slowly indeed, and feebly, lem, where she had gone for the pious purpose of but surely; and it was destined to go from conquer-seeking the true Cross, and other instruments of ing to conquer. Cyprus was too near the theatre the passion of our Saviour, and was returning with of our Saviour's life and death, to be long neglected these precious relics, which she had had the good by his apostles, and it soon became the field of fortune to recover. Afflicted with the misfortunes missionary labors. Barnabas and Paul were cho- of Cyprus, whose story was everywhere known, sen to carry there the glad tidings of salvation—she determined to become its protectress. Landand the Proconsul, Sergius Paulus, is the first emi-ing on the island, she found that fame had not exnent Roman functionary, who is recorded in the aggerated its miseries. But she carried with her Scriptures as a convert to the new church. The a remedy for all these evils, in the holy remains apostles landed at Salamis, now Famagosta, whence with which her expedition had enriched her. they "went through the isle" to Paphos, at its wes- of the true cross she had left at Jerusalem, trusting tern extremity, where they found "the deputy of that the other half was sufficiently efficacious to the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man," who work all the miracles circumstances might render "desired to hear the word of God." In the dis- necessary, either to strengthen her own faith, or to cussions to which the new doctrines gave birth, conquer the pride of incredulity. And, says the one Elymas, a sorcerer, withstood the advocates of good father from whom we borrow this recital, the Christian faith, "seeking to turn away the de- " she was not deceived in her expectation: heaven puty." But Paul, indignant, called down upon him a heard her prayers: the showers began to fall soon manifestation of the Divine wrath, and he was after, and the earth to grow green." The calamistruck with instantaneous blindness," going about," ties of Cyprus ceased, and the Princess sent vesas the story is simply and beautifully told, "seek- sels to the neighboring regions, to announce to the ing some one to lead him by the hand." "Then expatriated inhabitants the happy change, and to the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, invite them to return, and to take possession of being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord." their country. They readily listened to this inviLittle did this representative of Roman sovereignty tation; and from this period a progressive improvethink, when he humbled himself before two un- ment took place in the condition of the island. Its known strangers, who preached "Christ, and him cities were rebuilt, its fields recultivated, and the crucified," that this new faith would soon find its elements of prosperity were everywhere developed. way to the imperial throne-and that its visible Its kind patron built many churches and convents sign would banish the proud eagle from the seven in memory of this miraculous interposition, and hills, and would extend its sway to regions where endowed each with a small piece of the true cross, neither the Roman power nor name was known. to be used, we presume, to avert future misforSoon after this period, Cyprus disappeared from tunes; or, if they would come, to terminate them the ancient annals; and the most laborious investi-as speedily as possible. After completing her work gator into its history, the father Lusignan, has of kindness she embarked for Constantinople, and, been able to find only some vague allusions to the tradition says, she encountered a terrible storm, natural calamities with which it was afflicted. between Cyprus and Rhodes, from which she hapAmong these were earthquakes, followed by im- pily escaped, by throwing into the raging sea one mense clouds of grasshoppers, which inundated the of the nails of the cross! The waves, apparently country, and destroyed almost every trace of vege- satisfied with this treasure, were instantly appeased, tation. These were succeeded by a drought, which 'and bore the holy pilgrim forward upon her voy

age. Another female traveller, almost as cele- | The Arabian Prophet had laid the foundations of brated as the Grecian Empress, was less fortunate his new faith, and his successors were extending than she was in crossing this dangerous gulf. La-it with all the zeal of proselytism, and in confordy Hester Stanhope, when fleeing from the refine-mity with the dogmas of their Sacred Book. In ments of polished life, to an arid hill in the very the caliphate of the fourth Ottoman, the Saracens heart of Lebanon, where she lived and died, was invaded Cyprus, and, ravaging its cities, returned overtaken by a storm in this very sea, and was to Egypt with an immense booty. The Greek cast upon a naked rock, where she remained three Empire was already in its decline, and though it days, without assistance. We watched her while occasionally roused itself from its lethargy, still it she told the story, but her countenance was as im- afforded no efficient protection to its Cyprian subpassable as the veriest Moslem who ever made a jects. The unfortunate island was taxed, or more pilgrimage to Mecca. She smoked her long pipe truly, pillaged by the two great contending powwith imperturbable gravity, and spoke of her per-ers; and in the ninth century, the celebrated Hasonal adventures, as if she were recounting some roun Alraschid sent a powerful armament there, by-gone deeds. When, however, she alluded to Sul- that subjugated the country, of which he retained tan Mahmoud, who seemed her beau idéal of a true possession fifteen years, and where his lieutenants gentleman, or to Mehemet Ali, whom she feared, exercised the most barbarous cruelties. or to her neighbor, the Emir Beshir, whom she hated, then she became animated, and her eyes lightened up, announcing emotions, which seemed too strong for her emaciated body.

The sufferings, however, of the islanders excited the sympathy, or interested the policy of the Constantinopolitan monarchs, and it happened that one of the most energetic then filled the throne. We, too, found ourselves in the same seas, when This was Nicephoras, surnamed Phocas, who drove a violent storm came to try the qualities of our the Saracens from Cyprus, and reëstablished the ship. But she had weathered too many tempests Grecian power, which was maintained till towards upon the ocean, to find a grave in this corner of the the end of the eleventh century. But here comMediterranean. Still the gale was a very respec-mences a new era in the Cyprian annals. We table blow, at any rate, for a landsman, who has a have brought down our relation, till we find ourmixed feeling of fear and contempt for aquatic tra- selves in presence of those hardy warriors, who, velling; and who would desire, if not controlled by from the most distant parts of Europe, poured other circumstances, never to cross a larger collec-themselves upon Asia, opening a passage with fire tion of water than he can step over. We had Cy- and sword, in the name of the God of Peace, to a prus to the east, and Rhodes to the west, and be- little province of the East, to adore a Saviour, fore us was the high and rugged coast of Carama- whose omnipresence is one of his first attributes. nia, with the spurs of the Taurus running down to It was a strange period in the strange history of the very edge of the sea-presenting one of the man. We wish it were well described. But the most frowning battlements which ever met the eye task must be met by no ordinary qualities. The of a weary mariner, or of a troubled passenger, celebrated historian of the Lower Empire has yet driven before a violent wind towards an iron-bound left much to be accomplished by his successors. coast. We had no relics, with which to allay the During the progress of the Crusades, the Eastern storm; but we had better hopes of safety in the emperors had a difficult and perilous part to play; skill and intrepidity of American seamen, and in and no wonder they endeavored so often to sow the admirable properties of our ship; and these dissension, where they could not employ open force. hopes did not deceive us, for we gradually drew off The policy of Emanuel Comnenus, whether justifrom this dangerous coast, and ere long found our-fiable or not, brought him into contact with a French selves stretching towards Malta. adventurer, who sought to found a principality in We cannot quit the story of the Empress Helena, the East; and in the end this crusader, who was without relating, that on her arrival at Constanti-called Raynaud de Chatillon, took possession of nople, she presented to the Emperor, her son, two Cyprus, where this Christian prince, say the anmore of the precious nails she had brought from Jerusalem-one of which he placed in his casque, and of the other he caused a bit to be made for his favorite horse; and thus, says an authority, was fulfilled the prophecy of Zachariah-"Erit quod in fræno est sanctum Domino salutam!"

cient historians of the Crusades, committed more excesses, than all the infidels who had preceded him. His possession, however, was short, and he was succeeded by a most execrable tyrant, Isaac Comnenus, a kinsman of the emperor, who was sent to govern the island as a viceroy, but who Cyprus continued a dependence of the Eastern soon ruled it as a master. He strengthened his Empire, and enjoyed a tranquillity undisturbed by power, with equal energy, policy and cruelty, and any remarkable event, during three centuries. Its resisted all the efforts of his sovereign to reduce native fertility and an extensive commerce, im- him. The contemporary historians relate that proved and enriched it; but at length this very Comnenus had formed an alliance with Saladin, prosperity led to another and a heavier calamity. the last crime a Christian could commit; and the

true believer and the Turk had cemented this aged by the small number of their assailants, as-
union, by the drinking of their own blood. We sumed a firm countenance, and prepared for resis-
quote the remark, not as a proof that this idle cere-tance. At this moment a priest, named Hugues
mony took place, but in evidence of the credulity de Masa, approached Richard, and said, “Sir King,
of these writers, and of the bad character of the it does not appear prudent to attack this multitude
Greek prince. But Comnenus could not prevail of enemies." "Sir Priest," answered the King,
against his destiny; and his destiny was committed" attend to your Holy Scripture, and leave the war
to one of the most renowned warriors, whose to me." His actions corresponded to his words;
name and deeds are marked in the annals of the and the Greeks again gave way, totally dispirited
middle ages.
In his passage from Sicily to the and broken. Comnenus fled to Nicosia, and Rich-
Holy Land, Richard Cœur de Lion encountered aard returned to Limasol, where his marriage with
violent storm, which dispersed his fleet, and drove Berangere was celebrated, with a magnificence
him, with most of his vessels, into the harbor of which the old historian, Gauthier-Vinisauf, seems
Rhodes. Four ships, however, were stranded upon never weary of describing. The next day, how-
the coast of Cyprus, and the crews were treated ever, Richard resumed the pursuit of his enemy;
with great inhumanity, and shut up in prison. but the latter, feeling his inability to resist, sought
Besides this injury, there was another which the intermediation of the Grand Master of the Hos-
touched the English King more nearly. His sis- pitaliers, and made proposals for peace. A place
ter, the widow of a king of Sicily, and Berengere, of meeting was selected, and it is amusing to read
Princess of Navarre, his affianced wife, were on
board a vessel, which sought shelter in one of the
Cyprian ports. In entering, they learned the in-
hospitable conduct of the Cyprian ruler, and imme-
diately solicited the release of the crusaders, and
the restoration of their property. Instead of grant-
ing the demand, the tyrant answered by general
professions of friendship, and sent with his message
some wine of Cyprus, which has not its equal upon
the earth. He invited the two princesses to quit
their ship, but they were equally afraid to place
themselves in his power, and to attempt to escape,
lest the vessel might be arrested. At this critical
moment, they descried in the distance two sails,
which rapidly advanced, and which preceded the
English fleet, that soon hove in sight, “conducted
by the hand of God, the day of the fête of St. John."
Richard immediately learned the state of affairs,
and sent some of his officers to Comnenus to de-
mand full and instant reparation. To the violation
of the laws of nations he had already committed,
the Greek had the folly to add an insulting answer.
The royal crusader gave instant orders for the de-
barkation of his army; and too impatient to await
the slow process of this movement, he threw him-
self into a small boat, and with the natural impetu-
osity of his character, seeking only to meet the
enemy, he leaped upon the beach and attacked the
Greek troops, who were known to the western
soldiers by the contemptuous epithet of Griffons.
The audacious courage of the King, supported by
his officers and soldiers, who hastened to follow
him, overthrew the Cyprian army. Comnenus es-
caped, and Richard, mounting a horse, pursued him,
defying him to single combat; but, says the histo-
rian, the Emperor fled as if he had not heard any
thing. Richard took possession of Limasol, and
landing his cavalry, pursued the fugitive Prince,
whom he found encamped in a valley, covered with
wood. He had with him all his troops, who had
escaped from the field of battle; and these, encour-

the details, which are given of the royal magnifi-
cence of Richard,—of his saddle covered with stars
of gold-of the housing, where two embroidered
lions menaced each other with their claws-of his
spurs of gold—of his cloak-of his sword—and of
his scarlet bonnet, where various figures of birds
and other animals were embroidered. Richard ad-
vanced, it is said, holding his sceptre in his hand,
right royally, while Comnenus, arrayed in the
Greek costume, showed by his demeanor, that he
was overpowered by his misfortunes. However, a
peace was made, upon the harsh conditions, that
the Cyprian king should place the English mo-
narch in possession of all his strong places,—
should follow him to the Holy Land, with five hun-
dred horsemen,—and should pay three thousand
five hundred marks of silver, as an indemnification
for the expenses of the war. But this was a short-
lived treaty. The very day after its conclusion,
one of the officers of the court of Comnenus told
his unhappy master that Richard intended to arrest
and load him with irons-when, taking counsel
from his fears only, he abandoned his camp, and
shut himself up in the city of Famagosta. With-
out following the events of this war, we shall
merely add, that it terminated in the subjugation
and captivity of the King of Cyprus, who asked,
as a single favor, that he should not be loaded with
chains of iron! Richard received him kindly, re-
stored his daughter, from whom he had been sepa-
rated, seated him by his side, and loaded him, so
says our authority, not with chains of iron, but with
chains of silver. Richard landed in Cyprus the
day of St. John the Baptist, and three weeks after,
all these events had passed, and he was in quiet
possession of the island.
He erected his new con-
quest into a kingdom, and having named Robert
Trulean, Seneschal of Anjou, the Viceroy, he set
sail for Palestine, to aid in the recovery of the Ho-
ly Land from the infidels.

The story of Richard's romantic exploits and

misfortunes is well known. It is only connected | session of a part of Cyprus, where they maintainwith our narrative as far as respects the transfer ed themselves several years. And in the progress of the sovereignty of Cyprus, which, in the ar- of the misfortunes of the island, the last queen, rangement of some of the complicated affairs of deprived of foreign assistance, and finding her the crusaders, he assigned to Guy de Lusignan, subjects in revolt, determined to abandon her crown, the titular king of Jerusalem. In return for his and to cede her rights to the Venetians. A formal barren cession of the throne of Jerusalem, then in renunciation was made, and the family of Lusigpossession of the infidels, Guy gladly accepted a nan ceased to reign in 1477, three hundred years safe dominion, leaving to the crusaders to recover after it had been called to the throne of Cyprus. by arms the nominal sovereignty he quitted. He The Venetians held their new acquisition during a repaired to Cyprus, and took peaceable possession century. But it was a century of war. We shall of his new state. Here he labored with sagacity not follow them in their desperate conflicts with and success to promote the prosperity of his sub- the Mahometans. The haughty republicans well jects; and became the father of his people, and the supported their reputation, acquired by the efforts founder of the Latin dynasty, which so long go-and perils of ages. But they finally gave way. The contest was too unequal between a single city of Italy, and the power of a great empire, whose soldiers were excited by fanaticism, and flushed with victory. The island was invaded; city after city fell before the conqueror; Nicosia, the capital, was invested, and after a desperate resistance, surrendered at discretion; the remnants of the Venetian force were shut up in Famagosta, and the proud banner of St. Mark was driven to this corner of the kingdom. The incidents of this siege are too well known to need a repetition here.

verned the island.

We shall not follow the fate of Cyprus through its vicissitudes, down to the establishment of the Mahometan power in the East. Its history during that period exhibits all the phases which belonged to the circumstances and character of the age. Its kings were sometimes patriotic, and sometimes tyrannical: its government was marked by feuds between the monarchs and the barons, and its church by dissensions between the Greek and the Catholic clergy: the frenzy of the times was felt here as in Europe, and this little kingdom rushed Notwithstanding three centuries have since elapsed, to the crusades with as much zeal as the Western marked by many a bloody war, and many a frightcrowds, who followed the inspirations of Peter the ful carnage, still the attack and defence of this hermit. One of its sovereigns joined the expedi- ill-fated city maintain their proud preeminence. tion of St. Louis to Egypt, and was made prisoner But it fell, and the Turks, regardless of a solemn with that pious but ill-fated monarch. But as the capitulation, inflicted unheard of cruelties upon fortunes of the Christians declined in the East, and their prisoners. When the Governor, De Bragathe advancing tide of Moslem success rolled to-dion, with a suite of noble Venetians, hastened to wards Cyprus, its internal difficulties increased; remonstrate with the Pacha Mustapha, the Turkish and it seemed to grow weaker, as its position de- general, against the violation of his plighted faith, manded more sagacity and energy from the govern- this turbaned monster, in a paroxysm of rage, ment, and more devotedness from the people. In real or affected, ordered the heads of all the attenthese critical circumstances, it was embarrassed by dants to be cut off; compelling the Governor to minorities and regencies; and more than one bloody witness the bloody tragedy, and saying, with a episode in the history of its royal family proves bitter irony, it was "not proper, that infidels, who the facility with which the ties of nature give way had shed so much Moslem blood, should leave the before the dictates of ambition. It found enemies world with their own in their veins." The untoo, where it sought allies; and its first great ca- fortunate Venetian was then made to present his lamity came from a Christian power. At that pe- neck three times to the sword, which had just murriod the free states of Italy-Venice, Pisa and dered his countrymen; but this was a refinement Genoa, possessed the commerce of the Mediter- of cruelty, merely to prolong his sufferings. His ranean, and pursued their maritime enterprises with fate depicts, in such strong colors, the infernal equal audacity and success. It is wonderful with cruelty of the Mahometan conquerors, that we are what energy they seem to have been endowed by tempted to describe it briefly, notwithstanding its the mere spirit of liberty, and what establishments revolting details, as a chapter in the history of huthey founded in every part of the East. Their man nature. The most ferocious Indian that ever fleets were employed by the crusaders in their va- roamed our forests might well acknowledge his rious operations; and these merchant princes are inferiority in the art of torturing, to this lieutenant accused, by the contemporaneous historians, of of the Commander of the Faithful. He caused seeking their own profit rather than the success of the nose and ears of De Bragadion to be cut off; these holy expeditions. They often turned their he was then loaded with chains and shut up in priarms against one another, and sometimes against son, without even a bandage upon his wounds,— the confederates by whom they were subsidized. the Turk exclaiming, as the victim left him, “ InIn one of these contests, the Genoese took pos-voke now your Christ, for it is time he came to

VOL. VII-12