Cyprus Under the Turks, 1571-1878; A Record Based on the Archives of the English Consulate in Cyprus Under the Levant Company and After - Softcover

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1921 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III THE CONSULAR ARCHIVES, 1710-1878 > The earliest documents belonging to the archives of the British Consulate in Cyprus are three Imperial Firmans of the middle of the eighteenth century, which will be quoted below. There are, however, sundry references to Cyprus, of earlier dates, in the register of the Consulate of Egypt referred to in the previous chapter. The following is an example: 'Wee Wm. Farrington Consull for her Majestie of Great Brittaine, France & Ireland, &c, in Cairo & all ye Kingdom of Egypt, &c, Do by these Presents recommend ye bearer hereof Simon wth his Companion Sergius, Greek Priests belonging to ye Convent of Santa Catarina on Mount Sinai, & bound from Alexandria for Cyprus, to ye Courtesy of all Commanders or others of ships of her Britannick Majesty or of those in Alliance wtb her, & all Favr & Assistance that shall be showed them will on all Occasions gratefully be acknowledged. 'Ca1ro, ye 28th Aprill, 1710.' 1 The letter T, G, or I prefixed to translations of documents indicate that the originals are in Turkish, Greek, or Italian, The two priests in question were presumably visiting Cyprus in order to inspect the metochia (monastic dependencies), which the monastery of S. Katharine of Mt. Sinai possessed, and still possesses, in the Island. The first of the Firmans is a Berat confirming the appointment of George Barton as English Consul in Cyprus; it is a prototype of what would now be called an Exequatur, and is the only document of its kind among the archives (T): 'To their Eminences the Naib of the Qaza of Lefqosha [Nicosia], a model of Naibs learned in the Canon Law (may his learning increase!) and the Muhassil of Cyprus, a model of illustrious nobles (may his grandeur increase !): 'Be it...