Peter Martyr
describes, with lamentations, the squalor of the once splendid city of
Alexandria, famous for its beautiful gardens, superb palaces, and rich
libraries. The ancient capital of the Ptolemies was reduced to a mere
remnant of its former size, and of its former glories not a vestige
was perceptible.[2] Cansu Alguri[3] reigned in Cairo. A man personally
inclined to toleration, his liberty of action was fettered by the
fanaticism of his courtiers and the Mussulman clergy. The moment was
not a propitious one for an embassy soliciting favours for Christians.
The Portuguese had but recently sunk an Egyptian vessel off Calicut,
commercial rivalries were bitter, and the harsh treatment of the
conquered Moors in Spain had aroused religious antagonism to fever
pitch and bred feelings of universal exasperation against the foes of
Islam.

[Note 2: Writing to Pedro Fajardo he thus expressed himself:
_Alexandriam sepe perambulavi: lacrymosum est ejus ruinas intueri;
centum millium atque eo amplius domorum uti per ejus vestigere licet
colligere meo judicio quondam fuit Alexandria; nunc quatuor vix
millibus contenta est focis; turturibus nunc et columbis pro
habitationibus nidos prestat, etc_.]

[Note 3: Also spelled Quansou Ghoury and Cansa Gouri; Peter Martyr
writes _Campsoo Gauro_.]

From Rosetta Peter Martyr started on January 26th on his journey to
the Egyptian Babylon,[4] as he was pleased to style Cairo, travelling
by boat on the Nile and landing at Boulaq in the night. The next
morning a Christian renegade, Tangriberdy by name, who held the
important office of Grand Dragoman to the Sultan, presented himself to
arrange the ceremonial to be observed at the audience with his master.
This singular man, a Spanish sailor from Valencia, had been years
before wrecked on the Egyptian coast and taken captive. By forsaking
his faith he saved his life, and had gradually risen from a state
of servitude to his post of confidence near the Sultan's person.
Tangriberdy availed himself of the opportunity afforded by his duties,
to relate to the ambassador the story of his life and his forcible
conversion, declaring that, in his heart, he clung to the Christian
faith and longed to return to his native Spain. Whether his sentiments
were sincere or feigned, his presence in an influential capacity
at the Sultan's court was a fortuitous circumstance of which the
ambassador gladly took advantage. The audience was fixed for the
followin