_Praepositus_, or prime minister; the second, Mega
Dumastukitz, [Greek: Mezas Domestichos], or great chamberlain; the third
Dominot, _Dominos_, or lord: but his peculiar office or department does not
appear; the fourth Mackducus, [Greek: Mezas Dochas], great duke or high
Admiral; the fifth Iknomus Megli, [Greek: Oichonomos mezas], or lord high
steward of the household; and the rest have names like unto these[4].
Constantinople is eighteen miles in circuit, half of it being on the sea,
and the other half towards the continent; it stands on two arms of the sea,
into one of which the sea flows from Russia, and into the other from Spain;
and its port is frequented by many traders, from the countries and
provinces of Babylon, Senaar, Media, Persia, Egypt, Canaan, Russia,
Hungary, _Psianki[5], Buria_, Lombardy, and Spain.

The city is extremely populous, and hath none to compare with it, except
Bagdat, the mighty city of the Ismaelites[6]. In it is the magnificent
temple of St Sophia, where dwells the patriarch of the Greeks, who do not
agree in doctrine with the pope of Rome. This temple contains as many
altars as there are days in the year, and it has a revenue beyond all
estimation great, from the offerings and riches brought continually from
divers countries, islands, forts, castles, and places, so that the wealth
of no other temple on earth can be compared to the riches which it
contains. In the middle of this temple there are pillars of gold and
silver, huge candlesticks, lanterns, lamps, and other ornaments of these
precious metals, more than can be reckoned. Close to this temple there is a
place set apart for the diversion of the emperor, called the Hippodrome,
where great spectacles are represented yearly, on the birth-day of Jesus of
Nazareth, in which men in the habits of all the various people of the
earth, appear before the emperor and empress, with lions, bears, leopards,
and wild asses, which are made to fight together; and in no country on
earth are such princely sports to be seen.

Besides the palace left him by his ancestors, Manuel has built one for
himself, called Bilbernae[7], the pillars and walls of which are overlaid
with beaten gold and silver, on which all the wars of his ancestors are
represented. In this palace there is a throne of gold and precious stones,
over which a golden crown, enriched with precious stones and pearls, is
suspended on high, the value of which is beyond computation, and its lus