houses were at first low and mean, like cottages, made of any sort of
timber, and were built with mud walls and thatched with straw. But now
their houses are three stories high: the fronts of them are faced either
with stone, plastering, or brick; and between the facings of their walls
they throw in their rubbish. Their roofs are flat, and on them they lay
a sort of plaster, which costs very little, and yet is so tempered that
it is not apt to take fire, and yet resists the weather more than lead.
They have great quantities of glass among them, with which they glaze
their windows. They use also in their windows a thin linen cloth, that
is so oiled or gummed that it both keeps out the wind and gives free
admission to the light.


OF THEIR MAGISTRATES.

Thirty families choose every year a magistrate, who was anciently called
the Syphogrant, but is now called the Philarch; and over every ten
Syphogrants, with the families subject to them, there is another
magistrate, who was anciently called the Tranibor, but of late the
Archphilarch. All the Syphogrants, who are in number 200, choose the
Prince out of a list of four, who are named by the people of the four
divisions of the city; but they take an oath before they proceed to an
election, that they will choose him whom they think most fit for the
office. They give their voices secretly, so that it is not known for
whom every one gives his suffrage. The Prince is for life, unless he is
removed upon suspicion of some design to enslave the people. The
Tranibors are new chosen every year, but yet they are for the most part
continued. All their other magistrates are only annual. The Tranibors
meet every third day, and oftener if necessary, and consult with the
Prince, either concerning the affairs of the state in general, or such