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ay FRANCIS INVADES ITALY A. D. 1523.

37

was put in a coffin; and the nobles of Venice honored him much: he had acted wisely, and moved these battles, in order to return to his house at Genoa, for he was one of its nobles; but the counsel of the Lord standeth sure. They brought him to Genoa and buried him in the sepulchre of his forefathers.

633. And Francis gathered again many soldiers when at Lyons, and he sent them to Italy, and the admiral, the commander of his host, at their head; and their numbers were thirty thousand. And there gathered to him more men of valor, and his camp increased much; and they went to Novara, and took it in the month of October, in the year one thousand five hundred and twenty-three. And they removed thence, and went to Milan (it would not be believed if related), and they besieged it many days. And Milan was straitly shut up, none went out and none came in. And the men of Venice sent the duke of Urbino, their general of the host, to assist the men of the emperor with a mighty hand, and they also drew nigh unto the city.

634. And the French saw it, and went off from the city; and the men of the emperor girded themselves with might, and went out to war in the field, and set the battle in array against them day by day. And it came to pass one day, that they

38 A. D. 1524-PROSPERO COLONNA DIES.

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fell upon them suddenly, and the French were slain before them at Garlasco*, and at Binascot, and at Rivico, and at Mortara§, and at Vigevano||, and on the banks of the river; and they left the battering rams, and fled, as before the sword, for they feared before them; and also in Alessandria, the remnant that escaped were slain, and they went to Novara and were saved there. And they removed from Novara at the end of the month of May, in the year one thousand five hundred and twenty-four, and returned to France ; and the land had rest four months.

635. And the duke of Bourbon came to Genoa, and went also to Milan, and was to the nobles of the hosts of the emperor instead of eyes, and to the host of the king as an offence, and a stone of stumbling in those days.

636. And Prospero Colonna, the general of the host of the emperor, died in the same year; and it was grievous in the eyes of the emperor, for a very lively and active man he was in his generation.

637. And the Sophi, king of Persia, died also in the same year, and his son reigned in his stead ; and he was young, and Solyman the Turk was very glad.

*

.ריביקו ? .בוגיבינא ||

.בינסקו +

.גארלאסקו
.מורטרה $

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THE PLAGUE IN LOMBARDY.

39

638. And Solyman sent the generals of his host unto the borders of Hungary, and made much spoil. And they besieged Sereno*, the fortress, which is on the banks of the river Danube; and they took it, and set a watch in the midst of it. And also on the other side of the river, Solyman builded a strongly fortified castle, and the Turks dwell there until this day.

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639. In those days, the Jews returned to dwell at Genoa, for the Adorni were men of kindness towards the Jews; and they brought my brotherin-law, the Rabbi Joseph, the son of David, thither, contrary to the law of that perverted city†; and he abode there many days, and was a physician unto them.

640. And there was a plague in Lombardy, and in all the corners of Italy; and much people died. And the Lord sent wolves also upon them. And they devoured the women and the children in the field, and the travellers on their way; and there was none to deliver from their paws. And the plague was also at Lirmat, my dwelling-place; and I went out from thence, and sat under one of the bushes until forty days were completed; and I kept there my bed, until there was but one step between me and death. And I cried unto the

.לירמה $

.עיר טוככה +

.זירינו *

40 CHARLES V. INVADES FRANCE, A. D. 1524.

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Lord, and He heard me from the dwelling of His holiness. Therefore I said, "I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation; and to thy name I will sing*."

641. And when the nobles of the hosts of the emperor, saw that the nobles of the king could not prevail against them these three times, they made up their mind to go to France to war against him there. And the duke of Bourbon went with them, and was to them instead of eyes. And the men of England, and of Spain, thought also to make war against France in those days. And they gathered also a host of horsemen and weapons of war in abundance. And they passed the mountains in the year one thousand five hundred and twenty-four, and besieged Marseilles, and the days were the days of the ripening of the grapes. And Rienzot from Zirit, saved them from their hands, and they did nothing in those days. And Francis, the king, gathered together many soldiers, and went against them; and they went away from it, and returned to Italy in haste by the way of the sea-shore; and Francis went before them another way, and came to Milan as swift as the eagle would fly, and took it in

* Ps. cxi.

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FRANCIS BESIEGES PAVIA, A. D. 1524. 41

the month of October; and the report went over the whole earth: and the men of the emperor fled before him; and all the troops of Cremona and Pavia were scattered, for they said, "The French will become tired of watching against these fortified cities, and in the mean time the Germans will come to aid us." And the ships of the king came to the borders of Genoa, and they took Savona and Arzi* in those days.

642. And the men of the emperor fortified themselves in Pavia, and Antonio Leyva† was over the host in those days. And King Francis went against Pavia on the tenth day of October, in the year one thousand five hundred and twenty-four, and he pitched his camp round about it, and they cast up trenches against it, and its walls fell to the ground. And Pavia became besieged, and all the city was moved, for the fear of the French fell upon them. them. And the battle was strong between them at that time, and much people of them fell. And Pavia was straitly shut up, none went out, neither did any come in. And they ate in her every unclean thing, by reason of famine, all those days. And they warred against it daily, but could not prevail against it, and

.ארצי *

ליוא and ליווא but afterwards (ליבה Here spelled +

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