PISHMAELITISH KING IN GENOA, 1550. 465 three times, and took all his land out of his hand*, and encamped also against the large city of Fez, and took it; and his fame went throughout the whole world. The sherif fought against King Beles della Gomera† also, and took all his land out of his hand. And the king fled before him into Spain, and besought the viceroy of the emperor and his nobles. And they gave presents unto him, and sent him away unto the emperor, who stood in Flanders in those days. 1230. And this Ishmaelitish king came unto Genoa on the twenty-third day of the month of January, in the year one thousand five hundred and fifty. And he went on his journeys unto the emperor, and cast himself down at his feet; and the emperor spake unto his heart, and he abode with him many days. 1231. And there was war between the Spaniards who were at Goletta, and between the king of Tunis day by day. And the Spaniards went unto the open cities which were nigh unto them to make spoil; this was their manner all the while. And the Spaniards laid an ambush; but the thing was known unto the king, and he set a watch over them. And they fell upon them suddenly, and * Num. xxi. 26. .ביליש דילה גומירה + 1 Sam. xxvii. 11. VOL. II. H H 466 DRAGUT IN AFRICA, FEB. 17, 1550. קלה there fell of the Spaniards in the net which they hid, about three hundred men at that time. And those who were left fled away, and their life was a prey. And the king said, "How long shall these wars be a snare unto us†?" I will send a present unto the emperor, peradventure he will accept my persont. And he sent messengers unto him with a present in their hand, lions, horses, and fowls; and they came unto Genoa in the month of February in that year. And it grieved the emperor, and he wrote, Ye shall not come to appear before mes, for I will hands." And they sold the horses in Genoa, and returned unto their own country. take no present at your 1232. And on the seventeenth day of the same month, Dragut went very suddenly¶ unto Africa the fenced city, and took it, and put a garrison into the midst of it. And the nobles of the Nazarenes feared, lest it should be a snare unto them; and their wrath was burning within them**. 1233. And the duke of Mantua took unto himself to wife the daughter of Ferdinand, the brother of the emperor, and he loved her; and she came * Ps. ix. 15 (Heb. 16). Gen. xxxii. 20 (Heb. 21). Comp. Jud. xiii. 23. ** Esth. i. 12. + Exod. x. 7. § Is. i. 12. Num. vi. 9. קלה THE PHYSICIANS AT GENOA, A.D. 1550. 467 into the city with timbrels, and with dances*, in that year. And his mother Margarita took the burying-ground of the Jews and gave it unto the priests, that they might enlarge their borders† ; and the Jews cried, but there was none to help; and they took out from their sepulchre those that slept in the dust‡. And it came to pass, after a very few days, that the duke, her eldest son, became sick and died; and his brother reigned in his stead. 1234. And there came a man of Judah to dwell at Genoa, his name was Haim; and the men of his profession envied him all the days. And there came four Hebrew men into his house; and he made a banquet for them; and also the Gentile women they brought with them unto the banquet; and they reeled like a drunken man§, and they walked in the imagination of their heart, and so made me to stink among the inhabitants of the land¶ at that time. And it came to pass, at the end of the year**, that Rabbi Zerachiah the Levite, the son of my sister, came to dwell in Genoa; and the physicians envied us also, and could not speak *Exod. xv. 20. Dan. xii. 2. † Amos i. 13. § Ps. cvii. 27. || Deut. xxix. 19 (Heb. 18). Jer. iii. 17; vii. 24. ¶ Gen. xxxiv. 30. ** 2 Chr. xxiv. 23. 468 THE PHYSICIANS IN GENOA, A.D. 1551. And they peaceably unto us*. of the nobles of the priest San Dominicot, who preached in those days; and it came to pass, on the second day of the feast of unleavened bread, as he was in the pulpit, that he spake evil against the Jews. And three of the nobles who were there heard it, and these were confederate with the physicians, and went speedily into the palace, and spake in the ears of the rest of the nobles the words of the priest; and two of the physicians were in that counsel. And the senates could not stand in the gap, for they were many who spake evil at that time. On that day, which is the second day of the month of April, we were driven out from abiding in their inheritance¶, the decree was given with trumpets and the sound of the horn; according as they did in the days of my fathers. And I went out from the midst of it on the third day of the month of June; and the Lord brought me into favor with the men of Voltabio**, for there was mine house before. And they sent men unto the lords of Genoa, and permitted me to dwell in the midst of them, and gave me my hire from that day and afterward; is it not a little? yet my And they spake in the ears city, and in the ears of the THE KIRVANITES VEX THE TURKS, 1551. 469 soul shall live*. The Lord's name be praised for all the kindness he hath shown unto me; and unto them who have driven me away he will recompense sevenfold unto their bosomt. Amen and Amen. 1235. And Edward, king of England, made a covenant with the king of France, and gave unto him Boulogne; and King Henry put a garrison into the midst thereof; and he also gave unto the king of England the money which he had vowed, and the country had rest. 1236. Then Andrea Doria went with his ships unto the land of Ishmael, and took Monasterio; and the Turks who were therein were slain with the edge of the sword; and some also of the people who were with him fell by the sword at that time. 1237. And he went from thence and encamped against Africa, the fenced city; and they besieged it many days. And the men of Kairvant helped him, and gave him provision, for they vexed the Turks from the birth, from the womb, and from the conception. And they sent unto Sicily and unto Naples, to fetch soldiers and brazen rams, for it was fortified; and the men who were in the Gen. xix. 20. .קירואן + Ps. lxxix. 12. § Numb. xxv. 18. || Hos. ix. 11. |