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224

LUDOVICO MENDEZ SLAIN.

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greater than I*; and every one shall return unto his place in peacet."

889. And the Turks fell upon the place of the Spaniards on the fourth day of the month of July, and slew among them a great slaughter. And they took one banner; and also Ludovico Mendez, the chief captain of their host, the Turks slew with the edge of the sword. And they pursued after them, and returned unto Goletta; and the earth was rent at the voice of the rams which they discharged when they returned, for gladness of heart; and they hung the banner on the wall, and its head turned downward to the ground, and this was a shame to the uncircumcised.

890. And the nobles of the emperor set the battering-rams round about Goletta on the fourteenth day of the fifth month. And they discharged guns against it, and battered its walls from morning until noon, and the earth was rent at their voice. The large and small ships also filled their hand, and threw stones therein from the east and from the west; and the sea and the earth trembled. Its walls were shaken, and the thick smoke went up toward heaven, and the sun withdrew his shinings. The Turks also filled their hand as at other times, and again slew in the

*Gen. xli. 40.
Comp. Num. xxxi. 7.

+ Exod. xviii. 23.

Joel ii. 10; iii. 15.

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GOLETTA TAKEN.

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ships with a great slaughter. And from their ships they threw also sling-stones in abundance into the camp of the uncircumcised; and there died on that day much people.

891. And the men of the emperor went out from the camp before the artillery had ceased to discharge, and before they heard the high-sounding trumpets; and they approached Goletta, swifter than the leopard and stronger than the lions. And they scaled the walls, and made breaches in it. And the Turks could not withstand, but turned the neck, because the fear of the guns fell upon them. them. And the caul of their heart was rent*, they fought not as at other timest before, but left Goletta as it was, and fled unto Tunis with shame; and the uncircumcised slew at that time all the feeble behind them, they left not any soul§; and there fell of the Turks about six hundred men in that slaughter, and of the uncircumcised also some were taken in their pits||, for they made war with good advice; and they set fire to the gunpowder, and it destroyed all who went up first, and their stink went up toward heaven**.

Hos. xiii. 8.

Deut. xxv. 18.

i. e. Ambuscades. ** Joel ii. 20.

† Judges xvi. 20; xx. 30, 31.

Q

§ Deut. xx. 16.
¶ Prov. xx. 18

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WELL OF TUNIS TAKEN.

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892. And Barbarossa went to help them as they were fighting, and ten thousand men with him; and when he saw that the men of Goletta* fled, who were about three thousand men, he returned unto the city of Tunis, and they shut the gates of the city, and fortified themselves therein. And the Turks left there three hundred brazen battering-rams, and garments and weapons in abundance; and they belonged unto the men of the emperor at that time; and also eighty-three galleys, of which the greater part were not meet for any work; and they set them on fire, and their eye did not spare them. That day was darkness unto Barbarossa§, for the stars of his heaven drew back, and he knew it not||.

893. And it came to pass after another six days, that the emperor brought his camp nigh unto the city, and six of the battering-rams. And they found there a well of water¶, and the people went thither to drink, but the officers would not let them, lest peradventure mischief should befall them**. And Hayradin, who is Barbarossa, went out against them with much people, and with a strong hand. And he warred against them with

*Galeta, Ægimurus, Galite, Golleta.

Josh. viii. 19.

Ezekiel xv. 4.

§ Job. iii. 4.

Comp. Is. xiii. 10; Joel ii. 10; iii. 15. ¶ Gen. xxvi. 19.

**Gen. xlii. 4. 38; xliv. 29.

++ Num. xx. 20.

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BARBAROSSA SALLIES.

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battering-rams of brass, and with arrows, and with the bow, so that the one came not near the other all that day*. And the men of Barbarossa could not withstand the many guns, and they turned the neck, and drew back, and the city of Tunis was perplexed+; and three of the rams they left there in their haste, and the uncircumcised took them, and the horsemen slew with the edge of the sword those Turks who remained there.

894. And the emperor tarried there all night because the sun was set‡, and he pursued not after them, for they were fatigued, because the way humbled their strength§; their soul loathed|| because of thirst, and had not Barbarossa fought with them, there would not have been left any who remained or escaped¶, for the uncircumcised had no strength to stand upon their feet; the greater part became weary of their life**, for all this was of the Lordt to bring upon Tunis the time of her visitation, for by Him actions are weighed‡‡.

895. Then Barbarossa's thoughts troubled him, and his knees smote one against another§§; and

* Exod xiv. 20. Gen. xxviii. 11.

|| Numb. xxi. 5.

† Esth. iii. 15.
§ Ps. cii. 23.

¶ Is. i. 9.

tt Gen. xxiv. 50.

** Gen. xxvii. 46. ‡‡ 1 Sam. ii. 3.

§§ Dan. v. 6.

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CHRISTIAN SLAVES REVOLT.

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it came to pass when the morning appeared* that he went out to see the men of the city and the host, and that which was in their heart to do. And him who was over his houset, he commanded, saying, Stand fast and make ready my garments, and my vessels upon the camels, for I know not what the day may bring forth§." And it came to pass, that he was yet scarce gone out, when the Lord put a faintness into the hearts of the keepers of the fort¶, saying, He has fled**! And what will become of ustt, when we shall be left and fall into the hand of our enemies, and be for a scorn and a derision‡‡ in the countries of those uncircumcised who seek our destruction?" and they also went out and did not stay, and left the fortress as it was, because they feared for their lives. They were yet between the walls, and the Lord raised evil§§ against Barbarossa from the midst of his own house. And one of his servants who was a Nazarene, who had changed his law||||, went into the prison-house, the place where the uncircumcised prisoners of his master were

*Exod. xiv. 27.

Comp. Jer. xlvi. 14. Gen. xxvii. 30. ** Gen. xxxi. 20.

‡‡ Ps. xliv. 13.

ti. e. Steward; Comp. Gen. xli. 1.

§ Prov. xxvii. 1.

Lev. xxvi. 36.

++ Comp. Exod. xvi. 7.

SS Comp. 1 Kings xiv. 10; xxi. 21.

i. e. Who had become a renegade.

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