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A.D. 1552-SOLYMAN INVADES RHODES. 31

daughter, and I called her name Dolza, and I was comforted after my mother's death*.

622. On that day the Lord stirred up the spirit of Solyman to go to war against Rhodes. And he gathered together men of valor, and went thither in the month of June, one thousand five hundred and twenty-two. And his ships were four hundred, and the number of the soldiers two hundred thousand, and the battering rams numberless. And they brake down the walls thereof, and dug trenches round about, and cast up a high mound over against it, and they shot into the city day and night with guns, and cast great stones into it a cubit in breadth, and battered down their houses to the ground. And the battle was sore between them many days, and much people died. And day after day, they entered through mines into the midst of the city, and they likewise strengthened themselves; and much people died in the mines from the gunpowder, which the men of the city put therein. And the mines were filled round about her with dead carcases, and their stench went up towards heaven; and also from sickness there died in the camp of Soly

man about thirty thousand men.

And for all

that, he turned not his right hand back, and they

Gen. xxiv. 67.

32

JACOB COMINITO.

עא

warred against her day by day, and there was no deliverer for her.

623. In the pressure of the times, it came to pass, that there was a man of Belial, who had changed his glory, his name had been formerly Jacob Cominito* in Israel. And they found him shooting letters into the camp with bow and arrows, for he knew the learning and the tongue of the Turks. And they rent him in pieces, as one would tear a kid, and they brought him down in blood into the grave. And also one of the servants of Andrea Miraols they found shooting with a bow in the name of his master, and they brought him and his master down in blood into the grave in those days; and Andrea was of the great ones amongst the monks at that time, and he was of the land of Portugal. And his wrath was kindled against them, because that they chose Philip Villers, the Frenchman, for prince and grand master¶ when Fabricius [] del Carito** died. And he despised in his heart to stretch forth his hand against Philip only, and he devised evil against all the monks. And he wrote to Solyman daily, and he

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A. D. 1520 RHODES TAKEN BY SOLYMAN.

33

brought him with a mighty hand into the city on that day. And when the monks and the inhabitants of the city saw that they had no strength, they sent messengers to Solyman and gave the city into his hands.

624. And Solyman came into the city in the beginning of the month of January, one thousand five hundred and twenty; and when he came into the court, he asked for the grand master, and Philip came, and bowed himself with his face to the ground. And Solyman spake kindly to him, and comforted him, saying, "Let it not be evil in thy sight, for there is nothing new under the sun, and all is by the decree of the Most High*. And now, fear not, for that which proceeded out of

my lips, I will not alter, and you shall go freely on your way." And Philip Villers bowed with his face to the ground, and Solyman saluted him, and the grand master went from him in peace. And Solyman rode back on a horse through the streets of the town, and returned into the camp. And Philip and the men that followed him, removed from Rhodes, and the monks were driven away from their land. And Solyman put soldiers in the midst of Rhodes, and fortified it as at first, and returned to his country.

34

ACHMED PASHA.

עב

625. In those days died Kari Bey*, the viceroy, whom Selim left in Egypt; and Solyman sent in his stead Achmed Pasha, and his heart was much lifted up. And Achmed revolted against Solyman; and he exalted himself, saying, "I will reign in all the land of Egypt." And he called the Jews, and spake to them roughly, and said that he would destroy them from being a people, if they would not give him all their property; and it was a time of straitness for Jacob at that time. And they ordained fasts, and girded themselves with sackcloths, and prayed to the Lord God of their fathers, who heard their cries from the dwelling of his holiness. And it came to pass, that one day he called them, and said to them, "When I come out from the bath, you shall see that evil is determined against you, and the name of Israel shall be remembered no more.' And it came to pass, before he went out from the bath, that the Turks made a conspiracy against him, and slew him, so that he died; and they trampled upon him, like one of the vain fellows. And the Lord brought back on brought back on his own head that which he had devised to do to his people: therefore I praise thee among the heathen, O Lord, and will sing unto thy name.

626. The couriers went out† and hastened to go

עב

IBRAHIM PASHA-PHILIP VILLERS.

35

to the gate of the king; and they went and told Solyman the conspiracy, which Achmed had conspired, and what he had devised to do.

627. And Solyman sent Ibrahim Pasha to Egypt, because of Achmed who had revolted against him, and had devised against the Jews to destroy them. But he was overturned, and his evil device returned upon his own head. And the city of Egypt rejoiced and was glad.

628. And Ibrahim abode in Egypt several days, and he spake kindly to the people of the country, and to the Turks who were in the midst thereof. And he appointed a viceroy within it; but the King Solyman wrote to him to return, and Ibrahim returned to his master at that time.

629. And some of the Jews who were in the cities of his kingdom, Solyman sent to Rhodes, and they abode there in security until this day.

630. And Philip Villers went on his journeyings as far as Civita Vecchia, which is on the banks of the sea, and they removed thence and went to Rome, to see Adrian the pope, and found him on the bed of languishing; and they* bowed themselves before his face to the ground. And Philip cried, and supplicated the pope, who spake kindly to him, and comforted him, and Philip said that he would do great things for * i. e. The grand master and his suite.