328

EARTHQUAKE AT GENOA.

קיו

that night in the beginning of the first watch*. There was nothing like unto that storm in the land of my sojourning, from the time I became a man until this day. And the walls shook and opened their mouth without measuret, and the steep places fell, and the hearts of the people melted away, and became like water; and they said it is the finger of God‡.

1035. And there was another great ship broken at Algier, which came from Sicily, bearing battering rams, and she went down wonderfully§; on the twenty-seventh of the same month she sank as lead||, and the sailors went out on shore, and saved their lives. And also a ship of Spain sank to the bottom as a stone¶ at that time, for the sea wrought and was tempestuous against them**. And And upon her were many nobles and honorable men, and horses, and jewels of silver and jewels of gold, and raiment††; not even one of them was saved. Then the Arabians burned the ship which the waves had cast out upon the shore. And they took the spoil of their enemies as their soul desired; there was none who could deliver out of their hand in the day of the Lord's anger§§. For

קיו

CHARLES V. AT TEMEDFUS.

329

they fought from heaven against the men of the emperor both by sea and by land, and they had no power to stand on that day*. And the men of the emperor who were on shore, ate the horses which were with them for want of every thing in the countries of their enemies at that time, for the men of the ships which were left could not give provision; for the sea wrought and was tempestuous, and they were like to be brokent. And the ships went unto Capo Matafust to be saved from the raging of the sea and its roaring, and tarried there some days.

1036. And the Ishmaelites fought daily against the men of the emperor who were on shore, and gave them no rest§. And when the emperor saw that they fought from heaven, and that the remainder of his men had no strength to stand upon their feet, for the famine was sore, he was greatly distressed¶; and said in his heart, "How long shall this city be a snare unto us**, I will go unto my own country for such a time as this††, and will return again." And he com

this undoubtedly is the Cape, a few miles קאפו מאטאפוס +

east of Algier, which on modern maps is called Cape Temedfus or Matifeo.

§ Lam. ii. 18.

|| i. e. The emperor observed, that heavenly powers were adverse to his expedition. ¶ Gen. xxxii. 7.

Judges v. 20.

**Exod. x. 7.

++ Esth. iv. 14.

קיר

TRIUMPH OF THE ALGERINES.

and they relieved their soul*. there came two other ships, Algier, and they discharged so she returned back.

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And on the morrow and one went near guns against her,

1039. Of them who died on the sea and on shore there was no number, for the hand of the Lord was against them to consume them, and to destroy them. And He rained upon them continually waters that caused the curset when they went to war against the city, and when they drew back. And there fell of them much people by the sword, and by the famine, and by the dreadful colds. Then sang the inhabitants of Algier, saying, "I will sing unto the Lord, for he hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he hath thrown into the seal; for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed¶."

1040. And they sailed thence on the third day, and the ships went every one its way, whither the spirit was to go**. And one of them was broken near Algier. And the Arabs went out to swallow them up, and fought against them with a mighty hand; and the Turks went out from the city, and delivered them out of their hands; and

*Lam. i. 19.

Num. v. 18-27.

|| Exod. xv. 1, 2.

+ Deut. ii. 15; Esth. ix. 24.

§ Jer. xiv. 12; xxi. 9.

T1 Sam. ii. 3.

** They went off in haste in whatsoever direction the wind

was favorable. Comp. Ez. i. 12.

322 CORN LAWS OF CHARLES V. UNPOPULAR. 10p uncircumcised drew back with shame. And it came to pass, after some days, that the two armies drew nigh one unto the other, at the distance of a bow-shot*. And they arrayed there a battle, and in that slaughter, there fell of the uncircumcised about twenty thousand men slain to the ground. And the rest drew back, and returned unto their own country with shame. And the Turk placed some of his men in Buda; and the war ceased. And Transylvania was ruled by the word of the wife of John, the woywode, and by the word of his brother George the priest, till the child be grown; and they were unto Solyman servants, who offered unto him an offerings.

1028. And the emperor was exceedingly grieved, and feared much. And he journeyed from Germany and came to Milan, and abode there several days. And he came unto Genoa in the month Elul on the sabbath-day, on the third day of the month of September, which is the seventh month. And he made his yoke heavy, and put a tax upon the wheat which came out of Sicily; and the stink of his savour went up toward heaven, and the stone cried out of the wall**.

*Comp. Gen. xxi. 16.

Gen. xxxviii. 11.

|| Esth. iv. 4.

† Gen. xli. 40. § Malachi ii. 12; iii. 3. ¶ Joel ii. 20.

** Hab. ii. 11. i. e. The emperor became unpopular.