Page images
PDF
EPUB

458

ANDREA DORIA EMBARKS.

קלר

comforter*; he that was stronger than a cedar (in wisdom a father) planted by the finger of God†; alas! the hewer came upon him when he was seventeen years old. old. Woe unto the eyes which have seen this! this I will recall into my bitter and impetuous heart, that our Maker has prepared for him a fountain of life; with this we can be comforted, as there is left for our souls an everlasting salvation in the house of the king. I hope that the God of the spirits of all flesh§ will bind up his pure soul in the bundle of life, and that his rest will be glorious. And on me, the embittered one, and on the grieved spirit of my wife Paloma** HE will have compassion, and comfort us, and will deal more kindly with our latter end and last days, than with our beginning††, for the sake of his great name; for in him my soul trusteth‡‡, therefore I hope in him§§.

1217. And Andrea Doria armed his trained servants|||| by command of the emperor in that year,

Lam. i. 9.

Comp. Lam. iii. 21.

|| 1 Sam. xxv. 29.

**

,פאלומא

+ Comp. Ps. civ. 16.

§ Num. xvi. 22.

Is. xi. 10.

a corruption of Palomba, which is the corrupted Columba. In Germany also, Jewish females are frequently called Täubchen, i. e. little dove, in allusion to Cant. v. 2. "My sister, my love, my Dove, my undefiled."

++ Job. xlii. 12.

Lam. iii. 21.

Ps. lvii. 1 (2).

Gen. xiv. 14.

קלר

459

TO PURSUE DRAGUT, A.D. 1549. and led them down to the sea into ships in the month of April, on the second day of their Passover, in the year one thousand five hundred and forty-nine. And he went during the whole summer hither and thither, to seek Dragut and his men, for their wickedness came up before him*.

1218. And on the first day of the month of May, Dragut fought fiercely against two great ships of the men of Genoa, and took them with a strong hand. And he took other ships also after his heart's desire; there was not one ship too strong for him, the Lord gave all into his hand. Yet for all this, Andrea Doria found him not, and knew not his place, but returned into the city.

1219. In that month was an earthquake in the borders of Genoa; and in Ventimiglia the houses of the priests were cast down; and in Diano|| six houses were cast down, and a great tower; and seven souls of men died under the stones at that time. Also in Arbingor was the storm; and some of the buildings fell to the ground, but no man of them was missed.

1220. And Dragut returned into the seas of Genoa as swift as the eagle flieth¶; and they went

Jonah i. 2.

ווינטימילייא ?

+ Deut. ii. 36.

i. e. The convents.

18, Diano, a small city in the state of Genoa, a few miles east of Oneglia,

¶ Deut. xxviii. 49.

460

PAUL III. DIES, A.M. 5310.

קלר

on shore, and went against a people that were quiet and secure*, against Rapallo, on the fourth day of the month of July, at the end of the third watch; and no man knew of their coming. And he took some of them prisoners†, and they stretched forth their hand unto the spoil, according to their hearts' desire; and there was none to deliver it. And they went their way with a high hand; and it was unto Andrea Doria for a reproach: and many mocked him. And he pursued after Dragut all that summer, but found him not, and returned from pursuing after him unto Genoa; and Dragut returned unto his place.

1221. And the pope Paul slept with his fathers on the ninth day of the month of November, in the year three hundred and ten, and Henry the king of France sent all the cardinals who were with him unto Rome. And there was strife between them and the cardinals of the emperor; and they remained there many days. And they chose the Cardinal Monte; and his name was called Julius the Third, until the day of his death. The posts went out in hastes from Rome in the month of February, in the year one thousand five hundred and fifty; and all the Nazarenes rejoiced greatly. 1222. Then the emperor Charles builded the

*Jud. xviii. 27.

Gen. xiii. 7.

† Num xxi. 1.

§ Esth. iii. 15.

קלר

ACHMED AND MOHAMMED.

461

strong walls of Milan, whose like are not*; and also the breaches of the walls of Pavia he repaired, and builded towers round about it, and fortified them marvellously†.

1223. In those days there arose two men, the sons of one man in the countries of Arabia, men of valor; and the name of their city was Dariat, and their father was old, well stricken in age§. The name of the first was Achmed, and the name of the second was Mohammed, and they called him sherif|| unto this day. And the men exalted themselves, saying, "We are of the family of Mohammed the prophet," and vain fellows gathered themselves unto them; so they went on continually in the countries of Arabia, and their camp increased much¶.

1224. There was a man of Judah in those countries, Mas'ûd Mazliach Ben Guashash** was his name, and he said unto the sherif, "Hearken unto me, my lord; and I will tell thee what shall come to pass in the last days+t. We shall see it now, and behold it night; that there shall arise two brethren, and they shall reign over the city of

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

.דארעה t

شریف ||

.1 .Gen. xlviii ++ מסעוד מצליח בן גואשאש **

++ Num. xxiv. 17.

462

LAST WORDS OF MOHAMMED.

קלר

Tizi*, and they shall spread their arms from thence over all the countries of Arabia, and they shall have power over the treasures of goldt." And his words were pleasing in his sight, and they went and besieged Tizi and took it, and put a garrison in the midst thereof. And there are two cities which are called Tizi, in the countries of Arabia. And they marched against the second also, and took it, and builded its walls round about it, and their fame went throughout the whole world. And they builded also Tarodantet, which is Suez, and the men became very great; and whithersoever they turned, they prospered, according as he had told them.

1225. And there was a son born unto the sherif who was the younger; and there was another also born unto Achmed, his brother. And the lads grew up, and became men of war, they and their parents all the days.

1226. And the time drew nigh that their father should die, and he charged his two sons, saying, "I go the way of all the earth; be ye strong, therefore, and be ye men**: and this is your kindness that ye shall shew unto mett, fall ye not out

.טיצי * .טארודאנטי ? .חמד ||

** 1 Sam. iv. 9.

† Dan. xi. 43.
§ Psalm i. 3.

Josh. xxiii. 14.
tt Gen. xx. 13.

« PreviousContinue »