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THE NEAPOLITAN SQUADRON, A.D. 1551. p 1245. And the nobles of the emperor sent men to make war against Parma in the month of June, before the wheat harvest, who destroyed every good piece of land*. And the war was strong between them, and many died by the sword and by sicknesses in that war. But they came not near unto the city, for it was fortified, and its inhabitants were expert in wart; and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. And they besieged Castle Guelfo, and took it; and the strong walls of Colonna they cast to the ground, and the earth was rent at the voice of the battering rams; and in troublous times the soldiers delivered it into their hand, and made a covenant with them. Then was Parma besieged; and in the troublous times the duke sent into exile half of the people, even every stranger that sojourned in it and was not born there. And Don Ferrante shewed them kindness, and let them go at their pleasure, and they went to dwell where they could find room.

1246. And Philip, the son of the emperor, and Maximilian, the son of his uncle, came from Germany unto Genoa in the month of June, and remained there several days; and they went

* 2 Kings iii. 19. 25.

Exod. xx. 18.

|| Lev. xvii. 10. 13.

+ Cant. iii. 8.

§ Dan. ix. 25.

¶ Jer. xxxiv. 16.

1P SOLYMAN'S SHIPS IN SICILY, A.D. 1551. 477 down to the sea in ships*, and went unto the land of Spain.

1247. And the viceroy of the emperor sent the galleys which were in Naples, bearing corn and soldiers, unto Africa, in the fifth month. And it came to pass, when they were on the wayt, that the sea raged and the waves roaredt, and five galleys of Genoa and three of Sicily sunk into the bottom as a stones, but the rest went their way; and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

1248. The pope Julius also gathered together men of valor, and sent them unto Mirandola, which was in the hand of the French king; and they besieged it many days, and builded forts against it, and abode in the midst of them; and the city was besieged.

1249. And King Henry sent unto Genoa, saying, Let me pass through your land to help my men who are in Parma, and in Mirandola, which is nigh unto it." And he asked also for one of the sea-port towns to bring in the ships of the Turk, but they would not hearken unto him, so he returned unto his country.

1250. And the ships of Solyman went unto Sicily in the fifth month. And the men of

*Ps. cvii. 23. § Exod. xv. 5.

+ Comp. Gen. iv. 8.

Numb. xxi. 22.

↑ Is. li. 15.

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Augusta fired guns upon them, and their wrath was kindled; and they battered its walls, and made it a heap for ever*.

1251. And it came to pass, when they were at Messina, that the governor of the emperor sent men to commune with them. And the captain of the host asked of them Africa, according as the noble, whom the emperor sent unto his master, had vowed unto them. And they said, "We cannot do this thing, neither yet heard we of it but to-dayt." And they brought the covenant which he had made with them, and read it in their earst. And they said, "Give us time for fifteen days, and we will write unto the emperor." And their wrath was kindled; and they said, "We are not the cause [p] that the peace is broken; but ye are the cause, for there is no faithfulness in the mouth of any of you§." And the Spaniard asked, saying, "Show me, I pray you, the large ships.” And Dragut went with him upon the galleon of Barbarossa, and they saw therein many batteringrams and iron balls, and sixty great rams to batter the walls, and thirty middle-sized; and the janissaries who were therein were men of war, and their number was one thousand. And they went Gen. xxi. 26.

*Jos. viii. 28.

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SOLYMAN'S FLEET, A.D. 1551.

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to view the second ship, and behold, she was full of baskets and iron instruments to dig the ground, and four thousand horses' saddles. And in the third there were great pieces of wood to make a fort, artificial work, whose like was not seen for beauty. And the number of the soldiers was fifteen thousand, beside the soldiers who were in the ships. While they were yet talking*, came Pietro, the servant of the viceroy; and in his hand was a writing from his master, saying, "I cannot give back Africa, until the answer of the emperor be come; for thieves, night-robberst, are come against it, who have rebelled against Solyman ; but the emperor has not taken it from his hand." And the Spaniard took the writing, and went with Pietro, unto the captain of the host. And he called his seven councillors, and read the writing in their ears. And they said, "We cannot wait fifteen days until the answer of the emperor come. For Solyman did command us, saying, 'If the viceroy who is in Sicily will not send you the keys of Africa, when ye come unto Messina, go your way to war against it, and break the statute of the covenant§.'" And Pietro spake in the name of his master; and they rebuked him in their burning wrath, for they knew him. And they said unto + Obad. 5. § Zech. x. 10.

* Esther vi. 14.

↑ Gen. 1. 16.

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him, "Who hath brought thee hither* to speak unto the captain of the host? Art thou not our servant?" And they took the writing, and said, "When a man cometh to deliver Africa into our hand, he shall come unto us securely, and we will not violate the covenant." And the Spaniard spake hard things unto Dragut before the captain of the host, saying, "Thou hast done wickedly, to violate the covenant; may the Lord look and judget." And Dragut cursed him; and the Spaniard fled from before him, for he feared for his life. And the number of the large galleys was one hundred and seven, and the small were twenty-three, and the great ships three.

1252. And the Turks journeyed from thence in that night, and sailed unto Malta, and went on shore. And the priests went out against them, and slew among them a great slaughter; and they sailed from thence, and went unto Argosa||, and took it, on the twenty-fourth day of the month of July; and they took all the spoil thereof; they left no gleanings. And there went into captivity before the enemy** about three thousand souls at that time; and one hundred and fifty priests were slain by the edge of the sword; and the houses were burned with fire, and their

* Judges xviii. 3.

+ Gen. xlii. 7.

Exod. v. 21.

** Lam. i. 5.

§ i. e. The knights, who were a military religious order.

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