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 teaching scriptures in the camp with bow and arrowst, 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 Miraol 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 wrote to Solyman daily, and he

.יעקב קומיניטו

ti. e. He was a scholar as well as a soldier.

Is. xxix, 11, 12, 18. Dan. i. 4.

.אנדריאה מיראול 8

.גראן מאיסטרו ד

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 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 † Esther iii. 15.

.קאריבייו *

עב

IBRAHIM PASHA-PHILIP VILLERS.

335

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.

עב

36 ADRIAN DIES, A. D. 1523-CLEMENT VII. him and his brethren*, and then he blessed him, and went out from him, and he spake to him no more; and his sickness became heavy upon him, and Adrian died in the month of September, in the year one thousand five hundred and twenty-three. And they chose Giulio di Medici on the nineteenth day of the month of November, and they called his name Clement until the day of his death.

631. And there was strife between the duke of Bourbon (the constable), and the mother of Francis, the king, about the cities which she had taken from him; and he sought to lift up his hand against the king. And the thing became known: when he was at Lyons the king sought to kill him, and Bourbon fled from before him in the month of September; and he went to the emperor, who received him with gladness. And the nobles who turned after him were taken alive; and they put them in prison.

632. And Geronimo Adorno went to speak to the nobles of Venice in behalf of the emperor, in that year, for the covenant was completed which they made with King Francis†, and they made peace with the emperor, and a covenant between them. And Geronimo died there, being then forty years old; and they embalmed him, and he

i. e. The knights.

This may mean that the time of their treaty was expired.