P. [13], l. 18. “Making a sign with the fine linen of Xylus.” This is a misunderstanding of the original Latin, which says, “factoque ex duabus Xyli syndonibus.” The word “Xyli” here is intended for the genitive of Xylon = cotton. The passage should read, “and making out of two pieces of cotton cloth.” The original Spanish says, “y haziendo vandera de dos paños de algodon.” What Montezinos and his companion did was to construct a flag out of their two cotton waistbands.
P. [14], l. 1. Curious mistake overlooking the identity of Jacob and Israel.
P. [14], l. 22. “Mohanes”: American-Indian medicine men. (See infra, p. 56.)
The Hope of Israel
P. [17], l. 21. For Jewish aspects of the early voyages to America see Kayserling, “Christopher Columbus, and the participation of the Jews in the Spanish and Portuguese discoveries” (Lond., 1894); also the same author’s “The First Jew in America,” in the John Hopkins University Studies for 1892.
P. [18], l. 32. “Gomoras” = Francisco Lopez de Gomara.
P. [18], l. 18. “Tunes” = Tunis.
P. [18], l. 22. “Isaac Abarbanel,” Jewish statesman and theologian (1437–1509), served Alphonso V. of Portugal, Isabella of Spain, and Ferdinand of Naples; author of numerous Bible commentaries and philosophical essays. Headed the emigration of the Spanish Jews at the time of the expulsion (Graetz, Geschichte d. Juden, vol. viii. pp. 316 et seq.; Kayserling, Juden in Portugal, pp. 72, 100). The Abarbanels, whose descendants are numerous in Europe, claimed descent from King David. Menasseh ben Israel’s wife was an Abarbanel (see “Hope of Israel,” p. 39). Mr. Coningsby Disraeli is a descendant on his mother’s side.
P. [19], l. 30. “Rabbi Jonathan ben Uziel.” The author of a free Aramaic paraphrase (Targum) to the Hebrew Prophetical Books. His date is about the beginning of the Christian era. A Targum to the Pentateuch is wrongly ascribed to him; this is properly the Targum Yerushalmi or Jerusalem Targum (see Zunz, “Die Gottesdienstlichen Vorträge der Juden,” pp. 66 seq.).
P. [19], l. 33. “Rabbinus Josephus Coen in his Chronology” (see Bialloblotzky, “The Chronicles of Rabbi Joseph ben Meir the Sphardi,” Lond., 1835). Joseph Cohen was born 1496 and died 1575.