uriously wrought with needle-work. That it was of great
value appears from the price which Ali had for that part of it which
fell to his share when Omar divided it; which, though it was none of the
best, yielded him twenty thousand pieces of silver. After this, in the
same year, the Persians were defeated by the Saracens in a great battle
near Jaloulah.

Omar, having taken Jerusalem, continued there about ten days to put
things in order.

Omar now thought of returning to Medina, having first disposed his
affairs after the following manner: Syria he divided into two parts, and
committed all that lies between Hauran and Aleppo to Abu Obeidah, with
orders to make war upon it till he had completely subdued it. Yezid Ebn
Abu Sofian was to take the charge of all Palestine and the sea-shore.
Amrou Ebn Al Aas was sent to invade Egypt, no inconsiderable part of the
Emperor's dominions, which were now continually mouldering away. The
Saracens at Medina had almost given Omar over, and began to conclude
that he would never stir from Jerusalem, but be won to stay there from
the richness of the country and the sweetness of the air; but especially
by the thought that it was the country of the prophets and the Holy
Land, and the place where we must all be summoned together at the
resurrection. At last he came, the more welcome the less he had been
expected. Abu Obeidah, in the mean time, reduced Kinnisrin and Alhadir,
the inhabitants paying down five thousand ounces of gold, and as many of
silver, two thousand suits of clothes of several sorts of silk, and five
hundred asses' loads of figs and olives. Yezid marched against Caesarea
in vain, that place being too well fortified to be taken by his little
army, especially since it had been reinforced by the Emperor, who had
sent a store of all sorts of provision by sea, and a reinforcement to
the garrison of two thousand men. The inhabitants of Aleppo were much
disheartened by the loss of Kinnisrin and Alhadir, well knowing that it
would not be long before their turn would come to experience themselves
what, till then, they had known only by report. They had two governors,
brothers, who dwelt in the castle (the strongest in all Syria), which
was not at that time encompassed by the town, but stood out of it, at a
little distance. The name of one of these brethren, if my author
mistakes not, was Youkinna, the other John. Their father held of the
emperor Heraclius all the territory between A