Citation: Ioly Zorattini (Processi del S. Uffizio di Venezia... 1633-1637. Florence: Olschki, 1992, 10-12. Cfr. Serino 1939: 217; Rozen 1985.) Notes: Abendana, Beniamin born in Lyon, 1588, baptized by parents (secretly Jsh). fam left for Orient, where lived openly as Jews. Returned to Ferrara, where parents died. Beniamin married, left Ferrara first to Ven (1612?-1621?) for a few yrs and then to Orient. Mother: Ester, Father: Giacob. his bio defined him as "huomo molto astuto, sagace e svegliato". in levant acquired in addin to Itn, Hebrew, French, Spanish which he already spoke "le lingue orientali Greca, Turca et Arabica e con esse s'andava industrianndo per vivere" [Francesco da Serino, Croniche : 217] worked as dragoman but his "bad nature" always alienated him in t end from local potentates . after various trips est h/s in S Giovanni d'Acri at service of Flemish consul, where he received annual subsidy from Ven of 300 piastre from bro [resident in Ven] "acciò non lo molestasse maggiormente." in t end managed to enter in contact w Franciscans "della Custodia". in May 1639 presented h/s to Franciscans of J-m askg t father guardian of t monastery to be reconciled w "santa chiesa" for havg apostasized. havg obtained t patent of reconcilian & t passage to France, in demonstrn of his good faith, baptized 2 eldest sons, awa young daughter before departg to marseille w t wife, who was born in Bordeaux and who affirmed vigorously her wish to "be and die chrn". when t day arrived to get onboard w s.r Faubri & o French signori Beniamin began "to find various excuses", and delayed their leave by 10 days. these 10 days became 4 yrs & Abendana always managed to deffer his trip to Euro, givg t friars various excuses, and leadg a life "né da Giudeo né da Christiano, gabando hor questo et hor quell'altro." [Serino 224-25]. in end rec letters from Rome were cancelled. 1642: was in Damascus where he had to run away in a hurry bec t ct's governor found out "una sua tresca" w a Muslim woman. 6/24/1650 register of death of Jsh cmnt in Ven: Beniamin Abendana, 62 yrs old who died of "febre e cattaro" o/s ghetto in h of sig.r residente di francia "in lista di Spagna" where Abendana worked as interpreter.