[p.78]

He conceived the idea of rebelling against the king of Persia, and of collecting the Jews who live in the mountains of Chafton to go forth and to fight against all the nations, and to march and capture Jerusalem.  He showed signs by pretended miracles to the Jews, and said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, sent me to capture Jerusalem and to free you from the yoke of the Gentiles.”  And the Jews believed in him and called him their Messiah.  When the king of Persia heard of it he sent for him to come and speak with him.  Alroy went to him without fear, and when he had audience of the king, the latter asked him, “Art thou the king of the Jews?” He answered, “I am.”  Then the king was wrath, and commanded that he should be seized and placed in the prison of the king, the place where the king’s prisoners were bound unto the day of their death, in the city of Tabaristan which is on the large river Gozan.  At the end of three days, whilst the king was sitting deliberating with his princes concerning the Jews who had rebelled, David suddenly stood before them.  He had escaped from the prison without the knowledge of any man.

[p.79]

And when the king saw him, he said to him, “Who brought thee hither, and who has released thee?” “My own wisdom and skill,” answered the other; “for I am not afraid of thee, nor of any of thy servants.”  The king forthwith loudly bade his servants to seize him, but they answered, “We cannot see any man, although our ears hear him.”  Then the king and all his princes marvelled at his subtlety; but he said to the king “I will go my way”; so he went forth.  And the king went after him; and the princes and servants followed their king until they came to the river-side.  Then Alroy took off his mantle and spread it on the face of the water to cross thereon.  When the servants of the king saw that he crossed the water on his mantle, they pursued him in small boats, wishing to bring him back, but they were unable, and they said, “There is no wizard like this in the whole world.”  That self-same day he went a journey of ten days to the city of Amadia by the strength of the ineffable Name, and he told the Jews all that had befallen him, and they were astonished at his wisdom.

[p.80]

After that the king of Persia sent word to the Emir Al-Muminin, the Caliph of the Mohammedans at Bagdad, urging him to warn the Head of the Exile, and the Head of the Academy Gaon Jacob, to restrain David Alroy from executing his designs.  And he threatened that he would otherwise slay all the Jews in his Empire.  Then all the congregations of the land of Persia were in great trouble.  And the Head of the Captivity, and the Head of the Academy Gaon Jacob, sent to Alroy, saying, “The time of redemption is not yet arrived; we have not yet seen the signs thereof; for by strength shall no man prevail.  Now our mandate is, that thou cease from these designs, or thou shalt surely be excommunicated from all Israel.”  And they sent unto Zakkai the Nasi in the land of Assur (Mosul) and unto R. Joseph Burhan-al-mulk the astronomer there, bidding them to send on the letter to Alroy, and furthermore they themselves wrote to him to warn him, but he would not accept the warning.