do not so much as name the Succession of Calepinus or Orchanes after the Captivity of Bajazet but rejecteth them both as Counterfeits But in my opinion without prejudice to any that upon better reason may deem otherwise the great confusion of the Turkish Kingdom in short time wrought by the mighty Tamerlane and his Tartars with the civil Discord and War afterwards arising among the Sons of Bajazet striving all as it were at once for the restless room of Soveraignty which suffereth no Partners and every one of them according to his hap or power laying hand upon some one part or other thereof and bearing himself therein for a time as King in Countries so far distant never leaving until they had like the Earth-born Brethren wrought one anothers destruction might give just occasion of such diversity of Reports as is before spoken of concerning the Succession of that time in that troubled and rent Kingdom some reckoning one some another and some such as never were to have succeeded in the Government and so untruly augmenting the number of the Turkish Kings Wherefore leaving Calepinus and Orchanes unto them that first found them with that little which without any good ground and less probability is written of their supposed Reign I following the authority of the Turkish History reckon this Mahomet one of the youngest Sons of Bajazet of whom we are now to intreat Fifth King of the Turks who after great and dangerous Wars as well against his own Brethren as his foreign Enemies was at length solely invested in the Turkish Kingdom about ten years after the Captivity of his Father Bajazet as shall hereafter be declared Bajazet after the manner of the Turkish Kings having laid up the hope of his Posterity in the common Treasure-house of Nature rather than in the body of one lawful Wife had by divers Wives and Concubins seven Sons Erthogrul otherwise called Orthobules Emer-Solyman Mustapha-Zelebi that is to say the Noble Isa-Zelebi Musa-Zelebi Sultan Mahomet and Casan-Zelebi Of whom Erthogrul the eldest was lost in the Wars against Casi Burchaniden as is before said in the life of Bajazet Mustapha was slain in the great battel against Tamerlane and there buried in the Bed of Fame Cusan the youngest was a Child in Bajazet his Court when his Father was taken and afterwards with his Sister Fatime delivered as Hostages by their Brother Solyman unto Emanuel the Emperor of Constantinople where they both happily became Christians and so shortly after died Solyman was by Alis Bassa President of Bajazet his Council and other great Captains conveyed out of the battel against Tamerlane into Europe and so by them at Hadrianople saluted Sultan Mahomet fled out of the same battel to Amasia in Capadocia where he was in his Fathers time Governor Isa hearing of his Fathers Captivity after the departing of Tamerlane with his Tartars seised upon Prusa a City of Bithynia the ancient Seat of the Turkish Kings with the Country adjoyning and there reigned as King. Musa-Zelebi was taken Prisoner with Bajazet his Father and afterwards set at liberty by Tamerlane But of their Fortunes more shall be said in this History following Mahomâ—t was but fifteen years old when his Father Bajazet in the unfortunate battel of Mount Stella was taken Prisoner and was at the same time by his appointment Governor of Amasia with a great part of Capadocia adjoâ—ning which places became so troublesome after the great Victory of Tamerlane that the Turks in that Country were glad day and night for the safeguard of themsâ—lves their Wives and Children to keep continual Watch and Ward insomuch that many of them wearied with those Troubles and despairing of better Times went into voluntary Exile because they would not see so great Miseries which thing much griev'd young Mahomet Wherefore calling unto him his most faithful Counsellors to consult what course to take iâ— the midst of so many dangers it was by general consent thought best for so much as they could not without apparent danger continue near unto Tamerlanes Forces to get themselves further off into places of more strength and from thence to expect the departure of their Enemies and in the mean time to content themselves with such advantages as occasion and chance of War might minister cutting them short by policy whom they were not able to meet in the plain Field and so by little and little to weaken or weary their mighty stragling Enemies For albeit that Tamerlane himself was not near him as then lying in Caria yet did the Captains of his great and victorious Army at their pleasure spoil and forrage the Countries far and near all over the lesser Asia Upon this Resolution he with all his Forces departed from Amasia to Derby in Papâ—lagonia where by the way he incountred with Cara Iahia a nigh Kinsman to the Prince Isfendiar of Castamona his Enemy whom he put to flight with great slaughter of his Men. This was the beginning of Mahomets good Fortune From thence he went to Kereden and there staying certain days sent a Spy into Tamerlanes Camp to see how all things went there and afterwards entred again into Council with his Captains concerning his further proceedings In which Consultation some were of opinion That it was best for him to withdraw himself into the Mountains of the lesser Asia as a place of good safety until the departure of Tamerlane which was shortly hoped for for that it was not to be thought that Tamerlane would with his huge Army pursue him in that Mountain-Country flying from Hill to Hill and as it were from strength to strength Others better advised thought these Mountains to be no places to trust unto and therefore that it were more honourable and as free from danger for him to return again to Amasia there to live amongst his Subjects protecting them in such sort as he might and not to leave them for a Prey to every stragling Company of the rude Tartarians which counsel he followed as most reasonable and being ready to set forward the Spy before by him sent into Tamerlanes Camp returned certifying him that he had seen his Father Bajazet in good health in the Tartars Camp but could not by any means speak with him by reason of the straight Guard set over him and that all that part of Asia was by Tamerlane possessed who then with his Army wintred in Caria and Lâ—sia whereupon Mahomet returned back again into Amasia where he had not long stayed but that News was brought unto him That one of the Tartarian Princes called Cara Duletschach that is to say the fortunate black King was with an Army of twenty thousand coming to spoil his Country being given him by Tamerlane With which News he was exceedingly troubled wherefore with all speed calling together his Forces for the safeguard of his Country sent before a Spy to discover the Enemies doings This diligent Spy returning in all hast told Mahomet That Cara Dulet
as God his judgment set apart wonderful and shameful it is to consider how it was by this Turkish King Mahomet so quickly taken and the Christian Empire of the East there utterly overthrown which happened on the nine and twentieth day of May in the year of our Lord 1453. Constantinus Palaeologus the Son of â—elena and last Christian Emperor being then slain when he had reigned about eight years Since which time it hath continued the Imperial Seat of the Turkish Emperors and so remaineth at this day The Potestates and Citizens of Pera otherwise called Galata a City standing opposite against Constantinople on the other side of the â—aven and then under the Government of the Genoways doubting to run the same course of misery with their Neighbours sent their Orators unto Mahomet the same day that Constantinople was taken offering to him the Keys of their Gates and so to become his Subjects Of which their Offer Mahomet accepted and sent Zoganus with his Regiment to take possession of the City Who coming thither according to Mahomet his Commandment there established the Turkish Government confiscated the Goods of all such as were fled and used the rest of the Citizens which staid with such Insolency and Oppression as that their misery was not much less than theirs of Constantinople and because it was doubted that the Genoways might by Sea give Aid unto the Citizens if they should at any time seek to revolt he caused all the Walls and Fortresses of the City which were toward the Land to be cast down and laid even with the ground Thus is the fatal period of the Greek Empire run and Mahomet in one day become Lord of the two famous Cities of Constantinâ—ple and Pera the one taken by Force the other by Composition At which time the misery of Pera was great but that of Constantinople justly to be accounted amongst the greatest Calamities that ever happened to any Christian City in the World. Mahomet had of long time born a secret grudge against Caly-Bassa sometimes his Tutor for that by his means Amurath his Father in the dangerous time of the Hungarian Wars had again resumed unto himself the Government of the Turkish Kingdom which he had before resigned unto him then but young But forasmuch as he was the chief Bassa and had for many years ruled all things at his pleasure to the general good liking of the people during the Reign of old Amurath and was thereby grown to be of such Wealth Credit and Authority as no man had at any time obtained greater under any of the Othoman Kings Mahâ—met in the beginning of his Reign before he was established in his Kingdom durst not take Revenge of that Injury as he deemed it but yet still kept it in remembrance warily dissembling his deep conceived hatred as if he had quite forgot it Nevertheless sometime for all his wariness words fell from him whereby the wary Courtiers which as curiously weigh their Princes words as the cunning Goldsmith doth his finest Gold easily perceived the secret grudge that stuck in his stomach against the Bassa and thereby divined his fall to be at hand So it hapned one day that as Mahomet was walking in the Court he saw a Fox of the Bassaes tied in a chain which after he had a while earnestly looked upon he suddenly brake into this Speech Alas poor Beast hast thou no money to give thy Master to set thee at liberty Out of which words curious heads gathâ—red much matter concerning the Kings disposition towards the Bassa This ominous surmising of the Courtiers which oft-times proveth too true was not unknown unto the Bassa himself but troubled him much wherefore to get himself out of the way for a season more than for any devotion he took upon him to go in Pilgrimage to visit the Temple of the great Prophet as they term him at Mecha which amongst the Turks is holden for a right Religious and Meritorious Work hoping that the young Kings displeasure might in time be mittigated and his malice asswaged But Mahomet perceiving the distrust of the Bassa and whereof it proceeded seemed to take knowledge thereof and with good words comforted him up willing him to be of good chear and not to misdoubt any thing neither to regard the vain Speech of foolish people assuring him of his undoubted Favour and the more to put him out of all suspition continually sent him rich Gifts and heaped upon him new Honours as if of all others he had esteemed him most Until that now at the taking of Constantinople it was discovered by Lucas Leontares that he had Intelligence with the late Emperor of Constantinople and his Letters produced For which cause or as the common report went for the old grudge that the Tyrant bare against him as also for his great Wealth he was by Mahomets commandment apprehended and carried in bonds to Hadrianople where after he had with exquisite torments been enforced to confess where all his Treasures lay he was most cruelly in his extream old age executed After whose death his Friends and Servants which were many for he was a man greatly beloved in Court in token of their grief put on Mourning Apparel so that in the Court appeared a great shew of common sorrow wherewith Mahomet being offended caused Proclamation to be made That all such as did wear such Mourning Apparel should the next day appear before him at which time there was not one to be seen about the Court in that heavy Attire for fear of the Tyrants displeasure After that Mahomet was thus become Lord of the Imperial City of Constantinople as is aforesaid and had fully resolved there to place his Imperial Seat he first repaired the Walls and other Buildings spoiled in the late Siege and by Proclamations sent forth into all parts of his Dominions gave great Priviledges and Immunities to all such as should come to dwell at Constantinople with free liberty to exercise what Religion or Trade they pleased Whereby in short time that great and desolate City was again well peopled with such as out of divers Countries resorted thither but specially with the Jewish Nation which driven out of other places came thither in great numbers and were of the Turks glady received So when he had there establisht all things according to his hearts desire he took upon him the Name and Title of an Emperor and is from that time not unworthily reputed for the first Emperor of the Turks Now among many fair Virgins taken Prisoners by the Turks at the winning of Constantinople was one Irene a Greek born of such incomparable Beauty and rare Perfection both of Body of Mind as if Nature had in her to the admiration of the World laboured to have shewn her greatest skill so prodigally she had bestowed upon her all the Graces that might beautifie or commend that her so curious a Work. This Paragon was by him that by chance had taken her
honourably descended whose Father having married the Neece of the Emperor Romanus Argirus and aspiring to the Empire being convicted thereof slew himself for fear to be enforced by Torments to bewray his Confederates This Diogenes was by the late Emperor Constantine for his good Service against the Scythes who then much troubled the Empire highly promoted with most honourable testimony in the Charters of his Promotions That such Honours were bestowed upon him not of the Emperors meer Bounty but as the due Rewards of his worthy Deserts Notwithstanding after the death of the Emperor he sick of his Fathers disease and swelling with the pride of Ambition sought by secret means to have aspired unto the Empire whereof the Empress having intelligence caused him to be apprehended and brought in bonds to CONSTANTINOPLE where being found guilty of the foul Treason and so committed to safe keeping was shortly after brought forth to the Judgment Seat again to receive the heavy Sentence of death In which woful plight standing as a man out of hope and now utterly forlorn he moved all the beholders with a sorrowful compassion for beside that he was a man of exceeding strength so was he of incomparable feature and beauty adorned with many other rare qualities and vertues answerable thereunto wherewith the Empress moved with the rest or pierced with a secret good liking is hard to say revoked the Sentence of Condemnation ready to have been pronounced upon him and gave him Pardon And shortly after having set him at liberty sent for him as he was going into CAPADOCIA his native Country and made him General of all her Forces with a full resolution in her self to marry him and to make him Emperor if she might by any means get the writing out of the Patriarchs hand wherein her Oath for never marrying again was comprised For the compassing whereof she entred into a deep device full of feminine policy with one of her Eunuchs whom she purposed to use as her pander for the circumventing of the Patriarch This crafty Eunuch instructed by his Mistress coming to the Patriarch Ioannes Xiliphilines a man both for his place and integrity of life much honoured told him in great secret that the Empress had so far set her good liking upon a young Gentleman a Nephew of his called Barda then a Gallant of the Court as that she could be content to take him to her Husband and to make him Emperor if she might by his Holiness be perswaded that she might with safe conscience do it and by him be discharged of the rash Oath she had unadvisedly taken never to marry again whereof he had the keeping The Patriarch otherwise a Contemner of worldly honours yet moved with so great a Preferment of his Nephew promised the Eunuch to do therein whatsoever the Empress had desired which he accordingly performed And so sending for the Senators one by one in whose good liking the matter chiefly rested he with much gravity propounded unto them the dangerous estate of the Common-weal with the Troubles daily increasing and the continual fear of foreign Enemies not to be repressed by the weak hand of a Woman or the authority of young Children but requiring as he said the valiant courage of some worthy Man. After that he began to find great fault with the rash Oath which the Empress had taken a little before the death of her Husband never to marry and utterly condemning the same as contrary to the Word of God and unjustly exacted of her rather to satisfie the jealous humour of the Emperor her late Husband than for any good of the Common-weal he in fine perswaded them that the unlawful Oath might be revoked and the Empress set at liberty at her pleasure by their good liking to make choice of such a man for her Husband as might better undertake so weighty affairs of the Empire more fit for a Man than for so tender a Lady and three young Children The greater part of the Senate thus perswaded by the Patriarch and the rest with Gifts and Promises overcome by the Empress the Patriarch delivered unto her the Writing she so much desired and discharged her of her Oath whereupon she forthwith calling unto her certain of her secret Friends married Diogenes whom she caused to be proclaimed Emperor Now thought Eudocia after the manner of a Woman to have had her Husband whom she even from the bottom of dispair had exalted to the highest Type of Honour in all things Loyal and Pliant whereunto he for a while at the first forced himself but afterwards being a man of a proud nature and haughty spirit became weary of such Observance and began by little and little to take every day more and more upon him And for that the Imperial Provinces in the East were in some part lost and the rest in no small danger he as well for the redress thereof as for his own Honour and to shew himself an Emperor indeed and not the Servant of the Empress left the Court and passed over into ASIA although it were with a small Army and evil appointed for why it was no easie matter for him to furnish out the Army with all things necessary which by the sloth and sparing of the late Emperors had to the great danger and dishonour of the Empire been utterly neglected Nevertheless the Turkish Sultan who at the same time with a great Power invaded the Provinces of the Empire hearing of his coming and that he was a man of great valour and doubting what Power he might bring with him retired himself and dividing his Army sent the one part thereof into the South part of ASIA and the other into the North which spoiled all the Country before them as they went and suddenly surprising the City of NEO-CESARIA sacked it and so laded with the spoil thereof departed But the Emperor understanding thereof and not a little grieved therewith drawing out certain bands and companies of the best and most readiest Souldiers in his Army and with them coasting the Country to get betwixt the Turks and home used therein such expedition that he was upon them before they were aware and so suddenly charging them brought such a fear upon them that they betook themselves to their heels leaving behind them for hast their Baggage and Carriages with all the Prisoners and Booty they had before taken at NEO-CESARIA and in their late Expedition yet was there no great number of them slain for that the Christians sore wearied with long travel were not able far to follow the chace From thence taking his way unto SIRIA he sent part of his Army to MELITENA and carried himself from ALEPPO a great booty both of men and cattel At which time also the City of HIERAPOLIS was yielded unto him where he shortly after built a strong Castle But whilst he there stayed news was brought unto him that the other part of his Army which he had sent away was
after his death to the power of Bajazet his Son had he not by Domestical troubles been enforced to turn himself another way and as it were to neglect in time to relieve his distressed Garrison in Otranto as shall hereafter be declared Christian Princes of the same time with Mahomet the Great Emperors Of the East Constantinus Palaeologus last Christian Emperor of Constantinople 1444. 8. Of the West Frederick the Third Arch-Duke of Austria 1440. 54. Kings Of England Henry the Sixth 1422. 39. Edward the Fourth 1460. 22. Of France Charles the Seventh 1423. 38. Lewis the Eleventh 1461. 22. Of Scotland James the Second 1436. 29. James the Third 1460. 29. Bishops of Rome Nicholas the V. 1437. 8. Calixtus the III. 1455. 3. Pius the II. 1458. 6. Paulus the II. 1464. 7. Xystus the IV. 1471. 13. Arma manu quatiunt fratres hostilia regnum Hinc Bajazethes Lizimus inde petit Bajazethes rerum potitur Rhodon inde Quiritum Lizimus extrema maenia sorte petit Sustinet et bello varias et pace procellas Bajazethes foelix et miser inter opes Iam senio tremulus sert bella domestica regno A Gnato ejectus dira venena bibit Two Brothers now infest the mighty State Lemes on this ' Side Bajazet on that Fortune crowns Bajazet while Lemes flyes From Rhodes to Rome drivin by his destinies Much Bajazet endur'd in warr and peace Happy and wretched his triumphall daies Till worne with age and with domestick strife A Cup of Poyson ends his loathsome life The LIFE of BAJAZET The Second of that NAME AND Second Emperor OF THE TURKS UPon the death of Mahomet the late Emperor great Troubles began to arise about the Succession in the Turkish Empire some of the Bassaes and great Captains seeking to place Bajazet the eldest Son of Mahomet in the Empire and others with no less devotion labouring to prefer Zemes or Gemes otherwise called Zizimus Bajazet his younger Brother By occasion whereof there arose two great and mighty Factions which in few days grew to such heat that many great Tumults and hot Skirmishes were made in the Imperial City betwixt the Favorites of both Factions and great slaughter committed In these Broils the proud Janizaries for an old grudge slew Mahometes one of the four great Bassaes a man by whose grave Counsel most of the weighty Affairs of the Turkish Empire had been managed during the Reign of the late Emperor and proceeding further in their accustomed Insolency spoiled all the Christians and Jews which dwelt amongst them of all their Wealth and Substance at which time the rich Merchants and Citizens of Constantinople which were natural Turks themselves escaped not their ravenous Hands but became unto them a Prey and Spoil also The other three Bassaes of the Court Isaac Mesithes and Achmetes lately returned from the winning of Hydruntum in Italy although they secretly maligned and envied one at the greatness of another yet to appease these so dangerous Troubles and to assure their own Estates joyned hands together and by their great Authority and multitude of Followers and Favorites found means that Corcutus one of the younger Sons of Bajazet a young Prince of eighteen years old was as it were by general content of the Nobility and Souldiers saluted Emperor and with great Triumph and Solemnity placed in the Imperial Seat. In whose name the aforesaid Bassaes at their pleasure disposed of all things little or nothing regarding either Bajazet or Zemes then both absent the one at Amasia and the other at Iconium in Lycaonia For the jealous Turkish Kings never suffer their Sons to live in Court near unto them after they be grown to years of discretion but send them to Govern their Provinces far off where they are also under the Command of the Emperors Lieutenants-General in Asia or Europe and may not depart from their Charge without great danger not so much as to visit their Father without express leave and commandment So jealous are those Tyrants yea even of their own Sons Bajazet and Zemes hearing of the death of their Father and of the Troubles in the Imperial City hasted thitherward with all speed where Bajazet being the nearer first arrived but finding the Empire already possessed by Corcutus his younger Son and himself excluded he in grief of his heart poured forth most grievous Complaints before God and man calling Heaven and Earth to witness of the great wrong and injury done unto him by the proud Bassaes. And what by Tears and humble Obtestations what by great Gifts and greater Promises but most of all by the earnest labour and solicitation of Cherseogles Vice-Roy of Graecia and the Aga or Captain of the Janizaries both his Sons in law prevailed so much with the great Bassaes and Souldiers of the Court that Corcutus being of a mild and courteous disposition overcome by their intreaty and the reverence of his Father resigned unto him the Imperial Government which he presently took upon him with the general good liking of the people and made Corcutus Governor of Lycia Caria and Ionia with the pleasant and rich Countries thereabouts allowing him a great yearly Pension for the better maintenance of his Estate with promise also of the Empire after his decease and so sent him away to his Charge where he most pleasantly lived during the Reign of his Father Bajazet giving himself wholly to the study of Philosophy which made that he was afterwards less favoured of the Janizaries and other men of War. Zemes thus prevented by his elder Brother and understanding by his Friends how all things stood at Constantinople and that Bajazet was already possessed of the Empire returning with great speed raised a puissant Army in the Countries which were under his Command and marching through the heart of Asia the less by the way as he went took into his possession such Cities and strong Places as he thought best and so entring into Bithynia took the great City of Prusa the ancient Seat of the Othoman Kings Purposing in himself that as Bajazet had shut him out of Europe so he would also in requital thereof exclude him out of that part of the Turkish Empire which is beyond Hellespontus in Asia and to make himself Lord thereof Wherein Fortune at the first seemed unto him most favourable all the people wheresoever he came yielding unto him Obedience as unto their Prince and Soveraign so that in short time he seemed both unto himself and to others in strong possession of that part of the Empire Of these his proceedings Bajazet having Intelligence and perceiving the greater part of his Empire now in danger to be lost and doubting further that Zemes his ambitious Mind would hardly rest therewith long contented for remedy of so great a Mischief levied a strong and puissant Army wherewith he passed over into Asia and came to Neapolis a City of Anatolia near whereunto Zemes lay with his Army strongly incamped As
Religion and changing his Name of Stephen to Achomates and Cherseogles he married one of Bajazet his Daughters a Princess of great Beauty and deserved to have a place amongst the Bassaes of greatest honour in the Court. Yet still retaining the remembrance of his former Profession with a desire to return thereto again insomuch that he kept in his secret closet the image of the Crucifix which he shewed to Io. Lascaris as to his trusty Friend as he himself reported This man at such time as the City of Modon was taken by the Turks and a multitude of poor Christian Captives cruelly put to death in the sight of Bajazet by earnest intreaty saved the Venetian Senators there taken and afterward by earnest sute delivered Andreas Gritti being Prisoner at Constantinople and condemned to die who not many years after was chosen Duke of Venice He was the chief means whereby the Venetians to their great good obtained Peace of Bajazet He also by his great Authority and of his own charge redeemed innumerable Christians from the servitude of the Turks and set them at liberty Neither is his kindness towards the furtherance of good learning to be forgotten for at such time as the foresaid Io. Lascaris the notable and learned Grecian by the appointment of Leo the Tenth sought ancient works of famous Writers he procured the Turkish Emperors Letters Patents that he might freely at his pleasure search all the Libraries in Grecia to the great benefit of good Letters Now Bajazet encouraged by this mans perswasion as is aforesaid and hearing as he lay in his Pavilion the Alarm of the Enemy with the tumult and clamor of his own Souldiers as if they had been men afraid and sundry Messengers also at the same time coming unto him with news That Selymus with his Tartarian Horsemen had almost inclosed the Rearward of his Army and already taken some of his Baggage grinding his Teeth for very madness and grief of mind with Tears trickling down his hoary Cheeks got him out of his Pavilion in his Horse-litter for he was at the same time so troubled with the Gout that he was not able to sit on Horseback and turning himself unto the Pensioners and Janizaries standing about him as their manner is said unto them Will you Foster-Children valiant Souldiers and faithful keepers of my Person who with great fortune have served me in Field above the space of thirty years and for your faithful and good service have both in time of Peace and War of me received such rewards as by your own confession and thanksgiving far exceeded your own expectation and the measure of our Treasures Will you I say suffer the innocent Father to be butchered by his graceless Son And your old Emperor tormented with age and diseases to be cruelly murthered by a company of wild Tartars little better than arrant Rogues and Theeves Shall I be now forsaken in this my heavy old age and last act of Life And shall I be delivered unto mine Enemies by them by them I say who many years ago with great faithfulness and invincible Courage defended mine Honour and Right against my Brother Zemes And have many times since not only valiantly defended this Empire against most warlike Nations but also most victoriously augmented the same But I will not so lightly believe that which to my no small grief is brought unto mine ears concerning the revolting of mine Army neither if I did believe it am I so fearful as to be therewith discouraged or to seek to make shift for my self For to what purpose should I think of Flight as though I could in any other place find more faithfulness or surer defence than with you And concerning your selves what should be your hope by this so infamous Treachery If any of you for I cannot believe that you are all so mad without regard of faith of worldly shame or the fear of God have polluted your minds with the pernicious conceit of so foul a Treason do you think to gain greater Rewards and preferments by your Treachery and Villany than by your Fidelity and Constancy There be many which careful of my Person perswade me to reserve this my sick and feeble Body unto my better fortune and to commit my self to flight so rather to save my life with shame and infamy than to end my days with honour and glory Which is so far from my thought for the apprehension of any fear to do that I will to the contrary forthwith give the fierce Enemy battel and in this my last danger make proof of all your Fidelity and Valour and of every one of your good Wills in particular and so by conduct of the Highest either defeat the power and break the strength of this graceless man or else having reigned above thirty years an Emperor end my days together with them which shall unto the end continue with me in their Faithfulness and Loyalty although I should be most shamefully and dishonourably betraied and forsaken of some of mine own Guard which thing though lying Fame would make me believe yet will I not fear it until I see the proof thereof The common sort of Janizaries unto whom the great Commanders and Captains corrupted by Selymus had not for their levity and multitude communicated their purpose of transferring the Empire to Selymus began to cry out as if it had been with general consent That he should not doubt to joyn battel with his Enemies and so to make proof of their constant Fidelity and wonted Valor Which was done with such a cheerfulness and desire expressed by great Shouts clapping of Hands and clattering of Armor that it seemed they would play the parts of resolute Souldiers and that as guiltess men they took it grievously to be once suspected of Treason or Infidelity Others also who secretly and in heart were well affected to Selymus for fashion sake followed them with like cry but especially the great Commanders both of the Army and of the Emperors Court now changed their affection whether it were for shame of the Fact or for fear of discovering themselves out of season is uncertain Wherefore according to the manner of such men which through their mutability and mischievous disposition fearing to be convinced and discovered add unto the present a second and new Treason or Treachery to cover the former so Mustapha and Bostanges not daring now to shew themselves for Selymus to make a great shew of their feigned Loyalty towards Bajazet departed themselves out of his Pavilion to encourage the Souldiers and to martial the Battel Bajazet sick in his Chariot by the advice of Cherseogles the faithful Bassa placed his Battel in this order The Sanzacks which are the Governors of Provinces with their Horsemen in number about six thousand he set in the Front of the Battel the Spachi-oglans and Siliphtars which are the chief Horsemen of the Court and as it were the Emperors Pensioners were placed as two
Children altogether following his pleasure his Mother with his Fathers Kinsmen and Friends who above all things ought to have had an especial care of his Education neglecting the old Emperors trust in them reposed followed also their own Delights without the regard of the Ruine of the Commonweal Some enamoured with the Beauty of the young Empress gave themselves all to bravery and the courting of her othersome in great authority with no less desire in the mean time with the common Treasures filled their empty Cofers and a third sort there was of all the rest most dangerous who neither respecting their sensual pleasure nor the heaping up of wealth looked not so low aiming at the very Empire it self As for the common good that was of all other things of them all least regarded Among these third sort of the ambitious was old Andronicus the Cousin of the late Emperor Emanuel a man of an haughty and troublesom Spirit whom he the said Emperor Emanuel had for his aspiring most part of the time of his Reign kept in prison or else in Exile as he now was being by him not long before for fear of raising new troubles confined to live far off from the Court at Oenum who now hearing of the death of the Emperor Emanuel of the Factions in Court of the Childishness of the young Emperor Alexius given wholly to his Sports and the great men put in trust to have seen to his bringing up and to the Government of the Empire some like Bees to fly abroad into the Country seeking after Mony as the Bees do for Hony some others in the mean time like Hogs lying still and fatting themselves with great and gainful Offices wallowing in all Excess and Pleasure to have no regard of the Honour or Profit of the Common-weal thought it now a fit time in such disorder of the State for him to aspire unto the Empire after which he had all his life-time longed That he was generally beloved of the Constantinopolitans yea and of some of the Nobility also he doubted not for them he had long before by his popular behavior gained together with the distrust of the late Emperor jealous of his Estate which as it cost him his Liberty so missed it not much but that it had cost him his Life also but now that he was dead wanted nothing more than some fair colour for the shadowing of his foul purpose Among many and right divers things by him thought upon was a clause in the Oath of Obedience which he had given to the Emperor Emanuel and Alexius his Son which Oath he had delivered unto him in Writing That if he should see hear or understand of any thing dangerous or hurtful to their Honor Empire or Persons he should forthwith bewray it and to the utmost of his power withstand it which words not so to have been wrested as best serving for his purpose he took first occasion to work upon And as he was a stout and imperious man thereupon writ divers Letters unto the young Emperor his Cousin unto Theodosius the Patriarch and other such as he knew well affected unto the late Emperor Emanuel wherein among other things which he wished to be amended in the present Government he seemed most to complain of the immoderate power and authority of Alexius then President of the Council who in great favour with the young Emperor and more inward with the Empress his Mother than was supposed to stand with her honour ruled all things at his pleasure insomuch as that nothing done by any the great Officers of the Empire or by the Emperor himself was accounted of any force except his approbation wâ—re thereunto annexed whereby he was grown unto such an excessive pride having all things in his power as that no man could without danger as upon the venemous Basilisk look upon him Of which his so excessive and insolent power Andronicus by his Letters now greatly complained moved thereunto as he would have it believed with the care he had of the young Emperors safety which could not as he said long stand with the others so great power which he therefore as in duty bound wished to be abridged aggravating withall the infamous report of Alexius his too much familiarity with the Empress which first muttered in Court afterwards flew as he said throughout the whole World. The reformation of which things as tending to the danger of the Person of the Emperor and Dishonour of the State he forsooth as one in conscience bound with great Gravity and Eloquence being a very learned man both in open Speech and Writing most earnestly desired and thereby so wrought as that he was generally accounted for a man of great experience as indeed he was and a faithfull Counsellor to the State a thing much to have been wished Wherefore leaving Oenum the place whereunto he was by the Emperor Emanuel in a sort banished travelling towards Constantinople he gave it out in every place where he came what he had sworn and what he would for his Oaths sake do unto whom men desirous of the change of the State and such as gave credit unto the report long before given out That he at length should become Emperor flockt in great numbers as Birds about an Owl to see him and with vain praises to chatter about him In this sort he came as far as Paphlagonia in every place honourably received as if he had been a deliverer of his Country sent from God. And in the Imperial City he was not longed for of the Vulgar People only as their Light and Load-Star but divers of the Nobility also by secret Messengers and Letters perswaded him to hasten his coming and to take upon him the Government assuring him that there would be none to resist him or to oppose themselves against his shadow but all ready to receive him especially Mary the young Emperors Sister by the Fathers side with her Husband Caesar who being a Woman of great spirit and grieving much to see her Fathers Empire made a prey unto Alexius the President and the Empress her Step-Mother whom she naturally hated had raised a great and dangerous tumult in the City against them both which was not without much bloodshed appeased and now ceased not by often and most earnest Letters to her own destruction and her Husbands as it afterwards fell out to prick forward Andronicus and to hasten his coming who by Letters and Messengers daily coming unto him from the Court still more and more encouraged leaving behind him the Country of Paphlagonia came to Heraclea in Pontus and still on towards the Imperial City with great cunning and dissimulation winning the hearts of the People as he went. For who was so stonie hearted whom his sweet words and abundant tears flowing from his gracious eyes as from two plentiful Fountains down by his hoary Cheeks might not have moved All that he did or desired was as he said for the
wonderfully even to the astonishment of the World increased and extended their Empire But of them more shall be said hereafter This great King was whilst he lived of his Subjects wonderfully beloved and no less of them after his death lamented He was more faithful of his word than any of the Turkish Kings either before or after him by Nature melancholy and sad and accounted rather politick than valiant yet was indeed both a great dissembler and painful in travel but wayward and testy above measure which many imputed unto his great Age. He had issue six Sons Achmetes Aladin Mahomet Hasan otherwise called Chasan Urchan and Achmetes the younger of some called Calepinus three of whom died before but the two youngest were by their unnatural Brother Mahomet who succeeded him in the Turkish Kingdom even in their infancy in the beginning of his Reign most cruelly murthered Christian Princes of the same time with Amurath the Second Emperors Of the East John Palaeologus 1421. 24. Constantinus Palaeologus 1444. 8. Of the West Sigismund King of Hungary 1411. 28. Albert the Second King of Hungary and Bohemia 1438. 2. Frederick the Third Arch-Duke of Austria 1440. 54. Kings Of England Henry the Fifth 1413. 9. Henry the Sixth 1422. 39. Of France Charles the Sixth 1381. 42. Charles the Seventh 1423. 38. Of Scotland James the First 1424. 13. James the Second 1436. 29. Bishops of Rome Martin the V. 1417. 13. Eugenius the IV. 1431. 16. Nicholas the V. 1447. 8. Qui riâ—i inÌ„uumeros populos tot regno lot urbes Solus eâ— immensi qui timor orbis â—ram Me 〈◊〉 quaecunque rapit mors improba sed sum 〈◊〉 â—xcelsa duclus ad astra tamen 〈◊〉 Aleâ—â—â—nder non me suit Anibal et non Eâ—deriâ— Auâ—oniâ—s tot licet ille Duces 〈…〉 Danaos domuique feroces 〈…〉 populâ—s Sauromatas que truces Pannonius sensiâ—â—â— antum surgebit in armis Vis meaâ—quâ—e latio cognita nuper erat Arsacidae sensere manus has sensit Arabsque El mea suâ—t Persae cognita tela duci Mens fueral bellâ—re Rhodum superare superbam Italiam sed non fata dedere modum Hei mehi nam rapuit mors aspera quaeque sub alto Pectore â—onâ—ideram rertit et hora brevis Sic hominum faâ—lus perâ—unt sic Stemata Sicque Imperium atque qurum quicquid et Orbis habet I who to kingdomes Cities brought their fate The terrour of the trembling world of late Yield to the greater Monarch Death but am Yet proud to think of my immortal fame Greater than Alexander once was I Or him that Camps of Romans did destroy I vanquisht the victorious Greeks and I Destroyd Epyrus and fierce Tartary From mighty Me th'Hungarians had their doome And the report reacht y e proud walls oâ— Rome Th'Assyrian and Arabian felt my hand Nor could the Persian my dread power withstand Ore Rhodes and Italy I designd to ride But fate the progress of my aimes denyd Ai me grim Death and one unlucky houre Has baffled all my thoughts and boundless power So haughty man and all his hopes decay And so all sublunary gloryes pass away The LIFE of MAHOMET The Second of that NAME The Seventh KING and First EMPEROR of the TURKS For his many VICTORIES sirnamed The Great THE report of the death of old Amurath the late King was in short time blown through most part of Christendom to the great joy of many but especially of the Greeks and other poor Christians which bordered upon the Tyrants Kingdom who were now in hope together with the change of the Turkish King to make exchange also of their bad Estate and Fortune and the rather for that it was thought that his eldest Son Mahomet after the death of his Father would have imbraced the Christian Religion being in his Childhood instructed therein as was supposed by his Mother the Daughter of the Prince of Servia a Christian. But vain was this hope and the joy thereof but short as afterward by proof appeared For Mahomet being about the Age of one and twenty years succeeding his Father in the Kingdom in the year of our Lord 1450. year 1450. embraced in shew the Mahometan Religion abhorring the Christian but indeed making no great reckoning either of the one or of the other but as a meer Atheist devoid of all Religion and worshiping no other God but good Fortune derided the simplicity of all such as thought that God had any care or regard of worldly men or of their actions which graceless resolution so wrought in him that he thought all things lawful that agreed with his lust and making conscience of nothing kept no League Promise or Oath longer than stood with his Profit or Pleasure Now in the Court men stood diversly affected towards the present State the mighty Bassaes and others of great Authority unto whom the old Kings Government was never grievous inwardly lamented his death doubting lest the fierce Nature of the young King should turn to the hurt of some of them in particular and the shortning of their Authority in general as indeed it shortly after fell out But the lusty Gallants of the Court weary of the old King who in hope of preferment had long wished for the Government of the young Prince were glad to see him set upon his Fathers Seat. And the vulgar People never constant but in unconstancy and alwaies fawning upon the present exceedingly rejoyced in their young King. The Ianizaries also at the same time according to their accustomed manner took the Spoil of the Christians and Jews that dwelt amongst them and easily obtained pardon for the same whereupon he was by the same Ianizaries and other Souldiers of the Court with great Triumph saluted King. Which approbation of these men of War is unto the Turkish Kings a greater assurance for the possession of their Kingdom than to be born the eldest Son of the King as in the process of this History shall appear so great is the power of these masterful Slaves in promoting to the Kingdom whichsoever of the Kings Sons they most favour without much regard whether they be the eldest or not This young Tyrant was no sooner possessed of his Fathers Kingdom but that he forgetting the Laws of Nature was presently in person himself about to have murthered with his own hands his youngest Brother then but eighteen Months old begotten on the Daughter of Sponderbius Which unnatural part Moses one of his Bassaes and a man greatly in his favour perceiving requested him not to embrue his own hands in the blood of his Brother but rather to commit the execution thereof to some other which thing Mahomet commanded him the Author of that counsel forthwith to do So Moses taking the Child from the Nurse strangled it with pouring water down the throat thereof The young Lady understanding of the death of her Child as a Woman whom Fury had made past fear came and in her rage reviled the Tyrant to
proceed in his honourable Enterprise assuring him of the good Success thereof and with all the reasons he could devise impugned that which Caly-Bassa had said And of the same opinion with Zoganus was also the third Bassa rather of purpose to cross Caly-Bassa and withall to sit the Kings humor than for any great hope he had in the good Success of that he so much desired Howbeit the Speech he and Zoganus delivered so well agreed with the Kings affection that he resolved to continue the Siege and thereupon gave full Authority to Zoganus to appoint a day for a great and general Assault to he given resolving at once to engage all his Forces upon the winning of the City Which charge Zoganus gladly took upon him and with his good liking appointed the 29 th day of May for the general Assault being then the Tuesday next following In the mean time he sent one Ismael the Son of Alexander Prince of Sinope Embassador unto the Emperor to offer him Peace but upon such hard Conditions as were no less to be refused than death it self Which thing he did partly to satisfie the minds of his Turks who are for most part of opinion That God will not prosper them in their Assaults except they first make unto their Enemies some offer of Peace how unreasonable soever it forceth not and partly to make proof what confidence the Enemy yet had in himself for the holding out of the Siege But that dishonourable Peace so offered together with the intollerable Conditions was by the Emperor honourably refused who no less feared the Turks Faith if he should have accepted thereof than he did the hardness of the Conditions Three days before this fatal Assault was to be given the Turks according to their manner kept their Solemn Fast eating nothing all the day until night and then making the greatest chear and joy they could devise and in the winding up of the same took their leave one of another with such kissing and imbracing as if they should never have met again At the same time Mahomet to encourage his Souldiers caused Proclamation to be made through his Camp That he would freely give all the spoil of the City for three days unto his Souldiers if they could win it and for confirmation thereof solemnly swore the Turks great Oath By the Immortal God and by the four hundred Prophets by Mahomet by his Fathers Soul by his own Children and by the Sword wherewith he was girt faithfully to perform whatsoever he had to them in his Proclamation promised Whilst these things were in doing Caly-Bassa disdaining that his counsel was rejected and the Opinion of his Adversaries followed by secret Letters advertised the Emperor of the day appointed for the general Assault together with all the preparation made against him peswading him not to be afraid of them who were themselves no less afraid of him but carefully to provide to have all things in readiness for the defence of his City and valiantly to withstand the rash and last Attempt of his Enemies This woful Emperor had already done what he could to the uttermost of his Power for defence of the City all the time of the Siege but such was the disloyalty of the Citizens his Subjects that many times they could hardly be drawn from their private Trades and Occupations unto the Walls to withstand the Enemy foolishly affirming That it was to no purpose for them to sight against the Turks at the Breaches and to starve for Food at home in their houses For which cause the Emperor commanded a View to be taken of all the Corn in the City which then began to grow very scarce but upon diligent search made such store was found in many Mens hands which was by them either altogether kept in to sell afterwards at unreasonable prizes or else so sparingly uttered as if they had none to spare as that it appeared the death and scarcity which then began to increase to proceed rather of the covetousness of men than of any true want of Grain this store the Emperor caused to be proportionably divided unto every Family at reasonable prizes according to their spending and so eased the great murmuring and grudging of the common people for Bread. The Grecian mercinary Souldiers also regarding more their own private Profit than the Publick Service refused any longer to go to the Walls than they were sure of their daily pay which the poor Emperor otherwise unable to give them was glad to convert the Church-Plate and Jewels into Money to content them For he had many times before with tears in vain requested to have borrowed money of his covetous Subjects to have been employed in the defence of the City but they would still swear that they had it not as men grown poor for want of Trade which in few days after their Enemies found in such abundance that they wondred at their Wealth and derided their folly that possessing so much they would bestow so little in defence of themselves and their Country But this had been their usual manner of dealing with their Emperors in that declining State of the Empire as well appeared in the time of the Emperor Baldwin who for lack of money was glad first to sell away many of the goodly Ornaments of the City and afterwards to Pawn his own Son unto the Venerian Merchants for Money to maintain his State as in the former part of this History is declared But to return again to the course of our History The Emperor certainly advertised of the Enemies purpose for the general Assault shortly to be given first commended the defence of himself and the City to the Protection of the Almighty by general fasting and prayer and afterwards appointed every Captain and Commander to some certain place of the Wall for defence thereof which was done by the direction of Io. Iustinianus his General in whose valour the Constantinopolitans had reposed their greatest hope But the City being on every side now beset with the Turks great Army and the Defendants in number but few for so great a City in compass eight miles the Walls could but slenderly in many places be manned and especially on both sides toward the Sea where indeed least danger was The greatest strength and best Souldiers were placed for defence of the utter Wall where the Breach was and the Assault expected by Land. Iustinianus the General himself with three hundred Genoways well armed and certain chosen Greeks undertook the defence of that part of the battered Wall near unto the Roman Gate where the fall the Tower Bactatina had filled the Ditch as is aforesaid against which place Mahomet himself lay encamped with his Janizaries and best Men of War. Near unto Iustinianus lay the Emperor himself for defence of another part of the Wall and so other Captains orderly with their Companies all alongst the utter Wall and because the Defendants should have no hope to save their
and fearful by how much he was at that time inferior unto his Son both in warlike Provision and number of men Wherefore it were good for him they said to moderate his anger and not now in the winding up of his life to make too much hast by a miserable death in a woful Battel to stain the whole glory of his former life There was as they would have perswaded him but one only course to be taken full of wholesome Policy and Safety and that was That he should with such speed as he had begun march on forward to Constantinople that so Selymus excluded out of the City his chiefest hope and then not knowing which way to turn himself should either of his own accord or for fear of his Fathers greater Forces think of return and so with his rascal Followers more honestly perish by the hands of them whose Countries he had spoiled and upon whom he must of necessity live in his return than by the sword of his Father The Author of this Counsel was Mustapha the most ancient Bassa of those which being in greatest Authority about the Emperor are only of his Privy Council and sway all matters of importance concerning either Peace or War he then upon an unthankful and malicious mind loathing Bajazet as one that had too long reigned hated him also for certain private displeasures conceived of the emulation of the other younger Bassa's by him promoted and secretly bare great affection to Selymus both in condition and favour resembling his Grandfather the Great Mahomet by whom he was brought up himself and him of all the Sons of Bajazet he thought most worthy of the Empire This Mustapha was born in the Town of Seres near unto Amphipolis the Son of a Greek Priest a man of a sly crafty and subtil Wit always subject to corruption which diseases of mind were in him well to have been discovered by his froward look and squint Eyes the certain notes of a nature to be suspected Next unto this Mustapha was Bostanges Bassa born of the honourable House of the Ducagina in Aetholia and therefore called Ducaginoli a man for his Covetousnes Ambition and Treachery infamous as the foul and miserable end of his life afterwards declared Unto this man Selymus had by secret promise betrothed one of his Daughters now marriageable as a reward of his corrupt Faith. By which sleight he had also allured Ajax Aga or Captain of the Janizaries and great Master of the Houshold to promise his Aid for the obtaining of the Empire whereunto he said he was by Destiny called and by his means drew other inferior Captains secretly to favour his quarrel unto whom he spared not to promise whatsoever might please their humors Yea the Captains almost generally either corrupted with reward or for fear following the inclination of the greater Commanders of themselves leaned that way Of all the rest only Cherseogles Bassa whom the Turks Histories call also Achmet Hertezec-Ogli a faithful constant and upright man free from all double dealing and deceit a fast and assured Friend unto Bajazet his Father in Law was of opinion That the immoderate Pride and Insolency of Selymus was even there by force of Arms and strong Hand forthwith to be oppressed before he should approach any nearer unto the Imperial City for fear of raising some further trouble or tumult there than were well to be appeased which was the thing that Selymus his Friends most of all desired Neither was it to be thought as Cherseogles said that the naked Tartarion Horsemen although they were in number more would ever be able to abide the first charge of Bajazet his well armed Pensioners As for the Janizaries of whose approved Faith and Valour tried in many dangers he had before had good experience there was no doubt but that they would now to the uttermost of their power defend the Person and Honour of their aged and victorious Emperor who had of long time so well of them deserved and also to revenge his quarrel upon disobedient Selymus who neither fearing God the just Revenger of such ungracious dealing neither the infamy of men had most unnaturally lift up his Sword against his Father wickedly to deprive him of life of whom he had received life Wherefore he perswaded him in his own just quarrel to go forth unto his Souldiers with chearful countenance and putting them in remembrance of the benefits they had from time to time most bountifully received at his hands as also of their Allegiance and Duty to make them to understand that reposing his trust in their Fidelity and Valour he had resolutely set down with himself in that place before he went any further by their faithful hands to chastise the presumptuous insolency of his unnatural Son together with his rebellious Followers But now that we are fallen into the remembrance of this Cherseogles it shall not be amiss both for the honour of the man and the great love he always bare unto the Christians to step a little out of the way to see the cause why he being a Christian born turned Turk For he was not as almost all the rest of the great men about Bajazet were of a Child taken from his Christian Parents and so brought up in the Mahometan Religion but now being a man grown turned Turk yet so as that he never in heart forgot either the Christians Religion or love towards the Christians a thing not common among such Renegates He being the Son of one Cherseogles a small Prince of Illyria near unto the black Mountain and going to be married unto a Lady whom he most entirely loved and unto whom he was already betrothed honourably descended of the House of the Despot of Servia his intemperate Father with lustful Eye beholding the young Lady of rare Feature and incomparable Beauty desired to have her for himself and regarding more the satisfying of his own inordinate desire than his own honour or the Fatherly Love of his Son took her in marriage himself all his Friends labouring in vain to disswade him and with open mouth crying shame of so foul a Fact. Wherefore the young man moved with the indignity of so great an injury and driven headlong with despair fled first to the Turks Garrisons which lay not far off and from thence to Constantinople where the fortune of the man was to be wondred at For being brought before Bajazet who with chearful countenance entertained him for that he was honourably descended and well liked both of the man and of the cause of his revolt smiling upon him said Be of good chear Noble Youth for thy great courage is worthy of far greater fortune than thy Fathers House can afford thee now in stead of thy Love wrongfully taken from thee by thy Father the Kinswoman of a poor exiled Prince thou shalt have given thee in marriage the Daughter of a great Emperor of rare and singular perfection And not long after abjuring his
mine Army am returned to my Imperial City of Constantinople from whence Farewel The Great Master having read these Letters and well considered of the same perceived forthwith Solymans meaning and that Peace was offered him in words and shew but War in deed and meaning Which because he was ready by force to repulse he rewarded the Turks Messenger and sent back with him another of his own a private Person For the Rhodians did seldom vouchsafe to send any honourable Embassadors to the Turkish Emperors with whom they for most part lived in Hostility either the Turks to them By this Messenger he answered Solymans Letters with other of like vain as followeth Philippus Villerius Liladamus Great Master of the Rhodes to the Turk I right well understand your Letters which your Messenger brought unto me The friendship you write of is as pleasing to me as displeasing to Cortug-Ogli your Servant who went about to have intercepted me upon the suddain as I came out of France but failing of his purpose stealing by night into the Rhodian Sea he attempted to have robbed certain Merchants Ships bound from Joppa to Venice but sending my Fleet out of my Haven I staied his fury constrained the Pyrat to flie and for hast to leave behind him the Prizes he had before taken from the Merchants of Crete Farewel from the Rhodes By this answer Solyman perceived that he was well met withal in his own fineness and that he should not so easily carry the Rhodes as he had before done Belgrade Yet being fully in himself resolved to try his Fortune therein he called unto him certain of the chief Commanders of his Wars to whom he opened his whole determination in this sort Although I doubt not worthy Chieftains but that you are of the same mind now that yoâ— have been always of in the invading of other Nations yet I have thought it good in matters tending to the common Glory and good of us all to use your general advice and counsel Since the time that my Father left this World we have made War with divers Nations and People The Syrians by nature unconstant and prone to Rebellion we have by force reduced to their former Obedience The Sophi that mighty King Nephew unto the great King Usan-Cassanes by his Daughter the Sister of King Jacup in heart and deed our mortal Enemy not contented with the Kingdoms of Assyria Media Armenia the greater Persia and Mesopotamia we have with our Forces shut up within the compass of his own Dominions The last year running through Hungary both on this side and beyond Danubius we took Belgrade the strongest Fortress in that Kingdom And whatsoever else we attempted we subdued Yet for all that to speak plainly of my self my mind greater in conceit than my Empire and the Blood of Othoman findeth no contentment in these Victories For whatsâ—ever you have yet done although it be great yet I deem it all but little in regard of your worth my desire carrieth me further This have I always above all things most earnestly desired to set upon the Rhodes and utterly to root out all the strength and forces yea the very name of those Rhodian Souldiers And have not you also no less than my self desired the same How often have I heard you crying out The Rhodes The Rhodes I have expected the time that being discharged of other Wars I might here imploy my whole strength and power That we so long desired is now come there was never greater opportunity of good success offered a great part of the Walls of the City of the Rhodes now lying even with the ground which cannot in short time be repaired especially in their want of Coyn. Beside this the Garrison in the Castle is but small and their aid from France far off which will either come too late when the City is lost or that which I rather believe never For neither will the French King being at mortal Wars with the German Emperor and Lords of Italy suffer his Store-houses to be disfurnished or his Ports bared of the necessary defence of his Shipping Neither do you believe that the Spaniards distressed at home with Famine War and civil Dissention will easily come hither out of Scilicia and Campania with supplies of Men and Victual But you may perhaps think that great danger is to be feared from the Venetian Fleet and the Isle of Crete which I assure you is not so for I know although I will not now manifest the same how I have prevented that mischief Wherefore couragious Souldiers born to the subduing of all Christendom much more of the Rhodes with chearful hearts follow me your Sovereign against these your most perfideous and cruel Enemies How long I pray you will you suffer that stain and disgrace to stick upon the Othoman Family and generally upon all the Name of the Turks which these Rhodians cast upon us the last time they were besieged Which was not so much done by their Valour as by the unfortunate counsel of my great Grandfather Mahomet calling home Mesithes Palaeologus his General in that War for one unlucky Assault But admit that their Valour gained them Victory will you therefore always suffer these pyratical excursions upon our Main and Islands The ransacking of Cities and Countries The carrying away of your Cattel and richest Substance The captivity and slaughter of your Wives and Children The slavery of your nearest Friends and Kinsmen So help me great Mahomet it shall not so be I Vow in despight of Christ and John in short time to set up mine Ensigns with the Moon in the middle of the Market place of Rhodes Neither do I seek any thing unto my self more than the honour of the enterprise the profit I give unto you my fellow Souldiers their Coyn Plate Iewels which is reported to be great their Riches and Wealth is all yours to carry home with you unto your Wives and Children Wherefore let us now with all our forces and courage set forward to the besieging of the Rhodes Solymans purpose thus made known and the same with one accord of all his Captains well liked Pyrrhus the eldest Bassa and of greatest authority who at the first disswaded the War standing up in the midst of the rest said I cannot but much admire the great Wisdom and rare Vertues of our young Emperor who so wisely and advisedly hath declared all the deep Counsels of a worthy Chieftain in taking of War in hand Blessed be Mahomet thrice and four times Blessed is this Empire Blessed is our Estate and Blessed are we with such a Prince which carrieth with him in his Wars not only Men and Habiliments of War but most deep wisdom and policy Which wholesome manner of proceeding if we had always before our eyes and would follow we should in short time bring under our subjection not the Rhodes only but all the Kingdoms of the Christians Yet beside that which our Emperor hath most
more fierce or cruel Battel But by a fresh charge given by Ferdinands Horsemen who had now put to flight the right Wing of Bodo his Battel all Bodo his Army fighting most valiantly was disordered and put to flight Bodo the General labouring to restore the Battel and to save the Ensign to him before by the King delivered was by the coming in of Paulus Bachitius with his Light-Horsemen taken The other Captains seeing all lost and past hope of recovery betook themselves to flight all the Kings Artillery and Ensigns were taken by the Enemy The King seeing the overthrow of his Army for safeguard of his life fled into Polonia Ferdinands Captains following the course of the Victory entred into Transylvania where the People yielding themselves at the first all the whole Province submitted it self unto the Authority of Ferdinand Bodo and the rest of the Noblemen that were taken Prisoners with the Ensigns taken from the Enemies were sent to Ferdinand But when Bodo having his liberty promised could not be perswaded to renounce his Oath given to King Iohn and to bear Arms against him he was by Ferdinand his commandment cast into a dark Dungeon where shortly after consumed with sorrow and grief he miserably ended his life Shortly after Ferdinand the Hungarians generally submitting themselves unto him was by their common consent saluted King and crowned with the same old Crown wherewith King Iohn had been crowned which the same Perenus a man of little constancy brought unto him and with him was also crowned Ann his Wife the only Sister of the late King Lewis All which solemn ceremonies were celebrated at Alba Regalis the usual place for the Coronation of the Hungarian Kings Ferdinand by rare felicity thus possessed of two Kingdoms whereunto he was not born returned into Bohemia and left his Deputies for the Government of the Kingdom of Hungary these were Stephanus Bator whom he appointed Viceroy with whom he joyned Paulus Bishop of Strigonium who had also revolted from King Iohn and made Berethsaxtus Secretary and Alexius Tursonus a Moravian Treasurer King Iohn thus miserably distressed and thrust out of his Kingdom by Ferdinand fled to Hieronimus Lascus a man for his honourable descent and learned vertue of great fame and reputation amongst the Polonians who glad of so honourable a Guest was more careful of nothing than with all possible kindness and courtesie how to comfort him wrapt up in so many calamities with the loss of his Kingdom he frankly promised unto him all his own Wealth which was not small for the recovery of his former estate and that which more was for the reviving of his former felicity the uttermost of his Wit and Device which in the compassing of all great matters was accounted wonderful That bountiful entertainment of this poor King by Lascus was not altogether unpleasant to Sigismund King of Polonia although because he would not offend Ferdinand with whom he was joyned in Friendship and Alliance he seemed to most men plainly to forget himself in shewing so small kindness unto King Iohn whose Sister Barbara he had sometime married which was the cause that Lascus forgot no point of courtesie in entertaining his Guest and yet the credit of Sigismund with King Ferdinand not toucht But when they had spent almost a month in consultation and debating of matters too and fro Lascus accustomed with his deep Wit sharply to reason and advisedly to determine of most weighty causes at last rested upon this one point That ready help in so hard and desperate a case was only to be hoped for of the Turkish Emperor Solyman being of opinion that he being a most mighty Prince and of an honourable disposition answerable to his greatness would not reject the humble Prayers of an oppressed and exiled King especially if that being by his mercy and power restored he could be content for so great a benefit to hold his Kingdom as of the bounty of the Othoman Kings For Lascus saw that Solyman so great and proud an Emperor was not so desirous of Kingdoms whereof he had so many as could not easily be reckoned then commanding over a great part of the World as of glory and renown wherewith he understood him to be wonderfully delighted above all other Kings of the East naturally carried away with that windy vanity This Counsel as in effect it proved was unto King Iohn wholsome and reasonable if a man do but respect the poor Estate of a King so greatly wronged living in exile but respecting the Christian Common-Weal it was undoubtedly most dangerous and lamentable for one mans particular profit to bring the whole State into most dreadful and horrible danger but the sick minds of worldly men living in small hope of doing well and at the point of desparation refuse no worldly remedies be they never so doubtful or dangerous And not long after upon this resolution with the King Lascus desirous by noble actions to encrease the honour of his name took the matter upon him and went as Embassador from the exiled King to Solyman to Constantinople The report was that Sigismund did not only not stay him but secretly gave him his safe conduct with Letters of Credence wherein he commended him unto the Bassaes and other great men in Solymans Court descended of the Polonian Blood as his faithful and loving Subject sent thither upon an extraordinary and special Embassage Lascus as soon as he was come to Constantinople with wonderful dexterity had in short time won the Favour not of the Bassaes only but of the other Courtiers also presenting them with such Gifts as might for the fineness and rareness thereof rather than for the value as he thought be most acceptable and pleasing to their Wives for amongst that barbarous and corrupted People nothing is better welcome than Gifts whether they proceed of simple good Will or other respect is no great difference Amongst the great Bassaes at that time of greatest Power and Authority was Luftebeius or rather Lutzis who had married Solymans Sister and Abraham born at Praga a base Village in Acarnania brought up in the Court from his Childhood with Solyman he was then Visier or chief of the Bassaes and Keeper of the Emperors Seal and was by his office to subscribe all such Grants or Letters as passed from the Emperor by which his great place and special favour he had with Solyman he in Magnificence Power and Authority far exceeded all the rest of the Bassaes doing whatsoever pleased himself and that with such Sovereignty and the good liking of Solyman that it was commonly said he was the commander of his thoughts Lascus thus insinuated into the Court and oftentimes talking with the Bassaes without an Interpreter for that he could well speak the Sclavonian Tongue the familiar speech of the Turkish Courtiers earnestly solicited the Kings cause wonderfully commending him for at his first coming after he had saluted Solyman and
great men had met together in the open Fields and there dined more like Enemies than Friends without any shew of friendship or good will Grittus inwardly chasing at his bare entertainment covertly threatned to be revenged upon all such as should make so light account of his Authority and immediately as he departed from the Banquet taking his Cap from his Head which was after the Turkish manner made of a high fashion of rich Sables and opening it with both his Hands said This Cup will not hold two Heads and therefore it must be fitted to one and so put it on again Iohn Docia one of the Hungarian Captains his Followers who deadly hated the Vayvod for that he had long time before for his malepert Speech in a great Assembly given him a blow with his Fist took hold of that Speech of Grittus as a fit occasion for him to work his revenge and said Your honour maketh a fit comparison neither can this Province contain two equal Governors or Commanders nor you ever enjoy your Power and Authority except you do this day with speedy and manly resolution defend both Solymans credit and your own You know not this proud Beast Americus whose Pride and Insolency if you but say the word I will quickly put down for he hateth Solyman he regardeth not the King and of you he maketh no account at all for why he aspireth unto the Majesty of a King and saith that the Vayvodship of Transylvania well beseemeth a King for that in this Country Decebaldus the Dacian sometime reigned whom the warlike Emperor Trajan with all the force of the Roman Empire hardly subdued No man can more proudly or arrogantly set himself forth than he neither more craftily or cunningly dissemble to serve his turn Indeed he hath for fashion sake presented your honour with a few simple Presents and given you his Hand also better known for his Falshood than his Faith to the intent that when you are once past his Country he may scoff and jeast at your Decrees verily he deadly envieth at your Honour and Felicity and grudgeth in his heart that you should set down the Laws of Peace and War in Hungary and whereas he doth manifestly aspire unto a Kingdom he feareth you above all others lest you should trouble his designs abate his credit and chastise his insolency Verily he that thus maligneth your happyness and contemneth your Authority is not to be suffered but by good reason to be taken away thereby at this your first entrance to defend the credit of your Commission and honour of your Name For nothing is more dangerous than a faithless Companion and a secret Enemy especially when you shall leave him at your back behind you for when he shall as occasion serves shew forth his hidden malice he shall so much the more slily and desperately endanger your Person Grittus enraged with his Speech more than before thought it best to make hast and to use his Authority to the full he commended Docia and promised him in short time to requite his good will towards him especially if he would by some notable attempt abate the Bishops Pride It is reported that Grittus gave him no other charge but to take the Bishop that so he might after the Turkish manner have sent him in Chains to Constantinople and bestowed the honour of the Vayvod upon Hieronimus Lascus the Polonian who in hope of that honourable Preferment unto him promised by King Iohn had done unto him great and faithful service as his Embassador both unto Solyman and also unto the French King. But when King Iohn perceived that he could not conveniently without manifest danger place him being a Polonian who could scarcely speak the Hungarian Language Governor over such warlike People he as it were enforced by necessity preferred this Americus the Bishop of Veradium a man of them both reverenced and feared Which so grieved Lascus a man of great Stomach and Experience and thereunto excellently learned that he would never admit of any excuse of the Kings but alwaies after complained that he was by the King deluded Yet for all that he kept himself within the bounds of Loyalty and enjoyed certain Lands and Towns which the King had given him in the Borders of Polmia and estranged nevertheless from him in mind was now become one of Grittus his Followers hoping of his better Preferment by his means unto Solyman and for that cause was not so forward to do the King such service as he had in times past Now by the commandment of Grittus a strong Company of Turkish Horsemen and certain Troops of Hungarians were delivered to Docia who secretly departing that night from Baxovia came suddenly to the Vayvods Camp having a little before by his Hungarian Spies learned that he lay in the open Fields in his Tent by reason of the great heat without any watch or guard attended on only with his Pages and Houshold Servants as a man without fear and that all the rest of his retinue lay dispersed in the Country Villages round about All which served so well for Docia his purpose that the Vayvod ignorant of his death so nigh at hand who rather contemned than feared his Enemies was suddainly oppressed by Docia his Souldiers so that whilst he was yet lying in his Bed and scarcely well awaked by his Chamberlains and the noise of the Enemy Docia breaking into his Tent cut off his Head as he lay All they which lay near amazed with the suddainness of the matter fled away for fear and left their Horses and other things for a Prey to the Turks and other of Docia his Followers Docia having done so great an outrage returned to Grittus presenting unto him the Vayvods Head which he brought in his Hand by the Ear. Lascus was then present but altogether ignorant of the murder who as a man moved with a natural compassion in so suddain and horrible a Fact and forgetting all former grudges as in like case it oftentimes chanceth stood as one dismaid nothing rejoicing at the unworthy death of his Enemy To whom Grittus turning himself said Lascus Dost thou not know this shaven Pate truly it is a great Mans Head but of such an one as was very ambitious rebellious and proud To whom Lascus replied Truly though I loved him not yet I thought it not so whilst it stood upon his Shoulders disallowing therein the Cruelty of the Fact. Which thing Grittus perceiving began to repent him of that was done and said openly that although he was worthily slain yet he could have wished rather to have had him taken Prisoner The report of this horrible murder once bruted abroad the Bishops Kinsmen and Friends yea almost all the People of that Province rise up in Arms against Grittus to revenge the death of the reverend Bishop whom living they had both loved and feared Never did any People in revenge of a common wrong enter
of Narbona rifled certain Towns in Spain standing upon the Sea-Coast and about the Promontory of Venus called of the Mariners Creum took great prize and in the Haven of Palamos took one Merchant Ship and a Gally with which Prey they passed over to Algiers as they were commanded there to winter and with the first of the Spring to return again to Barbarussa in Brovence That Winter Barbarussa repairing his Fleet was furnished with many necessaries by the Genowayes and especially by Auria himself who under the colour of redeeming of Prisoners willingly furnished the Turk with such things as he wanted for although he professed himself one of the Emperors Captains yet would he not shew an Enemies mind by the unseasonable denial of a little Sea Furniture lest in so doing he should have hurt his Native Country of Genoa which he saw then subject to the injury of so great a Fleet so nigh at Hand But leave we now Barbarussa to winter in Provenoâ— and with the course of time turn a little out of the way to see in Muleasses King of Tunes the small assurance the greatest have in highest place of worldly honour This Mahometan King once before thrust out of his Kingdom by Barbarussa and restored again by Charles the Emperor as is before declared hearing of his coming with this great Fleet and imagining nothing less than that he should come to the aid of the most Christian King doubted not without cause lest it was prepared against himself Besides that divers great Cities of his Kingdom namely Constantina Mahemedia and Mahometa called in ancient time Cyrtha Leptis and Adrumentum were then holden by the Turks Barbarussas Favorites Wherefore fearing the worst about the same time that Barbarussa was sailing alongst the Coast of Italy he passed over into Sicily to have met the Emperor at Genoa and to have obtained of him greater Aid against the Turks At his departure out of Africk he committed the tuition of his Kingdom to such valiant men as he supposed would have been unto him most faithful First he appointed Mahometes then Maniphet to govern the City and Corsus otherwise called Fares his old Servant to keep the Castle leaving Mahometes his Brother and Fares his Son with Touarres a Spaniard Captain of the Castle of Guletta as Pledges the one of his Brothers the other of his Fathers Faith but unto Amida his Son he committed the leading of his men of War for the defence of his Kingdom against the Turks and Numidians As he was passing out of Sicilia to have met the Emperor at Genoa he was by contrary Winds driven first to Cajeta and afterward to Naples where he was by the Viceroy honourably entertained and a House appointed for him richly furnished the Neopolitans wondring at the strange Attire of the People with the manner of their feeding and curious plenty of all manner of sweet Perfumes for into every Dish they put in Odors of exceeding price so that it was well known that a Peacock and two Pheasants dressed after the manner of the Kings Kitchen cost above an hundred Ducats so that not only the Dining Chamber when they were carved up but all the House was so filled with the strange and fragrant smell that all they that dwelt near thereabouts were partakers of that unusual and delicate Perfume From Naples he was about to have travelled by Land unto the Emperor being then in conference with the Pope at Buzetum fearing to adventure the Sea possessed by the Enemies Fleet had not the Emperor by his Letters willed him to stay still where he was But whilst he made his aboad at Naples and carefully attended what Course Barbarussa would take who furnished with so great a Fleet was departed from Nice disappointed of his purpose he was by certain Messengers advertised out of Africa That Amida his Son was risen up against him and possessing himself of the Kingdom had slain his Captains polluted his Wives and taken the Castle of Tunes With which news he being exceedingly troubled determined without delay to pass over into Africk and though late yet as he might to remedy his domestical troubles in hope to oppress that Rebellion in the beginning and his Son also before he could gather any strength to rest upon Wherefore he with all the haste he could opened his Coffers and entertained Souldiers the Viceroy giving leave to all such banished Men as would to come and give their names to pass over as Souldiers into Africk upon report whereof such a number of Malefactors and condeâ—ned persons came flocking to Naples that it was thought a sufficient Army might have been made of such kind of men every one of them chusing rather to enter into Pay and blot out the infamy of banishment and prove the fortune of Wars than to live wandring up and down the Woods and in danger every hour to be hanged Of these infamous Men one Ioannes Baptista Lofredius a Man well born but of a fierce and covetous disposition undertook the leading he covenanting with Muleasses to have three months Pay before hand levied a thousand and eight hundred Men which he presently shipped and keeping the greatest part of their Pay to himself passed over with the King into Africk and landed at Guletta But how Amida rose up against his Father and what was the end of that bloody Rebellion shall not be amiss briefly to rehearse There were certain Noblemen of great Authority about Amida when Muleasses departed which at their pleasure ruled the young Prince who easily hearkned unto their Counsel and followed the same the chief of these was one Mahometes Son of Bohamer who in the Reign of Mahometes Muleasses his Father was Maniphet whom Muleasses possessed of the Kingdom put shamefully to death by cutting off his Privities because he had by hasty Marriage deceived him of Rhahamana a Maiden of incomparable Beauty the Daughter of Abderomen Captain of the Castle whom he most passionately loved for which cruel fact Mahometes his Son had long time conceived a deadly hatred against Muleasses which he had many years dissembled that he might as occasion served be the more cruelly revenged Next unto him was another Mahometes sirnamed Adulzes whom Muleasses was wont commonly to call his worst Servant These two with a few others conspiring together gave it out that Muleasses was dead at Naples and before his death had most irreligeously as they accounted it revolted to the Christian Religion With which report they perceiving Amida moved came unto him and perswaded him quickly to enter into his Fathers Seat lest Mahometes his younger Brother then lying in hostage with the Christians at Guletta should by the favour and help of Touarres whose Garrison was ever ready be preferred before him For Mahometes was eighteen years old resembling his Grandfather in Name Favour and Disposition and therefore of the Citizens of Tunes best beloved Wherefore Amida came in post haste out of the Camp to Tunes
especially in the newness of his Kingdom Neither did Touarres refuse the same as standing with his present profit for upon this agreement Amida was to give him certain Mony to pay his Souldiers and to deliver him the Prisoners he had taken with the Ensigns and Body of Lofredius For more assurance whereof he gave Sehites his Son then nine years old in Hostage yet upon condition that if an assured Peace could not be agreed upon but that they must needs enter into War then Touarres should forthwith restore him his Son Sehites in safety These Capitulations although they seemed not unreasonable and were of them well liked yet Touarres thought it not altogether agreeing with the honour of the Emperor that he should enjoy the Kingdom who by most horrible Treason and detestable Villany had thrust himself thereinto without the Emperors leave Wherefore he entred into a new device to call in the rightful Heir who might at the Emperors pleasure offended with the injury done by Amida reign in Tunes There was an exile amongst the Numidians one Abdamelech ever since the time that Roscetes fled to Barbarussa Him because he was Muleasses natural Brother Touarres sent for putting him in hope of the Kingdom supported by Anemseha a great Prince amongst the Numidians who had all that long time courteously entertained him Neither was Abdamelech slow to accept the occasion presented especially incouraged thereunto by the Numidian Prince his good Friend and the predictions of the Astrologers who had foretold him That he should die King of Tunes Which vain kind of Divination having in it no manner of assurance yet causeth great minds oftentimes to undertake great attempts beyond reason which falling out with more hap than they were with reason foretold giveth some credit to that Vanity and causeth those cold Prophets to be of some accounted as great Wizards And to work this feat such a time was offered as a better could not be wished for Amida having set all things in order as he pleased in the City and casting no peril was gone to Biserta to take order for his Customs which was there great upon Fishing Wherefore Touarres to keep his promise sent back Sehites Amida's Son in a Boat to Tunes and received Abdamelech who travelling most part by night was secretly come to Guletta and there resting himself and his Horses a few hours to prevent the fame of his coming posted in haste with a Troop of his Numidian Followers to Tunes and passing through the City went directly to the Castle which he entred without resistance of the Warders supposing him to have been Amida come from Biserta for Abdamelech had after the manner of the Moors covered his Face with a Skarf as if it had been to have kept him from the Sun and the Dust and by that happy slight got into the Castle before it was known who he was The Warders perceiving their error began as Men amazed now too late to betake themselves to their Weapons for in making resistance they were quickly slain by the Numidians which came in with Abdamelech who thus possessed of the Castle the chief strength of that Kingdom let in his Friends which were many in the City by whom he was presently saluted King the rest of the Citizens either well liking of the matter or at least not daring for fear to stir But as in these worldly things for which Men so vainly toil is no assurance so this new King shortly after fell sick and died when he had reigned but six and twenty days and was afterwards Royally interred After whose death his mighty Friends with the chief of the Citizens perswaded and encouraged by Touarres the Spaniard chose Mahometes his Son a Child scarce twelve years old to reign in his Fathers place appointing Abdalages Maniphet Brother to him who Amida slew Abdelchirinus Mesuar Shyriffus a great Man in the Mahometan Superstition and Perellus a Christian Knight to be his Directors and Governors which four swaied all at their pleasure But Abdelchirinus tendring the Welfare of his Country and devising out of season how to set up one of the Royal Blood that were of himself able to govern the Kingdom saying That it was not for the common good to be ruled by a Child was for his labour by his other three Fellows suddainly slain with all his Kindred and known Friends After whose death the other three erected a manner of Triumvirat Government every one of them laying hand upon one part of the State or other as liked him best Amida thus shut out of Tunes and having lost his Kingdom wandred up and down to Leptis Cyrapolis and many other places craving Aid of every Man to recover his Kingdom miserably rent in sunder as he said by most wicked Men who insolently triumphed over the Boy King. Which they of Tunes knew well to be true and dayly complained of the death of Abdelchirinus whom they called the faithful Counsellor and Father of his Country Whilst Amida is thus trudging up and down craving help of this and that Prince proving his Friends and sounding his Subjects Affection towards him Muleasses grown miserable with his long imprisonment and the calamity of his disaster Fortune obtained of the young King his Nephew so much favour as that he might sometime go out of the Castle to the Church under colour whereof he took Sanctuary a place in Tunes holden in such reverence amongst the Moors as that it was a most inviolable Refuge to all such as fled thereunto Not long after at such time as Bernardinus Mendoza the Admiral of Spain came to Guletta with the Spanish Fleet Muleasses at the request of Touarres was conveyed out of the Sanctuary to the Lake and so by Water to Guletta there to be present at the Consultation there holden for the utter subversion of Amida and the driving out of the Turks out of such Cities as they yet held alongst the Sea-Coast in Africa Muleasses had hardly before escaped the hands of certain of his Enemies in Tunes who sought after his life preserved by an old Woman who moved with pity hid him from their fury under a great heap of Garlike and had he not now in good time escaped to Guletta he had again fallen into the hands of his merciless Son Amida who shortly after recovered again his Kingdom and would not as he said himself have spared him for the Reverence of any Sanctuary For the Citizens of Tunes weary of the evil Government of such as were in Authority about the young King and not a little offended with the King himself for espousing Melucca his Cousin one of Muleasses his Daughters secretly encouraged Amida by Letters to repair to the City promising to aid him in recovering his Kingdom Whereupon he came in such haste that the young King had scarce time to get out of the City and Amida entring without resistance and holpen by his Friends easily obtained again the Kingdom
secret commiseration of his inevitable Destiny or that he had by Loyalty or other means so won her Favour is not known but every Man saw that if it had lien in her Power she would undoubtedly have preferred him before his elder Brother Selymus and have placed him in the Empire but she must needs give way to her old Husbands Will firmly and irremovably set down that the Destinies so permitting none should reign after him but his eldest Son Selymus Of which his purpose and resolution Bajazet being not ignorant began most circumspectly to look about about him if he could by any means frustrate that forcible necessity and exchange his certain destruction with an Empire in which his deep and dangerous cogitations he was not a little comforted by the favour and love of Roxolana his Mother and of Rustan the great Bassa his Brother in Law who together had in any other matter been able to have overruled the aged Emperor Whereupon he resolutely set down himself rather to end his days by making proof of good or bad Fortune than upon the death of his Father which by Course of Nature could not now be far off to be as a Sacrifice basely butchered by some vile Hangman of his Brothers Bajazet so resolved and now already fallen out with his Brother Selymus took occasion upon the general discontentment of the People and others for the unworthy death of Mustapha their late joy to begin those stirs which he had before with himself plotted and so to make a Head whereunto he might afterward join the Body also for why that worthy Mustapha had left behind him so great desire of himself that now it wearied many to live after him they had so placed all the hope of their good Fortune in him unto whom nothing was more desired than to revenge the wrong done unto him or else to run the same hard Fortune with him othersome guilty of the immoderate Affection they had born unto him yet living and fearing to be called to give an account thereof thought any state better and more assured than that wherein they presently stood and therefore sought all occasions of new stirs how to set all in an hurly burly only a Captain was wanting Mustapha could not again be revived yet might he be strongly supposed to live This device pleased Bajazet as best fitting his purpose being not ignorant of this disposition of the People Wherefore by certain of his most faithful and trusty Followers he found out a certain obscure Fellow of a notable audacity which should take upon him the Name and Person of Mustapha whose Stature also and Countenance and Proportion of Body differed not much from Mustapha himself he as if he had by chance escaped first began to shew himself in that part of Thracia which is above Constantinople and lieth toward Danubius not far from the Countries of Moldavia and Valachia and was for that cause both fittest for Rebellion and also best stored with Horsemen who of all others most honoured Mustapha Hither he comes as if it had been from a long journey slenderly accompanied and as if he had been desirous at the first not to have been known his Followers being demanded as it chanced who it was did rather fearfully give them that asked occasion to ghess than plainly to tell them that it was Mustapha neither did he himself much deny it whereby the People became more and more desirous to know him Which beginning thus laid he afterward began to rejoyce of his fortunate coming thither and to give God thanks for his safe arrival there amongst his Friends he tells them That at such time as he was sent for by his Father he durst not come into his sight or commit himself unto him in his Fury but by the counsel of his Friends to have with great promises perswaded one that was marvellous like unto himself to go in his stead by whose danger he might make proof of his Fathers mind towards him who before he was admitted to the speech of his Father was without hearing miserably strangled and so cast out before his Pavilion at which time there were many as he said which perceived the deceit but the greater part remained in error deceived with the Lineaments and Countenance of the miserable dead Man who was much altered with the terrible pains of death and supposing it to have been him indeed that was slain Which thing as soon as he understood he thought it not good longer to stay but presently to flie and to provide for his own safety and so flying with a few of his own Followers thereby the more secretly and safely to escape and having passed above Pontus by the People of Bosphorus was now come thither where he was in good hope to find much help and comfort in the Fidelity of his Friends whom he requested not now to forsake him or to make less account of him disgraced by the malice of his Step-Mother than they had before in time of his Prosperity For that he was aminded to revenge the injury done unto him and by force of Arms to defend himself for what else had he now left being by no other means preserved but by the death of another Man that he had sufficiently proved how his Father stood affected towards him and that he now lived by his mistaking not by his Kindness The cause of all which his troubles was his Stepdame who as he said with her inchantments led the silly old Man now almost doating for Age and mad for love whither she would at her pleasure and by her Agent Rustan Bassa forced him forward headlong into all kind of mischief but that God be thanked he wanted not his Friends by whose help he would find a way out of these miseries and take revenge of his Enemies for why he had as yet couragious Hearts and the Janizaries with the greater part of his Fathers Family on his side and that great multitudes of People would flock unto him upon brute of his Name so that they which did now mourn for him as dead in number many would by heaps run to help him being alive so that they there present would only courteously receive him as a Guest and protect him now distressed till such time as his welwillers and Friends might repair unto him And this at last he gave out not in secret but openly to all Men wheresoever he came The same things did they also report whom he made the People to believe to have been the Companions of his Flight which was also confirmed by divers of good Account and Authority whom Bajazet had before dealt withal to that purpose So that a great number of Men altogether unknown to Bajazet were by that means seduced for this matter was so cunningly wrought that many of them that had known Mustapha alive and seen him laid dead before his Fathers Pavilion yet listed not greatly to believe that which they knew but easily suffered
Majesty of a Kingdom as then when Richard the First King of England passing that way with his Fleet for the relief of the Christians then distressed in the Holy Land about the year 1191 was prohibited there to land and certain of his People by force of Tempest there cast on Shore were by the Cypriots either cruelly slain or taken Prisoners which barbarous violence King Richard took in so evil part that he there by force landed his Army and rested not until he had taken Isaac the King Prisoner and subdued the Island The King he sent in Chains of Silver to Tripolis there to be kept in close Prison the Kingdom he kept a while in his own hand which not long after he gave or as some say exchanged with Guido the titular King of Ierusalem for which cause the Kings of England for a certain time afterwards were honoured with the Title of the Kings of Ierusalem This Kingdom by many descents came at length to Ianus Son of King Peter who in the year 1423 was by Melechel a Sultan of Egypt taken Prisoner but afterwards for the ransom of an hundred and fifteen thousand Sultanins was set at liberty and restored to his Kingdom paying unto the Sultan and his Successors a yearly Tribute of forty thousand Crowns This Ianus left a Son called Iohn who after the death of his Father married the Daughter of the Marquis of Mont-Ferrat after whose death he married one Helena of the most noble House of the Paleologi in Grecia by whom he had one only Daughter called Carlotte but by another Woman a base Son called Iames. This King Iohn was a Man of no Courage altogether given to pleasure and according to the manner of his effeminate education shewed himself in all things more like a Woman than a Man which Helena his Wife a Woman of a great Spirit quickly perceiving took upon her the Soveraignty and whole Government of the Realm gracing and disgracing whom she pleased and promoting to the Ecclesiastical Dignities such as she best liked abolishing the Latin Ceremonies and bringing in them of the Greeks and took such further order as pleased her self in matters of State concerning both Peace and War her Husband in the mean time regarding nothing but his vain pleasure whereby it came to pass that all was brought into the power of the Greeks the Queens Friends Now the Queen her self was much ruled by the Counsel of her Nurse and the Nurse by her Daughter so that the People would commonly say The Daughter ruled the Nurse the Nurse the Queen and the Queen the King. The Nobility ashamed and weary of this manner of Government by general consent of the People sent for Iohn the King of Portugals Cousin-German whom some call the King of Portugal to whom they gave Carlotte the Kings Daughter in marriage with full power to supply that want of Government which was in King Iohn his Father in Law. He taking the Authority into his Hands quickly reformed the disordered Kingdom as well in matters concerning Religion as civil Policy The Latin Ceremonies were again restored and the Government of the Daughter the Nurse and the Queen brought to an end But the mischievous Daughter doubting the Countenance of the young King perswaded her Mother as she â—endred her own Life to poison the King. Which thing the wretched Woman by the consent of the Queen Mother as was reported in short time performed and so brought that noble Prince well worthy longer life unto his untimely end whereby the Government was again restored unto the Greek Queen who in the name of her weak Husband commanded again at her pleasure But above all the Nurse and her Daughter insulted upon the young Queen Carlotte which she not well brooking grievously complained thereof to Iames her baâ—e Brother requiring his help for redress thereof who not long after slew the Nurses Daughter not so much in revenge of the wrong by her done unto his Sister as to prepare a way for himself for the obtaining of the Kingdom grieving inwardly that she or her Husband should be preferred before himself Which thing Helena the Queen quickly perceiving perswaded the King her Husband to cause his base Son to enter into the orders of Priesthood and so to become a Churchman thereby to cut off all his hope of aspiring unto the Kingdom which the King at her instance did and made him Archbishop of Nicosia In the mean time Carlotte by the perswasion of her Mother and the Nobility of the Country married Lewis Son to the Duke of Savoy who being for that purpose sent for came with all speed to Cyprus After that the Queen-Mother and the old Nurse desiring nothing more than to revenge the death of the Nurses Daughter upon Iames now Archbishop devised first how to thrust him out of all his â—piritual Promotions which were great and afterward quite banish him the Kingdom Hereupon the Queen wrote Letters against him to the Pope to have him disgraded for that he being a Man base born with his hands imbrued with innocent Blood was unworthy of holy Orders Which Letters by chance came to Iames his hands who inraged therewith accompanied with a number of his Friends and Favorites suddenly entred the Court slew such of his Enemies as he found there divided their Goods amongst his Followers and as King possessed himself of the Regal City In this Broil the Greek Queen Helena died and shortly after her Husband also All things being thus in an hurly and out of order certain of the Nobility for redress thereof sent for Lewis the Husband of Carlotte as for him to whom that Kingdom in the right of his Wife most justly belonged who upon his arrival was of all sorts of Men joyfully received and welcomed as their King. Iames the Usurper understanding before of the coming of Lewis and perceiving the inclination of the People towards him fled with divers of his Friends to Alexandria to crave aid of the Egyptian Sultan in whose Court he found such Favour as that he was by the Sultans commandment Royally apparelled and honoured with the Title of the King of Cyprus which he promised for ever to hold of the Sultans of Egypt as their Vassal and Tributary At which time the Sultan also by his Embassadors commanded Lewis to depart the Isle who by all means sought to have pacified the Sultan declaring unto him his rightful Title yet offering to pay unto him the wonted Tribute and to allow unto Iames a yearly Pension of ten thousand Ducats during his life But all in vain for Iames still present in the Sultans Court and wisely following his own suit at last concluded with the great Sultan who thought it more honour to make a King than to confirm a King and receiving of him a great Army returned into Cyprus where in short time he so distressed Lewis that he was glad to forsake the Island with his Wife and to return into his Country
eleven Sons namely Mahamet the eldest of an infirmity in his eyes sirnamed Codabanda a man of a peaceable and quiet disposition more delighted with the sweet pleasure of a contented Life than the careful Honours of so great a Kingdom Ismahel the second Son of a more fierce and troublesome nature so much abhoâ—ring quietness that not regarding the League hardly concluded betwixt his aged Father and the Tuâ—kish Emperours Solyman and Selymus he would now and then without his Fathers knowledge upon a youthful heat break out into the Frontiers of the Turks Dominions and there make great spoil for which doing although he was both of his Father and the People the more regarded yet was he by his Fathers commandment who in outward shew seemed to mislike of those his youthful pranks tending to the breach of the League restrained of his liberty and sent to the Castle of Cahacha betwixt Tauris and Casbin where he remained at the time of his Fathers death Aidere the third Son no less ambitious than was his Brother Ismahel but not of like valour kept by Zalcan Pyry Mahamet and other his Kinsfolks all men of great Power and Authority The other eight were Mamuâ— Solyman Mustapha Emanguli Alichan Amet Abrahim and Ismahel the younger The old King before his death had by his last Will and Testament solemnly appointed Ismahel his second Son to succeed him in the Kingdom as of all his Sons most fit to take upon him so great a charge Which thing Mahamet his elder Brother seem'd not much to dislike contenting himself with such Honours as his Father had before bestow'd upon him Tamas thus dead Ismahel was by the Sultans sent for to Cahacha to take upon him his Fathers Kingdom at Casbin when in the mean time there arose a great tumult in the City yea even in the Kings Palace for Aidere the third Brother who in the time of his Fathers greatest sickness had entred the Chamber where he lay drawing towards his end and in his sight most presumptuously set the Royal Crown upon his head to the manifesting of his ambitious desires for which he was then worthily reproved now after the death of his aged Father carried headlong with the same aspiring humour and supported by Zalcan and other his mighty Favourites had so effectually dealt with the great Lady Periaconcona his eldest Sister and the other Sultans Counsellors of Estate put in trust to see the Will of the dead King put in execution as that the Succession could not be any longer kept from him and preserved for Ismahel but by the help of some fine and secret deceit This Lady Periaconcona elder than all the young Princes the Sons of Tamas her Brethren a Woman of great spirit and deep conceit left in great trust by her Father seeing the proceedings of her Brother Aidere durst neither openly to move any thing unto the Sultans prejudicial to his designs neither could she in her heart indure so great an injury to be done to her Brother Ismahel appointed by his Father to succeed him Wherefore in this perplexity she cast in her wily head how to satisfie her ambitious Brother present how to save the right of Ismahel absent the honour of her dead Father's Will and Testament and the safety of the Kingdom For having thorowly debated the matter with the Sultans she resolved that Aidere invested in Royal Apparel and setled in the great Gallery should attend the acclamation of the People an be theâ—e openly inthronised as the very elected King. With which vain shew the unwise youth blinded with Ambition suffered himself to be led year 1576 and being set in his Majesty verily persuaded himself that he should now be honoured both of his Friends and Foes as King. But unto these his so hasty and prosperous designs the Success that sprung from the subtilty of those Counsellors and his dissembling Sister were nothing conformable for that she by their advice took order for the gates of the Palace to be presently lock'd leaving at every passage a sure Guard and only one wicket open safely warded with a company of most faithful and valorous Captains and Souldiers wholly devoted to Tamas and Ismahel with straight charge to suffer every man to enter in saving only the known friends of Aidere In this sort did she think to have entertained the young man until such time as Ismahel should arrive at Cahaca and so put in execution what he thought best for the honour of himself and the general quiet of the Kingdom Who joyeth now but Aidere in conceit a King replenished with unwonted joyes receiving honour from all men but his best Friends By means whereof perceiving now the prohibition of them and moved also with the great stir of Zalcan his greatest Favourite who discovering the deceit and crying upon King Aidere threatned the Lady the Sultans and the rest that waited upon the feigned Succession indeed ordained but for the scorn and despight of the ambitious man strucken with an exceeding fear and full of sorrow he withdrew himself closely amongst certain Women in the Court hoping so to find some way to escape with life In the mean time so greatly increased the cries and threatnings of the Friends and Favourites of Aidere who now had all of them prepared themselves for some dangerous and pernicious attempt that the Counsellors with consent of the Lady his Sister were inforced to take order That to bereave this tumultuous and seditious People of all their hope and courage Aidere should be deprived of his Life Whereupon Sahamal the Georgian Uncle to Aidere by the Mothers side by the appointment of the Lady Periaconcona and the Sultans after long search made for him at last found him hidden amongst the Women and without further delay taking him by the locks struck his head from his shoulders and in the place where Zalcan and the rest of his unfortunate Favourites stood crying and threatning amongst the thickest of the prease of the proud Conspirators flung the Head all bloudy and as it were yet breathing for heat crying aloud to them Behold there your King enjoy him at your pleasure At which sudden and horrible Spectacle every man burned in rage and anger neither for the present wanted there many a rash head that vainly threatned most cruel revenge but in the end when they perceived the neer Succession of Ismahel inevitable and the death of Aidere irrevocable every man betook himself to his own private Affairs and so at last divided themselves one from another and so departing from the Palace scattered themselves some one way some another every man as he thought best for his own safety Shortly after Ismahel the desired King arrived at Casbin where he was of his Sister and the Sultans joyfully received as their lawful and undoubted Sovereign and with the great acclamation of the People saluted King who as soon as he saw himself possessed of the Royal Seat and his power
they did at one time lose their Country their Liberty their Honour and the Favour of all Men as well Friends as Foes The Prince after this Victory held on his way to Casbin and there staying laboured to gather the dispersed Turcomans especially those that moved with the honesty of the cause would not bear Arms in so unjust an Action intending afterwards to return to Tauris to attend the besieging and conquest of the Fort. This was the end of this dangerous Rebellion the chief cause that Tauris was not again recovered out of the hands of the Turks to the great weakning of the Persian Kingdom Now Giaffer the Eunuch Bassa Governour of the Castle of Tauris fearing lest the Persian Prince would with a greater Army again return to the siege perceiving himself to wax every day weaker and weaker by reason that many of his men secretly fled from him beside them that perished with Sickness and others slain in adventuring too boldly to go abroad to seek for Victuals sent Advertisement thereof to Cicala Bassa at Van signifying further unto him by Writing That if the Prince should again return to assault the Fort he should of Necessity be enforced to yield it and that therefore as he tendered the honour of his Sultan he would be careful to send him Succour whereby he might be able to maintain the Fort adding moreover That now it was most easily to be done because there was no Forces of the Enemies in those quarters saving only a few which remained about the King lying twelve miles off from Tauris Cicala moved with the importance of the enterprise propounded and withal desirous to gain some credit of Glory and Renown with his King entertained the Advices of Giaffer and getting him to horse with a train of three thousand Harquebuzers and good store of Munition set forward toward Tauris The Persian King advertised thereof sent out Spies to learn what way they held meaning to meet them and to set upon them but these Spies coming near to Salmas were apprehended by the fore-runners of Cicala and being put to Torture revealed at last how that their King was in Arms and on his way towards Sancazan At which News Cicala was greatly astonished as well for the danger whereinto the Forces and Munition which he had with him were likely to fall as also for that by any loss which his Troops should sustain in this Expedition the City of Van being indeed the greater and most noble frontier Town in all those Countries must needs be in hazard to be lost having left in it but his Lieutenant with a very few Souldiers Whereupon he determined to relinquish this dangerous enterprise and to withdraw himself back to the Defence and Preservation of the City committed to his Trust and Government But although these expected and desired Succours were not conveyed to Tauris as was intended yet had Giaffer as good Fortune as he could wish for the Preparations of the Prince were so long and troublesome and his return so much prolonged that there was time enough yielded unto the Turks great General now newly chosen as by and by shall be declared to go with a strong Army into those quarters and so to preserve all that which the only Expedition and Celerity of the Enemy might have put in great hazard and almost have brought to a desperate case In the mean time Amurath the Turkish Emperour was greatly troubled at Constantinople in making choice of a new General on the one side Osman Bassa having by his last Will left Sinan Cicala to be his Successour as a man of approved Valour and the many dangers he had run through in the late Service about Tauris with the great favours he had in the Court did not a little incline the King to his Election on the other side he heard of a publick Rumour spread amongst the Souldiers that they could by no means indure to be commanded by so young a Captain and that some in plain tearms should say That they would not obey him Which caused Amurath to doubt that some dangerous discord might thereof ensue in the Army if he should proceed to make choice of him Then there was also Ferat Bassa the same man which had already sustained the charge before Osman who now very ambitiously sought again for this Honour having of late performed some good Service to the good liking of the King. Of any other to make better choice he had none so that he stood in great doubt what to do In the end because he was in good time to provide for his Affairs he made choice of Ferat Bassa the same man whom he had before mad proof of a man of great Fidelity of an honourable Carriage and already experienced in the leading and commanding of such an Army to whom he granted the ordinary Authority to mannage at his pleasure such Affairs of the Empire as concerned his Journey Upon this Resolution general Precepts were sent out to all Cities within the Kingdom to the Bassaes and other Governours with special Commandment That all their Souldiers together with their Taxes Tenths Munitions Victuals Armour Artificers and to be short all their necessary Furniture and Provision should be ready and in order upon the first warning should be sent them the next Spring Great provision of Money was made and in Soria besides the ordinary sum that is bestowed upon the yearly pay of Souldiers in Reivan Erzirum Lori Tomanis Teflis and Chars which swallow up all the Revenue of that Country and of the City of Tripoli amounting to the sum of six hundred thousand Duckats there was taken up in prest of private Merchants in the City of Aleppo only the sum of threescore thousand Cecchini to be repaied unto them with the first Monies that should be received by the Officers of his Custom-houses A matter that moved an extraordinary grudging among the People for that it seemed to every man a very strange and intolerable Exaction beside so many grievances laid upon them for Corn for Carriages for Pioneers and for Workmen to endure this burden also of lending their Money without hope of Restitution thereof yea and indeed every man did greatly wonder how they were thus ill-advised to make it known to the Christian Princes what scarcity and want of Money they had The General had also with him four hundred pieces of Artillery and did beside so work the matter as that Maxut Chan who was appointed Bassa of Aleppo was granted unto him to be the guide of his Army as he had been of Osmans and that Cicala Bassa of Van scarce his good friend was removed from thence and sent farther off out of his way as Bassa to Babylon year 1586 And thus having put all things in readiness he departed from Constantinople in the Month of April in the year 1586 and passing over the Strait into Asia came to Sivas something later than he should have done being hindred partly by
Second Emperour of the Romans to Sinan Bassa the Chief Visier greeting WE write at this present unto your most Excellent Emperour our most honoured Friend and Neighbour concerning such matters as we thought fit for the Preservation of the Peace and League betwixt us lest haply otherwise we might seem to have forgotten our Duty Now it shall well-beseem your uprightness and good will which we have at other times proved for the high Place and Authority which you hold and which we rejoyce to be again restored unto you to give unto these things such easie passage before his Majesty as that we may acknowledge your kindness and favour and have occasion therefore to shew our selves unto you thankful First we offer our selves most ready to continue the Peace and to perform whatsoever is according to the conventions of the renewed Peace on our part to be performed as also to send the honourable Present which is not as yet by us sent when as our Ambassador shall have with you appointed any certain time wherein it may be sent And we also assuredly hope so to prevail with your Emperour that on your part the Places within our Territories by your People forcibly possessed together with all such things as have been wrongfully taken away may be again restored and the Fort of Petrinia razed The Bassa of Bosna also who we think would have been kept within the compass of Duty if you had at that time held the Place of the chief Visier and whosoever else guilty of the wicked breach of the League to be worthily according to their deserts punished and displaced and your Souldiers severely charged not to make any farther Incursions nor to do any thing that may â—end to the breach of the League as we likewise shall with new and strait Commands most carefully restrain our Garrison Souldiers upon our Frontiers from all such Incursions and Enemies Actions But of these things our Ambassador is more fully and at large to entreat with you unto whose Speech we desire such Credence to be given as unto our own and we will so provide that you shall have good proof of our great good will towards you From Prague the eighth of March 1593. Vnto which the Emperours Letters Sinan returned answer as followeth Sinan Bassa Chief Visier to Amurath the Third Emperour of the Turks unto Rodolph the Second Emperour of the Romans greeting BY these we give your Majesty to understand That two of your Majesties Letters were brought hither before we were chosen and confirmed Chief Visier in this most Royal Court wherein your Majesty excuses your self and shews the causes why the sending of the wonted Presents hath been so long deferred by laying the fault upon the Insolency of our Garrison Souldiers in Bosna and the breach of the publick Peace Which your Letters being by us read before our most mighty Emperour his Highness in great choler burst out into these words And thy Son the Beglerbeg of Buda hath still hitherto writ and given us to understand that the usual Presents would certainly come and that the King of Vienna would not in any case consent unto the breach of the League or of the Amity betwixt us and him and yet for all that the Presents are not hitherto come wherefore thy Sons Writings and Relations are not true But now the Bassa of Bosna hath sent word unto the Court That your Majesty will not send them and all your doings to be but meer deceit and fraud For which cause our most Mighty Emperour hath removed my Son from his Place in Buda and rewarded the Bassa of Bosna with honourable Garments whereas my Son is for your Majesties sake displaced Now on our behalf nothing is done against the Peace but our Souldiers as with a Bridle kept in whereas on your Majesties part excursions and harms into the Territories of our Emperour never cease especially into Bosna whereinto your Souldiers have of late in warlike manner broken although they were by our Garrisons over-come their great Ordnance taken and brought hither unto the Court. Wherefore seeing the case so standeth your Majesty is to resolve us upon two points whereof the first is Whether you be minded to keep friendship with us as beseemeth and to send hither the two last years Presents or not And the second Whether you will set at liberty our Captive Sanzacks or no Now if your Majesty shall be content to keep the League and within these two Months next to send the two years Presents as also to dismiss our Sanzacks the League shall on our part be likewise undoubtedly kept your Territories shall be in no case molested such Christian Captives as your Majesty shall require be inlarged and a most firm and sure Friendship by us continued Whereas if you shall upon any cause or excuse longer delay the sending of those honourable Presents and unto these our Demands send us nothing but certain vain and windy Answers let God on High be therefore for ever praised for now our most Mighty and Victorious Emperour who wanteth neither Ability nor Power hath Commanded That we our self should in Person go in this War and putting our Confidence in the Highest with the Army of the right-believing Turks to come into those Parts And therefore assure your Majesty that we will not fail there to encounter you at which time shall appear unto the World what is by God our Creator whose Holy Name be for ever blessed in his deep Wisdom pre-ordained and set down for Us. Wherefore seeing that all which concerneth the League together with the safety and quiet of our People on both sides is unto your Majesty thus declared you are to consider the End and to follow our good Advice whereas if otherwise you shall be the cause of the breach of this so wholsom a Peace and Unity which we hitherto have so sincerely and firmly kept the excuse thereof both in this World and in the World to come shall lie upon your self Now we request of you no more but forthwith to send us answer of these our Letters As for the rest well may he speed that taketh the right way From Constantinople the last of the Month Giuma Zuleuel in the year of our Holy Prophet Mahomet 10001. Yet for all these fair offers of Peace thus made by Sinan Bassa in his Letters was his purpose nothing less than to have performed the same seeking onely to have drawn the two years Presents from the Emperour amounting to a great sum of Money and so nevertheless to have prosecuted the inteded War the Emperour being the onely man of whom Amurath his great Master had amongst all the Christian Princes made choice of to exercise his force upon Of all which things the Emperour was not ignorant being thereof as we said fully before by his Ambassador advertised from Constantinople These Troubles of the Spring thus past ensued the Summer much more troublesome for Hassan Bassa of Bosna chief
VIII 1592. 13. Leo the XI 1605. 26. days Paul the V. 1605. THE LIFE OF ACHMAT The First of that Name Eighth Emperour of the Turks year 1604 MAhomet the late Sultan in the midst of his excessive Pleasures by untimely Death taken away Achmat the elder of his two Sons yet living who was to succeed him in the Empire to prevent the usual and insolent Tumults of the Janizaries and other Souldiers of the Court at the change of the Emperours and to take from them all Occasions of discontentment by the Counsel of the great Bassaes before he took upon him the Government caused an exceeding great sum of Money viz. two millions and an half as a token of his Bounty to be distributed amongst them the Spahi and Silictars his chief Horse-men receiving thereof ten Crowns a man with five Aspers a day more to increase their Pay and the Janizaries thirty Crowns a man and one Asper a day more of ordinary pay they of his Court but especially the chief Officers tasting of this his bounteous Liberality also With which so great a largess all men well contented he in a most rich and stately Chariot so placed as that all men might well see him was in great Majesty carried through all the chief Streets of Constantinople the People on every side gazing upon him and still as he passed by them prosecuting him with their most joyful and happy Acclamations Some wishing that he being but young might as another Solyman begin his Reign with the Conquest of Malta as had the other with the Conquest of the Rhodes and other some as heartily praying that with glorious and victorious Conquests he might be like unto Mahomet â—he Great whom he was then reported much to resemble In which so great and publick Magnificence he being about fifteen years old was with all the accustomed Solemnities openly crowned every man wishing unto him a most long and happy Reign And albeit that no great fruit was for the present from so young and tender a Plant to be expected yet nevertheless by his Authority and in his Name many good Orders were taken for the relief of his Subjects with most heavy Grievances generally oppressed during the loose and careless Reign of his Father His Grandmother also a most proud ambitious and imperious Woman and withal exceeding rich who with great Authority at her Pleasure over-ruled all in the time of the Reign of her Son Mahomet he now removed from the State as not fit for her to have to do therein and so deprived her of all her former Power and Command The Persian Ambassadour whom his Father in his displeasure had close shut up he set at liberty and with him sent the Bassa of Aleppo to intreat of Peace with the great Shaugh of Persia who not long before as was reported had recovered the great City of Tauris and was then preparing himself for new Conquests Which Report for the motion of Peace with the Persian discovered in his Subjects their divers opinions concerning himself some condemning his Patience as not beseeming the Othoman Emperours unto whom Fury and Rage had always made them a way unto their great and dreadful Conquests even against the most puissant Armies and strongest Towns and Fortresses of their Enemies and some others to the contrary praising therein his Wisdom in seeking by fair means now in the beginning of his Reign to disarm his Enemies when they might most hurt him at his better opportunity in his settled estate to oppress them for ever So the Actions of Princes are like unto strange Lights appearing by Night in the Air which hold mens Eyes busied with the intentive beholding of them some thereof divining well and some others evil according to the diversity of the beholders conceits and humours The Treaty for Peace also in Hungary was notwithstanding the death of Mahomet by the Bassa of Buda still continued who as he said by the new Sultan authorised by Letters incited the Governour of Strigonium to repair unto some such convenient Place as wherein the matter might be safely concluded Upon which motion the Governour with the rest of the Commissioners departing from Strigonium the fourth of February came to Collonitz's Camp from whence they were by the Souldiers most bravely conducted along the Banks of Danubius unto the Ships which lay ready for them to carry them down the River to Pesth during which time of their Passage nothing was to be seen or heard but Fire and Smoak and the thundering of the great Artillery both from Pesth and Buda the Christians and the Turks both striving to excell each other in these their shews of Joy and Tryumph The Governour with the rest of his Company being happily arrived at Pesth met there with a number of the better sort of the Turks sent thither by the Bassa to meet him and in his Name â—o greet him who with a thousand Honours again received and saluted them All shews of Kindness and signs of the happy success of the Negotiation begun And now the Christians desirous to excell the Turks as well in Courtesie as in Valour appointed a number of them the next day to go to Buda to invite certain of the chiefest and most honourable men amongst the Turks unto a Banquet at Pesth who willingly accepted of the offer and so came six hundred of the better sort of them over the Danuby to Pesth where the feast was most sumptuously and magnificently prepared for them There were ten fair and rich Pavillions set up for the Entertainment of them a little distant from Pesth in a fair place and fit for this purpose In the first whereof were placed three very proud and stately Tables At the first of which Tables on the right hand were set the Commissioners for the Emperour with the two Bassaes and one Mufti or Arch-Priest with a Mitre upon his Head a long furred Gown upon his Back and under that a Robe of most fine and exceeding rich Silk Upon the left hand at the same Table were placed certain of the Turks Lords and other great men At the other two Tables were set other of the best sort of the Turks mingled with the Christians and so at all the other Tables in like order were set a Christian and a Turk until that the six hundred Turks were placed with as many Christians among them who by their good Countenance and Behaviour one of them to another might have seemed to have been all of one and the same Belief Nation and Country The Turks after the manner of their Superstition would not sit down before the setting of the Sun which being set they with a thousand Ceremonies to the imitation of their Arch-priest set themselves down at the Tables in order as is aforesaid and there merrily reposed themselves until nine of the Clock at night At which time the Tables with great reverence taken away the Turks as men well contented and full
Rivers and to thrust themselves into a thousand Dangers which as it is no commendable kind of Life so is the practise of it unjust For as in this so in other their Actions they spare neither Friend nor Foe all that comes in their way being subject and as it were appointed to their Fury but especially when they want their Pay which affordeth unto them a thousand Excuses for the robbing and spoiling of all men without respect With which manner of fury they were even at this time enraged for want of their Pay in such sort as that if their right-hands spoiled the Turks their left-hands robbed the Christians as upon one and the self-same day they took from the Turks of Agria a number of Beasts and Cattel and rifled divers Villages of the Christians And not content with these Outrages meeting with an hundred or six score Waggons laden with great store of Victuals going toward Alba-Iulia conducted by the Zeclers set upon them slew them that drave them and carried away the Waggons with them But these Wrongs by Christians done unto Christians even the mortal Enemies of the Christians the Turks themselves revenged For the Turks of Temeswar having been abroad toward Lippa and â—ound good store of Booty meeting with these Sharkers were by them charged not so much for that they were their Enemies or for the Zeal of Christianity or for the desire of Honour as for to have had from them their Prey and Booty But the Turks being in number twice as many as they and withal well acquainted with such Business were not so easily spoiled but knowing their own strength with their Number oppressed their Enemies most of whom they slew and took the rest Prisoners God being as just in his Punishments as he is in Works powerful punishing the Wicked by the Weapons of others as wicked or rather worse than they The Turks in the mean time whilst things thus passed began again to fall to their old Practice for the solliciting of a Peace but such Fantasies were too stale and common for them any more to deceive the Christians with howbeit that they yet gave some ear thereunto to discover in their Policy the Commodities and Inconveniences of the Peace by them in shew offered with a thousand Protestations in their Words but far differing from their Thoughts and Deeds who during the time of the Parle laboured in what they might to benefit themselves and to hurt us For even in that same very time they fortified their Towns and Castles with Men and Victuals but especially the City of Buda whereinto by a Convoy of three thousand Turks come from Belgrade they put an exceeding quantity of all sorts of necessary Provision sufficient to serve the same for a whole Year Besides that it was certainly known by certain Turks taken Prisoners and brought to Posconium that all this Parle and Treaty of Peace was but of purpose feigned to put the Christians in security for that the Bassa of Buda who was the chief Publisher of the same had no such Commission from the Great Sultan for the concluding of any Peace in the Absence of the Visier Bassa unto whom the Grand Seignior had given Charge not to make any Peace with the Emperour but upon Condition That he should first deliver unto him the City of Strigonium which if he would not yield that then he should besiege it and by force take it from him and after the winning thereof to refuse all other Treaty of Peace it being the only Cause for which the Turks desired Peace Of all which their double dealing and crafty Designs the Emperour understanding and wholly resolved for War presently sent County Sultze with Commission to Vienna and appointed George Basta Lieutenant-General of his Army in Hungary advising them carefully to look to their Charge and not too much to trust unto the glosing and flattering Speeches of the Turks The Haiducks in the mean time always in Arms as having no other Inheritance whereon to live ceased not still to look abroad to find that was never lost Now it fortuned them in roaming abroad toward Belgrade to light upon Reovin a strong and fair Castle of the Turks wherein eight hundred of the Turks Souldiers and other of their Country people had their Abode together with the greatest part of their Substance In the Strength of which Castle the Turks trusting and there lying in Security without farther care of their Safety were upon the sudden before they were aware by these adventurous men surprised who for haste thrusting one another forward at length carried the Place slew the greatest part of the Turks and taking the rest Prisoners with a great and rich Booty returned to Lippa The like Exploit they of the Garrison of Canisia attempted upon the Castle and Burrough of Lambac which they took and spoiled and afterwards set it on fire the Flame whereof served for a Signal unto the Troops of County Serin which passing that way and lighting upon the Turks over-loaded with the Spoils they had there taken cut them in pieces and so recovered from them the Booty About this time certain of the Garrison Souldiers of Petrinia having secretly conspired with the Turks by whom they were before corrupted to deliver unto them that strong Castle and being about to have betrayed the same by a Mine which they were in making under a Stable near unto a Store-house wherein the Powder for the Store of the Castle lay with a purpose by firing of the same to have given the Turks entrance by the Ruines thereof who lay close hidden in a Wood near unto the Place it fortuned this their wicked Purpose to be perceived by certain Offenders then kept Prisoners in the same Stable near unto the Mine who having discovered the Traitors whole Purpose and in fear to be burned or blown up by the fury of the Mine so near unto them discovered the same unto the Goaler who made the Governour therewith acquainted by whose Commandment they were forthwith apprehended and being convicted of their so foul a Treason were with exemplary Punishment executed Now as the Turks had oftentimes made shew as if they had been desirous of Peace so ceased they not yet with great earnestness to sollicite the same so that the Emperour although he knew it to be a thing rather to be wished than hoped for yet lest he should seem careless of the common Quiet of his Subjects and People and to refuse so great a good so oftentimes offered him now once again appointed certain Personages of great Place and Authority to attend the Propositions of Peace to be on the Turks behalf propounded Of which Commissioners Caesar Gallen Sheriff of Strigonium an Italian and a Man of great experience in matters of State was one Whom the Governour of Strigonium had of purpose sent to Pesth to consider of some good means for the concluding of the Peace whereof he himself in Person had laid the first
Pensions to maintain them during their lives The least hath five Aspers a day and there 's none have above eight and the Spahies ten They are attired in long blew Gowns girt with a broad Girdle and on their Head they have long yellow Caps without brims and sharp like unto Sugar-loaves and of these Aiamoglanes there are always above twenty thousand which serve to supply his Armies The other sort of Youths which are bred up in the Turks Seraglioes or Nurseries are called Ich-Oglani that is to say Chamber-Pages being the choice of all the Christians Children for Proportion and Favour and these Ich-Oglani are better bred up than the Aiamoglani and come to better Preferment of whom we have formerly made mention for the meanest Places these young Men attain unto at the first is to be Spahies or to attend upon the Grand Seignior as his Chamberlains and Pages And many of them having extraordinary Parts are suddenly advanced to Places of great Dignity Of these the Prince hath ever five thousand who until they come unto the Age of twenty years are never suffered to go out of their Seraglio nor to see any Person but such as instruct them and attend upon them The Ianizaries who are the Grand Seignior's chief strength on foot are raised out of Christians Children bred up in these Nurseries as we have said where they are taught to shoot with their Bows and Arrows to use the Harquebuse and all other Weapons fit for Service and are at length inrolled among the Ianizaries and are held the most valiant and resolute Souldiers among all the Turks There are commonly resident in Constantinople and thereabouts twenty four thousand of these Ianizaries whenas the Grand Seignior is there for in his whole Estate he hath a far greater number under their Aga or Captain General which is a Place of great credit but not like unto any of their Bassaes the Great Turk fearing to joyn Power and Authority together Being once Ianizaries they are either sent to the Wars or put in Garrison or else they remain at the Sultan's Court which they call Port where they have certain spacious Places for their Dwelling like to religious Houses where they live under their Commanders and the younger serve the ancient with great respect All the Ianizaries of one Squadron eat together at one Table and sleep in certain long Halls and if any one chance to be absent all Night he shall the next Night be beaten with a Cudgel which he takes so patiently as he kisseth his Hand that hath thus corrected him They are much respected and feared of all men and are diversly imployed in the City as to see the Peace and good Orders kept to look to the prices of things to arrest Malefactors and to guard the Gates If they buy any thing they will have it at their own rate they cannot be judged but by their Aga or Captain There is seldom any one punished with death by the course of Justice without danger of a Mutiny and therefore they execute them very secretly They have many means to get money for some attend upon Ambassadours and keep their Houses others go with Travellers to guard them safely through the Turks Estate They have a great power in their Princes Election so as to win their loves every new Emperour at his first coming to the Crown gives them a Donative and increaseth their Pay presuming upon their Valour and Multitude They many times commit strange Insolencies upon any Discontents as in firing of Houses braving the Bassaes and sometimes bearding the Sultan himself as you may read in this History The chief strength of the Turks Forces consists in the Ianizaries and yet there are other sorts of Foot-men whereof some are called Acovizes which is a forlorn Hope and receive no Pay but march before the Army and have leave to spoil so as they give the fifth part of their Booty to the Prince There is another kind called Azapi these are Souldiers of small effect and serve rather with the Pick-axe and Spade than with the Sword they are fitter to tire an Enemy with their numbers than to vanquish them with their Valour and they are accustomed to fill up Ditches with their dead Bodies to make a Passage for the Janizaries to ascend unto a Breach The Grand Seignior hath ever six thousand Gunners in pay whom they call Topagi And for the Guard of the Powder and Shot when the Army marcheth there are always twelve thousand Men in pay whom they call Iebegi The Grand Seignior hath also certain Officers attending on him to the number of three thousand whom they call Chiaus which are as it were Sergeants at Arms. These are Men well esteemed and are often imployed in Embassies to foreign Princes They also carry Letters and Commendations from the Prince or his chief Visier and they apprehend Offenders These never go to the War but whenas the Sultan is there in Person They are commanded by a Chiaus Bassa who is of so great credit with all men as Sanzovino writes that when he is sent by the Grand Seignior to any Bassa Sanzack or Cadi with order to have any Mans Head cut off he is obeyed although he have no Warrant in writing as if the Prince were there himself and commanded it Thus we have set down the Grand Seignior's Forces at Land whose numbers are so great as in shew they should breed confusion and ruine themselves but they keep very good Order and Discipline so as in that point they yield not to any They live of a little Bread baked in the Ashes with Rice and the powder of Flesh dryed in the Sun They may drink no Wine and there are no Women seen in their Armies they observe a wonderful Silence and all the Souldiers are governed by the beck of the Hand or any shew of the Countenance Quarrels and Thefts are severely punished When they March they dare not enter into any Corn Fields nor Vines The Valiant are assured of Preferments and Cowards of Punishment Having spoken sufficiently of their Land Forces let us see what strength he hath at Sea they have great store of Forests for the building of Ships neither want they good Shipwrights for that Covetousness hath drawn many Christian Carpenters into the Grand Seignior's Arsenal And he hath great numbers of Men trained up in Marine Affairs in regard of the Gallies which he hath at Mitilene Rhodes Cyprus and Alexandria and for the retreat he gives Pyrates at Tunis Bona Bugia and Algiers from whence he draws Commanders and his best Mariners as hath been seen by Experience in the Enterprises of Malta Gulette and elsewhere To maintain these great Forces it is requisite he should have the sinews of War yet his ordinary Revenues considering his large Dominions are not so great as in reason they should be for some are of opinion that he hath not above eight millions of Gold
for his ordinary Revenue for which they give divers reasons first That the Turks have no care buâ— of Arms the which do rather ruine than inrich a Country secondly They consume so many men in their Enterprises as they scarce leave sufficient to manure their Land so as the Subjects despairing to enjoy their Wealth and necessary Commodities which they might get by their Labour and Industry imploy not themselves to work nor traffick no more than necessity shall constrain them for to what purpose is it say they to sow that another man must reap or to reap that which another will consume And for this reason you shall see in the Turks Estate whole Countries lie waste and many times great Dearth which grows by the want of Men to manure their Land for that the Country-men for the most part either die in the Voyages which they make or in carrying of Victuals and other necessary things for their Armies for of ten thousand which they draw from their Houses to row in their Gallies scarce the fourth part returns to their Houses by reason of the great Toyles they indure Another reason why the Sultan's Revenues be no greater is for that when he conquers any Country he assigns the Lands to his Timarri who are bound to maintain so many Men and so many Horses according to the proportion of Land which he gives them reserving no Rent But although his ordinary Revenues be no greater than we have spoken yet he draws great profit by his Extraordinaries especially by Confiscations and Presents for being all his Slaves no man enjoyeth any thing longer than it pleaseth him yea the Bassaes and greatest Officers of that Crown which oppress his Subjects and gather together inestimable Wealth in the end for the most part it comes into the Turks Casna or Treasury It is not strange there to send for any Subjects Head upon any suggestion whatsoever which no man dare contradict after which Execution his Slaves and Goods are sold in the Market at Constantinople and the Money applyed to the Prince's Coffers His Presents also amount to great sums for no Ambassadour may come before him without a Present neither may any man expect any Office or Dignity without Money no Governour being returned from his Province dares present himself to the Sultan empty handed neither are their Presents of small price The Sultan's Exchequer is governed by two Treasurers called Deftardari who are more rightly governours of the Revenues for that they keep an account of the Prince's Casna or Treasure the one hath charge of the Revenues which are raised in Natolia the other in Europe Also they draw great profit from their tributary Provinces especially from Valachia Moldavia and Transilvania where the Princes maintain themselves by Presents and Gifts so as they change daily for that they that offer most are advanced whereby they are forced to ruine the Country to perform what they have promised But having spoken of the Turks Forces and Revenues whereby they maintain their Armies to invade their Neighbours we must now speak something of their Laws whereby the Subjects are governed which are Institutions and Answers of Wise men the which they hold as an Interpretation of their Alcaron which is the ground of their Law. These Institutions are contained in twelve Volumes treating of all things belonging to civil Conversation Some Provinces of Turkey are governed by Customs and enjoy their Priviledges and their Wise Judges supply many things which are not written The Sultan makes choice of the wisest and worthiest Person that can be found of a sincere Life according to their Law and he is called Mufti that is Interpreter of their Alcaron he is as it were their High-priest attending only matters of Religion and Faith he is Head of the Church among the Turks and decideth all questions of their Law. He is of such eminency as all the Bassaes are subject to his direction he abaseth not himself so much as to sit in the Divano only passeth through it when he is sent for by the Sultan who so soon as he seeth him riseth from his seat as it were to honour him and then they both sit down face to face and so conferr together They make trial of the sufficientest of their Judges before they chuse any for which there are two Cadilesquiri Talismani that is Doctors of the Law and Examiners at Constantinople or wheresoever the Prince remains These examine the Judges or Cadies of divers Provinces The one hath his charge over Europe and is called Cadilesquirie Romly before whom after good information of his Life and sufficiency he swears that he will do Justice to all men and yield an account of his Charge when he shall be called The other Cadilesquirie is for Natolia they are sovereign Judges in all Causes and as it were Patriarchs They are of great Authority and have place in the Divano with the Bassaes to consult of weighty matters There is a Third degree of their Church-men belonging to their Law called Mulli which are Bishops and chief Governours under the Mufti and their Office is to place and displace Church-men at their discretion Next are the Nuderisi who are Suffragans to the Bishops and their Charge is to see the Cadies do their duties Next come the Cadies who are Judges to punish Offenders of which there is one in every City under the Seignior's command Under these are another kind of young Doctors of the Law called Naipi who are not so well read as to be absolute Judges but yet supply their places in their absence After these are the Hogi who write their Books for that they allow no printing and inferior unto them are the Calfi who read unto them that write And the youngest of all are called Sosti who are young Students or Novices in their Law. These are their several degrees of Lawyers or Church-men for the Turks are governed by a kind of Ecclesiastical Law according to their Alcaron They have Colledges called Medressae at Constantinople and in other places where they live and study their Law and Divinity and so they ascend by degrees to the highest Dignity of their Profession As for their Religion it began in the time of the Emperour Heraclius whenas the Empire was much dismembred by the Heresies of Arrius and Nestorius Mahomet born in Arabia embraced this opportunity seeking to overthrow the Divinity of Iesus Christ which was opposed by the Iews and Arabians he was assisted by two Hereticks the one was Iohn a Nestorian and the other Sergius an Arrian After which being assisted by many slaves to whom he allowed all that was pleasing to the sence and flesh if they should receive this Law he obtained many Victories By Mahomet's Law they make a Distinction of clean and unclean Meats to content the Iews and also it maintains Circumcision but not at the eighth day of their Birth as the Iews use it but after the eighth
gaining ground in the esteem of the Turks had priviledg granted him to visit familiarly his Brethren which he employed in Circumcising their Children the Eighth day according to the Precept of Moses preaching his new Doctrines by which he hath confirmed many in their Faith of his being the Messiah and startled all with expectation of what these strange ways of Enthusiasm may produce but none durst publickly own him lest they should displease the Turks and the Iews and incur the danger of Excommunication from one and the Gallows from the other Howsoever in Ianuary 1671 â— appeared another bold Impostor amongst the Iews in Smyrna from the Morea as it was said or not known from whence who in despight of Sabatai and his own Governours pretendâ—d to be Messiah but with so inconsiderable and petty a Deluder as this the Iews thought to make quick work but being ashamed at first to bring another Messiah on the Stage by help of money they accused him of Adultery and procured a Sentence from the Kadi condemning him to the Gallies in order unto which and in proof of his good behaviour he remain'd some time in Prison in which Interim he found means to clear himself of that Crime by open evidence to the contrary and had for the present escaped out of the power of the Synagogue had not their Authority money prevailed more than the Friends or Disciples of this Impostor whom we will leave in prison and Sabatai in the house of Pharaoh where he continued until the Year 1676 and then died And so we return to more important matters of the Turkish Affairs Since that we have so long insisted on the phrensie of the Iews let us return to matters of greater consequence and more general concernment look back to Count Leslie the Emperors Ambassador who having departed from Constantinople the 11 th of Decemb. of the last Year we find on the 10th of March of this year on the Frontiers ready to make exchange with the Turkish Ambassador The night before Count Leslie was lodged at a Village called Elmas where the Inhabitants as in the most parts of upper Hungary are Calvinists in Religion and though they live between two Swords do yet in time of War by paying a Tribute to both Parties and providing Forage for both remain more secure than in the Villages subjected to either which are often burnt or in some other manner miserably destroyed The next day the Emperors Ambassador conducted by the Pasha of Quinque Ecclesiae with about three hundred Horse arrived at the place for many years observed for exchange of Ambassadors which is about an hour and halfs Journey or five miles as we may so say distant from this Village where in open Fields upon the Brink of the Danube are set three Posts the two Ambassadors meeting at that in the middle after some Complements take their leaves each of other and so exchange The German Ambassador that day arrived near his Post about seven a Clock in the morning but the Turkish not being as yet come from Komara he could not proceed farther After some expectation here advice came That the Turkish Ambassador was resolved not to depart from Komara until he was satisfied for the allowance of eighteen days at a hundred Dollars for every day which he had spent at his entrance into Christendom between the frontiers and the City of Vienna But to this was replied That it had never been the custom to allow the Turkish Ambassador mony for his daily provisions until he entred the Emperors Court and in the mean time the expences and charge of his journey were to be defrayed by the Imperial Officers who had performed the same in a most ample and plentiful manner But the Turk was resolved not to be so satisfied and therefore declared he would not depart without full payment hoping the more easily to prevail in regard the German Ambassador was already in the Field exposed to the cold and sharp weather without provisions either for himself Attendance or Horses whilst the Turk remained warm in his Boat accommodated with his Stove and wrapt in his Furs so that he hoped there might be a necessity of granting what he reserved for the rear-guard ofhis pretensions The matter seemed unreasonable to the German Ambassador as also to the Turks thatattended him who being in the open and cold Air judg'd it in an unseemly time to capitulate But in fine the German gave him thâ—s Answer That an Ambassador ought to be contenâ—ed with that hospitality and entertainment which was accustomary as he himself had done for that since his departure from Buda which was then seven days he had not receiv'd one Asper of allowance resting satisfied with the Pasha's word that from Buda homewards it was not accustomary to receive a farther treatment so that if he insisted on the first he was to be allowed the latter since both Ambassadours are to be used with terms of equality and therefore to find an expedient to give him satisfaction he was contented to resign his seven days allowance from the Grand Signior and if any thing farther was really owing he would engage his parole of honour for the payment And farther he added That none but a corrupt Minister would make his private Interest to stand in Competition with a publick Design and make the pretence of a few Dollars an interruption and impediment to the progeess of the great Affairs of the Two Empires professing that he would have quitted all his right rather than the least concernment of his Master should have received a prejudice on confidence of whose gracious favour he depended for reparation of whatsoever he suffered for his service He thanked God that he had happily managed his Embassy to the satisfaction of the Grand Signior and the approbation of his Master and was now ready to perform the last office and ceremony in which if he did fail or was impeded the fault was not his being ready to return to Buda so the other in like manner did to Vienna there to remain until this d fference was decided by their Masters The Turkish Ambassadour's Kahya or Steward who was present and heard all this discourse seeming not pleased to hear of a return to Vienna immediately replied That he conceived his Master would not remove from Komara to which it was answered That a man who so little understood the office of an Ambassadour as it appeared his Master did was to be treated with some other kind of stile than was agreeable to the respect due to a publick Minister and should therefore be forced to it in case he should refuse The Turkish Ambassâ—dour having his stomach something taken down with the threats of returning to Vienna that afternoon loosed from Komara and between three and four a clock arrived at the place of Exchange but the wind blowing hard had put some of his Boats ashore which were most laden and fewest men to govern them
not read any Authour which hath given a satisfactory account of such Sects as are sprung up amongst them in these latter and modern times It is a common opinion that there are seventy two sects amongst the Turks but it is probable there are many more if the matter were exactly known and scanned The Turkish Doctours fansie that the seventy two Nations which they call Yesmish â—kee Molet into which the World was divided upon the Confusion of the Languages of Babel was a Type and a Figure of the divisions which in after-Ages should succeed in the three most general Religions of the World. In this manner they account seventy different Sects among the Jews seventy one amongst the Christians and to the Mahometan they assign one more as being the last and ultimate Religion in which as all fulness of true Doctrine is compleated so the Mystery of iniquity and the deviation of mans judgment by many paths from the right rule is here terminated and confined The Turks have amongst themselves as well as in other Religious Sects and Heresies of dangerous consequence which daily increase mixing together with them many of the Christian Doctrines which shall in their due place be described and in former times also a sort of Fanatick Mahometans which at first met onely in Congregations under pretence of Sermons and Religion appeared afterwards in Troops armed against the Government of the Empire So one Scheiches Bedredin Chief Justice of Musa Brother to Mahomet the Fifth King of the Turks after the death of his Master was banished to Nice in Asia where consulting with his servant Burgluzes Mustapha by what means they might raise Sedition and a Second War they agreed the readiest course was by broaching a new Sect and Religion and by persuading the people to something contrary to the ancient Mahometan superstition Whereupon Burgluzes masking his villany under a grave and serious countenance took his journey into Aydinin othewise Caria where he vented Doctrines properly agreeing to the humours of the people preaching to them Freedom and Liberty of Conscience and the Mystery of Revelations and you may believe he used all arts in his persuasions with which Subjects used to be allured to a Rebellion against their Prince so that in a short time he contracted a great number of Disciples beyond his expectation Bedredin perceiving his Servant thrive so well with his Preaching fled from his place of Exile at Nice into Valachia where withdrawing himself into a Forest like a devout Religious man gathered a number of Proselytes composed of Thieves Robbeâ—s and Out-lawed people these he having instructed in the principles of his Religion sent abroad like Apostles to preach and teach the people that Bedredin was appointed by God to be the King of Justice and Commander of the whole World and that his Doctrine was already embraced in Asia The people taken with these Novelties repaired in great numbers to Bedredin who conceiving himself strong enough to take the Field issued from his desâ—rt with Colours displayed and an Army well appointed and fighting with his deluded multitude a bloudy Battel against those Forces which Mahomet sent to suppress him under his Son Amurath the deluded Rebels were overthrown Bedredin taken Prisoner and his pretences of Sanctiâ—y and Revelation were not available to save him from the Gallows And thus we see that the name of God's cause revelations liberty and the like have been old and common pretences and delusions of the World and not onely Christians but Infidels and Mahometans have wrote the name of God on their Banners and brought the pretence of Religion into the Field to justifie their cause CHAP. X. Of the two prevailing Sects viz. Of Mahomet and Hali that is the Turk and the Persian the Errours of the Persian recounted and confuted by the Mufti of Constantinople THE two great Sects among the followers of Mahomet which are most violent each against other the mutual hatred of which diversity of Education and Interest of the Princes have augmented are the Turks and Persians The first hold Mahomet to have been the chief and ultimate Prophet the latter prefer Hali before him and though he was his Disciple and succeeded him yet his inspirations they esteem greater and more frequent and his interpretations of the Law most perfect and Divine The Turk also accuses the Persian of corrupting the Alchoran that they have altered words misplaced the Comma's and Stops that many places admit of a doubtfull and ambiguous sense so that those Alchorans which were upon the Conquest of Babylon brought thence to Constantinople are separated and compiled in the great Seraglio in a place apart and forbidden with a Curse on any that shall read them The Turks call the Persians Forsaken of God abominable and blasphemers of the Holy Prophet so that when Selymus the First made War in Persia he named his Cause the Cause of God and proclaimed the occasion and ground of his War to be the Vindication of the cause of the Prophet and revenge of the blasphemies the Persians had vented against him and so far is this hatred radicated that the Youth of what Nation soever is capable of admittance into the Schools of the â—eraglio excepting onely the Persian who are looked upon by the Turk as a people so far Apostatized from the true Belief and fallen into so desperate an Estate by a total corruption of the true Religion that they judge them alâ—ogether beyond hopes or possibility of recovery and therefore neither give them quarter in the Wars account them worthy of life or slavery Nor are the Persians on the other side endued with better nature of good will to the Turks estranging themselves in the farthest manner from their Customs and Doctrines rejecting the three great Doctours of the Mahometan Law viz. Ebbubecher Osman and Omar as Apochryphal and of no Authority and have a Custome at their Marriages to erect the Images of those three Doctours of Paste or Sugar at the entrance of the Bridal Chamber on which the Guests first casting their looks leave the impression of any secret Magick which may issue fâ—om their eyes to the prejudice or misfortune of the Married Couple for in the Eastern parts of the â—orld they hold that there is a strange fascination innate to the eyes of some people which looking attentively on any as commonly they do on the Bridegroom and the Bride in Marriages produce macerations and imbecillity in the body and have an especial quality contrary to procreation and therefore when the Guests are entred having the Malignity of their eyes Arrested on these Statues they afterwards cut them down and dissolve them And that it may the more plainly appear what points of Religion are most controverted amongst them and what Anathema's and Curses are by both sides vented each against the other this following sentence passed by the Mufti Esad Efendi upon Schah Abbas Tutor to the King of Persia called Sari Halife and all the Persians will
Opiniators yet by experience it is observed that the Mufties Educated in the Eschrakian Schools have been much more fortunate than those of the Hairetian Sect because the former having a certain foundation of principles have been cautious in signing Feâ—fas or delivering their Sentence in the resolution of weighty Matters of State chusing rather to renounce their Office than their reason But the others bâ—ing negligent and incurious in their determinations as if fortune did direct them more to the true part than solidity of judgment have been always free and open in their Sentences by which means events of State falling out unhappily and the miscarriage attributed to the counsel of the Mufâ—i they have been oftner subject to the punishment of banishment or death than their Opponents We shall not proceed to swell this Work with a longer Catalogue of these Sects lest we should seem over-tedious to the Reader and instead of pleasing his Palate should over-charge his Stomach otherwise we might proceed to recite as many Sects as there are Towns or Schools in the Empire in every one of which some pragmatical Preacher or other have always started a new opinion which can never want Disciples And certainly the diversity of opinions in Turky is almost infinite and more numerous than in England or other parts of Christendom though commonly not proceeding from the same malice nor laid with the same design to the prejudice of the State the reason of this variety amongst the Turks I attribute to the many Religions which voluntarily and for interest or by force have entred into the Mahometan superstition many of which being Grecians and instâ—ucted in the Arts and Sciences with which that Empire once flourished which was the Mine and Treasury of Philosophy and Learning did afterwards mix with their new Religions not being wholly satisfied with the Alchoran certain Traditions and Opinions of the ancient Philosophers And several other Nations as Russians Moscovites Chircossians and the like retaining some few remembrances of their first Notions and Principles make a farther addition to this ill compounded medley which also receiving some difference and variety as they encreased and were propagated have multiplyed into a number both unprofitable and tedious to search farther into CHAP. XIII Of the Dervises It is commonly known and received that the Turkish Religion is an absurd Composition of the Christian and Jewish Rites in imitation of the former of which doubtless their Monasteries and Orders of Religious men were introduced most of which incline to a pretended mortification and strictness of life to Poverty and Renunciation of the Worlds enjoyments according to the devotion of Christians a thousand years past whose piety and exemplary lives drew Infidels to extract a rough Copy of their elevated vertues I have been the more curious in making an exact enquiry into the Customs Institutions and Doctrines of the Mahometan Convents because I find relations hereof sparingly scattered in other Books and that obscurely without punctuality or certainty But I shall promise my Reader to deliver nothing herein but what I have good Authority for and taken from the mouth of the most Learned of ther Seighs or Preachers which are the Heads or Superiours of these Societies The Doctors of the Mahometan Law inform me that their Religious Houses and Institutions are as ancient as Mahomet from whom general orders and instructions were derived from their oeconomy first to his Disciple Hali but our Turkish History and other Records make no mention of these Monasteries till within these Three hundred and fifty years in the time of Orchanes second King of the Turks who is famed to have been the first Founder of Houses of these Orders Those of the Mahometan Faith who first framed Rules and Institutions for these Religions were two viz. Calveâ—â—ee and Nacksbendee which after Mahomet are esteemed the two Fountains from whence other Orders are produced which are these following from Chalvettee are derived The first Founders and Masters of these Orders Nimetulahi from Nimetula Kadri from Kadri Kalenderi from Kalendar Edhemi from Edhem Hizrevi from Hizr Bektasse from Bektass From Nacksbendee proceed onely two viz. Their Original Founders Ebrbuharee from Ebrbubar Mevelevee from Mevelava These several Orders we shall distinctly touch upon beginning with the Mevelevee which though set down here last yet because for fame amongst the Turks they are the first we shall most largely and particularly treat of them The Mevelevee otherwise and most commonly named Dervise which word signifies Poor and Renouncers of the World have their chief and superiour Foundation in Iconium which consists of at the least four hundred Dervises and governs all the other Convents of that Order within the Turkish Empire by virtue of a Charter given them by Ottoman first of the Mahometan Kings who out of devotion to their Religion once placed their Prior or Superiour in his Royal Throne because having been his Tutour and he who girted on his Sword which is the principal Ceremony of Coronation he granted him and his Successours ample Authority and Rule over all others of the same Profession They pretend to great Patience Humility Modesty Charity and Silence in presence of their Superiour or others their eyes are always fixed downwards their heads hanging towards their breast and their bodies bending forwards Their Shirts are of the coursest Linen can be made with a white Plad or Mantle about their shoulders but most wear a loose kind of Garment made of Wool at Iconium or in Anatolia of a dark colour their Caps or what they wear on their heads is like the Crown of a Hat of the largest size made of a course Felt of a whitish colour their Legs are always bare and their Breasts open which some of them burn or sear in tokeâ— of greater devotion they wear also a Leather girdle with some shining stone upon the Buckle before either of Marble or Alabaster Porphyry Ivory or something that makes a great shew or lustre they always carry with them a string of Beads which they call Tesbe and oftner run them over than our Fryars do their Rosary at every Bead repeating the name of God. When the Prior of this Order dies they commonly set a Hearse for him in a Chapel and upon it lay a long string of Beads as big as Walnuts It is also common amongst other Tu ks to carry Beads in their hands to play with and they say that when they have no other employment that kind of divertisement drives away idle and evil thoughts Besides their Fast of Ramazan they keep a weekly Fast on every Thursday on which day none unless for some indisposition of health or other lawfull cause hath license to eat until after Sun-setting Every Tuesday and Friday the Superiour of the Convent makes a Sermon or Exposition of some Verses in the Alchoran or out of the Books wrote by the Founder or some other prime Doctour of the Mahometan Law
after which is done the Dervises with marvellous modesty and reverence bowing to their Superiour begin to turn round some of them with that swift motion that their faces can scarce be seen a certain Pipe made of a Cane sounding all the time of this motion and on a sudden when the Musick ceases they all stop with that exactness and firmness shewing no symptoms of a disordered or swimming Brain to which having accustomed themselves from their infancy or youth in some years that motion becomes as natural with as little disturbance to their head or stomach as to walk forward or to use any other exercise which nature is delighted with This custome they say they observe with great devotion in imitation of their first Founder Mevelana who for fourteen days together and without taking any nourishment used this Virtiginous motion by a miraculous assistence his Friend Hamze or Companion all that time sounding by him with his Flute or Pipe until at last falling into an ecstasie he received strange Revelations and Divine commands for the institution of this his Order The Pipe they play on they esteem for an ancient sanctified sort of Musick and to be that on which Iacob and the other holy Shepherds in the Old Testament praised God. It hath a dolefull melancholy sound but their constant exercise and application thereunto makes it as Musical as can be imagined in such an Instrument the best of those Canes are esteemed to come from Iconium and are of twenty five Dollars price But this sort of devotion with instrumental Musick is by Turks themselves disputed against denying that their Founder who was so spiritual a man did ever institute or himself use Musick in his turning round because the Alchoran expresly forbids all devotion and service of God with Musick but onely with the natural and living Voice And that is the reason why in calling their people to prayers they use no Bells but onely the Voice of a Man and for this cause I remember that in my time prohibitions have been made by publick Authority against this practice of the Dervises But they on the contrary alledging David's example and his Dancing before the Ark as arguments for their Musick and Giration have by the help of several persons in power many of them being greatly affected with their devotion maintained from time to time this custome and institution of the first Founder of this Order notwithstanding that one Vanni Efendi a great Seigh or Preacher esteemed as a knowing person by the Grand Signior and all the Court hath by his Authority endeavoured to Reform this Corruption as he calls it amongst them They profess Poverty Chastity and Obedience like Capuchin Fâ—yars or other Orders of St. Francis but if any have not the gift of Continence he may obtain license to leave his Convent and Marry but of these they observe that none ever thrived or lived happily with contentment that renounced this Dedication to God's Service The Novices serve in the most servile Offices and in time others supply their places they lie as Companions two together in a Cell some of which employ their time in Learning to Reade and Write in Turkish Arabick and Persian but most yield to the slothfull temperament to which they are naturally addicted but because the nature of Man is restless and musâ— employ it self either in good or bad actions most of these associates exercise some kind of Legerdemain or tricks to amuse the minds of the common people and some really apply themselves to Sorceries and Conjurations by help of familiar Spirits Busbequius tells strange stories of one with whom he was acquainted and he would strike a stone of great weight and bigness against his bare Breast with that force and violence as were sufficient to knock down an Ox or break the bones of the sloutest Gyant and that the same man he hath seen take an Iron Bar red hot from the Fire and hold it in his mouth and though the spittle and moisture of his mouth hissed with the heat yet he seemed to take it thence again without the least hurt or burning Imaginable This sort of people of all other Turks addict themselves to drink Wine Strong Waters and other intoxicating Liquors and eat Opium in that quantity by degrees using their bodies thereunto that no Mountebank or Mithridates himself who was nourished by Poison are capable to digest half that proportion that these men will do the effect of which is at first like men drunk or mad to raise their spirits to a sort of distracted Mirth and afterwards when the subtile vapours are consumed and spent and a dull sâ—upefaction overcomes them they name it an ecstasie which they account very holy and divine in imitation of their first Founder who was often observed to put himself into this condition and therefore what helps may be found to excite mirth or distraction is lawfull and allowable in this Order There is a famous Monastery of these in Egypt invoking for their Saint one Kederlâ—â— which by the Stories they tell of him should be S. George in conformity with whom all other Dervises maintain a reverent esteem of this Saint affirming that in his life time he was a valiant Horseman killed Dragons and all sorts of venomous beasts and now being departed this life God for preservation of good men hath given him power to deliver such as being in distress invoke his assistence especially those who are at Sea and at the point of shipwrack and that he with an extraordinary swiftness of motion flies from one part of the World to another in the twinkling of an eye and seasonably comes in to their succour These by virtue of that blessing Kederlee confers upon them pretend to charm Serpents and Adders and handle them as familiarly as we do the most innocent and domestick Creatures which art as I have heard from good Authority is not peculiar in Egypt onely to Dervises but to other men who are said to be naturally endewed with a virtue against the poisonous bites of Vipers and other venomous Beasts who putting great numbers of them into a Bag together do cull and sort them out with their hands as one would do Worms or Mussels and others wiâ—h a word charm Serpents from moving as they crawl along the Banks of Nile which Gifts these men pretend to inherit from their Parents and others to possess in reward of their Vertue and Sanctity This sort of Egyptian Dervises have Sainted the Horse of St. George and have seated him in Paradise with the other three beasts in high respect and esteem amongst the Turks viz. the Ass on which Christ rode the Camel of Mahomet and the Dog of the seven Sleepers These Dervises have Monasteries in the most famous places of the Turkish Empire which serve the travelling Pilgrims of this Order for Inns and places of entertainment for they above all other Religious Turks journey and travel from one place
air and address and the vivacity of her Spirit and fluency of her Language thought nothing difficult for her to obtain but missing thereof for Reasons best known to the Emperor who judg'd it not good policy to add greater Authority to a person who was Vice-King of Croatia and possess'd already more Power and Interest than he could willingly afford him the Lady was forc'd much against her Nature to acquiess in a denial but not being able to suppress the violent commotions of her Spirit she openly breath'd out her menaces against the Emperor and finding an humor in the People generally inclin'd to a Revolt easily perswaded her Son-in-Law Prince Ragotski and the other principal Nobles of Hungary to enter into an Association and Conspiracy against the Emperor The first thing they did was to complain of the German Garrison in Tokai and being assembled at Zemblin they fent their Deputies to represent unto the Emperor that according to the Laws and Privileges of that Kingdom all their Forts and Places of Strength ought to be Garrison'd with no other than Soldiers of their own Country That the Protestants receiv'd all sorts of ill treatment and discountenance their Churches were taken away and not restor'd as was promis'd and agree'd besides several other Aggrievances which they laid before the Emperor supplicating his Imperial Majesty to grant them ease and redress therein according to the Constitutions and Privileges of that Kingdom which his Majesty at his Coronation had Sworn to maintain To all which the gentle and sweet temper of his Imperial Majesty and the sense of his Conscience was inclin'd to yield a benign and gracious Answer had not Father Emeric a Jesuit and his Confessor instill'd other Principles and Motives into his Mind giving him to understand that it had always been the Prerogative of the Kings his Predecessors to dispose Garrisons in all places of that Kingdom consisting of such Nations as he should judge most for the safety and security thereof And that whereas at present the Hungarians were inspir'd with an humor of Rebellion and Revolt there was no reason to trust or confide in them but in the Germans only whose Loyalty and Duty was sufficiently known and approv'd by his Majesty Farther he added that the Hungarians had in the late War against the Turk suffer'd Waradin to be lost and at the Battle of St. Gothards upon the River of Raab had appear'd in such small numbers for defence of their Country as if they had intended to have betray'd it had it not been for the German and other Foreign Forces the whole Kingdom had become a Prey to the Turks With such Discourses as these the Deputies were entertain'd and dispatch'd away without other satisfaction at which the Nobles and People were so displeas'd that they gave a stop to the Payments they had begun to make towards building the Forts and cut all the Germans in pieces which they found quarter'd about the Country and particularly they kill'd forty Soldiers of the Regiment of Spaar near Xants the which piece of Blood and Slaughter was again return'd by the Germans and Force repell'd again by Force So that now all was open defiance War and Massacre To carry on the Great Designs in hand the Malecontents assembled at the Castle of Kivar upon the Frontiers of Transilvania about two Leagues distant from Ghibania where the Gold and Silver Mines arise The Principal Persons there present were Ladislas Giulaf Gabriel de Kende Benedict Seredey Ionas Veradt the Calvinist Minister of Cassovia also Derus Bansi General of the Transilvanian Forces Ianos Betlem the Chancellor Michael Talha Governor of the Frontiers with some others where a League was form'd between the Hungarian and Transilvanian Protestants to drive and expell the Germans out of the Kingdom to demolish Zatmar and to arm themselves in defence of their Religion In this accord the Wife of Prince Apafi appear'd extreamly zealous being a Woman of a Masculine Spirit a fierce Protestant and one who had a hand in all Matters whilst her Husband apply'd himself to Hunting and to the Conversation of Learned Men. In the mean time Count Nadasti having fail'd in his late Treason against the Emperor contriv'd to Poyson him at a Magnificent Banquet which he had prepar'd for him at which the Persons present were the Empress the two Imperial Princesses Prince Charles of Lorain with all the Court. The fatal Dish prepar'd for the Emperor was a Pidgeon Pye which he extreamly lov'd but God preserv'd his Sacred Person by means of the Lady to the Count who being endow'd with greater Sentiments of Honour and Religion than her Husband beseech'd him on her knees to desist from so black and so detestable a Wickedness but not being able to prevail upon him she Order'd the Cook to set another Pye of the same fashion before the Emperor in the place of that which was poyson'd of which he having eaten without any hurt Nadasti apprehended the dealing of his Wife therein and least the Cook should discover the Secret he kill'd him the same day with his own hand Count Serini tho' he was contriving all this time yet it was not in Matters of so black a nature as these He entertain'd several Conferences with Count Tassembach a Person of as Ambitious and unsetled an humor as any whatsoever year 1669. and ready to enter into any League and Conspiracy with the other Malecontents And in fine after many Consultations he concluded it necessary to engage the Turks with them in the whole Enterprize But lest it should come to be discover'd to the Emperor 's Resident at Constantinople by the openness of the Turks who can keep no Secret it was resolv'd that the Matter should be Negotiated by the Transilvanians who being already Subject to the Turks and under their protection might with less suspicion propose this Treaty This Overture being made to the Turks they immediately embrac'd it being an Offer which at the first sight appear'd very advantageous but then the next Condition requir'd by the Chimacam who was Kara Mustapha the Grand Vizier being then at the Siege of Candia was That in Consideration of the aid and protection which the Grand Seignior was to give unto the Hungarians they were to become his Tributaries in the same manner and on the same Conditions as the Transilvanians were This Demand tho it seem'd hard to the Hungarians yet they resolv'd to pursue their Design and accordingly sent their Agents to the Vizier at Candia hoping by the lenity and moderation of his Nature to obtain more easie terms than those demanded by the Chimacam and in the mean time to notifie their intention of Revolt unto all the World they caus'd a Standard to be erected with two Scymeters died with Blood and a Crescent or Half Moon over them The Grand Vizier being then labouring at the Siege of Candia and in a doubtful Condition of Success was not willing
to keep the Field they were forc'd to flie and seek refuge in Transilvania to the number of 5000. from whence they sent one Fabian to Constantinople to Sollicit for assistance from the Grand Seignior but the Affairs of the Turks not being as yet in a state for answering such demands Fabian return'd with fair words and with Orders to Prince Apafi to give protection and to assign Quarters to as many Malecontents as should seek for refuge within the Principality of Transilvania to which Country tho' the chief Heads and Leaders of that party were retired yet there were several flying Troops in Hungary which infested the Country and drove away Cattle from parts near unto the Gates of Zatmar and burnt all the Villages round which would not assent to pay the contributions they demanded of them In the mean time the Grand Master of the Teutonick Order now Vice-King of Hungary together with the Archbishop of Gran and other Chiefs of the several Estates having had divers Conferences about the Condition of that Kingdom and of the manner how they might raise a considerable Sum of Money towards maintenance of the Troops which for conservation of the Peace were sent into that Country but not being able to agree thereupon nor upon what Fund the same might be levied they went to Presburg with design to renew the Treaty with the Malecontents that coming to a good understanding with them a Tax or Imposition might be equally charged by the common consent and agreement of the Estates and which coming with that Authority would be paid frankly without scruple or opposition of the People To bring Matters to this happy condition the Vice-King offer'd in the Name of the Emperor to grant a General Act of Pardon unto all those who would lay down their Arms and submit to the Emperor's Authority promising that they should be restor'd to their Lands and Estates and to a free exercise of their Religion but in regard they were oblig'd to receive German Soldiers into all their Fortresses and Towns all offers seem'd grievous and of no force in respect of the oppression they must find by such unruly Guests under whom they could promise themselves no enjoyment or security and being by these proposals become more bold and desperate they appear'd before Zatmar with about 7000 Men year 1675. upon whom the Governor of that place adventuring to make a Sally was beaten back with great loss Prince Apafi who had at all times underhand favour'd the cause of the Malecontents and granted them protection within his Dominions did now begin openly to seek a quarrel on his own score with the Emperor demanding the Counties of Kalo and Zatmar to be deliver'd to him with the Fortress of Tokai to which he pretended a Right by a grant from Prince Ragotski his Predecessor To which Answer was made That those Counties were of the Ancient Demesnes belonging to the Kings of Hungary and since confirm'd to the Emperor by several Treaties and particularly by the last made with the Ottoman-Port Howsoever not to irritate Prince Apafi over-much and to keep Matters from an open rupture at a time when the Emperor had many Enemies to deal with it was Order'd that these Demands should be referr'd to the Examination of Commissioners and in the mean time an Envoy was sent to the Vizier at Adrianople to complain of those exorbitant pretensions But Apafi not attending an Answer entred with a formidable Force into Hungary and having defeated General Spankau he laid Siege to Zatmar but the Season of the Year being far spent and a Valiant Resistance made they were forc'd to raise the Siege and retire About the 15 th of September the Winter approaching the Malecontents held a Conference at Sombro a place in Transilvania to resolve in what manner to manage the next Campagne and how they might best engage the Turks in their Defence and Quarrel without which they could not hope for any great Success After which meeting they entered the County of Zipt and there sâ—t Fire to many Towns and Villages and took above 500 Prisoners About the same time the Garrison of Newhawsel both Horse and Foot made an Incursion as far as Presburg year 1675. and burnt several Villages depending thereupon and surprized a Castle guarded by the Heydukes whom they put to the Sword without sparing so much as one Person Whilâ—st these things were acting a new Vizier arrived at Buda where the Turks were making great Stores and laying in Provisions both of Victuals and Ammunition On which occasion the Emperor sent Messigni his Interpreter to Complement the Vizier upon his happy arrival at Buda and to carry him the accustomed presents with instructions to discover underhand the designs and intentions of the Turks who every day under pretence of Contributions committed a thousand Acts of Hostility Of which tho' complaints were made and no satisfaction given thereunto yet the Emperor thought fit to seâ—k râ—drâ—ss for these violences rather by applications to the Port than by Reprisals least the Turk should be provoked thereby and furnish'd with just Causes to commence a War. To prevent which all caution and tenderness was used towards the Turks and endeavours made by Cardiati one of the Emperor's Council who was sent to Prince Apafi to Treat and propose ways of an Accommodation But these labours were all fruitless for notwithstanding the regard was had not to molest or provoke the Turk a Chiaus arrived at Vienna from the Pasha of Buda to complain of the Fort of Schella which the Emperor was making on the Banks of the Waagh to ruin which the Turks had raised a Battery just over against it on the other side of the River but in despight thereof the Work went on and the Fortification was finish'd And so was the Fort of Scheinaâ— upon which a thousand Men were daily employ'd guarded with a considerable party of Horse and Foot sufficient to repulse the Enemy that should attempt to disturb the Work Of which when complaints were made by the Pasha of Buda requiring that they should be demolish'd and that a new Assignment should be made of the Limits of the Empire in which all the places as far as Presburg should be included and the Inhabitants thereof now Subjects to the Emperor commanded to pay homage to the Grand Sâ—ignior To which unreasonable demands general answers were only given with intent to prolong the unhappy day and stave off the Turks as long as was possible from an open War. But neither this nor other Acts of Grace nor the Orders given to the Governor of Raab to set several Turkish Prisoners at Libeâ—ty without Ransom which the Garrisons of this place and the Heydukes of Vesprin had taken did not soften or satisfie the Turks who at the same time kept many of the Emperors Subjects in Prison without thoughts of making the like generous Returns And likewise the Malecontents proceeding in
which the Emperor having call'd his Council it was Resolv'd by them that all Treaties with him for the future should be absolutely deny'd in regard that by experience he had always been found false and perfidious in every Treaty having broken his Faith and Promises whensoever it serv'd his turn not to perform them Besides it was well remember'd in what manner he had formerly made use of Cessations of Arms to debauch the Minds of the Emperor's Soldiers and to seduce and divert them from their Loyalty and Allegiance Moreover the Propositions now tender'd were of the same nature and temperament with those which had been so often rejected and which rended to the diminution of his Imperial Majesty's Authority As namely the Emperor was to suffer the People to make Choice of a New Palatine according to the Ancient Constitutions That the Estates of the Malecontents which had been Confiscated for their Rebellion should be restor'd and that the German Garrisons should be withdrawn out of all the Towns of Hungary and Troops of that Nation admitted into their Places These being the Old and Stale Points so often controverted and rejected it was concluded that Tekeli did not again repeat and make offer of them in hopes of an accommodation but to amuse the minds of the People and to serve some purpose which he desir'd to conceal At the same time Count Serini to whom his Estate Confiscated had been lately restor'd had by some secret Informations fallen into suspicion of keeping a Correspondence with the Malecontents for which Reason he was taken into Custody and his Papers seiz'd and several other Hungarian Gentlemen committed to Prison for Complices with him in the same Plot and were all afterwards carried to Prague where Orders were given to take the Informations and draw up the Indictment against them Accordingly the Examinations were made and a close inspection into certain Letters wrote in Characters to Count Tekeli which gave just Cause of Jealousie and Suspicion of an unlawful Correspondence Howsoever when the Letters came to be Decyphered and nothing found to be therein contain'd but Arguments and Perswasions unto Tekeli to accept the Offers made by the Emperor the which he urg'd and enforc'd by assurances in such Case of being instrumental in the Marriage with his Sister the Princess Ragotski for whom he knew that Tekeli conserv'd a Passion Serini was then acquitted and restor'd again to his Estate after a Months Imprisonment and License given him to Visit his Sister the Princess at Mongatz At his Arrival at this Court he was joyfully Wellcom'd by all those who had a tenderness for that Family and the Princess her self receiv'd a seasonable Consolation from the Company of her Brother being then in Mourning and in Affliction for the Death of her Mother-in-Law the Princess Dowager which Occasion Count Tekeli took to pass the Complement by an express Messenger of Condoleance with her Tekeli being now Recruited with considerable Numbers both of Turks and Tartars divided his Army into three Bodies the one Commanded by himself and the other two by Petrozzi and Palaffi-Imbre with intent to enter into the Hereditary Countries by three several ways Against which Forces the Emperor sent Count Staremberg Governour of Vienna and Major General Haran with all the Troops belonging to Moravia Stiria and Austria Staremberg had the fortune to Encounter one Party of them as they were breaking into Moravia and gave them a Repulse howsoever in their Retreat they took a Redoubt which was built upon the Waagh in which were three hundred Soldiers whom they totally Defeated In Revenge of which Count Dunewald Routed another Party of the Malecontents consisting of five hundred of which three hundred were killed upon the place and fifty Officers and Soldiers taken Prisoners with four Colours on which was this Inscription Comes Tekeli qui pro Deo Patriâ pugnat Count Caprara with ten thousand Men advanc'd as far as Erlaw to observe the motions of Tekeli Count Staremberg attended Palaffi-Imbre whose Design was to enter into Moravia and by a Detatchment from his Army overthrew three thousand Men Commanded by Petrozzi who with much difficulty made his escape The Emperor being sensible that his Enemies increas'd and that frequent losses enfeebled and abated his Army caus'd several New Regiments to be rais'd the Officers of which were all chosen and put in by Father Emeric the Emperor's Confessor and Abelé the Chief Secretary of State by which two the good Emperor was entirely directed and govern'd which General Montecuculi having observ'd and how Men were preferr'd by favour only to Great Commands who were neither Soldiers nor capable of those Trusts he took the freedom to advise the Emperor that in the choice of his New Officers respect was had to Favour rather than unto Merit and that little good Success could be expected from such unable and improper Instruments The Authority of so Wise a Minister of State and so Old a Captain prevail'd so far with his Imperial Majesty that the former Commissions granted by Recommendations of Father Emeric were call'd in and others issued unto such who weâ—e Warranted and Vouch'd by more competent Judges of Military Affairs Towards the end of this Campaign Fortune seem'd to favour both sides with various Successes what the Emperor gain'd in one Place the Malecontents recover'd in another so that all Countries were fill'd with Blood and Ruine and Destruction of the People without any hopes or prospect of coming to a conclusion Upon consideration of which the Pious Emperor commiserating the Afflictions of his People resolv'd to make one Trial and Essay more to see if it were possible to bring Matters to an end by way of an Amicable Agreement and to that purpose he conven'd a Diet at Oedemburg where the Malecontents gave in these Grievances made in Transilvania and Written Originally in Latin. GRAVAMINA Binarum Superioris Hungariae Regiarum ac Liberarum Cassoviensis Epperiensis Civitatum Articularium quibus ibidem degentes Universi Cives Incolae Trium Nationum Evangelici partim in negotio Religionis Evangelico partim Libertate Civili-Politica contra 25 26 41 Articulos Diaetae Soproniensis Anni 1681. graviter injuriati essent cum adjunctis eorum Postulatis Quoad Negotium Religionis PRIMO Nemo ibit inficias praeattacto 26 Articulo Soproniensi speciali suae Majestatis Serenissimae Gratia per expressum hisce formalibus verbis In aliis vero locis juxta benignam suae Majestatis Resolutionem loca pro aedificandis Templis Scholis Parochiis erigendis pro commoditate eorundem Augustanae Helveticae Confessioni addictorum per certos Commissarios designanda decernuntur Sancitum esse ut Evangelicis ademptorum templorum scholarum parochiarum loco per suae Majestatis Serenissimae destinatos certos Commissarios loca commoda congrua quidem citra aliquam locorum exterorum restrictionem in ipsis
recompence this Imperial Royal Favour with all sort of Happines from above Deliver'd to His Sacred Majesty at Aix la Chapelle upon his going to Vienna the 24 th day of April in the year 1689. Your most Sacred Majesty's most Humble and Faithful Subjects the Deputies of the Evangelicks in the Counties Cities Towns and Frontiers of Upper and Lower Hungary about the Business of their distressed Religion The First Article of the Peace of Vienna in the Year 1606. AS to the Business of Religion notwithstanding the former publick Constitutions and the last Article of the Year 1604 which was made without the Diet and the consent of the Subjects and therefore is annulled it is granted That according to his Imperial Majesty's former Resolution to which the Subjects refer themselves in their replying all and each State of the Kingdom of Hungary as well the Peers and Noblemen as the free Cities and the Privileged Towns belonging immediately to the Crown and all the Hungarian Soldiers in the Frontiers shall any where and at any time profess and exercise their Religion without any Disturbance either from His most Sacr'd Majesty or from any Person whatsoever a free exercise of Religion being hereby granted to all the said States of the Kingdom Provided always That the Roman Catholick Religion be not thereby prejudiced That the Roman Catholick Clergy Churches and Chappels remain free and unmolested and that what has been taken from them in these Troubles be restor'd The First Article made before the Coronation in the Year 1608. concerning Religion COncerning the first Article of the Treaty of Vienna it is resolv'd by the States and Orders of Hungary that the Exercises of Religion shall be left free not only to the Noblemen and to the Inhabitants of the free Cities but also to the Hungarian Soldiers in the Frontiers of the Kingdom of Hungary and to all the Farmers and Peasant that will freely accept the same nor shall any of 'em be disturbed in the free Exercise of Religion but to prevent any effect of hatr'd and dissension between Roman Catholicks and Protestants It is Order'd That each Party shall have a Superior or Surperintendant of his own Profession Although this last first Article of the Year 1608 was renew'd in 77 th Article of the Year 1618 inserted in the General Constitutions of the Kingdom by Order of the Emperor Ferdinand the Second in the Year 1622 restor'd to his Force by the 22 d Article of the Year 1625 by the 33 d Article of the Year 1630 and by the 29 th Article of the Year 1635 confirm'd in the 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 and 14 th Articles of the new Treaty of Peace made with George Ragoczy Prince of Transilvania in the Year 1648 Ratifyed both in the aforenamed Articles of 1649 and in the 10 th Article of the Year 1649 and in the 18 th Article of the Year 1655 made at Rakocziâ and lastly confirm'd again and inserted in the Constitutions of the Kingdom by Order of Leopold the present Emperor in the Year 1659 yet notwithstanding all these the said Article remains without Force and the Exercise of the Protestant Religion is wholly exterminated against the Articles and the publick Constitutions of the Kingdom as well as against the Sacred Imperial Letters Patent And yet all this contributed little towards a Peace for the Results of this Diet concerned none but the good and quiet Men and such as were zealous for the Settlement and Peace of their Country Whilest Tekeli and others of that Spirit whose Minds were possess'd with virulent Malice and Ambition were plotting and contriving the means to set up their own Authority and give themselves into the Hands of the Turks rather than to the Power of their Sovereign Prince of whose natural Clemency thô they were well assur'd yet they suspected and fear'd his Councils which being chiefly influenced and directed by Jesuits and the Spirit of the Clergy could never be reconciled in any tollerable manner to the Protestant profession Thus whilest things were Negotiating in the Diet Tekeli besieg'd Kalo which surrendr'd at discretion with little or no resistance and Prince Apafi joyning with some Parties of the Malecontents laid Seige to Zatmar with an Army composed of Transilvanians Moldavians Turks and Malecontents of Hungary all which acted in four separate Bodies being well provided with Cannon and all sorts of Ammunition and Provisions so soon as Apafi had form'd his Siege he put forth a Manifest or Declaration which he caused to be privately stolen into the Town and there dispers'd signifying that out of Christian piety and compassion to the miserable state of that Kingdom he had left his Country and Dwelling with no other intent than only to cause their Churches to be restor'd to them with a free Liberty of Conscience and Exercise of Religion and that their Estates which had been confiscated for the sake of their Religion and defence of their Rights and Privileges might be again restor'd to them To which he added many Solemn Protestations that he had no other end nor intention than the welfare and happiness of the Kingdom Farther also he said that he had a power sufficient for this Enterprise being well seconded by the Grand Seignior and acted by his Commission and that the Succession to the Principality was promised unto his Son to whom besides the Forces with him he had left a Guard of 20.000 Men. Having made thus much known to the Inhabitants of Zatmar he vigorously proceeded in the Siege having received a Recruit of 8000 Men from the Pasha of Buda being a Detachment from 40.000 which were Encamp'd before the place whereof he was Governour And thô with these Forces the Town of Zatmar was taken yet Serini who Commanded the place retiring into the Castle or Citadel he so well defended the same that Apafi was forc'd to raise the Siege and march away burning several Towns year 1682. and taking a Thousand Prisoners in his Retreat The raising of this Siege was variously interpreted and so ill taken by the Turks that Complaints were made thereof against Apafi at the Port. But it was no time now to make alterations or disturbances in Transilvania Towards the end of this year the Emperor being desirous to Crown the Empress at Oedembourg sent a Convoy of 500 Huâ—sars 100 Heyduks and 500 Cuirassiers to fetch the Crown of St. Stephen from the Castle of Presburg where it is always lodg'd which being brought thither the Empress was Crown'd Queen of Hungary with great Solemnity And that this Ceremony might be performed with the more order and security a Cessation of Arms was agreed with Tekeli for six Moths And to make appear how propitious this day of Coronation was like to be Count Caprara fell on the Rear of Apafi s Forces as they were retiring into their own Country took all their Baggage and entring into Transilvania burn'd five Castles and divers
for there was now no Vizier no Ianisar-Aga nor any surviving who had any Authority over them when a small Accident ruined these Men and over-turned their Anarchy which was impossible to last For after they had domineer'd for the space of five Months Pardoning or Killing Raising or Destroying whom they pleased it hapned that in some of the Shops of the City four of these Ianisaries in the Morning had taken away some Embroider'd Handkerchiefs and other small Commodities which remained there to be Sold upon which a great Cry and Clamour being raised amongst the Shop-keepers by the Encouragement of an Emir they all arose fell on them and killed two of them and then the Emir putting a Linnen-cloth on a Stick and lifting it up cried out Let all true Musselmen come to the Seraglio and pray the Grand Seignior to put out the Prophet's Standard and destroy these Rebels Upon this great numbers of the Citizens who had been highly incensed by their Robberies and Insolence got in a Body together and went to the Seraglio which so encouraged the Sultan and those within that the Standard was set forth about Noon and Proclamation made in the Streets for all People to come and Fight under it The Reverence paid to this Standard brought an incredible concourse of People of all Conditions and Ages under the Walls of the Seraglio from whence a Shegh or Preacher called to them thrice and asked them Whether they were contented with their present Emperor To which Answer was made in the Affirmative with three great Shouts but that they would have the Giurbaes or Captains or Ringleaders of the Mutinous Militia destroyed Upon which Orders were given to seize them Accordingly Thirteen of them were taken and cut to pieces the rest fled or absconded The Mufti also who had sided with the Giurbaes was deprived of his Office and Tabac Effendi put into his place who had formerly been deposed by the unruly Soldiers All that night a strong Watch was set about the Seraglio and the next day all was quieted as if none of these Disturbances had hapned Only Proclamation was made to Search for the Rebels of which as many as were found were immediately executed Upon this Revolution and Turn of Affairs all the great Officers were changed The Nisangi-Pasha who was an old Man and for many years had done nothing else but make the Grand Seignior's Firm on Commands was created Grand Vizier And a very young Man the fifth Page of the R. Chamber year 1688. whose Office it is to cover the Grand Seignior's Table was made Aga of the Ianisaries Several Armenians who dressed in the Habit of Soldiers had mixed with the Tumults and plunder'd the Houses of the late Grand Vizier and Aga of the Ianisaries were taken and hanged and several others were Imprisoned upon Suspition of confederacy with the Rebels In fine upon Proclamation made that whosoever had plunder'd any thing from any of the aforesaid Houses and should restore the same again in the space of three days should obtain his Pardon which had so good effect that several Sums of Money were either brought to the new Vizier or in the night time laid in the Streets and next morning restored And now from this day only may we begin to account the Reign of this new Sultan Who in the first place to exercise his Authority by a strict reformation of things he suppressed Taverns and prohibited the taking of Tobacco And to observe what effect his Authority had taken he walked one day Incognito in the Streets with about eight Servants at a short distance from him and finding two poor Fellows selling Tobacco he caused them immediately to be executed The suppression of this dreadful Mutiny and Rebellion produced a general Joy and Jubily over the whole City and served to bring the Soldiery again into their Wits who had for some Months like so many Wild and Ravenous Beasts getting the Bridle out of their Mouths acted without Reason or Common-Sense For one would have thought that Men so lately mortified by the Victories and Successes which their Enemies had gained over them should not thereby grow or become more insolent or that they who fled before their Enemies should blush to abandon their Frontiers and leave them naked and exposed whilst they marched Five or Six hundred Miles homewards to reak their Anger on their Commanders and exercise the little Courage which was left them against their Citizens and Country-men But many times we read that such Turbulences as these which are like Fevers in the Body Politick have served to render the whole Composition afterwards more healthful being thereby purged of many corrupt and malignant Humours And so it hapned in this case for after the Death of Sciaus Pasha and the destruction of the Giurbas it hapened fortunately for the present Vizier Ismael that there was no Pasha then in view on whom to confer this Sublime Office. After which no eminent Men appearing and of years fitter to support the weight of so great a Charge then Ismael who was almost arrived to the Age of Fourscore it was proposed that he should descend to the Trust of Chimacam But Ismael rejected that employment saying That in such turbulent Times he could not act with Vigour and Authority requisite for composing the present distractions and securing the Peace and Quiet of the Empire unless he were invested with the Supreme Power and the Seal of Vizier which in that present Exigency was granted to him But he having never made any Figure in the World before and this advancement to so high a Dignity being very accidental it was really believed that it could not be of any long continuance and that he was rather designed to supply the Vacancy than possess the Office. But in a few days Ismael discovered to the World that his intentions were not to keep the place warm for another but to settle himself and for his own greater security and quiet of the City he immediately fell to purge with great severity the dregs of those ill Humours which had disturbed the Government And so he caused all the chief Servants of the Giurbas and several of the Spahees and Ianisaries who had sided with them every Night to be cut off and thrown into the Sea to the Number of about a Thousand by which the rest being terrified the Soldiers were reduced to as exact an Obedience as formerly To proceed farther in this Work the Tefterdar or Lord-Treasurer who was first put in by the Giurbas thô afterwards they would have killed him was imprisoned in the Middle-gate of the Seraglio and all his Estate seized Then was the Kia bei or Lieutenant-General of the Ianisaries sent for and vested by the Vizier as a Pasha but so soon as he was gone out he was seized imprisoned and privately conveyed away in a Boat and banished to Mytilene The reason why the Grand Vizier made
other Officers For execution of which the Pasha is commonly attended with 500 Men and authorized with such an unlimited power that he may act and do what he pleases with as uncontroulable an Authority as the Sultan himself I have known this sort of Teftish in the Summer time having pitched his Camp near some great Town immediately to call for the Kadi or Judge and the Imaum or Priest of the place and to demand of them the Names of the Lewd and Disorderly Young Men of the Place and the Villages adjacent and in case the Pasha or the Imaum especially shall give an ill Report of any of them as of such who come not constantly to Prayers or frequent the Moschs his Business is done for him and for as many of them as come under his evil Report For the Teftish Pasha concluding all such for Thieves requires no farther Testimony or Proofs against them but sending for them Condemns them and Hangs them up on the next Tree In this manner the Business of Yedic and his Complices was committed to the care and conduct of Teftish Achmet Pasha whose first step was rightly to inform the People of the perfidious Designs of Yedic who fought against the Sultan and the Laws of the Prophet Mahomet of which the People being once perswaded withdrew themselves from that Party and turned their Arms against Yedic and his Villainous Accomplices by which means the Teftish having increased his Forces to such a considerable number that he might with all security promise himself Victory he marched against the Enemy and after two Days he came in sight of their Camp and found them drawn up in good order according to Martial Discipline The Pasha readily attacked them with 3000 select and brave Men and well mounted and with such Resolution that at the first Onset they put the Van-guard of the Enemy into disorder and with a Shower of Arrows from the whole Army they put them all to flight so that their Leader Yedic trusted all his safety to the swiftness of his Horse notwithstanding which the Teftish pressing for an entire Victory pursued him so hard that having inclosed him in the midst of two Squadrons Yedic himself with many of his chief Captains and Commanders were either killed or made Prisoners The rest of the Common Soldiery seeing themselves deprived of their Chief submitted to the Teftish Pasha desiring to be enrolled under his Banner but the Pasha having no good opinion or hope of getting any benefit from an Union with such a sort of Rabble and Scum of the People who had been bred up and nursed in Robbery and Violence resolved to make no use of such corrupted Companions in his Army but dismissed them all with License to return to their Countries and respective Habitations and afterwards proceeded to reform the Abuses and Disorders of those ill-govern'd Provinces The Port having now entirely suppressed those two desperate Rebellions the most dangerous of any in such a time of a decaying Militia and a victorious Enemy began to be at leisure to prepare for their War in Hungary and in the first place Regeb Pasha was created Seraskier or General in the place of Yeghen But first to extirpate all that Party entirely they seized on the Nephew of Yeghen in Philippopolis and put him to Death with 40 of his Followers as they did also the Governor of Widin whom Yeghen had put into that Place the last Campaign being a Favourite and Creature of his The Turks to encourage their People to prosecute the War in Hungary did not only cause a Report to fly about That the Sultan had resolved to appear this Year at the Head of his Army against the Christians but the Sultan did really march from Adrianople towards Sophia with an Army of about 30000 Men together with a Train of Artillery consisting of 90 Pieces of Cannon and 6 Mortar-pieces of a very large size the which being joyned afterwards to a Body of 40000 Men under the Command of the Seraskier Regeb Pasha formed a considerable countenance of an Army but being all raw and undisciplin'd Men would as was supposed be inspired with new Courage at the presence of their Sultan On the 15 2â— of April the Grand Seignior began to move from Adrianople at which time a very great Earthquake was felt both in that City and Constantinople which was so terrible that several Moschs Houses and Towers were overthrown At which time the Tungia and Meritz Rivers which glide on a Sandy and Gravelly Soil near the Walls of Adrianople overflowed their Banks with so violent an Inundation that they Drowned all the Fields and Meadows round and forced the Turks to remove their Camp and pitch at some farther distance the which Accidents were diversly discoursed by the Learned Men and the Turks being naturally Superstitious did generally interpret them as sinister Omens for the succeeding Campaign Howsoever Sultan Solyman marched forwards to Sophia where according to the Custom of the Turkish Army they soiled their Horse giving them Grass and remained in expectation of the arrival of the Asiatick Troops and other Forces not yet come up and here it was that the Sultan entertained himself in the Army not intending to proceed nearer to the Enemy In the mean time great Conferences and Consultations were held at the Imperial Court for carrying on two mighty Wars against France and the Ottoman Empire to which end the Forces were divided those which were to serve in the Empire against France were committed to the auspicious Conduct of the Elector of Bavaria and the Duke of Lorrain Those which were intended against the Turk in Servia were to be commanded by that Valiant and Fortunate General Prince Lewis of Baden and under him as Field Marshal by the Duke of Croy General of the Artillery was Marquis Parella Lieutenant-General was Count Veterani and Major-Generals were the Counts of Hoffkirchen Duke of Holstein with the Princes of Hanover and Heisler And on the other side in the Upper Hungary Transilvania Bosnia and Sclavonia the Command was lodged in the Hands of the Counts Aspremont Piccolomini Trautmansdorff Guido of Staremberg Herbeville and Baron Herbeville whose force consisted of 11 Regiments of Cuirassiers nine Regiments of Dragoons and 20 Regiments of Foot together with the several Independant Companies of Hungarians Croatians and Rascians who had lately taken up Arms against the Turks In the mean time Tekeli to keep up his Credit and Reputation with the Turks caused a Report to spread abroad at the Ottoman Port that by his Spies and by his Letters of Advice he had certain Intelligence that the French had so distressed the Empire that it was impossible for the Emperor to spare at that time above 10000 Men to carry on the War in Servia and that all his Measures in Transilvania and the Upper Hungary were entirely broken And indeed by the Plots of Tekeli and the Contrivances and Intrigues of the
to allure them by the promises of the Imperial favour and protection offering them preferments upon Condition they would change their Religion at length finding them proof against all their arts they stigmatiz'd several and sold them to the Spanish Gallies from whence afterwards they were redeem'd by the famous Ruyter Admiral of Holland others were thrown into vile loathsome Prisons in which some perish'd the rest who out-lived their misfortunes were released by the importunities of the States Ambassador at the Imperial Court. These matters of fact are too publick to be denied and the Reasons that are given seem by no means sufficient to palliate such Barbarities Those Letters in Cypher which were produc'd against them to prove them Guilty of Treason are justly suspected but grant them true they were but from particulars and one or two Mens Guilt cannot render a whole body of Men liable to punishment As for those Accusations which were laid upon them of being Murderers Robbers Ravishers c. they were only alledged not proved and consequently likely to be meer Calumnies To conclude that they were Rebels because some fled from the Persecutions they saw pouring upon them seems to be no very good consequence and to shew not so much their guilt as their fear at least this cannot be urg'd against those that made their appearance and that there were several which signed the Paper that was presented them argued they indeed weak but not criminal and the rigours that were used to bring them to sign it do extreamly diminish if not absolutely take away all the force of that Argument So that I doubt not but it will appear to the impartial Reader that the conduct of the Popish Clergy has had too great an influence on these last Troubles and that their persecuting Maxims are as ruinous to the interest of a State as contrary to the Spirit of our Christian Religion And from this Original began that War which haâ—h ever since continued with great effusion of Blood and strange vicissitudes of Fortune which not only reduced Hungary to the pit of despair but even Germany it self to the brink of Destruction until God was pleas'd to take the Cause into his own Hands and avenge Christendom from their Enemies whose Sins it seems were more ripe for the Divine vengeance than those of the Christian people The discontents on both sides grew so high that the Emperor resolved to perform nothing on his part of what he had promised to his Hungarian Subjects nor they any thing on theirs which respected Duty and Allegiance to their Prince Both Parties stood in defiance to each other the Emperor would not lose the benefit of the charge and expences he had been at to fortify the frontier Garrisons against the Turks Nor would the Hungarians restrain themselves from their usual Incursions notwithstanding the Treaty so lately sign'd by them By which the Emperor received frequent complaints from the Turks So all was now private Machinations and open Defiances It was now in the Month of September That the three years were expir'd year 1665. at the end whereof according to the Statutes of that Kingdom a Diet was to be Assembled at Presburg for redress of those aggrievances of which the Subjects complain'd It was usual for the Emperor to be present there but some jealousies being whisper'd of a Plot to seize his Person his Majesty refrain'd from making his appearance at that Diet which being by that means put off the Sovereign Chamber of the Kingdom taking all matters into their Consideration sent their Deputies to complain unto the Emperor That Colonel Spaar Governour of Zatmar had extorted Money from the Citizens upon pretence of paying his Soldiers tho' in reality to appropriate it to his own benefif and service That the German Soldiers were sâ—ill quarter'd in the Countries notwithstanding all the Promises and Engagements given to the contrary the which aggrievances together with that of taking away their Churches was such a Scandal and block of Offence as caused great Commotions in that Kingdom whensoever that matter came into dispute Hence it was That the Protestants chose three Leaders or Chiefs of their Faction and Party against which Prince Ragotski and Apafi opposed their Forces in favour of the Palatine Wesselini year 1666. and Count Palaffi Imbre appear'd as one of the Chief of the Male-contents but having not sufficient Force to sustain his party and interest he crav'd assistance and succour from the Turks to whom he offer'd his Son for a Hostage and the Town of Debin with the dependences thereunto belonging as a farther security for performance of Articles All was now divided into Sects and Parties Count Peter Serini of whom the Emperor had not the least jealousie entertained secret consults with the Malecontents and with Nadasti raised Forces upon pretence of giving a stop to the Turks in their passage to Dalmatia but with real design to seize the Person of the Emperor at Puttendorf a place appertaining to Count Nadasti as he was Riding post with Prince Lubkovitz Chief Steward of his House and with about 12 Gentlemen of his Retinue to meet the Empress but that Plot took not effect for their Ambuscade missing the Emperor he happily met the Empress on her Journey out of Spain This Conspiracy being thus disappointed Count Nadasti desired the Emperor year 1667. that he might be made Palatine of Hungary in the place of Wesselini lately deceased But the Emperor not being well satisfy'd of the Faith and Integrity of that Person refused to confer it upon him or any other until he saw the Tranquillity and Peace of that Kingdom better secur'd At which Nadasti being enrag'd corrupted a Carpenter in revenge to set fire to the new Appartment which was building in the Palace for the Empress Eleonora In expectation that in such an affrightment and confusion the Conspirators might seize on the Person of the Emperor But God conserved his Imperial Majesty tho' that Plot was not detected until Nadasti received the reward of his demerit The Deputies of the upper Hungary made new Addresses to the Emperor year 1668. to have the Office of Palatine supplied according to the Constitutions of the Kingdom but in those times of Sedition and Discontent his Imperial Majesty not finding a Person equally grateful to the Hungarians and loyal to himself to whom he could confide that Important Charge did for some time keep the Office in his own hands which with the refusal made to restore the Protestant Churches was so generally displeasing that the Nobility deny'd to be present at the Coronation of the Empress until they were a little mollify'd and appeas'd by having the Revenue and Rents of their Churches releas'd to them Besides the Office of Palatine the Government of Carelstadt became vacant by the decease of the Count Aversperg which being in Croatia and lying commodious for Serini he immediately made applications for it by means of his Lady who with her good