to bee heard of But these good parts were in him obscured with most horrible and notorious vices for why he was altogether irreligious and of all others most perâ—idious ambitious aboue measure and in nothing more delighted than in blood insomuch that it is probably gathered that hee was in his time the death of eight hundred thousand men craft couetousnesse and dissimulation were in him accounted for tollerable faults in comparison of his greater vices In his loue was no assurance and his least displeasure was death so that hee liued feared of all men and died lamented of none He had issue three sonnes Mustapha dead before him as is before declared Baiazet and Gemes or rather Zemes of some called Zizimus competitor of the empire with his elder brother whom hee exceedingly troubled in the beginning of his raigne so that he could not well attend any other thing but him which oportunitie by God himselfe no doubt offered for the safegard of ITALIE Alphonsus duke of CALABRIA king Ferdinand his eldest son taking hold vpon with all the power he could make in ITALIE besieged the Turks in OTRANTO with whom he had many sharpe skirmishes wherein he lost diuers of his great captaines and commaunders as the countie Iulio de Aquaiua Loys de Capua and the countie Iulio de Pisa with others and was still by the strong garrison of the Turks put to the worse vntill such time as being strengthened with aid out of SPAINE and PORTINGALE but especially with certaine companies of most valiant souldiours sent from Matthias Coruinus out of HVNGARIE whose forces the Turks most feared he began to cut them short and straitly besieged the citie both by sea and land vntill at length the besieged Turkes hearing of the death of their great emperour and now hardly pressed with the dangers of a strait siege no longer expecting the returne of Achmetes their Generall then readie to haue come to their rescue with fiue and twentie thousand soldiors yeelded vp the citie vnto the duke vpon composition before made That they might with bag and baggage in safetie depart thence which they did after they had to the great terror of all ITALIE holden that strong citie by the space of a yeare And so was that rich countrey rather by the mercie of God in taking away the great tyrant preserued than by the strength or policie of the inhabitants which was then in great danger to haue for euer giuen place vnto the power of the great tyrant had he longer liued yea and after his death to the power of Baiazet his sonne had he not by domesticall troubles been enforced to turne himselfe another way and as it were to neglect in time to releeue his distressed garrison in OTRANTO as shall hereafter be declared FINIS Christian princes of the same time with Mahomet the Great Emperours Of the East Constantinus Palaeologus last Christian emperor of Constantinople 1444. 8. Of the West Frederick the third Archduke of Austria 1440. 54. Kings Of England Henrie the sixt 1422. 39. Edward the fourth 1460. 22. Of Fraunce Charles the seuenth 1423. 38. Lewis the eleuenth 1461. 22. Of Scotland Iames the second 1437. 24. Iames 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 IIII. 1471. 13. BAIAZET BAIASETHES II TVRCARVM IMPERATOR SECUNDUS FLORVIT AN o 1481 Arma manu quatiunt fratres hostilia regnum Hinc Baiazethes Zizimus inde petit Baizethes rerum potitur Rhodon inde Quiritum Zizimus extrema moenia sorte petit Sustinet bello varias pace procellas Baizethes foelix miser inter opes Iam senio tremulus fert bella domestica regno Agnato eiectus dira venena bibit Like earthborne brethren Baiazet and Zizimus in armes Seeke for the Turkish empire great the one by th' others harmes Vntill that Baiazet preuail'd and Zizimus was faine To flie to RHODES from thence to ROME whereas he caught his baine Great stormes endured Baiazet in peace and bloudie broiles A man both happie and accurst amongst his richest spoiles But now forworne with trembling age and ciuile discord new Thrust from his empire by his sonne died poisoned by a Iew. THE LIFE OF BAIAZET SECOND OF THAT NAME AND SECOND EMPEROVR OF THE TVRKES VPon the death of Mahomet the late emperour great troubles began to arise about the succession in the Turkish empire some of the Bassaes and great captaines seeking to place Baiazet the eldest sonne of Mahomet in the empire and others with no lesse deuotion labouring to preferre Zemes or Gemes otherwise called Zizimus Baiazet his younger brother By occasion whereof there arose two great and mightie factions which in few daies grew to such heat that manie great tumults and hoat skirmishes were made in diuers places of the imperiall cittie betwixt the fauourites of both factions and great slaughter committed In these broiles the prowd Ianizaries for an old grudge slew Mahomethes one of the foure great Bassaes a man by whose graue counsell most of the waightie affaires of the Turkish empire had beene managed during the raigne of the late emperour And proceeding farther in their accustomed insolencie spoiled all the Christians and Iewes which dwelt amongst them of all their wealth and substance at which time the rich merchants and citizens of CONSTANTINOPLE which were naturall Turkes themselues escaped not their rauening hands but became vnto them a prey and spoile also The other three Bassaes of the court Isaack Mesithes and Achmetes lately returned from the winning of HYDRVNTVM in ITAâ—IE although they secretly maligned and enuied one at the greatnesse of an other yet to appease these so dangerous troubles and to assure their owne estates joyned hands togither and by their great authoritie and multitude of followers and fauourites found meanes that Corcutus one of the younger sonnes of Baiazet a young prince of eighteene yeares old was as it were by generall consent of the nobilitie and souldiours saluted emperour and with great triumph and solemnitie placed in the imperiall seat In whose name the aforesaid Bassaes at their pleasure disposed of all things little or nothing regarding either Baiazet or Zemes then both absent the one at AMASIA and the other at ICONIVM in LYCAONIA for the jealous Turkish kings neuer suffer their sonnes to liue in court neere vnto them after they be growne to yeares of discretion but send them to gouerne their prouinces farre off where they are also vnder the commaund of the emperours lieutenants generall in ASIA or EVRORE and may not depart from their charge without great danger not so much as to visit their father without his expresse leaue and commandement So jealous are those tyrants yea euen of their owne sonnes Baiazet and Zemes hearing of the death of their father and of the troubles in the imperiall citie hasted thitherward with all speed where Baiazet being the
armie to the number of about twentie thousand persons couragiously set vpon the two Bassaes and joyned with them the deadliest and cruellest battell that euer was written of Wherein the Persians hauing giuen a most perilous onset and done great harme it was thought that they would haue contented themselues with so luckie an encounter and so retired which the Turks minding to preuent and not to returne without a notable victorie hardly pressed vpon them hoping in the end to put them to flight and so to giue them a bloudie and deadly ouerthrow But the Persians hauing quietly and with great assurance for a reasonable space endured their charge at last as if they had been fresh men made head vpon them afresh and began a most terrible battell anew wherein the Bassa of CARAEMIT aboue named was put to flight and being wholly dismaied and discomfited fled backe againe to the campe carrying with him the most manifest tokens of the vnhappie issue of the battell Cicala the other Bassa notwithstanding valiantly and with great cunning still sustained the furie of the Persians labouring by all meanes to encourage his souldiours and to haue restored the battell but when he had done what he could ouercome at last by greater valour he was enforced to betake himselfe to flight also and so altogither discomfited came to the campe without any ensigne hauing left behind him 8000 of his souldiors dead vpon the ground The Persian prince encouraged with this so fortunat a victorie by speedie heraulds sent to the sicke Visier whom he thought notwithstanding to haue been in health and gaue him to vnderstand that if he were willing to fight he was readie for him and in what sort soeuer it pleased him to accept of battell to make him good account of his valour and to cause him to know not only that Amurath his master had most vnjustly raised this warre but also that it had been good for himselfe not to haue taken the same in hand Of this offer Osman accepted but being not able himselfe to go and answere the prince in person hand to hand by reason of his sicknesse which euerie houre mortally encreased hee sent out all his captaines with his armie to dare him battell The prince lay ten miles or thereabouts distant from the campe of Osman towards whom the Turkes set forward in this manner The maine battell was guided by the Bassa of CARAEMIT and Sinan Cicala with all the souldiors of ASSIRIA and BABYLON the left wing was led by the Bassa of NATOLIA with the band of GRaeCIA and the right wing was conducted by Amurath Bassa of CARAMANIA with the people of SORIA to the number of threescore thousand beside such as were left behind at TAVRIS with the trustie guard of the Ianizaries and the artillerie for the safegard of the sicke Visier In this order they confronted the Persian prince who was himselfe in the middest of his armie with all his people in verie good order hauing on the one side the souldiors of PERSIA and HIRCANIA and on the other them of PARTHIA and ATROPATIA in all to the number of fortie thousand The Turkes feared nothing more than that the Persians fetching a great compasse about should with all celeritie and furie set vpon their tents and the riches they had laied vp togither in their pauillions and therefore at euerie motion of theirs they continually feared this sudden outroad whereof they had such especiall care that retiring themselues as much as they might and faigning as if they had giuen place to the Persians it wanted not much but that they had brought them euen within the just leuell and marke of the artillerie Which the Persians perceiuing without any further dallying hardly began to assaile the maine bodie of the battell The prince himselfe being entred amongst the â—ouldiors of the Bassa of CARAEMIT who as Generall sustained the place of Osman and pressing into the middest of the battell dispatched euerie man that came in his way and hauing singled out the Bassa from the rest smote off his head and gaue it to one of his followers to carrie vpon the top of his launce Which being openly descried brought a great terrour vpon the Turkes and exceedingly encouraged the Persians who embrued with the bloud of their enemies and intermingling themselues more and more among them made of them a most confused and generall slaughter wherein beside the Bassa before named there died also the Bassa of TRABIZONDA the Sanzacke of BVRSIA with fiue other Sanzackes and as it was commonly reported twentie thousand Turkes moe It fell also to the lot of Amurath Bassa of CARAMANIA to be there taken prisoner with diuers other common souldiours But night comming now on and the Persians being come somewhat too nigh the Turkish artillerie they gaue ouer the fight and withdrew themselues backe to the place where their king lay encamped with the rest of his armie But now were diuers dayes spent wherein the new fortresse at TAVRIS as we haue before said was fully finished when the souldiors of GRaeCIA and CONSTANTINOPLE wearied to see their friends and fellowes thus slaine before their faces and hauing also safely layed vp in their owne custodie such preyes and booties as they had gotten in the sacke of the citie resolued with themselues to procure their owne departure and so much the rather for that Winter was now fast comming on And for as much as the Generall was through the immoderat flux of bloud brought weake and in despaire of life and quite abandoned of all hope by his phisitions and therefore not to be spoke withall they were faine by the mouth of such as were their trustie friends about him to represent vnto him the necessitie of their returne and withall after many reuerent entreaties caused it also to be signified vnto him That if he stood obstinate and would needs stay dallying out the time in those dangerous places where no such need was they should be enforced to withdraw themselues and to forsake him Osman who had now nothing els to doe in those countries but onely to leaue some conuenient garrison in the new fortresse at TAVRIS liberally promised to satisfie their requests by departing thence the next morning So calling vnto him Giaffer the Eunuch Bassa of TRIPOLIS a man of a craftie and cruell nature made him gouernour and keeper of the new built fortresse at TAVRIS And the more to encourage him to take that charge vpon him he gaue him freely for the space of three whole yeares not onely the office and authoritie but also the rents and reuenewes of a Bassa of CARAEMIT lately slaine by the Persian prince and withall honoured him with the title of the Bassa of the Court so that hauing finished his three yeares office of CARAEMIT he was then to goe and sit among the soueraigne seats of the Bassaes of the Porta The Bassa seeing so faire and so high a way for him to mount to those
gaue occasion for many that loued her not to say That so troubled an estate required the gouernment of some worthie man Wherefore shee fearing lest that the Senat making choise of some other she and her children should be remooued from the gouernment thought it best for the preseruation of her state and her childrens to make choice of some notable valiant man for her husband that for her and hers should take vpon him the managing of so weightie affaires But to check this her purpose the onely remedie of her troubled thoughts shee had at the death of the late emperour Constantine her husband at such time as the soueraigntie was by the Senat confirmed vnto her and her sonnes solemnly sworne neuer more to marrie which her oath was for the more assurance conceiued into writing and so deliuered vnto the Patriarch to keepe This troubled her more than to find out the man whom she could thinke worthie of her selfe with so great honor Shee held then in prison one Diogenes Romanus a man of great renown honorably discended whose father hauing married the neece of the emperour Romanus Argirus and aspiring to the empire being conuicted thereof slew himselfe for feare to be enforced by torments to bewray his confederats This Diogenes was by the late emperour Constantine for his good seruice against the Scythes who then much troubled the empire highly promoted with most honourable testimonie in the charters of his promotions That such honours were bestowed vpon him not of the emperours meere bountie but as the due rewards of his woorthie deserts Notwithstanding after the death of the emperour he sicke of his fathers disease and swelling with the pride of ambition sought by secret meanes to haue aspired vnto the empire Whereof the empresse hauing intelligence caused him to be apprehended and brought in bonds to CONSTANTINOPLE where being found guiltie of the foule treason and so committed to safe keeping was shortly after brought foorth to the judgement seat againe to receiue the heauie sentence of death In which wofull plight standing as a man out of hope and now vtterly forlorne he mooued all the beholders with a sorrowfull compassion For beside that he was a man of exceeding strength so was he of incomparable feature and beautie adorned with many other rare qualities and vertues answerable thereunto wherewith the empresse mooued with the rest or pearsed with a secret good liking is hard to say reuoked the sentence of condemnation readie to haue beene pronounced vpon him and gaue him pardon And shortly after hauing set him at libertie sent for him as he was going into CAPADOCIA his natiue countrey and made him generall of all her forces with a ful resolution in her selfe to marie him and to make him emperour if shee might by any meanes get the writing out of the Patriarches hand wherein her oath for neuer marrying againe was comprised For the compassing whereof she entred into a deepe deuice full of feminine policie with one of her Eunuches whom she purposed to vse as her pander for the circumuenting of the Patriarch This craftie Eunuche instructed by his mistresse comming to the Patriarch Ioannes Xiliphilinus a man both for his place and integritie of life much honoured told him in great secret That the empresse had so far set her good liking vpon a yoong 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 emperour if shee might by his holinesse be persuaded that she might with safe conscience do it and by him be discharged of the rash oath she had vnaduisedly taken neuer to marrie againe whereof hee had the keeping The Patriarch otherwise a contemner of worldly honours yet mooued with so great a preferment of his nephew promised the Eunuch to do therein whatsoeuer the empresse had desired which he accordingly performed And so sending for the Senators one by one in whose good liking the matter cheefly rested he with much grauitie propounded vnto them the dangerous estate of the common weale with the troubles dayly encreasing and the continual feare of forreine enemies not to be repressed by the weake hand of a woman or the authoritie of yoong children but requiring as he said the valiant courage of some woorthie man After that hee began to find great fault with the rash oath which the empresse had taken a little before the death of her husband neuer to marrie and vtterly condemning the same as contrarie to the word of God and vnjustly exacted of her rather to satisfie the jealous humour of the emperour her late husband than for any good of the common-weale he in fine persuaded them that the vnlawfull oath might be reuoked and the empresse set at libertie at her pleasure by their good liking to make choice of such a man for her husband as might better vndertake so weightie affaires of the empire more fit for a man than for so tender a lady and three yoong children The greater part of the Senat thus persuaded by the Patriarch and the rest with gifts and promises ouercome by the empresse the Patriarch deliuered vnto her the writing she so much desired discharged her of her oath whereupon shee foorthwith calling vnto her certaine of her secret friends married Diogenes whom she caused to be proclaimed emperour Now thought Eudocia after the manner of women to haue had her husband whom she euen from the bottom of dispaire had exalted vnto the highest tipe of honour in all things loyall and pliant whereunto he for a while at the first forced himselfe but afterwards being a man of a proud nature and haughtie spirit became wearie of such obseruance and began by little and little to take euerie day more and more vpon him And for that the imperiall prouinces in the East were in some part lost and the rest in no small danger he aswell for the redresse thereof as for his owne honour and to shew himselfe an emperour indeed and not the seruant of the empresse left the court and passed ouer into ASIA although it were with a small armie and euill appointed for why it was no easie matter for him to furnish out the armie with all things necessarie which by the sloth and sparing of the late emperours had to the great danger and dishonour of the empire beene vtterly neglected Neuerthelesse the Turkish Sultan who at the same time with a great power inuaded the prouinces of the empire hearing of his comming and that he was a man of great valour and doubting what power he might bring with him retired himselfe and diuiding his armie sent the one part thereof into the South part of ASIA and the other into the North which spoiled all the countrey before them as they went and suddenly surprising the citie of NEO-CESARIA sacked it and so laded with the spoile thereof departed But the emperour vnderstanding thereof and not a
with a great power where he was by them slaine together with all his armie and the rich bootie hee had taken all againe recouered Many other hard conflicts passed after this betwixt the Imperials and the Turks the one continually seeking to anoy the other all which for that therein nothing fell out much woorth the remembrance I for breuitie willingly passe ouer In these endlesse troubles died Emanuel the Greeke emperour when he had by the space of eight and thirtie yeeres woorthily gouerned that great empire hauing in the time of his sicknesse but a little before his death taken vpon him the habit of a monke in token he had forsaken the world All the time of his raigne he was no lesse jealous of the Christian princes of the West than of the Turks in the East and therefore euer delt with them vnkindly In time of war he was so laborious as if he had neuer taken felicitie but in paine and againe in peace so giuen ouer to his pleasure as if he had neuer thought of any thing else After whose death the Turkish Sultan without resistance inuading the frontiers of the empire tooke SOZOPOLIS with diuers townes thereabout in PHRIGIA and long besieged the famous cittie of ATTALIA and so dayly encroched more and more vpon the prouinces of the empire joyning the same vnto his owne which was no great matter for him to doe the Greeke empire being then no better gouerned than was the charriot of the Sunne as the Poets faigne by Phaëton far vnfit for so great a charge for Alexius Comnenus otherwise called Porphyrogenitus being then but a child of about twelue yeeres old succeeding his graue father in the empire after the manner of children altogether following his pleasure his mother with his fathers kinsmen and friends who aboue all things ought to haue had an especiall care of his education neglecting the old emperors trust in them reposed followed also their owne delights without regard of the ruine of the common weale Some enamoured with the beautie of the yoong empresse gaue themselues all to brauerie and the courting of her othersome in great authoritie with no lesse desire in the meane time with the common treasures filled their emptie cofers and a third sort there was of all the rest most dangerous who neither respecting their sensuall pleasure neither the heaping vp of wealth looked not so low ayming at the verie empire it selfe As for the common good that was of all other things of them all least regarded Amongst these third sort of the ambitious was one Andronicus the cousin of the late emperour Emanuel a man of an haughtie and troublesome spirit whom he the said emperor Emanuel had for his aspiring most part of the time of his raigne kept in prison or else in exile as he now was being by him not long before for feare of raising of new troubles confined to liue far off from the court at OENUM who now hearing of the death of the emperour Emanuel of the factions in court of the childishnesse of the yoong emperour Alexius giuen wholy to his sports and the great men put in trust to haue seene to his bringing vp and to the gouernment of the empire some like bees to flie abroad into the countrey seeking after money as the bees do for honie some others in the meane time like hogs lying still and fatting themselues with great and gainefull offices wallowing in all excesse and pleasure to haue no regard of the honour or profit of the common weale thought it now a fit time in such disorder of the state for him to aspire vnto the empire after which he had all his life time longed That he was generally beloued of the Constantinopolitans yea and of some of the nobilitie also he doubted not for them he had long before by his popular behauiour gained together with the distrust of the late emperor jealous of his estate which as it cost him his libertie 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 faire colour for the shadowing of his foule purpose Amongst many and right diuers things by him thought vpon was a clause in the oath of obedience which he had giuen vnto the emperour Emanuel and Alexius his sonne which oath he had deliuered vnto him in writing That if he should see heare or vnderstand of any thing dangerous or hurtfull to their honour empire or persons he should foorthwith bewray it and to the vttermost of his power withstand it which words not so to haue beene wrested as best seruing for his purpose he tooke first occasion for to worke vpon And as he was a stout and emperious man thereupon writ diuers letters vnto the yoong emperour his cousin vnto Theodosius the Patriarch and other such as he knew well affected vnto the late emperour Emanuel wherein among other things which he wished to be amended in the present gouernment he seemed most to complaine of the immoderat power and authoritie of Alexius then president of the Counsell who in great fauour with the yoong emperour and more inward with the empresse his mother than was supposed to stand with her honour ruled all things at his pleasure in so much as that nothing done by any the great officers of the empire or by the emperour himselfe was accounted of any force except his approbation were thereunto annexed whereby he was growne vnto such an excessiue pride hauing all things in his power as that no man could without danger as vpon the venemous Basiliske looke vpon him Of which his so excessiue and insolent power Andronicus by his letters now greatly complained mooued thereunto as he would haue it beleeued with the care he had of the yoong emperours safetie which could not as he said long stand with the others so great power which he therefore as in dutie bound wished to be abridged agrauating withall the infamous report of Alexius his too much familiaritie with the empresse 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 emperour and dishonour of the state he forsooth as one in conscience bound with great grauitie and eloquence being a verie 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 haue beene wished Wherefore leauing OENUM the place whereunto he was by the emperour Emanuel in a sort banished trauelling towards CONSTANTINOPLE he gaue it out in euerie place where he came what he had sworne and what he would for his oaths sake do vnto whom men desirous of the change of the state such as gaue credit vnto the report long before giuen out That he should at length
calamitie THE LIFE OF MAHOMET THE FIRST OF THAT NAME FIFTH KING OF THE TVRKS AND RESTORER OF THEIR SORE SHAKEN KINGDOME HOw wonderfully the Turkish kingdome was by the violence of Tamerlane shaken and the majestie thereof defaced it well appeareth in that the Histories of that time as well those of the Greekes as of the Turks in nothing more differ than in the successors of Baiazet their late vnfortunat king Some writing that hee had two sons Orchanes otherwise called Calepinus and Mahomet and that Calepinus in the second yeare of his raigne was slaine and his kingdome possessed by Mahomet his brother Others reporting That Baiazet had two sons namely Calepinus and Mustapha and that Calepinus succeeding his father in the Turkish kingdome when hee had raigned six yeares died leauing behind him two sonnes Orchanes and Mahomet and that Orchanes being young was slaine by his vncle whom Mahomet in reuenge of his brothers death afterwards slew possessed the kingdome himselfe Others reckon vp seuen sonnes of Baiazet Iosua Musulmanes Moses Calepinus Iosua the yonger Mustapha and Halis with an vncertaine succession amongst them also This diuersitie of opinions full of no lesse vncertainetie as I meane not to follow in report of this historie so will I not spend any time in refuting the same although much might be said in the matter but leaue these reports together with the historie following to such credit as they shall hap to find with the considerat readers The Greeke Historiographers best like to know the Turkish succession as well by reason of their neerenesse as in that they were by them as their bad neighbours so much troubled make no mention at all either of Calepinus or of Orchanes In like manner Historiae Musulmanae Turcorum diligently gathered out of the Turks owne histories by Io. Leunclauius a learned physician and himselfe a great trauailer amongst them and therefore deseruing the more credit do not so much as name the succession of Calepinus or Orchanes after the captiuitie of Baiazet but rejecteth them both as counterfeits But in mine opinion without prejudice to any that vpon better reason may deeme otherwise the great confusion of the Turkish kingdome in short time wrought by the mightie Tamerlane and his Tartarians with the ciuile discord and warre afterwards arising among the sonnes of Baiazet striuing all as it were at once for the restlesse roome of soueraignetie which suffereth no parteners and euery one of them according to his hap or power laying hand vpon some one part or other thereof and beaâ—ing himselfe therein for a time as a king in countries so far distant neuer leauing vntill they had like the earth-borne brethren wrought one anothers destruction might giue just occasion of such diuersitie of reports as is before spoken of concerning the succession of that time in that troubled and rent kingdome some reckoning one some another and some such as neuer were to haue succeeded in the gouernment and so vntruly augmenting the number of the Turkish kings Wherefore leauing Calepinus Orchanes vnto them that first found them with that little which without any good ground and lesse probabilitie is written of their supposed raigne I following the authoritie of the Turkish historie reckon this Mahomet one of the youngest sonnes of Baiazet of whom we are now to intreat fifth king of the Turkes who after great and dangerous wars as well against his own brethren as his forraine enemies was at length solely inuested in the Turkish kingdome about ten yeares after the captiuitie of his father Baiazet as shall hereafter be declared Baiazet after the manner of the Turkish kings hauing laied vp the hope of his posteritie in the common treasure house of nature rather than in the bodie of one lawfull wife had by diuers wiues and concubines seuen sonnes Erthogrul otherwise called Orthobules Emer-Soliman 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 beforesaid in the life of Baiazet Mustapha was slaine in the great battaile against Tamerlane and there buried in the bed of fame Casan the yongest was a child in Baiazet his court when his father was taken and afterwards with his sister Fatime deliuered as hostages by their brother Solyman vnto Emanuel the emperour of CONSTANTINOPLE where they both happely became Christians and so shortly after died Solyman was by Alis Bassa president of Baiazet his counsell and other great captaines conueyed out of the battaile against Tamerlane into EVROPE and so by them at HADRIANOPLE saluted Sultan Mahomet fled out of the same battaile to AMASIA in CAPADOCIA where he was in his fathers time gouernour Isa hearing of his fathers captiuitie after the departure of Tamerlane with his Tartars seized vpon PRUSA a citie of BITHYNIA the antient seat of the Turkish kings with the countrey adjoyning and there raigned as king Musa-Zelebi was taken prisoner with Baiazet his father and afterwards set at libertie by Tamerlane But of their fortunes more shall be said in this historie following Mahomet was but fifteene yeares old when his father Baiazet in the vnfortunate battaile at mount STELLA was taken prisoner and was at the same time by his appointment gouernour of AMASIA with a great part of CAPADOCIA adjoyning which places became so troublesome after the great victorie of Tamerlane that the Turks in that countrey were glad day and night for the safegard of themselues their wiues and children to keepe continuall watch and ward insomuch that many of them wearied with those troubles and despairing of better times went into voluntarie exile because they would not see so great miseries which thing much greeued young Mahomet Wherefore calling vnto him his most faithfull counsellors to consult what course to take in the middest of so many dangers it was by generall consent thought best for so much as they could not without apparent danger continue neere vnto Tamerlane his forces to get themselues farther off into places of more strength and from thence to expect the departure of their enemies and in the meane time to content themselues with such aduauntages as occasion and chance of war might minister cutting them short by policie whom they were not able to meet in the plaine field and so by little and little to weaken or wearie their mightie stragling enemies For albeit that Tamerlane himselfe was not neere him as then lying in CARIA yet did the captaines of his great and victorious armie at their pleasure spoile and forrage the countries farre and neere all ouer the lesser ASIA Vpon this resolution hee with all his forces departed from AMASIA to DERBY in PAPHLAGONIA where by the way he encountered with Cara Iabia a nigh kinsman to the prince Isfendiar of CASTAMONA his enemie whom he put to flight with great slaughter of his men This was the beginning of Mahomet his good fortune From thence he went to
his best soldiors whereof seuen thousand were horsemen and the rest foot presently set forward to encounter him Scanderbeg seeing them all the way they came vpon their approch softly retired a little farther vp into the mountaines still expecting the comming of Moses and Tanusiâ— The Turks vnacquainted with such difficult waies marched vp the steepe hils after Scanderbeg with much labour and paine well wearied of themselues but when they were come a great way into the mountaines they perceiued by the rising of the dust that some greater force was comming crosse those mountaines and not long after they might plainely see the formost of their enemies Wherefore fearing to be enclosed they began to retire in which retreat Scanderbeg hardly pursued them and hauing the aduantage of the ground slew many of them but especially with his archers Moses also comming in afresh on another side caused them to flie downe the hill amaine and beside the slaughter that he made took diuers prisoners After which victorie by Scanderbeg obtained in the sight of Amurath and his whole armie he retired againe into the mountaines The late spoile of the Turks campe with this ouerthrow of the soldiors but now sent against Scanderbeg much greeued the old tyrant but the worke of the mine wherein he had of long laid vp his greatest hope forting now to no good purpose being deemed as well an endlesse peece of worke for the naturall hardnesse of the rocke as also of small importance for that it was by the defendants discouered draue him to his wits end His forces hee had to his great losse sufficiently prooued and still found them too weake and policie preuailed not Nothing now remained but to prooue if by great gifts and glorious promises hee could first corrupt the faith of the Gouernour and afterwards the garrison wherein he determined to spare no cost Vpon which resolution he sent one of his Bassaes a man of great authoritie and dexteritie of wit vnto Vranacontes with such rich gifts and presents as might haue mooued a right constant mind commaunding the Bassa if it were possible first to fasten the same vpon the Gouernour as presents sent from Amurath of meere bountie in the honour of his valiant mind and afterwards to deliuer his message not sparing to promise any thing for the giuing vp of the citie yea more than should be desired The Bassa attended on but with two seruants came with this rich present neere to the gates of the citie and there staied vntill the Gouernours pleasure were knowne by whose commaund he was receiued into the citie and brought to his presence Then the Bassa with much reuerence and many magnificall words presented vnto Vranacontes the rich gifts sent from Amurath and would forthwith haue deliuered them vnto him as the rewards of his valour But Vranacontes willed him first to declare his message from Amurath vpon the hearing whereof he would as he said as hee saw cause either receiue or refuse them before which time hee would not be beholden to his enemie by receiuing from him the least courtesie With which answere the subtile Bassa nothing dismayed with great constancie thus began to deliuer his message Howsoeuer we agree said he vpon other matters we come for we brought not these gifts of purpose to deceiue any for so men vse to deale with their children and seruants and not with men of courage and valour And albeit that enemies gifts are euer to be suspected as you haue right wisely said and we our selues well know yet wee durst not for shame come vnto so worthie a Gouernour as the common saying is emptie handed neither ought you if you be the man you seeme to be and whom men report you are to refuse our courtesie Take these presents in good part which shall no way enforce or hinder you to determine or dispose of your affaires otherwise than shall seeme vnto you good neither shall we once object vnto you these gifts which wee so franke and freely offer in the great Sultan name whether you reject or admit our demaunds and message wherein there is perhaps no lesseregard had of your good than of ours For there is no greater token of a base mind than to giue in hope to receiue againe We come vnto you franckly worthie Gouernour I speake it from my heart we goe not about with filed speech and rich rewards to circumuent thee whose inuincible mind wee haue so often in vaine prooued with our forces and power That is it for which Amurath loueth thee He doth wonderfully admire the vertues of his enemies and if it were possible desireth to haue them with himselfe There verily with so mightie a monarch might thy inuincible mind and pregnant wit find a better way vnto the highest type of fortunes blisse Not that I condemne Scanderbeg whom we his enemies doe highly commend for his countrey so well recouered and so oftentimes worthely defended yet cheefely by your helpe but you are worthie another manner of Soueraigne and of another manner of calling and not to spend all the daies of your life and such heroicall vertues in obscuritie and without offence be it said in contemptible basenesse Besides that Scanderbeg his estate is but momentarie the destinies haue assigned vnto him too too mightie an enemie his destruction may well be deferred but not by any meanes auoided Amurath hath conceiued against him an implacable displeasure and prepared his forces accordingly hee hath sworne to spare no cost no labour no danger and that hee will neuer whilest he liueth depart out of EPIRVS before he haue imposed a deadly yoke vpon his neck And behold the first of this miserie beginneth at this citie and vpon your selues We daily heare his paâ—ilions sound with these and such like speeches That hee will neuer depart out of this place before hee haue taken this citie and satisfied his angrie mind with the torture of your bodies no not if he should therefore lose HADRIANOPLE yea and that more is his whole kingdome And verily he will doe it which I feare to deuine or thinke vpon For although I with others beare against you the mind of an enemie yet am I a man and mooued with humane compassion beleeue me ye men of CROIA beleeue me my eyes would scarcely endure to behold the horrible spectacle of your miserable fortune I tell you againe he will doe it except you change your purpose and now receiue health life libertie and peace whilest it is so freely offered For albeit that this notable strong place these impregnable wals and especially your owne valour doe yet defend you how long will it hold out Verely no longer than you haue victuall no longer than you haue meat to sustaine your bodies Do you thinke that Amurath will raise his siege in the middle of the heat of this war and be gon No no if force may not preuaile if all his attempts faile yet shall you see and feele these enemies continually to
beare authoritie and rule and are had in greater honour and reputation than the rest such as are the men of warre and courtlers but he is borne a Christian either of father or at the least of his grandfather auouch those onely to be Turks which liue in NATOLIA al of them either marchants or of base and mechanicall crafts or poore labourers with the spade and pickaxe and such like people vnfit for the warres the rest as I say holding it for a title of honour to be discended of Christian parents Yea the Grand Sign â—or himselfe although by the fathers side he bee come of progenitors such as were naturall Turks borne yet many of them had Christian mothers which they accounted in the greatest part of their nobilitie and honour Thus by the wisedome of Amurath was the order of the Ianizaries and other souldiours of the court greatly aduanced though not by him begun and the politicke state of the Turks kingdome to say the truth quite altered the naturall Turks more than the Sultan himselfe now bearing therein no sway but onely these new souldiours all of them discended from Christian parents and by adoption as it were become the sonnes of the Turkish Sultans and vnder them commanding all by whom they haue euer since managed their estate by their good seruice wonderfully euen to the astonishment of the world encreased and extended their empire But of them more shall be said hereafter This great king was whilest hee liued of his subjects woonderfully beloued and no lesse of them after his death lamented He was more faithfull of his word than any of the Turkish kings either before or after him by nature melancholie and sad and accounted rather politicke than valiant yet was indeed both a great dissembler and painefull in trauaile but wayward and testie aboue measure which many imputed vnto his great age He had issue sixe sonnes Achmetes Aladin Mahomet Hasan otherwise called Chasan Vrchan and Achmetes the younger of some called Calepinus three of whom died before him but the two youngest were by their vnnaturall brother Mahomet who succeeded him in the Turkish kingdome euen in their infancie in the beginning of his raigne most cruelly murthered FINIS Christian princes of the same time with Amurath the second Emperours Of the East Iohn Palaeologus 1421. 24. Constantinus Palaeologus 1444. 8. Of the West Sigismund king of Hungarie 1411. 28. Albert the second king of Hungarie and Bohemia 1438. 2. Frederick the third Archduke of Austria 1440. 54. Kings Of England Henrie the fift 1413. 9. Henrie the sixt 1422. 39. Of Fraunce Charles the sixt 1381. 42. Charles the seuenth 1423. 38. Of Scotland Iames the first 1424. 13. Iames the second 1436. 29. Bishops of Rome Martin the V. 1417. 13. Eugenius the IIII. 1431. 16. Nicholas the V. 1447. 8. MAHOMET II. MAHOMETHES II COG MAGNVS TVRCARVM IMPERATOR PRIMVS FLORVIT AN o 1450 Qui vici innumeros populos tot regna tot vrbes Solus immensi qui timor orbis eram Me rapuit quae cunque rapit mors improba sed sum Virtute excelsa ductus ad astra tamen Maior Alexander non me fuit Annniball non Fuderit Ausonios tot licet ille duces Vici victores Dannos domuique feroces Caoniae populos Sauromatasquè truces Pannonius sensit quantum surgebat in armis Vis mea quae latio cognita nuper erat Arsacidae sensere manus has sensit Arahsquè Et mea sunt Persae cognita tela duci Mens fuerat bellare Rhodum superare superbam Italiam sed non fata dedere modum Hei mihi nam rapuit mors aspera quaequè sub alto Pectore condideram vertit hora breuis Sic hominum fastus pereunt sic stemata sicquè Imperium atquè aurum quicquid orbis habet In English thus I that so many nations townes and kingdomes haue brought low And haue alone dismaied the world and fild the earth with woe Am now by death which all deuoures brought downe from hie degree Yet doth the glorie of my name surmount the starrie skie The great king Alexanders fame the world no better fild Nor worthy Hannibal whose force so many Romans kild I vanquisht the victorious Greeks and tam'd with mightie hand The warlike people of EPIRE and fierce TARTARIA land My force in field HVNGARIA felt my greatnesse is there knowne Which of late time through ITALY to their great ruth is blowne Th'Assyrians felt my heauie hand so did th' Arabians wild The Persian king with all his force I driue out of the field I purposed to win the RHODES and ITALY t' vndoe If that the fatall destinies had granted leaue thereto But wo is me for grisly death hath brought all this to nought And in the twinckling of an eye is perisht all I thought So perisheth the pride of man his honour wealth and power His golde and whatsoeuer else it fadeth as a flower THE LIFE OF MAHOMET SECOND OF THAT NAME SEVENTH KING AND FIRST EMPEROVR OF THE TVRKS FOR HIS MANY VICTORIES SVRNAMED THE GREAT THe report of the death of old Amurath the late king was in short time blowne through most part of Christendome to the great joy of many but especially of the Greekes and other poore Christians which bordered vpon the tyrants kingdome 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 sonne Mahomet after the death of his father would haue embraced 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 vaine was this hope and the joy thereof but short as afterward by proofe appeared For Mahomet being about the age of one and twentie yeares succeeding his father in the kingdome in the yeare of our Lord 1450 embraced in shew the Mahometane religion abhorring the Christian but indeed making no great reckoning either of the one or of the other but as a meere Atheist deuoid of all religion and worshipping no other god but good fortune derided the simplicitie of all such as thought that God had any care or regard of worldly men or of their actions which gracelesse resolution so wrought in him that he thought all things lawfull 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 diuersly affected towards the present state the mightie Bassaes and others of great authoritie vnto whom the old kings gouernment was neuer greeuous inwardly lamented his death doubting least the fierce nature of the yong king should turne to the hurt of some of them in particular and the shortening of their authoritie in generall as indeed it shortly after fell out But the lustie gallants of the Court wearie of the
it best to cut him off at once from all hope of conference or accesse vnto his presence Wherfore seriously blaming him that he had vpon his owne head brought his armie into another mans prouince that he in armes required audience and last of all so insolently abused his fathers lenitie and patience hee by the same messenger sent him farther word That he should not presume to approch any neerer vnto him or expect any thing appertaining to peace who guarded with forraine power had without his fathers leaue entered into armes and spoyled the countries of his friends and that therefore he should doe well with all speed to depart out of THRACIA yea and out of EVROPE also and disbanding his forces againe to retire himselfe vnto his owne charge in PONTVS in which doing he should find greater fauour and kindnesse with him his father than euer he had before but if he would needs proceed in the course by him begun that then he would no more take him for his sonne but for his enemie and before it were long sharpely chastise him for his malapert insolencie little differing from vnnaturall treacherie The messenger with this answere dismissed it was not long after but that Baiazet was by his espials aduertised that Selymus the night following was risen with his armie and marched directly towards CONSTANTINOPLE whether he was sent for by his friends in hope that vpon his approch with his armie some suddaine tumult and vprore would to his auaile arise in that so great and populous a citie Whereupon Baiazet fearing least in staying at HADRIANOPLE hee might loose the imperiall citie of CONSTANTINOPLE early in the morning by breake of the day departed from HADRIANOPLE towards CONSTANTINOPLE vpon whose departure Selymus peaceably entered the citie of HADRIANOPLE the citisens fearing that if they should haue made any resistance their vnseasonable faithfulnesse towards Baiazet might haue turned to their vtter destruction Selymus after he had a while refreshed his armie with the plentie of that citie according to his former determination set forward againe of purpose by long and speedie marches to haue preuented his fathers comming to CONSTANTINOPLE Baiazet was yet scarcely come to CHIVRLVS or rather TZVRVLVM an antient ruinous citie almost vpon the mid way betwixt HADRIANOPLE and CONSTANTINOPLE when warning was giuen him of them that followed his armie that the forerunners of Selymus were at hand cutting off the straglers of his armie and with hot skirmishing stayed and troubled his rereward The aged emperour more mooued than terrified with the strangenesse of the matter because his marching should not seeme as if it were a flight or chase commaunded his standerd to be set vp and all his armie to make a stand of purpose that if Selymus should so fiercely come on to giue him battaile he might â—ind him in readinesse The great captaines and noblemen then present with Baiazet whether it were for old acquaintance or vpon some new inclination of their affection or els vpon hope of new aliance and preferment wishing well vnto Selymus and therefore indirectly and cunningly fauouring him seemed not to like of Baiazet his resolution to be so farre mooued as they said with the youthfull heat and lightnesse of his sonne as to seeke reuenge by battaile whereas the victorie it selfe could yeeld him nothing but sorrow but the ouerthrow threatened destruction both to himselfe and all them that were with him the imminent euent whereof seemed to bee so much the more dangerous and fearefull by how much hee was at that time inferiour vnto his sonne both in warlike prouision and number of men Wherefore it were good for him they said to moderate his anger and not now in the winding vp of his life to make too much hast by a miserable death in a wofull battaile to staine the whole glorie of his former life There was as they would haue persuaded him but one onely course to bee taken full of wholesome policie and safetie 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 citie his chiefest hope and then not knowing which way to turne himselfe should either of his owne accord or for feare of his fathers greater forces thinke of returne and so with his rascall followers more honestly perish by the hands of them whose countries he had spoiled and vpon whom he must of necessitie liue in his retire than by the sword of his father The author of this counsell was Mustapha the most auntient Bassa of those which being in greatest authoritie about the emperour are onely of his priuie counsell and sway all matters of importance concerning either peace or warre he then vpon an vnthankfull and malitious mind loathing Baiazet as one that had too long raigned hated him also for certaine priuat displeasures conceiued of the emulation of the other younger Bassaes by him promoted and secretly bare great affection to Selymus both in condition and fauour resembling his grandfather the Great Mahomet by whom he was brought vp himselfe and him of all the sonnes of Baiazet he thought most worthy of the empire This Mustapha was borne in the towne of SERES neere vnto AMPHIPOLIS the sonne of a Greeke priest a man of a slie craftie and subtile wit alwaies subject to corruption which diseases of mind were in him well to haue been discouered by his froward looke and squint eies the certaine notes of a nature to bee suspected Next vnto this Mustapha was Bostanges Bassa borne of the honourable familie of Ducagina in AETHOLIA and thereof called Ducaginogli a man for his couetousnesse ambition and treacherie infamous as the foule and miserable end of his life afterwards declared Vnto this man Selymus had by secret promise betrothed one of his daughters now mariageable as a reward of his corrupted faith By which slight he had also allured Aiax Aga or captaine of the Ianizaries and great master of the houshold to promise his aid for the obtaining of the empire whereunto he said he was by destinie called and by his meanes drew other inferiour captaines secretly to fauour his quarrell vnto whom hee spared not to promise whatsoeuer might please them Yea the captaines almost generally either corrupted with reward or for feare following the inclination of the greater commaunders of themselues leaned that way Of all the rest only Cherseogles Bassa whom the Turks histories call also Achmet Hertezaec-ogli a faithfull constant and vpright man free from all double dealing and deceit a fast and assured friend vnto Baiazet his father in law was of opinion That the immoderat pride and insolencie of Selymus was euen there by force of arms and strong hand forthwith to be repressed before he should approch any neerer vnto the imperiall citie for feare of raising some farther trouble and tumult there than were well to be appeased which was the thing that Selymus his friends most of all desired
the Turkish emperours with whom they for most part liued in hostilitie either the Turkes to them By this messenger he answered Solymans letters with other of like vaine as followeth Philippus Villerius Lilladamus Great Master of the Rhodes to the Turke I right well vnderstand your letters which your messenger brought vnto me The friendship you write of is as pleasing to me as displeasing to Cortug-Ogli your seruant who went about to haue intercepted me vpon the suddaine as I came out of FRAVNCE but failing of his purpose stealing by night into the Rhodian sea he attempted to haue robbed certaine merchants ships bound from IOPPE to VENICE but sending my fleet out of my hauen I staied his furie constrained the pirat to flie and for hast to leaue behind him the prises he had before taken from the marchants of CRETE Farewell from the RHODES By this answere Solyman perceiued that he was well met withall in his owne finenesse and that he should not so easily carrie the RHODES as he had before done BELGRADE Yet being fully in himselfe resolued to trie his fortune therein hee called vnto him certaine of the cheefe commaunders of his warres to whom he opened his whole determination in this sort Although I doubt not worthie cheefetaines but that you are of the same mind now that you haue been alwaies of in the inuading of other nations yet I haue thought it good in matters tending to the common glorie and good of vs all to vse your generall aduice and counsell Since the time that my father left this world we haue made warre with diuers nations and people The Sirians by nature vnconstant and prone to rebellion we haue by force reduced to their former obedience The Sophi that mightie king nephew vnto the great king Vsun-Cassanes by his daughter the sister of king Iacup in heart and deed our mortall enemie not contented with the kingdomes of ASSIRIA MEDIA ARMENIA the greater PERSIA and MESOPOTAMIA we haue by our forces shut vp within the compasse of his owne dominions The last yeare running through HVNGARIE both on this side and beyond Danubius we tooke BELGRADE the strongest fortresse of that kingdome and whatsoeuer els we attempted we subdued Yet for all that to speake plainely of my selfe my mind greater in conceit than mine empire and the bloud of Othoman findeth no contentment in these victories For whatsoeuer you haue yet done although it be great yet I deeme it all but little in regard of your worth my desire carrieth me further This haue I alwaies aboue all things most earnestly desired to set vpon the RHODES and vtterly to root out all the strength and forces yea the very name of those Rhodian souldiours And haue not you also no lesse than my selfe desired the same How often haue I heard you crying out The RHODES The RHODES I haue expected the time that being discharged of other warres I might here employ my whole strength and power That we so long desired is now come there was neuer greater oportunitie of good successe offered a great part of the wals of the citie of the RHODES now lying euen with the ground which cannot in short time be repaired especially in their want of coine Beside this the garrison in the castle is but small and their aid from FRANCE farre off which will either come too late when the citie is lost or that which I rather beleeue neuer For neither will the French king being at mortall warres with the Germane emperour and lord of ITALIE suffer his storehouses to be disfurnished or his ports bared of the necessarie defence of his shipping neither doe you beleeue that the Spaniards distressed at home with famine warre and ciuile discention will easily come hither out of SICILIA and CAMPANIA with supplies of men and victuall But you may perhaps thinke 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 haue preuented that mischeefe Wherefore courageous souldiors borne to the subduing of all Christendome much more of the RHODES with cheerefull hearts follow me your Soueraigne against these your most perfidious and cruell enemies How long I pray you will 〈◊〉 suffer that staine and disgrace to sticke vpon the Othoman familie and generally vpon all the name of the Turkes which these Rhodians cast vpon vs the last time they were besieged Which was not so much done by their valour as by the vnfortunat counsell of my great grandfather Mahomet calling home Mesithes Paleologus his Generall in that warre for one vnluckie assault But admit that their valour gained them the victorie will you therefore alwaies suffer these piraticall excursions vpon our maine and Islands the ransacking of our cities and countries the carrying away of your câ—â—tell and richest substance the captiuitie and slaughter of your wiues and children the slauerie of your neerest friends and kinsmen So helpe me great Mahomet it shall not so bee I vow in despight of Christ and Iohn in short time to set vp mine ensignes with the Moone in the middle of the market place of the RHODES Neither doe I seeke any thing vnto my selfe more than the honour of the enterprise the profit I giue vnto you my fellow souldiors their coine plate iewels which is reported to be great their riches and wealth is all yours to carrie home with you vnto your wiues and children Wherefore let vs now with all our forces and courage set forward to the besieging of the RHODES Solymans purpose thus made knowne and the same with one accord of all his captaines well liked Pirrhus the eldest Bassa and of greatest authoritie who at the first dissuaded the warre standing vp in the middest of the rest said I cannot but much admire the great wisedome and rare vertues of our young emperour who so wisely and aduisedly hath declared all the deepe counsels of a worthie cheefetaine in taking of warre in hand Blessed be Mahomet thrice and foure times blessed is this empire blessed is our estate and blessed are we with such a prince which carrieth with him in his warres not onely men and habilâ—ments of warre but most deepe wisedome and policie Which wholsome manner of proceeding if we had alwaies before our eies and would follow we should in short time bring vnder our subiection not the RHODES onely but all the kingdomes of the Christians Yet beside that which our emperour hath most carefully and consideratly deuised mine age and experience would exhort you by gifts promises rewards and all other meanes whatsoeuer to corrupt if it were possible the very cheefe and principall citizens of the RHODES thereby to enter into their most secret deuices and counsels which how it may be wrought I will in few words giue you to vnderstand I as a man indifferent desirous of peace and quietnesse will by messengers and letters induce the Great
his expectation to parley with the bishop in the open fields as with an enemie in sight of all their followers Hereof rise enuie a deadly mischiefe alwaies repining at another mans honor when as the one swelling with Turkish pride could not then abide any equall and the other jealous of his honour could by no meanes endure any superiour in such place as he had the soueraigntie of When these two great men had met togither in the open fields and there dined more like enemies than friends without any shew of friendship or good will Grittus inwardly chafed at his bare entertainment couertly threatened to bee reuenged vpon all such as should make so light account of his authoritie and immediatly as he departed from the banket taking his cap from his head which was after the Turkish manner made of a high fashion of rich â—ables and opening it with both his hands said This cap will not hold two heads and therefore it must be fitted to one and so put it on againe Ianus Docia one of the Hungarian captaines his followers who deadly hated the Vayuod for that he had long time before for his malapert speech in a great assembly giuen him a blow with his fist tooke hold of that speech of Grittus as a fit occasion for him to worke his reuenge and said Your honour maketh a fit comparison neither can this prouince containe two equall gouernours or commaunders nor you euer enioy your power and authoritie except you doe this day with speedie and manly resolution defend both Solymans credit and your owne You know not this proud beast Americus whose pride and insolencie if you but say the word I will quickly put downe for he hateth Solyman he regardeth not the king and of you he maketh no account at all for why he aspireth vnto the maiestie of a king and saith that the Vayuodship of TRANSILVANIA well beesemeth a king for that in this countrey Decebaldus the Dacian sometime raigned whom the warlike emperour Traian with all the force of the Roman empire hardly subdued No man can more proudly or arrogantly set himselfe forth than he neither more craftely or cunningly dissemble to serue his turne Indeed he hath for fashion sake presented your honour with a few simple presents and giuen you his hand also better knowne for his falshood than his faith to the intent that when you are once past his countrey he may scoffe and ieast at your decrees verely he deadly enuieth at your honour and felicitie and grudgeth in his heart that you should set downe the lawes of peace and warre in HVNGARIE and whereas he doth manifestly aspire vnto a kingdome he feareth you aboue all others least you should trouble his designes abate his credit and chastise his insolencie Verely he that thus maligneth your happinesse and contemneth your authoritie 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 faithlesse companion and a secret enemy especially when you shall leaue him at your backe behind you for when he shall as occasion serues shew forth his hidden malice he shall so much the more slily and desperatly indanger your person Grittus enraged with his speech more than before thought it best to make hast to vse his authoritie 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 gaue him no other charge but to take the bishop that so he might after the Turkish maner haue sent him in chaines to CONSTANTINOPLE bestowed the honor of the Vayuod vpon Hieronimus Lascus the Polonian who in hope of that honourable preferment vnto him promised by king Iohn had done him great and faithfull seruice as his embassadour both vnto Solyman and also to the French king But when king Iohn perceiued that he could not conueniently without manifest danger place him being a Polonian who could scarcely speake the Hungarian language gouernour ouer such a warlike people he as it were enforced by necessitie preferred this Americus the bishop of VERADIVM a man of them both reuerenced and feared Which so grieued Lascus a man of great stomacke and experience and thereunto excellently learned that he would neuer admit any excuse of the kings but alwaies after complained that he was by the king deluded Yet for all that he kept himselfe within the bounds of loyaltie and enjoyed certaine lands and townes which the king had giuen him in the borders of POLONIA and estranged neuerthelesse from him in mind was now become one of Grittus his followers hoping of his better preferment by his meanes vnto Solyman and for that cause was not so forward to doe the king such seruice as he had in times past Now by the commandement of Grittus a strong companie of Turkish horsemen and certaine troupes of Hungarians were deliuered to Docia who secretly departing that night from BAXOVIA came suddenly to the Vayuods campe hauing 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 hold seruants as a man without feare and that all the rest of his retinue lay dispersed in the countrey villages round about All which serued so well for Docia his purpose that the Vayuod ignorant of his death so nigh at hand who rather contemned than feared his enemies was suddenly oppressed by Docia his souldiours so that whilest he was yet lying in his bed and scarcely well awaked by his chamberlaines and the noise of the enemie Docia breaking into his tent cut off his head as he lay All they which lay neere amazed with the suddennesse of the matter fled away for feare and left their horses and other things for a prey to the Turkes and other of Docia his followers Docia hauing done so great an outrage returned to Grittus presenting vnto him the Vaiuods head which he brought in his hand by the eare Lascus was then present but altogither ignorant of the murther who as a man moued with a naturall compassion in so sudden and horrible a fact and forgetting all former grudge as in like case it oftentimes chanceth stood as one dismaied nothing rejoycing at the vnworthie death of his enemie To whom Grittus turning himselfe said Lascus Doest thou not know this shauen pate truely it is a great mans head but of such a one as was verie ambitious rebellious and proud To whom Lascus replied Truely though I loued him not yet I thought it not so whilest it stood vpon his shoulders disallowing therein the crueltie of the fact Which thing Grittus perceiuing began to repent him of that was done and said
this it is which is hardly to be endured that you did not so much as once grieue at our so great iniuries as you ought to haue done but sent your gratulatorie embassadours vnto the bloudie common enemie who had but euen then slaine so many of our people At length our emperour came to AVLONA to your great profit about to passe ouer into ITALIE but neither then in the arriuall of your fleet appeared the good wils of the Apulians towards you which were of you so vainly promised neither did you so much as once moue to inuade the vpper part of ITALIE so neither seruing our turne nor well fitting your owne you haue alwaies lost the occasion of the good successe of your affaires But neither then neither at any time afterwards needed we your counsell or vnited forces for the Venetians to their paine felt both our forces and our faith as for the rest warre the notable reuenger of our wrongs most happily brought to passe at such time as you of your owne voluntarie made peace with the common enemie to inuade vs and did as vnkindly as impudently as it were blow wind in his sailes But we without your helpe haue notably repressed so great assaults of our enemies when as this same Hariaden Barbarussa put to flight their fleet at AMERACIA and happily slew the spanish pirats of CASTRVM and hauing againe recouered our owne cities tooke also from them some of theirs wherefore we are bound vnto you for no desert but we had rather forget these vnkindnesses than to faile you whom we haue once receiued into our friendship For we performe our fidelitie in deeds but it is his part to regard the time to way the danger to wait occasion which will not rashly commit his actions to the hazard of fortune You are come later than you should haue done for the setting forth of our fleet for Sommer now well spent followeth the pestilent time of Autumne so that marriners cannot in conuenient time be taken vp or safely thrust into the gallies for in long sailing who would not thinke but that such a companie of saylers vsually sicke at the change of an vnacquainted ayre would be in danger of their liues who would not feare shipwracke in their returne when as this same Hariaden so great a master at sea driuen vpon the Acroceraunian rockes in the moneth of August lost so many gallies A fleet would be rigged in Winter furnished and set forward in the Spring in Sommer is safe sailing and making warre Which that it may be so done we will for the common wealth sake persuade the emperour for the nauie once lost cannot vpon the sudden be againe restored for much gold whereof the Othoman emperour wanteth no store heaped vp by many ages If thou be wise take these things in good part as friendly spoken but whether the emperor will pardon thy boldnesse or not let himselfe consider truly we haue satisfied both him and our selues in speaking to thee so plainly These things seuerely spoken by the eunuch Bassa did so much the more trouble Polinus for that they seemed to haue been sent from the mouth of Solyman himselfe who was thought to haue heard all that was said For behind the Bassaes as they sate in counsell was a window with a brasen grate and a curten drawne before it that the emperour when he pleased might vnperceiued heare the complaints and sutes of all nations and note the manners of his great counsellors whose care for the administration of justice was so much the greater for feare of his presence Yet did not Polinus for this repulse detesting the double dealing of the Bassaes so giue ouer his sute but winning by gifts the fauour of the Capiaga or chiefe porter a man euer of great authoritie in the Turks court laboured by him to be brought to the speech of Solyman himselfe who faithfully performed what he had vndertaken So the French embassadour brought by him into the secretest place of the court which few Christians had euer been and so vnto the presence of Solyman recounted vnto him how all matters had before passed and most earnestly besought him not to faile the kings expectation of the fleet he had before promised who at that present was inuading his enemies in three places Whereunto Solyman courteously and expressely answered That the opportunitie of sending out of his fleet was past not by his will which was alwaies immutable and firme but by his late comming and the time of the yeare halfe spent but promised the next Spring without doubt to send vnto the king his friend and brother twise so great a fleet as he had desired against Charles their enemie With which answere the embassadour dispatched away Dixius into FRANCE vpon whose arriuall king Francis called backe againe Henrie his eldest sonne with his armie from the siege of PERâ—ENNA in SPAINE The princes and States of GERMANIE at the request of king Ferdinand and the nobilitie of HVNGARIE about this time decreed with one consent to take vp armes against the Turks for the recouering againe of BVDA and other the lost parts of HVNGARIE For besides the dishonour done to their nation at EXEK vnder the leading of Cazzianer and againe at BVDA vnder the leading of the Lo. Rogendorff they well saw that if they did not speedily relieue the Hungarians ouerwhelmed with the calamities of the Turks forces they shovld in short time be enforced to fight for their religion children wiues and liues against the same mightie enemie at their owne doores For preuenting whereof the princes and free cities of GERMANIE set out thirtie thousand footmen and seauen thousand horsemen amongst whom was Mauritius afterwards duke of SAXONIE then a young gentleman about twentie yeares old But the Generall of these German forces was Ioachimus Marquesse of BRANDENBVRG a man more for the honour of his house than the valour of himselfe preferred to that place yet so that vnto him was joyned eight others men of great yeares and experience by whose counsell he was to be directed When they were come to VIENNA king Ferdinands power met them where beside such as were taken vp in AVSTRIA Huganot Gouernour of STIRJA came in with ten thousand horsemen Vnto these the noble men of HVNGARIE Gasper Seredius Andreas Bathor and Petrus Perenus a man of the greatest authoritie power and experience amongst the Hungarians joyned themselues with fifteene thousand horsemen whither also Paulus the third of that name then bishop of ROME sent three thousand chosen footmen out of ITALIE conducted to VIENNA by Alexander Vitellius a most famous captaine The Marquesse with this great army marched from VIENNA alongst the riuer Danubius but so softly that the Hungarian and Italian captaines said plainly That the best part of the Sommer and fittest time for warres was passed ouer in loitering and dallying out the time to no purpose especially Iacobus Medices who had long before persuaded the king to be readie
that it was well knowne that a peacocke and two feisants dressed after the manner of the kings kitchin cost aboue an hundred duckats so that not onely the dining chamber when they were carued vp but all the house was so filled with the strange and fragrant smell that all they that dwelt neere thereabouts were partakers of the pleasure of that vnusuall and delicat perfume From NAPLES he was about to haue trauelled by land to the emperour being then in conference with the Pope at BVXETVM fearing to aduenture the sea possessed by his enemies fleet had not the emperour by his letters willed him to stay still where hee was But whilest he made his abode 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 certaine messengers aduertised out of AFFRICKE That Amida his sonne was risen vp against him and possessing himselfe of the kingdome had slaine his captaines polluted his wiues and taken the castle of TVNES With which newes he being exceedingly troubled determined without delay to passe ouer into AFFRICKE and though late yet as he might to remedie his domesticall troubles in hope to oppresse that rebellion in the beginning and his sonne also before he could gather any strength to rest vpon Wherefore he with all the hast hee could opened his cofers and entertained souldiors the viceroy giuing leaue to all such banished men as would to come and giue their names to passe ouer as souldiors into AFFRICKE vpon report whereof such a number of malefactors condemned persons came flocking to NAPLES that it was thought a sufficient armie might haue beene made of such kind of men euery one of them chusing rather to enter into pay and blot out the infamie of banishment and proue the fortune of warres than to liue wandering vp and downe in the woods and in danger euery houre to be hanged Of these infamous men one Ioannes Baptista Lofredius a man well borne but of a fierce and couetous disposition vndertooke the leading he couenanting with Muleasses to haue three moneths pay before hand leuied eighteene hundred men which he presently shipped and keeping the greatest part of their pay to himselfe passed ouer with the king into AFFRICKE and landed at GVLETTA But how Amida rise vp against his father and what was the end of that bloudie rebellion shall not be amisse briefely to rehearse There were certaine noble men of great authoritie about Amida when Muleasses departed which at their pleasure ruled the young prince who easily harkened vnto their counsell and followed the same the chiefe of these was one Mahometes sonne of Bohamer who in the raigne of Mahometes Muleasses his father was Maniphet whom Muleasses possessed of the kingdome put shamefully to death by cutting off his priuities because he had by hastie marriage deceiued him of Rhahamana a maiden of incomparable beautie the daughter of Abderomen captaine of the castle whom he most passionatly loued for which cruell fact Mahometes his sonne had of long time conceiued a deadly hatred against Muleasses which he had many yeares dissembled that he might as occasion serued be the more cruelly reuenged Next vnto him was another Mahometes surnamed Adulzes whom Muleasses was wont commonly to call his worst seruant These two with a few others conspiring togither gaue it out that Muleasses was dead at NAPLES and before his death had most irreligiously as they accounted it reuolted to the Christian religion With which report they perceiuing Amida moued came vnto him and persuaded him quickly to enter into his fathers seat least Mahometes his younger brother then lying in hostage with the Christians at GVLETTA should by the fauour and helpe of Touarres whose garrison was euer readie be preferred before him For Mahometes was eighteene yeares old resembling his grandfather in name fauour and disposition and therefore of the citisens of TVNES best beloued wherefore Amida came in post hast out of the campe to TVNES to lay first hand vpon his fathers kingdome The people which as yet had heard nothing of the kings death receiued him with doubtfull countenance and as many stood maruelling that he was so rashly come into the citie without his fathers commaundement Mahometes appointed by Muleasses to gouerne the citie came out and sharpely reproued him as guiltie of high treason persuading him to returne againe vnto the campe and seeing him stay by force of the multitude thrust him out of the citie Amida deceiued of his expectation got him out of the way into the pleasant country of MARTIA betweene VTICA and the ruins of old CARTHAGE But Mahometes Gouernour of the citie after he had repulsed Amida got him with all speed by water to Touarres at GVLETTA to know of him more assuredly if any such euill newes were brought from SICILIE of the death of the king and to complaine of the rashnesse and intollerable presumption of Amida Where staying somewhat long in discoursing with the captaine and afterwards returning to the citie he was suspected to haue practised with the captaine to make Mahometes the pledge in GVLETTA king in his fathers steed for so the common voice went The Moores are by nature a faithlesse people vnconstant hastie suspitious desirous of newes which true or false they for the time interpret as serueth best their factions whereunto they are exceedingly giuen So at the first there rise in the citie a doubtfull rumour of the making of a new king the suspition wherof more and more encreasing set all the citie on an vprore By occasion whereof certaine of the citisens to whom the verie name of Muleasses was odious speedily certified Amida then in the gardens of MARTIA sighing and grieuing at his hard fortune how all stood and that now was the time to doe himselfe good He reuiued with that vnexpected newes and encouraged by the persuasion of Bohamar and Adulzes and other his followers resolued to take hold vpon that good offer of fortune which would not alwaies frowne and to follow his good hap So in hast returning to TVNES and entring in at the gate which he then found open ran presently to the gouernours house and finding him not at home cruelly slew all his houshold and with his bloudie companie went presently to the castle where Fares the captaine seeking to haue kept him out and boldly laying hands vpon his horses bridle to haue thrust him backe was by a desperat Ethiopian one of Amida his followers thrust thorow with a sword and slaine ouer whose bodie yet sprawling Amida forcing his horse brake into the castle with his friends and finding Mahometes gouernour of the citie presently slew him also And so by this meanes Amida in the space of an houre a little before a man in despaire obtained the citie the castle and the kingdome togither After that he murthered his younger brethren and embrued with bloud without shame polluted his
began as men amased now too late to betake themselues to their weapons for in making resistance they were quickly slaine by the Numidians which came in with Abdamaelech who thus possessed of the castle the cheefe strength of that kingdome let in his friends which were many in the citie by whom he was presently saluted king the rest of the citisens either well liking of the matter or at least not daring for feare to stirre But as in these worldly things for which men so vainely toyle is no assurance so this new king shortly after fell sicke and died when he had raigned but six and thirtie dayes and was afterwards royally enterred After whose death his mightie friends with the cheefe of the citisens persuaded and encouraged by Touarres the Spaniard chose Mahometes his son a child scarse twelue yeares old to reigne in his fathers place appointing Abdalages Maniphaet brother to him whom Amida slew Abdelchirinus Mesuar Schyriffus a great man in their Mahometane superstition Perellus a Christian knight to be his directers and gouernours which foure swayed all at their pleasure But Abdelchirinus tendering the welfare of his countrey and deuising out of season how to set vp one of the royall bloud that were of himselfe able to gouerne the kingdome saying That it was not for the common good to be ruled by a child was for his labor by his other three fellowes suddenly slaine with all his kindred and knowne friends After whose death the other three erected a manner of Triumvirat gouernment euery one of them laying hand vpon one part of the state or other as liked him best Amida thus shut out of TVNES and hauing lost his kingdome wandered vp and downe to LEPTIS CYRAPOLIS and many other places crauing aid of euery man to recouer his kingdome miserably rent in sunder as he said by most wicked men who insolently triumphed ouer the boy king Which they of TVNES knew well to be true and daily complained of the death of Abdelchirinus whom they called the faithfull counsellor and father of his country Whilest Amida is thus trudging vp and down crauing helpe of this and that prince proouing his friends and sounding his subjects affection towards him Muleasses growne miserable with long imprisonment and the calamitie of his disaster fortune obtained of the young king his nephew so much fauour as that hee might sometime goe out of the castle to the church vnder colour whereof hee tooke sanctuarie a place in TVNES holden in such reuerence amongst the Moores as that it was a most inuiolate refuge to all such as fled thereunto Not long after at such time as Bernardinus Mendoza the Admirall of SPAIN came to GVLETTA with the Spanish fleet Muleasses at the request of Touarres was conueyed out of the Sanctuarie to the lake and so by water to GVLETTA there to be present at the consultation there holden for the vtter subuersion of Amida and the driuing out of the Turks out of such cities as they yet held alongst the sea coast in AFFRICA Muleasses had hardly before escaped the hands of certaine of his enemies in TVNES who sought after his life preserued by an old woman who mooued with pitie hid him from their furie vnder a great heape of garlike and had he not now in good time escaped to GVLETTA he had againe fallen into the hands of his mercilesse sonne Amida who shortly after recouered againe his kingdome and would not as he said himselfe haue spared him for the reuerence of any sanctuarie For the citisens of TVNES wearie of the euill gouernment of such as were in authoritie about the yong king and not a little offended with the king himselfe for espousing Melucca his cousin one of Muleasses his daughters secretly encouraged Amida by letters to repaire to the citie promising to aid him in recouering his kingdome Whereupon he came in such hast that the young king had scarce time to get out of the citie and Amida entring without resistance and holpen by his friends easily obtained againe the kingdome and exercised most exquisit crueltie vpon his enemies of whom he caused some to be torne in peeces and deuoured of fierce mastiues kept hungrie for that purpose Perellus he caused to be tortured his secrets to be cut off and himselfe afterwards burnt to ashes in the market place But Muleasses stayed not long at GVLETTA offended with the couetousnesse of Touarres who as he said had not faithfully restored such things as he had before put him in trust withall but had auaritiously in his miserie deceiued him of part of his rich houshold stuffe with certaine notable pretious stones some of his treasure wherof the blind king so greeuously complained to Charles the emperour that for deciding the matter they were both commaunded to repaire vnto him into GERMANIE where in conclusion to end the strife Touarres was discharged of his gouernment and Muleasses sent into SICILIE there to be kept of the common charge of that rich island Muleasses by the way comming to ROME was honourably feasted by Cardinall Fernesius at which time he shewed himselfe both in his apparrell and behauiour not forgetfull of his better fortune and being brought vnto the presence of Paulus the great bishop would doe him no greater honour but to kisse his knee accounting it too great an indignitie to haue kissed his foot He was of stature tall and of a princely disposition vnworthie of so hard a fortune had he not in like manner before vnmercifully dealt with his owne brethren Barbarussa wearie of his long lying to so small purpose in PROVINCE requested the French king either thorowly to employ him or els to giue him leaue to depart offering if he so pleased to spoile all alongst the coast of SPAINE from the mountain PYRaeNEI to CADIZ But he not ignorant what hard speeches ran of him alreadie in all parts of Christendome for bringing in the Turkes was loth to leaue vnto the memorie of all posteritie the foule remembrance of so wofull a slaughter besides that he was aduised to disburden his countrey of such troublesome guests who rouing about did much harme in the prouince where they lay and as it was reported now and then snatcht vp one countrey peisant or other and chained them for slaues in their gallies Wherefore in supplie of the Turkes that were dead the king gaue vnto Barbarussa all the Mahometane slaues in his gallies to the number of about foure hundred and furnishing him with all kind of prouision and bestowing great gifts vpon him and his captaines sent him away and with him Strozza with certaine gallies his embassadour to Solyman So the Turkes departing out of PROVINCE kept alongst the coast vntill they came neere vnto SAVONA whither the Germanes sent diuers presents and fresh victuals to Barbarussa which he tooke so thankfully that he protested not to hurt any of their territorie From thence he kept a right course to the island
those at whose hands nothing was to be looked for but most miserable seruitude with all kind of crueltie and therefore persuaded the Gouernour to hold it out to the last For all that he ouercome with the importunitie of such as would needs yeeld who with all vehemencie vrged the imminent danger wherewith they were all like to be ouerwhelmed and finding himselfe bereft both of heart and fortune and forsaken of his souldiors without farther consideration consented that a white ensigne should be displaied vpon the wals in token that they desired parley when a Turke presenting himselfe they requested him to vnderstand of the Bassa if he could be contented that some of them might come to intrâ—â—t with him of some good order to be taken for the yeelding vp of the castle Whereunto the Bassa willingly consenting two of the knights were forthwith sent out to offer vnto him the castle with the artillerie and munition so as he would furnish them with ships to bring them with bag and baggage safely to MALTA Wherunto the Bassa briefly answered That forasmuch as they had as yet deserued no grace presuming to keepe so small a place against the army of the greatest prince on earth if they would pay the whole charges of the armie he would condiscend to their request or if they would not thereunto consent that for recompence all they within the castle should continue his slaues and prisoners notwithstanding if they incontinently and without delay did surrender the place he would exempt out of them two hundred Whereupon the messengers returning in dispaire were staied by Dragut and Salla Rais with flattering words and faire promises That they would so much as lay in them persuade the Bassa to condiscend to a more gratious composition fearing indeed that the besieged through dispaire would resolue as their extreame refuge to defend the place euen to the last man Wherfore they went presently to the Bassa to declare vnto him his ouersight in refusing them who voluntarily would haue put themselues into his hands whom reason would he should with all courtesie haue receiued for that after he had the castle and the men in his power he might dispose of them as he should think good The Bassa liking well of his counsell caused the messengers to be called againe and with fained and dissembling words told them That at the instance of Dragut and Salla Rais there present he did discharge them of all the costs and charges of the armie swearing vnto them the better to deceiue them by the head of his lord and his owne inuiolably to obserue all that he had promised vnto them which they too easily beleeued and forthwith went to declare the same vnto the Gouernour and others within the castle The Bassa the better to come to the effect of his desire after these messengers sent a craftie Turke whom he charged expressely to persuade the Gouernour to come with him into the campe for the full conclusion of the giuing vp of the castle and for the appointing of such vessels as should be needfull for their safe conduct to MALTA and that if he made any doubt to come he should make shew as if he would there remain in hostage for him but aboue all things to consider of the strength and assurance of the besieged and of the disposition of all things there Which the subtile Turke so finely handled that the Gouernour by the counsell of those who had persuaded him to yeeld notwithstanding the reasons of warres and dutie of his office forbad him in such manner to abandon the place of his charge resolued vpon so small an assurance of the Bassa and gaue eare to the miserable end of his fortune So taking with him a knight of his houshold to send backe vnto those of the castle to declare vnto them how he sped in the campe vnder the conduct of the Turke that was come to fetch him he went straight to the tent of the Bassa who by the Turke that went first in was aduertised of the small courage of the defendants which he assured him to be no better but that if he thought it good he might bring them to such order and agreement as he would himselfe Vpon whose persuasion calling in the Gouernour Vallter after he had rigorously reproued his rashnesse said vnto him That forasmuch as he had once giuen his word if he would pay the charges of the armie he was content to let them go with bag and baggage otherwise he would discharge but two hundred Whereat the Gouernour greatly moued answered That that was not according to his last promise vnto the knights before sent But when he saw it would be no better he requested him that he might againe returne to the castle to know the minds of the rest which the false Bassa would by no meanes grant but only permitted him to send backe the knight that he had brought with him to make report of these hard newes to the besieged as for the Gouernour he was sent to the gallies with yrons on his heeles When they of the castle vnderstood what had passed betwixt the Bassa and the Gouernour they began exceedingly to feare the mischiefe then at hand yet tooke no other resolution but to returne the said knight to the Bassa to know whether they should expect from him no better answere Who as soone as he was come before him the captaine of the castle was brought in of whom the Bassa asked Which of the two he would chuse either to pay the expences of the armie or else both he and all the rest to remaine his prisoners Whereunto the Gouernour answered That a slaue had no other authoritie than that which by his master was giuen him and that hauing lost besides his libertie the power to command if any thing were yet reserued in him could not counsell him to command others to agree vnto any thing but that which was concluded with them which were before sent Which thing the Bassa hearing for feare that such a resolute answere should come to the knowledge of the besieged and cause them to become desperat hauing taken counsell with his other captaines hee tooke the Gouernour by the hand and with a smiling and dissembling countenance told him That he would without any doubt let them depart as he had promised and that therefore without fearing any thing hee should cause them all to come out of the castle But the Gouernour because he had beene before deceiued would not trust to his word but said vnto him That he might commaund him that was come from the castle for that he knew they would now doe neuer a whit the more for him So the Bassa turning towards the other knight commaunded him forthwith to goe vnto them in the castle and to cause them to come forth swearing againe as before by the head of his great lord and his owne That they should all be deliuered and set at libertie according
backe againe into the valley of ALEXANDRIA another port in the island of CEPHALENIA from whence they afterward departed to the islands CORZVLARES where by the way they vnderstood by letters out of CRETE That FAMAGVSTA was lost with which bad newes they were no whit discouraged but rather enflamed with the desire of reuenge From the islands they went to GALANGA a good harbour where they stayed one night purposing the next day to haue gone to the mouth of the gulfe of LEPANTO there to dare the Turks battell The Turkes Bassaes Partau and Haly who then lay in good safetie within the gulfe hearing of the approch of the Christian fleet began to consult with the rest of their most expert captaines Whether to giue the Christians battell or to keepe themselues still within their safe harbour vpon which doubt they were amongst themselues of diuers opinions Amongst the rest Chiroche a man of great yeares and authoritie and withall a most noble captaine exhorted the Bassaes in no case when no need was vpon a vaine glorie to aduenture all to the fortune of an vncertaine battell it was as he said the part of wise and worthie commanders to moderat with reason their happie fortunes for that therunto were incident many accidents whereby their former felicitie might be disgraced They had alreadie run alongst the enemies coasts spoyled the frontiers of his countries and were with much honour and greater spoyle in safetie returned hauing encreased the Turkish empire with many strong townes of the enemies The island of CYPRVS was with wonderfull good fortune brought vnder the Turks obeisance the enemies great prouision at sea frustrated in such sort as that hauing lost diuers of their gallies they were neuer yet able to draw their swords They had with their fleet at their pleasure romed vp and down the Adriaticke and displayed their victorious ensigns almost vnto the very citie of VENICE What could they then deuise or wish for more honourable or glorious than with the safetie of their fleet yea without any losse at all to haue performed so great matters Now the three generall commaunders of the enemies fleet to be so at discord amongst themselues as that they were readie to fall in sunder of themselues who now vpon the approch of Winter and for want of victuall must needs in few dayes returne home with their fleet neuer after to meet againe with the like strength at sea and therefore to what purpose were it by force of armes and vncertaine battell with danger to seeke for the soueraignetie and commaund of the sea which would forthwith of it selfe without any danger fall vnto them Neither should they by the doubtfull victorie so much encrease their honour as by the vncertaine euent of a battell blemish the same if any thing should fall out otherwise than well And that therefore they should doe well to take heed that in seeking to augment their former victories they hazarded not their honour alreadie gained but wholesomely delay the warre and keepe themselues in safetie with their fleet within the gulfe and not to goe out at the enemies pleasure but when they should see good themselues at such time as the enemie was not so well prouided so should they as he said without any great labour or danger attaine to the full of their owne desires Partau Bassa was of opinion That the Christians would not at all offer him battell which opinion the Christians had also of him and in this question for giuing or not giuing of battell seemed neither to approue nor dislike that Chiroche had so grauely spoken but as a man indifferent and loath to incurre any blame shewed himselfe readie either to stay or to set forward as should be thought best by the greater part But Haly Bassa a man of an hoter spirit and the great champion of the Turks could not endure to heare of any delay but of present battell The pleasure of Selymus the hope of victorie the remembrance of the displeasure Piall Bassa had the last yeare incurred for not giuing the Christians battell induced him now in no case to refuse battell but forthwith to goe out of the gulfe and to accept thereof if it were offered In which his opinion he was the more confirmed by the relation of Caracoza a famous pyrat and of great account amongst the Turks who in a swift galliot taking view of the Christian fleet had reported it to be much lesse than indeed it was deceiued as was afterward thought by not taking full view thereof by reason of his posting hast or els blinded by the island which lying behind the fleet suffered him not perfectly to descrie the same Vpon which report there was great rejoycing amongst the Turkes who now after their accustomed manner dreamed of nothing but victorie and spoyle So that Haly vainely persuaded that his fleet was both the greater and stronger would now needs fight in hope that the Christians vpon the first sight of the Turks fleet would either retire and saue themselues by shamefull flight or els in aduenturing battell at so great ods by their foolish hardinesse receiue a notable ouerthrow This opinion of the Bassa was also not a little confirmed by the persuasion of Cassanes Barbarussa his sonne Vluzales and Chais-Beg Gouernour of SMYRNA all men of great marke and experience especially in matters at sea And although Partau the other Bassa stood wauering as a man in doubt and Chiroche Gouernour of ALEXANDRIA with Carabuzes Gouernor of CILICIA and Mechmet Gouernor of EVBoeA men of no lesse worth than the other vpon better consideration were of a quite contrarie mind for not giuing the Christians battell yet such was the authoritie of Haly or rather his importunitie forced to his owne destinie that his opinion preuailed so that now out they needs must and fight Albeit that two other espials sent out after Caracoza hauing more perfectly viewed the fleet returning with speed told the Bassaes as truth was That the Christians very strong and well appointed were comming with ensignes displayed of purpose to fight and that their fleet was in number much greater than was before supposed With which newes so farre contrarie to their expectation the Bassaes were exceedingly troubled and demaunding whether the formost gallies were all Venetians or not and being answered that they were intermixt some Venetians some Spanish and of the other Westerne countries they began to doubt the worst and became exceeding pensiue Neuerthelesse knowing themselues to bee of all things well furnished hauing new victualled in the bay of CORINTH and there also taken in twelue thousand Ianizaries and Spahies drawne out of the garrisons of AETOLIA ACARNANIA PELOPONESVS and the other countries thereby all resolute men and foure thousand other common souldiors and that they could not now with their honor shrinke backe they held it still for the best to hold on their former resolution for the giuing of the Christians battell Yet before their
destroy all your wealth and goods which together with you selues your wiues and children shall be giuen for a prey vnto our souldiors with the cheefe men of your cities of CRACOVIA and LEPERIS which for all that we say not as any thing at all doubting of your fidelitie and constancie towards vs. As for the rest which it pleased vs by word of mouth to haue told vnto you we haue giuen charge vnto this our embassadour and counsellour vnto whom our desire is that you should giue full credence From CONSTANTINOPLE the last of September in the yeare of our Prophet Mahomet 983 and first of our reigne This the great Sultans commendations so much preuailed with the Polonians that notwithstanding that Maximilian the emperour was by the Archbishop of GNESNA and some others chosen king yet was that his election by the greater part of the Nobilitie reuoked and both he and the great duke of MVSCOVIE being passed ouer the noble princesse Anne of the most honourable Iagellonian house chosen queene of POLONIA yet with this condition That she should marrie Stephen the Vayuod of TRANSYLVANIA to them by Amurath commended Who afterward elected king all the time of his life right worthily gouerned that noble kingdome not onely defending the same in such state as he found it but also notably extending the bounds thereof enlarging it with such territories as he by force of armes got from his neighbours especially the Muscouite Of this election Amurath would oftentimes afterwards boast and say That he had giuen the Polonians their king But of him and of the league by him made with Amurath more shall be said hereafter The yeare following great troubles arose in PERSIA whereby the flourishing state of that most mightie kingdome was sore shaken and opportunitie giuen for the Turkish emperour to inuade the same which he laying hold vpon entered into that bloudie warre which to the great quiet of the Christian commonweale for long time after exercised the forces of those most puissant princes one vpon the other For the better vnderstanding wherof it shall not be amisse compendiously to set down the same troubles of the Persian kingdome the very ground of the long and mortall warre betweene those two most mightie Monarchs Old Tamas the Persian king sonne to the noble Hismaell who with great glorie had more than fiftie yeares worthily gouerned that large kingdome and mightily withstood the often inuasions of the Turkish emperours now spent with yeares died the eleuenth of May in the yeare 1576 leauing behind him eleuen sonnes namely Mahomet the eldest of an infirmitie in his eies surnamed Codabanda a man of a peaceable and quiet disposition more delighted with the sweet pleasures of a contented life than the carefull honors of so great a kingdome Ismahel the second sonne of a more fierce and troublesome nature so much abhorring quietnesse that not regarding the league hardly concluded betwixt his aged father and the Turkish emperours Solyman and Selymus he would now and then without his fathers knowledge vpon a youthfull heat breake out into the frontiers of the Turkes dominions and there make great spoyle for which doing although he was both of his father and the people the more regarded yet was he by his fathers commaundement who in outward shew seemed to mislike of those his youthfull prankes tending to the breach of the league restrained of his libertie and sent to the castle of CAHACA betwixt TAVRIS and CASBIN where he remained at the time of his Fathers death Aidere the third sonne no lesse ambitious than was his brother Ismahel but not of like valour kept by Zalchan Piry Mahamet and other his kinsfolkes all men of great power and authoritie The other eight were Mamut Solyman Mustapha Emanguli Alichan Amet Abrahin and Ismahel the younger The old king before his death had by his last will and testament solemnely appointed Ismahel his second sonne to succeed him in the kingdome as of all his sonnes most â—it to take vpon him so great a charge Which thing Mahomet his elder brother seemed not much to dislike contenting himselfe with such honours as his father had before bestowed vpon him Tamas thus dead Ismahel was by the Sultans sent for to CAHACA to take vpon him his fathers kingdome at CASBIN when in the meane time there arose a great tumult in the citie yea euen in the kings pallace for Aidere the third brother who in the time of his fathers greatest sicknesse had entered the chamber where he lay drawing towards his end and in his sight most presumptuously set the royall crowne vpon his head to the manifesting of his ambitious desires for which he was then worthily reproued now after the death of his aged father carried headlong with the same aspiring humour and supported by Zalchan and other his mightie fauourits had so effectually dealt with the great ladie Periaconcona his eldest sister and the other Sultans counsellours 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 preserued for Ismahel but by the helpe of some fine and secret deceit This ladie Periaconcona elder than all the young princes the sonnes of Tamas her brethren a woman of great spirit and deepe conceit left in great trust by her father seeing the proceeding of her brother Aidere durst neither openly to mooue any thing vnto the Sultans prejudiciall to his designes neither could she in her heart endure so great an injurie to be done to her brother Ismahel appointed by his father to succeed him Wherfore in this perplexitie she cast in her wily head how to satisfie her ambitious brother present how to saue the right of Ismahel absent the honour of her dead fathers will and testament and the safetie of the kingdome For hauing throughly debated the matter with the Sultans she resolued That Aidere inuested in royall apparrell and setled in the great gallerie should attend the acclamation of the people and be there openly enthronised as the very elected king With which vaine shew the vnwise youth blinded with ambition suffered himselfe to be led and being set in his majestie verely persuaded himselfe that he should now be honoured both of his friends and foes as king But vnto these his so hastie and prosperous designes the successe that sprung from the subtiltie of those counsellours and his dissembling sister were nothing conformable for that she by their aduise tooke order for the gates of the pallace to be presently locked leauing at euery passage a sure guard and onely one wicket open safely warded with a companie of most faithfull and valourous captaines and souldiours wholly deuoted to Tamas and Ismael with streight charge to suffer euery man to enter in sauing onely the knowne friends of Aidere In this sort did she thinke to haue entertained the young man vntill such time as Ismahel should arriue from CAHACA and
assurance it can haue in this long I must needs say but euill assured peace is well to be seene in that in the great consultation of this great Sultan Amurath with his Bassaes after the Persian warre for the inuading of Chistendome the Polonians for all this league so solemnly constrained were nothing the more regarded but laied in the same ballance with the rest and preserued onely by the Prouidence that all gouerneth which leading the Turke against the Christian emperour their neighbour hath giuen them that peace they were otherwise hardly to haue looked for Vnto whom for all that hauing to his endlesse praise maintained a long and most chargeable warre they haue not lent any great helpe or friendly hand yet lying themselues still in the lyons mouth and like enough to be the next God grant I be therein deceiued that is to be of him deuoured But leauing these the heauie conceits of a melancholy mind and ominous forbodings of that I wish not to returne againe toward PERSIA Amurath his greatest care Amongst many the ambitious competitours for the mannaging of these Turkish so great desseigns was the great Bassa Mustapha euen he who in the raigne of the late emperour Selymus conquered CYPRVS carrying thence togither with his victorie perpetuall infamie for his faithlesse and cruell dealing with Bragadine the worthie and renowmed Gouernour of FAMAGVSTA appointed Generall of the Turkes armie into PERSIA and authoritie giuen him to prouide whatsoeuer hee should thinke needfull for so great a warre And commaundement giuen vnto the Bassaes and other commaunders of the greatest part of the Turkish empire Eastward that they should themselues with their souldiors of all sorts bound by their perpetuall annuities to go to the warre in the beginning of the Spring this yeare 1578 repaire to ERZIRVM a citie of CAPADOCIA bordering vpon ARMENIA there to attend the commaund of their new Generall Who hauing his dispatch from CONSTANTINOPLE and for fashion sake conducted by most of the court ouer the strait to SCVTARI and from thence passing through the countries of AMASIA and SIVAS in the verie beginning of Sommer arriued at ERZIRVM and there staied vntill such time as his people victuals artillerie and other his necessarie prouision was come thither From whence he departed for SIRVAN hauing first taken a diligent surueigh of his whole armie mustering the souldiors of euerie nation by themselues namely of the Mesopotamians twelue thousand of the Assyrians and Babylonians fourteene thousand of the Syrians two thousand of them of the lesser ASIA now comprehended vnder the name of NATOLIA ten thousand of the Iewes and Philistims one thousand and of the Cilicians foure thousand After whom followed the soldiors of GRaeCIA the glorie and hope of all the campe valiant men to the number of ten thousand and after them the familiar and faithfull guard of the Generall ten thousand Ianizaries of CONSTANTINOPLE with harquebusiers on their shoulders and scimitars by their sides of the citie also of ERZIRVM and the jurisdiction thereof appeared foure thousand vnder the ensigne of Beyran Bassa their Generall All these were stipendaries to the Turkish emperour vnto whom other voluntarie aduenturers joyned themselues in number not inferiour to the rest but better furnished and of greater courage So that in this generall suruey of the armie were found about an hundred and ten thousand men most part horsemen yet was there not any stirred out of ARABIA AEGIPT AFRICA or HVNGARIE or other places alongst the sea coasts neither were the prouinces from whence these souldiours were drawne left destitute or vnfurnished of their ordinarie garrisons Besides this multitude of men Mustapha brought with him fiue hundred small pieces of artillerie with many loads of mony for his souldiors pay with further order for the taking vp of more at ALEPPO and other places if his occasions should so require He caused also great quantitie of corne to be transported by the Great sea called in antient time Pontus Euxinus to TRAPEZONDE so to be conueyed to ERZIRVM being but foure dayes journy distant thence To be short hauing taken order for all things he thought necessarie for the warre he in seemely array departed from ERZIRVM and in eight dayes arriued at the ruins of CHARS and in the fruitfull countrey thereabout rested himselfe but was there surprised with such a violent tempest of wind and raine as rent in sunder his tents and did great harme by meanes wherof many fell sicke and were constrained to forsake the armie Hauing stayed three dayes at CHARS the bounder of the Turkish and Persian empires he departed thence with his armie and that euening lodged vnder the mountaines of CHâ—ILDER supposed to be part of the hils PERIARDO where hearing the Persians to be in armes he thought it best for the securitie of his armie so to pitch his tents as that he might well discouer the comming of the enemie and not to be assaulted at vnawares And therefore planting himselfe in the plaine he gaue order that Beyran Bassa of ERZIRVM should take possession of a certaine hill on the right hand and Deruis the Bassa of CARAEMIT should keepe another hill that stood on the left hand and with them Osman Bassa Mahamet Bassa Mustafsade Bassa aduenturers with many others as well stipendarie as voluntarie men should likewise pitch their tents vpon the same hils in such sort as that they making as it were two wings to the campe might discouer the comming of euery man and yet he himselfe being shaddowed with the two hils might lie vnperceiued of any Mahamet the new king of PERSIA as yet scarcely setled in his kingdome stirred vp by the fame of these motions resolued in himselfe to stand vpon the defence of his state and for a time to dissemble the conceiued hatred which he bare to some of the Sultans of PERSIA and princes of GEORGIA and to make some apparent shew that he was reconciled to them for that without them he could not promise vnto himselfe any forme of an armie or defence wherein notwithstanding all the troubled state of his kingdome he wrought so cunningly that almost all the great men of account tooke vpon them the protection of his state and kingdome And so Tocomac a Sultan the Chan and Gouernour of REIVAN a famous man well knowne vnto the Turkes and of great reputation amongst the Persians was chosen Generall of this expedition with charge That gathering together the greatest number of men he could out of ATROPATIA out of MEDIA the greater and other places neere vnto the Turks he should by all meanes possible stop their passage into GEORGIA and MEDIA ATROPATIA And thereupon precepts were sent out into all parts of the kingdome That all the Chans Sultans and souldiours whatsoeuer should come readie prest to attend vpon their new Generall Many obedient to the kings proclamation came but many there were that would not stirre a foot for their obstinacie in the broiles begun
also his owne priuat Court which was wonderfull populous and two hundred Ianizaries of CONSTANTINOPLE whom Amurath would needs haue him to take with him at his departure from the Court so that he had in his armie almost twelue thousand horsemen From DAMASCO Vies the Bassa was come as farre as IERVSALEM to meet him with all the souldiors vnder his gouernment in number about two thousand persons Besides that there came vnto him by the way of SIDON the Aga of the Ianizaries of CYPRVS with all the band of that desolat and destroyed island which captaine with his souldiors was transported ouer into the maine in those gallies that by the kings appointment were sent to fetch Eâ—rain who now strengthened with all these souldiors had purposed the vtter ruine of the disobedient Drusians and the raising of his owne glorie by triumphing ouer them These Drusians against whom these great preparations were now made by this new captaine and of whom the Turkish emperour is so suspitious and doubtfull are supposed to be by descent Frenchmen the reliques of those that with great deuotion did in times past fight those memorable and Christian battels in IVRIE and recouered the holy citie but being afterwards brought low partly by the plague and partly by the furie of the Barbarians mingled their seed with the circumcised nation and so together with their authoritie and commaund lost also their first faith and religion yet so that they grew into an hatred of the Turkish superstition and abhorring the circumcision of the Iewes betooke themselues to a new prophet of their owne called Isman whose doctrine they follow The right Drusians liue vncircumcised neither doe they forbeare wine as doe the Turks they make it lawfull among them most vnlawfully to marrie with their owne daughters the Turkish gouernment they haue sought by all meanes to eschue and notwithstanding all the endeuours and attempts of the Turkish tyrants but especially of Selymus the second yet haue they alwayes beene subject to their owne naturall princes and would neuer admit any captaine or gouernour of the Turks within the countries which they possessed They are a people very warlike stout resolute and religious obseruers of their owne superstition in battell they vse the arcubuse and scimitar yet some of them at this day do serue with launces and darts they are apparrelled after the manner of the Easterne people with a turbant on their heads and breeches they neuer weare but in stead thereof they couer those parts with their coat which reacheth downe to their knees buttoning it vp before Their feeding is grosse and of mountaine meats They inhabit all the countrey that is enuironned within the confines of IOPPA aboue CaeSAREA and PALESTINA and within the riuers of Orontes and Iordan stretching it selfe euen to the plaine of DAMASCO neere to the hils that compasse it about vpon the coast of mount Libanus They were all in times past good friends and confederats so that they were greatly esteemed but now being at variance through greedinesse and couetousnesse they were deuided among themselues one seeking the destruction of another At this time they were gouerned by fiue chiefe captaines or gouernours one of them was called Ebne-man and of the Turkes Man-Ogli another Serafadin the third Mahamet Ebne-mansur the fourth Ebne-frec and the fift Ali-Ebne-Carfus by the Turkes called Ali-Carfus-Ogli Vnder these who indeed carrie the title and authoritie of an Emir that is to say King or Chiefe there are diuers their lieutenants or deputies whom they call their Macademi or agents Ebne-man or Man-Ogli inhabited the mountaines and fields that are contained vnder the jurisdictions of CaeSAREA of PTOLEMAIDA of TIRVS and of SIDON and had his residence for most part vpon the hill in a towne called ANDERA he was very mightie in men and armour and since the time that by treacherie his father was murthered by Mustapha then Bassa of DAMASCO alwayes a deadly enemie to the name of the Turkes Ebne-frec Ebne-carfus and Ebne-mansur were alwayes great friends but now especially at the comming of Ebrain Bassa they shewed themselues more straightly confederated together Serafadin and Man-Ogli were euer opposit against them so that the one side procuring the ouerthrow of the other they lost their strength and left no means to defend themselues against the Turkes who had long lien in wait for their libertie Now as soone as the news came among them That Ebrain being departed from CAIRE was comming into SORIA to subdue them the three confederates aboue named resolued among themselues to goe and meet this great Bassa and to submit themselues vnto him of purpose to turne all the intended mischiefe vpon Serafadin and Man-Ogli their enemies And so hauing packed vp great store of money cloth of silke cloth of woollen and cloth of gold with many loades of silkes and other things of exceeding value euery of the three being accompanied one with some two thousand another with some three thousand men they put themselues vpon their journey towards Ebrain and met him at IERVSALEM where he was alreadie arriued This their comming Ebrain tooke in wonderfull good part and courteously accepted those their rich and great presents which they brought him and by the offers of their fidelitie and the grieuous accusations they made against the other two Drusian lords their enemies began to conceiue great hope of his entended enterprise for why he saw that nothing could more easily compasse their ouerthrow than this their discord Being thus accompanied he came by the way of DAMASCO to the champaigne of BOCCA and there encamped This was in the moneth of Iuly this yeare 1585. The whole army that was with Ebrain reckoning also the souldiors of the three Drusian lords was about the number of twentie thousand horsemen strong In this place there came people out of all quarters thereabouts with presents to honour the Bassa to whom he likewise yeelded such small fauours as his couetous nature could affourd them From this place also Ebrain presently sent letters to Serafadin and Ebneman whereby he enuited them to come vnto him to acknowledge their obedience vnto the Sultan for that otherwise they might assure themselues to be in short time depriued both of their estates and liues For all that Man-Ogli would not by any meanes come in But Serafadin being poore both in wealth and forces resolued to come in hope by rich presents to purchase his attonement with the great Bassa And therefore hauing packed vp together diuers loades of silkes great store of money and many clothes of good value and beautie and also attended vpon with diuers of his subjects he arriued at last at the pauillion of Ebrain with these his rich presents which were there readily receiued and he himselfe with great attention heard whose speech in effect tended to no other end but onely to persuade the Bassa That he had alwayes beene a deuoted vassale vnto Amurath and that he had carried a
thereunto also to joyne the countries of MOLDAVIA and VALACHIA had therein of purpose placed the aforesaid Simon a man of no valour and of a small apprehension whom he might again at his pleasure displace and joyne those prouinces vnto his new purchase which he could not so well doe if he should haue there placed a man of greater reach and courage So worke the heads of the great and so trauell the braines of the ambitious aspiring Basta vnderstanding of the retiring of the Polonians entred into consultation with the Chiaki and other the principall men of that prouince which lodged with the armie in the countrey villages thereabout for calling together the states and people to make choice of some such men as they thought meetest to be sent vnto the emperour to know his pleasure for the gouernment of that prouince But now in the meane time whilest there was no suspition of the forraine enemie began to worke certaine Malecontents which thinking with greater libertie to liue vnder a weake prince than vnder one of greater power with one voice cried out That Sigismund with a great power was entered into the confines of TRANSYLVANIA one whiles towards VALACHIA another while by the way of MOLDAVIA and that the strength of the countrey and others therby still resorted vnto him with other such like inuentions of purpose deuised to haue made Basta suddenly departed or at leastwise to haue troubled the Diet or assembly called and the consultation also But he well aduised of their purpose moued not out of his quarter but there lay very priuatly to declare thereby the great confidence he had in the thankefulnesse of the nobilitie of the countrey as by him deliuered from the oppression of the Vayuod as also to make them to vnderstand That the gouernment to be appointed was not to be setled in the sole power of a tyrant but in the fidelitie of the subjects protected vnder a most gentle royall and most fatherlike gouernment not ambitiously sought after but most voluntarily of themselues offered and for the common good by the emperour accepted Beside that he knew right well how that Castaldo in like case before in the yeare 1551 sent into TRANSYLVANIA with eight thousand Almaines left behind him his armie and without any precedent courtesie went priuatly to ALBA IVLIA where queene Isabel had for her defence assembled a Diet of all the states and there by well handling of the matter got to Ferdinand the emperour that kingdome which hee could not by the fear of his forces haue gained for which doing Writers attribute vnto him the name of great wisedome notwithstanding that the yeare following he was enforced to abandon his conquest but yet not through any default in himselfe But it is truly said That men pleasured according to the occasion change their manners as doth the Chamelion his colour according to the place nothing being by nature so short nothing of lesse life than the remembrance of a benefit with the vnthankfull which the greater it is the more it is repaied with vngratitude either by making it to haue been of little worth or to haue proceeded not of courtesie but from some other more priuat and proper considerations of the giuer The Diet aforesaid being assembled diuers broiles were there raised by the malecontents as vsually it commeth to passe where the people haue to doe with the gouernment apt to be moued with euerie rumour alwaies readie to change their opinion as streight glutted therewith headstrong faithlesse all in words to no end Some of them in that assembly cried out that the Almaines might be paied discharged and thanked for the paines they had taken for them as their neighbours with offering to doe them the like pleasure as their occasions should require othersome cried to haue them all put to the sword so much they were deuoid of reason others cried out as fast that they were not by any meanes to endure the gouernment of Maximilian the Archduke but by some nominated vnto them would needs haue a prince of their owne countrey and such an one as the great Turke should well like of as the Chancellor had persuaded them Basta for all that not dismaied with so vnexpected an encounter albeit that he began to suspect that he had lost all his labour if he were not in short time with greater forces relieued at such time as the Chiaki with other the chiefe men amongst the people came as their manner was euerie other day to visit him with couragious speech and vnappauled countenance told them plainly That he well perceiued their drift and purpose and yet doubted not either of their oath of obedience giuen vnto his Imperiall majestie either of the fresh remembrance of the great benefit they had from him so lately receiued and in case it might happen them little to esteeme of those things greater than which could not happen amongst men that yet they should well know that he was not a man to be feared with words but fully resolued not to stirre one foot thence with his forces but rather to lose his life which he would for all that sell as deere as he could Wherunto answere was giuen with much courteous speech That he should not giue eare vnto any the speeches of the light vulgar people but to content himselfe that the Nobilitie in whose hands the chiefe power of that prouince was had not done any thing not beseeming thēselues So after much dispute were appointed three persons according to the three estates the Nobilitie the Commons and the State in generall to go vnto the Emperour to request of him Maximilian the Archduke for their Gouernour with speciall request also that it would please him not to ouercharge with forrein soldiors that prouince alreadie sore impouerished especially hauing in it selfe people sufficient for the defence thereof and more nimble to encounter with the Turkes than the heauie and slow Almaines and they also of double charge These difficulties with much adoe thus appeased by such as stood fast for the emperour Basta thought it not good againe to call any such assembly hoping that time and the emperors great wisedome would for all these matters find conuenient remedie Yet saw he plainly the mind of the people was to resolue to remaine for euer free if they should haue come to a second consultation and in them a princely desire to commaund rather than to be commaunded Yea in that selfesame Diet the Chiaki was declared Gouernour on the behalfe of the people with authoritie in many things of himselfe to determine without calling togither of any assembly of the rest of the States which they said they did only vntill they were by his Imperiall majestie prouided of a Gouernour Neuerthelesse Basta well perceiued more than a Tribunitiall power to be now joyned by the people vnto the emperours commissioners knowing that this Chiaki was in great hope to haue beene proclaimed prince of the confederats in case
old king who in hope of preferment had long wished for the gouernment of the yong prince were glad to see him set vpon his fathers seat And the vulgar people neuer constant but in vnconstancie and alwaies fawning vpon the present exceedingly rejoyced in their young king The Ianizaries also at the same time according to their accustomed manner tooke the spoile of the Christians and Iewes that dwelt amongst them and easily obtained pardon for the same whereupon he was by the same Ianizaries and the other souldiors of the Court with great triumph saluted king Which approbation of these men of warre is vnto the Turkish kings a greater assurance for the possession of their kingdome than to be borne the eldest sonne of the king as in the processe of this Historie shall appeare so great is the power of these masterfull slaues in promoting to the kingdome which soeuer of the kings sonnes they most fauour without much regard whether he be the eldest or not This young tyrant was no sooner possessed of his fathers kingdome but that hee forgetting the lawes of nature was presently in person himselfe about to haue murthered with his owne hands his youngest brother then but eighteene moneths old begotten on the daughter of Spoâ—derbeius Which vnnaturall part Moses one of his Bassaes and a man greatly in his fauour perceiuing requested him not to imbrue his owne hands in the blood of his brother but rather to commit the execution thereof to some other which thing Mahomet commaunded him the author of that counsell foorthwith to doe So Moses taking the child from the nurse strangled it with pouring water downe the throat thereof The young ladie vnderstanding of the death of her child as a woman whom furie had made past feare came and in her rage reuiled the tyrant to his face shamefully vpbraiding him for his inhumane crueltie When Mahomet to appease her furie requested her to be content for that it stood with the policie of his state and willed her for her better contentment to aske whatsoeuer she pleased and she should forthwith haue it But she desiring nothing more than in some sort to be reuenged desired to haue Moses the executioner of her sonne deliuered vnto her bound which when she had obtained she presently strucke him into the breast with a knife crying in vaine vpon his vnthankfull master for helpe and proceeding in her cruell execution cut an hole in his right side and by peecemeale cut out his liues and cast it to the dogs to eat At the same time also he caused another of his brethren committed by his father to the keeping of Caly Bassa and now by him betrayed into his hands to be likewise murthered Thus beginning his tyrannous raigne with the bloodie execution of them that were in blood nearest vnto him and whom of all others he ought to haue defended he presently after began to frame a new forme of a commonweale by abrogating and altering the old lawes and customes and publishing of new better fitting his owne humour and more commodious for himselfe imposing also new taxes and subsidies vpon his subjects neuer before heard of thereby to increase his treasures and satisfie his auaritious desire which amongst many other his vices so much raigned in him as that he was thought ouersparing vnto himselfe as well in his apparrell as in his diet And proceeding farther hee called vnto straight account all the great officers of his kingdome of whom some he put to death and confiscated their goods others he put to great fines or quite remooued them from their offices In like manner hee dealt also with his great Bassaes admitting many false and surmised accusations against them whereby to bring them within his danger where little mercie was to be looked for By which meanes hee became no lesse terrible vnto his subjects than he was afterward vnto his enemies and so was of them exceedingly feared but more hated Amongst other things hee much misliked in his court the excessiue number of faulconers and huntsmen which was growne so great by the immoderat delight which his predecessors tooke in the pleasures of the field that there were continually maintained of the kings charge seuen thousand faulconers and not many fewer huntsmen saying That he would not be so much a foole as to maintaine such a multitude of men to attend vpon so meere a vanitie And therefore tooke order that from thenceforth there should bee allowance made for fiue hundred faulconers onely and one hundred huntsmen the rest he appointed to serue as souldiors in his warres At the same time also he entered into league with Constantinus Palaeologus the emperour of CONSTANTINOPLE and the other princes of GRECIA as also with the Despot of SERVIA his grandfather by the mothers side as some will haue it howbeit some others write that the Despot his daughter Amurath his wife was but his mother in law whom hee vnder the colour of friendship sent backe againe vnto her father after the death of Amurath still allowing her a princely dowrie But if shee were not his mother as like ynough it is that shee was not much more happie was she that she neuer groned for so gracelesse a sonne Whilest Mahomet was thus occupied about his ciuile affaires Ibrahim king of CARAMANIA who long before had married Amurath his sister and yet for all that had as his ancestors had before him alwaies enuied the prosperous successe of the Othoman kings tooke occasion in the first yeare of Mahomet his raigne with fire and sword to inuade his dominions in ASIA Which thing when Mahomet vnderstood he displaced Isa his lieutenant in ASIA as a man not sufficient to manage so great warres and appointed Isaack Bassa in his roome a most valiant man of warre vpon whom not long before he had vpon speciall fauour bestowed in mariage the fair daughter of Sponderbeius one of his fathers wiues of whom we haue before spoken This great Bassa passing ouer into ASIA raised a great armie After whom followed Mahomet in person himselfe with a greater out of EVROPE and hauing all his forces together entered with great hostilitie into CARAMANIA But the Caramanian king perceiuing himselfe vnable to withstand so puissant an enemie fled into the strength of the great mountaines and by his embassadours offered vnto Mahomet such reasonable conditions of peace as that hee was content to accept thereof Which after they had by solemne oath on both parts confirmed Mahomet returned with his armie to PRVSA but when he was come thither the Ianizaries presuming that they might be bold with the young king putting themselues in order of battaile came with great insolencie demaunded of him a donatiue or largious as a reward of their good seruice done With which so great presumption Mahomet was inwardly chafed but for so much as they were his best souldiors and alreadie in armes he wisely dissembled his anger for the present hauing a little