disaster fortune banished from their parents and kinred hath enforced to wander here and there with death alwayes before their eyes Let any man tell me how I came by these wounds which I yet beare in my bodie but in fight with the enemies of my countrey which passe ouer out of ASIA into THRACIA or els dwelling neere vnto ISTER doe with their incursions from thence miserably wast that side of THRACIA which is next vnto them For I to tell you the very truth seeing the old emperour by reason of his great yeares to become slothfull and blockish and not possibly to be awaked out of his drowsie sleepe neither any whit to greeue when as the poore Christians his subjects were both by day and night some as sacrifices slaine by the barbarous enemies some carried away into most miserable captiuitie and the rest poore and naked to be driuen out of their houses and cities not to speake in the meane time of the greater mischeefes in ASIA and how many cities haue beene there lost through the old emperours slouth and negligence when I saw these things I say strucken with a piercing greefe which my heart could not indure I went out for two causes Either by some kind of honourable death to end my greefe together with my life or els to the vttermost of my power to stand my countrey in some stead For by no meanes it can come to passe but that a man and he that hath of long time raigned must at length become loathsome vnto his subjects and incurre their deadly hatred For why God hath made nothing in this life immutable and firme whereby it commeth to passe as we see that all worldly things joy and delight in change But if a man will as it were force fortune to his desire and striue to bind things vnto a certaine firme and constant course he shall but lose his labour and in vaine striue against nature But whatsoeuer is contrary vnto nature or exceedeth the just bounds thereof hath in it neither comfort nor delight This was it that caused the wise men to say and to leaue vnto vs as rules Not to dwell too long vpon any thing and a measure to be the fairest vertue For you see how that my grandfather being grown to great years and hauing raigned so long I may almost say as neuer did any but he is become hatefull vnto all his people and yet regardeth not either how to discharge himselfe of so great a burthen or how to releeue the declining state of the empire or so much as greeueth to see the successours of the empire to die before him for my father is dead without any fruit of the empire except the bare title only and others also neerest to him of blood and farre yoonger than he are dead likewise and happely I my selfe may die also before I shall receiue any profit thereof For what can more easily happen especially vnto a man that shunneth no danger and regardeth not his life But some perhaps will suspect me of ambition for departing from the emperour my grandfather and for refusing to bee ruled by him Which thing I neither flatly denie nor altogether confesse for might I see the empire encrease and the bounds thereof enlarged I could willingly content my selfe and at my case take my rest cheering my selfe vp with such hope as doe they that beare with their cookes making them to stay long for their dinner in hope thereby to fare the better But seeing the state of the empire daily to decline from euill to worse and the miserable people carried away captiues or slaine by their enemies euen at the gates and vnder the wals of the imperiall cittie what deeme you mee then to thinke For most men ease their present greefe with the hope of future good although the same be but vaine but vnto mee is not left euen such vaine hope vnto my false comfort And can you meruaile at the impotent affection of the Great Alexander of MACEDON greeued and displeased to see his father to heape victorie vpon victorie and to cut off all the hope of his sonnes glorie by leauing him so few occasions of war and not thinke me to whom you see the quite contrarie is chanced and from whom not only the hope of the empire is cut off for the wasting thereof but euen the course of a quiet life to fret and greeue thereat Mooued herewith and not able longer to endure it at length I rise vp and requested of the emperour my grandfather but a thousand men at armes promising him by the power of God with them to preserue the cities in BYTHINIA and to driue his enemies farther off before that hauing them they should passe ouer the strait and besiege the imperiall citie of CONSTANTINOPLE which so small a request he not onely denied me but hath euer since taken me for his mortall enemie But this and many other things els let passe I haue now another request vnto him by you which is That he would giue me eight thousand duckats to content my souldiors withall who now of long haue from place to place romed vp and downe with mee following mine vncertaine fortune which graunted I will no more bee vnto my grandfather troublesome but dismissing my forces hold my selfe right well contented Hauing thus said he rise out of his seat and taking them apart one after another courteously discoursed with them so filling them with great hopes sent them away who departing from him comming into the citie became as it were the open proclaimers of his praises enflaming the people with a greater desire of him than before Which the old emperour hearing and perceiuing almost all his friends in the citie to be in heart reuolted from him and withall fearing to be of them in some suddaine concourse slaine was therewith exceedingly vexed Yet he thought it best before any such thing should happen to prooue their minds and to heare the counsell of the Patriarch and Asanes and the other bishops also vnto whom being by one of the Senators called together he declared his mind as followeth Were I assured that hauing deposed my selfe of the imperiall dignitie I should my self liue in safetie and see my people well gouerned I would I should neuer be of the company of the faithfull if I did not by much prefer a pleasant quiet contented life before an empire For if a man would seek for the pleasure of the mind what can be more pleasant than to be disburdened of all cares and free from such dangers as attend high estates But if for my sinne and the sins of my people as also for the sinne of mine ancestors the vengeance of God in manner of a violent tempest raging against vs subuerteth our empire and I yet but a youth by the helpe of God reformed and quieted the state of the empire greeuously troubled with discord in the Church and the often inuasion of the enemie and taught by
of their oath and full of enuie seldome satisfied but with blood conspired the vnworthie death of Muzalo the protectour both of the emperour and the empire The ninth day appointed for the funerall of the emperour was now come at which time were met together at SOSANDRA an abbey by himselfe built in the honour of the virgine Marie at MAGNESIA many great ladies and graue matrons to mourne as the manner was all the great princes of the nobilitie and among them the conspirators also thither repaired also a number of souldiors prepared for the slaughter with an infinit multitude of the common people as at such solemnities is vsuall But what needs many words whilest the hymns were yet in singing and the obsequies in performing the soldiors as they were before instructed suddainly breaking into the church with their drawne swords in their hands slew Muzalo then fled vnto the altar for refuge with his two brethren Andronicus and Theodorus both men of great account and diuers others appointed to the massacre So the matrones the rest of the multitude breaking off their mourning and for feare thronging out one in anothers necke fled as fast as they could some one way some another as they thought for their most safetie but the priests and monkes thinking to haue done the like were by the imperious souldiors whether they would or not againe inforced into the church where tumbling one ouer another as thronging in with great force violence and scarce able to stand by reason of the slipperinesse of the blood there shed vpon the pauement they in great feare made an end of those bloodie obsequies This outrage appeased Arsenius the Patriarch and only tutor of the yong emperour now left was therewith yet much troubled as with a thing dangerous both to the person of the yoong prince and quietnesse of the state but what good course to take therein he could not tell for as he was a man for his learning and integritie of life not inferiour to the best so in matters of state he was as far to seeke as it commonly happeneth the contemplatiue man buried in his meditations to be vnfit for temporall gouernment whereas he that should performe both must vnto his rare vertues and great learning joine a ciuile conuersation with great experience in worldly affaires not to be learned but by great and long practise This reuerend father of no great reach yet wishing all well calling together the nobilitie consulted with them what were best to be done for the gouernment both of the yong emperour and the empire now that Muzalo was dead not considering in the mean time who they were with whom he consulted or that counsell grounded vpon no wise foresight or approoued experience was more dangerous vnto him whom he would haue prouided for than all the enemies murthering swords as shortly after appeared Amongst others of the nobilitie called to counsell was Michaell Paleologus of whom we haue before spoken much superiour to the rest as descended of the imperiall house of the Comneni a man of a cheerefull countenance gracious and courteous and withall exceeding bountifull and liberall whereby he easily woon the hearts of all men in generall but especially of the colonels captaines and other martiall men commaunders in the armie of whose aspiring to the empire many presages and common rumors not alwaies vaine had in former time passed also to the mouing of many yea the Patriarch himselfe not considering his hautie and aspiring nature made no lesse account of him than did the rest but vpon an especiall fauour committed to his only trust the keyes of the common treasure at such time as money was to bee deliuered out for payment of the armies or other like great occasions of the state the most effectuall meanes for the furtherance of his secret practises the readiest way for the effecting of that he had so long before plotted for hauing in his fingring such a masse of treasure as he might well haue wished but neuer reasonably hoped for he poured it out as it were by bushels amongst the nobilitie and martiall men such others as he thought were able to do most with the people amongst whom were many of the cleargie also of which his fauourits were made many meetings and by them was the Patriarch continually sollicited but yet in generall tearmes without delay according to the necessitie of the time to take order for the good gouernment of the state which now as a great ship in the middest of the sea without a master was as they said in danger to perish and being once lost was not to be againe recouered At which time also the name of Paleologus was in euery mans mouth as the only man for his wisedome and experience fit to take vpon him the charge and gouernment of the empire vntill the yong emperour were come to age Vnto which coÌ„mon good liking the Patriarch also seeing no more or peraduenture not so much as the rest gaue his consent And so without longer stay to the great contentment both of the nobilitie and people in generall made him gouernour of the empire and tutor to the yong emperour wanting now nothing of an emperor himselfe more than the title and imperiall ornaments This was the first step whereby this aspiring man twice before in disgrace with the two late emperours Iohn Ducâ—s and his sonne Theodorus mounted at last vnto the empire It was not many dayes after but that his fauourits held another counsell wherein it was alledged That it was not seemely for him that was tutor vnto the emperour gouernour of the state and empire and to giue audience vnto the embassadours of forraine nations to want the honour next vnto the emperour as well for the magnificence of the state as for the credit of his place whereupon hee was both by the Patriarch and the yoong emperour honoured with the title of the Despot another step vnto the empire But what contentment find the ambitious euen in the greatest honours so long as there is one aboue them Little sure or none at all more than that it serueth them to step at next vp to the highest as did this new made Despot who shortly after was by certaine of the nobilitie his great fauourits neere vnto MAGNESIA with the great applause of the people hoysed vp and saluted emperour Whereof Arsenius the Patriarch hearing was therewith much troubled as fearing what would become of the yong child the right heire of the empire And first he was about to haue excommunicated as well him that was made emperour as them that had so made him but afterward changing his purpose for feare of greater troubles he thought it better by solemne oath to bind both him and the rest That they should not seeke after the life of the child or by any force or colour goe about to depriue him of the empire which was so done Yet it was not full a moneth after but
assurance of himselfe and his state in so great a danger And first he sent vnto his nephew come halfe way to forbid him from entring the citie and to tell him That it was a great folly for him being so manifest a traitour both vnto his grandfather and the state to thinke his traiterous purposes to bee vnknowne vnto the world and beside in way of reproofe to rehearse vnto him how many occasions he had giuen for the breaking of the league with his grandfather first in taking away the money from the collectors whereof the state neuer stood in more need by reason of the diuision of the empire which required double charge then in that hee had in the citie euerie where displaced such gouernours and magistrats as his grandfather had sent thither and placed others at his pleasure with many other like facts declaring his treacherous aspiring mind for which he was not without cause by his grandfather forbidden to enter the citie After that the old emperour by secret letters craued aid of Crales prince of SERVIA and Demetrius the Despot his sonne who was then gouernour of THSSALONICA and the countries adjoyning commaunding him with Andronicuâ— and Michael his nephews gouernours of MACEDONIA with all the forces they were able to raise and such aid as should be sent vnto them out of SERVIA with all speed to joyne together and to go against the yoong emperour But these letters thus written vnto the prince of SERVIA the Despot and others as is before said were for the most part intercepted by such as the yoong emperour had for that purpose placed vpon the straits of CHRISTOPOLIS and the other passages especially such as were written in paper yet some others in fine white linnen cloth and secretly sowed in the garments of such as carried them escaped for all their strait search and so were deliuered And in truth nothing was done or about to be done in CONSTANTINOPLE but that the yoong emperour was by one or other aduertised thereof whereas the old emperour on the other side vnderstood nothing what his nephew did abroad or intended For all men of their owne accord enclined vnto him some openly both bodie and soule as they say and such as could not be with him in person yet in mind and good will were euen present with him and that not onely the common sort of the citizens of CONSTANTINOPLE but the chiefe Senatours the great courtiers yea and many other of the emperours neerest kinsmen also who curiously obseruing whatsoeuer was done in the citie foorthwith certified him therof Amongst whom was also Theodorus the marques one of the old emperors owne sons who many years before by the empresse his mother sent into ITALY and there honorably married was by his prodigall course of life there growne far in debt so that leauing his wife and children behind him he was glad after the decease of his mother to flie vnto his father at CONSTANTINOPLE and there now liued who beside that he most honourably maintained him in the court and bestowed many great things vpon him paid also all his debts which were verie great All which fatherly kindnesse he forgetting went about most Iudas like to haue betraied his aged father For he also dreaming after the empire and for many causes but especially for that hee was in mind religion manners and habit become a Latine by him rejected thought he could not do him a greater dispite than by reuolting vnto the young emperour so that the neerer he was in blood the more he was his fathers vnnaturall enemie Shortly after Demetrius the Despot hauing receiued the emperours letters at THESSALONICA called vnto him Andronicus and Michael his nephews the gouernours of MACEDONIA with whom joyning all his forces and dayly expecting more aid out of SERVIA he first spoiled the yoong emperors friends and fauourits in MACEDONIA giuing the spoile of them in all the cities and townes of MACEDONIA vnto their souldiours who made hauocke of whatsoeuer they light vpon and whosoeuer seemed any way to withstand them or dislike of their proceedings their goods and lands they confiscated and draue the men themselues into exile Neither was the yoong emperour Andronicus in the meane time idle but secretly sent out his edicts into all parts of the empire yea into the verie cities of CONSTANTINOPLE and THESSALONICA and ouer all MACEDONIA whereby he proclaimed vnto the people in generall a releasement of them from all tributs impositions and payments and frankly promised vnto the souldiours and men of war the augmenting of their pensions and pay which were no sooner bruited but that most men were therewith mooued both in word and deed to fauour his proceedings doing what they could to further the same and by secret letters inuiting him to hasten his comming into the citie who thereupon comming to RHEGIVM by his embassadours sent from thence requested the old emperour Either to giue him leaue according to the league betwixt them to come into the citie or else to send him certaine of the chiefe of the nobilitie and cleargie with some of the better and more vnderstanding sort of the Burgers and citizens also vnto whom he might frankly speake his mind for them faithfully to deliuer the same againe vnto the emperor his grandfather and the people Which requests the old emperour perceiuing to be full of deceit and trecherie for a good space answered thereunto nothing at all but stood all silent as doubting which to graunt for to suffer his nephew to come into the citie he saw was dangerous the cittizens as he well knew being for the most part enclined to reuolt vnto him so soon as they should once see him within the gates and to send any forth vnto him as he desired might be as he feared an occasion of some tumult to be after raised in the citie for he knew that his nephewes drift therein was openly by faire words and secretly with great gifts and large promises first to gaine them and by them the rest of the citizens Both which things being dangerous he made choice of the easier and sent forth vnto him two of the most noble Senators two of the most reuerend bishops two other graue prelates and foure of the cheefe burgesses of the citie vnto whom at their comming vnto him hee in the open hearing of all men deliuered this premeditated and craftie speech It is not vnknowne vnto the world you my subjects to haue alwaies been vnto me more deare than I haue been vnto my selfe and how that I haue not vpon any ambitious conceit or desire of the sole gouernment against my grandfathers good will gone out For you see how that I neither spare mine owne life or attend my pleasure for the care I haue of you I come not vnto you compassed about with a guard of armed men as is the manner not of kings only for the enuie of their high place but of others also of farre meaner calling whom
mightie an enemie sent Lodouicus Manetius their embassadour to Baiazet to entreat with him for peace but Baiazet stood vpon such hard points that nothing could at that time be concluded yet Manetius so discreetly vsed the matter that Baiazet sent with him at his returne to VENICE his embassadour to propound vnto the Senat such conditions as it pleased him to graunt them peace vpon This embassadour had audience in the Senat twice where hee in the name of his master propounded such prowd and vnreasonable conditions that they were by the Senat rejected and so he himselfe dismissed and sent backe againe The yeare following the Venetians sent an embassadour to Baiazet who mooued with the pitifull complaints of his owne subjects for the dayly harmes they receiued from the Venetians alongst the sea coast as also for want of trade and fearing also some troubles like to arise in his kingdome in ASIA as indeed there did not long after yeelded himselfe now more willing to heare of peace than before This embassadour called Zacharias Phriscus was well heard of Baiazet and after long sute had brought the matter he came for into some good tearmes and being honourably rewarded by the Turkish emperour returned home carrying with him vnto the Senate farre more reasonable conditions of peace than had at any time before been by Baiazet propounded Hereupon the Venetians shortly after sent Andreas Gritti an honourable Senatour a man well knowne to Baiazet both for his famous traffique in former time at CONSTANTINOPLE and also for that in these late warres he was taken prisoner at the winning of METHONE and his life spared at the intercession of Cherseogles Baiazet his sonne in law and afterward raunsomed he in the name of the state from whence he came concluded a peace with Baiazet The capitulations whereof were first that the Venetians should deliuer-vp the islands of NERITOS and LEVCADIA reseruing vnto themselues the island of Cephalenia only Then that Baiazet should restore all such goods as had beene taken from the Venetian merchants in these late warres and that it should be lawfull for them as they were wont safely to traficke into the Euxine sea and to CONSTANTINOPLE and there to haue their Consull or gouernour as they had had in former time And last of all that the Venetian territorie should be certainly knowne and separated from the Turkes by certaine bounds and limits These conditions were solemnly agreed vpon and confirmed both by Baiazet and the state of VENICE and so afirme peace concluded in the yeare 1503 after the warres had continued betwixt them about the space of fiue yeares The same yeare Baiazet assembled a great and puissant army of his best and most approued souldiours as well in ASIA as EVROPE which met togither at SOPHIA purposing as it was thought to haue inuaded HVNGARIE but worthely doubting the successe of that war against so warlike a nation he changed his purpose and leauing Achmetes Bassa with his Asian souldiors at SOPHIA turned himselfe with the rest of his armie into ALBANIA to reduce those rebellious people againe to his obeisance and had before sent a fleet of gallies to stop the passages of that countrey alongst the sea coast But the countrey people vnderstanding of his comming fled into the high and rough rocks and mountaines from whence they did the Turkes great harme who neuerthelesse with incredible labour and aduenture mounted those difficult places and killing an exceeding number of those mountaine and sauage people carried all the women and children they could light vpon away with them prisoners and with fire and sword made all the countrey desolate After which spoile done Baiazet returned with his armie to MANASTIRVM and departing thence vpon the way met with a Deruislar which is a phantasticall and beggarly kind of Turkish monks vsing no other apparell but two sheepskins the one hanging before and the other behind a lustie strong fat fellow attired after the manner of his order with a great ring in each eare who drawing neere vnto Baiazet as if he would of him haue receiued an almes desperatly assailed him with a short scimitar which he had closely conuaied vnder his hypocriticall habit But Baiazet by the starting of the horse whereon he rid being afraid at the sudden approach of the hobgoblin partly auoided the deadly blow by the traitor entended yet not altogither vnwounded neither had he so escaped the danger had not Ishender Bassa with his horsemans mase presently struck downe the desperat villaine as he was about to haue doubled his stroke but being now struck downe he was forthwith rent in pieces by the souldiours This treacherous and desperat fact so much moued Baiazet that he proscribed all them of that superstitious order and banished them out of his empire After so manie troubles Baiazet gaue himselfe vnto a quiet course of life spending most part of his time in studie of philosophie and conference with learned men vnto which peaceable kind of life he was of his owne naturall disposition more enclined than to warres albeit that the regard of his state and the earnest desire of his men of warre drew him oftentimes euen against his will into the field As for the ciuile gouernment of his kingdome he referred it wholy vnto his three principall Bassaes Alis Achmetes and Iachia who at their pleasure disposed of all things After he had in this quiet and pleasing kind of life to his great contentment passed ouer fiue yeares of a little neglected sparke suddenly arose such a fire in ASIA as was hardly after with much bloud of his people and danger of that part of his empire quenched the reliques whereof yet troubleth those superstitious people at this day Which thing was brought to passe by the craftie deuise of Chasan Chelife and Schach Culi his boy whom some call Teckel Scachoculis and others Techellis two hypocriticall Persians who flying into those countries and with the counterfeit shew of faigned holinesse hauing procured vnto themselues a great name amongst those rude people with a number of windie headed followers filled with the noueltie of their new doctrine raised first such a diuersitie of opinions about the true successours of their vntrue prophet and afterwards such a rebellion amongst the people as that the one yet remaineth and the other was not in a good while after with great bloudshed appeased But for the better vnderstanding of the ground of these troubles which hapned at this time in the raigne of Baiazet by occasion of these two fugitiue Persians as also of the mortall warres which afterwards ensued betwixt Hysmael commonly called the great Sophi of PERSIA and Selymus Baiazet his successor it shall not be much from our purpose briefly to declare the great mutation which at this time hapned in the Persian kingdome as well in the state it selfe as in matters of their superstition At such time as Asymbeius Vsun-Cassanes raigned in PERSIA there was one Haider
could not well winter in that cold country neere vnto the great mountaine TAVRVS by reason of the deepe snowes and extreame cold there vsually falling and that to go farther was to no purpose forasmuch as Achomates flying from place to place and mountaine to mountaine was not to be surprised he retired backe againe into BITHYNIA and sending his Europeian horsemen downe towards the sea coast and the Ianizaries to CONSTANTINOPLE resolued to winter with the rest of his army at PRVSA At which time being wholy bent against Achomates his competitor of the empire he for certaine yeares continued the league which his father Baiazet had before concluded with Vladislaus king of HVNGARIE Sigismundus king of POLONIA and the Venetians And thinking no care no not of children superfluous which might concerne the establishing of his empire he called vnto him fiue of his brothers sons Orchanes the sonne of Alem Schach Mahometes the sonne of Tzihan Schach Orchanes Emirsa and Musa the sonnes of his brother Mahometes all young princes of great hope of yeares betwixt sixteene and twentie excepting Musa who was not past seauen yeares old of all these Mahometes whom his vncle Achomates had a little before taken prisoner at LARENDA as is before declared and vpon the death of Baiazet had againe set him at libertie being about twentie yeares old was for rare feature and princely courage accounted the paragon and beautie of the Othoman family Which great perfection as it woon vnto him the loue and fauour of the men of warre and also of all the people in generall so did it hasten his speedie death onely Selymus his cruell vnckle enuying him life After he had got these poore innocents into his hands he sent for diuers of his great doctors and lawyers demaunding of them Whether it were not better that some fiue eight or ten persons should be taken away than that the state of the whole empire should with great effusion of bloud be rent in sunder and so by ciuile warres be brought in danger of vtter ruine and destrustion Who although they well perceiued whereunto that bloudie question tended yet for feare of displeasure they all answered That it were better such a small number should perish than that the whole state of the empire should by ciuile warre and discord be brought to confusion in which generall calamitie those few must also of necessitie perish with the rest Vpon colour of this answere and the necessitie pretended he commaunded these his nephewes before named to be led by fiue of his great captaines into the castle of PRVSA where they were all the night following most cruelly strangled It is reported that Mahometes with a penknife slew one of the bloudie executioners sent into his chamber to kill him and so wounded the other as that he fell downe for dead and that Selymus being in a chamber fast by and almost an eyewitnesse of that was done presently sent in others who first bound the poore prince and afterward strangled him with the rest whose dead bodies were buried at PRVSA amongst their auncestours The crueltie of this fact wonderfully offended the minds of most men insomuch that many euen of his martiall men filled with secret indignation for certaine daies absented themselues from his presence shunning his sight as if hee had beene some fierce or raging lyon Of all the nephewes of old Baiazet onely Amurat and Aladin the sons of Achomates yet remained whom he purposed to surprise vpon the sudden and so to rid himselfe of all feare of his brothers children hauing then left none of the Othoman familie but them and his two brethren vpon whom to exercise his further crueltie These two young princes had a little before recouered the citie of AMASIA from whence they were the Sommer before expulsed by their vncle Selymus at such time as Achomates their father was glad to flie into the mountaines of CAPADOCIA Selymus fully resolued vpon their destruction sent Vfegi one of his Bassaes with fiue thousand horsmen who by great journies trauelling to AMASIA might vpon the sudden come vpon these two young princes and take them altogither vnprouided and as then fearing no such danger which was thought no great matter for the Bassa to doe forasmuch as he might with his light horsmen easily preuent the fame of his comming and the citie of AMASIA where they lay was neither well walled nor as then furnished with any sufficient garrison for defence therof beside that Achomates himselfe was at that time absent busied in taking vp of souldiours vpon the frontiers of CARAMANNIA But Mustapha the old Bassa by whose especiall meanes Selymus had obtained the empire as is before declared in the life of Baiazet being priuie vnto his wicked purpose and now in mind altogither alienated from him detesting his most execrable tyrannie both for the vnworthy death of Baiazet his father and the guiltlesse bloud of so many young princes his nephewes by him shed without all pitie and hauing compassion of the imminent danger whereinto these two brethren were now like also to fall by secret and speedie messengers gaue them warning of the comming of the Bassa and of all that was entended against them Who vpon such knowledge giuen presently aduertised Achomates their father thereof and laid secret ambush themselues for the intercepting of their enemies So that within few daies after the Bassa comming with his horsemen towards AMASIA fell before he was aware into the middest of his enemies at which time also Achomates following him at the heeles so shut him in with his armie on euerie side that most of his men being slaine he himselfe with diuers other captaines were taken prisoners and brought to Achomates and by his commaundement committed to safe custodie Now it fortuned that some of Achomates souldiors scoffing at the prisoners whom they had taken told them how they had been deceiued and how all the matter had been carried so hard a thing it is to haue euen the greatest counsels in court kept secret boasting that they wanted not their friends euen of such as were most inward with Selymus who secretly fauoured the better cause and would not long suffer the cruell beast to rage further All which things Selymus his souldiours reported againe after they were raunsomed and returned home But Vfegi the Bassa lying still in prison and getting certaine knowledge of the whole matter by secret letters gaue Selymus to vnderstand that Mustapha the great Bassa whom he most of all trusted had secret intelligence with Achomates and had beene the only cause of the losse of his armie Selymus of late enuying at the great honour and authoritie of Mustapha and wishing him dead whose desert he was not able or at leastwise not willing to requite caused him vpon this accusation without farther triall to be secretly strangled in his owne sight and his dead bodie as it werein scorne of his former felicitie to be cast out into
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
then proceed in his wars and so obtaine most glorious conquests This his aduise so little pleased the effeminat king that in stead of the great opinion he before held of him he now conceiued an enuious affection against him and a further suspition fostred by the great ladies of the court especially Amuraths mother That Sinan had thus counselled the king himselfe to go in person not for any good could come therof but onely that so he might find meanes for the prince his sonne to make himselfe king and to driue out his father Which suspition was in such sort nourished in the mind of Amurath especially being assured of the great affection which the prince carried towards Sinan and he likewise towards him that he resolued to rid him out of his sight and so depriuing him of all charge presently banished him the court and out of CONSTANTINOPLE to DEMOTICA a citie of THRACE from whence afterwards he by most humble supplication obtained to be remoued to MARMARA a little beyond SELYMBRIA And into his place of Visiership was preferred Sciaus Bassa who had married Amurath his sister an Hungarian borne a goodly personage and of honorable judgement but aboue all men a seller of justice and preferments and yet a great friend to the peace with the Christian princes which Sinan had alwaies most wickedly maligned The Persian captaines in the meane time with their spoiles and diuers of their enemies ensignes were with great joy receiued at home in PERSIA but when the discord that fell out betweene Mahamet Bassa and Mustaffa the Georgian was also reported the former joy was redoubled euerie man being of opinion that these discords might bee great impediments vnto the Turkes further attempts into PERSIA which it was feared they would the next yeare attempt to the great danger of NASSIVAN and TAVRIS Vpon which occasions the Persian king perceiuing that he could not haue a fitter opportunitie to employ himselfe against Abas Mirize his sonne then with him it disgrace determined with himselfe to leaue the matters on this side of his kingdome in their present state and to march toward HERI whereunto he was earnestly solicited by his elder sonne Emir Hamze Mirize but especially by Mirize Salmas his Visier Vpon which resolution committing the defence of REIVAN NASSIVAN and that side of his kingdome to Emir Chan Gouernour of TAVRIS he set forward himselfe with his army towards CASBIN and so marching through diuers prouinces arriued at length at SASVAR being on that side the chiefe of all the cities subject to the jurisdiction of HERI which citie he tooke by force and without delay caused the Gouernour thereof to be beheaded although he alleadged a thousand excuses for himselfe and objected a thousand accusations moe against the seditious Visier The king after this departing thence and hauing also put to death certaine captaines and Sultans that were accused by the Visier to be confederats in the rebellion of his sonne he arriued at last at the desired citie of HERI Verie strong is this citie by situation compassed about with a good wall and watered with deep channels of running springs conuaied into it by Tamerlane their founder or restorer besides that there was in it many valiant captaines enemies to Mirize Salmas readie to lay downe their liues in defence of themselues and of Abas their lord so that the winning thereof could not but proue both long and difficult As soone as the king approched the citie he felt in himselfe many troubled passions arising of griefe and pietie it grieued him to thinke that hee should beget so gracelesse a sonne who in stead of maintaining his state and honour should seeke his ruine and destruction it grieued him also to remember the bloud of his subjects before spilt vpon so strange an occasion and scarcely durst he enter into the cogitation thenceforward to shed any more of the bloud of his people Neuerthelesse being still more and more solicited by his Visier he attempted to vnderstand the mind of his sonne and if it might be possible to get him into his hands But whiles the king trauelling with these thoughts lay with his armie before HERI Abas Mirize in the meane time writ diuers letters to his father and to his brother wherein he besought them That they would make knowne vnto him the occasion of this their stirre For if desire of rule had moued them to seeke the depriuation of him being their sonne and brother from the honour hee lawfully possessed and which his father himselfe had procured for him of his grandfather Tamas they ought to abandon that imagination for that he was alwaies readie to spend his wealth and his bloud togither with his estate in their seruice and acknowledged his father to be his good father and king But if they were not induced hereunto for this cause but by a desire to reuenge some trespasse that he had committed to the prejudice of the crowne of PERSIA or his fathers honour he was most readie to submit himselfe to any amends and with all reason to yeeld vnto them the kingdome yea the whole world and euen his owne life the rather to satisfie their minds with a more full contentation With twise and thrise reading ouer were these affectionat letters considered and disgested and at last both the father and the brother perceiuing in them such liberalitie of words and ouercome with pitie or if not with pitie yet with great admiration and contentment they determined to put the matter in practise and moderating their desire of reuenge to attempt the reducing of the yong mans mind to some good passe Whereupon they wrote backe vnto him That no greedie desire to vsurpe his gouernment had induced them to make so great a voyage to trouble so much people and to shed such aboundance of bloud but onely his disobedience and presumption in that he had caused himselfe to be called the king of PERSIA and had not sent so much as one captaine to aid them in the late warres against the Turkes Glad was Abas the yong prince when he vnderstood the accusations that were laied against him hoping to make it manifest before all men how the king and his brother were misinformed in these particularities and therefore incontinently did write backe vnto them That if they would faithfully promise him honourably and without any outrage to receiue his embassadours he would send vnto them such euident matter and so cleare information touching those his accusations as that they should not onely clearely perceiue that there was neuer any such kind of though in him but also that he had alwaies desired laboured the contrarie and would moreouer open vnto them such matter as in respect of other men and not of himselfe might cause their comming to proue profitable and commodious to all the kingdome of PERSIA Which his request they both solemnly promised faithfully to performe being verie desirous to vnderstand what those strange
the approch of the Sultan by the persuasion of Tarchomates one of his captaines was retired for his more safetie backe into the Romain frontiers leauing the emperour destitute of his helpe At which time also a companie of the Scythians which serued in the emperours campe reuolted vnto the Turks not without some suspition that the rest of their fellowes which remained would ere long do the like Neuerthelesse the emperour presuming of such strength as he had or carried headlong with his owne fortune resolued to giue the Turks battell and therefore putting his men in order set vpon them Who somewhat troubled with the emperours so sudden a resolution as being yet in some hope of peace yet hauing put themselues in order of battell receiued the enemies charge still giuing a little ground as men not greatly desirous either to fight or to flie This fight continuing long and the day now declining the emperour doubting least the Sultan should send part of his armie to assault his campe from which he was now drawne somewhat far and had left the same but weakly manned caused a retrait to be sounded and so began orderly to retire himselfe with them that were about him which others a far off in the battell beholding and supposing him to haue fled began themselues to flie a maine Of which so shamefull flight and sudden feare Andronicus the sonne of Iohn Ducas the late emperour Constantine his brother and by him created Caesar who with his sonnes secretly enuied at the honour of Diogenes was the cause For he commanding a great part of the armie gaue it first out vnto such as were about him that the emperour fled and to encrease the feare turning his horse about fled towards the campe as fast as he could after whom all the rest most disorderly followed which the emperor beholding and therewith not a little troubled made a stand labouring in vaine to haue staid the rest For now the Turks encouraged with the sudden flight of the Christians began hardly to pursue them as men alreadie ouerthrown by the hand of God whom for all that the emperour with such as yet stood with him for a space notably resisted But being forsaken by the greater part of his armie and oppressed with the multitude of his enemies being wounded himselfe and his horse slaine vnder him he was there taken all embrued with his owne blood and the blood of his enemies of whom he had wounded and slaine many The Sultan aduertised of his taking at the first beleeued it not supposing it rather to haue beene some other great man vntill that he was both by them whom he had but a little before sent embassadour vnto him and by Basilacius one of his captaines then prisoner with him assured that it was vndoubtedly he which Basilacius brought before him to see if he knew him fell downe prostrat at his feet as before his dread lord and soueraigne The emperour brought before the Sultan and humbling himselfe in such sort as best beseemed his heauie fortune the Sultan presently tooke him vp and thus cheerfully spoke vnto him Greeue not noble emperour said he at thy mishap for such is the chance of war ouerwhelming sometimes one and sometimes another neither feare thou any harme for I will vse thee not as my prisoner but as an emperour Which he accordingly did presently appointing him a princely pauilion with all things answerable to his estate setting him oftentimes at his owne boord and for his sake enlarging such prisoners as he required And after he had thus for certaine daies honourably vsed him and discoursed with him of many things he concluded a perpetuall peace with him vpon promise of a marriage to be made betwixt their children and so with a safe conuoy sent him away with greater honour than was at an enemies hand to haue beene expected The emperour in Turkish attire which the Sultan had bestowed vpon him comming to THEODOSOPOLIS there staid for the curing of his wounds afterwards accompanied with the Sultans embassadors set forward toward CONSTANTINOPLE But all was now there changed for vpon the report of his captiuitie Iohn the Caesar with Psellus one of the cheefe Senators and others of the same faction which alwaies enuied at the honour of Diogenes presently tooke the imperiall gouernment from Eudocia the empresse and thrusting her into a monasterie which shee had built neere vnto PROPONTIS set vp Michael Ducas her eldest sonne emperour in steed of Diogenes whose simplicitie Caesar his vncle abusing with the rest did now what they list And hearing that Diogenes was now contrarie to their expectation set at liberlie by the Sultan and comming towards the emperiall citie sent out letters euerie way in the new emperours name vnto all the gouernours of the prouinces whereby hee was to passe not to receiue him as emperour or to doe him any honour which Diogenes vnderstanding staid at the castle of DOCIA whether some of his friends with such power as they were able to make resorted vnto him Against whom Caesar with the contrarie faction first sent his sonne Constantine and after that Andronicus his eldest sonne both Diogenes his mortall enemies with a great armie by whom Diogenes with his friends and followers were ouerthrown and discomfited Diogenes himselfe flying to the citie of ADANA was there hardly besieged by Andronicus and in the end glad to yeeld himselfe vpon condition that he should resigne the empire and so for euer after to lead a priuat life For whose safetie certaine of the cheefe of the clergie sent of purpose from Michael the emperour gaue their faith So Diogenes all attired in blacke yeelded himselfe to Andronicus by whom hee was brought to COTAI then the metropoliticall citie of PHRIGIA there to expect what further order should be taken for him from the court during which time he fell sicke being as many supposed secretly poysoned But whilst he there lay languishing an heauier doom came from the yoong emperor That he should haue his eies put out which was foorthwith in most cruell manner done the clergie men that had before for his safetie gaged their faith crying out in vaine against so horrible a crueltie Thus depriued of his sight he was conueighed into the iland of PROTA where his eies for lacke of looking to putrifying and wormes breeding in them with such an odious smell as that no man could abide to come nigh him he in short time after died when he had raigned three yeeres eight months All which miserie was thought to haue hapned vnto him through the malice of Caesar without the knowledge of the yoong emperour his nephew Axan hearing of the miserable end of the late emperour Diogenes was therewith much greeued and the more for that the league which he had to his good content so lately made with him was thereby come to naught wherefore in reuenge thereof he with great power inuaded the imperiall prouinces not for spoile
sword man woman and child and amongst them also many of the Christians the furious souldiers taking of them no knowledge Great wealth was there found but small store of victuals Casstanus the late gouernour flying out of the citie to saue himselfe in wandring through the mountaines fell into the hands of the Christian Armenians who lately thrust out of IERVSALEM were fled thither for refuge by whom he was there slaine In the citie were slaine about ten thousand persons Thus was the famous citie of ANTIOCH which the Turks had long before by famine taken from the Christians againe recouered the third day of Iune in the yeere of our Lord God 1098. The poore oppressed Christians in IERVSALEM hearing of this so notable a victorie gaue secret thanks vnto God therefore and began to lift vp their heads in hope that their deliuerie was now at hand Of this victorie the princes of the armie by speedie messengers and letters certified their friends in all countries so that in short time the fame thereof had filled a great part of the world Amongst others Bohemund prince of TARENTVM vnto whom the citie was deliuered sent the joyfull newes thereof vnto Roger his brother prince of APVLIA whose letters as the most certaine witnesses of the historie before reported I thought it not amisse here to set downe I suppose you to haue vnderstood by the letters of your sonne Tancred both of the great feare of some of vs and the battels which we haue of late with our great glorie fought But concerning the truce and the proceeding of the whole action I had rather you should be certified by my letters than the letters of others King Cassianus had required a time of truce during which our soldiers had free recourse into the citie without danger vntill that by the death of Vollo a Frenchman slaine by the enemie the truce was broken But whilst it yet seemed an hard matter to winne the citie one Pyrâ—hus a citizen of ANTIOCH of great authoritie and much deuoted vnto me had conference with me concerning the yeelding vp of the citie yet vpon condition That the gouernment thereof should be committed to me in whom he had reposed an especiall trust I conferred of the whole matter with the princes and great commanders of the armie and easily obtained that the gouernment of the citie was by their generall consent alotted vnto me So our armie entring by a gate opened by Pyrrhus tooke the citie Within a few daies after the towne ARETVM was by vs assaulted but not without some losse and danger to our person by reason of a wound I there receiued I assure you much of the valour of your sonne Tancred of whom I and the whole armie make such account and reckoning as is to be made of a most valiant and resolute generall Farewell from ANTIOCH Whilst the Christians thus lay at the siege of ANTIOCH Corbanas the Persian Sultan his lieutenant with a great armie besieged EDESSA with purpose after the taking thereof to haue relieued the citie of ANTIOCH But this citie being notably defended by Baldwin left there of purpose with a strong garrison for the defence thereof the Turke fearing in the meane time to loose ANTIOCH the safest refuge of the Turks in all those parts rise with his armie and set forward against the Christians where by the way it was his fortune to meet with Sansadolus Cassianus his sonne but lately fled from ANTIOCH by whom he vnderstood of the losse of the citie and by what meanes the same was most like to be againe recouered vpon which hope Corbanas with his mightie armie kept on his way with a full resolution to set all vpon the fortune of a battell Whose comming much troubled the Christians for that although they were possessed of the citie yet was the castell still holden by the Turks Neuerthelesse leauing the earle of THOLOVS in the citie with a competent power for the keeping in of them in the castell they tooke the field with the whole strength of the armie and so in order of battell expected the comming of their enemies who couragiously comming on as men before resolued to fight joyned with them a most terrible and bloodie battell Neither were they in the citie in the mean time idle for that the Turks in the castell hauing receiued in vnto them certaine supplies from Corbanas sallied out vpon them that were left for the safegard of the citie and had with them a cruell conflict Thus both within the citie and without was to be seene a most dreadfull fight of resolute men with great slaughter on both sides yet after long fight and much effusion of blood the fortune of the Christians preuailing the Turks began to giue ground and afterwards betooke themselues to plaine flight whom the Christians hardly pursuing made of them a woonderfull slaughter In this battell were slaine of the Turks aboue an hundred thousand and of the Christians about foure thousand two hundred There was also taken a great prey for besides horses and other beasts for burden were taken also fiue thousand camels with their lading The next day being the 28 of Iune the castell was by the Turks now dispairing of releife yeelded vp vnto the Christians ANTIOCH thus taken Hugh the French kings brother surnamed the Great was sent from the rest of the princes to CONSTANTINOPLE to haue deliuered the citie vnto Alexius the emperour according to the agreement before made But he guiltie in conscience of his owne foule dealing with them vnto whom he had sent no reliefe at all during the long and hard siege of ANTIOCH neither performed any thing of that he had further promised and therefore knowing himselfe hated of them had in distrust so great an offer of the princes so euill deserued and therefore refused to accept thereof Whereupon Bohemund by the generall consent of the whole armie was chosen prince or as some call him king of ANTIOCH After this long siege and want of victuals ensued a great plague in the armie of the Christians the Autumne following whereof it is reported fiftie thousand men to haue died and amongst them many of great account But the mortalitie ceasing the Christians in Nouember following by force tooke RVGIA and ALBARIA two cities about two daies journey from ANTIOCH where dissention arising betwixt Bohemund Raimond who of all others only enuied at his preferment vnto the principalitie of ANTIOCH Bohemund for the common causes sake gaue way vnto his aduersarie retired with his soldiers backe againe to ANTIOCH after whom followed the duke Godfrey and the earle of FLANDERS with their regiments The rest of the princes wintred some at RVGIA some at ALBARIA from whence Raimund made sundrie light expeditions further into the enemies countrey But the spring approching the Christian princes with all their power tooke the field againe Bohemund with them that remained with him departing from ANTIOCH besieged TORTOSA
should haue paid them with verie foule and contumelious words as that there was not money enough to pay the Christian soldiers of the Latines and the Greeks much lesse those vile dogs whom they so called for that they had but a little before receiued the damnable doctrine of the false prophet Mahomet the great seducer of the world who euen in that time flourished Vpon which discontentment they at their returne reuolted from the empire and joyned themselues vnto their great prophet and so afterwards vnto the Caliphs his successors extending his doctrine together with his soueraigntie to the vttermost of their power and that with so good successe that in short time they had ouerrun all AEGYPT SIRIA the land of promise and taken the Holy citie With these the disciples of Mahomet and his successors the Sarasins for so now they would be called the Greeke emperors ensuing had for certaine yeeres diuers conflicts with diuers fortune for the possession of SIRIA But at length wearied out by them ouercom they left the aforesaid countries wholy vnto their deuotion Hereby it came to passe that the Sarasins for the space of 370 yeeres following held those countries with many others in great subjection oppressing still the poore Christians in IERVSALEM with most grieuous tributes and exactions vnto whom they yet left a third part of the citie for them to dwell in with the temple of the Sepulcher of our Sauiour and mount SION not for any deuotion either vnto them or those places but for that it yeelded them a great profit by the recourse of deuout Christians trauelling thither reseruing in the meane time vnto themselues the other two parts of the citie with the temple of Salomon before reedified by the Christians Now whilst the Sarasins thus triumph it in the East and not in the East onely but ouer a great part of the West also contenting themselues with such tributs as they had imposed vpon the subdued nations and countries vp start the Turks a vagrant fierce and cruell people who first breaking into ASIA as is before declared and by rare fortune aspiring vnto the kingdome of PERSIA subdued the countries of MESOPOTAMIA SIRIA with the greatest part of the lesser ASIA and IVDEA together with the Holy citie who both there and in all other places held the poore oppressed Christians in such subjection and thraldom as that the former gouernment of the Sarasins seemed in comparison of this to haue beene but light and easie Neither was there any end or release of these so great miseries to haue beene expected had not God in mercie by the weake meanes of a poore heremit stirred vp these most woorthie princes of the West to take vp armes in their defence who hauing with their victorious armies recouered the lesser ASIA with a great part of SIRIA were now come vnto this Holy citie The gouernour of IERVSALEM vnderstanding by his espials of the proceedings of the Christians had before their approch got into the citie a verie strong garrison of right valiant souldiers with good store of all things necessarie for the holding out of a long siege The Christians with their armie approching the citie encamped before it on the North for that towards the East and the South it was not well to be besieged by reason of the broken rocks and mountaines Next vnto the citie lay Godfrey the duke with the Germans and Loranois neere vnto him lay the earle of FLANDERS and Robert the Norman before the West gate lay Tancred and the earle of THOLOVS Bohemund and Baldwin were both absent the one at ANTIOCH the other at EDESSA The Christians thus strongly encamped the fift day after gaue vnto the citie a fierce assault with such cheerfulnesse as that it was verily supposed it might haue beene euen then woon had they beene sufficiently furnished with scaling ladders for want whereof they were glad to giue ouer the assault and retire But within a few daies after hauing supplied that defect and prouided all things necessarie they came on againe afresh and with all their power gaue vnto the citie a most terrible assault wherein was on both sides seene great valour policie cunning with much slaughter vntill that at length the Christians wearie of the long fight and in that hot countrey and most feruent time of the yeere fainting for lacke of water were glad againe to forsake the assault and to retire into their trenches onely the well of Siloe yeelded them water and that not sufficient for the whole campe the rest of the wels which were but few being before by the enemie either filled vp or else poysoned Whilst the Christians thus lay at the siege of IERVSALEM a fleet of the Genowaies arriued at IOPPA at which time also a great fleet of the Egyptian Sultans lay at ASCALON to haue brought reliefe to the besieged Turks in IERVSALEM whereof the Genowaies vnderstanding and knowing themselues too weake to encounter them at sea tooke all such things out of their ships as they thought good and so sinking them marched by land vnto the campe There was amongst these Genowaies diuers enginers men after the manner of that time cunning in making of all manner of engines fit for the besieging of cities by whose deuice a great moouing tower was framed of timber and thick plancks couered ouer with raw hides to saue the same from fire out of which the Christians might in safetie greatly annoy the defendants This tower being by night brought close vnto the wall serued the Christians in steed of a most sure fortresse in the assault the next day where whilst they striue with like valour and doubtfull victorie on both sides from morning vntill midday by chance the wind fauouring the Christians carried the flame of the fire into the face of the Turks wherewith they had thought to haue burnt the tower with such violence that the Christians taking the benefit thereof and holpen by the tower gained the top of the wall which was first footed by the duke Godfrey and his brother Eustace with their followers and the ensigns of the duke there first set vp to the great encouraging of the Christians who now pressing in on euerie side like a violent riuer that had broken ouer the banks bare downe all before them All were slaine that came to hand men women and children without respect of age sex or condition the slaughter was great and the sight lamentable all the streets were filled with blood and the bodies of the dead death triumphing in euerie place Yet in this confusion a woonderfull number of the better sort of the Turks retiring vnto Salomons temple there to do their last deuoire made there a great and terrible fight armed with dispaire to endure any thing and the victorious Christians no lesse disdaining after the winning of the citie to find there so great resistance In this desperat conflict fought with woonderfull obstinacie of mind many fell on both sides
but the Christians came on so fiercely with desire of blood that breaking into the temple the foremost of them were by the presse of them that followed after violently thrust vpon the weapons of their enemies and so miserably slaine Neither did the Turks thus oppressed giue it ouer but as men resolued to die desperatly fought it out with inuincible courage not at the gates of the temple onely but euen in the middest thereof also where was to be seene great heaps both of the victors and the vanquished slaine indifferently together All the pauement of the temple swam with blood in such sort that a man could not set his foot but either vpon some dead man or ouer the shooes in blood Yet for all that the obstinate enemie still held the vaults and top of the temple when as the darknesse of the night came so fast on that the Christians were glad to make an end of the slaughter and to sound a retrait The next day for that proclamation was made for mercie to be shewed vnto all such as should lay downe their weapons the Turks that yet held the vpper part of the temple came down yeelded themselues Thus was the famous citie of IERVSALEM with great bloodshed but far greater honor recouered by these worthie Christians in the yeere 1099 after it had beene in the hands of the infidels aboue foure hundred yeeres The next day after hauing buried the dead and cleansed the citie they gaue thanks to God with publicke praiers and great rejoycing The poore Christians before oppressed now ouercome with vnexpected joy welcomed their victorious brethren with great joy and praise and the souldiers embracing one another sparing to speake of themselues freely commended each others valour Eight daies after the princes of the armie meeting together began to consult about the choice of their king amongst whom was no such difference as might well shew which was to be preferred before the others And although euerie one of them for prowesse and desert seemed woorthie of so great an honour yet by the generall consent of all it was giuen to Robert duke of NORMANDIE who about the same time hearing of the death of the Conquerour his father and more in loue with his fathers new gotten kingdome in ENGLAND in hope thereof refused the kingdome of IERVSALEM then offered vnto him which at his returne he found possessed by William Rufus his yoonger brother and so in hope of a better refusing the woorse vpon the matter lost both After whose departure Godfrey of BVILLON duke of LORAINE whose ensigne was first displaid vpon the wals was by the generall consent both of the princes and the armie saluted king He was a great souldier and endued with many heroicall vertues brought vp in the court of the emperour Henrie the fourth and by him much emploied At the time of his inauguration he refused to be crowned with a crowne of gold saying That it became not a Christian man there to were a crowne of gold where Christ the sonne of God had for the saluation of mankind sometime worne a crowne of thorne Of the greatest part of these proceedings of the Christians from the time of their departure from ANTIOCH vntill the winning of the Holy citie Godfrey by letters briefly certified Bohemund as followeth Godfrey of Buillon to Bohemund king of Antioch greeting After long trauell hauing first taken certaine townes we came to IERVSALEM which citie is enuironed with high hils without riuers or fountaines excepting onely that of Solomans and that a verie little one In it are many cesterns wherein water is kept both in the citie and the countrey thereabout On the East are the Arabians the Moabits and Ammonits on the South the Idumeans Aegyptians and Philistians Westward alongst the sea coast lie the cities of PTOLEMAIS TIRVS and TRIPOLIS and Northward TIBERIAS CESAREA PHILIPPI with the countrey DECAPOLIS and DAMASCO In the assault of the citie I first gained that part of the wall that fell to my lot to assaile and commanded Baldwin to enter the citie who hauing slaine certaine companies of the enemies broke open one of the gates for the Christians to enter Raymond had the citie of Dauid with much rich spoile yeelded vnto him But when we came vnto the temple of Soloman there we had a great conflict with so great slaughter of the enemie that our men stood in blood aboue the ancles the night approching we could not take the vpper part of the temple which the next day was yeelded the Turks pitifully crying out for mercie and so the citie of IERVSALEM was by vs taken the fifteenth of Iuly in the yeere of our redemption 1099 39 daies after the beginning of the siege 409 yeeres after it fell into the hands of the Sarasins in the time of Heraclius the emperour Besides this the princes with one consent saluted me against my will king of IERVSALEM who although I feare to take vpon me so great a kingdome yet I will do my deuoir that they shall easily know me for a Christian king and well deseruing of the vniuersall Faith But loue you me as you do And so farewell from IERVSALEM Whilest these things were in doing at IERVSALEM such a multitude of the Turks and Sarasins their confederats now in their common calamitie all as one were assembled at ASCALON a citie about fiue and twentie miles from IERVSALEM to reuenge the injuries they had before receiued as had not before met together in all the time of this sacred war Against whom Godfrey the late duke and now king assembled the whole forces of the Christians in those countries and leauing a strong garrison in the new woon citie set forward and meeting with them joyned a most dreadfull and cruell battell wherein as most report were slaine of the Infidels an hundred thousand men and the rest put to flight The spoile there taken far exceeded all that the Christians had before taken in this long expedition Godfrey after so great a victorie returning to IERVSALEM gaue vnto God most humble thanks The rest of the princes returned either to their charge as did Bohemund to ANTIOCH Baldwin to EDESSA Tancred into GALLILEY whereof he was created prince or else hauing now performed the vttermost of their vowes returned with honour into their owne countries This was of all others the most honourable expedition that euer the Christians tooke in hand against the Infidels and with the greatest resolution performed for the most part by such voluntary men as mooued with a deuout zeale to their immortall praise spared neither life nor liuing in defence of the Christian faith and religion all men woorthie eternall fame and memorie Not long after ensued a great pestilence the readie attendant of long war and want whereof infinit numbers of people died and among the rest Godfrey the first Christian king of IERVSALEM neuer to be sufficiently commended who with the generall lamentation of all good
inuaded the countrey of CoeLESYRIA where spoiling all before them as they went they came and encamped vpon the sea coast neere vnto TYBERIAS Against whom Baldwin gathered the whole strength of his kingdome with whom also Tancred who now raigned in ANTIOCH the yoong Bohemund being dead with the countie of TRIPOLI and the rest of the Christian princes joyned their forces who altogether marching forward came and encamped not far from the enemie being in number far moe than they Mendus generall of the Turks armie for so I find him called vnderstanding of their approch sent out certaine companies of his men to skirmish with them against whom the Christians also sent out others who encountring them easily put them to flight being before commanded so to do of purpose to draw the Christians into the danger of a greater strength lying in ambush to intrap them which according to the Turks desire fell out For the Christians fiercely pursuing the flying enemie fell into the ambush and so before they were well aware were beset on euerie side with their enemies vnto the rescue of whom other companies of the Christians comming in and others likewise from the Turks both the great armies were at length drawn into the field where betwixt them was joyned a most fierce and terrible battell with great slaughter on both sides But at length the multitude of the Turks preuailing the Christians were put to the woorse and so glad to flie after whom the fierce enemy hardly followed not without great slaughter In which flight the king himselfe hardly escaped with Arnolphus the Patriarch Whilest Baldwin was thus busied abroad the Turks Sarasins from ASCALON came besieged IERVSALEM being then but weakly manned but hearing of the kings comming that the armie of the Christians dayly increased with new supplies out of the West by sea they retired home againe hauing burnt certaine storehouses full of corne and spoiled such things as was subject to their furie Long it were to recount all the hard conflicts and combats this king had with the Sarasins and Turks which for breuitie I passe ouer contented to haue briefly touched the greatest In the last yeere of his raigne hauing for certaine yeeres before liued in some reasonable peace he made an expedition into AEGYPT where he with much difficultie woon PHARAMIA a strong citie vpon the sea coast which he joyned vnto his owne kingdome After that he went to the mouth of the riuer NILVS and with great admiration learned the nature of that strange riuer And hauing therein taken abundance of fish returned into the citie and there with the same feasted himselfe with his friends But after dinner he began to feele the griefe of his old wound and growing thereof sicker and sicker returned with his armie toward IERVSALEM where by the way neere vnto a citie called LARIS he died to the great griefe of all the Christians in the yeere 1118. His dead bodie being brought backe vnto IERVSALEM was there roially buried neere vnto his brother Godfrey after he had raigned eighteene yeeres whose sepulchre is yet there also to be seene fast by the sepulchre of his brother The late king thus dead and buried the Christians with one consent made choise of his cousin Baldwin surnamed Brugensis gouernour of EDESSA who by the name of Baldwin the second was the second of Aprill in the yeere 1118 solemnly crowned king of IERVSALEM He was of stature tall and well proportioned of countenance comely and gratious hauing his haire thinne and yellow his beard mingled with some gray haires hanging downe to his breast his colour fresh and liuely for one of his yeeres He was a man of great courage and therefore no lesse redoubted of his enemies than beloued of his subjects who had in him reposed great hope both for the defence and enlarging of that new gained kingdome Against him the same Sommer the Caliph of AEGYPT aided by the king of DAMASCO and the Turks in reuenge of the losse he had in the expedition the yeere before receiued raised a great power to inuade him both by sea and land Against whom Baldwin also opposed himselfe with his whole strength and so came and encamped within the sight of his enemies In which sort when both armies had lyen the one facing the other by the space of three months they both rise the Christians fearing the multitude of the Turks and the Turks the valour of the Christians and so retired without any notably thing doing This yeere died Alexius the Greeke emperour who euen from the beginning of this sacred war secretly repined at the good successe of the Christians in SIRIA although his empire were thereby greatly enlarged after whome succeeded Calo Ioannes his sonne who all the time of his raigne right woorthily defended his territories in the lesser ASIA against the inuasion of the Turks Not long after Gazi one of the greatest princes of the Turks in the lesser ASIA with the king of DAMASCO and Debeis king of ARABIA joyning their forces together with a great armie inuading the countrey about ANTIOCH came and encamped not far from ALEPPO against whom Roger prince of ANTIOCH not expecting the comming of Baldwin and the other Christian princes his confederats but presuming of his owne strength went foorth with greater courage than discretion whereunto his successe was answerable for encountring with them at too much ods he was by them in a great battell ouerthrown wherein he himselfe was slaine with most part of his armie Of which so great a slaughter the place wherein this battell was fought was afterward called The field of Blood But whilst the Turks after so great a victorie carelesly and at pleasure roame vp and downe the countrey Baldwin setting vpon them ouerthrew them with a great slaughter and so put them to flight After this victorie gained by the Christians the fourteenth of August in the yeere 1120 king Baldwin in great triumph entred into ANTIOCH and so joyned that principalitie vnto his owne kingdome The yeer following the Turks with another armie inuaded the same country again for repressing of whom whilst Baldwin with the other Christian princes were making their preparations it fortuned that Gazi their great commander suddenly died of an Apoplexie vpon whose death they retired without further harme doing Neuerthelesse the next Spring the king of DAMASCO aided by the Arabians entred againe with a great power into the countrey about ANTIOCH and there did some harme for the Antiochians now destitute of their owne prince and Baldwin who had taken vpon him their protection being far off and otherwise busied at IERVSALEM were much more subject vnto the inrodes of their enemies still at hand than before when they had a prince of their owne still present amongst them But Baldwin aduertised thereof was making towards them with a puissant armie sooner than they had thought it could haue beene possible Of whose approch the Turks vnderstanding retired
valiant men there fell without fight and died no man killing them to be tall helped not neither did valour stand them in any stead they perished like hay and were caried away like chaâ—fe with such outcries and lamentation that they which saw it verely said That the wrath of God was broke into the campe such a suddaine inundation had ouerwhelmed all that happie was hee could make shift for himselfe without regarding one another This misfortune sore troubled the emperour with his whole armie Neuerthelesse the water being againe fallen and all put in so good order as in such a confusion was possible he marched on vnto the imperiall citie which the suspicious and malicious Greeke had before notably fortefied and so strongly manned with armed men glistring upon the wals in such sort as if it should haue presently been assaulted Conrade approching the citie was not suffered to enter but persuaded by the Greeke emperor forthwith to transport his armie ouer the strait with promise to supplie his wants with whatsoeuer he should require Which was done with such hast as if nothing had beene farther to haue been regarded but onely to haue them shipped ouer in which seruice the Greekes spared no labour or kind of vessell that might serue to transport them The Greeke emperour in the meane time by men secretly appointed for that purpose keeping account of the number that passed vntill that they wearied with the multitude ceased farther to number them But when they were once shipped ouer then began the couert mallice of the Greeke emperour forthwith to appeare For besides that they trusting vnto his promises had brought little or no prouisions ouer with them the countrey people by his appointment brought nothing unto them to sell as before and they of the townes and cities shut their gates against them as they marched not affoording them any thing but at an extreame rate for which they would first receiue their money by ropes cast downe from the wals and then deliuer them what they pleased therefore yea and oftentimes nought at all Amongst many other vile practises not beseeming Christians the mischeeuous Greekes to poyson the souldiors mingled lime with the meale which they sold unto the armie whereof many of the hungrie souldiors greedily feeding died Whether the Greeke emperour were priuie thereunto or no is not certainely knowne but certaine it is that he caused counterfeit money to be coined of purpose to deceiue them and in breefe that there was no kind of mischiefe to be practised against them which either hee himselfe deuised not or â—et not others to deuise to the intent that their posteritie terrified by this so vnfortunat an expedition might for euer be afraid to take the like in hand againe And that nothing might be wanting that mallice could deuise he had secret intelligence with the Turkes themselues concerning the strength of the armie plotting vnto them the meanes how the same might best be defeated whereby it came to passe that some part thereof was by Pamplano a captaine of the Turkes ouerthrowne neere BATHIS and many slaine But attempting to haue done the like vnto that part of the armie that marched through PHRIGIA they were themselues ouertaken in their own deuise and ouerthrowne with a great slaughter After which the Turkes in great number to stay the Christians further passage kept the riuer of MoeANDER encamping vpon the farther banke of that winding riuer with a most huge armie There these worthie Christians right well declared that it was but their patience that the Grecian legions that had before so long followed them with their countries and cities they had passed by were not vnto them become a prey For the emperour comming vnto the riuer side where was neither bridge nor boat to passe ouer and finding the great armie of the Turkes on the other side readie to giue him battell if hee should aduenture the riuer with their archers standing vpon the verie banke side he retired a little out of the danger of the shot and there encamping commanded his souldiors to refresh themselues and their horses that night and to be readie against the next morning to joine battell with their enemies they were so farre come to seeke for Little rest serued him that night early in the morning before day he arose and arming himselfe put his whole armie in order of battell as did also the enemie on the other side of the riuer with their battalions orderly placed and their archers vpon the banke side readie to giue the first charge vpon the Christians if they should aduenture to come ouer Both armies thus standing in readinesse the one in sight of the other and nothing but the winding riuer betwixt them the emperour before resolued to fight with cheerefull countenance and speech encouraged his men as followeth That this expedition was of vs taken in hand for Christ his sake and for the glorie of God and not of man you know right well fellow souldiers For for this cause hauing contemned a pleasant life at home voluntarily seperated from our neerest and deerest friends we endure miseries in forren countries we are exposed vnto dangers we pine with hunger we quake with cold we languish with heat we haue the earth our bed the heauen our couering and although we be noble famous renowmed rich ruling ouer many nations yet weare we alwaies our gorgets as necessarie bonds and are with them and our armor loaded as was the greatest seruant of Christ Peter surcharged with two chaines and kept with foure quaternions of souldiers But these Barbarians diuided from vs by this riuer to be the enemies of the crosse of Christ whom we of long haue desired to encounter withall in whose blood as Dauid saith we haue vowed to wash our selues Who is there that knoweth not except he be altogether blockish and will not with open eies see nor open eares heare If we wish to ascend straight way into heauen for neither is God vnjust that he knoweth not the cause of this our journey or will not in recompence giue vnto vs the immortall fields and shadie dwellings of Paradice which hauing forsaken our owne dwellings haue chose rather for his sake to die than to liue if we call to remembrance what things these men of vncircumcised hearts do commit against our friends and countreymen if we remember what grieuous tortures they inflict vpon them or if we be any thing touched with the compassion of their innocent blood vnworthily spilt stand now couragiously and fight valiantly and let not any feare or terrour daunt vs. Let these Barbarians know that by how much Christ our master and instructer doth excell their false prophet and seducer author of their vaine impietie so much are we superiours vnto them in all things Seeing therefore we are an holy campe and an armie gathered by the power of God let vs not cowardly loose our selues or feare for Christ his sake honourably to aduenture our
it were in triumph led through the market place his bald head all bare as if it had beene a dead mans scull taken out of a charnell house in a short old coat so miserable a spectacle as might haue expressed a fountaine of teares out of the eyes of a right hard hearted man But the bedlem and most insolent cittizens especially they of the baser sort as cookes coblers curriours and such like flocking about him like bees without regard that he had but the other day worne vpon his head the imperiall crowne then honoured by them as a god and extolled vnto the heauens that they had not long before solemnely sworne vnto him obedience and loyaltie ran now as men out of their wits omitting no kind of villanie they could deuise to doe vnto him Some thrust nailes into his head some cast durt in his face some the dung both of men and beasts some prickt him in the sides with spits some cast stones at him as at a mad dog and othersome opprobrious and despightfull words no lesse grieuous vnto him than the rest Amongst others an impudent drab comming out of the kitchin cast a pot full of scalding water in his face And in briefe their outrage so exceeded as if they had striuen among themselues who should do him the greatest villanie Hauing thus shamefully as in a ridiculous triumph brought him into the theatre they there betwixt two pillars hanged him vp by the heeles where hauing suffred all these despightfull indignities with many moe not without offence to be named he with an inuincible courage yet still held his patience not giuing one euill word but sometimes saying Lord haue mercie vpon me and otherwhiles Why doe you breake a brused reed yet the furious people nothing mooued with the calamitie of so great a man of all others now the most miserable stripped him of his bad clothes as he hung and cut off his priuities One among the rest to make an end of him thrust his sword in at his throat vp to the twist as he hung other two with their long swords prooued their strength who could strike farthest into his buttockes Thus miserably perished this famous emperour after he had raigned two yeeres That which was left of his bodie for many had carried away some peeces thereof being taken down from the place where he hung was cast into a base vault in the theatre where it for a space lay as the lothsome carkasse of some wild beast and the miserable spectacle of mans fragillitie for Isaack the emperour would not suffer it to be buried Howbeit afterwards the furie of the people ouerpassed it was by some more charitable men remooued thence and laid in a low vault neere vnto the monasterie of the Ephori which as Nicetas Choniates author of this historie speaking of the time wherin he liued sayth is yet there vndissolued to be seene He was a man most honourably descended of stature tall and well proportioned in his countenance sat a certaine reuerend majestie adorned with such notable vertues as might haue made him worthely to haue been compared vnto the greatest emperors of his stock and familie had he not obscured the same with too much ambition and crueltie whereof the one caused him to lead the greatest part of his life in prison or exile the other brought him vnto such a most shamefull end Isaack Angelus his successour by the fauour of the people thus exalted vnto the empire at the first gouerned the same with great lenitie and moderation as if he had altogether abhorred from the effusion of his subjects blood But afterwards not a little troubled both with forraine enemies and domesticall rebellion besieged in the imperiall citie by such of the nobilitie as thought themselues no lesse worthie of the empire than himselfe for repressing of which insolencies and the assuring of his state he became so seuere in chastising the offenders and such others as he had in distrust that he was counted of most men not inferiour in crueltie to Andronicus his predecessor few daies passing without the condemnation or execution of one great man or other besides them of the meaner sort of whom he seemed to make no great reckoning whereby he in few yeeres lost the loue and fauour of his subjects who before had him in great honour and became vnto them no lesse odious than was before Andronicus Vpon which generall dislike of the people his ingratefull younger brother Alexius by him before for a great summe of money redeemed from the Turks tooke occasion to rise vp against him and by the fauour of the souldiors depriued him together both of the empire and his sight and hauing put out his eyes thrust him into a Monasterie there to liue as it were out of the world as a man condemned to perpetuall darknesse after he had raigned nine yeeres and eight moneths being not yet full fortie yeares old Whether it were the reuenging hand of God for the hard measure vsed to Andronicus or not I leaue it to the wiser to consider who in his deepe prouidence wherewith hee best gouerneth all things would haue a moderation vsed in punishment of our most capitall enemies as hauing alwaies before our eyes the slipperie state of power and authoritie that as all worldly things are subject to change so by the just judgement of God it ofteÌ„times falleth out that what hurt we do vnto others the same we may receiue againe from others In these so great and strange mutations of the Constantinopolitane empire which I haue somwhat more at large prosecuted not so much for the noueltie of the matter although it were right strange as for that out of the losses and ruine thereof the greatnesse of the Turkes for the most part grew Clizasthlan Sultan of ICONIVM after the death of the emperour Emanuell found meanes to take from the empire diuers strong townes and castles in the lesser ASIA together with a great part of the countrey of PHRIGIA Alexius Andronicus and Isaack the succeeding emperours troubled with dangers neerer home hauing nothing to oppose against him but faire intreatie and rich present so redeeming for a while an vnsure peace with no lesse charge in short time to be renewed againe This great victorious Sultan for so he may of right be called holding in his subjection a great part of the lesser ASIA now a man of great yeeres dying left behind him foure sonnes Masut Coppatine Reueratine and Caichosroes all men growne Amongst whom he deuided his kingdome Vnto Masut he bequeathed AMASIA ANCYRA DORYLEVM with diuers other pleasant cities of PONTVS vnto Coppâ—â—ne he assigned MELYTENE CESAREA and the colonie now called TAXARA vnto Reucratine he allotted AMINSVM DOCEA with some other cities vpon the sea coast but vnto Caichosroes he left ICONIVM his regall seat and with it LYCAONIA PAMPHILIA and all the countries thereabouts as far as COTTIANYVM Of these foure Coppatine long liued not
with one consent changed their purpose for AEGIPT and turning their forces quite contrarie way miserably and without resistance wasted the countrey about EMISSA and CESARIA Whilest the Christians were thus busied in CALOSIRIA Saladin on the other side tooke occasion out of AEGIPT to inuade the kingdome of HIERUSALEM of whose comming king Baldwin hauing intelligence with such small forces as he had left hasted himselfe to ASCALON In the meane time Saladin with a great armie was entred into the holy land where burning the countrey before him and raging in the blood of the poore Christians hee came and encamped not farre from ASCALON and strucke such a feare vpon the whole countrey that they which dwelt in HIERUSALEM were about to haue forsaken the citie As for the king himselfe he lay close within the citie of ASCALON not daring to aduenture vpon so strong an enemie Wherwith Saladin encouraged and out of feare of his enemies dispersed his armie some one way some another to forrage the countrey Which the king perceiuing secretly with all his power issued out of the citie if happily so he might ouertake the Sultan vnawares Neither was he deceiued in his expectation for comming suddainly vpon him and secretly charging him he had with him for a good space an hard and doubtfull battell vntill that the victorie by the power of God at length enclining to the Christians Saladin with his Turkes fled ouerthrown with a great slaughter most part of his great armie being either there slaine or lost afterward with hunger and cold This victorie fell vnto the Christians the 25 day of Nouember in the yeare 1177 not without the mightie hand of God the Turke hauing in his armie about six and twentie thousand horsemen and the king not past foure hundred horse with some few footmen After which victorie Baldwin in great triumph returned to HIERUSALEM and there shortly after with great care and diligence repaired the decayed wals of the citie Saladin in reuenge of this ouerthrow made diuerse incursions into the frontiers of the Christians and did great harme especially in the countrey about SIDON For the repressing whereof the king put himselfe in armes and going against him ouerthrew part of his armie as they were carrying away a great bootie Of which ouerthrow Saladin vnderstanding came in such hast with the rest of his armie as if it had been a suddaine tempest vpon the Christians then in great securitie deuiding the spoile of whom they slew a great number and put the rest to flight In which so suddaine a confusion Otto grand master of the Templars and Hugh the eale of TRIPOLIS his sonne in law were both taken prisoners The earle himselfe with a few fled to TYRE the king also at the same time was glad to shift for himselfe and by flight to saue himselfe as he might After which victorie Saladin besieged a strong castle which the king but the yeare before had built vpon the banke of the riuer of IORDAN and giuen it to the Templars with the countrey round about which castle Saladin tooke by force and put to sword all that were therein except some few whom he carried away prisoners By this victorie Saladin became dreadfull vnto the Christians in SYRIA which caused them especially such as had any charge with more vigilancie to looke about them Yet shortly after a peace was for a time concluded betwixt the Sultan and the king whereby their troubled estates breathed themselues almost the space of two yeares But this so welcome a calme was by domesticall troubles againe by the kings friends suddenly troubled For the countie of TRIPOLIS to whom the gouernment of the kingdome was committed comming towards HIERUSALEM being by the suggestion of his enemies brought into suspition with the king as if he had affected the kingdome was to his great disgrace by the way commanded to stay The cheefe authors of which discontentment were the kings mother a woman of a turbulent nature and her brother the kings steward who in the absence of the earle had wrought the kings sicke mind according to their owne appetites But the rest of the nobilitie wisely foreseeing vnto what great danger that discord might tend in despight of them with much labour caused him to be sent for againe and so reconciled vnto the king By which meanes that dangerous fire of dissention was for that time appeased which afterwards brake out againe to the vtter ruine of that kingdome Saladin now wearie of the league he had before made with king Baldwin as no longer standing with his hautie designes renounced the same and raising a great power in AEGIPT set forward toward DAMASCO Of whose comming king Baldwin hauing knowledge with the whole power of his kingdome went to haue met him not farre from the dead Sea and there encamped at an old towne called PETRA But Saladin turning out of the way into the kings territorie came and encamped before MOUNT-ROIALL a castle which Baldwin had giuen vnto the Templars about three daies march from the place where the king lay There Saladin with the spoile of the countrey refreshing his armie now wearie of long trauell set forward againe and so without resistance arriued with his armie at DAMASO At the same time the Turks captaines about DAMASCO BOSTRUM and EMISSA perceiuing the frontiers of the Christians thereabout to be kept but with small strength passed ouer IORDAN and spoiling a great part of GALILEY besieged the castle of BURY at the foot of mount TABOR not farre from the citie of NAIM which castle they in few dayes tooke and hauing there made a great slaughter carried away with them about fiue hundred prisoners Saladin being come to DAMASCO called together all the garrisons of that kingdome and joyning them vnto the forces he brought out of AEGYPT entred into the Holy land at which time the countie of TRIPOLIS gouernour of the kingdome lay sicke of a burning feauer Neuerthelesse the king encouraged by the knights of the order went out with his armie against him and encountring with him neere vnto a village called FROBOLET ouerthrew him in a great battell wherein and afterward in the flight most part of the Sultans armie perished Saladin himselfe being glad by speedie flight to escape the danger and so by long marches to get him againe to DAMASCO In reuenge of this ouerthrow Saladin hauing repaired his armie and sent for his fleet out of AEGIPT came and besieged BERYTVS both by sea and land at which time also his brother whom he had left gouernour in AEGIPT besieged DARVM a strong towne in the vttermost bounds of the kingdome of HIERUSALEM towards AEGIPT Both whose forces Baldwin being not able at once to represse by the counsell of his nobilitie thought it best first to relieue BERYTVS as the place of greater importance And for that purpose set forward with his armie by land hauing also rigged vp three and thirtie gallies at TYRE for
in due place God willing be declared Now was king Richard for the increase of his honour more desirous than before of the citie of HIERUSALEM as the most precious and honourable prize of all that religious warre And thereupon with all the power of the Christians then at his command set forward from PTOLEMAIS and was come on his way as farre as ARSUA a towne situate betwixt CESAREA and IOPPE In the vauward was king Richard himselfe with the Englishmen after whom followed Odo duke of BVRGVNDIE with his French and in the rereward Iaques de Auenes with the Flemmings Brabanders and Wallons who after the death of their countie Philip at the siege of PTOLEMAIS had put themselues all vnder his regiment Saladin with a great armie still at hand and as it were attending vpon them first with certaine ambuscadoes charged the rereward and so afterward came on with his whole power vpon whom Iaques turning himselfe with his Flemmings receiued the charge with great assurance and so long themselues endured the same vntill the French came in to their succours and after them the English also There was fought a notable battell and great valour shewed both on the one side and the other but especially by them of the Turkes part who knew well the purpose of the Christians for the besieging of HIERUSALEM and that thereon depended their onely hope and that hee that could hold the same might almost assure himselfe to carrie away the glorie of that warre The French and English in that battell honorably stroue who might shew the greatest valour neither would the Low countrey men vnder Iaques their generall seeme to bee any thing behind them This sharpe conflict began about noone and continued vntill the going downe of the Sunne King Richard as some write was there wounded with an arrow and Iaques valiantly there fighting was slaine hauing sold his life deere to the great admiration of the infidels and dying left the victorie vnto the Christians It is reported that in this battell were slaine moe Turks and Sarasins than in any one battell within the memorie of man before of the Christians were not lost any great number either any man of name more than the aforesaid Iaques the valiant generall of the Flemmings The next day the Christians remooued to BETHLEM a towne about the mid way betwixt IOPPE and HIERUSALEM But Winter now comming fast on and want of victuals like ynough to increase the king changing his mind for the siege returned with the greatest part of the armie to ASCALON which he that Winter new fortefied the wals thereof being before by Saladin in his despaire demolished the duke of BVRGVNDIE with his Frenchmen all that while quietly wintering at TYRE In the meane time the power of the Christians was that Winter greatly deminished some one way departing from the campe and some another The Italians for the most part with them of PISA who in these three yeares warres had striuen with the Venetians for the honour of their seruice were now returned home as were the Venetians themselues also Neuerthelesse Winter now past and the Spring time come king Richard took the field againe and came to BETHLEM where by the way hee met with an exceeding great number of cammels charged with great store of victuals and munition sent by Saladin out of AEGYPT to HIERUSALEM all which he tooke But purposing to haue gone on to the siege of HIERUSALEM he was by the backwardnesse of the French glad to change his purpose and to returne to PTOLEMAIS for the Frenchmen persuaded by the duke their generall who well knew the French kings mind That if any thing woorth remembrance were done it was to bee done by them and that the glorie thereof should wholly redound vnto the king of ENGLAND as there in person present and to his Englishmen shewed themselues so vnwilling to the siege as that therin was nothing done to the great griefe of that worthy prince At which time also news was brought vnto king Richard How that Philip the French king forgetfull of his solemne promise made before his departure out of SYRIA had now inuaded the country of NORMANDIE and excited earle Iohn the kings brother a man of an hautie aspiring nature to take vpon him the kingdome of ENGLAND in his absence as had before in like case William the yonger brother serued duke Robert his elder brother then absent at his father the Conquerours death in the first sacred expedition vnder Godfrey of BUILLON Wherfore king Richard beside the present difficulties fearing least while he was so far off in wars for defence of the Christian commonweale he might lose his kingdome at home thought it best to grow to some good end with Saladin and so to make his returne But the politicke and warie Sultan not ignorant of the discord of the Christians and that their forces daily decaied in SYRIA either of the troubled estate of the kings affairs at home in his kingdome or of his desire to returne would not hearken to any other conditions of peace but such as might both for the present weaken the forces of the Christians in SIRIA and discourage others that had a mind to come thither afterward whē they should see that for naught they should trauell to conquer that which in the end they must of necessitie restore againe The conditions he offered were That the Christians should foorthwith restore whatsoeuer they had woon in those three years wars PTOLEMAIS only excepted and that from thence forth for the space of fiue yeares the Turks should not in any thing molest the Christians but to suffer them in peace to liue by them which hard conditions for that no better could be had the king was glad to accept and so concluded a peace Wherby the labor and trauell of the two great kings and so many nations with them were all become frustrat and vaine hauing now to no purpose lost their men their money their time their hope their blood their long trauell to gaine that they must now in one houre forgo nothing more left vnto the poore Christians in SIRIA than the cities of ANTIOCH TYRE and PTOLEMAIS This done king Richard leauing the affaires of ASIA vnto the charge of Henrie countie of CHAMPAGNE his nephew shipping the greatest part of his people with his wife Berengaria first for SICILIA and from thence for ENGLAND where they in safetie at length arriued followed shortly after with some few himselfe where by the way by extremitie of weather he was in the Adriatique driuen to land vpon the coast of HISTRIA where trauelling with a small retinue homewards in the habit of a Templar he was discouered and taken prisoner by Leopold duke of AVSTRIA whom he had before disgraced at the winning of PTOLEMAIS as is before declared who now glad to haue him in his power made prize of him and sold him to Henrie the emperor for fortie thousand pounds by
priests in their ecclesiastike attire and ornaments to march foorth in the armie with an ensigne hauing in it displaied the picture of the Virgin Marie So couragiously marching forward hee first charged that quarter of the campe where Baldwin the countie of FLANDERS lay where at the first was fought a right fierce and doubtfull battell But afterward the alarum running throughout all the campe of the Latines and new supplies comming in on euery side the Greekes were put to the worse and enforced againe to retire into the citie hauing lost a great number of men together with their superstitious ensigne It was a woonderfull thing to see with what rare agreement the Latines being of diuers nations continued this expedition vndertaken against the Greekes Seuentie two daies was the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE straightly besieged by the Latines both by sea and land without giuing any time of rest or repose day or night vnto the besieged fresh men comming still on to the assault as the other fell off and in such sort troubled the Greekes in the citie that they knew not well what to doe or which way to turne themselues The Venetians vnto whom was committed the charge to assault that side of the citie which was toward the hauen vpon two great gallies made fast together built a strong tower of wood higher than the wals and rampiers of the town out of which they both with shot and fire-workes much troubled the defendants wherewith they in the time of the assault approching the wall by their fine deuises fired that side of the citie by the rage whereof a great number of houses were burnt with many other stately buildings and antient monuments of that famous citie and had at that present gained a great tower neere vnto the port destitute of defendors had not the tyrant himselfe in good time come with new supplies to the rescue thereof In like manner the French with the rest assailed the other side of the citie by land where they were to fight not against the defendants onely but against deepe ditches high and strong wals and bulwarkes also neuerthelesse such was the valour and furie of the Latines with the desire of victorie as that they were not with any difficulties to be dismaied but pressing still on by a thousand dangers at length after a most sharpe assault they gained one of the greatest bastillions on that side of the citie called the Angels tower and so by plaine force opened a way both for themselues and the rest into the citie Whereof Alexius vnderstanding and strucke with present despaire both of his state and life the night now comming on fled with Euphrosina the emperour Alexius his wife and Eudocia her daughter whome hee had married when he had raigned about a moneth and 16 daies The tyrant author of all this mischiefe and of the calamities ensuing thus fled and the Latines furiously entring the priests and religious men in their surplices and other ecclesiastique ornaments with their crosses and banners as in solemne procession met the Latines and falling downe at the souldiors feet with flouds of teares abundantly running downe their heauie countenances besought them but especially the captaines and commanders to remember the condition of worldly things and contenting themselues with the victorie the glorie the honour the empire the immortalitie of their name to abstaine from slaughter from burning from spoiling and ransacking of so beautifull a citie And that seeing they were themselues men they would also haue pitie of men and being themselues captaines and souldiours they should also haue compassion vpon captaines and souldiours who although they were not so valiant and fortunate as they were yet neuerthelesse were both captaines and souldiors And that they would keepe and preserue their citie whereof if they ruinated it not they might haue much more pleasure and commoditie than if they should destroy the same which as it had been the principall seat of the Greeke empire so might it now bee of the Latines That seeing they had thereof had a carefull regard as then belonging to another man they ought now vpon better reason to haue more care thereof being their owne That the authors of all these troubles and mischiefes Alexius the elder and Murzufle had alreadie receiued a reward answerable to their follies in that they were driuen into exile That they would haue pitie and compassion of an innocent and vnfortunat multitude of poore people oppressed and grieuously tormented with the often tyrannies of their murderous lords and gouernours That in so doing God the Lord of hoasts the giuer and guider of battels the God of mercie would therefore reward them To conclude they humbly besought them to pardon their citizens to put on the hearts of gracious and mercifull lords and fathers not of enemies and rough masters of forgiuers not of reuengers and to vnderstand by their teares their miserable estate and woes passed With this so humble a submission and complaint of the religious some of the better sort were happely mooued but with the common soldiors breathing nothing but victorie with their weapons in their hands and the spoile of an empire in their power what auailed prayers or teares euery man fell to the spoile and in so great choice and libertie of all things fitted his owne disordered appetite without respect of the wrong or injurie done to others onely from the effusion of innocent bloud they abstained they whose liues they sought after being alreadie fled together with the tyrant Other injuries and outrages so great as that greater could none be were in euery place so rife that euery street euery lane euery corner of the citie was filled with mourning and heauinesse There might a man haue seene noblemen earst of great honor and reuerend for their hoarie haires with other citizens of great wealth thrust out of all they had walking vp and downe the citie weeping and wringing their hands as men forlorne not knowing where to shroud their heads Neither staied the greedie rage of the insolent souldiors within the wals of mens priuat houses but brake out into the stately pallaces temples and churches of the Greekes also where all was good prize and nothing dedicated to the seruice of God left vnpolluted and defaced no place vnsought no corner vnrifled right lamentable and almost incredible it were to report all the miseries of that time Some of the Greeke Historiographers men of great marke and place and themselues eye witnesses and partakers of those euils haue by their writings complained to all posteritie of the insolencie of the Latines at the winning of the citie to their eternall dishonour but that disordered souldiours in all ages in the libertie of their insolent victorie haue done such outrages as honest minds abhorre to thinke vpon Thus Constantinople the most famous citie of the East the seat and glorie of the Greeke empire by the miserable ambition and dissention of the Greekes for soueraigntie fell into the
to haue deceiued the Christian sentinels and so indeed came neere vnto the towne vnseene or discouered And now the foremost of those companies were alreadie entred the towne when the Christians perceiuing them and raising an alarme put themselues in armes and so furiously assailed the hindermost of them and in such sort that they which were before within and those that were but now entred fearing least the enemie in that hurly burly should pell mell enter in with the râ—st shut them out of the gates exposed to the butcherie where they were all presently cut in peeces The Christians encouraged with this victorie the next day leauing a great part of the armie before the town to continue the siege presented themselues before the Sultans campe to giue him battell who for all that well considering that the losse of a battell might endanger the whole state of his kingdome would by no meanes be drawne out of his trenches but lay still wherewith the Christians especially the Frenchmen in their first charge naturally furious greatly incouraged attempted to haue forcibly entred their rampiers but not with successe answerable to their courage For the Aegyptians perceiuing the small number of their enemies notably repulsed them and in fine enforced them to retire hauing lost Gualter one of their chiefe commanders with diuers others yea king Iohn in assailing the camp lost many of his men grieuously burnt in his face hardly escaped himselfe with life After which discomfiture they resolued not to thinke of any thing els but of the siege aboue all things to prouide that no succours should be broght vnto the towne They in the citie more straitly beset besieged than before now broght vnto extreame necessitie famine out of all hope of reliefe assembled themselues to consult of their affaires and what were best for them to doe in so dangerous a state Some one or other of them by night or otherwise secretly flying into the campe And that more was the citie had vndoubtedly beene yeelded by the greater part had not the chiefe commanders within mured vp the gates and commaunded that none of the inhabitants vpon paine of death should come vpon the wals or rampiars to the intent they should not get out or cast themselues from aboue ouer the wals into the ditches The chiefe commaunders and captaines went here and there vp and downe the citie to search and view all things especially the shops and storehouses where finding small store of Wheat they deuided it in small portions among themselues the common people inforced with want eat whatsoeuer came to hand were it lawfull or vnlawfull or forbidden by their superstition wholsome or vnwholesome good or bad salt or fresh rosted or raw and so prolonged their liues with such things as they could find Now the besieged not able to endure these extremities of the Famine being the passion that most grieuously and often troubleth mankind they were also attached with the wrath of God for the Plague the furie whereof had before attainted the campe of the Christians and afterward quite ceased was now got into the citie where it made a great slaughter which mortalitie day by day in such sort increased that men were not onely now no more to be found to visit comfort succour serue and helpe the sicke but were wanting also to burie them to draw them out of their beds and houses and to seperate the liuing from the dead the streets and houses full of dead bodies gaue foorth a most horrible stinke with a most grieuous and infectious aire there was not any place cleare from the plague or any man that could boast that he had not beene attainted therewith or the feare thereof and remedie was there none The rage and furie of these two deuourers the Famine and Plague deuoured them without number chusing rather so to die than to submit themselues vnto their enemies or to humble themselues so low as to craue their fauour That they within were thus pinched with famine the Christians knew but that the plague so raged among them they knew not Now the Christians had of purpose cast vp certaine trenches and baricadoes for the keeping in of such as the famine should enforce to come out of the towne thinking that the besieged to ease their wants would thrust the baser sort of the people and vnprofitable mouths out of the citie vnto whom the Christians meant not to giue any passage for they hauing long before so straitly enuironed the citie as that no reliefe could be brought vnto it lay now still expecting when the besieged enforced by necessitie should yeeld themselues and so without losse of any man to become masters of so strong and rich a towne It was now more than a yeare that the Christians had thus lien at the siege of DAMIATA when as certaine of the souldiours vpon a brauerie aduentured with a few scaling ladders to mount the wall in which doing finding no resistance and withall hearing so great silence as if there had beene no bodie within the citie they stood still a great while hearkening but seeing that dumbe silence still to continue they returned vnto the campe giuing the captaines to vnderstand how the matter stood who at the first thought it to bee some pollicie and finenesse of the deceitfull enemie yet afterward they thought it good to aduenture certaine men to prooue their fortune and to cause certaine companies well appointed to scale one of the bulwarkes of the citie in such sort as if they should haue gone against a puissant enemie that had had the power to resist them And hereupon were scaling ladders brought foorth and all things made readie as for a great assault So the Christians couragiously mounting the ladders without resistance tooke the bulwarke But as they were entring farther into the towne a small companie of the Turkes and Barbarians all the souldiors that the furie of the plague had left and they also with the famine and infection of the aire very weake and feeble met them and began to make some small resistance but to no purpose being forthwith all cut in pieces Which done the matter wherewith the gates of the citie were muâ—ed was presently remooued the gates set open and the Christians with ensignes displaied let in But euen at the very entering in at the gates they were attainted with a most greeuous and horrible stinke they saw a faire citie dispeopled and that which was most fearefull to behold the streets couered with bodies of the dead and such a dreadfull desolation as might mooue euen the enemie himselfe to compassion The Christians were entred as men appointed to haue done a great execution and to haue made the channels run with blood as men justly prouoked with the long siege and the paines they had endured they had their swords and weapons in their hands but found none against whom to vse them for a man could not enter into any house
all the cheefe commaunders were then at variance among themselues euery one of them laying claime not woorth a rush vnto the vaine title of the kingdome of HIERUSALEM Henry king of CYPRUS comming thither with a great fleet charged the Templars to deliuer vnto him the crowne of that kingdome which they had as he said wrongfully taken from Almericus and Guy his auncestors And Charles king of SICILIA by his embassadours laid claime vnto the title of that kingdome as due vnto the kings of that Island and vnderstanding it to be giuen vnto Henry king of CYPRUS caused all the reuenewes of the Templars within his dominion to be brought into his treasuries and their lands and houses to bee spoyled Hugh also prince of ANTIOCH laboured with tooth and naile to defend the ouerworne right that his father and grandfather had vnto that lost kingdome And the countie of TRIPOLIS laied in for himselfe that hee was descended from Raymund of THOLOUS and that beside himselfe remained no prince of the auntient nobilitie which had woon that kingdome out of the hands of the Sarasins and that therefore that regall dignitie did not of better right appertaine vnto any other than vnto himselfe Neither did these foure princes more striue for the title of the lost kingdome than for the present gouernment of the citie straight way about to perish The Popes Legate pretended thereunto a right also for that king Iohn Brenne had before subjected it vnto the See of ROME As for the claime vnto the citie of PTOLEMAIS the Patriarch of HIERUSALEM challenged vnto himselfe the preheminence for that the metropoliticall citie of TYRE vnder which the citie of PTOLEMAIS was the third episcopall seat was vnder his jurisdiction euen by the decree of the West church The Templars also and the knights Hospitalers whose power in the citie was at that time farre the greatest pretended the gouernment thereof of best right to belong vnto them as the just reward of their blood alreadie and afterward to be spent in the defence thereof promising great matters if it might be wholly referred vnto them Neither spared the French king or the king of ENGLAND by their messengers to claime the soueraignetie of the cittie by their predecessours sometimes woon And they of PISA hauing still a Consull therein and by often marriages with the naturall inhabitants growne into great affinitie with them did what they might to get the gouernment into their hands The Venetians also by their authoritie and great wealth laboured to gaine the good will of the people sparing therein no cost And they of GENUA no lesse cunning than the rest supplanted the strongest factions by giuing aid both apertly and couertly vnto the weaker that so hauing weakened the faction they most doubted and hated they might by the joint fauour of the weaker aspire vnto the gouernment of the stronger and so consequently of the citie it selfe The Florentines also by their continuall traffique thither were not out of hope by one finenesse or other amongst so many competitours to find a meane to step vp aboue the rest But the greatest part of the people for all that were most enclined vnto the Armenians and Tartars as both for their neerenesse and power most like of all other to stand them in stead All these aymed at one marke which was the gouernment and commaund of the cittie and most of them had in the same their owne proper lawes and courts to deside their causes and controuersies in Whereby it came to passe that euery man might without checke or controulement almost doe what he list the offenders from one court to another remoouing their sutes as best serued their turnes Thus were murders as is beforesaid dayly committed in the streets men abused houses robbed shops broken vp and many other outrages done to the hastening of the wrath of God and greefe of all good men Diuision and dissention the ruine of all commonweales thus raigning in the cittie the souldiours of late sent thither or in zeale come of themselues for the defence thereof gaue occasion for the speedie destruction of the same Such is the power of the Almightie in his wrath and judgements for sinne euen by those things wherein wee most trust and joy to worke our vtter ruine and destruction These souldiors for want of such pay as was promised them were enforced to seeke abroad and therefore contrarie to the league before made with the Aegyptian Sultan oftentimes went out in great parties into the frontiers of his territories taking the spoile of such things as they light vpon Whereof the Sultan vnderstanding demaunded by his embassadours That restitution might be made and the offendors deliuered vnto him to bee punished according vnto the league But in that so sicke a state of a dying commonweale neither was restitution made as reason would or yet the embassadors courteously heard With which insolencie the Sultan prouoked sent Emilech Araphus a notable captaine and as some say his sonne with an hundred and fiftie thousand men to besiege the citie who comming thither and hauing made his approches had by a mine in short time ouerthrowne a peece of the wall but in seeking to haue entered by the breach he found such strong resistance that hee was glad with losse to retire Whilest Araphus thus lay at the siege of PTOLEMAIS Alphir the Sultan died at DAMASCO in whose stead the Mamalukes made choice of this Araphus for their Sultan who more desirous of nothing than of the glorie of the vtter rooting vp of the Christians in SYRIA was so farre from raising of his siege either for the death of the Sultan or the newes of his kingdome that hee more straitly beset the citie than he had in the three moneths space that he had there lien before Now had they in the citie chosen Peter the master of the Templars their gouernour a man of great experience and valour vnto whom and the rest of the nobilitie the Sultan offered great rewards and vnto the souldiors their pay with free libertie to depart so that they would without more adoe yeeld vnto him the citie which they could not long hold Which his offer the master rejected and flattly told him That hee had not learned of his auncestours to sell for money vnto the Infidels a citie bought with so much Christian blood either did so much regard his vaine threats as therefore to forget his seruice due vnto his Sauiour Christ and the Christian commonweale With which answere the tyrant enraged the next day with all his forces assaulted the citie and that in such desperat and furious manner as if hee would euen then haue carried it hauing before filled the ditches and promised the spoile vnto his souldiors the more to encourage them Yet hauing done what he could and lost a number of his men slaine both in the assault and in a sallie which the Christians made out at the same time he was inforced to retire backe
commaunders promising them farre greater if they would without further troubling themselues returne home againe whereunto they willingly graunted and so were of him honourably feasted and the neâ—â— day after conducted vpon their way homewards It fortuned that the young emperour returning backe againe from the Bulgarians and encamped in the same place where he before lay two of the watchmen of the citie the one called Camaris and the other Castellanus both smiths fled secretly vnto him who admitted to his presence and all others commaunded to depart excepting Catacuzenus offered to betray the citie vnto him so that he would vnder his hand writing assure them of such a summe of money and such possessions as they required which he easily graunting and the houre and manner of performing of the same being by them declared and agreed vpon they by and by without longer stay for feare of suspition returned againe into the citie But the emperour staying foure daies in the same place caused certaine ladders to be made of great ropes such as they vse in great ships But the appointed night being come the two traitours hauing before prouided great store of good wine liberally gaue the same by way of curtesie vnto the watchmen their companions neere vnto them who drunke so plentifully thereof that not able any longer to hold vp their heads they fell into so sound a sleepe as that but for breathing they differed not much from dead men About midnight came certaine souldiours of the young emperours with the aforesaid ladders which the traitours by and by drawing vnto them by a rope cast downe and making them fast vnto the top of the wall receiued by the same eighteene armed men who being got into the citie without more adoe brake open the Romane gate whereby the young emperour with his armie presently entred no man letting him But it is woorth the marking how things appointed to befall vs are by no meanes to be auoided although we bee thereof before neuer so plainly forewarned For the same night the citie was surprized immediatly after the setting of the Sunne the gates being shut a certaine countrey man came running in all hast from out of a village there by and knocking hard at the gate called Girolimna required to speake with some of the souldiours who being come he told them how that a little before hee had seene a great number of the young emperours men marching toward the citie by the way that leadeth vnto the Romane gate which being told vnto the old emperour did not a little trouble him And therefore thought it good to send out certaine scouts to see if all were cleere along the wals toward the land from sea to sea which his purpose Metochita his great counsellor letted saying it not to beseem a couragious mind to be vpon so light an occasion so much moued for that either the rumour was false or the indeuour of so few vaine the wals and gates of the citie being so filled with armed men which happily he said not so much vpon ignorance of martiall affaires as blinded by a certaine commaunding power that the supernall decree giuen by God himselfe against the old emperour might at length take place And againe the third part of that night yet scant past diuers other countreymen came running vnto the said gate Gyrolimna and told the watchmen vpon the wals that a great number of men were met together at the Romane gate wherof the emperor hearing was therewith much more troubled than before In so much that sharply rebuking Metochita he said vnto him Thou seemest to be straÌ„gely metamorphosed into a man of yron which art become so secure as not to haue any feeling of the danger wherewith we are enclosed Seest thou not that the matter requireth not that we should thus sit still and take our rest for the noise of my nephew soundeth in mine eares as the sound of a great drum and disquieteth my mind I feele a sea of calamitie broken out against me which ouerwhelmeth and drowneth my heart and courage Neuerthelesse he firme in his former opinion made no reckoning of those reports and therefore rose to go to bed to shew indeed that he accounted nothing of them but as false alarms But the emperour left alone and no bodie with him vnto whom he might breake his griefe laied him downe vpon a pallet not putting off his clothes but as if he had together with them put on extreame desperation lay tumbling too and fro as a man in mind troubled with many and diuers heauie thoughts In the meane time he heard a great noise at the court gate and the report of the entring of the young emperour his nephew with a great clattering of armour for there were aboue eight hundred souldiours entred with him and withall they of the citie on euerie side saluted him with most joyfull acclamations But the old emperour hearing the great tumult and outcrie rose from his pallet exceedingly troubled and destitute of all the helpe of his captaines and souldiours for why his palace was altogether desolate except of such as were his ordinarie waiters betooke himselfe vnto his praiers Beseeching God not to forsake him in so great a danger but in his mercie to defend him from the furie of those wicked men Who presently heard him and sent him present reliefe For whilest he was thus praying in the palace the young emperour without calling together all his captaines and lieutenants straightly charged them vpon paine of death neither by word nor deed to violate the majestie of the old emperour his grandfather nor any other about him for this victorie said he God hath giuen vs not we our selues his will ordereth all things wherunto all things obey the stars the aire the sea the earth men flouds tempests plagues earthquaks shoures dearth and such like sometimes to our blisse and sometime to our correction and destructien wherefore vsing vs as the instruments of his chastisement he hath giuen vnto vs this present victorie which peraduenture to morrow he will giue to others to vse against vs and then as wee haue beene vnto them wee haue ouercome such will they also shew themselues vnto vs againe wherefore if neither nighnesse of blood neither that we be all of one countrey may mooue vs yet in respect of ourselues let vs vse mercie that we feele not the hand of God vpon vs in like case In the meane time a courtier opened a wicket vnto the young emperour with this message from his grandfather For as much as God this day my sonne hath giuen vnto thee the imperiall scepter taken from me I request of thee this one good turne For many which I haue euen from thy birth bestowed vpon thee for in this my hard estate I let passe that I next vnto God haue been the authour of thy natiuitie and encrease giue me my life spare thy fathers head and with violent weapon spill not that blood from
almost in one battell subuerted report nothing simply of him but in what they may detracting from his worthie praises wrongfully charge him with many vntruths not concerning his parentage onely but euen in the course of his whole life also making him as they would haue the world to beleeue first to haue beene a very abject amongst men and then for his inhumane crueltie a very monster in nature or as it was long before but more truly said of another great one much like himselfe a lumpe of earth tempered with blood Which incredible reports concerning so great a monarch I list not to follow as too full of dishonour especially whereas others of no lesse credit than they with farre more modestie and greater probabilitie report of him the greatest honour that may be Hee was as they and the others also say borne at SAMERCAND the cheefe citie of the Zagataian Tartars pleasantly situated vpon the riuer IAXARTES his father was called Zain-Cham or as some others will Og prince of the Zagataian Tartars and of the countrey of SACHETAY sometime part of the famous kingdome of PARTHIA third in descent from Zingis the great and fortunate leader of the Tartars before in the former part of this historie remēbred Which Og as a prince of a peaceable nature accounting it no lesse honour quietly to keepe the countries left him by his father than with much trouble and no lesse danger to seeke how to enlarge the same long liued in most happie rest with his subjects no lesse happie than himselfe not so much seeking after the hoording vp of gold and siluer things of that nation not regarded as contenting himselfe with the encrease and profit of his flocks of sheepe and heards of cattell then and yet also the principall reuenues of the Tartar kings and princes which happily gaue occasion vnto some ignorant of the manner and custome of those Northerne nations and countries to account them all for shepheards and heardsmen and so also to haue reported of this mightie prince as of a shepheards sonne or heardsman himselfe vainely measuring his nobilitie by the homely manner of his people and subjects and not by the honor of his house heroicall vertues such as were hardly to be found greater in any prince of that or other former ages His peaceable father now well stricken in yeares and wearie of the world deliuered vp vnto him not yet past fifteene yeares old the gouernment of his kingdome joining vnto him two of his most faithfull counsellours Odmar and Aly to assist him in the gouernment of his state retiring himselfe vnto a solitarie life the more at quiet to serue God and so to end his daies in peace which two his trustie seruants and graue counsellors he dearely loued whilest they liued and much honoured the remembrance of them being dead The first proofe of his fortune and valour was against the Moscouit for spoiling of a citie which had put it selfe vnder his protection and for entering of his countrey and for proclaiming of warre against him whom he in a great battaile ouerthrew hauing slaine fiue and twentie thousand of the Moscouits footmen and betweene fifteene and sixteen thousand horsemen with the losse of scarce eight thousand horsemen and foure thousand footmen of his own After which battell he beholding so many thousands of men there dead vpon the ground was so farre from rejoicing thereat that turning himselfe vnto one of his familiars he lamented the condition of such as commaunded ouer great armies commending his fathers quiet course of life accounting him happie in seeking for rest and the other most vnhappie which by the destruction of their owne kind sought to procure their owne glorie protesting himselfe euen from his heart to be grieued to see such sorrowfull tokens of his victorie With this ouerthrow the Moscouit discouraged sent embassadours to him for peace which vpon such honourable conditions as pleased him to set downe was by him graunted and so the peace concluded Now the Great Cham of TARTARIA his fathers brother being growne old and out of hope of any mo children moued with the fame of his nephew after this victorie sent vnto him diuers presents and withall offering him his onely daughter in marriage and with her to proclaime him heire apparant vnto his empire as in right hee was being his brothers sonne and the daughters not at all succeeding in those empires Which so great an offer Tamerlane gladly accepted and so the mariage was afterwards with great triumph at the old emperors court solemnized and he proclaimed heire apparant vnto that great empire Thus was Tamerlane indeed made great being euer after this marriage by the old emperour his vncle and now his father in law so long as hee liued notably supported and after his death succeeding him also in that so mightie an empire Yet in the meane time wanted not this worthie prince the enuious competitours of these his so great honours insomuch that whilest by the aduise and persuasion of the old emperour he was taking in hand to make warre against the great king of CHINA who had as then gone far beyond his bounds and so was now well onwards on his way he was by the conspiracie of Calix a man of greatest power and authoritie in the Great Cham his court almost thrust out of his new empire Calix with a right puissant armie hauing alreadie ceized vpon the great citie of CAMBALU and the citizens also generally fauouring those his traiterous proceedings as disdaining to bee gouerned by the Zagataian Tartar For redresse whereof Tamerlane was enforced with the greatest part of his armie to returne and meeting with the rebell who then had in his armie fourescore thousand horse and an hundred thousand foot in a great and mortall battell wherein of the one side and of the other were more than fiftie thousand men slaine ouerthrew him though not without the great danger of his own person as being there himselfe beaten down to the ground tooke him prisoner and afterwards beheaded him Which so dangerous a rebellion with the death of the traitour and the cheefe of the conspiratours repressed and his state in the newnesse thereof by this victorie well confirmed he proceeded in his intended war against the great king of CHINA brake downe the strong wall which the Chinoies had made foure hundred leagues long betwixt the mountaines for the repressing of the incursions of the Tartars entered their countrey and meeting with the king leading after him three hundred and fiftie thousand men whereof there were an hundred and fiftie thousand horsemen and the rest on foot in a great and dreadfull battaile with the slaughter of 60000 of his men ouercame him and tooke him prisoner whom for all that he in the course of so great a victorie wisely moderating his fortune shortly after set againe at libertie yet so as that hauing before taken from him the one halfe of his kingdome and therein left Odmar
in the middest of the Ianizaries where he lay enclosed with their dead bodies in token he died not vnreuenged whose vntimely death Tamerlane for all that greatly lamented for he was his kinsman and like inough one day to haue done him great seruice Whose dead bodie Tamerlane caused to be embalmed and with two thousand horse and diuers of the Turks prisoners chained and tied together to be conuaied to SAMERCAND vntill his comming thether All the other dead bodies were with all honor that might be buried at SENNAS This great bloodie battaile fought in the yeare of our lord 1397 not farre from the mount STELLA where sometime the great king Mithrydates was by Pompey the Great in a great battaile ouerthrown was fought from seuen a clocke in the morning vntill foure in the after noone victorie all that while as it were with doubtfull wings houering ouer both armies as vncertaine where to light vntill at length the fortune of Tamerlane preuailed Whose wisdome next vnto God gaue that daies victorie vnto his souldiours for that the politique tiring of the strong forces of Baiazet was the safegard of his owne whereas if hee had gone vnto the battaile in one front assuredly the multitude finding such strong resistance had put it selfe into confusion wheras this successiue manner of aiding of his men made them all vnto him profitable The number of them that were in this battaile slaine is of diuers diuersly reported the Turks themselues reporting that Baiazet there lost the noble Mustapha his sonne with two hundreth thousand of his men and Tamerlane not many fewer and some other speaking of a farre lesse number as that there should be slaine of the Turkes about threescore thousand and of Tamerlane his armie not past twentie thousand But leauing the certaintie of the number vnto the credit of the reporters like inough it is that the slaughter was exceeding great in so long a fight betwixt two such armies as neuer before as I suppose met in field together By this one daies euent is plainly to be seen the vncertaintie of worldly things and what small assurance euen the greatest haue in them Behold Baiazet the terrour of the world and as hee thought superiour to fortune in an instant with his state in one battaile ouerthrowne into the bottome of miserie and dispaire and that at such time as he thought least euen in the middest of his greatest strength It was three daies as they report before he could be pacified but as a desperate man still seeking after death and calling for it neither did Tamerlane after he had once spoken with him at all afterwards courteously vse him but as of a proud man caused small account to be made of him And to manifest that he knew how to punish the haughtie made him to bee shackled in fetters and chaines of gold and so to bee shut vp in an iron cage made like a grate in such sort as that he might on euerie side be seen and so caried him vp and downe as hee passed through ASIA to be of his owne people scorned and derided And to his farther disgrace vpon festiuall daies vsed him for a footstoole to tread vpon when he mounted to horse and at other times scornefully fed him like a dogge with crums fallen from his table A raâ—e example of the vncertaintie of worldly honour that he vnto whose ambitious mind ASIA and EUROPE two great parts of the world were to little should be now caried vp and downe cooped vp in a little iron cage like some perillous wild beast All which Tamerlane did not so much for the hatred to the man as to manifest the just judgement of God against the arrogant follie of the proud It is reported that Tamerlane being requested by one of his noble men that might be bold to speake vnto him to remit some part of his seueritie against the person of so great a prince answered That he did not vse that rigour against him as a king but rather did punish him as a proud ambitious tirant polluted with the blood of his owne brother Now this so great an ouerthrow brought such a feare vpon all the countreys possessed by Baiazet in ASIA that Axalla sent before by Tamerlane with fortie thousand horse and â—n hundreth thousand foot without cariages to prosecute the victorie came without resistance to PRâ—SA whether all the remainder of Baiazet his armie was retired with the Bassa Mustapha the countrey as he went still yeelding vnto him Yea the great Bassa with the rest hearing of his comming and thinking themselues not now in any safetie in ASIA fled ouer the strait of HELLESPONTUS to CALLIPOLIS so to HADRIANOPLE carying with them out of the battaile Solyman Baiazet his eldest sonne whom they set vp in his fathers place Mahomet his younger brother presently vpon the ouerthrow being fled to AMASIA of whom and the rest of Baiazet his children more shall be said hereafter Axalla comming to PRUSA had the citie without resistance yeelded vnto him which he rifled and there with other of Baiazet his wiues concubines tooke prisoner the faire Despina Baiazet his best beloued wife to the doubling of his greefe Emanuell the Greeke emperour now hearing of Tamerlane his comming to PRUSA sent his embassadours the most honourable of his court thether before to Axalla by whom they were there stayed vntill the comming of Tamerlane who receiued them with all the honour that might be shewing vnto them all his magnificence and the order of his campe to their great admiration For it resembled a most populous and well gouerned citie for the order that was therein which brought vnto it plentie of all kind of victuals and other marchandise aswell for pleasure as for vse By these embassadours the Greeke emperour submitted all his empire together with his person vnto Tamerlane the great conquerour as his most faithfull subject and vassaile which he was bound as he said to doe for that hee was by him deliuered from the most cruell tirant in the world as also for that the long journey he had passed and the discommodities he had endured with the losse of his people and the danger of his person could not bee recompenced but by the offer of his owne life and his subjects which hee did for euer dedicate to his seruice with all the fidelitie and loyaltie that so great a benefit might deserue besides that his so many vertues and rare accomplishments which made him famous throughout the world did bind him so to doe And that therefore he would attend him in his cheefe citie to deliuer it into his hands as his owne with all the empire of GREECE Now the Greeke embassadours looked for no lesse than to fall into bondage to Tamerlane thinking that which they offred to be so great and delicate a morsell as that it would not be refused especially of such a conquering prince as was Tamerlane and that the acceptance thereof in kindnesse and
beginning vnto these his intended conquests one of the Turks great Bassaes being by Axalla his lieutenant in a great battaile ouerthrowne and thirtie thousand of the Turks slaine hee in the middest of these his great hopes as also of his greatest power died of an Ague the 27 daie of Ianuarie in the yeare of our lord 1402. A little before whose death appeared a great and terrible blasing starre porteâ—â—â—ng as it were vnto the world the death of so great a prince Hee was a man of the middle stature somewhat narrow in the shoulders otherwise well limmed and of a great strength In his eies sat such a rare majestie as a man could hardly endure to behold them without closing of his owne and many in talking with him and often beholding of him became dumbe which caused him oftentimes with a comely modestie to abstain from looking too earnestly vpon such as spake vnto him or discoursed with him All the rest of his visage was amiable and well proportioned he had but little haire on his chinne and ware the haire of his head long and curled contrarie to the manner of the Tartars who shaue their heads hauing the same alwaies couered whereas he contrariewise was for the most part bareheaded commanding his sonne also to be so by his tutors brought vp his haire was of a dark colour somewhat drawing toward a violet right beautifull to behold which his mother comming of the race of Sampson as he gaue it out willed him to nourish in token of his discent the cause that made him to be the more respected of his men of war most part of them beleeuing that in those haires was some rare vertue or rather some fatall destinie an old practise of many great commaunders of former ages to fill the heads of their souldiours with some strange opinion conceiued of them to bee the more of them honoured as if in them had ben some one thing or other more than in other men His liuely counterfeit as I find it expressed by them that write the best of him you may here behold with the testimonie of his greatnesse following TAMERLANE Ille nouus Xerxes orientis victor ingens Quacunque permearet horror gentium Compleuit totos Scythico qui milite campos Hoc se ferebat ore trux Tamerlanes Cuius in aduentum tutae altis moenibus vrbes Ipsumque terrae contremiscebat solum Ipsi adeo montes ipsae per deuia valles Vim Barbarorum non ferebant agminum Quare ab caucaseis Asiam conuallibus omnem Ad vsque Nili flumina armis subdidit Eufratem Tigrim rapidum tranauit Orontem Vi vastitate caede cuncta proterens Vtque olim foeda cum tempestate coorta Erumpit atra nube fulmen igneum Obuia quaeque cadens perrumpit alta sonanti Templa atque solidas strage turres disijcit Subsidit vasto Tellus labefacta fragori Humilisque mentes sternit humanas pauor Haud secus ille viam ferro molitus igni Euertit arces opida aequauit solo Regem Asiae horribili captum impete Baiazetem Caueaque clausum ferrea circuntulit Haec agitantem illum spirantem immania iussa Quae cunctus vndique orbis expauesceret Exiguo caecae domitum molimine febris Fatalis vno soluit hora triduo Deque tot insanis opibus de tot modo regnis Reliqua vna paruo gleba texit puluere In English thus Of Tamerlane a Xerxes new which did the East subdew And in all places where he came the nations ouerthrew That fild the fields with Scythian troupes brought from those climates cold This was the feature and the shape which thou doest here behold At whose approch the strongest townes could small resistance make The earth it selfe vnder his feet seeming for feare to quake The mountaines high mating the skie and vncouth valleyes low Vnable were the force to beare where he did come or goe All ASIA from mount CAVCASVS vnto the bankes of NILE With valiant hand he vanquished and made his force to feele EVPHRATES TIGRIS and the swift ORONTES gaue him way With force wast and destruction great on what he list to prey And as in tempests great oft times when all things goe to wracke The fierie lightning flashing forth out of the clouds so blacke Doth breake downe what it lights vpon and with a dreadfull fall Ouerthrowes the temples with their towers and stately buildings all So that the earth dismayd therewith doth lower downe descend And fearefull wights wrapt vp in woe are brought to their wits end In like sort he with fire and sword seeking all to confound The strongest castles towers and townes laid equall with the ground And like an whirlewind taking vp great Baiazet away Coupt vp in cage so carried him for his disport and play But whilest he rageth thus about and plotteth in his head Such hard commaunds and heauie doomes as all the world should dread A little feauer in three sits oppressed him with woe And cloasing vp his vitall spirits did lay his head full low So that for all the world of wealth and kingdomes he possest The small remainder of himselfe in simple graue doth rest His great empire by himselfe deuided betwixt his sonnes was by their discord and the ambition of some of their disloyall subjects in short time after brought to great confusion and his posteritie vtterly rooted out by Vsun-Cassanes the Armenian prince as in the processe of this historie may appeare But to returne againe vnto our purpose Mahomet deliuered of his greatest feare by the departure of Tamerlane out of those countries determined to goe to PRVSA in BYTHINIA where his brother Isa as then raigned But vnderstanding that Isa had before taken the straits whereby he should passe the mount HORMINIVS he tooke another way about came to PALaeO-CASTRON where the valiant captaine Eine-beg Sub-bassa then remained who with all honor and gladnesse receiued him and there for certain daies refreshed both him and his armie Afterwards greater forces still repairing vnto him he marched thence to VLAâ—AD called in anâ—ient time LOPADIVM Of whose comming Isa before vnderstanding and hauing assembled his armie marched thither also and encamped on the other side of the town towards PRVSA readie to giue him battaile But Mahomet seeing his brother so forward consulted with his captaines what were best to bee done where Eine Sub-bassa a man of great experience and of late one of Baiazet his great councellours and captaines told him That it was not for their honours being brethren to pollute their hands one in the others blood but to assaie if the quarrell might by some other good meanes be composed and they made friends For which purpose Mahomet presently sent letters vnto his brother Isa concerning the partition of their fathers kingdome in ASIA betwixt them offering vnto him the prouinces of AIDINIA SARVCHANIA GERMEANIA Câ—ARASIA CHARAMANIA with other countreys to them belonging so that he
to the three sonnes of the king of CARAMANIA Ibrahim Aladin and Isa other two were bestowed vpon the sonnes of the prince Isfendiar Ibrahim and Casimes the sixt was giuen in mariage to Cozza-Beg viceroy in ANATOLIA and the seuenth to the sonne of Ibrahim Bassa who died at Mâ—CHA whither she went vpon superstitious deuotion on pilgrimage At such time as Amurath was busied in his warres in EUROPE against Mustapha the supposed sonne of Baiazet the younger sonne of Mahomet called also Mustapha being but thirteene years old and Amurath his brother indeed was set vp to raise new troubles by the king of CARAMANIA and other princes as well Mahometans as the Christian princes of GRECIA who thought it good pollicie by that meanes to impeach the greatnesse of Amurath This young prince Mustapha strengthened with the forces of his friends entered into his brothers dominions in ASIA and besieged NICE which was at length yeelded vnto him Amurath aduertised of this new rebellion by great gifts and large promises corrupted Ilias Beg the young princes tutor to betray the prince into his hands Whereupon Amurath with great celeritie set forward with his armie from HADRIANOPLE and in nine daies came to NICE where he entered the cittie with small resistance as was to him before promised where Mustapha was by his false tutor to him presented who because he would not spill one drop of the sacred Othoman blood as the Turks call it commaunded the executioner presently to strangle him with a bow string which was done accordingly and his bodie afterwards buried by his father at PRUSA Amurath hauing suppressed these two rebellions and now out of all feare of any competitor thought his fiue counsellers too many by three and therefore remoued the three Bassaes Omâ—re Vrutzi and Alis the sonnes of Temurtases into honorable places retaining of his counsell onely the two old Bassaes Ibrahim and Eiuases But shortly after Eiuases was secretly accused to Amurath That he sought by his fauorits the souldiors of the court to aspire vnto the kingdome himselfe and to depose the king and that intending some such matter hee did vsually weare a priuie coat This suspicious report troubled the jealous tyrant wherefore on a time as he rid accompanied with Eiuases he cast his arme about him as if it had beene in kindnesse but finding him secretly armed would needs know the cause thereof whereunto Eiuases answered That it was for feare of some enemies hee had in the court but this excuse could by no meanes serue his turne wherefore he was forthwith apprehended by the commaundement of Amurath and both his eyes burnt out with a hot steele glasse Whilest Amurath was thus busied in subduing rebellions at home Muhamethes the Caramanian king besieged ATTALIA a great cittie in PAMPHILIA by the space of six moneths which was valiantly defended by Hamza-beg Amurath his lieutenant there at which siege the vnfortunat king himselfe as he was taking view of the citie was slaine with a great shot out of the citie whereupon Ibrahim which succeeded him in the kingdome brake vp the siege returned home to burie his father At this time also Dracula prince of VALACAIA passing ouer DANUBIUS did the Turks much harme about SILISTRA but was afterwards enforced to submit himselfe to Amurath and become his tributarie About this time also Tzunites the prince of SMYRNA which had before aided the rebell Mustapha did by all meanes he could vex and molest Iaxis-beg Amurath his lieutenant in AIDINIA hauing by chance taken his brother prisoner put him to death This prince of SMYRNA was descended of the antient princes of AIDINIA and therefore pretended an interest in that siegnorie which his claime the people of the countrey secretly fauoured so farre as they durst for feare of the Turks Amurath hearing of the harmes that this prince of SMYRNA did commaunded Hamze-beg viceroy of ANATOLIA with all his power to make warre vpon him The viceroy without delay assembled a great armie and inuaded the princes country and the prince being well prouided for his comming meeting him vpon the way gaue him battaile wherein Hasan the princes sonne leading a great part of his fathers armie had put one part of the Turkes armie to flight and pursuing them with too much furie left his father at the same time so hardly beset by the viceroy that he was glad to flie to his castle of HIPSILY fast by Hasan returning from the chace of the enemie not knowing what had happened to his father was by the Turkes in his returne ouercome and taken prisoner After which victorie the viceroy presently laid siege to the castle wherein the prince was This siege continued a great while at length the prince brought to extremitie was content to yeeld himselfe vnto the viceroy vpon condition he should vse no violence against the person of himselfe or his sonne but to send them prisoners vnto Amurath which thing the viceroy by solemne oath promised whereupon the prince came out of the castle and yeelded himselfe prisoner to the viceroy Iaxis-beg whose brother the prince had before put to death attended the going of Hamze the viceroy to his tent where finding Hasan the princes sonne sitting vpon the ground as the manner of the Turkes is tooke him by the choller with great furie and drawing him along to the feet of the prince his father there most cruelly strucke off his head and in the same rage laying his bloodie hands vpon the aged prince strucke off his head also to the great dishonour of the viceroy who had before giuen his faith for their safetie The heads of the prince and his sonne were set vpon two launces within the sight of the castle which the defendants seeing and now despairing of all rescue yeelded themselues with the castle This infortunat Tzunites was the last prince of SMYRNA after whose death all his territorie was vnited to the Othoman kingdome After all these troubles Amurath with great triumph married the daughter of the prince Isfendiar Amurath hauing laied vp in the depth of his thoughts the remembrance of that the Grecian princes had done in giuing aid to the rebels aforesaid thought it now high time to take reuenge of that wrong and for that purpose gathered a great armie wherewith he ranged at his pleasure through MACEDONIA vntill he came to THESSALONICA surprising by the way diuers cities and castles at that time belonging to the Constantinopolitane empire This famous cittie of THESSALONICA now called SALONICHI for beautie and wealth sometime not inferiour to any of the greatest and most renowned cities of GRECIA is situate vpon the borders of MACEDONIA close vnto a bay of the ARCHIPELAGO or the sea AEGBUM which bay was in auntient time called THERMAICUS-SINUS and now the bay of SALONICHI To the Christian congregation there dwelling S. Paul wrote two Epistles in the latter whereof hee forewarneth them of a great defection to come before the latter day Before
I pray God they be giuen in vaine and so they shall if my prayers may preuaile Yet if necessitie shall inforce you to vse them you shall find them seruiceable at your need And so taking his last farewell of the king returned into VALACHIA Vladislaus marching on from NICOPOLIS toward THRACIA tooke many townes and forts by the way which the Turks for feare yeelded vnto him at last he came to SVMIVM and PEZECHIVM where the Turkish garrisons trusting as much to the strength of the places as to their owne valour stood vpon their guard but the king laid siege to both the said places and tooke them by assault where he put to sword fiue thousand of the Turks The Turks Bassaes terrified with these vnexpected troubles aduertised Amurath thereof requesting him to leaue his obscure life and to leauie the greatest power he could in ASIA for the defence of the Turkish kingdome in EVROPE which otherwise was in short time like to be lost blaming also his discretion for committing the gouernment of so great a kingdome to so yong a prince as was Mahomet his sonne vnto whom many of the great captaines did halfe scorne to yeeld their due obedience Amurath herewith awaked as it had been out of a dead sleepe left his cloister and with great speed gathered a stong armie in ASIA came to the straits of HEâ—LESPONTVS where he found the passage stopped by the Venetian and Popes gallies and was therfore at his wits end But marching along the sea side vnto the straits of BOSPHORVS he there found means to conuay ouer his whole armie vsing therin as some write the helpe of the Genoway marchant ships paying vnto the Genowayes for the passage of euery Turke a duckat which amounted to the summe of 100 thousand duckets or as some others affirm corrupting with greaâ— bribes them that were left for the defence of this passage And being now got ouer joyned his Asian armie with such other forces as his Bassaes had in readinesse in EVROPE and so marching on seuen daies encamped within four miles of VARNA a citie pleasantly standing vpon the Euâ—ine sea side in BVLGARIA where the Christian armie lay for Vladislaus hearing of Amurath his comming with so great an armie had retired thether hauing but a little before taken the same citie of VARNA from the Turks with CALACRIVM GALATA MACROPOLIS and others vpon the sea coast Vpon the first report that Amurath was with such a mightie armie come ouer the strait of BOSPHORVS Vladislaus who before was in good hope that he could not possibly haue found any passage entred into counsaile with the commaunders of his armie what course was now best to take where many which before had been most forward in that action presuming that Amurath could by no means haue transported his armie were now so discoraged with the same of his comming that they aduised the king in time to retire home and not to oppose so small an armie against such a world of people as was reported to follow the Turke But other captaines of greater courage and especially Huniades said It was not for the kings honour first to inuade his enemies dominions and presently to turne his backe vpon the first report of their comming wishing him rather to remember the good fortune of his former wars and that he was to fight against the same enemie whom he had victoriously ouerthrowne the yeare before as for the multitude of his enemies he had learned by experience as he sayd not to bee mooued therewith for that it was the manner of the Turkish kings more to terrifie their enemies with the shew of a huge armie than with the valour of their souldiours which were nothing to bee accounted of but as effeminat in comparison of the Hungarians Whereupon the king resolued to trie the fortune of the field Vladislaus vnderstanding by his espials that Amurath the night before encamped within foure miles was now putting his armie in order of battell committed the ordering of all his forces vnto the valiant captaine Huniades who with great care and industrie disposed the same garding the one side of the battaile with a fenne or marrish and the other side with cariages and the rereward of his armie with a steepe hill Therein politiquely prouiding that the Christian armie being farre lesse than the Turks in number could not bee compassed about with the multitude of their enemies neither any way charged but afront The Turks armie approaching began to skirmish with the Christians which manner of fight was long time with great courage maintained and that with diuers fortune sometime one partie preuailing and sometime the other but with such slaughter on both sides that the ground was couered and stained with the dead bodies and blood of the slaine At length the battaile beeing more closely joyned the victorie began to incline to the Christians for Huniades had most valiantly with his Transiluanian and Valachian horsemen put to flight both the wings of the Turkish armie and made great slaughter wheresoeuer he came Insomuch that Amurath dismaied with the flight of his souldiours was about to haue fled himselfe out of the maine battaile had hee not been staied by a common souldiour who laying hands vpon the raines of his bridle staied him by force and sharpely reprooued him of cowardise The captaines and prelats about the king whom it had better beseemed to haue been at deuout prayers in their oratories than in armes at that bloodie battaile encouraged by the prosperous successe of Huniades and desirous to be partakers of that victorie foolishly left their safe stations where they were appointed by him to stand fast and disorderedly pursued the chase leauing that side of the battell where they stood open vnto the Turks But they were not gone farre before they were hardly encountred by a great part of the Turks armie for such purpose placed in a vallie fast by In which fight Lesco one of the most valiant captains of the Hungarians was slaine and the Bishop of Vâ—RADIVM a better church man than souldior and the first man that disordered the battaile seeking to saue himselfe by flight through the fenne was there filthily strangled in the deepe mud after he had with his horse therein struggled a great while The Bishop of AGRIA a man of greatest authoritie with the king was at the same time also lost with many other church men more The Cardinall with some other of the expert captaines retiring toward their former standings were hardly assailed by the Turks who by the comming in of the king and Huniades were with great slaughter forced to retire and euen readie to flie Amurath seeing the great slaughter of his men and all brought into extreame danger beholding the picture of the Crucifix in the displaied ensignes of the voluntarie Christians pluckt the writing out of his bosome wherin the late league was comprised and holding it vp in his hand with his eies cast vp to heauen
most part the faithfulnesse of all the rest they will looke vpon you whom they may praise or accuse and whose example they may follow in the fortune of these warres But to what purpose should men of woorth in their actions pretend the necessitie of faith or chaunce of fortune whereas by reason things are both best begun and accomplished It seldome chaunceth that fortune faileth the sound aduice or is not obedient vnto vertue and you haue all things which most politicke care could prouide for your safetie You want not armour you want not plentifull prouision of victuals you want not valiant men the superfluous multitude of vnnecessarie people the pitifull lamentation of women and troublesome crying of children shall not withdraw you from your publike charge from your seruice and defence of your countrey I haue left you alone to your selues for defence of your citie your religion and dwellings that you might be encouraged onely with the prouocations of honour and libertie with the emulation of aduenture and danger and the very sight one of another and I my selfe will not be far off with my courageous souldiors a silent beholder and encourager of your vertue where although I may not auert from you all the force of the cruell enemie by rash aduenture nor trie the whole fortune of this war in plaine field yet will I turne a great part of your dangers vpon my selfe and trouble the enemies designes with many a hot skirmish For as much as there is no better manner of fight nor safer kind of warre for vs amongst such a multitude of men and so many thousands of souldiors than neuer to offer battaile vnto the enemie in plaine field neither to aduenture all vpon the fortune of one conflict although a man did see apparent signes of victorie He will of purpose at the first giue vs the oportunitie of good hap hee will feed our hardinesse with the blood of his base souldiors the easilier to intrap and oppresse our rashnesse allured with the sweet bait of good fortune but the craftie deuises of the Othoman king are by great policie and consideration to be frustrated This mightie enemie is by little and little to bee cut off as time and place shall giue occasion For truly that victorie should bee vnto me lamentable which I should buy with the blood of my souldiors and beleeue me it would be vnto me a more sorrowfull than pleasant sight to see eight or ten thousand of my enemies slaine with the losse of a few of you I will praise and honour my subiects of EPIRVS for valiant conquerours if they shall not suffer themselues to be conquered of the Turkish king The rest I had rather you courageous souldiors of DIERA should consider with your selues than that I should seeme to distrust of your assured faith by giuing you a carefull and tedious admonition When Scanderbeg had with cheerefull persuasion thus encouraged the minds of them of SFETIGRADE he departed thence and visited diuers other cities of EPIRVS where finding all things politickely ordered by Moses and the other captaines whom he had put in trust he returned to his armie then lying neere vnto CROIA Whilest Scanderbeg was with great carefulnesse yet thus prouiding for the safegard of his kingdome in the meane time Amurath his armie was assembled at HADRIANOPLE to the number of a hundred and fiftie thousand men whereof many were pioners and men appointed for other base seruices necessarie at the siege of townes Of this great armie Amurath sent fortie thousand light horsemen before him to SFETIGRADE who according to his commaund came and encamped before the citie the newes of their comming with a great deale more than truth was forthwith brought to Scanderbeg then lying with his small armie neere CROIA whereupon he with foure thousand horsemen and a thousand foot took the way toward SFETIGRADE and strongly encamped his armie within seuen miles of the citie Where hauing set all things in good order he accompanied with Moses and Tanusius went by certaine blind waies through the mountaines and woods vntill he came so neere vnto the citie that from the place where hee stood vpon the top of a hill he might easily discouer in what sort the enemie lay encamped and so returning backe againe to his campe rise with his armie in the night following and drawing as neere vnto the Turks armie as he could vndiscouered placed all his armie in the couert of the woods and secret valleyes vnperceiued of his enemies After that hee sent forth Moses and Musachi his nephew with thirtie of his best horsemen apparelled as if they had been but common souldiors but passing well mounted driuing before them certaine horses laden with corne by a by-way as if they had purposed to haue secretly got into the cittie The day then breaking they were discouered by the Turks scouts and set vpon where at the first Moses and the rest began of purpose to flie but when he saw that they were pursued but with like number to themselues hee returned backe vpon the Turks and slew fiue of them and chased the rest vnto the campe The Generall seeing what had happened sent foorth foure thousand horsemen to pursue these supposed victualers whom they quickly recouered the sight of for that Moses of purpose had made small hast to flie but when the Turks began to draw nigh Moses left the horses laden with corn and fled yet so that he still drew on the Turks with hope to ouertake him vntill he had brought them where Scanderbeg with his armie lay in wait by whom they were suddainly assailed on euerie side and with great slaughter put to flight In this conflict two thousand of the Turkes were slaine and a thousand of their horses taken of the Christians were lost but two and twentie This was the first welcome of the Turks armie to SFETIGRADE About eight daies after came Amurath with all his armie in the beginning of May in the yeare of our lord 1449 and hauing made the greatest shew he could with his huge armie to terrifie the defendants he encamped the baser sort of his footmen at the foot of the hill whereon the citie stood and lay himselfe with his Ianizaries and other his most valiant souldiors about three quarters of a mile further off where after he had line still one daie well considered the strength of the place towards euening he sent a messenger to the citie who requested to speake with the Gouernour Perlat Whereof hee hearing came to the wall of whom the messenger requested That he would commaund the souldiours standing by to goe further off for as much as he had some thing in secret to say vnto him from his master Vnto whom Perlat merrily answered It is like indeed to bee some great secret that you would haue kept not onely from the hearing of my soldiors but from the verie light of the dale and therefore haue chosen the night but I
haue not learned of mine elders to heare any message from mine enemie by night neither at any time else out of the hearing of the garison to whom Scanderbeg hath committed the defence of this citie and I the sauegard of my person you must therefore at this time pardon me and to morrow if your maister so please I will heare you at large And therewith commanded him to depart from the wals So he returned for that time without audience as he came It grieued Amurath not a little to see his messenger so lightly regarded yet forasmuch as hee had more hope to gain the citie by large offers or some reasonable composition than by all his great force he dissembled his wrath and the next daie sent the same messenger again with one of his Bassaes a graue and well spoken man himselfe borne in EPIRVS This Bassa with three souldiours and two seruitours was by the gouernours commaundement by one of the ports receiued into the citie and brought into S. Maries church Where after he had with great eloquence sought to insinuate himselfe into the minds of the Gouernour and the hearers and afterwards augmented the terrour of Amuraths power beyond all measure laying before them the great victories by him obtained against the Hungarians and the other Christian princes in fine he exhorted them to yeild the citie vnto him in whose name he promised first that the citizens should in all respects vnder his gouernement liue as they had before done vnder Sanderbegs then that the Gouernor should receiue at Amurath his hands most honourable preferments with many rich and princely gifts and that it should be lawfull for the garrison souldiours to depart in safetie whether they would and to haue three hundreth thousand Aspers diuided amongst them in reward But when the Bassa had ended his speech the Gouernour in this sort replied If you had not deliuered this speech vnto resolute men deuoted vnto the defence of their libertie it might perhaps haue wrought some effect and we said he might peraduenture listen vnto your offers if we were either afraid of the Othoman king and the vaine threats of our enemies or else were wearie of the gouernement of the noble Scanderbeg But forasmuch as no euill desert of his nor good desert of your masters hath yet passed for which we should preferre a stranger before our naturall soueraigne an enemie before a friend a Turke before a Christian let your maister proceed first in his action begun let him prooue his fortune let him by force terrifie vs beat downe our wals make hauocke of our men and by strong hand driue vs to humble our selues at his feet and to sue for peace But it were a great dishonour yea a thing almost to be laughed at if we should cowardly accept of these conditions by him offered before any assault giuen before one drop of bloud spilt before any souldior did so much as once grone for any wound receiued before one stone were shaken in the wall or any small breach made But your maister shall doe better to raise his siege and get him backe againe to HADRIANOPLE there to spend the small remainder of his old yeares in quiet and not to prouoke vs his fatall enemies whose courage in defence of our liberties and fidelitie towards our prince hee hath so often times prooued to his great dishonour and losse of his armies The faith I haue once giuen to my Soueraigne for the defence of this citie I will neuer forget vntill the effusion of the last drop of my bloud It shall be vnto me reward and honour inough if I either liuing defend this citie or with losse of my life shall leaue my guiltlesse soule at libertie and my carkasse amongst the dead bodies of worthie souldiours when I shall find a way into a farre better place The Generall hauing giuen this resolute answere vnto the Bassa bountifully feasted him that day at dinner and afterwards led him through the middest of the citie where he saw great store of victuals by the Gouernour commaunded of purpose to be set in shew to put Amurath out of hope of winning the citie by long siege And so sent the Bassa out by the same port whereby he came in much discontented with the answere he was to returne to his maister When Amurath vnderstood by the Bassa of the Gouernours resolution he was therewith exceeding wroth and thereupon with his great ordinance battered the citie three dayes without intermission And hauing by the furie of his artillerie made a small breach he foorthwith gaue thereunto a most terrible assault labouring first to win the same by the force and multitude of his common souldiors which the Turks call Asapi whom hee forced by great numbers to that seruice Of these souldiors the Turke in his warres maketh no great reckoning but to blunt the swords of his enemies or to abate their first furie thereby to giue the easier victorie to his Ianizaries and other his better souldiors which the Othoman kings hold for good policie Whilest these forlorne souldiors without respect of danger pressing forward are slaine by heapes at the breach the Ianizaries at the same time in another place attempted to haue scaled the wals of the citie but whilest they with much labour and difficultie first crawle vp the steepe rocke whereon the cittie was built and afterward desperatly mount vp their scaling ladders they were by the defendants with huge stones and weightie peeces of timber cast vpon them beaten down wherwith they were driuen headlong to the bottome of the rocke and so miserably slaine Many of them together with their skaling ladders were by the Christians thrust from the wall and tumbling downe the rocke violently carried with them others comming vp behind them Some few got to the top of the ladders and taking hold of the battlements of the wals lost some their fingers some their hands but most their liues being beaten downe as the other were Many of them which stood farther off were then wounded also and with shot from the wals slaine With this miserable slaughter and no hope to preuaile the Turks discouraged began to withdraw themselues from the assault but the Bassaes and captaines standing behind them forced them againe forward exhorting some threatening others and beating the rest forward with their trunchions By which meanes the assault was againe renewed but not with such courage as before though with no lesse slaughter which the defendants seeing gaue from the wals great tokens of joy and triumph Amurath perceiuing his discouraged souldiours readie of themselues to forsake the assault presently sent Feri-Bassa one of his most valiant captaines with a new supplie of three thousand chosen souldiours to renew the fight The Christians well aware of their comming ceased not with continuall shot to beat them from the wals but such was the forwardnesse of that fierce captaine that without regard of danger he brought his men to the wals where the
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
most famous and imperiall citie Some few there were of the Christians who preferring death before the Turkish slauerie with their swords in their hands sold their liues decre vnto their enemies amongst whom the two brethren Paulus and Troâ—lus Bochiardi Italilians with Theophilus Palaeologus a Greeke and Ioannus Stiaâ—us a Dalmatian for their great valour and courage deserue to be had in eternall remembrance Who after they had like lyons made slaughter of their enemies died in the midst of them embrued with their bloud rather oppressed by multitude than by true valour ouercome In this furie of the Barbarians perished many thousands of men women and children without respect of age sex or condition Many for safegard of their liues fled into the Temple of SOPHIA where they were all without pittie slaine except some few reserued by the barbarous victors to purposes more grieuous than death it selfe The rich and beautifull ornaments and jewels of that most sumptuous and magnificent Church the stately building of Iustinianus the emperour were in the turning of a hand pluckt downe and carried away by the Turkes and the Church it selfe built for God to be honored in for the present conuerted into a stable for their horses or a place for the execution of their abhominable and vnspeakable filthinesse the Image of the crucifix was also by them taken downe and a Turks cap put vpon the head thereof and so set vp and shot at with their arrowes and afterwards in great derision carried about in their campe as it had been in procession with drums playing before it railing and spitting at it and calling it the god of the Christians Which I note not so much done in contempt of the image as in the despite of Christ and the Christian religion But whilest some were thus spoyling of the churches others were as busie in ransacking of priuat houses where the miserable Christians were enforced to endure in their persons whatsoeuer pleased the insolent victors vnto whom all things were now lawfull that stood with their lust euerie common souldiour hauing power of life and death at his pleasure to spare or spill At which time riches were no better than pouertie and beautie worse than deformitie What tongue were able to expresse the miserie of that time or the prowd insolencie of those barbarous conquerors whereof so many thousands euerie man with greedinesse fitted his owne vnreasonable desire all which the poore Christians were enforced to endure But to speake of the hidden treasure money plate jewels and other riches there found passeth credit the Turkes themselues wondred thereat and were therewith so enriched that it is a prouerb amongst them at this day if any of them grow suddenly rich to say He hath been at the sacking of CONSTANTINOPLE whereof if some reasonable part had in time been bestowed vpon defence of the cittie the Turkish king had not so easily taken both it and the cittie But euerie man was carefull how to encrease his owne priuat wealth few or none regarding the publike state vntill in fine euerie man with his priuat abundance was wrapped vp togither with his needie neighbour in the selfesame common miserie Yea the securitie of the Constantinopolitans was such that being alwaies enuironed with their mortall enemies yet had they no care of fortifying of so much as the inner wall of the citie which for beautie and strength was comparable with the wals of any citie in the world if it had been kept well repaired but suffered the officers which had the charge to see to the fortifying of the citie to conuert the greatest part of the money into their own purses as appeared by Manuel Giagerus a little before a verie poore man and likewise by Neophitus who then hauing that office to see vnto the fortification of the citie had in short time gathered togither seuentie thousand florens which became all a worthy prey vnto the greedie Turkes After that the barbarous common souldiour had thus by the space of three daies without controlment taken his pleasure in the citie as Mahomet had before promised and throughly ransackt euerie corner thereof they then returned into the campe with their rich spoils driuing the poore Christian captiues before them as if they had ben droues of cattell or flocks of sheepe a spectacle no lesse lamentable than was the sacking of the citie It would haue grieued any stonie heart to haue seene the noble gentlewomen and great ladies with their beautifull children and many other faire personages who lately flowed in all worldly wealth and pleasure to bee now become the poore and miserable bondslaues of most base and contemptible rascals who were so farre from shewing them any pittie as that they delighted in nothing more than to heape more and more miserie vpon them making no more reckoning of them than of dogs There might the parents see the wofull miserie of their beloued children and the children of the parents the husband might see the shamefull abuse of his wife and the wife of her husband and generally one friend of another and yet not able to mourne together the least part of heauie comfort being in the thraldome of diuers cruell masters by whom they were kept in sunder like in few dayes to be dispersed into diuers farre countries without hope that they should euer find release or one see another againe The souldiors being all retired into the campe Mahomet as a proud conquerour with great triumph entered into the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE then desolate and void of all Christian inhabitants and there after the manner of the Turkish kings made a sumptuous and royall feast vnto his Bassaes and other great captaines where after he had surcharged himselfe with excesse of meat and drinke he caused diuers of the cheefe Christian captiues both men and women of whom many were of the late emperours line and race to bee in his presence put to death as hee with his Turks sat banquetting deeming his feast much more stately by such effusion of Christian blood Which manner of exceeding crueltie he daily vsed vntill such time as he had destroyed all the Grecian nobilitie that was in his power with the cheefe of the late Constantinopolitan citizens At which time also diuers of the Venetian Senatours with Baiulus their Gouernor and many rich marchants of GENVA and other places of ITALIE were in like manner murthered so that of seuen and fortie Senatours of VENICE which were there taken whereof most part came thither by chaunce bound for other places but there vnluckily shut vp some few found the fauour with exceeding great ransomes to redeeme themselues Amongst these noblemen thus lamentably executed was one Lucas Leontares or Notaras coÌ„monly called Kyr-Lucas or lord Lucas but of late great chancellor of CONSTANTINOPLE a man of greatest account next vnto the emperour himselfe whom the Turkish tyrant seemed greatly to blame that hee being a man in so great credit with the late emperour persuaded him not
to keepe the honour he had alreadie gained and peraduenture in feare of them of whom he was not without cause most feared I speake not this of purpose to terrifie any of you but rather to admonish you and to consult with you how such great preparations may be frustrated and ouerthrowne and some notable victorie by vs atchieued without the price of our blood or the losse of such things as we haue The number of our enemies is great and so great as vntill this day we neuer saw in EPIRVS greater except at such times as they came to besiege our cities and to deuour vs all Now if we shall meet them in the plaine fields in a set battaile the euent thereof will be doubtfull many of vs must needs fall many of vs must die I would I might be a false prophet before so great an armie will either flie or be ouercome your victorie shall be mingled with teares and the heauinesse of the conquerour not much vnlike the sorrow of the conquered Was it but a few that we lost at BELGRADE Is that losse so to be recouâ—red What flower of Chiualrie hardly to be in many yeares restored How many worthie men were there slaine EPIRVS must needs in short time be vnpeopled if we shall so desperatly only seeke for such glorious victories Wherefore if we will doe well we must so fight to day as that we may fight to morrow also Neither are our enemies and we in like case The losse of fortie or fiftie thousand is lesse vnto the Turkish tyrant than the losse of an hundred of you is to me We are in all but a few and therefore carefully to be kept which if we regard not for our owne sakes yet let vs doe it for our wiues and childrens whose welfare and libertie dependeth of our liues I know the number of you I know your faces and countenances and almost euery one of your names which maketh me also more carefull of your health And yet I would not refuse to trie the whole fortune of this battaile in plaine field if we might thereby end all the wars against the Turks for euer if I were in hope so to find an end of our labours and trauels hereafter I would gladly aduenture my life with yours for the perpetuall quiet and peace of our posteritie but a new enemie alwayes ariseth and we must still looke for new wars When this Isaack is gone another Isaack will ere long come in his place we shall be alwaies exercised with new wars and enclosed with new dangers It is the destinie of EPIRVS as far as I can see and wee our selues are borne thereto Wherefore we must gather our wits together we must well husband our forces and so diuide our patrimonie as that we may alwayes haue somthing to content our creditors when they shall chance to come vpon vs. Yet shall God no doubt giue an end also vnto these troubles for extremities cannot be of long continuance and you your selues shall at length take rest yea the strong and puissant enemie wearied with so many vaine attempts will at last haue ynough thereof and leaue off his perpetuall hatred against vs then shall it be to you no small pleasure to remember so many labours and dangers past Thus haue I declared vnto you the commodities and incommodities ensuing the victorie in plaine battell But what if we be vanquished Where haue we any hope of reliefe left from whence may we expect helpe Will the bloodie enemie inflate with victorie expect whilest we again recouer our strength and encounter him againe with new forces No he will pursue vs and chase vs so long as any of vs are left and hauing ouercome vs will poure out the rest of his furie vpon our towns and country then subiect to his iniurie But some of you peraduenture will say that they are by policie to be ouertaken and not to be met in open field of which opinion I also am my selfe yet happily differ from you in the time of doing the same Then I thinke it best to deceiue them when they thinke they cannot be deceiued when as they being as it were in possession of a supposed victorie like men ouerioyed shall cast no perill Now they come euen from the gates of CONSTANTINOPLE full of distrust prying into euery corner as men before warned by others harmes and so many dreadfull examples of their fellows Besides that they haue with them my gracelesse nephew and domesticall foe Amesa who will teach them to foresee and shun such snares as in times past he with vs was wont to lay for them Wherfore we must now tower vp vnto the height of some notable and strange policie whereby both our country may be from danger preserued and also some great victorie without our owne bloodshed which seldome chanceth obtained which to the maintenance of our antient glorie and renowne we haue to this day by many most notable victories gained But time and space and the sight of the enemie shall furnish vs with this deuise Now that my discourse may come to the purposed end first of all all things subiect either to the furie or victorie of the enemie are to be remoued out of the way all people of what age sex or condition soeuer are to be brought out of the countrey into places of safetie and then our towns are to be furnished with strong garrisons and all other necessarie prouision against all the chaunces of fortune Besides who knoweth the secret designes of the tyrant or whether he himselfe of long time desirous of reuenge and thirsting after our blood will follow the Bassa at the heeles or no Perhaps I may beleeue and feare more than is needfull but it is good to feare all that may be feared that we may indeed feare nothing If all things shall thus be set in order if there shall be nothing left in the fields or in the villages that may enrich feed or feare our enemies and which may withdraw our care and thoughts from our enemies vndoubtedly we shall be victors And if you will be ruled by me and follow my direction in these wars I will assuredly deliuer your enemies into your hands to be slain at your pleasure and by the leaue of God will make the name and valour of the Epirots more terrible vnto the Turke than euer it hath been in the time of our ancestors I flatter not my selfe I deceiue you not if any thing may be promised in worldly actions this I assure you of and this will I take vpon mee But thâ—se things are better done than said In the meane while to spend no more time in longer talke and discourse than which no greater losse can be to soldiors let euery one of vs take a part in this charge for the good disposing of all things and how to withstand the enemie I will not commaund any thing to others which I will not my selfe doe I will refuse nothing or reckon
otherwise he regarded as was thought no religion at all But Zenus the Venetian embassadour lying continually in the Persian court so wrought the matter with Vsun-Cassanes that hee told the Turkes embassadours plainely That he could not nor would not longer endure the manifest injurie and wrong done vnto him by the Turkish king and farther that hee had made a faithfull league with the Christian princes and therefore would to the vttermost of his power make it knowne vnto the world that he would effectually performe what thing soeuer he had promised and so dismissed them now no lesse discontented than were before the Persian embassadours at such time as they returned from the Turkes court hauing obtained nothing they then requested concerning the emperour of TRAPEZOND The yeare following Mocenicus the Venetian Admirall with his fleet arriued in the Isle of LESBOS where he did great harme From thence hee passed the bay of ADRAMITTIVM into the lesser ASIA and sore spoiled the countrey about PERGAMVS After that hee landed againe at CNIDVS vpon the coast of CARIA where he tooke a great bootie and so hauing done the Turkes exceeding much harme in ASIA all alongst the sea coast opposit to GRaeCIA he returned laden with spoile towards PELOPONESVS In his returne about the promontorie of MALEA vpon the coast of PELOPONESVS he met with Richaiensis comming vnto him with seuenteene gallies from king Ferdinand by whom hee was certified that the great Bishops fleet was readie to come forth also After mutuall gratulation as the manner at sea is the Admirals joining their fleets in one landed at METHONE now called MODON then a citie of the Venetians in PELOPONESVS where after they had well refreshed their souldiours and taken in fresh victuals they put to sea againe and sailing through the Islands landed in ASIA where they were at their first landing encountered by the countrey Turkes whom at last they put to flight and by the space of foure daies tooke what pillage they could in the countrey where the souldiours found great store of rich bootie especially of Turkie carpets which are there made in great abundance From thence they sayled to HALICARNASVS which is a part of CARIA where sometime stood the stately tombe which queene Artemesia built for her husband Maâ—solus accounted amongst the wonders of the world where they tooke a wonderfull spoile There came vnto them Nicholas Bishop of MODRVSSA with twentie gallies sent from the great Bishop whom the other two Generals welcommed with great joy At the same time also came thither two gallies from the great master of the RHODES With this fleet of 85 gallies they sailed to the Isle of SAMOS oueragainst EPHESVS sometime a place of great fame but then altogether desolate and vnpeopled there to consult for their further proceeding in those warres Loosing from SAMOS they tooke their course alongst the coast of ASIA and landed at ATTALIA the cheefe citie of PAMPHILIA a place of great trafficke where they found in the suburbes of the cittie great store of many rich commodities brought thither out of AEGIPT and SYRIA whereof they tooke what pleased them and burnt the rest together with the suburbes Vnto the cittie it selfe they began to lay siege but perceiuing that it was not without great losse of their men to be taken they departed thence and running all alongst the coast of PAMPHILIA burnt and destroied what came in their way and so returned backe againe to the RHODES where they met an embassadour from Vsun-Cassanes the Persian king to the bishop and the Venetians for great ordinance whereof that so mightie a prince was altogether vnfurnished Of this embassador they vnderstood that Vsun-Cassanes was entered into league with the Christian princes and now busie in making preparation against the Turke At which time Mahomet requited the Venetians with no lesse harme in EPIRVS and DALMATIA than they had done to him in ASIA for now that Scanderbeg was dead the Turkes mightely preuailed vpon the weake princes of EPIRVS and ALBANIA with the countries adjoyning The Christian fleet departing from the RHODES landed in the countrey of the Myndians a part of CARIA and with great spoile returned to the Island of NAXOS one of the CYCLADES from whence king Ferdinand his gallies returned home laded with much rich spoile for now the yeare was farre spent Yet after the departure of the kings gallies Mocenicus with the Legate returned backe againe into ASIA and there landing their men tooke the famous citie of SMYRNA in IONIA and when they had taken the spoile thereof set it on fire At which time also they did great harme about CLAZOMENE not far from SMYRNA So Winter drawing now fast on they returned laded with the rich spoiles of ASIA the Legate into ITALIE and Mocenicus to METHONE The insatiable desire of soueraignetie whereunto the Turkish king was naturally enclined had continually armed him not onely against the Christian princes but against others also euen of his owne superstition making no great difference betwixt the one the other if so he might extend his dominion He had long before vnder the pretence of a friendly parley craftely circumuented the king of MYSIA a countrey in ASIA and hauing got him within his danger cruelly put him to death and by force subduing his kingdome left not one of the kings blood aliue After that he inuaded CILICIA which the Turkes call CARAMANIA where the two young brethren Pyramet and Cassambet raigned and draue them both out of CILICIA of whom Pyramet the elder fled for refuge to Vsun-Cassanes Cassambet the yonger assisted by his old friends sought by force of armes to recouer againe his inheritance wrongfully by the Turkes possessed and was besieging certaine townes vpon the sea coast which being taken from the Turkeâ— would easily draw all the rest of the kingdome after them Mocenicus the Venetian Admirall being now with the first of the Spring come vpon the coast of CILICIA at the request of Cassambet landed certaine companies of his men vnder the leading of Victor Superantius and certaine peeces of great artillerie wherewith he so battered the wals of SICHINVM that hee enforced the Turkes therein to yeeld vp the citie which he deliuered to Cassambet In like manner he tooke the citie of CORYCVS which he also restored to Cassambet At last hee laid siege to Sâ—LEVCIA which standeth vpon the riuer ORONTES and was built by king Seleucus one of the successors of Alexander the Great distant from the sea about fiue miles the Gouernour of this citie discouraged with the sight of the great artillerie deliuered the citie to the Venetian captain who by the appointment of the Admirall restored the same to Cassambet Who by this meanes brought againe into his kingdome gaue great thankes vnto the Admirall promising both for himselfe and for his brother to be alwayes friends vnto the Venetians Mocenicus departing from CILICIA landed his men in LYCIA and harried that countrey all
and so hardly laid vnto them that notwithstanding their great number they began now againe to wauer and shrinke backe Which thing the tyrant perceiuing from the mount in great rage commanded his canoniers as fast as they could to discharge the great ordinance into the breach without anie regard of his owne men so that togither with them he might also kill some of the Christians and withall imperiously commanded his captaines with all their force and power to maintaine the assault threatning them with most horrible death if they returned without victorie Hereupon the assault was againe renewed euery man in shew at least set downe there to doe his last deuoire But the great ordinance still playing vpon the breach slew manie of the Turkes as well as of the Christians Thrise the great shot fell amongst the Turkes themselues and rent in sunder a great number of them which were formost to the great discouragement of the rest whereof the tyrant had small regard so that togither with them he might also diminish the number of the defendants Neuerthelesse such was the desperat furie of the enemie that the citie was in no small danger to haue been euen presently taken had not fresh supplies come from other places of the citie which they were appointed vnto who with great courage resisted the enemie Yet the Turkes farre exceeding in number and fresh men continually stepping vp in stead of them which lay by heapes vnder their feet and serued them in stead of steps to get vp to the rampiers maintained a long and terrible fight at which time the great ordinance also sore annoied the defendants so that with one shot whereby the greatnesse of the harmes done at other times may be gathered eighteene of the Christian defendants were slaine As for arrowes they flew as thicke as haile into the citie so that they obscured the light of the day and lay in most places of the street a span thicke so that for the space of a moneth after the inhabitants vsed no other fuell to burne but Turkish arrowes It was a ruthfull sight to haue seene the bodies of the valiant Christians rent in sunder with the great shot and pieces of them cleauing vpon euerie wall thereabout euerie street was stained with their bloud the great ordinance continually thundred churches and houses came ratling downe yea the heauie countenance of the ayre it selfe seemed to bewaile the miserie of the poore Christians besides the noise of trumpets drums and other instruments of warre with the horrible crie of the hellish Turkes was so great and hideous that it seemed as if heauen and earth should haue gone togither nothing was to be heard but the verie terrour of the eare nothing to be seene but death and the verie instruments of death And now in this extremitie a fearefull crie ran through the citie That without present helpe all would be lost at the great gate Wherupon not onely they which were whole which were the fewest in number but they also which lay wounded or sicke in their beds cheering vp themselues with weapons in their hands ran with speed to the place where the danger was chusing rather there to die than to be slaine in their beds Thus whilest the Christians of all sorts and from all parts of the citie ran desperatly to the gate the Turkes were on euerie side hardly pressed and in great number slaine yet fresh men still comming vp as if they had sprung out of the earth the deadly fight was by them still maintained For the Turkes on the one side for feare of the tyrant laboured with might and maine to win the citie and the Christians on the other knowing no hope left for them if they should be ouercome with no lesse resolution defended the same In this obstinacie of minds manie fell on both sides sometimes the Turkes seemed to haue the better and were straight way by the Christians put to the worse Which manner of mortall fight with doubtfull euent was continued most part of that day vntill that at length manie being on both parts slaine and the rest for most part sore wounded and hurt the furie of the assault began to assuage for the Turkes now wearie of that long and deadly fight and fainting with their wounds had no great stomacke to mount vp the rampiers where they saw no hope to preuaile but all things threatning present death Mahomet beholding the wonderfull slaughter of his men and that hauing done what was possible for men to doe they now fought as men discouraged and in despaire of victorie himselfe caused a retrait to be sounded which the Turkes no sooner heard but that they left the assault and without order ran to their tents as men halfe feared out of their wits Of this victorie the Christians as they had good cause rejoyced greatly yet was this joy mingled with much sorrow and heauinesse for the losse of such worthy men as were slaine in that assault manie of whose bodies they were glad to gather vp by peâ—cemeale some here some there some cleauing on this wall and some on that which they as the time would giue leaue honourably buried with the rest of the slaine At which time also they with all diligence and expedition repaired their breaches and put all things in such readinesse as if they should haue presently receiued a fresh assault Mahomet wonderfully grieued with the shamefull dishonour and great losse he had receiued at the last assault repented himselfe that euer he had taken the matter in hand wishing that hee had neuer heard of the name of SCODRA and in his choller and frantike rage most horribly blasphamed against God most wickedly saying That it were enough for him to haue care of heauenly things and not to crosse him in his worldly actions In which furie he descended from the mount and got him into his tent where he againe tormented himselfe with his melancholie passions by the space of two daies wherein he would neither be spoke withall or admit any man to his presence Vpon the third day he called a generall counsell of his commaunders and best souldiours and there openly before them all said That he was determined to giue the enemie a fresh assault for that being weakned with so manie assaults he could not possibly be able to hold out another and therefore hoped for an easie victorie But he had no sooner so said but that all they that heard him cried out with one voice to the contrarie saying That it was not by anie meanes to be attempted forasmuch as his best souldiours were alreadie slaine and the greater part of them that were left either sore wounded or brought to that weaknesse that they were not able to doe anie more seruice and that therefore it were better for them to kill one another or else himselfe to kill them one by one than to expose them to be so shamefully butchered by the Christians In this diuersitie of opinions
through ROME And neuer satisfied with bloud which he without measure shed he tooke the citie of FAVENTIA from Astor Manfredus a young gentleman of rare perfection whom after the beastly tyrant had most horribly abused against nature he caused to be cruelly strangled and his dead bodie to be cast into Tiber. Hauing thus filled the measure of his iniquitie and as a fretting canker hauing either deuoured or driuen into exile most part of the Roman nobilitie and purposing by the supportation of his father to make himselfe lord and soueraigne both of the citie and of all LATIVM in the pride of his thoughts he was by the hand of the most highest attached and cast downe and that by such meanes as he least feared For being with his father at a solemn supper in the Vaticane of purpose prepared for the destruction of certaine rich Cardinals and some other honourable citizens they were both poisoned by the fatall errour of one of the waiters who mistaking of a flagon gaue the poisoned wine to the accursed bishop and his sonne which was prepared for the guests whereof the old bishop in few daies after died But his sonne who had drunke the same more delaied with water although he died not of long time after yet presently fell into such an extreame sickenesse that he was not able to helpe himselfe or to commaund his desperat followers whereof he had great store but lying sicke in short time saw himselfe of them forsaken and two of his enemies Pius the Third and Iulius the Second one after another sitting in his fathers place Of which two Pius enjoyed that pontificall dignitie but sixteene daies and Iulius succeeding him caused this Caesar Borgia who of right had deserued a thousand deaths to bee shut vp in the castle called MOâ—ES ADRIANI from whence he set him at libertie vpon the deliuerie of certaine strong holds which were yet holden by his garrisons After he had thus rid himselfe out of Iulius the bishops hands he fled to OSTIA and so by sea to NAPLES where he was by the commaundement of Ferdinand king of SPAINE apprehended by Consaluus the Great and transported into SPAINE for feare least he being of a most troublesome nature and much resorted vnto by his old fauourits should raise some new stirs in ITALIE He was no sooner arriued in SPAINE but he was cast into prison in the castle of MEDINA where after he had lien three yeares he deceiued his keepers and with a roape which he had gotten let himselfe downe from an high tower of the castle and so escaping fled to the king of NAVARRE whom he afterwards serued in his wars and was in an hoat skirmish against the kings enemies wherin he had obtained the victorie slaine with a small shot Vnworthy after so manie horrible villanies to haue ended his daies so honorably His dead bodie was found stript and so brought vnto the king vpon a bad beast as if it had been a dead calfe all naked which was by his commandement honourably buried at PAMPILONA But to returne againe from whence we haue something too long with this troublesome body gone astray The French king hauing thus lost both his great hostages Zemes the Turke by death and the Cardinall Borgia by escape held on his journey towards NAPLES and with wonderfull successe preuailed as hee went all places yeelding vnto him without any great resistance Alphonsus seeing himselfe destitute of such aid as he had in vaine requested both of the Turkish emperour and of the Venetians and now almost beset with his mightie enemy to whom so manie strong places had in shorter time been deliuered than anie man had before imagined and withall considering with himselfe how that he had lost the hearts of his subjects the strongest defence of princes for that most of the nobilitie and especially the Neapolitans hated him for his too much seueritie in punishing the offenders in the late rebellion wherein the princes of SARNE and SALERNE were chiefe and the common people were no lesse offended with the grieuous and heauie exactions required of them for the maintenance of these warres insomuch that their murmuring speeches came oftentimes to his owne hearing as oftentimes it falleth out That the hatred of the subjects against their princes which hath for feare of long time beene dissembled during their prosperitie more frankly and fiercely breaketh out in their declining estate For these causes Alphonsus fearing to be forsaken of his people as a man in despaire with aboundance of tears openly in the sight of all the Neapolitans resigned his kingdome of NAPLES vnto his sonne Ferdinand when as he had as yet scarcely raigned one whole yeare after the death of Ferdinand his father and with foure gallies passed ouer to MAZEREA a citie of CICILIA His son Ferdinand a prince of rare perfection and singularly graced with all the vertues of true nobilitie and thereto deerely beloued of all the people was to the wonderfull contentment of the Neapolitans with great joy and acclamations saluted king and so hauing performed all the ceremonies belonging to his coronation returned presently to his armie By this time the French king with all his forces was entered farre into the kingdome of NAPLES and hauing taken by assault certaine cities which trusted too much to their owne strength strucke such a generall terrour into the minds of the Neapolitanes that they thought no place now strong ynough to abide his batteries or power sufficient to encounter his forces Ferdinand the young king with his armie had taken the straits of the forrest of S. Germane thereby to impeach the further passage of the French king But whilest he was there busied he was suddenly aduertised that Fabritius Columna with a great power of Frenchmen had by the Appenines broken into CAMPANIA and so was marching towards him wherefore doubting to bee shut vp betwixt two strong armies of the enemies he retired speedily to CAPVA a strong citie situat vpon the riuer Vulturnus purposing there by meanes of that deepe riuer to stay the French from passing farther But whilest hee lay there newes was brought vnto him That all the cittie of NAPLES was in an vprore and that the citizens were all vp in armes as men in doubt which way to turne themselues Ferdinand not a little troubled with these bad newes commended the charge of his armie and the defence of the citie of CAPVA to his cheefe captaines and rid himselfe in post backe againe to NAPLES It is a strange thing to tell what a suddaine alteration ensued vpon his arriuall there for suddenly all the tumult was appeased euery man laied downe his armes and welcommed him with a generall gratulation for he was a man of a great and an inuincible courage and of so comely a personage as might easily win the hearts of his subjects insomuch that when he earnestly requested them that they would not traiterously betray him vnto his barbarous cruell enemies being
before receiued so great hurt Selymus by speedie flight thus got out of the hands of the Persians found his passing much more dangerous at the mountaine ANTITAVRVS than he had before thought of For Aladeules the mountaine king hauing now his fortune in contempt and diligently waiting for his prey had with his sauage people before taken all the straight passages of that mountaine countrey who euery night in theeuish manner assailed the Turks as they with their weake and wearie companies passed through those rough and broken wayes and robbing their carriages presently fled into their haunts and places of refuge in the thicke woods and rockie mountaines Aladeules himselfe in the meane time by whose fraud all this was done euery day excusing himselfe as if it had beene done against his will by the rude mountaine people enured to such desperate robberies whom neuerthelesse he said he would in short time seuerely chastise so soon as he could find the authors thereof In the meane while for fashion sake sending a little spare prouision for certaine dayes did euery night rob and spoile the Turkes by his souldiours as they could take them in places of aduauntage Against which mischeefes Selymus could neither by policie neither his souldiors by industrie prouide any sufficient remedie Wherfore dissembling the injuries he dayly receiued purposing to be thereof in time reuenged together with the foule and trecherous dealing of that faithlesse king holding on his way he with much adoe came at length to TRAPEZOND and from thence to AMASIA where he spent that Winter in repairing his sore weakened armie purposing with the first of the Spring to make warre vpon Aladeules and the mountaine people who in his returne had done him so great harme and injurie In this sort Iouius one of the great historiographers of that time reporteth the aforesaid wars betwixt Hysmael and Selymus whose credit in that matter other writers haue since for most part followed Howbeit Io. Ant. Maenauinus a Genoway who serued in these warres doth in his booke concerning the Turkish affaires dedicated to the French king much otherwise report the same which to satisfie the desirous reader I haue thought good here in few words to set down as it is by himselfe reported Selymus saith he with his armie in number about three hundred thousand men being come to the riuer Euphrates found the bridge broken downe by his nephew Amurat and his enemies encamped in conuenient place on the farther side of the riuer with their forces greatly encreased by new supplies lately sent from the Persian king so that there was then in the Persian armie about ninetie thousand men horse and foot the horsemen for most part furnished with two horses apeece for seruice and though Selymus did what hee might to know whether the Persian king were in person himselfe in the campe or els which hee most feared was raising of greater forces in PERSIA yet could he by no meanes learne the truth of that he desired Wherfore repairing againe the broken bridge he first sent ouer his two great lieutenants of GRaeCIA and NATOLIA who passing ouer the riuer encamped themselues as they thought conuenient The next morning about two houres before the rising of the Sunne Amurat suddenly assailed the great commander of GRaeCIA Casan Bassa in his trenches and by plaine force discomfâ—ted the Turkes and by good fortune tooke from them their tents whereupon such a terrour and feare came vpon the other great commaunder of NATOLIA that his souldiors thrusting themselues for feare into the riuer swam ouer with great danger and againe joyned themselues with the rest of the armie Selymus troubled with the great losse thus receiued caused all his great artillerie to be placed all alongst the hithermost banke of the riuer Euphrates and because the enemie should not perceiue the same raunged certaine companies of his souldiors before the ordinance as if they should presently haue passed the riuer who vpon signall giuen should forthwith withdraw themselues and giue place to the great ordinance bent vpon the enemie But when fire was giuen to these great pieces many of them being ouercharged burst in sunder and slew diuers of the Turkes many also of their horses and mules being neere vnto the riuers side and terrified with the thundering shot leapt into the riuer and were there drowned together with their riders The Persians also hauing receiued great losse retired farther off for feare of the great artillerie So Selymus without resistance passing ouer the riuer marched forthwith toward the enemie whom the Persians as men nothing dismaied notably encountered The battell was of long time doubtfull and much bloud shed on both sides and if the approch of the night had not broken off that mortall fight the Persian armie rather ouercharged with the multitude of the enemie than vanquished by valour had vndoubtedly receiued a great ouerthrow but through the benefit of the night they without further losse escaped the pursute of the Turkes Vpon this victorie Selymus left his carriages and baggage with his footmen and taking with him only his horsemen set forward with intention to haue vpon the suddaine surprised the regall citie of TAVRIS before the fame of the late fought battaile could be carried thither the Persians in the meane time being no lesse carefull of their affaires The day before ten thousand fresh horsemen well appointed which had not yet beene in the battaile were comming to Hysmaell these he craftely laied in the Turkes way commaunding them vpon the approch of the enemie to flie as if it had beene for feare Selymus in the morning hauing descried these horsemen at hand supposing them to be such of his enemies as being ouertaken with the night were not able to follow the rest of his armie exhorted his souldiors couragiously to pursue their discouraged enemies The Persians seeing the Turks of purpose betooke themselues to flight and they suspecting no deceit followed fast after them vntill that about mid day being wearie of the pursute and comming to a little riuer which was in their way they there stayed to refresh themselues and after they had taken a short repast againe pursued the Persians still leauing behind them such as were not able so fast to follow prickt forward with hope that before night they should surprise and ransacke the rich citie of TAVRIS The Turkish horsemen thus drawne farre from the footmen the Persian horsemen left in ambush in the meane time set vpon the Turkes footmen lying as they supposed in great securitie and with a great slaughter ouerthrew them at which time they also tooke all Selymus his treasure and great artillerie Which ouerthrow was by speedie posts about two a clocke in the night made knowne to Selymus who now in his mind alreadie conceiued the sacking of TAVRIS and withall that the fierce enemie was following him at the heeles Selymus wonderfully abashed with this vnexpected newes and the losse of his footmen forthwith began to
Alis Beg with secret letters and rewards to persuade him in so fit a time to reuenge his fathers death which thing if he would performe by some notable exploit vpon Aladeules he should both purchase vnto himselfe great credit with Selymus and also the kingdome These homely messengers according as was giuen them in charge hauing imparted the matter to Sinan Bassa within few daies had so wrought that Alis Beg whom the desire of a kingdome togither with Selymus his rewards prickt forward to seeke reuenge was easily drawne to joyne hands with Selymus And when he could no other way hurt Aladeules who mistrusting all things warily looked vnto himselfe he found the means to go ouer to Sinan Bassa carrying after him a great part of Aladeules his best horsemen by whose meanes the rest also which remained being with rewards corrupted one companie after another came at last all ouer vnto the Bassa Aladeules circumuented with this vnexpected treacherie which neuer before thought it possible that his men should all so suddenly haue forsaken him and reuolted vnto the Turkes was now glad to repose all his hope in secret flight But Sinan Bassa and Alis Beg hardly pursuing him as he fled thorough the mountaines hiding himselfe in rockes and the thicke woods at last drew him out of a caue being betraied by the countrey peasants Aladeules being brought to Selymus was within a few daies after put to death and his head in great derision afterwards carried about through all ASIA the lesse and afterward by way of barbarous ostentation sent by Selymus to the Senat of VENICE as a loathsome testimonie of his victorie Aladeules thus dead Selymus reduced all his kingdome into the forme of a prouince which he deuided into three parts and after the manner of the Turkish gouernment appointed to euerie part a Sanzacke yet so that Alis Beg should be chiefe ouer the rest with such soueraigntie as that he wanted nothing of a king but the name only And for the better gouernment of all things in that new gained kingdome he left Sinan Bassa there all the rest of that sommer with commaundement that after he had set all things in good order he should winter at ICONIVM and he himselfe with a small traine returned to CONSTANTINOPLE for he had heard that whilest he was busied in his wars against Hysmaell and Aladeules in ARMENIA that the Hungarians had made diuers incursions into SERVIA and spoiled that countrey Wherefore for feare of losing SAMANDRIA which standing neere to Danubius for the conuenient situation thereof is reputed the bulwarke of SERVIA and THRACIA he sent Ionuses Bassa then gouernour of BOSNA with eight thousand horsemen who passing the riuer Sauus entred into CROATIA as farre as CETINVM and at the same time transported an other armie ouer Danubius into HVNGARIE to the intent that the Hungarians at one instant beset with double danger should be enforced to feare their owne state and withall to shew vnto the world of what strength and power the Othoman emperours were Deeming it to concerne much both for the present and the time to come to the daunting of the Christians if hee should by his happie attempts make it knowne that he could at once easily and readily maintaine so many and so puissant armies and wage so great warres in diuers parts of the world and so farre distant one from an other In the end of the yeare when he had thus with double inuasion repressed the Hungarians he spent the Winter following at HADRIANOPLE CONSTANTINOPLE in making of greater preparation for warre than euer he had before from the beginning of his raigne For he was aduertised that the great monaches of the North his neighbours namely Maximilian the emperour Vladislaus king of HVNGARIE and Sigismundus king of POLONIA with the princes of GERMANIE had combined themselues togither to make warre vpon him But after he had learned by his sure intelligencers whom he had with great charge sent into all parts of EVROPE diligently to obserue what was done in the courts of those great princes that all the great meetings of the Christian princes proued nothing but glorious words and sumptuous banquets he being rid of that vaine feare God so appointing turned himselfe and all those his wonderfull preparations againe toward the East to the great quiet of Christendome in generall Yet least happily in the absence of himselfe and of his armies the Christian princes might take occasion to inuade his dominions he strengthened the frontiers of his empire with most strong garrisons and left his sonne Solyman who afterward proued the great scourge of Christendome at HADRIANOPLE with a strong power and Pyrrhus Bassa his tutor a man of great wisedome and gouernment at CONSTANTINOPLE This great Bassa was of CILICIA a natiue Turke borne which was a thing accounted strange forasmuch as the great Bassaes were alwaies chosen of the Christian bloud After that he sent Cherseogles whom of all others he most trusted with his armie into BYTHINIA and made Zafferus an eunuch Admirall of his nauie which he had but a little before built and with a wonderfull labor and charge rigged forth Then staying a few daies at CONSTANTINOPLE to see the young souldiours but then chosen Ianizaries he departed thence and went to his old armie lying with Sinan Bassa at ICONIVM purposing to haue againe inuaded the Persian When he was come thither he vnderstood that Campson Gaurus Sultan of AEGYPT with a great armie leuied in AEGYPT and IVDEA was come into SYRIA giuing it out that he would aid the Persian king his confederat and with all hostilitie enter into CILICIA if Selymus should farther proceed to inuade Hysmaell the Sophi his friend and allie Selymus perplexed with these newes and fearing that if he should once passe ouer the riuer Euphrates Campson lying so neere in readinesse should forthwith breake in at his backe into ASIA by the mountaine AMANVS and so endanger that part of his dominion staied at ICONIVM and sent his embassadours with great presents to Campson to pacifie him if it might be The chiefe men in this embassage were the Cadelescher a man of great account amongst the Turks and of them exceedingly reuerenced for the opinion they had of his great Mahometane superstition who afterwards wrote the Commentaries of this warre and Iachis a great captaine The scope of whose embassage was to entreat Campson that he would not hinder or disturbe Selymus from making warre vpon the Persian king who had so often and so forceably inuaded his dominions in ASIA and by bringing in a new forme of superstition had corrupted and altered the most certaine grounds of the Mahometane religion And if they found him resolutly set downe and not to be by any conditions remoued then with all possible diligence to learne his strength and farther designes so farre as by any means they could and with all speed to make their returne But Campson now farre spent
shore to receiue them that were able to flie thither there had not one of them which landed escaped the hands of the Island people The Turkes hauing receiued this losse left the Island and put to sea againe The Rhodians for the most part now assured and out of doubt of the comming of the Turks by the persuasion of Gabriell Pomerolus vicemaster and other men of great experience pluck downe the suburbes of the citie and laid them euen with the ground their pleasant orchards also and gardens neeâ—e vnto the citie they vtterly destroyed the Great Master for example sake beginning first with his owne beeing a place of great delicacie lying vnder the wals neere vnto the French bulwarke and taking into the citie all such things as they thought needfull for the enduring of the siege they vtterly destroyed all the rest were it neuer so pleasant or commodious within a mile of the towne leauing all that space as euen and bare as they could possibly make it to the intent that the enemie at his comming should find nothing neere the citie whereof to make vse But whilest the pleasures and delights of the suburbes are thus in defacing another more heauie and wofull sight presented vnto the eies of the citisens filled the citie with greater mourning and pensiuenesse than did the comming of the enemie The miserable multitude of the poore countrey people some bringing wood some corne some cattell some foules and other such necessaries as they had out of the countrie into the citie for so the Great master had commaunded after whom followed great numbers of women and children weeping with dischiueled haire scratching their faces and tearing themselues after the manner of the countrie wringing their hands and casting vp their eies to heauen beseeching God with heauie countenance and flouds of teares to defend the noble citie of the RHODES and themselues from the furie of their enemies Which multitude of countrie people with their prouision being packt vp into narrow roomes in the houses of the citisens and their cattell staruing for want of fodder afterwards corrupted the aire whereof ensued rotten agues and the flix during the time of the siege But after the citie was giuen vp such a plague and mortalitie followed as destroied great numbers of the Turkes and poore Christians which knowing not whither to go chose rather there to die than to forsake their natiue countrey The Generall of the Turkish fleet which landed in the island of CHOS and was of purpose sent by Solyman to prouoke the Rhodians to battell at sea before he with his whole power came to besiege the island came daily with twentie gallies halfe those narrow seas ouer betwixt LYCIA and the RHODES leauing the rest of his fleet riding at anchor at the promontorie called GNIDVM not farre from the citie of the RHODES readie to aid him as need should require this manner of brauerie he vsed many daies togither hoping thereby to allure the Rhodians out of their hauen to giue him battell knowing that if he should therein obtaine the victorie it were at that time little lesse than the taking of the citie or if he could by cruell fight but weaken the forces of the Rhodians he should therein doe his master good seruice and greatly further his victorie by diminishing the number of the defendants When he had many daies without intermission in this proud manner come halfe seas ouer and sometimes passing further came and lay at the mouth of the hauen as it were daring them to fight the Rhodians not wont to be so braued at their owne doores moued with the intollerable insolencie of this proud Turke by their continuall importunitie caused the Great Master to call a counsell to consider whether they should fight with this fleet of the Turkes or not The counsellors by the appointment of the Great Master assembled the Chancelor a man of great authoritie and spirit famous for his noble acts both at home and abroad and chiefe of them which were of opinion this fleet of the Turkes was to be fought withall said So great disgrace was not longer to be suffered but presently reuenged For said he the hugie fleet of the Turks I do not sate at whose force sight but at whose verie name many men do tremble and quake which for all that is vnto vs no great noueltie for euerie yeare we heare of the like is as a head to be ioined vnto these piraticall gallies as members and then will it be most expedient which will be a most easie thing for vs to doe hauing the better both for strength of shipping and number and valour of men to giue that great head such a blow and wound by cutting off these limbes that it shall euer after stagger and faint for want of strength or else there is no other fleet at all prepared against vs to follow this and then this discomfited we shall be at quiet Which thing in my iudgement though others which feare their owne shadowes and the falling of heauen say otherwise is most like to be true for the great Turke is not so sottish to come hither the fittest time of the yeare being so far spent in the latter end of Iune to besiege this citie and such a citie as he knoweth to be most strong wanting nothing that is needfull and thorowly manned with valiant souldiours from whence his auncestors haue been with losse and shame repulsed when as the remainder of the Sommer will be spent before he can encampe himselfe and place his batteries and Winter time as you know is vnfit for anie siege especially in this island wherein they can find no hauen or harbour to rest in Wherefore on Gods name let vs set vpon our proud enemies and let vs not for a few threatning words sent vnto vs from a fearfull youth vpon a finenesse and pollicie least we should follow the taile of his sleet bound for some other place sit still like cowards within our wals with our hands in our bosomes as men which for feare and dread durst not shew their heads Which our cowardise and want of courage we forsooth call Fabius his pollicie but I would to God we were like Fabius but I feare we shall prooue more like Antiochus the Aetholians the Vitellians all whose courage consisted in words vainly hoping to gaine the victorie by sitting still and wishing well But the helpe of God is not to be gotten by womens praiers and supplications or these faint-hearted pollicies which cowards call aduised counsell but victorie is gained by aduenturing and exposing our selues to danger and perill With these and such like speeches he so moued the multitude which commonly conceiueth most courage vpon the greatest vncertainties that they desired that they might fight saying That they would wash away that foule disgrace with the bloud and slaughter of their enemies for why they wanted not weapons courage or hands as they said to doe it withall For all
and lay by heapes slaine in the ditches and breaches of the towne Solyman from his standing for that purpose made of high masts beholding the miserable slaughter of his men and no hope of gaining the citie caused a retreat to be sounded a thing welcome both to the Rhodians and the Turkes In this terrible assault which endured by the space of six houres diuers of the knights of the Order were slaine especially of the French and Spanish nation with a hundred and fiftie common souldiours all worthie of eternall fame and of the Turks as they which write most modestly report twentie thousand The yong tyrant was so much offended with the shamefull repulse he had receiued at this last assault that he fell into a rage against all them who had persuaded him to enter into that action but especially against the great Bassa Mustapha whom he accused as an vnfaithfull counsellour and cheefe persuader of that vnluckie warre who flattering him in his vaine humour by extolling his forces aboue measure falsely extenuating the power of the enemie assuring him that vpon the first approch of his armie they would yeeld themselues without resistance had drawne him into that dangerous expedition like to sort to the great dishonour of himselfe and all the Othoman familie for which doing he adjudged him worthie of death and in a great furie commanded the executioner without further delay to put him to death in his presence Which dreadfull doome so suddenly and vpon so light an occasion giuen vpon a man of so great marke and qualitie strucke such a terrour into the minds of all there present that none of them durst speake one word against the rigour of that sentence or so much as fet a sigh in pitying of his case The executioner now readie to giue the fatall stroke Pirrhus the most antient of all the Bassaes moued with compassion and presuming of his great fauour with the tyrant whom he had from his childhood had the charge and gouernment of stept foorth and appealing vnto his mercie earnestly requested him to spare his life Wherewith Solyman was so filled with wrath and indignation that for his presumption and for sending for him to CONSTANTINOPLE to come to that dangerous siege he commaunded him to be executed also All the rest of the counsellors seeing the danger of these two great men fell downe at the feet of the fuming tyrant crauing pardon saying That the enemies ground had alreadie drunke too much of the Turkish bloud and was not to be further moistened with the bloud of such two noble personages and worthie counsellors Solyman moued with this generall intercession of his great men pausing a little vpon the matter the heat of his furie being something ouer suffered himselfe to bee intreated and graunted them their liues vnto Pyrrhus for his great age and wisdome and to Mustapha for his wiues sake who was the tyrants naturall sister sometime the wife of Bostanges All the time of this siege the Turkes great fleet furnished with men and all manner of warlike prouision lay before the entrance of the hauen without doing any thing at all for the Admirall being no man of warre seeing the mouth of the hauen chained and the castles vpon the entrance full of ordinance and strongly manned durst not attempt either to enter the hauen or besiege the castles for which his cowardise and for that he had negligently suffered prouision both of victuall and munition to be conueyed into the citie during the time of the siege to the great releefe of the besieged he was by Solyman adjudged to die a most cruell death but by the mediation of Achimetes one of his best men of warre the seueritie of that sentence was changed into a punishment vnto any noble mind more grieuous than death it selfe For he was by Solymans commaundement openly set vpon the poupe of the admirall gallie and there as a slaue receiued at the hands of the executioner a hundred stripes with a cudgell and so with shame was thrust out of his office After that Solyman had in so many places with all his power so long time in vaine besieged the RHODES his haughtie courage began to quaile so that he was vpon point to haue raised his siege and left the Island yea the greefe he had conceiued went so neere him that he many times fainted and lay speechlesse as if he had been a dead man The remembrance of so many vnfortunat assaults the death of so many worthie captaines the losse of so many valiant souldiors sufficient to haue subdued a great kingdome so much grieued him that a great while after he shunned the companie of men and would not suffer himselfe to be spoken withall vntill at length he was againe by Abraham his minion a man in whom he tooke singular pleasure recomforted and persuaded to continue the siege for that Time as he said which worketh all things would at length tame the fiercenesse of his enemies whom the sword could not vpon the suddaine subdue In the meane time Solyman for his pleasure and to shew vnto the Rhodians that he purposed not to depart began to build a sumptuous castle vpon the top of the mount PHILERMVS in the eye of the citie During which time diuers letters were shot into the citie with Turkish arrowes out of the campe wherein many of Solymans most secret counsels were reuealed and the reuolt of a great man promised which the Rhodians by many circumstances gathered to haue been Mustapha who could not easily forget the injurie so lately offered vnto him by Solyman needs it must be some one of Solymans secret counsell otherwise he could not haue reuealed so great secrets as it were out of the bosome of Solyman But see the chance at the very same time tidings came vnto Solyman That Cayerbeius the gouernour of AEGIPT was dead in whose place Solyman sent Mustapha to CAIRE as gouernour of AEGIPT by that honourable preferment again to please his discontented mind after which time no more letters came into the citie Now the Turkes began to make faire warres their terrible batteries began to grow calme and for certaine daies it seemed by the manner of their proceeding that they purposed rather by long siege than by assault to take the towne Neuerthelesse the enemies watching day and night in their trenches vsed all the policie they could sometimes offering vnto the souldiors vpon the wals great rewards if they would yeeld vp the citie and sometimes threatening them as fast and to breed a dislike amongst the defendants they would oftentimes say that Solyman desired only to be reuenged vpon the Latines without meaning any harme vnto the Greekes It was now the beginning of October and Winter began to grow fast on great raine with terrible thunder and lightening and mightie tempests heauens threats then fell so abundantly that the Turks before wearied in bodie with labour and wounds were now also in mind
You heard sacred fellowes in armes and valiant citizens of the RHODES these imperious and sorrowfull letters whereunto how we are to answere requireth no great deliberation we must as resolute men either yeeld or die all hope of victorie is gone except forraine aid come Wherefore if yâ—â— will follow my counsell let vs with weapons in our hands vntill the last gaspe and the spending of the last drop of our bloud like valiant men defend our faith and nobilitie receiued from our auncestours and the honour which we haue so long time gotten both at home and abroad and let it neuer be said that our honour died but with our selues This speech of the Great Master seemed vnto many heauier than the imperious commaundement of the Turkish tyrant and a great while men stood silent heauily looking one vpon another many with changing of their countenance and outward gesture more than by words expressing what they thought in heart At length a certaine Greeke priest with great compassion of mind as it seemed and teares trickling downe his cheekes brake forth into these words And I would also hold my peace if I were a priuat man and not first of all in so great and troubled an assemblie broach mine owne opinion But for as much as the regard of our common preseruation can wring a word out of no mans mouth and all men know that now is the time to speake and say what euery man thinketh best which shall neither alwaies nor long be graunted vnto vs I will not let it now ouerpasse and slip away Wherefore let vs suppose that no commaund of a most mightie prince besieging vs were come vnto vs but that I were reasoning as a priuat man with his neighbor or one friend with another by the fire side or in our cups without care without any great affection to either partie as men indifferent not liking or hating as men oftentimes doe of princes affairs which cencerne them nothing and then as I hope my speech shall be vnto you neither vnpleasant nor vnprofitable We Greekes and Latines with ioined armes haue now this six moneths withstood our deadly enemies not onely abroad before our wals but also in the very bowels of our citie without any forraine helpe which as we haue of long time all vainely looked for so are we now euery one of vs out of hope thereof And yet our enemie either moued with the secret goodnesse of God or els ignorant of our strength and forces spent with wounds slaughter sicknesse and perpetuall labour doth voluntarily offer that vnto vs which was of vs to be most of all desired and earnestly sued for Your publicke and priuat treasures the bodies of your selues your wiues and children he keepeth vnuiolated he taketh from vs only the citie which he hath for most part alreadie beaten downe and taken Worthie Great Master and you most valiant Knights I haue knowne your prowesse and valour in many battailes at sea but especially in this siege whereof seeing there is no more vse in this our desperat estate I doe appeale vnto your wisdome and discretion Sithence all is now the conquerors in that he leaueth vnto vs our liues and goods is to be accounted gaines and the yeelding vp of the citie and Island no losse which the victorious enemie alreadie commaundeth which although it be a heauie matter and greâ—uous vnto the nobilitie yet your fortune persuadeth you thereunto Wherefore if you be to be moâ—â—d with any compassion I account it better to yeeld than to be slaine your selues or to see your wiues and children by law of armes to be led away before your faces into miserable captiuitie and seruitude If any Christian compassion remaine in your warlike minds I beseech you seeke not the vtter destruction of this innocent people who I may with modestie say hath not euill deserued of you whom Christ Iesus whom the enemie himselfe would haue preserued That I say this which I speak vnto you for Christian charitie and for no other cause let this be a sufficient testimonie That so long as you were able to resist by your owne power or hoped for aid from forraine princes I neuer spake word or once thought of yeelding but now seeing the fatall ruine of all things about vs our common estate brought vnto the vttermost extremitie our deadly enemie in the heart of our citie no hope and that the warre cannot longer be protracted I wish you to yeeld and for my part had rather make choise of peace thâ—â— warre and to proue the enemies fauour than his furie Most of them there present were of the same mind with the priest But as nothing can be so reasonably spoken as to content all men so this speech was not of them all liked some there were though not many which considering the harmes they had done vnto the Turkes and doubting with what safetie they might yeeld themselues into the power of that faithlesse people had rather to haue fought it out to the last man and so to haue left vnto them a bloudie victorie Amongst these one bold spoken fellow stept forth and in presence of them all dissuaded the yeelding vp of the citie in this sort I haue not been with any thing more vnacquainted than to deliuer my opinion before princes or in such great and publicke assemblies being alwaies more desirous modestly to heare other mens opinions than impudently to thrust forth mine owne But now seeing extreame necessitie will not longer suffer me to keepe my wonted course of silence I will frankely speake my mind and tell you what in my opinion is to be answered vnto the heauie message and imperious commaund of the most perfidious tyrant This cruell enemie hath ouerthrowne our wall and is entred three hundred foot and more within our cittie and as a most troublesome guest liueth and conuerseth with vs as it were vnder the same roofe Such as list not longer to endure such an vnwelcome guest and troublesome neighbour persuade you because he is troublesome to giue him all But worthie and sacred knights I am of far different opinion neither doe I thinke a possession of 214 yeares is so lightly to be deliuered vp and the ground forsaken but rather that this troublesome intruder is in like manner to be himselfe troubled and with deadly skirmishes continually vexed whom after we had by force of armes and vndaunted courage maugre his head held out fiue moneths at length he brake into our citie not by any valour in himselfe but holpen by time which tameth all things and since his first entrance it is now almost fortie daies in which time for all his hast he hath scarcely got forward 130 paces hindered by the blockes we haue laied in his way and will not cease continually to lay if we be wise men and mindfull of our former valour Destroy me you heauenly powers before I see with these eies these sacred knights to yeeld vp this famous citie
Petrus Perenus came and presented the auntient crowne of the kingdome of HVNGARIE which was in his keeping made after an homely fashion of pure gold with which the lawfull kings of HVNGARIE vsed alwaies to be solemnly crowned It is reported that it was the crowne of Stephanus first king of HVNGARIE and was by an auntient custome alwaies kept in the castle of VICEGRADE And so Iohn the Vayuod was orderly crowned and consecrated by the hands of Paulus bishop of STRIGONIVM lately chosen in steed of Ladislaus Salcanius slaine in the battell at MVGACE and by the hands of Stephanus Brodaricus bishop of VACIA whom he chose for his secretarie And vnto Americus Cibachus he gaue the honor of the Vayuod of TRANSILVANIA being but a little before chosen bishop of VERADIVM In his preferment he was greatly holpen vnto the kingdome by the nobilitie which followed him out of TRANSILVANIA men of great account both in peace and warre amongst whom descended of the Hungarian bloud were chiefe Stephanus Verbetius Paulus Antandrus Gregorius Peschenius Nicolaus Glessa and Ianus Docia But whilest this new king is in this sort busied in rewarding his friends and strengthening himselfe in his kingdome he was aduertised That Ferdinand his competitor of the Hungarian kingdome was chosen king of BOHEMIA who out of the old controuersie betwixt Mathias Coruinus and Fredericus the emperours great grandfather alleadged great claime vnto that kingdome deriued from the time of Ladislaus who was reported to haue beene poisoned at the time of the solemnization of his marriage through the ambition and malice of Georgius Pogibracius who affecting the kingdome of BOHEMIA shortly after obtained the same And now it seemed that the time was come wherein Ferdinand made greater with the kingdome of BOHEMIA and strengthened with the power of his brother Charles the emperour not forgetting his right might vpon good ground lay claime vnto the kingdome of HVNGARIE vnto him as he pretended of right belonging euer since the time of Albertus the emperour Neither did Ferdinand beside the strength of AVSTRIA BOHEMIA want the furtherance of diuers of the princes of HVNGARIE hauing in his court many of vnquiet spirit halfe fugitiues desirous of change which enuied at the Vayuods royall preferment as if it had been taken from themselues more worthie thereof than he by the rash and tumultuous fauour of the vulgar people For besides Bator who in most mens judgement might most worthely haue required and obtained the kingdome there were others also almost of like nobilitie and valour as Valentinus Turaccus Stephanus Maylatus Ianus Scala Gasper Seredius Baltasar Pamphilus and Ferentius Gnarius to whom also was joyned Paulus Bachitius borne in SERVIA a valiant gentleman who being entered into the Mahometane religion to auoid the Turkish slauerie got away vnto the Christians and hardly escaped from the battell of MOHATCHZ By the persuasion of these noble men Ferdinand of his owne disposition readie ynough to claime his right especially a kingdome and trusting vnto his strength in AVSTRIA BOHEMIA RHETIA STIRIA and CARYNTHIA marched directly towards BVDA With whose comming Iohn the new king being wonderfully troubled as a man beset with want of all things hauing neither sufficient strength whereupon to rest in his new got kingdome neither any great assurance of the fidelitie of his subjects like ynough either for feare or of their naturall inconstancie to fall from him determined not to abide the comming of his enemie to BVDA but exhorting his captaines to follow him although he were glad to depart and giue place to his euill fortune for a time with such power as he had brought with him out of TRANSILVANIA such other as he could otherwise leuie he passed ouer the riuer to PESTVM and not daring any where thereabouts to rest by long marches passed ouer the riuer Tibiscus and there encamped at TOCAI which was a strong castle vpon the further side of the riuer His departure being knowne Ferdinand marching on obtained BVDA without resistance where he staied a while and consulted with his captaines Whether he should pursue his flying enemie or not But it was quickly resolued That the discouraged enemy was to be speedily pursued before he should gather greater strength or enter into greater policies Wherefore Ferdinand committed all his armie vnto the nobilitie of HVNGARIE his friends whom we haue before named who marching with all speed possible came to the riuer Tibiscus where passing ouer vpon a bridge made of boats which they brought with them in waggons for that purpose they came with ensignes displayed vnto the castle of TOCAI where the king lay with his armie in order of battell But terrified with the suddaine comming of his enemies and debating with his captaines of the greatnesse of the danger took a course vnto himselfe rather safe than honorable For his captains desiring nothing more than to joine battell and in manner contemning their enemies persuaded him to withdraw himselfe a little out of the battell and to keepe him out of danger and if things fell out otherwise than well to reserue himselfe vnto his better fortunes as for themselues they would most resolutely fight against those traiterous fugitiues for as much as it were great dishonour for them being Hungarians a warlike people by nature to refuse battell being offered by the enemie Amongst the cheefetaines in the kings armie Ferentius Bodo an old captaine of great experience and courage was cheefe to whom the king deliuered his ensigne with his owne hands and he with great skill ordered his battell for the number of his souldiours he himselfe stood in the maine battell with the Hungarians placing the Transiluanians in the wings In Ferdinands armie Valentinus Turaccus led the maine battell with the Hungarians vnder Ferdinands ensigne strengthened on the one side with troupes of horsemen out of STIRIA and on the other with the horsemen of AVSTRIA But Paulus Bachitius according to the manner of the Turkish warres wherewith he was well acquainted with a companie of light horsemen lay close in ambush in a conuenient place for that purpose a good distance off against the left wing of the enemies armie readie as occasion should serue to take his most aduantage It was not greatly needfull for the captaines to vse any persuasions to encourage their souldiours readie ynough of themselues to fight The great ordinance once discharged the armies came fast on and joyned battell where the wings of both battel 's fought with diuers fortune The Stirian horsmen were not able to endure the force of the Transiluanians but were put to the worse and on the other side the left wing of Bodo his armie consisting for most part of raw and vnexpert souldiors was by the horsemen of AVSTRIA ouerthrowne At the same time both the maine battels being almost all Hungarians fought with equall courage and that so eagerly as seldome had been seene a more fierce or cruell battell But by
a fresh charge giuen by Ferdinands horsemen who had now put to flight the right wing of Bodo his battell all Bodo his armie fighting most valiantly was disordered and put to flight Bodo the Generall labouring to restore the battell and to saue the ensigne to him before by the king deliuered was by the comming in of Paulus Bachitius with his light horsemen taken The other captaines seeing all lost and past hope of recouerie betooke themselues to flight all the kings artillerie and ensignes were taken by the enemie The king seeing the ouerthrow of his armie for safegard of his life fled into POLONIA Ferdinand his captaines following the course of the victorie entered into TRANSILVANIA where the people yeelding themselues at the first all the whole prouince submitted it selfe vnto the authoritie of Ferdinand Bodo and the rest of the noble men that were taken prisoners with the ensignes taken from the enemies were sent to Ferdinand But when Bodo hauing his libertie promised could not be persuaded to renounce his oath giuen to king Iohn and to beare armes against him he was by Ferdinand his commaundement cast into a darke dungeon where shortly after consumed with sorrow and greefe he miserably ended his life Shortly after Ferdinand the Hungarians generally submitting themselues vnto him was by their common consent saluted king and crowned with the same old crowne wherwith king Iohn had been crowned which the same Perenus a man of little constancie brought vnto him and with him was also crowned Anne his wife the only sister of the late king Lewes all which solemne ceremonies were celebrated at ALBA REGALIS the vsuall place for the coronation of the Hungarian kings Ferdinand by rare felicitie thus possessed of two kingdomes whereunto he was not borne returned into BOHEMIA and left his deputies for the gouernment of the kingdome of HVNGARIE These were Stephanus Bator whom hee appointed viceroy with whom he joyned Paulus bishop of STRIGONIVM who had also reuolted from king Iohn and made Berethsaxius secretarie and Alexius Tursonus a Morauian treasurer King Iohn thus miserably distressed and thrust out of his kingdome by Ferdinand fled to Hieronimus Lascus a man for his honourable discent and learned vertue of great fame and reputation amongst the Polonians who glad of so honourable a guest was more carefull of nothing than with all possible kindnesse and courtesie how to comfort him wrapt vp in so many calamities with the losse of his kingdome he frankely promised vnto him all his owne wealth which was not small for the recouerie of his former estate and that which more was for the reuiuing of his former felicitie the vttermost of his wit and deuise which in the compassing of all great matters was accounted wonderfull That bountifull entertainement of this poore king by Lascus was not altogether vnpleasant to Sigismund king of POLONIA although because he would not offend Ferdinand with whom he was joyned in friendship and aliance he seemed to most men plainly to forget himselfe in shewing so small kindnesse vnto king Iohn whose sister Barbara he had sometime married which was the cause that Lascus forgot no point of courtesie in entertaining his guest and yet the credit of Sigismund with king Ferdinand not toucht But when they had spent almost a month in consultation and debating of matters too and fro Lascus accustomed with his deepe wit sharply to reason and aduisedly to determine of most weightie causes at last rested vpon this one point That readie helpe in so hard and desperat a case was onely to be hoped for of the Turkish emperour Solyman being of opinion that he being a most mightie prince and of an honourable disposition answereable to his greatnesse would not reject the humble prayers of an oppressed and exiled king especially if that being by his mercie and power restored he could be content for so great a benefiâ— to hold his kingdome as of the bountie of the Othoman kings For Lascus saw that Solyman so great and proud an emperour was not so desirous of kingdomes whereof he had so many as could not easily bee reckoned then commaunding ouer a great part of the world as of glorie and renowne wherewith he vnderstood him to be wonderfully delighted aboue all other kings of the East naturally carried away with that windie vanitie This counsell as in effect it prooued was vnto king Iohn wholesome and reasonable if a man doe but respect the poore estate of a king so greatly wronged liuing in exile but respecting the Christian commonweale it was vndoubtedly most dangerous and lamentable for one mans particular profit to bring the whole state into most dreadfull and horrible danger but the sicke minds of worldly men liuing in small hope of doing well and at the point of desperation refuse no worldly remedies be they neuer so doubtfull or dangerous And not long after vpon this resolution with the king Lascus desirous by noble actions to encrease the honour of his name tooke the matter vpon him and went as embassadour from the exiled king to Solyman to CONSTANTINOPLE The report was that Sigismund did not only not stay him but secretly gaue him his safe conduct with letters of credence wherein he commended him vnto the Bassaes and other great men in Solymans court descended of the Polonian bloud as his faithfull and louing subject sent thither vpon an extraordinarie and speciall embassage Lascus as soone as he was come to CONSTANTINOPLE with wonderfull dexteritie had in short time woon the fauour not of the Bassaes only but of the other courtiers also presenting them with such gifts as might for the finenesse and rarenesse thereof rather than for the value as he thought be most acceptable and pleasing to their wiues for amongst that barbarous and corrupted people nothing is better welcome than gifts whether they proceed of simple good will or other respect is no great difference Amongst the great Bassaes at that time of greatest power and authoritie was Luftebeius or rather Lutzis who had married Solymans sister and Abraham borne at PARGA a base village in ACARNANIA brought vp in the court from his childhood with Solyman he was then visier or cheefe of the Bassaes and keeper of the emperors seale and was by his office to subscribe all such graunts or letters as passed from the emperour by which his great place and the speciall fauour he had with Solyman he in magnificence power and authoritie farre exceeded all the rest of the Bassaes doing whatsoeuer pleased himselfe and that with such soueraignetie and the good liking of Solyman that it was commonly said he was the commaunder of his thoughts Lascus thus insinuated into the court and oftentimes talking with the Bassaes without an interpretour for that hee could well speake the Sclauonian tongue the familiar speech of the Turkish courtiers earnestly solicited the kings cause wonderfully commending him for at his first comming after he had saluted Solyman and was about
Turks tooke forsaken of the inhabitants who for feare were all fled into the mountaines except some which for age or sicknesse could not shift for themselues whom the Turkes slew and spoiled the churches Barbarussa thus scouring alongst the coast of ITALIE and newes thereof daily brought to the citie of ROME strucke such an exceeding terrour into the minds of the citisens that it was verily thought if he had come but a little farther to OSTIA they would generally haue forsaken the citie But he hauing well performed his promise made to Solyman for vexing the Christians and before resolued of a greater matter he had to doe when he had watered at PONTIA passed ouer into AFFRICK with such celeritie that he was arriued there before it was thought that he was departed from the coast of ITALY For Barbarussa to deceiue Muleasses king of TVNES and to take him vnprouided had giuen it out that he would burne and spoile the coasts of the Christian countries especially of ITALY LIGVRIA and SPAINE in reuenge of the harme done by Auria at CORONE and PATRAS Which thing Muleasses the rather beleeued vnderstanding his proceedings vpon the coast of ITALY The Venetians hauing also at the same time at great charges prepared a great fleet did in some part lessen Muleasses feare that Barbarussa would employ his forces for AFFRICKE for then what should the Venetians haue needed to haue made so great and chargeable a preparation But that which aboue all other things brought him into securitie was for that he had by secret espials certainly learned that his brother Roscetes was kept at CONSTANTINOPLE as a prisoner at large vnder safe keeping which made him to thinke that Barbarussa his forces were not prepared against him for he knew that he could not be impugned or his state more endangered by any other meanes than by producing the competitour of his kingdome to whom his guiltie conscience doubted that both the citisens of TVNES and the Numidians were for most part well affected This Muleasses of whom we now speake and whom hereafter we shall by occasion often remember was lineally discended of the auncient kings of Tunes who without interruption of discent or mixture of forraine bloud had by the space of nine hundred fiftie and foure yeares mightily ruled the great kingdome of TVNES from TRIPOLIS to BVGIA almost eight hundred miles alongst the Mediterranean and into the maine as farre as the mount ATLAS and for the long continuance of their state and largenesse of their kingdome were worthely accounted the most reuerend and mightie amongst the Mahometane kings of AFFRICKE His father Mahometes when he had with much glorie and more pleasure raigned two and thirtie yeares perceiuing the end of his life to approach had purposed to haue appointed Maimo his eldest sonne whom for his hastie aspiring he then held in durance to succeed him in his kingdome But ouercome with the importunitie of Lentigesia his wife a woman of hautie spirit who had by reward made a strong faction in the court for her sonne Muleasses he altered his former purpose and appointed him his successour by whom as it was thought the small remainder of his owne old yeares was shortened Maimo the right heire of the kingdome in prison presently murdred seuenteene of his other brethren vnmercifully executed and three other Barcha Beleth and Saeth with more than barbarous crueltie with a hoat yron of their sight depriued only Roscetes the second brother and Abdemelech escaping the hands of their vnnaturall brother fled to Morhabitus a great prince amongst the Numidians whither also their brothers malice persecuted them seeking sometime by practise sometime by poison to haue taken them away and at last for a great summe of money to haue had them deliuered into his hands Which money they Numidian receiued but suffered the distressed princes as if they had escaped against his will to flie further to another Numidian prince a friend of his called Bentieses where Muleasses by like practises as before sought to haue destroied them or to haue got them into his owne power Thus chased by their brothers endlesse malice from prince to prince and place to place they for their more safetie fled at last to the citie of BISCARIS farre into the maine land where Abdemelech as one wearie of the world gaue ouer all and betooke himselfe to a solitarie life and became a melancholy Mahometane monke But Roscetes courteously entertained by Abdalla prince of that citie found such fauour in his sight that he gaue him his daughter in marriage and long time honourably maintained him as his sonne in law with such carefulnesse that for feare of Muleasses practises he was seldome permitted to eat any other meat but such as the prince or his wife had before tasted of Muleasses thus raigning and raging and yet not contented with the death of so many of his brethren proceeded further and murthered diuers of their children also He caused also the Manifet and Mesuar men of greatest authoritie in all the kingdome his fathers graue counsellors and his cheefe friends by whose meanes especially he had aspired vnto the kingdome to be cruelly tortured to death fearing their greatnesse or rather as some thought greeuing to see them liue to whom he was so much beholden and therefore rewarded them with such sharpe payment And by the instigation of Lentigesia his mother caused diuers of his fathers other wiues and concubines to be shamefully murthered inueighing oftentimes against his father that as an effeminate prince with infinit charges had for his pleasure maintained two hundred wiues and concubines in his houses of delight by whom he had begot so many sonnes competitours of the kingdome that he had left him as he said a laborious and enuious peece of worke to destroy so great a brood Roscetes aided by his father in law and the other Numidian princes to whom the name of Muleasses both for his crueltie against his owne bloud and injurious dealing against his neighbours was become odious passing ouer the riuer Bragada with a great armie neere vnto TVNES met with Muleasses his armie conducted by Dorax a valiant captaine brother to Lentigesia where in a sharpe conflict he ouerthrew his brothers armie and enforced Dorax with them that were escaped out of the battell for safegard of their liues to flie into TVNES Roscetes pursuing the victorie came and presented his armie before the gates of the citie in hope that the citisens whom he knew for the most part to hate the vsurping tyrant would vpon the sight of him in right their king with so great an armie raise some tumult in the citie and let him in There he lay by the space of twentie daies still expecting some innouation in which time the more to alienate the minds of the people from Muleasses and to shew how vnable he was to protect them he burnt and destroyed all the oliue and fruit trees which grew most plentifully and
himselfe in PERSIA persuaded therunto as we haue before said by Abraham the great Bassa Of whom a few words that they which shall hereafter liue may in him as in others see in what slipperie place they stand and what small assurance they haue which forsaking God run headlong after these worldly vanities and swelling with the fauours of great princes are in a moment when they least feare any such fall suddenly ouerthrowne and become the miserable spectacles of mans fragilitie in the height of their supposed blisse This great Bassa called of the Turkes Ibrahim of vs Abraham was borne in a poore countrey village neere vnto PERGA a towne in that part of EPIRVS which was called BVTHROTIA who in his childhood was taken from his Christian parents by such as by authoritie did take vp the tribute children of the Christians for the Turkish emperour A tribute of all tributes most grieuous He was of countenance amiable of feature comely actiue of bodie well spoken pleasantly conceited and sharpe of wit so that he in shorter time than was thought possible to the admiration of many learned both to speake and write the Arabian tongue and other languages vsed in the Turkes court and could skilfully play vpon sundrie kinds of instruments And being yet a boy serued Scanderbassa a man of great authoritie and power in the time of Selymus the emperour in whose seruice he was instructed in the Mahometane religion but giuing himselfe to all manner of curiositie and neatnesse he was wonderfully fauoured by the great ladie his mistresse and by her commended to her husband Scanderbassa as a fit page to attemper his melancholy and wayward disposition with his pleasant conceits and deuises Wherein the Tetricall Bassa finding him to excell gaue him as a rare gift to Solyman the sonne of Selymus his grandfather Baiazet yet liuing who tooke in him such pleasure that the old emperour caused him to be brought vp in the court in all princely qualities with Solyman who was of like yeares vnto him as his companion and playfellow Where he so framed himselfe vnto the young prince his disposition in all points that he was of him alwaies exceedingly beloued and afterwards promoted to all the honours of the court and made one of the Bassaes giuing vnto him in marriage the onely daughter and heire of Scanderbassa his master then dead with an exceeding great dowrie And after that made him Gouernour of CAIRE where hee had not long remained but he was againe sent for to the court as the man which gaue thereunto life without whose companie Solyman was as one halfe dead At length he made him Vesier which is the chiefe of all the Bassaes and president of his counsell the greatest honour in the Turkish empire next vnto the emperour himselfe And to honour him yet more he deliuered him his priuat signet wherwith the Turkish emperourâ— neuer vsed to trust any but themselues he might at his pleasure grace and disgrace whom 〈◊〉 would in court or elsewhere What he commaunded was done and whatsoeuer he did 〈◊〉 â—aken for well done He might without the emperours knowledge giue any office yea the â—â—â—ernment of whole countries and prouinces vnto his fauourites his credit with the emperoâ—â—â—as so great that hee did what he list and no man durst presume to aske any reason why And 〈◊〉 say all at once he wanted nothing of the majestie of an emperour but the name onely in steed whereof he was commonly called the Great Commander of all the emperours forces His house in CONSTANTINOPLE was of all other most stately wherein was daily to be seene such a multitude of his gallant followers and such a world of wealth and royall furniture as that it might be worthely compared with the pallace of a great prince Neither was he partaker of Solymans counsailes in his waightie matters of state onely but of his secret delights and pleasures also if he were present all was well if he were away nothing pleased to be short he so possessed this great emperour that men commonly said The soule of Solyman liued in Abraham Whereat many of the great men of the court secretly repined but especially Solymans mother and Roxalana his faire concubine whom of all women hee held dearest His liuely and majesticall countenance thou maiest here behold ABRAHAM Magnus es Getici tibi gratia prona tynanni Seruit at ex alto magna ruina venit Te proceres odere Parensque regia coniux Horum ne pereas proditione caue Right great thou art and doest commaund the fauour of thy king But such great fauours oftentimes a greater fall doe bring The great kings mother wife and all the nobles hate thee sore Beware that by their wily drifts thou perish not therefore This great Commaunder which might at all times be bolde to speake what he thought vnto Solyman sought many times in his priuat discourses betwixt them two to persuade him to forbeare to vse his forces any farther against the Christians ouer whom he had sufficiently alreadie triumphed and to turne them vpon the Persians by whom he was daily injured Alleadging vnto him that the Germans were a strong and warlike people who as they both in language and manners differed from the Hungarians so were they alwaies at variance with them and therefore much cared not though they were by him subdued but if he should begin to inuade any part of their countrey he should then soone see that inuincible nation with their vnited forces vp in armes readie to make strong resistance And to prouoke Charles the emperour of all the Christian princes the mightiest were not good who of himselfe was able to bring into the field most puissant armies of valiant souldiours out of his owne dominions beside the wonderfull concourse of most resolute men out of all parts of Christendome which would not spare to lay downe their liues at his feet in that warre which was of them accounted most religious Yea what strength both of horse and foot might be raised and brought to the battell by the two brethren Charles and Ferdinand onely might as he said euen then be plainely perceiued when as they valiantly defended VIENNA besieged by vs with great power Neither did Charles afterward as it seemed and as the Christians commonly vaunt feare to haue aduentured the fortune of a maine battell with you who although I doubt not but he should haue beene ouercome by you so great a monarch with so puissant an armie a thing peculiar to your good fortune yet I cannot denie but that that victorie against such expert and resolute soldiors so strongly armed as their manner is must haue been bought with a great deale of our bloud These things in my opinion may reasonably persuade you to let the Christians alone by ciuile warres to weaken one another that so afterwards they may become a prey vnto vs without any danger of ours So that in my iudgement the
much my state may be confirmed and the minds of my people to me assured by thy garrisons so neare at hand in SICILIA and SARDINIA Whereunto the emperour answered That hee was come ouer into AFFRICKE to bee reuenged of the injuries which Barbarussa had many times done vpon the frontiers of his dominions and to root out the pyrats of all others most mischieuous which his good purpose had by the goodnesse of Christ his Sauiour taken so good effect that he doubted not in short time by the taking of TVNES to obtaine a perfect victorie which once gained hee would then kindly graunt him all things which should stand with the conuenience of his affaires and the vse of his victorie so that he would not falsifie his faith which he might justly suspect if he reposed not a speciall trust that the remembrance of such a benefit would for euer remaine in his heroicall mind and was further assured that the same power which should restore to him his kingdome of courtesie could also take it from him againe if his vnthankfulnesse should so deserue Muleasses in presence of the emperour vsed such a grauitie and grace in his speech and gesture as well declared that he had nothing forgotten his former estate but towards the Generall and the other great captaines hee vsed all manner of courtesie so that hee rid vp and downe with them gallantly mounted managing his horse and charging and discharging his launce with such agilitie and skill as shewed him to be a very good horseman and of great actiuitie At other vacant times he would subtilly reason with the learned men after the manner of Auerrois of the nature of things of the motion of heauen and power of the stars By the emperors commaundement he had a tent appointed for him and honourable allowance for his diet Vastius and the rest of the cheefe commaunders of the armie vsed him with all honor and at such time as he was desirous to see the campe courteously brought him into all places of it that he might himselfe see what mounts they had in short time cast what abundance there was of great artillerie what strong watch and ward was kept what a number there was of braue and warlike souldiours of diuers nations differing much one from another in language countenance and manner of furniture and further demaunded Whether that puissant armie which the emperour had brought ouer to his great good were in his judgement sufficient to subdue the enemie Where aboue all things Muleasses wondered at the number and order of the great ordinance and next vnto that at the wonderfull plentie of things to be bought and sold in the market place and at the modest quietnesse of the souldiors in buying the same Not long after the expert captaines by diligent inquirie learned of him many things well seruing for their better proceeding in that warre especially of the disposition and strength of them of TVNES of the situation of the citie of the nature of the wals and fortification of the castle of the wels and cesternes in the suburbes and what strength the Moores and Numidians were of which Barbarussa had entertained In conclusion he assured them as afterwards it fell out that Barbarussa would neuer trust to the strength of the wals which would easily be ouerthrowne with the great artillerie but would in a great brauerie with ensignes displaied bring all his forces into the field of purpose to terrifie the Christians with the sight of the multitude of his rascall souldiours and to breake their array with his Numidian horsemen who with hideous and terrible cries after the manner of that nation would not faile to assaile them and yet for all that would neuer bring into the battell his Turkish footmen in whom he reposed his greatest confidence and whom hee desired most to spare but would as a craftie and subtill Turke by opposing of the Moores whom he held in small regard trie by their bloud what might be done without the danger of his owne men But as he told them nothing could be more strange vnto the Moores his countreymen or that they were more afraid of than in a set battell to fight with that enemie whose squadrons comming orderly on in glistering armour with long pikes might scorne easily ouerthrow the naked archers of the Moores and the vnarmed Numidian horsemen and that our men should find nothing more grieuous or troublesome than the scorching heat of the Sunne and the thirst rising thereof which might easily be remedied by plentie of water which by slaues and small boats might easily be brought in caskes and bottels from the fleet alongst the lake and so distributed amongst the armie although not farre from the wals of the citie were certaine old conduit heads which would yeeld them great plentie of water if the malicious enemie did not to his owne hurt and others poyson the same These things orderly reported to the emperour confirmed the hope hee had before conceiued of the desired victorie So that wholly bent thereupon and carefully forecasting all things hee resolued forthwith to depart from GVLETTA and with all his power to besiege TVNES But whilest he was preparing things necessarie ordering his souldiours and discouering the enemies purposes his souldiors had daily diuers skirmishes with the Numidians so that once the skirmish was like to haue come to a just battell which began in this sort The Moores had planted certaine field pieces amongst the oliue gardens wherewith they shot continually into the campe for remouing whereof the emperour leauing the Italians with certaine companies of the old Germane and Spanish souldiours for the keeping of his campe and trenches went forth with his horsemen and the rest of his armie sending before him Montegius Generall of the Spanish horsemen who for most part were but raw souldiors such as were of the noblemens ordinarie seruants and followers not before acquainted with the wars These light horâ—â—men with diuers fortune skirmished a while with the enemie but when they saw themselues to be hardly charged and Montegius their Generall grieuously wounded they turned their backs and in the sight of the emperour shamefully fled to the men at armes which were comming after them The manner of the enemies fight was to giue at the first a fierce and desperat charge and vpon the encounter giuen of purpose to retire auoiding thereby the sudden force of their enemies and by and by to turne againe vpon them with a fresh charge The emperour seeing the flight of his light horsemen came on courageously with his men at armes by whose comming in and valiant encounter the Turkes and Moores were put to flight and their fieldpieces wherewith they had before annoyed the campe taken In this skirmish the emperour in person as hee stood formost in his armed troupes gaue the signall of battell himselfe by crying with a loud voice Saint Iames Saint Iames whom the Spaniards take for their patrone
skirmishes when he could take the enemie at aduantage The day appearing Lodronius againe awaking heard a certaine confused noise of the Turkes and withall saw himselfe forsaken of the greatest part of the horsemen whereupon he complained in vaine that he was betraied yet for all that he was nothing discouraged but cheered vp the footmen exhorting them to remember their former valour and to resolue with themselues only with courage to ouercome the danger which hard fortune had at that time brought them into for that valiant men were rather to thinke of an honourable death than shamefull flight whereby whether they should escape with life or not was vncertaine As for himselfe who had been their happie Generall in many battels he said he was resolutely set downe by repulsing the enemie to bring them into place of safetie or else valiantly fighting togither with them to end his daies As Lodronius was yet thus encouraging the footmen the horsemen of CARINTHIA SAXONIE AVSTRIA and BOHEMIA who mindfull of their duetie had in vaine expected the appointed signall from the Generall came to Lodronius as vnto the most valiant captaine beseeching him in steed of their treacherous Generall to take vpon him the place promising to doe whatsoeuer he commaunded and to fight as men against those infidels for their religion and king so long as they were able to hold vp their weapons Lodronius would in no case accept of that honour so franckly offered modestly protesting himselfe vnworthie thereof Yet as a man of courage and moued with the hard estate of such an armie he with a solemne protestation promised to execute the place in the best manner he could and so did as long as his fortune gaue him leaue It is reported that as Lodronius was encouraging the footmen and earnestly inuaying against shamefull flight an old German souldior was so bold as bluntly yet sharpely to say vnto him Worthy Lodronius thou canst neuer be thought to flie shamefully with a horse of such a price vnder thee Lodronius perceiuing the old souldiors meaning alighted and with his sword hoxed his horse saying alowd This day valiant souldiors shall you haue me both your Generall and fellow souldior fighting on foot as one of your selues see now that you deceiue noâ— my expectation but let vs either with glorious victorie or honourable death end this warre togither yet so as that we die not vnreuenged All his other horses he gaue away vnto such sicke and wounded souldiors as he best knew amongst whom was one Picenard of CREMONA a captaine who was then in an extreame fit of an ague and had hardly escaped the hands of the enemie The first troupes of horsemen and bands of footmen were scarcely out of the campe with their ensignes but the Turkes comming on with a hideous crie assailed them on euerie side and many sharpe skirmishes were giuen vnto the horsemen as they marched with such euent that the Christians sometime valiantly receiuing the enemies charge and sometime charging them againe repulsed the proud enemie still busie with them In these continuall skirmishes Antius Maceâ— Fâ—â—hstat Generall of the Carinthian horsemen fighting valiantly was slaine being for his braue armouâ— supposed by the Turkes to haue beene the Generall of the field And by like mishap â—oure and twentie horsemen of great name were slaine also and their guidon taken amongst these were three noblemen Andreas Reschius Christophorus Hernaus and Georgius Himelbergâ—â— In another place was made a most cruell skirmish with the Saxon horsemen and them of 〈◊〉 THVRINGIA and FRANCONIA who followed the Saxons ensigne of these fighting most valiantly was slaine aboue 36 worthie captaines lieutenants or ancients and Chuenriâ—â—â— a principall captaine of the Saxons taken who afterwards died in bonds â—mongst the Turks Amongst them which were slaine Sebastianus Methesâ—us and Iacobus Scullemburgh were of greatest nobilitie In like manner the horsemen of AVSTRIA couragiously resisting the enemie for a space were in the end ouerthrowne where amongst them was slaine two valiant noblemen Fettaius and Hofchirchius with diuers other men of great place and reputation both in their own countrey and abroad But the greatest slaughter was made amongst the Bohemian horsemen vpon whom being disordered by the Ianizaries harquebusiers the Turkish troupes of the old garrison souldiors breaking in with their scimitars and heauie yron mases made a most bloudie execution The battell of footmen being sore gauled and almost disordered in their march by certaine companies of Ianizaries and archers of the Asapi who from a woodie banke of a marrish discharged their shot and arrowes continually vpon them yet neuer comming to handy blows was on the other side so hardly charged by Amurathes with his troupes of horsemen of BOSNA that being not able longer to keepe order it was at last by him broken and cut in peeces where the Turks with their swords and hatchets slew the poore Christians without mercie Lodronius himselfe carried away with the breaking in and force of the horsemen was driuen into a marrish where after that he being sore wounded and almost fast in the deepe mud had done the vttermost of that his last endeuour he by the faire entreatie of the Turks persuading him rather to yeeld than there to be slaine so yeelded himselfe that he with three companies which were with him after they had laid downe their weapons were all saued as valiant souldiors for now the mercilesse Turkes embrued with the Christian bloud were wearie of slaughter and began greedily to seeke after the spoile hunting after them who flying dispersedly thought themselues to haue escaped the enemies hands with such successe that a great number of them was taken and led away for slaues few of the footmen escaped and almost all the rest which were not fled before the battell were to be seene dead vpon the ground This shamefull ouerthrow at EXEK was reported to haue exceeded the most grieuous ouerthrowes that the Christians had receiued in any former time for the flower both of horse and foot there lost by the rashnesse and fault of an vnluckie Generall rather than by the valor of the enemie ruthfully perished so that many prouinces were filled with heauinesse and mourning For it neuer chanced before as was to be seene by the vnfortunat battels of Sigismund the emperour and king Ladislaus that the Turks got such a victorie without some losse so that they which fell almost vnreuenged at EXEK may seeme to haue augmented that losse by the great infamie thereof Mahometes hauing thus almost without the bloud of his souldiors obtained so great a victorie and taken the spoile of the Christian campe pitched his tents in a little meddow being cleansed of the dead bodies and after he had merrily feasted with his captaines commanded the cheefe prisoners the goodly spoiles and fairest ensignes to be brought vnto him and openly commending the captaines who had that day done any good seruice commaunding diuers bags of money to
into a shattered house which joyned vnto the wall and certaine other companies one souldiour helping vp another had almost recouered the top of the rampier and were there readie to haue set vp their ensignes When they of BVDA with wonderfull constancie and resolution withstood the assailants George the bishop encouraging them and fighting amongst them who hauing laid aside his hood was now to be seene with his helmet on his head running too and fro as need required all alongst the rampier At length the Germans seeing themselues to striue in vaine against resolute men were enforced to retire In this assault Rogendorff lost aboue 800. men Perenus was also in like manner but with lesse losse repulsed at the other breach he had made at the gate SABATINA After that Rogendorff attempted by vndermining to haue taken the citie but was by countermines disappointed of his purpose Yet for all this they in the citie began to feele the want of many things so that it seemed they were not able to endure any longer siege the common people pinched with hunger crying openly out in mutinous sort that it was time to yeeld and make an end of those common miseries but such was the authoritie of the bishop with his prouident foresight of all vrgent euents that once shewing himselfe in the market place as if he would haue preached he could turne the peeuish minded people which way he pleased After all this it missed but a little but that this citie which could not by enemies force bee woon had by shamefull treason beene lost there was at that time in BVDA one Bornemissa a lawyer who had in former time beene maior of the citie this Bornemissa exceedingly hated the bishop for taking part with a banckerout Iew against him and being full of malice and desirous of reuenge promised to Reualius martiall in the enemies campe to deliuer vnto him a blind posterne in S. Maries churchyard whereby he might enter the citie which gaâ—e serued the citisens in time of peace to go thorow to the riuer Rogendorff the Generall made acquainted with the matter so liked thereof that he in himselfe thought it not good in a matter of so great importance to vse at all the seruice of the Hungarians Quite contrarie to that Bornemissa had requested of Reualius who desirous to haue the matter brought to passe without the slaughter of so many guiltlesse people as was by him to be betraied would haue had it altogither performed by the Hungarians who he was in good hope would shew mercie vnto their countrey men and kinsmen and vse their victorie with more moderation than the Germans who prouoked with many despights and comming in by night were like enough to make great effusion of bloud But Rogendorff after the manner of his nation to be counted polliticke vsing to keepe promise with no man and hoping by excluding the Hungarians to haue all the glorie of the conceiued victorie wholy to himselfe made as if he would haue vsed onely the Hungaans and glosed with Reualius whose son for the more assurance he tooke as pledge For against the appointed houre which was about midnight hauing before giuen straight charge that no man should stir in the campe he sent foure select companies of Germans with great silence vnto the posterne at which time his sonne Condi stood with a strong troupe of horsemen readie to haue entred at such time as the Germans receiued into the citie should breake open the great gate as was before agreed Neither did Bornemissa faile to performe what he had as a traitor promised but opening the posterne wee spake of had with great silence receiued in most part of those German companies But when he still asked softly of them as they came in for Reualius and heard them answere nothing but in the German language although hee was otherwise a man of a bold spirit yet then surprised with a sudden feare as it oftentimes chanceth in such actions to men deceiued of their expectation he stood as a man amazed that knew not what to doe forgot to conduct the Germans who altogither vnacquainted with the citie knew not which way first to go and stealing on softly in the darke went on with no great courage for feare of treason still asking of them that followed for him that should direct them The Germans could not go so closely but that they were by the clattering of their armour and the light of their matches descried by the watch who asking for the word and they not giuing it presently raised an alarum but now all too late the citie being as good as halfe taken had the Germans well conducted resolutely gone on with the matter so well begun but they ignorant of the way and now descried and chased with their owne feare ran backe againe to the posterne in such hast that one of them miserably wrong another in striuing who should get out first and their passage out much letted by the pikes and weapons which they which fled first had cast crosse the way to run the lighter into the campe The first that set vpon the Germans was Bacianus who had that night the charge of the watch and after him Vicche who kept the court of guard in the market place and hearing the alarum came thither with a strong companie both of horsemen and footmen Many of the most valiantest Germans who comming in first were in flight become last were slaine or taken and amongst them many of Bornemissa his familiars and friends as for himselfe he was got out amongst the formost from whom the bishop by exquisite torture wrong out the whole plot of the treason and afterwards caused them to be seuerally executed to the terrour of others Reualius in the meane time complaining in the campe That he was deceiued by the Generall and Bornemissa wofully lamenting That hauing worthely got the name of an infamous traitour hee had thereby lost all his substance and vndone his friends and kindred The Generall Rogendorff condemned euen of the common souldiors for his foolish arrogancie and pride was hardly spoken of thorow all the campe as he that by too much insolencie had ouerthrowne the fairest occasion of a most goodly victorie wherefore from that time he attempted no great matter but set himselfe downe by long siege to tame his enemies and so to win the citie Solyman vnderstanding of the queenes distresse in HVNGARIE and with what desire Ferdinand supported by the emperour his brother thirsted after that kingdome consulted with his Bassaes of the purposes and power of his enemies both there and elsewhere and politikely resolued at one time with his deuided forces to withstand their attempts in diuers places and those farre distant one from another wherby the greatnesse of his power is well to be perceiued First he sent Solyman Bassa an eunuch to BABYLON to defend the countrey of MESOPOTAMIA and the frontiers of his empire alongst the riuer Tygris
Turkish captaines by sending them great presents and receiuing the like againe And last of all his letters directed to certaine Hungarian captaines were produced wherein he seemed to promise them as his friends and followers greater entertainment than agreed with his present estate All which things king Ferdinand of his owne disposition not easily to be persuaded to conceiue euill of the Germanes his countreymen were it neuer so apparant or true but of strangers any thing quickly beleeued and therefore caused him as is beforesaid to be apprehended But Perenus as he was brought by Medices the Admirall to VIENNA when he was come neere vnto the gate of the citie and heard that Phillippus Torniellus with certaine other braue captaines of his acquaintance were come to meet the Admirall he requested that the close coach wherein he rid might be opened and that he might haue leaue to speake to those noble and valiant gentlemen Which thing was easily graunted for that the nobilitie and approoued valour of the man seemed vnto them which had the charge of him vnworthie of such restraint of libertie or imprisonment yea or of the least suspition thereof So he turning himselfe towards them spake vnto them in this sort Wretched I noble gentlemen said he whom despightfull enuie hath circumuented guiltlesse but much more miserable king Ferdinand whom domesticall theeues bereaues of substance friends and honour all at once For so it commeth to passe that by this inconsider at wrong done vnto me he shall vtterly lose the loue and fidelitie of the Hungarian nation and may therefore for euer not without cause despaire for the obtaining of the kingdome of HVNGARIE sithence that it is not lawfull for me inferiour to none of my nation in birth and hauing for my good and faithfull seruice well deserued reward of a iust king so much as to reioice for the deliuerance of my sonne from the captiuitie of the Turks but that by my sinister fortune dreadfull death in stead of incomparable ioy must be presented to mine eyes For will these malicious pick-thanks guiltie of their owne cowardise the wicked contriuers and witnesses of my wrongfull accusation spare me being laid fast and in durance which neuer spared the kings honour For euerie man of what nobilitie soeuer be he neuer so guiltlesse when he is once in hold must be content to endure not what he hath deserued but what his hard fortune assigneth Yet my vpright mind and cleare consâ—ience which onely thing God the most iust iudge leaueth as a comfort to men in miserie wrongfully accused deliuereth me of this care and so will the Marquesse our Generall to whom I before vpon a mistrust foretold that such a danger would shortly befall me and that I had rather be slaine guiltlesse than to withdraw my selfe from triall which thing I told him at such time as I was so guarded with mine owne strength that I feared no mans force I beseech you doe me this honourable fauor as to request king Ferdinand in my behalfe quickly and honourably to proceed to the triall of my cause and according to his owne princely disposition and not the will of others to discerne betwixt his faithfull friends and faigned flatterers Truly wee are too too vnfortunat captaines if for a little euill successe we shall be so adiudged as men that had ouerthrowne their fortune Cazzianer peraduenture receiued the iust punishment hee had deserued for the shamefull forsaking and losing of the armie at EXEK when as he possessed with an vncouth feare forgot the dutie of a Generall more afraid of death than dishonour for when he had voluntarily committed himselfe to safe custodie be was so generally condemned of cowardise that despairing to defend his cause he brake prison and as wickedly as vnfortunatly reuolted to the Turkes But neither was I of late the Generall neither were we vanquished although we preuailed not but honourably retiring valiantly repressed the insolencie of the pursuing enemie As for the kingdome of HVNGARIE I might then well haue affected the same and easily haue deserued it at Solymans hands when as king Ferdinand after the death of king Iohn was making his preparation for that warre at which time my friends and followers at my deuotion with the loue of the Hungarians towards me seeming of no small importance for the obtaining of the victorie might haue ministred no vnreasonable or vnseasonable hope to haue drawne a man into courses not altogither beseeming a Christian Wherefore I haue and will so long as I liue fight against the Turkes if king Ferdinand shall shew himselfe an indifferent iudge in this accusation falsely surmised against me by the malice of mine enemies When he had made an end of speaking the Admirall courteously persuaded him to haue good hope in the clemencie of the most just king and shortly after performed his request for he and Torniellus taking the king as he was hunting entreated him to deale fauourably with Perenus For all that Perenus could not obtaine that his cause might be openly heard but was committed to safe keeping there to remaine in perpetuall prison but whether it was for the misprission of new treason or for reuenge of his old inconstancie is vncertaine Thus three the only great princes left of the Hungarian bloud equally worthie of the kingdome Valentine Maylat and Perenus snarled almost in like snares of enuie cut off all hope of raising a king to their seditious and therefore miserable countreymen when as Perenus lay too late bewailing his vnconstancie in perpetuall prison and the other two fast in chaines neere vnto the Euxine sea expected death the end of their miseries This end had the wars taken in hand against the Turks by the generall consent of the Germans in the yeare 1542 which many thought might worthily be compared with the greatest losses of those times When as king Ferdinand hauing in vaine spent a great masse of treasure the fittest stay for the imminent warre and lost the opinion before conceiued of the strength of GERMANIE had now as a weake prince and subject to injurie prouoked against him the Turkes bold enough otherwise but as then insolent for their late victories Polinus the French kings embassadour still following the Turkes court ceased not by all meanes to solicite Solyman with his gallies to aid the king his master in the inuasion of the dominions of Charles the emperour in ITALIE SICILIE and SPAINE In which sute he was so crossed by Solyman the eunuch Bassa then Vesier that he was almost in despaire of speed for the malitious eunuch being himselfe a great sea man and enuying the honor of Barbarussa who was to be imploied in that seruice sought by keeping him out of all honourable actions to diminish his former glorie and concerning the present protested openly as he sat in counsell that he saw no other cause why the Turkish emperour should to his great charge and the common danger send out such a
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
worthy and valiant souldiors in this ciuile conflict to draw those weapons against your fellowes and brethren which you haue most fortunatly vsed against the enemies of the Othoman kings except you meane thereby to make your selues a ioyfull spectacle vnto your enemies who grieuing to see themselues ouercome by your victorious weapons may yet reioice among themselues to see you turne the same one vpon another Wherefore my sonnes for your auntient honours sake be carefull that you doe not by this your insolencie lose the reputation of your wisedome loyaltie and valour for which you haue hitherto been aboue all others commended reserue these your weapons which you haue now too too much vsed amongst your fellowes against your enemies of whom you may get more praise and honour This speech of the old Bassa so mollified the stout souldiors that they freely permitted all that was in Mustaphaes tents to be carried to Solymans but as soone as the death of Mustapha was blowne into the eares of the Ianizaries and the rest of the armie in Solymans campe another tumult rise among them worse than the first They were quickly all vp in armes againe and with a great noise confused with teares and lamentation as they were in rage and furie brake violently into Solymans pauillion with their drawne swords which strucke the tyrant into such a feare that destitute of all counsell in himselfe he was about with the extreame perill of his life to haue fled but being holden of his friends and making a vertue of necessitie vpon the sudden aduentured to doe that which at better leisure he would scarcely haue thought vpon for going forth out of his tent but with a pale and wan countenance he spake vnto the enraged souldiors thus What broile is this what sturre what so great insolencie what meane your inflamed fierce and angrie lookes know you not your soueraigne and him that hath power to commaund you Haue you so resolued to sâ—aine the antient and inuincible honour of your selues and your ancestors with the bloud of your lord and emperour Whilest he was yet thus speaking the souldiors boldly answered That they denied not but that he was the man whom they many yeares before had chosen for their emperour but in that they had by their owne valour got for him a large and mightie empire and in like manner preserued it that was therefore of them done that he should for the same gouerne them vertuously and justly and not to lay his bloudie hands without discretion vpon euerie just man and most wickedly embrue himselfe with innocent bloud and that they came thither armed they did it as they said moued with just cause to reuenge the vnworthie death of guiltlesse Mustapha and that for that matter he had no just cause to be angrie with them Wherefore they required that they might publikely cleere themselues of the treason whereof they were accused by Mustaphaes enemies and that the accuser might be brought forth to justifie his accusation protesting that they would neuer lay downe their weapons vntill the accuser made his appearance in judgement and commenced his accusation judicially vpon paine to endure the like punishment if he failed in proofe Whilest these things were in doing the hainousnesse of the late committed fact caused euerie man to shed teares so that Solyman himselfe seemed to be sorie for the murther so lately by himselfe committed wherfore he promised vnto the souldiors whatsoeuer they required and did what he could to appease their angrie minds For all that they in the meane time least he should craftily slip away and deceiue them of that he had promised and of the expectation of such things as they had required witha maruellous care and diligence all kept watch and ward Solyman to appease this furie of the Ianizaries depriued Rustan Bassa of all his honours and tooke from him his seale whereof he had the keeping and deliuered it to Achomates bassa But Rustan worthely strucken with feare and horrour seeing himselfe now in no safetie in his owne tents fled secretly to Achomates asking his counsell what were best for him to doe and what course to take in so doubtfull and dangerous a case To whom the Bassa answered That it were best for him to vse the great emperours aduise and to doe what he commaunded Which answere well satisfied Rustan and so he which of late gaue other men accesse vnto the emperour at his pleasure was now glad by his old acquaintance and friends to preferre this poore sute To know his pleasure what he would haue him to doe From whom he receiued this answere That he should incontinently without farther delay get him out of his sight and out of the campe which the Bassa said he could not conueniently doe being by his displeasure and the souldiors rage disfurnished of all things necessarie for his departure Whereunto Solyman sent him answere againe That he could giue him neither longer time nor delay and that it were best for him without more adoe to be gone for feare of farther harme Whereupon Rustan guiltie in conscience of most horrible villanie treacherie accompanied but with eight of his most faithfull friends in steed of his late world of followers posted in hast to CONSTANTINOPLE and there not without danger of his head with Roxolana and other the complices and contriuers of the treason against Mustapha in great feare expected the euent of his fortune This young prince Mustapha thus shamefully murthered by his owne father was for his rare vertues generally beloued of the Turkes but of the souldiors most for his martiall disposition and readinesse for the effusion of Christian bloud The opinion they had conceiued of him was such and their loue so great that they neuer thought there was any in the Othoman family of whom they expected so much for the enlarging of their empire insomuch that euer since when in their priuat or publike actions they faile of any great hope they vse this prouerb euen at this day taken froÌ„ him Gietti Sultan Mustapha Sultan Mustapha is dead as who should say our hope is all lost Achomates bassa the great champion of the Turks a man of exceeding courage not ignorant of the small assurance of the great honors of that state at such time as he receiued the seale from Solyman boldly told him That as he did then franckly bestow it vpon him so he would at one time or other to his no lesse disgrace take it from him to whom Solyman solemnly promised with an oath not to displace him so long as he liued For all that he had not long enjoyed that honour but that Solyman falling in dislike with him and willing againe to promote Rustan bassa to that great honour greater than which there is none in the Turkes court which by reason of his oath he could not doe so long as Achomates liued To saue his oath and to preferre his sonne in law whom he
should be giuen Baiazet to fall into extremities if he should haue beene remoued alone Solyman to seeme indifferent commaunded them both to remoue vnto which commaund it was adjoyned that the farther they were off one from another they should be so much the neerer in mind and brotherly loue for as much as neernesse of dwelling of the Great did many times hinder their good agreement whilest by frowardnesse of officers and seruants many things are on both sides done to the grieuing of their masters and that they should in any case doe as they were commaunded and that he which stayed longest should not be free from the suspition of contempt Selymus made no long stay as he that knew a great part of all this to be done for his sake but Baiazet hung backe and being gone a little on his way stayed complaining the vnluckie prouince of AMASIA stained with the bloud of his late brother the noble Mustapha to be assigned vnto him as ominous and that he could be better contented with any prouince whatsoeuer than that where the deadly remembrance of the miserable end of the neerest to him in bloud should be euer before his eyes to the wounding of his heart Wherfore he requested that he might at least Winter in those places or els there from whence his brother was now departed but Solyman would in no wise hearken vnto him Now Selymus gone before certaine dayes journies with such troupes as his father had sent him beside his owne for feare of Baiazet who yet stayed loitering and trifling on the time suddenly returning and fetching a compasse about shewed himselfe at his brothers backe marching towards PRVSA in BITHINIA the auntient seat of the Turkish kings which he did not without the priuitie of his father who liked not of the lingering of Baiazet for what if he hauing gained the good will of the Ianizaries should haue gone either to PRVSA or directly to CONSTANTINOPLE what a danger might haue growne thereby to Selymus yea vnto the whole state in generall In this common feare Solyman thought it best for Selymus there to stay from whence they might most conueniently helpe one another if Baiazet should as was feared turn himselfe vpon either of them Yet was not Selymus so strong as to aduenture to joyne battell with his brother whom he knew readie to put all to the hazard of one day But whē Baiazet contrarie to his expectation saw Selymus behind him and that he had got nothing by his long delay but that his brother should be the vndoubted heire of the empire if his father should die which was then by reason of his sickly constitution of bodie daily more and more feared he writ vnto his father accusing his brother that he could not more manifestly in any thing declare how maliciously he was affected towards him than by taking that indirect course to no other purpose but to aspire vnto the empire and to haue a short cut ouer to CONSTANTINOPLE if he should haue any newes of his fathers death which he still gaped after which his longing if his fathers longer life should delay then by the secret ministers of his treason to dispatch him and by the murdering of him to possesse himselfe of the empire and yet neuerthelesse this man as a most dutifull and obedient sonne to be of him much made of and as it were put in his bosome Wheras he on the contrarie part meaning well into whose conceit neuer any such thought came but was euer at commaund was not had in any regard but cast off and contemned whose greatest request was but to shun an vnfortunat ominous prouince After that he conuerted his stile to prayers requesting againe of his father to gratifie him with some other prouince if it were but that from which his brother was departed or with any other whatsoeuer so that it were more luckie than that of AMASIA for answere whereof he said he would stay where he was to the end that finding fauour in his request he should not haue need further to retire but if he should not obtaine his request that then he was readie to goe whether soeuer his father should command It was not altogether for nought that Baiazet found fault with AMASIA being the manner of the Turks of the smallest things of all to diuine vpon the greatest But Solyman vnderstood the matter otherwise who not ignorant of his sonnes teares knew right well that he in them sought for nothing els but a more commodious place for him to raise new stirres in than was AMASIA so farre distant from CONSTANTINOPLE So Baiazet by many delayes did what he could to frustate his fathers appointment ceasing not in the meane time to augment his strength with new souldiors to prouide armour money and whatsoeuer els seruing for defence of himselfe and the impugning of his brother Which Solyman tooke in no other part than as intended against his owne person yet would he seeme as not to haue any such vnderstanding of the matter for why the warie old sire would not by taking knowledge thereof driue headlong his sonne who was alreadie running too fast of himselfe Besides that he was not ignorant that the eyes of all nations were bent vpon this discord of his two sonnes and therefore he desired by all meanes that these grudges might bee with as little stirre as was possible appeased Wherefore he answered Baiazet courteously That concerning his gouernment of AMASIA he could not alter it as resolutely set downe as well for his brother as himselfe and that therefore they should doe well to go◠both to their appointed places as he had before commaunded As for the rest they should be of good comfort for that he would take such order as that neither of them should haue just cause to complaine Partau Bassa the fourth of the great Bassaes of the court was appointed to goe with this message to Baiazet and Mehemet third of the same great Bassaes with like charge to Selymus because the matter should seeme to be done with all indifferencie and both of these great men commaunded not to depart from them they were sent vnto before they were both come vnto the places of their gouernment whereunto they were assigned Which Solyman wisely did to keepe them both within the compasse of dutie by the presence of such two graue counsellors Which thing Selymus tooke in good part but Baiazet not so who hauing resolued with himselfe to set all on a hurly burly thought nothing more vnfit for his designes than to haue one of his fathers greatest counsellors still at his elbow as Censor of all his speeches and doings wherefore hauing courteously entertained him rewarded him according to his abilitie he dismissed him though vnwilling to depart making this excuse That he would vse him as his patrone and defendour with his father for as much as he had no other in court to defend his cause promising not to be vnto him an
of that place lost this short and transitorie life winning thereby immortall fame and at S. Michaels Adurnius one of the knights and Pagio with certaine others were greeuously wounded for the enemie suddenly retiring from the assault presently so thundred into the breaches with their great and small shot that all the island seemed to tremble the heauens to burne and the aire to be darkened with smoake In the meane time Valetta thorowly wearied with the mornings fight had withdrawne himselfe a little to breath himselfe when suddenly a Spanish priest with his hands cast vp to heauen came running to him roaring and crying out That all was lost and forlorne and that three or foure ensignes of the enemies were by the castle breach broken into the towne Which the Great master hearing suddenly clapt his helmet vpon his head and with a pike in his hand said vnto them that were about him Loe fellow souldiors the houre is come wherein you may shew your selues the most valiant champions of the Christian religion if it be so that you now also retaine the same valor which you haue in other battel 's shewed There is no cause wherefore you should doubt of this last for the enemie is the same and the same God which hath hetherto preserued vs will not now forsake vs wherefore follow me valiant hearts This said he hasted to the place where most danger was and with him all the souldiors all the citisens men and women old and yong yea the very children all against the common enemy There was fought a most dreadfull and dangerous battell some kept the enemie from entring some set vpon that were alreadie entred whom they wounded chased and slew although they notably resisted Within without all was couered with darts weapons dead bodies and bloud The Great master was carefull of all in euery place present commending exhorting directing as occasion required performing at once all the duties of a most valiant souldior and worthie Generall At length the Turkes with the setting of the Sunne retired and so the assault ceased Thus was the Great master the vndoubted victor but not without much bloud of his people considering his small number for in this fight he lost aboue 200 men wheras of the enemies beside them which were entred whereof not one escaped were slaine aboue 2000. These are those foure terrible assaults presently giuen one after another vnto the besieged Garzias the Viceroy in the meane time taried for nothing els to transport his armie to MALTA but for the comming of Io. Cardona who with twelue gallies was gone to PANORMO to conduct thence foure ships laded with prouision but when he saw him stay long he sent to him in post That if he could not with such speed as was required tow foorth those ships he should spend no longer time but take out the prouision into his gallies and with speed to come away So the Viceroy with a fleet of threescore and twelue gallies the twentith day of August set forward from MESSANA to SIRACVSA wherein he caried ten thousand select souldiors amongst whom were aboue two hundred knights of the Order of S. Iohn and about fortie of the Order of S. Stephen which is an Order of knights instituted by Cosmus Medices duke of FLORENCE to the imitation of the knights of MALTA in the yeare 1561 and haue their residence at COSMOPOLIS a new built citie in the island of ELBA in the Tuscane sea oueragainst PIOMBINO Besides these knights in this fleet were diuers noble and valiant gentlemen of ITALIE SICILIE and other countries The fleet being arriued at SIRACVSA the Viceroy sent Auria with one gallie and a boat to MALTA to land a man to know of Paccius left as we haue before said for a watch in the island at MALECA what newes or what he had seene By whom it was vnderstood That no ship was seene at sea but one galliot which the one and twentith day of August in the morning made towards GAVLOS and the same day towards night as he was informed by the watchmen of MALECA sixteene gallies came to water at SALINE but what became of them afterwards by reason of the comming on of the night could not be descried In this while the besieged had notably repaired the breach at the castle bulwarke and had in sundry places aptly placed certaine great pieces to flanker the ditches and to beat the mount cast vp by the enemie at the bulwarke of BONINSEGNA that they might from thence annoy all the plaine of the castle with their small shot But the Turkes hauing determined with all their forces at once to assault both the townes as before brought an engine made of spars and boords able to couer thirtie men vnder the breach at S. Michaels whereby it came to passe that none of the defendants could without danger shew themselues in the breach which when they could by no meanes endure they suddenly sallied out and putting them to flight which were there couered set fire on the engine and burnt it In like manner they which besieged the new citie were repulsed at the castle breach and another like engine burnt The next night certaine of the watch of the castle issued out and hauing destroyed the Turkes engines prepared for the assayling of that place and slaine them that were set for the keeping thereof returned in safetie into the castle But when the enemies both that day and others following rested not but repairing their mines mounts and engines laboured in both places to haue beaten the Christians from the wals all their endeuour and labour was by the industrie and valor of the defendants made frustrate The besieged had at the castle breach made a mine and laid in it eight barrels of pouder that if the enemie should again assault that place he might there be blowne vp but whilest the Turks were for like purpose working a mine in the same place they chanced vpon the mine before made which they spoyled and carried away all the pouder Thus whilest they labour both on the one side and the other Mustapha the Generall a most expert and famous commaunder considering that Summer now so farre spent he was not to vse longer delay and withall that resolute perseuerance oftentimes in warre findeth out a way to victorie determined with all his power once againe to assault the castle S. Michael Wherfore displaying the stately standerd of the Turkish emperour vpon the point whereof was fastened a globe of gold he commaunded his souldiors to enter the breach who now like desperat men attempted to haue performed his command and were by the Christians valiantly encountred so that in the breach was made a most terrible and doubtfull fight But when the Turkes had now beene twice rejected and beaten downe Mustapha perceiuing his souldiors as men halfe discouraged but faintly to maintaine the assault came himselfe to the places praying and exhorting them not to be discouraged but
for wealth allured the pouertie of the people of ROME to lay hold vpon it so that we haue rather couetously than justly got the rule thereof In the heart of the island standeth NICOSIA sometime the regall and late metropoliticall citie thereof And in the East end thereof FAMAGVSTA sometime called TAMASSVS a famous rich citie the cheefe and onely port of all that most pleasant island Other faire cities there be also as PAPHOS AMATHVS now called LIMISSO and CYRENE This island of it selfe long time maintained the majestie of a kingdome as then when Richard the first king of ENGLAND passing that way with his fleet for the releefe of the Christians then distressed in the Holy land about the yeare 1191 was prohibited there to land and certaine of his people by force of tempest there cast on shore were by the Cypriots either cruelly slaine or taken prisoners which barbarous violence king Richard tooke in so euill part that he there by force landed his armie and rested not vntill he had taken Isaak the king prisoner and subdued the island The king he sent in chaines of siluer to TRIPOLIS there to be kept in close prison the kingdome he kept a while in his owne hand which not long after he gaue or as some say exchanged with Guido the titular king of HIERVSALEM for which cause the kings of ENGLAND for a certaine time afterwards were honoured with the title of the kings of HIERVSALEM This kingdome by many descents came at length to Ianus son of king Peter who in the yeare 1423 was by Melechella Sultan of AEGIPT taken prisoner but afterwards for the ransome of an hundred and fifteene thousand Sultanins was set at libertie and restored to his kingdome paying vnto the Sultan and his successours a yearely tribute of fortie thousand crownes This Ianus left a sonne called Iohn who after the death of his father married the daughter of the Marques of MONT-FERRAT after whose death he married one Helena of the most noble house of the Paleologi in GRaeCIA by whom he had one onely daughter called Carlotte but by another woman a base sonne named Iames. This king Iohn was a man of no courage altogether giuen to pleasure and according to the manner of his effeminate education shewed himselfe in all things more like a woman than a man which Helena his wife a woman of a great spirit quickly perceiuing tooke vpon her the soueraignetie and whole gouernment of the realme gracing and disgracing whom she pleased and promoting to the ecclesiasticall dignities such as she best liked abolishing the Latine ceremonies and bringing in them of the Greeks and tooke such further order as pleased her selfe in matters of state concerning both peace and warre her husband in the meane time regarding nothing but his vaine pleasure whereby it came to passe that all was brought into the power of the Greekes the queenes friends Now the queene her selfe was much ruled by the counsell of her nurse and the nurse by her daughter so that the people commonly said The daughter ruled the nurse the nurse the queene the queene the king The nobilitie ashamed and wearie of this manner of gouernment by generall consent of the people sent for Iohn the king of PORTINGALS cousin Germane whom some call the king of PORTINGALL to whom they gaue Carlotte the kings daughter in marriage with full power to supplie that want of gouernment which was in king Iohn his father in law He taking the authoritie into his hands quickly reformed the disordered kingdome as well in matters concerning religion as ciuile policie The Latine ceremonies were againe restored and the gouernement of the daughter the nurse and the queene brought to an end But the mischieuous daughter doubting the countenance of the new king persuaded her mother as she tendered her owne life to poyson the king Which thing the wretched woman by the consent of the queene mother as was reported in shorttime performed and so brought that noble prince well worthie longer life vnto his vntimely end whereby the gouernment was againe restored to the Greeke queene who in the name of her weake husband commaunded againe at her pleasure But aboue all the nurse and her daughter insulted vpon the young queene Carlotte which shee not well brooking grieuously complained thereof to Iames her base brother requiring his helpe for redresse therof who not long after slew the nurses daughter not so much in reuenge of the wrong by her done vnto his sister as to prepare a way for himselfe for the obtaining of the kingdome grieuing inwardly that shee or her husband whosoeuer should bee preferred before himselfe Which thing Helena the queene quickly perceiuing persuaded the king her husband to cause his base sonne to enter into the orders of priesthood and so to become a church man thereby to cut off all his hope of aspiring vnto the kingdome which the king at her instance did and made him archbishop of NICOSIA In the meane time Carlotte by the persuasion of her mother and the nobilitie of the countrey married Lewes sonne to the duke of SAVOY who being for that purpose sent for came with all speed to CYPRVS After that the queene mother and the old nurse desiâ—ing nothing more than to reuenge the death of the nurses daughter vpon Iames now archbishop deuised first how to thrust him out of all his spirituall promotions which were great and afterward quite banish him the kingdome Hereupon the queene wrote letters against him to the Pope to haue him disgraded for that he being a man base borne with his hands embrued with guiltlesse blood was vnworthie of holy orders Which letters by chance came to Iames his hands who enraged therewith accompanied with a number of his friends and fauorits suddenly entred the Court slew such of his enemies as he found there deuided their goods amongst his followers and as king possessed himselfe of the regall citie In this broile the Greeke queene Helena died and shortly after her husband also All things being thus in a hurle and out of order certaine of the nobilitie for redresse thereof sent for Lewes the husband of Carlotte as for him to whom that kingdome in the right of his wife most justly belonged who vpon his arriuall was of all sorts of men joifully receiued and welcommed as their king Iames the vsurper vnderstanding before of the comming of Lewes and perceiuing the inclination of the people towards him fled with diuers of his friends to ALEXANDRIA to craue aid of the Aegyptian Sultan in whose Court he found such fauour as that he was by the Sultans commaundement royally apparrelled and honoured with the title of the king of CYPRVS which he promised for euer to hold of the Sultans of AEGIPT as their vassale and tributarie At which time the Sultan also by his embassadours commaunded Lewes to depart the isle who by all meanes sought to haue pacified the Sultan declaring vnto him his rightfull title yet
his souldiors but his reuerend yeares more to see him being aboue threescore and seauenteene yeares old to performe all the parts of a braue youthfull commaunder in the verie face of the greatest danger The fierce enemie hauing slaine many of the Christians pressed on more furiously and fighting close togither entred the prow of Venerius his gallie now bared of defendants and with their multitude rather than true valour oppressed the Venetians who had there no doubt been ouercome had not Ioannes Lauretanus and Catherinus Malipetra two valiant captaines and lying not farre off speedily come to their reliefe By whose comming in the fight was in the turning of an hand quite altered so that they which a little before fiercely assailed led the Venetian gallies were now glad to defend their owne so for a space the fight stood indifferent but in processe of the battell those two worthie captaines whilest they also performe the parts of most resolute souldiors were both slaine shot through with small shot The fall of these notable men did rather enrage than discourage the minds of their souldiors so that blinded as it were with furie and suddenly become other men they desperatly pressed in vpon the Turks So that whilest they on the one side kill and wound them and Venerius more hardly chargeth them on the other the terrour of the battell was turned from them that were euen at the point to haue beene vanquished vpon the victors And our men after great slaughter of the Turkes tooke two of their gallies Pertau the Bassa in a long boat escaped the danger and so got him out of the battell Not farre off thence Columnius the Popes Admirall as a valiant chieftaine hardly assailed other of the Turkes gallies and made amongst them great slaughter one singled from the rest he tooke and disordered the other Lignius the Admirall of GENVA with like courage thrust himselfe into the thickest of the enemies there made a notable fight Many an enemie fell about the prince of PARMA Rueres Vrsinus Cornea and Iustinianus who for their present honour and future fame fought most couragiously At the same time Chiroche or Sirocke of some called Mahomet Bey with his right wing with great confidence came forward against the left wing of the Christian fleet but falling before he was aware into the danger of the galeasses was from out of them miserably beaten with the great ordinance hauing many of his men slaine and diuers of his gallies sunke and torne few of the hugie and deadly shot falling in vaine into the sea by reason of the thicke standing of the Turkes gallies where also diuers of the enemies were burnt with pots of wild fire cast into their gallies out of the tops of the galeasses Chiroche to auoid the danger of the galeasses and to shun the dangerous shelfes betwixt him and the maine which the riuer Achelous running betweene the borders of ACHARNANIA and AETOLIA and there falling into the sea maketh sent a great part of his gallies vnder the conduct of one Alis a notable renegat of GENVA to cast about aloofe vpon the right hand and so to come vpon the backe of Barbadicus the leader of the left wing of the Christian fleet Which he perceiuing forthwith turned his gallies and with their prows receiued the first onset The great ordinance first on both sides discharged diuers of the gallies grapled fast togither in such sort as that they encountred one another not with their missiue weapons onely as with their small shot arrowes and darts but with their drawn swords foot to foot Amongst the rest the fight of two of the Christian gallies was most notable in the one was Barbadicus himselfe in the other Marcus Ciconia vpon whom fell six of the enemies gallies and vpon Barbadicus fiue who although they were on euerie side distressed with a most doubtfull and dangerous fight yet did they most valiantly with worthie resolution endure the same In the furie of this battell Barbadicus encouraging his souldiors and fighting himselfe euen there where most danger was was hit in the left eye with an arrow and so strucke into the braine almost through the head wherewith falling presently downe he was taken vp for dead howbeit he died not thereof vntill three daies after The supposed death of this worthie man much troubled the Christians and both the armies felt his fall such force there is in the valour of one worthie man for the Turks now as conquerors lustily boorded the gallie troubled with the losse of the captaine and the Venetians as men discouraged gaue way the gallie had there vndoubtedly beene lost had not Federicus Nanius and Syluius Porcia with their gallies speedily come to her releefe by whose comming in such an alteration was made as that the gallie before halfe taken was not onely cleared but diuers of the Turks gallies also bourded and some of them taken not without the great slaughter of the Turks In this so hard and mortall a conflict Syluius was grieuously wounded in the thigh and in his right side It is reported of Barbadicus That lying that euening at the point of death the battell then ended he like another Epaminondas asked which part had got the victorie and being told that the Christians had got it and that the Turks fleet was most part taken and the rest sunke or burnt he with his eyes cast vp vnto heauen gaue vnto God immortall thankes therefore and not long after joyfully departed this life to liue in blisse for euer Ciconia in the meane time hardly beset with six of the enemies gallies as we haue before said was himselfe sore burnt with wild fire and hurt in the face and hauing endured a long and terrible fight was now euen at the point to haue beene lost when sudden releefe comming in he was now contrarie to all hope saued and therewith so much encouraged that with his wearie and wounded souldiors as men from death reuiued he afresh charged the enemie and tooke one of his principall gallies with one of the Turks fairest ensignes which in the Venetian Armorie is yet there to be seene of his worthie valour his honest wounds in his face and the forepart of his bodie were most certaine and vndoubted witnesses Not farre off in the same wing Ioannes Contarenus an honourable and valiant gentleman did with his great shot exceeding great harme amongst the Turks gallies Which Chiroche perceiuing and therewith enraged ran so fiercely vpon the side of Contarenus his gallie that with his beake he had well neere stemmed her presently grapling fast with her was like to haue bourded her whom neuerthelesse the Christians notably repulsed with greater slaughter than was thought possible for so small a number to haue made neither did the enemies fall vnreuenged but all embrued with the bloud of the Christians Seldome hath beene seene a more cruell fight or more resolute captaines to encounter hand
to hand But after the battell had of long time stood doubtfull the hope of the Christians encreased vpon two causes for which the courage of the enemie quailed first for that many of the Turks being slain or wounded they were brought to a small number then for that both parties saw Chiroche himselfe slaine from which time the enemie as well destitute of a leader to direct them as of fresh supplies to relieue them began to be cut downe right or taken Which their danger was the more encreased because the gallie bulged with the great shot was now leake and in danger to sinke wherefore the Turkes in that wing ouercome with despaire began to thinke rather how to saue themselues by flight than by fight reposing their trust in nothing more than in the neerenesse of the maine But as they were turning about toward the shore they were preuented by the Christians who entring the gallie and hauing slaine or driuen ouer boord almost all that were left tooke Chiroche yet breathing but halfe dead and seeing small hope of his life with fresh wounds made an end of him Diuers and doubtfull was the whole face of the battell as fortune offered vnto euery man his enemie so he fought according as euery mans disposition put into him courage or feare or as he met with moe or fewer enemies so was there here and there sometime victorie and sometime losse Many fights were in sundrie places seene mingled together Some gallies whiles they run to stemme others are themselues by others stemmed Some which you would thinke were flying away falling by fortune vpon one victorious gallie or other suddenly take them Othersome as if they had beene of neither part row vp and downe betwixt the battels The chance of warre in one place lifteth vp the vanquished and in another ouerthroweth the victorious All was full of terrour errour sorrow and confusion And albeit that fortune had not yet determined which way to encline yet the Christians at length began to appeare much superior both in courage and strength and the Turkes seemed now rather to defend themselues than to assaile their enemies Bacianus in the rereward intentiuely marked all the whole fight and euer as need required sent in present aid without respect whether they were the Popes gallies the king of SPAINES or the Venetians that were distressed In this long and terrible fight it chanced that the Turkes seeing the Christian Generals gallie hardly charged on the prow by Haly Bassa to bee almost bared of defendants in the poupe all the soldiors hauing their hands full before were about to haue bourded her abath and to that purpose were fetching a compasse about her Which Bacianus quickly perceiuing glistering in bright armour came speedily in with certaine gallies and by opposing of himselfe against them stayed their course In all the battell was not seene a more cruell fight for hauing discharged many volleyes of shot and arrowes and darts without number they grapled at length together and came to the sword where with the formost Bacianus not onely with words but with his presence and valour wonderfully encouraged his souldiours hauing receiued in his targuet of proofe two small shot Many were on both sides slaine the Spaniards attempting sundrie times to haue entered the Turkes gallies were with great losse repulsed but not giuing it so ouer neither giuing the enemie leaue to breath or so much as to looke behind him valour was vanquished by pertinacie and the Spaniards hauing ouerthrowne and slaine their enemies enjoyed their gallies Now had Don Iohn with like courage and strength but with doubtfull victorie fought three houres and more with Haly Bassa when after so dreadfull and dangerous a fight and many a deadly wound on both parts giuen and receiued our men began to faint and brought to the vttermost of their deuoire were in danger to haue beene ouercome had not Don Iohn betaken himselfe vnto his onely and last refuge He had as is beforesaid reserued vnder the hatches foure hundred of his best and select souldiours for their valour chosen out of the whole armie against all the euents of so long and dangerous a battell these men attentiuely attending euery becke of Don Iohn vpon signe giuen as was before appointed suddenly start out and with a terrible crie and desperat onset assailed the enemie before almost spent with labour and wounds This fresh and vnexpected companie so suddenly growne vp first astonied and afterwards confounded and with a great slaughter vanquished the Turkes and possessed the galley The Bassa deadly wounded in the head with a shot and all embrued with bloud was taken and as a joyfull spectacle brought to Don Iohn who seeing him readie to breath his last commaunded him to be despoyled of his armour and his head strucke off Which presently set vpon the point of a speare hee for a space held vp aloft with his owne hand as a trophey of his victorie as also with the sight thereof to strike a terrour into the minds of the other Turkes who in the other gallies fast by fought yet right valiantly neither was he therein deceiued for the Turks beholding the knowne countenance of the Bassa their late Generall and a flag of the crosse set vp in the top of his gallie and the noise of the Christians crying victorie running through the armie were therewith so discouraged that confounded with feare they turned their gallies and with might and maine made toward the land which was not much more than a mile off Which Canalis and Quirinus yet breathing with the late slaughter of the Turkes perceiuing with their gallies hardly pursued the flying enemie and sunke and tooke diuers of their gallies Partau his sonne by the staying of the rest got time to run his gallie on ground and so forsaking her saued himselfe and his men by running ashore so did also diners others run themselues aground and forsake their gallies which presently became a prey vnto the Christians In this hot conflict was Caracoza the famous pyrat who abjuring the Christian religion had turned Turke and of long time done exceeding much mischeefe vpon the coasts of the Christian countries valiantly fighting slaine by Buzzacharinus of PADVA by whose death many were deliuered of a great feare Haly Bassa had brought forth with him his two sonnes Achmat and Mahomet the one three and twentie yeares old and the other thirteene the nephewes of the great emperour Selymus by his sister married to Haly them their father had placed in a great gallie with a strong guard of the Ianizaries who seeing the discomfiture of the maine battell and the danger now drawing neere vnto themselues were exceedingly afraid and therefore to saue themselues though it best with all speed to make toward the maine But in so doing they were preuented by Requisenius the great Commendour who with his furious Spaniards bourding the Turkes alreadie dismayed and running away slew of them
in the castle of BRAILOVIA not farre off whereupon he forthwith marched thither with his armie The citie of BRAILOVIA standeth vpon the riuer Danubius and had in it a castle of some good strength defended both by the nature of the place and a strong garrison of the Turks which Selymus had appointed for the keeping thereof as the key of the countrey not farre from this citie the Vayuod encamping his armie writ vnto the captaine of the castle forthwith to deliuer vnto him the Palatine with Peter his brother his mortall enemies who neuer wronged by him had inuaded his countrey and sought after his life and being ouerthrowne in battell were fled vnto him which if he should refuse to doe he threatned neuer to depart thence vntill he had to his farther harme constrained him by force to yeeld them These letters he sent by two Valachian captiues to be deliuered vnto the captaine of the castle whereunto he returned answere by foure Turkes two of the citie and two of his owne seruants by whom he also sent ten great shot and as many small with two Turkish arrowes and this message For that I know thee to be the seruant of my dread soueraigne Selymus I regard thee and will not denie the same men to be with me whom thou so much requirest But for as much as I vnderstand that thou of late hast slaine a great number of the seruants of the great emperour who by his commaundement were bringing Peter the brother of the Palatine into MOLDAVIA I therefore tell thee that except thou betime raise thy siege I will feed thee and thy followers with such dishes as these whereupon thou and thine armie gorged to the full shall all afterwards dangerously surfeit and cast Farewell This rough answere so much mooued the Vayuod that he commaunded hands to be laid vpon the aforesaid foure messengers and their noses lips and eares being cut off both their feet to be with great nailes fast nailed vnto a long piece of timber and so with their hands hanging downward to be set vp before the citie and so left for the captaine and the citisens to gaze vpon Signifying withall vnto the captaine that sent them that he himselfe with the other fugitiues his guests should in like manner be serued if they fell into his hands Immediatly after he assaulted the citie and vsing the cheerfulnesse of his souldiors by plaine force tooke the same the defendants being not able to hold them out There was made great slaughter of the Turkes whereas no man was taken to mercie the very babes were slain together with their mothers and bloud ran like riuers into the Danubius For the space of foure dayes this bloudie execution endured no place serued for refuge euen the most secret and obscure places were searched and the poore creatures there found drawne forth and slaine The furie was so great that no liuing thing no not so much as the very dogs were spared Much gold siluer plate jewels and other rich spoyle was there found all which became a prey vnto the greedie souldiours for that citie was of all others in those quarters the richest as a place much frequented enjoying long peace as after such time the Turkes were fully possessed of GRaeCIA not being troubled with any warres vntill now that it was by the Vayuod first ransackt and afterwards rased downe to the ground and nothing thereof left standing more than the bare castle it selfe which the Vayuod durst not aduenture vpon for that it was well fortified and furnished with so strong a garrison as that it could not without his great losse be taken Whiles the Vayuod was thus busied in the spoile of BRAILOVIA newes was brought vnto him of the comming of fifteene thousand Turkes to the reliefe of the castle against whom hee forthwith sent Suierceuius with his Cossackes and other eight thousand Moldauian horsemen who suddenly comming vpon the Turks disordered and fearing no such matter slew almost fourteene thousand of them and chased the rest vnto the castle of TEINA Of this victory Suierceuius in all hast certified the Vayuod and withall that there was another great power of the Turkes comming which might easily be also ouerthrowne if he leauing the siege of the castle of BRAILOVIA would without delay come and joyne his forces with his He glad of that news and well perceiuing how difficult and dangerous that siege would be vnto him rise forthwith with his armie and went to Suierceuius and afterwards vpon conference had with him laid siege to TEINA which citie taken without much labour he put to sword all the people found therein not leauing one aliue and by the seruice of Suierceuius ouerthrew the Turks comming towards BRAILOVA Selymus in the meane time much troubled with the proceedings of the Vayuod and doubting to be quite thrust out of VALACHIA TRANSALPINA which he was like ynough to haue beene had not the treason of Czarnieuiche hindered the matter prepared new forces for that seruice and after the manner of the Turks in time of their greatest distresse appointed generall supplications and prayers to be made vnto his prophet Mahomet for the better successe of his wars the vndoubted signe of his feare The Vayuod after so many victories against the Turkes purposing for a while to breake vp his great armie called vnto him his old friend Ieremias Czarnieuiche vnto whom as vnto the man he of all others most trusted he had resolued to commit the charge with part of his armie to keepe the Turks from passing againe ouer the riuer Danubius into his countrey and in deliuering to him his charge spake vnto him as followeth Sith fortune hath hitherto answered our desires worthie Czarnieuiche with most rare and perpetuall successe against the Turkes our most cruell enemies we are thankefully to take the same and to render most humble and heartie thankes vnto Almightie God that it hath pleased him the author of all victorie so to haue prospered our endeuours against these fierce and deuouring enemies Now what remaineth for the present but to disband mine armie wearied with labour and trauell and to giue my soldiors leaue to depart home to rest themselues that so I may as occasion shall require againe vse their fresh forces for our better seruice you in the meane time with thirteene thousand of my select souldiors shall lie vpon the side of Danubius to keepe the Turkes from passing the riuer Haue good regard I pray you vnto this your charge which I vpon an especiall trust grounded vpon your antient loue and fidelitie haue at this time imposed vpon you And let me from time to time with all expedition vnderstand from you of euery motion of the enemie that so we may in due time prouide for him accordingly And so in token of his greater fauour taking his leaue of him with a kisse as the manner of those people is gaue leaue vnto the greatest part of
sent from the new castle by Serbellio got into GVLETTA after which they in the besieged castle sallied out and the twentith of August repulsed the Turkes with an exceeding great slaughter But the Bassaes fully resolued vpon the winning of the place to gage their whole forces and without ceasing still bringing on fresh souldiors after they had all the day continued a most terrible assault at length about two houres after Sun set they tooke the castle the three and twentith day of August when there was now scarcely two hundred soldiors left aliue to defend the same who altogither with the other weak people in the castle were without mercie cut in pieces What wealth the Turkes found in this castle is hard to say but certaine it is that they had therein great store of victuals armour shot and pouder and foure hundred great pieces of artillerie GVLETTA thus taken the Turkes forthwith laid siege to the new castle appointed by Don Iohn the yeare before to haue beene built betwixt GVLETTA and TVNES which was not yet altogither finished wherein the two auntient and valiant captaines Serbellio and Salazar left there of purpose for the building thereof by Don Iohn lay with a garrison of four thousand good souldiors The Bassaes when they gaue the first summons to the castle the foure and twentith of August required to haue it forthwith deliuered vnto them to whom Serbellio stoutly answered That he had promised the king his master to giue him a better account of the place and being now also verie old could not endure the Turkes heauie yoake but would therefore hold it out vnto the last man which both he and Salazar truly performed not omitting any thing that was by men to be done for defence of the place and sallying out sometimes the one and sometimes the other made great slaughter of the Turkes giuing them also repulse vpon repulse when they came to the assault But the great Bassaes little feeling and lesse regarding the losse of men so that thereby they might gaine the place after many most terrible and desperat assaults at length namely the thirteenth day of September when they had with all their force for the space of six houres furiously assaulted the castle and slaine most of the defendants at last tooke it Serbellio shot in with two bullets and wishing rather to die than to fall into the hand of the enemie thrust himselfe into the middest of the Turkes there to haue perished but by the hastie comming in of Piall Bassa both he and Salazar were taken aliue as for all the rest that followed them they were put to the sword The Bassa in his rage strucke Serbellio and the more to grieue him caused his sonne to be cruelly murthered before his face Neither was this victorie by the Turkes obtained without bloud hauing in lesse than three moneths space that the siege endured lost aboue thirtie thousand men These strong holds the greatest strength of that kingdome thus taken the Turks marched to TVNES which they easily tooke and afterwards ouerthrew the fortifications therof because it should no more rebell Mahomet the young king but the yeare before placed in that kingdome by Don Iohn was there taken and in bonds sent aboord to be carried with Carrâ—ra captaine of GVLETTA prisoners to CONSTANTINOPLE And thus the kingdome of TVNES with the strong castle of GVLETTA fell againe into the possession of the Turkes to the farther trouble of the Christian countries lying ouer against it The prowd Bassaes hauing as they thought best disposed of all things at TVNES and GVLETTA departed thence and with their fleet of 400 saile came the fourth of October within sight of MALTA But vnderstanding that they of MALTA were prouided for their comming and remembring what dishonor their most magnificent emperor Solyman had not many years before there sustained wherof diuers of them had been eye-witnesses they turned thence and sailed directly to CONSTANTINOPLE Shortly after this great emperour Selymus spent with wine and women vnto whom he had giuen his greatest strength died the ninth of December in the yeare of our Lord 1574 when he had liued one and fiftie yeares and thereof raigned eight and lieth buried at HADRIANOPLLE He was but of a meane stature of an heauie disposition his face rather swollen than fat much resembling a drunkard Of all the Othoman kings and emperours he was of least valour therfore least regarded altogither giuen to sensualitie and pleasure and so dying left his empire vnto Amurath his eldest sonne a man of more temperance but not much greater courage who neuerthelesse by his valiant Bassaes and men of warre did great matters especially against the Persians the mortall and dangerous enemies of the Turkes as shall be hereafter in his Historie declared FINIS Christian princes of the same time with Selymus the second Emperors of Germanie Maximilian the second 1565. 12. Kings Of England Queene Elizabeth 1558. 45. Of Fraunce Charles the ninth 1560. 14. Of Scotland Queene Mary 1543. 20. Iames the sixt that now raigneth 1567. Bishops of Rome Pius the V. 1566. 6. Iulius the XIII 1572. 12. AMVRATH AMVRATHES TERTIVS TVRCARVM IMPERATOR SEXTVS FLORVIT AN o 1574 Non ego fortis eram Qâ—is tanto nomine dignus Ni fortem faciat mens generosa virum Me tumidum fortuna tumens euexit in altum Et par fortunae mens mea semper erat Sic quamuis tenero mihi nil nisi molle placeret Nominis augendi raptus amore fui Emisique meos ad fortia facta ministros Per quos sublatum est nomen in astra meum Mustapha Ferrhates Sinan ter maximus Osman Terrores orbis succubuere mihi Armenios domui fortes Medosque feroces Et mihi paruerat Regia Taurisij Sed mihi quid prodest tantorum parta labore Gloria Si subito maxima queque ruant Et nihil est tanti quod non breuis auferet hora Sic mea cum multis gloria victa iacet RICH. KNOLLEVS In English thus The Worthies praise I challenge not for who deserues the same Except the noble Worthies minde deserue the Worthies fame Prowd fortune set me prowd aloft in honours highest grace And still my hautie thoughts they were equall vnto my place So that although naught pleasd but that best fitted my desire Yet to increase my fame I still did more and more aspire And sent my mightie Worthies out to mannage my great warres By whose knowne valour my prowd name is mounted to the starres Prowd Sinan Ferrat Mustapha all men of high degree The terrours of the world so wide were vassales vnto me Th'Armenians stout I vanquished and fild the Medes with feare And Regall TAVRIS stately towers at my commandment were But what auailes my glorie great got with such Worthies paine If in the twinckling of an eye it come to nought againe And nothing is of so great State which Time shall not cast
fugae RICH. KNOLLEVS Proud Sinan cease to vaunt too much of thy great triumphs woon Or with sterne looke for to extoll the deeds by thee erst done For why the Transyluanian prince will take reuenge of thee And swelling in thy greatest pride enforce thee for to flee R. Knolls This Sinan was a most auntient enemie to Mustapha and in all things thought himselfe his match For if Mustapha had subdued CYPRVS so had he conquered TRIPOLIS GVLETTA with the kingdome of TVNES in AFFRICKE and if Mustapha were a man of great courage and reuerend for his yeares Sinan would be his equall both in the one and the other yea and did not sticke to thinke himselfe his better too for that in the enterprise of GIAMEN in ARAâ—IA he performed such an exploit as Mustapha neither durst nor yet knew how to put in execution so carrying away the glorie of that famous conquest for which euer after there was betweene them a continuall heart burning one of them enuying at the others glorie and both in word and deed as occasions fell out in all things opposing themselues one against the other At last happens this opportunitie for Sinan who taking the occasion of the complaints of so many against Mustapha caused a great number of them to frame their supplications to Amurath which he for his part did in most malignant manner enforce and exaggerat against his old aduersarie accusing him that this second yeare he had most manifestly shewed himselfe to haue gone vnto the warres not as a worthie Generall desirous of noble and honourable enterprises but as a man that would make marchandise of bloud and of his souldiors payes employing the most liberall prouision of corne and money not as rewards of well deseruing men nor to the erecting of such fabrickes as were needfull and might haue beene built therewithall but onely to his own proper gaine so to enrich himselfe with his peoples losses to the great shame of his lord and consuming of the publicke treasure adding hereunto that if the things done by Mustapha were well searched it would be found that he had neglected many good oportunities attempted many things in vaine and not done any good either to the emperour or his souldiors but onely to himselfe whom rather than they would follow againe as their Generall all his people in an vprore shewed themselues readie and willing to aduenture themselues in any other farre greater labour that by their lord and soueraigne should be commaunded them These and such like complaints with the hard opinion alreadie conceiued against him by Amurath were the occasion why he resolued to put him from his place Beside that he thought it a thing dangerous to his state to suffer one and the selfesame Generall any long time to commaund ouer so great armies deeming it not so much for his honour still to employ one man as to shew that he had varietie and choice of subjects worthie of so great a charge And therfore being desirous to find out the truth of that was reported to him concerning Mustapha he sent the cheefe of his gentlemen porters with fifteene others to bring him to the Court with his Chancellor and Treasurer to shew the accounts of such monies as he had receiued and to giue vp an account of their whole office Vnto this messenger had Amurath deliuered three diuers letters which he should warily shew as occasion serued one of them was so written of purpose that Mustapha in the receiuing therof might by the same messengers be strangled in the second was the emperours warrant for the doing of that was to them commanded and in the third was contained that Mustapha should forthwith send his chauncellor and treasurer to the Court by those messengers Mustapha in the meane time by diuers meanes but especially by the guilt of his owne conscience venting the displeasure of the emperour towards him and suspecting as the truth was his life to be by those messengers sought after at such time as the captaine porter came to his campe found many delayes to put him off and would not in any case be spoken withall But when the messenger would endure no longer delay he was at length admitted to his presence hauing a circle appointed for him out of which he and his companions might not stirre or approch neerer vnto him the Bassaes guard standing in armes round about him The messenger perceiuing the Bassaes warinesse wilely pluckt forth the third letters concerning the sending of his Chancellor and Treasurer to the Court. Then began the craftie old Bassa to find many excuses to haue delayed the matter but being hardly pressed by the messenger and seeing no other remedie he with much difficultie deliuered them both couenanting before with the messenger to haue both their liues spared who comming to CONSTANTINOPLE were forthwith clapt fast into the tower called IADICVLA as there to haue beene seuerely examined of all the doings of the Bassa But Mustapha after long delay comming at length to CONSTANTINOPLE the ninth of Aprill in the Spring following and vsing the mightie and potent mediation of diuers great ladies and other his gratious friends in Court preuailed so much in that corrupt gouernment as that he was againe at length receiued into the fauour of Amurath without any further proceeding against him his chancellor or treasurer who by his meanes were afterwards also enlarged and set at libertie yet was he neuer after admitted to those honours which he persuaded himselfe were of right due vnto him for his good and faithfull seruice of long time done to the Othoman emperours In this time that Mustapha was Generall at ERZIRVM Muhamet the Visier Bassa was treacherously slaine at CONSTANTINOPLE after whom shortly after died also Achmet Bassa who succeeded in his place so that the said soueraigne dignitie in honour next vnto the Turkish emperour was by rightfull succession due to Mustapha the next Bassa but that hee was not thought worthie of it by him that might and of right ought to haue gratified him therewith as shall be a little hereafter declared when we haue briefely set downe the sudden and strange death of the said Muhamet the Visier worthie in all histories to be registred as a mirrour for all such as administer justice in so great place to looke vpon This Bassa a man of as great fame as euer was any that had gouernment in the Othoman empire in the time that he all commaunded had for some light causes depriued a certaine souldior of CONSTANTINOPLE of his yearely pension which with many labours and dangers he had gotten to maintaine himselfe which pension the Bassa bestowed vpon another souldior so that the other poore soule remained in miserie altogether vnprouided for Vnto which miserable estate seeing himselfe now brought and not guiltie to himselfe of any fault worthie so great punishment he determined with himselfe to reuenge the injurie with the bloud of that great Bassa and to bereaue
nouelties should be Whereupon Abas Mirize sent vnto them two of his chiefe counsellors men of great account and reuerence both for their yeares and wisedome with full instructions Who after many speeches in the end swearing according to their custome by the Creator that spread out the ayre that founded the earth vpon the deepes that adorned the heauen with stars that powred abroad the water that made the fire and briefly of nothing brought forth all things swearing by the head of Ali and by the religion of their prophet Mahomet that such peruerse thoughts neuer entred into the head of Abas Mirize they alleadged many testimonies and manifest proofes that most loially in all due time as well when he was aduanced to the kingdome of PERSIA as also in his battels against the Turks his sonne had alwaies caused deuout prayers and supplications to be made to God for his prosperitie neither euer desired to heare any other but happie and fortunat successe of him They brought with them a thousand and a thousand precepts and royall letters which the young man had caused to be written as occasions required to the Gouernours that were his subjects for the gouernment of the State wherein he neuer named himselfe king of PERSIA but onely Your king and Gouernour of HERI They prayed the king also to cause a diligent processe to be framed against his sonne and if there should be found in him any signe or shadow of so wicked a suspition then to take from him his estate and libertie offering themselues to remaine as hostages for him But when all this should be done and Abas found altogither free from these vnjust accusations then falling euen to the earth and kissing it they besought him and as it were conjured him not to leaue the matter thus imperfect to the prejudice of his bloud but returning to his counsellor to take information likewise vpon what mind and consideration he had aduised the king to take vpon him this vnorderly and dangerous voyage where no doubt he should find nothing in him but malignant ambitious and wicked affections and such as euen deserued that with his bloud there should be reuenged all the bloud of those which till that houre had been brought to their vnworthie and vndeserued deaths And for as much as nothing remained whereof the Visier had enformed the king against his sonne but the commaundement that was giuen by Abas Mirize to the Gouernors vnder him That they should not go to the wars against the Turkes they confessed in truth that such an order was taken but not to that wicked and traiterous end and purpose as was reported to the king by his great counsellour but onely in respect of an inuasion justly feared in those quarters by the Tartarian Iesselbas who by diuers inroads had alreadie done great harme in the countrey about HERI and put young Abas and his counsellors in such a feare that they durst not disfurnish their cities of their guards and forces and therfore had commaunded the said Gouernours not to go to warre against the Turkes but to stay and expect further direction And that all this was by writing signified vnto the Visier himselfe which he of a malicious mind had concealed onely to trie if in these common troubles he could bring to passe that Abas Mirize and the king might be taken away and Emir Hamze succeed in his place and so he himselfe remaine the Superintendent of his sonne in law and Moderator of that most famous kingdome Of which so treacherous a purpose they for all that thought Emir Hamze the young prince altogither ignorant knowing his honourable disposition and loue towards his owne kindred but imputed it only to the immoderat and ambitious desire of the wicked traitour Mirize Salmas Of these graue speeches of the embassadours Mahamet the father by nature credulous began to make great construction and deeply to consider of their so earnest and important requests which seemed vnto him so vpright and equall as that he could not chuse but hearken vnto the same And therefore calling vnto him the Gouernours the captaines the judges and treasurers of all the cities that were subject to to HERI he demanded of them how and in what sort they esteemed of Abas Mirize and in what degree of honour he desired to be esteemed of them and of them all receiued one answere That they held him for their lord as lieutenant to the king of CASâ—IN and that he himselfe had alwaies desired to be so taken and thought of for proofe whereof euerie one of them brought in diuers letters precepts and orders wherein hee neuer caused himselfe to be honoured with any other title but onely Your king of HERI He demaunded further whether any such warres were attempted by the Tartarian Iesselbas or no whereof he receiued a large and solemne information that so it was to the great detriment of all those territories And thus the king was throughly persuaded of the innocencie of his sonne who before was noted vnto him by his Visier to be an obstinat rebell Vpon which occasion only although he might justly haue put him to death as author of so great troubles and bloudshed yet because he would be better enformed of the truth of the accusations laid against him by the embassadours he resolued to make a curious and diligent inquisition thereof and therefore first of all in great secresie he examined Emir Hamze his eldest sonne wherefore he had aduised this journey against his brother Abas whom he had found guiltlesse of all those crimes that were objected against him whereunto the prince answered That he had no other certainetie of the pretended euill behauiour of his brother but onely that which proceeded from the great credit that he alwaies gaue to his father in law Mirize Salmas to whom as to a chiefe counsellor his father in law and protector of the kingdome he had alwaies yeelded assured credence and so discharged the whole tempests of all those mischiefes vpon the Visier Touching whom the king made diligent inquisition as well among those of the court as of the armie and thereby found him guiltie of all that the embassadours of HERI had accused him and that being alwaies acquainted with the true occasions which restrained the Gouernours of HERI subject to Abas Mirize from going to the warre against the Turkes he had most maliciously concealed the same of purpose to hatch such a strange and dangerous discontentment as had wrought the vnworthie death of many great men and almost defiled the hands of the father with the innocent bloud of his guiltlesse sonne For which so foule a treason the false Visier was worthely condemned to die and his wily head by the commaundement of the king strucke from his carkasse Iustly rewarded with the same punishment which he vnjustly sought to haue conuerted vpon others and with his owne destruction pacified the dissentions and hatreds that were risen betweene the two
burnt and destroied nineteene other of his townes with vnspeakable crueltie committing all things to fire and sword After all this sacking and rasing Ebrain sent diuers messengers to Man-ogli to trie whether hee would yet be persuaded to come vnto him but nothing could moue the resolute Drusian to commit himselfe into his hands but rather encreased his constancie to auoid a most certaine death Now the great Bassa still thirsting after bloud and reuenge vnderstanding by a spie that the captaine of ANDERA being one of the Factors of Man-ogli with three hundred and fiftie souldiors was got vp to a certaine hill into a place of great securitie he sent Emir Ebne-frec to entice him and to tell him That seeing his lord Man-ogli would not come and yeeld himselfe he should come vnto him which if he would doe he would assuredly in despight of Man-ogli make him a Sanzacke of some of those places which he most desired The ambitious and vnheedie Macademo suffered himselfe to be easily persuaded and being accompanied with his three hundred and fiftie followers went with the said Ebne-frec and came at last to the pauillion of Ebrain hauing first caused his aforesaid men to stay behind in a valley two or three miles off But Ebrain would not so much as see the Macademo although both in respect of the nimblenesse of his person and also the fiercenesse of his lookes he was worthie to be looked vpon but commaunded him to be kept in a seuerall place from Serafadin and in the meane time deuised how he might with least losse of his owne men put to death those three hundred and fiftie the Macademoes followers which was by training them by means of the said Ebne-frec into a certain vineyard and so hauing brought them into a strait suddenly to set vpon them and kill them Which was accordingly performed for being by the treacherous Emir brought into the place appointed for their slaughter fearing nothing lesse they were suddenly enclosed by the Turkes Sanzackes and Ianizaries and slaine euerie mothers sonne This massacre thus finished Ebrain commaunded the Macademo to be brought before him and without delay to be stripped and flaid quicke who being come stoutly vpbraided Ebrain with his promise and his oath and amongst other speeches which he vttered whiles they stripped him said Cut me off my members and first putting them into the priuities of that infamous Ebrains wife put them afterwards into the mouth of himselfe for so I trow he will be contented and satisfied with my flesh And to them that were the executioners of his painfull death he said It is your great good fortune in deed that with such violence and needlesse deformitie ye are now able to spill my bloud and to take my life from me whereas none of you all had been able or once durst man to man to haue drawne one drop of it from me no nor to haue endured my countenance But go to proceed in your wicked and vnsatiable desire of my bloud and fulfill the cruell commaund of your Visier for in the end there will also light vpon you the iust reward of this so villanous a fact With these and other such like speeches the miserable wretch was stripped and three great slashes made on his backe where they began to flea him he in the meane time not ceasing to blaspheme their religion to curse their king and their false prophet also But the barbarous souldiors proceeding in their cruell action made other like gashes vpon his breast and stomacke and so drawing the skin downward could not bring it to his nauell before he was with the extremitie of the paine dead After this Ebrain caused the followers of Serafadin in number about 150 to be cruelly slaine and all his countrey to be most miserably wasted he himselfe still remaining in chaines Whilest the fire and sword thus raged in the Drusian countrey Ebrain by speedie posts sent to SIDON where his gallies lay at rode commaunded That disbarking foure thousand souldiors they should sacke all those countries alongst the sea coast euen as far as CaeSAREA in PALESTINE sparing neither age nor sex nor any person of condition whatsoeuer Which his cruell command was presently put in execution and three thousand soules brought away captiues great booties made of much rich merchandise many townes burnt sundrie castles rased and laid euen with the ground and to be short all the whole countrey of Serafadin and Man-ogli laid vtterly wast and desolat Ebrain was now in readinesse to depart for CONSTANTINOPLE where he was by Amurath expected as well for his gold as the accomplishment of the marriage But bethinking himselfe that whatsoeuer hitherto he had done would be accounted either little or nothing vnlesse he prouided in some sort for the quieting of those people vnder the Turkish obedience he determined to nominat one of the three Drusian Emirs that came to him to IERVSALEM to be Bassa of all those regions And because Emir Aly Ebne-carfus was the richest and most obedient of them all he thought good to commit that charge vnto him and honoured him with that dignitie yet not without a bribe but for the price of an hundred thousand duckats Wherefore he apparelled him in cloth of gold gaue him a horsemans mase and a sword all guilt and deliuered vnto him the kings commission causing him withall to sweare faith and obedience to Amurath And so hauing at least to shew set in order the affaires of those mountaines which an hundred of the Turkes great captaines had in former time vainely attempted he returned to DAMASCO where he staied twelue daies by shamefull shifts extorting money from diuers persons At last hauing no more to doe in those parts he turned himselfe towards GAZIR and BARVTO places vnder the gouernment of Ebne-mansur where he arriued with all his armie and found the gallies which he had left in the port of SIDON now in the hauen of BARVTO as he had before commaunded Now vpon a certaine hill aboue BARVTO neere vnto the sea Ebrain had pitched his owne tent only and none other and hauing sent all the rest of his best and goodly things which he meant to carrie with him to CONSTANTINOPLE aboord the gallies shrowded himselfe only vnder that narrow and base tent Thither he called Ebne-mansur and in pleasant manner told him That now it was time for him to make payment of the debt of an hundred and threescore thousand duckats which he ought the king his lord for the custome of TRIPOLI and BARVTO for that he could not longer stay in those quarters but was to returne to CONSTANTINOPLE which he knew not how to doe vnlesse he carried with him the discharge of that debt Whereunto Ebne-mansur made answere That it would not be long before his Macademoes would come with his monies and that then he would without farther delay make payment Which thing Ebrain well knew to be but an excuse and therefore determined with
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
labouring in vaine to defend the same About the end of this moneth the Bassa of ZIGET with the Sanzackes of MOHAS KOPPAN and QVINQVE ECCLESIae and other Turkes of great name came with a strong armie and encamped betweene ZIGET and RODESTO And shortly after newes was brought to the emperours Court that KANYSIA a citie of STIRIA not farre from the riuer Zala was hardly besieged by the enemie and that the Turks in comming thither had taken many Christians captiues whom they had sent to be sold at CONSTANTINOPLE and that there was in the Turks armie about an hundred threescore thousand men But for as much as the Christian armie daily encreased also and was now grown to the number of threescore thousand men began to hope well that the enemies rage would be staied from any farther proceeding About the same time Ernestus the archduke appointed Generall of the armie with the Marquesse sonne to Ferdinand the archduke his lieutenant came both vnto the armie In these preparations about the beginning of October heauie newes was brought vnto the emperours Court how that seauen thousand men whom he but a little before had sent into CROATIA vnder the conduct of Thomas Artelius Beane George Gleichspacher and Dionysius Denke to hinder the course of the Turks proceedings being encamped betwixt WIHITZ and CAROLSTAT and hauing the twelfth of September discouered from an high hill certaine companies of the Turks which were in deed of purpose come thither to view the armie of the Christians sent out fiftie horsemen to discouer the Turkes armie where it lay and what it attempted Who finding no mo of the Turkes than those whom they had before seene from the mountaine returned againe vnto the armie with such simple intelligence whereunto the Christians giuing credit became secure in their tents as men out of feare of the enemie and so kept but negligent watch But in this their so great securitie the enemie on a sudden came vpon them and with an hundred thousand men brake into their trenches where the Christian footmen for all that for the space of foure houres maintained a notable fight wherein many were on both sides slaine But the poore Christians being beset round and oppressed with the multitude of their enemies were there slaine almost all yet the captaines seeing the danger by speedie flight saued their liues for which their cowardise and carelesse negligence they were afterwards apprehended and beheaded Almost all the common souldiors were there slaine yea such as fell aliue into the hand of the enemie were most cruelly cut in pieces The spoile also of the tents of the Christians fell vnto the enemie wherein beside aboundance of other things they found sixtie thousand dollers brought but two daies before from LINTZ for the souldiors pay The Turkes after their barbarous manner in ostentation of their victorie laded fourteene wagons with the heads of the slaine Christians which they sent vnto diuers of their places thereabouts This was indeed a great victorie but gained by the Turks with much bloud for the Christians fighting as men desperat slew of their enemies aboue twelue thousand and died themselues as men rather with number oppressed than with true valour vanquished The night following the Turks vpon the sudden in the dead time of the night surprised the castle of S. George and without respect of age or sex cruelly put to the sword all them that were therein except an hundred and fiftie persons whom they carried away captiues and so setting the castle on fire departed At the same time diuers companies of the Turkes were seene about SISEG who led away with them about six hundred Christians into most miserable captiuitie And that nothing might be wanting vnto the calamities of this so miserable a wasted countrey three hundred wagons charged with all manner of prouision sent out of the prouinces thereby for the reliefe of the garrison souldiors in CROATIA were all intercepted by the Turkes and so carried away The emperour considering these proceedings of the Turkes and that their strength daily encreased gaue notice by writing to all the princes and states of the empire what incursions the Turkes had of late made into CROATIA and the frontiers of HVNGARIE with other places neere vnto them and that the Beglerbeg of GRaeCIA with the Bassaes of BOSNA BVDA and TEMESVVAR without regard of the league yet in force had taken diuers cities townes castles and strong places and so extended the bounds of their dominion aboue fortie Germane miles hauing slaine or carried away into captiuitie the poore inhabitants of those countries and now to be growne to that height of pride that except their farther proceedings were with like forces repressed they would in short time set foot into GERMANIE it selfe and possessing themselues of STIRIA and CARINTHIA would from thence daily more and more encroach vpon the empire which to hinder was not in his power onely but required their helpe in generall wherefore he requested them now at length in so publike a danger to open their cofers and to send out their forces against the common enemie Which request of the emperors with the due consideration of so great a danger moued not only the princes and states of the empire but others also farther off to yeeld liberall contribution vnto so necessarie and generall a cause The Turkes now hearing of the great preparation of the Christian princes beside the armie which was alreadie in the field and that they had made a strong bridge ouer the riuer of Drauus which they had also fortified thereby in safetie at their pleasure to transport their armie without further delay furnished such places as they had gotten with strong garrisons and so withdrew themselues into their owne territorie which they did the rather for that the plague then raged sore in CONSTANTINOPLE insomuch that there died a thousand a day Which contagion had also taken hold of the Turkish armie so that the Christians for feare of infection forthwith slew what Turke soeuer fell into their hands And thus ended the troubles of this year being but as it were an introduction for greater to ensue the yeare following The Turks together with the beginning of the new yeare began also their wonted incursions into the frontiers of the Christians They of the garrison of PETRINIA a strong for t but lately and contrarie to the league built by the Turkes vpon the riuer Colapis or Kulp for the further inuasion of CROATIA made dayly excursions out of that new fort and entering into the island TVROPOLIS spoyled and burnt the towne and castle of Bâ—CK VOCHOBINAM and hauing made a great slaughter carried away with them foure hundred prisoners And in HVNGARIE the Turkish garrisons to supplie their wants made diuers rodes vpon the Christians and did exceeding much harme of which aduenturers six hundred in passing ouer the frosen lake were all drowned in the midst thereof In another place three thousand of them
of whom the one had a notable scarre in his face and was afterwards known to haue bin one of the Counties seruants Vpon this and such like proofs the Countie was after many daies hearing in open court by the judgement of seauen and fortie noblemen and captaines of name condemned of treason and adjudged to be hanged his dead bodie to remaine vpon the gallowes by the space of three daies and all his lands and goods to bee confiscat The rigour of which sentence was afterward by the emperour mitigated and the traitour by him adjudged to haue his right hand by him before giuen to the emperour in pawne of his faith and his head strucke off vpon a scaffold at VIENNA and so buried Which seuere sentence was afterwards accordingly put in execution for the tenth of Iune following the traitour being brought to the scaffold built of purpose in the hie street of VIENNA after the sentence of his condemnation there solemnly read commending himselfe vpon his knees to the mercie of God with his eies couered his right hand laid vpon a blocke couered with blacke had both his hand and head so suddenly strucke off by the executioners as that the beholders could hardly judge which of them was first off His dead bodie with his head and hand was presently by his seruant wrapped in a blacke cloth and laid in his coach which stood there by of purpose couered with blacke and was afterwards buried amongst his auncestors The Tartars but latelyâ—before departed from Sinans campe passing ouer Danubius at STRIGONIVM had purposed through the vpper part of HVNGARIE and by the borders of TRANSYLVANIA and MOLDAVIA to haue againe returned into their countrey of whom two companies falling into the hands of the lord Palfi were by him cut off and vtterly defeated the rest comming vnto the borders of TRANSYLVANIA and finding the passages so beset by the Prince and the Vayoud of VALACHIA as that they could not without most manifest danger passe that way returned againe the same way they came and hauing rifled and burnt certaine towns and villages in the vpper HVNGARIE about TOCKAIE passed the riuer againe at STRIGONIVM and wintering at VESPRINIVM PALOTTA and other places in the countrey about RAB liued vpon the spoile of the poore Christians vpon the frontiers of AVSTRIA euen as far as MEINERSDORF These Tartars of whom we haue so often spoken at their first comming to the aid of Sinan by direction from the Turkish Sultan staied vpon the frontiers of TRANSYLVANIA of purpose to haue surprised that countrey and either to haue thrust Sigismund Bator the young prince out of the gouernment thereof or else to haue sent him in bonds to CONSTANTINOPLE For it was commonly reported That he wearie of the heauie tribute which he yearely paied vnto the Turke and had now after their greedie manner been diuers times enhaunsed had purposed to reuolt from the Turkish Sultan and to enter into confederation with the Christian emperour Which innouation and change certaine of the nobilitie and chiefe States of TRANSYLVANIA sought by all meanes to hinder and acquainting Amurath with the matter and entring into conspiracie with the Tartars vndertooke to deliuer the whole countrey into their hands and to send the Prince prisoner to HVST where the Tartars then lay vpon the borders encamped Wherefore dissembling this their purpose they cunningly persuaded the Prince that Samosche the great Chancellor of POLONIA in the confines of his countrey lay with a great power expecting his comming to consult with him of matters of great importance And the better to colour this their treacherie they had counterfeited letters to that effect from the Chancelor to the Prince and had wrought so effectually that the Prince not suspecting any such treason gaue credit to their persuasions and so put himselfe vpon his way towards the Chancellor as he supposed but by the way he was aduised by some of his friends which had got some suspition of the matter not to go any farther for that his comming was not attended by the Polonians his friends as he was persuaded but by the Tartars his enemies who lay in wait for him at HVST to bereaue him of his life and gouernment The Prince astonied with the noueltie of the matter listned vnto their persuasion and retired with his traine to the strong fort of KEHWERE where he staied fourteene daies as if it had been onely for feare of the Tartars In the meane time hee gaue notice to the nobilitie and gouernours of the countrey his friends of the imminent and common danger who forthwith repaired vnto him in armes But the traitors proceeding in their purpose ceased not to persuade Bornemissa who had the leading of the princes armie that to fight with the Tartars was a matter of no small danger and that therefore if he wished well to his countrey he should not haue to doe with them but onely shew himselfe neere vnto them and that he was not vnprouided for them which was accordingly done and the Transyluanian army brought so nigh vnto the Tartars as that they might heare the noise of their drums and trumpets Whereby the Tartars as by the watchword perceiuing themselues discouered and nothing to fall out according to their expectation as had been vnto them promised for the betraying of the prince they remoued thence and by another way breaking through the middest of TRANSYLVANIA and so into HVNGARIE rifled and burnt fiue hundred villages slew all the males that were aboue twelue yeares of age and carried away the rest vnto the Turkish army then lying at the siege of RAB In the meane time the traitours when as this first plot serued them not conspired to set vp one Balthazar Bator the young princes nigh kinsman and with the good fauour of Amurath to preferre him to the soueraigne gouernment of their countrey Which their purpose the Prince perceiuing and doubting altogither to trust vnto the fidelitie of his owne subjects writ to his neighbours the Rascians and other his confederats praying their aid in this his so dangerous and doubtfull estate Which after he had receiued he appointed a generall assembly of all his States to be holden at CLAVSENBVRG and that vpon a great paine to be inflicted vpon all such as should not there personally appeare so at the prefixed day all came except the Cardinall Bator and Stephen his brother who guiltie of so foule a treason against their owne bloud were now before fled into POLONIA Being all thus met togither the Prince commaunded the gates of the citie to be shut and diligent watch and ward to be kept forbidding by open proclamation that any man vpon paine of death should so much as speake of any imagined treason And at the same time politikely caused to be published in writing how that the Germanes had in the farther side of HVNGARIE got a notable victorie ouer the Turks for joy whereof he commanded bonefiers to be made and the
safetie retired themselues into the castle a place of great strength leaâ—ing the citie vnto the Imperials then readie to haue besieged it but doubting of the Turkes great armie which as they heard was marching thitherwards the auauntguard thereof being come to MOAâ—â—ESH where Sarâ—es Bassa was also looked for the report being giuen out that the Turkes hauing relieued BVDA would go to besiege CANISIA or else Sâ—â—Iâ—ONIVM they staied to go any farther as men in doubt what to resolue vpon So were sent certaine colonels â—nd other captaines with their souldiors to fortifie certaine passages whereby the Turkes armie was to passe The rest in the meane time retiring for that the puissant enemie began now to approch as also for that they knew the great desire that Ibrahim Bassa had to recouer again STRIGONIVM and had therefore sent a great number of Tartars to forrage and wast the countrey and so suddenly hauing relieued BVDA and AGRIA there to resolue whether to turne his forces The Imperials in the meane time encamping neere vnto HATWAN and ZOLNOK to hinder the Turkes from victualling of BVDA as they desired cut off fiue hundred of them at their first arriuall who to that purpose were going towards BVDA and tooke also one of the Turkes Chiaus prisoner who sent from Ibrahim the Generall was going to AGRIA to put them in hope of their speedie reliefe They also at the same time attempted to haue surprised ZOLNOK where a good number of them with certaine Petardes approching the gates in hope so to haue broken them open being discouered by the watch were inforced to retire leauing fortie behind them slaine and carrying away with them many moe of their fellowes wounded in reuenge whereof the rest shewed their furie vpon the countrey thereabout destroying the villages and intercepting a great deale of munition which together with other victuals they met by the way as it was going to BVDA and AGRIA Summer now almost spent Ibrahim the great Bassa in the beginning of September came to BVDA with an armie of an hundred and thirtie thousand strong and from thence in the name of his great lord and master gaue the emperour to vnderstand at PRAGE That for the sauing of further effusion of innocent bloud and not for any feare or distrust of his owne strength and power hee could bee content to hearken vnto some reasonable conditions or treatie of peace Whereunto both these great princes hauing well wearied themselues with these long warres and exhausted their treasures seemed not now vnwilling expecting as was thought nothing more than for the honour to be the first entreated and the rather for that the old Sultannesse Mahomet his mother whom by the weakenesse of her sonnes gouernment such as neuer was in any the Othoman kings or emperours before beareth the greatest sway in his affaires seemed in what she might to further the same Wherefore in the latter end of September a place was agreed vpon for a parley for peace which was in an island in the riuer of Danubie beneath STRIGONIVM whither the lords Swartzenburg Nadasti Palfi and the bishop of VACCIA being come for the emperour and Amurath the Bassa of BVDA with the lieutenant Generall of the Tartars and some others for the Grand signior the Turkes at the first after their vnreasonable manner demaunded to haue RAâ— STRIGONIVM FILEK SETCHIN with all the rest of the townes and castles in fiue yeares before taken from them by the Christians to bee now againe surrendered vnto them with a certaine yearely tribute by the emperour to be paied vnto the great Sultan at CONSTANTINOPLE as also there to haue his embassadour leiger continually attending vpon the Turkes Court for which they offered to deliuer againe vnto the emperour the citie of AGRIA onely All which their proud and vnreasonable demaunds being by the aforesaid commissioners on the emperours behalfe rejected they were contented to come to some more reasonable talke offering to leaue vnto the emperour RAE and AGRIA whereof RAE was his owne alreadie onely for STRIGONIVM exchanging as it were STRIGONIVM for AGRIA Which when it could neither bee obtained the parley was so broken off and nothing concluded and so the warres againe continued without any memorable thing more this yeare betwixt them done either on the one side or the other the Christians contenting themselues to haue distressed the chiefe cities the Turkes held in HVNGARIE and the Turks no lesse apaied to haue relieued the same But whilest things thus passed betwixt the Christians and the Turks in HVNGARIE Michael the Vayuod of VALACHIA yet the emperours friend and confederat and vnder his protection certainely enformed his life to be sought after in the Turkes Court by the ambitious Cardinall Bathor his enuious neighbour but lately become the prince of TRANSYLVANIA as is before declared by commaundement from the emperour and to be reuenged of so great a wrong as also betimes to prouide for his owne safetie with an armie of threescore thousand strong suddenly entered into TRANSYLVANIA in most horrible manner burning the countrey and killing the people before him as he went Where whilest the Cardinall who was thought to haue purposed to haue serued him in like sort had he not beene by him preuented was making head against him 〈◊〉 the mean time had the citie of 〈◊〉 commonly called BRASSO with the strong castle of Fogaras yeelded vnto him from whence he marching towards ALBA IVLIA the six and twentith of October with all his armie before deuided into three parts but now againe vnited came into the plains neere TEMISON about three leagues from HERMENSTAT where vnderstanding that his lieutenant corrupted by Ibrahim Bassa had promised to kill him and now well assured thereof to rid himselfe of that danger with his owne hands presently cut his throat and so dispatched him When by and by after came vnto him the Popes Nuntio sent by a finenesse from the Cardinall accompanied with another embassadour the better to countenance out the matter telling him that the same embassadour had commission from the emperor to will him forthwith to desist from armes and without further delay to depart out of TRANSYLVANIA Which thing seeming vnto the Vayuod very strange and almost impossible hee desired to see the said commission Whereunto the Nuntio before instructed answered that he had left it with the Cardinall himselfe but I said the Vayuod haue one here present from the emperour of another purport which I purpose fully to put in execution yet was he for that day entreated by the Nuntio to stay his armie And so in the meane time lying both still and in great suspence the Vayuod desired to know of the Nuntio the cause why the Cardinall forgetting himselfe so troubled that countrey by intruding himselfe thereinto to the great prejudice of them vnto whom it of better right belonged not attending vnto the gouernment of the Church better beseeming his calling than the managing of arms to the
Sigismund the late prince might now be bestowed vpon himselfe and for his seruice done to be furnished with money for the payment of his souldiors And that the emperor with the other princes of the empire should assure him That if he were taken by the Turke they should raunsome him but in case he were by the great power of the Turke driuen out of those countries then by the emperours appointment to haue some conuenient place allotted vnto him in the vpper HVNGARIE to liue in with the yearly pension of an hundred thousand dollars All which his requests if it would please him to grant he promised this yeare to doe so much against the Turke as had not in an hundred yeares been done before with vaunt that if he had had the imployment of the money which was spent in the time of this war he would not haue doubted but to haue brought all the countries from the Euxine or Blacke sea to BVDA ALBA REGALIS and SOLNOCK vnder the emperors obeysance A large promise indeed but hardly to haue been performed by a farre greater prince than he Thus whilest things stood in discourse after the Cardinals death Sigismund the late prince in the meane time supported by the Polonians with the aid of the Turkes the Tartars and the Moldauians was readie to haue inuaded TRANSYLVANIA yea the Tartars as the forerunners of his greater power were alreadie entred the countrey and had out of the frontiers thereof carried away some bootie Whereof the Vayuod vnderstanding in great hast assembled his forces out of all places which in short time was growne to some good head the countrey people togither with the free Haiduckes an aduenturous and resolute kind of souldiors in great number daily resorting vnto him So being now eight thousand strong and most of them braue and lustie men he with them and twentie pieces of artillerie remoued to CRONSTAT the foure and twentith day of Aprill sending part of his armie which euerie day more and more encreased before him to NESSEN where all his forces being assembled to the number of almost fiftie thousand horse and foot hee with great sceleritie passed the rough and high mountaines into MOLDAVIA without resistance but yet not without some trouble his souldiors by the way being glad sometimes to eat the leaues of trees the enemie hauing of purpose before carried away whatsoeuer he could that might haue yeelded him reliefe Of whose speedie comming and great strength Sigismund and Ieremias the Vayuod of MOLDAVIA hearing and vpon the reasonable estimate of their owne forces finding themselues too weake to encounter him retired themselues out of MOLDAVIA into the frontiers of POLONIA there to gather greater strength and so to meet him for as yet Ieremias the Vayuod had not receiued from the Turke such forces as were vnto him promised and as he still expected Michael the Vayuod in the meane time his enemies thus fled with fire and sword entering into MOLDAVIA tooke in the greatest part thereof the fearefull countrey people still yeelding vnto him as he went and the rather for that Ieremias their Vayuod placed by the Polonian but tributarie vnto the Turke had laied vpon them a most grieuous imposition as vpon euerie man a duckat a moneth for which they exceedingly hated him But here in MOLDAVIA Michael the Vayuod hauing still in his companie one of the emperours commissioners in TRANSYLVANIA most trustie seruants who might faithfully report vnto them the whole manner of their proceedings after the departure of Sigismund and Ieremias his enemies staied not long but hearing that they were retired towards the confines of POLONIA without longer delay made towards them and the eighteenth of May found them by the castle OTHVNE neere vnto the riuer Nester being thirtie thousand strong Polonians Moldauians Turkes and Tartars with whom he joyned a most fierce and cruell battell which begun about ten a clocke before noone was with great courage but greater obstinacie on both sides maintained vntill the euening At which time the fortune of the Valachian preuayling his enemies at last betooke themselues to flight of whom were there slaine eight thousand beside many others of them drowned in the riuer Nester where of the Valachians were lost two thousand onely Concerning Sigismund and Ieremias diuers reports were after this ouerthow giuen out some saying that they were slaine and some that they were in flying drowned howbeit the truth was that they both by flight escaped to the greater trouble of themselues as of their afflicted countries also Michael after this so notable a victorie taking in the rest of MOLDAVIA caused the people to sweare their obedience vnto the emperour himselfe and his sonne to the great offence of the Polonians not a little as they tooke it wronged therein but especially of the great Chancellor an old enemie vnto the house of AVSTRIA Whereof ensued greater troubles in those frontier countries than before to the further effusion of more Christian bloud much better to haue been emploied against the fatall enemie in defence of the Christian common-weale Yet thus the three warlike and frontier countries of TRANSYLVANIA VALACHIA and MOLDAVIA the surest bulwarkes of that side of Christendome and most exposed vnto the furie of the common enemie were now once againe vnited vnder the obeysance of the emperour to the great benefit no doubt of the Christian common-weale and hurt of the Turkes if they might haue so continued as God wot they did not long Now the Vayuod notwithstanding this so great a victorie well considering that he of himselfe could hardly keepe this new gained prouince of MOLDAVIA against the power of the Turke pretending that to him it belonged as his own to giue to whom he pleased as also against the Polonians not more desirous to restore Ieremias againe into MOLDAVIA than the prince Sigismund into TRANSYLVANIA without the help of some other more mightie prince whom he might rest vpon by his embassadours sent for that purpose offered the soueraigntie of all those three countries vnto the emperour with condition that he should appoint him perpetuall Gouernour of the same vnder him The emperour also vnderstood how that Mahomet the great Turke had not long before againe sent vnto him another of his Chiaus commaunding him without delay to restore the countrey of TRANSYLVANIA vnto the prince Sigismund vnto whom he was by the mediation of the king of POLONIA now before reconciled threatning otherwise with fire and sword to destroy VALACHIA and by force of armes to depriue him both of TRANSYLVANIA and his life togither Wherefore the emperour doubting least the Vayuod either for feare or for the better assuring of his owne estate should to his prejudice fall to some agreement with the Turke yeelded to all that his embassadours had of him requested with condition that he should be bound as need should require to serue with his people against the Turke and that in TRANSYLVANIA neere vnto his
the second at such time as he woon the same Neither is any man in that empire so great or yet so farre in fauour with the great Sultan as that he can assure himselfe of his life much lesse of his present fortune or state longer than it pleaseth the Grand signior In which so absolute a soueraignetie by any free borne people not to be endured the tyrant preserueth himselfe by two most especiall meanes first by taking of all arms from his naturall subjects and then by putting the same and all things els concerning the state and the gouernment thereof into the hands of the Apostata or renegate Christians whom for most part euery third fourth or fift year or oftener if his need so require he taketh in their childhood from their miserable parents as his tenths or tribute children Whereby he gaineth two great commodities first for that in so doing he spoileth the prouinces hee most feareth of the flower sinewes and strength of the people choice being still made of the strongest youths and fittest for warre then for that with these as with his owne creatures he armeth himselfe and by them assureth his state for they in their childhood taken from their parents laps and deliuered in charge to one or other appointed to that purpose quickly and before they be aware become Mahometanes and so no more acknowledging father or mother depend wholly of the great Sultan who to make vse of them both feeds them and fosters them at whose hands only they looke for all things and whom alone they thanke for all Of which frie so taken from their Christian parents the onely seminarie of his warres some become horsemen some footmen and so in time the greatest commaunders of his state and empire next vnto himselfe the naturall Turkes in the meane time giuing themselues wholly vnto the trade of marchandise and other their mechanicall occupations or els vnto the feeding of cattell their most auntient and naturall vocation not intermedling at all with matters of gouernment or state So that if vnto these his souldiors all of the Christian race you joine also his fleet and money you haue as it were the whole strength of his empire for in these fourâ— his horsemen footmen his fleet and money especially consisteth his great force and power whereof to speake more particularly and first concerning his money it is commonly thought that his ordinarie reuenue exceedeth not eight millions of gold And albeit that it might seeme that he might of so large an empire receiue a farre greater reuenue yet doth he not for that both he and his men of warre in whose power all things are haue their greatest and almost onely care vpon armes fitter by nature to wast and destroy countries than to preserue and enrich them insomuch that for the preseruation of their armies and furtherance of their expeditions euery yeare to doe they most grieuously spoile euen their own people and prouinces whereby they passe scarce leauing them necessaries wherewith to liue so that the subjects despairing to enjoy the fruits of the earth much lesse the riches which by their industrie and labour they might get vnto themselues doe now no further endeuour themselues either to husbandrie or traffique than they must needs yea then very necessitie it selfe enforceth them For to what end auaileth it to sow that another man must reape or to reape that which another man is readie to deuour Whereupon it commeth that in the territories of the Othoman empire yea euen in the most fruitfull countries of MACEDONIA and GREECE are seene great forrests all euery where wast few cities well peopled and the greatest part of those countries lying desolate and desert so that husbandrie in all well ordered commonweales the princes greatest store decaying the earth neither yeeldeth her encrease vnto the painefull husbandman neither he matter vnto the artificer neither the artificer wares to furnish the marchant with all together with the plough running into ruine and decay As for the trade of marchandise it is almost all in the hands of the Iewes or the Christians of EVROPE viz. the Ragusians Venetians Genowaies French or English the naturall Turkes hauing therein the least to doe holding in that their so large an empire no other famous cities for trade more than the foure abouenamed viz. CONSTANTINOPLE TAVRIS ALEPPO and CAIRE whereunto may be added CAFFA and THESSALONICA in EVROPE DAMASCVS TRIPOLIS and ADEN in ASIA ALEXANDRIA and ALGIERS in AFRICKE In our countries here in this West part of EVROPE of the abundance of people oftentimes ariseth dearth but in many parts of the Turkes dominions for want of men to manure the ground most part of the poore countrey people drawne from their owne dwellings being enforced with victuals and other necessaries to follow their great armies in their long expeditions of whom scarcely one of ten euer returne home to their dwellings againe there by the way perishing if not by the enemies sword yet by wants the intemperatnesse of the aire or immoderat paines taking But to come neerer vnto our purpose although the great Turkes ordinarie reuenewes be no greater than is aforesaid yet are his extraordinarie escheats to be greatly accounted of especially his confiscations forfeitures fines amercements which are right many his tributes customes tithes and tenths of all preyes taken by sea or land with diuers other such like far exceeding his standing and certaine reuenew his Bassaes and other his great officers like rauening Harpies as it were sucking out the bloud of his poore subjects and heaping vp inestimable treasures which for the most part fall againe into the Grand signior his coffers Ibrahim the Visier Bassa who died but the last yeare is supposed to haue brought with him from CAIRE to the value of six millions and Mahomet another of the Visiers was thought to haue had a farre greater summe His presents also amount vnto a great matter for no embassadour can come before him without gifts no man is to hope for any commodious office or preferment without money no man may with emptie hands come vnto the presence of him so great a prince either from the prouince he had the charge of or from any great expedition he was sent vpon neither vnto so great and mightie a prince are trifles presented The Vayuods of MOLDAVIA WALACHIA and TRANSYLVANIA before their late reuolt by gifts preserued themselues in their principalities being almost daily changed especially in WALACHIA and MOLDAVIA for those honours were by the Grand signior still giuen to them that would giue most who to performe what they had offered miserably oppressed the people and brought their prouinces into great pouertie In briefe an easie thing it is for the great tyrant to find occasion for him at his pleasure to take away any mans life together with his wealth be it neuer so great so that he cannot well be said to lacke money so long as any of his subjects hath
b killeth him c. delaieth the Venetians 889 d. in doubt whether to send them aid or not 890 k. sendeth word vnto the confederats to meet him at Zacynthus 893 f. faileth them 894 i. meeteth them at Corcyra 895 a. offereth the Turks battell d. refuseth to follow the counsell of the Venetian Admirall 896 k. breaketh promise with him and returneth to Messana 901 a Iohn the Vayuod of Moldauia falleth into suspition with the Turks 906 g. his notable speech vnto his nobilitie and subiects concerning the Turks demaund 907 a. in vaine craueth aid of the king of Polonia 908 g. with a great slaughter ouerthroweth the Palatine and the Turks 909 a. giueth the Turks a second ouerthrow 910 b. betrayed by Czarnieuiche 911. ouerthrowne by the Turks 912 m. shamefully and perfidiously by them murthered 913 e Ionima Ballabanus his brother and Hedar his sonne taken prisoners by Scanderbeg 401 b Ionuses Bassa sent against Techellis putteth him to flight 475 e. hurt at the winning of Caire 545 f. enuieth at the vnworthie preferment of Cayerbeius 554 l. is himselfe secretly hated of Selymus 555 b. put to death 556 i Irene the faire Greeke beheaded by Mahomet the Great 153 d Isa after the captiuitie of his father Baiazet seizeth vpoÌ„ the citie of Prusa 232 bâ—punc ouerthrowne in battell by his brother Mahomet 238 i. with a great armie sent by his brother Solyman against Mahomet 240 i. burneth Prusa l. dieth in obscuritie 241 c Ismaell last of the Isfendiars yeeldeth his principalitie of Castamona and Sinope to Mahomet the Great 359 f Ishender Bassa ouerthrowne by Alaedeules taken and sent prisoner to Caytbeius to Caire 383 f Islan of a prisoner made a King 975 e Ismaell the sonne of King Tamas saluted King of Persia. 922 l. murthereth eight of his younger brethren altereth the Persian religion tyranniseth m. by the deuice of his sister Periaconcona himselfe murthered 921 b the Italians left by the Emperour for the aid of King Ferdinand in his wars in Hungarie arise in mutinie 623 f. eight thousand of them forsake their captaines and returne into Italie 625 d. Iulia Gonzaga a faire ladie of Italie put in great feare by Barbarussa 641 c Iulian the Cardinall sent by Pope Viban to appease the dissention in Hungarie and to stirre vp the Hungarians against the Turks 275 d. his effectuall speech in parliament to persuade the warre e. cunningly persuadeth King Vladislaus to breake the honourable and solemn league he had before made with Amurath 290 k. disanulleth the league absoluing the King and the rest from their oath before giuen to Amurath 291 i. himselfe slâ—ine 298 k K the KIngdome of Hungarie by Solyman conuerted into a prouince of the Turkish Empire 713 a the Knights of Malta craue aid of Garzias the Viceroy of Sicilia 805 a. his cold answere b. Komara besieged by Sinan Bassa 1045 b. Koppan surprised by the Christians 1002 l. L LAdislaus a child crowned King of Hungarie at Alba Regalis 263. a Lazarus Despot of Seruia becommeth tributarie vnto Amurath the first 193 e. purposing to make war against Amurath craueth aid of the King of Bosna 197 c. in a mortall battell ouerthrowne in the plaines of Cossoua and slaine 200 i Lepanto yeelded to the Turks 459 c Lewis the eight of that name the French King making an expedition into the Holy land is by the mallice of Emanuell the Greeke Emperour therein much hindered 34 m. he besiegeth Damasco where by the enuie of the other Christian princes he was enforced to raise his siege and so to returne home into his countrey 35 b Lewis the ninth the French King making an expedition towards the Holy land arriueth at Damiata 102 m. taketh the citie forsaken by the Turks 113 h with his whole armie ouerthrowne and himselfe taken prisoner 115 e. vndertaketh a second expedition toward the Holy land with his sons and most of his nobilitie 118 k. ouerthroweth the Moores and besiegeth Tunes 119 a. falleth sicke of the bloudie flix and dieth b. Lewis the eleuenth the French King giueth aid vnto the Venetians against the Turks 461 c Lewis King of Hungarie with an armie of fiue and twentie thousand fondly goeth against Solyman being two hundred and sixtie thousand strong 602 h. ouerthrown in his flight drowned in a ditch 603 a Liscanus the couetous Spaniard dealeth vncouâ—teously with Perenus 732 k. is himselfe in like sort serued and meerely stripped of his wealth by Halis captaine of the Ianizaries 738 l Lissa taken by the Turks and the bones of Scanderbeg digged vp and by them worne foriewels 425â— Lodronius encourageth his soldiors 684. h ieasted at by an old souldior k. slaine and his head with the heads of two other captaines in a siluer bason presented to Solyman at Constantinople 685â— M MAhomet the first sendeth spies into Tamerlan his campe 232 l. becommeth famous in Tamerlans Court 234 i. in battell ouerthroweth his brother Isa. 238 i. honourably burieth the bodie of his father Baiazet at Prusa l. againe ouerthroweth his brother Isa supported by his brother Solyman 240 m. giueth him a third ouerthrow together with the other Mahometane princes his confederats 241 c. besieged by his brother Solyman in Amasia 242 i. vpon report of his brother Musa his euill gouernment goeth against him into Europe 246 k. ouerthrowne flieth backe againe into Asia 247 a. commeth againe into Europe 248 g. besiegeth Hadrianople h. ouerthroweth his brother Musa in battell and causeth him being taken prisoner to be strangled 249 c. wholly possesseth the Othoman kingdome both in Europe and Asia d. oppresseth Orchanes his brother Solymans sonne and putteth out his eyes 250 h. taketh the Caramanian King and his sonne prisoners k. enforceth the Valachian prince to become his tributarie l. dieth at Hadrianople 251 f. his death cunningly concealed by the three great Bassaes. 252 g. he worthily accounted the restorer of the Othoman kingdome almost quite ouerthrowne by Tamerlan l. Mahomet the second surnamed the Great an Atheist of no religion 337 d murthereth his brethren 338 g. reformeth the Turks commonweale i. subdueth Mentesia 339 b. winneth Constantinople 347 b. solemniseth his feasts in Constantinople with the bloud of the Grecian nobilitie 348 k. notably dissembleth his hatred against Cali Bassa 349 d. first Emperour of the Turks 350 i. amorous of the faire Greeke Irene l. with his owne hand striketh off her head 353 d. besiegeth Belgrade 357 b. wounded and caried away for dead 358 i. falsifieth his faith with Dauid the Emperour of Trapezonâ—◠〈◊〉 i. seeketh to entrap Wladus 〈◊〉 of Valachia 361 b. in danger to haue beene slaine by Wladus Dracula his Ganymede 363 b. his letters to Scanderbeg 384 k. sueth to Scanderbeg to haue the league renewed betwixt them 390 h. commeth himselfe in person to the siege of Croia 400 i. forsaketh the siege of Croia 402 i. breaketh his faith with Paulus Ericus Gouernour of Chalcis 406 i. he is no lesse troublesome vnto the Mahometane princes
him alone for his great vertues Baiazet stood in feare and doubt least hee should by some chance escape out of prison to the troubling of his state For the performance of this his request he promised faithfully to pay vnto the bishop two hundred thousand duckats and neuer after so long as he liued to take vp armes against the Christians Otherwise than had his father Mahomet and his grandfather Amurath done who both as deadly enemies vnto the name of the Christians neuer ceased by continuall warres to worke their woe But George the bishops embassadour and Dautius trauelling towards ITALIE and hauing now happely passed the Adriaticke as they were about to haue landed at ANCONA were bourded by Io. Rouereus brother to Iulianus the Cardinall a man of great account in those quarters and cleane quit of their treasure and whatsoeuer else they had aboord Rouereus pretending for the defence of the fact That the bishop did owe him a great summe of money due vnto him for his good seruice done in the time of Innocentius his predecessour for which he now paied himselfe Neither could the bishop much troubled with that injurie euer after recouer any one part thereof although he threatened vengeance with fire and sword and also sought for recompence of the Venetians whom it concerned to saue the Turkes harmelesse in those seas for why Rouerius bearing himselfe vpon the French which were now vpon comming whose faction he followed kept the money and set at nought the bishops thundering curses and vaine threats Dautius himselfe Baiazets embassadour being set on shore was glad to goe on foot to ANCONA and so from thence passing vp the riuer Padus came to Franciscus Gonzaga duke of MANTVA of whom for the antient friendship betwixt him and Baiazet hee was courteously entertained and furnished both with money and apparell and so spoiled returned into GRaeCIA to carrie newes vnto his master how he had sped When Baiazet vnderstood by Dautius the euill successe he had in his late journey he forthwith sent Mustapha one of the Bassaes of the court vnto the great Bishop Alexander with like instructions as he had before giuen to Dautius who with better hap arriued in ITALIE and came to ROME in safetie where he forgot no part of that was giuen him in charge by his great master But amongst manie other things the life of Zemes was that he most sought for at the Bishops hands At the same time which was in the yeare 1495 the French king Charles the eight of that name passing through the heart of ITALIE with a strong armie against Alphonsus king of NAPLES and taking his way without leaue through the citie of ROME so terrified Alexander the bishop who as we haue before said altogither fauoured and as much as in him lay furthered the cause of Alphonsus that he was glad to yeeld to all such articles and conditions as it pleased him then to demaund not purposing in himselfe at all the performance of anie of those things which for feare he had with great solemnitie promised as the â—equell of the matter afterwards declared Amongst other things he was enforced to giue vnto the king his gracelesse sonne Caesar Borgia Valentinus then one of the cardinals in hostage for the performance of the other of his promises Which disgrace the craftie old bishop sought to couer by gracing his sonne with the title of his legate and with him he was also enforced to deliuer Zemes the Turke Baiazet his brother his honourable prisoner who to the great profit of the bishop and his predecessour had remained in safe custodie at ROME about the space of seauen yeares But Zemes within three daies after he was deliuered vnto the French died at CAIETA being before his deliuerance poisoned as it was thought with a powder of wonderfull whitenesse and pleasant tast whose power was not presently to kill but by little and little dispersing the force therof did in short time bring most assured death which pleasant poison Alexander the bishop skilfull in that practise corrupted by Baiazet his gold and enuying so great a good vnto the French had caused to be cunningly mingled with the sugar wherewith Zemes vsed to temper the water which he commonly dranke His dead bodie was not long after sent to Baiazet by Mustapha his embassador who to the great contentment of his master had thus contriued his death with the bishop Not long after this dead bodie so farre brought was by the appointment of Baiazet honourably enterred amongst his auncestors at PRVSA Caesar Borgia also the bishops sonne a little before giuen in hostage vnto the French king deceiuing his keepers at VELITRAS returned againe to ROME before the French king was come to NAPLES This wicked impe come of an euill strain not worth the remembrance but by way of detestation the verie monster of nature if a man should well consider the course of his whole life shortly after his escape enuying at the honour of Candianus his brother who then was Generall ouer the bishop his fathers forces which were at that time great when he had one night merily supped with his said brother with their mother Vannotia traiterously caused him to be vnawares murdered in the streets as he was going home and his dead bodie to be cast into the riuer of Tiber. Then casting off his priestly habit with his Cardinals roabs he tooke vpon him the leading of his fathers armie in his brothers stead and gaue himselfe wholy to martiall affaires a vocation best fitting his fierce and bloudie disposition And with exceeding prodigalitie wherwith he exhausted his fathers coffers and the treasures of the church bound fast vnto him desperat ruffians and souldiours especially Spaniards his fathers countrey men such as he knew fittest to serue for the execution of his most horrible deuises Which manner of his proceedings although they were such as all good men detested yet did the old hypocrit his father winke thereat fearing as it was thought to be murdered of the viper himselfe when it should serue for his purpose Now when he had thus strengthned himselfe and that he was become a terrour to all the nobilitie of ROME and the seigniories thereabout he by the deuise and helpe of his father who desired nothing more than to make him great first draue the most honourable family of the Columnij out of the citie and afterwards out of LATIVM and by most execrable treacherie poisoned or killed the honourable personages of the great houses of the Vrsini and Caetani taking vnto himselfe their lands and possessions With like crueltie he strangled at one time foure noblemen of the Camertes and draue Guido Feltrius out of VRBIN He tooke the citie of PISAVRVM from Io. Sfortia who with much difficultie escaped his bloudie hands and draue the Malatestaes out of ARIMINVM The great ladie Catherine Sfortia he thrust out of FORVM LIVII and FORVM CORNELII and shamefully led her in triumph