Neither was it to be thought as Cherseogles said that the naked Tartarian horsmen although they were in number moe would euer be able to abide the first charge of Baiazet his well armed pensioners As for the Ianizaries of whose approued faith and valour tried in manie dangers hee had before had good experience there was no doubt but that they would now to the vttermost of their power defend the person and honour of their aged and victorious emperour who had of long time so well of them deserued and also reuenge his quarrell vpon disobedient Selymus who neither fearing God the just reuenger of such vngratious dealing neither the infamie of men had most vnnaturally lift vp his sword against his father wickedly to depriue him of life of whom he had receiued life Wherefore he persuaded him in his owne just quarrell to go forth vnto his souldiours with cheerfull countenance and putting them in remembrance of the benefits they had from time to time most bountifully receiued at his hands as also of their alleagance and duetie to make them to vnderstand that reposing his trust in their fidelitie and valour hee had resolutely set downe with himselfe in that place before he went any farther by their faithfull hands to chastise the presumptuous insolencie of his vnnaturall sonne togither with his rebellious followers But now that we are fallen into the remembrance of this Cherseogles it shall not be amisse both for the honour of the man and the great loue he alwaies bare vnto the Christians to step a little out of the way to see the cause why he being a Christian borne turned Turke For hee was not as almost all the rest of the great men about Baiazet were of a child taken from his Christian parents and so brought vp in the Mahometan religion but being now a man grown turned Turke yet so as that he neuer in heart forgot either the Christian religion or loue toward the Christians a thing not common among such renegates He being the sonne of one Chersechius a small prince of ILLYRIA neere vnto the Blacke mountaine and going to be maried vnto a ladie whom he most entirely loued and vnto whom he was alreadie betrothed honourably descended of the house of the Despot of SERVIA his intemperat father with lustfull eye beholding the young ladie of rare feature and incomparable beautie desired to haue her for himselfe and regarding more the satisfying of his owne inordinat desire than his owne honour or the fatherly loue of his sonne tooke her in marriage himselfe all his friends labouring in vaine to dissuade him and with open mouth crying shame of so foule a fact Wherefore the young man moued with the indignitie of so great an injurie and driuen headlong with despaire fled first to the Turkes garrisons which lay not farre off and from thence to CONSTANTINOPLE where the fortune of the man was to bee wondred at For being brought before Baiazet who with cheerefull countenance entertained him for that he was honourably descended and well liked both of the man and of the cause of his reuolt smiling vpon him said Be of good cheere noble youth for thy great courage is worthy of farre greater fortune than thy fathers house can affoord thee now in steed of thy loue wrongfully taken from thee by thy father the kinswoman of a poore exiled prince thou shalt haue giuen thee in marriage the daughter of a great emperour of rare and singular perfection And not long after abjuring his religion and changing his name of Stephen to Achomates and Cherseogles hee married one of Baiazet his daughters a princesse of great beautie and deserued to haue a place amongst the Bassaes of greatest honour in the court Yet still retaining the remembrance of his former profession with a desire to returne thereto againe insomuch that he kept in his secret closet the image of the crucifix which he shewed to Io. Lascaris as to his trustie friend as he himselfe reported This man at such time as the citie of MODON was taken by the Turkes and a multitude of poore Christian captiues cruelly put to death in the sight of Baiazet by earnest entreatie saued the Venetian Senatours there taken and afterward by earnest sute deliuered Andreas Gritti being prisoner at CONSTANTINOPLE and condemned to die who not manie yeares after was chosen duke of VENICE He was the chiefe meanes whereby the Venetians to their great good obtained peace of Baiazet He also by his great authoritie and of his owne charge redeemed innumerable Christians from the seruitude of the Turkes and set them at libertie Neither is his kindnesse towards the furtherance of good learning to be forgotten for at such time as the aforesaid Io. Lascaris the notable and learned Grecian by the appointment of Leo the Tenth sought for the antient works of famous writers he procured the Turkish emperours letters patents that he might freely at his pleasure search all the libraries in GRaeCIA to the great benefit of good letters Now Baiazet encouraged by this mans persuasion as is aforesaid and hearing as hee lay in his pauilion the alarum of the enemie with the tumult and clamour of his owne souldiours as if they had been men afraid and sundrie messengers also at the same time comming vnto him with newes That Selymus with his Tartarian horsemen had almost enclosed the reareward of his armie and alreadie taken some of his baggage grinding his teeth for verie madnesse and griefe of mind with teares trickling downe his hoarie cheekes got him out of his pauilion in his horselitter for hee was at the same time so troubled with the gout that he was not able to sit on horsebacke and turning himselfe vnto the pensioners and Ianizaries standing about him as their manner is said vnto them Will you foster children valiant souldiours and faithfull keepers of my person who with great good fortune haue serued me in field aboue the space of thirtie yeares and for your faithfull and good seruice haue both in time of peace and warre of me receiued such rewards as by your owne confession and thanksgiuing farre exceeded your owne expectation and the measure of our treasures Will you I say suffer the innocent father to be butchered by his gracelesse sonne And your olde emperour tormented with age and diseases to be cruelly murthered by a companie of wild Tartars little better than arrant roagues and theeues Shall I be now forsaken in this my heauie olde age and last act of life and shall I be deliuered vnto mine enemies by them by them I say who many yeares ago with great faithfulnesse and inuincible courage defended mine honour and right against my brother Zemes and haue manie times since not onely valiantly defended this empire against most warlike nations but also most victoriously augmented the same But I will not so easily beleeue that which to my no small griefe is brought vnto mine eares concerning the reuolting of mine armie neither if I did
a little to tarrie by the tombe for that he had something in secret to say vnto the dead And so with his hands cast vp and close together as if he had prayed and his eyes fast fixed vpon the tombe he mooued his lips and secretly said something but what no man could tell Some said it was some charme or incantation But others more pleasantly conceited said and as it afterward appeared more truly that Andronicus did then triumph ouer the dead emperout Emanuell and reuell with his ghost with these or like words I haue thee now fast my cruell persecutor by whome I haue been driuen vnto many great extremities and hauing wandred almost all the world ouer haue thereunto beene made by thee a common by-word But now this tombe rising vp with seuen tops and prison out of which thou canst not start holdeth thee oppressed with a dead sleepe out of which thou shalt not be awaked but by the sounding of the last trumpe And now will I be reuenged of thy posteritie and satisfie my selfe as a lyon with a fat prey and take sharpe reuenge of all the wrongs thou hast done mee when I haue once possessed my selfe of this royall citie After that visiting all the emperours stately houses but staying in no place long hee disposed of all matters of state according to his owne pleasure Vnto the young emperour hee allowed hunting and other his vaine delights with keepers joyned vnto him to watch not onely his going in and out but also that no man should talke with him of any matter of importance For all the gouernment of the state he tooke vnto himselfe not for that he wished so well thereunto aboue others but so to driue from the court all them of the contrary faction to himself that were able to doe any thing and had before borne some sway The souldiors whose helpe he had vsed in aspiring to the gouernment he rewarded with great bountie all great offices preferments he bestowed either vpon his owne children or other his great fauourits diuers of the nobilitie of whom he liked not were by him in short time driueÌ„ into exile some were by him depriued of their sight some others cast in prison not knowing any cause why more than that they were by him secretly coÌ„demned for that they were of the nobilitie or had done some good seruice for the state or excelled for their personage or some other thing that grieued Andronicus or els for the sparke of some old displeasure which yet lay hidden as fire raked vp in the ashes So that the state of that time began to grow most miserable the trecherie euen of men neerest in blood seâ—king the destructioÌ„ one of another for to serue their own turns or to gratifie Andronicus most horrible not only one brother betrayed another but euen the father his son the son his father if Andronicus would haue it so Some accused their neerest kinsmen that they had derided Andronicus his proceedings or that without regard of him they more fauored Alexius the yong emperor then a great offence Yea such was the mischiefe of the time that many in accusing others were themselues accused charging others of treason against Andronicus were theÌ„selues charged by them whom they accused so clapt vp both together in one prison Neither were they of the nobilitie only which were enemies to Andronicus thus hardly dealt withall but euen some of his great fauorits and followers also For some whom but yesterday he had vsed most kindly and enrolled amongst his best friends vpon them to day he frowned and tyranized most cruelly so that you might haue seene the same man the same day as it is reported of Xerxes his admirall to be crowned and beheaded to be graced and disgraced Insomuch that the wiser sort deemed Andronicus his praisings to be the beginning of a mans disgrace his bountie his vndoing and his kindnesse his death The first that tasted of his tyrannie was Mary the daughter of Emanuell the emperour who for the hatred she bare vnto Alexius the late president and the empresse her mother in law had as is aforesaid aboue all other wished for his comming but was now by one Pterigionites sometime an Eunuch of her fathers corrupted by Andronicus hauing in his aspiring mind purposed the vtter destruction of all Emanuels posteritie cunningly poysoned as was her husband Caesar who liued not long after her poysoned also as was supposed with the same cup that his wife was Now amongst others of the late emperors house none had euer stood more in his light than had the faire empresse Xene the young emperours mother whom now he ceased not most bitterly though wrongfully to accuse as an vtter enemie both vnto the emperour and the state making as if he would leaue all and againe depart if she were not remooued from the emperour her sonne and by his cunning so incensed the giddy headed vulgar people against her that they came flocking vnto Theodosius the good Patriarch readie to teare him out of his clothes if he consented not vnto the remoouing of the empresse as Andronicus had desired So a counsell being called of such his fauorits and others as were not like indifferently to heare her cause but assuredly to condemne her the guiltlesse empresse after many things falsely laid to her charge was accused of treason as that she should by her letters haue solicited Bela king of HUNGARIE her brother in law to inuade BRANIZOBA BELLIGRADE two strong places belonging to the empire Whereupon she was condemned and shamefully cast into a most filthie prison neere vnto the monasterie of S. DIOMEDE Amongst other noblemen called vnto this wicked counsell were Leo Monasteriotes Demetrius Tornicius and Constantinus Petrenus who not yet altogether deuoted to Andronicus being asked their opinions concerning the empresse said They would be glad first to know Whether that counsell against his mother were called by the emperors consent or not With which speech Andronicus pearsed to the heart as with a sword in great rage start vp and said These are they which encouraged the wicked president to all his villanies lay hands vpon them Whereupon they of his guard in threatning manner shooke their weapons and swords at them as if they would euen presently haue slaine them And the tumultuous common people catching them by their cloaks as they came out pulling them some one way some another were so fierce vpon them as that they had much adoe to escape out of their hands with life Now lay the faire empresse but the other day one of the greatest princes of the East and honoured of all her subjects in great miserie and dispaire scorned euen of her base keepers euerie houre expecting the deadly blow of the hangman Yet was not the crueltie of Andronicus against her so any thing assuaged but greeuing that she yet breathed shortly after assembled againe the former counsell
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
matters the Turkes are verie superstitious hee made the more hast of purpose to joyne battaile with him before he should come to the foresaid tower Huniades being come vnto the hill easily arising in the middest of the plaine there encamped expecting the comming of Scanderbeg who was said according to appointment made betwixt him and Huniades to be euerie houre comming Wherefore Amurath fearing least the tower fast by should be taken and the enemies power strengthened by the comming of the Albanois prouoked Huniades to battaile who still refused the same in hope of his friends comming which made the Turke more fierce vpon him seeking by all meanes he could to draw him to battaile but especially by cutting him off from water and forrage for why hee much presumed vpon his multitude hauing in his armie about fourescore thousand fighting men At length Huniades for want of water and other necessaries enforced to fight vpon S. Lukes day being then Thursday commaunded his souldiours to make themselues readie and diuiding his armie into two and thirtie battailions in such order as he ment to giue battaile the more to encourage them spake vnto them as followeth At length valiant souldiours and fellowes in armes the day is come wherein you may reuenge that dishonour or disgrace you receiued in the battaile of VARNA and recouer your former credit of constancie and praise if you will play the men the enemie opposeth against you but these reliques of his armies by you so often broken and discomfited who although they be in number moe than you yet are they in hope quarrell and strength far inferior For what can they hope for which fight not for their owne but for another mans kingdome and in conquering procure vnto themselues nothing but bondage in this life and torment in the life to come and in both perpetuall and endlesse miserie Whereas you on the other side howsoeuer the matter fall out fighting for your owne kingdome your children your countrey your houses and altars may assuredly hope for in both eternall and vndoubted blisse You haue also far greater cause to fight as they which if they do not valiantly ouercome their enemies are in danger with themselues to loose also all that theirs is The strength of both are sufficiently tried Once we vnfortunatly joyned battaile at VARNA where if wee might make exchange of our fortunes there found happily the Turke would make choise of our flight rather than of the great slaughter of his owne men who being not able to ouertake vs was there notably beaten with the losse of a great part of his armie whose great losse there receiued may counteruaile our dishonour although the losse he suffred perforce but we our flight by choise But of that our ouerthrow the angrie powers from aboue willing to reuenge our breach of faith were as I verily beleeue the cause rather than our cowardise for euen there all the authors of that perfidious dealing euen there I say euerie one receiued the just guerdon of their treacherie Whereas we against our wils drawne into that wofull warre by the mercie of God yet liue with you preserued for the defence of the Christian commonweale and especially of HVNGARIE that it should not be ouerrunne with the Turkish power and rage The number of your enemies is not of you to be feared when as you with few haue oftentimes learned to fight with their multitudes and caried away from them the victorie Hetherto we haue rather fought by the power of God than man and in the name of Christ Iesu our Sauior haue easily ouerthrowne their prophane battailes Which way soeuer wee haue turned our selues in his most mightie name we haue with our victorious armes opened our way for that wee fought vnder the leading and conduct of the highest whose helpe we haue alwaies felt at hand neither shall we thereof this daie faile if we be mindfull of his forepassed loue towards vs and of our wonted valour God is alwaies present with them that in his just quarrell fight couragiously Hereunto is joyned the safe manner of our fight by reason of our men at armes and barbed horses who like a strong castle cannot easily be ouerthrowne Our battalions are such as may easily be commaunded and yet strong inough against our enemies whereas their great multitude breedeth but confusion We haue many notable and forcible engines of warre which they haue not Besides that euerie houre we looke for the worthie Scanderbeg his comming The danger is not so great as that we should feare it or so little as that we should contemne it Backe againe without victorie we may not goe for that our armie is hardly by the straits of these mountaines to beeled and if the way were neuer so easie yet without doing that we came for and glorie with victorie we may not retire Vnto the valiant all difficulties are propounded Wherefore sith this your last labour is at hand wherein the whole strength of the Turkes may be for euer cut off I pray and beseech you fellow souldiors by that God vnder whose power and protection wee serue and by the loue you beare vnto your countrey your wiues your children and wealth vpon the signall of battaile giuen so to shew your valoâ—r as men resolued to be fully reuenged of the injuries by that filthie and wicked nation done both to God and man and especially of the losse receiued at VARNA We lost there a deuout king who for our safetie and for the breach of his faith sacrificed himselfe by which royall sacrifice that diuine anger is appeased vnto whose ghost I beseech you in this battaile to make an honourable sacrifice Not forgetting withall to reuenge the death of other worthie men in that battaile slaine This feare of the Turks is at once and euen this day to be cut off and so as that it should neuer grow againe and the kingdome of HVNGARIE so to be deliuered from the danger of most cruell slauerie as that it may by this daies worke gaine perpetuall rest and glorie vnto the enioying of the pleasures both of this life and of the life to come Wherefore worthie souldiours we must fight with all our force for that our honour so requireth our profit so persuadeth and necessitie enforceth As for our selues howsoeuer the matter fall out all shall be with vs well If victorie perpetuall blisse and happinesse shall thereby be procured vnto our countrey and immortall fame vnto our selues but if we shall be ouercome here we shall be most honourably buried in the bed of fame to liue in heauen with God and his saints for euer Wherefore I beseech you so to fight as men resolutely set downe to ouercome or if it shall otherwise fall out as men resolued honourably to die With this the Generals speech all the minds of the hearers were greatly enflamed and they all by his words and their owne hot desires sufficiently encouraged Neither did old Amurath on the other
soâ—â—â—diors well appointed with all things necessarie set forward toward CLISSA and by the way lighting vpon a gallie of the Venetians bound with certain warlike prouision towards the Turks campe tooke her as good prize and rifled her This fleet with a faire wind arriued at SIRET neere vnto TRAV where the gouernour landing his men marched that night part of his way toward CLISSA and all the next day lay close The night following they set forward againe and hauing marched fifteene miles came vnto the enemies campe before day where setting vpon the Turkes in their trenches fearing no such perill they brought such a generall feare vpon the whole campe that the Turks as men amased fled some one way some another euery man as in such sudden feare it commonly happeneth making shift for himselfe leauing whatsoeuer they had in their trenches behind them The Christians contented so to haue put their enemies to flight fell presently to the spoile as more desirous thereof than by the hastie pursute of their enemies to put themselues in possession of an assured victory Which the Turks quickly perceiuing and from the hils with the dawning of the day discouering the small number of the Christians and how they were disordered they gathered themselues againe together and comming downe enclosed on euery side the disordered Christians greedily hunting after the spoile and slew them downeright Leucowitz himselfe with the gouernor of ZENG and some others got into CLISSA where hauing staied two daies and doubting to be able to keepe the towne they secretly by night issued out with six hundred men in hope to haue recouered their fleet but the Turkes suspecting such a matter had so beset the passages that of all that companie Leucowitz had much adoe himselfe with three others to escape The enemie now againe possessed of his trenches laid straighter siege to the towne than before which they of the garrison perceiuing and now out of hope of reliefe agreed with the Bassa that they might with bag and baggage depart and so yeelded vp the towne Thus CLISSA one of the strongest townes of DALMATIA through the greedie couetousnesse of the disordered souldiors fell againe into the hands of the Turks About the same time Palâ—i gouernour of STRIGONIVM vnderstanding of the meeting together of certaine notable aduenturers of the Turks at SOMDOCK a castle almost in the mid way betwixt ALBA REGALIS and BVDA raised the greatest strength he could and so with certain pieces of artillerie and other things necessarie for an assault set forward from STRIGONIVM the two and twentith of May before the rising of the Sunne and about three a clocke in the afternoone came to the aforesaid castle whereunto he presently gaue a most terrible assault which he neuer gaue ouer vntill he had taken it For after that he had by the space of three houres together with great danger maintained a most desperate assault at length hee with much difficultie preuailed and put to the sword all the Turkes he found therein man woman and child and with the rest fiftie Ianizaries but that day come thither This castle was of great beautie and most pleasantly situated whereunto the Bassa of BVDA oftentimes for his pleasure repaired for which cause Palfi was very desirous to haue taken it without spoyling but the fire hee had therein alreadie raised so preuailed that it burnt downe all the goodly buildings thereof with great store of victuals and other prouision nothing remaining but what the Christians had saued for themselues The Transyluanian prince hauing raised a great armie for the reliefe of LIPPA being by great chance a little before his comming relieued came and layed siege to the citie of TEMESVVAR where he had not long lien but that the Turkes and Tartars fearing to loose that so famous a citie assembled together from all places thereabouts to the number of fortie thousand and so came to raise thâ— siege Of whose comming the prince hearing rise with his armie and went to meet them and had with them a great and terrible battell the victorie for a great while standing very doubtfull yet seeming to encline rather to the Turkes and Tartars than to the Christians but at length the Turkeâ— disordered with the great artillerie and the Transyluanians charging them afresh began to giue ground and so at last to betake themselues to plaine flight In this battell were slaine of the Turkes and Tartars fiue thousand and of the Christians fifteene hundred It was for a time reported that the prince himselfe was in this battell slaine which was not so being reserued to the further plague of the Turkes and comfort of his afflicted countrey After this victorie he returned againe to the siege which he more straightly continued than before leaâ—â—â—g nothing vnattempted that he could possibly deuise for the winning of the citie Where wâ—â—lest he yet thus lay battering the citie both night and day newes was brought him That Gâ—â—ffar Bassa and the Tartars were comming with a great armie to the reliefe of the besieged whereupon hee considering his owne strength and the power of his enemies and that the aid promised him both from the Emperour and out of HVNGARIE was not yet readie with great griefe of mind raised his siege and retired with his armie to LIPPA there expecting new supplies as well of his owne as from his friends Whilest he yet there lay he was certainely aduertised That the Bassa of NATOLIA the forerunner of the great Sultan Mahomet was come to BELGRADE with foureteene thousand horse and foure thousand Ianizaries to joyne with the Bassa of BVDA for the relieuing of TEMESVVAR whose forces joyned together were in number about threescore thousand and that Mahomet himselfe of whose comming rise report had been all this yeare was now comming after with a farre greater power Wherupon he departed from LIPPA leauing therein a strong garrison and so returning to ALBA IVLIA called there an assembly of all his states for the repressing of so puissant an enemie Mahomet for the better successe of his warres in HVNGARIE had drawne forth the Tartar with a mightie power who although he was at the first so vnwilling to that seruice considering the great losses he had therein before receiued that he would not as he said send so much as one Asse thereunto yet ouercome with great gifts and the respect he had of the Turkish Sultan was now ready with a strong armie vpon the frontiers of MOLDAVIA to meet him in HVNGARIE vnto whom the late chosen Vayuod sent certaine presents with such store of victuals as he could possibly prouide for him Yet for as much as he was not that way to passe without the leaue of the Polonian Mahomet had both by letters and diuers his embassadours entreated with the Polonian king for his passage as also for the confirmation of the auntient league hee and the Polonian kings his predecessours had to their good of long time had with the Othoman
KEREDEN and there staying certaine daies sent a spie into Tamerlane his campe to see how all things went there and afterwards entered againe into counsell with his captains concerning his farther proceedings In which consultation some were of opinion That it was best for him to withdraw himselfe into the mountaines of the lesser ASIA as a place of good safetie vntill the departure of Tamerlan which was shortly hoped for for that it was not to be thought that Tamerlane would with his huge armie pursue him in that mountaine countrey flying from hill to hill and as it were from strength to strength Others better aduised thought those mountaines to be no places to trust vnto and therefore that it were more honourable and as free from danger for him to returne againe to AMASIA and there to liue amongst his subjects protecting them in such sort as he might and not to leaue them for a prey to euery stragling company of the rude Tartarians Which counsell he followed as most reasonable being ready to set forward the spie before by him sent into Tamerlanes campe returned certifying him That he had seen his father Baiazet in good health in the Tartars campe but could not by any means speake with him by reason of the straight guard set ouer him and that all that part of ASIA was by Tamerlane possessed who then with his armie wintred in CARIA and LYSIA wherupon Mahomet returned backe againe to AMASIA where he had not long staied but that newes was brought vnto him That one of the Tartarian princes called Cara Duletschach that is to say the fortunat blacke king was with an armie of twentie thousand comming to spoile his country being giuen him by Tamerlane With which newes he was exceedingly troubled Wherefore with all speed calling together his forces for the safegard of his countrey he sent before a spie to discouer the enemies doings This diligent spie returning in all hast told Mahomet That Cara Dulet lay at the towne of AEGIOLVS in GALATIA in great securitie â—auing about him but a small power for that he fearing no danger had at that time dispersed his armie to seeke after pillage abroad in the countrey Mahomet taking hold of this oportunitie marched thither with great celeritie and suddenly setting vpon Cara Dulet ouercame him In which conflict Cara Dulet himselfe was shot through the head with an arrow and slaine and his armie vtterly discomfited Mahomet returning backe to AMASIA with victorie refreshed and rewarded his souldiors yet no lesse carefull for the safetie of his kingdome than before Shortly after he was aduertised that Cubad Ogli with a great armie laied hard siege to the citie of CaeSARIA in CAPADOCIA and was like in short time to take it if it were not speedily releeued By taking of which citie that Tartar prince was like to make a great entrance to the hazarding of the whole countrey Wherefore Mahomet hauing his armie alwaies in readinesse marched day and night with such speed to CaeSARIA as that he was vpon Cubad Ogli before he was aware of his comming and there slew most of his souldiours and put him with the rest to flight After that hee entred into Cubad Ogli his countrey in PONTVS and greeuously spoiled and destroied the same at which time he also by force wan the strong castle PELTae in the confines of PHRIGIA Imediatly after that Inall Ogli another of Tamerlanes captaines which at their pleasure without let forraged all the countreys of the lesser ASIA during the time that Tamerlane made his abode within the Turks dominions vpon the suddaine entred into CAPADOCIA with an armie of twentie thousand fighting men killing the inhabitants and spoiling the countrey before him so that the people for feare left their dwellings and fled into the woods and mountaines to hide themselues from his furie Whereof Mahomet hearing was therewith exceedingly greeued and wrote vnto him as followeth Sultan Mahomet vnto the Prince Inall Ogli Wheras without any just or lawfull cause or any war proclaimed you haue inuaded our kingdome and cease not cruelly to kill our subjects by God committed to our protection and to spoile their wealth and labours to the great disturbance of the Mahometan common weale and make no end of your malice and crueltie you doe therein quite digresse from the manners and lawes of the true Mahometans or right beleeuers For if thou wouldest not onely bee accounted but indeed bee a true Musul-man thou shouldest forthwith depart out of my kingdome with thine armie thou shouldest not thus shed the innocent blood or without cause thus wrong my people but forasmuch as thou knowest not what beseemeth thee neither wilt listen vnto good counsaile but wilfully proceed in thy wicked purpose falsely persuading thy selfe this my kingdome to bee destitute of a lawfull inheritour and therefore doest so great wrong and injurie vnto the defendours of the true Mahometan religion I would thou shouldest know that I with my so often victorious armie will shortly by the power of God come against thee and in plaine field according to thy deserts chastice thee Therfore whilest thou yet mayest reclaim thy selfe and proceed not too farre in thine obstinacie too late repentance did neuer man yet good Thus much we thought good to aduertise thee that thou shouldest not bee ignorant of our purpose but mightest so better consider and dispose both of thy selfe and thine affaires In the yeare after the departure of the great Prophet Mahomet 806. Vnto which letters Inall Ogli returned this answere in writing Prince Inall Ogli to Mahomet Why doest thou Mahomet with such letters prouoke me why doest thou so vnciuilly taunt me being thy selfe but a boy and in truth a verie child It beseemeth thee not to haue entred into these countreys or to lay hands thereon wrongfully gracing thy selfe with the title of a Sultan Neither is there any cause why thou shouldest complaine that I should lie in waight or seek after thy life thy kingdome or any thing that thine is I challenge vnto my selfe this kingdome but none of thine out of which it is reason for thee as a wrongfull intruder of thy selfe to depart whom otherwise I will forthwith thrust out and joyne the same vnto the rest of my territories Wherefore except thou without delay get thee packing and cease to oppose thy selfe against my designes I denounce vnto thee all the calamities of warre and wish thee with speede to prepare thy selfe to battaile for that I meane shortly to meet with thee This yeare of our great Prophet 806. Shortly after Mahomet according to his promise meeting with this Tartar prince by plaine force ouerthrew him and had of him a notable victorie The like good hap he had also not long after against Coster Ogli and Kiupeck Ogli two other Tartarian captaines at the castle of CHARACHIZAR and the plaine of ARTVCK-OVA And hearing that one Mesites a Turk had fortified himselfe in the ruines of SEBASTIA
other Sciemscia the eldest gouernor of CARAMANIA for his towardlinesse most deerely beloued of his father died of a naturall death before him and was of him and his subjects greatly lamented Alemscia died in like manner of whose death as soone as he was aduertised by mourning letters written in blacke paper with white characters as their manner of writing is in certifying of heauie newes he cast from him his scepter with all other tokens of honour and caused generall mourning to be made for him in the court and through all the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE by the space of three daies during which time all shops were shut vp all trading forbidden and no signe of mirth to be seene and for a certaine space after the manner of their superstition caused solemne sacrifices to be made for the health of his soule and 7000 Aspers to be giuen weekly vnto the poore His dead bodie was afterward with all princely pompe conuaied to PRVSA and there with great solemnitie buried Tzihan gouernor of CARIA and Mahomet gouernor of CAPHA vpon their fathers heauie displeasure were by his commaundement both strangled Of his other foure sonnes Achmet otherwise called Achomates Machmut or Mahometes Corcut or Corcuthus and Selymus the second namely Mahometes was of greatest hope and expectation not giuen to sensualitie or voluptuous pleasure as Achomates his eldest brother neither altogither bookish as was Corcuthus nor yet of so fierce and cruell a disposition as Selymus but of such a liuely spirit sharpe wit bountifull disposition and princely carriage of himselfe that in the judgement of most men he seemed alreadie worthie of a kingdome Which immoderat fauour of the people caused his elder brother Achomates yea and Baiazet also himselfe to haue him in no small jealousie as if he had affected the empire and was in short time the cause of his vntimely death Which thing he nothing doubting hastened as fatall things are by such meanes as hee least feared might haue procured anie such mortall distrust or danger Most of Baiazet his children were by diuers women yet Achomates and this Mahometes were by one and the same mother for which cause Mahometes tooke greater pleasure in him than in any his other brethren although it were not answered with like loue againe Achomates was lord and gouernour of AMASIA and this Mahometes of MAGNESIA who desirous to see the manner of his brothers life and gouernment disguised himselfe with two of his familiar and faithfull friends as if they had been religious men of that order which the Turkes call Imailer These men are for most part comely personages borne of good houses who in cleanly attire made after an homely fashion doe at their pleasure wander vp and downe from towne to towne and countrey to countrey noting the disposition and manners of the people whereof as fitteth best their purpose they make large discourses afterwards to others they commonly carrie about with them siluer cymbals whereon they play most cunningly and thereunto sing pleasant and wanton ditties for which idle delight they receiue money of the people as an almes giuen them of deuotion These are the common corrupters of youth and defilers of other mens beds men altogither giuen to ease and pleasure and are of the Turkes called The religious brethren of Loue but might of right better be tearmed Epicurus his hogs than professours of anie religion at all Mahometes and his two consorts as men of this profession trauelled vp and downe the countries of PONTVS and CAPADOCIA where Achomates commaunded and so to the citie of AMASIA receiuing for their merrie glee by the way as they went the almes and deuotion of the foolish countrey people And being at the length come to AMASIA vpon a solemne holiday they awaited the comming of Achomates to the church who passing by staied a while listening attentiuely vnto their pleasant and alluring harmonie which was for that purpose most curiously and skilfully before deuised and by them both with their instruments and voices performed When they had ended their musicke and according to the manner of their idle profession expected his deuotion Achomates being a man of a spare hand commaunds fiue aspers to be giuen them in reward which is about six pence of our money Mahometes disdaining his brothers base reward as a signe of his miserable disposition would in no wise discouer himselfe as he had before determined but taking horse returned with speed to MAGNESIA from whence hee writ taunting letters vnto his brother Achomates scoffing at his good husbandrie no praise to a prince and in contempt sent him backe againe his fiue aspers which thing Achomates tooke in so euill part as that he was neuer afterwards friends with him The report of this fact was in short time dispersed throughout all parts of the Turkish empire diuers men diuersly deeming of his purpose therein Not long after Mahometes had in this sort plaied with his brother Achomates he attired himselfe with certaine of his trustie followers as if they had beene seafaring men and with a small bark came to CONSTANTINOPLE and there landing as aduenturers from sea tooke diligent view both of the imperiall citie and of the citie of PERA standing opposite against it curiously noting how all things were by his fathers appointment ordered and gouerned It happened whilest he was thus staying at CONSTANTINOPLE that Baiazet had appointed a solemne assembly of all his chiefe Bassaes at the court which Mahometes was desirous to haue the sight of as also of the fashion of his fathers court but as he with his companions pressed to haue entred in at the court gate they were by their base apparell taken of the porters to haue been rude mariners and so by them kept out Wherefore consulting what to doe in that case he went and presently bought a most beautifull Christian captiue boy and the next day comming againe to the court with two of his companions as if they had been aduenturers at sea requested to be let in for that they had brought a present for the emperour So finding means to be admitted vnto the presence of Baiazet one of his consorts as if he had been a sea captaine boldly stept forth and with due reuerence offered the present vnto the emperour which he thankfully tooke and in token thereof gaue him his hand to kisse and commaunded a rich garment wrought with gold to be giuen vnto him with two other of lesse valour vnto Mahometesâ—nd â—nd his fellow supposed to be the said captaines followers who all this while stood a farre off as if it had beene for reuerence of the emperor but in deed for feare to be discouered As these counterfeit guests were returning from the court in their garments of fauour they happened to meet with three courtiers which knew Mahometes who dismounting from their horses had done him honour and due reuerence as to the sonne of the great emperour had he not by secret signes forbidden them as one
determined by the counsell of his Bassaes rather with money than with the sword to fight with the Persian king Hereupon was Hassan Aga one of the chiefe gentlemen of his chamber appointed embassadour into PERSIA with whom was joyned the Bassa of MARAS a man both for his age and place reuerend who departing with a large commission almost in the depth of Winter with great speed and wonderfull toile by those long and difficult waies arriued at last at CASBIN the seat of the Persian king hauing by the way lost diuers of their seruants and followers Being come to the court the first thing they desired was to see Baiazet whom they found shut vp in a close prison pale and wanâ— as a man forlorne with his haire and beard so long and ouergrowne as that he was not to be knowne before he was new trimmed which done then appeared the liuely resemblance of his wonted countenance and fauour so that Hassan verily knew it to be him for he had been brought vp with him of a child in the court and for that cause especially had Solyman sent him thither to be assured that it was he At length after long discourse and conference betweene the king and the embassadours it was agreed vpon that the king should receiue from Solyman full recompence of all the charges he had been at and of the harmes by him sustained since the comming of Baiazet into PERSIA with such farther reward as so great a good turne deserued which things performed that then it should be in Solymans power to haue Baiazet made away With this newes Hassan posteth to his master at CONSTANTINOPLE who forthwith caused the promised reward togither with such charges as the Persian king demaunded to be made readie and with a safe conuoy to be sent vnto the borders of PERSIA where they were of the Persians receiued Presently after returneth Hassan the appointed executioner of the vnfortunat Baiazet for so Solyman had straightly charged him to strangle him with his owne hands Which thing this new made hangman accordingly performed and with a bowstring strangled the vnfortunat prince who is reported to haue requested of the executioner but that he might see his children before he died take of them his last farewell which poore request could not be granted but he forthwith commanded to die This was the wofull end of the vnluckie attempts of Baiazet a prince of far more worth than was Selymus his brother who in seeking to shun the death he feared hasted the same before his time Such as was the fathers end was also the end of his foure sonnes Omer Amurat Selym and Muhamet of whom the three eldest were strangled at CASBIN with their father whose dead bodies togither with his were solemnly brought to SEBASTIA and there buried The youngest but new borne left at AMASIA and sent by his grandfather to PRVSA as is before said to be there nursed was now vpon the death of his father commaunded by his said grandfather to be strangled also The eunuch sent by Solyman to haue done the deed and loth to doe it himselfe tooke with him one of the porters of the court a desperat and otherwise a hard hearted ruffian a man thought fit to haue performed any villanie he comming into the chamber where the child lay and fitting the bowstring to the childs necke to haue strangled it the innocent babe smiled vpon him and lifting it selfe vp as well as it could with open armes offered to haue embraced the villaine about the necke and kissed him Which guiltlesse simplicitie so wounded the stonie hearted man that he was not able to performe the intended butcherie of the poore and simple child but fell downe in a swoâ—ne and there lay for dead The eunuch standing without the doore maruelling at his long stay goes in and finding the ruffian lying along vpon the ground with cruell hand performed that the other could not find in his heart to do and so strangled the guiltlesse child as had been giuen him in charge Whereby it euidently appeared that it was not the mercie or compassion of Solyman that so long caused the guiltlesse infant to be spared but rather the opinion generally receiued amongst the Turks who measuring all things by the good or bad successe referre all things that fall out well vnto God as the authour thereof be they neuer so vngratiously begun and therefore so long as it was yet vncertaine what successe the attempts of Baiazet would haue Solyman spared the infant least vpon his fathers good hap he might seeme to haue striuen against the will of God But now that his father was dead and his quarrell by the euill successe thereof condemned as it were by the sentence of the Almightie he thought it not good longer to suffer him to liue least of an euill bird might come an euill chicke I had sometime saith the reporter of this historie great reasoning with my Chiaus about this matter for falling into talke with him of Baiazet he began bitterly to inuay against him for taking vp armes against his brother Whereunto saith this authour I replied That in mine opinion he was worthie both to be pitied and pardoned forasmuch as he was of necessitie enforced either to take vp armes or else shortly after to yeeld himselfe to the slaughter But he still exclaiming against him I said vnto him You blame poore Baiazet of great wickednesse for bearing armes against his brother but Selymus Solymans father you blame not who vpon like occasion tooke vp armes both against his father and his brethren yet he therein did nothing amisse nor in your judgement blame worthie And rightly saith the Chiaus for the euent of the matter sheweth sufficiently that that which he did was done by the appointment of God and that he was from heauen predestinate thereunto whereas in Baiazet the euent sheweth the cleane contrarie So that which falleth out well be it by neuer so wicked meanes compassed or brought to passe they take it as done according to the will of God but if it fall out otherwise they judge it as a thing condemned by God himselfe depending wholy vpon the good or bad euent of things and thereby judging them to be well done or otherwise This yeare 1558 Charles the fift that noble emperour of whom we haue in the course of this historie so often spoken who wearie of the world had two yeares before deliuered all his hereditarie kingdomes and principalities to his sonne Philip did now the 24 of Februarie on which day he was borne by his embassadours solemnely sent for that purpose resigne the empire with all the honors and titles thereof vnto his brother king Ferdinand requesting the princes electors to confirme the same vnto him which they did the 13 of March next following So liuing as a priuat gentleman in that solitarie life whereunto he had to the wonder of the world certain years before retired himselfe from all
trouble them in the castle and the vpper citie of BVDA Which their entended exploit they happily attempted and brought to passe in this sort The citie of PESTH standing right ouer against BVDA is as we haue oftentimes beforesaid deuided from the same with the great and swift riuer of Danubius ouer which the Turkes vpon boats had with great labour and cost of late built a most easie and commodious bridge for passage or carriage of things from the one citie to the other this bridge the Imperials thought necessarie first to breake the more easily to besiege either the one or other citie and for that purpose had by a strange deuice built a ship which by the force of the streame carried downe the riuer and resting vpon the bridge should by a wonderfull power breake the same Which ship the Turks seeing comming downe the riuer with the rest of the fleet after her they ran by heapes especially out of the Water citie to the bridge for the defence thereof where whilest they were thus busied Countie Sultze on the other side by land with a Petarde blew vp one of the gates of the citie and so entering and killing all such as he light vpon came vnlooked for vpon the backes of the Turkes at the bridge of whom some he slew some he draue into the riuer who there perished the rest in number not many by speedie flight retiring themselues into the citie whereupon he had now brought such a generall feare that they all as well the souldiors as the citisens with the Christians at their heeles with as much hast as they could tooke their refuge into the vpper citie of BVDA much stronger and better fortified than was the lower citie At which time the bridge was by them vpon the riuer broken also so that now the one citie could no more thereby relieue the other as before The Water citie thus woon and the bridge broken the next was for the Imperials to besiege either the one or the other citie But for that they of PESTH might with their great ordinance much annoy them in the besieging of the castle and the vpper citie of BVDA they thought best to begin with it first which they did in much like sort as they had before done at the lower citie of BVDA the same deuice againe well prospering in their hand For the lord Russworm with the fleet vpon the riuer making a great shew as if hee would euen presently on that side haue entered had with the stirre by him raised drawne downe most part of the garrison souldiors vnto that side of the citie where most shew of danger was whilest in the meane while Countie Sultze with the gouernour of ALTHEM before vndiscouered vpon the sudden by land scaled the other side of the citie and gained the wals the Turkes yet dreaming of no such matter But hereupon began a great outcrie the Turkes standing as men astonied especially now feeling the Christians weapons in their bodies before they knew they were got into the citie In this so great an amasement such of them as could fled into the strongest towers the rest hid themselues in cellars and other the most secret corners they could find out of which they were afterwards by the Christians drawne and slaine They which were retired also into the towers and other stronger places of the citie seeing the great ordinance in euery place bent vpon them and now out of all hope of reliefe offered to yeeld requesting onely that they might with their wiues and children with life depart promising for that fauour so shewed them to persuade them of BVDA also in like manner to yeeld Vpon which promise that their poore request was graunted and the lord Nadasti with certaine other captaines sent with some of these citisens of PESTH with their wiues and children to BVDA who comming thither according to their promise most earnestly requested them of BVDA to yeeld for that they were not now to expect any further helpe and that by their foolish obstinacie they should bee the cause of the death of them their friends their wiues and children Vnto whom also to mooue them the more the lord Nadasti promised in the name of the Generall That they should all excepting some few of their chiefe commaunders in safetie depart howbeit they of BVDA would not hearken thereunto but stood still vpon their guard In this citie of PESTH well inhabited with Turkish marchants the Christians found great store of wealth which all became a prey vnto the souldiors with a thousand horses for seruice many great pieces of artillerie and much other warlike prouision PESTH thus woon and a strong garrison left therein they returned againe ouer the riuer to besiege the castle and vpper citie of BVDA which they attempted by vndermining the same as also by batterie hauing placed some of their great ordinance so high that they could at their pleasure shoot into the middest of the streets of the citie wherewith they much troubled the Turkes not a little before discouraged with the losse of PESTH thundering also at the same time with their other batteries in diuers places at the wals both of the castle and of the citie Where vnderstanding that the Turkes garrisons of the frontier townes and castles thereabouts hearing of the siege were comming to the reliefe of their distressed friends they sent out their horsemen with some part of their footmen against them who meeting with them gaue them a great ouerthrow and so with victorie returned againe vnto the rest of the armie lying at the siege being still in hope either by force or composition to become masters of the citie But whilest they lay in this hope and hauing the twelfth of October brought their approaches neerer vnto the wals had there planted certaine notable pieces of batterie with purpose the next day with all their power to haue assaulted the citie behold the Visier Bassa hearing by the way as he was going to BELGRADE and so to CONSTANTINOPLE that PESTH was woon and BVDA besieged changing his mind returned in hast with such forces as hee had yet left and so vnlooked for came and sat downe before PESTH being not then aboue fiue and twentie thousand strong but those all or for the most part old and expert souldiors But whilest the Bassa thus lay at the siege of PESTH on the one side of the riuer and the Imperials at the siege of BVDA on the other diuers braue attempts were in both places giuen both on the one side and the other The Christians besieged by the Turkes in PESTH hauing amongst them diuers braue captaines and desirous of honour one day vnder their conduct sallied out of the citie to skirmish with the Turkes and comming with them to the sword by plaine valour disordered them and enforced them to flie and so allured with the sweetnesse of the victorie pursued them euen to their trenches from whence a great squadron of the