After the death of Iohn Vaiuoda who committed the ouersight and tutorship of his young Sonne to his Cosen Georgius Monachus it chaunced the Ferdinando leuied an Army to recouer his Landes right in Hungarie WhoÌ„ Monachus in the behalfe of the Infant resisted At length the matter betwéene them beyng brought to a Parle and conuention for the quieting of all stryfe it happened among Ferdinando his men sodainely a Dagge to be hard goe of which by the heaâ—e of the daie as it is thoughte discharged of it owne accorde But Monachus iudging that it was shotte at him charged Ferdinando with great iniurie saying that from that time he woulde neuer beléeue the promyses of Christians And vppon thys rashe suspicion sent to the Turke desiring hym to come into Hungarie with hys power to ayde him who glad to haue this occasion came spéedely with a great Army and discharging the Hoaste of Ferdinando from the Siege of Buda seyzed the Cytie into hys owne handes and to hys owne vse commaundyng the young Infant and his mother to folowe after his Campe. Then entred he himselfe and tooke possession of the Castle and wanne also Pestum a Citye ryght ouer agaynst Buda well stored wyth Ordinaunce and Munition At the same time he also won Stridon and the Towne called Quinquecclesiae or Fynffenkyrken he rased and made lâ—auell with the grounde At the wynnynge of Buda two Ensignes yéeldinge themselues to the Turke vppon promyse of lyfe and limme were first by him coÌ„maunded to put of their Armor theÌ„ to put it on again to ranke theÌ„selues in battaile aray after the Christian fashion which they readily accoÌ„plishing according to his coÌ„mauÌ„dment he riding about the bankes to view and behold them at length hadd them put of their Armure againe whiche done certaine of the tallest and strongest he picked out the residue he coÌ„maunded his Souldiours comminge behinde to hew in péeces with their Swordes Of the other which he had chosen out some he set for Marks or Buttes to be shott at and some he appointed to his two Sonnes to slashe with their Falchions and to trye their strength whether of them coulde geue the déeper wounde or as they tearmed it strike the fayrer blowe that most bloud might flow and gush out of their bodies Ioachim Marques of Brandeburge Prince Electour was appoynted with a great power to goe into Hungarie to recouer Buda and other péeces from the Turke At the first he séemed so forward and couragious as though he woulde haue conquered the whole World. But his great heate in shorte space so slaked that he was full glad to be discharged of his office againe before any wronge were offered him and with shame ynough retourned home agayne Whose cowardise the Turkes perceiuing thought to shew hym some cast of their office before hys departure and set vpon the right Winge of his Armye and thence tooke 500. Duchmen prisoners Whom in derision they horriblye mangled and disfigured and so sent them through Grecia to bee witnesses of their victorie The kinde of their punishment was this first they thrust them cleane through the right Arme with an yron redde hoat to make them euer after vnhable to laboure and warfare secondly their heades were shauen to the verye Sculles lyke Monkes or Friers and thirdlye their pryuye members were cut of to make them vnfrutefull for propagacion of Children Notwithstandinge Maurice Duke of Saxonie in his expedition shewed himselfe a gentleman of haultye courage and was lyke to haue bene taken prisoner This yéere the Emperoure Charles spéeding hymselfe somwhat late in the yéere with a goodly Nauy into Mauritania Caesariensis against Barbarossa to recouer Argiers staying as some say somwhat long at Luke to coÌ„ferre with the Pope by force of tempest contrary Windes suffred a lamentable Shipwrack and loste a great number of his goodly Shippes with the Ordinaunce and Habyliments of Warre that were within them The Emperoure himselfe by force of weather was cast vpon the Baleare Islands In this expedition the Germaines valyantly quitte themselues in skirmysh against the Barbarians in the Emperours behalfe but the Italyans recuyled and fled back Truce was for a certeyne time taken with the Turke which to both parties with longe warres wearied was welcome and very acceptable Sigismund King of Poleland by Breuitz one of his Capitaynes conquered and rased a stronge Fortresse which the Turke had buylt néere to the Marches of his Realme and Kingdome Mustapha the Turkes eldest Sonne thought he taryed too longe if he shoulde be kept from the Crowne tyll his father were dead wherefore he incensed the Egiptians to take part with him and stirred vp the Persians to make sharpe Warre vpon Solyman his father Solyman the Turke with a huge army marched against Tolcha â–ª King of Persia where the Turke in battayle had a great ouerthrow and lost many of his men in Persia The Tartarians which were comminge to ioyne their powers with him for his defence were slayne and spoyled in the lesse Armenia The same yéere one Curculey a Turkishe Pyrate with twenty Galleyes and Foystes contrarye to the League and truce practized muche Pyracie and rouerye about the Coastes of Sicilie and Campania sodaynlye surprisinge the Inhabytantes and thence caryed away incredible spoyle The same yéere the Saracenes in Barbaria bruynge newe sedicious vprores were by the valyauntnesse of Sestian and Albane two of the Emperours Capitaines repressed who also delyuered Portugall and Spaine from their malicious inuasion The Turke intending to make amendes for the late ignomynie and foyle that he had receiued leuyed a newe Armye againste the Persians and firste he inuyted hys Souldiours by augmenting their wages and afterward by his Ambassadours insinuated himselfe to all his confederates and confirmed such Leagues as were betwéene them But he lost of this is very well appoynted Armye in this iourney by famine and plague a great multytude The plague also beinge very hoate and raiginge in Constantinople which Citie in his absence he had strengthned with a Garrison of a hundreth Galleyes consumed well néere lxx thousand persons In the beginning of this yéere whiche was a yéere of Iubylie Solyman was reported but vntruelye to bee dead which mercilesse Tyraunt sore afflicted the people of God the space of xxx yéeres The same yéere the Emperoure Charles the fifte by the Viceroy of Sicile conquered and wan the Citie Affrica from whence he brought 8000 prisoners and draue out the Archpyrate Dragute King therof who fled to the Turke The Turkes after they had in vaine for a time besieged the Casâ—le of Malta tooke the Citie of Tripolis a Porte of Barbarie Solyman at this time caused his eldest Sonne Mustapha to be strangled with a Bowstringe by his dumbe men ministers of Murther a vizured he himself being present and looking on for suspition of treason layd to his charge And there was a truce taken betwéene hym and Ferdinando king of Romanes After which act committed he woulde haue geuen
thereof to his Souldiours he ranscaked and made hauocke of the towne but as for all the Iewes which partly in the citie and partly in other places of Arabi because they being skilfull in the diuine law greatly withstood his attempts procedings he hated deadly in the ende in.xi. battailes them vtterlye vanquished and destroyed Thence retourninge to Itraripe he appointed Azeib his Lieutenant of Mecca who entred into the Citie with a great route of Arabians or Saracens For Mecca then was and yet is as well because of an opinion of great auncientie for it is thought to be builded by Ismael or else by Abraham himselfe as also for the bignesse of the Citie and resorte of people most noble and famous Then againe within the same yéere discharging the said Azeib of his office he appointed Moad the Sonne of Gadel Lieutenant of the same Citie in his roume with this commauÌ„dement that after Mahomet his death he should desend and maintayne his lawe and diligently looke that the same should of the people be reuerently obserued and so in the meane season to minister iudgement and execution of his lawes to the Mecchyans Al things in this sort beyng set in good frame and order he remooued to Tambicum and there buylded a Temple which is to be séene at this day Thence he sent an armye vnder the conducte of Zalid and Malid two of his chiefe Captaines agaynst Alozaid the Sonne of Almathaliph King of Aliendel whom by force of armes they ouercame and made tributarie And thus all Arabia being brought in subiection he commaunded Eubocar with parte of his Hoste to go to Mecca he himself lying still at Itraripe and charged him that he should leaue neuer a mothers Sonne a liue in it nor suffer any forrayner to enter sauing only such as willingly would obey his Law and beléeue his doctrine For his meaning and entent was as afterwarde he brought it to passe that Mecca should be the Metropolitane Citie of his religioÌ„ and Empire And thus within a short space Mecca was replenished wyth none but Mahometanes And not onely Mecca but all Arabia besides as they are people by nature lyght of beléefe and newfangled embraced his pestilent errours And from that tyme all they whych yelded themselues to that Secte were called by the name of Saracens both because that errour sprong vp and was first begonne by the Saracens and also for that Mahomet persuaded them that all the promyses in the Scriptures promysed to the Séede of Abraham belonged appertayned to them Beyng puffed vp with arrogance by reason of thys good successe in hys affayres he sent Ambassades to Kinges and Princes néere adioyning aduisyng them to embrace his Religion and vnto them addressed hys letters sealed wyth a Signet of Syluer wherein were engrauen these woordes Mahomet the messanger of God namely to the Emperour of Constatinople to the King of Persia the King of Egypte and to other Princes Afterwarde he created soure Tribunes or chiefe Capitaynes in warres commonly called Admyralles whyche had euerie one vnder them many Peticapitaines and Centurions and these foure hee woulde commonly vse to call the sharpe Swordes of God and them he commaunded to goe into the foure partes of the worlde euerie one by him selfe a seuerall waye and to kyll all suche as repugned hys law There names were Ebubezer Omar Ozmen and Ali the Sonne of his vncle Salutelib vnto whom he also ioyned in mariage Fatema hys daughter in Lawe by hys first wife Of these foure Ebubezer called of some Vbequar and of some other Buback or Eubocar father in Law to Mahomet tooke hys voyage to Palestina and there layde Siege to a certayne towne called Muchea the Capitayne whereof was one Theodorus Begarius who had the rule of the towne in the behalfe and name of Caesar Who gathering together his power sodainly set vppon the Saracens with such valiaunt courage and force that many of them beyng slayne the residue lyke tall fellowes ranne away At which time 〈◊〉 thirde Ides of March Mahomet dyed in the yeere of our saluation .637 when he had raigned tenne yéeres in the house of Aissa his wife in the Citie Medina and in the very same bedde wherein he was wont to sléepe and take his rest His bodie without any Princely furniture or ceremonial solemnitie was shrined and lapped in a white Shéete thrée tymes double and so beyng chested in an yron coffin was after a homely sort buried where afterwarde his kinsfolkes and Allyes edified a sumptuous and magnificall Temple of bricke worke and arched the same wyth a vault so pargetted with Lodestones whose nature is to draw yron vnto it that the yron Coffyn wherein Mahomet his body was inclosed was drawen vp euen vnto the toppe of the Churche and there hangeth For which cause that place is yet with great deuocion and Pylgrymage worshipped of all the East They say that while he was banished his Countrey going once on Pylgrimage into Mauritania Tingintana he crossed the Seas ouer into Spaine But when he vndestoode that Bishop Isidore laide waite to haue caught him he immediatly shifted thence and conueyed himselfe away Vpon his death bed he appointed Ali his sonne in lawe to bée his Successour and the Caliph that is to saye the chiefe Prelate of hys Secte and vnto him togither with his daughter he committed the whole charge of his body But Eubocar his father in law stopped them a tyde in that matter alledging that for as much as Mahomet deceassed in his house and by his only meanes had stepped vp to such credite welth estimation and gouernment as being bolstered mainteyned and preferred by his countenance and fréendship none other by good reason was fitter to succéede then he that had béene his chiefe supporter Against whom Ali durst not once open his mouth to reply because Eubocar himselfe was a â—an of great power and also his kinsmen Omar and Ozmen tooke part with him whiche were men valiaunt and factious whose wordes would be heard and whose commaundements before his would be obeyed Who forasmuch as by good right they iudged the kingdome to appertayne vnto them being Coadiutours to Mahomet in the exployte of all his affaires had leifer haue Eubocar succéede beinge olde their nere Kinsman then Ali being young and in his lusty yéeres who might perchaunce raigne so long that no hope euer to enioy the Kingdome by the order and course of nature shoulde be left to them and also for that he was nothinge of kin vnto any of them Wherefore Eubocar was made high Bisshoppe of Mahomet his Sect who immediatly after his creation departinge out of his owne Territories with a great Armye discomfited the Roman Garrisons and retourning into Arabie with victorye dyed not without some suspition of poyson when he had raigned not fullye three yéeres and without any princely funeralles buried néere to Mahomet After him succéeded Homar who as we before shewed was his Kinsman Hesubdued Bosra the chief citie of
wyth fire and a few of the Oppidanes or Townesmen which taried still were taken For the rest being brought into sodaine feare and amazednes through this violent irruption were fledde almost all into the mayne land and mediterranean region Within a litle while after an other Nauie of Saracens landed in the coast of Hetruria with purpose and full intent to besiege and take the Citie of Rome Whose sodayne arriuall and terrible approche filled all the Citie with terrour and dread Wherfore Pope Leo the fourth of that name assembled the people together and vnto theÌ„ made this Oration folowing What is the matter my Children whereof you are somuch affraide or why are your mindes thus troubled and appaulled Certes there happeneth nothing vnto vs without the prouidence and wyll of the almightye God neither is it sent vnto vs vndeseruedlye on our partes Then ought we to feare dread their tyrannie wheÌ„ we fall at ciuill strife and goe together by the eares amonge our selues when one Brother conspireth his Brothers death and destruction For all they whiche do beléeue and confesse Christe to be their Sauiour and Redéemer are Brothers Then I say when the Brands of these mischiefes are kindled amonge vs we ought to feare leaste God being highly displeased with vs therfore should send these or rather worse plagues vppon vs For if you think that these impious and barbarous people are sent vnto vs without the will and pleasure of almighty God you are far deceiued For holy Scriptures do in many places testifâ—e dayly examples euery where teache confirme the same God saying by his owne mouth that he wyll vse the wicked blasphemers and the enemies of his sacred name as whippes to scourge and meanes to pursue hys vnfaithfull wylfull and disobedient Children And we do know that the ciuile discord and flagitious dissolutenes of the Greekes gaue first occasion to this pestiferous and diabolicall nacion to extend their rage and practise their first cruell inuasion vpon the Christians Did not the lewde lying of the Gothes and Kinge Rodirick allure them to set foote into Hispaine Whome although these bellish Impes discomfited and condinglye punished yet when they once conuerted their force and moued warre againste good and godlye men they were repulsed put to flight and slaigne euen of a few What do we feare this most dastardly rable and lowsâ—e nacion more then we do Almightye God for we doubt not awhit euery howre and euerye mynute of an howre to offend his Diuine Maiestie to prouoke his wrath and anger againste vs to reuile and blaspheme his holy name to shewe our selues wilfull disobedient and stubbourne to the lore of his swéet word and commaundment and by our owne phantasticall deuises to heape vnto ouer selues the greeuous sentence of his heauy displeasure but at the onely hearinge of this reprobate generation wee tremble and quake for feare as though humane force and mortall Armes were more to be feared then euerlasting paynes and eternal damnation Wher is the auncient puyssance and knightly prowes that was wont to be in the vndaunted Romanes What is become of their valiauntnes paynfulnesse trauaile and courage that in all extremytie and aduersitie was euer inuincible Our Auncestors and forefathers before Christianitie was embraced or Christ to the world notyfied and beleeued on beyng yet blinded and noseled in Idolatrye and supersticious Religion feared no force no violence no multytude of Enemies but oftentimes with a small handfull and power vanquished the mightie populous armies of their Enemies The Gaules French being a people and nacion most fierce and at that time by reason of the huygenes of their bodies formidable and dreadfull the limytes of the Romane Empire being yet but streict and narrow the Citie nothing so great as now it is mens courages also through the sodayne irruption and coming of such a firce and big nacion marueilouslie abbashed tooke in déede I cannot deny this Citie hauing in it at that time no forte of defence nor coÌ„modius place made by art for resistance but yet the Capitoll they were neuer hable to take And not suffered long there to roust were by the valiaunce of one banished Romane thence repulsed and driuen away with notable slaughter of a great maigny of their people And beholde the Romane empire was not of such power and strength at that time as it is now For the limytes of the empyre extended no further but to the Romane Terrytory Now whereas the greatest part of Italy is subiect to the Romane State and the Citie with people well replenished hauing now not the Capitoll onely for your fortresse but a whole Towne also by our industrie and procurement annexed and vnited to your Citie fortyfied and strengthened with all maner of Artificiall deuise and pollicie hauyng I say so many noble Personages and approued Capitaines both for skill courage renowmed and the Sea of the most Catholique Relygion héere resiaunt you now stand in dread and feare not of the Gaules which be a worthy and noble nacion not of the huyge and populous armyes of the Gothes nor yet of the Hunnes the Subuerters and destroyers of many moste flourishyng and noble cities but of the most cowardly and rogish nacion of all Asia a pilfring rable of Mauritanian thieues and Vagarantes The Mannes head that was founde in the ground where the Capitoll standeth gaue such a destinie and fate thervnto that no nacion shoulde be hable by conquest and force to take it Doo you think that the Capitoll was earst more safe and holie â–ª beinge the Seate of Saturn then it is now being employed to a Castle of sincere and true religion Beléeue me beléeue mee neyther the Saracenes nor anye other wicked Nacion whiche are the professed Enemies of Christes name and Relygion shall euer buylde their Bowre plant themselues in this Citie Rome was buylded vnder such a lucky Constellacion that the Empyre thereof shall neuer quayle but continue perpetuallye and vnder this same destenie is this Towne therevnto annexed and adioyned that it should be the See of Religion which thing the most emperiall and Cathedrall Church of him that is chiefe of the Apostles assuredly promiseth But peraduenture you thinke that God béeing prouoked and mooued to wrathe by reason of our manyfold sinnes offences hath gyuen them leaue thus to extend and shew their villanous rage against vs I graunt we haue demerited these and farre greater Plagues and that this ruffling stirre is sent vpon vs not without the speciall foresight and prouidence of God that taking warning and occasion by these aduersities and oppressions to amende our naughtie liues wee may the better renounce our former haunt of licentious lustes and with penitent hearts turne vnto him And so long shall they haue power ouer vs as we persist wilfully wallow in the stinking puddle of our vngratious wayes But if we truely repent and implore his mercy this wicked Nation shall straightwayes geue place
stoode and what he purposed to do willing him spéedily to come with more power to ayde him and be partaker of that glorious noble enterprise The Antiochians knowing their chiefe Tower to be taken ranne couragiouslye to repell and dispossesse the Romanes out of the same Now the Maister of the Tentes had in charge from the Emperour that he should not in ani wise inuade Antioch because the common brute went that the captiuitie of that Citie did portende within awhile after the Emperours confusion whiche bred in him such doubtfull cares that he knew not what to doo in that case nor which way to take Neuerthelesse loath that so manye valiaunt men should through his default perysh thinkyng it no poynt of humanytie to sée them thus fall into the lapse for want of a small ayde marched with all his power and inuaded Antioche at whose comming the Saracenes were so dismayde that their hartes fainted and their stomackes immediatly quayled Burzes his company which before dispayred of any help or remedye looking for nothing but present death tooke new hart agrace and were reuiued and bursting open the Gates with his battayle Axe made frée passage and ingresse for the maâ—ster of the Tentes and his traine to enter Thus was Antioche one of the noblest Cities in the world brought into the power of the Romanes whiche shortly after in the time of the Emperoure Iohn Zimisca the Saracenes with all their ioynt powers and forces both of the Orient and occident attempted to recouer And so vnder the conduct of the Caliph of Cairoan in Affrica because the power of the Caliph of Syria was now sore weakened and brought to a lowe ebbe they planted their Siege about it Whose inuasions and malyce the Citezins and Inhabitauntes manfullye and constantlye withstoode tyll the Emperour might hereof be certyfied Who hauing intelligence of this generall conspiracie of the Gentiles commaunded his Prouost of Mesopotamia to ayde his besieged Fréendes and Subiectes Who according to his charge and coÌ„mission in a pitched battaile wherein the Saracenes were in number farre moe then the Romanes them disparcled chased and discomfited Now because I sée the empire of the Saracens to draw apace towarde an ende and finall ruyne we must before we procéede any further briefelye and compendiouslie wryte of the remnauntes and reliques of them that yet lurked in Africa and Spayne and firste wee wyll speak of Spayne then afterward of Africa In Spayne therefore Ramire Kinge of Lyon in the yéere of our Sauiour Christ 901. making war vpon the Saracenes destroyed a Towne of theirs named Madrite and put them to flight néere vnto Osma and made Benaiam King of Saragoza Tributary vnto hym Whom afterward rebelliouslye ioyninge in league with Abduramen King of Corduba and tourning to his olde vomyt agayne Ramire eftsoones vanquished and tooke Prisoner in battayle néere to a Towne called Synâ—ncas wherein there were slayne of the Saracenes thyrtye thousande and many other annoyances and harmes did hee vnto them Afterwarde lying at the Siege of Talauâ—ra he ouercame the Toletane Saracenes whiche came to reyse the Siege and to rescue the Citie of whom vii M. were taken and xii M. slayne After this Sancius kinge of Lyon beinge depriued and driuen out of his kingdome by his owne people came to Abduramen king of Corduba to be cured of a certayne disease by the help of his Phisicions whom for conning and knowledge he had heard to be the expertest and skilfullest that were then in al the world Whom the king of Corduba did not onely cause to be healed but also with his power and help maugre all his foes restored him to his Roome and dignitie But after that hee was dead the Saracenes wanne Symancas Duengas Sepulueda and Gormas Townes belonginge to the kingdome of Lyon and rased Zamorra And within awhile after destroyed and euerted Portugall the head of all Lusitanie and Compostella After the death of Abduramen Alliagib his Successoure in that kingdome naming him selfe Almansor which is as much to say as the Protectoure of king Mansor his Lorde and maister because bee hoped therby the rather to allure the peoples goodwils and vnder that coloure to insinuate himselfe into their fauoures for at that time Mansor raigned at Marrocco Which Citie as we haue afore shewed was the Seate royall of all the Saracenes Empire Occidentall vnder whose iurisdiction and rule all the inferiour kinges of the Saracenicall nacion in Spayne lyued gathered a mighty power and inuaded the Territories of the Castulonians Lyon and Bâ—â—kaye The Citie of Lyon he almost vtterly defaced the Towers and Bulwarkes thereof which were all of Marble he rased and heat downe to the grownde leauinge onelye one vntouched and vnblemished to the intent that the memorye of the beautye and gorgeousnes of that Citie might appeare and remayne to posterytie He tooke Asturia and Coiaca which is now called Valenâ—ja not that Valentia which standeth vpon the midland Sea but an other in the kingdome of Leon by the Pyrenes and Sansagnium with many other Townes And in the Precinct of the Castulonians he destroyed Osma Alcobetla Berlanga and Atienza and of the Gallycian Townes he tooke S. Iames and commaunded the Belles to bee caryed away thence to Corduba where he vsed them in stéede of Lampes in his prophane Temples in this sorte he continued outraging and kéeping sharpe warres for the space of twelue yeares Tyll at length Bermudes King of Lyon with the powers of the Castulonians the Byskayes and his owne bad vnto hym battayle in a place called Calataicor This battayle was fiercely foughten on both sides for the space of a whole daye where were slayne of the Saracenes many thousandes and in th' end Almansor with all his retinew and Adherents fled and shortly after died for sorow of his ouerthrow The Spaniardes ruffling and spoiling their camp found therin great booties prayes which they at their flight had left behind them Abdimelick greatly mooued with his fathers misfortune and purposing to recouer and haue amendes for the same was also vanquished But afterward in the reigne of Alphonsus the Son of Bermudes the Saracenes agayne inuading the borders frontiers of the Castulonians destroied Auila tooke Ormetum with any other townes And Alphonsus reedifled the citie of Lyon. After al this there sprang vp ciuile warres among the Spanish Saracenicall Kinges and Princes whereby the power of the Christians in that prouince dayly encreased insomuch that Mahomet Enasâ—r Bishop of Marrocco being vanquished in Gottalonia néere to Valentia and ix M. Saracenes slaine with him in the yéere of our redémption 1150. the Christians within xxx yéeres folowing recouered Valentia Deuia Alicante Muria new Carthage Corduba Syuile Iaen and Vbeda and the Saracenes had no more in their possession but onely the Kingdome of Granado from whence at length they were vtterlye expulsed and driuen out by Ferdinando the last king of the Tarracomans or Aragon Grandfather by the Mothers side
was verye stoutely defended by the Inhabitants Wherfore raysing their Siege and passing ouer the Riuers of Zebul Zabar and Brai they came by priuie wayes and vnhaunted places before Berytus a Citie standing vpon the Sea coast and from Berytus to Sagitta and from thence the tenth day after they came to Caesarea afterward to Rama and so at length they pitched their Tentes and planted their Siege before the noble Citie of Hierusalem whiche with most cruell bloudsheading and incredible labour was wonne about the yéere of our redemption one thousand and one hundreth Godfroye crowned King therof The streates in this assault stood full of congeled bloude the thicknes of a foote But the Turkes AegiptiaÌ„s leuying a fresh power renued warre Against whom Godfrey with his Christian army marched and finding them encamped at Ascalon gaue them battaile and slew of them 100000 or as some say 50000 and discomfited all the rest But before that Hierusalem was taken the Venetian Nauy coastinge alonge Lycia Pamphylia Cilicia and Syria lay at Road in the Hauen of Ioppa being then in the French Hoastes subiection because thei might helpe the Christians with victual and necessary prouision waighing vp their Ankers they departed thence tooke Ascalon Porphyria a Citie néere to Ptolemai◠〈◊〉 Tyberias Cities standing vpon the Sea side After the death of Godfroye who departed this lyfe within the Citie of Hierusalem his Brother Baldwine was made King and the rest of the Princes retourned home He through the aide and helpe of the Venetians Genoways and Boemund King of Antioch tooke Ptolemais with Sydon and Beryâ—us cities of Phaenicla But when that Boemund was dead and Tancrede his Brother sucéeded in the Crowne and Kingdome of Antioch the Turkes Aegyptians againe inuading the frontiers of the Ierosolymitane Kingdome Balwine sente for Tancrede so come and ayde hym and then gaue vnto them battayle but the Turkes discomfited him and all his Hoast wherevpon with great losse of his men he retyred to Hierusalem and Tancrede to Antioch and the Turkes got into their handes the possession of Mount Sinai Within a while after Baldwine dyed and in his steade an other Baldwine surnamed Burgensis was made King. Afterward in the raigne and Empire of Alexius Emperour of Constantinople because Baldwine the seconde sent for ayde to the Latines to withstand the malignaunt enterprices of the Turkish Rakehelles an other voyage was made into Syria Therein went VVylliam duke of Aquitanye Hugh the Great Brother to Philip the French King Stephen Earle of Chartiers lately retourned home from the other expedition before Stephen earle of Burgundie and Tholouse The Venetians also sent thither a great Nauye The Christian Champions and Latine Capitaines with their Hoast after many afflictions labours and sharp stormes sustayned by the miscreaunts insomuche that they were almost dispearsed and scattered came at length to Hierusalem But Baldwine inconsideratelie fightinge with the Turkes before the comming of the other christians was taken prisoner his Host discomfited and he himselfe brought to Carras and after a time payinge his Raunsome was deliuered and set at lybertie But the Venetian Nauye encountringe with 700. Sayle that belonged to the Caliph of Aegipt whiche laye at the Siege of Ioppa ouercame them tooke the Citie of Tyre During the time that they lay before that Citie geuing sundrie Battries and assaultes there vnto there was a Doue séene flyinge ouer their Campe and Tentes for the Venetians had set parte of their men on shore carying the Letters of the King of Damasco tyed aboute her neck the contentes wherof was that he with a great power would shortlye come to rescue them The Souldiours séeing her flying ouer their heades towards the Citie at one instant all together showted and cryed which shout so deuided cut the Ayre that the Doue fell downe to the ground Then the Venetian Capitaynes perusing and reading ouer the letters forged others like vnto them in preportion and wrighting but cleane contrary in effect and meaninge the tenor whereof was that the besieged parties should shift for their sauegarde as well as they coulde and onely trust to themselues for of him the could haue no ayde nor rescue Wherevpon they immediatelye surrendered themselues and their Citie to the Christians At this time there raigned among the Saracenes or Turks a certaine kind or Sect of men called Assassines which killing whoÌ„soeuer they lifted lyke théeues Murtherers wrought much skath and harme to the Christians in Syria And hereof it came that afterwarde among the Italians al théeues murtherers were called by the name Assassines Which Sect first sprong vp as it is reported in this sort One Aloadine a Saracenist raigned in that parte of Persia whiche lyeth nexte the Riuer Indus not farre from the borders of the Prouince of Arriana vnder the Mount Caucasus which Region at this day is called Mulehet In the which in times past the Asacenes inhabited of whom Arrianus speaketh in his historie of the Actes of Alexander the great placing them betwéene the riuers of Cophe and Indus which Cophe as I think is that whiche is called of Iosephus in his Iudaicall Antiquities Cuthus that into this Region those ten Tribes of Israel were translated This Aloadine hauing an intent to inueigle and perswade his people that hee was hable to bringe all such to the fruition of a blessed lyfe as obserued and kept his Lawes and commandements had trimmed and planted in a right pleasant valley betwéene two very high Hils moste goodlye Gardaines of solace replennished with all kinde of fragraunt Floures and beautiful Trées yéelding smel fruite most delectable which gardains were most finely contriued and on euery side enuironed with notable gorgeous buildinges garnished with Golde and other colours and stored with precious furniture and rich householde stuffe of value inestimable In diuers places of the same were Fountaines and riuers of Milk Honey Wyne and swéet waters Within the same also were fine Damoselles and beautifull Pucelles which with Melodies Songes musicall Instrumentes mincing daunces and all other allurementes of Femynine flattereies delighted and fed the tender eares of such as were brought thither Moreouer there were other she Seruantes and housewifelie Trulles which being kept close within dores dressed all thinges that could be deuised or thought necessarie aswel for meate drinke as for the pleasure and delectacion of the Ghestes and Straungers therein All the place without was most curiously strengthened both by nature and arte When this delightfull Gardaine of pleasure was fully ended and made perfect Aloadine preached and professed himselfe to those downish people to be the felow and Mate of Mahomet and that he had power geuen vnto him to dispose and bestow the benefit and fruition of Paradice and blessed lyfe vpon such as should be to his lawes and hestes obeysaunt And of them he chose out certayne yong Stripelinges aboute the age of twelue or fouretéene yéeres such as séemed
Venetians tooke Constantinople and Angelus being thence disthronyzed the Greekes in Asia created Theodorus Lascaris his Sonne in Law Emperoure who had vnder his Empire and obedience not onely Bythinia and the Regions along the Sea but also extended the Lymittes of his Dominions very farre into the maine Lande and had vnder him all from Caria and the riuer Meander Southwarde to the Sea Galaticum and Cappadocia Northward and cōstituted his Imperial Seate at Nice Which so tickeled and fretted Alexius that he passing the Sea Aegaeum entred into Asia and priuily went to Iathine the Sonne of Rucratine being now Sultane in pitifull plight poore rayment before whō he in suppliant words opened his state fortune humbly besought him of aide succor to restore him to his lawful Empyre and Crowne vniustly by an vsurper detained withholden not forgetting to put him in remembrance of the former frendship which afore time he had shewed horne to him while he was in prosperitie and further promised hym great Summes of money Insomuch that Iathine taking compassion vpon him and mooued greatly with his large promises forth with dispatched Ambassadours to Theodorus threatning warre and destruction vnto him vnlesse he gaue place to his father in law suffred him quietly to enioy his rightfull Diademe and Imperiall authoritie them out of that poore plot and beggerly region which affronteth Persia and the Caspiā Sea almost Islandwise and is enuironed on ech side with the Scythian Ocean and ioyneth vnto Asia by one onely Isthmus or narrow porcion of land lying betwene the two Seas the which is compassed and enclosed with the highe and inaccessible Mountaines called Riphaei as it were with a Wall or Rampier the waues of the Sea sayeth Hayton the Armenian going backe and making way for them to passe betwene the Mountaines and the Sea. And therfore all those Scythians afterward of that Tribe wherof their first Emperor was descended were called Tartarians whose auncient descēt and beginning many as before we haue sayde of the Turkes doe referre vnto the tenne Tribes of Israell whose opinion I doe not see howe it standeth with reason nor wherevpon it is grounded This am I persuaded and this séemeth vnto me most like and probable that the Scythians be descended of Magog the sonne of Iapetus of whom the Scripture in many places maketh mention and that those tenne Tribes were by the King of Persia translated not into Scythia but into Media But howsoeuer the matter goeth the Tartarians in such sort as we haue declared yssuyng and in great companyes departyng from the Hyperboreans vnder the conduct of Cangio whom for honours sake they called Cham which is as muche to say as a most high and Soueraigne Emperour tooke their way downe along to the Sea Caspium In the meane season Cangio the Cham departing this lyfe his Sonne Hoccota succéeded in his place a man ryght wyse and valiaunt and the eldest of twelue brothers Hée sendyng out Gebesabada with a huyge power to subdue and conquere the regions of the Occident and himselfe in person passing the Caspian Streictes Sogdiana Bactrian Oxo and the ryuer Sogdus whiche is encreased wyth many and the same great Springes flowing and running into it wyntered at the foote of Mount Taurus solacing himselfe and enioying the fruictfulnesse of that region and suche bootie as he had before taken This Mount Taurus is the greatest Mountaine in all the world whose ridge top hanging still together without any particion hath his beginning Westward néere the Sea Aegaeum and stretching a long to the Ocean Orientall diuideth all Asia into two parts This Hill is also called Caucasus The next Spring when the groūd was new clothed decked with the fresh attyre of greene grasse pleasant floures they discamped from the foote of Caucasus like an innumerable sort of Sheepe mounted to the toppe of the Mountaines inuading the Countreyes vnderneth them and after they had there made great pillage and taken their pleasure they pearced into India all about the Bankes of the noble ryuer Indus on either side constituting the Ocean for the limitte of their Empyre And there building a Princely Citie called Cambalu most beautifull sumptuous and large and for all pleasure of man the most delectable and pleasauntest Citie in all Asia appointed it to be their chiefe Pallace and Seate Royal. Afterward exployting his warres by Deputies and Lieutenauntes whom he made Chieftaines and Generalles ouer hys Armyes choosing therto such as were eyther hys brothers or else of the bloude Royall some of them went Northwarde some Westwarde and some Southwarde and after they had subdued the Arachosians Caramanians sundry other Nations wonne Persia and thence expulsed the Turkes they then came to the Chaldees and Arabians From thence they marched agaynst the Babylonians and Assyrians and conquering Mesopotamia brought vnder their subiection the Persians Parthians and Medians After this going vp by the greater Armenia with incredible celeritie they ouercame Colchis northward and Iberia that confineth hard vpon it insomuch that their state surmounted and flourished in same and honor excéedinglye Now this mightie Tartarian Prince was purposed to make the Sea on euery side the limits and bounds of his Empire but the pleasaunt delicacies and amyable soyle of the Countrey of India so mollified and effeminated his mind that beinge loath to departe thence he setled staied there and distributed the Prouinces Cities Houses fat Farmes and Tenements amonge his souldiours and people and receiued the Rites Ceremonies and Customes of the Assyrians Persians and Chaldees Therefore as soone as these Tartarians hauinge passed the Caspian Mountaines had sodainly and forciblie surprised Alexandria a citie standing néere the Streicts now called the Yron Gates the Imperiall Sultane of the Turkes greatly terrified and dismayd with this sodayne irruption of a new and most fierce people and fearing lest if he should be driuen and enforced to enter into Warres with the Tartarians his olde Enemies the Romanes would be readie to set on him behind at his backe sent his Ambassadours with full authoritie and commission to the Emperour to confirme and strike an vnitie and peace betwéene them which thing the Emperoure as being encoumbred with Europian Warres was very glad of and willinglye therevnto condescended because the Turks should be as a strong Rampier and Wall in Asia for him against the inuasion of the Tartarians This League therfore with the Turkes was of al handes gladlie embraced and to the Greekish Empire most conducible For whereas men being so long time afflicted with the lamentable calamyties of long Warres bad neither occupied tillage nor bred vp Cattayle it fell out in th' end as néedes must that great dearth and scarsitie was in all the countrey and their Treasuries also with the charges and costes of so long continuance were in maner emtied and cleane exhausted Wheresore beinge now by this newe attonement and League ridde out of the same and brought to
partly cōsumed by fire and partly drowned in the waters insomuch that of their whole fléete which was 3000. Shippes more and lesse there escaped but only fiue This Siege lasted fully two yeeres The same yeere the Saracens thinking to recouer some of theyr former losses wyth a huyge Army entred into Spayne and spoyled all the Countrey sauing onely Gallicia Abidimar Capitaine of the Saracens in Africa sacked and spoyled Burdeaux a Citie of Fraunce and remoouing thence to Poytiers was mette withall and repressed by Charles Martellus Their Captaine and Prince Abidimar being slaine the Saracens for a while were quiet and medled not with any moe warres The Saracenes bringyng wyth them theyr wyues Children and whole Householde entred a freshe into Fraunce as thoughe they had meant there continuallye to haue dwelled and planted themselues for euer Wyth them Charles the Great ioyned Battayle hauyng the ayde of the Frenche Nation and slewe of them 380000. and loste of his owne men onely 1500 Souldiours Charles King of Fraunce by hys valiaunt Knyghthood delyuered out of the handes of the Saracens the noble Citie of Auinion whyche they had before guilefully surprized Charles restored many other Cityes to peace and libertie expulsing out the Saracens slaying Amorrheus one of their Captaines putting Athine another of their Guydes to flight The same Charles by helpe of Luitprand Kinge of Lumbardie draue and expulsed all the Saracens out of Fraunce Constantinus Copronymus Emperour of Constantinople furnished out a Nauie against the Saracenes in Aegypt The Saracens in the East were euer wynning somewhat that belonged to the Romans and layed it to theyr owne Empyre by meanes that the Romanes disagreed among themselues and bent themselues only against the French Kings Charles the Great had a noble victorie agaynst the Saracenes in Spaine Rowlande in combate ouercame a Saracen that often chalenged the Christians Through which Victorie and vpperhande he made the waye the easyer for the rest of his fréendes and Countreymen to wynne the victorie Leo the fourthe Emperour made a voyage against the Saracens in Syria Aaron Prince of Saracens wyth 300000 lyght Horsemen inuaded Nicephorus Emperour of Constantinople and made hym glad to become Tributarie and to accepte such offers as greatly mislyked and diseased hym but there was no remedy Sardinia and Corsica two Islandes were spoited by the Saracens The Saracens wanne the I le of Crete and ouercame the Gréekes in two Battayles The Saracens of Asia rushed into Palestina and they of Africa into Sicilie Boniface Countee of Corsica hauing no helpe of the Chrystians sauyng onely the Hetrurians sayled into Africa and in foure Battayles betweene Carthage and Vtica had of them the Victorie and vpperhand and so feared the Saracenes wyth the terrour of his onely name that they were faine to depart out of Sicilie and get them home to defend theyr owne Many Countreyes receyued greate damage at the handes of the Saracenes and manye Cyties for feare in euery quarter fledde and submitted themselues vnto them Saba Kynge of Moores and Capitayne of the Saracenes wasted Sicilie and all the Countrey about Crotona and tooke Tarento agaynst whom Theophilus the Emperour and the Venetian fleete stoode at resiststaunce but all in vaine The Saracenes inuadyng Hetruria and Latium spoyled and sacked Rome but before theyr retourne home the greatest parte of them perished by Shypwrecke Hauyng wasted Illyrium and Dalmatia they coasted alonge the Adrian Sea and burned Ancona a Citie of Picene after they had taken the spoyle thereof Leo the fourth Pope of Rome compelled the residue of the Saracens to packe oute of the Hauen of Ostia and strengthened all the Countrey beyonde Tyber againste them The Saracens agayne onely for bootie and spoyle brake into Italie and wasted with fire and sword all the Countrey aboute Beneuent by the Samnytes But by King Ludouick and Kinge Lotharius they were put to flight The Saracens renewed Warres with the Persians The Persians through the help of the Turkish Souldyours at that time the Turkes inhabited Mount Caucasus and were called Tartarians ouercame them Euer after from that time the Turkes neuer left Asia and not onely encroched vpon the Domynions of the Saracens but also were called by the same name as they were After the Saracenes had enioyed Sicilie xlvii yéeres they were thence cleane expulsed Charles surnamed the Thicke repulsed the Saracens breaking into Italy Nicetes one of the Capitaines of the Constantinopolitane Emperoure had a notable victorie ouer the Saracens The Saracens inuaded Puell and Calabria At Lyris a riuer of Campania the Saracens as they were spoylynge the Cities belonginge to the Romans were ouercome The Saracens breaking out of Fraxinete came as far as Aquisgrane where encountringe with the Inhabytantes they were vtterly destroyed and Sagitus theyr Capitaine slayne The Saracens spoyled Geane a Citie of Liguria and with great booties retourned into Afryca Hugh King of Italie wanne Fraxinete and burned the Nauie of the Saracens Ramyre King of Gallyce discomfited a great Armye of Saracenes in Spayne The Saracenes committing many murthers and firyngs in Calabria Puell and Lucania by the Knightlye prowesse of Alberick Marquesse of Hetruria were repressed and néere to Minturne in Campania by the Ryuer Lyris vanquished There intentes were to haue come to Rome The Saracenes by force kéeping the Mount Garganus made out of it many Roades into the Countrey néere adioyninge and burned Beneuent Otho the first Emperour of Germanes draue the Saracenes out of Italie and dispossessed them cleane out of their holde in Mount Garganus The Saracenes recouered Consentia out of the which a litle before they were throwen out by the Hungarians The I le of Crete taken from the Saracenes Otho the seconde receiued a great ouerthrowe at the handes of the Saracenes in a battayle fought with them in Calabria the Ides of Iulie with whom the Greekes had stricken a League and ioyned powers His stoutest souldiours and Capitaines being in this conflict slaine he himselfe had much a doo by flight to saue himselfe Alphonsus King of Spaine besiedging a stronge holde of the Saracens called Viseum was wounded with an Arrowe and therof dyed The Saracens deuidinge their hoast into two partes landed in Italie tooke Capua and besieged Barum The Saracenes of Asia tooke Hierusalem Henry the second Emperour of Germanes draue the Saracens out of Capua and persecuted with gréeuous Warre certayne Capitaines which fauored their side The Egiptian Caliph through the ayd of an army of Saracens and Turks which then ruled all the roast in Persia spoyled the Temple of our Lord at Hierusalem Baldwyne after .xviij. monthes Imprisonment deceyued his kéepers and escaping out of Prison retourned to his owne people Dominicus Michael Duke of Venice with a well furnished Nauie greatly annoyed the Saracenes in Syria To the Venetians for their worthy seruice and valiauntnes were graunted sundry great Priuiledges An Army of 400000 men set vpon the Christians and were encountred withall by 3000. Christians who thorow
the goodnes of God slew of their Enemies with the sworde 7000 and 5000 drowned so that the victorye fell to the Christians In Syria the Christians discomfited the Saracens in two notable ouerthrowes in the first conflict 2500 of them were slaine In the other although both Armies were afflicted yet the Christians obteined the victory The king of Ascalon was by Baldwine repressed and the king of Damascus in thrée battailes ouercome After the death of Baldwine the third king of Hierusalem Fulco was made the fourth king The Erle of Tripolis by treason was slaine king Fulco was put to flight by his Enemies and condiscended to very hard conditions to be clearely deliuered from siege The Christians coaped in fight with the Egyptians and were superiours Ascalon was recouered by the Christians Fulco the fourth king of Hierusalē in hunting the Hare and ryding fast after the game through a fall from hys horse dyed after whom succéeded his Sonne Baldwine who was the fift king The Citie Edessa and almost all Mesopotamia was wonne by the Saracens Alaph Captaine of the Turks which now were of great name and power in the East where they kylled without all mercy a wonderfull number of Christiās rauishing mens wiues in the Church of Saint Iohn Baptiste in despight of Christianitie euen vpon the Alter Baldwine the thirde of that name and the fifte king of Hierusalem conquered Gaza and Ascalon and cast out al the Saracens And at Hierico he ouercame and put to flight Norandine Maister of the Chiualry of Damascus and slue 5000. of his enemyes Manuel Emperour of Constantinople with muche ouersight and negligence led through daungerous wayes and desert places his Christian Hostes against the Saracens insomuch that for scarcitie of vittayles and other necessaries they could atchiue no notable enterprise against the myscreaunt people Roger King of Sicilie and Normannes made the Africane Saracens tributarie to him for .xxx. yéeres and tooke their king Prisoner This yéere Conrade the second Emperour leuyed a great power against the Saracens against whom he had in battaile but ill successe Lewys King of Fraunce assembled a mightie Armie to go against the Infideles Out of England Flaunders and Loraine were furnished out 200 saile against the Saracens This yéere Conrade the Emperour passing ouer Bosphorus without anye resistaunce came néere to his enemies but for want of victuals and as some say his corne being corrupted and mingled with lyme and plaister he was glad to stay himselfe and go no further and to bring backe his Armye The Saracens vnderstanding hereof set vpon them behind and slue of them certain thousands The same yéere the French king came to the Emperour to aide him but by reason that his Army was greatly distressed and pynched with famine he could bring no notable atchieuaunce to passe The same time the Venetians with a well furnished Nauie went into Asia to aide the Emperour against the Saracens The Spanyardes expulsing the Saracens recouered Almaria and Tortosa two goodly embattailed Cities The same yeere Damascus was besieged by the Syrians Frenchmen and Hierosolymitanes and the Vamures thereof defaced And when they were euen at the poynt to haue wonne the Citie and subdued the Saracenes the chiefe Princes and Capitaines disagreyng and fallyng out amonge themselues called theyr owne Souldiours euery man together and departed thence leauing the siege Raymund King of Antioch with hys whole Hoast was discomfyted by the Saracens who spoyled all hys Countrey Antioch it selfe by the Kinge of Hierusalem was hardly rescued and saued Baldwine King of Hierusalem discomfited the Aegiptians and Babilonians The Saracenes draue the Spanyardes by force of Armes out of Almaria Baldwine set at libertie and restored many Cities expulsing thence the Saracens Baldwine dyed and in his stéede reigned hys brother Almericke the fixt king of Hierusalem Almericke in Aegypt obteined a noble victorie The same king befieged Damiata but in th' ende he agreed to a peace vppon conditions neither honorable nor profitable The Saracenes of Africa made manye Roades into Spaine Almericke King of Hierusalem dyed of an Ague And his sonne Baldwine was annoynted the seuenth king Baldwine in two battailes vanquished Saladine Kyng of Aegypt and brought much treasure into Hierusalem The Daughter of the king of Saracens being maryed to Prince Pagane was taken prisoner on the Sea by the King of Sicilie in hir voyage and iourney homewarde to hir husband Thys yeere the Christians in Hierusalem were ouercome Mausamunth king of the Saracens with great costes and charges repayred Carthage Baldwine the .vij. king of Hierusalem beyng infected with Leprosie dyed His Nephew Baldwine his Sisters sonne was elected king after him but by frouning destenies he was kepte backe from his dignitie After whom succéeded the .viij. king Guye of Lesingham Betweene this Guye kyng of Hierusalem and Raymund Earle of Tripolis there arose dissension and hartburning whiche was the cause that the Christians were brought into extreme daunger The Christians ioyning battayle with the Armye of Saladine had a lamentable ouerthrow In this battayle were slaine 20500. Christians King Guye was taken Prisoner and the Erle of Tripolis dyed sodainly Hierusalem hauing now bene enioyed and possessed by the Christians lxxxbiij was this yéere by surrendrie deliuered vp to the king of Saracens and the Christians there expelled the second day of October This yéere all Iurie was wonne from the Christians by the Saracens the Cities of Tyre Tripolis and Antioche being with much a doe and hardly kept Fridericke Emperour of Romans with his sonne Fridericke Philip king of Fraunce Richarde king of England with manye other Princes and Nobles assembling their Parliamentes decreed throughly determyned to ayde the Christians in Iurie Great preparation was made for this voyage Fridericke leadyng hys Armie into Syria and wynning the lesse Armenia went in the hoate time of Sommer into the Riuer Selephus to bathe washe himselfe where by misfortune he was drowned Lewes Kinge of Fraunce went with an Armye toward the holy Land with entent to supplant the Saracenes and relieue the Christians The sayd King Lewes ioyning battayle with the Saracenes brought vnder his subiection Damiata a populous citie and curiouslye embatteyled The same King Lewes in a terible conflict at Faramia was taken prisoner by the Saracens with his two brethren Charles and Alphonse Wherevpon Damiata was redeliuered into the hands of the Saracens whereby he saued his owne lyfe and his fréendes and was delyuered out of Prison This kinge was taken the fifte day of Aprill The Saracens lost the I le called Baleares which the Duke of Aragon subdued The kinges of Spaine fallynge at variaunce and discord the one brother fled into Fraunce to craue ayde the other into Africa to desire assistaunce of the Saracens against his owne brother whereby they wrought much scath both to themselues and to their countrey Deadly hatred and grudge fell betwéene the Venetians and the Genoways whereby the Christians inhabyting Ptolomais and Tyre were gréeuously
afflicted The Saracens draue the christians cleane out of Siria Antioch was sacked by Bodegar the Sultane Yet againe Lewes the french kinge with his thrée Sonnes sayled into Africa against the Saracens with a great power Where by his knightly prowesse he had the victorie of them and besieged Carthage but by reason of the vnholsome countrey and chaunge of ayre the pestilēce infected his Hoast wherof the king himself dyed and his sonne Iohn also and then brake vp the siege The Armenians and Scythians at Gamala a citie of Iurie were destroyed by the Saracens with the citie also The citie Tripolis was taken fiered by the Sultan of Aegipt and the Christians in most cruell wyse slayne or els caryed away captiue The cities of Tyre Sydon Tripolis and Bericus by the same Sultan were fiered rased euen with the ground Ptolomais also being afore a place of refuge for the dispearsed christians was taken without any resistance and destroyed and the very foundations digged vp The christians which fled away and for sooke the citie in their way toward Crete perished by shipwrack and were drowned And thus were the Christians vtterly chased out of syria 190 yéeres after they wan it vnder Godfrey of Bolleine The kingdome of Turkes OThoman a man of obscure byrth very ambicious growing in great wealth riches by spoyle and robberie was the first that tooke vpon him the name of Kinge of Turks He within x. yéeres space subdued to his seigniorye a great part of Bythinia other countreis about the Euxine Sea whose generation since hath wrought much mischiefe to Christendome The I le of Rhodes was won frō the Sar. by the hospitelers Alphonse King of Castile in a notable conflict ouercame the Saracens and tooke two mighty cities Othoman king of Turks dyed and after him succéeded Orchanes his Sonne the second king of that Nacion While Cantacuzen Paleologus contended for the Empire of Constantinople Orchanes by force wan the most noble citie of Prusia Orchanes in a battayle against the Tartarians for so ar the Scythians called lost the féeld and was with many of his army slaine After him succéeded Amurathes the third kinge of Turkes Amurathes through the couetousnes and treason of the Genowais lending their ships vnto him passed the streicts of Hellespont to Abydus where he conquered the cities of Philippople and Hadrianople vnto his subiection This Ammurathes inuaded Seruia and Bulgaria conquered them from the Christians and at the same tyme tooke and slue Lazarus King of Seruia Ammurathes inuading the higher Mysia was thrust into the flanke with a Dagger by one that was a faithful seruaunt to the aboue named King Lazarus whose pretence was to reuenge his maisters death of the whiche wound he dyed After Ammurathes thus slaine Baiazeth his sonne obteyned the kingdome was the fourth king of Turkes and slue his owne brother Marke Cratenique king of Bulgaria with all the nobilitie of his realme was vanquished in battayle by Baiazeth He spoyled Bosna Croacia Illyria Albania and VValachia kyllyng many thousandes of Christians being partly slaine and partly caryed into captiuitie Constantinople was afflicted and besieged fully .viij. yéeres by this vnmercifull Tyraunt the Turkish king The Lordes of England and Fraunce at the instance of the Genowayes ioyning with them made a voyage into Africa against the Saracenes and compelled them to restore and set at liberty the Christian Prisoners liuing among them and to pay 10000 Crownes The Walachians craued ayde of the Turkes against the Hungarians whom notwithstanding the Hungarians vanquished and put to flight The Christians and the Turks mette and ioyned battayle at Nicopolis vpon the. 28 day of September But the victorie fell to Baiazeth who had there 300000. stoute fighting men well appoynted wherof 60000 were horsemen The Army of the Christiās being French Hungarians was not aboue lxxx thousande among whom there were about .xx. M. Horsemen The French Capitaines were in a maner all taken Prisoners Sigismund the king of Hungarie himselfe escaped hardly by flight In this battaile were slaine of Christians 20000. and of Turkes 60000. This lamentable ouerthrowe happened throughe the discorde of the Christian Host among themselues by reason that one whyle the Frenche and another while the Hungarians claimed the first onset and the leading of the Vauntgard After this battaile the Turke retyred backe to the siege of Constantinople Tamburlane Kyng of Scythia a man of obscure byrthe and Pedagrew grew to such power that he maynteined in his Court daily attending on him a thousand and CC Horsemen This Prince inuadyng the Turkes dominions in Asia with an innumerable multitude of armed Souldiours in the confynes of Gallitia and Bithynia néere to Mount Stella gaue to the Turke a sore battaile in the which he slew of them two hundreth thousand He tooke Baiazeth the Great Turke Prisoner and kepte hym in a Cage tyed and bounde wyth golden Chaynes When so euer hee tooke Horse he caused the sayde Baiazeth to be brought out of hys Cage vsed his necke as a Styrrope and in this sorte caryed hym throughout all Asia in mockage and derysion He vanquished the Persians ouercame the Medians subdued the Armenians and spoiled all Aegypt He built a Citie and called it Marchantum wherein he kept all his Prisoners and enriched the same with the spoyles of all such Cities as he conquered It is reported in Histories that in his hoast he had an incredible nūber of thousands he vsed cōmōly to haue xij hundreth thousand vnder him in Campe. When he cam in sight of his enemies his custome was to set vp thrée sortes of Pauylions or Tentes the first was white signifying therby to his Enemyes that if at that shew they would yelde there was hope of grace and mercye at hys handes the next was redde whereby he signified bloude and flame lastly blacke which betokened vtter subuersion mercilesse hauocke of all things for their contempt The same yéere Walachia Transyluania Moldauia and all the Region beyonde the ryuer of Danowe by procurement of Stephan Vaiuoda their Captaine sediciously mutyned and stirred vprores against Sigismund Whereby all men might perceiue and vnderstande that the same Vaiuoda was the very Authour of the late discomfiture in procuring the Turkes to come thither Cyriscelebes whom some do call Calepine after that the Great Turke his father was takē prisoner and his Host vanquished by Tamburlane the Scythian King saued himself by flight tooke vpon him to be king of Turkes being the fyst from Othoman The Turkes after their king was thus taken their power daunted atchieued nothing worthy of any remēbraunce vnder this Cyriscelebes Cyriscelebes the kinge this yéere dyed leauing behind him two Sonnes Orcannes and Mahomet Orcannes throughe the great fauour of the Nobles of Thracia was appointed Successour to the Crowne béeing yet a very young man but in a conflict at Gazar not farre from the ryuer Hebrus he was slaine chiefly by the villanie of his
owne vncle Moses Mahomet the sixte Kyng of Turkes when his brother was thus rydde out of the way enioyed the Crowne alone This Mahomet subdued Seruia Walachia and a great part of Sclauonie Sigismund king of Hungarie in a battaile against the Turkes foughten in the fieldes of Salumbeze whyche were somtimes called Philadelphia was put to the worse and fledde Mahomet imposed gréeuous and intollerable tributes vpon the Walachians He translated the Seate royall or chiefe Citie of his Empire out of Bythinia into Thracia and gaue prerogatiue to Adrianople preferring it before Prusia He was the first king of that race that passed the ryuer of Danowe he subdued Macedonie and came as farre as the Ionian Sea. Ammurathes the seuenth King of Turkes vanquishing Mustapha the sonne of Baiazeth by force of Armes obteined his fathers kingdome This Turke made his first voyage against George the king of Seruia otherwyse called Rascia from whom after foure yeeres siege hee wanne Newmound and Scopia and myserably afflicted Synderouia The kinges ij sonnes whom he tooke in battaile he berest of their eyes and cutte of their priuie members But he maryed and tooke to wife his daughter for her rare beautie and comely personage Thessalonica a famous Citie belonging to the Seigniorie of Venice was won by the Turkes who left there no kinde of villanie and spightfull dealing agaynste the Christians vnpractyzed Amurathes besieging Belgrade in Hungarie loste 10000 of his men and was faine to retyre into his owne Countrey after he had in vayne and to his great shame continued his siege vij monthes Iohn Huniades encountred with the Turkes spoyling Hungarie and them discomfited Ladislaus king of Polonie and Hungarie sending out a power against the Turkes vnder the guydaunce leading of the same Iohn Huniades had ouer thē a noble victorie in the fieldes of Haemus and draue the Turke to such a streict that he was faine to condiscend to a peace This peace made with the Turke contrary to league and othe was violated and broken by the vnabuised procurement and exhortation of Pope Eugenius whiche breache to the Chrystians was verye pernicious and hurtful For first the Christians in the Streicts of Hellespont lost lxx Gallyes Afterward in a battaile foughtē at the féeld aboue xxx thousand of them slaine belīde a great number drowned in the Bogges In that battayle was slayne Iulian Caesarine a Cardinal Legat for the pope who came thither to procure and incense the Princes to violacion of their League and Oth and warranted them from daunger the king Vladislaus himself was ther slaine who was merueilous desirous to enterprise this War. Huniades with much adoo escaped by flight and saued himselfe The Turke could not haue brought his Nauy through the Streictes of Bosphorus in Thracia to do this mischief had not the couetous Genowayes winked at the matter and suffered them hauing in bribe and rewarde for euery Turke a péece of Golde payed vnto them Ammurathes wanne the Isthmos of Corynth and vanquished the Gréekish Garrysons together with the emperours Brother of Constantinople and ouercame with pitifull spoyle all Peloponesus The Kinge of Polonie encountred with the Turkes as they inuaded Hungary and obtayned the victory The Turkes desirous of reuenge assembled a huige power afresh and renewed Warre Wherin both parties were lamentably damnyfied loosing welnéere 800000 men betwéene them Notwithstanding the number of the Turks there slayne was farre greater then of the Christians But the Generall of the Christian Armye was there slayne and his head brought to the Kinge of Turkes In the same battayle also was slayne the sonne of the sayd King of Turkes The Hungarians vnder the leadinge of Huniades to the number of 600000 entred into the Turks Countries and ioyning battayle with them at the firste conflict they had the victorye but in the seconde they were slayne in maner euery one except 1000. or ther aboute which by flight saued themselues The great Turke besieged Croia a citie of Aemathia many Monthes but by the worthy prowesse of Scanderbeg he was defeated from his purpose and with losse of many of his men was sent away packing with a Flea in his eare Amurathes Emperoure of Turkes dyed bequeathing his Crowne and kingdome to Mahomet his Son the 8. King of Turkes Who least his Father should be buried alone without company slew at his first entraunce his owne Brother and commaunded them to be buried both in one graue The first Warre that this Mahomet tooke in hande was against Scanderbeg Besieginge Croia with lxxx thousand men but he departed away without his purpose to his great shame and reproche leauing behinde him at the sayde Siege Ballabano one of his chiefe Bassaes The famous and renowmed Citie of Athens the Vniuersitie and Nurce of all worthy Artes Disciplines was conquered and rased to the ground by this most cruel Tyrant the Turk who in some places therof digged vp the very foundacions for extreeme hatred that he bare to learning He threw all the Bookes and Monuments that he could finde into dyrtie Sinkes and filthiest places in the citie and to be put to the vilest vses that could be And if any man séemed to lament it the same partye was streight wayes put to death The Castle of Pyruaem and Munychia was also most furiously rased to the grounde This Tyraunt the xxix day of May after a continuall assault geuen thereto from the ix of Aprill afore that is to say 50. continual daies by his innumerable multytude of Turks conquered the noble citie of Constantinople to the vnspeakable hindraunce of all Christendome and high aduancement of the Turkes Domynion At the taking of this citie most horyble prophanacion of the Temples was vsed As for Imags which the Turks themselues cannot abyde in great scorne and contempte were throwne downe Among others Mahomet himself laughing at the supersticious Citezens in great be rysion gaped and laughed at the Crucifix and caused it in scornfull maner to be caryed about the Stréetes with Trumpettes and wrat vpon the head of the said Picture these wordes Hic est Christianorum Deus This is the God of the Christians Thrée dayes together he gaue leaue to his outragious Souldiours to kill spoyle and rauishe both Wyues Matrons and Maydes without any reuerence of nature The citizens some they murthered some they rosted vppon Spits some they steyed the skinnes and afterwarde hanged them vp to consume with fainyne of others they put Salt into their woundes the more to encrease theyr payne contending amonge themselues who could deuise most straungest kind of new torment insomuch that the Citie was no Citie but rather a Slaughter House or Shambles of Christian bodyes The Emperoure hymselfe being there slayn his head was pitched vpon a speare and caryed about At euery dinner and Supper some of the Emperours Cosens and Nobles of the Countrey were put to death so longe as anye remayned of that ligne Of the inferior sorte no day passed wherein he caused not to
be put to execution aboue CCC persons the residue he gaue to his Sauldiours The excéeding crueltie that they vsed at the winninge of this Citie towards al sort◠of Men Women Children and their spightfull demeanour towarde Christian religion it would me any mans hart to heare or read of Mahomet besieged Belgrad of some called Alba Greca with a hundred and fiftye thousand men The Christians assembling their powers together at the exhortation of Iohn Capistrane Huniades their chiefe Capitaine and Ringleader slue aboue xl thousande of his Enemies and put to shamfull flight all the reste of them in whiche encountre Mahomet himselfe was wounded with an Arrowe This battaile was fought vpon the 22. day of Iuly This Turke ioyninge battaile with Assimbey kinge of Persia whō they call by the name of Vsuncassane signifiing a worthy drad prince in the first cōflict at Euphrates lost x. M. men but in the second he obtained the victorie Corynth was taken by Mahomet The Turke wan from the Christians the Empyre of Trapezunce beheading Dauid the Emperour therof and beside the sayd Empire and Constantinople also he tooke from the christians xii kingdomes conquered 200. cities The I le of Malta conquered by Turkes The Venetians furnished out a great nauy well apointed into Grecia to recouer Corynth but they retourned without bringing their purpose to passe The same yéere the king of Hungarie recouered Geisa a citie of Bosnia the which the Turk had now the second time besieged and hearing of the approche of the Christians he cast 4. great Gunnes or Cannons into the riuer Drina fled trusting better to his legs then to his hands Mahomet requiringe the Prince of Mysia to come to speake with him vnder coulorable speaches and pretence of peace when he had him within his daunger he fleyed and pulled his skinne ouer his eares and caryed his brother and Sister about with him in triumph The Turke wan a very strong holde in Epyre. George Castriot otherwise surnamed Scanderbeg king of Epyre discomfited put to notable foyles the Turks in sundry skirmishes It is testified of this Scanderbeg the being prouoked he neuer denied to fight and in fighting neuer tourned his back neither yet was he euer wounded but once with an Arrow in the foote neither did he euer set vpon the Turks with moe then 6000 horsmen 3000 footemen He is cōstantly said to haue slayne with his owne handes of Turkes 2000 whome with such violence he strake that many of them he clefte a sunder from the head to the middle Mahomet discomfited the Syrians and Aegyptians tooke the Cities of Narrantana Scandolora and fiered them killing all the Inhabitantes most rufully and throwing downe the Nobles and Gentlemen from the toppes of Turrettes and high places to breake their neckes The same yeere he entred into League with Cisime King of India to whō he gaue in mariage a noble Damsell out of his owne brothelhouse or Nurserie with royal giftes and noble magnificence Mahomet was put to many afterdeales by the power of King Vsuncassane The same yéere Nicolas Canalis Admyrall of the Vetian fléete gaue a mightie ouerthrow to Mahomet on the Sea and slue two thousand Turkes At the same time many Christians were taken and led into captiuitie by the Turkes out of diuerse quarters The Turke sent 400 Sayle and 120000 men into the the I le of Euboea vnder the leading of Omar one of hys Bassaes in which enterprise and inuasion he lost almost 40000 of his men notwithstanding after xxx dayes he tooke it pytching the Italian Souldiours vpon Poales stakes and shewing all kind of horrible crueltie and violent rape vpon the Inhabitauntes The same yéere the Turkes army entred into Hungarie spoyling and robbing as farre as Zagabria and caried away with them 10000. Prisoners In the same yéere also they inuaded Dalmatia Foriulij and Styria and haried great booties of men and Cattell The King of Portugall passing the Gaditane Sea recouered many Cities in the borders of Mauritania from the Turke and laid them to his owne dominions King Vsuncassane hauing the vpperhand of the Turks wonne from them sundry Cities whereby he purchased to himselfe a perpetuall fame ouer all the East Nicholas Throne the same yéere ioyned the Venetian fléete with the Armie of the Kyng of Parthia against the Turke Vsuncassane in a skirmish vanquished and put to flight 3000 of the Turkes Army The same yéere the Turke entring into Hungarie with a maine power spoyled al the Cities néere the water side The Persian kyng and the Turke ioyning battayle néere to the Ryuer Euphrates the Turke had the victorie and tooke of his Enemyes 6800 of whom in his retourne homewarde at euery staying place and Tent pitching he commaunded euery day fiue hundreth to be cut in peeces with a sword and then cast them out like dogs vnburied filling all the Countrey of Armenia with thys loathsome spectacle of dead Carkasses In a part of the Countrey that lyeth by the ryuer Ister called Muldauia and Walachia the Turks had an ouerthrow and were slayne by Stephan the Palatine of Muldauia Foure Turkishe Bassaes were heere taken and xxxvj Ensignes Matthias king of Hungarie at the Ryuer of Saue wan a strong Forte from the Turkes to his high praise and commendation The same yéere Capha a Colonie of the Genowayes in the coast of the Sea Euxine was by treason delyuered vp to the Turke This yeere dyed Kyng Vsuncassane who had vnder his gouernment the Persians Parthians Medians and almost all the East beside After whom succéeded his eldest sonne who puttyng his other brothers to death reigned alone The same yéere the Turkes practyzed much Pyracie in Nicosia to the great blemishing and detriment of that Citie A great multitude of Turks were ouercome in Mysia The Venetians made league with the Turke Chalcis was by force of Armes subdued and Scodra by subtile practyze gotten and persuaded to yeelde They promysed to paye hym yeerely 8000 Crownes condicionally that their Nauigation and traffique ouer Pontus myght bee open for their Marchauntes as before it had bene Mahomet sent a great Nauie into Puell and he himselfe went with an Armye into Hungarie and brought out of both places a great multitude of Christian Prisoners And afterward by force subdued the Iles Leucadia Neritus Cephalenia and Zacynth Mahomet went with an Armie into Aegypt to cōquere Alexandria and at home made preparation for all things néedefull for his expedition to Rhodes which he nowe mindedout of hande to besiege and had framed his plat which way to attempt it This Mahomet by Mesich his Generall a Bassa besieged Rhodes and beate the same with iiij Nauyes most terribly But the same was so manfully defended that hee was fayne to his great reproche and shame to departe and leaue his Siege which he had there continued lxxxix dayes in which while he loste of his men which were slaine out of hande ix thousande beside .xv. thousande whiche were
wounded The Maister of the Rhodes at this Siege for the Christians was the valiaunt Peter Dabuson The same yéere the Turke with a great Nauie inuaded Puell and by Acomate one of his Capitaines wanne Otronto a goodly large and populous Citie standyng vppon the Sea and put all the Inhabitauntes to the Sworde In this yeere also 6000 Turkes were slaine at the Citie Mantinea in the kingdome of Lacedemon In this yeere also this raging Helhounde Mahomet the Great Turke first of all others tooke vpon him the name of Emperour Hee wanne from the Christians two flourishing and Noble Empyres Constantinople and Trapezunce twelue Christian Kingdomes and CC. cities After which sundry conquestes he yéelded vp his blasphemous soule and payed his debt to nature to the great relaycing aswell of his enemies as of his owne people because of the horrible vnspeakeable iorueltie without respecte aswell to fréendes as foes most rigorouslye shewed Baiazeth the viij Emperour of Turkes appeasing all ciuile dissensions and domesticall discorde at home chased his brother Zizime out of all Turkiâ— and was himselfe enstalled in the Empire The same yeere Ferdinando King of Naples sent his Sonne Alphonse with an Armye who recouered from the Turkes the Citie Otronto before wonne by Mahomet Also this yéere Iohn Castriotte the Sonne of Scanderbeg assembled a power and recouered his enheritaunce that was by force taken from his father by Mahomet The same yéere also Stephan Vamoda and King Matthias wanne from the Turke the higher couÌ„trey of Mysia which now is called Bosna Baiazeth often ioyning battaile with the Sultan of Aegypt had the worse and in the ende was glad to make a league with him The Turkes inuaded and wanne Walachia 〈◊〉 Brother to this Baiazeth the Great Turke liuing an exile in Rhodes whither he fled for scare of the sayd Turke his brother was this yéere sent to Rome to Pope Innocent the viii And after a certeyne time of abode there was poysoned together with Alexander the Pope his Sonne Ferdinando king of Spaine with x. M. Horsemen and fifty thousand footemen wan from the Saracen Moores the kingdome of Granado and chased them vtterly out of that Countrey beyond the Sea. This Turke Baiazeth with a great power both by Sea and Land inuaded the Inhabitaunts of the Hils in Greece called Ceraunij and all the frée Corporacions of Epyre and them subdued to his Turkish Empyre The same yéere Matthias Kinge of Hungary conquered a strong Holde from the Turkes called Sabatrum whereby his Countrey lyued in more quietnesse and out of â—eare A mightye Armye was sent into Hungarie vnder the leading of Cadume Bassa by whom were slayne vii M. Hungarians and for testimony of this spoyle and ouerthrow géeuen to the Christians they sent many Christian mens Heades with their noses cut of and in lothsomâ— wise disfigured to Constantinople The Turks rushing into Croacia were put to flight by Maximilian The Turke warred against the Venetians spoylinge with fire and Sword the Countrey Dalmaâ—ia â—â—aryed away with him great prayes In Foriulij also he coÌ„manded aboue 4000. men to be beheaded because he coulde not cary them away with him by reason of a great deluge of the riuer there The Citie of Venice for dread of hym was in great perplexitie and feare The Turkes wanne this yéere Modona and Corona two cities of Peloponese The Citie Methon was by the Turkes wonne from the Venetians vpon S. Laurence daye Baiazeth commaunded the Byshop of that place to be beheaded in hys sight and killed the Townesmen euery one and for the most part consumed all the Houses with fire By lyke misfortune also the sayd Venetians lost Naupactum and Dyrrhachium Certayne Kings Princes of Christendome fréends and fauorers of the Venetian state ioyned their Nauye with the Venetian Fléete ouer the which Benedict Pisaure was Admirall and spoyled the Iles of Aegina and Zacynth inuaded Leucas and Cephalenia tooke the I le of Neritus at this day called Sainct Maures Ilande and reskued Nauplia The Turke greatly fearing his owne state by reason of the brute and rumour that went vpoÌ„ Elias the Prophet of Persia commaunded aboue CC. Houses in Constantinople with all the Inhabitauntes therein to be burnte This Prophet was in such credit and estimation among the People that aboue CL. thousande men leaned to his Sect and folowed after hym in Campe. His Tentes were excéeding rich and gorgeous and all thinges among them were common The same yéere the Turke entred into League and concluded peace with the king of Hungary and the Duke of Venice The King of Spaine in Mauritania Caesariensis wan Mayneport from the Saracenes The Sophie of Persia vanquished chased and slew the Turkes in Asia Grane a populous and wealthy citie of Africa this yere was wonne by the Spaniardes The Spaniardes by force of Armes conquered Bugia in Africa Zelime youngest Sonne to Baiazeth the great Turke rebelliously and most vnnaturally lay in wayt to kill his olde Father expelled him out of his kingdome in his olde dayes with all his Brothers and Kinsmen At length he caused his Brothers and their Children to be strangled and by a certayne Iew whom for that intent he had hyred he caused his sayd father to be poysoned This Zelime by the factious election of his disordered doultiours and affectionate Rakehelles was chosen and annoynted the ix Emperoure of Turkes Acomathes the brother of Zelime being ayded by the Persians warred against his Brother but Fortune so frowned on him that he was strangled Zelime concluding a peace renewinge League with the Venetians and Hungarians made sharpe Warre vppon Ismael the king of Persia him neere to a towne called Chalderan vanquished and put to flight And tooke Taurum the chiefe Citie of his kingdome somtime called Artaxata without any resistaunce or bloudshed Hee waged fresh warres against Aladule Kinge of Cappadocia and taking his chiefe Capitaine in the chase cut him shorter by the head and sent his head to Venice for a Trophée or signe of his victory This bloudy Zelime discomfited Campsor the Sultane of Aegypt with all his power and slue the Sultane hymselfe in the chase And folowing his good fortune and prosperous successe in this battayle conquered and annexed to his Empyre Alkaire and Alexandria two goodly embatteled Cities and all Aegipt beside He also wanne Damascus the large and renowmed Citie of Syria Hee made a passage or a Brydge of Shippes ouer the riuer Nilus to the intent hee might pursue and coape with Tomombey the new Sultan of Aegipt Whom by treason hee tooke and after all kindes of most cruell tormentes and spightfull contumelies commaunded hym to be hanged Charles Kinge of Spayne draue out of his Realme the Marranes which were a remnaunt of the Saracens and slue welnéere of the Barbarians .40000 Zelime the Great Turke was this yéere as he had well deserued murthered in that place where before he had moste vnnaturallye and rebelliouslye persecuted hys Father After him succéeded his Sonne
Solyman the xii Emperour of Turkes This Solyman conquered the Citie Belgrade a moste strong Buttresse and Garrison for Christendome and wan diuers other Castles and strong Holds in Hungary He also besieged the I le of Rhodes with a Nauye of foure hundreth Sayle and a mightie multytude of men He beganne the siege in the later end of Iune and tooke it vpon Christmas day next folowing to the great shame dishonour of al christian Princes The knights of the same I le valyauntly a great while defended it often skirmisshed with hym but in th' ende after many notable ouerthrowes for want of ayde and power they yéelded Lewys Kinge of Hungarie desired by his Ambassadours aid of the Princes of Germany against the Turke inuading his Countrey and Kingdome whiche they appoynted to sende but it came to late For the Turke was already come wherefore king Lewys in his owne person leading his whole power against hym encountered with hym in battayle wherein hes was ouercome and thinking to haue saued himselfe by â—light was drowned in certayne Bogges or Fennes both Horse and man Many worthy Gentlemen in this Battayle were slayne to the great weakeninge of that noble Kingdome The chiefe Citie of the Realme called Buda was sacked and spoyled and the noble Librarie of Kinge Matthias vtterly consumed with fire The Knights of the Rhodes planted theÌ„selues against the Turkes in the I le of Malta The same yéere Solyman came agayne into Hungary besieged the second time the strong fortresse of Bude but séeing he could not according to his minde by force win it he perswaded the Defendauntes by certayne offers and conditions to yelde it into his handes From thence he marched to Vienna a noble Citie of Austrich and vppon the xxij day of September gyrded the same about with a most terrible Siege beate it with Ordinance and shooke the walles with most hydeous noyse of roaring Canons But through the courage of the defendauntes he lost many of his Souldiours and being brought into a vtter despaire of any good successe he trussed vp his trinkets and in flying maner trudged away toward his owne Countrey with all spéede that coulde be fearing least the Emperour and other Princes had folowed at heeles after him During this siege he haried great booties out of the Countrey thereabout and caryed away many thousande Prysoners He cast out young Virgins auncient Matrones starke naked and pitched little Children vpon stakes and poales In his Armie he had a hundreth and fortye thousand men whereof partly in this Siege of Vienna and partly in their flight perished for famine and colde the number of .lxxx. thousand The Citie was most valiantly defended by Philip of Bauary Earle Palatine of the Rhine brother to the Palsgraue a young Gentleman in yéeres but of noble courage with the Lord William Rogendorf and Nicolas Erle of Salme and with them onely xx M. Almeynes and two M. horsemen In his iourney through Austrich the Turke vsed vnspeakeable crueltie of some he cut of their noses some he put out their eyes of some he cut of their priuy members of women they cut their pappes Virgins they rauished and of women great with childe they rypped their bellyes and brent the children beside this all along as they went they brent Corne Trees Houses and all that was combustible to make the countrey desolate Solyman with CC.M. armed souldiours assaulted the Castle of Guntz in Hungarie geuing thereto xiiâ— terririble assaultes Which Castle was valiauntly defended by a noble Gentleman named Nicolas Iuryze At length it was surreÌ„dred vnto him not as wonne by force but as yeelded by composition The great Tâ—rke himselfe hearing that the Emperour Charles was comming agaynst him wyth lxxx thousande footemen and .30000 well appoynted horsemen of Germaines Italians and Spanyardes beside the Horsemen of Hungarie thought the Countrey woulde bée too hoate for hym to staye anye longer and therevppon fledde homewarde through the Hillishe Downes of Norica and wyth great booties retourned home wythout dooyng any thing worthye of memorie Solyman yet againe meant to haue an other flinge at Hungarie and to scourge the Kingdomes of Africa Wherevppon he sent one Corradine Barbarossa Capitayne of his Nauie into Africa against the King of Tunice Whom he draue out of his Kingdome and deposed from hys Crowne And into Hungarie he sent Lewys Gritte Bastard sonne of Andrew Grytte Duke of Venyce to expulse and dryue out thence Vaiuode But Meilane Vaiuode wynninge the Cytie of Medeuisch which the saide Lewys Grytte before had gotte into hys possession slewe both hym and all his Armie And cutte hys Children into pieces before theyr fathers eyes Charles the fifte with a great Nauie sailed into Africa and restored the king of Tunice to his Crowne againe and deliuered out of miserable captiuitie about the number of .xx. thousand Christian Prisoners The same yéere Taurus a Citie of Persia was taken by the Turke Where the Turkishe Souldiours lyuing in carelesse securitie were sodainly set vpon by Tahames king of Persia and .xx. thousande of them slayne The Persians caryed thence manye spoyles and the Great Turkes Concubines to the great shame and reproche of their Enemies Solyman assembled out of the Countreyes of Pontus Propontis C l. Gallyes lxxx Brigandines Foystes and CC. lxx other vesselles of diuers sortes wherwith he inuaded Corsica an Ile belonging to the Seigniorie of Venice and it besieged the space of .x. dayes Then setting the Suburbes on fier making great spoyle of the countrey beside killing or else taking Prisoners many of the Inhabitauntes he departed thence and wasted the I le of Zacynth and Cythera Hee conquered and layde euen with the grounde the I le of Aegina subdued Paros and make Naxos Tributarie He sent into Puell the greater and better part of his Nauie which were in number ten thousand picked footemen and M M. of his stoutest Horsemen which haryed and spoyled all the Coast of the Tyrrhene Sea. The fléete of the Emperour the Pope and Venetians ioyning together at the first through discorde and ambition of the Captaines among themselues were disseuered and scattered a sunder Inuasion and Roades were made into Styria by the Martyloys a rude sort of Peyzauntly Lurdens altogether geuen to Pylfery and Theft but by the valiantnesse of the Countrey Inhabitauntes they were repulsed The same yéere throughe Treason of Duke Calcian the Christians had an ouerthrowe at the handes of the Turkes in Sauia The Venetians entred a Truce with the Turke by paying vnto him thrée hundreth thousand Crownes and yelding vp into his handes the Townes of Neapolis and Maluasia in the borders of Macedonia The Towne of Newcastle in Dalmatia wherein was a Garryson of Spanyshe and Germaine Souldiours was this yeere conquered and sacked by the Turks and all the Inhabitauntes and Souldiours therin according to their vsuall custome put to the Sword. The Venetians all this while wynked at the matter in whom it lay to haue holpen this outrage
their dominions haue receiued from them as next heires vnto them both their Religion and Kingdomes and yet to this day in Affrica some of the mere lyne of the Saracens be of great power and authoritie But before we go any further to the declaration discouerie of their Acts gouernment we must firste a little speake of the originall Pedagrew of the first founder and authour of their damnable Secte All Arabie is deuided into thrée partes wherof one is called Petreia hauing his name of an olde auncient town in it called Petra the second is called Deserta and the thirde Faelix or Sabaea Petreia hath on the West side Aegipt and is separated from it firste by the Mount Casius and then by wast wildernesse on the North it hath Iurie and Palestina on the East Arabia Deserta and on the South the innermost part or arme of the Arabian Goulph called Sinus Arabieus Deserta wherin the Citie Scene otherwise called Scenitis stoode boundeth on the South vpon the Mountaines of Arabia Faelix on the North it hath Mesopotamia and on the East the Riuer Euphrates Arabia Faelix runneth a long betwéene the two bosomes of the Sea the Arabian and the Persian being almost on euerie side enuironed wyth water like an Iland It hath on the North Petreia and Deserta on the West of the Arabian Gulphe on the East the Persian Gulphe and on the South the redde Sea. I finde that these Regions were inhabited by foure kindes of people that is to wit by the auncient Arabians which were descended from Arabus Sabus and Petreius the sonnes of Cures and the Nephewes of Cham of whom the thrée Arabies had their names as Arabia Deserta of Arabus Arabia Sabaea which is also called Faelix of Sabus and Petreia of Petreius as witnesseth Berosus Chaldaeus Then of the Ismaelites which were descended from Ismaell the Sonne of Abraham by his handmayde Agar of whom a parte of the Countrey called Agarena and the Town Agarenum which in Strabo are corruptly read Ararena and Agranum had their first beginning and denomination as that part called Petreia was called Nabathaea of Nabath the people Caedrei of Caedar the Sonnes of the same Ismael The thirde people came and descended of the Sonnes of Ketura Abrahams second wife which possessed a great part of Arabia Foelix specially that portion which lyeth toward the redde Sea. They also made Colonies and vnder Cities in Lybia and peopled the same with inhabitauntes of their owne linage and nation where vpon after ward as Iosephus witnesseth the Cuntrie was called Affrica of Ophre the Sonne of Mandanes and Nephew to Abraham by his wife Ketura The fourth kinde tooke their originall beginning of Esau the Sonne of Isaac who inhabited the partes of Arabia Petreia next vnto Iurie and of him the people in Arabia Petreia are of Plinie and Ptolomaeus called by the name of Saracens For Isaac Esau his father was the Sonne of Abraham by his wife Sara And they were called Saracens both because they might thereby shew and testifie that they were descended of the lyne of Sara who was Mystresse and not of Agar the handmaid as the Ismaelites were and also that they might be discerned and knowen from the Iewes who also had the verie same parentes and were procéeded out of the same stocke and Progenie Among al these the people Scenitae which inhabited Arabia Deserta were most valiaunt and warlike hauing no habitation nor houses to dwelin but wandred abroade lay in Tentes in the open fieldes These insolently bragged and made their auaunt that they were of most auncientie and contended with all others for the nobilitie of their race There aide and helpe the Romane Emperours in their warres oftentymes vsed The Arabians euer had many ordinaunces and Rites such as the Hebrewes had and do yet to this day retaine and kéepe the same for as Herodotus and Diodorus two auncient Historiographers affirme they euer vsed circumcisiō and kept the same order of their Tribes and families that the Iewes did and accompt it a heynous offence that a woman should be maried to a man of any other Tribe and familie then shée her selfe is and likewise for a man to take to wife a woman of another linage They inuiolablie kéepe the nobilitie of their race and Pedagrew so that none but of the noblest sort should raigne ouer them Neither hath one the regiment and gouernaunce ouer all but euerie Tribe to haue their proper King after whom his owne sonne shoulde not succéede in the kingdome but the first that was borne of the séede of a right noble man and woman after he were saluted King was kept and brought vp as heyre apparaunt to the Crowne A people naturally and generally geuen to thefte and robberie as all others commonly are which dwell in hoate Countries Many kindes of religion was vsed among them for some worshipped Christ of whose nature deitie omnipotencie at that time whence this our Historie taketh his beginning as in all other places at that time also there were diuerse sectes and opinions Some obserued the Rites and Ceremonies of the Iewes some honoured the Sunne and Moone some certain trées some Serpentes some a Towre called Alcaba which they beléeued and thought was builded by Ismael some one thing and some another In the time of these so great garboyles and diuersities in religions and among suche blockishe and rude people was Mahomet borne at Itraripe a towne of Arabia Deserta belonging to Mecca being by his fathers side of the auncient line of Corah the sonne of Esau or as some say of Caedar the sonne of Ismael in the moneth of Februarie and in the yéere after the incarnation of Christ as they say 560. whose father was named Abedela his mother Emma a Iew borne both poore folkes and of base parentage By meanes whereof his father beyng an Ismaelite and his mother a Iew he was in his tender age by them instructed and taught both the rites of the Hebrewes and the manner of worshipping that the Gentiles vsed His Parentes dyed while he was but yet a tender and younge ladde so that then he was committed to the charge and custodie of one Salutelib his vncle by the fathers syde And whē he came to mans stature he was taken prisoner of the Scenites which were as before was shewed the fiercest and warlickest people in all that Countrey and lyued altogether by robberies and by them was he solde to a ryche Cobbe one Abdimoneples an Ismaelite Who quickly perceiuing his prompt wit and throughly vnderstanding his impudent nature thought him to bée a fit instrument to make his factour into other Cuntries about his traffique of merchandize and so vsed oftentimes to send him out of Palestina where he dwelte into Egipt Which trade of life Mahomet the space of many yeeres exercising gotte great acquaintance and crepte highly in fauour with the Hebrews Christians and Gentiles This Mahomet was of a
most deare friendes can witnesse For I neuer spared any labour neuer refused any daunger neuer any miseries or perillous extremitie where I thought my painfull trauaile might be auaileable or redound to the benefite and soules health of all people and where without disturbaunce and molestation I might conueniently execute the charge and office to mée committed and enioyned from the mouthe of god All which I haue done to this ende that I myght reclayme and call home the people runnyng a stray from their wicked wayes to a holy syncere integritie of life and out of the dongeon of Hell whither they runne headlonge bring them backe into the ioyes of the celestiall Kingdome following herein the steppes and bountifulnes of God him selfe whose message and ministerie we in earth do execute Who when as all mankinde through Adams transgression and faulte was forfeyted and fallen into the handes of the Deuill yet of his méere mercy vouchesafed to deliuer and saue his people as before he had promised to our father Abraham that is to wit by appoynting vnto them a law whereby they might obtaine euerlasting lyfe and saluation And therfore first he sent Moses to lay the first foundations and beginnynges of this doctrine and to call them for feare of euerlastyng payne and damnation to a newnesse and amendment of lyfe But when the Lawe of Moses little profyted that way he sent Iesus Christ by gentler wayes and meanes to allure and wynne them and to persuade them to lyue in the seruice and obedience of god Now mankind béeyng againe so much depraued and gone a straie that there is no certaine nor constant Religion among them no discipline no order nor honest maners but all out of square and forlorne he hath enioyned me whom euen from the beginning of the world he had made choyse of and predestinated for that purpose to this office and function that I should recure extréeme euilles with extreme remedies and with fire and sword cut of all iniquitie and make hauocke of all them that once should dare to againe say or opē their mouth against this law that I should enlarge the kingdome of God constitute a more sacred a more imperiall cōmon wealth on earth then euer any hath heretofore béen for who is so blind which séeth not that vnlesse we whō God hath appointed to that office do set to our helping handes to redresse these so great mischiefes all mankind shall shortly perishe for mans nature withoute a Lawe which in so great varietie and licenciousnes of life can be none nor stand in any force must néedes most greuously sinne and offende But howe shall wée make and constitute any holesome Lawe to them that are vnwilling to lyue vnder any and despise all godly order What spightfull reproches and slaunderous reportes wée that are carefull and diligent to accomplishe thys Commission and commaundemente of Almightie God do sustayne at theyr hands you most louing friendes and companions haue séene and howe they pursue after vs as after wylde Beastes to haue our innocent bloud But happie are you and blessed whom God hath chosen to bée as ministers and helpers vnto me in the exploite and atchieuing of these so great mysteries and affayres whose diuine will it is that you should not only be partakers Coheires with mée of eternal felicitie in the lyfe to come but also héere in this world shoulde bee enriched with great wealth possessions the which vndoubtedly if you shew your selues men and constantly persist in faith you shall shortly enioy by subduing innumerable Nations and conquering most wealthie Countries For vndoubtedly it is the good will and pleasure of God that all those Countries and heapes of wealth shall be yours which now wicked men enemies and aduersaries to this law doe wrongfully possesse That all these things shall thus happely succéede both the wickednesse of our aduersaries which God will not suffer any longer to escape vnpunished and your trustie ayde and valiauntnes most worthy friendes and felowes yea and the most infallible oracles of Almightie God do put vs in hope most assured Therefore if you desire to bée partakers of the kingdome of Heauen and of so great rychesse and glory vpon Earth it is méete and expedient that you all sweare and do homage vnto me that must be your Captaine and Ringleader When he had thus made an ende the chiefe Princes and Rulers of the people and namely Zaid the Sonne of Zuzara Aomar and all the rest one after an other with their swordes drawen promised by a solemne Oth to allow of none other law but that which Mahomet should make in the defence and setting out wherof they then and there protested at all assayes when néede should require to spend their life and bloud This ended Mahomet againe commaunding them to kéepe silence knéeled down on his knées a pretie while as though he had pattered ouer som mumbling meditatiōs afterwards with a loude voyce vttered these wordes folowing Now most couragious champions make your selues readie to battaile looke that you want neither weapons nor stomacke to wynne our purpose withall wée haue the victorie most sure alreadie in our handes Behold the things which you haue often desired and wyshed for Richesse Glorie Renowne and perpetual felicitie are before our eyes God hath set thē before you as rewardes for your valiant and victorious seruice your owne valiaunce the excellencie of the cause and all the things aboue named ought more to stirre vp your hartes and pricke you forward then any Oration that I can make After he had thus spoken he appointed tenne Capitaines ouer the people chosen out of the noblest in byrth and chiefest in dignitie among the rest and such as were allyed vnto him by mariage and them did he appoint into Ensignes and Bands The names of which capitaines were these Vbequar Omar Ozmen Alifre Talaus Azubeir Zadin Zaedine Abuobeid so he marched in battail aray toward the Citie of Mecca The Magistrates of the Citie vnderstanding thereof made out a power against him which encoūtring with Mahomet his Host discomfited and put them all to flight Wherefore for the space of foure yéeres after Mahomet neuer durst make any profer to besiege that Citie any more Notwithstanding he ceassed not continually with Orations in the open fieldes and Countrey villages to mooue and stirre vp the people to sedition by meanes whereof he also caused certain vprores and tumultes among the Scenites which acknowledged for their Lordes and Soueraignes the Romane Emperours Then once againe he marched with a freshe supply of moe Souldiours against Mecca where he was againe repulsed and myssed his purpose and two yéeres after he againe the thirde time attempted the same and sped as he had done twise before In this meane while Heraclius the Emperour perceiuing the youthfull sort of the Scenites to begin mutyne seditiō for the better quieting therof dispatched sent a great nūber of thē vnder
the coulour of warfare into far Countries There raigned at that time in Persia a King named Cosdroes who had maried the daughter of Maurice the Emperour called Marie at whose instāce persuasiō he was contented to be Baptized and so long as his father in law liued vsed himself most friendly toward all the Christians was vnto them very curteous liberall But after that he was traiterously slaine by Phocas who succéeded hym in the Empire Cosdroes detesting the disloyal treacherie falsehod of them which had elected such a wicked man as Phocas polluted with the bloudie murther of his liege Lorde and Soueraigne to be their Prince reputing them as Accessaries to the same horrible acte and conspiracie prepared a great armie at the instigation and procurement of his wife to reuenge the death of his said father in law And the more was he emboldened so to do because he wel ynough perceiued Heraclius for Phocas was slain within a while after to bée altogether lulled in securitie and to lye quietly at home without attempting any thing against the Barbarous Nations which with fire sword on euery side despoiled Italie and the Romane Empyre Wherevpon with a huige and populous armie he enuaded the frontiers of the Empyre and subduyng by fyne force all the South partes of Asia entred into Aegipt and tooke Alexandria and yet not contented went further and conquered Carthage withall Affrica And when he had taken good order for the fortefying of that Countrey with strong garrisons he retyred backe to Alexandria wasting Syria and Iurie Heraclius being not a litle netteled with these iniurious dealings of Cosdroes sent vnto him for peace which when he coulde not obtaine at his handes rather enforced and driuen by necessitie then drawne to it by any goodwyl in himselfe leuied an army in which he also had retayned the Arabian Scenites with whom some say that Mahomet was and that in a battell wherein Cosdroes side was discomfited he was sore wounded by a common Souldier named Turcus And when Heraclius had many times ioyned battell with Cosdroes and in diuers conflictes put him to the foyle at length he so much crushed his power that he was glad to fly beyonde the riuer Tigranes where he proclaymed his yonger sonne called Medarses Successour and heyer apparaunt to his Crowne dishereting and not regardinge his elder sonne Sirochis a younge Gentleman of great hope and towardnesse Whose heart not paciently brookyng this contumelious and vnnaturall dealyng secretlye conspyred with Heraclius to betray both his Father and his Brother Medarses whom his father had so vnkindly preferred before him with al their richesse and princelye furniture And promised further to discampe and remooue out of all the Romane Prouinces such Garrisons as his Father had placed there conditionallye that hee might enioye the Kingdome of Persia and a firme peace infringiblie to be kept betwéene both Empires In this poyncte Heraclius beynge a Christian Prince was nomore ashamed to delyuer the Kingdome of Persia to a wicked and rank rebellious person Traytor to his owne Father and Brother being now throughlye weakned with the losses of so many vnluckye battailes and now most certainly in his own hands specially the King himself trusting to his leggs and fléeing if he could haue vsed his good fortune victory when it was offred vnto him and to buy a dishonorable cowardly peace by consenting to such a wicked déede then that wicked Barbarian disloyal yonker was by such vndue detestable meanes to pul the kingdom frō thē to himself Such desire of principalitie reigned in the one so great loue slouthful idlenes in the other Cosdroes therfore and Medarses with their wiues being aprehended and brought backe from whence they were fledde were cast into prison and within awhile after by the commaundement of Syrochis both put to death In whom appeared a cruell example of Fortunes variablenesse A goodly president and warning for Princes to marke and consider vpon in nominating their Successoure that they at no hand reiectinge the stout and valyaunt elect and choose tender weaklynges and effiminate Meycokes For nothing so soone moueth a noble and firce heart to furious impacience and indignation as beyng stout and couragious to be reiected and not accompted of among his owne friends All things in Persia by means of this League appeased and set in order and Syria and Ierusalem with the other Prouinces restored to the Romane Empire Mahomet accompanied with a pompous traine met with Heraclius in his returne whomwarde from these warres and of hym desired some Countrye for hym and his Souldiers to inhabite in which sute and request at the Emperours hands he obtayned Not long after it happened that when the Souldiours were paide their wages the Arabians repyned and founde themselues agréeued that they were defrauded and cut shorte of their due stipende and ordinarie allowance Whiche comming to the eares of the chiefe Paymaster he more rashly and arrogantly then wisely and consideratly answered that there was skantlie innough to pay the Roman and Gréeque souldiours much lesse for such a rascal company of Dogs as they were Which words within awhile after were almost the subuersion and ruine of all Christendome insomuch that euen tyll this day they beare a grudge of reuengment for this iniurie in their mindes against vs Such a heape of mischieues many times doth the ouerthwartinge wilfulnesse of one rashe person bréede speciallie when stout and warlyke fellows shynk themselues apparantly iniuried For the Arabians swellyng with anger and incensed with fell disdaine for this reprochfull and open contumelye departed into Syria and ioyned themselues to Machomettes traine and faction Wherat Mahomet glad to see his power thus increased went the fourth time against Mecca determining with might and maine to besiege it The Magistrats of Mecca perceiued well ynough his purpose and what he pretended wherefore with greater preparation and stronger power then before the whole body almost of the Citie bent themselues to repulse his inuasion Betwéene whome there was at the riuer of Bredine a sore and terrible conflict wherein Mahomet got the victory and slue of the nobilytie and chief Citizens of Mecca beside a very great number of the Communalty thrée hundred persons in somuch that at this battell the whole nobillytie of Mecca were in maner all slayne And so Mahomet like a triumphant Conquerour entred and tooke possession of the faire Citie of Mecca fortefiyng the same with a garrison of his owne appoyntment after departyng with his army thence he layd séege to Hunaimum and wanne it deuidinge the spoyle thereof which was very great among his Souldiers After that he besieged Tarsus which Citie after he had all in vaine battred the space of a whole month he raysed his séege and retourned into the maigne Countrye of Arabia and tooke firste Itraripe otherwise called Ietripe and after that Medina a Mart towne well peopled with wealthy Iewes And grauntyng the spoyle
all Arabie with many mo and conquered all the country as farre as Gabata At which successe of the Saracens the Emperour Heraclius greatly storming sent his Brother Theodorus with a great army against them Who encountring in a bloody battell with Homar was ouercome and fledto Emessa Heraclius hearing tydings of this heauy chaunce furnished out Baanes with a greater power against them who incamped himself nere Emessa Where the Saracens settinge vpon hym with great force and violence were by hym vanquished insomuch that they were fayne to trudge into the borders of Damasco and lodging their campe by the banke side of the riuer Bardanes made such outragious roades and incursions into the Countraye adioynynge that no man was hable to represse their furye nor withstand their invasion Wherefore Heraclius mistrustinge any good successe in the pursute of further warres and hauynge great diffidence in his owne power fearynge also his owne lyfe and safetie if hée should any longer stay within that Prouince and Countrey for hee was at that time in Hierusalem out of which since the League and composition made with Persia hee had not departed tooke awaye with hym all the precious Shrines and snmptuous Ornamentes of the Temple of Hierusalem least the barbarous Enemies should despoyle them and retourned agayne to Constantinople The next yéere the Saracenes layde siege to the Citie Damasco wherewith Baanes who defended the Citie with the sayd Emperours Garrisons being greatly moued desired Theodorus Sacellarius Lieutenaunt for the Emperours Maiestie in Assyria to come to ayde and assist hym Which hee making hast to doe was by the way surprised by the Saracenes and discomfited The Souldiers vnder Baanes not willing to serue vnder a Capitayne of small credit and countenaunce but rather desirous to haue a Gouernour of most high power and aucthorytie saluted hym their Emperour But they which came with Sacellarius and escaped the handes of the Saracenes in their laste bickeringe willynge to kéep their true allegiaunce to Heraclius departed thence and would not in any wyse consent to the depriuation and deposing of their lawful Prince and Emperour The number of Baanes his Souldiours was 4000. And Sacellarius had almoste as many The Saracenes hauing intelligence of this variance and deuision among the Romane Souldiers discamped from the place where they were lodged and set vppon them The bickering was sore on both sides for a while but the Wind blowyng ful in the faces of the Roman Host which in that drye and sandye Countrey raysed vp the dust they neither could sée their Enemies nor skantly fetch their breath Which oportunytie the Saracenes not neglectinge but takeyng the same to their most aduantage and commoditie put the Emperials to flyght in which chase they fléeinge through thicke and thinne by daungerous wayes and sleepe places did almost all perishe and were drowned in the Riuer Ermeta Which luckie victory so puffed vp the haultie mindes of the proude Saracenes that they aduaunced theyr Armye agaynste Damasco and wynnynge that Cittie subdued and brought al Phoenicia vnder their subiection Then they made preparation to goe into Egipte whiche hearynge the Romanes who were Lordes and possessours of that Prouince appoynted Cyrus Bysshoppe of Alexandria to be Chieuetayne who sendyng a solemne Ambassade to the Saracenes for peace obtayned it vppon condition that he should pay vnto them yéerely a Tribute of .200000 Crounes And so for the space of thrée yéeres they were quiet and receiued no kind of molestation at their handes But the Emperour Heraclius vnderstandyng this geare and thinkyng this composition greatly sounded to his dishonour sent for Cyrus home agayne to Constantinople and in his stéede made Emanuel an Armenian ruler ouer EGYPT who flatlye and playnelye denyed the payment of anye money before by Cyrus promysed to the Saracenes Wherefore in great displeasure they inuaded Egipt with a buyge power and Emanuel with a small compaignie for his sauetie wente to Alexandria But Heraclius to late now and to hys coste beynge taught that promyse and faith oughte to be kepte and perfourmed euen to the Enemies when hée well sawe that hée had not strength ynough to match in battayle against such mighty foes sent Cyrus agayne to the common supplications should bée made during the whole moneth of September and after the same ended the whole volume of Mahomet hys lawe shoulde be openly redde to the people He was tall of stature broune coloured balde headed thinne bearded and the same som what enclining to whitenes and was buryed néere to Mahomet But before he dyed feeling himselfe so sore wounded that he despaired of recouerie he appoynted for his Successour Ozmen who also had béen a great furtherer and fauourer to Mahomet in all matters and had twyse beene his Sonne in Lawe For he maryed his two daughters which both deceassed wythout children in the life time of Mahomet which dignitie he chiefely attained through giftes and briberie For receyuing at the handes of Homars Treasurer all hys money and goodes hée frankely distributed bothe it and all that hée himselfe had lefte vnto him by his Parentes among his Souldiours Ozmen therefore béeyng inuested the thyrde Bishop after Mahomet sente the nexte yéere following a huyge armye vnder the conducte of Hucba into Affrica agaynst the Lorde Gregorie chiefe and supreme gouernour of all that Prouince He béeyng ouercome in battayle and Carthage also subuerted he vnyted all that Prouince to hys other Saracenicall Dominions But fearyng to bée surprised and taken nappyng wyth some sodayne Alarum out of Europa if they shoulde lye long in Carthage they dislodged thence and remooued to Tunice a Citie standing within the Baye of Golet and there rousting themselues for a season greatly enlarged the same But afterwarde receyuing a commaundement from Ozmen that they shoulde not dwell in any Port towne or other places vppon the Sea Coaste because he had taken suche agréement and order wyth the Emperour they departed sixe and thirtie myles from the Sea and aboute a hundreth from Tunice where they buylded themselues a Citie called Cairoan After this in the thirde yéere of thys mans raygne Muauias who was wée shewed before was Lieutenant of Egypte wyth a Nauie of a thousande and seauen hundreth or as some saye wyth seauen hundreth Shippes onely arryued in Cypres and takyng by force the noble Citie Constantia spoyled the whole Islande But béeyng certefyed that Carcozir one of the Emperour Constans hys Capitaynes was commyng agaynst hym with a greate fléete for feare of further harme he departed thence and planted hys Siege before another Citie in the same Islande named Aradum where he nothynge preuayled Séeynge therefore hys purpose to quayle hée broughte backe hys Hoaste to Winter in Damasco In the meane whyle Ozmen caused the odde papers and Schedules of Mahomet before by Homars procurement collected together to bée brought into a better order and to bée deuided into Chapters makyng of them a Booke whiche is called the Alcorane wherin all the opinions and Institutions
of Mahomettes Sect are contained and at large specifyed The nexte Spring after Muauias with a greater Nauie then before arryued in Cypres and assaulted the Citie of Aradum which at length after many battryes he wanne and permitting the Inhabitantes to go whither they woulde wythout hurte or bodely harme he rased the Citie to the grounde and layde all the Islande waste and left it dispeopled At the same tyme also an other army of Saracens vnder the conducte of Busurre inuaded Isauria and spoyled the whole Countrey wyth fyre and sworde and retourned home from thence with fiue thousand Prisoners After these so many ouerthrowes and miserable discomfitures receaued Constance Caesar desired a truce for .ij. yéeres of Muauias which beinge not obtayned while Muauias prepared a great Nauye at Tripolis a Citie of Syria to inuade the Prouinces and Territories belonging to the Romane Empire his purpose by the worthynesse and valyaunt demeanure of two Brothers was for a litle while frustrate Who breaking open the prisons wherein a great number of Christians were set them al at lybertye insomuch that they sodenly geuing an onset on the Saracens killed a maruelous number of them and putting the rest to flight with victorye ran to their ships and takeing so many of them as woulde serue to transport them they set the reste on fire and came saue into Thracia But Muauias nothing dismayed with this mischance and ouerthrow prepared a greater naâ—y and furnished the same with all habilimentes and Municions necessarye with whom he landed at Phoenice a Hauen of Lycia where Constance with his Nauy laye and geuing the charge vpon him made such a slaughter of the Romanes that the Sea was red with the bloud of them that were slayne Constance disguising himselfe in the habite and apparrell of a poore man fled in a Small ship with a fewe others in his company to Constantinople Which victory set Muauias in such a hoygh and conceipt that he thought nothing inuincible or able to withstande hym Where vpon he tooke Rhodes and pulled downe the huge Image of the Sun called Colossus Solis which Chares was in making as Plinie sayth .xij. yéeres and the charges thereof drewe to thrée hundreth Talentes The brasse of this Image beyng bought by a certen Iew of Emessa was somuch as nine hundred Camels coulde carie The Saracenes caryed away thence not onely this Image which was in height .70 Cubites but innumerable others For Plinie writeth that in that I le there were beside this Colosse of the Sunne .73 thousand Statues or Images and a hundreth lesse Colosses Hauinge spoyled Rhodes they cut their course alonge by the Sea Agaeum and plagued the Cyclades with lyke calamitie At this time also laid Generall of an other army of Saracenes entred into the borders of Armenia and wasted al farre and neere tyll he came to Mount Caucasus And Muauias retourning from Rhodes furnished a Nauye with all thinges necessary to inuade Sicile which wasted and ruynated the Countrie with Sword and fire without mercy tyll Olimpius the Exarche of Italy for so was he that had the gouernaunce ouer Italy at that time for the Emperour of Constantinople called encountringe with them in a bloudye Conflicte with much effusion of Christian bloud discomfited and expelled them In which battell he so eagrely fought was so fore wearied that he tell sicke and shortly after dyed Muauias himselfe leuying an Armye by land conducted them into Cappadocia to besiege Coesarea the head Citie of that Prouince But before he could atchieue any notable exploite worthy to be remembred hearinge that Ozmen the Caliph was dead in hope to be his Successour retyered with his Host back agayne This Ozmene in the twelfth yéere of his Pontificall dignytie being in his owne house beset and besieged with a company of Saracenes which would haue had Ali to be Caliph slue hymselfe because he would not fall into their handes He by chaunce lost the Ring of Mahomet which all the Caliphes before hym wore and caused an other to be made of Siluer wherein by his commaundement were ingrauen these wordes O PERTINACES O POENITENTES He was white of coulour graue and curteous of visage a long Beard and of a meane stature highlye and dearelye beloued was he of the common people both before and after he embraced this Secte and gotte very great wealth by Marchaundize Notwithstandyng he was alwayes verye lyberall yea rather magnificent and honourable and as we haue shewed disbursed and gaue bribes largelye to the Souldiours that hee might obtayne the Pontificate He lyued .lxxxvij. yeeres and was buryed in the night without any Funerall pompe because he slue himselfe Therefore after hys death there arose great contention amonge the Saracenes aboute the election of a newe Bysshoppe Some woulde haue Ali to succéede hym some Muamad sonne to Ozmen and some Muauias But Ali raysed warres againste Muamad and preuayled agaynste hym so that he was installed and made Bysshoppe by all mens consent sauynge onelye Muauias Who reposinge greate truste and confidence in the Aegiptian and Assyrian Souldiours whose prowesse and magnanymytie he had sufficientlye tryed aforetime in so manye Battayles made sharpe warres agaynst hym colourablye pretendynge that hée tooke the same in hande onely to reuenge the death of Ozmen When both the Armyes were come to the Riuer Euphrates Muauias hauynge more skyll in warlyke pollices and also hauinge olde beaten Souldiours vnder hym so fortyfied and entrenched hys Campe néere to the Riuer side and the Citie Babylon that neyther coulde he be inforced by hys aduersarye to fight vnlesse he would hymselfe and also hys Armye shoulde not be destitute of water whereof in that Region there is great scarsitye nor yet be vnprouided of victayles and moreouer néeded not to feare anye Alarmes behynde at their backes Whereas in the meane whyle Ali his Armye was extremely pinched for lacke of water And so for the space of eleuen Monthes keeping his Souldiours within the Trenches of hys Campe he weryed hys Enemye and lyngered the tyme onely now and then with Skirmishes tyll at length by the intercession of certayne Priestes and others skilfull in the Lawe of Mahomet order was taken betwéene them that the whole cause shoulde be decided by the iudgement and awarde of two olde men On Ali his side was chosen Alascates and for Muauias parte Alascius These two comminge to a Towne called Algendel to sit vpon this waightie matter of both their tytles the one thought it necessarye that Ali should be disgraded and deposed from his pontificall dignitie and the other stiflye helde opinion that he was a man moste worthy for the office Thus pleading to and froe neyther absolutely determyninge nor fully concludinge any attonement Ali and Muauias retourned agayne either of them to his owne Campe. And neuer ceased with often Skirmishing to molest and kill one an other spoylynge and wastynge one an others Countries till at length Ali in a certayne Temple néere Cufa a
Citie of Arabie was by the insidious driftes and Ambushes of Muauias slayne and in the same buried for which cause the place at this daye is called Massadale which is as much to saye as the house of Ali. In his Ringe hee had this inscription Corde syncero Deum Dominum veneror Hee was shorte and lowe of Stature his Bearde was side and longe his Armes and Legges full of haire and in his goynge neuer lyfted vp hys Eyes After Ali was dead the Citizens of Cufa and Aratha created Alhaccem his eldest Sonne by his wife Fatema the Daughter of Mahomet Bysshope a man in all poynctes of bodelye feacture and comelye shape resembling his Graundfather Mahomet He with an armie marched against Muauias but when both the Hostes were ordered in battaile araie readie to geue the onset and the voward of the one standing full against the fronte of the other whether it were because he feared the doubtfull hazard of battaile or else as some do write that he was ouercome with the goodnes and integrite of nature vnwilling that so great effusion of bloud and destruction of men shoulde be made for his sake he voluntarilie went and submitted himselfe to Muauias acknowledging him to be his Superiour Beyng thus reconciled one to the other they went both together to Cufa and there finding great store of money and treasure they departed thence to Ietrib where Muauias with his owne handes crowned Alhaccem with the royall Diademe and called him King because he well knew that he shoulde not liue long For within sixe monethes after his Coronation he dyed beyng poysoned by the same Muauias His Poesie engrauen in his Signet was Solus Deus potens est Thus Muauias hauing now dispatched and ridde out of the way all his aduersaries raigned alone Hauing thus set his affaires in order he inuaded the frontiers of the Romane Empire But Constantius sendyng vnto him for peace had the same graunted condicionally that Constantius should pay vnto him euerie day ten poundes of gold and a Slaue with a Horse At this time Damascus was the chiefe Seate and Metropolitane Citie of the Saracenicall Empyre But in this their so great successe and felicitie there arose dissensions among themselues for theyr religion by reason of the varietie and repugnance of Mahomettes scrowles and Schedules The Persians béeyng as we haue shewed now made Saracens helde opinions muche differing from them that folowed Homars Alcorane in Syria Wherefore Muauias with his power spéeding him into Persia suppressed that Sect and established his owne faction which bore al the swaie in Syria and appointed an order that the Souldiours of his Secte should haue allowance of two hundreth pence by the day wheras the Persians had but only thirtie Then inuading Cilicia he spoyled all the Countrey with sword and fire And when he was retourned to Damascus Sapor Pretor of all suche places in Persia as yet acknowledged the Romane Empire now traiterously reuolting from the Emperour sent vnto Muauias one Sergius master of the horsemen with request that he woulde ayde him to the Empyre of Constantinople Who beyng nowe come to Muauias his presence and shewing the effect of his Commission for which he was sent beholde there came also an Ambassadour from the Emperour to Muauias whose name was Andrew promising vnto him in Caesars behalfe large and ample rewardes so that he would not aide nor further the procéedinges of Sapor Muauias hearing both their errandes and their offers aunswered that foras much as he accompted both of them for no better then his enemies he would ayde and take part with him that would geue most And so Sergius geuing more then Andrew woulde Muauias entered into a league with him Andrew taking hys leaue in hys waye homewarde intercepted Sergius as he was retourning into Persia and hanged him on a gybet hoping and persuading himselfe that now the partie to whō the promise was made beyng ridde out of the way Muauias with a safe conscience retaining kéeping still the rewardes alreadie to him giuē might and would dodge finde cauillations with Sapor that he was discharged of his promise But there was more constancie faithfulnes in the barbarous Infidel then the Greekes wit could conceiue or forsée For Muauias meaning to kéepe touch and promise inuiolably sent a bande of Arabians to ayde hym vnder the conducte of Fadala who being kylled by a fall from his horse he appoynted in his stéede his Sonne Iazid Capitaine for that expedition by which power and armie Chalcedonia was miserablie afflicted and Armaria a Citie of Phrygia taken and leauyng in it a garryson of fyue thousand Saracens because Winter approched they retourned with their Hoste into Syria In this meane season the Emperour althoughe Winter were now at hand and all places couered with Snow sent Andrew with a small crew of Souldiours to expulse the garrysons of the Saracens and to recouer Armaria The Greeques therfore sodainely skaled the walles and brake into the Citie without any resistaunce and to reuenge their many ouerthrowes and discomfitures before time receyued slew all the Saracens within who suspecting no suche thing kepte within their houses cowring ouer the fire in that extreme colde weather After thys victorie gotten by the Imperialles Constantius béeyng now come into Italie out of Grecia tooke his progresse straight towarde Rome where he taking a diligent view of all thinges fell to the spoyle and caryed away wyth him all such auncient monumentes and workes as were of Marble or brasse and generally whatsoeuer myght delyght and content the eye and lading his Shippes therewith sent it firste vnto Naples and from thence to the Citie Syracuse in Sicilie So that he tooke awaye from the Citie more ornamentes in seuen dayes space then so many barbarous Nations had done in CClviij yéeres before for there were so many since the first inclinatiō of the Romane Empyre During his abode there leadyng his life effeminately libidinously and looking to receiue the subsidie and tribute that he had with much rigour and crueltie exacted and assessed the Cities and Islandes of Italie to pay in so much that many were spoyled not only of their goods but also of their wiues and children he was by his owne people slaine and murthered After whō succéeded in the Empyre his Sonne Constantine whom the Saracens perceiuing to be a Coward and vnwarlike person priuily made preparation for a nauie to inuade Thracia and Greece if any tumult or seditious vprore should fortune to kindle in Constātinople But because al things were there quiet they sayled into Sicilie wherin the late spoyles of Rome and of all Italy were laid and hoorded vp and with sodaine force tooke the citie Syracuse which was not defended nor kept with any garrison And when they could not roust there in safetie by reason of the néerenes of Italie they shipped all the ornamentes and treasure that was in Syracuse and with incredible richesse retourned into
Egypt Albeit there be some which write that Constantine hearing of the deathe and murther of his father Constanoius sayled into Sycilie and caryed the Spoyles from thence with him to Constantinople After this an other populous armie of Saracens entring into Affrica had suche successe that they destroyed and wasted all the Countrey néere the Sea coastes for a great part of the maine land and middle soyle was alreadie in their subiection and haryed away with them into slauerie and thraldome .800000 Prisoners And on an other side Muauias furnished out a huige Host vnder the conduct of Muamades and Caises whiche subdued Lydia and Cilicia two other of the Romane Prouinces And within a while after to thintent he might conquere subiugate Constantinople he sent another armie after the other wherof Saeuus was General which being ioyned to y other marched both directly toward the citie Constātinople girded it about with a terrible stege And for there more strēgth he appointed a nauie to help thē which stopped all the passages and places frō the West promontorie of Hebdomum to Cyglobium With al this force they oftentimes gaue terrible assaultes to the citie but their attempts were all in vaine This siege lasted from the month of Aprill till September fléete left which then vexed Crete vnder the guydaunce and conduct of Fadall and Cadall Through these good fortunes and prosperous successes the Maiestie of the Romane Empire séemed eftsones to flourish and somewhat to reuiue and recouer his pristinate glory But Muauias hauynge thus concluded a peace and league which to the Christians was most pernicious because the Saracens beinge nowe weake and without force mighte haue bene vtterly oppressed and easly vanquished if Caesar had not more delighted in present Idlenesse and quiet reste then studying for the long tranquillytie of his Common wealth which by no meanes is made more longer of continuaunce and safer with barbarous nations then by perfect victory tourned his power made his quarell against the Mardaites and dispossessing them from their high descrying places in the Mountaines which before they enioyed he studyed and bent his mind to appease certayne controuersies and Sectes newly sprong vp about his religion Therfore he called a generall Counsell or Synode of his sect vnto whom by publique proclamation he commaunded all the learned men of his Empire and such as had any wryting or Schedule either of Mahomet or of any his predecessours Bishoppes before hym to come and bring the same writinges with them This Tartarical Synode was holden and celebrated at Damasco where when as nothyng coulde be determyned by reason of the contrarietie of repugnaunt sentences hee commaunded sixe of the wisest in the company by the common consent of them al to be picked out so there were chosen Mulcine Boari Buor Anoeci Atermind Dauid These six being shut vp together into one house with all such writinges as were thither brought hee gaue straight charge that they should lay their heades together out of these writinges gather into one volume such actes sayings of Mahomet as shuld some to haue ani likelihod of truth And whē they had made sixe volumes the residue of the writings be caused to be throwne into a riuer which were so many that 200. Camels were laden with the cariage of them away Then he apoincted by a law a greuous paine punishement to as many as in thought word or déede beléeued otherwise then in those sixe Alcoranes was prescribed Of the which six volumes afterward procéeded and spronge vp soure Sectes of Saracens which are called Melicians Asafians Alambelians Buanifians The Aphrycans were Melicians the Arabians and Damascenes Asafians the Armenians and Persians Alambelians the Alexandrians Assyrians were Buanifians In Cayre the greatest Citie of Egypt all these Sectes no man agaynsaying are vsed and embraced When Muauias had finished taken this order in his matters at Damasco which was the head seat of his Empire he died and was there buried He was the first of the Saracen Capitaines that with Ozmen during Homars raigne entred into the Roman prouinces with an host and was the first that enlarged amplyfied the limites of the Saracenicall Empire as far as Aegipt and Aphrica westward into Mesopotamia Eastward and into Asia northward and was the first that constituted a certen seate royall at Damasco which citie for the fertilitie of the soyle and pleasantnes of the ayre far excelleth any other He vsed firste of his race to haue Slaues and Eunuches after a princely state guise to stand bare headed before hym for he was a man altogether marcial and warlike and in the atchiuing of his deuises prudent and wise His coulour was white his face pleasaunt and graue his eyes of diuers coulours his stature meane his Bearde alwayes blacke for euer as it beganne to waxe graye hee dyed it and conserued it in his former state He lyued lxxvij yeares and raigned twenty and foure His Signet which he caryed about with hym had in it this Posie engrauen O Deus ignosce mihi Of learnyng he was altogether ignoraunt in so muche that he could not write his own name whereas otherwise he had by nature a verie profound witte Wherfore it is reported that Mahomet on a time making his prayers at a banquet in presēce of many as his custome was said these wordes O God teach Muauias to write to number and defend him from all daungers By which words that craftie Pseudoprophete who knewe the nature of Muauias to be fierce and prompt withall shewed and signified two things First that he if he had the ayde of any learning might greatly helpe and furder his Secte For they which can write can also reade and thereby become wyser Then because he saw him to be of suche a fierce courage that he was lyke to aduenture and obiect himself to many perilles and hazardes he desired of God to teach him the Arte of numbring wherby he might skanne and obserue due times and tempestiuities and to haue the skil to take the occasions that shoulde be fittest for the exployting of his affayres when they fell and for the same cause he desired of God to protect deliuer him from all daungers But he being a man craftie ynough of himselfe and naturally geuen to pollicie néeded not these helpes After that Muauias was dead immediately his sonne Iezid was saluted Bishop and King who atchieued no notable acte in his time worthie of remembraunce For he was a man altogether giuen to slouth idlenes and riot and moreouer was sickly and of a body nothing lustie sauing that he put many of the nobilitie of Arabie to death He loued his owne Sister lividinously and was greatly delited in learning and Poetrie and made many verses a most spightfull contemner of Mahomets Law and euerie other Religion During this mans raigne Mutar whom he had made President ouer the Prouince of Persia perceiuing his drowsie sluggishnes and
desire of eas◠openly protested himselfe to be a Prophete practised tyrannie therin and of the line of this Mutar the Kinges of Persia which at this day are called Sophi are descēded Iezid his Poesie was DEVS EST MEVS DOMINVS He raigned thrée yéeres and dyed at Arrane being of the age of fortie yéeres when the Citizens of Cufa had called home Hocem the Sonne of Ali entending to create hym Byshoppe but Abdalam the Sonne of Iezid in the fieldes of Carball néere Cufa treacherously lying in waite slue him and there was he buried In remembrāce of which thing there was at his graue and Sepulchre afterwarde builded a Citie called Carbala called so of the name of the field wherin the fact was done Hocem lefte twelue Sonnes behind him when he dyed that is to say Zeinal Abadine Zeinal Muamedes Baguer Muamedes Giafar Cadeneg Giafar Musa Cazine Musa Hali Muceratius Alle Muamedes Taguin Muamedes Halinaguin Alle Haceme Asquerine Haceme Muamedes Mahadine which were in diuers places buryed that is to wit some néere to their great Graundfathers father Mahomet some at Bagadat some at Herine but as for Muamedes Mahadine the Persians do affirme not to bée yet dead do hold opinion that he shall come mounted on horsebacke to declare and shewe the law to all Nations and shall conuert all people and that all this shall first begin in the citie of Massadale where the body of his graūdfather Ali lyeth buried And therfore they haue alwayes in that citie a horse ready to receiue him whom after the ende of their praiers and orisons they lead with Torche light to the Church and vpō one certaine day which is among them kept most festiuall and solemne they bryng thys horse to the Temple where Ali is buryed wyth as muche pompe as maye bee beseechyng and making petition vnto the same Ali that he would as spéedily as may bée send vnto them this his Nephew whom they looke for Vnto the which feast there is resort of people from di together with the opinion that was conceiued of hym and his Sect so incensed and swelled his ambitious mind that he first of all others tooke vpon hym the name of a Miralmumine which worde in the Arabian language signifieth the Prince of all beléeuers which name afterwards our Historiographers depraued corruptly called Miramuline He also builded the large and most e noble citie of Marocco néere to the foote of Mounte Atlas and appointed it to be the chiefe Keye and Metropolytane Citie of all his Kingdome Notwithstandinge many doo affirme that it was built by Iosippus the Sonne of Tesfine and some say by an other Against them Abdimelick partlye for that he sawe him to procure no hurt nor attempt any hinderaunce to his procéedinges and partly because he was wrapped in heapes of troubles elsewhere and had moe yrons in the fire then he coulde wel temper attempted nothing For although he had supplanted Dadack with all his faction and adherentes and with victory retourned to Damascus yet could he not long enioy that victory nor brooke it quietlye because there began such a plague and pestilenciall mortalytie that had almost quite destroyed all the Saracenicall Nation Beside this plague the people were greatly pinched with famine in all his Countries And the Mardaites gettyng agayne the possession of Mount Libanus enlarged their limites as farre as Hierusalem and morouer the principalytie of Persia vsurped by Mutar much disquieted his troubled minde Abdimelick weltringe in the surges of this froward Fortune and fearing to bee ouerwhelmed with some greater mischaunce sent a solemne Ambassade to Iustinian then Emperour beyng of the age of sixtéene yéeres for a confirmation of the peace and League that Muauias strake with Constantine and farther to request hym that the Mardaites might bee dispossessed and driuen out of Libanus which thinge if the rour would graunt he promysed that he would euery day geue vnto the Romanes in the name of a Tribute ten poundes of Golde a Slaue and a goodly faire Horse And moreouer in consideration of the confirmation of this peace which he so earnestly desired to th end that Caesar might the better expulse and rid the Mardaites which nowe were not aboue .xij. thousand in number out of Libanus he gaue and graunted vnto him the one halfe of his yéerely Tributes of Cyprus Armenia and Iberia This peace beyng confirmed and he deliuered out of the feare of the Mardaites a fierce and outragious people he sent Ciafa with a great Armye againste Mutar who vnder the pretext and coloure of Religion practized tyranny and extort regiment in Persia Which expedition and voyage had very vnluckie end for Mutar with an Host marching to méete him vanquished him and discomfited al his power whereby he wanne a greater estimation and credite then euer he had before Abdimelick to th' intent he might from a néerer place surueigh and beholde how matters prospered in Persia goeth into Mesopotamia where he was againe with many calamities aduerse bruntes sore crushed For the Emperour Iustinian the Sclauoys partli yéelding themselues vnto his mercy and partly tamed by dent of Sword picking out of the stoutest Gallantes in all that Nation a crewe of 30000 or there aboute mustred and tooke vp Souldiours apace for his warres and so trustinge to their valyaunt seruice brake the League lately made makyng for the coulour of his quarel the the money payable for his yéerely Tribute had not the Roman stamp but was of a new Arabian coigne Sending therfore his Lieutenaunt Leontius with this new leuied army into Asia subdued and brought vnder his subiection Iberia Abania Hircania and Media which Regions were vnder the Saracenes Empyre At the same time also one Said reised sedition and rebelled against Abdimelick against whom Abdimelick spéedyng hymselfe with an Army so dismayd and terrified hym that he fel downe on his Marybones and craued forgeuenesse Whom Abdimelick with dissimuling countenaunce pardoned and séemed to forgeue but within awhile after he commaunded hym priuelie to be slain At this same time also there arose an other tyrantie among the Saracenes named Abdala Zubir who sent his Brother Musub into Persia against Mutar and of hym Mutar was both vanquished and slayne albeit he enioyed not the fruite of his victory long For Abdimelick withall his power igoynge againste hym ouercame and discomfited him and all his Hoast and from thence holding on his way into Persia brought all that Prouince vnder his subiection Abdalas Zubir discouraged with the good successe of his aduersarie fled vnto Mecca after whome Abdimelick sent Cagian with a great Armye to pursue and take hym who by force winning the Citie Mecca slue Zubir and set the auntientest Idole of that citie with the Temple also on fire And thus Abdimelick hauinge recouered Persia and dispatched out of the way his aduersaries and being alone in possession of the Saracenicall Soueraigntie after hee had oftentimes in vaine besought the Romane
altogether barraine and vnfruitful but that part which is next Spayne is full of trees and well peopled wyth many townes and villages We will therfore beginne our description of them at the Ocean where they ioyne in Spayne to the region called Guipuzque but in Fraunce they border vpon the confines of the Vasconians On the side of Spayne there is Stephans vallay aboue the which are Besaca and Guciutha townes of the Vardulians confinyng vpon the region of Nauarre containeth Cantabria and Asturia then are there other smaller hilles lying out from the Pyrenees within which are conteined Basse and Squa which doe make the vallayes Rocida or Ronus on Fraunce side néere to the confines of the Vasconians is Iean Pedeportesburie a strong well fortefied place Néere to the valley Rocida the arme which before wée talked of is from them let into the Ocean reaching and extending to the mayne Sea through Gallicia or the Gallecians the Asturians But from the valley of Rocida Eastwarde they make the valley called Salazar wherein standeth a towne called Ociogauia then Ronceuall wherein is Isaua and the frontiers of the King domes of Tarraconensis Nauarre which was once called Nagiera Next Fraunce are the townes of Bierne Now foloweth the hill of Camfrank wherevnto in Fraunce is néere ioyning the countrey of Peiraner Vrdos in Spain Villa noua an auncient noble Citie Iaca Saint Christinsburie and Iean Pigniasburie and in the same tract lower is the Mount Aragon Hosca and frō them the Occetanes and Caesaraugusta now at this day called Saragoza Out of the Mount that lieth ouer Saint Christines springeth the Ryuer Aragon and because out of the moūtaines of Ronceuall there springeth an other little Ryuer of the same name called the lesse Aragon or Subordam therefore thys is called the greater Aragon and the whole region lying betwéene them was of them called Aragonia There followeth in the Pyrenees a hill named Gauas abutting on Fraunce syde vppon Larount a countrey of the Bigorians and on Spaynes syde on the countrey of Tenia In which Countrey are the townes Salent Saint Helens and Biesca Out of the hill Gauas springeth a Ryuer named Gallecus whiche hauing hys course through the valley Tenia falleth into Iber néere to the Citie Saragoza Then is there nexte the Cragge of Horca the stiepest and roughest of them all on which on Fraunce syde confyneth the Countrey of Arne and on that side towarde Spaine the same valley Tenia then the Cliues of Tarla from whom springeth the riuer Ara which afterwarde runneth into the ryuer Cinca néere to the towne Iuza hauing on Spaines side the valleyes of Brote and on Fraunce Voteia a valley of Guyenne In the valley of Brote are these towns folowing Torla Brotum Oto Linares Faulum Bresse Sarbise Aierue Laresitalla Scartinum and Giasa Then foloweth the craggie mount of Bielsa from which a part of the Ryuer Cinca spryngeth and the valley of Bio and belowe in this same very tract is the region Sobarbria then in the Pyrenees the vale Gistau out of whose Hilles springeth an other Braunche of the ryuer Cinca whiche hauing hys course through Sobarbria is augmented by receauing into it the ryuer Segre néere to a towne called Scarpe and then falleth into Iber néere Meschinentz The chiefest townes of fame in the valley Gistau are these Gistaine Senias Serbetum Iean Carauelsburie Plannium Poma Gistaina Cerquetum Lamian Catalauigna Badaine Then is there moreouer in the Pyrenees the valley Bonasia and the longe region of Ribagorge wherein are Gabaleria Grausium Benauarre Peralt and Paniello Then are the Hilles of Castrum Leonis vnder whome is the valley Aran or Fiscalia which hath in it these townes Biolla in Fiscalia Lardies Vorastrium Saint Iustus Ligarre Aretiza Sciabierre Saint Olalia Acortum Tricase Abese Planiell Saint Foelix Sason Silues Spierle Ascase and beneath it is the valley named Solana Agayne in the Pyrenees there followe Petrae Blaniae Altalauaccae where there is a passage throughe the Hylles of Torre and of the Countie Pimorent and Pallasium Vnder these is the valley of Henui wherein standeth the Citie Valentia and Palasia then the Clyues of Andoria where there is a passage oute of Spaine into Fraunce wyth a valley of the same name ouer agaynst which in Fraunce is Arachsium in Aquitanie Hitherto the places of Nauarre Then a long Cerdania is the Mount Bellamir the valley Bibesia the Mount Liuia and the pitche of Persa Then they enter within the Countrey of Rocilion ouer against the townes of Puigiualed Caudiese Arotonie Galamij Fanum Perapertuza Eitor and Leocata where theyr precinctes boundes end by the Mediterranean Sea. In the end wherof in Spain there standeth Salses a Castle impregnable hauyng with in it a most plentifull fountaine where in tymespaste stoode the Citie Gerunda or Girona ouer against it in Fraunce is Tēplū Veneris now called Cap de Creux Directly on the other side in Gottalonia other hilles do aunswere vnto it which may be called the lesse Pyrenees or Antipyrenees throw of Rodericke and what hast the Saracenes vsed in the pursuite of their victory tooke his Sister with hym and departed to Gigion supposing that place to be surer for his securytie But when Mugnuza duke of Gigion contrarie to his hope expectation had entred into league and was assistaunt to the Saracenes in their exploytes Pelagius dissimulyng what he inwardly thought and for the time bearyng two faces vnder one hood remayned styll with the same Duke vntyll Mugnuza fallyng sore in loue with his sayde Sister and deuisinge whiche way to frame his plat to enioy his desired lust sent her Brother Pelagius to Corduba to consult entreat about certaine affaires with the Saracen Princes In whose absence bearyng her in hand that he would mary her he had the spoyle of her maydenhead Whereof Pelagius at his retourne beynge by his Sister certefied departed thence with her into the higher Country til a time fitter to bring that to passe which he purposed Mugnuza greatly mooued with his departure tolde Tarifa that Pelagius intended somwhat against the Maiestie of the Saracenicall Empire Wherefore Tarifa sent one of his Captaines with a band of Souldiours if it were possible to apprehend Pelagius And now the Souldiours were come to Brette in which towne Pelagius was then resiaunt who being priuelie aduertised by a Christian one that was with them and knew all their counsailes tooke his Horse and ridinge all vpon the Spurre tyll he came to the great riuer Pionia tooke the water and swamme ouer Whiche they that pursued hym not daryng to doo for dread of drownyng hee escaped their clutches and came with heauy cheere into the Vale of Canica Where by the prouidence of God hee mette with the Magistrates and Péeres of many Cities of Cantabria and Asturia whiche were goyng to surrender and yéelde themselues and their Cities to the Saracenes And when hee vnderstoode the errand and cause of their iourney it is reported
receyuing sommonce of any warre But peraduenture you hope to spéede the better and that they will shewe more clemencie to you if you voluntarily yelde your selues and that all your Religion and Lawes shall remayne safe and in suche force as they did before and that your Wyues and Children shall not bée constuprated harmed nor vncurteously handled For wyth suche fayre glosing promyses these cutthroates and villanous Traitours to theyr Countrey vse commonlye to deceyue and enueigle the simple people as thoughe there could bée any faithe in them which haue betrayed their Lordes their Countrey their friendes and kinsfolkes yea God himselfe their Lorde and maker Did not Valentia a most strong maritimall and famous Citie yeâ—elde vnto them vppon this promyse and yet as soone as they were entred and had possession of the same they eyther cast out all the inhabitauntes or kylled them or else by compulsion enforced them vnto their Secte Did not Toledo the verye same and Siuyle and a greate manye of other noble Cities which being deceiued with this hope and bewitched with these flattering charmes yéelded themselues vnto them These domesticall examples are sufficient to teache you that it is a great deale better valiauntly to dye together like men and so much the more for that as yet thinges are not so farre spent but that they maye bée recured and holpen You haue hyghe Craggie Mountaines for refuge and in them some places inaccessible you haue some Townes moste strongly fortefied vppon trust wherof many times a smal number hath discomfited populous armies And you are a sort of tall men whom the nature of the heauen and earth hath made stoute and valiaunt acquainted with labours and hitherto inuincible Also there lyue a great sortevnder the Saracenes whiche I put you out of all doubt will come from all partes and ioyne them selues to you if they once sawe you péepe vp and auaunce your selues in this your so iust quarell Behynde at our backes is Fraunce a Region at this daye most flourishing bothe in Chyualrie and skilfull Capitaynes from whence no doubte wée shall haue ayde and succour For the Frenche will not any longer suffer this cowardly nation whiche hathe alreadie encroched as farre as the Mediterranean Sea beyonde the Pyrenees so saucely and malapertly to plaie these cruell Pageauntes and furious prankes against the borders of their Kingdome in suche sorte as they haue done to others And God hymselfe if we wyll tourne vnto hym with amendement of lyfe wyllayde and strengthen vs who being on our side euerye one of vs néedeth not to feare a hundred thousand of these blasphemous Grynneagods and lewde vyllaynes This oration sank so déepely into their braines that beyng perswaded with the pithy force therof for Pelagius was vehement and verye earneste in his matter and for his wisedome and sanctytie of lyfe highlie estéemed among those people they returned euery man to his home and callyng their neighbours together tolde vnto them the causes of their retourne to wytte how that Pelagius whose vertue and vnspotted lyfe was well knowne vnto them all because as before we haue shewed he dwelled long among them myraculouslye delyuered out of the cruell handes of bloudy tyrants met them as though hee had bene some messanger sent downe from heauen who shewed vnto them what an heynous offence they shoulde commit and what a pernicious acte they had purposed to doe Wherfore not ceassing as well in open Sermons as in priuat talke to perswade the people to constancye and godlynesse he was by common assent of all the people created King of Cantabria and Asturia in the yéere after Christ 717 Which done they all got them to mouâ— Anseua When the fame of this matter was blasetâ—-broad and knowne throughoute Spayne all the Gothes that could any way scape or by any meanes shyft themselues out of the handes of that barbarous nacion conceying great hope of lyberty good luck tooke them to their Weapons and ioyned side with hym and such as coulde not do the same out of hande with all care and dillygence sought oportunitie and occasion how to flée to hym Tarifa sent against hym Abraem Alcamack with a great Army and with him Byshop Opasius Sonne of the king of Egica and Metropolitane of Syuyle who as before hath bene tolde adhered to the faction of Iulian and other traitours of their CouÌ„trey Pelagius hearing what great preparatioÌ„ was made against him séeing himselfe not of equall power to repulse so great a multitude entred with a few of his companie but of the valiauntest among his whole bande into a certain Denne within the Mount Anseua appointing the rest to defend the narow passages and Streight wayes Whither wheÌ„ the Saracens were come Opasius weÌ„t about with many glosing termes to persuade them that kepte the Streictes to yelde them selues vnto the Moores but when he sawe his labour was all in vaine there beganne a cruell and a bloudie bickering The Saracenes shotte so many Arrowes and Dartes into the denne that they séemed to rayne from Heauen as faste as droppes of water in a stormie shower and to light among them as thicke as Hailestones But God myraculously making their dartes to rebutte against the same persons that shotte them there were so many of them either slaine or wounded that they were forced to recule and geue back Then the Christians vndoubtedly knowing the God was with them fought for theÌ„ yéelded most hartie thankes vpoÌ„ their knées vnto his diuine Maiestie that it had pleased him thus to relieue visit his poore afflicted people which done they boldly issued out vtterly repulsed all the residue There were slaine of the Saracens in this coÌ„flict about .xx. M. of the ChristiaÌ„s very few or none at all for writers make no mention thereof Those Saracens which escaped from the battaile fled into the top of the hill which by diuine miracle being shaken with a terrible earthquake and falling downe into the Riuer Iua running by the foote of the same hill they were all cast awaye and perished Opasius and Mugnuza two Archtraitours as they were fléeing for they went not vp with their felowes vnto the hill were taken and Mugnuza in a place called Olaglias was straightwayes by the Asturians put to death and the Citie Gigion vtterly ruynated to the perpetuall ignominie and shamefull reproche of the said Mugnuza Prince therof What was done with Opasius Authors make no mention When Mucas heard hereof suspecting that Iulian others of the same conspiracie were priuie to the counsells of Pelagius he straightwayes commaunded Iulian and Sisibertus and Ebasius the sonnes of king Vitiza to be put to death and thus in the ende they receiued a iust reward of their treason Which example so terrefied many of Iulians retinue and faction that they reuolted from Mucas and went to the Asturians and those whiche liued vnder the tyrannie of the Saracens dayly by stelth and priuily flying to Pelagius his power
within shorte space was so encreased that they which a little before were scantly able to defende their owne now recouered many of those Regions and Cities which the Saracens before had brought vnder their subiection For the Citie Legio at this daye called Leon was immediatly to them surrendred so also was Rota Mansilia Canicas commonly called Cangas Tineum and many other townes of that Countrey ¶ The Second Booke ¶ Conteining the declination of the Saracenicall Empyre till the beginning of the Turkes THe Saracens in the East being in a great phrensie that their Siege certaine yéeres passed layd to Constantinople was frustrate and hearing that Leo by whose only meanes their attempte was repelled was now Emperour leuyed a mighty armie againe and deuiding the same into two parties tooke in hand the same enterprise afreshe purposing then or neuer to bring their desires to a finall effect and conclusion Malsamas the Generall of th one armie transfreting with his cōpanie into Thracia spoyled a great part of that Prouince and geuing a sharpe assault vnto the chiefe citie and Imperiall Seat therof encamped himself on the West side of the same Citie néere to the walles where there is an Isthmos or narow portiō of land hauing Sea on either syde on that part he laid battrie Zulciminie the chiefe Bishop laye before the citie on the Sea with a nauie of three thousand Sayle as many do affirme For the citie Constantinople being both very huige and beautifull and aswel by nature as Arte most strong and impregnable standeth at the mouth of the Thracian Sea Bosphorus where Asia and Europa do almost ioyne together hauing no more but one small streit Sea to part them by which it is emptyed hath issue into the Sea Propontis where there stretcheth out a little Cape or elbow of Sea full of wyndings turnings in as though they were Hauens For which cause the place is called by the name of a Horne because by reason of the seuen hilles of the Citie hanging out into it it hath as it were many boughes or braūches like the hornes of a Hart. Along betwene this Cape and Propontis there runneth a certaine hill in forme like a Cherronese or half I le beyng on euery side almost enuironed with water contayning in length from the west into the East aboute thyrty furlonges howbeit it riseth not greatly in anye height but the ridges and clyues thereof do runne styll a long Propontis On the North side where his forme is lyke a Horne which a litle before we tearmed a Cape or Elbow it hath seauen Hylles annexed vnto it of the which foure do hang out into the Cape and that which is washed with Bosphorus is the greatest and maketh the base of a Triangle for the forme of this Citie and countrey beyng almost a perfect I le is thrée cornerde This hath two Promontories one lyinge towarde Propontis west of Hebdomum the other Northward which defendeth the mouth of the Baye from the iniurie of wyndes and is called Chrysoceras From whiche if a streigth lyne be drawen to the seauenth and innermost Hyll of all which also defendeth the Bay from the west wynde you must néeds include the plaine champaine of Pera now called Galata within the compasse of the Arche made by reason of the continuall ridge and cliffe of the Cherronese The length of that Cape or Bay is about lx furlonges in the innermost part whereof are the mouthes of the Riuers Cydrus and Barbysa the latitude or bredth thereof is diuers and not in all places alyke where it is moste it passeth not sixe furlonges and where it is lest not aboue thrée The streicts of it ar very narrow For on the north part wherin the towne Pera standeth there hangeth out a Promontory into the South named Metopicum and Cyclobium and lykewise an other on Asia side direct lye abutting vpon the middle Streictes of the Baye named Damalicum This Cherronese on the west side where the mayne Land of Thracia lyeth doth seperate this Elbow or Bay from Propontis with a narowe porcion of land lying betwéene the two Seas The bredth of that same Isthmos or narrowe share of Land where it toucheth the seauenth Hill and inner corner of the Citie is fifty paces and further beyonde it is greater Thus in this plot of ground beyng a perfect I le on all sides sauing one is situate the noble Citie of Constantinople once called Bizantium ouer againste whom on the other shore side of the Streict standeth the towne Pera once called Galata whichalso maketh promōtories into the Horned Bay. And in Asia there is directly ouer against it the Citie Chalcedon The entries of this Créeke or Hauen in the narowest places are enclosed and fast shut vp with a great Cheyne which reachynge from the Tower Pharea to the Promontorie Chrysoceras is extended and drawn in length ouer to the Metopique Promontorie of Galata where there is also an other strong fortresse or Blockhouse The Citie it selfe is fenced and fortyfied with thrée strong walles two verye broad and déepe ditches and many Towers and Bullwarkes beside It hath on euery side a playne prospect The middle part of the Citie ryseth vp a litle in height by reason of the Hylles whereon it standeth The whole circuite or compasse of the Citie is about xiii myles This so noble and florishing Citie Constantine in the place where before Byzantium stoode vnaduisedly ynough as the sequele proued buylded and translated the Imperiall Seat with all the riche Ornamentes of the Citie of Rome thither For although the soyle where it stādeth séemed to be a place most fit for an Imperial citie yet the disposition of the ayre and destenie would not suffer this citie to be the head seate keye of the Romane empire For as not only euery Country but also euery citie haue their proper fates maners fashions and rites so they may not safelye be translated or remooued into an other place no although the verye same persons and Lawes bee translated and remooued thither with them For the disposition and temperature of the ayre altereth mens manners which being altered their destinies and Fortunes are also chaunged Which to be true the ende proued apparantlie For the Empire being translated almost into the borders of Asia the Emperors themselues and the Romane Legions were afterwarde chosen out of that Prouince who being infected with their Gréekishe lightnesse and ambition seditiously practized sundry factions amonge themselues and effeminated with the nyce wantonnesse of Asia were not of power to repel the incursions of foraine Barbaryans when as in the meane season Italie and Rome the Maistresse and Castle of the whole earth lacking a head and hauyng lost the right vse of warlyke discipline was made an open pray for all nations to inuade And thus that Empyre which lyke a good trée in his owne soyle bare very good fruict beynge transplanted into a strange aire and ground within short time perished
Duke of Bauaria first attained this honour and dignitie by subduing and getting the vpperhand of the LieutenauÌ„ts and Captaines of the kings Prouinces who séeing the King to bée a weake and vnwarlike man tyrannically ruled the Countrey according to their own sensual lustes for their priuate commodities Then in the raigne of Theodoricus the second the excellent dexteritie and worthy vertue of Charles Martellus second Sonne to this Pipine was in that office very conspicuous and renoumed throughout all the lande of Fraunce in so much that he was accompted and taken as the Prince of all the people At the same time was King of Aquitanie theÌ„ called Gallia Gottica one Eudo a Gothian borne whom king Roderik made ruler of the Prouince but hearing of the discomfiture of the King his Liege Lord he made himselfe king thereof This Eudo whyle Charles Martellus was busied with other warres in Germanie began to surmise certaine quarelles which brake out into open warre with the French Capitaines of the places néere adioyning to the limittes of his Territories whom going about to defend their titles rightes he afflicted with many ouerthrowes Wherfore Martellus tooke the matter in hande and warred against him And at the same time the Saracens passing the Pyrenees had taken Narbon and in it shewed all kind of outragious crueltie because they woulde by that example make the countrey afraide any more to withstande theÌ„ Wherfore Eudo considering with himselfe that he was vnable to warre at one time both with the Frankes the Saracens and for the Mugnoces a man in great fauour and estimation with the Saracens was his Sonne in law he thought it better for him to make a league amitie with the Saracens theÌ„ with the Christians Which after he had by Mugnoces meanes and friendship brought to passe looking big vpon the matter and bearing himselfe stoute by reason of the aide and succour which they sent to him he inferred much harme to the Franke Nation But when he perceaued that the Saracens fortified with their owne garrisons and kept to their owne vses al such Cities townes as they entred into he begaÌ„ when it was to late to beshrew himselfe and wishe that he had neuer attempted any such enterprise For they kept Nimes Mountpelier Auinion with all the places thereabout in their owne possession Wherevpon Eudo gathering all his power together to profligate and driue them out gaue vnto them battayle wherin he was discomfited Mugnoces by whose meanes and procurement the league and amitie was concluded greatly complayned of the iniurious dealing of Eudo in falsefying his faith infringing his promise accordingly as he had vndertakeÌ„ for him WhervpoÌ„ Abderama king of Gottalonia marching with an hoast against him besieged him in the Castle of Cerdania out wherof Mugnoces for scarcitie of water escaping fléeing into thickets and hillish places fell into the hands of another coÌ„pany of Saracens who tooke him prisoner beastly slew him and sent his head his wiues the daughter of Eudo to Abderama and thus all the traitours of their Countrey within shorte space came to a miserable end and confusion Then Abderama hauing dispatched and ridde out of the way all enemies that were to be feared on his back returned into FrauÌ„ce passed the riuer of Rhone and destroyed many places that belonged to the Christians and made such a slaughter at Arle that a heape then made of the bones of the deade carkasses remaineth there yet to this day in a place called Alies Campi TheÌ„ went he with his army against Eudo who began again to gather more strength make a new commocioÌ„ He besieged Tolose the chiefe Citie of Gallia Gottica in which siege for that the citie was very well rampyered and fortified with Ditches walles and also well stored with Engins and munitions of war and with all sorts of weapons beside a conuenient Garrison of souldiours with all other thinges necessarye theâ—e planted for defence the Saracenes receiued great losse and were well payde home especially by meanes of certayne Engyns deuised by skylfull arte of ingenious Architectes and by diuers other Stratagemes of warlyke pollicie Notwithstanding Burdeaux was then taken and sacked of the Saracenes and all the Inhabitauntes therein both man woman and childe vnmercifully slayne and manquelled and the Temples razed and laide euen with the ground Thence by the confines of Perigot beyonde the ryuer Geronde they made inroades into the Country of Xantongue and destroyed Angolisme and Blaye From thence through Limosin and Poytiers they russhed into the Countrey of Tours Where they spoyled the Churche of Sainct Martine wherein was great foyson and plenty of gyftes and offeringes that had bene geuen and bequeathed vnto it and afterward set it on fire Eudo being sore afflicted with these vnmanerly dealyngs and driuen to great extremytie by the Saracenes entred into league with Marcellus and they two with both their powers ioyned in one gaue battayle vnto Abderama before the Citie of Tours wherein they discomfited hym and all his host In this battayle there were slayne CCC lxxv thousand Saracenes and of the French no moe but .xv C. And if the night had not come vppon them ere the battayle was fully ended the whole route of the Saracenes had bene at that time vtterly destroyed For Abderama in the night season perceiuinge how the game went and what a mortall ouerthrow he had receiued had no lust to tarye and expect the hazard of the next daye but trudged as fast as he could by long iourneyes with those fewe of his companye that were left and hable to folow him to the Pyrenees entendinge from thence to retourne into Spaine leauing behinde hym in his Tents all his carriage and stuffe for a praye to his Enemies But the Nauarrians hauyng stopped the streight passages where their iourney laye killed them euery one The next day assoone as the Sonne was vp Martellus in good order marshalled his army and tooke the Féeld awaiting the commyng of his enemies But when he perfectlye vnderstoode that they were fled his Souldiours fell to the spoyle which they found in the Saracenes Campe most aboundant and plentifull After the death of Eudo Martellus added that parte of Eudo his Kingdome to his Empyre For which cause Hunold and Vaifar the sonnes of Eudo incensinge that part of Gaule called Narbonensis Prouincia containing the Countrys of Sauoye Dolphinie Prouance and Languedock to take parte with them renewed the warre afresh with Martellus And passinge ouer the riuer of Rhone with most barbarus cruelty destroyed burnt and killed man and beast makynge hauock of all Townes Villages Féelds that was in their way without sparing either age or Sexe The chief burnt of which lamentable storme and furious immanitie that part of the Allobroges now called Dolphinie specially felt before Martellus could prouide or prepare sufficient power to go against them But when he was come Visigot departed
into the wast desert and wildernesse whiche hee hymselfe had so made and concluding a league with the Saracenes more aduisedly and warely then Eudo before had done that is to wit by geuing and receiuing hostages on both parties he eftsoones procured them to come agayne into Fraunce who now not with an Host of bolde tymorous warlike and vnwarlyke armed and naked persones one mingled with an other as before but with army of lustye Seruitors and picked Souldiours throughly tryed by Sea and Land well appointed and furnished with victuall and all thinges necessary for such an enterprise wherfore was cheife Captaine one Atine entred into the Prouince And taking Auignion by treason of Maurice Capitayne thereof they appoynted that Citie and Narbon to be the principall holdes and fortresses of their martiall procéedings Whom as they were boldly swarming straying abroad the Country as men fearing no daunger Childebrand sent for that purpose by Martellus with a great power against them immediatly at his firste commynge compelled to kéepe within the walles of Auignion Auignion is a Citie standinge by the riuer Rhone and was at that time stronglye walled and well fortyfied with many Bulwarkes Castles and Pyles insomuche that Atine valyauntly and polytiquely defendinge it as he was a man both couragious and stout and also skilfull in the arte of Cheualrye thought it to be inexpugnable and not able to be wonne For he had placed his Garrisons on euery side where he thought most expedient and had planted the walles Bulwarks and Castles full of weapons Dartes and Engins to throwe stones into the throng of his Enemyes beside wyld fire and matches to kindle Torches and brands to cast in their faces when so euer they should assay to enter He had also manned the same with hardy Souldiours saw sure watch warde to be kept at the Gates neither lackyng stoare of victuall nor any thing els that for the defence therof was néedfull and requisite Euery Capitayne Centurion and decurion had their places and offices appoynted vnto them accordingly He himselfe in person went about and viewed the watches for feare least any thing by negligence or ouersight of his officers were amisse a man that coulde well away with laboure watching and hunger and such a one as kept his souldiours in due order and dutie by his owne example rather then for feare of punishment anymatyng and encouraging them valyaunt enterprises and martiall aduentures Childebrand lodging his camp néerer to the citie gaue assault therevnto whom Atine not onely repulsed but also enforced to discampe remoue his Armye furder of But when Martellus with his retinue and traine was come both the hosts ioyned in one after he had surueied and taken view of the situation and strength of the citie and throughly vnderstood of the valiaunt courage of the defenders within he spéedely with vndaunted courage setting forward his matters not only draue thē as they issued out of the towne within the walles againe but also wan to the place where his army had before pight there stronglye encamped he himselfe For Martellus being a man singulerly wel skilled in warlike affaires had vnder him in his army such capitaines and souldiours as had bene in many bloudy battailes experienced in sundry warres vnder him practised furthermore very precise obseruers of martiall discipline wherin he himself had trained instructed them Who whether the Army were to be lodged and embattailed or the camp to be remoued or themselues to be rāked set in array redy for the fight knewe euery man hys office place seruice only with a beck or a signe geuen them by their Generall When their camp should be fortified for feare of being sodenly surprised by the enemy immediatly a man should haue séene some with al dillygence busied in perusing surueiyng the place the their General had assigned some to sée souldiours in good order some to entrench the camp some to pitch their tentes some to place the watch and assigne them their standinges some redy marshalled without the Trench ready to repulse the Enemy if he shoulde make any sodaine irruption vpon the labourers If case stoode for the Campe to be remoued euery man semblablye knewe his office and dutye If they marched out to fight euery one knewe at his Fingers ende where and in what Ranke or place hee shoulde stande so that the forme and fashion were tolde them by their Chieuetane how he would haue the battayle ordered and appointed and looke where they stoode and set their foote in the fight there would they rather haue dyed then to haue left it or shronke one foote backe so desirous were they to wynne praise and glorie If they should besiege any towne some brought the scaling ladders some Turrettes some Bastyles and clymling bridges surmounting the height of the Towne walles striuing who should first goe vp and mount vpon the walles When they had got the Towne they neuer brake their aray for any pyllage or spoyle nor for any gréedines of bootie and praie they neuer ceassed to occupie their blades and lay about them with their falchions till they had throughly ouercome all such of their enemyes as would not deliuer their weapons With such a goodly trained host Martellus aduauncing his Standard and approching his enemies while the anger of his Souldiours was hoate and the courage of their mindes yet freshe vnappaulled as one that well knew the nature of his Countreymen who at the first brunt as long as an iniurie is fresh in memorie and their mindes with venturous anymositie and hope of victorie googled are most fierce and hardie but within a shorte while if the warre continue any thing long their former hoat forwardnes will be straightwayes abated and tourned into such keye colde quietnes that whereas asore they séemed Lyons then woulde they bée as méeke and tractable as Lambes geuing therefore no time of rest to his Souldiours but onely so much as néedes must be had to refreshe their bodies with meate drinke and sléepe he soūded the bloudie blast to the battaile and gaue them a signe couragiously to giue the onset but first he whetted them and stirred vp their stomackes with this Oration folowing If your valiaunt hearts most louing Souldiours and felowes in Armes were not sufficiently already to mée knowen by the manifold aduentures and perilles in my companie to your perpetuall praise exployted or if our enemie were vnto vs straunge vnknowen then would I go about with many wordes to incense and pricke you forward but sithens I haue experimented and tryed you in so many battayles inuincible that of late yéeres you easely vanquished this very same enemie few of them left a liue at what time they inuaded the whole Realme of Fraunce with a farre greater armie then they haue now in hope to haue enioyed the Empyre Dominion thereof to themselues I well sée that I haue no néede to stande long in
Nauarre pight his Pauilions before Pompelon the head Citie of the Kingdome of the Cantabrians Which Citie the saracenes had strongly fortified with a mighty Garrison And for that they had béene alredy sufficiently schooled in the auncient tricks and feates of Spayne they would no more commit the euent of their good or ill Fortune to the hazard of one entire battaile as they had before done but determined to protract and lynger out the warre with delayes tergiuersacions and sKirmishes where they might espie their best aduauntage Charles dispatched and sent an Herauld at armes to sommon the Towne to know whether they would yelde or els abide the doubtfull hazard of war. They first asked a time to consult among themselues what were best to doo ere they woulde resolutelye answere to the Sōmaunce Vnto whom was granted the space of one day wherein they demaunded and entreated that thei might haue space graunted to send to their kings Frends and Confederates and geue them to vnderstand of their distresse so that if they were not rescued and the siege reysed within xv dayes then they would wyllingly yéelde themselues and their Citie into his hands Alleadgyng that it should be much for the auaile and commodytie of the French to conquere and wyn the Citie being vnperyshed and neither by the Conquerour in his ragynge moode defaced nor by the conquered defendaunt through desperation blemished and disfigured Neither that this taryaunce should in any poyncte hinder his Procéedinges but rather be greatly beneficiall for hym For why though he bent all the force he was able to make against the Citie yet was it able to holde hym out for so many dayes as they craued And furthermore that the French if their Fortune were to get the vpperhande in fight of their Fréendes that came to succour them should with a worde onely commaunde the Portecullesses and strong grated Gates of the Citie to be broken downe opēned for them quietly to enter whiche shoulde be much for the honour Dignitie and profite of both parties least otherwise those innocent Cities that haue committed no fault for whose deliuerie and regaignynge the French protested themselues to be come should suffer such ruthfull and iniurious examples of warre on both sides as the nature and insolencie of a Siege necessarilye bringeth Charles prudently perceiuing all these protestations and surmises of the Saracenes to be subtilly and craftelye deuised for none other entent but onely to abate the heat and courage of his Souldiours being now most sharply set to haue their purpose by protracting the time and geuyng longer day would in no wise agrée to graunt them any respite to make any further preperation and purueighaunce for war which mighte peraduenture tourne hym to greater inconuenience afterwarde but immediatlye sendeth defiaunce against them and commaundeth hys Souldiours to prouide and make ready such thinges as to the battrie and siege of the Citie were requisite The Siege of this Citie continued many dayes and diuers assaultes fiercely geuen The Assaylauntes were not so busie without but the Defendaunts were as dylygent within many times yssuinge out of their Gates not after the Arabian guyse but accordinge to the Spanish manner armed with Sword and fire quick swift nymble and sodaine deluding their enemyes with many stratagemes and subtyll pollicies facinge and shifting from place to place pretermittinge no occasion that made for their purpose dealynge euery where and at all times so deceiueablye that when the other partye thought themselues surest of their purpose they were fardest of and when their desires were likest as thei thought to sorte to effect then were they soonest beguiled and lykely themselues to fall into the lapps of their enemies so secret and spéedy that they were many times in the middest of their enemies flashing among them before any man suspected their cōming killing them and setting fire in their tentes and gone againe out of sight ere any resistaunce could be made or any time to go against them They skirmished ruffled with their enemies in a maner within their owne tents And although there was a band apointed at the gates of the Citie to kéepe them from comminge out yet notwithstanding they could not be so pent in nor debarred from their purposes but with lyke bouldenesse as afore they would often set vpon them and by no meanes wolde be brought to kepe within the wals of the citie til the same wer throughly entrenched and rampired and all their works within finished to their minde Thē did they stand at defiaunce valiauntly not as men defending their manhood with walles but kéepyng defending their walles with manhood This Siege contynuing somwhat longe the other kings which were daily looked for to reyse the siege came in deed albeit furnished with any hoast able to fight a maine battaile but euer as they espied any aduauntage or occasion they would make out Dimilaunces and light Horsemen by knowen pathes and waies to annoy King Charles Which Horsemen oftener by night then by day alitle disquieted his Campe and made some disturbance and Outcries therein An other crewe of them killyng the watchmē perforce making way through their enemies Bulwarkes and Fortifications entred the citie greatlye relieued them within whereby thei conceiued great hope of future successe Charles with a courage vnappauled and inuincible exhorting his men tolde them that the victory was to be obtained with paines taking vigilancie that martiall prowesse appeareth not only in the encountrie and conflict but a great deale rather in good discipline and obseruance of martiall orders not to be lulled in ease and securytie bestowing the greatest part of the night in sléepe and bodely rest but in studie and deuise for the atchiueaunce of their waightye businesse in the day time incessantly to be busied abstaining from riot libidinous lustes euermore abandoning werines and lingering of time Geuing them further to vnderstand that the cages and walles wherin those Sathanistes had enclosed themselues for their sauegard must ether perforce be brokē in péeces beaten downe about their eares or els the enemies thēselues to be tamed and brought vnder awfull obedience Wherfore he had them to aduance their standards with banners displaid to march against thē not suffer them to rest Then was ther made fortificatiōs habiliments to serue ech way and on euery side wherby their Camp was kept both before behind and on either side Then they that fisked and raunged out as thei did before were faine to hyde their heades within their Fortresse or els were shamfully compelled to retire and so the matter was brought to a perfect Siege Then beganne there a sharpe and terrible battrye whiche contynued day and night without intermission fresh Souldiours euer comming in the places of the weary and fighting by course one after an other rounde aboute with all kinde of deuises Engins Ordinaunce Ladders Bridges pollicie and valyauntnes in somuch that the Saracenes courage being wel cooled
causes of the Realme Charles still abode in the Valleye which for this cause is to this day called Charles Valley whyther he had remoued his Campe out of Hospita Who vnderstandinge of the great ouerthrow and losse of his Men retyred with al spéede againe into Fraunce Alphonsus excused himselfe by Ambassadours vnto him that all these thinges were attempted and done without his consent and knowledge with whome Charles renewed the former amytie and league betwene them stroken and concluded Then deuisinge in his minde to procure an atonement and vniuersall peace to the whole world sent his Ambassadours into Syria and Aegypt to conclude an amytie and peace with the Princes and Chiefe Rulers of the Infideles to the ende that they should the better vse and entreate the Christians liuing vnder their subiection Which he obteined insomuch that Aaron the high Caliph of Persia and Arabia who not longe afore rufflingly inuadyng the Prouinces of Asia that were vnder the Constantinopolitane Empire with CCC.M. men had enforced and by compulsion dryuen Nicephorus the emperour to redéeme and as it were to ferâ—â—e peace at his hands by paying yéerely an annuall fée in gold from thenceforth not onely not infested and vexed the Christians but also gaue yéerely a great Masse and summe of moneye to the reliefe of those poore Captiues that liued vnder his rule and also sent his Ambassadours with great rewardes to King Charles For when Aaron had with many ouerthrowes and pillages miserably afflicted and frusshed the Romane empyre surpryzed and taken Tyana where he erected and dedicated a temple vnto Mahomet an infinite numbre of townes moe Nicephorus séeinge his matters goe to wrecke and distrustinge any better fortune sent his Letters to the Arabian to obteyne and request a peace accordinge to the tenour folowinge Why thoâ— shouldest thus vniustlie warre againste me and my dominions sythens I haue not wronged nor offended thée or who they be that counsaile thee therunto I know not neither do I se any cause reasonable to moue thée vnles it be peraduenture because thou hast a delight and pleasure in murther robberie and rapine For that thou doest it for religion sake thou canst not pretend a ny excuse sithens Machomet thy high Prophet commauÌ„deth you to vse and accoumpt al Christians as Brothers Doest thou thinke that Almightie God the creatour of all thinges and the staie of both the People whome he hath created and made after his owne similitude and lykenes is delighted with effusion and shéeding of innocent bloud God forbid For your Prophet Mahomet did not commaund you to offre vnto him any such sacrifice or satisfactorie expâ—ation Or else perchaunce doest thou inuade the territories and prouinces belonginge to other men for some néede and want of Syluer Golde and such other thinges But alas there is no such store of these thinges with vs yea all precious iewelles and wares that are rare and hard to be gotten are among you in great plentie But if there be any thinge in our Countreys that may do thee pleasure why doest thou not aske it fréendly and we will bestow the same vpon the without delaye moste louingly If thou care not for man nor any force the mortall man can annoye thee with all yet know thou that there is a God which séeth and remembreth right and wronge For sythens we be mortall it is not comely nor fitte for vs to beare immortall grudge and endlesse enemitie one toward an other in that poinct to resemble imitate the Diuell which euer spighteth at mans felicity and soulehealth and is at perpetuall warre with all mankinde With these lettres sent not without rewardes and sumptuous presentes Aaron being appeased sent agayn many presentes and gyftes to Nicephorus concluded a peace with hym vpon a condition that the Emperour should pay yéerely vnto hym xxx M. Crownes and thrée for his owne head and as many for his Sonne and that he should not reedifie nor repayre such Townes as were rased and wasted by the saracenes But in the perfourmance of this agreement there was les faith in the Greke then in the Barbarian For Nicephorus after the departure of the Saracenes out of those townes immediatly reedified and fortyfied them Which dealyng when Aaron vnderstood he furnished out an other Armye into Grecia which tooke Thebes and sendinge a Nauy into Cyprus subuerted the Churches and expulsed the Cyprians And when Aaron had raigned xxiij yéeres he payed his debte to Nature after whom succéeded in the Pontificate his Sonne Muamat Who fallynge at mortall debate with his Brother Halad and with him coapynge in conflicte wherein his side went to wrack Fortune more fauoring his Brothers part grew to a composition with hym that they twaine should ioyntly with egal authoryty hauing both one and the same tytle or style enioy the Empire Then ther were created foure Tyrauntes whereof one had for his share Spayne an other Aphrica the third Aegipt and the fourth Syria and Palestina Wherevpon the Saracenical power began to decline for awhile the affayres of the Orient were indyfferently quiete among the Saracenes And Muamat the Caliph of Syria woulde not now haue his imperiall Seat at Damasco but buylded a newe citie néere where olde Babilon once stoode and called it Bagadat and it constituted the Pontificall Sea of Syria and all the Orient For the Persians were yet vnder his rule iurisdiction The Aegiptian kept his residence at his Metropolitane Citie of Cayre whiche was as before wee haue shewed buylded néere the place where olde Memphis earst stood Which after the Sea royall was in it appoyncted and kepte so encreased that at this daye it is thought to be one of the greatest Cities in the whole Worlde the chiefe Sea of Aphrica was accounted by Elagleb to be at Caioran whiche Citie was builte in Affrica when Ottmen had the regiment and gouernaunce of the Empyre and is distaunte from the Citie of Tunice about an hundreth Myles and from the Sea thyrtie and sixe Spaigne although it obeyed had in it many kings yet they all acknowledged the Byshop of Marrocco for their Diocesan whiche is a Citie of Mauritanie Tingitana He that gouourned Assyria was called the Caliph whiche name signyfieth a successoure because he boasted and bragged himself to be the Successoure of Mahomet The Aegiptian Byshoppe was called the Sultane and hee of Caioran lyke as the Assyrian dyd named himselfe a Caliph and hee of Marrocco by the auncient name of the Founder and buylder of that Citie was named a Miralmumine Vnder these there also arose certayne other lesse Kingdomes in Affrica as the Kyngdome of Tunice of Tripolis of Algeria of Oran of Fess and an innumerable sorte moe lesse then these For as euerye one was Ruler ouer anye Citie or Prouince So he called hymselfe Kinge of the same and possessinge the Stile and name thereof as due by inheritaunce lefte and delyuered the same as it were by hand to his
Succession and posterytie But yet notwithstandinge all these Kinges agnized and acknowledged some of these forenamed Byshops and as euerie one fauoured thys Byshoppe or that so in hys quarrell dyd he make Warre with the Kings of the other faction Which sedicious discordes and multitude of Tyrantes so appaired weakened the power of the Saracenes that after the regiment of the aforesayde Byshoppes they so decreased and theyr force so was enféebled that at length the name of Saracenes gaue place and was almost cleane eatē vp of the Turkes and the state of their Empyre was at this time through the perturbation and burlyburly about the soueraigntie so obscured and vnknowen that no certaintie in the succession of their Empyre can be had no not among their owne writers Neuerthelesse wee obseruing the due order of tymes will as briefely as may be comprehende all such thinges as are confusedly written by diuerse Authors concerning the actes and gestes by them atchieued In the tyme that this Muamat the Sonne of Aaron ruled Assyria and Michael the Sonne in law of Nicephorus expulser of Leo out of Armenia was Emperour of Constantinople one Thomas brued a great garboyle and commotion Of whom the report and fame is tolde after two wayes Some saye he came of a very poore and base Parentage and that he lyued long tyme in much pouertie and indigence faine to get his lyuing with his handie labour and sometyme with seruile drudgerie Afterward abandoning his natiue Countrey and comming to Constantinople was retained in the seruice of an Alderman of the Citie where the gracelesse verlet so much abused himselfe with carnall lust and vicious life that he committed adultrie with his Mistresse and dubbed the Alderman his maister Knight of the common Hall. Which lewde pranke being detected and come to light Thomas partly for starke shame and ignominie and partly for feare of the paynes and punishment appoynted by Law for suche as he was fledde to the Saracenes for whose Diuelishe deuises he was as fit an Organe and Instrument as any in the worlde with whom he was had in a great credite speciallye after that his conuersation and behauiour a long tyme contynued and shewed among them for he had nowe dwelled among them .xxv. yéeres had geuen sufficient testimonie put them in an assured opiniō of his fidelitie towarde them Insomuch that renouncing and apostating his Christianitie and abiuring the holy Religion of the Christians he embraced the horrible doctrine of Mahometicall Religion And beyng by them appoynted Capitane of a competent Crew of warlike Souldiours was sent against the Christians For he had promised vnto them that if they would furnishe him out with some competent power he woulde vndertake to subdue the Romane Empyre into their handes And least the Christians should haue any mistrust diffidence in him thus working and contriuing the Toyle of their confusion or peraduenture taking him as a straunger forayner giue no credite to his wordes he named himself Constantine the sonne of Irene Which Constantine in very déede for his crabbed nature and peruerse maners his mother lōg before had bereft of both his eyes and of the Empire also and was then dead Some others there be which do affirme that this Thomas was whilome in the house of one Bardanius surnamed Turcus together with Michael and Leo. At what time soiourning at a place called Philomelium seeking by all meanes how to make himselfe Emperour he discouered his counsaile and opened the very bottome of his stomacke to a certaine Monke skilfull in the prediction of fortunes and things to come to which deuise and plat he made Leo Armenus priuie Vnto whome the Monke tolde that if he first aspired to the Empyre he should loose both hys eyes and his worldly dignitie but of them that brought hym his horse the first and second should enioy the Diademe and the thirde should bee proclaymed Emperour but not hable to compasse and throughly bring about his desired purpose he should shortly perishe and be brought to confusion The first was Leo the second Michael and the third this Thomas whom Leo the Emperour made Colonell ouer the Band of his Confederates Which Leo when Thomas vnderstoode to bée slaine by Michael he partly to reuenge the death of him through whose beneuolence goodwill he had bene promoted to diuerse dignities and partlie to ease his owne Stomacke and bringe about the effect of his malicious mynde for Michael and he coulde neuer agrée but maligned one an other euen from their Adolescencie raysed warre agaynst Michael and first found the meanes to inueigle and rayse vp the Orientall power among whom he lyued to take part wyth hym Thus he gathered together an armye not of weaklings and vnexpert Souldiours or of a fewe in number but huyge Populous and hardie of Saracenes Moores Indians Medes Persians Assyrians Armenians Chaldees Iberians Zigians Cabirians and diuerse other Nations Of whom some by compulsion accompanied hym in that Warre some for good will some in hope of spoyle and some for a rooted malice and hatred against Michael who for his froward nature and peruerse manners was generally hated of all men For Thomas although he was lame on one of his féete and a Barbarian borne yet for his gray heares and auncient age he was reputed among them venerable and worshipfull in famylier talke and conference very curteous and affable whych are the thinges that most of all wynneth the heartes of Souldiours and for bodely strength not inferiour to any He thus furnished with an armie of Saracenes to whom he had promysed the Constantinopolitane Empyre and also with a great power of Christians which ventured life limme and goods with him violently inuaded and forcibly got the possessiō of the Orient And bringing vnder his obedience the exacters of publique tributes with great statelynesse of minde folowed the chase of good fortune now seruing his turne and smyling vppon hym Within a while of a low Haskerd became a great Ruler and of a weake mungrell Pezaunt a mighty Potentate by whom all Asia was with spoiling and pillage miserably afflicted Some Cities for feare ioygned syde with him and conformed themselues to his humour Some because they would not reuolte from theyr true Liege the Emperour were spoyled and the inhabitauntes caryed awaye Captyue So that there were none in all Asia but only the Opsicians and Armenians which continued in their true allegiance For which gratuitie constant obedience the Emperour released and frankly remitted vnto thē their publique tribute called Fumariū But Thomas was so puffed vp with this successe that he presumptuously tooke vpō him the name of Emperour was crowned with the Diademe at Antioche by Iob Pastour or Bishop at that time of the Antiochene Congregatiō whom he to requite one good turne for another adopted for his Sonne and made as his fellowe and Coadiutour in the administration of the Empyre and then chaunging his owne name called himselfe Constantine
the Sonne of Irene the Empresse The Emperour knowing of this new stirre and commotion made preparation for warre and sent one of his Lordes with an Army nothing equall God wot nor of power to match and encounter with his enemies which was by Thomas discomfited and cleane ouerthrowē After this méeting with the Romane Fléete tooke the same and with .lxxx. M. men tooke his way to Abydus which is a Citie of Asia the lesse standing vpon the Sea syde spoyling and destroying all where he went burning to ashes not only poore vplādish villages but goodly towns and stronge Cities And from thence in a very darke nyghte transfreted into Thracia where many of the Emperours Souldiours reuoulted and fled dayly vnto hym He put to flight and draue downe all the Emperors power sent against hym Wherof were chief Capitaines Olbian and Catacella and lyke a ragyng Streame violently runnyng downe from a Hyll profligated both by Sea and Land and bore downe before him an other wel apoynted Nauy manned out lykewise by the emperour against him He burst asunder the yron chayne that went ouerthwart the Hauen so layd siege to the citie both by Sea and land But preuailyng nothing that way he determyned to winne his purpose by long siege and fortifiyng his Campe in very good order sent parte of his army to subdue the Townes lying by the Coast of Euxine This doone with the rest of his power which was very great he on euery side beclipped the citie with a mighty oppugnation and gaue thereto a terrible battery But by the valyaunt courage of the Defendauntes all his attemptes were frustrate And his Nauy on the Sea by force of tempest was dispersed and disseuered so that he was fayne to brynge his hoast back agayne into Asia tyll the wynter were passed The Spring folowyng he agayne retourned to the same siege but Michael being now better furnished and prouided then hee was before both with a Nauy of tall Shippes to scowre the Coastes and kéepe the Seas and also with an army of lusty souldiours by land first assaied by diuers slights to vndermine Thomas his souldiours to sollicite them to renownce and forsake their Capitaine but al was in vayne Wherfore setting all the Gates of the citie open he sodenly with all his company issued out and set vpon Thomas suspectyng no such pretence and matter and him there discomfited and his whole Fléete on the Sea also There was one Gregory Cosen to Leo late Emperor who with a crew of good fighting Souldiours ayded Thomas but now séeinge the worlde thus tourned separated foorthwith his Souldiours aparte from the residue in hope thereby to wynne the Emperours fauour and set vpon Thomas behinde Whiche when Thomas espyed beyng nothing therewith discouraged nor yet therefore remoouing his stronglye lodged Campe from the Citie set vpon Gregorie with parte of hys Army and him discomfited who for his sauegard flying away he caught in the chase and put to death Then spéeding himselfe into his Camp agayne he addressed his letters abroad into all quarters vntruly makyng report that he had gotten the vpperhand against Michael in battayle and sent for the Nauy that lay at Berytum wherein were of Gallayes and Hulkes to the number of CCC.L. Sayle with all expedition to come vnto him as though the matter should foorthwith be tryed likewise by Sea. Which drifte and commaundement when the Admyralles and Capitaines of the Romane Nauy vnderstoode and knew they set vppon them at vnwares by night in the roade when they lay at Anker and with their sodayne comming so scarred and affrayed the Mariners that they were at their wittes ende and knewe not how vpon such a sodayne to defend themselues so that there many of them were by the Imperials taken and many burnt and very few escaped which beyng quicke of sayle gott away and ioyned themselues to the other Army that was on the land While this terrestriall army lay before Constantinople without any notable battayle sauing only manylight skirmishes and small bickeringes wherein somtimes Fortune smyled and somtime frowned vpon either part the same and reporte thereof was spread and bruted throughout the Worlde In somuche that Mortago King of Bulgarie notwithstandinge the Emperoure for gréedinesse and miserable sparing of his money as he was by nature most couetous and a néere Prince thankyng hym for his good wyll had before refused his ayde offeryng to assist him saying that he had no néede therof partlye because hee was desirous of Warre and spoyle of his enemies and partly to confirme the former thrée yeeres League made with Leo Armenus marched with an Armye agaynste Thomas and him in a place called Cedocto not farre from Constantinople where the two armyes met in Battayle ouercame vanquished wherin many a man was slayne and after the ende thereof retourned home with many Prisoners and rich Booties When the Nauye that Thomas had left at the Siege heard of this notable discomfiture and ouerthrowe they all reuoulted from Thomas and submitted themselues to the Emperour Thomas gatheringe together the remnaunt of his Armye that escaped vnkylled at the last conflict with Mortago conducted them into a playne Féelde called Diabasis distaunt certayne Furlonges from the Citie a place verye commodious and fit for excursions and for plentie of water very profitable Where hee anew encamped From thence makinge vagaries and roades he wasted and despoyled al the Emperours sumptuous buyldings and banqueting houses of pleasure standing in the Suburbes of the Citie The Emperoure hauinge his Armye euery daye more and more encreased strake vp Alarme and gaue the charge vpon him in thrée seuerall parts whereby he throughly put al Thomas his Armye to flight For Thomas before had geuen commaundemente to his men that at the firste onsette they should retyre and make a shewe as though they fled and afterward vpon the sodayne tourne agayne and recharge vpon their enemies After this discomfiture many of his men fledde to the Emperour Thomas with a few of his adherents came in safetie to Adrianople and his adoptiue Son Anastasius escaping also by flight tooke for his sauegarde the Castel of Byzia After whom the Emperour without delay making pursuite went firste to Adrianople where Thomas was And least the Scythians dwellyng thereabout should learne the knowledge of such engyns and Arrtyllerie as serue for Battery and oppugnation of Cities he determyned by famine to driue them to surrender and yéelde and so beclipped it rounde aboute with a strong Siege The Citie was well walled and beside that surely entrenched and fortefied with Bulwarkes But they were so pinched with Famine that all their victualles beinge spent they secretly had conference with Michael and being at a poyncte and composition with him for pardon of this their rebellyous conspiracie deliuered Thomas into his handes The Emperour now hauinge in his possession his deadly enemie obseruing the auntient custome of other Emperors in lyke cases first made him to prostrate himselfe vpon
the Bishop and a few other old meÌ„ all the other multitude commoÌ„ sort they caried thence away with them The Emperour Michael sent out another Nauie wherof was Captain Craterus the Lieutenant of Cyberetes against the Saracenes which rousted nestled in Crete Who with .lxx. Sayle of his owne and an infinite number of Galleys of other Islandes well manned appointed couragiously landed in Crete where he found the Saracens neuer a whit abashed of his arriuall neither refusing by dent of sword and stroke of battaile to darraigne their quarell Whervpon they mette together in a place méete for such a purpose where betwene theÌ„ was fought a sharpe and cruell Battaile lasting from the dawning of the day till Noone in such doubtfull fortune that hard it was to iudge whether part in th' end would cary away the victory But at length toward Euening the Saracens were ouercome and fled wherof many were slain in the fielde but moe throwing away their weapons were taken insomuch that that daye theyr Citie was lyke to haue beene taken and wonne if it had not béene so néere nighte Which night and victorie was the destruction and ouerthrow of the Greekes as afterward shall appéere For being now in their iolitie and pryde hopyng the next day folowing with small labour or none at all to bring those fewe of theyr enemyes yet left a liue into their power gaue themselues to biâ—ynge ryot and bellychere as though they had not bene in their enemies precincte and daunger but at home in their own houses taking no regard to set heir watch kept or any other expedient order obserued Insomuch that minding no other thing but sléepe ease and stouth the vtter ouerthrowers of al goodnes they were set vpon in the dead time of the night snortinge with their dronken nowles by the Saracenes who espyed the aduantage and oportunytie and were slayne euery Mothers sonne not somuch as a Messenger left aliue to carry home newes of their yll spéede Onely Craterus the Captaine embarkinge himselfe in a Marchauntes Craer sought to saue his life But when the Chieuetayne of the Saracenicall Armye after longe séekinge and tumblinge among the dead Carkasses and Prisoners could not finde him knowing him then to be escaped and fled sent in all post hast to pursue and hunt him out Who being taken and apprehended in the I le of Coo was hanged vpon a Gibbet The Emperour Michael hearing these newes commanded Orypha a wiseman and verie skilfull in Martiall affaires to gather together the Praetorian Legion which because euery souldiour of that Legion had for his wages xl Crownes was then called Quadragenaria and with them he spedde himselfe against the saracenes whome he greatly endamaged somtimes killinge them as they raunged licentiously and excursiuely abroad into other Ilandes for spoyle partly breaking out vpon them out of Stales and Ambushes layd for the nonce to intrap them and partly by open conflictes pitched battailes He also cooled the courage and abated the pride â—â—moderate audacitie of them that vsurped the Countrey of Crete At this time there was one Euphemius Capitayne of a certayne Band of Souldiours in Sicilie who not hable to master the lasciuious passions of inordinate loue perforce tooke a virgin out of the Cloyster wher she was professed Nun and had vowed chastytie from her tender age and her by the example of his Lorde and Maister the emperour who also had aforetime perpetrated the lyke enormity rauished and carnally knew against her consent and wyll For whiche impyous acte her Brothers made complaynt to the Emperour with humble request the this detestable exaÌ„ple might not escape the penalty punishmeÌ„t due for such a villanye Whereupon the Emperour sent Commaundement to the Regent of Sicilie that if this were true he should slitte and cut of Euphemius his nose Euphemius vnderstanding what sentence and iudgment the emperour had geueÌ„ against him entred into a conspiracie with his owne Souldiours and other Capitaynes besides and they altogether fled to Ambulak Bysshop of the Saracenes in Mauritania Promysing vnto him that if he might by his help and meanes be proclaymed Emperour of Romanes he would delyuer and bring all Sycile in subiection vnder him and woulde moreouer paye vnto hym a great Tribute Whiche offer and condition Ambulak not refusing inuested hym with the tytle of Romane Emperour and furnished him with a great Armye by meanes whereof he wan the possession of Sicile but Euphemius making his progresse and walkes about Sicile in the habit and stately gesture of Emperour was at the Citie of Syracuse slaine Then began the Saracens to set foote into Calabria and diuers other partes of Italye making therin great hauock and spoyle of whom one Nauy perished and was cast away about the Coastes of Sardinia the other for there were two sent out in fléeinge wyse retourned home Whiche caused Ambulak to conclude a peace with the french Kinge But within a while after Bernard the Sonne of Pipine raigning in Italy the Saracens despising and reiecting the peace that Ambulak had made inuaded Corsica who in their returne homwarde beinge laden and full fraught with booties and great store of Pyllage were in the mayne Sea encountred by one Ermengarius a man of great power in the greater of the Baleare Ilands to the behoofe of the king of Italy maintained a garison ther by whos prowesse the Saracenes at the first onset were cleane discomfited and put to flight and diuers of their Shipes intercepced and taken beside 500. Christian Prisoners in them which were rescued and saued Notwithstandinge all this misfortune and discomfiture the Saracens would rest but coasting about Italie with their Fléet sodaynely landed and surprised a towne in the Coast of Hetruria named Centumcel whiche nowe is called the olde Citie Which being so taken they sacked and with Sword and Fire defaced most rufully From thence holding on their vioage toward Narbon they destroyed haryed and spoyled the Country al about and that doone inuaded Sardinia where they practised all kinde of wast and robbery But as they fetched their vagaries and licencious roades Ermengarius agayne with the power of the I le by hym assembled vpon a sodayne gaue the charge vpon them put them to flight and with great slaughter on their side draue them to the Sea where for hast as they thicke and thréefolde striued who might first get a boorde they were killed downe right at the pleasure and full desire of their Enemies Being thus gréeuously afflicted and hauynge lost a great part of their Nauy they waighed vp their Ankers and sayled into Africa And they which were in Sycile hearinge that the Venetians to gratyfie the Constantinopolitan Emperoure vnto whom that Ile was subiect purposed to send a Nauy against them filled their Bagges and stuffed their powches with such spoyle and pray as they lyked and went their way After this Haido whom Lewes Kinge of Fraunce and the Emperour had made Ruler of
Aquitanie by treacherye and guylefull dealinge surprysed and ruffled the Citie Ausonia and because he was not of power hymselfe to keepe the same he procured ayde from the Spanish Saracens by whose helpe he spoyled farre and néere both Aquitanie and the hither part of Spayne Whose purpose and pretence Lewes within shorte space repressed And Alphonsis surnamed Magnus Kinge of Asturia and Lyon néere to the riuer Duerro vanquished two Armies of the Saracenicall King of Toleto whiche were thyther sent to besiege and oppugne the Citie of Lyon. Moreouer hee raysed the Siege that the Saracenes had bent agaynste Coimbra and set the same frée from their dreadfull oppugnation And when hee was in buyldinge the Citie of Zamorra the same Saracenes vnder the conducte and leadinge of a Prophet of theirs named Alchama came agaynst hym whom he vanquished and of them slew a great number and among the rest their Capitayne Alchama and tooke Abboaline prisoner a Capitayne of great fame ann estimation among them who raunsomed himselfe for two C.M. Ducates and so was delyuered With which money the Kinge newe buylded the famous Temple of S. Iames in Ouiedo of Marble whiche was before but of Bricke But in Italie the Saracens had taken Palermo the most famous and noble Citie in all Sicile neyther was there any man that woulde take vppon him to resiste their furious attemptes or once goe about to preuent or represse their malycious deuoyres sauynge onely Boniface Countée of Corsica who accompaignied with his Brother Beatrius and a fewe other of the Barons and Lords of Hetruria sayled into Aphrica and landynge betwéene Vtica and Carthage slewe so manye of his Enemyes in foure cruell Battayles that like as the Carthaginians whilome were enforced to call home Anniball out of Italie so the Saracenes were faine to call home their people that were then in Sicile and so Sicile was deliuered from the pestiferous oppression and extreme daunger of Saracenicall Hostilitie After which victories gloriously by Boniface atchieued he with great foyson and plenty of pray and riche booties retourned home with his victorious Nauie out of Africa But the Saracens could not in any sauce abyde to be long quiet but within a while with a greater power and puyssaunce then at any time before they inuaded Italie and againe tooke the Citie Centumcell From thence in post hast with a running Campe they spedde them toward Rome and with little labour got the possession of Vaticanum and after they had spoyled the goodly Church of S. Peter which standeth in that place and takē away the Doores of Syluer which it had of price and valew inestimable they prophaned it with fire and sworde most sacrilegiously And tarying there certaine dayes they were fully bent to haue layd Siege to the Citie but hearing that an armie was leuyed and in comming against them out of Lumbardie they departed and ruthfully wasted al the Suburbes and villages néere the Citie that laye betwéene the two wayes Appia and Latina They spoyled and robbed the Cathedral Church of S. Paule in the way called Via Ostiensis and consumed the most part of it with fire from thence turning into Latina Via they spoylingly rushed into the precincte and Chase of Cassinum and robbed the Temple of Cassinum of all the holy Ornamentes Vestures Reliques and Gyftes whereof it had marueilous great store and vtterly ruynated a great part therof Then kéeping their way by the right side of the riuer Leire they spedde them apace toward the Sea in such populous Plumpes that they were like vnto a violent swifte storme or terrible whirlewinde and fraughting their Shippes with their spoyles and booties which lay there ready they hoysed vp theyr Sailes and launched into the maine Sea. And in Hispaine Abduramen King of Corduba entring into the borders of Biskaye fought most valiauntly and fiercely the space of a whole day with the Armies and power of Ordonius King of Lyon and Gartias Ignigenius of Biskaye and fortune séeming for that daye to dispose and enclyne the victorie to neither party departed the Battaile Ordonius meaning to requite pay home Abduramen entred into his Countrey and subuerted the Towne of Cintilia which is now called Santiliana But in Asia Imprael the Caliph of Syria succéeding Muamat with a huige power brake into the confines and limittes of the Romane Empyre Against whom the Emperour Theophilus marched with his royall Army and hauing in his company two most valiaunt Capitaynes Theophobus and Manuel in whose prowesse and dexteritie in armes he reposed his whole trust and confidence was fully resolued and determined to giue vnto him battayle of whose approche and comming Imprael béeyng certefied whether he did it vpon an arrogance disdaine or that he feared the euent and fortune of Battayle leauing behinde him one Abuzachar with .lxxx. thousande good fighting and well appointed men to try the quarell by stroke of mortall conflicte departed and went hys way with part of hys Armye The battayle béeyng ioyned and clasped together and the Saracenes getting the vpperhande Theophilus wyth his Praetorian bande and two M. Persians and Theophobus escaped and attayned into the toppe of a little Hill which being fiercely assayled and beset wyth Saracenes whose onely desire was to take the Romane Emperour Prisoner the Romane Souldiours most valiauntly fighting for the sauegarde and incolumitie of theyr Lorde and Maister the Emperours sacred Maiestie defended The conflicte continued sharpely and desperately foughten on both sides tyll the Euening But as soone as night was come Theophobus by a pretie fleight and Stratageme deluded the Saracenes and brought themselues out of that present daunger and extremitie For he commaunded his Souldiours as loude as they coulde to shoute and make a noyse and to sounde theyr Trumpettes and play vpon their Harpes and musicall Instrumentes as thoughe there had come some freshe ayde and succour to releeue and rescue them at that present pynche of distresse Which deuise fell out accordyng to his first imaginacion For the Saracenes surely thinking that more ayde was come and fearing leaste they should bée entrapped and on euery syde enclosed by their enemyes discamped and remooued sixe Myles further of and so the Emperour with all hys retinewe and Hoast being delyuered out of daunger came safe to the residue of hys Armye whiche saued themselues by flight at the last conflicte For which politique Stratageme and wyse shifte the Emperour made Theophobus chiefe Generall and Lieutenaunt of the whole Armie And the yeere folowing makyng another voyage and expedition against the Saracenes vanquished them in a notable Battayle at Charsianum and so wyth twentie and fiue thousande Prisoners he retourned home Agayne the thyrde yeere he leuyed his power and marched against them and ioyning Battayle with them was so circumuented and beset with his enemyes that he had almost fallen into theyr handes Which daunger of the Emperour Manuel chiefe Capitaine of the Army vnder him perceyuing encouraged and incensed the mindes of
ther came many notable Clarkes very skilfull in the studies of Artes and Philosophy and among the rest it so chaunced about this time that a certayne young man one of his Scholers hauinge by his Maisters industrious labour and diligence attayned to an exact knowledge and skyll of Geometrie was taken Prisoner in the warres by the Saracens chaunced into the seruice or rather seruitude of a noble man of great estemacion and name amonge them Whom Mamume by report and common bruite hearing to be well séene in the Mathematicall Disciplines commaunded to be brought before him And causinge hym in a disputation to be throughly apposed found that he so farre passed surmounted the Arabian Geometricians that of those thinges whereof they alone thought themselues to haue the vse and experience he was well hable to alledge and bringe the proper reasons and causes Mamume greatly wondring at his precise and profound knowledge for he had thought that no nacion had had the skill of that Arte but the Arabians onely asked him of whom he had learned his Arte and whether his maister were yet liuing The younge man aunswered that his Maisters name was Leo a poore man and as yet vnluckie to the worldly goodes of Fortunes giftes and disposicion but geuen altogether to his Booke and Studie Wherevpon Mamume straightwaies addressed his Letters to Leo in effect as foloweth Euen as the Trée is knowne by his fruict so we by the Scholer doo well know the exelencie of the Maister These therefore shal be to requeste thée that forasmuche as God hath blessed thée with a gyft so incomperable and sithence thou lyuest there in poore estate vnknowne or at least vnregarded of thy Citezens and Countreymen reapyng no fruicte of thy rare wisedome and supernaturall speculation thou wouldest daigne to come vnto vs and make vs pertakers of thy admirable learninge This doing make thy sure accoumpt that all the Saracenicall nacion shall submit themselues vnto thée and be readie at thy hest and commaundement and thou shalt bée enryched with such rewardes rychesse and reuenues as neuer yet any man hath béene These letters he delyuered vnto the young man to carie to Constantinople setting him frée at libertie and rewarding hym most honorably When Leo had receiued these letters he opened and tolde the whole matter to certayne of the Emperours familiers And by this meanes bee became knowne to the Emperour who appointing vnto him a competent stipend and pencion commaunded him to teache publikly Mamume dispairing of Leo his comming sent vnto him certayne Geometricall and Astronomicall questions and some of the other Sciences desiring him therein to haue his resolution The which beyng cunningly by Leo assoyled he sent backe againe to Mamume wherevnto he had also annexed certaine tokens and Signes touching the prediction of future thinges Which Letters when Mamume had read it is sayde that he was rauished with suche an ardent desire and zeale toward Leo that he exclaymed in thys sort O happie and thrise happie are they I saye O Diuine Leo which haue the compaignie and fruition of thy presence Then foorthwith he sent a solemne Ambassade with great rewardes and ryche presentes vnto the Emperour and wrate hys Letters also vnto him as foloweth I was fully determyned as it becommeth an vnfeigned friende to haue come my selfe vnto thée but sithens the waightie affaires of our Empyre and the gouernaunce of a most fierce and wylde people by God committed vnto my charge from whom all power and superioritie floweth wil not so permitte I am faine in my stéede to sende vnto thée my Ambassadours with request that it may please thée to sende vnto mée Leo a man endued wyth great singularitie in the knowledge of Philosophie and other Sciences soiourning and makyng his abode wythin thy Citie of Constantinople That he dwelling a while wyth mée may geue mee instructions and make me partaker of his doctrine 〈…〉 feruently enamoured and as it were 〈…〉 Doe not I pray thée deferre the 〈…〉 my request because of any diuersitie 〈…〉 or for any vnkinde dealings between 〈…〉 deale with me herein like a friende For 〈…〉 and curtesie wée will giue vnto thée a. M. It in 〈…〉 and wil enter into an infringible league and perpetuall amitie with thée and al thy Dominions Which request the Emperour would not graunt least the Sciences for which the Romanes were renowmed and had in admiration among al Nations should be communicated discouered to the Barbarous people Wherin he being a Greeque and a Christian might full well haue learned at the handes of a barbarous person and Idolatrous Infidel to reuerence and condignely estéeme verrue which thing would God Princes and noble men in this age admonished by this goodly example would doe For euer afterward he had Leo in great honour and promoted him to great wealth and dignitie and restored him againe to his See and Byshopprike of Thessalonica where he was highly honoured and of al men reuerenced for that through his forecasting wyt surpassing knowledge he conuerted and brought the land and grounde of Thessalonica from barainnesse sterilitie to fruitfulnes and fertilitie But nowe it is time for vs to retourne to discourse of Occidentall matters The Saracenes of Mauritania transfreting out of Sicile wherein they had taken and of longe tyme vsurped manye Townes into Italie vnder the guyding and conducte of Saba besieged Tarenâ—o The Greeke and Venetian Nauies ioyning in one arriued in Calabria to reise the Siege and to rescew the Citie Wherefore hearing Saba seyning as though he had beene afraide to th' intent he might the rather allure and prouoke the enemie to coape with him reysed his Siege and discamped and like as though he had bene loath to meddle retyred into the region of Crotona where béeing afterward assayled and set vpon at the first brunt he discomfited and put to flight the Greekes and theÌ„ the whole puyssaunce of the Saracens was all bent turned against the Venetians fighting and defending themselues manfully and a few of them in number being by a Nauie so strong and mightie circumueÌ„ted were partly slain partly drowned but the Venetians in that conflict perished and were brought to confusion euerichone which victory set Saba so a flote ingenerated in him such haultinesse and pride that spedely coasting ouer the Ionian Sea he arriued in the coast of Illyria practising therin along the prouinciall borders great pillage and robberie and hearing that the Venetian fléete was retourning homeward laden with Wares out of Syria be brought about his Nauie with all expedicion into the Bay of Trieste and from thence insidiously and sodainly setting vpon them spoyled and killed the Marchauntes and Mariners and all the Rowers their rooted hatred and spightfull rancour toward the VenetiaÌ„ name was so vnappeaseable Lewsing thence he cut his course toward Aucon a noble Citie of Picene where there is a goodly haueÌ„ and it forcibly tooke and being taken sacked and last of all consumed it
all Hetruria to assist and ioyne side with hym for the repulse of this daungerous inuasion Whiche Alberick with a mighty armie that he had leuied in his owne Countrey and partly also mustered and taken vp in and about Rome encountred them after they had set foote within the Romane Terrytorie and at the firste not far from the Citie in Battaile them vanquished but afterwards at the riuer of Leyre about the Citie Minturne he so notably discomfited them that they were now resolued and fully purposed altogether to depart quight out of Italy Wherfore burning all alonge the Sea coaste as they went they departed into Apulia and buyldinge a Castle vpon Mount Gargan and vnder the rydge of the same Mount a Towne strongly fenced and fortyfied for the warres they continued there for many yéeres sore infesting and spoyling Italye Then they tooke Beneuent and it ransacked and after fiered Whiche terrible example so amazed and astonned the other cities adioining that without resistaunce they receiued the Garrisons of that nacion within their walles But ayde beinge sent by the Pope the barbarous Mawmettes doynge all rather with pyllage and robberie then with any iust war departed without any battaile out of the Romane limits and dominions And an other fléete of the same nacion comminge out of Affrica after long and cruell Siege tooke the citie of Geane and at their first entree slue all the defendants but the Maydenes Damoselles Matrones and younge boyes they shipped and caried away with them into Africa But Dandulus Venetus writeth the al of the Male sexe retourned afterwarde home againe into their Countrey but how and by what meanes that came to passe is by none declared nor written Geane was wonne and taken in the yeare after the incarnacion 935. And the Saracenes being first dispossessed of the Castle of Mount Gargan by the Dalmatians and afterwards in many ouerthrowes weakened and vanquished by the Pannonians were lastlye by Otho Emperour of Germaines in the yéere of our Lorde 969. quight expulsed and driuen out of Italy The Greekes doo héere make their auaunt that Italy was deliuered and rid out of the seruitude and dreadfull oppression of the Saracens through the aide and helpe of their Constantinopolytane Emperoure in that the French succoured and relieued them for the good wyl and friendshippe that they bare to their Emperoure For they say that the Italyans hearinge Rhagusium to bee rescued and deliuered from the Siege by the Greekish Nauy submitted themselues vnder the obeisaunce of the Empyre and requested ayd also for themselues Whervpon Basilius by his Letters directed addressed vnto the Frenth King treated with him to aide them and by him was the Sultane taken and brought to Capua who afterwarde by the fauorable meanes of the Commons of Capua with whom he had conspired against the King was set at liberty and the King being thence expulsed he inferred warre vpon the Capuans but by the ayde of the Greekes which came against him he packed and went away This French King of whom they surmise this talke and Historye I thinke should be Carolus Crassus the fifte Emperoure of Germaines but for the trueth thereof I referre you to my Authours the Greekes whom I wyl shall shifte for themseues touching the credit of the premisses a most noble victorye He wasted and subuerted Berraea al sauing the Castle where he found great store of riches and treasure and taking innumerable of them prisoners deliuered many Christians out of thraldome Afterward this Nicephorus Phocas being aduauÌ„ced to the Empire Duke Manuel the Bastard sonne of Leo was sent with a mighty Nauie against the Saracens into Sicile where through negligence want of skill he with all his hoast was slaine And at the very same time Iohn Zimisca afterward Emperour being sent into Cilicia had the vpperhand of the Saracens at the Citie of Adana TheÌ„ Nicephorus himself in persoÌ„ with a great power entred into Cilicia and tooke Anabarza Rosa and Adana thrée proper Cities of that Prouince with many other stronge holdes and Castles which done he returned into Cappadocia and there wintered In the beginning of the nexte Spring he went thither againe and sent his brother Leo with a part of his army to Tharsus himselfe laid siege to Mopsihestia through the middle wherof there ranne a riuer named Sarus While the Emperour layde harde siege and sore distressed the one side thereof the Saracens seeing no remedie set fire in that part and departed vnto the other part which being also conquered and wonne he slew of them euery man When the Tharsians hearde thereof they submitted themselues to the Emperoures grace And within thrée daies after a Nauie was sent out of Aegypt to ayde the Tharsians which could not attaine to land and in their returne homeward what with force of weather and blustering windes and what with incursions of the Romane Gallayes they were for the most parte all lost and cast away When the Emperour was retourned home to Constantinople he caused the brasen gates which he had brought froÌ„ the winning of Tharsus Mopsihestia of excellent workmanship curious art to be set on the East West side of the Castle with other new ornaments garnishments of his owne cost added therto Then he inuaded Syria and hauing partly beaten downe and partly wasted the Cities about Libanus the Sea coast he came before Antioch which Citie standeth vpon the riuer Orontes But the Antiochians standing at resistaunce and also victual in his Camp waxing very scant beside such continuall raine that the ground was all ouerflowen couered with water he was faine to builde a Bastyle on the Mount Taurus which is at this day is called Maurus leauing there behind him to infest skirmish with the Antiochians Michael Burze whom he had aduauÌ„ced to be one of his chief Nobilitie inuested with the tytle of the Capitaine of Mount Taurus And appointed one of his Eunuches named Peter a valiant constant skilful warriour master of his Tentes and Pauilions to sée order taken prouided for the wintering of hs host in Cilicia after which order â—o takeÌ„ he returned to Constantinople Burzes with many venturous Râ—ades excursions laid sore to the charge of the Antiochian Saracens and them greatly molested studying by all meanes to wynne honour and glorie by déedes of Armes and to take the Citie Vppon a time he priuily measured out the altitude and height of the Tower of the same and preparing scaling Ladders equall in height therewyth in a very darke and snowye Winter nyght he came secretely and without making any noyse vnder the walles of the Citie where setting vp his Ladders with CCC men that he had brought thyther with him for the same purpose he mounted vp and kylled the watchmen and keepers of the Tower and as manye as hee could méete withall and straightwayes dispatched a Currour to the Maister of the Tentes and Pauilions to aduertyze him how the case
raigning in Sycilie fell at discorde and variaunce betwéene themselues wherevppon the one of them desired ayde and assistance of the Emperoure Who immediatlie sent George Maniaces a noble Counsaillour and expert Warriour with a tall companye of Men to ayde hym But before he could come into Sycile the two Brothers were reconcyled and made Fréendes and ioyninge bothe their powers together to repulse Maniaces from landing in the Islandes sent also for ayde to Carthage But when both the armies were clasped together in battayle the victorie fell vnto the Romanes who gaue vnto the Saracenes a notable ouerthrow and slew of them a great number Which done the Generall rased and destroyed xiii Cities and from thence marching styll forwarde recouered and restored againe all Sycile to the Romane Empyre But in the Orient it was a fayre hap that the Citie of Edessa had not bene surprised by the Saracenes For twelue of the chiefe Princes or Nobles of them brought fiue hundreth Camelles to Edessa euery one laden with two Chestes a péece and in euery Chest an armed souldiour pretending and saying that their comming was to present the Emperoure with certaine rewardes and giftes Their intent was if they might haue bene let in the next night with their armed Souldiours in the Chestes to haue taken the Citie But their subtile stratageme and crafty conueighance missed of hoped effect by this meanes There was a certayne Begger an Armenian borne whiche could well vnderstande and speake the Arabian language This poore Armenian begging the charitable almes of the Arabians which lodged abroad without the Citie chaunced to heare one of them in the Chestes asking an other of his fellowes where they were and immediatlye departinge from them went into the Citie and discouered this trecherous traine to the Prouoste Who by this meanes hauing ynckeling and intelligence thereof left the Princes of the Arabians banquetynge and making good chéere in the Citie and with a conuenient number of Citezens issued out of the Gates and openinge the Chestes kylled all the armed men in the same And comming back againe into the Citie killed also all the Princes and Capitaines of them sauing onely one whose two handes he chopped off and curtaylyng his nose and eares sent him away packinge with a Flea in his eare to carry news home of their good spéede and aduenture On the other side when the Caliph of Cairoan in Aphrica vnderstoode of the losse and destruction of his Armies he went himselfe in person with a greater Armye into Sycile Against whom Maniaces came with a maine power commaunding the Admyrall of his Nauy dilygently to looke to his charge and so narowly to scoure the Coastes and kéepe the Sea that the vanquished Carthaginians should by no meanes escape And then both the Armies grapeled together in a terrible and moste sharpe conflicte wherein were slaine so many of the Saracenes that they could by no meanes be numbred But their Prince escaping out of the Féelde embarked himselfe with all spéede possible in a Brigandine and retourned home in safetie Now Tangrolipix Kinge of Persia hauynge set all the affaires of his Kingdome in good staye and order made Warre vppon Pisasirye chiefe Gouernour of Babilon and ouercame him in many battayles and last of al flewe him And so the Babylonians being subdued and annexed to his Domynions he sent Cutlume his Nepheu with an Armye againste Carbese Kinge of Arabie Of whom Cutlume being ouercome desired by his Ambassadours of Stephan Regent of Media which countrey is now called Baas Prachan to geue him leaue with hys people to passe throughe the borders of his Countrey and iurisdiction Which request Stephan did not onely flatly denie but also armed himselfe and went againste him Notwithstanding he left many of his men and was himselfe taken Prisoner And so Cutlume retourning home to Tangrolipix recompted vnto him his successe in the Median warre and highly extolled the fertilitie and fruitfulnes of that region affyrming that the same was verie easie to be wonne But Tangrolipix being sore offended with him for his late discomfiture went himselfe against the Arabians Cutlume for feare fled away with his company and taking a Citie of the Chorasmiorians named Pasar reuolted from the Sultan But the Sultane winking at this matter and letting it slippe for a whyle helde on his voyage with his whole Hoast against the Arabians by whom he also was put to flight and so comming home with more losse then gaine with the greatest part of his Hoast besieged Cutlume But Cutlume reposing great trust and assuraunce in the naturall situation and strength of the place long time resisted him In the meane seasō Tangrolipix sent Asan his other Nephew surnamed Surdus with .xx. M. wel appointed Souldiours into Media Who rushing with his inuasiue power into the Prouince and ioyning Battaile with the Romanes was with his whole Hoast excepting a very few slaine The Sultan vnderstanding therof and minding to winne his honour againe for so notable a losse and ouerthrowe sent one Alim Abramie with a hundreth thousand fighting men into the same Prouince againe The Regent of the Countrey sent to the Emperour for aide thought it best for him not to fight with the Turkes till Liparites Prouost of a part of Iberia were come with his Iberians to ayde him The Romanes kept thēselues within theyr fortes strong Holdes wherfore Alim séeing that they minded not to trie matter with him by force of battaile assaulted a small vnwalled village called Arzen where innumerable wealthy Merchauntes dwelled supposing the same would haue bene got and surrendred vnto hym at the first brunt in a maner without resistance But it happened not altogether according to his expectatiō For the Townesmen stopped his wayes and passages with great Timber logges threw dartes and other weapons at them from the toppes of their houses and slew many of them Alim after that he had giuen the assaulte vnto it by the space of sixe continual dayes saw the stoute hearts of the Citizens in defending and that he could not conueniently lye any longer at the Siege therof threw wilde fire into the houses which flamed and in euery place so raged that the Inhabitants to laue their liues fled And by this meanes the Turkes wanne the village wherein they found much Gold and store of rychesse which the fire had not consumed From thence they discamped sped them toward the Romane Armye vnto whose ayde Liparites was now come with the power of Iberia Both the Battayles ioygnyng together a lyttle before nyghte the Turkes were discomfited and put to flight whom the Romanes chased and pursued till farre in the nyght Albeit in this conflicte Liparites who ledde the one wing of the Battayle was taken Prisoner and brought to the Sultan For whose raunsome and redeliuerie the Emperour sent a great masse of money and other rewardes to the Sultan desiring him also that a peace and league might bée concluded betwéene them
But the Sultan sending backe all the money and Giftes frankely delyuered Liparites without any panie aduising him after that tyme neuer to beare armour against the Turkes And beside this hee sent an Ambassadour vnto the Emperour one of the worthyest in degree in all his Courte called Seriphes which Dignitie is so high among them that after the deathe of the Caliph the Seriphes succéedeth in his roome For the Turkes euen at the firste embracing the doctrine of Mahomet reuerenced and had in great honour and estimation their Caliphas as Priestes and Byshoppes of their Lawe notwithstanding they debarred them from wearing the Imperiall Crowne or entermedling with any iuridicall power in prophane matters within their Empyre This stately Ambassadour comming to Constantinople was brought before the Emperour before whom he proudely shewed his Commission which was to demaunde a Tribute to bée payde by the Emperour to the Sultane But he was fayne to retourne without spéeding hys errand Wherefore the Sultane takyng Pepper in the Nose made Warre and went himselfe agaynst the Romanes And when hee was come as farre as Comium a Citie of Iberia because the Inhabitauntes of the Countrey had included themselues and theyr goodes wyth all thinges necessarie in Holdes and Castles whereof the number at that tyme in Iberia was great and hearing that the Romanes mustered and assembled a great power about Caesarea to come agaynst him hee retyred without doyng any notable exployte worthy of remembraunce backe agayne into Media where lykewyse fynding all places walled and Bulwarked hys full determination was to wynne his purpose by Siege And first of all hee attempted the wynning of Mantzichierte a Citie standyng in the playne champion Countrey vaumured and strengthened wyth three stronge Walles hauing wythin it many Fountaynes and lyuely Springes of Water whiche Citie by the foresight and prouision of the Townesmen was verye well victualled And encampyng hymselfe néere to the Walles gaue an assaulte vnto the same .xxx. continuall dayes without any ceassing with all kynde of Engynes and Warlike Instrumentes But in the end perceyuing hys attempte to bée in vayne and hauyng no hope of better successe raysed hys Siege and departed wyth the losse of many of his people Then he pursued his Nephewe Abramie who was nowe confederate and tooke parte wyth his Cosen Cutlume and him in Battayle néere to the Citie of Pasaris ouercame and slew But Cutlume wyth sire thousande in his companye among whom was Melech the Sonne of Abramie saued himselfe by flighte and by hys Ambassadours sued to the Emperour Constantine Ducas to bee receiued into his fauour and protection and that a League myght bee confyrmed betweene them staying for an aunswere in Persarmenia at the Citie Charse But because the Sultane folowyng at hys heeles was commyng wyth a power into Iberia Cutlume fledde into Arabia Foelix The Sultane spoyled and wasted all as hee went in Iberia but hearyng that Michael was commyng wyth an Armye agaynst hym and thinking it muche dishonorable for him to deale wyth the Emperours Seruaunt retyred agayne into his owne Territories leauyng behinde hym one of his Captayne 's named Samuch a man of base parentage and lowe hyrthe but in Martiall affaires a ryght excellent Capitayne This Samuch remayning styll hehynde with 3000. men coasted and strayed about the playne Countrey of the greater Armenia and wyth many sodayne incursions infested the frontiers of the Romane Empyrâ— After this Diogenes being Romane Emperour the Sultan againe with a great power entred within the precinct and limytes of the Romane dominions But the Emperour comming with an Army against hym hes retyred backe and deuiding his Hoast into two partes sent the one into South Asia the other into north Asia which spoyled all as they went and sodaynly surprising the citie of new Cesaria sacked it and being full laden with bootie and pray departed thence But the Emperoure when he heard of it takinge with him a Bande of lustier and nimbeler Souldiours coasting the néerest way ouer hill and dale through thick and thinne to get betwéene his enemies and home so vigoriouslye and sodaynly set vpon them and therewitall so teryfied and dismayed them that they trustinge to their Legges leaâ—t all their pray and cariage behinde them Notwithstanding their was no great number of them flaine because the Romanes being with their long iournaie weared were not hable to folowe the chase farre but they rescued and delyuered manye Prisoners whiche before had bene taken From thence making his voyage into Syria where hee sent out part of his Army to Melitena he brought home from Chalep great Booties both of men and beastes and tooke Hierapolis in Syria by surrendrie After this the Emperour lying at Hierapolis hearing newes that the Turkes had vanquished part of the Romane Armies sped himselfe thitherward in all hast to succoure his distressed Souldiours and afflicted Subiectes The Capitayne of Chalep hearing of this ouerthrowe geuen to the Romanes renounced his allegiaunce and fled with all his trayne to the Turkes And when the Enemies had enuironed the Romane Campe round about the emperoure without geuing any knowledge to them that hee woulde fight brought ought his Armie and without the sounde either of Trumpet or other manyfest token gaue the charge and onset vpon them and put them to flight ere they had warning or time to resist Then he buylte and erected a Castle at Hierapolis and after he had taken many other Townes he came to Alexandria a citie of Cilicia And takinge order for the winteringe of his Hoast where they shoulde not be pynched with famyne nor scarcitie of victuall retourned home to Constantinople In the beginning of the next spring the Emperour making an other voyage to Caesarea was certaynly enformed that a great company of Turkes forraged and spoyled that prouince whom after he had either slayne or taken hee tooke his iournay to Euphrates and there leauing parte of his Army vnder the conduct of Philaretus he himselfe went northward The Turkes putting Philaretus his Souldyours in great feare ieoperdie got all their trinketes and cariage and marching forwarde into Cappadocia wasting and making hauocke as they went came to Iconium a Citie at that time moste flourishinge and renowmed The Emperoure hauinge intelligence hereof at Sebastia spedde him thitherward But hearing by the way that his Enemies had destroyed and rased the Citie and vpon the brute and report of his coming and approche to be departed he delyuered parte of the Romane Legions to Cathagurio Capitaine of Antioch commaunding him foorthwith to repayre to Mopsihestia where the Turkes shoulde passe and there to set vpon them But ere they could come so farre the Turkes were bidde to a colde breakefast by the Armenians in the plaine of Tharsus and distrussed in a manner of all they had hearing further that the Romanes were planted at Mopsihestia to receiue them if they passed that way fledde by night After this in the beginning of the Spring the Turks â—ftsoones inuadinge
and infestinge the Romane Prouinces were vaunted and ouercome by Mychael Comnenus Generall and Chieftaine for the Emperoure and within awhile after the same Michael being sent by the Emperoure into Syria with a lesse power for certayne spight and hartburning borne agaynst hym was vanquished and taken of the Turkes After this the Emperoure in person with a great power went into the orientall Prouinces and entamping at a place called Criapega in a battayle whiche hee fought with his Enemies wher the Scythians that were in his Army forsoke him and fled to the Turkes most manfully fightinge was taken and brought before the Sultane whose name then was Axan for Tangrolipix was now dead This Axan as he was a most precise man and of great moderation and prudence when hee certainlye knew that it was the Emperour for he would not beléeue it was he till the Ambassadours vnto him before sent affirmed it was he indéede and certayne Greeke Capitaines whiche hee had in Prison being brought before him fel downe and prostrated themselues at his féete curteously lifted hym vp from the ground lying prostrate and knée lynge at his Feete as the custome and manner is for them that acknowledge themselues vanquished and so louinglye embraced him as though he had bene his owne Brother speakinge vnto hym these comfortable wordes folowyng I would not wish you moste noble Emperour to lament and sorow for this your present chaunce and miserie For such is the state and course of this worlde that the fortune of Warre sometime allotteth victorie to one sometime to an other humbleth one and aduaunceth an other Your Maiestie hath moste puissauntlye quitte your selfe in many notable Battayles your valiaunt courage and inuincible prowesse in warlyke affaires shall euer be renowmed and spoken of yf you now shew your selfe to be no lesse pacient and stoute in aduersitie then you were prudent and wise in prosperitie Albeit at my handes you shall not be vsed as a Captiue and prisoner but lyke an Emperour and as is most sitting for one of your estate And immediatly he apointed vnto him a most Princelye and rych Tabernacle with seruauntes to await and geue attendaunce vppon his Person and all other furniture méete for an Emperour And caused him to sit at his owne table next vnto himselfe for his sake set at lybertie as many Prisoners as he would demaunde Which Princely curtesie argued that he had regarde to humane mutabilitie and fickle state considering the same missehappe might as well haue happened vnto hym Thus these two mighty Princes keping company famylyerly together for certayne dayes talking most fréendly one to an other at last established and concluded a perpetuall and infringible peace for euer to continue betwene them and vpon promise of affinitie by Mariage betwéene their Children to be solempnised hee franklie delyuered and fréely dismissed Diogenes with a great traine of honorable Personages awaighting vppon him and gaue vnto hym a riche sute of Princelye Apparaile But after that Diogenes was at Constantinople murthered by his owne People Axan the Sultane hearinge thereof and greatlie lamentinge his death for reuenge thereof sent out his Armies not now to pylfer and robbe as before but to subdue and vtterlie to reduce the same vnder his subiection Against whom Michael Ducas the Emperour sent Isaac Comnenus with a great power who was ouercome and taken of the Turkes and payde a great Summe of Money for his Raunsome After this Cutlume Nepheiu to Tangrolipix as before hath béene declared leuyinge agreat Power some the Citie of Hierusalem and some with muche labour and effusion of bloude regained other Cities and there constituted a Christian Kingdome Nowe this while the Emperour of Constantinople was in league with the other Sultan of the Turkes was Lord of the Prouinces confyning and bordering next vnto Constantinople for wée shewed before howe that those Prouinces were alotted and geuen to Cutlume the which hys Heires after him enioyed and Tangrolipix his Successours had the regiment ouer the Persians and Babylonians and in Aegypt there were yet remayning the remnauntes and residue of the Saracenes But after the death of Cutlume and his Sonne Sultanes of the Occident and Lordes of all Cappadocia one Tanismanye succéeded Of these Christian Capitaines when they were arryued in safetie in Asia the Turkes gaue a great ouerthrowe vnto Raymund watching him at a vauntage when he was entred into the Countrey about Nice vnaduisedly without searche and hym compelled to flie vnto a poore desert towne called Exorgum where after he had bin a certain space besieged throughly wearied with a sewe others yelded to his enemyes The rest which would not yelde and submit themselues after long Siege were partly consumed in skirmishes and partly perished by famyne and such as were taken alyue were slaine euerie one So many as were leste departed first to Nicomedia and from thence remooued to Nice a Citie of Bithynia Whiche Citie while they fiercely assaulted Tanismany or Solyman with lx thousande Turkes yssued out and bent his full force agaynst that part of the Christian Campe which was ledde by the Byshoppe of Podie but the Frenche stoode so stoutly at the receipt that the enemyes were easely repulsed and so at length the Citie of Nice was taken After this there was a sharpe bickering and conflict with Solyman at the fourth Tent pitch from Nicaea For he had gathered together the power of the whole Orient and had procured as much aide from else where as he could TheÌ„ â—conium a Citie standing by Mount Taurus the Seate Royall and Metropolitane Citie of Solyman which at this day is called Cogni and the Pallace of the Princes of Phrygia now called Caramania and Heraclea were wonne Afterwarde Baldwyne diuiding hys Armye into two partes tourned into Cilicia and tooke Tharsus Edessa and Manussa the greater Hoaste wynning Armenia delyuered the regiment and rule thereof to Palmurus an Armenian After this good successe they tooke Cappadocia Caesarea Sororgia and Sura in the Straicts of Mount Taurus When they had passed the Mount Taurus the Turkes aduaunced themselues in a faire plaine but they were easely and with litle adoe discomfited and put to flight by the Latines and from thence marched straight to Antioch a noble and strong Citie in Phaenicia by which the riuer Orontes runneth for there is another of the same name in Pamphilia néere vnto Seleucia and tooke the same by surrendre by reason that the Turkes were afore vanquished in battaile and yelded themselues In which battaile were slaine of the Tuâ—ks a hundreth thousand and xv M. Camelles taken During these broyles the Venetian Fleete beynge CC. sayle and sent to ayde the Latynes wanne a Citie in the Coast of Ionia called Smyrna and the Latines after they had taken Antioch wanne Rugia and Albaria and there Wintered In the Spryng folowing departyng thence they layde Siege fyrst to Tortosa and Tripolis The king of Tripolis submitting himselfe was receiued vnder Protection but Tortosa
for euer be ill reported of and reuiled in the mouthes and speaches of al men as fugitiues forsakers Traitours of their Liege Emperour as villaines vnthankfull vnmyndfull of God his benefites and which is more should by God his own mouth be accurst and adiudged to endlesse paines sempiternal tortures Wherfore he aduised thē to plucke vp their heartes and by his example euery one to make for himself a way passage with his sword Whē he had finished these his spéeches with those few that he had left be made streyght into the middest of his enemies and after many woundes geuen and taken on either side breaking through the Turkes araie and being so slashed and hewen in all his body that thirtie Arrowes or the rabout stacke fast in his Target and not able to take vp his own Bassenet or headpéece that was stroken of yet maugre their heades hee escaped and went throughe the thickest crowde of them The other Legions were on euery side slaine and brought to their bane and troden down one of another Such as escaped alyue and were passed these perillous Streictes in safetie were neuerthelesse slayne and quelled by their enemies in the other vallay beyond For the passage in that place was diuided into .vij. déepe vallayes néere one to another and beyng at the first entraunce somewhat broade and roumye was the further a mā went in streicter and narrower All which places the Turkes had fortified planted with their Ambushmētes and garrisons Moreouer there sodainely arose such a terrible gale of blusterous and tempestuous windes which tossed raised vp such habundance of Sand wherof those places are full that both the Armies most fiercely clasping together bickered in the darke as though it had bene at midnight and killed all such as came in their reach without any respect whether they were friendes or foes And in the same place were they Turkes or Romanes horses or other cattel it skilled not for they dyed in heapes together one with another And the valley where this cōflicte was séemed to bee nothing else but a common a large Sepulchre or buriall place for them all But yet at this time there died moe of the Romanes thē of the Turkes specially of the nobler sort such as were the Emperours néere Cosens kinsmen And many being there left halfe aliue lay so buried couered ouer with heapes of dead Carkasses the they were not hable by any meanes by strugling to get themselues out neither was there any at hand to help them for euery one had ynough adoe to labour sweate for his owne life and saluetie In this ougly sort they long languishing in that kind of horrible lothsome torment wer in th' end enforced there to geue vp the Ghost by a death most stinking lothsome and lamentable The Emperour himself panting and out of breath was got al alone vnder a wilde Peare trée to take aire recouer his faint powers hauing with him neither Page Henxmā yeman of his Gard nor kéeper Whom a poore cōmon Souldiour or horsemā of his owne troupe being likewise thither escaped out of the battaile finding in such miserable plight breathlesse and comfortlesse dutifully pitied and bewailed and offering in that his calamitie to minister vnto his Maiestie the best seruice that hée was able raught him vp his Helmet buckeled on hys other Armour that lay héere and there dangling about him Which while he was in doing a certaine Turke ranne hastely vnto him séeing no man there to defend nor rescue him tooke the Emperours horse by the bridle meaning likewise to haue caried away the Emperor himself as prisoner Whom the Emperour with a péece of his broken Speare that he had yet left so blessed and humbasted about the pate that he laid him there on the ground to sléepe Then ranne the other Turkes fiercely vpō him to haue taken him aliue Which he séeing tooke the same horsemans Speare of whō before we spake and with the same run one of his enemies cleane through while the said Souldiour with his naked sword dubbed another of thē shorter by the head and so repulsed kept thē of at the swordes point till tenne other of the Roman souldiors came running to assist them Then was he very desirous to haue ioyned himselfe to the other Legions and most coragiously gaue the aduēture through his enemies but the heapes aswel of dead Carkasses as of Turkes encountring with him in euery corner as he went much hindered and preiudiced his pretence Horse in suche a pace as hee was hable Him had fifty Turkes espied and on ech side enclosed to haue taken but he no more stirred nor amended his pace for them then if no man at all had pursued him When they were clustered about him he drew his sword aud slyced one of them so cleane in the middle from the head downe to his backe together with the Sadle of the Horse also that the residue for feare to be serued with the same sauce kept aloofe and durst not meddle And after that this Frederick was drowned in a riuer the Germaines retourned home agayne About this time there sprong vp great discord and sedition among the Turkes For Clizastlan the mightie Sultan of Iconium when he dyed left foure Sonnes behind him Masute Coppatine Rucratine and Chaichosroes Vnto Masute he bequeathed the principalitie of Amasia Ancira Dorylaeum and certaine other cities of Pontus Vnto Coppatine hee gaue Melitene Caesarea and the Colonie nowe called Taxara Vnto Rucratine hee allotted Amisa Docea and the other Cities vpon the sea Coastes Chaichosroes possessed Iconium the regall seat of the Sultans and with it Lycaonia and Pamphylia and all as far as Cottyanium Coppatine being dead Rucratine and Masute fell together by the eares and stroue for his Segniorie and enheritance But Rucratine for that he was a wittie and skilfull man in martial affaires got the victorie and wyped Masute his nose cleane from all the principalitie of Coppatine their late Brother And being now all in his iolytie and ruffe for this his good successe victorie hauing a monthes mind to catch into his hands Iconium also denounced open warre and sent his deffaunce vnto his Brother Chaichosroes whose Mother was a Christian vnlesse he woulde resigne his Crowne geue place vnto him ouer all his Soueraigntie Whervpon Chaichosroes fled for his refuge and ayd to the emperoure Alexius Angelus as his father had done before him albeit not with so good Fortune and spéede as his father for hee was sent home agayne thence without his purpose He was scantly come to Iconium but hee was expulsed by Rucratine and driuen to flie to Lebune king of Armenia of whom he was freendlie receiued and courteouslie entertayned but as for reléefe and ayde he gotte none wherefore hee retourned to Constantinople and there in poore estate passed out the rest of his dayes During the Empyre of this Alexius Angelus the
to theyr King and so perchaunce in th' ende worke vnto the Romanes some myckle woe and disturbaunce And therfore â—ooding him out with faire wordes and noseling hym in good hope he kept him at a doubtfull staie without geuing any resolute aunswere to his requestes Azatine for that his Parentes were Christians and he himselfe also Christened washed in the SacrameÌ„t of holy Baptisme in his infancie resorted dayly with the Emperour to Sermons and hard the holy Scriptures dayly preached and remained so long with the Emperour till at length by the meanes helpe of the EuropiaÌ„ Scythians he made an escape and fled with his Sun Melecke out of the towne Aenum and passed the ryuer Ister and within a while after dyed and Melecke by Sea passed into Asia to the Tartarians and of them obtained the Kingdome of the Turkish Nation as his fathers enheritance But a certayne Duke named Amurie with a Warlike power him encountred and ouerthrew so that he was faine to flie vnto Heraclea a Citie of Pontus and within a while after again returning to his natiue Cuntry recouering his fathers kingdome within short space was trayterously murthered Thus was the Turkishe Empire subuerted and brought to finall ruyne and from a State of well ordered discipline and magnificence fell to vtter decay and extreeme confusion the cause whereof was for that not onely the Nobilitie and higher Powers dyuided the Kingdome into many sections and partes but many also of baser degrée and obscurer Parentage associatyng vnto them the rascall Peazauntes and vulgar sort practised pylfering and robberie carying nothing with theÌ„ but their Bowe and Quiuer of Arrowes and taking vp their Rowst in the Streictes of the Mountaines made many roades into the Countreys about and the Cities belonging to the Romane Empire For it happened a little before that the garrisons defending the Castles fortresses of the Empyre for want of payment of their féees yéerely stipendes at the Emperours handes woulde serue no longer but departed thence whych being at the first as a thing of small waight and moment neglected was in the ende the cause that the Romane Empyre sustained and incurred most gréeuous daungers and calamities For when the Turkes were displaced and expulsed by the Tartarians they displaced and expulsed the Greekes and looke howe weake they were in comparison of the Tartarians so stronge were they against the Greekes insomuch that at length the matter was decided with open warre and dent of Sworde For the Emperour vnderstanding that a great power of Turkes were vp in Paphlagonia leuyed a very competent Armye to represse and as much as might he to inhibite their violent insolencie least if they shoulde bee still suffered impunely to raunge spoyle without resistaunce it might breede further daunger and inconuenience And therfore when bee had assembled his power together he sent the same being wel appointed against them who encountring the Turks had of them the victory But whilest they disorderly and ouerfarre in chase beyond the ryuer pursued them they fell into the bandes of an Ambushe which the Turkes the night before had there layd for them By meanes wherof they being on th' one side beset with an Haost of freshe Souldiours well appointed in battle aray and on th' other side pent in and enclosed with the ryuer they were slaine almost euery man The Turkes triumphing for thys successe and victorie enroaded afterward within the Roman Territories and came as farre as the ryuer Sangarius and subiugated vnder their obesaunce all from the Pontique Sea and Galatia to the Sea Lycium and Carium and the ryuer of Eurymedon At this time also the Mamalukes which worde by interpretation signifieth Seruauntes or Slaues obtained the Kingdome in Aegypt and aduaunced the limittes of theyr Empyre into Aphrica Lybia as farre as Gades and subdued Phaenicia and Syria and all the Countrey ioyning vpon the Sea coastes Nowe how this came to passe we wyll declare The Caliphes and all the Saracenes lulled in case and noseled in effeminate nycenesse engendred by the delicious and tender allurementes of that pleasaunt Clime and region became so slouthfull that althoughe they possessed a most wealthy and fertile kingdome yet were they easie to bée vanquished and subdued by any and the Caliphes béeyng all geuen to lust Sensualitie and pleasures tooke no care to any thing neyther attempted any enterpryses themselues but executed and administred all their Affaires by a Vicegerente which was called an Admyrall Therefore when as Baldwine King of Hierusalem had made the Kingdome of Aegypt tributarie vnto him which tribute Almericke his brother and Successour claymed as due and payable vnto him and the Aegyptians flatly denying the same Almericke with an Army entred into Aegype and in the deserie vanquished in battayle Dargan the Admirall of the Kingdome wyth all his power and compelled him to flye for his sauegarde into the Citie Bilbis This was about that time of the yéere wheÌ„ the ryuer Nile by course had his yéerely incremente and ouerflowed his Bankes whose Dammes and Scluses the Aegyptians of purpose brake downe because they would stoppe Almericke from further pursuite and victoryewherefore laden wyth spoyle and ryche boofyes of hys enemyes hée retyred backe agayne into hys owne Countrey and Kingdome for feare least hee wyth hys whole Hoast if they had longer raryed should haue bene drowned and swallowed by with the mercylesse water Thys ouerthrow and aduerse fortune of Dargan gaue occasion to Sanar whom the same Dargan a lyttle before perforce had displaced and put out of the office and dignitie of Admyrallship and caused to flye for succour to the Arabians hys Tribe fellowes to go to Norandine the Sonne of Sanguin the most mighty King of Damasco by him to be shrowded from the malice of hys aduersary that Realme and Countrey eftsoones inuaded Aegipt and tooke by force the Citie Bilbis shewinge much crueltie with fire and Sword to all sortes of people sparing neyther age nor Sex. Wherfore Sanar desired ayd of Norandme vpon promise of great Summes of money so long staied and repressed the impetuous course of Almerick his victory till such time that his ayde came of whose comming when Almerick had vnderstandinge he raised his Campe and departed out of Egipt Therfore Syracon who had the leading and conduct of Norandines men finding Egipt without any foraine ayde or succour marched straight to Cayr the chéefe royal Citie of the whole realme â—nd slew Sanar comming out to parle and confer with him And when he had got the possession of the Citie he went to do his dutie and exhibit honour to the Caliph of whom hee was created Admirall of the Lande which dignitie he enioyed a yéere and then died leauingâ— behinde him for his Successoure Saladine his Brothers Sonne a man of a surpassing and polytique wit stoute valyaunt and of nature most franck and lyberall Who immediatlie murthered the Caliph with all his bloudâ— and Progenie
to an other of his sonnes named Gianger the Treasure horse Armur Ornament and Prouince of his slayne Brother but Gianger for very sorrowe of his Brothers death raging against his Father callyng hym wycked dog traytoure and murtherer and bidding pby vpon him refused his offers and drawinge out his owne Dagger presently thrust himselfe through the body and dyed The Turkes Army came into Styria and wanne the townes of Coppa Capenisuar and Baboza And atempting to winne Sigetum they could not with all their power bring it to passe Wherevpon they departed homewarde but first they fyered Baboza Sanmartine Gerosgall Selia San Laurence and Caliange Philip Kinge of Spaigne furnished out an Nauye to conquere Tripolis or the I le Gerbe which Fléete aryuing in Gerbe and ioyninge battaile with the Turkes was put to a shrewde afterdeale ouerthrow For there were slaine of them out of hande to the number of xviii thousande persons The Turkes in this conflicte tooke xxvii Galleyes one Foyst of force and fouretene great Hulkes In the beginning of the same yéere the Turkes wanne a strong Holde in Hungary named Filech and afterwarde a Truce was taken betwene the Emperour Ferdinando and Solyman the great Turke so long as Ferdinando lyued The great Turke sent his Ambassadour to Ferdinando who from the great Turke his Maister presented vnto the said Emperour a goodly Ienet richlye trapped and 4. Camelles with sundrye Christian Prisoners Maximilyan now Emperoure by the Lorde Lazarus Swendy his Generall conquered beat downe a strong holde Fort called Tochay belonging to Iohn Vaiuoda which was eigerly defended by the Turkes King Philip sent Garzias Captaine of his Gallyes and Admyrall of those Seas with a goodly Nauie to wynne a stronge Castle belonging to the Turkes called Del Peuol di Velez standing vpon the coast of Africa from whence Turkish Pyrates were often wont to infest the Spanishe Seas and take suche as traueiled that waye Which in .vj. â—ayes they tooke for that the Turkes defending it in the still time of the night fled away Solyman besieged the I le of Malta wonne the Castle of S. Helme but not able to winne the rest he left all and departed with great losse of his men Solyman with a huige power entred into Hungarie and besieged Sigeth and Iula And there dyed the iiij of September leauing behinde him for Heyre to all his dominions and Kingdomes his sonne Selyme now Emperour of Turkes Whose tyrannie and rage God for his mercyes sake inhibite and qualefie that he vse not his power to the destruction and ouerthrowe of Christendome which with ciuile discord within it selfe is at this present piteously rent asunder and most daungerously dismembred In this Siege the rather to allure his Souldiours to valiaunt enterprises he made Proclamation that whosoeuer brought to him or to his Sonne in law Mechmet Bassa the head of a Sygethian Souldiour should haue in reward .x. Duckattes and after that rate accordingly for so many heades as they brought Beside diuerse other causes the vehemently mooued him to conquere this strong Piece this was one none of the leaste for one of the Turkes Captaines named Begen comming out of Turkie toward Fynfenkyrken or Quinquecclesiae into Hungarie with .1000 freshe Horsemen was encountred by the Erle Seryne Captaine of Sygeth in the night who tooke from him 8 Camels 50 Moyles 60 Horses and fire Wagons laden with Treasure and also gotte ij redde Guydons with a whole piece of riche clothe of Golde and a goodly Iewell This Captaines Horse was betrapped most richly The Pomell of the Sadle backe part was couered ouer with plate of fyne Arabicke work and the rest of the sadle beside the sitting place was plated with Siluer and gylt The Seate of the Sadle was couered with purple Veluet the Trappers and brydle beset with small Turkeys and Rubyes Which horse and furniture was sent by Earle Seryne to the Emperour to Vienna The Captaine Begen although the Erle Serine would faine haue saued him and taken him aliue yet because the Ianitzaries fought so eigerly to deliuer him he was forced to kill both him and them From this Begen the Erle got .xv. thousand Turkishe Hungarish Duckates which should haue payd the Turkishe Souldiours in Fynfenkyrken This valiaunt Gentleman at the Siege of this Fortresse was slaine whose death greatly discoraged all hys company The Turke himselfe althoughe he dyed in the Campe at this Siege certaine dayes before the fortresse were taken yet by the subtyle pollicie and wonderfull silence of Mechmet Bassa his Sonne in lawe his death was kept secrete and vnknowen till the Hold was taken for discoraging his Souldiours Insomuch that the sayde Mechmet Bassa priuely caused Solymans Doctor of Phisicke to be executed and put to death least he shoulde haue blabbed out his death At this Siege were slaine thrée or foure Bassaes 18000. Turkes The Arabians and certeyne other Countreyes began in the beginning of the raigne of this Selyme to rebell against him whom he quickely appeased brought vnder obedience And made a league wyth the King of Persia After this althoughe the Turke had entred in league with the Venetians yet now laying title chalenge to the I le of Cypres he sent his Ambassadour to Venice stately and malapertly to demauÌ„d surrendry of the same vnto him Which saucy request being not graunted he coÌ„trary to league othe promyse first sent out Hali Bassa with 80 Gallyes thither to transport Souldiours Munition freshe victuall other necessaryes Then were appointed as chiefe Generalles two Lordes of his Priuie Councell Mustapha Bassa and Piali Bassa whiche with their mayne power landing in Cypres first wonne the Citie Nicosia but not without greate slaughter and effusion of bloude on both partes The Citie Famagosta was most terrible besieged and sixe times cruelly assaulted and righte valiauntly by the Christians defended so long as their power victuall pouder and Shot remayned But the want of these thinges the state of their Vaymures being by Canon shot beaten downe perished caused the right valiaunt honorable Sig. Bragadino Lord Gouernor of the Citie others of the Venetian Nobilitie there to yeld vp theÌ„selues and the Citie vpon some honorable condicions That is to wit that they might depart with their lyues Armour goods fiue pieces of Ordinaunce thrée of their best Horses and safe passage from thence to Candye with theyr own Gallyes and last of all that the Grecians inhabiting in that Island might dwell there quietly and enioy their goods and possessions peaceably and still reteyne their Christian Religion without either burt or contradiction Al these requests and Articles Mustapha the Turkish Generall graunted and subscribed vnto with his own hand but the cursed Caytif spake one thing with mouth thought an other in heart for the 15 of August the said Sig. Bragadino vpon trust of this Bassa his promise accompanyed with sundry other Lordes Gentlemen and Souldiours came foorth of their Holde and
This yéere the Venetians entred into league with Selyme the Great Turke for confirmation whereof they sent Sig. Francesco Barbero to Constantinople the conditions wherof were that eyther partie should stil kéepe enioy so much as they had alredy in their seueral possessioÌ„s sauing that the Venetians promised the deliuery of Sapotum and resignation of all their tytle in the Forte of xemenicum into the Turkes handes and againe the Turke resigned and graunted vnto them two miles euery way about the Territory of Zara and other their Iurisdictions therabout and that the Venetians for Dalmatia and certeyne other péeces about Zara should yéerely answer on certaine tribute to the said Turke In March this yéere the Moores whom Don Iohn de Austria permitted vpon their humble sute still to inhabite in Tunyce by the egging and procurement of Radamane Viceroy of Algiera entred into conspyracie and deuise how to surprise and winne the new Fort that the Spaniardes had there lately made against whom Salazara was commaunded by Sig. Serbellane to go with a thousand footemen which put the Moorish Drudges to flight and slue of them 1200. Thrée Shippes were sent to Charles the ix Kinge of Fraunce laden with great Horses Lyons Lyberds and other Presentes Whiche colourable curtesie vnder the cloake of glosing flatterie it is thought the Turke vsed the rather to obteyne the Kinges goodwyll and consent that he might winter his Gallyes in the Port Tolonensis But hearing that the King was departed this lyfe before their comming one of them retourned to Constantinople with spéede to intimate to the Turke their Maister the French Kinges death and further to know his pleasure what they should doe In Iune the Emperour and the Turke concluded a peace for fiue yéeres to come In Iulâ—e 300 Turkes landing in Calabria to fetche fresh water and filch some other booties were snatched vp euery one and either slaine or taken Vppon the Seas about Tunyce were seene 350 Saile of the Turkes whose intent and meaning was as very shortly after they brought it to passe to recouer and wynne the new Fort which Sarraglion builded together with Goletta and other Péeces there With whom also a mighty rablement of traiterous Moores about Algiera Tripolis Zerbite ioyned side which dispossessed thence the Spanish garrisons to the great furtherance of their deuelish purposes aâ—d to the lamentable griefe of all Christendome considering what a small way they haue from thence into Spaine so into the rest of other Christian Realmes vnlesse the good and gracious prouidence of our God qualesâ—e and as with a Snaffle reine this raging Beaste and bloudy Tyraunt the common robber of all the world from further inuasion which he graciously graunt for his mercye sake through the mediation of his Sonne Christ our Lord and onely Sauiour Amen FINIS Arabie Arabians are the ofspring of Ismael Affrica Esau inhabited part of Arabie Mahomet Alcorane is a Booke conteyning Mahomettes Law. Oration of Mahomet Horrible and vnnaturable murther First cause of grudge between the Christians and Saracens Mahomet beginneth to ruffle Damasens wonne by Saracenes A valaunt enterprise A lamentable slaughter Of our english money that Sum a mounteth to 40000 li. Peace dearly bought Lustie allowaÌ„ce only to allure men to his Sect. Ambitious Traytor He that hath most money shall haue most friendshippe Rome spoiled Emperour murthered Constantinople besseged seuen yeeres By whome Alcoran was clouted together Doting beliefe of Persians Marocco builded Tribute of Saracenes Christians instly plaged The Emperoure shamefully abused by his owne subiectes Slaughter of Saracens Beautye of a Woman causeth much mischief A most blodie battaile continuing a whole weeke How kings in those daies came into the field with what apparell for what cause All Spayne conquered by Saracenes The great daungers and aduentures of Pelagius His pithye Oration to his Countreymen A miracle of God in deliuering that Christians Traitours caÌ„not prosper long Constantinople again beseiged Constantinople is in compasse xiii miles Burning Glasses Lothsome famyne amonge Saracenes Great plague in Constantinople Shipwreck The Armes of the kingdome of Lyon. How FrauÌ„ce was first named Fraunce inuaded by Saracens Burdeaux taken and diuers other Cities and Townes Great slaughter Two balyaunt sailfull Capytaynes compared together Atine the saracen and Martellus the French. A pleasante and comfortable Oration of Martellus to his Souldiors Charles Charles the Great Kinge Charles cooled the saracens courage xii Peeres of Fraunce Thomas a ranke sedicious traitor and filthy villain Ende of Traytours By whom whervpon the Knightes of the order of S. Iames were first instituted Dronkenes the cause of a generall mishap and slaughter Inferiours take example of their Superiors A Churche buylt with the money the a Saracen payde for his raunsome Rome spoyled by the Saracens A pitifull state A Saracen Prince and all his host slayne An example of great loue and liberalitie toward learninge in a saracene Victory of saracens ouer the Greekes and Venetians Oration of Pope Leo the fourthe to encorage his Romans against the saracens A prayer A reuilinge Blasphemer Italians discomfired the Saracenes Geane takeâ— Antioche taken Granado wonne from the Saracenes Infideles by King Ferdinando Granfather to Charles the fift Anno D. 1492. A miserable king deposed froÌ„ his kingdome by desperation brake his owne necke and his wyues Saracenes were as the right childreÌ„ of Mahomet and Turkes in comparison but Bastardes Antioche taken TyraÌ„nye of Muchumet toward his owne men What a Souldane signifieth Emperoure in great danger A pollicie of the Saracens to haue taken the citie Edessa â–ª A Begger saued the Citie Turkes goe to wrake Emperour taken Prisoner Great curâ—esse of the Sultane An other voyage to Ierusalem Polycie The firste beginninge of the Assassines A thirde voyage toward the holy land One that toke vpon him to flie in the aire What trust is in the promise of a Turke A good Childe A lamentable slaughter of Christians by negligence Valiauntnes of the Emperour A freend at neede Friderick drowned Emperonte deposed by his Sonne in law Cambalu a noble citie of India Peace bringeth plentie The good example of the Prince doth muche good in a Realme A blessed plentie of al things caused through peace and good gouerment I Crowne Imperiall for the Empresse boght with the money that was had of the Turks for Egges in the time of dearth Pollice in Princes Mamalukea Egipt when it first came into the possession of the Turkes These people were after called Mamalukes Beg in the Turkishe language signifieth a Lorde An example of pitie toward them that were fatherlesse The kinges of Persia be right saracenes ⧠IMPRINTED AT London by William How for Abraham Veale dwelling in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Lambe 1575.