others insomuch that within a whyle hys Armye grewe to the number of 50000. men Muchumet stormyng marueilouslye at this ouerthrowe and discomfiture of hys Hoaste caused the eyes of those tenne whom he had appoynted Capitaines to bée pulled out and threatened the rest of the Souldiours which fledde out of the Battaile that so soone as he had vanquished his fees he woulde cloathe them all in womans apparell and leade them as gazing stockes in Triumph before him This done he himselfe in person marcheth against his Enemies His men who before had bene vanquished of the Turkes considering the threates and shamefull handling that was ment towarde them reuolted from Muchumet and fledde to Tangrolipix Who now hauing his Armie encreased with such a warlike Crewe of freshe Souldiours with all his whole power together came against Muchumet by dinte of mortall battaile to trie and finally determine the cause of controuersie betwene them Muchumet with hys power of Saracenes Persians Arabians and Cabirians well appoynted and armed to the number of fyue hundreth thousande and a hundreth Elephantes wyth Towers on theyr backes mette his Enemye at a place called Aspacha where betweene them was fought a cruell and bloudie Battayle and many slayne on bothe partes In this conflicte Muchumet as hee rode vnheedely from ranke to ranke chéeryng his Souldiours and exhorting them to doe valiauntly by meanes of the foltering and stumbling of hys horse fell downe and brake his necke He béeyng once deade his Armye fell to a Parley and composition wyth the Turkes and so wyth one consente and wyll of all sides Tangrolipix was proclaymed King of Persians Who immediately opened a waye and passage for his people into Persia Of whom a great multitude went thyther and oppressing the Persians and Saracenes perforce possessed all the Countrey of Persia They also honoured Tangrolipix by the stile or tytle of Sultane whiche is asmuch to saye as a most Soueraigne Emperour or Kyng of Kinges He displaced the Inhabitauntes of the Countrey out of theyr Offices Roomes and Dignities and placed his owne Nation and people in the same and amonge them empouerishing and vtterly oppressing the Countrey borne persons diuided and parted the whole Region of Persia Also Daber Prince of Aegypt béeyng in League and amitie wyth the Romanes falsefyed hys othe and promise whiche before hee had condiscended vnto and destroyed the Temple at Hierusalem wherein was the Sepulchre of our Sauiour Chryst and all the other holie places in the same For Hierusalem at that tyme was vnder hys obedience and dominion And wythin a whyle after hee sent a Nauie into the Isles called Cyclades to trie some maistries there which Nauie was encountred and mette wythall by the Duke of Samos who tooke .xii. of them as Pryzes with all the men and Capitaines therein and the rest to hys hyghe laude and glory dispersed and scattered After this Argyropylus béeyng Emperour of Constantinople the Arabians wanne all suche Cities as Nicephorus and Iohn Zimisca had taken in Syria and slewe the Garrysons that were lefte to keepe them And the Prynce of Chalep wyth continuall incursions infested Antioche and dyuerse other Cities and Countreyes confyning vppon Syria that were subiecte to the Romane Empyre By whom also the Capitayne of Antioche Constantine béeyng yet alyue was shamefullye vanquished and hardly escaped wyth the losse of manye of hys men In whose office and roome the Emperour appoyntyng another went himselfe wyth a competent number of well furnished Souldiours to snaffle the pretenced outrage and insolent demeanure of the same Prince of Chalep The Chalepians hauing vnderstanding of his approche sent Ambassadours with giftes and rewardes to meete him on the way and to desire pardon for their former temerytie and vndutifull behauiours towardes him offering agayne to submit themselues and from thencefoorth to become his true Vassalles and liege people Whiche submission and peace although manye of his Lordes and Capitaines exhorted him to accepte yet hee hoping easely to subdue the Saracenes and thereby to purchase vnto himselfe a great name and glory would néeds march on and continue his voyage into Syria And when he had strongly encamped himselfe néere to Chalep the Arabians beinge bolde and nimble fellowes and naked with good swift Horses vnder them lyke Dimylaunces planted themselues in euery corner in Ambushes So that if any of their enemies went out on forraging or to fetch water they sodenly brake out and either slew or tooke thē prisoners By reason whereof both the Souldiours and their Horses fainted for thirste and were not hable to doe any seruice Thus they being better acquainted and enured with these incursions and skirmishes tooke heart a grace accusing the Romanes of Slouth and cowardyse and sheweing themselues in great plumpes descēding sodenly from the Hylles with great shoutes and cryes so terryfied and dismayed the Romane Hoast that they tourned their backs fled The emperour himself being there in great danger of his lyfe and forsaken of his Pretorian Souldiours which for feare shifted for themselues and left hym alone had fallē in the Lapse and bene taken Prisoner yf one of his company had not set him vpon his Horse and aduised him to saue him selfe by flight The Saracenes supposinge this their fléeinge to be done but for a pollicie and for the nonce pursued not the chase but entred into the Emperours Tentes where taking a few noble personages and spoylinge his rych Pauilion wherein was great foyson of Treasure and princely furniture departed thence and retyred back lading their Horses with as much as they could cary away In their retourne back they ouercame the countrey of Mesopotamia And the Aegiptian Fléet wasted the coast of Illyricum but they could not goe cleare away For the Greekish Fleet encountered with them and burnt many of them the rest which escaped by flight by tempest were drowned in the Sicillian Sea. Also an other Nauy of a thousand Sayle or there about being sent out of Aphrica spoyled many Islandes and places bordering vpon the sea Coastes But the Romane gallayes chaunceing vpon them tooke certayne sonke many and sent 500. of them prisoners to the Emperour And George Maniaces prouost of all the Cities along the Riuer Euphrates lying at Samosata conquered and rased a citie called Edessa wher he finding an Epistle of our Sauiour Iesus Christ written with his owne hande he sent the same vnto the Emperoure This Citie afterwarde in the Empyre and raigne of Michael Paphlagon was besieged by the Arabians and had bene wonne if Constantine Capitaine of Antioch and Brother to the Emperour had not succoured and relieued the poore Defendauntes that were within it After that the Prince of Aegypt was dead the Quéene his wyfe being a Christian and her son concluded a truce with the Romanes to endure for xxx yéeres and caused the Temple and other holie places at Ierusalem to be restored and newe reedified About this time two Brothers both Saracenes iounctlie and with equall authorytie
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
into a gréeuous sicknesse and maladie insomuch that he saw himselfe not like any longer to liue and fearing least his Sonne Caceme beinge a younge man woulde after the death of him deliuer these young Orphans and fatherlesse Children to Rocene which raigned after his Father Iacob furnished them with money Horse and Guides néedfull for their iourney and sent them home againe to their Mother and Kinsfolkes These Orphans being enformed of their state and noble byrth and by what meanes they had béene preserued which thing before that present thei knew nothinge of their Kinsmen Adherents and fauorers for their fathers sake flocking in from euery part vnto them Ismael the elder of the twaine whose wit was both more pregnant and déeper then his Brothers drawne therto by destiny naturall zeale openlie before his fréends protested that he would neuer rest till he had reuenged the murder and death of his father and after he had made certaine roades into the Marches and Precinctes of the Georgians his power also daylie encreasing he named himselfe Protectoure of Ali his doctrine and defendour of all his authorities and therwithall denounced open Warre vpon Rocene King of Persia and all his pertakers And because he had xij Brothers which contended with him for the succession of the Crowne he flew him and al the rest sauing only Marabeck This Marabeck fledde to Solyman Prince of Turks and requested his ayde wherupon ensued much trouble and great Warres betwéene the Othomannians and Sophians But before he had obtained any ayde of the Turkes to succour him Ismael had wonne not onely al Persia but also atchieued and won many notable victories of the Tartarians And thus the Saracenes expulsing the Turks began agayne to raigne in Persia in the yéere after the natiuitie of our Sauiour Christe 1500. and there do raigne tyll this day And the Turkes with all their powers together hauing conquered all the Romane Prouinces in Asia as farre as the Sea distributed and cast lottes for the same among themselues in which distribution and Lotterie the maigne countrey of Phrygia as far as Philadelphia and néere to Antioch situate vpon the riuer Meander fell vnto Carman Alisure whereof the Countrie was afterwarde named Caramania All from thence to Smyrna and the inner Coast of Ionia happened vnto one Sarcane Magnesia Priene and Ephesus were allotted vnto Sasan From Lydya and Aetolia to Mysia situate by Hellespont Calames and his Sonne Cerasus enioyed From the riuer Sangar to Paphlagonia the Sonnes of Armurius parted among them All within Olympus and the whole Countrey of Bythinia fell vnto Atman otherwise named Othoman of whose race the Emperours of Turkes which euer since and now at this day raigne in Turkye and lineally descended in the yéere of our saluation 1300. Albert the firste of that name descended of the house of Austrich being then Caesar and Emperour of Germanie And from this Othoman Laonicus Chalcondyla an Athenian Paulus Iouius and other both Gréeke and Latine Turcographers doo beginne their Histories wherfore to auoyd tediousnes least after Homere wee shoulde seeme to write an other Ilias héere we make an ende FINIS ¶ A Summarie or breefe Chronicle of Saracens and Turkes continued from the birthe of Mahomet their first péeuish Prophet and Founder till this present yeere 1575 MAhomet the Sonne of Abedela and Emma of the ligne of Ismael was borne at Itraripe in Arabia in the time that Maurice was Emperoure and Gregory the first Pope of Rome Mahomet patched together his Alcorane a Booke containing his pestilēt doctrine grosse opinions through the instinction and procurement of two hereticall Monkes Iohn of Antioch and Sergius of Italy And therewith seducing the light brayned Arabians and other fickle minded people of Asia called them Saracens At the age of xl yéeres he dyed and was burried in Mecha a Citie of Persia Hierusalem after it had bene besteged by the Saracens the full space of two yéeres was taken and spoyled All Syria ouerrunne and wasted by the Saracenes The Saracenes reuolted from the Emperoure of Romanes Antioch destroyed by Saracenes Damascus taken Phaenicia inuaded and Egipt subdued The Saracenes wanne the greatest part of Africa and layed it to their Empyre The moste Noble I le of Rhodes inuaded by the Saracenes and taken out of whiche they caryed awaye with them great abundaunce of Golde and a Noble Image of the Sunne called a Colosse whiche was in height 110. foote The Brasse therof being solde to the Iewes was as much as 900 Camelles coulde carye away They practyzed outragious Pyracie on the Aegean Sea and did much harme to the Isles called Cyclades The Saracens discomfited Olympius the Exarch of Italy with all his Hoast in Sicilie Constantine the fourth entred into league with Muchamed King of Saracens vpon condition that the Saracens shuld pay a great Summe of Gold to the Romanes with a goodly Horse and a Childe of noble byrth The Saracens rushed into Sicilie and after they had taken Syracuse and wasted the whole Countrey they returned backe to Alexandria Constantinople was besieged by the Saracens vnto which they gaue sundry assaultes but al in vaine wherefore they shipped themselues entending to haue returned home but the greater part of them through Shipwracke perished by the way The Romanes ouercame the Saracens and slewe of them 30000. Peace the second time was made betwene the Romanes and the Saracens for xxx yéeres vpon condition that the Saracens should pay yéerely to the Romanes 3000. li. of Gold 50. noble Prisoners and as many Horses The Saracens in the reigne of their King Ammirath inuaded Africa and Lybia caryed away many spoiles After the death of Constantine the Emperour Iustinian entred into league with the Saracens vpon these conditions that they shoulde restore vnto the Empyre Africa and Lybia and pay euery day for the space of ten yéeres a thousande Crownes a Horse and a Childe of noble byrthe in the name of a Tribute Iustinian breaking this League and ioyning battayle with the Saracens receyued at theyr handes much harme and great ouerthrowes The Saracens putting the Romanes to flight greatly enhaunced their name and authoritie contrariwise the dignitie of the Romanes therby greatly decayed Abimelech King of Saracens inuading Africa enioyed not his victory there long The Romans spoyling Syria discomfited 200000. Saracenes While Iustinian and Leontius were striuing for the Empire the Saracens againe inuader 〈◊〉 The Saracens sayling out of Lybia thus yéere set first foote into Spaine wasting Aragon Betica and Lusitanie The Saracens of Asia landed at Constantinople with 300. Saile and fiercely besieged the same both by Sea and lande The same yéere in Bulgaria there were slaine 22000. Saracens Zulcemō King of Saracens dyed in his Camp before Constantinople in whose place succéeded Amirath During this Siege of Constantinople many of the Saracens dyed of famyne plague and colde They that remained alyue meaning to retourne home by tempest on the Sea and Lightening perished being
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
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
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
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
went vnto the Pauilion of Mustapha with the keyes of the Citie of whom at the first they were curteously enterteyned and caused to sit downe by him discoursing with them of sundrye matters and drawing them froÌ„ one tale to another till at leÌ„gth picking a surmysed quarel and specially to Sig. Bragadino sodainly commaunded them all to be pynyoned and to be layde bounde one by one in the market place and in hys presence there to be hewen in péeces As for Sig. Bragadino he first commaunded his eares to be cut of and most vilely to be stretched a long vpon the grounde while Mustapha talked and blasphemously demaunded of him where his Christ was that he helped him no better Then he led him to all the breaches of the Citie making him to carie at once two baskettes of rubbish and earth th' one on hys backe and th' other in his hand slauelyke to euery sundry battry being enforced also and commaunded to kysse the grounde as often as he passed by him After this he was ledde to the Sea side where being set in a Chayre he was wynched vp and fastened to the maineyard of a Galley and hoysed vp with a Crane so high that al the Christian Souldiours and Slaues in the Hauen alreadye shipped might behold and was afterward let downe againe and vpon the Pyllorie in the market place most cruelly fleyed quicke After which most sauage tyraÌ„nie his skinne was stuffed with Straw and hanged vpon the Bowsprit of a foyst to be caryed along the coastes of Syria that al the Port townes might behold and vnderstand who he was The Turkish Army at this Siege of all sortes were in number 200 thousande persons In 79 dayes all which time the Battry still continued 140 thousande yron pellettes were shot into the Citie numbred and séene The Christian Nauy being in number 207 Gallyes 6. Galeazes beside a great nuÌ„ber of Pynnesses and other Shippes and 20. thousande â—all Souldiours of Spayne Italy and Germanie beside the Labourers and Rowers wherof was chiefe General Don Iohn de Austria tooke the Sea at Messana from thence sayling to Coreyra so to Cephalenia séeking the Turkes where being out of Candy enformed of the miserable taking and cruell dealyng at Famagosta were further geuen to vnderstande that the Turks lay at Anker in the Gulph of VelapanÌ„t Spéeding themselues thytherward the Turkes were in a ioly ruffe marueilyng that the Christians curste so fondly hazard themselues vnto certayne death and makyng full reckenyng so to afflict and crush the Christian power at that time that they should neuer be able afterwarde to withstand theÌ„ more But they reckened before their Host and God gaue the victorie For there were taken burnt and sunk of the Turkish Gallyes Galiots and Brygandines 230. There were slayne of the Turkes 30. thousand beside a great number taken prisoners and about xiiii thousand Christians that had bene kept in lothsome captyuitie were set at libertie breaking their chaynes to be reuenged of their extréeme slauerie to helpe the Christians when the Turkishe side began to goe to wreck The chiefe brunt of this conflict was vpon the 6. day of October and lasted foure houres but the slaughter and chase continued all day from morning tyll night insomuch that the Sea séemed redd with bloud for none escaped thence aliue sauing 40. Gallyes which fled at the first beginning The Christians lost seauen Gallyes and were slayne betwéene the number of vi or vii thousande The wind and Sunne was on the backs of the Christians and full in the faces of the Turkes whiche greatlye helped them at this pinch and furthermore the Stemmes of the Turks Gallies were so high that they ouershotte our men which made them to vasten to grappling there beside a great sort of Ianyzaries and commoÌ„ Turkes their Bassa was slaine This yéere the seauenth of October the noble and valyaunt Prince Don Iohn De Austria with 105 Gallyes and 40. great Shippes was sent by Phylip King of Spayne to take and set order in the kingdome of Tunice where was great ruffling and hurly burly for the State. He therfore takyng Ship at Iauagnana had the wynd so fauorable that by noone the next day he arryued at Goletta Afterward there folowed and came to him Marcellus Auria with 29. well trimmed Foysts and the Duke of Sessia with 14. of the Popes gallyes The Turkes in Tunice for dread of his puissaunce whom to their cost not long before they had tryed fled out of Tunice some to Carauana and 400. of them to Bisana sometime called Vtica whom the Bisanes would not receiue nor succour whervpon after many hoat wordes on either party they fell together by the eares among themselues The Bisanes to be the stronger in that byckeringe vnclogged and vnchayned 150. Christian Prisoners whom the Turkes had vsed for Gallye Slaues and them furnished with Weapon and armure By whose help and meane specially the Bisanes got the vpperhande and slue many of the Turkes Which done Don Iohn hauing the goodwyl of the Townesmen sent thither Sig. Salazara the Spaniarde to take possession of the Towne and to sweare the Aâ—â—habitauntes to be true obedient Subiectes to Kinge Philip. Then landing his Army within foure miles of Tunice he sent 2500. Footemen to the citie where they found no body to resist them but onely 200 Moores in the Castle who sayde that they kept the same to the vse of Amidas their Kinge Whom Don Iohn sent Prisoner with his Wife and Children into Sicile because he had bene cause of great discorde and faction in that Countrie and dispossessing the lawfull heyres thereof had violentlye vsurped the same and procured the Turkes to come thither In whose roome be appoynted young Muleasses who sware to be true Vassall vnto Kinge Phylip and to holde his Crowne of hym by Homage whom the Citezins with a goodly peale of Ordinaunce receiued gladlye séemed to admit for their Souereigne Ouer the Castle or chiefe Fort of the Citie he appoynted Sig. Serbellane Captaine The iiij of February 200 footemen and 150 Horsemen of the Garrison of the sayd Sig. Serbellan ioyning also vnto theÌ„ for helpe 4000 Moores yssued out of their Fort and encountred with 1500 Turkes and 3000 Arabians which robbed and spoyled the goods of the Tunicians and gréeuously molested them In which conflict the false harted Moores reuolting and refusing to fight there was taken 150 Christians and two Gunnes Still the Turkes stamping and staring for rage to see the Spanyardes beare rule and authoritie in those quarters priuely in the night the 21 of Februarie surpryzed Canisum killing therein and slaying aboue a thousande persons and after they had vtterly burnt the towne euen to the Castle gate they retyred backe whence they came The Garrison in the Castle to their great griefe all thys while beholding this outragious dealing durst not once aduenture to coape with them for frare of loosing all because they were in number farre fewer their they
muste needes confesse that this reducing of them from their fyrste vnmannerly rudenesse to honeste order and comelinesse was not brought to passe by force and violence but by wisedome equity iustice curteous dealyng and liberall benefites bestowed vpon them all generallye whereby the hartes of the people were rauished and as it were with a certain bond of beneuolence allured to haue them in admiration and to beare vnto them an earneste zeale of dutyfull good wyll And although at the fyrste thei semed after a sort because of the strangnesse thereof to be halfe vnwyllynge yet at length by meanes of benefits receaued and other liberal curtesies together with an vpright equitie in euery respect obserued they brought them into order and ready to consent vnto euerye thinge that seemed honest and profitable By these politique meanes Saturne the auncienteâ—â— founder of Rome reigned firste in Armenia and escaped the conspiracye and force of the mightiest kings of Babilon by nothinge so much as by his iustice aud equitie and the assured good wils of his owne people and by their onely help fleeing the furie and crueltie of Iupiter obtayned and wanne a new kingdome in Italy By this way Romulus the other founder of Rome of a poore and beggarly sheapherd was aduanced to the degree of a king In lyke manner were Numa and Tarquinius Priscus of straungers and priuate persons made Kinges in the same place By such good will and affection of his Souldiers Alexander the Great conquered all the East By concorde the Greeques victoriouslye augmented and enlarged their dominions by concord the common wealth of the Carthaginians grewe to bee moste mightye the same concorde made the Romanes Lordes ouer al Lands and conquerours of al forraine nations In this bond of concord the Sarracens a weake and slender rable of Peyzants at the fyrst being ioyned and linked together ouercame and possessed verye many prouinces beloÌ„ging to the Romane empire by this meanes the power of the Turks at the fyrst euer since hath increased But Insolency Ambition and Discord hath ben the subuersion of all Kingdomes mightye Empires and populous common wealthes For when princes neglecting and forsaking those trades and waies by which their king domes were at the fyrst constituted thinke Money and wealth to be the chief defence and as it were the Sinewes and stayes of their kingdomes when any secret hatred and harte burninge enkindleth betweene them and their people then do they hazard and endaunger both themselues their Royalmes and subiectes to the spoyle of the enemy For nature hath thus ordayned that as we feele perceaue others to be affected towards vs we also ar affected towards theÌ„ Plato his saying is well known concerning y same matter who writeth that as the princes rulers in a common welth are such commonlye bee the people and Citizens of the same Therefore no man ought to marueile why those Princes which set more by their own priuate lucre and gayne then by the publique commodytie of their Realme are many times but slenderlye beloued of their subiectes and that all their Officers vnder them by their euyll example are more carefull to enriche their owne Coffers then to further the common wealth of their countrey Thus mens harts being diuersly bent and their good wils alieuated one from an other the common wealth consequently goeth to wracke confusion These were the causes why the Empyre was first translated from the Chaldayes to the Assyrians from the Assyrians to the Medians from the Medians to the Persians and last of all from the Persians to the Macedonians Discord was the ouerthrow and disparcling of that famous and large Monarchy left by Alexander the Great while his successours not coÌ„tent euery man with his owne Territory quarelled among themselues for the whole Monarchy Discorde abated and tamed the whole power and common wealthe of the Greeques by discorde and ciuill warres the Romane state was destroyed and brought almoste to nothing and agayne the ciuill diuision of the Greeques amonge themselues was the only cause that the flourishing empire of Constantinople was brought vnder the miserable yoke and slauerye of a Nation moste barbarous Discord was the vtter vndooyng and defacyng of the Sarracens Empire as in this History it shall playnly appeare and the same plague doth at this day so infest and trouble all Christendome that I feare and I beseech God my feare may be without effect least wee shall to late rue and lament either the vtter subuersion or at least the miserable oppression thereof What do wee meane therfore seeyng Ambition and her daughter Discorde haue euer bene the causes of so great calamyties and mischieues why doo we thus runne headlong vpon the Swordes poinct and cut one anothers throat why haue we such delyght in ciuill warres and domesticall murder why doo wee not alas for pitie that our mindes should be somuch blinded and bewitched lay asyde all priuate grudges and controuersies which ought rather to be decided by equitie and the infallible lawe of God then with war and effusion of Christian bloud why doo wee not rather bende all our force and power against the professed enemies of Christianitie the coÌ„temners destroyers of all humanitye relygion and learning These warres I say which are deuided into many partes and factions among vs one conspiringe an others bane and thyrsting after his brothers bloud wil in the end bring all Christendome to vtter ruine and wofull desolation Which if they would ioyne in one and liue together in Christian league no doubte Constantinople might be agayn recouered and annexed to the Romane Empire Grecia and a great nnmber of ChristiaÌ„ cuntries now lyuyng in perpetual moorning pitiful slauery might bee deliuered out of the thraldome of vnsufferable tyraunts that Sathanical crew of Turkish lurdens might be expulsed and driuen to trudge out of all Europa and the sincere profession of christian religion there eftsones planted and truely acknowledged Paraduenture some wyll cast doubtes and obiect that this our mortal foe is not neere hand but must be sought out as aforetime in farre countryes that they must passe sundry aduentures ouer many perilous Seas that they must goe a great way beyonde all Europa and set foote into ASIA and Syria by daungerous places vnknowne waies suspect countreies and fierce people But beholde euen at our dores and ready to come into our houses we haue this arrogant and bragging helhound triumphyng ouer vs laughyng at our misfortunes reioycinge to see vs thus to lye together by the eares and gapyng in hope short lye to enioy our goods and Scigniories O dolefull and daungerous times O corrupt and wylfull maners In times past one Peter an Heremite beyng but a poore seely soule was able with exhortyng wordes and orations to perswade three hundreth thousand men to put on armur against the Sarracens and to procure innumerable Gentlemen Potentates with all the power they were able to make to march against them to
bring them as far as into Afia where they valiantly conquered and wanne from the Sarracens many of their Kingdomes and Prouinces For the people in those daies were of themselues so willing to adueuture their liues in Christes quarell against the blasphemers of his name that without any stipend or wages godly zeale so pricked them forwarde they tooke in hand such long Expeditions and weary viages and while Kinges and Rulers were geuen either to rest and riotte or els busyed with ciuill and domesticall warres they caried their weapons into farre Regions to fight against the Infidels and miscreaunt people But now whereas our most mightye and the same most vnmercifull Enemye the great Turke is ready euery day to spyll out bloud and to work our confusion possessing hauing alredy vnder his iurisdiction many of the Christian Prouinces to some others laiyng batterye and siege and hopyng ere it be long to spoyle ouerrunne the rest and albeit that Christendome hath Maximilian an Emperour moste prudent and wyse yet neuerthelesse by the sinister perswasions and deuilish counsailes of some sedicious personnes wâ—slea and kill one an other Which thing I considering and greatly lamentyng the state wherein Christendome presentlye standeth albeit that I being but one man and such a one that lackyng both strength health am able in person to doe no good in the exploites of martiall affaires yet to the intent I might stirre vp and kindle a desire and go dwyl in many others which are better hable to repulse this our common daunger by such examples as are in Histories registred and writen I haue heere taken vppon mee orderlye to describe and set out the Actes of the Sarracens and Turkes buried almost in the rust ye dongeon of cankard oblyuyon that we seeyng by what meanes and sleightes they haue increased and by what folies and ouersightes our power hath diminished may now at length decline and eschue the lyke This whole Historye breeflye comprysinge the whole Discourse of their raignes and conquestes collected aswell out of many Greeque Constantinopolitan and Latine Authours as out of the Chronicles of the Arabians Moores is deuided into three Bookes The firste containeth the natiuitie education raigne and continuaunce of dotynge Mahomet and the beginning of the Saracens with the successe and increase of their Empire euen tyll it was at the highest for two hundreth yeeres space The seconde is contynued from the fyrst inclynation tyll the beginning of the destruction and laste ende thereof contayninge also the space of two hundreth yeeres The third breefly comprehendeth the finall end of it and the original beginning of the Turkishe Empire which succeeded the Saracenical Domination till Othoman the first Emperour of Turks which intreateth of their acts for the space of three hundreth yeeres So that this Historye taketh his beginning at the byrth of Mahomet which was fiue hundred sixty yeeres after the incarnation of our Sauiour Christ and reacheth vnto the yeere one thousand three hundreth As for the seueral Acts of Othoman and other Emperours that succeeded hym we haue heere omitted because they be seuerally written and described by many others But of that argument which wee in these three Books declare and comprehend there is none neither amonge the Latines nor yet the Greeques that I know which hath compiled and made any seuerall Historye Which labour of mine if I may vnderstand to be well lyked and allowed by the iudgment of the honest and learned sorte I wyll heerafter aduenture to take in hande other matters of greater waight and importaunce ¶ The first Booke Wherin is contained their first beginning and originall with the successe and encreasing of theyr Empire I Am purposed to write an Historie concernyng the Actes of the Saracens atchieued aswel in the East as in the West partes of the world first because they were greate and renoumed ouer the face of the whole Earth and brought all things out of good state into tumultuous broyle and confuse disorder and also because this power of theirs encreased through the discorde and dissention of the Christians that we thereby taking example may plainely perceiue and learne what boldnes and strength our ciuill warring and inward variance among our selues giueth to the aduersaries and foes of Christianitie And that we no longer in this sorte offer our throates willingly to be cut by them which desire nothing more then our blood and destruction For first of al this is well ynough knowen that the Romane Empyre which throughe concorde temperance and valiauntnes surmounted and grew to such high Maiestie and estate that all nacions almost in the world were obedienciaries and subiect vnto it when the Citizens being once lulled in to much ease and dronken with superfluitie of riches and wealth began to addict themselues to riot and ambition the verie causes that ouerthrew it when it once began to decline with his owne sway and bignesse and many striued for title of the Crowne receiued at the handes of none such annoyance and calamitie as of the Saracens For although the Gothes most vnmercifully and beastly destroying and making hauocke of the auncient Monumentes of the Romane valiaunce and worthinesse were the first that triumphed ouer them being the people which earst had vanquished and conquered all other nations Although Attila King of the Hunnes like a most raging swifte streame spoyled ouerrunne and destroyed all where euer he came from the Riphaean to the Pyrene Mountaines Although the Lumbards occupyed and forcibly enioyed a great portion of Italy as the Frankes breaking out of Germanie into Gallia also did yet their raignes and dominations in straunge Countryes either continued not long or else at least wise lyuing vnder a more gentle and reasonable Clime chaunged their former conditions acknowledged religion and the August Empyre of the soueraigne Caesars But the Saracens because they woulde séeme to be subduers and ouerthrowers both of the Romane Empire and of all Christian religion also violently breaking and issuyng out of Arabia despoyled and wasted the most noble parts of Asia which in so many sharpe stormes and troublesome garboyles of most fierce people euer before remained frée and vntouched quite abolishing in the same al the studies of good letters and liberall Sciences and whiche is most of all vtterly defacing and inhibiting the true worshipping of God and Christian religion And not only infected the Prouinces of Asia but also almoste all Affrica and the moste parte of Spaine with barbarous rites mystie errours blinde ignorance and with a most deuelish absurde and detestable religion of their owne And from theÌ„ce making sundry Roads into Italy Greece and Fraunce lamentably afflicted and laid wast the same and by continuance sufferance haue planted such a huge Empyre that at this day beyng in Anno. 1575. that is to say .900 yéeres and aboue since it first beganne it dayly threateneth our confusion and is dreadfull to all Christendome For the Turkes who nowe enioy all
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
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
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
Emperor that he would not infringe the League betwéene them concluded at length bent all his power againste the Greeques which inferred warre vpon hym againste the Lawes both of God and man and ouer his army he appoynted for Generall one Muamates Who findinge the Greeques at Sebastonople hanged the Tables of the League vpon a Speare poynt and caused the same to bee borne before him like an Ensigne And calling vpon God to reuenge the breaking and violation therof which were so soleÌ„nelie made and confirmed by taking his holy name â—o witnesse he in good order of battell gave the charge vpon them Albeit first he had corrupted the Sclauoyâ— with money Of whom assoone as the battell was once begun néerehand xx M. reuolted from the Emperour went to the Saracenes which thinge so appauled the Greeques that they were easely ouercome and put to flight and in the chase were kylled almost euery mothers sonne The Emperour Iustinian for he was present himselfe at this conflict dishonorably and shamfully by flight sauing himselfe with a few others in his company assoone as he came to Leucas caused all the remnaunt of the new band of sclauonoys to be put to death and their dead carkesses to bee cast into the Sea Whervpon the saracenes afterward without any damage not only recouered their owne Territories before lost but also inuaded the residue of the Roman Prouinces Sabatius also a noble Senatour and Pretor of Armenia vnderstanding of the wrecks and ouerthrows of the Romans reuolted to the Saracens and betraied into their hands the whole countrie of Armenia Nether did they yet cease to ouerrun the whole East and to leade away the christians into seruitude for y part also of Persia which yet acknowledged the Roman Empire was subdued by Cagian and Muamates with helpe of those Sclauonoy tourning to his side and entring into the Prouince of Thracia spoyled it with Sweard and fire pitifully the Roman Empire being in the meane season with ciuile discords and intestine hatred so disseuered and torne asunder that no man durst set in foote to withstande this outrage The Lord Leoutius hauing exiled Iustinian into the Ile Cherson vsurped the empire and straitwaies sent a Lord of his countrie named Iohn with a nauie to inhibite and stop the violent irruption of the Aphricane saracenes which not content with the midle lande that was graunted vnto them by league for their habitation inuaded a fresh the Countrie néere about the Sea Coastes This man vanquishing the Saracenes in battaile draue them out of the Romane Territories But for as muche as their power and wealth was dreadfull and terrible in Syria and all the East and newes brought by sundry rumours that there was more ayde comming from Abdimelik to the ayde of these Saracens in Affrica Iohn thinking his power vnable to defend and kéepe the possession of the prouince went to Constantinople to fetch more ayde from Leontius leauing his hoast behind him in Affrica But while these things were to slowly purueighed and prepared by Leontius Abdimelik vnderstanding the state of his subiectes in Affrica and sore mooued wyth the late losse by them there sustained furnished out a great Nauie to recouer the Prouince againe With whoÌ„ the Romane fléete thinking themselues not hable to make their part good departed thence into Crete Where the Chieuetaines and Princes consulting together thought it much souÌ„ded to their shame dishonour to returne home hauing thus lost Affrica and left the same open to their enemies and partly moved with displeasure towarde the Emperour which did so dreamingly prouide for the furniture supply of warlicke affaires egged the Mariners to reuolte and to salute Absimar Emperour whom they also called Tybarius He in all hast speeding himself toward ConstaÌ„tinople with an armie and finding Leontius vnprouided without any stop wanne the Citie and taking Leontius cut of his nose and cast him into prison The Saracens forciblie enioyed all Affrica and draue out all the Romane garrisons The most part of them that then inhabited the places of Affrica néere the Sea were of the Gothes lyne This Tyberius immediatly after he was enthronyzed and made Emperour sent his brother Heraclius with a huige armie into Asia against the Saracenes Who inuading Syria pearced into the countrey as farre as Samosata and wasting al the places néere therabout slue néerehand of them two hundreth thousande and taking there many prisoners and great booties brought all the Countrey in great feare of him And at the same time the Princes of Armenia in a sedition killed all the Saracenes which were in Armenia and sending Ambassadours to Absimar receiued the Romanes againe into their Prouince Muamates netteled with these dealinges with a great power set vpon them brought them againe vnder the Saracenicall obeysaunce and burned the chiâ—fe Princes and leaders of the people alyue Then he also inuaded Cilicia spoyling and ruynating it euerie where piteouslie but he escaped not himselfe scotfree For Heraclius encountring with him discomfited a great part of his hoast and tooke the rest prisoners whom he sent bound to Constantinople to the Emperour At which time Abdimelik dyed in the .xxi. yéere of his raigne We shewed before that one Abedramon descended of the Mauronion stock conueyed himselfe into Mauritania in the beginning of Abdimelik his Pontificate and was there in suche estimacion among his people and Sectaries that all the Saracens dwelling in that Prouince reuerenced him as an other Caliph or rather as one greater then a Caliph but for as muche as he entermedled not with any bellicall insurrections and also was farre of Abdimelik did not persecute him so as he did others But yet notwithstanding his name was great in Arabia He dying left a sonne behind him named Vlite who succéeded Abdimelik in the Pontificate was called the Muralmumine in the yéere after the incarnatioÌ„ of Christ .708 During whose raigne Armenia was once againe brought vnder the Romane subiectioÌ„ and the Saracens theÌ„ce expulsed The Arabians making an irruption into the Romane Prouinces tooke by force the citie Mista with many Castles fortified townes and with great booties and prayes returned home Then againe vnder the conduct of Abatius they inuaded Galatia and sacked it miserably and the Emperour Iustinian being againe restored to the Empyre by Trebellius king of Bulgaria the Saracens taking occasion by reason of these new tumultes commotions issued out of Aegipt with a greater preparatioÌ„ power theÌ„ they did before and debellad all Lybia to the Ocean Sea. I call it now Lybia because I haue alreadie shewed that Affrica was before by theÌ„ takeÌ„ which is a part of Lybia to th ende you may vnderstand that I do not speake of a part only which was already conquered but of the whole region For wheras Lybia or the whole couÌ„trey of Affrica being almost on euery side compassed about with water like an Island is on the North enuironed with our Sea on the West
trussed vp al his furniture of houshold with his wife went to Cepta When he was come thither fayning an excuse that his wife was sore sicke he desired the king to geue Caba his doughter leaue to come home and sée her languishing mother who was neuer like to sée her any more For Caba with other Princes and Lordes daughters as the manner was at that time waited in the court Hauing by this meanes receiued home his Daughter he went to Mucas who was as before we shewed the head ruler of all Lybya vnder Vlite and vnto hym he opened from poynt to poynt the whole cause of his comming away from the Court and promysing to make hym Lord of all Spayne if he woulde geue the aduenture take the enterprise in hand Mucas shewed the whole matter vnto Vlite because he durste not deale in such a waightye case withoute his will and pleasure first knowne Of whom he receaued this answer that the matter propounded was of great importaunce and difficultie and that it were not best in such a doubtfull matter to geue rashe credite to a subtyle persone and one altogether estraunged from their Religion Notwithstandinge to trye the trust and faithfulnesse of the Earle he was resolued that the matter might be best assayed by deliuering vnto hym a small crewe of Souldiours at the first and if he sped well and had good successe at the beginning afterward more ayde and greater power might be sent Mucas although he were throughlye perswaded by the Earles talke and motion that althings would sort to good effect yet durst he not passe nor goe beyond the contents of his Commissiō prescribed by vlite Wherefore he delyuered vnto Iulyan one of his Capitaynes named Tarife Auenzarca with a hundred Horsmen 400. footemē Who were all transported in foure Ships into a litle Ile lyinge in that Elbow of Sea that the Promontorie Calpe maketh which I le was afterward of this Capitayne Tarife called Gelriza Tarif Vnto this place Iulyan called and by gentle meanes allured all his friendes and kinsfolkes recomptinge vnto them from poynct to poynt the commodities and plesures which by his labour industrie and perilles the King had receaued for recompence whereof he forgat not to tell them the Kinges vngratitude and the spightfull dishonor doone vnto hys house by the rauishing and deflowryng of his Daughter telling them further that the King did vniustly vsurp that kingdome whiche by rightfull succession of inheritaunce belonged to the Sonnes of Vitiza For which causes he desired their helpynge handes in this so good and iust quarell to assiste hym tellyng them that the next yéere he would come with a conuenient army to performe asmuch as he then spake He so much perswaded them with these and such lyke wordes that they promysed hym when time shoulde serue their best seruice and furtheraunce and there vpon retourned home euery man to his owne house Iulian because he would make a beginning of his purposed warre inuaded the Ile Gades liing in the vtter part of the ocean néere to the narrow sea whiche Ile was afterwarde named Alzira Dalfrada which with Sword and fire he spoyled caryinge the Inhabitantes awaye with hym Prisoners and after that shewed the lyke curtesie to Lusitania and Betica and beyng laden with aboundaunce of spoyles and booties returned into Aphrica Mucas séeing this good successe and thinkyng it a beginninge good ynough delyuered vnto hym twelue thowsande Saracenes beside them before vnder the conducte of the same Tarife With whome hee arriued at the foote of the Promontorie Calpe which Mountayne was thereof afterward called Gabel Traife which is as much to say as the Mount of Traif and now it is called Gibel and setting his Souldiers on land tooke by force the citie Carceia which afterwarde euen till our time was called Tarifa The rumour of this great cōmotion being spred throughout all Spaine the kinsfolkes of Earle Iulian gathering together all the power that they were able and feigning that they went to repulse this Saracenicall inuasiō went straight wayes thither and ioyned themselues with him And so all their powers being linked in one they wasted and haryed al the coast about the Riuer Betis now named Guadolouir and commonly called Andalusia or of the Vandales Vandalusia Roderike in the meane season with as much spéede as he coulde gathered a very great Armie and appointing his Cosen Germaine Ignicus to be Chieuetaine thereof sent him against his enemyes Who making many conflictes and skirmishes with them was at length with all his Armie discomfited and ouerthrowne The Saracens hauing made great pyllage desolation in the Countrey and laden with foyson of many booties and carying a great multitude of Prisoners with them returned into Affrica At which time Vlite beyng in Asia and making preparation to warre with Constantinople dyed after whom Zulciminie the Sonne of Abdimelik was made high Bishop during whose raigne the Saracens the seconde time besieged Constantinople For immediatly after his creation he sent Malsana with an armie by lande and Aumar with an other by Sea against Constantinople and he himselfe with a great power folowed after But this his strong and terrible purpose was for a while defeated by Leo the Praetor of Armenia whō they séeking meanes to entrap and deceiue were themselues by him entrapped and deceaued for he stopping the passages conuenient places through which they must néedes goe hindered their reckening Whilest these thinges were in doyng Mucas comming out of Affrica to congratulate and doe his duetie to Zulciminie the new Byshop declareth vnto him the state of their affaires in Spaine wherevpon he being meruelous desirous to enlarge the limittes of his Empire gaue him in commaundement to send Tarife againe into that Prouince with a mightier armie then any he had before Mucas therfore retourning into Affrica the next yeere folowing transfreted with a buige armie into Spayne kéeping with him as a pledge or hostage Richila Counte of Tingis and cosen to Iulian whom he halfe mistrusted Which armie being once landed on the next coast Roderike speedely gathered the powers of the Prouinces néere about And so with the ayde of the people of Gottalonia now called Catalonia and in tholde time Lacetani the inhabitauntes of Iberia now called Tarracon or Aragon the Cantabrians béeyng at this day in the Kingdome of Nauarre and the people of Gallia Gottica wherein are the Cities Tolosa Nimes vnto the Ryuer Rhone he sodainly and vnlooked for encountred with them at the Ryuer Bedalaces whiche of tholde wryters was called Betis néere to a towne called xerez The Saracenes at that tyme had encamped them selues on that side of the Ryuer where Andalusia standeth and the King wyth hys battaile on the other side wherein the Kingdome of Castile is For the Ryuer Betis springing out of mount Ortospeda in the borders of Aragon and runnyng into the Ocean nexte to the Streightes diuideth Andalusia and the Kyngdome of Granado from Castile and runneth
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
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
owne name Calataiub which is now called Calacaiud But he coulde not perfourme his purpose so fullye aboute the rest because there was diuers in sundrye partes of Spaine whiche vsurpyng the Kingdome were obstacles in his waye For whereas Corduba was the head Citie and Seats royall of all Spayne and the Captainshippes or gouernaunce of al the other Cities and Prouinces were distributed and bestowed vpon the noble men of the Countrey euery one imitating the fact of Abdeluzite called themselues Kinges of those places where their auctoritie and Iurisdiction laye Whereby Spayne was deuided into many Kingdomes as the Kingdome of Syuyle Granado Giaen Murtia Denia Sciatiua whiche was once called Setaba Valentia Tortosia Lerida Fraga Saragoza and mani other les places not of so great fame as these which Kinges so long as they agréed among themselues oftentimes afflicted Christendome with great ouerthrowes and oppressions but after that they fell at discord and intestine variaunce among themselues they gaue occasion to the Christians to recouer Spaine againe into their owne rightfull possession Which thing was first attempted as before we haue shewed by Pelagius who vsinge his valiauntnesse wisedome and myracles to his best commoditie and happelye takyng occasion by this dissention and discorde of his Enemies amonge themselues wanne agayne many cities and deliuered sundry townes out of the miserable thraldome of their tyrannie With hym did Alphonsus the sonne of Peter Duke of Calabria ioyne and take parte being descended of the ancient line of Richared King of Gothes vnto whome Pelagius gaue his Daughter Orismunda in mariage and they two atchiued many notable victories ouer the Miscreaunte Moores In the East after the discease of Aumar the Caliph Gizide the Sonne of Abdimelik succéeded and was installed in the pontificate in the yéere of our Lorde 722. In whose raigne there stepped vp an other Caliph and Gizid in Persia whose name was Moalabs Against whom was sent with a great army Masabnak who vanquished hym in battayle and subdued all Persia and thus Gizid the sonne of Abdimelick was the onely Caliph of all the Saracenes who raigned thrée yéeres and then died After whom his Sonne Euelide was created Caliph who entred the Romane Prouinces in Asia and Europa with a huge power but within a short while without perpetrating any notable exployte worthy of remembraunce he gaue hymselfe altogether to ydlenesse slouth and voluptuousnesse Notwithstanding in the seconde yéere of his Empire he sent Malsamas with an Hoast againe into Cappadocia who tooke the Citie Caesarea and Euelite he sent by an other way into Thracia who hauing wasted and spoyled it retourned into Syria About this time néere the Sea coastes of the lesse Asia the earth in the bottom of the sea burned in such sort that at the first there appeared nothynge but smoke but within awhile after such incredible store of hoat burning Pumise stones as though they had bene litle hilles in the Sea swam aboue water that with the same Pumyses al the shoares of lesse Asia Lesbos Abydos and Macedonia were full and the Sea it self semed all couered ouer a certaine Island at that time appeared and was discouered néere the holy Isle After this Euelide sent one Muauias and Amer with an Hoaste of .90000 Saracenes to besiege Nicaea a Citie of Bithynia which being most fiercely and strongly with all arte and pollicie by them assayled the Christians most valiauntly defending and beating them alwayes back with great slaughter and effusion of bloude at length they raised their Siege and returned home without any harme doing sauing that in their retourne they tooke a little Towne called Ateum Afterward the Prince of Gazaria sonne to Cagan king of Bulgaria warred vpon the Saracens in the borders of Armenia and Gradack the Pretor of Armenia Media a Saracene borne being in battaile vanquished and slaine he brought those two Prouinces againe vnder the subiection of the Romane Empire And in the yéere 730. Malsamas with a huige power entred into the Streightes of Caucasus and gaue battayle vnto the Turkes who at those dayes were called the Hunnes Teutazites which is to saie Gentile a fierre terrible people dwelling within those Mountaynes This blouddy battaile continued a whole day and many slaine on both sides till night came and brake of their fight vncertaine as yet to whether side the victorie woulde incline But Malsamas retired into Armenia for he had now concluded a peace with the sonne of King Cagan During all this while Pelagius hauing good successe in his Spanishe affaires against the Saracenes the Tarraconians liuing in the mountaines by the example of the Asturians created Garcias Scimenecius their King in the denne of Iean Pignia called Panouio And within a while after Pelagius when he had raigned .xiiij. yéeres dyed in the yéere of our Lord. 732. After whom his sonne Fafila succéeded who in the secōd yéere of his raigne was in a wodde deuoured of wilde Beares leauing no childrē behind him These kings appointed the chiefe Citie of their Kingdome at Legio which is now called Leon and bare in their Coate Armour a Lyon purple in a Shielde Argent Not because of the name of the citie where their Seate royall was whiche hath his name not of a Lyon but of a Legion of Souldiours whiche Cocceius Nerua placed there but because they fought so couragiously and eigrely for the sauegard and libertie of their countrey as though they had béene most fierce Lyons In the raigne of this Fafila the Saracenes passed into Fraunce by that part of the Pyrenees that was in their possession by the Mediterranean Sea. Fraunce was then possessed of the Frankes a people of Germanie who about 400. yéeres after the incarnation departing out of their natiue Countrey to séeke some other place where to plant thēselues had that part of high Bourgoyne next to Germanie geuen vnto them to inhabite by Aetius a Romane Senatour who then was Pretor of the Prouince of Gaule because he would haue some strong garrison and defence against the Hunnes who were then issued in great plumpes out of their owne Countrey and vnder the conduct of Attila spoyled and wasted Europa if they shoulde fortune to inuade Gaule which Realme is yet of their name called Fraunce For the Frankes were the warlikest stoutest people in all Germanie inhabiting as I thinke that region or portion thereof which is yet called Franconia or Frankland who afterward by little and little enlarging their dition obtained at length the regiment and Empire of all Fraunce in so muche that the name of the Frankes extended very farre But when the Franke or Frenche Kings addicted themselues to an ydle and voluptuous life and degenerated from the former stoutnes and valiaunce of their Progenitours not executing the administration of their affaires in their owne proper persons but exployted the same by vnder officers of their Court and Graund maisters of their Houshold Pipine the first of that name Sonne of Arnolph
named Cursianum From thence making an other viage with an Army vnto the Streicts of Caucasus found the same so wel defended and fortified by the Vnnes or Turkes that not daring to meddle with them he retyred back agayne And two yéeres after an other army of Saracenes whereof was Generall one Euelit the Sonne of Maunias inauaded againe the Borders of Thracia where after he had made great spoyle he retourned againe into Syria In which Prouince many thousands of Saracenes dyed of sundry diseases Neuerthelesse they abstained nothing the more from making inuasions into the Territoryes that belonged to the Romane Empire For Zulciminie with a huyge power the thyrd time pilfered and haryed Armenia and Thracia and tooke the towne called Syderonium afterward he went into Cappadocia with 60000. men and at the very same time Melike and Batal with a hundreth thousand Saracens brake the fourth time into Thracia But Leo then Emperour marchyng with an Host against them that wasted Thracia destroyed and slew them almost euery one About this time died Euelid in whose place was created Bysshop Gizit the seconde in the yéere of our Lorde 744. Who for that he saw the Romane Empire to be deuided intofactions because Constantine Copronymus the Son of Leo contended with Artabasdus for the Garland addicted and bent his whole mind to dispose and set order in the Saracenicall Empire And because the I le of Ciprus beyng then well peopled brued seditious motions and ruflynge disturbaunces he sent the whole people thereof into Syria and left the Iland without Inhabitantes And when he had raigned one yéere he deceased After him Ices obtayned the pontificate who also dying within lesse then a yéere Maruane was installed and made high Bishoppe Pipine the second bearing all thesway and rulynge all the rost in the Realme of Fraunce the Saracenes eftsoones passinge the Pyrenees were by him surprysed and taken tardy and payde so dearely for their lustinesse that so long as he lyued the neuer durste any more attempt any inuasion or pillage towarde hys land Territory or domynion for which valyance and magnanimitie the Frenchmē by the assent of Zacharie then Pope of Rome deposed Childerick to whome the crowne of Fraunce by lineall descent of inheritaunce belonged and made Pipine their King and with him annoynted as heyre Apparaunt to the Crowne his Sonne Charles who was after surnamed the Great Whom afterward doyng many things of his owne proper will and authoritie contrarye to his Fathers minde and contentment as though he had bene already very Kinge and in reall possession of the Regall Diademe King Pipine his Father exiled out of his sight and commaunded to departe out of all the limytes and boundes of his Domynion and kingdome Wherefore he not darynge to disobey the kinge his Fathers decrée and iudgement tooke with hym many of the French Nobilytie which folowed hym and went to Galasie Kinge of Toledo a Saracene borne Whiche Galasie vsed his helpe aduise and ayde in the warre whiche then he had against Marsilius Kinge of Saragoza a Saracene also as well as he In which warres Charles being Chieuetayne of all the King of Toledo his armye behaued hym selfe like a worthy Knight and many waies endamaged King Marsilius Afterwarde fallynge in loue with Galiana Daughter to the king his Master aduentured and atchieued many worthy enterprises notorious Actes for her sake namely against Bramantes an other Saracen king Who because he would haue had Galiana to his wife maugre her Parentes good wyl besieged Toledo and discomfited the Souldiours both French Saracene which serued vnder the king of Toledo tyll Charles yssuing out to recharge vpon hym coaped with him and slew him with hys own handes This hoat loue continewinge for a time at length brake out so far that vpon a certen time as that damsel for her disport and solace was walkyng in the gardens or baynes by the bankside of the riuer Tagus without the walles of the citie Toledo whiche are at this day called the Palaces of Galiana Charles no longer hable to qualefye his amorous passion stole her away and fled with her to Burdeaux wher he buylded for her a sumpteus palace as lyke in all poyntes to the paterne and situation of the princely Court of Toledo as he could gesse which palace is yet extant and called also by the name of Galiana her Palace Maruane ruling in Syria many sedicious mutines and factious partakings chaunced among the Saracenes many Tyraunts rebelliously reuoulted pretendynge title to the pontificate Whose names were Tebid Dadack and Zulciminie Whom Maruane as traytours to him pursued toke Tebid and put hym to death Zulciminie hauing an ouerthrow fled into Persia But fortune smiled fauored Dadack better then ether of the other twaine for he ioyning battayle with the Sonne of Maruane vanquished hym and discomfited his whole Hoast Albeit he could not long enioy the fruicts of this victory for within awhile after encountring with Maruane himselfe in a cruell battell was ouercome and slaine Constantine Copronymus taking occasion and conceyuing hope of future good lucke by meanes of the Saracens domestical sedition inferred warre vpon Syria wanne a great part of that Prouince Wherfore Maruane hauinge now already gotten the vpperhand of Dadack with al his Adherentes tourned his conquerous Armes to regayne Syria and it recouered to the great slaughter smart of the Christians The same yéere a litle before the Christians receiued this great ouerthrow and discomfiture at the hands of Maruane the Countrey Syria Palestina almost al Asia Thracia Grecia and Italie with many other Regions were terriblye shaken with a dreadfull Earthquake After this more ruffling and commotion kindled in Persia For Asmuline Prince and kingleader of that Sect first reised and excited by Mutar of whom we haue before made mention who affirmed Ali to be greater then Mahomet dwelling and liuing among the Corasenes a people of Persia through the counsaile instinct of one Cataban incensed and mooued all the Slaues and Peyzants of the Countrey either priuely or apertly by secrete conspiracie or by open force to quell and murther their Maisters With whose wealth the Slaues being enriched and made of great power were diuided into two factions whereof th' one were called the Caismores and th' other the Lamonites Now Asmuline being Captaine of the Lamonites subdued and cleane dispercled the Caismores Then beyng accompanyed with his Lamonites and hys Counsellour Cataban marched forth into Persia ouer which Prouince was Lieutenaunt for Maruane one Ibline who with an hoast of one C. thousand good fighting men and well appointed resisted and gaue to Asmuline battayle In which conflict the Lamonites although they were a great deale fewer in number yet hauing an indubitate confidence in the promises of Asmuline and in Cataban whom they estéemed as men holy and replenished with Propheticall inspiration fought most valiantly in so much that they discomfited Ibline and put hym to flight Beyng then
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
which wars Mahomet being put to the wors and by the Babilonian through helpe and ayde of Sclerus and the Roman captiues vanquished sent to the Turks for aide whose helpe and furtheraunce at a pinche as afore hath beene specified the Saracenes for certayne yeeres passed were accustomed in theyr Warres too vse and ioygne vnto them and the rather because they professed and embraced euen at the firste eruptions swaded that they were begotten and dyd come of the wylde Faunes But the Turkes and Tussagetes discendynge of their race and inhabityng the Northside of Mount Caucasus as before wee haue shewed differed muche from them as well in lyfe as manners and Lawes beinge notwithstandynge so lyke amonge themselues and so lynked together in League one with an other that they were taken and accompted for one People and peraduenture they were all one and were so called and named as prophane Persones by the Armenians their Neighbours from whome they receiued their Rites and whiche were called Sagae as muche to saye as holie For this worde Teutazites as in the Seconde Booke was shewed signifyeth in their language Gentiles or a prophane People For these names are of many Writers so mingled and taken together that the one seemeth to be theyr name the other their Surname Procopius saieth these People were nothing néere to the other Hunnes neyther had any thinge to doo with them but that they brodered vppon the Northe partes of Persia that is to witte Armenia For Armenia was euer lyghtlye subiect to the Crowne of Persia Neyther were they Wanderers from place to place as hauynge no habitation sauynge there where their Cattayle stayed and grazed as the other Hunnes or Scythians were but had in their Possession and inhabyted the beste Plottes and moste fertilâ— Regyon that was amonge the Dounes and Mountaynes rounde aboute and amonge the Hunnes they onely were white of complexion and coloure and not so ouglye nor so sterne visaged neyther lyuing so sauagelye and beastlye as the others dyd but lyke true Subiectes liued orderly in due obedience and humble subiection vnder one Prince whome they accepted as their head and King hauing also a well ordered Common wealth with due execution and imbracynge of Iustice and other politicall Lawes both at home amonge themselues and abroade with other forraine Nacions borderynge vppon them as the Greeques Romanes and dyuers other ciuile and well gouerned Nacions dyd also The chiefe Citie of all their Kingdome was called Gorga The noblest sorte and wealthyest persones amonge them had contynuallye seiourninge at their Houses as Gestes twenty or moe of their famylier Fréendes accordinglye as their Substaunce and Rychesse extended with whom both wealth authoritie and power was in common as the same Procopius sheweth and as their institution and manner of lyuinge to this day witnesseth Some there be whiche referre the firste originall of the Turkes to those tenne Tribes of Israell whiche as wee reade in Iosephus were translated into Media For proofe and Testimonye whereof they alledge the likenesse and similitude of their maners and conuersation Some referre their pedagrew to Gog and Magog of whome there is mencion made in the holie Scriptures from whom we rather be of opynion that the Tartarians yea and peraduenture also the Gothes be lineallye descended And some there bee whiche doo deriue the ofspringe and Progenie of them from the auncient Troians Whose seuerall opinions by waye of Argument either to confirme and allowe or confute and disprooue is no parte of our purpose and intent in this place sythince our onely meanyng is not to reason vppon probabilities but to bringe such certainelye knowen truthes as are in the histories and Chronologies of auncient writers aswell of Greekes and Thracians as of the Turkes themselues and other Nations confining vnto them published and mencioned which is euen so as before we haue declared Muchumet therfore desired ayde of their Prince in his warres against the Caliph of Babilon throughe whose helpe and valiaunce sent vnto him vnder the conducte of Tangrolipix Mucalet he encountred with Pisasire the Babylonian Caliph and him with litle labour and lesse daunger discomfited by reason that the Arabians were not hable to abyde the thicke shotte of the Turkishe Arrowes Beyng from this warre retourned home wyth victorie he mynded also to vse the ayde of the same Turkes in his Warres against the Indians At which season the Turkes weary of that seruice desired leaue of Muchumet not onely to retourne home but also that a garrâ—son might be appointed to wafte them in safetie ouer â—â—e bridge that stoode vppon the Riuer Araxes Which request he tooke in suche disdaine and impacience that with frowning looke he charged them from thenceforth not to vrge him any more with that sute The Turkes had no other way in their retourne homeward but must néedes passe the said Riuer Araxes which is the limite and Border of the kingdome of Persia ouer the which there was no other Bridge but onely this which was on bothe sides merueylous strongly garded and fortified with Blocke-houses Turrettes and Garrisons The Turkes dreading further dauÌ„ger priuily shranke away as closely as they could departed into the desert of Carbonitis For considering their number was not aboue three thousande men they durst not aduenture to fight and buckle wyth such a great multitude Béeyng in those desertes they made many vagaries into the Saracenes Territories and wasted theyr Countrey terriblye Whereat Muchumet merueilously stomacking and storming sent an Armye of 30000. men against them committing the charge and conducting of the whole Armie vnto tenne Tribunes of the noblest stoutest and wisest in his traine They beyng come néere to their enemies would not aduenture to enter into the desert for feare they should be distressed for lacke of water and victuall but encamped themselues euen in the verye entraunce into the same desert The Captaine of the Turkes hauing intelligeÌ„ce by his Espialles of the Persians approch called his Souldiours together and making them priuie to his deuise purposed sodainly to set vpon them and vnawares to surprise both the Saracenes and Persians while they were yet secure and mistrusted nothing And spéeding apace toward them by great iournayes within two dayes was come néere vnto them The thirde night he set vppon them beyng in their Tentes carelesse and quiet suspecting nothing lesse then any such matter whom he put to flight euen at the first onset After this discomfiture of his enemies hee fell to spoyle and ransacke their Tentes where finding great store of Wagons Horses and Money lyued no longer by Robbery and Thefte lyke a Vagabonde or fugitiue as afore but from thence forthe pitched hys Tentes and encamped himselfe abroade in the open playne When the report of his victorie and good fortune was blowen abroade there resorted vnto him from all quarters thereaboute all suche Cutthroates and Villaines as for their vngracious demerites feared punishment wyth a great route of Slaues and pylfering Roges lyuing of the spoyle of
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
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
quietnesse he bent his whole minde an other while to the feats of peace the swéet Nource and Storehouse of plentifulnesse and aboundaunce And because he would by his example prouoke and stirre vp the rest of his subiectes to doe semblablit he like a good Householder one fit to be a Prince among the people vndertooke to procure cause so much of the vnhusbanded ground as was neither fit to beare corne nor good to plant Vines to be tourned vp and tylled and manured so much thereof as he thought woulde be sufficient for the expences of his owne Table for the maintainance of all them whom of his méere liberalitie and bountifull goodnesse he had retayned and taken into hys charge to kéepe and sée cherished that is to witt the poore diseased impotent people vnto whom he assigned houses and Hospitalles and appointed also certaine Granaters and ouerseeers such as were trained vp had the skil of Tillage and Vine planting Which officers layed vp yéerely in his Storehouses and Graners great prouision and store of the ouerplus of the corne He also had aboundantly store himselfe with Oxen Kyne Horses Shéep Swine and with diuers kindes of same Byrdes by whom he yéerely receiued great encrease and profyte This not onely did he himselfe but also by his example occasioned others of the Péeres and Nobilyty his Cosins and Allyes to doe the lyke so that euery one hauinge of his owne competentlie whereon to liue the Communaltie should not be oppressed nor the inferiour sort by sorce and extortion of the richer impouerished with any intollerable Tributes Assessements and Paymentes By this means the Romane weale publique was scowred and cleane purged from all notable exactions and bribing pyllages insomuch that within fewe yéeres space euerye man had his Barnes and Cellers full stored and stuffed with Corne and Wine and such encrease of cattel Hens and other homish Foules that the high waies and strets Stables and Shéepe cotes Houses and Gardens were vneth hable to holde them This golden state and blessed felicitie was héereby also the more augmented for that the Turkes were within themselues merueilouslie pinched and afflicted with great hunger dearth and penurie of Corne whereby it came to passe that all their Golde Syluer Iuelles and precious Wares through this godlye forcaste and diuine wisedome of the Emperour came into the hands and possession of the Romanes for then might a man haue séene them faine to choppe and chaunge their rich Wares for a litle bread Corne to sustaine themselues withall and euery Byrde Oxe Cow or Kidde was solde at an excessiue price All the wayes were pestered full of Turkysh Women and Children of the Turkish Nacion cōminge to and going from the Romane Prouinces The Empresse also of the ouerplus of Hennes egges for they were not possible to be all spent in her house and Famylie at that time solde at a very high price daylye to the Turks had got together in short space such an incredible Masse of Money as was sufficyent to pay for a most rych Crowne of Goulde set full of orient Pearles and precious Stones whiche for that cause the Emperours called and tearmed Ouata because it was bought with Egge Money so in short time the Emperour enriched himself and all his Subiectes with Wealth excéedinglie During this while the Tartarians vnder the leadinge of their Capitaine Baydo marching and making impressions into the frountiers of the Turkishe countries the Sultan of Iconium leuying as great a power as hee was able of all Nacions for he had then with him of Greekes and Latines that is to wit of Italians Germaines and Frenchmen two Cohortes or Bands Ouer the Gréekish band was Capitaine one Iohn Liuitnada a Cyprian borne or as some say one Paleologus who earst had reuolted from the Emperoure and ouer the Latines was Boniface Moline one of the nobilitie of Venice euerie man being braue in apparell well apointed with Penons and flages of their owne Armes With these couragious personages marching against the Tartarians he met with them in a place neere to the Citie Arscor in the great Armenia called Cosdrach The Tartarians so sone as the espied this straung Army apparailed contrarie to the guise and fashion of that countrey supposing some greater ayd and succour had bene sent vnto them were merueilously dismayd astonied and if one of the Sultane his Kinsmen for an olde gruge had not in the beginning of the battaile fled vnto their side with a great crew of pertakers thei wold haue tourned their backes and fled But the occasion therof was the cause at that time of the Turkes ruyne and ouerthrow afterward almost brought al their kingdom principalytie in subiection to the Tartarians For the Tartarians obtaining the vpperhand victorie in this conflict neglected not the oportunitie good chaunce that Fortune now offered them but passed the riuer Euphrates and subdued Syria as far as Palestina Arabia Wher after thei had assessed yéerely tributes vpon the remnaunts of the Syrians Arabians Phaenicians they laded themselues with many rich booties spoyles returned againe into the orient But the next yéere folowing thei passing Euphrates againe tooke their way Northwarde into Cappadocia went as far as the riuer Thermodoon and taking Iconium the chiefe Citie that belenged to the Turkes Azatine the Sultane beynge banished with his Brother Melecke fled for succour to the Emperour Michael Paleologus whom not long before in like case and respect fléeing vnto him for comforte and aide he had pleasured honorably and entertained with all poinctes of princely curtesie And putting him in remembraunce of his former fréendship shewed vnto him in his néede distresse and vnfolding before him the pitifull plight of thys hys present state and calamitie instantly requested him eyther to ayde him against his Capitall foes the Tartarians or else to assigne him some péece of ground or odde corner as it were a colonie where he his people might repose themselues in some more ease and securitie for he had brought with him his Wyues and Children and many Seruauntes with much wealth and Richesse The Emperour for that he was on euery side encombred and wrapped in Warres would in no wise diminishe anye part of his own power and as for the assignement of any part of his Countrey to such a great Potentate as had beene a mightie Monarch and Prince ouer many Prouinces and also from his tender age euer brought vp in Princely pompe and stately preheminence he iudged a thing very daungerous For he considered and wysely imagined that the Lordes and nobilitie which were vnder his rule and authoritie would séeke their Lorde and Maister where euer he should be and that his people being scattered and dispersed in diuers places like the wandring Planetes in the night would flocke together and concurre to him that goeth before them with a Linke and leadeth the way So would they come running
and flee before vs lyke shéepe whom wee shall kill and flea down right before vs and reuenge the iniuries that they the yéeres passed haue done vnto vs and vnto the Maiesty of Almighty God whose TeÌ„ples and consecrated houses they haue wickedly polluted and most horriblie prophaned Hereof may you make your full accoumpt vnlesse peraduenture you thinke that the Asturians the Cantabrians and French who haue oftentimes vanquished and with notorious calamities discomfited them to haue béen better and more valiaunter meÌ„ then you your selues be But they were not beléeue me and God is no lesse mercifull to the present state and inward mindes of meÌ„ nowadayes then he was in the age and life passed For at the godly Sermons and zealous admonitions of Pelagius and other holy men they renounced their vicâ—ous wayes and turning vnto God besought his helpe to assist and deliuer them out of thraldome He is so mercifull and so readie to heare the peticions of the faithfull that he neuer forsaketh nor leaueth destitute and comfortlesse them that vnfeignedly and hartely craue ayde at his handes Amende your lyues therefore and well thinke with your selues that you must wyth tooth and nayle so endeuour your selues that you may not in any wise for godlynes and faith geue place to any Nation in the worlde Call to memory the pristiuate valiaunce of the Romane name couragiously aduaunce forward handle your weapons manfully and deale your puyssaunt blowes doughtily among yonder miscreaunt people I my selfe will be your Capitaine and goe before you and participate wyth you what euent soeuer Fortune sendeth I doe assure you the victorie is most certainely in your handes if you will doe as before I haue directed you They whose chaunce shall be to dye in this most godly quarrell and Battayle shall not onely wynne in this worlde a glorious fame renoumed praise but shal be afterward transported into the Kingdome of euerlasting lyfe and haue theyr names registred in the Booke of lyfe among the electe of God for euer After he had made an ende as many as were hable and fitte for warfare tooke weapon in hande and folowed hym to Ostia There meanyng to receyue at pushe of the Pyke the enemie so soone as he shoulde set any foote on lande When they euidently descryed the enemyes approche and in sight perused their order the Byshoppe eftsoones commaunding his Souldiours to bowe the knees of their heartes and earnestly to pray vnto God implored the diuine assistaunce and mercyfull ayde of hym that is the geuer of all victorye whose woordes and Prayer were in effecte as foloweth O almightie and most mercifull father which against the victorye vnto Gedeon wyth a small number ouer the huyge multitude of hys enemyes then which neuer yet But perceuing that the same was not possible to be taken but by long Siege he thence discamped and passed the ryuer Euphrates by a bridge of Shippes And spoyling the the Countrey and places there aboutes assaultynge and battering many strong holdes whereof some he tooke by surrender he retourned againe to the citie Wher he rested not long but agayne making a warlyke voyage expedition into Siria agaynst the Saracens bent his whole force to winne Germanicia and wanne it From thence he remooued to the Citie Adata which he fiercely besieged and burnt the Suburbes Whiche Citie albeit the Citizenes and Inhabitantes defended very slackly and negligently yet could not he wynne and take it Basilius wondring to sée them so secure and negligent in such iminent danger demaunded of them the cause thereof vnto whom an ancient man of the Citie aunswered that it was decréed by destynie that he should neuer winne their Citie maugre all his force and battary notwithstandinge there shoulde come one of his lygne and race called Constantine which should obtayne the same by conquest but it should not be his Sonne Constantine who was with him in his camp at that present At whiche aunswere Basilius so stormed and fumed that he gaue the assault farre more fiercely and violently then at any time before he had done But when he saw he could nothing preuaile he raysed his Siege and went his way but before his departure he commaunded all his Prisoners to be slayne least they should stir vp some disturbaunce and commotion also because he would be out of feare and not néede to appoynte kéepers vnto them Shortlye after the Saracens of Tharsus infesting the Romane Prouinces he sent one Andrew surnamed Scytha against them who acquiting behauing himselfe against them very honorably knightlie their courage was alaid and their malicious attempts well bridled Whereat the King of Tharsus so stamped and stared that in most horrible and blasphemous tearmes he belched out words full of threates and spightfull contumelies againste God in his Letters addressed and sent vnto Andrew Wherein be wrate the if he had inuaded and come in person against hym it was not the Sonne of Mary that should haue holpen or deliuered him But it was not long before he felt the deserued smarte and due guerdon of his odible myscreauncye For comming himselfe with more ayde to his Hoast Andrew on the other side in good order marshalled his Campe and gaue vnto him battayle Where betwéene them was fought a cruell conflict but in th' end the Saracenes tourned theis backes and fled in which Chase most of them were slayne and among the rest the Kinge himselfe was there bereft of lyfe and limme It chaunced within awhile after that by the sinister meanes and enuious rancour of some backfrindes which spighted at his good successe and valyaunt prowesse this Andrew was accused to the Emperour his maister that when he well might he woulde not take and wynne the Citie of Tharsus vnto whiche surmised accusation such credit was geuen that Audrew was discharged of his generalshippe and one Stypiota placed in his Roome The Saracens which forsâ—owed no time nor ocasion that might further their Affayres and procéedings perceiuing vnderstanding the through this priuie gruge new chaunge the watch was nothing at al looked vnto in the night time set vppon them and slew of them very many and the rest put to flight On the other side the Affricane Saracens besieging Ragusium whiche is a Citie standinge in the borders and coastes of Illyria and the Ragusines sending to the Emperour for ayde and rescue Basilius furnished out a hundreth tall Shippes of Warre for their reliefe and sauetie Whereof the Saracenes hauing intelligence reysed their Siege and tooke their iourney into Italy and takyng the Citie of Barry most lamentably afflicted and in a maner vniuersallie destroyed with fier murther and rapine the Calabrians Apuliana Lucanes and Salentines And being now in minde to deuide Rome and the Empire of all Italy share and share lyke among themselues beholde Pope Iohn greatly mooued with pitie and compassion to sée his Countreye in such extreeme perill imployed ayde and besought Alberick whose power was greate in
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