with great deuotion who staid not long but that they came within 10. miles of the Albanois where they encamped but did not in any sort enter vpon their confines Scanderbeg stirred not at all but hearing that the Infidels approched he presently ordered his troups ready to the fight so kept himself quiet within his camp For the common bruit which ran vpon the comming of these forces did giue them out to be so great puissant that it made him to imagine that the enemy would come seeke him out in that same place would not sticke to assault him in his campe And afterwards hauing notice by his espials and skouts placed vpon the mountains that they were encamped vnder Alchria that al their cariage were disposed in that place he supposed that the morning next folowing after they had refreshed their bands they would make towardes him and offer to giue him battel wherefore in the darke of the night and in great silence secresie he filled certaine woddy places vallies neare adioyning with armed men thinking to haue enclosed them in the middest of his forces and so to haue surprized them if they had come forward according as he expected Two daies and 2. nights did he expect them in this maner but he could neither haue a sight of the enemy nor yet heare any newes or tidings of them Wherefore Scanderbeg being impatient of all delaies determined the day following to go and visit them and to prouoke them forth to fight but word was broght him that the hoast of the Infidels being deuided into two parts Hamur did abide stil at Alchria that Sinam with the residue of the army did take the champion plaine fields of Pologue towards Mocrea where was the commō entry into the lower Dibria Modrissa For Alchria where Hamur did make his abode was adioyning to the vpper Dibria to Sfetigrade Thus with notable aduise they lay close vpon both the Prouinces of Dibria to the intent they might hold the Albanians in continual alarums both on the one side the other Betweene these two garrisons or armies there was 30. miles at the least for so much is it from Modrissa to Sfetigrade Wherefore the king of Epire hauing drawn together his ambushments that lay here and there dispersed and hauing ioyned all his forces in one campe determined to leauy a new supply for the strengthning of his bandes to the intent he might the more conueniently part them into seuerall quarters so prouide for the preuenting of all perils on either side All things being sufficiently prepared and his troups being quickly augmented with 1500. footmen newly leauied for it was not possible so sodainely and readily to leauie horsmen he deuided them as speedily though not into like and equall numbers Tanuse and one of the Streezes Scanderbeg his nephewes and Peic Manuell with the third part of those forces were appointed to haue the custody of the lower Dibria in case they found Synam any thing earnestly enclined to the spoile of the countrey that they should make head against him represse his attempts for on that side was the danger much lesser the entrance into the confines of the Albanians was the more difficult by reason that the places were not so accessible but being naturally strong and defenced were entermingled with the vallies of Mocrea and with many rough and ragged mountaines ech seuered deuided within themselues yet so entangled combined that although they were reckonned and comprehended within the lower Dibria did they distinguish neuertheles the realm of Albany from the territories of the miscreants Notwithanding both Tanuse his company were straightly charged that they should not in any case scatter them selues nor be drawen out of those limittes which were prescribed them nor that they should not in any sort aduenture vppon the enemy but onely in the defence of their owne safety The rest of the army did Scanderbeg retaine to himselfe in the vpper Dibria hauing also Moses in his company Wherfore hauing thus reserued the better part of his forces and especially his horsemen considering that the passages there were more free open for the enemie to enter on that side into Albanie he determined if he could to draw forth the Infidell to hazard the fortune of the field and to aduenture the chance of a set battell And he made no long delay nor dwelt not vpon those dumpish conceipts of his imaginations but because winter approched which is an enemy to warlike exploits before the daylight of the next morning did appeare he departed from his campe hauing with him 1000. horse and tooke his way directly toward Alchria Before his departure he very warily conueyed a good number of souldiers into certaine thicke woods and other daungerous places for feare of being enclosed betweene Sfetigrade and the campe of the enemie Hauing marched on for a while in the darke of the night placed his men here and there in ambushments neare the towne he went backe againe to his campe and not resting him selfe any thing at all for that now it was about the dawning of the day he commanded his companies to march to carie with them victuals onely for one dayes prouision As for the cariages and their tents they were not at all remoued but he left a strong troupe of good soldiers for their safegard defence The whole morning was in a maner spent in these preparations and in marching so that he came at length within a mile of his ambuscado By that was it time to take their repasts and it behoued him to deuise vpon some new meane how to begin the fight and to drawe forth the enemy This was an easie matter for men that had bene long practised in that facultie and yet neuerthelesse it required great wisdome and good aduise Moses desired to haue the honor of that employment and it was not denied him and in verie truth amongst all the Albanians hardly could a man haue chosen any other more fit or expert to entise forth the enemy to surprise him Scanderbeg gaue vnto him 600 horse doubting least if he should go more meanly accompanied the policy might be the more easily discouered But altogether in vaine was this his enterprise for Moses hauing spent the greater part of the day in fruitlesse skirmishes returned againe to Scanderbeg whom he found at his wittes end and not knowing what course to take against the enemy for to set vpon the Painim within his trenches with his whole forces both the discommodity of the place the towne being aboue him which commanded ouer the place vnder the succor whereof Hamur had entrenched himself did certainly assure him that he could not do it without euidēt danger Nothwithstanding hauing lead his forces to a hil neare adioyning he staid there vntill night and then he made a signe to his ambushments that they should retire to the
prompt and venturous in all militarie actions would needs goe and see what should be the cause of their stay taking with him in his companie onely fiue souldiers and no more to the intent he might take a view and be informed of the estate of the enemie and heare some newes also of his owne people But Ballaban who to his owne cost was passing well acquainted and experienced with the cunning and politique draughts of his enemie misdoubting some such matter thought that he would beat him at his owne weapons and therefore he vsed this counterpolicie in hope to ouer-reach him He made choise of certaine stout and very hardie men all excellently well mounted on horsebacke and with them did he beset a certaine passage by which he suspected that Scanderbeg himselfe would come to take a view of his campe and the demeanour of his armie and he was not any thing deceiued in his imagination For behold Scanderbeg was now come to the place of this ambushment but yet before he would proceede any further he caused according to his wonted custome one of his souldiers to goe before him who soone discouered the daunger of the Turkes which lay there ambushed The Infidels seeing themselues bewrayed issued out vpon him with great furie and after some resistance made constrayned him to flie In his flight he put himselfe into a certaine wood or thicket which came next to hand and which lay on the other side of the mountaine which encloseth the plaine of Valcala where by ill happe he chaunced vpon a great tree which being withered with age was fallen downe and lay crosse the path by which he was to passe Scanderbeg setting spurres to his horse made him to leape roundly ouer the like did one of his souldiers which followed him but his companions not being able to doe the like and perceiuing that their last refuge their only hope to saue their liues consisted in their armes couching thēselues close they gaue in valiantly amongst their enemies hauing both slain hurt some of them they yeelded vp their liues as became men of valure and resolution One of the Barbarians following hard after Scanderbeg leapt likewise ouer the trunke of the tree and gathered very close and neere vppon him Scanderbeg casting his eye about and seeing one onely to followe him made backe directly towards him and quickly ouerthrew him dead to the ground the rest being not willing to pursue him any farther were content to let him goe and to depart quietly After this faire and happy escape Scanderbeg being returned to his campe neere Petralba about fifteene miles from the enemie made readie his squadrons for to march against the Infidels At that time more then euer did the Prince of Albanie employ all his senses to encourage and animate his men with good words and all other good meanes to doe their deuoire against their enemies He offered them giftes and large rewards he inuited and importuned them with prayers and earnest intreaties both in generall and in particular to take such things at his hande whereof they stood in any neede were it either for themselues or for their horses As the King was very bountifull to offer them freely of his owne so assure your selues that the souldiers shewed their wonderfull modesty and did as it were conted with him in gratitude and courtesie not taking any thing but in such measurable and modest manner as might serue onely for the present neede and necessitie Then the Albanois hauing taken some repast began to march towards the enemie and trauelling on continually day and night they tooke litle or no rest scarce so much as might suffise nature They were not long therefore ere they had gotten to the valley where the army of Ballaban lay encamped Scanderbeg seizing vpon the toppe of the same valley did pitch his campe with most excellent aduantage by reason that he enuironned the enemie who lay below him in the plaine for he extended his companies throughout all the toppes of the mountains which enclosed the vally occupying all the streights and passages in such sort that he had enclosed on all sides and as it were hedged in the Barbarians whom he visited also with often and daily skirmishes sometimes on the flanckes and sides of their campe sometimes at their backes because he would hold them in doubt and suspence of his intent and meaning The next day following Scanderbeg called a councell of his nobles and Chieftains at the which were present Tanusee Thopie Zacharie Groppe and Peic Manuell his Lieutenants Many of them were of this opinion that the battell should be deferred till such time as the souldiers were very wel refreshed of their long iorney and watching lately endured and that Tanusee should haue some leisure to take a taste of the enemy to keepe him doing in the meane while But Scanderbeg was of another mind and he did not onely perswade but he did instantly vrge and presse them that they should not by their delaies and daliance bring his determinations and counsels into hazard and daunger the suertie whereof consisted in nothing so much as in prompt and speedie execution That Ballaban his armie might easily be broken and defeated whilest that Iagup being ignorant of this attempt did tarrie away and keepe himselfe absent which quoth he being deferred by our prolonging of the time we shall giue them space and leisure to ioyne together and so shall we cause our enterprize which of it selfe is without daunger to come to a doubtfull and vncertaine issue Wherefore it behooueth vs with all speed to found to horsebacke to bid the battell to our enemies and not to lose this aduantage which their error and ouersight hath giuen vs now that their two Generalles are thus deuided the one absent the other present This opinion preuailed and the assembly being dissolued behold now how Scanderbeg did prepare himselfe to the combat Of all his squadrons he made foure battels the one he committed to Tanusee the second to Zacharie Groppe and of the third Peic Manuell had the charge and conduct the infanterie was mingled among the horsemen and the Harguebussiers and Archers were mixed pell mell with the pikes and certaine horsemen whom he sent forth to skirmish with the enemie and to begin the fight The residue of the armie together with the squadron which he had for the gard of his person he reserued to be commaunded by himselfe Hauing thus disposed and ordered his troupes he thought it requisite with some short speech to encourage his companies which he did in this manner The importunitie of the time my companions and your approued valour will not suffer me at this time to make any long discourse you are sufficiently well acquainted with this enemie who is but the scumme and offscouring of those troupes which your swordes haue left aliue and they are but the reffuse and reliques of those battels which you
neuerthelesse when he perceiued and vnderstood that his scoutes did on all sides returne vnto him with more then posting speede and their reportes did agree all in one saue that they differed in the number and quantitie of the enemies forces of which they coniectured diuersly for the Turkes were not yet seene nor discouered altogether neither were they descended all of them into the plains neither were their Batallions so vnited and ordred that a true and certaine estimat could be made of their iust numbers Castriot thereupon choosing out of his whole army 4000. horse and 1000. foote whom he commaunded to follow him and dislodging as secretly as he could from thence drew directly towardes Sfetigrade where he knew that the enemies were to encampe themselues It was in the dawning of the morning in the twilight that the souldiers had the signe giuen them to set forward The day following notwithstanding when it was scarce the third houre of the night they came to encampe within seauen miles of Sfetigrade betweene which towne and Croy were litle lesse then 60. miles There Scanderbeg hauing chosen a place sure and commodious for his company caused it to be entrenched round about making it by that meanes more strong and defensible Afterwards hauing distributed both horse and foote into the seuerall quarters of the campe he commaunded to set the watch and to place the courts of guard and then secretely to search out what places were fit to serue for ambuscadoes meane while he forbad all of them in generall to make any fires within the trenches All things being thus disposed and set in order and euery man being commanded to vse silence he taking with him Moses Tanuese de Thopy went to suruey and consider vpon the forme and situation of the campe and countenaunce of the enemy and with great secresie sometimes through the thickets of the forrestes sometimes by the secrete passages of the vallies he gained the toppe of a certaine mountaine directly opposite against Sfetigrade from the height whereof hauing diligently noted and surueyed all things by faire day light he tooke his way very quickely backe againe into his owne Campe. The execution hereof was not without maruellous contrariety of opinions for seeing the barbarians were encāped vnder the wals of the Towne and were possessed both of the mountaines adioyning and of the fieldes vnderneath them the chiefe leaders did not see any great likelihood or appearance without some notable losse of their men how to execute any thing with good successe because the daunger was manifest and imminent that so small a number charged with so great a puissance sometimes in the plaine and sometimes in the descent of the mountaines should easily be broken ouerthrowen They doubted also which was a cause necessarily constraining them for that time to abstaine from all reason of fight least the residue of the royall troupes comming vpon them sodainly and vnprouided they should be all entangled enclosed and shut vppe in the middest of them and for the same reason they held it as perillous to call the garrison forth to helpe them It was held therefore more expedient and a course of more certaintie and safetie to separate deuide if it were possible by their ordinarie sleightes the power forces of the aduersarie and being once sundred deuided to draw them into places of greatest disaduantage Nothing was done notwithstāding for that day because the night comming vpon them did prcuēt their determination only there were sent forth certain scoutes on all sides both far neare to discouer the approch of Amurath and that the enemy should lay no ambushmēts to entrap thē The moitie of that night was allowed thē to take their rest the residue was imployed in diuers actiōs affaires for that the Prince of Albanie changing his first lodging went to encampe somwhat nearer the town so that he was not now aboue 5. myles from the enemy supposing hoping that being once entised forth to fight the nearer he was to them the more easily they might be ouerthrowen Wherefore after that euery man had sufficiently rested himselfe taken some repast all of them being ready at hand with store of such things as were needfull requisite first those places which were fit for ambushments he filled with able and lusty men and the thickets and bushes he enuironed on all sides with store of souldiours of which number such as serued on foote were placed in the wings and steepe of the mountaines not easie to be approched or in the thicke of the woods and bushes himselfe taking his place among the horsemen kept at the foote bottome of the mountaines all along the plaine and in the crookes and turnings of the vallies This done he called vnto him Moses Musache de Angelina a gentleman of special marke one of the chiefest among the horsemen whō hauing exhorted with many good and friendly speeches he sent accompanied with 30. others all young men both hardy and couragious willing them to allure forth the enemy out of their trenches and to draw them within the daunger of his traines and ambuscadoes You must not thinke that Scanderbeg did forget to make choise of his companie out of the most worthy sufficient of all his bands both the men their horses besides they were disguised in the apparell furniture of simple souldiers least that their militarie habit being any thing rich and sumptuous should discouer their attempt which he had an especiall desire to keepe secret There was scant any of the souldiers but had an other horse loden with corne to driue before him to the intent they should be taken for forragers indeede who returned from gathering it abroad And that nothing might be wanting for the aduantage of this martiall pollicie to beguile the enemy they were enioyned to bend towards the town by such waies as were least vsed frequented on that side where the mountaine was free and not garded by the enemy that they should make shew as though they ment that way to enter into Sfetigrade These leaders being very expert of a quicke excellent conceipt did not omit any thing of that which was commanded them and the souldiers also with singular obedience resolution did follow thē most chearefully not doubting any dāger that might befall them Vpon the dawning of the day and by that time that the starres began to grow out of sight by the breake of the morning they were now come within little more then a myle of the tentes of the enemy at such time as the Turkes sentinels hauing discouered them from aloft began first by signes shewed in the aire then by their often cries clamors to bewray them They nothing troubled not abashed with their noise did only hasten their pace somwhat faster for as yet neither needed they to feare any danger from the enemy neither would their flight haue bene
he went euen through their inmost courts of gard passing searching the most secret places of their campe I am not ignorant that some haue ascribed the proofe of this hardy and audacious fact vnto Standerbeg of which for my part neuerthelesse I will not robbe nor depriue Moses relying in this matter though there be no great certainty thereof vpon the pluralitie of opinions which do defend it how beit that this was not the first time that Moses merited this commendation neither was this peculiar to him alone For it cannot be denied but that euen Scanderbeg did aduenture himselfe to the like hazard especially during the siege of Croy with the like courage and good successe I will not say counsell and good aduise seeing in this case there is not any thing in a maner gouerned and guided by reason but by meere chance and fortune And therefore I dare not much commend in a Generall of an army that valour or vertue which is carelesse so prodigall of his life and safetie How beit fortune her selfe seemeth to haue exempted Scanderbeg from reproofe and blame in this behalfe in that she did continually so accompany and second the endeuors heroicall cōceipts of this worthy personage that it was a thing very seldome seene in that age it was a spectacle both rare singular to see a happy issue euent still ioyned with counsell wisedom that vertue should be so attēded by fortune But we shall haue occasion elsewhere to entreate of this matter let vs now returne to our campe with Moses who being perceiued a far off by the court of garde for the moone was then at the full and did shine all night they went to meet him and receiued him with infinite ioye and gladnesse and so conueyed him to the generall Then might you see the priuate and common sort of souldiours mingled pell mell with the nobles and chiefe commanders all of them running in great desire to vnderstand what he had seene what he had learned and what likehood he brought either offeare or hope When it it was knowen that all was well and that matters stood in good case and this ioyfull newes being dispersed published to euery one of them Scanderbeg knew that the wished houre did now approch for them to march on against the enemy he bestirred him selfe therefore on all sides and you might haue seene him sometimes there amongst the rancks and squadrons of his armed souldiours taking order both for the men and their armes Now disposing of some in the vauntgard and others in the rereward each one to his charge And there withall he encouraged them with many braue speeches and exhortations Although sayd he my good friends and companions both the present time and all things in a manner round about especially your valour and prowesse so often manifested may summon me now to be silent yet the noueltie of the course which we now take and this vnaccustomed fashion of fight which now we are to begin it may be will giue you cause to think that my speeches are not needles nor impertinent considering that it behoueth you now at my command to yeeld some new testimony of your auncient vertue against the enemy in the darknes of the night and not as heretofore you were wont in set battell open and orderly raunged This is the cause that I do now freely speake vnto you and as instantly as possibly I may I do pray and entreate you I do exhort you and I do require you that euen the night it selfe may shew you to be mindfull of your noble courage to be mindfull of your honor reputation which you haue purchased and continued so many yeares For now cannot I be either a beholder or encourager of the valour or of the sloth of any of you onely the moon-light shall be the witnesse of your valure and your valure must animate and encourage you Notwithstanding the successe and issue also of this nights seruice will giue an open testimony of your deuoire and my selfe wil be the particular iudge of your seuerall desertes when I shall see your victorious handes bring me the bloudy spoyles of our dead enemies their ensignes encountred and conquered before their trenches and the heads cut off from the carcasses of their slaughtered bodies These and such like speeches did he vse vnto his souldiours as it were in iest and meriment admonishing them notwithstāding in any case to abstaine from the pillage of their campe least in thinking to satisfie their vile couetous humour their booty might happen to proue fatall vnto them and be the occasion of their death and destruction that nothing could be more pretious neither could fortune offer any thing of better value to the braue souldier then the throat of the enemy This done and hauing made their praiers and vowes of all sorts vnto God for the obtaining of victory about the fourth houre of the night hee caused his ensignes to march but the clattering of their armour and the neighing of the horses did discouer their comming to the skoutes before that they came to the tentes of the enemy and they giuing the allarme to their Captaines filled all parts with disorder tumult and confusion Vpon this so sodaine and vnexpected a noise the tents of the Graund Seigniour himselfe were striken with feare and terrour and the old man being soone awaked as a man amazed and destitute of all counsaile did prouide as well as he could vpon so desperate an accident But Scanderbeg for all this neither slacked his course nor abated his fury and although he perceiued by this tumult that all the campe was in an allarme and that the souldiers did runne in and out to the gardes and passages of the campe yet did he not diminish any part of his fury and fiercenesse formerly conceiued but with high cries and wonderfull noise he inuaded their trenches and fortifications The first quarter that was assailed was where certaine souldiers of Asia lay encamped who being by chaunce the first that were encountred had their tents and lodgings ouerthrowen in an instant and themselues as they stood vpon their defence being partly slaine partly put to flight did draw on the like fury and destruction vpon others that succeeded in their roomes For many who had taken armes in great hast tumult came to make head against the enemy but being not able to make their party good by reason they were vnequall to our men both in number and in fiercenesse they were quickly cut in peeces or driuen to forsake the place From thence the Christians passing further on they found diuers tents and pauillions voyde and emptie which they caused to be fired and the cordes being cut in sunder they left them thus ouerthrowen in poore estate Thus did Scanderbeg a long time continue victorious without any losse or bloudshed of his men till such time as a strong batallion of Turkes being
of the enemie he was determined suddenly to breake in vppon their campe On the other side Ferybassa was readie prouided to receiue him with the forces which the Sultan had giuen him to that purpose For he did not thinke that the Albanois had anie other intention but onely by a faint and false allarme to hinder the assault that was begunne and to make the Turkish bandes to retyre from the walles euen in the chiefest of their furie wherefore to preuent him in this point he made towardes him and would not suffer him to passe forwarde till they had debated vppon the matter Scanderbeg feigning a kinde of feare beganne softly to retyre drawing on the enemie who still followed him some seuenscore paces farther and then with all his forces well ordered to the battell marching againe forwardes directly against him he charged him most furiously The Turkish Captaine who had beene euer desirous of battell did not in anie sort refuse him but hauing seene the small number of the Christians who were but nine thousande men or little more for Scanderbeg had left the residue of his troupes being but fifteene hundred at the most with Musache about a mile and a quarter off for the safegarde of the others if anie misfortune should betide them he opposed against them all his footemen and foure thousande horse whom he placed in the front before them and with these he made head against the Albanois and receiued them to the shocke The rest of his horsemen with a wylie and fine stratageme he caused secretly to withdrawe themselues from the bodie of the armie and a farre off to fetch a compasse about to the intent they might get behinde the Albanois at their backes and so hauing them enclosed and entangled on both sides they might shut vppe the passage and bereaue them of all meanes and possibilitie to saue themselues and perhappes also take Scanderbeg aliue But this olde beaten and expert souldier did presently discouer the deuise wherefore leauing Moses to maintaine the fight of the middle battell himselfe with a troupe of horsemen most readie and resolute setting spurres to his horse turned aside to the right hande where at the first sight hee staied the course of the enemie that hastened to haue enclosed him and afterwards comming to handie strokes and pressing rudely vppon them he made them giue ground and in the ende to change their determination and to looke to their owne safegarde There were of the Turkes more then foure thousand horse whereas the Albanois did not fully make two thousande Neuerthelesse for a while the hope of the victorie rested indifferent on both parties and their courages were equall though their fortune were not alike for that there fell a farre greater number of the circumcized Musache likewise hauing beene called foorth by some of the Albanois had now charged the Paynims on the left hand and with all his forces kept the rest of them there employed In this manner both the armies being deuided tripartite did represent on the one side and the other the forme of three sundrie fightes and combats Moses behaued him selfe wonderfull aduisedly and seemed to vse rather pollicie then force against the enemie For neither would he giue the bridle to the furie of his souldiers nor would he aduenture them to the hazarde ouer hastily till such time as he perceiued that the two winges beganne to haue some likelihoode of good successe and had made an entrance to the victorie to the intent he might reserue the strength and vigour of his men fresh and lustie Till then therefore he helde the rankes of his battell firme and close ioyned together and with a kinde of subtiltie seemed to temporize and to prolong the fortune of the fight till the comming of his companions This made Feribassa the more fierce and insolent and to presse vpon them without any intermission and oftentimes would he vse to encourage and hearten on his souldiers with these and such like speeches On on my good souldiers vse the fauour of the gods take the benefit of the victorie whilest the swords of the Christians doe stand as it were amazed and whilest their forces doe growe faint Goe we on to seeke out these heads which are vowed to the slaughter and to cut in peeces their cursed bodies See how they faint on all sides scarce can we discerne any tokens of enmitie in our enemies neither doth their countenance nor their voice nor their gesture make anie shewe that they haue a minde to stande vppe long against you Or it may be that they doe purposely delay the combat and attend the comming of the night because as theeues and robbers they are vsed to the night It behoueth you to aide your selues with the light and you must keepe them from this policie and take that opportunitie out of their hands euen now whilest we do exceede them in number and do surpasse them in valure If we staie for the night the lesser numbers will be equall to the greater and the cowards will match the most valiant and hardie But what do I blame these or why doe I presse vpon them whose obstinacie will soone cease and vanish as the surges of the sea when the tempest is gone and past We must cut off their head and then the bloud of the other as it is but vile and base so is it of no force nor resistance Where is this wicked fugitiue the author of so manie mischiefes I my selfe alone will dispatch him of his life without the hazarde of any of you if it be my good happe to encounter him in the battell And I will sacrifice the bloud of this sauage and wilde beast whom so many theftes and robberies haue made insolent to the soules of our slaine brethren friendes and kinsfolkes I haue my friendes of a long time bene of this minde and this my desire is not of any sudden or new affection It is long since that my thoughts did ayme at this combat and my spirit hath beene euer enflamed to seeke the punishment of this wretched vnhappie runnagate I will once make proofe whether this my sword can cut well or not whether that bodie of his be penetrable or that it be fatall to those that encounter him And I will see from whence he hath that corporall strength and vigour and in what this happie warriour whose fortune hath beene of such long continuance doth excell and surpasse all others In this manner did the Barbarian speake vnto his souldiers and then swelling with pride and furie more then was befitting a Generall of an army he went vp down searching and seeking amiddest the presse and casting his eies on all sides to see if he could finde out Scanderbeg and his minde being set on nothing else he made signes with his hands and with his voice still calling and demaunding for Scanderbeg The souldiers were nothing discontented with the hearing of these vauntes and albeit the prowes
of the assaylauts did not in this place proceed any further because there were but few Turks there abiding but only Sfetigradians Epirots who although it might wel be supposed as was apparantly to be seene that they were but badly affectioned to our men yet Christian charitie made them to be more remisse and pitifull and they measured the persons by the habite and affections of their hearts in times past and not by the estate present Moses was not idle in the meane time for perceiuing them of the towne to be busied on that side in defence of the suburbes and in quenching of the fire he lead against the great gate three thousande souldiers all stout men and hardie whom being couered and shrowded with pauishes against the iniurie and force of the assaylantes he did animate on with all his might to force and breake downe the portes The Turkes whose number was more then sufficient both to defend so small a place and to yeeld readie supplies in all parts came running thither speedily from all quarters and some of them from aloft with great store of shot others with great stones long peeces of timber did prop vp defend the port on the inside making them stronger then they were before by meanes whereof they caused our men to quit the worke which they had vndertakē And thus was the issue of that attempt without any great losse of mē for the Christians hauing not then as it chaunced brought any scaling ladders with them they did not long striue in assaulting of the walles but they discharged their choller that day both on the one side the other with bow shot and harguebusse shot only Scanderbeg hauing caused to sound a retreat albeit Moses being chafed set in a heate by litle and litle with the furie of that fight did call and cry vnto his souldiers to bring their ladders and other engines for the assault neuerthelesse all of them vpon the cōming of their Generall did presently retire and in a maner against their wils returned ech man to his quarter Thus were the courages of either partie at that time the more incensed and sharpened by the proofe of that small light conflict for that the fight was broken off without any hope or doubt either on the one side or the other The residue of that day did Scanderbeg spend in diuerse consultations deuising vpon the short surest way to force Sfetigrad For the strong situation therof which made it almost impregnable and the great puissant garrison wherwith it was stuffed did euidently make shew that the perill would not be small if they should attempt it inconsiderately or vnaduisedly and the late example of Amurath by his ouerhardy and too peremptorie experience did coole the courages of the Christians from being too forward in committing of themselues to the hazard of the like inconuenience It was concluded therefore for the more suretie that during the daies following the enemie should be drawen forth by small light inuasions and with as great subtiltie wylines as might possibly be inuented he should be entised to issue out and to make some sallies vpon them hoping by that meanes in time either to diminish the forces of the garrison without any great losse of their owne people or else making shew by little and little of a dissembled and fained flight to toll the Infidels out from the guarde of their portes and then suddenly at the same instant setting vpon them with great furie they might happen to surprise the citie during the tumult of that alarme and astonishment if so be the Christians did presse hard vpon the Turkes in their flight and did striue to enter with them pell mell into the towne The execution of this counsell was no longer delaied then till the next night the darkenes and secrecie whereof did giue them the opportunitie to attempt it in such manner as shall presently be deliuered Moses was appointed to haue the leading of 300. chosen horse to prouoke foorth the enemie Zacharie Groppe on the one part with 500. horse and Scanderbeg himselfe on the other part with the like number of horsemen placed themselues very close and secretly in an ambuscado For these companies taking the benefit of the darkenesse of the night and creeping with as great silence and secrecie as they might by the pendant of the mountaine hid themselues in a place verie fit and conuenient for an ambushment and where the enemy would not haue any doubt thereof euen amongst the hollow winding turnings of the vallies and amidst the woods next adioyning full of bushes bryers where the scouts of the enemie could not haue any knowledge of their being For hauing partly put out and partly couering and keeping close their fiers they went forth on the backside of their campe The time it selfe also did in some sort aide them to the concealing of their enterprise for all the long night the ayre being full of moist foggie vapours and the earth being couered with darkenesse and with obscure and thicke cloudes the continuall thunder and lightning did so hinder the sight and hearing of euery man that it was an easie matter to deceiue the Turkish Sentinels The Dybrian in the meane time without staying till the day breake watched and pryed round about on euerie side with his men in manner of a freebooter or robber and approching by degrees neerer and neerer to the walles he wandered vp and downe here there in the sight of the townsemen and did keepe still within their daunger They within Sfetygrade were not all of one minde and aduise nor of like courage Many would not be with held but did exclaime and crie out That it was necessarie to issue out and to set vppon them and that it was a shame for them to endure and suffer that so faire an occasion should be lost some others helde stiffely on the contrarie That they ought to bouge nor attempt any thing without good aduise and deliberation Whereupon there grew a great alteration and dissention amongst them as it is commonly seene in those men who being naturally of a fierce hasty disposition are pricked on caried away by a kind of light incredulitie only regarding the outward shew superficial apparance of things neuer looking nor searching into the marow depth and substance of matters To such men al good and wholsome counsels do seeme vile and naught and they do thinke that all good fortune is then only cleane fled escaped away out of their hands if the ordering and disposing of any affaires be neuer so litle deferred or as it were seasoned and attempred with a litle moderation of some shortand small delay Notwithstanding in the end the better opinion as the euent testified did beare it away euen those whose aduise was to be still and not to stirre at all for they without could not heare any newes
would well permit and conueniently suffer Young Mahomet likewise being very prompt and forward both in action and in speech did not long keepe silence but the oration of his father being scant ended as one furious and full of venemous rage he arose from his seate and did so bitterly inueigh against the Christians in generall besides the extremitie of his priuate hatred which he bare to the Epirots in particular that he there bewrayed him self as an other Hāniball against the Romans to be their mortall and sworne enemy and after him all the other Chiestaines and leaders did encourage each man his own souldiours By that time that all things were ready and in good order that the Turke had dined at his ease it was neare noone at which time the squadrons being drawn forth of the trenches did display thēselues vpō the plaine It might be iudged an vnfit season to begin such an assault considering the extreme heat of the summer neuerthelesse the Ottoman thought it to be the best time because he mistrusted that if he should haue drawen them out of the campe either in the night or late towardes the euening perhaps it would haue giuen Scanderbeg the more oportunity to rush vpon them and to inuade and molest his trenches and yet did not this his suspition gaine him any thing neither was it altogether in vaine The allarme being giuen and the troupes as we haue sayd being issued forth and marching on with a wonderfull noise and sound of trumpets drummes and clamours of the souldiers they were now come to the wals and the foremost of them had scant or but newly begun the fight when the Turkish campe was sodainely in an vproare and was filled with a great tumult and horrible feare sprong vp amongest them The cause thereof was Scanderbeg who hauing of a long time watched and layd espiall to see what the Sultan would determine to doe now with a strong troupe of horsemen the most able and best mounted of all his army was come to the tents of the enemy rushed in vpon them where they lay next and nighest vnto him The Turks which were placed there in that quarter did receiue him at the first onset very resolutely but perceiuing by the losse slaughter of many of their fellowes that they could not hold out nor stand against him they being scattered dispersed here there in that feare had soone forsaken both their court of garde and all things else whatsoeuer if the others who were next them had not made hast and running thither from all partes at the noyse of the allarme making head against the enemy had not stayed them from flying farther The Albanians keeping their ranckes close and taking the aduantage of this good fortune did charge those that came last to encounter them more liuely then they had done the former and hauing layd more then 600 Turkes dead at their feete and made the Barbarians on that side to betake them selues to flight they sacked two of their tents carrying away diuerse ensignes and whatsoeuer else was found within the same This rumour being brought from hand to hand as the maner is to the eares of Amurath who was then busied in ordering his forces to the assault although the old man had made prouision before of many things did greatly affie himselfe in the sufficiency of those whom he had left within the campe neuerthelesse dreaming and forethinking himself of the worst that might happen for he was wont euer to say that nothing was sufficient to make resistance against the fiercenesse and fury of this beast he sent Seremet one of his captaines with 4000. horse for the repulse of the Christiās Mahomet who did alwayes burne in extreame hatred against this Prince though his father would haue diswaded him from it went thither also being accompanied with the ordinary garde of his person but before that these forces were ready on foot Scanderbeg perceiuing that he should not be able to make his partie good against so many as were comming vppon him had turned bridle and prouided for the suretie of him selfe and his people yet not without the extreame daunger of his life For as the report goeth the heat of fight had made him so farre to forget him selfe that he brake in amongest his enemies where they were thickest and he engaged him selfe so farre that he was almost oppressed by them and he was not able but with extreame payne to make him selfe way through the multitude that pressed vppon him and sought to stoppe his passage for both his owne strength and the forces of his horse began to fayle in somuch that very hardly and difficultlie did he escape and free him selfe from amongest them And after he was with much a do gotten from them yet did they not cease on all parts to pursue him as long as they had any hope to ouertake him or to staye him In this manner did the Christian troupes on the one side and the Generall on the other side by a happie retrait shift them selues out of the fight of the Mahometistes This tumult being pacified and appeased the Turkes returned vnto their camp and the Sultan his son repaired to his father extreamly grieuing that after such a brauado the slaughter of so many of their people his enemy should be escaped from him And he there tooke a solemne oth before them all that he would neuer leaue watching whole moneths daies and nights if need were but at one time or other by his ambushments and traines he would get this sauage and wilde beast to fal into his snares which he meant to lay for him that he wanted neither a good mind nor good meanes to effect it and he did so far assure himselfe of a good successe that if the other did hold on stil and continue in this brauery temerity thus to assaile them and to approach to their trenches he did not doubt but to make him to repent it The Prince of Epire hauing freed him selfe from the pursuite of his enemies tooke an other way and went after his owne company who being in a maruellous care and perplexity for the absence of their master went here and there wandring vp down and sending forth souldiours in quest on all parts to search if they could discouer him or could heare any newes of him in any place Many of them also could not forbeare teares lamenting and deploring the estate of Albany which should remaine as a tender orphan and the common weale of Epire which should continue desolate as it were in widowhood by the death of so diuine a personage so barbarously murthered by the Circumcized miscreāts But his safe returne whereof they despaired did reuiue their harts made them ioyfull both in priuate and publike in so much that besides diuers songs vttered by the common sort in token of their gladnesse many of them with great deuotion performed their
this stay of the assault was welcome to them all For their continuall labour and the heat of the day accompanied with extreame hunger and thirst had in a manner wholly spent them by reason that the suddennesse of the assault had preuented many from taking any repast The residue therefore of the day and the night following they consumed in refreshing themselues both with sleepe and victuals The same night tidings being brought to Scanderbeg of the victory of the Croians it gaue him good cause of ioy and gladnesse and he presently imparted these good newes vnto the Princes and peoples his next neighbours But on the other side the enemie was in great sorrow and discontentment and was seene for many dayes to be very sad and pensiue for the notable losse of that daies worke was very hard to be digested hauing lost in that seruice more then 8000. good souldiers but the Croians had verie little losse and without any great slaughter to speake of It is reported that Amurath kept himselfe close shut vp within his tent for two whole dayes together in debating vpon diuerse counsels and opinions with his Captaines and the Visirs his Counsellers But aboue all others young Mahomet shewed himselfe to be notably vexed and discontented his spirit boiling with fury and choller and his youthfull yeares being yet vnacquainted with crosse fortunes and aduersities had turned all his passions of griefe and anguish into meere rage and madnesse From thenceforth he tooke vpon him to deale in all the affaires of the campe with a carefull eye viewing and reuiewing all the seuerall companies he shewed himselfe so greedie of reuenge that he spared not to labour himselfe extreamely both night and day and was verie watchfull at all times to take the aduantage of any fit occasion but principally he had an eie to that side where the Albanois had lately endammaged their campe For there he placed a strong and puissant court of garde and dressed many ambushments and oftentimes would he watch there him selfe whole nightes in proper person to the intent if fortune did present him any good opportunitie to oppresse Scanderbeg he might not escape againe out of his handes But all these his deuises turned to nothing and vanished away as the smoake by the prouident and circumspect cariage of that expert Chiefetaine the Prince of Albany who being from day to day enformed of all thinges either by such as came to render themselues vnto him or by espials sent abroad of purpose he helde himselfe still and quiet in his campe for a season ordering and prouiding for the safetie of his affaires and drawing on his enemies with delayes Notwithstanding he could not endure to remaine long idle but being very desirous that his enterprises shold surpasse all others in glory reputatioÌ„ he aduised him self of a fine stratageme by which he purposed to surprise theÌ„ who were too intentiue to intrap him One night therefore trussing vp his baggage very secretly he remoued his army to a place called Monticlea from whence he might most coÌ„modiously trauel disturbe the enemy He left Moses Tanusee at Tumeâ—ista accompanied with 500. horse only and hauing set downe a certaine and prefixed time course and coÌ„municated his enterprise with them he willed them to set vppon the trenches of the enemy a litle after midnight next ensuing on the same side where he had last inuaded theÌ„ and that assoone as they had but giuen them a false allarme and made a shew of forcing the barriers of their campe they should suddenly and speedily make away without giuing the enemie any meanes to come to handiblowes with them and that himselfe in the meane time hauing set all things in good order and leauing 200. men for the guarde of his campe would on the other side breake in vpon the tentes of the enemie with the residue of his armie According to this conclusion there was little distance of time betweene the allarme made by Moses and the comming of Scanderbeg For assoone as he perceiued the sudden rumour and terrour of the allarme raised by the Dibrian on the other side he bare in with a full and strong carrer and charged them on that part where they litle doubted or suspected In this manner was the campe of the Infidels full of doubt feare and confusion some ranne here some there making great haste on all sides to oppose themselues against the violence of the Christians One of them wakened another crying that they were enuironned and rounde beset with the enemie But as for Moses he did indeede put them in a feare and that was all he did by reason that those souldiers which had beene lately placed in that quarter by Mahomet did easilie repulse them especially such as were most forward But the night hindered them froÌ„ pursuing after him for that they suspected some ambushment which they had good cause to be in doubt of and especially at that time But the dammage that Scanderbeg wrought them cannot be recounted For their campe was on all parts beaten downe and foully deformed and disordered both by sword fire and yet did not this inuasion continue any long time by reason of the sudden comming and readie arriuall of the Turkes whose presence in so great multitudes did soone determine and ende the conflict For the Christians making a retreate durst not hazarde and oppose themselues against so huge forces as were there vnited especially in a place that was so plaine and euen for it was in Tyranna where they gaue this charge vppon the enemie Neuerthelesse when the Christians beganne to retire the Infidels had no great desire to follow after and if they had it might be they should haue paid well for it for this warie and circumspect warrior had placed all his infanterie and 8000. horse neere at hand to the intent they should be as a gard vnto him behind at his backe and should serue against all such casualties as might befall him Of these companies was he receiued in his retreate with great ioy and high cries and clamors and so passing forward they spent the rest of the night in trauelling to their campe It is reported that Scanderbeg did neuer doe anie exploite vppon his enemie with lesse losse and bloudshed for he brought backe all his troupes safe and sounde without the losse of any one man not leauing vnto the Barbarians aniething saue woundes teares and lamentations as the testimonies of his being with them in such sort that this slaughter and foule discomfiture did make them in a manner quite to forget the calamitie of their late losse which they had had before Croy. No man durst from thencefoorth open his mouth vnto the Sultan or to aduise him to any enterprise for this accident hauing succeeded to their so notable infamie did seeme to reproue all their counsels and deliberations both in times past and at that present Wherefore they had recourse in this their
thus prouided for the necessarie sustenance of their bodies it made them to take a good heart againe and to reuiue both in strength and courage All this while did they trauell without ceasing in vndermining of the wall howbeit the excessiue labor of the work did swallow vp many of them within the earth notwithstanding the pioners had their seuerall times and houres particularly proportioned vnto ech of them and the like order was also obserued throughout all the squadrons and amongst the souldiers of euerie tent within the campe The continuall labour and the obstinate resolution of the men did easily surmount all difficultie and daylie did they continue their skirmishes and loose fightes before the walles of purpose to abuse the Citizens And albeit there was no daie passed without the death and slaughter of some of them yet did not they account that for any losse amongest so many thousands of fighting men The Infidels did in some sort spend all that time ioyfully and to their contentment by reason that ouer and aboue their store and abundance of victualles lately arriued from Macedony there was also a great number of marchauntes of the next townes vnder the obeisance of the Venetians who serued them with plentie of corne wine oyle and all sortes of victualles day by day into their campe neither was there any want of Mercerie wares which diuerse brought thither of purpose to traffique with them who as the prouerbe is like flies drawing after honny did repaire and flocke thither from all quarters when they once knew of their estate and that their campe was in great penurie of all prouisions excepting money onely All this did Scanderbeg see verie well yet because he would not offend the subiectes of his friendes and confederates nor hinder their prinate gaine in particular he tooke all with great patience willing his people also to dissemble it as well as himselfe without giuing any offence to any person either in word or in deede For howsoeuer it were he was not ignorant that though he had hindered this traffique betweene them yet the enemie for all that should not haue wanted it from other places by reason of the nearenesse of Macedonie Thrace and Seruia And therfore he busied his braines with greater matters and with other affaires of more importance how he might by force of armes and dint of sword and not by famine and want of sustenance expell this outragious enemie out of Epyre. This made him to haue an especiall care and regard of a matter which was deeply to be considered on and that was to encrease and augment his forces for of the eight thousand men which he had leauied at the beginning of this warre there was litle lesse then a thousand of them diminished and decreased all which were either consumed in the seuerall seruices against the enemie or by diuerse other accidents and discommodities besides a good number who were licensed to departe and were sent a waye to refreshe themselues in their dwellinges such as he thought had endured sufficient hardnesse and done their good deuoire in the forepassed dangers The charge and commission for this matter was committed to Tanusee and to Moses who trauersing and compassing all the prouince did scarce leauie two thousand souldiers whereof fiue hundreth were horsemen and the residue footemen It was no easie matter at that time to find any one man in all Epire fit and able to beare armes but he was alreadie emploied in some place either of charge or else appointed to some particular seruices so well and so carefully had Scanderbeg strengthened and assured all things with wonderfull counsell and aduise because he would not willingly leaue any angle or corner of his realme exposed to the iniurie and violence of his aduersaries During the same time that this leauie was made by Scanderbeg the Croians being importuned by the daily alarmes of the Infidels could not any longer containe themselues within their walles but often times sallying out of the towne they did with great good happe and successe encounter with them One day aboue the rest their seruice was most notable at which time there issued forth about 500 of the garrison and hauing well beaten the enemie of whom many were cut in peeces and the residue put to flight they were so earnest and forwarde in the chase that they pursued them euen within their trenches which made the Mahometistes when they sawe the Christians to be so hardie and couragious and that their temeritie did drawe them on vppon this their good fortune not to grieue verie much at their companions which lay slaine because they were in hope soone to be reuenged But this their hope was made vaine by meanes of Vranocontes who though he sawe his souldiers to returne with little or no dammage yet neuerthelesse wisely weighing the danger and hazard of that dayes seruice with the politique and subtill disposition of the enemie he would not from thence foorth any more permit them to set their foote without their portes But greater was the griefe and more notable was the slaughter that Scanderbeg brought vpon Amurath and his forces for his new bandes being vnited and incorporated to the bodie of his whole armie and the same being deuided into three parts one to Moses an other to Tanusee and the third reserued to himselfe about the shutting of the euening he caused his Ensignes to march verie secretly directly towards the campe of the enemie But before he was gotten as farre as Monticlea which was distant about two miles from their trenches he was discouered by the Turkish Sentinels Great and suddaine was the tumult when they vnderstoode of his comming but most of all where the tents lay neerest to the daunger Wherefore nothing was omitted by the Barbarians neither did they leaue anie remedie vnattempted which the vncertainety and darkenesse of the night could aduise them vnto either for repelling him backe or for debarring him from entring vppon them There were gathered together in great haste and tumult about some eight thousand men which opposed themselues against him which made him to pause a little and with a softer pace and more leasure to march forwarde against them The Mahometans aduaunced them selues to encounter him and with a huge crie on all handes were the first that beganne the fight but the Christians refusing to ioyne with them in fight by litle and litle recuiled backwardes to the intent that drawing them farther off from their trenches their fury might be the more abated and diminished Hereupon Moses and Tanuse hauing sodainly entred their rampiers and barriers on that part which was appointed them had filled al the campe with exceeding feare and confusion and being entred within certaine tents and the watches slaine they destroied all with the fury of fire where force of armes could not any way endammage them Greater was the losse and dishonor without comparison receiued by them then by Scanderbeg for
was not able to subdue and conquer And this I dare say that there was not any one of them which did like better of this reconciliation that was offered then that the war should be still continued nay they did not so much as estimate it meete that the matter should be debated by most voyces in a full and common councell so mightely are the minds of mortall men puffed vp by the prosperous and happy successe of their affaires Alas what is become now of the brightnesse and glorious renowme of that nation of those noble and generous spirites and of the seede of that inuincible vertue The Epirots did see their estate and Empire most miserably rent and torne Of their townes some were taken others straightly besieged the landes and patrimony of their auncestours all couered ouer with men at armes their wiues and their children remoued and exiled as it were farre from their sight and euen languishing and pining away for very griefe and with continuall feare and lamentation the bodies of their friends and fellowes dayly slaine and dismembred before their eies and all things flowing and drowned in bloud and cruelty and yet did euery one of them take more delight and pleasure to remaine and continue in that meane and low fortune and to stand vppon the guard and maintenaunce of their liberty with the great expence and losse of their bloud though not without hope of good successe rather then they would in any sort yeeld vnto the Infidell or to giue vnto their enemies the least shew or confession of faintnesse or cowardize Wherefore Scanderbeg whose minde also was euer vndaunted and vtterly vnacquainted with any passion of feare or timerousnesse after he had appeased their murmuring and the noise raised amongst them he turned himselfe to Isup and because he would not seeme to returne him to his maister the Ottoman as it were with disdaine or in suspence or without any certaine resolution he made him aunswere in this manner That which thou hast propounded vnto vs Isup at this time is no other thing as I now remember then was heretofore offered vs by Ayradin who at our first comming to this Crowne did by letters brought vnto vs in the name of the Sultan demaunde of vs certaine places of Epyre and all Macedonie touching which point the full answere giuen you at that time was sufficient to haue satisfied you And I doe not thinke my estate so much empayred nor yours in that manner augmented that you should with any face or shewe of honestie seeme at this time to offer me these conditions As for that long discourse recounting the losse of Sfetygrade the battery and ruine of the walles of Croy the spoyling and wasting of our fieldes and territories we doe scarce account that any losse at all as long as these heades are in safetie as long as these souldiours are in health and well disposed and as long as our people is in securitie it wil be an easie matter beleeue me to recouer whatsoeuer is lost and to repayre that which is destroyed God aiding and assisting vs it is nothing to destroy or to reedifie such things as those all the while we want not quicke handes and good workemen such as we haue here to vndertake them But aunswere me I pray thee seeing thou hast a delight to reckon vppe our misfortunes how dearely haue you bought and payed for them continually with what losse and store of bloudshed haue you bought Sfetygrade albeit it was not your prowesse that carried it but the superstition of the besieged And the siege of Croy how many of your best souldiours hath it cost you Goe to then hold on still a Gods name to be braue in this manner so might you alwayes proceede and continue in happynesse For my part I doe not nor will not enuie it I can be well content to see your ensignes alwayes to continue within Epire to suffer my townes to be besieged and assaulted my fieldes to be pilled and wasted and whatsoeuer is good in Macedonie to be spoyled and destroyed so long as you beare such like markes and tokens of your good fortune and such testimonies as these be of your valure I protest vnto you I hold it better and more expedient for vs to entreat you not to depart at all out of Epire then to buy your departure at so high a price as you set vs. God forbid that any age or time should see or that any man liuing should euer heare that this prouince was become tributarie as long as Scanderbeg is aliue Assure your selues if Ottoman would restore vnto me the whole entire possession of Macedonie and all the patrimonie of my ancestours nay if Amurath would deuide with me and make me copartner with him of all his Empire I would neuer suffer the name of Albanie to be stained and blemished with this blot of disgrace and infamie In vayne therefore doest thou heape vp these examples of strangers forreine states in vayne doest thou represent before our eyes the subiection of the Peloponnesians and seruitude of them of Asia for there is no example nor President whatsoeuer of so great weight and efficacie which may moue a free and liberall hart to subiect and submit it selfe to so base villanous and fowle an indignitie The Turke made no further reply being vnwilling to stand any longer vpon this matter and therefore held it needelesse also to make any offer of a lesser tribute or to follow any further the instructions giuen him by the Sultan for he sawe that the mindes of them all in generall did abhorre to heare of any such submission The counsell therefore being risen he was conducted with his trayne to dine with Scanderbeg in his owne lodging and after great cheare honorable entertaynement giuen him Tanusee and certaine horsemen did conuey him about a myle from the Campe for feare least vpon this fauour shewed him the licentiousnesse of the souldiours might in some sortworke some iniurie or outrage vnto him Scarce was he gotten out of the sight of the Albanois but Scanderbeg with all his armie doubting some ambushments of the enemy if he should not speedely remoue from thence did march away presently to Tumenista where he placed gardes and scouts on all sides with a far greater care then he had vsed at any time before The returne of Isup to Amurath who then lay at Tyranna the lesser as it did greatly augment his former griefe so did the conceipt thereof redouble the violence of his disease and sickenesse The daunger whereof being from day to day aggrauated and growing more and more suspitious it made the Bassaes to quit almost all care of armes to deuise vpon nothing else then how to cure succour the old Sultan But the maladie being vncertaine and his disease vnknowen vnto them they saw no better receipt nor remedy to minister vnto him then to entertaine him with store of good wordes
pitched and set battels and brought them vnder subiection who hauing slainc the King of Hungarie did more then once with his great good hap giue the chase vnto Hunyades that famous redoubted warriour through the conceipt and remembrance of which his glorious and haughtie exploites and by the successe of all which fauours bestowed vppon him by fortune his ambitious and proud heart did promise vnto it selfe the superioritie and conquest of all Empires and estates Christian and the entire dominion of the whole earth But ô how are his thoughts now changed ô how farre doe those his last speeches differ from the course of his forepassed life being now heard to powre forth such vile and base complaints to lament so shamefully euen in the view of an enemie of whom in time past he made so small reckoning and so little estimate where were then become the haughtie thoughts of his vndaunted spirit his arrogant and imperious voice which so many braue Chieftaines and Leaders so many troupes and legions so many thousands of armed souldiers were wont to heare with feare and trembling Oh how the case is now altered the man is now of another manner of visage of another kind of countenance of another aspect Where is that head adorned with so many trophees and goodly tryumphes where is that royall and princely hande that swayed so many Scepters where is the puissance the power the strength of his maiestie that commaunded ouer so many kingdomes nations and peoples Beholde he now lyeth full low vppon the ground a deformed a filthy and stincking carkasse with his hands closed his eyes shut and his feete stretched out which earst so gloriously did trample and tread vppon the earth and did triumph vppon the landes which he had vanquished and subdued And now of so many and so infinite riches of so vnmeasurable wealth and so huge treasures of so many honours and vaine glorious praises which he enioyed in his life time his fraile bodie retaineth nothing but hath left all behind him O the imbecilitie and weake condition of mans nature ô the vaine glorie of mortall creatures ô the blinded and peruerted thoughtes of foolish men why doe we so glorifie our selues why are wee so puffed vppe and exalted why doe wee so set our affections on the riches the authoritie and the pompous vanities of this life ô howe admirable is the chaunge of all humaine things howe fleeting is the glorie and ostentation of mortall Empires and howe great is the daliance of fortune deluding and deceiuing foolishe men with such vanities His bodie being embalmed with pretious oyntmentes and sweete odours was pompously and honourably kept and preserued to be afterwardes interred at Bursa aunciently named Prusa in Bithinia in the sepulcher of his auncestors Mahomet being immediatly saluted as their Lord and Soueraigne was aduised by the greatest and chiefest persons that the death of his father should carefully be concealed to the intent the report thereof might not come to the hearing of the enemie Afterwards when it was farre in the night trussing vp their baggage and all things prouided in arcadines for their discamping they departed before the dawning of the day The report is that Amurath deceased about the middest of Autumne fiue monethes after the siege laide before Croy. As touching his age there is some diuersitie of opinions yet it is generally agreed and gainesaied by none that he had fully attained to fourescore and fiue yeares Nothing is more certaine then that Mahomet was highly aggrieued and displeased to leaue the siege and to abandon the warre which had brought them so great dishonor but necessitie enforced him thereunto and made him hasten his returne to Andrinople there to take the inuestiture of his crowne and Empire according to the ancient custome of their kings as also to represse and extinguish the tumults which might happen and are vsuall to be raised vpon the change and alteration of estates Scanderbeg at his departure did not cease to follow him sometimes pressing vpon his maine forces and sometimes gleaning vp those that were hindmost and so still continued he troubling their armie till he saw them cleane gone out of the boundes and limits of his countrey and then triumphing with a double occasion of ioy and gladnesse both because Amurath was departed this life with shame and infamie and for that the reliques of the enemies forces were cleane ridde out of Epire he returned to his companies and so tooke his way directly towardes Croie By this time was Vranocontes the Croians issued out of the town in great troups and they went wandering vp and downe the fieldes which were yet moist with the blood of the Turkes In all places they made some stay and ouerseeing and visiting all things with an incredible pleasure and delight Scarcely could they beleeue themselues in that which they had seene and searched with their eies in such sort were the hearts of this people lately possessed and seized with feare and horror that their perplexed and doubtfull spirits could not yet forget their former terror The king of Albanie was receiued with a maruellous concourse of people and Vranocontes was the first that entertained him with infinite embracements who after he had kissed him as the fashion is the others according to their degrees and callings did likewise welcome him There was not any of the common people but did testifie their ioy and gladnes of his comming sometimes prostrating themselues according to their maner at the feete of their Prince and sometimes handling the skirtes of his robes and vestiments they would embrace and kisse them with great desire affection Then began they to expresse and make shew of their exceeding ioy with all kinds of acclamations melodies and instruments of musicke with ringing of belles with bonfiers with feasting and banqueting and whatsoeuer else which in the comentment of their hearts they could any wayes imagine or bethinke themselues The Croians were highly commended and extolled with many praises and good commendations both in publique and in priuate for their deuoire and dutie so faithfully and valiantly performed The garrison likewise besides their appointed pay had great and large sums of money giuen them for a recompence with many good and rich garmentes Touching the gouernour besides great store of gold and siluer Scanderbeg gaue him two coate armours of purple and one other richly wrought in gold and foure goodly manours for the reward and recompence of his vertue and good seruice and last of all beyond his expectation though not vndeseruedly he honored him with a higher title and created him Duke of Emathia giuing him the present inuestiture and possession of that dignitie These things thus accomplished Scanderbeg tooke especiall care to dispatch away messengers of this victorie on all sides to the Princes and peoples his neighbours and confederates the rumor and report whereof being dispersed abroad was the occasion that infinite numbers
shortly to vndertake But the Dibrian did soone cut off this spectacle and their expectation for like a violent storme rushing in vpon the middest of them that fought with the destruction and slaughter of a great many he did easily put the rest to flight and with the exceeding vehemencie of his furie hauing forgotten himselfe he had without all doubt pursued them euen into the middest of their maine battallion if that Amese calling backe his souldiers had not refrayned his furie and with good words as well as deedes had not caused him to retire their ensignes Certaine it is and not to be denied that Moses was a braue man hardie and valiant of his person and a most excellent Captaine fit to haue the commaund of any forces yet when he was once embrued with the blood of his enemies and that as the saying is his blood was once hot his impatiencie did so master him that he was not able any longer to rule and moderate himselfe Wherefore it is reported that Scanderbeg did sharply reprehend him admonishing him to temper his hardinesse and audacitie with more moderation and modestie and to vse his victorie more aduisedly that well it might be tolerable in a priuate souldier to be so audacious and hardie but in a leader which hath the charge and commaund of men it is a fault no lesse pernitious then reproueable and a very bad president and ill ensample But the rare qualities and excellent deserts of this worthie personage do inuite me by the way to touch a word or two concerning his originall This Moses who was called the Dibrian by reason that he dwelt and did possesse a goodly and large territorie and inheritance amongest the Dibrians by another surname was called Goleme Ariamnites by nation an Epirot descended and borne in the citie of Valmes in Epire Musache being his father and Roislaua his mother This Musache had two bretheren to wit Ariamnites Goleme or Comniat father in lawe to Scanderbeg of whom hath bene before entreated And Vladienne Goleme de Ariamnites who begot Musache surnamed Goleme de Ariamnit otherwise Musache de Angeline so called by reason of his mother the sister of Scanderbeg and thus much brieflie for the discent of Moses But to our purpose The rest of the troupes Albanois stood a while at a stay and without mouing eitheir forward or backward admiring the extreme hardines of the Chieftaine But on the contrary the enemies were striken with an exceeding feare and began thereupon to conceiue a certaine and generall resolution to fly away and to leaue fighting notwithstanding thinking that the Christians by reason of the darknesse of the night would not stirre any farther nor enterprize any thing but deferre the maine fight till the break of the day they stirred not at all but held good stood firme for a while the rather for that besides the shame and ignominie they iudged that their flight in the vncertaintie of the darke would be farre more perilous and full of hazard Likewise the Albanois was not a little perplexed in his thoughts but had diuerse imaginations in his minde being in doubt whether he should attend the day-light or else should presse forward this his good fortune which to men of warre is very light and inconstant For herein he found him selfe deceiued of his hope in that he thought to haue surprized them at vnwares and found them out of order as he had of late ouertaken the Amezans yet for all that seeing he had ouerthrown and beaten backe their first troupes he was in hope that they would not abide him but be gone and so pursuing them at their backes he might obtaine the victorie without any losse or bloodshed of his owne men Now therefore when he perceiued them to set a good countenance on the matter and yet neuerthelesse to be as it were in a mammering and readie to turne their backs without any more delay he sounded a charge gaue the onset vpon them most furiously both before and behind saying vnto his souldiers Come on my friends let vs vse the victorie whilest these fellowes are thus amazed and whilest their wounds are yet fresh and bleeding let vs preuent the enemie of their flight which they are now deuising and debating how to take their most aduantage and how to get away free and safe out of our sight Debreas his troups endured the shocke at the first verie coldly which made him to repaire to their fore ranckes where he animated exhorted them to behaue them selues manfully and to stand firme both with good words and by the example of his owne vertue and valour insomuch that now they began to receiue the Christians to the encounter with a good resolution made them to hold bridle stopped them in their pace But whilest they were thus combatting together and that ech of the armies were in doubt to be confounded and entangled one within another the fight as yet was not verie mortall till such time as one of the Musaches was sent with part of the horsemen from the left wing to charge the enemie vpon that side where first of all their rankes beganne to breake and be disordered Scanderbeg pressing continually vpon them in the forefront did beate vp and downe the presse hauing a vehement desire to encounter with the Generall of the Turkes and he had enioyned some of his people with promises of good rewardes to carie a good eye vpon Debreas The report is that it was a propertie peculiar and vsuall with him in all battels encounters to lay the first and principall plot of his victory against his enemies by giuing the onset vpon their Generall and by his death and destruction for he was wont commonly to say That the head was first to be cut off and then that the rest of the bodie would tumble after it all alone that he knew not any kind of creature in the whole world which could suruiue after the head thereof was once taken away But the braue and sudden charge giuen by Musache did somewhat hinder the purpose of Scanderbeg for that Debreas leauing the head of the battell where he as then kept did suddenly make towardes that side that repulsing the enemie and redressing the rankes againe in good order which Musache had disordered he might cause them to temporize yet a while and to beare off the violence of their enemies till such time as it grew to be day The souldiers in the vauntgard no sooner perceiued their Generall to be absent but they beganne presently to waxe more faint and flacke in fighting suffering themselues with little violence to be beaten backe euen into the middest of their other battallions Moses to the intent he might winne honour by so glorious an action brake in verie furiously amongst the thickest of them and snatching an Ensigne out of the handes of one of the Barbarians he throwe it to his cōpanions that
violat thy faith and loyalty and to conspire against thy country against thy Prince against thy frends and companions against thy religion against thy owne dignity and honor against the security of thy own estate vpon a vaine hope of some idle conceited good hap and of a thing meerely doubtfull and vncertaine Whilest the Dibrian did remaine thus perplexed turmoiled with the vncertainty of his owne thoughts behold our gentle messenger is againe returned plentifully furnished and prouided not onely with words farre more sweete and plausible but with rich giftes and sumptuous presents yet I doe not finde that Moses did accept of any of them but that onely his mind was now throughly possessed with a disposition enclining to infidelity and treason Notwithstanding the aunswere which he made to the messenger did sufficiently discouer the malady of his minde for he willed him to come no more into his presence that he did most humbly thanke the Sultan for his great fauour and good will and promised him so to cary and demeane himselfe that from thenceforward he should not find him to be his enemy Thus whilest that Scanderbeg being ignoraunt of the counsels of Mahomet doth send abroad espials on all sides to sound and search out his determinations the Infidelles are plotting and deuising how to worke him a greater mischiefe and to ouerwhelme him with a daunger farre more pernicious It hath bene before touched how that both Scanderbeg and his subiects did delay and put off the warre and the besieging of townes for a season to a time then prefixed and appointed which being now expired and no newes of any motions or tumults heard of from Andrinople but that all things were in good rest and quietnesse the king of Albany bethought and deuised with him selfe what expedition were best to be vndertaken and what things were requisite to haue it well and orderly executed To this end he was resolued if he might to aide him selfe with the succours of the Italians considering that though his subiects were excellent in fighting of maine battels and in combatting hand to hand in the plaine field yet did he not thinke them to be fitte or sufficient for the assaulting of holdes and the forcing of townes and such like seruices Alphonsus King of Sicily and Naples of whom mention hath beene often made did keepe his Court continually at Naples which was not farre distant from thence And for as much as not onely Scanderbeg but in a manner all Christendome did vse this Prince with a kind of familiarity he tooke care to vse the helpe of no other but of him onely assuring him selfe that of all the Princes and Potentates Christian he should not finde any more willing nor more ready to aide and assist him For this cause before hee would proclaime any leauy or muster of men within his Prouince he caused two good and strong shippes to be rigged trimmed and made ready which being richly furnished and fraughted with many excellent and sumptuous presentes he sent with two of the greatest and noblest persons of his kingdome vnto Alphonsus with letters written in most familiar and pleasaunt manner Some afffrme that because hee would finde him the more ready to send him succours he did require Alphonsus by this Ambassade to receiue him into his safegard and protection but the Epistle ensuing speaketh not a word of any such matter neither doe I dare to auerre it for trueth The tenour of those letters were as followeth To the most noble and victorious Prince Alphonsus king of Arragon Naples and Sicilie Scanderbeg king of the Epirots sendeth health and prosperity Our souldiours most Catholique King know how to fight with men onely in the field but for the assaulting of walles and holdes they are vtterly ignorant You Italians as I heare are very skillfull in that kinde of seruice and you loue it well this is the cause that wee at this time haue neede of your good aide which we desire you to impart vnto vs. The Infidelles are possessed of certaine of our townes in Epire and I haue for a long time had a singular desire to plucke this thorne if God be so pleased out of my foote but the continuall impedimentes and hinderaunces of the warres hauing euer withheld me I haue not bene able to this day to bring it to any good passe Wherefore to the intent I might accomplish my desire I haue made choise of this oportunity being most fit both in regard of the season now present as also of the ley sure and rest which Mahomet hath permitted vs whose fury we haue now repressed in two seuerall combattes and battelles You may gesse by few wordes what it is that we haue neede of all other things are in a readinesse onely we stay for succours and aide from you which if it shall please your Maiesty you may send vnto vs namely Harguebushiers and Crossebowes such as are skilfull to fight aloofe and to trouble the enemy a farre off for of other souldiours our dominions are sufficiently well furnished But ô how happy may I account Naples and Sicily which are gouerned by such a king as my Alphonsus from whence as out of a treasury a man may haue choise of all presidentes and examples of vertue If we haue neede of your people either in peace or in war both our estate hath bene furthered by your lawes and our warres haue bene maintained by your armes For my part I doe so highly esteeme of your loue and good will and the memory of your exceeding great benefits doth remaine so sacred inuiolable in my mind that many times I wish though perhaps therein I ouershoot my selfe that your fortune and estate were such as you might haue occasion to try and proue rather then to purchase and tie your friends vnto you For so should I be able by some certaine and euident proofe to testifie my deuotion and ready seruice and the entire affections of my vnfained loue towards you The Ambassadors hauing had their dispatch with these letters Scanderbeg made a iourney into Dibria where the garrison then lay and had in his company Amese his nephew Musache his brother in law and some other of his Lordes and nobles with whom he purposed there to consult vpon the estate of his affaires and to take some order for the leauying of an army Being arriued there he demanded of Moses whether he had learned any newes that concerned the estate being so neare and continuall a neighbour to the enemy His aunswer was That he heard of none but quoth he I haue had conference of late with a man of Sfetigrade to see if there could be found any way or meane to get that place from the enemy but he hath protested and sworne vnto me with great oaths that it is so carefully guarded and so circumspectly gouerned with watch and ward day and night and it is so aboundantly furnished and prouided of al
valour and notable prowes of Scanderbeg so often tried and approued did greatly comfort the carefull harts of the Albanois as one whom they had often receiued victorious and triumphant not of two onely but of more enemies all at once Notwithstanding as feare maketh men to cast many doubts so the brauerie of the enemies and their audacious defie giuen to the Prince of Epire did make many of them to suspect the issue of the combat Wherefore immediately they aduanced forward with their squadrons and whilest matters stood yet in good case and entire they enforced themselues to their vttermost power to second their King against his enemies But he in the meane time bearing vp close to both of them did reach a full blow to the head of Barach and lighting vpon his face did cut him ouer the eyes and cleft his head almost in twaine The other after many blowes past betweene them and no bloud drawen on neither partie let his sworde fall out of his hand and immediately the Turke being verie actiue pressed close to him with his horse and clasping both his armes about his necke and forsaking his stirruppes and his horse with the whole weight of his bodie he hanged vpon the shoulder of Scanderbeg thinking to haue forced him and to haue pulled him to the ground together with himselfe The Infidels desirous to aide their companion gaue in presently and enuironned the Epirot Prince on all sides But their labour was in vaine for Scanderbeg hauing cut off the heade from his bodie as it did hang vppon him freed himselfe from the burthen of his enemie You may be sure that this acte did notably encrease the courage of the Christians and made them to follow desperately after their Generall beating downe great numbers of the Barbarians who now began to shrinke committing a great and mightie slaughter amongest them These beginnings and first-fruites of victorie did minister occasion of much sorrow vnto the Infidels and vnto the Christians of great ioy and comfort and it was taken as a good signe and happie token of the returne of their good fortune But the strength of their bodies and the day-light also fayling both the one and the other all alike they were enforced for that time to giue place vnto the night Sebalias was the first that made shew either of his feare that he durst not or of his wearinesse that he could not endure the fight anie longer Whereupon all his companies by the commaundement of their Captaines made close vp to their colours and so retyred themselues to the mountaine before that the darkenesse of the night should ouertake them in the field The Prince of Epyre being farre spent with labour and trauell and full of griefe and sorrowe insupportable did the like also with his armie seizing vpon an other mountaine distant about two miles from the enemie There did he stay till it was two houres within night at which time he dislodged verie secretly neither him selfe nor his souldiers hauing had any refreshing at all either of sleepe or victuals For poore soules neither had they any thing to eate neither had they any desire thereunto by reason of the extreame griefe and anguish of their hearts which tooke from them all care both of meate and drinke The Bassa for that night did not enter into the towne but hauing store of victualles brought him by the Burgesses of Belgrade he lodged his armie partly in the mountaines and partly in the suburbes And placing good and strong courts of gard and Sentinelles on all sides he celebrated his victorie with great ioy and triumph For he was perswaded that the Christians would haue stayed there the rest of the night and that the next morning fresh and fasting as men that were not vsed to be beaten and that would seeke to repaire their honour lost they would haue aduentured themselues to a second battell Wherefore hauing set all things in a readinesse and in good order by the breake of day he descended into the playne sending foorth many companies to skirmish with the Christians and to drawe them foorth to the fight for although about two houres in the night he had heard a noyse and did discerne some signes that might signifie their departure yet he did beleeue that they were remoued onely to some other place where they might eyther rest more securely or more commodiously dresse some ambuscado to entrappe him and his armie And this also was the cause that he durst not sende foorth his forces to ouerrunne and spoile the countrie doubting least he might thereby disgrace the honour of this victorie it being a thing verie vnusuall with the Turkes to haue such a hand of the Epyrots and besides the inconstancie of fortune being an ordinarie chaunce in the warres more then in any other thing whatsoeuer He was not therefore much discontented either with the flight of the Christians or because he had lost the opportunitie of fight with them againe belike he was induced thereunto by an exceeding iealouzie of this aduantage so vnaccustomed and of the good fortune which had befallen him being desirous not to loose it after he had once gotten it And the former daies iourney did seeme to testifie no lesse because that he being the first that sounded the retrait did therein bewray that either he confessed himselfe to be wearied and faint harted as hauing the worst or else that he was vnwilling to renue the fight and that he had no great desire to meddle any more with the enemie For I make no doubt if Sebalias had the corage to haue pressed hard and roundly vpon the 〈…〉 he might that day haue ended the warre of Epire by reason that there was â—â—â—â— or â—â— disaduauntage to the one more then to the other either in respect of then extreame â—â—â—â—nesse or of the discommodity of the time but rather if any were the 〈…〉 had the aduantage by the great ods of their numbers which being all h 〈…〉 exceeded and surpassed the power of the Epirots who if they could haue found any benefite or hope of safety by flying there is no doubt but they would haue fled away roundly at the first But because the Infantery of the Albanois found that by fighting â—â—â—â—antly they had most certainety and hope to escape and they were loath to acknowledge oâ— makeshew in what extremity and mischiefe they were especially to such an enemy whom they knew to be most insolent and would be puffed vp with prosperity therefore their corages began to be reuiued and encreased and the Turkes contraâ—â—wise grew to be abated till at length the benefite and oportunity of the night did stay the course of their proceedings and did helpe forward the preseruation and estate of their affaires which was â—arâ—â— in a case so vnfortunate and desperate And it may be that the goodnesse of God had prouided and ordained that matters should so fall out in that manner to the
should promise and assure them of any thing it would be to small purpose in this case where fortune might vsurpe vnto her selfe so great power and priuiledge Immediately hereuppon Scanderbeg hauing taken order for the parting of the Prouince and the distributing of the seuerall charges and offices the Siegniours and chiefe Captaines by the appointment and commaund of their Generall did seuer and betake themselues into seuerall parts and places of the countrie sometimes disposing and bestowing the garrisons which had bene deliuered them into the fortresses and strong holds and sometimes conueying thither victuals and other munitions to furnish all of them both one and other This was the occasion that there was some delay made and the rather also for that the haruest was not yet throughly inned nor the corne cleane caried out of the fields and the rumor euerie day growing more more that the Barbarians approached for that the case required haste and quicke dispatch the souldiers as well as the husbandmen were imploied in that businesse and they conueyed all their corne partly in the sheaffe and partly threshed out into the townes and castelles to haue it safe and sure from the handes of the enemie By this meanes they were well and sufficiently prouided both of men and victualles for many monethes Scanderbeg hauing left Moses to commaund ouer the residue of the armie went to Croie and stayed there some three dayes taking order for diuerse matters and vrgent affaires especially for the remoouing of the Queene and her houshold from Petralba From thence returning to Dibrya he beganne to goe in hand with his businesse and with a watchfull eye and diligent care prepared himselfe for the receiuing of his nephew whom he determined to entertaine and vse as a mortall and meere enemie By this time had the hoast of the infidels cut ouer the greatest part of Macedonie and were nowe entred vppon the confines of Albanie and hauing sent foorth their vantâ—urrours before them they did warily discouer the countrey farre and wide on all handes to the intent they might not fall into the vsuall and accustomed ambushments of Scanderbeg And the report is that for that onely consideration Amese would neuer suffer them to marche by night affirming that his vncle would neuer be so foolish as to encounter or stay for so mightie and puissant an enemy either in the day time or in the open and champion countrey but would assay rather by the fauour and benefite of the darke night to put in practise his accustomed stratagemes and those suttle traynes which were most vsuall and familiar with him in martiall exploites But Scanderbeg on the other side although he had long before hand prouided all things in a readinesse for his retrait if neede should require it yet would he not by any meanes dislodge till he had true and perfect intelligence that the Turkes were come very neare him and that he might in a manner perceiue the dust of their horses and then trussing vp baggage he speedily discamped and forsooke that place in such sorte that they which followed and came on behinde him might very well discerne him as hee marched on before them The Turke would not follow after nor put himselfe in pursuit of him by reason of the difficultie and roughnesse of the way and for feare of ambushes Onely he sent certaine horse after him giuing them in charge to trouble and molest him as much as they could possibly and to learne what course and way hee helde and whither hee went Wherefore the armie of the Infidelles being entred into the vpper Dybria by the way of Alchria they did marche on still with a fayre and easie pace continually discouering and searching farre and wide on all sides When the coast was founde to be cleare and safe from the enemy the Turkishe companie with exceeding great ioye did disperse themselues abroad ouer all the countrey But as this kinde and manner of victorie so easily gotten was very pleasing and gratious vnto the souldiours now waxing insolent through security so did it no lesse grieue them afterwardes for that they could not finde nor meete with any pillage in the fieldes nor light vppon any fit matter to satisfie their couetous minds and inordinate appetites Thus held they on their march till it was about an houre before noone and then both because they would stay for the returne of their vauntcurrours and also for that they would rest and refresh them selues of their long iourneis and the extreame heate of the weather they beganne to make a stand and went to lodge them selues neare to Oronichea in the same Dibria neare adioyning to the same place where our men at other times had vsed to encampe them selues There pitching their tentes they spent the time in councell and consultation till such time as their vauntcurrours returned vnto them abstaynig in the meane while both from meate and drinke or any other kindes of refreshing For before their dislodging in the morning they had taken a sufficient repast by the aduise of their Generall for feare least if by some chance and casualty that morning they should haue bene driuen or enforced to fight and that the hazard of the battell should haue protracted the conflict as many times it doth they might not be enforced also to fight with hunger as well as with their enemies All this while did the souldiours take great delight curiously to suruey the place where our men had of late encamped and they walked vp and downe on all sides yet not without some suspition of daunger in so much that they neither durst disarme them selues nor yet leaue their watch and ward but the most part kept continually neare to their standards and guidons all on horsebacke And thus for two houres at the least did they patientlie abide keeping good watch and ward till such time as they which hadde bene sent abroade for the discouerie being returned againe did bring report of that which they had seene and learned namely that the Epirot and his troupes did drawe downe towardes the sea coastes on that side whereas the Citie of Lissa lay and being demaunded what numbers they were they aunswered that they were seant sufficient to make vp a good and perfect * Legion Howbeit the truth was that the armie of the Albanois did amount to more then eleuen thousand fighting men whereof sixe thousand were horsemen and the rest footemen But the errour of the Turkish scouts as I suppose grew of this that our men being in Dibria had sent all their infanterie with their cariages to passe on faire and easily before fearing lest if they should haue expected the enemies comming any thing neare at hand and so should haue bene driuen to march in hast they wold not haue bene able to haue made such speed as to haue gotten time enough into some sure place of safetie and after the footmen as I haue sayd marched the horsemen euen
in the sight almost of the Turkish armie So you see the occasion why the foote forces of the Epirots were not discerned by the vantcurrors of the Turkes It may be that some perhaps more curious obseruers of matters then others will demaund vpon what reason or what commoditie Scanderbeg could find in this aduise and conceipt of his in not giuing place to his aduersarie till he saw him euen close at his backe why he made his retrait rather towards Lissa then to any other part of the countrey But I will if I may satisfie these men with the same reason that perswaded me my opinion herein is nothing repugnant vnto those men whose faith and diligence I haue most followed in the continuance of this history Besides the effect and successe of things being curiously conferred together may sufficiently manifest the truth thereof The dissembled and counterfet feare of Scanderbeg did euidently declare that his first stratageme in staying for the coming of the enemie so neare him was to make a shewe that he meant to fight and to hazard the fortune of the field in a maine battell but that seeing the infinite multitude of his enemies and the present danger and extremitie of the perill considered did seeme to put him in such feare and terror as if he had bene enforced to giue backe and to change his mind resolution to the intent that by his shew of flight he might make the Barbarians more confident and hardy and with more loosenesse and licentiousnes to scatter abrode to disband themselues from their standards which he could not by any meanes haue wrought without great suspition if the flight of the one the coming of the other had bene more distant and farther off Moreouer he directed his course shew of flight rather towards Lissa then to any other place because that way seemed to be chosen as the fittest and safest for men who made shew of feare whereas otherwise if he had put him selfe in the other way amongst the thicke forrests and wooddie valleys it was to be doubted that he should haue made lesse shew offeare and haue giuen greater cause of suspition and coniecture to the enemy pursuing him of some secret ambushments layed and disposed to intrap them Besides it is to be beleeued that he had an intent purpose by this faire shew and policie which the issue also did after make manifest to deceiue and ouerreach his enemie vpon whom being caried away with credulitie and stragling loosely abrode he purposed to giue the onset on that side which neither the footsteps of them that fled nor the maner of the place to which they fled did any way make to be suspected For we should do Scanderbeg great wrong to thinke or to confesse that so sage and aduised a Chiefetaine would haue made choise of this course only vpon a vaine and light consideration without any especiall conceipt and purpose Hereof was Amese an infallible witnesse who albeit he were of a very suttle and searching spirit had a sharpe and quicke insight in all matters yet could he not keepe himself from the traines of this old warriour for when the Bassa being somewhat doubtfull troubled in his mind vpon the sleights subtleties of Scanderbeg did demaund of Amese what he thought to be the cause of this his so extraordinary and continuall flight the like whereof he had neuer vsed My vncle quoth Amese did expect and attend for the forces of Moses and therefore hauing suddenly assembled only a running campe according to his wonted maner he did feed him selfe with his wonted hope of victory till such time as seeing him selfe deceiued in his foolish imaginations and that he can not abide in safetie within his owne dominions nor be able to oppose him selfe against such huge and puissant forces he is fled towardes Lissa to get ayde and succours of his neighbours the Venetians This reason of Amese seeming very likely and probable was allowed and held for good no man speaking or alledging any thing to the contrary Howbeit to those that shall with wisedome and aduised deliberation examine matters according to the rule of reason this interpretation made by Amese of his vncles actions can not but seeme very rash and temerous if not vaine and foolish And to proue that Scanderbeg did not thinke any thing of so small a troupe as that whereof Moses had the commaund nor did any whit feare the greatnesse of the daunger this onely point doth sufficiently confirme it because that all things in the countrey of Dibria were disposed in as good order as if the Turkish Monarke him selfe had bene expected there in person There was nothing at all neither cattell nor any other thing of worth or value left in the whole countrey and was not that a peremptorie argument of some notable feare and of a counsell most aduised and of a sound deliberation saue onely to such men whom either fortune or rather the immutable will of God hauing predestinated some mortall and deadly chance had depriued of all sense and vnderstanding as of the principall part of their strength and puissance But I will not any longer blame this credulitie and light beliefe of our enemies seeing it ministred occasion to our Christians of so notable and famous a victory and of immortall renowme glorie The Bassa perceiuing that by the flight of the Epirots all hope and occasion was taken from him to purchase any honour by deeds of armes in that iourney after dinner was ended he assembled the chiefe Captaines and commaunders of the armie to consult and deliberate vpon their occasions In this Counsell it was propounded and debated whether the campe should stirre for that day or not and by what way maner and meanes they should pursue the enemie whether it were best to continue in that place and there to abide till such time as they might haue some certaine newes of his attempts and practises and what the enemy intended to do Amese and some others were of opinion that they should not stirre for that day but stay there till the next morning notwithstanding the pluralitie of voyces caried away the matter and the worst opinion preuailed against the better for they alledged that the returne of Scanderbeg after he had prepared and gotten new succours would scarce be performed in foure dayes that they ought to take the benefite of the time and the occasion that it behoued them to march forward chearefully and roundly in sacking and harrying the residue of the prouince in their passage and not to stay till Scanderbeg hauing re-enforced and augmented his troupes the inhabitants of the countrey might in the meane time vpon the feare and terrour of the report flie into the strong holds and forsaking and leauing their houses graunges and sheepe-cotes voyde and emptie of all prey and bootie might by that meanes make their victory vncertaine and their voyage without all
people of the countrie doe holde them selues in more safetie in those places then in the best and strongest fortresses and there is no power nor puissance of the enemie be it neuer so great that can driue them to forsake those places Some also haue added this moreouer that certaine fugitiues came the same night to yeelde themselues vnto Scanderbeg and that certaine Scoutes or Espyals of the Turkes falling into the handes of the Christian courtes of garde were put to the sword excepting one onely who being by good happe saued aliue and brought before the King who was then preparing for his iorney against the next morning did enforme him of manie things particularly concerning the purpose of the enemie by meanes whereof it may be easily imagined and not without shewe of credite that he was a principall meane and authour of the victorie of the Christians which followed soone after For my part it shall suffice that without eyther approuing it for a truth or reproouing it as fabulous I haue simply made recitall of it And therefore referring the truth thereof to be iudged by others I will betake my selfe to the prosecuting of those affaires which hauing bene for a while intermitted vpon the comming and arriuall of the Turkes doe now reuoke and call vs backe to consider of them You haue heard how the flight of Scanderbeg towardes the towne of Lissa was not such as the aduerse partie had imagined but hauing nowe gotten farre out of the sight of the enemie he went vnto those partes of the countrie which laye vppon the frontiers of Albanie where were manie and diuerse passages into the Prouince by which the enemie might easily be surprised There did he abide for that day attending the setting of the Sunne and then leauing there his Ensignes and being accompanied with a verie fewe horsemen he went vppe to the toppes of certaine mountaines from whence he might well discouer all the plaine countrie about * Emathia Then calling to remembraunce the speeches of his prisoners afore mentioned hee disposed and bestowed certaine Scoutes vppon the toppes and edges of the mountaines who hauing little streamers or penons according as the manner is were admonished and charged to holde them vp aloft that they might be seene wauing in the ayre and that towardes the same side where they should see the enemie encamped they should throw downe those penons from the toppe to the bottome Other signall then this they had not at that time neyther by fires nor other watches for the night True it is that the most worthie and in a manner the best souldiers were appointed to stande Scout in that place amongest whom was Peic Manuell a Gentleman of no lesse wisedome and policie then of hardinesse and good resolution in deedes of armes because that the weight and consequence of their whole affaires did consist in the diligence and trust of these Sentinels This done he returned in the dead of the night into his campe where hauing past the most part of the same in rest and silence he dislodged verie secretly without any noise and he had not ridden farre with all his forces but that he put himselfe in ambuscado in the bottome of a certaine valley verie neere vnto that watch which we last spake of determining not to depart or to remoue from thence before he had deliberated and taken counsell for his proceedings and that he might take his directions by the signe and token which should be made vnto him by those streamers It was scant fayre day breake but that the Bassa drewe his troupes foorth of the campe hauing a purpose and determination by preuenting the heate of the day to enter into the plaines of Emathia where as he vnderstood was remayning some bootie that would be abandoned to the prey of the souldiers Not pawsing therefore vpon the matter he beganne to march forward verie early whilest the leaues and grasse of the fieldes were yet moyst with the dewe of the morning and troade with their feet greedie of prey and pillage vpon those fieldes that are euen yet famous through the bloud and slaughter of the auncient Romaines But to the intent that a case and accident so maruellous and so shortly after ensuing might not be without some presage there be many who doe affirme that the Generall his standard-bearer hauing stumbled at the ruines of an old wall as there are many such in those quarters which doe bound the landes and possessions of priuate persons both horse and man with the standard also fell so rudely to the ground that his companions were constrayned to take him vp halfe dead and to helpe him againe to horsebacke Notwithstanding they made not any account of the matter but onely tooke it as a warning to the residue to looke better to their feete and to eschewe that place And it may be that we also ought to make as little account and reckoning of such signes and tokens rather then to followe the vanitie of such fonde coniectures in this accident seeing that both the libertie of mans free will leading and guyding him in such actions and the good doctrine and instructions of Christian religion doe seeme to argue and teach vs the contrarie But yet one other thing there is wherein I knowe not howe I should gainesay it or dissent from others who haue affirmed that the Vultures and Rauens and such like fowles which vse to frequent and hunt after carrion and dead carkasses did flie in such aboundance into those places as it were foreshewing the great effusion of bloud that was likely shortly to ensue that the verie heauens seemed in a manner to be darkened with their huge numbers Besides there was an other verie straunge and wonderfull signe which I had almost forgotten and which I see no reason why it shoulde be neglected or nor regarded and that was that in the ende of the spring that selfe same yeare as it is reported by them that sawe it the heauens did raine downe bloud vppon the earth Of which signes there is not any of them that proceeded from the acte of anie man or earthly creature neither was it in the power of mans counsell or prudence to foresee or to preuent the effect of those accidents Manie are the influences which did descende downe from the heauens by certaine secret and vnknowen causes of thinges and it is often seene that sundry both good and euill chaunces are manifested vnto vs by the operation of the starres and the celestiall bodies the which whilest we doe disdaine to obserue wee doe referre them to meere accidents and casualtie and we doe not vse eyther the seruice and ministerie of our owne prudence nor the industrie of our owne counselles to purchase vnto vs the fauour and blessing of the diuine bountie nor to turne away the anger and threatnings of the heauens For what reason haue we to thinke that this extraordinarie flight of so manie birdes
other side also the resistaunce of the Turkes was cleane broken and ceased by the promptnesse and valour of certaine Harguebussiers whom Moses had led thither And the Generall of the Infidels with all the rest had quite forsaken and abandoned their campe All those which were found on foote excepting such as by good happe had found either their owne or some other mens horses and so did escape were either slaine or made prisoners Scanderbeg as long as he sawe anie possibilitie or likelyhood that the enemie might againe ioyne or reenforce theÌ„selues did follow and pursue hard after the Bassa but he saued himselfe by the fauour and swiftnesse of his horse who caried him cleere away out of the sight of them that had him in chase Those which accompanied him in his flight had not so good fortune as himselfe but a good number of them were taken prisoners and amongest others a Saniacke called Messeit Neither the Dibrian nor any other of the Christians had neuer any mind nor care of profit and commoditie as long as the chase endured and whilest they had the meanes and power to kill and to followe in execution of the enemie On all sides there were bound and fettered great troupes of those who yeelded themselues and had throwen downe their armes This battell or howsoeuer you liste to tearme it continued vntill such time as the night comming vppon them did finde them to be both Conquerours and to haue the victorie Neither the excessiue wearinesse of the souldiours nor the darknesse of the night approaching and comming on could not withhold their handes from labouring to reape the accustomed prize and reward of their victorie The carkasses of the dead yet hotte and trembling were despoyled and manie were euen then also put to the sworde There were gotten from the enemie twentie faire and goodly ensignes or standardes Of prisoners there were about fiue thousand the horses and other moueables of all fortes were giuen to the souldiers as the recompence of their long labours and trauelles and they were so many that they could hardly be valued Touching the number of those which were slaine the reportes are diuerse they which do reckon with the most do account 30000. and they which do reckon with the least do yeelde to 20000. Of the Christians there were wanting abone a sixtie or little lesse as is generally agreed â—o all partes It is not to be denied but that this so notable a victorie and which cost â—â— litle bloudshed did far exceed and subfaste all humane sense and reason yet ought not the strangenes of the thing to be offensiue to the eares of the readers for if we will looke into the infinite examples of antiquitie which are equally to be marked as being of the like qualitie be they either Romains Greeks or strangers this ouâ— accident cannot want either saith or credit There were found manie tents and pauilions in their enemies camp readie dressed â—â— appointed which for that night were not at all remoued but were generally assigned to the vse of the victors to the end they might safegard their bodies which were fore wearied and weâ— with bloud and swet from the vnholsome ayre of the night and making within them good and great swet they serued them as fit and conuenient places to feast and triumph in for the publicke ioy of that victory till the next morning O the pleasant sport of vnconstant fortune ô the ridiculous estate of humane affaires Scanderbeg is now Lord and Maister of the lodgings of the Bassa the Generall of the Infidels and the rest of the Epirots likewise doe enioy and possesse the tentes and commodities which were not prepared nor prouided for them In many places they found cloath and napkins readie layed and the victualles set vpon the tables wherewith they were merrie and made good cheere at their owne pleasures Thus was the common and vsuall prouerbe verified That there is a great distance betweene the cuppe and the lippe Many horses were found there also readie saddled and brideled as though they had stayed and attended for their maisters to mount vppon their backes but they sawe them lying dead at their feete But this notable spectacle of this new accident and euent and an euident testimonie of the mutabilitie and inconstancie of fortune was Amese the King his nephewe Of late he being a King of three or foure dayes continuance with singular arrogancie and insolencie did ouerrunne all the fieldes of Emathia and was attended vppe and downe the Turkish campe with the handes and voices of the common souldiours but nowe behold how with his handes bound behind him with out any wordes speaking and his countenance cast downe he is ledde towardes his vncle to be made a spectacle to the eyes of the common souldiours who being victorious against him were assembled to contemplate and looke vpon him inuiting them all to commiserate his mishap and some of them to lament and bewaile his hard for me The next morning Scanderbeg fearing least so many dead carkasses heaped vp together especially in that hot season might with stench infect the aire he did vse towards them the last worke of charitie which could be shewed toward enemies burying the maisters and horseâ— altogether in many pitteâ— digged vp of purpose There was a great number found dead vpon the shoares and banckes of the next riuer and of the waters of Albulae according as their feare and flight had caried them The fieldes of Emathia which had bene of old times of antiquitie much renowmed for many great and notable battels were made much more famous by this iorney and by this great slaughter of the Turkes The greatest part of the day was emploied in burying and enterring of the dead bodies so that by this meanes the resort of so many birdes and foules to that place as is before mentioned fell out to very litle or no purpose at all These things thus accomplished the Albanians tooke their way towardes Croie for hauing gotten such good store of pillage and sped so well they tooke no great care of forraging besides that the territorie of the enemie was a good way off and many of them also as you may gesse were not escaped scotfree and vnwounded from this long fight and conflict At their disloding from thence there were two souldiers of one squadron or company who fell to some words and were an occasion that the departure of the King of Albany was somewhat hindred These two at the beginning of the battell had agreed to ioyne together in the Fortune of that daies iourney and whatsoeuer booty was gotten by either of them should be deuided and shared equally betweene them After which hauing plied themselues well in there busines and hauing made a good hand when they came to make partition they fell to some difference and altercation vpon the matter and as is vsuall in such cases from thence to iniurious and reproachfull speeches of
lately gained These are not the martiall generous Frenchmen these are not the warlike braue Italians whom you notwithstanding haue beaten and defeated but they are your slaues their liues are at your mercie and they are the ordinarie subiect of your glorie See therefore that you bestirre your selues valiantly so as this iourney may shut vp and determine the course of twentie yeares triumphes and victories which you haue most gloriously gotten against them They are come hither by force and constraint they are drawn hither by the blinded ambition of that infamous peisant Ballaban who being in disgrace both with God and man doeth desperately seeke by some exploit against vs to recouer his reputation to reenter into the grace and fauour of his Mahomet Now is the time my friends or neuer wherein you are to hope for an honorable end of your wearisome trauels and of sheading of your bloud behold this is the last attempt of your aduersarie who being now destitute of Chieftaines that either dare or are able from henceforth to hurt you by reason that you haue either slaine them or discomforted them he is now constrained to aid himself with them of your owne nation but you need not to stand in doubt or feare for such people traitours to God and their countrey the worme of whose conscience is euer gnawing and tormenting of their soules cannot possibly be able to doe you any great harme Go to then my good souldiers let the noble and famous actes of your auncestors and your owne honourable exploites sharpen and set spurres to your courages plucke vp your hearts gather your strength and forces vnto you presse vpon your enemies charge vpon them brauely breake in valiantly amongest these base rascals trample these dogs and circumcised curres vnder your â—eete and march ouer their cursed carcasses like valiant souldiers and inuincible conquerors Hauing thus spoken the alarme was sounded and they began to march all at once The Barbarians who stood readie raunged in order of battell with ensignes displaied before their campe did now expect and were determined to haue bene doing with their enemies but Ballaban staying for his companion did prolong the time of the fight and sounded the retrait commaunding some to watch when Iagup would appeare in sight But Scanderbeg imagining that a minute of delay might worke his vtter disaduantage commaunded those bands which were appointed to begin the skirmish and were now placed for the battell to issue foorth roundly vpon the Infidels whilest that he with the residue of his armie descending downe into the plaine did draw on directly towards the enemies campe with a full resolution to force the enemie to fight and to dispatch the matter before the comming of Arnauth Hereupon he presented himselfe before the campe of the Infidels with loud cries reproches and scoffes vsed by his souldiers against them challenging and prouoking them to the combat For all this was the Painim firme in his determination and he would not moue a foote but refusing to enter the listes or to come to fight he kept his people within their trenches and the more that our men did presse vpon them and importune them being euen readie to giue the aslault vnto his campe the more did he recuile and make from them Ballaban his souldiers conceiuing foule despite and being vehemently incensed for that they could not be suffered to issue out to encounter with their enemies they cryed out and exclaimed against their Generall they murmured and gnashed with their teeth for verie rage and anger and if the holding of them backe by their Generall on the one side did animate and set them in a heat no lesse did the insolencie and brauerie of the Epirots make them eger and sharpe set who were now vppon the point to force their rampiers insomuch that both on the one part and the other their courages were terribly enflamed and incensed ech against other Ballaban neuerthelesse still stayed his souldiers and temporized to the vttermost of his power In the end when he saw that he could not represse the heate and furie of his Turkes he disposed his armie in order of battell placing the Asappy before the ensignes of the vauntgard and next to them vpon the left wing he put the Olophanges who were notable and warlike souldiers opposing them against Tanusee Against Zacharie Groppe he set the Achanzes and right opposite against Peic Manuell he ordained the Ianissaries who were a verie stout and hardie kind of men enured and accustomed to the trauell and toyle of armes The right wing he himselfe commaunded being defended with a strong squadron which were for the gard of his bodie and with all the olde and most expert souldiers vppon whom he builded his chiefest hope and confidence placing him selfe directly against Scanderbeg Then began a most fierce and cruell fight betweene the Albanois and the Mahometan Horrible was the slaughter on the one side and the other and the two Generals in proper person drew the eyes of all men towards them There might you haue seene the infanterie and cauallarie of Albanie the old bands of Croie vsed and accustomed to maine battelles with the valiant and resolute Dibrians how they did make shew of their notable skill and practise in the Arte militarie and how at the verie beginning of the fight they did so trouble the vauntgard of the Infidels that they made their Ensignes to giue ground till such time as the furie of the fight encreasing and the cry on both sides growing to be redoubled they did againe aduance themselues more couragiously then at the first Then did Scanderbeg giue a newe charge vppon them pressing them both before and behind and enforcing himselfe by all possible meanes to put them out of array he cryed all aloft vnto his people saying How now my friends what did we make such hast hitherwardes did we rid so much way and did we make so long and speedie iourneyes to no ende and purpose Shall we suffer our selues to be helde so short by the same Chiefetaine by the same troupes which we haue so many times discomfited chased and ouerrunne All this notwithstanding hauing more then once endeuored and striued but all in vaine to breake and scatter them on that side he made choise of certaine squadrons out of the right wing which he thought would haue least to doe and would rather stand idle then be employed in the fight and causing them to wheele about and to conuey themselues behinde the enemie at their backes without being apperceiued either by the aduerse party or by their owne companie he did therewithall strike in vppon the lefte wing of the enemie with such furie and celeritie that when as they thought to haue found and to haue receiued him vpon the flancke and side of their battallion he was suddenly gotten behind them and charged them at their backs in such sort that the Alchanzes the Alophages found
were neuer so small a troupe sent after him to follow him close at the heeles it would be an easie matter to take and oppresse both him and all his company Let them go quoth he and seeing we haue gotten the honor of the field let there be some left to cary the newes of the slaughter and calamity of our enemies and of our vertue and prowesse These things being thus accomplished the Marshall of the Campe tooke his iourney towards Croy who was receiued with the lesse concourse preparation because there had not bin sent any messenger before hand to giue any notice of his comming but the ioy and gladnesse was so vnmeasurable that they knew not almost how to expresse it and to say the truth it cannot be declared in what estate the whole city stood neither in what extreame feare they had alwaies continued through their vncertaine expectation of the successe and euent of the fight nor how exceedingly they reioyced and triumphed on all parts when they heard the newes and report of the victory For in all that time after the first tidings was brought theÌ„ how that Scanderbeg was gone against the enemy there was not any one of the great men of the towne that from morning to night would be absent from the Pallace or from the magistrates neither would the people forgoe the market place their wiues which had litle or none other businesse would seldome be from the Churches or from their praiers and deuotion The towne being in this great feare suspence did at the first receiue this doubtfull and vncertaine newes namely that two horsemen Dibrians who were returned from the battell to the Campe vpon the confines of Epire had reported that the enemy was defeated This report was entertained at the first more with their eares then with anie beliefe of their mindes as a thing too strange and so much desired that it was thought too good to be true besides the hastinesse and celerity of the report did make it of the lesse credit because it was spoken two daies before the fight fell out After this Tanuse sent letters from the Campe signifying the comming of those two Dibrian horsemen those letters being caried through the market place of Croy to the pallace did cause so great a concourse of people to assemble at the gate of the pallace that the bearer could not passe through them but he was pulled and drawen with great violence by some that were inquisitiue after newes they cried out aloft that the letters should be read openly in the market place before they should be caried to the Magistrate After that they had been read in the Pallace according as the diuersity of mens humors did cary them so did they thinke and imagine of the truth of the matter some were fully satisfied and reioyced at the newes others beleeued neuer a word till such time as they had heard either the messengers themselues to speak it who were sent from the Marshall or else the letters read vnto them After all this the report went that the Marshall himselfe was comming thither in person at which time all sorts of persons and of all ages ranne hastily forth to meete him and they went out in such continuall flockes and troupes that they reached about halfe a league without the gates euery one striuing to be the first that should with their eies and with their eares swallow vp the exceeding greatnesse of this expected ioy Tanuse was the man whom they went thus to meete withall who being enuironned on all sides with this rude and confused multitude arriued at last in the market place of the city where some enquiring of him selfe others of them that followed him how all matters stood and what good newes they had brought when they heard for certaine that both the armies of the enemy were discomfited that one of the Generals was slaine that the Albanian Legions were safe and â—ound and that their Prince and his Captaines were in good health euery man reioyced at the newes and made others likewise partakers of their ioy When Tanuse was come with much adoe to the Pallace yet for all this would not the common people be drawen to depart to retire themselues but that they did in a maner thrust themselues amongst the Magistrats At length the letters being read in the Senate then did Tanuse recount more at large the proceedings and issue of the whole voyage whereat there was a most wonderfull applause and acclamation of all the Senate and they were not in any sort able to moderate the extremity of their ioy After this some visited the temples to yeelde thankes and praises vnto God others made hast to repaire to their owne houses to the intent they might communicat and impart these happy tidings to their wiues and children The Magistrats by a solemne edict commaunded publicke praiers and processions for three daies together for the victory and health of Scanderbeg and his army the like decree was made by the Queene and her counsell which was very deuoutly obserued and kept During all which time you might haue seene the Churches filled frequented both with men and women all alike and the auncient Matrones and Ladies being richly and sumptuously apparelled with their litle children did humbly and chearfully performe their vowes and publicke thankes vnto the deuine Maiesty as if the enemy had bene vtterly destroyed and consumed and as if the warre had bene fully determined and ended and that all feare and suspition had bene quite gone and exiled and more then that this victory did so settle and establish the estate of the towne as if they had gotten an assured rest and tranquillity for euer These things being thus accomplished and ended with no small religion and deuotion Scanderbeg because he would the more terrifie the enemy entred vpon his territories and passing on a good way into the country filled all places with fire and sword with bloud and terror besides that he caried away an incredible booty without any resistaunce made against him and so retyring with exceeding ioy into his owne Prouince and hauing left according to his wonted custome a strong garrison vpon his frontiers he returned with great triumph and generall reioycings to Croy his chiefe city where hauing for certaine daies together with his citizens celebrated the solemnity and common ioy of this glorious victory he dispatched away letters and messengers to the most part of the Kings and Princes of Christendome with magnificent giftes of diuerse sortes chosen out of the spoiles that had bene taken vppon his enemies as excellent good horses slaues armours and rich furnitures and caparisons for horses with such like rare and goodly presents After all which he brake vp his Campe and dismissed all his companies so that this yeare was no lesse famous and memorable then full of ioy and gladnesse to the Epirots The end of the eleuenth booke THE TVVELFTH BOOKE OF THE
Albanois do account and call a citie and in times past was ruinated and laide euen with the ground by the Gallo-Grecians and other strange Nations It is seated in an anglet or litle corner of Epyre neere vnto the peoples of the Iates Bratescosages Cherabes Buserseches and Sopotanies Hauing fully ended and perfected that worke with incredible diligence and hauing furnished and fortified it with able men victuals and such like necessaries for the sure keeping and defence thereof against his enemies he speedily dislodged from thence and marched on with his armie towards the citie of Duras with a determination to carrie that towne at the first assault supposing that it had beene vnprouided both of men of warre and of victuals But he found himselfe deceiued in his hope by the vigilancie and prouidence of the Venetians and of Scanderbeg who had wisely foreseene and preuented that tempest by meanes whereof it was well and sufficiently furnished and defended both by sea and by lande in such sort that it scorned all the power and assayes of the Infidell who saw himselfe most rudely and brauely repulsed from thence with the notable slaughter and losse of many of his people But for the better contentment of the reader by the varietie of this discourse you must giue me leaue a litle to wander and digresse from my matter and to honour this towne with her due prayses and commendations Dirrachium by the Italians called Duraz was in times of antiquitie named Epydamnum it is a towne situated within Epire and builded of old as it is thought by one Epidamnus of whom also it had her first name and this mans nephew or grand-childe by his daughter being named Dyrrachus did adde vnto the towne the port or hauen calling it Dyrrachium But there he others of another opinion who hold that Dirrachium being atowne seated vpon the sea coastes of Albanie is the capitall and chiefe citie of those peoples which are called the Taulantians Pyrreans and Pratinians and it lyeth betweene Lissa and Apollonia and they say that the Romanes finding it to be called Epidamnum by reason of the vnluckie sound and sense of that name which they held to be ominous and vnhappie did chaunge the same into the name of Dyrrachium taking this terme for the Cherronese or demy Isle whereon it was seated or rather reedified as some doe affirme by the Corcirians or the inhabitants of Corfu For if we will giue credit vnto the common report and to those authors that are most ancient it hath bene numbred amongest the most auncient cities and there are yet extant to be seene many great and goodly praises and commendations of this place For as Lucan saith This towne is not a worke as others are Of auncient structure built of lime and stone No worke of man nor such as time or warre Can easily bring to alteration Great is their power and they can do much Yet greater is the strength of Duraz towne Her fortresse is so strong her seate is such That mynes nor engines cannot beate her downe Nature it selfe hath fortified her seate Hauing enclosed it on euery side VVith cliffes that breake the billowes as they beate And with a gulfe that is both deepe and wide Nought but one mountaine from an Isle her saues Rockes are her rampier threatning ships to dash And Cliffes her walles on which the foming waues In stormes doe beate and her strong buildings wash For this citie is enuironed with the sea on all sides but one where the rocks being deuided and cut a sunder ech from other doe ioyne it to the firme lande On the one side it hath a goodly hauen or harbour wherein shippes may safely lye and anckor on the other side it hath large and pleasant fields and pastures abounding in fertilitie and plentie of all good commodities and within the walles he goodly temples and sumptuous churches do make the citie much more stately and venerable besides that it is adorned with the statues and proud monuments of sundrie Kings and Emperours especially that of Adryan or rather his monstrous Colossus or image of copper which is erected in a place verie high and emminent neare to the gate Caballyn towardes the North. Besides there is to be seene his Amphy-theater made by wonderfull art and industrie The walles of the citie are passing strong flanked with their towers bulwarkes and other excellent workes wherewith they are beautified and adorned Besides this citie is very famous for the commoditie of the rare saltpits which it hath and for the great aboundance of all kindes of marchandise which are brought vnto it To be briefe this is that famous citie of Duras which enioyed the presence and with singular entertainement receiued the Romaine Senate and was no lesse famous then vnfortunate through the ciuill warres and notable slaughters and bloudshed of the Romaines But what the estate of it may be at this instant since it is become Turke and that it is reduced vnder the seruitude of so fierce and barbarous a nation who are mortall enemies to all good order and ciuilitie I had rather leaue it to you to imagine it then to speake what I thinke of it But to our matter After that the Sultan had bene so rudely entertained before Duraz and that his bloudie actions and attempts proued vaine and to none effect he conceiued an opinion that Scanderbeg had put himselfe within the towne for the defence thereof because a great number of his people were knowen and discerned to be within it This was the occasion that he dislodged speedily from thence and made directly towards Croy pitching his tents before the towne in hope to astonish and appall them by the suddennesse of his comming For experience hauing taught him that the endeuours and assayes both of his predecessours and of himselfe had profited him litle or nothing he was not of the minde that he could carrie the towne by this course but his determination was to bring them to reason by a long and obstinate siege if Scanderbeg would permit him Wherefore neglecting and leauing all other counselles he summoned the Croians to yeelde themselues vnto him making them great offers of riches and inestimable honours if they would deliuer the towne into his handes But he had no better aunswer nowe then he had the yeare before for they gaue him good store of cannon and musket shot for his good-morrow and more then that they issued foorth to visit him nearer home with a furious and stout salley made vpon the infidels carying away with honour and glorie many of their heads for an argument and proofe of their good deuoire and worthie demeanour On the other side Scanderbeg according to his wonted and accustomed manner keeping continually vppon the skirtes of this fearefull and huge armie and being attended with his ordinarie forces did vncessantly importune and endaunger the enemie by his often inuasions made vppon their campe both by
Turkes Moses and others sent to draw the Turkes sorth to fight A shirmish betweene certain Turkes and Epirots The Turks put to flight The Turkes campe in a tumult vpon the discomfiting of their fellowes Alarme in the campe of Scanderbeg Turkes pursus Moses and hit companie Turkes fall into the Ambuscado of the Epirots Conflict betwene the Turkes and the Epirots Peic Manuel The victorie of the Epirots against 4000. Turkes before Sfetigrade The griese and trouble of the Turkish campe vpon the ouerthrow of their forces Amurath commeth to the siege of Sfetigrade 1449. Asappi footmeÌ„ commaunded vpon the Prouinces at three duckats a moneth Ambassadors of Amurath admitted into Sfetygrade deliuer their message in an open councell The worthie answere of Perlat to the Turkish Embassadour The Turke his messengers returne in raine from the town Policie of Perlat The Princes of Epire offer Scanderbeg their aid and furtheran e for the repulse of the Turke Scanderbeg secretly disguised goeth about visiting comforting all the places of his prouince Scanderbeg encourageth Vranocontes the Croians Answer of Vranocontes to Scanderbeg Ambassadours from the Princes of Epire to Scanderbeg offering him aide against the Turkes Answere of Scanderbeg to the Ambassadors of the Albanian Princes Sfetigrade battered by the Turkes Scanderbeg approcheth nearer to the Turkish camp Sfetygrade assaulted A stratageme vsuall amongst the Turkes Turks repulsed from the assault of Sfetigrade Feribassa sent with a new sâ—pplie to renué the assault Scanderbeg goeth to inuade the campe of the Turke before Sfetigrade Amurath his pollicy and great prouidence Conflict of ScaÌ„derbeg with the Turkes Speeches of Amurath reproching his souldiers flying from Scanderbeg Garrison within Sfetigrade sallie out vpon the Turkes Number of Turkes slaine and hurt at the first assault of Sfetigrade Stratageme of Scanderbeg in often remouing of his campe Sfetigrade again battered Sfetigrade her naturall strength and situation Amurath resolueth to consume the garrison of Sfetigrade by often and light skirmishes Turkes thinke to surprize Sfetigrade Scanderbeg scoureth the countrey Scanderbeg goeth to viewe the armie and demeanour of the Turkes before Sfetygrade Speeches of Scanderbeg to his souldiours touching the securitie of the Turkish army Scanderbeg his order and policie in marching with his arme Saying of Scanderbeg Moses with two other souldiours goeth as aspie into the campe of Amurath Scanderbeg went as spy into the Turkes campe lying at the siege of Croy. Generall of an army not to be commeÌ„ded for aduenturing his person ouer hardily A rare thing to see fortune and vertue in one maÌ„ to be alwayes ioyned together Oration of Scanderbeg to his army being to giue a canuazado to the Turkish campe Scanderbeg giueth a canuado to the Turkish campe Number of Turkes slaine in the canuazado The fayre valley Scanderbeg returneth to his Campe. Scanderbeg encampeth in Emathia Sfetygrade assaulted for 3. dayes together by the Bassa of Romania Speeches of Amurath to his souldiors encouraging theÌ„ to a new assault of Sfetygrade Turks fly from Amurath to Scanderbeg Feribassa appointed with an army to resist the inuasioÌ„s of Scanderbeg during the assault of Sfetygrade Feribassa his praises and coÌ„mendations Sentence Assault to Sfetigrade Scanderbeg commeth to inuade the Turkish campe The battell betweene Scanderbeg and Feribassa Stratageme of Feribassa to enclose Scanderbeg Encouragement of Feribassa to hu souldiers in the battell against Scanderbeg Feribassa chalengeth Scanderbeg to the combat Sentence Ferybassa disswaded from the combat by his owne men The office of a Generall to consult and to command rather then to fight Scanderbeg prepareth him selfe to the combat with Ferybassa Speeches of Scanderbeg by his Nobles entreating him not to combat with Ferybassa Answere of Scanderbeg to his Nobles disswading him from the combat with Feribassa The combat betwene Scanderbeg and Feribassa Feribassa slain by Scanderbeg Victorie of Scanderbeg against the armie of Feribassa Amurath fortifieth his campe against future inuasions of his enemie Number of Turkes slaine in the battell betweene Scanderbeg and Feribassa Turkes flee to the Christians Number of Turkes slaine at the 2. assault of Sfetigrade The returne of Scanderbeg to his campe Scanderbeg goeth to discouer vpon the enemy Scanderbeg holdeth councell for his proceedings against the enemie Scanderbeg in great perplexitie for doubt of treason in Sfetigrade Amurath consulteth vpon his proceedings against Sferygrade Counsellers of Amurath are in diuerse opinions for his proceedings against Sfetygrade Answer of Amurath to the reasons and aduise of his Councellors Amurath seeketh to corrupt those of Sfetigrade with giftes Answer of the Citizens of Sfetigrade to the enticements of Amurath Amurath corrupteth one of the garrison of Sfetigrade to betray the towne The cause and ground of the treason bringing the losse of Sfetygrade Description of the Prouince of Dybria in Epyre. Base Dybria inhabited by Epyrots Tribullians of Bulgarians inhabitants of the vpper Dibria bordering vpon Macedonie Tribullians or vpper Dibrians hold of the Greeke church The manner of the treason causing the losse of Sfetigrade The notable superstition of the Dibrians The Dibrians are determined to surrender the towne to Amurath because their water was polluted Oration of Perlat gouernor of Sfetigrade to the Dibrians disswading theÌ„ from yeelding them selues to Ottoman Perlat and the citizens of Sfetigrade drunke of the polluted water to draw the Dibrians to do the like who refuse it Hereâ—ie and superstition neare of kinne each to other The Sclauoniâ— tong very large and ample Sfetigrade yeelded to Amurath The traitour who betraied Sfetigrade rewarded by the Turks The end of treason Treasâ— loued by Princes yet traitors hated of theÌ„ Speechees of Mahomet the yong prince to his father perswading him to violate his faith with them of Sfetigrade Answer of Amurath to the speeches of his sonne Mahomet Amurath fortifieth Sfetigrade Perlat and the citizens of Sfetygrade their comming to Scanderbeg Dibrians craue pardon of ScaÌ„derbeg for yeelding Sfetygrade to the Turke Speech of Scanderbeg to the Dibrians whoÌ„ he pardoneth Perlat his good desertes and prayse for the defence of Sfetygrade Perlat coÌ„n enmended and rewarded by Scanderbeg Perlat made an Abbot Proto-sengeli Abbots in Epyre Perlat his integritie of life his eloquence and learning Amurath determineth to leaue Epyre to returne to Andrynople The cause of Amurath his suddaine departure out of Epyre. Amurath with his armie departeth out of Epire. The manner of march obserued by Amurath with his campe Number of Turkes lost in the iourney of Amurath into Epire. Scanderbeg pursueth the armie of the Turkes Amurath leaueth the Bassa of Romania to repulse the inuasion of Scanderbeg A prouerbe vsed by ScaÌ„derbeg vpon his retiring froÌ„ the enemie The Bassa of Romania marcheth away after Amurath Scanderbeg perswaded to mariage by the nobles and Princes of Epire Speeches of the Princes nobles of Epire perswading him to mariage Aunswere and speeches of ScaÌ„derbeg concerning the maried life Mariage both troublesome and the hinderance of a maÌ„s good fortune Scanderbeg
of all that they had about them The report wherof being come to the eares of the Ottoman Prince he was so highly prouoked and displeased therwithall that he caused all of them as is said to be cut in peeces to be destroyed minding that the memory of thē should haue bin for euer extinguished Next to these there are a second sort whom the Turkes in their language call the Hozes who may well be likened to the Friers conuentuels And last of all after them are the Talasmans whom they haue for their third order and they do enioy the last place among them and are like to the order of Priests Seculars Besides these three kinds there be not any other orders degrees or manners of Priests or religious persons in the sect or religion of the Turkes but the whole charge and administration of the Priesthoode ceremonies and holy rites of their religion doth appertaine vnto them only But now returne we to the subiect of this Treatise These young Epirots hauing their first names changed at their circumcizion had others giuen thē according to the custom of that nation George whether that it were by chance casualtie or were it that there was in him a kind of appearance more remarkeable then in the others promising some thing which should proue in him most rare excellent was surnamed Scanderbeg That is being interpreted Alexander the Lord or the Great Inestimable great was the ioy which was made about Amurath at the circumcision of these yong Epirots as is cōmonly seene with vs when any one leauing the filth and infection of Iudaisme doth embrace christianitie and the light of saluation And they had ample and large allowance ordayned them for their expences and maintenance But the gentle disposition which did naturally flourish and excell in Scanderbeg and his tender age for he had scant attayned to nine yeares did render and make him more acceptable and agreeable vnto Amurath then any one of the rest Thereof it proceeded that he wanted not good masters and teachers of all sortes according to that age which was most apt and fittest for all the Sciences And therefore in a verie small time his spirit being prompt and readie to apprehend all things he had learned the Turkish Arabian Greeke Italian and Sclauonian languages As his force encreased by little and little with his yeares so did he take delight in nothing more then to acquaint himselfe with all those vertuous exercises which were fit for the warres without letting any one thing to ouerpasse him wherein he had not some knowledge and insight And sometimes with his sworde sometimes with his bowe and arrowes both on foote and on horsebacke he gaue forth daily and almost incredible proofes of an agilitle disposition and readinesse of his bodie most maruellous alwaies enterprizing some act or other of great regarde more then was ordinarie for one of his age And first of all assoone as the force and strength of his members did match the forwardnesse and fiercenesse of his courage and that he could shewe himselfe of sufficient abilitie to support the trauels of the warres he framed himselfe to gaine the fauour and good will of all men but especially of the Prince vsing daily to make challenges to his companions in open and publique shewes and often spectacles of and in all manners of combats and martiall contentions and commonly he bare away honor and estimation making those exercises the path-way to his future glorie and to the increase of his reputation At length being growen to a goodly stature and full strength of bodie and being come to ripenesse and perfection of yeares he did betimes and with facilitie accustome himselfe to all labors and trauels befitting a strong and able bodie were they neuer so difficult as to endure hunger thirst cold heate watching and such like By the daily practise whereof it is not to be doubted but he made himselfe most apt and able for the warres and so grewe to be complete and accomplished in all militarie vertues and fit to be employed in all martiall seruices This was the occasion that the Sultan not willing he should any longer continue about him in the state of a priuate person determined to aduance him and euen in the beginning he honoured him with the dignitie of Sanziack which is the second degree after the Bassaes and is of greater of lesser authoritie according to the largenesse of power which it pleaseth the bountie and liberalitie of the Prince more or lesse to attribute and impart vnto it To Scanderbeg with that new degree was giuen the conduct of fiue thousand horse and his brethren in like case being aduaunced to the like charges and sent abrode into diuerse countries and emploied in many affaires and seruices of the warres grewe all of them to be very famous and renowmed But Scanderbeg had scant attained to the age of eighteene yeares but he was sent into * Asia by the commaundement of the Sultan iointly and together with other bandes and forces where by a most happie and fortunate beginning he made the first assaie of his vertue and good successe in warre embrewing his right hand with a great desire and delight in the bloud of the enemies Thenceforth in many broiles of one sort and other which happened to be raised in those quarters there was not lightly any expedition made but that Scanderbeg continually was there in person with his regiment And both he and his companions returned from them victorious to their Lord the Ottoman In all which exploites his forwardnes his vertue and his fortune were daily obserued and principally marked of all men both in generall and in particular all the honor of the victorie all the good successe of the warre was cast vpon him by the report of all men without contradiction and in a manner without any mention of the chiefe or commaunders of the armie And to him alone by the fauour and acclamations of the souldiers was adiudged the triumph and the glorie of the enemie vanquished As yet had not enuie hatefull and repining at others vertue assailed nor gotten hold on the heart of the Turkish Prince and albeit both the maners and the state of this noble Epirot were a fit subiect for this humour and maladie to worke vpon notwithstanding his youth being as yet but of simple and meane experience and his affections in that age being not caried away with any immoderate or greedie desire of glorie but hauing conceiued onely a kinde of liking loue of honor it rather purchased vnto him the fauour grace and good will of all men And therefore euen Amureth himselfe did singularly grace and honor him both with good and gratious wordes and with great and bountifull gifts and fauours Short was the abode of this young gentleman in Court by reason that as seldome are the Turkes without great affaires there came newes of new troubles
puissance and authority Alledging moreouer that he being suspected by those in court it was a good and sufficient proofe of that which he did inwardly intend and aspire vnto All this it was easie to perswade the Prince and the rather for that the accusation of his magnificence and his large expences did openly shew it selfe to be true according to their surmise Also the old age of the Sultan being of it selfe fearefull iealous and suspitious did curiously interpret all other matters to the worst in such sort that a certain doubt did by litle and litle engender in his spirite causing him to be mistrustfull not only for the Realme of Albany but also for the soueraignty euen of his own Empire And his conscience being confounded and conuinced by the gilt of his owne misdeedes and wickednes and the iealousie which he had of his estate ill gotten made him repute all things ful oftrechery and infidelity and to suspect his most inward and familiar frends as most dangerous and secrete enemies This his suspition being augmented he began secretely to hate Scanderbeg and to beare a more watchfull and intentiue eye vpon him to see if he could by any couert and close meanes cut him off and worke his confusion not that his wicked and pernicious will wanted power and liberty to doe any mischief but because he had no reasonable cause nor sufficient colour to procure his death destruction To oppresse him wrongfully and by violence he was afeard because he saw him so well beloued of all men generally and for feare least he should alienate the hearts of others and by an example of such cruelty shut vp and take away in time to come from his Kingdome the hope of all vertues and good deserts by any straungers by which meanes principally the Ottoman Empire had bene amplified and raised vnto his greatnesse But whilest these things were thus a doing other affairs of greater waight and importance happening abroad did sucke and swallow vp these domesticall suspitions distrusts for open warre was proclaimed against George Lord of Misia commonly called the Despot of Seruia The king of Turkes desired nothing more then to commit this charge vnto Scanderbeg and that for two speciall considerations The one because he could not finde any man whose seruice in his affaires was so fortunate as was his The other for that knowing him to be hot forward in the war and prompt ready to hazard him selfe to all dangers he did well hope that he should see him miscarie in some one encounter or other against the enemy as in armes it doth oftentimes betide to diuers For this cause hauing leauied his forces Castriot was sent against the Misians This was at that time that he dealt worser with the Christians then he was accustomed for feare least in temporising attending some fit oportunity of retrait if he should not take the occasion to ouercome when it was offered he might minister matter of suspition to Amurath who was already enclined to take any impression of mistrust in his iealous and suspicious head Oftentimes therfore he defeated the Despot and put him to the worse returning in all conflictes with victory to Andrinople Againe at such time as the said Despot had newly repaired his forces and did begin to make head againe and to reenforce his army Scanderbeg being dispatched against him with more lusty forces did vanquish him in battell and put his army to flight And hauing razed many of his holdes and fortresses he ledde backe his souldiers loaden with the spoiles and rich booty of their enemies These tumults abroad being appeased the old wretch by the like pursuit of his former detestable desseignes did againe addresse himselfe and conspire against him who had bin the author of so notable a victory and of the rest and tranquillity of his estate To this end he caused the same time a solemn Iusts and tournement to be proclaimed both on horsebacke and on foote promising gifts and rewards of great value to them that should beare away the prize to the intent that by this deuise and policy he might expose and put Scanderbeg to all perils and extreme dangers But as his counsails were abhominable so did they appeare to be vain and of no effect For albeit great numbers both of subiects and of strangers all hardy actiue and able men did daily present them selues to this triumph yet did Scanderbeg continually shew himselfe amongst them with an admirable hardines brauery and no lesse good hap held against all cōmers and as one fatally predestinated to be victorious he alone did cary away the honor the prize with the extreme wonder and singular fauor of all men The vnmatcheable vertue in this gentle warriour which might haue sufficed to asswage and mollifie the arrogancy fiercenes euen of his enemies could no whit bend the corage of Ottoman alone to any curtesie or clemency but his distrust ech day growing more forcible his heart also began to be enraged enflamed with anger hatred making him to bethink with himself more ardently how he might by some other secret kinde of death dispatch him But why am I thus caried away in the pursuit of these vain reuenges foolish counsailes of Amurath on the one part the prouidence of Scanderbeg on the other part why rather do I not in a word attribute the safety and preseruation of this man vnto God only Assuredly he it was that confounded the spirits senses of Ottoman he it was that raised vp those disturbances of the wars and new commotions in Misia finally he it was that stirred vp the arms of the Hungarians to the intent that this mans life being vowed and destinated to maintaine the dignity of the Christian religion should not be abridged cut off and that the ancient liberty of Epire might once again be reuiued for had not a kind of diuine power interposed it self in this case there is no doubt but that Amurath had attained to the height of his intent and desire Did he want any means to bring him to his end might he not haue had a thousād deuises with which without the least fear of sedition he might haue circumuented him where were poisons where were secret traines ambushments where were fals and slanderous accusations which are the ordinary weapōs of tyrants to execute their malicious and mischieuous attempts Scanderbeg hauing with great facility discouered these trains secret practises perceiuing that if he cōtinued long about the prince he should hardly be able to auoide his snares he found it high time to bethink himself how he might aduance his affaires for the recouery of his fathers estate by some good vertuous exploit by the subtelty of his own spirit a thing which he had alwaies conceiued in his thoughts by the sweete remembrance of his liberty he deuised some honest colour to quit him selfe of the seruice of
wages which you haue nowe so well deserued For if Ottoman sit still and doe suffer vs to wage warre without disturbance as we haue begun alreadie then will we ouerrun sacke burne the tirant his countrie and assay vpon some of the neighbour-garrisons if we can get to be masters of them But if the Sultan which I thinke most likely doe proclaime warre against vs we will then aduise our selues in the field by the countenance of the enemie how and in what manner we are to proceede and to demeane our selues against him Neuertheles howsoeuer we haue occasion of seruice elswhere it will behoue vs to giue the first attempt against Sfetigrad and there to employ and bend our first forces For I hold it no lesse ignominious then vnsufferable that the infidels should continue there setled and vnremoued to the great reproch dishonor of the Epirots But it is necessarie at this time that we temporise for a season for feare least in attempting with too great obstinacie the destruction and ruine of Sfetigrade if the action should fall out to be vaine our attempt frustrate we should retire with shame as ouercome and vanquished and the enemie growing insolent would learne in a small time to contemne and despise our forces and so should we haue to contend not against men onely but euen against the heauens I haue heard some ancient Captaines highly blamed who by imprudence and want of experience in the arte military haue lost goodly armies more by the discommodities of things then by the sword force of the enemie But beside all this we haue the feast of the natiuitie of Christ our sauiour now at hand I am not of the mind that any thing should be enterprised during these festiual daies nor that we ought to depriue any of life in a time wherein we our selues haue receiued life were brought vnto the light but rather by our vowes and daily prayers I may often repeat it let vs yeeld thanks vnto God in all respectes for our liberty for our estate and empire for our wiues for our children for our selues recouered freed from the bondage of our enemies For my part my good friends if there be any thing wherein I am not able to be thankfull I protest vnto you it is principally in that you haue brought me these excellent gages of so many gallant youthes and haue honored me with the presence of so many valiant braue Captains whose companie is very agreeable and acceptable vnto me My minde doth promise it selfe great matters and all great good hap by the aide and assistance of such leaders It is they who will giue me the meanes themselues will giue me the matter and occasion whereby one day I shall be able to be thankefull vnto you according to the worthines of your deserts At this time if there be any thing which may purchase you honor or reputation speake it freely vtter your thoughts and open your minds vnto me For I assure you the acknowledgement of the greatnesse of your seruices whereby I am bound vnto you shall neuer faile nor be wanting in me The meaner sort of people and some also of good qualitie became so audatious by reason of this speech so shamlesse that as if they had feared least one of them should haue stepped before the other to make their demaundes flocking together in great troupes and pressing neere about him very rudely they were not ashamed to make diuerse requests vnto him according to their seuerall humors affections some crauing to haue the pay of horsemen some of footmen Others desired money horses and some desired rents reuenues liuings and many who vpon the change of the estate had bene spoiled of their patrimony by the Turkes to giue it vnto others were importunate to be restored vnto their possessions That which could conueniently be done without contention was liberally granted them the rest which could not be without the iniurie of some other was referred till some further oportunitie The Captaines being dismissed Scanderbeg being entred into the towne with his own traine for that there were many which followed him especially his Nephewes and the Princes of his bloud The first thing that he did was to cause to be enrolled and admitted into the communion of the Christian faith by the Sacrament of holy Baptisme Amese some other of his companions who came with him from Hungarie and a great multitude also of Turkes which were yet remaining at Croy and at other places the same hauing bene before left vndone for the hast which they had to prosecute the warre The solemnitie hereof being ioyned with the feast of Christmas was celebrated with great ioy for many daies together The inhabitants of the countrey both in publique in priuate did send him according to the custome many presents Likewise the Princes his neighbors as they had of late presented him with many cōuenient gifts fit for the warres so did they now giue him the like of sundry sorts and kinds as fit ornaments for the time of peace and publique tranquilitie namely rich furniture and other pretious stuffe for houshold knowing well that in that estate of his affaires and in the time of warrelike tumults he had brought nothing with him but his armes This rest did not Castriot inioy any time of long continuance for euen in the chiefest time of the feast in their greatest mirth behold there came newes on a sudden from Moses how that the Turks of that prouince which had fled into the places next adioining with a great troupe of their confederats no small number of the common sort gathered together were comming with all speede possible to surprise him Vpon this occasiō Scanderbeg himself hastned presently away because if it should happen that he going before should be drawn far off by the enemy he feared least either he should be constrained to leaue abondon the enterprise of Sfetigrade or if he did determine to hazard the fight before the wals he might be inclosed in the midst betweene them and those of the town But see now the occasion of al this tumult these reliques of the Turks which were escaped out of the hands of our men namely the garrisōs of Petrella Stellusa Petralba after that accident was past perceiuing now by a kind of quietnes delay that all troubles of war did seeme to be laid aside as it were asleepe and that Scanderbeg hauing broken vp his camp did keep his winter at Croy that Moses with his troupes did abide both for the gard of the frontiers and the siege of Sfetigrad they reallied assembled themselues together neare Alchria a litle towne vnder the obeisance of Ottoman in Macedony and there hauing raysed a great number of others they tooke their way with great speed directly towards Sfetigrade pricked forward aswell with a desire of reuenge as also to abolish towards their lord
man could imagine to clime and mount to the supreme and highest degree of honour as well in warre as in peace That there was neuer any straunger which had receiued so good entertainement and nouriture in his Court neither had the vertue of any Alien bene so highly recompenced and so honourably rewarded Againe in one and the same instant faining and dissembling to the vtmoste of his power and extreame discontentment and impatiency of griefe and sorrow hee would exalt the loialty of his princes and nobles and would often exclaime and with a loud voice affirme that this notwithstanding was a great good hap and benefit both for him and for the Ottoman Empire to see him selfe freed and discharged from so waighty a burthen as is domesticall fraud and treason that it might be he should haue bene surprised with some other poyson farre more daungerous and with some mischiefe of greater dammage and inconuenience if this plague should haue beene suffered to grow or to continue in his house any longer time that nothing should now trouble his minde and for this fact hee doubted not but it would aske vengeaunce both of God and man it being vnpossible that he should suffer such a crime to remaine vnpunished by which contrary to all right and equity with so wicked and lewd a minde he hadde giuen that victory to the Christians in Hungarie For if he had had any cause or occasion of reuenge against him or any colour or pretence of iust discontentment for the detayning of his patrimony from him and the inheritaunce of his fathers kingdome what could his Army doe to that which with all horrour and cruelty he had brought to the Butchery and had made it neither more nor lesse then as a sacrifice to the enemies What hadde the innocent bloud of his subiectes deserued And in briefe the poore Secretary whereof was he guilty that he might not escape the handes of this bloudy tormentor With such like discourses did the Sultan enflame the hearts of the Barbarians who were already of them selues sufficiently animated against him But nowe ridings being brought one still vppon an other from the partes of Epyre it did more violentlie aggrauate and exasperate his sorrow at such time as it was tolde him that Croie was taken by Scanderbeg that he was possessed of the other places and strong holdes of like waight and consequence that the garrisons were slaine and destroyed and in briefe that the whole estate of his auncestours was remitted and reduced vnder his power and gouernment with the incredible fauour and good liking of all the nation Now albeit these matters went neare the heart of Ottoman and did extreamely grieue him yet hauing in a manner put all other things out of his minde he bent and conuerted all his thoughtes to the warre of Hungarie There was not any other matter or subiect of quarrell or enmity thought on but that onely was it which all men did aduise him to prosecute and which both the desire of euery man in particular and the publique vowes and prayers of all in generall did earnestly long and wishe for Yet did the diuerse and variable opinions of the greatest Captaines hold the minde of the old man in some doubt and suspence some of them who would not be perswaded there was any daunger till such time as they should see all subdued by Scanderbeg were of this minde that it was best to marche with all their forces against the Hungarians and that they ought not by faintnesse and cowardise to leaue the euent and triumph of all the warre vnto those who hadde vanquished and were conquerours but in part onely and yet that neither had they hadde that aduantage and victory of their fellowes but onely by the treason and fellony of his owne followers Furthermore that there was a great difference and no comparison to be made betweene the force of one Bassa with a few vauntcurrers of some twenty thousand in regard of all the puissaunce of Ottoman and of the flower of Asia and Europe and the huge forces which the Sultan hadde for the guard of his person that these were not vsed nor accustomed to be ouercome and conquered But others who did feare some greater ruine and mischiefe were of a contrary aduise and opinion affirming that by how much the more the former did excuse the misfortune of the Bassa laying it vppon the disloyaltie of Scanderbeg so much the more was hee to be blamed in regard of the small number of the enemies for that Huniades with lesse then the moity and one halfe of their number and without any bloud of his souldiours had giuen them so grieuous a checke and discomfiture And whereas they compared the Bassa his forces to the royall army and the greatnesse of the imperiall hoast which they commended so highly these on the contrary did alleadge and willed them to consider the greatnesse of the power of Vladislaus with the renowme of all Hungarie and Poland besides the succours of the Italians guyded and conducted by Iulian the legate Apostolique and the strength and forces of the Almaines all which hadde not as yet any thing entermedled in this warre but in very great deuotion did attend the occasion to enter into this warre with their vtmost power and ability Besides that the Christians would not now in time of neede and extremity leaue or forsake the Despot whose cause they had already so fauoured and vndertaken till such time as they had fully enstalled and settled him in the seate of his auncestors And last of all that Scanderbeg who had newly declared him selfe for their enemy was not to be despised and contemned that there was none of them but knew very well of what and how great spirite and courage the man was and with what good fortune besides his singular experience in the warres he was euer accompanied That hauing in a moment extinguished the name of his aduersaries he was now reentred and repossessed of al the estate of his father without any charge or losse sustained then what would hee doe hereafter when he had settled and assured the affaires of his Realme and gained the hearts and good willes of his subiects That it was not to be doubted but he would stirre vp all Princes Christian to enter into Armes and would spare no trauels dangers nor watchfull labours to exhort and wring from him daily some part or peece of his Empire That it would argue great simplicity in the middest of so many enemies both before and behinde and on all sides and in the middest of so many forces to looke for any other then a very bad and most vnfortunate issue The wisest way therefore and most expedient was for once to yeelde vnto Fortune for feare least shee did often triumphe ouer them and to discouer and lay open vnto her one part of their body for the better couering and safety of that which was most subiect and exposed to her violence
sawe any hope were it neuer so small to effect it Castroit tooke pleasure to hearken vnto them and hee condescended to their request For what reason had he to doubt either of men that were Christians or of those who hadde bene the auncient subiects of his auncestors For this cause commaunding his ensignes to march he turned his fury and rigour to other places There was in this prouince a goodly open and large country and circuit of ground maruellously pleasant and wonderfully well peopled with many townes and boroughes also very plentifully inhabited Those of the countrey doe call it Moerea and it lieth towardes the Tribullians Thitherwardes Scanderbeg leading his army did adde the same to his dominion passing beyond the boundes whereof Iohn his father was possessed There was not any where an enemy to be found in all the countrey for the Turkes before that time either had bene expelled or had willingly auoyded and forsaken those partes The inhabitaunts and the residue of the nation Albanois hauing quickely lost the memory and remembraunce of Amurath had enrolled them selues without being sought vnto vnder Scanderbeg and they marched vnder his ensignes and vnder the Eagles in times past well knowen vnto them For in his standards which were Guelles he bore an Eagle with two heades sable These being the auncient armes of his family From Mocrea passing on from place to place sometime shewing him selfe gracious and full of courtesie and sometimes fierce and terrible he enlarged his conquestes from day to day and made them farre more rich and ample and giuing order and directions continually for some one thing or other he would appoint guardes vpon the passages and make prouisions for the garrisons Oftentimes comming and going to Croy he would visite all other places of importance and be euer riding and coursing here and there in and out continually seldome or neuer was he idle but he would be present euery where and there was no place or corner but he tooke diligent and speciall notice of mountains hils forrestes thickets caues dennes and secrete lurking holes All his thoughtes and deuise was vppon the warres to see before hand how he might one day with litle losse of his men make head against an enemy so puissant and mighty That litle leasure that was left him was wholly spent in dayly roades and inuasions to spoile and wast the territory of the Pagans He hated nothing so much as that his souldiers should corrupt them selues with idlenesse hauing this sentence of Fabius Maximus daily in his mouth that it was not good for an Army to continue long in one place but that the often chaunge and shifting of their place and campe was much more laudable and would enable and make them farre better disposed to all the actions and seruices Military These things could not be so handled but that Amurath must needs haue knowledge of them for by this time there came vnto him many messengers from Pharsalia and other parts of Macedonie so as all partes of his pallace were filled vp with outcries and clamours many reports being brought and importing that all was lost and vtterly desolate that Scanderbeg hauing obtained the possession of infinite places did dayly pursue his conquests with his accustomed fiercenesse and crueltie That long since both the one and the other Dibria had willingly rendred them selues to his deuotion killing with their proper hands the Turkish garrisons or deliuering them bound and fettered to their new Lord and maister These marches both of the neather and vpper Dibria did of old appertaine to Iohn Castriot but he as hath bene sayd being oppressed by Amurath and by meanes of the peace which he demanded had giuen him his owne children in hostage and had resigned vnto him both those prouinces which he quitted vnto him vpon some other conditions Now these curriers comming as is said to the court of Amurath declared that by meanes of the reuolt of the Dibrians the Christians would soone and easily come to be masters of Sfetigrade the which being seated in the vpper Dibria where all was at their deuotion did not now know from thence forward where to find or haue any thing more or lesse for the maintenance of the warre or for the nouriture of his campe That Moâ—rea and many other places had made themselues a partie with them which although it had neuer vntil that day acknowledged the house of Castriot for their gouernour yet either through the rebellion of the inhabitants or for feare or by constraint of mischiefes endured was now become subiect vnto Scanderbeg These aduertisements did stirre vp and incite the tyrant to take armes more of necessitie then of choler Vpon this occasion hauing with great diligence assembled his Counsell the matter fully concluded on he commanded a puissant armie to be leuied by the which without the aduenture or losse of any thing he thought vtterly to abolish and extinguish the name of Scanderbeg and to take vengeance of the reuolt of the Albanois and of so many iniuries which he had offred him Castriot in like maner being certified of Amurath his resolution not onely by persons vnknowne and strangers vnto him as in such changes there do neuer want men of that sort but by some also who were his friends of whom he had as yet good store about Amurath made and procured long before and whom the change of fortune had no whit altered or changed He I say as he had shewed himselfe of an incomparable audacitie and confidence in exposing himselfe to all perils so did he euen in the middest of them vse singular prudence sage aduise and counsell For considering the greatnesse and importance of his conceipts and the weightie burthen which he had taken vpon his shoulders and hauing some doubt and mistrust in him selfe that he should not be of sufficient abilitie to sustaine and beare it out for so long a time nor yet be able to renew his forces so often as the greatnesse of those warres would re-require which he foresaw as a true Prophet euen within the entrailes of Epire and whereof he did but attend the comming euerie houre he determined therefore to seeke out some strange and forreine succours by meanes wherof he might more surely order his owne affaires and by the ayde of many might be the better able to repell and keepe off the force and violence of the tempest that did so threaten him First of all therefore he resolued to enter into confederacie and into some strict and perpetuall kind of alliance with the Princes and great Lords his neighbours both Albanois and * Illyrians A thing indeed verie difficult to be effected for that commonly men are naturally more prone and apt to dissention and discord then to amity and concord Yet did this fall out vnto him very facile and easie as both the issue and the discourse of the matter will make it manifest But for that this treaty
ample and large occasion either to commende you or to accuse you for at this present I doe not thinke it needefull either to prayse or dispraise any man For what iudgement can be made of a souldier onely brauing and vaunting himselfe within a campe Then will I make the censure of your deserts when I see your swordes smoaking with the bloud of the Turkes when my selfe both as a beholder and an encourager will immitate your prowes being prodigall both of life and safetie At that time will I heape vpon you all sortes of commendation and rewardes But if any one of you doe feele his courage to waxe colde through cowardice measuring our forces by those of the enemie if he thinke that those who surmount in number will surmount also in vertue Let him freely depart and dislodge from hence I speake it in a good houre for feare least going with vs hee serue rather to make vppe the number then to giue vs ayde or succour let him retire hence to his owne home presentlie Or if all of you be of that opinion and that this feare be common vnto you in generall If neither God nor man can make you ashamed let vs then reenforce and strenthen this our armie with some newe supplyes or else let vs turne our faces and retire speedily But he which shall redoubt and stand in feare of the follow with a troupe of horse and to couer themselues vnder their sides by meanes whereof they might be the better able both to safe gard themselues from the enemie and to endammage the Barbarians the more grieuously who mistrusted no such kind of matter in their ordering betweene the one and the other of these troupes stoode George Strese a Knight most hardie and couragious accompanied with the souldiers and all the youth of Croy round about him hauing so disposed of them purposely that he might be both the beholder and encourager of his citizens After the squadron of archers followed the maine bodie of the infanterie namely the bands of pikes and targatyers conducted by Aidyn the brother of Gnee Musachee Vranocontes a sage and expert warrior with the rest of the horsemen led the rereward and the supplies This was a strong and close batallion compounded of the flower of the olde souldiers and best men holding themselues firme like a bulwarke for the rallay retraite of the other troupes before that they should be broken or forced to recule the Romaines named it Triarij The troupes of footmen that marched with him were commanded and had in charge that assoon as they should see their fellowes to breake forth in the am buscado and the enemie charged behind and entangled betweene the two points or wings of the armie they should suddenly spread themselues and opening their rancks should giue way vnto the men at armes and that then with a new terror they should disorder the enemie and with one and the same charge strike in vpon them being alreadie wearied and sore trauelled and that then the said footmen closing and ioyning themselues againe in troupe in their owne places should together with the supplies stand fast and keepe the batallions from being broken or endammaged till such time as they might see manifest and apparant likelihood of victorie and the enemie in full disaray and disorder In this manner had Scanderbeg martialled his troups and caused them to holde close without suffering the trumpet to giue the signall of fight till he sawe the Bassa also arranged in order of battell and aduancing forward For he feared least that the souldiers disbanding themselues through ouermuch haste and rashnesse to the encounter and breaking their orders by reason of their too great furie and desire to aduance themselues should bring the estate of the whole armie to some encombrance The Generall of the Turkes considering the order of our battelles aduanced forwarde and by way of mockery often repeated these wordes Euer euer quoth he doe the greater deuour the lesser and with open throate he laughed both to see them so raunged and at the foolish pompe of the Christian marching so formally as he thought to his owne funerals One of the Ottoman legions was come forward with great hardinesse before the others but being charged speedily and neerely by the forlorne hope of the Christians they gaue backe and forsooke their place as suddenly before that the two armies had affronted ech other and at the verie first beginning they suffered thēselues to be beaten backe euen within their trenches retyring themselues faster then a good pace But the Prince of Albanie misdoubting some Turkish stratageme sent forth part of his horsemen both to stay the furious pursuit of his souldiers and to bring euery man into his place The like hapened in the left wing and therefore both the one and the other being retyred to their troupes they prepared themselues againe to the future conflict and to come vnto a full battell with both the armies Now were the Mahometists the more encouraged for that a few of theirs in a mockerie as it were had deceiued many of the Christians wherefore when the maine fight beganne Tanuse and Moses parting betwene them the two wings of the enemie went fiercely to the encounter And Castriot with the like furie pricking forward cheerefully with his horse did assaile the Batallion of the enemie that himselfe had made choise of At one and the same time also was the ambushment ready to breake forth of the wood with most high and loud cries and clamours before that the enemie with all his forces had giuen in vppon our squadrons and before that all were come equally to the medley Manie companies of the Turkes perceiuing this especially those of the rereward being possessed with a sudden feare leauing both the campe and the charge betooke themselues to flight so that they in the vowarde being surprised and inclosed by the two wings of the Christians did see themselues exposed to the butcherie and slaughter of the middle legion There was but one batallion onely of the enemie which Scanderbeg was not able to breake nor durst to set vpon so well was the same defended and reenforced by the Barbarians who had made it of their greatest number of their people as a sure and safe rampier for the safetie of the whole armie There as it was soone after knowen did the Bassa Haly being enuironned with the stoutest and strongest forces of all his armie maintaine the euent and hazard of the battell for a verie long time wauering and vncertaine In this meane while Aydin hauing charged vpon the middle warde of the Turkish armie and pressing hard vppon those legions had filled all with murther and bloudshedde and the tumult was there more bloudie and desperate then in anie other part of the fight For the enemie seeing that there was no meanes of fasetie left him but onely by armes with the greatest furie that might be forced in vppon our men with
and in this extremity of our affaires not yet altogether desperate and without hope you will succour vs with your victorious Forces Hereunto doe all the princes of Hungarie and of Poland and all good men inuite you Iulian the Cardinall of Sainct Angell intreateth you and so many Catholique and deuout men at armes Christians who are here with vs long since ready in armes and well appointed no other thing doe wee attend then your ensignes This will be a sure meane at this time if you refuse not this fitte opportunitie which God now so graciouslie sendeth vs to vanquishe our common and troublesome enemy and wholly to determine this warre to chase and driue away the Turkes and to dispossesse them of Europe so long time by them occupied and wrongfully vsurped I neede not then as I take it vse any kinde of perswasion vnto you in this cause and quarrell the defence whereof doth purchase vs safety light and liberty Contrariwise being abandoned I will not forehalsen that which may come of it Wee Christians haue beene too too slacke and backeward in doing our deuoyr to helpe and succour each other The flame hath now well neare consumed all of vs yet haue none in the meane time bene aduised or perswaded that this fire would passe on and come neare vnto them selues What doth the estate of the Greekes represent vnto vs and the condition of the Triballians and last of all mine owne losses What Iliade can recount vnto vs all the mischieues wee haue endured and those which doe daily menace vs So many braue and valiaunt Princes the bulwarke and defence of Hungarie which we do loose from time to time aswell in puissant armies consumed and brought to nothing and with one and the same fatall chaunce of warre almost wholly extinguished In such sort that in this Realme from hence forward there is neither family wife nor matrone exempted from bearing a part in this grieuous and lamentable calamity All this and worse by farre do Christian Princes heare of and yet the miserable estate and condition of their Allies can nothing moue any one of them but thus doe they suffer vs on all parts to be exposed to the rage and fury of the common enemies as if we were an offering to be sacrificed to all perils and daungers Onely Eugenius the chiefe Pastor of the Church and Philip Duke of Burgundie are to be excepted who haue not reiected nor refused the burthen of our afflicted and miserable Fortune The one hath sent hither his legate the Cardinall of Sainct Angell with notable and puissant succours and the Duke of Burgoyne with his Army at sea hauing aduentured as farre as Gallipoly doth valiantly hinder the passage of the Turkes into Europe One other hope there is not now farre from vs and that is the succours whereof we are so desirous the which we doe require of you being moued thereunto partly by your valour so well knowen and notorious and partly also in regard of the imminent perill and the hazard of the common affaires which presseth vs all in generall And albeit we are not ignorant of the discommodities which may befall you in this expedition we pray you notwithstanding that they may not withhold and keepe you backe assuring you that as it cannot be but to your great honour so the benefite of this your present desert shall not be bestowed on persons of an vngrate and thankelesse spirite But that which you shall at this time beginne and vndertake for our preseruation and dignity we will from henceforth and euermore continue for your glory and for the increase of your greatnesse God haue you in his keeping From Bude our Capitoll and chiefe city the fourth day of Iuly 1443. By this time had Haly Bassa brought backe the reliques of his defeated army vnto Amurath howbeit that the newes of his desaster oftentimes reiterated had made way before him Some say that he was sharply reproued by the Ottoman who obiected vnto him by way of reproach that it was not likely that so puissant an army could haue bene almost wholly ruinated without some great and notable cowardize or some counsell rash and timerous Sometimes he would exclaime and say that his army was betrayed sometimes he would alleadge that either it was surprized by the negligence of the Generall or that in comming to the encounter they had giuen the aduantage of the place vnto the enemy whereof it proceeded that so great a desaster and misfortune had fallen vpon his people Now albeit Haly Bassa could not deny but hee had bene ouerreached and preuented by our ambushments the which might haue deceiued any man were he neuer so polliticke subtill and circumspect yet did he excuse himselfe neuerthelesse calling his souldiours to witnesse that there was nothing in him to be reprehended but the variable and inconstant chaunce and lotte of Armes and that there wanted neither good order nor discipline nor the aduauntage of place nor the oportunity of charging at a fit and conuenient time Finally that neither the souldiours did faile their Captaine nor the Captaine their souldiours But if it would please his Maiesty to permit him once more to attempt and make triall of his Fortune he would make him to see that he had a deuise and stratageme by which he would bring it to passe that this prosperity of Scanderbeg should proue dolefull and lamentable The vaine promises of the Bassa did soone moue the Sultan who being now more animated then euer was willing that in any case new forces shoulde speedily be prouided if the other Bassaes and Councellours especially Caly Bassa making him to change his aduise had not shewed him That another war of greater difficulty and consequence did fall vpon his shoulders that the enterprise of Epyre might with safety either be deferred or omitted but so could not the tumults of Hungarie but that it behoued him carefully to attend and looke vnto them In the middest of these affaires the letters of King Vladislaus being brought to Scanderbeg were a speciall meane and occasion to moue and induce him to giue him aide and succours For a more honest cause and fitter occasion of warre could not haue bene found then was the same ministred at that time This notwithstanding for that he would determine nothing without the aduise of those with whoseayde he was to serue him selfe vppon all occasions hauing called together his chiefetaines he would that the kings letters should be read openly in full assembly of a generall councell And there was not any one who did disalow of that warre for that the excessiue greatnesse of the Ottoman Empire encreasing from day today did animate euery one with the spurres of wrath and indignation and did sollicite their mindes almost trembling and quaking for feare of more grieuous inconueniences and did ad mouish all the world of the vnfortunate condition of the Christians and of the former fortune sometimes inuincible of the Hungarians
answer That sooner more easily he could be perswaded to hang himself then to abiure those traditions though he were now past ninetie yeares of age which he had reciued from his forefathers giuing vs thereby to vnderstand how dangerous a thing it is to make a mock and iest of religion and of the Sonne of God and to follow after peruerse and false opinions when they shall once grow to haue gotten an habit within vs. For the Despot in this perswasion retyring himselfe from the presence of the Frier was heard oftentimes to reiterate and repeate these words That he had rather his subiects should call him a Prince miserable and vnfortunate then an old and aged dotard This man then now at this time did mightely cleaue vnto the Turke and fauoured his quarrell against the Christians both in regard of his daughter Gathagusina whom he had maried vnto Amurath as also because of the hatred which he bare vnto the Hungarians but especially to Iohn Huniades the Despot of Transiluania by whose aide assistance as we haue before declared in the enlargement and libertie of Scanderbeg at such time as he was succoured against the Sultan restored into his kingdome he tooke it in ill part that certaine townes and places of Verâ—ia which had bene graunted vnto Huniades in recompence of his vertue and desert were not restored and redeliuered vnto him For this cause vnderstanding of the preparations made for the warre of Hungarie and of the comming of Scanderbeg who approched neare his borders he stopped vp all the wayes and passages and debarred him from entring within his dominions Castriot did assay but all in vaine by his Ambassadors sent to the Despot to admonish him of the wrong and iniurie which he offred him and he intreated him in friendly sort That he might not be the first which should charge him with ill dealing who had giuen him no cause of offence and iniurie that he would not of his friend and neighbour purchase him for his enemie and draw vpon him selfe the arms both of all Hungarie and Epire. That he would not suffer and procure by his meanes and occasion onely so great a losse and mischiefe to all Christendome which might swallow vp both himselfe his estate and Empire For albeit in regard of his daughter he did so cleaue and adhere vnto Amurath yet he should not thereby hope and expect for any other then certaine losse assured dammage hauing had good proofe experience both of the infidelitie and periurie of his sonne in law of the great pleasures benefites which the Hungarians on the other part had often times done him These perswasions nothing preuailing in a mind so depraued and corrupted and the Prince of Epire now perceiuing that he was out of all hope to get passage by anie other meanes then by the sword he fully resolued with him selfe to take that course notwithstanding that both it displeased him highly that he held it a matter of some danger and difficultie to begin the warres so neare his owne home and to hazard his forces at that time to the trauell of armes which hee had thought to haue reserued whole fresh and sound and to haue made proofe and triall of them against the royall armie of a more worthie and stronger enemie Whilest the Albanian army thus incensed through discontentmeÌ„t did spend their time vpon the borders of Misia in the middest of infinite inconueniences and discommodities and whilest the iourney of Scanderbeg was delaied rather then hindered by the disloialty of that Apostata the Despot for there is no doubt but he could at length haue gotten passage though not without some dammage and losse of his forces Vladislaus in the meane time both encouraged by the letters receiued from Scanderbeg prouoked also with an assured hope and conceipt of the honour and successe of future victory or rather being drawen on by a certain fatall necessity wherunto he was predestinat such was the particular desteny of them all and Fortune not contented nor satisfied with so many deadly mortall spectacles did now inuite these men who of late had bene preserued and had yet scarce breathed themselues from their forepassed miseries to the danger of more lamentable and fatall perils Vladislaus I say and the army of the Christians hauing marched through Valachia and passed ouer the Danow were now come to Varna with an intent purpose to conioyne vnite their forces to those which were at Sea and so to passe on with easie iournies and ensigns displaid into Romania The countrey of Varna which did swarme with such numbers of enemies shortly after long afore hand was infamous through the ruine of many mighty armies and was a place alwaies as hateful and odious euen to the brauest souldiors is a goodly champion plaine valley situated on the other side of the confines of Misia vpon the sea called Maggiore or the greater sea foure dayes iourney from Andrinople in a streight gulfe betweene two pointes or promontories vppon the one of which is seated Galata and vpon the other Macropolis The bottome of that valley on the right hand is inhabited with husbandmen in seuerall small villages or hamlettes slenderly peopled and frequented On the left hand where Galata standeth is a great marshe at the foot of the hils extending forth her still standing waters euen to the other valley neare at hand which bendeth towards the Occident Amurath being aduertised of these troubles towardes was not any whit discouraged but hauing liuely repulsed the Caramanian and reassured his countrie of Natolia he made no doubt nor difficultie of anie thing but onely howe he might transport his armie ouer the sea by reason that the fleete of the bishoppe of Rome and the Duke of Burgundie did take from him all hope of passage in such sort that he made no great haste to march against the Christians till such time as certaine Marchants Genowayes if it be true that is reported did free and deliuer him from that care in consideration of a great rewarde promised and agreed vppon to be giuen them For at a certaine narrow streight of the sea betweene the two seas of Maggiore and Propontide deuiding Asia from Europe was the Turkish army transported out of Asia they that passed them ouer taking for ech man his passage a ducat There were numbred to be about a hundred thousand all which were gathered and collected out of Asia because the Sultan had a vehement suspition of the faith both of the Greekes and his other subiects within Europe After his armie was once transported he marched on with speede and celeritie so incredible that within seuen daies he came to pitch his tentes within foure miles of the Christians campe neere to the citie of Varna named by the auncients Dionisiopolis The suddaine and vnexpected newes of the approach of Amurath with so great and mightie a
Court of the Sultan sodainely as a man that went euer furnished and appointed to all casualties and accidents of warre taking the occasion of time and place He first of all seized vppon a certaine streight and narrow valley named Mocrea which was the onely place where the Turkishe Captaine was able to passe and he disposed it full of souldiours all hardy men and well resolued The Bassa began now to approach and the huge thicknesse of the dust raised by the treading and trampling of their horses did euidently discouer that the enemy was neare at hand Our men keeping their stand did attend with no lesse silence the discouery of the enemy til such time as they saw them entred into the hollow vallies and enuironed with high and craggy rockes full of woods and that they were entangled on all sides in the thicke and huge forrests Then issuing out vpon them with great fury violence sodainly and vnexpected they presented them selues to the enemy There were of footmen about the number of one thousand fiue hundred besides two thousand horse at the least But these were reserued to a further and better peece of seruice The Turkes who had enough to doe and were sufficiently beaten with the discommodities and disaduauntages of the place were on all sides assailed both before behinde and in flanke by the Infantery who killed and slew them at their pleasures They notwithstanding not forsaking their ranckes but defending themselues with great hardinesse as long as there was any hope of victory did stoutly continue in the same place where the enemy had first charged them But the horses did rather hurt and hinder then benefite or succour their maisters and were in the end the losse and ouerthrow of the riders For being as men besieged they receiued and tooke more wounds by far then they could giue or inflict vppon their enemies And yet when as all appearaunce and likelihood of escaping this daunger was cleane taken from them euen then did they shew themselues more valiant and hardy then euer they maintained the fight with the greater obstinacy almost all of them keeping the selfsame place to the very death where they had once set footing and taken possession whilest they were aliue Some few only being excepted whom either the shameful desire of life or a more vrgent resolution taken vpon the place for they scorned to die such a kinde of death the desire whereof was more foolish and contemptible then honest or commendable did make them to humble themselues on their knees and to lay down their armes which made the conquerors to saue their liues and take them to mercy There were of them taken prisoners 760. but of those which were slaine the number was much greater Thus the Barbarians making hast to the prey became themselues to be an easy prey to their enemies giuing vnto the Christians a ioyfull testimony of their misconceited false imagined victory Ferisey seeing the vantgard of his owne army enclosed surprised and the enemy busily fleshing themselues in their slaughter plying themselues vpon this occasion as hauing gotten a fit subiect for their glory hee turned bridell with the residue of his troopes and being smally mindfull either of his Princes instructions or of his owne naturall fiercenes he was vtterly vnwilling in so sodaine and vnloked for an accident and in a place of such disaduauntage to make any further triall to his cost perhappes of a worser Fortune doubting both the danger and the number of the enemies to be greater then he supposed Hee therefore turned his backe to the Christians and in his retire hee cried out aloft that it was more commendable in an expert Captaine to saue some then to lose all especially in such a place where euen as dumbe beastes they must giue their throates to the cutting True it is that there be some who write that he was slaine in the fight by the handes of Scanderbeg But the horsemen of the Albanois did not suffer their retraite to bee altogether without bloudshedde but keeping continually in the taile of them as they fled they did kill many of them which stragled and stayed behinde and they pressed vppon them hard pursuing them continually till such time as they grewe to be somewhat wearyed and depriued rather of strength then of will and appetite to chase and follow them These matters being thus dispatched and the Turkes put to flight without any great hurt of his owne companies Scanderbeg with all those troopes which he had with him did inuade the territory of the enemy filling and satisfying the desires of the souldiers with the sweete contentment of prey and pillage The misfortune of Ferisey was seconded with the like desaster mishap of Mustapha no lesse vnhappy vnfortunat For the Ottoman vnderstanding of the rough entertainment giuen by the Albanois to his forces that their flight was not only profitable but more then needfull and that their fortune in this case after they had bene enforced to take that oportunity had deserued no iust cause of blame or reprehension to be layd vpon them he hauing his mind maruellously troubled and perplexed and being vtterly impatient of all rest and quietnesse night and day imagined and cast with him selfe touching Scanderbeg bending all his counsells and the vttermost of his despite and malice how he might worke his ruine and destruction Besides his thoughts affected nothing more he being vtterly ignorant of his owne mishap then one day to see the fields of Epire where he did hope to find some matter to execute his long wished and desired reuenge of so many outrages and iniuries both of old and lately committed in such sort that some secret force and operation of the heauens did seeme to draw on the fate of his old age which of it owne nature was fearefull faint and timerous but the troubles which were reported to be as then imminent from the Hungarians did not permit and suffer him freely as then to discharge his rage and choller against the Epirots The glorious old fellow with the like humour of wrath and malice did not for beare to reproch and menace Huniades saying that this was not the first time that the tumults and troubles of Hungarie had saued and preserued the state of Albany neuerthelesse because he could not suffer nor endure the bloud of his souldiers so lately shed nor that the bodies of so many valiant warriers should lie on the earth without any reuenge and especially because he was perswaded that the profitable example of the former might keepe others hereafter from the like surprise learn them to be wiser and for that the troupes of Ferisey seemed to haue bene vanquished not by any prowesse of the Christians but onely by the disaduantage of the place he committed the care of this businesse into the hands of Mustapha of whom afterwards he did often but not with any great good successe serue
succor the Dainians These troupes were greatly aided and augmented by the cōming of two persons by nation Albanois Lech Dusman Peter Span or Spaniard These men had sworne and promised to Scanderbeg their continual seruice deuoit against the Turks and they neuer failed him but the confederacie and amitie which they had contracted for a long time before with the Signiory of Venice by reason that they were neare neighbors to Driuasta and some other places of the Venetian iurisdictiō besides the bond of innumerable benefits receiued frō their estate in times past did now bind thē to their assistance and were the occasion of their preparations to do them seruice Scanderbeg was no whit abashed at the difficultie and greatnesse of this warre but did receiue these newes with great ioy and gladnesse and without anie further delay deuided his forces which exceeded the number of 14000. men he appointed to employ against his enemie onely 7000. horse and 2000. foote The resisidue hauing prouided for all occasions hee left to hold the siege before Dayna The which notwithstanding the rumour of the enemies approach he determined notto leaue or to abandon Thus the vndaunted Chiefrain by his singular prudence hauing seperated his forces into 3. partes did thereby occasion his aduersaries through a vaine foolish kind of hope to triumph ouer him and to grow the more in heart and courage against thē For the Dayniās seeing Castriot to be absent did think now that they were no longer besieged for their courts of guard at the portes were not so strong as was vsuall but they grew to be neglected the wals were not so well manned and oftentimes might the souldiours of the enemy without ioyntly with the citizens within haue entred into their gates which were diuerse times left open To be briefe they growing in a maner careles of al things only the imminent danger of famine did seem to perplexe them which neither was to be contēned by their audacity nor auoided by their valor and magnanimity Notwithstanding the honor reputation of their faith which they had once passed promised did assure their corages did bind them to endure the rigor of all difficulties Besides the aduertisements touching their confederats who aduanced them selues with great iourneis to mitigate these mischieues to deliuer them from this misery did greatly comfort their afflicted spirits made them to conceiue an assured hope of deliuerance Moreouer perswading themselues that Castriot was not able to make head against so great a puissance they did look euery hour in great care and expectation to see some messenger and to heare some certaine newes of the victory which in their opinion they did promise vnto their owne fancies So is it for the most part with all men who the more power they doe in their mindes attribute vnto fortune with so much the more deuotion are they obedient vnto her You need not doubt but that Mustapha was exceedingly ioyous of these troubles tumults in Epire and by reason of the absence of Scanderbeg his courage which was before abated did now begin to returne to be reuiued a certaine secret obliuion of his former misfortune had now abolished the remēbrance thereof out of his mind Faine would he haue assailed the garrison there left vpon the borders and willingly would he haue made a sacrifice to the iust wrath of his Prince and to his owne ambition of those souldiers whom he supposed to be weakened by the absence of their Chieftaine and the rest of their companions He had an infinite desire to be made a partner with the Venetians in this glorie and triumph ouer his deadly enemie and he was more intentiue to the present aduantage and opportunitie then mindful of the charge and commaundement of his Soueraigne But on the other side the seueritie of Ottoman and the sundrie examples of others whose disobedience had bene most grieuously punished did with hold stay his doubtfull and variable mind Last of all though he were partly perswaded that the Sultan would not disallow his resolution grounded vpon so good an opportunitie yet he tooke this to be the surest way that men should rather deeme him negligent by the command and direction of his lorde and master then fortunate by his owne pride and temeritie In the middest of all these tumults whilest the hoast of the Venetians being assembled at Scutarie did there consume the time in the prouision of things necessarie Scanderbeg had passed ouer the riuer of Drynon with his army which was an euident signe of his hardinesse and assurance and preuenting the counsells of his aduersaries he marched on resolutely to encounter them euen within the bowels of their owne dominions and as a man may say vpon their owne dung hill The Venetian could not endure this brauado but dislodging incontinently with his armie he passed on to affront him presently now did the cries of the souldiers and the rebounding sound of the drums trumpets on either side bewray the approch and cōming of the enemie Then did euerie man take a good courage to himselfe cheerefully did they make shew of their fierce and coragious stomacks The very eies of the souldiers seemed to flame with fury on either side was heard a mighty noise an argumēt of their wrath and choller Then were praiers vowes and shewes of deuotion in the mouthes of the leaders also of the souldiers and euery man shewed himselfe a good Christian and recommended himselfe vnto God Either part did hold their armes to be iust lawfull and ech did assure themselues that they were in the right that they had the better cause quarrell The intent of euery of them was only to repulse the iniurie and all of them seemed to haue like reason for the warre the Prince of Albanie to recouer the possession of the towne detained from him contrarie to all right and equitie and the others to defend and protect thē who had chosen them for their protectours The former were encouraged through their merits deserts in so many valiant acts exploits daily atchieued vpon the Barbarians through the remembrance of their honor renowne lately gotten vpon Mustapha the latter though they were wel prouided for all things needfull for a greater warre and though they might not without good cause promise vnto themselues the hope of victorie yet if they should happen to haue the worst they were not for all that such as would be dismaied or stoupe to the fortune of the enemy for euery man knew the vnuanquished power of the Venetians that they were able continually to supply new greater forces to maintaine the quarrell to bring the warre to a better issue in such sort that this enterprise of Dayna was like to be the confusion of the Duke of Albany Yet did the hard miserable estate of the besieged greatly perplex them because they were certified
that there remained a strong power before the city By this time were the armies come in sight and nowe did approach the daie of good or ill fortune to the one side or the other immediatly there followed a strange sudden silence in both armies ech of them resting themselues with great quietnesse The ensignes being fastned on the earth the Marshals did presently make choise of a fit place to encampe in where both the souldier might lodge most at his ease and the leaders by their often exhortations might coÌ„firme those which were resolute encourage others who were not fully resolued The gouernment of the Venetian army was committed to Daniell Iurich of Sebenca a man of an assured experience and practise in deedes of armes the common people call him the Voyuada he hauâ—â—g appointed euery man to his place and hauing prepared all things readie to the combat thus beganne to speake vnto his souldiers Such is the folly and temeritie of men that they thinke all things to be lawful for them when their thoughts are once tickled with the prosperous successe encrease of their fortune Hereof it proceedeth that the mind hauing no power to coÌ„mand it selfe being altogether impatient of her present prosperitie wandring sometimes here sometimes there it troubleth the coÌ„mon rest of others for her owne pleasure doth moue procure warres till such time as in the end by a miserable wretched issue it receiueth the iust chastisement of her vaine conceite imagination An example hereof my good friends is here represented vnto vs in this our enemie no lesse proud then presumptuous who by his vnhappy audacity his excessiue fortune is now growen to this point that he dareth to raise warre vpon warre and to molest those Princes of whom if he will consider the benefits he hath receiued there is not any one thing excepting his temeritie but he may attribute it vnto them wholly But the good hap of his affaires hath now so peruerted his senses that it behooueth vs not onely at this time to take armes publiquely but in priuate also to hate him mortally Behold turne aside your eies to the pitifull estate of the Dainians to the intent the iust wrath of their iniurie the honest care of your friends may animate your courage You ye citizens of Scutarie haue many of your children many of your brethren many of your kinsmen friends allies both Sclauonians Italians all of them hardie good souldiers enclosed shut vp within that garrison where being mewed vp by disloialtie of the enemy being brought to the vttermost point of all extremities they haue no other hope remaining but only in your valure vertue Long time haue they attended you in sorrow in suspence in great care expectation longing looking aloft from off their wals that either your powers shold now restore them to their libertie or else hauing lost all hope of coÌ„fort they must be enforced shamefully to submit theÌ„selues to leaue their liues to the mercy of Castriot vnder the view of his pride who is so insolent vnmercifull in his victory as his like is no where to be found as one who hauing bin of a long time nourished vp amoÌ„g the Barbarians doth excell in all barbarousnes inhumanity For to omit other matters can there be any greater temeritie then this can there be any folly more notable then by so leud an example to debarre men froÌ„ the libertie of protecting of others in the right of their own goods possessions And by meanes thereof most wickedly to purchase to him selfe al that he can seize vpon vnder this vaine pretence of I know not what coÌ„pact agreement to excuse his greedie desire of coÌ„mand abrogating by this meanes and taking away from men all the rights of their libertie His ambitious mind is enraged that the Venetians should be preferred before him by the Dainians he impugneth the voluntarie mind of the mother in the disposition of the heritage of her own sonne deceased but you may see how the malladie infirmitie of his owne mind and the vehemency of his despight hath so blinded and inueigled him that being transported with enuie he runneth headlong to his own destruction for he could not endure to put off the care of this warre till such time as hauing chased away this enemie the Turke who is daily at his dores he might haue bin the better able to vnite all his forces to haue come with al his whole power to execute his hatred against the Venetians neither hath he bin so well aduised as to ioyne battell against vs with any great forces though it be in sight of the towne besieged But he this expert warrior hath separated his forces here and there shewing himself therin a more vpright iudge to you then to himself to further your cause more then his own And whilst that the siege of Dayna on the one side the care doubt of Mustapha on the other doth not suffer his mind to enioy any rest or quietnes he hath reserued this army not as a fit enemie able to encounter with you but as a sacrifice rather to be slaughtered by you Wherfore seeing you are so many braue warriors against an handful of robbers goe to theÌ„ and charge them valiantly cease not till you haue vtterly ouerthrowen them Let your valure prowes enforce their foolish vaineglorious hearts either by loue or by constraint to acknowledge confesse that theÌ„selues are guiltie of the iniustice of this warre which they haue vndertaken so iniuriously And these being once chastised for their folly you shal not need to take any further care nor to redoubt those their forces which are remaining before Dayna For then pursuing the good successe of this battell we may at one and the same instant preuent their purpose by going to charge them first and they within issuing out vppon their backes shall enclose and hedge them in on all sides by meanes whereof we shall finish and bring to an ende a most notable peece of seruice and exceedingly famous The oration of the king of Epire was more milde and not so sharpe and inuectiue neither was it so replenished with ill speeches tending to the disgrace of others but as some say it was neere to this effect that followeth Whether the cause of this present warre be iust or not it is not now time my good friends quoth he to make any question seeing we are come armed into the field nether is that now to be debated on when we are in view of the enemie considering especially that my self was the man that made you to take armes with whom you neuer yet had iust cause to be agreeued either for refusing any war that was lawfull or for seeking any quarrels which were vnlawfull vniust But seeing it is so that in all humain affaires nothing doth more
may afterwardes against vs and our liues more freely execute their outrage and crueltie What may my vncle thinke when he shall see the deformed shape of this Towne and her walles dismantelled and ouerthrowne by those whom hee hauing of late taken prisoners in the fieldes and neare the bankes of the riuer Drynon did so curteouslie and gratiouslie in the open view and sight of each man restore to libertie and send home free without raunsome to their owne countrey to the intent they should now a new take armes against him and renew the old fiercenesse and rancour of their hartes Go too then let vs pardon the Driuastines let vs forbeare to touch or inuade their territorie whilest that we our selues doe finde all kinde of hostilitie executed against our persons We are now come to this passe that whilest we carie our selues with such clemencie and are so proue to pardon our enemies we doe animate and stirre vp the armes of all the world against vs and breaking the bonds wherein other are tyed we do bring the yoke of bondage vpon our owne neckes this entreatie ought the enemy to finde when he is at our mercy That as we ought not to exclude all shew of pittie and compassion from them so should we not be transported so farre to pittie them as to be more pitifull then standeth with reason wherein can any man finde him selfe iustly agreened with vs if we vse that which right and the law of armes doth permit vs There is no man can lawfully accompt or call those cruell with whom he standeth vpon tearmes of like enmity and betweene whom there is equall contention both of life and death Thus on the one side did matters passe on with complaints and murmurings On the other side Mustapha hauing sent forth his souldiers into the countrey did not suffer the Garrison of Scanderbeg to be at rest but by their continuall and daily roades and inuasions which they made vppon them they did more and more terrifie them For the Albanois shunning the fight continually did stand vppon their defence sometimes relying vppon the strength of their trenches and fortified places rather then vppon their valour and force of armes And sometimes sallying forth in small troupes and faining a flight they by a kind of mocking and skorning of the enemy did entertaine him and gaine time vpon him Wherefore Mustapha perceiuing that all his endeuours were in vaine and that there was small hope to oppresse the Garrison hee had no desire to make any attempt against their fort and as vnwilling was he to pursue them in their flight for feare of ambuscadoes and such like pollicies which were vsuall and familiar with his enemy Onelie with good aduise he ordayned and prouided good guardes and sentinelles and imployed the residue of his strength and forces to wast and spoile the countrey neare adioyning vnto him till such time as being enfourmed of the comming of the Prince of Albanie hee retired the whole strength and force of his armie and went to encampe him selfe within litle lesse then two myles of the enemie The place which they made choise of for the battell is called Oronochea and is in the vpper Dibria vppon a certaine faire plaine yet of no great breadth and about sixe miles from Croie Scanderbeg with his freshe and new forces were likewise entred into the Campe of the Epirots where he was no sooner arriued but he caused proclamation to be made by the sound of Trumpet that no person should issue foorth nor depart thence without especiall leaue and license and immediatly he set euery man a worke about the fortifying of the Campe Mustapha in the meane while on his part not stirring nor mouing any whit at all On both sides therefore all was quiet and peaceable by meanes whereof the Albanois hauing sufficientlie ordered their affaires and hauing strengthned their armed forces with strong and well defenced rampiers they began to fortifie likewise the fortresse with armes men and souldiours and Scanderbeg making a generall view and muster of his companies to know the number of his men and the certaintie of his forces the old bandes were three thousand and fiue hundred horse and six hundred foote strong For albeit Castriot had left there little lesse then fiue thousand men at his departure when he went to make preparation for the warre against the Venetians yet afterwardes he drew foorth a great many of them vpon diuers speciall reasons and good considerations the whole number therefore of their forces being reckoned and accounted then present were neare about six thousand fighting men with whom hee purposed to affront the forces of Mustapha and to hazard the fortune of that glorious triumph and yet were not all of them employed for the vigilancie and circumspect prouidence of this pollitique chieftaine would not permit that his fort should remaine naked and empty without defence what soeuer chance should betide him but he ordained 300. chosen men for the gard and custodie of the same His army very aduisedly and vpon good consideration did he deuide into wings the fore front of the which cōsisted altogether of horsemen whom he made the chief force and strength of both the battallions placing in each of them a thousand and fiue hundred horse for feare and doubt least his footemen being vnable to indure and beare the charge of the enemies horse should at the first onset be disordered and ouerthrowen and this was the cause that he placed but very fewe of them in the backe of his two winges the greatest part of his infanterie being reserued in the middle battell which was likewise couered and supported with fiue hundred horse to the intent the battell being not troubled and disordered at the very first encounter on all partes both on the one side and on the other the horsemen should make head against the horse of the enemy Whilest the Prince of Epire with the strength and body of his armie thus ordered and arranged did containe his souldiers in great silence and not stirring his ensignes but attending the dismarch and setting forward of the enemy Behold a certaine Turke disbanding and seuering himselfe from the rest of his company whose name was Caragusa presented himselfe in the middle space of the field which lay betweene the two armies and gaue a signe of defiance challenging some one of them to the combat from thence aduancing him selfe neare to the ranckes of the Christians with a high and loftie voyce he called for the most hardy and aduenturous person in all their companie to assay him selfe against him body to body At the first there was a generall silence and no man gaue him a word but euery one stood mute as men who were no lesse doubtfull to refuse the challenge for feare of shame and disgrace then to accept the combat the hazard whereof was so daungerous but Paule Manessey who was knowen to bee a verie readie horseman and an excellent
haue afforded you a more notable example before your eies nor haue giuen you a better occasion to spurre and to prouoke you then this happie beginning and these first frutes of victorie which is sufficient both to encourage you to a more braue and setled resolution and to abate and dismay the courage of our enemies Go you to therefore and passe on hardly in this path of honour which hath bene troden out vnto you and by a commendable kind of emulation do you immitate the act of your fellow in armes whose hands you may see yet smoking with the bloud of that infidell The carefull regard diligence of your companion hath vowed it selfe for you hath vowed it selfe for the victorie his valiant and puissant arme hath offered vp a sacrifice for you that you likewise without any bloudshed at all should follow after him in the like and by the fauour of God should march ouer their bodies which are dedicated to destruction by your handes and so you may enioy the spoiles which are promised to your valure and desertes Let vs therefore giue the onset and charge presently vppon the enemie he was the first to challenge you out of your rankes let vs be the first to challenge him with our whole battell Let vs force him into the field which seemeth to be fatall vnto him whilest that feare and griefe haue depriued him of all strength and whilst that a generall astonishment doth presse the hearts and minds of their people with a most sad and sorrowfull silence Assoone as he had thus spoken their bodies hauing beene before refreshed about the seuenth houre he caused the trumpet to sound and in the verie instant he marched forwarde in battell array Behold a notable and wonderfull kinde of hardinesse in this man marke well his resolution most worthie of an inuincible vertue and deseruing to be admired of all posteritie This Chiefetaine the onely fine souldier of his time with so small a troupe of men brauely disdayning the great forces and mightie puissance of his enemie durst in open and plaine fielde with armie against armie aduenture the hazarde of so great and doubtfull a battell not seeking by the helpe or furtherance of anie politicall inuention or of anie martiall deuise and stratageme to ouerreach and circumuent his enemie he had the courage and audacitie to be the first that should forgoe his trenches and putting himselfe vpon the field to giue the brauado to so strong an enemie whom as if he had bene vnready or vnwilling to come on or as one readie to flie awaie he seemed to force and compell forth to the conflict In this maner with a maruellous clamor and mightie crie made by his souldiers he now beganne to aduance himselfe towardes the fort of the enemie but that Mustapha came forth to meete and encounter him at first with a squadron tumultuously assembled and afterwardes with all his forces But like as in feare and terrour they did set forwarde so were they assoone and easily repulsed at the verie first onset and scarce were they all come foorth of their trenches and placed in good order of battell but that manie of them suddenly betaking themselues to flight did flocke backe againe in troupes making hast to get within their fort most basely and cowardly seeking to fence and warrant their liues with the strength of their fortresse and rampiers Which thing being perceiued by the Turkish generall and that neither the ensignes nor the souldiers did keepe their stande nor any order to the intent he might the better encourage them by the regard and example of his owne forwardnes he cried vnto them to follow him and where they should see him to make way there the ensignes should follow and come after him And therewithall bearing himselfe close with his lance in the rest he broched his horse with his spurres and with head and shoulders gaue in vpon the front of the enemy with a full firme resolution either to carie away the victorie vnto Amurath his lorde and maister or else to sell his life dearely Many of his leaders and captaines followed him and a good number of his owne battallion and the residue also beeing ashamed to leaue their Chiefetaine in time of neede by little and little came to ioyne with him and opposed themselues to the force and violence of the Christians so that in diuerse and sundriie places gathering and trouping together they did mainetaine the fight to the vttermost of their powers Thus on all sides were the battel 's reenforced and the fight beganne speedily to be renewed yet was there not anie appearance of the change and varietie of fortune both to the one partie and to the other as is commonly seene in such fights but alwaies and on all partes a like were the infidels without any hope of victorie the Christians euer surmounting them by the continual encrease and proceedings of their good fortune so firmely had the successe of the two first champions from the verie beginning wrought and confirmed the fortune of both the armies and had engrauen in the mind of ech man such an impression of hope or terror that it made them either fearefull or aduenturous Moses from his side sometimes aduancing setting forward with his horse and sometimes bringing on his footemen against the Turkish ensignes did so disorder them that he easily broke in vpon them with great force violence They on the contrary side who were opposed against him being vanquished rather by a certaine fatall destinie then by any valure prowes of the Christians and being scant able to shun auoide the blowes and wounds which were giuen them did seeme as men in bonds alreadie vanquished rather then fit to bind and vanquish others Paul Manessey fighting in the middle battell bestirred himselfe notably leauing after him wheresoeuer he went a maruellous slaughter of the circumcised By this time were their rankes broken on all sides neither horsemen nor footemen continuing in fight or keeping their place in battell array but all being confused and mingled one with another and the greater part well neere of the Turkes hauing their horses slaine by the footmen Albanois with their lances in their handes came to serue as footemen also but on the one side their bodies being vnaccustomed and not vsed to fight on foot and on the other part the discommoditie of their armour being great did much endammage and hinder them And by reason that their own forces did more more decrease and diminish they imagined that our numbers did multiplie and increase neuerthelesse being blinded with shame they did still abide expecting and attending the successe of their Generall who on the other side was as busily occupied For he being accompanied or assisted with all the most notable valiant men of his armie hauing made head against the middle battell where Scanderbeg himselfe remained did thinke to haue repaired the forme and good hap of all the
become Christians and to those also they left nothing nor shewed them any other fauor but gaue them their liues and their libertie After the furie of the sword followed the rage of flame and fire which being kindled in the houses did deforme and disfigure all things and burned all into ashes in such sort that if the campe of Amurath had happened at that time to haue come into Epire there was no hope for it to haue found any victuals to haue maintained them so much as one day except they had caried and brought it with them The earth therefore being left all bare naked and emptie with the onely shew and markes of desolation Scanderbeg caused his ensignes to march homewards retired his armie within his owne confines Then did he license his souldiers to depart and sent them home to their owne houses after he had highly praised commended the diligence of euerie one of them excepting the number of three thousand onely which being the ordinarie garrison appointed for the defence of the borders did alwaies continue there and neuer remoued from that place himselfe with the residue of his citizens and his ordinarie gard did take the way directly towards Croy. Tidings being brought to the Venetians of the peace concluded in Epire and of the bountie of the Prince of Albanie and the Ambassadors giuing him high praise and commendation the Senate conceiued exceeding ioy and an incomparable gladnes for that their prouince after so long and fierce a warre might from thenceforth take breath and rest themselues Then being willing to honor the vertue and magnificence of that Prince with some shew and argument of their thankefull hartes in a generall counsell of all the citizens and gentlemen of that estate by a common and publique consent he and his posteritie were created citizens of Venice and enrolled in the number of the most noble families of their citie and common wealth besides by the vniuersall good liking of all the Senate he was appointed sole gouernour and lieutenant General for their common wealth in those quarters and letters were forthwith sent away to that effect with diuerse very rich and princely presents All this while there was nothing spoken of the Turkes neither was it heard that they made anie roads or ordinarie inuasions or that they attempted any thing vpon the Epirots For the rude discomfiture and ouerthrow of Mustapha had so terrified and abated their courage that Amurath durst not stirre any further against the Duke of Albanie fearing by such like enterprises as he had formerly and vsually assailed him he should rather augment and strengthen his forces then be able either to breake or to diminish them seeing that so many and so great armies which euen till then had entred Epyre for the inuasion of Scanderbeg were for the most part either destroied and left dead vpon the fields or else shamefully discomfited and put to flight or being brought into seruitude and captiuitie did serue but as laughing slockes for their enemies to triumph ouer and a fit matter for the encrease of their glorie and reputation Supposing therefore that to be once reuenged of these disgraces it was requisite to make farre greater preparations and to march against him with another maner of puissance he spent whole houres and daies in diuerse consultations still prolonging the occasion of that great honour which he had vainely conceiued and promised to himselfe by such a iorney But the report of the peace made with the Venetians and the spoiling of his Prouinces and so many discomfitures one happening in the necke of another comming to his eares his heart being before mightily addicted and inclined to warre was now much more incensed and more sharply pricked forward Wherefore the old man being thus full of care and thoughts before he would decree any thing for the leuying of souldiers caused certaine who were nearest his person to be sent for whom they call Visiers and are those of his priuie councell to whom as one mad for verie anger and full of furie and choller he discouered in the end the secret and long conceiued hatred of his hart in these termes Hitherto most worthy and trustie Councellours we haue both well nourished much augmented the prosperous temeritie of this fugitiue and being occupied with the vrgent necessitie of the warre of Hungarie we haue so long deferred the due punishment of this our hate full enemie that by the multitude of outrages and contumelious abuses he hath freely and without chasticement incensed the maiestie of the Ottoman Empire such as neither my eares can endure to heare reported nor my eyes can abide the sight of His fierce and furious madnesse I shame to speake it is encreased so farre and is growne to that passe that he dareth with all his forces to be aforehand with vs in assaulting vs and openly to condemne vs of faintnesse and want of courage What auaileth it heere to recount vnto you the misfortune of Haly Bassa and the like mischances of so many other Captaines and leaders we neede goe no further to take a view and coniecture of the image of our estate but onely by the miserable prouince of Macedon which as I vnderstand by continuall roades inuasions and burnings is brought to that extreamitie that from henceforth we haue little hope left to see therein any markes or tokens that it is our prouince but filled rather and replenished with our enemies for euen of late did he enter it with an armie leauied of purpose spending whole daies in the spoiling and dispeopling of the countrey How long shall we endure the attemptes of this wicked and seditious wretch shall we suffer him so long till we our selues be fettered and that he put irons vpon our owne legs it is high time that wee suppresse his pernitious endeuors for feare least by our negligence this fire do increase and then all too late which my mind misgiueth me we do begin to frame our complaints and seeke remedie all in vaine considering that an enemie being once contemned and neglected of a small and meane beginning manie times doth amplifie and enlarge his forces and lifteth vp his head to the ruine of his aduersarie All things my masters doe inuite you to the warres and do seeme to minister the meanes vnto you for if there were no other reason to induce vs thereunto yet neuerthelesse the onely regard and lamentable aspect of the miseries and calamities of our subiects were not that alone sufficient to solicite the courages of men braue and valiant The daylie captiuities and imprisonments of so many our friends the smoke of our townes and vilages on all sides fiered and burnt which do euen call and crie in themselues for a reuenge would they not make vs euen to blush for verie shame if we should suffer them Haue we so often heretofore restrained and repressed the rage of the Hungarians haue we by continuall and memorable defaits
left Greece mourning in her owne sorrowes laments haue we broken the forces of so many mighty and redoubted potentates brought them euen to naught and shall we now suffer through a timerous kind of pusillanimitie these troubles and tumults of Epire to gather strength and to encrease vpon vs shall we yet endure to see that prouince which of late was tributarie vnto vs now to stand in contention and to braue vs by armes what hath the land of Albanie so suddenly of late engendred another sort of Epirots and is it possible that a new vnaccustomed kind of enemie should issue forth vnexpected against vs I am determined once againe to make triall if this nation be so fierce and vntameable and if the hardie and haughtie courage of their obstinate and proud Prince can be brought vnder the accustomed yoke of their subiection We must not from henceforth stand vpon points of subtiltie and vaine pollicies nor must we any more seeke to surprize this enemie by ambushments neither doth the time now serue by the diuersitie of the Leaders and Chieftaines and by ordinarie troupes one after another to fill their hatefull soile with the blood of our souldiers for we see that one and the same kind of misfortune doth follow both our leaders and our armies and whereas we made choise of them to do vs seruice they haue serued to endammage rather our selues thē our enemies Shall we commit another armie to Haly Bassa or Ferisey who besides the wounds and the deformed reliques of their owne forces haue brought vs not so much as one standard or ensigne of the enemies Shall we follow the vnfortunate aduise and counselles of Mustapha and minister paye vnto the Christians and ease their charge in the maintaining of their forces while he is caried onely with a desire to extinguish and free the infamie of his bonds and imprisonment We haue bene so often vanquished taken prisoners ransomed and in briefe so often beaten and discomfited that we haue reason from henceforth to abhorre and to be ashamed of our owne estate and condition we must now therefore take vpon vs the charge of this warre with our best meanes and the vtter most of our endeuors It behooueth vs to vndertake it with such forces to employ so great a puissance and to march into Epire with so mightie an hoast that the countrey may be scant able to containe it nor yet to sustaine the force and violence of our armie By this meanes without any losse or bloodshed shall we purge and clense all the countrey and by a notable discomfiture of our enemies being either expelled and chased quite away or vtterliesubdued and vanquished we shall reestablish those townes in their auncient forme and fashion which by the disloialtie of this fierce nation hath bene withheld from vs or if the peruerse obstinacie and obdurate stubbornesse of this people as it is likely vsuall with them vpon a rash and desperate resolution and of an inconsiderate desire to defende their Prince do betake themselues to armes we will then vtterly destroy these wretched soules who do euen long for their deserued punishment and with a singular reuenge which we haue so long desired we will recompence them for the old wrongs and iniuries which they haue done vs both in publique and in priuate It is your duties valiant and worthie men to vndertake this warre not as you were wont to doe against the Hungarians or other enemies but with a farre greater wrath and indignation as against those which are your slaues and fugitiues and who being most mischieuously affected against you haue now made shewe of their insolent and hatefull mindes which for a long time lay close concealed and dissembled To this effect tended the clamor and continuall speeches of this Orator who full of rage and choller did insinuate nothing else into the eares of his people and they againe very attentiuely did hearken vnto him approuing this his inuention for the warre of Epyre. And being vndoubtedly perswaded that it could not but fall out answerable to the honour and dignitie of his greatnesse all of them with one voice and consent did agree that preparation should be speedily made with al possible diligence for this iorney least failing to make their prouisions in time and season they might through delay and negligence loose the occasion and opportunitie of the spring For the winter beginning now to waxe more milde the tops of the mountains couered with snow began to shew forth and to be discouered Immediatly therefore and without anie delay commissions were directed and proclamations made throughout all the Prouinces and Nations vnder the Turkish obeisance and throughout all the Realmes of his allies and confederates and to such cities and townes by name as the Sultan thought conuenient◠that they should furnish him with so many thousand of horse and foote to be readie with all speede and to repaire vnto him to Andrinople for as yet had not Greece lost the feate of her noble and famous Emperors at Constantinople neither had she at that time cause to mourne and lament their dolefull funerals happening afterwards at such time as they came to be buried and throwen downe vnder the yoke and subiection of the miscreants The rumor of these preparations and huge prouisions brought with it great feare and terror to the neighbour nations and adioyning townes of the Christians who being surprized with notable astonishment were in wonderfull great doubt where and vppon what place the burthen of this warre and the extreame puissance of so great forces would powre forth and execute their bloodie effects For hardly was any man able to coniecture of the secret counsels of Amurath not his owne inward and most priuate fauorites except certen of his councellors in whom as we haue said the Ottoman had a speciall trust and assurance for feare least the enemies being thereof aduertised might prouide themselues both of counsell and meanes to repulse the violence of his attemptes This putteth me in remembrance how in that first expedition of the Turkes against Scutarie the Barbarians were discouered and seene before our walles in a manner before we hearde any thing of their arriuall But in truth it is a policie verie ordinary and vsuall with this warlike nation to giue out a lying and false rumor of some vaine tumult and attempt one way whilest they do bend their forces conuert the whole puissance of their redoubted armes another way to the intent they may the more easily surprize oppresse those who being least aduised are caried away with a vaine kind of light beleefe and pernitious credulitie But the fame and suspition of these preparations caused a generall allarme and tumult on all parts on the one side the Hungarians mistrusting the infidelitie of their perpetuall aduersarie began to betake them to their armes which they had found so vnfortunate and to raise their forces which were sore weakned by
of men so braue and valiant be any thing carefull or mindfull of liberty you may easilie tame and abate the proud attempts of the enemy and you may soone ruinat and vanquish these arrogant and haughty stomacks According to your cariage and behauiour wil the Ottoman begin to conceiue either feare and discomfort or hope and good heart If he find you so stout and full of courage as I do now see you to be furious and resolute he will be in doubt least he be encountred in all other places with a greater violence and much more forceable and dangerous So shall you teach him to forbeare and abstaine from the other cities of Epire to reserue himself to more easie exploits making him vnwilling to presse you with any long siege or else if his age make him so wilfull so vnaduisedly obstinat as to seeke to force you his troupes I doubt not shall waxe gray headed ere they depart For such is the naturall situation of this place that it need not feare nor make accompt of any aduersary how fierce furious soeuer Resolue your selues therefore my good citizens and by the firmnes of your determinations and the constancy of your faith doe you purchase vnto your selues and your country this immortall victory Vpon the successe of your vertue and prowesse I do repeat it willingly doth depend the faith and constancy of the rest of the people of Albany All men haue their eyes fixt vppon you either to commend you or condemne you or to follow and imitate your vertue What need I vse any further speaches that which is wanting I had rather you most worthy Dibrians should meditate with your selues then that in aduertising you with ouer much care and curiositie I might seeme by many wordes to haue conceiued some secrete doubt and mistrust of your faith and loialty The same time that Castriot with his forces here and there assembled from all parts of Epire was making towards Croy to take order for the safety and assurance of that city the Turkish army which had bene leauied in Asia was transported into Europe and by long iorneis was arriued at Andrinople their numbers not exceeding 40000. For whensoeuer the Sultan had any war in Europe the most part of his forces were vsually leauied in those quarters neare the same place both for that the souldiers of those parts are better acquainted accustomed with the maners of the Christians in their wars and also for that their preparations may be there made more commodiously with greater celerity as being at home and in his owne countrey Whilest the Ottoman forces did on all parts daily take head together and that Amurath had almost ended his great preparations and had assembled a great and mighty puissance hee called a counsell of his Bassaes and moste expert Chiefetains in the which they propounded and debated vpon diuerse meanes and manners for the commencement and beginning of the war Some held opinion that without any temporizing or further daliance it were necessary to send before into Epire a running campe of horsemen whom they call Alcanzi or Achimzi and whom we may wel resemble to our aduenturers a most cruell and brutishe kinde of people and giuen extreamelie to robbing and stealing And that these as an outragious tempest comming vpon them sodainely and surprizing them at vnawares with notable violence should destroy confound and turne all vp side downe and that the enemy not carrying themselues very wary and circumspect but vnder colour of fained fight being deluded and deceiued by these troupes should be drawen forth to the fight in such sort that his maiesty following neare at hand in proper person with the grosse of his whole army might the more easily and entirely oppresse and vanquishe them Others were ofa contrary aduise perswading him in any case to forbeare by such meanes to prouoke and incite the enemy for feare either of giuing occasion to the Christians to prouide themselues of things necessary for so long and tedious a warre or least they themselues might runne headlong first of all into their traines and counterwayes that the late slaughters sustained by others had sufficiently taught them Besides that they had intelligence which was now euery where and commonly reported that the whole prouince of Albanie being throughly prouided and prepared was already in armes their townes strongly fortified and their fortresses garnished with souldiours for their defence and with other preparatiues in good quantitie and that all places both passages and streightes were purposely possessed and full of souldiours that Scanderbeg with the residue of his troupes did dayly ride vppe and downe visiting the prouince and searching and viewing the thickettes and secret corners of the woodds and forrestes to the intent he might once againe conueniently and according to his minde lodge in them his happy and fortunate ambushments that it was a most pernitious thing to imagine to preuaile against so cautelous and warie an enemy by warring in that manner that they ought rather to take an other course of better assuraunce and which the issue and euent might not yet once againe reproue and condemne as it had done in times past For what should let sayd they but that all of them might miscarie vnder the sword of the Albanois before that the same succours ofa campe so heauily charged should be able to retaine them Wherefore to preuent the Christians that they should not by the bloud and slaughter of their people presate vnto them selues any good fortune in this warre they held it better to march on with their whole armie all at once to the intent they might at length deliuer the Empire of Ottoman from the labour and burthen of this troublesome warre Neither of these opinions was allowed but a third indifferent betweene both caried a way the matter as being more fitte and commodious for the qualitie of that time and for the honour and reputation of such an enterprise It was concluded therefore that the third part or little lesse of the whole army should aduaunce foreward before the residue supposing that that number would suffice not onely to repell and keepe the enemy from going forward but if neede were to set vppon them and that by their sodaine comming they should be able both to disturbe the course of the enemies affaires and purpose and consequently to prepare a free passage for the army royall of his Maiesty According to this conclusion there were immediatly chosen sent away 40000. light horsemen whose ordinary armes were sword target lance a plate of maile and a mace of iron Their commission was to march on directly the next and shortest way towards Sfetigrade and there to begin the siege of that place according as they amongst them selues should aduise and deliberate Amurath after his counsell was ended commaunded the residue of his army to be mustered and to be raunged in order of battell Infinite
almost was the number of the leaders and commanders for ordinarily their trouppes are deuided into diuers Regimentes or charges which they call Flamburats or Saniacks and are gouernments of prouinces vnder whom doe march the Timariots which properlie are those which haue a yearely fee or stipend allowed them And euery Flambur hath vnder him also many Subassides or chiefes of companies who are of a higher regard and accompt and haue a larger stipend then the Timariots and according to their qualities are allowed either a greater or lesse number of horsemen vnder their charge The foote bands likewise both of Asia and Europe haue their order certaine and are distributed into seuerall companies vnder their Captaines In like manner the auxiliary forces or extraordinarie succours which in time of warre are commonlie decreed and sent to the Grand Seignior were not of any meane or small number Besides there were a great multitude of voluntarie men as in all expeditions cōmonly there is no want of such After all these followed about three thousand men all of them banqueroute and indebted or for some misdeede and forfeiture rased and cassierd out of the Prince his pay with a great number also of other youthfull and lustie gallants all which liue in hope and expectation and doe seeke by some notable and valiant acte either to abolish their former disgrace and ignominy to be restored to their former estate degree or else to deserue of their King and Emperour some new reward or some militarie pay and stipend The tent or pauillion of the soueraigne is continually garded by more then 7000. armed men where of some were on horsebacke and are named Spachi Sulastari and Vlufagi The others who are called Ianissaries may be properly accounted of the Sultan his familie are all footemē like to the Macedonian phalange or squadrō of pikemen amongst the ancient Macedonians These were newly instituted raysed by Amurath a most warrelike and martiall kinde of men picked and chosen of purpose and them he commonly reserued for the last refuge in fight and for the securitie and defence of his person by the valure of these both he and his successors haue obtained so many great mighty conquests subdued all the leuant Besides all these for the greater shew ostētation of his forces there marched with them a most wonderfull maruellous multitude ofslaues base persons vnarmed whom he had brought together ioyned to his army to terrifie rather then to imploy them against the enemy and to the intent also that these being offered to the sword butchered as a flock of sheepe appointed to the slaughter might so wearie and weaken the enemy by ouer-labouring them selues in killing of them as they might haue the better hand more easily preuaile against them which is one of the greatest and most notable stratagems that the Turkes doe account of amongest the whole number of their martiall pollicies Two principall chiefs had the conducting of this army whō they call Beillerbiez as a man should say Lords of Lords one of them being the chiefe commander of Asia the other in Europe It would be tedious to the reader if I should vndertake to recoūt and enroll euery particular by name it shall suffice therefore for this matter briefly in this place to haue set downe some certaintie concerning the summe and whole number of this army wherein also aswell as in other points there is som variance contradiction which may in some sort diminish the credit truth of the thing in the opinion of such men as do approue nothing but that which is sure and certaine For some there be who affirme that the great Turke had in his campe 150000. fighting men namely 90000. horsemē 60000. footemē Others say he had but 120000. in al deducting from the horse 20000. frō the foote 10000. For my part I hold it not much material whether of these 2. opiniōs we cleaue vnto yet in my iudgement the greater number seemeth more likely if we will make it answerable to the wonderfull preparations which were so long time forethought on in prouiding and yet true it is that this army was not so exactly ordered nor the discipline therof so streightly regarded as it was vsually when the Turkish monarch marched into the field purposed to fight a battell where cōmonly the true value vertue doth liuely shew it selfe For all the endeuors all the preparations did tend were ordeined for the besieging of townes the battering of wals rather thē for any seruices in the plaine open fields After that Scanderbeg had confirmed the courages of the Sfetygradians and assured the estate of their affaires so far as he thought it expedient he remoued from thence to other places of his dominion and visiting all the prouince with singular vigilancie and quicknesse of spirit he did pricke forward enflame the faithfull harts of his subiects sometimes by commending them somtimes by presents and gifts and somtimes by the shewes and representation of the horror and hugenes of the danger imminent Moses in the meane time had fortified all places with strong garrisons with prouisiōs of corne armor other munitiōs sufficiēt to abide any fortune extremitie of war Wherfore the care of all these matters being now laid aside Scanderbeg with all speed went to his armie not farre from Croy where they were commanded to attend his returne The Dibrian with his companie did ouertake him on the way and then ioyning their forces together in one with great ioye and comfort they resorted to the Campe. Scarce had they any leasure to speake vnto the souldiours or to the Captaines but that there came sodaine and straunge newes and messengers from all parts arriuing one after an other bringing these fearefull and sorowfull tydings That the enemy was come already that the countrey was on all sides of a light fire and that all things were in a miserable estate and confusion They certified him as feare maketh men credulous and yet were they vncertaine of it that Amurath him selfe was there in person and had already filled and couered with armes men and horses both the mountaines and vallyes and the champion and plaine countreys and they instantly prayed their Prince to prouide for the suretie of his troupes and of his person especially and not of a pernitious and ouer much hardinesse to attend in plaine field at the first comming the furious violence of so puissant an enemy that he would retire his souldiers into some place of a notable height inaccessible from whence he might behold the vsage of the enemy and so to deuise and resolue vpon some sure course which should be most for his profit and commoditie These speeches did not much moue Scanderbeg neither could these perswasions make him dislodge from that place whereof he had once made choise to encampe in
passage with great losse bloudshed the remnant fighting flying al at once prouided for their owne safety Then began a sudden confusion and the Albanois forsaking both their ranks the keeping of the mountain euery man forgetting all other matters tooke care only to pursue the vanquished made hast to the executiō laboring by all means possible to make the others also in their fight copartners of the like mortall calamity bloudy slaughter In that tumult when they sought to issue thorough the enemy more were beaten downe ouerthrowen by their owne weight the armes of their fellowes then by the power of the aduersary Notwithstanding there escaped of them litle lesse then 2000. the residue remained behind for a gage and their carkasses whilest they were yet panting being dispoiled were left naked vpon the ground in those very places where their destiny had laid them Of those that fled about 80. were taken prisoners the residue were not pursued aboue 20. paces or little more because of the sudden retreat sounded by cōmand of Scanderbeg who cōtented himself with this victory alleaging that if he should suffer his souldiers to fulfill their own desires to the extremity vpon their enemies there was great danger lest he shold pay dearely for this prosperity There were won frō the barbarians 3. Ensigns or Cornets for more had they not brought with thē The horses of those which were slain being full 1000. or better did greatly augment enrich the booty the residue were killed in the fight Of the vanquishers were 22. only wanting about 15. wounded Thus did the Prince of Albany by a notable prey victory reward recompence the losse of his corne vpon the bringing whereof into the campe of the Turks lying before the towne euery one of thē made great ioy triumph expecting hourely that these victuallers should haue bin led thither tyed bound to their appointed punishment to haue bin offered as a sacrifice to the vnhappy ghosts of those 5. who were first slaine But when they saw afterwards contrarie to their imagination the massacre and hiddeous shew deformity of so great goodly a companie of pure despite and vaine indignation conceiued they made great lamentation and through extreme sorow they stood for a time as men inchaunted and amazed not without maruellous feare trembling of all the armie and doubting least the Christians animated with this prosperous aduenture should come on with the like successe to force them within their campe For they suspected that the numbers of our men were much greater that all the Prouince had bene in armes before them Their chiefest care therefore was to set a good and strong watch ouer all the army and carefully to arrange euerie companie in order of battell neere the tents of their seuerall commaunders and to enuiron them round about and accordingly the bands were parted into their places Their horses were kept standing with their bridles on as if they had bin assured that the enemy would haue visited thē immediatly But the Albanois was otherwise determined neither did this victory cause him to be the more high minded nor yet made him any thing the more loftie but he redoubted as much the enemy as they stood in feare doubt of him he did looke euery houre that they should attempt somwhat vpon him to abolish the dishonor of their last ouerthrow and especially for that the report ran firme constant how the army roiall was at hand This made Scanderbeg to looke to his busines more carefully therfore the first thing he did was assoone as it grew dark night quietly to trusse vp baggage to depart encamping 5. miles farther from the enemy The next day before sunne rising he sent Tanusee towards Croy with 50. horsemen ech of them a varlet both to hasten away those forces which he had left there with George Streese and to haue the guiding of that conuoy which was sent for the conueiance of the horses and other pillage lately gotten from the enemie into other places within the Prouince where he willed they should be transported for their more safetie and securitie In 7. daies space was all this ordered dispatched and the whole troupes vnited and incorporated And yet about two daies before the arriuall of these supplies to the campe there came in sight 5000. Turkes vaunt currours of the armie royall and a three houres within night they pitched their tentes before Sfetygrade The day following about the shutting of the euening thither also came Amurath himselfe in person with the rest of his armie and all his carriage It was in the yeare of our redemption 1449. and the 9. yeare after that Scanderbeg had recouered his estate vpon the 14. day of May a time wherin the corne beginning to grow ripe and the medowes full of grasse did yeeld abundance of food and forrage to campes lying in the fields the Barbarians do vsually willingly obserue that season as most fit for the wars especially in forreigne expeditions This was it also that moued the Ottoman expresly to forbid his souldiers to waste or spoile any thing within the enemies country nor to tread down their corne to the intent whē it shold grow ripe be readie to reape it might serue for the prouision of his army The Ottoman at his arriuall before Sfetygrade did make a glorious shew ostentation of all his forces before the towne and this he seemed to do not without any reason but vpon good consideration aduise both because it is the custome of that Nation to the intent he might by the sight therof terrifie the inhabitants First of all the squadrons of his footmen the Asappy were set in order after them the horsmen the Tymariots the Subassys the Saniackes and other Chieftaines euery one in their place marching before him went in this order round about the walles making great triumph with military cries loud clamors which were seconded also with the thundring cracking noise of the artillery great ordinance This done they went to prouide their lodging fastning their ensignes on the ground pitched their tents in diuers places The greatest part of the infanterie and common souldiers were encamped at the foot the neighbour woods neere adioyning the towne for feare of some ambushmentes which might be laide behinde them Afterwardes by a posterie gate named the Dibran he admitted the ambassadors into the towne The Bassa onely with three souldiers and two of his seruants were receiued in and they were conducted through the middest of the market place into the Church of the virgine Marie where the councell being appointed to be helde none but the auncients and the principall of the towne were called or assembled for all the younger sort were excluded least that any mutinie should arise among them The Turkes Embassadour pretending that it was his part to speake because
accident The garrison of the Dibrians vpon a superstitious conceite yeelde the towne to Amurath who hauing fortified Sfetigrade leaueth Epire and returneth to Andrinople THE arriuall of the Turkish Emperour and the report of his huge and mightie armie had alreadie filled with feare and terror all the people of Epire especially the Princes and Potentates next adioyning who were in great doubt and care least that so insolent redoubtable an enemie hauing once swallowed vp this towne already besieged should bring the others afterwardes to the same estate and condition and reduce them to the tenour of the like calamitie Wherefore accordingly as it was resolued in their secret assemblies and consultations albeit they had before prouided for most things requisite both for the stuffing of their holds with strong garrisons for the gard of the streights passages for their countrey they sent notwithstanding from all partes Ambassadours to Scanderbeg entreating him not to suffer Amurath any longer to vexe and tyrannize ouer the townes of Albania at his pleasure and with such impunitie For if by any mishappe the proud tyrant should happen to haue his will of Sfetigrade it was most certaine that taking the same as a happie presage of his victorie and as a baite of his fiercenesse and crueltie he would not leaue till he had brought them all vnder the same yoke and to endure the like fortune and yet they wished him in the meane while to haue a care and good regard not to attempt alone and with so few men the forces of the enemie nor so weakely accompanied to prouoke them to the fight whose campe was so vnmeasurable great and mightie because that could not be but with the singular inconuenience and greater perill of them all in generall They offered him likewise armes horsemen munition and whatsoeuer else should serue their turne for the remouing of such a flood and deluge before that it should endanger all of them to be ouerwhelmed with the rage thereof That they thought themselues sufficiently defended and in safetie if they could at this time free acquite him from the greatnes of that perill vpon whom did depend both the peaceable and quiet possession of their Seigniories and empire and the preseruation of them all in generall as also the whole strength and assured stay of all the prouince and the perpetuall glorie of the Albanois The Ambassadors thus charged with these instructions and many other particular testimonies of the readie and perfect good will and affections of the confederates tooke their way directly to the mountaines of Sfetigrade where they knew that the Prince of Albanie had pitched his campe albeit he were at that time absent For assoone as euer the troupes of the Ottoman were arriued in Epire and that the bruite of so great a puissance and so new an accident had filled the eares and mindes of euery man with feare and terror Scanderbeg accompanied only with Tanusee and George Streese and tenne other chosen men of his garde and apparelled as he was wont with the simple cassocke of a common souldier had secretly conueighed himselfe from his army to goe and visit those townes of the prouince which were nighest to the daunger and to confirme and strengthen them in their faith and obeisance who were any thing dismayed or discomforted knowing well that in so new and fresh a case of danger the mindes of men would be maruellously cast downe and appalled by reason of so strange a commotion and by the rumors though for the most parte false encreasing daily and that therefore he might greatly remedie the perplexitie timerousnes of their counsailes and imaginations and those which should in any sort staggar and be readie to fall away might be confirmed and reestablished in their ancient vigour and courage and in the accustomed constancie of their faith and loyaltie Of all this which he had so purposed and conceiued he forgot not nor left any thing vnaccomplished For beginning at Croie as the chiefest place of his realme and his chiefest care he sent for Vranocontes to come vnto him to the citie gate with a certaine number of souldiers and all the principall citizens for he would not that any man should enter within the towne and there he enforced himselfe with a kind of superfluous care according to the briefe instance and hastie occasion of the time by the discourse of many things to incite them and as a man might say to spurre them forward in their deuoire But he receiued from the Gouernor a notable answer the recitall whereof as well beseeming and worthy of his sound faith and loialty I see no reason why we should omit or by an vngratefull kinde of silence to defraud so great and honorable a person of his deserued praise and commendation For at the first blush shewing himselfe as one full of indignation discontentment for his comming thither he thus spake vnto him It had bene much better at this instant ô Scanderbeg if the Croians had seene Amurath himselfe and the shew of that his glorious and excellent armie which thou tellest vs of then to see thee heere as thou art at this present for this is certaine that as thy speech is nothing pleasing nor agreeable vnto vs neither in generall nor in particular so is thy comming at this time no lesse grieuous and discontenting vnto vs. For what could the sight or the hearing of the enemy haue done either more to haue troubled the mindes of men that are couragious or to haue worse offended the harts of those that are fierce and generous We are now at that point and such is our loue and deuotion towardes thee and to the dignitie of the estate of Albanie that as long as these troubles shall continue within this prouince and as long as Amurath shall preuaile or haue any authoritie with his armed forces in Epire it shal be more pleasing and farre more acceptable vnto vs beyond comparison to see the face countenance of the enemy then to haue thy presence and company because thou bringest vs nothing but secret plaintes and doubtfull feares as though we were enclining to a reuolt or that we were like to proue disloyall wheras the presence of our enemy could not but minister vnto vs good and fit matter to merit praise and commendation and might yeeld some notable and worthie experience of our fidelitie and be a perpetuall occasion for the purchase of renowme and glorie Castriot knew not what to say here against but only to purge and excuse himselfe telling him that he came not thither to vse anie exhortations vnto them but onely to aduertise them how all things stood And thereupon after he had embraced the Gouernour he tooke his leaue both of him and of his souldiers and so passed onwardes to other places where finding all things according to his desire he left them as hee found them and retyring towards his armie he came to his
enemies euen the Gods at their command and do they cary victory with them in their bosomes and haue you nothing but your swordes and those vnprofitable and your hands dead and without life and your bodies feeble and subiect to the sword and iniuries of your enemies Behold how they do yet abide you and stirre not a foot from you wherefore stay you Can you endure that a handfull of such base infamous persons should present them selues as conquerors before your eyes whom you are able to swallow vp whole both horse and armes Reuenge your owne bloud my souldiers and if the common reputation doe any thing at all moue you reuenge the deaths of your fellowes and companions at leastwise your owne priuate wrongs and iniuries Vpon these his speaches and exclamations all of them sodainely turned their faces towards the enemy euery man leauing al other busines ran confusedly on all sides and those also which were on the mountaine descended to charge the Albanois But the Prince of Epire would not attend them though they were almost breathles out of order but retiring speedily to the place prouided for his surety he kept the aduauntage which he had gotten in that encounter without any losse except of one only and 3. wounded and so came ioined himselfe with Moses holding that the only way for his safegard from the enemy Of the Turkes there were slaine some 60. or better of which number men say that Scanderbeg slue fiue of them with his owne hands The Barbarians did not pursue them far because the Sultan doubted of some secret traine or counterwaits and the rather for that he had some apparaunt signe of the other troupes in the ambushment wherefore he commanded them againe to a second retrait It was a notable sight to see how in one and the same instant the Barbarians on the one part did charge vpon the Christians and on the other part themselues were charged at the backes by those of Sfetigrade The Turkes scoffed at Scanderbeg as he retired from the fight and being not able to hurt him with their swordes they prosecuted him with taunts and villainous speaches But Perlat on the other side was much more troublesome and despitefull vnto them and did more grieuously importune their companions for he not onely angred thē by the hearing of his quips and fine girding speeches but he vexed them also with good store of blowes at their backes both with pikes shot and other kinde of weapons For as soone as he perceiued that at the only name of Scanderbeg they gaue ouer the assault and descended a pace downe the mountaine he embracing the occasion offered him with a traine of three hundreth men quicke and well armed issued out vpon them with a great clamour and playing vpon them with his shot as thicke as haile he went on beating killing and chasing them euen to the foote of the mountaine Thus was that day most vnfortunate to the Ottoman and all his enterprises for that time fell out to be vaine and vnprofitable The assault was broken off the enemy was not seized vppon but without any losse vanished out of sight The audacity of the defendantes was augmented and encreased and the most part of the Turke his readiest and best souldiers lay dead before the walles of Sfetigrade besides the incredible hauocke and spoile of his munitions and artillery and other prouisions for the assault For the number of those which were slaine in that iourney was reckoned to be full three thousand and more then foure thousand hurt and wounded and infinit engines and instruments for the warre were broken in peeces and consumed with fire This victory cost the towns men the losse only offorty men but of them that were wounded the number was very great yet was there an inestimable quantity both of armes and other baggage found before the walles and caried into the towne whilest the enemy was busied in the pursuite of Scanderbeg which was some amends for the losse and dammage they had sustained For that day the Turke gaue no other attempt but retiring him selfe from before Sfetigrade he spent the whole night in sorrow and sadnesse silent and melancholicke On the other side the Prince of Epire holding him selfe sufficiently contented with this good and happy successe in that this discomfiture and repulse of the enemy did yeelde some time of respite to the besieged he made no longer stay there then whilest his souldiers must of necessity to breath themselues But he imediately after returned to his first campe where hee had left his baggage at his departure and there his people refreshed themselues both with sleepe and victuals The next day early the first thing hee did was to send away messengers who rode post to cary the ioyfull newes of the victory of Sfetigrade both to Vranocontes and to the other townes and peoples vnder his obeysance He him selfe the day following with two hundred horse onely taking his way through the height of the mountaines went to take a view of the demeanour and countenaunce of the enemie All things were there in quiet and the towne at good rest by meanes whereof being returned to his tentes he soiourned there two dayes longer and the third day trussing vp his baggage he remoued his camp into the vpper Dibria there entrenched him selfe in a place strongly seated and well defended about fifteene miles from Amurath The principall cause that moued him so often to remoue from one place to another was as I take it either for feare least the souldiers abiding long in one place certaine might accustome them selues to ouermuch idlenesse or least the enemy might thereby take some course and occasion either by some draught layed to surprize his person or to guard him selfe the better from those traines which the enemy should prepare to entrappe him Amurath all this while being exceedingly malcontent for the vnhappy euent of this first assault and badly digesting in his stomacke the rude repulse sustained by them of Sfetigrade after hee hadde now sufficiently tormented his thoughts with vaine consultations griefes and complaintes once againe hee called together the ministers of his rage and vengeaunce charging them diligently to consider of the site of the place and on what side the towne might be best inuaded and offended The place being once assigned he appointed the ordinaunce to be planted against it and then consumed three whole daies in battering the towne on that side thinking to haue dismanteled it by the the force of the Canon but their labour was all in vaine for albeit on that part the flankers of the wall were beaten downe and though fortifications which had bene made by hand did tumble to the ground yet the excellent and naturall strength of the place would not suffer it to be forced neither by any violence or industry that could be vsed against it For if it had bene laid wholly open and no man
with new supplies The third day being past they remoued with bag and baggage and all their cariage into the plaine countrey of Emathia where they encamped The wrath and anger of the Turkish Emperor did so far preuaile with him that the same being conuerted into rage and meere madnes both for the peruerse misfortune and slaughter of his people and through the deformed shape and aspect of his campe and seeing no other meane nor matter of reuenge he disgorged the rage and fury of his heart yet all in vaine against the besieged and against the wals of their city For three daies together did the Bassa of Romania with a great and puissant preparation enterprize vppon them and as often was he repulsed and with notable great losse ouerthrowen and beaten backe By meanes whereof as the hardy and couragious fiercenesse of the defendants was encreased more and more so did a vehement indignation and broyling rage more and more torment the heart of the Sultan And though his body were euen wasted and worne out with age yet the exceeding vigour of his spirite suruiuing within him did euen reuiue and quicken it selfe a new through the remembraunce of the worthy exploites and the notable deedes of armes which he had atchieued in times past He told his souldiours that the euents of warre are diuers and that the vnconstant humour of fortune doth not shewe it selfe in any thing whatsoeuer morevnstable and variable then in armes and martiall matters that all difficulties by deliberate obstinacie and continuall study may be easily surmounted that the strongest Townes and fortresses are but weake and feeble that rampiers and all fortifications are of no force nor of long resistance In briefe that all things are easie to be compassed and effected whereunto men doe frame their mindes and intende their thoughts and apply their continuall trauelles and endeuours With these and such like speeches animating his people and giuing them therewithall large promises of huge and excessiue rewardes such as he had neuer made the like to any since the time of his comming to the Empire the appointed a new assault to begin the next day following Nothing of all this was concealed or hidden from Scanderbeg but dayly assoone as the Turke had decreed or determined vpon anything he was speedely aduertised of it both by espialles which he had abroad of purpose and also by the discouerie and relation of the Paynims themselues of whom many did dayly flye vnto him either for that they were wearie of the Turkish tyranny dominion did desire to follow that good fortune which seemed as it were to smile vpon this Prince fauoured by God him selfe or as it often happeneth being drawen thereunto through the inconstancie of their owne dispositions More then this the franke and liberall nature of the Epirot and his admirable prudence did so rauish the hartes of all such as did repayre vnto him that if any of them came vnto him with an ill and fraudulent intent and with a purpose and resolution to deceaue him they would soone alter their minds so suddenly would he vanquish them with the regard of his bounty and with this clemency and benignitie Now Scanderbeg vpon notice had of Amurath his determination made no longer stay but till the returne of Moses whom he had sent to leuie certaine new men for the supply of those whom he had lost in the former seruices The rest of his troupes in the meane time stood ready ordered and raunged for the fight as if they had bene to charge and giue battell presently and as if the enemy had bene in sight to encounter them The day being come which Amurath had assigned for the assaulting of the Towne early in the morning the ensignes being brought close vnder the walles and the alarme giuen the assault began euen by the breake of day On all sides where the Towne was approchable was it enuironed round about and all places were couered with armed forces For the monarch of the Turkes hauing published and made it knowen that this assault should be the last that he would attempt he laboured tooth nayle and employed bent all his forces puissance against the defendants And in the meane while to the intent he might preuent the sodaine comming of Castriot from troubling as he was wont the course of his furious dessignes endeuours he gaue vnto Feribassa that braue warriour at his owne instant earnest request an army of 12000. horse foote for the encountring of so daungerous an enemy that making head and opposing him selfe against the violence of his inuasions he might keepe him still doing so as his other troupes might not be disturbed nor withdrawen from the Towne nor the assault discontinued The sufficiencie of this chieftaine was great and notable he was of a very good conceipt aduised full of courage as one whom the continuall practise of deeds of armes had brought to haue the reputation of a most worthie souldier and an excellent Captaine Hauing receiued his charge and ordered his forces he neuer ceased coursing vppe and downe of all sides and sending foorth his scoutes to discouer euen the most remote and farthest places from the campe and in great impatiencie both of choller and of rest and as being grieued and discontented that so faire an occasion of honour and commendation should be so long delaied and detayned from him he did attend and expect the enemie with a singular desire and deuotion and did wish that he had euen then beene there before him So mightily doth the immutable destinie of the heauens inuegle and blinde our eyes and the licentiousnesse of vnaccustomed libertie that it maketh vs oftentimes more hardie and audatious then either in reason or necessitie is requisite And so was it with Ferybassa who being an vnskilfull iudge of his owne strength and puissance had long since determined to trie himselfe in priuate and particular combat against Scanderbeg vpon the first opportunitie that he could get in the tumult of armes and in the furie of the fight By this time was a great part of the towne beaten downe and certaine of their fortifications ouerthrowen The Turkes likewise had filled the walles with ladders and with all sortes of weapons but especially with long and great hookes did they assaile and presse vppon them which stoode vpon the walles whilest that others though all in vaine did not cease by hollowe caues and mynes digged through the earth to haue made themselues way into the towne There wanted not also some who cast balles of wildefire into diuerse quarters of the citie for as yet were not Mortyers in vse or not knowen at all but soone was the fire quenched by the inhabitants who without sparing their liues did carefully guarde and defende the walles on all sides But the chiefest stirre and whole daunger in a manner was towardes the great gate where the Mahometans by the
helpe of a great number of ladders and long plankes and bordes heaped together had raised vp as it were a certaine tower or plotforme by the which manie might get vp at once and hauing once gotten good footing they might afterwardes ayde themselues both with their shotte and dartes to make the defendantes to forgoe their places The number of the enemies resorting thither did so increase continually assoone as they sawe this matter intended as if they had nowe founde the way to enter into the towne Some brought great and long beames both to strengthen and to enlarge this newe building others made them secret lodgings in couert close adioyning to the walles and then brought diuerse instrumentes as pick eaxes barres of yron and such like to digge and vndermine the wall They prouided likewise store of arrowes dartes stones and other flying weapons by which they might oppresse the defendauntes from the toppe of this their building Nowe beganne the heate and furie of the assaylelantes on ech side in the other partes of the towne by little and little to waxe colde and thither was drawen all the daunger and violence of the conflict Besides that the tumult and horrible crie of them without did make all things seeme more fearefull and terrible Feare and dispaire mingled together had mightily seized vppon the hearts of the Christians who were very busily occupied in the defence of this place when they saw the matter brought to that issue and extremitie that the enemy could neither be remoued nor yet hindered from the obstinate pursuite of their endeuors For by how much the more they were repulsed and beaten downe and slaine by so much the more did their numbers still encrease and fresh men continually succeeding in their roomes did by heapes mount vpon the walles not giuing them any time of rest and breathing or anie intermission in such sort that the defendants did not only now want weapons to repell them but their force and strength began to faile them Perceiuing therefore that their resistance did smally auaile them and fearing the imminent daunger least the towne on that side should be wonne by the enemie they sent speedily to call the Gouernour But the brute and terrour running from one to an other was alreadie come to the eares of Perlat and had summoned him to make hast thitherwarde by meanes whereof those that were sent to call him found him neere at hande and comming to the place withall possible speede and good diligence and accompanied with a good troupe of citizens For all the people both olde and young being as men confounded and amazed neither more nor lesse then as if they had heard that the towne had beene alreadie taken by the Turkes yet being in suspence and vncertaine of the matter they ranne thither sighing and sorrowing yet desirous to see the issue of this lamentable sight and spectacle The presence of this hardie and stout Chiefetaine did at the verie first onset beate them off that were mounted vppon the wall and certaine standardes of the Turkes which were found raised vppon the rampier were quickely pulled away and with great crie and clamours caried into the market place to the intent the sight of this bootie might encourage and hearten their companions and free them from their former care One thing yet remained of especiall importance and that was to breake in peeces and to beate downe this massye heape of woode and those great beames of timber which lay so neere the wall vnder the couert whereof as we haue saide the souldiers being lodged did both vndermine the foundations with pickeaxes and iron barres and did furnish the assaylants with diuerse thinges needefull for the assault Besides the enemie yet standing firme aloft vppon this tower and pressing the defendants with a furious and eger fight did hold them continually in allarme and in small securitie To remoue this inconuenience they got together manie heapes of great and huge stones which they caused to be rouled downe vppon this building casting downe also withall great quantitie of oyle vineger and seething water all of them boyling whot which they continued so long that with the force and violence thereof and with the often stroakes of the stones and other things cast from aloft both the plankes of this tower and the whole frame by which the ladders were ioyned and helde together beganne at length to be broken and to be laide euen with the grounde In like case the other engines and instruments of the enemie were broken and buried vnder the ruines of this frame besides more then a hundreth common souldiers and with them also two of their chiefe Captaines were crushed to death and smothered by the deadly fall of this building The towne being freed and deliuered from this feare the tampiors being newly repayred and the walles furnished and guarded with fresh souldiers for that there was scarce any one left either vnslaine or vnwounded of those that were placed there at the first the Gouernour with his traine went speedily from thence to oppose himselfe elsewhere against other attempts of the enemie For by this time the like debate and conflict was risen in other places and the Turkes did presse so hard to get the aduantage of the walles that the towne seemed to be in as hard an estate and in as great a daunger as before Within a while after the Gouernour his departure the Mahometans which had beene repulsed and beaten backe from the assault by the fresh supply of our men that came against them hauing for a litle while withdrawen themselues from the wall assoone as they knewe that the Gouernour was absent imagining that the former heate of the Christians was somewhat abated they beganne once againe to goe in hande with their former worke and to vndertake the taske which they had beene forced to leaue vnfinished Raising vp therefore once againe their beames of timber against the walles which were yet fuming with the bloud of their companions they seemed to giue the defendants a new representation of their forepassed daunger But their last assayes were no more fortunate then the former by reason of the sudden arriuall of Perlat who with little labour ouerthrewe this worke but newe begunne and the stuffe being scarcely yet brought together for that intent and purpose was quickly dispersed and cast to the ground In the middest of these contentions and varieties of fortune at the assault there presented it selfe another kinde of fight farre more notable and more worthie to be regarded the which was able to haue withdrawen the thoughtes and to haue staied the handes both of the one side and the other and to haue made them as if all armes had beene laide apart and all choller and rancour quite forgotten not to pursue their attempt but to stande still wholly attentiue to the successe of their companions For now was the Prince of Epyre approched neere with his armie and being come almost within sixe hundreth paces
did make them sacrilegious and irreligious and worse then brute beastes and monsters The conceit here of did easily perswade him to doubt and feare euery thing whose mind was full of ielousie and suspition for he was not ignorant that the wals of many townes and the bodies of many men who had contemned all daunger of sword and armor who were vnconquerable by force and against whom iron could not preuaile yet had bene tempted and ouercome by gold and siluer This was it that brought him into an exceeding feare and an incredible mistrust for his mind running and discoursing of diuerse matters he imagined it a matter verie easie and likely that in so great a multitude there might be found some one wretch or other of a wicked and mischieuous disposition who being blinded and inueigled with the inordinate desire of gaine might open his eare and be seduced to condescend to some infamous and vile conditions of trecherie and infidelitie And this care did not torment him for Sfetigrade only but for all the other townes likewise within his dominions but principally for Croie fearing least some one of his subiects traiterously disposed should haue secret and priuate intelligence with the Ottoman and should worke him some mischiefe and misfortune For this cause taking with him in companie no more then Tanusee and Musache and about thirty other beside them and being disguised in the habit of a simple souldier he emploied all his possible diligence and industrie to search out and enquire if he could heare of any thing attempted or managed to that effect Thus you may see how the Prince of Albanie on the one side and the Soueraigne of the Turkes on the other side ech suspecting and redoubting other and being tormented in their mindes had both of them their imaginations occupied with diuerse thoughtes and cogitations about the vncertaine issue of their affaires The Ottoman keeping himselfe close within his trenches as we haue saide did spend all his time in discoursing and consulting vpon diuerse subtle plots and deuises for knowing that neither violence nor menaces nor a long and tedious siege nor the often and continuall assaults of his souldiers were sufficient to carrie the towne but that the defendants did perseuer in their former constancie he determined therefore to trie his fortune another way albeit there were some who counselled him to continue still in pressing them with his forces and to holde on his attempts against the towne Many also did aduise him not to proceede any further against so manie difficulties but to bend all his forces to the destruction spoile of the countrie and to make the whole Prouince of Albanie to feele the extremitie of sworde and fire the two scourges of warre and to pursue the enemie who being growen insolent and arrogant with so many victories did seeme to contemne all dangers and did course here there walking vp and downe the countrie at his pleasure with a handfull as it were of rascals and beggers or else that leauing Sfetigrade he should leade his armie before Croit where peraduenture they might encounter some better fortune and it might be that Scanderbeg would shut vp himselfe within that citie by meanes whereof they should haue but one enemie onely to make head against them For they were easily perswaded that he would not commit the guard and care of this place being of such importance to the faith and industrie of any person but himselfe onely None of these considerations could sinke into the minde of the Sultan to resolue vpon but contrariwise he reiected and contemned them replying and that with good reason that these fashions of pilling and robbing the countrey were but mockeries and childish toyes for that the fields did scarce aford wherewithall to satisfie the appetite of one onelie souldier so carefully had Scanderbeg prouided against all inconueniences before their comming into that prouince No lesse did he deride the foolish discourse of those who counselled him to pursue the Epirot telling them that there was nothing more pernicious and daungerous then of a foolish and vaine curiositie to entangle themselues in those large forrests and thicke woods of Epyre being a fit couert for wilde and sauage beastes where no man could come neare them but not for men endued with reason and discretion and that the enemie himselfe would desire no better aduantage against them In like case to remoue his campe before Croy he said that were to runne into new doubts and ambiguities and to hazard themselues to fresh subtilties and alterations of fortune and that it was certaine they should there find the Croians farre more stout obstinate in their defence that Croy had their peculiar and particular Gods as well as Sfetigrade and do you thinke said he that there is any appearance or likelihood of reason for vs of a vaine desire and meere fancie onely to proceede any further in making tryall of their vertue and fortune in a matter of so great weight and importance which we full litle to our profit haue found to be so fauorable vnto them in matters of lesse consequence and in the verie beginning and as it were in the prime of their good fortune shall we leaue Sfetigrade vnconquered at our backes being but in their borders and shall we plunge at the first dash into the verie hart and bottome of Albanie and into the bowels of their realme and besiege Croy their capitall and strongest citie In this manner did Amurath discourse with his councellours neglecting and reiecting those counselles which they propounded yet not finding any other course which could seeme more plausible expedient so that all things remained still vncertaine and vnresolued But this was it that most vexed him on the one side feare of shame and reproch and the vehement indignation of his mind disdaining beyond all measure to be repulsed would not permit him to dislodge and breake vp his siege On the other side his misfortune and extreame losses did disswade him from making any farther attempt against the towne Thus did Amurath hang in suspense still doubtfull and vnresolute concealing his discontentmentes and dissembling his extreame dolour Yet because he would not lye idle and doe nothing at all by litle and litle he made way to finde some oportunitie and he sought a farer off to espie the meanes how to haue some parley and conference with the Sfetigradians which in the end hauing compassed he endeuored to allure and entise them with smooth and gratious speeches which are fit enticements for variable and vnconstant Epirotes and that which doth most solicite the curious and vnsatiable minds of men he assaied by force of rich offers great rewards and large promises to perswade them to open their gates vnto him and to receiue in a garrison into the towne The Citizens gaue him diuerse answers which came all to one issue and conclusion that they sawe no cause why they should consent
the enemy did continue to importune him he should either charge vpon him or constrain him to the fight or else enforce him to betake himself to fight Scanderbeg perceiuing the enemy to change his course fayre easily retired his companies and for feare of being enclosed betweene the two armies he thought it lest to leaue them being so great a multitude Wherefore he seized vpon certaine valleys and passages of the mountaines where he knew he should be safe and that he could easily warrant both himselfe and his army against the puissance of so many enemies There for a while did he make a stand with his forces ready raunged in order of battell as if he had bene vpon the point to go to charge vpon the enemy and to hazard the fortune of the field with the Mahometan and peraduenture so would he haue done such was the hardinesse and confidence of this personage if the wearinesse of his souldiours who were almost tyred with their long and hote pursuite of the enemy and the inequalitie of their numbers being farre inferiour to the Turkish forces had not constrained this braue warriour to lay apart that counsell which was so temerous and dangerous Vpon this occasion therfore addressing himselfe to his souldiours and seeming as if he would excuse himselfe he spake vnto them this prouerbe which he vsed often I had rather quoth he that this place should be noted to be famous for the flight of Scanderbeg then for his crosse For the custome of that countrey was to raise a crosse in that place where any Christian especially any man of marke had bin slaine or miscaried and he alledged this reason to iustifie his saying because any man may abolish the infamie of his flight by some new act worthy of prayse and commendation but the life of a man being once gone and past besides that it is irreuocable out of hope so is it seldome without some infamie reproch obloquie of the vulgare and ignorant multitude who do measure all things not by reason and iudgement but onely by the issue and the euent When the Bassa of Romania saw that Scanderbeg would not moue but did abide still within his campe he likewise by little little begā to remoue with his companies to march away being as willing to let alone the enemy and not to meddle with him but to go onwardes to ioyne him selfe with the maine army that went before him The like also did Scanderbeg vpon the perswasion of his souldiours who humbly besought him not to be obstinate in pursuing and following of those miscreants nor to detaine or hold backe any longer within the hart and bowels of Epire that pestilent plague which was so happely rid away and departing out of the countrey Thus neare about the same time did Scanderbeg returne to Croy and Amurath taking his iourney through Macedony ouer the mountaines of the Tribullians came to the citie of Andrinople Both the one the other of them departed home sad pensiue and as full of melancholie as was possible because their affaires had succeeded with such varietie of fortune But much more discontented full of despight was the Turkish Emperour both because he could not subdue his enemy the Albanois for whose destruction and confusion principally he came forth of his owne country and besides because the honour of so small a fortresse and so meane a place as he had gotten did not seeme vnto him to be a sufficient recompence for so many misfortunes mischieues and calamities Notwithstanding the care and griefe of the Christians was wonderfully comforted in regard they were fully perswaded and made no doubt that the infidels being once gone and departed Sfetygrade might be soone regained and without any great difficultie recouered out of their hands The end of the fifth booke THE SIXTH BOOKE OF THE FAMOVS ACTES OF GEORGE CASTRIOT SVRNAMED SCANDERBEG THE ARGVMENT SCanderbeg is perswaded by his nobles to marrie The frontier warre betweene the Turkes of Sfetygrade and the garrison of the Albanois Scanderbeg besiegeth and assaulteth Sfetygrade but is constrained to breake vp his siege He prouideth for the furnishing and defence of Croy and the rest of his dominions against the inuasion of Amurath who commeth with a huge armie into Epire. Croy is besieged battered and oftentimes assaulted Amurath being not able by assaultes mines nor otherwise to force Croye practiseth to winne it by corrupting of Vranocontes the Gouernour who reiecteth him Scanderbeg by sundry inuasions and canuazadoes vppon the Turkishe Campe and by the great slaughters of the infidelles before Croy so vexeth and wearieth Amurath that he sendeth Ambassadours to Scanderbeg to desire peace which is refused Amurath vpon griefe and melancholie of his misfortune sickneth and dyeth before Croy. Mahomet sonne of Amurath succeeding his father in the Turkishe Empire raiseth the siege of Croy and departeth with his army out of Epire. THe publique peace and tranquillity of the whole prouince of Epire being now reestablished by the departure of the Ottoman forces and euery man being freed of their feare and care the traffique being laied open in all the townes and fortresses the garrisons being dismissed and each man returned to his wonted trade and vocation the king of Albany did at length also giue liberty vnto his legions to rest them selues for a season from the toiles and trauels of the warres Nowithstāding he gaue them in charge that at the end of two moneths they should all of them repaire againe vnto him to march with him towards Sfetigrade to the intent they might recouer that towne of their confederates out of the handes and possession of their aduersaries He retained with him in the meane time but two thousand horse and one thousand foote whom he sent as he was accustomed to keepe vpon the frontiers of Macedon and to guard the goods and possessions of the inhabitants in those quarters from the roades and inuasions of the Turkes Whilest Scanderbeg did thus refresh him selfe from his late trauels and labors and did within Croy employ that small time of leisure which he had gotten vnto a newe kinde of exercise wherewith he was vnacquainted namely to the administration of iustice and to matters of state the nobles of Epire and the Pinces his allies and neare neighbors misliking that a personage of such rare excellency should passe his age for he was then about fortie or perhaps more without leauing any issue of his body lawfully begotten to inherite his estate and kingdome all of them with one accord assembled them selues together and came to the presence of Scanderbeg as they had oftentimes before done the like and they laboured by all meanes possible to perswade him to take a wife and to continue his name and memory by the procreation of happy children which might lawfully succeede him in his kingdome alledging that in vayne had he amplified the boundes of his realme and in vayne had he
nor perceiue any likelihood of any salley but the gates were kept close shut and none suffered to come forth onely they were saluted with harguebush shot aloofe from the wals The Albanois sometimes in troups and sometimes scattered and dispersed with their bowes bent against them that stood vpon the wall did course and gallop here and there to the intent that they being prouoked the sooner by these brauadoes might be entised to issue foorth vnto them But when Moses saw that he got nothing but blowes and that there was more likelihood of further danger then of hope to doe any good vpon the enemie for by this time two of his men were slaine sixe or seuen of them sore hurt that he could hardly carrie them away he beganne to retire faire and easily from the wals and hauing conceiued no lesse indignation then shame he withdrew himselfe from the view of the enemie Scanderbeg likewise with his troupe in as pitifull a case as the other was not long behind him but he came forth also from his denne extremely grieued and discontented in such sort that both he and his company being thoroughly wet and as it were all dropping with the raine which had fallen on them all the night and the Dibrian on the other side returning with his souldiers full of anger despite they gaue good occasion to the enemy to laugh and make themselues merry at them But the Epirot did not long endure this mockery for he was minded to requit them with plaine and open force by a generall assault The next day therefore hauing set his cōpanies in order of battell euery mā appointed to his charge about two houres before noone he lead at the very first 10000. men against the wals Of the residue of his army part was left to keepe the trenches and part was reserued in a teadinesse for a fresh new supply to the intent the assault should not be interrupted Moses first of all with a good squadron of stout valiant young men went to the scalado hauing conceiued a good hope to carry the towne For Scanderbeg frō beneath with a great band of archers crosbowes Italians made the defendants by force of their shot to forsake their standings by that meanes the others had the more liberty to mount vp to the wals in so much that many of thē hauing gotten to the tops of their ladders did now get footing vpon the rampiers there with equall courage fury did maintaine the fight with the Turkes for the possession of the wals The artillery which as we haue said was plāted on the farther side of the town to beat the rampiers did not suffer the garrison to rest on that side For albeit the shot of these peeces did not make any great breach yet did the wals daily decrease in the sight of them that fought the defendants by litle litle did diminish waxe lesse by reason that the continuance of the shot which rased the wals did also make away many of their mē that stood in defence of that place If these here did performe the part of tall souldiers I can assure you that the others did behaue themselues with much more fury on that side where Zacharie Groppe went to the assault with whō were the chiefest forces strength of the armie and especially the Almaines who were resolute euen to the death and knew not what it was to recuile frō the enemy These with pickaxes bars of iron did seeke to ouerthrow the wals where they had bin newly reedified repaired Some couered with the targets of their companions and with baskets close ioyned together did digge vndermine the foundations others voiding and ridding away the stones that were digged vp did make the place like vnto an arch or hollow caue The Infidels that were aloft on the wall could not although they would hinder them from the pursuit of this worke For albeit many of our men did droppe downe here and there were slaine with harguebusse shot from the towers and flankers of the wall yet did others continually succeede in their places without any respect of daunger or without anie feare of death And the others in the meane time with their crossebowes and harguebusse shot did play vpon the enemie and they had so diligent an eye vnto them whersoeuer they sawe them to stirre or to present themselues in the defence of the walles that they kept them in such awe and subiection as without euident perill they durst not abide vpon the rampiers yet the besieged laughing at the great paines and labour that the Christians tooke did purposely delay and protract the fight For in very deed the foundation of the wall was laid so thicke and so large by the Sultan and besides it was rampiered within with such store of stones and bankes of earth that the place was sure enough of it selfe without the aide or succours of any armed forces Neuerthelesse for a while did Zachary hold on stiffely in his enterprise to see if he could preuaile or find any entrie for his men In the ende when he sawe that he lost his labour and that it was almost an endlesse worke he chaunged his course and to as litle purpose he determined to scale the walles crying vnto his souldiers To the scalado to the scalado The Turkes perceiuing from aboue the new attempt of the Christians did purposely suffer some of them to mount euen to the toppe of their ladders then saluting them with a great volley of harguebusse shot and with great stones which they tumbled downe vpon them as thicke as hayle they did easily turne both them and their ladders vpside downe from the height of the wall to the bottome of the valley For on that part the ground about the wall for a very litle way only was somwhat plaine and euen but on a sudden it was inuironed with a mightie great downfall of a huge depth exceeding hollow and steepe withall Litle better entertainement had the assaylants on the other side where Moses with his company hauing reared their ladders had diuerse times raised vp the colours of the Albanois vpon the rampiers of the enemie but the Pagans waxing raging mad to see this their brauerie and valure caused a strong supply of their companions to come thither who held themselues cōtinually in a readinesse to helpe and relieue their fellowes where most neede should be And then all of them close ioyned together bestirring thēselues without all feare of death or daunger did ouerthrow both men and ladders topsie turuy to the ground killing and murthering many of them so that in a small space they got the aduantage of the fight And wheras they were but euen now as men confounded vanquished they wrested the victorie out of the hands of the Christians with such furie and violence that the fortune of the fight being suddenly chaunged and in an instant it
seemed that God did fauour their part Castriot being wounded with extreame griefe to see his men so ill handled and aboue all for the hurt of Moses whom with much adoe he had withdrawen from the shot of the enemie and sent vnto his tent to haue his wounds dressed he was a litle retyred and gotten farther from the wall where being couered with the targets of two souldiers on ech side one he inuited some to stand by him with their shot to play vpon the enemy Others being fresh sound he commaunded and encouraged to take againe the ladders and fiercely to terrifie the besieged by renuing of the assault Scanderbeg himself serued there that day with bow shafts which many of them within the towne did find to their costs For it is reported that it was a wonderfull thing to see how many Turks he alone did kill that day and that he neuer drew any one shaft in vaine It was no hard matter to bring the ladders and to raise them against the walles but the souldiers beganne now to present themselues in slender troupes and they durst not hazarde themselues in mounting vp vpon the walles One of them stood looking vpon another and albeit the great promises of the Prince inuited many of them to be forward yet did the recompence seeme to be deadly and mortall as it made none of them desirous to aduenture for it Thus either partie growing into cold blood by litle and litle they left fighting at the last and the darknesse of the night which was equally desired both of the best and worst souldiers did end and determine that daies seruice The Albanois held themselues quiet and verie still within their campe all that night as those whom both the ignominie of the day before and their present misfortune did seeme to inuite to take their rest with silence for they had lost two hundreth of their best souldiers and of those that were wounded there were aboue six hundreth of whom there died of their wounds shortly after more then thirtie Of the defendants though there were a greater number slaine and that the cries and plaints of an infinite number which were wounded were heard on all parts yet the repulse of their enemies and the preseruation of the place made them to demeane themselues in great mirth till the next morning passing away the night with great fiers and they neuer ceased running vp and downe the walles and rampiers singing of songs and making great triumph and exceeding ioy By this time had Ottoman intelligence of the siege of Sfetigrade and it grieued him at the hart often times complaining that when he was scarce gotten to one end of his trauels and had but newly licensed his armie to depart he should now againe be constrained to a worse warre then euer especially in the beginning of winter a season not so strange as vnfit and inconuenient to make warres in Neuerthelesse seing himselfe vanquished both with shame and with a certaine kind of necessitie and predestinate fortune which would not permit him without ignominie and dishonor to leaue his townes to the oppression and furie of his enemie he concluded againe to reuiue his former preparations and to proclaime a new muster and to this effect he dispatched on all parts his Saniacks Bassaes and Chieftaines employing all meanes which he could possibly deuise to hasten his purposed iorney And the first thing that he did was to publish abroad his returne into Epire perhaps doing it of purpose to giue the more countenance and authoritie to the matter or for that the Christians being astonished vpon the report of this newes might be discouraged from proceeding with their siege For to speake the truth what I thinke thereof hardly can I be perswaded that there is any likelihood or probabilitie that the Sultan in the last point and period as it were of his age and the daies being at shortest in so intemperate a season and time of the yeare would be so foolish and vnaduised as to take the fielde at that time in proper person considering especially that the matter was not of such importance that if any accident should haue happened it could haue bene any great preiudice vnto his crowne or kingdome but that some other rather then himselfe might haue bene sent and employed in that action and haue discharged it well and sufficiently for his honor and reputation The Prince of Epyre being nothing at all abashed for the late slaughter of his people or through the disfauor of fotrune for that daies seruice did apply all his wittes and emploied his best diligence from time to time to molest and annoy them of the garrison somtimes in the day and otherwhiles in the night he would lead his troups close vnder the walles and casting balles and pots of wild fire vp into the aire which fell downe amongest the enemies he sought by these and all other meanes to astonish them and sometime he would send forth some small number of souldiers to gather together the dead bodies and to drag them away thinking by that policie to haue drawen them foorth to issue out vpon them All these attemptes and cunning deuises being practised in vaine by the Albanois he concluded to make an end of this siege after he had once more by one other assault tried the last and vttermost of his fortune howsoeuer the same succeeded and fell out and he was induced to this resolution partly by reason of the hurt of Moses and partly also because the ill successe of the last assault might seeme in some sort to be excused and imputed to the sudden comming of the night vpon them which might also promise the hope of better fortune to such as had their mindes charged with care and did interpret things according to their owne particular affections Wherfore the day following after the sun rising he caused it to be proclaimed throughout his campe by sound of trumpet that besides the great rewards promised in recompence of their vertue who should enter first he did permit them to haue the pillage of the towne and he amplified the matter with many good words making it seeme a great thing in shew and beyond all credit Besides he seemed to deplore and bewaile the shame ignominie of the name of the Albanois that so many excellent Captaines and braue souldiers after innumerable proofes of their sufficiencie and valure should to their singular reproch be enforced by a handfull of base and vile slaues to make so long abode and so shamefully to spend their time vnder these walles which were so shamefully lost vnto the enemie And he demaunded of them how long they would suffer and endure this infamie that within their owne prouince and in the middest of so many townes and fortresses and nations of their obeisance one vile garrison of the Barbarians who had nothing but bare walles to defend them and were destitute of all other hope and
entreatie of his owne souldiers he was content to giue ouer the assault True it is that he saw that if there were any good hope to force the place that this small time of delay could not depriue him of that aduantage wherefore retyring his ensignes and engines of assault and his troups being withdrawen into the campe The rest of that day and the night following was spent in great rest and quietnes The next morning foure Turkes men notably subtile and wily being deputed to treat vpon this matter came to speake with the Prince of Albanie and brought him diuerse exquisite gifts and presents The conditions whereupon they offered to capitulate were of that nature and substance that not onely any victor but euen men vanquished would haue bene loth to accept of them and they did it purposely to prolong the time that whilest these should be reiected in stead of them they might preferre others and after that againe others by meanes whereof the treatie might be drawen at length And this was the summe of their demaund That the ancient citizens being restored within the towne with their old priuiledges and immunities both the houses and the fieldes should be equally deuided amongst them all and that in this manner they resigning and yet retaining still the towne would become his subiects and yeeld vnto him perpetuall fidelitie and obeisance vtterly disclaiming the name and gouernment of Ottoman And they required also tenne thousand aspres in readie money to be giuen to their Gouernor The Christians gaue them no answer but onely laughing at these demaunds through pure despite which they conceiued of the same they cryed presently on all parts To armes And thus with iniuries and scoffes were these deceiptfull messengers dismissed together with their guilfull and fallacious presents The Paynims left not for all that but suddenly sent againe the same persons to attend and know the last resolution of the Christian Generall and in case they could not otherwise dispatch to referre the whole to his discretion This strange alteration in the mindes of the enemie and their suspected liberalitie though it did keepe Scanderbeg from beleeuing them ouer rashly yet neuerthelesse he thought it not good to reiect these meanes altogether wherefore he tolde them plainely that he would not change nor alter any things of his first offers made vnto them when he summoned them at such time as their estate was not empayred nor his camp then endammaged that they ought not now to thinke those offers grieuous or iniurious which themselues at another time had iudged to be equall and indifferent to the Sfetigradians that they should not expect any other composition at his handes that if they would accept this he was content without any further losse to take the towne into his hands but if their drift and purpose were by these subtilties and disguisements of faire and cunning speeches to gaine time and to persist in their obstinate wilfulnes that they should not for their parts euer after looke but for all hostilitie and extreame rigour that they should al of them hold this for certaine and determined that nothing should end this siege without the death and destruction of them all Whilest the Barbarians did in this manner come and goe to and fro and that they did thus faine and dissemble three whole daies were spent and consumed in these emparlances and at length the ende made manifest what was their intent and purpose On the one side therfore the subtiltie and inuention of the defendants was discouered on the other side newes being now come of the stirring and speedie comming of the great Turke it did greatly grieue and perplexe the minde of the Prince of Albanie To quit the place besieged the late iniurie and abuse proffered by the Turkes would not permit him and to continue there he sawe that both the doubt of the enemie who was reported to be neare at hand behind his backe and the importance of all his affaires which were of greatest consequence did disswade him from it Notwithstanding he remained there a while longer till such time as there came more certaine aduertisements of the preparation made by Amurath But it seemed the very destinies did oppose themselues against his desires For the heauens powred foorth such maruellous abundance of moistures and showers in all that time that the souldiers could not set their feete without their trenches much lesse could they attempt any thing against the walles The raine being ceased Scanderbeg proclaimed one assault more against the towne to be giuen the day following and he gaue good order and direction that all things requisite should be made and prouided in a readinesse Himselfe abstained from sleepe all the whole night sometimes being busied and emploied in diuerse matters which were most needfull and materiall somtimes did he walk vp and downe his campe here and there encouraging and exhorting his people often times telling them that they must either driue the enemie cleane out of Epire or not returne any more to the campe till they had made themselues maisters of the towne that the realme of Epire did seeme disguised deformed that nothing could be said or esteemed in safetie and securitie if the Pagans should be suffered any longer to abide and continue within the countrey And admit that there were no perill or daunger to be feared nor any dishonor did ensue by suffering them yet what reason had they to endure those outrages of their enemies and how long would they swallow vp those derisions and disgratious scoffes and abuses which had bene offered them Thus the night being quickely spent in these consultations and prouisions for the intended seruice the day began now to approch before the breake whereof Scanderbeg drawing foorth his troups did lodge them all against the walles but the souldiers found it more painefull to creepe vp against the hill then was ordinarie or accustomed and the way was more soft and slipperie vnder their feete by reason of the great store of water wherewith the earth was washed that it made them to drawe their ladders and other engines with great paine and as a man may say to dragge them with their teeth Neuerthelesse the Christians being lately incensed with choller and inflamed with anger did not feele either the difficultie or the painefulnesse of their attempt The besieged who doubted of no such matter at the first did resort to the defence of the walles in small numbers and were somewhat negligent in their deuoire but hauing quickely made prouision of all things they hastened thither with greater forces and reenforcing their defence they were of sufficient power to repulse the assailants From thenceforth the audacitie and forwardnesse of the Epirotes was not so fierce and violent as before and the swords and countenance of the enemie being now neare them and at hand did inuite and perswade them to carie themselues aduisedly and with discretion and not with furie and
and proportion as it was sufficient to sustaine the soldiers for one whole yeare Then was there preparation also made for supplies of all kinds of shot both long bows and artillery the charge managing whereof was continued to the French-men they had allowance at all times both in peace and war for each mans pay 5. crownes a moneth And most part of the garrison within Croy were harguebussiers crosse bowes The affairs of Croy being well setled and assured that which remained of the victuals did Scanderbeg cause to be transported and deuided to other townes and places of the Prouince For his owne part before he would leauy any new forces to be retained to himselfe for the molesting and inuading of the enemy as he was accustomed he thought it good first to go and visit those troupes which he had lately ordained for the defence and guard of the frontiers And therefore he called vnto him Moses and some few horsemen besides with whom hee went both to take order and giue directions for all things and to send forth espials to sound out the enterprises of Amurath that he might be fully enformed of all things in particular There was no occasion neither of frostes nor cold nor the earth all couered with snow that could hinder or stay the industry and diligence of this laborious and watchfull Chiefetaine neither the greatnesse or difficulty of his affairs or determinations nor the hard trauell of his painfull iourneis could terrifie him but that euery day more resolutely then other he did vndertake all the labors that belonged to his charge visiting and reuisiting sometimes one place sometimes another And at other times would he disguise himselfe and in the habit of a sheepherd would go euen vnder the walles of Sfetigrade to espy if he could by any policy or stratageme as he had in times past or by force or by fauor of secret trains and ambushmens closely laied seize vpon that towne and get it out of the hands of the Ottoman By meanes whereof they within had no liberty to rest themselues but as if they had bin still besieged they stirred not from their gates neither durst they at any time be negligent in keeping good watch and ward and in looking to all things with all care as they were accustomed During that time that Scanderbeg was thus carefully busied about his affairs the espials being returned brought him tidings that there was no more talke of assembling any forces by the Sultan but that the fury of his armes was deferred and that Amurath had put off the war of Epire til the next spring for he hauing heard of the departure of the christians from the siege of Sfetygrade needed not to be entreated considering the season of the yeare to make stay of his preparations which he had begun with so great heate and vehemency but changing his former order decree he had caused a new edict to be published That al his soldiers and captains who were appointed enrolled for that action of Epire should make their repair and rende vous at Andrinople the 15. day of March following He had a great desire to haue that voyage the siege of Croy to be concealed and kept close but he could not disguise nor conuay his matters so cunningly but that euery man might assure himselfe that Scanderbeg was the enemie against whom those forces should be emploied Vpon this determination of the Turkishe Monarch the Christians likewise had leisure for a while to breath themselues Wherefore the garrison vpon the frontiers being diminished by the one moity there were not left aboue 2000. at the most who building for theÌ„selues lodgings cabins as the fashion is of souldiers did prouide against the iniury of the weather winter season and the residue of them were dismissed had leaue to depart home The king of Epire with Moses the others being returned to Croy did for a while coÌ„tinue there during which time he caused certaine bastils and platformes to be added to the other fortifications of the towne and to repaire the wals on that side which lay towards Tiranne where antiquity and continuance of time had made theÌ„ weake ruinous This done as he was euer stirring impatient of rest sodainly he set foot in stirrop posting to this and to that place and being meanly apparelled and with 10. men only in his coÌ„pany he went to the Potentates his next neighbors and allies and to the gouernors of the Venetian towns labouring to embarke them in this war and to put them in mind of the imminent danger and ruine that did threaten them euen at hand and did hang ouer their heades both admonishing and encouraging them to the remembrance of their deuoire and duty Neuertheles the most part of that winter he passed couertly in the confines of Macedony in company of the garrison which was there appointed All which time a man should scarce haue seene them of Sfetygrade to issue forth out of their gates for that the nearenesse of our campe being but 15. miles off made them to stand carefully vpon their guard and did keepe them in great feare and awe The cold winter being thus spent and passed ouer with the new spring came new labours and calamities and all things grew more troublesome both in publicke and in particular There passed almost no day nor night without some letters or intelligence brought to Scanderbeg Amongst the Infidelles one while came some to yeeld themselues to his seruice at an other time others remembring their auncient familiarity would enforme him truly of the desseignes and enterprises of Amurath which caused many to plucke vp their spirites more and more and to others it gaue occasion either of feare or hardines according to the habite disposition of ech mans heart corage But for that he had of late sufficiently prouided for all his townes and nothing had bin reuoked nor diminished of those prouisioÌ„s there was no great matter now remaining to take order for but only to assemble some forces in forme of an army with which he might annoy the enemy sometimes in the open field and somtimes in the straights of the mountaines according as the oportunity of time and place should giue him leaue That so when they should afterwardes beleaguer Croy he might be the better able to weary and annoy them as he had oftentimes at the siege of Sfetigrade atempted and done the like with happy successe and good fortune Of all his Chiefetains Scanderbeg had not then the company or assistance of any but only of Tanuse of Streese and of the Dibrian For the others hauing bene sent and emploied in the like occurrences â—nd occasions were deuided into sundry townes and seuerall fortresses He sent therefore those three with all speed to leauy men throughout all the Prouince but by reason that it was drawen dry of good and able men the flower and youth of the
that the Infidels bending all their thoughts and endeuours to that part Moses had the more liberty euen from the beginning freely to do execution vppon the enemy by burning sacking and killing all at pleasure and to bring their Campe into feare and disorder as in all sodaine actions and vnexpected it is commonly vsed But this victory was of small and short continuance for within a while after a more strong troupe of the Barbarians hastening vpon them the Christians thought it not good to attend their comming In one thing aboue the rest did fortune greatly fauor them in that the artillery whereof they stood in so great feare did not at all play vpon them were it that they could not well tell how to vse it in the darke or else that for the feare wherwith they were surprized as it is oftentimes seene they had forgotten to aide themselues with it The day began now to appeare when as the Prince of Albany giuing place vnto the enemy did withdraw himselfe in the middest chiefest heat of the fight and retired about 2. miles off to a certaine hil where it was easie for any to see him and there did he attend Moses with his squadrons for that was the place which at their going to the charge was appointed for their rende vous Assoone as the Turkes saw him there to make a stand they went in great hast to the Sultan his pauilion humbly entreating him to giue them leaue to issue forth to set vpon him shewing him pointing with their fingers at the small number of the Christians so much preuailed their praiers importunacy that the old man ouercome with their requests condiscended thereunto Immediatly therefore there made out 12000. men strong lusty 7000. horse and 5000. foot Vpon the discouery of this great and mighty troupe Scanderbeg at the beginning made some doubt whether he should stay and receiue them considering the nearnes of the whole army of the Turkes or whither he should yeeld and giue place vnto the time but he held best for that time to take and choose the mid way and meane between both neither to flie altogether nor yet altogether to abide wherefore retiring faire and easily by degrees towards the highest and roughest parts of the mountains he did temporize and dally away the time relying both vpon the strength of the place and the aid of his other troupes whom by the dust arising in the air by reason of their marching he did now perceiue not to be far off The Infidels came on with great fury euen to those hils but seeing the difficulty of the place that it was very dangerous to passe further for that the very waight of their bodies would sufficiently load hinder them from getting vp they began to slacke their pace Scanderbeg would not stirre till he certainly knew that his people did approach yet could not his policy be conueyed so cunningly but the Barbarians did perceiue it very easily For turning bridle vpon the hearing of the noise of our men that were comming on and seeing their vauntcurrours they were contented not to approach any nearer but in great hast and feare casting many of their ensignes to the ground they made awaie with all speed possible Neuerthelesse their great bast did not altogether preserue them from the sword of their enemies because that Scanderbeg his souldiers had begun the fight with them and with their shot playing vppon them from aloft they had layed many of them dead vppon the place On the other side the Dibrian hasting thitherwardes with great diligence did take many prisoners of those that were not able to hold way with their fellowes and the residue had free liberty to saue them selues The successe hereof being heard and seene by Amurath but especially the horrible aspect of that nightes slaughter and the deformity of his Campe did cause him to conceiue such extreme griefe that for a time it stopped vp his speach so as hee was not able to speake a word which was the occasion that nothing was either attempted or determined all that day against the Christians The report is that the next day Scanderbeg with a small traine attending him according to his wonted vse was seene by the Barbarians to walke vpon the top of the mountaine which hangeth ouer Croy and there to haue some conference with Vranocontes And that this being reported and his person shewed vnto Amurath by some of his men that pointed at him hee blamed the folly and inconstancy of his people and with a dogges laughter as the saying is he told them that the best way was to let alone that furious and vntamed Lion and not from thenceforth to feede that vnhappy beast with the bloud of his men that so peraduenture he might at length be brought to reason by his owne rage and proper fury rather then by any force of armes that should be vsed against him But as it was litle or no dishonour for Scanderbeg to heare these wordes vttered from the mouth of his aduersary so likewise was it to be taken as a marke of singular honour that he had the power to draw from him this testimony and that he had enforced his enemy to harbour such a conceipt of him But to the matter Now was the whole army of the Barbarians in great sorrowe and ignominy and they demeaned them selues rather as men besieged then as those that besieged others Besides that to these their mishappes this also was added which ensueth being of no lesse importaunce and which also did greatly encrease their misfortunes The secret working of the Mine was now come to the knowledge of the inhabitantes whereupon one night they issued forth of the towne to see what was done therein and I know not how they went about it but it was done with such silence and secresie and so sodainely that they ouerthrew and scattered the most part of their worke and discouered all the doings of the enemy without being seene or perceyued by their skoutes till such time as hauing marred all their implements and prouisions they were retired to the towne in safety I do beleeue well that they made choise of the dead time of the night when men being in their soundest sleepe do represent the very image and shape of death Yet some doe deny that they sallied forth at all at that time or that they knew by any such meanes the enterprise of the enemy but they suppose that the Turkes being not well able to conceale their fraudulent inuention and secrete workings the Christians did by their countenaunce and demeanour coniecture and grow into suspition of some such intent Whereupon as soone as they began to grow doubtfull of the matter they presently deuised how to surprise and preuent them in their deuise And they say that they did place certaine Basons and Pannes of Brasse and other mettall full of water in diuerse places for that by the
and pleasant talke and deuises For his sickenesse being engendred through the impatiency of griefe and discontentment did require to be lenified and mitigated with things confortatiue purposely applied to put away melancholy and the cure was to be wrought with some new and pleasant delights which might cheare vp his drooping thoughts and reuiue his spirites which were so greeuously perplexed This was the estate of their affaires for a time during the which the Turke founde him selfe thus sicke and out of quiet notwithstanding he could yet for all that in some sort giue audience and speake vnto his people without much payning of himselfe and he was able to giue them directions and to prouide for manie accidents which seemed then requisite and necessarie till such time as Scanderbeg being aduertised of this indisposition and crazinesse of his person did altogether draw out of his bodie that litle strength and vigour which remained and was yet left either in his members or in his courage by meanes of two or three inuasions which he made vpon his campe At the first and second time there was not much harme done nor scarce any thing executed worth the remembring for that the promptnesse and vigilancie of the Turkes in defending of their trenches did hinder and disappoint the purpose of the Epirot besides that their mindes were more attentiuely busied rather to the defence of thēselues then to the offending of the enemy But this did more more chafe and incense the hardy courage of Scanderbeg who taking the benefit of the night as the time most proper naturall to procure tumult feare confusion marched with all his horsmen towards Tyranna because the place being more plaine and easie for horse to serue in by means therof the tents of the Turks wold be the more subiect to the inuasiō of their enemies It was now past midnight when the Christians being on foote their cōming was discouered by the noyse and neighing of their horses The darknesse was greater then was vsuall or accustomed and the heauens being couered and obscured with thicke and grosse cloudes did yeeld forth no light nor clearenes at all and therefore hardly could any thing be done or ordained against the violence and furie of the Albanois Neuerthelesse according to the opportunity of the time did they prouide a remedy the souldiers were disposed in order according as they could best imagine by the hearing not hauing the sight of the enemy Neither was the quality of that season lesse cōtrary suspitious to the Christians also And howbeit that ordinarily the assailant hath more resolution assurance then the party that is surprised yet did a certen horror seize vpon them seemed somewhat to daunt their courages not any of them durst set forward or march one before another In the midst of this doubtfulnesse and staggaring as it were both on the one part the other Scanderbeg taking to himself about a hundred horse of his vauntcurrors seuering himselfe from the bodie of his troups aduanced forward with great furie euen to the enemies trenches to prouoke them to issue out and hauing incensed them with high cries clamors and casting of darts in amongst them he drew forth some of them from their appointed stations who separated themselues from their companie with purpose to set vpon him and in hope to haue defeated him but the greatest mischiefe lighted vpon themselues part of them being ouerthrowen the residue were glad quickly to returne frō whence they came Scanderbeg continued for a time coursing vp and downe here and there and as one that deluded dalyed with them he sought meanes to haue drawen forth some greater troupe to charge him but seing the time to passe away in this vaine and friuolous expectation and that the darknesse of the night by little and little bganne to weare away by the drawing on and approch of the day he returned to his companie without any further fayning or dissembling he ordered his troupes with very excellent good skill and deuided them betwene Streeze Tanusee for Moses was left with the infanterie at Tumenista hauing readily instructed them what they should do he lead them on against the enemie The first onset was with shot wherwith they plaied one vpon another and the most of the fight was in that order for the Albanois was in doubt least if the rankes should ioyne and be mingled together in the darke of the night his souldiers should be scarce able to know their felowes frō the Infidels for which cause he would not suffer them to presse in vpon the enemy neither had they come at all to handystroakes if it had not beene long of the Turkes them selues who presuming vpon their huge multitude did cause a strong battallion of horse to make out towardes the left side and so purposed to haue enclosed the Christians betweene them But Scanderbeg seeing them a little separated from the rest of their mayne armie did presently withdrawe him selfe from their trenches into the open fielde and deuiding his troupes also a sunder to the intent the fight should be maintayned on both pattes he made against them speedily and charged them with great furie both before and behinde At the first onset the Barbarians receiued him with a braue and hardie resolution expecting that fresh succours should haue seconded them from their campe but the long tariance and slackenesse of their supplies and the decrease of their owne strength which by litle and litle fayled them and the furie of the Christians encreasing together with the aduantage they had gotten against them made them at length to set spurres to their horses and they neuer thought them to runne fast enough till they had gotten within their campe A great number of Turkes and some Christians also left their liues in that conflict before that the Infidels betooke themselues to flight By this time the day beganne to breake and the multitude of the Infidels beganne to growe so great and encrease so mightily that they constrayned Streeze and Tanusee to retyre The Turkish troupes would gladly haue pursued them in their retreate but for feare to displease the Sultan they layde aside all desire of reuenge and busied themselues in recounting their owne losses and misfortunes Besides that slaughter onely which was made in the fight there happened not any disorder within their campe neither was there aine bootie or pillage gouen but onely some small spoyles which were founde vppon the dead bodies for you must note that the fight was both begunne and ended without and not within the trenches of their campe The great men and Chiefetaines of the armie did very aduisedly seeke to conceale this discomfiture from the Sultan to the intent his melancholique humour might not haue any further matter for to worke vpon Neuerthelesse they could not by anie meanes keepe it from the knowledge of the olde man who was verie iealous and full of
care by meanes of the generall and publique murmurings and whisperings and the priuate plaintes of the common sort which did easily discouer that which was happened vnto his mind already enclyning and addicted to suspect the worst For as it is commonly seene that none are either more couragious or greater cowards then the popular sort in the good or bad successe of their fortune so did the Turkes goe vp and downe their campe deuising and debating one with another and saying That the enemy would at some one time or other finde out some good opportunitie to set vpon the very tents and pauilions euen of the Sultan their Lord and Soueraigne Now was the Ottoman greatly perplexed vppon the course of his proceedinges to breake vppe his campe to raise his siege and to leaue the warre which he had vndertaken with so great courage and shewe of magnanimitie verie shame would not suffer â—im Some counselled him notwithstanding to leaue the greatest part of his forces before Croy and with them to continue the siege and that himselfe should retire and take his iourney to Andrinople and so by that meanes prouide for his owne health and safetie for that if he did absent himselfe for a while from the bloudie sight of his enemies and from the viewe of those tragicall spectacles and calamities the force of his desease would by little and little vanish away and be abolished But his health euerie day empayring and waxing worse and worse and his breath by little and little beginning to faile him they then knew that the immutable decree of the heauens was not to be reuoked neither by chaunge of place nor by any succours or humaine counsell or aduise Wherefore although they neuer ceased by soueraigne medicamentes and other remedies to seeke the recouerie of his health and to reuiue his decayed bodie as the mindes of mortall men are neuer destitute of some hope yet had they a speciall regard as a sort of marriners or saylers who haue lost their pylots euerie man to his power and abilitie to prouide and procure all thinges requisite by which their armie might be secured and preserued Wherefore causing their tents to be drawen closer and neerer together which before lay dispersed here and there and were more subiect to the violence of the enemie they did entrench their campe in a more streight circuit and within a lesser compasse garding and defending their rampiers with good and strong forces of armed souldiers And hauing thus ordered the estate of their affaires they did attend either the death of the Sultan and therewithall an end of this warre or else peraduenture his health and recouerie which should minister vnto them some new and fresh plots for the strengthening and reenforcing of the siege Scanderbeg had notice of all these matters and wanted not daily aduertisementes to bring this newes vnto him And many there were also amongst the Infidels who came and rendered themselues vnto him by whom he learned the counsels and most secret deuises of the enemy For there was not almost any one day but there repayred vnto him a great number seeking refuge in his campe or in his townes especially after that it was once publikely supposed and commonly beleeued that the Sultan was drawing neere his end For it is vsually seene that the vulgar sort doe willingly followe the fortune of that partie which is supposed to be most secure and of greatest suertie Now Scanderbeg thought it not best to continue his ordinarie allarmes and inuasions but rather to referre them ouer and reserue his chiefest violence till such time as Amurath were deceased Neuerthelesse he would oftentimes walke abroade both by day and by night vpon the toppe of the mountaine named Crayna and there he would deuise vppon matters with Vranocontes or else he would be coursing vppe and downe the next hilles and mountaines diuerse times with sundry troups of souldiers thinking eyther to surprize some of the Turkes as they should be employed in the seruices of their campe or else to keepe them by all meanes possible in continuall terror and subiection But this intermission of armes and the sorrowfull expectation of the Turkes did not long continue for within three dayes Amurath departed out of this life and left behinde him all worldly fortune both good and bad A most notable and worthie mirrour for the great men of the earth who in this worlde beeing the mynions of fortune are too too much puffed vppe with the happie gale of her continuall fauours and can not abide to strike their sayles or to vayle the bonnet to one onely storme of sinister and vnhappie fortune Howe can it be but those men must needes suffer shippewracke in the sea of their delitious pleasures and in the gulfe of their owne greatnesse I holde it not impertinent if I recount vnto you in this discourse the last Acte of his ende and tragedie The report goeth that when he perceiued his limitted houre and appointed time to approach as he lay vppon a little lowe bed or pallet he caused himselfe somewhat to be raysed vppe and then framing his speech to his Bassaes and chiefe Princes of his Court he made long and lamentable complaintes and powred foorth his grieuances exclaiming vpon the Destinies which had so deceiued him that nowe the end and issue of his last actions should be dishonourable and infamous whereas the forepassed course of his yeares had beene most glorious that the heauens should so ordaine it that he who had so often repressed the proude and haughtie Hungarians who had tamed the insolencie of the stately Grecians and brought their name in a manner to nothing should be nowe constrayned to yeeld vppe his soule in dishonour and reproch vnder the poore walles of a little Castle and in the viewe of so contemptible an enemie Then turning himselfe to his sonne he recommended him verie earnestly to the faith and fidelitie of his seruantes and he instructed and admonished him touching manie particularities sometimes a part and sometimes in the hearing of all the companie And albeit his bodie euen destitute of all force and strength and the teares in abundance trickling downe his cheekes to see his childe then standing before him did euen stoppe vppe and hinder the course of his speech yet did he often reiterate and repeate these and the like wordes vnto him Let my example quoth hee be a warning vnto thee my sonne neuer to contemne and despise anie enemie be he neuer so weake and feeble There hath not beene that I knowe of any one thing whereof I haue so much repented me in all my life time yea euen in the other worlde if there be at leastwise anie part of vs remayning which hath vnderstanding after the bodie is extinguished I shall still and euerlastingly repent it that I was so negligent and inconsiderate as to be the father and the nourisher of a domesticall enemie whereby I haue both purchased
raigne and Empyre from the which there is scarce any age or person exempted but hath some instinct and naturall motion thereunto Afterwards when it happeneth that the Emperour is deceased or that it is thought that his death is not farre off the Bassaes and others who are of greatest power and authoritie both with the people and in the gouernment of the estate doe send away speedie poastes and letters to the one and other of the sonnes of the Prince last deceased according as eche man is particularlie affected and they doe from point to point aduertise him of all things willing him to hasten his comming that he may get the possession of the crowne and seate himselfe in the succession of the Empyre then readie to fall voide and emptie It is a sport to see with what contention these great men doe studie to surprize the packettes and curriers of each other whilest that euerie one of them laboureth to get the scepter to that partie to whom he is most affected and euerie one doth his best and worst to beguile his companion Nowe when these young Princes are thus sollicited with what vehemencie with what fancies and affection they do come poasting from all partes to beare away the prize thus in question I leaue it to your imagination Certaine it is that he amongst them all that can first get to the streights of Gallipolie or Hellespont he commonly is the man that obtaineth the soueraignitie of the Empire for that the Ianissaries comming to meete and to salute him doe afterwardes all at leasure easily and quietly put him in possession of the kingdome The other brethren are forthwith eyther banished or exiled out of all the territories and limits of their dominions or else are cruelly and vnnaturally slaine and murthered for feare least there should remaine so me cause of ciuill tumults and sedition Hence is deriued that prouerbe vsed by the auncients That more fortunately are children borne to priuate persons then to Princes But now of all this nothing could happen in this manner vnto Mahomet for neither had he any brethren of sufficient age eyther fit to gouerne the Realme or able to attempt or to obtaine the kingdome neither did he returne as a priuate person out of Asia but with a most strong and mightie armie which he brought backe out of the enemies countrie where he had bene before saluted and proclaymed King and Emperor by the vniuersall consent of all the souldiers in generall For this cause he came peaceably and quietly to the Empire without any commotion without any danger or difficultie and with the exceeding ioy and incomparable gladnesse of the whole Communaltie Now had they forgotten the losse of their late deceased Prince and all griefe and sorrowe for his death was vanished together with his memorie The calamities and slaughters lately receiued in Epyre and the obsequies and funeralles of their companions were nowe cleane worne out of minde and there was scarce any one by reason of this newe pompe and tryumphe which did apperceiue or obserue the poore reliques of their miserable defourmed armie or that did remember by reason they were so drowned in ioy what goodly forces and what strong squadrons they had sent into Epyre in respect of those which were thence returned and were brought home againe The new Monarke whose delight was in bloudshed and cruelty as much as any that euer raigned thought it good to looke to his affaires and to prouide for the security of his estate and he had an intention to settle some of them in good assurance and of others to make a change and innouation The first deede that he did was to make diligent inquisition if he could finde any other aliue besides himselfe that was descended from the loines of Amurath vpon whom after the maner of his predecessors he might poure out the venome of his hatefull ambition There were found two infants the one called Tursines of the age of eighteene moneths the other was called Calepin The former was cast into the water and drowned by the expresse commaundement of Mahomet who gaue it in charge to Moses one of his Bassaes to see it executed and he without any difficulty or relenting did easily yeeld to assist so execrable a spectacle The mother of the infant detesting the deede and exclaiming vppon the brutishnes of the fact with howlings and horrible cries intermingled with continuall tears and lamentations did poure out a thousand curses against the author of the murther being there in presence The tyrant to appease his mother in law did deliuer into her hands in expiation of his Parricide him that was the executioner and shee full of rage and extreame fury with a knife stabbed him to the heart euen in the presence of Mahomet and then ripping vp his body shee diued searched into his bowels for his heart which hauing found shee pulled it forth cast it the dogs A most worthy and notable lesson for men of a corrupt mind who can be content to staine their consciences and to prostitute them selues and their affections to serue the furious passions of great men and princes As concerning the other child named Calepin the common report is that Caly Bassa to get the good wil of Mahomet such is the inconstancy of mortall men who do gladly follow the fortune of the most puissant did present the infant vnto him being then but of the age of six moneths and the only ioy and delight of his mother the widow of Amurath who in his second mariage with this woman the daughter of one Sponderbeg the noble Prince of Penderacia had begottē this yong infant had committed him to the custody of this Bassa and recōmended him to his especial care at such time as he drew neare his end Mahomet being enformed by womē of good knowledge that he was of the linage of his father caused him speedily to be strangled and then with great magnificence celebrated his obsequies at Bursa by this means consecrating the first fruits and beginnings of his cruel Empire with the bloud of his owne brethren How beit others write that Caly Bassa did prefer another childe in stead of Calepin who was still nourished and brought vp in Constantinople amongst the Greekes and that afterwards in the shipwracke and ruines of that noble city he with some others being left aliue was conueied thence and that in the end during the Papacy of Calixtus the third he was entertained at Rome in the Vatican where being instructed in the true religiō regenerat in holy baptisme he wēt after that to the court of the Emperour Fredericke in Almaine of whom being receiued according to the honor due vnto so great a Prince he spent the rest of his daies in Austriche You see what diuersity there is between writers in this behalfe notwithstanding in my iudgement it hath no great likelihood or probability that Amurath should be able to
battell and pushed forward the Standard-bearer with his hand telling him that he was but an ill prognosticator vnto himselfe and he saide with a loud voice that it behoued them vpon such an opportunitie to take the aduantage of the time and to charge the enemie that this was no other but the casualtie and inconstancie of the spring time and new season of the yeare namely of the moneth of March and that before they should be able to come to handie-stroakes with the enemie they should see the ayre would waxe cleare and as calme and pleasant as before Whereupon the souldiers being recomforted and interpreting it to be a signe of their owne good fortune they did both mutually encourage one another and they put their leaders likewise in a better hope and comfort By this time the weather being cleared as Scanderbeg had foretolde the brightnesse of the moone-light encreasing with her course and the neerenesse of their troupes did now discouer the approach of the Albanois which hastened on eche mans fortune eyther good or bad The enemie at the first being astonished and vnresolued stoode a while in suspence whether they should fight or flie or whether it were best to temporize The darkenesse of the night did much augment their terrour and the audacitie of the Christians whom they sawe to be aduaunced so farre without their confines and from their owne dwellings On the contrarie this seemed to encourage them and to encrease their hardinesse in that they knewe they were to fight not in the enemies countrie where they might be in feare of ambushments and surprises But the principall point that made them to cast awaie all feare was the multitude and valure of their troupes which was enough euen to make the veriest cowards to be ashamed to thinke of flight Wherefore in the ende Debreas giuing a signe to beginne the fight willed them to goe to the charge and calling to minde his owne great and large promises made to the Ottoman and the instructions giuen him he animated his souldiers and coursing vppe and downe nowe here now there thus did he incense and egge them on more fiercely against the enemie On on braue souldiers quoth he now is the time come that you shall be fully reuenged of your wrongs and repaire the honour which heretofore we haue lost now may you auenge you of your imprisonment of the losse of your fellowes and your owne bloud See how these Champions of the night doe hasten against you see how they come bringing as it were bondes and fetters to manacle your handes They thinke they shall encounter here with their courteous hoast Amese they are perswaded that they shall be fauoured by the vallies of Mocrea and the thickets of Modrissa and these dens starting holes which are the ordinary refuges of theeues and robbers Behold with what securitie and suertie the battell is offered vnto you euen in a manner at home and at your owne doores If your selues will they cannot stand against you neither for valure nor for number and you can not desire a place more fit and conuenient to fight on horsebacke For my part either will I loose my life together with you and here will I rest if not fortunate yet free amongst the dead bodies of my deerest companions or else by your prowes and vertue I will so carrie and demeane my selfe as the seuere iudgement of our Prince shall haue no cause to reproue vs. Goe to then my good friends let euery man be of good courage none did desire this voyage so earnestly as we none did accept the iourney with more ioy and gladnesse If we be conquerors none can expect greater glorie nor greater rewardes then are prepared for vs if we be vanquished as great will be the frownes the scornes and the reproofe which will be laid vpon vs. Thus saying he sent forth a certaine number of souldiers in manner of forlorne hope to skirmish with the Christians and to keepe them play that whilest they did stoppe and hinder their furie and violence himselfe in the meane time might take some sure course vpon the hazard of his whole forces in the maine fight and then afterwards by little and little he came to trie the fortune of the field Scanderbeg on the other side thus spake vnto his men How now my souldiers what a shame is this Haue they that were of late your prisoners taken armes now againe Haue they the courage to oppose themselues against you that were their maisters See these infamous reliques of the campe of Amese they complaine and they cry out against you that you were but bad banquetters For it is the fashion at great banquets and it is the dutie of right banquetters to leaue nothing behind them behold here I see other store also of fresh and new forces with their new Generall what other thing is it then a newe matter and obiect of greater glorie downe with them ouerthrowe them as you were wont you braue Albanois Let not our faintnesse and slothfulnesse cast vs out of the possession of ouâ— wonted good fortune let not our aduersaries haue any occasion to say by our present misfortune that it was Modrissa and the vallies of Mocrea and not we that did of late vanquish them let the plaine and open fieldes giue plaine and apparant proofe of your valiant hearts and vndaunted valure In this manner admonishing and encouraging his companies he tooke especiall care that his souldiers should keepe themselues firme in good â—rray and order of battell to the intent the ranckes might not be confounded and intermingled but might be discerned and distinguished from the enemie And he had this reason especially for that the smaller number being once disordered might easily be forced and ouerthrowen by the greater And because he durst not relie too much vpon the strength of those loose troupes which he had made out to encounter and to beginne the fight with the Barbarians he caused Moses and Amese with a strong squadron of chosen men to make head against the enemie which was comming to giue the onset vpon him doubting least if at the beginning of the battell they in the forefront should happen to be repulsed both his owne people might be the more troubled and terrified and the enemie the better hartened and encouraged As for the rest of his squadrons he kept them close and excellently well ordered in great silence In like case the Infidell either doubting the obscuritie of the night or conforming his counsels to the renour and demeanour of the Christians stirred not at all but with his battell close arraunged and in good array he held himselfe quiet as a beholder of the fight Thus the conflict betweene the vauntcurrours on the one side and the other did seeme to represent as it were a pleasant combat and the two armies on both partes did carefully attend in great doubt the euent and hazard of the battell which it behoued them
to the Magistrates of that place by their counsell and aduise staied there that day till it grew to night then leauing there his horse and chaunging his attire the better to deceiue the scoutes of the Christians in the darke of the night he tooke his iourney on foote and at the length he got neere the towne on that side where Scanderbeg himselfe lay encamped For the tentes of the two Thopies and the rest which lay in the open plaine stoode farther off so as they could not perceiue him Both the one and the other of them were easily deceiued for that the messenger hauing verie aduisedly shunned the tentes of the Christians and taken the other side of the mountaine where the way was more couert and the passage more harde and difficult had so secretly and closely conueyed himselfe euen to the foote of the towne wall that he was scarcely discerned by the Sentinelles of the towne Vnto whom after that he had by whisteling and calling vnto them made himselfe knowen by his speech he was suddenly drawen vp with a corde let downe from the wall and so conueyed into the towne As he went on to seeke out the Gouernor the common people in a great confusion came running about him on all sides and in great doubt and suspence began to enquire of him to learne what good newes he had brought for the end of the truce was now neere at hand and the time approched wherein they were to auoide the towne The Gouernor hauing caused the common people to depart and calling the messenger vnto him he questioned with him in secret very few being present after he had receiued and perused the letter he gaue credit to that which the messenger reported by meanes wherof the Captaines of the garrison consulting together did conclude and determine if neede were to stand resolutely in defence of the place till the comming of Sebalias to relieue them and when the day-light should appeare they appointed that these tydings should be published and made knowen to them of the town and it was accordingly imparted vnto all of them not with a loude voice or open proclamation but by the mouth of the Gouernor himselfe first in the market place and after from one to another with an expresse charge and commaundement to keepe it secret that they without might not be aduertised of it For they had a great desire both to deceiue and delude them by the meanes of this truce taken for the rendring of the towne as also to see them suddenly surprised and oppressed â—re they were aware and yet whilest they studied by their close and cunning silence to deceiue the Christians they bewrayed the matter by another occasion The inhabitantes and garrison of Belgrade were in some doubt least that their succours would not come timely enough and before the truce were expyred by meanes whereof eyther they should be driuen to defende them selues or else to forgoe and forsake the towne For this cause they beganne to repaire their walles and bastilles where they had beene battered and beaten with the artillerie The Generall of the Christians perceiuing this and misdoubting some fraude entred into great choller and was in a minde to haue assaulted them neuerthelesse for that the time of the truce was to expire within a three dayes he pacified himselfe and was content to send one vnto them to reproue them and to let them knowe that they did violate and infringe the agreement and couenants passed betweene them by innouating and altering thinges from their former estate an euident signe of some treason secretly intended and imagined That they should surcease therefore from their worke or otherwise if they came afterwardes to endure the rigour and extreamitie of their enemies they shoulde impute it not to anie breach of faith in them but to their owne default and deserts The inhabitants in outwarde shewe and appearance seemed to obey it and did forbeare from doing any thing that their enemies could either see or perceiue notwithstanding they continued night and day by all other meanes as to carrie earth to strengthen the walles to lay together great heapes of stones and other prouisions fit to throwe vppon their enemies all which they did close behinde their rampiers O of what power force and efficacie is hope so to alter and chaunge the mindes of mortall men and to make them so variable and inconstant O howe little and small a thing can make them chaunge their thoughts and cogitations Of late this people when their estate was whole and sound were most cowardly discouraged and amazed being striken with feare and terror at the onely viewe of the enemie and now their walles being battered razed and beaten downe their bulwarkes being ouerthrowen and their defences laid open and discouered they doe prepare to make resistance against an enemie whom they are like to find more fiercely cruelly incensed and readie by the sword most iustly to reuenge and to demaund reason for their faith and promise violated Neuerthelesse still did they continue running vp and downe the walles getting to the toppes of their houses and into all the towers and highest places of the towne to see if they could discouer the aide and succours which they expected and desired so earnestly or if they could perceiue any dust of their horses or heare any noise of their comming by the people of the countrie Their eyes were clearer sighted then ordinarie whatsoeuer sound they heard whatsoeuer obiect presented it selfe to their senses they thought it to be Sebalias and that it had beene their gods comming to their succours so easie a matter is it for a man to perswade himselfe of that whereof he hath any hope that it is like to come to passe That which gaue cause of hope to them of Belgrade was an occasion of feare and suspition to the Christians they regarded no lesse carefully then the others the toppes and highest places of the mountaines where their scoutes were placed to see if they could discerne any aduertisement by boughes and branches of trees or by fires or any other signe giuen them to arme themselues and to prepare to horsebacke it being a thing not possible to keepe them continually sadled nor themselues alwaies in armes by reason of the violent and extreame heate which did make their bodies very faint and feeble But the Ensignes of the enemie were in sight and their cries and clamors were heard amongest them before that they had any notice or warning giuen them by ther scoutes of their approch and comming Not much vnlike vnto a companie of seafaring men and saylers who being embarked becalmed vpon the maine seas whilest the Master and Pilots do looke vp to the flagge or streames to see what wind doth blow to the intent they may fit their tackling and make readie their sayles suddenly in the meane time being ouertaken with an outragious and horrible tempest whereof there
appeareth not any precedent signes either by darke cloudes or the roaring of the seas nor any other such celestiall threates and tokens by reason wherof they are suddenly oppressed not fearing any such matter their sayles are rent and torne their mastes blowen ouerborde their gables and anchors are lost and they not able to worke whilest they are busied on all sides to attend their charges and seuerall duties are constrained in the end with the violence of the tempest to giue ouer and to leaue all to the mercie of the winde and weather and of fortune and to haue a care onely of their owne safetie so did it now fall out with the Christians lying before Belgrade For they hauing their eyes alwayes regarding the toppes of the mountaines to see some signe giuen them from their Sentinels had the sword of the enemie ouer their heads before they discerned or perceiued any such matter It is a wonderfull thing to imagine how so great preparations and the sudden approch of the Infidels could be so concealed that euen the very stones and riuers as a man may say did not reueale it In all the warres that Scanderbeg had made he was neuer without spyes fugitiues letters or some such secret aduertisements of his friendes saue onely at this instant when he had most neede of them But it may be that the preparations for the warre of Greece being begunne and continuing so long was the cause he was so deceiued by reason that Mahomet hauing his great armie in a readines for another iorney did on a sudden employ part of those forces and that with singular diligence secrecy celerity so as no report nor espials could easily preuent their coÌ„ming as they might haue done if an armie had bene leauied and raised purposely for this iourney Besides letters and messengers haue not alwayes free libertie of passage And as for the watches and scoutes which were placed vpon the mountaines purposely for the discouering of the approach of the enemie and vppon whom principally did depende the safetie of the Christian armie before Belgrade they neuer gaue them any signe nor token of their comming nor it was neuer knowen what became of them There is great varietie and diuersitie of opinions concerning those scoutes some say they were corrupted by the Turke others affirme that they were surprized and put to the sword by the vauntcurrers of the Barbarians who found them verie negligently walking vp and downe about the fresh and most delectable places of the mountaines taking their pleasure and recreation by meanes whereof they could not giue any signe to the campe as it was concluded For my part I know not well what to thinke of it Touching their infidelitie I suppose it was not a thing so easie to be compassed for albeit it were a matter which amongst a few might soone haue bene contriued yet amongest so many it was verie difficult and in a manner incredible in like case that they should be slaine it is as vnlikely for neither were their dead bodies euer seene or heard of after that nor any reliques markes or apparance of them and therefore some doe affirme and it is most likely that they were taken aliue by the enemie Howsoeuer it was the other watches which were appointed to watch else where could not discouer the enemie till they were come verie neare them and yet assoone as they coulde they gaue them some warning By meanes whereof they had a verie litle and short time to make readie their companies and to put themselues in order for to fight with the enemie Neither was it possible that Scanderbeg should send any scoutes farther off to beat the wayes and to discouer the passages or to prouide better for the safetie of his campe as he was wont because all the whole countrey round about being for the enemie they might easily haue bene entrapped by some secret ambushments or openly distressed by the force of the inhabitants And it may be that his misfortune and destinie did not permit him to deuise inuent any better remedie against that mischiefe which hanged ouer his head For we see it is a common and vsuall course with fortune to oppose herselfe as a stepdame against the enterprises of great personages and being not able to suffer the continuance of their good happe nor willing that it should be perdurable she doth often interrupt the course of their best and most glorious actions But let vs proceed with the scope of our historie These fiue and twentie men which were ordained to watch vpon the mountaine either by treason or by negligence as hath bene â—aied caused great mischiefe to the whole armie For Musache who lay encamped next to that side where the enemie did approach and was to sustaine the first brunt and onset that should be giuen would hardly be perswaded that the Turkes were at hand notwithstanding that the watch did continue the allarme and did in a manner shew him the dust raised by the trampling of their horses Some say that he was found sleeping in his tent others say that he was playing at dice with one of the Gentlemen of the Kings priuie chamber and that the Turkes comming vpon him vnprouided did bereaue him of all meanes of hope to mount on horsebacke and enforced him on foote to seeke to saue himselfe by flying towardes the mountaine But the most common opinion is that he had some time and Ieisure though verie litle to put on his armour and to mount on horsebacke and that he lost his life fighting valiantly euen in the formost ranckes of his companie and that vpon his death the residue beganne to flie For assoone as the standards of the Infidels and their vauntcurrers began to appeare in sight Musache hauing ordered his troups as well as the shortnesse of the time would giue him leaue was at the first in some doubt whether he should stand and abide the charge or betake himselfe to flight towards the maine strength and bodie of the armie But because the enemie was nowe so neare that he thought his flight would cause the greater slaughter of his companie besides for that he tooke not the enemie to be so strong as he afterwardes founde them and being vnwilling also to loose his life with dishonor by any default in himselfe or to abandon and forsake his Prince and the others who were lodged on the mountaine he setled himselfe to receiue the enemie and therefore couragiously he endured the charge and stoutly opposed himselfe against their furie and violence For a time he held good neither his courage failing him nor his forces and he was resolute not to loose his life without a braue reuenge of himselfe and his companie In the ende perceiuing by the slaughter of his companions that his flanckes lay open to the enemie and that his vertue and perseuerance was in vaine and vnprofitable he did assay many times by trauersing and coursing vppe and
turne and to wheele about and went speedily and roundly to encounter him not without some losse both giuen and taken on both parties After a while he withdrewe himselfe aside causing his armie to retire and to recuile a litle till he had renued the ranckes of his battell and that he had gathered together his souldiours that were dispersed and disordered In like manner Scanderbeg was not verie importunate vpon him whilest he thus temporized and delayed the fight but he emploied his thoughts likewise in the reallying of his forces and reuniting them together in one But the Barbarian could not long endure to suffer him for though his owne battallions were sore trauelled and wearied and were not as yet fully reordered and redressed yet did he beginne to presse vpon him and he gaue a freshe charge and onset vppon our men and as it were in disdaine and mockerie he threatned and vpbraided them telling them that now was the ende come of the insolencie and pride of the Albanian and that he should now receiue the condigne punishment of his rebellion and he often repeated these and the like speches saying that he would vtterly confound and destroy this handfull of Christians both men and horses And in verie deede their numbers was much decreased for besides those which were slaine vnder the conduct of Tanusee and in the chase as they fled before the enemie there were more then three thousand slaine with Musache of which two thousand were footmen and the rest horsemen Neuerthelesse Scanderbeg not vnlike a good and hardie pylot who hauing gathered together the remnants of his shipwarcke and hauing scarcely repaired the bottome of his vessell doth yet cheerefully prepare himselfe with more courage then hope to abide the extremitie of a new tempest doth animate and encourage his souldiers to trie the fortune of a fresh combat calling and crying vnto them with a furious terrible voice Follow me my friends follow me your companion in armes not to the conflict but to the slaughter of these cursed dogges and miscreants and then sharply blaming and reprouing them he called ech of them after other by their names saying what cowardize is this that possesseth you what strange feare hath seized vpon you shall we leaue the noble bodies of so many of our brethren friends and kinsemen here lying without reuenge will all of you yeelde vp your ghoasts vnreuenged you haue not here any other then your wonted and old enemie euen that enemie I say whom you were wont to make the ordinarie subiect of your honour and reputation In the middest of these and the like speeches pressed forward with constraint and necessitie which did inuite him to leaue and commit all to the pleasure of fortune he cast himselfe as a man forlorne and desperate into the middest and thickest of the enemies squadrons confirming by an assured proofe beyond all humaine reason that saying of Homer That amongst all other vertues magnanimitie of courage is often accompanied with a kinde of furie and supernaturall violence Thus did Scanderbeg fill all places wheresoeuer he came with bloud and terror sometimes beating downe those that fled from him and sometimes those which did withstande him as a warriour that was inuincible and most fortunate But if euer his valure did shew it selfe it was at this time when he farre passed and excelled all his former deedes and haughtie exploits The rest of his troupes likewise taking example by his valure and being transported with rage and dispaire did breake in vpon the enemie and rushed vppon their weapons as men blinded and hardened against all perils and followed their Generall through all hazards and daungers But the sudden accident and mishappe of George Thopie brother to Tanusee did put the residue in a great feare and astonishment for he being throwen to the ground and almost ouerwhelmed with the shot of the enemie our men had much a doe to free him out of their handes and to set him on horse backe The infanterie of the Albanois could better saue themselues from the violence of their enemies then from their horses for in many places they made way ouer their bellies as they lay ouerthrowen vpon the ground and so did put them to great scath and mischiefe By meanes wherof as there is nothing that doth more awaken the spirites of a man or that doth make him more apt to deuise and subtillize a thousand fine inuentions then doth necessitie they did aduise themselues of this policie to seize vpon all the horses of those which were slaine and which they coulde possiblie come by both of their fellowes and of the Paynims and speedily they mounted vpon them with singular agilitie This was the cause that very many of them were preserued and it did greatly strengthen the rest of the armie for that their forces were by this meanes in a manner redoubled By this time had Scanderbeg broken and disordered a strong troupe of the enemies horse and had pressed in euen to the standard corps du gard of the Turkish General endeuoring according to his wonted custome in most battels to haue made the beginning of his victorie by their Chieftains death so to haue enforced them to yeeld him the honor of that iourney But euen then at that instant those two souldiers who as we haue saied had sworne his death to the Sultan did aduance themselues in that front of the fight and with their swords readie drawen did receiue him to the combat At that verie time and in the same place Musache de Angeline desiring to succour and aide his Vncle receiued a sore wound vpon his right shoulder and the rest of the Epirots likewise being but fewe against many were so plyed and kept doing on all handes both in front and in flancke and at their backes and that so fiercely and so roundly that they had no leisure to looke after their chiefe commaunder who by meanes thereof being now left alone against two as it were by a fatall kind of chance and destinie did cause eche man to turne and bend their eyes to himwardes For the two Mahometans both with their hands and with their voice putting backe and making their companions to retire would needes by themselues alone carrie away the honour of the death of the Prince of Albanie and they thought to reserue to themselues onely the prize propounded and promised them by the Ottoman But it is a common saying That the foole is greatly deceiued of that he thinketh These two Infidels did continue a while coasting and coursing vp and downe round about him now here now there on euerie side to take him at some aduantage In the end eche of them setting spurres to their horses and with a carelesse contempt of their owne death and daunger they came vpon him brauely and with a full cariere charged this fierce enemie whom they hated most deadly and odiously The notorious
to scatter the remnants of the shipwracke to the repairing whereof himselfe before time had put to his helping hand and which many times he had defended preserued And because the fact being odious in it selfe would seeme much the more dishouest if he should rebell alone without any coÌ„panions he thought he would procure some to ioine with him as his complices and copartners perswading himselfe that the more there were found guilty partakers of his treason the more should he both lessen his own disgrace and infamy it would be a mean also that he should present him self to the Ottoman with the greater countenance credit and authority who perhaps would disdaine him and not make any great account of him if he should come alone as a meane fugitiue and ill accompanied For this cause he plotted with him self how to seduce some of his most inward and nearest friends and familiars such as he thought fittest for that purpose To theÌ„ he began with a good countenance first to deplore the estate of Scanderbeg and the desolation of Epire then cunningly did he insinuat and make known vnto them how the Turkish monark did beare him great good loue liking what offers he had made him to draw him to reuolt and with great store of good words did he entise them to take his part to embarke themselues in this conspiracy He layd open vnto them by the discourse of diuers matters that the fortune of Epire being now altered and changed they should be constrained if they did reiect the benefit of the time present to submit themselues ere long to all miseries and indignities And what reason haue we ê™ he to continue and liue euer vnder the fortune of Scanderbeg to what purpose should we employ our labor and spend our liues to amplifie and enlarge the glory of another seeing the great Monarke of the Ottoman Empire will elsewhere bestow vppon vs great honor and will giue vs good assurance to make vs great and to aduaunce vs to high authority In the end with many false and slaunderous accusations inueighing against Scanderbeg he alienated them from their allegeance and allured them to beare a part with him in his rebellion It may be that he would haue sollicited many more to reuolt with him and that he would haue drawen the common people also to the deuotion of the Sultan but the name of Castriot and the gracious manner of the gouernment was so deeply fixed in the hearts and mindes of all men that it would haue bene more easie for him as the saying is to separat the shadow froÌ„ the body then to abolish or to extirpat the loue and good liking of Scanderbeg which was so rooted in the affections of the communalty for he well knew that their faith was not subiect to any change or variation of fortune and that their loyalty would neuer faile nor perish but with the losse end of their bodies liues And therfore the Dibrian being in doubt that he should not onely lose his labour but he might also endanger his owne life and safety he durst not attempt any such matter but holding himself contented with those conspirators which he had already gained after he had prouided all things in a readinesse appointed the houre for their departure in the dead of the night he lead them to Sfetigrade there to take letters and a safe conduct from the gouernor to the intent he might passe free throughout the dominions of the Paynims and so trauell forwards to the Court of the Ottoman The Gouernor receiued him louingly granting him whatsoeuer he asked both letters and armed souldiers to conuey him safely on his iourney Sebalias remained a few daies at Belgrade till such time as he had repaired certaine bulwarkes and had fortified the wals with earth and fagots in such places as the enemies ordinance had battered them The shortnes of the time would not permit him to fortifie with stone and such solid matter because he had not leisure enough to prouide them yet did he take order for it before his departure and amongst other prouisions he procured the place to be furnished with great store and quantity of graine victuals and other prouisions for that he had added to the old garrison more then 700. men all approued and expert souldiers The artillery that was won from the Christians was left to the towne except certaine litle peeces as harguebusses and crossebowes which he reserued with the other spoiles of the dead bodies to beautifie the pompe of his triumph and to present them to the king Belgrade being abundantly prouided defended the Christian hostages redeliuered to the citizens and they also highly praised commended he tooke his leaue of them who were both fearefull sorrowfull for his departure and with great ioy contentment he tooke his iorney to Andrinople yet had he also iust occasion of griefe sorrow to moderat abate his exceeding ioy albeit to men who were not accustomed to be victorious nothing seemed so excellent and glorious as this victorie For on his part also there fell litle lesse then 3000. at the battell before Belgrade and those two gallants whose bloud made some amends for the funerals of Musache might be well reckoned for a good recompence of their ioy conceiued by so bloudie a victorie Before their departure the Turkes caused diuerse pits to be digged as is the manner amongst souldiers wherein all those that had bene slaine of their side were interred for feare least the Christians returning to take the number of those which they had lost and to burie them which were slaine should seeke in some sort to be reuenged by tearing and deforming the dead carcasses of their enemies But now I come againe to our fugitiue The morning after the departure of the Dibrian assoone as he was found lacking you may easily coniecture what tumult stirre and astonishment did arise amongst the companies of the garrison and how greatly they were grieued especially those that were his nearest and most familiar friends They sought him vp and downe here and there in great care and perplexitie Some thought that he was seeretly gone to espy discouer vpon the enemie and that he was either dead or taken or if not so that then he would returne speedily But many being of a deepe conceit and iudgement and giuing a coniecture by the former consultations secret assemblies of the day last past wherein he and others had drawen themselues aside in counsell they did mistrust that which was indeed and their opinion was reputed the more likely and probable because they which were suspected with him were not to be seene at all This was the occasion that the Dibrians but aboue all the souldiours of the garrison were in great feare and astonishment because they saw the enemies to be victorious and yet remaining in Epire and themselues destitute of a head and commander And
do ordinarily change and alter the humors and affections of the persons that doe there dwell and inhabite whose manners iointly with the destinies doe in the end cause the alterations which happen in them which was manifestly seene by the transportation of the Romaine Monarchy to the Greekes and Asiatickes For from thenceforth their Emperours their souldiers their legions and armed forces being chosen and furnished out of those countreis it came to passe that being deuided into factions and partiallities by the naturall ambition and inconstancy of that nation and being growen effeminate by the soft nice and tender delicacies of the Orient they were not able after a while to repulse the incursions and often inuasions of the Barbarians And Rome it selfe in the meane time and all Italie whom God had determined to punish wanting a chiefe head and supreame commander amongst them and not retaining but by litle and litle neglecting and loosing their auncient military discipline and that martiall rigour and seuerity which was necessarily to be obserued amongst souldiers men professing armes they became a prey vnto strange nations Wherefore we may well say that it is happened vnto this Empire as vnto a beautifull and goodly tree which in hir own naturall soile doth bring fourth pleasant and good fruite but being remoued and planted in a strange ground in the end by litle and litle it becommeth barren and withered I doubt not Gentlemen but both your eyes and your eares haue bene wearied and â—loyed to see and vnderstand the large discourse and recitall which I haue made of those dolourous and lamentable misfortunes befallen to your Christian brethren I will cease therefore to speake anie further of this sorrowfull subiect and will followe the tract of our Moses whom me thinkes I heare calling to me and complayning himselfe worthily for that I haue suffered him to stay so long in the heate and ardour of his rebellion which leadeth him on against his naturall Prince and natiue countrie to the intent we may see what will be the end and fortune of that his iourney The season and time of the yeare which now beganne to grow more milde and temperate the frequent and often renued aduertisements and the rumour published and spread abroad concerning the approch of Moses into Epyre did perwade the king to haue his forces in a readinesse Wherefore with a notable good courage and resolution he attended the comming of this new enemie howbeit with a more milde affection and lesse hatred then he vsed towards others that came in armes against him He could not yet let it sinke into his minde that the Dybrian did beare him any hatred or did carrie the minde of an enemie towardes him or that so slight or rather no occasion should cause so suddaine and great a chaunge of his faith and fidelitie which had bene notably tryed and approued in so manie battelles and for so manie yeares He thought rather that it might be he vsed this as a cunning stratageme and policie to leaue some testimonie to the posteritie of his great renowme and for the confusion and grieuous ruine of the Miscreants And although it were so that he marched as an open and apparant enemie against his countrie yet was he in good hope that the sight of his natiue soyle and the presence of his auncient friendes and fellow citizens would by litle and litle drawe him to a more charitable and friendly respect and so abolish all his enmitie and sinister affections earst conceiued against his Prince or countrie But howsoeuer it was he had his army in good order and in a readinesse against all hazards and euents being fully resolued either with armes in hand to vnderstand the mind and intention of his friende or with a most sharpe and setled courage and indignation to fight with him as his open enemie Neither did he greatly care to proceed against him with any policies and stratagemes to surprise him vpon the way because he knewe well that his troupes were not excessiue great nor much exceeded his owne forces but that both in number and valure they were sufficient to receiue him and to hazard the fortune of the field with him And it may be also that he held it no easie matter nor of small daunger to allure or drawe him into his snares who was an old and expert arts master in such sleights and subtilties and such an enemie as had bene familiarly acquainted with his manner of gouernement and proceedings in martiall seruices This then was the occasion that Moses entred free and without any disturbance into the lower Dybria and encamped in Epyre neere to the plaine of Oronichea which hath beene so famous for so manie great and notable victories especially through the defaite of Mustapha yet did not he attempt anie thing eyther by procuring the inhabitantes to reuolt vnto him or to spoyle and waste the countrie in anie cruell and hostile manner For he was aduertised that the King of Epyre did approach and hauing a desire and determination to beginne the warre with a priuate and single combat betweene himselfe and Scanderbeg bodie to bodie he thought it more meete and conuenient to proceede with open force in plaine and set bartell then by trifling skirmishes or by roades and inuasions to waste spoyle and sacke the Prouince Scanderbeg made no long delay but meeting with him euen in the open and plaine champion he made readie his forces to the conflict Immediatly beganne a great murmuring in the army and the souldiers in a certaine disdaine and despight to see him could hardly be restrayned vnder their ensignes but that they would forthwith haue charged vppon the enemie Euen as a kinde and naturall father when he seeth his owne sonne standing and behauing him selfe insolently before him whom a damnable desire of rule and a wilde youthfull disposition impatient of the yoake hath drawen into armes against him is then loaden and surcharged with care and griefe and euerie moment doth temporize and seeke delayes marching forwarde but slowly and seeketh first though in vaine by sweete wordes and perswasions to conuert and disswade him from his obstinate and disobedient course deferring as long as he can the punishment of him whom he loueth so dearely and is loath to triumph in the lamentable victorie of his owne bloud and bowels euen so the King of Epyre pressed on with loue and pietie did looke vppon Moses then in armes and furiously raging against him did iudge diuersely of his minde and affection Willingly he would haue demaunded a word and haue had some speech with him and he would gladly haue sounded the nature and disposition of his olde friend wherewith he had beene so familiarly acquainted or else he would haue treated with him by Ambassadours and friendly counsels But neither the Maiestie of his royall estate and dignitie nor the rigour and seueritie of armes nor the furie and insolencie of the souldiers who were now readie to
else if neede were to remedie any disorder and if anie misfortune should befall them to prouide for himselfe with more suertie and securitie The Dybrian was enuironned for the most part with Epyrots and hee had purposely assured and flanked him selfe with them both because the language and the manners of that Nation being most familiar vnto him he might the more commodiously be counselled by them as also ayde them vppon any occasion To many of them also he had giuen the charge of companies and other degrees of commaund in this battell without any dislike or contradiction of the Turkes because he had absolute and full power from the Sultan to dispose of all matters to his owne liking The forefronts of both the armies being come with great furie to handystroakes the Christians did presse and beare in vpon the Infidels with such strength and violence that they in the forefront of the enemies vowarde were soone beaten backe and repulsed insomuch that their Ensignes also being forced to retyre many of them in the middle battell were so terrified with this chaunce that notwithstanding the cries of their fellowes who recalled them from their flight yet for all that quitting their rankes they beganne to forsake the place by meanes of a number of our harguebussiers who being aduanced very aduenturously had so stricken them both horse and man with feare and terrour that diuerse of them were ouerthrowen and beaten downe and the residue had litle list and lesse resolution to abide there any longer The Dibrian stood not still at any time but bestirring himselfe with notable industrie on all sides sometimes here sometimes there with a braue courage and without all regard of death or daunger did animate and encourage his souldiers both by wordes and by deedes and by his presence did reestablish and strengthen the battell in diuerse places As yet was not the second battell fully ouerthrowen and disordered by reason of those forces which as we said before were placed behind for a supply to second and support them Notwithstanding the continuall and often charges giuen vppon them by the Prince of Albanie did in the ende make them faint both in courage and in strength and in despight of all their resistance the Albanois with their swords in their hands did make themselues way through them euen to the rerewarde there to carrie away the honour and last consequence of the whole battell Moses seeing that did speedily set forwarde with his owne Cornet and being attended with a strong battallion of all the brauest men and best mounted he came to that same place endeuouring to reenforce and to reassure them And true it is that by his comming the Christians found the victory somwhat more bloudie but of neuer the lesse assurance and certaintie For that the other squadrons of the Epyrots following close after their fellowes and euen at the backe of Scanderbeg and the two wings which stoode in a readinesse round about them did in a manner besiege and hemme in the Paynims on all sides As long as Moses held good there was no regard had of them that fled but for a while his abode made the Christians to keepe together by reason that he endured their charge with great courage and would not for a long time giue ouer notwithstanding the great slaughter butcherie that was made of his people When he saw Scanderbeg comming against him he durst not abide nor tarrie to encounter him but shunned his presence with all his power and would not come to the combat with him onely he did hearten on and presse forwarde against him the strength of all his forces and troupes as many as he could possiblie thinking without any hazard of his person to haue brought him to his last ende by whose safetie the estate of Albanie could neuer come to ruine On all sides did the Christians presse vpon the Infidels both in flanke and in front and they neuer thought of comming to their generall till such time as they had both wholly ouerthrowen the enemies vauntgard and broken their maine battell and gotten many of their colours and ensignes together with the slaughter of diuerse Leaders and Captaines whose heads being fastened vpon the points of launces and pikes by some of the souldiers did wonderfully augment as the fashion is the feare and terrour of the rest For all this was not Moses seene to make any shew or to haue any minde of flight notwithstanding that both his sides were left all open being altogether disarmed and disfurnished of people and that the fortune of the fight was nowe growen vtterly irreparable and desperate Yet neuerthelesse still rallying and gathering about him those forces which were scattered and dispersed and with reproaches and rebukes obiecting their cowardize vnto them he renued and continued the furie of the fight giuing vnto his aduersaries fresh occasion both of trauell and of daunger and making the issue of the battell to be long and doubtfull The King of Albanie wondering at the obstinacie or rather furie of this warriour did openly protest that he thought that Moses would not haue fought so egerly neither for his countrie in case he had seene it in danger to be ruinated nor for his proper children if he should haue seene them before his eyes drawen into seruitude and bondage But Scanderbeg being accompanied with Amese Tanusee and the two Streezes his Nephewes did againe make towards him with great furie and violence and some of the Epyrots calling him by name did will him to stay and expect the crowne of Epyre which was prepared for him but neither the brauadoes nor the force of them that charged him could any thing daunt or astonish the noble courage of the Dybrian For now at the last being strengthened and backed with the reregarde of his armie which stoode neere him he did with singular valure both receiue the charge and repulse the violence of the Albanois Here now it happened that one of the Turkes whose dexteritie was nothing inferiour to his hardinesse and vertue seeing Scanderbeg to presse directly forwards and to make towards him setting spurres to his horse and with his launce bearing full vpon him he did encounter him so rudely that he bare and ouerthrew him backwardes vpon the crouper of his horse and the Infidelles supposing he had bene dead did with a huge crie and exclamation testifie the triumph and ioy they conceiued of that accident It was an occasion also that both the flight of the Barbarians was deferred for a while and that the butchery and slaughter of the others was farre greater then otherwise it would haue bene for their courages now beginning to be reuiued and they comming to take hart againe the Barbarian whose hand had once bene fortunate against the person of Scanderbeg did now once againe demaund and vrge him to the combat as though it had bene a conquest onely due and allotted vnto him But our peerelesse Chieftaine being setled
of this Nation to order and reason Which opinion was receiued so much the more willingly for that there was some rumour and report of troubles and tumultes towardes from out of Asia and from the Persians Neuerthelesse a garrison was sent to be vppon the borders yet not such as was of sufficient strength and puissance either to represse the roades or brauadoes of our men which they made ordinarily vpon the countrie or to serue the turne and needfull occasions of the Sfetigradians and other places neere adioyning The King of Epire likewise hauing learned the deliberation of the Sultan both by the aduertisementes of Moses and by his owne intelligencers did for a time dismisse all thought and care of the warres saue that vppon the newes of the comming of this garrison he assembled a running Campe and for some few daies kept himselfe close in ambushments vppon the borders But the Barbarians passing no farther then Alchria made all that expedition to turne to nothing and therefore hauing prouided for diuerse affaires of consequence and hauing left Moses in that place he retired with the Queene to a countrey on the sea coasts commonly called Redona there to recreat him selfe for the residue of the sommer where he passed most part of the Autumne in hunting and such like exercises of pleasure I cannot but in this place acknowledge in him that which the famous captaine Scipio the African was wont to require in al excellent chieftaines and generals of armies and that was his notable continency towards womankind which was admirable aswell in regard of his owne wife as of others likewise for he would commonly say that nothing was a greater enemy nor more pernicious to the strength vigor both of the body the mind then the immoderat company of women and that it behoued souldiers by continuall trauaile and labour by daily watching by sleeping vpon the ground to tame their bodies and to subdue keepe vnder those immoderat passions and whot affections of luxuriousnes thus by such kind of speeches by his owne example he would vse to represse restrain the souldiers from visiting their houses too often and with ouermuch curiosity This one thing is most memorable also in Scanderbeg that there was neuer seene in his Campe any whores or such like baggage or trugs as they now terme them but he obserued amongst his souldiers a certaine and seuere kinde of discipline according to the vsage and custome of the auncients and he retained them in a wonderfull and reuerent regard of religion both in words and in deedes And it may be that this was it that encreased and maintained so long time this estate of Albany in so great glory and felicity neither is it vnlikely but that God being by those meanes drawen to fauour and blesse them did so sharpen both the swords and the spirites of the Albanois During the time of this rest from armes Moses had his minde set on nothing so much as to seeke out some inuention and by some notable enterprise both to repaire his owne honour and with one and the same meane to be reuenged vpon the ingratitude of the Sultan An euident example that we ought not altogether to despaire of the amendement of men when we see them in any ill course but rather that we receiue them kindly to grace and fauour For Moses hauing augmented the garrison and the numbers of his bands being doubled he did daily exercise him selfe in sacking of the countrey thinking to haue drawen foorth the Turkes to encounter with him sometimes in the day would he make out with a small company sometimes in the night and in secrete with greater forces and continually would he light vppon some one or other putting them to the sworde whom hee found either as spies or going on foraging or vpon such like seruices but the Mahometans not dating nor venturing to come abroad to any purpose nothing was done worthy the remembraunce As Moses on the one side did all his deuoire and emploied his best meanes to abolish and washe away the infamy of his former misdeedes so on the other side I know not how it came to passe that some deuill and wicked spirit or rather the misfortune of Scanderbeg or the ineuitable force of the destinies did raise vp Amese to be the inheritour and successour of the like wickednesse no lesse damnable and mischieuous There are many things in this place which doe depriue me of all desire to proceede any further in this discourse for that the remembraunce of these domesticall and ciuill affaires and of the ingratitude of men is not onely vnpleasing and grieuous vnto me but I doe euen abhorre to write of them and the rather for that I could neuer find any certaine cause of his flight Euery man hath his opinion and the most part of the reports which goe vppon it are without any ground or foundation of trueth For this cause I will imitate the Painters who as they vse with their Penciles to shadowe things so will I couer and conceale this in silence as a thing both superfluous in this History and litle pleasing to the readers For omitting the iealousie which he conceiued at the kinde entertainment and reconciliation of Moses I doe thinke for my part that there was no other cause nor occasion of his reuolt out that onely which as we haue saied was practised to corrupt Moses to wit The working sollicitations of the Turkish officers neare adioyning and of their agents interposing and dealing betweene them for you must suppose that this was no hard matter for the Infidell to doe but that he might many and often times by secret messengers communicate and treat with Amese for he was possessed of a goodly countrey faire and large in the confines of the Turke by the liberality and bounty of his vncle who thought it not good nor conuenient to retaine him longer in Court without any patrimony or meanes to mainetaine his estate There was another respect also which did incite the Ottoman who as wee haue saied before was now occupied and busied in the affaires of Asia to practise with Amese and to gaine him vnto him because being of the bloud royall and neare vnto the Crowne and withall knowing him to be in credite and fauour with the people he was perswaded that they would gladly yeelde to submit them selues to his dominion much rather then to Moses if they were once pressed with any the least perill and daunger that might be These ouertures and faire hopes being presented to the thoughtes and imaginations of Amese by persons purposely appointed to insinuate the same vnto him did finde ready and easie entraunce into his young and tender heart Thus we see that the mad and franticke desire of rule and Empire doth make men not onely faithlesse and disloiall but also ouer credulous and light of beliefe Now Amese being made wary and aduised as
for any dāmage or losse that he euer receiued his mind being continually both night day disquieted on the one side with an extreame desire of reuenge and on the other side being perplexed and mightely troubled for feare of the like fortune which had once befalne him so vnhappily Wherefore the affairs of Hungary being soone intermitted and giuen ouer by a cōmon and generall aduise it was concluded agreed that the reuenge of that dishonor should be taken vpon Epire and the rather for that they could not at one and the selfe sametime conueniently intend both the one the other expedition Besides Amese had told them that they were not to thinke vpon any attempt against the Hungarians with meane preparations but with great strong forces for that the fiercenes and valour of that people did require a stately and royall kinde of puissance and them selues also were not willing no◠thought it conuenient that the aduantage of this occasion offered them by meanes of Amese his presence should be delaied or deferred For these causes Amese being appointed to go as a companion and in a maner as a guide and director in the iourney there was a publique commission graunted forth for the leuying of an army of 50000. horsemen and the Sultan would not haue refused to yeeld to the gathering of a greater puissance if the same had beene demanded so greatly did he affect the reuenge both of his owne iniuries and his subiects desiring in some sort once to determine and to bring to an end these difficulties and troublesome tumults of Albanie The spring being spent in these preparations the heate of sommer began now to come on by which time all things being in a readines the king of Turkes instigated and vncessantly vrged on by Amese who as some say was created a Saniacke did dispatch away his army encouraged with great promises and well instructed with good precepts and directions Isaac the Bassa of Romania had the honour to be Generall of those forces without any dislike or discontentment of the Christian fugitiue who notwithstanding because he should not be seene altogether without any degree of honor or authority in the army had the charge of fiue thousand horsemen The Epirots were litle pleased or contented at the newes of these mighty preparations but especially the Dibrians for the souldiers in those partes had diuerse conceipts and imaginations as it is ordinarily seene in such cases what meanes might be vsed either to receiue or to repulse the enemy whether by ambushmentes or in the plaine and open field and in some place purposely appointed or whether this warre should be decided by delaying and temporizing and by obseruing of opportunities and aduauntages One thing there was that did more astonish them then all the rest and that was that though the rumour and report of the comming of the enemy did encrease daily yet on their partes they saw not any leauie nor muster of any armie yet begun nor no remedy prepared against a mischiefe so imminent and a daunger that was so neare hastening vppon them For to saie the trueth this rumour at the first did not greatly moue Scanderbeg for that especiallie hee could not be perswaded that Mahomet bending all his hatred and malice against Epire would let passe in silence or forget the shame and dishonour of so great and foule an ouerthrow as he hadde latelie receiued in Hungarie Neuerthelesse he made all possible and diligent meanes by his intelligencers and espialles dispersed here and there on all partes to learne the certainety of all the attemptes and actions of the enemy as well as the tumult and confusion of those new troubles and commotions would permit him to the intent he might shape him selfe some new course in his counsels and proceedings But vpon the many aduertisements brought him and especially vpon the comming of certaine fugitiues when this doubt began to be discouered and that he was certified both of the numbers and of the qualitie of the armie that came against him and that his nephew also was there in person with expresse commaundement to the Bassa to crowne and inuest him King of Albanie he did not any further prolong the raising of his forces which he had forborne till then to assemble and gather together He called therefore a councell of the Princes his confederates and of the chiefe and principall of the country and certen Dibrians to deliberate take the aduise of euery man vpon this matter All of them repaired into the lower Dibria into the same place where their campe was wont to lie thither also came Moses with some of the principall of his garrison to vnderstand the resolution and conclusion of the councell There was a great number of voluntarie men which came thither out of diuerse coūtries and a multitude of young and lustie persons drawen thither onely for the desire of prey and bootie by meanes whereof euen in an instant he had gotten together a sufficient faire and goodly armie and it may be nothing inferiour to that of the enemie if you regard their valure though farre vnequall in respect of their numbers You should not haue heard of any thing amongst the souldiers but brauadoes and vaunts Ech man conceiuing in his hope the honour and spoiles of the enemie and magnifiing their owne prowes and fidelitie and promising vnto themselues wonders did thinke it long that they did not encounter with the enemie who said they ought to be preuented to be assaulted before he should be able to come within their borders Neither the numbers ofso many thousands nor the redoubted name or renowme of the Bassa could terrifie or astonish them They had forgotten Sebalias the wounds and slaughter receiued before Belgrade so greatly were the haughtie courages of our Albanians encreased by the fresh victorie obtained against Moses the new desaster of Mahomet in Hungarie and the latter Belgrade made them forget the former Yet did they all relie vpon the counsaile and directions of their Prince who iudging that this forwardnes of his souldiers was in some sort to be repressed he began to cast his eyes downe to the ground and so dissembling by his countenance part of that which he caried concealed in his thoughts as if he had bin deuising imagining vpon some high matters and of great importance he propounded vnto them all in generall the summe and substance of his deliberation acquainting them also with the meanes which he ment to vse against the enemie and with the consequence and greatnes of the perill speaking vnto them in these or the like tearmes Amongest all other things which the diuine wisdome hath left vnto mortall men in the strange varietie and diuersitie of worldly actions to afflict and torment their mindes these two most worthie Albanois are the most principall to wit hope and feare the former is more plausible and befalleth commonly to mindes that are high and
should find any new subiect of honour and commendation The counsell was deuided into two diuerse opinions one was that they should ouerrunne all the Prouince with sword and fire and so make the ruines and spoiles of the countrie to remaine as the marks of their victory the other which was propoūded by Amese was that they should march right towardes Croy to sound the wils of the inhabitants whether they would submit themselues to the nephue of Scanderbeg accept of his gouernment that they should terrifie them by threats and menaces in case they did refuse to harken vnto them as that they should see the totall ruine and destruction of Albanie a perpetuall siege before their walles and that in the end they should be enforced to endure the yoke of a most miserable and shamefull seruitude and bondage That they should not build vpon the slowe succours of Scanderbeg nor trust to their fond counselles who should perswade them to attend and depend vpon the hope and expectation of his long lingring presence This latter aduise was approued as the most certaine and best opinion and the other was in no part followed onely they made some stay for a while and thought it not yet best to remoue their campe till such time as the feruentnesse of the heate and the wearinesse of their bodies were somewhat abated and refreshed But Scanderbeg did not any longer temporize for hauing both satisfied and instructed his eyes from the toppe of Tumenista he animated and disposed his souldiers telling them what order they should obserue and keepe how they should by their inuasions terrifie their enemies and on what side they should charge and presse vpon them But first of all beholding that court of garde of those Turks which lay at the foote of the mountaine some of them sleeping soundly other keeping but slender watch and ward himselfe descended in great silence by the other side of the mountaine with eight men onely and had the cutting of all their throats leauing them there to keepe an euerlasting watch one of them onely being excepted whom the swiftnesse of his horse and his flight saued from the like slaughter By this meanes the other troups of the Christians after that this court of gard was dispatched began to descend vpon the plaine vnknowen to the enemie He that was escaped went running in the meane while with all poasting speed towardes his fellowes and with a fearefull crie he filled all the hoast of the Barbarians giuing them the allarme and telling them that Scanderbeg was there that the gard was cut in pieces and that all the forces of the Christians were comming and were euen at hand Hardly would the Turks haue beleeued these newes if his feare had not giuen them sufficient likelyhood thereof through the death of his companions For neither did they feare any danger on that side neither did they doubt of the so sudden comming of the enemie But Amese was not of that mind for he was easily perswaded of the truth of this alarme and therefore hasting speedily and readily to his troupes he enforced them quickly to mount on horsebacke encouraged them to the vttermost of his power Many of them were wakened partly by the noise of the enemies comming vpon thē and partly by their companions who caused them to leaue sleeping For nowe that Scanderbeg saw his ambushments to be discouered he commaunded his infanterie presently to follow him with as great speed and celeritie as was possible and immediately as the enemie was preparing to receiue him he charged and gaue the onset vpon them most furiously with the huge clamours and horrible cries of his souldiers the same being augmented and encreased with the brimme noise of the drummes trumpets and tamborins which were purposely placed on all sides to annoy and terrifie the enemie by the conceipt and imagination of a great and mightie armie and also to giue aduertisements to the other bands that lay close embusked in the mountaines Amese being seconded with his owne regiment of horsemen and with certen others who had bene appointed for the garde of the campe was the first that made head against the Christians and did most stoutly sustaine the first charge Many also came thither on foote hauing no leisure in so great hast and extremitie to saddle and make readie their horses The tumult and the terrour was wonderfull in all partes of the campe and the Turkes stood as men mightely amazed and astonished so great and extreame was the feare which seized vpon them at the verie sight and name of Scanderbeg The Bassa stood firme within his campe and would not moue a foot till such time as he saw all his squadrons in order and good array and that his flanckes were well defended with treble forces of the choisest horsemen well armed and appointed But during these preparations it seemed that the heauen earth were confounded by reason of this new and vnexpected alarme and with the strange clamours diuerse sounds of the ambushments now discouered On euerie side did the mountaines and next vallies resound with the noise sometimes of the men sometimes of the trumpets drummes and clarions and sometimes with the maruellous sound of infinite harguebusses which did incredibly augment the feare and terror both in the hearts and in the eyes of the Turkes who esteeming themselues as men lost and vtterly vndone did thinke that the power and puissance of all Epyre Sclauonie and their confederates had bene assembled and conspired together to their destruction And therefore they began to flie on all hands before that euer Moses with his troups alone could get downe into the plaine from the mountaines and yet did not their flight seeme sure and safe enough vnto them by reason that all the wayes and passages were in a manner shut vp and taken from them Besides euen their horses being frayed in diuerse places did either shake off their headstals or breake their bridles and being thus feared did scape out of the hands of those who were making them readie Neuerthelesse Amese mistrusting the stratagemes and the politique inuentions of his vncle did soone and easily comprehend this his cunning and subtiltie And therefore he cried out vnto his companie on all sides that they should not in any case be affraied of these false alarmes that these deuises were for the most part the onely hope and refuge of such as had but weake and small forces that they should quietly attend and sustaine their enemies without any misdoubt of these vaine clamours and that the iangling noise of their trumpets and other such brasen instruments and the ecchoes and outcries of their fearefull voices were but frutelesse and idle shewes purposely doubled and augmented to put them in feare and terror With these perswasions he drew many of them out of euery companie yet in a great doubt and mammering being vnresolued whether it were best to flie or to hold good
the one against the other so that in the end comming to try the matter by the sword they were ready to cut each the others throat for the deciding of their controuersie to know who should be the maister of that which was the cause of their debate Scanderbeg being aduertised hereof caused both of them to be called before him and demaunding of them if they had dined they told him yea then smiling as he was a man giuen to be mery and one that delighted in iesting Bacchus quoth he hath made you enemies and I will that Bacchus and not Mars nor any other of the Gods shall make you friends And after he had secretly reprehended rebuked them he sent them away commaunding them to goe and drinke together and hee willed Vranocontes to make an end of the contention betweene them and to see that ech had his right and share of the booty equally and alike As the Albanois were now marching towards Croy there met with them a multitude of the countrey inhabitants and others who had hidden themselues in the next forrests till the end of the fight besides the citizens of Croy also all which with a wonderfull ioy with high cries and sounds of instrumentes went with them on to Croy so as a man could hardly haue seene a more goodly triumph nor a more pompous shew so gloriously and triumphantly did they march into the towne For Scanderbeg to make the sight the more beautifull and notable caused all his army to follow after the multitude well and orderly arraunged in battell array and so to passe on euen into the suburbs There was not any one of them were he neuer so base and meane but had at the least one horse gotten from the enemy and loaden with infinite spoiles which they caused to march before theÌ„ Moreouer the prisoners being bound and tied together by two two in a long traine went before the King and did greatly augment the pompe and shew of the triumph and many of them for the better acknowledgement and confession of the victory vnto their enemies were made to cary the ensignes and standards which had bene gotten from them Likewise the pauilions tents and canapies of the Turkish Generall being of purple colour and making a goodly shew and ostentation were caried by some of the souldiours of the Albanians who bare them aloft openly displaied and spred abroad of purpose as if they had bene ready dressed and prepared for the Generall which gaue no small grace and ornament to the rest Amese had most earnestly and humbly entreated his vncle not to leade him to Croy in this infamous and miserable estate of a slaue and captiue and therefore he was suffered to goe at liberty and in another manner of order then as a prisoner marching side by side with the Saniacke that was captiue also To conclude at their entry into the city gate the companies were dismissed and licensed to depart the souldiours were sent away ioyfull and glad to their owne homes after that the prey and booty both prisoners and all the rest had bene equally deuided and parted betweene them as largely as they could expect or demand The ensignes and other things which serued for publique shew ornament and fell as due to Scanderbeg were caried with great demonstration of ioy into the city The Saniacke Amese were put vnder safe custody till such time as they should be otherwise disposed of I meane not to speake any thing of the great feastings and solemnities which were vsed by the Albanians for the celebrating of this victory and which for many daies together they neuer intermitted For it is now time that I conuert both my minde and my matter to strange and forraine nations and to consider what ioy they conceiued vppon the report of this victorie The fame and renowme thereof being dispersed into all the regions neare adioyning and euen into the heart and middest of Italie and other countries of the Christians it seemed litle inferiour vnto that which had bene formerly reported of the victory gotten against Amurath before Croy and it was held to be comparable to any other exploit were it neuer so happy and fortunate the admiration thereof did euen rauish euery man and they could not cease to wonder at the rarenesse of the matter when they heard the discourse of the singular sufficiency and of the notable dexterity of spirite of this prime and peerelesse Chiefetaine and euen to this day is the memory of this notable victory preserued in those parts for whereas the inhabitants of that Prouince haue a vse and custome according to the laudable manner and vsage of the old and auncient ages in times past to sing songs and sonnets in their solemne banquets and publique feasts containing a rehearsall of the most famous and noble deeds of their auncesters and of the worthy personages of that countrey this victory especially as one of the most notable and more excellent then all others hath bene inserted amongst the rest and it is more often and commonly vsed in their songs ballads then any other whatsoeuer Infinit were the presents that were sent vnto Scanderbeg infinite were the feasts and bankeâ—s which were euery where frequented and infinite were the congratulations which were vsed from all parts according as that nation hath euer in such cases vsed and accustomed This present victory seemed to haue annihilated and entinguished the memorie of all those losses and discomfitures which the Turks had sustained vnder Haly Bassa and Mustapba yea all the honours and commendations purchased by their old and later actes were now no more talked of in regard of this last exploit The calamity of Belgrade seemed now fully sufficiently reuenged and this reuenge had sufficiently refreshed and discharged euery man his minde from all sorrow griefe and sadnes The only pleasure and whole delight of all men both strangers others was to walke and wander vp and downe those victorious fields and often to visit suruey the grounds which did seeme yet to cary a froath with the bloud of the Mahometanes their onely solace and recreation was to enquire of euery particularity where such an ambuscado was laid in couert and on which side the enemy was surprized assailed euen Mahomet himselfe was no lesse amased maruelled at the strangenes of this victory for by a shamefull confession of his owne feare within a while after he did allow the honour of this iourney vnto his enemy for when he saw his forces so broken dispersed and had learned by the Bassa the order of the battel and the occasion of his ouerthrow although perhaps there were many points wherein both the Generall all the host did deserue worthily to be blamed yet without any maner of reproofe giuen them or in any sort inueighing against them he swallowed vp in silence contrary to his wonted maner the grief bitternes of his sorrow and
body of his army the morning following he displaied his ensignes in the field by light inuasions he wasted all the countrey on that side thinking by the indignity of that miserable sight to haue moued the enemy to make forth of his trenches but the Pagan continuing in his wonted patience disdaining the defence of a thing of so smal value which might be so perillous vnto him kept himself still within his campe notwithstanding I haue heard that immediatly after the hauocke made by the Albanians euen as they were ready to trusse vp their baggage there came an Herald from Hamur to Scanderbeg to acquaint him with the intent and meaning of the Ottoman and besides to pray and intreat him that he would not weary both him selfe and his enemies with this vnprofitable kind of reuenge by which he did destroy rather that which was his owne then what was belonging vnto others and considering that no man made any meanes nor hadde any intent to hinder him but that they did leaue all vnto him to vse it at his owne will pleasure whereupon the king of Albany is said to haue returned him this answer that well might they for a time delay and put off their misfortune but they should not be able altogether to auoyd it for that he was resolutely determined to spare for no dangers nor mishaps but he would in the end bring and enforce them to the combat In this maner did they depart a sunder for the coldnesse of the winter now beginning to approch it was thought requisite that these determinations should be deferred to another season Wherefore Moses being appointed with his ordinary bands to haue the custodie and defence of the prouince and the most part of the army being licenced to depart Scanderbeg in the meane time with a small company went to visit the lower Dibria which was then vnder the commaund of Tanusee There likewise did he not forget to put in practise the like sleights and pollicies in hope to haue entrapped Synam but all his cunning and deuises vanished away to nothing wherefore leauing there one of the Streezes with a very small company Scanderbeg him selfe tooke his iourney towards Croy. During this winter was Moses very troublesome vnto the Mahometists he continually disquieted them with his daily alarums notwithstaÌ„ding it was more in shew then in substance and therfore Scanderbeg willed both him those of the garrison of Modrissa to desist from pursuing any such further atteÌ„pts for that they lost both their time their labor Moreouer it is reported that those of Mahomet his garrison as they had before in times past so did they now againe vehemently pray the Christians that they would not with such obstinacy seeke to purchase vnto theÌ„selues an enemy who would not be drawn to haue any hostility with them insomuch that neither condescending nor according any thing to their desire nor yet much contradicting their requests matters were protracted and drawen on till the comming of the new yeare The spring being now come Scanderbeg reassembled his forces and lead them against the Barbarians hoping by his daily skirmishes to draw them forth to fight One daie amongst the rest he had a desire being entred with great brauery vpon the country of Alchria to force and giue an onset vpon the campe of the enemy but he was soone repulsed without any great labour both by the liuely resistance of the Infidels as also by the situation aduantage of the place which of it selfe was very strong and hardly to be approched The Epirot how beit for that time he was disappointed of his hope yet being no whit discoraged determined to augment his troupes that so he might be the better able to effect his desire but he made no great hast to put it in execution both because the glory and profit would be very small that would grow by that atteÌ„pt as also for that it could not be compassed without great perill and manifest danger neuerthelesse he maintained the enterprise onely to the intent that the souldier being kept still exercised in armes as it were in their particular trade and profession should not waxe â—lothfull and be spoiled with idlenesse Thus whilest that the warres went coldly on both on the one side and the other Hamur supposing that it would not only be for the great profit publike good of the prouince but that it would purchase himselfe in particular great honor reputation with the Sultan if he could by his dexteritie disswade Scanderbeg from the pursuite of armes he procured from him by meanes of one of his people licence to come and speake with him Hereupon purposely he went to Dibria carying with him very rich presents where Scanderbeg at that time did soiourne with his campe After mutuall greeting and salutations past betweene them he tooke occasion to begin his speeches vpon the great benefits and commodities which ensue of peace vpon that concerning which he had before time treated with him so by a long circuit of words he endeuored to alter his mind and to perswade him to yeeld to his request Afterwards giuing him to vnderstand the particular desire which he had to be in his good grace and fauour he came to the end and conclusion of his speech wherein he oftentimes repeated and sounded it in his eares how goodly and pleasant a thing it would be to see those two great and puissant Princes conioyned and vnited in amity and concord Scanderbeg would not with discurtesie reiect the gifts of the Barbarian but accepting them very graciously did returne him other in counter change of no lesse value And as touching that which he propounded vnto him concerning the league of peace with his Maister he made him this answer as it were in choler and discontentment So suspected quoth he is the faith so captious and deceiptfull is the demeanour of Mahomet towardes vs that we can hardly digest and endure any speeches of his friendship amitie It is not long since that we had an Ambassade froÌ„ him by which we vnderstood the summe of his demaunds and we returned him againe with such conditions as we thought meet and conuenient for the honor and profit of the estate of Albany whereupon we expected his answer for as touching other matters he was at libertie to follow his owne will and pleasure but whilest that we rested in this expectation and that the treatie remained in suspence on either partie and though we in the meane time had layed aside our armes yet did he so despise and contemne vs that he thought vs vnworthy of any answer which he ought not to haue done to his mortal enemy Wherfore touching this motion of peace which thou hast propounded we are not minded to heare any further speeches but as concerning thy selfe in particular if there be any thing wherein we make any offers of curtesie to our enemy in
full authoritie of binding and loosing both in heauen and in earth and hast willed and commaunded all men liuing especially the Christian and elect people to be obedient to their admonitions and coÌ„mandements and to sustaine maintaine and defend the Catholique faith and the Church of Rome euen to the death Behold ô Lord I a most humble and poore sheepe altogether vnworthy to be one of thy fold haue with a free heart willing taken vpon me the burthen of this iorney and expedition by their direction and commaundement to the intent vnder the conduct protection of thy mercy I may maintaine with all my power defend the libertie of thy holy Church thy Catholique faith the citie of Rome and the countrie of Italy against those that haue inuaded it and are their professed enemies Wherefore most mercifull God and almightie Father who art both venerable and fearfull I do inuocate thy diuine Maiesty and do most humbly require thee to be fauourable to this my enterprise reach out thy hand thy outstretched arme and send vnto me Michaell thy Archangell thy holy messenger minister whose fauor may be with me and may accompany me day night for I do gladly reuerence honor him who may giue vnto me furnish me with force strength courage that this voyage passage may be happy and prosperous vnto me and that I may attaine in health and safety with this my army to the country of Apulia that the enemies being discomfited and put to flight I may triumph in the spoyles and prey of the enemies and that hauing obtained the summe and ende of my desires I may returne into my countrie and to my owne home with safetie health and victorie This praier being ended the Archbishop celebrated the Masse after which the trumpet gaue them warning to fall to their oares and with a fresh gale of wind they were soon off the coasts shore of Albany But within a while after there arose a thick foggy cloud or mist which did so couer them from the sight ech of other that they could scarcely discerne how to keepe their gallies from beating one against an other Neuerthelesse holding on their course they made saile till it drew towards night By this time they beganne to discouer a little Isle and the Pylot demaunded of the King whether he should direct his course thither or not for they might easily perceiue that there was a tempest comming and the waues of the sea beganne to swell for it was in Autumne Scanderbeg hauing willed him to bend his course to the Isle the whole fleete did come to harbour within the port where hauing cast ankers they rode there for eight dayes together by reason of the outrage and swelling of the sea which being at length growen calme and the winde ceased early in the morning by the rising of the Sunne hauing heard diuine seruice they put againe to sea and made saile all that day and the night following so that the next morning by breake of day they came within sight of the coast of Apulia Scanderbeg enquired what lande that was which appeared not farre off before them it was tolde him that it was the mount Saint Angell God be thanked saide Scanderbeg bende your course thitherwardes for I haue euer had a great deuotion to Saint Michaell And presently assoone as he had a sight of the mountaine he fell on both his knees and desired of God that this his first discouery of Apulia might be to his glorie and to the benefite of him and his confederates After this he commanded them to ply their tackling and to hoyse vp all their sailes which being filled with a merry gale of wind the armie in short time arriued safely to the shore Scanderbeg being gotten to shore together with the Archbishop and a good number of souldiers sent abrode to see if they could haue any newes of the enemie His currours being returned brought him word that they were not farre off notwithstanding he rested himselfe all at his ease and hauing somewhat refreshed him he returned aborde his shippes and from thence tooke his course directly to Bary where he discharged his ships and set all his troupes on land Duke Iohn and the Count Pycenin being encamped before Bary assoone as they saw so great a fleete did presently suspect and imagine what they were for there was of late a certaine brute or rumour raised in the French hoast that Ferdinand did looke for the King of Epyre to come to his succour Wherefore they trussed vp their baggage in great haste and went to lodge about a thirtie miles from thence at the discamping of the French the Neapolitane King being at libertie issued ioyfully out of the citie and went to meete Scanderbeg Then was the affection and mutuall gladnesse of those two Princes to be seene and perceiued by the multitude of their embracements and kind greetings intermingled with teares and so did they make their entrie into Bary not without the infinite clamors and acclamations of the common sort in signe of the publique ioy gladnesse Then might you haue seene all the towne as it were in a tumult by meanes of the people running dispersed in seuerall troups to meet the king of Albany all the inhabitants in generall of all ages estates and of ech sex were assembled in great confusion vpon the market place at the Pallace day night might you haue heard in the streetes in all places persons singing triumphing for ioy of the comming of Scanderbeg on the one side the inhabitants issued by multitudes out of the gates to see the ships and nauie of the Albanois on the other side the Epyrots resorted into the towne and ranged vp and downe the fields the villages busying employing theÌ„selues in diuerse matters Some â—ell to sadling and bridling of their horses others to make ready their curasses their armors euery man employed himselfe about some one thing or other all generally prepared theÌ„selues to the warre as if they had beene presently to fight with the enemie The next morning Scanderbeg taking with him a small companie of his men went forth to forage vpon the lands of such as were rebels to Ferdinand and being soone returned well loaden with prey and pillage he deuided it equally and in common to those of the towne as well as to his owne souldiers Afterwards a litle before the euening hauing assembled his companies he thought good to encourage them and vsed these speeches following I remember my companions and good friends that I haue heard it reported of Belissarius that famous warriour how in an expedition which he made against the Englishmen with a puissant army by sea his first act was after he had landed his men to set â—ire on all his shippes for feare least his souldiers being caried away with the hope and commoditie of a safe passage backe againe should
be alwaies desirous to returne home to their owne countrie and in stead of doing their best and aduenturing their liues to get the victorie they might happen by their default and negligence to be ouercome and vanquished This is nowe our case my good souldiers and our estate and condition is not much vnlike we are now ouer the sea farre from our owne houses from our owne countrie vppon the territories and dominions of our enemies amongest strangers altogether destitute and voide of hope and without any meanes to returne againe to our owne yea our affaires are brought to that passe that it is impossible for vs to resolue whether is better for vs to stande still or to goe forwarde considering that besides our armes our horses and our courages wholly bent and addicted to deedes of armes we haue nothing else left vs to relie and build vpon for there is now no hope of life nor safety if we get not some notable victorie vpon our enemies But courage my masters let vs consider that this is the diuine will and pleasure that we should maintaine the patrimony of Iesus Christ the house of God and the seat of his Church and doubt you not but that he will send vs euen from heauen an easie and a speedie victorie vnder whose name and protection we being now to fight soone shall we confound this our enemie and then shall we returne into our countrie conquerours ioyous and triumphant Hereof I make no doubt nor question when first of all I call to remembrance your ordinary and wonted valure when I set before my eyes so many goodly victories which you haue gotten vppon your enemies and then being thus confirmed through the confidence of your vertue and prowes I haue cheerefully vndertaken this present voyage as hauing learned by your armes to breake and discomfite greater armies and farre better then this that is now opposed against vs. Much more reason haue you my companions not to esteeme of these small troupes which as you haue alreadie seene at the onely brute and hearing of our names and before that euer they had anie sight of vs did as a man may say betake themselues to flight and durst not tarrie our landing but remoued their siege and are retyred from vs. It remaineth therefore that we pursue them whilest they are in this feare and astonishment but yet in this would I haue you to be aduised my good friendes that if it happen this our enemie should dare to abide vs and to come to fight with vs which I doe not beleeue my counsell is that at the first we onely holde him play by loose and light skirmishes and that we doe endeuour to wearie and ouercome him with the trauell and trouble of continuall onsets and often charges in so doing eyther shall we put them to the sworde or get them aliue to be our prisoners For the weight and heauinesse of their owne armes doeth sufficiently plague and afflicte them in the fight and these barded horses are neyther so readie to pursue not yet so nymble to flie from vs but that we being lightly armed and mounted haue great aduauntage against them being able by coursing vppe and downe both to annoy and to disorder them with ease Goe to then my braue and couragious souldiers let euerie man see that his horse and armour be in a good readinesse for by the aide and helpe of God I am determined to morrowe to goe visite the enemie The Albanois who desired nothing more then to see the enemie being more and more enflamed with these speeches the next morning by the breake of day presented themselues readie and resolute to march against the enemie and hauing serued God they tooke the fielde with Ensignes displayed with a full intent to goe seeke out the French with whom when they came to encounter they did not ioyne with them with the whole bodie of their forces in plaine and set battell but they did onely taste them with a light conflict for that the intention of the Albanian Prince was not as yet to make a full tryall of his fortune but onely to sport a little with the enemie and to proue what manner of souldiers they were and how they could demeane themselues with their armes on their backes In this skirmish there lay dead vpon the place thirtie of the French partie and twentie taken prisoners of the Albanois not any one eyther slaine or taken only foure of them were wounded and they returned all of them with great ioy to Bari The next day following was a Councell called of the Masters of the Campe and the other Chiefetaines of the armie to the which the King Ferdinand ledde Scanderbeg there was it propounded that eyther they must aduenture the battell or march into Abruzza to open the passages for the troupes of the confederates and so being conioyned with them to goe and encounter with the enemie The conclusion was that they should take the way to Abruzza and thereupon was order giuen to all the souldiers both those of the King and the Albanois that they should be in a readin esse and that euerie man should furnish himselfe with victuals readie drest for fiue dayes This done and the towne being assured with a good garrison the armie beganne to march both the King and Scanderbeg being present and they passed on close and in good order with great silence and secresie the darkenes of the night fauouring them in such sort that they were not discryed by the French campe which lay not far off so held on their course directly towards the country of Abruzza where being arriued and comming suddenly vpon those that kept and garded the passages they charged vpon them vnprouided so furiously both behinde and in flanke and on all sides that hauing dispersed and scattered them for the most part or hauing taken or cut them in peeces the wayes and passages were made open and free to the companies of the league which were vnder the conduct and commaund of Frederick Duke of Vrbin and Alexander Sforce who being vnited and incorporated one with the other army they went and encamped nere to Vrsara a towne that stood for King Ferdinand Now being so farre remoued from Bari and considering that they had to deale with one the most subtle and politique warriour and the most able and expert souldier liuing namely Pycenin who as they thought might eyther sollicite that place to reuolt or vpon the feare of their absence and by the trauerses of vnconstant fortune if they should present thēselues before the towne they might happen with ease to cary and obtaine it it was therefore thought conuenient to send thither some good and sufficient Chiefetaine with good and strong forces both to secure the towne if need were and to preuent the enemy of any such enterprise and the same being once done and dispatched to returne againe and to ioyne with them in one campe This commission was of
sufficient difficultie and there was none that did enuie it vnto Scanderbeg and therefore he offering himselfe and requesting to haue the execution of that seruice it was liberally and freely accorded vnto him He had a good deuotion and great desire to see the French once againe and to speake with Pycenin neerer and more at hande Being arriued at Barie with his owne bandes he found all things there as he desired wherefore hauing taken order for all accidentes he dislodged thence as speedily and marched directly towardes the French campe Immediatly vpon his approach he sent them a defiance and challenged them to the battell they who had vsed alwaies to vanquish and carrie away the victorie made no long delay but were as forwarde to meete him Ech partie therefore tooke the fielde in good order and well resolued the Albanois had deuided his armie into three partes Moses of Dibria led one of his battallions of the second Guirize had the commaund and the thirde he reserued to himselfe hauing an intent therewithall to affront Pycenin Thus all things being orderly disposed for the fight hee made towardes the enemie by three seuerall wayes at once The whole day was spent almost in skirmishes and light conflictes for the Albanois making sometimes as though they fledde and feigned themselues to be affraide sometimes by wheeling and casting suddainely about then againe by often and sudden charge and retraites coursing vppe and downe the breadth of the plaine did so wearie and molest the French that in the ende the battell fell out as him selfe expected Manie were slaine outright and many of the Dukes side were taken prisoners onely one of the Albanois was slaine manie hurt and verie fewe taken But the Count being quicke conceipted and politique and wisely foreseeing that by this newe kinde of fighting if Scanderbeg with his souldiers so well exercised by long practise vse and discipline did not put him to the worst yet he was like enough to giue him his handes full he bethought him selfe therefore that if he could get to speake vnto him he might peraduenture obtaine some staie and so cause him to surcease from fighting For this cause he aduaunced him selfe alone at the head of his squadrons and with a huge voyce called Scanderbeg by his name inuiting and requesting him to come to a parley with him The Albanois being of a courteous and generous disposition and without anie apprehension of feare knowing that it was the Countie did not disdaine to speake with him but put himselfe likewise in the head of his troupes The two Chiefetaines beeing thus separated from their companies made choice of a place equally distant from the two armies and discouered rounde about on all sides to be free from all suspition of anie ambushmentes and there both they mette to conferre and parley together The Count greatly maruelling at the presence of the King of Epyre stoode still without any word spoken attentiuely beholding him from the head to the foote Scanderbeg was the first that dismounted from his horse and approaching to the Count he tooke him about the bodie for he was a man of a verie litle stature and lifted him vp aloft from the ground and afterwards hauing kissed him as his custome was he let him downe againe very easily The Count to colour his subtiltie feigned that he had great matters to entreat of with him and which could not be expressed in a short conference For he promised so to contriue all things that either the Frenchmen leauing the quiet and peaceable possession of the Realme of Naples to Ferdinand should auoide out of Apulia and so returne ouer the mountaines or if not that he would worke their confusion And so proceeding in a most friendly and louing discourse he saide that he was fully assured that if the Frenchmen who were naturally proud and insolent and did beare a deadly and mortall hatred to the Italians should once get sure footing in the Realme of Naples they would not rest contented with that portion but they would aspire to the Dominion of all Italy the inhabitants whereof they respected not nor regarded no more then as slaues and as brute beasts vnreasonable creatures All this and many things else did he promise to doe both for the benefit and greatnesse of Ferdinand as also for the reputation immortall renowme of Scanderbeg And to this ende he requested him that he would cause his people to sound a retrait as he was readie for his part to do the like that the souldiers of both sides might take breath and might refresh themselues from their labours and trauels which they had endured all the day long affirming that this was a vse and custome euer obserued in warres amongest the Italians and for that it was now growing towardes night and the souldiers on both sides being faint and wearie he held it expedient that the two armies should retire into their tentes and that euery man might betake himselfe to his rest He also entreated him of all courtesie that he would meete him the next morning with a small company to the intent Duke Iohn the French men might doubt and suspect nothing in such a place as he would assigne that they might there conferre more at full vpon these matters This fraudulent plot did Pycenin conuey with singular dissimulation equall to his malice and despightfull humor For his drift was to bring the Albanois within his daunger either aliue or dead an act most dishonest and litle practised amongst true Knights or at the least wise he thought by drawing out the parley at length to gaine time and to bring it to passe that the night should separate them for he perceiued full well that the Albanois had the aduantage of that dayes iourney Scanderbeg giuing faith and credite to his speeches by reason he was a personage of great renowme and authoritie did simply and plainely condiscende to his request causing to sound a retrait and to cease the combat In this meane time Moses and Guirize who in the late skirmish had taken prisoners foure squadrons of the enemies did present them vnto their Generall which Picenin seeing he beganne to blush for shame and being sore troubled in his mind he stood a while as if he had bene dombe afterwards being come to himselfe he spake againe to the Prince of Albanie according to his wonted dissembled manner to this effect I perceiue quoth he most noble and generous Prince and I cannot but be abashed at it to see that thy Captaines and souldiers doe shewe themselues to haue but small discipline and to haue but litle regard and respect of thy commaund For as thou seest after we had set downe an order and published it with one voice and consent that the souldiers of both the armies should withdrawe themselues from the battell these men notwithstanding haue assailed and forced these my squadrons who were obedient to our edict and they
mentioned He held on his course and in an instant subdued Sinope the countrey where Mithridates was both borne and buried and all the Prouince of Paphlagonia and with the like course and successe of victorie hauing planted his Campe both by sea and by land before the city of Trebisonde and hauing pressed and forced it with extreame fury in the end he obtained both the citie and all the royall treasures and riches within it taking prisoner also the Emperour of Trebizond named Dauid and his two sonnes whom most cruelly he caused to be put to death And after he had reduced these Realmes into seuerall Prouinces and added them to the rest of his conquests he bent his puissaunce against Piramet King of Caramania whom he ouercame in battell taking from him many townes and cities in Cilicia and as touching Greece before that time of these expeditions in Asia he entred with force of armes into Peloponnesa commonly called Morea and depriued the Paleologues of the principality of that Prouince by the dissention of the two bretheren Thomas and Demetrius This done he being enformed that the Venetians had restored the wall of Hexamile a worke and building of great antiquity he laied waste and desolate the countrey of Coron and Modon and by sodaine irruption ouerrunning it with foure score thousand horse after he had defeated the Venetians in a bloudy battell and thrust them out of all Morea he appropriated the same vnto him selfe and ouerthrew the wall before mentioned from the very foundation laying it euen with the earth whereas from time of antiquity it had enclosed the* Isthmus or straight of Corinth which is a narrow space of land running about fiue or sixe miles from the Mediterrane sea to the Arche Pelagus or sea of AEgeum Hereby now you may gather and coniecture that this fortunate Prince by this his vsurpation of all these countreis and estates did not a litle encrease the greatnesse of his forces and puissaunce For the countrey of Peloponnesa is the most principall and chiefest part of Greece both for the nobility and the puissaunce of those nations and peoples which did once inhabite it And if we will but behold and contemplate onlie the site and situation thereof it will soone make shew that it deserued the principality and Empire of all Greece by reason that it hath many goodly gulâ—es many points and promontories many great and proude cities and magnificall Prouinces as Achaia Messenia Laconia or Lacedemon Argolica and Arcadia which is seated as it were in the middest of the countrey This Monarch whose hopes did aime at nothing else then the dominion and Empire of the vniuersall world being now puffed vp in pride and growing insolent by the happy successe of those his conquests began to haue recourse to his wonted and former attempts which was to inuade and ouerrunne Scanderbeg thinking to haue oppressed and broken him to nothing For it grieued him exceedingly that this onely man should extend the glory of his triumphes so neare vnto him and should as it were braue him euen vnder his nose Wherefore leuying an army of 20000. men he committed the charge thereof to Sinam one of his Saniackes whom de dispatched away sodainly and speedily to the intent he should surprize and take Scanderbeg at an aduantage and vnprouided But the Prince of Albany standing alwaies vpon his gard had after his returne to Croy in very good time dispersed abroad his espials and renued his intelligencers neare about the Sultan in such sort that he was aduertised of the intent and drift of the Sultan so fitly and timely that both he had the leisure to leauy an army and was the first that tooke the field Notwithstanding he kept himselfe close and in couert attending the approach of the Saniacke whereof as soone as he had notice he marched on against him all the whole night in the darke whereof and vnknown to his aduersary with 8000 fighting men both horse and foote he seized vpon the mountaine of Mocrea and there quietly expected the comming of Synam for there lay his way and that was the place by which he was of necessity to passe There did hetake him so vnprouided and set vpon him so sodainly that he easily defeated both him and all his army and that with so notable a slaughter and butcherie that more then two third parts of them lay dead vpon the place all their ensignes and all their baggage became a prey vnto the Christians who enioyed it as the reward for their paines and trauell Their Generall had much adoe to saue himselfe from the fury and heat of the slaughter by the speedinesse of his flight those which yeelded them selues prisoners and whose liues were saued were redeemed for money the which together with the other spoile the Prince of Albany freely left vnto his souldiers About the same time had the Ottoman Emperour sent an other Turke one of his Chieftaines also named Assambeg with another armie of 30000. men against Scanderbeg who hauing gotten somewhat of this side of Ocrida was made to yeeld so good an account of his voyage that being vanquished or rather vtterly broken and wholy oppressed in one onely battell his fortune was such that he had good experience aswell of the curtesie clemencie of his enemy as of his martiall force and fury For as this Turke was furiously and valiantly fighting in that battell the gardes of his body being all slaine and his sides left all open his horse sore hurt though not deadly himself was also wounded in the right arme with an arrow In this hard plight difficultie of all things being both confounded and discouraged aswell by the remembrance of this fresh discomfiture as by the griefe of his wound and which more troubled him being ouertaken with the darknes of the night but badly accoÌ„panied for euery man as the present danger aduised him had withdrawen themselues out of the way standing more in feare of their enemies then of the discoÌ„modities of their way in the darke of the night did keepe themselues close and secret In this anguish I say griefe both of body and of minde was Assambeg retired rested himselfe vpon a little mountaine or rather in a thicke wood not farre from the borders of the Christians and about foure myles from their campe in a countrey altogether vnknowen vnto him and where he was wholy ignoraunt of all the wayes pathes and passages How be it he stayd not there long ere he was discouered by the vigilancie of the souldiours of the Albanois for that one of them who had bene sent before day to discouer to make search ouer all the coast hauing diligently surueyed all places came speedely vnto his Captaine and acquainted him with the whole matter onely in this one point was he deceaued in that by reason of the shadow of the place the thicknes of the
wood he thought the number of the enemies to be greater then they were in deed and so had he assured it vnto his Generall In so much that Scanderbeg him selfe mounting on horsebacke did make hast in great heate to seize vpon these relickes of his victory being accompanied with all his cauallary The Turkes discerning his cōming a farre off you need not doubt but it troubled them greatly and they acquainted their Chiefetaine with the matter who was more aggrieued then all of them Immediatly they fell to consultation and resolued vpon a course which perhaps was vnbeseeming so great a chieftaine and braue souldiers and yet was it both safe necessary and that was to march without armes and without their horses and so to go meet the conqueror The captaine himself who was the author of this counsell led the way vnto his company was the formost that went against him being all ouer deformed with bloud and filth Not much vnlike to Marke Anthony at such time as he fled from the battell of Modena or Mutina to Lepidus the Triumuir when he came neare him he tooke Scanderbeg his horse by the reines of the bridle and by three or foure good wordes he saued the liues both of him selfe and his companie For he found his enemie to be wonderfully passionated at his misfortune vpon the speech which he vsed vnto him Whither goest thou quoth he ô Scanderbeg what wouldest thou It is not for thine honour still to vanquish and ouercome thine enemies Suffer I pray thee suffer thy selfe sometimes to be ouercome for being so vanquished thy victorie shall be greater then if thou wert victorious and with more glorie and commendation shalt thou recken the triumphs of thy clemencie amongst thy victories then those which thou hast purchased vpon thine armed enemies The Christian Prince smiling and turning about to his people Nothing said he is more subtile then aduerse fortune nothing is more sharpe conceipted or politicke then necessitie ô how wisely and eloquently can we speake when we are conquered which being conquerours we know not how to do And then taking him by the hand he sayd vnto him Assure thy selfe my friend thou shalt haue neither harme nor iniurie if I can helpe it And hauing sent him away he commaunded that his wound should be well looked vnto and that he should want nothing and afterwards he caused certaine of his people to conduct him into some place of suretie For what thing is there more honorable or commendable then to know and to be willing to vse mercy and pity to an enemie who is conquered miserable and afflicted Scanderbeg marched on with his armie coursing vp and downe on all sides here and there and finding the Prouince to be cleare of all ambushments of the enemies he returned to his campe and from thence neare to Croy where he solemnized the rest of his ioy and gladnesse for the victorie Within a few dayes after came Iussumbeg being sent likewise against the Epirot but he followed the same course and fortune that his companion had done and he was so much the more likely to be beaten then the other because he came in a more weake and feeble estate to seeke out that aduersary who was newly victorious and was as yet all embrued in the bloud of his enemies For being entred into Scopia the chiefe city of Macedony with eighteene thousand men he presumed and had determined in his thoughts that he would march euen into the heart and bowels of Epire not considering with him selfe nor looking into the late mishap of Assambeg such was his rashnesse and temerity His comming being reported to the king of Albanie made him greatly to wonder that these men could so straungely and as it were so wilfully forget them selues or rather at their immoderate desire and vnsatiable thirst which they had after his bloud and life Then turning him to his souldiers thus he spake vnto them Goe to my good friends and companions you that are borne to trauels or rather to continuall victories let vs go on to meete with this new enemy and with this new Captaine let vs not refuse to doe him this honour who at the first shocke I dare assure you will giue vs good matter of honor and glory Euery man with loud clamours and acclamations did applaud his wordes and so prepared them selues to follow their Chiefetaine who drawing neare to Scopia and hearing by his vauntcurrours that the enemy had taken the field gaue the signall vnto his souldiers to giue the onset vpon them The Barbarian who was not prepared neither in courage nor resolution to the combat receiued him notwithstanding yet so as he seemed to doe it with the countenaunce of one that came rather to talke of the matter then to fight For he did not thinke that Scanderbeg would haue had either him so greatly in contempt and disdaine or that hardinesse in him selfe as that he durst so farre off from his owne frontiers come to hazard the fortune of a battell within the territories of his enemies frō whence if he should be vanquished he could not haue escaped where he could not either repaire his forces or though he were victorious be well assured nor in safetie This was the reason that the Painim euen at the very beginning loosing both strength courage did find no course better nor more expedient then to turne head and make hast away shewing the way vnto his people of a most shamefull and ignominious flight who kept him company in like maner excepting some 300. or thereabouts who preferring their honor before their liues died valiantly with their armes in their hands But they that fled found themselues in worse case by flying then they expected For whereas they supposed that they might haue fled with safetie and should not haue bene pursued by the enemie by reason they were in their owne countrey and as it were vpon their owne dunghill therein they were greatly deceiued and with those their fellowes which were before slaine in the fight they made vp the full number of 2000. at the least There were very few taken prisoners by reason of the great difficulties and discommodities which hindred the safe conucying of them as also because of the length of their retrait which they were to make for that the paisants might haue assailed them on their way Iussumbeg thought to haue rallied his troupes and to haue layed some ambushment or to haue dressed some deuise for the entrapping of the enemie but his souldiers would not by any meanes hearken vnto him but holding on their scattered course they had a greater desire to returne home though it were with the displeasure of their Prince then not to returne home at all And they excused themselues vpon this their discomfiture and ouerthrowe giuen them by Scanderbeg which they pretended to be a sufficient reason and lawfull cause of their refusall But
towards Constantinople to deferre this expedition till the next spring for the Autumne was now in a maner at an end In the end shame feare of dishonor did so farre preuaile with the old man that he thought it not best to giue ouer the warre Hauing therefore in two dayes space dispatched almost all his iourney towardes his enemie about the first watch of the night he came to a certaine plaine which they of the countrey call Liuad where he encamped his armie and the same night he set all things in order readinesse against the time of the conflict and the next morning he sent an herauld vnto Scanderbeg to giue him the defiance challenging him to the encounter in a set open and plaine battell and not secretly and by stealth after the maner of theeues and robbers Scanderbeg terming him a Dotard and an old Beldam told him he should heare of him ere long and without any pause he went on roundly to giue the onset vpon him who was not yet readie to receiue him but stood consulting vpon his businesse as the maner of old men is Notwithstanding he sustained the brunt of that charge wel enough by meanes of a great showre of raine that fell at the very beginning of the onset the which did soone separate them asunder so that there was nothing done worthie the remembring For for three dayes together there fell such grâ—at store and abundance of water that if the Mahometan had not remoued his host into a higher ground and more mountainous it is most certaine that the quarrell had bene determined by the destruction and losse of his souldiers in that deluge and abundance of waters And yet as carefull as he was to preuent the daunger a great number of their horses were drowned and lost The Infidell taking this to be prodigious and as a presage of his ill fortune gaue ouer his enterprise and assoone as the time and tempestuousnesse of the weather would giue him leaue he secretly withdrew his forces and dislodged his army by long iourneys he bid Epire farewel hauing an intent to returne againe the next spring if so be the destinies would be answerable to the desires of this credulous old man At his returne towards Mahomet with those forces which he had left the report goeth that at the first he found but bad entertainment was receiued with a frowning countenance yet afterwards he was highly praised and much made of because he had so wel and carefully saued and preserued his people But now when the Ottoman saw that Scanderbeg was not to be forced by armes he aduised and bethought him selfe howe he might surprise and ouerreach him by guile and subtilâ—ies He sent vnto him therefore an Ambassade with presents of great value and with letters the copie whereof is as followeth Mahomet Beg Amira Sultan of all parts of the world Lord and Emperour of the Orient and the Occident to Scanderbeg Prince of the Albanois and Epirots sendeth health I knowe not my deare friend Scanderbeg any amitie more cordiall and heartie nor any familiaritie or friendship more fast and sure then that which proceedeth of long and mutuall conuersing together and especially when it beginneth in the greene and tender age of youthfull yeares as did the old amitie betweene vs two who in our first infancie as it were at such time as thou wert hostage in the Court of Amurath my father did for a long time liue together in singular and almost incredible loue and concord Wherefore my good Scanderbeg as often as I do call to minde both these and other matters wherwith our age at that time was delighted moreouer remembring all that which thou hast heretofore done for the seruice of our Empire for the house of the Ottomans and for the glory enlarging of our crowne and dignitie my desire and endeuor is to loue and to make much of thee with all possible and most ardent affection And I protest before God that nothing can happen vnto me more acceptable or more agreeable in this life then to see thee neare about me and for a time to enioy thy presence If our souldiers haue of late violently inuaded thy dominions or entred vpon thy realme committing there any excesse or outrage yet ought not that to be any occasion or impediment to hinder thee from comming vnto vs. For whatsoeuer hath been done in that case was without our command or knowledge and as reason would I haue and do take it in very ill part neither doth it in any sort displease me that they haue bene chastised for their misdeeds and recompenced according to their deserts But omitting these matters let vs returne to our ancient amitie and alliance which doth easily perswade and induce me to desire that we may be reconciled and that we may haue peace each with other for euer from hence forward to the intent that by a sacred and indissoluble league and confederacy the friendly bond of our old and auncient acquaintance which hath in a maner bene extinguished by our long and continuall absence each from other may nowe againe be renued increased and strongly confirmed betweene vs. The articles of our accord shall be these if so be thou thinke it good or that they seeme not iniurious vnto thee for I know that it is not for him that desireth and demaundeth peace to prescribe and set downe the conditions of the peace The first thing that we demand of thee is that thou suffer our armie to haue free and safe passage throughout thy realme and dominions to inuade ouerrunne and to make warre vpon the countrey and townes of the Venetians that thou deliuer vs in hostage thy sonne Iohn whom we do promise and vowe continually to acknowledge and respect as one of our owne children that the traffike and trade of marchandise may be free open for all our subiects throughout all thy Seigniories as in like case it shall be for thine ouer all parts of our Empire Besides also I do offer vnto thee full power and libertie in all securitie safely to come and to haue accesse vnto vs. In these cases if thou wilt gratifie and yeeld vnto vs we do faithfully promise thee in the word and faith of a king that we will keepe and obserue true and continuall peace and friendship with thee and thy people and that no person what soeuer shall be more deare nor more acceptable vnto vs then thy selfe and we will to the vttermost of our power defend thy countrey from being troubled or molested either by our owne armes or by any others whom soeuer For other matters we pray thee to giue full credit vnto that which Mustapha our agent shall by word of mouth impart vnto thee Dated in our Imperiall citie of Constantinople this second of May in the yeare of the generation of Iesus 1461. These letters of Mahomet being openly read in a full assembly and generall
God his assistance to pursue and persecute him with all their power and puissance and to expell him wholly out of Europe Alreadie hath the holy father sent forth his Bull and published the same throughout all Christendome by vertue whereof all those Kings and christian Princes are to haue full remission of their sinnes assoone as they shall come to accompanie the supreame Bishop and shall march with him against this cursed enemie both of God and men Wherefore the Venetians both the Duke and the Senate also who haue made incredible preparations both by sea and land and the Popes holinesse likewise and all the Christians in generall do conuite thee do call vpon thee and they do nominate appoint thee to be their chiefe principall leader as a Prince most worthy of this charge in so holy a warre expedition And assoone as his holinesse shal be arriued on this side the sea and shall haue made his entry within Duras he is determined to crowne thee King of Epyre of Albany What doest thou then ô Scanderbeg most fortunate and happy Prince wherefore doest thou temporize either must thou from hencefoorth for euer giue ouer to beare armes and forgo the warres so quietly submit thy necke vnto the yoke of the Infidell or else thou must contend with this common enemie and thou must not in any case yeelde vnto him either in patience or in vertue with whom thou art to contend for the totall summe of supreame power soueraignitie Stirre vp once againe the vigour of thy haughty courage of thy puissant forces call together thy Chieftaines leauy men souldiers from all parts inuite the Princes thy neighbours confederates dresse in a readinesse and dispose in order thy squadrons and thy legions march on before the generall assembly of the faithfull and the colledge of Christians conforme thy selfe to the will and counsell of the vniuersall Bishop purchase thou pardon for thy owne offences and for thy army likewise Behold thy friends the Venetians haue sent me hither to declare these things vnto thee to summon and inuite thee to exhort and perswade thee to the intent thou maiest conioyne thy forces with their forces thy ensignes with their ensignes and thy troupes with their troupes Thou knowest that the Venetians are most Christian Princes most bountifull and most puissant both by sea and by land they doe promise and proffer vnto thee golde siluer and men in all plentifull manner Goe to then Scanderbeg now or neuer shewe thy selfe truely to be Scanderbeg thou who art the honour and the glorie of Princes be thou the formost man with thy bands to warre vpon the miscreants inuade his land giue him iust cause of feare and terror euen to him I say who hauing broken his couenants and falsified his faith and violated the peace did first prouoke thee to betake thy selfe to armes for all lawes and all rights do openly permit and allow this for lawfull That faith and promise is not to be obserued towardes such as haue first violated their faith and fidelitie March on therefore march on hardily before the Catholique armie giue the first charge and attempt vpon thy enemie denounce open and generall warre to the Barbarian prepare the waye to the soueraigne Pastour of Christendome for behold now Pope Pius behold the Venetians behold the French and the Almaines the Spaniardes the Flemmings the Hungarians the Bohemians the Polonians the Italians and brieflie all Christian nations and peoples doe follow after thee and they doe come to helpe and to second thee now therefore will not this Pagan this Mahometist be euer able to resist so many Kings so many Princes so many nations and warlike armies he will soone betake himselfe to flight he will soone forsake and forgoe Europe the pride and insolencie of the Ottoman his fraudulent and deceiptfull dealings his secret traines and wicked deuises will now profit him litle or nothing his wonted policies and sleightes will not be able to helpe him Neuerthelesse it is needfull that thou be circumspect and prouident and thou must vse singular prudence and wisedome for that assoone as this wily and craftie foxe shall perceiue these preparations to be made against him he will speedily send his Ambassadors vnto thee to flatter thee to entise thee and to diswade thee from taking armes against him but harken not vnto him alienat thy mind frō his wicked peruerse nature stop thy eares against his flatteries smooth perswasions thou art sufficiently acquainted with the inward affections of his hart thou seest well enough what a maner of man he is and there was neuer any one in this world to whom the fraudes of the line and house of Ottoman were more perfectly and better known then they are now discouered and layed open vnto thee This oration being pronounced by the Archbishop of Duras with great vehemencie Scanderbeg withdrewe himselfe to counsell with his Chieftaines and souldiers and the matter was long and doubtfully debated betweene them There were two especiall yet diuerse and different opinions the one which argued that the spirits and thoughts of the Albanians were now estranged from deeds of armes as it is commonly seene that the sweetnes of gaine and interrest doth corrupt and oastardize our spirits and by litle and litle doth make them to degenerate into another nature they would in no case heare any speech of renuing the warre with Mahomet but they wished that the couenants and conditions of the peace concluded betweene them should be in all points obserued and fulfilled of the wdich saied some of them there doth proceed great benefit and commoditie the people the townes and cities growing rich and welthy and their profit was like daily to be augmented besides that the Turkish monarch had restored in a maner all the pillage which had bene taken vpon the countrie of the Albanois The other opinion was cleane contrarie for they held that in any case it was needfull to haue recourse to armes and that they ought not to trust to the wordes of the Sultan who neuer kept his promise with any especially with any that was a Christian and that so much the rather they ought to doe it for that he had first broken the peace and had violated the summe of the capitulations past betweene them Moreouer that there was litle or no faith to be giuen to the tirant or to his promises which tended to no other end then to draw them on by deceit and cunning and to entertaine them with faire wordes now that he saw all the Christians ioyned in league against him and that shortly he was like to feele the weight and burthen of their fearefull and terrible forces to the singular dammage of the circumcised which was the onely cause that kept him in feare and awe and that brought him to this point to promise wonders that otherwise he would neuer haue suffered them to rest in quiet nor would haue
restored the bootie which had bene taken that therefore it behooued them without delay and with most cheerefull and resolute mindes to begin the warre against this common enemie of the Christian faith the preseruation wherof was to be preserred before their owne particular safety and cōmoditie and so much the rather for that the head of the church did mind to be there in person and to come with all his forces of Christendome in armes against the Mahometan This latter opinion being held as the best and most sound and being also most agreeable to the mind and liking both of the King and the better part of his Captaines was allowed and chosen as being for the good and benefit of them all and it was fully concluded agreed that they should renue the wars take armes for the defence of the common weale of Christendome Besides they held it requisite and an acte well beseeming Christians to be obedient to the supreme Bishop and the vicar of Christ to adhere close to the congregation of the faithfull Moreouer there was not any one of them but would haue made it scrupulous to reproue the perswasions of the Archbishop whose counsels and admonitions they held it no lesse needful to obserue and obey then as if they had bene the diuine precepts For as we haue alreadie said the grauitie good life and worthie example of this personage had purchased him wonderfull authoritie amongst them insomuch that all matters were managed by his counsell and sage aduise for that ordinarily being with the King in court Scanderbeg would euer harken giue eare vnto him and had learned of him all the ancient histories and worthy exploits both of the Greeks Latines and he was also maruellously well beloued of all the Chieftaines Lordes and Princes of Albanie The warre therfore being generally concluded and agreed on commissions were directed forth and commandements were giuen to diuerse Captaines to muster souldiers on all sides and to assemble and leauie an armie and that assoone as it should be in a readinesse they should without all delay set forward against the enemie Vpon the rumor and report of this newes those souldiers of Scanderbeg which lay in garrison vpon the frontiers were the first that tooke the field and they ouerranne and ransacked the countrie of the Ottoman with great violence and terror to the inhabitants and hauing farre and wide forraged and wasted all places they retired with a notable prey and bootie driuing away with them at the least 60000. head of kine and oxen 80000. sheepe and 3000. mares with their coltes which were of the race and breed that the Ottoman had for his owne store and yet this was not all for being entred verie farre into the prouince of the Barbarian they put all to sword and fire and left not standing vpon the ground either trees or any thing else bearing frute but filled all parts with horrible feare and terror the tidings whereof when it came to the eares of Mahomet he was newly enflamed and incensed against Scanderbeg beyond all credit and imagination neuerthelesse afterwards stroking his forhead with his hand and suppressing his extreame griefe the report is that with a cheerefull and gladsome countenance he vttered these wordes What meanest thou Scanderbeg what doest thou thinke to do vnto me who am the great commaunder and supreme Prince both of the Orient and the Occident Notwithstanding hauing conceiued and imprinted a deepe reuenge in the inward thoughts of his heart he then sware and vowed the ruine and destruction of Scanderbeg But by reason of the great report and bruite that ranne of the Christian forces and for that he had heard howe they were alreadie raised and on foote readie to march against him he was greatly troubled and perplexed and therefore he thought it best to haue recourse to his wonted cunning and sleights familiar to the Ottomans and he sought by his traines and deuises to reconcile himselfe vnto him Now was it commonly reported it ran rife in euery mans mouth that Pope Pius had assembled from all parts of Christendome great and huge forces and that he would within fewe daies set forward against the Turke and that the first thing which he meant to do after his arriual into Epire after he had celebrated a masse within Duras was to honor the Archbishop of that place with the hat and honour of a Cardinall and to crowne Scanderbeg King of the Albanians Epirots whereupon the infidels also gaue it out openly amongst themselues that if Scanderbeg did take the field as the generall and supreme commander in this enterprize there was no doubt but the victorie would fall to the Christians and they were all of an opinion that the Turkish forces would be hard bested that they could not but be reduced to a most desperat estate so great an astonishment and horror had the verie name of Scanderbeg brought vpon them And this was the principall and chiefest reason that made Mahomet to beate all his braines and to set abroach all his plots and cunning deuises to allure Scanderbeg vnto him to fall to a new composition with him for all matters and to reconfirme and reassure by a solemne oth both on the one part and the other the first couenants and conditions of the agreement past betweene them he wrote vnto him therefore certaine letters in manner and forme following Mahomet Beg Amira Sultan Emperour of the Orient and the Occident to Scanderbeg King of the Albanois and Epirots I haue alwaies heretofore admired the excellencie of thy faith and thy rare integritie and instice most noble and princely Scanderbeg and therfore I cannot easily be perswaded that so generous and magnanimous a Prince should so inconsiderately falsifie his faith and breake the peace established betwene thee and me For as I am giuen to vnderstand thou hast with great forces inuaded my lands and territories and turning all things vpside downe in most pitifull and foule disorder thou hast gotten and carried away an inestimable booty infinite goods from me my subiects Of the which excesse as I am credibly informed and fully perswaded the Venetians haue bene the cause motiue by whose instigation enticement thou hast bene pricked forward incited against vs. By their practises flatteries hast thou bene drawen on to make warre vpon me openly shewing thy selfe to be a breaker of thy promises the violatour of the rightes the law of Nations Wherefore I neither do nor will attribute any or very litle fault blame vnto thee considering the cause of the ignominie rather then the ignominy it selfe but I do impute the whole offence vnto them who haue bene alwaies my sworn professed enemies But what harme is this vnto me ô Scanderbeg who am the Lord commaunder of so many peoples Prouinces doest thou thinke that thou hast done me so great or notable a displeasure or that
all hauing threatned him with the generall league of Christendome and with the incomparable forces of Europe comming vpon him he friendly and charitably aduised him to abiure the impure sect of Mahomet and to turne to the truth of the Gospell of Christ shewing him that that was the true and only meane besides the saluation of his soule to retaine continually and to make sure his estate and Empire for euer to him and his posterity and to make the possession thereof most quiet and peaceable whereunto he counselled him betimes to haue an eie and to doe that willingly which shortly he should be forced and compelled to do by pure constraint and necessity This then was the reply which the Prince of Epire made to the importunate and fallacious letters of the great Turke the which was no sooner dispatched and sent away but that he receiued letters from the Pope aduertising him that he would shortly remoue from the city of Rome accompanied with infinite forces which had taken the Croysado against the Ottoman and that from thence passing to Ancona and so embarking himself to the sea he ment to passe into Epire where he was determined to make the Archbishop of Duraz Paul Angell a Cardinall and then to crowne Scanderbeg king of Epire and Albany and to commit the absolute authority of the Christian army to his charge and conduct to the intent that all their forces being vnited he might pursue the war against the Infidell which all the Christians in common had vndertaken against him And therefore he admonished and sollicited him to march on with his owne forces and to denounce open war against the Painim These newes caused great ioy gladnes both to the Princes and Chieftaines Albanois to the common sort of souldiers and thereupon did Scanderbeg with a strong puissant army enter into the enemies frontiers marching a good way into their countrey ouerrunning spoiling all things both farre and wide and he plagued them with all sortes of miseries and calamities and wheresoeuer he came he left nothing but a most hideous and horrible view of extreame desolation making the whole Prouince as a wild and solitary desart and in this manner did he begin a generall and open warre against Mahomet Scarcely were the letters of Scanderbeg come to Constantinople when the fame and renow me of those his blouddy exploits was brought to the eares of the Ottoman who being both in an extreame feare and terrour and enraged with wrath and fury against the king of Epire presently he dispatched away one of his Basses named Seremet with 14000. horse more to stay and hinder the violence of the roades and inuasions made by the Albanois then for any great glory or honour which he expected by that voiage and in the meane time hauing caused his Chiefetaines and Colonelles to be called together before him he thus began to speake vnto them You are not ignoraunt my good friendes how that at all times you haue beene partners with me of all my good fortunes as well as my selfe haue borne a part with you of your sinister and aduerse fortunes Wherefore the safety and preseruation of this our Empire ought to concerne and import you no lesse then me you know all of you how I haue alwaies honored respected you with what courtesie loue and beneuolence I haue euer vsed you carying my self amongst you not as your king and soueraigne but rather as your souldier and companion It hath bene granted vnto vs by the diuine clemency and by meanes of your vertue and prowesse that all things haue succeeded according to our desires what should I reckon vp Asia which is now become ours through your victorious armes the dominion of Thrace gotten out of the hands of the Christians the Rascians the Seruians and the Bulgarians subdued the region of Tauriqua * brought vnder our subiection Negrepont possessed the Princes of Sclauony expelled their estates the Hungarians extreamly weakned what nations are there be they neuer so inuincible but they haue stood in fear of your name valor euen before they haue felt or perceiued the force of your strength and power and yet now at this present fie for shame I see you all amazed astonished and it seemeth that these new tumults haue terrified you it seemeth that the new brauadoes vaine menaces of this petty gallant Scanderbeg do make you to quake and tremble What shall the world find you now so faint hearted so besorted and sencelesse so deuoide of courage and magnanimity that you will shew your selues like men that are mindfull rather of flight then of your wonted and accustomed vertue will you without fight without resistance yeeld vnto these effeminat and idle Christians those goodly conquests which both your auncesters and your selues haue gotten and purchased with so many and so great labors and trauels and with so many woundes and daungers What will you now without any expence and losse of bloud abandon and forsake Europe which you haue with so great paine desire obtained and will you so shamefully flie backe againe into Asia tell me I pray you shall you be more safe on the other side of the sâ—â— then on this side assure your selues they will not cease to pursue you in all places then what will you do what hope haue you what King or Prince will receiue vs whom the whole world doth hold so hatefull and odious Hearken to mee therefore my good friends and companions plucke vp your hearts awaken your corages reuiue and strengthen your spirits to the intent your enemies grow not too too audacious hold your selues quiet and let not your minds be troubled with any tumultuous counsels or imaginations but do all of you with one mind generall consent as your duty is cast the care of this matter so weighty and important vpon me commit it into my hands and refer it to my discretion If you count it a glorious and honorable act to defend your owne liues and the liues of your wiues and children to maintaine so many scepters and Empires granted vnto you euen by the diuine fauour then doe you brauely betake you to your armes arme your selues against the Christians behaue your selues manfully in the fight against them let the world see the fircenes of your corages Let it not trouble you though you heare that the princes of christendome are combined in league against you that they are entred into a commoÌ„ concord together to make war vpon vs. All this ought not to make you doubt of the victory for you haue had triall enough of this kind of men how nice delicate weake they are They be all of them slothfull fearfull faint secure and careles idle addicted to all pleasures and delights they are all of them brought vp daintily they lie vppon their beds of Downe and soft feathers they are trained vp in luxuriousnes and voluptuousnesse they
troupes and the excessiue numbers of souldiours had many times caused confusion and had bene the disturbance and an hinderance to the victorie Now the Infidell as hath bene sayd had fiften thousand horse and three hundred foote The Scanderbegians were encamped at the one end of a pleasaunt valley which they of the countrey call Valcala which being of a goodly breadth it was more long then large The Barbarians had seized vppon the other end of the valley neare to a mountaine which lay at the end of Valcala the entry whereof was very straight narrow and the enemy hauing both the mountaine and the passage in their power and puissance had laied there an ambuscado to the intent that the fight being begunne and the Christians hauing the better if they did pursue the victory and did enter within the streight of that narrow passage to get to the sacking of their Campe they should be enclosed in the middest of their enemies lying there in the ambushment and by that meanes should be at their mercy and discretion The king of Epire who was encamped at the other end of the valley forseeing well that this their neare neighbourhood to their enemies could not be parted without talking nearer together and for that his forces were the weakest he iudged it needfull for him to seeke some aduantage against them and therefore he vsed these speeches vnto his souldiers My good friends and companions I see well that it behoueth vs this day asmuch as euer to make our enemies to feele who we are Ballaban is come to seeke vs and to make proofe whether Fortune will be more friendly vnto him then shee hath beene to his predecessours but before that he begin to march I hold it best that we remoue our Campe to this mountaine which is at our backes Notwithstanding this you must marke that as soone as he seeth vs departing hence he will imagine because we are so few that we meane to flie and therefore it is to bethought that he will immediatly charge vs with all possible violence at our backes which if he doe then do you receiue him valiantly and after you haue a litle shifted your place and fained a retraite sodainely do you turne head and with a round and braue charge do you beare in vpon them with all your strength and as your custome is breake and disorder them in so doing I doubt not but you shall haue them at your discretion But take heede my good souldiers I pray you and be you well aduised when you haue put them to flight and that you haue them in chase and do follow them in execution vppon them takeheed I say that you enter not in any case within the mouth of the straight of Valcala but stopping your course passe no further forwardes For within that passage I knowe there are certaine squadrons of the enemie layed to entrappe vs I knowe it well I am well acquainted both with the place and the pollicies of the Barbarians if you once enter in you will neuer get out againe Let it suffise you therefore my friends to pursue the victorie euen to the entrie of that place and no further As soone as he had thus spoken he espied Ballaban marching on directly towardes him whereupon he sent a certaine number of light horsemen to seize vppon that hill which he had chosen for the lodging of his armie and immediatly he followed after them with the bodie of his troupes making as though he meant to haue made a retrait the which the Turkes perceauing and beleeuing verelie that they had bene in a true and playne flight they galloped after them without any good order and with great furie they held on their course the length of all the valley Then did the Epyrots begin to beare vppe close together and being nothing astonished with the clamours or violent charge of the Turkes they turned about and with a hardie resolution they receaued them to the shocke and so ioyned with them in combat Then began the fight to grow most sharpe cruell and bloudy and many fell both of the one side and the other and the victorie rested for a long time doubtfull and vncertaine In fine the Albanois fought with such a constant and settled resolution and obstinacie against the Infidelles being out of order and in some confusion that they got the aduantage killing and beating them downe on all partes and draue them backe euen to the streightes of Valcala and there they tooke breath and made a stand excepting eight onely of the Christian armie each of whom without all doubt was worthie to haue had the absolute commaunde of a good and great armie These being transported with the furie of the fight and the heate of armes and forgetting the expresse commaundement of their Generall but being spurred forward with an eager desire of following the chase vpon the enemie and with a mortall hatred against Ballaban were drawen on into the ambuscado of the Infidels did very vnaduisedly entangle themselues within these streights which by meanes of this vnhappie accident were I dare say as famous by the losse and calamitie of these braue Epyrotes as the forkes of Candyum were in times past by the ignominie of the Romaines Long did they maintaine the fight against the Infidelles there ambusqued and passing still further and further within those valleys they came at last to the trenches of the Barbarians where they were to yeeld a reckoning of their comming and to pay the shot vnto their hostes Neuerthelesse continuing there also in a most cruell fight they shewed them selues so valiaunt and did so bestirre themselues by their valour and dexteritie that in the end they gayned the toppe of a mountaine which being possessed by the infanterie of the Turkes they had thought to haue bene of their owne companie and so they fell againe into a new and second perill greater then the former In the ende after infinite prooues of their wonderfull prowesse and valour being wearied with striking and killing of their enemies both men and horses growing faint through the multitude of their wounds they were taken aliue by the Ballabanians The vertue courage and incomparable prowesse of these braue warriours may not be let passe omitted in silence and yet if I should in this place set downe the singular perfectiōs wherin all of them were most accomplished and the memorable actes atchieued by their vertue in the seruice of God of the religion and of their countrey I should make a long and exceeding great historie and therefore I will onely and barely set downe their names vnto you The first that offereth him selfe to be remembred was that great Moses the Dibrian of whom we haue so often made mention the onely chiefe man that was most deare and faithfull vnto Scanderbeg and who was the Lieutenant of the armie Next to him was Guirize de Vladienne the neare kinseman of Scanderbeg after
him followed Musache de Angeline nephew to Scanderbeg and Gyne Musache Iohn Perlat Nicholas Berise George Chuque and Gine Manesse These men by their miserable and vnhappy fortune made the estate of Albanie more to be deplored and lamented then any one thing at any time before whatsoeuer For as all of them were of singular accompt and estimation both for their corporal strength and vigour for the magnanimitie of their courages and for their excellent skill and knowledge in armes and the science militarie so were they no lesse fearfull and terrible to the Mahometans In so much that when their Monarke the Ottoman heard that they were taken brought vnto him aliue he conceiued such an exceeding and extreme ioy thereby that he cried out aloft and with a lowd voyce vttered these words Now do I know for a truth and certainty now may I well iustly say that Scanderbeg is ouerthrowne that his pride is fallen that his forces are abated that his audacitie and courage is cleane gone and lost seeing that Ballaban my sonne my child the onely man amongst my Captaines and Chieftaines that went before him hath shewed him selfe the onely man of valour the onely warriour and he alone hath knowne how to ouercome him by whom so many braue men of ours haue bene surmounted and ouerthrowne of which some haue bene made slaues others haue bene murthered and put to the sword Thus after he had highly commended and exalted Ballaban he sent vnto him a great quantitie of gold and siluer and other giftes with a commission to restore his bands with newe supplies and to pursue the warre against Scanderbeg Who in this meane while being in a maruellous distresse and care for the captiuitie of these Noble men dispatched away speedily a notable Ambassade with great presents and letters vnto the Sultan praying him most effectually to ransome the prisoners according to the right of armes or else to exchange them for other prisoners of which he had a great number But the felonious tyraunt being caried away with rage and furie made no account of this Ambassage but after all kindes of ignominie and barbarous crueltie vsed and practised vpon them he caused them to be flayed aliue by little and little for fifteene dayes together during the which they yeelded vp their constant and glorious soules vnto God and did augment as it is to be beleeued the happie companie of the Martyrs in Paradise The abhominable crueltie of this torment made the ignominie of the Christians more notable and notorious and all the armie of the Albanians did infinitely bewayle and grieue at their miserable ende and the countrey of Albanie did feele much more griefe and sorow through the want of their deare and beloued citizens then they conceiued ioye for the victorie had against their enemies neither was the sorrowe and lamentation lesse which was made generally and in publicke then that which was seene particularly and in priuate For many as the report goeth did chaunge their habit and their garments and many also did let the haire of their heads and beards to growe at length in token that they mourned and grieuously lamented for this great and lamentable losse of these excellent and heroycall persons The king him selfe was no lesse grieued in hart for their misfortune Neuerthelesse bearing a minde hardened against all the assaultes and encombraunces of fortune he presently inuaded and ouercame the enemies countrey shewing him selfe more desirous of reuenge then of bootie and pillage and he turned all things vpside downe not leauing any thing in whole and good estate which either the sword or the fire could possibly wast destroy and consume Certaine dayes were spent in these courses and actes of hostility during the which Ballaban by vertue of his commission renued for the warre of Albanie had made and finished the encrease and supplie of his companies to the auncient number of fifteen thousand men on horse backe and three thousand footemen which done he returned to Achaia vpon the frontiers of Macedonie and there did he endeuour by his wonted sleightes and his ordinarie disguised shewes of cunning to reconcile him selfe vnto Scanderbeg with new presentes and honest offers of seruice and amitie In the ende seeing that he had but a cold suite and that his guile and dissimulation was too well knowen as also that he had lesse hope and power to attaine to the ende of his desires by playne and open armes he employed therefore all his wittes and deuises to more secret and close attemptes that by some more short and more ready course he might ouer-reach and entrappe him Scanderbeg being accompanied with 4000. horse and fiue and twentie hundreth footemen he pitched his tents at Oronichea in the vpper Dibria and vpon all parts and passages of his Campe he had placed very conueniently both sentinels and scoutes It happened by chaunce that at one of those passages there were placed certaine souldiours Epyrotes in whom the king had great trust and confidence but he knew not that they were allyed and of kinne vnto Ballaban These being corrupted and wonne with great store of money the Turkishe Generall tooke his way in the dead of the night with all his armie and an houre before day hauing passed beyond those scouts he began to approch very neare to the Campe of the Albanois which he had surprised without all doubt and oppressed had it not bene for the prompt vigilancie and watchfulnesse of Scanderbeg him selfe who hauing his eye open to all chaunces and inconueniences did ordinarily and oftentimes go the rounde on horsebacke visiting surueying all parts of his Campe both the courts of garde the other quarters as God would at the very same time he being thus busily employed discerned a farre off by the noise and neighing the horses of the Infidels Behold here the singular benefit and a worthy example of diligent carefull obseruation of martiall discipline the king himselfe gaue alarme to his people and presently disposing and ordering them in array of battell howbeit in tumultuous manner and according to the shortnesse of the time and as the discommoditie of the darke would giue him leaue in two or three wordes animated his souldiours to do their deuoir vpon this sodaine occasion and so marched on furiously against the Turke Ballaban not looking to haue founde him in such order and readinesse breathed him selfe a while and that he might also better arraunge his men to the battell whilest Scanderbeg in the meane time laying hold vpon the present occasion with a strong troupe of horse the most resolute of all his armie and with a number of harquebussiers Italians he conueyed him selfe closely all alongest the couert of the valley and so got behinde all the backes of his enemies and immediatly charging them with all his force vppon the tayle and rereward of their armie he did so trouble and molest them that being charged likewise
propound vnto him a new and seeldome vsed course which he had conceiued in his minde by meanes whereof he was in hope to obtaine an easie and assured victorie of the Prince of Albanie which he vttered in this manner May it please your excellent Maiestie quoth he most happie and mightie Monarch to choose out and nominate two notable and sufficient Chieftaines who with two puissant armies by diuerse and sundrie wayes and seuerally each from other may with all diligence and secrecie make their entrie into Epyre pretending that their iourney lyeth some other way And let not any one of them come to fight with the enemie without the other but staying and expecting the comming of his companion let them both together with a common aduise and mutuall counsell suddenly turne bridle and marching against him both at one time they may enclose and entangle him in the middest betweene them and so easily ouerthrow him By this course and meanes both himselfe and his people shall be soone ouercome and cut in peeces and so shall we make a finall end of the warre and insolencie of the Albanois Mahomet tooke so great a liking of the reasons and deuise of Ballaban and the conceipt which he had propounded pleased him so well that without any delay he gaue him full power and authoritie to ordaine what he thought good for the prosecuting of this warre and for the bringing of it to an end And that he should make choise amongst all his Captaines of such a one whom himselfe should best like of for his colleague and compartner in that iourney as also that he should take such a number of men as he should thinke needfull and he vrged him to hasten this voyage into Epyre and to follow it with all possible care policie and good counsell He told him that nothing could be more acceptable or welcome vnto him then to heare that Scanderbeg with his forces were expelled and banished out of Epyre. That he could not thinke nor account himselfe a Prince of any good fortune of happinesse as long as he should see this his enemie to be aliue by whom he had suffered so many outrages and discommodities Ballaban being desirous to repayre his honour caused foorth with a wonderfull companie of souldiers to be leauied with the which he made so puissant an armie that it was sufficient to haue made the Realme of Albanie to tremble for very feare he adioyned vnto him for his companion Iagup Arnauth which is as much to say as Iames the Albanois For he also was borne in that countrie and he was a Knight of great estimate and reckoning and one that had wonne great honour by deedes of armes These troupes being nowe assembled together and parted betweene them Ballaban directed his compartner to take his way all alongest the seacoastes and so crossing ouer Greece and Thessaly to enter into Epyre and he charged him expressely that in any case he should not discouer himselfe or make any attempt against the enemie till such time as he perceiued Ballaban him selfe with his people to be arriued and to approch neere him For he taking a shorter and neerer cut through Thrace and Macedonie was the first of the two that came into Albanie and was there a great deale sooner then Iagup the armie which Ballaban had with him onely exceeded aboue foure and twentie thousand horsemen besides foure thousand that serued on foote Let vs now turne our speech to the Generall of the Christians and let vs see a litle with what diligence and with what preparations he prouided to feast these his guestes who had bidden themselues in so great a companie without being inuited by him For you must vnderstand that Arnauth who went the other way had with him also sixteene thousand horse at the least Ballaban had no sooner taken the fielde but that Scanderbeg had as speedie intelligence of his comming both by letters written to him of purpose as also by his espyals of whom he kept a good number continually dispersed in all parts of the Turke his country and euen within the cabinet if I may so speake of the tyrant by occasion whereof he caused a speedy leauy to be made of eight thousand horse and fourethousand footmen with as great silence and secrecie as was possible with them he held himselfe in a readinesse being fully prepared both in courage and in armes to receiue the Barbarian Who being at length arriued within the frontiers of Epyre the Albanian Prince determined to go visite him purposing to make an end of that matter and to trie his fortune first with him before that Arnauth should be able to come and ioine with him for feare least being assayled all at one time with two so puissant enemies he should not be able to make head against them and so might his enemies haue their desire of him And without all doubt I doe not thinke that it would haue fallen out any otherwise if the plot laid by the Paynim had sorted to his effect But the diuine prouidence which gouerneth and ruleth all things according to his owne will and pleasure had a speciall care to the affaires of the Christians and of Scanderbeg And he would not permit that he which of so ardent a zeale and so sincere and entire an affection did daily expose and aduenture his life and did incessantly labor trauell for the preseruation of the Catholike faith shold so ignominiously traiterously be surprised vanquished or oppressed Ballaban therefore hauing passed ouer Thrace and Macedonie was now encamped in the plaine of Valcala wherefore Scanderbeg hauing knowledge by the fauour and benefite of the darke he caused his troupes to march in great secrecie directly towardes him and sent before him three souldiers such as he thought most aduised and best accustomed to that office to discouer and take a viewe of the enemies campe and to obserue their countenance with an expresse commaundement that assoone as they had seene and considered all things they should not faile to returne vnto him presently and to make report vnto him what they had learned One of these three souldiers as some say was of kinne to Ballaban or at leastwise was before corrupted And he had wonne his companions likewise promising them in the behalfe of Ballaban great summes of golde and siluer the which we see doth daily worke miracles in the mindes of mortall men especially such as are greedily set vpon the desire of worldly riches These three then went on directly to the Mahometan and reuealed vnto him all the secret counsels and enterprises of Scanderbeg The Prince of Epyre hauing his thoughtes continually vppon his scoutes did for a while expect and looke for them but seeing that they stayed ouer long and came not againe he was in a doubt least some misaduenture had befallen them and that they had beene intercepted by the enemie Himselfe therefore as he was alwayes
themselues assailed endammaged on all sides both in front and in flancke and in their rereward so that the slaughter began now also to grow vpon the Asappi who made litle and no resistaunce For the most part of them the night before had absented themselues from their ensignes and were licentiously dispersed all ouer the fieldes and there lay some of them still wallowing vpon the ground ouercome with sleepe and trauell and the rest which were then present in the battell being wearied with their late trauell and with ouerwatching being a tender and soft kind of people and ill able to endure the heate of the yeare and hard trauell scarce could they abide their armes vpon their backes For the sunne being then at the highest made them in that case that partly with extreme heate and partly with thirst their enemies found them as men halfe dead and they fell into their hands by heapes to be taken or slaine at their pleasures Ballaban who had oftentimes purchased great honour and commendation in the like battelles in this iourney behaued himselfe more nobly then in any other whatsoeuer For partly by encouraging his men in the fight and partly also by hazarding his person to all daungers one while egging and pressing them forward another while blaming and rebuking those that were backward and sometimes by recalling of such as fled he did for a long time maintaine the fight well and worthely still animating his souldiours and renuing the conflict in many places where he saw his people to waxe faint and to giue ouer At the last when he sawe that the fortune of the field did encline to the Epirots and that he could no longer sustaine their violence he chaunged his resolution and setting spurres to his horse he turned his backe and withdrew himselfe from the fight of the Christians After him their whole armie did the like for perceiuing their rancks to be scattered disordered euery man began to flie some here some there ouer the fieldes into the mountaines and through the woods according as ech man his fortune good or bad did guide and direct him Some fewe there were who following their Generall escaped together with him and got away from the swordes of their enemies and from the slaughter of their fellowes All the rest of the Barbarians were either slaine or taken prisoners and if it happened that any were gotten free from the furie and confusion of the chase yet were they cut in peeces by those that kept the toppes and passages of the mountaines in so much that of the whole hoast and armie of Ballaban there were verie fewe left aliue As for those small reliques which remained they were not in any sort pursued because there was a sudden rumour and report that there was a newe and fresh enemie comming against them Scarce were the Christians departed out of the valley of Valcala and the souldiers had not yet made an ende of parting and deuiding the spoyles of their slayne enemies but that there came a messenger from Mamisa the Kings sister in poast haste from Petrella where this Ladie then lay with her guard and her housholde by whom she aduertised Scanderbeg that Iagup Arnauth with sixteene thousand horse was entred into Epyre by the way of Belgrade where he wasted and destroyed all things and that he was then encamped in the lower Tyranna neere adioyning to a riuer which the inhabitants name Argilat This Turke was an Epyrot by birth and his parents were both of them Christians himselfe hauing beene taken and circumcised by the Turkes did professe their superstitions He was a man of great hardinesse and valure and in times past both in Asia and in Greece had left many goodly and commendable testimonies of his prowes vnder Mahomet His comming into Epyre was as we haue saide to enclose the Prince of Albanie betweene his forces and the armie of his companion for one of his owne souldiers hauing beene taken by the people of Mamisa and being examined vpon the cause and motiue to this voyage had confessed the same and did iustifie the truth hereof vnto them Presently vpon this aduertisement Scanderbeg concluded to goe with his whole armie dirctly to Tiranna which being now in a readinesse to march he thought it good before his departure thus to encourage his souldiers This day my good souldiers and friendes haue we obtained by the assistance of the diuine power a most memorable victorie according to our hearts desire against our capitall and deadly enemie Such was his rashnesse vnhappie man that he presumed to enclose vs in the middest betweene two puissant and mightie armies and so most traiterously to haue destroyed and oppressed vs and he was in good hope by this notable draught and plot which he had deuised to abolish and wipe away his owne shame and infamie and the memorie of those rude discomfitures which he had receiued at our handes Now by the grace of God and your vertue in stead of diminishing his shame and ignominie he hath made it a great deale greater Yet behold how euen now againe before our hands be cleane or that we haue made an ende of this last repaste and before that the cloth as I may say is taken away see I pray you how Iagup Arnauth a noble and bountifull banquettour is come to inuite vs to a new banquet because he would haue vs to make an end of our feast and being loath that his guestes should be defrauded of good and conuenient entertainment he hath brought vs his armie also for a second course see I say my deare frends how before we are gotten out of this valley and haue as it were washed our hands embrued with the bloud of our enemies before we haue wiped the bloud off our swords or haue sheathed them in our scabbords Iagup is likewise come vnto vs he offreth vs good and friendly presents that is his troupes and squadrons that you may vse and dispose of them at your pleasures either to take a taste of them or else altogether to deuoure and consume them Go we therfore my good companions go we to this mariage feast whereunto Iagup doth inuite vs and doth so earnestly call vs let vs eate our fill of his dainties when we shall haue gluttted our selues let vs carry some part also away with vs. Let vs make all speed and diligence to be gone from hence let vs goe and meet with Iagup whom I dare assure you we will quickely ouerthrow and bring to confusion for these are but a handfull of men in comparison of those that were with Ballaban besides me thinkes I see that the warlike furie and the martiall fiercenesse of your courages doth yet continue burning and flaming within you Scarcely had Scanderbeg ended his speech but he might see his souldiers wonderfully incensed and inflamed all of them with high cries and clamours entreated him to leade them presently to this second banquet whereupon being full
of hope and courage they remoued their campe and with ensignes displaied tooke their way towards Tiranna there to affront and encounter with Iagup Is it not a straunge matter to see and consider the maruellous audacitie and the confident resolution of this people that being but newly gotten out of so great a daunger and their woundes yet scarce staunched and the sweat of their former toyle and labour yet scant wiped off their faces yet you should now see them thus prompt and forward to depart presently and out of hand against a new enemie and one that had so great a puissance whole forces which were yet fresh sound and entire But you may thinke that they were not a litle hardened and emboldened by the presence and happie fortune of Scanderbeg by his sage experience and prudent conduct and by the consideration of his inuincible valour and prowes In like manner the daily exercise and continuall frequentation of deeds of armes by this nation did not a litle encrease that confidence in them and besides what reason had they to stand in any feare of the Turkish power and puissance which had bene the ordinarie and continuall subiect of their glory reputation Notwithstanding to speake more like a Christian and to coniecture aright of this their wonderfull resolution hardines I for my part do verily beleeue the issue and euent of matters doth argue no lesse and that this was a thing meerely diuine and miraculous But to our historie Arnauth being enformed that Scanderbeg did approch trussed vp baggage and dislodged from thence being not as yet acquainted nor knowing any thing of the misfortune of his companion and he retired himselfe into one of the most recuiled angles and corners of Tiranna neare vnto a litle mountainet or hill vppon the which was a certaine small village of the inhabitaunts named Cassar which place he found to be of most safetie and securitie to encampe in Scanderbeg seized vppon that place from whence the other was lately departed During all that day both the campes lay verie quiet Howbeit true it is that the Albanois did passe the night following in great care and iealouzie for feare least that Iagup and his armie should discampe the same night if by chaunce he should haue any inckling of the defait of Ballaban For this cause all the waies and passages were seized vpon and beset with armed men The next morning assoone as the sunne was risen and that the reflection of the sunne beames did beate vpon the tents and eyes of the Barbarians Scanderbeg being verie considerate and hauing no doubt of the victorie marched in order of battell directly towardes Iagup causing the heades of certaine slaine Turkes to be cast before the tentes of the Infidelles and some of those ensignes also to be displayed which had bene purposely kept and reserued after the defaite of Ballaban and he shewed them also certaine captiues chained and tyed together Arnauth being wounded with extreame griefe and sorrow for this vnexpected mishappe and misfortune presently exclaimed and saied Now quoth he do I acknowledge the misfortune of the house of Ottoman and the good fortune of Scanderbeg The King of Albanie sent foorth 500 vauntcurrours to draw foorth Iagup to the combat and he charged them not to ioyne in fight with the Infidell but when they should see them to breake out vpon them that then they should retire in good order and so it happened accordingly Iagup had deuided his armie into three troupes or battallions and he was quickly gotten out of his trenches to follow after the Albanian horsemen vnto whom Scanderbeg calling and willing them to turne about and to make head against the enemie in an instant he ioyned himselfe vnto them and all of them together endured the shocke of the Paynim comming fiercely vpon them Then there began a most sharpe and cruell conflict at the verie entrie whereof many a braue man lost his life both on the one side and the other and ech partie was so incensed and egerly enflamed against other with such rage and choller that the battell continued doubtfull and bloudie for a long time but the wonted stratageme and accustomed policie of Scanderbeg did soone end and determine the combat and the inequalitie of the parties came to be discerned by the speedie ende and slaughter of the Generall Turke vpon whom the Prince of Epire hauing had a continuall eye and hauing by pure force made himselfe way through the rancks of his enemies he charged him with his launce and at the verie first stroke ran him cleane through the throat Their Chieftaine being layed on the ground euerie man striued who should flie fastest they that were best mounted were most happie in this daunger euerie man forgot his brother his friend and his companion and happie was he that could make shift for himselfe The chase continued long and it was verie mortall infinite being put to the sword in the middest of their flight many also were taken prisoners all which found like fortune and entertainment for that the Christians hauing yet fresh in memorie the late woundes and the barbarous and inhumaine vsage of their brethren and kinsmen murthered by Mahomet the griefe and remembrance therof made them to execute all their prisoners with diuerse and sundry kinds of torments And especially those Turkes who being escaped from the tumult and slaughter of the battell did happen aliue into the hands of the peysants they found no better entertainement but were put to all the tortures and torments that could be possibly deuised or imagined It was neuer seene that of two armies at one and the same time and in one and the same warre that the King of Epire had put to the sword so many miscreants Besides by the mishap of both their Generals of whom the one was fled with the losse of his armie and the other was slaine and all his troupes likewise destroyed it seemed that the misfortune of Belgrade was now equally sufficiently recompenced There were slaine of the Infidels foure and twentie thousand and sixe thousand taken prisoners with an incredible bootie of prey and pillage especially of golde and siluer Besides there were about foure thousand Christians set free and deliuered from the seruitude of the Turkes who being laborours and other inhabitaunts of the plaine countrey had bene taken by the Infidels in many courses and roades which they had made vpon the Prouince which was some comfort for the dolorous losse receiued at the streights of Valcala In these two iourneies for you must not thinke they were gotten without bloud there were missing about 1000. Christians and the victors themselues were so satiated and wearied with killing and slaughtering of the Turkes that when it was reported vnto Scanderbeg the next morning how that Ballaban was fled and retyred with one onely companie of horse and without any Ensignes and without any good order and that if there
and the night following about two houres after euening they presented themselues before the towne enuironning it on all sides round about Ballaban Badera had the conduct and commaund of these troupes amounting to the number of foure score thousand horse all picked and choise men This enemy hauing entrenched and fortified his Campe did daily skirmishe with the Croians who made many and often sallies out vpon the Turkes the euent and successe whereof was very variable and diuerse During these doings betweene the forces of Ballaban and the besieged the Sultan being accompanied with the grosse or body of his maine army arriued before Croy and before that he attempted any thing against the towne according to the vse and custome of warre he caused the same to be summoned vppon certaine offers and conditions The defendants gaue him such aunswer as men resolute are wont to make namely that they would sooner be torne in pieces then to commit any acte that should sound to their reproch or that might violate and chaunge their faith giuen to God and to their Prince or that should blemish the honour and reputation which they had gotten in his seruice and with their musquets harguebusse other shot they made signe vnto them that they would not haue them to approch neare the towne and immediatly issuing out with great furie vpon the Infidels they came to handystrokes with them not without a notable slaughter of the Turks and afterward returned ioyfully into the towne carying with them in signe of victorie many of the heads of these enemies Mahomet being incensed with this brauado caused his Canons to be planted and to play against the walles For he had brought thither aboundance of metals to cast artillery of all sizes and he had prouided him selfe of expert and skilfull workemen in the making of all kindes of warlike engines wherewith he determined to thunder against Croy and meant to make them sing another song But Scanderbeg with his troupes sometimes here sometimes there by the mountaine and other places out of the reach and accesse of the enemy did daily vexe and trouble the army of the Infidels not suffering them to haue any space or time to breath or to rest themselues but was continually at their backes on all sides giuing them a thousand alarums and inuasions day and night without any intermission one while vpon their foragers and another while vppon their Campe. And like as a mighty riuer Iwelling and raging with continuall raine doth role and tumble downe most impetuously from the tops of the mountaines carying and drawing along with it whatsoeuer it encountreth and turning all things vpside downe which it findeth in the way in like maner Scanderbeg rushing with extreame fury violence vpon the Turkish hoast now of one side then of another he did commit notable slaughters of the infidelles beating them downe on all handes and afflicting them with all kindes of mischieues and discommodities which was an occasion that the Ottoman thought it high time to looke to his affaires both in regard of the calamity of his people which seemed likely to encrease dayly more and more as also in respect of his owne person which might be in euident and apparant daunger by reason that he had no hope nor likelihood to get any profit or honour by this voyage for that Croy was so far from being forceable that it could not conueniently be made assaultable and therefore he determined not to make any longer abode before the towne but to retire backe againe to Constantinople Notwithstanding for that he could not do it with any honestie nor without great blemish of his honour and reputation if at the least wise he left not behinde him some shew or token of some worthy exploit in this voyage he determined that Ballaban should continue and hold on the siege with a strong and mightie armie ouer which he made him Generall he appointed therefore vnto him a power of eighteen thousand horse and fiue thousand foote and besides he adioyned vnto him eight Saniackes of great account and estimate giuing vnto each of them a regiment of seuen thousand good and tall souldiours all which neuerthelesse were commanded to take and acknowledge him for their chief to be at his commandement These things thus concluded and accomplished Mahomet with shame enough after his short stay trussing vp his baggage in the night time lest Croy and with long iourneys tooke his way home to Constantinople In his passage through the countrey he surprised certaine people of Chaonia and certaine places called Chidna in this manner He suborned two souldiours Albanians promising to make them great men and to aduaunce them to high honour whom he sent with instructions to lye and to tell them of Chidna that they were come from Croy purposly to aduertise their friends to wish them to looke vnto thē selues for feare least being ignorant of the lamentable and desperate estate of the prouince they might peraduenture be the cause of their owne ruine and destruction if they would carie themselues with too much obstinacie towardes the Turkish Monarch for that Scanderbeg as they made them beleeue durst not abide the face of the Ottoman nor the furie of his armes which were so terrible that they made him to play least in sight and that it was verely thought that he had abandoned forsaken Epyre for which cause Croy also seeing it selfe without hope of succours was now vpon termes to yeeld vpon composition to Ballaban who pressed it very hard with a wōderfull streight siege that Mahomet for his part was now disloged from Croy with part of his armie to reduce all the prouince vnder his obeissance and that there was scant any place or fortresse of account but that they were at his deuotion that therefore they should looke to them selues and that they should do well to imitate their example chusing rather to take the benefit of his clemencie singular loue towards them which yeelded them selues voluntarily then to tast the extreme rigour of the warre and the miserie of bondage and seruitude reserued for those persons which should be founde rebellious and obstinat so well did these traiterous wretches play their parts so vehemently did their perswasiōs worke with those poore people being too too credulous that as it is ordinarily seene that the vulgar sort do follow that side which they thinke to haue the best fortune so these vnhappy folkes at the first summons made by the Sultan vpon his fayre and smooth promises of entire and free libertie of conscience and of their goodes fraunchises and immunities did simply yeeld them selues by the enticements of these false Synons to the faith and fidelitie of the Turke which they found to be such as is vsuall with one that maketh publique profession of periurie impietie and disloyaltie for which most monstrous and inhumane crueltie he caused eight thousand of them to be put
deuoide of all pittie and were so mightily giuen to bloud-thirstinesse and crueltie but that all of them ought rather to passe vnder the edge of the sworde Of the same opinion were the most part of the assembly especially Paul Angell the Archbishoppe who propounded and set before his eyes the example of Iulius Caesar who in times past hauing in those very marches broken and defeated the Pompeyans did pursue them euen to the last extreamitie that he also ought not to forsake his owne good fortune which oftentimes when she seeth her selfe not to be liuely and roundly followed turneth her selfe with a contrarie byas to fauour those vppon whom she before frowned And many other reasons did he alleage to that effect Scanderbeg replyed vnto them in this manner I knowe right well most worthie and valiant Epyrots and my fellowe souldiers and I haue alreadie had good experience of your singular valure your notable resolution and the greatnesse of your courage whereby you haue alwayes terrified and discomfited your enemies and I doe not thinke but that euen now also you haue both the courage and the power to breake to trample vnder your feete the reliques and remainders of these amazed Infidels Neuerthelesse gentle warriours it behoueth vs often to bethinke our selues and to call to minde that sage sentence of the wise man That it is the part and propertie of fooles to wish for a tempest in fayre and calme weather but it is the guise and fashion of them that are wise to seeke by all meanes howe to remedie and auoide it when the time and necessitie doe presse them to it It hath pleased our good God without bloud without fight without murther to sende vs the victorie euen from heauen the citie is deliuered the siege is raysed Ballaban our capitall and mortall aduersarie is nowe laide dead vppon the ground his armie is fledde we our selues are in rest and quiet and all thinges doe seeme to smyle and fawne vpon vs wherefore then should we seeke to haue warte wherefore should we desire our owne torment why should we tempt fortune that is so blinde and variable you are not ignorant my good friendes that any fault or errour committed in the warre is irreparable and vnpossible to be amended In other businesses and affaies if a man be forgetfull of anything it may be amended and corrected but the ouersightes of martiall matters and of battels are past all hope of recouerie or amends This is the reason why those auncients and thrice renowmed Captaines did not so much esteeme and set by those armies which were great and populous as those which were well gouerned with good order and discipline For the successe of battels is doubtfull the issue of warres is vncertaine and doth not depend of our hande and industrie but of the power and disposition of fortune An enemie is alwayes to be redoubted neuer to be despised neuer to be disesteemed and more then that when the warre is ended when the victorie is obtained yet is there no lesse diligence euen then to be vsed then was at the verie first beginning of the same and we must not any time rashly and vnaduisedly come to the fight or combat with our enemie Wherefore if we should desire to aduenture the chaunce of warre and to trie the fortune of the fielde with this enemie which is now before vs we shall endaunger and put in hazarde which God defend our owne safetie and our estate which now God be thanked are in good case and securitie Refraine therefore this ardent and burning feruentnesse of your courages let the victorie which we haue alreadie gotten suffice and content vs we haue had manie and great triumphes vppon our enemies and you ought to holde your selues satisfied with so many murthers with so many ouerthrowes giuen them and with the manifolde fauours of fortune which hath hitherto so gratiously fawned vpon you Moreouer you see that the troupes of the Barbarians are excessiue and in a manner innumerable they are not of the baser and rascall sort of people collected and gathered at aduentures but they are the flower and strength of all the Turkish forces chosen men stout expert ready prouided prepared to fight armed with necessitie which of all weapons is the most extreame and daungerous and they desire not nor seeke after any thing else but battell eyther to reuenge the death of their Generall or to carrie home vnto their Soueraigne the report of some notable and worthie exploit This their offer of rendering themselues is but coulorable and feigned beleeue me it is but dissimulation and they doe make a semblance onely of feare and terrour I am well acquainted with their cunning draughts and disguisements I know that this is nothing but one of their subtill sleights and guilefull policies wherein these men more then in any thing else doe make singular profession Assure your selues they desire nothing so much as to come to fight with you and to be reuenged wherefore if we be wise let vs keepe our selues from them let vs not trouble them But let it be that they doe not intende anie malice nor anie deceipt against vs yet they are enraged they are desperate their shame and ignominie doth presse them on against vs being affraide of all thinges they feare nothing Nothing is so perillous as to set vppon men whose safetie consisteth in being desperate and without hope of safetie He commonly fighteth and combatteth outragiously who hath no comfort left him who relyeth not vppon hope of anie thing And what if we doe put them all to the sworde what if we make them to betake themselues to flight yet cannot this be done without your dammage without your losse without your bloud without the expence and cost of many of your liues how then can such a victorie be otherwise to me then ruefull and lamentable Wherefore my louing and good souldiers if you will beleeue me if you will be counselled and aduised by me be you assured we will haue them all at our mercie without fight without vsing swords or weapon against them For they are in great want of all thinges especially of bread which fayling and being not to be gotten an armie is easily vanquished without fighting Let vs shut vppe all the wayes and passages so that no succours nor victuall may not by any meanes come vnto them let vs newly fortifie and stuffe our towne with a good and strong garrison and let vs furnish it with all sortes of munitions for the prouision of many yeares so shall we see that these our enemies being shut vp and besieged within our confines shall all perish and die miserably of pure famine and hunger And we shall see them vtterly ouerthrowen and destroyed without sword without armes and without bloudshed Some there were who shewed themselues well pleased with this oration and did allow of Scanderbeg his perswasions but others would not be satisfied therewith
especially the common sort of souldiers who being growen more fierce and audacious against the enemy beganne to make a great noise not without some tumult and vproare enclyning to a mutinie on all parts within the campe of the Christians crying out aloft with a loud voice that they ought to march on directly and presently and to go seeke out the Turkes who were alreadie vanquished and discomfited That it was not expedient in this matter to yeelde vnto the motion of Scanderbeg who shewed himselfe to be growen fearefull and faint-hearted considering that of a most fierce and furious combatant and who had neuer refused any occasion of fighting in open and plaine battell he was now become a fearefull temporizer and would seeme to disswade them from armes who were borne and bredde to followe armes and whose onely desire was to be doing with their enemies that nowe the Generall did faile and was wanting to the souldiers and not the souldiers to their Generall Thus the heate and vehemencie of the Epyrots was scarce repressed and withhâ—lde by the Captaines and masters of the campe till such time as it was generally concluded and agreed that assoone as Croy was prouided and fortified with all necessaries they should haue free libertie to pursue the Infidels and to force their campe Wherefore Scanderbeg calling vnto him the two Turkish messengers gaue them this aunswere That they should goe and tell their companions that as they came into that countrie without his commaundement so should they not for his part be commaunded to returne from thence Now in this meane time the King of Epyre had sent and dispatched away certaine forces to gaine and shut vp the passages from the Barbarians whilest that the residue of the Christian troupes by the order and direction of their Captaines did goe to the riuer of Isme where certaine vessels lay at an ancker charged and loaden with corne meale salt-meates and biscuit and did vnlade all bringing it on lande in such sort that in three dayes Croie was well and sufficiently reuictualled for sixe yeares space at the least Whilest euerie man was thus busied and intentiuely occupyed in this worke and that euerie one did set forward and hasten this prouision to the vttermost of his power beholde newes were brought vnto Scanderbeg that the verie same night about the second watch when that men are in their soundest and deepest sleepe hunger and necessitie which worketh masteries beyonde all impossibilitie had pressed the Turkes to dislodge secretly from Tyranna and with the hazard of their liues to make way for themselues by force and to open the passages which were defended against them by the Scanderbegians Howbeit they could not doe it so closely but that those souldiers which had the guarde and custodie of the passages and the inhabitants of the country ioyned together with them did maintaine a long and obstinate conflict with the Infidels who with the slaughter of a great number of their companions and the losse of the most part of their baggage did at length by their swordes make way through the middest and in despight of their enemies When Scanderbeg his armie heard thereof it cannot be expressed how extremely they were aggrieued and displeased at the matter for their murmuring and muttering against Scanderbeg did sufficiently testifie the greatnesse of their discontentment imputing the whole blame thereof to him as if this euasion and escape of the enemie had beene by his default only But he pacified and appeased them both with his bountifull gifts and with gratious speeches and more then that to content them the better he caused them immediatly to take armes and to march with Ensignes displayed into the fielde where he gaue them the spoyles of those other Turkes and Infidels which were found in garrison within Chaonia other places of Epyre not suffering any one of them to escape but that they were either slaine or taken being spoyled and stripped out of all Thus hauing purged and clensed the Prouince of this vermine and hauing settled all things in good and peaceable order euery man returned to his owne quarter loaden with the spoyles of the Barbarians and with many commendations presentes and great thankes giuen them by the King of Albanie The affaires of Epyre thus standing in sufficient good and flourishing estate we will now leaue them for a while and turne our discourse to the Turkish Monarch to shew vnto you the griefe and displeasure which he conceiued in his haughtie and great stomacke aswell for the death of Ballaban and the dishonourable and shamefull flight of his armie as also for that the siege of Croie was raised to the great glorie and aduantage of the Christians For he did so vnmeasurably afflict and passionate himselfe with the conceipt hereof that he could not take any rest nor eate nor drinke but that still day night his spirit thoughts were troubled beating his braine deuising with himselfe how he might deface and abolish the blot of this shame and ignominy and take some notable reuenge vppon Scanderbeg In the ende his deliberation was once againe to returne himselfe in proper person and with more puissant forces into Epyre that by his presence he might giue the more grace maiestie to the enterprise Hereof Scanderbeg being speedily infourmed made no delay to prepare for the receiuing of him with all the best meanes and preparations that he could possibly make he gaue the Princes Seigniors and peoples his confederates to vnderstand of the purpose and intent of the Turke willing them to be in a readinesse against such time as he should send vnto them and he made good prouision of all kinde of munition victuals and all other necessaries in all his strong holdes and fortresses in such sort that they needed not to be affraide of any thing that the Turke could attempt against them The yeare being past and spent in these preparations on both partes now beganne the spring to come on which being a time wherein all things beginne to budde and grow pleasant to the eye and most fit and conuenient for warlike voyages and expeditions Mahomet had deferred his iourney to that season and accordingly assoone as he saw the time to serue he tooke his iourney with infinite troupes engines and instruments for assault of all sortes and with an incredible number of expert workemen and artificers for this end and purpose which I will shew you Being come to a certaine large and wide plaine commonly called Saura he determined there to abide and soiourne for a while and he encampèd his armie neere to the riuer of Scombin within the signiorie or principalitie of Aryamnites Comynat father in lawe to Scanderbeg During the time of his abode in that place the Sultan did employ not onely his artificers and workemen but a great part also of his souldiers about the repayring or reedefying of the towne of Valmes which at this present the
daye and by night and the slaughters and butcheries which he committed vpon them were notable and wonderfull insomuch that Mahomet perceiuing the small profit which he was like to purchase by this enterprise was glad to leaue the pursuite thereof and to reserue himselfe to some other exploit which might be more for his honour and aduantage Wherefore raising his campe from before Croie he bent his course towardes a certaine place lying on the coast of the Adriatique sea or gulfe of Venice not farre from Duras now called the head of Redoni where Scanderbeg had begunne of late to build a towne which he called Chiurill The Barbarian finding it without inhabitants and vnfinished did raze it from the verie foundation From thence he went forwarde purposing to destroy certaine peoples subiect to Scanderbeg but the armie of the Christians did followe him so close at the heeles coasting him continually wheresoeuer he went and sometimes by day sometimes by night would he charge and set vpon him one while in the taile another while in the flanck and many times in the front and head of his armie that he tooke from him all occasions and meanes to profit himselfe in that countrey yea the inhabitants themselues dwelling in the forrestes and mountaines did so annoy and molest him afflicting him with infinite mischieues slaughters and discommodities that being in vtter dispaire of doing any good vpon the Prouince he returned backe againe to Constantinople more confounded and full of despight and griefe then he was at his comming foorth Neuerthelesse the Ottoman was no sooner remooued out of Epire but because he would keepe the Christians still in breath he sent two of his chiefe Captaines men of great renowme and reckoning Alibeg Aiasbeg with an armie of 28000. Turks willing them onely to looke to the safetie and defence of his owne frontiers and not to stirre or to offer any warlike violence vpon the country of the Christians Assoone as they were come and had setled themselues vppon their borders they fell to their wonted cunning and practises sending vnto Scanderbeg secretly and vnder hand certaine presents of great value and estimate in hope to draw him to haue some amity and friendship with them and to make him secure and negligent The King of Albanie though he were an olde Courtier and had bene well acquainted with these kindes of dealings so as he could not be ouerreached nor deceiued by their sottish deuises yet he was content to accept of their presents and he sent vnto them backe againe others of no lesse value in counter chaunge of those which they had giuen him And this was all that was done betweene them because he was too cleare sighted and too circumspect for them to go beyond him For notwithstanding these priuate courtesies and kindnesses past betweene him and them Scanderbeg was minded to keepe them doing and therefore caused a generall muster and leauie of men to be made throughout all his dominions purposing to get againe from the Turkes the towne of Valmes which had bene lately built and edified by Mahomet But such was the will and pleasure of the cruell destinies that being detained with a grieuous maladie he was constrained to desist from his attempt For after he had reuisited all partes and quarters of his realme and had caused a generall enrollment to be made of all such able men as were fit to doe him seruice and to beare armes for the safetie and defence of his estate he came to the citie of Lissa which being vnder the siegniorie and gouernment of the Venetians he had euer loued and most dearely affected where being determined to haue called a councell and assembly of all the Princes and Lordes of the league he was suddenly taken with a strong and violent feauer and the force of this disease encreasing euerie day more then other he imagined that his last end began now to approach wherefore being in doubt least that death which is ineuitable should take him away before he had disposed and set in order his affaires he prayed the saied Princes and Lordes his confederates to enter into his bed-chamber together with the Ambassadours of the Siegniorie of Venice and his chiefe Captaines and officers of his campe vnto whom he framed his speech in this manner The soueraigne and chiefest vertue and the true and most perfect religion most worthie Princes and you my beloued companions in my opinion is this First to reuerence to serue and to adore God most high and omnipotent in iustice sanctitie and pietie and next not onely to loue deerely and to haue a continuall care and regard of the good and benefit of our countrie but if neede be to spend euen our liues and to shed our best bloud for the preseruation and safetie of the same for to all such as behaue themselues in that sort by the opinion of them that are wise there is a speciall and peculiar place reserued aloft in the highest heauens For my part with what singular desire and affection I haue alwaies sought and embraced these things how all my thoughts haue continually bene bent and emploied vpon them and how I haue endeuored al my forces and to the vttermost of my power to attaine vnto them First God himselfe can witnes it with me and next all of you my good friends can well testifie The three and twentieth yeare is now past and expired since that I escaped out of the impure handes of wicked Amurath King of the Turkes and that I fledde into this realme beeing the auncient patrimonie and inheritaunce of my auncestours euer since that time haue I helde and endured the warres against a most periured and faithlesse nation and against the rage and furie of the Ottomans for the particular safetie and defence of our crowne and kingdome and for the dignitie of the publike estate and weale of Christendome in all which time by the grace and fauour of the diuine clemencie we haue had most happie and fortunate successe according to our hearts desire and you neuer yet saw me returne either vanquished or repulsed in true and set battell But if I may speake it lawfully I had alwaies the aduantage vpon the enemie and I doe not remember that I was euer hurt or wounded but only once when being shot with an arrow in my right foote by a Turke yet did I presently kill him euen in the head and front of the enemie and threw downe his bloudie head at your feete But now according to the ordinarie course of humane things in the three score and third yeare of my age olde age being growen vpon me seized with a grieuous sicknesse and destitute of all my wonted strength and corporall forces Beholde my good friends behold my deare companions how I now beginne to waxe feeble and by litle and litle I goe the way of all flesh I perceiue my friends I see well that it is the will and pleasure of
355 14 Encouraging them against the French in Apulia 411 15 Before the battell of Valcala 453. 24 16 Before the second battell of Valcala 463 17 Being ready to marche against Iagup 466 18 Dissuading them from pursuing the Turkes after the reliefe of Croy. 483 Order obserued by the Turkes in the deuision of their armies 139 Ordinaunce cast for the battery of Croy. 211. the authours exclamation against the inuention thereof 255 Originall and antiquitie of the townes in Epyre. 30. of the Turkes 55. of the city of Duras 487 Oronichea a place in the vpper Dibria III. 358 Ottoman the surname of the great Turke 4 P Paleologus brethren Thomas and Demetrius Lords of Peloponnesus but depriued therof by Mahomet 426 Pandolphel Alop a Neapolitane Count the paramour of Ione Queene of Naples beheaded 397. Parliament of all the Lordes and Princes of Epire to consult with Scanderbeg for the warre against the Turkes 44. 45 Parthinia now called Praese a towne in Epyre her originall 208. was ruinated by Iulius Caesar ibidem Passages of Abruzza freed by Ferdinand and Scanderbeg 412 Paul Angell Archbishop of Duras a neere friend to Scanderbeg 408. his discent vertues 436 he commeth as Ambassadour from the Venetians to Scanderbeg 437. he is one of Scanderbegs chiefest Councellors 473 Paul Ducagin his religiousnesse 46. his praises and commendations 69 Paul Manassey 120. rewarded by Scanderbeg for killing of Caragusa 122. assayled by the Turkes 124 Paul Troylus Bouchardes 318 Paysants of Albany surprised by the Turkes 362 Peace betwene Amurath and the Hungarians 40. betwene Mahomet and Scanderbeg 435. violated ibidem betwene Scanderbeg and the Venetians 127. 128 Peloponnesus or Morea a countrie in Greece the commendation thereof 426. vide Morea Peneropole or Persair a towne in Thrace 69 Pera or Galata a citie neere to Constantinople 315 voluntarily yeelded to Mahomet 333 Periurie see Infidelitie and crueltie Peter Dusmam Lord of the Peonians Pelagonians and Sardicians people of Epire. 47 Peter Lewes Borgias nephew to Pope Eugenius is a competitor with Ferdinand for the kingdome of Naples 388 Peter Perlat goueruour of Sfetigrade 137. his prouidence and prudence 149. his good deserts for the defence of Sfetigrade 188. he is rewarded by Scanderbeg and made an Abbot ibidem Peter Span or Spaniard and his sonnes 47. he aydeth the Venetians against Scanderdeg 96 Petralba a towne in Epire and the description thereof 29. yeelded to Scanderbeg 30 Petrella besieged by Scanderbeg and yeelded by the Turkes 28. the situation thereof ibid. Phare a tower and lanterne at the entrie into the hauen of Constantinople 315 Philip Prince of Tarentum the fourth sonne of Charles the second king of Hungarie 389 Picenin Generall of an armie for Duke Iohn of Aniow against Ferdinand 405. he moueth parlie with Scanderbeg 413. his dishonest practise against Scanderbeg 414. which discouered he is challenged by Scanderbeg 415. he dislodgeth secretly ibid. his praise and commendation 420. his pitifull death and end 421 Piec Manuell 146. 363. 449. he is Lieutenant to Scanderbeg in the battell of Valcala 463 Plombine in Thuscan besieged by Alphonsus 344 Poast sent by Sebalias to certifie the Belgradians of succours 292 Poasts of Turkie what their order is ibid. Policie of Count Picenin 413. of Ione the second Queene of Naples 398. of Perlat within Sfetigrade 151 Policie and prudence of Amurath before Sfetigrade 158 Policie of Scanderbeg in causing counterfeit letters to be written to the gouernor of Croy for the deliuerie of the towne to him 18. in marching with his armie 163. in giuing a canuazado to the Turkish armie before Croy. 221. in a set battell to aime at the death of the enemies Generall 272 Policie vsed by the Turkes to oppresse the Christians 232. vsed by the Turkes vvithin Sfetigrade 201 Pologue a countrie in Epire or a part of Macedonie and Bulgarie 3. the description thereof 268. 269. Pope Calixtus the fourth claimeth the kingdome of Naples by escheate 388 Pope Pius the second perswadeth the Christians to make a voiage against the Turkes 442. his birth death and commendation 449. 450 Port S. Roman at Constantinople 316 Port imperiall at Constantinople 319 Poysoning and a strange kind thereof 396 Praier of Scanderbeg going to the aide of Ferdinand 409 Precepts of Scanderbeg for his sonne comprehending the institution of a Prince 493 Priests their diuerse orders and estates in the Turkish religion 5 Princes of Tarent Beseignan and Salerne with others rebell against Ferdinand 405 Princes and Nobles of Naples partakers with Ferdinand ibidem Prisoners Christians taken at Belgrade 301. put to extreame torments 310. beheaded by Mahomet 321 Prisoners Turkes feasted by Scanderbeg 264 Prisoners Venetians freely set at libertie by Scanderbeg 107 Prognostications foreshewing the future greatnes of Scanderbeg 3. foreshewing the great slaughter in the battell betwene Scanderbeg and Isaac Bassa 363 Prophesies foreshewing the ruine of Constantinople 336 Prouerbe 399. 340 Prouerbe vsed by Scanderbeg 190 Prouerbe of Princes children 252 Prouidence and care of Scanderbeg to preuent surprises 236. 456 Prouidence of Amesa in the warres 361 Punishment inflicted vpon spies 149 Pyramet king of Caramania ouercome by Mahomet 426 Q Quarrell betwene two priuate souldiers for their bootie 373 Question betweene Musache and a Turke his prisoner decided by Scanderbeg 274 R Ragusa the description thereof 407 Rebellion of Amesa against Scanderbeg 349. of Moses Goleme against Scanderbeg 302. of the Neapolitans against Ferdinand 404 Redd plaine in Epire. 236 Redona a countrie in Epire. 349 Rene Duke of Barre brother to Lewes the third of Aniow ordained heire to the kingdome of Naples by Queene Ione is prisoner in Burgundie 402. being deliuered he gaineth Naples which he looseth againe and is forced to for sake the kingdome 403 Reposius sonne of Iohn Castriot 3. by the Turks named Caragusa and poisoned 18 Retraite of Scanderbeg from the armie of Isaac Bassa and Amesa 358 Reuenues of Scanderbeg 51 Rewardes giuen by Scanderbeg to Perlat 188. also to the citizens souldiers and inhabitants of Croy. 247 Road into the Turkish frontiers by Scanderbeg 36. 442. 445. 470. into the dominions of Scanderbeg by the Turkes 435. into the Venetian territories by the Turkes 435. 495 Robert king of Naples sonne to Charles the second his wisedome 388. his will and death 389 Roislaue the wife of Musache Goleme and the mother of Goleme Ariamnite the auncester of Moses 271 Riuer of Aoe or Aeas or Vauisa in Epire. 45 Riuer of Cydrus and Barbiza 315 Riuer of Isme 222 Riuer of Mathia 366 Riuer of Scombine in Epire. 486 S Saying of Scanderbeg 453. touching the often remouing of an armie 42. touching surprises by enemies 163. touching the cutting off the Generall of an armie in battell 272. touching the obstinacie of Moses in the battel of Oronichea 343. touching incontinencie of souldiers 349 Saying of Amurath touching Scanderbeg 214 Saying of Hanniball touching Fabius Maximus and Varro 355 Saying of Mahomet touching the marriage of
Despot to Amurath against Scanderbeg VVarre determined against Scanderbeg Letters of Amurath to Scanderbeg Airadin â— gent for Amurath with Scanderbeg Subiectes of Scanderbeg willing to haue peace with the Turkes Sentence Scanderbeg excepteth against the messenger and peace of Amurath Sentence Subiects of Scanderbeg resolued to holde warres with Amurath Letters of Scanderbeg to Amurath Sentence Sentence Amurath his scorneful and despâ—tefull speaches vpon the receipt of ScaÌ„derbeg his letters Ferisey sent against Scanderbeg by Amurath Varietie of opinions touching Amurath his profession of a religious life Haly Bassa gouernour of Mahomet the sonne of Amurath Amurath made his last end before Croy Ferisey cometh into Epire. The valley of Mocrea Battell of Mocrea against Ferisey Victory of Scanderbeg against Ferisey Sentence Sentence Old age naturally saint and timerous Mustapha sent against Scanderbeg with an Army of 15000. Turks Mustapha enskonseth his army in the borders of Macedony Scanderbeg marcheth against Mustapha with an army of 5000. men The speeches of a peasant wounded by the Turkes vnto Scanderbeg Oration of Scanderbeg to his soldiers consulting with theÌ„ vpoÌ„ the maner how to assaile Mustapha Good necessary counsell in time of seruice Sentence Scanderbeg assaileth the Turkes within their fort and trenches Couetousnes naturally in the Turkes Victorie of Scanderbeg against Mustapha Lech or Luke Zacharie Lord of the towne of Dayna vpoÌ„ the riuer of Drinon in Albanie Desire of dominioÌ„ a disease naturally growing in men Sentence Lech Zacharie murthered He meaneth the Gouernour of Scutary or Scodra The antiquitie named it Chalcedon afterwards Scodra now Scutarie Mustapha excuseth his ouerthrow vnto Amurath Sentence Aduerse fortune maketh men wearie of warres Mustapha sent with another armie against Scanderbeg for the defence of the Turkish confines Warre between Scanderbeg the Venetians The causes of the warre betweene Scanderbeg and the Venetians The siege of Daina The Venetians prouide for the reliefe of Dayna against Scanderbeg Lech Dusman Peter Span against Scanderbeg Driuasta Sentence Scanderbeg marcheth against the Venetian arâ—ie Daniell Iurich he was Voiuada or gouernor of Scutarie The oration of Iurich Generall of the Venetian armie Sentence The oration of Scanderbeg to his armie The affection of the souldiers of Scanderbeg after his oration Order of the armie of the Albanoys Order of the armie of the Venetians Colla Humoy Volcathagne The battell betweene the Venetians and Scanderbeg Encouragement of Moses to his soldiers Sentence The victory of Scanderbeg ouer the Venetians The liberall and free answer of the Danians to Scanderbeg Sentence Scanderbeg his curtesie and magnanimity to the Venetian captiues Andrew Humoi Simon Volcathagne prisoners to Scanderbeg Baleze The mount Sardonikor Marraâ—ay Surscodâ—a Baleze reedified and fortified by Scanderbeg Amese and Marin Span. Gouernours of Baleze Driuasta Amese purposeth to surprise Driuasta Marin Span his speech to Amese Sentence Answere of Amese to Marin Span. Amese marcheth to surprize Driuasta The Oraticâ— of Andrew Angell to the Driuastines Driuastines their valiant exploites against their enemies Driuastines sally forth of Driuasta against Amese Conflict between the Driuastines and Amese Amese spoileth the countrey about Driuasta The Towne of Driuasta Antibara Scituation of Driuasta Helena the wife of Negmana king of the Misians Scanderbeg reproueth Amese for his temerity Speeches of Amese vpon the reproach of his vncle The letters of Amurath to Mustapha The Scutariâ—s go against Baleze Marin Spaâ— forsaketh Baleze Baleze razed by the Scutarians The coÌ„plaint of Amese The proceedings of the warre betweene Mustapha and Scanderbeg Oronochea The number of Scanderbegs forces against Mustapha Order of Scanderbeg his armie against Mustapha The combat of Paule Manessey and Caragusa Paul Manessey encouraged by Scanderbeg to the combat Speeches of Caragusa to Paul Manessey Answere of Paul Manessey to Caragusa Paul Manessey killeth Caragusain combat He is rewarded by Scanderbeg Oration of Scanderbeg to his souldiers The battell betwene Mustapha and Scanderbeg Paul Manessey assailed by the Turkes Speeches of Paul Manessey to the Turks as they fled The dewse of the Turkes in their ensignes Mustapha Generall of the Turkes taken prisoner The victory of the Christians Scanderbeg is pensiue for the razing of Baleze Scanderbeg spoileth the territorie of the Scutarians in reuenge of the razing of Baleze Mustapha the other prisoners ransomed for 25000 Ducketes The constancie of the Daynians A treatie of peace betwene Scanderbeg the Venetians Conditions of peace offered to Scanderbeg Busegiarpeni being a part of the Demesnes of Scutarie extending from the riuer Drynon towards Scutarie and lying more conueniently for Scanderbeg then the towne of Dayna Oration of Scanderbeg vnto the Venetian ambassadors vpon the conclusion of peace betwene them Bossa Peace proclaimed betweene the Venetiant and Scanderbeg Scanderbeg leauing the siege of Daina marcheth to the spoile of the Turkish territorie The Turkish territory Scanderbegs treasurie Scanderbeg huposteritie made free of the citie of Venice and appointed gouernour and lieutenant generall of the Venetian territories in Epire. Amurath consulteth with his counsell concerning the warre against Scanderbeg Visiers the Councellours of the great Turk Orat on of Amurath to his councellours for the warre to be vndertaken against Scanderbeg Sentence Amurath resulued in person to warre vpon Sâ—an lerbâ—â— maketh preparations to that effect Secresie of the Turke in concealing his counsels The policie of the Turkes to oppresse the Christians Scanderbeg maketh prouisson of resistance against the Turkes Scanderbeg ordereth his forces against the inuasion of the Turkes Scanderbeg remoueth old persons women children out of the citie Question If better that women and children should be excluded or retayned in a towne besieged A notable description of the lamentation of the Croians vppon their departure out of the city Scanderbeg prouideth victuals armour and munition for the warâ— Vranocontes gouernour of Croy. EncoragemeÌ„t of Scanderbeg to the Croians who instructeth them how to demeane theÌ„ selues against the Turkes The strongâ— siâ—tuation of the city of Croy. Scanderbeg issued from Croy to the Campe. Moses ioyneth with Scanderbeg with his Regiment Sfetigrade fortified by Moses Peter Perlat gouâ—rnâ—ur of Sfetigrade The oration of Castriot vnto the citizens of Sfetigrade The strength of Sfetigrade Amurath leauieth a mighty army against Scanderbeg Amurath consulteth with his Bassaes for the maÌ„er of the proceedings of the wars against Scanderbeg Alcanzi aduenturers without pay Amurath sendeth part of his army before to besiege Sfetygrade The order and diuision of the Turke his armie Flambur Saniacke a Colonell of horsemen Timariot a horseman Subassides a leader of horsemen Spachi Sulastari Vlufagi Ianissari A Turkish stratagemâ— Beillerbey The number of the Turkes forces ScaÌ„derbeg visiteth and encourageth all parts within his prouince The Turkes inuade Epire. Scanderbeg with 5000. meÌ„ against the enemie Scanderbeg goeth to suruey the campe and countenance of the enemie Scanderbeg cosâ—lteth vpoÌ„ the manner of assayling the enemie A notable stratageme of Sâ—aÌ„derbeg practized against the
Sentence Spetches and perswasions of Mahomet his flatterers animating him against Scanderbeg Mahomet deuiseth to corrupt some of Scanderbeg his subiects Sentence Mahomet seeketh to vndermine the faith of Moses Letters of Mahomet to the gouernor of Sfetigrade willing him to practise with Moses to reuolt from Scanderbeg A messenger sent to Moses from the Gouernour of Sfetigrade to practise with him for his reuolt Sentence Sentence Moses peruerted and corrupted to become a traitour to Scanderbeg Speeche of Moses to the Turkish messenger Scanderbeg determineth to haue the aide of Italians in the warres Letters of Scanderbeg to Alphonsus king of Naples c. Scanderbeg visiteth his garrison with Moses Speeches and dissimulation of Moses to Scanderbeg Mahomet wileth the gouernour of Sfetigrade to hold on his practise with Moses Succours sent by Alphonsus king of Naples to Scanderbeg Gilbert Ortafan a knight of Naples sent by Alphonsus to the aide of Scanderbeg Answer of Alphonsus king of Naples to the leeters of Scanderbeg Moses seeketh by excuses to exempt himself from going to the siege of Belgrade Neapolitan Ambassade succours entertained and feasted at Croy by Scanderbeg Oration of Scanderbeg to his army being to march to the siege of Belgrade Theodore Corona Lord of Belgrade in Bulgary Tanusee sent to begin the siege of Belgrade Belgrade besieged Number of Turkes in the garrison of Belgrade Turkes within Belgrade are doubtfull of the faith of the Citizens Conâ—etence betweene the Gouernor and Citizens of Belgrade vpon the suspition coÌ„ceiued of their â—â— faith by theÌ„ of the garrison Answer of the citizens of Belgrade to the speeches of the Gouernour Citizens of Belgrade giue hostages to the Turkes for assurance of their faith Oration of the Gouernor of Belgrade to his people being besieged Scanderbeg before Belgrade Number of Scanderbeg his armie before Belgrade Belgrade battered Belgradians demand a truce Gouernour of Belgrade consulteth with the citizens vpoÌ„ the conditions offred by Scanderbeg Answer of the citizens of Belgrade to the Gouernour Speeches of some of the Nobles and Captaines of Scanderbeg perswading him to accept the offers of the Belgradians Answer of Scanderbeg to the perswasioÌ„s of his Chiefetaines touching the graunting of truce to the Belgradians Truce for sixteene dayes granted to theÌ„ of Belgrade Mahomet going to the conquest of Constantinople is staied vpon the nowes of Belgrade Speech and exclamation of Mahomet vpoÌ„ the news of the siege of Belgrade Speech of Mahomet to his Bassaes perswading him not to leaue his voyage of Constantinople for Belgrade Turkes their wonderfull care to preserue their conquests An act of Baiazeth the second vpon the riuer of Danowe or Danubius in Hungarie Note The delaies and securitie of Christians Sebalias sent against Scanderbeg with an army of 40000 horse Mahomet conspireth the death of Scanderbeg Acmath and Barach promise Mahomet to kill Scanderbeg Sebalias mercheth towards Epyre. A Poast sent by Sebalias to carrie newes of succours to the Belgradians Gyrocastra Vlach Poasts of Turkie Belgradians aduertised of succours comming to relieue them Belgradians repaire their breach contrarie to their agreement Message of Scanderbeg to the Belgradians willing theÌ„ to desist from repairing of their townâ— Sentence Sentence Christians before Belgrade surprised by the Turkes An excellent comparison Comming of Sebalias why concealed from Scanderbeg Scouts of the Albanois surprized by the enemie Sentence Musache de Thopie brother in law to Scanderbeg surprized in his quarter by the Turkes Musache his death and glorious end A strange qualitie in Scanderbeg Sebalias his iâ—discretion and ouersight Scanderbeg descendeth downe the hill into the plaine against Sebalias Belgradians sacke the camp of the Christians Scanderbeg chargeth vpon the Turkes who are in chase of the Christians Speech of Sebalias deriding and reproching the Chrâ—stians Speeches of Scanderbeg encouraging his souldiers against Sebalias The battell of Belgrade betwene Sebalias Scanderbeg Sentence of Homer George Thopie his misfortune Sentence Musache de Angeline wounded Combat of Acmath and Barach with Scanderbeg A prouer be Sentence Barach slaine by Scanderbeg Acmath slaine by Scanderbeg Sebalias with his armie retireth first from the battell Retrait of Scanderbeg Sebalias his want of courage in not pursuing the victory against the Albanois Turkes their barbarous cruelty vpon the dead bodies of the Christians Number of Christians slain at the battell of Belgrade Number of Christians taken prisoners as Belgrade Turkes cut off the heads of the slaine Christians to cary with them in triumphâ— Scanderbeg reâ—â—eth his army with new supplies Sentence Diuers reports and rumors of the battell of Belgrade Moses his reâ—â—lt from Scanderbeg Speeches of Moses to some of his friends perswading theÌ„ to consort with him in his reuolt froÌ„ Scanderbeg Moses his departure to the enemy Belgrade repaired and revictualled by Sebalias Number of Turkes slaine at the battell of Belgrade Garrison of Dibria troubled at the departure of Moses Demetrius and Nicholas bretheren of the family of the Berissians Speech of the souldiers of Scanderbeg desiring that their fellowes slain at Belgrade may be buried Sentence Tanusee sent with an army to bury the Christians slain at Belgrade Speeches of Demetrius and others to Scanderbeg comforting him vpon his misfortune Fortune is nothing but a fancy Sentence Departure of Moses made knowen vnto Scanderbeg Sentence Speech of Scanderbeg of the reuolt of Moses Sentence Scanderbeg â—isiteth the garrison of Dibria Tanusee before Belgrade Christians slain at Belgrade buried by Tanusee and the Epirots Tanusee spoyleth â—â— burneth all the countrey about Belgrade Sally made by the BelgradiaÌ„s vpon Tanusee the Epirots who repulsed them Moses his goods and liuings seized and confiscated Mamiza the wife of Musache celebrateth the obsequies of her husband Ambassade sent to Alphonsus king of Naples and the Italian succours returned home Mamisa her praises perfections Sentence Musache his praises and vertues Moses cometh to Andrinople Sebalias his triumph and returne to Andrinople Christians prisoners to the Turkes put to extreme torments Turkes their opinion of the Epirots * Musulmans in the Arabian tong signifieth faithfull towards God Speech and censure of Mahomet touching the battell of Belgrade Scanderbeg his body reputed inuiolable Moses honorably entertained by the Turke Ambassadours sent to Scanderbeg from the king of Naples and others to comfort him for his losse before Belgrade Sentence Answer of Scanderbeg to the Neapolitan Ambassadours Speech of other Ambassadours to Scanderbeg touching his losse at Belgrade Answer of Scanderbeg to the other Ambassadors 1453. Moses vrgeth Mahomet to employ him against Scanderbeg Speeches betweene Mahomet and Moses Sentence Moses sent with an armie of 15. thousand horse against Scanderbeg Mahomet his voiaâ—e against Constantinople Sentence Mahomet marcheth to the siege of Constantinople Mahomet violateth the peace with the Emperor of Greece and inuadeth his Empire without preclamation or denouncing of warres Constantinople besieged with an armie of 400000 men Diuersitie of Nations both Christians and others seruing
example of the varietie and vnconstancie of fortune Neapolitans their humor disposition 1458. Ferdinand bastard sonne of Alphonsus succeedeth vnto the kingdome of Naples Calixtus 4. claimeth the kingdome of Naples by Escheate Peter Lewes Borgias Nephew to Pope Eugenius competitor of the crowne of Naples against Ferdinand Iohn Duke of Calabria Frances Sforce Duke of Milan Charles the second king of Naples and Mary his wife their issue Charles Martell king of Hungarie Carolobert king of Hungarie Baldus a famous Ciuilian of Perusa Lewes 3. sonne of Charles the second king of Hungarie Duke of Duras Philip 4 sonne of Charles Prince of Tarentum Ione Queene of Naples maried with Andrew younger some of the king of Hungarie Auersa Andrew the husband of Ione Queene of Naples murthered by his wife Second mariage of Ione Queene of Naples Lewes king of Hungarie coÌ„meth with an armie against Ione Queene of Naples for reuenge of his brothers death Sulmo Charles of Duras ouercome in battell taken and beheaded by the king of Hungarie Auignion purchased to the See of Rome by Pope Clemens Third mariage of Ione of Naples Fourth mariage of Ione Queene of Naples The motiue occasion of the Scisme in the Church of Rome Vrban the 6. created Pope M. Nicholas of Naples Clement the seuenth made Antipope The Cause of the enmitie betweene Pope Vrban and Maister Nicolas of Naples Disgrace offered by Pope Vrban to M. Nicolas Ambassadour for the Queene of Naples Speech of M. Nicholas touching the disgrace done him by the Pope Ione queene of Naples depriued of her realme by Pope Vrban Charles of Duras inuested with the crown of Naples by Pope Vrban Ione Queene of Naples and Pope Clement flie to Auignion Lewes the first Duke of Aniow adopted by Queene Ione Ione returneth to Naples Treuisa Ione queene of Naples put to death Marie sister to Queene Ione executed Iohn Bocace Flammette Philocole Charles of Duraz crowned king of Naples Lewes Duke of Aniow entreth the realme of Naples with an armie Alberic de Barbian The ouerthrow of Lewes the first Duke of Aniow Lewes the first Duke of Aniow dieth at Biseilles Charles King of Naples pope Vrban enemies Boutill nephew to Pope Vrban Vrban besieged by Charles within Nocera Vrban escapeth out of Nocera to Genes and curseth Charles king of Naples Death of Lewes King of Hungarie Charles king of Naples chosen and crowned King of Hungarie slaine at Bude Margaret Queene of Naples and her children flie to Gaietta Boniface the â— made Poâ—e Ladislaus son o. Charles crowned King of Naples by Pope Boniface Lewes second Duke of Aniow corwned king of Naples by Pope Clement entreth Naples Ladislaus the son of Charles of Duras recouereth Naples Ladislaus made King of Hungarie Ladislaus taketh Rome by force Alexander the fifth made Pope at the counsell of Pisa Lewes confirmed in the realme of Naples by Pope Alexander The battell betweene Lewes of Aniow and Ladislaus of Duras Kings of Naples Victorie of Lewes not pursued Speech of Ladislaus king of Naples of the battel betweene him and Lewes Duke of Aniow Ladislaus poisoned Auarice vnchast loue two most pernitious mischieues A straunge kind of poysoning Ione the second Queene of Naples Pandolphel Alop the loue or paramour of Queene Ione the 2. Queene Ione the 2. maried to Iames of Narbon County of March Sforce Cottignole Iulius Caesar of Capua Sforce made prisoner This is the principall fortresse of Naples Pandolphel beheaded Michelet Margaret sister of Sforce her hardines and generosity Count Iames his ouersight and folly Queene Ione of Naples her subtelty and policy Iulius Caesar of Capua intendeth the death of the Count offereth his seruice to the Queene Iulius Caesar his treason bewraied by the Queene Iulius Caesar executed Capouana a castell within Naples Count Iames made prisoner in Chasteau de loue a Casteli within Naples Iohn Carracciole the minion or paramour of Ione Queene of Naples made Grand Seneschall Sforce enemy to the Grand Seneschall Count Iames restored to his liberty Count Iames forsaketh Naples and returning to France becommeth an Hermit Braccio Fortebraccia of Perusa warreth vpon Pope Martin the 5. Sforce sent with an armie to the aide of the Pope by the Q of Naples Sforce oueruerthrowen by Braccio is depriued of all authoritie in Naples and Braccio hired by the queen in his roome Queene Ione depriued of her kingdome by the Pope Alphonsus king of Arragon besiegeth Boniface in Corsica Port Siracusan Don Garzia Spaniard Anthony Caraffa alias Malice Sentence Desire of a Crowne knoweth no conscience Alphonsus adopted by Q. Ione and receiued into Naples Spaniards their pride and enuie The Grand Seneschall held prisoner by Alphonsus Queene Ione besieged in Naples by Alphonsus Queene Ione deliuered out of Naples by Sforce Alphonsus disinherited by Queene Ione Lewes the 3. adopted by Queene Ione Alphonsus returneth into Spaine Marseilles surprised by Alphonsus S. Lewes his body caried away from Marseilies by Alphonsus Deuotion without piety or religion Naples besieged by Philip Duke of Milan Francis Sforce the sonne of Sforce Cottignole deceased Naples recouered for Queene Ione Grand Senesâ—hall of Naples ransomed by Sforce Grand Seneshall of Naples slaine Sentence The immoderate loue and fauor of womaÌ„kind vain for any man to build his fortune on Lewes the third Duke of Aniow and Calabria his death Ione 2. Queene of Naples death Rene Duke of Barre ordained to be heire to Queene Ione Rene Duke of Barre prisoner in Burgundie Eugenius Pope Alphonsus taken prisoner by the Duke of Millan Alphonsus set at libertie by the Duke of Millan Rene Duke of Barre set at libertie and regaineth Naples and all her fortresses Naples besieged by Alphonsus Anell a mason betrayeth Naples Naples taken by Alphonsus Bellisarius Rene enforced to forgoe Naples Alphonsus king of Naples his death Pope Pius 2. Dutchy of Spoleta restored to the Church Ferdinand crowned king of Naples by Pope Pius 2. Beneuent Terracine Councell of Mantua Iohn the sonne of Rene ayded by the Genowayes against Ferdinand king of Naples The Banke of S. George at Genes Marquesse of Crotona Marin de Marsan Duke of Sesse Rebellion of the Neapolitans against Ferdinand Princes and Nobles of Naples confederate with the Duke of Aniow Marquesse de Este Borze Lord of Ferrara Count Iames Picenin General of the army for Duke Iohn against Ferdinand Princes and Nobles of Naples partaking with FerdinaÌ„d Battel of Sarni betweene Ferdinand and Duke Iohn Victory of Iohn against Ferdinand The Pope and Duke of Millan aid Ferdinand Frederick Duke of Vrbin Alexander Sforce Battell of Saint Fabian The second victorie of the French against Ferdinand Bary or Barlette Ferdinand besieged within Barie by the Count Picenin Confederates of Ferdinand sent to Scanderbeg for succours in the behalfe of Ferdinand Ambassade froÌ„ the Pope Ferdinand the Duke of Millan to Scanderbeg Truce between Scanderbeg Mahomet Goic Streese sent into Apulia by Scanderbeg Gulfe of Rizic