the goodnes of God slew of their Enemies with the sworde 7000 and 5000 drowned so that the victorye fell to the Christians In Syria the Christians discomfited the Saracens in two notable ouerthrowes in the first conflict 2500 of them were slaine In the other although both Armies were afflicted yet the Christians obteined the victory The king of Ascalon was by Baldwine repressed and the king of Damascus in thrée battailes ouercome After the death of Baldwine the third king of Hierusalem Fulco was made the fourth king The Erle of Tripolis by treason was slaine king Fulco was put to flight by his Enemies and condiscended to very hard conditions to be clearely deliuered from siege The Christians coaped in fight with the Egyptians and were superiours Ascalon was recouered by the Christians Fulco the fourth king of Hierusalē in hunting the Hare and ryding fast after the game through a fall from hys horse dyed after whom succéeded his Sonne Baldwine who was the fift king The Citie Edessa and almost all Mesopotamia was wonne by the Saracens Alaph Captaine of the Turks which now were of great name and power in the East where they kylled without all mercy a wonderfull number of Christiās rauishing mens wiues in the Church of Saint Iohn Baptiste in despight of Christianitie euen vpon the Alter Baldwine the thirde of that name and the fifte king of Hierusalem conquered Gaza and Ascalon and cast out al the Saracens And at Hierico he ouercame and put to flight Norandine Maister of the Chiualry of Damascus and slue 5000. of his enemyes Manuel Emperour of Constantinople with muche ouersight and negligence led through daungerous wayes and desert places his Christian Hostes against the Saracens insomuch that for scarcitie of vittayles and other necessaries they could atchiue no notable enterprise against the myscreaunt people Roger King of Sicilie and Normannes made the Africane Saracens tributarie to him for .xxx. yéeres and tooke their king Prisoner This yéere Conrade the second Emperour leuyed a great power against the Saracens against whom he had in battaile but ill successe Lewys King of Fraunce assembled a mightie Armie to go against the Infideles Out of England Flaunders and Loraine were furnished out 200 saile against the Saracens This yéere Conrade the Emperour passing ouer Bosphorus without anye resistaunce came néere to his enemies but for want of victuals and as some say his corne being corrupted and mingled with lyme and plaister he was glad to stay himselfe and go no further and to bring backe his Armye The Saracens vnderstanding hereof set vpon them behind and slue of them certain thousands The same yéere the French king came to the Emperour to aide him but by reason that his Army was greatly distressed and pynched with famine he could bring no notable atchieuaunce to passe The same time the Venetians with a well furnished Nauie went into Asia to aide the Emperour against the Saracens The Spanyardes expulsing the Saracens recouered Almaria and Tortosa two goodly embattailed Cities The same yeere Damascus was besieged by the Syrians Frenchmen and Hierosolymitanes and the Vamures thereof defaced And when they were euen at the poynt to haue wonne the Citie and subdued the Saracenes the chiefe Princes and Capitaines disagreyng and fallyng out amonge themselues called theyr owne Souldiours euery man together and departed thence leauing the siege Raymund King of Antioch with hys whole Hoast was discomfyted by the Saracens who spoyled all hys Countrey Antioch it selfe by the Kinge of Hierusalem was hardly rescued and saued Baldwine King of Hierusalem discomfited the Aegiptians and Babilonians The Saracenes draue the Spanyardes by force of Armes out of Almaria Baldwine set at libertie and restored many Cities expulsing thence the Saracens Baldwine dyed and in his stéede reigned hys brother Almericke the fixt king of Hierusalem Almericke in Aegypt obteined a noble victorie The same king befieged Damiata but in th' ende he agreed to a peace vppon conditions neither honorable nor profitable The Saracenes of Africa made manye Roades into Spaine Almericke King of Hierusalem dyed of an Ague And his sonne Baldwine was annoynted the seuenth king Baldwine in two battailes vanquished Saladine Kyng of Aegypt and brought much treasure into Hierusalem The Daughter of the king of Saracens being maryed to Prince Pagane was taken prisoner on the Sea by the King of Sicilie in hir voyage and iourney homewarde to hir husband Thys yeere the Christians in Hierusalem were ouercome Mausamunth king of the Saracens with great costes and charges repayred Carthage Baldwine the .vij. king of Hierusalem beyng infected with Leprosie dyed His Nephew Baldwine his Sisters sonne was elected king after him but by frouning destenies he was kepte backe from his dignitie After whom succéeded the .viij. king Guye of Lesingham Betweene this Guye kyng of Hierusalem and Raymund Earle of Tripolis there arose dissension and hartburning whiche was the cause that the Christians were brought into extreme daunger The Christians ioyning battayle with the Armye of Saladine had a lamentable ouerthrow In this battayle were slaine 20500. Christians King Guye was taken Prisoner and the Erle of Tripolis dyed sodainly Hierusalem hauing now bene enioyed and possessed by the Christians lxxxbiij was this yéere by surrendrie deliuered vp to the king of Saracens and the Christians there expelled the second day of October This yéere all Iurie was wonne from the Christians by the Saracens the Cities of Tyre Tripolis and Antioche being with much a doe and hardly kept Fridericke Emperour of Romans with his sonne Fridericke Philip king of Fraunce Richarde king of England with manye other Princes and Nobles assembling their Parliamentes decreed throughly determyned to ayde the Christians in Iurie Great preparation was made for this voyage Fridericke leadyng hys Armie into Syria and wynning the lesse Armenia went in the hoate time of Sommer into the Riuer Selephus to bathe washe himselfe where by misfortune he was drowned Lewes Kinge of Fraunce went with an Armye toward the holy Land with entent to supplant the Saracenes and relieue the Christians The sayd King Lewes ioyning battayle with the Saracenes brought vnder his subiection Damiata a populous citie and curiouslye embatteyled The same King Lewes in a terible conflict at Faramia was taken prisoner by the Saracens with his two brethren Charles and Alphonse Wherevpon Damiata was redeliuered into the hands of the Saracens whereby he saued his owne lyfe and his fréendes and was delyuered out of Prison This kinge was taken the fifte day of Aprill The Saracens lost the I le called Baleares which the Duke of Aragon subdued The kinges of Spaine fallynge at variaunce and discord the one brother fled into Fraunce to craue ayde the other into Africa to desire assistaunce of the Saracens against his owne brother whereby they wrought much scath both to themselues and to their countrey Deadly hatred and grudge fell betwéene the Venetians and the Genoways whereby the Christians inhabyting Ptolomais and Tyre were gréeuously
But the Sultan sending backe all the money and Giftes frankely delyuered Liparites without any panie aduising him after that tyme neuer to beare armour against the Turkes And beside this hee sent an Ambassadour vnto the Emperour one of the worthyest in degree in all his Courte called Seriphes which Dignitie is so high among them that after the deathe of the Caliph the Seriphes succéedeth in his roome For the Turkes euen at the firste embracing the doctrine of Mahomet reuerenced and had in great honour and estimation their Caliphas as Priestes and Byshoppes of their Lawe notwithstanding they debarred them from wearing the Imperiall Crowne or entermedling with any iuridicall power in prophane matters within their Empyre This stately Ambassadour comming to Constantinople was brought before the Emperour before whom he proudely shewed his Commission which was to demaunde a Tribute to bée payde by the Emperour to the Sultane But he was fayne to retourne without spéeding hys errand Wherefore the Sultane takyng Pepper in the Nose made Warre and went himselfe agaynst the Romanes And when hee was come as farre as Comium a Citie of Iberia because the Inhabitauntes of the Countrey had included themselues and theyr goodes wyth all thinges necessarie in Holdes and Castles whereof the number at that tyme in Iberia was great and hearing that the Romanes mustered and assembled a great power about Caesarea to come agaynst him hee retyred without doyng any notable exployte worthy of remembraunce backe agayne into Media where lykewyse fynding all places walled and Bulwarked hys full determination was to wynne his purpose by Siege And first of all hee attempted the wynning of Mantzichierte a Citie standyng in the playne champion Countrey vaumured and strengthened wyth three stronge Walles hauing wythin it many Fountaynes and lyuely Springes of Water whiche Citie by the foresight and prouision of the Townesmen was verye well victualled And encampyng hymselfe néere to the Walles gaue an assaulte vnto the same .xxx. continuall dayes without any ceassing with all kynde of Engynes and Warlike Instrumentes But in the end perceyuing hys attempte to bée in vayne and hauyng no hope of better successe raysed hys Siege and departed wyth the losse of many of his people Then he pursued his Nephewe Abramie who was nowe confederate and tooke parte wyth his Cosen Cutlume and him in Battayle néere to the Citie of Pasaris ouercame and slew But Cutlume wyth sire thousande in his companye among whom was Melech the Sonne of Abramie saued himselfe by flighte and by hys Ambassadours sued to the Emperour Constantine Ducas to bee receiued into his fauour and protection and that a League myght bee confyrmed betweene them staying for an aunswere in Persarmenia at the Citie Charse But because the Sultane folowyng at hys heeles was commyng wyth a power into Iberia Cutlume fledde into Arabia Foelix The Sultane spoyled and wasted all as hee went in Iberia but hearyng that Michael was commyng wyth an Armye agaynst hym and thinking it muche dishonorable for him to deale wyth the Emperours Seruaunt retyred agayne into his owne Territories leauyng behinde hym one of his Captayne 's named Samuch a man of base parentage and lowe hyrthe but in Martiall affaires a ryght excellent Capitayne This Samuch remayning styll hehynde with 3000. men coasted and strayed about the playne Countrey of the greater Armenia and wyth many sodayne incursions infested the frontiers of the Romane Empyrâ— After this Diogenes being Romane Emperour the Sultan againe with a great power entred within the precinct and limytes of the Romane dominions But the Emperour comming with an Army against hym hes retyred backe and deuiding his Hoast into two partes sent the one into South Asia the other into north Asia which spoyled all as they went and sodaynly surprising the citie of new Cesaria sacked it and being full laden with bootie and pray departed thence But the Emperoure when he heard of it takinge with him a Bande of lustier and nimbeler Souldiours coasting the néerest way ouer hill and dale through thick and thinne to get betwéene his enemies and home so vigoriouslye and sodaynly set vpon them and therewitall so teryfied and dismayed them that they trustinge to their Legges leaâ—t all their pray and cariage behinde them Notwithstanding their was no great number of them flaine because the Romanes being with their long iournaie weared were not hable to folowe the chase farre but they rescued and delyuered manye Prisoners whiche before had bene taken From thence making his voyage into Syria where hee sent out part of his Army to Melitena he brought home from Chalep great Booties both of men and beastes and tooke Hierapolis in Syria by surrendrie After this the Emperour lying at Hierapolis hearing newes that the Turkes had vanquished part of the Romane Armies sped himselfe thitherward in all hast to succoure his distressed Souldiours and afflicted Subiectes The Capitayne of Chalep hearing of this ouerthrowe geuen to the Romanes renounced his allegiaunce and fled with all his trayne to the Turkes And when the Enemies had enuironed the Romane Campe round about the emperoure without geuing any knowledge to them that hee woulde fight brought ought his Armie and without the sounde either of Trumpet or other manyfest token gaue the charge and onset vpon them and put them to flight ere they had warning or time to resist Then he buylte and erected a Castle at Hierapolis and after he had taken many other Townes he came to Alexandria a citie of Cilicia And takinge order for the winteringe of his Hoast where they shoulde not be pynched with famyne nor scarcitie of victuall retourned home to Constantinople In the beginning of the next spring the Emperour making an other voyage to Caesarea was certaynly enformed that a great company of Turkes forraged and spoyled that prouince whom after he had either slayne or taken hee tooke his iournay to Euphrates and there leauing parte of his Army vnder the conduct of Philaretus he himselfe went northward The Turkes putting Philaretus his Souldyours in great feare ieoperdie got all their trinketes and cariage and marching forwarde into Cappadocia wasting and making hauocke as they went came to Iconium a Citie at that time moste flourishinge and renowmed The Emperoure hauinge intelligence hereof at Sebastia spedde him thitherward But hearing by the way that his Enemies had destroyed and rased the Citie and vpon the brute and report of his coming and approche to be departed he delyuered parte of the Romane Legions to Cathagurio Capitaine of Antioch commaunding him foorthwith to repayre to Mopsihestia where the Turkes shoulde passe and there to set vpon them But ere they could come so farre the Turkes were bidde to a colde breakefast by the Armenians in the plaine of Tharsus and distrussed in a manner of all they had hearing further that the Romanes were planted at Mopsihestia to receiue them if they passed that way fledde by night After this in the beginning of the Spring the Turks â—ftsoones inuadinge
be put to execution aboue CCC persons the residue he gaue to his Sauldiours The excéeding crueltie that they vsed at the winninge of this Citie towards al sort◠of Men Women Children and their spightfull demeanour towarde Christian religion it would me any mans hart to heare or read of Mahomet besieged Belgrad of some called Alba Greca with a hundred and fiftye thousand men The Christians assembling their powers together at the exhortation of Iohn Capistrane Huniades their chiefe Capitaine and Ringleader slue aboue xl thousande of his Enemies and put to shamfull flight all the reste of them in whiche encountre Mahomet himselfe was wounded with an Arrowe This battaile was fought vpon the 22. day of Iuly This Turke ioyninge battaile with Assimbey kinge of Persia whō they call by the name of Vsuncassane signifiing a worthy drad prince in the first cōflict at Euphrates lost x. M. men but in the second he obtained the victorie Corynth was taken by Mahomet The Turke wan from the Christians the Empyre of Trapezunce beheading Dauid the Emperour therof and beside the sayd Empire and Constantinople also he tooke from the christians xii kingdomes conquered 200. cities The I le of Malta conquered by Turkes The Venetians furnished out a great nauy well apointed into Grecia to recouer Corynth but they retourned without bringing their purpose to passe The same yéere the king of Hungarie recouered Geisa a citie of Bosnia the which the Turk had now the second time besieged and hearing of the approche of the Christians he cast 4. great Gunnes or Cannons into the riuer Drina fled trusting better to his legs then to his hands Mahomet requiringe the Prince of Mysia to come to speake with him vnder coulorable speaches and pretence of peace when he had him within his daunger he fleyed and pulled his skinne ouer his eares and caryed his brother and Sister about with him in triumph The Turke wan a very strong holde in Epyre. George Castriot otherwise surnamed Scanderbeg king of Epyre discomfited put to notable foyles the Turks in sundry skirmishes It is testified of this Scanderbeg the being prouoked he neuer denied to fight and in fighting neuer tourned his back neither yet was he euer wounded but once with an Arrow in the foote neither did he euer set vpon the Turks with moe then 6000 horsmen 3000 footemen He is cōstantly said to haue slayne with his owne handes of Turkes 2000 whome with such violence he strake that many of them he clefte a sunder from the head to the middle Mahomet discomfited the Syrians and Aegyptians tooke the Cities of Narrantana Scandolora and fiered them killing all the Inhabitantes most rufully and throwing downe the Nobles and Gentlemen from the toppes of Turrettes and high places to breake their neckes The same yeere he entred into League with Cisime King of India to whō he gaue in mariage a noble Damsell out of his owne brothelhouse or Nurserie with royal giftes and noble magnificence Mahomet was put to many afterdeales by the power of King Vsuncassane The same yéere Nicolas Canalis Admyrall of the Vetian fléete gaue a mightie ouerthrow to Mahomet on the Sea and slue two thousand Turkes At the same time many Christians were taken and led into captiuitie by the Turkes out of diuerse quarters The Turke sent 400 Sayle and 120000 men into the the I le of Euboea vnder the leading of Omar one of hys Bassaes in which enterprise and inuasion he lost almost 40000 of his men notwithstanding after xxx dayes he tooke it pytching the Italian Souldiours vpon Poales stakes and shewing all kind of horrible crueltie and violent rape vpon the Inhabitauntes The same yéere the Turkes army entred into Hungarie spoyling and robbing as farre as Zagabria and caried away with them 10000. Prisoners In the same yéere also they inuaded Dalmatia Foriulij and Styria and haried great booties of men and Cattell The King of Portugall passing the Gaditane Sea recouered many Cities in the borders of Mauritania from the Turke and laid them to his owne dominions King Vsuncassane hauing the vpperhand of the Turks wonne from them sundry Cities whereby he purchased to himselfe a perpetuall fame ouer all the East Nicholas Throne the same yéere ioyned the Venetian fléete with the Armie of the Kyng of Parthia against the Turke Vsuncassane in a skirmish vanquished and put to flight 3000 of the Turkes Army The same yéere the Turke entring into Hungarie with a maine power spoyled al the Cities néere the water side The Persian kyng and the Turke ioyning battayle néere to the Ryuer Euphrates the Turke had the victorie and tooke of his Enemyes 6800 of whom in his retourne homewarde at euery staying place and Tent pitching he commaunded euery day fiue hundreth to be cut in peeces with a sword and then cast them out like dogs vnburied filling all the Countrey of Armenia with thys loathsome spectacle of dead Carkasses In a part of the Countrey that lyeth by the ryuer Ister called Muldauia and Walachia the Turks had an ouerthrow and were slayne by Stephan the Palatine of Muldauia Foure Turkishe Bassaes were heere taken and xxxvj Ensignes Matthias king of Hungarie at the Ryuer of Saue wan a strong Forte from the Turkes to his high praise and commendation The same yéere Capha a Colonie of the Genowayes in the coast of the Sea Euxine was by treason delyuered vp to the Turke This yeere dyed Kyng Vsuncassane who had vnder his gouernment the Persians Parthians Medians and almost all the East beside After whom succéeded his eldest sonne who puttyng his other brothers to death reigned alone The same yéere the Turkes practyzed much Pyracie in Nicosia to the great blemishing and detriment of that Citie A great multitude of Turks were ouercome in Mysia The Venetians made league with the Turke Chalcis was by force of Armes subdued and Scodra by subtile practyze gotten and persuaded to yeelde They promysed to paye hym yeerely 8000 Crownes condicionally that their Nauigation and traffique ouer Pontus myght bee open for their Marchauntes as before it had bene Mahomet sent a great Nauie into Puell and he himselfe went with an Armye into Hungarie and brought out of both places a great multitude of Christian Prisoners And afterward by force subdued the Iles Leucadia Neritus Cephalenia and Zacynth Mahomet went with an Armie into Aegypt to cōquere Alexandria and at home made preparation for all things néedefull for his expedition to Rhodes which he nowe mindedout of hande to besiege and had framed his plat which way to attempt it This Mahomet by Mesich his Generall a Bassa besieged Rhodes and beate the same with iiij Nauyes most terribly But the same was so manfully defended that hee was fayne to his great reproche and shame to departe and leaue his Siege which he had there continued lxxxix dayes in which while he loste of his men which were slaine out of hande ix thousande beside .xv. thousande whiche were
of Mahomettes Sect are contained and at large specifyed The nexte Spring after Muauias with a greater Nauie then before arryued in Cypres and assaulted the Citie of Aradum which at length after many battryes he wanne and permitting the Inhabitantes to go whither they woulde wythout hurte or bodely harme he rased the Citie to the grounde and layde all the Islande waste and left it dispeopled At the same tyme also an other army of Saracens vnder the conducte of Busurre inuaded Isauria and spoyled the whole Countrey wyth fyre and sworde and retourned home from thence with fiue thousand Prisoners After these so many ouerthrowes and miserable discomfitures receaued Constance Caesar desired a truce for .ij. yéeres of Muauias which beinge not obtayned while Muauias prepared a great Nauye at Tripolis a Citie of Syria to inuade the Prouinces and Territories belonging to the Romane Empire his purpose by the worthynesse and valyaunt demeanure of two Brothers was for a litle while frustrate Who breaking open the prisons wherein a great number of Christians were set them al at lybertye insomuch that they sodenly geuing an onset on the Saracens killed a maruelous number of them and putting the rest to flight with victorye ran to their ships and takeing so many of them as woulde serue to transport them they set the reste on fire and came saue into Thracia But Muauias nothing dismayed with this mischance and ouerthrow prepared a greater naâ—y and furnished the same with all habilimentes and Municions necessarye with whom he landed at Phoenice a Hauen of Lycia where Constance with his Nauy laye and geuing the charge vpon him made such a slaughter of the Romanes that the Sea was red with the bloud of them that were slayne Constance disguising himselfe in the habite and apparrell of a poore man fled in a Small ship with a fewe others in his company to Constantinople Which victory set Muauias in such a hoygh and conceipt that he thought nothing inuincible or able to withstande hym Where vpon he tooke Rhodes and pulled downe the huge Image of the Sun called Colossus Solis which Chares was in making as Plinie sayth .xij. yéeres and the charges thereof drewe to thrée hundreth Talentes The brasse of this Image beyng bought by a certen Iew of Emessa was somuch as nine hundred Camels coulde carie The Saracenes caryed away thence not onely this Image which was in height .70 Cubites but innumerable others For Plinie writeth that in that I le there were beside this Colosse of the Sunne .73 thousand Statues or Images and a hundreth lesse Colosses Hauinge spoyled Rhodes they cut their course alonge by the Sea Agaeum and plagued the Cyclades with lyke calamitie At this time also laid Generall of an other army of Saracenes entred into the borders of Armenia and wasted al farre and neere tyll he came to Mount Caucasus And Muauias retourning from Rhodes furnished a Nauye with all thinges necessary to inuade Sicile which wasted and ruynated the Countrie with Sword and fire without mercy tyll Olimpius the Exarche of Italy for so was he that had the gouernaunce ouer Italy at that time for the Emperour of Constantinople called encountringe with them in a bloudye Conflicte with much effusion of Christian bloud discomfited and expelled them In which battell he so eagrely fought was so fore wearied that he tell sicke and shortly after dyed Muauias himselfe leuying an Armye by land conducted them into Cappadocia to besiege Coesarea the head Citie of that Prouince But before he could atchieue any notable exploite worthy to be remembred hearinge that Ozmen the Caliph was dead in hope to be his Successour retyered with his Host back agayne This Ozmene in the twelfth yéere of his Pontificall dignytie being in his owne house beset and besieged with a company of Saracenes which would haue had Ali to be Caliph slue hymselfe because he would not fall into their handes He by chaunce lost the Ring of Mahomet which all the Caliphes before hym wore and caused an other to be made of Siluer wherein by his commaundement were ingrauen these wordes O PERTINACES O POENITENTES He was white of coulour graue and curteous of visage a long Beard and of a meane stature highlye and dearelye beloued was he of the common people both before and after he embraced this Secte and gotte very great wealth by Marchaundize Notwithstandyng he was alwayes verye lyberall yea rather magnificent and honourable and as we haue shewed disbursed and gaue bribes largelye to the Souldiours that hee might obtayne the Pontificate He lyued .lxxxvij. yeeres and was buryed in the night without any Funerall pompe because he slue himselfe Therefore after hys death there arose great contention amonge the Saracenes aboute the election of a newe Bysshoppe Some woulde haue Ali to succéede hym some Muamad sonne to Ozmen and some Muauias But Ali raysed warres againste Muamad and preuayled agaynste hym so that he was installed and made Bysshoppe by all mens consent sauynge onelye Muauias Who reposinge greate truste and confidence in the Aegiptian and Assyrian Souldiours whose prowesse and magnanymytie he had sufficientlye tryed aforetime in so manye Battayles made sharpe warres agaynst hym colourablye pretendynge that hée tooke the same in hande onely to reuenge the death of Ozmen When both the Armyes were come to the Riuer Euphrates Muauias hauynge more skyll in warlyke pollices and also hauinge olde beaten Souldiours vnder hym so fortyfied and entrenched hys Campe néere to the Riuer side and the Citie Babylon that neyther coulde he be inforced by hys aduersarye to fight vnlesse he would hymselfe and also hys Armye shoulde not be destitute of water whereof in that Region there is great scarsitye nor yet be vnprouided of victayles and moreouer néeded not to feare anye Alarmes behynde at their backes Whereas in the meane whyle Ali his Armye was extremely pinched for lacke of water And so for the space of eleuen Monthes keeping his Souldiours within the Trenches of hys Campe he weryed hys Enemye and lyngered the tyme onely now and then with Skirmishes tyll at length by the intercession of certayne Priestes and others skilfull in the Lawe of Mahomet order was taken betwéene them that the whole cause shoulde be decided by the iudgement and awarde of two olde men On Ali his side was chosen Alascates and for Muauias parte Alascius These two comminge to a Towne called Algendel to sit vpon this waightie matter of both their tytles the one thought it necessarye that Ali should be disgraded and deposed from his pontificall dignitie and the other stiflye helde opinion that he was a man moste worthy for the office Thus pleading to and froe neyther absolutely determyninge nor fully concludinge any attonement Ali and Muauias retourned agayne either of them to his owne Campe. And neuer ceased with often Skirmishing to molest and kill one an other spoylynge and wastynge one an others Countries till at length Ali in a certayne Temple néere Cufa a
trussed vp al his furniture of houshold with his wife went to Cepta When he was come thither fayning an excuse that his wife was sore sicke he desired the king to geue Caba his doughter leaue to come home and sée her languishing mother who was neuer like to sée her any more For Caba with other Princes and Lordes daughters as the manner was at that time waited in the court Hauing by this meanes receiued home his Daughter he went to Mucas who was as before we shewed the head ruler of all Lybya vnder Vlite and vnto hym he opened from poynt to poynt the whole cause of his comming away from the Court and promysing to make hym Lord of all Spayne if he woulde geue the aduenture take the enterprise in hand Mucas shewed the whole matter vnto Vlite because he durste not deale in such a waightye case withoute his will and pleasure first knowne Of whom he receaued this answer that the matter propounded was of great importaunce and difficultie and that it were not best in such a doubtfull matter to geue rashe credite to a subtyle persone and one altogether estraunged from their Religion Notwithstandinge to trye the trust and faithfulnesse of the Earle he was resolued that the matter might be best assayed by deliuering vnto hym a small crewe of Souldiours at the first and if he sped well and had good successe at the beginning afterward more ayde and greater power might be sent Mucas although he were throughlye perswaded by the Earles talke and motion that althings would sort to good effect yet durst he not passe nor goe beyond the contents of his Commissiō prescribed by vlite Wherefore he delyuered vnto Iulyan one of his Capitaynes named Tarife Auenzarca with a hundred Horsmen 400. footemē Who were all transported in foure Ships into a litle Ile lyinge in that Elbow of Sea that the Promontorie Calpe maketh which I le was afterward of this Capitayne Tarife called Gelriza Tarif Vnto this place Iulyan called and by gentle meanes allured all his friendes and kinsfolkes recomptinge vnto them from poynct to poynt the commodities and plesures which by his labour industrie and perilles the King had receaued for recompence whereof he forgat not to tell them the Kinges vngratitude and the spightfull dishonor doone vnto hys house by the rauishing and deflowryng of his Daughter telling them further that the King did vniustly vsurp that kingdome whiche by rightfull succession of inheritaunce belonged to the Sonnes of Vitiza For which causes he desired their helpynge handes in this so good and iust quarell to assiste hym tellyng them that the next yéere he would come with a conuenient army to performe asmuch as he then spake He so much perswaded them with these and such lyke wordes that they promysed hym when time shoulde serue their best seruice and furtheraunce and there vpon retourned home euery man to his owne house Iulian because he would make a beginning of his purposed warre inuaded the Ile Gades liing in the vtter part of the ocean néere to the narrow sea whiche Ile was afterwarde named Alzira Dalfrada which with Sword and fire he spoyled caryinge the Inhabitantes awaye with hym Prisoners and after that shewed the lyke curtesie to Lusitania and Betica and beyng laden with aboundaunce of spoyles and booties returned into Aphrica Mucas séeing this good successe and thinkyng it a beginninge good ynough delyuered vnto hym twelue thowsande Saracenes beside them before vnder the conducte of the same Tarife With whome hee arriued at the foote of the Promontorie Calpe which Mountayne was thereof afterward called Gabel Traife which is as much to say as the Mount of Traif and now it is called Gibel and setting his Souldiers on land tooke by force the citie Carceia which afterwarde euen till our time was called Tarifa The rumour of this great cōmotion being spred throughout all Spaine the kinsfolkes of Earle Iulian gathering together all the power that they were able and feigning that they went to repulse this Saracenicall inuasiō went straight wayes thither and ioyned themselues with him And so all their powers being linked in one they wasted and haryed al the coast about the Riuer Betis now named Guadolouir and commonly called Andalusia or of the Vandales Vandalusia Roderike in the meane season with as much spéede as he coulde gathered a very great Armie and appointing his Cosen Germaine Ignicus to be Chieuetaine thereof sent him against his enemyes Who making many conflictes and skirmishes with them was at length with all his Armie discomfited and ouerthrowne The Saracens hauing made great pyllage desolation in the Countrey and laden with foyson of many booties and carying a great multitude of Prisoners with them returned into Affrica At which time Vlite beyng in Asia and making preparation to warre with Constantinople dyed after whom Zulciminie the Sonne of Abdimelik was made high Bishop during whose raigne the Saracens the seconde time besieged Constantinople For immediatly after his creation he sent Malsana with an armie by lande and Aumar with an other by Sea against Constantinople and he himselfe with a great power folowed after But this his strong and terrible purpose was for a while defeated by Leo the Praetor of Armenia whō they séeking meanes to entrap and deceiue were themselues by him entrapped and deceaued for he stopping the passages conuenient places through which they must néedes goe hindered their reckening Whilest these thinges were in doyng Mucas comming out of Affrica to congratulate and doe his duetie to Zulciminie the new Byshop declareth vnto him the state of their affaires in Spaine wherevpon he being meruelous desirous to enlarge the limittes of his Empire gaue him in commaundement to send Tarife againe into that Prouince with a mightier armie then any he had before Mucas therfore retourning into Affrica the next yeere folowing transfreted with a buige armie into Spayne kéeping with him as a pledge or hostage Richila Counte of Tingis and cosen to Iulian whom he halfe mistrusted Which armie being once landed on the next coast Roderike speedely gathered the powers of the Prouinces néere about And so with the ayde of the people of Gottalonia now called Catalonia and in tholde time Lacetani the inhabitauntes of Iberia now called Tarracon or Aragon the Cantabrians béeyng at this day in the Kingdome of Nauarre and the people of Gallia Gottica wherein are the Cities Tolosa Nimes vnto the Ryuer Rhone he sodainly and vnlooked for encountred with them at the Ryuer Bedalaces whiche of tholde wryters was called Betis néere to a towne called xerez The Saracenes at that tyme had encamped them selues on that side of the Ryuer where Andalusia standeth and the King wyth hys battaile on the other side wherein the Kingdome of Castile is For the Ryuer Betis springing out of mount Ortospeda in the borders of Aragon and runnyng into the Ocean nexte to the Streightes diuideth Andalusia and the Kyngdome of Granado from Castile and runneth
Duke of Bauaria first attained this honour and dignitie by subduing and getting the vpperhand of the LieutenauÌ„ts and Captaines of the kings Prouinces who séeing the King to bée a weake and vnwarlike man tyrannically ruled the Countrey according to their own sensual lustes for their priuate commodities Then in the raigne of Theodoricus the second the excellent dexteritie and worthy vertue of Charles Martellus second Sonne to this Pipine was in that office very conspicuous and renoumed throughout all the lande of Fraunce in so much that he was accompted and taken as the Prince of all the people At the same time was King of Aquitanie theÌ„ called Gallia Gottica one Eudo a Gothian borne whom king Roderik made ruler of the Prouince but hearing of the discomfiture of the King his Liege Lord he made himselfe king thereof This Eudo whyle Charles Martellus was busied with other warres in Germanie began to surmise certaine quarelles which brake out into open warre with the French Capitaines of the places néere adioyning to the limittes of his Territories whom going about to defend their titles rightes he afflicted with many ouerthrowes Wherfore Martellus tooke the matter in hande and warred against him And at the same time the Saracens passing the Pyrenees had taken Narbon and in it shewed all kind of outragious crueltie because they woulde by that example make the countrey afraide any more to withstande theÌ„ Wherfore Eudo considering with himselfe that he was vnable to warre at one time both with the Frankes the Saracens and for the Mugnoces a man in great fauour and estimation with the Saracens was his Sonne in law he thought it better for him to make a league amitie with the Saracens theÌ„ with the Christians Which after he had by Mugnoces meanes and friendship brought to passe looking big vpon the matter and bearing himselfe stoute by reason of the aide and succour which they sent to him he inferred much harme to the Franke Nation But when he perceaued that the Saracens fortified with their owne garrisons and kept to their owne vses al such Cities townes as they entred into he begaÌ„ when it was to late to beshrew himselfe and wishe that he had neuer attempted any such enterprise For they kept Nimes Mountpelier Auinion with all the places thereabout in their owne possession Wherevpon Eudo gathering all his power together to profligate and driue them out gaue vnto them battayle wherin he was discomfited Mugnoces by whose meanes and procurement the league and amitie was concluded greatly complayned of the iniurious dealing of Eudo in falsefying his faith infringing his promise accordingly as he had vndertakeÌ„ for him WhervpoÌ„ Abderama king of Gottalonia marching with an hoast against him besieged him in the Castle of Cerdania out wherof Mugnoces for scarcitie of water escaping fléeing into thickets and hillish places fell into the hands of another coÌ„pany of Saracens who tooke him prisoner beastly slew him and sent his head his wiues the daughter of Eudo to Abderama and thus all the traitours of their Countrey within shorte space came to a miserable end and confusion Then Abderama hauing dispatched and ridde out of the way all enemies that were to be feared on his back returned into FrauÌ„ce passed the riuer of Rhone and destroyed many places that belonged to the Christians and made such a slaughter at Arle that a heape then made of the bones of the deade carkasses remaineth there yet to this day in a place called Alies Campi TheÌ„ went he with his army against Eudo who began again to gather more strength make a new commocioÌ„ He besieged Tolose the chiefe Citie of Gallia Gottica in which siege for that the citie was very well rampyered and fortified with Ditches walles and also well stored with Engins and munitions of war and with all sorts of weapons beside a conuenient Garrison of souldiours with all other thinges necessarye theâ—e planted for defence the Saracenes receiued great losse and were well payde home especially by meanes of certayne Engyns deuised by skylfull arte of ingenious Architectes and by diuers other Stratagemes of warlyke pollicie Notwithstanding Burdeaux was then taken and sacked of the Saracenes and all the Inhabitauntes therein both man woman and childe vnmercifully slayne and manquelled and the Temples razed and laide euen with the ground Thence by the confines of Perigot beyonde the ryuer Geronde they made inroades into the Country of Xantongue and destroyed Angolisme and Blaye From thence through Limosin and Poytiers they russhed into the Countrey of Tours Where they spoyled the Churche of Sainct Martine wherein was great foyson and plenty of gyftes and offeringes that had bene geuen and bequeathed vnto it and afterward set it on fire Eudo being sore afflicted with these vnmanerly dealyngs and driuen to great extremytie by the Saracenes entred into league with Marcellus and they two with both their powers ioyned in one gaue battayle vnto Abderama before the Citie of Tours wherein they discomfited hym and all his host In this battayle there were slayne CCC lxxv thousand Saracenes and of the French no moe but .xv C. And if the night had not come vppon them ere the battayle was fully ended the whole route of the Saracenes had bene at that time vtterly destroyed For Abderama in the night season perceiuinge how the game went and what a mortall ouerthrow he had receiued had no lust to tarye and expect the hazard of the next daye but trudged as fast as he could by long iourneyes with those fewe of his companye that were left and hable to folow him to the Pyrenees entendinge from thence to retourne into Spaine leauing behinde hym in his Tents all his carriage and stuffe for a praye to his Enemies But the Nauarrians hauyng stopped the streight passages where their iourney laye killed them euery one The next day assoone as the Sonne was vp Martellus in good order marshalled his army and tooke the Féeld awaiting the commyng of his enemies But when he perfectlye vnderstoode that they were fled his Souldiours fell to the spoyle which they found in the Saracenes Campe most aboundant and plentifull After the death of Eudo Martellus added that parte of Eudo his Kingdome to his Empyre For which cause Hunold and Vaifar the sonnes of Eudo incensinge that part of Gaule called Narbonensis Prouincia containing the Countrys of Sauoye Dolphinie Prouance and Languedock to take parte with them renewed the warre afresh with Martellus And passinge ouer the riuer of Rhone with most barbarus cruelty destroyed burnt and killed man and beast makynge hauock of all Townes Villages Féelds that was in their way without sparing either age or Sexe The chief burnt of which lamentable storme and furious immanitie that part of the Allobroges now called Dolphinie specially felt before Martellus could prouide or prepare sufficient power to go against them But when he was come Visigot departed
animated with so many victories gloriously and happely atchieued they were not afrayde to offer battayle vnto Maruane who had in his army iij. hundreth thousand fighting Souldiours ready appointed in the fielde néere to the Ryuer Zaban whom also with all his army they discomfited Maruane with foure thousand only of his company fled into Aegypt cutting downe the bridge where he passed ouer that his enemies should not pursue and chase after him But Saline the Sonne of Asmuline persecuted and folowed after him at his héeles and in Aegypt in a blouddy battaile ouercame him and thus was all the Maraunian Lynage and Pedagrew expulsed The remnauntes of whose lyne and Progenie which had flourished and reigned so many yéeres were dispersed and scattered abroade some fledde into Mauritania where being wearied they planted themselues and some went into Spaine From this Asmuline afterward that house and family which now at this day raigneth in Persia called Sophi is lineally descended After the death of Asmuline and Cataban one Abubalan surnamed Muamat was Prince of Syria and Persia and Saline of Aegypt and héere began the first Empyre of the Sultanes or Souldanes of Aegypt which haue their imperiall Seate at Cayre For by that name the Aegiptian Caliphes would be called which name Sultan by interpretatioÌ„ signifieth the highest Soueraigne Prince and King of Kings About the same time dyed Pipine King of Fraunce and Charles his sonne beganne his raigne in his fathers steede And among the Asturians Alphonsus the sonne in Law of Pelagius and surnamed Catholicus succéeded Fafila This King recouered from the Saracenes in Gallicia Lucus Tui and Asturica in the Countrey called Campi all that lyeth within the Ryuers Stola Carrion Pisquerra and Duerro in Castulonia Simancas Duengas Amaia Caniciares Alesanium Transinera Supuerta and Carracia in Lusitanie Bracha Viseum and Portum of whom Gallicians compounded together whiche are a people of the same Prouince all Lusitanie is at this day called Portugall Hée fortefied many places as Alaba Ordugina in Cantabria whych Countrey is nowe called Biskaie in Nauarra Rueonia Sarracecasium and diuerse other places as farre as the Pyrence Mountaines And when he had raigned eyghtéene â—eeres he dyed after whom his Sonne Froila was saluted and crowned king This man gaue an ouerthrow to the Saracens which had inuaded Gallicia wherein he slew their Captaine Omar with fiftie thousand others of his company and compelled Ioseph king of Corduba to flée and brought al the region of Gallicia into his owne rule and iurisdiction He beyng afterward by his owne Subiectes murthered Aurelius his brothers sonne obtained the kingdome of whom we reade no notable exploite done against the Saracens and he also dying within short space after his Coronation his brother Silo was made king Against him the Gallicians rebelled wherfore because he might the better subdue and bring theÌ„ to reasonable conformitie he concluded a peace with the Saracens He raigned eight yéeres and theÌ„ dyed After whoÌ„ succéeded Alphonsus the second sonne of Froila surnamed Castus which was in the yéere of our Lord God .780 Against him by the counsaile and persuasioÌ„ of his vncle Mauregate the Saracens made warre Thys Mauregate had promised vnto them that if he myght by their meanes and helpe obtayne the Kingdome of Lyon which hys Predecessours and Auncestours before hym had enioyed he would paye vnto them yeerely in the name of a tribute fyftie persons of noble race and as many Virgins of baser birthe with many other execrable and impious things Wherevpon by the ayde of the Saracenes whiche furthered his pretence and quarell with all their myght and power he forciblie got Lyon with the whole Kingdome thereof and it intrusiuely vsurped by the space of fyue yéeres After whose deathe Vermudeces Sonne to hys brother Vimaran succéeded who after two yéeres voluntarily and of his owne fréewyll restored the Kingdome to Alphonsus Whych when the Saracenes vnderstoode they sent a great armye agaynst hym vnder the leadyng of Mucas betwéene whom néere to a Towne named Lutum or Ledum was fought a terrible and sharpe battayle but in the ende the Saracenes were ouercome and of them were slaine .lxx. thousande beside a great number which were taken Prisoners While these garboyles were in doyng in Spaine the Saracenes in the Orient were deuided among themselues by intestine sedicion and ciuill tumulte For Abubalan ruling in Syria many commotions and vprores were reysed against hym in Arabia by the faction of deade Maruane affirmyng and proclayming abroade that Maruane was not yet deade and that therefore they put on Armour to restore him againe into hys rightfull estate and regall dignitie By reason of which rebellious stirre many were slayne on both sydes and great depopulation committed After the deathe of Abubalan his brother Abedela succéeded who was traiterously and insidiouslye murthered by an other Abedela which aspyred to the Byshopprike hopyng to enioye it after hys decease as hee dyd in déede During whose Raigne and Empyre the Turkishe broode and Nation breaking cat of the Streictes of Caucasus about the yéere of oure Lorde .800 made roades and incursions into Armenia and when they had piteously spoyled and sacked it they retourned into their owne Countrey And the yeere folowing they yssued oute in great Plumpes and fought with the Saracenes so long till manie béeing slaine on bothe parties the nyght made them to surceasse and make an ende of their battaile Abedela the seconde of that name in the eightenth yéere of his raygne dyed in whose place succéeded hys Sonne Madi Who without any notable thing in al his tyme atchiued dyed when he had raigned ix yéeres leauyng behind him for his Heyre and successour his sonne Moyses Who in the second yéere of his raigne dyed and in his roome was created Caliph one Aaron But now to retourne to the affaires of the Occident Ibnabala King of Saragoza being expulsed and dryuen out of his Countrey by the other Princes of the Saracenes in Spayne came into Fraunce to King Charles to implore and desire ayd of hym to reuenge the iniurie vnto hym done and at the same time also Ambassadors came to the same Charles from Alphonsus surnamed Castus King of Asturians to incense and mooue hym to warre vpon the Saracenes in Spaine and to set the Country in good order and by his prowesse to deliuer it out of the clutches of Tyrannicall vsurpers Charles therefore gathering together not only the power of his owne kingdome but also hauinge a supplye of forraine aide among whome were certaine younge Gentlemen of the Danes which profered their seruice to accompaignie him partlie for a desire that they had to bellicall affaires and partlie to shewe their prowesse and couragious stomackes with an Host not very huyge and populous in number but yet competent inough and such as were skilful Souldiours and expert Capitaines passed ouer the Pyrenees by Ronceuall without resistaunce or stoppe of any man And entring within the frontiers and borders of
Nauarre pight his Pauilions before Pompelon the head Citie of the Kingdome of the Cantabrians Which Citie the saracenes had strongly fortified with a mighty Garrison And for that they had béene alredy sufficiently schooled in the auncient tricks and feates of Spayne they would no more commit the euent of their good or ill Fortune to the hazard of one entire battaile as they had before done but determined to protract and lynger out the warre with delayes tergiuersacions and sKirmishes where they might espie their best aduauntage Charles dispatched and sent an Herauld at armes to sommon the Towne to know whether they would yelde or els abide the doubtfull hazard of war. They first asked a time to consult among themselues what were best to doo ere they woulde resolutelye answere to the Sōmaunce Vnto whom was granted the space of one day wherein they demaunded and entreated that thei might haue space graunted to send to their kings Frends and Confederates and geue them to vnderstand of their distresse so that if they were not rescued and the siege reysed within xv dayes then they would wyllingly yéelde themselues and their Citie into his hands Alleadgyng that it should be much for the auaile and commodytie of the French to conquere and wyn the Citie being vnperyshed and neither by the Conquerour in his ragynge moode defaced nor by the conquered defendaunt through desperation blemished and disfigured Neither that this taryaunce should in any poyncte hinder his Procéedinges but rather be greatly beneficiall for hym For why though he bent all the force he was able to make against the Citie yet was it able to holde hym out for so many dayes as they craued And furthermore that the French if their Fortune were to get the vpperhande in fight of their Fréendes that came to succour them should with a worde onely commaunde the Portecullesses and strong grated Gates of the Citie to be broken downe opēned for them quietly to enter whiche shoulde be much for the honour Dignitie and profite of both parties least otherwise those innocent Cities that haue committed no fault for whose deliuerie and regaignynge the French protested themselues to be come should suffer such ruthfull and iniurious examples of warre on both sides as the nature and insolencie of a Siege necessarilye bringeth Charles prudently perceiuing all these protestations and surmises of the Saracenes to be subtilly and craftelye deuised for none other entent but onely to abate the heat and courage of his Souldiours being now most sharply set to haue their purpose by protracting the time and geuyng longer day would in no wise agrée to graunt them any respite to make any further preperation and purueighaunce for war which mighte peraduenture tourne hym to greater inconuenience afterwarde but immediatlye sendeth defiaunce against them and commaundeth hys Souldiours to prouide and make ready such thinges as to the battrie and siege of the Citie were requisite The Siege of this Citie continued many dayes and diuers assaultes fiercely geuen The Assaylauntes were not so busie without but the Defendaunts were as dylygent within many times yssuinge out of their Gates not after the Arabian guyse but accordinge to the Spanish manner armed with Sword and fire quick swift nymble and sodaine deluding their enemyes with many stratagemes and subtyll pollicies facinge and shifting from place to place pretermittinge no occasion that made for their purpose dealynge euery where and at all times so deceiueablye that when the other partye thought themselues surest of their purpose they were fardest of and when their desires were likest as thei thought to sorte to effect then were they soonest beguiled and lykely themselues to fall into the lapps of their enemies so secret and spéedy that they were many times in the middest of their enemies flashing among them before any man suspected their cōming killing them and setting fire in their tentes and gone againe out of sight ere any resistaunce could be made or any time to go against them They skirmished ruffled with their enemies in a maner within their owne tents And although there was a band apointed at the gates of the Citie to kéepe them from comminge out yet notwithstanding they could not be so pent in nor debarred from their purposes but with lyke bouldenesse as afore they would often set vpon them and by no meanes wolde be brought to kepe within the wals of the citie til the same wer throughly entrenched and rampired and all their works within finished to their minde Thē did they stand at defiaunce valiauntly not as men defending their manhood with walles but kéepyng defending their walles with manhood This Siege contynuing somwhat longe the other kings which were daily looked for to reyse the siege came in deed albeit furnished with any hoast able to fight a maine battaile but euer as they espied any aduauntage or occasion they would make out Dimilaunces and light Horsemen by knowen pathes and waies to annoy King Charles Which Horsemen oftener by night then by day alitle disquieted his Campe and made some disturbance and Outcries therein An other crewe of them killyng the watchmē perforce making way through their enemies Bulwarkes and Fortifications entred the citie greatlye relieued them within whereby thei conceiued great hope of future successe Charles with a courage vnappauled and inuincible exhorting his men tolde them that the victory was to be obtained with paines taking vigilancie that martiall prowesse appeareth not only in the encountrie and conflict but a great deale rather in good discipline and obseruance of martiall orders not to be lulled in ease and securytie bestowing the greatest part of the night in sléepe and bodely rest but in studie and deuise for the atchiueaunce of their waightye businesse in the day time incessantly to be busied abstaining from riot libidinous lustes euermore abandoning werines and lingering of time Geuing them further to vnderstand that the cages and walles wherin those Sathanistes had enclosed themselues for their sauegard must ether perforce be brokē in péeces beaten downe about their eares or els the enemies thēselues to be tamed and brought vnder awfull obedience Wherfore he had them to aduance their standards with banners displaid to march against thē not suffer them to rest Then was ther made fortificatiōs habiliments to serue ech way and on euery side wherby their Camp was kept both before behind and on either side Then they that fisked and raunged out as thei did before were faine to hyde their heades within their Fortresse or els were shamfully compelled to retire and so the matter was brought to a perfect Siege Then beganne there a sharpe and terrible battrye whiche contynued day and night without intermission fresh Souldiours euer comming in the places of the weary and fighting by course one after an other rounde aboute with all kinde of deuises Engins Ordinaunce Ladders Bridges pollicie and valyauntnes in somuch that the Saracenes courage being wel cooled
the Sonne of Irene the Empresse The Emperour knowing of this new stirre and commotion made preparation for warre and sent one of his Lordes with an Army nothing equall God wot nor of power to match and encounter with his enemies which was by Thomas discomfited and cleane ouerthrowē After this méeting with the Romane Fléete tooke the same and with .lxxx. M. men tooke his way to Abydus which is a Citie of Asia the lesse standing vpon the Sea syde spoyling and destroying all where he went burning to ashes not only poore vplādish villages but goodly towns and stronge Cities And from thence in a very darke nyghte transfreted into Thracia where many of the Emperours Souldiours reuoulted and fled dayly vnto hym He put to flight and draue downe all the Emperors power sent against hym Wherof were chief Capitaines Olbian and Catacella and lyke a ragyng Streame violently runnyng downe from a Hyll profligated both by Sea and Land and bore downe before him an other wel apoynted Nauy manned out lykewise by the emperour against him He burst asunder the yron chayne that went ouerthwart the Hauen so layd siege to the citie both by Sea and land But preuailyng nothing that way he determyned to winne his purpose by long siege and fortifiyng his Campe in very good order sent parte of his army to subdue the Townes lying by the Coast of Euxine This doone with the rest of his power which was very great he on euery side beclipped the citie with a mighty oppugnation and gaue thereto a terrible battery But by the valyaunt courage of the Defendauntes all his attemptes were frustrate And his Nauy on the Sea by force of tempest was dispersed and disseuered so that he was fayne to brynge his hoast back agayne into Asia tyll the wynter were passed The Spring folowyng he agayne retourned to the same siege but Michael being now better furnished and prouided then hee was before both with a Nauy of tall Shippes to scowre the Coastes and kéepe the Seas and also with an army of lusty souldiours by land first assaied by diuers slights to vndermine Thomas his souldiours to sollicite them to renownce and forsake their Capitaine but al was in vayne Wherfore setting all the Gates of the citie open he sodenly with all his company issued out and set vpon Thomas suspectyng no such pretence and matter and him there discomfited and his whole Fléete on the Sea also There was one Gregory Cosen to Leo late Emperor who with a crew of good fighting Souldiours ayded Thomas but now séeinge the worlde thus tourned separated foorthwith his Souldiours aparte from the residue in hope thereby to wynne the Emperours fauour and set vpon Thomas behinde Whiche when Thomas espyed beyng nothing therewith discouraged nor yet therefore remoouing his stronglye lodged Campe from the Citie set vpon Gregorie with parte of hys Army and him discomfited who for his sauegard flying away he caught in the chase and put to death Then spéeding himselfe into his Camp agayne he addressed his letters abroad into all quarters vntruly makyng report that he had gotten the vpperhand against Michael in battayle and sent for the Nauy that lay at Berytum wherein were of Gallayes and Hulkes to the number of CCC.L. Sayle with all expedition to come vnto him as though the matter should foorthwith be tryed likewise by Sea. Which drifte and commaundement when the Admyralles and Capitaines of the Romane Nauy vnderstoode and knew they set vppon them at vnwares by night in the roade when they lay at Anker and with their sodayne comming so scarred and affrayed the Mariners that they were at their wittes ende and knewe not how vpon such a sodayne to defend themselues so that there many of them were by the Imperials taken and many burnt and very few escaped which beyng quicke of sayle gott away and ioyned themselues to the other Army that was on the land While this terrestriall army lay before Constantinople without any notable battayle sauing only manylight skirmishes and small bickeringes wherein somtimes Fortune smyled and somtime frowned vpon either part the same and reporte thereof was spread and bruted throughout the Worlde In somuche that Mortago King of Bulgarie notwithstandinge the Emperoure for gréedinesse and miserable sparing of his money as he was by nature most couetous and a néere Prince thankyng hym for his good wyll had before refused his ayde offeryng to assist him saying that he had no néede therof partlye because hee was desirous of Warre and spoyle of his enemies and partly to confirme the former thrée yeeres League made with Leo Armenus marched with an Armye agaynste Thomas and him in a place called Cedocto not farre from Constantinople where the two armyes met in Battayle ouercame vanquished wherin many a man was slayne and after the ende thereof retourned home with many Prisoners and rich Booties When the Nauye that Thomas had left at the Siege heard of this notable discomfiture and ouerthrowe they all reuoulted from Thomas and submitted themselues to the Emperour Thomas gatheringe together the remnaunt of his Armye that escaped vnkylled at the last conflict with Mortago conducted them into a playne Féelde called Diabasis distaunt certayne Furlonges from the Citie a place verye commodious and fit for excursions and for plentie of water very profitable Where hee anew encamped From thence makinge vagaries and roades he wasted and despoyled al the Emperours sumptuous buyldings and banqueting houses of pleasure standing in the Suburbes of the Citie The Emperoure hauinge his Armye euery daye more and more encreased strake vp Alarme and gaue the charge vpon him in thrée seuerall parts whereby he throughly put al Thomas his Armye to flight For Thomas before had geuen commaundemente to his men that at the firste onsette they should retyre and make a shewe as though they fled and afterward vpon the sodayne tourne agayne and recharge vpon their enemies After this discomfiture many of his men fledde to the Emperour Thomas with a few of his adherents came in safetie to Adrianople and his adoptiue Son Anastasius escaping also by flight tooke for his sauegarde the Castel of Byzia After whom the Emperour without delay making pursuite went firste to Adrianople where Thomas was And least the Scythians dwellyng thereabout should learne the knowledge of such engyns and Arrtyllerie as serue for Battery and oppugnation of Cities he determyned by famine to driue them to surrender and yéelde and so beclipped it rounde aboute with a strong Siege The Citie was well walled and beside that surely entrenched and fortefied with Bulwarkes But they were so pinched with Famine that all their victualles beinge spent they secretly had conference with Michael and being at a poyncte and composition with him for pardon of this their rebellyous conspiracie deliuered Thomas into his handes The Emperour now hauinge in his possession his deadly enemie obseruing the auntient custome of other Emperors in lyke cases first made him to prostrate himselfe vpon
the Bishop and a few other old meÌ„ all the other multitude commoÌ„ sort they caried thence away with them The Emperour Michael sent out another Nauie wherof was Captain Craterus the Lieutenant of Cyberetes against the Saracenes which rousted nestled in Crete Who with .lxx. Sayle of his owne and an infinite number of Galleys of other Islandes well manned appointed couragiously landed in Crete where he found the Saracens neuer a whit abashed of his arriuall neither refusing by dent of sword and stroke of battaile to darraigne their quarell Whervpon they mette together in a place méete for such a purpose where betwene theÌ„ was fought a sharpe and cruell Battaile lasting from the dawning of the day till Noone in such doubtfull fortune that hard it was to iudge whether part in th' end would cary away the victory But at length toward Euening the Saracens were ouercome and fled wherof many were slain in the fielde but moe throwing away their weapons were taken insomuch that that daye theyr Citie was lyke to haue beene taken and wonne if it had not béene so néere nighte Which night and victorie was the destruction and ouerthrow of the Greekes as afterward shall appéere For being now in their iolitie and pryde hopyng the next day folowing with small labour or none at all to bring those fewe of theyr enemyes yet left a liue into their power gaue themselues to biâ—ynge ryot and bellychere as though they had not bene in their enemies precincte and daunger but at home in their own houses taking no regard to set heir watch kept or any other expedient order obserued Insomuch that minding no other thing but sléepe ease and stouth the vtter ouerthrowers of al goodnes they were set vpon in the dead time of the night snortinge with their dronken nowles by the Saracenes who espyed the aduantage and oportunytie and were slayne euery Mothers sonne not somuch as a Messenger left aliue to carry home newes of their yll spéede Onely Craterus the Captaine embarkinge himselfe in a Marchauntes Craer sought to saue his life But when the Chieuetayne of the Saracenicall Armye after longe séekinge and tumblinge among the dead Carkasses and Prisoners could not finde him knowing him then to be escaped and fled sent in all post hast to pursue and hunt him out Who being taken and apprehended in the I le of Coo was hanged vpon a Gibbet The Emperour Michael hearing these newes commanded Orypha a wiseman and verie skilfull in Martiall affaires to gather together the Praetorian Legion which because euery souldiour of that Legion had for his wages xl Crownes was then called Quadragenaria and with them he spedde himselfe against the saracenes whome he greatly endamaged somtimes killinge them as they raunged licentiously and excursiuely abroad into other Ilandes for spoyle partly breaking out vpon them out of Stales and Ambushes layd for the nonce to intrap them and partly by open conflictes pitched battailes He also cooled the courage and abated the pride â—â—moderate audacitie of them that vsurped the Countrey of Crete At this time there was one Euphemius Capitayne of a certayne Band of Souldiours in Sicilie who not hable to master the lasciuious passions of inordinate loue perforce tooke a virgin out of the Cloyster wher she was professed Nun and had vowed chastytie from her tender age and her by the example of his Lorde and Maister the emperour who also had aforetime perpetrated the lyke enormity rauished and carnally knew against her consent and wyll For whiche impyous acte her Brothers made complaynt to the Emperour with humble request the this detestable exaÌ„ple might not escape the penalty punishmeÌ„t due for such a villanye Whereupon the Emperour sent Commaundement to the Regent of Sicilie that if this were true he should slitte and cut of Euphemius his nose Euphemius vnderstanding what sentence and iudgment the emperour had geueÌ„ against him entred into a conspiracie with his owne Souldiours and other Capitaynes besides and they altogether fled to Ambulak Bysshop of the Saracenes in Mauritania Promysing vnto him that if he might by his help and meanes be proclaymed Emperour of Romanes he would delyuer and bring all Sycile in subiection vnder him and woulde moreouer paye vnto hym a great Tribute Whiche offer and condition Ambulak not refusing inuested hym with the tytle of Romane Emperour and furnished him with a great Armye by meanes whereof he wan the possession of Sicile but Euphemius making his progresse and walkes about Sicile in the habit and stately gesture of Emperour was at the Citie of Syracuse slaine Then began the Saracens to set foote into Calabria and diuers other partes of Italye making therin great hauock and spoyle of whom one Nauy perished and was cast away about the Coastes of Sardinia the other for there were two sent out in fléeinge wyse retourned home Whiche caused Ambulak to conclude a peace with the french Kinge But within a while after Bernard the Sonne of Pipine raigning in Italy the Saracens despising and reiecting the peace that Ambulak had made inuaded Corsica who in their returne homwarde beinge laden and full fraught with booties and great store of Pyllage were in the mayne Sea encountred by one Ermengarius a man of great power in the greater of the Baleare Ilands to the behoofe of the king of Italy maintained a garison ther by whos prowesse the Saracenes at the first onset were cleane discomfited and put to flight and diuers of their Shipes intercepced and taken beside 500. Christian Prisoners in them which were rescued and saued Notwithstandinge all this misfortune and discomfiture the Saracens would rest but coasting about Italie with their Fléet sodaynely landed and surprised a towne in the Coast of Hetruria named Centumcel whiche nowe is called the olde Citie Which being so taken they sacked and with Sword and Fire defaced most rufully From thence holding on their vioage toward Narbon they destroyed haryed and spoyled the Country al about and that doone inuaded Sardinia where they practised all kinde of wast and robbery But as they fetched their vagaries and licencious roades Ermengarius agayne with the power of the I le by hym assembled vpon a sodayne gaue the charge vpon them put them to flight and with great slaughter on their side draue them to the Sea where for hast as they thicke and thréefolde striued who might first get a boorde they were killed downe right at the pleasure and full desire of their Enemies Being thus gréeuously afflicted and hauynge lost a great part of their Nauy they waighed vp their Ankers and sayled into Africa And they which were in Sycile hearinge that the Venetians to gratyfie the Constantinopolitan Emperoure vnto whom that Ile was subiect purposed to send a Nauy against them filled their Bagges and stuffed their powches with such spoyle and pray as they lyked and went their way After this Haido whom Lewes Kinge of Fraunce and the Emperour had made Ruler of
ther came many notable Clarkes very skilfull in the studies of Artes and Philosophy and among the rest it so chaunced about this time that a certayne young man one of his Scholers hauinge by his Maisters industrious labour and diligence attayned to an exact knowledge and skyll of Geometrie was taken Prisoner in the warres by the Saracens chaunced into the seruice or rather seruitude of a noble man of great estemacion and name amonge them Whom Mamume by report and common bruite hearing to be well séene in the Mathematicall Disciplines commaunded to be brought before him And causinge hym in a disputation to be throughly apposed found that he so farre passed surmounted the Arabian Geometricians that of those thinges whereof they alone thought themselues to haue the vse and experience he was well hable to alledge and bringe the proper reasons and causes Mamume greatly wondring at his precise and profound knowledge for he had thought that no nacion had had the skill of that Arte but the Arabians onely asked him of whom he had learned his Arte and whether his maister were yet liuing The younge man aunswered that his Maisters name was Leo a poore man and as yet vnluckie to the worldly goodes of Fortunes giftes and disposicion but geuen altogether to his Booke and Studie Wherevpon Mamume straightwaies addressed his Letters to Leo in effect as foloweth Euen as the Trée is knowne by his fruict so we by the Scholer doo well know the exelencie of the Maister These therefore shal be to requeste thée that forasmuche as God hath blessed thée with a gyft so incomperable and sithence thou lyuest there in poore estate vnknowne or at least vnregarded of thy Citezens and Countreymen reapyng no fruicte of thy rare wisedome and supernaturall speculation thou wouldest daigne to come vnto vs and make vs pertakers of thy admirable learninge This doing make thy sure accoumpt that all the Saracenicall nacion shall submit themselues vnto thée and be readie at thy hest and commaundement and thou shalt bée enryched with such rewardes rychesse and reuenues as neuer yet any man hath béene These letters he delyuered vnto the young man to carie to Constantinople setting him frée at libertie and rewarding hym most honorably When Leo had receiued these letters he opened and tolde the whole matter to certayne of the Emperours familiers And by this meanes bee became knowne to the Emperour who appointing vnto him a competent stipend and pencion commaunded him to teache publikly Mamume dispairing of Leo his comming sent vnto him certayne Geometricall and Astronomicall questions and some of the other Sciences desiring him therein to haue his resolution The which beyng cunningly by Leo assoyled he sent backe againe to Mamume wherevnto he had also annexed certaine tokens and Signes touching the prediction of future thinges Which Letters when Mamume had read it is sayde that he was rauished with suche an ardent desire and zeale toward Leo that he exclaymed in thys sort O happie and thrise happie are they I saye O Diuine Leo which haue the compaignie and fruition of thy presence Then foorthwith he sent a solemne Ambassade with great rewardes and ryche presentes vnto the Emperour and wrate hys Letters also vnto him as foloweth I was fully determyned as it becommeth an vnfeigned friende to haue come my selfe vnto thée but sithens the waightie affaires of our Empyre and the gouernaunce of a most fierce and wylde people by God committed vnto my charge from whom all power and superioritie floweth wil not so permitte I am faine in my stéede to sende vnto thée my Ambassadours with request that it may please thée to sende vnto mée Leo a man endued wyth great singularitie in the knowledge of Philosophie and other Sciences soiourning and makyng his abode wythin thy Citie of Constantinople That he dwelling a while wyth mée may geue mee instructions and make me partaker of his doctrine 〈…〉 feruently enamoured and as it were 〈…〉 Doe not I pray thée deferre the 〈…〉 my request because of any diuersitie 〈…〉 or for any vnkinde dealings between 〈…〉 deale with me herein like a friende For 〈…〉 and curtesie wée will giue vnto thée a. M. It in 〈…〉 and wil enter into an infringible league and perpetuall amitie with thée and al thy Dominions Which request the Emperour would not graunt least the Sciences for which the Romanes were renowmed and had in admiration among al Nations should be communicated discouered to the Barbarous people Wherin he being a Greeque and a Christian might full well haue learned at the handes of a barbarous person and Idolatrous Infidel to reuerence and condignely estéeme verrue which thing would God Princes and noble men in this age admonished by this goodly example would doe For euer afterward he had Leo in great honour and promoted him to great wealth and dignitie and restored him againe to his See and Byshopprike of Thessalonica where he was highly honoured and of al men reuerenced for that through his forecasting wyt surpassing knowledge he conuerted and brought the land and grounde of Thessalonica from barainnesse sterilitie to fruitfulnes and fertilitie But nowe it is time for vs to retourne to discourse of Occidentall matters The Saracenes of Mauritania transfreting out of Sicile wherein they had taken and of longe tyme vsurped manye Townes into Italie vnder the guyding and conducte of Saba besieged Tarenâ—o The Greeke and Venetian Nauies ioyning in one arriued in Calabria to reise the Siege and to rescew the Citie Wherefore hearing Saba seyning as though he had beene afraide to th' intent he might the rather allure and prouoke the enemie to coape with him reysed his Siege and discamped and like as though he had bene loath to meddle retyred into the region of Crotona where béeing afterward assayled and set vpon at the first brunt he discomfited and put to flight the Greekes and theÌ„ the whole puyssaunce of the Saracens was all bent turned against the Venetians fighting and defending themselues manfully and a few of them in number being by a Nauie so strong and mightie circumueÌ„ted were partly slain partly drowned but the Venetians in that conflict perished and were brought to confusion euerichone which victory set Saba so a flote ingenerated in him such haultinesse and pride that spedely coasting ouer the Ionian Sea he arriued in the coast of Illyria practising therin along the prouinciall borders great pillage and robberie and hearing that the Venetian fléete was retourning homeward laden with Wares out of Syria be brought about his Nauie with all expedicion into the Bay of Trieste and from thence insidiously and sodainly setting vpon them spoyled and killed the Marchauntes and Mariners and all the Rowers their rooted hatred and spightfull rancour toward the VenetiaÌ„ name was so vnappeaseable Lewsing thence he cut his course toward Aucon a noble Citie of Picene where there is a goodly haueÌ„ and it forcibly tooke and being taken sacked and last of all consumed it
wyth fire and a few of the Oppidanes or Townesmen which taried still were taken For the rest being brought into sodaine feare and amazednes through this violent irruption were fledde almost all into the mayne land and mediterranean region Within a litle while after an other Nauie of Saracens landed in the coast of Hetruria with purpose and full intent to besiege and take the Citie of Rome Whose sodayne arriuall and terrible approche filled all the Citie with terrour and dread Wherfore Pope Leo the fourth of that name assembled the people together and vnto theÌ„ made this Oration folowing What is the matter my Children whereof you are somuch affraide or why are your mindes thus troubled and appaulled Certes there happeneth nothing vnto vs without the prouidence and wyll of the almightye God neither is it sent vnto vs vndeseruedlye on our partes Then ought we to feare dread their tyrannie wheÌ„ we fall at ciuill strife and goe together by the eares amonge our selues when one Brother conspireth his Brothers death and destruction For all they whiche do beléeue and confesse Christe to be their Sauiour and Redéemer are Brothers Then I say when the Brands of these mischiefes are kindled amonge vs we ought to feare leaste God being highly displeased with vs therfore should send these or rather worse plagues vppon vs For if you think that these impious and barbarous people are sent vnto vs without the will and pleasure of almighty God you are far deceiued For holy Scriptures do in many places testifâ—e dayly examples euery where teache confirme the same God saying by his owne mouth that he wyll vse the wicked blasphemers and the enemies of his sacred name as whippes to scourge and meanes to pursue hys vnfaithfull wylfull and disobedient Children And we do know that the ciuile discord and flagitious dissolutenes of the Greekes gaue first occasion to this pestiferous and diabolicall nacion to extend their rage and practise their first cruell inuasion vpon the Christians Did not the lewde lying of the Gothes and Kinge Rodirick allure them to set foote into Hispaine Whome although these bellish Impes discomfited and condinglye punished yet when they once conuerted their force and moued warre againste good and godlye men they were repulsed put to flight and slaigne euen of a few What do we feare this most dastardly rable and lowsâ—e nacion more then we do Almightye God for we doubt not awhit euery howre and euerye mynute of an howre to offend his Diuine Maiestie to prouoke his wrath and anger againste vs to reuile and blaspheme his holy name to shewe our selues wilfull disobedient and stubbourne to the lore of his swéet word and commaundment and by our owne phantasticall deuises to heape vnto ouer selues the greeuous sentence of his heauy displeasure but at the onely hearinge of this reprobate generation wee tremble and quake for feare as though humane force and mortall Armes were more to be feared then euerlasting paynes and eternal damnation Wher is the auncient puyssance and knightly prowes that was wont to be in the vndaunted Romanes What is become of their valiauntnes paynfulnesse trauaile and courage that in all extremytie and aduersitie was euer inuincible Our Auncestors and forefathers before Christianitie was embraced or Christ to the world notyfied and beleeued on beyng yet blinded and noseled in Idolatrye and supersticious Religion feared no force no violence no multytude of Enemies but oftentimes with a small handfull and power vanquished the mightie populous armies of their Enemies The Gaules French being a people and nacion most fierce and at that time by reason of the huygenes of their bodies formidable and dreadfull the limytes of the Romane Empire being yet but streict and narrow the Citie nothing so great as now it is mens courages also through the sodayne irruption and coming of such a firce and big nacion marueilouslie abbashed tooke in déede I cannot deny this Citie hauing in it at that time no forte of defence nor coÌ„modius place made by art for resistance but yet the Capitoll they were neuer hable to take And not suffered long there to roust were by the valiaunce of one banished Romane thence repulsed and driuen away with notable slaughter of a great maigny of their people And beholde the Romane empire was not of such power and strength at that time as it is now For the limytes of the empyre extended no further but to the Romane Terrytory Now whereas the greatest part of Italy is subiect to the Romane State and the Citie with people well replenished hauing now not the Capitoll onely for your fortresse but a whole Towne also by our industrie and procurement annexed and vnited to your Citie fortyfied and strengthened with all maner of Artificiall deuise and pollicie hauyng I say so many noble Personages and approued Capitaines both for skill courage renowmed and the Sea of the most Catholique Relygion héere resiaunt you now stand in dread and feare not of the Gaules which be a worthy and noble nacion not of the huyge and populous armyes of the Gothes nor yet of the Hunnes the Subuerters and destroyers of many moste flourishyng and noble cities but of the most cowardly and rogish nacion of all Asia a pilfring rable of Mauritanian thieues and Vagarantes The Mannes head that was founde in the ground where the Capitoll standeth gaue such a destinie and fate thervnto that no nacion shoulde be hable by conquest and force to take it Doo you think that the Capitoll was earst more safe and holie â–ª beinge the Seate of Saturn then it is now being employed to a Castle of sincere and true religion Beléeue me beléeue mee neyther the Saracenes nor anye other wicked Nacion whiche are the professed Enemies of Christes name and Relygion shall euer buylde their Bowre plant themselues in this Citie Rome was buylded vnder such a lucky Constellacion that the Empyre thereof shall neuer quayle but continue perpetuallye and vnder this same destenie is this Towne therevnto annexed and adioyned that it should be the See of Religion which thing the most emperiall and Cathedrall Church of him that is chiefe of the Apostles assuredly promiseth But peraduenture you thinke that God béeing prouoked and mooued to wrathe by reason of our manyfold sinnes offences hath gyuen them leaue thus to extend and shew their villanous rage against vs I graunt we haue demerited these and farre greater Plagues and that this ruffling stirre is sent vpon vs not without the speciall foresight and prouidence of God that taking warning and occasion by these aduersities and oppressions to amende our naughtie liues wee may the better renounce our former haunt of licentious lustes and with penitent hearts turne vnto him And so long shall they haue power ouer vs as we persist wilfully wallow in the stinking puddle of our vngratious wayes But if we truely repent and implore his mercy this wicked Nation shall straightwayes geue place
and flee before vs lyke shéepe whom wee shall kill and flea down right before vs and reuenge the iniuries that they the yéeres passed haue done vnto vs and vnto the Maiesty of Almighty God whose TeÌ„ples and consecrated houses they haue wickedly polluted and most horriblie prophaned Hereof may you make your full accoumpt vnlesse peraduenture you thinke that the Asturians the Cantabrians and French who haue oftentimes vanquished and with notorious calamities discomfited them to haue béen better and more valiaunter meÌ„ then you your selues be But they were not beléeue me and God is no lesse mercifull to the present state and inward mindes of meÌ„ nowadayes then he was in the age and life passed For at the godly Sermons and zealous admonitions of Pelagius and other holy men they renounced their vicâ—ous wayes and turning vnto God besought his helpe to assist and deliuer them out of thraldome He is so mercifull and so readie to heare the peticions of the faithfull that he neuer forsaketh nor leaueth destitute and comfortlesse them that vnfeignedly and hartely craue ayde at his handes Amende your lyues therefore and well thinke with your selues that you must wyth tooth and nayle so endeuour your selues that you may not in any wise for godlynes and faith geue place to any Nation in the worlde Call to memory the pristiuate valiaunce of the Romane name couragiously aduaunce forward handle your weapons manfully and deale your puyssaunt blowes doughtily among yonder miscreaunt people I my selfe will be your Capitaine and goe before you and participate wyth you what euent soeuer Fortune sendeth I doe assure you the victorie is most certainely in your handes if you will doe as before I haue directed you They whose chaunce shall be to dye in this most godly quarrell and Battayle shall not onely wynne in this worlde a glorious fame renoumed praise but shal be afterward transported into the Kingdome of euerlasting lyfe and haue theyr names registred in the Booke of lyfe among the electe of God for euer After he had made an ende as many as were hable and fitte for warfare tooke weapon in hande and folowed hym to Ostia There meanyng to receyue at pushe of the Pyke the enemie so soone as he shoulde set any foote on lande When they euidently descryed the enemyes approche and in sight perused their order the Byshoppe eftsoones commaunding his Souldiours to bowe the knees of their heartes and earnestly to pray vnto God implored the diuine assistaunce and mercyfull ayde of hym that is the geuer of all victorye whose woordes and Prayer were in effecte as foloweth O almightie and most mercifull father which against the victorye vnto Gedeon wyth a small number ouer the huyge multitude of hys enemyes then which neuer yet But perceuing that the same was not possible to be taken but by long Siege he thence discamped and passed the ryuer Euphrates by a bridge of Shippes And spoyling the the Countrey and places there aboutes assaultynge and battering many strong holdes whereof some he tooke by surrender he retourned againe to the citie Wher he rested not long but agayne making a warlyke voyage expedition into Siria agaynst the Saracens bent his whole force to winne Germanicia and wanne it From thence he remooued to the Citie Adata which he fiercely besieged and burnt the Suburbes Whiche Citie albeit the Citizenes and Inhabitantes defended very slackly and negligently yet could not he wynne and take it Basilius wondring to sée them so secure and negligent in such iminent danger demaunded of them the cause thereof vnto whom an ancient man of the Citie aunswered that it was decréed by destynie that he should neuer winne their Citie maugre all his force and battary notwithstandinge there shoulde come one of his lygne and race called Constantine which should obtayne the same by conquest but it should not be his Sonne Constantine who was with him in his camp at that present At whiche aunswere Basilius so stormed and fumed that he gaue the assault farre more fiercely and violently then at any time before he had done But when he saw he could nothing preuaile he raysed his Siege and went his way but before his departure he commaunded all his Prisoners to be slayne least they should stir vp some disturbaunce and commotion also because he would be out of feare and not néede to appoynte kéepers vnto them Shortlye after the Saracens of Tharsus infesting the Romane Prouinces he sent one Andrew surnamed Scytha against them who acquiting behauing himselfe against them very honorably knightlie their courage was alaid and their malicious attempts well bridled Whereat the King of Tharsus so stamped and stared that in most horrible and blasphemous tearmes he belched out words full of threates and spightfull contumelies againste God in his Letters addressed and sent vnto Andrew Wherein be wrate the if he had inuaded and come in person against hym it was not the Sonne of Mary that should haue holpen or deliuered him But it was not long before he felt the deserued smarte and due guerdon of his odible myscreauncye For comming himselfe with more ayde to his Hoast Andrew on the other side in good order marshalled his Campe and gaue vnto him battayle Where betwéene them was fought a cruell conflict but in th' end the Saracenes tourned theis backes and fled in which Chase most of them were slayne and among the rest the Kinge himselfe was there bereft of lyfe and limme It chaunced within awhile after that by the sinister meanes and enuious rancour of some backfrindes which spighted at his good successe and valyaunt prowesse this Andrew was accused to the Emperour his maister that when he well might he woulde not take and wynne the Citie of Tharsus vnto whiche surmised accusation such credit was geuen that Audrew was discharged of his generalshippe and one Stypiota placed in his Roome The Saracens which forsâ—owed no time nor ocasion that might further their Affayres and procéedings perceiuing vnderstanding the through this priuie gruge new chaunge the watch was nothing at al looked vnto in the night time set vppon them and slew of them very many and the rest put to flight On the other side the Affricane Saracens besieging Ragusium whiche is a Citie standinge in the borders and coastes of Illyria and the Ragusines sending to the Emperour for ayde and rescue Basilius furnished out a hundreth tall Shippes of Warre for their reliefe and sauetie Whereof the Saracenes hauing intelligence reysed their Siege and tooke their iourney into Italy and takyng the Citie of Barry most lamentably afflicted and in a maner vniuersallie destroyed with fier murther and rapine the Calabrians Apuliana Lucanes and Salentines And being now in minde to deuide Rome and the Empire of all Italy share and share lyke among themselues beholde Pope Iohn greatly mooued with pitie and compassion to sée his Countreye in such extreeme perill imployed ayde and besought Alberick whose power was greate in
which wars Mahomet being put to the wors and by the Babilonian through helpe and ayde of Sclerus and the Roman captiues vanquished sent to the Turks for aide whose helpe and furtheraunce at a pinche as afore hath beene specified the Saracenes for certayne yeeres passed were accustomed in theyr Warres too vse and ioygne vnto them and the rather because they professed and embraced euen at the firste eruptions swaded that they were begotten and dyd come of the wylde Faunes But the Turkes and Tussagetes discendynge of their race and inhabityng the Northside of Mount Caucasus as before wee haue shewed differed muche from them as well in lyfe as manners and Lawes beinge notwithstandynge so lyke amonge themselues and so lynked together in League one with an other that they were taken and accompted for one People and peraduenture they were all one and were so called and named as prophane Persones by the Armenians their Neighbours from whome they receiued their Rites and whiche were called Sagae as muche to saye as holie For this worde Teutazites as in the Seconde Booke was shewed signifyeth in their language Gentiles or a prophane People For these names are of many Writers so mingled and taken together that the one seemeth to be theyr name the other their Surname Procopius saieth these People were nothing néere to the other Hunnes neyther had any thinge to doo with them but that they brodered vppon the Northe partes of Persia that is to witte Armenia For Armenia was euer lyghtlye subiect to the Crowne of Persia Neyther were they Wanderers from place to place as hauynge no habitation sauynge there where their Cattayle stayed and grazed as the other Hunnes or Scythians were but had in their Possession and inhabyted the beste Plottes and moste fertilâ— Regyon that was amonge the Dounes and Mountaynes rounde aboute and amonge the Hunnes they onely were white of complexion and coloure and not so ouglye nor so sterne visaged neyther lyuing so sauagelye and beastlye as the others dyd but lyke true Subiectes liued orderly in due obedience and humble subiection vnder one Prince whome they accepted as their head and King hauing also a well ordered Common wealth with due execution and imbracynge of Iustice and other politicall Lawes both at home amonge themselues and abroade with other forraine Nacions borderynge vppon them as the Greeques Romanes and dyuers other ciuile and well gouerned Nacions dyd also The chiefe Citie of all their Kingdome was called Gorga The noblest sorte and wealthyest persones amonge them had contynuallye seiourninge at their Houses as Gestes twenty or moe of their famylier Fréendes accordinglye as their Substaunce and Rychesse extended with whom both wealth authoritie and power was in common as the same Procopius sheweth and as their institution and manner of lyuinge to this day witnesseth Some there be whiche referre the firste originall of the Turkes to those tenne Tribes of Israell whiche as wee reade in Iosephus were translated into Media For proofe and Testimonye whereof they alledge the likenesse and similitude of their maners and conuersation Some referre their pedagrew to Gog and Magog of whome there is mencion made in the holie Scriptures from whom we rather be of opynion that the Tartarians yea and peraduenture also the Gothes be lineallye descended And some there bee whiche doo deriue the ofspringe and Progenie of them from the auncient Troians Whose seuerall opinions by waye of Argument either to confirme and allowe or confute and disprooue is no parte of our purpose and intent in this place sythince our onely meanyng is not to reason vppon probabilities but to bringe such certainelye knowen truthes as are in the histories and Chronologies of auncient writers aswell of Greekes and Thracians as of the Turkes themselues and other Nations confining vnto them published and mencioned which is euen so as before we haue declared Muchumet therfore desired ayde of their Prince in his warres against the Caliph of Babilon throughe whose helpe and valiaunce sent vnto him vnder the conducte of Tangrolipix Mucalet he encountred with Pisasire the Babylonian Caliph and him with litle labour and lesse daunger discomfited by reason that the Arabians were not hable to abyde the thicke shotte of the Turkishe Arrowes Beyng from this warre retourned home wyth victorie he mynded also to vse the ayde of the same Turkes in his Warres against the Indians At which season the Turkes weary of that seruice desired leaue of Muchumet not onely to retourne home but also that a garrâ—son might be appointed to wafte them in safetie ouer â—â—e bridge that stoode vppon the Riuer Araxes Which request he tooke in suche disdaine and impacience that with frowning looke he charged them from thenceforth not to vrge him any more with that sute The Turkes had no other way in their retourne homeward but must néedes passe the said Riuer Araxes which is the limite and Border of the kingdome of Persia ouer the which there was no other Bridge but onely this which was on bothe sides merueylous strongly garded and fortified with Blocke-houses Turrettes and Garrisons The Turkes dreading further dauÌ„ger priuily shranke away as closely as they could departed into the desert of Carbonitis For considering their number was not aboue three thousande men they durst not aduenture to fight and buckle wyth such a great multitude Béeyng in those desertes they made many vagaries into the Saracenes Territories and wasted theyr Countrey terriblye Whereat Muchumet merueilously stomacking and storming sent an Armye of 30000. men against them committing the charge and conducting of the whole Armie vnto tenne Tribunes of the noblest stoutest and wisest in his traine They beyng come néere to their enemies would not aduenture to enter into the desert for feare they should be distressed for lacke of water and victuall but encamped themselues euen in the verye entraunce into the same desert The Captaine of the Turkes hauing intelligeÌ„ce by his Espialles of the Persians approch called his Souldiours together and making them priuie to his deuise purposed sodainly to set vpon them and vnawares to surprise both the Saracenes and Persians while they were yet secure and mistrusted nothing And spéeding apace toward them by great iournayes within two dayes was come néere vnto them The thirde night he set vppon them beyng in their Tentes carelesse and quiet suspecting nothing lesse then any such matter whom he put to flight euen at the first onset After this discomfiture of his enemies hee fell to spoyle and ransacke their Tentes where finding great store of Wagons Horses and Money lyued no longer by Robbery and Thefte lyke a Vagabonde or fugitiue as afore but from thence forthe pitched hys Tentes and encamped himselfe abroade in the open playne When the report of his victorie and good fortune was blowen abroade there resorted vnto him from all quarters thereaboute all suche Cutthroates and Villaines as for their vngracious demerites feared punishment wyth a great route of Slaues and pylfering Roges lyuing of the spoyle of
His iourney lay through Phrigia and Laodicaea Chonas S. Archangel Lampis and Celenas where the head Spring of the great Meander is into whiche the Riuer rashlie then aduisedlie chopped hardilye into the same streicts hauing his battel apointed in this order folowing The Voward was led by the two Suns of Angelus Constantine whose names were Iohn and Andronicus with Macroduca Constantine and Lapardus Andronicus with their Ensignes and Bands and was marshalled in Lunare ranks or Mooned araye The right wingâ— was led by Baldwine King of Hierusalem and the lefte by Maurozomes Theodorus After them folowed the Drudges Skullions Woodcarters Cartes and all the other bagage and Trinketrie of the Hoast After them came the Emperoure himselfe with the maine Battaile where in was a valyaunt Crew of chosen fellowes The Rerewarde was conducted by Andronicus Contostephanus Assoone as they were entred within the Streights where there was no starting hoales nor yet elbowroome for the Hoast and the Bandes of Angelus Macroduca and Lapard ordering themselues into a thrée square battaile small before and thick behinde like vnto a wedge gaue the charge vpon the barbarous Turkes and by fine force draue them backe from the Hilles and higher places where they fought into the Mountaines and so perforce made for themselues a through passage without ani hurt or daunger But the residue of the Legions folowed after them nothing couragiouslie neither did they set their Archers in the flankes of their Battayle to gall and kéepe of the Turkish force as they should haue done neither held they their Targetts close together ouer their heades like a vault to beare of their shotte and blowes Wherefore the Turkes in thick plumps and with great violence brake out on euery side vpon them from the higher places into the lower grounde and from the bankes where before they sought into the plaine and boldely encroched still more and more vpon the Romanes till they had pearced and broken their araye And firste putâ—inge Baldwine his winge to flight wounded and flew many Which when Baldwine perceued with an intent to rescue and ayde his men in that distresse taking with hym a picked Troupe of expert Horsemen rushed in amonge the thickest of his Enemies Of whom he was so beset and on euery side circumuented that hee himselfe was there slaine and all his men most valyauntlye fightynge likewise there dyed This good successe set the Turkes on such a glorious hoigh that they stopped all the wayes where the Romanes should passe meaning that day so to plague the Christians that they should neuer after he hable to attempt the lyke enterprise against them for now being enclosed in those perillous Streightes and one hindring an other they wer not hable to endamage nor hurt their Enemies by any kinde of meanes but rather hindred and disturbed one an other and were cause of one an others slaughter and lamentable destruction So extreemely cooped in and pounded were they that they neither could haue any help of the Emperoure neither yet of the Rerewarde neyther coulde they goe backe or decline on any syde because the Cartes and carriage that were placed in the middle like a Bulwarke or Rampire letted them Their Horses and men were kylled lyke Shéepe and with Turkes Falchions gored and foyned through The Vallayes laye full of dead Corses the wayes stenched with grisly sightes of slaine persons the Downes couered ouer with dismembred bodies the waters of the Riuers were coloured and ranne with bloude of Men and Beastes mingled together and to be shorte such lachrimable slaughter was in this place made vpon the poore Christians that the wofulnesse thereof cannot with Penne accordinglye be expressed And beside all other outrages and vnspeakeable calamities the Turkes pitched the head of Andronicus Bataza the Emperours Nephew which had leuied an Army out of Paphlagonia and Heraclea Pontica and was sent against the Amasene Turkes in Amasia vpon a Speare poynt and caryed it before them for a mockage in derision Which heauie spectacle and dauÌ„gerous plight so vexed and inwardly gréeued Manuel that his minde was wonderfully perplexed insomuch that he was eueÌ„ at his wittes ende and wist not what to doe nor which waye to tourne him But the Romane Legions in the Voward as before was declared hauing passed those pykes deadly trappes helde themselues close together and for their sauegarde senced in their Campe vpon the toppe of a little Hill very conuenient and commodious as the time then fell out for their purpose The Turkes with might and maine striued to ouerrunne and beare downe the Emperours battaile because it they mighte once throughly disperse and subdue the greatest and strongest part of the Army they thought the residue would easely and with small adoe bée vanquished like as a Serpent when the head is bruysed and crushed to powder all the other partes of the bodye which before by themselues mooued being cleane cut of do straightwayes die The Emperour fought valiauntly that day and oftentimes assayled the Turkes fiercely to driue them out of the Staightes and to open the waye for his men to passe through but perceiuing the power and force of the Turkes which fought froÌ„ the higher ground still to encrease and making his full accoumpt that whether he taried or went forwarde there was none other way for him and his company but present death he exhorted his men first of all to repose all their hope in Almightie God and next in their weapons and handes and that they should either saue their lyues by hardy blowes and valiaunt déedes or else by honest and glorious death wynne to themselues perpetuall fame and renoume for he plainely tolde them that he saw none other way for theÌ„ to escape cleare and harmelesse but by such a famous aduenture And the God would not vtterly forsake nor leaue succourlesse them that beare armour and fight in the quarel of his holy Catholique Religion for the aduauncement of his glorious name against the impious contemners and blasphemers of all religion godlines vertue and honestie so that they would prostrate theÌ„selues before hym and with deuoute mindes crauing his diuine assistance valiantly vse the courage and power which his diuine Maiestie gaue inspired into their stomackes And although their chaunce were then to be slaine yet should they hauing a most iust cause and quarel for this their short and transitorie life gaine and winne a double life the one euerlasting and most blessed in the heauenly kingdome promised and prepared by our Lord and Sauiour Christ for all such true Christians as sincerely worship and vnfeynedly beléeue on his name but namely and specially for such as spend their bloude and life for the loue of his holy word and setting forth of his glory And y other is a perpetuall fame and a worthye memoriall in this worlde among all posteritie which would most assuredly for euer extoll celebrate this their prowesse and constancy But such as threw away their weapons should
Venetians tooke Constantinople and Angelus being thence disthronyzed the Greekes in Asia created Theodorus Lascaris his Sonne in Law Emperoure who had vnder his Empire and obedience not onely Bythinia and the Regions along the Sea but also extended the Lymittes of his Dominions very farre into the maine Lande and had vnder him all from Caria and the riuer Meander Southwarde to the Sea Galaticum and Cappadocia Northward and cōstituted his Imperial Seate at Nice Which so tickeled and fretted Alexius that he passing the Sea Aegaeum entred into Asia and priuily went to Iathine the Sonne of Rucratine being now Sultane in pitifull plight poore rayment before whō he in suppliant words opened his state fortune humbly besought him of aide succor to restore him to his lawful Empyre and Crowne vniustly by an vsurper detained withholden not forgetting to put him in remembrance of the former frendship which afore time he had shewed horne to him while he was in prosperitie and further promised hym great Summes of money Insomuch that Iathine taking compassion vpon him and mooued greatly with his large promises forth with dispatched Ambassadours to Theodorus threatning warre and destruction vnto him vnlesse he gaue place to his father in law suffred him quietly to enioy his rightfull Diademe and Imperiall authoritie them out of that poore plot and beggerly region which affronteth Persia and the Caspiā Sea almost Islandwise and is enuironed on ech side with the Scythian Ocean and ioyneth vnto Asia by one onely Isthmus or narrow porcion of land lying betwene the two Seas the which is compassed and enclosed with the highe and inaccessible Mountaines called Riphaei as it were with a Wall or Rampier the waues of the Sea sayeth Hayton the Armenian going backe and making way for them to passe betwene the Mountaines and the Sea. And therfore all those Scythians afterward of that Tribe wherof their first Emperor was descended were called Tartarians whose auncient descēt and beginning many as before we haue sayde of the Turkes doe referre vnto the tenne Tribes of Israell whose opinion I doe not see howe it standeth with reason nor wherevpon it is grounded This am I persuaded and this séemeth vnto me most like and probable that the Scythians be descended of Magog the sonne of Iapetus of whom the Scripture in many places maketh mention and that those tenne Tribes were by the King of Persia translated not into Scythia but into Media But howsoeuer the matter goeth the Tartarians in such sort as we haue declared yssuyng and in great companyes departyng from the Hyperboreans vnder the conduct of Cangio whom for honours sake they called Cham which is as muche to say as a most high and Soueraigne Emperour tooke their way downe along to the Sea Caspium In the meane season Cangio the Cham departing this lyfe his Sonne Hoccota succéeded in his place a man ryght wyse and valiaunt and the eldest of twelue brothers Hée sendyng out Gebesabada with a huyge power to subdue and conquere the regions of the Occident and himselfe in person passing the Caspian Streictes Sogdiana Bactrian Oxo and the ryuer Sogdus whiche is encreased wyth many and the same great Springes flowing and running into it wyntered at the foote of Mount Taurus solacing himselfe and enioying the fruictfulnesse of that region and suche bootie as he had before taken This Mount Taurus is the greatest Mountaine in all the world whose ridge top hanging still together without any particion hath his beginning Westward néere the Sea Aegaeum and stretching a long to the Ocean Orientall diuideth all Asia into two parts This Hill is also called Caucasus The next Spring when the groūd was new clothed decked with the fresh attyre of greene grasse pleasant floures they discamped from the foote of Caucasus like an innumerable sort of Sheepe mounted to the toppe of the Mountaines inuading the Countreyes vnderneth them and after they had there made great pillage and taken their pleasure they pearced into India all about the Bankes of the noble ryuer Indus on either side constituting the Ocean for the limitte of their Empyre And there building a Princely Citie called Cambalu most beautifull sumptuous and large and for all pleasure of man the most delectable and pleasauntest Citie in all Asia appointed it to be their chiefe Pallace and Seate Royal. Afterward exployting his warres by Deputies and Lieutenauntes whom he made Chieftaines and Generalles ouer hys Armyes choosing therto such as were eyther hys brothers or else of the bloude Royall some of them went Northwarde some Westwarde and some Southwarde and after they had subdued the Arachosians Caramanians sundry other Nations wonne Persia and thence expulsed the Turkes they then came to the Chaldees and Arabians From thence they marched agaynst the Babylonians and Assyrians and conquering Mesopotamia brought vnder their subiection the Persians Parthians and Medians After this going vp by the greater Armenia with incredible celeritie they ouercame Colchis northward and Iberia that confineth hard vpon it insomuch that their state surmounted and flourished in same and honor excéedinglye Now this mightie Tartarian Prince was purposed to make the Sea on euery side the limits and bounds of his Empire but the pleasaunt delicacies and amyable soyle of the Countrey of India so mollified and effeminated his mind that beinge loath to departe thence he setled staied there and distributed the Prouinces Cities Houses fat Farmes and Tenements amonge his souldiours and people and receiued the Rites Ceremonies and Customes of the Assyrians Persians and Chaldees Therefore as soone as these Tartarians hauinge passed the Caspian Mountaines had sodainly and forciblie surprised Alexandria a citie standing néere the Streicts now called the Yron Gates the Imperiall Sultane of the Turkes greatly terrified and dismayd with this sodayne irruption of a new and most fierce people and fearing lest if he should be driuen and enforced to enter into Warres with the Tartarians his olde Enemies the Romanes would be readie to set on him behind at his backe sent his Ambassadours with full authoritie and commission to the Emperour to confirme and strike an vnitie and peace betwéene them which thing the Emperoure as being encoumbred with Europian Warres was very glad of and willinglye therevnto condescended because the Turks should be as a strong Rampier and Wall in Asia for him against the inuasion of the Tartarians This League therfore with the Turkes was of al handes gladlie embraced and to the Greekish Empire most conducible For whereas men being so long time afflicted with the lamentable calamyties of long Warres bad neither occupied tillage nor bred vp Cattayle it fell out in th' end as néedes must that great dearth and scarsitie was in all the countrey and their Treasuries also with the charges and costes of so long continuance were in maner emtied and cleane exhausted Wheresore beinge now by this newe attonement and League ridde out of the same and brought to
afflicted The Saracens draue the christians cleane out of Siria Antioch was sacked by Bodegar the Sultane Yet againe Lewes the french kinge with his thrée Sonnes sayled into Africa against the Saracens with a great power Where by his knightly prowesse he had the victorie of them and besieged Carthage but by reason of the vnholsome countrey and chaunge of ayre the pestilēce infected his Hoast wherof the king himself dyed and his sonne Iohn also and then brake vp the siege The Armenians and Scythians at Gamala a citie of Iurie were destroyed by the Saracens with the citie also The citie Tripolis was taken fiered by the Sultan of Aegipt and the Christians in most cruell wyse slayne or els caryed away captiue The cities of Tyre Sydon Tripolis and Bericus by the same Sultan were fiered rased euen with the ground Ptolomais also being afore a place of refuge for the dispearsed christians was taken without any resistance and destroyed and the very foundations digged vp The christians which fled away and for sooke the citie in their way toward Crete perished by shipwrack and were drowned And thus were the Christians vtterly chased out of syria 190 yéeres after they wan it vnder Godfrey of Bolleine The kingdome of Turkes OThoman a man of obscure byrth very ambicious growing in great wealth riches by spoyle and robberie was the first that tooke vpon him the name of Kinge of Turks He within x. yéeres space subdued to his seigniorye a great part of Bythinia other countreis about the Euxine Sea whose generation since hath wrought much mischiefe to Christendome The I le of Rhodes was won frō the Sar. by the hospitelers Alphonse King of Castile in a notable conflict ouercame the Saracens and tooke two mighty cities Othoman king of Turks dyed and after him succéeded Orchanes his Sonne the second king of that Nacion While Cantacuzen Paleologus contended for the Empire of Constantinople Orchanes by force wan the most noble citie of Prusia Orchanes in a battayle against the Tartarians for so ar the Scythians called lost the féeld and was with many of his army slaine After him succéeded Amurathes the third kinge of Turkes Amurathes through the couetousnes and treason of the Genowais lending their ships vnto him passed the streicts of Hellespont to Abydus where he conquered the cities of Philippople and Hadrianople vnto his subiection This Ammurathes inuaded Seruia and Bulgaria conquered them from the Christians and at the same tyme tooke and slue Lazarus King of Seruia Ammurathes inuading the higher Mysia was thrust into the flanke with a Dagger by one that was a faithful seruaunt to the aboue named King Lazarus whose pretence was to reuenge his maisters death of the whiche wound he dyed After Ammurathes thus slaine Baiazeth his sonne obteyned the kingdome was the fourth king of Turkes and slue his owne brother Marke Cratenique king of Bulgaria with all the nobilitie of his realme was vanquished in battayle by Baiazeth He spoyled Bosna Croacia Illyria Albania and VValachia kyllyng many thousandes of Christians being partly slaine and partly caryed into captiuitie Constantinople was afflicted and besieged fully .viij. yéeres by this vnmercifull Tyraunt the Turkish king The Lordes of England and Fraunce at the instance of the Genowayes ioyning with them made a voyage into Africa against the Saracenes and compelled them to restore and set at liberty the Christian Prisoners liuing among them and to pay 10000 Crownes The Walachians craued ayde of the Turkes against the Hungarians whom notwithstanding the Hungarians vanquished and put to flight The Christians and the Turks mette and ioyned battayle at Nicopolis vpon the. 28 day of September But the victorie fell to Baiazeth who had there 300000. stoute fighting men well appoynted wherof 60000 were horsemen The Army of the Christiās being French Hungarians was not aboue lxxx thousande among whom there were about .xx. M. Horsemen The French Capitaines were in a maner all taken Prisoners Sigismund the king of Hungarie himselfe escaped hardly by flight In this battaile were slaine of Christians 20000. and of Turkes 60000. This lamentable ouerthrowe happened throughe the discorde of the Christian Host among themselues by reason that one whyle the Frenche and another while the Hungarians claimed the first onset and the leading of the Vauntgard After this battaile the Turke retyred backe to the siege of Constantinople Tamburlane Kyng of Scythia a man of obscure byrthe and Pedagrew grew to such power that he maynteined in his Court daily attending on him a thousand and CC Horsemen This Prince inuadyng the Turkes dominions in Asia with an innumerable multitude of armed Souldiours in the confynes of Gallitia and Bithynia néere to Mount Stella gaue to the Turke a sore battaile in the which he slew of them two hundreth thousand He tooke Baiazeth the Great Turke Prisoner and kepte hym in a Cage tyed and bounde wyth golden Chaynes When so euer hee tooke Horse he caused the sayde Baiazeth to be brought out of hys Cage vsed his necke as a Styrrope and in this sorte caryed hym throughout all Asia in mockage and derysion He vanquished the Persians ouercame the Medians subdued the Armenians and spoiled all Aegypt He built a Citie and called it Marchantum wherein he kept all his Prisoners and enriched the same with the spoyles of all such Cities as he conquered It is reported in Histories that in his hoast he had an incredible nūber of thousands he vsed cōmōly to haue xij hundreth thousand vnder him in Campe. When he cam in sight of his enemies his custome was to set vp thrée sortes of Pauylions or Tentes the first was white signifying therby to his Enemyes that if at that shew they would yelde there was hope of grace and mercye at hys handes the next was redde whereby he signified bloude and flame lastly blacke which betokened vtter subuersion mercilesse hauocke of all things for their contempt The same yéere Walachia Transyluania Moldauia and all the Region beyonde the ryuer of Danowe by procurement of Stephan Vaiuoda their Captaine sediciously mutyned and stirred vprores against Sigismund Whereby all men might perceiue and vnderstande that the same Vaiuoda was the very Authour of the late discomfiture in procuring the Turkes to come thither Cyriscelebes whom some do call Calepine after that the Great Turke his father was takē prisoner and his Host vanquished by Tamburlane the Scythian King saued himself by flight tooke vpon him to be king of Turkes being the fyst from Othoman The Turkes after their king was thus taken their power daunted atchieued nothing worthy of any remēbraunce vnder this Cyriscelebes Cyriscelebes the kinge this yéere dyed leauing behind him two Sonnes Orcannes and Mahomet Orcannes throughe the great fauour of the Nobles of Thracia was appointed Successour to the Crowne béeing yet a very young man but in a conflict at Gazar not farre from the ryuer Hebrus he was slaine chiefly by the villanie of his
Solyman the xii Emperour of Turkes This Solyman conquered the Citie Belgrade a moste strong Buttresse and Garrison for Christendome and wan diuers other Castles and strong Holds in Hungary He also besieged the I le of Rhodes with a Nauye of foure hundreth Sayle and a mightie multytude of men He beganne the siege in the later end of Iune and tooke it vpon Christmas day next folowing to the great shame dishonour of al christian Princes The knights of the same I le valyauntly a great while defended it often skirmisshed with hym but in th' ende after many notable ouerthrowes for want of ayde and power they yéelded Lewys Kinge of Hungarie desired by his Ambassadours aid of the Princes of Germany against the Turke inuading his Countrey and Kingdome whiche they appoynted to sende but it came to late For the Turke was already come wherefore king Lewys in his owne person leading his whole power against hym encountered with hym in battayle wherein hes was ouercome and thinking to haue saued himselfe by â—light was drowned in certayne Bogges or Fennes both Horse and man Many worthy Gentlemen in this Battayle were slayne to the great weakeninge of that noble Kingdome The chiefe Citie of the Realme called Buda was sacked and spoyled and the noble Librarie of Kinge Matthias vtterly consumed with fire The Knights of the Rhodes planted theÌ„selues against the Turkes in the I le of Malta The same yéere Solyman came agayne into Hungary besieged the second time the strong fortresse of Bude but séeing he could not according to his minde by force win it he perswaded the Defendauntes by certayne offers and conditions to yelde it into his handes From thence he marched to Vienna a noble Citie of Austrich and vppon the xxij day of September gyrded the same about with a most terrible Siege beate it with Ordinance and shooke the walles with most hydeous noyse of roaring Canons But through the courage of the defendauntes he lost many of his Souldiours and being brought into a vtter despaire of any good successe he trussed vp his trinkets and in flying maner trudged away toward his owne Countrey with all spéede that coulde be fearing least the Emperour and other Princes had folowed at heeles after him During this siege he haried great booties out of the Countrey thereabout and caryed away many thousande Prysoners He cast out young Virgins auncient Matrones starke naked and pitched little Children vpon stakes and poales In his Armie he had a hundreth and fortye thousand men whereof partly in this Siege of Vienna and partly in their flight perished for famine and colde the number of .lxxx. thousand The Citie was most valiantly defended by Philip of Bauary Earle Palatine of the Rhine brother to the Palsgraue a young Gentleman in yéeres but of noble courage with the Lord William Rogendorf and Nicolas Erle of Salme and with them onely xx M. Almeynes and two M. horsemen In his iourney through Austrich the Turke vsed vnspeakeable crueltie of some he cut of their noses some he put out their eyes of some he cut of their priuy members of women they cut their pappes Virgins they rauished and of women great with childe they rypped their bellyes and brent the children beside this all along as they went they brent Corne Trees Houses and all that was combustible to make the countrey desolate Solyman with CC.M. armed souldiours assaulted the Castle of Guntz in Hungarie geuing thereto xiiâ— terririble assaultes Which Castle was valiauntly defended by a noble Gentleman named Nicolas Iuryze At length it was surreÌ„dred vnto him not as wonne by force but as yeelded by composition The great Tâ—rke himselfe hearing that the Emperour Charles was comming agaynst him wyth lxxx thousande footemen and .30000 well appoynted horsemen of Germaines Italians and Spanyardes beside the Horsemen of Hungarie thought the Countrey woulde bée too hoate for hym to staye anye longer and therevppon fledde homewarde through the Hillishe Downes of Norica and wyth great booties retourned home wythout dooyng any thing worthye of memorie Solyman yet againe meant to haue an other flinge at Hungarie and to scourge the Kingdomes of Africa Wherevppon he sent one Corradine Barbarossa Capitayne of his Nauie into Africa against the King of Tunice Whom he draue out of his Kingdome and deposed from hys Crowne And into Hungarie he sent Lewys Gritte Bastard sonne of Andrew Grytte Duke of Venyce to expulse and dryue out thence Vaiuode But Meilane Vaiuode wynninge the Cytie of Medeuisch which the saide Lewys Grytte before had gotte into hys possession slewe both hym and all his Armie And cutte hys Children into pieces before theyr fathers eyes Charles the fifte with a great Nauie sailed into Africa and restored the king of Tunice to his Crowne againe and deliuered out of miserable captiuitie about the number of .xx. thousand Christian Prisoners The same yéere Taurus a Citie of Persia was taken by the Turke Where the Turkishe Souldiours lyuing in carelesse securitie were sodainly set vpon by Tahames king of Persia and .xx. thousande of them slayne The Persians caryed thence manye spoyles and the Great Turkes Concubines to the great shame and reproche of their Enemies Solyman assembled out of the Countreyes of Pontus Propontis C l. Gallyes lxxx Brigandines Foystes and CC. lxx other vesselles of diuers sortes wherwith he inuaded Corsica an Ile belonging to the Seigniorie of Venice and it besieged the space of .x. dayes Then setting the Suburbes on fier making great spoyle of the countrey beside killing or else taking Prisoners many of the Inhabitauntes he departed thence and wasted the I le of Zacynth and Cythera Hee conquered and layde euen with the grounde the I le of Aegina subdued Paros and make Naxos Tributarie He sent into Puell the greater and better part of his Nauie which were in number ten thousand picked footemen and M M. of his stoutest Horsemen which haryed and spoyled all the Coast of the Tyrrhene Sea. The fléete of the Emperour the Pope and Venetians ioyning together at the first through discorde and ambition of the Captaines among themselues were disseuered and scattered a sunder Inuasion and Roades were made into Styria by the Martyloys a rude sort of Peyzauntly Lurdens altogether geuen to Pylfery and Theft but by the valiantnesse of the Countrey Inhabitauntes they were repulsed The same yéere throughe Treason of Duke Calcian the Christians had an ouerthrowe at the handes of the Turkes in Sauia The Venetians entred a Truce with the Turke by paying vnto him thrée hundreth thousand Crownes and yelding vp into his handes the Townes of Neapolis and Maluasia in the borders of Macedonia The Towne of Newcastle in Dalmatia wherein was a Garryson of Spanyshe and Germaine Souldiours was this yeere conquered and sacked by the Turks and all the Inhabitauntes and Souldiours therin according to their vsuall custome put to the Sword. The Venetians all this while wynked at the matter in whom it lay to haue holpen this outrage
the Pauement and Stones whiche done he set his féete vpon his necke and trodde vpon hym Then he caused his Féete and handes to be cutte of and so setting him vpon an Asse cōmaunded him to be caryed about the Campe for euery man to wonder at Whereat the miserable caytife said in howling sort these words Haue mercie compassion vpon me thou that art the true king And when he was about vpon the Emperours interrogatories motions to haue bewraied accused certen of his famyliers as pryuie and of counsel with him in this ruffling rebellion the Emperour being aduised by Exambulius one of his Nobles that no credite ought in such cases to be geuen to a professed enemie accusing the approued fréendes of his Maiestie would not heare him And so geuing order for his execution caused him longe languishing in terrible forments to be put to death They that fled to Byzia folowing the example of the Adrianopolitanes tooke Anastasius and deliuered hym bounde to the Emperour who also was put to execution This end had Thomas whose historie although he were no Saracen we thought good not héere to omit because he chiefely atchieued and perpetrated the same by the aide and power of the Saracens insomuch that he might right well séeme to haue bene the Emperour and Ringleader of the Saracens While these things were in doing in the Orient the Saracens in Spaine most arrogantly by their Ambassadours demaunded of Ramire King of Asturians who succéeded Alphonsus Castus the Tribute which king Mauregat was wont to pay Vnto whom Ramire by the aduise of his priuie Counsell aunswered that he had leifer dye a hundreth deathes then so to doe And forthwith leuying an armie marched against them wasting and destroying their Territories and Countreyes as farre as Nagiera Betwene whom and the Saracens was fought at Aluelda a sore battayle and sorer had bene if the night had not made an ende of the same for that daye wherein forasmuch as the Saracenes were lyker to haue the victorie Ramire by night with his companie retyred vnto a certaine hill néere Clauigium and there greatly fearing the doome of Fortune the next day and what woulde befyde on him and his after so vnluckie a beginning sought his onely refuge at Gods handes bestowing both he and all his retinue the whole night almost in watching and prayer to Almightie God for his assistaunce in that theyr gréeuous extremitie Then and there as some do saye Saint Iames the Apostle séemed personally to appeare vnto him promysing him his helpe and furtheraunce wherevpon Ramire the next day comming into the field in good aray of battaile against his enemies with an assured confidence of Diuine helpe and assistance the sayde holy Apostle Saint Iames was sene in the battayle sitting vpon a white horse and bearing in his hande a redde Crosse and that in the same Battaile were slayne of Saracenes lxx thousand Then were Albaida Clauigium Calagurra and many other townes thereabout regained by the Christians In token and remembrance of which victorie by the Diuine assistance of Celestiall presence atchieued the Noble order of the Knightes of Saincte Iames was by the King instituted The Saracenes inhabyting the West parte of Spayne where Valentia standeth pestred with multitude of people and considering that the Countrey which was vnto thē for their habitation allotted was neither fruitfull nor wealthye desired their highe Prince of Marrocco in Mauritania Tingitania whose name was Amerumen to permit and lycense them to séeke some other place of dwelling where they might more commodiously rouste and whyther they might cary theyr people and famylie and plant themselues more to their cōtentacions Whose requestes their Prince as one desirous of new alterations and chaunges of the world graunted and furnishing them out of hande wyth a Hauie of Brigandines and Gallayes partlye because he woulde staunch their gréedie appetites wyth other mennes goods and partly because he woulde by this meanes trie and séeke out whether there were any fruitefull Soyle and fertile Island whereinto he might conueniently deryue a Colonie of his owne people sent them to the Isles of the Orient They landed first in Corsica but thence they were repulsed and dryuen awaye by Abdemar whom Pipine the Sonne of Charles the Great Kyng of Italie had sent wyth the Genaway fléete agaynst them In which conflicte Abdemar most valiauntly and manfully fighting was slayne From thence saylyng to the Isles of Grecia whych were spoyled and disfurnished of the Hauie appoynted to kéepe them through the meanes of the Garrison that tooke parte with Thomas they sacked and robbed almost euerye one of them vnmercifully Among all the rest lyking Creta best both for fertilitie of the Countrey and holesomenes of Ayre they laded theyr Shippes with pillage and retourned for that yéere home againe and in the Springe folowing with .xl. tall Shippes well manned and appoynted for the Warres they hauyng a prosperous gale of wynde came straight agayne to Creta And setting theyr men on lande at a Promontorie called euer after Carax set theyr Shippes on fire and there pitching their Tentes strongly entrenched them selues callyng the place by the name of Caudax Against whom the Emperour with all expedicion sent a power vnder the conduct of Photinus Liuetenaunt of the Orient and one Damianus who in a certaine skirmish against them was slaine whose death so much astonned and discouraged the residue that they trusted to then legges and ranne awaye Then there came vnto them a certaine Monke out of the mountaines of that Island who tolde them that the place which they had chosen to builde a Citie vpon was nothing fit for such a purpose and withall shewed vnto them a place named Candaces in all poinctes farre more commodious Where they builded a Citie which should be as the Castle and fortresse of the whole Isle and called it Candie Out of which they made Roades and inuasions into the whole Isle insomuch that within a shorte space they brought the same wholly into theyr subiection dispossessing the inhabitauntes and carying the Citizens away into Captiuitie At which time Cyrillus Bishop of Gortyne suffred Martirdome for the profession and testimony of Iesus Christ our only Sauiour An other nauie of thē about the same time attempted once againe the winning of Sardinia Corsica the which was encoūtred and vanquished about Sardinia by the power of Charles the brother of Pipine being vnder the conduct of the Countie Bucharede v. M. of the saracens slaine all the rest of them afterward by him cleane driuen out of Corsica Pipine hauing warres with the Venetians the Saracens in Spaine taking occasiō by the discorde and dissensions of the Christians to bring their own matters to desired effect sodainly inuaded Sardinia from whence not long afore they had bene repulsed with a notable slaughter losse of their people But staying not lōg there they sodainely departed thence cutting their course directly to Corsica And sacking the Citie Aleria beside
partly cōsumed by fire and partly drowned in the waters insomuch that of their whole fléete which was 3000. Shippes more and lesse there escaped but only fiue This Siege lasted fully two yeeres The same yeere the Saracens thinking to recouer some of theyr former losses wyth a huyge Army entred into Spayne and spoyled all the Countrey sauing onely Gallicia Abidimar Capitaine of the Saracens in Africa sacked and spoyled Burdeaux a Citie of Fraunce and remoouing thence to Poytiers was mette withall and repressed by Charles Martellus Their Captaine and Prince Abidimar being slaine the Saracens for a while were quiet and medled not with any moe warres The Saracenes bringyng wyth them theyr wyues Children and whole Householde entred a freshe into Fraunce as thoughe they had meant there continuallye to haue dwelled and planted themselues for euer Wyth them Charles the Great ioyned Battayle hauyng the ayde of the Frenche Nation and slewe of them 380000. and loste of his owne men onely 1500 Souldiours Charles King of Fraunce by hys valiaunt Knyghthood delyuered out of the handes of the Saracens the noble Citie of Auinion whyche they had before guilefully surprized Charles restored many other Cityes to peace and libertie expulsing out the Saracens slaying Amorrheus one of their Captaines putting Athine another of their Guydes to flight The same Charles by helpe of Luitprand Kinge of Lumbardie draue and expulsed all the Saracens out of Fraunce Constantinus Copronymus Emperour of Constantinople furnished out a Nauie against the Saracenes in Aegypt The Saracens in the East were euer wynning somewhat that belonged to the Romans and layed it to theyr owne Empyre by meanes that the Romanes disagreed among themselues and bent themselues only against the French Kings Charles the Great had a noble victorie agaynst the Saracenes in Spaine Rowlande in combate ouercame a Saracen that often chalenged the Christians Through which Victorie and vpperhande he made the waye the easyer for the rest of his fréendes and Countreymen to wynne the victorie Leo the fourthe Emperour made a voyage against the Saracens in Syria Aaron Prince of Saracens wyth 300000 lyght Horsemen inuaded Nicephorus Emperour of Constantinople and made hym glad to become Tributarie and to accepte such offers as greatly mislyked and diseased hym but there was no remedy Sardinia and Corsica two Islandes were spoited by the Saracens The Saracens wanne the I le of Crete and ouercame the Gréekes in two Battayles The Saracens of Asia rushed into Palestina and they of Africa into Sicilie Boniface Countee of Corsica hauing no helpe of the Chrystians sauyng onely the Hetrurians sayled into Africa and in foure Battayles betweene Carthage and Vtica had of them the Victorie and vpperhand and so feared the Saracenes wyth the terrour of his onely name that they were faine to depart out of Sicilie and get them home to defend theyr owne Many Countreyes receyued greate damage at the handes of the Saracenes and manye Cyties for feare in euery quarter fledde and submitted themselues vnto them Saba Kynge of Moores and Capitayne of the Saracenes wasted Sicilie and all the Countrey about Crotona and tooke Tarento agaynst whom Theophilus the Emperour and the Venetian fleete stoode at resiststaunce but all in vaine The Saracenes inuadyng Hetruria and Latium spoyled and sacked Rome but before theyr retourne home the greatest parte of them perished by Shypwrecke Hauyng wasted Illyrium and Dalmatia they coasted alonge the Adrian Sea and burned Ancona a Citie of Picene after they had taken the spoyle thereof Leo the fourth Pope of Rome compelled the residue of the Saracens to packe oute of the Hauen of Ostia and strengthened all the Countrey beyonde Tyber againste them The Saracens agayne onely for bootie and spoyle brake into Italie and wasted with fire and sword all the Countrey aboute Beneuent by the Samnytes But by King Ludouick and Kinge Lotharius they were put to flight The Saracens renewed Warres with the Persians The Persians through the help of the Turkish Souldyours at that time the Turkes inhabited Mount Caucasus and were called Tartarians ouercame them Euer after from that time the Turkes neuer left Asia and not onely encroched vpon the Domynions of the Saracens but also were called by the same name as they were After the Saracenes had enioyed Sicilie xlvii yéeres they were thence cleane expulsed Charles surnamed the Thicke repulsed the Saracens breaking into Italy Nicetes one of the Capitaines of the Constantinopolitane Emperoure had a notable victorie ouer the Saracens The Saracens inuaded Puell and Calabria At Lyris a riuer of Campania the Saracens as they were spoylynge the Cities belonginge to the Romans were ouercome The Saracens breaking out of Fraxinete came as far as Aquisgrane where encountringe with the Inhabytantes they were vtterly destroyed and Sagitus theyr Capitaine slayne The Saracens spoyled Geane a Citie of Liguria and with great booties retourned into Afryca Hugh King of Italie wanne Fraxinete and burned the Nauie of the Saracens Ramyre King of Gallyce discomfited a great Armye of Saracenes in Spayne The Saracenes committing many murthers and firyngs in Calabria Puell and Lucania by the Knightlye prowesse of Alberick Marquesse of Hetruria were repressed and néere to Minturne in Campania by the Ryuer Lyris vanquished There intentes were to haue come to Rome The Saracenes by force kéeping the Mount Garganus made out of it many Roades into the Countrey néere adioyninge and burned Beneuent Otho the first Emperour of Germanes draue the Saracenes out of Italie and dispossessed them cleane out of their holde in Mount Garganus The Saracenes recouered Consentia out of the which a litle before they were throwen out by the Hungarians The I le of Crete taken from the Saracenes Otho the seconde receiued a great ouerthrowe at the handes of the Saracenes in a battayle fought with them in Calabria the Ides of Iulie with whom the Greekes had stricken a League and ioyned powers His stoutest souldiours and Capitaines being in this conflict slaine he himselfe had much a doo by flight to saue himselfe Alphonsus King of Spaine besiedging a stronge holde of the Saracens called Viseum was wounded with an Arrowe and therof dyed The Saracens deuidinge their hoast into two partes landed in Italie tooke Capua and besieged Barum The Saracenes of Asia tooke Hierusalem Henry the second Emperour of Germanes draue the Saracens out of Capua and persecuted with gréeuous Warre certayne Capitaines which fauored their side The Egiptian Caliph through the ayd of an army of Saracens and Turks which then ruled all the roast in Persia spoyled the Temple of our Lord at Hierusalem Baldwyne after .xviij. monthes Imprisonment deceyued his kéepers and escaping out of Prison retourned to his owne people Dominicus Michael Duke of Venice with a well furnished Nauie greatly annoyed the Saracenes in Syria To the Venetians for their worthy seruice and valiauntnes were graunted sundry great Priuiledges An Army of 400000 men set vpon the Christians and were encountred withall by 3000. Christians who thorow