into Transilvania and kept the Town in his own Hands with a Resolution never to restore it notwithstanding his public Declaration to keep it only during the Minority of the Prince And to that intent he filled it with a strong Garrison of his own Men the choicest in his Army under the Command of a Beglerbeg or Vice Roy whose Authority extends over all the Basha's of Hungary Thus it was that this Royal City has been ever since in subjection to the Ottoman Empire The Marquess of Brandenburgh hadform'd a design upon Buda in the Year 1542. but having in vain assaulted the City of Pest which is separated from it only by the Danaw he retreated without making the least Attempt upon the Capital City So that this Expedition is not to be lookt upon as a Siege as some would erroneously have it to be Count Smarzenburgh besieg'd it in the Year 1598. but was constrain'd to raise his Siege after he had lain thirty days before it by reason of the continual Rains when the Year was too far spent In the Year 1602. General Roswourm lay before it with the Imperial Army and attacqu'd it in vain Nor was the fatal day for this Place languishingunder the Tyranny of the Turks yet come in the Year 1684. when the Duke of Lorrain first attacked it For God had ordain'd the 2d of Septemb. 1686. the day when it was taken by Solyman to be the day of his Triumph when it was again wrested from the Hands of the Barbarians after this same 7th Siege had been carried on with that Heat Constancy Prudence and Conduct of the Couragious D. of Lorrain assisted by the Elector of Bavaria no less eminent for all the forementioned Vertues and several other Generals of the Emperor and his Auxiliaries unanimously conspiring the Regaining of this Place that we have reason to hope for Conquests far more Glorious and more Considerable for the Advancement of the Cause of God Advancement of the Austrian Family and consolation of so great a number of Christian Souls as groan'd under the Tyrannous Yoak of Infidels and the Recovery of an infinite number of Barbarians into the Bosom of the true Church of God The Turks have heretofore experienced the Valour of Huniades and Scanderbergh who were the Scourges of those barbarous People They have trembled at the Courage and Conduct of the D. of Merceur to that degree that the Grand Signior threaten'd a Rupture with France if the King would not recall him out of the Emperor's Service They have been apprehensive of the Progress of the Valiant Count Serini and several other famous Captains every where attended by their good Fortune But much more Reason have they to be astonished at the Heroic Virtues of our undaunted and martial D. of Lorrain who seems to have been born for the Subversion of the Mahometan Law and with whom no Person living can dispute the Honour of being the greatest Captain of his Age and the Terror of the Musselmen who knows not what it is to lose a Battel and who may say with the Invincible Emperor Charles V. when he swam cross the Elb vanquish'd and took Prisoner Frederic D. of Saxony crying out Veni vidi Deus vicit For in all Encounters whereever he engaged during this Holy War he has miraculously triumphed o're his Enemies and born away the Victory He it was who during the Seige of Vienna surpriz'd and overcame near Presburgh the Rebellious Army of Perfidious Teckley Reinforced with a Body of Turks under the Command of Hussein-Basha He it was that defeated the Turks near Calenburgh and constrain'd the Grand Vizier dishonourably to raise his Siege from before Vienna He it was that vanquished the Enemy near Barkan and rescu'd the King of Poland and the Prince his Son when they were both in iminent Danger and the Polish Army in Confusion He it was that during the Siege of Buda three times defeated the Serasquier's Army Who during the Siege of Newhausel relieved the City of Gran and routed the Army of Zeitan Ibraim Bassa And lastly he it was who won this glorious Conquest while the Grand Vizier Solyman looked on with a potent Army of Barbarians twice or thrice beat his Succors and tho' at length he came up with all his Forces against our Lines gave a general Assault and by main Force carried this Important Place guarded still by above 5000. fighting Men So that it is deservedly said of him EXPVLIT EX BVDA TVRCAM He drave the Turk out of Buda The Conquests made in Turkie are the price of so many Victories and will doubtless be attended with many more by the assistance of the God of Battels who has hitherto favour'd and bless'd the victorious Arms of our thrice Illustrious Monarch under the Conduct of so great a Captain defcended from the Noble Stock of so many Illustrious Hero's and particularly from the warlike Conqueror of the Holy Land Godfrey of Bulloign whose steps he treads so gloriously that if the Christian Princes would but assist him with their Forces and act unanimously with him he might with ease regain the Kingdom of Jerusalem his ancient Patrimony which the Infidels wrested from his Ancestors Would it might please Divine Providence that now the time were come to humble the Ottoman Empire which according to the Prognostications of the Turks themselves has not long to subsist it being a Prediction currant among 'em That the City of Constantinople having been taken by one Mahomet will be re-taken by the Christians under the Raign of another Mahomet God grant that this may happen under Him at present who by the loss of Buda has lost the Key of all his Empire Nor will it be amiss to add in this place the following Epigram made by an ingenious Person upon this Subject Integra de Victis foret ut Victoria Turcis Littera Christicolis B capienda ter est Buda prius posthanc Belgradum Regia demum Maenia Bysanti caetera lusus erunt O're conquer'd Turks the Victory to compleat The Christians thrice must Letter B repeat First Buda Belgrade next the third Effort Bysantium's Walls the rest will be but Sport That is to say that before we can gain an absolute Triumph over the Turks and ruin their Empire the Christians must win the three Principal Cities of their Empire that begin with the Letter B Buda Belgrade and Bysantium the rest will come easily Buda which is the strongest of all these three places is already taken as you have heard and by the Recovery of this Important Place the Gate is open to Belgrade there being no Fortress upon the Danaw able to dispute our Approach and the advantage of that River will not a little contribute to facilitate an Enterprize of so great Importance to all Christendom Bysantium or Constantinople also might be easily attacked both by Sea and Land while the Naval Power of the most Serene Republick of Venice re-inforced with the Galleys of the Pope Malta Tuscany and others force the Dardanels and block it up by Sea The Polonian Army also crossing Bessarabia might march as far as the Pontus Euxinus and awe those Countries which for many Ages have not known what War is nor seen an Enemy For if a handful of Cossacks that inhabit the Rocks of Borysthenes during the late Wars of Poland have been so couragious as to affront with their small Barks the Grand Signior in his Seraglio and alarm Constantinople it self the Capital City of the Empire and to fire the very Suburbs what might not such formidable Armies of so many Christian Princes be able to do encouraged by so many remarkable Victories which they have obtained over their Enemies and the famous Conquests they have won under the Conduct of such Renowned Captains who know nothing else but how to Conquer especially at a time when the King of Persia and the Grand Duke of Muscovy are preparing to make most powerful Diversions in favour of the Christians TIBI DEVS EXERCITVVM GLORIA SIR AEVITERNA To thee O God of Battel be Eternal Glory FINIS
of Venice to bring 'em to a particular accommodation and to break that Sacred League which our Holy Father Innocent XI so politickly contriv'd and carry'd on at the expence of the Treasures of the Church for the good of the Cause of Jesus Christ and the Propagation of the True Faith In the mean time the great War-like preparations which the Emperour made in his Hereditary Countries and other parts of Germany were carry'd on so vigorously that all things were ready by the time appointed to thunder in upon the Turkish Garrisons The Artillery the vast number of Bombs Granado's Shells and Fire-works the inventions of a Franciscan Monk and the Sieur Gonzales a Spanish Ingineer were so dreadful that well there could not any doubt be made of the happy issue of one of the most glorious and daring Enterprises that had been undertaken in a long time And though the Siege of Buda were in vain attempted in the year 1684. at what time it cost us the blood of 10000. Christians the disappointment of one Campagne and the expence of so much Treasure yet was not the Imperial Court discourag'd from a second attempt well knowing that upon the Conquest of that important Capital depended all the rest of Hungary and the neighbouring Countries True it is the Duke of Lorrain was not more succesful in the first Siege than those other Generals which had preceded him in that Enterprise however he fail'd not to acquire great honour and made it apparent that he might be compar'd with the most renowned Captains which past Ages have admir'd by that noble retreat which he made in the face of a numerous Garrison and an Army of the Enemies little inferiour to his own who durst not make the least attempt upon his Rear for fear of having no better success than at the time of the Siege during which the Duke had three times beaten the Serasquier's Army and had it not been that the Winter was already come which caus'd a scarcity of Forrage and other necessaries for the subsistence of the Armies and some little mis-understandings among the Generals perhaps there might have been no need of a second Siege In the Council of War that was held the last year in presence of the Emperor to consult what was to be done the next Summer there were some who presently propounded the Siege of Buda and to keep the Fortress of Newhausel blockt up that so it might be compelled to yield of it self which was rejected by others who were of opinion That Thorn was first to be pulled out of the foot and that the Expedition of Buda was to be reserv'd for the present year as was done In the mean time there were several Councils of War wherein the Sentiments of the Generals were very much divided the most part affirming That it was first requisite to be Masters of Alba Regalis to prevent the Turks from making use of it as a place of Retreat and sheltering their Army under the Cannon of that Fortress as the Serasquier had done at the last Siege to the great vexation of our Forces Others were for marching directly to the Bridge of Esseck taking that City and then leaving a part of the Army for the preservation of that important Passage to wast all the Enemies Country and so to sit down before Buda Others were for the Recovery of Agria and the Fortress of Mongats thereby to exterminate the Remainder of that Arch-Rebel Teckely's adherents of which the Reduction of those two places would clear all the Vpper Hungary Some propos'd to act with two Armies apart That the Elector of Bavaria should march into the Vpper Hungary and draw one part of the Enemies Forces that way while the Duke of Lorrain Besieg'd Alba Regalis and that the Croatian Army under General Schultz should march toward the Bridge of Esseck There were very few that concluded positively for the Siege of Buda which was nevertheless the Enterprize that the Emperor and the Duke of Lorrain had resolv'd to put in Execution whatever it cost 'em that they might have the rest of Hungary at a cheaper rate keep a door open to Belgrade and Winter fifty or sixty thousand Germans in the Kingdom where the year before they could not Winter above twenty thousand This Design thus concluded upon was kept very secret even from the Generals themselves to whom the Emperour upon their dismission declar'd that he would send his Resolution what he would have done to the general Rendezvous which was appointed to be in the Plains of Barkan upon the thirtieth of May. But because the Auxiliary Forces of Bavaria Brandenburgh Saxony and the Circles could not be there so soon they were delay'd for some days In the mean time the Forces march'd from all parts to the place assign'd as well by Water as Land so that it was a lovely sight to see the Danube cover'd with such an infinite number of Barks and Barges laden with Soldiers great Guns Ammunition and Provisions Bullets Bombs Granado's Carcasses Shovels Pick-Axes and other Instruments fit for the Siege of a Town Upon the 20th of May the Elector of Bavaria arriv'd at Newstadt to which place the whole Court was come from Vienna some days before There his Electoral Highness together with the Arch-Dutchess his Lady were received by their Imperial Highnesses with all the Marks of a tender Affection beseeming the near Relation between Personages of that illustrious Quality the Cannon of the Garrison being three times discharged upon their Entrance Upon the 23d being Ascension-Day the Elector went to visit the Duke of Lorrain who was come to Oldenburgh though somewhat indisposed and returned the same Evening to Newstadt Where his Electoral Highness having had several Conferences about the opening of the Campaign and taken leave of their Imperial Majesties and the Electress his Wife he departed the second of June with the Acclamations of the whole Court and People and the Prayers and good Wishes of all That God would be pleased to preserve the Life of that young Prince who was going so generously to expose his own and the Lives of his Subjects in such a Holy War against the sworn Enemy of Christendom After that his said Electoral Highness arriving at Comorrha was there received by the Commanders and Magistrates of the City with Peals of Cannon and three Volleys of small Shot ranged in double Files and so conducted to the Lodging prepared for him The next day the Duke of Lorrain who had put himself at the Head of the Imperial Army near Barkan came to give a visit to his Electoral Highness and view the Bavarian Army which was to that purpose drawn up in Battle-Array in the Fields near Comorrha where Prince Lewis of Baden commanded next under his Electoral Highness in the quality of General of the Cavalry Count Serini in quality of General of Artillery The Marquess de la Vergne and the Count de Fontaign acted there as Lieutenant-General Marshals of
the Camp the Count d'Aspremont and Prince Eugenius of Savoy served as Generals of Battalia's The Baron of Beck who was also nominated to serve under his Electoral Highness lying sick at Newhausel of a dangerous Feaver was dispenc'd with but his Regiment of Infantry which was in the number of those which the Emperour had made choice of to re-inforce the Bavarians fail'd not to be there under the Command of the Lieutenant Colonel The 10th of June Count Straatman great Chancellour to the Emperour arriv'd at the general Rendezvous near Barkan to compose certain differences that were risen among the Generals upon certain Punctilio's of Command and allotment ordain'd of who and who to serve in the separate Armies of the Duke of Lorrain and the Elector of Bavaria This Minister of State who is one of the most dextrous Persons and profoundest Politicians of his Age caus'd a Council of War to be call'd where he so well manag'd the dispositions of the Generals that he gave them all the satisfaction imaginable Which done he shew'd them the Imperial Commission containing the Emperour's orders to begin the Campagne with the Siege of Buda exhorting them withal to behave themselves according to their Qualities in an Enterprize of such great importance upon which depended not only the preservation of his Conquests the establishment of his Crown Imperial and the welfare of Christendom but also the Ruin of the Ottoman Empire which after the loss of so considerable a place could not prevent the other Cities of Hungary from returning under the Obedience of their Lawful Sovereign nor stop the progress of the Christian Arms. So that though the Generals expected positive Orders to besiege Agria or Alba Regalis it is not to be express'd how much overjoy'd they were when they heard that the Emperour was resolv'd they should sit down before Buda And this News being spread among the Officers and Soldiers of both Armies they testify'd their particular satisfaction and the eager desire which they had to hasten to the place where they should have such noble opportunities to give signal proofs of their Valour and revenge the death of their Comrades which had laid their bones in the Trenches of the former Siege The Volunteers which were already numbred to be above six thousand that resorted to this Stage of War from Germany Spain Italy France England the Low-Countries and all part of Europe of all Qualities and Conditions to win honour under the Imperial Ensigns manifested the greatest heat and zeal imaginable to signalize their Courage in so glorious an Enterprize The Auxiliaries of Saxony commanded by the Prince of Saxen-Hall and Major-General the Count de Trautmansdorf who had taken their march through Moravia being by this time also arriv'd at the Rendezvous the Generals resolv'd to decamp without staying any longer for the Forces of the Circles or those of Brandenburgh who having chosen the way of Silesia and the narrow streights of Jabluncka march'd but slowly and could not arrive so soon Thereupon the Armies dislodg'd the 12th of June being Corpus Christi Eve by break of day The Duke of Lorrain taking the Road that led to the Bridge of Gran which his Army pass'd the 13th The Troops of Saxony keeping the Van. The Elector of Bavaria held his march on this side the Danaw that he might make himself Master of the City of Pest before he sate down before Buda While the two Armies march'd thus on both sides the Danaw the Count of Rabata Commissary-General caus'd a prodigious number of Gabions and Bavins to be embark'd for making of which the Soldiers were still employ'd as they came to their Rendezvous to keep 'em from idleness which were all sent with the great Guns Ammunition Provision Hay and other necessary Provisions for the subsistence of the Armies The 14th The Body of the main Army advanc'd so far as till they came under Vicegrad but the smaller Artillery and the Reer-guard were constrain'd to stay behind by reason of the narrow ways through which they were to pass The Bavarian Army quarter'd that night near Vaccia on the other side of the Danaw The 15th The Imperial Cavalry continu'd their march for an hour beyond Vicegrad followed by the Infantry and Artillery And then it was that the Duke of Lorrain sent out a commanded Party to discover the Enemy who met with a small Party of the Turks that presently betook themselves to flight but ours had the good fortune to overtake 'em and after they had kill'd some to make five Prisoners whom they brought to our Camp Where being examin'd they unanimously declar'd that the Inhabitants of Agria and Alba Regalis fearing a Siege had secur'd the best of their Goods in the City of Buda which together with both the other places were provided both with Men and all things necessary to sustain a long Siege till Relief came The 16th They came within an hours march of Buda none of the Troops of the Garrison appearing all this while to observe our countenances The 17th The Cavalry made a halt to rest themselves and to give the Infantry and the Artillery time to come up At what time the Duke of Lorrain commanded three thousand Men to make some thousands of Gabions and Bavins and began to lay a Bridge of Boats over the River to the Island of St. Andrew thereby to joyn together both sides of the Danaw The 18th The Baron of Diependael General of Battalia invested the City of Buda with one part of the Cavalry while the Infantry came up and took their Posts about half a League from the place and then they began the Lines of Circumvallation At what time a great Party of the Garrison both Horse and Foot shew'd themselves without Vienna Gate But they retreated into the City upon the approach of a detachment of the Imperial Cavalry which was commanded to charge ' em But then the besieged bestowed upon us eight Peals of their Cannon though without doing any more hurt than only killing one single Pioneer by reason they shot at too great a distance The 19th The Duke of Lorrain caus'd the Army to advance as far as the hot Baths of which he made himself Master without any opposition the Turks having abandon'd that Post the day before and took up his Head Quarters about a quarter of a League from the place The same day the Elector of Bavaria made himself Master of the City of Pest which the Turks had forsaken after they had carry'd off their Cannon Ammunition and Provisions into Buda and broken down part of the Bridge of Communication between the one place and the other About the same time our Croats scouting up and down met a Turkish Chaous with a Convoy of forty Spahi's who carry'd Letters from the Port to the Grand Visier of Buda Him they brought Prisoner to the Camp where his Letters were read containing only strict Orders to the Visier to be watchful over the Security of the Places
Turks got no advantage by this Salley for the Nails being easily pull'd out of the Cannon and Mortar within an hour after they began to play again as if they had never been nail'd And the revenge which they returned was speedy for one of the Bavarian Bombs lighting into the Magazin of Powder in the Castle the whole Pile blew up into the Air with such a hideous havock and thundring noise as not only shook the whole City but our Camp likewise and by what we afterwards understood from the Deserters there miserably perished by that blow above a thousand persons of all Ages which were buried in the Ruins of the Buildings the Stones of which were thrown with that violence and vast quantity into the Approaches that they resembled a showr of Hail and wounded several of the Soldiers The 23. the Duke of Lorrain sent in the Afternoon the Count of Conningsegg with an Interpreter to the besieged with a Summons to surrender in regard all the Mines were ready to spring and all things were prepared for a general Assault During which time there was a Cessation of Arms on both sides which was spent in the Interment of the slain The said Count after he had been two hours in the City returned to the Camp with a Letter from Abdi Bassa in a Purse of red Damask which he delivered to the Duke of Lorrain wherein the Bassa made him a haughty and arrogant Answer purporting That not being necessitated to a Surrender he could not dream of such a vile piece of Cowardice that he fought for the Glory of his Prophet and the Honour of the Mussel-men that he and his Garrison were resolved to hold out to the utmost Extremty and defend it to the last gasp of Breath that the place being intrusted to his care by the Grand Signior he would preserve it or lose his Life that when the Duke should come to wrest it from him he should find him upon the Breach ready to dispute his Entrance and let him order the Assault when he pleased he would expect him without stirring afoot The Duke having read this insolent Answer caused all the Batteries to fire with greater fury than before and caused all preparations to be hastened to give a general Assault by break of day to which purpose he sent for a thousand Hungarian Foot who had voluntarily offered themselves to mount the Breaches So haughty an Answer and a Defence of the besieged so obstinate and brave shews us by Experience that the Characters which the Deserters had given us at the beginning of the Siege of Abdi Bassa's conduct were utterly false in saying he was contemptible to the Soldiery for being more a Merchant than a Soldier and the Serasquier was to blame in going about to displace him as he had designed for it is to be presumed that hardly any other than he would have so long eluded the Fury of such a Potent Army This day some Bavarians that kept the advanced Guards observing that a Polonian who served in our Army had had a private Conference with two Turks seized upon him at his return to the Camp and carried him to the Elector where having been searched and examined he was found to be a Spy and that he had discovered to the Enemies all that had passed in our Camp whereupon he was presently sentenced and executed without any more ado This evening also a Bavarian Cannoneer was apprehended who was going over to the Enemy and had already passed the Guards The 24. This morning about eight of the Clock a large Mine was sprung in the Lorrain Attack and three hundred chosen Foot were ordered out to lodg themselves upon the Breach together with some hundreds of Hungarians but the effect of the Mine was contrary to all expectation for it ruined and overthrew a part of our Approaches and filled our Lines with Earth besides that we had a hundred men killed and wounded Whereupon his Serene Highness seeing this ill Success ordered the Batteries to redouble their firing to inlarge their Bteaches and to reduce them to such a Condition as to be mounted without making any Mines The new Battery of the Bavarians toward the water side was finished this night and that other which they had raised on the side of the Ditch had already broken down a good part of the Wall on the right hand The same day the Duke of Lorrain sent Orders to the Count of Nigrelli who commanded in Newhausel during the absence of the Count of Aspremont to come to the Army and officiate the place of General of Battalia by intercepted Letters also he was informed that the Grand Vizier encouraged the besieged to defend themselves promising that by the eighth or tenth of August at the farthest he would come and relieve them with a formidable Army The same day likewise General Caprara who commands the Body of the Imperial Forces upon the River Tibiscus sent an Officer to the Duke of Lorrain and the Elector of Bavaria to give them the news of a great Advantage which he had gained upon the Garrison of Agria the fifteenth of this Month by the means of two Ambuscadoes which he laid for the Turks into which having drawn six hundred of those Barbarians he utterly defeated 'em kill'd three hundred upon the place together with Osman Basha the Governour of Agria and taken ninety Prisoners among whom he found the Vice-Basha dangeroully wounded and that in this Action General Heusler had behaved himself with his wonted Gallantry as had also done the Sieurs Pecerhasi and Semsay with their Hungarians The 25. Nothing was done but only carrying on the Reparations of the Works ruined by the Mine which was sprung the day before to our disadvantage The Duke of Loarrin hastened with all the vigour imaginable the preparations for a general Assault having ordered the making such parading places as were necessary within the Lines and Approaches and the Bavarians and Brandenburghers did the like in their Quarters Between four and five in the afternoon the besieged set fire to a little Mine on the right hand of the Roundel which done they sallied forth with two hundred foot who were as soon repulsed by our men that were upon the Guard The Enemy left fourteen behind them slain and carried some wounded along with 'em A while after they salli'd out with a greater number upon the Brandenburghers who repelled 'em with the same ease Not long after they returned with a greater number and put the Brandenburghers Guards into some disorder which obliged the Duke of Lorrain to order the Reserve that lay posted at the VVall of the low Town to advance which General Souches who commanded the Trenches divided into three parts of which one was planted one on the left hand toward the water side the other entred the Approaches and the third was ordered to stand firm near the Mosque The Duke of Lorrain ordered the Battalions of Mansfield Salm Souches to advance on
Hungarian Infantry to be posted all along the Wall of the low Town from the water-Roundel to the German Quarters where they secured themselves with a deep Trench and a good Parapet And because the Danaw is very deep thereabout two Barks filled with Stones were ordered to be sunk and several Palisado'd Spurs were rais'd all along the bank of the River to discourage the Enemy from designing any Relief that way This morning the Enemy gave us another Alarm in the Bavarian Quarter whereupon all our Cavalry were commanded to horse but the Enemy retreated at the same time It seems their design was to have forced a Passage that way but the Bavarians were too well entrenched for them to succeed in their Enterprize The Prince of Croy being cured of his wounds re-entred upon the Duty of his Employment and appeared again in the Approaches Four Hussars very well mounted advancing toward some Turks of the Garrison made a shew as if they intended to have charg'd 'em but when they drew near they talked lovingly together and shook hands which being observed by some of the Musqueteers in the Redoubt adjoyning they went forth and fired upon the Hâ—ssars who betook themselves to their heels but one was wounded and taken Prisoner together with another of his Companions the third escaped and the fourth got into the Town The Prisoners examined declared that they only expostulated with the Turks about their holding out but then they were put off to a more strict Examination August 11. Some Troops of the Enemy shewed themselves upon the Hill next to the Bavarian Quarters toward the Road to Alba Regalis As yet we could not learn the exact number of the Enemy though our Spies assured us that they were forty thousand Turks and twenty thousand Tartars But notwithstanding all these hot Alarms being so well fitted to receive 'em as we were all things were at the same time preparing for a vigorous Assault of the second Wall if the Mines did that execution as was expected The 12th In the morning all things being ready for an Onset three Mines were sprung in the Lorrain Attack which did no other Execution than only overthrew some Palisadoes For the Miners had not digged deep enough under the Wall of the second Rampart which made it apparent that they did not understand their Trade though the best were sought out and sent for from several Parts the Generals knowing that nothing would contribute more to the Reduction of this Place than well ordered Mines Thereupon the Assault which was determined to have been given had the Mines succeeded was delay'd and the Miners were again set to work to make new ones In the Skirmishes which our Men had this Day with the Enemy there was a Turkish Officer slain who was no doubt obliged to have got into the Town For there were Letters found about him for the Governour of Buda discovering the Method which the Enemy intended to observe for the relief of the Town which was to force one Quarter and put Relief into the Town without hazarding a Battle and that eight Thousand Tartars were to range the Country as far as Gran and cut off Provision from our Men and infest the Country with continual Inroads Upon which Intelligence the Duke of Lorrain called a Council of War Whereupon it was resolved to leave a part of the Army to guard the Posts against the City and to issue forth out of the Lines with the rest of the Imperial and Auxiliary Forces and go and meet the Enemy who as those Letters seemed to intimate was above sixty Thousand Strong Though the more Judicious would not allow 'em to be above forty Thousand Fighting Men. The 13th All the Army march'd out of the Lines except twenty thousand men that were left for the guard of our Works and to hinder the Enemy from putting a Recruit into the Place Commissary-General Rabata caus'd a distribution of Oats and Hay for the Horses for three days And besides we made a shift to form a very noble Body of Volunteers under good Officers The Duke of Lorrain posted himself in view of the Enemy four thousand Hussars and Heydukes keeping the Van-guard Nevertheless the Town was no less vigorously batter'd and assail'd than before This Evening our Spies and some Deserters assur'd us that the night following the Enemy would put themselves in Battle-Array to Attack us the next morning by break of day which oblig'd the Duke of Lorrain to dispose all things in readiness for a Battel The 14th Before Sun rise the Enemy had drawn out a Body of eight thousand Men part Janisaries part Spahi's of the stoutest and most resolute Soldiers in the Army which being divided into divers lesser Bodies march'd from six till eight a Clock in the Morning turning and winding to and again behind the Mountains towards Alba Regalis and entred into a Plain designing to approach our Camp under the shelter of a great Valley But the Duke of Lorrain having observ'd this contrivance of the Enemy and understanding their design commanded Count Dunewald General of the Cavalry to possess himself of the ground on the left hand with nine Imperial Regiments Cuirassiers Dragoons and Croats viz. Caprara's Palfy's Taff's Lodron's Neuburgh's Furstenbergh's Stirum's Serau's and Schultz's to which he added some Hussars and General Heusler had orders to post himself with his detachment upon a rising ground on the right hand The Hussars next to General Dunewald were they that received the first Charge and although they fought with all the bravery imaginable they were nevertheless forced to give ground but finding themselves seconded by the Germans they return'd to the Charge The Turks having thus made the Hussars give ground thought they should have a cheap bargain of the rest To which purpose they advanced with great fury and loud outcries against our Men who received them without moving a foot General Heusler who had the upper ground charged them vigorously so that the Combat was obstinate and bloody for though the Enemies saw themselves attack'd in Flank and Front they did their utmost to cut their way through till at length they were put into disorder separated and constrain'd to fly The slaughter that followed was very great and it was a very pleasant sight to see the Janisaries drop here and there who being abandon'd by the Spahi's and environ'd by ours threw down their Arms and shifted every one for themselves They were pursu'd into the Plain nor would it serve their Turn to throw themselves among the Bushes to shelter themselves from death for they were Massacred like Wild Beasts that fall into the Hunters Net The Turks had three Thousand Men killed upon the Spot the most part Janisaries and all choice Men who had undertaken to force a Quarter and get into the City or to perish and to whom the Grand Vizier had given five Ducats a Head of Twenty which he promised to every one that should enter the City They
carried almost every one of them three Granadoes apiece a Pickaxe and a Shovel to break down our Entrenchments and fill up the Trenches The number of the Wounded was very considerable but there were not above five Hundred taken Prisoners There were taken thirty Colours and Ensigns and eleven pieces of Cannon and ten Waggons laden with Ammunition All which cost us but little Blood we not having above sixty Slain among which were the Count of Lodron General Lodron's Brother Caprara's Serjeant Major and one of Dunewald's Captains Of the number of the Wounded were two Captains and thirty three Soldiers This Fight thus over to our Advantage the Enemy made several Motions and ranged themselves in a Plain that looks toward the Bavarian Quarter and posting their Wings-upon the rising Grounds made a Shew as if they intended either to come to a Battel or relieve the Place with all their Forces Thereupon a Council of War wherein it was resolved to pursue the Enemy which was undertaken by the Elector of Bavaria at the Head of his Army but the shortness of the time would not permit him to draw up his Men in a formal Array so that the Turks doubtful of his design retired The two Generals Dunewald and Heusler pursued the Enemy beyond the Hills and the Hussars also had a Rencounter with a considerable Party of the Turks that stayed behind to favour the Retreat of the Army Several Colours and Standards likewise were found scattered along the Fields which the Fugitives had thrown away the better to make their Escape After this Victory the Duke of Lorrain commanded some Companies to beat the little Woods and Bushes adjoining where they found several Turks who were all put to the Sword For they had all the Spoil of the Enemy among whom there was hardly one that had not the five Duckets which the Grand Vizier had given him besides his other Mony The besieged believing themselves already reliev'd fired continually upon those that guarded the Approaches and thought to have ruin'd some of our Works but in vain for they were still so briskly receiv'd that they had no Maw to hazard skirmishing any more However they made one furious Sally upon the Bavarian Attack which prov'd very fatal to 'em for they were not only repulsed by the Regiments of Baden and Aspremâ—â—t but their retreat being cut off there was a great Slaughter made of them And now the Enemy being retired without daring to come to any decision of the dispute the Duke of Lorrain drew all his Army within the Lines again and dispatched away the young Count Palsi Captain in Count Palsi's Regiment to carry the News to the Emperor and to lay at his Feet twenty eight Colours and Standards won from the Enemy during the fight The rest were set up upon the great Roundel to let the besieged understand the defeat of their Succours which they expected with so much impatience The 15th The Germans and Hungariaus that were upon the Scout brought several Prisoners to the Camp which they found in the Woods they assured us that though the Grand Vizier had received this Repulse he would not fail to make other Attempts to succour the Town though he lost his whole Army by Piecemeals and in truth though the Ottoman Army were a little retreated yet they fail'd not to Alarm our Camp every night This afternoon order was given by the Generals to hang out a Signal for a Parley by an Interpreter to let them understand by the Janisaries who were Prisoners the Defeat of their Succours but whether the Besieged perceived it or no they returned their Answer by the Mouths of their great Guns and Musquets with which they broke the Staff of a Turkish Ensign planted upon the great Roundel The 16th They carried on vigorously the Works of the three Attacks and in the morning set fire to the Palisadoes and the Defences which the Besieged had made upon the Breaches of the Lorrain Attack notwithstanding all the diligence of the Enemy to quench it On the other side while these things were a doing the Enemy threw down a most dreadful quantity of Stones Granadoes Powder-bags and other artificial Fire-works upon our men so that four of those that set fire to the Palisadoes were kill'd and burnt A Recompence of twelve Crowns was given to every Soldier engaged in that Action But in regard the Onset could not yet be given the Enemy had leisure to fix new Palisadoes and repair their Defences in the night On the Bavarian side they incessantly battered the Castle and the great Tower which by this time were ready to tumble through the force of the Battery August 17. All things were ready for an Assault betimes in the morning but the Enemy having repaired their Defences and put double Palisadoes behind those that were burnt the day before we were constrained to desist The Prisoners which our Hussars brought to the Camp report that the Grand Vizier was extreamly enraged against the Commander of the Spahi's for not having done his Duty in forsaking the Janisaries to which they added That of ten thousand that were employed in the Attempt very few were return'd to the Camp The 18th Two great Mines were sprung in the Lorrain Attack but neither did that Execution which our Miners expected which much retarded the Reduction of the Place Thereupon the Duke of Lorrain finding so little progress made by the Miners was resolved upon the Sapp and to that effect great Preparations were made of Bavins Sacks of Earth and the like to fill up the Trench and certain Engins were likewise contriv'd to approach the Enemy with less danger and to drive them from their Posts There was also a new Battery raised to cut off the Palisadoes of the Besieged with chained Bullets This day a Deserter came from the Turkish Army who informed us that the Grand Vizier was encamped at Ertschin four Leagues from our Camp but that however he had not given over his design of succouring the Besieged and that he Retreated only for want of Forrage This day the Bavarians also seized a Country-man who had swam cross the Danaw with Letters from the Governour of Buda for the Grand Vizier wherein he conjured him by the Law of Mahomet to Relieve him adding that he would hold out to the last Extremity The 19th The Enemy being thus resolved to hold out to the last gasp fired all the day long with their Artillery upon the new Battery raised in the Lorrain Attack to beat down the Palisadoes fixed upon the Breaches upon which were planted four Pieces of Canon and made it unserviceable so that we were forced to stay till night before we could repair it The Detachments of the Grand Vizier's Army alarm'd us every night so that for the greater security of our Camp we had always some Regiments upon the Guard to prevent the Desings of the Enemy and to be ready upon all Occasions Moreover it was verily thought that so
Army and that upon his arrival there would be a suspension of Arms exhorting 'em not to degenerate at last from the Gallantry and Vertue of true Mussel-men whose Honour they had hitherto so generously maintained and to tarry a few days longer before they talk'd of a Surrender The 25. The D. of Lorrain being inform'd the Grand Vizier might find a Passage on the side of the Danaw behind the hot Bathes to put a Re-inforcement into the City ordered that there should be every night some Squadrons of Horse ready to second the Guards which should be likewise doubled and to render the Passage more difficult for the Turks to force he caused Palisadoes to be fixed in the weaker and most defenceless places and caused certain German and Hungarian Squadrons and Battalions to be there posted in such a manner that if the Turks should make any attempt elsewhere they might still be ready with Relief whereever the Alarm called There was also some alteration made in two Batteries the better to endamage the Besieged and overturn their Parapets Palisadoes and other Defences which they had raised upon the Breach of the inner Wall The Bavarians were forced to win their ground inch by inch nor could they as yet make themselves Masters of the whole Castle such was the Opposition of a stout and daring Enemy who did not lose a foot of Ground but what he sought to regain by several Efforts making use to that purpose of Bombs Granadoes Stones Powder-bags and all those other means that Courage or Despair were capable to invent to the Destruction of the Assailants Insomuch that it cost no small labour as fast as we gained Ground to fill up the Holes and Caverns which the Enemy had hollow'd in the Earth for our ruin which had it not been done we had never kept our Stations The 26th The Prisoners which our Parties brought to the Camp as well as some Deserters gave us Information that one of the Messengers which the Governour had sent to the Grand Vizier was safely arriv'd at the Grand Vizier's Camp and had deliver'd him the Governor's Letters wherein he gave him an account of the Condition of the place that he could not hold out much longer that the Christians were Masters of the Castle and that the next Assault would surely carry the Place that at the last Assault of the Castle he had lost above an hundred of his best Soldiers that the last Re-inforcement was very inconsiderable as not amounting to two hundred men of which the one half were wounded and unfit for Service that for his part he had done his duty in letting the Christians know by a Defence so obstinate during so long a Siege carried on with so much fury and bravery on both sides that the Mussel-men knew how to defend their Sultan's Glory of which he claimed to have merited the Honour Protesting at length that it lay at the Grand Vizier's door to give an account for the ill Success of the Siege and that he was only to be responsable for the loss so considerable which could not be avoided if the Imperialists attempted one more Assault as also for the Blood of his valiant Soldiers and his own if he any longer delayed Relief In the same Letter the Governour described to the Grand Vizier the Place most proper for him to attempt which was so little dreamt of that if he ordered his Business as he ought to do he could not fail in his Enterprize Upon which Intelligence the Duke of Lorrain visited himself the Place mark'd out by the Grand Vizier to make the Attempt and put all things in order to prevent the Enemies Design The Spies which were sent to the Enemies Camp reported That the Grand Vizier had promised forty Crowns apiece to those that would undertake to put themselves into the Town promising moreover that during their Lives they should be exempt from going to the Wars and yet should enjoy their usual Pay constantly without doing any duty About Noon we had Intelligence that the Enemy advanced with twelve Pieces of Canon and presently after they appeared within view of our Camp drawn up in Battel Array However no sooner had the Duke Marshal'd our Army in a Condition ready to oppose 'em but they retreated again The 27th In the Lorrain Attack was finished a certain piece of Workmanship like a Bridge which was to be run along upon Wheels to the Enemies Palisado's in the time of the Onset It was covered with Earth to prevent firing as the day before they had fired some Wooden-works of the Bavarians which constrain'd 'em to recoil but this Morning they recovered their former Posts and to guard themselves from the Fire made use of Planks covered with Tin But when they thought themselves safe from that devouting Element the Enemy no less industrious to destroy than they to preserve flung down in the Evening such an infinite Quantity of Pitch Tar Sulphur and other combustible Materials with that Success that the Fire got to the Planks and reduc'd 'em to Ashes At the same time they also cast down such an infinite Quantity of Granado's Stones and Arrows upon the Bavarians that they were constrain'd a second time to quit their Posts with the loss of twenty Soldiers The 28th In the Lorrain Attack they did nothing but batter the Flanks of the great Breach as did also the Brandenburghers to overturn the Defences of the Enemy So that at length the Bavarians recovered their Post and secured it so well that it was not in the power of the Enemy to dislodge 'em any more Serjeant Major Stuben of the Regiment of Sebolstorff who commanded the Assailants was slain with some common Soldiers tho' both slain and wounded did not exceed the number of twenty Upon the Report of some Deserters that the grand Vizier was resolv'd this night to attack us with all his Forces the Duke of Lorrain prepared all things in a Readiness to receive him and all the Army stood to their Armes in Battalia but to no purpose for no Enemy appeared The 29th Being the Day of St. John's beheading which the Turks out of a foolish piece of Superstition have always look'd upon as a day auspicious to their Empire a thousand Spahi's and two thousand Janisaries under the command of two Basha's and seconded by fifteen hundred Tartars came to try their Fortune on that side next the Water but finding those Posts too well provided and having been saluted with a volley of small Shot they retired in great hast and thought it more proper to try to break through in that part where the last Reinforcement had forced their way In short an hour after they appeared in St. Paul's Valley and with terrible Outcries and Yells came thundring upon the Horse Regiments of Mercy Heusler and Neuburgh who receiv'd 'em with that Gallantry that they slew a great number of those Barbarians of whom some were so fool-hardy as to throw themselves into our Lines