could not take in good part but said That it was apparant to all men that he abandoned the warres in SYRIA to returne into FRAVNCE for no other end or purpose but the more easily to inuade the prouinces of GVIEN and NORMANDIE now disfurnished of their garrisons and so subject to his mallice Which point hee so vrged that the French king could haue no leaue with his honour to depart vntill such time as he had by solemne oath bound himselfe vnto king Richard not to attempt any thing either by force or fraud against him or any thing of his vntill fiftie dayes were expired after king Richard his return home Which how well it was by the French king obserued I leaue it to the report of the hystories of that time And so the French king not to be intreated longer to stay leauing behind him the aforesaid number of men he had promised embarking the rest of his armie and accompanied with three tall ships of the Genowaies his friends and Ruffin Volta their admirall departed from PTOLEMAIS to TYRE the first of August and two daies after loosing thence alongst the coast of ASIA and cutting through the Mediteranean arriued at length in the mouth of the riuer of TYBER and from thence went to ROME where after he had visited Pope Celestine and the famous places of that most renowned citie he returned againe to his fleet and so by sea arriued in safetie in FRAUNCE hauing in that great expedition so honourably by him intertained performed nothing answerable to that the world looked for After the French king followed Leopold duke of AUSTRIA with his Germans and not long after him the Venetians also with them of PISA and GENUA Of whose departure Saladin vnderstanding and that the Christian forces were thereby much empaired refused either to pay the money or to restore the prisoners as was promised at the giuing vp of PTOLEMAIS threatning moreouer to chop off the heads of all such Christian captiues as he had in his power if the king should shew any extremitie vnto the pledges of the citie Neuerthelesse shortly after he sent his embassadours with great presents vnto the king requesting a longer time for the sparing of his pledges which his request together with his gifts the king refused to graunt or accept Whereupon Saladin foorthwith caused such Christian captiues as were in his power to bee beheaded which albeit king Richard vnderstood yet would hee not preuent the time before agreed vpon for the execution of his prisoners being the 20 day of August vpon which day hee caused the Turks prisoners to the number of 2500 or as the French and Germans write to the number of 7000 in the sight of Saladines armie to be executed The losse of the strong towne of PTOLEMAIS much empaired the reputation of Saladin euen among his owne people as it commonly falleth out that the euill successe of a great commander in his affaires altereth the good will affection and opinion especially of the vulgar sort which judge of all things by the euent And albeit that his losses were great and such as much daunted him yet he thought it best as the case then stood to make them greater and with his owne hands as it were to ruinate and ouerthrow such townes and cities as he saw hee could not keepe rather than to suffer them whole and vndefaced to fall into the enemies hand So carried headlong with despaire he caused all the townes he had alongst the sea coast in SYRIA and PALESTINE to be sacked and ruinated and their wals ouethrowne especially such as were of most importance and like to stand the Christians in stead namely PORPHIRIA CESAREA IOPPA ASCALON GAZA and ELAM with diuers other castles and citadels in the countries thereabouts most part whereof were againe by king Richard and the Templars fortified and repeopled although Saladin in the meane time did what he might to haue letted the same Nothing more hindred the good proceeding of the Christian princes in this and other their most honourable expeditions against the Infidels than the discord among themselues one still enuying at anothers honour and euery one jealous of his owne Great strife and heart burning there had beene betweene the two kings of FRAVNCE and ENGLAND during the time they were together in this sacred expedition to the great hinderance of the same No lesse contention had there ben betwixt Guy the late king of HIERUSALEM and Conrade marques of MONT-FERRAT about the title of that lost kingdome whereby the whole power of the Christians in SIRIA was deuided into two factions Richard king of ENGLAND Baldwin earle of FLAUNDERS Henrie earle of CHAMPAINE the knights Hospitalers of Saint Iohn the Venetians and Pisans taking part with Guy And Philip the french king Odo duke of BURGUNDIE Rodolph earle of CLAREMONT the Templers the Genowayes the Lantgraue of THURIN Leopold duke of AVSTRIA and Robert countie of NASSAU taking part with Conrade the marques But Conrade shortly after the taking of PTOLOMAIS being slaine by two of the desperate Assassins or as some others say by two desperate ruffians suborned thereunto by the prince of TORONE in reuenge of the dispite done vnto him by the said marques by taking from him Isabell his espoused wife as he was walking in his citie of TYRE and doubting no such treason king Richard seeing now a fit occasion offered for the vtter extinguishing of that claime and how to intitle himselfe vnto that kingdome persuaded the aforesaid Isabell the widdow of the late Marques and in whose right hee had laied claime vnto the kingdome to relinquish that so troublesome a title and to take to her husband Henry earle of CHAMPAINE his nephew vnto whom he gaue the citie of TYRE Guy the king exclaiming to the contrarie as of a wrong done vnto himselfe Shortly after he began also to temper with Guy persuading him to resigne vnto him that little right and interest hee had in the kingdome of HIERUSALEM and in lieu thereof to receiue at his hands the kingdome of CIPRUS Which his offer the poore king was glad to accept By which exchange Guy became king of CIPRUS and Richard king of HIERUSALEM which honorable title he afterwards as some report vsed in his stile as did some others his successors the kings of ENGLAND after him So Guy with all his wealth passing ouer into CIPRUS took possession of the kingdome where he long liued not Neuerthelesse that pleasant kingdome continued in his familie of the Lusignans by the space of about 283 yeares afterwards vntill that at length that familie failing in the posthumus sonne of Iames the bastard last king of that Island it fell into the hands of the Venetians by whom it was holden as a part of their seignorie almost an hundred yeares vntill that it was in our fresh remembrance again from them taken by Selymus the second great emperour of the Turks in the yeare 1571 as in the processe of this historie shall
in due place God willing be declared Now was king Richard for the increase of his honour more desirous than before of the citie of HIERUSALEM as the most precious and honourable prize of all that religious warre And thereupon with all the power of the Christians then at his command set forward from PTOLEMAIS and was come on his way as farre as ARSUA a towne situate betwixt CESAREA and IOPPE In the vauward was king Richard himselfe with the Englishmen after whom followed Odo duke of BVRGVNDIE with his French and in the rereward Iaques de Auenes with the Flemmings Brabanders and Wallons who after the death of their countie Philip at the siege of PTOLEMAIS had put themselues all vnder his regiment Saladin with a great armie still at hand and as it were attending vpon them first with certaine ambuscadoes charged the rereward and so afterward came on with his whole power vpon whom Iaques turning himselfe with his Flemmings receiued the charge with great assurance and so long themselues endured the same vntill the French came in to their succours and after them the English also There was fought a notable battell and great valour shewed both on the one side and the other but especially by them of the Turkes part who knew well the purpose of the Christians for the besieging of HIERUSALEM and that thereon depended their onely hope and that hee that could hold the same might almost assure himselfe to carrie away the glorie of that warre The French and English in that battell honorably stroue who might shew the greatest valour neither would the Low countrey men vnder Iaques their generall seeme to bee any thing behind them This sharpe conflict began about noone and continued vntill the going downe of the Sunne King Richard as some write was there wounded with an arrow and Iaques valiantly there fighting was slaine hauing sold his life deere to the great admiration of the infidels and dying left the victorie vnto the Christians It is reported that in this battell were slaine moe Turks and Sarasins than in any one battell within the memorie of man before of the Christians were not lost any great number either any man of name more than the aforesaid Iaques the valiant generall of the Flemmings The next day the Christians remooued to BETHLEM a towne about the mid way betwixt IOPPE and HIERUSALEM But Winter now comming fast on and want of victuals like ynough to increase the king changing his mind for the siege returned with the greatest part of the armie to ASCALON which he that Winter new fortefied the wals thereof being before by Saladin in his despaire demolished the duke of BVRGVNDIE with his Frenchmen all that while quietly wintering at TYRE In the meane time the power of the Christians was that Winter greatly deminished some one way departing from the campe and some another The Italians for the most part with them of PISA who in these three yeares warres had striuen with the Venetians for the honour of their seruice were now returned home as were the Venetians themselues also Neuerthelesse Winter now past and the Spring time come king Richard took the field againe and came to BETHLEM where by the way hee met with an exceeding great number of cammels charged with great store of victuals and munition sent by Saladin out of AEGYPT to HIERUSALEM all which he tooke But purposing to haue gone on to the siege of HIERUSALEM he was by the backwardnesse of the French glad to change his purpose and to returne to PTOLEMAIS for the Frenchmen persuaded by the duke their generall who well knew the French kings mind That if any thing woorth remembrance were done it was to bee done by them and that the glorie thereof should wholly redound vnto the king of ENGLAND as there in person present and to his Englishmen shewed themselues so vnwilling to the siege as that therin was nothing done to the great griefe of that worthy prince At which time also news was brought vnto king Richard How that Philip the French king forgetfull of his solemne promise made before his departure out of SYRIA had now inuaded the country of NORMANDIE and excited earle Iohn the kings brother a man of an hautie aspiring nature to take vpon him the kingdome of ENGLAND in his absence as had before in like case William the yonger brother serued duke Robert his elder brother then absent at his father the Conquerours death in the first sacred expedition vnder Godfrey of BUILLON Wherfore king Richard beside the present difficulties fearing least while he was so far off in wars for defence of the Christian commonweale he might lose his kingdome at home thought it best to grow to some good end with Saladin and so to make his returne But the politicke and warie Sultan not ignorant of the discord of the Christians and that their forces daily decaied in SYRIA either of the troubled estate of the kings affairs at home in his kingdome or of his desire to returne would not hearken to any other conditions of peace but such as might both for the present weaken the forces of the Christians in SIRIA and discourage others that had a mind to come thither afterward whē they should see that for naught they should trauell to conquer that which in the end they must of necessitie restore againe The conditions he offered were That the Christians should foorthwith restore whatsoeuer they had woon in those three years wars PTOLEMAIS only excepted and that from thence forth for the space of fiue yeares the Turks should not in any thing molest the Christians but to suffer them in peace to liue by them which hard conditions for that no better could be had the king was glad to accept and so concluded a peace Wherby the labor and trauell of the two great kings and so many nations with them were all become frustrat and vaine hauing now to no purpose lost their men their money their time their hope their blood their long trauell to gaine that they must now in one houre forgo nothing more left vnto the poore Christians in SIRIA than the cities of ANTIOCH TYRE and PTOLEMAIS This done king Richard leauing the affaires of ASIA vnto the charge of Henrie countie of CHAMPAGNE his nephew shipping the greatest part of his people with his wife Berengaria first for SICILIA and from thence for ENGLAND where they in safetie at length arriued followed shortly after with some few himselfe where by the way by extremitie of weather he was in the Adriatique driuen to land vpon the coast of HISTRIA where trauelling with a small retinue homewards in the habit of a Templar he was discouered and taken prisoner by Leopold duke of AVSTRIA whom he had before disgraced at the winning of PTOLEMAIS as is before declared who now glad to haue him in his power made prize of him and sold him to Henrie the emperor for fortie thousand pounds by
relieue himselfe came to composition with Orchanes for Othoman was then sicke of his old disease the gout couenanting with him that they might in safetie with life and libertie depart and so much of their goods as they themselues could carie and so yeelded to him the citie Which conditions as most write were on the Turks behalfe well and faithfullie performed yet some there be that report them to haue bene in most part by Orchanes broken Thus was PRUSA one of the greatest cities of that part of ASIA yeelded vnto the Turks in the yeere of our Lord 1327 and was afterwards by Orchanes made the royall seat of the Othoman kings About this time or verie shortly after Othoman in the eight and twentith yeare of his raigne died at the age of 69 in the yeare of our Lord 1328 and lieth buried at PRUSA where his tombe is yet at this day to be seene in a certaine chappell of an old monasterie in the castle standing in the middest of the citie couered with a mantle of greene chamlet a little Tulipant or Turkish hat such as he vsed to weare lying ouer his head far differing from those which the Turks now weare especiallie the better sort of them so great that they can therwith scarsly come in at a doore There is also another monument of him to be seene at SUGUTA fast by the sepulchre of his father Ertogrull there made by his sonnes in remembrance of him whereof some haue reported him to haue bene there buried Howbeit the Turks themselues generally suppose the true monument wherein he is interred to be at PRUSA as is aforesaid He was wise politicke valiant and fortunate but full of dissimulation and ambitious aboue measure not rash in his attempts and yet very resolute what hee tooke in hand hee commonly brought to good effect to all men he was bountifull and liberall but especially to his men of warre and the poore whom he would many times feed and cloath with his owne hands Of a poore lordship he left a great kingdome hauing subdued a great part of the lesser ASIA and is worthily accounted the first founder of the Turks great kingdome and empire Of him the Turkish kings and emperours euer since haue bene called the Othoman kings and emperours as lineally of him descended and the Turks themselues Osmanidae as the people or subiects of Othoman or Osman for so he is of the Turks commonlie called NOte that in the reckoning vp of certaine of the great Christian Princes and Prelates of the same time at the end of euery the Turkish Kings and Emperors liues the first and greatest number following their names sheweth the yeare of our Lord wherein such an Emperour King or Bishop began to raigne or sit and the number following how long he raigned or sat As for example Andronicus the elder began to raigne in the East in the yeare of grace 1282 and raigned 4◠yeares and so of the rest Wherein we seeke not the exact computation vnto a moneth or day as not much materiall to our Historie or any part of our purpose but onely the reasonable view of the great princes of the forepassed times as they liued in ages together Christian princes of the same time with Othoman Emperours Of the East Andronicus Palaeologus the elder 1282.43 Andronicus Palaeologus the younger 1325.29 Of the West Albertus of Austria 1298.10 Henrie of Lucelburg 1308.6 Lewes the fourth of Bauaria 1314.32 Kings Of England Edward the first 1272.34 Edward the second 1307.20 Edward the third 1327.50 Of Fraunce Philip the faire 1286.28 Lewes 1314.2 Philip the long 1316.5 Charles the faire 1321.7 Of Scotland Iohn Baliol. 1292. Robert Bruce 1306.24 Bishops of Rome Boniface the VIII 1295.8 Benedict the XI 1304.2 Clement the V. 1306.11 Iohn the XXII 1317.18 ORCHANES ORCHANES OTHOMANNI FI SECVNDVS TVRCARVM REX FLORVIT ANNO 1328 Suscipit Orchanes defuncti septra parentis Major vt ingento sic magis arte valens Bi thynos Phrygiamque domat Prusamque superbam Et populos latè Marte fauente premit Sic laetus tantis Asiam turbasse ruinis Transit in Europam Callipolimque capit Rident interea Graeci sua damna sed ecce Dum sua contemnunt in sua fata ruunt RICH. KNOLLEVS His father dead Orchanes takes his scepter vp in hand As one of deeper wit and reach his foes for to withstand The Phrigians and Bithynians he by force of armes brought low Proud PRVSA with faire NICOMEDE and many cities moe And glad in ASIA to haue made such hauocke and such spoile His forces into EVROPE sends the Graecians there to foile Who meane while laughing at their losse did make thereof a game Not thinking what a world of woe was to ensue the same THE LIFE OF ORCHANES OR VRCHAN SECOND KING OF THE TVRKES AFTER the death of Othoman his two sonnes Orchanes whom the Turks call Vrchan and Aladin his brother hauing with great solemnitie enterred their father at PRVSA immediatly summoned a Parlament whereunto both the brethren came accompanied with the chiefe of their nobilitie This parlament was called especially for the establishing of the succession in this new kingdome and for the diuision of Othomans treasure and goods betwixt them two his sonnes But vpon view taken there was no money plate or jewels found in the kings coffers for that he had in his life time most bountifully bestowed it vpon his men of warre so that all the wealth hee left vnto them his sonnes was the honourable remembrance of his life for them to immitate large dominions for their possessions store of readie horses and armour fit for seruice with great heards of beasts and cattell for household prouision Whereupon Orchanes demaunded of his brother Aladin what order hee thought was best to be taken with those things by their father so left To whom Aladin answered That it was most requisite first to establish a king in their fathers kingdome which like a good sheepherd might gouerne and defend his subjects rule and maintaine his men of war prouiding all things meet for defence of his kingdome And that vnto him of right belonged all these other things by their father left as the patrimonie of his successour for the common good and maintenance of his estate As for mine owne part said Aladin I claime no interest therein you being my elder brother and so vnto me in steed of a father by whom also you haue been these two yeares as it were alreadie put in possession of the kingdom all things being committed to your gouernment during the time of his late sickenesse This modestie of Aladin was greatly commended of all the antient counsellors by meanes wherof the kingdome in all peaceable maner discended to Orchanes In regard of which courtesie Orchanes would gladly haue made Aladin his brother President of his counsell which honour he would in no wise accept but requested rather that hee would giue him the lordship of FODORE in Tekences countrey
Turkes and went backward with the Christians In the time of these warres not farre from CALLIPOLIS was a little castle called CONGERE the captaine whereof was by a Greeke name called Calo Ioannes a valiant and painefull man this captaine continually molested and troubled the Turks which lay on that side of CALLIPOLIS vnder the leading of Ezes-beg many of whom he slew and tooke prisoners as hee could find them at any aduantage Solyman much angred herewith by craftie and secret espials learned a certaine time when he was gone out of his castle to doe some exploit vpon the Turks whereupon he presently so beset the castle with souldiors that hee could by no meanes returne thither but hee must first fall into their hands and for more assurance placed others also in by-waies least he should by any way escape The captaine ignorant of all this prosecuted his enterprise and hauing taken a Turke prisoner thinking to returne to his castle was hastely pursued by Fazill-Beg for which cause making the more hast he suddainly fell into the danger of the Turks laid in ambush where his men were all slaine and he himselfe taken and brought before his own castle and had there his head presently strucke off whereupon the castle was forthwith by them that were therein hauing now lost their captaine surrendred and Chazi Ili Beg a valiant captaine of the Turks placed in the same who from thence neuer ceased to trouble the countrey euen to the wals of DIDYMOTICHUM as did Solyman also out of CALLIPOLIS Thus in the space of one yeare the Turks got strong footing in EUROPE possessing diuers castles and townes with the countrey about them which Solyman gaue in reward vnto his captaines and souldiors as appeareth by the 〈◊〉 and tombes of Ezes-beg and Fazill-beg the two which first came ouer into EUROPE which 〈◊〉 there yet well knowne About this time it fortuned that as this maâ—â—all prince Solyman was for his disport hawking in the fields of BOLAYRE on EUROPE side galloping in to his faulcon was with his horse ouerthrowne in a ditch of which fall he being sore brused shortly after died The newes of his death being brought to Orchanes his father 〈◊〉 him then being sicke just occasion of great sorrow so that within two moneths after he died also being fourescore yeares old when hee had thereof raigned 31 yeares and died about the yeare of our Lord 1359. Some histories report otherwise both of his death and of the time wherein he liued as that he should beslaine in a battell against the Tartars or as others write with an arrow at the siege of PRUSA in the yeare of our Lord 1349. But Ioannes Lâ—unclauiâ—â— in his historie collected out of the Turks owne chronicles whom we follow as most probable reporteth it as before This Orchanes was wise courteous and bountifull more ingenious than his father in deuising warlike engins He built diuers princely Churches Abbeies Colledges and Cels and was in his superstitious religion very zealous insomuch that he appointed pensions to all such as could in the church say the booke of Mahomets law by heart and appointed competent maintenance for all Iudges of his courts because they should not take any thing in reward of his subjcts for the peruerting of justice He greatly inlarged his kingdome in ASIA and not content to bee inclosed with the seas of EVXINUM and HELLESPONTUS set fast footing in EVROPE which some attribute to his sonne Amurath He was vnto the Christians alwaies a most mortall enemie and so 〈◊〉 FINIS Christian princes of the same time with Orchanes Emperours Of the East Andronicus Palaeologus the younger 1325. 29. Iohn Palaeologus 1354. 30. Of the West Lewes of Bauaria 1314. 32. Charles the fourth sonne to Iohn king of Bohemia 1346. 10. Kings Of England Edward the third 1327. 50. Of Fraunce Philip Valois 1328. 22. Iohn Valois 1350. 14. Of Scotland Robert Bruce 1306. 24. Dauid Bruce 1341. Bishops of Rome Iohn the XXII 1317. 18. Benedict the XII 1335. 7. Clement the VI. 1342. 12. Innocent the VI. 1354. 10. AMVRATH AMVRANTHES PRIMVS TERTIVS TVRCARVM REX FLORVIT AN o 1350 Scauâ—s Amurathes animo dum maxima versat Discordes Graecos sternere Marte parat Totus intentus fines extendere regni Europam penetrans obuia quaeque rapit Attoniti trepidant nimia formidine Thraces In medio quorum sceptra superba locat Hinc Moesos premit ille feros miserumque Dynasten Cossoui in campis obruit atque necat Sed non longa fuit sceleris tam dira voluptas A seruo caesus concidit ense ferox RICH. KNOLLEVS Whilest Amurath in his deepe thoughts of greatnesse plots the ground The wrangling Greekes by force of arms he seekes how to confound And wholy bent for to extend his kingdome with his power Piersing the confines of EVROPE doth what he meets deuour As men dismaid the Thracians quake to see their foule disgrace Amiddest whom the tyrant stout his scepter proud doth place The fierce Bulgarians he did meet and in the field subdue And in COSSOVAS fatall plains the wofull Despot slue But long is not the wickeds joy which they in mischiefe take Stabd by a Slaue the wretch his end in that same place did make R. K. THE LIFE OF AMVRATH THE FIRST OF THAT NAME THIRD KING OF THE TVRKES AND THE GREAT AVGMENTOR OF THEIR KINGDOME AMurath the yonger sonne of Orchanes succeeded his father in the Turkish kingdome his elder brother Solyman being dead a little before his father This Amurath with greater zeale than any one of the Turkish kings aduanced the Mahometane religion and had therein wonderfull successe In the beginning of his raigne he gathered a great armie out of all parts of his kingdome to PRUSA purposing to passe ouer HELLESPONTUS to inuade the Christians in THRACIA But vnderstanding that the other Mahometane princes in ASIA had combined themselues against him hee was thereby enforced to â—eaue his former determination for EUROPE and to turne his forces vpon them In which wars â—e mightily preuailed against them and returned with victorie to PRUSA But hauing so subduâ—d those confederat princes he the next yeare after prosecuted his warres before intended against â—he Christians in EUROPE For which purpose hauing leuied a strong armie in ASIA he passed ouer to CALLIPOLIS accompanied with his tutor whom the Turks call Lala Schahin whose graue aduice and counsaile he most followed in all his waightie affaires being at that time one of his cheefe counsellors From CALLIPOLIS he marched to the castle of BENUTUM which was by composition yeelded vnto him From thence he went to TZVRVLUS where the Christians gaue him a sharpe encounter but in the end he wan the towne and caried away the victorie And so proceeding farther tooke diuers other small castles and townes in that part of THRACIA which of the antient Romane Colonies was then called ROMANIA and now of the Turks RUMILIA namely MESINE BURGOS and
that did this Cobelitz vnto Amurath The dead bodie of Amurath was presently with all secrecie conueied into his tent by the Basâ—aes and captaines present at his death whether Baiazet was also brought with an ensigne before him as the successour in his fathers kingdome His younger brother Iacup surnamed Zelebi or the noble yet ignorant of that had hapned was by the great Bassaes sent for as from his father who casting no perill but comming into his fathers tent was there presently by them strangled by the commaundement of Baiazet as most histories report howbeit the Turkes annales charge him not therwith This was the beginning of the most vnnaturall and inhumane custome euer since holden for a most wholesome and good policie amongst the Turkish kings and emperours in the beginning of their raigne most cruelly to massacre their brethren and neerest kinsmen so at once to rid themselues of all feare of their competitors This Amurath was in his superstition more zealous than any other of the Turkish kings a man of great courage and in all his attempts fortunat he made greater slaughter of his enemies than both his father and grandfather his kingdome in ASIA hee greatly enlarged by the sword mariage and purchase and vsing the discord and cowardise of the Grecian princes to his profit subdued a great part of THRACIA called ROMANIA with the territories thereto adjoyning leauing vnto the emperour of CONSTANTINOPLE little or nothing more in THRACIA than the imperiall citie it selfe with the bare name of an emperour almost without an empire he wan a great part of BULGARIA and entred into SERUIA BOSNA and MACEDONIA he was liberall and withall seuere of his subjects both beloued feared a man of verie few words and one that could dissemble deeply He was slaine when hee was threescore eight yeares old and had thereof raigned thirtie one in the yeare of our Lord 1390. His dead bodie was by Baiazet conuaied into ASIA and there royally buried at PRUSA in a faire chappell at the West end of the citie neere vnto the Bathes there where vpon his tombe lieth his souldiours cloake with a little Turkish tulipant much differing from those great turbants which the Turkes now weare Neere vnto the same tombe are placed three launces with three horse tailes fastened at the vpper end of them which he vsed as guidons in his wars a thing in antient time not strange There standeth a castle with a tombe made in remembrance of him in the plaines of COSSOUA where he was slaine and his entrailes buried which giueth occasion for some to report that hee was there also himselfe enterred FINIS Christian princes of the same time with Amurath the first Emperours Of the East Iohn Palaeologus 1354. 30. Andronicus Palaeologus 1384. 3. Emanuell Palaeologus 1387. 30. Of the West Charles the fourth 1346. 32. Wenceslaus son to Charles king of Bohemia 1378. 22. Kings Of England Edward the third 1327. 50. Richard the second 1377. 23. Of Fraunce Iohn Valois 1350. 14. Charles the fifth 1364. 16. Charles the sixt surnamed The welbeloued 1381. 42. Of Scotland Dauid Bruce 1341. 29. Robert Stuart 1370. Bishops of Rome Innocent the VI. 1354. 10. Vrban the V. 1364. 8. Gregorie the II. 1372. 7. Vrban the VI. 1378. 11. BAIAZET BAIAZETTHES PRIMVS QVARTVA TVRCORVM REX ANNO 1390 Fulminis in morem celeri rapit agmina motu Baizethes fidei pacis impatiens Regni Hadrianopolim sedes sibi legit vt esset Posset vt Europae iungere regna suis. Constantinopolim gemina obsidione fatigat Iam Graetas vana spe sibi spondet opes Cum Tamburlano praebet sua terga catenis Vinctus in cauea probra pudenda subit Prowd Baiazet most false of faith and loathing blessed peace His warlike troupes like lightening to shake he doth not cease Of HADRIANOPLE he makes choice for his imperiall seat That EVROPS kingdomes he might joyne vnto his empire great CONSTANTINOPLE he distrest twice with straight siege and long And vainly thought to haue possest the Graecians wealth by wrong But ouercome by Tamberlane fast bound in fetters sure Trod vnder foot and cloas'd in cage great shame did there indure THE LIFE OF BAIAZET THE FIRST OF THAT NAME THE FOVRTH AND MOST VNFORTVNAT KING OF THE TVRKES BAiazet or as the Turks call him Baiasit of his violent and fierce nature surnamed Gilderun or lightening succeeded his father Amurath in the Turkish kingdome his younger brother Iacup being strangled immediatly after his fathers death as is before declared He in the first yeare of his raign inuaded SERVIA and there besieged CRATOVA a citie of the Despots whereunto the siluer mines of SERVIA not the least cause of that warre belonged Which citie was yeelded vnto him vpon condition That the Christian inhabitants might with life and libertie depart Who were no sooner gone out of the cittie but that by his commaundement they were all most cruelly slaine by his men of warre for that purpose sent out after them At this time hee also woon VSCUPIA with diuers other castles in the countrey neere vnto CRATOVA Sigismund at the same time king of HUNGARIE a yong prince of great hope and brother to Wenceslaus then emperour of the West aduertised from the Seruians his allies and confederats of these proud proceedings of Baiazet by his embassadours sent of purpose requested him That as he was a just prince and wished to liue in quiet with his owne to desist from doing of such open wrong and from inuading of such countries of his friends and confederats as he had no right in Which embassadours so sent Baiazet detained without answere vntill such time as he had ouerrun a great part of the Despot his country and therein done what he thought good Then calling the said embassadours vnto him into one of the strong townes which hee had in euerie corner filled with his owne souldiours told them that they might there see that his right both vnto that towne and the rest by him taken was good inough for as much as the verie wals acknowledged the same and so giuing them leaue to depart willed them so to tell their master Which his proud answere by the same embassadors reported vnto the yong king no lesse troubled him than if open warre had by them been denounced vnto him seeing the tyrant as should seeme pretending right vnto whatsoeuer hee could by force get neuerthelesse being himselfe not yet well setled in his kingdome and in doubt of the contrarie faction that altogether liked not of his election into HUNGARIE for their king he was glad at that time to put it vp and so to hold himselfe content The next yeare Baiazet by Ferises Beg tooke the citie of VIDINA with many other strong townes and castles in SERVIA and afterwards returned to HADRIANOPLE But whilest that hee thus raged in EUROPE the Caramanian king inuaded and spoiled the frontiers of his countries in ASIA which although he was not then at
at length to SAMERCAND the famous place of his birth and glorious seat of his empire Now had Baiazet but a little before one of the greatest princes on earth and now the scorne of fortune and a byword to the world with great impatiencie laine two yeares in most miserable thraldome for most part shut vp in an yron cage as some dangerous wild beast and hauing no better meanes to end his loathed life did violently beat out his braines against the barres of the yron grate wherein he was inclosed and so died about the yeare of our Lord 1399. Yet of his death are diuers other reports some saying That hee died of an ague proceeding of sorrow and greefe others that he poysoned himselfe and the Turks affirming that he was set at libertie by Tamerlane being by him beforehand poysoned whereof hee died three dayes after hee was enlarged a report not like to be true but howsoeuer it was his end appeareth to haue ben right miserable His dead bodie at the request of his sonne Mahomet was by Tamerlane sent to ASPRAPOLIS from whence it was afterwards conueyed to PRUSA and there lieth buried in a chappell neere vnto the great Mahometane temple without the citie Eastward where also lieth his beloued wife Despina with his eldest sonne Erthogrul And fast by in a little chappell lieth buried his brother Iacup whom he in the beginning of his raigne murthered These two great and mightie princes Tamerlane and Baiazet both of them whilest they liued a burâ—hen vnto the world as they tooke their beginning from the Scythes or Tartars so were they of like honourable progenitors descended Baiazet being the fourth in discent from the warlike Othoman the raiser of his familie and Tamerlane in like degree from the great Zingis the first and most fortunat leader of the Tartars his countreymen vnto the pleasures of the East both princes of great power and like spirit wise hardie painefull resolute and most skilfull in martiall affaires but ambitious aboue measure the ground of all the former troubles by them raised to the astonishment of the world Howbeit the great vertues and other the honourable qualities of Baiazet were in him by his chollericke and waiward nature much obscured which made him to exceed both in crueltie and pride being also much more handfast than were his honourable predecessors For which causes he was much feared and lesse beloued of his souldiors and men of warre in generall and of them at his most need forsaken He vsed commonly to say That his treasures were his childrens meat and not his souldiors pay which by way of reproch was by a common souldior cast in his teeth when hee raged to see himselfe by them forsaken in the great battell against Tamerlane telling him as he fled That he ran not away but went to seek his pay wherewith to prouide his children bread Whereas all the aforesaid vertues in Tamerlane were graced with diuers others of like nature no man being vnto his friends more courteous or kind either vnto his enemies more dreadfull or terrible The good seruice of his seruants hee neuer forgot either left the same long vnrewarded being thereof so mindfull as that he needed not by them or others in their behalfe to be put in remembrance thereof hauing alwaies by him a catalogue both of their names and good deserts which he daily perused Oftentimes saying that day to be lost wherein he had not giuen them something and yet neuer bestowing his preferments vpon such as ambitiously sought the same as deeming them in so doing vnwoorthie thereof but vpon such as whose modestie or desert he thought worthie those his great fauours so tempering the seueritie of his commaunds with the greatnesse of his bountie as that it is hard to say whether he was of his nobilitie and men of war for the one more feared or for the other beloued both the great staies of princes states feare keeping the obstinat in their obedience and loue the dutifull in their deuotion But with Baiazet it was not so who deeming all done for him but dutie and by nature chollericke and proud after the manner of tyrants desired aboue all to be of his subjects feared not much regarding how little hee was of them beloued not the least cause of his great fall and miserie and that therein he was of his owne so smally regarded wherin for all that he is to be accounted more fortunat than the other great conquerour his enemie hauing euer since in the lineall descent of himselfe had one of the greatest Monarchs of the world to succeed still in his kingdome and empire as hee hath euen at this day the great Sultan Mahomet the third of that name who now in great majestie raigneth in CONSTANTINOPLE Whereas the glorie of Tamerlane his empire euen in his owne time growne to the height therof and labouring with the greatnesse of it selfe and by him deuided amongst his sonnes shortly after his death decayed rent in sunder by ambition and ciuile discord and not long after together with his posteritie rooted out by Vsun-Cassanes the Persian king to the worlds woonder tooke end nothing of the huge greatnesse thereof now or since then remaining more than the fame thereof as doth also the miserie of the other so brought low But leauing this mirrour of mishap Baiazet vnto his rest and Tamerlane for a while to triumph in SAMERCAND let vs now proceed in the course of our Historie yet not forgetting by the way to remember such Christian princes as then liued together with these two great Monarchs FINIS Christian princes of the same time with Baiazet the first Emperours Of the East Emanuell Palaeologus 1387. 30. Of the West Wenceslaus son to Charles king of Bohemia 1378. 22. Rupertus duke of Bauaria 1400. 10. Kings Of England Richard the second 1377. 23. Henrie the fourth 1399. 12. Of Fraunce Charles the sixt surnamed The welbeloued 1381. 42. Of Scotland Iohn Stuart otherwise called Robert the third 1390. 16. Bishops of Rome Vrban the VI. 1380. 11. Boniface the IX 1390. 14. MAHOMET I. MAHOMETHES PRIMVS QVINTVS TVRCARVM REX FLORVIT ANNO 1405 Vindicibus Mahomet patrium sibi vendicat armis Imperium fractas feruidus auget opes Quod patri abstulerat violentia Tamberlani Imperio reddit Marte fauente suo Ille sagittiferosque Dacas validosque Triballos Contudit populos Ister amoene tuos Turcica sic rursus sublata potentia stragem Attulit imperio Romule magne tuo By force of armes stout Mahomet his fathers kingdome gaines And doth the broken state thereof repaire with restlesse paines What so the force of Tamerlane had from his father tane He by his fortune and his force restor'd the same againe The Dacians he vanquished and Seruians in field And forc'd the people neere to thee faire ISTER for to yeeld So once againe the Turkish state by him rais'd vp on hie Hath to thine empire Romulus brought great
the Bassaes said they maruailed that the king in so long time did neuer shew himselfe as he had alwaies before done Whereunto the Bassaes answered That he had been dangerously sicke and was as yet but a little recouered and that therefore the physicians would not suffer him to looke abroad or take the aire for feare of casting him downe againe Then will wee our selues said the pentioners goe in and see his majestie and with that were readie to force in vpon the Bassaes. Eiuases seeing their importunitie desired them to hold themselues contented and not as then to trouble the king for that hee had that day as hee said taken physicke but to morrow said he we will request his majestie if he so please to shew himselfe that you may see him wherewith they for that time held themselues content Now amongst the kings physicians there was one Geordiron a Persian a man of a quicke spirit and subtill deuise which found means to deceiue the pentioners he deuised that the dead bodie of the king being apparrelled in royall large robes should be brought betwixt two as if he had been led into an high open gallerie and being there set to haue a boy so neatly placed behind him vnder his large robes as that he vnperceiued might moue the kings hand vp to his head as if he should stroke his face or beard as his manner was The next day the dead king being accordingly brought foorth by the Bassaes in his rich robes and wrapped with clothes about his head as if it had been for feare of the aire or of taking cold and so placed in an high open gallerie as was before deuised suddainely the physician came running in â—uming and raging as if he had been halfe mad readie to teare his clothes for anger and in great choller casting his cap against the ground asked the Bassaes if they meant to kill the king by bringing him into the open aire We said he haue with great pains in long time a little recouered him and will you thus foolishly cast him downe againe Pardon vs good doctor said Eiuases for these gentlemen pointing to the pentioners were so importunat to see his majestie that to satisfie their desires he was content to be led forth of his chamber wherof we hope shall ensue no harme The pentioners seeing the king many times moouing his hand to his face and as it were stroking his beard held themselues well contented supposing him to haue beene aliue although but weake and therefore not willing to speake vnto them The physicians taking him vp amongst them carried him into his lodging againe which was but fast by making as if they had carried an extreame sicke man Thus was his death cunningly concealed one and fortie daies vntill the comming of Amurath his sonne This Mahomet was both wise and valiant and withall exceeding bountifull but ambitious aboue measure and may of right be accounted the restorer of the Turkes kingdome for he recouered againe all those countries in ASIA which Tamerlane had taken away and giuen vnto other Mahometane princes after the ouerthrow of Baiazet And when as the kingdome of the Turkes was rent in peeces and almost brought to naught by ciuile wars and the ambition of himselfe and his brethren he at length got possession of the whole and so left it to his sonne Amurath an entire kingdome in the former greatnesse althogh not much by him augmented His bodie lieth buried in a faire tombe made of artificiall stone very beautifull to behold in a chappell at the East side of PRUSA where we leaue him at his rest FINIS Christian princes of the same time with Mahomet the first Emperours Of the East Emanuell Palaeologus 1387. 30. Of the West Rupertus duke of Bauaria 1400. 10. Sigismund king of Hungarie 1411. 28. Kings Of England Henrie the fourth 1399. 13. Henrie the fift 1413. 9. Of Fraunce Charles the sixt surnamed The welbeloued 1381. 42. Of Scotland Iohn Stuart otherwise called Robert 1390. 16. Iames the first 1424. 13. Bishops of Rome Boniface the IX 1391. 14. Innocent the VII 1405. 2. Gregorie the XII 1407. 2. Alexander the V. 1410. 1. Iohn the XXIII 1411. 5. Martin the V. 1417. 13. AMVRATH II. AMVRANTHES SECVNDUS SEXTVS TVRCARVM REX FLORVIT ANNO 1422 Europam luctu funestis cladibus implens Saeuus Amurathes totus in arma ruit Maior at Huniades virtute fortibus ausis Cogit eum trepida vertere terga fuga Consilia Eugenij bellum furialia suadent Sacrorum antistes Martia ad arma ruit Arma viri tractent curet sua templa sacerdos Europae exitium res tulit ista graue Fierce Amurath doth EUROPE fill with blood and wofull cries And wholie giuen to martiall deeds doth whole in armes arise But yet Huniades than he of greater strength and might Enforced him right fearefully to turne his backe in flight Eugenius his infernall spels stirs vp a fatall jarre Who hauing charge of sacred rites runs headlong into warre Leaue martiall deeds to martiall men and let the priest goe praie Such diuelish councell worse receiu'd wrought EUROPS great decaie THE LIFE OF AMVRATH THE SECOND OF THAT NAME SIXT KING OF THE TVRKES AND THE GREAT ESTABLISHER OF THEIR KINGDOME AFter that the death of Mahomet had been politiquely concealed one and fortie daies by the three great Bassaes Baiazet Eiuases and Ibrahim Amurath or Murat as the Turkes call him his eldest sonne at that time comming to PRUSA was by them placed in his fathers seat and the death of Mahomet at the same time published wherevpon great troubles began on euerie side to arise The princes of SMYRNA and MENTESIA rose vp in armes and at THESSALONICA an obscure fellow crept as it were out of a chimneys corner tooke vpon him the name and person of Mustapha the sonne of Baiazet which was slaine many yeares before in the great battaile against Tamerlane at mount STELLA as is before declared in the life of the vnfortunate Sultan Baiazet This counterfait Mustapha animated by the Grecian princes and going from THESSALONICA to VARDARIUM set so good a countenance vpon the matter with such a grace and majestie that not onely the countrey people apt to beleeue any thing but men of greater place and calling also as Tzunites Beg the prince of SMYRNA his sonne with the sonnes of old Eurenoses Bassa persuaded that he was the verie son of the great Baiazet repaired vnto him as vnto their naturall prince and soueraigne From VARDARIUM he went to SERRae and from thence to HADRIANOPLE Amurath being as then at PRUSA where he was receiued as if it had been that noble prince Mustapha whom hee feigned himselfe to be so that in short time he was honoured as a king in all parts of the Turkish kingdome in EUROPE Amurath to represse this so great and dangerous a rebellion sent Baiazet Bassa a man of great authoritie in his court with a strong armie into EUROPE This