most terrible and desperate Assaults at length namely the 13 day of September when they had with all their force for the space of six hours furiously assaulted the Castle and slain most of the Defendants at last look it Serbellio shot in with two Bullets and wishing rather to die than to fall into the hand of the Enemy thrust himself into the midst of the Turks there to have perished but by the hasty coming in of Pial Bassa both he and Salazar were taken alive as for all the rest that followed them they were put to the Sword. The Bassa in his rage struck Serbellio and the more to grieve him caused his Son to be cruelly murthred before his Face Neither was this Victory by the Turks obtained without Blood having in less than three months space that the Siege endured lost above thirty thousand Men. These strong Holds the greatest strength of that Kingdom thus taken the Turks marched to Tunes which they easily took and afterwards overthrew the Fortifications thereof because it should no more Rebel Mahomet the young King but the year before placed in that Kingdom by Don Iohn was there taken and in bonds sent aboord to be carried with Carrera Captain of Guletta Prisoners to Constantinople and thus the Kingdom of Tunes with the strong Castle of Guletta fell again into the possession of the Turks to the further trouble of the Christian Countries lying over against it The proud Bassaes having as they thought best disposed of all things at Tunes and Guletta departed thence and with their Fleet of 400 Sail came the fourth of October within sight of Malta But understanding that they of Malta were provided for their coming and remembring what dishonour their most magnificent Emperor Solyman had not many years before there sustained whereof divers of them had been eye-witnesses they turned thence and sailed directly to Constantinople Shortly after this great Emperor Selymus spent with Wine and Women unto whom he had given his great strength died the ninth of December in the year of our Lord 1574 when he had lived one and fifty years and thereof reigned eight and lieth buried at Hadrianople He was but of a mean Stature and of an heavy Disposition his Face rather Swollen than Fat much resembling a Drunkard Of the Othoman Kings and Emperors he was of least Valour and therefore least regarded altogether given to Sensuality and Pleasure and so dying left his Empire unto Amurath his eldest Son a Man of more Temperance but not much greater Courage who nevertheless by his valiant Bassaes and Men of War did great matters especially against the Persians the mortal and dangerous Enemies of the Turks as shall be hereafter in this History declared Christian Princes of the same time with Selymus the Second Emperors of Germany Maximilian the Second 1565. 12. Kings Of England Queen Elizabeth 1558. 45. Of France Charles the Ninth 1560. 14. Of Scotland Queen Mary 1543. 20. James the Sixth that now reigneth 1567. Bishops of Rome Pius the V. 1566. 6. Julius the XIII 1572. 12. Non ego fortis eram quis tanto nomine dignus Ni fortem faciat mens generosa virum Me tumidum fortuna tumens evexit in altum Et par fortuna mens mea semper erat Sic quamvis tenero mihi nil nisi molle placeret Nominis augendi raptus amore fui 〈…〉 ad fortia facta ministros 〈…〉 sublatum est nomen in astrameum 〈◊〉 I waâ— not none deserve that name 〈…〉 whose generous minds bespeake their fame Fâ—rtune advanc'd me high and fickle Shee Still found a Soule bravely prepard in me Soft in my tender years tho' I became 〈◊〉 still I priz'd the glory of my name 〈…〉 abroad my Ministers of State 〈…〉 â—he Slavish drugery of my fate pag 651. Mustapha Ferhates Sinan et ter maximus Osman Terrores Orbis Succubuere mihi Armenios domui fortes Medosque feroces Et mihi paruerat Regia Taurisij Sed mihi quid prodest tantorum parta labâ—re Gloria Si Subito maxima quaeque 〈◊〉 Et nihil est tanti quod non brevis aufere◠〈◊〉 Sic mea cum multis gloria victa 〈◊〉 Osman Ferhates Sinan Mâ—staphâ— The terrors of the World did me obeâ— I broke the Medes and the 〈…〉 And batterd downe the proud Taurâ—â—â—â—n Towers Yet what 's all this to my ill gott renowne Since greatest things are soonest tumbled downe We 're robb'd of all we have in one short houre And quickly we and ours shall be no more THE LIFE OF AMURATH The Third of that Name Sixth Emperour of the Turks THE death of the late Emperour Selymus year 1574 was for fear of the insolent Janizaries notably concealed by the great Bassa's until such time as Amurath his eldest Son then in Asia by speedy Messengers advertis'd thereof about twelve dayes after arrived at Constantinople and there received into the Seraglio took possession of the Empire the five and twentieth day of December solemn amongst us Christians for the Nativity of our Saviour Christ Jesus He was about thirty or as some write seven and twenty years old when he began to reign of a manly stature but pale and corpulent wearing his Beard thin and long in his Countenance appeared not the fierce nature of the Othoman Princes being indeed himself of a peaceable disposition a lover of Justice and in the manner of his Superstition very zealous The riot and excess grown amongst the Turks by his Fathers evil Example he reformed by his own Temperance and the severe punishment of notorious Drunkaâ—ds yet it is reported that he would oftentimes himself drink plentifully of Wormwood-wine he was much subject to the Falling-sickness and sore troubled with the Stone more spare-handed than was for the greatness of his State and yielding more to the counsel of his Mother his Wife and Sister than of his great Bassa's which was of many imputed to him for simplicity At his first coming to Constantinople to appease the murmuring of the Janizaries grieved to see themselves so disappointed of the spoil of the Christians and Jews which they were wont to take in the vacancy of the Empire he beside the usual largess which the Turkish Emperours at their first entrance into the Empire bestow upon them augmented also their daily wages and granted them this Priviledge That their Sons as soon as they came to be twenty years old should be inrolled amongst the nâ—mber of the younger Janizaries and be partakers also of their immunities whereby he won their favours exceedingly And immediately to rid himself of all competitors he after the unnatural manner of the Turkish Policy caused his five Brethren Mustapha Solyman Abdulla Osman and Tzihanger to be all strangled in his own presence The Mother of Solyman pierced through with the cruel death of her young Son as a Woman overcome with sorrow desperately struck her self to the heart with a dagger and so died At which so
was once attempted against the Portugals at Diu and Ormuz the like whereof Alphonsus Albuquercius the King of Portugal's Viceroy in India attempted when as with his light Horsemen running through that Country he thought upon a sudden to have spoiled Mecha and to have robbed the Sepulchre of Mahomet as had hapned under the Empire of the Sultans and as Trajan the Emperour had long since in like manner attempted to rage and spoâ—l Those Places which he possessed in Affrick were as they said to be set upon and the Coast of Spain towards the Mediterranean to be infested so at length to gratifie the Moors his Subjects who still instantly requested the same that so they might more safely traffick and travel and that so the Moors might at length be delivered from the imperious command of the Spaniards of which exploit Sultan Selymus lately before dead was in his life time well perswaded but might now at this time be much more commodiously done for that the Moorish Nation was now greatly increased and much oppressed by the Spaniards and having got great Wealth by the Trade of Merchandise even by Nature or Religion had conceived a mortal hatred against the Spaniards whereunto might not a little avail the Ports in Affrick whereinto the Turks Fleet might at all times in safety retire And in brief that which was of greatest importance to the better success of this War the French King and the Queen of England had of their own accord promised the Continuation of their Wars and that the French King should invade Navarre and by force of Arms recover the right he pretended unto that Kingdom whilst in the mean time the Queen of England should not only trouble him in the West Indies and other Places of the Ocean toward the North and West but might also stir up new Broils in the Kingdom of Portugal where most part of the People with great impatience bear the proud command of the Spaniard as perswaded and that truly all their Prosperity and Quietness to have been lost together with their last King their true and lawful Sovereign For he at Peace with the Kings of France and England exceedingly thereby enriched his Subjects by Traffick whereas since they fell into the Hands of the Spaniard they daily complain of their new Losses and Dangers by Reason of his perpetual Wars Moreover that there was to be found great store of exiled Spaniards dispersed here and there which being malecontent and weary of the Spanish Government were fled not only out of Portugal but even out of Arragon and other parts of his Kingdom which now living in France England and Constantinople both secretly and openly liberally offered great helps the like whereof many of the Moors also promised All which together seemed to promise a most easie Expedition and certain Victory if any should upon the sudden invade Spain for that there was almost no use of Arms the Inhabitants at home seldom times exercising themselves therein neither in Places needful having any ordinary Garrisons and but few Horses fit for Service And that in fine it was to be considered Spain to be greatly bared of men which knew how valiantly and courageously to manage Arms for the often choice they make of them which almost most daily transported into the Indies Italy and the Low-Countries whereby the strength of his Country must needs be exceedingly impaired so that if they should be invaded with any strong and mighty Army they might seem hardly able to be holpen or defended by their own People but should need the Aid and help of the other near Provinces subject unto this Kingdom which if they should be either letted or stay to come in good time they should leave so much the more easie Victory unto their Enemies In the fifth place were they which went about to perswade Amurath to break his League with the Venetians using Reasons rather probable than true although they might seem unto the Turks less doubtful for that men easily and willingly believe such things as they themselves desire These men went about to prove no Expedition to be less difficult than this as judging of things present by the event of former Wars passed wherein the Turks had always taken something from the Venetians who to redeem their Peace were divers ways enforced to satisfie the Turks That the Venetian Common-wealth was afraid of the Turks and abhorred War was manifest they said in that that in all Actions it had propounded unto it self Peace as the end thereof and after the manner of their Ancestors never entred into Wars but enforced thereunto and would happily upon the first denouncing of Wars willingly depart with certain Places for fear of greater harm or to be utterly overcome as it appeared they did in the yielding up of Cyprus The Power and Force whereof was not so great as that it could alone stand against the great Sultan and to confederate it self with others would require no small delay for the great and many Difficulties which commonly used to arise in making of Leagues not being now so conjoyned with the Spaniard as in times past of whose aid it being of late destitute was constrained to make an hard Peace with Selymus And if so be the Spaniard would needs joyn himself unto the Venetians against the Turks yet that he could by no means afford unto them such Aid and Supplies as were of necessity to be required unto so great a War he himself being in his Wars otherwise so intangled as for all other Confederation they could make without him to be but weak and to no purpose That which the Pope could do herein to be but little for albeit he should according to his Duty exhort other Christian Princes to give Aid and to stir them up unto this War yet that beside some little supply of Money hardly drawn out of his own Coffers and the Ecclesiastical Revenues he could scarcely perform any thing more or when he had done his uttermost devoir could but joyn five Gallies of his own unto the Venetian Fleet which with the Gallies of the Duke of Savoy of the Knights of Malta and of the Florentines could but make a Fleet of some twenty Gallies which was but a small matter Besides that the Turks were perswaded that betwixt the Venetian State and the other Christian Princes was no such Friendship and good Agreement as the greatness of the imminent Danger of that War and as the necessity of the cause would require and that hitherto their Treasures had been so exhausted in paying the Debt they were run into in the last War and in building of Fortresses that happily they were not now so furnished with Coin as was requisite for the defraying of so great a War. And unto this War against the Venetians consented almost all the Visier Bassaes differing only in this Where or against what Place of the Venetian Territory this War were to be first begun some naming one place
more but to have his Life spared fearfully promising a large ransom for himself and those few which were yet alive with him Howbeit the Vayvod mindful of the manifold Injuries by them done unto him and his Subjects and nothing mitigated or moved with the rich Spoils thrust upon him or the large Promises the Turks had made him commanded all those his Enemies now in Power to be slain every Mothers Son of whom his Souldiers had a wonderful rich spoil although much more was lost in the fire and so giving thanks unto God for the Victory rested with his People a while at quiet Yet within less than a Month after he sent Albertus Kiral his Lieutenant with an Army to Phloch a great open unwalled Town on the farther side of Danubius equally distant from Vrosczok and Nicopolis from whence the Turks oftentimes passing over that frozen River into Valachia had there done great harm which Town not inferiour unto a good City he suddenly surprized and sacked it and put to the Sword all the Inhabitants thereof except such as were before his coming fled And shortly after the more to annoy the Turks marching again over the frozen River to have surprized Hersowa a walled City but one days Journey from Brailoua he was by the way encountred upon the Ice by the Turks whom he there in a great conflict overthrew and having slain many of them and put the rest to flight holding on his intended Journey took that rich City which he rifled and burnt down to the Ground all except the Castle which was yet by the Turks valiantly defended and so with the spoil of the City returned again over the River there to refresh his Souldiers wearied with Labour and the Extremity of the Winter weather And yet not so contented within six days after passing again over the River and having upon the side thereof in a great Battel overthrown the Turks Garrisons took Silistra a great City of Macedonia built by Constantine the Great being the Seat of one of the Turks Sanzacks and well inhabited with rich Merchants which fair City he ransacked and having slain most part of the Inhabitants burnt it down to the Ground as he had the other no less Terror than Grief unto the Turks But whilst the aforesaid Confederation betwixt the Emperour and the Transilvanian Prince was yet in hand and the Troubles in Valachia thus arising Amurath the great Sultan grievously troubled with the Stone and attainted with the falling Sickness his wonted Disease and inwardly also tormented with the late Insolency of the Janizaries and Revolt of the Countries of Transilvania Valachia and Moldavia no small hinderance to the proceeding of his Wars in Hungary as a man both in Soul and Body tormented with great Impatiency and Agony of Mind departed this Life the eighteenth day of Ianuary in the year of our Lord 1595 when he had lived one and fifty or as some say two and fifty years and thereof reigned nineteen At the time of his Death arose such a sudden and terrible Tempest at Constantinople that many thought the World should even presently have been dissolved His dead Body was not long after with great Pomp and Solemnity buried by Mahomet his eldest Son in a Moschy which he himself had before built at Constantinople Christian Princes of the same time with Amurath the Third Emperours of Germany Maximilian the Second 1565. 12. Rodolph the Second 1577. Kings Of England Queen Elizabeth 1558. 45. Of France Charles the Ninth 1560. 14. Henry the Third 1574. 14. Henry the Fourth 1589. Of Scotland James the Sixth 1565. Bishops of Rome Gregory the XIII 1572. 12. Pius the V. 1585. 5. Urban the VII 1590. 12 days Gregory the XIV 1590. 10 months 10 days Innocent the IX 1591. 2 months one day Clement the VIII 1592. 〈…〉 le virtus non ingens copia rerum 〈◊〉 saâ—iunt magnum non 〈◊〉 dextra potens Maximuâ—â—t Superunt 〈◊〉 qui terriâ—at Orbem 〈…〉 â—ibi gloria tota manat 〈…〉 alia Sceptra paravit 〈…〉 maxima quaeque dedit 〈…〉 multumâ—e beatus 〈…〉 terror et ira Dei. 〈…〉 superbis inani 〈…〉 miseris numinis ira premat 〈…〉 magniâ—ni vis SuccuÌ„bere magnus 〈…〉 ponderâ— pressa ruunt 〈…〉 â—empâ—ra longa 'T is not thy vertue nor thy dread command That makes thee great nor thy victorious hand Ther 's an almighty God who makes thee so From him these glories Achâ—et on thee flow He in thy infant hands the Scepter plac'd And he thy vigorous youth with honours grac'd Not for thy merittâ— he exalted thee But that his Scourge of Vengeance thou shouldst be Boast thou not then of what is not thine owne For he that sett thee up may pull thee downe Be humble in thy most triumphant State For great things sink deprest by their owne weight Nor feed thy self with hopes of endless daies For at Fates Summons thou must goe 〈◊〉 waies THE TURKISH HISTORY The Second Uolume Beginning from MAHOMET III. And Continued to this Present Year 1687. THE SIXTH EDITION LONDON Printed for Tho. Basset at the George near St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet MDCLXXXVII Si quid in humanis magnum te reddere possit Quid prohibet magnis nomen inesse â—uum Qui subjecta vides tot dissona regna tot urbes Et nulli cedens sceptra superba geris Cum tamen ignores quid sit Sapientia Christi Omnia quae jactas sunt Mahomete nihil If any thing on earth can make man great Great as the greatest art thou Mahomet Who overlookst the World from thy bright Throne And seest the largest part of it thine owne But since the Christian Law thou dost disdeigne Thy labours to be truely Great are all but vaine THE LIFE OF MAHOMET The Third of that Name Seventh Emperour of the Turks year 1595 THE Death of the late great Sultan Amurath was not forthwith made known in the Court but with wonderful secresie concealed not onely for fear of the Ianizaries who in the time of the vacancy of the Empire always do whatsoever pleases themselves but also for that the People having in distrust the fierce Nature of Mahomet Amurath's eldest Son were generally better affected to Amurath the younger Brother a Prince of a more mild spirit and courteous disposition unto whom they in heart wished those stately honours which could by no means without the great wrong and prejudice of his elder Brother and danger of the whole State be given unto him Ten days after came Mahomet in post from Amasia to Constantinople and was there by the great Bassa's and other his mighty Favorites saluted Emperour which done he presently after caused all his Brethren to be invited to a solemn Feast in the Court whereunto they yet ignorant of the death of their Father came cheerfully as men fearing no harm but being come were there all by his commandment most miserably strangled and at once to rid himself of the
great Spirit and yet exceeding proud which was the cause that he was both the less beloved and feared of his Subjects in general but especially of the Janizaries and other his Souldiers and men of War who scorning his loose Government and griev'd to see even the greatest Affairs of his State not only imparted to Women but by them managed and over-ruled also as by his Mother the Sultaness his Wife and others not only rebelled against him but were oftentimes in their Rages about to have deposed him He was altogether given to sensuality and voluptuous pleasure the marks whereof he still carried about with him a foul swoln unwealdy and overgrown Body unfit for any Princely Office or Function and a Mind thereto answerable wholly given over unto Idleness Pleasure and Excess no small means for the shortning of his days which he ended with Obloquy unregarded of his Subjects and but of few or none of them lamented He had Issue four Sons and three Daughters married unto three of the great Bassaes. His first and eldest Son was called Mahomet after his own Name whom he caused to be strangled in his own sight upon suspicion of aspiring to the Empire and conspiring with the Rebels in Asia but afterward finding him guiltless caused his Body to be buried in his own Sepulchre and hanged the Bassa that had misinformed him His second Son died a natural Death being yet very young His third Son was Sultan Achmat who succeeded his Father and came to the Empire by the untimely Death of Mahomet his eldest Brother His fourth Son being then a Youth of about sixteen Years old was carefully kept within the Seraglio with such a strait Guard set over him as that his Name was not to be learned even by a good understanding Friend of mine of late lying above three Months together at Constantinople who most curiously enquired after the same having very good means to have learned it He was reported to have been long since murthered howbeit that he of late lived but looking every day to be by his Brothers cruel Commandment strangled which is accounted but a matter of course and a Death hereditary to all the younger male Children of the Othoman Emperours the Policy for the maintenance of their great Empire entire and whole so requiring His dead Body lieth buried at Constantinople in a fair Chappel of white Marble near unto the most famous and beautiful Church of S. Sophia for that only purpose by himself most sumptuously built about fifty foot square with four high small round Towers about the which are certain small round Galleries of Stone from which the Turkish Priests and Church-men at certain hours use to call the People every day to Church for they use no Bells themselves neither will they suffer the Christians to use any But the top of this Chappel is built round like unto the ancient Temples of the Heathen Gods in Rome In the midst of this Chappel being indeed nothing else but this great Sultan's Sepulchre standeth his Tomb which is nothing else but a great Urn or Coffin of fair white Marble wherein lieth his Body covered with a great covering of the same Stone over it made rising in the midst and stooping on each sidâ— not much unlike to the Coffins of the ancient Tombs of the Saxon Kings which are to be seen on the North side of the Quire of S. Paul's Church and in other Places of this Land but that this Coffin of the Great Sultan is much greater and more stately than are those of the Saxon Kings it being above five foot high at the end thereof and by little and little falling toward the feet covered with a rich Hearse of Cloth of Gold down to the ground his Turbant standing at his Head and two exceeding great Candles of white Wax about three or four Yards long standing in great brass or silver Candlesticks gilded the one at his Head the other at his Feet which never burn but there stand for shew only all the Floor of the Chappel being covered with Mats and fair Turky Carpets upon them And round about this his Tomb even in the same Chappel are the like Tombs for his Wives and Children but nothing so great and fair Into this Chappel or any other the Turks Churches or Chappels it is not lawful for either Turk or Christian to enter but first he must put off his Shoes leaving them at the Church or Chappel Gate or carrying them in his hand Near unto this Chappel and the great Temple of Sophia are divers other Chappels of the other great Turks as of Sultan Selim this Man 's Grand father with his seven and thirty Children about him of Sultan Amurath this Man's Father with his five and forty Children entombed about him Anâ— in other places not far from them are the Chappels and Sepulchres of the rest of the Great Sultans as of Sultan Mahomet the Great of Sultan Bajazet Sultan Selim the first Sultan Solyman all by these great Mahometan Emperours built whose Names they bear And being all of almost one form and fashion have every one of them a fair Hospital adjoyning unto them wherein a great multitude of poor People are daily still relieved Some others of the great Bassaes have their Chappels and Sepulchres with their great and stately Alms-houses also not much inferiour unto those of the great Sultans as namely Ibrahim Bassa of all the Bassaes that ever were amongst the Turks the most magnificent hath his stately Chappel Sepulchre and Alms-Houses near both in Place and Beauty unto that of Solyman's The Turks bury not at all within their Churches neither are any at all buried within the Walls of the City but the great Turkish Emperours themselves with their Wives and Children about them and some few other of their great Bassaes and those only in Chappels by themselves built for that purpose All the rest of the Turks are buried in the Fields some of the better sort in Tombs of Marble but the rest with Tomb-stones laid upon them or with two great Stones the one set up at the head and the other at the feet of every Grave the greatest part of them being of white Marble brought from the Isle of Marmora They will not bury any man where another hath been buried accounting it Impiety to dig up another man's Bones by reason whereof they cover all the best Ground about the City with such great white Stones which for the infinite number of them are thought sufficient to make another Wall about the City But not to stand longer upon the manner of the Turks Burials leaving this great Sultan to rest with his Ancestors let us now prosecute the course of our History Christian Princes of the same time with Mahomet the Third Emperours of Germany Rodolph the Second 1577. Kings Of England Queen Elizabeth 1558. 47. Of France Henry the Fourth 1589. Of Scotland James the Sixth 1567. Bishops of Rome Clement the
and all the chief Commanders of the Souldiers of the Sacred War appointed him Governor of the Kingdom reserving unto himself only the Title of a King with the City of Ierusalem and a yearly Pension of ten thousand Ducats all which was done to the great disgrace and discontentment of the Count of Tripolis the old Governor It was not long but that Saladin having breathed himself a little after so great Labours came again into the Holy Land where he took many Castles and did infinite harm insomuch that the Country people were glad for fear to forsake their Houses and to fly into Cities The Christian Army in the mean time lying fast by at Sephor not once moving although many a fair occasion were offered for the chief Commanders affectionated unto the Count of Tripolis and envying the Preferment of Guy the new Governor were unwilling to fight but finding one excuse or other suffered the Enemy at his pleasure to spoil the Country and so in safety to depart which he had never before done in those Quarters Within less than a month after Saladin with a great Army well appointed with all the Habiliments of War needful for the besieging of a City or strong Castle came again into the Land of Palestine and passing through the Country beyond Iordan sate down at last before Petra in hope by the taking thereof to have made his passage between Egypt and Damasco more safe Of which his purpose King Baldwin having knowledge and taught by the evil success of late to what small purpose it was to commit the managing of his Wars unto a General so evil beloved and less regarded as way Guy his Brother in law sent against him with his Army Raymund the Count of Tripolis the old Governor whom he had again restored unto the Government and displaced Guy Of whose coming Saladin hearing raised his Siege after he had lien there a month and so departed A little before this Expedition the King still growing sicker and sicker his foul Disease still increasing by the common consent of the Nobility appointed Baldwin his Nephew by his Sister Sybilla a Child but of five years old to succeed him in the Kingdom and the Count of Tripolis to have the Government of the State during the time of his Minority This Sybilla the Kings Sister was first married to William the younger Marquiss of Mont-Ferrat who dying within three months after left her with child with this his Posthumus Son Baldwin now by his Uncle deputed unto the hope of the Kingdom After whose death she was married to Guy Lusignan Count of Ioppa and Ascalon the late Governor who taking in evil part this the Kings designment especially for the Government of the Kingdom by the Count of Tripolis departed from the Court as a man discontented unto his City of Ascalon whereof the Patriarch and the Princes of the Sacred War fearing and that not without cause great danger to ensue came to the King then holding a Parliament in the City of Acon most humbly requesting him for avoiding of further danger and the safety of his Kingdom to receive again into his Favour the Count Guy his Brother in law and to make an atonement betwixt him and the Count of Tripolis But this their request sorted to no purpose so that the Parliament was dissolved without any thing for the good of the Common-weal in that point concluded After that time the Kindgom of Ierusalem began still more and more to decline In the old King Baldwin sick both in body and mind was almost no hope in the young King yet unfit for so great a burthen much less and the dissention betwixt the two Counts Guy and Raymund with their Favorites was like enough to bring great harm unto the State. Besides that the Count of Tripolis fearing the Power of Guy his Enemy was thought to have secret Intelligence with Saladin the Turk insomuch as the King was almost in purpose to have proclaimed him Traytor Wherefore the King now rested only upon the Counsel of William Archbisâ—op of Tyre and the Masters of the Knights of the Sacred War by whose advice he sent Hâ—raclius Patriarch of Ierusalem Roger Molins Master of the Knights of St. Iohns and Arnold Master of the Templars Embassadors unto Lucius the Third then Pope unto Frederick the Emperor Philip the French King and Henry the Second King of England to declare unto them the dangerous State of that Christian Kingdom and to crave their Aid against the Infidels These Embassadors coming to the Council then holden at Vâ—rona with great gravity and diligence in the presence of the Pope and of the Emperor declared the hard estate of the Christians of the East with their humble Request unto them for Aid in such sort that they moved them with all the Princes there present to Compassion From thence they were by the Pope directed unto Philip the French King with whom having dispatched their Affairs they from him passed over into England and afterward into Germany and had at length brought their Negotiation to so good pass that in every place great preparation was made for a great Expedition to be made against the Turks for the Relief of the Christians in the East with which good News the Embassadors returning to Ierusalem filled the sick King with the hope of great matters But greater Quarrels shortly after arising betwixt the Pope and the Emperor and sharp War likewise betwixt the French King and the King of England and the other Christian Princes also being at no better quiet the notable Expedition that had with the expectation thereof so filled the World was again laid aside and quite dashed Whereof King Baldwin understanding both by Messengers and Letters from his Friends oppressed with grief and heaviness more than with the force of his Disease a man for his prowess and painfulness not inferiour to any his Predecessors died without Issue the 16 th day of May Anno 1185. being but five and twenty years old year 1185. whereof he had reigned twelve His Body was afterward with the general mourning of his Subjects solemnly buried in the Temple near unto the Mount Calvary together with his Predecessors the Kings of Ierusalem King Baldwin thus buried Baldwin the Fifth of that name yet but a Boy was Crowned King. But then began the Sparks which had of long lien raked up and hidden in the ashes to break out into a great fire for Raymund Count of Tripolis contended the whole Government of the Kingdom and tuition of the King to be due unto him by the appointment of the late King and consent of the Nobility and did so much that he had almost obtained it to have been confirmed unto him in open Parliament But Sybilla a woman of a most haughty spirit Sister unto the late King and Mother unto the young King yet living prickt forward her Husband Guy in no case to give place unto his Competitor Raymund and so animated
loath to stay the course of his Victory by the Valour of the Defendants resolved there to spend their lives he departed thence and marched directly unto Ierusalem the chief City of that Kingdom and approaching the same gave summons thereunto perswading the Citizens yet whiles they had time to yield themselves together with the City unto his mercy Which they refusing to do he inclosed the same with his Army and by the space of fourteen days laid hard Siege unto it leaving nothing undone or attempted that might help for the gaining thereof At which time the Citzens considering the danger they were in and that the Strength of the Kingdom with the Flower of their Chivalry were in the late Battel lost and that they were not now to expect any forreign aid agreed upon certain conditions to yield up the City which were That such Christians as would might remain still with their Liberty and Goods and that such as would not might in safety depart with so much of their Goods as they could carry upon their Backs These Conditions being by Saladin granted the Holy City was unto him delivered the second of October in the year 1187. after that it had been by the Christians holden from the time that it was by Godfrey of Bulloin and other Christians won about 89 years Saladin entring into the City prophaned first the Temple of the Lord converting it unto the use of his Mahometan Superstition the other Churches he used as Stables for his Horses only the Temple of the Sepulchre was by the Christians for a great sum of Mony redeemed and so kept undefiled The Latine Christians he thrust out of the City yet with leave to carry with them such things as they were able themselves to bear who travelling with heavy Burthens but much more heavy Hearts some to Tripolis some to Tyre some to Antioch for only these three Cities were now left unto the Christians in Syria were by the false Count of Tripolis by the way lightened of their Burthens to the increasing of the heavyness of their Hearts most of them being by him and his Followers spoyled of that little they had by the mercy of their Enemies saved in the ruin of their State. Unto the other Christians that were natural Syrians Greeks Armenians Georgians and such like Saladin appointed certain places of the City for them to dwell in where some of their Posterity were long time after to be found All the Monuments of the Christians were by the barbarous Mahometans and Turks defaced only the Sepulchre of our blessed Saviour Christ with the Monument of Godfrey of Bulloin and his Brother Baldwin for the reverence of the mâ—n were by them spared In these so great troubles above twenty Thousand of the Christians perished amongst the rest the Count of Tripolis was shortly after found dead in his bed and as some say circumcised a manifest token of his Revolt not from the King only but from the Christian Faith also Ierusalem thus won Saladin returned again to the Siege of Ascalon which after he had by the space of ten days most straightly besieged was unto him by composition delivered wherein amongst other things agreed upon for the safe departure of the Citizens was comprised also that he should freely set at liberty Guy the King and Gerard Master of the Templars both before taken Prisoners as is before declared which he afterward performed Thus the victorious Turk still urging his good fortune departing thence attempted to have taken Tripolis but having made some proof of his own Forces and the Valor of the Defendants he was glad to give over the Siege and to depart as he came Marching thence with his Army because he would leave no place unattempted he laid Siege unto the City of Tyre where Conrade Marquess of Mont-Ferrat was a little before arrived with Isaac Angelus the Greek Emperors Fleet and a supply of certain Companies of good Souldiers Unto which place were come great numbers of the poor distressed Christians fled from Ierusalem and other places so that the City was full of Men. This City Saladin most furiously assaulted but was by the Christians notably repulsed not without the great loss of his best Souldiers At which time also the Admiral of Sicilia discomfited his Fleet at Sea and landing his Forces came unlookt for upon the back of him so that having his Hands full before by them of the Town and charged behind by these new come Enemies he was glad to retire in such hast as that he leâ—t his Tents with all that therein was unto the Spoyl of the Christians Within a few days after Saladin having again repaired his Army invaded the Country about Antioch with Fire and Sword destroying whatsoever was subject to his Fury even to the gates of the City but knowing that so strong a City was not without great charge and long Siege to be won he thought it good to make proof if it might by policy or corruption be gained Wherein he so cunningly dealt with the Patriarch that he had by his means the Castle otherwise almost impregnable for gold betrayed unto him By means whereof he in short time became Lord and Master of that famous City about nineteen years before hardly gained by the whole power of the Christians after eleven months Siege and with it five and twenty Cities more that depended on the fortune thereof with all the Provinces belonging thereunto always deemed to have been the third part of the Kindom of Ierusalem The loss of so great a City together with the Ruin of the whole Kingdom had in a short space filled every corner of Christendom with the heavy Report thereof Wherewith the Christian Princes of the West namely Frederick the German Emperor with Frederick his Son Duke of Suâ—via Philip the French King Hâ—nry the Second King of England Otto Duke of Burgundâ— Lâ—â—poâ—â— Duke of Austria with many other gâ—eat Princes and Prelates of Germany Italy and other places not a little moved as also with the pitiful complaints of the Embassadors at the same time sent from the distressed Christians and the effectual perswasions of Clement the Third then Pope promised and all or most part indeed made great preparations which they afterwards though not all at once as letted by other occasions but at divers times imployed for the most part with the danger of their own Persons against the Turks for the relief of the poor oppressed Christians and recovery of the Holy Land but with what success shall hereafter God willing be declared Of which so great preparations made against him Saladin not ignorant set at liberty Guy the King of Ierusalem who contrary to his promise made at Ascalon he had now detained a year in Prison yet before his inlargement exacting of him an Oath Never by force of Arms afterwards to seek to recover his Kingdom or to revenge the wrongs he had sustained hoping thereby to stay the coming of the other
rested upon the coming of the two mighty Princes Philip the Second of that name King of France and Richard the First King of England who having agreed betwixt themselves with their combined Forces to relieve the distressed Christians of the East and again if it were possible to repair the broken State of the Kingdom of Ierusalem were now met together at Marseilles in Provence From whence the French King first departing with his Fleet for Cicilia and with a prosperous gale for certain days holding on his course and now come nigh unto the Island was by force of a furious tempest suddenly arising so tossed and tumbled in the deep that many of his Ships there perished eaten up of the Sea others by force of Weather driven upon the Sands and Rocks were there broken all to pieces and the rest some with their Masts broken some with their Tacklings and Sails rent and all in general sore Weather-beaten with much ado arrived at Messana the desired Port. At which place King Richard afterwards but with better fortune arrived with his Fleet also Both the Kings now met together resolved there to winter the French King enforced by necessity so to do for the repairing of the late Losses he had received as well in his People and Provision as in his Shipping all which was to be relieved by new Supplies out of France and the King of England staying to take Order for the Dowry of his Sister Ioan Widow of William the late King of Cicilia with Tancred the base Son of Roger that had now aspired unto the Kingdom of that Island About which matter great Stirs arose betwixt King Richard the Queens Brother and Tancred the new King insomuch that it was like to have broken out into open War had it not to the good contentment of King Richard been otherwise taken up and so the Controversie ended But whilst these two great Kings thus wintred in this fruitful Island and oftentimes as good Friends met together sometime for their disport and sometime to confer of their so weighty Affairs the way as was thought to have appeased all former displeasure and to have increased love it fell out clean contrary jealousie and distrust not only reviving the old but also still raising new Quarrels betwixt them to the great hindrance of the common good by them intended which may serve for a warning to all great Princes willing to continue in Amity and to hold a good Opinion one of another never to see one the other or coming so to an interview not to converse or stay long together which as it is not often done without the danger of their persons so can it not possibly be long continued but that it will engender in themselves as well as in their Followers Jealousie envy hatred and mistrust aâ— we have before said and hereafter in the coursâ— of this History may appear There was an old 〈◊〉 betwixt these two great Kings Richard â—nd Philip about Adela the French Kings Sister whom Richard having before his Father yet living affianced had now rejected as her whom his aged Father Henry the Second had too familiarly used and in stead of her to the great disgrace of the French espoused the Lady Berengaria Daughter to the King of Navar which Indignity with divers others then arising betwixt the French and the English as then with great heart-burning smouldred up in respect of the common Cause then in Hand afterwards brake out again to the shameful overthrow of this most honourable Expedition and lamentable disturbance of both Realms Winter past and the Spring now come the French King not altogether the best pleased first loosed from Messana and with his Fleet in safety arrived at Ptolemais where he was by the Christians now the third year lying at the Siege so joyfully received as if he had been to them sent with Succours from Heaven After whom shortly after followed also King Richard of whose Fleet by force of Weather sore beaten and dispersed two Ships by the rage of the Tempest driven aground upon the coast of Cyprus were by the Island people spoiled and the Men that in them had hardly escaped the danger of the Sea with most barbarous Inhumanity some slain and some taken Prisoners the rest of the Fleet arriving there also were with like Incivility forbidden to land the Cipriots ready at hand in all places to keep them off With which so great an Indignity the King justly moved and by force landing his people with incredible Celerity and Success over-ran the whole Island never ceasing until he had made a full Conquest thereof and taken Isaac Comnenus commonly called The King of that Island and of some for what reason I know not Emperor of the Griffons Prisoner yet was he indeed neither King nor Emperor but being a man of great Nobility and Power and of the honourable Stock of the Comneni had in the troublesome Reign of Andronicus Comnenus the Emperor his Cousin laid hold upon that fruitful Island and there tyrannized as a reputed King until that now he was by King Richard taken Prisoner and for his unfaithful dealing sent fast bound in Chains of Silver into Syria The King thus possessed of the whole Island there at Limozin married the Lady Berengaria the King of Navars Daughter brought thither by Ioan late Queen of Cicilia the Kings Sister And so disposing as he thought best of all things for the safe keeping of the Island set forward again with his Fleet towards Syria Where by the way he light upon a great Ship of the Sultans laded with Victuals and other War-like Provisions for the relief of the besieged all which became a Prey unto him So holding on his course he at length arrived at Ptolemais where he was by the French King and the rest of the Christians there lying most honourably rereived Now had the City of Ptolemais been three years besieged by the Christians and notably defended by the Turks during which time many an hot Assault and bloody Skirmish had passed betwixt them And now the eyes of all men were fixed upon the two Kings of England and France unto whom all the rest offered their Obedience and Service The Christian Camp was great composed especially of Englishmen Frenchmen Italians and Almains not them that were left of the Emperor Frederick his Army for they were for the most part dead or else returned home again into their Countries but of such as moved with the Zeal they bare unto this Religious War came daily in great numbers thither as did also many others of divers Nations desirous in some measure to be partakers of so honourable a War. These Religious and Venerous Christians thus lying at the Siege had with much painful labour undermined one of the greatest Towers of the City called the accursed Tower with some part of the Wall also by means whereof they were in hope to find a way into the City Wherefore all things being
removed to Bethlem a Town about the mid way betwixt Ioppa and Ierusalem But winter now coming fast on and want of Victuals like enough to increase the King changing his mind for the Siege returned with the greatest part of the Army to Ascalon which he that Winter new fortified the Walls thereof being before by Saladin in his dispair demolished the Duke of Burgundy with his Frenchmen all that while quietly wintring at Tyre In the mean time the power of the Christians was thus greatly diminished some one way departing from the Camp and some another The Italians for the most part with them of Pisa who in these three years Wars had striven with the Venetians for the Honour of their Service were now returned home as were the Venetians themselves also Nevertheless Winter now past and the Spring time come King Richard took the Field again and came to Bethlem where by the way he met with an exceeding great number of Camels charged with great store of Victuals and Munition sent by Saladin out of Egypt to Ierusalem all which he took but purposing to have gone on to the Siege of Ierusalem he was by the backwardness of the French glad to change his purpose and to return to Ptolemais for the Frenchmen perswaded by the Duke their General who well knew the French Kings mind that if any thing worth remembrance were done it was to be done by them and that the glory thereof should wholly redound unto the King of England as there in person present and to his Englishmen shewed themselves so unwilling to the Siege as that therein was nothing done to the great grief of that worthy Prince At which time also news was brought unto King Richard how that Philip the French King forgetful of his solemn promise made before his departure out of Syria had now invaded the Country of Normandy and excited Earl Iohn the Kings Brother a man of an haughty and aspiring nature to take upon him the Kingdom of England in his absence as had before in like case William the younger Brother served Duke Robert his eldest Brother then absent at his Father the Conquerors death in the first sacred expedition under Godfrey of Bulloin Wherefore King Richard beside the present difficulties fearing lest while he was so far off in Wars for defence of the Christian Common-weal he might lose his Kingdom at home thought it best to grow to some good end with Saladin and so to make his return but the politick and wary Sultan not ignorant of the discord of the Christians and that their Forces daily decayed in Syria either of the troubled Estate of the Kings affairs at home in his Kingdom or of his desire to return would not hearken to any other conditions of Peace but such as might both for the present weaken the Forces of the Christians in Syria and discourage others that had a mind to come thither afterward when they should see that for nought they should travel to conquer that which they must of necessity restore again The conditions he offered were That the Christians should forthwith restore whatsoever they had won in those three years Wars Ptolemais only excepted and from thenceforth for the space of five years the Turks should not in any thing molest the Christians but to suffer them in peace to live by them which hard conditions for that no better could be had the King was glad to accept and so concluded a Peace Whereby the labour and travel of the two great Kings and so many Nations with them were all become frustrate and vain having now to no purpose lost their Men their Mony their Time their Hope their Blood their long Travel to gain that they must now in one hour forego nothing more left unto the poor Christians in Syria than the Cities of Antioch Tyre and Ptolemais This done King Richard leaving the affairs of Asia unto the charge of Henry Count of Champagne his Nephew shipping the greatest part of his People with his Wife Berengaria first for Cicilia and from thence for England where they in safety at length arrived followed shortly after with some few himself where by the way by extremity of Weather he was in the Adriatique driven to land upon the Coast of Histria where travelling with a small retinue homewards in the Habit of a Templar he was discovered and taken Prisoner by Leopold Duke of Austria whom he had before disgraced at the winning of Ptolemais as is before declared who now glad to have him in his power made prise of him and sold him to Henry the Emperor for forty thousand pounds by whom he was kept Prisoner by the space of a year and three months and then ransomed for the Sum of an hundred and fifty thousand pounds About this time died the great Sultan Saladin the greatest terror of the Christians who mindfull of mans fragility and the vanity of worldly honours commanded at the time of his death no Solemnity to be used at his burial but only his Shirt in manner of an Ensign made fast unto the point of a Lance to be carried before his dead body as an Ensign a plain Priest going before and crying aloud to the People in this sort Saladin Conqueror of the East of all the greatness and riches he had in his life carrieth not with him after his death any thing more than his shirt A sight worthy so great a King which wanted nothing to his eternal commendation more than the true knowledge of his Salvation in Christ Jesus He reigned about sixteen years with great honour and dying left nine Sons which were all murthered by Sephradin their Uncle excepting one called also Sephradin Sultan of Alâ—ppo who by the Favour and Support of his Fathers good Friends saved himself from the treacherous practises of his Uncle Of this Sephradin the Uncle descended Meludin Sultan of Egypt and Coradin Sultan of Damasco and Ierusalem Saladin his great Kingdom being by them now again rent in pieces The death of Saladin in short time bruited abroad with the discord among the Turks and Sarafins about his Dominions put Celestinus then Pope in good hope that the City of Ierusalem might in that change and hurly be easily again recovered and that Kingdom established But when he had in vain dealt to that purpose with the Kings of France and England then altogether busied in their Wars the one against the other he perswaded Henry the Sixth then Emperor to take the matter in hand who for that he well could not or else would not himself in person undertake that long expedition sent Henry Duke of Saxony his Lieutenant with a great Army into Asia unto whom were joyned two Legats Conradus Archbishop of Mogunsia another of the Electors and Conradus the Bishop of Herbipolis At which time also may other great Princes took upon them that holy War namely Herman Lantgrave of Thurin Henry Palatine of Rhine Henry Duke of Brabant Conrade
the Mamalukes and others with a full purpose to have utterly rooted out all the remainders of the Christians in Syria and the Land of Palestine and so to have entirely joyned those two great Countries unto his own Kingdom But what he had so mischievously devised he lived not to bring to pass being in the midst of those his great designs taken away by sudden death After whom Alphix or as some call him Elpis succeeding him in the Kingdom and with a puissant Army entring into Syria laid Siege to Tripolis which he at length took by undermining of it and put to the Sword all the Christians therein except such as by speedy flight had in time got themselves out of the danger and rased the City down to the ground which calamity betided unto the Christians the ninth of April in the year 1289. Presently after he had the strong Castle of Nelesine yielded unto him year 1289. whereinto he put a strong Garrison to hinder the Christians from building again the late destroyed City In like manner also he took the Cities of Sidon and Berythus which he sacked and laid them flat with the ground And after that he removed to Tyre which aâ—ter three months straight Siege was by the Citizens now out of all hope of relief yielded unto him upon condition That they might with bag and baggage in safety depart With like good Fortune he in good time and as it were without resistance took all the rest of the strong Towns and Castles which the Christians yet held in Syria and the Land of Palestine excepting only the City of Ptolemais whereunto all the poor Christians fled as unto a Sanctuary to be there defended by the honourable Knights Templars and Hospitalers Nothing now leâ—t unto them more than that strong City the Sultan of his own accord made a Peace with them for the space of five years fearing as was supposed to have drawn upon him all the Christian Princes of the West if he should at once have then utterly rooted out all the Christians in those Countries together The Christians affairs thus brought to the last cast in Syria and yet faintly as it were breathing by the benefit of the late obtained Peace Peter Beluise Master of the Templars with the grand Master of the Knights Hospitalers suddenly passed over as Embassadors from the rest into Europe unto Nicholaus quartus then Pope craving his fatherly aid Who moved with so great miseries of the poor afflicted Christians solicited the other Christian Princes to have sent them relief especially Rodolph the German Emperor who then busied 〈◊〉 the affairs of the Empire and his Troubles nearer home as were the other Christian Pâ—inces also gave good words but no help at all Yet some of them under the colour thereof got from their Subjects great sums of Mony which they imployed to other worse uses only the Pope sent fiâ—teen hundred men at Arms whom with devout perswasion and much earnest Preaching he had induced to take upon them that sacred Expedition and entertained them of his own charge unto whom also many others out of divers Countries upon a Religious Zeal joyned themselves as voluntary men who meeting together at Brundusium and there embarked with the two grâ—nd Masters of the Templars and Hospitalers in safety at length arrived at Ptolemais There was then in the City a great number of People of all sorts of able men there was about fifty thousand and about forty thousand of the weaker sort amongst whom divers Murders Felonies Rapes and such other shameful Outrages all hastning the dreadful judgments of God were dayly committed and let pass unregarded more than of them that were injured For all the chief Commanders were then at variance among themselves every one of them laying claim not worth a rush unto the vain Title of the Kingdom of Ierusalem Henry King of Cyprus coming thither with a great Fleet charged the Templars to deliver him the Crown of that Kingdom which they had as he said wrongfully taken from Almericus and Guy his Ancestors And Charles King of Sicilia by his Embassadors laid claim unto the Title of that Kingdom as due unto the Kings of that Island and understanding it to be given unto Henry King of Cyprus caused all the Revenues of the Templars within his Dominion to be brought into his Treasuries and their Lands and Houses to be spoyled Hugh also Prince of Antioch laboured with tooth and nail to defend the overworn Right that his Father and Grandfather had unto that lost Kingdom And the Count of Tripolis laid in for himself That he was descended from Raymund of Tholous and that beside himself remained no Prince of the antient Nobility which had won that Kingdom out of the hands of the Sarasins and that therefore that regal Dignity did not of better right appertain unto any other than unto himself Neither did these four Princes more strive for the Title of the lost Kingdom than for the present Government of the City straightway about to perish The Popes Legate pretending thereunto a right also for that King Iohn Brenne had before subjected it unto the See of Rome As for the claim unto the City of Ptolemâ—is the Patriarch of Ierusalem challenged unto himself the Preheminence for that the Metropolitical City of Tyrâ— under which the City of Ptolemais was the third Episcopal Seat was under his jurisdiction even by the Decree of the West Church The Templars also and the Knights Hospitalers whose power in the City was at that time far the greatest pretended the Government thereof of best right to belong unto them as the just reward of their blood already and afterward to be spent in the defence thereof promising great matters if it might be wholly referred unto them Neither spared the French King or the King of England by their Messengers to claim the Soveraignty of the City by their Predecessors sometimes won And they of Pisa having still a Consul therein and by often Marriages with the natural Inhabitants grown into great affinity with them did what they might to get the Government into their Hands The Venetians also by their Authority and great Wealth laboured to gain the good Will of the People sparing therein no Cost And they of Genoa no less cunning than the rest supplanted the strongest Factions by giving aid both apertly and covertly unto the weaker that so having weakned the Faction they most doubted and hated they might by the joynt favour of the weaker aspire unto the Government of the stronger and so consequently of the City it self The Florentines also by their continual Traffique thither were not out of hope by one fineness or other amongst so many Competitors to find a mean to step up above the rest But the greatest part of the People for all that were most inclined unto the Armenians and Tartars as both for their nearness and power most like of all other to stand them in stead All
solemnly kept by the space of nine days Thus at length having passed through the troubled State of the Greek Empire during the long Reign of the old Emperor Andronicus the considerate Reader may easily see the causes of the declining and ruine also of this famous Empire and how that the Greek Emperors troubled with their tempestuous Affairs nearer home in Europe yea in the very Imperial City it self and in their own Palaces were not at leisure to look over the Strait into Asia but glad to leave their Territories there unto the weak defence of themselves At which time and even in the midst of the aforesaid trouble Othoman on the one side with great industry laid the Foundation of his Empire in Phrygia and Bithynia now the greatest terror of the World and then did those things which we now have of him written The other Princes of the Turks also the Successors of Sultan Aladin at the same time on the other side alongst the River Meander encroaching on as fast until that at last amongst them they had thrust the Greek Emperors quite out of Asia and in fine became themselves together with the Greek Empire a Prey unto the Othoman Kings as in the process of this History shall more at large appear But again to return unto Othoman himself who all this while that old Andronicus the Greek Emperor was thus troubled had with his Son Orchanes sought by all means on every side to inlarge his Kingdom the Garrisons by him left in the two late built Castles near unto the great City of Prusa under the Charge of the two valiant Captains Actemur and Balabanzuck as is before declared having now continued there certain years had by shutting up the passages and spoiling of the Country brought the City into such distress and penury that many of the Citizens and other the poor Christians fled into the City there died of Famine The rest now out of all hope to be relieved by the Greek Emperor not then able to relieve himself came to Composition with Orchanes for Othoman was then sick of his old Disease the Gout covenanting with him that they might in safety with life and liberty depart and so much of their Goods as they themselves could carry and so yielded to him the City Which conditions as most write were on the Turks behalf well and faithfully performed yet some there be that report them to have been in most part by Orchanes broken Thus was Prusa one of the greatest Cities of that part of Asia yielded unto the Turks in the year of our Lord 1327. and was afterwards by Orchanes made the Royal Seat of the Othoman Kings About this time or very shortly after Othoman in the eight and twentieth year of his Reign died at the age of 69 in the year of our Lord 1328. and lieth buried at Prusa where his Tomb is yet at this day to be seen in a certain Chappel of an old Monastery in the Castle standing in the midst of the City covered with a Mantle of green Chamlet and a little Tulipant or Turkish Hat such as he used to wear lying over his head differing from those which the Turks now wear especially the better sort of them so great that they can therewith scarcely come in at a door There is also another Monument of him to be seen at Suguta fast by the Sepulchre of his Father Ertogrul there made by his Sons in remembrance of him whereof some have reported him to have been there buried Howbeit the Turks themselves generally suppose the true Monument wherein he is interred to be at Prusa as is aforesaid He was wise politick valiant and fortunate but full of dissimulation and ambitious above measure not rash in his Attempts and yet very resolute what he took in hand he commonly brought to good effect to all men he was bountiful and liberal but especially to his Men of War and the poor whom he would many times feed and cloth with his own hands Of a poor Lordship he left a great Kingdom having subdued a great part of the lesser Asia and is worthily accounted the first Founder of the Turks great Kingdom and Empire Of him the Turkish Kings and Emperors ever since have been called the Othoman Kings and Emperors as lineally of him descended and the Turks themselves Osmanidae as the People or Subjects of Othoman or Osman for so he is of the Turks commonly called NOte That in the reckoning up of certain of the great Christian Princes and Prelates of the same time at the end of every of the Turkish Kings and Emperors Lives the first and greatest number following their Names sheweth the Year of our Lord wherein such an Emperor King or Bishop began to Reign or Sit and the number following how long he reigned or sate As for example Andronicus the elder began to Reign in the East in the Year of Grace 1282. and reigned 43 years and so of the rest Wherein we seek not the exact Computation unto a month or day as not much material to our History or any part of our purpose but only the reasonable view of the great Princes of the forepassed Times as they lived in Ages together Christian Princes of the same time with Othoman Emperors Of the East Andronicus Paleologus the elder 1282. 43. Andronicus Paleologus the younger 1325. 29. Of the West Albertus of Austria 1298. 10. Henry of Lucelbourg 1308. 6. Lewis the Fourth of Bavaria 1314. 32. Kings Of England Edward the First 1272. 34. Edward the Second 1307. 20. Edward the Third 1327. 50. Of France Philip the Faire 1286. 28. Lewis 1314. 2. Philip the Long. 1316. 5. Charle the Faire 1321. 7. Of Scotland John Baliol. 1292. Robert Bruce 1306 24. Bishops of Rome Boniface the VIII 1295. 8. Benedict the XI 1304. 2. Clement the V. 1306. 11. John the XXII 1317. 18. †ORCHANES OTOMANI II SECVNDVS TVRCARVM REX ANNO 1328. Suscipit Orchanes desuncti Scepâ—ra Parentis Major ut ingenio sic magis Arte valens Bithynos Phrygiamque domat Prusamque Superbam Et populos late Marte farente premit Sic laetus tantis Asiam turbasse ruinis Transit in Europam Callipolimque capit Rident interea Groeci sua damna sed ecce Dum sua contemnunâ— in sua fata ruunt His Fathers glorious Race now being run The politick Orchanes mounts the Throne Bithynia Phrygia Prusa farr and neare All by his prosperous Armes subjected were Proud of his Asian spoiles his Banners spread\ To Europe â—re the beauteous Nicomede Meanwhile the Greeks th' impending Tempest scorne And are by th'mighty Torrent overborne The LIFE of ORCHANES or URCHAN Second King of the Turks AFTER the death of Othoman his two Sons Orchanes whom the Turks call Urchan and Aladin his Brother having with great Solemnity enterred their Father at Prusa immediately summoned a Parliament whereunto both the Brethren came accompanied with the chief of their Nobility This Parliament was called especially
not before the time by him prefixed devour the Reliques of the Greek Empire And it were to be wished that the Christians of our time also by their example warned would at length awake out of their dead sleep who of late hath lost unto the same Enemy not the Castle of Zembenic or the City of Callipolis but whole Kingdoms as Hungary and Cyprus and are still fair in the way I say no more for grief and foreboding of evil fortune But again to our purpose Solyman having made this prosperous entrance into Europe and there got strong footing by speedy Messengers certified his Father what he had done and that it was expedient for him with all speed to send unto him a great supply of men of War as well for the sure defence and keeping of those Castles and Forts by him already gotten as for the further invasion of the Country This message was wonderful welcome unto Orchanes and whereas many Families of the Sarasins at that present were come into the Country of Carasina to possess the Dwellings and Places of them which in hope to better their Estate were before gon over into Europe all these Sarasins he commanded to pass over into Europe likewise which they did accordingly seating themselves for a time in the Country near to Callipolis In the mean time Solyman omitted no opportunity to enter further into the Country winning small Forts and Holds and still peopling the same with his Turks And on the other side they of Carasina passed over into Europe placing themselves as it were in a new World. For which cause and for the great desire they had to extend the Turkish Dominion and Religion they refused no pains of War so that all things at that time prospered with the Turks and went backward with the Christians In the time of these Wars not far from Callipolis was a little Castle called Congere the Captain whereof was by a Greek name called Calo Iohannes a valiant and painful man this Captain continually molested and troubled the Turks which lay on that side of Callipolis under the leading of Ezes-Beg many of whom he slew and took Prisoners as he could find them at any advantage Solyman much angred herewith by crafty and secret Espials learned a certain time when he was gone out of his Castle to do some exploit upon the Turks Whereupon he presently so beset the Castle with Souldiers that he could by no means return thither but he must first fall into their hands and for more assurance placed others also in by-ways lest he should by any ways escape The Captain ignorant of all this prosecuted his enterprise and having taken a Turk Prisoner thinking to return to his Castle was hastily pursued by Fazil-Beg for which cause making the more haste he suddenly fell into the danger of the Turks laid in ambush where his men were all slain and himself taken and brought before his own Castle and had there his head presently struck off whereupon the Castle was forthwith by them that were therein having now lost their Captain surrendred and Chazi Ili-Beg a valiant Captain of the Turks placed therein who from thence never ceased to trouble the Country even to the Walls of Dydimotichum as did Solyman also out of Callipolis Thus in the space of one year the Turks got strong footing in Europe possessing divers Castles and Towns with the Country about them which Solyman gave in reward unto his Captains and Souldiers as appeareth by the Graves and Tombs of Ezes-Beg and Fazil-Beg the two which first came over into Europe which are there yet well known About this time it fortuned that as this Martial Prince Solyman was for his disport hawking in the Fields of Bolayre on Europe side galloping in to his Falcon was with his Horse overthrown in a ditch of which Fall he being sore bruised shortly after died The news of his death being brought to Orchanes his Father gave unto him then being sick just occasion of great sorrow so that within two months after he died also being fourscore years old when he had raigned thereof 31 years and died about the year of our Lord 1359. Some Histories report otherwise both of his death and of the time wherein he lived as that he should be slain in a Battel against the Tartars or as others write with an Arrow at the Siege of Prusa in the year of our Lord 1349. But Ioannes Leunclavius in his History collected out of the Turks own Chronicles whom we follow as most probable reporteth it as before This Orchanes was wise courteous and bountiful more ingenious than his Father in devising warlike Engins He built divers Princely Churches Abbies Colledges and Cells and was in his superstitious Religion very zealous in so much that he appointed Pensions to all such as could in the Church say the Book of Mahomets Law by heart and appointed competent maintenance for all Judges of his Courts because they should not take any thing in reward of his Subjects for the perverting of Justice He greatly inlarged his Kingdom in Asia and not content to be inclosed with the Seas of Euxinum and Hellespontus set fast footing in Europe which some attribute to his Son Amurath He was to the Christians always a most mortal Enemy and so died FINIS Christian Princes of the same time with Orchanes Emperors Of the East Andronicus Paleologus the younger 1325. 29. John Paleologus 1354. 30. Of the West Lewis the Fourth of Bavaria 1314. 32. Charles the Fourth Son to John King of Bohemia 1346. 10 Kings Of England Edward the Third 1327. 50. Of France Philip Valois 1328. 22. John Valois 1350. 14. Of Scotland Robert Bruce 1306 24. David Bruce 1341. Bishops of Rome John the XXII 1317. 18. Benedict the XII 1335. 7. Clement the VI. 1342. 12. Innocent the VI. 1354. 10. †AMVRATHES PRIMVS TERTIVS TVRCARVM REX 1350. Saevus Amurathes animo dum maxima versat Discordes Groecos sternere marte parat Totus et intentus sines extendere Regni Europam penitrans obvia quoeque rapit Attoniti trepidant nimia formidine Thraces In medio quorum Sceptra superba locat Hinc Moesos premit ille feros miserumque Dynasten Cossovi in Campis obruit atque necat Sed non longa fuit sceleris tam dira voluptas A servo coesus condidit ense ferox Sterne Amurath new thoughts resolves upon With armes divided Greece to overrun And wholly bent to enlarge his narrow bounds Europe invades and all he meets confounds The too too timorous Thracians stand amaz'd To find his Scepter in their bowells plac'd The fierce Bulgarians did his fury quell And at his feet their noble Despot fell At last the ponyard of a little Slave Taught him what short liv'd pleasures Tyrants have The LIFE of AMURATH The First of that NAME Third King of the Turks And the great AUGMENTOR of their Kingdom AMurath the younger Son of Orchanes succeeded his Father in the Turkish Kingdom
Feet suddenly stabbed him in the bottom of his belly with a short Dagger which he had under his Souldiers Coat of which Wound that great King and Conqueror presently died The name of this man for his courage worthy of eternal memory was Miles Cobelitz who before sore wounded was shortly after in the presence of Bajazet cut into small pieces The Turks in their Annals somewhat otherwise report of the death of Amurath as that this Cobelitz one of the Despot his Servants in time of the Battel coming to Amurath as a Fugitive offering him his Service and admitted to his presence in humbling himself to have kissed his Feet as the barbarous manner of the Turks is stabbed him into the belly and so slew him being himself therefore shortly after as is aforesaid in the presence of Bajazet most cruelly hewen into small pieces Whereupon ever since that time the manner of the Turks hath been and yet is that when any Embassador or Stranger is come to kiss the Sultan his hand or otherwise to approach his Person he is as it were for honours sake led by the Arms unto his presence betwixt two of the great Courtiers but indeed by so intangling him to be sure that he shall not offer him the like violence that did this Cobelitz unto Amurath The dead body of Amurath was presently with all secrecy conveyed into his Tent by the Bassaes and Captains present at his death whether Bajazet was also brought with an Ensign before him as the Successor in his Fathers Kingdom His younger Brother Iacup sirnamed Zelebi or the Noble yet ignorant of that had hapned was by the great Bassaes sent for as from his Father who casting no peril but coming into his Fathers Tent was there presently by them strangled by the commandment of Bajazet as most Histories report howbeit the Turks Annals charge him not therewith This was the beginning of the most unnatural and inhumane custom ever since holden for a most wholsome and good policy among the Turkish Kings and Emperors in the beginning of their Reign most cruelly to Massacre their Brethren and nearest Kinsmen so at once to rid themselves of all fear of their Compâ—â—itors 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 fortunate he made greater slaughter of his Enemies than both his Father and Grandfather his Kingdom in Asia he greatly inlarged by the Sword Marriage and Purchase and using the Discord and Cowardise of the Grecian Princes to his profit subdued a great part of Thracia called Romania with the Territories thereto adjoyning leaving unto the Emperor of Constantinople little or nothing more in Thracia than the Imperial City it self with the bare name of an Emperor almost without an Empire he won a great part of Bulgaria and entred into Servia Bosna and Macedonia he was liberal and withall severe of his Subjects both beloved and feared a man of very few words and one that could dissemble deeply He was slain when he was threescore and eight years old and had thereof reigned thirty one in the year of our Lord 1390. His dead body was by Bajazet conveyed into Asia and there Royally buried at Prusa in a fair Chappel at the West end of the City near unto the Baths there where upon his Tomb lieth his Souldiers Cloke with a little Turkish Tulipant much differing from those great Turbants which the Turks now wear Near unto the same Tomb are placed three Launces with three Horse-tails fastned at the upper end of them which he used as Guidons in his Wars a thing in ancient time not strange There standeth a Castle with a Tomb made in remembrance of him in the Plains of Cossova where he was slain and his Entrails buried which giveth occasion for some to report that he was there also himself enterred FINIS Christian Princes of the same time with Amurath the First Emperors Of the East John Paleologus 1354. 30. Andronicus Paleologus 1384. 3. Emanuel Paleologus 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 France John Valois 1350. 14. Charles the Fifth 1364. 16. Charles the Sixth sirnamed The welbeloved 1381. 42. Of Scotland David Bruce 1341. 29. Robert Stewart 1370. Bishops of Rome Innocent the VI. 1354. 10. Urban the V. 1364. 8. Gregory the II. 1372. 7. Urban the VI. 1378. 11. The LIFE of BAJAZET The First of that NAME The FOURTH and most UNFORTUNATE King of the Turks BAjazet or as the Turks call him Baiasit of his violent and fierce Nature sirnamed Gilderun or Lightning succeeded his Father Amurath in the Turkish Kingdom his younger Brother Iacup being strangled immediatly after his Fathers death as is before declared He in the first year of his Reign invaded Servia and there besieged Cratova a City of the Despots whereunto the Silver Mines of Servia not the least cause of that War belonged Which City was yielded unto him upon condition That the Christian Inhabitants might with Life and Liberty depart Who were no sooner gon out of the City but that by his commandment they were all most cruelly slain by his men of War for that purpose sent out after them At this time he also won Uscupia with divers other Castles in the Country near unto Cratova Sigismund at the same time King of Hungary a young Prince of great hope and Brother to Wenceslaus then Emperor of the West advertised from the Servians his Allies and Confederates of these proud proceedings of Bajazet by his Embassadors sent of purpose requested him That as he was a just Prince and wished to live in quiet with his own to desist from doing of such open wrong and from invading of such Countries of his Friends and Confederates as he had no right in Which Embassadors so sent Bajazet detained without answer until such time as he had overrun a great part of the Despot his Country and therein done what he thought good Then calling the said Embassadors unto him into one of the strong Towns which he had in every corner filled with his own Souldiers told them that they might there see that his Right both unto that Town and the rest by him taken was good enough for as much as the very Walls acknowledged the same And so giving them leave to depart willed them so to tell their Master Which his proud answer by the same Embassadors reported unto the young King no less troubled him than if open War had by them been denounced unto him seeing the Tyrant as it should seem pretended Right unto whatsoever he could by force get nevertheless being himself not yet well setled in his Kingdom and in doubt of the contrary Faction that altogether liked not of his Election into Hungary for their King he was glad at that time to put it
Bajazet being the fourth in descent from the Warlike Othoman the raiser of his Family and Tamerlane in like degree from the great Zingis the first and most fortunate Leader of the Tartars his Countrymen unto the pleasures of the East both Princes of great Power and like Spirit wise hardy painful resolute and most skilful in Martial Affairs but ambitious above 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 Bajazet were in him by his cholerick and waiward Nature much obscured which made him to exceed both in Cruelty and Pride being also much more hand-fast than were his honourable Predecessors For which causes he was much feared and less beloved of his Souldiers and Men of War in general and of them at his most need forsaken He used commonly to say That his Treasures were his Childrens Meat and not his Souldiers Pay which by way of reproach was by a Common Souldier cast in his Teeth when he raged to see himself by them forsaken in the great Battel against Tamerlane telling him as he fled that he ran not away but went to seek his Pay wherewith to provide his Children Bread. Whereas all the aforesaid Vertues in Tamerlane were graced with divers other of like Nature no man being to his Friends more courteous or kind either unto his Enemies more dreadful or terrible The good service of his Servants he never forgot either left the same long unrewarded being thereof so mindful as that he needed not by them or others in their behalf to be put in remembrance thereof having always 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 given them something and yet never bestowing his Preferments on such as ambitiously sought the same as deeming them in so doing unworthy thereof but upon such as whose Modesty or Desert he thought worthy those his great Favours so tempering the Severity of his Commands with the Greatness of his Bounty as that it is hard to say whither he was of his Nobility and Men of War for the one more feared or for the other beloved both the great Staies of Princes States Fear keeping the Obstinate in Obedience and Love the Dutiful in Devotion But with Bajazet it was not so who deeming all done for him but Duty and by Nature cholerick and proud after the manner of Tyrants desired above all to be of his Subjects feared not much regarding how little he was of them beloved not the least cause of his great fall and misery and that therein he was of his own so smally regarded wherein for all that he is to be accounted more fortunate than the other great Conqueror his Enemy having ever since in the lineal descent of himself had one of the greatest Monarchs of the World to succeed still in his Kingdom and Empire as he hath even at this day Whereas the glory of Tamerlane his Empire even in his own time grown to the height thereof and labouring with the greatness of it self and by him divided amongst his Sons shortly after his death decaied rent in sunder by Ambition and Civil Discord and not long after together with his Posterity rooted out by Usun-Cassanes the Persian King to the Worlds wonder took end nothing of the huge greatness thereof now or since then remaining more than the fame thereof as doth also the misery of the other so brought low But leaving this mirror of mishap Bajazet unto his rest and Tamerlane for a while to triumph in Samarcand let us now proceed in the course of our History yet not forgetting by the way to remember such Christian Princes as then lived together with these two great Monarchs Christian Princes of the same time with Bajazet the First Emperors Of the East Emanuel Paleologus 1387. 30. Of the West Wenceslaus Son to Charles King of Bohemia 1378. 22. Rupertus Duke of Bavaria 1400. 10. Kings Of England Richard the Second 1377. 23. Henry the Fourth 1399. 12. Of France Charles the Sixth sirnamed The welbeloved 1381. 42. Of Scotland John Stuart otherwise called Robert the Third 1390. 16. Bishops of Rome Urban the VI. 1380. 11. Boniface the IX 1390. 14. †MAHOMETHES PRIMVS QVINTVS TVRCARVM REX 1405. Vindicibus Mahomet patrium sibi vindicat armis Imperium etsractas fervidus auget opes Quod patri abstulerat violentia Tamberlani Imperio reddit Marte favente suo Ille sagittiferosque Dacas validosque Triballos Contudit et populos Ister amoene tuos Turcica sic rursus sublata potentia stragem Attulit imperio Romule magne tuo His Fathers Throne by chance of Warr impair'd Bold Mahomet with gallantry repair'd What from the Father Tamberlane had wonne Was wrested from him by the valiant Sonne The Dacians and the Servians strength he broke And thou fair Ister feltst the dreadfull Stroke Prosperity to the Turkish State is come And now great Romulus attend thy doome The LIFE of MAHOMET The First of that NAME Fifth King of the Turks And RESTORER of their sore shaken Kingdom HOw wonderfully the Turkish Kingdom was by the Violence of Tamerlane shaken and the Majesty thereof defaced it well appeareth in that the Histories of that time as well those of the Greeks as of the Turks in nothing more differ than in the Successors of Bajazet their late unfortunate King. Some writing that he had two Sons Orchanes otherwise called Calepinus and Mahomet and that Calepinus in the second year of his Reign was slain and his Kingdom possessed by Mahomet his Brother Others reporting that Bajazet had two Sons namely Calepinus and Mustapha and that Calepinus succeeding his Father in the Turkish Kingdom when he had reigned six years died leaving behind him two Sons Orchanes and Mahomet and that Orchanes being young was slain by his Uncle whom Mahomet in revenge of his Brothers death afterwards slew and possessed the Kingdom himself Others reckon up seven Sons of Bajazet Iosua Musulmanes Moses Calepinus Iosua the younger Mustapha and Halis with an uncertain Succession amongst them also This diversity of Opinions full of no less uncertainty as I mean not to follow in report of this History so will I not spend any time in refuting the same although much might be said in the matter but leave these Reports together with the History following to such credit as they shall hap to find with the considerate Readers The Greek Historiographers best like to know the Turkish Succession as well by reason of their nearness as in that they were by them as their bad Neighbours so much troubled make no mention at all either of Calepinus or of Orchanes In like manner Historiae Musulmanae Turcorum diligently gathered out of the Turks own Histories by Io. Leunclavius a learned Physitian and himself a great Traveller amongst them and therefore deserving the more credit
Potions and Receits after their wonted manner as if they had had the King still in Cure and Letters were sent in post to Elvan Beg for speedy dispatch of the business for which he was sent into Asia Yet for all this cunning dissimulation the Pentioners and other Souldiers of the Court wont to be near unto the Kings Person and some of them always of the Privy-Chamber began to suspect the matter and coming to the Bassaes said they marvelled that the King in so long time did never shew himself as he had always before done Whereunto the Bassaes answered That he had been dangerously sick and was as yet but a little recovered and that therefore the Physitians would not suffer him to look abroad or take the Air for fear of casting him down again Then will we our selves said the Pentioners go and see his Majesty and with that were ready to force in upon the Bassaes. Eivases seeing their importunity desired them to hold themselves contented and not as then to trouble the King for that he had that day as he said taken Physick but to morrow said he we will request his Majesty if he so please to shew himself that you may see him wherewith they for that time held themselves content Now among the Kings Physitians there was one Geordiron a Persian a man of a quick spirit and subtile device which found means to deceive the Pentioners he devised that the dead body of the King being apparelled in Royal large Robes should be brought betwixt two as if he had been led into an high open Gallery and being there set to have a Boy so neatly placed behind him under his large Robes as that he unperceived might move the Kings hand up 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 forth by the Bassaes in his rich Robes and wrapped with Clothes about his Head as if it had been for fear of the Air or of taking cold and so placed in an high open Gallery as was before devised suddenly the Physitian came running in fuming and raging as if he had been half mad ready to tear his Clothes for anger and in great choler casting his Cap against the ground asked the Bassaes if they meant to kill the King by bringing him into the open Air We said he have with great pains in long time a little recovered him and will you thus foolishly cast him down again Pardon us good Doctor said Eivases for these Gentlemen pointing to the Pentioners were so importunate to see his Majesty that to satisfie their desires he was content to be led forth of his Chamber whereof we hope shall ensue no harm The Pentioners seeing the King many times moving his hand to his face and as it were stroking his Beard held themselves well contented supposing him to have been alive although but weak and therefore not willing to speak unto them The Physitians taking him up amongst them carried him into his Lodging again which was but fast by making as if they had carried an extream sick man. Thus was his death cunningly concealed one and forty days until the coming of Amurath his Son. This Mahomet was both wise and valiant and withall exceeding bountiful but Ambitious above measure and may of right be accounted the Restorer of the Turks Kingdom for he recovered again all those Countries in Asia which Tamerlane had taken away and given unto other Mahometan Princes after the Overthrow of Bajazet And when as the Kingdom of the Turks was rent in pieces and almost brought to nought by Civil Wars and the Ambition of himself and his Brethren he at length got possession of the whole and so left it to his Son Amurath an entire Kingdom in the former greatness although not so much by him augmented His body lieth buried in a fair Tomb made of artificial stone very beautiful to behold in a Chappel at the East side of Prusa where we leave him at his rest Christian Princes of the same time with Mahomet the First Emperors Of the East Emanuel Paleologus 1387. 30 Of the West Rupertus Duke of Bavaria 1400. 10. Sigismund King of Hungary 1411. 28. Kings Of England Henry the Fourth 1399. 13 Henry the Fifth 1413. 9. Of France Charles the Sixth sirnamed The welbeloved 1381. 42. Of Scotland John Stuart otherwise called Robert. 1390. 16. James the First 1424. 13 Bishops of Rome Boniface the IX 1391. 14. Innocent the VIII 1405. 2. Gregory the XII 1407. 2. Alexander the V. 1410. 1. John the XXIII 1411. 5. Martin the V. 1417. 13. Europam lucâ—u et funesâ—is cladibus implens Soevus Amurathes totus in arma ruit Major at Huniades virtute et fortibus ausis Cogit eum trepida vertere terga fuga Consilia Eugenij bellum â—urialia suadent Sacrorum antistes Martia ad arma ruit Arma viri tractent curet sua templa Sacerdos Europoe exitium res tulit ista grave Fierce Amurath vers't in warr do's next arise And fills poore Europe with laments and cries Till by the brave Huniades outdone The dastard Sultan was compell'd to run The Priest Eugenius dismall Warrs perswades The privilege of Buff the Gowne invades Had the Priest prayd and let alone the Drum Europe had not to such confusion come The LIFE of AMURATH The Second of that NAME Sixth King of the Turks And the great ESTABLISHER of their Kingdom AFter that the death of Mahomet had been politickly concealed one and forty days by the three great Bassaes Bajazet Eivases and Ibrahim Amurath or Murat as the Turks call him his eldest Son at that time coming to Prusa was by them placed in his Fathers Seat and the death of Mahomet at the same time published whereupon great Troubles began on every side to arise The Princes of Smyrna and Mentesia rose up in Arms and at Thessalonica an obscure Fellow crept as it were out of a Chimney-corner took upon him the Name and Person of Mustapha the Son of Bajazet which was slain many years before in the great battel against Tamerlane at Mount Stella as is before declared in the life of the unfortunate Sultan Bajazet This counterfeit Mustapha animated by the Grecian Princes and going from Thessalonica to Vardarium set so good a Countenance upon the matter with such a Grace and Majesty that not only the Country people apt to believe any thing but men of greater Place and Calling also as Tzunites Beg the Prince of Smyrna his Son with the Sons of old Eurenoses Bassa perswaded that he was the very Son of the great Bajazet repaired unto him as unto their natural Prince ad Soveraign From Vardarium he went to Serrae and from thence to Hadrianopole Amurath being as then at Prusa where he was received as if it had been that noble Prince Mustapha whom he feigned himself to be so that in short time he was honoured as a King in all
wonderfully even to the astonishment of the World increased and extended their Empire But of them more shall be said hereafter This great King was whilst he lived of his Subjects wonderfully beloved and no less of them after his death lamented He was more faithful of his word than any of the Turkish Kings either before or after him by Nature melancholy and sad and accounted rather politick than valiant yet was indeed both a great dissembler and painful in travel but wayward and testy above measure which many imputed unto his great Age. He had issue six Sons Achmetes Aladin Mahomet Hasan otherwise called Chasan Urchan and Achmetes the younger of some called Calepinus three of whom died before but the two youngest were by their unnatural Brother Mahomet who succeeded him in the Turkish Kingdom even in their infancy in the beginning of his Reign most cruelly murthered Christian Princes of the same time with Amurath the Second Emperors Of the East John Palaeologus 1421. 24. Constantinus Palaeologus 1444. 8. Of the West Sigismund King of Hungary 1411. 28. Albert the Second King of Hungary and Bohemia 1438. 2. Frederick the Third Arch-Duke of Austria 1440. 54. Kings Of England Henry the Fifth 1413. 9. Henry the Sixth 1422. 39. Of France Charles the Sixth 1381. 42. Charles the Seventh 1423. 38. Of Scotland James the First 1424. 13. James the Second 1436. 29. Bishops of Rome Martin the V. 1417. 13. Eugenius the IV. 1431. 16. Nicholas the V. 1447. 8. Qui riâ—i inÌ„uumeros populos tot regno lot urbes Solus eâ— immensi qui timor orbis â—ram Me 〈◊〉 quaecunque rapit mors improba sed sum 〈◊〉 â—xcelsa duclus ad astra tamen 〈◊〉 Aleâ—â—â—nder non me suit Anibal et non Eâ—deriâ— Auâ—oniâ—s tot licet ille Duces 〈…〉 Danaos domuique feroces 〈…〉 populâ—s Sauromatas que truces Pannonius sensiâ—â—â— antum surgebit in armis Vis meaâ—quâ—e latio cognita nuper erat Arsacidae sensere manus has sensit Arabsque El mea suâ—t Persae cognita tela duci Mens fueral bellâ—re Rhodum superare superbam Italiam sed non fata dedere modum Hei mehi nam rapuit mors aspera quaeque sub alto Pectore â—onâ—ideram rertit et hora brevis Sic hominum faâ—lus perâ—unt sic Stemata Sicque Imperium atque qurum quicquid et Orbis habet I who to kingdomes Cities brought their fate The terrour of the trembling world of late Yield to the greater Monarch Death but am Yet proud to think of my immortal fame Greater than Alexander once was I Or him that Camps of Romans did destroy I vanquisht the victorious Greeks and I Destroyd Epyrus and fierce Tartary From mighty Me th'Hungarians had their doome And the report reacht y e proud walls oâ— Rome Th'Assyrian and Arabian felt my hand Nor could the Persian my dread power withstand Ore Rhodes and Italy I designd to ride But fate the progress of my aimes denyd Ai me grim Death and one unlucky houre Has baffled all my thoughts and boundless power So haughty man and all his hopes decay And so all sublunary gloryes pass away The LIFE of MAHOMET The Second of that NAME The Seventh KING and First EMPEROR of the TURKS For his many VICTORIES sirnamed The Great THE report of the death of old Amurath the late King was in short time blown through most part of Christendom to the great joy of many but especially of the Greeks and other poor Christians which bordered upon the Tyrants Kingdom who were now in hope together with the change of the Turkish King to make exchange also of their bad Estate and Fortune and the rather for that it was thought that his eldest Son Mahomet after the death of his Father would have imbraced the Christian Religion being in his Childhood instructed therein as was supposed by his Mother the Daughter of the Prince of Servia a Christian. But vain was this hope and the joy thereof but short as afterward by proof appeared For Mahomet being about the Age of one and twenty years succeeding his Father in the Kingdom in the year of our Lord 1450. year 1450. embraced in shew the Mahometan Religion abhorring the Christian but indeed making no great reckoning either of the one or of the other but as a meer Atheist devoid of all Religion and worshiping no other God but good Fortune derided the simplicity of all such as thought that God had any care or regard of worldly men or of their actions which graceless resolution so wrought in him that he thought all things lawful that agreed with his lust and making conscience of nothing kept no League Promise or Oath longer than stood with his Profit or Pleasure Now in the Court men stood diversly affected towards the present State the mighty Bassaes and others of great Authority unto whom the old Kings Government was never grievous inwardly lamented his death doubting lest the fierce Nature of the young King should turn to the hurt of some of them in particular and the shortning of their Authority in general as indeed it shortly after fell out But the lusty Gallants of the Court weary of the old King who in hope of preferment had long wished for the Government of the young Prince were glad to see him set upon his Fathers Seat. And the vulgar People never constant but in unconstancy and alwaies fawning upon the present exceedingly rejoyced in their young King. The Ianizaries also at the same time according to their accustomed manner took the Spoil of the Christians and Jews that dwelt amongst them and easily obtained pardon for the same whereupon he was by the same Ianizaries and other Souldiers of the Court with great Triumph saluted King. Which approbation of these men of War is unto the Turkish Kings a greater assurance for the possession of their Kingdom than to be born the eldest Son of the King as in the process of this History shall appear so great is the power of these masterful Slaves in promoting to the Kingdom whichsoever of the Kings Sons they most favour without much regard whether they be the eldest or not This young Tyrant was no sooner possessed of his Fathers Kingdom but that he forgetting the Laws of Nature was presently in person himself about to have murthered with his own hands his youngest Brother then but eighteen Months old begotten on the Daughter of Sponderbius Which unnatural part Moses one of his Bassaes and a man greatly in his favour perceiving requested him not to embrue his own hands in the blood of his Brother but rather to commit the execution thereof to some other which thing Mahomet commanded him the Author of that counsel forthwith to do So Moses taking the Child from the Nurse strangled it with pouring water down the throat thereof The young Lady understanding of the death of her Child as a Woman whom Fury had made past fear came and in her rage reviled the Tyrant to
after his death to the power of Bajazet his Son had he not by Domestical troubles been enforced to turn himself another way and as it were to neglect in time to relieve his distressed Garrison in Otranto as shall hereafter be declared Christian Princes of the same time with Mahomet the Great Emperors Of the East Constantinus Palaeologus last Christian Emperor of Constantinople 1444. 8. Of the West Frederick the Third Arch-Duke of Austria 1440. 54. Kings Of England Henry the Sixth 1422. 39. Edward the Fourth 1460. 22. Of France Charles the Seventh 1423. 38. Lewis the Eleventh 1461. 22. Of Scotland James the Second 1436. 29. James the Third 1460. 29. Bishops of Rome Nicholas the V. 1437. 8. Calixtus the III. 1455. 3. Pius the II. 1458. 6. Paulus the II. 1464. 7. Xystus the IV. 1471. 13. Arma manu quatiunt fratres hostilia regnum Hinc Bajazethes Lizimus inde petit Bajazethes rerum potitur Rhodon inde Quiritum Lizimus extrema maenia sorte petit Sustinet et bello varias et pace procellas Bajazethes foelix et miser inter opes Iam senio tremulus sert bella domestica regno A Gnato ejectus dira venena bibit Two Brothers now infest the mighty State Lemes on this ' Side Bajazet on that Fortune crowns Bajazet while Lemes flyes From Rhodes to Rome drivin by his destinies Much Bajazet endur'd in warr and peace Happy and wretched his triumphall daies Till worne with age and with domestick strife A Cup of Poyson ends his loathsome life The LIFE of BAJAZET The Second of that NAME AND Second Emperor OF THE TURKS UPon the death of Mahomet the late Emperor great Troubles began to arise about the Succession in the Turkish Empire some of the Bassaes and great Captains seeking to place Bajazet the eldest Son of Mahomet in the Empire and others with no less devotion labouring to prefer Zemes or Gemes otherwise called Zizimus Bajazet his younger Brother By occasion whereof there arose two great and mighty Factions which in few days grew to such heat that many great Tumults and hot Skirmishes were made in the Imperial City betwixt the Favorites of both Factions and great slaughter committed In these Broils the proud Janizaries for an old grudge slew Mahometes one of the four great Bassaes a man by whose grave Counsel most of the weighty Affairs of the Turkish Empire had been managed during the Reign of the late Emperor and proceeding further in their accustomed Insolency spoiled all the Christians and Jews which dwelt amongst them of all their Wealth and Substance at which time the rich Merchants and Citizens of Constantinople which were natural Turks themselves escaped not their ravenous Hands but became unto them a Prey and Spoil also The other three Bassaes of the Court Isaac Mesithes and Achmetes lately returned from the winning of Hydruntum in Italy although they secretly maligned and envied one at the greatness of another yet to appease these so dangerous Troubles and to assure their own Estates joyned hands together and by their great Authority and multitude of Followers and Favorites found means that Corcutus one of the younger Sons of Bajazet a young Prince of eighteen years old was as it were by general content of the Nobility and Souldiers saluted Emperor and with great Triumph and Solemnity placed in the Imperial Seat. In whose name the aforesaid Bassaes at their pleasure disposed of all things little or nothing regarding either Bajazet or Zemes then both absent the one at Amasia and the other at Iconium in Lycaonia For the jealous Turkish Kings never suffer their Sons to live in Court near unto them after they be grown to years of discretion but send them to Govern their Provinces far off where they are also under the Command of the Emperors Lieutenants-General in Asia or Europe and may not depart from their Charge without great danger not so much as to visit their Father without express leave and commandment So jealous are those Tyrants yea even of their own Sons Bajazet and Zemes hearing of the death of their Father and of the Troubles in the Imperial City hasted thitherward with all speed where Bajazet being the nearer first arrived but finding the Empire already possessed by Corcutus his younger Son and himself excluded he in grief of his heart poured forth most grievous Complaints before God and man calling Heaven and Earth to witness of the great wrong and injury done unto him by the proud Bassaes. And what by Tears and humble Obtestations what by great Gifts and greater Promises but most of all by the earnest labour and solicitation of Cherseogles Vice-Roy of Graecia and the Aga or Captain of the Janizaries both his Sons in law prevailed so much with the great Bassaes and Souldiers of the Court that Corcutus being of a mild and courteous disposition overcome by their intreaty and the reverence of his Father resigned unto him the Imperial Government which he presently took upon him with the general good liking of the people and made Corcutus Governor of Lycia Caria and Ionia with the pleasant and rich Countries thereabouts allowing him a great yearly Pension for the better maintenance of his Estate with promise also of the Empire after his decease and so sent him away to his Charge where he most pleasantly lived during the Reign of his Father Bajazet giving himself wholly to the study of Philosophy which made that he was afterwards less favoured of the Janizaries and other men of War. Zemes thus prevented by his elder Brother and understanding by his Friends how all things stood at Constantinople and that Bajazet was already possessed of the Empire returning with great speed raised a puissant Army in the Countries which were under his Command and marching through the heart of Asia the less by the way as he went took into his possession such Cities and strong Places as he thought best and so entring into Bithynia took the great City of Prusa the ancient Seat of the Othoman Kings Purposing in himself that as Bajazet had shut him out of Europe so he would also in requital thereof exclude him out of that part of the Turkish Empire which is beyond Hellespontus in Asia and to make himself Lord thereof Wherein Fortune at the first seemed unto him most favourable all the people wheresoever he came yielding unto him Obedience as unto their Prince and Soveraign so that in short time he seemed both unto himself and to others in strong possession of that part of the Empire Of these his proceedings Bajazet having Intelligence and perceiving the greater part of his Empire now in danger to be lost and doubting further that Zemes his ambitious Mind would hardly rest therewith long contented for remedy of so great a Mischief levied a strong and puissant Army wherewith he passed over into Asia and came to Neapolis a City of Anatolia near whereunto Zemes lay with his Army strongly incamped As
of the Field When Martial minds with couraged bold withstand their Foes with spear and shield Let him well know how that in vain he beareth Arms but for a shew And that the honour of the Field will never such a Coward know Ne let him hope to gain the Spoil by any Wars he takes in hand That feareth with couragious mind his Enemies Forces to withstand Christian Princes of the same time with Selymus the First Emperors of Germany Maximilian the First 1494. 25. Charles the Fifth 1509. 39. Kings Of England Henry the Eighth 1509. 38. Of France Lewis the Twelfth 1497. 17. Francis the First 1514. 32. Of Scotland James the Fourth 1489. 25. James the Fifth 1513. 32. Bishops of Rome Julâ—us the II. 1503. 9. Leo the X. 1513. 8. Imperij Solyman patrij moderatur habenas Regnaque Christianum cladibus usque metit Antiquam capit ille Rhodon Nexumque Parumque Turrheni infastat Littora curva Maris Pannonios multo populatur milite fines Et cingit muros clara Vienna tuos Inclyta Sigethi dum moenia concutit armis Cogitur hinc Stygiam nudus adire domum Magnificent Solyman mounts his Fathers Throne With Christian Slaughters formidable growne Rhodes Naxos Paros felt his cruelty And the sweet Shores of the Tyrrhenian Sea Th' Hungrarian Territories he did inrade And feirce attemps on fair Vienna made Till from the walls of Sigeth meanly câ—me Th' aspiring Tyrant crept to his long 〈◊〉 The LIFE of SOLYMAN THE FOURTH and most MAGNIFICENT Emperor of the Turks THe death of Selymus was with all carefulness concealed by Ferhates the only Bassa then present for fear lest the Janizaries and Souldiers of the Court getting knowledge thereof should after their wonted manner in the time of the vacancy of the Empire spoil the Merchants and Strangers in places where they lay in Garrison and especially in the Imperial City and not so contented after their accustomed insolency prescribe unto the greatest Bassaes at their pleasure For preventing whereof Ferhates dispatched a trusty Messenger with Letters in Post to Solyman the only Son of Selymus then lying at Magnesia certifying him of the death of his Father and that he should deserve well of his peaceable Subjects by hastning his coming to Constantinople whilst all things were yet in good order in time to repress with his presence the feared disordered proceedings of his Men of War. Solyman having to his great content perused the Bassaes Letters as one desirous enough of the Empire yet considering the cruel disposition of his Father whom upon a meer jealous conceit of his aspiring mind and for certain words by him let fall in dislike of his Fathers extream dealing had practised most unnaturally to have taken him away by Poison which danger he escaped only by the carefulness of his Mother who misdoubting the worst caused the Poisoned rich Shirt sent to him from his Father to be first worn by one of his Chamber whereof he in short time after died and also that the Letters were signed only by Ferhates and the news not seconded from any of the other Bassaes fearing some hidden and secret Plot of his Father tending to his destruction durst not adventure to remove from his charge but returned the Messenger as one to whom he gave little or no credit Ten days thus spent and the death of Selymus nothing as yet suspected Ferhates understanding by his Messenger the weariness of Solyman and that he expected more assured advertisement sent presently unto the other great Bassaes Pyrrbus and Mustapha at Hadrianople that they should without delay repair unto the Court unto whom at their coming he declared the death of the Emperor Which after they had seen to be true they by another secret and speedy Messenger advertised Solyman again thereof confirming those Letters with all their Hands and Seals whereby Solyman now assured of his Fathers death presently put himself upon the way and by long and painful journies in few days came to Scutarium called in ancient time Chrisopolis over against Constantinople Where he was met with the Aga or Captain of the Janizaries and by him transported in a Gally over that strait passage to Constantinople where at his landing the Janizaries by the appointment of their Captain were ready to receive him knowing as yet nothing of the death of Selymus until that Solyman being now in the midst of them the Captain with a loud voice said unto them Behold your Emperor Whereupon they all with great acclamation cried out Long live the great Emperor Solyman which consent of the Men of War is unto the Turkish Emperors the greatest assurance of their Estate And so with much Triumph he was by them brought into the Roial Palace and placed in his Fathers Seat in the year 1520. in which year also Charles the Fifth was chosen Emperor of Germany The Janizaries disappointed by the Bassaes of the spoil of the Merchants especially Christians and Jews received of the bounty of Solyman a great Largess and in the beginning of his Reign had their accustomed Wages somewhat augmented also to their wonderful contentment Solyman was about twenty eight years old when he began to Reign and was at the first supposed to have been of a mild and peaceable disposition so that the Princes to whom the Name of Selymus was before dreadful were now in hope that a quiet Lamb was come in place of a raging Lion. But in short time they found themselves in their expectation far deceived and especially the Christian Princes bordering upon him unto whom he became a far more dangerous Enemy than was his Father before him converting his Forces most part of his long Reign upon them which Selymus had almost altogether imployed against the Kings of Persia and Egypt the greatest Princes of the Mahometan Superstition The first that felt his heavy Hand was Gazelles Governour of Syria who presently upon the death of Selymus thinking himself now discharged of the Oath of Obedience which he had given to Selymus but not to his Successors and earnestly desiring to restore again the Kingdom of the Mamalukes lately overthrown gathered together the remainder of the dispersed Mamalukes which speedily resorted unto him out of all parts of Asia and Africk and alluring with rewards the Leaders of the wild Arabians with great numbers of the Country People of Syria discontented with the Turkish Government entred into open Rebellion and by force of Arms drave the Turks Garrison out of Byrtha Trypolis and divers other Cities of Syria taking them into his own possession And the better to effect that he had taken in hand he sent Embassadors to Caire unto Cayerbeius who had of Selymus received the Government of Egypt the unworthy reward of his horrible Treason perswading him by any means to take revenge of the injury and wrong before done to the Mamalukes and by killing of the Turks Garrisons to make himself Sultan of Egypt and restore again the Kingdom of the
divided the Spoil betwixt them finally That in what sort soever the matter past they held them insupportable to all men but especially to themselves The Turks threatned to take their just Revenge the which being impossible to effect in the Country of the Vscoques for that by the Letters of the Commonwealth of Venice their Passage was stopped they resolved to be revenged upon their Subjects and recover a part of their Goods which they had lost Finally they prepared to come into the Gulph of Venice with a mighty Army the which without doubt had brought that State into great Extremities and been very prejudicial to many Provinces of Christendome But for that the Insolencies and Thefts of the Vscoques had like to have ingaged the Venetians in a dangerous War against the Turk with whom they were in League it shall neither be unpleasant not unprofitable to make a little Digression and shew what these Vscoques were About the Year 1550 there assembled together in certain places near the Sea belonging to the Princes of the House of Austria People who were cruel violent and infamous from divers parts of the Country of Chimâ—ra Dalmatia and the other Confines of Hungary and such as had been banished from the State of Venice whose delight was only to live upon Spoil and Blood. All these Thieves being thus gathered together whom they called by a general Name Vscoques as enemies to all Art and Industry to live honestly by their Labours retired themselves into a desaâ—t Country receiving no Pay from the Princes of Austria who command there Being thus by their natural Inclination given to Spoil adding thereunto the spur of Poverty nothing moved them to stay in those places but all liberty was left them to rob and spoil whereupon they applied all their Minds and Forces so as having made certain light Foists they began to make Courses at Sea with the most barbarous and impious Cruelty that ever was practised amongst the Scythians Tartarians or any other inhumane Nation whatsoever And for that it is an ordinary course for any one that will commit a great Villany to seek out some goodly Pretext to cover it so they concluded among themselves to shadow their Insolencies and Thefts with a colour to go against the Infidels wherefore in the beginning there were no Merchants were they Turks Jews or Subjects to the Turk although they were Christians but if they entred into the Gulf either to traffick or to furnish Venice with Provision and Merchandise they were taken by them their Goods divided amongst them and they forced to pay a great Ransome or to dye miserably All the Ports of the State of Venice both of Istria Dalmatia and the Islands from whence they received their Victuals and Provision were soon after shut up by these Pyrates who not content to spoil the Turks which trafficked no more by reason of their great Dangers and Loss allured by the rich Spoils which they took and the desire they had to encounter them they began to set upon the Venetian Ships forcing the Merchants whom they took to confess by Torments that the Goods belonged to Turks although in effect their chief Booty came from Christians Having drawn many unto them of their own Humours and thinking their Spoils at Sea not sufficient to satisfie their covetous Desires nor the Presents which they were to give to others to be favoured and supported in the Courts of Princes they stayed not long before they entered with all violence into the Turks Country through the Venetian Territory to whom they were as hurtful as to the Turks from whence they carried away rich Spoils and many Prisoners There was nothing that was precious rich or good but was subject to the insatiable greediness of those pittiless Thieves and Pirates if passing by Sea they came near unto the Maritine Coasts Whereupon grew the great Complaint you have heard made by the Turks threatning to be revenged upon the Estate of Venice for the insolency of the Vscoques which afterward bred a cruel War betwixt that State and the Arch-duke Ferdinand of Grets now Emperour who seemed to support them thereby to ingage the State in a War with the Turk But for that the Success thereof doth not belong to our History we will leave it to them that have written it at large On the fifteenth of November this year Sultan Achmat Chan having lived thirty years and governed that great Empire of Turkey fifteen died When he came to the Empire he was but fifteen years old He was of a good Constitution well complexioned and somewhat inclined to be fat strong and active which appeared by his Exercise in casting of a Horse-mans Mace of nine or ten pounds weight wherein he exceeded any one of his Court in memory whereof there are two Pillars set up in one of the Courts of the Seraglio at Constantinople with an Inscription as marks of his Dexterity He was by nature ambitious and proud which some hold qualities befitting his great Estate He was not so cruel as many of his Predecessors but he was much given to Sensuality and Pleasure for the which he entertained three thousand Concubines and Virgins in a Seraglio being the fairest Daughters of the Christians His Mother was a Christian of Bosna or of Cyprus and therefore it is thought he was somewhat favourable to Christians He was much delighted in Hawking and Hunting and namely for Hawking he kept in Grecia and Natolia 40000 Faulkoners who attended his coming and kept his Hawks in their several places of Charge and had good yearly Pensions Neither were his Huntsmen much fewer in number or of less Charge As the Turkish Emperours are bound by the Law of their Religion once every day to practise some manual Trade so Mahomet his Father gave himself to the making of Arrows and Achmat to the fashioning horn Rings such as the Turks wear when they draw their Bows This they do in the morning after they are ready and have said their Prayers then they call for their Exercise but it is only for form for they scarce make an Arrow or a Ring in a whole year Christian Princes at the same time with Achmat. Emperours of Germany Rodolph the Second 1577. 35. Matthias 1612. Kings Of Great Britain King James Of England 1602. Of Scotland 1567. Of France Henry the Fourth 1589. Lewis the Thirteenth 1610. Bishop of Rome Paul the V. 1605. Nought but affliction thundring out of Heaven Makes men on earth to any goodness given Nor longer than she thunders any fear That any heav'n holds any Thunderer So Mustapha while heaven restrain'd his state And held him fetter'd in his brothers hate To vertuous actions did his studies drive Was curteous pious and contemplative But when his brother could no longer live And liberty did to him power give Then pride and tyrannie his horses were And drive him alwaies past heav'ns love or fear Greatness on Goodness
by His Majesty for Ambassador to the Grand Signior in the place of Sir Daniel Harvey who dyed in August 1672. at his Country-house not far from Constantinople His Excellency entred the City on the first day of Ianuary 1673 4. rejoycing the English Factory with the sight of their new Ambassador that Office having been now void for the space of sixteen months who was welcome also to people of the Country judging him fortunate for arriving at the Feast of their great Biram nor less pleasing was the News thereof to the Court especially to the late Pasha of Tunis whose Goods and Monies taken by one Dominico Franceschi out of an English Ship called the Mediterranean in her passage from Tunis to Tripoli this Ambassador had recovered from Ligorne and Malta which being an action without example was greatly admired and applauded by the Turks and esteemed an evident demonstration of that great Interest and Power which the Glory of our King hath acquired in Foreign parts and of the singular dexterity of such a Minister About the 18 th of March Sir Iohn Finch arrived at Constantinople being transported to the Dardanelli on his Majesties Fregat the Centurion and thence on a Gally hired at Smyrna for that purpose Some few days after his arrival the Grand Signior and Vizier being at Adrianople the Lord Ambassador had audience of the Chimacam whom he saluted with this speech I am come Ambassadour from Charles the Second King of England Scotland France and Ireland sole Lord and Soveraign of all the Seas that environ his Kingdoms Lord and Soveraign of vast territories and possessions in the East and West-Indies Defender of the Christian Faith against all those that Worship Idols or Images To the most Powerful and mighty Emperor of the East to maintain that peace which hath been so useful and that commerce which hath been so profitable to this Empire For the continuance and encrease whereof I promise you in my station to contribute what I can and I promise to my self that you in your will do the like But to proceed to the Wars The Pâ—landers being thus prosperous made use of their success and the sharp cold of the Winter-sâ—ason to make their Incursions and Winter-quarters through all the Principalities of Moldavia for they being born in cold Countries and accustomed to the Snows and Frosts were more patient and enduring of extremity of weather than were the Turks who were brought forth from more mild and moderate Climates so that neither could the Poles be driven out from those Countries nor Keminitz be relieved by them until such time that the Sun getting high and thawing the Snows and warming the Earth prepared a season fit for return of the Turks who marching according to their custom with an Army composed of great multitudes quickly compelled the Poles to retire For the Grand Signior and Vizier having both seated their Winter-quarters on the Banks of the Danâ—be were ready at the first opening of the Summer to enter their Arms into the Enemies Countries and having called the Tartars to their assistance did according to the usual custom make Incursions for depredation of Slaves Cattel and whatsoever else was portable in a running March. The Chan or King of this People was at that time greatly indisposed in his health of which he advised the Great Vizier as if he intended thereby to obtain a release from his personal attendance that year in the War But the Vizier who either supposed this excuse to be only a pretence or that he had a kindness for his Person immediately dispatched away his own Physician called Signior Masselini an Italian born a worthy Learned man a good Christian and my intimate Friend with whom maintaining a constant correspondence by Letters he wrote me That from the Grand Signiors Quarters which were at Batadog near the Banks of the Danube he arrived after seventeen days Journey in Chrim where he said he was received with singular honour and kindness by the Great Chan whom he found to be a Prince of admirable prudence gentleness and generosity but greatly afflicted with a Hypochondriacal Melancholy which being an infirmity of some years standing was with the more difficulty removed howsoever he was so far from being uncapable to follow his Army that he advised him to divert his mind with the thoughts of War which counsel having taken after thirty days abode in the Camp he found himself much more chearful than before and greatly relieved of that pressure of Melancholy and caliginous Vapours which offended his Brain We are now said he at Vssia at the Mouth of the Boristhenes which we have passed from the other side unto this where the River is nine miles brâ—ad from hence we are marching towards Bender upon the Niester to pass into Moldavid and there to joyn with the Ottoman Army The Poles have sent to demand Peace but with condition that Kemenitz be restored to them which Proposition was with great disdain rejected and will never be granted whilst this Emperour reigns These people greatly desired a Peace with Poland which the Election of Sobieski for King may probably facilitate for not only they but the Turks also dread a March into Poland and are so inveterately bent to take revenge on the Muscovites and Cosacks who lately became their Subjects that they could accept of any reasonable Terms of Accommodation with Poland I for my part found Tartary a very pleasant Country plentiful of all Provisions and the people much more courteous and obliging to the Strangers and Christians than those Turks with whom you and I have conversed Thus far Masselini writes in commendation of the Tartars and in farther confirmation hereof I have read in some Books That as to their Morals there are very few Nations to be found less vicious they are extremely severe and faithful they have no Thieves or false Witnesses amongst them little Injustice or Violence and live in union and great tranquillity the marvellous fidelity of the Captive Tartars in Poland is every day to be observed who never fail to return at the time appointed when they are licensed upon their word to go and procure their Liberties by the exchange of Polish Prisoners which they execute punctually or return themselves not failing a minute And it is observed That the Polish Gentlemen do rather trust the young Tartars which are in their Service with the keys of their Money and Jewels than any of their Houshold The time for Armies to draw out of the Winter-quarters and take the Field being now come the Grand Signior and Vizier with great numbers both of Horse and Foot passed the Danube and prosecuting their March to the Câ—nfines of Poland they relieved Kemenitz in the first place the Poles at the News of their approach rasing the Siege Thence they proceeded to Chuâ—zim a strong Fortress on the Niester taken from them in the last year by the Christians after the defeat given to Chusaein Pasha
Actions 971 a. Othoman of greater Courage and Spirit than his other Brethren the. Sons of old Ertogrul 90 a. amorous of Malhatun a Countrey of Muid 94 b. in danger for his Love 95 a. by general consent chosen Governour of the Oguzian Turks ib. b. surpriseth the Castle of Calce 96 a. fighteth a battel with the Christians at Opsicium 96 b. winneth the Castle of Cara-Chisar and killeth the Captain ib. b. setteth in order his little Common-wealth 97 a. killeth the Captain of Cupri-Chisar ib. a. his death contrived by the Captain of Bilezuga 97 b. turneth the treachery devised against him upon the head of the Captain that devised it whom he killeth and surpriseth his Castle 98 b. surpriseth the Castle of Jar-Chisar ib. b. taketh the Castle of Einegiol and cruelly executeth the Captain ib. b. by the good administration of Iustice strengthneth his Government 99 a. taketh the City of Nice ib. a. taketh upon him the Honour of a King or Sultan ib. b. maketh Neapolis his Regal Seat ib. b. in a great battel overthroweth the Christians 99 b. besiegeth Prusa 100 a. whilst the Greeks are at discord among themselves layeth the foundation of the Great Othoman Empire that now is 113 a. 116 a. dieth and lieth buried at Prusa 123 b. the Wealth he left unto his Sons Orchanes and Aladin 125 a. Orchanes his Father Othoman yet living manageth the Turks Kingdom 125 b. surpriseth the Castle of Tzupri-Chisar 125 b. fighteth a doubtful battel with Andronicus the Greek Emperour at Phylocrene 126 a. surpriseth Nice 126 b. hath Nicomedia yielded unto him 127 b. committeth the Government thereof unto his Son Solyman 128 a. first of the Turks that built Monasteries ib. a. subdueth the Country of Carasina ib. b. dieth 130 b. Orchanes and Mahometes two of Bajazet's Nephews overthrown by Chelife and Techellis the Rebels 321 a. Osman Bassa by Mustapha made Governour of Siruan taketh Sumachia 662 b. hath Derbent yielded unto him ib. b. by the Persian Prince driven out of Sumachia flieth to Derbent 665 a. kills Sahamal his Wives Father 666 a. is by Amurath sent for into Siruan 687 a. laid in wait for by Mahomet the Tartar King ib. b. overcometh the Tartars lying in wait for him ib. b. by Amurath made chief Visier and General of his Wars against the Persians 688 a. raiseth a great Army 697 a. wisely appeaseth his mutinous Souldiers unwilling to go for Tauris ib. b. cometh to Tauris 698 a. taketh the City ib. b. in thirty days buildeth there a strong Castle 699 a. giveth the City to be spoiled by his Souldiers ib. a. leaveth Giaffer the Eunuch Bassa of Tripolis with a Garrison of 12000 Souldiers Governour of Tauris 700 a. dieth 701 a. much lamented for at Constantinople ib. b. P. PAleapolis by Sultan Aladin given to Othoman 96 a. Palotta yielded to the Turks 721 a. Pallas Lippa beheaded by Botscay his Master 860 a. Pantogles with the Turks fleet cometh to the siege of Constantinople 233 a. displaced 234 a. Paphlagonia and Pontus with a great part of Cappadocia won by Mahomet the Great 245 b. Partau the Visier Bassa sent by Solyman against the supposed Mustapha brought him to Constantinople 520 a. sent by Solyman to have brought Bajazet to Amasia is by him with good words sent back again 522 b. standeth indifferent for giving or not giving of battel unto the Christians at Lepanto 593 a. encourageth his Souldiers ib. a. flieth himself out of the battel 595 b. Paradiser executed for yielding up of Canisia unto the Turks 792 a. The Patriarch of Graece â—layed alive 904 b. Peace concluded betwixt King Uladislaus and Amurath the Second 197 a. by the perswasion of Julian the Cardinal unfortunately broken by Uladislaus 198. a. Peace concluded betwixt Mahomet and Scanderbeg 263 b. betwixt Bajazet and Caytbeius 306 b. betwixt Bajazet and the Venetians 315 a. betwixt the Venetians and Solyman 468 b. betwixt the Venetians and Selymus the Second 613 a. betwixt Amurath the Third and Mahomet the Persian King 707 b. Peace concluded betwixt the Emperour and his discontented Subjects in the upper Hungary 876 b. between him and the Turks 878 a. betwixt the Georgians and Turks 925 a. between the Turks and Persians 950 a. Peloponesus described 240 b. made tributary to the Turk 241 a. subdued by the Turks 242 a. Pera yielded unto the Turks 237 b. Perenus the noble Hungarian upon the suspition of aspiring apprehended 494 b. matters surmised against him 495 a. He Valentinus and Maylat three of the chief of the Hungarian Nobility unworthily kept in perpetual Prison 496 a. Persecution in the Greek Church for matters of Religion 101 a. Persians better Horsemen than the Turks 351 b. The Persian King's Success 845 a. he enters into the Province of Babylon 897 a. his cruelty against the Armenians ib. b. Pesth distressed for want of Victuals 806 b. victualled 820 a. again victualled ib. b. shamefully abandoned by the Christians 849 a. taken by the Turks ib. b. Pesth taken by Cason Admiral of the Turks fleet upon the Danubius 478 b. besieged by the Marquis of Brandenburg 493 a. in vain assaulted 494 a. the siege given over ib. b. taken by the Christians 802 a. Peter a French Hermit going on Pilgrimage to Jerusalem observeth the miseries of the Christians under the Turks and Sarazens 9 a. in the Council of Claremont delivereth his message in the behalf of the poor distressed Christians 10 a. he with Gualter Sensavier the first that set forward in the great Expedition of the Christians into the Holy Land ib. b. loseth greatest part of his Army 11 a. discouraged about to have stoln home brought back and inforced to take a new Oath for his fidelity and perseverance in that War 13 b. Peter Damboyse Grand Master of the Rhodes a careful Governour 291 b. his chearful speech unto the rest of his Knights and Souldiers 292 a. Peter Emus for his barbarous Cruelty beheaded at Venice 689 b. Petralba yielded to Scanderbeg 194 b. Petrella yielded ib. b. Petrinia taken by the Christians 753 a. Petrinia in danger to have been betrayed to the Turks 848 a. Philaretas the Greek Emperours Lieutenant put to flight by the Turks 6 b. Philadelphia taken by Bajazet 140 b. Philes a devout man but no Soldier undertaketh the defence of the Greek Empire against the Turks 109 a. in plain battel overthroweth them 109 b. 110 a. Philip the Second of that Name the French King in going towards the Holy Land suffereth Shipwreck upon the Coast of Sicilia 48 a. arriveth at Ptolemais 48 b. his speech unto Richard King of England and the other Christian Princes in his sickness ib. b. he sweareth unto King Richard not to invade his Territories in France and so returneth home 49 b. Phocas by killing of Mauritius the Emperour with his Children possesseth himself of the Greek Empire 15 b. slain afterwards by them of his own Guard 16 a. Pial Bassa Solyman's Admiral sent to
the Soldiers Pay and Donative they were forced to Coin out of Plate and Silver and Gold taken off from the Horses Furniture belonging to the Seraglio Two hundred Purses in Gold and Sixty in Silver with which every one being satisfied all was quiet and calm again and the Spahees returned to their own Homes leaving six of the Chief Mutiniers to remain behind a◠Constantinople That is to say one Chief with two Assistants for the white Colours and the like for the red and Four hundred Captains called Bolucbashees Two hundred for each Colour or Ensign and these were appointed to hold the power in their Hands which their Mutinies and late Rebellions had gained for them About this time the Turks proposed at the instigation of the French Ambassador to send a Chiaus into France England and Holland to acquaint those Princes with the advancement of Sultan Solyman to the Throne of the Ottoman Emperors The which Embassy thô little desired by the other Ministers being a Complement insignificant in it self and which would only cost Money and Trouble was yet much pressed by the French who were then contriving to do something extraordinary to engage the Turk in a strict Alliance with them being at that time resolved to disoblige and enter into a War against the Emperor and all the Princes of Germany But by Troubles afterwards amongst the Turks themselves and by the revived Spirits of Mutiny amongst the Soldiery their thoughts were so taken up with their Seditions Forreign Enemies and other Misfortunes that they thought it not so seasonable to send such triumphant Messages in the declension of their Affairs as might have been in more happy and prosperous times Howsoever the French Ambassador and Merchants at Constantinople to evidence their good Affection to the Port freely supplied the late Selictar Aga now appointed Pasha of Grand Cairo with two Ships to Transport him and his Equipage to Alexandria and farther to oblige him lent him in Money and Goods to the value of One hundred and fifty Purses for security of which Pawns were given to remain aboard until the Debt was satisfied And now the Grand Vizier began to appear in publick with the usual Pomp and Equipage he made his Visit with great State to the Mufti and daily held the Divans in the Seraglio besides those at his own House The new Sultan had been so little a while in the Government that he could not as yet give many Indications of his Temper but as to what appeared of him at first he seemed very devout a strict observer of his Law and much addicted to reading so that he could not shake off his habitual retiredness nor enjoy the pleasures of a Court and of such a Throne as anciently cast off all the Cares of it on the Vizier and other Ministers for he neither conversed with Women nor took any publick Diversion In the mean time his deposed Brother Sultan Mahomet who had always used much Exercise began by an unaccustomed Confinement to be tainted with the Scurvy his Legs swelled and gave Symptoms of the Dropsy Wherefore he sent to his Brother the present Sultan desiring that some Physitians might be permitted to come to him for his Cure. But grave Solyman returned him answer That in case he should allow that and he miscarry the World would say that he was an occasion of his Death so that in lieu of the Physitians he would pray to God for him and he who sent the Sickness could give him a Cure. These civil Commotions and Mutinies amongst the Soldiers were more dangerous to the Ottoman State than all the Ruins Defeats and Losses they had received from the Enemy and gave the Imperialists an opportunity to act and succeed in all their Enterprizes in Hungary and march and rove with their Parties through the whole Country without opposition or controule But the Season of the year being too much advanced it was thought time to draw the Armies into Winter-quarters and to lodge them in the conquered Countries Thus Count Dunewalt after he had fortified and secured the Castles and Places which he had taken quartered his Army at Possega Valkovar and other places bordering upon Croatia Likewise the two Regiments of Palfy and Staremberg which had lately been detached from the Duke of Lorain's Army to attend the Emperor's service at Possonium on occasion of the Coronation of Ioseph King of the Romans joyned with some other Hungarian Troops near Buda attacked in their way thither the Fortresses of Ciocca and Palotta and took them by which the Garrison of Alba Regalis was much streightned and disabled from making Incursions so far as the Danube The Duke of Loraine marching as we have said towards Transilvania resolved to take Quarters for his Army in that fruitful Principality as yet not much wasted with the War and the better to prepare them dispatched away the Baron Huntschin with full Commission to Prince Apafi to Treat about the places which might be assigned with most convenience for the Soldiery and ease to the People Huntschin speedily returned with advice that he had been favourably received by Apafi who having assembled several of his Boyars or Noblemen together had resolved to send Deputies to the Duke of Loraine giving him to understand the great joy and satisfaction they had received by the happy Successes of the Imperial Arms by which they flattered themselves so far as to believe that they should now be freed from the Tyranny and oppression of the Ottoman Yoak and that as a Testimony thereof they had readily consented to afford all the succour and subsistence they were able to the maintenance of the Christian Troops during the whole Winter season But as to assign them places for Quarters within the Principality of Transilvania they instantly desired to be acquitted in regard that such a Concession would greatly offend the Port and lay them open to the Incursions and to the Fire and Sword both of the Turks and Tartars To this Message the Duke of Loraine made Answer in obliging but yet in general Terms and in the mean time the Army still advanced without farther Treaty it being well known that neither the Turkish Troops nor those of the Country were in a capacity to Dispute their Passage so that on the 11 th of October the Army arrived at Salone the first Town of Transilvania year 1687. where after having without many questions or complements put a Garrison of about a Hundred Men into the place they marched forward towards Clausembourg But on their way thither the Duke of Loraine was met by three Deputies from the Prince and States who repeated the same Offers which had been related by Baron Huntschin touching the Ammunition and Provisions with which they would furnish the Troops to which they added also an offer of some Money but as to assigning places for Winter-quarters it was a matter impossible and of the most dangerous consequence
persuasions might have with his Transilvanian Friends and those of his Faction inviting them to cast off the Yoke of Germany from their Necks and reassume their Ancient Liberties and to that end he wrote this following Letter Ad Capitaneos Directores Magistratus Inclyti Regni Transilvaniae Omnia bona det Deus Regno Transilvaniae vigile Ingenium oculos Incolis ejus opto Nolim Ingratitudinem vestram quâ Caesaream amplexi fuistis protectionem respicere imò potius certiores vos facere commune facere velim vehementer volens Regnum Transilvaniae in tantis afflictionibus exactionibus versari Non dubito quin satis perspexeritis hucusque iniquas Germanorum Machinationes Volunt se in regnum intrudere ut vos ex regno expellant Vos peribitis illi manebunt Pellite itaque corrigite ceaecitatem vestram Ad Arma currite omnes Nobiles Libertini Subditi pro felici Patria certate certe vos libertatem consecuturos quam turpiter perdidistis ad Comam usque Nisi omnes audacter insurrexeritis peribitis vos filii vestri Nobilissimum Regnum in manibus barbarorum manebit Valete et vigiliate vobis Patriae vestrae Datas trans Danubium proximè ad Transalpinas And to leave no Stone unturned he sollicited the Ottoman Port for new Succours promising mighty Successes in case the Tartars would invade Transilvania the which accordingly was designed and had taken effect had not the Cosacks made an unexpected Irruption into Tartary and thereby obliged those Barbarians to quit their design that they might attend to the safeguard of their own Country All places in Bosnia being now subdued and brought under the power of the Emperor Bertzka only excepted situate on the Save Prince Lewis after he had fortified Proot and Gradisca marched against it being a place of such importance as secured all the River from thence to Belgrade The Turks having advice of the approach of Prince Lewis with Terror and terrible Consternation abandoned that vast City pleasant for its Situation in a delicious Country abounding with all sorts of Provisions and Fruits both for the sustenance and delight of the Inhabitants into this Commodious Dwelling made void by the flight of the Turks a Garrison of Two thousand Germans was lodged which served them for Winter-Quarters wherein to refresh themselves after all the fatigues dangers and tedious Marches of the passed Campaigne and to secure this City so plentiful of all sorts of Provisions a regular Fortification was Erected on the rising of a Hill which served to cover and very much to strengthen the City Now in regard Advices were brought to Bertzka that the Pasha of Bosnia was making Levies of men and recruiting his Forces in the Neighbouring parts General Piccolomini was dispatched to Vienna to render an Account of the State of that Country and to press for Forces immediately to be dispeeded for security thereof it being a Province inhabited by many Christians who with encouragement and protection would be ready to submit and do Homage to the Emperor Piccolomini so well Negotiated his Affairs at Vienna that he soon procured Orders directed to the General at Belgrade to reinforce Prince Lewis with a considerable Body of men But because the French were now in motion and had already entred Germany with a formidable Army to oppose which there was need of the Counsel and Direction of the best and most Experienced Captains who had lately with such auspicious Fortune conducted the Imperial Forces against the Turks it was resolved to recall Prince Lewis of Baden to Vienna and to commit the Charge of Bosnia to the Courage and Conduct of Piccolomini year 1688. So soon as Piccolomini was returned to Gradisca Prince Lewis took Post for Vienna having some few days before his departure taken possession of Oliva and Sbornich or Swornich a City and Castle of considerable importance of the latter of which the Charge was committed to Major Thomas Stracharta a Scotch Gentleman who bravely maintained it against Two Assaults of the Turks These places were situate on the River Drine After which this Valiant Prince departed leaving most manifest Evidences and Proofs behind him of his Courage assisted with Fortune for that in the space of about Nine Weeks he had subdued all the Province of Bosnia defeated the Pasha with double Numbers taken Proot Gradisca Bertzka and divers Castles with no more than Eight thousand Germans Hungarians and Croatians Tho' it was now time to end this Campaigne yet still the Blocades of Sigeth Canisa and Grand-Waradin were continued year 1688. the Defendants tho' reduced very low remained howsoever very obstinate and resolute to maintain the Garrisons to the last extremity in hopes rather that their Ambassadors would succeed in the Conclusion of a Peace than in any apparent probability there was of rescuing themselves by their own force or other expected Succours And indeed the Turks might then on very good Grounds have hoped for a peace since that they readily offered to have quitted all pretensions to the Conquered places and suffered the Emperor to remain in quiet possession of all whereof he had made himself Master which had been a vast advantage to the Empire at that time when the French were entered into Germany with a formidable Army burning laying waste and destroying all the Palatinate threatning War on the Empire which continued for several Years with such fury that had not King William of England joyned with Spain Holland and some of the Princes of Germany opposed this terrible Foe all the Empire and other Countries had sunk under the weight of the Arms of France But God knows by what Fate the Emperor refused to hearken to those fair Propositions of Peace which that they might not be urged or pressed on his Counsellors the Turkish Ambassadors were committed Prisoners to the Castle of Puffendorf where they passed some Years under a tedious restraint and loss of Liberty contrary to the Law of Nations And tho' the Turks may be much blamed for this kind of Violation of the Law of Nations and disrespect to the persons of Ambassadors which in all Countries have been esteemed sacred yet it is a new thing to be so practised by Christian Princes especially by the Austrian Family which is Renowned over all the World for their Piety Justice and Clemency As there was at that time no Reason or Sense for not closing with the Turks in a Peace so afterwards the Folly and Misfortune was so apparent that the Court of Vienna hath often lamented the unhappy Consequences of that evil Counsel which the Ministers of State to throw off from themselves have cast on the prevailing Faction of the Jesuits and Clergy which have ever carried a great sway in that Counsel And thus having by God's Assistance finished the Wars in Hungary by a full and ample Relation of all that passed in that miserable Country during the Course of the
given to these Ambassadors were much inferiour to those which had at other times been shown to Persons dispatched on the like occasions from the Ottoman Port yet the Concourse of the People who are fond of new Sights was not less numerous all the Streets Balconies and Windows being filled with Spectators who came to behold the mean Reception of the debased Turks who never came before to beg Peace but with a proud and haughty Behaviour to give the Conditions of it The next day the Ambassadors much in the same manner were conducted to Audience of Count Staremberg and in his Coach who was Marshal and Vice-President of the Supream Council of War in the absence of Prince Herman of Baden who resided at Ratisbonne in Quality of Plenipotentiary for his Imperial Majesty at the Diet. The Ambassadors being Introduced into a Chamber of his Palace and caused to Sit down at a Table opposite against him they delivered the Vizier's Letter to him which being Read after some Complements which passed on both sides they returned again to their Lodgings The Letters being afterwards Read and Observed contrary to the Custom of that Proud Nation to contain unusual Expressions of Submission and earnest Desires for Peace the Emperor appointed Four Commissioners to Treat with these Ambassadors Namely Count Kinnisek Great Chancellor of Bohemia Count Straatman Great Chancellor of the Court the Commissary General Count Caraffa and Marshal Count Staremberg These Commissioners being assembled together with Baron Razinsky Envoy Extraordinary from Poland and the Cavalier Frederico Cornaro Ambassador from the Republick of Venice to the Imperial Court with his Secretary Capello the Turkish Ambassadors were called to hold a Conference with these Ministers of the Allies at a Palace belonging to the States of the Province of Austria the which beginning about Ten in the Morning lasted until Three a Clock in the Afternoon After which several Conferences were held at which Maurocordato was the chief Speaker expressing himself in Latin and sometimes in Italian but in fine Debates ended without making the least step towards the Conclusion of a Peace for the Turks instead of yielding to any Proposal in favour of the Allies required some of the Conquered Places to be restored to them that Transilvania should pay a Tribute to the Ottoman Port as formerly and that the Bloccades should immediately be taken away from before Canisia and Great Waradin so that the Letters from the Grand Seignior and Grand Vizier containing nothing but General Terms which testified their Desires of Peace and their Negotiations and Proposals far from any particular Condescentions their Actions looked as if they designed nothing more than to gain time and to hear and observe what progress the French made by their Arms in the Palatinate and other parts of Germany Nor indeed were the Turks deceived in these Measures being supported by the French Promises and Arms and without which the Turks would have Condescended to any Conditions which the Emperor and his Allies might have offered Notwithstanding which the Faith of the French was so low in the Esteem of the Turks that had the Emperor in that Conjuncture proposed some little Advantages which might have kept up the Credit of the Ottoman Power amongst their own People a Peace would certainly have ensued which some Years afterwards by the Wiles and Artifices of the French could not be obtained nor the Turks inclined thereunto by foul or fair means by overthrows in Battle and loss of Towns and a long continued Train of Misfortunes nor by the Mediations of England and Holland offered by their respective Ministers to the Port as may hereafter be declared so that it is an unaccountable piece of Policy the blame of which the World is apt to Charge on the Clergy and the secret Partisans of France hidden in the Imperial Councels there being at that time no apparent Reason why the Applications and Overtures of the Turks were not Embraced and improved to a Peace For at that time the French had entered the Palatinate with Fire and Sword and their Armies committing all sorts of Hostility had entered the Archbishopricks of Mentz Cologne the Dukedomes of Iuliers Bergue and other Places of Suabia so that now it was manifest the Emperor had the Wars of two mighty Powers to sustain which had soon overwhelmed all Germany had not a firm Alliance been made between England Spain Holland and most of the Princes of Germany which was brought about by a most miraculous Providence which not being the Subject of this History we shall turn our Discourse towards the Wars against the Turks the Treaty with whom breaking off the Hostilities on both sides were carried on with the same Fierceness and Cruelty as before The Turks contrary to their Natural Temper were b ecome extreamly humble and Supplicant debasing themselves to so low and mean a Degree of Submission that the Imperial Ministers suspected that some Design lay covered under their fawning Expressions and over-acted Humility All which would have appeared real had not the French encouraged the Divan with Presents and Promises of recovering all Hungary back and something more if they would only reassume their Ancient Courage and patiently support the Inconvenience of a War for a few years longer to incline them whereunto the French sent the Turks a Minute Account of all the Victories they had obtained over the Germans what Cities and Towns they had destroyed what Devastations and what Incursions they had made into the very Heart of Germany with Fire and Sword by which they had already rendered all those Provinces on the Rhine so weak and miserable that it was impossible for them to resist the violent Course of the French Arms much less when united with the Puissance of the Ottoman Empire And to facilitate this Work several Engines were employed to Tamper with the Poles and Ambassadors sent to that King one of which was Monsieur de Bethune who was brother to the Queen of Poland and to quicken and give life to this Negotiation vast Sums of Money were sent sufficient to blind and corrupt the Mind of an Avaritious Prince and tho' these means were not productive of a Peace yet they begot such cold Motions of War as looked something like a Truce or an indifferent Neutrality And indeed several Campagnes after this were carried on with so slow a pace that the Arms of Poland came not into the Field until it was almost seasonable to retire from thence and such Negligence was practised in their Martial Discipline that they were commonly suprized by the Tartar and defeated And so little care taken to provide the Army with necessary food for Horse and Man that in the year 1691 as may hereafter bâ— made appear all the Horses of the Army died even in the very Stables of the King who was forced afterwards to return home in a Waggon drawn by Buffalo's and Oxen. Howsoever nothing was omitted
Monsieur de Chateau-neuf the present residing Ambassador at which according to the usual Custom of the French at all their Audiences their Business was to extol the Greatness and Power of their Master and to report unto the Turks That their King had furnished King Iames with a Mighty Fleet and 30000 Men to Invade England which were all ready at the time of his Departure to Embark and consisted with Men of War and Transport Ships of more than 600 Sail the which joyning in England with the contrary Party to that which then Governed would no doubt carry all before them in that Country and consequently cause great Confusions in Holland and amongst all the Allies Moreover that his King was ready to enter into the Field in Person with a most formidable Army as he had promised the Sultan against the Emperor of the Success of which they would speedily hear from their fortunate King who had ever been Prosperous in all his Enterprises Moreover he added That all these great things the King had done were to support the Ottoman Empire which would certainly have been staggering under that Mighty Power of the Allies had it not been supported by the French and their Forces diverted from the Ottoman Dominions in Hungary all which the Grand Vizier heard with Pleasure and Attention assuring the Marquis and the Ambassador that he never had any Design or Imagination of making a Peace with the Emperor without the Concurrence of the French. Howsoever the Marquis not knowing how constant and firm to their Resolutions the Turks might be in case that things should succeed ill in the Turkish Army or that the Imperialists should take Belgrade he obtained Licence from the Vizier to accompany him to the War during this Campaign where he might be ready at hand to oppose all Proposals tending to a Peace in case any Endeavours should be made therein And in this manner the Grand Vizier departed the 30th of Iune from Adrianople towards Belgrade having pointed out 32 Days March from one Place to the other besides Days of Otoâ—ack or Days of Repose But before the Vizier's Departure two Mirzes or Tartarian Noblemen with six other Tartars arrived at Adrianople bringing News That Batter Gherei one of the Sultan Tartars had entered into Volhinia a Province belonging to Poland and had carried away Captive above 30000 Souls which Rumour was spread abroad to encourage the Turks when in truth there were not above 2000 taken and farther to give Life to the Soldiery it was reported That Adil Gherei the Younger Brother was remaining within the Confines of Valachia attending his Elder Brother that they might with a joynt force March into Hungary Howsoever to secure the Tartars the Grand Vizier before his Departure from Adrianople dispatched away three Capugi-Bashees with pressing Commands to the Han of Budziack to march with all speed to Belgrade and not to delay their time as they had done the last Year and that they should have a care not to deceive him for that he depended much on their Forces but herein the Vizier was not well informed for the Budziack Tartar could not furnish more than 3000 Men and as to the Noghai Tartar they were Numerous but withal they were such a sort of Salvage Creatures Rebellious and Disgusted by the Turks that no great account could be made of them Nor yet of Sultan Galgha Prince of Crim Tartary who was engaged in a War against the Cossacks and had enough to do to defend himself against such a Stout and an Active Enemy Moreover to make the Assistance of the Tartars the less considerable this Year the Tartars rebelled against their New Han in their March towards Belgrade At first this Mutiny appeared only in some Dislikes which the Principal Tartars showed against their New Sultan the which daily increasing came to such a heighth that the whole Army forsook and left him and returned in a Body back to Budziack and were followed soon after by the Han himself with some of his Menial Servants the News hereof being brought to the Grand Seignior and Grand Vizier they knew not how to carry on the War for this Year so that all the Remedy which remained was to re-establish the Old Han Selim Gherey in his Place the which tho' it pleased the Soldiers better yet by this time the Season was so far spent that nothing of moment could be expected to be put in Action for that Year Some small Matters indeed the Turks did attempt but always with loss in Iuly they Attacked a small but a strong Fortress called Portsea near Peter-Waradin the which was so well defended by a Garrison of Rascians that the Turks were several times repulsed and at last hearing that some Imperial Heydukes and Dragoons had passed the Save and had cut down great Numbers of Turks they quitted their design on Portsea and returned back to Belgrade Howsoever upon better consideration concluding that the Place was of so high importance that they might be called into question for quitting the Siege they returned back again and on the 5th of August made another Attack upon the Place and resolved to carry it by force of Arms but News coming That a strong Body of the Imperial Troops were sent to relieve the Place and were already in their March they quitted the Siege and being Attacked in the Rear they left many Dead and Wounded Men behind them About the same time the Vice-Ban or Lieutenant-General of Croatia having got together a strong Body of 5500 Croats and Rascians made an Incursion towards Meydan in which Expedition he not only had the good fortune to release 400 Poor Christians who were Condemned to Die and should have been executed the next Day had they not been seasonably relieved by the Croatians but to return back with a considerable Booty of Cattle and Moveables together with some principal Turks of Quality and Note whose Houses and stately Buildings they Burnt and Destroyed little or nothing more remarkable farther passed all this Campaign unless it were a Matter of two considerable Convoys sent to Temeswaer the latter of which consisted of several Thousands of Turks conducting 100 Waggons and many Camels laden with all necessary Provisions and so having provided the Town for the whole Winter they returned back to Belgrade At the same time a Body of Rascians broke into the Morava and there attacked and beat another Turkish Convoy which carried 200000 Dollars to the Turkish Army which was a brave Booty for the Rascians for tho' the Grand Vizier upon the News thereof had Detached a Body of 10000 Arnauts after them yet the Prey had given them Wings and they escaped safe into their Towns and Garrisons of Refuge Some later Actions passed besides but none of great consequence expecting that the Turks having a mind to look big and put a good Face on it towards the latter end of the Campaign passed the Save to
hunc Principem sibi devincire enititur His nos uberrimae Sacrae Caesareae vestrae Majestatis gratiae committentes sumus conatu summo Serenissime Potentissime Invictissime Caesar Imperator semper Auguste Sacrae vestrae Caesareae Majestatis Humillimi Devotissimi Servi H. HEEMSKIRK COLYER Adrianop 31 May 1693. All thoughts of Peace and Treaties being thus laid aside the Government employed its utmost Endeavours and Counsel were taken in Matters and Contrivances tending to the War It was reported That the Grand Seignior Sultan Achmet had resolved to go as far as Sophia where he would pass the Summer being nearer to Belgrade and the Frontiers in Hungary but the Physicians perswaded the contrary as being prejudicial to the Health of the Sultan who was already affected with the Dropsie the fatal and common Disease of that Ottoman Family for Cure of which many Consultations were held by the Physicians who in regard that they found as yet a Schirrus only upon the Liver they gave great hopes of his Recovery howsover the People took occasion from hence to discourse That in case this Sultan Achmet were Dead he would be succeeded by Sultan Mustapha his Nephew and Son to the late Sultan Mahomet who had been Deposed which would be a happy Change for the whole Empire he being Young and Brave and as to all appearance of a Martial Spirit and a Lover of Justice To forward the Preparations for the War with all Expedition possible strict Orders were given to provide 〈…〉 with Provisions 〈…〉 â—ood for want of which the 〈◊〉 laboured under the greatest Extremity Letters also and Commands weâ—e dispatched to all Parts in Asia to hasten the March of the Janisaries and Spahees and to enroll new Janisaries a Method not used in former Times by which taking every Pitiful Fellow that offered to come in they composed such a Band of raw Soldiers not only unexperienced in War but Poor and Feeble and Old that scarce one half of them were judged able to hold out a March to Belgrade The Turks also dispatched away 2000 Janisaries to reinforce the Garrison at Negropont likewise they reinforced Canâ—a with Men and Provisions as they also did their Army in and about the Morea and strengthned their Castles at the Dardanelli with Soldiers Gunners and Engineers under Command of Husaein Pasha who had formerly been Chimacam with the Grand Seignior but the Troops designed for Hungary marched slowly These Preparations being much retarded by the late Change of those two great Officers namely the Grand Vizier who as we said voluntarily resigned and the Tefterdar or Lord Treasurer called Ismael Effendâ— Matulled or put out Disgraced and Exiled tho' some reported That he was secretly Strangled which was a strange and an unseasonable Policy at such a time as this to put all things backward by the Death of two prime Officers of State who perhaps were Innocent and Good Ministers But under such a Government as this it is not sufficient to be Wise Honest and Industrious but you must also be Successful and free of Enemies which are things not in our power By these Changes place was made for other Officers for Osman Pasha a Cunning Knavish Candiot as most of that Nation are was made Chimacam in Adrianople Mustapha Pasha who had been Chimacam and Seraskier on the Danube was declared Grand Vizier and Cantemir the Son of Dica Bey who had for 30 Years past been Prince of Moldavia was made Successor to his Father This Grand Vizier before he could be warm in his Place or provided with things necessary for the War or acquainted with his Souldiery and the Chief Commanders which were to fight under him was commanded to be gone with all expedition to the Army which he prepared to do with what speed was possible And in regard that all intentions for Peace were laid aside the Mediators were dismissed from their further Attendance and Mr. Heemskirk was licensed to return to Vienna tho' some difficulties arose thereupon at the instance of the French who suggested that Heemskirk was an Instrument and Spye of the Emperor and a German and not sent as a Mediator from the King of England whose true Minister my Lord Paget was And this colour had like to have cost Heemskirk dear had not my Lord Paget own'd him for a Minister of the King and unridled the Secret of the two Ambassadors In like manner my Lord Paget had leave to go to his House at Pera near Constantinople which is the usual place of the English Ambassadar's residence But as to the French Ambassador he continued still at Adrianople and when the Vizier marched he sent Fontaine his Dragoman or Interpreter with him to attend all the Motions of the Vizier and his Camp. Whilst these things were in Action the news from Asia was unpleasing and administred Matter for serious Consideration at the Ottoman Court where it was reported That the Army of Bassora under their New Arabian Prince did daily increase and that the Pasha of Sivas or Sebasse on the Frontiers of Persia were in Arms and that such was the confusion in those Eastern Countries as obliged the most powerful of the Asiatick Spahees to remain at home on the guard of their own Country and Estates so that the present Ottoman Force was inferiour to that of the preceding year and by reason of the forementioned Changes to which we may farther add that of the Seimen Pasha who was Lieutenant General of the Janisaries and advanced to be Aga or General of the Janisaries in the place of Ismael Pasha Likewise divers Captains who had been Creatures and Favourites of the late General were deprived of their Commands least they should make Desturbances or raise Factions in the Army all which as it diminished and enfeebled their Force so it hindered the early appearance of the Turks in the Field But the Preparations at Sea against the Venetians proceded more briskly than they did at Land for in the Month of May 22 Sail of Gallies and 13 Great Men of War were provided and fitted out of the Arsenal at Constantinople and ordered to sail down to the Castles of the Dardanelli there to join with the Gallies of the Beyes of the Archipelago to which some Ships of the Barbarouses being added they computed that they might form a Fleet of 24 Sail of Men of War besides Gallies Things proceding thus slowly by Land for the Causes before-mention'd the Vizier did not begin his March from Adrianople towards the Christians until the 26th of Iune Old Style designing at first for Belgrade when on a sudden express Orders were given to the Army to change the course of their March and leave the Road to Belgrade and take that for Valachia and through that Country to enter into Transilvania This alteration was the more surprising to the Germans who expected not the Turks on that side because it was not known above a Week or 10 Days
the Rulers of the Nations William III. of England Scotland and Ireland King and the States General whose Ends God crown with Salvation and Righteousness altho' both Parties show'd a Propensity and Inclination to Peace and Reconciliation but considering in so short a time it was not easie to remove all Difficulties and to settle all things Agreeable to Friendship and good Neighbourhood Therefore least the Continuance of these good Treaties should be interrupted but that they should proceed and be brought to an End with this Intent on both sides by mutual Consent the Term of Two Years is Agreed on to begin from the 25th of December Christmas-day A. Heg 1110. within which time this good Treaty may be reduced into Order and by the Grace of the most High God a Peace or Truce may be concluded betwixt the Sublime Empire and the Muscovitish Czareate by which perpetual and ancient Friendship may be Renew'd Therefore within the Term thus prefix'd by unanimous Consent all War Battles and Skirmishes shall cease and all Hostilities shall be remov'd and forbid to the Subjects of the Czar of Muscovy both Muscovites and Cossacks and all others there shall be no Excursion Hostility Damage whether privately or publickly done or committed upon the Musulman Confines subject to the Sublime Empire whether in the Crimea or any other Places or upon the Subjects of this Empire In like manner on the part of the High Empire no Army of what Condition soever especially belonging to the Crimean Cham and all sorts of Tartars or Hords shall make any sort of Excursion nor commit Damage privately or publickly upon the Cities and Towns and Subjects or Dependants upon the Czar And if contrary to this Compact and Agreement which is made betwixt us any either privately or publickly shall raise any Commotion or make Preparation for it or shall commit Hostility or make Incursion or shall be Obstinate or not Obedient let 'em â—e of what â—ide the◠〈◊〉 they shall be Apprehended â—â—prison'd and Punish'd without Mercy Therefore after this method shall this Truce be cultivated and observ'd during the time of it all Conflicts and Hostilities shall be remov'd and extinguish'd and both Parties with full Inclination shall apply themselves to the Conclusion of a Peace and the Crimean Cham shall be included in this Place by reason of the Obedience and Subjection he owes to the Sublime Empire That it may be receiv'd and observ'd on both sides the Plenipotentiary Ambassador and Commissary of the highly foremention'd Czar by Virtue of his Powers and Authority has deliver'd an Authentick Instrument in due Form written in the Muscovite Language We likewise by Virtue of our Powers and Deputation have deliver'd this Authentick Instrument in due Form Subscrib'd with our Hands and Seal'd with our Seals God is favourable to Justice A COPY OF THE Muscovite Treaty WITH THE TURKS IN the Name of the Omnipotent Lord God One in Holy Trinity By whose Grace the most Serene and Potent Lord Czar and Great Duke Peter Alexovic Emperor of the Whole Great and Little Russia of Muscovy Kiovia Wolodimiria Novogardia Czar of Carania Czar of Astrachan Czar of Siberia Lord of Plescovia Great Duke of Smolenscum Lord of Treria Ingoria Permia Viatka Bolgaria and of other Dominions Great Duke of Novogardia of the Lower Country of Csernihovia Resania Rostovia Jarosclavia Belovroria Valoria Obdoria Condinia and Emperor of all the Northern Country and Lord of the Land af Iveria Czar of the Cartalinensians and Grunizensians and Duke of Karbardia of the Csercassians and Mountaneers and many other Dominions and Lands to the East West and North from Father and Ancestors Heir Successor Lord and Commander between his Majesty and the most Mighty Great Lord Sultan Mustapha Han Son of Sultan Mehmet Han Lord of Constantinople of the White Sea the Black Sea of Anatolia Rumia Romania of the most Honour'd Mecca and Medina and Holy Jerusalem of Egypt of the Abyssines of Babylon and Rica and Commander of Damascus Emperor of the Tartarian and Crimean Hords as also of many other Dominions Kingdoms and Cities Islands and Provinces Whereas the War for many years has been the Cause of the Misery of the Subjects and Dependants on both Parties that Friendship and Kindness might be restor'd and by that means the Civil Affairs might become better settled and all things chang'd into a more flourishing Condition with this intent a Congress was had in Sirmium on the Confines of Carlovitz with the most Illustrious and most Excellent the most Select Lord Great Chancellor Reis Mehmet Effendi and the most Select Lord of the Privy Council Mauro Cordato of the Family of Scarlati Plenipotentiary Commissioners and Ambassadors Extraordinary of the highly mention'd Sultan Majesty Deputed with full Powers to Treat of and Settle the Business of a Peace through the Mediation of his most Serene and most Royal Majesty of Great Britain and of the States General of the Netherlands by their most Excellent Plenipotentiaries Ambassadors Extraordinary the Lord William Lord Pagett Baron de Beaudesert c. and Lord Jacob Colyer c. both sides show'd an Inclination to a Peace and Truce but in so short a time it was not easie to remove all Difficulties and put all things into an Order agreeable to Friendship and Good Neighbourhood yet least the Continuance of these Treaties should be Interrupted and that they might be perfected and brought to an end with this Intent by mutual Consent on both sides a Truce betwixt the two great highly mention'd Lords is Agreed on for Two Years to Commence from Christmas-day the 25th day of December Anno Domini 1698. within which Term this Treaty may be reduc'd into good Orâ—er and by the Blessing of God a perpetual â—eace or a Truce for a sufficient Number of years may be Concluded and Antient Friendship restor'd betwixt his Czarish Muscovite Majesty and Turkish Sultan Majesty Therefore within this prefix'd time all War Battles Fights and Skirmishes shall Cease and on both sides all Hostilities shall be remov'd and extinguish'd nor shall any Incursion or Hostility be done or any Damage committed either privately or publickly by the Subjects of his Czarish Majesty whether Muscovites or Cossacks or others within the Mussulman or Crimean Confines or within any other of his Sultan Majesty's Dominions or on any of his Subjects In like manner on the part of his Sultan Majesty no sort of Troops of what Condition soever shall be brought against his Czarish Majesty especially the Crimean Cham and the Tartars of what Nation or Hord soever shall be oblig'd not to make any Incursions or do any Damage publickly or privately either in the Cities Towns or Territories Subject to his Czarish Majesty And if contrary to this Constitution and Agreement made betwixt us any privately or publickly should raise any Commotion or make Preparation for it or make Incursion or Commit Hostility such obstinate and disobedient Persons of what side soever they are shall be
Aegypt to Damasco Galilee spoiled and the Castle of Burie taken by the Turks Berâ—â—us in vain besieged by the Turks Saladin invading Mesopotamia is himself invaded by the King of Jerusalem Aleppo betrayed unto the Turks Petra in vain besieged by the Turks 〈◊〉 in the Court of Jerusalem King Baldwin sendeth Embassadors unto the Châ—istian Princes of the West for Aid Guy the Ninth and last King of Jerusalem Saladin upon the discord of the Christians taketh occasion to invade the Holy Land. Ptoâ—omais besâ—eged by Saladin Guy King of Jerusalem taken prisoner Jerusalem besieged Jerusalem taken by Saladin The death of Raymund the traiterous Count oâ— Tripolis The famous City of Antioch betrayed unto â—he Turks Frederick the Emperor seteth forward towards the Holy Land. Frederick the Emperors Son chosen General of the Christian Army A great battel betwixt the Turks and the Christians Ptolemais assaulted by the Christians An old grâ—dge betwixt Philip the French King and Richard King of England King Richard revengeth the injury done to his people by the Cipriots King Richard arriveth at Ptolemais The French King sweareth to King Richard in his absence not to invadâ— his Territoriâ—s in France King Richard marcheth with his Army towards Jerusalem A notable Battel fought betwixt King Richard and Saladin King Richard purposing to have besieged Jerusalem is by the backwardness of the French inforced to retire King Richard glad upon hard comnditions to conclude a peace with Saladin King Richard returning out of the Holy Land taken Pâ—isoner by Leopold Duke of Austria The Turks overthrown bâ— the Christians Joppa repaired by the Christians The German Princes return home Kingdoms after the manner of other things have but their time to flourish in and so again decay The Turks driven out of Persia by the Tartars The beginning of the Aladinian Kingdom in the lesser Asia at Sebastia and Iconium Alâ—xâ—us the young Prince craveth aid of Philip the Emperor and the Latine Princes against his Uncle the Usuâ—per Great preparations made by the Christians for an Expedition into the Holy Land. Alexius cometh unto the Army A great Fleet of the Latines before Constantinople The Latines by force enter the Haven of Constanâ—â—â—nople A hot skirmish betwixt the Greeks and the Latines at their landing Isaac the old Emperor taken out of prison and again saluted Emperor together with young Alexius his son Alexius seekâ—th to bring the Latines again into the City The Constantinopolitans again in an uproar Murzufle attempteth to burn the Venetian Fleet. Murzufle encourageth his Souldiers Constantinople hardly besieged Constantinople set on fire Nicetas Choâ—laâ—es annalium â—ol 180. The Greek Empire divided amongst the Latines The beginning of the Empire of Trapezond by the Comneni Hadrianople besieged by the Emperor Baldwin Henry second Emperor of the Latines in Constantinople Antioch besieged by Jathatines Jathatines the Sultan slain by Theodorus Lascarâ—s the Greek Emperor John Brenne by Innocentius the Pope appointed King of Jerusalem Corradiâ— and Meledin divide their Fathers Kingdom betwixt them The situation of Damiata in Egypt A desperate act of a Christian. Damiata in vain assaulted A fair Offer evilly refused Succours sent unto the besieged Damiata without resistance taken by the Christians Damiata unpeopled by the Plague Pelagius the Legate perswadet the Princes of the Christian Army to proceed for the conquest of Egypt The Christians entrapped within thé Sluces of the River Nile The misery of the Christians in the drowned Land. The death of Henry Emperor of Constantinople Peter Emperor Robert Emperor of Constantinople An horrible outrage committed upon the person of an Empress Baldwin the last Emperor of the Latines in Constantinople John Batazes made Emperor of the Greeks in Asia Plenty ensuing of peace An Imperial Crown bought with Egg-money 1227 1228 Frederick the Eâ—peror Crowned King of Jerusalem The unfortunate Expedition of the King of Navar into the Holy Land. The Christians by perswasion of the Templars break their league with the Turks Jerusalem taken and rased by the Turks King Lewis setteth forward toward the Holy Land. The Citizens of Damiata set fire upon the City and ran away by the light A fair Offer â—ondly refused Earl Robert in flâ—ing drowned The Earl of Salisbury valiantly fighting slain The Governour of Caire apprehended The beginning of the Mamalukes and their Kingdom The ruine of the Turks Kingdom in Egypt The Emperor in love with Marcesina Marcesina the Emperors Concubine shut out of the Church Theodorus Lascaris chosen Emperor The death of Theodorus the Greek Emperor Enâ—y in Court. Muzalo traiterâ—usly murdred in the Church Michael Paleologus aspireth Michael Paleologus crowned Emperor by Arsenius the Patriarch Haalon the Tartar sent with a great Army against the Turks Aleppo rased by the Tartars Damasco won The Egyptian Sultan invaded Syria Antâ—och taken from the Christians Paleologus the Greek Emperor taketh possession of the City of Constantinople Paleologus jealous of his State. Paleologus causeth the young Emperors Eyes to be put out Jathatines died in Exile Carthage besieged by King Lewis Carthage won The Christian Princes returing from Tunes suffer shipwrack upon the coast of Sicilia Prince Edward arrived at Ptolemais Prince Edward wounded Rodulph the Emperor taketh upon him the Cross. Henry the Prince taken prisoner and sent to Caire Tripolis won and rased by Elpis the Egyptian Sultan Sidon and Berythus rased Tyre yielded The miserable â—state of a City abouâ— to perish Ptolemais besieged Ptolemais in vain assaulted by the Sultan Cassanâ—s the Emperor invadeth Syriâ— Jerusalem taken and repaired by Cassanes The description of Cassanes The City of Jerusalem with all Syria again recovered by the Egyptian Sultan The death of Mesoot and Cei-cubades The Turks Kingdom rent in sunder by themselves The Turks Anarchie Caramaâ—ia Saruchania Carasia Aidinia Bolli Mendesia Othoman none of the Selzuccian Family All worldly things subject to change The greatest Kingdoms have in time taken end and so come to nought Solyman Sultan of Machan forsaketh his Kingdom for fear of the Tartaâ—s Romania Asiatâ—ca The Sons of Solyman and their first adventures The Christians of Cara-Chisar fall out with the Turks Small things in time of trouble yield unto the Wise great content Othoman amorous of Malhatuâ— a Country Maid A folly common unto Lovers No friendship in love Othoman besieged and in danger for his Love. The Oguzian Turks in doubt of whom to make choice for their Governor The Castle of Chaâ—ce surpâ—â—sed by Othoman The Christians complain of the wrong done unto them by the Turks Othoman consulteth with his Brother Jundus what course to take for the oppressing of tâ—e Christians his Nâ—ighbours Othoman sâ—ttâ—th in order his little Commonweal Michâ—eâ— Cossi â—nviâ—eth Othomâ—n 〈◊〉 the marriage of his Daughter The Captain of Bilezuga treacherously seeking the death of Othoman is by him himself slain Othoman by administration of justice strengtheneth his government The City of Nice besieged by Othoman Neapolis the first Regal City of the Othoman Kings
Michael The Turks forced to retire The Christian Fleet driven by Tempâ—st to the Island Aegusa The Christian Fleet cometh to Gaulos A fugitive discovereth the enemies purposes to the Great Master The Vice-Roy arriveth at Malta and landeth his Forces The Turks forsake the Siege The Turks overthrown by the Christians fly to their Gallies The Turks depart from Malta The carefulness of the Great Master The Great Masters Letters to the Grand Prior of Almaine concerning the manner of the Turks proceedings in the Siege of Malta The Island of Chios taken by the Turks The Turks surpâ—ise Towns in Hungary Great troubles in Hungary The good success of the Emperors Captains A great Prey The Turks with much labour make a Bridge over the great Rivâ—r of Dravus The Turks â—ncamp bâ—fore Sigeth Count Serinus his comfortable and resolute speech to his Souldiers Solyman cometh into the Camp at Sigeth The defendants burn the new Town The Turks win the old Town Solyman dieth of the bloody Flux Muhamet Bassa concealeth the death of Solyman The great Bulwark undermined and set on fire by the Ianizaries The little Castle set on fire The last speech of Count Serinus to his Souldiers Serinâ—â—s slain Serinus his Head sent to Count Salma The Bassaes quipping Letter to Count Salma Nicholaus Keretschen corrupted for mony betrayeth Gyula to the Turks A Traitor well rewarded The Governor of Alba Regalâ—â— taken The Turks sharp answer to thâ— Spaniard The Turks Army returneth with the Body of Solyman to Belgrade Selymus saluted Emperor of the Turks in the year 1566. Solymaâ— buried Troubles in Hungary The Bassa of Buda desirous to farther the Peace Maximiâ—â—an and Selymus both desâ—rous of Peace Maximilian the Emperor sendeth Embassadors to Selymus The Embassadors come to Buda Presents given by the Emperors Embassadors unto the Bassa of Buda The Emperors Embassadors honourably received by the Turks at Constantinople Prâ—sents given by the Emperors Embassadors to the great Bassaes Presents send unto Selymus by the Emperor The Emperors Embassadors honourably conducted by the Tâ—rks unto the Court. The first Gate of the Great Turks Palace The second Gatâ— A homely Fâ—ast given to the Embassadors Followers in the Turks Court. The third Gate The Embassadors brought in unto Selymus with the manner of the Entertainment of them and their Followers Iâ—â—nerario Di. Marc. Antonio Pigafetta ca. 5. The principal Point whereupon the Embassadors differed from the Turks in the Treaty of Peace The â—hief Capitulations whereon a Peace was concluded betwixt Maximilian the Emperor and Selymus Embassadors sent from Tamas the Persian King to Selymus * Schach â—uli Soltâ—â— was not the proper name of this Embassador but a Title of Honour and signifieth as much as a Prince Servant to the King. * Sayms are Souldiers of greater honour than the Spahi having for their Stipend yearly 2000 Aspers at the least out of the Revâ—nues of â—certain Towns and Villages * A Mescali is four drams †Tumenlich is in value as much as the Turks Aspâ—r * December The Persian Embassador honourably entertained by the Turks at Hadrianople The Persian Embassador in going to visit Muhamet the Visier Bassa in danger to have been slain The rich Present sent by the Persian King unto Selymus The Embassadors Present to Selymus An honourable allowance Muhamet Bassa disswadeth Selymus from the invading of Cyprus Selymus sendeth Cubates his Embassador to Venice Hard to trust upon Confederations The Turks Embâ—ssador homely â—ntertained at Venice Cubateâ— the Turks Embassadors spâ—ech in the Senate at Venice The effect of Selymus his Letters to the Venetians The answer of the Venetians to the Turks Demands The Turkâ— Embassador sent away in secret from Venice The resolution of the Senate for War diversly liked and disliked of others The Emperor the French King and the King of Polonia entangled with their Leagues refused to aid the Venetians against the Turks What Christian Princes promised to aid the Venetians The description of Cyprus King Richard in England How the Kingdom of Cyprus came to the Venetians Sabellic Eâ—nead 10. lib. 8. Selymus invadeth the Venetians Pial Bassa sent against the Venetians Mustapha Bassa his Letters unto the Venetians Mustapha Bassa goeth for Cyprus The Turke Fleet descried in Cyprus The Turks land in Cyprus Mustapha Bassa marcheth towards Nicosia Nicholaus Dandulus Governour of Nicosia The desâ—ription of Nicosia The Turks before Nicosia Nicosia battered and assaulted and by the Christians valiantly defended The Venetian Fleet of an hundred and seventeen Sail at Corcyra The Christian Fleet setteth forward toward Cyprus The Christians sally out of the City upon the Turks Scouts sent out of the City taken by the Turks and executed Letters shot into the City Mustapha Bassa in vain perswadeth them of Nicosia to yield Mustapha encourageth his Souldiers Nicosia most terribly assaulted by the Turks The Turks gain the Bulwarks and Walls of Nicosia Nicosia taken by the Turks A great slaughter Cyrene yielded unto the Turks Famagusta besieged Mustapha raiseth his Siege The Turks at Sea advertised of the coming of the Christian Fleet prepare themselves for Battel The Commanders of the Christian Fleet of divers opinions for giving of the Turks Battel The Christian Fleet returneth upon the foul disagreement of the Commanders Zanlus the Venetian Admiral discharged of his Office and sent in bonds to Venice A desperate Fact of a Woman The strong Castle of Chymera taken by Venerius Quirinus taketh a Castle of the Turks in Peloponnesus Quirinus a valiant Gentleman Negligence severely punished by Selymus Muhamet Bassa a secret friend unto the Venetians puts them in hope of Peace The Venetians send an Embassador to Selymus to entreat with him of Peace Ragazonâ—us the Vâ—netian Embassador cometh to Constantinople The conference betwixt Mohamet the great Bassa and Ragazonius The Pope and the King of Spain fâ—aring lest the Venetians should make Peace with the Turk hasten the confederation The Venetians resolve to accept of the League with the Pope and the King. A perpetual League concluded betwixt the Pope the King of Spain and the Venetians Tâ—e proportioning of the charge of the Wars against the Turk and the other Capâ—tulations of the League The League proclaimed The Venâ—tians the more to trouble the Turk seek to stir up Tamas the Persian King to take up Arms against him Alexander the Venetian Embassador hath audience with the Persian King. The answer of Tamas the Persian King unto the Venetian Embassador Mustapha Bassa â—etuâ—neth to the Siege oâ— Famagusta The descripâ—ion of Famagusta The number of the Defendants of Famagusta Famagusta assaulted and notably defended by the Christians Famagusta again assaulted by the Turks Bragadinus encourageth the defendants Balâ—onius a valiant Captain The Turks sâ—â—k to undermine â—he City The breaches notably defended They of Famagusta blow up one of their own battered Bulwarks with six hundred Turks thereon Famagusta hardly assaulted The Citisens of Famagusta request the Governor in time to yield up the City A
the Soveraignty of so great an Empire howsoever it was got caused the young Princes Eyes to be most cruelly put out the usual practise of the Tyrants of the East upon such as they are loath or fear to kill and yet would make them unfit for Government Of which barbarous cruelty his Sister Theodora married to Constantinus Prince of Bulgaria hearing ceased not with tears and prayers and all other womanly perswasions to stir up her Husband in revenge thereof whereunto also Iathatines the Turks Sultan gave no small furtherance who weary of Exile and to be so in a corner confined as into a Prison from whence he might not start by secret Messengers intreated the Bulgarian Prince to make War upon the usurping Emperor promising him a great summ of Mony if by his help he might recover his former Liberty Wherewith he the rather moved with a great power of his own and above twenty thousand Tartars which then lay by the River Isther suddenly brake into the Emperors Territories and in shorter time than was to have been thought overran all the Country of Thracia even unto the Sea side leaving neither man nor beast in all that Country as he went in good hope also to have by the way surprised the Emperor himself even then returning from his Wars against the Despot in Thessaly who hearing of his speedy coming being got unto the Sea side and having no way left to have escaped by Land shipped himself into a Gally of the Latines which with another her consort bound for Constantinople by good hap put in there for to water and so in two days arrived safe at the Imperial City Thus disappointed of the Emperor all his care was for the delivery of the Turks Sultan Wherefore marching in hast to Aenum he so terrified the Citizens with his coming that they without farther delay delivered him into his hands so to redeem their own Peace In his return you might have seen the Souldiers especially the Tartars driving before them infinite numbers both of Men and Cattel in such sort as that in the open Country of Thracia for a space was hardly to be seen either Countryman or Beast it was so clean swept both of Inhabitants and likewise of Cattel Iathatines the Sultan by the Tartars carried over Ister and so by them set at liberty shortly after died In whose Kingdom succeeded not his Son Melicke as some write but two others as the Turks themselves report the one called Mesoot the Son of Kei-Cubades and the other Kei-Cubades the Son of Ferameine born also of the Selzucâ—ian Family as were all the other Turks Sultans but how near of blood unto the late Sultan Iathatines they say not Betwixt which two as his Vassals Gaza the great Tartar Cham by whom they were so preferred for the payment of a yearly Tribute divided the Turks Kingdom apportioning unto Mesoot the Cities of Amida in antient time called Amisus and Aminsus in Galatia Melatia otherwise called Melesine in the lesser Armenia Sivaste in antient time Sebastia and Harbarie before Satabrea both in Cappadocia with all the Country about them And unto Kei-Cubades Iconium the antient seat of the Turkish Sultans with all Rumilia Asiatica or the Countries of the lesser Asia alongst the Sea-coast which these two Princes held as the Tartars Tributaries as had the late Sultan Iathatines before them until such time as he was by the same Tartars again expulsed So that the Turks Kingdom which had of long time flourished in the Selzuccian Family in Persia in Syria Palestine and Egypt there quite overthrown by the Mamalukes and Tartars as is before declared and now brought underfoot in the lesser Asia also where only rested all the hope of that Nation was now at a low Ebb divided betwixt two weak Princes reigning but at the devotion of the Tartar. In which confusion of the Turkish Empire so rent not only divers men of greater Power and Authority amongst them shared unto themselves some one corner of the declining Kingdom and some another but many of the obscure and basest People also bearing with them nothing but their Bows and Arrows took the straight passages of the Mountains and from thence with their dayly Incursions did much harm in the Countries of the Christians joyning upon them which was no great matter for them to do the Garrisons which were wont to defend the same being for want of pay quite disbanded and the Castles upon the Frontiers by them abandoned which at the first as a thing of small importance neglected was at length unto the Greeks a great cause of the ruin and decay of the greatest part of their estate in Asia These mischiefs unregarded grew dayly more and more the Turks still gaining upon the Greeks what they lost unto the Tartars Whose invasions the Glory of their Kingdom only excepted was not so hurtful unto them as the cause of their much greater felicity afterwards At length it fortuned that a great power of these adventurous Turks meeting together in Paphlagonia were about to have invaded the Territories of the Christians against whom Michael Paleologus the Emperor sent out a strong and puissant Army to stay their further coming on lest breaking in that way they should without resistance at their pleasure forrage the Country before them Which Army conducted by unskilful Captains encountring with the Turks was by them in a great Battel overthrown and utterly defeated few or none of all that great multitude escaping for whilst the Greeks unadvisedly pursued the Turks retiring of purpose before them they were by them drawn into the danger of a greater Power lying in ambush for them and so entraped were slain with an exceeding great Slaughter After which so great a Victory the beginning of the misery of the Christians in the lesser Asia the Turks without let or stay overran all the Country unto the River Sangarius upon the Banks whereof the Greek Emperor was glad to fortifie divers Towns and Forts to keep them out of Bithynia Nevertheless they in short time after subdued all the Countries from Poâ—ntus and Galatia unto the Lycian and Carian Sea and the River Eurymedon which they divided amongst them into divers Toparchies little or nothing acknowledging the Soveraignty either of Mesoot or Kei-Cubades Whilst the Turks in the lesser Asia thus win from the Christians on the one side and lose to the Tartars on the other many an hard conflict in the mean time passed betwixt the Egyptian Sultans with their Mamalukes and the Tartars for the Soveraignty of Syria The poor remainder of the Christians all that while there in doubt both of the one and of the other from whom and from the Armenians then also much infested with the Mamalukes divers Embassadors were sent unto the Pope and the Christian Princes of the West to crave their aid and help in that their hard Estate whose prayers little prevailing with the rest yet so moved Lewis the French King
and Henry the Third then reigning in England that they both promised them aid Whereupon Lewis a man of a great devotion and always forward in that service against the Infidels took upon him the Cross the cognisance of the sacred War causing his three Sons Philip that succeeded him in the Kingdom sirnamed the Fair Peter Count of Alangon and Iohn Count of Nevers sirnamed Tristan for that his Mother was in her greatest heaviness for the taking of her Husband delivered of him in Egypt and most of the Nobility of France to do the like unto whom also Theobald King of Navar his Son-in-Law Alphonsus his Brother and Guydo Earl of Flanders joyned themselves And so having put all things in readiness took his way to Marselleis and from thence embarking himself with his Army in the Genoway Ships hired for that purpose set forward the first of March in the year 1270. But being at Sea he was by force of Weather constrained to land in Sardinia year 1270. and there to stay a while departing thence he at length arrived at Carthage the place by him desired where in the entrance of the Haven he surprised certain of the Enemies Ships but landing his men and assaulting the Town he was there notably repulsed This is not that antient great and famous City which sometime mightily strove with the proud Mistress of the World for Soveraignty but another built long after in the ruins or at least not far from the ruins of the same In the besieging whereof the Frenchmen found such resistance as well put them in remembrance of the antient glory of the Carthaginians One day it fortuned as the King thus lay at the Siege that the Defendants made a great and fierce Sally out upon the Frenchmen who before commanded so to do by little and little retired to draw their Enemies further on betwixt whom and the City the Constable with a great power coming in and charging them behind and they which before retired now standing close unto them they were on both sides hardly beset who for all that as became valiant men worthily defended themselves and made there a great fight though not without extreme peril which they in the City beholding gave out a most hideous and piteous cry a certain sign of their hard estate within astonying with the suddenness thereof both their Friends and Enemies But whilst they of the Town betwixt hope and despair stood thus beholding the fight at Land the Frenchmen by Sea approaching a Bulwark on that side of the Town took it without resistance which so dismaied them without that they began forthwith to flie of whom the greatest part casting away their Weapons were by the Kings commandment taken to mercy and they likewise of the Town upon promise of their lives yielded the same unto the King. Carthage thus won the King laid Siege to Tunes the chief City of that Kingdom being not far off where by the way he was encountred by the King of the Countrey who having there lost ten thousand of his Moors betook himself to flight with the rest Who thus overthrown resolved no more to tempt Fortune but to keep himself safe within the Walls of the City if happily so he might as it oftentimes falleth out more weaken his Enemies by lying still and protracting the time than by open Force and Valour Which their purpose King Lewis perceiving resolved not to stir from thence until that he were become Master of the City which as it seemed could not hold out for want of Victuals considering the multitude of People that were got into it Nevertheless thus besieged both by Sea and Land and so straightly hemmed in on every side as that no relief could possibly be brought unto it yet held it out by the space of six Months After which time Wants daily more and more increasing amongst the besieged Embassadors were sent out to the King to intreat with him of peace But whilst these Embassadors go to and fro and reason upon the capitulations of the desired peace behold a great and furious Plague arose in the French Camp which began to cut them down by heaps there dyed Iohn Tristan Count of Nevers the Kings youngest Son born in the first expedition that the said King his Father made into the Holy Land even at such time as he was taken Prisoner which Tristan died the five and twentieth day of August in the year of our Lord 1270. The good King having yet scarcely performed the Obsequies of his Son fell sick of the bloody Flix whereof he there shortly after died also About which time arrived there Charles King of Sicily the French Kings Brother with a great number of fresh Souldiers whose coming lightned somewhat the Frenchmens hearts heavy for the death of their King and daunted the Moors before brag of the same Shortly after whom arrived there also Prince Edward King Henry the Third his Eldest Son who travelling through France and taking shipping at Aquesmort not far from Marseilles was now in ten days with a brave Company of Englishmen come to Tunes and thereof the other Christian Princes namely of Philip the French King his Father Lewis being now dead of Charles King of Sicily and of the two Kings of Navar and Aragon joyfully received But these Princes had a little before his arrival concluded a Peace with the Moors King and the Infidels upon condition that he should pay a yearly Tribute of forty thousand Crowns unto the King of Sicilia and to suffer the Christian Religion to be freely preached in his Dominions by such devout persons as should be there left for that purpose and that unto such as should by their preaching be converted unto the Faith in Christ Jesus it should be lawful for them to be baptized and to profess the Christian Religion Of which Peace Prince Edward understanding did what he might to have disswaded them from the same saying that the War was by them all taken in hand against the Infidels as Enemies to the Cross of Christ with whom they were not to have Peace and for the recovery of the Holy City But say what he would and do what he could the Peace to his great discontentment was now concluded which they might not as they said again break and thereupon with the first fair Wind hoised sail and returned towards Sicilia with purpose the next Spring to have gone into Syria which their determination was shortly after by the hand of God disappointed For being come upon the Coast of the Island not far from Drepanum most of the great Princes and other Nobility in their long Boats went on Land the rest of the Fleet lying at Anker about a League off for that being for the most part Ships of great burthen they were not able to put into the Harbor But as they so lay by force of a sudden and violent Tempest then arising some were eaten up with the rough Sea some falling foul one on