by Nature and Art being compassed about with a double Wall the uttermost whereof was of hard stone and the other of brick with 460 Towers in the same and an impregnable Castle at the East end thereof whereunto was joyning a deep Lake coming out of the great River which watered the South side of the City Round about this strong City one of the most assured Refuges of the Turks although it were in circuit great lay the Christian Princes encamped except on that side which being defended with the high broken Mountains is not there to be besieged Upon whom the Turks out of the City during the time of the siege made many a fierce and desperate sally being still by the Christians most valiantly repulsed especially at the bridge which the Christians had made of Boats for their commodious passage too and fro over the River In this sort was the siege continued until the beginning of February with many a bloody Skirmish At which time such abundance of Rain fell as that hardly could a man find any place to lie dry in and the scarcity of Victual grew so great in the Camp that many horrible it is to say to asswage their hunger were glad to eat the dead bodies of their slain Enemies In these extremities many died of hunger and cold yea their horses also perished for want of meat so that in the whole Camp were scarcely left two thousand horses fit for Service the rest being either all dead or brought so low as that they were altogether unserviceable These miseries daily increasing divers men of great account whom no terrour of the Enemy could have dismaid began secretlâ— to withdraw themselves out of the Camp with purpose to have stoln home among whom were Peter the Hermit Author of this War and Tancred the Nephew of Bohemund who taken by the way and brought back with the rest as Fugitives were sharply reprehended by Hugh the French Kings Brother as Cowards and Traytors to their Brethren and fellow Souldiers and so inforced to take a new Oath for their Fidelity and Perseverance Bohemund in the mean time going to Arthusia a Town not far off by good Fortune cut off a great part of the Turks there in Garrison who after their usual manner sallying out to have cut off the Forragers of the Christians were now themselves caught tardy whereby the Country for a time was more open for the distressed Christian Souldiers to seek abroad for relief But this liberty so lately gained lasted not long when news was brought unto the Camp That the Turks in great number out of the Provinces about Aleppo and Damasco were coming unto the relief of their besieged Friends in Antioch Nevertheless the Christians trusting to their own strength and the strength of the place wherein they were incamped lay still and at their coming so incountred them that they slew 2000 of them and put the rest to flight In which conflict the Christians got great store of Provision and Victuals which the Turks had thought to have put into the City The heads of the slain Turks the Christians set upon stakes before the City to the more terrour of the Defendants This overthrow of the Turks wherein Cassianus had lost his eldest son with others of his best Captains so daunted the besieged that they requested a Truce for a time of the Christian Princes which granted they of the City came oftentimes into the Camp and they of the Camp likewise into the City Cassianus still expecting relief from the Persian Sultan Whilst the Christians Princes were thus busie in Asia the Venetians with a great Fleet of two hundred Gallies scouring the Seas under the conduct of Henry Contarenus the Bishop and of Vitalis the Dukes son meeting with the Gallies of Pisa at the Rhodes and falling out with them had with them a great fight wherein the Venetians having the upper hand took eighteen of their Gallies and in them five thousand Souldiers whom they seeing to be marked with the red cross the cognisance of the sacred War they presently set at liberty together with the Gallies detaining only thirty of the better sort as Hostages After that the Venetians sailing into Ionia took the City of Smyrna and spoiled all along the coasts of Lycia Pamphilia and Cilicia before for fear abandoned by the Turks The Truce before taken between the Turks and the Christians at the siege of Antioch being in short time after broken by the death of one Vollo a French-man slain by the Turks the War was again begun and the City more hardly laid unto than before At which time the Governor who in the time of this long siege which had now continued nine months had lost most part of his best Souldiers was glad for the defence of so great a City to use the Service of divers Christians then dwelling in the City Among whom was one Pyrrhus a Citizen of great Reputation unto whom he had committed the guarding of a Tower called the two Sisters but afterward St. Georges Tower. This Pyrrhus had secret Intelligence with Bohemund Prince of Tarentum with whom he agreed to give him there entrance into the City upon condition that he should of the other Christian Princes procure the Government of the City to himself and tâ—at he with the rest of the Christian Citizens in the City might be at his hands well used which thing being easily obtained all things agreed upon Bohemund with his Souldiers were by night by Pyrrhus let into the City who made way for the rest of the Army to enter The City thus taken many of the Turks fled into the Castle the rest were put to the Sword Man Woman and Child and among them also many of the Christians the furious Souldiers taking of them no knowledge Great wealth was there found but small store of Victuals Cassianus the late Governor flying out of the City to save himself in wandring through the Mountains fell into the hands of the Christian Armenians who lately thrust out of Ierusalem were fled thither for Refuge by whom he was there slain In the City were slain about ten thousand persons Thus was the famous City of Antioch which the Turks had long before by Famine taken from the Christians again recovered the third day of Iune in the year of our Lord God 1098. The poor oppressed Christians in Ierusalem hearing of this so notable a Victory year 1098. gave secret Thanks unto God therefore and began to lift up their heads in hope that their Delivery was now at hand Of this Victory the Princes of the Army by speedy Messengers and Letters certified their Friends in all Countries so that in short time the fame thereof had filled a great part of the World. Among others Bohemund Prince of Tarentum unto whom the City was delivered sent the joyful News thereof unto Roger his Brother Prince of Apulia whose Letters as the most certain Witnesses of the History before reported I thought it
the worse and so glad to fly after whom the fierce Enemy hardly followed not without great slaughter In which flight the King himself hardly escaped with Arnolphus the Patriarch Whilst Baldwin was thus busied abroad the Turks and Sarasins from Ascalon came and besieged Ierusalem being then but weakly manned but hearing of the Kings coming and that the Army of the Christians daily increased with new Supplies out of the West by Sea they retired home again having burnt certain store-houses full of Corn and spoiled such things as were subject to their fury Long it were to recount all the hard Conflicts and Combats this King had with the Sarasins and Turks which for brevity I pass over contented to have briefly touched the greatest In the last year of his Reign having for certain years before lived in some reasonable Peace he made an Expedition into Aegypt where he with much difficulty won Pharamia a strong City upon the Sea-coast which he joyned unto his own Kingdom After that he went to the Mouth of the River Nilus and with great admiration learned the nature of that strange River and having therein taken abundance of Fish returned into the City and there with the same feasted himself with his Friends But after dinner he began to feel the grief of his old Wound and growing thereof sicker and sicker returned with his Army toward Ierusalem where by the way near unto a City called Laris he died to the great grief of all the Christians in the year 1118. year 1118. His dead body being brought back unto Ierusalem was there Royally buried near unto his Brother Godfrey after he had reigned eighteen years whose Sepulchre is yet there also to be seen fast by the Sepulchre of his Brother The late King thus dead and buried the Christians with one consent made choice of his Cousin Baldwin sirnamed Brugensis Governor of Edessa who by the name of Baldwin the Second was the second of April year 1118. in the year 1118 solemnly Crowned King of Ierusalem He was of stature tall and well proportioned of countenance comely and gracious having his Hair thin and yellow his Beard mingled with some gray hairs hanging down to his breast his colour fresh and lively for one of his years He was a man of great courage and therefore no less redoubted of his Enemies than beloved of his Subjects who had in him reposed great hope both for the defence and inlarging of that new gained Kingdom Against him the same Summer the Chaliph of Aegypt aided by the King of Damasco and the Turks in revenge of the loss he had in the Expedition the year before received raised a great Power to invade him both by Sea and Land. Against whom Baldwin also opposed himself with his whole strength and so came and incamped within the sight of his Enemies In which sort when both Armies had lien the one facing the other by the space of three months they both rose the Christians fearing the multitude of the Turks and the Turks the valour of the Christians and so retired without any notable thing doing This year died Alexius the Greek Emperor who even from the beginning of this Sacred War secretly repined at the good success of the Christians in Syria although his Empire were thereby greatly inlarged after whom succeeded Calo Ioannes his Son who all the time of his Reign right worthily defended his Territories in the lesser Asia against the invasion of the Turks Not long after Gazi one of the greatest Princes of the Turks in the lesser Asia with the King of Damasco and Debeis King of Arabia joyning their Forces together with a great Army invading the Country about Antioch came and incamped not far from Aleppo against whom Roger Prince of Antioch not expecting the coming of Baldwin and the other Christian Princes his Confederates but presuming of his own strength went forth with greater courage than discretion whereunto his Success was answerable for incountring with them at too much odds he was by them in a great battel overthrown wherein himself was slain with most part of his Army Of which so great a slaughter the place wherein this battel was fought was afterward called The field of blood But whilst the Turks after so great a Victory caresly and at pleasure roam up and down the Country Baldwin setting upon them overthrew them with a great slaughter and so put them to flight After this Victory gained by the Christians the fourteenth of August in the year 1120. King Baldwin in great Triumph entred into Antioch and so joyned that Principality unto his own Kingdom The year following the Turks with another Army invaded the same Country again for repressing of whom whilst Baldwin and the other Christian Princes were making their Preparations it fortuned that Gazi their great Commander suddenly died of an Apoplexy upon whose death they retired without any further harm doing Nevertheless the next Spring the King of Damasco aided by the Arabians entred again with a great Power into the Country about Antioch and there did some harm for the Antiochians now destitute of their own Prince and Baldwin who had taken upon him their Protection being far off and otherwise busied at Ierusalem were much more subject unto the inrodes of their Enemies still at hand than before when they had a Prince of their own still present amongst them But Baldwin advertised thereof was making toward them with a most puissant Army sooner than they had thought it could have been possible Of whose approach the Turks understanding retired again out of the Country after whom the King thinking it not good to make further pursuit turned a little out of the way and took Garaze one of the strongest Castles of the Kings of Damasco built but a year before which because it was not without great charge and danger to be holden he rased down to the ground Baldwin notwithstanding that he had many times thus honourably repulsed his Enemies wisely considering how he was on the one side beset with the Turks and on the other side with the Sarasins which yet reigned in Aegypt the Kingdom of Ierusalem lying as it were in the mouth of them both thought it good betime to crave aid of the Christian Princes of Europe and to that purpose had sent his Embassadors unto divers of them but especially unto the Venetians whom of all others he thought fittest at his need to yield him relief by Sea. It fortuned in the mean time that Balac the Persian Sultan with a great Army of the Turks invaded the Country about Antioch whereof Baldwin understanding although he certainly knew he should ere long receive Aid from the other Christian Princes his Friends but especially from the Venetians and might therefore with great reason have protracted the War until their coming yet being therewith much moved or else his destiny so requiring raised such Forces as he had of his own and without longer staying for his Friends with
threaten all at one instant Tamerlane had patience all this while to see the event of this so mortal a Fight but perceiving his men at length to give ground he sent ten thousand of his Horse to join again with the ten thousand appointed for the Rereward and commanded them to assist him at such time as he should have need of them and at the very same time charged himself and made them to give him room causing the Footmen to charge also over whom the Prince of Thanais commanded who gave a furious onset upon the Battalion of the Ianizaries wherein was yet the Person of Bajazet who had sustained a great burden Now Bajazet had in his Army a great number of Mercenary Tartars called Destenses with many thousands of other Souldiers taken up in the Countries of the poor exiled Mahometan Princes in whose just quarrel and the Greek Emperors Tamerlane had chiefly undertaken that War these Tartarians and other Souldiers seeing some their Friends and othersome their natural and loving Princes in the Army of Tamerlane stricken with the terror of Disloialty and abhorring the Cruelty of the proud Tyrant in the heat of the Battel revolted from Bajazet to their own Princes which their revolt much weakned Bajazets Forces Who nevertheless with his own men of War especially the Ianizaries and the help of the Christian Souldiers brought to his aid from Servia and other places of Europe with great Courage maintained the Fight but the Multitude and not true Valour prevailed for as much as might be done by valiant and couragious men was by the Ianizaries and the rest performed both for the preservation of the Person of their Prince and the gaining of the Victory But in the end the Horsemen with whom Tamerlane himself was giving a fresh Charge and his Avantgard wholly knit again unto him reinforcing the Charge he with much ado obtained the Victory Bajazet himself wounded and now mounted on Horseback thinking to have escaped by Flight fell into the hands of 〈◊〉 unto whom he yielded himself thinking it had been Tamerlane who for a space knew him not but took him for some other great Commander of the Turks Musa sirnamed Zelebi or the Noble one of Bajazet his Sons with divers others of Bajazet his great Captains were there taken also and amongst the rest George the Despot of Servia who notwithstanding this misfortune had that day gained unto himself the reputation of a great and worthy Captain insomuch that Tamerlane even in the very heat of the Battel marvelling to see him and the Servians with the other Christians which he had brought to the aid of Bajazet so valiantly to â—ight said unto some of the Captains that were near unto him See how couragiously yonder Religious sight supposing them by their strange Attire to have been some of the Turks superstitious Votaries But being now taken and afterwards brought to Tamerlane he was by him courteously welcomed but yet withal reproved for that he had fought for Bajazet against him who was come in favour of the Christian Emperor and the other poor oppressed Princes such as the Despot himself was Who thereunto boldly answered That indeed it was not according to his duty but according to the prosperity of Bajazet unto whom it seemed that all the World did bend and that his own safety had caused him though against his Will to take part with him Whereupon Tamerlane held him excused and so without more ado gave him leave at his own pleasure to depart Bajazet also himself being afterwards brought unto Tamerlane as a Prisoner and by him courteously entertained never shewed any token of Submission at all but according to his proud Nature without respect of his present state presumptuously answered him unto whatsoever he demanded Wherewith Tamerlane moved told him That it was now in his power to make him to lose his life Whereunto he answered no more but Do it for that that loss should be his greatest happiness Tamerlane afterwards demanding of him What made him so proud as to enterprise to bring into his Subjection so Noble a Prince as was the Greek Emperor he answered Even the same thing that hath moved thee to invade me namely the desire of Glory and Soveraignty But wherefore then said Tamerlane dost thou use so great cruelty towards them thou hast overcome without respect of Age or Sex That did I said he to give the greater terror unto my Enemies And what wouldst thou have done with me said Tamerlane had it been my fortune to have fallen into thy Hands as thou art now in mâ—ne I would said Bajazet have inclosed thee in a Cage of Iron and so in triumph have caâ—â—â—ed thee up and down my Kingdom Even so said Tamerlane shalt thou be served And so causing him to be taken out of his presence turning unto his Followers said Behold a proud and cruel Man he deserveth to be chastised accordingly and to be made an Example unto all the proud and cruel of the World of the just Wrath of God against them I acknowledge that God hath this day delivered into my Hands a great Enemy to whom we must therefore give thanks Which he performed the same day for the Battel was won at four of the Clock and there was yet five hours of day-light The next day Tamerlane commanded the dead to be buried where among the rest they found the body of the Prince of Ciarcan dead in the midst of the Ianizaries where he lay inclosed with their dead bodies in token he died not unrevenged whose untimely death Tamerlane for all that greatly lamented for he was his Kinsman and like enough one day to have done great service Whose dead Body Tamerlane caused to be embalmed and with two thousand Horse and divers of the Turks Prisoners chained and tied together to be conveyed to Samâ—rcand until his coming thither All the other dead Bodies were with all honour that might be buried at Sennas This great and bloody Battel fought in the year of our Lord 1397. not far from the Mount Stella where sometime the great King Mithrydates was by Pompy the Great in a great Battel overthrown was fought from seven a Clock in the Morning until four in the Afternoon Victory all that while as it were with doubtful Wings hovering over both Armies as uncertain where to light until at length the fortune of Tamerlane prevailed Whose Wisedom next unto God gave that days Victory unto his Souldiers for that the politick tyring of the strong Forces of Bajazet was the safeguard of his own whereas if he had gone unto the Battel in one Front assuredly the multitude finding such strong resistance had put it self into confusion whereas this successive manner of aiding of his men made them all unto him profitable The number of them that were in this Battel slain is of divers diversly reported the Turks themselves reporting That Bajazet there lost the Noble Mustapha his Son with two hundred
he was near Kinsman unto the Bassa who being brought to Prince Alexander he received him very courteously and gave him a Garment fit for him having been stript of his own he also gave him a Horse and sent him back unto the Bassa with a good Convoy to whom he sent a Letter by the which he intreated him not to advance in favour of Stephano promising that if the Grand Seignior would suffer him to enjoy Moldavia quietly he would be most faithful unto him afterwards and pay him the yearly accustomed Tribute whereof the Bassa made no great account for he was wonderfully incensed both for his Sons â—ad success in this Enterprise and for the death of his Turkish Captain Upon the day of this Victory Prince Alexander sent fifteen hundred Horse to fortifie Prince Coresky whereof eight hundred were lodged in a certain Borough six Leagues from Ticouth whereas the Bassa and Michna were then with their Army being about five and twenty thousand men These eight hundred men neglecting their Guards did nothing but drink drunk and molest their Hosts with all kind of Insolencies and forcing their Wives and Daughters which made them take a Resolution to be revenged and to that end they called unto them certain Boyers out of the Country who chusing their time cut all their Throats when they were asleep and most of them drunk About the end of this Year Prince Alexander called a General Council whereas the Princess his Mother Prince Coresky and all the chief Noblemen and Captains assisted where it was resolved that they should retire to Cochina being thirty French Leagues off for that it was the strongest place and the best furnished of all Moldavia and withal they should be far from their Enemies and near unto Polonia According to this Resolution Prince Alexander parted the next day with his whole Army and came in four days march to Cochina in the extreamest cold Season that could be having lodged his Troops the Princes sent divers Gentlemen to all their Friends and Confederates to conjure them to come speedily to succour them and in the mean time they gave order to make provision of Victuals and of all other things necessary for their Army The Bassa being advertised of this Retreat he marched with Michna and Stephano towards Yas notwithstanding the extremity of the Cold which was so violent that many died upon the way whereupon they stayed untill the time was more mild In the beginning of March the Lord of Tischevich came unto Prince Alexander with 3500 Cossacks and within few days after arrived the Lord Potosky Nephew to him who had been taken at the first Battel and carried Prisoner to Constantinople who brought with him a Troop of fifteen hundred Polonians well armed there came also other Succours unto him so as by the end of that Month the Princes Army was ten or twelve thousand strong Foot and Horse Prince Alexander hearing of the Enemies approach sent forth 1000 Horse with his Company of French Cavaliers to discover the Enemies Army who staying to refresh themselves within half a League of the Town of Espanocha whereas Michna's Tartarians were lodged they were discovered and presently invested by them and by a great number of Turks and although that there were little hope to resist so great a Multitude yet Alexanders Men who had always been accustomed to vanquish behaved themselves very valiantly desiring rather to die than to yield basely without giving proofs of their Valour This fight continued from ten of the Clock in the Morning until Night and of the whole Troop there escaped but twelve seven Polonians and five French the rest were either slain or taken Prisoners among the which was the Captain of the French Company called Mountespin whom they would have sent with the rest unto the Grand Seigniors Gallies But Stephano preserved him upon promise that he would do him good Service Here Fortune which hath hitherto been favourable unto Prince Alexander began to shew her Inconstancy to teach Princes not to run rashly into Dangers although they have had some Advantage over their Enemies At Constantinople about the end of August this Year 1616 year 1616 Envy the most furious of all the Winds that shake the Affairs of the World stirred up a horrible Tempest whose violent Gusts fell dangerously upon the Jesuits setled at Pera by the Sultans Permission at the Perswasion of Henry the Fourth the French King and labours to cast them upon the Rocks where they might suffer Shipwrack shameful to their Order and prejudicial to the Christians which live in the midst of Mahometism And to ruine them without all hope of help or relief they accused them before the Grand Visier to be Spies to Spain to give Absolution to Renegadoâ—s to baptize Turks to conceal fugitive Slaves and to send them into Christendom and withal they objected the Doctrine of killing of Kings if they were Tyrants the which had been rashly written by a Spaniard of their Coat all which Crimes are commonly punished at Constantinople with Death They seised upon their Persons and lodged them in a Dungeon they were six in number that is to say Francis Bouton Denis Guilier Dominick Maurice of Chio and Iohn Baptista Iobert their Superiour all four Priests and two Assistants and with them a Franciscan Friar Vicar to the Patriarch of Constantinople A suspition of Danger in an Estate is easily believed upon the least accident In the mean time the Emperours Ambassador came to Constantinople to renew the Truce they entered with their Drums beating and their Ensigns displayed They which thought to erect Trophies to their Glory by their Ruine of the Jesuits made use of this entry and gave false Advertisements to the Seraglio that there were in Constantinople and at Pera many thousands of Christians disguised in the Habits of Greeks and Turks which came with this Ambassadour with an intent to put that in Execution which the Jesuits had projâ—cted Moreover they informed the Grand Visier and the Muphti that the Churches in Pera and the Ambassadors Houses were full of Arms and that now when as the Turks Estate and especially Constantinople was unprovided of Forces having employed their Armies in divers Places and at one instant as in Poland Persia and both the Seas that they meant to draw the Greeks into Rebellion and give an entry to the Cossacks by the black Sea. The Sultan and his Bassaes took an alarm they commanded every man to wear the Habit of his own Nation with a prohibition to wear any Hat except the Franks and they to wear a Grecian Habit they also enrolled all the Christians in Constantinople and Pera. But the Sultan did not think his City of Constantinople free from the danger of surprise by this diligent search but he would seek his assurance in the Blood of Christians so as he commanded that all the Franks should be slain without exception But yet this Commandment
at Tergovist willing her to go with all speed to Nicopolis for that he feared the Princes would seise both upon them and their Estates as they might easily have done if they had foreseen what afterwards befell them Michna being come to Tergovist he presently sent an Ambassador to Prince Alexander to know upon what Design he had entered Valachia with an Army having no cause but contrariwise that he had given good Testimony that he was his Friend for that he would not assist the Bassa and Stephano when they pursued him to Cochina notwithstanding that they were much stronger in shew That if his Intent were only to seise upon Stephano he assured him that he was not with him but was fled another way promising that if he could ever take him he would deliver him into his hands intreating him withal to retire out of his Estate not suffering his Army to spoil it any more and that they might continue good Friends Prince Alexander received this Ambassador very courteously who hearing the Subject of his Embassy made Answer That he had the day before sent unto his Master to inform him of his Intent which was not to attempt any thing against his Person nor Estate but only to pursue Stephano who had set fire on the City of Yas before he parted and to let Michna know That he meant not to wrong him nor to inrich himself with any thing that was his he had sent him back his Plate with all his rich Moveables Michna's Ambassador having thanked Prince Alexander returned to Tergovista and found all true that the Prince had said the which freed Michna from farther fear Before Prince Alexander's Departure from Bonza he sent the Lord Troianosky with two thousand Horse to pursue Stephano but it was without effect for he understood that he had passed the River of Danow with his Wife and a small train At the same time a Troop of fifteen hundred Tartarians being advertised that the Polonians pursued Stephano only with a thousand Horse and that they were tired with their long Marches advanced to charge them but it was not with that Success they expected for Troianosky discovering them afar off in a plain champian Field had leisure to put his men into four Squadrons and there attended them who approaching near to discover the number of the Polonians would gladly return without blows but it was too late for Troianosky commanded two of his Squadrons to charge them suddenly so as within less than a quarter of an hour they were defeated and above four hundred slain upon the place the rest fled the same way that they came of the Polonians there were not above five and twenty slain and about fifty hurt The Princes had resolved to leave Valachia forbidding all Captains and Souldiers upon pain of death to carry away any Valachian of either Sex with them hearing they had seised upon some and meant to draw a Ransome from them after which they began to march and being upon the way they were advertised that the Inhabitants of Horreova were again revolted and in Arms refusing to acknowledge Prince Alexander or to pay the accustomed Tribute unless he would make it appear that he was confirmed by the Grand Seignior Prince Coresky was sent thither with five thousand men whose coming did so amaze them as they yielded without any resistance This Prince being loth to lose any time laid Siege to the Town and Fort of Bialigront seated upon the River of Bohou the which was held by the Tartarians Praecopences in which Fort there was a Garrison of Janizaries and many Boyers of Moldavia who defended themselves valiantly and made many Sallies in which they slew above three hundred of the Prince's men and he himself was in danger to be taken if he had not been speedily delivered by the Lord of Tischevich and his Troop who charged the Janizaries so resolutely as they forced them to retire leaving many of their men dead upon the place The Prince sâ—eing there was no hope to take the place without Cannon raised his Siege and returned to Yas to Prince Alexander Soon after Hebraim Bassa wrote to Prince Alexander as if he had been his friend giving him to understand That from thenceforth he should live quietly in Moldavia for that the Grand Seignior's Lieutenant-General or chief Visier from whom Stephano had always drawn his chief support was in disgrace promising the Prince to imploy himself for him to his Master the which he did either to make him careless of his own Strength or to draw some Recompence or Reward from him if the Grand Seignior should confirm him in Moldavia as there was some likelihood seeing that Stephano had made himself altogether unworthy as well by his flight as by his wicked Actions which made him in the end so odious to the Grand Seignior as he resolved to ruine him So as soon after they were advertised that the Grand Seignior had given Commandment unto the said Bassa to seize upon Stephano who had retired himself to Brahile and to bring him unto him alive or dead with whatsoever did belong unto him the which he executed after this manner The said Bassa marched with all diligence towards Brahile carrying a Chiaus with him and being within four or five Leagues of the Town he sent one of his people to advertise Stephano of his coming and that he meant the next day to dine with him Stephano who distrusted nothing holding the Visier to be still his friend parted early in the morning to meet him and coming near him he alighted from his Horse to do him reverence and the Bassa did the like where after some little Conference together he drew out the Commission he had to seise upon his Person and to carry him to Constantinople the which Stephano perceiving he turned him to his Servants and willed them to shift for themselves for that he saw he went to his death His men being retired the Chiaus who had his Mace in his hand gave him a blow betwixt the Shoulders and then causâ—d him to be bound hand and foot and cast into a Cart drawn by four good Horses and in this manner they carried him to Constantinople where being arrived to avoid the Punishment he had deserved he denied his Faith and became a Renegado and withal he became very poor and miserable for at the same instant that he was taken the Bassa sent to seise and carry away whatsoever he had at Brahile and Nicopolis where his Wife remained so as he had nothing left him but the remorse of Conscience that tormented him continually for the barbarous Cruelties which he had practised in Moldavia Some of his men returned to Yas and there declared what had befallen Stephano in their Presence for which they generally gave thanks unto God and were very joyful Soon after News came to Yas that the Sultan had appointed Prince Michna to succeed Stephano in the Principality of
retreat to be sounded and so began orderly to retire himself with them that were about him which others afar off in the battel beholding and supposing him to have fled began themselves to fly amain Of which so shameful flight and sudden fear Andronicus the Son of Iohn Ducas the late Emperor Constantine his Brother and by him created Caesar who with his Sons secretly envied at the Honour of Diâ—genes was the cause for he commanding a great part of the Army gave it first out unto such as were about him that the Emperor fled and to increase the fear turning his horse about fled towards the Camp as fast as he could after whom all the rest most disorderly followed which the Emperor beholding and therewith not a little troubled made a stand labouring in vain to have staid the rest for now the Turks incouraged with the sudden flight of the Christians began hardly to pursue them as men already overthrown by the hand of God whom for all that the Emperor with such as yet stood with him for a space notably resisted But being forsaken by the greater part of his Army and oppressed with the multitude of his Enemies being wounded himself and his horse slain under him he was taken all imbrued in his own blood and the blood of his Enemies of whom he had wounded and slain many The Sultan advertised of his taking at the first believed it not supposing it rather to have been some other great man until that he was both by them whom he had but a little before sent Embassador unto him and by Basilacius one of his Captains then Prisoner with him assured that it was undoubtedly he which Basilacius brought before him to see if he knew him fell down prostrate at his feet as before his dread Lord and Soveraign The Emperor brought before the Sultan and humbling himself in such sort as best beseemed his heavy Fortune the Sultan presently took him up and thus chearfully spoke unto him Grieve not noble Emperor said he at thy mishap for such is the chance of War overwhelming sometimes one sometimes another neither fear thou any harm for I will use thee not as my Prisoner but as an Emperor which accordingly he did presently appointing him a Princely Pavillion with all things answerable to his state setting him oftentimes at his own boord and for his sake enlarging such Prisoners as he required And after he had thus for certain days honourably used him and discoursed with him of many things he concluded a perpetual Peace with him upon promise of a marriage to be made betwixt their Children and so with a safe Convoy sent him away with greater Honour than was at an Enemies hand to have been expected The Emperor in Turkish attire which the Sultan had bestowed upon him coming to THEODOSOPOLIS there staid the curing of his Wounds and afterwards accompanied with the Sultans Embassadors set forward toward CONSTANTINOPLE But all was now there changed for upon the report of his Captivity Iohn the Caesar with Psellus one of the chief Senators and others of the same Faction which always envied at the Honour of Diogenes presently took the Imperial Government from Eudocia the Empress and thrusting her into a Monastery which she had built near to PROPONTIS set up Michael Ducas her eldest Son Emperor in stead of Diogenes whose simplicity Caesar his Uncle abusing with the rest did now what they list And hearing that Diogenes was now contrary to their expectation set at liberty by the Sultan and coming towards the the Emperial City sent out Letters every way in the new Emperors Name unto all the Governors of the Provinces whereby he was to pass not to receive him an Emperor or to do him any Honour which Diogenes understanding staid at the Castle of DOCIA whither some of his Friends with such Power as they were able to make resorted unto him Against whom Caesar with the contrary Faction first sent his Son Constantine and after that Andronicus his eldest Son both Diogenes his Mortal Enemies with a great Army by whom Diogenes with his Friends and Followers were overthrown and discomfited Diogenes himself flying to the City of ADANA was there hardly besieged by Andronicus and in the end glad to yield himself upon condition that he should resign the Empire and so for ever after to lead a private life For whose safety certain of the chief of the Clergy sent of purpose from Michael the Emperor gave their Faith so Diogenes all attired in black yielded himself to Andronicus by whom he was brought to COTAI then the Metropolitical City of PHRIGIA there to expect what further Order should be taken for him from the Court during which time he fell sick being as many supposed secretly poisoned But whilst he there lay languishing an heavier doom came from the young Emperor That he should have his Eyes put out which was forthwith in most cruel manner done the Clergy-men that had before for his safety gaged their Faith crying out in vain against so horrible a cruelty Thus deprived of his sight he was conveyed into the Island of PROTA where his Eyes for lack of looking to putrifying and Worms breeding in them with such an odious smell as that no man could abide to come nigh him he in short time after died when he had reigned three years eight months All which misery was thought to have happened unto him through the malice of Caesar without the knowledge of the young Emperor his Nephew Axan hearing of the miserable end of the late Emperor Diogenes was therewith much grieved and the more for that the League which he had to his good content so lately made with him was thereby come to nought wherefore in revenge thereof he with great Power invaded the Imperial Provinces not for spoil and booty only as in former time but now to conquer and to hold the same Against whom Michael the Emperor sent Isaac Comnenus his Lieutenant with a great Army who meeting with the Turks and joyning battel was by them overthrown with all his Army and taken Prisoner and glad afterwards for a great sum of money to redeem himself After which overthrow the Emperor sent his Uncle Caesar with another Army against them who was by Ruselius that had before revolted from the Emperor overthrown at the River SANGARIUS and taken Prisoner whom he for all that shortly after set at liberty again and joyning with him against the Turks were both together by them discomfited and taken Prisoners but afterwards redeemed Caesar by the Emperor and Ruselius by his Wife This Ruselius was a notable Traytor who joyning with the Turks did what he list in the Provinces of the Empire in the lesser ASIA for the repressing of whom the Emperor sent Alexius Comnenus a young man but very politick and couragious who secretly practising with the Turks that were great with Ruselius had him at last by them for a sum of
following and therefore had left them this Town as a bait to train them out of their Trenches And after that the Christians were thus possessed of the Town having laid certain strong ambushes they drave out certain heards of Cattle the more to allure them all which certain companies of the Christians brought in without any loss the Turks still winking thereat With which booty the Christians encouraged went out three thousand of them to take in a little Town not far off who were by the Turks cut off and slain every Mothers Son as they were about to have divided the Spoil Which overthrow reported into the Town discouraged even the chief Commanders of the Army so that they resolved no more to try the fortune of the field before the coming of their friends Nevertheless the common Souldiers condemning them of cowardise chose them a new General one Godfrey Buxel whom they now requested not but enforced to go out to revenge the death of their fellows Which their rashness not long after turned to their own destruction for ten thousand of them going out of Exorgum to forrage the Country were by the Turks intrapped and almost all slain except some few which by speedy flight escaped The Turks prosecuting their victory laid hard siege to them in the Town also until they had partly with famine and partly with the sword consumed the most part of them The Hermit with the poor remainder of his Army took his refuge to Cinite a Town not far off before abandoned by the Turks where with much ado he defended himself until the coming of Duke Godfrey and the rest of the Princes Cutlu-Muses the Turk was now dead having left unto his Son Sultan Solyman many large Countries and Provinces altogether gained from the Christians in Asia whom he held in great subjection and thraldom This warlike Prince having discomfited and almost brought to nought the Hermits forces was no less careful for the withstanding of the great Army following which now being come into Bithyâ—iâ— and lying before Nicomedia removing thence laid siege to the City of Nice called in ancient time Antigonia of Antigonus the Son of Philip that built it and afterwards Nicea of Nicea the Wife of King Lysimachus In this City dwelt many devout Greeks Christians but in such thraldom unto the Turks that they could not do any thing for the delivery of themselves This siege indured longer than the Christian Princes had at the sirst supposed who although they to the uttermost of their power forced the City on three sides yet was it still notably defended new supplies still coming from the Turks by the Lake of Ascanius joyning upon the other side of the City But after that the Christians possessed of the Lake began on that side also to lay hardly unto the City the Turks discouraged and seeing themselves beset round with their enemies yielded up the City the fifth of Iuly in the year 1097 year 1097. after it had been fifty days besieged But whilst the Christians thus lay at the siege the Turks assailed that quarter of the Camp where the Legat lay by whom they were notably repulsed and with great loss inforced to retire unto the Mountains In this City amongst the rest of the Turks was taken Solymans wife with two of her Children whom the Princes sent prisoners to Constantinople This City so won was according to the agreement before made restored unto Alexius the Emperor whose Fleet had in that siege done good service by taking the Lake from the Turks The City of Nice thus won the Christian Princes removing thence with their Army and marching through the Country came the fourth day â—fter unto a River which watered many rich pastures where as they were about to have incamped for the commodiousness of the place and refreshing of the Army suddenly news was brought into the quarter where Bohemund lay now busie in casting up his trenches That the Turks with a great Army were ready even at hand to charge him For Solyman having raised a great power of his own and aided by the Sultan of Persia his kinsman was now come with an Army of 60000 strong to give the Christians battel of whose approach Bohemund advertised left the fortifying of his Trenches and putting his Souldiers in array set forward to meet him sending word to the rest of the Princes that lay a far off to be ready as occasion should require to relieve him These two Armies conducted by their most resolute Chieftains meeting together joyned a most fierce and terrible battel where in a short space the Turks lay slain upon heaps in such sort that they served the Christians instead of Bulwarks But whilest Bohemund thus prevaileth in the battel certain of the Turks horsemen wheeling about brake into Bohemunds Camp not as then altogether fortified and but slenderly manned where among the Women and other weak persons there left they raised a great tumult and outcry to the great appaling of them that were fighting in the battle which Bohemund perceiving withdrew himself with certain companies unto the Camp from whence he with great slaughter repulsed the Enemy But returning again into the battle he found there a great alteration for his Souldiers whom before he had left as it were in possession of a most glorious victory were now so hardly laid on by the Turks as that they were ready to have turned their backs and fled Nevertheless by his coming in the battel was notably restored and again made doubtful when the â—nemy perceiving how much the assaulting of the Camp had troubled the Christians in battel sent out certain Troops of Horsemen again to assault the same and had not failed undoubtedly to have taken it being as aforesaid not yet fortified had not Hugh the French Kings Brother come in good time to the rescue who coming in with 30000 Horsemen after he had relieved the Camp entring directly into the battel was notably incountred by a Squadron of fresh Souldiers of the Turks by them of purpose reserved for such event There began a battel more terrible than the first with most doubtful victory But at the length the Turks weary of the long and cruel fight and seeing most of their fellows slain began by little and little to give ground and so retired into the Mountains which were not far off In this battel which continued a great part of the day were slain of the Turks 40000 and of the Christians about 2000. The next morning Bohemund with the French Kings Brother came again into the field in such order as if they should presently have given or received battel where after they had stayed a great while and saw no Enemy to appear they fell to the honâ—st burial of their dead which were easily known from the Turks by the red crosses upon their garments the cognisance of their sacred warfare Solyman flying with the remainder of his Army notably dissembled his loss giving it out
ghost the two and twentieth day of August in the year 1131. whereof he reigned with much trouble thirteen years and was solemnly buried in the Temple upon Mount Calvary with the other two Kings Godfrey and Baldwin his Predecessors year 1131. The Kings Funeral ended the Princes of the Kingdom with one accord made choice of Fulk the old Count Earl of Anjou for their King who the 16 day of September was with all solemnity by William the Patriarch crowned in Ierusalem This man in the beginning of his Reign besides his troubles abroad was also vext with domestical and intestine discord Pontius Count of Tripolis seeking by force of Arms to have rent the Dukedom of Antioch from the Kingdom and Hugh Count of Ioppa for fear of due punishment for his Treason joyning himself with the Sarasins of Ascalon and so with them infesting the Territories of Ierusalem to the great hurt of the Christian State and advantage of the Infidels Which troublesome broyls were yet afterwards by the King partly by force partly by the mediation of the Patriarch and other Princes who seeing the danger thereof like to ensue had interposed themselves well again appeased Vengeance yet nevertheless still following both the aforesaid Traitors Pontius being shortly after slain by the Turks and Hugh dying in exile Besides these domestical troubles the Turks also invaded the Country about Antioch where they were by the sudden coming of the King overthrown with the loss of their Tents and exceeding great Riches And that nothing might be wanting unto the disquieting of the State of that new erected Kingdom not long after Iohn the Constantinopolitan Emperor together with the Empire Inheritor also of his Fathers malice against the proceeding of the Christians in Syria with a puissant Army passing through the lesser Asia and by the way taking by force Tarsus the Metropolitical City of Cilicia with the whole Province thereunto belonging came and besieged Antioch which Fulk but a little before had together with Constance the Daughter and Heir of the late Duke of Antioch given in marriage to Raymund Count of Poitou for that purpose sent out of France But in this so dangerous a state of that Christian Kingdom the other zealous Christian Princes interposed themselves as Mediators betwixt the Emperor pretending the same to belong unto his Empire and Raymund that was in possession thereof And in fine brought it to this end that Raymund for the present submitting himself unto the Emperor should from thenceforth hold his Dukedom of him as of his Lord and Sovereign upon which agreement the Emperor returned unto Tarsus where he wintered and so afterwards unto Constantinople Much about the same time Sanguin one of the Turks great Princes invading the Country about Tripolis besieged the Castle of Mont-Ferrand unto the relief whereof Fulk coming with his Army was by the Turks overthrown and for the safeguard of his life glad to take the refuge of the Castle the Count himself being in that battel taken Prisoner After which Victory the Turks laid harder Siege unto the Castle than before the besieged in the mean time being no less pinched within with Famine than pinched without by the Enemy In this the Kings hard distress the other Princes having raised the whole power of the Kingdom were coming to his relief whereof the Turk understanding offered of himself to give them all leave freely to depart and to set the Count at liberty so that they would deliver unto him the Castle of which his offer they gladly accepting yielded up the strong Hold and so departed The King by the way meeting with the Army thanked his Friends for their forwardness and so returned to Ierusalem About four years after Iohn the Constantinopolitan Emperor with a great Army came again into Syria with purpose to have united the famous City of Antioch unto his Empire and so to have made a way into the Kingdom of Ierusalem whereafter he had now a good while longed But coming thither in hope to have found the Cilicians and Syrians ready to have received him he was deceived of his expectation being shut out by the Latines and not suffered to enter but upon his Oath and that with some few of his followers and so after due reverence done unto him quietly to depart without any stir or innovation in the City In revenge of which disgrace at his departure he gave the Suburbs of the City as a prey to his greedy Souldiers pretending the same to be done for want of Victuals who made havock of whatsoever came to hand not sparing the very Fruit Trees but cutting them down to dress their meat withall Having thus under colour of necessity revenged the disgrace received he returned into Cilicia and there wintered where one day for his disport hunting of the wild Boar and having wounded him with his Boar-Spear the wild beast therewith enraged and with all his force bearing forward upon the weapon forced the Emperors hand backward upon the poynt of a poysoned Arrow that was hanging in a quiver at his back and so was therewith lightly wounded Nevertheless as light as the wound was such was the strength of the Poyson that the grief thereof still encreasing and his hand and Arm more and more swelling there was no remedie to be â—ound but that his Arm must be cut off which desperate and uncertain cure he abhorring in the extremity of his pain oftentimes pleasantly saying That the Greek Empire was not to be governed with one hand overcome with the strength of the Poyson died In whose place succeded his youngest Son Emanuel Alexius and Andronicus his two Elder Sons being both dead at his setting forth unto this so unhappy an expedition It fortuned about this time also that the Kingdom of Ierusalem being now at peace that Fulk the King with the Queen his Wife lying at the City of Ptolemais in the time of Autumn it pleased the Queen for her disport to walk out of the City unto certain pleasant Fountains there by in the Country for whose company the King would needs go also with certain of his Courtiers where by the way it chanced that certain Boys running along the field put up an Hare that was sitting in a furrow after which all the Courtiers on horseback galloped amain with notable outcry and hollowing Amongst the rest the King to be partaker of the Sport forcing his horse to the uttermost of his power in the midst of his course fell together with his horse foundring under him and in falling chanced to fall his head under the horse with whose weight and the hardness of his saddle he was so crushed that his Brains came out both at his nose and ears In this pitiful case being taken up for dead and with great heaviness being carried back he yet breathing lay speechless three days and so died the thirteenth of November in the year of Grace 1142. His dead body afterwards brought to Ierusalem was
their heads and their Archers on every side lustily bestowing their shot among the thickest of their Enemies by plain force drove them out of the Straits they had before possessed and caused them to retire farther off into the Mountains and so having made themselves way with little or no loss passed those dangerous Straits until that at length having recovered the top of a Hill very commodious for their purpose as the case stood they there stayed and presently encamped themselves And haply with like good fortune might the rest of the Army have passed also had they in like order and with like courage presently followed after but failing so to do and troubled with the multitude of their Carriages which could not possibly make any way through those strait and rough passages but troubled themselves one with another as also the whole Army they were from the upper ground miserably overwhelmed with the multitude of the Turkish Archers whose Arrows fell as thick upon them from the Mountains as if it had been a perpetual Tempest or shower of Hail to the great disordering and dismaying of the whole Army which the Turks quickly perceiving and therewith encouraged in great numbers came down from the Mountains where they had before hovered over the heads of the Christians and forcibly entring the plain ground and coming to handy blows first overthrew the right Wing where Baldwin himself seeking to restore his disordered Companies and to stay the fury of the Enemy now raging in the blood of the Christians with a Troop of valiant Horsemen breaking into the thickest of them as became a worthy Captain was there compassed in with the multitude of his Enemies and slain together with all his Followers and the greatest part of the whole Wing by him commanded With this Victory the Turks were so encouraged that coming down with all their Power they stopped all the ways whereby the Christians were to pass who as men couped up in those dangerous straits were not able either to defend themselves or to heâ—â— one another but inclosed as Deer in a toyl and one troubling another were the cause both of the destruction of themselves and others For by reason of the straitness of the place neither could they that were before retire neither they that were behind in the rereward come forward to relieve the one the other as need required the Carriages also which were many and in the midst of the Army serving them to no other purpose than to the hurt of themselves There were the Beasts that served for burden together with the Souldiers overwhelmed with the Turks shot the Vallies lay full of dead Bodies the Rivers ran mingled with the blood of Men and Beasts in such terrible manner as is not by Pen to be expressed For the Christians not able either to go forward or retire were there in those straits slain like sheep if any courage or spark of valour were by any shewed against the Enemy fighting at so great advantage it was but lost serving to little or no purpose And to increase their miseries the Turks in scorn shewed upon the point of a Lance the head of Andronicus Bataza the Emperors Nephew who coming with an Army out of Paphlagonia and Heraclea Pontica against the Turks of Amasia was now by the way by them overthrown and slain The report whereof confirmed by the sight of his head and the consideration of the desperate danger wherein the whole Army presently stood so troubled the Emperor that he was at his wits end and with dry tears if it may be so said dissembling his inward grief as one out of comfort stood doubtful which way to turn himself For the Turks having suffered the Vantguard to pass with all their Power charged the Emperors main battel as his chief strength nothing doubting but that having once overthrown it they should easily and at pleasure overthrow the rest Oftentimes had the Emperor attempted to have driven the Enemy out of those straits and so to have opened a way for his Army to have passed but all in vain the Power of the Turks still increasing and they at great advantage notably maintaining the passages before by them taken Nevertheless seeing no less danger in staying still than in going forward he with a few of his best Souldiers armed with despair and resolved to die unto which kind of men nothing is terrible set forward directly upon his Enemies willing the rest with like resolution every man to make for himself the best shift he could And so with many wounds and sturdy blows both given anâ— received he by plain force and might of Hand brake through the thickest of his Enemies and so escaped out of those straits as out of a trap but yet not without many wounds received in his Person and himself so wearied as that he was not able to lift up his Helmet being beaten close to his head and in his Target were found sticking thirty of the Turks Arrows or thereabouts the manifest tokens of his danger The other Legions seeking to follow the Emperor for other way they had none were on every side hardly assailed by the Turks and infinite numbers of them slain beside many others that perished in those straits overborn and trodden to death by their own Fellows Yea such as had the fortune to escape out of one of these perilous straits were forthwith slain in the next for this so dangerous a passage through the Mountains was divided as is aforesaid into seven Vallies which giving fair and broad entrances the farther a man went grew still straiter and straiter all which straits the Turks had before strongly possessed At which time also the more to increase the terror of the day the light sand raised with the feet of the Men and Horses was with the violence of a most tempestuous Wind which then blew carried so forcibly and thick that both the Armies grapling together as if it had been in the darkness of the night killed whomsoever they met withall without respect of Friend or Foe by which errour many were even of their own Friends slain In every place lay great heaps of Turks slain together with the Christians and with them great number of Horses and other Beasts for carriage so that those Vallies where this bloody Conflict was seemed to be nothing else but a large burying-place of the Turks and Christians with their Horses but the greater number was of the Christians that perished and they not altogether of the common sort but even of the bravest Captains and the Emperors nearest Kinsmen The violence of the Wind ceasing and the day clearing up there was of all others to be seen a most woful Spectacle men yet alive some wounded some whole covered some to the middle some to the neck with dead Carkasses in such sort as that they were not able with any strugling to get out who with their hands cast up towards Heaven with ruthful
effeminate People resting for the most part upon forraign Strength had purposed himself to invade the Kingdom and so if possible he might to joyn it to his own For colour whereof it was pretended that the Sultan contrary to his faith before given had secretly sought to joyn in League and Amity with Noradin the Turk King of Damasco The chief stirrer up of the King unto this War was one Gerbert Master of the Templars who in respect of the aid by them of his order to be given had obtained of the King after the Victory gained to have the City of Pelusium with all the rich Country about the same given unto him and his Brethren the Knights of the Order for ever upon which hope he contrary to the mind of many of the Knights for the furtherance of that War gaged his whole Wealth and Credit with all the Treasure of his House So all things now in readyness for so great an Enterprise Almericâ—s with his Army set forward in October and having in ten days passed the sandy Desert came to Pelusium which City he after three days Siege took by force and put to the Sword all them that were therein without respect of Age Sex or Condition which City he according to his promise before made gave unto the Templars After that he began also to besiege Caire at which time his Fleet sacked the City of Tapium In the mean time Sanar the Egyptian Sultan considering the danger he was in to satisfie Almericus his greedy desire offered to pay him twenty hundred thousand Ducats to withdraw his Forces and forthwith sent him one hundred thousand for the ransom of his Son and his Nephew taken Prisoners at Pelusium and for the rest to be paid within five days after he gave two of his Nephews Hostages Nevertheless the payment he deferred from day to day of purpose in the mean time to raise the whole power of Egypt also to receive aid from the Turks by Saracon which he daily expected of whose speedy coming Almericus understanding left part of his Army at Pelusium and with the rest went to have met him but missing him by the way Saracon with his Turks came in safety to Caire unto the Sultan as he had desired Wherefore Almericus dismaid with the multitude of two so great Armies now joyned together retired back again to Pelusium and there taking with him the Garrison before left returned home to Hierusalem having in that expedition begun with the breach of Faith laid the foundation of the ruin of his Kingdom as in few years after it by proof appeared by the evil Neighbourhood of the Turks by that means brought down into Egypt Saracon the Turk after the departure of Almericus easily perceiving a most fit time and opportunity to be offered for him now to obtain that which he had in vain before both sought and sought for encamped with his Army near unto Caire and notably counterfeited himself of all others the most devoted Friend of the Sultans so that betwixt them two passed all the kind tokens of Love and Friendship that could possibly be devised the Sultan oftentimes feasting the Turk and in kindness likewise being feasted of him but at length going as his manner was unto the Camp to visit him he was by the Turks slain So Saracon having brought to pass what he desired and entring the City with his Army was by the great Caliph from whom the Egyptian Sultans as from their Superiors the true Successors of their great Prophet Mahomet took their Authority appointed Sultan the first of the Turks that ever enjoyed the same which Royal Dignity he had not possessed fully a year but that he was taken away by death In whose stead Saladin his Brothers Son by and by stept up who altogether a Martial Man not regarding the reverend Majesty of the Caliph as had his Uncle Saracon and all the Egyptian Sultans before him with his Horsemans Mace struck out his Brains and not so contented utterly rooted out all his Posterity the better to assure himself and his Successors the Turks in the possession of his new begotten Kingdom and after that divided the great Treasures of the Egyptians among his Turks to encourage them the more to follow him in his Wars against the Christians This glorious Kingdom so much spoken of in Holy Scripture and renowned of the Learned Historiographers of all Ages after the Ruine of the Roman Empire was sometime part of the Constantinopolitan Empire and a notable Member of the Christian Common Weal until that about the year of our Lord 704 the Egyptians weary of the Pride and Covetousness of the Grecians revolted from them unto the Sarasins whose Superstition they also received and so under the Government of the Sarasin Caliphs the Successors of the false Prophet Mahomet lived about 464 years until that now being invaded by Almericus they prayed aid of Noradin the Turk Sultan of Damasco who to their relief sending Saracon with an Army repulsed indeed the Christians but oppressing their liberty took to himself the Kingdom which he left unto his Nephew Saladin in whose Posterity it remained until it was from them again taken by the Circassian Slaves the Mamalukes under whose servile Government it was holden of long time till that by the great Emperor of the Turks Selimus the first it was again conquered and the Mamalukes utterly destroyed In the Government of whose Prosperity the mighty Emperors of the Turks it hath ever since remained as part of their Empire until this day as in the process of this History God willing shall appear year 1170. Saladin thus possessed of the great Kingdom of Egypt and all things set in such order as he thought best for the Newness of his Estate with a great Army entred into the Land of Palestine in the year 1170. and there besieged Daron which Town he won and overthrew such as were sent by King Almericus to have relieved the same with which small Victory contenting himself as with the good beginning of his rising Fortune he returned back again into his Kingdom yet was his Army so great and populous as that the like Army of the Turks had never before been seen in the Holy Land. Wherefore Almericus considering in what great danger he stood his Kingdom now being on both sides beset by the Turks sent out his Embassadors unto the Christian Princes of the West to crave their Aid for the defence of that Kingdom which their Fathers had won and for the same purpose went himself in Person unto the Emperor of Constantinople of whom he was Royally entertained and afterward sent back loaded with the promises of great matters as were also his Embassadors from the Princes of the West All which for all that sorted unto nothing but vanished into smoke The year following viz. 1171. Saladin besieged Petrea year 1171. the Metropolitical City of Arabia but hearing that Almericus with a great Power was coming to
now in a readiness for the firing of the Mine it was thought good by general consent that an assault should also at the same time be given unto the City and thereupon every Regiment was by lot appointed which part of the Wall to assail which they all with great courage undertook In the heat of which Assault the aforesaid undermined Tower with some part of the Wall the Timber whereon it staied now burnt fell down with a great fall laying open a fair Breach for the Christians to enter wherewith the Turks dismaied forthwith craved to come to parl which granted they for safeguard of their lives yielded forthwith to give up the City and to restore to the Christians the Holy Cross with two thousand Captives and two hundred Horsemen such as they should require of all them that were in the power of Saladin besides 200000 Constantinopolitan Ducats to be by him given to the two Kings for the cost by them bestowed in the Siege For payment whereof the Turks in the City were to remain as hostages under the safe keeping of the Christians so that if all the Covenants aforesaid were not within forty days performed by Saladin they should all for their lives be at the Kings mercy So was this strong City after it had been almost three years besieged delivered up unto the Christians the 12 of Iuly in the year 1191. The first that entred were the Germans of Austria year 1191. who as if they had been the only men by whose Valour the City had been won at their first entry presumptuously advanced their Ensigns upon the top of the Walls to the great Offence of all the rest of the Christian Princes but especially of King Richard who not unworthily for his Princely Courage was commonly called Richard Cueur de Lyon not brooking so proud an indignity caused the Ensigns of Leopold their Duke to be pulled down and foiled under foot which shortly after gave him occasion of Repentance as shall hereafter be seen The two Kings possessed of the City divided the same with all the People and Spoil thereof betwixt them without regard of the rest of the other noble Christians that had sustained the whole travel of that long Siege for which cause most part of them seeing themselves so deluded withdrew themselves from them and with one consent sent them word That they would forsake them except they were made partakers of the gains as they had been of the pains Which the two Kings to content them promised they should howbeit they delayed so long their promises that many worthy men constrained by Poverty departed discontented from them into their Countries But long it was not that this one City so lately gained could contain these two great Kings whom two large Kingdoms could not retain in peace For albeit that they were in body together present and in one and that a most honourable action combined yet were they in hearts far asunder and their secret designs much different envy and distrust still reviving unkindness past and ministring new matter of greater discontentments King Richard according to his noble nature was of nothing more desirous than to have the War continued until they had made a full Conquest of Syria and the Land of Palestine and for that cause requested the French King to bind himself together with him by solemn Oath there to stay yet three years for the regaining of those Countries But he in mind long before estranged from King Richard and in his deep conceit plotting matters nearer home better fitting his purpose would by no means be perswaded so to do but still found one occasion or other for to colour his departure And shortly after as the French Chronicles report falling extreamly sick he requested King Richard and the other Christian Princes to come unto him unto whom being come he in few words declared his purpose of return as followeth I cannot my Lords longer endure the inclemency and intemperature of the Air in this extream hot season If my death might profit the Christian Religion or any one of you or the Christian Commonweal there should be no distemperature whatsoever that could separate me from you or withdraw me from hence But more may the life of one absent serve and profit you than the death of him present I must of necessity depart yet at my departure I will leave you five hundred men at Arms and ten thousand Footmen the Flower and Choice of all the Forces of France under the conduct of my Cousin Odo Duke of Burgundy unto whom I will give Pay and Entertainment with a continual supply of all things for them necessary This excuse of the French Kings King Richard could not take in good part but said That it was apparent to all men that he abandoned the Wars in Syria to return into France for no other end or purpose but the more easily to invade the Provinces of Guien and Normandy now disfurnished of their Garrisons and so subiect to his malice Which point he so urged that the French King could have no leave with his Honour to depart until such time as he had by solemn Oath bound himself unto King Richard not to attempt any thing either by force or fraud against him or any thing of his until â—ifty days were expired after King Richard his return home which how well it was by the French King observed I leave it to the report of the Histories of that time And so the French King not to be intreated longer to stay leaving behind him the aforesaid number of men he had promised embarking the rest of his Army and accompanied with three tall Ships of the Genowaies his Friends and Ruffin Volta their Admiral departed from Ptolemais to Tyre the first of August and two days after loosing thence sailed alongst the Sea-coast of Asia and cutting through the Mediterranean arrived at length in the mouth of the River of Tiber and from thence went to Rome where after he had visited Pope Celestine and the famous places of that most Renowned City he returned again to his Fleet and so by Sea arrived in safety in France having in that great expedition so honourably by him entertained performed nothing answerable to that the World looked for After the French King followed Leopold Duke of Austria with his Germans and not long after him the Venetians also with them of Pisa and Genoa Of whose departure Saladin understanding and that the Christian Forces were thereby much empaired refused either to pay the Mony or to restore the Prisoners as was promised at the giving up of Ptolemais threatning moreover to chop off the Heads of all such Christian Captives as he had in his power if the King should shew any extremity unto the pledges in the City Nevertheless shortly after he sent his Embassadors with great Presents unto the King requesting a longer time for the sparing of his pledges which his request together with his Gifts the King refused to
with him at too much odds and the Victory inclining unto that side where most Strength was he there valiantly fighting was slain with most part of his Tartars such as escaped fled into Armenia unto the friendly King. By this Victory all Syria with the Land of Palestine excepting some few places holden by the Christians fell again into the hands of the Egyptian Sultans as did some of them shortly after also for Bandocader succeeding Melech in the Mamaluke Kingdom coming into Syria with a great Army took Antioch from the Christians and with it most of the places before by them defended The City he burnt and rased the Castle down to the ground and afterward entring into Armenia did there great harm also Whilst the Turks Kingdom thus goeth to wrack in Syria ruinated by the Tartars but possessed by the Mamalukes their affairs in the lesser Asia now the whole hope of that Nation went not at that time much better for Iathatines the Turks Sultan there also invaded by the Tartars and having lost Iconium his Regal City fled with his Brother Melech to the Greek Emperor Michael Paleologus in hope to be of him relieved for the kindness he had not long before shewed him in like case when as he fled from the late Emperor Theodore whereof now putting him in remembrance he requested him either with some convenient force to aid him or else to assign him some corner in his large Empire where he might in safety rest with his Wife and Children and other Followers whom with much Wealth he had brought with him in great number The Emperor on every side himself incumbred with Wars thought it not good in so great newness of his Empire to diminish his own Forces and to assign unto him any place to inhabit seemed no less dangerous for that he having been a great Prince and commanding over many great Countries and brought up in all Princely Royalty was not like to content himself with a little beside that his Nobility then dispersed by the Tartars were like enough in great numbers to resort unto him as unto their Head so soon as they should once hear that he were seated in any place and unkindly to cast him off that had so nobly used him in like extremity the Emperor was loath And therefore feeding him up with fair Words and foording him on from time to time with delaies he held him a great while as a man in suspence betwixt hope and despair At length in the absence of the Emperor though happily not without his Privity he was commanded with all his Train in number about twelve hundred to get him to Aenus a City of Thracia standing upon the Sea-coast where he much discontented lived like an honourable Prisoner at large but with the watchful Eyes of so many upon him as that he could by no means as he desired escape In which case we will for a while leave him to feed upon his own melancholy thoughts Now had Michael Paleologus the Emperor reigned at Nice two years year 1261. when new troubles began again to arise in the West part of his Empire in Europe side by the treachery of Michael Angelus Despot of Epirus For the speedy repressing whereof he sent one Alexius Strategopulus a worthy Captain and a man of great Nobility whom for his good service against the said Despot he had in the beginning of his Reign made Caesar with little above eight hundred Bythinian Souldiers and Commission for the taking up of so many more as he should for that service need in Macedonia and Thracia commanding him when he had passed the Streight with those Souldiers to take his ways through the Suburbs of Constantinople to terrifie the Latines whom he was loath to suffer too long live in rest and quiet or to stir too far out of the Gates but to keep them as Prisoners coupt up within the Walls of the City This warlike Captain with his handful of men passing over Propontis encamped at Regium not far from Constantinople where by chance lighting upon certain poor labouring men Greeks born in the City and there dwelling he diligently inquired of them the state thereof and of what Strength the Latines were with many other things such as he was desirous to know who not only told him that the Strength of the Latines was but small but also that the greatest part thereof was gone to the Siege of Daphmusia a Town not far off upon the side of the Euxine Sea and withall as Greeks evil affected to the Government of the Latines and desirous of the liberty of their Country offered of themselves to shew him a means how to give him entrance into the City These poor men dwelt within the City close by one of the Gates near whereunto by an old ruinous Mine almost swarved up was a secret unsuspected way into the City not known to any but to themselves by this blind hole they promised him by night to receive in fifty of his best Souldiers which suddenly setting upon the Watch fast by and dispatching them out of the way might presently break open the Gate and so let in the rest of the Army whereunto they promised themselves with their Friends to put to their helping hands assuring him of the good success thereof This Plot for the betraying of the City thus laid and agreed upon Alexius and Caesar well rewarding the men and filling them with greater promises sent them away who as if they had been about their Country work were after their wonted manner received into the City without suspition at all And within a few days after according to their promise at an appointed hour received in by night the aforesaid fifty Souldiers who aided by them presently slew the Watch and brake open the Gate whereby Alexius entring a little before day in convenient place put his men in order of Battel and afterward to the greater terror of the Latines caused the City to be set on fire in four places which increasing with the Wind burnt in most terrible manner and was in short time come almost unto the Emperors Palace Who scarce well awaked and seeing the City all on a fire about his Ears and the Enemy coming on was about at the first with those few Latines that he had for Greeks he had none to have made head against them But better advised and perceiving it to be now to no purpose he the last of the Latine Emperors that ever reigned in Constantinople with Iustinian the Latine Patriarch and some other of his Friends fled by Sea into Euboea and so from thence afterwards to Venice and afterwards to Lewis the French King in hope to have been by him and the Venetians relieved After whom fled also all the rest of the Latines Thus the Imperial City of Constantinople by great fortune fell again into the hands of the Greeks in the year 1261. after that it had been in possession of the Latines about 58 years The
long might the noble Emperor live happily to govern his Estate and that before his return he would so well consider for the establishing of the same as that he should not lightly fall again into the like jeopardy alwaies assuring himself of his good Will and Favour towards him Easie it is to judge what Joy these Greek Embassadors received to hear this so kind an answer from the mouth of Tamerlane himself who rather than he would seem to break his Faith refused an Empire offered unto him with one of the most â—â—ately and magnificent Cities of the World. Few Princes I suppose would perform such a part but so there be likewise but few Tamerlanes in the World. These Embassadors by the commandment of Tamerlane were by Axalla Royally feasted and all the Honour done them that might be One of them being sent back to carry these unexpected news unto the Greek Emperor filled both him and all the City of Constantinople with exceeding joy and gladness which both he and his subjects in general spared not with Bonfires and all other signs of Joy and Pleasure to manifest And the more to shew his thankfulness shortly after by the advice of his grave Counsellors passed over the Strait into Asia to see Tamerlane at Prusa and in Person himself to give him thanks who hearing of his coming and very glad thereof presently upon the first days journy sent the Prince Axalla to meet him and to certifie him of the Joy that he conceived to have the good hap for to see him as also to conduct him to Prusa where those two great Princes with the greatest magnificence that might be meâ— and so spent one whole day together The Greek Emperor the next day taking his leave was by Tamerlane with much Honour conducted out of the City Now had Tamerlane himself conceived a secret desire to see this so famous a City as was Constantinople from which he was not now far yet would he not go thither as a Conqueror but as a private person which by the means of Axalla was accomplished and he thereinto by the Greek Emperor privately received and with all Familiarity possible entertained the Emperor shewing unto him all the rare and excellent things that were therein to be seen and the other Greek Princes devising all the means they could to do him pleasure and them which did accompanie him who were in a manner all apparelled after the Greek Fashion At which time the Greek Emperor himself was curious to shew unto him all the fair Gardens alongst the Sea Coast a League or two from Constantinople and so privately conducting him spent five or six days with all the Mirth that might be possible Tamerlane by the way oftentimes saying That he had never seen a fairer City and that it was indeed the City considering the fair and rich Situation thereof of right worthy to command all the World. He wondred at the costly Buildings of the Temples the fair ingraven Pillars the high Piramides and the making of the fair Gardens and oftentimes afterwards said That he nothing repented him of his so long and dangerous a voiage if it had been only but to have preserved from Fire and Sword so noble a City as that was In the Greek Emperor he commended greatly his mild Nature and Courtesie who knowing him above all things to take pleasure in fair serviceable Horses gave unto him thirty of the fairest strongest and readiest that were possible to be gotten all most richly furnished and sent likewise fair Presents unto all the Princes and great Commanders of the Army and bountifully caused to be delivered unto them all things which he thought to be necessary for the Army So after many great kindnesses in short time passed and a strait bond of Friendship made and by solemn Oath confirmed betwixt the two great Princes Tamerlane with great contentment took his leave of the Emperor and returned again to his Army at Prusa Wherewith he now at his pleasure without resistance wasted and spoyled all Bajazet his Dominion in Asia no man daring to make head against him The year being now well spent and Winter drawing on Tamerlane dispersed his Army into divers of the Provinces of the lesser Asia expecting still when some of Bajazet his Sons or other Friends should make suit or means unto him for his deliverance but none came some fearing Tamerlane his heavy indignation and others no less dreading the fierce Nature of Bajazet himself who if he had been delivered was like enough as was thought to have taken sharp revenge upon all them which forsook him in the late Battel and therefore never made intercession for him Whereupon Tamerlane one day passing by him said unto him I marvel that none of thy Sons or Friends either come to see thee or to intreat for thee it must needs be that thou hast evilly deserved of them as thou hast of others yet how thinkest thou if I should set thee at liberty would they again receive thee as their Lord and Soveraign or not To whom Bajazet boldly answered Were I at liberty thou shouldst well see how that I want neither Courage nor means to revenge all my Wrongs and to make those disobedient and forgetful to know their Duties better Which his proud answer made Tamerlane to keep a straighter hand over him In this great and bloody War wherein the Othoman Empire had almost taken end the Sultan of Egypt had as is aforesaid given aid unto Bajazet which Tamerlane took in so evil part as that he resolved to be thereof revenged for as he was unto his Friends of all others most kind and courteous so was he to his Enemies no less terrible and dreadful Yet thinking it good before his departure out of the lesser Asia to take some good order with these his new Conquests and finding nothing more honourable to resolve upon he restored unto the poor Mahometan Princes Tachretin Isfendiar Germian and the rest before fled unto him for refuge all their ancient Inheritance with something more as he did also divers Cities and Countries of Natolia unto the Greek Emperoâ— for the yearly Tribute of four hundred thousand Ducats of Gold and eight hundred thousand Franks of Silver which the Emperor promised to pay unto him yearly And so having enriched his Army with the Spoils of the Oâ—â—oman Empire in Asia he turned his Forces against the Egyptian Sultan and so passing through Caramania entred into Syria then part of the Sultans Kingdom where near unto Aleppo being before yielded unto him was fought betwixt them a great and mortal Battel the Sultan having in his Army an hundred thousand Foot and seventy four thousand Horse whereof there were thirty thousand Mamalukes accounted the best Horsemen in the World. In which Battel Axalla the great Captain with the Vantguard of Tamerlane his Army was hardly distressed and Axalla himself taken but forthwith again rescued by Tamerlane who had he not by his
parts of the Turkish Kingdom in Europe Amurath to repress this so great and dangerous a Rebellion sent Bajazet Bassa a man of great Authority in his Court with a strong Army into Europe This great Bassa passing over Hellespontus found all the Country revolted unto their new found King Mustapha but marching towards Hadrianople with purpose to have given him battel he was first forsaken of the European Souldiers which he brought out of Asia and afterwards of all the rest also and being left alone with his Brother Hamze Beg was for safeguard of his life glad to yield himself to Mustapha of whom he was graciously entertained and upon promise of his Loyalty sworn one of his Privy-Council Mustapha thus now possessed of the Turkish Kingdom in Europe and entertaining great thoughts the better to maintain his credit levied a great Army to make War upon Amurath in Asia And as he was upon his way at a place which the Turks call Saslidere or the place of Willows his other Counsellors repining at the great Honour he gave to Bajazet Bassa advised him to beware that he trusted him not too far of whose small Faith he had sufficient trial already and was like enough when occasion should serve to revolt from him to Amurath and to draw after him some great part of his Army to the great peril both of himself and all them his faithful Servants and Followers Upon which jealous conceit this great Bassa Bajazet was there forthwith as a Traytor apprehended and without further trial executed at which time his Brother Hamze was with much ado spared This done Mustapha proceeded on his Journey and passed over with his Army at Callipolis into Asia Amurath understanding of the proceedings of Mustapha in Europe and of his preparation made for his Invasion of Asia created three new Bassaes Omer Uruge and Alis all three the Sons of Temurtases these he joyned with his old Bassaes Ibrahim and Eivases All these five he used as Counsellors for the Wars by whose advice he sent for Mahomet Beg sirnamed Michael Ogli who in the time that Musa reigned was Vice-Roy in Europe and therefore a man well known to most principal men in Mustapha his Army but had been kept Prisoner in the Castle of Amasia from the time that Musa was deposed and put to death by his Brother Mahomet until now that he was after eight years imprisonment for this special purpose inlarged and received into Favour About the same time that Mustapha set footing in Asia Amurath having gathered his Army set forward from Prusa to meet him yet with such distrust in his Forces which were thought to be much inferior to the European Souldiers that followed Mustapha that he was glad upon a superstitious opinion or zeal to prostrate himself at the feet of an Emir one of the false Prophet Mahomets Posterity to receive at his hypocritical Hands a graceless Blessing for his better speed by whom he was made to believe that after two Repulses he had with much ado at the third time obtained grant of the great Prophet Mahomet that he should prevail in that War and thereupon had his Sword girt unto him with the Emir his holy hands with many other vain and superstitious Ceremonies Yet for all these Charms he marched on with his Army in fear enough until he came to the River of Ulibad otherwise called Rindacus where having Intelligence of the approach of Mustapha he for fear caused the Bridge over the River there to be broken down and incamped himself on that side the River Not long after came Mustapha and finding the Bridge broken incamped at the foot thereof on the other side so that nothing parted the two Armies but the breadth of the River only Whilst they lay thus near incamped together that the Souldiers might on both sides take the full view one of another and also talk together Mahomet Beg sirnamed Michael Ogli but lately delivered out of his long Imprisonment as is aforesaid came to the River side and with a loud Voice called by name upon the great Captains and old Souldiers that were in Mustapha his Army asking by name for many of his old Friends and Acquaintance many of them being there present rejoycing to see that honourable Man whom they supposed to have been dead in prison many years before came gladly to the side of the River to hear what he could say Then with a loud Voyce he began to perswade them that the man whom they followed was not the honourable Mustapha but some base high-minded fellow set up by the Grecians abusing the obscurity of his Birth as the Vail under the covert whereof he went craftily about to intrude himself into the honourable descent of Bajazet and so masking in the counterfeit Titles of stoln Honour had misled them from their Duty to their natural King and Sovereign to follow him a meer Deceiver And further assured them that Mustapha Bajazet his Son was dead and buried in the Bed of Fame 22 years before honourably ending his days in defence of his Country in the great battel of Mount Stella against Tamerlane wherefore they should do well to forsake that supposed Mustapha and again to yield their dutiful Obedience unto their undoubted Soveraign Amurath These words delivered unto them by Mahomet whom they generally both reverenced and trusted wrought such effect in their minds that some presently adventured to swim over the River and joyned themselves unto him and many others that stayed still began now to doubt lest they had worshipped a wrong Saint At the same time also Eivases Bassa to terrifie Mustapha sent unto him Letters as in great secret advertising him that Amurath had the next night purposed with his Army to pass over the River above the broken Bridge at which time the chief Captains of his Army being as he said corrupted had promised to deliver Mustapha into his hands and with his Head to pay the Ransom of them all This he coloured with such fair glosses that Mustapha partly believed the same So when the dead time of the night was come Eivases with certain Troops of Horsemen passed over the River at the very same place he had in his Letters named and that with such a noise and tumult as if Amurath with his whole Army had been coming Mustapha seeing things begin thus to work according as Eivases Bassa had before written and with this doubting also to be presently betrayed and carrying about him a guilty Conscience the Mother of Fear and Distrust took Horse slenderly accompanied but with ten persons of his whole Army and fled in hast no man pursuing them until he came to the River of Boga and there with a great Sum of Money obtained passage by corrupting the Captain that dwelt in the Castle upon the passage of the River and the third day after passing over the Strait of Hellespontus landed at Callipolis The flight of Mustapha once known in his Army they all yielded
and the Queen it was not so great a matter that in regard thereof so honourable and commodious Alliance should be rejected for as much as Princes do more regard the Vertues of their Choice with the increase of their Honour and Wealth of their Kingdoms than the Summer-Fruit of Youth and Beauty which of it self in short time doth rot and perish although it be never so carefully kept and preserved and that for as much as there can be but one King in a Kingdom such choice was to be preferred of Kings as had not therein the greatest hope of many Children After long deliberation Uladislaus gave answer to the Embassadors That he would accept of the Offers by them made whereupon some of them returned to make Relation to the Queen and some of them stayed behind to hasten the King forward But whilst these things were a doing the Queen in the mean time was delivered of a fair Son whom she caused to be baptized and named Ladislaus After the birth of this Child the Queen moved with a Motherly affection began to repent her self that she had given her consent for the calling in of the Polonian King to the prejudice of her And being animated by some of the Hungarian Nobility who presuming of the good Grace they were in with the Queen hoped to grow great themselves if they might first draw the Government of that Kingdom to the Queen and her young Son determined now by all means to exclude the Polonian King but the greater part of the Nobility better considering what was most expedient for the present Estate and that they could neither with Honour or Safety fly from that which was before for the common good by the Embassadors concluded continued firm in their former Resolution for the bringing in of Uladislaus so that by this means some taking part with the Queen and her young Son and others standing fast for Uladislaus the Kingdom of Hungary was divided into two Factions and as it were rent in pieces and so grew to Civil Wars The Queen with such as favoured her Claim the more to gain the minds of the common people which are many times no less carried away with shews than matter caused her Son Ladislaus being then but three months old solemnly to be Crowned King at Alba-Regalis the usual place for the Coronation of the Hungarian Kings But after that the Polonian King had entred into Hungary with a goodly Army and joyned his Forces with his Friends most part of them which before followed the Queen and her Son revolted unto Uladislaus So that when she had done what she could she was glad at last to commit the tuition of her Son together with the Crown of Hungary unto Frederick the Third then Emperor never ceasing for all that to the uttermost of her Power to trouble the Government of Uladislaus continually stirring up great Wars against him both at home and abroad until that at the last by her death her quarrel took end together with her life In the midst of these Civil Wars Amurath thought a fair opportunity presented unto him to make an Entrance unto the Conquest of Hungary which Kingdom he had in his ambitious mind already devoured And therefore gathering a great Army he marched along the River Danubius until he came to the strong City of Belgrade called in ancient time Taurunum and of some Alba Graeca but now commonly Grecis Weisenburg This City is invironed on the East side with the famous River Danubius and on the South with the great River of Savus or Save which there falleth into Danubius and on the other two sides is defended with strong Walls with deep and large Ditches and was then accounted the Gate or Entrance into Hungary Unto this City Amurath at his first coming gave two terrible Assaults and was in good hope so to have won the same but yet was both times valiantly repulsed with great slaughter of his men Wherefore finding it to be a matter of more difficulty than was by him at the first supposed he began to raise Mounts against the City and high Towers of Wood to annoy the Defendants and furiously battered the Walls At this time also he caused great numbers of Gallies and small Pinnaces to be brought into both the Rivers of Danubius and Save to assault the City on those parts where was least feared and by that means also to keep them of the City from all Succors to be sent that way out of Hungary Yet for all he could do or devise the City was still valiantly defended by the Christian Souldiers which under the leading and conduct of Iohannes Uranus a Florentine Governor thereof with often Sallies and continual Shot slew great numbers of the Turks At the time of this Siege Uladislaus King of Polonia and lately Elect King of Hungary was sore troubled by the Queen and her Faction in Hungary which thing the Turkish King knew right well and thereupon continued his Siege although Famine began greatly to increase in his Camp hoping in nothing more than that the Defendants despairing of help from the King would in short time yield up the City Uladislaus being so intangled with Civil Wars as is aforesaid that he could not possibly prepare such Force as might relieve the besieged City yet forasmuch as the Turkish King had not long before by his Embassador required to joyn with him in League and Amity he thought good now to assay if he could raise the Siege by sending unto him the like Embassage Whereupon he sent Dobrogosius Ostrorogenus and Lucas Gorsensis three of the Polonian Nobility Embassadors unto Amurath declaring unto him That for so much as he had offered by his Embassadors to joyn with him in League before he came out of Polonia the remembrance thereof had taken such deep impression in his mind that he would not take up Arms against him although it were in his own just defence before he had offered him reasonable Conditions of Peace wherefore if he would desist from invading of Hungary whereof Uladislaus was now by God his permission and consent of the people chosen King and so raise his Siege that then they should afterwards easily agree upon the desired Peace in concluding whereof he should not find Uladislaus inferior to himself in any manner of Princely courtesie but if he had rather proceed in Arms and to make proof of his strength he would then do the best that he could to make him know that he was of sufficient Power in so just a quarrel to withstand his greatest Forces and to revenge the Wrongs to him done When Amurath had received this Embassage he appointed the Embassadors to withdraw themselves for a while to Synderovia a City of Servia not far off until he might better consider of their Demands pretending that he did it for their safety but as appeared afterward secretly resolving with himself presently to do his uttermost devoir for the gaining of the
on his right Hand and the Despot on the left after whom followed other Colonels Captains and Lieutenants with their Companies who at their first meeting with the Citizens more than a mile out of the City in token of their mutual Joy gave together such joyful acclamations and outcries as that the Heavens seemed to resound and the Earth to shake with the noise thereof Before the King at his coming unto the City went a long Company of the notable Turks Captives and next before him Carambey bound in Chains upon whom all mens Eyes were fixed With them were also carried the Enemies Ensigns and such Spoils as had been saved Behind the King came Huniades in a triumphant Robe in the midst betwixt the Legate on the right Hand and the Despot on the left as he that next unto the King had best deserved the Honour of the Triumph Next unto them followed the devout Christians that for the Zeal of Religion had most honourably of their own Charges voluntarily served in those Wars and on both sides of them the Civil Magistrates and best of the Citizens behind them came the rest of the Legions and about them both upon the right Hand and the left the promiscuous common People doubling and redoubling the Praises of the King and Huniades Before all these went the Prelates and Priests in solemn Procession singing Hymns and Psalms of Thanksgiving unto Almighty God. Uladislaus coming to the Gate of the City acknowledging God to have been the Author of so great a Victory alighting from his Horse on foot went first unto the Cathedral Church of our Lady and there giving most hearty Thanks unto Almighty God hanged up the Enemies Ensigns and part of the Spoil in perpetual remembrance of so notable a Victory which he afterward caused to be most lively depainted in a fair Table of most curious work and there in the same Church to be hanged up as were also the Arms of all the notable Christians that served in that most famous Expedition which there long time after remained Which Solemnities ended he went to his Palace in his Castle and there having given to every man but especially to Huniades his due Commendation gave them leave to depart Thus the Hungarians with whom also the Polonians in most part agree report of this notable Expedition of their King Uladislaus howbeit the Turks notable dissemblers of their own Losses confessing the great Overthrow call the Bassa so overthrown not by the name of Carambey but of Cassanes and the noble Prisoner that was taken by the name of Mechmet Beg Sanzack of Ancyra Amurath his Son in law and Brother to Cali-Bassa Amurath his great Counsellor of some called Carambey after the name of his Father Out of this late slaughter of the Turks where Carambey was taken scaped that valiant Prince and famous Warrior George Castriot of the Turks called Scanderbeg as is before declared whose noble mind had long time desired to break out of the golden Fetters of the Turkish Thraldom and to be revenged of the intollerable Injury by Amurath done to his Country his Parents his Brethren and himself Although he had always most warily dissembled the same for fear of the old Tyrant being oftentimes solicited and animated thereunto by secret Letters and Messengers from his Friends in Epirus knowing right well that the least fortune thereof had been unto him present death But finding no fit means for the accomplishment thereof wisely dissembled the same with all the shews of Love and Loyalty to Amurath that might be until that now in this great Overthrow of the Turks Army under the leading of Carambey and in so great a confusion he took occasion to put in practice what he had long before in his deep conceit plotted for the delivery both of himself and his Country from the Turkish Bondage and Slavery At which time Scanderbeg for so from henceforth we call him having a little before imparted the matter unto some of his trusty Friends and Country-men no less desirous of liberty than himself but especially unto his Nephew Amesa the Son of his Brother Reposius a young man of great courage in great confusion of the Turkish Army when every man was glad to shift for himself had ever in his flight a vigilant eye upon the Bassaes Principal Secretary whom accompanied with a few Turks he with his Nephew Amesa and other of his faithful Friends closely followed as he fled from the slaughter but when he had got the Secretary with his few Followers in place most convenient for his purpose he set upon the Turks and slew them every one and carrying the Secretary away with him fast bound when he had brought him whither he thought good with great Threats compelled him sore against his will to write counterfeit Letters as from the Bassa his Master unto the Governor of Croia commanding him in Amuraths name Forthwith to deliver unto Scanderbeg the new chosen Governor the Charge of the City with the Garrison there cunningly enterlacing many other things in the same Letters whereby the matter might seem more probable Which Letters so extorted he presently slew the Secretary and as many more of the Turks as came in his way of purpose that his doings might be the longer kept from the knowledge of Amurath who not hearing what was become of him might reasonably conjecture that he was slain by the Hungarians among the rest of the Turks Whilst the fame of this great Overthrow is going to Hadrianople and there filleth the Turks Court with sorrow and heaviness in the mean time Scanderbeg having with him three thousand Epirot Souldiers which followed him out of the battel as men desirous rather to fight for the liberty of themselves and of their Country than in the quarrel of the Turk was with incredible celerity come into the upper Country of Dibra in the Borders of Epirus about seventy miles from Croia into which Country he was most joyfully received where he stayed but one day and chose a few of those three hundred which he brought with him to wait upon him when he went to Croia as if they had been his domestical Servants the rest with other three hundred lusty Souldiers which were then come unto him out of Dibra he appointed to be led by secret by-ways through the Woods and Mountains by perfect Guids until they came so nigh Croia as was possible for them to come unperceived and there to stay until he might find opportunity to convey them into the City to oppress the Turkish Garrison So he with a small Company of his Followers as if they had been his private Retinue took the way towards Croia But when he began to draw near to the City he sent Amesa before with two Servitors attending upon him as if he had been his Secretary to certifie the Governor of his coming This young Gentleman as he was of a most sharp wit and well spoken so had he framed his Countenance and
other Captives to be brought before him and there caused some of them which were content voluntarily to forsake their Mahometan Superstition to be presently baptized to the great grief of the other Turks Desdrot the Governor with the rest to the terrour of the Defendants were in their sight put to death whereupon the Garrison-Souldiers with great Indignation gave a shout from the Wall and bitterly railed upon the Christians Scanderbeg considering the strength of the City with the time of the year unfit for Souldiers to keep the Field for Winter was now grown on left Moses Golemus a most valiant Captain with a Garrison of three thousand Souldieâ—s to keep in the Turks Garrison at Sfetigrade and to defend the Borders of Epirus until he might at more convenient time himself return again to the Siege and so with the rest of his Army repaired to Croia when he had in the space of little more than one month to his immortal Praise recovered his Kingdom and driven the Turks out of every corner of Epirus excepting only Sfetigrade which City also not long after was by composition delivered unto him During all this time from his first coming into Epirus he never slept above two hours in a night but with restless labour prosecuted his affairs He ever fought against the Turks with his Arm bare and that with such fierceness that the blood did oftentimes burst out of his lips It is written that he with his own hand slew three thousand Turks in the time of his Wars against them But of his great and worthy Victories obtained against the two mighty Turkish Kings Amurath and Mahomet his Son more shall be said hereafter in due time and place After that Scanderbeg had thus by great force and policy wrung his Inheritance out of Amuraths hands and scoured the Turks out of every corner of Epirus he proceeded further and over-ran part of Macedonia making sundry Incursions into the heart of that Country being then in the Turks possession whereby he so enriched his Souldiers that they desired of him no better pay Which was so usual a thing with this restless Prince as that it began to grow into a Proverb in most Princes Courts That the spoil of Amurath his Dominions was Scanderbegs Revenues Complaint hereof came daily to Amuraths Court which the crafty aged Sire being then troubled with the Hungarian Wars seemed at the first to make no great account of but as of that he could easily at his pleasure remedy although he was therewith inwardly grieved at the heart But when the certain report of one mischief as it were in the neck of another continually sounded in his ears and that he saw no end to be expected of these miseries he sent Alis Bassa one of his greatest men of War with an Army of forty thousand select Souldiers at once to subdue the Country of Epirus and to bring it again under his Obeisance The setting forth of this great Army under the Conduct of so famous a Captain replenished the minds of the Turks with such an assured hope of Victory that a man would have thought Scanderbeg had been already taken and now brought to execution yea the Common Souldiers before their setting forth were oftentimes at vain contention for the division of the spoil they were never like to have So ready are men to promise Wonders to themselves whilst they confer but with their own desires And on the other side Fame the forerunner of great attempts had filled all the small Country of Epirus with great terror and fear of Alis Bassaes coming The Country-men with their Familes fled into the strong Cities and the Citizens within their Walls fell to fortifying the same and kept continual Watch and Ward as if the Enemy had even then lien fast by them the aged Men and Women commended themselves and all theirs first to God by prayers and then to the courage of the lusty Souldiers with tears as in case of extream peril and danger Only Scanderbeg was nothing moved either with the terrible report of the Bassaes coming or the vain fear of his Subjects but always kept the same chearfulness both of countenance and speech as he was wont being well acquainted with the tumult of the Turkish Wars and having as was supposed certain Intelligence before from his secret Friends in the Turks Court of all Amuraths designs So that having set all things in order for the safety of his Country he began to levy an Army at Croia at which time most part of his Subjects of Epirus which were able to bear Arms repaired unto him the Confederate Christian Princes also his Neighbours and for most part his Kinsmen sent to him great Supplies beside other devout and War-like minded Christians which voluntarily resorted unto him from far in great numbers Out of which multitude of people he chose only 8000 Horsemen and seven thousand Foot when as he might have raised a far greater Army and placing some few in Garrisons in the frontier Cities where he thought most convenient all the rest he sent home again to their dwellings At which his confidence his Friends yea and his Enemies also much marvelled that when he might have had so many he would take the field with so few with which small Army of fifteen thousand he marched from Croia fourscore miles to Dibra where hearing by his Espials of the approach of his Enemies after he had with chearful Speech encouraged his Souldiers he encamped with his Army in the lower Country of Dibra near unto a Wood side right in the way where the Bassa must needs pass In which Wood he placed Gnee Musachee and Amesa in ambush with three thousand men commanding them to stand close until they saw he had throughly joyned battel with the Bassa and then with all their Force to break forth upon his rereward The Bassa marching forward came and encamped near unto Scanderbeg a little before the going down of the Sun and there rested that night making great shew of mirth and joy with great fires in every corner of the Camp as the Turkish manner of encamping is Whereas in Scanderbegs Camp all things were silent and no shew of any fire at all for so Scanderbeg had commanded which made the Turks the more careless deeming thereby the Christians as good as already discouraged The next morning Scanderbeg ranged his Army in order of battel placing Tanusius in the left Wing with fifteen hundred Horsemen and as many Foot and Moses in the right with like number and leading the main battel himself the rereward was committed to Uranacontes a man renowned in those days both for his gravity in Counsel and for his valour in Arms fit to command or be commanded but afterwards amongst the rest most famous for the worthy defending of Croia against Amurath being then there himself in Person Alis Bassa contemning the small number of Scanderbergs Army seeing nothing therein to be feared more than
faintly followed but as they set forward with small courage so were they at the first Incounter easily driven to retire Which when Mustapha saw he called earnestly upon them to follow him and the more to encourage them by his own example put Spurs to his Horse and fiercely charged the Front of Scanderbegs Army as one resolved either to gain the Victory or there to die after whom followed most of the principal Captains of his Army which would not for shame forsake their General thus by his Valour the battel was for a while renewed But Moses prevailing with great slaughter in one part of the Army the Turks began to fly in which flight Mustapha the General with twelve others of the chief Men in that Army were taken Prisoners but of the common Souldiers few were saved There was slain of the Turks Army ten thousand and fifteen Ensigns taken whereas of the Christians were slain but three hundred The Turks Tents and Camp with all the Wealth thereof became a Prey to Scanderbegs Souldiers wherewith although he had satisfied the desires of them all yet to keep his old custom he entred into the Confines of Macedonia and there burnt and spoiled all that he could And afterwards leaving a Garrison of two thousand Horsemen and a thousand Foot for defence of his Frontiers returned again with the rest of his Army to the Siege of Dayna Not long after the Venetians made Peace with Scanderbeg and Amurath desirous to redeem his Captains about the same time sent great Presents unto Scanderbeg with five and twenty thousand Ducats for the Ransom of Mustapha and the other Chieftains whom Scanderbeg so honourably used as if there had never been any Hostility betwixt him and them and so with a safe Convoy sent them out of his Country The Ransom of Mustapha and the other Turks he divided amongst his Souldiers When Scanderbeg had thus made Peace with the Venetians he forthwith led his Army again into Macedonia with the spoil of that Country to make his Souldiers better pay as his usual manner was And to do the greater harm he divided his Army into three parts wherewith he over-running the Country wasted and destroyed all before him putting to the Sword all the Turks that came in his way As for the Christians that there lived amongst them he spared but left them nothing more than their lives the Buildings of the Country he utterly consumed with fire so that in all that part of Macedonia which bordereth upon Epirus nothing was to be seen more than the bare ground and the shews of the spoil by him there made Which unmerciful havock of all things he made to the end that the Turks should find no Relief in those Quarters whensoever they should come thither to lie in Garrison in that Country or to invade Epirus The spoil he made was so great that it was thought he left not in all that Country so much as might relieve the Turks Army for one day Of all these great harms by Scanderbeg done in Macedonia Amurath was with all speed advertised and therewith exceedingly vexed howbeit he resolved with his great Counsellors no more to send any of his Bassaes or Captains but to go himself in Person with such a Royal Army as should be sufficient not to Conquer Epirus but if need were to fill every corner thereof Wherefore he commanded Commissions to be speedily directed into all parts of his Kingdoms and Provinces for the levying of a great Army for Hadrianople yet whither he intended to imploy the same was not known to any in the Turks Court more than to the Bassaes of the Council Which caused all the bordering Christian Princes to make the best preparation they could for their own assurance every one fearing left that growing Tempest should break out against himself But Scanderbeg of long acquainted with the Turkish policy easily perceived all that great preparation to be made against him which he was the rather induced to think by reason of the unaccustomed quietness of Amurath who all that while had neither sent any Army to Revenge Mustapha's Overthrow nor so much as a Garrison for the defence of the Borders of his Kingdom but had let all things negligently pass as if he had been in a dead sleep Besides that it was also thought that he had secret Intelligence from some of his old Friends and Acquaintance in Amuraths Court who probably suspected the matter Wherefore Scanderbeg setting all other things apart gave himself wholly to the preparing of things necessary for the defence of his small Kingdom against so mighty an Enemy First he by Letters and Messengers advertised all the Christian Princes his Neighbours and Friends of the greatness of the danger of that War wherein Amurath as he said sought not only his destruction but the utter ruine of them all exhorting them therefore to consider how far the danger of so great an Army might extend and therefore to stand fast upon their Guard. Then he sent Moses and other his expert Captains into all parts of Epirus to take up Souldiers and all the Provision of Corn and Victuals that was possible to be had Wherein he himself also busily travelled day and night not resting until he had left nothing in the Country whereupon the Enemy might shew his cruelty Most part of the common people with their Substance were received into the strong Cities the rest took the refuge of the Venetian and other Christian Princes Towns and Countries farther off until this fury were overpast all such as were able to bear Arms were commanded to repair to Croia where when they were all assembled they were enough to have made a right puissant Army But out of all this multitude Scanderbeg made choice only of 10000 old expert Souldiers whom he purposed to lead himself to incounter with the Turks great Army as he should see occasion and placed 1300 in Garrison in Croia The Citizens also themselves were throughly furnished with all manner of Weapons and other Provision meet for the defence of their City Then Proclamation was made That all the aged men unfit for Wars with the Women and Children should depart the City and none to be therein lest but the Garrison-Souldiers and such Citizens as were willing to tarry and able to bear Arms. This City of Croia was the chief City of Epirus and of the fortune thereof seemed to depend the state of all the other strong Towns and Cities and so consequently of the whole Kingdom for which cause Scanderbeg had the greater care for the defence thereof It was a miserable sight to see the lamentable departure of this weak Company out of Croia all was full of weeping and willing no House no Street no part of the City was without mourning but especially in the Churches was to be seen the very face of common sorrow and heaviness where all sorts of people in great numbers flocking together poured forth their devout Prayers with
same and planted it against a Tower called Bactatina near unto the Gate called Porta-Romana or the Roman-Gate Which Tower shaken with continual Battery at length fell down and filled the Ditch before the utter Wall even with the ground But this Breach was also speedily and with great courage made up again by the Defendants although the Turks did what they could with continual shot to have driven them from the same At which time they also erected certain high Towers of Timber covered with raw Hides to defend the same from fire out of which they with their Shot slew many of the Christians upon the Walls and in making good the aforesaid Breach but Mahomet seeing this valiantness of the Defendants openly said That it was neither the Grecians skill nor courage but the French-men that defended the City for the Turks commonly call all the Christians of the West by the Name of Franks or French-men The chearfulness and industry of the Christians in defending and repairing the aforesaid Breach was so great that the Turkish King began almost to despair of winning the City which he could no way Assault but on one side When as a bad Christian in his Camp put him again in good hope by shewing unto him a device how to bring a great part of his Fleet over Land into the Haven and thereby to assault that part of the City by water which the Citizens least feared by which ingenious device and by the great strength of men Zoganus Bassa to whom that charge was committed brought seventy of the lesser Ships and Galliots with all their Sails abroad to the great admiration of all that saw them up a great Hill and so by dry land out of the Bosphorus behind Pera the space of eight miles into the Haven of Constantinople which running in between the City and Pera runneth into the main Land as we have said about eight miles The Christian that discovered this device unto the King is supposed to have learned it of the Venetians who not long before had done the like at the Lake of Bennacus Glad was Mahomet to see so many of his Ships and Gallies in the Haven and the Christians with the sight thereof no less discouraged Nevertheless they attempted to have burnt those Vessels as they were in launching but the Turks had so commodiously placed certain pieces of great Ordnance for their defence that the formost of the Gallies of the Christians approaching the Turks Fleet was presently sunk wherewith the rest dismayed returned back from whence they came Certain of the Christians of the lost Gally whom the Turks took up swimming in the Haven were the next day cruelly slain in the sight of the Christians in revenge whereof certain Turks before taken Prisoners into Constantinople were forthwith brought to the top of the Walls and there in the sight of the Camp with like cruelty put to death Mahomet thus possessed of the Haven shortly after caused a wonderful Bridge to be made quite over the Haven from Zoganus his Camp which lay by Pera unto the Walls of Constantinople which Bridge was built with Timber and Planks born up with small Boats and empty Cask after a most strange manner and was in length more than half a mile by which Bridge his Army came over the Haven to assault the City on that side also In the mean time three tall Genoway Ships laded with Men and Munition from the Island of Chios with one of the Emperors laded with Corn from Sicilia came with a fair Wind for Constantinople The Turks great Fleet then lying not far off within the sight of the Camp set upon them and after a great fight wherein an exceeding number of the Turks were slain with Shot the Gallies boarded the Ships but being much lower were so far from doing any good as that the Turks could not well look out but they were from above slain or wounded Mahomet from the shore beholding the unequal fight and slaughter of his Men cried out aloud swearing and blaspheming God and in great rage rid into the Sea as far as he durst and coming back again rent his Clothes faring with himself like a mad man. The whole Army of the Turks beholding the same fight at Sea was filled with like Indignation also but could nothing remedy the matter The great Fleet ashamed in the sight of their King to be overcome of so few Ships did what they might desperately to enter but all in vain being continually overwhelmed with Shot and Stones from above and valiantly beaten down by the Christian Souldiers At length weary of their loss they were glad with dishonour to fall off again and to get them farther off The report of the loss the Turks sustained in this fight is almost incredible some of the Turks Fugitives reported almost ten thousand Turks to have there perished but certain it is that such was the loss as filled the whole Army with Indignation and Sorrow many having lost their Kinsmen or Friends Three of these Ships that had made this fight arrived in safety at Constantinople the other was lost Mahomet upon this Overthrow conceived such displeasure against Pantoglâ—s his Admiral who in that fight had lost one of his Eyes that he nevertheless thrust him out of his Office confiscated his Goods and was hardly by the great Bassaes intreated to spare his life Whilst Mahomet thus lay at the Siege of Constantinople and had thereunto given many great Attempts with more loss unto himself than to the Defendants a rumor was raised in his Camp of great Aid that was coming out of Italy by Sea and out of Hungary by Land for the relief of the besieged This report although indeed it was not true with the due consideration of the danger of the Siege filled the Turks Camp with fear so that the Souldiers commonly murmured amongst themselves saying That to satisfie the ambitious humour of their young King they were led to fight against impregnable Walls and Fortresses yea against the Bars of Nature it self without all reason Whereupon Mahomet entred into Consultation with the three great Bassaes his Counsellors Whether it were best for him to continue the Siege or not When Caly-Bassa sometime his Tutor a man of greatest Authority among the Turks both for his long experience and high place and withall secretly favouring the distressed Emperor after he had with long and grave Discourse declared the difficulty or rather impossibility of the wished Success in that present War and confirmed the same by producing the examples of Bajazet his great Grandfather and of Amurath his Father who had both in vain made proof of their strength against that City at lenth concluded that in his mind it were best for him to raise his Siege and to depart before he had sustained any further loss or disgrace but Zoganus the second Bassa in great Favour also with Mahomet and secretly envying the Greatness of Caly-Bassa perswaded the King to
blows to have seen Scanderbeg his Men fight a man would have thought them rather to have been raging Lyons than Men they so furiously assailed their Enemies without regard of peril or danger as men nothing afraid to die Scanderbeg with great skill governed that Battel carefully providing for every danger himself valiantly fighting in the head of this Battel but not without care of the rest still sending speedy relief where most need was and bringing in fresh supplies instead of them that were wounded or slain performed all the parts of a most worthy Chieftain and valiant Souldier where most peril was there was he strait and at his presence danger fled as if Victory had attended upon him But whilst he thus fought in the midst of his Enemies his Horse fortuned to be slain under him and falling down with him sore bruised one of his Arms whereof he complained long time after The Turks seeing him down pressed on fiercely to have slain him but he was quickly rescued by his own Souldiers and remounted And forthwith encountring with one Suliman a great Commander in the Turks Army slew him in fight hand to hand whereupon such a terror fell upon the Turks that they began to retire and after a while to betake themselves to plain Flight Scanderbeg pursuing them with such execution that of that great Army few escaped with Balabanus to carry news home Balabanus now thrice vanquished by Scanderbeg and in the last Battel having lost what he could lose except he should have lost himself returned to Mahomet at Constantinople of whom he was sharply rebuked for the great overthrows he had so often received At which time Balabanus at first gave place to the Kings Fury but afterwards when the heat was over he with a large discourse cunningly excused himself imputing all these mishaps unto the appointment of God and the fortune of War and in the end told Mahomet plainly That it was but in vain to send such small Armies into Epirus But if it would please him at once to send two valiant Captains with a puissant and strong Army who dividing the same betwixt them and entring at one time into divers parts of Epirus might spoil the Country before them and enclose Scanderbeg betwixt them if he should adventure to give either of them Battel being before resolved neither of them to offer him Battel or yet to accept of the â—ame being by him offered except the other were also at hand and so by mutual consent to undertake him but never single By which course he promised unto him an easie and assured Victory for as much as it were impossible for any man so beset and as it were on every side coupt up with his Enemies either to escape or yet to make any great resistance This perswasion of Balabanus so well fitted the Tyrants humor that he appointed Balabanus himself to be the man to put his own device in execution giving him Commission to levy such an Army as he should think sufficient for the performance of that service and withal to associate unto himself for his Companion whichsoever of his Captains he pleased Balabanus according to his Commission took musters of the men of War and made choice of forty thousand good Souldiers and chose one Iacup Arnauth otherwise called Iames the Epirot because he was also born in Epirus a valiant Captain to be his Companion whom he sent with sixteen thousand Souldiers by the way of Thessalia and Grecia into Epirus commanding him in no case to joyn Battel with Scanderbeg until he himself were also come into the Country with the other part of the Army And so setting both forward Balabanus taking the nearer way through Thracia and Macedonia came first into Epirus with twenty thousand Horsemen and four thousand Foot and encamped in the Valley of Valchal Scanderbeg both by his Espials and Letters from his secret Friends in the Turks Court having certain intelligence of all Balabanus his intent and purpose had in readiness against his coming a strong Army of eight thousand Horsemen and four thousand Foot all choice Souldiers And now hearing that he was come into Epirus and incamped in Valchal sent out three Espials to discover in what order he lay one of which Spies was Balabanus his Kinsman but not so known to Scanderbeg by whose perswasion the other two when they had taken full view of Balabanus his Army and should have returned to Scanderbeg to have given intelligence of that they had seen like false Traitors went over to Balabanus and discovered unto him all that they knew concerning Scanderbeg hoping therefore to receive some great reward as their Fellow had before born them in hand Scanderbeg marvelling that his Espials returned not again as they were appointed and doubting that they had been by the Enemy intercepted and using many times in matters of such importance to trust himself best presently went out with five lusty Souldiers and rid forth to discover the manner of the Enemies lying Balabanus like a crafty Fox mistrusting that Scanderbeg deceived of his first Spies would for like purpose send forth others laid certain Horsemen in secret ambush in divers places to intercept them if it were possible These Horsemen lay not so covert but that they were in good time descried by Scanderbeg and his Followers who with Argus Eyes pried into every Bush and Thicket as they went before he was altogether fallen into their danger and yet but so that he came to handy stroaks where Scanderbeg and his Followers oppressed with multitude were glad to flie as fast as they could into the next Wood the Turks Horsemen following them at the Heels It fortuned that as they were flying a great old Tree was fallen cross the way which Scanderbeg putting Spurs to his Horse leapt over with one of his men after him the other four not able to get over turned back upon the Turks and there fighting were slain One of the Turks which so hardly pursued Scanderbeg being well mounted forced his Horse to leap the Tree and still followed after Scanderbeg who looking back and seeing but one turned upon him and slew him the other Turks having slain four of Scanderbegs men which could not get over the Tree returned And Scanderbeg accompanied but with one of his Followers came back again to his Camp and there with all speed put his Army in readiness to go against Balabanus before the coming of his Companion with the other part of his Army Upon which resolution after he had with chearful perswasions encouraged his Souldiers and filled their minds with hope of Victory he set forward and came with great speed into the Valley of Valchal where Balabanus lay Scanderbeg had divided his Army into four Squadrons whereof Tanusius had the leading of one Zacharias Groppa of another the third was committed to Peius Emanuel and Scanderbeg himself conducted the fourth So setting forward he sent before certain Companies of Harquebusiers and Archers to
given amongst the Turks freely to pardon all the Offenders and for ever to forget all the outrages before committed When Bajazet saw his Men of War thus generally to oppose themselves against the translation of the Empire to Achomates he of purpose to corrupt the minds of them which were before already corrupted promised to give them five hundred thousand Ducats if they would stand favourable to Achomates and accept him for their Sovereign which Mass of Mony his Customers and Receivers undertook to levy of the same Merchants Strangers and Jews and to pay it as Bajazet had promised Yet the overthwart forwardness of these Men of War overcame the good Fortune of Achomates although the reward promised were great for why they had in their Martial Minds conceived far greater Rewards and Preferments if instead of a peaceable and quiet Prince a monstrous Tyrant of restless nature as was Selymus might by their help and means aspire to the Empire Thus Bajazet driven from his hope thought it best for the present to dissemble the matter and concealing his grief with patience to put up that dishonour until a fitter opportunity were offered for the effecting of that he so much desired Selymus advertised from his Friends with what affection and fastness the Souldiers of the Court had in the secret favour of him openly withstood the earnest desire of Bajazet for the preferment of Achomates because he would no longer frustrate the expectation of his Favourites by lingring and delay or seem to distrust the ready good Wills of the Men of War towards him left the borders of Hungary and with his Army marching through Thracia incamped at length upon the rising of an Hill not far from Hadrianople from whence the neighing of his Horses might easily be heard and his Tents from the high places of the City discovered From thence he sent a Messenger to his Father then lying in the City to certifie him That forasmuch as he had not of many years before seen him he was now therefore desirous to come unto his presence to visit him before he crossed the Seas back again by his appointment to Trapezond and the rather because it might chance that he should never see him again being now become both aged and diseased besides that it much concerned as he would have had him to believe the quietness of his Kingdom in Asia and the unity of his Children if the controversies betwixt him and his Brother Achomates which could not safely be committed to Messengers might by themselves be discovered to him their Father as an indifferent hearer and decider thereof Wherefore he humbly besought him to appoint him a time and place to give him audience in and not to denie him leave to come and kiss his Hands which thing his Ancestors never refused to grant to their poor Friends much less to their Children Bajazet who a few days before understanding of the coming of Selymus and throughly seeing into his devices had called unto him certain of his Sanzacks or chief Captains with their select Companies out of the nearest parts of Grecia and had also set strong Watch and Ward through the City fearing lest under the colour of parle his Souldiers attending about his person corrupted by Selymus and his Friends who even then loaded with Gifts and Promises were secretly upon the point of revolt should be quite drawn away from him and so he himself at length be either by open force oppressed or secret Treachery circumvented thought it best to cut him off at once from all hope of conference or access unto his presence Wherefore seriously blaming him that he had upon his own head brought his Army into another mans Province that he in Arms required audience and last of all so insolently abused his Fathers lenity and patience he by the same Messenger sent him farther word That he should not presume to approach any nearer unto him or expect any thing appertaining to peace who guarded with forreign power had without his Fathers leave entred into Arms and spoiled the Countries of his Friends and that therefore he should do well with all speed to retire out of Thracia yea and out of Europe also and disbanding his Forces again to retire himself unto his own charge in Pontus in which doing he should find greater favour and kindness with him his Father than ever he had before but if he would needs proceed in the course by him begun that then he would no more take him for his Son but for his Enemy and before it were long sharply chastise for his malapert Insolency little differing from unnatural Treachery The Messenger with his answer dismissed it was not long after but that Bajazet was by his espials advertised that Selymus the night following was risen with his Army and marched directly towards Constantinople whether he was sent for by his Friends in hope that upon his approach with his Army some suddain tumult and uprore would to his avail arise in that so great and populous City Whereupon Bajazet fearing lest in staying at Hadrianople he might lose the Imperial City of Constantinople early in the morning by break of the day departed from Hadrianople towards Constantinople Upon his departure Selymus peaceably entred the City of Hadrianople the Citizens fearing that if they should have made any resistance their unseasonable faithfulness towards Bajazet might have turned to their utter destruction Selymus after he had a while refreshed his Army with the plenty of that City according to his former determination set forward again of purpose by long and speedy Marches to have prevented his Fathers coming to Constantinople Bajazet was yet scarcely come to Chiurlus or rather Tzurulum an ancient ruinous City almost upon the mid way betwixt Hadrianople and Constantinople when warning was given him of them that followed his Army that the forerunners of Selymus were at hand cutting off the straglers of his Army and with hot skirmishing stayed and troubled his Rearward The aged Emperor more moved than terrified with the strangeness of the matter because his marching should not seem as if it were a Flight or Chase commanded his Standard to be set up and all his Army to make a stand of purpose that if Selymus should come on to give him Battel he might find him in readiness The great Captains and Noblemen then present with Bajazet whether it were for old acquaintance or upon some new inclination of their affection or else upon hope of new Allyance and Preferment wishing well unto Selymus and therefore indirectly and cunningly favouring him seemed not to like of Bajazet his resolution to be so far moved as they said with the youthful heat and lightness of his Son as to seek revenge by battel whereas the Victory it self could yield him nothing but sorrow but the overthrow threatned destruction both to himself and all them that were with him the imminent event thereof seemed to be so much the more dangerous
his former disloyalty and that therefore it was like that he as a well corrected Child would from thenceforth contain himself within the compass of his most dutiful obedience whereas Achomates proud of his Birth-right having of late violated his Fathers Embassadors and filled all Asia with Rebellion was not like to be brought to any reasonable conformity until he were by force of Arms pluckt down and so made to know himself in like manner as was his Brother Selymus of late Bajazet seeing that in resolving of a matter of so great consequence Cherseogles Bassa his Son-in-law and the only faithful Counsellor then about him sat silent hanging the head as a man not of the same opinion with the rest stood a great while in doubt what to resolve upon he could not so easily forget the late injuries done against him by Selymus it was yet fresh in memory how that he had out of Asia invaded Europe surprised Hadrianople given him Battel indangered his person with his Tartarian Horsemen and that only by the goodness of God he had obtained the Victory on the other side his Majesty contemned his Nephews imprisoned his Embassadors violated the Cities of Asia ransacked and all those goodly Countries presently smoking with the fire of Rebellion so filled his old heart with anger and indignation as that he desired nothing more than to be revenged Whilst he was thus strugling with his own thoughts and doubtful what to do the unfaithful Bassaes by deep deceit and treachery Cherseogles most instantly perswading the contrary overcame him so far as with his own hand to write Letters to Selymus promising him that forgetting all injuries past he would upon the hope of his Loyalty receive him into his former grace and favour and make him General of his Army if he would without delay repair to Constantinople and so pass over into Asia against his rebellious Brother Achomates Whilst these things are in doing at Constantinople Corcutus advertised by Letters from his Friends of the weak estate of his aged Father and by what perswasions he had been induced after Achomates was proclaimed Traitor to call unto him Selymus and to make him General of his Army came down out of Magnesia to Phocis and there imbarking himself in his Gallies sailed to Constantinople where being arrived he went presently to the Court attended upon with a great number of his Friends and Favourites and entring into the Privy Chamber humbled himself before his Father and kissed his hand and after much talk had betwixt them of divers weighty matters is reported to have spoken unto him as followeth It is now above thirty years past most reverend Father and dread Sovereign since that I being chosen and proclaimed Emperor by the Prerogative of the Souldiers of the Court by general consent of the Citizens of this impâ—rial City and by the grave judgement of the wise and grave Bassaes of the Court have chearfully and willingly and as I may truly say with mine own hand delivered from my self unto your Majesty the possession of this most glorious Kingdom and Empire Which thing what worldly wight would have done but either a mad man or else a most kind and loving Son Unto which so rare an example of a religious and loving heart I was not by any fear or constraint enforced but only by regard and contemplation of your own sacred person and the due consideration of my duty Neither did it in the course of so many years ever repent me of that my singular kindness and duty done when as I contenting my self with such things as you had unto me assigned and with the general commendation of my well doing as well as with a Kingdom thought this your great â—state and highest type of worldly honour not to be compared with the quiet contentment of my pleasing studies when as I accâ—unted it a vain thing and not beseeming the resolution of a setled and quiet mind to long after these worldly things which being had and enjoyed to the full work no full contentment in the insatiable desire of man and that surmounting vertue and the sweet O most sweet meditation of Heavenly things promised unto my contemplative and ravished mind things of far more worth and Majesty than all the Kingdoms and Monarchies of the World. But whilst I was tracing this path little regarding worldly honour or the glory of an Empire and was for pure Devotion and desire of knowledge travelling into the furthest part of Arabia unto the Altar of our most sacred Prophet Mahomet and so to the Indians as to men of a more exact Knowledge and sincere Profession you in the midst of my travel drew me out of Egypt by the long hands of the Egyptian Sultan back again into Phrygia commanding me that eschewing the manifold dangers which in my long travel I must needs have fallen into I should from thenceforth have more regard of my life and health and to expect the fruit both of my Loyalty towards you and of your Fatherly Love towards me as if you had been then of opinion that the time would come when for the evil disposition of some an innocent man devoted unto the study of Wisdom and Learning might be a stay both unto your self and the whole Othoman Family Since which time I have ever both dutifully obeyed your command and with as much care and integrity as I possibly could discharged my charge and in the late Persian War raised and brought into the Field mine Army wherewith I defended the Frontiers of my Province from the incursions of the Barbarians But after that they were vanquished and by your Forces driven out of the lesser Asia and that my unnatural and graceless Brethren the one of them in Europe as a most desperate Recreant had in plain Battel assailed the person of your most sacred Majesty his reverend Father far spent with age and then grievously tormented with the Gout of purpose to have at once deprived you both of your Life and Empire and the other in Asia seeking by like Disloyalty and most horrible Treason there to possess himself of a Kingdom had besieged and taken Prisoners his Brothers Sons your Nephews young Princes of great expectation your faithful and loving Subjects and proceeding further had set all that part of your Empire on a broil I thought my self in duty bound to repair hither unto your Imperial Majesty for that I saw it came to pass not without the providence of the most Mighty that I might at such time especially request the just reward of my due desert of you my most reverend and loving Father the most religious observer of Equity and Iustice when as you having had too great proof of the Infidelily of my unnatural Brethren might most fitly and most commodiously perform that which you upon great reason might now grant unto me your dutiful and obedient Son although my former deserts had merited no such thing Wherefore most gracious Sir I
taken from Corcutus all hope of escaping by Sea so that he was fain to hide himself in a Cave near unto the Sea side not far from Smyrna living in hope that after a few days the Fleet would depart and so he should find some opportunity to escape After he had thus a great while in fear most miserably lived with Country Crabs and other like wild Fruit a poor Diet for a man of State and was with extream necessity inforced to send his man for relief to a poor Shephards Cottage thereby he was by a Country Pesant discovered to Cassumes who with too much diligence sought after his life and being by him apprehended was carried towards the Tyrant his Brother at Prusa Right welcome to Selymus was the report of his taking who as soon as he understood that he was within a days journey of Prusa sent one Kirengen-Ogli who of his squint look was called Chior Zeinal to strangle him upon the way and to bring his dead Body to Prusa This Captain coming to Corcutus in the dead time of the night and awaking him out of his sleep told him his heavy Message how that he was sent from his Brother Selymus to see him executed which must as he said presently be done Corcutus exceedingly troubled with these heavy news and fetching a deep sigh desired the Captain so long to spare his life until he might write a few short lines unto his Brother Selymus Which poor request being granted he called for Pen and Paper and readily in Turkish Verse for he had spent all his time in study reproved his Brother of most horrible Cruelty upbraiding him that he had not only most disloyally thrust his Father out of his Empire but also most unnaturally deprived him of Life of whom he had before received the same and not so content had most tyrannously slain his Brothers Children and now like an unmerciful wretch thirsted after the guiltless blood of himself and Achomates his Brethren At last concluding his Letters with many a bitter curse he besought God to take of him just revenge for so much innocent blood by him most unnaturally spilt And when he had thus much written he requested the Captain that it might together with his dead body be delivered unto Selymus So without any further delay he was according to the Tyrants command presently strangled The next day after when the dead body was presented unto Selymus he uncovered the face thereof to be sure that it was he and seeing a Paper in his hand took it from him but when he had read it for all his cruel nature and stony heart he burst out into tears protesting that he was never so much grieved or troubled with any mans death as with his for which cause he commanded general mourning to be made for him in the Court and with Princely solemnity buried his body Three days after he caused fifteen of those diligent searchers who first found Corcutus to have their Heads struck off and their bodies to be flung into the Sea saying That if he were by any extremity driven to fly and hide his Head they would not stick to serve him in like manner as they had done his Brother Now of all the Posterity of Bajazet remained none alive to trouble the cruel Tyrants thoughts but only Achomates and his two Sons who upon the approach of the Spring set forward with his Army from Amasia excited by the often Letters of his Friends who assured him that Selymus might upon the suddain be easily oppressed if he would with all expedition come to Prusa forasmuch as the Janizaries and Europeian Horsemen the undoubted strength of his Army were at that time absent and he himself as one hated both of God and Man could not in so suddain and unexpected danger tell what he were best to do or which way to turn himself wherefore they willed him without delay to hasten his coming and not to expect the milder Weather of the Spring lest in the mean time Selymus should call together his dispersed Forces God they said did oftentimes offer unto men both the opportunity and means to do great matters if they had the power to lay hold thereon and therefore he should do well now by celerity and courage to seek to better his evil Fortune which but a little before had bereft him of his Fathers Kingdom for if Summer were once come on he must either gain the Victory by plain Battel which would be a hard matter or else get him packing out of Cappadocia and all Asia the less Achomates who before had promised unto himself better success as well for the great Strength he had of his own as for the new supply of Horsemen he had procured from Hysmael the Persian King but especially for the hope he had that Selymus generally hated for his late Cruelty should in the time of the Battel be forsaken of his own Souldiers yielded to the perswasions of his Friends who with many pleasing words set before his Eyes glorious things easie to be spoken but hard to be effected Wherefore when he was come into Galatia with somewhat more than fifteen thousand Horsemen having for hast left his Footmen by easie marches to come after him Selymus advertised of his coming by speedy Messengers sent for his Horsemen to Prusa In the mean time whiles he is levying other common Souldiers and expecting the rest of his Forces Fortune which always favoured his attempts did then also avert the danger prepared for him by the unfaithfulness of his Followers and shewed to him the open way to Victory For Achomates secret Friends which were in Selymus his Camp continuing firm in their good will toward him did earnestly by Letters perswade him being already set forward and now come as far as Paphlagonia to make hast and to come before Selymus his Forces were come together for that he had sent for the Janizaries and Europeian Horsemen and did with all speed and diligence make all the preparation he could possibly which for all that would all come too late if he should upon the suddain come upon him before he were provided Which Letters being by chance intercepted gave Selymus certain knowledge both of his Brothers purpose and coming together with the Treason intended against him by his own Servants wherefore executing them who had writ those Letters he in their names caused others to the same effect to be written to Achomates perswading him with all speed possible to come still on and not to stay for his Footmen for that Selymus might easily be oppressed with a few Troops of Horsemen if Achomates would with speed but come and shew himself unto his Friends and Favourites who upon the first signal of Battel would raise a tumult in the Army and upon the suddain kill Selymus unadvisedly going to and fro in the Battel Which Letters so written Selymus caused to be signed with the Seals of them whom he had before
Sultan of Egypt After this Victory Selymus having in short time and with little trouble brought all the lesser Asia under his obeisance and there at his pleasure disposed of all things determined to have returned to Constantinople but understanding that the Plague was hot there he changed his purpose and passing over at Callipolis and so travelling through Grecia came to Hadrianople where he spent all the rest of the Summer and all the Winter following and afterward when the Mortality was ceased returned to Constantinople where it was found that an hundred and threescore thousand had there died of the late Plague Hysmael the Persian King whose Fame had then filled the World hearing of the arrival of Amurat sent for him and demanded of him the cause of his coming The distressed young Prince who but of late had lost his Father together with the hope of so great an Empire and now glad for safegard of his life to fly into strange Countries oppressed with sorrow by his heavy Countenance and abundance of Tears more than by Words expressed the cause of his coming yet in a short strained Speech declared unto him how that his Father his Uncle with the rest of his Cousins all Princes of great Honour had of late been cruelly murthred by the unmerciful Tyrant Selymus who with like fury sought also after the life of himself and his Brother the poor remainders of the Othoman Family who to save their lives were both glad to fly his Brother into Egypt and himself to the Feet of his Imperial Majesty Hysmael moved with compassion and deeming it a thing well beseeming the greatness of his Fame to take the poor exiled Prince into his protection and to give him relief willed him to be of good comfort and promised him Aid And the more to assure him thereof shortly after gave him one of his own Daughters in marriage For it was thought that if Selymus for his Tyranny become odious to the World should by any means miscarry as with Tyrants commonly falleth out that then in the Othoman Family sore shaken with his unnatural Cruelty none was to be preferred before this poor Prince Amurat besides that it was supposed that if he should invade him with an Army out of Persia that upon the first stir all the lesser Asia mourning for the unworthy death of Achomates would at once revolt from him who for his Cruelty and shameful Murthers had worthily deserved to be hated together both of God and Man. Wherefore in the beginning of the Spring Hysmael furnished Amurat his new Son in Law with ten thousand Horsemen willing him to pass over the River Euphrates at Arsenga and to enter into Cappadocia as well to make proof how the People of that Country were affected towards him as of the strength of the Enemy after whom he sent Vasta-Ogli the most famous Chieftain amongst the Persians with twenty thousand Horsemen more with charge That he should still follow Amurat within one days journy and he himself with a far greater power staid behind in Armenia doubting to want Victual if he should have led so great an Army through those vast barren and desolate places whereby he must of necessity pass Amurat marching through the lesser Armenia year 1514. and entring into the Borders of Cappadocia had divers Towns yielded unto him by his Friends some others he took by force which he either sacked or else quite rased and brought such a general fear upon the Inhabitants of that Province that the People submitting themseves unto him all the way as he went it was thought he would have gone directly to Amasia had not Chendemus an old Warlike Captain whom Selymus had left for his Lieutenant in Asia with a great Army come to meet him at Sebastia which at this day is called Sivas This Chendemus had also long before advertised Selymus both of the preparation and coming of the Persians as soon as he had learned by his Espials That they were passed the River Euphrates Upon which news Selymus came presently over into Asia and commanding all his Forces to meet together at Prusa had with wonderful celerity levied thereabout forty thousand common Souldiers Which so soon as Amurat understood as well by such Prisoners as he had taken as by advertisement from his Friends although he was very desirous to have fought with Chendemus yet doubting that if Selymus should with his wonted celerity come against him he should be intangled in the Straits of the Mountain Antitaurus he retired back again to Vasta-Ogli But Selymus who all that year had in his haughty thoughts been plotting some such notable exploit as were worthy his greatness standing in doubt whether he should by Sea and Land invade Hungary the Rhodes or Italy at that time sore shaken with Civil Wars having now so fit an occasion given him by the Persian to the great joy of all Christendom converted himself wholly unto the East and in thirty days march came to Arsenga Where joining his Army with Chendemus when he understood that his Enemies having harried the Country were again retired prickt forward with the grief of the injury and desire of revenge with hope of Victory he resolved to follow after them foot by foot and forthwith to enter into Armenia the greater the principal Province of the Persian Kingdom But the difficulties of this notable expedition which were in Counsel propounded by them which had best knowledg of those Countries were great and many all which by his own good hap and invincible courage he himself afterwards overcame for the Souldiers which had in short time already marched by Land out of Illyria Epirus and Macedonia into Cappadocia must of necessity in this long expedition take upon them new labors they were to endure the sharp and pinching cold of the huge Mountain Taurus and by and by after the most vehement and and scortching heat in the Plains of Armenia the lesser with extream Thirst Hunger and most desperate want of all things and well the more for that the Persians in their Retreat spoiling the Country as they went had utterly destroyed all that might serve for the use of man of purpose to leave nothing to their Enemies but want of all things if they should pursue them besides that his most expert Captains stood in no small doubt of the petty Princes of Armenia the less and the Mountain King Aladeules whom they were to leave behind them at their backs without any great assurance of their Frindship who they well knew would leave them if any thing should happen otherwise than well to Selymus either in the Battel or for want of Victuals or in the strait passages For they were to be relieved with Victuals from the Armenians and Aladeules Forces then in readiness were neither for number nor power to be contemned who also with Castles commodiously placed and strong Garrisons at his pleasure commanded all the straits passages and entrances which led out of
happily in the absence of himself and of his Armies the Christian Princes might take occasion to invade his Dominions he strengthned the Frontiers of his Empire with most strong Garrisons and left his Son Solyman who afterward proved the scourge of Christendom at Hadrianople with a strong power and Pyrrhus Bassa his Tutor a man of great Wisdom and Government at Constantinople This great Bassa was of Cilicia a native Turk born which was a thing accounted strange forasmuch as the great Bassaes were alwaies chosen of the Christian blood After that he sent Cherseogles whom of all others he most trusted with his Army into Bithynia and made Zafferus an Eunuch Admiral of his Navy which he had but a little before built and with wonderful labor and charge rigged forth Then staying a few days at Constantinople to see the young Souldiers but then chosen Janizaries year 1516. he departed thence and went to his old Army lying with Sinan Bassa at Iconium purposing to have again invaded the Persian When he was come thither he understood that Campson Gaurus Sultan of Egypt with a great Army levied in Egypt and Iudea was come into Syria giving it out that he would aid the Persian King his Confederate and with all Hostility enter into Cilicia if Selymus should farther proceed to invade Hysmael the Sophi his Friend and Ally Selymus perplexed with these News and fearing that if he should once pass over the River Euphrates Campson lying so near in readiness should forthwith break in at his back into Asia by the Mountain Amanuâ— and so indanger that part of his Dominion staied at Iconium and sent his Embassadors with great Presents to Campson to pacifie him if it might be The chief Men in this Embassage were the Cadelescher a Man of great account amongst the Turks and of them exceedingly Reverenced for the opinion they had of his great knowledge in the Mahometan Superstition who afterwards wrote the Commentaries of this War and Iachis a great Captain The scope of whose Embassage was to intreat Campson that he would not hinder or disturb Selymus from making War upon the Persian King who had so oftâ—â— and so forcibly invaded his Dominions in Asia and by bringing in a new form of Superstition had corrupted and altered the most certain grounds of the Mahometan Religion And if they found him resolutely set down and not to be by any conditions removed then with all possible diligence to learn his strength and farther designs so far as by any means they could and with all speed to make their return But Campson now far spent with age and living in the height of worldly Bliss although he knew it fitter for him at those years to give himself to ease and quietness than to thrust himself into Wars and other Princes quarrels yet thought this Expedition to be for many causes both good and necessary First he deadly hated the Man for his inhuman Cruelty and therefore could never be perswaded to renew the League with him which he had in former time made with his Father Bajâ—zet besides that he desired to abate and repress his audacious insolency grown already by his prosperous Success beyond the bounds of reason for Selymus having taken Tauris overthrown the Persians and slain Aladeules began now to seem terrible to all the Princes that bordered upon him and there were many which said he was another Alexander who whilst other Princes sat still as Men asleep did in the mean time Plot in his victorious mind the Monarchy of the whole World. But above all things the fear of the losing of Syria and consequently the loss of all his Kingdom the quickest motive for stirring up of the suspitious minds of the greatest Princes most inforced Campson to take in hand this War so as much as the goodly Kingdoms of Egypt Iudea and Syria oppressed with the intollerable Government of the Proud Mamalukes and therefore less faithful to the Egyptian Kings were in danger to revolt to the Turks if the Persians should by any mischance or fortune of War be of the Turks vanquished For which cause Campson in the beginning of this War solicited by the Persian Embassadors had made a firm League and confederation with Hysmael and also moved with the misery of the woful young Prince Aladin the Son of Achomates was in mind perswaded that the cruel Turkish Tyrant might by his and the Persian Kings Forces easily be thrust out of his Empire in Asia and Europe For Aladin who after the death of Achomates his Father fled to Campson the Sultan of Egypt as is before declared had lived three years as a forlorn and distressed Prince in the Egyptian Court and by all means he could devise incited the Mamalukes to revenge the injuries and cruelty of his Uncle Selymus The eldest Son also of the late King Aladeules a goodly young Prince having at once lost his Father his Kingdom and whatsoever he had else was in good time fled to the Egyptian King and had so filled the minds of all Men with the indignation and detestation of Selymus his exceeding cruelty that the Princes of the Mamalukes of their own accord came to Campson humbly beseeching him to take upon him so just a War and if by reason of his great years he should think himself unable to indure the travel thereof it would then please him yet to give them leave of themselves to take the matter in hand for the repressing of the insolency of that great and wicked Tyrant These Mamalukes far excelled the Turks not only in strength of Body skilful riding and goodly armor but also in courage and wealth Beside that they had not forgotten with what small power they had under the leading of Caitbeius their great Sultan overthrown the Turks great Armies in Cilicia first at Adena and afterward at Tarsus where they took Prisoners Mesites Palaeologus the great Bassa and Cherseogles Bajazet his Son-in-Law by which Victory they grew into such a proud and vain conceit of themselves as if they had been the only Souldiers of the World able of themselves to vanquish and overcome whatsoever they should set upon These so valiant Souldiers were for the most part of the poor People called in ancient time Getae Zinchi and Bastarnae born near unto the Euxine Sea and the Fens of Maeotis especially on that side where the River Corax falleth into the Euxine Sea which Country is of later time called Circassia of the People called Cercitae near unto Cholchis These miserable and wretched People the Valachians Podolians Polonians Roxolanes and Tartars dwelling by Taurica pulled from their Mothers Breasts or by other violent means surprised were sold to Merchants who culling out the best for strength of Body or aptness of Wit conveied them by Sea to Alexandria from whence they were continually sent to the great Sultan of Egypt and by his appointment were at Caire after the old manner of that People delivered to Masters
Whereby the Mamalukes drawn into divers Factions some seeking to prefer one and some another had in four years space with Civil Wars sore weakned their Estate and slain divers of their greatest Princes which had aspired unto that Kingdom For appeasing of which Mischiefs tending to the utter ruine of their Kingdom the great Courtiers and chief Men amongst the Mamalukes with one consent offered the Kingdom to Campson Gaurus or as the Turks call him Carsaves Gauris of whom we now speak a Man of great integrity and courage and altogether free from ambition He terrified with the dreadful example of so many Kings whom he had seen in short time miserably slain by the ambitious aspiring of other proud Competitors when he was sore against his will hoist up upon the shoulders of the Nobility and chief Souldiers and so carried into the Court as their manner was began earnestly to refuse the Kingdom and to withstand their choice excusing himself as unfit for so high a Place and with trears standing in his Eies besought the other great Lords his Friends that they would forbear to thrust him well contented with his private life into that glorious place subject to so many dangers and the rather for that he neither had Mony to give bountifully unto the Souldiers of the Court as other the Egyptian Sultans had accustomed neither held that sufficiency and authority as was requisite for repressing of such violent and seditious tumults as were too rise in that troublesome time and confusion of all things The Nobility on the other side perswaded him That he would not upon a foolish obstinacy or vain modesty refuse the offer of his present good Fortune but couragiously to take upon him the Government of the State now sore shaken with civil Discord together with the regal Dignity which was with the general good liking of all the Men so frankly offered unto him At last they all by solemn Oath promised unto him That they would with all their power policy and wealth maintain and defend the Majesty of his State and that the Men of War should not demand their wonted Largess before the same might by his Receivers and Treasurers be raised of his Customs and other Revenues of the Crown By which perswasions Campson incouraged suffered himself to be saluted Sultan and so took upon him the Government Afterwards when he had given unto the Men of War ten millions of Ducats by the name of a Largess and by his moderate Government had caused Men generally to have his prowess and wisdom in admiration he did with such policy and dexterity reform the shaken State of that Kingdom before rent in sunder with Civil Wars taking away by Poison and other secret devices some few the chief Authors of Sedition that for the space of sixteen years neitheir tumult nor noise of War was at any time heard of in all Syria or Egypt worthy undoubtedly the name of a most excellent and fortunate Prince if when he had by singular wisdom and policy established the general peace and prosperity of his Kingdom he could have there contented himself to have lived in quiet and in the winding up of his life not rashly have thrust himself into the dangerous quarrels of other Princes The Cadelescher and Iachis Selymus his Embassadors departing from Iconium came in few days to Campson the great Sultan who then lay incamped near unto the River Orantes at this day called Farfar These Embassadors entertained by Campson with greater bounty than courtesie and shortly after their coming having audience in his Pavillion did with most temperate and calm Speech deliver their Embassage To whom Campson answered That it was the ancient Custom of the Egyptian Sultans forasmuch as they held the chief place in their Religion with all care and industry to keep the other Mahometan Kings and People in peace and concord amongst themselves whereof he for his part had been always most desirous and was for no other purpose come with his Army into his Province of Syria than to perswade Selymus to peace Who if he would needs wilfully proceed in his intended Wars against Hysmael the Persian King his friend and confederate he would then do what should stand with his honour and place and not longer suffer all to go to wrack for the vain pleasure and fury of one insolent and ambitious Man. He said also That he had of long time before seen into Selymus his insatiable fierce and troublesome disposition who having most unnaturally procured the death of his good Father the old Emperor Bajazet and slain his Brethren Princes of great Valour seven of his Nephews Princes of no small Hope with many other of his best Friends and faithful Counsellors could make no end of his ambitious Tyranny Wherefore they should tell Selymus that one and all the conditions of peace should be if he would from thenceforth desist from invading of Hysmael and restore to Aladeules his Son his Fathers Kingdom which had of long been under the defence and protection of the Egyptian Sultans as of right and reason he ought to do he should in so doing beside his favour and friendship which might greatly stand him in stead reap greater fame and glory by an assured and honourable peace than by doubtful and dangerous War. The Embassadors although they knew right well that Selymus would not for any threats give over his enterprise or lay down Arms yet to the intent they might the sooner be dispatched and so in time advertise Selymus of the Sultans sudden coming seemed wonderfully to like of his motion for peace and to give good hope by their reasonable perswasions to induce Selymus to like thereof forasmuch as they were of his secret Counsel and Men able to do much with him whereby they trusted as they would have had the Sultan to believe it would easily be brought to pass that those sparks might be quenched which all things standing upright had not as yet kindled the Fire of War. So they being by Campson rewarded and having leave to depart travelling day and night returned to Selymus who was then come to Caesarea Campson also removing from Oranoes came into Comagena unto the famous City of Aleppo which City is probably supposed to have been built of the ruines of the ancient City Hieropolis by Alepius the Emperor Iulianus his Lieutenant who in that Province did many notable matters and called the new built City after his own name It is situate near unto the River Singa which rising out of the Mountain Pierius with many turnings and windings runneth through Comagena and being but a small River falleth at length into the River Euphrates This City Hyalon King of the Tartars took and burnt at such time as the Christian Princes of the West made War with the Egyptian Kings for the Kingdoms of Syria and Ierusalem Which calamity notwithstanding it was again repeopled and is at this day a famous City for the commodious situation thereof
Thou peevish Dame more suddain than The thunder Clap from high Rejects the suits of greedy Wights Which to thee call and cry And lavishly consumes thy self And whatso else thou hast On such as crave nothing of thee Nor wisht not to be grac't As Campson Gaurus seeking nought Ne craving ought of thee Against his Will by Souldiers rage Was rais'd from base degree And soaring up above the Clouds Made King of Egypts Land Receiv'd amongst the highest Stars Did there in glory stand But forthwith falling thence opprest With Rebels War and Age Became the scorn of thine ore'thwart Most fierce and fickle rage And so with life together lost A World of Wealth also Which with his stately Kingdom great He greatest did forgo Selymus having received the City of Aleppo into his Obeisance sent Ionuses Bassa before him with a great part of his light Horsemen to pursue his flying Enemies to Damasco whither he himself in few days after came also with the rest of his Army when he understood that his Enemies were departed thence and fled to Caire They of Damasco thinking it not to stand with their good to stay the course of his Victory and with their lives to hazard the great Wealth of that rich City without delay presently opened unto him the Gates at his coming By whose example other Cities alongst the Sea-Coast moved especially Tripolis Berytus Sydon and Ptolemais sending their Embassadors and receiving in the Turks Garrisons yielded themselves in like manner Not long after Selymus held a great Counsel in his Camp which then lay under the Walls of Damasco for he would not bring his Souldiers into the City for troubling the quiet and populous state thereof together with the great Trade of Merchandise which at that time was with wonderful security kept there by Merchants of divers Countries coming from far even from the remotest parts of the World. And in the Camp such was the military discipline of that most severe Commander that the Souldiers knowing the Victory to give them no whit the more liberty suffered the fruitful Orchards and Gardens of the Citizens in the most plentiful time of Autumn to rest in safety untouched without any keeper By which severe and strait government he so politiquely provided against all wants that his Camp was in all parts furnished with plenty of all things necessary and that at prices reasonable There taking unto him men skilful in the Laws and Customs of the Country and calling before him the Embassadors of all the Cities of the Country he heard and decided the greatest controversies of the Syrians appointed Governors over the Provinces and Cities took view of the Tributes and Customs and abrogated many Customs and Tributes due unto the old Sultans which seemed either unreasonable or grievous to the People thereby to gain the fame of a just and bountiful Conqueror When he had thus set all things in order in Syria and sufficiently rested and refreshed his Army and especially his Horses which with long and continual travel were grown maigre and lean he of nothing more desirous than of the Conquest of Egypt and the utter subversion of the Sultans State and Mamalukes Government sent before Sinan Bassa into Iudea with fifteen thousand Horsemen and a strong Regiment of Harquebusiers selected out of the Janizaries and other Souldiers to try the passage of that Country and to open the way for him to Gaza which was thought would be unto him very troublesome by reason of the wild Arabians roaming upon and down that Country The City of Gaza standeth near the Sea towards Egypt not far from the sandy Desarts whereby men with much difficulty and dangerous travel pass out of Syria and so to Caire In the mean time the Mamalukes who under the conduct of Gazelles were come to Caire with all the rest of their order which were thither assembled from all parts of the Kingdom entring into Counsel together as it often falls out in time of danger and distress without all contention of envy chose Tomombeius of the Turks called Tuman-bai a Circassian born to be their King. He was then the great Diadare and by his Office next in honour and power unto the Sultan whose Prowess and Policy was such that he only in the opinion of all the Mamalukes was thought able and sufficient to stay and uphold the afflicted and declining State of their Kingdom He by their general consent and good liking promoted to the State of the great Sultan thinking as truth was his own Majesty and the remainder of the Mamalukes hopes to be wholly reposed in Arms and the fortune of Battel began with great carefulness and singular industry to provide Armor Weapons and Horses from all places he also caused great store of Ordnance to be cast and mustered great Companies of such of his Slaves as seemed meet for the Wars beside that he entertained for Pay many of the Moors and Arabians his Neighbours He also for great reward hired men skilful of the Countries to go through the Desarts of the Palmyrens into Mesopotamia and so to Hysmael the Persian King with Letters earnestly requesting him to invade the Turks Dominions in Asia the less or with all speed to break into Comagena being by the departure of the Enemy left bare and destitute of sufficient Garrisons and farther to advertise him That Selymus who then lay in the borders of Iudea might easily be inclosed with their two Armies and so be vanquished or for want to Victuals distressed and the rather for that there was no Fleet of the Turks upon that coast able from Sea to relieve their Army by Land or yet to transport them thence in case they should by chance of War be distressed and so think to return In which doing he should both relieve the Egyptian Sultan his Friend and Confederate for his sake brought into so great danger and also without any great trouble or peril notably revenge himself of so many shameful injuries as he had before received from that his most capital Enemy Whilst Tomombeius doth these things Sinan Bassa the forerunner of Selymus having easily repulsed divers companies of the wild Arabians who in manner of Theeves and Robbers lay upon the passages had now opened the way and was come to Gaza where the Citizens although they were in heart faithful unto the Mamalukes yet for that to shut their Gates against the Bassa and to stand upon their guard without a sufficient Garrison seemed a matter both perilous and unreasonable forthwith yielded their City upon reasonable composition and with the plenty thereof relieved the Turks Bassa giving him great but dissembled thanks that by his means and the good fortune of Selymus they were delivered from the cruel bondage of the Mamalukes promising for the remembrance of so great a benefit for ever to remain his faithful Servants Sinan commending their ready good will required of them all such things as he wanted or had occasion
great applause and consent of all there present chosen King. To whom forthwith Petrus Perennus came and presented the ancient Crown of the Kingdom of Hungary which was in his keeping made after an homely fashion of pure Gold with which the lawful Kings of Hungary used alwaies to be solemnly crowned It is reported that it was the Crown of Stephanus first King of Hungary and was by an ancient Custom alwaies kept in the Castle of Vicegrade And so Iohn the Vayvod was orderly crowned and consecrated by the hands of Paulus Bishop of Strigonium lately chosen instead of Ladislaus Salcanius slain in the Battel at Mugace and by the hands of Stephanus Brodaricus Bishop of Vacia whom he chose for his Secretary And unto Americus Cibachus he gave the honour of the Vayvod of Transilvania being but a little before chosen Bishop of Veradium In his preferment he was greatly holpen unto the Kingdom by the Nobility which followed him out of Transylvania men of great account both in Peace and War amongst whom descended of the Hungarian Blood were chief Stephanus Verbetius Paulus Antandrus Gregorius Peschenius Nicholaus Glessa and Ianus Docia But whilst this new King is in this sort busied in rewarding his Friends and strengthning himself in his Kingdom he was advertised that Ferdinand his Competitor of the Hungarian Kingdom was chosen King of Bohemia who out of the old controversie betwixt Mathias Corvinus and Fredericus the Emperors great Grandfather alledged great claim unto that Kingdom derived from the time of Ladislaus who was reported to have been poisoned at the time of the solemnization of his Marriage through the ambition and malice of Georgius Pogibracius who affecting the Kingdom of Bohemia shortly after obtained the same And now it seemed that the time was come wherein Ferdinand made greater with the Kingdom of Bohemia and strengthned with the power of his Brother Charles the Emperor not forgetting his Right might upon good ground lay claim unto the Kingdom of Hungary unto him as he pretended of right belonging ever since the time of Albertus the Emperor Neither did Ferdinand beside the strength of Austria and Bohemia want the furtherance of divers of the Princes of Hungary having in his Court many of unquiet Spirit half Fugitives desirous of change which envied at the Vayvods Royal Preferment as if it had been taken from themselves more worthy thereof than he by the rash and tumultuous favour of the Vulgar People For besides Bator who in most Mens judgment might most worthily have required and obtained the Kingdom there were others also almost of like Nobility and Valour as Valentius Tauraccus Stephanus Maylatus Ianus Scala Gasper Scredius Baltasor Pamphilus and Ferentius Gnarius to whom also was joyned Paulus Bachitius born in Servia a valiant Gentleman who being entred into the Mahometan Religion to avoid the Turkish Slavery got away unto the Christians and hardly escaped from the Battel of Mohatchz By the perswasion of these Noblemen Ferdinand of his own disposition ready enough to claim his Right especially a Kingdom and trusting unto his Strength in Austria Bohemia Rhetia Stiria and Carynthia marched directly towards Buda With whose coming Iohn the new King being wonderfully troubled as a man beset with want of all things having neither sufficient Strength whereupon to rest in his new got Kingdom neither any great assurance of the Fidelity of his Subjects like enough either for fear or of their natural inconstancy to fall from him determined not to abide the coming of his Enemy to Buda but exhorting his Captains to follow him although he were glad to depart and give place to his evil Fortune for a time with such Power as he had brought with him out of Transylvania and such other as he could otherwise levy he passed over the River to Pestum and not daring any where thereabouts to rest by long marches passed over the River Tibiscus and there encamped at Tocai which was a strong Castle upon the further side of the River His departure being known Ferdinand marching on obtained Buda without resistance where he staid a while and consulted with his Captains Whether he should pursue his flying Enemy or not But it was quickly resolved That the discouraged Enemy was to be speedily pursued before he should gather greater strength or enter into greater Policies Wherefore Ferdinand committed all his Army unto the Nobility of Hungary his Friends whom we have before named who marching with all speed possible came to the River Tibiscus where passing over upon a Bridge made of Boats which they brought with them in Waggons for that purpose they came with Ensigns displaied unto the Castle of Tocai where the King lay with his Army in order of Battel But terrified with the suddain coming of his Enemies and debating with his Captains of the greatness of the danger took a course unto himself rather safe than honourable for his Captains desiring nothing more than to joyn Battel and in manner contemning their Enemies perswaded him to withdraw himself a little out of the Battel and to keep him out of danger and if things fell out otherwise than well to reserve himself unto his better fortunes as for themselves they would most resolutely fight against those traiterous Fugitives forasmuch as it were great dishonour for them being Hungarians a warlike People by nature to refuse Battel being offered by the Enemy Amongst the Chieftains of the Kings Army Ferentius Bodo an old Captain of great experience and courage was chief to whom the King delivered his Ensign with his own hands and he with great skill ordered his Battel for the number of his Souldiers he himself stood in the main Battel with the Hungarians placing the Transylvanians in the Wings In Ferdinands Army Valentinus Turaccus led the main Battel with the Hungarians under Ferdinands Ensign strengthned on the one side with Troops of Horsemen out of Syria and on the other with the Horsemen of Austria But Paulus Bachitius according to the manner of the Turkish Wars wherewith he was well acquainted with a Company of Light-Horsemen lay close in ambush in a convenient place for that purpose a good distance off against the left Wing of the Enemies Army ready as occasion should serve to take his most advantage It was not greatly needful for the Captains to use any perswasions to encourage their Souldiers ready enough of themselves to fight The great Ordnance once discharged the Armies came fast on and joyned Battel where the Wings of both Battels fought with divers fortune The Styrian Horsemen were not able to endure the force of the Transylvanians but were put to the worse And on the other side the left Wing of Bodo his Army consisting for most part of raw and unexpert Souldiers was by the Horsemen of Austria overthrown At the same time both the main Battels being almost all Hungarians fought with equal courage and that so eagerly as seldom had been seen a
done omitting for a while the Expedition made in person himself against the Persians we will first declare what he did by his Lieutenants against the Moors Hariadenus sirnamed of the Christians Barbarussa who succeeding his elder Brother Horruccius in the Kingdom of Algiers in Africk had by many Victories so inlarged the Kingdom before gotten by his Brother that his Name and Power was now become terrible both to the Christians and wild Moors and his fame grown great in the Turkish Court was the chief Author and perswader of Solyman to invade Africk But it shall not as I think be far from our purpose here briefly to rehearse by what means those two Mytilene Brethren basely born crept out of a small Galliot unto the Majesty of great Kings that herein they which come afterwards may also admire the wonderful changes and chances of these worldly things now up now down as if the life of man were not of much more certainty than a stage Play. These two Brethren Horruccius and Hariadenus born at Mytilene in the Island of Lesbos weary of the poor and base estate they led at home with their Father a Renegate Grecian stealing a little Galliot committed themselves and all the hope of their good fortune to Sea where by chance they consorted themselves with Camales a most famous Pyrat of that time under whom Horruccius the elder Brother for his forwardness became a Captain and growing rich by many Purchases and also strong with Gallies and Slaves which he had at sundry times taken and at last consorting himself with Haidin Sinam the Jew Salee and other less Pyrats which afterwards became men of great fame and account over whom he commanded as an arch Pyrat came seeking after purchase as far as Mauritania At which time Selymes King of Iulia-Caesarea which now we call Algiers was in Arms against his Brother Mechemetes Competitor of the Kingdom who aided by the Numidians now commonly called Arabians put his Brother in great doubt of his Estate Selymes glad of the coming of Horruccius and the other Pyrats his Followers with a great Mass of Mony paid before hand induced Horruccius and the rest to take upon them the defence of him and his Kingdom against his Brother which thing Horruccius so happily performed especially by the means of his Harquebusiers as then no small terror to the wild Moors and Numidians that in short time he repulsed that savage People and set Selymes at peace in his Kingdom Horruccius being a man of a sharp wit and by nature ambitious noting in the time of his service the Kings mild and simple disposition void of all distrust and that the naked Moors were no Souldiers but a light and unconstant People alwaies at variance among themselves and that the wandring Numidians living barely divided into many factions were easily by reward to be won or by force constrained suddenly falsified his faith and villanously slew Selymes the King as he was bathing himself mistrusting nothing less than the falshood of the Pyrat and in the same hurl murdring such as he thought would withstand his desire and with Bounty and Cruelty overcoming the rest so wrought the matter that he was by general consent chosen King of Algiers Thus of a Pyrat become a King he shortly after by Policy surprised Circello a famous City about sixty mile distant from Algiers by his Souldiers sent thither in the habit of Merchants After that he by his Brother Hariadenus no less valiant than himself troubled all the Mediterranean Sea from Algiers with his Gallies and all his Neighbours himself by land with daily incursions leaving nothing untoucht which might by force or policy be had so that his power daily encreased men of service continually resorting unto him as the chief man in all those parts Not thus contented he to enlarge his Kingdom drave the Spaniards out of â—ugâ—a a City famous both for the great Trade thither and for the Mahometan School sometime there kept at the taking whereof he lost his right Hand with a Shot and instead thereof ever after used a Hand of Iron wherewith he obtained many worthy Victories against his Enemies for near to Algiers he overthrew an Army of the Spaniards with Diego de Vara their General And shortly after at such time as Hugo Moncada returning out of Italy with the old Spanish Souldiers landed in his Country he enforced him again to Sea where he with all his expert Souldiers either perished by shipwrack or driven on shore were slain or taken Prisoners by Horruccius and thrust into his Gallies At last having in sundry Battels overcome the King of Tremissa Charles the Emperor his Confederate and thrust him out of his Kingdom he stirred up both the Christians and Numidians against him so that coming to take Ora and Portus two strong Holds kept by Garrisons of Spaniards sent thither to aid the King of Tremissa he was by them and the Moors at the first repulsed and afterwards quite overthrown where most part of his Army being slain or taken Prisoners he with a few of his Friends sought to save themselves by flight over the desart Sands and seeing himself hardly pursued by his Enemies scattered many pieces of Gold upon the Sands as he fled thereby to have staied their hasty pursuit but they more desirous of him than of his Gold followed so fast that at last they overtook him and without further delay struck off his Head which was afterwards sent into Spain and carried upon a Launce through all the Towns and Cities alongst the Sea Coast to the wonderful rejoycing of the People unto whom he had in former time done great harm After the death of Horruccius Hariadenus inferior to his Brother neither in Courage nor Martial Prowess by the general consent of the Souldiers took upon him the Kingdom of Algiers He made Heir not only of his Brothers Kingdom but of his Vertues and haughty Thoughts and of the surname also of Barbarussa began forthwith to aspire unto the Empire of all that part of Africk accounting what he had already gotten too little and too base to answer his desires Wherefore he entred into Arms and became a terror both to the Moors and Numidians holding Peace with some and Wars with others as best served his purpose and with his Gallies robbed and spoiled the Coasts of Spain Sardinia and the Islands Baleares Fortune so favouring him in all his enterprises that he became both famous and fearful to his Enemies He slew Hamet a great Commander among the Numidians and chased Banchades and Amida two of their greatest Princes out of the Country and with like fortune at Sea overcame Hugo Moncada a famous Spaniard who sore wounded had much ado to save himself by flight when he had lost divers of his Gallies He also in Battle at Sea overthrew Rodericus Portundus Admiral of Spain in which fight the Admiral with his Son were both slain and seven of
advantages to cut off his people spent with long travel wanting Victual and falling into divers Diseases as it commonly chanceth to populous Armies in strange Countries where the change of the Air with the inevitable necessity always attending upon a great Army most times causeth grievous and contagious Diseases Wherefore Tamas to shun the coming of Solyman retired further off into Sultania about six days journey from Tauris Whereof Solyman having knowledge departed from that rich City without doing any harm therein following after Tamas into Sultania to joyn battel with him if he could possible leaving behind him for hast a great part of his Carriages and Baggage with five hundred Janizaries and three of his Sanzacks with their Companies The City of Sultania was in ancient time one of the Royal Seats of the Persian Kings but ruinated by the Scythian Tamerlane retained no shew of the ancient Majesty but only in the Churches by him spared Near unto this City Solyman lay incamped many days expecting that the Persian King in revenge of the injuries to him done and for the safeguard of his Honour should at length come out of the Mountains and shew himself in plain Field and give him battel Which was a thing so far from Tamas his resolution upon the due comparing of his own strength with his Enemies that he retired in such sort that Solyman could by no means learn what was become of him or which way to follow him The Country near unto the City of Sultania wherein Solyman lay incamped at large is on every side invironed with huge Mountains whose tops are to be seen afar off always covered with deep Snow these Mountains were in ancient time called Nyphates Caspius Coathras and Zagrus taking their beginning no doubt from Caucasus the Father of Mountains and joyning one to another some one way some another do divide most large and wide Countries Whilst Solyman in those vast and plain Fields most fit to fight a battel in expected the coming of Tamas such a horrible and cruel Tempest as the like whereof the Persians had never before seen at that time of the year fell down from those Mountains which was so much the more strange for that it fell in the beginning of September with such abundance of rain which froze so eagerly as it fell that it seemed the depth of Winter had even then of a sudden been come in for such was the rage of the blustring Winds striving with themselves as if it had been for Victory that they swept the Snow from off the tops of those high Mountains and cast it into the Plains in such abundance that the Turks lay as men buried alive in the deep Snow most part of their Tents being overthrown and beaten down to the ground with the violence of the Tempest and weight of the Snow wherein a wonderful number of sick Souldiers and others of the baser sort which followed the Camp perished and many others were so benummed some their Hands some their Feet that they lost the use of them for ever most part of their Beasts which they used for carriage but especially their Camels were frozen to death Yea Solyman himself was in great danger to have been overwhelmed in his Tent all the Tents round about him being overthrown with the violence of the Tempest Neither was there any remedy to be found for so great mischiefs by reason of the hellish darkness of that tempestuous night most of their fires being put out by the extremity of the Storm which did not a little terrifie the superstitious Turks as a thing accounted of them ominous And that which troubled them no less than the miseries of the Tempest was the fear of the Enemy whose sudden coming they deadly feared until that after so tedious a night the Sun breaking out the next morning with his chearful beams revived many before ready to give up the ghost for cold and gave comfort unto them all in general by discovering the open Fields clear of their feared Enemies It was a dreadful thing to have seen what misery that one night had brought into the Turks Camp the ground lay almost covered with Bodies of the dead and many lived but so as that they accounted the dead more happy than themselves Many of the Turks vainly thought that horrible Tempest was brought upon them by the Charms and Inchantments of the Persian Magicians whereas it was undoubtedly by the Hand of him who bringeth the proud devices of Princes to naught Solyman troubled as well with the strangeness of the accident as the loss he had received after he had a little refreshed his discouraged Souldiers rose with his Army and took his way on the left hand into Assyria Ulemas the Persian perswading him thereunto for many causes but especially by putting him in hope of the taking of Babylon for that Mahometes a Friend of his was Governor thereof But he when the matter came to proof was not to be won either by Promise or Reward to betray the City Wherefore Solyman resolved to take it by force neither did his Fortune fail him therein for as soon as Mahometes understood that Ulemas was at hand with the Forerunners of the Turks Army and that Solyman with all his Power was coming after who as he thought would never have come so far he not provided to withstand so mighty an Enemy and not beloved of the Citizens fled out of the City Solyman coming in short time after was of the Babylonians received without resistance The City of Babylon commonly called Bagdat rose out of the ruines of the old City of Babylon so much spoken of in holy Writ from whence it is not far distant standing upon the River Tygris which not far beneath falleth into the River Euphrates In this famous City is the Seat of the great Calyph the chief Mahometan Priest whom all the Mahometan Princes have in great Reverence and hath an old Prerogative in the choice and confirmation of the Kings of Assyria and the Sultans of Egypt of which Calyph Solyman according to the old superstitious manner received at his hands the Ensigns and Ornaments of the Assyrian Kings and with great bounty won the hearts of the people and thereupon resolved to spend that Winter there billiting his Army in divers places of that fertile Country The other Cities of Assyria and Mesopotamia also namely Caraemida Meredinum Orsa and Asancesa hearing that Solyman had without resistance taken Babylon yielded themselves and received his Garrisons Yet the fame thereof was so great that Embassadors came unto him as far as Ormus a City in the mouth of Euphrates where it falleth into the Persian Gulf famous for the great Traffique out of India thither suing unto him for Peace Thus the ancient City of Babylon with the great Countries of Assyria and Mesopotamia sometimes famous Kingdoms of themselves and lately part of the Persian Kingdom fell into the hands of the Turks and
a strong Town upon the Frontiers of their Territory in Dalmatia took from the Turks the Town of Ostrovizza which he burnt down to the ground he recovered also Obroatium which was a little before lost which by the commandment of the Senate he utterly rased as a place not well to be kept against the Enemy The same Autumn that Solyman having wasted Corcyra he returned to Constantinople and the Venetians held Wars with the Turks for the Towns and Castles in Dalmatia King Ferdinand received such an overthrow at Exek by the Turks as a greater or more shameful unto the Name of the Christians was hardly in that Age seen if the loss of the choice Souldiers and Captains of four great Nations with the shameful flight of the General be well considered After the Battel of Mohahz wherein King Lewis was lost the Turks having gotten the Victory kept unto themselves that part of Hungary which is called Possega because thereby they had a fit passage from Belgrade further into Hungary The two great Rivers of Savus and Dravus running almost with equal distance from the West taking with them divers other smaller Rivers before they fall into the great River of Danubius Eastward do on both sides inclose this Country of Possega being a rich and plentiful Country and wonderful well peopled it bordereth upon the Provinces of Croatia and Corbania which in times past were at continual Wars with the Turks Garrisons there by in Illyria and also in Bosna At that time one Mahometes a most valiant Captain of the Turks was Governour of Belgrade to whom for his approved valour and wisdom Solyman had committed the keeping of those Frontiers and the protection of the Kingdom of Hungary in the behalf of King Iohn He the year before had so used the matter that what by force what by policy he had taken from the Christians above thirty small Castles in the Country which was sometime part of the Patrimony of the Despot of Rascia and had joyned them to the Regiment of Bosna One of these Castles amongst the rest called Exek for the commodious situation thereof he strongly fortified as that which might give him passage over the River Dravus into Hungary from whence he fet infinite preys out of King Ferdinands Country near unto him Yet was there at that time a certain League betwixt Solyman and Ferdinand which notwithstanding after the old custom of those Countries for the exercise of the Garrison Souldiers did bear with the taking of Booty and light Skirmishes without any Breach thereof so that it were done without any great Power or Field-Pieces which wrong named Peace Mathias and other Kings of Hungary had of long time used with the Turks doing them with their nimble light Horsemen no less harm than they received But the Germans now using no such light Horsemen but â—â—rving upon great Horses and charged with heavy Armor received great hurt by those light Skirmishes the Turks with their light Horses easily shunning their charge and again at their pleasure charging them afresh when they saw the heavy German Horses almost weary and spent by which means the German Horsemen were oftentimes by the Turks light Horsemen overthrown and so either slain or taken King Ferdinand not well brooking these continual injuries and grieved in mind at the League which Solyman had to his profit made with him at his going into Persia finding the same both unprofitable and hurtful to himself determined to take up Arms with purpose that if he could drive the Turks out of the Country of Possega then forthwith to pass over Dravus and to go directly to Buda against King Iohn It still stuck in his mind how that Kingdom was taken from him by Solyman and that more was as it were in disgrace of him and the House of Austria bestowed upon a stranger which had neither right thereto nor was any way royally descended Yet were there some which wished him not rashly to enter into Arms against so mighty an Enemy as was not to be vanquished but by the united Forces of all the Christian Princes of Europe For they foresaw that Solyman so provoked would not put it up but for the hatred he bare against the Christians and for his honour seek more cruel revenge as he had of late done against the Venetians with whom upon a light occasion he had broken an ancient League for sinking one or two of his Gallies for which he would admit no excuse or satisfaction All this Ferdinand knew to be true yet all the People of his Dominions lay so earnestly upon him to take that War in hand that they said plainly they would never bear Arms more against the Turks if he omitted that occasion For they of Carinthia Stiria Croatia and Noricum subject to the invasion of the Turks and daily receiving great harms thought the Turks might easily be driven out of Possega for as much as Mahometes had no great power nor like to have any greater Autumn now almost spent So King Ferdinand with the wonderful rejoycing of his Subjects caused Souldiers to be taken up in all parts of his Kingdom sending for most of his Nobility and best Captains as to a religious War and in a very short space had raised a good Army yet supposed of greater strength than number as consisting most of select Men. The Footmen were for most part Germans to whom were joyned as Wings certain Companies of Italians Harquebusiers whom Lewis Lodronius a valiant Captain and General of the Footmen had raised in Rhetia and those parts of Italy which lie near unto the Alps. The Horsemen were of Bohemia Silesia Moravia Stiria Carinthia and some also out of Hungary all conducted by their several Captains all these Horsemen were in number eight thousand but the Footmen were sixteen thousand strong with great store of Artillery of all sorts This Army for the expertness and valour of the Souldiers was thought sufficient to have met the greatest Army of the Turks in Field if it had been conducted by a politick General and as he had at other times been fortunate which was one Iohn Cazzianer a Nobleman of Croatia whom as one of great experience and famous for the late defence of Vienna King Ferdinand had made General of his Army For Ferdinand by the advice of his best Friends never used to adventure his Person unto the danger of any Battel especially against the Turks by whom many Christian Kings had in former time been vanquished and slain but performed all his Wars by his Lieutenants which he was thought to do not so much for want of courage as moved with the fatal mishap of so many Christian Kings Mahometes Governour of Belgrade understanding of this preparation made against him sent for divers Companies of the Garrison Souldiers which lay upon the borders near hand he required aid of the Governours of the Turks Province thereabouts and was especially holden by Ustref Governour of Bosna
Army was to pass and so to gaul them in their passage and when they could keep the place no longer to flie back to another and so from place to place and in the open places he had his Troops of light Horsemen which were ever busie in one place or another of the Army By which means the Christians in their March received much harm which grieved them the more for that no great power of the Turks was any where to be seen together but stragling Companies which as they were commanded sometime would come on with a fierce charge and by and by retire again and with their Arrows and Falcon Shot from places of advantage assail them At one of these Straits somewhat bigger than the rest Paulus Bachitius one of the Hungarian Captains in whom the Souldiers generally reposed their greatest trust was slain with a Faulcon Shot with divers other of the valiant Hungarians who seeing there a greater number of the Turks than they had seen in other places thought to have done some good service upon them his death brought a general fear upon the whole Army forasmuch as both then and at other times without him they never had any good success against the Turks Yet in that skirmish the Hungarians to revenge the death of their Captain did with such force repulse the Enemy that they caused him after he had lost many of his men to run away and leave his small Field-Pieces behind him But such was was the weakness or cowardise of the Christian Footmen and the agility of the Turks especially the Janizaries that they with their shot out of the Woods staid the Hungarian Horsemen from the pursuit of their Fellows and recovered their small Field-Pieces before they could be carried away by the Christian Footmen wherewith they did again forerun the Army and still trouble it as before The Christians beset with these dangers and almost spent for want of Victual seeing no means to relieve their weak Bodies nor any hope to comfort their fainting Spirits did generally fear some extream calamity to ensue and so much the more for that it was reported that Mahometes still expected fresh supplies from Belgrade Samandria and Nicopolis and many of the Hungarian light Horsemen stole away from them as careful of their own safety neither did they see any comfort in the dismaid Captains who at other times were wont with chearful and couragious words to relieve the Souldiers if they saw them any thing discouraged But when they were come into a fair open Field near unto a Town called Gara they were advertised That the Enemy had in the Woods before them whereby they were to pass cut down great Trees cross the waies so that neither their great Ordnance nor Waggons nor yet their Horsemen could possibly pass that way but that they must needs break their order This once bruted through the Army filled them with all heaviness and desperation and so much the more for that Ladislaus Moreus and others which knew the Country well said there was but two ways to escape the one through the Woods about ten miles space to Walpo which by reason of the Trees cut down cross the ways by the Turks was not to be passed but they must needs leave behind them their great Ordnance and Carriages the other towards the Castle of Zenthuerzebeth which was in Ladislaus Moreus his Country certain miles distant from Gara by taking of which way the Enemy by reason of the straightness of the passage must of necessity be inforced to give over his pursuit Yet for all that it was in Counsel resolved upon to take the way through the Woods of Walpo for that there was Victual enough and in the Castle of Walpo was kept Mony sent from King Ferdinand sufficient to pay the Souldiers for all that Winter And so leaving the great Ordnance behind them and burning the Powder and whatsoever else could not well be carried on Horseback to set forward with all speed As for the Trees they said they would be well enough removed and the way opened by the Pioniers and Waggoners wherefore every Captain was commanded to have his Souldiers in readiness to set forward upon the sign given which was by the sound of a Shalm or Hoboy which when it should be given was referred to the discretion of the General There were many which wonderfully disliked of this resolution and said openly that the Enemy was fewer in number than their Horsemen and pinched almost with like want of Victual besides that the Turks durst never in just Fight encounter with the Christian men at Arms but like Theeves assail them upon a suddain at some advantage and by and by be gone again and that the Town of Gara where the Enemy lay encamped was not so strong but that iâ— might be won wherefore all things were to be proved and some great matter to be attempted of valiant men pinched with wants for that to run away would not only be a dishonour unto the Captains themselves who ought always to prefer their honour before their Lives but also dangerous unto them which respected nothing but Life And if they should set forward in the night many would be lost in the Woods and Valor in the dark could not be known from Cowardise besides that the Turks as they said lay so nigh that it was not possible to depart without their knowledge especially if they should burn the Powder or break their great Ordnance For which causes they thought it better to fight a Battel with them and not to believe the false reports of new Supplies come unto them and that God would undoubtedly give them aid which were ready to lay down their Lives for their Religion and Glory of the Christian Name After all this they began to consult what was now to be done with the sick and wounded Souldiers which were before carried in Waggons or among other Baggage of the Army for it was like that so great a multitude of sick and wounded men understanding what was decreed concerning the departure of the Army would as miserable forsaken men fill the Camp with lamentation and mourning which it was thought would be also increased by the weeping and wailing of them which should never afterwards see their Brethren Kinsmen Fellows or Friends so miserably and shamefully left behind and forsaken the noise whereof must needs come to the ears of the Turks which lay within a small Gun-shot Wherefore it was determined that these sick and wounded Souldiers should be carried upon the Waggon and Cart-Horses and that such as were not able to stay themselves should be holden up by other of more strength riding behind them upon the Buttocks of the Horse In fine to colour the matter they which were so desirous to go said that this their manner of departure grounded upon good reason was not to be accounted a shameful Flight as some would term it but a right honest and necessary manner of
the Realm and as Men desirous of credit and gain had rather be the Governours of the young Prince than the Servants and Waiters of a great and mighty Foreign King all which he said he had both heard and seen Wherefore all the hope was in War wherein such speed was to be used as that the Queen with her Son unprovided and expecting the event of their Embassage from Constantinople might be driven out of Buda before they could take up Arms or well advise themselves what to do and that the Queen sought delay but to make her self the stronger and in the mean time to call in the Turk and so to make a more dangerous War. Wherefore if ever he purposed to Reign in Hungary he should forthwith cast off all other Cogitations and make ready his Forces with all speed possible Hereupon King Ferdinand furnished with Mony from Charles the Emperor without delay raised a great Army which he sent down the River Danubius to Strigonium which City had all the Reign of Kign Iohn continued faithful to King Ferdinand The General of his Army was Leonardus Velsius a Nobleman of Rhetia who for many causes thought it expedient first to open the way to Buda for almost in the middle of the way stood Vicegrade with a goodly Castle upon the top of an Hill by the River which Town but not the Castle Velsius after nine days Siege took with the loss of about two hundred of his Men all the Garrison Souldiers therein being either slain or taken Prisoners with Valentinus Litteratus their Captain From Vicegrade he passed over the River Danubius to Pesth which he took being forsaken of the Enemy With like success he took the City of Vachia without loss and removing thence and crossing again the River with his Fleet came and encamped before Buda so to terrifie the Citizens and to discover as far as he could the purpose of the Queen Where Perenus Stephanus Rascaius and Franciscus Francopanes Bishop of Agria all Men of great Nobility amongst the Hungarians revolted from the Queen to King Ferdinand the Bishop was reputed for a Man of great Integrity and upon meer conscience to have gone ove to Ferdinand yet was he by Letters from George the Kings Tutor challenged to have revolted in hope by means of Charles the Emperor to be made a Cardinal Velsius lay with his Army at the hot Baths about a mile and a half from the City as if he would rather besiege it than assault it The Germans lying there did fetch in Booty round about the Country which waâ— taken in evil part by the Hungarians on their side who seeing their own Cattel or their Friends driven away the Villages burnt and the poor Husbandmen bound and taken Prisoners fell together by the Ears oftentimes with the Germans On the other side they of Buda sending out their Troops of Horsemen skirmisht with the Germans if they did but stir out of the Camp and well defended the Villages from the injury of the Enemy for Valentinus Thurracus General of the Queens power had taken into the City a wonderful number of light Horsemen Whilst the Army lay thus encamped it fortuned that Balthazar Pamphilus a noble Hungarian straying out of the Camp even unto the Gates of Buda desired the Warders at the Gate to give him leave to talk with Valentinus their General for that he desired to see his old Friend and to confer with him of certain matters concerning the good of the Common State. Which thing being granted by the General he was immediately received into the City with his Troop of Horsemen Shortly after returning again into the Camp he reported how he had been entertained by his old acquaintance in the City where viewing the Garrison the great Artillery and Fortification of the City he perceived it was not to be taken without a greater power and in a more seasonable time of the year Which thing so moved Velsius by nature suspicious and doubtful of the fidelity of a Stranger that he commanded him in anger to avoid the Camp because he had without his leave gone into the City and upon his own private insolency had conference with the Enemy and by amplifying their strength to have discouraged the Army by putting them out of hope of Victory Wherefore Velsius never attempting to assault the City returned again to Vicegrade to besiege the higher Castle wherein the ancient Crown of King Stephen wherewith the Hungarian Kings were ever after him Crowned was kept which Castle he also took with something less loss than he had done the lower Town Not long after he marched with his Army to Alba Regalis the City where the Hungarian Kings were usually Crowned and Buried which by the means of Perenus was delivered unto him and a Garrison put into it for King Ferdinand These things thus done Velsius retired again to Strigonium which he did the rather because the Germans and Hungarians two rough Nations could by no means agree together in so much as that Velsius the General in parting them was wounded in the Thigh and Perenus hurt with a Stone besides that Winter was now come far on and the Souldiers cried out for Pay. For which causes Velsius being also sick of the Stone billeted his Souldiers for that Winter about the Country Yet before that he new fortified Pesth and left therein a Garrison because it was reported that the Turks upon their Frontiers were making preparation to come to aid them of Buda At such time as King Ferdinand was levying his Forces for the invasion of Hungary the Queen by the Counsel of the Bishop had in good time craved aid of the Turks Lieutenants in the Countries bordering upon Hungary especially of Ustref Governour of Bosna a very aged Man and of great Honour who had married one of the Daughters of Bajazet the old Emperor as also of Mahometes Governour of Belgrade and Amurathes who had the charge of the Frontiers of Dalmatia from whom she received one answer That they might in no case without express commandment from Solyman depart from the places committed to their charge Besides that Mahometes was by rewards overcome by Laschus as he passed by Belgrade to Constantinople not to stir or aid the Queen Wherefore she rejected by these great Captains certified Solyman by her Embassadors what danger her self her Son and the Kingdom was in craving his speedy aid Laschus was not yet come to Constantinople being faln sick by the way but had sent before Ptolomeus his Physician to the great Bassaes and especially to Lutzis his old acquaintance upon whom he had bestowed great Gifts and was in hope by him to have obtained what he desired but all in vain for Solyman who thought it much for his honour to defend his own right and that he had before given unto King Iohn thought also that it would redound both to his great profit and glory if he should as it were
Gentlewoman of exceeding Beauty had with her good Grace so warmed the withered affection of the old Pyrat Barbarussa that he now fitter for the Grave than for Marriage became amorous of her person so that taking her from her Father and entring her into the Mahometan Superstition he made of her as of his Wife insomuch that certain Months after he welcomed and bountifully entertained the Captain as his Father in Law coming to see his Daughter at the Port called Portus Herculis in Tuscany where the Turks Fleet then lay Barbarussa sailing alongst the Coast of Italy came to Ostia in the Mouth of the River Tibur and brought such a fear upon the City of Rome that the Citizens were ready generally to have forsaken the City had not Polinus by his Letters to Rodolphus the Cardinal then the great Bishop Paulus his Legate in the City in part staied the suddain Tumult The Bishop himself was then at Buxetum a Town betwixt Cremona and Placentia travelling in shew with the Emperor to have made a Peace betwixt him and the French King but labouring in secret to have bought of him the Dukedom of Millan for Octavius his Kinsman the Emperors Son in Law. Polinus his Letters written to the Cardinal at Rome and sent by the Governour to Tarracina were to this effect This Fleet which is by Solyman sent for the defence of France by Barbarussa his Admiral is by his appointment at my command so that it is not to hurt any but our Enemies Wherefore make it known to the Romans and others dwelling alongst the Coast of the Popes Territory That they fear of us no Hostility for the Turks will never violate the Faith of their Emperor solemnly given unto me and you know most assuredly that the French King desireth nothing more than that the Estate of Rome might not only be kept in safety but also flourish most gloriously and be therefore preserved from all injury Farewel In like manner he also comforted up them of Neptunianum and Ostia so that they brought unto the Turks all manner of Victual and sometimes for four Sheep or a couple of Oxen redeemed a good Prisoner taken in some place of the Kingdom of Naples Yet for all this the Romans did not so much credit the Embassadors promise in the behalf of the Turks good dealing but that many of the weaker sort fled out of the City into the Country by night although the chief Magistrates did what they might to have staied them When Barbarussa had thus lien three days in the Mouth of the River Tibur and there watered he passed alongst the Coast of Etruria and Liguria without doing any harm and so sailed directly to Marseilles Where leaving him with his Fleet for a while expecting the French Kings further pleasure we will again return unto Solyman who at the same time that Barbarussa was spoiling the Frontiers of the Emperors Dominions in Italy came with a great Army into Hungary for the more assured possession of that Kingdom whereafter he saw King Ferdinand so much longed And because he would make all sure before him he sent Amurathes Governour of Dalmatia and Ulamas the Persian Governour to Bosna to besiege Walpo a strong Town situate upon the River Dravus not far from Exek famous for the overthrow of the Christian Army under Cazzianer after whom followed also Achomates the great Commander of his European Horsemen This Town part of Perenus his possessions was against all these Forces kept and worthily defended by Perenus his Wife her Husband then lying in Prison at Vienna and her Friends by the space of three Months but was at last by the treacherous Souldiers delivered to the Enemy together with their General whom when they could by no means perswade to consent to the yielding up thereof but that he would needs hold it out to the last they took him perforce and so delivered him with the Town to the Turks who received him with all courtesie and used him honourably but those traiterous Souldiers whether it were in detestation of their Treachery or for the spoil of them were all put to the Sword the just reward of their Treason The rest of the Citizens were taken by the Turks to mercy and well used The Bishop and chief Men of Quinque Ecclesiae a famous City not far off on the other side of Dravus hearing of the loss of Walpo and terrified with the greatness of the Turks Army fled for fear leaving none but the meaner sort of the People in the City who willingly yielded the same unto the Turks The next Town of any strength was Soclosia belonging also to Perenus which for a while held out against the Turks for that divers Gentlemen of the Country which were fled into the City encouraged the Citizens to stand upon their defence But after much harm done on both sides when they were no longer able to hold out they retired into the Castle in hope to have so saved their lives and liberty by yielding but Amurathes was so offended with them that he would come to no reasonable composition or promise them any thing more than that they should at their pleasure come forth and so as they came out at the Gate slew them every Mothers Son thereby to terrifie others from making like resistance Solyman understanding of all these things gave those Towns which were taken to Amurathes the General and having put all things in readiness departed from Buda with all his Army to besiege Strigonium which was then kept by Liscanus and Salamanca two proud covetous Spaniards with a Garrison of one thousand three hundred Souldiers whereof some few were Spaniards and Italians and the rest Germans Paulus Bishop of Strigonium got himself out of the City betimes despairing of all mercy if he should have fallen into the power of Solyman by whose intercession he had been once before reconciled to King Iohn and had again revolted from him to King Ferdinand The Castle of Strigonium was situate upon a high Hill overlooking Danubius running underneath it the Walls were built even without any Flankers after the old manner of building before the invention of Guns for which cause Vitellius and Torniellus two expert Captains the year before sent from the King to view the place and the manner of the Fortification were of opinion that the City could hardly be defended if it were besieged by any strong Enemy being subject also unto a Hill not far from the Gates of the City Against which inconveniences the old Garrison Souldiers which Wintred in Strigonium cast up new Bulwarks and Fortifications and after the manner of windy headed Men making great boast before the danger what they would do seemed to wish for the coming of Solyman But after that the Barbarous Enemy had with his Tents covered the Fields and Mountains round about the City and withal brought a gallant Fleet up the River all those brags were laid in the Dust and every Man
noisome smell as was not by any Man well to be endured of this kind of Wood the Turks brought a wonderful quantity to one of the Gates called Limosina which once set on fire could not by the Defendants by any means be quenched although they cast whole Pipes and Tuns of Water at once into it but most terribly burning close unto the Gate by the space of four days with the vehemency of the heat and loathsomeness of the smell so troubled the Defendants that scarce any of them could endure to stand upon the Wall but forsaking the same were ever and anon like to have given the Enemy leave to enter Bragadinus the Governor more careful of the common safety than of his own danger ceased not still to be going about from one place to another telling the Italians That now was given the fittest occasion they could desire for them to shew their Valour in and to gain great Honour of their barbarous Enemies that it would be to their eternal Glory if by their only means without any other help the City so far off from the relief of the Christians might be defended and the great power of the Turks defeated This he said was the only time wherein it stood them most upon to play the Men for if they could keep that little was left the rest of the Island would be easily recovered And although the Turks Army exceeded far in number yet did they excel them in Prowess and Valour whereby a few and as it were but an handful of Men had oftentimes prevailed against most infinite multitudes now all the eies of the World as well Friends as Foes to be fixed upon them so that if they held out against so great a power both their Enemies would admire their Valour and all Christendom extol their invincible Courage and Prowess and that they themselves should thereby reap both great Profit and honour neither that any thing could be alledged why they should not be compared with the worthy Knights of Malta who to their eternal Fame had delivered themselves out of the mouth of the Turk and left unto the World a most fair example for Men valiantly to stand in so good a Quarrel upon their own defence Nicosia he said was lost rather by the Cowardise of the Defendants than by the Valour of the Enemy He also praised the fidelity and courage of the Graecians who for any fear or danger could never be removed from the Venetians or induced to submit themselves unto the Turks Government and perswaded them with the same resolution to defend their own City that they saw in the Venetian Souldiers fighting for them and for their own honour to strive with the Italians in defence of their State their Country their Wives and Children against the Tyranny of the Turks forasmuch as Aid would in short time come and set them free from all danger The Senate also in like manner had sent Letters to Famagusta willing them to be of good cheer and yet a while to hold out the Siege and that they should be in short time relieved Baleonius also General of the Garrison Souldiers himself in Arms was present at every Skirmish carefully foreseeing what was in every place and at all times to be done and by encouraging of hâ—s Souldiers and adventuring of his Person shewed hemself to be both a worthy Commander and valiant Souldier Neither did the Souldiers alone but even the Women also what they might striving above the power of the strength both of their minds and bodies some bringing Meat some Weapons unto the Defendants and other Stones Beds Chests and such like stuff to make up the Breaches But Victuals beginning now to wax scant eight thousand of the vulgar sort of People were turned out of the City who all in safety were suffered to pass through the midst of the Turks Army to seek their living in the Country Thus whilst open force prevailed not according to the Turks desire they began in four places to undermine the City in hope to have found entrance but the Defendants doubting such a matter by diligent listening and great Vessels set full of Water near unto the Walls and Drums laid upon the ground by the moving thereof discovered their Works and with Countermines frustrated those of the Enemy yet in so great a stir and hurly-burly all things were not possibly to be discovered whereby it came to pass that whilst the Defendants were altogether busied in defending the Walls a Mine not perceived was suddainly blown up near unto the Tower standing upon the Haven by force whereof a great part of the Wall thereabout was in a moment with a most horrible noise overthrown With the fall thereof the Turks thinking the City as good as taken with an horrible shout and out-cry mounted the Wall and in the Breach set up their Ensigns Count Peter who had the charge of that part of the Wall being not now able to defend the same so suddainly overthrown which Nestor Martinengus quickly perceiving came speedily from his own Station to repulse the Enemy now ready to have entred The Fight became there most fierce and terrible on the one side hope on the other desperation enraged their minds the Turks were in hope that if they forced themselves but a little they should forthwith win the City and the Defendants propounding nothing unto themselves but shameful death and torture fought as Men altogether desperate The Turks trusted to their multitude and the Christians to their valour In the mean time Andreas Bragadinus with certain great Pieces aptly placed out of the Castle slew a number of the Turks as they were coming to the Breach Baleonius hearing of the danger came in haste with a Company of couragious Souldiers to relieve them that were fighting at the Breach and cheering up his Followers thrust himself with the formost into the face of the Breach and there not only appointed what was to be done and with chearful countenance encouraged his Souldiers but with his own hand having slain many took one of the Turks Ensigns when as he had before slain the bearer thereof and tumbled him headlong into the Ditch With the sight whereof others encouraged both on the right hand and on the left made there a notable Battel as Men fighting for their last hope In fine the Turks were glad to retire leaving behind them four thousand Carkases of their slain Fellows in the Town-dith with fourteen of their Ensigns which were brought into the City Neither was this Victory gained without some loss of the Christians about a hundred were slain among whom were Robertus Malvetius David Nocius Celsus Feto Erasmus Firmo all Captains For all this they in the City took small rest the Turks great Shot still thundring in amongst them and in such furious sort as that in one day which was the eighth of Iune were numbered about five thousand great Shot shot into the City With which
or venomous Beast It is now most famous through a great part of the World for the good Malmsey which there groweth and is from thence in great abundance sent into many far Countries Therein also grows great plenty of Cypress-Trees serving for the use of shipping It is at this day subject to the Venetians The Turks being landed and ranging up and down the Country did what harm they possibly could burning and spoiling all as they went until that at last they were upon the suddain encountred by Franciscus Iustinianus who but a little before their landing was come into the Island with a thousand Souldiers and now joyning with the Island people notably charged them being altogether dispersed and seeking after prey and having slain many of them enforced the rest to retire to their Gallies The next day the Turks landing again in great number burnt divers Towns and ransacked Setia and Rhetimo where they took a rich prey and carried away many Prisoners but loaded with their Booty dispersed and fearing nothing less than to be at that time set upon they were assailed by Lucas Michael a valiant Captain two thousand of them slain and with the loss of their Booty and Prisoners glad to retire unto their Gallies Thus repulsed from Crete they took their Course to Cythera Zacynthus and Cephalenia Islands subject to the Venetians where beside other harms by them done they carried away with them six thousand poor Christians into most miserable Captivity Departing thence and sailing alongst the Coast of Epirus they came to Suppolo an Haven Town in Epirus which Venerius in the beginning of these Wars had taken from the Turks but was now again by them again recovered After that they came to Dulcigno which the Turks had but a little before besieged by Land for that the Governor thereof and of Antivari another Town of the Venetians upon the Frontiers of Dalmatia had compacted with three hundred Epirots to stir up the Country to rebellion and to revolt to the Venetians for the effecting whereof the Epirots requested of the Venetians six thousand Souldiers to make head which the Venetians promised to send them Whereupon the aforesaid Epirots forthwith took Arms and raised most part of Epirus into Rebellion unto whom was sent at the first one Captain with a hundred Italians from Catora But when the Epirots vainly expecting the promised Aid saw themselves on every side hardly beset with their Enemies despairing of any good success they yielded themselves to the mercy of Achmetes Bassa Selymus his great Lieutenant in Graecia who to repress that so dangerous a Rebellion was come thither with an Army of fourscore thousand Turks so was a most fair occasion lost when as the rest of the Epirots enflamed with the hope of liberty were ready to to have come unto their Friends already in Arms and by their example like enough to have raised all Graecia into Rebellion But now deceived of their expectation bewailed their misery and trusting to the promises of the Venetians they had cast themselves and all theirs into most manifest danger They of Dulcigno seeing themselves hardly beset both by Sea and Land sent to Partau Bassa and covenanting with him that they might in safety depart delivered unto him the Town and so Sara Martinengus Governor of the Town which the Garrison Souldiers were in four Ships conveied in safety to Ragusium as for the Citisens promise was kept with them after the Turkish manner In the same hurley the Turks took also the Towns of Antivary and Budua Antivari was both by situation and fortification strong and furnished with a good Garrison Nevertheless Alexander Donatus Governor thereof a Man of no experience in Martial Affairs overcome with the present fear and despairing to be able to hold the Town cowardly yielded the same unto the Enemy Which his beastly Cowardise the Senate suffered not unpunished but confiscating his Goods and removing him from the Senate cast him into exile From Antivari the Turks following their good Fortune departed with their Fleet into the Bay called Rizonicus but now the Bay of Catharo and both by Sea and Land laid hard Siege unto the strong Town of Cathuro called in ancient time Ascrivium against which they cast up two great Bulwarks and planted thereon nine great Pieces of Artillery wherewith to have battered the Town and the Castle but the Defendants as resolute Men sallying out put them from their Ordnance and enforced them again unto their Gallies Whilst these things were in doing Uluzales and Caracoza both Men of great account and name among the Turks got leave for ten days of the Admiral with sixty Gallies to spoil the Islands near thereabouts subject to the Venetians Who coming to the Island of Curzola about eighty miles Eastward from Ragusium landed their Men with purpose to assault the Town of Curzola of the same name with the Island Which Anthonius Contarenas the Governor thereof perceiving in the dead time of the night fled for fear out of the Town into the Rocks and places of more safety after whom the Townsmen followed also so that in the Town were not left above twenty Men and about eighty Women who with Weapons in their hands after the rest were fled came to the Walls as wishing rather there to die than to fall into the hands of the barbarous Enemy But at such time as the Turks began to approach the Town and the Women with Stones Fire and such Weapons as they had were beating them off and with greater courage defending the place than was to have been in their Sex expected by the goodness of God a great Tempest arose suddainly out of the North which so outragiously tossed the Gallies that Uluzales and Caracoza were glad to give over the Assault and to get them thence 〈◊〉 a place of more safety Sailing alongst the Coast they by the way spoiled Lysna Bracia and Lissa little Islands upon the Coast of Dalmatia but of which they carried away with them sixteen hundred poor Christians into Captivity These arch Pyrats at their pleasure roaming up and down the Sea fortuned to light upon a Ship of the Christians bound from Messina to Corcyra which they took and in rifling thereof found certain Letters directed to the Governor of Corcyra certifying him of the League then but lately concluded among the Christian Princes which Letters they sent in post to Selymus to give him knowledge thereof who thereupon writ to his Admirals with all hostility to infest any of the Dominions of the Christian Confederates The Turks Fleet thus raging and reigning in the Adriatick brought a great fear not only upon the Coasts of Dalmatia Istria and the Islands thereabouts which were by them most afflicted but also upon the Sea Coast of Apulia and all alongst that side of Italy yea and upon the City of Venice it self insomuch that they were glad to fortifie as well the City as the Frontiers of
to be laid upon the aforesaid four Messengers and their Noses Lips and Ears being cut off both their Feet to be with great Nails fast nailed unto a long piece of Timber and so with their Heads hanging downward to be set up before the City and so left for the Captain and the Citisens to gaze upon Signifying withal unto the Captain that sent them that he himself with the other Fugitives his Guests should in like manner be served if they fell into his hands Immediately after he assaulted the City and using the chearfulness of his Souldiers by plain force took the same the Defendants being not able to hold them out There was made great slaughter of the Turks whereas no Man was taken to mercy the very Babes were slain together with their Mothers and Blood ran like Rivers into the Danubius For the space of four days this bloody execution indured no place served for refuge even the most secret and obscure places were searched and the poor Creatures there found drawn forth and slain The fury was so great that no living thing no not so much as the very Dogs were spared Much Gold Silver Plate Jewels and other rich Spoil was there found all which became a prey unto the greedy Souldiers for that City was of all others in those Quarters the richest as a place much frequented and enjoying long Peace as after such time the Turks were fully possessed of Graecia not being troubled with any Wars until now that it way by the Vayvod first ransackt and afterwards rased down to the ground and nothing thereof left standing more than the bare Castle it self which the Vayvod durst not adventure upon for that it was well fortified and furnished with so strong a Garrison as that it could not without great loss be taken Whiles the Vayvod was thus busied in the spoil of Brailovia news was brought unto him of the coming of fifteen thousand Turks to the relief of the Castle against whom he forthwith sent Sujercevius with his Cossacks and other eight thousand Moldavian Horsemen who suddainly coming upon the Turks disordered and fearing no such matter slew almost 14000 of them and chased the rest unto the Castle of Teina Of this Victory Sujercevius in all hast certified the Vayvod and withal that there was another great power of the Turks coming which might easily be also overthrown if he leaving the Siege of the Castle of Brailovia would without delay come and joyn his Forces with his He glad of that news and well perceiving how difficult and dangerous that Siege would be unto him rose forthwith with his Army and went to Sujercevius and afterwards upon conference had with him laid Siege to Teina which City taken without much labour he put to sword all the People found therein not leaving one alive and by the service of Sujercevius overthrew the Turks coming towards Brailovia Selymus in the mean time much troubled with the proceedings of the Vayvod and doubting to be quite thrust out of Valachia Transalpina which he was like enough to have been had not the Treason of Czarnieviche hindred the matter prepared new Forces for that service and after the manner of the Turks in time of their greatest distress appointed general Supplications and Prayers to be made unto his Prophet Mahomet for the better success of his Wars the undoubted sign of his Fear The Vayvod after so many Victories against the Turks purposing for a while to break up his great Army called unto him his old Friend Ieremias Czarnieviche unto whom as unto the Man he of all others most trusted he had resolved to commit the charge with part of his Army to keep the Turks from passing again over the River Danubius into his Country and in delivering to him his Charge spake unto him as followeth Sith Fortune hath hitherto answered our desires worthy Czarnieviche with most rare and perpetual success against the Turks our most cruel Enemies we are thankfully to take the same and to render most humble and hearty thanks unto Almighty God that it hath pleased him the Author of all Victory so to have prospered our endeavours against these fierce and devouring Enemies Now what remaineth for the present but to disband mine Army wearied with labour and travel and to give my Souldiers leave to depart home to rest themselves that so I may as occasion shall require again use their fresh Forces for our better service you in the mean time with thirteen thousand of my select Souldiers shall lie upon the side of Danubius to keep the Turks from passing the River Have good regard I pray you unto this your charge which I upon an especial trust grounded upon your ancient love and fidelity have at this time imposed upon you And let me from time to time with all expedition understand from you of every motion of the Enemy that so we may in due time provide for him accordingly And so in token of his greater favour taking his leave of him with a Kiss as the manner of those People is gave leave unto the greatest part of his Souldiers to depart home yet with this charge to be always in readiness whensoever they should be called upon Czarnieviche having received his Charge and promising unto the Vayvod the uttermost of his faithful devoir went towards Danubius and there most carefully kept the passages with continual watch and ward It was not long but that great numbers of the Turks were come down to the other side of the River and more were still coming yet none of them was so hardly as to adventure the great River Czarnieviche with his Horsemen lying in the faces of them ready to receive them on the other side Which the Bassa whom Selymus had sent with his Army perceiving sent certain Men pickt out for the purpose to Czarnieviche to sound him if he might by any means be drawn to come over in secret to talk with him and the more to move him beside his conduct for his safety sent him by the same Messengers thirty thousand Hungarian Ducats for a Present With which so fair a Bait Czarnieviche allured received the Mony and faithfully promised to come and so shortly after secretly passing over the River had conference with Peter the Palatines Brother who then lay on the further side of Danubius with a great power of the Turks In this conference Peter declared unto him in how great danger the Vayvod stood and how highly Selymus was offended with him That he his Tributary and Vassal should work the destruction of his so great Armies which his heavy displeasure he could no otherwise satisfie but with his head and that therefore he should no longer rule in Moldavia for that Government was by the great Emperor given unto him Wherefore said he if thou be wise whilst it is yet in thy power gain the good will of Selymus by some good desert for an easie matter it is to begin any
Palace of the Persian Kings and honour of that Empire now subject to the Fury of the Turks plunged in Calamity and utter Destruction The woful Advertisement hereof sore troubled the Persian King but the young Prince his Son much more who moved with the Passions of most inward Grief Disdain and Despair and desiring nothing more than Revenge resolved to attempt any thing whereby to requite so great a Wrong In which Resolution having confirmed his Army he commanded 500 of his Horsemen to present themselves even to the very sight of the Enemies Tents and as it were to dare them to Battel Which thing they performed accordingly and made a gallant shew of themselves At the discovery whereof the Turks imagining that the Persians were come in great number to assail the Army order was given by the sick General That Cicala Bassa and Mahamet the Bassa of Caraemit with the People of Graecia and all their own Forces should go to encounter the Enemy who presently with their Ensigns displaid under which there stood about four and thirty thousand strong besides a number of servile People yet men exercised in Labours and Perils in all well near forty thousand set forward Now the five hundred Persians with a marvellous cunning kind of skirmishing dallied with the Turkish Souldiers and drew them forward for the space of eight Miles and more and being brought so far on and now forewearied with the skirmish were lustily assailed by the Persian Prince who with part of his Army to the number of about twenty thousand Persons courageously set upon the two Bassaes and joyned with them the deadliest and cruellest Battel that ever was written of Wherein the Persians having given a most perillous Onset and done great harm it was thought that they would have contented themselves with so lucky an Encounter and so retired which the Turks minding to prevent and not to return without a notable Victory hardly pressed upon them hoping in the end to put them to flight and so to give them a bloody and deadly overthrow But the Persians having quietly and with great assurance for a reasonable space endured their charge at last as if they had been fresh men made head upon them afresh and began a most terrible Battel anew wherein the Bassa of Caraemit above named was put to flight and being wholly dismaied and discomfited fled back again to the Camp carrying with him the most manifest tokens of the unhappy issue of the Battel Cicala the other Bassa notwithstanding valiantly and with great cunning still sustained the Fury of the Persians labouring by all means to encourage his Souldiers and to have restored the Battel but when he had done what he could overcome at last by greater Valour he was inforced to betake himself to flight also and so altogether discomfited came to the Camp without any Ensign having left behind him eight thousand of his Souldiers dead upon the Ground The Persian Prince encouraged with this so fortunate a Victory by speedy Heraulds sent to the sick Visier whom he thought notwithstanding to have been in Health and gave him to understand that if he were willing to fight he was ready for him and in what sort soever it pleased him to accept of Battel to make him good account of his Valour and to cause him to know not only that Amurath his Master had most unjustly raised this War but also that it had been good for himself not to have taken the same in hand Of this offer Osman accepted but being not able himself to go and answer the Prince in Person hand to hand by reason of his Sickness which every hour mortally increased he sent out all his Captains with his Army to dare him Battel The Prince lay ten miles or thereabouts distant from the Camp of Osman towards whom the Turks set forward in this manner The main Battel was guided by the Bassa of Caraemit and Sinan Cicala with all the Souldiers of Assiria and Babylon the left Wing was led by the Bassa of Natolia with the Band of Graecia and the right wing was conducted by Amurath Bassa of Caramania with the People of Soria to the number of threescore thousand beside such as were left behind at Tauris with the trusty guard of the Ianizaries and the Artillery for the safeguard of the Sick Visier In this order they confronted the Persian Prince who was himself in the midst of his Army with all his People in very good order having on the one side the Souldiers of Persia and Hircania and on the other them of Parthia and Antropatia in all to the number of forty thousand The Turks feared nothing more than that the Persians fetching a great compass about should with all Celerity and Fury set upon their Tents and the Riches they had laid up together in their Pavilions and therefore at every motion of theirs they continually feared this sudden out-road whereof they had such especial care that retiring themselves as much as they might and feigning as if they had given Place to the Persians it wanted not much but that they had brought them even within the just level and mark of their Artillery Which the Persians perceiving without any further dallying hardly began to assail the main Body of the Battel The Prince himself being entred amongst the Souldiers of the Bassa of Caraemit who as General sustained the Place of Osman and pressing into the midst of the Battel dispatched every man that came in his way and having singled out the Bassa from the rest smote off his Head and gave it to one of his Followers to carry upon the top of his Launce Which being openly descried brought a great Terrour upon the Turks and exceedingly encouraged the Persians who embrued with the Blood of their Enemies and intermingling themselves more and more among them made of them a most confused and general slaughter wherein beside the Bassa before-named there died also the Bassa of Trabszonda the Sanzacke of Brusia with five other Sanzacks and as it was commonly reported twenty thousand Turks more It fell also to the Lot of Amurath Bassa of Caramania to be there taken Prisoner with divers other common Souldiers But Night coming now on and the Persians being come somewhat too nigh the Turkish Artillery they gave over the fight and withdrew themselves back to the Place where the King lay incamped with the rest of his Army But now were divers days spent wherein the new Fortress at Tauris as we have before said was fully finished when the Souldiers of Graecia and Constantinople wearied to see their Friends and Fellows thus slain before their Faces and having also safely laid up in their own Custody such Preys and Booties as they had gotten in the sack of the City resolved with themselves to procure their own departure and so much the rather for that the Winter was now fast coming on And forasmuch as the General was through the immoderate flux of blood
brought weak and in despair of Life and quite abandoned of all hope by his Physicians and therefore not to be spoken withall they were fain by the Mouth of such as were their trusty Friends about him to represent unto him the Necessity of their return and withal after many reverend Intreaties caused it also to be signified unto him That if he stood obstinate and would needs stay dallying out the time in those dangerous Places where no such need was they should be inforced to withdraw themselves and to forsake him Osman who had now nothing else to do in those Countries but only to leave some convenient Garrison in the new Fortress at Tauris liberally promised to satisfie their Requests by departing thence the next Morning So calling unto him Giaffer the Eunuch Bassa of Tripolis a man of a crafty and cruel Nature made him Governour and Keeper of the new built Fortress at Tauris And the more to incourage him to take that charge upon him he gave him freely for the space of three whole years not only the Office and Authority but also the Rents and Revenues of the Bassa of Caraemit lately slain by the Persian Prince and withal honoured him with the Title of a Bassa of the Court so that having finished his three years Office of Caraemit he was then to go and sit among the sovereign seats of the Bassaes of the Porta The Bassa seeing so fair and so high a way for him to mount to those high honours greater than which there is none in the Turkish Empire readily accepted the offer and dispatching his Lieutenant to Caraemit to the Government of those Countries in his Absence with an hundred of his own Followers setled himself in the said Fort with a Garrison of twelve thousand Souldiers furnished with all necessary Provision until the next Spring The General having thus set all things in order and carefully provided for the safety of the Fortress departed according to his Promise and the same Morning which was the fourscore and seventh day after his departure from Erzirum came to a Place called Sancazan seven Miles distant from Tauris The Turks were now upon the point of their incamping in a confused disorder and hurliburly when those that were hindermost in the Army heard the neighng of Horses and the noise of Drums and Trumpets as if it had been the coming of an Army Which when the whole Camp understood they ran headlong and disordered as they were to the rescue on that side where the noise of the Horses and warlike Instruments was heard But whilst the Turks were thus intentively busied on that side to expect the coming of the Enemy the Persian Prince without any sign or token of Battel with 28000 Horsemen was ready upon them on the other side who having discovered the Camels and other Carriages whereupon their Booty their Spoils and their Riches were laden which they had taken in Tauris beside much of their Provision of Victuals for the sustenance of the Army he turned upon them and with a provident and safe Convoy had taken for a Prey eighteen thousand of the Camels and Mules well loaden with the same Booties and Victuals which the Prince sent presently away with six thousand of his Souldiers and he himself with his two and twenty thousand Persians entred into the Turks Army who now to withstand his assault had on that side also made head against him A gallant thing it was and terrible withall to see what a mortal Battel was made what singular Prowess shewed even presently in the fore-front of the Battel for in a moment you might have seen the Tents and Pavilions turned upside down and their incamping Lodgings replenished with dead Carkasses and Blood victorious Death ranging and reigning in every Corner The Turks themselves were astonished and marvelled to see their Enemies so few in number and intermingled among so populous an Army of warlike People more like fatal Ministers of Death than mortal men to brandish their Swords over them as if it had lightned and to make so general a slaughter and do to this day with great Admiration recount the Valour and Prowess of the Persians But they all now doubting lest the Enemy in this Fury should forcibly have entred the very Lodgings of the sick Visier it was commanded not by himself for he lay now at the last gasp but by him who at that time commanded in his Name That without delay the Artillery should be unbarred and discharged which in that Medly and Confusion of both Armies without any Exception or Distinction of Persons overthrew both Friends and Foes and did more harm perhaps among the Turks themselves than among the Persians for at the first thundring noise thereof the Prince with all speed retired after whom presently followed all the rest so that the Turks which remained behind were more annoied with the deadly shot than were the Persians who flying away could not feel the damage but that the Turks must first be well payed for their Labour The Turks pursuing the flying Persians made shew as if they would gladly have overtaken them but Night coming on they feared to proceed any further than they might without Danger return In this Battel of Sancazan were slain twenty thousand Turks without any notable loss of the Persians Among the rest in the same place died the Visier Osman General of the late dreadful but now desolate Army not by the hand of the Enemy but consumed with the vehemency of an Ague and flux of Blood. Whose Death notwithstanding was kept secret from the whole Army every man verily thinking that it was but only the continuance of his Sickness because the Charets wherein he lay were still kept close and in his Name Cicala Bassa for so he had appointed in his will gave out Answers and Commandments to the whole Army Nevertheless it was disclosed to the Persians by means of three young men who in the Life of Osman having charge of his Jewels and Treasure were with the best thereof and the fairest of his Horses fled to the Persian King to whom they revealed the Death of the General The Persians who before had thought it not possible for so great cowardise and dishonouâ—able kind of fighting and ordering of an Army to have proceeded from the Virtue and Valour of Osman of whose worth they had too manifest a trial and experience in times past now understanding of his Death were thereby incouraged to attempt the utter overthrow of the Turkish remnant and so to give them an honourable farewel Whereupon the Persian Prince with 14000 men followed the Turks who had now raised their Camp and were removed to a certain River of Salt-water not far from Sancazan where the Prince caused a few Tents to be pitched about four or five miles distant from the Turkish Camp the aforesaid Brook running in the midst between the two Armies Now the Prince had purposed to have
they did at one time lose their Country their Liberty their Honour and the Favour of all Men as well Friends as Foes The Prince after this Victory held on his way to Casbin and there staying laboured to gather the dispersed Turcomans especially those that moved with the honesty of the cause would not bear Arms in so unjust an Action intending afterwards to return to Tauris to attend the besieging and conquest of the Fort. This was the end of this dangerous Rebellion the chief cause that Tauris was not again recovered out of the hands of the Turks to the great weakning of the Persian Kingdom Now Giaffer the Eunuch Bassa Governour of the Castle of Tauris fearing lest the Persian Prince would with a greater Army again return to the siege perceiving himself to wax every day weaker and weaker by reason that many of his men secretly fled from him beside them that perished with Sickness and others slain in adventuring too boldly to go abroad to seek for Victuals sent Advertisement thereof to Cicala Bassa at Van signifying further unto him by Writing That if the Prince should again return to assault the Fort he should of Necessity be enforced to yield it and that therefore as he tendered the honour of his Sultan he would be careful to send him Succour whereby he might be able to maintain the Fort adding moreover That now it was most easily to be done because there was no Forces of the Enemies in those quarters saving only a few which remained about the King lying twelve miles off from Tauris Cicala moved with the importance of the enterprise propounded and withal desirous to gain some credit of Glory and Renown with his King entertained the Advices of Giaffer and getting him to horse with a train of three thousand Harquebuzers and good store of Munition set forward toward Tauris The Persian King advertised thereof sent out Spies to learn what way they held meaning to meet them and to set upon them but these Spies coming near to Salmas were apprehended by the fore-runners of Cicala and being put to Torture revealed at last how that their King was in Arms and on his way towards Sancazan At which News Cicala was greatly astonished as well for the danger whereinto the Forces and Munition which he had with him were likely to fall as also for that by any loss which his Troops should sustain in this Expedition the City of Van being indeed the greater and most noble frontier Town in all those Countries must needs be in hazard to be lost having left in it but his Lieutenant with a very few Souldiers Whereupon he determined to relinquish this dangerous enterprise and to withdraw himself back to the Defence and Preservation of the City committed to his Trust and Government But although these expected and desired Succours were not conveyed to Tauris as was intended yet had Giaffer as good Fortune as he could wish for the Preparations of the Prince were so long and troublesome and his return so much prolonged that there was time enough yielded unto the Turks great General now newly chosen as by and by shall be declared to go with a strong Army into those quarters and so to preserve all that which the only Expedition and Celerity of the Enemy might have put in great hazard and almost have brought to a desperate case In the mean time Amurath the Turkish Emperour was greatly troubled at Constantinople in making choice of a new General on the one side Osman Bassa having by his last Will left Sinan Cicala to be his Successour as a man of approved Valour and the many dangers he had run through in the late Service about Tauris with the great favours he had in the Court did not a little incline the King to his Election on the other side he heard of a publick Rumour spread amongst the Souldiers that they could by no means indure to be commanded by so young a Captain and that some in plain tearms should say That they would not obey him Which caused Amurath to doubt that some dangerous discord might thereof ensue in the Army if he should proceed to make choice of him Then there was also Ferat Bassa the same man which had already sustained the charge before Osman who now very ambitiously sought again for this Honour having of late performed some good Service to the good liking of the King. Of any other to make better choice he had none so that he stood in great doubt what to do In the end because he was in good time to provide for his Affairs he made choice of Ferat Bassa the same man whom he had before mad proof of a man of great Fidelity of an honourable Carriage and already experienced in the leading and commanding of such an Army to whom he granted the ordinary Authority to mannage at his pleasure such Affairs of the Empire as concerned his Journey Upon this Resolution general Precepts were sent out to all Cities within the Kingdom to the Bassaes and other Governours with special Commandment That all their Souldiers together with their Taxes Tenths Munitions Victuals Armour Artificers and to be short all their necessary Furniture and Provision should be ready and in order upon the first warning should be sent them the next Spring Great provision of Money was made and in Soria besides the ordinary sum that is bestowed upon the yearly pay of Souldiers in Reivan Erzirum Lori Tomanis Teflis and Chars which swallow up all the Revenue of that Country and of the City of Tripoli amounting to the sum of six hundred thousand Duckats there was taken up in prest of private Merchants in the City of Aleppo only the sum of threescore thousand Cecchini to be repaied unto them with the first Monies that should be received by the Officers of his Custom-houses A matter that moved an extraordinary grudging among the People for that it seemed to every man a very strange and intolerable Exaction beside so many grievances laid upon them for Corn for Carriages for Pioneers and for Workmen to endure this burden also of lending their Money without hope of Restitution thereof yea and indeed every man did greatly wonder how they were thus ill-advised to make it known to the Christian Princes what scarcity and want of Money they had The General had also with him four hundred pieces of Artillery and did beside so work the matter as that Maxut Chan who was appointed Bassa of Aleppo was granted unto him to be the guide of his Army as he had been of Osmans and that Cicala Bassa of Van scarce his good friend was removed from thence and sent farther off out of his way as Bassa to Babylon year 1586 And thus having put all things in readiness he departed from Constantinople in the Month of April in the year 1586 and passing over the Strait into Asia came to Sivas something later than he should have done being hindred partly by
but now that they were before his coming departed over the River towards Comara he resolved to keep on his way and to besiege the strong City Iaurinum now called Rab and to make all sure before him he thought it best to take Dotis in his way a strong Town of the Christians in the mid-way between Strigonium and Rab about five Hungarian miles short of Rab. The Christian Army but newly passed over Danubius in marching toward Comara might see the Mountains and Fields on the other side of â—he River all covered with the Multitude of the Turks Army who though they were indeeâ— many yet marching dispersedly made shew of more than in truth they were So both Armies marching in sight the one of the other and separated only with the River held on their way the Christians to Comara where they encamped under the very Walls of the City yet in such sort as that they might afar â—ff well descry one another and the Turks towards Dotis where the Bassa with all his Army encamped the one and twentieth day of Iuly The Night following having planted his battery he began in furious manner to batter the Castle the chief strength of the Town the Christian Army looking on but not daring at so great odds to relieve their distressed Friends So whilst the Bassa granteth no breathing while unto the besieged but tyring them out with continual Battery and Alarms they of the Town despairing of their own strength and to be able for any long time to hold out against so mighty an Enemy within three days after yielded up the Town being in that short time sore battered and in divers places undermined yet with this Condition That it should be lawful for the Garrison Souldiers and Townsmen with their Wives and Children in safety to depart Which was by the Bassa frankly granted unto them but not so faithfully performed for at their departure many of their Wives and Children were stayed by the Turks and the Lord Baxi Governour of the Town foâ—ly intreated Immediately after the Bassa without much ado took the Castle of St. Martins also not far from Dotis being by the Captain yielded unto him In the mean time the Country Villages round about forsaken of the poor Christians were by the Turks most miserably burnt and all the Country lay'd waste Yea some of the fore-runners of the Turks Army passing over the River Rabnitz ran into the Country as far as Altenburg within five miles of Vienna burning the Country Villages as they went and killing the poor People or that worse was carrying them away into perpetual Captivity yet not without some loss four hundred of these â—oaming Forreigners being cut off by the Lord Nadasti Palfi also and Brun Governour of Comara following in the tail of the Turks Army set upon them that had the charge of the Victuals of whom they slew a great number took an 120 of them Prisoners and an 150 Camels and 30 Mules laded with Meal and Rice which they carried away with them to Comara Dotis and St. Martins thus taken Sinan Bassa constant in his former Determination set forward again towards Rab and being come within a mile of the City there encamped the Christian Army then lying not far off on the other side of the River The City of Rab is a strong and populous City honoured with a Bishops See and was worthily accounted the strongest Bulwark of Vienna from whence it is distant about twelve German miles standing upon the South side of Danubius whence the River dividing it self maketh a most fertile Island called Schut in the East point whereof standeth the strong City of Comara The defence of this City of Rab was committed to County Hardeck a man of greater Courage than Fidelity with a Garrison of twelve hundred choice Souldiers unto whom a little before the coming of the Bassa were certain Companies of Italians joyned who together with the Citizens made up the number of five thousand able men a strength in all mens judgment sufficient for the long defence of that Place The laâ—t of Iuly Matthias the Archduke about the going down of the Sun departing out of the City of Rab over the River into the Island over against it came Sinan Bassa with his huge Army and beset it round casting up Trenches and Mounts whereon he skillfully placed his Gabions and great Artillery and whatfoever else was necessary for so great a siege and that with such Celerity as was to the Beholders thought most strange The second of August he with great Fury battered the City and brought his Trenches within Musquet shot of the Walls At which time four thousand Tartarian Horsemen swam over the Danubius between Rab and Comara after whom followed six thousand Turks who being with much ado got over to the farther side suddenly surprised a Fort of the Christians next unto the River and forthwith turning five great pieces of Ordnance which they found therein discharged them upon the Camp of the Christians who terrified with the sudden accident rise up all in Arms and hardly charging those desperate adventurers slew many of them especially such as seeking after booty had dispersed themselves from their Fellows and forced the rest again to take the Water wherein most of them perished About five days after the Tartarians living for the most part upon prey swam again over the River and upon the sudden burnt a Village in the Island and slew certain Christians in their Tents but being quickly encountred by the Christian Horsemen they were easily overthrown and many of them slain the rest casting away their Weapons and forsaking their Horses ran head-long into the River trusting more to their swimming than to their fighting whom the Christians hardly pursuing in the very River slew about two thousand of them and by this Victory obtained many of the Tartarians swift Horses with their Scimitars their Bows and Arrows and such Ensigns as they had All this while Sinan Bassa wâ—thout intermission lay thundring with sixty great pieces of battery against the City but to little or small purpose for as yet he had made no breach whereby to enter but the harm that was done was upon the Towers or high built Houses or in the Camp by such random shot as flying over the Town fell by chance among the Tents of the Christians And the Ianizaries intentive to all opportunities in a great Rain furiously and with a most horrible cry as their manner is assaulted an utter Bulwark of the Christians which they for fear forsook and retired themselves into the City Upon which Bulwark so taken the Ianizaries had set up three of their Ensigns when the Christians ashamed of that they had done and better advised taking courage unto them forthwith sallied out again and courageously charging the Ianizaries but now entred slew many of them and recovered again the Bulwark Sinan Bassa leaving nothing unattempted that might further his desire for
Villanies not with Modesty to be rehearsed So that by this means he had violently taken from his Christian Subjects all hope of recovery of their antient Liberty had it not as sometime it falleth out in these worldly things both unto Men and Common-weals which brought unto the last cast and even as it were to the bottom of despair by the Goodness of God contrary to all hope find sometime such unexpected Help and Relief as that thereby they beyond their hope even to the astonishment of the World mount up again unto a greater lustre of their State than was that from which they before fell it had even so by the singular Mercy of God now hapned unto the Valachians not knowing which way to turn themselves There was at Crailowa a City in the Confines of Valachia towards the Confines of the Hungarians and Turks where the Governour of those Borders is for the defence thereof with a strong Garrison always resiant a noble Gentleman called Ion Michael Son to Peter the Palatine of that Country the aforesaid Alexander's Predecessor who as he was unto the People for the Honour of his Father the Prerogative of his Birth the Comeliness of his Person and Tallness of his Stature well known so was he for his Zeal towards the Christian Religion his Love towards his Country his Kindness towards his Equals his Courtesie towards his Inferiours his upright Dealing his Constancy and Bounty unto them no less Gracious and for other the noble Virtues of his Heroical Mind and natural Disposition for the Performance of great Matters his deep Wisdom and quick Foresight his sweet and pleasing Speech void of all Affectation unto all good men most dear whose Fame both for the Honour of his House and of his own Virtues still more and more increasing and rife in the Ears of Alexander the Vayvod was the cause that he commanded him as the ready or rather natural Competitor of his State and Honour to be secretly apprehended and so taken out of the way whereof he by good Fortune having Intelligence and careful of his own Health for safeguard of himself fled first into Hungary and there not staying long God so directing him went to Constantinople in the year 1591 to sue for the Vayvod's Place all the Nobility of his Country and the Provinces thereunto adjoyning secretly rejoycing thereat About which time the chief and most grave of the Valachian Nobility and Councellors prostrating themselves at the Feet of Amurath most grievously complained unto him of the manifold and intolerable Injuries they had already sustained and were still like to endure without hope of redress from Alexander their Vayvod and the Followers of his Court the Turks Garrisons and Merchants with plentiful Tears orderly declaring his many most foul and detestable Facts and afterward highly commending Ion Michael for his rare Virtues as the true Heir of their Province most humbly requested Amurath either to have him appointed the lawful Governour of their Country or else some other Place by him assigned for them to dwell in wishing any where to live rather than under the heavy command of so merciless a man as was Alexander For the furthering of which their Suit Michael his Uncle by the Mothers side a Greek born and a Man for his exceeding Wealth in great Favour in the Turks Court spared for no cost So Michael by the Goodness of God was by Amurath with great Solemnity created Vayvod of Valachia and the oppressed and almost forlorn State of that sometime most flourishing Country by little and little well relieved although not altogether without most sharp and violent Remedies such as Extremities oft require began now again to lift up the head and to aspire unto the ancient Liberty and Honour thereof At the beginning of whose happy Sovereignty Alexander his Predecessour in his own Conscience guilty of his evil and shameful Government of that so notable and great a Province and now in fear to be called to account secretly fled But certain years after removing to Constantinople with his Wife and there attempting divers evil means for the obtaining of the Palatinate of Moldavia and for those his unlawful Practises accused by the Palatine's Agent he was by the Commandment of Amurath taken in his own House and there in his princely Apparel most miserably strangled upon Palm Sunday in the year 1597 about six years after his departure out of Valachia Michael thus made Vayvod of Valachia long it was not but that it fortuned the Reverend Father Cornelius de Nona sent from Pope Clement the Eighth unto the great Duke of Musâ—ovie in his return conferring with Sigismund the Transilvanian Prince and Aaron the Palatine of Moldavia informed them of the great consent of divers zealous Christian Princes for the maintenance of the War against the dangerous and common Enemy with many grave and effectual Reasons perswading them but especially for that they were themselves Christians in that Christian quarrel to joyn unto them their Forces also raised in those their Countries near unto the great Rivers of Danubius and Nester but unto Michael the Vayvod of Valachia he could not for divers his other important Businesses then come whom for all that the aforesaid Transilvanian Prince Sigismund his Neighbour desirously sought to draw into the Fellowship of this War even for the same Reasons almost wherewith he had been himself moved First by divers great Reasons removing such doubts as might justly seem to hinder him from giving his consent thereunto and then by declaring the Turkish Insolency daily increasing with the infinite Grievances by them devised against the miserable Valachians when as the Incursions of the Turks or Tartars or their Passages that way no less troublesome than their Inroads was almost every Month to be feared their Armies as Friends to be in Winter and Summer received their Souldiers to their great charges relieved and their Commanders and Captains rewarded Valachia thus impoverished was not able as he said to pay the great Sums it did already owe neither was to expect any releasment of the evils it was wrapped in much less was it able to suffice unto the grievous Exactions to be thereunto by them afterwards imposed None of his Predecessors as he said and as truth was had for many years now past for any long time or with any Security held their State or Government but that either by the Calumniation of the Envious or Bribes of their ambitious Competitors brought into Suspition with the Sultan they were violently thrust out or most cruelly put to death In brief he said it was a wise mans part not without most manifest and weighty Reasons to promise unto himself better Fortune or more assurance of his State than had his unfortunate Predecessors before him but warned by their Harms betimes to provide for his own Safety By which Perswasion he so prevailed that the Vayvod whose Name whose Fame whose Wealth and Life together with his
Turks in their Trenches fearing no such Peril they brought such a general fear upon the Turks whole Camp that the Turks as men amazed fled some one way some another every man as in such sudden fear it commonly happeneth making shift for himself leaving whatsoever they had in their Trenches behind them The Christians contented so to have put their Enemies to flight fell presently to the spoil as more desirous thereof than by the hasty pursuit of their Enemies to put themselves in possession of an assured Victory Which the Turks quickly perceiving and from the Hills with the dawning of the day discovering the small number of the Christians and how they were disordered they gathered themselves again together and coming down inclosed on every side the disordered Christians greedily hunting after the spoil and slew them downright Leucowitz himself with the Governour of Zeng and some others got into Clissa where having stayed two days and doubting to be able to keep the Town they secretly by Night issued out with 600 men in hope to have recovered their Fleet but the Turks suspecting such a matter had so beset the Passages that of all that Company Leucowitz had much ado himself with three others to escape The Enemy now again possessed of his Trenches layd straighter siege to the Town than before which they of the Garrison perceiving and now out of hope of relief agreed with the Bassa that they might with Bag and Baggage depart and so yielded up the Town Thus Clissa one of the strongest Towns of Dalmatia through the greedy covetousness of the disordered Souldiers fell again into the hands of the Turks About the same time Palfi Governour of Strigonium understanding of the meeting together of certain notable Adventurers of the Turks at Sombock a Castle almost in the mid way betwixt Alba-Regalis and Buda raised the greatest strength he could and so with certain pieces of Artillery and other things necessary for an assault set forward from Strigonium the two and twentieth of May before the rising of the Sun and about three a Clock in the Afternoon came to the aforesaid Castle whereunto he presently gave a most terrible assault which he never gave over until he had taken it for after he had by the space of three hours together with great danger maintained a most desperate assault at length he with much difficulty prevailed and put to the Sword all the Turks he found therein Man Woman and Child and with the rest fifty Ianizaries but that day come thither This Castle was of great Beauty and most pleasantly scituated whereunto the Bassa of Buda oftentimes for his Pleasure repaired for which cause Palfi was very desirous to have taken it without spoiling but the Fire he had therein already raised so prevailed that it burnt down all the goodly Buildings thereof with great store of Victuals and other Provision nothing remaining but what the Christians had saved for themselves The Transilvanian Prince having raised a great Army for the relief of Lippa being by great chance a little before his coming relieved came and laid Siege to the City of Temeswar where he had not long lain but that the Turks and Tartars fearing to lose that so famous a City assembled together from all places thereabouts to the number of 40000 and so came to raise the Siege Of whose coming the Prince hearing rise with his Army and went to meet them and had with them a great and terrible Battel the Victory for a great while standing very doubtful yet seeming to incline rather to the Turks and Tartars than to the Christians but at length the Turks disordered with the great Artillery and the Transilvanians charging them afreâ—â— began to give ground and so at last to 〈◊〉 themselves to plain flight In this Battel were slain of the Turks and Tartars 5000 and of the Christians 1500. It was for a time reported That the Prince himself was in this Battel slain which was not so being reserved to the further Plague of the Turks and comfort of his afflicted Country After this Victory he returned again to the Siege which he more straitly continued than before leaving nothing unattempted that he could possibly devise for the winning of the City Where whilst he yet thus lay battering the City both night and day News was brought him That Giaffer Bassa and the Tartars were coming with a great Army to the Relief of the Besieged Whereupon he considering his own strength and the power of his Enemies and that the Aid promised him both from the Emperour and out of Hungary was not yet ready with great grief of mind raised his Siege and retired with his Army to Lippa there expecting new Supplies as well of his own as from his Friends Whilst he yet there lay he was certainly advertised That the Bassa of Natolia the fore-runner of the great Sultan Mahomet was come to Belgrade with fourteen thousand Horse and four thousand Janizaries to joyn with the Bassa of Buda for the relieving of Temeswar whose Forces joyned together were in number about threescore thousand and that Mahomet himself of whose coming had been rife report all this year was now coming after with a far greater Power Whereupon he departed from Lippa leaving therein a strong Garrison and sore-turning to Alba-Iulia called there an Assembly of all his States for the repressing of so puissant an Enemy Mahomet for the better success of his Wars in Hungary had drawn sorth the Tartar with a mighty Power who altho he was at the first so unwilling to that Service considering the great Losses he had therein before received that he would not as he said send so much as one Ass thereunto yet overcome with great gifts and the respect he had of the Turkish Sultan was now ready with a strong Army upon the Frontiers in Moldavia to meet him in Hungary unto whom the late chosen Vayvod sent certain Presents with such store of Victuals as he could possibly provide for him Yet forasmuch as he was not that way to pass without the leave of the Polonian Mahomet had both by Letters and divers his Ambassadors intreated with the Polonian King for his Passage as also for the Confirmation of the ancient League he and the Polonian Kings his Predecessors had to their good of long time had with the Othoman Emperours from which he well knew the Christian Emperour with divers other the Christian Princes to seek by all means to withdraw him Mahomet also not ignorant how hurtful and dangerous the Confederation betwixt Michael the Vayvod of Valachia and the Transilvanian was unto him and his Designs sent unto him an Ambassador by the shew of great dangers to deterr him from the Transilvanian and by many glorious Promises to allure him to submit himself again unto his Protection and in token of his Fidelity to deliver unto the Sultan two of his Frontier Towns such as he should require in regard whereof he should
themselves In this assault and fury perished of the Turks about four thousand and of the Christians not past three hundred In this Town beside that which the fire devoured was found a very rich Prey The first that entred the Town was one Tersky a notable Captain with his Company after whom followed Ruswurme who each of them were thought in their Entrance at the Breach to have slain with their own hand eight or ten Turks Now in the mean time Mahomet the great Sultan being come to Belgrade removed thence to come down into the Heart of Hungary sending Cicala Bassa before him and at length after long looking for the second of September arrived at Buda having in his Army about two hundred thousand men and three hundred Field-pieces From thence he presently sent 40000 to Temeswar but stayed there himself with the rest of his Army The Christians yet lying at Hatwan and doubting lest the Sultan suddenly passing the River should come upon them not yet ready for Battel departing thence and retiring back again came and incamped not far from Vachia And albeit that the Arch-duke before his Departure from Hatwan had left a convenient Garrison for the keeping of the Town yet such was the terror of the Turks approach that the next day after they that were there left in Garrison forsook the Town and setting it on fire followed themselves after the Camp. This coming of the Turkish Sultan to Buda brought also a great fear upon them at Vienna as much doubting lest he should that way have turned his Forces which caused them both day and night to labour for the better Fortification of the City and for the provision of all things as if it had been for a present Siege But Mahomet not provided for the undertaking of so strong a place and not ignorant of the disgrace his great Grand-father the victorious Solyman had sometime received under the Walls thereof had no purpose thereto as having bent his thoughts quite another way In the upper part of Hungary is an ancient famous City well fortified and honoured with a Bishops See called Agria not far from Hatwan upon this City as the chief Fortress of the Christians in those Quarters had Mahomet at his coming into Hungary cast his eyes and began now that way to make head with purpose by taking of that City and placing there a strong Garrison to hinder the uniting of the Emperour's Forces with the Transilvanians for the mutual strengthning of the one the other by the way of the upper Hungary Which the Arch-duke perceiving sent thither forthwith the valiant Collonel Tersky with a notable Company of Italians and Germans and a thousand other Harquebusiers who all arrived there in safety At which time also the Lord Teuffenbach sent into the City three thousand Foot-men under the conduct of County Turne with good store of warlike Provision needful for the defence thereof The one and twentieth of September Mahomet attended upon by the great Bassaes Ibrahim Giaffer Hassan and Cicala for old Sinan was now dead with his Army of an 150000 men came and encamped between the two Rivers of Danubius and Tibiscus covering a great part of the Country with his Tents Approaching the City he with wonderful Celerity cast up five great Mounts and from them with such fury battered the Walls that the Christians were glad night and day to stand in Arms for the defence thereof And altho that the Walls were so great and in many places so weakly fortified as that they were not but by a greater Garrison to be defended against so puissant an Enemy and that therefore the Defendants with their Honour lawfully might even the first day have set the City on fire and retired themselves into the Castle which was both fair and strong and the only place to be trusted unto yet for the space of six days they worthily defended the whole City against the fury of the Enemies and out of it did them great harm But seeing the danger greatly encreasing and that the City was not longer to be holden they set it on fire having before conveyed all the best of their Substance with themselves into the Castle which the Turks quickly perceiving brake so suddenly into the City as if they would together with the Christians have entred the Castle also but in the attempt thereof they were notably repulsed and many of them slain Adjoyning to the Castle was a great and strong Bulwark against which the Turks for certain days furiously thundred with their great Ordnance and that without intermission and having in divers places sore shaken it in the space of two days assaulted it 12 times but not without the wonderful loss of their men and yet gave it not so over but as men with their loss more enraged came on again with greater fury than before and so at last by plain force took it and there put to the Sword all them they found therein except such as by good hap got betimes into the Castle This Bulwark thus lost the Christians the next day sallying out again recovered wherein they slew a great number of the Turks with the loss of some thirty men and as many more wounded The besieged now divers times both by Letters and Messengers craved Aid of Maximilian the General giving him to understand that they could not long hold out for want of Shot and Powder if they were not betimes relieved whereof the Enemy also was not ignorant yet were they resolved to hold it out even to the last man altho the great Sultan had oftentimes by Messengers sent of purpose willed them to yield it up with promise that they should in safety with Life and Goods depart otherwise threatning unto them greater extremities than was of late shewed unto the Turks at Hatwan if they should as obstinate men hold it out unto the last whereunto they never answered him any thing for Terskie had forbid them all Parle with the Enemy and in the midst of the Market-place had caused a pair of Gallows to be set up threatning to hang him thereon whosoever he were that should once make motion of yielding up the City Whilst the besieged thus live in hope of Relief the Arch-duke upon the coming over of the Sultan towards Agria having retired with his Army to Strigonium and there staid somewhat too long expecting the coming of more Aid began now at length to set forward and to make some shew as if he had indeed purposed to have relieved his distressed Friends so hardly beset at Agria But such was the foulness of the Weather hindering the passage of his great Ordnance not to speak of any thing else that in fourteen days he marched scarcely twelve miles forward Whereby the Enemy took occasion to prevail as he did in his Siege who now hearing of the coming of the Christians and seeing to how little purpose he had so long battered the Castle converted all his endeavours to
men were here slain and altho the Enemy followed the Chace scarce half a mile yet were the Christians possessed with such a fear that they fled amain all over the Country with greater shame than loss no man pursuing them The Arch-duke himself seeing all desperate fled to Cassovia The Transilvanian of all others most orderly retired himself towards Tocaii having not lost in this Battel above 200 men and of them never a man of name All this loss he imputed to the Covetousness of the Hungarians and Cowardise of the German Horse-men The Lord Bernstein having charge of the great Artillery fled also and made shift for himself as did Palfi and in fine all the rest Neither was the fear less amongst the Turks a wonderful thing to be spoken than it was among the Christians for the Night following they for fear of the return of the Christians trussing up the best of their things fled also towards Agria And it was afterwards known that the Turks great Ordnance Tents and Baggage flood three days in their Trenches either altogether unguarded or so slenderly guarded as that they might have been easily taken by the Christians if they would but have made head again Yea Mahomet himself is reported oftentimes to have confessed the danger and fear he was then in to have been taken and all his Army destroyed if the Christians had as they should pursued the Victory and not so basely run after the Spoil by which danger he then warned afterwards ever shunned to adventure his Person to the like Peril in the Field In this Battel of Karesta for so it is of a place thereby called and at the Siege of Agria were lost of the Christians about 20000 and of the Turks 60000. Mahomet aâ—ter this Victory fortified Agria and for the keeping thereof left in it 10000 Souldiers and so returned to Belgrade The Bassa of Buda persuading himself that the Christians after so great an Overthrow could not this Year to any purpose recover their Strength came with all the power he was able to make and the fourth of November besieged Vachia in hope to have easily carried it but finding there greater resistance than he had before imagined and hearing that the dispersed Christians in the upper part of Hungary were making head for to come to the relief of the Town he more afraid than hurt brake up his Siege and so returned to Buda for indeed the dispersed Reliques of the late Army of the Christians were drawing together but unarmed and unserviceable as having in the late flight shamefully cast away their Arms and therefore could have done the Bassa small harm if he had continued the Siege Mahomet thinking it Honour enough for him to have thus won Agria and driven the Christians out of the Field divided his Army into two parts at Belgrade whereof the one he billeâ—ed in the Country thereabout to be ready for all Events and with the other he returned to Constantinople but by the way he was set upon by Barbelius Ianuschy the Transilvanian Prince's Lieutenant and the Vayvod of Valachia who with a great Power both of Horse and Foot being got over the River Danubius and secretly favoured by the Country People lay in Ambush for him in places of advantage and still following in the Tail of his Army cut off 7000 of his men before he could be rid of them and so with much trouble arrived at length at Constantinople where we will for this Year leave him until we hear of him more Maximilian with a small Retinue arrived at Vienna in the latter end of November where he found the Viscount of Burgaw Swartzenburg and some other of the Commanders of his late Army most of the rest especially the Italians being slain The small remainder of this unfortunate Year was spent with often Skirmishes and Inroads one into anothers Frontiers as the manner of War is without any other great thing done worth the Remembrance Rodolph the Christian Emperour notwithstanding the late discomfiture of his Army not far from Agria made choice again of his Brother Maximilian the Arch-duke for the managing of his Forces for his next Years Wars against the Turk Whereunto the Pope by his Legaâ—e Fran. Aldobrandino promised of his own charge to send him 10000 Italians under the Conduct of the Duke of Mantua as did also the German Princes their wonted aid with some others All which slowly at length meeting together near unto Possonium and Altenburg in the Months of Iuly and August departing thence marched to Pappa which after eight days hard Siege they took and so again retired to Altenburg where they took a general Muster of the Army and afterwards in the beginning of September shewed themselves before the strong Town of Rab where the Lord Bernstein approaching too near the Walls was with a Shot slain Nevertheless the rest there stayed until that hearing of the coming of Mahomet Bassa the Turks General with a great Army they left the Siege and the twenty fourth day of September passing over the River Danubius into the Island Schut towards Comara there on the North-side of the River encamped Where they had not lain past eight days but that the Castle of Dotis standing upon the South-side of Danubius was by the Bassa before their Faces and as it were even under their Noses besieged and taken the whole Army of the Christians in the mean time as idle Beholders looking on but not daring to relieve their distressed Friends but afterwards arising marched to Vachia where hearing of the Turks coming against them from Pesth they set fire on the Castle and so retired along the North-side of the River until they came over against Vicegrade a Castle of their own on the farther side of Danubius where by the good direction of the Lord George Basta a most expert Captain and Lieutenant-General of the Army they encamped so strongly as that the Turks after many brave Attempts given to have forced them in their Trenches were glad with some loss to depart Neither went things this Year better forward with the Christians in other places than in this side of Hungary for Sigismund the Transilvanian Prince by his Chancellor besieging the strong City of Temeswar in October was by the valour of the Defendants and the unseasonableness of the Weather inforced to raise his Siege and with dishonour to depart Michael also the Vayvod of Valachia who moved with the example and persuasions of the Transilvanian Prince had revolted from the Turks and done them great harm as is in part before declared now wearied with their often Invasions and the spoil of his Country almost brought to utter Desolation many thousands of his Subjects being by the Turks and Tartars carried away Captives and his Towns and Castles for most part razed to give his People a time of breathing submitted himself again unto the Turkish Obeisance solemnly receiving at the hands of one of the Turks Chiaus for that
be persuaded even for the present to hold their hands But afterwards having brought them to Rab and leave given them to do with them their Pleasure they as far exceeded in the cruel manner of their Execution as had they before in their outragious Dealings especially the Hungarians and Wallons notwithstanding most of them were of the Wallon Countries Some of them they impailed some they brake upon the Wheel some of their Skins they cut off their Bodies as it were into Thongs and so poured into the Wounds Vinegar Salt and Pepper from some others they cut off their Privities some they rosted and some they put into the Tenalia upon some they dropped molten Pitch and then casting Gun-powder upon them so burnt them to death othersome they hanged upon iron Hooks and some they put in the ground up to the Chin and for their disport with iron Bullets bowled at their Heads in all which Torments no sign of Compassion was to be seen the Tormentors to make their Pain the greater doing nothing but deride them the miserable Wretches in the mean time confessing the heinousness of their Offence and craving for Death as a Favour A most horrible thing it was to see how whilst some were thus tortured others were brought to see the same misery they themselves were by and by to endure Amongst the rest of these exquisite Torments one Peter Orly caused one of the Mutineers to be sewed up in the Belly of a Mare with his Head hanging out and so to be rosted in which miserable Torment he lived three hours and then died after which he caused the loathsome Body so rosted to be given to them that lay starving upon the Wheel to eat Thus was the dangerous Mutiny at Pappa with much ado ended and that strong Town like to have been lost preserved the Rebels themselves being become a dreadful example to all Posterity for all them to look upon that shall attempt the like Villany Now at this same time also though neither the Christians nor the Turks had as then any great Army in the Field yet many an hot and bloody Skirmish passed daily betwixt them in one place or other of Hungary all which to recount as it would be much tedious so in silence to pass them all over were greatly to wrong those worthy Personages by whom they were not without their great Adventure done Amongst the rest one Nicholas Horbath County Serinus's Lieutenant with 150 Souldiers and Andrew Thussi another great Commander going forth to seek for Booty Thussi hearing that the Turks were abroad for the surprising of certain Haiducks then gone out staid fast in a secret place until he might hear farther News Horbath another way still going on Now it happened that the Bassa of Sigeth having been abroad in returning home by chance met with Horbath and encountering with him overthrew him and slew most of his men Horbath himself by flight hardly escaping But Thussi hearing this Skirmish as lying close not far off and now hasting thither to have been Partaker thereof found the Bassa yet in the Field on foot viewing the Bodies of the slain upon whom he came so suddenly and with such Force as that the Bassa with his disordered men had much ado to take Horse and so without any great resistance to betake himself to flight after whom the Hungarians fiercely following slew many of the Turks and amongst the rest the Bassa himself whose Head presently cut off Horbath sent to the County Serinus who shortly after by Thussi himself sent it to Matthias the Arch-duke This Bassa was a man of great Strength and Courage a most expert and adventurous Captain about thirty six years old and for his Valour of a common Souldier created a Bassa by the Great Sultan His Head being brought to Vienna and there shewed to the Bassa of Buda then their Prisoner and he demanded whether he knew it or not sighing answered that he knew it well and that it was the Head of the Bassa of Sigeth a braver man than whom the Sultan had none in all his Empire earnestly withal desiring to know how he was slain And not long after the Adventurers out of Komara Strigonium and other places thereabout having made a great Party and taken a great Booty from the Turks at a Fair at Gombar and by Tra and Esseg thinking to have passed Danubius in hope of a greater Booty seven hundred of them being passed the River were by the new Bassa of Sigeth and others with five thousand Turks in an hot Skirmish overthrown yet not without their great loss also the Bassa himself with two other Sanzacks and five hundred Turks being there slain and but fifty of the Christian Adventurers left dead in the place the rest disorderedly retiring to their Boats being for most part drowned in the Danuby The free Haiducks also surprised Iula and set it on fire in which Confusion the Turks flying into the Castle for haste thrust one another from the Bridge into the Castle ditch wherein so many of them were drowned that a man might have gone dry foot over upon the bodies of the dead They took there also six hundred Prisoners with much other Booty and delivered two hundred Christians which were there Captives And albeit that these Haiducks after this Exploit done were hardly pursued by the Turks from other places yet they in safety retired with such booty as they had already gotten But now to leave these the Troubles of Hungary for a while as the fore-runners of greater ' ere long to ensue let us again look back into Transilvania and Valachia to see how Michael the Vayvod now in the mean time behaved himself there The Cardinal Bathor overthrown and slain and the Country of Transilvania again brought under the Emperour's Obedience the Vayvod by his Ambassadors gave him forthwith to understand of all his Proceedings with the whole Success thereof as also of a purpose he had to invade Moldavia for that it was commonly reported and also believed That Sigismund the late Prince not a little moved with the death of the Cardinal his Cousin and the Revolt of his Country aided by the Turks the Tartars the Polonians and Moldavians would now attempt some great matter for the recovery of Transilvania all which was shortly after the rather thought to be true for that divers of his Spies being taken some at Clausenburg some at Nessen beside the Letters that were found about them from him unto the Nobility and States of Transilvania persuading them to revolt from the Vayvod unto him and that his meaning was shortly to come with a great Army out of Polonia for the repulsing of him they also of themselves confessed How that Sigismund in disguised Apparel had himself been in Transilvania to conferr with divers his secret Friends concerning that matter Which his Ambassadours the Emperour honourably entertained and by them confirmed unto the Vayvod the Government of Transilvania sending also
unto him divers honourable Presents forbidding him nevertheless to invade Moldavia for fear of raising a new and dangerous War against the Polonians also under whose Protection and the Turks the Palatine thereof then rested According unto which Command the Vayvod stayed his intended Expedition yet sending some good part of his Forces unto the Frontiers of Moldavia for fear of Sigismund whom he heard to be hatching some mischief in Polonia and even then to lie upon the Frontiers of that Country Some few months thus passing Husraim Aga a grave reverend old man and much employed by the Turkish Sultan with five other Turks of good account Ambassadors from the great Sultan and a great Retinue following him came to Gronstat in Transilvania where the Vayvod then lay Of whose coming the Vayvod hearing with four thousand Horsemen most bravely mounted went half a mile out of the City to meet them the Foot-men in the mean time on both sides of the Street standing in good order from the Gate of the City whereby they were to enter even unto the Vayvod's Lodging where stood also his Guard all in red and white Silk So meeting in the field they both alighted from their Horses with great reverence saluting the one the other when presently the Ambassador embracing the Vayvod ungirt his Scimiter and in the Name of the great Sultan put another about him so richly garnished with Gold and precious Stones as that no part of the Scabbard was therefore to be seen besides this he presented him with a fair Plume of black Hearns Feathers mixed with some white a right goodly Ornament in form of a great bush which the Vayvod would not in the Field put upon his Head although he were thereunto by the Ambassador most earnestly requested but caused it to be carried before him he also presented him with two very fair red Ensigns in token of the Turks favour and protection the one for himself and the other for his Son Petrasco moreover he gave unto him two exceeding fair Horses richly furnished with four others and a most fair Faulcon The Vayvod himself was most bravely mounted and after the manner of his Country had ten very fair spare Horses led before him At whose Entrance into the Town all the great Ordnance was discharged with great Vollies of small Shot and so the Ambassador still riding on the left hand of the Vayvod being brought to his Lodging had six of his chief Followers every one of them presented with a rich Robe of Cloth of Gold in requital whereof the Ambassador rewarded an hundred of the Vayvod's Followers every one of them with a good suit of Apparel with this Ambassador of the Turks was also the Polonian Ambassador whom the Vayvod in like manner honourably entertained These Ambassadors as was thought did what they might to have drawn this worthy and renowned Man together with the Countries of Transilvania and Valachia from the Emperour unto the Turks Obeisance howbeit he seldom or never spake with them but that either before or after he had Conference with the Lords Vngnad and Zeckel the Emperour's Commissioners concerning their Requests always protesting unto them not to yield to any thing without the Emperour's Consent and good-liking Whereof Mahomet advertised and that he was not by any thing yet said or done to be removed from the Emperour gave him by the same Ambassadors to understand How that he was in some Speech with the Emperour concerning Peace as indeed he then was by Messengers from the Bassaes at Presburg which if it sorted to effect that then it should be well but if not that then it should be good for him whilst yet he had time wisely to consider of his own Estate and to submit himself unto his Protection who was able to defend him rather than for the vain praise of a certain foolish Constancy to adventure himself with all that he had unto most certain Danger and Destruction promising him in recompence of that his Loyalty to give unto him for ever the Countries of Transilvania Valachia and Moldavia and at his need to furnish him both with Men and Money offering moreover to make him a great Commander in his Army in Hungary and the Bassa of Temeswar as his Friend to be at all times ready with fifty thousand Horse and Foot as need should be to assist him against the Emperour reserving unto himself whatsoever he should more win for him for all which Bounty and Kindness requiring only to have him unto him loyal All which his large offers the Vayvod little regarding declared the same unto the Emperours Commissioners yet still protesting never to start but to stand fast for the Christian Emperour Notwithstanding as a man desirous to better his estate he took hereupon occasion to request of the Emperour the Country of Transilvania by him so lately taken in unto him and his Son in Inheritance for ever with such frontier Towns as in former time belonged unto Transilvania and that whatsoever he should win from the Turks might be his and his Sons He also requested that all the Preferments and Dignities in former time granted by his Imperial Majesty unto Sigismund the late Prince might now be bestowed upon himself and for his Service done to be furnished with Money for the payment of his Souldiers And that the Emperour with the other Princes of the Empire should assure him That if he were taken by the Turk they should ransome him but in case he were by the great power of the Turk driven out of those Countries then by the Emperours appointment to have some convenient Place allotted for him in the upper Hungary to live in with the yearly pension of an hundred thousand Dollars All which his requests if it would please him to grant he promised this year to do so much against the Turk as had not been done in an hundred years before with vaunt that if he had had the Employment of the Money which was spent in the time of this War he would not have doubted but to have brought all the Countries from the Euxine or black Sea to Buda Alba-Regalis and Solnock under the Emperours Obeisance A large promise indeed but hardly to have been performed by a far greater Prince than he Thus whilst things stood in discourse after the Cardinals Death Sigismund the late Prince in the mean time supported by the Polonians with the Aid of the Turks the Tartars and the Moldavians was ready to have invaded Transilvania yea the Tartars as the forerunners of his great power were already entered the Country and had out of the Frontiers thereof carried away some booty Whereof the Vayvod understanding in great haste assembled his forces out of all places which in short time was grown to some good head the Country People together with the free Haiducks an adventurous and resolute kind of Souldiers in great number daily resorting unto him So being now eight thousand strong and most of them
distressed was now both by Water and by Land plentifully relieved The Christians the last year having left the siege of Buda for the Reasons before written in their return took the Castle of Adom â—eated upon the Bank of Danubius about two Leagues from Buda and for the keeping thereof left therein a Garrison of Haiducks This Castle was commodious for the annoying of the Turks in Buda and for the relief of the Christians in Pesth for that it impeacheth the bringing of Victuals unto the one and favoured the victualling of the other The good and faithful defence of which Place these Haiducks undertook to the uttermost of their Power upon their Honour and Credit as they would be accounted valiant and couragious men but yet refused to be bound by Oath to render an account of the Place whatsoever might befall a thing as they truly said above their Forces and more than was in their Power to perform These men now upon the brute of the coming of the Turks great Army afraid of their Shadows having before trussed up their Baggage set fire on the Castle and so departed retiring themselves to Strigonium where examined by the Governour Althem of the cause of their flight and what Enemies had chased them thence and being not able to make therefore any excuse neither to yield thereof any reason more than their imaginary fear were by his commandment imprisoned there to remain until order were taken by the General of the Army for their further Punishment Sultan Mahomet now wallowing amidst his sensual Delights in Constantinople yet found not therein so full Contentment but that his Pleasures had also their Griefs fully mixt with them In Constantinople the strong Seat of his mighty Empire he was in the midst of the Insolencies and Mutinies of his proud Bassaes and tumultuous Janizaries and abroad he was in Wars both against his rebellious Subjects in Asia and the Christians in Europe Unto all which Troubles he saw not how to give Remedy at once and therefore resolved if it were possible first to appease the Troubles abroad with his rebellious Subjects in Asia as more desirous to be at peace with his own Subjects than with Strangers howbeit that the punishing of Rebellion is more necessary in a Prince for the maintenance of his State than is War against a Stranger for the conquering of a new Country or Kingdom the one preventing the danger hanging over his Head the other serving but his vain and ambitious desire so he preferring Peace with the Rebels his Subjects before Peace with the Christians his Enemies resolved as I said to pacifie the first the more easily to ruinate the other But whether he upon good Faith or upon Policy entered into this Resolution and whether indeed he meant plainly with these Rebels or but only to deceive them is hard to say Howbeit as the sequel of the matter shewed Falshood and Treachery was the ground of all this Business both on the one side and the other For these â—en respecting only the safety and assurance of their Estate held all other Actions to them indifferent whether they were good or bad so that they served to that effect and nourished with the same Milk of Infidelity that their Prince was trained up in the same School and fostered with the same Air feared in him against them that which they felt in themselves against him An hard matter it is to assure minds fraught with like Craft Subtilty and Deceit and possessed with like distrust one of another Howbeit Mahomet spared no kind of cunning to deceive these crafty and subtil men offering unto them together with his gracious Pardon great Preferments Dignities and Honours so that they would but yield to him their due Obedience lay down their Arms and no more take up the same but in his Service But these wily Foxes knew right well that the Promises of faithless Princes cost them nothing but Words the honour and credit whereof they regarded not so that thereby they might attain unto the effect of their desires which they esteemed above all other things so that for them to trust unto a thing of so small Value with him that was so prodigal thereof and for the same so easily to yield up their Lives and Fortunes which they esteemed as their only Treasure they thought right worthily to deserve all shame and mishap that might betide them So that they not only refused to lay down Arms and to yield their Obedience unto him as he desired but even to have Peace with him upon any Conditions whatsoever seeing them dangerous unto themselves and good only for him their Enemy Mahomet finding the Rebels so resolutely set down as not by any means but by force to be appeased thought it now best to turn his purpose unto the Christians and to offer them that which the other had refused in hope that Peace made with the one should be the Ruine and Destruction of the other Upon which Point he being in himself resolved sought now but some honest means not unbeseeming his Greatness to joyn unto this his Project to give him a way thereunto For the easing him of which care the French Ambassador then Lieger at Constantinople was very fitly then entreating with the Visier Bassaes for the Deliverance of the County Ysolan taken at Alba-Regalis the last Year and against all Law of Arms detained Prisoner at Constantinople This noble Gentleman Mahomet thought fit as well for the Sufficiency of himself as with Instructions to deal with the Emperour concerning an entreaty of Peace to be had Whereupon he commanded him to be set at liberty with Charge That he should both discreetly and faithfully deal with the Emperour concerning this matter of Peace which if he should by his Industry effect to the good liking and contentment of Mahomet the great Sultan that then he should become and remain free otherwise to return again into his former Captivity and Bondage for whom the French Ambassador gave his Word and became Pledge Upon which barbarous Conditions the Earl was forthwith delivered who by the Law of Arms should not at all have been detained Besides this Plot laid for the Negotiation of this Peace Achmet Bassa to this purpose writ to Collonitz then Commander of the Emperour's Army in Hungary But see the Copy of the Letters themselves TO thee our Friend Collonitz Health and Greeting I suppose that you yet remember the Propositions concerning Peace which our Sovereign and most mighty Monarch not long ago caused to be opened and propounded unto you by certain of his Bassaes near unto Strigonium which as then remained not resolved But if now it shall seem unto you good that we should assemble our selves together into some place of Assurance both to the one side and to the other we may again conferr about that Business as hâ—ving on my part full Power and Commandment from my Prince so to do yet with Charge That
before all other things Strigonium should be again delivered unto us Which being done we may easily afterward determine the other Difficulties and conclude a good and wholsome Peace God which reigneth alone in the Heavens above is witness of our faithful and just desire to assure a quiet and firm Peace betwixt us and that to avert these floods of War from the poor â—eople and to give them some Repose and Rest after so great Troubles This is our Intent and Purpose which God knoweth to be void of all Fraud and Guile which we now declare unto you in hope to understand yours also But if you be not resolved to render to us Strigonium before we begin to intreat of any other Matter it is not needful for you to trouble your self to give any Answer to these our Letters But if you shall resolve to the contrary to deliver the same with as much speed as you caâ— let us in few Words understand your Resolution the Time and the Place fit for our Assembly and Meeting to the intent fully to determine of these Affairs You know also that you have been of long time accustomed to pay Tribute unto our Prince which if you shall continue to pay for the time to come and discharge the Arrearages for the time past it shall be commodious for us and honourable for you seeing that it is an Honour unto you to be Tributaries unto the Grand Seignior it having always in times past been for your Good and Profit Besides that Peace shall likewise be entreated of with the Great Cham of Tartary who as commanded by our most mighty and gracious Emperour upon just and reasonable Conditions to entertain the same and never more but in peaceable manner to come into Hungary Now if that you shall neglect or reject this Treaty for Peace it is certain that you shall be the Author of the Misery and Ruine of the whole Country it being impossible that the Towns and Villages consumed with Fire should ever recover their former Beauty or Felicity God which reigneth in Heaven is there witness unto me and my dread Emperour upon Earth that I speak frankly with you and without Dissimulation concerning this matter Now on your part let us understand if you have a desire to attend unto this Treaty of Peace according to the purport of our Letters for if you shall resolve to the contrary we protest unto you to write no more concerning these Affairs Collonitz having received these Letters sent them forthwith unto the Emperour requesting his Majesty to consider what Answer he would have given unto them Whom the Emperour desirous of a good Peace commanded to embrace the occasion and by Proof to learn whether the Turks desire were indeed conformable to their Words or not Whereupon Collonitz taking unto him certain of the best Commanders in the Army undertook the Business and entered into the Treaty of Peace with the Turks wherein he found the unreasonableness of their Demands to tend so much unto the hurt and dishonour of the Emperour as that they even at the first Entrance shut up the way to all farther or reasonable Conference it being altogether impossible to bring to any Conformity Minds set down upon Resolutions so far different For the Turks as if the Emperour would have been glad of Peace upon any Condition after their proud manner unreasonably demanded to have Transilvania Strigonium and Pesth restored unto them for which they offered to deliver unto the Emperour Agria and Canisia Peble for Pearls So that upon Propositions so far different being able to conclude nothing they departed on both sides as they came to try by Arms that which by Talk and Conference they could not agree upon But as all the Turks Treaties of Peace with the Christians are indeed but false shews to abuse the Facility of the Christians by even so now also it was known that they in the mean time whilst this Treaty of Peace was in hand gathered together great store both of Men and Munition at Belgrade wherewith to arm a great Convoy of Victuals which they had thought during this Interparley for Peace to have put into Buda But Collonitz understanding thereof ceased further to intreat of Peace which with the false shew thereof did but hurt and deceive the Christians and betook himself again to his Arms his and their safest â—nd sureest refuge resolving with the other Captains and Commanders of the Army to do what they might for the crossing and hindering of the Turks in their purpose for the putting of Victuals into Buda whereof there was now such want that the Turks in Garrison there having already eaten all their Horses and for Victuals rifled the Governours House were resolved to abandon the City if they should not be within some few days relievâ—â— Now upon this Resolution for the keeping of the Turks from the victualling of Buda the Christians for the more assurance of their purpose prepared therefore both by Water and by Land embarking their Foot-men upon the River under the Conduct of Collonel Altmeine and Sultze the one Governour of Strigonium and the other of Pesth whilst that Collonitz with the Horsemen scouring along the Banks of the River of Danubius took the charge by Land. And so it fortuned that upon the two and twentieth day of August he with his Horsemen near unto the Village of Mohatsch famous for the death of King Lewis fell upon the head of the Turks Army led by the Bassa Murat consisting of six thousand Turks two thousand of them being Janizaries who altogether lay encamped upon an even plain very commodious for our Horsemen who let slip neither the Time nor the Opportunity of so great an advantage offered them but forthwith charged them where after a number of notable Charges both given and received which still abated both the Number and Courage of the Turks they at last retired toward the Body of their Army and that in such haste as that their retreat little differed from a speedy flight After whom Collonitz followed with like heat as he had charged them but evil followed by his Friends who evil performed their charge seeking after the Spoil instead of pursuing of their Enemies the Turks perceiving the small number that pursued them turned upon them and so began again not only to make strong resistance but even right hardly to charge them Who so by them pressed with no less Courage than Power were now glad themselves to retire instead of pursuing of the Victory but yet so as that the retreat was made without any great loss therein received Howbeit the Turks not a little incouraged with this change of Fortune and perceiving themselves too strong for their Enemies that charged them came on so fast and so couragiously as that in fine theâ— had defeated the Christians had not the Haiducks out of their Boats from the River in good time come resolutely to their relief Which Cloud the Turks
time with a great Army besieged the great City of Tauris as then kept by the Turks with a most strong Garrison In which siege he for Battery used the help of the Cannon an Engine of long time by the Persians scorned as not besâ—eming valiant men until that by their own harms taught he was now content to use it being with the same as also with skilful Cannoneers furnished by the Portugals by which means he in short time after again recovered this great City from the Turks being before by Sultan Amurath taken from Mahomet the Persian King but now again restored unto the Persian Kingdom Sultan Mahomet thus on every side beset with Troubles and not well knowing which way to turn himself for to remedy the same being in mind much troubled and perplexed began to enter into Consideration of the Vanity of these Earthly things and of the Frailty of his Estate and so struck as it were with a Remorse of Conscience and a firm belief that God did thus chastise and punish him for his Offences considering that his Ancestors had never been troubled with any such Attaints or Disgraces he converted all his Thoughts unto Prayers towards God and therefore gave Commandment for publick Prayers to be continually said in all the Mosquies or Churches throughout all his Dominions giving himself wholly also unto such devout Exercises and Works of Charity and withal sent two of his most reverend Priests bare-headed and bare-footed on Pilgrimage to Mecha where the chief Temple of their great Prophet is and wherein they vainly believe their superstitious Prayers to be of him most speedily heard there to pray unto him for the Health and Prosperity of him their Prince and Sovereign At the same time Amurat Rais an old Pyrat the Turks Admiral for the West part of the Mediterranian roaming there up and down and doing what harm he could chanced to light upon a great Flemish Ship which he with his Gallies forthwith inclosed the calmness of the Weather then favouring him and hindering the Flemins their Ship being able to make no way Who so beset and having made a great fight against the whole Fleet and slain a number of the Turks and sore rent divers of their Gallies though not without loss of many of their own men also being not able longer to fight and now seeing themselves boarded by as many Turks as could well stand upon the Hatches of the Ship and their Gallies hanging round about her as men of invincible Courage and resolved to die and yet to fell their Lives at as dear a rate as they could laid all the Powder they had left in the Ship on an heap together and thereunto upon the sudden put fire by force whereof the Turks with the Hatches were all blown up the Flemings with their Ships rent in pieces together with divers of the Gallies that were fast grapled unto her and an incredible harm done unto such other of the Gallies as were near unto her Men worthy always to vanquish seeing that they fear nothing more than to be themselves vanquished and more worthy to have lived for the Glory of Men than by their Cruelty to have perished to the dishonour of Men. The old Pyrat astonished at so great and desperate a Resolution having in this Exploit lost much and gained nothing hasted to the shore to repair his rent Gallies and so put to Sea again where he had not long been but that he by chance and that full sore against his will met with the great Duke of Florence's Gallies accounted the best Gallies in the World and such as now at this present most troubled the Turks Designs At which meeting after many a thundering Cannon-shot on both sides discharged not without the apparent loss on the Turks behalf when they should have come to have grapled together and to have fought hand to hand a thing which the Florentines most desired as in hope to have made that famous Pyrat the prize of their Victory he not willing so to do suddenly turned about and fled after whom the Florentines followed amain and in the chase sunk some of his Gallies and took other some full of great Riches and so brake the Credit of this old and renowned Pyrat as that for a great while after he was little by the Christians feared upon that Coast. But leaving Mahomet to his Devotions and the old Pyrat to bewail his losses let us again return to see what the great Armies of the Turks and of the Christians did more in Hungary While these Armies lay incamped the one attending upon the other many an hot Skirmish passed betwixt them most whereof sorted unto the hurt and loss of the Turks Among others it fortuned that a Troop of Adventurers going out of the Christian Army to seek after Booâ—y fell upon a like Troop of the Turks come out for the like purpose where after a sharp encounter on both sides given and received the Turks at length put to the worse and defeated betook themselves to flight having left a number of their Fellows dead upon the place and lost two of their Ensigns with an hundred and thirty Horses of Service In which Chace the Christians hardly pursuing them drave a number more of them into the Danubius wherein they most miserably perished and took a great many more Prisoners amongst whom were found above fourscore Italian Renegades who brought into the Camp were as Enemies unto God in a Martial Court all condemned to be hanged and so accordingly executed saving the Captain himself who for the regard of his Place was beheaded Shortly after the great Bassa arising with his Army came in the beginning of October and incamped near Buda both for the Preservation of the Place and the safety of his Army now greatly diminished both in Number and Courage For it was certainly known by divers Fugitives from the Turks that in these many Conflicts they had lost a number of their best Souldiers but especially of their Janizaries So that the Bassa for the supplying of that Defect was glad to make choice of 6000 of his best Souldiers whom armed with Musquets and Scimitaâ—s the proper Arms of the Janizaries he entertained into the Rooms and Pay of the Janizaries that were dead and slain the rest of his Army for the most part consisting of bare and feeble base raw Souldiers Besides this that all the Army was full of Mourning and Lamentation the Souldiers in all Places bewailing the loss of their Brethren their Friends and Companions so that instead of their wonted Threats and bravery nothing was to be heard but sighing and complaining And moreover that the general Opinion conceived of the greatness of the Christian Army imagined to be much greater and stronger than indeed it was had struck such a fear into the minds of the Turks as that they were resolved Buda being once victualled to return home all their other proud Designs for this year
whence they expelled Battori his Lieutenant with all the Garrisons This Exploit made them to hope of a continuance in the Prosperity of their Arms they entered into Transilvania whereas they pursued Battori with such diligence as they forced him to come to a Battel near unto Câ—omstat the which he lost with part of his Troops being constrained to save himself with his Horsemen in Hermstad whereas some of the chief Inhabitants seeing him receive this Disgrace attempted to submit themselves under the obedience of King Matthias but the Practice being discovered by him he did such Execution as he purchased to himself the Name of Cruel In the mean time Fortgatsie Lieutenant to King Matthias maketh use of this defeat to seise upon Transilvania he made an Accord with Andrew Nage who had drawn high Hungary into Rebellion and caused the Haiducks to revolt so as being freed from that fear he entereth into Transilvania where having taken some Towns and Castles he layd siâ—ge to Clausenburg the which he battered so furiously as the Garrison and Inhabitants seeing themselves ready to be forced yielded and took the Oath of Allegiance to King Matthias the five and twentieth of Iuly But as these Prosperities of Fortgatsie were humane so did they not long continue Battori being shut up in Hermstad conjures all his Friends to come unto him and entreated the Bassaes of Buda and Temeswar to succour him according to the commandment which they had received from the Grand Seignior he practised with Nage a man which did swim continually in the floats of Inconstancy and makes him to revolt again in high Hungary upon a surmise That Fortgatsie had not kept promise with him so as Nage took Arms again seised upon the Fort of Bayens and filled all High Hungary with Combustions so as Fortgaâ—sie could expect no Succours at his need from thence then having received some Forces from the Turks and Tartarians he went to field pursuing Fortgatsie with such heat and fury as he forced him to abandon all that he had taken in Transilvania and to retire into Valachia What Desolations did this War bring unto these Provinces by so many Prises and Reprises Battori going with a thousand Horse to surprise Tocai upon the Frontiers of Valachia whereas they then held a great Fair he found the Garrison so watchful upon their Guard as having lost part of his Horsemen he was forced to return into Transilvania On the other side Fortgatsie with his Hungarians thinking from Valachia to recover High Hungary by the Country of the Zeclerians could not effect his Design for Battori being advertised thereof stopped his Passage and in like manner the Earls of Bucheime and Dampier had passed the River of Tibisce to meet him so as Battori set such Guards in all the Passages and Streights that Fortgatsie was forced to retire towards Polonia by the steep Mountains and desart Places whereas his Army was so opprest with Famine and all other Necessities as they perished miserably there remaining few alive with the which he ended his Passage into Polonia and from thence soon after he returned into Hungary but with a very poor Equipage Thus the storm ceasing in Transilvania by the restraint of Fortgatsie a more violent Tempest riseth in Moldavia to the end that these unfortunate Regions should never be without some touch of Misery For the Turk having understood That Constantine Prince of that Country had relieved the Valachian against Battori his Allie or rather his Tributary he sends a new Prince into Moldavia the supposed Son of one Thomas or Aaron as some write who had in former time commanded there and with him fifteen hundred Souldiers with Letters of command to the Turks and Tartarians thereabouts to assist him with their Forces This new Prince was sometime in France and afterwards detained Prisoner in the Fort of Iaques in Spain within the Pyrenean Mountains Thus two Princes contend for Moldadavia the one supported by the Polonian and the other by the Turk But behold a third Prince cometh in and pretends a Title being Son to one Ianicolo who had commanded there This Man had been a Prisoner in the black Tower at Constantinople to which he was committed by the Sultan Amurath for that he had lost a Battel in the year 1601 against Michael who then possest Moldavia who escaping from thence wandred through divers Countries and at last coming into England his Majesty of Great Britain pitying his miserable Estate recommended him by Letters to Sir Thomas Glover his Majesties Ambassador then residing at Constantinople with commandment to assist him and to sollicite his Restitution with the Grand Seignior Upon the receipt of which Letters he retired this wandering Prince into his House at Pera where he entertained him with many of his Friends and Followers which repaired unto him for a long time and in the mean time he sollicited the Grand Seignior for his Restitution having good Access unto him by reason that he spake the Turkish Tongue perfectly and needed no Dragoman or Interpreter To whom the Sultan still gave good Answers but with Delays that it was not yet time but he should have satisfaction His Competitor who was in Possession of Moldavia hearing of this Practice made Friends at the Great Turk's Court and corrupted some of the Bassaes by Bribes they being all by Nature very covetous to the end he might cross his design and make him away if it were possible and among the rest he had won Murath Bassa the Grand Visier a Man of great Power and Authority who practised many means to get the Moldavian into his Hands First he sent word unto the Ambassador That the Sultan having a meaning to restore him desired to see the man if he were capable of the place or no but being advertised of their intent and well acquainted with their Practices he refused to send him After which he wrote unto him That it was the Grand Seignior's Pleasure he should send the Moldavian unto him that he might confer with him To whom the Ambassador made answer That unless he might see a Warrant under the Grand Seignior's own Hand he would not deliver him Murath Bassa seeing that none of these Practices could prevail resolved to fetch him out by force For the effecting whereof he drew together two thousand Janizaries The Ambassador hearing of his intent fortified his House and armed his People with the Moldavians which were with their Prince meaning to stand upon his defence Murath Basa desirous to know what the Ambassador did in his Lodging disguised a Janizary like unto a Greekish Shepheard who entering into the Ambassadors House found them all in Arms then returning unto the Bassa he told him that he had to do with a mad Man and if he proceeded in his Enterprise he would hazard the loss of many Janizaries whereupon he gave it over After which the Ambassador being called home into England the Moldavian
the Country thereabouts was so plagued with such clouds of Grashoppers as they did shadow the very Sun beams and fell upon the City and Country round about The Turks consulted with their Wise-men what it might portend Who answered That they did foreshew great Plenty to follow But indeed they left not a green Herb nor Leaf in all the Country adjoyning not in the City where they entred into their very Chambers and annoyed them much being almost as big as Dormice with red wings And soon after there fell such extraordinary great Hail in Constantinople and Gallata with such abundance of Rain as the violence of the Water did suddenly shut up one of the Gates of the City and so rebounding filled their Shops and Houses that very many were in great danger of drowning Some Houses fell down and some People were slain the pavements of the streets were torn up and the stones carried together into great heapes We have formerly made relation of the Persians Victories and of the defeat and death of Cicala General of the Turks Army in the year 1605. And that the year following the Sophy having recovered whatsoever the Turks had taken from his Predecessors had extended the bounds of his Empire unto the black Sea from whence he sent an Ambassador unto the Grand Seignior to let him understand that having recovered what had been unjustly usurped from him he would proceed no further but desired to live in Peace the which might now be the better assured the one holding nothing from the other Moreover this Persian Ambassador having remained seven Months at the Sultans Port was in the end forced to retire into Persia without audience And lastly That Amurath Serder the Grand Visier was afterwards forced to convert his Arms against Gambolat and the Rebels of Asia and to neglect the War of Persia. year 1611 Notwithstanding the Persian War there arrived this year at Constantinople an Ambassador from Persia who according to the Turks manner was attended on by a great Troop of Ghaoux on Horseback Capigi's Janizaries and other Captains sent by the Sultan to conduct him to his lodging Within few days after his arrival there was a great show made in Constantinople by the several Trades of the City every one marching by themselves before the Grand Seigniors Serrail and representing unto him their manner of marching in the Wars and the order of their Provision some carrying on their Shoulders Sheep others Lambs Calves Beef c. All which was done of Policy to daunt and dishearten the Persian Ambassador and to encourage their own People and withal to let him know that there should be as great plenty in their Camps as he saw at that present And to abuse him still with the Imagination of their great Preparation the Chimacham or Visiers Lieutenant sent the next day for this Persian Ambassador and during their Conference had taken order That the Emperour of Tartaria's Brother who was then in the Sultans Court should come in at whose entrance the Chimacham arose from his Place Oh said he I know for what you come It is for Money for your Souldiers you shall receive it at such a Place Which words were heard by a Dragoman to the English Ambassador being then present the which was done to terrifie the Persian Ambassador and at the same time and to the same end they sent over divers Troops of Souldiers to Scudaret as if they had been ready to march with an Army The Turks great Armies are not raised in haste neither do they march in post when as the Spahi's that is to say the Horsemen which make the greatest part of his Army and have no other Pay or Entertainment than the Revenues of certain Land are discharged they must have a whole year to recover their Revenue and to put themselves in Equipage and moreover it is threescore days march for an Army from Constantinople into Persia. Also in the year 1609 and 1610 the Turk had not attempted any thing against the Persian who still sollicited him for Peace The greatness of the Othoman Empire could not resolve to make a Peace having receiv'd so great defeats they would give it but as Victors not as vanquished But this year Achmat resolved to send a puissant Army of above 150000 men against this antient Enemy of his House under the command of Amurath Serder his Grand Visier But before the Army entred into Persia it was without a Commander by the death of Serder in the end of Iuly so as they were forced to stay and attend the Sultans pleasure from Constantinople It was suspected that he had been poisoned by Nassuf Bassa one that stood out in Rebellion against the Grand Seignior and yet he had many Friends in the Turks Army wherefore to prevent all Mutinies and consequently the overthrow of the whole Army Amurath Bassa in his Sickness advised the Grand Seignior by Letters which he sent unto him to make Nassuf General of the whole Army and so by fair means to draw him home and then to dispose of him at his pleasure The Sultan with his Bassaes approved well of this Advice and chose him Grand Visier and General of the Army who having received the Seal and Authority did forthwith put many of Amurath's friends to death and with their money paid all the Souldiers which had wanted pay whereof some had been without five years before he also sent unto the Grand Seignior threescore and ten Mules laden with money of Amurath's treasure and threescore with goods all which the Sultan gave to Amurath's Wise and Children It is strange to read how the Grand Seignior doth tyrannize over his Subjects and how severely he doth punish the least omission in any of his Officers for I find it observed that the seventh of Ianuary in the end of this year 1611 the Grand Seignior being abroad in the Snow and not well provided for of fuel he caused Stambol Aga who had that charge to be strip't naked and sâ—t in the Snow four or five hours Indeed this Winter was very rigorous and there fell abundance of Snow throughout all Turkie with great Storms many Houses were beaten down and amongst others the French Consul at Aleppo was slain with the fall of his own house Nassuff parted from Asia and marched with his Army unto the Frontiers of Persia where he committed such Spoils as the Sophy was constrained to draw all his Forces together to prevent the ruine of his Countrey being then about the midst of August But when they were come to a Battel the Persian finding the Party unequal for him and dangerous offered Conditions of Peace and promised to give the Turk a quantity of Silk which should make the charge of two hundred Camels for a yearly Tribute in acknowledgment of some Countreys which he had conquered from the Othomans These offers were accepted at Constantinople but there was added that the Persian's Son should be called
many Places and a certain Arabian had revolted against him and usurped the Title of King having drawn unto his party fifty thousand Rebels the which did over-run and spoil the Country which yielded Obedience unto him threatning his Dominions with a greater Ruine Moreover the Portugals and Spaniards had made many Incursions upon his Places joyning to the Red-Sea and had taken and spoiled Aden a Place of importance so as all these Disorders hastened his return into Thrace to send Forces against his Turkish Rebels and his Spanish Enemies But approaching near unto the Imperial City of Constantinople the Plague was so violent as he stayed at Adrianople until the end of this year when as that horrible Contagion ceased He then came unto the City whereas he made a very stately entry before him there marched his ordinary Guard of five and twenty or thirty thousand Janizaries all the Bassaes of the Court followed him in very great Pomp and before him there marched on Horseback two of his Sons the Pillars and hope of his Affairs the eldest being about seven or eight years old Passing before the Mosques the Talismans or Priests of his Law made Sacrifices in his Presence for his Prosperity they slew Sheep and Oxen upon Altars erected for that purpose then they cut them in pieces and gave them unto the People The Grand Seignior being returned to Constantinople after the great Plague notwithstanding the Turks hold a firm Opinion of Predestination and that they shall not die before their appointed time and that the time of their Death is written in their Fore-heads yet apprehending the Infection by the Advice of some about him he commanded all the Dogs in the City of Constantinople to be transported unto Scutary in Asia a Town antiently called Chrisopolis and for the due Execution thereof every Housholder was to bring his Dog first to the Cadi which is the Judge of the Place and to receive from him a Tuscary or Ticket for his Passage or else he was to pay four Chequines by which means there were transported to the number of fifty thousand Dogs The reason of his sending them away was for that reading the Acts of his Father he found that thirty years before he had sent away all the Dogs for fear of the Infection The Sultan commanded allowance of Bread and Flesh to be carried every day to sustain them which not sufficing the Inhabitants were much oppressed and ready to fall into Mutiny but by the Advice of his Muphti they were at length transported from thence to an Island that was not inhabited some sixteen miles from Constantinople where they all perished Before their sending away the Grand Seignior had propounded to his Muphti to have them all slain who made answer That every Dog had a Soul and therefore it was not fit to kill them The Turks are wonderful glad when they win any one to their Religion and seek by all means to seduce Men either by Force or by fair Perswasion whereof you may see an assured Proof by a Jew who being turned Turk soon after buying of Grapes of another Turk fell at variance with him about the weighing of his Grapes from words they fell to blows and the Jew-Turk beat the other which he endured very patiently to encourage him as it seemed in his new Religion Soon after another Jew came to the Turk who had been beaten and demanded of him why he had suffered himself to be so abused Who answered You shall beat me as much if you will turn Musulman so zealous they are to win Proselites This year in October the Turks observing their Feasts of Bairan which is our Easter the which they observe twice a year a Turk having drunk Wine too freely the drinking whereof is forbidden amongst them although they love it well and drink in private was apprehended and carried before the Grand Visier who seeing the fact verified inflicted this Punishment upon him to have boiling Lead poured into his Mouth and Ears the which was speedily executed Bethlem Gabor as you have heard was seated quietly in the Principality of Transilvania the Sultan supported him and had sent Sarder Bassa with an Army against Gabriel Battori who was then in Possession but weak both of Men Money and Friends he was not able to make head against them so as being abandoned of his Friends and hated of his Subjects for his Tyranny he grew into despair and was slain by his own Souldiers Whereupon the Country yielding Obedience to Gabor Sarder Bassa retired out of Transilvania with his Turks Yet afterwards some neerly allied to Battori desiring to revenge his death caused some alterations and others seeking to get the Province from the Emperour had surprised Hust and other Places in his Name The Sultan hearing this wrote his Letters to the Noblemen and States of the Province They were not ignorant he said that since the time that Transilvania yielded obedience to his Predecessors and him they had always lived in peace under his Protection and had often desired and obtained Succour against their Enemies That when as Botscay had been annoied by the Germans assisting him with great Forces he had shaken off the Yoke That when as Battori his Successor had lived after his own Will they sent Bethlem Gabor with Complaints to his Court by their general consent and did easily obtain Forces to free the Province from Tyranny He being taken away now a wished day began to shine the Clouds of Tribulation being all dispersed That he had held Bethlem worthy to succeed Battori and to enjoy that Province Wherefore he had commanded all the Noblemen to submit themselves unto him and to enjoy a wished Peace That Bethlem had sent to advertise him of the new Practices of the Germans wherefore he had given charge to the Bassaes of Temeswar and Agria and to the Prince of Valachia to be watchful to repell all these Injuries admonishing the Noblemen to yield speedy Obedience to Bethlem to which end he had sent them those Letters that upon the sight thereof they might be admonished of their Duties and if the Germans should attempt any thing they should make resistance until the coming of his Forces and following Bethlem in all things they should acknowledge him for their true and lawful Prince and continue constant in their Fidelity lest they should provoke his wrath against them and draw upon themselves some great misery writing much more to the like effect concluding That he had fully purposed and resolved not to spoil any one Village or any Fort in Transilvania nor to do any wrong to any man nor suffer it to be done by any other but would defend that Province from all oppression Wherefore he would have the Emperour advertised that if he meant to have the Peace inviolably kept he should cause the said Places of Transilvania to be presently restored unto the Prince or signifie his mind unto him by Letters Of
Cherbanne who came with one hundred and fifty Horse to Prince Alexander to assure him that his Master was coming to his aid with five or six thousand men was pursued by the Turks near unto Yas whereas he thought to have found the said Prince and of all his Troop only himself and one more escaped so as the Prince could have no certain news of the said Cherbanne Prince Coresky who had remained with two thousand five hundred Horse not far from Cotnard was also encountred by a great Troop of Turks and Tartarians which he could not well discover by reason of a little Mountain that covered them the Prince seeing some of them appear charged them but finding that as he defeated one Troop a fresh succeeded in his place he was forced to make his Retreat with this advantage that he had almost slain six thousand of his Enemies having not lost above two hundred and fifty of his own men But the Prince was wounded with two Arrows one in the Thigh and the other in the Back which was a great disaster for himself and for the whole Army He which commanded this Troop of Turks being much amazed at this unexpected Encounter having gathered his men together and joyned them to fifteen thousand others whom the Bassa had sent he being yet at Yas he caused this Army to approach within a quarter of a League to the Polonians where having encouraged his men in what he could he told them that to shew his Affection unto the Sultan's Service in this occasion he was resolved to send a Challenge to Prince Coresky whom he confest to be the most valiant of all the Polonian Army so as he presently dispatched one of his Captains to go unto the Prince and to call him in the behalf of his General The Captain coming to Alexander's Camp demanded to speak with Prince Coresky who being brought unto him delivered the Charge he had from his General The Prince although he were neither able to stand nor to sit on Horse-back by reason of his Wounds yet would he needs have accepted this Challenge if Prince Alexander and the chief Noblemen of the Army had not conjured him to excuse himself by reason of his Indisposition letting him know that the event of such a Combat did not only import him but all those of his Party who had their chief hope in him whereunto the Princâ—sses added their instant Intreaties and among others his dear Spouse who was much afflicted for his Wounds The Lord of Tischeuich a brave and valiant Gentleman being then present intreated Prince Alexander to give him leave to accept of the Challenge for Prince Coresky his Cousin the which was willingly granted so as he sent a Gentleman with the said Turk to know if the General would yield thereunto which he did willingly not being ignorant of the Quality and Valour of the said Tischeuich It was agreed that the Combate should be betwixt both Armies lying in a plain open Field within a quarter of a League one of another with promise that neither Party should be assisted These two brave Warriours having taken leave of their Friends came to the place appointed in view of both Armies The Turks General being about fifty Paces from his Army caused Water to be brought with the which he washed his Mouth Eyes Nose Ears and Privy Parts believing according to his Law that this washing would serve as a purifying then turning toward the East he made his Prayer after which he went to Horse-back being richly armed and furnished and then marched softly towards his Adversary who attended him well mounted and armed and so they began their Combat their chief Arms being Bows and Arrows which they spent without hurting one another till at last Tischeuich having a Peâ—ronel shot the Turk thorow the Body and overthrew him who striving to rise again Tischeuich passed over him with his Horse and wounded him in the right Arm and at the next blow slew him after which he cut off his head and carried it to Prince Alexander The Polonians were very joyful of the happy Success of this famous Combate and the Turks being much amazed advertised the Bassa and Michna that it was necessary they should bring the rest of their Army and their Cannon if they would be revenged of the Polonians In the mean time the Traitor Bicho who had abandoned Prince Alexander with a Troop of two thousand Tartarians and Moldavians found means to get before the Polonian Army and to cut off the way betwixt Cotnarde and the Town of Bothocan six Leagues off The Valachians and Transilvanianâ— led by the General of Michna's Army invested them upon the right hand and the body of the Turks Army followed behind so as there remained nothing but upon the left hand a Wood of Timber-trees which might favour their Retreat Skinder Bassa hearing the Success of the Combate commanded his Army to advance presently with sixteen Cannons The Princes seeing themselves environed by so many Enemies they resolved to fortifie themselves with their Carts and Carriages and to defend themselves but what could five or six thousand men prevail against two or three and twenty thousand for so many were thought to be in the Turks Army True it is they expected daily Prince Cherbanne and the Lord Bossi who were within two days Journey and brought with them ten or twelve thousand men This made the Bassa and Michna to advance to force the Polonians to yield or fight Coming near unto their Camp and seeing them invested on all sides but towards the Wood they approached their Cannon which had been able to have spoiled their Camp but it was not their design they only desired to take the Princes and Princesses Prisoners with the chief Noble-men Whereupon they sent to summon the Polonian Army to deliver into their hands the said Princes and Lords promising that the rest of the Army should depart with Bag and Baggage whereunto they would not yield but made an Answer all with one consent That they would rather dye than commit such Baseness and Treachery This being reported to the Bassa and Prince Michna they commanded that some of their Cannon should be charged with small Bullets and discharged through the Polonian Army whereby there were a great number slain and wounded The Princes who had but some small pieces made certain Vollies but to small purpose neither had they any more Bullets left and little Powder for that by ill chance part had been burnt some few days before so as all things seemed to foretell their ruine at hand The Lord of Tischeuich having judiciously observed that remaining in that inclosure he could not escape Death or at least Captivity resolved with five hundred Horse the most valiant among the Polonians to force through three or four Squadrons which were set in guard by the Wood side to the end none might escape that Place being most suspected to the Turks the which they
miswriting the Treaty upon the Chancellor which though they amended not yet they did explain and interpret and for better establishment and security on their behalfs of the Peace they resolved to depose Iehan-Beg Prince of Tartaria and sent Mechmet Gheray his Cousin German and first of the Blood late Prisoner in the Rhodes to take Possession of his Dominion who undertook to quiet and restrain that People which he caused to be signified to Poland that the King might see these alterations were only for the full security of the Peace on their side that the Pole might take the like course with the Cossacks who were not as yet reclaimed The Souldiers continued still in their height of Fury and Madness and those that were to go upon the Gallies for the defence of the Black Sea and other Designs being ready to depart robbed slew brake Houses in the Face of the Magistrate in the open day What was it not lawful for them to do that had slain their King and made and destroied the great Ministers at their Will and Pleasure as their Stewards and Servants and God did so blind them that they should not see that they digged up their own roots and were made by God the blind instruments of their own Ruine The Mint also was removed into the Seraglio where was brought forth all the Saddles Bridles Stirrops that had any Gold or Silver upon them with all old Plate to make Money to patch up a quiet and to satisfie and content the Souldiers and all little enough for the present to save the City from a total sack The Ambassadors of the Prince of Transilvania having changed their Stile of excusing a firm Peace with the Emperour by the change of the Visier and finding the Opportunity of a Friend now in place to aid their Prince they negotiated new matter assuring the Port that by the troubles of Germany a fair occasion was given to recover Hungary and to set the Crown upon their Masters Head and that therefore if the Grand Seignior would be pleased to grant unto their Prince the aid of the Graecian Army that he would make another attempt to weaken the greatest Enemy of that Empire which they easily obtaining the ignorance and avarice of the Turk opening a way to credulity which was the constant advantage of Gabor who could conquer both their Understandings and Forces to his own ends being in all fully satisfied they departed the twentieth of April Which Resolution oâ— the Port was much wondered at by all wise men who knew how unfit the Turk was at that present for a War. The Prince was then at Cassovia expecting the issue of his Ambassage and in hope of Turkish Aid which being granted and gathered upon his frontier and joyned at last with his own Forces his whole Army was not very great nor had he any Cannon to march withal to besiege any place his chiefest trust consisting in his Intelligence in Hungary where he expected a general revolt and that all the Garrisons would open to him or at least some diversion in Silesia which he was promised facilitate his ways and he was not in despair that upon the first appearance of an Army Moravia by the favour of the Count of Tourn and his Friends would follow the same Example and this was the design which his Ambassadors had â—o long sollicited at the Port and dissembled at their first coming Now there was nothing expected but a War but not long after there arrived a new Ambassador from the Prince without any mention of the Affairs of those parts which made all men inquisitive thinking he was either come to hasten the Succours or to change something in the manner and other Circumstances depending thereon but it was found that the States of Transilvania had assembled at Alba-Iulia and were very loth to entertain a War or to break with the Emperour and therefore dispeeded two Commissioners towards him who were well received and treated at Vienna and from the Emperour was sent to Transilvania the Bishop of Nitria Whereupon a new Peace was treated and this Ambassador sent to procure the recall of the former Commands given to the Bassaes to move with their Armies Whereby it was suspected he never had any purpose to make a War but only to ballance by the continuance thereof his Fears and last Agreements with the Emperour All Men prophecied by reason of daily Disorders the fall of the Ottoman Empire But now the Bassa of Arzirum who was joyned with divers others and had made a great Army was in his march toward Angria the direct way to Constantinople Babylon yet resting in Rebellion with a pretence of Reformation who took nothing by force but the Treasure of the Empire He held a general Council in his Camp and sent to the Port to require the Presence of the Mufti Cadees Bassaes and antient Beghs to take knowledge and to punish the Traitors that murthered the late King and to settle a new one lawfully that should be able to govern to reduce the mutined City-Souldier to Obedience and Discipline and to place about the Emperour some Great Visier chosen by the State able to direct and apply Remedies to the Diseases then grown to a Chrysis complaining that every three or four Months by the change of the Visier the Provinces were destroyed for they placed and displaced the Governours according to their own Factions and so contrary orders were sent abroad daily insomuch as no man knew who was King or Visier nor whom they should obey These were his Pretences and if the present State would not consent to this Assembly he then resolved to come to the Port and settle all things at his Pleasure by the Sword. The great Officers in possession of the Empire and Government loth to be called to an account by the Souldier took a worse Resolution To make a War and made choice of Cigala Bassa for General which he refused upon the same pretence that in his absence alterations would be so frequent and that he should not please or at least uncertainly and according to Interpretation Therefore he would have an absolute Dictatorship for the time equal to that of a great Visier or else he would not stir This was granted him and money given out and order to pass the Water speedily inrolling for his Army fifteen thousand Janizaries and thirty thousand Spahies But those did demur and alledged it was a War against their own Brethren and sought any Excuses rather than to come to blows But the secret was it was then Ramazan or their Holy Lent at the end of which they were to receive their Pay and therefore they would not move but pretended Religion Next day after their Feast when they should march they shewed themselves in their Colours having first held many Consultations and would not march at all unless the Emperour or Great Visier would go in Person So every day brought forth new subject of
whence many Sallies were made with variety of Fortune till at length the Turkish Souldiers being wearied and tired with incessant labour and watchings many of them fled from their Colours and with such diminutions the Army being much abated in its Numbers the Vizier withdrew them from the Persian Dominions Some Months after the Turkish Army being reinforced the Vizier entring again into Persia overthrew the Trucmen who opposed him in his March and destroyed the Gregorians who were Friends to the Persian with a very great slaughter took Moroc their General and cut off his Head And adding to these Victories the report of having taken some few inconsiderable Towns his Expedition ended without other Advantages or Progress of their Arms. This ill Success much troubled the Councils at Constantinople for they considered that they had now waged an expensive laborious War for the space of three Years without any Effect agreeable to the Blood and Charge which maintained it but rather to the Loss and Damage of the Empire The Souldiers abhorred the length and tediousnes of the Way and the misery of the March being to pass over vast Countries and Desarts where there was nothing besides Rocks Sands and Barrenness Many Horses Camels and other Beasts of Burden perished for want of Nourishment and where Provisions were to be had the Price was so excessive that the Timariots and other Souldiers had not a Purse to defray their Charges The Enemy likewise was very strong for the Sofi was at the Head of forty thousand brave Horse which daily infested the Ottoman Camp beat their Convoys and cut off their Provisions and so obstructed them that they could not advance The Vizier Halil then General being discouraged by these Disasters was inclinable to accept of the Proposition made by the Persian viz. That Babylon should remain to his eldest Son in Fee and to his Heirs and Successors acknowledging to the Grand Signior a Tribute as great as the yearly Revenue which proceeded from it at the time when it was in the Hands of the Sultan But this middle Way seemed an Expedient dishonourable to the Greatness of this Empire and that which argued pusillanimity and want of courage in the Government and therefore was rejected by the Council of State as well as by the Military Men. Howsoever the Persians taking their Measures by the disposition they discovered in the Vizier thereunto adventured to dispatch an Ambassador to Constantinople with tender of the same Project but as he was coldly and faintly received so he was in a few days dispatched with few words and little respect as if he had been sent as a Spy to discover the State and Condition of the City and the Inclination of the Prince rather than to obtain any Benefit by the Treaty For now Amurat growing into Years increased in Spirit and discovered a Martial Courage be began to leave his Delights and Walks in Gardens and the society with his Mother and Women and to assume thoughts of War and Government such as entertained him in softness and luxurious Pastimes were reproved by the Ministers about him and by them perswaded to buckle on his Armour and to delight in Martial Exercises So that now new Measures were taken in all Affairs And in the first place Halil the Great Vizier was recalled from being General in Persia and the Pasha of Darbiquier put into his Place and though he was Brother-in-Law to the Grand Signior yet being esteemed at Court as a Person who had amassed great Riches in his Employment he was forced to disgorge five hundred thousand Crowns as an ease of his Burden and an Atonement to pacify the Sultan for the Fault of his Misfortunes and ill Success In these Times of Licentiousness and Revolt the Pirats of Algier and Tunis began also to cast off their Respect and Reverence to the Ottoman Empire for being become Rich by the Prizes they had taken on Christian Vessels they resolved to set up for themselves and to esteem the Peace which Christian Princes had made with the Grand Signior not to concern them but as if their Governments had been independent demanded a particular Treaty and distinct Articles with themselves So that now daring to do any thing six Vessels of Tunis chased some Christian Ships into Rhodes and there attaqued them notwithstanding that the Castle shot at them They afterwards took a Dutch Ship which had laden at Alexandria and entring the Port of Salines in Cyprus they engaged with two Venetians the lesser Ship made a good resistance but having no help she was thrice fired and at last burnt the other being a Ship of eight hundred Tuns was cowardly set on fire by the Mariners and abandoned escaping ashore with their Boats. Then they sailed for Scanderone where finding a Dutch Ship and a Polaca they took both and then landed The Aga of the Scale with all the Inhabitants fled so that finding no opposition they ransacked and robbed all the Ware-houses and afterwards set them on fire The greatest Loss fell upon the English and Dutch the first lost about ten thousand Dollars and the latter about thirty thousand Of these Losses and breach of Peace the Christian Ambassadors much lamented and complained that if some Remedy were not applied thereto all Trade must be given over no Security being to be expected in the Articles and Faith of the Grand Signior To which though the Vizier and Great Men did seem to yield a favourable Ear and promise Redress Yet being corrupted with some share of the Spoils and sweetned with part of the Robbery they began to reject the Memorials of the Ambassadors and to allow the Pleas of the Pirats as grounded on some solid Foundation of Reason and Religion suffering them to publish Discourses that the Turks were obliged to maintain a perpetual War with the Christians as Enemies to their Law and Alchoran and though Policy may suggest some Conveniencies by Peace with them yet those Considerations are Matters of Sin rather than of Reason To make all this good the Divan of Tunis sent two Deputies to remonstrate the great Benefit and Advantage the Port received by the Depredations and hostile Acts which they committed on the Christians And to inculcate this Argument the better they declared That they had lately taken two Gallies of Malta out of the Spoils of which they presented unto the Sultan two Stirrups of Gold with divers Slaves two of which were Cavaliers one of the Roman and the other of the French Nation those which were Youths and comely in shape and feature were entred into the Service of the Seraglio and the more strong and robustous were committed to the Service of the Gallies so that the Turks were inwardly pleased with these Piracies howsoever gave good words to the Christian Ambassadors promised much and effected nothing At that time Trade flourished greatly in those Parts and had done much more had it not been interrupted by the Piracies of
King was by these Passes to determine doubtful cases about Ships and not to make a snare to entrap Ships English built manned with English Men and freighted with the goods of his Subjects But these Pyrates and ungracious Villains would find a knot in a Bull-rush and a scruple where none was for now they seized most English Ships they met with for few had been so cautious as to procure the new Passport so that by this pretence having made themselves Masters of a considerable Estate belonging to English Merchants and denying to restore the same a War was the necessary consequence of their refusal which broak out in the year 1676 the success of which we may perchance have occasion to relate in the following years Anno Christi 1676. Hegeira 1087. THis Year began with joyful News to the whole Turkish Empire all Places and Cities of less renown rejoycing to hear the intentions of the Sultan to refresh and adorn again his Capital Throne of Constantinople with the Imperial Presence for that City which is the most proper Scituation of the World to be made the head of a great Empire having now almost for sixteen years wanted the Rays of Majesty and the Countenance of the Sultan became almost abandoned and forsaken of its Inhabitants so that the spacious Seraglios or Palaces of the chief Ministers and Officers of the Empire began to decay and run to ruine and the Artisans and Shop-keepers to leave their dwellings and to follow their Trade at Adrianople or in the Camp. But now the News of the designed return of the Grand Signior to his ancient Seat filled all places with joy and triumph especialy at Constantinople which was not more satisfied with the consideration of the benefit and advantage it was likely to receive by the Royal Presence than that those suspicions and jealousies which formerly possessed the mind of the Sultan with a prejudice against this place did seem now to vanish and that he reassumed a confidence of his Royal City equal to that love and esteem which his Ancestors had of it so that the humour which then possessed Constantinople appeared like that of London at our Kings Restauration all joy even to transport for this unexpected Return the people in the streets congratulating their mutual happiness thanked God that they had lived to see that happy day and blessed hour The occasion of this unexpected and sudden resolution caused many roving guesses and opinations of the reasons of it Some said a Dream which the Grand Signior had and which gave great disturbance to his thoughts until he resolved for Constantinople Others said the revolt aâ—d troubles at Cairo of which we shall presently have occasion to discourse and some added certain Commotions at Bagdat or Babylon some reported that Xeriff of Mecha wrote him a Letter that he could not acknowledge him the Head and Protector of the Mussulmin Faith so long as he had abandoned his Imperial City and lived in the mountains and unknown places Others said that the Janisaries and Militia murmured and that his Coming to Constantinople was forced and not to be avoided and that the Sultan being now out of love with Adrianople had cursed it and sworn never more to set foot in it having ordered the materials sent for the building of the Great Seraglio at Adrianople to be stopped on the way and returned back again At this rate all the World talked and discoursed joy and hopes made the people fancy every thing according to their wishes The Grand Signior being approached near to Constantinople fixed himself in his Camp in the Fields near a small Seraglio of his own called Daout Basha from whence the people for many days expected that he should according to the Custom of his Ancestors make a solemn Entry instead whereof he made some Salies with a small Company through the Streets as it were incognito taking his pastime on the Water and on the sides of the Bosphorus in his Gallies and Boats but most commonly frequented his Place of Scutari on the Asian side where with much delight and confidence he lodged and reposed his Court but made no solemn Entry through the City nor frequented his great Seraglio where though he might perhaps dine and pass certain hours yet he slept not one Night there of which the people took especial notice and thereby received confirmation of the jealousie their Soveraign had of them to their extraordinary grief and dissatisfaction however it was some contentment to the people and renown unto the City to have their Emperour so near though it was rumoured as if the Court towards the approach of Winter intended again to return unto Adrianople In the mean time the Grand Signior took his chief delight and divertisement on the Water passing in his Gallies and Pleasure-Boats up the Bosphorus to the mouth of the Black Sea and thence returning much frequented the Gardens and Houses of Delight upon the Banks of the River and visiting all places a Country House called Therapea belonging to the Dutch Resident received the honour of his Presence which he liked so well that he took it from the Proprietor and conferred it without any consideration of money on one of his Courtiers giving out a Proclamation That no Christian Minister should possess any Seat or Habitation on the side of the Bosphorus A strange thing and what is not to be paralleled in any part of the World. About the beginning of this Year the Captain Pasha died and Zaid Ahmet Pash-ogli then at the Camp succeeded him his Father was a famous Man and in the same Charge but cuâ— off by old Kuperlee Soon after Ibrahim Pasha General of the Army at Keminitz likewise died and his Office was conferred on Ibrahim Pasha that was Pasha of Candia of whom we have had often occasion to speak being a great friend to the English Nation The Great Vizier also was not far remote from the Confines of Death being now fallen by reason of immoderate drinking of Wine and chiefly of hot Cinamon Waters into a formed Dropsie and Jaundice In the preceding year we touched on the removal of the Testerdar or Treasurer from his Office to the Government of Grand Cairo and the reasons for it which though it might be a preferment being the richest and most important Charge of the Empire to which the esteem the Sultan had of his parts and abilites might probably advance him yet the imploying of him at a distance so remote was certainly an effect of some displeasure whereby he or his Favourites judged him a Person not fit to remain longer near the Royal Presence Wherefore having commenced his Journey as before mentioned he arrived at Grand Cairo where he had not long continued before he began according to the natural acuteness of his mind and hugstering manner to pierce with a narrow inspection into all Affairs of that Government and particularly into the Revenue and Treasure of the Country contriving with
laid all other Designs aside he might in that great consternation of the Turks have passed the Save and made himself Master of Belgrade without much difficulty and therewith have reduced all Bosnia to the devotion of the Emperor But this being an Over-sight and matters succeeding as before related let us return to the mutinous Army of the Turks whom we lately left raging against the Grand Vizier the Grand Seignior and all the Government The Grand Vizier as we have said having quitted the Army to give way to the Fury of the Soldiers took a Boat at Belgrade and rowed down the Danube accompanied with the Tefterdar or Lord Treasurer and the Reis Effendi or Secretary of State the Soldiers in the mean time chose as is aforesaid Sciaus for their General and immediately dispatched away Orta Chiaus an Officer of the Ianisaries to acquaint the Grand Seignior with what the Army had done It was now no time to expostulate with the Soldiers or disapprove their Actions but on the contrary Orta was kindly received and caressed by the Chimacan at Constantinople called Regeb Pasha And the Grand Seignior himself without any Hesistancy confirming the Choice which the Army had made dispatched Orta Chiaus immediately back with the Signals of Honour which are a Sword and a Vest of Sables declaring him General and ordering him to take care of the Frontiers The Vizier having got out of the reach of the Army took Post and came to Adrianople where he staid and gave time for his Friends to work in his behalf with the Grand Seignior who of himself was well enough inclined to Solyman and therefore after the Rout and Noise was a while appeased Regeb the Chimacam obtained his Pardon and Permission for him to come to Constantinople and Mamout Aga his Friend and a rich Man was sent for the Messenger to invite him thither But before Solyman arrived the Scene was much changed by the coming of four Officers from the Army with Arz and Max-Arz which is a Petition and Certificate signed by the principal Commanders in the Army attesting that Solyman was a Person of no Conduct a Coward and a Lyer and one who took no care to pay the Army and in short that he was not fit for that Sublime Office of Grand Vizier concluding their Petition with a Prayer that another might be placed in that Government Solyman having News hereof as he was on the Road to Constantinople and thinking thereupon that that place would be too hot for him at present sent the Seal and the Standard of the Prophet to the Sultan committing them to the care of the Tefterdar the Treasurer and Reis Effendi the Secretary his Friends and fellow Travellers to be delivered by them conveying himself privately within the Walls of Constantinople upon which without delay the Grand Seignior dispatched away the Seal and the Standard to Sciaus declaring him Grand Vizier in the place of Solyman Regeb would have disswaded the Grand Seignior from sending the Standard which is the Colours of their Prophet Mahomet and towards which the People bear a superstitious Devotion alledging that thereby he weakned himself and armed a Company of Mutiniers with the Charm of that holy Relick Howsoever the Kuzlier Aga who is the chief Eunuch of the Women was of a different Opinion being of a nature timorous like that of the Grand Seignior His Council prevailed and the Standard was sent by the Hand of the Selictar or Sword-bearer that the Soldiery might not have cause to believe that the Sultan treated them with reserves or with the least manner of diffidence But all this served not to appease or mollify the madness of the Soldiery who now talked of nothing but marching to Constantinople and there to Depose the Grand Seignior and reform the Government setting up his Brother Sultan Solyman under whose Reign they hoped for the like Auspicious Successes as they had found in the fortunate Reigns of those Sultans who had formed the Ottoman Empire and especially they had a singular Reverence for the Name of Sultan Solyman who they hoped would prove as great and fortunate as Solyman the Magnificent Sciaus Pasha who was in his Heart a cordial Friend to the late Vizier Solyman found now that he had conjured up a Devil he could not lay would gladly have disswaded the Soldiery from their designed March to the Port and rather advised them to guard their Frontiers and oppose the Enemy But this Council had cost him his Life had he not touched the Proposal very gently and at the same time assured them of his readiness to joyn with them in any Design they should contrive And accordingly marching away in a kind of a tumultuous and disorderly manner towards the River Save great Numbers of them were actually passing the Bridge near Belgrade when the Chimacam or Governour General of the Ianisaries of that place apprehending that they came to Plunder the Town refused them Passage causing several Pieces of Cannon to be fired upon them with which several being killed they returned back Howsoever persisting still in their Resolution the most wild and obstinate party of them passed the River in Boats at some distance from the Town leaving Sciaus Pasha with the rest of the Militia on the other side a good days March behind them by this slow Motion of Sciaus the Soldiery guessing at his backwardness to engage with them like enraged Mad-men they returned to him and treated him with Menaces vowing to kill him in case he refused to be their General and Leader in this good Cause of reforming the Government Whilst the Army was in this Commotion great were the Confusions Plots Stratagems and Contrivances at Constantinople which Regeb the Chimacam suspecting that the Friends of the late Vizier Ibrahim exiled to Rhodes did foment and also that the Mufti who was last year Banished to Prusa was too near he procured a Command from the Grand Seignior to remove that Mufti to Rhodes and the Kapugibashee or Messenger who was employed on this Affair and had the care upon him to conduct this Mufti to Rhodes carried also a Hatte-sheriff or the Command with him for the Head of Ibrahim Pasha which we shall shortly find at Constantinople about the same time almost that Regeb's Head was laid with others to augment the heap In the mean time the Tefterdar or Treasurer and the Reis Effendi or Secretary who were the Two Fellow-Travellers with Solyman the late Vizier were dispatched to the Army with soft Messages from the Grand Seignior approving all that they had done and offering to perform all they did or could desire But we shall see presently how well these Two Mediators succeeded in their Office of making Peace with a heady Multitude which would hear no Reason and endure no Government For Sciaus was now made only a Property to execute the Commands of the Ianisaries and Spahees who had entred into a solemn
formerly had been but being struck with a Consternation as their Enemies were raised and flushed with Victory and Triumph they Cowardly gave back year 1688. and lost the advantage which Nature had given them by the Waters for a defence The Elector designed to pursue the Enemy before he Attempted the Siege of Belgrade and to raise his Camp with the rising of the Moon then entring into the last Quarter when he was hinder'd by a violent Storm of Wind and Rain with Thunder and Lightning which endanger'd the Bridge and lasted until break of Day of the 10 th in the Morning The Turks interpreting this Storm as a bad Omen unto themselves abandoned their Camp leaving many Thousand Heads of Cattle dispersed in the Fields with all their Instruments for Intrenching and fled with such Precipitation and Hast that the Christian Generals judging it impossible to overtake them directed their Course by the nearest way to Belgrade Prince Eugeny of Savoy was Commanded by his Electoral Highness to advance with his Regiment and some Guards towards the City to take a view of the Enemy and discover in what order they were lodged in their Trenches The Inhabitants of the City having received the affrighting News of the near Approach of the Christian Army had the time of three or four days to Embark their useless People with the best of their Moveables and richest Goods on a Thousand Boats with which they sailed down the Stream of the River landing afterwards at several places where Friends or Relations or other Coveniencies invited them And in the mean time the remaining Garrison set Fire to the Suburbs and reduced all to Ashes Notwithstanding which the Flight was so confused and hasty that many of the Inhabitants with their Wives and Children had not time to Convey themselves away of which some were killed and many made Captives year 1688. Only some Iews and Râ—â—â—ians remained behind who being habiâ—â—d in the Turkish fashion had been exposed to the Fury of the Soldiery had not the Generosity of the Prince restrained the Heat of their Martial Fury Soon afterwards the whole Army came up and Sacked and Plundered the Suburbs sparing neither Mosque nor House And thô the Fire and Flames were very terrible yet the Soldiers gained more Plunder and Booty in those Suburbs than they had done in all Buda because they had the fortune to surprize whole Bales of Goods and Moveables ready Packed up which the Owners in their Flight had not time to carry away Howsoever some of these Plunderers being over-intent on their Prey were surprized by a Party of the Enemy and either killed or made Captives No time was lost in opening the Trenches into which Major General Steinau and Count Ottingen enter'd on the 21 st of August and Commanded there that Night but could not advance much by reason of the continual Rains. Howsoever in two or three days the Trenches were finished and three Batteries were raised and furnished with the Heavy Cannon which on the 25 th arrived in the Camp. Twenty six Pieces were immediately mounted and began to play upon the Castle and thô they had raised their Batteries as high as was possible yet the Ruins of the Suburbs lay so much in the way that the Shot could not reach the bottom of the Wall till the Way was cleared by the Pioniers and then two new Batteries more being raised and all the remaining Artillery planted thereon they ply'd incessantly on the Walls of the Castle with great Shot and Bombs in the mean time the Enemy was not idle but returned the like into the Christian Camp making frequent Sallies with much Bravery in which the Germans lost more Men than the Turks amongst which was the Count of Ligneville Colonel of Foot and Adjutant General who by a Shot received in the Trenches died immediately The Town and Castle of Belgrade being in this manner formally invested it was believed That it could not hold out long by reason of the Weakness of the Garrison which consisted of no more than Three thousand and five hundred Men Commanded by Ibrahim late Pasha of Bagdat or Babylon who being a Brave and Valiant Soldier resolved to maintain the place to the last Extremity giving out for Encouragement of his Garrison that powerful Succours were coming to their Relief under the Command of Osman Pasha of Aleppo but this Report grounded on some stragling Troops belonging to Tekeli seen in the Neighbour-hood of Semandria gave some hopes to the fainting Garrison but General Dunewalt being sent against Tekeli with a strong Detachment of Horse soon drove him from those Quarters The chief Force of the Turks being no more than Twenty five thousand Men under Command of Osman Pasha of Aleppo lay Encamped near Nissa whilst Yeghen was retired with his Horse for his Foot had deserted him near to Sophia destroying and consuming the Forage round the Country The Turks finding themselves in this low and helpless Condition inclined to Counsels tending to Peace and reassumed their former Resolution of sending their two forementioned Ambassadors Zulficar Effendi and the Interpreter Mauro-cordato to beg a Peace to whom as we have said Yeghen gave lately a stop a Method never before practised by the Ottoman Emperors since the beginning of their Empire But the Misfortunes of War and the Miseries of their own intestine Dissentions had bowed their Hearts and Haughty Thoughts to submissive and humble Prayers for Peace in order to which Osman Pasha of Aleppo wrote this following Letter to the Elector of Bavaria brought to him by the Hand of a Chiaus TO him who is Dear to God and ranked in chief Degree amongst the Princes of Germany powerful in People and Government Famous and Renowned in all Parts Duke Maximilian Emanuel Elector of Bavaria and General of the Army of the Emperor of the Romans unto whom may God grant that Health which I wish unto him After Salutations premised Be it known unto you That one of the Chief Officers of our Emperor of the Turks who now Reigns is dispatched with an important Letter to your most powerful Emperor This Ambassador is a Person highly esteemed amongst us both for his Wisdom and Vertue whose name is Zulficar Effendi with whom goes also joyned in the same Commission Alexander Mauro-cordato Interpreter to the Port for secret Affairs a Person of singular Reputation and Fame and a Christian by Profession These two Persons are arrived at this place from Constantinople with design to proceed farther to your Camp in case they may be received with the same Honourable Safe and Courteous Entertainment as hath by ancient Custom and laudable Practice been shewn to those of their Character They have with them about One hundred Persons belonging to their Retinue for whom that safe Convoy and Pasports may be dispatched I have sent you this Letter to request such Security for them as is necessary When they draw near to your Camp
on the part of the Emperor to carry forward two such important Wars by several ways And in the first place to secure the New Conquests it was thought necessary to encourage the Bulgarians and Rascians who had made a Defection from the Turks and submitted themselves intirely to the Service of the Emperor and as a means to secure those People Count Marsigli the Chief Director and Surveyor of the Fortifications was dispatched to erect a Fortress in some Place or other the most convenient for Defence and Protection of those People for which no place could be situate so advantageously as that of the Iron-Gate which would very much have secured the Christian Conquests and been a good Frontier between which and Adrianople there was not the least Fortification in all that vast Country nor from thence to the very Walls of Constantinople Tho' the Emperor was greatly burdened by a War against France and at the same time against the Turk yet all Care was taken both in one and the other The Imperial Chamber issued out vast Sums to Recruit the Militia in Hungary to Remount their Artillery and provide all sorts of Ammunition and Provisions for the next Campagne with which the Magazines both in Servia and Sclavonia were supplied as also Carriages Bridges Boats and all sorts of Warlike Preparations which were carried on by the great Industry of Count Caraffa Commissary-General In the mean time the Turks made continual Incursions into Bosnia along the sides of the Rivers Unna and Câ—lpa but without much Success they being on all sides streightned in their Quarters and Marches by the Germans For Piccolomini having notice that the Pasha of Bosnia designed to over-run all the Country near the Save detached some Parties of Hungarians and Germans from the Garrison of Proot to discover the Actions of the Turks and being in the night time advanced some Leagues into the Enemies Country they surprized the Town of Lisnia and set Fire to it and killed all the Garrison consisting of 500 men some few only excepted which they carried away Prisoners But the Confusion at the Ottoman Court was much greater by reason of a new Rebellion in Asia carried on by Yedic a famous Robber in that Country and Partner with Yeghen Pasha whom we mentioned in our Treatise of the last Year the which continued for some time before it was appeased and Yedic cut off But before we touch upon that Story it will be necessary to declare the Fate of Yeghen who had forced himself upon the Government and obliged the Vizier to Create him Seraskier which happened in this manner After that Yeghen had fled from Belgrade he quarrelled with Noradin Galga Son of the Tartar Chan upon which Noradin being a Man of a high Spirit called him Coward and pitiful mean spirited Rascal fit for nothing but to Command a Band of Thieves and Robbers at which Yeghen who looked on himself as Seraskier or General of the Army was so enraged that shaking his Topuz at him which is a kind of Iron-Mace carried by the Turks on the side of their Horses Saddle caused him to be Strangled before the Eyes of many of the principal Men belonging to the Tartarian Court. The News of this Affront and Outrage committed on the Son the very hopes of the House highly enraged the Chan his Father who studying Night and Day a Revenge wrote to the Grand Signior and Grand Vizier in the most resenting Terms possible against Yeghen urging that that insolent and unhumane Robber was to be destroyed without which the Cause of the Musselmen could not be Blessed nor any Fortune be expected against their Enemies But the Grand Vizier thinking himself under some Obligations to Yeghen who had the Year before saved his life before Nissa when the Janisaries mutinying for want of Pay he being then Janizar-Aga conspired to Strangle him In remembrance of which being now advanced to the sublime Office of Grand Vizier he endeavoured to sweeten the matter and render the case of Yeghen as plausible as might be But such was the Misfortune of Yeghen that the Tartar Chan coming in Person to Adrianople to consult on such Measures as were necessary to be taken for the succeeding Campagne he fell on his Quarrel with Yeghen who had put his Son to Death urging to the Divan that there was an unavoidable necessity for putting Yeghâ—n to Death as the Cause and â—omenter of all the Mutinies in the Army and the Rebellions in Asia Yeghen being advised by his Friends and Correspondents of which he had many at the Ottoman Court of the Complaints and Endeavours of the Tartar Chan against him found himself not only thereby defeated of his expected Confirmation in the Office of Seraskier but in danger of the Evil which the Wiles and Accusations of an irreconcilable Enemy at the Court might bring upon him Wherefore abandoning himself to Despair he began again to practise all sorts of Villainy to rob Villages and Towns entertaining all sorts of Robbers Murderers and People accustomed to Spoil arrogating to himself a power of creating Pasha's and exercising all sorts of Violence and Cruelty upon the Inhabitants of Romelia or Greece And moreover he wrote to his Friends and Acquaintance in Asia particularly to Yediâ— to Declare in favour of his Cause which was also supported by the Authority of the Gâ—and Vizier But the Grand Seignior and the Divan entertaining Sentiments different to those of the Vizier consulting the necessity there was of gratifying the Chan issued immediate Orders to the Pasha of Sofia to suppress the Incursions of Yeghen and to Call to his Assistance the Nefiran which are like our Trained-Bands or Militia of the Country to seize and take either Dead or Alive this Yeghen Pasha who had violated the Laws of their Prophet Mahomet and encouraged and fomented all the Rebellions in Asia This dismal News struck Yeghen with a sudden Amazement so that not knowing where to find any safety in the Parts where he remained all the World conspiring his Destruction he resolved to retire into Allania and betake himself to the Aid and Protection of his old and faithful Friend Mamoot Bei Oglu it having been suspected for some time at the Port that this Yeghen whensoever he should be droven hard would endeavour to shelter himself in Albaniâ— under protection of this Mamoot Bei means were contrived before-hand with a thousand fair Promises made to Mamoot Bei that whensoever Yeghâ—n should come for Refuge under his Command that he should do that Service to the Sultan as to betray him or cut him off Accordingly Yeghen putting himself into the hands of his ancient Comrade Mamoot was received by him with outward Joy and the most Endearing Terms of Love and real Sincerity that could be expressed and desiring him to continue with him for some days he promised him all security to joyn with him in his
executed and found means to have them cunningly delivered to Achomates as if they had been sent from his Friends who giving credit to the same and presuming much upon his own Strength doubted not to leave his Footmen who followed easily after him under the conduct of Amurat his Son and came and encamped with his Horsemen near unto the Mountain Horminius upon the Bank of the River Parthemius Selymus also departed from Prusa and having received into his Army ten thousand Janizaries but a little before come over the Strait sent before Sinan Bassa General of his Asian Horsemen to know and make proof of the Strength of his Enemies The Bassa not knowing as yet where Achomates lay neither of what force he was being deceived by the darkness of the Morning fell into a place of disadvantage where he was set upon by Achomates and having lost seven thousand of his men was glad with other eight thousand which were left to fly back to Selymus For all this loss was not Selymus discomforted or doubtful of the Victory but forthwith marched on forward to the River Elata which runneth directly out of the Mountain Horminius into Pontus watering most large Fields upon the right hand which at this day are called the Plains of the new Land. So did Achomates also who although he knew his Brother to be every way too strong for him yet being incouraged with the late Victory and in hope that his Friends in Selymus his Army whom he vainly supposed to have been yet living would in the very Battel do some notable matter for him and that Victory would follow his just quarrel resolved neither to retire back neither to expect the coming of the rest of his Army The River was betwixt the two Camps and the number of both Armies certainly discovered yet could not Achomates to whom the open Fields offered a safe retreat unto the rest of his Army possessed with a fatal madness be perswaded considering the greatness of the danger in time to provide for the safety of himself and his Army carried headlong as it seemed by inevitable destiny to his fatal destruction which presently after ensued Selymus a little before the going down of the Sun with his Army passed over the River Elata and gave general commandment through all his Camp that every man against the next day should be ready for battel and in a Wood not far off placed a thousand Horsemen in ambush under the leading of Canoglis his Wives Brother a valiant young Gentleman whom his Father had a little before sent from Taurica unto his Son in law with a chosen Company of Tartarian Horsemen unt him Selymus gave in charge that when the Battel was joyned he should shew himself with his Horsemen upon the back of his Enemies and there to charge them As soon as it was day Selymus in a great open Field put his Army in order of Battel placing his Horsemen in two Wings so that all his Spearmen were in the right Wing and the Archers and Carbines in the left in the main Battel stood the Janizaries with the rest of the Footmen On the other side Achomates having no Footmen divided his Horsemen into two Wings also Whilst both Armies stood thus ranged expecting but the signal of Battel a Messenger came from Achomates to Selymus offering in his Masters name to trie the equity of their quarrel in plain Combat hand to hand which if he should refuse he then took both God and the World to witness that Selymus was the only cause of all the guiltless blood to be shed in the Battel and not he whereunto Selymus answered that he was not to trie his quarrel at the appointment of Achomates and though he could be content so to do yet would not his Souldiers suffer him so to adventure his person and their own safety and so with that answer returned the Messenger back again to his Master giving him for his reward a thousand Aspers Achomates having received this answer without further delay charged the right Wing of his Brothers Army who valiantly received the first charge but when they were come to the sword and that the matter was to be tried by handy blows they were not able longer to endure the force of the Persian Horsemen who being well armed both Horse and Man had before requested to be placed in the foremost ranks by whose Valor the right Wing of Selymus his Army was disordered and not without great loss enforced to retire back upon their Fellows Which thing Selymus beholding did what he might by all means to encourage them again and presently brought on the left Wing with their Arrows and Pistols instead of them that were fled and at the same time came on with the Janizaries also who with their Shot enforced Achomates his Horsemen to retire Achomates himself carefully attending every danger with greater Courage than Fortune came in with fresh Troops of Horsemen by whose Valour the Battel before declining was again renewed and the Victory made doubtful but in the fury of this Battel whilst he was bearing all down before him and now in great hope of the Victory Canoglis with his Tartarian Horsemen rising out of ambush came behind him and with great outcries caused their Enemies then in the greatest heat of their Fight to turn upon them at which time also the Footmen standing close together assailed them afront and the Horsemen whom the Persians had at first put to flight now moved with shame were again returned into the Battel so that Achomates his small Army was beset and hardly assailed on every side In fine his Ensigns being overthrown and many of his Men slain the rest were fain to betake themselves to flight Where Achomates having lost the Field and now too late seeking to save himself by flight fell with his Horse into a Ditch which the rain falling the day before had filled with water and mire and being there known and taken by his Enemies could not obtain so much favour at their hands as to be presently slain but was reserved to the farther pleasure of his cruel Brother Selymus understanding of his taking sent Kirengen the same squint-eyed Captain which had before strangled Corcutus who with a Bow-string strangled him also His dead Body was forthwith brought to Selymus and was afterwards by his commandment in royal manner buried with his Ancestors at Prusa Now Amurat Achomates his Son understanding upon the way by the Persian Horsemen who serred together had again made themselves way through the Turks Army of the loss of the Field and the taking of his Father returned back again to Amasia and there after good deliberation resolved with his Brother to betake themselves both to flight he with the Persian Horsemen passing over the River Euphrates fled unto Hysmael the Persian King but Aladin the younger Brother passing over the Mountain Amanus in Cilicia fled into Syria and so to Campson Gaurus the great