the remembrance wheof doth most grieuously trouble afflict me our Sultans money and our publike munition and sorces solemnely deliuered to our conducte is nowe become a bootye and pray vnto them that the honour which might haue made euerie one of vs to bee famous among Noble and valourous Souldiers is nowe fallen from our foreheades and to our great detriment doth adorne the heades of Straungers or rather of our enemies And that notwithstanding all this wee are nowe come to these couragious Souldiers which with their great labour and valour haue defended this forte euen in the middest of their enemies weapons and treacheries to whom wee should yeeld that aide and reliefe which the vertue of euery one of their minds doth deserue which king Amurath had put in our handes to bring hither vnto thē there is now no remedie but to resolue vpon some good means that we fall not wholly into the vtter disgrace of our Lord King that is to maintaine these souldiers in the custody defence of this forte though it bee with all our own wants al our own dishonors to comfort these that haue so long time looked for vs so wel deserued all māner of reliefe We cannot excuse our selues that our enemies were better then we either in number or instrumēts of warre for both in the one and the other we were farre beyond thē neitheryet can we say that they set vpō vs by night or at vnawares for when we saw their nūber their weapons their horses and finally their approch and their manner of assault yet we would needes passe ouer the Riuer and ioyne battell with them which we nowe knowe hath fallen out verie lamentable to vs because wee were more readie to take our flight then to endure the fight to vse our feete then to occupie our handes And therefore it is very requisite aswel to satisfy the rigor of Iustice as to performe the duetie of Souldiers that we suffer not our Lorde and Kinge to loose his Money which hee trusted into our handes and which is gone from vs not by greater strength nor by any treacherous stratagem of our enemies but through our owne too-too importunate feare and too base a regarde of our liues before which it was the duetie of euerie one of vs to haue preferred the care of our honour For if by fighting and couragiouslie sustayning the assaults of our enemies though they had bene stronger and better armed then we this misfortune had happened vnto vs that we could in any sort haue represented to the King and the world an honourable bloudie battell wee should not now haue had anie neede to seeke meanes howe to repaire this losse and to restore the thing that violently was taken from vs by such as were more mightie then our selues and these honorable souldiers also should more easilie haue digested with vs this lamētable calamitie But we haue lost that money in verie deed hauing as it were willingly bestowed it vpon the Georgians Persians to redeeme our liues and to saue vs from their furie wee are bound to repay it or else for euer hereafter to be challenged as lawful debters to the King for it And therefore my good friends companions if you will take a good course let euery one of vs without any further consultation put his hand to his priuate purse if he haue not foolishly cast that also into the handes of his rauenous enemie and with our owne monie let vs succour the necessitie of these men and haue regard to the honor of our King So shall wee make our flight lesse blame-worthie wee shall iustifie our actions the more honestly and that which is of greatest importance we shall the better pacific the wrath of King Amurath which most iustly he might conceiue against vs. I my self before you al am most ready to disburse fower thousand Duckats towards it if it please you al to followe mee accordingly wee shall deliuer these Souldiers from their great necessitie and acquite our selues from the intricate bonds of most troublesome displeasures A man might there haue seene a thousand countenances chaunged a thousand maner of wayes for one softly whispered many a cursse and shame vpon the King vpon Mahamet vpō God another denied to disburse any thing another determined priuilie to steale away and some practised one thing some another but in the end euery man was induced to follow the purpose and example of Mahamet and there vpon hauing made a purse according to euery mans habilitie there was collected thirtie thousand Duckats among them Presently after this word was sent to Leuentogli at Zaghen that he should send thē grain Muttons and other necessarie prouisions that they might the better continue the defense of the Fort. Two onely dayes did they remaine in Teflis and then hauing chaunged such souldiers as desired to bee dismissed and hauing also appointed for that gouernement Homar Bassa in the rowme of Giusuf that was in it before Mahamet departed But before his departure consultation was had whether they shoulde keepe the way of Tomanis or the other through the Countrey of the Georgian Mustaffa and in the ende they resolued that it was better to keepe the way of Tomanis and thereupon order was taken that they shoulde all passe ouer the riuer for that they were determined to goe that way The Sangiacchi Curdi were the first that went ouer and had alreadie pitched their tents vpon the further side of the water when Mahamet beganne to reuoke his former order and sente thē word that they should return because he was now determined to leaue the way of Tomanis to go back by the same way that he came by Carachala Altunchala Al the Sāgiacchi were in a great rage at this message being alreadie exceedinglie greeued aswell for the losse of their friends as also for disbursing their Money and in plaine and expresse tearmes sente him answere that they were accustomed to warre and to great exploites fitte for men and not for boyes and that these mutabilities seemed to them to bee rather childrens plaie then manly resolutions and as for themselues that they were not minded to chaunge their iourney but as they had alreadie separated themselues so would they goe forwardes and followe on their voiage Verie hotely and earnestlie did Mahamet entreate them to returne backe but no meanes could hee find to reuoke them from their obstinate purpose but forwards they went the same way and arriued at Chars long before Mahamet who was much greeued at thē greatly reprooued their disobedience But when he perceiued he could not otherwise do he with the Bassa of Caraemit and the Bassa of Altunchala put themselues on their Iourney euen in the same waies wherein they had receiued their shamefull and ignominious discomfiture At the last Mahamet arriued at Altun-Chala And for asmuch as partly by his own earnest desire
THE HISTORY OF THE WARRES BETVVEENE THE TVRKES AND THE PERSIANS Written in Italian by Iohn-Thomas Minadoi and translated into English by ABRAHAM HARTVVELL Containing the description of all such matters as pertaine to the Religion to the Forces to the Gouernement and to the Countries of the kingdome of the Persians Together with the Argument of euery Booke a new Geographicall Mappe of all those Territories A Table contayning a declaration aswell of diuerse new and Barbarous Names and Termes vsed in this History as also how they were called in auncient times And last of all a Letter of the Authors wherein is discoursed what Cittie it was in the old time which is now called Tauris and is so often mentioned in this History Imprinted at London by Iohn Wolfe 1595. Faultes escaped in the printing Folio Line Reade 16 13 make his comming 76 24 to pay his Capigi Ianissaries withal for lxxxv Maidini 97 28 Mustaffa with all his troupes 133 24 gouernour of Nassiuan 147 7 ranne all headlong and as it were 167 14 confirmed in Aleppo by the 207 21 brought into Teflis with so great quiet 217 6 towardes Heri 233 20 Cicala Bassa 239 27 that all the Chans  30 being with all  31 accompanied by all his said Army 303 31 farre to pleasure him 327 18 dant and fertile To the most Gracious and Reuerend Father in God IOHN by the prouidence of God Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitane of all England and one of the Lords of her Maiesties most honorable Priuie Councell MOst Reuerend and my singular good Lorde May it please your Grace with honorable fauour to accept of this paper-Present which by starts I haue drawne out of Italian into English Sondry reasons there were that at the first about three yeares agoe moued me to begin the translation thereof but because they are such as concerne matter of estate where withall I list not to meddle for feare of burning my fingers I thought it good rather to conceale them then in printe to publish them The onely occasion that caused mee after so long time hauing layed it aside to take it vp againe and finish the same was the graue iudgement of S r. Moile Finche a right worshipfull knight in Kent who this last Sommer beeing with you at your Maner of Beakesbourne vpon speech then had about the great preparations of the Turke agaynst Christendome and the huge victories that he had atchieued vpon his enemies that sought to weaken him did verie highly commende this booke and the Author thereof whose eloquence although my english pen cannot possibly reache and expresse yet is it trulie and faithfully doone in as plaine and significant Termes as I could whereuntoo I was once minded to haue added certain aduertisementes and collections as well out of the old auncient writers both sacred and prophane that haue written of the most stately magnificent Empire of the Medes and Persians in times past as also out of Leunclaius others that haue lately written of the moderne and present estate thereof which hath scarse a shaddow of the antique gouernement wherewith it was then ruled gouerned But that matter grew to be so long that I gaue ouer my purpose therein least the volume should haue waxen too great I was also minded to haue inserted into this Treatise a certaine Prophesie touching the Catastrophe of the Turkish kingdom which Antonius Torquatus of Ferrara did deliuer to Matthias king of Hungary in the yeare of our Lord 1480. De Regnorum Europae Mutationibus But because he doth peremptorily set downe that the Turkes shall fall into the handes of the Christians about the yeares 1594. 1595. and that the house of the Ottomans shall vtterly decay in their thirteenth or fourteenth king and that it shall not exceede that nomber nor passe the yeare of our Lord 1596 He shall pardon me if I do not beleeue him nor commend his credit to future posterity For with great griefe it must bee vttered wee see all thinges go so quite contrarie to this prognosticon and the power of the Turkes growe so huge and infinite and their enemies so diuided and weakened that vnlesse God come downe as it were out of an Engine to protect the Gospell of his Sonne Iesus Christ and the Professors thereof I feare greatly that the halfe Moone which now ruleth raigneth almost ouer all the East wil grow to the full and breede such an Inundation as will vtterly drowne al Christendome in the West God for his mercies sake rebate her Hornes with the glorious shine of his brightest Sonne The houres that I haue employed in writing this translation were stollen from your Graces grauer businesses whereon I should haue attended And therfore no man can by any right chalenge the same from you nor I in duetie offer it to any other but to your Grace whose wholy I am and must be of whom I may truely and iustly say as Oedipus saith in Sophocles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Lord God long maintaine your Grace in all honor and health vnder the most blessed gouernement of our most happy renowmed Queen ELIZABETH for the continuance of the peace of this Church of England and comfort of all those that are bound to honor and loue you At Lambehith this New-yeares-day 1595. Your Graces most humble Seruant at commaundement Abraham Hartwell The Authors Epistle to the Reader ALthough Strabo doo write that the writinges touching matters of Persia had alwaies but small credit euen vntill his time and therefore it may seeme likely that I who haue taken vpon me to wryte such thinges as haue happened in those cuâ—â—ries within the space of nyne yeares ought greatly to feare lest these my writinges should haue the very same successe that they had yet I haue thought it necessary to aduertise the reader that for that respect I did not surcease or refuse to publish this my history though indeed for dyuers other wantes and defectes it may seeme peraduenture not soe worthy to appeere before the learned persons of this present age But rather euen for the selfe same cause it may rest assured that without manifest wrong iniury it caÌ„not be despised or discredited For if those former Historiographers if algates they were euer worthy of that name haue deserued that little credit should be yelded vnto them this default was imputed vnto them not for any despite or reproch but in iustice and in reason because as Strabo himselfe saith they louing more to delight then to profit inserted many fictions many fables in the truth purity of the History And so the things that happened in deed being mingled and confused with such as were cogged and fained they that read them could not be so truly enformed of those aduentures and actions as they desyred and peraduenture as they had great neede at that time to be instructed in But I haue written this history with a full and sound
strong places fortifyed with munition and instrumentes of death And if there were any difficultie at all therein there were but two onely that seemed to be of any weight one was the great distance and rough passage of those places through which they were to leade their horses their Cammells their artillery and their men euery man knowing that the Country of Georgia is compassed rounde about with verie roughe mountaines and thick woods where the enemy vseth all good oportunity to lay ambushes and to worke treason against such as passe that way another difficulty was money Sinan Bassa among the rest offering to their considerations that if a man would conquere a new countrey it was necessary for the mayntenaunce of the conquest to erect Castelles and Fortresses which being leaft to the defence of valiant souldiers would require large stipends without which euery souldyer willingly forsaketh his charge Sauing these two difficulties which notwithstanding were not greatly debated but in answere thereof as much spoken by the king himselfe as was thought sufficient euery man thought the conquest of the kingdome of the Cheselbas to bee the playnest easyest promised to themselues vndoubted victory of it But aboue all other Mustaffa Bassa he that reduced the Ile of Cyprus vnder the Ottoman power infamous for the cruell barbarous vniust death of Marcantonio Bragadino the stoute and valorous Captayne of Famagosta whose name shall neuer dye in the tongues and myndes of all ages hee I say with exceeding audacitie set out great hopes of glorious conquestes not concealing the vertues of the Latines the perilles passed in the wars of the said Islande and particularly in the expugnation of the Citty preferring the armes forces and valour of the Latines before the valour forces and armes of the Georgiani and the Persians and in breefe assuring more certayne hope of this warre in Asia then of any other that could possibly be raised in Europe And in this sort were the first discourses and originalles of these motions in the East begun and practised whereby all men may see that neither zeale of religion nor any iniury receaued from the Persian Kinges but onely the ambitious desyre of Amurat to subdue a kingdome both in his owne conceyte and also by other mens relation ill gouerned by an effeminate and sottish king and through ciuill dissention brought into great danger was the first prouocation of making this warre and thereby may all Catholikes learne that there is nothing more pernitions to the Christian Common wealth then ciuill discord When they had thus concluded vpon this resolution to make warre in Persia there arose new consultations touching the manner thereof and vpon what coast they should begin their iourney that so they might expect the more honorable successe which poynt Amurat did greatly vrge protesting before al his Visiers that he would not enter into a warre vnlesse he were in great hope to beare away the promised victory Many were the propositions and opinions of the Visiers and many questions did the king propound whereunto hee himselfe did readily answere On the one side some thought that it wold be very conuenient to send the Army to Babilon and from thence to Syras in old tyme called Persepolis famous for the praye that Alexander tooke there as Q. Curtius wryteth and by that way to attempt the conquest of all Persia. Others were of a contrary mind did giue aduice that the Army should bee sent by direct course to Tauris there to erect strong fortresses and to take possession of all the country subiect round about It is reported also that some there were that thought it better to send two seuerall Armyes from both the places aboue mentioned that so bringing the enemy into a straite they might inforce him to retire and to yeeld vnto them whatsoeuer they should demand But Amurat durst not repose such confidence in his owne forces as to thinke that with his battells deuided so weakened he should be able to ouercome that enemy who had alwaies fought most valiantly agaynst the monstrous and couragious Armyes of his forefathers not without some feare also of the auncyent vertue of the Persian people whereof Fame hath euer resounded an immortall and glorious report Neyther did he make slender accompt of the Georgiani the most antique tributaries and confederates of the Persians by whose onely assaultes his Army could not but suffer many inconueniences and sundry trauelles forsomuch as if they should assaile his battels behind or on both sides the Persians should set vpon his forefront though they were many in number and fenced with artillery yet being ill planted and in such difficulty as they could not vse their Artillery it would be a very easy matter to defeate them And therefore he did firmely resolue with himselfe to send one onely Army and with vnited forces to seeke the ouerthrow of his enemy And thus preferring his strong hope to conquere the countrey of Siruan in Georgia and the chiefe Citties of Media the Great before the difficultie of making warre vpon the coast of Siras reposing great confidence in the notable helpe that was promised him by the Cumani in Tartaria called Precopenfes he confirmed his counsellors the Bassaes in the same opinion and withall discouered a matter which to all of them but especially to Sinan seemed most strange namely that he was determined not to go in person with his Army about this enterpryse but was minded to send one of his worthiest Captaines in his steed The respectes that held Amurat from going himselfe with the Armye were many but principally the Falling sicknesse wherewith hee was troubled the zeale hee did beare to the kingdome fearing greatly and that not without good cause least his sonne being in fauour with the people might peraduenture vntimely be aduaunced before him and the danger that he suspected at the handes of the Christian Potentates While they were thus in parlee about this expedition and Sinan Mustaffa and some other Visiers made meanes to bee sent as Vicegerentes and soueraigne ministers of their Lordes designement he dispatched away sondry postes and light-horsemen with order to the Bassaes Gouernours of Van of Babilan of Erzirum in the borders of Cappadocia Armenia the greatter that they should by often inroades spoyle the townes and castelles of the Cheselbas and euery way doo them what harme they could Which was presently put in execution by them all and specially by the aboue named Vstref Bassa of Van who besydes the burning of dyuerse townes brought many a soule into slauery and in the countryes aswell Tributary as subiecte to the Persians made many incursions and wrought much annoyance Through these and other lyke iniuries theyr myndes were greatly incensed with anger and theyr wrathfull hartes filled with a most ardent desyre of reuenge and whiles with shame enough they romed vp and downe dayly sharpening their
presentlie and without any delay bestowed vpon him the gouernement of a certaine small place nere vnto Reuan which notwithstanding with the Kings fauour hee refused desiring some greater rewarde that might make him recompence for his greate expences Wherein it pleased the King to fauour him and gaue vnto him the charge of the chamber of Tauris naming him the Chamberlaine or as the Turkes call it the Defterdar of that rich and large Citie But because one Emir-Chan an ancient enemy and persecutor of Maxut-Chan sate in Tauris as chiefe Gouernour whom the Persians call Chan and the Turkes Bassa he was not wel pleased with this new office though verie honourable and of good importance and yet without the displeasure and anger of his king he could not refuse it wherof not withstanding he perceaued he could haue but small ioy in respect that he could not endure the neighbourhead of Emir-Chan from whom hee greatly feared some pernicious treacherie And therefore he resolued with himselfe to forsake Tauris and to leaue a Vicegerent there in his steed and to withdraw himselfe to certaine lands of his own about two small dayes iourney distant from Salmas towardes Tauris the village or country tearme it whether ye will is called Cassangich a pleasant and delightful place and the ancient inheritance of Maxut-Chan and there he meant to passe away the time till it came into the Kings mind to dispose otherwise of him as he should thinke good But Emir-Chan who still nourished the antike poyson of his anger and hatred against him being not able to omit this occasion which he thought to be most fit to bring him into disgrace with the king caused the king to vnderstand that Maxut was not contented most impudently to refuse the first office bestowed vpon him but nowe also in contempt of his guifts rewards he had abandoned Tauris substituted in his place a most vile person to represent the kinges Maiesty and to manage his treasure and that he himself remained absent far from that citie the Court there hauing withdrawne himself into the confines of Turky no doubt for some mischieuous intent either to yeeld himselfe vnto them or els to haue intelligence with them touching this war peradventure he was guilty to himself that he could not commit a greater error theÌ„ he had alredy coÌ„mitted by offring Siruan to the Turkish king making promise of so large conditions For the Emperor Ottoman might well make as importune vnreasonable demands as he thoght good might alwaies well hope to obtaine al good conditions of peace but Maxut-Chan hauing done al this to rid himself out of the Turks hands and hauing had such a safe and sure conuoy to guide him it could be no otherwise but that he had discouered himselfe to be very familiar partial on the Turks side a rebel to his own king And that therfore it wer good to make trial of his inclination so peraduenture auoyd som great change tending to the losse and dommage of Persia. Very grieuously did the king take this refusal that Maxut had made of these his rewards this his retire to Cassangich did put in his head a shadowe of that suspicion which Emir-Chan had motioned vnto him withal weighing in himself the foresaid reasons considerations of Emir-Chan he was the more confirmed in his hard conceit against Maxut and in the end was perswaded to cal him before himself if he could not by any other means then by torments and torture to vnderstand the trueth of matters how they went And therfore he commanded Emir-Chan that secretly he should send for him bring him before him Exceeding great was the ioy of Emir-Chan when he sawe that the king did not only go about vpon his request to punish his enemy but also that it was to be done by his own hands therupon he thought long til he had brought this shame vpon Maxut-Chan who hauing already heard some inklings and priuie whisperings of that which Emir-Chan intended had vtterly resolued with himself to do any thing rather than he wold suffer himselfe to be deliuered into the kings hands And therfore when there came vnto him froÌ„ Emir-Chan xv sellowes for that purpose who in the kings name summoned him to the court without making any shewe that he tooke the matter otherwise then wel he entertained theÌ„ curteously made them great cheare bestowing vpon them both words and meates most bountefully But they being ouercome with sleepe which crept vpon them by reason of the good chear which they took more liberally then they shuld haue done were straitly bound with long cords hanged let down into a deep wel there shut vp secretly couered And he himself presently gathering together the most precious things that he had in his house his gold his siluer his iewels and his richest apparel and setting his wiues his daughters his sons his brethren his Neuewes on horsback to be short remoouing with him al his family in the euening for the day was not yet shut in he put himself on the way towards Salmas where the next day he arriued in very good time and was there friendly entertained by the Turkish Bassa from him conueighed to Van where he was also curteously welcommed by Bassa Cicala and afterwards with an honorable coÌ„pany of men large fauors of letters he was set on his way towards Erzirum to Generall Sinan who being very glad of his comming wrote by him to Amurath and so sent him vnto him with al diligence And this was in effect the end of this first enterparlance of peace What after wards became of Maxut-Chan vpon his arriual at Constantinople it shal be declared in due time and place for that it is now requisit to return where we left to speak of Sinan who as we told you before by the way of Hassan-Chalasi was come to Chars and had dispatched away Maxut-Chan who was sent vnto him from the king into Persia. The end of the fourth Booke The Fifth Booke The Argument Sinan stayeth eight daies at Chars and departeth for Teflis Talogli and Homar are assaulted by Simon by whom they are discomfited and Homar is slaine Sinan succoureth Teflis The Georgians and the Persians expect the Turkes to assault them They assault be Turks and discomfit them Sinan with all his Campe goeth against the Persians who doe vtrerly refuse to â—oine battel with him Sinan goeth to Chielder and mustreth his Armie He is mocked of his souldiers Sinan returneth to Chars where he stayeth a moneth and then returneth to Erzirum and so is called to Constantinople Ebrain-chan the new Embassador of Persia commeth to Sinan The Ambassador at Constatinople with Sinan Solenine feasts for the circumcision of the Ottoman Prince Ebrain-Chan is sent prisoner to â—rzirum Amurath committeth the succors for Teflis to Mahamet the Bassa who with twenty fiue thousand
were diuerse Souldiers that remayned in that Cittie and liued as it were in Idlenesse which with a greate sum of money they had purchased at the handes of the couetous Officers of the Sultan Emperour And these souldiers beganne to bestirre themselues lustelie In this number of idle mates was one Mamut Bey sometime a Sangiaccho but nowe cassiered and put out of Office who by meanes of his bribes hauing auoyded to serue in these warres of Persia imagined with himselfe that such a fitte occasion whereby hee might shewe himselfe willing and readie to represse the insolent inuasions of the Drusian might make him deserue so well at the Sultans handes that hee woulde bestowe vpon him the office of Customer in that Cittie which so greatlie he desired And therefore hee before any of the rest displaying his Standerd and mustering all his bandes of Souldiers in so much that hee did not spare the verie Caddi and the Deftardar that is to say the Iudge and Chamberlaine of the Gittie but made them to ride out with him he roade to encounter the Drusians and to ioyne battell with them hoping eyther to destroy them or honourablie to put them to flight Or els as others doe discourse of the matter in deede not to meete with them at all but onelie to beare away the commendation that he was readie with his weapons in his hande for the publike defence of the Cittie and custodie of his Lordes Countreyes These Souldiers of Tripolie were not farre departed from their Cittie but the Drusians presentlie confronted them and with continuall shot of Harquebusies began to disorder and diuide them But the people of Tripolie although indeede somewhat negligently yet did they continue the skirmish a great while and would peraduenture also haue endured the battell a longer time but that in the sight of all the Armie to the generall astonishment of them all the Caddi or Iudge of their Cittie was shot starke deade with a Peece and fallen from his horse Who as among all other men that came out of the Cittie should haue bene the last man that should haue entermedled in such like actions so was he the first man that was slain in the sight At this spectacle there arose such a confused feare among the Turkes that the Deftardar or Chamberlaine of the Cittie without any longer stay fled as fast as hee could into Tripolie and all the rest after him The Sangiaccho also who was the chiefest and busiest instrument of raysing these stirres had his Standerde bearer slaine and his Ensigne taken away with manie other losses that happened besides among the baser sorte Aduertisementes hereof was sent to Constantinople and presentlie thereupon the Drusian Captaines as wee tolde you before were againe restrayned Mendel as a great confederate with Manogli that had raised all these troubles and Mansurogli with his complices as friendes vnto Acra that woulde yeelde no defence in so greate a necessitie Howbeit the Turkish King dispatched away Aly Bassa borne at Aleppo with the title of the Bassa of Damasco and with authoritie to muster fresh Souldiers and so vvhollie to attende the vtter subuersion of Manogli But comming thither hee founde no innouation at all but his presence in that Countrey serued rather for a reconciliation and peace making amongst them then for moouing any vvarre againste them And in trueth if euer at anie time there vvere good cause to auoyde newe vvarre at this time of all other it vvas moste necessarie to auoyde it because neither the common treasure nor aboundance of victualles nor the desire or readinesse of the Souldier did yeelde anie courage to enterprise such troubles Besides the huge number of Locustes vvhich vvere in such aboundance ouer all the Countrey of Soria that in the memorie of all the oldest men there liuing neuer vvas there seene so greate a multitude of those Excrementes in those Quarters did as a moste horrible specctacle mightilie encrease the vniuersall feare of grieuous calamities to ensue thereupon Nowe the Persian Prince hauing made an ende of those outroades and spoyles vvhich before wee haue mentioned retyred himselfe to Tauris and towardes his Fathers Campe gathered together all the reste of his Armye that vvas novve arriued The Order Number and Condition vvhereof it is not amisse to describe in such manner and sorte as I hearde it reported at Aleppo vvhen I made diligent and due enquirie of these nevves there They reported that vvhat vvith the Souldiers of Heri the Turcomannes and the bandes of Gheilan and vvhat vvith all the reste of the Armie sent from the Citties that vvere subiecte and obedient to the King of Persia The Prince had gathered fourtie thousande Souldiers whereof notwithstanding that I and others had some doubt and suspition yet was it commonlie maintained by conferences among the Turkes and Persians and by letters among the Persian Merchantes and afterwardes it was confirmed also to bee true in deede From Heri vnder the conduct of Alyeuli Chan they say there came an Armie of eight thousande From Ghetlan vnder the gouernment of a sonne of Amet-Chans they say there came feuen thousande Horsemen Of the Turcomannes there were gathered together about sixe thousand And all the rest leauied by the subiect and obedient Citties of Persia whereof wee haue often made mention before And besides all this multitude the King was guarded by his ordinary Guarde of Churehi and Esahul whose number and necessarie prouisions we haue already described in the second booke The companie of Heri with some part of the Turcomannes were dispatched by the Prince vnder the conduct of Alyculi-Chan to encounter the Turkish Generall And the like order giuen to Emanguli-Chan who had the Souldiers of Media and the borderers of Armenia vnder his gouernement Both these Captaines had in speciall charge that in the moste narrowe and most deceitfull places by the way they should meete and receiue their enemies Armie and worke them the gretest mischiefe and losse that possibly they coulde All which Amze did thus order and appoint because hee thought by this meanes to weaken his enemies Forces and then being so weakened to come vpon them with a fresh bartell and vtterlie to destroy them at their arriual to Tauris Both the Captaines departed accordinglie making shewe that they woulde with all affection obey and accomplish the commaundementes of their Prince But neuer was there heard any seruice of moment put in execution by them For Alyculi went about to alleage reasons and excuses why they shoulde surcease from meeting with the Turkes and Emanguli being as yet vtterly ignorant of the wicked purposes and mischieuous treacheries of Alyculi followed also his example But these excuses and delayes of these two Persian Captaines the Turkish Generall tooke leisure without any losse or hindrance at all to arriue at Tauris and to place the expected succours within the Fort. At what time by good hap but by what meanes I knowe not the Prince
Gardens and pleasaunt Greenes but in the way many craggie mountaynes to bee clymed and sundrie harde passages either for Armie or Traueller It hath vppon the coast towardes the North Teflis vppon the South the playnes of Caldaran and a little higher towardes the Tropike of Capricorne Van and the Marciana Marish Heere then did Ferat Bassa encampe himselfe with all his Armie and taking the aduise of his chiefe Captaynes where hee shoulde builde the Forte they all with one consent aduised him to seaze vppon the houses and Gardens of Tâ—comao and to enuiron them with Ditches with Walles and with Ordinaunce for defense and in the middest as it were in a Center within the Walles to erecte a highe Castle which on euerie side rounde about might discouer both the hilles and the playnes and beeing well fensed with store of good Ordenance might threaten destruction and ruine to all those that durst attempt to endammage them And so they enclosed the gardens with walles accordingly and hauing digged ditches rounde about them they conueyed water into them from a certayne riuer that came downe from the hilles and ranne into Araxis and in this manner within the space of fifteene dayes they finished the Fort. It was a great affliction to Tocomac thus to loose his own Countrie yea and so much the more greeuous it was vnto him because it happened so sodenly and as it were vnlooked for he himselfe presently assoone as he vnderstood that the Turkish Armie was comming towardes that coast hauing withdrawne himselfe and his men of war out of the Citie and leauing the impotent to the mercie of the Conquerors seeking by all meanes to bee reuenged if not altogether yet at the least in some part of this great iniurie And therefore hee wrote to the King in Corazan he wrote to Emir-Chan in Tauris hee wrote to Simon in Georgia hee gathered souldiers out of the villages and vsed all his possible indeuour to make himselfe meete and able to annoy the enemies Armie But neither from Georgia coulde hee receaue anie helpe because they were too-much troubled with hindering any succours to bee brought for the reliefe of the beseeged in Teflis as in due place it shall be declared Neither from Tauris was hee releeued with so much as one Souldier either because Emir-Chan woulde not or coulde not stirre or else because hee had some secrete intelligence with Generall Ferat not to disturbe him in this his Fabrike And so Tocomac could not haue the lucke to be fauoured with any poore ayde that might at the least haue mittigated the bitternesse of his griefe And therefore being not able to doe anie thing but onely with those few Souldiers which he had to lay some priuie ambushes for the Turkes hee neuer ceased to sley sometimes a hundred of them sometimes a hundreth and fiftie and sometimes moe and in that manner to coole the heat of his heart which swelled with the burning desires of reuenge And the better to ease his stomacke which was infected with the poyson of hatred against Emir-Chan who sitting still as it were to beholde his miseries woulde not so much as shake a sworde to annoye these spoyling Turkes and thereby performe his promise made to the Kinge hee spared not to dispatch certayne horse men to the saide King in Corazan and by â—loquent letters to amplifie the vilenesse and cowardize of Emir-Chan discouâ—ring vnto him some shadowe of suspicion and intermingling with all some causes of iealousie to be conceiued in his minde that Emir-Chan had some secrete intelligence with the Turkish Generall And to be short he omitted no occasion whereby hee might anie way qualifie the griefe that he had taken for the losse of his Citie The Turkish Captaine at last departed from his newe Forte and returned to Chars and for the custodie of the said Fortresse he appointed there as Captaine Sinan Bassa sonne to that Cicala who by misfortune was lately taken prisoner whiles with great fame hee scowred and wasted the Tyrrhene Sea And therefore this his Sonne who was afterwarde cured and healed by mee of a certaine disease that hee had at Aleppo partly for the goodlinesse of his person and partly for the hope that hee raysed of his valour was so greatly fauoured by Selim the late Tyraunt of Constantinople and the arrant Enemie of the Italian name that hauing scarce passed the flowre of his youth in which age he was deerely beloued of him hee was created the Aga or Captayne of the Giamizaries and after this his first degree of honour sent to bee gouernour of certayne Cities and in the ende hauing beene imployed in diuers tumults and perible of warress hee was nowe appointed Captaine and Keeper of this Forte together with Ossan Bey Sonne to the late famous Eliambuâ—at afore mentioned With these two Captaines but yet vnder the sole gouernement of Bassa Elicabi onely and with the companye of eight thousand Souldiers partlye 〈◊〉 and partlye Naturall Subjects and with the Munition aboue reheâ—rsed this Forte was stir engthened and this Garrison of Souldiers without expecting any yeerely succours to bee brought them by and Armye to euen of themselues in seuerall troupes of three hundred together in a companie were alwaies 〈…〉 appointed times to go fetch their pay at the Citie of Enzrâ—â—â— and afterwardes at Aloppo and other Cities of Sâ—ria A which they also continue to doe euen to this daye And so with these saide Souldiers and with good store of Artâ—haries artificially distributed vpon the new wall Foraâ— left the Forte hand â—as 〈◊〉 haue â—ased withdrewe himselfe to Chars passing by the waye of Aggia-Ghalasi and performing his iourney 〈◊〉 daies space Where when he was arriued there arose very great and straunge newes For there was fodainely brought before the said Generall â— Sangiaedo Cutdo with his hands bounde behinde him all pale and astonished with foare whose beade without any more a doo hee caused to bee cutte from him carâ—ase publishing to the rest that hee was a â—ole and a rebell Which whether it were so or no â—â—â— whether this sodaine and ynexpected death lighted vpon him in respecte of some other displeasure they knowe best if it bee lawfull at the least to know it that are the curious searchers of such particularities At the execution wherof there was a rumour raised of a far greater importance For by many reporters there was brought to the eares of the General a great faine of a wonderfull noueltie namely that Mustaffa the Georgian to whom 〈◊〉 had sent thirty thousand Duckates from Constantinople by two of his Capigi and two Châ—aus or Nâ—nâ—ioâ—s to the end that with a Tâ—ioâ—spe of his Subiectes he shoulde carrie them to Teflis for the reliefe of those in the Porue was â—â—â—dde and beeing nowe become a rebell to the Turkish King had lefte the Fortresse in manifeste 〈◊〉 to yeelde if by some other meanes it were
him promising him great and honorable fauours But neuer could he remoue the sound and prouident mind of Ebne-Man or winne him to yeeld himselfe into the handes of a man whom he thought to be so murderous which when he had found to be more then certain then did he labour to perswade him at the least that he would send Ebrain a good nomber of arcubuses withall som honorable presents in signe of the reuerence that he did beare towardes him and of his obedience to Amurath wherein although he found the mind of the Drusirn to bee as yet somewhat harde as a man that would giue neither little nor much knowing that all would be but cast away in the wind yet at the last he brought him so about that he was content so to farre pleasure him as to send a present to Ebrain And thereupon gaue him three hundred twenty arcubuses twentie packes of Andarine silkes and fiftie thousande Duckates to carrie to the Turkish Bassa for a gift and to reconcile him vnto him For the better effecting whereof and that he might be rid of him the next morning he sent his owne mother before him who in the behalfe of her sonne did performe a very worthie message excusing him aswell in respect of his enemies that sate there so neere vnto him as also in regard of his oath which he had solemnlie sworne that he would neuer commit himselfe againe into the handes of a Turke For the which she alleadged very good testimony of the deceitfull and lying promises of Mustaffa being then the Bassa or rather the Tirant of Damasco by whose handes she herselfe saw her owne husband so barbarously murdred and therefore she besought him that hee would accept of the giftes which were sent him and therewithall a mind and harte most ready to serue and obey the kinge in all occasions and that hee would hold him excused and allow his excuses to be lawfull for that they were both iust and reasonable The Turke replyed vpon her that although she had found so foule a fault and offence in Mustaffa who vnder the assurance of his promise and fidelity betrayed her husband yet for all that she ought not to feare any such wicked or infamous action at his handes who made profession of an honorable person and a Souldier of his woord and so by oath protesting all faithfull and constant friendship towards him he cast a white vayle about her neck and put another vpon himselfe and a third he gaue the woman in her hands willing her to report to her sonne the oathes he had made and to carrie him that vayle and bring him with her for he should not be otherwise handled but like a friend and a brother The peaceable old woman went her way accordingly but she neyther could nor would go about to alter the purpose of her â—oâ—ne so that she returned to Ebrain an aunswere not greatly pleasing him and therefore hee licenced her to depart After which time he sought more then euer he did before to get the stubburne Emir into his hands or at least to draw from him more presents and weapons without regard of any shame thinking euery thing lawfull that came into his mind whatsoeuer And therefore once againe he sent the craftie and malignant Gomeda to exhort him that vpon the faith and promise which he had geuen him he would come vnto him But for all the craftie and lying speeches that the treacherous messenger could cunningly vse he could obtaine nothing at his handes but words onely Which when he perceaued and yet not minded to returne altogether in vaine and without any profit by the appointment of Ebrain himself he told him that forasmuch as he was not willing to go yet he should be contented at least in his presence to peruse the Accompts of those Monopolies that he had managed for the King in times past to the end that if they should be found to be paied and discharged then he should rid the Turkish Captain from those mountaines and so remayn in quiet Manogli vnderstanding this fraudulent request which in the end tended to no other purpose but onely to get some money some presents determined therein to satisfie Gomeda with an expresse condition notwithstanding that he should cause Ebrain to depart out of those quarters and that he should not returne any more to request any thing of him Which he verie largely and liberally promised onely desiring him that because he should not haue any occasion to send againe any others vnto him hee would also giue him a good quantitie of Arcubuses and thereby make the Visier fully contented and well appaied And so he gaue him fiftie thousand Duckets more and fower hundred and fower score Arcubuses with a thousand Goates a hundred and fiftie Camels a hundred and fifty Buffes a thousand Oxen and two hundred Weathers With this rich and honorable present came Gomeda to Ebrain and declared vnto him that this he had gotten from him vpon promise that he should not molest the Drusian any more For which the Visier did greatly reproue Gomeda telling him that if he did not shew himselfe a more diligent and faithfull executor of his commaundements he would not be well pleased with him and that he would make euery man know what a weightie matter it is for men to take vpon them so inordinate and so dangerous a libertie And for the greater despight both to the one and the other of them Ebrain would needes haue Gomeda himselfe to returne againe to trouble the Drusian Wherunto although he went in great feare least some great mischiefe might happen to him by the hands of Manogli yet was there no remedy but needes he must follow the commaund of him who was able to take from him both his honor and his life And therefore to auoid the greater danger and to pleasure him he made no great scruple to belie himself and to become infamous in the sight of the Drusian As soon as Manogli saw Gomeda thinking with himselfe that he came to him again about his wonted requests he was greatly troubled in his minde and had almost prenented his arriuall with a dart which the angry Drusian was minded and euen at the verie point to throw at him for the great desire he had to rid him out of his sight but that refraining his anger least it might peraduenture haue bred more dangerous effectes he quenched his choler with ignominious wordes and deadly threats protesting at last that the time would come wherin he would recouer at his hands whatsoeuer he had now taken from him by the meanes of so wrongfull and so wicked a treacherie Notwithstanding Gomeda could do no lesse but accomplish the effect of his fraudulent requests and so wrought with him in deed that he drew from the Emir fower burdens more of Arcubuses tenne swordes and tenne guylt Gangiares or daggers certain siluer beltes tenne packes of
my blood from me no not to haue endured my countenance But go to proceed in your wicked and vnsatiable desire and follow the impious commaundements of your Visier for in the end there will light also vpon you the worthy punishment of this villanous fact With these and diuers other speeches which the Macademo thundred out of his inflamed brest the miserable wretch hauing been too credulous was stripped and three great slashes made on his back where they began to flea him he in the mean time not ceassing to blaspheme their Religion and to cursse their King and their false Prophet also And then the barbarous souldiers pursuing their cruell action made certaine other gashes vpon his brest and vpon his stomake and so drawing his skinne downeward they could not bring it to his Nauel before he was dead with most dolorous paines After this the Visier caused Ebne Serafadin to be called into his pauilion who as we told you before was by his commandement deliuered into the custodie of the Captain of the Iannizzaries of the Court and gaue charge withall that whiles Serafadin was in his Tent with him all his men that came with him should be put to death According to his appointment it was done and when Serafadin was brought before the Visier all his souldiers which might be about a hundred fiftie were miserably hewen in peeces and order giuen that Serafadin should be returned againe to his chaynes and all his Countrey wasted and spoyled This commaundement all the souldiers were readie enough to put in execution and besides the booties that they took they brought away also a hundred and fower score heades of the people that were subiect to the said Emir Whiles this wasting by fier this slaughter by sword was in hand the Visier dispatched Postes to Sidonia where the forenamed Gallies were at road by whom he sent commaundement that disbarking iiij thousand souldiers they should sack all those Countries euen as farre as Caesarea in Palaestine sparing neither age nor sexe nor any condition of persons whatsoeuer Which likewise was presently done and three thousand soules brought captiues great booties made of diuerse rich marchandizes many Townes burnt sundry Castels ruynated and made euen with the ground and to be short all the whole countrie of Serafadin and Manogli vtterly desolated But Serafadin himself was afterward sent to Damasco with all his wealth money and presents vnder the gard and custodie of Bassa Veis and Bassa Aly who brought all things thither safe and sound and so from thence to Tripoli where on a certain plain betweene the land and the sea they encamped themselues and stayed there waiting for the arriual of the Visier with his Gallies Ebrain the Visier was now in a readinesse to depart and to returne to Constantinople where he was expected by the King aswell for the greedinesse of his gold as for the accomplishment of the Mariage But bethinking himself that whatsoeuer hither to he had don would be accompted either little or nothing vnlesse he prouided in some sort for the quiet of those peoples vnder the Turkish obediēce he determined to nominate one of the three Emirs that accompanied him to Ierusalem to bee the Bassa of all those regions Now the Emir Aly Ebnecarfus being the richest and the most obedient of them all hee thought good to commit that charge vnto him honoured him with that dignity Neither did he this without a bribe or rewarde but for the price of a hundred thousand Cecchini which the Emir Aly presently paid vnto him to make him seeme the more worthie of so great an honour And therefore hee apparrelled him in cloth of gold hee gaue him a mase and a sword all guilt and deliuered vnto him the kinges commission causing him withall to sweare faith and obedience to Amurath And so hauing at least to the shew set in order the affayres of those mountaines he determined to returne to Damasco There he continued for the space of twelue daies where he ceased not to draw money bribes from diuers persons by most vnreasonable shiftes and at last hauing no furder to doo in those partes he turned himselfe towards Gazir and Baruto two places vnder the gouernement of Ebne-Mansur where hee arriued with all his army and found that the Gallies which had left the Port of Sidonia were now in the hauen of Baruto accordingly as hee had before commanded Now vpon a certaine hill aboue Baruto neere vnto the sea called by the inhabitants San Botro he placed himselfe and pitched his owne Tent onely and none other hauing caused his great pauilion all the rest of his best and goodly thinges which he ment to carrie with him to Constantinople to bee conueighed and laide vp in his Gallies and shrowded himselfe onely in a very narrow and base tent Thether he called Ebnemansur vnto him and in pleasant manner signified vnto him that now it was time for him to make paiment and satisfaction of the debt which he ought the king his Lord of a hundred and three score thousand duckattes for the custome of Tripoli and Baruto for that he could not stay any longer in those quarters but was constrained to returne to Constantinople and thether he knew not how he might well go vnlesse he carried with him the discharge of that debt Ebne-Mansur made aunswere that it could not be long before his Macademies would come with his monies and then the next day after certainely and without all delay he would disburse it Ebrain who knew that all this was but a lye determined to cause him to bee put in the Gallies and because hee could not carry the money to his king yet at the least to bring him his debtor But in putting this his determination to effect and execution he was affraide of some insurrection among the people aswell because he was within the territories of the said Ebne-Mansur as also because he saw him greatly beloued and fauoured by Ebne-Frec and Ebne-Carfus And therefore he thought it better policy by concealing this his purpose to shew him in his outward actions all good countenaunce and by subtile deuises and treachery to take him prisoner And thereupon told him like a deceitfull and lying companion that for asmuch as hee was to stay there for his busines that night and the next day he was resolued to make a road into the countrey of Manogli and praied him to doo him the fauour that he would be contented to be his guide and for that purpose when he should send for him at midnight that he wold come vnto him closely quietly because he was minded to depart without any stirre onely with fiue hundred persons in his company The Mahamet verily beleeued the matter that so it was and withall was in good hope by that meanes to finde some way to escape out of his hands Whereupon being called vp at midnight he readily conueighed himselfe into the
pauilion of Ebrain who presently charging him most shamefully with many abhominable and foule termes caused a chaine to be cast about his neck and his armes and commanded him to be carried into the Gallies The fiftie men which hee had appointed to be ready armed hee sent forthwith to Baruto to fetch Mendel aliue vnto him who was by the common people intytled with the name of an Emir but in deed was no other then a simple Macademo to Ebne-Mansur willing them also vpon a sudden to sack all the whole countrey of Ebne-Mansur Whereby there was leauied so rich a pray and so great a booty gathered that it was a maruell to all men For besides money siluer wherof there was a very huge somme the store of clothes of silke and gold was such and so great that it was worthy for a great Prince and not fit for such a Mountainerusticall Lord as this was Hauing conueighed all this into his Gallies hee sailed to Tripoli where he found Serafadin in the custody of the two Bassaes aboue named and hauing stayed there some few daies wherein he committed sundry villanous and abhominable robberies hee caused the said Serafadin to bee put into the Gallies with all his silkes and his other wealth and so departed for Constantinople When he entred into the chanell of the citty accompanied with foure and twenty Gallies encountred and receâ—â—ed by a wonderfull troupe of kinsfolkes and frendes and saluted with an honorable peale of Artillary out of the Serraglio I was also my selfe at Constantinople where I had good meanes to see the bountifull and beautifull presentes which the spoiling Bassa gaue the Turkish king The somme whereof besides the yearely reuenue of Cair amounting to sixe hundred thousand Cecchini was a Million of gold threescore horses most richly garnished of singular beauty and particularly of the Arabian race a liue Elephant and a lyue Giraffle which is a beast like a Cammell and a Panther two very great Crocodiles dead a chaire of gold and precious stones a Casket also beset with precious stones and gold many packes of most fine clothes wollen and silkes certaine other clothes with fringe of gold and siluer and the Barbarian cut-work most fine linnen of Alexandria and all the Arcubuses taken from the Drusians But now returning to the place from whence I was caried into these digressions I say againe that excepting the soulders of Egipt and those of Damasco and Iurie all the rest of the souldierie that was bound to these enterprises was raised with their newe Generall Osman Bassa as wee told you before And the multitude of them that came both to Siuas and to Erzirum was so great that neuer was there seene a greatter in all the occasions that happened about these warres as in the boke following shalbe shewed vnto you For now hauing made mention of the Sangiacco of Ierusalem it will not be amisse to declare the feates of Armes that passed betweene him and the Arabians of Palestine before Ebrain the Visier came into those quarters In the confynes of Sodome in the places that lie not onely betweene the Lake Asphaltites and Damasco but also in the plaines and in the valleies of Iericho and of Samaria and in other places about Bethlehem Emaus Bethany Bethphage Capharnaum Nazaret Leuir Betsaid Naplos and other townes of name thereaboutes there do haunt and liue sundry Arabian captaines who spreading themselues euen as farre as Rama and Ioppa ouer-runne all the countries there round about and continually commit diuers outrages aswell against the said Citties as also vpon the goods and wealth not onely of the Inhabitants there but also of Straungers yea and their insolency oftentimes groweth so great that they dare assault the fenced Cities besides the spoyling of poore traueilers that by reason of their businesse haue occasion to passe from one cittie to another They handle a speare well and are perpetuall shooters but Armour of defence they haue none at all The horses which they ride are very swifte to runne and spare of diet they are very bold in pilling and theeuing Neither could I my selfe escape their handes when I traueiled to the holy Cittie to worship the great Sepulcher of our Lord. These Arabians hauing had intelligence before hand that the foresaid ambitious yongman was appointed the Sangiaccho in Ierusalem and that hee was in minde to raise all the Sangiacchoes there aboutes and ioyning himselfe with them and his Father the Bassa of Damasâ—â— to worke some great annoyance to their Libertie to put diuers of theÌ„ to death resolued with theÌ„selues not to stay in any case till he and his confederacy were ready but rather by making sondry inuasions vpon him euen to the very Cittie of Ierusalem to prouoke him to come out into the field And to induce him so to doe they conspired with a certaine Subassi of Bethlehem who was their frende that he should encourage and embolden the Sangiaccho therevnto by promising him great successe and fortunate euentes The ambitious youth being moued with the perswasions of the Subassi of whome hee made good reckoning and beeing shrewdly prouoked by their insolencies resolued with himselfe to issue out of the cittie into the open field and therevppon hauing armed a hundred of his Vassalles and raysed all the horsemen that were vnder his gouernement to the nomber of sixe hundred he made a roade towardes Iericho sending before to defy them to battell The Arabians came accordingly and against the Arcubuses of the Souldiers of the Sangiaccho opposing their Indian Canes and their Arrowes ouer-whelming hym withall as it were a floud they wrought him great mischiefe And in the very nicke euen while the bartell was at the hoattest the traiterous conspirator the Subassi fled towardes Bethlehem and leaft the souldiers of Ierusalem in the handes of the Arabians who put them all for the most part to the edge of the sword scarcely gaue any liberty to the Sangiacco to saue himself by flight The Sangiacco was certainely enformed of this fraude of the dissembling Subassi and to reuenge himselfe vpon him hee began also to practise deceit with him faining that he wold once more try his forces against the same Arabians insomuch that hee caused the Subassi to arme himselfe and to come vnto him without shew of any suspition that he went about any mischeefe against him But when he came to him he tooke him aliue and in most â—olorous maner caused him presently to be fleaed quick Such end had these youthly and sudden stirres of Iury by occasion whereof as being thereunto induced in a resonable respect we were constrained with a due digression to runne out a little from our first course of the affaires of Persia. And now staying vpon the same we will returne to Osman Bassa who being now come to Erzirum and there hauing taken a muster of all his souldiers was in a readines
of battell he would make him good accompt of his valour cause him to know not onely that Amurath had most iniuriouslie and vniustly raised this warre but also that it had been good for him not to haue withstood his force and valiance Osman accepted his offer but being not hable himself to go and aunswer the Prince in person hand to hand by reason of his sicknesse which euery hower encreased more mortally vpon him he sent out all the Captaines of his armie The Persian Prince remained ten miles of there aboutes distant from the Campe of Osman and that vpon verie good consideration least peraduenture in the heate and furie of the battel he might haue been spoiled by the Artillarie so that of necessitie the Turkish armie must needes ryde to encounter with him The Turkish Captaines marched in this maner The middest of the battel was guided by the Bassa of Caraemit and Sinan Cicala with all the Souldiers of Assiria and Babylon The left hand was lead by the Bassa of Natolia with the band of Graecia And the right hand was conducted by Amurath the Bassa of Caramania with the people of Soria to the number in all of three score thousand besides all those that were slaine in the two former conflicts and besides a great multitude of seruile people diuerse voluntarie and sundrie waged souldiers also that were stil within the Citie busied about their new pillages and searching for hidden treasures and other rich booties euen in places vnder the ground and in their Churches and besides the trustie guard of the Iannizzaries of Constantinople with all the Artillarie which was left behind for the safegard of the sick Visier and all the Tentes Being thus ordered and deuided they confronted the Persian Prince who was himselfe in the middest of his Army and had placed all his people in very good order on all sides hauing on his one side the souldiers of Persia and Hircania and on his other side the souldiers of Parthia and Atropatia in all to the nomber of forty thousand I do not belieue that Ida the mountaine or Xanthus the riuer by Troy did euer see so terrible and bloudy battels as these were that were fought neere to the Riuers and mountaines of Tauris by these nations who though they be all in deed of Asia yet as Aristotle saith are not very martiall The Turkes were in a feare least the Persians would haue fetched a great compasse and with all celerity and fury would haue runne to set vpon their tentes the riches which they had layed vp together in their pauillions and therefore at euery motion of theirs they continually feared this suddain outroade Whereof they had such speciall care that retiring themselues asmuch as they might and faining that they yeelded and gaue place to the Persians they withdrew so neere to their Army that they wanted but a little from being brought euen within the iust leuill and marke of their artillarie Which when the Persians had espyed and perfectly discouered the cunning and craft of the Turkes without any further dallying they began to seise vpon the maine body of the battell And the Prince himselfe being entred among the souldiers of the Bassa of Caraemit who as wee tould you a little before as Generall sustayned the place of Osman pressing into the middest of the battel dispatched euery man that came in his way and hauing drawen out the Bassa from among the rest he smote of his head and gaue it to one that waited vpon him to carrie about vpon the top of his launce The speechles head being openly discried wrought a terrour to the Turks and a courage in the Persians who being imbrued with blood in the battell and remembring also the crueltie vsed vpon the Taurisians accounted it an impiety to shew any pitty to their enemies and a great point of cowardise to foreslow the victory ouer them Whereupon they entermingled themselues more and more made a most confused and generall slaughter wherein besides the Bassa aboue named there died also the Bassa of Trabizonda the Sangiacco of Bursia with fiue other Sangiacchi and many other Chiaus and diuers common souldiers taken prisoners It fell to the lot also of Amurath the Bassa of Caramania to be taken prisoner being as they say fallen into a Well or ditch whiles hee was fighting and to be shorte it is the common report that the number of those that were slain in this battell amounted to twentie thousande Turkes The night came vpon them and the Persians were now somewhat too nigh to the Turkish Artillerie and therefore they resolued to leaue fighting and as they were occasioned by the darkenes of the night to withdraw themselues backe to the pauilions of the king the Princes father But now there were many daies spent wherein as we told you afore the fabricke of the Fortresse was fully finished And after so many victories and so many losses that fell out on both sides the souldiers of Grecia and Constantinople being nowe wearied with seeing their frendes and louing fellowes thus slaine before their faces hauing also layed vp safely in their owne custody those praies and booties which they had gotten in the sack of the Cittie resolued with themselues to procure their owne departure being partly moued thereunto by the violent and sharpe season of the winter which was nowe comming vpon them And for that purpose they came to the Visier who being already brought into a most dangerous estate of his health and waxen very faint through the aboundant issue of blood that mortally flowed out of his bellie was as a man might say in despaire with himselfe to liue any longer and quite abandoned of all hope by his Phisitians And therefore they were faine by the mouth of such as were trustie about him to represent vnto him the necessity of their returne and withall after many frendly and reuerent entreaties they caused also to be signified vnto him that if he stoode obstinate vnwilling to yeeld to their request and wold needes stay dallying and spending the tyme in those quarters where there was no such need they should be inforced to withdraw themselues forsake him Osman who had nothing els to do in those countries but onely to leaue at Tauris within the new fort for the custody thereof some cōuenent garrisō of soldiers did liberally promis to gratify thē in their suit to yeeld them al satisfactiō as they desired by departing from thence the next morning And there fore for asmuch as he was now to remoue before his remoue to leaue such a garrison in the new fort as might be sufficient to maintaine and defende it vntill the next spring wherein there should be some new captaine and fresh supplies sent thether for their succor he concluded that Giaffer the Eunuch being thē the Bassa of Tripoli who as we told you in the last booke
yet was it disclosed to the Persians by the meanes of three youngmen who in the life of Osman had the charge of his precious stones of his iewels and of his gold and now hauing gathered together the best the cheefest and the fairest of them and also the goodliest and the fairest horses that the Visier had were fled to the King of Persia and reuealed vnto him the death of the Generall The comming of these youngmen was most acceptable both to the king also to the prince aswell for the iewels gold as also for the aduertisement of Osmans death who reasoned among themselues that it was not possible for so great cowardise and so dishonorable a kind of fighting and ordering of an Army to proceede from the vertue and valour of Osman of whome they had had too manifest a triall and experience in times past and therefore they were thereby encouraged to put in practise some new and strange kindes of exploytes and by attempting the vtter ouerthrow of the Turkish remnant to giue them an honorable Farewell And therevppon the Persian Prince hauing gotten together fourteene thousand men went to follow the Turkes who had now raised their Campe and were remoued to pitch their Tentes neere to a certain streame of salt-water not farre from Sancazan where also the said Prince caused certain fewe Tentes to be pitched about fower or fiue miles distant from the Turkish Campe the foresaid brooke running in the middest betweene the two Enemies armies Now it was the purpose of the Sofian Prince to haue assayled the Turks in the morning whiles they were loading their cariages hoping in that confusion to haue wrought them some notable mischiefe but the Turkes had caught a certain spye of his who reuealed all vnto them And therefore they did neither arise so earely in the morning ás their maner was nor load their stuffe vntill such time as they were all armed and on hors-back trusting by that means to rebate and to quaile their enemies assaults The Persians were greatly discontented when they saw this warie and vnvsuall maner of the Turkes raysing of their Tentes and perceaued that some inkling had been giuen them of the purpose which they had intended And yet considering that if they should loose this occasion they could not haue any other good oportunitie to annoy them vntill the next Spring they vtterly resolued to venture the assault and hauing obserued that the Rankes of their Artillarie were on the right side of the Armie they began to enter in the sight of euery man vpon the left hand But the Turkes made a wing presently on that side and so vncouered and vnbarred their Artillarie against the assaylants to their great losse and danger Howbeit they were so nymble and quick to shrowde themselues vnder their Enemies armie to auoid this mischieuous tempest that being now come verie neere to the Turkish Squadrons they must needes send out people to encounter them and ioyne present battel with them They were purposed before assoone as they saw the Turkes begin to stirre to haue brought them towards their side into a verie filthy and deepe Moore which being then drie yet breathed fourth a most stinking and foggie ayre neyther was it doubted of or feared by any but onely by those that were acquainted withall and borne there aboutes and so verie boldly they went towards that place entycing their enemies to follow after them But the Rebell Maxut-Chan and with him that other Traitor Daut-Chan who had knowledge of this treacherie as being well acquainted with those places perceaued the policie of the Enemie and particularlie gaue notice thereof to Cicala Bassa who presently caused a great compassing wing to be made commaunding them to set vpon the Persians and to giue them a continuall charge The commaundement of the Captaine was put in execution and so their fore-front opened it selfe wyth verie large and spacious Cornets vpon the Prince who no sooner saw this kind of order but by and by he perceaued that his intended Stratageme was discouered Whereupon without any stay he began to retyre and called all his people after him But they could not be so readie and quick to flye but that three thousand of them remayned behind all miserably styfled and ouer-trodden in the myre with verie little dammage or losse of the Turkes And this onely battell among the fiue that were fought vnder Tauris and in those quarters was it that was lesse hurtfull to the Ottomans then to the Persians The Prince returned to the pauilions of the King his father and told him the whole action how it had fallen out together wyth the departure of the Enemie And so the Turkes came to Salmas where the death of their Visier was published From Salmas they went afterwardes to Van where they took a surueigh of their Armie found wanting therin about fower score and fiue thousand persons and some say more At Van all the souldiers were dismissed into their owne countries and Cicala gaue notice to the King at Constantinople of all that had happened I my self also was in Constantinople at the same time when the postes arryued that brought word of these great aduentures First was published the death of Osman for whom there were many signes of verie great sorrow and together with his death were blazed the blouddie and mortall actions that were performed so that it seemed all the whole Citie was greatly discomforted and diuerse times in those few dayes by sundry persons in many places and particularly in the house of Mahamet Bey one of the San-Giacchi of Cairo my verie great friend I heard much rayling vpon the King many curses of this warre and infolent maledictions of these many mischiefes Then was dispersed the great fame of the new Fortresse erected in Tauris of the sacking of that Citie and of all the losse that hapned therein And lastly there was a general Edict published in the Kings name that through all the Cities of his Empire they should make solemne feastes shew other expresse tokens of mirth and reioysing which the Turkes call Zine And therupon all the Artificers in Constantinople with diuerse goodly and sumptuous shewes with musicall instruments and bountifull banketting performed the Kings royall commaundements There was also woord sent to the Embassadours of Hungarie of Fraunce of Venice and of other countries that they should doo the like But they all aunswered with one accord that it was neuer the custome of Embassadours to make anie signe of reioysing but onely when the King himself in person returned from the like victories In the mean time great consultation was at Van how they might attempt to send succours to Teflis in Georgia whereof there was a rumour spread abroad that it was yelded to the Georgians which in deed was a lye as at an other time the like report was also And while they were thus in
Erzirum and of Van made the Wing with the Souldiers of both the Armeniaes and the Sangiacchi of the Curdi watered with the Lakes Tospite and Martiano dwelling in the middle betweene the Iberians and the Mesopotanians on the one side frozen with the colde of Taurus and on the other side warmed with the prospecte of the South in all to the number of twelue thousande This last Cornette was kept with a perpetuall watch by the Knight Marshall of the fielde and the other was defended with a continuall trench of artillery And in them both were mustered the voluntarie Souldiers that after so longwarre being greedy of spoyle and ambitious of glorie were equallie diuided betweene them to the number of twenty thousande The Vaunt garde went alwayes a mile before the Armie with two thousande Horse and foure companies of the readiest light Horsmen to the number of three thousande and before all these foure or sixe Fore-runners or Spies on horsebacke After the Auauntgarde rode the Master of the Kinges Horse called the Imbrahur Bassi with foure hundred Ianizzaries Nexte after them followed foure hundred Solacchi and then foure thousande Ianizzaries more and presently after them the Long-shot wrought in Algier and called Sciemete being the ordinarie and perpetuall Guarde of the Generall who without any company by his side sauing onely his twelue footmen came next vpon them And behinde him his Standerdes his Drummes his Trumpettes and the whole bodie of his Battell betweene vvhich and the Rere-vvarde follovved his huge carriages for the necessarie vse of his Armie and on both sides the two greate and large Cornettes before described The watch of the night whether the Armie were martching or lodged was committed to the truste of the Bassaes of Cilicia and Natolia aboue named And thus had the Generall Ferat marshalled his Armie with further direction that they shoulde not hazarde battell with the enemie but vppon certaine hope that they might shunne and auoyde such cruell and memorable slaughters as the laste yeare vnder the vnhappie gouernement of Osman had left heapes of deade Carcasses almoste euen and leuell vvith the tops of hilles And vvithall hee failed not to comforte and encourage all such as quaked in their heartes at the remembraunce of those mischances that they had seene or heard The Generall was greatlie perplexed in his minde with continuall feare least his enemies shoulde come vpon him with some sudden assaulte and the fame also that was spread before in Amasia and after confirmed in Erzirum of the arriuall of the Prince Amze at Tauris with such an Armie as was publikelie reported did euerie moment encrease his irksome cogitations But on the other side hee reposed great confidence in the conspiracy that was plotted against the life of the Prince with the priuitie of Alyculi-Chan the Protector and Champion of Abas the Mirze of Heri Who vnder collour of accompanying the Prince to assist his forces had resolutelie concluded with himselfe and absolutely promised Abas hauing also giuen intelligence thereof to the Turkish Generall that hee would rid the Prince Amze of his life or at least which he thought might more easilie be brought to passe in the sundrie reuolutions and variable chances of the battell at some time or other to make him fall aliue into the handes of Ferat and so to settle his Lord and Master Abas in his estate Vpon these treacheries Ferat grounding himselfe began with greater confidence to dispose his designementes and somewhat lesse to feare the reportes of the Fame that blazed abroad the huge preparations of Persia against him which preparations in trueth as by moste wicked deuices and malicious conspiracies they were turned quite contrarie from that end whereunto the Prince Amze had continuallie appointed them so if they had bene employd with such saith and fidelitie as so righteous a cause required without all doubt the writers of our time shoulde haue had in this four-skore and sixth yeare matter ynough to shewe and represent to the vvhole worlde such accidentes as shoulde be nothing inferiour to those of the yeare before going And Persia should haue seene some reuenge at the least of those most mischieuous iniuries that it hath receaued But forasmuch as rebellion and discorde those two infernall Ministers of the Deuill haue for the vtter vndoing and ouerthrowe of the glorie of Persia continually fauoured the Turkish Armies No maruell it is that the Persian Nation cannot vaunt of any reuenge that they haue taken of anie one indignity offered vnto them by their enemies and that our Writers cannot choose but write of the true and vndoubted victories of the Turks and the bare shadowes of the Persian exploytes Which notwithstanding but all in vaine our Christian Nations euen vntill this day although they doe see the manifest prospering and euident conquestes which the Turkes haue had in diuers States and Countreyes yet doe they easilie beleeue because they doe moste earnestlie desire them to bee true But wee vvill not fayle as trulie as possiblie wee may to reporte whatsoeuer wee vnderstande to haue happened that out of our writinges the Readers may take such aduise as out of such aduertisementes may bee gathered The Persian Prince arriued at Tauris with the greatest parte of his Armie about the twentie eighth of the Moone Regeb which may bee about the latter ende of Iulie In which place euery body thought verily he would haue stayed and attended the conquest of the Forte which now hee might haue vtterlie destroyed with more ease than before he coulde haue done because the souldiers that were in it were reduced to a very small number and those that did remayne were greatly impayred by sundrie inconueniences and withall shrewdlie terrified with the expectation of the Princes arriuall Notwithstanding this common opinion and publike conceite was vtterlie frustrated For Amze did not onelie forbeare to attempt this expugnation but hee scarse taried any while in the Citie of Tauris The cause of this his so doing is diuerslie yea and vainlie reported The Persians and all their adherentes say that Prince tooke this course not because hee was not able immediately to besiege the Forte and easilie to haue gotten the victorie ouer it for they did not sticke verie gloriouslie to vaunt that it was in his power so to doe but onelie because if hee had taken and destroyed the Forte then woulde the Turkes haue for borne to come to Tauris and so the Prince should haue loste the opportunitie of ioyning battell with them and plaguing the Turkish Armie with such losses and discomfitures as hee earnestly desired to afflict them withall meaning notwithstanding to destroy the Forte after hee should haue satisfied his longing to bee reuenged on his enemies Campe. Others cannot beleeue that the Prince woulde relinquish so necessarie and honourable enterprise for any such respect for they were of opinion that Amze could not haue had a more glorious reuenge nor more
was certified of the malignant intent of Aliculi and of the designementes which many of the Sultans had lately contriued together to betray the Prince aliue into the handes of the Turkish Captaine Of which suspition Amze being greatlie affraide hee durst not onely not trust himselfe to perfourme those battelles that hee had detremined to perfourme but quite abandoning all this noble and honourable enterprise hee wholly employed all his care and studie for the safe custodie of his owne person and so left the triumph of the matter in the power of the Turks And thus those great hopes and expectations which the Persians had conceaued of compassing verie famous exploytes against their enemies did not onely prooue vaine and come to no good issue but contrariwise by this discouerie they were conuerted into moste daungerous disturbances and all Persia thereby endured sundrie alterations and reuolutions of most important consequences For both Aliculi-Chan and his Complices were pursued by the Prince as Rebelles and Traytors and also Abas Merize of Heri was manifestlie discouered for a wicked and treacherous contriuer of his brothers death Whereupon the common mischiefes were encreased more then euer they were before and the publike calamities yeelded greater hopes to the Turkes then they had euer conceaued and fostered in all this warre Besides these designementes there were others also that contrarie to all expectation came to the like infortunate issue laide and plotted by Simon in Georgia who by the direction of the Persian Prince had vnited together his Neighbours the Georgians for the accomplishing of most noble and honourable enterprises And the designements of Simon were these That at such time as he thought most conuenient for sending fresh succours vnto Teflis in Georgia he meant himselfe in person with the companie of seuen or eight thousand Georgians and with a number of horse-loades of money if not true loades indeed yet seeming in apparance so to bee to present himselfe vnder the Fort of Teflis and to the Turkish Bassa Gouernour of that Castle to deliuer a counterfeit commaundement wherein it should appeare that King Amurath did giue the Bassa to vnderstand that by Simon being now conuerted to the Turkish Religion hee had sent fiftie thousande Chechini and other muntion for the Souldiers and that he had also giuen vnto Simon full commission and authoritie at his pleasure to manage and dispose of that Fort and therefore that hee should entertaine Simon and giue him credence therein This his defignement Simon put in execution hoping thereby without force of Armes and without any other inconuenience to make himselfe Lord and Maister of that Castle But the Turkish Bassa although both the forme and the tenour and the Seale of the commaundement were verie like to the ordinarie maner of the Court wherein Simon had vsed greate care and diligence and although he thought it also verie likelie to bee true because he was reuolted to the Turkish religion as hee had fayned in the counterfect commandement and that for all these causes he ought to receaue and entertaine Simon into the Fort Yet Simon wanting one speciall thing which in such like cases is a matter of greatest importance he was deceaued in his expectation and with great shame and derision forced to retire and so to auovde the Artillery that by the direction of the Bassa rayned like a Tempest vppon his Souldiers Nowe the thing which Simon wanted was a certaine token deliuered to the Turkish Bassa when hee was first appointed Gouernour of that Castle For to euerie one that is left as Lieutenant in such Fortes ordinarilie in this warre with all secrecie and straitest conditions of allegiance and fidelitie there is deliuered a Counterfect of the Marke which shall be vsed by him that the next yeare following shall be receiued with succours into the Fort. Which beeing required of Simon by the Turkish Bassa Simon knewe not what answere to make and because he could not so doe he was disconered to be a treacherous deceauer and for such a one was he presentlie pursued in such and so eager maner as people included within a castle wall could in so sudden an occasion vse against him And in this sort did all the designementes and hopes of the Persians vanish to nothing and the reporte published in Italie and particularlie in Rome of the taking of this Fotte was quite dashed and found to be false for that the fortunate Turkes remained in quiet possession of the Countreyes which they had conquered WheÌ„ the Turkish General had placed his succors in the Castle of Tauris leauing for the custody thereof Giafter the Bassa with his former companies hee returned towardes Erzirum hauing first caused a Fort to be erected at Chucchiue Tauris a place neere vnto Tauris another at Coy and a thirde at Cum which sometimes belonged to Ebrain-Chan now prisoner at Erzirum as we tolde you before And in euerie one of the saide Fortes he left a necessarie number of Souldiers with sufficient munition and maintenance for them Hee sent also afterwardes to Teflis in Georgia the succours which they there had long expected and desired and without any hinderance or difficultie verie willinglie receiued because the counterfeyt of the Marke was well knowne vnto them which before to Simon was both vtterlie vnknowne and also greatly hurtfull But the Persian Prince hauing hunted Alyouli-Chan out of the quarters of Tauris thought himselfe wholly deliuered from the greate feare of treason and rebellion wherein he liued and therefore in as great haste as hee could he put himselfe on his iourney towardes Genge In which place hauing gathered together a good number of Souldiers hee determined to remooue thence and to stop the succours for Teflis and so to procure the vtter ouerthrowe of the conductors thereof Hee had alwayes found Emanguli-Chan to be both faithfull and wise and in him he reposed an assured confidence for perfourming of any enterprise that he had in his hand and communicated with him euery deuise that he had conceaued in these warres And therefore hee made heade and ioyned with him and lodging most familiarlie within his Citty hee stayed there for the setting in order and disposing of his foresaide designment being verie desirous not to suffer this season to slip without signification to the world of some notable noueltie which might be correspondent to the fame that of matters passed and perfourmed the yeare before was now spread and published abroad ouer all the world But when he was euen at the verie fayrest to put this his desire in execution and when least of all hee feared any treacherie or treason vppon a sudden in the night time he was miserablie stricken through the bodie by an Eunuch of his that guarded him and so the most reâ—plendent and bright shining lampe that euer was in Persia was vtterly extinguished What was the occasion therof and who procured his death diuers sundry are the opinions of men