not depresse that desire of glorie which then was in him Althoughe some man moughte saye vnto me y ◠Caprestano cared not for his owne glorie but for the glorye of god declaringe his incomprehensyble power by aiding the Christians and gyuing them victorie by the aduise and industrie of a symple poore and vn armed freer to the whiche obiection I am content at this present to gyue place when Mahomethe had receuid this great bastonade and was retorned home it is said that he became more temperate and modeste and began to consider mannes astate and to depresse his arrogance and pride and he neuer happened afterwarde to heare anye talke of the iorney of Belgrado but it wolde put him in Cholere and make him to shake y ◠hed notwithstanding that he coulde wel dissemble his cause When Calixto was ded there succided him in his seate Enea Picolhuomini a Sienese borne whoe being desyrous to prouide for the defence of Christendome wente in person to Mantoa a citie in Lombardie where he had appointed a generall councell and at the daye appointed their came manye princes and the ambassadours of all the Christian potentates and the matter being there examined and debated for the space of eighte monethes in what sort they should make warres for the recouerie of Gretta and chasing of the enemies oute of Europe and hauing there a great nūbre of Christian princes which were verie colde in that behalfe and dyd slenderly satisfie the expectation of the pope whervpon when it was decreed that y e warres shoulde be taken in hand against the Turcke he licensed the Councell and departed towarde Rome determining to goe this iorney in person with his Nauie by the sea on thother syde Mahomethe hauinge intelligence of the greate preparation that the Byshope of Rome made determining to cut of all occasyones that mought trouble his state in Gretia and calhys enemyes thyther whervpon he sent hys armye againe into Morea aboute the yere of our saluation a thousand foure hundred and thre score and in a shorte space became lorde of the greatest parte of that contrey and hauing alredie takē the Dispotto therof dimetrio and sent him prisoner to Constantinople Thomas his elder brother being then prince of Acaia was maruelously in doubte of him selfe whervpon he toke with him oute of Acaia the hed of Saincte Andre the apostle and fled oute of his contrey into Italie with the afore sayde hed and manye other reliques of Sainctes came and presented bothe the reliques and him selfe to the pope Whoe receued the reliques and caused them to be placed with great solenpnitie in the churche of Sainte Peter prince of the Apostles in a certaine Chapell whiche he had buylded with great sumptuositie to Thomas prince of Achaia he appointed such promisiō as mought honorably maintaine his state duringe his lyfe in that same yere Mahometh went with his armie against the Emperour of Trebisonda and entred into Ponto with an exceding great Nauie and beseged Trebisonda both by sea and land and the Emperour making no great defence nether of him selfe ne yet of his citie was taken and brought on lyue to Mahometh whoe sent him prisoner to Constantinople and became not onely lord of Trebisonda but also of Sinopi the reste of the townes and cities that the Christians possessyd with in the contrey of Pontho whē he had thus done he returned with his Nauie into Gretia the yere folowing he put his Nauie againe to the sea and sent it to assaile the Isle of Mitelleme in the olde worlde called Lesbo which was possessyd at that tyme by the lorde frauneys Gattalusio a Genouese borne When he had brought his Nauie thither and landed his people in shorte tyme he toke al the fortes and townes of the Isle and then he brought his armie y e to Citie of Mitilleme wherin was the lorde of the Isle with all his power the Turckes beseged the towne bothe by sea and land in suche sorte that they of the towne coulde nether receaue into the towne men ne yet victuales then planted they theyr batteries and in shorte space made an exceding greate breache and yet they contynued it daye and night without gyuing anye tyme at all to the defendantes to repose them and after manye assaultes gyuen the defendantes were maruelously consumed by death and hurtes whervpon they assayled it rounde with al their force and in the ende entred after longe fighte the repares that the defendants had made and first became masters of the walles and then of the citie they put al the men of the towne to the sworde excepte the lorde of the Isle whom they toke prisoner they deflored all the Virgines of the towne and forced all the women of the same thei spoiled the towne of all y e riches that therein was and they lefte nothing nether sacred ne yet profane vndefiled and in this sorte they obtained an exceding riche spoyle both of treasure and prisoners of all kindes and ages which they lad with Gatalusio their lorde to Constantinople and solde them in their marcketes by companies lyke herdes of swyne for slaues a piteouse spectacle to beholde a certaine people of the Isle of Scio called Manoesy vnto whome the Isle of Scio dyd apartaine in y e right of their auncestours whoe at their owne charges wanne it notwithstanding they dyd owe sertaine homage to the citie of Genoa of the which they were citizenes when they vnderstode of the losse of Mitilene fearing leste the victoriouse Nauie should be emploied against thē thought it good to make the matter suer whervpon they sent an ambassade to Mahometh and agreed to gyue him yerely ten thousand ducates in the name of tribute and thus comitted them selues to his protection When the Venetianes vnderstode of y e taking of Morea the losse of Mitilene and Trebisonda they began to be in doubte of their Isles and townes that they possessyd in Gretia and sawe then their owne folie in that that thei had not in the begynninge aided those princes and people but suffred them to be denoured one after an other Mahometh to possesse their states and contreis whervpon they thought it better to assaile then to be assailed and therfore preuented the enemye being in good hope that the popes enterprise shoulde goe forewarde and take good effect by meanes wherof Mahometh shoulde haue ynought to doe to defende his owne dominions and contreys whervpon they put to the sea a greate Nauie of Galleys of diuers ordres of ores and manye greate shippes in whom they bestowed agreate numbre both of fotemen and horsemen Italians and so sayled on towarde the Archipelago or myddle sea when they had landed their people in Morea the fyrst thinge that they toke in hande was to make againe the walle of Esmilia and to make it as stronge as they coulde after that they marched on with their armie to y ◠citie
gouernor and in this sorte gouerned for a long time hauing among them nother kinge ne any man endued with tytle of souereentie other then of captaine according to the saying of Nicolao Sagundino a man very well seen bothe in the Greake and Latyne tonge and also in the histories as wel ancient as of later times for that he had exercised hym selfe alonge tyme in them and hauing ioyned to his redinge experience hauing trauayled thorowe seen the greatest part of the inhabited earth whoe wrote to the pope pio that aboute the yere of y e christian helth 1330. There arose amonge the Turques one Ottomano of a noble house and smale welthe wyse and of a noble minde whoe by his perswasiones and towardnesse had gathered togither a greate numbre of valiante and lustie men desirouse of alteration he toke in hand y â— which he knewe to be generally acceptable vnto theÌ„ which was to make warres against the christianes which confyned with his contreys and throughe hys lyberal distributing of the proies and spoiles that he gate from y â— christians to his souldiors his power was so encresed throwe the pleasantnesse of gaine and reputacion that his people had that he seing him selfe cheyfe of an armye whych desired to liue licensiously and was apte to accompanye him in whatsoeuer enterprise he shoulde take in hand determined to make him selfe prince of that companye and began openly wyth warres to persecute those y â— wolde not there vnto agree in the which his enterprise he was very well holpen by the discorde and diuision that was amongest the principall and cheife rulers of that nation and he ayding him selfe with the same diuisioÌ„ did continaully maintaine and norrishe the same and gaue nowe ayde to the one partye and then to the other vntyl that they were al so consumed and impouerished that they were not able to resiste his force when it was emploied against them And in this sorte he became a Tyran ouer his owne natyon made him selfe lord of the greatest part of their contreis namiÌ„g him selfe prince of the lesser Asya This Ottomano at his death lefte to succede hym in hys kyngdome Orcano hys sonne who folowing his fathers fote steppes did not only preserue the Empire which his father lefte him But also enlarged it greatly when Orcano died Amorath hys eldeste sonne succeded him in his kingdome who traÌ„sfering his courte to Bithinia ordained y e seate of hys kyngdome in Bursia which standeth at the very fote of the rootes of the Mounte Olimpo In the time of Amorathe two of the Emperors sonnes of constantinople fel at stryfe aboute y e possessyon of the Empire it semed to the yonger sonne y â— his brother did maruelously oppresse him and althoughe his force was not sufficient to resyst hym he woulde not yet giue place vnto him but sent to Amorathe for ayde of fering him a great sum of mony inrecompence Amorathe agreed to his demande and assembled his power and with spede embarqued hys people and passed into Gretya and with greate subtiltye dyd leade the warres at length and when he sawe the two bretherne so weake and that they had consumed the treasure which their father left them by their cyuille warres had so spoiled their contrey y â— they were not able to maintayne them selues in there estate w t there reuene we which was then lefte them he in one instante emploied his force against them both and in y e firste assaulte he toke the citie of Gallipolli a place very commodiouse for his state for asmuche as it standeth in Propontide vpon the sea side not farre from the mouth of y e straite of Helesponto And desiring ernestly in his minde the Empire of Gretia for asmuch as he knewe their force not able to endure against him wherupon he vsed the occasyon did continually spoile and impouerishe them in such sorte as in shorte space he became lorde of the greatest parte of Romania which is the principall parte of the prouince of Thracia the which in ancient time had his confynes very large in so much that it is said that on the one side they stretched oute towarde the east euen to the sea called Eusino and Propontyde and towardes the southe to the sea Eugenio and the floode Strimone and the contrey of Macedonia and towardes the north to the riuer Danubio on the west it confined with the Mountaines of Peonia with panonia nowe called hungaria and with the Ryuer Sauo in the which Thratia they will that there be comprehendid the one and other Misya at this day called Seruia and Burgarya the inhabytantes wherof doe call all these places lying a long the seacoaste toward the south inhabited by the Greeks euen to the verie straite of Elespontho Romania when Amorath died he lefte behynde him two sonnes Saliman and Baiazith Saliman dyed in shorte space after then the successyon was wholly in Baiazith who toke in hande the goueraunce And wheÌ„ he had established his state in Asya he sent a new power into Europa and reuiued the warres began by his father against the Greekes in the which fortune so fauored hym that in shorte space he was possessid of all Romania and lefte the Emperor of Gretia nothinge but Constanâ—nople and Pera the which was possessid then by the Genoueses after this he passed on and made his warres euen in the very bowels of Gretia with a course of maruelouse victorie no place resisting him he occupied Thessalia Phocide the contre of Boetia with the greatest part of the contrey of Attica that onely the citie of Athenes was defendid which being of suche force both natural and artificiall that it was inexpugnable wherfore he entred into Macedonia y e which in time past had his confines greatly enlarged thorough the great force of y e places of the same conteyned in it at that time y e contreis of Peonia and Paphlagonia and finding it vnfornished of such as moughte defended it he possessyd it and passed on with his people and made a course through Bossina and Seruia leadinge awaye w t him continually great proies both of men and catell in most miserable calamitie and thus he went on consuming and destroing the contreis and then retorned into Romania and broughte his armie to constantinople and shutte in them of the cytye and toke from them all the contrey aboute them in such sort y â— they were enforced to hold theÌ„ with in the gates of y e citie and coulde non withoute great danger go forth of it no way by land tormenting it continually had brought it to that passe that the Citizens being out of all hope to defended it began alredie to practise appointment with him And there is no doute that yf god by extraordinarie meanes had not prouided for it the citie of constantinopole y e which in time before many hundred yeres passed had ben
spoile and after that he entred into the golfe of Patrasso whiche is in Morea and there landed and beinge encountred with the Turckes that were there lefte for the garde of the conutrey he flewe two thousande vpon the place and gaue them a greate ouerthowe he toke the Castle of Vesticio fortified it and lefte in it a garnison of his people there succided pio y â— seconde Paulo the seconde a venetian borne who semed not to abandone the enterprise that his predecessor had determined against the infidels wherupon he ioyned in league with the Venetianes against y â— Turckes which had made there courses into Almaignie and had taken a waye a great proye both of men and cattell Mahometh determining alwayes to banishe the Christians oute of Gretia aboute the yere of our helthe 1470. dyd put to the sea a Nauie of 400. sayle where of they saye there were 200. gaylles and fustes and when he had embarcked a great number of horse men and fote men he sent them vnder the gouernance and coÌ„ducte of Mahometh Bassa to the seege of the citie of Calcide which standeth in the Isle that was anciently called Euboica and nowe is called Negroponte as sone as the Bassa was arriued at the Isle he landed his people and beseged the towne and planted his batteries and when the had contynued it for a longe space they had done in maner nothing for they of the towne be haued them so well that whatsoeuer breache was made in the day they made it vp in y â— nighte and rampared it in as great strengte as before wherfore it semed to Mahomethe that his enterprise toke no greate effecte and that his batteries dyd not greatly preuaile he sent for a newe supplie of men and went thyther in person and when he behelde the greate breaches that his men had made he thoughte that they mought easily enter y e towne wherupoÌ„ he embattailed all his armie and appointed certaine Colonelles with their regimentes to the assaulte and appointed to euery of them the place that he with his regyment shoulde assayle when he had thus done he called al the captaines of his armie vnto him perswadinge them with goodly wordes to shewe them selues worthie of that good opinion that he had of them and that they wolde approche the towne with purpose that dai to be victoriouse or els there to ende their liues and also he gaue vnto them the whole spoyle of the towne more ouer he promised to suche as shoulde firste enter the towne great rewardes with these exhortaciones and promises he dyd greatlye incorage his souldiours wherupoÌ„ he continued his batteries with great furie for a space with the noise wher of and with that of drommes trompettes and cornetts the aire the earth and the sea dyd tremble Mahometh gaue order that when the Colonelles of y e first assauite had continued it for a certaine time that then other Câ—lonelles with their regymentes shoulde take their place and so contynewe the assaulte by the whiche meanes he had alwayes freshe assaylantes and thus contynued he the assaulte withoute intermission two dayes two nightes and suffred not them of the towne in any wise to repose and althoughe that the Christians who were appointed to y e garde of the towne defended it with rare vertue and noble myndes and vsed their fiers artificial shotte great stones and casting speares wherwith they had flayne a great numbre of the infydels and when the infydels had twyse chased them from the breache had entred the towne the Christians serred them selues and charged them and for with chased them fort he of the towne making great slaughter of the aforesaid enemies but in the ende for asmuche as the greatest parte of the defendantes were staine and the reste being but fewe in numbre and greatly weried with the longe fyghte that they had endured and being consumed in this sorte not being a sufficient number to defende the whole circuite of the towne certaine of them repared into the market place determininge there to dye honorably with theyr swordes in their hand and such as were not of so noble a minde as they were for soke the towne among the whiche numbre was the gouernour of the Citie with manye of the cheife officers and gentle men Venetians which fled into the forte or Citadell wherupon y e Turckes entred the Citie and after a longe fyghte became lordes of the market place and them of the Citie and with inspeakable crueltie they put to death all the Italianes that they coulde laie handes on inpalinge them vpon longe stakes of others they plucked the skyn ouer their eares and some others thei cut a sonder in the middest in such sorte that all y e stretes of Negroponte were fylled with dede boddies and washed w t christian bloude and after that they toke all the inhabitants of y e towne as wel men as wemen that then were liuing and made them slaues and when they had thus done they began to sacke the towne both houses and Churches in suche sorte as they lefte nothing in the towne suche as were fled into the sorte made an appointement with him it was agreed that they shoulde departe safely with their lyues and goodes whervpon they delyuered the Castle before that anye one pece was planted against it in dede the Turcke helde not his promes with them for in dede be put them all to y e sworde And in this sorte y e famous Isle of Eboica aboute the middest of y e monethe of Iune was takeÌ„ by Mahometh and when Nicholas de Canale was retorned to Venise the Senate laid to his charge y e he had not done his duetie in that that he had not succoured Negroponte whiche he moughte haue done if he had dursâ—â— as they sayde wherupon they layde him in chaines and then condempned him to perpetuall exile created in his place their general Petro Moranigo who departed oute of the golfe with a Nauie of lx galleys xx greate shippes and sailed on towarde y e Isle spoiled and destroied all the sea coast of Gretia and Asia In those dayes the Genoueses fearinge leaste the Turcke shoulde bringe his armie to the Citie of Capha whiche standeth beyonde the straite of Bosporo vpon the sea called Eusino which at this daye is called the greater sea and seing no waie howe they mighte sende any succours thyther for somuch as the Turcke had his Castles very well furnished which he had buylded vpon both the straites and they thoughte it a matter impossyble to sende anye bandes thyther by lande considering that the iorney was great and the passage perillous throughe the contreys of so many barbarous nations and beinge in this greate extremitie there was a Constable which offerid for a certaine sume of money to goe into Caffa w t his bande which was of the numebr of 150. souldiours or there aboute vnto whome
they gaue such some as he demaunded wherupon he toke his iourney and passed throughe y e contrey of Friule in Italie after through the contrey of Hungarie then throughe Polonia from thence throughe Scithia whiche at this daye is called Tartarie and in this sorte conueid him selfe into Caffa while these thinges were doinge Mahomethe had put a great Nauie to the sea to passe into Candie where mē supposed he had alredie framed certaine practizes with the Candiottes that he should be receyued by them whēsoeuer that he came and vnderstandinge the Venetian armata to be alredie ariued there and that the chiefe conspiratours were taken and put to death immediatly he chaunged purpose and directed his Nauie into the greater sea and commaūded a great number of horsemen to passe into Valachia and to spoyle destroye there what they coulde as they were doinge of this he beseged the Citie of Caffa both by sea and lande he planted his batteries and began to tormente them ercidingly with his shotte the Genoueses which there were whoe were many in number possessid great riches bothe of marchandize and treasour whoe being amased by this sodden assaulte and seing them selues oute of al hope of succour after that they had defendyd it nobly by the space of certaine dayes thoughte it not good there to loose bothe lyfe and goodes wherupon they practized an appointement And agreing vpon the same delyuered the towne vpon condition to enioye al their goodes which promis was but euell obserued for somuche as they toke from thence manye of the principall families with that they had and sent them to Constantinople and constrained them there to dwell and made the Citizens of Caffa his tributaries and forbadde them vpon paines of lyfe to departe from thence or to send away from thence any of their substance or riches And in this sorte the Citie of Caffa standing vpō the sea called Eusino which had ben of a longe tyme possessyd by the Genoueses became subiecte to the tiranouse gouernance of the Turckes when Mahomethe acordinge to his determination had clearely banished y e Christians oute of Gretia he leuied an armie of a hundred thousand men and sent them into Albania to beseege the towne of Scutarie which standeth neare the riuer called Buiana not farre from the ancient Citie Appollonia which then was possessyd by the Venetianes and furnished with dyuers Constables and bandes of Italianes bothe fotemen and horsemen when the infydels were comne before Scutarie they enuironned the towne with their campe and planted their batteries contynewing them daye and night with oute cease with maruelouse furie and they of the towne dyd w t no lesse corage defend them selues And throughe the noble myndes and discipline of the Christian Captaines all the Turckes preparationes and attemptes were renderid vaine and of none effecte they were enforced to consume all that sommer in vaine before that towne and when the Autoume drewe on the Turckes throughe the sharpnes of the aire and y e pestilent winds which bette vpō them contynually throughe the mouth of the ryuer fell into diseases in such sorte as they were enforced to abandone the seege and to with drawe themselues into those mountaines of Macedonia that were nearest to Scutarie in intention to retorne thyther againe as sone as the infection of the aire shoulde cease and whileste they wintred there the lieutenante of the armie toke with him certaine of his chosen bandes and made warres vpon Iohn Gernoi whiche possessyd dyuerse townes in the mountaines of Albania he toke frō him the towne of Sabiaco and when he had by force taken the Citie of Diuastro and Lisso he put to death all the men that were within them with sondrie torments and tiranouse deathes he made the wemen and chyldren slaues which he there founde and went in y e spring folowing againe to the sege of Scutarie althoughe he were oute of hope to take it by force yet he thoughte in time throughe famine to possesse it whervpon he cnnironned the towne with his campe in such sorte y e they coulde nether send forth to their fryndes anye aduertise ment nor receaue from them anye in telligence or relife on the other side the Venetianes coulde neuer perswade the pope to abstaine from the warres which he had begone in Tuscane againste the Florentynes to vnite hys force with them and so to enuade the infidels for so muche as they alone withoute the ayde of any other had borne the whole charge of the warres in Gretia by the space of 25. yeres being w t the intollerable charges therof weried for that they were enforced to holde contynually a greate Nauie vpon the Coaste of Gretia for the defence of suche fortes and townes as they possessed there and beside that they dyd contribute very largely to y e pope for y ◠manitenance of his warres in Tuscane against the Florentines whervpon lyke wise men they Iudges that yf the Florentine shoulde happen to be subdued the enemie moughte also easyly take frō them all suche places as they possessyd in the maine lande of Italie wherfore they thought it good to disbordē them selues of so greate a charge and by meanes of certaine Greekes practized an appointemente with Mahometh and concluded a peace with him for manye yeres vpon conditione that for his honours sake they shoulde be contented to delyuer into his hands the towne of Scutarie and besydes that that they shoulde paie vnto him in consideration of the charges that he had ben at acording to the entreatie had bytwene his and their commissioners two hundred thousand ducates within the space of two yeres then nexte ensuing and in consideration of this he gaue vnto them she libertie to haue in Constantino ple a Bailo to determine the differences that shoulde happen betwene y ◠Venetianes there when Mahometh had in this sorte concluded peace with the Venetianes he deuided his armie sending the one parte therof into Hungarie which made a great course there and the other whiche was his Nauie he sent to lande in Pulia where they raised a great proie both of men and catell after that he made warres againste them of the Isle of Rhodes sent thyther one of his Basrias with a great power and when he had landed his people which was y e xxi of Maie in the yere of our helthe M. CCCC.lxxiiii he proied and spoyled all the circuite of the Isle whiche is a hundred and twentie myles and when he had thus done he presented his campe to the Citie of Rhodes assayled it bothe by sea and lande planted his batteries and ceased them nether daye ne nighte the great master of y e order wyth his kinghtes and souldiours and other Christianes that there were defended the towne so nobly repaired it with such industrie as it was a maruel they salied forth daiely and scaramoshed with them the enemies vsed all
w t al kinde of monitiō sufficiently for y e space of xviii monethes then passed on w t his armata to Valona frō thence he passed by lande to Constantinople to y ◠courte whē he had thorowlye discoursed w t his lord Mahometh determined to goe in persō into Natolia to ayde his sōne Batazith against Caromano who had alredi giuē Baiazith a great ouerthrowe destroed the greatest part of his armie his pleasure was that Acomathe shoulde goe w t him y ◠iorney entendinge to make quicke Dispatche of y e same thē to retorne into Gretia to haue good time to goe into Italie against the kinge Ferrante whē Mahometh had passed his armie īto Asia was come nere to Scutaio he fel sike of a feruent feuer w tin fewdais died it was suspected y ◠he was poisōed The thirde boke of Andre CAMBINE FLORENTINE OF THE ORIGInall of the Turckes and Empire of the house of Ottomanno MAHOMETHE DIED THE LVI YERE of his age in the xxvii yere of his raigne he lefte behinde him two sonnes the one named Gemma y e other Baiazithe The Turckishe nation beinge deuided after y e death of Mahomethe the one parte especially the nobilitie fauoring Sultan Gemma and y e Gianizaries the partie of Baiazithe and therfore immediatly vpon the death of Mahomethe the Gianizzaries marched wyth all spede to Constantinople and for somuch as Baiazithe was at that tyme in Natolia they toke a yonge sonne of his named Corcuthe when they had saluted him Emperour they bare him aboute thorowe all the citie to shewe him to the people and caused them with loude voice to crie the name of Baiazithe who aboute the middest of Maye when he was retorned to Constantinople caused him selfe to be saluted and confirmed Emperour beinge assured throughe his maniefolde rewardes and liberalitie of the fauour and ayde of y e Bascias and Gianizzaries and being in doubte of his brother Sultan Gemma He began to se his souldiours verie wel furnished and to prouide for his owne securitie Gemma departinge from the confynes of Soria where he was lefte by his father to make warres vpon the Soldane broughte his armie into the lesser Asia when he vnderstode howe y e affaires had passed in Constantinople beinge oute of hope to enioye anye parte of gretia he chaūged his purpose determined to occupie y ◠Empire of the lesse Asia whervpon he conueyd hys armie into Bithinia to the Citie Bursia which when he had fortyfied he determyned to call togyther all the rulers of the people of Asia and when he had consulted w t them to send for y e reste of his bandes that were in Asia and to vnite them with his armie Baiazithe gathered togyther all y e olde bandes of Gretia and assembled hys armie and passed them into Asia and sought his brother Gemma and mette him vpon the plaine not farre from Bursia the armies beinge renged the battaile was presented they ioyned y e fighte contynued for a longe time and after great slaughter on bothe sydes Baiazithe became master of the feelde Gemma beinge broken and abandoned of his people fled with certaine of his trustie fryndes with him to Rhodes and the great maister of y e religion fearing leste by holding of him he mought purchase the innimitie of Baiazith and so prouoke him to warres sent him wel garded with certaine shippes into Fraunce from whence afterward by commaundement of Innocentio the viii Byshoppe of Rome he was sent to Rome and beinge receauid by the Byshoppe had his lodginges appointed in the heighte of the Palace and was there for a longe tyme garded with great diligence the pope agreed with Baiazithe for a yerely pension of thirtie thousand ducates so to kepe hym garded duringe the lyfe naturall of Gemma In this meane tyme the king Ferrante being in Italie receauid Aduertysement of the death of Mahomethe and caused it to be declared to those of Ottranto offeryd them that yf they wolde delyuer into his handes the Citie he wolde sett them al safely into Gretia with all such goodes and treasure as they had there The infideles wolde in no wyse agree to this demaunde forsomuche as they knewe not whether theyr lorde was deade or noe or els for that they staied to se which of the two bretheren sholde be their lord and whether he wolde send them succours or no beinge assured that yf Acomathe were lyuing he wolde not abandone them nor breake promes with them The Duke of Calabria seinge their perseuerance in the promes to Acomathe dyd with his campe approche y e towne more neare then in the tyme of Mahomethe he durste doe he began to entrenche toward the towne and so from trenche to trenche conueyed his people to y e very bancke of the towne dyke and then planted his batteries and batterid it for certaine dayes they determyned to giue an assaulte whervpon he sawe his people furnished w t all kinde of necessaries and then deuided them into battaylones and gaue order for the beginninge and contynance of the assaulte and then commaunded the trompettes drommes and cornetts to sounde to the assaulte and thervpon began to assayle the breaches with great furie and in shorte space became lorde of them and whē they entred the towne they founde in it suche newe fortifycation as they were oute of all hope of wynning of it whervpon they retyred from the assaulte with the losse of manye of their moste valyante men after thys they attempted newe practizes and agreed with them of the towne that they shoulde safely send their messagers into Gretia to vnderstand whether Mahomethe were lyuing or no and howe the affares passed there vpon this there was a trewes taken for a certaine tyme the Captaines of Ottranto dispatched their messangers into Gretia when they came there they vnderstode y e Acomathe was in Asia and had taken parte with Gēma and Baiazithe made redie with greate celeritie to goe against thē in person where vpō they retorned to Ottranto and declared what they vnderstode of the affares of Gretia whervpon the generall with the Captaines consulted and forasmuche as they sawe the state of Turchie so deuided leadinge and mayntaining Ciuile warres among them selues and that Acomathe in whom was al their truste had declared him selfe enemie to Baiazithe and was in Asia and they being oute of hope of al succour entred againe into talke of appointement with y ◠Duke of Calabria and messagers both went and came on both sydes and at the laste with much a doe they agreed that the towne shoulde be delyueryd into the Dukes hands vpon condytion that the kyng shoulde safely set them in Gretia with al the substance and artillerie that they presently possessyd there and in this sorte the peace was made and the performances of the promes confyrmed by othe and when the kinge
warres as witnesseth Vigetius in his first Boke and vii chapter NOwe as touching the obedience of the souldiour the histories are full howe greate skyll is in it for what was the cause of the deathe of Pompey and defeicte or ouerthrowe of his Populous armie in Thesaly was it not onelye disobedience loke Cesare in his third Booke and Appian in his seconde Booke of the Gyuyll warres of the Romanes Hathe not disobedience ben also the deathe of dyuerse Romane Emperours and almost the distruction of the whole Empire loke Herodian and there you shall see the profe hereof This obedience is a bande that byndeth the rest of the braunches of disciplyne so firmely togyther that it maketh them to worcke theyr effecte and gyueth vertue power to euery of them Wherfore Andre Cambine iustly doth saye that a disobedient armie is lesse to be feared them a worthy Captayne withoute an armie THe worthye men of the olde worlde and chiefely the Romanes broughte vp their souldiours in sondrie exercyses as to runne lepe throwe the bare swyme to vse their weapons to marche the march called Passo militare which was to goe armed in the hotest of the sommer xx myles in fyue houres and vpon great occasion xxiiii myles in foure houres they had a feelde which laye vpon the syde of the Ryuer Tibre which once was of the possessioÌ„ of Tarquinus surnamed the proud and when he was banished Rome the Senate appointed that feelde for the exercyse of theyr souldiours there were in that feelde a number of greate stakes depely set into the grounde against whom the souldiours hauing their roundels made of wicker of the double weighte of those whiche they shoulde were in battayle and a staffe of the lengthe of a sworde and of the double weyghte of the sworde whiche commonly they dyd weare and beinge thus furnished they shoulde dayly fyghte against those stakes as against their enemyes In this feelde dyd they vse all theyr exercyses wherof I spake before and when they were wery they went into the Riuer and washed them and refreshed theyr weried bodies and lerned to swime as wytnesseth Vigetius in his fyrst Boke and x. Chapter To swymme wel is and exercise very commodiouse for a souldiour as for example Liure in his fyrst Decade and seconde Boke declareth that Oratius Cocleus a worthy Romane defended the ende of the brydge that putteth ouer Tiber against the whole power of the kinge Porsena whilest that they of the Citie brake the bridge behinde him and then armed as he was he leapte into the Ryuer from the brydge and dyd swymme to the lande and saued both him selfe the Citie for that tyme. Also the noble Emperour Iulius Cesare beinge in Alexandrie and assayled vpon the sudden by the Alexandrines and hauing but fewe of his people with him was enforced to flee their furie whervpon he lepte into the Ryuer and dyd swyme ouer to the other side by the which meanes he saued his life at that present as witnesseth Appian Alexandre in his seconde Booke of the cyuyll warres of the Romanes and also Aulus Hirtius in his fourthe Booke of the Commentaries of Cesar intitled de Bello Alexandrino the lyke dothe the same Aulus Hirtius declare in the aforesayde Booke of the Phâ—ritanes whiche dwelled in an Isle that standeth in the Ryuer Nilo eyghte huÌ„dred pases from Alexandrie which beinge assailed by the souldiours of Cesare and put to flyghte toke the Ryuer and did swyme to Alexandrie and saued a great number of theyr lyues The exercise of the souldiour and chiefely of the vse of the weapon that he shall vse in the feelde is a thinge of great valewe whiche the Romanes dyd so muche esteme that they appointed a number of Maisters to instructe theyr souldiours in the vse therof and euery Maister had double the entertaynement that a souldiour had as witnesseth Vigetius in his firste Booke and xii chapter and in my iudgement not withoute great reason for the felde is not the onlye place to traine souldiours in but they must also be made perfecte in the vse of theyr weapon in marching in theyr armour acustumed to order and such lyke exercyses before they coÌ„me to the felde otherwyse they be but an encoraging to the enemy and a people led to the slaughter wherfore the Romanes had their newe souldiours as perfecte in altheyr exercyses as were theyr olde souldiours before they wolde send them to the felde sauing in that that they had not seen the enemy nor felte of his force An other braunche therof is of importance which is furniture with oute the which no army is perfecte for yf a man be neuer so valiante well trayned yf he wante furniture he wyll not put him selfe in that peryll that he wyll doe beinge well armed and furnished As longe as the Romanes went wel armed and furnished to the felde their Empire dyd alwaye florishe as witnesseth Vigetius in his first Boke and xx chapter but wheÌ„ they became slouthfull and neglected discipline they then obtayned of their Emperours within shorte space license to goe to the felde first withoute their body Armour then withoute their sheldes and hedpeces and when they had obtained at theyr Emperours handes these noble demaundes within shorâ—e space after they payd well for their case the Gothes Vandales and also the Lombardes made warres vpoÌ„ them gaue them sondrie ouerthrowes Then was the difference seen betwyne the armie broughte vp in disciplyne and that wherein disciplyne was not knowen betwine the exercised souldiour and the vnexercised betwine the instructed souldiour and the ignorant betwine the armed souldiour the vnarmed betwyne the Captaine of iudgment and the vnskylfull Captaine for where as in tyme before the Romanes dwelling vnder discipline were not onely able to defend their owne most ample dominions but also that of their fryndes which laie fardest from them nowe when they had reiected discipline hauinge warres with these nationes afore named they were not onely vnable to defend their owne dominions but also to defend their Citie Rome which was twyse or thriese sacked by the aforesayd enemies as wytnesseth Carian in his historie There is also order which is of great value and withoute it an armie is but a confused multitude nether any battayle is worthily fought no towne perfectly besegyd nor any thing well done This the auncient Romanes had in suche estimation that whosoeuer dyd violate it was puÌ„nished withoute remissioÌ„ as for example Valerius Maximus in his second Boke declareth that Posthumius Tibutius being dictator hauing with him in the warres his onely soÌ„ne the only successioÌ„ that he had whoÌ„ he had very tenderly carefully brought vp yet forasmuch as he being in the warres did of him selfe not by his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t take those bands which the RomaÌ„es called aides or helppes encouÌ„tred the enemies gaue them a great ouerthrowe theÌ„ retorned to the campe with the
greate â—harge whoe neuer coulde obtaine it but departed euer withoute it and thus he determined the enterprise making fewe priuie vnto it but dissembled the matter and wyth all spede possyble caused to buylde a Castle vpon the mouth of the striate of the great sea v. miles aboue constantinople and fynyshed it with great expedityon and being finished he appointed a captaine to it and fâ—â— nished it with men and all kinde of munition when hâ— had thus done without any other denouÌ„cing of warre contrarye to the othe and effecte of the confederacye hâ—â— presented his armie as an enemie to Constantinople and when he had ouer ronne and proied the whole conâ— trey rounde aboute it he encamped neare to the citiâ— and enuironed it with his armie both by sea and land The Emperour and the princes of Gretia had a suspition of Mahometh and being affraied considering thaâ— their force was not sufficient to encouÌ„tre him sent theiâ— ambassadours and Oratours to all the princes of Euâ— rope to the Emperour and to the Bushope of Rome vsing with them al arte possible to induce them to giuâ— them aide declaring to them the manifest peryll wher in they were which was like to be the ruyne and lossâ— of that ancient and noble Empire and laste of all openned vnto them the miserye that they were lyke to en curre if they shoulde lighte in the handes of that mostâ— cruell Barharouse and bloude thirstye nation of the Turckes which more thirste for Christian bloude theâ— for anye drincke that is in the worlde thus were they inforced with plentiful streames of teres to moue them to compassyon and to craue ayde at their hande but all their trauayle was in vaine for they founde that whicâ— I doe abhore to speake of the eares of the christian princes so stopped and their eyes so blynded yea they foundâ— them not onely blynde and deafe but they were rather to be Iudged out of their wittes if y â— they coulde not disâ— cerne and consyder that yf the Turckes once moughte possesse the whole empire of Grecia the ruyne of al Europe in tyme were lyke to folowe with y â— vtter extirpation of the Christian religion but I belyue that they were occupied rather in reuenging of particulare causes and about their priuate commodities by meanes where of they contempned their vniuersale welth and commoditie But nowe to retorne to the declaration of our historye In this meane tyme Mahometh caused to leuiâ— out of all partes of his dominions an infinite number 〈◊〉 men toke with him to his campe an exceding great â—rniture of artillierie and munition and when he had â—us beseged the citie of ConstaÌ„tinople rounde he plan â—d his batteries and emploied his wholeforce to take it â—nd to the ende he woulde be suer of it he commaunded â—o make certaine mines directly vnder certaine of the â—ul warcks of y â— to ende y â— his peoplemoughte â—ghte the more aduantagiously and the more easyly w t â—heir ladders surmounte the height of the walles he cauâ—ed to make a very depe trenche rouÌ„de abaute y â— Towne â—eare to the walles with the earthe wherof he made great bancke at the fote of the walle vpon the height wherof they moughte easyly set their ladders and so enâ—er the Towne and on that syde towarde pera where â—he sea beatethe vpon the Towne he made a bridge by â—reate arte of twoe myles of lengthe where vpon he â—uylded certaine towres whiche in heighte dyd farre exâ—ede the walles of the citie and placed on euery one of these a number of men to bete alonge the walles that no man mighte stand to the defence thereof with these â—errible and greate preparations Mahomethe dyd for â—a longe tyme batter and annoie them of the Towne bothe daye and nighte with oute cease yet for all that they of y â— towne determyned rather to dye then to yelde the towne to his mercy whereupon they defended their citie with greate assurance Mahometh then considerâ—nge the great breache that he had made and also the slaughter of the Citizens was in good hope to wyn it by force wherupon he commaunded a proclamation to be made by sounde of trompet throughoute all hys campe that euery man the next day folowing whiche was the fyue and twentyth of Aprill in the yere of our helthe 1452. shoulde be in order redye to gyue the assaulte and the Towne beinge once taken he gane francklye to his souldiours all suche good des as they shoulde fynde wyth in it and be able to carye oute of it in thre dayes whiche proclamation once published so pleased euery man that happie was he y â— coulde be in the beste order furnished there was not one of them but that he fasted all the whole day tyll night that they sawe the starres appeare in the heauenes then euery man prepared hym to eate and drinke calling their frynds and kinsmen to them and made great chere togither and when the had thus in banquetting consumed a good pece of the night they toke thir leue the one of the other with embracing and kissing one an other as thoughe thei shulde neuer haue seene againe On the other syde when they of the Citie vnderstode the proclamatioÌ„ that this mighty prnice had made and the great preparation also y â— prests and other religiouse toke in hand the Images of the Crucifixe and our Ladye and also the reliques of Saincts and went in solempne procession with all the inhabitants of the Citie singing of himnes and songs with sheding of teares calling to god for aide in this sort dyd they consume all that daye in fasting praier and visiting the holly places of the Citie vntyl night came and then they made good chere and that done euery man wente to the place that he had in charge to defend the walles of the Citie were in heighte and thicknes comparable to the walls of any Citie that then was in the worlde but throughe their long contynuance and neglygence of the Greekes for wante of reparation their vauntemures were vtterlye decaied in many places but the walle was very stronge and of sufficient force to be defended wherupon the Grekes hauyng good hope in the force of theyr walles appointed their people in companies for y â— defence of theÌ„ Constantinople is in forme almoste treangle wherof the two partes that the sea beateth on are guirded aboute with walles sufficiently stronge to defend y â— force of the Armata the reste of the Citie toward the firme land besyde his walle wherof we haue alredye spoken is enuironned with a dyke deye and large when the thirde watch of the night was passed the Turckes beinge very gredye vpon the spoyle of the Citie made them redye to the assaulte and woulde not tarye for the daye lighte but presented them selues to the walles of the towne and began to assayle it from whence che arroes and stones flewe as thycke
two one proffited so well in the exercise of armes and also in gouernance that the Turcke had him in great estimation And in Albania the whiche is that part of Macedonia that lieth toward the weste and stretche the oute frō Durazzo to the ancient Citie Appolonia the langage of the Albaneses is propre to them selues and dothe differ from the speche of all those people that dwell aboute them for neither the Greeke ne yet the Schiauonese vnderstandeth it and we are not certaine in what sorte nor by what meanes they fyrste arriued in those partes ne yet of their ancient originall althoghe it be sayde that this nation with diuerse others came oute of Scithia Asiatica from that ancient Citie Albania not farre from Colchide and so went on wandring to seeke newe habitacions and seates and fynally occupied that parte of Macedonia whiche beareth their name aboute the tyme of the losse of Constantinople the prince of their contrey happened to dye whose name was Camusa whoe beinge discended of christian parents became so beastly that of his owne acorde he lefte the christian faythe and embraced the folisheand beastly religion of Mahometh but hauinge smalle affiance in it euen as he had raishely forsaken Christe so vnaduisedly refused he Mahomet he and retorned to the religion of his ancestours willing althoughe he had no great affiance nether in the one nor other rather to dye beringe the name of a Christian then of a Mahometiste vnto whome George Scanderbag succided in gouernaunce as lawfull heire whoe was discended of a noble parentage in his contrey and when he had haunted the warres along time he became an excellent and famous Captaine and spent the reste of his lyfe in the defence of the Christian religion when Mahomethe vnderstode the deathe of Camusa he sent one of his Bascias with an armie to Valona whiche standeth vpon the sea bancke and althoughe it be but a litle Towne it hathe a suer and a goodly hauen from whence in to Italie the passage is but shorte and withoute daunger and manye yeres before that tyme it was possessed and holden by Baiazithe and when he died they threwe from them the Turquishe yoke but Amorathe within shorte space after toke it againe and from thence for the was it contynually holden by the in fydels to the greate reproche and dishonour of the Christian princes and to the greate terrour of all Italie it is possessyd euen at this daye by the infidels when this Bascia had broughte his people to valona he assayled Scanderbeg whoe althoughe he dyd alwaies worthilye defende him selfe and his people and diuers tymes with his power had encountred the Turckes and departed from them alwayes with the victorie yet notwithstandinge he sent for ayde to the kinge Alphonso of Aragone then kinge of Naples and obtained of him dyuers bande of men at armes well furnished in euery respecte whiche passed in to Albania by the waye of Durazzo not farre from the Cytye of Croia and with the helpe of George Scanderbeg they defendyd that contre for alonge tyme from the Tyrannie of the infydels when Calixto the Romishe Byshoppe vnderstode the danger that Scanderbeg was in Scanderbeg was in weinge his power w t the vnspekeable power of his enemye he wolde not se him wāte but supplied him with a great some of money to entertaine his souldiours and with these aydes he de fendyd y ◠contrey of Albania very skylfully and valiantly In this meane time their was a practize discouerid y e whiche a Nephewe of his his brothers sonne whoe hauing intelligence with Mahometh agreed with him vp oncertaine condityones to sleye his vncle by treason or els if he coulde by any meanes bring it to passe to delyuer him on lyue in to Mahomethes handes when this practeze was discouered by one of the menagers of this same he laid handes on him and so caused him to be examined in the which he confessyd the whole wherupon he thought it not conueniēt to shed his owne bloude but banished him sending hym with his processe to the king Alphonso whoe commaunded to put him into the Donge on called Miglio there to continewe during his naturall lyfe And whileste Scanderbeg lyued he defended Albania from the tirany of the infydels fyghting onely for the zeale he bare to the Christian religiō caused his subiectes to perseuere in the faith of christe and his worde notwithstanding the contynuall inuasious and courses that his enemies made vpon his cotre impouerishing his subiectes vtterly spoiling y ◠laborers of the earthe lainge waste a greate pece of his contrey bringing it into vnspekeable miserie and calamitie whē Mahometh vnderstode the death of Scanderbeg he sent forth with his armie in to Albania and toke the citie of Croia with all the reste of the contrey except those places that the venetianes held aboute that tyme after the taking of Constantinople he dyd maruelously vexe the religion of Rhodes both by sea and land but the greate master of the Hospitall of Iherusalm vnto whome the Isle dyd appertaine with his souldiours defended it cōtynnally euen to these our dayes and whan Calixto the gre at Byshope was called vnto for ayde he put his Nauie of Shippes Galleys to y ◠sea sent them to Rhodes vnderthe conducte of y ◠patriarcke of Aquileia who being in those seas had often to doe with the Turckes toke and drowned manye of their Galleys and fustes drowned and slewe their people and departed alwaye from them with the victorie when he had taken from the Turkes y ◠Isle of Salaminā whiche in ancient tyme was called Lēno and also that that is called Tasso w t the Isle of Nēbro and certaine other litle Isles nere vn to them he went and spoyled all alonge the sea coastes from helesponto euen to the confynes of Egipte to the great impouerissing of the inhabitants there of holding them in contynuall doute and feare and it semed that if he mought haue contynued he wolde with time haue greatly preuailed but as sone as Calixto was deade he departed from thence with his Nauie in to Italie leauing Rhodes with all others places that y ◠Christianes possessid in those partes in great peryl And in Acarnia which lieth in the myddeste betwene Epiro and Boetia and is called at this daye the Duchie and the Dispotto which then raigned in Acarnama and Epiro whiche at this daye is called Arta which begynning towarde the weste at the permontories of Acrocera doe stretch oute toward the easte to the baie Ambrachio whiche at thys daye is called y ◠golfe of Arta this Dispotto being maruelously vexed with Mahomethes souldiours and being desyrous to purchase some forien amitie by meanes of the king Alphonso he toke to wyfe a daughter of y e lord Iohn Vnitimiglia a Captaine of great fame that came into Italie with the king Alphonso of Aragone to the winning of the
the hed not onely of Gretia but also of the greatest part of the worlde had at that tyme fallen into hands of the most cruell and Barbarouse natione of Turques had not ben Tamerlano a parthian borne who with a great power entred y e lesser Asia and assailed it with such furie that he coÌ„strened Baiazith to abandone Constantinople and to passe with his armie in to Asya for the defence therof And hauing nowe occasion to speke of the actes of Tamerlano and his people I haue thought it not inconuenient to make some litle digressyon and to declare from whence this puissant captaine had his original and by what meanes he dyd attayne to the hygh and supreme degre of honor in the which he then was when Baiazith was chiefe prince and king of the Turkes thys Tamerlano was borne in Parthia of base and simple parents he was exerised in armes euen from his childehed and did so profyte therin that it was harde to saye which had greater place in him eyther strength and lustines of his bodye or els his wisdome and other vertues of the minde so that amonge the souldiors he was had in great reputatyon and honor in such sort that a great multitude folowed him and cheifely those which were most experimented in the warres and thus in shorte time he became prince of a mightye armie both of horse men fotemen whoÌ„ he had gayned to folow him by his vertue good dysposytion and lyberalytye by whose aide he fyrste delyuered hys contrey of Parthya from the bondage of the saracenes and then became prince therof after that wyth greate violence he assailed the contreis neare vnto hym and in fewe yeares possessyd them and broughte to his obedience Scithia Asyatyca Iberia the Albaneses the Persyanes the Assyrianes and Medes aâ—d last of all he broughte vnder his yoke Mesopotamia and the greater Armenia and then passed ouer the floode Euphrates aboute the yere of our Lord 1390. with a farre greater army then was that of Dario or that which Xerse broughte into Grecia for it is sayde that he had in his campe 400000. horsemen 600000. fote men with whom he assayled the lesser Armia vpon whose confines Baiazith the Turke king of Asia encountred him with a mightie power both of horsmen fote men and trusting in the vertue and discipline of his people whose labour he had a long tyme vsed w t great felicitie did not refuse to accepte the battayle notwithstandyng he knewe him selfe to be farre inferiour in number Then these two mightie princes approching the one towardes the other so neare as they mighte discerne the one the others order omitted no time but ioyned in battayle in the which for the greatest parte of the day there were flayn great numbers on both sydes and thei fought wyth such assuraunce nether parte geuynge place to the other that it was harde to saye where the victorie should incline tyll at the last the Turkes beyng werye and not able to endure the force of the Parthians who continually supplied their squadrones with freshe bandes soughte to retyre them selues in order tightynge continually in their retreicte but the Prince beynge ware hereof commaunded certayne great troupes of horsemen to geue charge vpon them who charged them wyth suche force that they disordered them and then the Turkes began to flee leauyng the victorie to theyr enemies and Baiazith fought valiantlye a longe tyme in person tyll he had lost a great multitude of hys people and also laste of all his horse was stayne vnder hym and then was taken and presented to Tamerlano who commaunded him to be encheined and ledde him with him thorow out al Asia for a spectacle and it is sayde that whylest he did dine and fuppe he had him alwayes tyed vnder his table lyke a dogge and so fedde him and when he went to horse he caused him to be brought and to sit him downe vpon his knees elbowes And thus vsed him in stede of a block to go to his horse on And thus he helde him prisoner during his life in most miserable calamitie All those which at any time haue written of Tamerlano haue greatlye commended hym for the discipline and order which he obserued in the conducting of his armyes for they declare that euery occupation had hys streate appoynted him in the campe wherein he might vse his exercise euen in lyke order as it had bene in a famous citie there was in it greate abundaunce of all thynges for the commoditie of man which proceded of hys seueritie and iustice for he woulde not leaue vnpunished the ieast violence that was committed not so much as the takyng away of one handful of grasse agaynst y e owners good wil whereupon it folowed that he had as great abundance of all necessaries in his campe as if it had bene in great faires and markettes brought thither voluntarilie from the countreys aboute him as he passed his seueritie also was such that it helde hys Souldyours so wythin the bandes of modestie that there was neuer sene nor head any kynde of sedicion amonge them and they saye further which is greatlye to be merueyled at that he neuer fought with man but he had the victorye ouer hym so that he neuer tasted of Fortunes bitternes Thus when he had spoyled and conquered all Asia euen to the floode Nilo had taken by force Emirua Antiochia Sebastia Tripoli and Damasco with a greate number of other cities moe and put the inhabitantes of them to the sworde caried away theyr spoyle and consumed them into ashes leauing them desert and plained to the grounde Then entred he into Egypte where he gaue many ouerthrowes to the Soldanes people and constrained them to flee beyonde Pelusyo and wolde haue folowed them hade not the scarcenes of victuales ben for it was not possyble for him to prouide cariage for to transporte sufficientie of victual for the norrishing of so populouse an armie as his was throughe the sandie and deserte contreis his corrage was suche that he delighted cheifely in those enterpryses which semed most difficile to be acheued in the opinion of others as it cam to passe in the taking of Damasco where a numbre of the defendants conueyed them selues oute of the towne into the castle where in there owne opynyon in the common opynyon of others they were safe consyderyng the naturall force of the seate and also y e artificisalâ— force of the place notwithstanding being desyrouse to auoide the miserie and trauaile of a sege and to saue their liues they gaue out a token signifiynge that they were desyrous to talke with him and vpon condicion to yelde him the place but he refused vtterly to heare of any appoyntment although his captaines woulde gladly haue persuaded him there vnto but went and considered thorowly the seate and force of the place and seyng the walles to be such that no ladder might attayne the heyght of
of Corintho and besegid it bothe by sea and land when Mahomethe was aduertized of the arriualle of the venetianes and of the great daunger that Corintho was in he put his Nauie to the sea and embarqued his armie gyuinge them commission to haste with all celeritie toward Corintho as sone as the infidele armie was landed in Morea they assailed forth with the walle of Esmilia and laide their batteries to it whervpon the Christianes not beinge able to stande to the defence therof gaue it ouer to the enemies and retired to their campe the which as sone as the Turckes Captaines espied they forthe with cut throughe the walle and entred marching on with their armie towarde the enemie who refused not y e battayle but marched also towarde them and withoute delaie ioined with them in battaile which contynuinge for the space of certaine houres was bothe terrible bloddie and in the ende the Christianes being werie and not able to endure the force of the Turckes whoe contynually supplied y â— fighte with freshe and reposed squadrones in the place of the weried and spoyled began to retire toward the sea thincking to saue them selues by fleing to their Nauie and brake their order and being folowed by the Turckes horsemen were slaine and taken in great numbre and loste also their artillerie munition and cariadge and in this sort was the sege of Corintho raised and then with great triumphe retorned the infidels to Constantinople leading with them the Christian prisoners enchayned as sone as they were there arriued they caused a great number of them with great crueltie to be cut in peces in the market place the reste they lad with them lyke flockes of shepe throughe the Townes of Asia solde them for slaues in euery place y â— they passed by The Venetianes beinge greatly discoraged throughe this defeicte and fearing that they had procured to them the Turcks indignation by y â— meanes of the soodden warres which they had made vpon him wherupon they addressed them forth with to the pope â— sent their Oratours to Rome to desire and solicite thâ— pope with greate instance to make warres vpon thâ— Turcke and to haste the iorney into Asia declaring vâ— to him that if he deferred the tyme Mahometh shoulde haue good commoditie to take all the townes in Gretiâ— that were in the possession of the Christians and cheifely those that were vpon the sea coaste by meanes wher of they shoulde not be able to maintaine any Nauie vp on that coaste hauinge no hauens nor goolfes at their commaundemente the Byshoppe althoughe he knewe that to be true which they said being very sorie to consider the peryl wherin they were dyd put them in good hope that he wolde acomplishe their request althoughe in dede he sawe no meanes howe to doe it for that he coulde get no aide from beyonde the mountaines for as much as the case eas such that after that the councell of Mantoa was licensyd all Europe was fylled with diuision and priuate innimities and regarded not at al the good determination of y e generall enterprise against the infidels agreed vpoÌ„ at Mantoa for in Almanie there was warres betwene the Duke of Bauera and the Saxons and ether parte employed their frindes and by that meane drewe to them the greatest parte of Almanie The Emperour pretending to succide in the roiall seate of Hungarie his Nephewe Laodislao kinge therof wolde not endure that the king Mathias should possesse it wherfore he emploied all his force against y â— Hungarianes The Frenshe kinge beinge much offendyd with the pope for that he crowned and admitted to the seate Royall of Pulia the kinge Ferdinando a bastarde sonne of the king Alsonso not regrading at al the righte that the kinge Renato of Angio his cosen had to the afore saide kingdome dyd not onelye refuse to send aide to this generall enterprise but threatned the pope continually to send his armie into Pulia The Inglishe men whiche were neuer wonte to fayle in anye enterprise agaist the enemies of the Christian faithe being sore vexed with Ciuile warres hauinge two kinges liuing at once which soughte no meanes but onely howe the one mought chase the other oute of the realme the people beinge deuided y e one parte fauoring henry their auncient kinge the whiche by Edward Duke of yorke was chased oute of the Realme the other sorte soughte â—o maintaine the partie of kinge Edwarde vnto whom y e Duke of Burgonie gaue aide and Loise the Frenshe kinge aided the kinge henry whose sonne with y â— counte of warwicke entred England gaue battaile to kinge Edward In Spaine the citie of Burcelona in the conâ—rey of Catalonia reuolted against their prince the king Iohn of Arragone kinge of Nauarre and were ayded maintained against him by the kinge of Castilia on the other syde the Frenshe kinge gaue ayde to the kinge Iohn of Nauarre to recouer againe his righte who was encamped before the citie with his power and for y â— that god wolde not that anye parte of Europe shoulde be at quiete he sturred vp in Fraunce the Duke Iohn sonne to the king Renato of Angio who passed into y â— kingeâ—ome of Naples with a greate Nauie of Galleys shippes and while he was there he so practized that he diuiâ—ed the whole force of Italie the one parte therof fauoâ—ing the house of Angio and the other parte the house of Aragone so that in those warres all the nobilitie of y â— kingdome as men oute of their wittes deuided them selues into sondrie factiones not onely they of the kingdome but of all the states of Italiâ— The Venetianes Genoueses with diuerse other princes fauored the parâ—ie of the Duke Iohn The pope and the Duke of Mylâ—ane discouered them selues in the fauour of y â— king Ferâ—ante and sent him diuers bandes bothe of horsemen â—otemeÌ„ The florentines althoughe generally they were â—nclyned to fauour the Frenshe partie by meanes of â— league made betwene the house of Angio and them and were bounde to the kinge Renato yet notwithstanding being gouerned by the appetite of their rules they were perswaded that it was not good for them to take parte in so gerat warres and to enter into newe charges but to stande as newtres but in dede they showed â—hem selues fryndes to the house of Aragone whervpon forthwith they cassed many of their bandes with the lorde Simonetto one of their chiefe conductours and permitted them to serue the kinge ferrante thus secretly they ayded the partie of Arragone wherupon the pope beinge empeched by meanes of these emotions determined to defer the purposed enterprise against the Turcke vntyll suche tyme as the deuisiones and tumultes of Europe and chiefly those of Italie were appeased wherupon he departed from Siena rteorned to Rome purposing to acquiet and redresse the temporall state of his church which was maruelously disordered shaken by