their vsuall manner of dealing with their emperours in that declining state of the empire as well appeared in the time of the emperor Baldwin who for lacke of monie was glad first to sell away many of the goodly ornaments of the citie and afterwards to pawne his own sonne vnto the Venetian marchants for monie to maintaine his state as is in the former part of this Historie declared But to returne againe to the course of our Historie The emperour certainely aduertised of the enemies purpose for the generall assault shortly to be giuen first commended the defence of himselfe and the citie vnto the protection of the almightie by generall fasting and prayer and afterwards appointed euerie captaine and commaunder to some certaine place of the wall for defence thereof which was done by the direction of Io. Iustinianus his Generall in whose valor the Constantinopolitans had reposed their greatest hope But the cittie being on euerie side now beset with the Turkes great armie and the defendants in number but few for so great a citie in compasse eight miles the wals could not but slenderly in many places be manned and especially on both sides toward the sea where indeed least danger was The greatest strength and best souldiours were placed for defence of the vtter wall where the breach was and the assault expected by land Iustinianus the Generall himselfe with three hundred Genowayes well armed and certaine chosen Greekes vndertooke the defence of that part of the battered wall neere vnto the Romane gate where the fall of the tower BACTATINA had filled the ditch as is aforesaid against which place Mahomet himselfe lay encamped with his Ianizaries and best men of warre Neere vnto Iustinianus lay the emperor himselfe for defence of another part of the wall and so other captaines orderly with their companies all alongst the vtter wall And because the defendants should haue no hope to saue their liues more than their owne valour the emperour caused all the gates of the inner wall to be fast shut vp And in this sort they lay all the night expecting continually when the assault should bee giuen all which time they might heare great hurly burly and noise in the Turks campe as they were putting things in readinesse for the assault A little before day the Turks approached the walles and begun the assault where shot and stones were deliuered vpon them from the wals as thicke as haile whereof little fell in vaine by reason of the multitude of the Turkes who pressing fast vnto the wals could not see in the darke how to defend themselues but were without number wounded or slaine but these were of the common and worst souldiours of whom the Turkish king made no more reckoning than to abate the first force of the defendants Vpon the first appearance of the day Mahomet gaue the signe appointed for the generall assault wherupon the citie was in a moment and at one instant on euerie side most furiously assaulted by the Turks for Mahomet the more to distresse the defendants and the better to see the forwardnesse of the souldiours had before appointed which part of the cittie euerie colonell with his regiment should assaile Which they valiantly performed deliuering their arrowes and shot vpon the defendants so thicke that the light of the day was therwith darkened others in the mean time couragiously mounting the scaling ladders and comming euen to handie stroakes with the defendants vpon the wall where the formost were for most part violently borne forward by them which followed after On the other side the Christians with no lesse courage withstood the Turkish furie beating them downe againe with great stones and waightie peeces of timber and so ouerwhelmed them with shot darts and arrowes and other hurtfull and deadly deuises from aboue that the Turkes dismaied with the terrour thereof were readie to retire Mahomet seeing the great slaughter and discomfiture of his men sent in fresh supplies of his Ianizaâ—ies and best men of warre whom hee had for that purpose reserued as his last hope and refuge by whose comming on his fainting souldiours were againe encouraged and the terrible assault begun afresh At which time the barbarous king ceased not to vse all possible meanes to maintain the assault by name calling vpon this and that captain promising vnto some whom he saw forward golden mountaines and vnto others in whom he saw any signe of cowardise threatning most terrible death by which meanes the assault became most dreadfull death there raging in the middest of many thousands And albeit that the Turkes lay dead by heapes vpon the ground yet other fresh men pressed on still in their places ouer their dead bodies and with diuers euent either slew or were slaine by their enemies In this so terrible a conflict it chanced Iustinianus the Generall to bee wounded in the arme who losing much blood cowardly withdrew himselfe from the place of his charge not leaâ—ing any to supplie his roome and so got into the cittie by the gate called ROMANA which hee had caused to be opened in the inner wall pretending the cause of his departure to be for the binding vp of his wound but being indeed a man now altogether discouraged The souldiors there present dismayed with the departure of their Generall and sore charged by the Ianizaries forsooke their stations and in hast fled to the same gate whereby Iustinianus was entered with the sight whereof the other souldiors dismayed ran thither by heapes also But whilest they violently striue all together to get in at once they so wedged one another in the entrance of the gate that few of so great a multitude got in in which so great a presse and confusion of minds eight hundred persons were there by them that followed troden vnderfoot or thrust to death The emperor himselfe for safegard of his life flying with the rest in that presse as a man not regarded miserably ended his dayes together with the Greeke empire His dead bodie was shortly after found by the Turkes amongst the slaine and knowne by his rich apparrell whose head being cut off was forthwith presented to the Turkish tyrant by whose commaundement it was afterward thrust vpon the point of a launce and in great derision caried about as a trophee of his victorie first in the campe and afterwards vp and downe the citie The Turkes encouraged with the flight of the Christians presently aduanced their ensignes vpon the top of the vttermost wall crying victorie and by the breach entred as if it had been a great floud which hauing once found a breach in the banke ouerfloweth and beareth downe all before it so the Turkes when they had woon the vtter wall entred the citie by the same gate that was opened for Iustinianus by a breach which they had before made with their great artillerie and without mercie cutting in pieces all that came in their way without further resistance became lords of that
of Mitylene being himselfe then present and there taken prisoner Such is the lamentable Historie of the Rhodes taken for most part out of Ia. Fontanus his three bookes de Bello Rhodio a learned man then present and in great credit with Villerius the Great Master at such time as that famous island after it had by him and the other worthie knights of the Order beene most wonderfully of long defended was to the great ruth of Christendome taken by the great Sultan Solyman Such is the most tragicall Historie of Baiazet Solyman his youngest sonne collected out of the notable Epistles of Augerius Busbequius Legationis Turcicae he himselfe then lying embassador for the Emperour Ferdinand at Constantinople and present in Solymans campe at such time as he himselfe in person went ouer with his armie into Asia to countenance his eldest sonne Selymus who succeeded him in his Empire against his valiant yonger brother Baiazet and beside well acquainted with the great Bassaes Achmet Rustan Haly and others oftentimes mentioned in the Historie following Such is also the Historie of the taking of the auntient citie of Tripolis in Barbarie from the knights of Malta by Sinan the proud Bassa written by Nicholas Nicholay lord of Arfeuile present at the same time with the lord of Aramont then embassadour for the French king vnto Solyman So might I say also of the miserable spoile of the fruitfull and pleasant islands of the Mediterranean made by Lutzis Bassa Solyman his brother in law and great Admirall with the submitting of the island of Naxos to the Turkes obeâ—sance written by Iohn Crispe at that time duke of the same island And so likewise of diuers other parts of the Historie too long to rehearse But for as much as euery great and famous action had not the fortune to haue in it a Caesar such as both could and would commend vnto posteritie by writing that whereof they might truly say They were themselues a great part many right excellent Generals contenting themselues with the honour of the field and their glorie there woon leauing the honourable fame thereof to be by others reported For lacke of such most certaine authors or rather as I before said eye-witnesses I gathered so much as I could of that remained out of the works of such as being themselues men of great place and well acquainted with the great and worthie personages of their time might from their mouths as from certain Oracles report the vndoubted truth of many most famous exploits done both by themselues and others as might Pau. Iouius from the mouth of Muleasses king of Tunes from Vastius the great Generall from Auria the prince of Melphis Charles the Emperour his Admirall and such others or els out of the writings of such as were themselues great trauellers into the Turkes dominions and withall diligent obseruers of their affaires and state as were the phisitions Pantaleon Minadoie and Leunclauius of all others a most curious searcher of their antiquities and Histories vnto which great Clarkes and some others of that learned profession we may worthily attribute the greatest light and certainetie of that is reported of a great part of the Turkish affairs But these in the course of so long an Historie failing also as by conferring that which is hereafter written together with their Histories is easily to be perceiued to perfect that I had taken in hand I tooke my refuge vnto the writings of such other learned and credible authours as of whose integritie and faithfulnesse the world hath not to my knowledge at any time yet doubted yea for these few late yeares I was glad out of the Germane and Italian writers in their owne language to borrow the knowledge of these late affaires as not yet written in Latin wherein if the reader find not himselfe so fully satisfied as he could desire I would be glad by him to be better enformed as being no lesse desirous of others to learn the truth of that I know not than willing to impart vnto others that little which I know Thus much I thought good to set downe to persuade the Christian Reader of the truth of the Historie following wherein he shall find matter enough to wonder at and no lesse strange than that whatsoeuer it is that is written of the greatest monarchies of auntient time vnto whom for power and maiestie it yeeldeth litle But so much the more worthy our consideration than they for that their periods alreadie run and so their furie ouerpast this in our time so flourisheth and at this present so mightily swelleth as if it would ouerflow all were it not by the mercie of God first and then by the forces of some few of the Christian princes neerest vnto so great a danger with their great charge to their immortall glorie and benefit of the Christian commonweale mightily checked and kept within some bounds and compasse This Historie for the most part thus as is aforesaid passed through and brought to some good perfection was yet by me againe laid aside and like ynough euen as an abortiue fruit to haue perished in the birth before it was growne to perfection had I not many times fainting in the long and painefull trauell therewith by my especiall good friend Sir Peter Manwood of S. Stephens in the countie of Kent knight of the honourable order of the Bath a louer and great fauourer of learning in whose keeping it so for the most part many yeares in safetie rested beene still comforted and as it were againe reuiued and now finally encouraged to take it in hand and so at length as I might to perfect it vnto whom being the onely furtherer stay and helpe of these my labours thou art for such pleasure as thou findest therein if it be any in courtesie beholden Now what I for my part haue in this my long trauell performed I leaue it to thy good discretion to consider contenting my selfe in so great a matter to haue bin willing to haue done somthing wishing no longer to liue than in some measure to be profitable to the Christian commonweale which long since in my nursing mother house Lincolne Colledge in Oxford where I was sometime Fellow I did purpose to persorme as it should please God in time to giue me meanes and occasion in which mind I hope by the goodnesse mercie of Christ so long as I liue to continue Only this fauor to conclude with I request of thee That if in this so long and perplexed an Historie by peecemeale of so many diuersly handled written by me in a world of troubles and cares in a place that affoorded no meanes or comfort to proceed in so great a worke thou chance to light vpon some things otherwise reported than thou hast elsewhere read them as I doubt not but thou maiest not therfore forthwith to condemne what thou here findest being happily taken from a more certaine reporter than was that whereunto thou giuest more credit or at leastwise not
had almost taken end the Sultan of AEGYPT had as is aforesaid giuen aid vnto Baiazet which Tamerlane tooke in so euill part as that he resolued to be thereof reuenged For as he was vnto his friends of all others most kind and courteous so was he to his enemies no lesse terrible and dreadfull Yet thinking it good before his departure out of the lesser ASIA to take some good order with these his new conquests and finding nothing more honourable to resolue vpon he restored vnto the poore Mahometane princes Tachretin Isfendiar Germian and the rest before fled vnto him for refuge all their auncient inheritance with something more as he did also diuers cities and countries of NATOLIA vnto the Greeke emperour for the yearely tribute of foure hundred thousand duckats of gold and eight hundred thousand franks of siluer which the emperour promised to pay vnto him yearely And so hauing enriched his armie with the spoiles of the Othoman empire in ASIA he turned his forces against the Aegyptian Sultan and so passing through CARAMANIA entred into SYRIA then part of the Sultans kingdome where neere vnto ALLEPPO being before yeelded vnto him was fought betwixt them a great and mortall battaile the Sultan hauing in his armie an hundred thousand foot and seuentie foure thousand horse whereof there were thirtie thousand Mamelukes accounted the best horsemen of the world In which battaile Axalla the great captaine with the avauntguard of Tamerlane his armie was hardly distressed and Axalla himselfe taken but foorthwith againe rescued by Tamerlane who had hee not by his comming on with new forces speedily restored the battaile cunningly protracted by Axalla that day was like ynough to haue made an end of his good fortune But the victorie after a long and cruell fight wherein were fourescore thousand men on both sides slaine enclining to Tamerlane the Sultan fled Tamerlane pursuing him by the space of three leagues After which victorie Tamerlane deuiding his armie sent Axalla with fortie thousand horse and fiftie thousand foot to pursue the Sultan alongst the coast of ARABIA who oftentimes shewed himselfe with some foure thousand horse to haue hindred Axalla who hauing the smallest forces followed him the nearest Tamerlane himselfe in the meane time with threescore thousand horse an hundred thousand foot marching alongst the sea coast had all the cities as he went yeelded vnto him as MAGATA AMAN otherwise called APAMEA TORTOSA BARRUTO NEPHTHALIN only the strong citie of DAMASCO refused to receiue him whereinto the Sultan had put the prince Zamadzen with a strong garrison who did what hee might to haue defended the same But all in vaine for Tamerlane hauing by batterie ouerthrowne a great part of the wall by assault woon the cittie only the castle yet remaining as being of a wonderfull strength and almost impregnable whereinto such a multitude had at the taking of the citie retired themselues as was not possible therein long to liue who in short time pinched with hunger and many of them dead the rest vpon safeguard of their liues offered to yeeld whom for all that Tamerlane would not receiue to mercie to make them feele what it was to hold out against him so that most of them dying of famine the rest yeelded without condition and were for their obstinacie almost all slaine Which his seueritie towards them of DAMASCO caused that thirtie leagues off they brought the keyes of their cities vnto him in token of their submission whom he no way molested more than in contributing vnto the charge of his armie From DAMASCO he turned directly towards IERUSALEM at which time they of the citie had driuen out the Sultans garrison as had almost all they of IUDEA submitting themselues vnto Tamerlane At CHORAZNI the Sultan had left six thousand men in garrison for the defence of the place who at the first seemed to stand vpon their guard but afterward dismaied to see so great an armie before it and that Tamerlane hauing approched the wals was set downe to haue it they submitted themselues and found mercie In which citie Tamerlane left certaine of his men in garrison for the better repressing of the Mamalukes who with often incursions troubled his armie So marching on he himselfe with certaine horsemen for his guard rode to IERUSALEM to visit the sepulchre so much reuerenced of all nations and there to make his oblations where hee was of the inhabitants joyfully receiued and hauing sought out all the antiquities of that auncient citie would be conducted vnto all the places thereabouts where Iesus Christ had preached euen as the pilgrimes doe and comming to the sepulchre gaue thereunto and the deuout there many rich and precious gifts to the great contentment of all men to see him honour those holy places but of the Iews only who greatly blamed him for so doing of whom of all others Tamerlane made no reckoning but called them the accursed of God There had he newes that the Sultan had gathered all his forces and being come into AEGYPT was there fortifying of his citties especially the great cities of ALEXANDRIA and CAIER Tamerlane his armie in the meane time by his commaundement came towards AEGYPT to DAMIATA which strong citie hee thought not good to leaue behind him although he was by some persuaded so to do for that it was thought impregnable as well in respect of the castle as of the strong garrison that the Sultan had put thereinto But he whose fortune nothing could hinder would needs goe thither and so hauing commaunded Axalla to set vpon it followed himselfe after with the rest of his armie Now Axalla hauing summoned the citie and declared vnto the inhabitants who were most of them Christians the mildnesse and courtesie of Tamerlane as also who himselfe was and what religion he held causing many of the Greeke captaines to speake vnto them and to tell them of the miserie they endured vnder the Moores and Mamalukes so farre preuailed with them that they all determined to aduenture their liues to put the Mamalukes out of the cittie with all them that fauoured the Sultan And so in the night taking vp armes made themselues masters of one quarter of the cittie and deliuered one of the gates to Axalla whereby he entering put all the Mamalukes to the sword or tooke them prisoners and so gained the citie Whereof Tamerlane hearing being as yet vpon his march was in good hope of so prosperous a beginning to find an happie end also of his designes in EGYPT For besides the good fortune thereof hee knew that this hauen of DAMIATA might serue him with victuals out of all the parts of GREECE as the emperour Emanuel had promised him and wherein hee nothing failed him Into which port Tamerlane hauing made his entrie left there in garrison two thousand of the emperour Emanuell his souldiours with a gouernour of whom he tooke an oath for their obedience So hauing stayed a space at DAMIATA
not as sometime it falleth out in these worldly things both vnto men and commonweales which brought vnto the last cast euen as it were to the bottome of dispaire by the goodnesse of God contrarie to all hope find sometime such vnexpected helpe and reliefe as that thereby they beyond their hope euen to the astonishment of the world mount vp againe vnto a greater lustre of their state than was that from which they before fell it had euen so by the singulaâ— mercy of God now happened vnto the Valachians not knowing which way to turne themselues There was at CRAILOVVA a citie in the confines of VALACHIA towards the confines of the Hungarians and Turks where the gouernour of these borders is for the defence thereof with a strong garrison alwayes resiant a noble gentleman called Ion Michael sonne to Peter the Palatine of that countrey the aforesaid Alexander his predecessour who as he was vnto the people for the honour of his father the prerogatiue of his birth the comelinesse of his person and talnesse of his stature well knowne so was he for his zeale towards the Christian religion his loue towards his countrey his kindnesse towards his equals his courtesie towards his inferiours his vpright dealing his constancie and bountie vnto them no lesse gracious and for other the noble vertues of his heroicall mind and naturall disposition for the performance of great matters his deepe wisdome and quicke foresight his sweet and pleasing speech void of all affectation vnto all good men most deare whose fame both for the honour of his house and of his owne vertues still more and more encreasing and rife in the eares of Alexander the Vayuod was the cause that he commaunded him as the readie or rather naturall competitour of his state and honour to be secretly apprehended and so taken out of the way whereof he by good fortune hauing intelligence and carefull of his owne health for safegard of himselfe fled first into HVNGARIE and there not staying long God so directing him went to CONSTANTINOPLE in the yeare 1591 to sue for the Vayuod his place all the nobilitie of his countrey and the prouinces thereunto adjoyning secretly rejoysing thereat About which time the chiefe and most graue of the Valachian nobilitie and counsellours prostrating themselues at the feet of Amurath most grieuously complained vnto him of the manifold and intollerable injuries they had alreadie sustained and were still like to endure without hope of redresse from Alexander their Vayuod and the followers of his Court the Turks garrisons and marchants with plentifull teares orderly declaring many his most foule and detestable facts and afterward highly commending Ion Michael for his rare vertues as the true heire of their prouince most humbly requested Amurath either to haue him appointed the lawfull Gouernour of their countrey or els some other place by him assigned for them to dwell in wishing any where to liue rather than vnder the heauie commaund of so mercilesse a man as was Alexander For the furthering of which their sute Michael his vncle by the mothers side a Greekâ— borne and a man for his exceeding wealth in great fauor in the Turks Court spared for no cost So Michael by the goodnesse of God was by Amurath with great solemnitie created Vayuod of VALACHIA and the oppressed and almost forlorne state of that sometime most flourishing countrey by little and little well relieued although not altogither without most sharpe and violent remedies such as extremities oft require began now againe to lift vp the head and to aspire vnto the auntient libertie and honour thereof At the beginning of whose happie soueraigntie Alexander his predecessour in his owne conscience guiltie of his euill and shamefull gouernment of that so notable and great a prouince and now in feare to be called to account secretly fled But certaine yeares after remouing to CONSTANTINOPLE with his wife and there attempting diuers euill meanes for the obtaining of the Palatinat of MOLDAVIA and for those his vnlawfull practises accused by the Palatines Agent he was by the commandement of Amurath taken in his owne house and there in his princely apparell most miserably strangled vpon Palme sunday in the yeare 1597 about six yeares after his departure out of VALACHIA Michael thus made Vayuod of VALACHIA long it was not but that it fortuned the reuerend father Cornelius de Nona sent from Pope Clement the Eight vnto the Great duke of MVSCOVIE in his returne conferring with Sigismund the Transyluanian Prince and Aaron the Palatine of MOLDAVIA enformed them of the great consent of diuers zealous Christian princes for the maintenance of the warre against the dangerous and common enemie with many graue and effectuall reasons persuading them but especially for that they were themselues Christians in that Christian quarrell to joyne vnto them their forces also raised in those their countries neere vnto the great riuers Danubius and Nester but vnto Michael the Vayuod of VALACHIA he could not for diuers his other important businesses then come whom for all that the aforesaid Transyluanian prince Sigismund his neighbour desirously sought to draw into the fellowship of that warre euen for the same reasons almost wherewith he had been himselfe mooued First by diuers great reasons remouing such doubts as might justly seeme to hinder him from giuing therunto his consent and then by declaring the Turkish insolencie daily increasing with the infinit grieuances by them deuised against the miserable Valachians when as the incursions of the Turks or Tartars or their passages that way no lesse troublesome than their inroads was almost euerie moneth to be feared their armies as friends to be in Winter and Sommer receiued their souldiors to their great charges relieued and their commaunders and captaines rewarded VALACHIA thus impouerished was not able as he said to pay the great sums it did alreadie owe neither was to expect any releasement of the euils it was wrapped in much lesse was it able to suffice vnto the grieuous exactions to be thereunto by them afterwards imposed None of his predecessours as he told him and as truth was had for many yeares now past for any long time or with any securitie held their state or gouernment but that either by the calumniation of the enuious or bribes of their ambitious competitours brought into suspition with the Sultan they were violently thrust out or most cruelly put to death In briefe he said it was a wise mans part not without most manifest waightie reasons to promise vnto himselfe better fortune or more assurance of his state than had his vnfortunat predecessours before him but warned by their harmes betimes to prouide for his owne safetie By which persuasion he so preuailed that the Vayuod whose name whose fame whose wealth and life togither with his subjects was all thereby endangered although he would not for the waightinesse of the matter at the first yeeld thereunto yet assuredly promised with
gained the distressed citie But whilest they thus lay vpon the passages behold newes was brought vnto them how that the Bassa of BOSNA with the Sanzackes of SIGETH QVINQVE ECCLESIae and COPPAN with ten thousand Turkes were comming to oppresse them and to open the passages by them holden But they knowing their owne strength and nothing fearing so small a force stayed not for their comming but went to meet them and in a place of good aduantage waiting for them vpon their first appearance with great assurance and courage charged them brake their array and slew the greatest part of them together with the Bassa himselfe yet with so much adoe as that had not the lord Palfi in good time sent in vnto their aid certain companies of fresh men it was not without cause doubted but that the Haiduckes had been put to the worse aboue three hundred of them hauing there alreadie lost their liues The Tartars yet neuerthelesse in good number held on their way towards BVDA with purpose to haue ouerrun the countrey and so to haue withdrawne the Imperials from the citie but for as much as that base nation was knowne to be good for nothing but to rob and spoile the lord Swartzenburg his regiment only going against them and encountering them ouerthrew them in such sort that part of them being there slaine in fight and part for feare driuen into the Danubie the greatest number of them there most miserably perished Basta the emperours lieutenant in the vpper HVNGARIE at the same time lay at CASSOVIA with eighteene thousand men doubting least the enemies armie which he heard to bee at hand should come to besiege that citie In the meane time Ibrahim Bassa Generall of the Turkes forces came to SOLNOCH with an armie of fiftie thousand strong amongst whom were ten thousand Ianizaries but for all that vnderstanding that Basta nothing dismayed awaited his comming at CASSOVIA not thinking it good to goe any further his souldiors being alreadie wearie with long trauell neither yet safe there to stay so neere vnto his strong enemie retired backe againe to BELGRADE a place of more strength and securitie expecting a great fleet of ships which charged vpon the Danubius were to bring victuals for the armie as also for the reliefe of BVDA ALBA REGALIS and other such distressed places with diuers great pieces for batterie and other lesse artillerie vpon carriages with a number of ladders and other instruments of war declaring their purpose for the performance of some notable exploit all guarded with fiue thousand Turkes which conducted it vp the riuer Of all which the Imperials vnderstanding the lord Palfi dispatched his lieutenant with a conuenient power and the captaine of the Hussars with his followers all good and valiant souldiors to cut off this conuoy Who to make the matter short suddenly assailing them and so comming to handy blowes cut in peeces the conuoy and rifled the ships of whom the greater part were there sunke in the deepe riuer and so tooke an exceeding great bootie deemed to be worth a million of gold where amongst other things of great value there was found abourd an hundred thousand dollars which were all deuided amongst the souldiors as a reward of their trauell This great ouerthrow once knowne at BVDA ALBA REGALIS and the cities thereabouts brought vpon them a great feare yea the armie of Ibrahim grew thereby much discontented as being at once disappointed both of their victuals and their pay Besides that the Imperials ouerran all the countrey thereabout ransacking sacking and destroying the countrey villages and castles without mercie although the poore inhabitants offered them large contribution to haue staied their furie which would not bee accepted Vpon this notable ouerthrow also the lord Swartzenburg was determined with all his forces to come againe to the siege of BVDA in hope in so great a discomfiture and want of victuals to haue had it deliuered vnto him and for that purpose sent for certaine great pieces of artillerie to VIENNA But whilest things went thus well in the lower HVNGARIE colonell Rodoler of S. Andrewes in the vpper countrey tooke occasion also vpon this ouerthrow of the Turkes with fiue hundred horse and six hundred foot to shew himselfe with this small companie before AGRIA hauing yet left the greatest part of his forces a little off in secret ambush Which small companie the Bassa of AGRIA beholding presently put himselfe in arms and so sallying out began an hot and braue skirmish when suddenly the other souldiors left in ambush starting out and couragiously assailing their enemies brake their order put them to flight pursuing them at the heeles euen to the gates of the citie and had there beene a greater force of footmen it was verely thought that the Turks dismaied with the flight and altogether confounded had abandoned the defence of the place and the Christians euen then become masters of the citie which had beene the cause of their notable ouerthrow in the yeare 1596. Neuerthelesse they with great brauerie and small losse retired hauing slaine a great number of the Turkes and carrying away with them an hundred prisoners with a bootie of fiue hundred horse and much other cattell The free Haiduckes also strengthened with new supplies had done great harme in the countrey about BVDA scouring freely all ouer it finding none to oppose themselues against them for which cause the poore Christians which yet dwelt in that country rise vp against the Turks promising their obedience vnto the emperour and moreouer to the intent they might bee no more molested by the Imperials offered to take vp armes themselues against the enemie and to the vttermost of their power to hinder his passage both by land and water These same Haiduckes also had broken downe all the bridges which the Turkes had made betwixt BVDA and ALBA REGALIS to the end they should not that way commodiously bring either victuals or munition from the one place to the other And the lord Palfi and Nadasti vnderstanding by their espials That the Tartars deuided into three companies had ouerrun a great part of the country and with a great bootie were retiring towards BVDA presently went out against them and enforced them to fight which barbarous people better inured to filtch than to fight there lost all their liues together with that they had before stolne After which victorie these valiant men turning their forces against certaine other places of the Turkes there by tooke two of their castles with much rich spoile which castles they sacked and burnt together with the great towne of ZOINA breaking downe also the bridge vpon the riuer Traua Now at this time the Turkes at BVDA held themselues male content within the citie hauing no Gouernour their Bassa being before taken by the Haiduckes and they themselues pinched also with great want of victuals T Wherefore doubting some sudden attempt of the Christians as men dismaied they for their more
they againe at them in the castle and that they had alreadie receiued from the Turks twentie thousand duckats with some prouision of victuals were shortly after to receiue from them the rest of the money promised them and so to deliuer the towne For preuenting whereof the lord Swartzenburg the two and twentith of Iune sent the lord Sharpfenstein with a French colonell three thousand souldiors certaine Petardes and a number of scaling ladders towards PAPPA whom the false rebels suffered peaceably to enter the towne the foure and twentith of Iune still encouraging them to come on calling them their countreymen and brethren and in token of friendship shaking them by the hands telling them that hauing assurance of their pay they desired no more But hauing now receiued in so many of them as they thought good and as they knew they were well able to deale with shutting the rest out they cut them all in peeces and afterwards in derision called vpon the high Dutches to come on in like manner Three hundred of these rebels at the same time had laied themselues in ambush by a mill fast without the towne who by the Wallons and Haiduckes without discouered were also by them charged vpon whom for all that by reason of the shot out of the towne they could doe no good but hauing lost three hundred men and amongst them Hanniball Kralzs the lord Sharpfensteine his lieutenant generall and one Del la Margose the chiefe enginer they retired Which losse the desperat rebels if it had beene in their choice had wished rather to haue happened vnto the Dutches than to the Wallons or Hungarians About three daies after three of these rebels being by chance taken prisoners by the Imperials and brought to RAE were not only apparrelled but also trimmed after the Turkish fashion as men not desiring longer to be accounted Christians the rest of their fellowes in the towne also all imitating the Turkes fashions as well in their apparrell as in their manner of seruice yet for all that would not these metamorphosed monsters yeeld the towne vnto the Turks before they had the full summe by them agreed vpon the Bassa of BOSNA being commaunded from the Grand signior in all hast to prouide it for them and so to receiue of them the towne Neuerthelesse for their more strength and their more credit with the Turkes they receiued into the towne one ensigne of the Turks with certain waggons of victuals brought thither with so strong a conuoy as that the Imperials durst not meddle therwith in which waggons being discharged they sent in bonds six hundred Hungarians and Dutch men women and children prisoners to ALBA REGALIS being all of them glad to be so sent away in hope to find more fauour and courtesie at the hands of their enemies than they had found with these renegat Christians So shortly after these rebels sent out certaine messengers vnto the gouernour of ALâ—A REGALIS to know his full resolution which messengers conducted by certaine Turkes of great account were vpon the way by the free Haiduckes all intercepted and the messengers taken with an hundred Turkes moe In the meane while Michael Marotti before imprisoned by the rebels in PAPPA by letters secretly aduertised the lord Swartzenburg of a certaine place whereby he might as he said easily enter the towne and the rather for that the rebels were at variance amongst themselues Who thereupon the twelfth of Iuly came to PAPPâ— with nine thousand horse and foot but disappointed of his purpose for entering the towne hardly neuerthelesse belayed the same vpon whom the mutiniers many times desperatly sallied out right valiantly encountered them albeit that they were still without any notable losse by their enemies too strong for them beaten backe againe into the towne In one of which sallies it fortuned one of their captaines to be taken who to the terrour of the rest was presently flaine quicke and his head and skin vpon a pike set vp before the towne for his fellowes to behold But the lord Swartzenburg still more and more preuailing vpon them they sent secretly for aid to the Turks whereof he for all that getting intelligence sent also for three regiments of souldiours moe to come vnto him to the siege by whose comming he well strengthened and bringing his approches neerer the towne tooke from the rebels the mill a strength which they very vnwillingly lost as in hope thereby to haue the more easily receiued aid from the Turkes who hauing made preparation to haue relieued them were letted so to doe by the rising of the water which had spoiled all the prouision for their reliefe at the bridge of ESSEG as also hindered them for marching forward At length the Imperials were come with their trenches euen to the towne ditches out of which they had let out all the water where some of the townesmen eâ—caping out of the towne declared how that the mutinous souldiors within laboured both day and night to fortifie the towne but to be in their worke much letted by the continuall assaults of the Imperials as also that they now had neither bread nor wine nor other victuals left more than a little salt and threescore horse of which they had alreadie begun to eat and that although they were not altogether so valiant yet that they had resolued to die by the hands of the souldiors as men expecting no other mercie Yet shortly after viz. the nine and twentith of Iuly they desperatly fell out vpon the trenches of Marspurgisch a Dutch captaine of whose souldiors they slew many being drunke and driuing the rest out of their trenches raised a great alarum Which the lord Swartzenburg hearing hasted thither to the rescue where with an vnluckie musket shot hee was strucke in the head and slaine Whereof the rebels got knowledge the same euening and Del la Mota their Generall in reward of that seruice gaue vnto them that had made that sallie a thousand dollars to be deuided amongst them The dead bodie of that so worthie a man as had done great seruice for the Christian commonweale was afterwards with great solemnitie brought to RAB and there honourably enterred The like desperate sallie they made againe the next day and slew of the Imperials an hundred and thirtie and tooke certaine prisoners and in retiring backe againe into the towne cried aloud That when they lacked meat rather than they would yeeld the towne they would eat Christians whereof Marotti should bee the first The lord Swartzenburg thus slaine the gouernment of the armie was by Matthias the archduke committed to the lord Redern a noble man both valiant and learned who although hee were verie sickly came vnto the camp before PAPPA the eight of August where vnderstanding that the rebels now brought vnto extremitie had a purpose by night to flie away and so be gon he caused a more vigilant and strong watch to be kept when lo according to his expectation
priests in their ecclesiastike attire and ornaments to march foorth in the armie with an ensigne hauing in it displaied the picture of the Virgin Marie So couragiously marching forward hee first charged that quarter of the campe where Baldwin the countie of FLANDERS lay where at the first was fought a right fierce and doubtfull battell But afterward the alarum running throughout all the campe of the Latines and new supplies comming in on euery side the Greekes were put to the worse and enforced againe to retire into the citie hauing lost a great number of men together with their superstitious ensigne It was a woonderfull thing to see with what rare agreement the Latines being of diuers nations continued this expedition vndertaken against the Greekes Seuentie two daies was the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE straightly besieged by the Latines both by sea and land without giuing any time of rest or repose day or night vnto the besieged fresh men comming still on to the assault as the other fell off and in such sort troubled the Greekes in the citie that they knew not well what to doe or which way to turne themselues The Venetians vnto whom was committed the charge to assault that side of the citie which was toward the hauen vpon two great gallies made fast together built a strong tower of wood higher than the wals and rampiers of the town out of which they both with shot and fire-workes much troubled the defendants wherewith they in the time of the assault approching the wall by their fine deuises fired that side of the citie by the rage whereof a great number of houses were burnt with many other stately buildings and antient monuments of that famous citie and had at that present gained a great tower neere vnto the port destitute of defendors had not the tyrant himselfe in good time come with new supplies to the rescue thereof In like manner the French with the rest assailed the other side of the citie by land where they were to fight not against the defendants onely but against deepe ditches high and strong wals and bulwarkes also neuerthelesse such was the valour and furie of the Latines with the desire of victorie as that they were not with any difficulties to be dismaied but pressing still on by a thousand dangers at length after a most sharpe assault they gained one of the greatest bastillions on that side of the citie called the Angels tower and so by plaine force opened a way both for themselues and the rest into the citie Whereof Alexius vnderstanding and strucke with present despaire both of his state and life the night now comming on fled with Euphrosina the emperour Alexius his wife and Eudocia her daughter whome hee had married when he had raigned about a moneth and 16 daies The tyrant author of all this mischiefe and of the calamities ensuing thus fled and the Latines furiously entring the priests and religious men in their surplices and other ecclesiastique ornaments with their crosses and banners as in solemne procession met the Latines and falling downe at the souldiors feet with flouds of teares abundantly running downe their heauie countenances besought them but especially the captaines and commanders to remember the condition of worldly things and contenting themselues with the victorie the glorie the honour the empire the immortalitie of their name to abstaine from slaughter from burning from spoiling and ransacking of so beautifull a citie And that seeing they were themselues men they would also haue pitie of men and being themselues captaines and souldiours they should also haue compassion vpon captaines and souldiours who although they were not so valiant and fortunate as they were yet neuerthelesse were both captaines and souldiors And that they would keepe and preserue their citie whereof if they ruinated it not they might haue much more pleasure and commoditie than if they should destroy the same which as it had been the principall seat of the Greeke empire so might it now bee of the Latines That seeing they had thereof had a carefull regard as then belonging to another man they ought now vpon better reason to haue more care thereof being their owne That the authors of all these troubles and mischiefes Alexius the elder and Murzufle had alreadie receiued a reward answerable to their follies in that they were driuen into exile That they would haue pitie and compassion of an innocent and vnfortunat multitude of poore people oppressed and grieuously tormented with the often tyrannies of their murderous lords and gouernours That in so doing God the Lord of hoasts the giuer and guider of battels the God of mercie would therefore reward them To conclude they humbly besought them to pardon their citizens to put on the hearts of gracious and mercifull lords and fathers not of enemies and rough masters of forgiuers not of reuengers and to vnderstand by their teares their miserable estate and woes passed With this so humble a submission and complaint of the religious some of the better sort were happely mooued but with the common soldiors breathing nothing but victorie with their weapons in their hands and the spoile of an empire in their power what auailed prayers or teares euery man fell to the spoile and in so great choice and libertie of all things fitted his owne disordered appetite without respect of the wrong or injurie done to others onely from the effusion of innocent bloud they abstained they whose liues they sought after being alreadie fled together with the tyrant Other injuries and outrages so great as that greater could none be were in euery place so rife that euery street euery lane euery corner of the citie was filled with mourning and heauinesse There might a man haue seene noblemen earst of great honor and reuerend for their hoarie haires with other citizens of great wealth thrust out of all they had walking vp and downe the citie weeping and wringing their hands as men forlorne not knowing where to shroud their heads Neither staied the greedie rage of the insolent souldiors within the wals of mens priuat houses but brake out into the stately pallaces temples and churches of the Greekes also where all was good prize and nothing dedicated to the seruice of God left vnpolluted and defaced no place vnsought no corner vnrifled right lamentable and almost incredible it were to report all the miseries of that time Some of the Greeke Historiographers men of great marke and place and themselues eye witnesses and partakers of those euils haue by their writings complained to all posteritie of the insolencie of the Latines at the winning of the citie to their eternall dishonour but that disordered souldiours in all ages in the libertie of their insolent victorie haue done such outrages as honest minds abhorre to thinke vpon Thus Constantinople the most famous citie of the East the seat and glorie of the Greeke empire by the miserable ambition and dissention of the Greekes for soueraigntie fell into the
who by chance then lay not farre off Moses comming vnto him with his girdle about his necke in token that he had deserued death as the manner of that countrey was found him walking before his tent and there with heauie cheere falling downe vpon his knees at his feet submitted himselfe vnto his mercie and with great humilitie and signes of repentance craued his most gracious pardon Which his request Scanderbeg presently granted and taking him vp by the hand embraced and kissed him in token he had from his heart forgiuen him and within a few daies after caused all such things of his as were before confiscat to be againe restored vnto him with all such offices and promotions as he had before enjoyed and by open proclamation commanded That from thenceforth no man should either publikely or priuatly speake of that Moses had trespassed Mahomet vnderstanding that Moses was returned againe into EPIRVS and honoured of Scanderbeg as in former time was much grieued thereat and fumed exceedingly First for that he had at all trusted him and then that he had so let him slip out of his hands being verily persuaded that all that Moses had done was but a finenesse of Scanderbeg to deceiue him Shortly after that Moses was returned into EPIRVS Mahomet by like practise allured vnto him Amesa Scanderbeg his nephew promising to make him king of EPIRVS in his vnckles steed For by that meanes the craftie tyrant thought it a more easie way to draw the mindes of the people of EPIRVS from Scanderbeg vnto him descended of the princes bloud than to Moses or to any other stranger he should set vp Amesa vpon this hope of a kingdome fled to CONSTANTINOPLE and because he would cleere the mind of the tyrant of all suspiâ—ion and distrust he carried with him his wife and children as the most sure pledges of his fidelitie This Amesa was of stature low and the feature of his body not so perfect as might sufficiently expresse the hidden vertues of his mind He was of courage hautie aboue measure subtill and of a pregnant wit wonderfull painfull and thereto courteous and bountifull the chiefe meanes whereby aspiring minds steale away the hearts of men whatsoeuer he got of himselfe or had by the gift of his vnckle he deuided it amongst his souldiours or friends he was verie affable and could notably both couer and dissemble his affections for which things he was aboue all others both beloued and honoured of all the people of EPIRVS next vnto Scanderbeg himselfe At his first comming to Mahomet he filled not his eares with great promises and vaine praises of himselfe as had Moses but only excusing his owne reuolt laboured to persuade him That he had for just causes left his vnckle with a desire now faithfully to serue him And to that purpose spake vnto him as followeth If it should please thee most noble Mahomet to call to remembrance the old iniuries and auntient displeasures by vs committed against thine imperiall Maiestie we might seeme now rather to haue come hither to receiue the just guerdon of our euill deserts than vpon any hope of honor or preferment For what could haue been done more in disgrace of the Othoman empire than that you haue seene long since done by vs in the most dangerous time of the Hungarian war rather of a malicious set purpose than for that we were just enemies When as in the same perfidious course I my selfe being a helper and partaker therein for now no excuse is to be pretended for our doings more than repentance your fathers army was betrayed at MORAVA and the kingdome of EPIRVS by great treacherie wrested out of your fathers hands the only cause of so many calamities and of so much bloudshed But vaine is this feare and our suspition needlesse with so wise and mercifull a prince especially for that my yeares then greene and youth prone vnto the harme of it selfe and a mind not resting vpon his owne resolutions deceiued me I beleeued mine vnckle for the ignorant beleeue many things and allured with the desire of soueraigntie the proper disease of that age and too much credulous I forsooke you and followed his promises but discretion growing with yeares I haue by little and little perceiued both the slie persidious dealing of mine vnckle as also that my reuolt from you was more hurtfull vnto my selfe than to any other Scanderbeg recouered and also enlarged the kingdome of EPIRVS but not without my great labour and helpe I expected long time that he should haue giuen me if not my fathers whole inheritance yet at least some part thereof as a small reward of my so great trauell and danger Not long after he married a wife and hath begot a young heire a new successour in his kingdome vnto me for shame of the world because I should not altogither lead a priuat life he hath assigned a base corner of EPIRVS where he enioyning the rest I might lead a poore and contemptible life In this case I had much adoe to bridle my affections and could neuer disgeast that iniurie yet the iniquitie of the time with the insolent disposition of the man compelled me to smother vp my thoughts and to make faire weather least finding some suspition he should craftely haue entrapped me as he did of late George Stresie his sisters sonne whom wrongfully charged with fained surmises he hath almost depriued of all his possessions I would willingly haue fled vnto the feet of your highnesse I would gladly haue forsaken my ingratefull vnckle with the staines of his infamous kingdome but that the remembrance of the old rebellion and many iniuries sithence done did make me afraid vntill that now God I thinke so appointing it I came most gladly following your most royall faith and promise You had scarcely beckned vnto me you had scarcely inuited me hauing of long intentiuely waited euerie occasion but straight way I came with such speed as if I would haue flowne I lingred not I expected not either Scanderbeg or his euill happe or your more prosperous successe as of late did Moses least I might thereby justly seeme either for feare or regard of some imminent danger rather to haue prouided for mine owne safetie than to haue embraced your magnificence Neither haue I left any thing for you in me to suspect nor any cause wherefore I should desire to returne againe into EPIRVS here are present most sure bonds of my loue and faithfull pledges of my loyaltie Behold worthy Mahomet you haue whatsoeuer is deere vnto me yea whatsoeuer nature could giue pleasing vnto men in the course of mans life These I haue brought vnto thee which should with violence haue been taken from an enemy such pawnes as might assure thee of the faith of a most doubtfull man More than this haue I brought nothing for in so great speed and secret departure I could not haue regard of my substance And if I might haue had time to haue
determined by the counsell of his Bassaes rather with money than with the sword to fight with the Persian king Hereupon was Hassan Aga one of the chiefe gentlemen of his chamber appointed embassadour into PERSIA with whom was joyned the Bassa of MARAS a man both for his age and place reuerend who departing with a large commission almost in the depth of Winter with great speed and wonderfull toile by those long and difficult waies arriued at last at CASBIN the seat of the Persian king hauing by the way lost diuers of their seruants and followers Being come to the court the first thing they desired was to see Baiazet whom they found shut vp in a close prison pale and wanâ— as a man forlorne with his haire and beard so long and ouergrowne as that he was not to be knowne before he was new trimmed which done then appeared the liuely resemblance of his wonted countenance and fauour so that Hassan verily knew it to be him for he had been brought vp with him of a child in the court and for that cause especially had Solyman sent him thither to be assured that it was he At length after long discourse and conference betweene the king and the embassadours it was agreed vpon that the king should receiue from Solyman full recompence of all the charges he had been at and of the harmes by him sustained since the comming of Baiazet into PERSIA with such farther reward as so great a good turne deserued which things performed that then it should be in Solymans power to haue Baiazet made away With this newes Hassan posteth to his master at CONSTANTINOPLE who forthwith caused the promised reward togither with such charges as the Persian king demaunded to be made readie and with a safe conuoy to be sent vnto the borders of PERSIA where they were of the Persians receiued Presently after returneth Hassan the appointed executioner of the vnfortunat Baiazet for so Solyman had straightly charged him to strangle him with his owne hands Which thing this new made hangman accordingly performed and with a bowstring strangled the vnfortunat prince who is reported to haue requested of the executioner but that he might see his children before he died take of them his last farewell which poore request could not be granted but he forthwith commanded to die This was the wofull end of the vnluckie attempts of Baiazet a prince of far more worth than was Selymus his brother who in seeking to shun the death he feared hasted the same before his time Such as was the fathers end was also the end of his foure sonnes Omer Amurat Selym and Muhamet of whom the three eldest were strangled at CASBIN with their father whose dead bodies togither with his were solemnly brought to SEBASTIA and there buried The youngest but new borne left at AMASIA and sent by his grandfather to PRVSA as is before said to be there nursed was now vpon the death of his father commaunded by his said grandfather to be strangled also The eunuch sent by Solyman to haue done the deed and loth to doe it himselfe tooke with him one of the porters of the court a desperat and otherwise a hard hearted ruffian a man thought fit to haue performed any villanie he comming into the chamber where the child lay and fitting the bowstring to the childs necke to haue strangled it the innocent babe smiled vpon him and lifting it selfe vp as well as it could with open armes offered to haue embraced the villaine about the necke and kissed him Which guiltlesse simplicitie so wounded the stonie hearted man that he was not able to performe the intended butcherie of the poore and simple child but fell downe in a swoâ—ne and there lay for dead The eunuch standing without the doore maruelling at his long stay goes in and finding the ruffian lying along vpon the ground with cruell hand performed that the other could not find in his heart to do and so strangled the guiltlesse child as had been giuen him in charge Whereby it euidently appeared that it was not the mercie or compassion of Solyman that so long caused the guiltlesse infant to be spared but rather the opinion generally receiued amongst the Turks who measuring all things by the good or bad successe referre all things that fall out well vnto God as the authour thereof be they neuer so vngratiously begun and therefore so long as it was yet vncertaine what successe the attempts of Baiazet would haue Solyman spared the infant least vpon his fathers good hap he might seeme to haue striuen against the will of God But now that his father was dead and his quarrell by the euill successe thereof condemned as it were by the sentence of the Almightie he thought it not good longer to suffer him to liue least of an euill bird might come an euill chicke I had sometime saith the reporter of this historie great reasoning with my Chiaus about this matter for falling into talke with him of Baiazet he began bitterly to inuay against him for taking vp armes against his brother Whereunto saith this authour I replied That in mine opinion he was worthie both to be pitied and pardoned forasmuch as he was of necessitie enforced either to take vp armes or else shortly after to yeeld himselfe to the slaughter But he still exclaiming against him I said vnto him You blame poore Baiazet of great wickednesse for bearing armes against his brother but Selymus Solymans father you blame not who vpon like occasion tooke vp armes both against his father and his brethren yet he therein did nothing amisse nor in your judgement blame worthie And rightly saith the Chiaus for the euent of the matter sheweth sufficiently that that which he did was done by the appointment of God and that he was from heauen predestinate thereunto whereas in Baiazet the euent sheweth the cleane contrarie So that which falleth out well be it by neuer so wicked meanes compassed or brought to passe they take it as done according to the will of God but if it fall out otherwise they judge it as a thing condemned by God himselfe depending wholy vpon the good or bad euent of things and thereby judging them to be well done or otherwise This yeare 1558 Charles the fift that noble emperour of whom we haue in the course of this historie so often spoken who wearie of the world had two yeares before deliuered all his hereditarie kingdomes and principalities to his sonne Philip did now the 24 of Februarie on which day he was borne by his embassadours solemnely sent for that purpose resigne the empire with all the honors and titles thereof vnto his brother king Ferdinand requesting the princes electors to confirme the same vnto him which they did the 13 of March next following So liuing as a priuat gentleman in that solitarie life whereunto he had to the wonder of the world certain years before retired himselfe from all