Lives more than their own Valour the Emperor caused all the Gates of the inner Wall to be fast shut up and in this sort they lay all the night expecting continually when the Assault should be given all which time they might hear great hurly burly and noise in the Turks Camp as they were putting things in readiness for the Assault A little before day the Turks approached the Walls and begun the Assault where Shot and Stones were delivered upon them from the Walls as thick as Hail whereof little fell in vain by reason of the multitude of the Turks who pressing fast unto the Walls could not see in the dark how to defend themselves but were without number wounded or slain but these were of the common and worst Souldiers of whom the Turkish King made no more reckoning than to abate the first force of the Defendants Upon the first appearance of the day Mahomet gave the sign appointed for the general Assault whereupon the City was in a moment and at one instant on every side most furiously assaulted by the Turks for Mahomet the more to distress the Defendants and the better to see the forwardness of the Souldiers had before appointed which part of the City every Colonel with his Regiment should assail Which they valiantly performed delivering their Arrows and Shot upon the Defendants so thick that the light of the day was therewith darkned other in the mean time couragiously mounting the Scaling-Ladders and coming even to handy-strokes with the Defendants upon the Wall where the formost were for most part violently born forward by them which followed after On the other side the Christians with no less courage withstood the Turkish fury beating them down again with great Stones and weighty pieces of Timber and so overwhelmed them with Shot Darts and Arrows and other hurtful devices from above that the Turks dismayed with the terrour thereof were ready to retire Mahomet seeing the great slaughter and diâ—comfiture of his Men sent in fresh Supplies of his Janizaries and best Men of War whom he had for that purpose reserved as his last Hope and Refuge by whose coming on his fainting Souldiers were again encouraged and the terrible Assault begun afresh At which time the barbarous King ceased not to use all possible means to maintain the Assault by Name calling upon this and that Captain promising unto some whom he saw forward golden Mountains and unto others in whom he saw any sign of Cowardise threatning most terrible death by which means the Assault became most dreadful death there raging in the midst of many thousands And albeit that the Turks lay dead by heaps upon the ground yet other fresh men pressed on still in their places over their dead bodies and with divers event either slew or were slain by their Enemies In this so terrible a Conflict it chanced Iustinianus the General to be wounded in the Arm who losing much blood cowardly withdrew himself from the place of his Charge not leaving any to supply his room and so got into the City by the Gate called Romana which he had caused to be opened in the inner Wall pretending the cause of his departure to be for the binding up of his Wound but being indeed a man now altogether discouraged The Souldiers there present dismayed with the departure of their General and sore charged by the Janizaries forsook their stations and in hast fled to the same Gate whereby Iustinianus was entred with the sight whereof the other Souldiers dismayed ran thither by heaps also But whilst they violently strive 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 press and confusion of minds 800 persons were there by them that followed trodden under foot or thrust to death The Emperor himself for sefeguard of his life flying â—ith the rest in that press as a man not regarded miserably ended his days together with the Greek Empire His dead body was shortly after found by the Turks among the slain and known by his rich Apparel whose Head being cut off was forthwith presented to the Turkish Tyrant by whose Commandment it was afterward thrust upon the point of a Launce and in great derision carried about as a Trophy of his Victory first in the Camp and afterwards up and down the City The Turks encouraged with the flight of the Christians presently advanced their Ensigns upon the top of the uttermost Wall crying Victory and by the Breach entred as if it had been a gâ—eat Flood which having once found a Breach in the Bank overfloweth and beareth down all befoâ—e it so the Turks when they had won the utter Wall entred the City by the same Gate that was opened for Iustinianus and by a Breach which they had before made with their great Artillery and without mercy cutting in pieces all that came in their way without further resistance became Lords of that most famous and Imperial City Some few there were of the Christians who preferring death before the Turkish slavery with their Swords in their hands sold their lives dear unto their Enemies amongst whom the two Brethren Paulus and Troilus Bochiardi Italians with Theophilus Palaeologus a Greek and Ioannes Stiavus a Dalmatian for their great valour and courage deserve to be had in eternal Remembrance who after they had like Lions made slaughter of their Enemies died in the midst of them embrued with their blood rather oppressed by multitude than by true valour overcome In this fury of the Barbarians perished many thousands of Men Women and Children without respect of Age Sex or Condition Many for safeguard of ther lives fled into the Temple of Sophia where they were all without pity slain except some few reserved by the barbarous Victors to purposes more grievous than death it self The rich and beautiful Ornaments and Jewels of that most sumptuous and magnificent Church the stately Building of Iustinianus the Emperor were in the turning of a hand pluckt down and carried away by the Turks and the Church it self built for God to be honoured in for the present converted into a Stable for their Horses or a place for the execution of their abominable and unspeakable filthiness the Image of the Crucifix was also by them taken down and a Turks Cap put upon the head thereof and so set up and shot at with their Arrows and afterwards in great derision carried about in their Camp as it had been in Procession with Drums playing before it railing and spitting at it and calling it the God of the Christians Which I note not so much done in contempt of the Image as in the despight of Christ and the Christian Religion But whilst some were thus spoiling of the Churches others were as busie in ransacking of private houses where the miserable Christians were enforced to endure in their persons whatsoever pleased the
coming on with new Forces speedily restored the Battel cunningly protracted by Axalla that day was like enough to have made an end of his good Fortune But the Victory after a long and cruel Fight wherein were fourscore thousand men on both sides slain inclining to Tamerlane the Sultan fled Tamerlane pursuing him by the space of three Leagues After which Victory Tamerlane dividing his Army sent Axalla with forty thousand Horse and fifty thousand Foot to pursue the Sultan alongst the Coast of Arabia who oftentimes shewed himself with some four thousand Horse to have hindred Axalla who having the smallest Forces followed him the nearest Tamerlane himself in the mean time with threescore thousand Horse and an hundred thousand Foot marching alongst the Sea Coast had all the Cities as he went yielded unto him as Magata Aman otherwise called Apamea Tortosa Barruto and Nephthalin only the strong City of Damasco refused to receive him whereinto the Sultan had put the Prince Zamadzen with a strong Garrison who did what he might to have defended the same But all in vain for Tamerlane having by Battery overthrown a great part of the Wall by Assault won the City only the Castle yet remaining as being of a wondeful Strength and almost impregnable whereinto such a multitude had at the taking of the City retired themselves as was not possible therein long to live who in short time pinched with Hunger and many of them dead the rest upon safeguard of their Lives offered to yield whom for all tâ—at Tamerlane would not receive to mercy to make them feel what it was to hold out against him so that most of them dying of Famine the rest yielded without Condition and were for their Obstinacy almost all slain Which his Severity towards them of Damasco caused that thirty Leagues off they brought the Keys of their Cities unto him in token of their Submission whom he no way molested more than in contributing unto the charge of his Army From Damasco he turned directly towards Ierusalem at which time they of the City had driven out the Sultans Garrison as had almost all they of Iudea submitting themselves unto Tamerlane At Chorazin the Sultan had left six thousand men in Garrison for the defence of the place who at the first seemed to stand upon their Guard but afterwards dismaied to see so great an Army before it and that Tamerlane having approached the Walls was set down to have it they submitted themselves and found mercy In which City Tamerlane left certain of his men in Garrison for the better repressing of the Mamalukes who with often incursions troubled his Army So marching on he himself with certain Horsemen for his Guard rode to Ierusalem to visit the Sepulchre so much reverenced of all Nations and there to make his Oblations where he was of the Inhabitants joyfully received and having sought out all the Antiquities of the ancient City would be conducted unto all the places thereabouts where Jesus Christ had preached even as the Pilgrims do and coming to the Sepulchre gave thereunto and the devout there many rich and precious Gifts to the great contentment of all men to see him honour those holy places but of the Jews 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 news that the Sultan had gathered all his Forces and being come into Egypt was there fortifying of his Cities especially the great Cities of Alexandria and Caier Tamerlane his Army in the mean time by his commandment came towards Egypt to Damiata which strong City he thought not good to leave behind him although he was by some perswaded 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 go thither and so having commanded Axalla to set upon it followed himself after with the rest of his Army Now Axalla having summoned the City and declared unto the Inhabitants who were most of them Christians the mildness and courtesie of Tamerlane as also who himself was and what Religion he held causing many of the Greek Captains to speak unto them and to tell them of the misery they indured under the Moors and Mamalukes so far prevailed with them that they all determined to adventure their Lives to put the Mamalukes out of the City with all them that favoured the Sultan And so in the night taking up Arms made themselves Masters of one quarter of the City and delivered one of the Gates to Axalla whereby he entring put all the Mamalukes to the Sword or took them Prisoners and so gained the City Whereof Tamerlane hearing being as yet upon his march was in good hope of so prosperous a beginning to find an happy end also of his Designs in Egypt For besides the good Fortune thereof he knew that this Haven of Damiata might serve him with Victuals out of all the parts of Greece as the Emperor Emanuel had promised him and wherein he nothing failed him Into which Port Tamerlane having made his entrie left there in Garrison two thousand of the Emperor Emanuel his Souldiers with a Governor of whom he took an Oath for their Obedience So having staied a space at Damiata he caused his Vauntguard to march towards Alexandria and having passed over the River even in an instant turned directly unto Caier to the great astonishment of the Sultan who made provision for the defence of Alexandria as the nearest unto danger But understanding of these news used such diligence that he entred into the City with forty thousand Horse and threescore thousand Foot even as Tamerlane his Army approached purposing in Person himself to defend it By whose coming the great City ready before to have revolted was again in his obedience confirmed to the great hindrance of Tamerlane his Affairs for to remain long before it was impossible for want of Victuals for so great an Army in the Enemies Country Yet notwithstanding all this did not Tamerlane forbear to draw near unto it and with all his Army to encamp near unto the same having caused a great Trench to be made for to cover his Horsemen and thereby to lodge his Army more safely during which time he caused divers onsets to be given as well to try what confidence the Enemy had in himself as to see how the People of the City especially the Slaves which in that populous City are infinite were affected towards him who certainly informed him of the state of the City and the Army as glad to see the same by him shut up and the proud Mamalukes still put to the worst But thus lying still at the Siege one day he thought it good to shew his Army before the City to try whether the Enemy had a desire to come to a day of
Villanies not with Modesty to be rehearsed So that by this means he had violently taken from his Christian Subjects all hope of recovery of their antient Liberty had it not as sometime it falleth out in these worldly things both unto Men and Common-weals which brought unto the last cast and even as it were to the bottom of despair by the Goodness of God contrary to all hope find sometime such unexpected Help and Relief as that thereby they beyond their hope even to the astonishment of the World mount up again unto a greater lustre of their State than was that from which they before fell it had even so by the singular Mercy of God now hapned unto the Valachians not knowing which way to turn themselves There was at Crailowa a City in the Confines of Valachia towards the Confines of the Hungarians and Turks where the Governour of those Borders is for the defence thereof with a strong Garrison always resiant a noble Gentleman called Ion Michael Son to Peter the Palatine of that Country the aforesaid Alexander's Predecessor who as he was unto the People for the Honour of his Father the Prerogative of his Birth the Comeliness of his Person and Tallness of his Stature well known so was he for his Zeal towards the Christian Religion his Love towards his Country his Kindness towards his Equals his Courtesie towards his Inferiours his upright Dealing his Constancy and Bounty unto them no less Gracious and for other the noble Virtues of his Heroical Mind and natural Disposition for the Performance of great Matters his deep Wisdom and quick Foresight his sweet and pleasing Speech void of all Affectation unto all good men most dear whose Fame both for the Honour of his House and of his own Virtues still more and more increasing and rife in the Ears of Alexander the Vayvod was the cause that he commanded him as the ready or rather natural Competitor of his State and Honour to be secretly apprehended and so taken out of the way whereof he by good Fortune having Intelligence and careful of his own Health for safeguard of himself fled first into Hungary and there not staying long God so directing him went to Constantinople in the year 1591 to sue for the Vayvod's Place all the Nobility of his Country and the Provinces thereunto adjoyning secretly rejoycing thereat About which time the chief and most grave of the Valachian Nobility and Councellors prostrating themselves at the Feet of Amurath most grievously complained unto him of the manifold and intolerable Injuries they had already sustained and were still like to endure without hope of redress from Alexander their Vayvod and the Followers of his Court the Turks Garrisons and Merchants with plentiful Tears orderly declaring his many most foul and detestable Facts and afterward highly commending Ion Michael for his rare Virtues as the true Heir of their Province most humbly requested Amurath either to have him appointed the lawful Governour of their Country or else some other Place by him assigned for them to dwell in wishing any where to live rather than under the heavy command of so merciless a man as was Alexander For the furthering of which their Suit Michael his Uncle by the Mothers side a Greek born and a Man for his exceeding Wealth in great Favour in the Turks Court spared for no cost So Michael by the Goodness of God was by Amurath with great Solemnity created Vayvod of Valachia and the oppressed and almost forlorn State of that sometime most flourishing Country by little and little well relieved although not altogether without most sharp and violent Remedies such as Extremities oft require began now again to lift up the head and to aspire unto the ancient Liberty and Honour thereof At the beginning of whose happy Sovereignty Alexander his Predecessour in his own Conscience guilty of his evil and shameful Government of that so notable and great a Province and now in fear to be called to account secretly fled But certain years after removing to Constantinople with his Wife and there attempting divers evil means for the obtaining of the Palatinate of Moldavia and for those his unlawful Practises accused by the Palatine's Agent he was by the Commandment of Amurath taken in his own House and there in his princely Apparel most miserably strangled upon Palm Sunday in the year 1597 about six years after his departure out of Valachia Michael thus made Vayvod of Valachia long it was not but that it fortuned the Reverend Father Cornelius de Nona sent from Pope Clement the Eighth unto the great Duke of Musâ—ovie in his return conferring with Sigismund the Transilvanian Prince and Aaron the Palatine of Moldavia informed them of the great consent of divers zealous Christian Princes for the maintenance of the War against the dangerous and common Enemy with many grave and effectual Reasons perswading them but especially for that they were themselves Christians in that Christian quarrel to joyn unto them their Forces also raised in those their Countries near unto the great Rivers of Danubius and Nester but unto Michael the Vayvod of Valachia he could not for divers his other important Businesses then come whom for all that the aforesaid Transilvanian Prince Sigismund his Neighbour desirously sought to draw into the Fellowship of this War even for the same Reasons almost wherewith he had been himself moved First by divers great Reasons removing such doubts as might justly seem to hinder him from giving his consent thereunto and then by declaring the Turkish Insolency daily increasing with the infinite Grievances by them devised against the miserable Valachians when as the Incursions of the Turks or Tartars or their Passages that way no less troublesome than their Inroads was almost every Month to be feared their Armies as Friends to be in Winter and Summer received their Souldiers to their great charges relieved and their Commanders and Captains rewarded Valachia thus impoverished was not able as he said to pay the great Sums it did already owe neither was to expect any releasment of the evils it was wrapped in much less was it able to suffice unto the grievous Exactions to be thereunto by them afterwards imposed None of his Predecessors as he said and as truth was had for many years now past for any long time or with any Security held their State or Government but that either by the Calumniation of the Envious or Bribes of their ambitious Competitors brought into Suspition with the Sultan they were violently thrust out or most cruelly put to death In brief he said it was a wise mans part not without most manifest and weighty Reasons to promise unto himself better Fortune or more assurance of his State than had his unfortunate Predecessors before him but warned by their Harms betimes to provide for his own Safety By which Perswasion he so prevailed that the Vayvod whose Name whose Fame whose Wealth and Life together with his
of them there most miserably perished Basta the Emperour's Lieutenant in the upper Hungary at the same time lay at Cassovia with eighteen thousand men doubting lest the Enemies Army which he heard to be at hand should come to besiege that City In the mean time Ibrahim Bassa General of the Turks Forces came to Solnoch with an Army of fifty thousand strong among whom were ten thousand Janizaries but for all that understanding that Basta nothing dismayed awaited his coming at Cassovia not thinking it good to go any farther his Souldiers being already weary with long travel neither yet safe there to stay so near unto his strong Enemy retired back again unto Belgrade a place of more Strength and Security expecting a great Fleet of Ships which charged upon the Danubius were to bring Victuals for the Army as also for the relief of Buda Alba-Regalis and other such distressed Places with divers great pieces for Battery and other less Artillery upon Carriages with a number of Ladders and other Instruments of War declaring their purpose for the performance of some notable Exploit all guarded with five thousand Turks which conducted it up the River Of all which the Imperials understanding the Lord Palfi dispatched his Lieutenant with a convenient Power and the Captain of the Hussars with his Followers all good and valiant Souldiers to cut off this Convoy who to make the matter short suddenly assailing them and so coming to handy blows cut in pieces the Convoy and rifled the ships of whom the greater part were there sunk in the deep River and so took an exceeding great booty deemed to be worth a million of Gold where among other things of great value there was found a-board 100000 Dollars which were all divided amongst the Souldiers as a reward of their travel This great overthrow once known at Buda Alba-Regalis and the Cities thereabouts brought upon them a great fear yea the Army of Ibrahim grew thereby much discontented as being at once disappointed both of their Victuals and their Pay. Besides that the Imperials over-ran all the Country thereabout ransacking sacking and destroying the Country Villages and Castles without Mercy although the poor Inhabitants offred them large Contribution to have staid their Fury which would not be accepted Upon this notable overthrow also the Lord Swartzenburg was determined with all his Forces to come again to the siege of Buda in hope in so great a discomfiture and want of Victuals to have had it delivered unto him and for thaâ— purpose sent for certain great pieces of Artillery to Vienna But whilst things went thus well in the lower Hungary Collonel Rodoler of S. Andrews in the upper Country took occasion also upon this Overthrow of the Turks with 500 Horse and 600 Foot to shew himself with this small Company before Agria â—aving yet left the greatest part of his Forces a little off in secret Ambush which small Company the Bassa of Agria beholding presently put himself in Arms and so sallying out began an hot and brave Skirmish when suddenly the other Souldiers left in Ambush starting out and courageously assailing their Enemies brake their order and put them to flight pursuing them at the heels even to the Gates of the City and had there been a greater force of Foot-men it was verily thought that the Turks dismay'd with the flight and altogether confounded had abandoned the defence of the Place and the Christians even then become Masters of the City which had been the cause of their notable Overthrow in the Year 1596. Nevertheless they with great bravery and small loss retired having slain a great number of the Turks and carrying away with them an hundred Prisoners with a Booty of five hundred Horse and much other Cattel The free Haiducks also strengthened with new Supplies had done great harm in the Country about Buda scouring freely all over it finding none to oppose themselves against them for which cause the poor Christians which yet dwelt in that Country rise up against the Turks promising their Obedience unto the Emperour and moreover to the intent they might be no more molested by the Imperials offered to take up Arms themselves against the Enemy and to the uttermost of their Power to hinder his Passage both by Land and Water These same Haiducks also had broken down all the Bridges which the Turks had made betwixt Buda 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 Paâ—fi and Nadasti understanding by their Espials That the Tartars divided into three Companies had over-run a great part of the Country and with a great Booty were retiring towards Buda presently went out against them and inforced them to fight which barbarous People better inured to filch than to fight there lost all their Lives together with that they had before stoln After which Victory these valiant men turning their Forces against certain other places of the Turks there by took two of their Castles with much rich Spoil which Castles they sacked and burnt together with the great Town of Zolna breaking down also the Bridge upon the Rivâ—r Trava Now at this time the Turks at Buda held themselves male-content within the City having no Governour their Bassa being before taken by the Haiducks and they themselves pinched also with great want of Victuals wherefore doubting some sudden Attempt of the Christians as men dismayed they for their more safety retired themselves into the Castle a place of great strength leaving the City unto the Imperials then ready to have besieged it but doubting of the Turks great Army which as they heard was marching thitherwards the avantgard thereof being come to Moatcsh where Sartes Bassa was also looked for the Report being given out that the Turks having relieved Buda woâ—ld go to besiege Canisia or else Strigonium they stayed to go any farther as men in doubt what to resolve upon So were sent certain Collonels and other Captains with their Souldiâ—â—s to fortifie certain Passages whereby the Turks Army was to pass the rest in the mean time retiring for that the puissant Enemy began now to approach as also for that they knew the great desire that Ibrahim Bassa had to recover again Strigonium and had therefore sent a great number of Tartars to forrage and waste the Country and so suddenly having relieved Buda and Agria there to resolve whither to turn his Forces The Imperials in the mean time incamping near unto Hatwan and Zolnoc to hinder the Turks from victualling of Buda as they desired cut off five hundred of them at their first Arrival who to that purpose were going towards Buda and took also one of the Turks Chiaus Prisoner who sent from Ibrahim the General was going to Agria to put them in hope of their speedy Relief They also at the same time attempted to have surprised Zolnoc where a good number of them with certain
Rebels being by chance taken Prisoners by the Imperials and brought to Rab were not only apparelled but also trimmed after the Turkish fashion as men not desiring longer to be accounted Christians the rest of their Fellows in the Town also imitating the Turks fashions as well in their Apparel as in their manner of Service yet for all that would not these metamorphosed Monsters yield the Town unto the Turks before they had the full sum by them agreed upon the Bassa of Bosna being commanded from the Grand Seignior in all haste to provide it for them and so to receive of them the Town Nevertheless for their more strength and more credit with the Turks they received into the Town one Ensign of the Turks with certain Wagons of Victuals brought thither with so strong a Convoy as that the Imperials durst not meddle therewith in which Wagons 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 Favour and Courtesie at the hands of their Enemies than they had found with these renegate Christians So shortly after these Rebels sent out certain Messengers unto the Governour of Alba-Regalis to know his full Resolution which Messengers conducted by certain Turks of great account were upon the way by the free Haiducks all intercepted and the Messengers taken with an hundred Turks more In the mean while Michael Marotti before imprisoned by the Rebels in Pappa by Letters secretly advertised the Lord Swartzenburg of a certain place whereby he might as he said easily enter the Town and the rather for that the Rebels were at variance amongst themselves Who thereupon the twelfth of Iuly came to Pappa with nine thousand Horse and Foot but disappointed of his purpose for entering the Town hardly nevertheless belayed the same upon whom the Mutineers many times desperately sallied out and right valiantly encountered them albeit that they were still without any notable loss by their Enemies too strong for them beaten back again into the Town In one of which sallies it fortuned one of their Captains to be taken who to the terror of the rest was presently â—lain quick and his Head and Skin upon a Pike set up before the Town for his Fellows to behold But the Lord Swartzenburg still more and more prevailing upon them they sent secretly for Aid to the Turks whereof he for all that getting Intelligence sent also for three Regiments of Souldiers more to come unto him to the Siege by whose comming he well strengthned and bringing his approches nearer the Town took from the Rebels the Mill a strength which they very unwillingly lost as in hope thereby to have the more easily received Aid from the Turks who having made preparation to have relieved them were letted so to do by the rising of the Water which had spoiled all the Provision for their relief at the Bridge of Esseg as also hindered them for marching forward At length the Imperials were come with their Trenches even to the Town Ditches out of which they had let out all the Water where some of the Townsmen escaping out of the Town declared how that the mutinous Souldiers within laboured both day and night to fortifie the Town but to be in their work much letted by the continual 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 already begun to eat and that although they were not altogether so valiant yet that they had resolved to die by the Hands of the Souldiers as men expecting no other Mercy Yet shortly after viz. the nine and twentieth of Iuly they desperately fell out upon the Trenches of Maspurgisch a Dutch Captain of whose Souldiers they slew many being drunk and driving the rest out of their Trenches raised a great Alarm Which the Lord Swartzenburg hearing hasted thither to the Rescue where with an unlucky Musquet-shot he was struck in the Head and slain whereof the Rebels got knowledge the same evening and Del la Mota their General in reward of that Service gave unto them that had made that Sally a thousand Dollars to be divided among them The dead Body of that so worthy a man as had done great Service for the Christian Commonweal was afterwards with great Solemnity brought to Rab and there honourably interred The like desperate Sally they made again the next day and slew of the Imperials an hundred and thirty and took certain Prisoners and in retiring back again into the Town cried aloud That when they lacked meat rather than they would yield the Town they would eat Christians whereof Marotti should be the first The Lord Swartzenburg thus slain the Government of the Army was by Matthias the Arch-duke committed to the Lord Redern a Noble man both valiant and learned who although he were very sickly came unto the Camp before Pappa the eighth of August where understanding that the Rebels now brought unto Extremity had a purpose by night to fly away and so be gone he caused a more vigilant and strong Watch to be kept when lo according to his Expectation the next night after about two hours before day they began to issue out whereof the Watch giving knowledge to the General they were indeed suffered to go out as unperceived but presently after at their heels were sent out the Lord Nadasti and the Earl of Thurn with 200 Hussars and after them the chief Collonel and County Solms with part of their Horse-men also who in three divers places overtaking them near unto a great Wood called Packem slew most part of them Del la Mota their chief Captain or Ring-leader being slain by the chief Collonel because he would not yield and his Head afterwards by him presented unto the General in the Camp 200 Wallons the Hussars under the leading of the Lord Nadasti County Solmes and County Thurn found out in the Wood who albeit that they for a space made great resistance yet in the end were inforced to yield and so with their two Ensigns were brought into the Camp. The Hussars also upon another Passage light upon other 200 more of these rebellious Wallons who because they stood strongly upon their Guard and were more desperately set than the rest the General sent out other 200 of the Collonels Horse-men upon them by whom and the Hussars they were almost all slain divers others of them also were slain in coming out of the Town and in the Marishes thereabouts Their General 's Lieutenant with such other of their principal Commanders as were taken were by the Lord Rederns Commandment delivered unto the Provost Martial the rest of the rebellious Traitors he at the request of the Souldiers divided into divers parts of the Army there to the terror of others to be executed from whom the Souldiers could hardly
with that necessary formality required in their devotion the Mufti resolved this doubt almost like the former prescribing a kind of circular motion in prayers by which means they cannot miss of having at some time their faces towards the holy City which in a case of so much difficulty is a sufficient compliance with the duty Many cases of this nature are proposed to the Mufti and many particular rules of Conscience required one of which is remarkable that Busbequius relates that occurred in his time during the Wars between the Emperour of Germany and Sultan Solyman Whether a few Christians taken Captives by the Grand Signior might be exchanged with many Turks in the hand of the Emperour It seems the Mufti was greatly perplexed and puzzled in the resolution for sometimes it seemed a disesteem to the value of a Turk to be rated under the price of a Christian on the other side It appeared want of charity and care of the interest of the Mosselmans to neglect real terms of advantage on such airy and subtile points of formality In fine he consulted his Books and declared that he found two different Authours of great Authority of contradictory opinions in this controversie and therefore his Judgment was to incline to that which had most of favour and mercy in it The Mufti whilst qualified with that title is rarely put to death but first degraded and then becomes liable to the stroke of the Executioner but in cases of notorious crimes or conviction of Treason he is put in a Mortar for that intent remaining in the Prison called the Seven Towers at Constantinople and therein beaten to death and brayed to the contusion of all his bones and flesh The next Office to the Mufti is Kadeleschere or Judge of the Miliâ—ia otherwise Judge Advocate who hath yet power of determination in any other Law Suits whatsoever for this privilege the Souldiery of this Country enjoys to have power extensive over all other conditions of people but to be onely subject themselves to the Government of their Officers this Office of Mufti must necessarily pass through and discharge with approbation before he ascends the top and height of his Preferment The next inferiour degree is a Mollah and there are of two sorts one of Three hundred Aspers and the other of Five hundred Aspers so called for distinction sake the first sort are principal Judges in petty Provinces containing under them the command of Kadees of poor and inconsiderable places the others have their jurisdiction over the whole dominion of a Beglerbeg and have the Kadees of several rich and renowned places under their Government these rise often to the Mufti 's Office but proceed by several degrees and steps and must first gradually command where the Imperial Seats have been as first to be Mollah in Prusa then in Adrianople and lastly in Constantinople at which time he is next to the Office of Kadeleschere and thence to that of the Mufti The Sultan when he writes to any of his Mollahs or Kadees of the first degree he uses this following style To the most perfect judge of the Faithfull the best President of Believers in God the Mine of Vertue and True Knowledge the Distributer of all just Sentence to all Humane Creatures Heirs of the Prophetick and Apostolick Doctrines elected by the singular Grace of God for our Governour and Iudge of whose Vertues may they ever flourish These and Kadees which are the lower and ordinary sort of Judges are as much to be reckoned in the number of religious men as the Mufti himself for as I have said before the Civil Law of the Turks is conceived by them to be derived from their Prophet and the other Expositours of their Law with as much engagement and obligation as these which immediately concern the Divine Worship and therefore are to be treated and handled together The Emaums or Parochial Priests must be able to read in the Alchoran and be counted men of good fame and moral lives amongst their Neighbours before they can be promoted to this Function and must be one of those who have learned at the appointed times of prayer to call the people together on the top of the Steeple by repeating these words Allah ekber Allah ekber Esehedu enla Ilahe ilallah we esehedu enne Mahammed evvesul tuah Fleie ala Selab heie ala Felah Allah ekber allah ekber la Ilahe ilallab that is God is great God is great I profess that there is no Deity but God and confess that Mahomet is the Prophet of God in this manner the people of a Parish recommending any to the Prime Visier declaring that the former Emaum is dead and the Office vacant and that this person is qualified in all points to the Function or better and more knowing than the present Incumbent he receives immediate induction and establishment in the place but for better proof or tryal of the truth of the testimony that accompanies him he is enjoyned to read in presence of the Visier some part of the Alchoran which being done he is dismissed and approved and takes the Visier's Teschere or Mandamus for the place This is all the Ceremony required in making an Emaum for there is no new Character or state of Priesthood as they hold conferred upon them nor are they a different sort distinguished from the people by holy Orders or Rites but meerly by the present office they manage when being displaced they are again numbred with the Laity their Habit is nothing different from others but onely that they wear a large Turbant like the Lawyers with some little variety in folding it up and put on a grave and serious Countenance Their Office is to call the People to Prayers and at due hours to be their Leader in the Mosque and to read and repeat upon Fridays certain Sentences or Verses out of the Alchoran few of them adventure to Preach unless he be well conceited or râ—ally well gifted but leave â—hat office to the Soigh or him that makes Preaching his Profession who is one commoâ—ly that pâ—sses his time in the Convents that we shall hereafter treat of The Mufti hath no Jurisdiction over the Emaums as to the good order or government of the Parishâ—s nor is there any Superiority or Hierarchy as to rule amongst them every one being Independent and without controll in his own Parish excepting his Subjection in Civil and Criminal Causes to the chief Magistrates and considering the manner of their Designation to the Religious Office the little difference between the Clergy and the Laity and the manner of their single Government in Parochial Congregations may not unhappily seem to square with the Independency in England from which Original pattern and example our Sectaries and Phanatick Reformers appear to have drawn their Copy The Church-men and Lawyers are greatly in esteem amongst them as is apparent by the Title they use towards them in their Writings and Commands directed to them in this
near the Mountains The place belonged to the Countess Tekeli in right of her former Husband Prince Francis Ragotski She was Daughter of Count Peter Serini and Married to Tekeli as we have formerly mentioned Caprara having all the Winter his Quarters not far from Mongatz sent frequent Messages to this Lady to Surrender the Town and Castle to the Emperor promising in the name of his Caesarean Majesty to conserve both her self and her Son in the same Condition of Greatness and Estate as at present adding thereunto many Complements which are commonly given to a young and beautiful Lady The expressions he made to her were so full of tenderness and respect that she could not refuse to return an Answer agreeable to so much concernment as he testified for her assuring him That nothing so grieved her as to see herself embarked in a Cause against the Emperor and that nothing could be so uneasie to her and difficult to determin in what manner she was to behave herself between the Duty and Faith she owed to a Husband and Allegiance to the most gentle and gracious Prince of the Universe But as to the Surrender of the Town and Castle it was not in her Power but depended entirely on the Secretary and Deputy of her Husband who was there constituted Governour with all the Riches and Wealth of the place and that the Citizens and Chief Magistrates thereof were joyned in the same Resolutions with him to defend and maintain the Place to their utmost hazard of their Lives and Fortunes and that herein they were the more encouraged by Advices lately received from Count Tekeli whereby he not only gives them the good News of his Liberty and the great Honours and Aids which the Turks had bestowed upon him in recompence for the Affront which the late Vizier had cast upon him but promised them very speedily a Relief sufficient to drive their Enemies from their Doors and at a distance from their Country and would bring Rewards in his Hands for those who should in the mean time remain true and constant to his Interest Count Caprara rightly judging that by such delays and excuses as these the Princess intended only to gain time and to illude his designs began to draw his Forces nearer with a Train of Artillery Mortars and other Engins proper for a Siege But the Garrison nothing dismaid thereby made a Sally with Six hundred Men and gained a Redoubt which the Imperialists had raised near the lower Town with the slaughter of Four hundred Souldiers therein and having taken out the Arms and Guns they demolished the Fort and rased it to the very Ground Howsoever Caprara having received a Recruit of Two thousand Men possessed himself of a Post whereby he hoped to bar the Town of the Water which supplied both that and the Castle But matters happened quite otherwise for the Rains fell in such abundance as filled the Cisterns with Water which were anciently made to supply the wants of the Inhabitants on such occasions In the mean time Apafi Prince of Transilvania labour'd with all his power to gain a Neutrality for himself between the Turks and the Emperor by the first of which he was pressed with all imaginable instances to serve in this War both with Men and Money according to agreement and obligations of his Investiture when he received the Standard from the Sultan And by the other That is by the Emperor he was threatned to declare himself either a Friend or an Enemy for that no sort of indifferency would be admitted in this Case And the better to compel him thereunto Count Caraffa advanced into his Country with Eight thousand Men Two thousand whereof were Hungarians and took up their Quarters on the Frontiers of Transilvania which was now in a Condition under such a Force rather to receive Laws than to give them The Prince Apafi being much incommoded by Quartering of Soldiers dispatched three Agents to Vienna to Treat of those matters to which he was altogether averse in former times and readily offer'd to give free Quarter to those Troops which were sent into his Country but as to an open Declaration of nearer Alliance he desired to be excused considering that his Country was environed by the Turks and their strongest Garrisons bordering on his Confines so that until the Emperor had driven the Enemy at a farther distance it could not be advisable for him to make a more publick Declaration The City of Debrezin Situate between Tokay and Great Waradin is Populous and Rich and had voluntarily desired to be received into Protection of his Imperial Majesty after Zolnock and Cassovia had been reduced having conserved themselves in a Neutrality during the late Revolutions of Hungary without taking part in any Engagement with the Malecontents This City I say was received into Protection upon promise to maintain with free Quarter Five thousand Germans and One thousand Hungarians but finding themselves overburdened and harassed with Quartering these Soldiers they agreed to pay Eighty thousand Florins per Month for the space of six Months in lieu of their free Quarter by which Sum of Money they eased themselves from the inconvenience and insolence of Soldiers as did also many parts of the upper Hungary the main burden of Quarters being cast upon the Countries bordering on Transilvania which was of great relief to the Hereditary Countries This Year began early with Action for the Generals Mercy and Heusler having their Quarters at Zolnock made frequent Incursions upon the Turks with great Success and Advantage And having intelligence that in Transilvania a Convoy of about an Hundred Wagons was providing laden with Money Ammunition and Provisions for the subsistence and relief of Buda they made a Detachment of Five thousand choise Horse with some Auxiliaries from Count Caprara and ordered them to march towards Segedin and to Way-lay them in their Passage over the River Heusler being advanced about a League from Segedin gave Orders to Peterhasi with a strong Battalion to embosk himself within the Woods which grew very thick in that Country and when the Garrison of Segedin should Sally forth to the assistance of the Convoy That he should then with his Battalion arise from the place of Concealment and seize upon the Town which might perhaps be left naked and void of all defence Matters did not in all things answer expectation for the Convoy being Guarded with a strong party of Turkish Soldiers they Fought with such Valour and Resolution that thô the Imperialists remain'd Masters of the Field and of the Convoy yet the Action cost so much Blood that it could not properly be called a Victory for a Victory may be too dearly bought when it is purchased with the Lives of so many brave Men as are not to be estimated by any advantage whatsoever And so it happened now for thô Three thousand Turks were killed on the place yet they were not to be valued with the
the Caesarean Dignity with the usual Marks of Preference They shall have liberty of Hiring their own Interpreters and their Messengers that come to the Fulgid Port or return from it to Vienna shall have free Passage going and coming with all convenient Favour and Assistance in their Iourney XVIII This Peace tho' it now stands concluded upon the present Conditions yet it shall then only be esteem'd to have and to receive its full force of Obligation and Effect when all and singular Conditions stipulated and accepted on both sides as well concerning the Distinctions of the Borders as the Evacuations and Demolishments shall be fully executed in this manner after the Limits are settled then shall the Evacuations and Demolishments of Places follow and that all this may as soon as possible be put in practice Commissaries to settle these Distinctions shall on both sides be appointed who at the Equinoctial S. N. 22. S. V. 12 of March A. D. 1699. shall with a moderate and peaceable Attendance meet at Places to be determin'd by the Governors of the Confines and these Commissaries shall within two months or less if possible by manifest marks describ'd in the former Articles separate and set apart these Confines and shall with all exactness and expedition execute all other things that shall be Agreed by the Plenipotentiaries of both Empires XIX The Plenipotentiaries of both Empires do mutually Oblige themselves and Promise that these Conditions and Articles thus reduc'd into Form shall be mutually Ratify'd by the Majesty of each of the Emperors and that within 30 days or sooner from the time of Subscription the Ratifications shall in Solemn manner be mutually Exchang'd in the Confines by the most Illustrious and most Excellent Lords the Plenipotentiary Mediaâ—ors XX. This Truce shall continue and God willing extend to full 25 years to be reckon'd from the day of the Subscription after the Expiration of which Term or in the middle of it it shall be in the Power of either of the Parties tâ—at so shall think fit to prolong it to a greater number of Years Therefore what things soever are here establish'd by the mutual and free Consent of the Majesty of the most Serene and most Potent Emperor of the Romans on the one part and the Majesty of the most Serene and most Potent Ottoman Emperor on the other and their Heirs shall be Religiously and Inviolably observ'd thro' all their Empires and Kingdoms by Land and Sea through all their Cities and Towns and by all their Subjects and Dependants and it is likewise Agreed that it shall on both sides be strictly enjoyn'd to all Governours Commanders Captains Generals to all the Soldiery to all under their Protection to all in Subjection and Obedience under them thaâ— they take diligent Care to Conform themselves to all the above-mention'd Conditions â—lauses Compacts and Articles that under what pretence or colour soever contrary to the Peace and Friendship thus establish'd the Subjects on either side do not offend or injure one another but abstaining from all sort of Enmity they are commanded to become good Neighbours to each other under the severest Penalties if after they are thus admonish'd they do not yield a ready Obedience The Tartar C ham likewise and all the Nations of the Tartars by whatsoever Names they are call'd stand engag'd to the Observance of this Peace Good Neighbourhood and Reconciliation nor shall it be permitted 'em in prejudice of these Agreements to commit any Hostilities in the Provinces or upon any of the Subjects or upon any under the Protection of his Caesarean Majesty Moreover if any one shall presume to Act contrary to these Sacred Imperial Capitulations Agreements or Articles whether he belongs to the Tartar Nations or to any other Forces by whatsoever Name call'd he shall be most rigorously punish'd This Peace Cessatiâ—n and Security of the Subjects on both sides shall commence from the Date of this Subscription and thence all Enmities on both sides shall cease and be extinguish'd and the Subjects on both sides shall enjoy full Security and Tranquillity and for that end and in order all Hostilities may be carefully prevented Mandates and Edicts for publishing the Peace shall as soon as possible be sent to all Governours of the Confines but considering some time will be requisite that the Officers in the remoter Confines may have notice of this Peace 20 days are for this purpose appointed after which if any one on either side presume to commit any sort of Hostility he shall without Mercy suffer the Punishments before declar'd In the last place that these Conditions of Peace contain'd in 20 Articles and accepted of on both sides may with great and due respect be inviolably observ'd The Lords the Ottoman Plenipotentiaries by Virtue of an Imperial Faculty granted to 'em for that purpose have deliver'd to us an Authentick and Instrument writ and subscrib'd in the Turkish Language are likewise by Virtue of a Special Order and by our Plenipotentiary Power have on our part deliver'd these Writings of the Articles Sign'd and Subscrib'd by our proper Hands and Seals in the Latin Tongue as a True and Authentick Instrument This Treaty between the Emperor being thus finished and agreed the next thing was to appoint Commissaries to regulate the Limits between Croatia and Bosnia as was concluded by the Treaty of Peace at Carlovitz to appear upon the said Limits on the 14 24th of March following in order to which Affair his Imperial Majesty appointed Count Marsilii for his Commissary giving him Orders to depart from Vienna in a Weeks time But the Ratifications relating to the Articles of Peace concluded on both sides were sooner dispatched for the Grand Seignior's Ratification of the Treaty arrived at Belgrade the 9th of March N. S. 1699. of which Advice was given the same day to the Secretary of the Imperial Embassy who waited at Peter-Waradin with that of the Emperors that the Exchange might be made on the same Day the which was accordingly done COPIA INSTRUMENTI TURCICI CUM MOSCOVITA Hic est Deus maxime aperiens omnia Potentissimus Firmissimus In Nomine Dei misericordis semper miserentis CAusa exarationis hujus veritate praecellentis Scripti necessitas descriptionis hujus realitate insigniti Instrumenti haec est Incorruptibilis Domini Creatoris immortalis Opificiâ— liberrimi arbitrii Domini Dei cujus Gloria extollatur extra omnem similitudinem paritatem aeternarum confirmationum ubertatis concessione gratiâ honoratissimae Meccae lucidissimae Medinae Servi Sanctae Hierusalem aliorum Locorum benedictorum Defensoris Rectoris binarum Terrarum Sultani Regis binorum Marium Dominatoris potentis Aegypti Abyssinarum Provinciarum ac Felicis Arabiae Adenensis Terrae Caesareae Africanae Tripolis Tuneti Insulae Cypri Rhodi Cretae aliarum Albi Maris Insularum atque Imperatoris Babylonis Bositrae Laxae Revani Carsiae Erzirum
understanding and struck with present despair both of his State and Life the night now coming on fled with Euphrosina the Emperor Alexius his Wife and Eudocia her Daughter whom he had married when he had reigned about a month and sixteen days The Tyrant Author of all this mischief and of the calamities ensuing thus fled and the Latines furiously entring the Priests and Religious Men in their Surplices and other Ecclesiastick Ornaments with their Crosses and Banners as in solemn procession met the Latines and falling down at the Souldiers Feet with Floods of tears abundantly running down their heavy countenances besought them but especially the Captains and Commanders to remember the condition of wordly things and contenting themselves with the Victory the Glory the Honour the Empire the Immortality of their Name to abstain from Slaughter from burning from spoâ—ling and ransaking of so beautiful a City and that seeing they were themselves men they would also have pity of men and being themselves Captains and Souldiers they should also have compassion upon Captains and Souldiers who although they were not so valiant and fortunate as they were yet nevertheless were both Captains and Souldiers and that they would keep and preserve their City whereof if they ruinated it not they might have much more pleasure and commodity than if they should destroy the same which as it had been the principal seat of the Greek Empire so might it now be of the Latines That seeing they had thereof a careful regard as then belonging to another man they ought now upon better reason to have more care thereof being their own That the Authors of all these troubles and mischiefs Alexius the Elder and Murzufle had already received a reward answerable to their follies in that they were driven into Exile That they would have pity and compassion of an innocent and unfortunate Multitude of poor People oppressed and grievously tormented with the often tyrannies of their murderous Lords and Governours That in so doing God the Lord of Hosts the giver and guider of Battels the God of mercy would therefore reward them To conclude they humbly besought them to pardon their Citizens to put on the hearts of gracious and merciful Lords and Fathers not of Enemies and rough Masters of Forgivers not of Revengers and to understand by their Tears their miserable Estate and Woes passed With this so humble a Submission and Complaint of the Religious some of the better sort were happily moved but with the common Souldiers breathing nothing but Victory with their Weapons in their Hands and the Spoil of an Empire in their Power what availed Prayers or Tears Every man fell to the Spoil and in so great choice and liberty of all things â—itted his own disordred appetite without respect of the wrong or injury done to others only from the effusion of innocent blood they abstained they whose lives they sought after being already fled together with the Tyrant Other injuries and outrages so great as that greater none could be were in every place so riâ—e that every Street every Lane every Corner of the City was filled with Mourning and Heaviness There might a man have seen Noble Men earst of great Honour and reverend for their hoary Hairs with other Citizens of great Wealth thrust out of all they had walking up and down the City weeping and wringing their hands as men forlorn knowing not where to shroud their Heads Neither stayed the greedy rage of the insolent Souldiers within the Walls of mens private Houses but brake out into the â—tately Palaces Temples and Churches of the Greeks also where all was good prize and nothing dedicated to the Service of God left unpolluted and defaced no place unsought nor corner unrifled right lamentable and almost incredible it were to report all the miseries of that time Some of the Greek Historiographers men of great mark and place and themselves Eye-witnesses and Partakers of those evils have by their Writings complained to all Posterity of the insolency of the Latines at the winning of the City to their eternal dishonour but that disordered Souldiers in all Ages in the liberty of their insolent Victory have done such outrages as honest minds abhor to think upon Thus Constantinople the most famous City of the East the seat and glory of the Greek Empire by the miserable ambition and dissention of the Greeks for Sovereignty fell into the Hands of the Latines the twelfth of April in the year 1204 year 1204. or after the account of others 1200. Constantinople thus taken and the Tyrants put to flight the Princes and great Commanders of the Army held a Council to consider what were best to be done concerning the City and the new gained Empire for after so great a Victory they thought it not good to raâ—e so antient and important a City seated as it were a Watch-Tower upon the Theatre of the World overlooking both Asia and Europe from the one to the other as an eye of the Universal and so commodiously planted as was no other City of the World for the keeping under of the Enemies of the Christian Religion but that it were much better to place there a Latine Governour to establish there the Latine Laws and Customs and to unite the Greek Church as a Member unto the Church of Rome In which consultation some were of opinion not to have any more Emperors in Christendom but one and therefore to make choice of Philip the German Emperor Author of this War whose Wife Irene was the only Daughter and Heir of the late Emperor Isaac Angelus unto whom by all right the Inheritance of her Fathers Empire belonged But the greater part considering that the troubled affairs of Greece in so great a change and newness of the Empire had need of the personal presence of a Prince thought it better to make choice of one among themselves who there still resiant in that place might at all times give aid unto the Latines in their sacred Wars taken in hand against the Infidels which opinion as the better was approved of them all The chief men in this Election of the new Emperor were Baldwin Count of Flanders and Hainault Henry his Brother Lewis Count of Bloys Simon de Montfort Iohn de Dammartin Gualter de Brienne Hugh Count of St. Paul Iohn Count of Brenne Boniface Marquess of Mont-Ferrat Stephen Count of Perch and five Gentlemen of Venice unto whom also were joyned two Bishops of Syria the one of Bethlem the other of Ptolemais who had oftentimes come to the Camp of the Latines to stir them up for the taking in hand the sacred War in Syria with two Bishops of France also namely of Soisson and Troy in Champagne and the Abbot of Lemely These great Lords and Prelates assembled into the Church of the holy Apostles after they had there with great devotion craved of God to inspire them with his Spirit for the choice of a good and just Prince fit for
them that had the leading of the Wings of Scanderbegs Army divers of the common Souldiers thrust the Heads of the slain Turks upon the points of their Spears in token of Victory to the great astonishment of the Turks and now joining themselves with Scanderbeg more fiercely charged the main Battel of the Turks than before Nevertheless Moses encouraging his Souldiers did what was possible for a man to do and even with his own Valour a great while staid the course of the Victory until he seeing the ground about him covered with the dead bodies of his best Souldiers and that there was no remedy but that he must either flie or there die turned his Back and fled In which Flight many of the hindermost of the Turks were slain as for Moses himself he escaped by ways to him well known only with four thousand men the poor remainder of so great an Army the rest to the number of about eleven thousand all choice men were slain whereas of the Christians were not past an hundred lost and about eighty wounded Of all the Turks that were taken only one was saved who being a man of good account had yielded himself to Zacharias and was afterward ransomed the rest were all by the common Souldiers without Pity tortured to death in revenge of the Cruelty by them shewed at Belgrade Scanderbeg himself either not knowing thereof or winking thereat Moses with the rest of his discomfited Army lay still a while upon the Borders of Epirus and would fain have perswaded them after the departure of Scanderbeg to have followed him again into Epirus to have surprised the Garrison left in Dibra in number not above two thousand promising to bring them upon the same Garrison before they should be aware of their coming But the Turks having him now in contempt were about by general consent to forsake him and to return home And so Moses seeing no remedy returned with them to Constantinople with countenance as heavy as if he had been a condemned man now carried to the place of Execution and the Turks which had not long before had him in great admiration expecting that he should have ended the Wars in Epirus began now to disgrace him as fast and to speak all the evil of him they could devise Yea the Tyrant himself although he could blame nothing in the Man but his Fortune was so highly offended with him for the loss of his Army that he had undoubtedly put him to most cruel death had not the great Bassaes and others near about him perswaded him otherwise saying That in so doing he should alienate the minds of all others from revolting unto him or attempting any great thing for his service So was he by their mediation pardoned his life but withal so disgraced that he had little or nothing allowed him afterwards for his necessary maintenance all which despightful contumelies he outwardly seemed patiently to bear but was inwardly so tormented with melancholy and grief that he could neither eat nor drink the remembrance of the foul Treason committed against his Prince and Country was day and night before his Eyes and the disgraces of the Turks Court inwardly tormented him with intollerable grief the sight of the Tyrant who measured all things by the event filled his Heart with secret indignation and to return again to his natural Prince of whom he had so evil deserved he was ashamed sometime the clemency and princely nature of Scanderbeg whom he knew of old slow to revenge and easie to be intreated to forgive heartned him on to think of return and by and by the consideration of his foul Treason overwhelmed him with despair Thus with contrary thoughts plunged too and fro tormented with the unspeakable griefs of a troubled conscience not knowing what to do purposing now one thing and by and by another at last he resolved to forsake the insolent Tyrant and to submit himself to the mercy of Scanderbeg wishing rather to die in his Country for his due desert than to live with infamy derided in the Turks Court. Resting himself upon this resolution one Evening he got secretly out of the Gates of Constantinople and travelling all that night and the day following before he rested by long and weary journeys came at last unto his native Country of Dibra The Garrison Souldiers beholding their old Governor all alone full of heaviness as a man eaten up with cares moved with compassion forgetting the evils he had been the occasion of received him with many tears and friendly embracings and brought him to Scanderbeg who by chance then lay not far off Moses coming unto him with his girdle about his Neck in token that he had deserved death as the manner of that Country was found him walking before his Tent and there with heavy cheer falling down upon his Knees at his Feet submitted himself unto his mercy and with great humility and signs of repentance craved his most gracious pardon Which his request Scanderbeg presently granted and taking him up by the Hand embraced and kissed him in token he had from his Heart forgiven him and within a few days after caused all such things of his as were before confiscate to be again restored unto 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 privately speak of that Moses had trespassed Mahomet understanding that Moses was returned again into Epirus and honoured of Scanderbeg as in former time was much grieved 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 perswaded that all that Moses had done was but a fineness of Scanderbeg to deceive him Shortly after that Moses was returned into Epirus Mahomet by like practice allured unto him Amesa Scanderbeg his Nephew promising to make him King of Epirus in his Uncles stead For by that means the crafty Tyrant thought it a more easie way to draw the minds of the people of Epirus from Scanderbeg unto him descended of the Princes Blood than to Moses or to any other Stranger he should fet up Amesa upon this hope of a Kingdom fled to Constantinople and because he would clear the mind of the Tyrant of all Suspition and distrust he carried with him his Wife and Children as the most sure Pledges of his Fidelity This Amesa was of Stature low and the Feature of his Body not so perfect as might sufficiently express the hidden Vertues of his Mind he was of Courage haughty above measure subtil and of a pregnant Wit wonderful painful and thereto courteous and bountiful the chief means whereby aspiring minds steal away the Hearts of Men whatsoever he got of himself or had by the gift of his Uncle he divided it among his Souldiers or Friends he was very affable and could notably both cover and dissemble his affections for which
their minds altogether estranged from that War easily staied the raging Turk they detested that War and forsook their Ensigns a great number of whom especially Horsemen without leave of their Captains returned to Constantinople and being commanded again to the Camp went indeed but with such countenance and chear as well declared how they were affected and what they would do if occasion served for them to revolt For which cause after that Solyman perceived that Bajazet could not alive be got from the Persian excusing himself by fear of revenge by him whom he had so grievously offended if he should by any means escape he thought it best to follow that which was next and to have him there slain which he was in good hope to compass and the rather for that the Persian had but lately written unto him That he could not but much marvel to see him deal so slenderly in a matter of so great importance That he on his part had sent him divers Embassadors and that he on the other side had sent him nothing but common Messengers with Papers which caused him to think that he made no great account of the matter wherefore he should do well to send unto him Men of account and place with whom he might confer and conclude also according to the weightiness and exigence of the cause besides that he was as he said not a little in his debt for that Bajazet and his Followers had been unto him no small charge before he could get him into his power all which it were good reason he should have consideration of Whereby Solyman perceived that Mony was the thing the Persian King sought after and therefore rather than he would in an unfit time of his life intangle himself in a dangerous and unnecessary War he determined by the counsel of his Bassaes rather with Mony than with the Sword to fight with the Persian King. Hereupon was Hassan Aga one of the chief Gentlemen of his Chamber appointed Embassador into Persia with whom was joyned the Bassa of Maras a Man both for his age and place reverend who departing with a large Commission almost in the depth of Winter with great speed and wonderful toil by those long and difficult ways arrived at last at Casbin the Seat of the Persian King having by the way lost divers of their Servants and Followers Being come to the Court the first thing they desired was to see Bajazet whom they found shut up in a close Prison pale and wan as a Man forlorn with his Hair and Beard so long and overgrown as that he was not to be known before he was new Trimmed which done then appeared the lively resemblance of his wonted countenance and favour so that Hassan verily knew him to be him for he had been brought up with him of a Child in the Court and for this cause especially had Solyman sent him thither to be assured that it was he At length after long discourse and conference between the King and the Embassadors it was agreed upon that the King should receive from Solyman full recompence of all the charges he had been at and of the harms by him sustained since the coming of Bajazet into Persia with such further reward as so great a good turn deserved which things performed that then it should be in Solymans power to have Bajazâ—t made away With this news Hassan posteth to his Master at Constantinople who forthwith caused the promised Reward together with such charges as the Persian King demanded to be made ready and with a safe convoy to be sent unto the Borders of Persia where they were of the Persians received Presently after returneth Hassan the appointed Executioner of the unfortunate Bajazet for so Solyman had straitly charged him to strangle him with his own hands Which thing this new made Hangman accordingly performed and with a Bow-string strangled the unfortunate Prince who is reported to have requested of the Executioner that he might but see his Children before he died and take of them his last farewel which poor request could not be granted but he forthwith commanded to die This was the woful end of the unlucky attempt of Bajazet 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 four Sons Omer Amurat Selym and Muhamet of whom the three eldest were strangled at Casbin with their Father whose dead Bodies together with his were solemnly brought to Sebastia and there buried The youngest but new born left at Amasia and sent by his Grandfather to Prusa as is before said to be there nursed was now upon the death of his Father commanded by his said Grandfather to be strangled also The Eunuch sent by Solyman to have done the deed and loth to do it himself took with him one of the Porters of the Court a desperate and otherwise a hard hearted Ruffian a Man thought fit to have performed any villany he coming into the Chamber where the Child lay and fitting the Bow-string to the Childs Neck to have strangled him the innocent Babe smiling upon him and lifting it self up as well as it could with open Arms offered to have embraced the Villain about the Neck and kissed him Which guiltless simplicity so wounded the stony hearted Man that he was not able to perform the intended butchery of the poor simple Child but fell down in a swoun and there lay for dead The Eunuch standing without the Door marvelling at his long stay goes in and finding the Ruffian lying along upon the ground with cruel hand performed that the other could not find in his heart to do and so strangled the guiltless Child as had been given him in charge Whereby it evidently appeared that it was not the mercy or compassion of Solyman that so long caused the guiltless Infant to be spared but rather the opinion generally received amongst the Turks who measuring all things by the good or bad success refer all things that fall out well unto God as the Author thereof be they never so ungraciously begun and therefore so long as it was yet uncertain what success the attempts of Bajazet would have Solyman spared the Infant lest upon his Fathers good hap he might seem to have striven against the will of God. But now that his Father was dead and his quarrel by the evil success thereof condemned as it were by the sentence of the Almighty he thought it not good longer to suffer him to live lest of an evil Bird might come an evil Chick I had sometime saith the Reporter of this History great reasoning with my Chiaus about this matter for falling into talk with him of Bajazet he began bitterly to inveigh against him for taking up Arms against his Brother Whereunto saith this Author I replied That in mine opinion he was worthy both to be
withstood his whole Forces But making himself ready to have encountred him the fourth time understanding of great aid comming to the Visier from the Bassaes of Damasco and Tripolis he with speed retired and returning into the City and having trussed up his Treasure with such things as he made most reckoning of fled into the Mountains towards Persia with the greatest part of his Army yet left still following him After which unfortunate Battel the Visier Bassa with his Army coming unto the City at length by force took the same and there to the terrour of the Inhabitants put to the sword all the Garrison souldiers which the Bassa had there left But the Bassa purposing with new Forces to have encountred with the Visier finding himself together with his better Fortune forsaken by many of his former Friends and Companions did think it best at length to take his refuge unto the mercy of the Great Sultan and so resolved by Letters requested the Visier Bassa to write in his behalf unto the Sultan and so if it were possible to procure his peace Which the Visier having easily obtained he was by Letters from the Great Sultan sent for to Constantinople with assured promise that he should be employed in service against the Persian King. Upon receit of which Letters the Bassa with an hundred horse set forward and coming to Constantinople there in the presence of many other of the Bassaes humbled himself unto the Sultan who not only kept his promise with him in pardoning of him but also in regard of the antient Family whereof he was descended as also of his great valour and fair conditions received him again into his favour and caused all the goods taken from him in Syria to be again restored unto him Now in the mean time the great Sultan had by the means of the great Cham of Tartary endeavour'd to make peace with the Persian King but all in vain for that he demanded the City of Tauris with all the Provinces before taken from him by the Persians to be again restored unto him which the Persian King utterly denied for as much as he had now by force of Arms recovered the same and which in former time belonged unto his Ancestors At which time the said Persiâ—n Kâ—ng the more to entangle the Turk writ unto the King of Spain for the turning of his Forces also against the Turk their common Enemy the Letters being to this effect That though they were in Religion divided yet that in Power and in common hatred against the Othoman Empire they were conjoyned and that he considering the greatness of his Power and Arms whereby he was become his Neighbour in the East could not but most entirely love and favour him and that therefore he had commanded all his Provinces as well in India as in other places thereabouts that they should shew unto his Subjects all manner of courtesie and to demand of them no Tribute And that he having by force recovered the Fortress of Aden which Solyman the Turkish Sultan had sometime by Treason surprized had appointed the same unto the service of the Spanish Governour dwelling in Goâ— And that his pleasure was That all the Christians dwelling in his Kingdom should enjoy the same liberty and priviledges which his own faithful Subjects had And besides declared that he had now for seven years space made continual Wars against the Turkish Sultan who had by Treason taken from him the stronâ— Town of Chiamon for the recovery whereof he had now divers times overthrown his Armies But for as much as he was determined to make no end of this War until he had driven the Sultan out of those parts of the East and recovered the Seat of Ismael and Iuchel his Ancestors in Babylon and Caire he therefore requested him being a King of so great power to joyn in League with him and to send his dreadful Fleet into the Persian Gulf promising that by such means the Othoman Power driven out he could easily make himself Lord of Syria and of Egypt Last of all he rekoneth up the Presents he sent him to wit the Images of Ismael Iuchel and of Ionas together with his own cast in gold and set with most rich precious Stones and Pearls a Persian writing Table garnished with fair precious Stones four Dogs by nature wonderfully spotted with red yellow and blue spots two pieces of Arras adorned with most precious Stones and Pearl wherein the worthy Acts of him that great Tamerlane were lively to be seen four Hunters horns very smooth and richly garnished twelve most gallant Plumes of Feathers of divers colours six Drinking-glasses which could not be broken and Couch-beds so cunningly made as that they were like unto Chairs having wrought in them the antient Wars betwixt Ascanius and Chiusa King of the Medes Now the Emperour for the better appeasing of all former troubles and the preventing of new and the better assurance of the State had about the middle of August called an Assembly of the States of Hungary to Presburg whither they being come and having long in vain expected the coming of Matthias the Arch-duke by the Emperour appointed to have been President in that Assembly were in the beginning of September about to have returned home but that requested by the Arch-bishop to stay yet fifteen days longer they were contented so to do but yet upon condition That if the Arch-duke then came not they should not be bound to stay any longer For why they by Letters certified of the attempts of the Tartars who had requested to have a place in the Borders of Hungary appointed them to dwell in were desirous in any wise to have that Assembly of Parliament put off to a farther time that so they might the better betime prevent and meet with such the Tartars Designs whom they were loth to have for their bad and troublesom Neighbours And now the Turks in the mean time in hopes that the Peace betwixt them and the Christians would not long hold were come to Buda in such multitudes that the houses in the Town being not able to hold them they were glad to set up Tents for them to lye in within the City for that the Bassa would not suffer them to set up any Tents abroad in the Fields lest the Christians should suspect them to be about the raising of an Army and so to disturb the Peace But the States of Hungary having stayed full fifteen days as the Arch-bishop had requested and the Arch-duke not coming made a solemn Protestation before the Chapter of the Cathedral Church at Presburg that they departed from Presburg and so returned home not upon any discontentment or Contumacy but for want of things necessary and other their urgent Occasions having above seven weeks expected the Arch-duke's coming without whom nothing could be done and yet that if it should please the Emperour by solemn Summons at any time after to call another
took no effect by reason of the Remonstrances which the Grand Visier and the Muphti made him representing unto him that by this Cruelty he should draw upon his Estate a dangerous War from all the Christian Princes in General But all this freed him not from fear he walks all Night on Horseback up and down the City contrary to his Custom and he causeth a Friar Vicar to the Patriarch who had been taken with the Jesuits to be executed in his Presence and he doth expresly forbid the Passage from Constantinople to Pera and from Pera to Constantinople During this Prohibition the French Ambassador had past from Pera to the City to sollicite the Jesuits Liberty At his return he found the Passage stopt he goes unto the Muphti and leaves his People in the mean time at the Sea side for it is the Custom to go to the Soveraign of Mahomets Law with a small Train during the time of his being there a Multitude of People ran dowâ—â—o the Shore to see these Men thinking for ceâ—tain that they went to put them to Death They lamenting their miserable Fortune and the Turks chargiâ—â— them furiously with Injuries as the Men 〈◊〉 they thought practised by Conspiracy their ruine But the Grand Visier having written with his own Hand and sent one of his People to them that kept the Passage the Ambassador with his whole Train was suffered to pass to Pera but he found the Storm as raging at Pera as from whence he came for one Night after the People of that Place fell into such a Fury as it was to be feared the Law of Nations would have been violated by the Insolency of some furious People although the Subject were of small Importance About five hundred Paces from the French Ambassadours quarter there fell out a Dispute in a Lodging betwixt some who spent the Night in some kind of Employment the Turks that dwelt near being awaked with this Noise ran to Arms and trooped together in the Street being in all 1000 men armed crying out that this Noise came from the Francks that is to say from the Christians in the West as Italians French Spanish English and others who meant to rise and they resolved to force the Ambassadors Houses and to put all to Fire and Sword if some better advised of the Troop had not perswaded them to delay the Execution until day the which being come the French Ambassador had means to get the Sultan to interpose his Sovereign Authority to bridle the Insolency of a Multitude inconsiderately incensed Such is the danger in the which many times the Ministers of Christian Princes find themselves who for their Masters Service live at the Mercy of a Nation baâ—barously furious as the Turkish The Jesuits in the mean time continued Prisoners in the Dungeon until that the Baron of Sansy Ambassadour for France had let the Grand Visier see their Innocency and procured their Liberty and the Sultan by his Letters Patents did publish the falshood of the malicious Accusations invented against them but to avoid the Fury of a Multitude blind in their Passions and dangerous in their fury they went to Sea to return to France but after they had sojourned sometime at the Dardanels they were again committed to Prison by reason of some certain advertisement that was given to the Sultan of the same substance The Sultan informed himself truly of their Probity gave them their liberty calling back two to Pera to live there with the same Priviledges they formerly had and suffered the rest to return into France Alexander Prince of Moldavia having lost a thousand Horse near unto Cochina the last year as you have heard the Bassa and Stephano were puft up with this good Success but Michna had no joy of it who hearing that the Princes attended him at Cochina with a Resolution to defend themselves remembring that a certain Italian making a Profession to foretell future things had told him That if he ever came to fight with the Polonians he would be in danger of his life wherefore by the Advice of his Chancellor and Camp-Master called Spaterlecha he pretended that he had received News from his Lieutenant that there was a great Troop of Tartarians entred into Valachia and spoiled the Country upon which Pretext he took leave of the Bassa and returned leaving all his Souldiers in the Army reserving only an hundred Horse for his Guard. Being in Valachia Stephano wrote unto him that he had defeated the Polonians in Battel in the which there were slain six thousand men upon the place and had taken a great number of Prisoners which thâ—â— meant to send to the Grand Seignior all which was but a mere Invention to mock Michna and to make him sorry that he â—as not in the Action whereupon he was so much â—â—â—contented as he caused the Heads of his Chanâ—ellor and Camp-master to be cut off for their bad Counsel charging them that they had some secret Intelligence with the Polonians About the end of March the Bassa with Stephano and a Tartarian Prince called Monoza resolved to advance with their whole Army being twenty thousand men towards Cochina and being within two Leagues they made a stand a whole day to refresh their men In the mean time the Princes put their Army in order of Battel in a little Plain within a quarter of a League of Cochina leaving a thousand choice Horse within the Town under the Command of Prince Coresky assuring themselves that the Turks would not fail to camp betwixt the Town and the Prince's Army that if they were defeated they might have no means to retire into the Fort which was held impregnable The Princes drew eight pieces of Cannon out of the Fort which they planted within a Trench which was covered with a Wood. The Bassa on the other side thought that he had the Princes at his mercy being advertised that they had not half so many men in their Army early in the morning he caused his men to march in good order who arrived near to Cochina by seven of the clock in the morning where having made a stand to discover the Princes Army he went and incamped betwixt them and the Town as it had been foreseen His men being put in order the Tartarians who had a great desire to be revenged of the Cossacks who had defeated them in many Encounters intreated to have the Point the which was granted and the Trumpets sounding they advanced towards a Battalion of Cossacks nothing distrusting the Cannon which was planted on that side and not seen Coming within the shot they presently played upon them and overthrew a great number of the Tartarians and terrified the rest the which the Cossacks perceiving they charged them furiously and cut the rest in pieces and so retired towards their Army seeing another Squadron of Valachianâ— and Moldavians come to succour the Tartarians The Lord of Tischevich with his Troop of fifteen or sixteen
manner You that are the glory of the Iudges and Sagemen the profound Mines of Eloquence and Excellence may your Wisedom and Ability be augmented CHAP. V. Of the Mufti 's Revenue and from whence it doth arise AFter the Mufâ—i is elected there is no Ceremony us'd in his Investure than this he presents himself before the Grand Signior who Cloaths him with a Vest of rich Sables of One thousand Dollars price and one thousand more he presents him with in Gold made up in a Handkerchief which he delivers with his own Hand putting it in the fold of his under Garment doubled over his breast and bestows on him a Salary of Two thousand Aspers a day which is about Five pound Sterling money besides which he hath no certain Revenue unless it be the power of Preferment to some Prebendaries or Benefices of certain Royal Mosques which he sells and disposes of as is best to his advantage without the scruple of corruption or Simony By the sentences he gives which they call Fetfas he receives not one Asper benefit though every Fetfa costs eight Aspers yet the Fee thereof goes to his Officers that â—s to his Musewedegi or he who states the question is paid five Aspers to his Mumeiz or he who Copies or Transcribes the question fair two Aspers to him that keeps the Seal one Asper Other benefits the Mufti hath little excepting onely that at his first entrance to his office he is saluted by all Ambassadours and Residents for foreign Princes as also the Agents of several Pashaws residing at the Port none of which come empty-handed but offer their accustomed Presents by which he collects at least Fifty thousand Dollars When any Mufti is deprived of his Office without any other motive than the pleasure of the Grand Signior he is gratified with an Arpalick which is the disposal of some judicial Preferment in certain Provinces and the superintendency of them from which he gathers a competent Revenue for his maintenance And because he is a person whose advice and counsel is of great Authority with the Grand Signior and Visier and that his word and candid report of matters is considerable and his favour in sentences very estimable he is therefore courted by all the Grandees of the Empire who know no other way of reconciling and purchasing the affections of a Turk than by force of Presents which have more of power in them than all other obligations or merits in the World. CHAP. VI. Of the Emirs WE may here bring in the Emirs otherwise called Eulad Resul into the number of the Religious men because they are of the Race of Mahomet who for distinction sake wear about their heads Turbants of a deep Sea-green which is the colours of their Prophet out of reverence to his esteemed holy Bloud many privileges are indulged by the secular Authority that they cannot be vilified affronted or struck by a Turk upon forfeiture of his right Hand but lest they should be licentious by his impunity they have a châ—ef Head or Superiour amongst them called Nakib Esehref who hath his Serjeants or Officers under him and is endued with so absolute a power over them that as he pleases it extends both to Life and Death but he never will give the scandal to this holy Seed to execute or punish them publickly And though few of them can derive his Genealogy clearly from Mahomet yet those who can but onely pretend to it are often helped out in their Pedegree as often as the Nakib desires to favour any Person or can have any colour to acquire a new Subject and then to clear all scruple from the World he gives him a Tree of his Lineage and Descent The Turks being well acquainted with this abuse carry the less respect to the whole Generation so that as often as they find any of them drunk or disordered they make no scruple to take off their Green Turbants first Kissing them and laying them aside with all reverence and afterwards beat them without respect or mercy Their second Officer is called Alemdar who carries the Green Flag of Mahomet when the Grand Signior appears with any Solemnity in publick they are capable of any Offices few of them exercise any Trade unless that which is Esirgi or one who deals in Slaves to which sort of Traffick this Sainted Off spring is greatly addicted as being a holy Profession to captivate and enslave Christians These aâ—e the mosâ— abominable Sodomites and abusers of Masculine youth in the World in which sin against nature they exceed the foulness and detestable Lust of a Tartar. CHAP. VII Of the Endowments of Royal Mosches and in what manner Tithes are given for Maintenance of their Priests and Religion THE Turks are very magnificent in their Mosches and Edifices erected to the honour and service of God and not onely in the Buildings but in the Endowments of them with a Revenue which Records the Memory of the Donor to all Posterity and relieves many poor who daily repeat Prayers for the Souls of such who died with a persuasion that they have need of them after their decease for those I say who dye of that belief for the condition of the â—oul untill the day of Judgment is controverted amongst the Turks and the question not decided as a matter of Faith or as revealed or determined by the Alchoran For so large benevolence is given to places destined to God's service that as some compute one third of the Lands of the whole Empire are allotted and set out to a holy use much to the shame of those who pretend to the name of Christians and yet judge the smallest proportion to be too large a competence for those who serve at the Altar The principal Mosches and those of richest endowment as in all reason ought are those of Royal Foundation called in Turkish Selatin Giameleri over which the Prime Superintendent is the Kuzlir Aga or the chief Black Eunuch of the Sultan's Women and in his power it is to distribute all considerable offices of Ecclesiastical Preferment relating to the Royal Mosches which office makes a considerable addition to his Power and Revenue for there are many of those Mosches in divers places of the Empire but especially where the Sultans do or have resided as Prusa Adrianople and Constantinople The Royal Mosches of Constantinople are Santa Sophia Sultan Mahomet who Conquered this City Sultan Bajazet Sultan Selim Sultan Solyman Sehezade or the Son of Sultan Solyman Sultan Ahmet and three other Mosches built by the Queen-Mothers one of which was lately erected and richly endowed by the Mother of this present Sultan I shall scarce adventure to acquaint my Reader with the particular Revenue belonging to all these Royal Edifices but certain it is they have Rents as noble and splendid as their Founders for example of which I shall instance onely in that of Santa Sophia built by Iustinian the Emperour and rebuilt by Theodosius and was the Metropolis