his elder Brother Solyman being dead a little before his Father This Amurath with greater zeal than any one of the Turkish Kings advanced the Mahometan Religion and had therein wonderful Success In the beginning of his Reign he gathered a great Army out of all parts of his Kingdom to Prusa purposing to pass over Hellespontus to invade the Christians in Thracia But understanding that the other Mahometan Princes in Asia had combined themselves against him he was thereby inforced to leave his former determination for Europe and to turn his Forces upon them In which Wars he mightily prevailed against them and returned with Victory to Prusa But having so subdued those Confederate Princes he the next year after prosecuted his Wars before intended against the Christians in Europe For which purpose having levied a strong Army in Asia he passed over to Callipolis accompanied with his Tutor whom the Turks call Lala Schahin whose grave advice and counsel he most followed in all his weighty Affairs being at that time one of his chief Counsellors From Callipolis he marched to the Castle of Benutum which was by composition yielded unto him From thence he went to Tzurulus where the Christians gave him a sharp encounter but in the end he won the Town and carried away the Victory And so proceeding farther took divers other small Castles and Towns in that part of Thracia which of the ancient Roman Colonies was then called Romania and now of the Turks Rumilia namely Mesine Burgos and others whereof some he utterly rased and into the rest put strong Garrisons At this time also Chasi-Ilbeg and Eurenoses two of his most valiant Captains took certain Forts standing upon the River Meritza in ancient time called Hebrus whereby they much troubled the Inhabitants of the Country thereabouts Wherewith the Captain of Didymotichum offended gathered his Souldiers together intending to have intercepted the great Captain Chasi-Ilbeg in which Attempt he lost most of his Followers and was himself there taken Prisoner For whose Ransom and certain other Conditions the Citizens of Didymotichum yielded the City unto the Turks Shortly after Amurath sent his Tutor Lala Schahin to besiege Hadrianople now called Adrianople but in ancient time Oâ—estias of whose coming the Christians hearing encountred him upon the way and fought with him a great battel wherein many were on both sides lost but in the end the Christians being put to the worst retired again to the City Of this Victory Schahin sent News unto Amurath with certain of the heads of the slain Christians who thereupon sending Chasis and Eurenoses before he himself with a great Army followed after to the Siege of Hadrianople of whose coming the Governor of Hadrianople understanding fled secretly out of the City by night to Aenus The Citizens seeing themselves so forsaken of their Governor yielded their City unto Amurath in the year of our Lord 1362. The taking of these strong Cities in Thracia especially of Didymotichum and Hadrianople is by some of the Turks own Histories otherwise reported which because it is neither improbable nor disagreeing from the subtil dealings of the Turks and of themselves also received I have thought good to set down as their own Historiographers report the same The Turkish King Amurath had as they say and as truth was in the beginning of his Reign concluded a Peace with the Christians of Thracia during which Peace the Governor of Didymotichum intending to fortifie his City with new and stronger Fortifications against the Assaults of the Turks entertained all the Masons Carpenters and other Workmen he could by any means get which Amurath understanding secretly caused two hundred good and lusty Workmen and Labourers to come out of Asia to offer their Service unto the Governor who gladly entertained them using their help in that his great and hasty Work. Which thing some of the wiser sort of the Citizens disliking wished the Governor to beware of those Asian Workmen as by them suspected But he presuming upon the Peace made with Amurath and considering they were but base Workmen and no Souldiers had the less care of them nevertheless using their work all day he commanded them to lodge without the Walls of the City every night Amurath understanding that these Workmen were thus by the Governor entertained sent for the valiant Captain Chasis-Ilbeg and requested him with thirty other good Souldiers disguised as poor Labourers to go to Didymotichum to seek for Work and in doing thereof to espy if any opportunity might be found for the surprising of the City Chasis with these thirty according to Amurath his direction coming as poor men lacking Work found entertainment at Didymotichum where they carried stones morter and such like things ever shewing themselves very diligent in their work Chasis with vigilant eye still awaiting what might best serve his turn for the surprising of the City When night was come the Turkish Workmen and Labourers after their accustomed manner and as they were by the Governor appointed went out of the City into the Suburbs to their Lodgings from whence Chasis secretly departing in the night came to Amurath and shewed him how one of the gates of the City might upon the sudden be taken if it would please him to place a sufficient number of Turks in ambush near unto the City to joyn with him and the other Turkish Labourers when occasion should serve Which being resolved upon Amurath sent him back again to put this his device in execution So Chasis returning to Didymotichum brake the matter to so many of the Asian Workmen as he thought convenient fully instructing them what was to be done The next day according to his appointment the Christians being then at dinner these Turkish Workmen and Labourers fell at words among themselves and from words to fained blows in which counterfeit Brawl and Tumult they suddenly ran to one of the Gates of the City fast by as was before appointed and there laying hands upon the Warders Weapons as if it had been to defend themselves against their Fellows suddenly set upon those Warders being in number but few and then at dinner also and so presently slew them which done they opened the Gate of the City and let in the other Turks which lay in wait not far off who with great celerity entring the City presently took the same and there put the chiefest of their Citizens to the Sword sparing the rest of the meaner sort The City of Rhodestum of the old Writers called Rhâ—destum was by Amurath his commandment in this time of peace by sudden assault given in the night by the Lord Eurenoses taken also With this foul dealing and breach of League yet in force the Christians hardly charged Amurath who turned it over to the unruliness of his Captains and Men of War whom he threatned with great severity to punish and to give the better colour that it was done without his privity he had fained himself sick all the
make sure his own Borders and afterwards by little and little to enter into the Enemies Country still fortifying in convenient Places as he went and so surely although but slowly to triumph over his Enemies rather than by thrusting his Army headlong upon uncertainties into places strongly fenced both by Nature and the Power of most mighty Enemies to be inforced with shame to abandon the enterprise so hastily begun Of this his Resolution he advertised Mustapha by Writing giving him in charge against the next Spring to provide all such things as should be necessary for the building of certain Forts upon the way that leadeth from Erzirum into Georgia â—hat having made those ways safe and brought the People under his obedience he might afterwards attempt greater matters Whereupon Mustapha presently directed forth Precepts to the Cities of Aleppo of Damasco Caraemit and other Places of Soria and Mesopotamia for the taking up of cunning Workmen of Pioneers and such like to the number of twenty thousand and likewise wrote to all the Countries out of which he had raised his Army the last year That all their Souldiers yea and in greater number also should be in readiness against the next Spring to return to the Wars The rumor whereof he caused to be spread even as far as Aegypt He commanded also the Taxes and Tenths of those Countries to be collected and further used the Chambers of Aleppo and other Places for such masses of Money as he thought necessary for these purposes In this while the two Georgian Brethren Alexander and Manucchiar sent as we have before said by Mustapha to Amurath at Constantinople in doubtfull hope expecting the end for which they were both sent unto the Court were both examined and exhorted to embrace the Mahometan Religion whereunto Manucchiar easily yielded Whereas on the other side Alexander his elder Brother could by no Allurements or means be induced to consent to so infamous and damnable a change of his Religion although he knew he should therefore be deprived of his state but protesting his Obedience at all times to Amurath and his love to his Brother requested only that he might but as a private Man go and live in his Country there to be buried amongst his Ancestors Which his request the Turkish Emperour referred to the Discretion of Manucchiar to do therein as he saw good who consented thereunto Hereupon Manucchiar was circumcised and the name of Mustaffa given him with the Title of the Bassa and Governour of Altunchala and of all his Mothers and Brothers Countries and being thus created a Turk had his Brother Alexander a Christian committed unto him and so both returned into their own Countries Now in the Persian Court at Casbin were many Consultations had for the repressing of the Invasions of the Turks And among others careful of those matters Emanguli Chan Governour of Genge doubting to lose his honourable Government by reason of the late sack of his City and spoil of his Country by the Tartarians by those Plots that were daily in contriving for the sending of men into Siruan to impeach the Designments of Osman Bassa and if it were possible to drive him out of Derbent took occasion to offer unto the King upon pain of his Head to defend Siruan and not to suffer Osman the Turk to attempt any new Fortifications or further Conquests in that Province Of which his offer the King accepted and thereupon the Government of Genge and guarding of the Country of Siruan against the Forces of Osman was frankly committed unto him and commandment given to the Governours of Tauris Reivan and Nassâ—â—an and to divers other Captains that were nearest to be ready at all times with their Power to assist Emanguli Chan if it should fortune either the Tartarians or Turks with any great Power to enter into Siruan which order so taken was thought sufficient for the Security of that Province But how to protect the Georgian Country was thought to be a matter of great importance every man being almost of Opinion That some great Power of the Turks should be sent thither for the more assurance of the Conquest thereof already begun and for the Succour of the Fortress at Tefâ—is which must needs otherwise fall again into the hand of the Georgians This matter so troubled the Persian King as that he seemed to have bent his whole Counsels and Thoughts thereupon When Simon a Georgian a famous Captain sometime Prisoner with Ismahel the late King at Cahaca and by the familiarity he had with him seduced from the Christian Faith for defence whereof he had in the time of King Tamas chosen to live deprived of his Liberty and State thinking it now a fit time to obtain at the Kings Hand such help as he had long desired for the recovery of his Dominion usurped by David otherwise called Daut Chan his younger Brother who for the obtaining thereof of King Tamas had voluntarily renounced his Christian Religion offered now unto the King his faithful Service for the defence of that part of the Georgian Country wherein Teflis stood being in right part of his own Inheritance against the Turks reproving by way of Disgrace his younger Brother of Cowardise and promising the performance of great matters in himself both for the Defence of that evil defended Country and further annoying of the Enemy With great content did the Persian King consent to the request of Simon and named him Chan of all that Kingdom which he possessed before whilst he was a Christian and sent with him Aliculi Chan into Georgia with five thousand Horsemen and certain pieces of Artillery taken at Ere 's when Caietas Bassa was slain Simon afterwards coming to Georgia was joyfully received of his Country-men and there pressed about three thousand Souldiers of his own and of his Neighbours excusing himself that he was become a Persian not because he preferred the Mahometan superstition before the Christian Religion but only so to be delivered from his long Imprisonment and by that means to maintain his Estate And in this order were the Affairs of Georgia assured and strengthned in the best manner that might then be Now began the Spring to approach year 1579 and every man prepared himself to the discontinued Travels of the Wars begun and now were met together at Erzirum out of all the wonted Provinces all the Turks Forces with all things necessary for the intended War. With this Army in all things equal with the first Mustapha set forward and in twelve days came to Chars not perceiving in his Souldiers any sign of discontentment at all And forasmuch as here they were to stay and to fortifie both with Walls and Ditches that ruinated City and that with as great speed as was possible there was no Remedy but that beside the Pioneers and Engineers that were brought for that purpose many of the Spaoglani yea and of the Ianizaries also must be set to work
fetch in such booty of Horses or Cattel as they should find near unto the Emperors Camp and withal commanded them that being charged by the Imperials they should forthwith retire so to draw them out of their Trenches into the place where the King with the greatest part of his Army lay covertly to intrap them Which the Scythians well acquainted with such service so well performed under the leading of one Cozus their General that having once or twice drawn their Enemies unto some light skirmishes and so retyring and ere long again with a greater number returning they at length cunningly drew the Emperor with all his Army in hope to do some great matter upon them even as they wished into the place where the King with his Army lay in wait among the Woods and Mountains for them where they wearied and out of breath with the former pursuit and now on every side beset with fresh Enemies were overthrown with a great slaughter In which conflict to increase the loss Baldwin the Emperor himself was taken and sent Prisoner in bonds to Ternoua where afterwards by the commandment of the barbarous King he was most cruelly put to death having his Hands and Feet cut off and so dismembred was cast out into a deep Vally where he yet lay miserably breathing three days after and so died leaving his body as fortunes scorn for a Prey unto the wild Beasts and Birds of the Air no Man vouchsafing to bury it Thus perished this worthy Prince for his Virtues commended even of the Greeks themselves being about the age of three and thirty years and not having reigned yet a full year in the year of our Lord 1206. year 1206. The Victory thus gained and the City relieved the barbarous King with his savage Souldiers having tasted the wealth of the Latines overthrown in the late Battel and the pleasures of Thracia now subject to their Lust greedily pursued their good fortune without respect of all humanity the open Country they overran spoyling whatsoever came to hand the rich and famous Cities they rifled and afterward rased them down to the ground namely Serrae Philipolis Apri Rhedestum Perinthus Daonium Arcadiopolis Mesena Zurulus and Athyra the Citizens and Country People fled into the Cities for refuge they put all to the Sword without respect of Age Sex or Condition except some few whom they carried away with them Prisoners so that of all the Provinces of that rent and ruinated Empire the Country of Thrace was most miserable as first spoyled by the Latines and now laid desolate by the Bulgarians and Scythians Only some few of the strongest Cities as Didymotichum and Adrianople valiantly defended by the Greeks and Latines escaped this fury of the Barbarians all the rest that fell into their hands being laid wast and desolate In this so troubled a State of the new erected Empire of the Latines in Constantinople the Latines made choice of Henry the late Emperor Baldwins Brother as of all others the fittest to succeed him in the Empire who aided by the Marquess now King of Thessaly and the other Latine Princes notably repulsed the Barbarians and leâ—t them not until that at length he had recovered from them all such Towns and Cities as they had before taken and driven them quite out of the Country and so well established himself in his new Empire But to leave this dismembred Empire now in the hands of many and to come nearer to our purpose Alexius Angelus the Usurper driven out of the Imperial City by the Latines to save himself fled into Thessaly and from thence unto Leo Scuruâ— then a man of great Fame among the Greeks who tyrannising at Nauplus as had his Father before him was in these troublesome times grown greater by surprising of the two famous Cities of Argos and Corinth by whose means he cunningly entrapped Alexius Ducas sirnamed Murzufle the Traitor and for a secret grudg not commonly known put out his Eyes himself an exiled man being a most heavy Enemy unto the other also exiled and himself thrust out of the Empire a deadly Foe unto the other oppressed with the like calamity Shortly after which loss of his Sight he was by chance taken by the Latines and so brought back to Constantinople where he was for murdring the young Emperor Alexius worthily condemned unto a strange and horrible kind of death for cast off from an high Tower and tumbling Heels over Head downward he was with the weight of himself and violence of the Fall crushed all to pieces and so miserably died a death too good for such a Traitor Not long after it fortuned also that Alexius himself wandering up and down in Thracia was by the Marquess of Mont-Ferrat going against Scurus taken and stript of his great Treasure and whatsoever else he had and so sent away naked long time after in beggars Estate wandred about in Achaia and Peloponesus now far unlike that Alexius which sometime proudly reigned in Constantinople but such is the assurance of evil gotten Honour He hearing that Theodorus Lascaris his Son-in-Law reigned in Asia and there held the State of an Emperor rejoyced not thereat as a kind Father-in-Law but inwardly grieved thereat as an Enemy sorry that any other but himself should be honoured with the Title of the Greek Emperor in which malicious humor he sailing out of Greece into Asia over the Aegeum came secretly unto the Turks Sultan Iathatines his old acquaintance then lying at Attalia which famous City he had not long before taken from the Christians unto whom he declared his heavy Estate and how his Empire had been rent from him as well by the Greeks as the Latines requesting that by his means he might be restored again into some part thereof especially that in the lesser Asia which was by Theodorus Lascaris together with the honour of the Greek Emperor unjustly as he said detained from him This Iathatines now Sultan of Ieonium was the younger Son of Sultan Aladin who not long surviving his Brother Cai-Chosroe left his Kingdom unto his two Sons Azadin and Iassadin of the Greeks called Azatines and Iathatines where long it was not but that these two Brethren falling out for the Sovereignty which admitteth no Equality Iathatines was by Azatinâ—s his Elder Brother driven into Exile and for the safeguard of his life glad to flie unto this Alexius then reigning at Constantinople by whom he was honourably entertained and as some write converted and baptised But Azatines the Sultan shortly after dying this Iathatines returnning home again and renouncing the Christian Religion was by the Turks received for their Sultan of whom the Emperor Alexius in like extremity now craveth Aid The Sultan not forgetful of his own Troubles before passed or of the kindness he had received and moved with the pitiful Complaint of his old Friend together with his large Offers besides that he was in hope to share out some good part of whatsoever he got
not Othoman unmindful of the wrong done unto his people by his evil Neighbour the Captain of Einegiol but purposing to be thereof revenged made choice of Seventy of his best and most able men whom he appointed secretly to pass the Mountain Ormenius and so if it were possible to surprise or set on fire his Enemies Castle Of which his designment the wary Captain having intelligence by one of his Espials in place convenient upon the Mountain laid a strong ambush for the cutting off of such as were by Othoman sent to have surprised his Castle whereof Othoman no less wary than he before warned by his Scouts and augmenting the number of his men marched directly to the place where the Enemy lay Where betwixt them for so small a number was fought a right bloody and cruel Battel and many slain on both sides amongst whom Hozza Othomans Nephew was one The Victory nevertheless fell unto Othoman after which time his People in much more safety fed their Cattle in the Summer time on the Mountains as the manner was and so in quiet passed to and fro Shortly afâ—er Othoman by night surprised the little Castle Chalce not far from Einegiol and there without mercy he put to the Sword all the Christians he found therein and so afterwards burnt the Castle Which outrage was the beginning and occasion of great troubles thereof ensuing for the Christians of the Countries adjoyning much grieved therewith and assembling themselves together complained unto the Captain of Cara-Chisar the greatest Commander thereabout That these Turks which not many years before were of meer pity received as poor Herdsmen into that Country began now in warlike manner to lay violent hands upon the ancient Lands and Possessions of the Christians which insolency as they said if it were longer winked at and suffered by him and other such men of account and authority as were to reform the same they would no doubt in short time drive both them and all the rest of the Christians out of their native Countries wherefore it were now high time and more than necessary for him and all the rest to awake as it were out of the dead sleep wherein they had long time drowsily slept and joyning their Forces together to expulse those unthankful incroaching and merciless strangers out of their Countries the mischief they said being now spred far therefore needed speedy remedy and that repentance would come too late when it was past cure The Captain moved with the indignity of the late fact and just complaint of the poor Country People sent with all speed a strong company of Souldiers under the leading of Calanus his Brother with commandment that they should march unto the Castle of Einegiol and there to joyn with the rest of the Christian Forces Othoman understanding of this preparation made against him gathering his Souldiers together marched to a place called Opsicium near unto Mount Tmolus in Phrygia where between him and the Christians was fought a sharp Battle wherein he lost his Brother Sarugatin whom the Turks account for a Saint or Martyr at this day with many other of his Souldiers In this Battle was also Calanus slain whose Belly Othoman caused to be ripped and his Entrals to be pulled out naming the place where he was buried Mesari-Repec that is to say The Dog-Grave by which name the place is at this day known The Body of his Brother Sarugatin he carried to Suguta and there honourably buried it near to the Body of his Father Ertogrul Aladin Sultan of Iconium understanding of this conflict was very sorry for the loss hapened unto Othoman being a Mahometan of his own Religion wherefore in token of his good Will and Favour he gave unto him the City of Paleapolis with all the Territory thereunto belonging giving unto him also leave to besiege take or spoil the Seigniory and Castle of Cara-Chisar for accomplishment whereof he sent unto him both Souldiers and Munition Othoman incouraged with this great bounty of the Sultans straightly besieged the Castle of Cara-Chisar which at last he won and slew all the Christians therein the Captain he took alive whom he cruelly executed the Spoil of the Castle he gave unto his Souldiers reserving only the fifth part thereof which he sent for a Present to the Sultan All this happened in the year of our Lord 1290. This Castle of Cara-Chisar with the rest of Einegiol Bilezuga Chalce and others before and hereafter in the life of Othoman to be mentioned were all situate in the â—orders of the greater Phrygia or else near thereunto in the Confines of Bithynia and Mysia In which pleasant Countries but lately part of the Constantinopolitan Empire the Christians the ancient inhabitants thereof as yet dwelt intermingled with the Turks at the rising of the Othoman Empire with whom they lived at continual jars until that at length they were by them altogether utterly oppressed and extinguished Othoman encouraged with this good success and supported by the great Sultan of Iconium began now after his ambitious nature to conceit greater matters for the further increase of his Honour and Territory yet not trusting altogether to his own device he entred into consultation with his Brother Iundus which way was best to take to distress and bring in subjection his Neighbours the Christians In which case Iundus a man of greater courage than discretion advised him with all celerity to urge his good fortune and presently to invade the Christians already discouraged with the loss of Cara-Chisar But this counsel altogether pleased not Othoman for said he the Castles and Forts by us gained must be kept with strong Garrisons otherwise they will again be recovered by the Enemy which Garrisons cannot be maintained and kept if we spoyl or dispeople the Countries adjoyning upon us for in so doing we shall as it were with our own hands cut our own Throats wherefore I think it better that we enter into a League of Amity and Friendship with the Christians round about us which League we will keep with some and break with others as shall serve best for our purpose And according to this resolution he made Peace indeed with all the Christians but especially with Michael Cossi Captain of Hirmen-Câ—ia Castle of whom we have before spoken who afterward served him to great use in the managing of his Wars and became also a Renegat of the Mahometan Religion All this Othoman did the rather because he was then at great variance with one Germean-Ogli a great man among the Turks but one of the Selzuccian Family who envying at the rising of Othoman sought by all means possible to hinder his greatness as did also the others his quietness which discord the Christians liked well as a mean for them to live in more rest by In the mean time Othoman devised with all carefulness to beautifie and strengthen his new Common-weal and for the greater concourse of People built a fair Temple
Faith and Protector of Europe and that is it for which the Pope doth with his Letters dayly solicite and importune you And albeit that the common cause and quarrel of the Christian Religion require it yet doth the necessity of Hungary and Polonia no less enforce it of which the one is most miserably and dayly vexed with the Turks Forces and Fury out of Servia and Dalmatia and the other out of Moldavia and Valachia Now if any there be whom neither the zeal of Religion the necessity of the cause the hope of immortal Fame and Glory can move let their own Safâ—ty the present Servitude of their Wives and Children the Safeguard of their Wealth and Substance the lawful Revenge of the Wrongs done them stir them up to take in hand this sacred Expedition So fit an opportunity is now given unto you that at one and the self-same time you may set your bodies in perpetual Safety and Happiness your Souls in Quietness and Rest and unto both give Eternal Glory and Happiness You lack not worthy Captains Mony the Sinews of the War which shall be brought unto you from all parts of the Christian Common-wealth not lusty and couragious Souldiers not Policy not Fortune not the propitious Hevenly Powers which have made choice of you for the defence of the true Faith and Religion you want nothing worthy Princes but Will. It is an Expedition necessary religious profitable and honourable wherein are propounded most ample Rewards both in this Life and in the Life to come Wherefore most mighty Prince and you right worthy Princes all I pray and beseech you by the Faith of Christ Iesus by the Love of your Children by the Health of your Kingdom and deliverance from your present destruction with valiant Courage and one Consent to take this sacred War in hand and so thereby to enrol your Names in the Eternal Book of Fame And sith that you are to go not so much to a Worldly as a Spiritual War against the Enemies of Christ and his Truth take up your Arms with such Zeal Courage and Chearfulness as the Expectation and Hope of Men as your Valour the present Danger and the Mercies of God towards you seem of right to require This Legate having made an end forthwith ensued the miserable Supplication and Tears of the Despot perswading them of the necessity of that Expedition to be taken in hand declaring unto them the Cruelty of the Turks their Torments and strange Tortures his Sons deprived of their Sight and spoiled of their Genitories many half mangled and more cut in sunder with Saws some slain quick and others buried alive with many other strange kinds of death such as would abhor any Christian Ears to hear And warning the Hungarians by his example to beware how much they had need to look to themselves told them That they were but by the River Savus divided from the Turks which in Summer was oftentimes to be waded over and in Winter hard frozen and so to be passed that the Country beyond Danubius lay all open upon them and that he sometime the rich King of Servia was now driven into exile by the power of the Turk deprived of his Kingdom of his Children shamefully disgraced spoiled of his Wealth and Fortune glad to flie from place to place and yet not able to find any safe place to rest in First he fled as he said to Ragusium where by and by he was sought after and endangered by the Turks then into Hungary which was also forthwith by them on every side infested and whereof the Barbarian King now asked Tribute to have some colour for the invasion thereof which dreadful Enemy was not far off from it but still hovered even over it as well witnesseth Valachia and Transylvania two of the greatest and richest Provinces of the Hungarian Kingdom which had not the Valour of Huniades the Fortune of the Common-Weal and above all the Mercy of God delivered out of the Hands of this filthy Nation the State of Hungary had now been utterly forlorn The Events of War he said were divers Fortune uncertain and that God would not every day be tempted Wherefore with many Tears abundantly running down his aged Face he besought King Uladislaus and the rest not to let slip this fair occasion neither by Cowardise or Negligence to break off the course of their good Fortune and Victory but to make choice rather to become Revengers of other mens harms than of their own and to satisfie the good opinion the World had conceived of them He was as he said a sufficient Example to all Men. Besides that he offered a great sum of Mony himself towards the defraying of the Charges of the War assuring them also of great supplies both of Men and Mony from divers other Christian Princes Which opinion of the Legate and Despots being generally liked and approved a Decree was made by a whole Court of Parliament there assembled That the King should himself in person with all speed possible entertain that honourable War. So that though it were now upon the approach of Winter yet were Men taken up in every place and Embassadors sent unto the Emperor and the other Neighbour Princes to pray of them Aid against the common Enemy Who for the most part excused themselves by their own particular Affairs but sent no Aid at all Nevertheless many devout Christians both out of France and Germany for the Zeal they bare unto Christ and the Christian Religion forsaking Wife and Children and whatsoever they had else came and worthily served upon their own Charge The Spring being come and Supplications made in all places for the prosperous success of this Religious War King Uladislaus the first of May set forward from Buda where passing the River Danubius and marching fair and softly and coming to the River Tibiscus he there staied three days for the coming of his Army Departing thence and marching on alongst the side of Danubius until he came within the sight of Bulgaria he there at a place called Cobis over against Sinderovia passed over Danubius with his Army which was now grown very great and so marched directly to Sophia situate about six days march from Danubius in the Frontiers of Bulgaria so called of a most sumptuous and magnificent Temple there built by Iustinian the great Emperor Which City being then old and ruinous and but badly fortified was easily taken and afterward for that it was not well to be holden was by the Kings commandment burnt as were all the other Country Towns and Villages thereabouts to the terror of the rest Marching thence he came unto the River Morava and there incamped where the plain Country easily riseth and falleth in manner of the Sea when it is moved with a little Wind. Here five hundred Horsemen being sent over the River not so much to seek after Prey as to view the Country which way the Army might most safely and easily pass
or Land been taken from the Turks With which his excuse Mahomet seemed to be reasonably well contented and with good words cheared him up nevertheless as soon as the City with all the other strong Holds in the Isle were by the Princes means delivered into his hands he no longer made reckoning of his Turkish Faith but cruelly caused many of the chief Citizens of Mitylene to be put to death and three hundred Pirats whom he found in the City to be cut in two pieces in the middle so to die with more pain And when he had placed convenient Garrisons in every strong Hold in the Isle he returned to Constantinople carrying away with him the Prince and all the better sort of the Inhabitants of Mitylene that were left alive together with all the Wealth of that most rich and pleasant Island leaving it almost desolate none remaining therein more than his own Garrisons with a few of the poorest and basest people Mahomet after he was arrived at Constantinople cast the Prince Nicholaus with Lucius his Cosin whose help he had before used in killing of his elder Brother into close Prison where they seeing themselves every hour in danger of their lives to win Favour in the Tyrants sight wickedly offered to renounce the Christian Religion and to turn Turk Which Mahomet understanding caused them both to be richly apparelled and with great Triumph to be circumcised and presently set at liberty yet still bearing in mind his old grudge he shortly after when they least feared any such matter clapt them both fast again in Prison and there caused them to be most cruelly put to death A just Reward for bloody Murtherers and Apostacy who to gain a little longer life were content to forsake God. Shortly after it fortuned that Stephen King of Bosna in ancient time called Maesia Superior who supported by the Turkish Emperor year 1464. had wrongfully obtained that Kingdom against his own Brethren refused now to pay such yearly Tribute as he had before promised for which cause Mahomet with a strong Army entred into Bosna and laid Siege unto the City of Dorobiza which when he had with much ado taken he divided the pleople thereof into three parts one part whereof he gave as Slaves unto his Men of War another part he sent unto Constantinople and the third he left to inhabit the City From Dorcbiza he marched to Iaziga now called Iaica the chief City of that Kingdom which after four months Siege was delivered unto him by Composition in this City he took the Kings Brother and Sister Prisoners with most of the Nobility of that Kingdom whom he sent as it were in Triumph unto Constantinople The other lesser Cities of Bosna following the Example of the greater yielded themselves also But Mahomet understanding that the King of Bosna had retired himself into the farthest part of his Kingdom sent Mahometes his chief Bassa with his European Souldiers to pursue him wherein the Bassa used such diligence that he had on every side so inclosed him before he was aware that he could by no means escape which was before thought a thing impossible So the King for safeguard of his life was fain to take the City of Clyssa for his Refuge where he was so hardly laid to by the Bassa that seeing no other remedy he offered to yield himself upon the Bassaes faithful promise by Oath confirmed that he should be honourably used and not to receive in his Person any harm from the Turkish Emperor Whereupon the Bassaes Oath to the same purpose was with great Solemnity taken and for the more assurance conceived in writing firmed by the Bassa and so delivered to the King which done the King came out of the City and yielded himself The Bassa having thus taken the King Prisoner carried him about with him from place to place and from City to City until he had taken possession of all the Kingdom of Bosna and so returning unto his Master presented unto him the Captive King who was not a little offended with him for that he had unto him so far engaged his Turkish Faith. But when the poor King thought to have departed not greatly fearing further harm he was suddenly sent for by Mahomet at which time he doubting the worst carried with him in his hand the writing wherein the Bassaes Oath for his safety was comprised nevertheless the faithless Tyrant without any regard thereof or of his Faith therein given caused him presently to be most cruelly put to death or as some write to be â—lain quick Thus was the Christian Kingdom of Bosna subverted by Mahomet in the year 1464. who after he had at his pleasure disposed thereof and reduced it to the form of a Province to be as it is at this day governed by one of his Bassaes in great Triumph returned to Constantinople carrying away with him many a woful Christian Captive and the whole Wealth of that Kingdom Mahomet following the Example of his Father Amurath had from the beginning of his Reign by one or other of his great Bassaes or expert Captains still maintained Wars against Scanderbeg the most valiant and fortunate King of Epirus the greatest part whereof although it did in the course of time concur with the things before declared and might by piece-meal have been amongst the same in their due time and place inserted yet I have of purpose for divers reasons wholly reserved them for this place first for that I would not interrupt the course of the History before rehearsed with the particular accidents of this War And then for that the greatest heat of this Hereditary War delivered as it were from hand to hand from the Father to the Son hapned not long after this time when as Mahomet having conquered the Kingdom of Bosna had surrounded a great part of Scanderbegs Dominion wherein I had respect also unto the Readers ease who may with greater pleasure and content and less pains also view the same together than if it had been dispersedly scattered and intermedled with the other greater occurrents of the same time In which discourse I will but briefly touch many thing well worthy of a larger Treatise And if forgetting my self I shall in some places happen to stay something longer than the Readers hast would require yet I hope that the zeal and love he bears unto the worthy memory of most famous Christian Princes together with the shortness of the History in comparison of that which is thereof written in just Volumes by others shall easily excuse a lager discourse than this But again to our purpose Mahomet in the beginning of his Reign sent Embassadors to Scanderbeg offering him Peace to that he would grant to pay unto him such yearly Tribute as his Father Amurath had in his life time demanded Which embassage the crafty Tyrant sent rather to prove what confidence Scanderbeg had in himself than for any hope he had to have his demand granted This dishonourable
Italians upon whom he shewed his Tyranny with most exquisite and horrible Torments Paulus Ericus Governor of the City with a few others who with him were fled into the Castle without resistance delivered the same unto him upon his faithful Promise that they might in safety depart but after he had got them into his Power the perfidious Tyrant without regard commanded them all to be cruelly murthered The Governors Daughter a Maiden of incomparable beauty was amongst the rest taken Prisoner and for her rare Perfection by them that took her presented to Mahomet as the Mirrour of Beauty The barbarous Tyrant greedy of so fair a Prey sought first by flattering words and fair perswasion to induce her to consent to his desire but when he could not so prevail he fell into another vain and began to shew himself in his own nature threatning her with Death Torture and Force worse than Death it self if she would not otherwise yield unto his Appetite Whereunto the constant Virgin worthy eternal Fame answered so resolutely and so contrary to the Tyrants expectation that he being therewith enraged commanded her to be presently slain The horrible and monstrous Cruelty with the filthy Outrages by that beastly and barbarous people committed at the taking of that City passeth all credit Chalcis thus won the rest of that fruitful Island without further resistance yielded unto the Turish slavery under which it yet groaneth This Calamity happened unto the Venetian State or rather to say truly to the general hurt of the Christian Common-weal in the year of our Redemption 1470. Canalis the Venetian Admiral who all the time of the Siege had in the sight of the City lien at Anchor as a looker on fearing now the City was lost to be set upon by the Turks Fleet hoised Sail and laded with dishonor returned in haste unto Venice where he was by the Commandment of the Senate committed to Prison and afterward with all his Family exiled to Utinum year 1471. Shortly after when Mahomet was departed with his Army out of Euboea and his Fleet returned to Constantinople the Venetians with their Gallies attempted to have upon the sudden surprised the City a little before lost But Mahomet had therein left so strong a Garrison that when the Venetians had landed their Men they were again enforced to retire to their Gallies and to forsake their Island Chalcis thus lost with all the Island of Euboea the Venetians chose Petrus Mocenicus a valiant and discreet Gentleman Admiral of their Fleet in stead of Canalis and by their Embassadors solicited Sixtus the Fourth of that Name then Bishop of Rome and Ferdinand King of Naples with Lewis King of Cyprus and the grand Master of the Rhodes to joyn their Forces together with theirs against the great and common Enemy which thing all the aforesaid Christian Princes promised them to do And the more to intangle the Turk they at the same time sent Caterinus Zenus their Embassador with rich Presents unto Alymbeius Usun-Cassanes the great King of Persia to incite him on that side against the Turk in which Negotiation Zenus so well behaved himself that the next year following that great King took up Arms against Mahomt and had with him mortal Wars as shall be in convenient place hereafter declared Mahomet not ignorant of the proceedings of the Venetians and that they did what they might to stir up as many Enemies as they could and to bring him if it were possible into hatred with the whole World and well knowing how much he had offended the minds of the Christian Princes with the cruelty he had of late used against them of Chalcis thought it not best as then further to provoke them and so happily to bring all at once about his ears but for a season to lie still at Constantinople as if he had been desirous now to live in peace not meaning further harm hoping therâ—by that although he concluded no Peace with any of them which inded he was not desirous of yet that tract of time might mittigate the hainousness of the fact and cool the heat of their displeasure whereby it came to pass as he wished that nothing worth the speaking of was that year attempted against him and because the Persian King was the man of whom he stood most in doubt he sought by his Embassadors to pacifie him and to withdraw him from the League of the Christians requesting him if it were for nothing else but for the Community of the Mahometan Religion wherein they well agreed and were thereby the professed Enemies of the Christians to withdraw his hand and in their cause to cease to take up Arms urging now for that it so stood with his purpose the zeal of Religion whereas otherwise he regarded as was thought no Religion at all But Zenus the Venetian Embassador lying continually in the Persian Court so wrought the matter with Usun-Cassanes that he told the Turks Embassadors plainly That he could nor would not longer endure the manifest injury and wrong done unto him by the Turkish King and farther that he had made a faithful League with the Christian Princes and therefore would to the uttermost of his Power make it known unto the World that he would effectually perform what thing soever he had promised and so dismissed them now no less discontented than were before the Persian Embassadors at such time as they returned from the Turks Court having obtained nothing they then requested concerning the Emperor of Trapâ—zond The year following year 1472. Mocenicus the Venetian Admiral with his Fleet arrived in the Isle of Lesbos where he did great harm From thence he passed the Bay of Adramittium into the lesser Asia and so spoiled the Country about Pergamus After that he landed again at Cnidus upon the coast of Caria where he took a great Booty and so having done the Turks exceeding much harm in Asia all alongst the Sea coast opposite to Graecia he returned laden with spoil towards Peloponnesus In his return about the Promontory of Malea upon the coast of Peloponnesus he met with Richaiensis coming unto him with seventeen Gallies from King Ferdinand by whom he was certified that the great Bishops Fleet was ready to come forth also After mutual Gratulation as the manner at Sea is the Admirals joyning their Fleets in one landed at Methone now called Modon then a City of the Venetians in Peloponnesus where after they had well refreshed their Souldiers and taken in fresh Victuals they put to Sea again and sailing through the Islands landed in Asia where they were at their first landing encountred by the Country Turks whom at last they put to flight and by the space of four days took what pillage they could in the Country where the Souldiers found great store of rich Booty especially of Turky Carpets which are there made in great abundance From thence they sailed to Halicarnassus which is part of Caria where sometime stood
dreadful unto his Neighbour Princes gave to him his only Daughter Despina in Marriage by such Alliance to strengthen himself against the Turkish Tyrant if need should require At which Marriage it was agreed That Usun-Cassanes should in the right of his Wife enjoy all the Kingdom of Pontus after the death of Calo Ioannes her Father and of David his Brother and that Despina should so long as she lived have the free Exercise of her Christian Religion By this Woman Usun-Cassanes had a Daughter called Martha whom I willingly remember for that she was the Mother of Hysmael afterwards the great King of Persia commonly called Hysmael the Sophy of whom more shall be said hereafter in the Life of Selymus Usun-Cassanes honoured with this Marriage and strengthened with this new Alliance ceased not after his wonted manner daily to encroach upon his Neighbour Princes and proceeded so far that at length he began to lay hand upon a part of Armenia which was then part of the Dominion of the Persian King. Zenza whom some call Tzokies which was indeed the name of his Father reigning then in Persia by his Embassadors admonished and in short commanded Usun-Cassanes to hold himself content with his own or at least with that he had already wrongfully taken from others and not to presume to come within the bounds of his Dominion threatning otherwise to take him as an Enemy to his State and to turn his Forces upon him With which Embassage Usun-Cassanes being much offended gave the Embassadors no entertainment but commanded them with speed to get them out of his Kingdom and to tell their Master That he would shortly himself in person come and debate the matter with him face to face With which proud Answer from so mean a Prince the Persian King moved levied such an Army for the invading of him as was thought to have been sufficient to have subdued a far greater Prince and so appointed set forward toward Armenia Usun-Cassanes much inferiour to this great King in Wealth and Number of Men but not in Haughtiness of Mind and Valiantness of Courage stayed not to expect the coming of so puissant an Enemy but full of hope set forward to meet him and by great journeys sought to come upon him before he could have any knowledge of his coming yet had he then in his Army scarce one man to ten but all armed with couragious Hearts and conducted by a most fortunate Chieftain which feared nothing So holding on his way at length he met with a great Army of the Persians with whom he presently joyned Battel and after a long and cruel Fight overthrew them in the plain Field with such a Slaughter as might well have weakned the Forces of a right great Kingdom The great King more inraged than discouraged with his overthrow raised a far greater Army than before the very Strength of his Kingdom resolving now not to send any more his Lieutenants but to go in person himself against so desperate an Enemy All things being in readiness he set forward and at length met with the Armenian Prince whom he found as ready to give Battel as he was at the first So being both desirous to trie their fortune they joyned battel wherein the Persians were again discomfited and put to flight and more of them slain in that Battel than were brought into the Field in the first Army Zenzes the Persian King was there slain with Usun-Cassanes his own hand and Cariasuphus his Son taken Prisoner whom the Armenian Prince used with the greatest honour could be devised giving unto him the Honour and Title due to the Persian King taking to himself the bare name of the Protector of the Persian State. Which he did only to please the Persians and to keep them quiet until he had got some more assured possession of that Kingdom But after he had in the two former Battels broken their greatest Strength and then under the colour of a peaceable Governor got into his power the regal City of Tauris with the rest of the Cities and strong places of that great Kingdom and that all men had him now in great reverence and admiration for his great vertues he secretly dispatched out of the way the poor titular King his Prisoner the last of the Posterity of the mighty Tamerlane and took upon himself the highest place which admitteth no Partner Whilst this restless Prince was thus tumbling in the World and not yet well setled in his new gotten Kingdom Mahomet the Turkish Emperor no less ambitious than himself had scornfully rejected the Embassadors and Presents which Usun-Cassanes had sent and having shamefully put to death David the Emperor of Trapezond his Allyance had converted all the Kingdom of Pontus which Usun-Cassanes of right claimed as his Wives Dowry into the form of a Province and so united it to the Turkish Empire Which so manifest a wrong Usun-Cassanes in the newness of his so late atchieved greatness durst not adventure to address but after that he was surely seated and had with the course of time overcome all dangers at home being daily prickt forward with the remembrance of the former injuries still suggested by the importunity of his Wife Despina and the sollicitation of the Venetians to whom he had by solemn promise bound himself he determined now to take the matter in hand and to try his Forces upon his proud Enemy the Turkish Emperor Hereupon he raised a great Army and being well appointed of all things necessary passing through Armenia toward Pontâ—s near unto the River Euphrates was encountred by Mustapha Mahomets Eldest Son a young Prince of great hope and Amurath the great Bassa of Romania whom Mahomet fearing such a matter had sent before with a strong Army out of Europe to joyn with such Forces as Mustapha had already raised in Asia so to withstand the invasion of the Persian These two great Commanders Mustapha and Amurath joining Battel with Usun-Cassanes were by him in the plain Field overthrown where Amurath the great Bassa himself with thirty thousand Turks were slain Mustapha with the rest of the Army by shameful flight saving themselves Now when Mahomet understood that Amurath was slain year 1474. and his Army discomfited he was therewith exceedingly troubled but purposing to be thereof revenged gave order into all parts of his Dominions for the levying of new Forces so that at the time by him appointed was assembled a great and mighty Army of 320000 men Usun-Cassanes in like manner was in the Field with an Army nothing in number inferior unto his Enemy These two Mahometan Kings drawing after them â—heir huge Armies met together near the Moâ—ntains of Armenia where at the first encountâ—â— one of the Turks great Bassa's was slain with 40000 Turks With which hard beginning the proud Tyrant was so daunted that he could hardly be perswaded to prove his fortune any further but contenting himself with that loss was about to have retired and
me leave But so far was he from that to suffer me there to rest as that I was by him most cruelly assailed as an open Enemy and had I not by speedy flight withdrawn my self from the imminent danger and departed quite out of my Fathers Kingdom I must have yielded my self my blood and life as a Sacrifice into his cruel hands Neither is he to me so mortal an Enemy or thirsteth after my life so much for fear as for very hatred and malice for what is there in me to fear Verily nothing Constantinople is his the favour of the great Chieftains and Men of War is his the Treasure and Regal Riches are all his wherefore he hateth his Brother but feareth him not He will sway all things alone he will have all that belongeth to the Othoman Family alone and he yea none but he must live alone Xerxes was a mighty King and yet in that great and large Kingdom he not only preserved his Brethren in safety but had them also in great Honour and Estimation What did Alexander the Great Who not only took pleasure in his Brother but had him also as a Companion of his most glorious Expedition and many other famous Kings of foreign Nations and of our own Family have ruled both more safely and better strengthned with the counsel and aid of their most loving Brethren rather than with others But Bajazet is of a far other mind reputing violence and haughtiness of heart to be his greatest and surest defence herein his fierce Nature delighteth more than in the lawful course of Nature Iustice and Equity he had rather have his Brother his Enemy than his Friend and to drive him into exile than to make him partaker of his counsels But I beseech thee most puissant Monarch the faithful Keeper and Maintainer of our Law and Religion by the sacred Reliques of our great Prophet Mahomet which thou hast at Jerusalem and Mecha suffer me not a Kings Son to live in banishment and exile poor and miserable a scorn of his Brothers cruelty far from home far from his Country and Kingdom but regarding the Law of the great Prophet lift up the afflicted and oppressed and by the great Authority which you have bridle Domestical wrongs or if that will not take place revenge it with thy Sword and suffer not our Empire with so great travel founded by the cruelty or folly of one wilful man to be overthrown which should be no more grievous and lamentable to us than dangerous to your most high Estate and all other Kings and Princes of our Religion For you of your self understand right well what deadly Enemies the Christian Princes are unto the Turks and do you think that if any great War which I wish not should arise of this our Discord that they would long rest in quiet and as idle Beholders stand looking on until it were of it self appeased Or rather having such an opportunity presented would not with might and main suddenly invade our Kingdom before shaken with Civil Wars and seek the utter ruine and destruction of the same Which their desire if tâ—at hateful people could bring to pass which tâ—ing Mahomet turn upon themselve my mind abhorreth to think how far that mischief would run For the Othoman Family once rooted out there is none of â—ur Religion your Majesty only excepted which is able to withstand their Power wherefore you must then stand for your felf and all the rest you alone must withstand the force of the Christians you must maintain that War with much lâ—ss and greater charge and most uncertain success Wherefore invincible Monarch I most humbly beseech thee that pittying our Estate whiles the matter is yet whole and remedy is yet to be had to deal with Bajazet by your Embassadors That though he will not receive me his Brother as Partner of the Empire yet at least to admit me into some small part of my Fathers Kingdom Let him Reign and Rule let all things be at his Command let it be lawful for me pâ—or man but to live in rest and quiet somewhere possessing but so much as may suffice me honestly to lead a private life Which thing if he shall refuse to grant althâ—ugh he nâ—ither fear the Laws of God or man yet as I have at Jerusalem so will I also shortly at Mecha if by your leave I may complain unto the great Prophet of the Injuries done unto me by my cruel and unnatural Brother and afterwards make proof of your compassion towards me all which I hope shall much avail But if which I would not I shall prove all thâ—se things in vain sith desperation enforceth men to all Extremities I will go with Fire Sword and Slaughtâ—r by secret and open force by right and wrong and hated will vex my hateful Brother by all manner of Mischief by all manner of Revenge Neithâ—r will I make an end of confounding of all until I be eithâ—r received into part of the Empire or else together wiâ—h my life leave those desperate and lost things for him alone to enjoy For I deem it much better quickly to die than with disgrace and infamy to protract a lingring loathed life The great Sultan in courteous manner comforted the distressed Prince willing him to be of good chear and patiently to bear his presâ—nt hap forasmuch as it became a man born in so high Fortune not to be discouraged with any mischance or dismaid if things fell out otherwise than he looked for commending him withall for that he saw in him no less courage than might well have becomed his better Estate and willing him to live still in hope promised to do what in him lay to reconcile him to his Brother and to perswade him that he might be received into some part of the Kingdom and to that purpose shortly after dispatched away an honourable Embassage to Bajazet Zemes in the mean while by the same Sultans leave upon a superstitious devotion travelled into Arabia to visit the Temple of Mahomet at Mecha and his Sepulchre at Medina Upon his return to Caâ—re the Embassadors before sent returned also but not having obtained any thing they desiâ—ed for Bajazet would not give ear to any Agreement but seemed altogether to contemn and despise his Brother Wherefore Zemes more upon stomach and desire of Revenge than for any hope he had of the Empire determined with himself to make open War upon him reposing some good hope in his secret Friends and in the revolt of some of the great Captains who discontented with the Government of Bajazet secretly wished for his return Whilst he was thus plotting these weighty Matters year 1483. a Messenger with Letters came fitly from the King of Caramania offering with all the Power he could make to joyn with him if he would take up Arms against his Brother This poor titular King then lived in Armenia and being able by his Friends to make some good force was in hope
by joyning with Zemes to recover some part of the Caramanian Kingdom from whence his Father was not many years before driven by the force of the late Turkish Emperor Mahomet the Great Bajazet his Father It is hard to say whither of these distressed and exiled Princes gave the greater encouragement to the other to take this desperate War in hand being both together far unable by all the Friends they could make to encounter with the great Power of Bajazet But what is so dangerous or desperate which aspiring Minds will not attempt in hope of a Kingdom whose brightness so dazeleth their eyes that they can see nothing but it Hereupon Zemes having received great Gifts of the Egyptian Sultan with promise of Aid departed from Caire the Sultan earnestly perswading him to the contrary and as it was before appointed met with the Caramanian King upon the borders of Asia the lesser where they concluded to joyn together such Forces as they had and to invade Bajazet Which they accordingly did for raising all the Power they could they entred into Cilicia now called Caramania and joyning their Armies together incamped between Iconium and Larenda Neither did Bajazet in time of so great a danger sit still not so much fearing his Brothers Power as the revolting of his Captains and Souldiers whom he knew either to love or at least not to hate the young Prince his Brother Wherefore he raised a great Army and sent Achmetes the great Man of War before with the one part thereof himself following after with a far greater strength for at that time he had under his Ensigns two hundred thousand men As he was marching with this great Army a rumor was raised in the Camp That some of his chief Captains had conspired to betray him into the hands of his Brother and that many of the Souldiers secretly favouring Zemes would upon the joyning of the battel forsake him and take part with his Brother Which report so troubled Bajazet that he stood in doubt what to do or whom to trust but knowing that nothing winneth the heart of the common Souldier more than the Generals bounty he forthwith caused a wonderful mass of Money to be divided amongst the Captains and Souldiers loading their minds with ample promises of far greater Rewards for their fidelity and valour to be shewed in that present Service Having thus assured himself of the wavering minds of his Souldiers he began to draw near to Iconium where his Enemies lay incamped and by glosing Letters and flattering Messengers made shew openly as if he had been very desirous to come to some good Agreement with them but secretly went about to stop all the straits and passages in such manner as that it should not be possible for them again to retire back into Syria for he doubted nothing more but lest they being few in number and in strength far unequal unto him would not upon so great disadvantage hazard the fortune of a battel but retire themselves into Syria and so to his exceeding Trouble and infinite Charge protract the War. Zemes perceiving his Brothers subtil drift and seeing no such Revolt as he had hoped for and as had before by Letters to him been promised and weighing with reason his own weak Forces retired in good time unto the straits of the Mountain Amanus which divideth Cilicia from Syria Here despairing of all good success in the Enterprise he had taken in hand he perswaded the Caramanian King his Confederate to give place unto the time and to reserve himself unto his better Fortune and so breaking up his Army with a few of his Followers came down to the Sea coast of Cilicia where he hired a tall Ship to attend in readiness that if any sudden danger should arise he might go aboard and so save himself by Sea. In the mean time he sent a Messenger unto Damboys Great Master of the Rhodes certifying him That for as much as he had no place of safety left amongst his own people wherein he might shroud himself from the fury of his Brother still seeking after his life he would upon his safe Conduct come to him into his Island of the Rhodes Which his request the Great Master easily granted deeming the flight of so great a Prince from the Turk to be a thing much profitable to the Christian Commonweal and thereupon he presently sent forth certain Gallies to fetch him from the troublesome coast of Cicilia But before these Gallies were come Zemes was inforced by the sudden access of his Enemies for the avoiding of present danger to go aboard on that Ship which he had providently before prepared to be in readiness for such purpose And having put a little from the shore shot back again an Arrow with Letters made fast unto it directed unto his Brother Bajazet containing as followeth Thou knowest most unkind and cruel Brother that I fly not unto the Christians the mortal Enemy of the Othoman Family for hatred of my Religion or Nation but enforced thereunto by thy injurious dealing and dangerous practises which thou incessantly attemptest against me yea even in my extream misery But this assured hope I carry with me that the time will come when as thou the author of so great wrong or thy Children shall receive their just guerdon of this thy present tyranny against thy Brother It is reported that when Bajazet had read these Letters he was so troubled in mind that for certain days he gave himself wholly to mourning and heaviness and would in no wise be comforted insomuch that he was brought into the Camp by the Bassaes as a man half distraught of his wits shunning for a season all mens speech and company Zemes sailing to the Rhodes was there honourably received of the Great Master and all the rest of the Knights of the Order to whom in their publick Assembly three days after he openly declared the causes of the discord betwixt his Brother and him alledging for the colour of his Rebellion That although Bajazet were his elder Brother yet that he was born whilst his Father yet lived in private Estate under subjection and command long before he possessed the Kingdom and so no Kings Son whereas he himself was the first born of his Father being an Emperor and so not Heir of his Fathers private Fortune as was Bajazet but of his greatest Honour and Empire and yet not of such an haughty mind but that he could have been content to have given place unto his Brother so that he could have been contented likewise to have granted him some small portion of the Empire wherein he might safely have lived as a poor Prince and his Brother but that such was his pride as that he would not vouchsafe to suffer him to live so much as a poor private life in any corner of so large an Empire and was therefore by his unnatural and tyrannous dealing enforced to crave Aid of the Christian Princes Of
he had recovered that Kingdom he would forthwith from thence invade the Turks Dominions in Grecia Which great attempt the haughty King was enduced to take in hand by the perswasion of divers of his Nobility but especially the solicitation of Lodovious Sfortia Duke of Millan whereby the whole state of Italy was in short time after sore shaken and Sfortia himself Author of those troubles at last carried away by the French miserably ended his days as a Prisoner in France Alphonsus the Neapolitan King doubting the greatness of the French King his Enemy entred into a confederation with certain of the States of Italy against the French but especially with Alexander the Sixth then Bishop of Rome for the better assurance whereof he gave his base Daughter in Marriage to Godfrey Borgia the Bishops Son and made him Prince of Carinula his other Son Francis he entertained also in great pay to serve him in his Wars And by his Embassador Pandonius Camillus lately returned out of France gave Bajazet to understand what the French King had purposed against them both requesting him to aid him with six thousand Horsemen and as many Foot against their common Enemy promising to give them honourable entertainment during those Wars And to futher the matter Alexander the great Bishop sent George Bucciard a Ligurian skilful in the Turkish Language Embassador to Bajazet to declare unto him with what great preparation both by Sea and Land the young French King desirous of honour and the enlargement of his Kingdom was about to invade Naples and then with what great power after he had dispatched his Wars in Italy he purposed to pass over into Grecia and that he had to that end earnestly travelled with him to have Zemes his Brother delivered into his hands whom he desired to use as a most fit instrument for the troubling of his State and Empire by reason of his many Friends yet that his Holiness having the French in distrust as a proud and ambitious People as also careful for the danger of the City of Rome and of the State of Italy in general had entred into a confederation with Alphonsus King of Naples with their united Forces to withstand that proud Nation both by Sea and Land wanting nothing more for the accomplishment thereof than Mony by which means only Bajazet might as he said provide for the safety of his Kingdom in Grecia if he would put to his helping hand to furnish them with Mony for the entertainment of Souldiers forasmuch as the City of Rome and the Kingdom of Naples were the surest Walls of that side of the Othoman Empire if he not altogether refusing the charge would not spare for a little cost to maintain the War rather in that forreign Country than to receive it brought home to his own door concluding That it were much more commodious and easie with his Treasures to repress his Enemies in a strange Country afar off than by dint of sword and plain battel in his own A thing by experience well known That they which have neglected and set at nought remote dangers for sparing of charge have afterwards been inforced with greater danger to receive the same into their own bosoms when as they were become desperate and past remedy Bajazet who both by his Espials and often Letters and Embassadors from Alphonsus knew all this to be true gave great thanks to the Bishop by his Embassador for that he sitting in so high place did so friendly and in so good time admonish him both a Stanger and of a contrary Religion of things of so great consequence yet for answer he willed him to return again unto his Master with one Dautius his Embassador who should carry with him both Mony and other his secret resolutions concerning those matters Among other things given him in charge was an Epistle written in Greek wherein the barbarous King with great cunning perswaded the Bishop to poison Zemes his Brother as a man of a Religion altogether contrary to his for indeed of him alone for his great Vertues Bajazet stood in fear and doubt lest he should by some chance escape out of Prison to the troubling of his State. For the performance of this his request he promised faithfully to pay unto the Bishop two hundred thousand Ducats and never after so long as he lived to take up Arms against the Christians Otherwise than had his Father Mahomet and his Grandfather Amurath done who both as deadly Enemies unto the name of Christians never ceased by continual Wars to work their woe But George the Bishops Embassador and Dautius travelling towards Italy and having now happily passed the Adriatick as they were about to have landed at Ancona were boarded by Io. Rovereus Brother to Iulianus the Cardinal a man of great account in those quarters and clean quit of their Treasure and whatsoever else they had aboard Rovereus pretending for the defence of the Fact That the Bishop did owe him a great sum of Mony due unto him for his good service done in the time of Innocentius his Predecessor for which he now paid himself Neither could the Bishop much troubled with that injury ever after recover one part thereof although he threatned vengeance with Fire and Sword and also sought for recompence of the Venetians whom it concerned to save the Turks harmless in those Seas for why Rovereus bearing himself upon the French which were now upon coming whose faction he followed kept the Mony and set at nougt the Bishops thundering Curses and vain Threats Dautius himself Bajazets Embassador being set on shore was glad to go on foot to Ancona and so from thence passing up the River Padus came to Franciscus Gonzaga Duke of Mantua of whom for the ancient Friendship betwixt him and Bajazet he was courteously entertained and furnished both with Mony and Apparel and so spoiled returned into Grecia to carry news unto his Master how he had sped When Bajazet understood by Dautius the evil success he had in his late journey he forthwith sent Mustapha one of the Bassaes of the Court unto the great Bishop Alexander with like instructions as he had before given to Dautius who with better hap arrived in Italy and came to Rome in safety where he forgot no part of that was given him in charge by his great Master But amongst many other things the life of Zemes was that he most sought for at the Bishops hands At the same time which was in the year 1495 the French King Charles the Eighth of that name year 1495. passing through the heart of Italy with a strong Army against Alphonsus King of Naples and taking his way without leave through the City of Rome so terrified Alexander the Bishop who as we have before said altogether favoured and as much as in him lay furthered the cause of Alphonsus that he was glad to yield to all such Articles and Conditions as it pleased him then to demand not purposing
humor Yet might Bajazet seem to do him wrong if he should not according to his promise again restore him unto the possession of the Empire which he had almost thirty years before received at his hands as is before in the beginning of his life declared But Selymus being of a more haughty disposition than to brook the life of a Subject under the command of either of his Brethren and altogether given to martial Affairs sought by infinite Bounty feigned Courtesie subtil Policy and by all other means good and bad to aspire unto the Empire Him therefore the Janizaries with all the great Souldiers of the Court yea and some of the chief Bassaes also corrupted with Gifts wished above the rest for their Lord and Sovereign desiring rather to live under him which was like to set all the World on a hurly burly whereby they might increase their Honour and Wealth the certain rewards of their Adventures than to lead an idle and unprofitable Life as they termed it under a quiet and peaceable Prince Whilst men stood thus diversly affected towards these Princes of so great hope Bajazet now far worn with years and so grievously tormented with the Gout that he was not able to help himself for the quietness of his Subjects and preventing of such troubles as might arise by the aspiring of his Children after his death determined whilst he yet lived for the avoiding of these and other such like mischiefs to establish the succession in some one of his Sons who wholly possessed of the Kingdom might easily repress the pride of the other And although he had set down with himself that Achomates should be the man as well in respect of his Birth-right as of the especial affection he bare unto him yet to discover the disposition of his Subjects and how they stood affected it was given out in general terms That he meant before his death to make it known to the World who should succeed in the Empire without naming any one of his Sons leaving that for every man to divine of according as they were affected which was not the least cause that every one of his Sons with like ambition began now to make small account of their former Preferments as thinking only upon the Empire it self First of all Selymus year 1511. whom Bajazet had made Governor of the Kingdom of Trapezond rigging up all the Ships he could in Pontus sailed from Trapezond over the Euxine now called the Black Sea to the City of Capha called in ancient time Theodosia and from thence by Land came to Mahometes King of the Tartars called Praecopenses a mighty Prince whose Daughter he had without the good liking of his Father before married and discovering unto him his intended purpose besought him by the sacred Bonds of the Affinity betwixt them not to shrink from him his loving Son-in-law in so fit an opportunity for his advancement And withal shewed unto him what great hope of obtaining the Empire was proposed unto him by his most faithful Friends and the Souldiers of the Court if we would but come nearer unto his Father then about to transfer the Empire to some one of his Sons and either by fair means to procure his favour or by entring with his Army into Thracia to terrifie him from appointing either of his other Brethren for the Successor The Tartar King commending his high device as a kind Father-in-law with wonderful celerity caused great store of shipping to be made ready in the Pontick Sea and Moeotis but especially at the Ports of Copa and Tana upon the great River of Tanais which boundeth Europe from Asia and arming fifteen thousand Tartarian Horsemen delivered them all to Selymus promising forthwith to send him greater Aid if he should have occasion to use the same These things being quickly dispatched Selymus passing over the River Borrysthenes and so through Valachia came at length to Danubius and with his Horsemen passed that famous River at the City of Chelia his Fleet he commanded to meet him at the Port of the City of Varna called in ancient time Dionysiopolis in the Confines of Bulgaria and Thracia he himself still levying more men by the way as he went pretending in shew quite another thing than he had indeed intended which the better to cover he gave it out as if he had purposed to have invaded Hungary But Bajazet a good while before advertised that Selymus was departed from Trapezond and come over into Europe marvelling that he had left his charge in Asia the Rebellion of Techellis and the Persian War yet scarce quieted and that upon his own head he had entertained forreign Aid to make War against the most warlike Nation of the Hungarians and farther that with his Army by Land he had seised upon the places nearest unto Thracia and with a strong Navy kept the Euxine Sea he began to suspect as the truth was That all this preparation was made and intended against himself for the crafty old Sire had good proof of the unquiet and troublesome nature of his Son especially in that without his knowledge he durst presume to take a Wife from amongst the Tartars and afterwards with no less presumption of himself raise an Army both by Sea and Land whereby he easily perceived that he would never hold himself contented with a small Kingdom so long as he was in hope by a desperat adventure to gain a greater Yet thinking it better with like dissimulation to appease his violent and fierce Nature than by sharp reproof to move him to farther Choler he sent unto him Embassadors to declare to him with what danger the Turkish Kings had in former times taken upon them those Hungarian Wars for example whereof he needed not to go no further than to his Grandfather Mahomet the Great who many times to his exceeding loss had made proof of the Hungarian Forces wherefore he should do well to expect some fit opportunity when as he might with better advice greater power and more sure hope of Victory take those Wars in hand Whereunto Selymus answered That he had left Asia inforced thereunto by the injuries of his Brother Achomates and was therefore come over into Europe by dint of Sword and the help of his Friends to win from the Enemies of the Mahometan Religion a larger and better Province for that little barren and peaceable one which his Father had given him bordering upon Hiberia and Cholchos bare and needy People living as Connies amongst the Rocks and Mountains As for the Hungarians whom they thought to be a People invincible and therefore not to be dealt withal he was not of that base mind to be daunted with any danger were it never so great and yet that in his opinion the War was neither so difficult or dangerous as was by them prentended forasmuch as the ancient prowess of that warlike Nation was now much changed together with the change of their Kings and their Discipline of
in these or like words perswaded him to that War for the entrance whereunto we have thus far digressed What thing the Priests with loud voice use to pray for at such time as the Othoman Emperors enter into the Temple to pray the same thing do I also wish unto thee most mighty Solyman which is That thou shouldst remember thy Progenitors by Iustice and Religion to have got for thee this Empire than which more magnificent and richer the Gods have not given to any Fortune hath never deceived them that trod that way and thou hitherto hast so traced their steps that thou hast easily surmounted their Fame and Glory administring Iustice to thy Subjects and inflamed with the hope of eternal praise making continual War against the Enemies of our Religion the true office of a zealous Prince By this means is Belgrade taken Rhodes won the King of Hungary slain in Battel Germany twice harried and burnt so that Charles whom the Christians would make equal to thy self in power and valour with the great aid almost of all the Christian Nations terrified with the noise of thy Army shunned battel But forasmuch as Empires be they never so large or Victories be they never so glorious can either satisfie the greatness of an heroical mind or glut the same with glory thou hast therefore sent before thee thy victorious Ensigns against the Persians and Parthians that those Nations who have wickedly fallen from our Rites purified as it were by thy sacred Arms may be again reclaimed to the antient Rites of our Religion But be this unto thy greatness most honourable to attempt and glorious to perform let it only be lawful for me now grown an old man in the midst of Arms and dangers to declare what is expedient and briefly to open such things as I have by long experience learned to concern the augmenting of thy Fame and Empire elsewhere Neither would I have you to take this as presumptuously spoken of me for Fortune hath enough yea more than enough favoured my designs whom from a poor cottage and bare hope she hath promoted to glorious Victories great Riches yea unto the Title and Majesty of a King. But unto these things the Gods could give me nothing better than to be called for of thee and sent for in Counsel to discourse of matters of greatest importance wherefore my advice shall be unto thee faithful and with experience confirmed which although it be all that it seemeth old men can do yet in my sound Body remaineth such strength that I dare both promise and perform unto thee my good service at all assaies both by Sea and Land. For unto this only course have I bent my self day and night from my youth following the purpose and counsel of my valiant Brother Horruccius who to extend the bounds of our Religion persâ—cuted the Christians both by Sea and Land desiring nothing more than that thy Fleet and Power might once be joyned with my Forces and direction and so under thy good hap to be either a Commander or else commanded forasmuch as it grieveth me not to be commanded by my betters Of which my desires if the Gods shall make me partaker the Spaniards shall shortly be driven quite out of Africk thou shalt hear that the Moors are gone over into Spain to repossess the Kingdom of Granado that Tunes and Numidia are at thy command and not to speak of Sardinia and Corcyca that Sicilia is ours which once taken we shall starve up Italy and on every side distress it with our Fleet being now weak and brought low by the discord of the Princes and that part thereof both towards Sicilia and Macedonia ready to submit it self upon any condition so it might cast off the Spanish yoak Think not that either that Strength or Unity is now in Italy which was when thy great Grandfather Mahomet having taken Hydruntum brought a great fear not upon Italy only but upon other the Christian Nations also for by the good success of that War which all the Christian Princes could hardly withstand he had undoubtedly taken the City of Rome and so according to right and reason again united the Empire of the East and of the West as they were before in their ancient glory But he suddainly left the World rapt to Heaven that he might leave to thee according to the appoinment of the fatal Destinies and revolutions of the Heavens this work of absolute perfection And yet my purpose is not by putting thee in hope of so great and rare a Triumph to interrupt or hinder thee for turning thy power into the East against thy old and irreligious Enemies deserving all extremities for thy Navy shall be sufficient for me whereof thou shalt have no need in thy Wars so far within Land that whilst thou art conquering Asia Africa the third part of the World may in the mean time be brought under thy subjection also Where before all other things Muleasses is to be drivâ—n out of Tunes a man of insatiable Covetousness unstaied Lust horrible Cruelty hated both of God and Man who having by Treachery slain eighteen of his Brethren or that which worse is cruelly burnt out their Eyes doth so reign alone that he hath left him neither Kinsman nor Friend For being as unthankful as perfideous he hath murdred all his Fathers Friends who with great travel had preferred him to the Kingdom so to make short payment for so great desert With this Beast we must have to do whom whilst no man loveth all men wish to perish The Numidians trouble him with dayly invasions whose injuries the infamous Coward endureth with such shame and reproach that it should seem he had rather to suffer them than revenge them And yet this effeminate Dastard holdeth in Chains many valiant Turks and acknowledgeth not your Imperial Name whereunto all men on every side sue for grace and which is not to be suffered exceedingly favoureth the Spaniards of Tripolis to the intent that Agis and Moses two valiant Turkish Captains may be driven out of the City This wild Beast disarmed of his Claws and Teeth we shall easily destroy if it be but for that we have with us Roscetes his Brother whom the Numidians wish and long for him must we use if it be but for a shew so shall the thing we desire be without Blood effected as soon as we shall but present our selves before the Gates of Tunes Then shall it be at your pleasure to appoint whom you will have to govern the Numidian Kingdom it shall be unto me glory enough when the greatest part of Africk conquered shall be peceably delivered into your hands at your return with the Triumphs of Persia. But by the way as I return I assure you upon mine own repute so to use the matter that the Christians shall also have good cause to bewail their calamities and if I hap to meet with Auria he shall have small cause to rejoyce of the mischief
Christian state was sore shaken and a way opened for the Turk The Emperor at his coming to Luca was honourably received by the Cardinals and Bishops and lodged in the Court the great Bishop was before placed in the Bishops Palace whither the Emperor came thrice to talk with him and the Bishop to him once But the Bishop having nothing at all prevailed with the Emperor and the French Embassador for the appeasing of the troubles even then like to arise betwixt him and the French King did what he might to perswade him to employ such Forces as he was about to pass over with into Africk against the Turks in defence of his Brother Ferdinand and of the Country of Austria if Solyman should happily pursue his late obtained Victory at Buda But he still resolute in that fatal determination of invading of Africk rejected that the Bishops request also So the great Bishop having moved much and prevailed little in the greatest matters which most concerned the common good taking his leave of the Emperor returned by easie journies to Rome The Emperor in the mean time with certain Bands of Italians under the leading of Camillus Columna and Augustinus Spinola and six thousand Germans came from Luca to the Port Lune and there imbarking his Souldiers in certain Merchants Ships provided for the purpose and five and thirty Gallies departed thence commanding the Masters of the Ships to direct their Course to the Islands of Baleares but after they had put to Sea they were by force of Tempest suddainly arising brought within sight of Corsica where after they had been tossed too and fro two days in the rough Seas and put out of their Course the Wind something falling they put into the Haven of Syracusa now called Bonifacium The dispersed Fleet once come together into the Port of Syracusa and the rage of the Sea well appeased he put to Sea again for the Islands Baleares now called Majorca and Minorca where in his Course he met with a Tempest from the West more terrible and dreadful than the first wherein divers of the Gallies having lost their Masts and Sails were glad with extream labour and peril in striving against the rough Sea to get into a Harbor of the lesser Island taking name of Barchinus Mago the famous Carthaginensian whose name it retaineth until this day From hence the Emperor with all his Fleet passed over to the greater Island being wonderful glad that Ferdinand Gonsaga his Viceroy in Sicilia was in good time come with the Sicilian Gallies and Ships of Italy in number an hundred and fifty Sail wherein he had brought such store of Bisket and Victual as might have sufficed for a long War. Mendoza was also expected to have come thither with his Fleet from Spain but he by reason of contrary Winds being not able to hold that Course altered his purpose according to the Tempest and so happily cut over directly to Algiers So the Emperor nothing misdoubting the careful diligence of Mendoza and thinking that which was indeed already chanced and the Wind now serving fair by the perswasion of Auria his Admiral hoised sail and in two days came before Algiers and there in goodly order came to anchor before the City in the sight of the Enemy Whilst the Fleet thus lay two of the Pyrates which had been abroad at Sea seeking for prize returning to Algiers not knowing any thing of the Fleet fell into the Bay amongst them before they were awar the bigger whereof Viscontes Cicada stemmed with his Gally and sunk him the other with wonderful celerity got into the Haven In the mean time Mendoza with his Gallies had passed the Promontory of Apollo now called the Cape of Cassineus and in token of honour saluting the Emperor after the manner at Sea with all his great Ordnance gave him knowledg that the Spanish Fleet was not far behind In this Fleet was above an hundred tall Ships of Biscay and the Low Countries and of other smaller Vessels a far greater number In these Ships besides the Footmen were embarked a great number of brave Horsemen out of all parts of Spain for many noble Gentlemen had voluntarily of their own Charge gallantly furnished themselves with brave Armor and couragious Horses to serve their Prince and Country against the Infidels Over these choice men commanded Ferdinand of Toledo Duke of Alva for his approved Valor then accounted a famous Captain These Ships going altogether with Sails were not able to double the Cape as did Mendoza with his Gallies for now it was a dead Calm howbeit the Billows of the Sea went yet high by reason of the rage of the late Tempest and did so beat against the plain Shore that it was not possible to land the Souldiers but that they must needs be washed up to the middle which thing the Emperor thought it not good to put them unto and so to oppose them Sea-sick and through wet against the suddain and desperate Assaults of their fierce Enemies He also staied for the coming of the Spanish Ships for two causes first that he might with his united Power more strongly assault the City and terrifie the Enemy then to communicate the whole glory of the action with the Spaniards at whose request and forwardness and greatest Charge he had undertaken that War. Which fatal delay of two days although it was grounded upon good reason did not only disturb an assured Victory but to the notable hurt of the whole Army opened a way to all the calamities which afterward ensued In the mean while the Emperor sent a convenient Messenger to Asanagas otherwise and more truly called Assan-Aga or Assan the Eunuch who with a little Flag of Truce in his hand making sign of a Parly and answered by the Moors with like as their manner is went on shore and was of them courteously received and brought to Assan This Assan was an Eunuch born in Sardinia brought up from his youth in the Mahometan Superstition by Barbarussa a man both politick and valiant and by him left for the keeping of his Kingdom of Algiers in his absence with Solyman This Messenger brought into his presence required him forthwith to deliver the City first surprised by Force and Treachery by Horruccius and afterwards to the destruction of mankind fortified by Hariadenus Barbarussa his Brother to Charles the mighty Emperor come in person himself to be revenged on those horrible Pyrats which if he would do it should be lawful for the Turks to depart whether they would and for the natural Moors to abide still with their Goods and Religion wholly reserved unto them untouched as in former time and for himself he should receive of the Emperor great Rewards both in time of Peace and Wars so that he would remember himself that he was born in Sardinia and was once a Christian and accept of the fairest occasion which could possibly be offered for him to return again
a stay unto him for ever doing the like again at last that she would promise for him and take upon her that he should for ever afterwards satisfie his Fatherly expectation in all kind of Duty and Loyalty Which words mingled with Tears and other Womanly Gestures so wrought with Solyman being otherwise too much in her power that he resolved to forgive the Fault yet so that he should come and submit himself and receive from him his charge This careful Mother foreslows no time but by Letters secretly advertised Bajazet not to fear to come unto his Father at such time as he should be sent for assuring him that there was no danger for that his Father was by her means appeased and he again brought into his favour With which good News Bajazet well comforted resolved to go at such time as he was sent for yet full of fear and oftentimes looking back unto his Brother Mustapha whose dreadful example sufficiently warned him what a danger he adventured himself unto Yet he came to the place appointed for the Parley which was in a common Inn at a place called Carestran a few miles from Constantinople for such is the suspicious manner of the Turkish Tyrants of these times not to suffer any of their Sons that be Men grown to set their Foot within the Gates of Constantinople as dangerous for soliciting the Souldiers of the Court and so consequently for the altering of the State. Bajazet was no sooner lighted from his Horse but his Fathers Guard was presently ready to receive him commanding him to lay aside his Sword and Dagger which thing though it be an usual matter in others that are admitted to the presence of the Turkish Emperor yet might it then in the mind of his guilty Son raise a great fear But his kind Mother who had before seen in what fear and perplexity he would come had conveighed her self into a Chamber fast by the entrance of the same House Bajazet was to pass where out of a little Casement covered with a thin Linnen Cloth she called unto him in passing by in these few words Corcoma oglan Corcoma which is as much to say Fear not my Son fear not with which short Speech Bajazet was not a little both comforted and encouraged But as soon as he was come into his Fathers Presence and had done his Duty Solyman commanded him to sit down by him then began the grim Sire grievously to reprove him of rashness and want of discretion in taking up Arms which he could not otherwise conceive of but as taken up against himself And admit they were as he would have it and the best that he could make of it taken up against his elder Brother yet was it nevertheless a great presumption and most wicked Fact. Neither was there any want in him but that the whole state of the Mahometan Religion which at this day resteth upon the Othoman Family had by his Domestical Discord been sore shaken and brought in peril of utter ruin to the great Injury Reproach and Contempt of his Majesty a most detestable and horrible Crime which could not with condign punishment be revenged Yet for all that he had determined to pardon him and to shew himself rather a kind Father than a severe Judge so that he would from thenceforth leave the care of future things to God forasmuch as none of these things are done by our appointment but that Kingdoms and Monarchies are bestowed as best pleaseth him so that if it were his Destiny to enjoy the Empire after his death he should be sure thereof as oâ— a thing that would of it self come unto him and was not by any Mans power to be kept from him as that which was by God ordained for him but if it were otherwise appointed by God then were it a mad thing for him to labour in vain to strive against the Will of God and as it were to fight with God. Wherefore he should now as one well warned cease to rage and storm and not to molest his quiet Brother or trouble him his aged Father for that if he should again fall and raise new stirs it would assuredly fall upon his own head neither would any place of mercy be found for his second offence and that he should then find him not as now his gentle Father but a most severe and revenging Judge Which when he had said and Bajazet had thereunto briefly answered as the time would permit rather craving pardon for his Trespass than excusing that was not to be excused and promising from thenceforth to live most loyally at his Command Solyman according to the manner of that Nation called for Drink which he commanded to be given to Bajazet who not daring to refuse it although he had rather have so done drank thereof what he thought good doubting lest that should have been his last of which fear his Father forthwith delivered him by drinking a good draught of the same Cup. So Bajazet though guilty having with better success spoken with his Father than had his Brother Mustapha returned again to the former place of his charge This hapned in the year 1555 from which time Bajazet so long as Roxolana his Mother lived behaved himself with all dutiful and Brotherly Kindness both towards his Father and his Brother and that rather for to keep her favour and not to cut off the hope which he had only in her Affection towards him than for any confidence he had in his Fathers Kindness or for any Love he bare to his Brother the regard of her being the only thing that kept his fierce Nature in quiet But she dead about two years after he as a Man bereft of all hope of long Life and discharged of all Bonds of Duty fell to his former Course and began more grievously than before to revive the old grudges betwixt him and his Brother sometime seeking by secret practices to have him made away and other sometimes by open force entring into his Province which was not far off there evil intreated some of his Brothers Followers as he light upon for their Masters sake omitting nothing which he thought might tend to the disgrace of him whom of all other he wished dead He had also certain of his Favorites at Constantinople by whom he cunningly wrought by all means to gain the Love of the Souldiers of the Court and doubted not as occasion served to pass over thither himself and there to lurk in secret with such as were of his Faction and privy to his Designments Of all which things Solyman had knowledg but especially by Letters from Selymus wherein he was also advised to have care of his own safety for that he was far deceived if he perceived not that these Preambles of Bajazets wicked intentions would at last turn upon his Head who regarded neither God nor Man so that he might alone reign unto whose unruly desires his Fathers Welfare was no less a bar
Country of Valachia was in ancient time called Dacia it hath on the East the Euxine now called the Black Sea on the South the famous River Danubius on the West Transylvania and on the North Russia It is divided into two parts the one called Transalpina and the other Moldavia of the River Moldavus running through the midst thereof but far passing the other both in greatness and abundance of Pasture That part called Transalpina Mahomet sirnamed the Great who won Constantinople made subject to the Turkish Empire but upon Moldavia the other part he only imposed a yearly Tribute of two thousand Ducats After which time the Vayvods of that Country aided sometime by the Hungarians and sometime by the Polonians rose up oftentimes against the Turks and refused to do their homage It chanced that Bogdanus Vayvod of that Country favouring the Polonians and joyning in League with them lived much in Russia as purposing from thence also to have taken his Wife Which Selymus suspecting with a great power chased him into Exile and placed in his stead one Iohn called of his Country-men Iwan and of some Ivonia the supposed Son of Stephanus sometime Vayvod of that Country who with Ieremias Czarnievieczius a Moldavian who afterward notably betrayed him having of long time lived amongst the Turks to be the more gracious amongst them renounced his Faith and being circumcised turned Turk and following the trade of Merchandise became among them a Merchant of such Fame that he became very familiar and well acquainted with the great Bassaes of the Court and at length with Selymus himself He understanding by his Friends near about the Turkish Emperor of his purpose for the removing of Bogdanus corrupted with rewards the great Bassaes to be mediators for him to Selymus that commended by them he might be preferred to be Vayvod of Moldavia still encreasing the suspicion Selymus had conceived of Bogdanus and telling him That he supported by the Polonians was like enough in short time to reject his obedience to his Imperial Majesty Selymus at the instance of the Bassaes nominated this Iohn to be Vayvod who with a great power of the Turks Horsemen entring into Moldavia easily possessed himself of the Country Bogdanus being then absent in Russia and as then suspecting no such matter who yet afterwards attempted in vain by the help of the Polonians to have again recovered his Country but finding no possibility so to do fled afterwards into Muscovia where he long time after lived Iohn now quietly possessed of Moldavia for some few years held the same with the good liking of the Turk paying him his wonted Tribute but afterwards repenting himself of his wicked revolt from the Christian Faith and now eftsoons again embracing the same and ignorant of his own Fortune persecuting with too much severity those which withstood his coming into the Country especially such great Men as took part with Bogdanus and now after his return unto the Christian Faith not favouring the Turks as he was wont but crossing them in many matters became suspicous both unto Selymus and the Bassaes his old Friends Which the Vayvod of the lesser Valachia commonly called Valachia Transalpina understanding he became a suter unto the great Bassaes of the Court for his Brother Peter and earnestly travelled with them that as Iohn supported by Selymus had driven Bogdanus out of Moldavia so Peter his Brother might in like manner by his help drive Iohn out also In which his Sute he spared for no cost neither ceased by malicious suggestions to encrease the suspicion already conceived of Iohn the Vayvod who having rejected the Mahometan Religion and again embraced the Christian Faith would as he said in short time as had Bogdanus joyn hands with the Polonians and cast off his obedience towards the great Sultan by whom he had been so highly promoted Besides that this malicious Man offered That his Brother Peter for such his preferment should pay yearly unto Selymus twice so much more as did Iohn namely an hundred and twenty thousand Ducats by the name of a Tribute The Bassaes before corrupted and moved with the greatness of the Tribute perswaded Selymus by an Embassador to send for Iohn the Vayvod to come unto him himself in person and to command him to give place to such a Man as he should send thither in his stead which if he should refuse to do then to denounce unto him open War. Hereunto Selymus who had even then much emptied his Coffers with the loss of his Fleet in the Battel of Lepanto and the chargeable Wars against the Venetians was easily induced and to that purpose sent his Embassador to the Vayvod who having audience the one and twentieth of February at the same time that Henry Valoys afterwards the French King was crowned at Cracovia delivered his Message as followeth Selymus the Great Emperor of the Turks sendeth me unto thee John Vayvod of Valachia his Tributary with this Command whereunto his pleasure is that thou shouldest without delay send him answer first He chargeth thee to send him not such a Tribute as he was wont but twice so much more to wit an hundred and twenty thousand Ducats If thou shalt refuse so to do there is another ready to give it both for himself and his posterity But Selymus mindful of thy Constancy Fidelity and Valour will not be troublesome unto thee in thy Government if thou forthwith send the aforesaid Tribute Which if thou shalt refuse to do then his will is that thou shouldst give place to another and thy self return with me to Constantinople there to answer the matter otherwise I am in his Name to denounce all hostility and the calamities of War both unto thee and thy Country This proud Message of the Embassador struck farther into the mind of the Vayvod than any would have thought yet dissembling his grief he commanded him to be brought to the Lodging appointed for him telling him That in a matter of so great importance and so much concerning the whole State of his Country he could not give him so present Answer as he required but that upon mature deliberation had with his Nobility and Council he would in short time answer him accordingly The Embassador being gon to his Lodging the Vayvod forthwith began deeply to consider of Selymus his demands and that in the Turks Faith was no assurance which he kept or brake with the Christian Princes as best fitted his own turn and besides that That if he should grant to pay that so great and heavy a Tribute in so great poverty of his Kingdom sore wasted with civil War Selymus would not be therewith long contented so long as any Man would give him more but happily would the next year exact a greater and in the end such an one as he with all his Subjects should not be able to pay which it should not be safe for him at any time to refuse so long as any Man
certified of the arrival of the new Ambassador from Persia of whom Sinan had before advertised him For he was resolved either to grow to a peace with the said Ambassadour if he came with honourable Conditions or if he came not or that after his comming they could not agree upon the Peace then to put in Execution those his Conceits whereof he must needs in particular talk with Sinan by word of Mouth At length the promised Ambassadour called Ebraim Chan a Man of great Eloquence and highly honoured in Persia came to Sinan whereof Sinan gave present Intelligence to Amurath beseeching him again to permit him to come to Constantinople Which his request Amurath then granted Whereupon Sinan forthwith returned to the Court where he attended the universal Government of the whole Empire At his first coming to the presence of Amurath wherein he discoursed not with him of any thing but of the coming of the Persian Ambassadour the conditions were set down which they were to require for the reducing of the Capitulations of this Peace to a good end After which agreement the Ambassadour being now come and most magnificently received in Constantinople had audience At which time he with much glorious Speech laboured to perswade Amurath That his King had a most ardent desire to be reconciled unto him and to joyn his Forces with his against the Enemies of the Mahometan Religion and that for that purpose he was now especially come thither which his good purpose if it were answered with like zeal on his part there would thereof ensue the greatest Unity and Friendship that ever was between any Mahometan Princes Whereunto Amurath gave him no other answer but that he should thereof talk with his Visier and with him intreat of all matters concerning the Peace and so he was by Amurath entertained and dismissed both at one time Now had Amurath called to Constantinople his eldest Son Mahomet year 1581 who afterward succeeded him in the Empire being then about sixteen years old to circumcise him according to the Custom of the Turks following therein the inveterate Law of the Hebrews Unto which Solemnity many Christian Princes were solemnly invited who accordingly sent thither their Ambassadours with great Gifts and Presents in token of Peace and Confederacy namely Rodulphus the Emperour Henry the III. the French King. Stephen King of Polonia the State of Venice the King of Persia the Moor Kings of Morocco and Fez the Princes of Moldavia Valachia and others With all Triumph and Joy was the Circumcision of this young Prince solemnised by the space of forty days and forty nights in the great market Place of Constantinople where all the Ambassadours aforesaid had their Scaffolds prepared and furnished according to their Degrees and States and received such entertainment as might be shewed at such a kind of barbarous Spectacle only the Persian Ambassador who had also his Scaffold several to himself but not regarded as the rest rejoyced not at these Feasts and Triumphs for among sundry other wrongs and scorn done by the Commandment of Amurath unto the Persian Nation as by hanging up certain counterfeit Pictures of Persians made of laths and sticks and then burning them and in many scornfull sorts abusing them the Turk for the great displeasure he had conceived for the harm done to Osman Bassa and the Turks in Siruan much about that time and for the disdain he had taken against Ebraim Chan as one not condescending to the conditions of Peace which he expected nor yielding to any more than the other Ambassador had done before seemed to have come as a Spie to mark the Turkish Affairs or to mock Amurath rather than to put in execution any good matter to pacifie the Minds of the two mighty Princes commanded the standing before appointed for him in disgrace of him to be cast down and himself and all hisfollowers to be shut up as close Prisoners in the house of Mahamet Bassa at Constantinople where he was so straightly kept that though an hundred of his followers there died of the Plague which shortly after began to wax hot in the City yet could he not obtain so much favour as to be removed into some other place but there was inforced to tarry it out untill that afterward order was taken he should be carried thence as Prisoner to Erzirum To end these Solemnities Mahomet the young Prince was circumcised not publickly but in his Fathers Chamber by Mechmet one of the inferiour Bassaes sometime the Emperour Solymans Barber Now whilst Sinan as great Visier sat commanding in Constantinople the Garisons of Chars and Teflis kept in by the Enemy and having received none other relief than a little which Sinan before his departure from Erzirum had by good hap caused to be secretly conveyed unto them were thought to be driven to great wants Which thing Sinan right well knew and fearing lest those two places which had with so much ado been both gained and maintained should for want of new Succours fall again into the hand of the Enemy he both boldly and freely counselled Amurath to send a new Garrison to Van for the safety of the Country thereabouts and then under the Conduct of some valiant Captain to send Succours to Teflis upon which point Amurath asked Sinan his Opinion and willed him to bethink himself of some fit man. Hereupon Sinan propounded divers unto him but none of them pleased him for why he was before resolved in despight of Sinan and of his Counsel to bestow this charge upon Mahamet Bassa Nephew to Mustapha the late Bassa and for his sake hated of Sinan This Bassa Mahamet he sent to Erzirum with the Title of the Bassa of that Province honouring him withall with the name of General of the Army for Teflis And presently gave commandment to Hassan the Bassa of Caraemit to Mustaffa sometime called Manucchiar the Georgian to all the Sanzacks the Curdi and the Souldiers of Erzirum that they should resort to the standard of Mahamet their General and so to follow him to Teflis Whereupon there assembled together out of all the said places about five and twenty thousand Souldiers with all things necessary for the relief of the distressed Garrison which was in Teflis Commandment was also given to the Bassaes of Aleppo and Maras to repair to Van with all their Souldiers and there to abide till Winter which they accordingly did not molested nor troubled by any Enemy In the end of August Mahamet Bassa departed from Erzirum with the Bassa of Caraemit and all his Army carrying with him Money Corn and all other things needfull for the relief of Teflis and in eight days came to Chars and from thence to Archelec not troubled by any At Archelec he found Mustaffa otherwise called Manucchiar the Georgian with all his Souldiers whom the General most joyfully entertained and honoured him with Gifts and withall admonished him to continue in is Obedience to Amurath and to conduct him
remedy unto the present danger and avert the miserable Calamities now hanging over them and even ready to fall upon their heads The Protestant States they said to be content to put the Controversie to be decided and composed by certain grave and wise Mâ—n to be chosen Arbitrators on both parts yet with this Condition That for the space of fourteen days no Hostility should on either side be used that the Inhabitants both above and beneath Amisum should be comprised within this Truce that such as were kept in durance for their Religion should be set at liberty and that all High-ways and Passes should be from all Ambushes and other dangers cleared Unto which their request the King condescending gave leave unto the States of Moravia upon the most equal Conditions they could devise to compose and end all matters who so laboured in this business betwixt the King and the Protestant States of Austria that at length viz. the twelfth of March a Pacification was made betwixt the King and them his Subjects Leopold the Arch-duke Melinus the Popes Nuntio the Bishop of Vienna and other great Men of the contrary Religion and Faction seeking in vain to have letted the same the chief Articles and points of which Pacification were these That the Nobility in their Castles and Towns as also in their Houses in the Cities should for themselves and their People have the free Exercise of their Religion That the free Exercise of Preaching might be used in the three Churches at Iserâ—dore Trihelsuincel and Horne That other Churches shut up might again be opened by three of the Romish and three of the Reformed Religion and the free Exercise of Religion in them used That Counsellers and other publick Officers should from thenceforth indifferently be chosen of men of both Religions but that such Offices as were hereditary should so still remain That the Election of Magistrates and otherpublick Officers in Towns and Cities should from thenceforth be made by the Magistrates and Citizens themselves and not to be nominated from the Court as hitherto they had been That no Church should hereafter be shut against either part but their own Churches to be left unto them both quietly to use That the Towns-men and Citizens in their Towns and Cities should from thenceforth have power to make choice of their Ministers and Preachers and that for them it should be lawful to visit the Sick and to administer unto them the Lords Supper That the Oath of Allegeance should be taken of them of the Reformed Religion in like manner as it had been betaken of them of the Romish but yet not with the same Ceremonies of the Romish Church all union and confederation with them to be had to be taken away that all grudging hatred and quarrel should be on both sides forgiven and for ever forgotten Wolfgang of Hoffkirch Voltsogius and others removed and put from their Offices for not taking the Oath of Allegeance being again received into Favour and restored into their Places That it might be lawful for the Towns and Cities above Amisum to have the free Exercise of the Reformed Religion in their Suburbs and Hospitals It was not long after this Pacification so made but that King Matthias the seventeenth of May going to Lintz with three hundred Horse was there with eight Troops of Horse-men and fifteen Companies of Foot by the States sent forth to meet him most honourably received and by three triumphal Arches brought into the City where he received of the States of the Religion the Oath of their Obedience which with much Joy Triumph and Feasting performed he the seven and twentieth of the same Month again returned to Vienna The aforesaid States of Austria in the mean time with great zeal continuing the free Exercise of their Religion at Horne a great multitude of People daily resorting unto the Sermons there made they of the Romish Religion much grieving and fretting thereat The King himself also being come to Vienna put divers Romish Catholicks out of their Offices and placed those of the Reformed Religion in their rooms to the great discontentment of many About this time the Bassa of Agria notwithstanding the Peace had for the sum of twenty thousand Crowns before hand paid secretly compacted with one Andrew Drake to have the strong Town of Fileck in the upper Hungary delivered unto him Which the Traytor had intended as he himself confessed to have performed by setting of the House wherein he himself dwelt by night on fire unto the quenching whereof the Garrison Souldiers resorting his purpose was in the mean time to have secretly let in the Turks and so to have delivered the Town into their Hands But this his so wicked a purpose in good time discovered and by him confessed he was therefore as he had well deserved alive cut in four pieces a just reward for his foul intended Treason The Bassa of Buda also contrary to the Treaty of Peace about the same time went about to have exacted the Oath of Allegeance of above four hundred Country Villages of the Christians being not comprised within the foresaid Treaty But as the Turks for their part were secretly plotting how to encroach upon the Christians and to do them harm so the Haiducks on the other side in great numbers gathered together in the upper Hungary began here and there to molest and trouble the Turks until they were by their Superiours commanded to desist from so doing for disturbing of the Peace Now about this time also Illishascius the County Palatine of Hungary died at Vienna a man much beloved of the Hungarians his Country-men and now by them no less lamented for whose dead Body was with great Honour afterward conveyed from Vienna unto his own Territory in Hungary and there with all funeral Pomp buried with his Ancestors In whose stead George Turson was afterward by the general consent of an hundred and fifty of the Hungarian Nobility chosen County Palatine of Hungary and so with the universal and solemn Acclamations of the People saluted And now the Troubles for Religion were scarcely well ended in Austria as is aforesaid but that the like or rather worse b%gan forthwith even for the same quarrel to arise in Bohemia the Hussites as they call them most earnestly importuning the Emperour for the free Exercise of their Religion or rather for the taking away of certain grievances done to their Religion and the Roman Catholicks even at the same time leaving nothing unattempted which might serve to bring them of the Religion into hatred with the Emperour and others sitting at the Helm of the Government of the Estate and so to frustrate whatsoever the Emperour had in the general Assembly of the States the last year granted unto them of the Religion for the free Exercise and Advancement thereof The composing of which Controversie tending unto the rending in sunder of the whole Kingdom when as the Emperour had referred unto
willed them to sit down by him telling them that he was sent from Heaven to purge the World from evil and to prepare the Law of God to expel Cydan out of his Kingdom and to restore Peace unto the World wherefore he advised them not to have any commerce with Cydan nor to assist him in any sort They observed many marks upon his body he had one blue Tooth all the rest being white Hair upon either Shoulder a red Circle in the Palm of his right-hand and the proportion of a Spur upon his right foot Having gotten some Victories against Cydan and taken the Town of Morocco in the end his devillish Art failing him he was slain as you have heard Such were the Affairs of Africk in the Realms of Fez and Morocco But in Algier a wonderful drought had caused cruel Combustions it had so devoured the fruits of the Earth before their Maturity as there followed a wonderful Famine throughout the whole Land. The Turks attributed the cause of their Misery sometimes to their Sins then to the coming of the Moors who had been expelled out of Spain as a pernicious Vermin and sometimes to the licentiousness of Christians which lived in those Places Wherefore in the beginning of May this Year the Judge of the Town ordained That all the Turks should make their devout Prayers to Mahomet their Prophet to obtain Rain so necessary in that Country that the Moors should depart the Town within three days upon pain of death and that all the Christians as well free as bond-slaves should cause their Heads and their Beards to be shaven this was speedily executed for the Turks Decrees require a prompt Obedience But the miserable Moors which could not get out of Algier within their three days prefixed detained either by Sickness or some other Impediment were all cut in pieces For thirteen days there was nothing seen within the Town but Processions of Turks without Turbants crying and howling after their manner to obtain Rain from their false Prophet but he which commands Sovereignty over times from whose hand proceeds fair Weather and Rain and which makes the Earth fruitful held the Pipes of Heaven yet stopped to open them at more religious and holy Vows than the superstitious Clamours of these Infidels For Bernard Murroy of the Order of the Redemption of Captives hearing that the Turks meant to revenge their Miseries upon them and to ruine a little Chappel which the Christian Slaves had in the Prison for the pious Exercises of their Religion obtained by the means of Bius Consul of the French in Algier permission from the Dovan or Turkish Judge to make Processions and to pray unto God to send them the dew of Heaven which was so necessary for them All the Christian Slaves which were Prisoners continued their Devotions for the space of five days but on the fourth day being the Eighth of May there fell such abundance of Rain upon Algier as these poor Christians seeing their Prayers heard in the midst of the Enemies of their Faith gave infinite Thanks unto God for his great Mercy and Grace These miserable Christian Slaves were still detained in Irons and cruel Servitude by this Accident This Murroy of the Order of the Redemption of Captives accompanied with two others of the same Order had redeemed to the number of one hundred thirty and six but when he was ready to embarque them their evil Fortune would have it that the Gallies of Genoa running along that Coast landed some men near unto Algier where they took the Bassa's Son of that Town with many other Turks and amongst this number a Virgin of Algier of a very noble Family and of as rare a Beauty for the misery of these Slaves for that when as the Bassa's Son and the others were redeemed by a Frigot which the Father had sent the fair Algerian Virgin was still detained by a Captain of the Genowayes who had retired to Calvy an Island adjoyning there to satisfie his Desires with more ease upon the frail and fading perfection of this fair Slave which had deprived him of his Liberty In the mean time the Bassa of Algier seeing his Son returned with the other Turks and not the Algerian Virgin commanded that the hundred thirty and six Slaves should be put again into Irons with the three religious men which had redeemed them Thus this feminine Beauty or rather the Passion of this Genoways who holds the Possession so dear makes a great number of Christian Souls to suffer by insupportable Servitude howsoever they of his Nation flattering his disordered lust say that his Desire to win her to God and to make her a Christian caused him to keep her so carefully These suffered in Algier the loss of their Liberty but a Capuchen Friar a Florentine by Nation endured at Tunes the loss of his Life by the Cruelty of the Moors chased out of Spain and retired into those Countries This religious Man being a Slave among the Turks attended daily from Florence or from some other place money to redeem his Liberty but it happened one day disputing in a Barbers House with a Morisque concerning Christian Religion the Zeal of his Faith transported him so far as to say among divers Turks That his Religion was better than that of Mahomet's These Words took criminously in that place were reported by the Morisques to the Cadi or Judge of the Town whom they prest with such horrible Clamours and Cries as he pronounced Sentence of Death against this Capuchen He was delivered unto them and they stripped him naked leading him with Infamy through Tunes some spitting in his Face others casting Dirt at him and so they led him out of the Town where they tied him unto a Post and they being cruelly incensed by a Speech which a Morrabour or religious Turk said unto them That he among them that gave him not one Blow with a Stone should be no good Turk stoned him to death where afterwards they burnt his Body and threw the Ashes into the Wind. The Martyrdom of this Capuchen was followed by the constant Confession amidst the violence of Torments of a penitent Renegado a Florentine by Nation and Captain of the chief Gally of Chio Four French-men being Slaves in the Island of Chio in the Patron or chief Gally belonging to the Bey or Governour of the Island they resolved to recover their Liberty with the hazard of their Lives to return into France and carry into some Port of Christendome that Gally being the best appointed in the whole Haven They drew unto their Party the Captain which commanded being a Florentine Renegado Their Enterprise should have been executed when as they should go to Land to cut Wood. But whether that the Scribe were treacherous to his Companions or transported with some rash Indiscretion being on Land he spake these Words aloud the which overthrew both the design and them that projected it Ho
hundred Captives and so retired again to Sea. The rest of their Fleet lay about Vellona in the Gulf which made the Spaniards jealous that the Venetian had been acquainted with this Enterprise And since there is News That the Gallions and Galliots of Algiers have taken Iuisa a small Iland of four miles compass near unto Majorca It is a Place of great Importance for that it hath a Haven able to contain much Shipping for the Guard whereof the King of Spain entertains a great Garrison and it did much annoy them of Algiers They took the Town but it is not yet certain whether they have taken the Castle This is all I could learn of the Turks Affairs since the Year one thousand six hundred and nine untill this present The Reader may observe that since the Reign of Ottoman their first Emperour this great Empire of the Turks is proudly built upon the four Monarchies of the World that is to say of the Assirian Persian Greek and Roman For they injoy Babylon and all Chaldae with the Countrey of the Medes We have seen them in Tauris the Capital City of Persia Greece is subject to the yoke of their Command Constantinople sometimes called New Rome by the transport of the Imperial Seat is now made their Throne and so many Provinces and Realms which in former times depended upon the Roman Empire do now acknowledge their power they are Masters of the Realms of Aegypt and Cyprus the Islands of Rhodes Metelene Negropont Chio and many others acknowledge them the Empire of Trebisond is theirs the Realm of Colchos now called Mingrelia pays them Tribute they of Tunis and Algier in Affrica obey them Dalmatia the Illyrians Tâ—iballians the Countries of Transilvania Valachia and Molâ—avia do them Homage and we see them Command even in the chief Towns of the Realms of Hungary But all this Power of the Ottomans had never been so great nor so fearful but by thâ— discord division and bad intelligence betwixt Christian Princes as you may read in the Course of this History as well in Greece at Constantinople as in other parts of Europe whereas these Princes contending one with another have furnished matter and means to the Turk to dispossess them of the chief pieces of their Monarchies They measure the continuance of their Empire by the discord betwixt the Princes of the Belief of the Name of Jesus and they confess truely that this Division is the onely cause of their Greatness the which hath made them believe that among Christians there was a bad Angel enemy to peace which they call the stronge or powerful Spirit which kindling the fire of Revenge and Ambition in the Hearts of great Men draws from their Affections the good of their Belief to entertain them in perpetual Discord during the which they promise unto themselves a firm and an assured Reign So the Mufti and the Talismans praying on Friday in their Mosques demand of their Prophet the Circumstance of this bad Intelligence betwixt the Christian Princes to the end they may injoy the Empire which they have unjustly usurped Yet their Prophecies do not promise them a perpetual Possession behold one in their own Tongue which hath always made them fear the union of Christians Patissae homomos ghelur caiferun menleker alur keuzul almai alur kapze iler ie di yladegh Giaur Keleci osikmasse on ikigladegh on laron Begbhgheder Enfi iapar baghi diker bathesai baglar ogli kesi olar onichi ylddensora Hristianon-keleci osechar al Turkci gheressine Tuschure That is to say Our Emperour shall come he shall possess the Realm of an Infidel Prince he shall take the Red Apple and make it subject to his Power if at the seventh Year of his Command the Christians Sword doth not advance he shall Rule unto the twelfth Year he shall build Houses plant Vines compass in Gardens with Hedges and beget Children but after the twelfth Year that he hath held the Red Apple the Christians Sword shall appear and put the Turk to flight By the Infidel Prince they understand a Christian Prince for so they call them and by the Red Apple an Imperial Town strong and important in the which and elsewhere the Turks shall build Houses that is to say convert Holy Temples to the Use of the Mahometan Impiety for by this Word to build they that have Commented upon this Prophesie understand Usurpation of the Houses of God Plant Vines by these Words they signifie the Extent of the Turkish Empire and the settling of their Colonies as we see in Hungary and Transilvania Compassing in Gardens that is to say they shall fortifie the Towns which they have taken from their Enemies Beget Children extend the Mahometan Religion far in the Christians Countries But after the twelfth Year c. within a certain time best known to God his Divine Majesty opening the Eyes of his Clemency upon the Christians will unite the Wills of their Princes kindle their affections with a holy zeal and blessing their Arms will make them victorious over the Turk whom he will banish out of the East and chase into Scythia from whence they came to be a scourge unto Christendom These are my Wishes wherein I hope all good Christians do concurr The Beginning of the Turkish EMPIRE HAving run over the Occurrents which have happened in the Turks Estate for the space of eleven years I must according to Master Knolles his Method conclude the Work with a description of the Grand Seignior's Port or Court of his Government Officers Riches Force and Religion The Turks a People of Scythia having like a violent Deluge overthrown a great part of the East and taken divers Provinces being expelled from Hierusalem by Godfrey of Bouillon and the Christians their remainder retired to Nicea where they lived without any head or sovereign Commander until that Ottoman about the Year of our Redeemer one thousand three hundred by Practice made himself sole and absolute Monarch His Son conquering divers Provinces removed his Imperial Seat to Prusia now called Bursia the chief Abode of the Kings of Bythinia Amurath the First being drawn in by the Emperour of Constantinople to succour him and allured with the Wealth of Europe turned his Arms against him taking divers Provinces and Towns from him amongst others Adrianopolis which he made the Seat and residence of the Turkish Emperours in the Year one thousand three hundred sixty three But Mahomet the Second having taken the City of Constantinople and expelled the Emperour in the Year one thousand four hundred fifty three he made it the Royal Seat of the Othomans for which he had great reason being one of the fairest and sweetest Seats of the World. Constantinople hath in circuit by the opinion of some Writers fifteen or sixteen miles and is called by the Turks themselves Stambull or Stambolda the Sea beating upon it upon the North and South sides Towards the East it is divided from Asia by
deliver this poor Carcass of mine from under the covering of this accursed Roof For Answer whereunto I did not stand to expostulate the Reasons with him well knowing the cause of his discontent but that I would communicate his desires to my Lord Ambassador and speedily return with my Answer to him Accordingly I departed from him and quickly brought from my Lord a Promise to endeavour his utmost to comply with his request at which he seemed to be much satisfied and commanded his Servants then present especially one called Sig. Tomaso Gobbato his great confident to be Witnesses thereof The next day he expired his last Breath and the day following his Body being embalmed his bowels were buried and the Funeral Rites performed with such order and decency as was seemly in a Country where he lived rather like a Prisoner than an Ambassador All things being thus prepared the Earl of Winchelsea according to the Will of the Deceased sent for his Body already embalmed which was immediately without opposition or scruple sent to his house where it remained for some months in expectation of a conveyance for Venice At length a Dutch ship being bound from Constantinople thither it was designed that the Body should be thereon imbarked but I know not for what reason the Customer refused to suffer it to pass though it may well and rationally be conjectured That Ballarino who was sensibly touched to have the care of the Body of his Master his Countryman and Colleague taken from him did with Presents prevail with the Customer to put difficulties in the way which he supposed might vex those who were thought worthy of this employment This opposition being made and not to be overcome without much Money it was contrived that the Ship departing should attend the Corps at Tenedos which was without the command of the Castles and the Body being divided from the Legs was packed up in a But ofCavear and so sent down by a boat with Licence of the Customer as a parcel of Goods and Merchandice and so safely arriving aboard the Corps were separated from their adjuncts and being laid decently in a Coffin covered with a Pall of black Velvet with Scutcheons and other ornaments appertaining to the Funerals of such great Personages it arrived safely at Venice where it was interred with the usual ceremonies in the Tomb of the Ancestors of that Ancient Family But the heads and thoughts of these Governours were not so employed in their preparations of War but that the Vizier could lend an ear to the suggestions of some malicious Pharisees who under pretence of Religion informed him That the Christian Churches burnt down in Constantinople and Galata by those dreadful Fires in the year 1660 were again re-edified against his command and the Law of the Turks which allows the reparation of Churches and continuance of such which were found standing when Mohometanism was introduced but not to erect new or rebuild what are either by time fire or other accidents fallen to ruine And being farther informed that though those Churches were restored under the notion of Dwellings or Ware-houses yet secretly served for Celebration of Divine Service and thereby his Decrees and Edicts were frustrated and disappointed Wherefore furiously transported with a Mahometan Zeal commanded immediately that the Authors of those Buildings should be imprisoned the Churches themselves levelled to the Foundation and the ground whereon they stood confiscated to the Grand Signior This action though naturally agreeable to the disposition of the Vizier who was a perfect Turk zealous in execution of all points of the Mahometan Law being educated after the severest sort of Professors and one of those whom they called Soâ—taes yet he was chiefly prompted unto this and to a greater abhorrency of Christianity by one Vanni Effendi a Shegh or Preacher one who was as inveterate and malicious to the Christian Religion as any Enthusiast or Fanatick is to the Rites of our Church and Religion And thus we may see how troublesom Hypocrisie and Puritanism are in all places where they gain a Superiority for this Preacher not contented only to ruine the Christian Churches but perswaded the Vizier that the terrible Fires in Constantinople and Galata in the year 1660 and the last years unparallel'd Pestilence and the inconsiderable advance of the Turks on the Christians for some years were so many parts of Divine Judgments thrown on the Mussulmen or Believers in vengeance of their too much Licence given to the Christian Religion permitting Wine to be sold within the Walls of Constantinople which polluted the Imperial City ensnared the faithful by temptation to what was unlawful Wherefore a command was issued That no Wine should be henceforth sold within the Walls of the City And it was farther intended that Greeks Armenians all other Christians who had Dwellings or Possessions within the Walls of the City should within Forty days sell those habitations and depart which otherwise should be confiscated to the Grand Signior but God who supports the Faithful in â—ryals of Persecution moderated this Decree and reserved still â—his Church in the midst of Infidels not suffering this City to lose the Name nor Religion of that holy Emperor who both erected and christned it as also to preserve most of the Churches which though again uncovered yet were redeemed for Money from the possession of the Turks Nor was the Mohometan Zeal satisfied in Demolishment of the Churches themselves unless it vented part of its fury against the poor Workmen which for their hire and days Wages erected them such as Greek Labourers Masons and Carpenters who were all beaten and imprisoned But it happening at that time that the Queen Mother building a sumptuous Mosch and having occasion of many Labourers and Artists to forward so vast a Work sent to the Maimarbashee who is the Master work-man or Cape over all such who are employed in Building to supply such a number of Carpenters Masons and others as were convenient to carry on that Fabrick with expedition who readily replyed That he would provide all that was possible but could not promise a sufficient number unless those Greeks were set at liberty who were imprisoned by the Grand Vizier for building the Christian Churches which answer being reported again to the Queen Mother she interceded with the Vizier in their behalf who being glad of any occasion to gratifie so great a Lady immediately released them without any fine or reward which he designed to obtain for their liberty Howsoever the Vizier not well brooking such an indignity as he supposed put upon him by so mean a Slave as the Maimarbashee dealt with some of the imprisoned Labourers to accuse him as the Author and Licenser of building the Christian Churches The Greeks easily enough perswaded to please so great a Personage accused him accordingly whose Evidence though nor passable against a Turk by the Mahometan Law yet served the Viziers revenge for the present who
and relief to all the City with whom also came the Cavalier Gonges and his Brother in quality of Adventurers for Honour and Religion There was not one day in all this Month but divers Fornelli and Mines were fired on one side and the other and though the Christians exercised as much military Art Industry and Valour as men were capable to perform yet the Turks still gained ground and daily advanced their works upon the Christians wherefore the Captain General ordered that a Mine and three Fornelli shoâ—â—d be fired by which a small Fort of the Tuâ—ks near the Counterscarp was overthrown with divers other works lately raised The Turks had such good success with their last Mines that a Week after they fired another which was calculated so well that it ruined the Gallery of Communication between Panigra and its Out-works and threw the Counterscarp into the Ditch of the Town For the necessary repair of which Breach and clearing of the Ditch the Governors gave immediate Order and appointed a strong Guard for defence and protection of those that laboured and to make better dispatch a most ingenious Engine was contrived to remove and rid the Ditch of Earth which whilst it worked with admirable success the Turks by help of a Mine blew it into the Air and shattered it into a thousand pieces Howsoever the Christians desisted not from their intended work but still laboured with Baskets Sacks and Wheelbarrows to carry away the â—arth which that they might do quietly and undisturbed the Savoyards and Sclavonians made a furious and desperate Sally which continued for the space of two hours and though in that time the Enemy had opportunity to collect their greater Force into a Body yet the Christians were not put to flight but retreated orderly and in a fighting posture though with the loss of several Officers of which were Captain Rè and others To revenge these mines of the Turks the Christians fired two others as dreadful as the others the first near St. Spirito which being under the Enemies Traverses performed its desired Effect the second was on the side of the half Moon which swallowed up two of their Redoubts And on the third of October they fired four other mines on the sides of Panigra and Betlem one of which consisted of six and thirty Barrels of Powder and another of fourteen ordering at the same time a furious Sally from divers places as namely Captain Gamba sallied from the Revelin of St. Spirito Serjeant Major Arasi from under the Bulwark of Panigra Colonel George Maria was ordered to assault the Redoubts which were opposed to the Breach Colonel Vechia to attaque the Redoubts between Panigra and the half Moon Colonel Cremasco and Marini to assault the redoubts between the half Moon and Betlem Count Brufasco defended the work of St. Maria Colonel Inberti defended the Revelin of St. Nicholas and Serjeant Motta with thirty able Souldiers advanced to the farthest Lines of the Enemy killing and putting to flight all before them Colonel Frigeri Captain of the Fort St. Dimetry and Lieutenant Colonel Vimes possessed several Redoubts and in the conclusion all retreated in excellent order with success and triumph to yield the Turks evident arguments of their fortitude and courage and that the Town was still so well provided as not only to be in a Condition of defending it self but offending the Enemy Yet the Turks were still labouring to countermine the Fornelli of the Enemy and to revenge the former Plots to which end they had penetrated to the most inward works of Panigra but the Pioniers employed by the Engineer Quadruplani discovering their Gallery entred boldly in and drove away the Turks from whom they took thirty two Barrels of Powder and by that means for the present preserved that work and the Lives of many Souldiers The 17 th oâ— October the Christians sprang two Mines one of thirty and another of five and thirty Barrels of Powder which did the desired execution upon the Turks which some brave spirits seconded by a bold Sally amongst which none was more eminent than a Greek Priest who moved with zeal to his Country entered â—ar into the Enemies Trenches where having killed a Person of Quality hand to hand he was returning with the Trophy of his head but being in the way intercepted by three at once he was unequally marched and slain and died with the highest honour imaginable under the Walls of his Native City Soon after the Cavalier Verneda another Engineer fired a Mine of forty Barrels of powder which made the very City and Works tremble like an Earthquake for whereas this Mine should have taken its effect on the Enemies Redoubts Providence ordered that it should take its passage through an old Gallery with so much violence and Smoak that it suffocated the Miners Carpenters and Masons to the number of sixty men Towards the end of this Summer the Turks at Constantinople and Adrianople grew big with the expectation of the happy News and Arrival of that messenger that should declare the taking of Candia and the end of the Venetian War to entertain which joy with the more readiness they had prepared Lights and Lamps and artificial Fire-works to solemnize their Danalma and made publick prayers and procession of the youth of the City twice a week but finding their hopes frustrated and their joys from Month to Month deferred their expectations became tyred and wearied and growing almost ashamed of their disappointment began to throw the blame of the miscarriâ—â—â— of their Affairs on the ill Conduct of the Vizier and the sluggishness of their Souldiery The Grand Signior also more impatient than the rest dispatched away a Messenger with Letters to the Vizier reproaching his cowardise and sloth that being provided with a most puissant Army and with all other appointments of War should suffer the Ottoman Forces to be baffled and entertained in taking a single Fort for longer time than formerly it had been in subduing whole Provinces and Kingdoms and moreover charged the Messenger to bring him a faithful and true Relation of the state of all Affairs and what was the real cause and difficulty that so long obstructed the progress of his Arms but yet sent the Vizier for his encouragement a Sword and a Vest of Sables as tokens of his favour The Great Vizier moved with this message resolved to give some certain proofs of his industry and valour and either to take the place or else at least to convince his Master by the knowledge and testimony of his Inquisitor that the Work was of more hazard and longer time than was apprehended in the Seraglio Whereupon preparations were made and the time of assault was appointed chiefly on the side of Panigra so that pressing valiantly forward they planted six of their Colours on the ruines of that work so that now full of hope and courage they adventured to descend into the Ditch
sent to survey the Country and to return with a relation of all matters but in the interim the design was altered for the Grand Signior having begun a Fabrick in which he had expended about eighty thousand Dollars at a small Village about nine or ten miles from Adrianople the place and novelty of the Building so well pleased him that he found in himself an inclination to pass the whole Summer there and becoming likewise enamoured of a young Lady in his Seraglio notwithstanding his former tenderness to his Queen and late aversion to all other Women he judged it was possible to divertise his time well in those parts and more to his contentment than in wild woods and uninhabited mountains Whereupon the intentions of Zegna were laid aside and nothing thought of but the rest and quietness of the Court for this year But because it was reported That the Czar of Muscovy made great Preparations for War it was judged necessary to command the Crim Tartar to be watchful of his motion by Land though the natural slothfulness of that people gave them no apprehension of their Arms for this year howsoever it being probable that they might prove more active and forward in the Black Sea than they were capable to do by Land by sending forth their small Boats down the Volga to take and pillage the Saiks and Vessels belonging to Constantinople and other parts the Captain-Pasha was ordered to pass into that Sea with thirty five or forty Sail of Gallies for defence of the Coast and for fortifying and repairing Asac and the Fortresses thereabouts but whilst these Preparations were making for the Euxine or Black Sea the other Seas were neglected and undefended for the Alexandrian Fleet consisting in all of eight Sail were encountred not far from Rhodes by some Maltese and Ligornese Corsaires the Ships of the Turks were most of them very great and potent Ships one of them was at least fifteen hundred Tuns and was capable to carry an hundred Guns the others of eight hundred or a thousand Tuns able to have resisted and overcome had they been well armed double the force that assaulted them but being now engaged with an Enemy though not so strong yet better experienced in marine Affairs than themselves they fought with them stoutly the first day but the next day six Gallies coming to the Christians assistance which had been harboured in some Port not far distant and led thither by the noise of the Cannon to which also a calm giving the greater advantage the Turks began to faint in their courage so that four Gallions and two Saiks yielded to mercy which was a Prize of so great value that it was supposed never to have been equalled since the time of Sultan Ibrahim when the loss of the grand Sultana and other Ships gave the first occasion of War with Venice This great Ship which was reported by those who saw her to be both longer and broader than the Soveraign carried only sixty Guns and was manned accordingly only with about an hundred Seamen and about two hundred more which were Land-men wholly unacquainted with the Sea or with Naval Fights the biggest Ship amongst the rest was belonging to the Queen-Mother and the others to the Grand Signior being freighted principally with Sugar Coffee Rice and other Provisions for the proper maintenance of their Courts which we may suppose will highly inflame these grand Personages with anger and disdain when they reflect on their own proper losses which touch them so nearly as their peculiar Goods and the Furniture of their Kitchins The Turkish Court now angered with this loss was more moved in the midst of May when a Messenger from Poland arrived with Letters from the Grand Chancellour declaring with modest terms That their Kingdom was unable or unwilling for many respects to pay the promised Tribute so that if they did not judge fit to wave or lay aside those pretensions they should be forced to take up Arms in defence of their Honour Safety and Priviledge of their Dominions The Turks surprised with this unexpected Message too late perceived the errour of the last years proceedings which were carried on with a clemency and confidence not agreeable to the disposition and humor of such an Enemy as is unacquainâ—ed with servitude and so far from being able to support a Foreign Yoke that they cannot endure subjection to their own Civil Government every Nobleman of which there are many in Poland being ambitious to be a Prince judges himself better than his elected King. Hence proceeded all those dissentions which laid them open to the late invasion of their powerful Enemy the apprehension of whom having obducted for a while those sores of Faction which festered amongst them and that principle of self-conservation which by a forcible nature inclined them to Union at length armed them with a resolution to avenge the Liberties of their Country and assured them of the Truth of that Saying That a Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand The Turks now wished that they had either made a true use of their Victory and the opportune Conjuncture of the last years Affairs to have setled and secured their Conquests or that they had never begun the War for now finding themselves engaged in it they were in honour obliged to proceed and lose the fair opportunity which presented to make their advantage in Hungary to which place they had been and were still invited by the Rebles of that Country who to revenge the Cause of Serini Nadasâ—i and some other Discontents and Aggrievances of which they complained and to defend the Protestant Religion in which by the zeal of some Churchmen they were disturbed resolved to abandon their Allegiance to their natural Prince and rather seek a protection for their Estates and allowance for their Religion under the Turks than remain beholding for either to a prevailing party at the Imperial Court. The chief Authours of this Rebellion were Petrozy Sepesi Tende Gabor Sutrey and other principal persons amongst the Hungarians who having on their own strength opposed themselves against the Emperour the last year were defeated in divers engagements and at length reduced to a very low and miserable condition Wherefore they renew again their Petitions and Presents to the Sultan sent by their Agents about the beginning of this Month of April begging his assistance and protection representing the easiness of the Conquest and how large a Gate they were able to open to his Armies and make a plain way for him into the most fertile and opulent Countries of the World of which he seemed already half possessed by reason of those Discontents and Factions that were amongst them The Turks though well satisfied of the reasonableness of the design yet being engaged in honour against Poland knew not how to retract and therefore dispatched away the Messengers for the present with fair hopes and secret promises well treated in private though they received
Offices and the other whensoever the Wars or other occasions should cause him to be absent from the Royal Presence might supply his place without attempting to supplant him The Kapisler-Kahyasee or Master of the Ceremonies to the late Vizier he made his own Kahya and all the other Agas which depended on that Court he received into his own service so that in effect there seemed by this great chance of Mortality to be little other alteration in the Court than of the single person of the deceased Vizier of whose Memory that the Grand Signior might evidence the love and esteem that he retained he did not intermeddle or appropriate unto himself any part of his Estate or disanulled his Testament but resigned all into the hands of his Relations challenging no share or proportion thereof And whereas the Vizier left no Children the Estate fell to his Brother and Sisters who to evidence their Devotion to Religion and good will to the Publick and to please the eyes of the envious World conferred on Mecha the Rent of the new Custom house the Besasteen and new Chan built at Smyrna and finished in the year 1677. At this first change there were rumors that the new Vizier had begun his Government in blood having cut off several Heads lately in Authority but all was false and only grounded on a displeasure which he was known to have conceived against certain persons Only one act he performed rather of justice than severity having cut off one of the Pay-masters of the Exchequer for false Money The occasion was this Certain Muletiers having received mony from Exchequer in Venetian Zechins and finding several of them false returned them again but could not prevail to have them changed whereupon having made their Memorial thereof they carried them to the Vizier and upon examination the Pay-master declared That he received them from the Great Ibrahim Hari-ogli who being for that Cause sent for and accused was put into a fear which proved as dangerous to him as a Disease the apprehensions of Death being worse than the reality but the Great Tefterdar soon cleared him of this Accusation having attested That to his knowledge the mony received from him was good and disposed on other occasions so that the whole blame lying now on the Pay-master and upon farther search more of the same stamp being found in his hands he deservedly suffered the punishment of Death the which had likewise been inflicted on another Officer of the same rank but not being found so culpable as the other he was permitted to redeem his life with forty Purses of Mony or twenty thousand Dollars Thus far we have seen the gentle and smooth behaviour of the present Vizier towards the Friends Relations and Servants of the deceased and with what Acts of Justice he began his Government But behold on a sudden the face of the whole Court was changed every Officer thereof putting on a Countenance of fierceness pride and arrogance beyond the manner and custom lately practised For the Great Visier took on himself the State and Grandeur of the Sultan the access being as difficult to him as to his Master his Kahya that of the Visier and so every inferior Officer advanced himself into a fancy of possessing the next and immediate Degree above him This haughty behaviour had a more particular influence on the Ministers and Representatives of Foreign Princes whose Interpreters were not admitted as formerly to private Audiences or Conferences about their Affairs but only at the Publick Divan where their Arzes or Memorials were to be preferred in the same manner as was practised by the Subjects of the Country and those of conquered Nations who petition for Justice The which abasement was not only cast on the Interpreters but on the Persons of the Representatives themselves an example of which we have in the French Ambassador who coming at the time appointed to receive his Audience of the Visier was forced to expect a long time before he could have admittance and then entering into the Chamber of Audience was rudely clouded and rushed upon by a Crew of unmannerly Chaouses who no otherwise regarded the Person of the Ambassador than if he had been one of the Grooms or Lacquies Being come to the Seat of Audience the Ambassador observed That the Stool for the Great Visier was set upon Soffrá and that for Him below or at the foot of it the which being an unusual and unpractised diminution of the ancient honour given formerly to Ambassadors he ordered one of his Servants To set it again on the Soffrá equal with that of the Visier's the which being done was again brought down by one of the Visiers Pages and placed as before whereupon the Ambassador seizing the Stool with his own hand carried it on the Soffrá and sate upon it which being reported to the Visier then in his retiring Chamber he sent twice to him to remove letting him know That unless the Stool were returned into the Place appointed by him he would not appear in the Chamber of Audience Whereunto his Excellency returned this prudent Answer That the Visier might dispose of his Chair as he pleased but not of his Person In which Interim the Chaous-Bashee came in roaâ—ing out Calder Calder which is Take it away Take it away meaning the Stool at which noise the Ambassador arising to see what the matter was had the Stool taken from under him whereat being greatly enraged he threw out of the Room in a high passion and causing the Presents which he brought to be again returned with him he mounted his Horse and departed Afterwards it was intimated unto the English Ambassador That he might if he pleased receive Audience of the Great Visier But his Excellency understanding in what manner the French Ambassador had been treated excused his going on pretence of an Indisposition of health Howsoever the Venetian Bailo and the Residents of Holland and Genâ—ua were contented to be admitted unto Audience on those terms which the Visier was pleased to allow And though during the time that he was Chimacam and bore other inferior Offices and Charges of Trust his behaviour was gentle affable and civil yet I fear that now having changed his Office he will have altered his humour and that his Greatness will have encreased his Pride Avarice and Fierceness thus no man knows what another will be when he shall enter into power Dic mihi si fueris tu Leo qualis eâ—is And as Magistratus indicat Virum so in the actions of his management the temper and constitution of this great Person will be discovered And thus having given a short Account and Character of this present Visier his future Acts and Monuments must be the Subject of other Pens FINIS THE HISTORY OF THE TURKISH EMPIRE CONTINUED From the Year One thousand Six hundred Seventy six to the Year One thousand Six hundred Eighty six By Sir ROGER MANLEY Knight THE HISTORY OF THE TURKISH
the Debt comes to be demanded And thus much shall serve in brief to have declared concerning the Endowments and Manner of enriching the Turkish Moschs from whence the Constitution of others of the like nature may easily be collected CHAP. VIII The Nature of Predestination according to the Turkish Doctours THE Doctrine of the Turks in this point seems to run exactly according to the Assertion of the severest Calvinists and in proof hereof their Learned men produce places of Scripture which seem to encline to the same Opinion As shall the Vessel say to the Potter Why hast thou made me thus I will harden the heart of Pharaoh Jacob have I loved and Esau have I hated and the like For the Turks attribute no small Reverence and Authority to the Old Testament as wrote by Divine Inspiration but that the Alchoran being of later date and containing the Will of God more expresly and perfectly the former is now abrogated and gives place unto this Some are so positive in this assertion that they are not fraid to say that God is the Authour of Evil without distinction or evasions to acquit the Divine Purity of the foulness of sin according to the Doctrine of the Manichees And all in general concur in this conclusion That whatsoever prospers hath God for the Author which was the reason they destroyed not Bajaset's Children during the time of his War against his Brother Selymus expecting to receive an undoubted argument of the Will of God therein from the good or bad fortune of the Father And from the same rule they conclude much of the Divine approbation and truth of their Religion from their Conquests and present Prosperity They are of opinion that every man's destiny is writ in his forehead which they call Nasip or Tactir which is the Book writ in Heaven of every man's fortune and is by no contrary endeavours counsels or wisedom to be avoided which Tenet is so firmly radicated in the minds of the Vulgar that it causes the Souldiers brutishly to throw away their lives in the desperate attempts and to esteem no more of their bodies than as dirt or rubbish to fill up the Trenches of the Enemy And to speak the truth this received assertion hath turned as much to account to the Turks as any other their best and subtlest Maxims According to this Doctrine none ought to avoid or fear the Infection of the Plague Mahomets precepts being not to abandon the City-house where the Infection rages because God hath numbred their days and predestinated their fate and upon this belief they as familiarly attend the Beds and frequent the company of Pestilential persons as we do those that are affected with the Gout Stone or Argue And though they evidently see that Christians who fly into better Airs and from infected habitations survive the fury of the years Pestilence when whole Cities of them perish and are depopulated with the Disease yet so far is this opinion rooted amongst them that they scruple not to strip the contagious shirt from the dead body and to put it on their own nor can they remove their abode from the Chambers of the sick it being the custome in the families of great Men to lodge many servants on different Palats in the same room where the diseased and healthfull lie promiscuously together from whence it hath happened often that three parts of a Pashaws Family which perhaps hath consisted of Two hundred men most youthful and lusty have perished in the heat of Iuly and Augusts Pestilence And in the same manner many whole Families every Summer have perished and not one survivor left to claim the inheritance of the house for want of which the Grand Signior hath become the Proprietour Though the Mahometan Law obliges them not to abandon the City nor their Houses nor avoid the conversation of men infected with the Pestilence where their business or calling employs them yet they are counselled not to frequent a contagious habitation where they have no lawfull affair to invite them But yet I have observed in the time of an extraordinary Plague that the Turks have not confided so much to the precept of their Prophet as to have courage enough to withstand the dread and terrour of that slaughter sickness hath made but have under other excuses fled to retired and private Villages especially the Cadees and men of the Law who being commonly of more refined wits and judgments than the generality both by reason and experience have found that a wholesome Air is a preserver of life and that they have lived to return again to their own house in health and strength when perhaps their next Neighbours have through their brutish ignorance been laid in their Graves And this is the opinion most general and current with the Turks who are called Iabare There is another sort amongst them called Kadere CHAP. IX The difference of Sects and disagreement in Religion amongst the Turks in general THere is no consideration more abstruse and full of distraction than the contemplation of the most strange variety of Religions in the World how it is possible that from the rational Soul of man which in all Mankind is of little difference in it self and from that one principle which is the adoration of a Deity should proceed such diversities of Faiths such Figments and Ideas of God that all Ages and Countries have abounded with superstitions of different natures And it is strange to consider that Nations who have been admirably wise judicious and profound in the Maxims of their Government should yet in matters of Religion give themselves over to believe the Tales of an old Woman a Pythoness or the dreams and imaginations of a melantholy Hermit And it is as strange that men who embrace the same Principles in Religion and have the same true and infallible Foundation should yet raise such different and disproportionate Fabricks that most should make their Superstructure of Straw and Stubble and but few of a substantial and durable Building without uniformity harmony or agreement each to other For resolution of which difficulties nothing can be said more than that the God of this World hath blinded the hearts of them that believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them The Mahometan Religion is also one of the prodigious products of Reasons Superfetations which hath brought forth nothing good nor rational in this production more than the Confession of one God. And yet even herein also are diversities of Sects Opinions and Orders which are maintained in opposition each to other with Emulation and Zeal by the Professours with heats disputes and separations terming the contrary parties prophane and unholy the particulars of which Sects and diversity in their Tenents I shall as far as I have seen or could learn set down and describe having with the more curiosity and diligence made the stricter Enquiry because I have
not read any Authour which hath given a satisfactory account of such Sects as are sprung up amongst them in these latter and modern times It is a common opinion that there are seventy two sects amongst the Turks but it is probable there are many more if the matter were exactly known and scanned The Turkish Doctours fansie that the seventy two Nations which they call Yesmish â—kee Molet into which the World was divided upon the Confusion of the Languages of Babel was a Type and a Figure of the divisions which in after-Ages should succeed in the three most general Religions of the World. In this manner they account seventy different Sects among the Jews seventy one amongst the Christians and to the Mahometan they assign one more as being the last and ultimate Religion in which as all fulness of true Doctrine is compleated so the Mystery of iniquity and the deviation of mans judgment by many paths from the right rule is here terminated and confined The Turks have amongst themselves as well as in other Religious Sects and Heresies of dangerous consequence which daily increase mixing together with them many of the Christian Doctrines which shall in their due place be described and in former times also a sort of Fanatick Mahometans which at first met onely in Congregations under pretence of Sermons and Religion appeared afterwards in Troops armed against the Government of the Empire So one Scheiches Bedredin Chief Justice of Musa Brother to Mahomet the Fifth King of the Turks after the death of his Master was banished to Nice in Asia where consulting with his servant Burgluzes Mustapha by what means they might raise Sedition and a Second War they agreed the readiest course was by broaching a new Sect and Religion and by persuading the people to something contrary to the ancient Mahometan superstition Whereupon Burgluzes masking his villany under a grave and serious countenance took his journey into Aydinin othewise Caria where he vented Doctrines properly agreeing to the humours of the people preaching to them Freedom and Liberty of Conscience and the Mystery of Revelations and you may believe he used all arts in his persuasions with which Subjects used to be allured to a Rebellion against their Prince so that in a short time he contracted a great number of Disciples beyond his expectation Bedredin perceiving his Servant thrive so well with his Preaching fled from his place of Exile at Nice into Valachia where withdrawing himself into a Forest like a devout Religious man gathered a number of Proselytes composed of Thieves Robbeâ—s and Out-lawed people these he having instructed in the principles of his Religion sent abroad like Apostles to preach and teach the people that Bedredin was appointed by God to be the King of Justice and Commander of the whole World and that his Doctrine was already embraced in Asia The people taken with these Novelties repaired in great numbers to Bedredin who conceiving himself strong enough to take the Field issued from his desâ—rt with Colours displayed and an Army well appointed and fighting with his deluded multitude a bloudy Battel against those Forces which Mahomet sent to suppress him under his Son Amurath the deluded Rebels were overthrown Bedredin taken Prisoner and his pretences of Sanctiâ—y and Revelation were not available to save him from the Gallows And thus we see that the name of God's cause revelations liberty and the like have been old and common pretences and delusions of the World and not onely Christians but Infidels and Mahometans have wrote the name of God on their Banners and brought the pretence of Religion into the Field to justifie their cause CHAP. X. Of the two prevailing Sects viz. Of Mahomet and Hali that is the Turk and the Persian the Errours of the Persian recounted and confuted by the Mufti of Constantinople THE two great Sects among the followers of Mahomet which are most violent each against other the mutual hatred of which diversity of Education and Interest of the Princes have augmented are the Turks and Persians The first hold Mahomet to have been the chief and ultimate Prophet the latter prefer Hali before him and though he was his Disciple and succeeded him yet his inspirations they esteem greater and more frequent and his interpretations of the Law most perfect and Divine The Turk also accuses the Persian of corrupting the Alchoran that they have altered words misplaced the Comma's and Stops that many places admit of a doubtfull and ambiguous sense so that those Alchorans which were upon the Conquest of Babylon brought thence to Constantinople are separated and compiled in the great Seraglio in a place apart and forbidden with a Curse on any that shall read them The Turks call the Persians Forsaken of God abominable and blasphemers of the Holy Prophet so that when Selymus the First made War in Persia he named his Cause the Cause of God and proclaimed the occasion and ground of his War to be the Vindication of the cause of the Prophet and revenge of the blasphemies the Persians had vented against him and so far is this hatred radicated that the Youth of what Nation soever is capable of admittance into the Schools of the â—eraglio excepting onely the Persian who are looked upon by the Turk as a people so far Apostatized from the true Belief and fallen into so desperate an Estate by a total corruption of the true Religion that they judge them alâ—ogether beyond hopes or possibility of recovery and therefore neither give them quarter in the Wars account them worthy of life or slavery Nor are the Persians on the other side endued with better nature of good will to the Turks estranging themselves in the farthest manner from their Customs and Doctrines rejecting the three great Doctours of the Mahometan Law viz. Ebbubecher Osman and Omar as Apochryphal and of no Authority and have a Custome at their Marriages to erect the Images of those three Doctours of Paste or Sugar at the entrance of the Bridal Chamber on which the Guests first casting their looks leave the impression of any secret Magick which may issue fâ—om their eyes to the prejudice or misfortune of the Married Couple for in the Eastern parts of the â—orld they hold that there is a strange fascination innate to the eyes of some people which looking attentively on any as commonly they do on the Bridegroom and the Bride in Marriages produce macerations and imbecillity in the body and have an especial quality contrary to procreation and therefore when the Guests are entred having the Malignity of their eyes Arrested on these Statues they afterwards cut them down and dissolve them And that it may the more plainly appear what points of Religion are most controverted amongst them and what Anathema's and Curses are by both sides vented each against the other this following sentence passed by the Mufti Esad Efendi upon Schah Abbas Tutor to the King of Persia called Sari Halife and all the Persians will
to the company of her Husband but when the precedent ceremonies to the Marriage are performed and completed the House is all silent and she is brought into the Bride-Chamber by an Eunuch if the be of Quality if not by some Women of near Relation and delivered to her Husband who is himself to untie her Drawers and undress her for his bed not unlike the custome amongst the Romans of Zonam Solvere Polygamy is freely indulged to them by their Religion as far as the number of four Wives contrary to the common report that a Turk may have as many Wives as he can maintain Though Mahomet had nine Wives and Hali had fourteen as being men more spiritual and of a more elevated degree had greater privileges and indulgences for carnal enjoyments This restraint of the number of their Wives is certainly no Precept of their Religion but a rule superinduced upon some politick considerations as too great a charge and weakning to mens estates every one that takes a Wife being obliged to make her a Kabin or Dowâ—y as we have said before or else for better regulation of the Oeconomies and to prevent and abate somewhat of the Jealousies Strifes and Embrollments in a Family which must necessarily arise between so many Rivals in the affection of one Husband who is obliged by Law and Covenants to deal and bestow his benevolence and conjugal kindness in an exact proportion of equality And lest this confinement to a certain number of Wives should seem a restriction and impeachment of that liberty and free use of Women which they say God hath frankly bestowed on Man every one may freely serve himself of his Women Slaves with as much variety as he is able to buy or maintain and this kind of Concubinage is no ways envied or condemned by the Wives so long as they can enjoy their due maintenance and had some reasonable share in the Husband's Bed which once a week is their due by the Law for if any of them have been neglected the whole week before she challenges Thursday night as her due and hath remedy in that case against her Husband by the Law and if she be so modest as not to sue him for one weeks default she is yet so ingenious to contrive a supply of her wants And whereas the Women are Educated with much retiredness from the conversation of men and consequently with greater inclinations towards them and with no principles of vertue of moral honesty or Religion as to a future Estate relating to the rewards or punishments of their good or bad actions they are accounted the most lascivious and immodest of all Women and excell in the most refined and ingenious subtilties to steal their pleasures And as in Christendom the Husband bears the disgrace and scandal of his Wives incontinency here the Horns are by the vulgar adjudged to the Father Brother and Wives Kindred the Bloud of her Family is tainted and dishonoured and the Husband obtaining a Divorce quits himself of his Wife and dishonour together No question but the first Institutour of this easie Religion next to the satisfaction of his own carnal and effeminate inclination and this taking freedom amongst his Disciples his main consideration was the encrease of his people by Polygamy knowing that the greatness of Empires and Princes consists more in the numbers and multitudes of their People than the large extent of their Dominions This freedom if it may be called so was granted at the beginning of the World for the propagation and encrease of Mankind and the Jews had that permission and indulgence to their loose and wandring affections and we read that the Eastern parts of the World have abounded with Children of divers Mothers and but one Father and that ordinarily a Great Personage in Egypt hath been attended with an hundred lusty Sons in the Field proceeding from his own Loins well Armed and daring in all attempts of War. But yet this course thrives not so well amongst the Turks as formerly whether it be thought their accursed Vice of Sodomy or that that God blesses not so much this State of life as when the paucity of Mankind induced a sort of a necessity and a plea for it But chiefly through the irreconcilable emulation and rivalry which is amongst many Wives those Witchcrafts and Sorceries which in this Countrey are very frequent are prepared against the envied fruitfulness each of other that either they make an Abortive Birth or otherwise their Children pine and macerate away with secret and hidden charms by which means they are now observed not to be so fruitfull and numerous as is the Marriage bed of a single Wife nor is the family so well regulated and orderly as under the conduct and good House-wifry of one Woman but contrarily filled with noise brawls and dissentions as passes the Wisedom of the Husband to become an equal Umpire and Arbitratour of their differences which consideration restrains many though otherwise inclinable enough to gratifie their Appetites from incumbring themseves with so great an inconvenience and I have known some though childless have adhered to a single Wife and preferâ—ed Quiet and Repose before the contentment of their Off-spring The Children they have by their Slaves are equally esteemed with those they have by their Wives Neque vero Turcae minus honoris deferunt natis ex concubinis aut pellicibus quam ex uxoribus neque illi minus in bona paterna juris habent Busbeq Ep. 1. But yet with this difference in esteem of the Law that unless the Father manumisses them by his Testament and confers a livelihood upon them by Legacy they remain to the Charity of their Elder Brother that is born from the Wife and are his Slaves and he their Lord and Master and it is with them as in the Civil Law Porâ—us ventrem sequitur So that from the Loins of the same Father may proceed Sons of a servile and ignominious condition There is also another sort of half Marriage amongst them which is called Kabin when a man takes a Wife for a Month or for a certain limited time and an agreement is made for the Price before the Cadee or Judge and this Strangers oftentimes use who have not the Gift of Continency and are desirous to find a Wife in all places where they travel and is the same which they term in Spain to be Emancibado or Casado de Media Carta onely the act there is not made allowable by the Laws as in Turkey There is another sort of Marriages commonly used amongst the Turks if we may give it that honourable Title which is the conjunction of an Eunuch with a Woman such as are wholly disarmed of all parts of virility do notwithstanding take many Wives and exercise Lusts of an unknown and prodigious nature There is also one point or restriction of Matrimony in the Turkish Religion which is observable that is a Mahometan may marry himself with what Woman soever
not before the time by him prefixed devour the Reliques of the Greek Empire And it were to be wished that the Christians of our time also by their example warned would at length awake out of their dead sleep who of late hath lost unto the same Enemy not the Castle of Zembenic or the City of Callipolis but whole Kingdoms as Hungary and Cyprus and are still fair in the way I say no more for grief and foreboding of evil fortune But again to our purpose Solyman having made this prosperous entrance into Europe and there got strong footing by speedy Messengers certified his Father what he had done and that it was expedient for him with all speed to send unto him a great supply of men of War as well for the sure defence and keeping of those Castles and Forts by him already gotten as for the further invasion of the Country This message was wonderful welcome unto Orchanes and whereas many Families of the Sarasins at that present were come into the Country of Carasina to possess the Dwellings and Places of them which in hope to better their Estate were before gon over into Europe all these Sarasins he commanded to pass over into Europe likewise which they did accordingly seating themselves for a time in the Country near to Callipolis In the mean time Solyman omitted no opportunity to enter further into the Country winning small Forts and Holds and still peopling the same with his Turks And on the other side they of Carasina passed over into Europe placing themselves as it were in a new World. For which cause and for the great desire they had to extend the Turkish Dominion and Religion they refused no pains of War so that all things at that time prospered with the Turks and went backward with the Christians In the time of these Wars not far from Callipolis was a little Castle called Congere the Captain whereof was by a Greek name called Calo Iohannes a valiant and painful man this Captain continually molested and troubled the Turks which lay on that side of Callipolis under the leading of Ezes-Beg many of whom he slew and took Prisoners as he could find them at any advantage Solyman much angred herewith by crafty and secret Espials learned a certain time when he was gone out of his Castle to do some exploit upon the Turks Whereupon he presently so beset the Castle with Souldiers that he could by no means return thither but he must first fall into their hands and for more assurance placed others also in by-ways lest he should by any ways escape The Captain ignorant of all this prosecuted his enterprise and having taken a Turk Prisoner thinking to return to his Castle was hastily pursued by Fazil-Beg for which cause making the more haste he suddenly fell into the danger of the Turks laid in ambush where his men were all slain and himself taken and brought before his own Castle and had there his head presently struck off whereupon the Castle was forthwith by them that were therein having now lost their Captain surrendred and Chazi Ili-Beg a valiant Captain of the Turks placed therein who from thence never ceased to trouble the Country even to the Walls of Dydimotichum as did Solyman also out of Callipolis Thus in the space of one year the Turks got strong footing in Europe possessing divers Castles and Towns with the Country about them which Solyman gave in reward unto his Captains and Souldiers as appeareth by the Graves and Tombs of Ezes-Beg and Fazil-Beg the two which first came over into Europe which are there yet well known About this time it fortuned that as this Martial Prince Solyman was for his disport hawking in the Fields of Bolayre on Europe side galloping in to his Falcon was with his Horse overthrown in a ditch of which Fall he being sore bruised shortly after died The news of his death being brought to Orchanes his Father gave unto him then being sick just occasion of great sorrow so that within two months after he died also being fourscore years old when he had raigned thereof 31 years and died about the year of our Lord 1359. Some Histories report otherwise both of his death and of the time wherein he lived as that he should be slain in a Battel against the Tartars or as others write with an Arrow at the Siege of Prusa in the year of our Lord 1349. But Ioannes Leunclavius in his History collected out of the Turks own Chronicles whom we follow as most probable reporteth it as before This Orchanes was wise courteous and bountiful more ingenious than his Father in devising warlike Engins He built divers Princely Churches Abbies Colledges and Cells and was in his superstitious Religion very zealous in so much that he appointed Pensions to all such as could in the Church say the Book of Mahomets Law by heart and appointed competent maintenance for all Judges of his Courts because they should not take any thing in reward of his Subjects for the perverting of Justice He greatly inlarged his Kingdom in Asia and not content to be inclosed with the Seas of Euxinum and Hellespontus set fast footing in Europe which some attribute to his Son Amurath He was to the Christians always a most mortal Enemy and so died FINIS Christian Princes of the same time with Orchanes Emperors Of the East Andronicus Paleologus the younger 1325. 29. John Paleologus 1354. 30. Of the West Lewis the Fourth of Bavaria 1314. 32. Charles the Fourth Son to John King of Bohemia 1346. 10 Kings Of England Edward the Third 1327. 50. Of France Philip Valois 1328. 22. John Valois 1350. 14. Of Scotland Robert Bruce 1306 24. David Bruce 1341. Bishops of Rome John the XXII 1317. 18. Benedict the XII 1335. 7. Clement the VI. 1342. 12. Innocent the VI. 1354. 10. †AMVRATHES PRIMVS TERTIVS TVRCARVM REX 1350. Saevus Amurathes animo dum maxima versat Discordes Groecos sternere marte parat Totus et intentus sines extendere Regni Europam penitrans obvia quoeque rapit Attoniti trepidant nimia formidine Thraces In medio quorum Sceptra superba locat Hinc Moesos premit ille feros miserumque Dynasten Cossovi in Campis obruit atque necat Sed non longa fuit sceleris tam dira voluptas A servo coesus condidit ense ferox Sterne Amurath new thoughts resolves upon With armes divided Greece to overrun And wholly bent to enlarge his narrow bounds Europe invades and all he meets confounds The too too timorous Thracians stand amaz'd To find his Scepter in their bowells plac'd The fierce Bulgarians did his fury quell And at his feet their noble Despot fell At last the ponyard of a little Slave Taught him what short liv'd pleasures Tyrants have The LIFE of AMURATH The First of that NAME Third King of the Turks And the great AUGMENTOR of their Kingdom AMurath the younger Son of Orchanes succeeded his Father in the Turkish Kingdom