sword man woman and child and amongst them also many of the Christians the furious souldiers taking of them no knowledge Great wealth was there found but small store of victuals Casstanus the late gouernour flying out of the citie to saue himselfe in wandring through the mountaines fell into the hands of the Christian Armenians who lately thrust out of IERVSALEM were fled thither for refuge by whom he was there slaine In the citie were slaine about ten thousand persons Thus was the famous citie of ANTIOCH which the Turks had long before by famine taken from the Christians againe recouered the third day of Iune in the yeere of our Lord God 1098. The poore oppressed Christians in IERVSALEM hearing of this so notable a victorie gaue secret thanks vnto God therefore and began to lift vp their heads in hope that their deliuerie was now at hand Of this victorie the princes of the armie by speedie messengers and letters certified their friends in all countries so that in short time the fame thereof had filled a great part of the world Amongst others Bohemund prince of TARENTVM vnto whom the citie was deliuered sent the joyfull newes thereof vnto Roger his brother prince of APVLIA whose letters as the most certaine witnesses of the historie before reported I thought it not amisse here to set downe I suppose you to haue vnderstood by the letters of your sonne Tancred both of the great feare of some of vs and the battels which we haue of late with our great glorie fought But concerning the truce and the proceeding of the whole action I had rather you should be certified by my letters than the letters of others King Cassianus had required a time of truce during which our soldiers had free recourse into the citie without danger vntill that by the death of Vollo a Frenchman slaine by the enemie the truce was broken But whilst it yet seemed an hard matter to winne the citie one Pyrâ—hus a citizen of ANTIOCH of great authoritie and much deuoted vnto me had conference with me concerning the yeelding vp of the citie yet vpon condition That the gouernment thereof should be committed to me in whom he had reposed an especiall trust I conferred of the whole matter with the princes and great commanders of the armie and easily obtained that the gouernment of the citie was by their generall consent alotted vnto me So our armie entring by a gate opened by Pyrrhus tooke the citie Within a few daies after the towne ARETVM was by vs assaulted but not without some losse and danger to our person by reason of a wound I there receiued I assure you much of the valour of your sonne Tancred of whom I and the whole armie make such account and reckoning as is to be made of a most valiant and resolute generall Farewell from ANTIOCH Whilst the Christians thus lay at the siege of ANTIOCH Corbanas the Persian Sultan his lieutenant with a great armie besieged EDESSA with purpose after the taking thereof to haue relieued the citie of ANTIOCH But this citie being notably defended by Baldwin left there of purpose with a strong garrison for the defence thereof the Turke fearing in the meane time to loose ANTIOCH the safest refuge of the Turks in all those parts rise with his armie and set forward against the Christians where by the way it was his fortune to meet with Sansadolus Cassianus his sonne but lately fled from ANTIOCH by whom he vnderstood of the losse of the citie and by what meanes the same was most like to be againe recouered vpon which hope Corbanas with his mightie armie kept on his way with a full resolution to set all vpon the fortune of a battell Whose comming much troubled the Christians for that although they were possessed of the citie yet was the castell still holden by the Turks Neuerthelesse leauing the earle of THOLOVS in the citie with a competent power for the keeping in of them in the castell they tooke the field with the whole strength of the armie and so in order of battell expected the comming of their enemies who couragiously comming on as men before resolued to fight joyned with them a most terrible and bloodie battell Neither were they in the citie in the mean time idle for that the Turks in the castell hauing receiued in vnto them certaine supplies from Corbanas sallied out vpon them that were left for the safegard of the citie and had with them a cruell conflict Thus both within the citie and without was to be seene a most dreadfull fight of resolute men with great slaughter on both sides yet after long fight and much effusion of blood the fortune of the Christians preuailing the Turks began to giue ground and afterwards betooke themselues to plaine flight whom the Christians hardly pursuing made of them a woonderfull slaughter In this battell were slaine of the Turks aboue an hundred thousand and of the Christians about foure thousand two hundred There was also taken a great prey for besides horses and other beasts for burden were taken also fiue thousand camels with their lading The next day being the 28 of Iune the castell was by the Turks now dispairing of releife yeelded vp vnto the Christians ANTIOCH thus taken Hugh the French kings brother surnamed the Great was sent from the rest of the princes to CONSTANTINOPLE to haue deliuered the citie vnto Alexius the emperour according to the agreement before made But he guiltie in conscience of his owne foule dealing with them vnto whom he had sent no reliefe at all during the long and hard siege of ANTIOCH neither performed any thing of that he had further promised and therefore knowing himselfe hated of them had in distrust so great an offer of the princes so euill deserued and therefore refused to accept thereof Whereupon Bohemund by the generall consent of the whole armie was chosen prince or as some call him king of ANTIOCH After this long siege and want of victuals ensued a great plague in the armie of the Christians the Autumne following whereof it is reported fiftie thousand men to haue died and amongst them many of great account But the mortalitie ceasing the Christians in Nouember following by force tooke RVGIA and ALBARIA two cities about two daies journey from ANTIOCH where dissention arising betwixt Bohemund Raimond who of all others only enuied at his preferment vnto the principalitie of ANTIOCH Bohemund for the common causes sake gaue way vnto his aduersarie retired with his soldiers backe againe to ANTIOCH after whom followed the duke Godfrey and the earle of FLANDERS with their regiments The rest of the princes wintred some at RVGIA some at ALBARIA from whence Raimund made sundrie light expeditions further into the enemies countrey But the spring approching the Christian princes with all their power tooke the field againe Bohemund with them that remained with him departing from ANTIOCH besieged TORTOSA
I pray God they be giuen in vaine and so they shall if my prayers may preuaile Yet if necessitie shall inforce you to vse them you shall find them seruiceable at your need And so taking his last farewell of the king returned into VALACHIA Vladislaus marching on from NICOPOLIS toward THRACIA tooke many townes and forts by the way which the Turks for feare yeelded vnto him at last he came to SVMIVM and PEZECHIVM where the Turkish garrisons trusting as much to the strength of the places as to their owne valour stood vpon their guard but the king laid siege to both the said places and tooke them by assault where he put to sword fiue thousand of the Turks The Turks Bassaes terrified with these vnexpected troubles aduertised Amurath thereof requesting him to leaue his obscure life and to leauie the greatest power he could in ASIA for the defence of the Turkish kingdome in EVROPE which otherwise was in short time like to be lost blaming also his discretion for committing the gouernment of so great a kingdome to so yong a prince as was Mahomet his sonne vnto whom many of the great captaines did halfe scorne to yeeld their due obedience Amurath herewith awaked as it had been out of a dead sleepe left his cloister and with great speed gathered a stong armie in ASIA came to the straits of HEâ—LESPONTVS where he found the passage stopped by the Venetian and Popes gallies and was therfore at his wits end But marching along the sea side vnto the straits of BOSPHORVS he there found means to conuay ouer his whole armie vsing therin as some write the helpe of the Genoway marchant ships paying vnto the Genowayes for the passage of euery Turke a duckat which amounted to the summe of 100 thousand duckets or as some others affirm corrupting with greaâ— bribes them that were left for the defence of this passage And being now got ouer joyned his Asian armie with such other forces as his Bassaes had in readinesse in EVROPE and so marching on seuen daies encamped within four miles of VARNA a citie pleasantly standing vpon the Euâ—ine sea side in BVLGARIA where the Christian armie lay for Vladislaus hearing of Amurath his comming with so great an armie had retired thether hauing but a little before taken the same citie of VARNA from the Turks with CALACRIVM GALATA MACROPOLIS and others vpon the sea coast Vpon the first report that Amurath was with such a mightie armie come ouer the strait of BOSPHORVS Vladislaus who before was in good hope that he could not possibly haue found any passage entred into counsaile with the commaunders of his armie what course was now best to take where many which before had been most forward in that action presuming that Amurath could by no means haue transported his armie were now so discoraged with the same of his comming that they aduised the king in time to retire home and not to oppose so small an armie against such a world of people as was reported to follow the Turke But other captaines of greater courage and especially Huniades said It was not for the kings honour first to inuade his enemies dominions and presently to turne his backe vpon the first report of their comming wishing him rather to remember the good fortune of his former wars and that he was to fight against the same enemie whom he had victoriously ouerthrowne the yeare before as for the multitude of his enemies he had learned by experience as he sayd not to bee mooued therewith for that it was the manner of the Turkish kings more to terrifie their enemies with the shew of a huge armie than with the valour of their souldiours which were nothing to bee accounted of but as effeminat in comparison of the Hungarians Whereupon the king resolued to trie the fortune of the field Vladislaus vnderstanding by his espials that Amurath the night before encamped within foure miles was now putting his armie in order of battell committed the ordering of all his forces vnto the valiant captaine Huniades who with great care and industrie disposed the same garding the one side of the battaile with a fenne or marrish and the other side with cariages and the rereward of his armie with a steepe hill Therein politiquely prouiding that the Christian armie being farre lesse than the Turks in number could not bee compassed about with the multitude of their enemies neither any way charged but afront The Turks armie approaching began to skirmish with the Christians which manner of fight was long time with great courage maintained and that with diuers fortune sometime one partie preuailing and sometime the other but with such slaughter on both sides that the ground was couered and stained with the dead bodies and blood of the slaine At length the battaile beeing more closely joyned the victorie began to incline to the Christians for Huniades had most valiantly with his Transiluanian and Valachian horsemen put to flight both the wings of the Turkish armie and made great slaughter wheresoeuer he came Insomuch that Amurath dismaied with the flight of his souldiours was about to haue fled himselfe out of the maine battaile had hee not been staied by a common souldiour who laying hands vpon the raines of his bridle staied him by force and sharpely reprooued him of cowardise The captaines and prelats about the king whom it had better beseemed to haue been at deuout prayers in their oratories than in armes at that bloodie battaile encouraged by the prosperous successe of Huniades and desirous to be partakers of that victorie foolishly left their safe stations where they were appointed by him to stand fast and disorderedly pursued the chase leauing that side of the battell where they stood open vnto the Turks But they were not gone farre before they were hardly encountred by a great part of the Turks armie for such purpose placed in a vallie fast by In which fight Lesco one of the most valiant captains of the Hungarians was slaine and the Bishop of Vâ—RADIVM a better church man than souldior and the first man that disordered the battaile seeking to saue himselfe by flight through the fenne was there filthily strangled in the deepe mud after he had with his horse therein struggled a great while The Bishop of AGRIA a man of greatest authoritie with the king was at the same time also lost with many other church men more The Cardinall with some other of the expert captaines retiring toward their former standings were hardly assailed by the Turks who by the comming in of the king and Huniades were with great slaughter forced to retire and euen readie to flie Amurath seeing the great slaughter of his men and all brought into extreame danger beholding the picture of the Crucifix in the displaied ensignes of the voluntarie Christians pluckt the writing out of his bosome wherin the late league was comprised and holding it vp in his hand with his eies cast vp to heauen
should haue paid them with verie foule and contumelious words as that there was not money enough to pay the Christian soldiers of the Latines and the Greeks much lesse those vile dogs whom they so called for that they had but a little before receiued the damnable doctrine of the false prophet Mahomet the great seducer of the world who euen in that time flourished Vpon which discontentment they at their returne reuolted from the empire and joyned themselues vnto their great prophet and so afterwards vnto the Caliphs his successors extending his doctrine together with his soueraigntie to the vttermost of their power and that with so good successe that in short time they had ouerrun all AEGYPT SIRIA the land of promise and taken the Holy citie With these the disciples of Mahomet and his successors the Sarasins for so now they would be called the Greeke emperors ensuing had for certaine yeeres diuers conflicts with diuers fortune for the possession of SIRIA But at length wearied out by them ouercom they left the aforesaid countries wholy vnto their deuotion Hereby it came to passe that the Sarasins for the space of 370 yeeres following held those countries with many others in great subjection oppressing still the poore Christians in IERVSALEM with most grieuous tributes and exactions vnto whom they yet left a third part of the citie for them to dwell in with the temple of the Sepulcher of our Sauiour and mount SION not for any deuotion either vnto them or those places but for that it yeelded them a great profit by the recourse of deuout Christians trauelling thither reseruing in the meane time vnto themselues the other two parts of the citie with the temple of Salomon before reedified by the Christians Now whilst the Sarasins thus triumph it in the East and not in the East onely but ouer a great part of the West also contenting themselues with such tributs as they had imposed vpon the subdued nations and countries vp start the Turks a vagrant fierce and cruell people who first breaking into ASIA as is before declared and by rare fortune aspiring vnto the kingdome of PERSIA subdued the countries of MESOPOTAMIA SIRIA with the greatest part of the lesser ASIA and IVDEA together with the Holy citie who both there and in all other places held the poore oppressed Christians in such subjection and thraldom as that the former gouernment of the Sarasins seemed in comparison of this to haue beene but light and easie Neither was there any end or release of these so great miseries to haue beene expected had not God in mercie by the weake meanes of a poore heremit stirred vp these most woorthie princes of the West to take vp armes in their defence who hauing with their victorious armies recouered the lesser ASIA with a great part of SIRIA were now come vnto this Holy citie The gouernour of IERVSALEM vnderstanding by his espials of the proceedings of the Christians had before their approch got into the citie a verie strong garrison of right valiant souldiers with good store of all things necessarie for the holding out of a long siege The Christians with their armie approching the citie encamped before it on the North for that towards the East and the South it was not well to be besieged by reason of the broken rocks and mountaines Next vnto the citie lay Godfrey the duke with the Germans and Loranois neere vnto him lay the earle of FLANDERS and Robert the Norman before the West gate lay Tancred and the earle of THOLOVS Bohemund and Baldwin were both absent the one at ANTIOCH the other at EDESSA The Christians thus strongly encamped the fift day after gaue vnto the citie a fierce assault with such cheerfulnesse as that it was verily supposed it might haue beene euen then woon had they beene sufficiently furnished with scaling ladders for want whereof they were glad to giue ouer the assault and retire But within a few daies after hauing supplied that defect and prouided all things necessarie they came on againe afresh and with all their power gaue vnto the citie a most terrible assault wherein was on both sides seene great valour policie cunning with much slaughter vntill that at length the Christians wearie of the long fight and in that hot countrey and most feruent time of the yeere fainting for lacke of water were glad againe to forsake the assault and to retire into their trenches onely the well of Siloe yeelded them water and that not sufficient for the whole campe the rest of the wels which were but few being before by the enemie either filled vp or else poysoned Whilst the Christians thus lay at the siege of IERVSALEM a fleet of the Genowaies arriued at IOPPA at which time also a great fleet of the Egyptian Sultans lay at ASCALON to haue brought reliefe to the besieged Turks in IERVSALEM whereof the Genowaies vnderstanding and knowing themselues too weake to encounter them at sea tooke all such things out of their ships as they thought good and so sinking them marched by land vnto the campe There was amongst these Genowaies diuers enginers men after the manner of that time cunning in making of all manner of engines fit for the besieging of cities by whose deuice a great moouing tower was framed of timber and thick plancks couered ouer with raw hides to saue the same from fire out of which the Christians might in safetie greatly annoy the defendants This tower being by night brought close vnto the wall serued the Christians in steed of a most sure fortresse in the assault the next day where whilst they striue with like valour and doubtfull victorie on both sides from morning vntill midday by chance the wind fauouring the Christians carried the flame of the fire into the face of the Turks wherewith they had thought to haue burnt the tower with such violence that the Christians taking the benefit thereof and holpen by the tower gained the top of the wall which was first footed by the duke Godfrey and his brother Eustace with their followers and the ensigns of the duke there first set vp to the great encouraging of the Christians who now pressing in on euerie side like a violent riuer that had broken ouer the banks bare downe all before them All were slaine that came to hand men women and children without respect of age sex or condition the slaughter was great and the sight lamentable all the streets were filled with blood and the bodies of the dead death triumphing in euerie place Yet in this confusion a woonderfull number of the better sort of the Turks retiring vnto Salomons temple there to do their last deuoire made there a great and terrible fight armed with dispaire to endure any thing and the victorious Christians no lesse disdaining after the winning of the citie to find there so great resistance In this desperat conflict fought with woonderfull obstinacie of mind many fell on both sides
inuaded the countrey of CoeLESYRIA where spoiling all before them as they went they came and encamped vpon the sea coast neere vnto TYBERIAS Against whom Baldwin gathered the whole strength of his kingdome with whom also Tancred who now raigned in ANTIOCH the yoong Bohemund being dead with the countie of TRIPOLI and the rest of the Christian princes joyned their forces who altogether marching forward came and encamped not far from the enemie being in number far moe than they Mendus generall of the Turks armie for so I find him called vnderstanding of their approch sent out certaine companies of his men to skirmish with them against whom the Christians also sent out others who encountring them easily put them to flight being before commanded so to do of purpose to draw the Christians into the danger of a greater strength lying in ambush to intrap them which according to the Turks desire fell out For the Christians fiercely pursuing the flying enemie fell into the ambush and so before they were well aware were beset on euerie side with their enemies vnto the rescue of whom other companies of the Christians comming in and others likewise from the Turks both the great armies were at length drawn into the field where betwixt them was joyned a most fierce and terrible battell with great slaughter on both sides But at length the multitude of the Turks preuailing the Christians were put to the woorse and so glad to flie after whom the fierce enemy hardly followed not without great slaughter In which flight the king himselfe hardly escaped with Arnolphus the Patriarch Whilest Baldwin was thus busied abroad the Turks Sarasins from ASCALON came besieged IERVSALEM being then but weakly manned but hearing of the kings comming that the armie of the Christians dayly increased with new supplies out of the West by sea they retired home againe hauing burnt certaine storehouses full of corne and spoiled such things as was subject to their furie Long it were to recount all the hard conflicts and combats this king had with the Sarasins and Turks which for breuitie I passe ouer contented to haue briefly touched the greatest In the last yeere of his raigne hauing for certaine yeeres before liued in some reasonable peace he made an expedition into AEGYPT where he with much difficultie woon PHARAMIA a strong citie vpon the sea coast which he joyned vnto his owne kingdome After that he went to the mouth of the riuer NILVS and with great admiration learned the nature of that strange riuer And hauing therein taken abundance of fish returned into the citie and there with the same feasted himselfe with his friends But after dinner he began to feele the griefe of his old wound and growing thereof sicker and sicker returned with his armie toward IERVSALEM where by the way neere vnto a citie called LARIS he died to the great griefe of all the Christians in the yeere 1118. His dead bodie being brought backe vnto IERVSALEM was there roially buried neere vnto his brother Godfrey after he had raigned eighteene yeeres whose sepulchre is yet there also to be seene fast by the sepulchre of his brother The late king thus dead and buried the Christians with one consent made choise of his cousin Baldwin surnamed Brugensis gouernour of EDESSA who by the name of Baldwin the second was the second of Aprill in the yeere 1118 solemnly crowned king of IERVSALEM He was of stature tall and well proportioned of countenance comely and gratious hauing his haire thinne and yellow his beard mingled with some gray haires hanging downe to his breast his colour fresh and liuely for one of his yeeres He was a man of great courage and therefore no lesse redoubted of his enemies than beloued of his subjects who had in him reposed great hope both for the defence and enlarging of that new gained kingdome Against him the same Sommer the Caliph of AEGYPT aided by the king of DAMASCO and the Turks in reuenge of the losse he had in the expedition the yeere before receiued raised a great power to inuade him both by sea and land Against whom Baldwin also opposed himselfe with his whole strength and so came and encamped within the sight of his enemies In which sort when both armies had lyen the one facing the other by the space of three months they both rise the Christians fearing the multitude of the Turks and the Turks the valour of the Christians and so retired without any notably thing doing This yeere died Alexius the Greeke emperour who euen from the beginning of this sacred war secretly repined at the good successe of the Christians in SIRIA although his empire were thereby greatly enlarged after whome succeeded Calo Ioannes his sonne who all the time of his raigne right woorthily defended his territories in the lesser ASIA against the inuasion of the Turks Not long after Gazi one of the greatest princes of the Turks in the lesser ASIA with the king of DAMASCO and Debeis king of ARABIA joyning their forces together with a great armie inuading the countrey about ANTIOCH came and encamped not far from ALEPPO against whom Roger prince of ANTIOCH not expecting the comming of Baldwin and the other Christian princes his confederats but presuming of his owne strength went foorth with greater courage than discretion whereunto his successe was answerable for encountring with them at too much ods he was by them in a great battell ouerthrown wherein he himselfe was slaine with most part of his armie Of which so great a slaughter the place wherein this battell was fought was afterward called The field of Blood But whilst the Turks after so great a victorie carelesly and at pleasure roame vp and downe the countrey Baldwin setting vpon them ouerthrew them with a great slaughter and so put them to flight After this victorie gained by the Christians the fourteenth of August in the yeere 1120 king Baldwin in great triumph entred into ANTIOCH and so joyned that principalitie vnto his owne kingdome The yeer following the Turks with another armie inuaded the same country again for repressing of whom whilst Baldwin with the other Christian princes were making their preparations it fortuned that Gazi their great commander suddenly died of an Apoplexie vpon whose death they retired without further harme doing Neuerthelesse the next Spring the king of DAMASCO aided by the Arabians entred againe with a great power into the countrey about ANTIOCH and there did some harme for the Antiochians now destitute of their owne prince and Baldwin who had taken vpon him their protection being far off and otherwise busied at IERVSALEM were much more subject vnto the inrodes of their enemies still at hand than before when they had a prince of their owne still present amongst them But Baldwin aduertised thereof was making towards them with a puissant armie sooner than they had thought it could haue beene possible Of whose approch the Turks vnderstanding retired
the Bassaes said they maruailed that the king in so long time did neuer shew himselfe as he had alwaies before done Whereunto the Bassaes answered That he had been dangerously sicke and was as yet but a little recouered and that therefore the physicians would not suffer him to looke abroad or take the aire for feare of casting him downe againe Then will wee our selues said the pentioners goe in and see his majestie and with that were readie to force in vpon the Bassaes. Eiuases seeing their importunitie desired them to hold themselues contented and not as then to trouble the king for that hee had that day as hee said taken physicke but to morrow said he we will request his majestie if he so please to shew himselfe that you may see him wherewith they for that time held themselues content Now amongst the kings physicians there was one Geordiron a Persian a man of a quicke spirit and subtill deuise which found means to deceiue the pentioners he deuised that the dead bodie of the king being apparrelled in royall large robes should be brought betwixt two as if he had been led into an high open gallerie and being there set to haue a boy so neatly placed behind him vnder his large robes as that he vnperceiued might moue the kings hand vp to his head as if he should stroke his face or beard as his manner was The next day the dead king being accordingly brought foorth by the Bassaes in his rich robes and wrapped with clothes about his head as if it had been for feare of the aire or of taking cold and so placed in an high open gallerie as was before deuised suddainely the physician came running in â—uming and raging as if he had been halfe mad readie to teare his clothes for anger and in great choller casting his cap against the ground asked the Bassaes if they meant to kill the king by bringing him into the open aire We said he haue with great pains in long time a little recouered him and will you thus foolishly cast him downe againe Pardon vs good doctor said Eiuases for these gentlemen pointing to the pentioners were so importunat to see his majestie that to satisfie their desires he was content to be led forth of his chamber wherof we hope shall ensue no harme The pentioners seeing the king many times moouing his hand to his face and as it were stroking his beard held themselues well contented supposing him to haue beene aliue although but weake and therefore not willing to speake vnto them The physicians taking him vp amongst them carried him into his lodging againe which was but fast by making as if they had carried an extreame sicke man Thus was his death cunningly concealed one and fortie daies vntill the comming of Amurath his sonne This Mahomet was both wise and valiant and withall exceeding bountifull but ambitious aboue measure and may of right be accounted the restorer of the Turkes kingdome for he recouered againe all those countries in ASIA which Tamerlane had taken away and giuen vnto other Mahometane princes after the ouerthrow of Baiazet And when as the kingdome of the Turkes was rent in peeces and almost brought to naught by ciuile wars and the ambition of himselfe and his brethren he at length got possession of the whole and so left it to his sonne Amurath an entire kingdome in the former greatnesse althogh not much by him augmented His bodie lieth buried in a faire tombe made of artificiall stone very beautifull to behold in a chappell at the East side of PRUSA where we leaue him at his rest FINIS Christian princes of the same time with Mahomet the first Emperours Of the East Emanuell Palaeologus 1387. 30. Of the West Rupertus duke of Bauaria 1400. 10. Sigismund king of Hungarie 1411. 28. Kings Of England Henrie the fourth 1399. 13. Henrie the fift 1413. 9. Of Fraunce Charles the sixt surnamed The welbeloued 1381. 42. Of Scotland Iohn Stuart otherwise called Robert 1390. 16. Iames the first 1424. 13. Bishops of Rome Boniface the IX 1391. 14. Innocent the VII 1405. 2. Gregorie the XII 1407. 2. Alexander the V. 1410. 1. Iohn the XXIII 1411. 5. Martin the V. 1417. 13. AMVRATH II. AMVRANTHES SECVNDUS SEXTVS TVRCARVM REX FLORVIT ANNO 1422 Europam luctu funestis cladibus implens Saeuus Amurathes totus in arma ruit Maior at Huniades virtute fortibus ausis Cogit eum trepida vertere terga fuga Consilia Eugenij bellum furialia suadent Sacrorum antistes Martia ad arma ruit Arma viri tractent curet sua templa sacerdos Europae exitium res tulit ista graue Fierce Amurath doth EUROPE fill with blood and wofull cries And wholie giuen to martiall deeds doth whole in armes arise But yet Huniades than he of greater strength and might Enforced him right fearefully to turne his backe in flight Eugenius his infernall spels stirs vp a fatall jarre Who hauing charge of sacred rites runs headlong into warre Leaue martiall deeds to martiall men and let the priest goe praie Such diuelish councell worse receiu'd wrought EUROPS great decaie THE LIFE OF AMVRATH THE SECOND OF THAT NAME SIXT KING OF THE TVRKES AND THE GREAT ESTABLISHER OF THEIR KINGDOME AFter that the death of Mahomet had been politiquely concealed one and fortie daies by the three great Bassaes Baiazet Eiuases and Ibrahim Amurath or Murat as the Turkes call him his eldest sonne at that time comming to PRUSA was by them placed in his fathers seat and the death of Mahomet at the same time published wherevpon great troubles began on euerie side to arise The princes of SMYRNA and MENTESIA rose vp in armes and at THESSALONICA an obscure fellow crept as it were out of a chimneys corner tooke vpon him the name and person of Mustapha the sonne of Baiazet which was slaine many yeares before in the great battaile against Tamerlane at mount STELLA as is before declared in the life of the vnfortunate Sultan Baiazet This counterfait Mustapha animated by the Grecian princes and going from THESSALONICA to VARDARIUM set so good a countenance vpon the matter with such a grace and majestie that not onely the countrey people apt to beleeue any thing but men of greater place and calling also as Tzunites Beg the prince of SMYRNA his sonne with the sonnes of old Eurenoses Bassa persuaded that he was the verie son of the great Baiazet repaired vnto him as vnto their naturall prince and soueraigne From VARDARIUM he went to SERRae and from thence to HADRIANOPLE Amurath being as then at PRUSA where he was receiued as if it had been that noble prince Mustapha whom hee feigned himselfe to be so that in short time he was honoured as a king in all parts of the Turkish kingdome in EUROPE Amurath to represse this so great and dangerous a rebellion sent Baiazet Bassa a man of great authoritie in his court with a strong armie into EUROPE This
his pride but with small danger and much glorie God fauouring their so honourable attempts haue againe recouered from him most of those famous Christian kingdomes which he by force against all right holdeth at this day in most miserable subiection and thraldome many millions of the poore oppressed Christians in the meane time out of the furnace of tribulation in the anguish of their soules crying in vaine vnto their Christian brethren for reliefe By ciuile discord the noble countrey of Graecia perished when as the father rising against the sonne and the sonne against the father and brother against brother they to the mutuall destruction of themselues called in the Turke who like a greedie lyon lurking in his den lay in wait for them all So perished the kingdomes of Bulgaria Seruia Bosna and Epirus with the famous islands of the Rhodes and Cyprus betraied as it were by the Christian princes their neighbours by whom they might haue easily beene relieued So the most flourishing and strong kingdome of Hungarie in the reliques whereof the fortune of the Turkish Empire hath longer stucke than in the conquest of any other kingdome by it attempted whatsoeuer diuided in it selfe by the ambition of princes and ciuile discord the weaker still calling vnto his aid the mightie power of the Turke is long since for the most part become vnto him a prey the poore remainders thereof being at this day hardly defended by the forces of the Christian Emperour and of the princes his confederats sildome times meeting together with such cheerefulnesse or expedition as the necessitie of so great a matter requireth Vnto which so great a cause of the common decay may be added the euill choice of our souldiours emploied in those warres who taken vp hand ouer head out of the promiscuous vulgar people are for most part vntrained men seruing rather for shew and the filling vp of number than for vse and in no respect to be compared with the Turks Ianizaries and other his most expert souldiours continually euen from their youth exercised in feats of armes Not to speake in the meane time of the want of the auntient martiall discipline the wholesome preseruatiue of most puissant armies which breedeth in the proud enemie a contempt of the Christian forces with a full persuasion of himselfe that he is not by such disordered and weake meanes to be withstood But to come neerer vnto the causes of the Turks greatnesse and more proper vnto themselues as not depending of the improuident carelesnesse weaknesse discord or imperfections of others first in them is to be noted an ardent and infinit desire of soueraignetie wherewith they haue long since promised vnto themselues the monarchie of the whole world a quicke motiue vnto their so haughtie designes Then such a rare vnitie and agreement amongst them as well in the manner of their religion if it be so to be called as in matters concerning their state especially in all their enterprises to be taken in hand for the augmenting of their Empire as that thereof they call themselues Islami that is to say men of one mind or at peace among themselues so as it is not to be maruelled if thereby they grow strong themselues and dreadfull to others ioyne vnto this their courage conceiued by the wonderfull successe of their perpetuall fortune their notable vigilancie in taking the aduantage of euery occasion for the enlarging of their Monarchie their frugalitie and temperatnesse in their diet and other manner of liuing their straight obseruing of their auntient militarie discipline their cheerefull and almost incredible obedience vnto their princes and Sultans such as in that point no nation in the world was to be worthily compared vnto them all great causes why their Empire hath so mightily encreased and so long continued Whereunto may be added the two strongest sinewes of euery well gouerned commonweale Reward propounded to the good and Punishment threatened vnto the offendor where the prize is for vertue and valour set vp and the way laied open for euery common person be he neuer so meanely borne to aspire vnto the greatest honours and preferments both of the Court aâ—d of the field yea euen vnto the neerest affinitie of the great Sultan himselfe if his valour or other worth shall so deserue when as on the contrarie part the disloyall or cowardly is to expect from the same soueraigne power nothing but disgrace death and torture And yet these great ones not contented by such commendable and lawfull meanes still to extend or establish their farre spreading Empire if that point once come in question they sticke not in their diuellish policie to breake and infringe the lawes both of Nations and Nature Their leagues grounded vpon the law of Nations be they with neuer so strong capitulations concluded or solemnitie of oath confirmed haue with them no longer force than standeth with their owne profit seruing indeed but as snares to entangle other princes in vntill they haue singled out him whom they purpose to deuour the rest fast bound still looking on as if their own turne should neuer come yet with no more assurance of their safetie by their leagues than had the other whom they see perish before their faces As for the kind law of nature what can be thereunto more contrarie than for the father most vnnaturally to embrue his hands in the bloud of his owne children and the brother to become the bloudie executioner of his owne brethren a common matter among the Othoman Emperours All which most execrable and inhumane murthers they couer with the pretended safetie of their state as thereby freed from the feare of all aspiring competitors the greatest torment of the mightie and by the preseruation of the integritie of their Empire which they thereby keepe whole and entire vnto themselues and so deliuer it as it were by hand from one to another in no part dismembred or impaired By these and such like meanes is this barbarous Empire of almost nothing growne to that height of maiestie and power as that it hath in contempt all the rest being it selfe not inferiour in greatnesse and strength vnto the greatest monarchies that euer yet were vpon the face of the earth the Romane Empire only excepted Which how farre it shall yet farther spread none knoweth but he that holdeth in his hand all the kingdomes of the earth and with his word boundeth in the raging of the sea so that it cannot further passe Moued with the greatnesse and glorie of this so mightie and dreadfull an Empire growne for the most part out of the ruine of the Christian commonweale with the vtter subuersion of many great and flourishing kingdomes and wofull fall of many moe right puissant and mightie princes not without griefe to be remembred I long since as many others haue entered into the heauie consideration thereof purposing so to haue contented my selfe with a light view of that which might well be for euer of all good Christians
the approch of the Sultan by the persuasion of Tarchomates one of his captaines was retired for his more safetie backe into the Romain frontiers leauing the emperour destitute of his helpe At which time also a companie of the Scythians which serued in the emperours campe reuolted vnto the Turks not without some suspition that the rest of their fellowes which remained would ere long do the like Neuerthelesse the emperour presuming of such strength as he had or carried headlong with his owne fortune resolued to giue the Turks battell and therefore putting his men in order set vpon them Who somewhat troubled with the emperours so sudden a resolution as being yet in some hope of peace yet hauing put themselues in order of battell receiued the enemies charge still giuing a little ground as men not greatly desirous either to fight or to flie This fight continuing long and the day now declining the emperour doubting least the Sultan should send part of his armie to assault his campe from which he was now drawne somewhat far and had left the same but weakly manned caused a retrait to be sounded and so began orderly to retire himselfe with them that were about him which others a far off in the battell beholding and supposing him to haue fled began themselues to flie a maine Of which so shamefull flight and sudden feare Andronicus the sonne of Iohn Ducas the late emperour Constantine his brother and by him created Caesar who with his sonnes secretly enuied at the honour of Diogenes was the cause For he commanding a great part of the armie gaue it first out vnto such as were about him that the emperour fled and to encrease the feare turning his horse about fled towards the campe as fast as he could after whom all the rest most disorderly followed which the emperor beholding and therewith not a little troubled made a stand labouring in vaine to haue staid the rest For now the Turks encouraged with the sudden flight of the Christians began hardly to pursue them as men alreadie ouerthrown by the hand of God whom for all that the emperour with such as yet stood with him for a space notably resisted But being forsaken by the greater part of his armie and oppressed with the multitude of his enemies being wounded himselfe and his horse slaine vnder him he was there taken all embrued with his owne blood and the blood of his enemies of whom he had wounded and slaine many The Sultan aduertised of his taking at the first beleeued it not supposing it rather to haue beene some other great man vntill that he was both by them whom he had but a little before sent embassadour vnto him and by Basilacius one of his captaines then prisoner with him assured that it was vndoubtedly he which Basilacius brought before him to see if he knew him fell downe prostrat at his feet as before his dread lord and soueraigne The emperour brought before the Sultan and humbling himselfe in such sort as best beseemed his heauie fortune the Sultan presently tooke him vp and thus cheerfully spoke vnto him Greeue not noble emperour said he at thy mishap for such is the chance of war ouerwhelming sometimes one and sometimes another neither feare thou any harme for I will vse thee not as my prisoner but as an emperour Which he accordingly did presently appointing him a princely pauilion with all things answerable to his estate setting him oftentimes at his owne boord and for his sake enlarging such prisoners as he required And after he had thus for certaine daies honourably vsed him and discoursed with him of many things he concluded a perpetuall peace with him vpon promise of a marriage to be made betwixt their children and so with a safe conuoy sent him away with greater honour than was at an enemies hand to haue beene expected The emperour in Turkish attire which the Sultan had bestowed vpon him comming to THEODOSOPOLIS there staid for the curing of his wounds afterwards accompanied with the Sultans embassadors set forward toward CONSTANTINOPLE But all was now there changed for vpon the report of his captiuitie Iohn the Caesar with Psellus one of the cheefe Senators and others of the same faction which alwaies enuied at the honour of Diogenes presently tooke the imperiall gouernment from Eudocia the empresse and thrusting her into a monasterie which shee had built neere vnto PROPONTIS set vp Michael Ducas her eldest sonne emperour in steed of Diogenes whose simplicitie Caesar his vncle abusing with the rest did now what they list And hearing that Diogenes was now contrarie to their expectation set at liberlie by the Sultan and comming towards the emperiall citie sent out letters euerie way in the new emperours name vnto all the gouernours of the prouinces whereby hee was to passe not to receiue him as emperour or to doe him any honour which Diogenes vnderstanding staid at the castle of DOCIA whether some of his friends with such power as they were able to make resorted vnto him Against whom Caesar with the contrarie faction first sent his sonne Constantine and after that Andronicus his eldest sonne both Diogenes his mortall enemies with a great armie by whom Diogenes with his friends and followers were ouerthrown and discomfited Diogenes himselfe flying to the citie of ADANA was there hardly besieged by Andronicus and in the end glad to yeeld himselfe vpon condition that he should resigne the empire and so for euer after to lead a priuat life For whose safetie certaine of the cheefe of the clergie sent of purpose from Michael the emperour gaue their faith So Diogenes all attired in blacke yeelded himselfe to Andronicus by whom hee was brought to COTAI then the metropoliticall citie of PHRIGIA there to expect what further order should be taken for him from the court during which time he fell sicke being as many supposed secretly poysoned But whilst he there lay languishing an heauier doom came from the yoong emperor That he should haue his eies put out which was foorthwith in most cruell manner done the clergie men that had before for his safetie gaged their faith crying out in vaine against so horrible a crueltie Thus depriued of his sight he was conueighed into the iland of PROTA where his eies for lacke of looking to putrifying and wormes breeding in them with such an odious smell as that no man could abide to come nigh him he in short time after died when he had raigned three yeeres eight months All which miserie was thought to haue hapned vnto him through the malice of Caesar without the knowledge of the yoong emperour his nephew Axan hearing of the miserable end of the late emperour Diogenes was therewith much greeued and the more for that the league which he had to his good content so lately made with him was thereby come to naught wherefore in reuenge thereof he with great power inuaded the imperiall prouinces not for spoile
liues For if Christ died for vs how much more right is it that we for him should die also vnto this so honourable an expedition let vs also giue an honourable end let vs fight in Christs name with a most assured hope of an easie victorie For none of them I trust shall be able to abide our force but shall all giue way euen to our first charge But if we shall die which God forbid there shall be an honourable place of our buriall wheresoeuer we shall for Christ fall Let the Persian archer for Christ his sake strike me I will die in an assured hope and with that arrow as with a chariot I will come vnto that rest which shall be to me deerer than if I should with a base ordinarie kind of death in my sinnes end my daies in my bed Now at length let vs take reuenge of them with whose impure feet our kinsmen and Christian brethren troden downe are gone into that common sanctuarie in which Christ our Sauiour equall and associat to his father is become a companion of the dead We are those mightie men we all haue drawne our swords which stand about the liuely and diuine sepulchre as about Solomons bed Wherefore we that be free borne let vs take out of the way these Agarens the children of the bondwoman and let vs remooue them as stones of offence out of the way of Christ whom I know not why the Grecians feed vp as greedie wolues to their owne destruction and with shame fat them with their blood when as with couragious minds and thoughts beseeming wise men they ought so to haue beene driuen from their prouinces and cities as rauening wild beasts from their flocks Now for as much as this riuer as it seemeth is not but by some aduenture to be passed ouer I my selfe will shew you the way and be the first that shall take it Let vs serred together forcibly breake into the riuer and we shall well enough ride through it I know that the water beaten backe by our force will be at a stand and breake the course returning as it were backward By not vnlike meanes the Israelits in antient time on foot passed ouer IORDAN the course of the riuer being staid This attempt shall be spoken of in all posteritie it shall by no tract of time be worne out or forgotten but still remaine in fresh remembrance to the great dishonour of the Turks whose dead bodies ouerthrown at this riuer shall lie like a mountaine and be seene as a Trophey of our victorie vnto the worlds end and our immortall praise and glorie Hauing thus said and the signall of battell giuen euerie man hauing before by deuout praier commended himselfe vnto almightie God he was the first that put spurs to his horse and tooke the riuer after whom followed the rest so close and so forcibly with such a terrible outcrie that the course of the water being by the force of their horses staid and as it were beaten backe towards the fountaine the whole armie passed ouer with lesse trouble than was feared And then charging the Turks alreadie discouraged to haue seene them so desperatly and contrarie to their expectation to haue passed the riuer after some small resistance put them to flight wherein such infinit numbers of them fell the Christians like fierce lyons pursuing the chace that all the vallies ran with blood and the fields were couered with the bodies of the dead Many of the Italians were wounded with the Turks arrowes and but few or none slaine But what a multitude of the enemies there fell the sundrie and hugie heapes of bones to be compared vnto great hils did long time after well declare whereat euerie man that trauelled that way did woorthily woonder as did I my selfe saith Nicetas Choniates in reporting this historie Not much vnlike that is reported of the Cimbers slaine by Marius in such number that of their bones the countrey people about MARCELLIS where the field was fought long time after made wals for the defence of their vineyards After this so great a victorie the Christians without resistance came to ICONIVM the chiefe seat of the Turkish kings in the lesser ASIA which they hardly besieged Neuerthelesse such was the strength of the citie being strongly fortified both by nature and art together with the valour of the defendants that lying there long they little preuailed pressed in the meane time with greater extremities and wants in the campe than were the besieged in the citie whereupon ensued such a mortalitie people dayly without number dying in the armie that the emperour was glad to raise his siege and to returne into his countrey The chiefe cause as well of this so great a mortalitie as of the ouerthrow of so notable an action most men ascribe vnto the malice of the Greeks who not without the priuitie of their emperour as it was commonly bruited mingled lime with the meale which they brought to sell into the armie whereof the hungrie souldiers desirously feeding were therewith poysoned and so miserably died Of the certaine time of this journey of the emperours into ASIA authors agree not howbeâ—t most refer it vnto the yeere 1146. This expedition though not so fortunat as was at the first well hoped of yet profited the Christian common weale in this That the Turks therewith throughly busied and doubtfull of the euent thereof Baldwin in the meane time fortified GAZA sometimes a famous citie of the Philistines but as then ruinous which serued as a most sure bulwarke for the defence of that part of his kingdome toward AEGYPT and also for the distressing of ASCALON the onely refuge of the Aegyptians then left in that country which strong citie standing vpon the sea side he with all the power of his kingdome afterward besieged both by sea and land vnto the reliefe whereof the Caliph of AEGYPT after it had beene fiue moneths by the Christians besieged sent a strong fleet of threescore and ten gallies At which time also on the other side Noradin the Turke who had now got into his hand all the kingdome of DAMASCO to withdraw the Christians from the siege of ASCALON besieged PANEADA from whence he was by the valour of the citizens repulsed as was also the Caliphs fleet at sea and the siege at ASCALON continued Where at length the Christians after long batterie had made a breach in the wall but giuing thereunto an assault they were with great losse of their men repulsed and the breach againe by the enemie repaired who to the greater despite of the Christians hanged ouer the walles in roaps the dead bodies of their slaine with which spectacle the chiefe commanders of the armie were so mooued that they with all their power returned againe to the assault with a full resolution to gage thereon their whole forces which they so couragiously performed that the besieged discouraged with the great slaughter of their men and now with
almost touching one another gaue vnto the painefull traveller a most hard and difficult passage Into this so dangerous a valley the emperour not fearing the enemies force desperately entred with his armie hauing neither prouided for the cleering of the passages or safetie of his carriages in no other order than as if hee had marched through the plaine and champain countrey although it were before told him that which he shortly after but too late saw that the enemie had strongly possessed both the straits and the mountains to hinder his farther passage The vauward of his armie was conducted by Iohn and Andronicus the sonnes of Angelus Constantine accompanied with Macroducas Constantine and Lapardas Andronicus In the right wing was Baldwin the emperours brother in law and in the left Maurozomes Theodorus After them followed the drudges and scullions with an infinit number of carters and other base people attending vpon the carriages with the baggage of the whole armie Next vnto these came the emperour with the maine battell consisting for the most part of right valiant and worthie souldiers The rereward was shut vp by Andronicus Contostephanus with a number of most resolute men They were not farre entred into these straits but that the Turks from the mountains and broken cliffes shewed themselues on euery side deliuering their deadly shot from the vpper ground vpon the Christians below as thicke as haile Neuerthelesse the sonnes of Angelus with Macroducas and Lapardus and the vauntguard casting themselues into a three square battell in forme of a wedge with their targuets in manner of a penthouse cast close together ouer their heads and their archers on euery side lustely bestowing their shot amongst the thickest of their enemies by plaine force driue them out of the straits they had before possessed and caused them to retire farther off into the mountaines and so hauing made themselues way with little or no losse passed those dangerous straits vntill that at length hauing recouered the top of an hill very commodious for their purpose as the case stood they there staied and presently encamped themselues And happely with like good fortune might the rest of the armie haue passed also had they in like order and with like courage presently followed after But failing so to doe and troubled with the multitude of their carriages which could not possibly make any way through those strait and rough passages but troubled themselues one another as also the whole armie they were from the vpper ground miserably ouerwhelmed with the multitude of the Turkish archers whose arrowes fell as thicke vpon them from the mountaines as if it had been a perpetuall tempest or shoure of haile to the great disordering dismaying of the whole armie which the Turks quickly perceiuing and therewith encouraged in great numbers came downe from the mountaines where they had before houered ouer the heads of the Christians and forcibly entring the plaine ground and comming to handy blowes first ouerthrew the right wing where Baldwin himselfe seeking to restore his disordered companies and to stay the furie of the enemie now raging in the blood of the Christians with a troupe of valiant horsemen breaking into the thickest of them as became a worthie captaine was there compassed in with the multitude of his enemies and slaine together with all his followers and the greatest part of the whole wing by him commanded With this victorie the Turkes were so encouraged that comming down with all their power they stopped all the waies whereby the Christians were to passe who as men couped vp in those dangerous straits were not able either to defend themselues or to helpe one another but inclosed as deere in a toyle and one troubling another were the cause both of the destruction of themselues and others For by reason of the straitnesse of the place neither could they that were before retire either they that were behind in the rereward come forward to relieue the one the other as need required the carriages also which were many and in the middle of the armie seruing them to no other purpose than to the hurt of themselues There were the beasts that serued for burden together with the souldiours ouerwhelmed with the Turkes shot the vallies lay full of dead bodies the riuers ran mingled with the blood of men and beasts in such terrible manner as is not by pen to be expressed For the Christians not able either to goe forward or retire were there in those straits slaine like sheepe if any courage or sparke of valour were by any shewed against the enemie fighting at so great aduantage it was but lost seruing to little or no purpose And to increase these miseries the Turks in scorn shewed vpon the point of a launce the head of Andronicus Bataza the emperours nephew who comming with an armie out of PAPHLAGONIA and HERACLEA PONTICA against the Turks of AMASIA was now by the way by them ouerthrowne and slaine The report whereof confirmed by the sight of his head and the consideration of the desperat danger wherin the whole armie presently stood so troubled the emperour that hee was at his wits end and with drie teares if it may be so said dissembling his inward greefe as one out of comfort stood doubtfull which way to turne himselfe For the Turks hauing suffred the vauntguard to passe with all their power charged the emperours maine battell as his cheefe strength nothing doubting but that hauing once ouerthrowne it they should easily and at pleasure ouerthrow the rest Oftentimes had the emperour attempted to haue driuen the enemie out of those straits and so to haue opened a way for his armie to haue passed but all in vaine the power of the Turkes still increasing and they at great aduantage notably maintaining the passages before by them taken Neuerthelesse seeing no lesse danger in staying still than in going forward he with a few of his best souldiers armed with despaire and resolued to die vnto which kind of men nothing is terrible set forward directly vpon his enemies willing the rest with like resolution euery man to make for himselfe the best shift he could And so with many wounds and sturdie blows both giuen receiued he by plaine force and might of hand brake through the thickest of his enemies and so escaped out of those straits as out of a trap But yet not without many wounds receiued in his person and himselfe so wearied as that he was not able to lift vp his helmet being beaten close to his head and in his targuet were found sticking thirtie of the Turkes arrowes or thereabouts the manifest tokens of his danger The other legions seeking to follow the emperour for other way they had none were on euery side hardly assailed by the Turkes and infinit numbers of them slaine beside many others that perished in those straits ouerborne and troden to death by their owne fellowes Yea such as had the fortune to
into the rest that for safegard of their liues they betook themselues to flight some one way some another neuer thinking themselues in safetie so long as they were within the greedie tyrants reach wherof shortly after ensued no small troubles to the shaking of the state of the whole empire Isaack Comnenus the emperour Emanuels nigh kinsman tooke his refuge into CIPRVS kept that island to himselfe Alexius Comnenus Emanuels brothers son fled into SCICILIA there stirred vp William king of that island against Andronicus who with a great army landing at DYRRACHIVM tooke the city so from thēce without resistance passing through the heart of MACEDONIA spoyling the countrey before him as he went met his fleet at THESALONICA which famous city he also tooke by force most miserably spoiled it with all the countrey therabout in such sort as that he brought a great feare euen vpon the imperiall citie it selfe vnto which so great euils Andronicus entangled with domesticall troubles not knowing whom to trust was not able to giue remedie although for shew he had to no purpose sent out certaine of his most trusty ministers with such forces as he could spare For the majestie of his authoritie growing still lesse lesse the number of his enemies both at home and abroad daily encreasing the fauor of the vnconstant people who now began to speake hardly of him declining he vncertain which way to turne himselfe rested wholy vpon tyrannie proscribing in his feare not only the friends of such as were fled whom he distrusted but somtimes whole families together yea that for light occsions somtime those who were the best of his fauourits whose seruice he had many times vsed in the execution of his crueltie So that now no day passed wherin he did not put to death imprison or torture one great man or other Wherby it came to passe that the imperiall citie was filled with sorrow heauinesse euery man hanging the head and with silence couering his inward griefe not without danger to haue been then vttered Amongst many others appointed to this slaughter was one Isaack Angelus a man of great nobilitie whom Hagiochristophorites the chiefe minister of Andronicus his tyrannie and for the same by him highly promoted suspecting as one that bare no good will to the emperour cause enough of death came to his house to apprehend him finding him at home after some few hot words commanded him to follow him Whereat the noble man making some stay and abhorring the verie sight of the wretch as vnto him ominous and fatall Hagiochristophorites himselfe began to lay hands on him reuiling his followers that they had not foorthwith drawn him out of his house by the haire of his head vnto the prison by him appointed For they touched with the honour of the man and mooued with compassion forced him not but stood still as beholders Isaack seeing himselfe thus beset and no way now left for him to escape resoluing rather there presently to die than shortly after to be murdred in prison drew his sword as the rest were about to haue laid hands vpon him and at the first blow cleft the wicked head of Hagiochristophorites downe to his shoulders and so leauing him wallowing in his owne blood and like a desperat man laying about him amongst the rest made himselfe way through the middest of them And so embrued with blood with his bloodie sword yet in his hand running through the middest of the citie told the people what he had done and crying vnto them for helpe in defence of his innocencie fled into the great temple there to take the refuge of the sanctuarie where he had not long sit in the place where the guiltie flying thither for refuge vsed to sit confessing their offence craue pardon of such as go in and out but that the temple was filled with the multitude of people flocking thither out of all parts of the citie some to see the nobleman some to behold what should become of him for all men thought that he would before the going downe of the sunne notwithstanding the reuerence of the place be drawne thence by Andronicus put to some shamefull death Thither came also Iohn Ducas Isaacks vncle and his sonne Isaack to increase the tumult not for that they were any thing guiltie of the death of Hagiochristophorites but for that they had before become sureties vnto the suspitious tyrant for their kinsman Isaack he likewise for them by whose trespas they well knew themselues now brought into no lesse danger than if they had been abettors therunto And beside them also many other there were which standing in doubt of their owne estate fearing the like might happen to themselues prickt forward with hard speeches the common people flocking thither instantly requesting them to stay there and to stand by them now at their need being so injuriously wronged whose pitifull complaints moued right many to take part with them At which time also no man yet comming from the emperor being as then out of the citie to represse the sedition nor any of the nobilitie opposing themselues no friend of Andronicus appearing none of his bloodie ministers or officers shewing themselues nor any that did so much as speake a good word in his behalfe or in dislike of the tumult the boldnesse of the seditious people increased euerie man in so great libertie saying what he list and after their rude manner one encouraging another So spent Isaack that long night not thinking God wot of an empire but still expecting the deadly stroake of Andronicus Yet had he with great entreating so preuailed that diuers of the assembly shutting the church dores and bringing lights into the church staied there with him all night and by their example caused some others to stay also The next morning by the breake of the day were all the citizens flockt againe vnto the temple cursing the tyrant to the deuill as the common enemie of mankind wishing vnto him a shamefull death and the honour of the empire vnto Isaack At that time by fortune or rather God so appointing it Andronicus was out of the citie at his pallace of MELVDINVM on the East side of PROPONTIS where he was by nine a clocke at night certified of the death of Hagiochristophorites and of the tumult of the people yet that night stirred he not either did any thing more but by short letters aduised the people to pacifie themselues and not by foolish rebellion to cast themselues into farther danger In the morning Andronicus his fauourits began to shew themselues and to do what they might to haue appeased the tumultuous multitude yea and presently after came Andronicus himselfe and landed with his imperiall gally at the great pallace in the citie But with the inraged people naught preuailed either the persuasions of the one or report of the presence of the other for they all as
priests in their ecclesiastike attire and ornaments to march foorth in the armie with an ensigne hauing in it displaied the picture of the Virgin Marie So couragiously marching forward hee first charged that quarter of the campe where Baldwin the countie of FLANDERS lay where at the first was fought a right fierce and doubtfull battell But afterward the alarum running throughout all the campe of the Latines and new supplies comming in on euery side the Greekes were put to the worse and enforced againe to retire into the citie hauing lost a great number of men together with their superstitious ensigne It was a woonderfull thing to see with what rare agreement the Latines being of diuers nations continued this expedition vndertaken against the Greekes Seuentie two daies was the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE straightly besieged by the Latines both by sea and land without giuing any time of rest or repose day or night vnto the besieged fresh men comming still on to the assault as the other fell off and in such sort troubled the Greekes in the citie that they knew not well what to doe or which way to turne themselues The Venetians vnto whom was committed the charge to assault that side of the citie which was toward the hauen vpon two great gallies made fast together built a strong tower of wood higher than the wals and rampiers of the town out of which they both with shot and fire-workes much troubled the defendants wherewith they in the time of the assault approching the wall by their fine deuises fired that side of the citie by the rage whereof a great number of houses were burnt with many other stately buildings and antient monuments of that famous citie and had at that present gained a great tower neere vnto the port destitute of defendors had not the tyrant himselfe in good time come with new supplies to the rescue thereof In like manner the French with the rest assailed the other side of the citie by land where they were to fight not against the defendants onely but against deepe ditches high and strong wals and bulwarkes also neuerthelesse such was the valour and furie of the Latines with the desire of victorie as that they were not with any difficulties to be dismaied but pressing still on by a thousand dangers at length after a most sharpe assault they gained one of the greatest bastillions on that side of the citie called the Angels tower and so by plaine force opened a way both for themselues and the rest into the citie Whereof Alexius vnderstanding and strucke with present despaire both of his state and life the night now comming on fled with Euphrosina the emperour Alexius his wife and Eudocia her daughter whome hee had married when he had raigned about a moneth and 16 daies The tyrant author of all this mischiefe and of the calamities ensuing thus fled and the Latines furiously entring the priests and religious men in their surplices and other ecclesiastique ornaments with their crosses and banners as in solemne procession met the Latines and falling downe at the souldiors feet with flouds of teares abundantly running downe their heauie countenances besought them but especially the captaines and commanders to remember the condition of worldly things and contenting themselues with the victorie the glorie the honour the empire the immortalitie of their name to abstaine from slaughter from burning from spoiling and ransacking of so beautifull a citie And that seeing they were themselues men they would also haue pitie of men and being themselues captaines and souldiours they should also haue compassion vpon captaines and souldiours who although they were not so valiant and fortunate as they were yet neuerthelesse were both captaines and souldiors And that they would keepe and preserue their citie whereof if they ruinated it not they might haue much more pleasure and commoditie than if they should destroy the same which as it had been the principall seat of the Greeke empire so might it now bee of the Latines That seeing they had thereof had a carefull regard as then belonging to another man they ought now vpon better reason to haue more care thereof being their owne That the authors of all these troubles and mischiefes Alexius the elder and Murzufle had alreadie receiued a reward answerable to their follies in that they were driuen into exile That they would haue pitie and compassion of an innocent and vnfortunat multitude of poore people oppressed and grieuously tormented with the often tyrannies of their murderous lords and gouernours That in so doing God the Lord of hoasts the giuer and guider of battels the God of mercie would therefore reward them To conclude they humbly besought them to pardon their citizens to put on the hearts of gracious and mercifull lords and fathers not of enemies and rough masters of forgiuers not of reuengers and to vnderstand by their teares their miserable estate and woes passed With this so humble a submission and complaint of the religious some of the better sort were happely mooued but with the common soldiors breathing nothing but victorie with their weapons in their hands and the spoile of an empire in their power what auailed prayers or teares euery man fell to the spoile and in so great choice and libertie of all things fitted his owne disordered appetite without respect of the wrong or injurie done to others onely from the effusion of innocent bloud they abstained they whose liues they sought after being alreadie fled together with the tyrant Other injuries and outrages so great as that greater could none be were in euery place so rife that euery street euery lane euery corner of the citie was filled with mourning and heauinesse There might a man haue seene noblemen earst of great honor and reuerend for their hoarie haires with other citizens of great wealth thrust out of all they had walking vp and downe the citie weeping and wringing their hands as men forlorne not knowing where to shroud their heads Neither staied the greedie rage of the insolent souldiors within the wals of mens priuat houses but brake out into the stately pallaces temples and churches of the Greekes also where all was good prize and nothing dedicated to the seruice of God left vnpolluted and defaced no place vnsought no corner vnrifled right lamentable and almost incredible it were to report all the miseries of that time Some of the Greeke Historiographers men of great marke and place and themselues eye witnesses and partakers of those euils haue by their writings complained to all posteritie of the insolencie of the Latines at the winning of the citie to their eternall dishonour but that disordered souldiours in all ages in the libertie of their insolent victorie haue done such outrages as honest minds abhorre to thinke vpon Thus Constantinople the most famous citie of the East the seat and glorie of the Greeke empire by the miserable ambition and dissention of the Greekes for soueraigntie fell into the
of their oath and full of enuie seldome satisfied but with blood conspired the vnworthie death of Muzalo the protectour both of the emperour and the empire The ninth day appointed for the funerall of the emperour was now come at which time were met together at SOSANDRA an abbey by himselfe built in the honour of the virgine Marie at MAGNESIA many great ladies and graue matrons to mourne as the manner was all the great princes of the nobilitie and among them the conspirators also thither repaired also a number of souldiors prepared for the slaughter with an infinit multitude of the common people as at such solemnities is vsuall But what needs many words whilest the hymns were yet in singing and the obsequies in performing the soldiors as they were before instructed suddainly breaking into the church with their drawne swords in their hands slew Muzalo then fled vnto the altar for refuge with his two brethren Andronicus and Theodorus both men of great account and diuers others appointed to the massacre So the matrones the rest of the multitude breaking off their mourning and for feare thronging out one in anothers necke fled as fast as they could some one way some another as they thought for their most safetie but the priests and monkes thinking to haue done the like were by the imperious souldiors whether they would or not againe inforced into the church where tumbling one ouer another as thronging in with great force violence and scarce able to stand by reason of the slipperinesse of the blood there shed vpon the pauement they in great feare made an end of those bloodie obsequies This outrage appeased Arsenius the Patriarch and only tutor of the yong emperour now left was therewith yet much troubled as with a thing dangerous both to the person of the yoong prince and quietnesse of the state but what good course to take therein he could not tell for as he was a man for his learning and integritie of life not inferiour to the best so in matters of state he was as far to seeke as it commonly happeneth the contemplatiue man buried in his meditations to be vnfit for temporall gouernment whereas he that should performe both must vnto his rare vertues and great learning joine a ciuile conuersation with great experience in worldly affaires not to be learned but by great and long practise This reuerend father of no great reach yet wishing all well calling together the nobilitie consulted with them what were best to be done for the gouernment both of the yong emperour and the empire now that Muzalo was dead not considering in the mean time who they were with whom he consulted or that counsell grounded vpon no wise foresight or approoued experience was more dangerous vnto him whom he would haue prouided for than all the enemies murthering swords as shortly after appeared Amongst others of the nobilitie called to counsell was Michaell Paleologus of whom we haue before spoken much superiour to the rest as descended of the imperiall house of the Comneni a man of a cheerefull countenance gracious and courteous and withall exceeding bountifull and liberall whereby he easily woon the hearts of all men in generall but especially of the colonels captaines and other martiall men commaunders in the armie of whose aspiring to the empire many presages and common rumors not alwaies vaine had in former time passed also to the mouing of many yea the Patriarch himselfe not considering his hautie and aspiring nature made no lesse account of him than did the rest but vpon an especiall fauour committed to his only trust the keyes of the common treasure at such time as money was to bee deliuered out for payment of the armies or other like great occasions of the state the most effectuall meanes for the furtherance of his secret practises the readiest way for the effecting of that he had so long before plotted for hauing in his fingring such a masse of treasure as he might well haue wished but neuer reasonably hoped for he poured it out as it were by bushels amongst the nobilitie and martiall men such others as he thought were able to do most with the people amongst whom were many of the cleargie also of which his fauourits were made many meetings and by them was the Patriarch continually sollicited but yet in generall tearmes without delay according to the necessitie of the time to take order for the good gouernment of the state which now as a great ship in the middest of the sea without a master was as they said in danger to perish and being once lost was not to be againe recouered At which time also the name of Paleologus was in euery mans mouth as the only man for his wisedome and experience fit to take vpon him the charge and gouernment of the empire vntill the yong emperour were come to age Vnto which coÌ„mon good liking the Patriarch also seeing no more or peraduenture not so much as the rest gaue his consent And so without longer stay to the great contentment both of the nobilitie and people in generall made him gouernour of the empire and tutor to the yong emperour wanting now nothing of an emperor himselfe more than the title and imperiall ornaments This was the first step whereby this aspiring man twice before in disgrace with the two late emperours Iohn Ducâ—s and his sonne Theodorus mounted at last vnto the empire It was not many dayes after but that his fauourits held another counsell wherein it was alledged That it was not seemely for him that was tutor vnto the emperour gouernour of the state and empire and to giue audience vnto the embassadours of forraine nations to want the honour next vnto the emperour as well for the magnificence of the state as for the credit of his place whereupon hee was both by the Patriarch and the yoong emperour honoured with the title of the Despot another step vnto the empire But what contentment find the ambitious euen in the greatest honours so long as there is one aboue them Little sure or none at all more than that it serueth them to step at next vp to the highest as did this new made Despot who shortly after was by certaine of the nobilitie his great fauourits neere vnto MAGNESIA with the great applause of the people hoysed vp and saluted emperour Whereof Arsenius the Patriarch hearing was therewith much troubled as fearing what would become of the yong child the right heire of the empire And first he was about to haue excommunicated as well him that was made emperour as them that had so made him but afterward changing his purpose for feare of greater troubles he thought it better by solemne oath to bind both him and the rest That they should not seeke after the life of the child or by any force or colour goe about to depriue him of the empire which was so done Yet it was not full a moneth after but
that by them he reaped great profit wherefore he assigned vnto them the citie of GALATA now called PERA on the other side of the hauen for them to inhabit graunting them great priuiledges and euerie of those companies to be gouerned by a Consull or Potestate of their owne As for the imperiall citie it selfe he stored it so neere as he could with naturall Greeks borne Now although all things went as Paleologus the emperour could himselfe haue wished yet could he not rest so contented for feare least those which now did eat their owne hearts and with great griefe smouldred their anger should at length as the rightfull heires of the empire by him vsurped breake out into open force and so breed him great troubles yea and perhaps worke his confusion For such is the tormenting state of vsurping tyrants neuer to thinke themselues safe so long as any one liueth whom they may suspect Wherefore at once to rid himselfe of this feare he thought it best so to dispose of the children of the late emperour Theodorus Lascaris as that he should not need of them to stand in doubt to take them out of the way besides that it was a thing odious he saw it like to be vnto him also dangerous Marie and Theodora two of the eldest daughters being before by their father married vnto two great princes one the Despot of EPIRVS the other prince of BVLGARIA with whom he had much before to do and of them yet stood in some doubt but these were safe enough out of his reach Other two yoonger sisters there were in his custodie Theodora Irene with their brother Iohn the onely heire of the empire Theodora he married vnto one Belicurt a gentleman of PELOPONESVS and Irene to one Vigintimilio of GENVA both Latines men of no great birth or power such as he needed not to stand in doubt of These two ladies the daughters of so great an emperour as was Theodorus thus basely bestowed remained onely their brother Iohn the onely heire of the empire then but ten yeares old whom Paleologus long before euen in the beginning of his raigne had sent vnto MAGNESIA there to bee safely kept farre off from the court for feare least in his right and quarrell some discontented persons desirous of innouation should begin some new stirs dangerous to his estate Which indignitie done vnto the yoong prince Arsenius the Patriarch put in trust by his father for the bringing of him vp tooke in so euill part that he forsooke the court with all his ecclesiasticall dignities and as a man wearie of the world retired himselfe vnto a little monasterie of Pascasins in the countrey there to spend the rest of his daies From whence for all that hee was after the taking of CONSTANTINOPLE from the Latines almost against his will drawne thither by Paleologus the emperour and made Patriarch thereof there together with so great an honour to find his greater discontent For Paleologus the vsurper altogether vnmindfull of his faith so solemnly before giuen for the safetie of the yoong prince and the restoring vnto him of his empire and now fully resolued to establish vnto him and his posteritie the soueraigntie of so great an empire howsoeuer it was got caused the yoong princes eies to be most cruelly put out the vsuall practise of the tyrants of the East vpon such as they are loath or feare to kill and yet would make them vnfit for gouernment Of which barbarous crueltie his sister Theodora married to Constantinus prince of BVLGARIA hearing ceassed not with teares and praiers and all other womanly persuasions to stir vp her husband in reuenge thereof whereunto also Iathatines the Turkes Sultan gaue no small furtherance who wearie of exile and to bee so into a corner confined as into a prison from whence hee might not start by secret messengers entreated the Bulgarian prince to make war vpon the vsurping emperour promising him a great summe of money if by his helpe hee might recouer his former libertie Wherewith hee the rather mooued with a great power of his owne and aboue twentie thousand Tartars which then lay by the riuer ISTER suddenly brake into the emperours territories and in shorter time than was to haue beene thought ouerrun all the countrey of THRACIA euen vnto the sea side leauing neither man nor beast in all the countrey as he went in good hope also to haue by the way surprized the emperour himselfe euen then returning from his wars against the Despot in THESSALIE who hearing of his speedie comming being got vnto the sea side and hauing no way left to haue escaped by land shipped himselfe into a galley of the Latines which with another her consert bound for CONSTANTINOPLE by good hap put in there for to water and so in two daies arriued in safetie at the imperiall citie Thus disappointed of the emperour all his care was for the deliuerie of the Turks Sultan Wherefore marching in hast to AENVM he so terrified the citizens with his comming that they without farther delay deliuered him into his hands so to redeeme their owne peace In his returne you might haue seene the souldiours especially the Tartars driuing before them infinit numbers both of men and cattell in such sort as that in the open countrey of THRACIA for a space was hardly to be seene either countreyman or beast it was so cleane swept both of inhabitants and likewise of cattell Iathatines the Sultan by the Tartars carried ouer ISTER and so by them set at libertie shortly after died In whose kingdome succeeded not his sonne Melicke as some write but two others as the Turkes themselues report the one called Mesoot the sonne of Kei-Cubades and the other Kei-Cubades the sonne of Feramcine borne also of the Selzuccian family as were all the other Turkes Sultans but how neere of blood vnto the late Sultan Iathatines they say not Betwixt which two as his vassales Gazan the great Tartar Chan by whom they were so preferred for the payment of a yearely tribute diuided the Turkes kingdome aportioning vnto Mesoot the cities of AMIDA in antient time called AMISVS and AMINSVS in GALATIA MELATIA otherwise called MELETINE in the lesser ARMENIA SIVASTE in antient time SEBASTIA and HARBERIE before SATABREA both in CAPPADOCIA with all the countrey about them And vnto Kei-Cubades ICONIUM the auncient seat of the Turkish Sultans with all RUMILIA ASIATICA or the countries of the lesser ASIA alongst the sea coast which these two princes held as the Tartars tributaries as had the late Sultan Iathatines before them vntill such time as he was by the same Tartars againe expulsed So that the Turks kingdome which had of long time flourished in the Selzuccian familie in PERSIA in SYRIA PALESTINE and AEGYPT there quite ouerthrowne by the Mamalukes and Tartars as is before declared now brought vnderfoot in the lesser ASIA also where only rested all the hope of that nation was now at a low
all the cheefe commaunders were then at variance among themselues euery one of them laying claime not woorth a rush vnto the vaine title of the kingdome of HIERUSALEM Henry king of CYPRUS comming thither with a great fleet charged the Templars to deliuer vnto him the crowne of that kingdome which they had as he said wrongfully taken from Almericus and Guy his auncestors And Charles king of SICILIA by his embassadours laid claime vnto the title of that kingdome as due vnto the kings of that Island and vnderstanding it to be giuen vnto Henry king of CYPRUS caused all the reuenewes of the Templars within his dominion to be brought into his treasuries and their lands and houses to bee spoyled Hugh also prince of ANTIOCH laboured with tooth and naile to defend the ouerworne right that his father and grandfather had vnto that lost kingdome And the countie of TRIPOLIS laied in for himselfe that hee was descended from Raymund of THOLOUS and that beside himselfe remained no prince of the auntient nobilitie which had woon that kingdome out of the hands of the Sarasins and that therefore that regall dignitie did not of better right appertaine vnto any other than vnto himselfe Neither did these foure princes more striue for the title of the lost kingdome than for the present gouernment of the citie straight way about to perish The Popes Legate pretended thereunto a right also for that king Iohn Brenne had before subjected it vnto the See of ROME As for the claime vnto the citie of PTOLEMAIS the Patriarch of HIERUSALEM challenged vnto himselfe the preheminence for that the metropoliticall citie of TYRE vnder which the citie of PTOLEMAIS was the third episcopall seat was vnder his jurisdiction euen by the decree of the West church The Templars also and the knights Hospitalers whose power in the citie was at that time farre the greatest pretended the gouernment thereof of best right to belong vnto them as the just reward of their blood alreadie and afterward to be spent in the defence thereof promising great matters if it might be wholly referred vnto them Neither spared the French king or the king of ENGLAND by their messengers to claime the soueraignetie of the cittie by their predecessours sometimes woon And they of PISA hauing still a Consull therein and by often marriages with the naturall inhabitants growne into great affinitie with them did what they might to get the gouernment into their hands The Venetians also by their authoritie and great wealth laboured to gaine the good will of the people sparing therein no cost And they of GENUA no lesse cunning than the rest supplanted the strongest factions by giuing aid both apertly and couertly vnto the weaker that so hauing weakened the faction they most doubted and hated they might by the joint fauour of the weaker aspire vnto the gouernment of the stronger and so consequently of the citie it selfe The Florentines also by their continuall traffique thither were not out of hope by one finenesse or other amongst so many competitours to find a meane to step vp aboue the rest But the greatest part of the people for all that were most enclined vnto the Armenians and Tartars as both for their neerenesse and power most like of all other to stand them in stead All these aymed at one marke which was the gouernment and commaund of the cittie and most of them had in the same their owne proper lawes and courts to deside their causes and controuersies in Whereby it came to passe that euery man might without checke or controulement almost doe what he list the offenders from one court to another remoouing their sutes as best serued their turnes Thus were murders as is beforesaid dayly committed in the streets men abused houses robbed shops broken vp and many other outrages done to the hastening of the wrath of God and greefe of all good men Diuision and dissention the ruine of all commonweales thus raigning in the cittie the souldiours of late sent thither or in zeale come of themselues for the defence thereof gaue occasion for the speedie destruction of the same Such is the power of the Almightie in his wrath and judgements for sinne euen by those things wherein wee most trust and joy to worke our vtter ruine and destruction These souldiors for want of such pay as was promised them were enforced to seeke abroad and therefore contrarie to the league before made with the Aegyptian Sultan oftentimes went out in great parties into the frontiers of his territories taking the spoile of such things as they light vpon Whereof the Sultan vnderstanding demaunded by his embassadours That restitution might be made and the offendors deliuered vnto him to bee punished according vnto the league But in that so sicke a state of a dying commonweale neither was restitution made as reason would or yet the embassadors courteously heard With which insolencie the Sultan prouoked sent Emilech Araphus a notable captaine and as some say his sonne with an hundred and fiftie thousand men to besiege the citie who comming thither and hauing made his approches had by a mine in short time ouerthrowne a peece of the wall but in seeking to haue entered by the breach he found such strong resistance that hee was glad with losse to retire Whilest Araphus thus lay at the siege of PTOLEMAIS Alphir the Sultan died at DAMASCO in whose stead the Mamalukes made choice of this Araphus for their Sultan who more desirous of nothing than of the glorie of the vtter rooting vp of the Christians in SYRIA was so farre from raising of his siege either for the death of the Sultan or the newes of his kingdome that hee more straitly beset the citie than he had in the three moneths space that he had there lien before Now had they in the citie chosen Peter the master of the Templars their gouernour a man of great experience and valour vnto whom and the rest of the nobilitie the Sultan offered great rewards and vnto the souldiors their pay with free libertie to depart so that they would without more adoe yeeld vnto him the citie which they could not long hold Which his offer the master rejected and flattly told him That hee had not learned of his auncestours to sell for money vnto the Infidels a citie bought with so much Christian blood either did so much regard his vaine threats as therefore to forget his seruice due vnto his Sauiour Christ and the Christian commonweale With which answere the tyrant enraged the next day with all his forces assaulted the citie and that in such desperat and furious manner as if hee would euen then haue carried it hauing before filled the ditches and promised the spoile vnto his souldiors the more to encourage them Yet hauing done what he could and lost a number of his men slaine both in the assault and in a sallie which the Christians made out at the same time he was inforced to retire backe
commonly at this day knowne and by our late Geographers described Of this Caraman also dissended the Caramanian kings who of long time after vnfortunatly stroue with the Othoman Sultans for the soueraigntie of their empiers vntill that at length they with their kingdome and all the rest of these Turkish Satrapies were in the fatall greatnesse of the Othoman empire swallowed vp and deuoured as in the processe of this historie shall if God so will in due time and place be declared Next neighbour vnto him was Saruchan of the Greekes called Sarchan of whom the countrey of IONIA-MARITIMA was and yet is called SARU-CHAN-ILI and SARUCHANIA that is to say Saruchans countrey The greatest part of LYDIA with some part of the greater MISIA TROAS and PHRIGIA fell to Calamus and his sonne Carasius of whom it is called CARASIA or CARASI-ILI or as we might say Carasius his countrey The greatest part of the antient MISIA with some part of LYDIA was possessed by Aidin and was of him called AIDINIA or AIDIN-ILI as his countrey Some part of the great countrey of PONTUS with the cities of HERACLEA-PONTICA CASTAMONA SYNOPE and others neere vnto the EUXINE and the countrey of PAPHLAGONIA fell into the hands of the sonnes of Omer or as the Greekes call him Amur of whom that countrey tooke not name as did the others of such princes as possessed them but is commonly called BOLLI of a citie in that countrey by the Turkes so named As was also MENDESIA or as some call it MENTESIA a countrey in the lesser ASIA so by the Turks called of MENDOS or MYNDUS a citie in CARIA There were beside these diuers other places and Toparchies in the lesser ASIA which in the renting of this great kingdome from the Turks receiued names before vnto the world vnknowne all which to prosecute were tedious Sufficeth it vs for the manifesting of the Turkes Anarchie and the ruine of their kingdome in the lesser ASIA as in part also for the more euidence of the heauie historie following to haue remembred these as the chiefest especially such as tooke their names of such great princes or captaines as in that so great a confusion of the Turks kingdome by strong hand first ceazed vpon them and so left them to their posteritie of whom much is to be said hereafter These princes one and all that thus shared the late Aladinian kingdome were dissended of the better sort of the Turkes which with the Selzuccian and Aladinian Sultans driuen out of PERSIA by the Tartars had vnder them seated themselues in the lesser ASIA as is before at large declared Now amongst these great men that thus diuided the Turks kingdom most of them that write of the Turks affaires both Greeks and Latins reckon vp Othoman the raiser of his house and familie for one who indeed in the latter time of the late Sultan Aladin began to flourish and was of him for his valour extraordinarily fauoured as in his historie shall appeare but of his kingdome held no more than one poore lordship called SUGUTA in BYTHINIA not far from the mountaine OLIMPUS long before giuen vnto his father Erthogrull for his good seruice with such other small holds therabout as he had himselfe gained from the weake Christians his neighbours For although he were a Turke borne yet was he not of the Selzuccian family as were the rest but of another house and tribe and therefore not of them fauoured or thought to haue so good right vnto any of the late Sultans prouinces or territories as had they who being of his house and holpen with the prescription of time enuied at the sudden rising of this Oguzian Turke being vnto them as it were a meere stranger whose fortune for all that I know not by what secret foreknowledge they seemed to feare as in time to grow dangerous vnto them and their posteritie wherein they were no whit deceiued But of him and his proceedings much more is to be said hereafter leaue we him now therefore with the rest vnto their fortunes in this the Turks Anarchie and so conclude this part of our Generall Historie Glad when I looke backe to haue waded thus far yet fearing to be drowned before I get ouer such a sea of matter and world of troubles yet remaining not without much labour and toile and that in long time to be passed through FINIS THE LIVES OF THE OTHOMAN KINGS AND EMPERORS FAITHFVLLY GATHERED OVT of the best Histories both antient and moderne and digested into one continual Historie By RICHARD KNOLLES Eccles. 10.4 The gouernment of the earth is in the hand of the Lord and all iniquitie of the nations is to bee abhorred and when time is he wil set vp a profitable ruler ouer it LONDON Printed by Adam Islip 1603. Multiplici lassatae Asiae res clade premuntur Hinc Sarracenus Tartarus inde ruit Mutua Christicolae gladios in vulnera stringunt Graecia funesta seditione perit Impiger interea noua concipit Ottomannus Concilia valida surgit in arma manu Et vastatricis regno fundamina turbae Ponit in multo sanguine sceptra lauat With endlesse wars the Asian state farre spent and ouerworne By Sarasins and Tartars force is all in peeces torne The Christians draw their bloodie swords wherewith themselues to wound And GREECE with ciuile discord seekes it selfe for to confound Meane while the warlike Othoman new counsels doth deuise And with a crue of martiall men doth vp in armes arise And laies the fatall plot whereon the wastfull Turks should raigne And bathes his scepter in much blood of people by him slaine THE RISING OF THE GREAT AND MIGHTIE EMPIRE OF THE TVRKES VNDER OTHOMAN FIRST FOVNDER THEREOF VVITH HIS LIFE AND DOINGS WHAT small assurance there is in mens affaires and how subject vnto change euen those things are wherein we for the most part repose our greatest felicitie and blisse beside that the whole course of mans fraile life by many notable examples well declareth nothing doth more plainely manifest the same than the heauie euents and wofull destructions of the greatest kingdomes and empires which founded vpon great fortunes encreased with perpetuall successe exalted by exceeding power established with most puissant armies wholesome lawes and deepe counsels haue yet growne old and in time come to naught So that euen as men all things else belonging vnto man are subject vnto the ineuitable course of destinie or more truely to say vnto the fatall doome of the most highest prefining vnto euerie thing that in time begun a time also wherein to take end being himselfe without time the great commander thereof and of all things else done therein The fame of the first Assyrian Monarchie is verie antient and was no doubt both great and long yet hath it neuerthelesse found an end and the more to put vs in remembrance of our infirmitie was neuer with so much glorie and valour by Ninus erected as it
which thou thy selfe hast taken the fountaine of life Man truly beholdeth heauen and earth and heauen and earth behold mens actions wherefore make not the heauens and the earth beholders of so wicked an outrage as neuer man euer committed If brothers blood long agoe cried out vnto the Lord against Cain how much louder shall the fathers blood crie vnto the Lord and declare so great a wickednesse vnto the earth the sunne and stars and make it abhorred of all the princes of the world Regard my miserable old age which of it selfe promiseth vnto me shortly death but vnto thee a rest after long cares Reuerence the hands which haue oftentimes most louingly embraced thee yet crying in thy swathing clouts Reuerence those lips which haue oftentimes most louingly kissed thee and called thee my other soule Haue pitie vpon a brused reed cast downe by fortune and doe not thou againe tread vpon it And seeing thou art thy selfe a man be not too proud of thy present fortune but consider the vncertaintie and varietie of worldly things taking by me example see in me the end of long life and maruell how one night hauing receiued me an emperour of many yeares leaueth me now subject vnto another mans power for euer The young emperour Andronicus mooued with this speech and taking great care of his grandfathers safetie scarce abstaining from teares entred the pallace and comming to his grandfather humbly saluted him embraced him and with cheerfull words comforted him Straight way after he went vnto the monasterie MANGANIVM where as is aforesaid the Patriarch Esaeius was by the old emperors commandement kept in safe keeping whom the yong emperor now tooke from thence and carrying him away in one of the emperors richest chariots restored him againe vnto his Patriarchall dignitie wherein he afterwards spared not to reuenge himselfe to the full and most cruelly to persecute the old emperours friends That day from morning vnto night a man might haue seene all the riches and wealth of such noble men as had taken part with the old emperour carryed away and their goodly houses ouerthrowne and made the scorne of the base common people but especially the house and wealth of Theodorus Metochita a man but the day before in greatest fauour with his prince and of all others next vnto the emperour himselfe of greatest authoritie and credit whose whole wealth not that only which was found in his house but that also which he had laid vp in trust with his friends discouered by notes found in his studie became most part a prey vnto the common people and the rest confiscated vnto the prince Thus he which earst of all others next vnto the emperour was accounted most fortunate was now vpon the sudden with his wife and children brought vnto extreame beggerie and after many yeares felicitie in one day cast into the bottom of dispaire and miserie where a man might haue heard many complayning say All that wealth and treasure to haue beene the bloud and teares of the poore oppressed subjects brought vnto him by them whom hee had made rulers and gouernours of the prouinces and cities of the empire to the intent that when they had delt cruelly with the people as with their slaues he might stop them for comming to complaine of their griefes vnto the emperour and that the eie of the Reuenger had not alwaies slept but was now at length awaked had of him yet scarcely takeÌ„ sufficient punishment which euery where to heare increased not a little his griefe As for himselfe he was coÌ„fined vnto DIDYMOTICHVM as the place of his exile and banishment where after he had a certaine time poorly liued he was sent for backe againe to CONSTANTINOPLE where hauing nothing leâ—t to relieue himselfe for his house at the comming of the young emperour was in the furie of the people pluckt downe to the ground and the verie pauement thereof digged vp he went vnto the monasterie of CHORA thereby which long before built by the emperour Iustinian and become ruinous he in the time of his prosperitie had with great charge repaired therin now hauing made shipwracke of all that he had quietly shrouded himselfe to the great comfort both of his bodie and afflicted mind where he not long after died But to returne againe vnto the old emperour as yet in doubt what should become of himselfe it fortuned that the same day that the citie was taken the young emperour at night returning to the pallace by the way met with Niphon sometime Patriarch who asked him how they meant to deale with his grandfather Whereunto the yong emperor answering That he would deale with him honourably and emperour like he was by him therefore blamed and reprooued For this Niphon being of a craftie subtile wit and malicious nature besides that he secretly hated all them vpon whom fortune greatly either fauned or frowned bare an especiall grudge against the old emperour first for that at such time as he was right woorthly for his shamefull couetousnesse and extortion by the rest of the bishops and cleargie thrust out of his Patriarchship he was not by him as he looked for defended and secondly for that dreaming againe after the Patriarchall dignitie he thought it one good step thereunto to haue him as his greatest enemie taken out of the way Wherefore he said now vnto the young emperour If thou desire to raigne without feare giue not thine honour vnto another but taking all the ornaments of the empire from the old man cast haire cloath vpon him and so clap him fast in prison or thrust him out into exile This mischieuous counsell this wicked man gaue against the poore old distressed emperour not remembring how vnwoorthily he had by him beene before preferred vnto the highest degrees both of honour and wealth if he could there haue kept himselfe vnto which vngratious counsell diuers others of the nobilitie also consenting so wrought the matter amongst them that although they could not quite draw the young emperors mind from his grandfather yet they much changed the same so that he could no longer endure to take him for his companion in the empire Whereupon after many meetings consultations had it was decreed That the old man should still retaine the name and ornaments of an emperour as before but not to meddle in any matters nor to come abroad but to sit still quietly in his chamber with the yearly allowance of ten thousand duckats for the maintenance of himselfe and such as attended vpon him to be raised of the fishing before the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE a poore pension for the maintenance of so great an emperour Of which so shamefull a decree Esaeias the Patriarch was also a furtherer who seeing an emperour that had raigned so long cast downe and shut vp as it were in prison was so far from grieuing thereat that foolishly rejoycing he in token thereof absurdly wrested this text of Scripture saying in his merriment Laetabitur
almost in one battell subuerted report nothing simply of him but in what they may detracting from his worthie praises wrongfully charge him with many vntruths not concerning his parentage onely but euen in the course of his whole life also making him as they would haue the world to beleeue first to haue beene a very abject amongst men and then for his inhumane crueltie a very monster in nature or as it was long before but more truly said of another great one much like himselfe a lumpe of earth tempered with blood Which incredible reports concerning so great a monarch I list not to follow as too full of dishonour especially whereas others of no lesse credit than they with farre more modestie and greater probabilitie report of him the greatest honour that may be Hee was as they and the others also say borne at SAMERCAND the cheefe citie of the Zagataian Tartars pleasantly situated vpon the riuer IAXARTES his father was called Zain-Cham or as some others will Og prince of the Zagataian Tartars and of the countrey of SACHETAY sometime part of the famous kingdome of PARTHIA third in descent from Zingis the great and fortunate leader of the Tartars before in the former part of this historie remēbred Which Og as a prince of a peaceable nature accounting it no lesse honour quietly to keepe the countries left him by his father than with much trouble and no lesse danger to seeke how to enlarge the same long liued in most happie rest with his subjects no lesse happie than himselfe not so much seeking after the hoording vp of gold and siluer things of that nation not regarded as contenting himselfe with the encrease and profit of his flocks of sheepe and heards of cattell then and yet also the principall reuenues of the Tartar kings and princes which happily gaue occasion vnto some ignorant of the manner and custome of those Northerne nations and countries to account them all for shepheards and heardsmen and so also to haue reported of this mightie prince as of a shepheards sonne or heardsman himselfe vainely measuring his nobilitie by the homely manner of his people and subjects and not by the honor of his house heroicall vertues such as were hardly to be found greater in any prince of that or other former ages His peaceable father now well stricken in yeares and wearie of the world deliuered vp vnto him not yet past fifteene yeares old the gouernment of his kingdome joining vnto him two of his most faithfull counsellours Odmar and Aly to assist him in the gouernment of his state retiring himselfe vnto a solitarie life the more at quiet to serue God and so to end his daies in peace which two his trustie seruants and graue counsellors he dearely loued whilest they liued and much honoured the remembrance of them being dead The first proofe of his fortune and valour was against the Moscouit for spoiling of a citie which had put it selfe vnder his protection and for entering of his countrey and for proclaiming of warre against him whom he in a great battaile ouerthrew hauing slaine fiue and twentie thousand of the Moscouits footmen and betweene fifteene and sixteen thousand horsemen with the losse of scarce eight thousand horsemen and foure thousand footmen of his own After which battell he beholding so many thousands of men there dead vpon the ground was so farre from rejoicing thereat that turning himselfe vnto one of his familiars he lamented the condition of such as commaunded ouer great armies commending his fathers quiet course of life accounting him happie in seeking for rest and the other most vnhappie which by the destruction of their owne kind sought to procure their owne glorie protesting himselfe euen from his heart to be grieued to see such sorrowfull tokens of his victorie With this ouerthrow the Moscouit discouraged sent embassadours to him for peace which vpon such honourable conditions as pleased him to set downe was by him graunted and so the peace concluded Now the Great Cham of TARTARIA his fathers brother being growne old and out of hope of any mo children moued with the fame of his nephew after this victorie sent vnto him diuers presents and withall offering him his onely daughter in marriage and with her to proclaime him heire apparant vnto his empire as in right hee was being his brothers sonne and the daughters not at all succeeding in those empires Which so great an offer Tamerlane gladly accepted and so the mariage was afterwards with great triumph at the old emperors court solemnized and he proclaimed heire apparant vnto that great empire Thus was Tamerlane indeed made great being euer after this marriage by the old emperour his vncle and now his father in law so long as hee liued notably supported and after his death succeeding him also in that so mightie an empire Yet in the meane time wanted not this worthie prince the enuious competitours of these his so great honours insomuch that whilest by the aduise and persuasion of the old emperour he was taking in hand to make warre against the great king of CHINA who had as then gone far beyond his bounds and so was now well onwards on his way he was by the conspiracie of Calix a man of greatest power and authoritie in the Great Cham his court almost thrust out of his new empire Calix with a right puissant armie hauing alreadie ceized vpon the great citie of CAMBALU and the citizens also generally fauouring those his traiterous proceedings as disdaining to bee gouerned by the Zagataian Tartar For redresse whereof Tamerlane was enforced with the greatest part of his armie to returne and meeting with the rebell who then had in his armie fourescore thousand horse and an hundred thousand foot in a great and mortall battell wherein of the one side and of the other were more than fiftie thousand men slaine ouerthrew him though not without the great danger of his own person as being there himselfe beaten down to the ground tooke him prisoner and afterwards beheaded him Which so dangerous a rebellion with the death of the traitour and the cheefe of the conspiratours repressed and his state in the newnesse thereof by this victorie well confirmed he proceeded in his intended war against the great king of CHINA brake downe the strong wall which the Chinoies had made foure hundred leagues long betwixt the mountaines for the repressing of the incursions of the Tartars entered their countrey and meeting with the king leading after him three hundred and fiftie thousand men whereof there were an hundred and fiftie thousand horsemen and the rest on foot in a great and dreadfull battaile with the slaughter of 60000 of his men ouercame him and tooke him prisoner whom for all that he in the course of so great a victorie wisely moderating his fortune shortly after set againe at libertie yet so as that hauing before taken from him the one halfe of his kingdome and therein left Odmar
in the middest of the Ianizaries where he lay enclosed with their dead bodies in token he died not vnreuenged whose vntimely death Tamerlane for all that greatly lamented for he was his kinsman and like inough one day to haue done him great seruice Whose dead bodie Tamerlane caused to be embalmed and with two thousand horse and diuers of the Turks prisoners chained and tied together to be conuaied to SAMERCAND vntill his comming thether All the other dead bodies were with all honor that might be buried at SENNAS This great bloodie battaile fought in the yeare of our lord 1397 not farre from the mount STELLA where sometime the great king Mithrydates was by Pompey the Great in a great battaile ouerthrown was fought from seuen a clocke in the morning vntill foure in the after noone victorie all that while as it were with doubtfull wings houering ouer both armies as vncertaine where to light vntill at length the fortune of Tamerlane preuailed Whose wisdome next vnto God gaue that daies victorie vnto his souldiours for that the politique tiring of the strong forces of Baiazet was the safegard of his owne whereas if hee had gone vnto the battaile in one front assuredly the multitude finding such strong resistance had put it selfe into confusion wheras this successiue manner of aiding of his men made them all vnto him profitable The number of them that were in this battaile slaine is of diuers diuersly reported the Turks themselues reporting that Baiazet there lost the noble Mustapha his sonne with two hundreth thousand of his men and Tamerlane not many fewer and some other speaking of a farre lesse number as that there should be slaine of the Turkes about threescore thousand and of Tamerlane his armie not past twentie thousand But leauing the certaintie of the number vnto the credit of the reporters like inough it is that the slaughter was exceeding great in so long a fight betwixt two such armies as neuer before as I suppose met in field together By this one daies euent is plainly to be seen the vncertaintie of worldly things and what small assurance euen the greatest haue in them Behold Baiazet the terrour of the world and as hee thought superiour to fortune in an instant with his state in one battaile ouerthrowne into the bottome of miserie and dispaire and that at such time as he thought least euen in the middest of his greatest strength It was three daies as they report before he could be pacified but as a desperate man still seeking after death and calling for it neither did Tamerlane after he had once spoken with him at all afterwards courteously vse him but as of a proud man caused small account to be made of him And to manifest that he knew how to punish the haughtie made him to bee shackled in fetters and chaines of gold and so to bee shut vp in an iron cage made like a grate in such sort as that he might on euerie side be seen and so caried him vp and downe as hee passed through ASIA to be of his owne people scorned and derided And to his farther disgrace vpon festiuall daies vsed him for a footstoole to tread vpon when he mounted to horse and at other times scornefully fed him like a dogge with crums fallen from his table A raâ—e example of the vncertaintie of worldly honour that he vnto whose ambitious mind ASIA and EUROPE two great parts of the world were to little should be now caried vp and downe cooped vp in a little iron cage like some perillous wild beast All which Tamerlane did not so much for the hatred to the man as to manifest the just judgement of God against the arrogant follie of the proud It is reported that Tamerlane being requested by one of his noble men that might be bold to speake vnto him to remit some part of his seueritie against the person of so great a prince answered That he did not vse that rigour against him as a king but rather did punish him as a proud ambitious tirant polluted with the blood of his owne brother Now this so great an ouerthrow brought such a feare vpon all the countreys possessed by Baiazet in ASIA that Axalla sent before by Tamerlane with fortie thousand horse and â—n hundreth thousand foot without cariages to prosecute the victorie came without resistance to PRâ—SA whether all the remainder of Baiazet his armie was retired with the Bassa Mustapha the countrey as he went still yeelding vnto him Yea the great Bassa with the rest hearing of his comming and thinking themselues not now in any safetie in ASIA fled ouer the strait of HELLESPONTUS to CALLIPOLIS so to HADRIANOPLE carying with them out of the battaile Solyman Baiazet his eldest sonne whom they set vp in his fathers place Mahomet his younger brother presently vpon the ouerthrow being fled to AMASIA of whom and the rest of Baiazet his children more shall be said hereafter Axalla comming to PRUSA had the citie without resistance yeelded vnto him which he rifled and there with other of Baiazet his wiues concubines tooke prisoner the faire Despina Baiazet his best beloued wife to the doubling of his greefe Emanuell the Greeke emperour now hearing of Tamerlane his comming to PRUSA sent his embassadours the most honourable of his court thether before to Axalla by whom they were there stayed vntill the comming of Tamerlane who receiued them with all the honour that might be shewing vnto them all his magnificence and the order of his campe to their great admiration For it resembled a most populous and well gouerned citie for the order that was therein which brought vnto it plentie of all kind of victuals and other marchandise aswell for pleasure as for vse By these embassadours the Greeke emperour submitted all his empire together with his person vnto Tamerlane the great conquerour as his most faithfull subject and vassaile which he was bound as he said to doe for that hee was by him deliuered from the most cruell tirant in the world as also for that the long journey he had passed and the discommodities he had endured with the losse of his people and the danger of his person could not bee recompenced but by the offer of his owne life and his subjects which hee did for euer dedicate to his seruice with all the fidelitie and loyaltie that so great a benefit might deserue besides that his so many vertues and rare accomplishments which made him famous throughout the world did bind him so to doe And that therefore he would attend him in his cheefe citie to deliuer it into his hands as his owne with all the empire of GREECE Now the Greeke embassadours looked for no lesse than to fall into bondage to Tamerlane thinking that which they offred to be so great and delicate a morsell as that it would not be refused especially of such a conquering prince as was Tamerlane and that the acceptance thereof in kindnesse and
KEREDEN and there staying certaine daies sent a spie into Tamerlane his campe to see how all things went there and afterwards entered againe into counsell with his captains concerning his farther proceedings In which consultation some were of opinion That it was best for him to withdraw himselfe into the mountaines of the lesser ASIA as a place of good safetie vntill the departure of Tamerlan which was shortly hoped for for that it was not to be thought that Tamerlane would with his huge armie pursue him in that mountaine countrey flying from hill to hill and as it were from strength to strength Others better aduised thought those mountaines to be no places to trust vnto and therefore that it were more honourable and as free from danger for him to returne againe to AMASIA and there to liue amongst his subjects protecting them in such sort as he might and not to leaue them for a prey to euery stragling company of the rude Tartarians Which counsell he followed as most reasonable being ready to set forward the spie before by him sent into Tamerlanes campe returned certifying him That he had seen his father Baiazet in good health in the Tartars campe but could not by any means speake with him by reason of the straight guard set ouer him and that all that part of ASIA was by Tamerlane possessed who then with his armie wintred in CARIA and LYSIA wherupon Mahomet returned backe againe to AMASIA where he had not long staied but that newes was brought vnto him That one of the Tartarian princes called Cara Duletschach that is to say the fortunat blacke king was with an armie of twentie thousand comming to spoile his country being giuen him by Tamerlane With which newes he was exceedingly troubled Wherefore with all speed calling together his forces for the safegard of his countrey he sent before a spie to discouer the enemies doings This diligent spie returning in all hast told Mahomet That Cara Dulet lay at the towne of AEGIOLVS in GALATIA in great securitie â—auing about him but a small power for that he fearing no danger had at that time dispersed his armie to seeke after pillage abroad in the countrey Mahomet taking hold of this oportunitie marched thither with great celeritie and suddenly setting vpon Cara Dulet ouercame him In which conflict Cara Dulet himselfe was shot through the head with an arrow and slaine and his armie vtterly discomfited Mahomet returning backe to AMASIA with victorie refreshed and rewarded his souldiors yet no lesse carefull for the safetie of his kingdome than before Shortly after he was aduertised that Cubad Ogli with a great armie laied hard siege to the citie of CaeSARIA in CAPADOCIA and was like in short time to take it if it were not speedily releeued By taking of which citie that Tartar prince was like to make a great entrance to the hazarding of the whole countrey Wherefore Mahomet hauing his armie alwaies in readinesse marched day and night with such speed to CaeSARIA as that he was vpon Cubad Ogli before he was aware of his comming and there slew most of his souldiours and put him with the rest to flight After that hee entred into Cubad Ogli his countrey in PONTVS and greeuously spoiled and destroied the same at which time he also by force wan the strong castle PELTae in the confines of PHRIGIA Imediatly after that Inall Ogli another of Tamerlanes captaines which at their pleasure without let forraged all the countreys of the lesser ASIA during the time that Tamerlane made his abode within the Turks dominions vpon the suddaine entred into CAPADOCIA with an armie of twentie thousand fighting men killing the inhabitants and spoiling the countrey before him so that the people for feare left their dwellings and fled into the woods and mountaines to hide themselues from his furie Whereof Mahomet hearing was therewith exceedingly greeued and wrote vnto him as followeth Sultan Mahomet vnto the Prince Inall Ogli Wheras without any just or lawfull cause or any war proclaimed you haue inuaded our kingdome and cease not cruelly to kill our subjects by God committed to our protection and to spoile their wealth and labours to the great disturbance of the Mahometan common weale and make no end of your malice and crueltie you doe therein quite digresse from the manners and lawes of the true Mahometans or right beleeuers For if thou wouldest not onely bee accounted but indeed bee a true Musul-man thou shouldest forthwith depart out of my kingdome with thine armie thou shouldest not thus shed the innocent blood or without cause thus wrong my people but forasmuch as thou knowest not what beseemeth thee neither wilt listen vnto good counsaile but wilfully proceed in thy wicked purpose falsely persuading thy selfe this my kingdome to bee destitute of a lawfull inheritour and therefore doest so great wrong and injurie vnto the defendours of the true Mahometan religion I would thou shouldest know that I with my so often victorious armie will shortly by the power of God come against thee and in plaine field according to thy deserts chastice thee Therfore whilest thou yet mayest reclaim thy selfe and proceed not too farre in thine obstinacie too late repentance did neuer man yet good Thus much we thought good to aduertise thee that thou shouldest not bee ignorant of our purpose but mightest so better consider and dispose both of thy selfe and thine affaires In the yeare after the departure of the great Prophet Mahomet 806. Vnto which letters Inall Ogli returned this answere in writing Prince Inall Ogli to Mahomet Why doest thou Mahomet with such letters prouoke me why doest thou so vnciuilly taunt me being thy selfe but a boy and in truth a verie child It beseemeth thee not to haue entred into these countreys or to lay hands thereon wrongfully gracing thy selfe with the title of a Sultan Neither is there any cause why thou shouldest complaine that I should lie in waight or seek after thy life thy kingdome or any thing that thine is I challenge vnto my selfe this kingdome but none of thine out of which it is reason for thee as a wrongfull intruder of thy selfe to depart whom otherwise I will forthwith thrust out and joyne the same vnto the rest of my territories Wherefore except thou without delay get thee packing and cease to oppose thy selfe against my designes I denounce vnto thee all the calamities of warre and wish thee with speede to prepare thy selfe to battaile for that I meane shortly to meet with thee This yeare of our great Prophet 806. Shortly after Mahomet according to his promise meeting with this Tartar prince by plaine force ouerthrew him and had of him a notable victorie The like good hap he had also not long after against Coster Ogli and Kiupeck Ogli two other Tartarian captaines at the castle of CHARACHIZAR and the plaine of ARTVCK-OVA And hearing that one Mesites a Turk had fortified himselfe in the ruines of SEBASTIA
as were ouercharged and euen now ready to flie othersome he with cheerfull words staied that had already turned their backs performing in euery place all the parts both of a worthie commander and valiant souldior as the necessitie of the time and place required In the heat of this battell fortune yet fauoring neither part but both fighting with all their power the Transiluanian prisoners that in great number were kept in the campe wishing rather there to die than to be caried away in captiuitie and thinking it now or neuer time for them to attempt their deliuerance with one consent brake in sunder their bonds with such weapons as first came to hand set vpon their keepers of whom they slew a great number and so desperatly issuing out into the battell encouraged their countrimen and discouraged their enemies Yet was the battell hardly fought though not altogether with like courage or for like cause for why the Transiluanians fought for their country their wiues their children their liues their libertie their religion and altars but the Turks for the rich prey they had before taken and that they were by victorie in hope of But at length the Turks by the breaking out of the prisoners who laid about them like desperat men out of hope of the victorie began by little and little to retire and the other on the contrary part by this vnexpected aid encouraged and quickly finding the enemies fainting fought more fiercely than before Mesites seeing his armie thus in euery part wauering was therewith exceedingly troubled but presently after beholding some of his men retiring as if they had fled and othersome flying outright and no means to stay them for safegard of his life turned his horse and fled also after whom the Hungarians followed with most terrible execution as men desirous of the bloud of thē that had done them so great harme In this chase Mesites himselfe with his son were both slain the report of whose death in the pursuit added swiftnesse vnto the Hungarians to the increasing of the slaughter of the Turks whō for the desire of reuenge they ceased not for certain daies to pursue vnto the top of the alps In this battell were slain of the Turks 20000 of the Hungarians about 3000. Huniades with this victorie recouered all the prey the Turks had taken of the spoile of the country together with their tents baggage vnto whom at his returne into the campe a wonderfull number of the poore captiues came and falling at his feet and kissing them gaue God thanks for their deliuerance by him some called him the father some the defender of his country the souldiors their inuincible generall the captiues their deliuerer the women their protector the yong men children their most louing father In all which joyfull acclamations no honourable additions was heard which in the judgement of all men worthely agreed not with his deserts He againe with teares standing in his eies courteously embraced them rejoycing at the publicke good and himselfe giuing most heartie thanks vnto God commaunded the like to be done in all churches of that prouince Sometime he commended the souldiours valour and in generall the peoples loyaltie The nobilitie and woorthie captaines he extolled by name according as their deserts had beene in that notable battaile not detracting any thing from any mans worthie praises part of the spoile of the Turks he appointed vnto deuout vses and the other part he deuided amongst the souldiors and willing as it were with the first fruits thereof to gratifie king Vladislaus and the Despot of SERVIA then present with him he sent a great waggon which ten horses could scarce draw laded with the Turkes ensignes and the cheefe of their heads where the heads of the Bassa and his sonne stood formost and aboue them was placed an old Turke sometime well knowne vnto the Despot who in this order presented vnto them is said to haue thus deliuered his message as followeth Huniades your majesties most humble seruant and the most honourable Despots sonne sendeth vnto you this part of the spoile gained by this late victorie least he should seeme to defraud you of the honor of the battaile happily fought vnder your good fortune These heads of the Asian nobilitie bee sendeth you for a present that you should not want the assured testimonie of so notable a victorie these are two princes heads the one of Mesites Bassa the generall and the other of his sonne The rest are the heads of the other great commaunders and Sanzacks All these witnesse the greatnesse of the late slaughter and exhort you to greater atchieuements What your royall majestie for the naturall instinct of pietie and religion ingrafted in you may hope for and what an occasion of immortalitie and glorie is offered vnto you Huniades wisheth you hereby to consider and humbly requesteth that generall supplications may be commaunded and a great armie prouided for as much as all men suppose that the Turke will gage his whole forces and leaue nothing vnattempted in reuenge of so great a slaughter of his people Hauing ended his speech he shewed vnto them the grisely mortified heads which the nobilitie and others there present earnestly beheld and wondered at especially the king and the Despot who by letters farther vnderstanding the whole proceeding of the warre and fortune of the battaile highly commended the discreet valour of Huniades together with the glorious victorie worthie as they said of a Romane triumph for which Vladislaus commaunded publicke supplications to be made in all churches through HVNGARIE and by honourable messengers sent of purpose to Huniades gaue him great thanks according to his deserts with many rich presents also commending his faithfull and worthie seruice and requesting him with like courage and care to prosecute the warre so happily begun promising him That hee should want neither men nor money or any thing els needfull thereunto Vpon this victorie the countries of MOLDAVIA and VALACHIA before tributaries vnto the Turks now reuolted againe vnto the Hungarians to the great greefe of Amurath the fame of Huniades was in short time dispersed through all EVROPE and a generall hope conceiued of him as of one most like to be one of the greatest champions of the Christian commonweale as in his time vndoubtedly he was The report of this late ouerthrow with the death of the Bassa Mesites and the losse of his armie being brought to HADRIANOPLE much troubled the Turkish tyrant but most of all the reuolt of the two countries of MOLDAVIA VALACHIA So that full of wrathfull indignation and desire of reuenge he commaunded a great armie to bee raised against the next Spring with intent to haue gone therwith himselfe but afterward vpon better aduice changing his purpose he committed the leading therof vnto one Schech Abedin Bassa corruptly called Sciabedin Bassa an eunuch and yet neuerthelesse a right valiant and expert captaine and his viceroy in EVROPE with
heard the answere that was sent him from the citie deliuered by the mouth of a coÌ„mon soldior he smiled thereat said He is vndoubtedly a valiant soldior if his deeds be answerable to his speeches but if my force faile me not I will also make him happy amongst the happy ghosts of theÌ„ of STELLVSA and by by commanded the gouernor of STELLVSA with the other captiues to be brought before him there caused some of theÌ„ which were content voluntarily to forsake their Mahometane superstition to be presently baptized to the great greefe of the other Turks Desdrot the Gouernour with the rest to the terrour of the defendants were in their sight put to death whereupon the garrison souldiors with great indignation gaue a great shout from the wall and bitterly rayled vpon the Christians Scanderbeg considering the strength of the citie with the time of the yeare vnfit for souldiors to keepe the field for Winter was now growne on left Moses Golemus a most valiant captaine with a garrison of three thousand souldiors to keepe in the Turkes garrison at SFETIGRADE and to defend the borders of EPIRVS vntill he might at more conuenient time himselfe returne againe to the siege and so with the rest of his armie repaired to CROIA when hee had in the space of little more than one moneth to his immortall praise recouered his kingdome and driuen the Turks out of euery corner of EPIRVS excepting onely SFETIGRADE which citie also not long after was by composition deliuered vnto him During all this time from his first comming into EPIRVS he neuer slept aboue two houres in a night but with restlesse labour prosecuted his affaires He euer fought against the Turkes with his arme bare and that with such fiercenesse that the blood did oftentimes burst out of his lips It is written that he with his owne hand slew three thousand Turkes in the time of his warres against them But of his great and worthie victories obtained against the two mightie Turkish kings Amurath and Mahomet his sonne more shall be said hereafter in due time and place After that Scanderbeg had thus by great force and pollicie wrung his inheritance out of Amuraths hands and scoâ—red the Turks out of euery corner of EPIRVS he proceeded further and ouerran part of MACEDONIA making sundrie incursions into the heart of that countrey being then in the Turks possession whereby he so enriched his souldiours that they desired of him no better pay Which was so vsuall a thing with this restlesse prince as that it began to grow into a prouerbe in most princes courts That the spoile of Amurath his dominions was Scanderbegs reuenewes Complaint hereof came daily to Amuraths court which the craftie aged sire being then troubled with the Hungarian warres seemed at the first to make no great account of but as of that hee could easily and at his pleasure remedie although hee was therewith inwardly greeued at the heart But when the certaine report of one mischeefe as it were in the necke of another continually sounded in his eares and that he saw no end to be expected of these miseries he sent Alis Bassa one of his greatest men of warre with an armie of fortie thousand select souldiors at once to subdue the countrey of EPIRVS and to bring it againe vnder his obeisance The setting forth of this great armie vnder the conduct of so famous a captain replenished the minds of the Turks with such an assured hope of victorie that a man would haue thought Scanderbeg had been alreadie taken and now brought to execution yea the common souldiors before their setting forth were oftentimes at vaine contention for the diuision of the spoile they were neuer like to haue So readie are men to promise wonders to themselues whilest they conferre but with their owne desires And on the other side Fame the forerunner of great attempts had filled all the small countrey of EPIRVS with great terrour and feare of Alis Bassaes comming The countreymen with their families fled into the strong citties and the cittizens within their wals fell to fortifying the same and kept continuall watch and ward as if the enemie had thenâ—lien euen fast by them â—he aged men and women commended themselues and all theirs first vnto God by prayers and then to the courage of the lustie souldiors with teares as in case of extreame perill and danger Onely Scanderbeg was nothing mooued either with the terrible report of the Bassaes comming or the vaine feare of his subjects but alwayes kept the same cheerefulnesse both of countenance and speech as he was wont being well acquainted with the tumult of the Turkish wars and hauing as was supposed certaine intelligence before from his secret friends in the Turkes court of all Amuraths designes So that hauing set all things in order for the safetie of his countrey he began to leuie an armie at CROIA at which time most part of his subjects of EPIRVS which were able to beare armes repaired vnto him the confederate Christian princes also his neighbours and for most part his kinsmen sent vnto him great supplies beside other deuouâ— and warlike minded Christians which voluntarily resorted vnto him from farre in great numbers Out of which multitude of people he chose only eight thousand horsemen and seuen thousand foot when as he might haue raised a far greater armie and placing some few in garrisons in the frontier cities where he thought most conuenient all the rest he sent home againe to their dwellings At which his confidencie his friends yea and his enemies also much maruelled that when hee might haue had so many he would take the field with so few With which small armie of fâ—teene thousand he marched from CROIA fourescore miles to DYBRA where hearing by his espials of the approch of his enemies after he had with cheerefull speech encouraged his soulâ—â—ors he encamped with his armie in the lower countrey of DYBRA neere vnto a wood side righâ— in the way where the Bassa must needs passe In which wood he placed Gnee Musachee and Amesa in ambush with three thousand men commanding them to stand close vntill they saw 〈◊〉 had throughly joyned battaile with the Bassa and then with all their force to breake forth vpon his rereward The Bassa marching forward came and encamped neere vnto Scanderbeg a little before the going downe of the Sunne and there rested that night making great shew of mirâ—â— and joy with great fires in euerie corner of the campe as the Turkish manner of encamping is Wheras in Scanderbegs campe all things were silent and no shew of any fire at all for so Scanderbeg had commanded which made the Turks the more carelesse deeming thereby the Christians as good as alreadie discouraged The next morning Scanderbeg ranged his armie in order of battaile placing Tanusius in the left wing with fifteen hundreth horsemen and as many foot and Moses in the right with like number and
side with lesse care or diligence marshall his armie and encourage his Turks sparing neither cheerefull speech glorious promises or seuere commaund Whose armie being brought into the plaine and ranged in order of battaile filled the same from the one side to the other euen vnto the verie mountaines to the great astonishment of the Christians and so about nine a clock in the morning set forward Huniades had from the hill where he lay sent downe both the wings of his armie and had afront on both sides before them stretched out certain long troupes of light horsemen to begin the skirmish In the middest betwixt both he had placed Zechel his sisters sonne with a strong square battaile of men at armes and such as he had kept aloft vpon the hill for rescues he had compassed about with his waggons as with trenches The signall of the battaile being giuen the fierce and couragious souldiors on both sides with cheerefull mindes began at first to skirmish a farre off but afterwards fortune as it were fawning vpon both sides and their courage thereupon increasing they began with greater force to fight foot to foot and hand to hand Which hot fight continued about three houres at length the Turkes battaile was put to the worst by Benedict Losoncius who had the leading of the right wing and so likewise in the left also by Stephen Bamffi who with great slaughter had notably foyled the great Bassa of EVROPE still pressing hard desperatly vpon him Which discomfiture of his men in both wings Amurath beholding presently sent in strong supplies in both places renewed the battaile whereby the Hungarian and Valachian light horsemen before wearied were enforced to retire vnto the men at armes who ferred together and standing as a strong wall easily repulsed the greatest assaults of the Turks In which manner of fight many were on both sides slain but farre mote of the Turks by reason they were neither so well horsed nor armed as were the Christians Huniades in the meane time with the artillerie from the hill did the Turks great harme which Amurath perceiuing drew as close vnto the hill as he could by that meanes sauing his people so much as was possible out of the danger of the artillerie mounted on high aboue them in such sort as that it could little or nothing now hurt them Which Huniades from the hill beholding came downe to the releefe of his men sending new supplies to both wings sometime encouraging them with cheerefull speech and sometime with his owne most valiant hand vnto the wearie he sent releefe the fearefull he encouraged them that were flying he staied and where hee saw the enemies fastest comming on there was hee himselfe present to meet them omitting nothing that was of a good Generall or worthie souldiour to be done The valiant he commended the coward he reprooued and as a carefull Generall was himselfe in euery place present Whereby the battaile became so fierce and terrible that in euerie place a man might haue seen all fowly foiled with blood and the quarrey of the dead Amurath in like maner still sent in new supplies nothing discouraged with the great losse of his men presuming vpon his multitude as fully resolued orderly to fight and to make vse of all his forces in hope at length by continuall sending in of fresh supplies to wearie his enemies whom he saw hee could not by force ouercome Wherein he was not deceiued for one battailion of the Hungarians was often times enforced to wearie foure or fiue of the Turks before they could be releeued they came on so fast That day they dined and supped in the battaile refreshing themselues with such short repast as they could eat standing going or riding The Turkes armie was that day in euerie place put to the worst often times with great slaughter enforced by the Hungarians to retire almost vnto their trenches yet was the battaile still againe renewed and so fought on both sides as well appeared they were resolued either to ouercome or there to die This cruell fight maintained all the day was by the comming on of the night ended both the armies retiring into their owne trenches but with purpose the next daie to renew the battaile and not to giue ouer or turne their backes vntill the victorie were by dint of sword determined So with little rest was that night spent both armies keeping most diligent watch all carefully expecting the next day as by battell therein to trie whether they should liue or die It was yet scarce faire daie when both the armies in good order readie ranged began againe the battaile which at the first was not by the Hungarians fought with such force and courage as before for there was none of them which had not the day before spent their whole strength whereas there was yet almost fortie thousand of the Turks which either had not fought at all or but lightly skirmished Yet Huniades exhorted his souldiors not by faint harted cowardise to breake off the course of the victorie by them the daie before so well begun but couragiously to prosecute the same beseeching them not to be now wanting vnto themselues and their country but to remember how well they had fought the day before how many thousands of their enemies they had slaine and not now at last to giue ouer and so shamefully to frustrate all the paines and dangers by them before endured for that they as he said were to be thought worthie of honour not which began but which well ended honourable actions He wished them to set before their eies the calamities like to ensue if they should as cowards be ouercome first the diuers kinds of death and torture then the slauerie of their wiues and children the rauishment of their virgins and matrons and last of all the vtter destruction of their kingdom with the horrible confusion of all things as well sacred as prophane all which were by that one daies labour as he said to be auoided And therefore he besought them for the loue both of God and man with their wonted valour that day to set at libertie for euer themselues their countrey their wiues and children and what soeuer else they held deere In like manner also did Amurath encourage his souldiours with great promises and threats persuading them rather to endure any thing than by that daies ouerthrow to bee driuen out of EVROPE He carefully viewed his armie ordered his battailes and with many graue reasons persuaded them to play the men But after that some light skirmishes being past both the armies were fully joyned the battel was fought with no lesse force and furie than the day before Of the Christians many then wounded came now again into the battaile there either by speedy death or speedie victorie to cure their wounds before receiued and there did right good seruice Great was the slaughter in euerie place neither could the force of the Hungarians be
most part the faithfulnesse of all the rest they will looke vpon you whom they may praise or accuse and whose example they may follow in the fortune of these warres But to what purpose should men of woorth in their actions pretend the necessitie of faith or chaunce of fortune whereas by reason things are both best begun and accomplished It seldome chaunceth that fortune faileth the sound aduice or is not obedient vnto vertue and you haue all things which most politicke care could prouide for your safetie You want not armour you want not plentifull prouision of victuals you want not valiant men the superfluous multitude of vnnecessarie people the pitifull lamentation of women and troublesome crying of children shall not withdraw you from your publike charge from your seruice and defence of your countrey I haue left you alone to your selues for defence of your citie your religion and dwellings that you might be encouraged onely with the prouocations of honour and libertie with the emulation of aduenture and danger and the very sight one of another and I my selfe will not be far off with my courageous souldiors a silent beholder and encourager of your vertue where although I may not auert from you all the force of the cruell enemie by rash aduenture nor trie the whole fortune of this war in plaine field yet will I turne a great part of your dangers vpon my selfe and trouble the enemies designes with many a hot skirmish For as much as there is no better manner of fight nor safer kind of warre for vs amongst such a multitude of men and so many thousands of souldiors than neuer to offer battaile vnto the enemie in plaine field neither to aduenture all vpon the fortune of one conflict although a man did see apparent signes of victorie He will of purpose at the first giue vs the oportunitie of good hap hee will feed our hardinesse with the blood of his base souldiors the easilier to intrap and oppresse our rashnesse allured with the sweet bait of good fortune but the craftie deuises of the Othoman king are by great policie and consideration to be frustrated This mightie enemie is by little and little to bee cut off as time and place shall giue occasion For truly that victorie should bee vnto me lamentable which I should buy with the blood of my souldiors and beleeue me it would be vnto me a more sorrowfull than pleasant sight to see eight or ten thousand of my enemies slaine with the losse of a few of you I will praise and honour my subiects of EPIRVS for valiant conquerours if they shall not suffer themselues to be conquered of the Turkish king The rest I had rather you courageous souldiors of DIERA should consider with your selues than that I should seeme to distrust of your assured faith by giuing you a carefull and tedious admonition When Scanderbeg had with cheerefull persuasion thus encouraged the minds of them of SFETIGRADE he departed thence and visited diuers other cities of EPIRVS where finding all things politickely ordered by Moses and the other captaines whom he had put in trust he returned to his armie then lying neere vnto CROIA Whilest Scanderbeg was with great carefulnesse yet thus prouiding for the safegard of his kingdome in the meane time Amurath his armie was assembled at HADRIANOPLE to the number of a hundred and fiftie thousand men whereof many were pioners and men appointed for other base seruices necessarie at the siege of townes Of this great armie Amurath sent fortie thousand light horsemen before him to SFETIGRADE who according to his commaund came and encamped before the citie the newes of their comming with a great deale more than truth was forthwith brought to Scanderbeg then lying with his small armie neere CROIA whereupon he with foure thousand horsemen and a thousand foot took the way toward SFETIGRADE and strongly encamped his armie within seuen miles of the citie Where hauing set all things in good order he accompanied with Moses and Tanusius went by certaine blind waies through the mountaines and woods vntill he came so neere vnto the citie that from the place where hee stood vpon the top of a hill he might easily discouer in what sort the enemie lay encamped and so returning backe againe to his campe rise with his armie in the night following and drawing as neere vnto the Turks armie as he could vndiscouered placed all his armie in the couert of the woods and secret valleyes vnperceiued of his enemies After that hee sent forth Moses and Musachi his nephew with thirtie of his best horsemen apparelled as if they had been but common souldiors but passing well mounted driuing before them certaine horses laden with corne by a by-way as if they had purposed to haue secretly got into the cittie The day then breaking they were discouered by the Turks scouts and set vpon where at the first Moses and the rest began of purpose to flie but when he saw that they were pursued but with like number to themselues hee returned backe vpon the Turks and slew fiue of them and chased the rest vnto the campe The Generall seeing what had happened sent foorth foure thousand horsemen to pursue these supposed victualers whom they quickly recouered the sight of for that Moses of purpose had made small hast to flie but when the Turks began to draw nigh Moses left the horses laden with corn and fled yet so that he still drew on the Turks with hope to ouertake him vntill he had brought them where Scanderbeg with his armie lay in wait by whom they were suddainly assailed on euerie side and with great slaughter put to flight In this conflict two thousand of the Turkes were slaine and a thousand of their horses taken of the Christians were lost but two and twentie This was the first welcome of the Turks armie to SFETIGRADE About eight daies after came Amurath with all his armie in the beginning of May in the yeare of our lord 1449 and hauing made the greatest shew he could with his huge armie to terrifie the defendants he encamped the baser sort of his footmen at the foot of the hill whereon the citie stood and lay himselfe with his Ianizaries and other his most valiant souldiors about three quarters of a mile further off where after he had line still one daie well considered the strength of the place towards euening he sent a messenger to the citie who requested to speake with the Gouernour Perlat Whereof hee hearing came to the wall of whom the messenger requested That he would commaund the souldiours standing by to goe further off for as much as he had some thing in secret to say vnto him from his master Vnto whom Perlat merrily answered It is like indeed to bee some great secret that you would haue kept not onely from the hearing of my soldiors but from the verie light of the dale and therefore haue chosen the night but I
that they oftentimes spurned as now against the gouernment of the Graecian princes In this extremitie the two distressed princes not well knowing which way to turne themselues sought for peace at Mahomets hands offering to become his tributaries Of which their offer he willingly accepted as an induction to the full conquest of that countrey and sent Turachan gouernour of THESSALIA one of his greatest men of warre with an army into PELOPONESVS to aid those princes against the Albanians by whose industrie the masterfull rebels were in short time discomfited and the countrey of PELOPONESVS quieted yet so that it was now become tributarie to the Turkish king These two princes Demetrius and Thomas the last of all the Christian princes that raigned in PELOPONESVS hauing thus lost their libertie liued for a few yeares as the Turkes vassales paying such yearely tribute as they had before promised During which time many displeasures arose betwixt the two brothers being both jealous of their estate and desirous by all plausible meanes to win the hearts of their subjects one from another whereby it came so to passe that whiles they both desired to become popular they weakned their owne credit and had not their subjects at such commaund as best stood with the safetie of their estate Neuerthelesse as soon as they vnderstood that the Christian princes of the West were making great preparation against the Turke and that Calixtus the third of that name then the bishop of ROME had alreadie put a fleet of gallies to sea which did great spoile vpon the borders of the Turkes dominions they vainly persuading themselues that the Turkes would in short time be againe driuen out of GRECIA refused to pay any more tribute vnto the Turkish king or to keepe league any longer with him Vpon which occasion Mahomet with a puissant army came downe and first besieged CORINTH and afterwards entring into PELOPONESVS tooke diuers strong townes and destroied the countrey before him and forced the two princes for safegard of their liues to flie the one to MANTINIA and the other into the strong cittie of EPIDAVRVS now called RAGVSIVM The poore princes destitute of such aid as they expected and altogither vnable to withstand the power of the mightie tyrant began againe to sue for peace which he hauing now spoiled their countrey granted vpon condition That all such places as he had already taken should be still his owne and also that the citie of PATRAS with the countrey adjoyning should be deliuered vnto him and that for the rest the said princes should pay vnto him a yearly tribute which hard conditions the poore princes now in danger to loose all were glad to accept of wherupon a peace was for that time againe concluded In his returne he tooke the citie of ATHENS in his way which he not long before had taken from Francus Acciauoll by composition by meanes of Omares the sonne of Turechan one of his great captains promising to giue him the countrey of BEOTIA with the citie of THEBES in lieu thereof This Francus was nephew to Nerius sometime prince of ATHENS and had of long time been brought vp in the Turks court as one of Mahomet his minions and was of him as was supposed entirely beloued But when he had receiued the dukedome of THEBES in exchange for his princely state of ATHENS he was shortly after as if it had been in great friendship sent by Mahomet to Zoganus his lieutenant in PELOPONESVS by whom he was at first courteously entertained but afterwards being about to depart he was according as Mahomet had before commanded suddenly staied and when he least feared cruelly murdred About three yeares after the peace before concluded betwixt Mahomet and the two brethren Mahomet vnderstanding that the Christian kings and princes had combined themselues against him with a purpose to driue him againe out of GRaeCIA thought it now high time and much for the assurance of his estate to roote vp the small reliques of the Grecian empire which yet remained in PELOPONESVS in the two princes of the imperiall bloud Thomas and Demetrius whereunto he saw a faire occasion presented Forasmuch as those two brethren were at that time at great variance betwixt themselues neither paied him such tribute as they had before promised hereupon he with a great and strong army came to CORINTH where Arsanes a noble man of great authoritie and power in that countrey whose sister Demetrius had married came vnto him from the prince his brother in law attended vpon with many gallant gentlemen his followers of purpose to aid him against the other prince Thomas nothing fearing any harme to haue been by the Turke intended against himselfe or his brother in law Demetrius whom they both reckoned of as of a friend But when Mahomet was entered into PELOPONESVS and come to TEGEA he caused the same Asanes with all his cheefe followers to be laied hold vpon and cast into bonds knowing as it should seeme no man for friend which might any way hinder his ambitious designes Demetrius hearing what was happened vnto Asanes fled to SPARTA now called MIZITHRA whether Mahomet in few dayes after came and laied siege to the citie But the poor prince considering that he must needs at length fall into his hands went out of the cittie and humbly submitted himselfe with all that he had into his power Which so well pleased the Turkish tyrant that hee courteously receiued him comforted him and promised him in stead of SPARTA to giue him other lands and possessions of like value elsewhere Neuerthelesse hee committed him to safe custodie and carried him about with him as his prisoner vntill hee had finished those warres After he had taken SPARTA he besieged CASTRIA where he lost diuers of his Ianizaries for which cause when he had taken the citie he put all the souldiours therein to the sword and cut the captaines ouerthwart in two peeces From thence he marched to LEONTARIVM called in antient time MEGALOPOLIS which he tooke with another cittie called CARDICEA whither they of LEONTARIVM had before conueyed their wiues and children as to a place of more safetie There he cruelly put to death all the inhabitants of those cities men women and children in number about six thousand of whom he left not one aliue and yet not so satisfied commaunded the very beasts and cattell of those places to bee killed Many cities of PELOPONESVS terrified with the dreadfull example of their neighbours forthwith yeelded themselues and amongst others SALVARIVM a great and strong citie of ARCHADIA where hee caused all the inhabitants men women and children to the number of ten thousand to be cast into bonds looking for nothing but present death all which he commaunded afterwards to be sent captiues to CONSTANTINOPLE and with them peopled the suburbes of that citie After that he by the counsell of Demetrius sent one of his captaines called Iosua with certaine companies of Greeke souldiors vnto the
to keepe the honour he had alreadie gained and peraduenture in feare of them of whom he was not without cause most feared I speake not this of purpose to terrifie any of you but rather to admonish you and to consult with you how such great preparations may be frustrated and ouerthrowne and some notable victorie by vs atchieued without the price of our blood or the losse of such things as we haue The number of our enemies is great and so great as vntill this day we neuer saw in EPIRVS greater except at such times as they came to besiege our cities and to deuour vs all Now if we shall meet them in the plaine fields in a set battaile the euent thereof will be doubtfull many of vs must needs fall many of vs must die I would I might be a false prophet before so great an armie will either flie or be ouercome your victorie shall be mingled with teares and the heauinesse of the conquerour not much vnlike the sorrow of the conquered Was it but a few that we lost at BELGRADE Is that losse so to be recouâ—red What flower of Chiualrie hardly to be in many yeares restored How many worthie men were there slaine EPIRVS must needs in short time be vnpeopled if we shall so desperatly only seeke for such glorious victories Wherefore if we will doe well we must so fight to day as that we may fight to morrow also Neither are our enemies and we in like case The losse of fortie or fiftie thousand is lesse vnto the Turkish tyrant than the losse of an hundred of you is to me We are in all but a few and therefore carefully to be kept which if we regard not for our owne sakes yet let vs doe it for our wiues and childrens whose welfare and libertie dependeth of our liues I know the number of you I know your faces and countenances and almost euery one of your names which maketh me also more carefull of your health And yet I would not refuse to trie the whole fortune of this battaile in plaine field if we might thereby end all the wars against the Turks for euer if I were in hope so to find an end of our labours and trauels hereafter I would gladly aduenture my life with yours for the perpetuall quiet and peace of our posteritie but a new enemie alwayes ariseth and we must still looke for new wars When this Isaack is gone another Isaack will ere long come in his place we shall be alwaies exercised with new wars and enclosed with new dangers It is the destinie of EPIRVS as far as I can see and wee our selues are borne thereto Wherefore we must gather our wits together we must well husband our forces and so diuide our patrimonie as that we may alwayes haue somthing to content our creditors when they shall chance to come vpon vs. Yet shall God no doubt giue an end also vnto these troubles for extremities cannot be of long continuance and you your selues shall at length take rest yea the strong and puissant enemie wearied with so many vaine attempts will at last haue ynough thereof and leaue off his perpetuall hatred against vs then shall it be to you no small pleasure to remember so many labours and dangers past Thus haue I declared vnto you the commodities and incommodities ensuing the victorie in plaine battell But what if we be vanquished Where haue we any hope of reliefe left from whence may we expect helpe Will the bloodie enemie inflate with victorie expect whilest we again recouer our strength and encounter him againe with new forces No he will pursue vs and chase vs so long as any of vs are left and hauing ouercome vs will poure out the rest of his furie vpon our towns and country then subiect to his iniurie But some of you peraduenture will say that they are by policie to be ouertaken and not to be met in open field of which opinion I also am my selfe yet happily differ from you in the time of doing the same Then I thinke it best to deceiue them when they thinke they cannot be deceiued when as they being as it were in possession of a supposed victorie like men ouerioyed shall cast no perill Now they come euen from the gates of CONSTANTINOPLE full of distrust prying into euery corner as men before warned by others harmes and so many dreadfull examples of their fellows Besides that they haue with them my gracelesse nephew and domesticall foe Amesa who will teach them to foresee and shun such snares as in times past he with vs was wont to lay for them Wherfore we must now tower vp vnto the height of some notable and strange policie whereby both our country may be from danger preserued and also some great victorie without our owne bloodshed which seldome chanceth obtained which to the maintenance of our antient glorie and renowne we haue to this day by many most notable victories gained But time and space and the sight of the enemie shall furnish vs with this deuise Now that my discourse may come to the purposed end first of all all things subiect either to the furie or victorie of the enemie are to be remoued out of the way all people of what age sex or condition soeuer are to be brought out of the countrey into places of safetie and then our towns are to be furnished with strong garrisons and all other necessarie prouision against all the chaunces of fortune Besides who knoweth the secret designes of the tyrant or whether he himselfe of long time desirous of reuenge and thirsting after our blood will follow the Bassa at the heeles or no Perhaps I may beleeue and feare more than is needfull but it is good to feare all that may be feared that we may indeed feare nothing If all things shall thus be set in order if there shall be nothing left in the fields or in the villages that may enrich feed or feare our enemies and which may withdraw our care and thoughts from our enemies vndoubtedly we shall be victors And if you will be ruled by me and follow my direction in these wars I will assuredly deliuer your enemies into your hands to be slain at your pleasure and by the leaue of God will make the name and valour of the Epirots more terrible vnto the Turke than euer it hath been in the time of our ancestors I flatter not my selfe I deceiue you not if any thing may be promised in worldly actions this I assure you of and this will I take vpon mee But thâ—se things are better done than said In the meane while to spend no more time in longer talke and discourse than which no greater losse can be to soldiors let euery one of vs take a part in this charge for the good disposing of all things and how to withstand the enemie I will not commaund any thing to others which I will not my selfe doe I will refuse nothing or reckon
and so hardly laid vnto them that notwithstanding their great number they began now againe to wauer and shrinke backe Which thing the tyrant perceiuing from the mount in great rage commanded his canoniers as fast as they could to discharge the great ordinance into the breach without anie regard of his owne men so that togither with them he might also kill some of the Christians and withall imperiously commanded his captaines with all their force and power to maintaine the assault threatning them with most horrible death if they returned without victorie Hereupon the assault was againe renewed euery man in shew at least set downe there to doe his last deuoire But the great ordinance still playing vpon the breach slew manie of the Turkes as well as of the Christians Thrise the great shot fell amongst the Turkes themselues and rent in sunder a great number of them which were formost to the great discouragement of the rest whereof the tyrant had small regard so that togither with them he might also diminish the number of the defendants Neuerthelesse such was the desperat furie of the enemie that the citie was in no small danger to haue been euen presently taken had not fresh supplies come from other places of the citie which they were appointed vnto who with great courage resisted the enemie Yet the Turkes farre exceeding in number and fresh men continually stepping vp in stead of them which lay by heapes vnder their feet and serued them in stead of steps to get vp to the rampiers maintained a long and terrible fight at which time the great ordinance also sore annoied the defendants so that with one shot whereby the greatnesse of the harmes done at other times may be gathered eighteene of the Christian defendants were slaine As for arrowes they flew as thicke as haile into the citie so that they obscured the light of the day and lay in most places of the street a span thicke so that for the space of a moneth after the inhabitants vsed no other fuell to burne but Turkish arrowes It was a ruthfull sight to haue seene the bodies of the valiant Christians rent in sunder with the great shot and pieces of them cleauing vpon euerie wall thereabout euerie street was stained with their bloud the great ordinance continually thundred churches and houses came ratling downe yea the heauie countenance of the ayre it selfe seemed to bewaile the miserie of the poore Christians besides the noise of trumpets drums and other instruments of warre with the horrible crie of the hellish Turkes was so great and hideous that it seemed as if heauen and earth should haue gone togither nothing was to be heard but the verie terrour of the eare nothing to be seene but death and the verie instruments of death And now in this extremitie a fearefull crie ran through the citie That without present helpe all would be lost at the great gate Wherupon not onely they which were whole which were the fewest in number but they also which lay wounded or sicke in their beds cheering vp themselues with weapons in their hands ran with speed to the place where the danger was chusing rather there to die than to be slaine in their beds Thus whilest the Christians of all sorts and from all parts of the citie ran desperatly to the gate the Turkes were on euerie side hardly pressed and in great number slaine yet fresh men still comming vp as if they had sprung out of the earth the deadly fight was by them still maintained For the Turkes on the one side for feare of the tyrant laboured with might and maine to win the citie and the Christians on the other knowing no hope left for them if they should be ouercome with no lesse resolution defended the same In this obstinacie of minds manie fell on both sides sometimes the Turkes seemed to haue the better and were straight way by the Christians put to the worse Which manner of mortall fight with doubtfull euent was continued most part of that day vntill that at length manie being on both parts slaine and the rest for most part sore wounded and hurt the furie of the assault began to assuage for the Turkes now wearie of that long and deadly fight and fainting with their wounds had no great stomacke to mount vp the rampiers where they saw no hope to preuaile but all things threatning present death Mahomet beholding the wonderfull slaughter of his men and that hauing done what was possible for men to doe they now fought as men discouraged and in despaire of victorie himselfe caused a retrait to be sounded which the Turkes no sooner heard but that they left the assault and without order ran to their tents as men halfe feared out of their wits Of this victorie the Christians as they had good cause rejoyced greatly yet was this joy mingled with much sorrow and heauinesse for the losse of such worthy men as were slaine in that assault manie of whose bodies they were glad to gather vp by peâ—cemeale some here some there some cleauing on this wall and some on that which they as the time would giue leaue honourably buried with the rest of the slaine At which time also they with all diligence and expedition repaired their breaches and put all things in such readinesse as if they should haue presently receiued a fresh assault Mahomet wonderfully grieued with the shamefull dishonour and great losse he had receiued at the last assault repented himselfe that euer he had taken the matter in hand wishing that hee had neuer heard of the name of SCODRA and in his choller and frantike rage most horribly blasphamed against God most wickedly saying That it were enough for him to haue care of heauenly things and not to crosse him in his worldly actions In which furie he descended from the mount and got him into his tent where he againe tormented himselfe with his melancholie passions by the space of two daies wherein he would neither be spoke withall or admit any man to his presence Vpon the third day he called a generall counsell of his commaunders and best souldiours and there openly before them all said That he was determined to giue the enemie a fresh assault for that being weakned with so manie assaults he could not possibly be able to hold out another and therefore hoped for an easie victorie But he had no sooner so said but that all they that heard him cried out with one voice to the contrarie saying That it was not by anie meanes to be attempted forasmuch as his best souldiours were alreadie slaine and the greater part of them that were left either sore wounded or brought to that weaknesse that they were not able to doe anie more seruice and that therefore it were better for them to kill one another or else himselfe to kill them one by one than to expose them to be so shamefully butchered by the Christians In this diuersitie of opinions
to bee heard of But these good parts were in him obscured with most horrible and notorious vices for why he was altogether irreligious and of all others most perâ—idious ambitious aboue measure and in nothing more delighted than in blood insomuch that it is probably gathered that hee was in his time the death of eight hundred thousand men craft couetousnesse and dissimulation were in him accounted for tollerable faults in comparison of his greater vices In his loue was no assurance and his least displeasure was death so that hee liued feared of all men and died lamented of none He had issue three sonnes Mustapha dead before him as is before declared Baiazet and Gemes or rather Zemes of some called Zizimus competitor of the empire with his elder brother whom hee exceedingly troubled in the beginning of his raigne so that he could not well attend any other thing but him which oportunitie by God himselfe no doubt offered for the safegard of ITALIE Alphonsus duke of CALABRIA king Ferdinand his eldest son taking hold vpon with all the power he could make in ITALIE besieged the Turks in OTRANTO with whom he had many sharpe skirmishes wherein he lost diuers of his great captaines and commaunders as the countie Iulio de Aquaiua Loys de Capua and the countie Iulio de Pisa with others and was still by the strong garrison of the Turks put to the worse vntill such time as being strengthened with aid out of SPAINE and PORTINGALE but especially with certaine companies of most valiant souldiours sent from Matthias Coruinus out of HVNGARIE whose forces the Turks most feared he began to cut them short and straitly besieged the citie both by sea and land vntill at length the besieged Turkes hearing of the death of their great emperour and now hardly pressed with the dangers of a strait siege no longer expecting the returne of Achmetes their Generall then readie to haue come to their rescue with fiue and twentie thousand soldiors yeelded vp the citie vnto the duke vpon composition before made That they might with bag and baggage in safetie depart thence which they did after they had to the great terror of all ITALIE holden that strong citie by the space of a yeare And so was that rich countrey rather by the mercie of God in taking away the great tyrant preserued than by the strength or policie of the inhabitants which was then in great danger to haue for euer giuen place vnto the power of the great tyrant had he longer liued yea and after his death to the power of Baiazet his sonne had he not by domesticall troubles been enforced to turne himselfe another way and as it were to neglect in time to releeue his distressed garrison in OTRANTO as shall hereafter be declared FINIS Christian princes of the same time with Mahomet the Great Emperours Of the East Constantinus Palaeologus last Christian emperor of Constantinople 1444. 8. Of the West Frederick the third Archduke of Austria 1440. 54. Kings Of England Henrie the sixt 1422. 39. Edward the fourth 1460. 22. Of Fraunce Charles the seuenth 1423. 38. Lewis the eleuenth 1461. 22. Of Scotland Iames the second 1437. 24. Iames the third 1460. 29. Bishops of Rome Nicholas the V. 1437. 8. Calixtus the III. 1455. 3. Pius the II. 1458. 6. Paulus the II. 1464. 7. Xystus the IIII. 1471. 13. BAIAZET BAIASETHES II TVRCARVM IMPERATOR SECUNDUS FLORVIT AN o 1481 Arma manu quatiunt fratres hostilia regnum Hinc Baiazethes Zizimus inde petit Baizethes rerum potitur Rhodon inde Quiritum Zizimus extrema moenia sorte petit Sustinet bello varias pace procellas Baizethes foelix miser inter opes Iam senio tremulus fert bella domestica regno Agnato eiectus dira venena bibit Like earthborne brethren Baiazet and Zizimus in armes Seeke for the Turkish empire great the one by th' others harmes Vntill that Baiazet preuail'd and Zizimus was faine To flie to RHODES from thence to ROME whereas he caught his baine Great stormes endured Baiazet in peace and bloudie broiles A man both happie and accurst amongst his richest spoiles But now forworne with trembling age and ciuile discord new Thrust from his empire by his sonne died poisoned by a Iew. THE LIFE OF BAIAZET SECOND OF THAT NAME AND SECOND EMPEROVR OF THE TVRKES VPon the death of Mahomet the late emperour great troubles began to arise about the succession in the Turkish empire some of the Bassaes and great captaines seeking to place Baiazet the eldest sonne of Mahomet in the empire and others with no lesse deuotion labouring to preferre Zemes or Gemes otherwise called Zizimus Baiazet his younger brother By occasion whereof there arose two great and mightie factions which in few daies grew to such heat that manie great tumults and hoat skirmishes were made in diuers places of the imperiall cittie betwixt the fauourites of both factions and great slaughter committed In these broiles the prowd Ianizaries for an old grudge slew Mahomethes one of the foure great Bassaes a man by whose graue counsell most of the waightie affaires of the Turkish empire had beene managed during the raigne of the late emperour And proceeding farther in their accustomed insolencie spoiled all the Christians and Iewes which dwelt amongst them of all their wealth and substance at which time the rich merchants and citizens of CONSTANTINOPLE which were naturall Turkes themselues escaped not their rauening hands but became vnto them a prey and spoile also The other three Bassaes of the court Isaack Mesithes and Achmetes lately returned from the winning of HYDRVNTVM in ITAâ—IE although they secretly maligned and enuied one at the greatnesse of an other yet to appease these so dangerous troubles and to assure their owne estates joyned hands togither and by their great authoritie and multitude of followers and fauourites found meanes that Corcutus one of the younger sonnes of Baiazet a young prince of eighteene yeares old was as it were by generall consent of the nobilitie and souldiours saluted emperour and with great triumph and solemnitie placed in the imperiall seat In whose name the aforesaid Bassaes at their pleasure disposed of all things little or nothing regarding either Baiazet or Zemes then both absent the one at AMASIA and the other at ICONIVM in LYCAONIA for the jealous Turkish kings neuer suffer their sonnes to liue in court neere vnto them after they be growne to yeares of discretion but send them to gouerne their prouinces farre off where they are also vnder the commaund of the emperours lieutenants generall in ASIA or EVRORE and may not depart from their charge without great danger not so much as to visit their father without his expresse leaue and commandement So jealous are those tyrants yea euen of their owne sonnes Baiazet and Zemes hearing of the death of their father and of the troubles in the imperiall citie hasted thitherward with all speed where Baiazet being the
first entrance into the countrey he was met by diuers of the greatest nobilitie of that kingdome sent from the great Sultan by whom he was honourably conducted to CAIRE and there presented to Caytbeius of whom hee was graciously welcommed vnto whom after due reuerence done hee declared the cause of his comming as followeth If it were not to me certainely knowne most victorious that you are not ignorant either who I am or from whence descended or with what iniurie enforced after long and painefull trauell I am here arriued it would much concerne me to vse another manner of beginning of my speech and with greater protestation of words to seeke your gracious fauour But for as much as all these things are vnto your most royall Maiestie sufficiently knowne as I doe well perceiue in this that your infinit clemencie hath entertained me with farre greater kindnesse than I in such my aduerse fortune durst wish for much lesse request now nothing remaineth for me to say more than iustly to complaine vnto your inuincible Maiestie of the wrong and iniurie done vnto me by Baiazet whom I may more iustly tearme my cruell enemie than kind brother For he not contented to haue taken vnto himselfe my fathers empire by great tumult and slaughter hath with all hostilitie and force of armes persecuted me his brother excluded out of the imperiall citie and then liuing in BYTHINIA troublesome neither to him nor any of his people and neuer rested vntill he had chased me out of the bounds of my fathers empire Neither hath the iealous desire of soueraigntie whereof my father whilest he liued had him alwayes in distrust so much mooued him vnto this so cruell a fact as a certaine vnnaturall crueltie towards all his kindred in generall and mortall hatred against me his brother in particular for he which is alreadie possessed of the empire and doth with all hostilitie persecute a priuat person subiect and exposed to his iniurie that man thirsteth not after soueraignetie but after blood neither desireth he to conquer but to kill And whereas after my fathers death great troubles arise in CONSTANTINOPLE and many bloodie skirmishes were fought betwixt the fauourits of both of vs it cannot with any truth be laid to my charge as done by my aduise or counsell I being at the same time so far from thence Neither am I iustly to be blamed if that after my fathers departure I put my selfe vpon the way towards CONSTANTINOPLE especially being sent for thither by many my good friends men of great marke and qualitie but his fortune preuailing I gaue place and least my comming to the imperiall citie might haue been the occasion of new troubles I turned aside into BYTHINIA and so to PRVSA with purpose there to haue rested in quiet if my brother would haue giuen me leaue But so farre was he from that to suffer me there to rest as that I was by him most cruelly assailed as an open enemie and had I not by speedie flight withdrawne my selfe from the imminent danger and departed quite out of my fathers kingdome I must haue yeelded my selfe my blood and life as a sacrifice into his cruell hands Neither is he to me so mortall an enemie or thirsteth after my life so much for feare as for very hatred and mallice for what is there in me to feare Verely nothing CONSTANTINOPLE is his the fauour of the great cheefetaines and men of warre is his the treasure and regall riches are all his wherefore he hateth his brother but feareth him not He will sway all things alone he will haue all that belongeth to the Othoman familie alone and he yea none but he must liue alone Xerxes was a mightie king and yet in that great and large kingdome he not onely preserued his brethren in safetie but had them also in great honour and estimation What did Alexander the Great Who not onely tooke pleasure in his brother but had him also as a companion of his most glorious expeditions and many other famous kings of forraine nations and of our owne familie haue ruled both more safely and better strengthened with the counsell and aid of their most louing brethren rather than with others But Baiazet is of a farre other mind reputing violence and haughtinesse of heart to be his greatest and surest defence herein his fierce nature delighteth more than in the lawfull course of nature iustice and equitie he had rather haue his brother his enemie than his friend and to driue him into exile than to make him partaker of his counsels But I beseech thee most puissant Monarch the faithfull keeper and maintainer of our law and religion by the sacred reliques of our great prophet Mahomet which thou hast at HIERVSALEM and MECHA suffer me not a kings sonne to liue iâ— banishment and exile poore and miserable a scorne of his brothers crueltie farre from home farre from his countrey and kingdome but regarding the law of the great Prophet lift vp the afflicted and oppressed and by the great authoritie which you haue bridle domesticall wrong or if that will not take place reuenge it with thy sword and suffer not our empire with so great trauell founded by the crueltie or follie of one wilfull man to be ouerthrown which should be no more greeuous and lamentable to vs than dangerous to your most high estate and all other kings and princes of our religion For you of your selfe vnderstand right well what deadly enemies the Christian princes are vnto the Turks and doe you thinke that if any great warre which I wish not should arise of this our discord that they would long rest in quiet and as idle beholders stand looking on vntill it were of it selfe appeased Or rather hauing such an opportunitie presented would not with might and maine suddainely inuade our kingdome before shaken with ciuile warres and seeke the vtter ruine and destruction of the same Which their desire if that hatefull people could bring to passe which thing Mahomet turne vpon themselues my mind abhorreth to thinke how far that mischeefe would run for the Othoman familie once rooted out there is none of our religion your Maiestie onely excepted which is able to withstand their power wherefore you must then stand for your selfe and all the rest you alone must withstand the force of the Christians you must maintaine that warre with much losse and greater charge and most vncertaine successe Wherfore inuincible Monarch I most humbly beseech thee that pitying our estate whiles the matter is yet whole and remedie is yet to be had to deale with Baiazet by your embassadors That though he will not receiue me his brother as partener of the empire yet at least to admit me into some small part of my fathers kingdome let him raigne and rule let all things be at his commaund let it be lawfull for me poore man but to liue in rest and quiet somewhere possessing but so much as may suffice me honestly
of the French out of NAPLES began now to turne his forces vpon the Christians and by his lieutenant Balt-beg Sanzacke of SILISTRA inuaded the countries of PODOLIA and RVSSIA being part of the Polonian kingdome where the Turkes did great harme and carried away many prisoners But comming againe the second time and making such like spoile as before they stayed so long that the cold of the Winter which in those countries is very extreame was now come on and in their returne as they were about to haue passed through MOLDAVIA they were by Stephanus prince of that countrey denied both passage and victuals and forced to take the way alongst the sea coast where many of them stragling from the armie were by the way cut off and slaine by the Moldauians and the rest what by the extremitie of the cold what for want of food and foulenesse of the way perished so that of that great armie very few returned home The Turks histories report That in this expedition were lost fortie thousand Turkes He sent also Cadumes one of his Bassaes into ILLIRIA who spoiling that countrey with a part of CROATIA was encountred by nine thousand Croatians and Hungarians neere vnto the riuer Moraua vnder the leading of countie Bernard Francopaine where after a cruell and bloudie fight the Christians were put to the worse and aboue seuen thousand of them slaine the rest saued themselues by flight through the mountaines and woods Of the Christians that were lost manie were drowned in Moraua chusing rather so to end their daies than to fall into the hands of their cruell enemies This ouerthrow was imputed to the Generall who would needs giue the Turkes battell in plaine field although he was earnestly entreated by countie Io. Torquatus to haue kept the straits of that countrey whereby he might haue had great aduantage of the enemie Torquatus himselfe hauing lost all his horsemen in that battell and his horse killed vnder him fought valiantly on foot vntill hee was by the multitude of his enemies oppressed and slaine The Bassa to giue Baiazet a sure testimonie of the victorie caused all the noses of the slaine Christians to be cut off and put vpon strings and so by wagon sent them as a barbarous present to CONSTANTINOPLE After the death of Charles the French king Lewes the twelfth of that name hauing obtained that kingdome writ himselfe also duke of MILLAN as discended of one of the daughters of Io. Galeatius first duke of MILLAN in which his supposed right he was fully resolued to make warre vpon Sfortia then duke of MILLAN And for his better successe in those warres sought by all meanes he could to draw some other of the princes and states of ITALIE into the fellowship of that intended warre but aboue all others the Venetians as most commodious for his purpose with whom he made a firme league and for the aid they were to giue him couenanted that they should haue for their share the citie of CREMONA with all the pleasant countrey about AEDVA then part of Sfortia his dominion which was afterwards accordingly performed Sfortia vnderstanding of this compact made aâ—â—inst him and knowing himselfe farre too weake of himselfe to stand against so puissant enemies attempted first to set Maximilian the emperour with the states of GERMANIE vpon the French king But that not sorting to his desire he sought to agree with the king by offering to hold his dukedome of him by paying him a yearely tribute After he had thuâ— in vaine proued all the meanes he could deuise to haue appeased the French king prouided for his own safetie he by his embassadors sent of purpose certified Baiazet of the confederation betwixt the French king and the Venetians and that their purpose was after they had oppressed him and some other of the states of ITALIE then with their vnited forces to inuade his dominions and that therefore it were good for him in time to looke vnto it and to giue aide against those which would in short time become his most dangerous enemies By this meanes the Duke was in good hope so to busie the Venetians by bringing the Turke vpon them as that they should stand the French in small stead At which time also the embassadours of FLORENCE did what they could to pricke forward the Turke to make warres vpon the Venetians for the malice they bare against them for protecting them of PISA against the oppression of the Florentines Baiazet persuaded by the embassadors and calling to remembrance the injuries before done him by the Venetians first in giuing aid to Iohn Castriot the sonne of Scanderbeg and Iohn Chernouich another prince of EPIRVS whereby he lost a great part of that countrey and was also farther enforced to yeeld to such conditions as altogither stood not with his honour and againe by denying to giue his fleet leaue to put into their harbours in CYPRVS in the time of his warres against the Sultan of AEGYIT all which he was glad then to endure for feare least that his brother Zemes then liuing should by their means be set vp against him promised now to do what these embassadours had requested glad in his mind that the discord of the Christian princes had presented vnto him so fit an opportunitie of reuenge Hereupon he made great preparation both by sea and land against the Venetians and vpon the sudden caused Scander Bassa his lieutenant in ILLYRIA with twelue thousand horse to breake into the countrey of FRIVLI part of the Venetian territorie vpon the frontiers of ITALIE The Bassa as he had in charge passing ouer diuers great riuers at length entred the countrey burning and destroying all before him as farre as LIQVENTIA carrying away with him all the poore countrey people prisoners But when he was come to the bankes of TILIAVENTVM and vnderstood that hee came too late to pleasure the duke of MILLAN for why the French with the Venetians had before without resistance driuen him quite out of ITALIE and GERMANIE he there with more then barbarous crueltie put foure thousand poore prisoners to the sword and so hauing filled the country with mourning and with bloud returned from whence he came loded with the spoile of that rich countrey At the same time also Baiazet put to sea such a fleet as none of his predecessors had before set forth and with a great armie in person himselfe marched alongst the sea coast of MOREA in such sort as that his armie by land and his fleet at sea as neere as they could kept euen pace the one within sight of the other Neither were the Venetians vnmindfull of themselues but set forth a strong fleet vnder the charge of Anthony Grimani their Admirall in number farre inferiour to the Turkes but for equipage strength skilfull marriners and all other manner of warlike prouision much superiour For which cause the Turkes although defied and braued by the Venetians yet durst not at the first joyne with
before receiued so great hurt Selymus by speedie flight thus got out of the hands of the Persians found his passing much more dangerous at the mountaine ANTITAVRVS than he had before thought of For Aladeules the mountaine king hauing now his fortune in contempt and diligently waiting for his prey had with his sauage people before taken all the straight passages of that mountaine countrey who euery night in theeuish manner assailed the Turks as they with their weake and wearie companies passed through those rough and broken wayes and robbing their carriages presently fled into their haunts and places of refuge in the thicke woods and rockie mountaines Aladeules himselfe in the meane time by whose fraud all this was done euery day excusing himselfe as if it had beene done against his will by the rude mountaine people enured to such desperate robberies whom neuerthelesse he said he would in short time seuerely chastise so soon as he could find the authors thereof In the meane while for fashion sake sending a little spare prouision for certaine dayes did euery night rob and spoile the Turkes by his souldiours as they could take them in places of aduauntage Against which mischeefes Selymus could neither by policie neither his souldiors by industrie prouide any sufficient remedie Wherfore dissembling the injuries he dayly receiued purposing to be thereof in time reuenged together with the foule and trecherous dealing of that faithlesse king holding on his way he with much adoe came at length to TRAPEZOND and from thence to AMASIA where he spent that Winter in repairing his sore weakened armie purposing with the first of the Spring to make warre vpon Aladeules and the mountaine people who in his returne had done him so great harme and injurie In this sort Iouius one of the great historiographers of that time reporteth the aforesaid wars betwixt Hysmael and Selymus whose credit in that matter other writers haue since for most part followed Howbeit Io. Ant. Maenauinus a Genoway who serued in these warres doth in his booke concerning the Turkish affaires dedicated to the French king much otherwise report the same which to satisfie the desirous reader I haue thought good here in few words to set down as it is by himselfe reported Selymus saith he with his armie in number about three hundred thousand men being come to the riuer Euphrates found the bridge broken downe by his nephew Amurat and his enemies encamped in conuenient place on the farther side of the riuer with their forces greatly encreased by new supplies lately sent from the Persian king so that there was then in the Persian armie about ninetie thousand men horse and foot the horsemen for most part furnished with two horses apeece for seruice and though Selymus did what hee might to know whether the Persian king were in person himselfe in the campe or els which hee most feared was raising of greater forces in PERSIA yet could he by no meanes learne the truth of that he desired Wherfore repairing againe the broken bridge he first sent ouer his two great lieutenants of GRaeCIA and NATOLIA who passing ouer the riuer encamped themselues as they thought conuenient The next morning about two houres before the rising of the Sunne Amurat suddenly assailed the great commander of GRaeCIA Casan Bassa in his trenches and by plaine force discomfâ—ted the Turkes and by good fortune tooke from them their tents whereupon such a terrour and feare came vpon the other great commaunder of NATOLIA that his souldiors thrusting themselues for feare into the riuer swam ouer with great danger and againe joyned themselues with the rest of the armie Selymus troubled with the great losse thus receiued caused all his great artillerie to be placed all alongst the hithermost banke of the riuer Euphrates and because the enemie should not perceiue the same raunged certaine companies of his souldiors before the ordinance as if they should presently haue passed the riuer who vpon signall giuen should forthwith withdraw themselues and giue place to the great ordinance bent vpon the enemie But when fire was giuen to these great pieces many of them being ouercharged burst in sunder and slew diuers of the Turkes many also of their horses and mules being neere vnto the riuers side and terrified with the thundering shot leapt into the riuer and were there drowned together with their riders The Persians also hauing receiued great losse retired farther off for feare of the great artillerie So Selymus without resistance passing ouer the riuer marched forthwith toward the enemie whom the Persians as men nothing dismaied notably encountered The battell was of long time doubtfull and much bloud shed on both sides and if the approch of the night had not broken off that mortall fight the Persian armie rather ouercharged with the multitude of the enemie than vanquished by valour had vndoubtedly receiued a great ouerthrow but through the benefit of the night they without further losse escaped the pursute of the Turkes Vpon this victorie Selymus left his carriages and baggage with his footmen and taking with him only his horsemen set forward with intention to haue vpon the suddaine surprised the regall citie of TAVRIS before the fame of the late fought battaile could be carried thither the Persians in the meane time being no lesse carefull of their affaires The day before ten thousand fresh horsemen well appointed which had not yet beene in the battaile were comming to Hysmaell these he craftely laied in the Turkes way commaunding them vpon the approch of the enemie to flie as if it had beene for feare Selymus in the morning hauing descried these horsemen at hand supposing them to be such of his enemies as being ouertaken with the night were not able to follow the rest of his armie exhorted his souldiors couragiously to pursue their discouraged enemies The Persians seeing the Turks of purpose betooke themselues to flight and they suspecting no deceit followed fast after them vntill that about mid day being wearie of the pursute and comming to a little riuer which was in their way they there stayed to refresh themselues and after they had taken a short repast againe pursued the Persians still leauing behind them such as were not able so fast to follow prickt forward with hope that before night they should surprise and ransacke the rich citie of TAVRIS The Turkish horsemen thus drawne farre from the footmen the Persian horsemen left in ambush in the meane time set vpon the Turkes footmen lying as they supposed in great securitie and with a great slaughter ouerthrew them at which time they also tooke all Selymus his treasure and great artillerie Which ouerthrow was by speedie posts about two a clocke in the night made knowne to Selymus who now in his mind alreadie conceiued the sacking of TAVRIS and withall that the fierce enemie was following him at the heeles Selymus wonderfully abashed with this vnexpected newes and the losse of his footmen forthwith began to
and himselfe was in the heat of his furie slaine without hearing And that in like manner of rage old Chendemus a man of greatest honour and integritie of life and of all the chieftaines which came out of the great emperour Mahomet his nurserie the most skilfull had been for his graue and wholsome counsell onely without cause murthered Neither was then Bostanges his sonne in law forgotten neither Cherseogles the one most honorable for the great place he held in court and the marriage of Baiazet his daughter and the other a man of no lesse marke being his great Admirall and bearing himselfe high vpon his infinit wealth but more vpon his wife one of the daughters of Selymus both which two noble gentlemen about two years before had their heads stucke off no man well knowing wherefore and their dead bodies cast out at the court gate to the terrour of the beholders as a miserable spectacle of their owne miserie and the emperors crueltie Yea the remembrance of his old tyrannie renewed as it were with this late outrage presented afresh vnto all mens eies the reuerend old emperour Baiazet his father with his two brethren Acomates and Corcutus by right both called vnto the empire before himselfe with many other young princes of the bloud of great hope and expectation who as all men knew perished through the vnnaturall and execrable crueltie of this most mercilesse man So that men generally did both feare him and hate him For as much as he without all feare of God or regard of worldly shame accounted no practise wicked or deuise detestable that might serue for the better establishing of his kingdome and had set downe in his mind long before corrupted with ambition and tyrannie That it was farre better for the assurance of his estate to be feared of all than beloued of many and therefore spared no mans life of whom he had but the least suspition Howbeit that the seueritie by him vsed against this so great a man and so gratious with the people may in some sort be excused as justly moued thereunto by the presumptuous and malitious dealing of the proud Bassa vnderhand contrarie to the charge giuen him by his lord to the perill of those his great but late conquests both in AEGYPT and SYRIA This great Bassa whilest he yet liued and flourished in the court in nothing so much offended the minds of the people who generally both loued and honoured him as by the crueltie by him shewed vpon the person of the faire ladie Manto his best beloued wife Who being a Greek borne and adorned with all the good gifts of nature wherunto her louely conditions were also answerable was by Zebalia her first husband a man of great honour carried with him into the wars as his greatest treasure and chiefe delight But he slaine and she by misfortune falling into the hands of the Turks her enemies remained so prisoner with them for a time vntill that this great Bassa Ionuses shortly after seeing her amongst the other captiues there taken so farre to exceed the rest as doth the Sunne the lesser stars surprised with her incomparable beautie became of her amorous and in too curious viewing of the captiue ladie was by her himselfe taken prisoner Where finding her outward perfections graced with no lesse inward vertues and her honourable mind answerable vnto her rare feature tooke her vnto his wife honouring her farre aboue all the rest of his wiues and concubines and she againe in all dutifull loyaltie seeking to please him for a space liued in all worldly felicitie and blisse not much inferiour vnto one of the great Sultanesses But long lasteth not the sommer fruit of wanton loue blasted most times in the blossome and rotten before it be well gathered For in short time the Bassa more amorous of her person than secured in her vertues and after the manner of sensuall men still fearing least that which so much pleased himselfe gaue no lesse contentment to others also began to haue herin distrust although he saw no great cause why more than his owne conceit not grounded vpon any her euill demeanor but vpon the excesse of his owne liking Which mad humour hardly to be euer purged of it selfe still more and more in him encreasing he became so froward and imperious that nothing she could say or doe could now so please or content him but that he still thought some one or other although he wist not who to be therein partakers with him So fearfull was the jealous man of his owne conceits Yet could he not chuse but loue those great perfections whereat he could not enough wonder although he found no contentment therein tormenting still both himselfe and her whom he so deerely loued with his owne passionat distrust vntill at length the faire ladie grieued to see her selfe thus without cause to be suspected wearied with the insolent pride of her peeuish husband togither with his imperious commands determined secretly to depart from him and so to returne againe into her own country Which her purpose she discouered vnto one of her eunuchs to whom she had also deliuered certaine letters to be by him conuaied vnto such of her friends as whose helpe she was to vse in her intended flight which letters the false eunuch opened and so for the more manifesting of the matter deliuered them vnto the Bassa his master Who therewith enraged and calling her vnto him forthwith in his furie with a dagger stabd her to the heart and slew her so togither with the death of his loue hauing cured his tormenting jealousie The liuely counterfeits of these two so notable personages thus vnworthily slaine the one by the imperious commaund of his soueraigne and the other by the cruell hand of her husband thou maiest in the pages following be hold as they are by Boisardus expressed IONVSES Reijce Sultani titulos Nilotica Memphis Quos confert erit hic inuidiosus honos Regna Tomombeo Campson cum rege reliquit Virtutis Selymus dicit id esse tuae Reject the Sultans titles which proud Memphis doth thee show From such great honours oftentimes doth greatest danger grow That Campson with king Tomombey lost both their state and fame Vnto thy valour Selymus doth yet ascribe the same MANTO Formam si spectes nihil est formosius ista Pectoris casti gratia rara fuit Sed dum dissimili vixit malè iuncta marito Infelix misera morte perempta iacet RICH. KNOLLEVS If feature braue thou doest respect thou canst none fairer see Nor in whose chast and constant brest could greater graces lie But whilst mismatcht she liu'd to mourne enthrald to jealous braine Vnhappie she with cruell hand was by her husband slaine But leauing this great Bassa with faire Manto vnto their rest his course thus run to returne againe vnto Selymus who now come into SYRIA was by letters from the Himbracor-Bassa or master of his horse whom he had left vpon the
the Turkish emperours with whom they for most part liued in hostilitie either the Turkes to them By this messenger he answered Solymans letters with other of like vaine as followeth Philippus Villerius Lilladamus Great Master of the Rhodes to the Turke I right well vnderstand your letters which your messenger brought vnto me The friendship you write of is as pleasing to me as displeasing to Cortug-Ogli your seruant who went about to haue intercepted me vpon the suddaine as I came out of FRAVNCE but failing of his purpose stealing by night into the Rhodian sea he attempted to haue robbed certaine merchants ships bound from IOPPE to VENICE but sending my fleet out of my hauen I staied his furie constrained the pirat to flie and for hast to leaue behind him the prises he had before taken from the marchants of CRETE Farewell from the RHODES By this answere Solyman perceiued that he was well met withall in his owne finenesse and that he should not so easily carrie the RHODES as he had before done BELGRADE Yet being fully in himselfe resolued to trie his fortune therein hee called vnto him certaine of the cheefe commaunders of his warres to whom he opened his whole determination in this sort Although I doubt not worthie cheefetaines but that you are of the same mind now that you haue been alwaies of in the inuading of other nations yet I haue thought it good in matters tending to the common glorie and good of vs all to vse your generall aduice and counsell Since the time that my father left this world we haue made warre with diuers nations and people The Sirians by nature vnconstant and prone to rebellion we haue by force reduced to their former obedience The Sophi that mightie king nephew vnto the great king Vsun-Cassanes by his daughter the sister of king Iacup in heart and deed our mortall enemie not contented with the kingdomes of ASSIRIA MEDIA ARMENIA the greater PERSIA and MESOPOTAMIA we haue by our forces shut vp within the compasse of his owne dominions The last yeare running through HVNGARIE both on this side and beyond Danubius we tooke BELGRADE the strongest fortresse of that kingdome and whatsoeuer els we attempted we subdued Yet for all that to speake plainely of my selfe my mind greater in conceit than mine empire and the bloud of Othoman findeth no contentment in these victories For whatsoeuer you haue yet done although it be great yet I deeme it all but little in regard of your worth my desire carrieth me further This haue I alwaies aboue all things most earnestly desired to set vpon the RHODES and vtterly to root out all the strength and forces yea the very name of those Rhodian souldiours And haue not you also no lesse than my selfe desired the same How often haue I heard you crying out The RHODES The RHODES I haue expected the time that being discharged of other warres I might here employ my whole strength and power That we so long desired is now come there was neuer greater oportunitie of good successe offered a great part of the wals of the citie of the RHODES now lying euen with the ground which cannot in short time be repaired especially in their want of coine Beside this the garrison in the castle is but small and their aid from FRANCE farre off which will either come too late when the citie is lost or that which I rather beleeue neuer For neither will the French king being at mortall warres with the Germane emperour and lord of ITALIE suffer his storehouses to be disfurnished or his ports bared of the necessarie defence of his shipping neither doe you beleeue that the Spaniards distressed at home with famine warre and ciuile discention will easily come hither out of SICILIA and CAMPANIA with supplies of men and victuall But you may perhaps thinke that great danger is to be feared from the Venetian fleet and the Isle of CRETE which I assure you is not so for I know although I will not now manifest the same how I haue preuented that mischeefe Wherefore courageous souldiors borne to the subduing of all Christendome much more of the RHODES with cheerefull hearts follow me your Soueraigne against these your most perfidious and cruell enemies How long I pray you will 〈◊〉 suffer that staine and disgrace to sticke vpon the Othoman familie and generally vpon all the name of the Turkes which these Rhodians cast vpon vs the last time they were besieged Which was not so much done by their valour as by the vnfortunat counsell of my great grandfather Mahomet calling home Mesithes Paleologus his Generall in that warre for one vnluckie assault But admit that their valour gained them the victorie will you therefore alwaies suffer these piraticall excursions vpon our maine and Islands the ransacking of our cities and countries the carrying away of your câ—â—tell and richest substance the captiuitie and slaughter of your wiues and children the slauerie of your neerest friends and kinsmen So helpe me great Mahomet it shall not so bee I vow in despight of Christ and Iohn in short time to set vp mine ensignes with the Moone in the middle of the market place of the RHODES Neither doe I seeke any thing vnto my selfe more than the honour of the enterprise the profit I giue vnto you my fellow souldiors their coine plate iewels which is reported to be great their riches and wealth is all yours to carrie home with you vnto your wiues and children Wherefore let vs now with all our forces and courage set forward to the besieging of the RHODES Solymans purpose thus made knowne and the same with one accord of all his captaines well liked Pirrhus the eldest Bassa and of greatest authoritie who at the first dissuaded the warre standing vp in the middest of the rest said I cannot but much admire the great wisedome and rare vertues of our young emperour who so wisely and aduisedly hath declared all the deepe counsels of a worthie cheefetaine in taking of warre in hand Blessed be Mahomet thrice and foure times blessed is this empire blessed is our estate and blessed are we with such a prince which carrieth with him in his warres not onely men and habilâ—ments of warre but most deepe wisedome and policie Which wholsome manner of proceeding if we had alwaies before our eies and would follow we should in short time bring vnder our subiection not the RHODES onely but all the kingdomes of the Christians Yet beside that which our emperour hath most carefully and consideratly deuised mine age and experience would exhort you by gifts promises rewards and all other meanes whatsoeuer to corrupt if it were possible the very cheefe and principall citizens of the RHODES thereby to enter into their most secret deuices and counsels which how it may be wrought I will in few words giue you to vnderstand I as a man indifferent desirous of peace and quietnesse will by messengers and letters induce the Great
and lay by heapes slaine in the ditches and breaches of the towne Solyman from his standing for that purpose made of high masts beholding the miserable slaughter of his men and no hope of gaining the citie caused a retreat to be sounded a thing welcome both to the Rhodians and the Turkes In this terrible assault which endured by the space of six houres diuers of the knights of the Order were slaine especially of the French and Spanish nation with a hundred and fiftie common souldiours all worthie of eternall fame and of the Turks as they which write most modestly report twentie thousand The yong tyrant was so much offended with the shamefull repulse he had receiued at this last assault that he fell into a rage against all them who had persuaded him to enter into that action but especially against the great Bassa Mustapha whom he accused as an vnfaithfull counsellour and cheefe persuader of that vnluckie warre who flattering him in his vaine humour by extolling his forces aboue measure falsely extenuating the power of the enemie assuring him that vpon the first approch of his armie they would yeeld themselues without resistance had drawne him into that dangerous expedition like to sort to the great dishonour of himselfe and all the Othoman familie for which doing he adjudged him worthie of death and in a great furie commanded the executioner without further delay to put him to death in his presence Which dreadfull doome so suddenly and vpon so light an occasion giuen vpon a man of so great marke and qualitie strucke such a terrour into the minds of all there present that none of them durst speake one word against the rigour of that sentence or so much as fet a sigh in pitying of his case The executioner now readie to giue the fatall stroke Pirrhus the most antient of all the Bassaes moued with compassion and presuming of his great fauour with the tyrant whom he had from his childhood had the charge and gouernment of stept foorth and appealing vnto his mercie earnestly requested him to spare his life Wherewith Solyman was so filled with wrath and indignation that for his presumption and for sending for him to CONSTANTINOPLE to come to that dangerous siege he commaunded him to be executed also All the rest of the counsellors seeing the danger of these two great men fell downe at the feet of the fuming tyrant crauing pardon saying That the enemies ground had alreadie drunke too much of the Turkish bloud and was not to be further moistened with the bloud of such two noble personages and worthie counsellors Solyman moued with this generall intercession of his great men pausing a little vpon the matter the heat of his furie being something ouer suffered himselfe to bee intreated and graunted them their liues vnto Pyrrhus for his great age and wisdome and to Mustapha for his wiues sake who was the tyrants naturall sister sometime the wife of Bostanges All the time of this siege the Turkes great fleet furnished with men and all manner of warlike prouision lay before the entrance of the hauen without doing any thing at all for the Admirall being no man of warre seeing the mouth of the hauen chained and the castles vpon the entrance full of ordinance and strongly manned durst not attempt either to enter the hauen or besiege the castles for which his cowardise and for that he had negligently suffered prouision both of victuall and munition to be conueyed into the citie during the time of the siege to the great releefe of the besieged he was by Solyman adjudged to die a most cruell death but by the mediation of Achimetes one of his best men of warre the seueritie of that sentence was changed into a punishment vnto any noble mind more grieuous than death it selfe For he was by Solymans commaundement openly set vpon the poupe of the admirall gallie and there as a slaue receiued at the hands of the executioner a hundred stripes with a cudgell and so with shame was thrust out of his office After that Solyman had in so many places with all his power so long time in vaine besieged the RHODES his haughtie courage began to quaile so that he was vpon point to haue raised his siege and left the Island yea the greefe he had conceiued went so neere him that he many times fainted and lay speechlesse as if he had been a dead man The remembrance of so many vnfortunat assaults the death of so many worthie captaines the losse of so many valiant souldiors sufficient to haue subdued a great kingdome so much grieued him that a great while after he shunned the companie of men and would not suffer himselfe to be spoken withall vntill at length he was againe by Abraham his minion a man in whom he tooke singular pleasure recomforted and persuaded to continue the siege for that Time as he said which worketh all things would at length tame the fiercenesse of his enemies whom the sword could not vpon the suddaine subdue In the meane time Solyman for his pleasure and to shew vnto the Rhodians that he purposed not to depart began to build a sumptuous castle vpon the top of the mount PHILERMVS in the eye of the citie During which time diuers letters were shot into the citie with Turkish arrowes out of the campe wherein many of Solymans most secret counsels were reuealed and the reuolt of a great man promised which the Rhodians by many circumstances gathered to haue been Mustapha who could not easily forget the injurie so lately offered vnto him by Solyman needs it must be some one of Solymans secret counsell otherwise he could not haue reuealed so great secrets as it were out of the bosome of Solyman But see the chance at the very same time tidings came vnto Solyman That Cayerbeius the gouernour of AEGIPT was dead in whose place Solyman sent Mustapha to CAIRE as gouernour of AEGIPT by that honourable preferment again to please his discontented mind after which time no more letters came into the citie Now the Turkes began to make faire warres their terrible batteries began to grow calme and for certaine daies it seemed by the manner of their proceeding that they purposed rather by long siege than by assault to take the towne Neuerthelesse the enemies watching day and night in their trenches vsed all the policie they could sometimes offering vnto the souldiors vpon the wals great rewards if they would yeeld vp the citie and sometimes threatening them as fast and to breed a dislike amongst the defendants they would oftentimes say that Solyman desired only to be reuenged vpon the Latines without meaning any harme vnto the Greekes It was now the beginning of October and Winter began to grow fast on great raine with terrible thunder and lightening and mightie tempests heauens threats then fell so abundantly that the Turks before wearied in bodie with labour and wounds were now also in mind
You heard sacred fellowes in armes and valiant citizens of the RHODES these imperious and sorrowfull letters whereunto how we are to answere requireth no great deliberation we must as resolute men either yeeld or die all hope of victorie is gone except forraine aid come Wherefore if yâ—â— will follow my counsell let vs with weapons in our hands vntill the last gaspe and the spending of the last drop of our bloud like valiant men defend our faith and nobilitie receiued from our auncestours and the honour which we haue so long time gotten both at home and abroad and let it neuer be said that our honour died but with our selues This speech of the Great Master seemed vnto many heauier than the imperious commaundement of the Turkish tyrant and a great while men stood silent heauily looking one vpon another many with changing of their countenance and outward gesture more than by words expressing what they thought in heart At length a certaine Greeke priest with great compassion of mind as it seemed and teares trickling downe his cheekes brake forth into these words And I would also hold my peace if I were a priuat man and not first of all in so great and troubled an assemblie broach mine owne opinion But for as much as the regard of our common preseruation can wring a word out of no mans mouth and all men know that now is the time to speake and say what euery man thinketh best which shall neither alwaies nor long be graunted vnto vs I will not let it now ouerpasse and slip away Wherefore let vs suppose that no commaund of a most mightie prince besieging vs were come vnto vs but that I were reasoning as a priuat man with his neighbor or one friend with another by the fire side or in our cups without care without any great affection to either partie as men indifferent not liking or hating as men oftentimes doe of princes affairs which cencerne them nothing and then as I hope my speech shall be vnto you neither vnpleasant nor vnprofitable We Greekes and Latines with ioined armes haue now this six moneths withstood our deadly enemies not onely abroad before our wals but also in the very bowels of our citie without any forraine helpe which as we haue of long time all vainely looked for so are we now euery one of vs out of hope thereof And yet our enemie either moued with the secret goodnesse of God or els ignorant of our strength and forces spent with wounds slaughter sicknesse and perpetuall labour doth voluntarily offer that vnto vs which was of vs to be most of all desired and earnestly sued for Your publicke and priuat treasures the bodies of your selues your wiues and children he keepeth vnuiolated he taketh from vs only the citie which he hath for most part alreadie beaten downe and taken Worthie Great Master and you most valiant Knights I haue knowne your prowesse and valour in many battailes at sea but especially in this siege whereof seeing there is no more vse in this our desperat estate I doe appeale vnto your wisdome and discretion Sithence all is now the conquerors in that he leaueth vnto vs our liues and goods is to be accounted gaines and the yeelding vp of the citie and Island no losse which the victorious enemie alreadie commaundeth which although it be a heauie matter and greâ—uous vnto the nobilitie yet your fortune persuadeth you thereunto Wherefore if you be to be moâ—â—d with any compassion I account it better to yeeld than to be slaine your selues or to see your wiues and children by law of armes to be led away before your faces into miserable captiuitie and seruitude If any Christian compassion remaine in your warlike minds I beseech you seeke not the vtter destruction of this innocent people who I may with modestie say hath not euill deserued of you whom Christ Iesus whom the enemie himselfe would haue preserued That I say this which I speak vnto you for Christian charitie and for no other cause let this be a sufficient testimonie That so long as you were able to resist by your owne power or hoped for aid from forraine princes I neuer spake word or once thought of yeelding but now seeing the fatall ruine of all things about vs our common estate brought vnto the vttermost extremitie our deadly enemie in the heart of our citie no hope and that the warre cannot longer be protracted I wish you to yeeld and for my part had rather make choise of peace thâ—â— warre and to proue the enemies fauour than his furie Most of them there present were of the same mind with the priest But as nothing can be so reasonably spoken as to content all men so this speech was not of them all liked some there were though not many which considering the harmes they had done vnto the Turkes and doubting with what safetie they might yeeld themselues into the power of that faithlesse people had rather to haue fought it out to the last man and so to haue left vnto them a bloudie victorie Amongst these one bold spoken fellow stept forth and in presence of them all dissuaded the yeelding vp of the citie in this sort I haue not been with any thing more vnacquainted than to deliuer my opinion before princes or in such great and publicke assemblies being alwaies more desirous modestly to heare other mens opinions than impudently to thrust forth mine owne But now seeing extreame necessitie will not longer suffer me to keepe my wonted course of silence I will frankely speake my mind and tell you what in my opinion is to be answered vnto the heauie message and imperious commaund of the most perfidious tyrant This cruell enemie hath ouerthrowne our wall and is entred three hundred foot and more within our cittie and as a most troublesome guest liueth and conuerseth with vs as it were vnder the same roofe Such as list not longer to endure such an vnwelcome guest and troublesome neighbour persuade you because he is troublesome to giue him all But worthie and sacred knights I am of far different opinion neither doe I thinke a possession of 214 yeares is so lightly to be deliuered vp and the ground forsaken but rather that this troublesome intruder is in like manner to be himselfe troubled and with deadly skirmishes continually vexed whom after we had by force of armes and vndaunted courage maugre his head held out fiue moneths at length he brake into our citie not by any valour in himselfe but holpen by time which tameth all things and since his first entrance it is now almost fortie daies in which time for all his hast he hath scarcely got forward 130 paces hindered by the blockes we haue laied in his way and will not cease continually to lay if we be wise men and mindfull of our former valour Destroy me you heauenly powers before I see with these eies these sacred knights to yeeld vp this famous citie
would the next day doe and that he would with so great an enterprise effect no more but to make one holiday the more in the Christian kalenders in remembrance of thirtie thousand Hungarian martyrs most miserably slaine of the Turks in vnequall battell for defence of the Christian faith and religion for at that time they which willingly exposed themselues to death in defence of the Christian faith were all accounted for Martyrs Georgius Sepusius and the others he called rash fooles that would aduenture with so small strength to encounter so strong an enemie At such time as the counterfeits of king Lewes and Marie his wife were shewed vnto him he honourably said That he was sorie for the young king that it was his euill hap to haue so vnaduised counsellors in a matter of so great importance as to persuade him against all reason to fight at so great disaduantage And that he came not into HVNGARIE to take his kingdome from him but only to reuenge the wrongs done vnto him by the Hungarians And that if he had escaped the danger of the battell he would assuredly haue againe restored vnto him the kingdome of HVNGARIE contenting himselfe with some small tribute And that it should haue beene vnto him honour enough to haue saued the nephew of Sigismund king of POLONIA his confederat so strongly allied with the honorable house of Austria All which he commaunded to be told to Marie the queene who was for feare fled from BVDA to POSSONIVM Which might perhaps all seeme to haue been either dissemblingly spoken or falsely reported of the equitie and courtesie of the barbarous king if he had not shortly afterwards to the ample declaration of his bountie and liberalitie without any desert giuen the same kingdome of HVNGARIE to Ioannes Sepusius not borne of any royall bloud and then retaining the mind of a verie enemie After that he tooke away three goodly images of brasse of antient workmanship which were placed in the entrance into the kings pallace by that renowned king Mathias Coruinus the great fauourer of rare qualities and vertues these images represented the formes of Hercules with his club of Apollo with his harpe and Diana with her bow and quiuer all which he placed in the tiltyard at CONSTANTINOPLE as a trophie of the Hungarian victorie Howbeit these images were since taken downe by the persuasion of the Mufti molten as contrarie to their superstition and great ordinance made of them He carried also away with him three pieces of artillerie of most excellent and curious workmanship and certaine brasen pillars of chamfred worke which supported the Chapiters of the gates He tarried at BVDA about twentie daies In which time to satisfie the cruell nature and greedie desires of his souldiours he sent out diuers troups of horsemen into the countrey thereabout by whom all the countrey betwixt RAB and the riuer of Tibyscus was by that sudden and vnexpected incursion so destroied that it is reported that aboue an hundreth and fiftie thousand people of all sorts were either slaine or led away into most miserable captiuitie All which done he returned againe by the same way he came to CONSTANTINOPLE About the same time Ioannes Sepusius Vayuod of TRANSILVANIA with a great power came now too late into HVNGARIE to haue aided the king but glad as was thought of his death as tending to his owne aduancement for as much as he was now the king being dead without issue a man of greatest account amongst the nobilitie of HVNGARIE Wherefore as one of a deepe and reaching wit and in great hope to obtaine the kingdome he began cunningly to labour diuers of the noble men one by one and instantly to request them that at the next parliament they would not betray the honour of their countrey in suffering the royall dignitie of that auntient kingdome to be transferred vnto a stranger of such a nation as happily loued them not for why the Hungarians ought well to remember what great calamities they had receiued in former times in chusing forraine kings and strangers to raigne ouer them and in following their vnfortunat ensignes against the Turkes which thing the wofull miseries of times past might notably proue which either Sigismundus of BOHEMIA or Ladislaus the first of POLONIA by their vnfortunat battels once at NICOPOLIS againe at CVLVMBARIVM and last of all at VARNA had brought vnto the Hungarians But to speake nay once to remember the harmes receiued by the long cowardise of Ladislaus or this late rashnesse of his sonne king Lewes would make any noble mind to blush and be ashamed vnder whose gouernment all militarie discipline and the glorie of HVNGARIE might well be thought to be vtterly lost And yet he said there remained of the nobilitie of HVNGARIE men honourably discended of most auntient houses worthie of the kingdome which bare noble minds and were of sufficient courage discretion and power in this time of common heauinesse to restore the honour of the estate and worthily to defend the kingdome Amongst whom said he I would not bee accounted so base minded or heauie headed although there be many which for the honour of their houses and wealth may seeme to go before me that I will therefore confesse that any of them is for valour prowesse or fortune better than my selfe either for conducting of an armie or gouernment of a kingdome for I shall be a king of courage and valour sufficient if by your fauourable good will I shall be thought worthie of your consent and suffrages The Vayuod taking this course by his earnest sute and labour had woon the good wils of many and so much the easier for that Stephanus Bator a man of greatest nobilitie among the Hungarians was a little before gone into BOHEMIA vnto king Ferdinand who was then greatly busied by reason of a parliament there summoned in procuring the fauour of the nobilitie and commons of that realme against the time of the parliament wherein he was in good hope to be chosen king as he was in short time after At that same time the Hungarians were with great solemnitie celebrating the funerall of their late king whose dead bodie after the departure of Solyman from BVDA was found whole by the demonstration of one Cotriscus one of the squires of his bodie who was present when he was drowned and so was brought out of the fens of MOHATCHZ to ALBA REGALIS where it was with great pompe buried amongst the sepulchres of the other kings of HVNGARIE his predecessours Which solemne funerall once ended the generall militarie parliament by the authoritie and voice whereof the kings of HVNGARIE were by their auntient lawes and customes to be chosen was called in the shutting vp wherof Iohn the Vayuod hauing in that common heauinesse no competitour nor any of the greatest nobilitie which durst stand against him was with the great applause and consent of all there present chosen king To whom forthwith
vp in two places more oueragainst S. Clares church by which breach being not verie great the Turks seeking to haue entred made a bloudie fight with the Germains which defended that place which they sought so desperatly to haue entred that without regard they thrust one another vpon the points of their enemies weapons who glistering in good armor readily receiued them being for most part naked men and slew them without number and so enforced them againe disorderly to retire hauing before filled both the breaches with their dead carkases Three daies after ensued a most cruell fight when as another part of the wall neere vnto the gate of CARINTHIA and not farre from the first breach was so suddenly ouerthrowne that the Turkes thorow the new made breach seeing the Christians as they stood readie to come to the defence therof and likewise the Christians them now approching for eagernesse and hast on both sides threw away their pieces and bowes and came to handie blowes in the middle of the breach the Turkes with their scimiters and the Germaines with their long swords At which times as the Christian captaines encouraged their souldiours with cheerfull persuasions so the Turkish Commaunders enforced forward their Turkes both with words and wounds The assault began so terrible that it was thought a more fierce and deadly fight was neuer seene from the beginning of the world which was with greater resolution maintained by the Turkes for that many of their most valiant horsemen forsaking their horses thrust in with their targets and scimiters or else with their launces amongst the Ianizaries and other footmen and there fought most desperatly At last after this furious fight had endured by the space of three houres and many of the Turkes best captaines and souldiours lay dead vpon the ground by heapes the Turkes seeing no hope to preuaile gaue ouer the assault and retired to their campe Long and tedious it were to recount euerie assault giuen during the time of that dreadfull siege with euerie particuler accident not vnworthie the remembrance which for breuitie I wittingly passe ouer Yet amongst the rest the most valiant leader though afterwards vnfortunat the Lo. William Rogendorffe is not to be forgotten who oftentimes perceiuing many of the Turkes stragling disorderly abroad in the countrey one day vpon the sudden sallied out vpon them with certaine troupes of horsemen with such violence that at the first onset he ouerthrew them and hauing them in chase did such speedie execution that of 5300 scarcely 140 escaped his hands after which time his name became terrible vnto the Turks Solyman was exceedingly grieued with the often and bloudie assaults by him in vaine giuen to the citie but purposing now to proue the last and vttermost of all his forces he called vnto him the chiefe commaunders of his armie whom at the first he sharply reproued as men of no courage which being many times as good as in possession of the victorie had most cowardly contrarie to the manner of that victorious nation turned their backes vpon their enemies in the breaches alreadie halfe woon Wherefore he willed them to plucke vp their hearts and to make all things readie for a new assault wherein hee expected that they should with couragious forwardnesse and resolution recompence their late cowardise for why he accounted it a great dishonour to forsake the siege begun wherefore they should resolue the next day as victorious conquerors to take the citie or else there as faint-hearted cowards to end their daies The next day after this heauie charge giuen which was the fifteenth of October the great Commaunders of the Turkes armie with all their forces assailed the citie thrusting their men into the breaches by heapes as if they would if no way else yet with verie multitude if it had beene possible haue discouraged or ouerborne the Christians they were come to handie blowes and the fight was in euerie place most terrible the Christian defendants stil repulsing theÌ„ with greater courage than they were able to assaile them Beâ—â—des that to the great aduantage of the defendants many pieces of their great ordinance skilfully mounted in places most conuenient and continually discharged amongst the thickest of their enemies as they pressed on made such slaughter amongst them and so cut them off that being thorowly discouraged they shrunke backe and could not by any threats or commaund of their captaines be thrust forward chusing rather to be slaine of their owne captaines as some of them were than to be rent in sunder with the murthering shot of the Christians So that the captaines seeing now no other remedie gaue ouer the assault and retired leauing behind them many thousands of their dead Turkes in the towne ditches The next day after this assault Solyman despairing to win the citie and fearing the comming of king Ferdinand and the countie Palatine with a strong armie as it had been to him reported considering also that Winter was now comming fast on determined to raise his siege and to colour the dishonour thereof he sent certaine of the chiefe prisoners which he had taken richly apparelled with their purses full of money into the citie to tell the captaines that he came not with purpose either to besiege or take the citie but to reuenge the wrongs done vnto him by his enemie king Ferdinand and to haue fought a battell with him for the kingdome of HVNGARIE whom for as much as he could not draw vnto VIENNA he would remoue thence to seeke for him as his capitall enemie Wherefore they should doe well to yeeld themselues which if they would he promised not to enter their citie but to receiue both the citisens and souldiours into his protection reseruing vnto them their liues and goods with perpetuall freedome Which his offer the defendants scornfully refused as proceeding of meere desperation The next night following Solyman with more than barbarous crueltie caused all the prisoners in his armie to bee slaine which pitifull outcries was of the souldiours heard into the citie not knowing what the matter should be vntill that the next day after the departure of the enemie they found the dead bodies of men women and children in all places of the campe wallowed in their one bloud a most lamentable spectacle to behold Solyman purposing to forsake the siege caused Abraham the great Bassa to shew himselfe in order of battell as if he would haue giuen a fresh assault in the meane time he himselfe rose vpon the sudden with the rest of his armie and returned towards BVDA in such hast that he neither put any garrison into such places as he had taken neither demaunded of them any tribute After whom the Bassa followed keeping himselfe a daies journey behind him and so in fiue daies he arriued with all his armie at BVDA 32 Germaine miles from VIENNA This siege was giuen ouer by Solyman about the sixteenth of October wherein he is reported
the points of their speares shewed it vnto their fellowes in great choller railing against king Ferdinand which in his owne kingdome in the beginning of the warre had made no better prouision but with such corrupt and pestilent bread to feed them being strangers which were onely for his defence and quarrell to aduenture their liues And but a little before a certaine Spaniard being but a common souldiour comming into the Generals tent and casting the like bread down at the feet of Vastius bitterly cursing the emperour and king Ferdinand had raised a wonderfull tumult wherefore the Italian souldiours flocking togither out of their tents gaue many hard speeches concerning their pay their victuals and the difficulties of the Hungarian warre There one Titus Marconius of VOLATERRA a man of a troublesome spirit but reasonably well spoken was by the other souldiours set vp vpon a great heape of saddles that he might be the better heard and by diuers seditious captaines requested frankly to speake his mind so farre as he thought concerned the safetie and welfare of them all Where it is reported that he spake vnto them in this seditious manner as followeth And shall the Spaniards said he beloued companions and fellowes in armes as you haue heard go into ITALIE and to our great hurt againe returne into their old Wintering places and that which I am ashamed to say as notable guests lie with our wiues and we Italians as banished men fight this Winter with ice and snow in HVNGARIE and that forsooth for a most beggarly king and him also to the Hungarians a foreuer and meere stranger against a naturall borne prince of his subiects well beloued and strongly backt with the power and wealth of the Turkish emperour And that which might iustly grieue any couragious mind vnder the conduct of Maramaldus who oftentimes blinded with anger and hastie crueltie hath so furiously thrust vs thorow with his sword that he seemeth not more to desire the name of a captaine for any thing than for the killing and murthering of vs now his souldiours Neither can I beleeue that you who haue oftentimes beene captaines and auntients your selues will be so mad as to serue vnder a common captaine without hope of any pay of any prouision of victorie or returne Truely it delighteth me not so much to haue come hither for the honour of the Italian name no more reckoned of than a rush although I haue eleuen times serued as it doth this day ashame me to see this shamefull end of the warre ended before it was well begun But in Regall dignitie is no shame nor equitie in rewarding the souldiour for kings now adaies make account of souldiours onely according to their necessitie this is it alone that giueth vs pay this is that getteth vs loue this is it maintaineth our reputation all which peace once by victorie obtained leese their grace So fareth it with vs at this present fellow souldiours the emperour and his brother king Ferdinand deliuered from the feare of a most dangerous warre to ease themselues of this multitude of vs seeke to thrust vs into HVNGARIE as beasts to the slaughter by the spending of our bloud hoping to purchase vnto themselues victorie and by the losse of vs to take no harme themselues though the Turkes and Hungarians should with sword and famine vtterly destroy vs shut vp with the ice of Danubius and the snow of the Alpes But peraduenture you vnderstand not these deuises no more than you vnderstand what this terrible and bloudie comet shooting his beames towards ITALY pretendeth Verily it is not fatall either to Solyman or Caesar but rather threatneth vnto vs death and destruction for they with like counsell full of safetie and discretion would not open any way vnto their owne destinies but warely withdrew themselues one from the other and shunned all the dangers of the field Wherefore if it were lawfull for them without any blemish of their Maiesties so notably to prouide to keepe themselues out of danger when as on each side halfe the world lay as a reward of the victorie shall not we looke to our selues that we he not thrust thither from whence appeareth no hope of returne but with vtter destruction when as we may doe it without offence and by good right especially seeing no pay is offered vs. Thus you see what a goodly end is made of this notable warre wherein onely we the Italians in stead of commendation and reward reape iniurie and disgrace and are peraduenture of purpose exiled into HVNGARIE that this floure of chiualrie being drawne out of ITALIE and sent farre out of the way colonies of Spaniards and Germanes may be placed in our steads Truly it seemeth hard dealing to be sent out of the way into a barbarous countrey where wee shall find all hostilitie and no place of refuge to receiue vs being distressed Beside this we shall also whether we will or no feele how heauie and intollerable it will be both to our bodies and minds to endure the miseries of this Winter and dangerous warre and in the meane time with no small hearts greefe imagine what things our children our brethren our kinsmen yea and our wiues suffer at home of the Spaniards and Germanes Wherefore worthie companions it concerneth vs more at this time to haue a good foresight than valiantly to fight The occasion presented vnto vs far our safetie and welfare standeth vpon a tickle point it must be done without delay and we must hie vs hence before that the Spaniards trusse vp their baggage and so preuenting the emperours formost companies come first our selues into ITALIE for if we shall stay but a little to consult vpon the matter Vastius and our other proud commaunders will presently be here the very betrayers of the Italian bloud who for their owne gaine and our mischeefe haue brought vs into these straits who I know will most earnestly intreat vs and with many subtilties seeke to seduce vs by offering vs great pay and whatsoeuer els we shall require which will all proue but words But you if you be men refuse to talke with them as with your common enemies or rather in reuenge of their old iniuries kill them Here wanteth not in this assembly valiant men for courage and integritie of life their betters farre which can lead you forth order your battell and fortunately vse this your courage and forwardnesse Wherefore if you be wise set forward resolutely and good fortune no doubt will attend you in your hast for the full accomplishment of your desire consisteth in your hast onely Marconius had no sooner made an end of this mutinous speech but the tumultuous souldiors in euery band began highly to commend and approue the same and by and by such a confused noise was heard thorow all the assemblie as vseth to rise amongst the discontented vulgar people readie to rise in armes but the drums presently striking vp a march they made no
Turks tooke forsaken of the inhabitants who for feare were all fled into the mountaines except some which for age or sicknesse could not shift for themselues whom the Turkes slew and spoiled the churches Barbarussa thus scouring alongst the coast of ITALIE and newes thereof daily brought to the citie of ROME strucke such an exceeding terrour into the minds of the citisens that it was verily thought if he had come but a little farther to OSTIA they would generally haue forsaken the citie But he hauing well performed his promise made to Solyman for vexing the Christians and before resolued of a greater matter he had to doe when he had watered at PONTIA passed ouer into AFFRICK with such celeritie that he was arriued there before it was thought that he was departed from the coast of ITALY For Barbarussa to deceiue Muleasses king of TVNES and to take him vnprouided had giuen it out that he would burne and spoile the coasts of the Christian countries especially of ITALY LIGVRIA and SPAINE in reuenge of the harme done by Auria at CORONE and PATRAS Which thing Muleasses the rather beleeued vnderstanding his proceedings vpon the coast of ITALY The Venetians hauing also at the same time at great charges prepared a great fleet did in some part lessen Muleasses feare that Barbarussa would employ his forces for AFFRICKE for then what should the Venetians haue needed to haue made so great and chargeable a preparation But that which aboue all other things brought him into securitie was for that he had by secret espials certainly learned that his brother Roscetes was kept at CONSTANTINOPLE as a prisoner at large vnder safe keeping which made him to thinke that Barbarussa his forces were not prepared against him for he knew that he could not be impugned or his state more endangered by any other meanes than by producing the competitour of his kingdome to whom his guiltie conscience doubted that both the citisens of TVNES and the Numidians were for most part well affected This Muleasses of whom we now speake and whom hereafter we shall by occasion often remember was lineally discended of the auncient kings of Tunes who without interruption of discent or mixture of forraine bloud had by the space of nine hundred fiftie and foure yeares mightily ruled the great kingdome of TVNES from TRIPOLIS to BVGIA almost eight hundred miles alongst the Mediterranean and into the maine as farre as the mount ATLAS and for the long continuance of their state and largenesse of their kingdome were worthely accounted the most reuerend and mightie amongst the Mahometane kings of AFFRICKE His father Mahometes when he had with much glorie and more pleasure raigned two and thirtie yeares perceiuing the end of his life to approach had purposed to haue appointed Maimo his eldest sonne whom for his hastie aspiring he then held in durance to succeed him in his kingdome But ouercome with the importunitie of Lentigesia his wife a woman of hautie spirit who had by reward made a strong faction in the court for her sonne Muleasses he altered his former purpose and appointed him his successour by whom as it was thought the small remainder of his owne old yeares was shortened Maimo the right heire of the kingdome in prison presently murdred seuenteene of his other brethren vnmercifully executed and three other Barcha Beleth and Saeth with more than barbarous crueltie with a hoat yron of their sight depriued only Roscetes the second brother and Abdemelech escaping the hands of their vnnaturall brother fled to Morhabitus a great prince amongst the Numidians whither also their brothers malice persecuted them seeking sometime by practise sometime by poison to haue taken them away and at last for a great summe of money to haue had them deliuered into his hands Which money they Numidian receiued but suffered the distressed princes as if they had escaped against his will to flie further to another Numidian prince a friend of his called Bentieses where Muleasses by like practises as before sought to haue destroied them or to haue got them into his owne power Thus chased by their brothers endlesse malice from prince to prince and place to place they for their more safetie fled at last to the citie of BISCARIS farre into the maine land where Abdemelech as one wearie of the world gaue ouer all and betooke himselfe to a solitarie life and became a melancholy Mahometane monke But Roscetes courteously entertained by Abdalla prince of that citie found such fauour in his sight that he gaue him his daughter in marriage and long time honourably maintained him as his sonne in law with such carefulnesse that for feare of Muleasses practises he was seldome permitted to eat any other meat but such as the prince or his wife had before tasted of Muleasses thus raigning and raging and yet not contented with the death of so many of his brethren proceeded further and murthered diuers of their children also He caused also the Manifet and Mesuar men of greatest authoritie in all the kingdome his fathers graue counsellors and his cheefe friends by whose meanes especially he had aspired vnto the kingdome to be cruelly tortured to death fearing their greatnesse or rather as some thought greeuing to see them liue to whom he was so much beholden and therefore rewarded them with such sharpe payment And by the instigation of Lentigesia his mother caused diuers of his fathers other wiues and concubines to be shamefully murthered inueighing oftentimes against his father that as an effeminate prince with infinit charges had for his pleasure maintained two hundred wiues and concubines in his houses of delight by whom he had begot so many sonnes competitours of the kingdome that he had left him as he said a laborious and enuious peece of worke to destroy so great a brood Roscetes aided by his father in law and the other Numidian princes to whom the name of Muleasses both for his crueltie against his owne bloud and injurious dealing against his neighbours was become odious passing ouer the riuer Bragada with a great armie neere vnto TVNES met with Muleasses his armie conducted by Dorax a valiant captaine brother to Lentigesia where in a sharpe conflict he ouerthrew his brothers armie and enforced Dorax with them that were escaped out of the battell for safegard of their liues to flie into TVNES Roscetes pursuing the victorie came and presented his armie before the gates of the citie in hope that the citisens whom he knew for the most part to hate the vsurping tyrant would vpon the sight of him in right their king with so great an armie raise some tumult in the citie and let him in There he lay by the space of twentie daies still expecting some innouation in which time the more to alienate the minds of the people from Muleasses and to shew how vnable he was to protect them he burnt and destroyed all the oliue and fruit trees which grew most plentifully and
him to be of him beloued and vsed as his wife and not contemptuously abused by his minions Wherewith the Bassa moued gaue her a blow on the eare and caused her as a foolish and vnquiet woman to be shut vp in her chamber But she not brooking such abuse came weeping to Solyman her brother and complaining of her husband requested to be diuorsed from him who made no better reckoning of her And with her complaint so incensed Solyman that he tooke from him his seale and thrust him out of all his honorable promotions and had vndoubtedly put him to death had not the remembrance of his old loue and friendship staied his furie Yet hauing vtterly disgraced him he banished him the court into MACEDONIA where he spent the remainder of his loathed like as a poore priuat man of whom Boisardus thus writeth Quae tibi cum molli res est pollute Cynaedo Cum cubet in Thalamis regia nympha tuis Ex humili fortuna loco te euexit in altum Ex alto maior saepe ruina venit On daintie boies thou filthie man why doest thou fix thine eye Whilest princely dame of roiall bloud doth in thy chamber lie From base estate to honours height blind fortune did thee call And set thee vp with princes great to worke thy greater fall Solyman thus fallen out with the Venetians as is aforesaid to entangle them at once with warâ— in diuers places commanded his lieutenants in euerie place bordering vpon any part of the Venetian seignorie to vex and molest them with all hostilitie which they did accordingly In PELOPONESVS Cassimes besieged NAVPLIVM and EPIDAVRVS two strong cities of the Venetians Barbarussa landing his men in DALMATIA surprised the antient citie of BOTROTVS belonging to the Venetians carried away the citisens rased the citie OBROATIVM another citie of the Venetians in DALMATIA called in auntient time ARGIRVTVM with the castle of NADIN were taken by Vstref Solymans lieutenant in ILLYRIA The Venetians thus inuaded on euerie side requited them againe with the like Pisaurius and Veturius the Venetian Admirals landing their men besieged SCARDONA a citie of the Turkes in the borders of DALMATIA which they tooke by force put the Turks to the sword and ouerthrew the wals of the citie because it should be no more a refuge vnto the Turks They sent also one of their captaines called Gabriel Ribeus to besiege OBROATIVM who vpon the comming of Amurathes one of Vstref his captaines cowardly fled and in flight lost most of his men for which his cowardise Pisaâ—rius caused his head to be strucke off aboord the Admirall gally And Camillus Vrsinus appointed by the Venetian state Gouernour of IADERA a strong towne vpon the frontiers of their territorie in DALMATIA tooke from the Turkes the towne of OSTROVIZZA which he burnt downe to the ground He recouered also OBROATIVM which was a little before lost which by the commaundement of the Senat he vtterly rased as a place not well to be kept against the enemie The same Autumne that Solyman hauing wasted CORCYRA was returned to CONSTANTINOPLE and the Venetians held warres with the Turkes for the townes and castles in DALMATIA king Ferdinand receiued such an ouerthrow at EZEK by the Turkes as a greater or more shamefull vnto the name of the Christians was hardly in that age seene if the losse of the choise souldiors and captaines of foure great nations with the shamefull flight of the Generall be well considered After the battell of MOHAHZ wherein king Lewes was lost the Turks hauing gotten the victorie kept vnto themselues that part of HVNGARIE which is called POSSâ—GA because thereby they had a fit passage from BELGRADE further into HVNGARIE The two great riuers of Sauus and Dranus running almost with equall distance from the West taking with them diuers other smaller riuers before they fall into the great riuer of Danubius Eastward doe on both sides inclose this countrey of POSSEGA being a rich and plentifull countrey and wonderfull well peopled It bordereth vpon the prouinces of CROATIA and CORâ—ANIA which in times past were at continuall warres with the Turkes garrisons thereby in Iâ—â—YRIA and BOSNA At that time one Mahometes a most valiant captaine of the Turks was Gouernour of BELGRADE to whom for his approued valour and wisedome Solyman had committed the keeping of those frontiers and the protection of the kingdome of HVNGARIE in the behalfe of king Iohn He the yeare before had so vsed the matter that what by force what by pollicie he had taken from the Christians aboue thirtie small castles in that country which was sometime part of the patrimonie of the Despot of RASCIA and had joyned them to the regiment of BOSNA One of these castles amongst the rest called EXEK for the commodious situation thereof hee strongly fortified as that which might giue him passage ouer the riuer Dranus into HVNGARIE from whence he fet in infinit preyes out of king Ferdinands countrey neere vnto him Yet was there at that time a certaine league betwixt Solyman and Ferdinand which notwithstanding after the old custome of those countries for the exercise of the garrison souldiors did beare with the taking of bootie and light skirmishes without any breach thereof so that it were done without any great power or field pieces which wrong named peace Mathias and the auntient kings of HVNGARIE had of long time vsed with the Turks doing them with their nimble light horsemen no lesse harme than they teceiued But the Germans now vsing no such light horsemen but seruing vpon great horses and charged with heauie armour receiued great hurt by those light skirmishes the Turkes with their light horses easily shunning their charge and againe at their pleasure charging them afresh when they saw the heauie German horses almost wearie and spent by which meanes the German horsemen were oftentimes by the Turkes light horsemen ouerthrowne and so either slaine or taken King Ferdinand not well brooking these continuall injuries and grieued in mind with the league which Solyman had to his profit made with him at his going into PERSIA finding the same both vnprofitable and hurtfull to himselfe determined to take vp armes with purpose that if he could driue the Turks out of the countrey of POSSEGA then forthwith to passe ouer Dranus and to go directly to BVDA against king Iohn It still stucke in his mind how that kingdome was taken from him by Solyman and that more was as it were in disgrace of him and the house of AVSTRIA bestowed vpon a stranger which had neither right therto nor was any way roially descended Yet were there some which wished him not rashly to enter into armes against so mightie an enemie as was not to be vanquished but by the vnited forces of all the Christian princes of EVROPE For they foresaw that Solyman so prouoked would not put it vp but for the hatred he bare against the Christians and for his owne honour
skirmishes when he could take the enemie at aduantage The day appearing Lodronius againe awaking heard a certaine confused noise of the Turkes and withall saw himselfe forsaken of the greatest part of the horsemen whereupon he complained in vaine that he was betraied yet for all that he was nothing discouraged but cheered vp the footmen exhorting them to remember their former valour and to resolue with themselues only with courage to ouercome the danger which hard fortune had at that time brought them into for that valiant men were rather to thinke of an honourable death than shamefull flight whereby whether they should escape with life or not was vncertaine As for himselfe who had been their happie Generall in many battels he said he was resolutely set downe by repulsing the enemie to bring them into place of safetie or else valiantly fighting togither with them to end his daies As Lodronius was yet thus encouraging the footmen the horsemen of CARINTHIA SAXONIE AVSTRIA and BOHEMIA who mindfull of their duetie had in vaine expected the appointed signall from the Generall came to Lodronius as vnto the most valiant captaine beseeching him in steed of their treacherous Generall to take vpon him the place promising to doe whatsoeuer he commaunded and to fight as men against those infidels for their religion and king so long as they were able to hold vp their weapons Lodronius would in no case accept of that honour so franckly offered modestly protesting himselfe vnworthie thereof Yet as a man of courage and moued with the hard estate of such an armie he with a solemne protestation promised to execute the place in the best manner he could and so did as long as his fortune gaue him leaue It is reported that as Lodronius was encouraging the footmen and earnestly inuaying against shamefull flight an old German souldior was so bold as bluntly yet sharpely to say vnto him Worthy Lodronius thou canst neuer be thought to flie shamefully with a horse of such a price vnder thee Lodronius perceiuing the old souldiors meaning alighted and with his sword hoxed his horse saying alowd This day valiant souldiors shall you haue me both your Generall and fellow souldior fighting on foot as one of your selues see now that you deceiue noâ— my expectation but let vs either with glorious victorie or honourable death end this warre togither yet so as that we die not vnreuenged All his other horses he gaue away vnto such sicke and wounded souldiors as he best knew amongst whom was one Picenard of CREMONA a captaine who was then in an extreame fit of an ague and had hardly escaped the hands of the enemie The first troupes of horsemen and bands of footmen were scarcely out of the campe with their ensignes but the Turkes comming on with a hideous crie assailed them on euerie side and many sharpe skirmishes were giuen vnto the horsemen as they marched with such euent that the Christians sometime valiantly receiuing the enemies charge and sometime charging them againe repulsed the proud enemie still busie with them In these continuall skirmishes Antius Maceâ— Fâ—â—hstat Generall of the Carinthian horsemen fighting valiantly was slaine being for his braue armouâ— supposed by the Turkes to haue beene the Generall of the field And by like mishap â—oure and twentie horsemen of great name were slaine also and their guidon taken amongst these were three noblemen Andreas Reschius Christophorus Hernaus and Georgius Himelbergâ—â— In another place was made a most cruell skirmish with the Saxon horsemen and them of 〈◊〉 THVRINGIA and FRANCONIA who followed the Saxons ensigne of these fighting most valiantly was slaine aboue 36 worthie captaines lieutenants or ancients and Chuenriâ—â—â— a principall captaine of the Saxons taken who afterwards died in bonds â—mongst the Turks Amongst them which were slaine Sebastianus Methesâ—us and Iacobus Scullemburgh were of greatest nobilitie In like manner the horsemen of AVSTRIA couragiously resisting the enemie for a space were in the end ouerthrowne where amongst them was slaine two valiant noblemen Fettaius and Hofchirchius with diuers other men of great place and reputation both in their own countrey and abroad But the greatest slaughter was made amongst the Bohemian horsemen vpon whom being disordered by the Ianizaries harquebusiers the Turkish troupes of the old garrison souldiors breaking in with their scimitars and heauie yron mases made a most bloudie execution The battell of footmen being sore gauled and almost disordered in their march by certaine companies of Ianizaries and archers of the Asapi who from a woodie banke of a marrish discharged their shot and arrowes continually vpon them yet neuer comming to handy blows was on the other side so hardly charged by Amurathes with his troupes of horsemen of BOSNA that being not able longer to keepe order it was at last by him broken and cut in peeces where the Turks with their swords and hatchets slew the poore Christians without mercie Lodronius himselfe carried away with the breaking in and force of the horsemen was driuen into a marrish where after that he being sore wounded and almost fast in the deepe mud had done the vttermost of that his last endeuour he by the faire entreatie of the Turks persuading him rather to yeeld than there to be slaine so yeelded himselfe that he with three companies which were with him after they had laid downe their weapons were all saued as valiant souldiors for now the mercilesse Turkes embrued with the Christian bloud were wearie of slaughter and began greedily to seeke after the spoile hunting after them who flying dispersedly thought themselues to haue escaped the enemies hands with such successe that a great number of them was taken and led away for slaues few of the footmen escaped and almost all the rest which were not fled before the battell were to be seene dead vpon the ground This shamefull ouerthrow at EXEK was reported to haue exceeded the most grieuous ouerthrowes that the Christians had receiued in any former time for the flower both of horse and foot there lost by the rashnesse and fault of an vnluckie Generall rather than by the valor of the enemie ruthfully perished so that many prouinces were filled with heauinesse and mourning For it neuer chanced before as was to be seene by the vnfortunat battels of Sigismund the emperour and king Ladislaus that the Turks got such a victorie without some losse so that they which fell almost vnreuenged at EXEK may seeme to haue augmented that losse by the great infamie thereof Mahometes hauing thus almost without the bloud of his souldiors obtained so great a victorie and taken the spoile of the Christian campe pitched his tents in a little meddow being cleansed of the dead bodies and after he had merrily feasted with his captaines commanded the cheefe prisoners the goodly spoiles and fairest ensignes to be brought vnto him and openly commending the captaines who had that day done any good seruice commaunding diuers bags of money to
she probably thought to wish the succession of the empire to one of her owne sonnes his wiues full brethren rather than to Mustapha her halfe brother Beside that she was not ignorant how that Rustan as one carefull of the emperors profit the readiest way to preferment had abridged the pensions and fees of the officers and seruitours in court which he perceiuing to please the emperour proceeded so farre therein that he attempted to haue cut off if it had beene possible some part of Mustapha his princely allowance for which doing she knew how odious he was to all the courtiers whereof he made small reckoning but especially to Mustapha insomuch that it was thought he would not forget so notorious an injurie if euer he should obtaine the empire Hereupon she brake with Rustan vpon the matter whom she found readie ynough of himselfe to doe what in him lay to further her mischieuous desire To begin this intended tragedie she vpon the sudden became very deuout and being by the fauour of Solyman growne exceeding rich pretended as if it had beene vpon a deuout zeale for the health of her soule after the manner of the Turkish superstition to build an Abbey with an Hospitall and a Church which so godly a purpose she imparted to the Muphti or cheefe Mahometane priest demaunding of him If such workes of charitie were not acceptable vnto God and auaileable for her soules health Whereunto the Muphti answered That those works were no doubt gracious in the sight of God but nothing at all meritorious for her soules health being a bondwoman yet very profitable for the soule of the great emperour Solyman vnto whom as vnto her lord both she and all she had appertained With which answere of the great priest she seemed to be exceedingly troubled and thereupon became wonderfull pensiue and melancholie her cheerefull countenance was replete with sadnesse and her faire eyes flowed with teares her mirth was mourning and her joy heauinesse Which thing Solyman perceiuing and sorrie to see his loue vpon conceit so to languish sent her word to be of good cheere and to comfort her selfe promising in short time to take such a course as should ease her of all her greefes which he forthwith did solemnely manumising her from her bond estate So great a fauour obtained Roxolana with great cheerefulnesse began those meritorious workes by her before intended as if she had thought of nothing but heauen whereas indeed her thoughts were in the depth of hell When she had thus a good while busied her selfe in pauing the way to heauen as was supposed Solyman not able longer to forbeare the companie of her in whom his soule liued after his wonted manner sent for her by one of his eunuchs who should haue brought her to his bed chamber to whom she with her eyes cast vp to heauen demurely answered That her life and whatsoeuer els she had was at her dread soueraignes commaund but againe to yeeld her bodie vnto his appetite she might not in any case do without the great offence of the high God and manifest breach of his sacred lawes which permitted her not now voluntarily to yeeld him that being free which he before without offence might commaund of his bondwoman and because she would not seeme to vse this as an excuse she referred her selfe in all things to the graue judgement of the learned and reuerend Muphti with whom she had before at full conferred This she did presuming of the soueraignetie she had ouer that great Monarch whom she right well knew she had so fast bound in the pleasing fetters of his affection towards her as that she was sure ynough of him without a keeper Solyman rauished with her loue and well the more for her deniall sent for the Muphti requiring his judgement in the matter who before instructed in all points agreed with that Roxolana had said agrauating the heinousnesse of the fact if he should proceed to enforce her as his slaue whom being now free he might not without great offence touch vnmarried Whereupon Solyman more and more burning in his desires became a fresh suter to her for mariage whom he had so often before commaunded which his sute easily obtained as the marke she had all this while aimed at he with all speed to the great admiration of all men and contrarie to the manner of the Mahometane emperors solemnely married her appointing for her yearly dowrie fiue thousand Sultanyns But here before we proceed any farther stay a while and take the view of that faire face whereon this great Monarch so much doted as it is by the skilfull workemans hand most liuely expressed ROXOLANA Solyman his best beloued wife Frontis nulla fides nulla est fiducia formae Pectore dum saeuo dira venena latent Philtra viro miscet fallax miserumque coegit Sanguine natorum commaculare manus RICH. KNOLLEVS To fairest lookes trust not too farre nor yet to beautie braue For hatefull thoughts so finely maskt their deadly poisons haue Loues charmed cups the subtile dame doth to her husband fill And causeth him with cruell hand his childrens bloud to spill This woman of late a slaue but now become the greatest empresse of the East flowing in all worldly felicitie attended vpon with all the pleasures her heart could desire wanted nothing she could wish but how to find means that the Turkish empire might after the death of Solyman be brought to some one of her owne sons This was it that had as we haue before said long troubled her aspiring mind and in the middest of all her blisse suffered her yet to take no rest Noble Mustapha Solymans eldest sonne and heire apparant of the empire although farre absent was yet still before her eies present his credit his valour his vertues his perfections were all bars to her desires he was the onely cloud that kept the sunne from shining on her if 〈◊〉 any meanes might be taken away then wanted nothing that she desired Which to bring to passe the wicked woman laboured cunningly by little and little to breed in Solymans head no small suspition of Mustapha That he being a young man of a hautie spirit desirous of soueraigntie generally beloued and swelling with the immoderat fauor of the men of warre which were all at his deuotion left nothing else to be expected of him but when he should as did his grandfather Selymus lay hand vpon the empire and worke his aged fathers destruction This mischieuous plot by her deuised was not a little furthered by Rustan the great Bassa by whom passed all great matters who nothing omitted that could be slily deuised for the disgrace or confusion of the young prince For he as a great secret craftily told all them that were sent gouernours into SYRIA that Mustapha was secretly suspected by his father of aspiring to the kingdome and therefore charged them particularly carefully to obserue all his actions
much lesse affected his empire except the most high God had called him to a better life neither then without the generall good liking choise of the whole armie that so I might at length without murder without bloud without tyrannie well and justly reigne and in loue and peace inuiolate liue with my brethren for I haue set down with my selfe and chosen if it be my fathers pleasure so rather to die in his obedience than reigning many yeares to be reputed of all men especially my competitours a rebell or traitor Hauing thus said he came vnto his fathers campe and pitching his tents as we haue before said suted himselfe all in white in token of his innocencie and writing certaine letters which the Turkes when they are about to go to any place of danger vse to write and alwaies to carrie with them for they are wonderfull foolish in their superstition and putting them in his bosome attended vpon with a few of his most trustie followers came with great reuerence towards the tent of his father fully resoluing to haue kissed his hand as their vsuall manner is But when he was come to the entrance of the tent remembring that he had yet his dagger girt to him hee entered not vntill he had put it off because he would not come into his fathers sight with any weapon if happily so hee might cleere himselfe of his fathers needlesse suspition So when he was come into the more inward roomes of the tent he was with such honour as belonged to his state cheerfully receiued by his fathers eunuchs But seeing nothing else prouided but one seat whereon to sit himselfe alone he perplexed in mind stood still a while musing at length asked where the emperour his father was Whereunto they answered That he should by and by see him and with that casting his eye aside he saw seauen Muts these are strong men bereft of their speech whom the Turkish tyrants haue alwaies in readinesse the more secretly to execute their bloudie butcherie comming from the other side of the tent towards him at whose sight strucken with a sudden terrour said no more but Lo my death and with that arising was about to haue fled but in vaine for he was caught hold on by the eunuch and Muts and by force drawne to the place appointed for his death where without further stay the Muts cast a bow string about his necke he poore wretch still striuing and requesting that he might speake but two words to his father before he died All which the murtherer for no addition is sufficient significantly to expresse his vnnaturall villanie both heard and saw by a trauers from the other side of the tent but was so farre from being moued with compassion that thinking it long till he were dispatched with a most terrible and cruell voice he rated the villaines enured to bloud saying Will you neuer dispatch that I bid you will you neuer make an end of this traitor for whom I haue not rested one night these ten yeares in quiet Which horrible commaunding speeches yet thundring in their eares those butcherly Muts threw the poore innocent prince vpon the ground and with the helpe of the eunuchs forcibly drawing the knotted bow string both waies by the commaundement of a most wicked father strangled him With like barbarous crueltie he shortly after caused Mahomet his nephew Mustapha his sonne to bee strangled also This vnnaturall and strange murther committed he presently commaunded the Bassa of AMASIA Mustaphaes lieutenant to be apprehended and his head in his owne presence to bee strucke off Which done he sent for Tzihanger the crooked yet ignorant of all that was happened and in sporting wise as if he had done a thing worth commendations bid him go meet his brother Mustapha which thing Tzihanger with a merrie and cheerfull countenance hasted to doe as one glad of his brothers comming But as soone as he came vnto the place where he saw his brother lying dead vpon the ground strangled it is not to be spoken how he was in mind tormented He was scarcely come to the place where this detestable murther was committed when his father sent vnto him certaine of his seruants to offer vnto him all Mustaphaes treasure horses seruants jewels tents and withall the gouernment of the prouince of AMASIA but Tzihanger filled with extreame heauinesse for the vnmercifull death of his welbeloued brother spake vnto them in this sort Ah wicked and vngodly Cain traitor I may not say father take thou now the treasures the horses the seruants the iewels and the prouince of Mustapha How came it into thy wicked cruell and sauage breast so vngratiously and contrarie to all humanitie I will not say the reuerence of thine owne bloud to kill thy worthie warlike and noble sonne the mirror of courtesie and prince of greatest hope the like of whom the Othoman family neuer yet had nor neuer shall I will therefore my selfe prouide that thou nor none for thee shall euer hereafter in such sort shamefully triumph ouer a poore crooked wretch And hauing thus much said stabd himselfe with his owne dagger into the bodie whereof he in short time died which so soone as it came to the old Tygers eares it is hard to say how much he grieued His dead bodie was by his fathers commaundement carried from ALEPPO in SYRIA to CONSTANTINOPLE and afterwards honourably buried on the other side of the hauen at PERA For all this bloudie tragedie his couetous mind was not so troubled but that he could forthwith command all Mustaphaes treasures and riches to be brought to his tent which his souldiors in hope to haue the same giuen them for a prey willingly hasted to performe In the meane time the souldiors which were in Mustaphaes campe not knowing what was become of their master seeing such a multitude of souldiors thrusting into their campe without all order to represse their tumultuous insolencie stept out in their armour and notably repulsed them not without much bloudshed At length the noise of this stirre was heard by the rest of the kings souldiors who seeing the tumult to increase more and more ran in to helpe their fellowes so that in short time there began a hoat skirmish and cruell fight on both sides insomuch that two thousand were slaine and mo wounded neither had the broile so ended had not Achomat bassa a graue captaine and for his long experience of no small authoritie amongst the souldiors kept backe the Ianizaries and staied their furie and turning likewise to Mustaphaes souldiors by gentle and mild words and courteous persuasions in this manner appeased their rage What my brethren said he will you now degenerating from your auntient loyaltie for which you haue bin for so many ages commended impugne the commaund of the great Sultan our dread soueraigne Truely I cannot sufficiently maruell what thing should moue you whom I haue hitherto proued to haue been most
worthy and valiant souldiors in this ciuile conflict to draw those weapons against your fellowes and brethren which you haue most fortunatly vsed against the enemies of the Othoman kings except you meane thereby to make your selues a ioyfull spectacle vnto your enemies who grieuing to see themselues ouercome by your victorious weapons may yet reioice among themselues to see you turne the same one vpon another Wherefore my sonnes for your auntient honours sake be carefull that you doe not by this your insolencie lose the reputation of your wisedome loyaltie and valour for which you haue hitherto been aboue all others commended reserue these your weapons which you haue now too too much vsed amongst your fellowes against your enemies of whom you may get more praise and honour This speech of the old Bassa so mollified the stout souldiors that they freely permitted all that was in Mustaphaes tents to be carried to Solymans but as soone as the death of Mustapha was blowne into the eares of the Ianizaries and the rest of the armie in Solymans campe another tumult rise among them worse than the first They were quickly all vp in armes againe and with a great noise confused with teares and lamentation as they were in rage and furie brake violently into Solymans pauillion with their drawne swords which strucke the tyrant into such a feare that destitute of all counsell in himselfe he was about with the extreame perill of his life to haue fled but being holden of his friends and making a vertue of necessitie vpon the sudden aduentured to doe that which at better leisure he would scarcely haue thought vpon for going forth out of his tent but with a pale and wan countenance he spake vnto the enraged souldiors thus What broile is this what sturre what so great insolencie what meane your inflamed fierce and angrie lookes know you not your soueraigne and him that hath power to commaund you Haue you so resolued to sâ—aine the antient and inuincible honour of your selues and your ancestors with the bloud of your lord and emperour Whilest he was yet thus speaking the souldiors boldly answered That they denied not but that he was the man whom they many yeares before had chosen for their emperour but in that they had by their owne valour got for him a large and mightie empire and in like manner preserued it that was therefore of them done that he should for the same gouerne them vertuously and justly and not to lay his bloudie hands without discretion vpon euerie just man and most wickedly embrue himselfe with innocent bloud and that they came thither armed they did it as they said moued with just cause to reuenge the vnworthie death of guiltlesse Mustapha and that for that matter he had no just cause to be angrie with them Wherefore they required that they might publikely cleere themselues of the treason whereof they were accused by Mustaphaes enemies and that the accuser might be brought forth to justifie his accusation protesting that they would neuer lay downe their weapons vntill the accuser made his appearance in judgement and commenced his accusation judicially vpon paine to endure the like punishment if he failed in proofe Whilest these things were in doing the hainousnesse of the late committed fact caused euerie man to shed teares so that Solyman himselfe seemed to be sorie for the murther so lately by himselfe committed wherfore he promised vnto the souldiors whatsoeuer they required and did what he could to appease their angrie minds For all that they in the meane time least he should craftily slip away and deceiue them of that he had promised and of the expectation of such things as they had required witha maruellous care and diligence all kept watch and ward Solyman to appease this furie of the Ianizaries depriued Rustan Bassa of all his honours and tooke from him his seale whereof he had the keeping and deliuered it to Achomates bassa But Rustan worthely strucken with feare and horrour seeing himselfe now in no safetie in his owne tents fled secretly to Achomates asking his counsell what were best for him to doe and what course to take in so doubtfull and dangerous a case To whom the Bassa answered That it were best for him to vse the great emperours aduise and to doe what he commaunded Which answere well satisfied Rustan and so he which of late gaue other men accesse vnto the emperour at his pleasure was now glad by his old acquaintance and friends to preferre this poore sute To know his pleasure what he would haue him to doe From whom he receiued this answere That he should incontinently without farther delay get him out of his sight and out of the campe which the Bassa said he could not conueniently doe being by his displeasure and the souldiors rage disfurnished of all things necessarie for his departure Whereunto Solyman sent him answere againe That he could giue him neither longer time nor delay and that it were best for him without more adoe to be gone for feare of farther harme Whereupon Rustan guiltie in conscience of most horrible villanie treacherie accompanied but with eight of his most faithfull friends in steed of his late world of followers posted in hast to CONSTANTINOPLE and there not without danger of his head with Roxolana and other the complices and contriuers of the treason against Mustapha in great feare expected the euent of his fortune This young prince Mustapha thus shamefully murthered by his owne father was for his rare vertues generally beloued of the Turkes but of the souldiors most for his martiall disposition and readinesse for the effusion of Christian bloud The opinion they had conceiued of him was such and their loue so great that they neuer thought there was any in the Othoman family of whom they expected so much for the enlarging of their empire insomuch that euer since when in their priuat or publike actions they faile of any great hope they vse this prouerb euen at this day taken froÌ„ him Gietti Sultan Mustapha Sultan Mustapha is dead as who should say our hope is all lost Achomates bassa the great champion of the Turks a man of exceeding courage not ignorant of the small assurance of the great honors of that state at such time as he receiued the seale from Solyman boldly told him That as he did then franckly bestow it vpon him so he would at one time or other to his no lesse disgrace take it from him to whom Solyman solemnly promised with an oath not to displace him so long as he liued For all that he had not long enjoyed that honour but that Solyman falling in dislike with him and willing againe to promote Rustan bassa to that great honour greater than which there is none in the Turkes court which by reason of his oath he could not doe so long as Achomates liued To saue his oath and to preferre his sonne in law whom he
paunch blub cheeked and exceeding red faced so that the souldiors in sport would say he was fed with greene mault he was altogither giuen to his ease and spent his time in drunkennesse and sleepe neither was he courteous of speech nor willing to deserue well of any man for he would not as he said offend his father by being popular so was he onely of his father beloued and of all other men hated of all kind of men he most misliked of them that set all their hope in a bountifull and couragious prince The same souldiors were also wont to call Baiazet Softie that is to say a man giuen to quietnesse and studie but after that they saw him take vp armes and for the safegard of himselfe and his children readie to aduenture any thing they began to admire him as a man of valour and courage and to aske among themselues Why his father should reject him of such worth the expresse image of himselfe and preferre before him that gorbellied sluggard in whom no sparke of his fathers valour was to be seene That his entring into armes was no fault being thereunto by necessitie enforced for had not Selymus their grandfather done the like where of no better example could be found whom the force of necessitie constrained not only to take vp armes against his brother but also to hasten the death of his father and by so doing purchased vnto himselfe and his posteritie the empire which so gotten if Solyman did not vnjustly possesse why might not his son vse the same course why should he so rigorously reuenge that in his sonne that was so lawfull in the grandfather Although there was as they said great difference betweene that Selymus and this Baiazet for that this man intended no harme against his father but wished him long to liue neither yet against his brother if he might by his leaue but liue if he would but once cease to doe him wrong that it was alwaies accounted lawfull to repell force by force and to shun present death if the destinies would so permit By such affections and motiues Baiazet his power increased daily which being now growne aâ—most to the greatnesse of a full armie hee thought it not best to vse longer delay but to march forthwith against his brother to fight with him one battell for his life state and empire accounting it some commendation although in vaine to haue attempted so great an enterprise His purpose was as Solyman feared to get into SYRIA which if he could bring to passe he then doubted not of the rest Selymus strengthened with his fathers power lay waiting for his comming before ICONIVM well appointed of all warlike prouision his armie was exceeding strong and in it many notable commaunders martiall men of great experience whom his father had joyned vnto him who all lay couered with their great ordinance planted in places most conuenient But Baiazet nothing terrified therewith as soone as he came within sight of his brothers armie exhorted his souldiors in few words to play the men for that now was come the time they wished for and place for them to shew their valour in wherefore they should shew themselues couragious and valiant and he would make them all rich and fortunat He told them that their fortune was now in their owne hands to frame it euerie man as he would himselfe so that if any of them were wearie of their present state there was the field wherein they might exchange it with better and therein lay downe the miseries of their former liues that of him they should if they ouercame expect riches promotions honours and whatsoeuer else the rewards of valiant men That with the victorie of one battell all their desires should be satisfied were they neuer so great which victorie was by the valour which rested in them to be gotten and his brothers armie the heartlesse followers of a heartlesse captaine ouerthrowne for as for his fathers souldiors that were with his brother they were in bodie present but in mind altogither on his side That it was onely Selymus that withstood his welfare and their felicitie whom they should therefore valiantly seeke for in field as their common enemie and not to be afraid of his multitude forasmuch as victorie was to be gained not by number but by valour and the most mightie God of heauen and earth was still present not with the most but with the best Besides that he willed them to remember with what a cruell enemie they were to fight who thirsted after nothing more than their bloud And to conclude he willed them all not to looke vpon his words but his deeds and said If as you shall see me fighting for your profit you shall likewise fight for mine honour I dare then assure you of the victorie Which said he with great courage charged the enemie and fighting himselfe long time amongst the formost and there performing all the parts of a valiant souldior and worthy captaine was for his notable valour no lesse commended of his enemies than of his owne souldiors The battell was bloudie and terrible and many fell on both sides But after that they with wonderfull obstinacie had a great while fought with doubtfull victorie so that fortie thousand Turkes lay there dead vpon the ground at length the victorie began to encline to that side whereon stood the greater strength the juster cause and better counsell Many of the enemies being slaine and many of his owne people also lost Baiazet was enforced to retire which he did so leisurely and without shew of any feare that it seemed to the beholders he had well neere as well gained as lost the field neither durst Selymus pursue him but stood still fast in the same place neuer more glad of any thing than to see his brothers backe But Baiazet after he had in contempt of his fathers commaund thus run his owne course and satisfied his owne desire though disappointed of his purpose and not able to performe the journey by him intended into SYRIA turned now his course and began in good earnest to go to AMASIA his appointed prouince Solyman speedily aduertised of the euent of this battell forthwith passed ouer into ASIA for as the great Bassaes his counsellors thought it not conuenient for him to go ouer the strait before the victorie so after it was certainly knowne they thought it not good longer to stay least the ouerthrow of Baiazet might giue occasion to such as secretly fauoured his quarrell to shew themselues and so to raise greater troubles Besides that the fame of his passage ouer would as they said much auaile both to the discouragement of Baiazet and the terrifying of his friends and therefore it was by them thought good hastely to pursue him now ouerthrowne and not to suffer him to gather courage by the example of his grandfather Selymus Solymans father who had been more terribly vanquished then when he stood in
they would for all that keep it to the last man For that perhaps the like honourable occasion for them to shew theÌ„selues in should neuer again be offred wherfore they had as they said resolued in that place to spend their liues for the glorie of God and the Christian religion The course of this life they said was but short but that honour and fame was for euer and whereas death is to all men prefined it were to be wished that the life which is to nature due should rather seeme to be by vs franckly giuen to God and our countrey than reserued as natures debt Which if it should so happen they would so vse the matter as that the barbarous enemie should haue neither pleasure nor joy which should not cost him much bloud euen of his best souldiors This they willed the knights to tell the Great master and to request him not to bee too carefull of them but to promise vnto himselfe those things of them which best beseemed resolute men especially of them who had vowed themselues to that sacred warre This answere of greater resolution than fortune receiued the three knights when they had diligently viewed the castle returned to the Grand master who calling to counsell his knights and hauing heard the answere of the besieged would needs heare also what opinion the three knights themselues were of concerning the keeping of the castle of whom Castriot was of opinion That the place was still to be defended and that if he were there to commaund he would vndertake to performe it and there rather to lose his life than to forsake it after he had once taken vpon him the charge thereof But Roces the French knight was farre of another mind and said plainely that the place could not possibly be holden against so strong an enemie and that if Iulius Caesar himselfe were aliue and saw to what straight the place was brought especially all the rampiers being either beaten downe or â—ore shaken such a power of obstinat enemies lying round about it he would neuer suffer so many valiant souldiors to be lost but quit the place and reserue his men to further seruice for why it was the part of valiant men to performe so much as was of men to be performed but to striue to do more was no manhood at all Wherefore he thought it best to doe that which men vse with members mortified whose recouerie is desperat in which case we doubt not to make a seperation so to saue the rest of the bodie with life The Spanish knight in most part agreeing with Castriot said That he thought it not good that the place should so easily be forsaken first for that the ditches and bulwarkes were yet defencible and then because he saw so great a consent amongst the defendants and such a cheerefulnesse to withstand the enemie which thing as hee said presaged victorie These opinions of the knights thorowly in counsell debated and euery particular well wayed it seemed good to the greater part that they which were in the castle should for certain daies yet hold it out especially because it was not the manner of the knights of the Order easily to abandon their strong holds but rather to keepe them to the last that euen therein the barbarous enemie might perceiue with whom he had to doe and so see his pride abated For if they should haue forsaken the place they might haue beene thought to haue done it for feare whereby the enemies insolencie might haue beene encreased and the honourable Order of those sacred knights disgraced But the Turkes intentiue to that they had before determined the three and twentith day of Iune assembling all their forces both by sea and land round about the castle in the dead time of the night on euery side set vp scaling ladders made bridges wrought mines and with two and thirtie great pieces of artillerie battered the rest of the wals yet standing and presently gaue a most terrible assault The defendants on the other side beat downe some repulsed others slew many euer more carefull how to wound the enemie than to saue themselues and where he pressed fastest on there to shew their greatest valour Great were the outcries made on both sides mixt with exhortation mirth and mourning the face of the whole fight was diuers vncertaine cruell and dreadfull and now it was the third houre of the day when still the victorie stood doubtfull and had not the furie of the great ordinance beene so terrible that it had now beaten downe all the wals vnto the very rocke whereon the castle stood the defendants might for some longer time haue endured the enemies force But the very rocke bared both of wals and defendants and more than foure hundred slaine a man could scarcely now shew himselfe but hee was presently strucke in pieces Monserratus Gouernour of the castle and Garas of EVâ—oeA men of equall valour integritie and honour were both slaine with one shot for a short and transitorie life made partakers of immortalitie together Yet the rest which stood in defence of the castle nothing terrified with so great a losse and slaughter of their fellowes but augmented rather as it were with new courage from aboue fought with greater force than before ouerthrew the Turks ensignes now set vp in the castle slew the ensigne-bearers captaines and colonels now respecting nothing more but honourably to lay downe their liues for their religion and the obtaining of immortall fame By this time the Sunne was mounted to the middle of heauen great was the heat and men exceeding wearie the murdering shot neuer ceased and such was the multitude of the enemie that he still sent in fresh men in stead of them that were wearied or wounded On the other side the small number of the Christians and those weakened with labor watching thirst and wounds did what men might yet at length were ouercome by a greater force and so the castle by the Turks woon but with such slaughter of their men that it was a wonder that so many should be slaine of so few The defendants were all slaine euery man in valiant fight Here may I not in silence passe ouer the inhumane and more than barbarous crueltie of the Turks against the dead bodies of the slaine knights that thereby may appeare that crueltie neuer wanteth whereon to shew it selfe mercilesse yea euen after death The Turks after they had taken the castle finding certaine of the knights yet breathing and but halfe dead first cut their hearts out of their breasts and then their heads from their bodies after that they hanged them vp by the heeles in their red cloakes with white crosses which manner of attire they after an auntient custome vse in time of war as they doe blacke in time of peace in the sight of the castles S. ANGELO and S. MICHAELL And yet Mustapha the Turks Generall not so contented commaunded them afterwards to be fast
of that place lost this short and transitorie life winning thereby immortall fame and at S. Michaels Adurnius one of the knights and Pagio with certaine others were greeuously wounded for the enemie suddenly retiring from the assault presently so thundred into the breaches with their great and small shot that all the island seemed to tremble the heauens to burne and the aire to be darkened with smoake In the meane time Valetta thorowly wearied with the mornings fight had withdrawne himselfe a little to breath himselfe when suddenly a Spanish priest with his hands cast vp to heauen came running to him roaring and crying out That all was lost and forlorne and that three or foure ensignes of the enemies were by the castle breach broken into the towne Which the Great master hearing suddenly clapt his helmet vpon his head and with a pike in his hand said vnto them that were about him Loe fellow souldiors the houre is come wherein you may shew your selues the most valiant champions of the Christian religion if it be so that you now also retaine the same valor which you haue in other battel 's shewed There is no cause wherefore you should doubt of this last for the enemie is the same and the same God which hath hetherto preserued vs will not now forsake vs wherefore follow me valiant hearts This said he hasted to the place where most danger was and with him all the souldiors all the citisens men and women old and yong yea the very children all against the common enemy There was fought a most dreadfull and dangerous battell some kept the enemie from entring some set vpon that were alreadie entred whom they wounded chased and slew although they notably resisted Within without all was couered with darts weapons dead bodies and bloud The Great master was carefull of all in euery place present commending exhorting directing as occasion required performing at once all the duties of a most valiant souldior and worthie Generall At length the Turkes with the setting of the Sunne retired and so the assault ceased Thus was the Great master the vndoubted victor but not without much bloud of his people considering his small number for in this fight he lost aboue 200 men wheras of the enemies beside them which were entred whereof not one escaped were slaine aboue 2000. These are those foure terrible assaults presently giuen one after another vnto the besieged Garzias the Viceroy in the meane time taried for nothing els to transport his armie to MALTA but for the comming of Io. Cardona who with twelue gallies was gone to PANORMO to conduct thence foure ships laded with prouision but when he saw him stay long he sent to him in post That if he could not with such speed as was required tow foorth those ships he should spend no longer time but take out the prouision into his gallies and with speed to come away So the Viceroy with a fleet of threescore and twelue gallies the twentith day of August set forward from MESSANA to SIRACVSA wherein he caried ten thousand select souldiors amongst whom were aboue two hundred knights of the Order of S. Iohn and about fortie of the Order of S. Stephen which is an Order of knights instituted by Cosmus Medices duke of FLORENCE to the imitation of the knights of MALTA in the yeare 1561 and haue their residence at COSMOPOLIS a new built citie in the island of ELBA in the Tuscane sea oueragainst PIOMBINO Besides these knights in this fleet were diuers noble and valiant gentlemen of ITALIE SICILIE and other countries The fleet being arriued at SIRACVSA the Viceroy sent Auria with one gallie and a boat to MALTA to land a man to know of Paccius left as we haue before said for a watch in the island at MALECA what newes or what he had seene By whom it was vnderstood That no ship was seene at sea but one galliot which the one and twentith day of August in the morning made towards GAVLOS and the same day towards night as he was informed by the watchmen of MALECA sixteene gallies came to water at SALINE but what became of them afterwards by reason of the comming on of the night could not be descried In this while the besieged had notably repaired the breach at the castle bulwarke and had in sundry places aptly placed certaine great pieces to flanker the ditches and to beat the mount cast vp by the enemie at the bulwarke of BONINSEGNA that they might from thence annoy all the plaine of the castle with their small shot But the Turkes hauing determined with all their forces at once to assault both the townes as before brought an engine made of spars and boords able to couer thirtie men vnder the breach at S. Michaels whereby it came to passe that none of the defendants could without danger shew themselues in the breach which when they could by no meanes endure they suddenly sallied out and putting them to flight which were there couered set fire on the engine and burnt it In like manner they which besieged the new citie were repulsed at the castle breach and another like engine burnt The next night certaine of the watch of the castle issued out and hauing destroyed the Turkes engines prepared for the assayling of that place and slaine them that were set for the keeping thereof returned in safetie into the castle But when the enemies both that day and others following rested not but repairing their mines mounts and engines laboured in both places to haue beaten the Christians from the wals all their endeuour and labour was by the industrie and valor of the defendants made frustrate The besieged had at the castle breach made a mine and laid in it eight barrels of pouder that if the enemie should again assault that place he might there be blowne vp but whilest the Turks were for like purpose working a mine in the same place they chanced vpon the mine before made which they spoyled and carried away all the pouder Thus whilest they labour both on the one side and the other Mustapha the Generall a most expert and famous commaunder considering that Summer now so farre spent he was not to vse longer delay and withall that resolute perseuerance oftentimes in warre findeth out a way to victorie determined with all his power once againe to assault the castle S. Michael Wherfore displaying the stately standerd of the Turkish emperour vpon the point whereof was fastened a globe of gold he commaunded his souldiors to enter the breach who now like desperat men attempted to haue performed his command and were by the Christians valiantly encountred so that in the breach was made a most terrible and doubtfull fight But when the Turkes had now beene twice rejected and beaten downe Mustapha perceiuing his souldiors as men halfe discouraged but faintly to maintaine the assault came himselfe to the places praying and exhorting them not to be discouraged but
setting forward calling together the captaines and cheefe commaunders of the fleet Partau the more to encourage them spake vnto them as followeth We are to fight said he fellowes in armes with that kind of men whom our ancestors haue driuen out of EVBoeA the RHODES MYTILENE PELOPONESVS and TRIPOLIS and wee our selues but yesterday out of the famous island of CYPRVS whose cities and strong townes in number infinit our emperour hath as the rewards of his warres whom we haue alwayes vanquished as well by sea as by land and shall it then now repent you that you in this warre embrued in the Christian blood haue sunke or taken many of their ships and gallies That you haue caried away great and rich spoils That you haue taken whole islands and cities at the first assault That we haue by proofe shewed vnto the world what force is in the Turke to subdue strong cities and townes and what little power is in the Christians to defend the same What direction brought vs victorie before the same shall also at this present giue vs the like Not to speake of that that we farre excell them both in number of men and gallies this is more to be reckoned of that we excell them in valour and prowesse for you being old expert souldiors from your infancie trained vp in the warres hardened in infinit battels and full of courage and strength shall fight against weake fresh water and effeminat souldiors who entertained for pay of the refuse of all nations know nothing belonging to the warres or forcibly pressed out of cities serue not because they would but because they must neither will nor chuse But not to speake more of the manner of the Christian souldiors who are nothing els than the perpetuall exercise of your renowne and prowesse and to come vnto him vnder whose fortune and conduct they serue What should I say should I compare either of vs who haue spent our liues in victories and triumphs who borne and brought vp amongst armes haue with our right hands gained vnto our selues honour and fame with this stripling and halfe moneths captaine who neuer saw battels but these who in a lesse matter neuer shewed proofe of himselfe why should he be accounted of in a greater who in so weightie a cause needeth a tutor and such a one as indeed beareth the name of a Generall more for his honour than for any worth in himselfe Besides amongst the enemies is such dissention that euerie man regardeth his owne priuat serueth as pleaseth himselfe contemneth and is contemned Whereas with vs is such consent that it cannot be deuised how the souldiors in generall should more trust their commaunders or the commaunders their souldiours What things were by the discipline of warre or carefulnesse of a Generall to be prepared all those you haue abundantly and plentifully in readinesse onely this last warlike labour remaineth which once dispatched our enemies shall be discomfited euen in that wherein their greatest confidence resteth They shall be despoiled of their honour and trafficke at sea and that citie once subdued which is alone the glorie of the sea there shall be no hope left for the Christians neither by sea nor land and that we haue alwaies wished ITALIE faire ITALIE wherein these matters are plotted against vs shall be in our hand and power wherefore let vs with such courage assaile our enemies as beseemeth most victorious conquerours men so many times conquered And so set forward as if you saw our emperour himselfe encouraging you and giuing you the signall of battell of his bountie and the present victorie expecting all felicitie and blisse This comfortable speech with great grauitie deliuered by the Bassa so encouraged the Turks as that they all with one voice and mind seemed to desire nothing more than battell for they still possessed with the first report of Caracoza and encouraged by the Bassaes speech were in god hope to haue fought the battell vpon great aduantage and therefore thought vpon nothing but present victorie Whereupon setting forward with great cheerfulnesse they came out of the gulfe and shaped their course for the islands ECHINADES about midway betwixt LEPANTO and PATRAS before little islands or rather obscure rocks scarcely appearing in the sea but now to be made famous throughout the world by the most notable battell that euer was fought in those seas The Christians also comming still on towards the enemie the seauenth of October in the afternoon vnderstood by their espials that the Turkes fleet was comming and euen now at hand whereupon the Generall commaunded the great ensigne of the confederats the appointed signall of battell to be forthwith displaied and a great warning piece to be shot off out of his Admirall gallie And himselfe glistering all in bright armour with Cardona Admirall of SICILIA and Soto his secretarie in a long boat went to all the squadrons of the fleet one after another exhorting them with cheerfull countenance to follow their leaders and to play the men remembring that they that day carried in their hands the wealth honour glorie and libertie of their countries yea and the verie religion of their forefathers and that that daies victorie would bring vnto them and theirs perpetuall felicitie whereas otherwise if they should as cowards suffer themselues to be ouercome and vanquished it would be vnto them the beginning of all manner of most wofull calamities To which and other his like speeches the captaines and souldiors before of themselues cheerfull enough in euerie place where he came gaue such applause with the joyfull crie of Victorie Victorie so often and so cheerfully in all places resounded as that it was taken as a luckie aboadment of the glorious victorie shortly after ensuing In like manner Auria in the right wing and Barbadicus in the left for the fleet kept the same order that they had appointed before at MESSANA ceased not by all comfortable speeches to encourage their followers shewing vnto them That now the time was come they had so long wished for wherein they not oppressed with multitude might at length shew their true valour against the false and faithlesse enemies who being in deed nothing else but base and contemptible slaues borne to bondage and hauing lost their owne libertie came to impugne the libertie of others bringing with them a greater terrour of their name than valour of their persons and that therefore if euer they would now shew themselues valiant and couragious and that day wherein of all others true force was to be seene to abate the pride of the barbarous and cruell enemie and to make their rejoycing for the conquest of CYPRVS short before they had well tasted the pleasure thereof At which time also the captaines generally throughout the fleet with cheerfull countenances and couragious speech encouraged their souldiors leauing nothing vnsaid that might harten them on or vndone that might further the victorie Neither were the Turks wanting to themselues
wearie and wounded souldiors and marriners they staied from farther pursuit for why the night came now fast on vnder the couert whereof the craftie old pyrat flying for life with sailes and oares escaped with thirtie or as some write fortie gallies againe into the bay of LEPANTO It was a right horrible spectacle to see how in this battell the sea stained with bloud and couered with dead bodies weapons and the fragments of the broken gallies besides the great number of them that were slaine and beaten into the sea many of the Turks blinded with feare casting away their weapons to escape the furie of the enemie threw themselues headlong into the sea but finding no hope to recouer the land laboured againe to come to the gallies or else fainting by the way were miserably drowned Others either halfe dead weake and vnskilfull of swimming or ouercharged with their armour the sea also deuoured yea many that could well swim wearied and wounded sunke for feare Others vpon plankes and the pieces of the broken gallies sought to saue themselues and not knowing what to follow or what to shun wofully perished Othersome swimming and pitifully entreating their enemies rather to take them prisoners than to kill them were as it oftentimes chanceth where things are done vpon choller rather than vpon discretion without compassion slaine in which doing the Christians thought they did rather reuenge former injuries to them done than to doe them any wrong with some mercie more preuailed than wrath who remembring the common chance of warre chose rather to take the Turkes prisoners wofully crauing nothing but their liues than without mercie to kill them The number of the Turks lost in this most famous battell could hardly be known by reason that many of them were drowned Antonius Guarnerius writing the historie of this warre reporteth two and thirtie thousand to haue perished but they which write more sparingly thereof report not past halfe so many to haue beene slaine of whom these were of greatest name Haly Bassa the Generall Mahomet Bey otherwise called Chiroche or Sirocus Gouernour of ALEXANDRIA Cassanes the sonne of Barbarussa with his sonne Malamur Gouernour of MITILENE Gider Gouernour of CHIOS Cassambeius Gouernour of the RHODES Proui Aga captaine of NAVPLIVM Mustapha Zelibi the great treasurer Caracoza the famous pyrat with many others whom but to name were tedious The chiefe prisoners there taken were Achmat and Mahomet the sonnes of Haly Bassa both afterwards sent as presents to the Pope of whom the eldest died by the way at NAPLES the younge presented vnto the Pope by Columnius at ROME was there honourably kept prisoner and Mechmet Bey Gouernour of EVEoeA and about three thousand fiue hundred others were in that battell taken also The chiefe of them that escaped by flight were Partau Bassa who seeing all go to wracke fled in time in a long boat to land and Vluzales who as it was afterwards certainly known but with fiue and twentie gallies and ten galliots fled to LEPANTO Of the enemies gallies were taken an hundred threescore and one fortie sunke or burnt and of galliots and other small vessels were taken about sixtie The Admirall gallie then taken amongst the rest was so goodly and beautifull a vessell that for beautie and richnesse scarce any in the whole Ocean was comparable vnto her The deck of this gallie was on both sides thrise as great as any of the others and made all of blacke Walnut-tree like vnto Ebonie checkered wrought maruellous fair with diuers liuely colours and varietie of histories There were also in her diuers liuely counterfeits engrauen and wrought with gold with so cunning hand that for the magnificence thereof it might well haue been compared vnto some princes pallace The cabbin glistered in euerie place with rich hangings wrought with gold twist and set with diuers sorts of pretious stones with certaine small counterfeits most cunningly wrought Besides this there was also found in her great store of the Bassaes rich apparrell wrought with the needle so curiously and richly embossed with siluer and gold that his great lord and master Selymus himselfe could hardly put on more royall or rich attire His casket there also found with six thousand duckats in it with a yearely pention of three hundred duckats was giuen in reward to a Greeke borne in MACEDONIA which slew the Bassa and was therefore also knighted by Don Iohn who had also giuen vnto him the Burrell of the Turkes standerd which at his returne to VENICE where he had of long time before dwelt and serued in the Arsenall he sold vnto a goldsmith Whereof the Senat hauing intelligence redeemed it of the goldsmith paying for euery ounce a duckat and layed it vp amongst the trophies of that most famous victorie It was all of massiue siluer guilt and engrauen round about with Turkish letters On the one side was written God doth conduct and adorne the faithfull in worthie enterprises God doth fauour Mahomet On the other side God hath no other God and Mahomet is his Prophet This notable victorie thus happily obtained Don Iohn the Generall with Venerius and Columna the other two Admirals came together whom the Generall friendly embraced but especially Venerius calling him father and attributing vnto him the greatest part of the victorie Afterwards all together with their hands and eyes cast vp towards heauen they vpon their knees gaue immortall thankes to Almightie God So did also the rest of the captaines and masters commending one anothers valour and good seruice but especially theirs who for their religion and countrey had there most honourably spent their liues which were in number about 7566. Amongst whom the cheefe men that were slaine were Io. and Bernardinus of the honourable familie of Cardona in SPAINE Horatius Caraffa and Ferantes Bisballus Virginius and Horatius noble Romanes of the honourable familie of the Vrsini Of the Venetian nobilitie Augustinus Barbadicus Benedictus Superantius Vincentius Quirinus Ioannes Lauretanus Marinus Contarenus Catherinus Malipetra Georgius and Andreas Barbadicus Marcus Antonius Landus Franciscus Bonus Hieronimus Contarenus Antonius Paschaligus Hieronimus Venerius all of the order of the Senatours Besides diuers other honourable gentlemen who well deserued to be enrolled in the eternall monuments of fame Of the knights of MALTA were also many slaine amongst whom of the Germane nation these were cheefe Ioachim Spart Commendour of MOGVNTIA and FRANCFORT Ro. of Hamberke Commendour of HEMMENDORF and Fra. Drost Of them that were wounded these were of greatest name Don Iohn the Generall Venerius the Venetian Admirall shot through the foot Paulus Iordanus Troilus Sauell and Mar. Molinus with diuers others of lesse fame to the number of almost seuen thousand Great was the joy conceiued of this victorie but to none more welcome than to the poore Christians fast chained in the Turkes gallies of whom twelue thousand were thereby deliuered from most miserable thraldome and contrarie to all hope restored to
which hauing long lien in hope of prey vpon the side of the great riuer Borysthenes were returning emptie home he by fit messengers sent of purpose offered them great entertainment to serue him in his warres against the Turke of which his offer they as men liuing for most part by seruice gladly accepted and so without the knowledge of the king went vnto him to the number of twelue hundred with their captaines men of great courage and valour of whom Suierceuius was chiefe who were by the Vayuod honourably entertained and did him in these wars right worthy seruice These Cossacks are light horsemen lying most commonly vpon the borders of the Polonian kingdome towards the Tartars an hardie and valiant kind of men whose best liuing is the spoile they take from the enemie and their best lands their horse and launce For albeit that the Turkes and Tartars are most commonly in league with the Polonians and seeme neuer so desirous of peace yet doe they oftentimes in great numbers vpon the sudden breake into the countries of PODOLIA and RVSSIA part of the Polonian kingdome and there doe great harme if they be not in time repressed or cut off by the aforesaid light horsemen who for that purpose lie alwaies in wait for them as doth the hawke for the prey Selymus vnderstanding the answere of Iohn the Vayuod was therewith exceedingly enraged and the more by the bitter complaint of the embassadour who angrie with the Vayuod that he was of him no better regarded nor rewarded spared not to the vttermost of his power to incense the angrie emperour against him as if his honor had been in the person of himselfe contemned and violated Wherfore without delay he sent thirtie thousand Turks and two thousand Hungarians vnto the Palatine of VALACHIA TRANSALPINA that joyning those forces to his owne he might take Iohn the Vayuod and sending him in bonds to CONSTANTINOPLE to place Peter his brother Vayuod in his place The Palatine glad of this commaund and hauing raised his owne power togither with the Turks and the Hungarians swam ouer the riuer Moldauus hauing in his armie about an hundred and two thousand fighting men a power not onely sufficient to haue driuen the Vayuod out of MOLDAVIA but also to haue shaken a right puissant king in his kingdome The Palatine in the middest of so great a strength little fearing and lesse regarding the sudden comming of the Vayuod suffered his men with their horses to lie disorderedly here and there dispersed in the large medowes and pastures all alongst the faire riuers side so the better to refresh themselues wearie of their long trauell In the meane time certaine scouts came to the Vayuod then at dinner certifying him that the enemie with an huge armie the certaine number wherof they could not well descrie was come ouer the riuer and now resting themselues had turned off their horses into the rich medowes thereabout in such disordered and carelesse manner as that they might with a small power be easily ouerthrowne The Vayuod glad of this newes forthwith sent before Suierceuius with his Cossacks and fiue thousand other light horsemen more certainly to descrie what the enemie did with the manner of his lying and he himselfe with the rest of his armie followed faire and softly after Suierceuius with great silence approaching the enemies campe suddenly light vpon the enemies scouts in number about fiue hundred who enclosed before they were aware were taken euerie man by the Cossacks and by them straightly examined of the state of their armie and campe Who for safegard of their liues now in their enemies power frankly confessed how that the Palatine lay securely there by resting his armie not so much for the refreshing thereof after his trauell as with greater strength to set vpon the Vayuod with his fresh souldiours and that in the armie were about seauentie thousand Valachians thirtie thousand Turks and three thousand Hungarians who now dispersed and sleeping in securitie might easily be ouerthrowne Of all these things Suierceuius aduertiseth the Vayuod requesting him with all possible speed to hasten his comming for the obtaining of a most notable and assured victorie he in the meane time lying close with his men not farre from the enemie The Vayuod certified of all these things came without delay and forthwith commaunded Suierceuius with his men to giue the onset vpon the enemie purposing himselfe with the rest of his armie on the other side to charge the disordered campe in three places Suierceuius according as he had in charge with a great and terrible outcrie suddenly set vpon the secure enemies who dismaied with the suddennesse of the vnexpected danger stood as men astonied not knowing which way to flie or how to make resistance But whiles Suierceuius with his light horsemen thus on the one side filleth the campe with tumult terrour slaughter and feare behold euen as a sudden tempest commeth the Vayuod bearing all the disordered campe downe before him neither had the enemies any meanes to flie hauing put their horses a great way off from them into the rich pastures but there taken vnarmed were miserably slain In all the campe was lamentation and mourning death raging in euerie place with such furie that of so great an armie as of late passed the riuer few or none escaped more than the Palatine with Peter his brother who by great chance with much adoe getting horses swam ouer the riuer and so came to the castle of BRAILOVIA in VALACHIA all the rest were slaine and left to be of the beasts of the field and birds of the aire deuoured It was a most horrible spectacle to see the ground couered with the bodies of the dead all stained with gore bloud and their weapons of all sorts lying by them In the campe were found great riches all which the Vayuod gaue vnto his souldiors and there staied foure daies to refresh his wearied men After that he with his victorious armie entred into VALACHIA the Palatines countrey where he tooke manie castles and townes and put to the sword all that came in his way men women and children without respect of age or sex and burnt all the countrey townes and villages before him as he went so that all that part of the countrey of VALACHIA TRANSALPINA was couered with smoke and fire to the terrour of the beholders The aged fathers were in euerie place drawne forth to slaughter the young babes were cut in pieces the matrons and virgins defiled and afterwards slaine and in briefe all the crueltie that could be deuised performed in the bloudie execution whereof the Vayuod commended his men persuading them in like manner still to prosecute the victorie and that the rest of their labours was all but for prey and bootie for the enriching of themselues In this hauocke of all things it was told him that the Palatine with his brother Peter the men whom he most sought after were
in the castle of BRAILOVIA not farre off whereupon he forthwith marched thither with his armie The citie of BRAILOVIA standeth vpon the riuer Danubius and had in it a castle of some good strength defended both by the nature of the place and a strong garrison of the Turks which Selymus had appointed for the keeping thereof as the key of the countrey not farre from this citie the Vayuod encamping his armie writ vnto the captaine of the castle forthwith to deliuer vnto him the Palatine with Peter his brother his mortall enemies who neuer wronged by him had inuaded his countrey and sought after his life and being ouerthrowne in battell were fled vnto him which if he should refuse to doe he threatned neuer to depart thence vntill he had to his farther harme constrained him by force to yeeld them These letters he sent by two Valachian captiues to be deliuered vnto the captaine of the castle whereunto he returned answere by foure Turkes two of the citie and two of his owne seruants by whom he also sent ten great shot and as many small with two Turkish arrowes and this message For that I know thee to be the seruant of my dread soueraigne Selymus I regard thee and will not denie the same men to be with me whom thou so much requirest But for as much as I vnderstand that thou of late hast slaine a great number of the seruants of the great emperour who by his commaundement were bringing Peter the brother of the Palatine into MOLDAVIA I therefore tell thee that except thou betime raise thy siege I will feed thee and thy followers with such dishes as these whereupon thou and thine armie gorged to the full shall all afterwards dangerously surfeit and cast Farewell This rough answere so much mooued the Vayuod that he commaunded hands to be laid vpon the aforesaid foure messengers and their noses lips and eares being cut off both their feet to be with great nailes fast nailed vnto a long piece of timber and so with their hands hanging downward to be set vp before the citie and so left for the captaine and the citisens to gaze vpon Signifying withall vnto the captaine that sent them that he himselfe with the other fugitiues his guests should in like manner be serued if they fell into his hands Immediatly after he assaulted the citie and vsing the cheerfulnesse of his souldiors by plaine force tooke the same the defendants being not able to hold them out There was made great slaughter of the Turkes whereas no man was taken to mercie the very babes were slain together with their mothers and bloud ran like riuers into the Danubius For the space of foure dayes this bloudie execution endured no place serued for refuge euen the most secret and obscure places were searched and the poore creatures there found drawne forth and slaine The furie was so great that no liuing thing no not so much as the very dogs were spared Much gold siluer plate jewels and other rich spoyle was there found all which became a prey vnto the greedie souldiours for that citie was of all others in those quarters the richest as a place much frequented enjoying long peace as after such time the Turkes were fully possessed of GRaeCIA not being troubled with any warres vntill now that it was by the Vayuod first ransackt and afterwards rased downe to the ground and nothing thereof left standing more than the bare castle it selfe which the Vayuod durst not aduenture vpon for that it was well fortified and furnished with so strong a garrison as that it could not without his great losse be taken Whiles the Vayuod was thus busied in the spoile of BRAILOVIA newes was brought vnto him of the comming of fifteene thousand Turkes to the reliefe of the castle against whom hee forthwith sent Suierceuius with his Cossackes and other eight thousand Moldauian horsemen who suddenly comming vpon the Turks disordered and fearing no such matter slew almost fourteene thousand of them and chased the rest vnto the castle of TEINA Of this victory Suierceuius in all hast certified the Vayuod and withall that there was another great power of the Turkes comming which might easily be also ouerthrowne if he leauing the siege of the castle of BRAILOVIA would without delay come and joyne his forces with his He glad of that news and well perceiuing how difficult and dangerous that siege would be vnto him rise forthwith with his armie and went to Suierceuius and afterwards vpon conference had with him laid siege to TEINA which citie taken without much labour he put to sword all the people found therein not leauing one aliue and by the seruice of Suierceuius ouerthrew the Turks comming towards BRAILOVA Selymus in the meane time much troubled with the proceedings of the Vayuod and doubting to be quite thrust out of VALACHIA TRANSALPINA which he was like ynough to haue beene had not the treason of Czarnieuiche hindered the matter prepared new forces for that seruice and after the manner of the Turks in time of their greatest distresse appointed generall supplications and prayers to be made vnto his prophet Mahomet for the better successe of his wars the vndoubted signe of his feare The Vayuod after so many victories against the Turkes purposing for a while to breake vp his great armie called vnto him his old friend Ieremias Czarnieuiche vnto whom as vnto the man he of all others most trusted he had resolued to commit the charge with part of his armie to keepe the Turks from passing againe ouer the riuer Danubius into his countrey and in deliuering to him his charge spake vnto him as followeth Sith fortune hath hitherto answered our desires worthie Czarnieuiche with most rare and perpetuall successe against the Turkes our most cruell enemies we are thankefully to take the same and to render most humble and heartie thankes vnto Almightie God that it hath pleased him the author of all victorie so to haue prospered our endeuours against these fierce and deuouring enemies Now what remaineth for the present but to disband mine armie wearied with labour and trauell and to giue my soldiors leaue to depart home to rest themselues that so I may as occasion shall require againe vse their fresh forces for our better seruice you in the meane time with thirteene thousand of my select souldiors shall lie vpon the side of Danubius to keepe the Turkes from passing the riuer Haue good regard I pray you vnto this your charge which I vpon an especiall trust grounded vpon your antient loue and fidelitie haue at this time imposed vpon you And let me from time to time with all expedition vnderstand from you of euery motion of the enemie that so we may in due time prouide for him accordingly And so in token of his greater fauour taking his leaue of him with a kisse as the manner of those people is gaue leaue vnto the greatest part of
Moldauians withdrew themselues of purpose out of sight vnto the armie which then lay in a low valley behind an hill not to be discouered vntill a man were almost vpon it The Vayuod suspecting the enemie to be at hand deuided his horsemen in number thirtie thousand into thirtie companies and placing before euery companie certaine field pieces so marched readie to giue battell His footmen in number many a rude and homely kind of people but vnto him of all others most faithfull and armed with such countrey weapons as they had he placed by themselues So marching on he came to another hill from whence he might not farre off easily descrie the huge armie of the enemie and how he had been by the treason of Czarnieuiche deceiued whereupon he presently sent for him who sent him word backe againe That he could not now come the enemie being so nigh at hand but that he should forthwith see him in the field as forward as the forwardest against the enemie Czarnieuiche had then vnder his commaund thirteene thousand of the most choice souldiors in the armie who vpon the signall of battell on both sides giuen for the Turkes were now also readie first according to his promise set forward as if it had beene to haue giuen the onset but being come neere vnto the enemie forthwith as he had before agreed caused his ensigne to be let fall and his men with their caps vpon the points of their speares and swords in token of their voluntarie yeelding and submission to bow downe their heads and bodies whom the Turkes with their speares and launces holden vp on high joyfully receiued as their friends or rather as men taken to mercie The rest of the armie almost discouraged with this so sudden a reuolt of so great a man retired in hast to the Vayuod crying out vnto him that all was lost But he nothing discouraged therewith as a most resolute man in the most sudden dangers with comfortable words cheared them vp willing them as couragious men to follow him against the enemie whom they in all things exceeded excepting number which alwayes gaue not the victorie The Turkes perceiuing the Moldauians lately reuolted vpon the joyning of the battell as men in conscience wounded to shrinke backe thrust them perforce into the head of their battell making of them no more account but to blunt the enemies swords and such as hung backe they themselues slew vpon whom as false traitors the Vayuod caused his field pieces to be most furiously discharged so that most part of these trecherous men there slaine some by the Turkes some by their owne friends receiued the just reward of their infidelitie and treason accompanied with perpetuall infamie Ouer the dead bodies of these traitors the Turkes comming on were at the first notably encountered by the Moldauians and after a most cruell fight as if they had beene discouraged began to retire but indeed of purpose to haue drawn the Christians before they were aware within the danger of their great ordinance and ambushes which they had before aptly and couertly placed for that purpose Which Suierceuius well acquainted with the Turkes finenesse perceiuing with much adoe staied their further pursute and so auoided the danger prepared for them The Turks deceiued of their expectation came on againe afresh with no lesse furie than at the first whom the Christians right valiantly receiued and made with them a most cruell and mortall battell wherein many both of the Turkes and Christians fell and neuer rise againe But what was so small a power against such a world of men After long fight the Moldauians oppressed with the multitude of their enemies began to giue ground and seeing no other remedie but either to flie or to die betooke themselues to flight wherein most part of them were slaine the furious enemie still hardly pursuing them at the heeles of the Cossackes were left onely two hundred and fiftie The horsemen the chiefest strength of the Vayuod thus by the treason of Charniauiche ouerthrowne the Vayuod with twentie thousand footmen and such horsemen as had now after the battell joyned themselues vnto the footmen retired vnto a towne not farre off which he but a little before had rased but was now glad in the ruines thereof to fortifie himselfe against the sudden and furious assaults of the Turks who the same night so beset the Vayuods campe with such a multitude of men that no man could go in or out of the campe or the vttermost part of that hugie armie be from any place descried The next day which was the eleuenth of Iune the Turkes shot diuers great shot into the Vayuods campe but to small purpose for the Christians had for so short a time notably fortified themselues within the ruines of the old towne Which the Turks well perceiuing and withall considering how hard and dangerous a matter it would be to assault the Vayuod in his strength they sent messengers vnto him to persuade him without delay to yeeld himselfe and to repose more trust in the mercie of the Turks than in his owne broken forces especially in his so hard distresse being so beset as that he could not possibly escape and out of hope of all reliefe and therefore should by such voluntarie yeelding seeke for grace of his enemies rather than by a desperat obstinacie to cast himselfe into a most certaine destruction where no mercie was to be expected Whereunto the Vayuod answered That he was not ignorant into what danger he was brought rather by the treason of Charniauiche and his followers than by the valour of the enemie yet had left with him a strong power of most valiant and resolute men who would in his quarrell and defence of themselues sell their liues verie deare vnto the Turks neuerthelesse that to auoid the farther effusion of bloud he could for his part be content to yeeld vnto his hard fortude so that the great commaunders of the Turks armie would condiscend vnto such reasonable conditions as he should propound and for the performance thereof giue him their faith not once or twise but seauen times by solemne oath to be taken Of this his offer the Turks accepted willing him to set downe the conditions which were first that the Polonian Cossackes might in safetie depart into their countrey with their horses and armour then that they should without any violence offered to his person send him aliue and in good safetie vnto the great emperour Selymus before him to answere his owne cause as for the Moldauians he said he needed not to couenant any thing for that the injurie offered vnto them tended also to the hurt of the emperor himselfe and of him whom he should appoint Vayuod whose subjects they were These conditions as reasonable were well liked of the Turkes and so according to his desire confirmed seauen times by the solemne oath of euerie captaine and commaunder in the armie both for
themselues and their followers Vpon this agreement the Vayuod brought all his armie out of the trenches wherein they had lien strongly encamped and there with heauie heart tooke his last leaue of his souldiors to the generall griefe of them all amongst whom he diuided such money and jewels as he had as a remembrance of his kindnesse And there in the sight of them all disarming himselfe accompanied onely with Osmolius a Polonian went in manner of a suppliant vnto the Turks campe where he had full foure houres talke with the great commanders of the armie vntill that at last Capucius Bassa either offended with his speech or vnmindfull of his faith before giuen with his scimitar vpon the sudden strucke him a great blow ouerthwart the face and an other crosse the bellie whom so wounded and as yet but halfe dead the Ianizaries tooke and cut off his head which was forthwith set vp vpon a launce for all men to behold His dead bodie they bound by the feet vnto two camels and so shamefully tore it in pieces and happie was he that could get any little piece thereof or embrue his sword with the least drop of his bloud This was the lamentable wofull end of Iohn the Vayuod of MOLDAVIA a right valiant and worthie man shamefully murthered by the perfidious Turkes who had he beene more constant in the Christian faith had not happily fallen into so great miserie Whose wofull fall may serue as a most notable example of the vncertaintie of these worldly things for as no man for a time had of the Turkes moe or more glorious victories so in the end and as it were in demonstration of mans fragilitie no man perished more miserably The Vayuod thus perfidiously murthered the Turkes with like treacherie forthwith set vpon the Moldauians and slew them downeright as beasts appointed for the slaughter Which the Cossackes beholding and hoping for no better measure thrust themselues into the thickest of their enemies and there valiantly fighting were all slaine except some few of the better sort reserued for raunsome amongst whom was Suierceuius with some other captaines who were afterwards for great sums redeemed when as they could by no meanes be persuaded to forsake their religion and turne Turke After this victorie and shamefull murther of the Vayuod the Turkes ouerran all MOLDAVIA and put to sword all the nobilitie of that countrey with many of the countrey people of whom they also as their manner is in countries new conquered sent great numbers in Colonies into the farther parts of the Turkish empire and for the more assured possession thereof placed strong garrisons in euerie towne and castle as they thought it most conuenient Thus all VALACHIA both the higher and the lower fell into the Turkes hands in the yeare 1574 and was by Selymus joyned vnto the Turkish empire none of the least things by him done For beside the gaining of so great a countrey the most assured bulwarke of POLONIA he hath therby opened a faire and easie way for his successours at their pleasure to enter into PODOLIA or RVSSIA parts of the Polonian kingdome yea and into POLONIA it selfe which they will vndoubtedly in time doe if God in mercie bridle not their immoderat desires and with his mightie hand protect the dangerous state of that kingdome Selymus at the same time not a little grieued with the losse of the kingdome of TVNES and that Don Iohn had there done the yere before began forthwith to cast in his mind how he might againe recouer the same and withall thrust the Spaniards out of the strong castle of GVLETTA which they had now almost fortie yeares kept euer since that it was by Charles the fift taken from Barbarussa in the yeare 1535 for hee well saw it to be a matter of no small moment to whom that strong fortresse standing so commodiously in the frontiers of AFFRICKE belonged There was and still is vpon that coast diuers of the Turkes aduenturers which liuing altogither vpon spoile had to that place safe recourse as to a most assured refuge and if no bootie were to be met with thereabout then would they run out towards MALTA SARDINIA SICILIA and the other islands thereabouts yea oftentimes into ITALIE and SPAINE and from thence carrie away with them great booties both of men and cattell and whatsoeuer thing else came in their way for which cause many of the Turkes men of warre resorted thither in hope of purchase But after that GVLETTA was possessed by the Spaniards they were not onely depriued of that so commodious an harbour but many times intercepted euen by them of that place and by the gallies of MALTA which two places serued as two most sure bulwarks against the Turkes and Moores aduenturers by whose meanes they many times came short home For which cause the Turkes especially these pyrats of whom the Turke maketh great account as not his least strength at sea wonderfully desired to haue both those strong places gotten out of the hands of the Christians In the castle of GVLETTA was continually a strong garrison of a thousand Spaniards who kept them of TVNES in great subjection and oftentimes cut short these pyrats and rouers who much troubled those seas Wherefore the Turkish emperour Selymus hauing made great preparation both for sea and land seruice commaunded Sinan Piall and Vluzales his chiefe Bassaes and men of great experience with all speed to passe ouer with his fleet into AFFRICKE to besiege TVNES and GVLETTA Who when they had put all things in readinesse according as they had in charge set forward and with three hundred saile of gallies came before GVLETTA the thirteenth day of Iuly whither also resorted vnto them other the Turkes men of warre from ALEXANDRIA ALGIERS and other places in such number as that all that coast seemed to be couered with shipping The Turkes at their first arriuall laied siege to the water tower wherein were eight hundred souâ—diors well prouided of all things needfull for defence who most valiantly maintained the place vntill such time as that most of them being by the often assaults of the enemie slaine the rest by the commaundement of the captaine retired to him into the castle In taking of this tower the Turkes lost 3000 of their men After that they began to besiege the castle of GVLETTA against which they cast vp diuers mounts and from thence most terribly battered the castle from whence the deadly shot was sent againe amongst them not sparingly so that in one day two hundred great shot were reckoned to haue been shot out of the castle amongst the thickest of the enemies But after manie furious assaults too tedious to report and much harme done on both sides the Turkes to their great aduantage tooke the chanell of the lake of TVNES and fearing least some reliefe should be sent to the besieged maintained their assault day and night without intermission Neuerthelesse certaine companies of Spaniards
sent from the new castle by Serbellio got into GVLETTA after which they in the besieged castle sallied out and the twentith of August repulsed the Turkes with an exceeding great slaughter But the Bassaes fully resolued vpon the winning of the place to gage their whole forces and without ceasing still bringing on fresh souldiors after they had all the day continued a most terrible assault at length about two houres after Sun set they tooke the castle the three and twentith day of August when there was now scarcely two hundred soldiors left aliue to defend the same who altogither with the other weak people in the castle were without mercie cut in pieces What wealth the Turkes found in this castle is hard to say but certaine it is that they had therein great store of victuals armour shot and pouder and foure hundred great pieces of artillerie GVLETTA thus taken the Turkes forthwith laid siege to the new castle appointed by Don Iohn the yeare before to haue beene built betwixt GVLETTA and TVNES which was not yet altogither finished wherein the two auntient and valiant captaines Serbellio and Salazar left there of purpose for the building thereof by Don Iohn lay with a garrison of four thousand good souldiors The Bassaes when they gaue the first summons to the castle the foure and twentith of August required to haue it forthwith deliuered vnto them to whom Serbellio stoutly answered That he had promised the king his master to giue him a better account of the place and being now also verie old could not endure the Turkes heauie yoake but would therefore hold it out vnto the last man which both he and Salazar truly performed not omitting any thing that was by men to be done for defence of the place and sallying out sometimes the one and sometimes the other made great slaughter of the Turkes giuing them also repulse vpon repulse when they came to the assault But the great Bassaes little feeling and lesse regarding the losse of men so that thereby they might gaine the place after many most terrible and desperat assaults at length namely the thirteenth day of September when they had with all their force for the space of six houres furiously assaulted the castle and slaine most of the defendants at last tooke it Serbellio shot in with two bullets and wishing rather to die than to fall into the hand of the enemie thrust himselfe into the middest of the Turkes there to haue perished but by the hastie comming in of Piall Bassa both he and Salazar were taken aliue as for all the rest that followed them they were put to the sword The Bassa in his rage strucke Serbellio and the more to grieue him caused his sonne to be cruelly murthered before his face Neither was this victorie by the Turkes obtained without bloud hauing in lesse than three moneths space that the siege endured lost aboue thirtie thousand men These strong holds the greatest strength of that kingdome thus taken the Turks marched to TVNES which they easily tooke and afterwards ouerthrew the fortifications therof because it should no more rebell Mahomet the young king but the yeare before placed in that kingdome by Don Iohn was there taken and in bonds sent aboord to be carried with Carrâ—ra captaine of GVLETTA prisoners to CONSTANTINOPLE And thus the kingdome of TVNES with the strong castle of GVLETTA fell againe into the possession of the Turkes to the farther trouble of the Christian countries lying ouer against it The prowd Bassaes hauing as they thought best disposed of all things at TVNES and GVLETTA departed thence and with their fleet of 400 saile came the fourth of October within sight of MALTA But vnderstanding that they of MALTA were prouided for their comming and remembring what dishonor their most magnificent emperor Solyman had not many years before there sustained wherof diuers of them had been eye-witnesses they turned thence and sailed directly to CONSTANTINOPLE Shortly after this great emperour Selymus spent with wine and women vnto whom he had giuen his greatest strength died the ninth of December in the yeare of our Lord 1574 when he had liued one and fiftie yeares and thereof raigned eight and lieth buried at HADRIANOPLLE He was but of a meane stature of an heauie disposition his face rather swollen than fat much resembling a drunkard Of all the Othoman kings and emperours he was of least valour therfore least regarded altogither giuen to sensualitie and pleasure and so dying left his empire vnto Amurath his eldest sonne a man of more temperance but not much greater courage who neuerthelesse by his valiant Bassaes and men of warre did great matters especially against the Persians the mortall and dangerous enemies of the Turkes as shall be hereafter in his Historie declared FINIS Christian princes of the same time with Selymus the second Emperors of Germanie Maximilian the second 1565. 12. Kings Of England Queene Elizabeth 1558. 45. Of Fraunce Charles the ninth 1560. 14. Of Scotland Queene Mary 1543. 20. Iames the sixt that now raigneth 1567. Bishops of Rome Pius the V. 1566. 6. Iulius the XIII 1572. 12. AMVRATH AMVRATHES TERTIVS TVRCARVM IMPERATOR SEXTVS FLORVIT AN o 1574 Non ego fortis eram Qâ—is tanto nomine dignus Ni fortem faciat mens generosa virum Me tumidum fortuna tumens euexit in altum Et par fortunae mens mea semper erat Sic quamuis tenero mihi nil nisi molle placeret Nominis augendi raptus amore fui Emisique meos ad fortia facta ministros Per quos sublatum est nomen in astra meum Mustapha Ferrhates Sinan ter maximus Osman Terrores orbis succubuere mihi Armenios domui fortes Medosque feroces Et mihi paruerat Regia Taurisij Sed mihi quid prodest tantorum parta labore Gloria Si subito maxima queque ruant Et nihil est tanti quod non breuis auferet hora Sic mea cum multis gloria victa iacet RICH. KNOLLEVS In English thus The Worthies praise I challenge not for who deserues the same Except the noble Worthies minde deserue the Worthies fame Prowd fortune set me prowd aloft in honours highest grace And still my hautie thoughts they were equall vnto my place So that although naught pleasd but that best fitted my desire Yet to increase my fame I still did more and more aspire And sent my mightie Worthies out to mannage my great warres By whose knowne valour my prowd name is mounted to the starres Prowd Sinan Ferrat Mustapha all men of high degree The terrours of the world so wide were vassales vnto me Th'Armenians stout I vanquished and fild the Medes with feare And Regall TAVRIS stately towers at my commandment were But what auailes my glorie great got with such Worthies paine If in the twinckling of an eye it come to nought againe And nothing is of so great State which Time shall not cast
so put in execution what he thought best for the honour of himselfe and the generall quiet of the kingdome Who joyeth now but Aidere in conceit a king replenished with vnwonted joyes receiuing honour from all men sauing from his best friends By meanes wherof perceiuing now the prohibition of them and moued also with the great stirre of Zalchan his greatest fauourit who discouering the deceit and crying vpon king Aider threatened the ladie the Sultans and the rest that waited vpon the faigned succession indeed ordained but for the scorne and despight of the ambitious man strucken with an exceeding feare and full of sorrow he withdrew himselfe closely amongst certaine women of the Court hoping so to find some way to escape with life In the meane time so greatly encreased the cries and threatenings of the friends and fauourits of Aidere who now had all of them prepared themselues for some dangerous and pernitious attempt that the counsellors with consent of the ladie his sister were enforced to take order That to bereaue this tumultuous seditious people of all their hope and courage Aidere should be depriued of his life Whereupon Sahamal the Georgian vncle to Aidere by the mothers side by the appointment of the ladie Periaconcona and the Sultans after long search made for him at last found him hidden amongst the women and without further delay taking him by the lockes strucke his head from his shoulders and in the place where Zalchan and the rest of his vnâ—ortunat fauourites stood crying and threatening amongst the thickest prease of the proud conspiratours flung the head all bloudie and as it were yet breathing for heat crying aloud vnto them Behold there your king enioy him at your pleasure At which sudden and horrible spectacle euery man burned in rage and anger neither for the present wanted there many a rash head that vainely threatened most cruell reuenge But in the end when they perceiued the neere succession of Ismahel ineuitable and the death of Aidere irreuocable euery man betooke himselfe to his owne priuat affaires and so at last deuided themselues one from another and so departing from the pallace scattered themselues some one way some another euery man as hee thought best for his owne safetie Shortly after Ismahel the desired king arriued at CASBIN where he was of his sister and the Sultans joyfully receiued as their lawfull and vndoubted soueraigne and with the great acclamation of the people saluted king who as soone as he saw himselfe possessed of the royall seat and his power now answerable to his desires he after the manner of the Turkish pollicie most vnnaturally caused the heads of his eight yonger brethren to be strucken off and withall vsed such further diligence that not onely all those which were neere vnto them in bloud or affinitie were bereaued of their liues but also all the fauourits of his late slaine brother Aidere were destroied in that publicke slaughter so that all the streets of CASBIN were defiled with bloud and all the citie resounded with mourning and complaints Which vnexpected crueltie altogether vnworthie so worthie a thought king so altered the minds of his subjects in generall that all their former hopes were now conuerted into new feares and their joy into mourning But much greater and farre more lamentable did the miseries grow as soone as it was giuen out That hee would change the religion of the Persians who with great deuotion honor their foolish Prophet Aly into the superstition of the Turks who with no lesse impietie obserue and maintaine the wicked rites of Ebubekir Haumer Osman and others by them supposed to be the most true successours of their great Prophet Mahomet For by meanes of this vncouth noueltie and vnexpected change and by force of an edict concerning that matter published by this new king many of his prophane priests many of the gouernours of his friendly and subject cities too much deuored to their former superstition were driuen some into exile some clapt into prison some had their eyes pluckt out among whom was the Caliph of CASBIN and not a few others in sundrie sorts depriued of their liues Yea many ladies joyned in bloud with Ismahel himselfe and diuers others of his kinsfolks to whom neither sex nor age nor innocencie could be a sufficient defence endured sundrie torments and strange calamities so that in PERSIA was neuer felt greater troubles or a more dangerous change In this so great an innouation and among these tumults there went abroad withall a generall rumour not in the cities of PERSIA onely but in the regions of the Turks also euen as farre as CONSTANTINOPLE That Ismahel with a puissant army of such as fauored this new proclaimed vanitie was determined in person himselfe to go to BABYLON now called BAGDAT there to receiue the crowne of the empire at the hands of him that he should find to be the successour of their great Caliph and in the chiefest place among their vncleane priests as had sometime Solyman the great emperour of the Turkes and the Persian kings of auntient times In this world of troubles when as the feare of farther miseries increased rather than any hope of auntient quietnesse he was when he least feared by the helpe of the aforenamed ladie Periaconcona suddenly bereft of his life but whether ouertaken in some of his owne amorous practises or poisoned by his said sister or that she as some probably affirme hauing secretly conspired with Calil Chan Emir Chan Pyry Mahamet Curchiâ— Bassi being all at that time men of great account and as it were presidents of the kingdome who disguised in womens apparell and brought in by her strangled him at such time as he had priuatly withdrawne himselfe amongst his parmours is vncertaine Howsoeuer it was sufficeth it that he by the helpe of the said ladie Periaconcona was by vnnaturall death taken out of this world the foure and twentith day of Nouember in the yeare of grace 1577 to the exceeding joy of all those nations who by his death thought themselues now freed of many great and dangerous troubles when he had raigned one yeare seauen moneths and six daies Ismahel thus taken out of the way the ladie began forthwith to persuade with the great Sultans the ministers of Ismahels death that as they had for the generall good of PERSIA contriued the death of the late king so now that they would take vpon them the protection of that great kingdome with the preseruation of the majestie and libertie thereof vntill such time as it were knowne who should worthily succeed in that crowne which now remained in their hands There was at that time many of the greatest princes and Gouernors of that kingdome assembled at CASBIN there gaping after such mutations of those troublesome times as might best serue their priuat dessignes Emir Chan burning in ambitious desires was in hope by means of a match to be made with a sister of Periaconcona
fugae RICH. KNOLLEVS Proud Sinan cease to vaunt too much of thy great triumphs woon Or with sterne looke for to extoll the deeds by thee erst done For why the Transyluanian prince will take reuenge of thee And swelling in thy greatest pride enforce thee for to flee R. Knolls This Sinan was a most auntient enemie to Mustapha and in all things thought himselfe his match For if Mustapha had subdued CYPRVS so had he conquered TRIPOLIS GVLETTA with the kingdome of TVNES in AFFRICKE and if Mustapha were a man of great courage and reuerend for his yeares Sinan would be his equall both in the one and the other yea and did not sticke to thinke himselfe his better too for that in the enterprise of GIAMEN in ARAâ—IA he performed such an exploit as Mustapha neither durst nor yet knew how to put in execution so carrying away the glorie of that famous conquest for which euer after there was betweene them a continuall heart burning one of them enuying at the others glorie and both in word and deed as occasions fell out in all things opposing themselues one against the other At last happens this opportunitie for Sinan who taking the occasion of the complaints of so many against Mustapha caused a great number of them to frame their supplications to Amurath which he for his part did in most malignant manner enforce and exaggerat against his old aduersarie accusing him that this second yeare he had most manifestly shewed himselfe to haue gone vnto the warres not as a worthie Generall desirous of noble and honourable enterprises but as a man that would make marchandise of bloud and of his souldiors payes employing the most liberall prouision of corne and money not as rewards of well deseruing men nor to the erecting of such fabrickes as were needfull and might haue beene built therewithall but onely to his own proper gaine so to enrich himselfe with his peoples losses to the great shame of his lord and consuming of the publicke treasure adding hereunto that if the things done by Mustapha were well searched it would be found that he had neglected many good oportunities attempted many things in vaine and not done any good either to the emperour or his souldiors but onely to himselfe whom rather than they would follow againe as their Generall all his people in an vprore shewed themselues readie and willing to aduenture themselues in any other farre greater labour that by their lord and soueraigne should be commaunded them These and such like complaints with the hard opinion alreadie conceiued against him by Amurath were the occasion why he resolued to put him from his place Beside that he thought it a thing dangerous to his state to suffer one and the selfesame Generall any long time to commaund ouer so great armies deeming it not so much for his honour still to employ one man as to shew that he had varietie and choice of subjects worthie of so great a charge And therfore being desirous to find out the truth of that was reported to him concerning Mustapha he sent the cheefe of his gentlemen porters with fifteene others to bring him to the Court with his Chancellor and Treasurer to shew the accounts of such monies as he had receiued and to giue vp an account of their whole office Vnto this messenger had Amurath deliuered three diuers letters which he should warily shew as occasion serued one of them was so written of purpose that Mustapha in the receiuing therof might by the same messengers be strangled in the second was the emperours warrant for the doing of that was to them commanded and in the third was contained that Mustapha should forthwith send his chauncellor and treasurer to the Court by those messengers Mustapha in the meane time by diuers meanes but especially by the guilt of his owne conscience venting the displeasure of the emperour towards him and suspecting as the truth was his life to be by those messengers sought after at such time as the captaine porter came to his campe found many delayes to put him off and would not in any case be spoken withall But when the messenger would endure no longer delay he was at length admitted to his presence hauing a circle appointed for him out of which he and his companions might not stirre or approch neerer vnto him the Bassaes guard standing in armes round about him The messenger perceiuing the Bassaes warinesse wilely pluckt forth the third letters concerning the sending of his Chancellor and Treasurer to the Court. Then began the craftie old Bassa to find many excuses to haue delayed the matter but being hardly pressed by the messenger and seeing no other remedie he with much difficultie deliuered them both couenanting before with the messenger to haue both their liues spared who comming to CONSTANTINOPLE were forthwith clapt fast into the tower called IADICVLA as there to haue beene seuerely examined of all the doings of the Bassa But Mustapha after long delay comming at length to CONSTANTINOPLE the ninth of Aprill in the Spring following and vsing the mightie and potent mediation of diuers great ladies and other his gratious friends in Court preuailed so much in that corrupt gouernment as that he was againe at length receiued into the fauour of Amurath without any further proceeding against him his chancellor or treasurer who by his meanes were afterwards also enlarged and set at libertie yet was he neuer after admitted to those honours which he persuaded himselfe were of right due vnto him for his good and faithfull seruice of long time done to the Othoman emperours In this time that Mustapha was Generall at ERZIRVM Muhamet the Visier Bassa was treacherously slaine at CONSTANTINOPLE after whom shortly after died also Achmet Bassa who succeeded in his place so that the said soueraigne dignitie in honour next vnto the Turkish emperour was by rightfull succession due to Mustapha the next Bassa but that hee was not thought worthie of it by him that might and of right ought to haue gratified him therewith as shall be a little hereafter declared when we haue briefely set downe the sudden and strange death of the said Muhamet the Visier worthie in all histories to be registred as a mirrour for all such as administer justice in so great place to looke vpon This Bassa a man of as great fame as euer was any that had gouernment in the Othoman empire in the time that he all commaunded had for some light causes depriued a certaine souldior of CONSTANTINOPLE of his yearely pension which with many labours and dangers he had gotten to maintaine himselfe which pension the Bassa bestowed vpon another souldior so that the other poore soule remained in miserie altogether vnprouided for Vnto which miserable estate seeing himselfe now brought and not guiltie to himselfe of any fault worthie so great punishment he determined with himselfe to reuenge the injurie with the bloud of that great Bassa and to bereaue
him of life that had bereft him of liuing which because he could not by any fit meanes put in execution by reason of the guard of slaues that keepe the person of the Visier so that no man can come neere him that holdeth that high place except he could by some meanes acquaint himselfe in the Visiers house and so insinuate himselfe into his acquaintance he resolued to take vpon him the rude habit of those religious which the Turkes call Deruislars and after their manner to present himselfe euery morning before the Visier to aske his almes and so hee did counterfeiting withall a certaine kind of follie and lightnesse of mind as doe those Deruislars to make the people beleeue that they contemne all worldly things as men rauished onely with heauenly cogitations which yet was by some that knew him thought to haue happened in him through the greefe he had conceiued for the losse of his stipend Muhamet not onely the first time but also at all other times that this counterfeit hypocrite came before him caused him to be comforted with his almes and as it were with a kind of priuat stipend enjoyned him euery morning to come vnto him into the Diuano and there together with others appointed for the same purpose to say his deuout prayers and in singing praises to their wicked Prophet to entreat God for his saluation for it is a custome of all the noblemen that at ordinarie houres of prayers all their priests assemble themselues in the Diuano which is made readie for them and there all together the infidell wretches doe with their vncleane mouthes mumble vp their superstitious prayers or rather most abhominable blasphemies By this meanes did this dissembling companion so insinuate himselfe into the Visiers acquaintance that the counterfeit foole went in and out of the Diuano at his pleasure no man gainesaying either his going in or comming out but dayly sat in the presence of the Visier and so hauing said his prayers and taken his almes with all reuerence quietly departed At last when the craftie hypocrit thought that the time was come wherein he might most fitly execute his purpose hauing vtterly resolued with himselfe to die so that he might satisfie the desire he had of reuenge so long couertly fostered in his heart hauing conueyed a very sharpe dagger secretly into one of his sleeues he went according to his custome to require his almes with an assured resolution when he had said his prayers and reached out his hands to receiue his wonted almes speedily to charge vpon the Visier and with the dagger to strike him to the heart According to the accustomed manner was the counterfeit hypocrit for who would euer haue suspected so long and so traiterous a designement admitted into the Diuano where Muhamet the Visier sat in his house to giue publike audience and after the vsuall manner before any of the suters that attended for answeres and dispatch of their businesse suspected any such deceit he was admitted neere vnto the Visier and sitting right against him according to his old wont poured out those vaine deuotions which those hypocriticall Barbarians vse to mumble vp in their prayers which being finished whilest the Visier simply reacheth vnto him his wonted almes the traiterous villaine in receiuing it suddenly drew out his dagger and once or twice stabbed it into the Visiers breast out of which so deadly wounds gushed out his bloud and life together Whereupon the standers by astonied with the strangenesse of the fact ran in but loe the old hoarie Visier lay all soyled in his owne bloud deadly pale and breathing forth his last gaspe The mischieuous murtherer they presently laied hands vpon and bound him fast but the rumour of the strange fact did by and by flie vnto the emperours eares who suspecting that some of the other great Bassaes desiring to mount into that high dignitie had prouoked the traitor to doe this detestable act would needs vnderstand of the traiterous murderer What occasion had mooued him so trecherously to kill his Visier Who resolutely answered him That he did it to deliuer the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE from the tyrannie of him by whom he was vndeseruedly depriued of his pension But when he could get no other answere of him he deliuered him into the hands of the slaues of the dead Visier who with most exquisit torments put him to death Muhamet thus dead after him succeeded Achmetes the neâ—t Bassa who as is before said shortly after died also so that it was now Mustapha his course to sâ—cceed in that chiefe roome for that he was the third in the order of the Bassaes. But when he had vsed all the meanes that he possibly could to haue obtained that so honourable a place by order due vnto him yet could he not find so much grace in the sight of Amurath his great lord as to haue it granted him vnder seale although in effect he made him sit as Visier and all matters of state were brought vnto him as chiefe Visier but in his stead the seale was sent to Sinan Bassa who was now made Generall for the Persian wars Which disgrace not a little discontented Mustapha fearing least some other strange accident should in short time light vpon him After that Mustapha was thus displaced from his Generalship Amurath nominated Sinan Bassa to be Generall in his stead for this expedition against the Persians and for the preseruation of CHARS and TEFLIS giuing him soueraigne authoritie to commaund and to set in order all such preparations as he should thinke necessarie for such enterprises as he should thinke good to attempt in his first yeare who although by reason of his great fauour he grew haughtie and glorious yet did he not foreslow to discourse throughly with himselfe vpon all his dessignments and namely beside the succouring of TEFLIS he determined to build a fort at TOMANIS to assure the passage thither from CHARS and withall to attempt all the meanes he could to induce the Persian king to send embassadours for peace with such conditions as should be acceptable to Amurath With these and such like discourses did he busie himselfe whilest he was yet making preparation to set forwards towards ERZIRVM Of all these changes and alterations was the Persian king aduertised as also that this new Turkish Generall Sinan was carefull how this long warre might by some meanes be appeased and a good peace concluded Vpon which occasion and by the persuasion of Leuent ogli the Georgian and of Mirize Salmas his Visier he was induced to send embassadors to CONSTANTINOPLE to demaund peace of Amurath Vpon which resolution he dispatched Maxut Chan of some called Maxudes his embassador with direction that he should go to Sinan and of him to receiue guides to conduct him to CONSTANTINOPLE with letters to Amurath and as much as lay in him to labour for the pacifying of all these troubles and in any case to conclude vpon it so that
Emus chancing vpon a beautifull virgine was by her most earnestly entreated to haue spared her honour and the rather for that as she said she was a Christian taken prisoner about twelue yeares before in CYPRVS since which time she had liued in most miserable captiuitie among the Turks and being now fallen by good hap into the hands of a noble Venetian was in good hope to be set at libertie inuiolated which she most humbly besought him for the loue of God to doe and not to embrue his hands with her guiltlesse bloud or to dishonour himselfe by forcing of her But all she could say preuailed nothing with the cruell and vnbrideled youth who after he had at his pleasure abused her cast her with the rest into the sea It is thought that Emus suffered this so great an outrage and so farre vnbeseeming the honor of the Venetians to be done to the intent that none should be left aliue to bewray the greatnesse of the bootie or of the villanie there committed which was neuerthelesse God so appointing it reuealed by one of the Turkes who saued by a surgion of CRETE which knew him and afterwards comming to CONSTANTINOPLE openly declared the same With the odious report whereof the Turkes were so enraged that in euery corner of the citie a man might haue heard them threatening vnto the Venetians most cruell reuenge yea they had much adoe to hold their hands from the Bailo or Gouernour of the Venetian marchants in CONSTANTINOPLE and to forbeare to spit in his face as he went in the streets At that time was one Io. Franciscus Maurocenus or as they commonly called him Moresin Bailo at CONSTANTINOPLE who vnderstanding that Amurath in his rage was about to send one of the great gentlemen of his Court whom the Turkes call Zausij the great Turkes vsuall embassadours to VENICE about that matter found meanes to haue him stayed at CONSTANTINOPLE and another of lesse authoritie sent to expostulat the matter with the Senat and in the name of Amurath to require to haue the offendour punished and the gallies with the slaues and goods restored so should the league betwixt him and them continue firme whereas otherwise he should be constrained by force of armes to reuenge the wrongs done to his subjects This message being by the said messenger deliuered at VENICE the Senatours after diligent examination of the matter returned this answere That the widdow of Ramadan with her familie comming to ZACYNTHVS an island of theirs was there honourably entertained and presented with certaine courteous presents but departing thence and comming to CEPHALENIA another of their islands her people running on land contrarie to the conditions of the league made spoyle of whatsoeuer they could light vpon sparing neither man nor beast Of which their insolencie their Proueditor vnderstanding and making after them found them in armes within the gulfe and comming neere vnto them was neither by them saluted as the manner at sea is neither was any top saile strucke in token that the commaund of that sea belonged vnto the Venetians all which they ought by the league to haue done for which their outrages and proud contempt their Proueditor had taken so sharpe a reuenge neuerthelesse they promised in that case to doe what beseemed them in reason and justice to doe for the satisfying of his desire With which so reasonable an answere Amurath seemed to be well contented but being indeed loth to entangle himselfe with warres against that mightie State at sea his warres against the Persians being not yet finished yet shortly after Emus was for his dishonourable and cruell dealing with the ladie and her familie worthily condemned and beheaded and the gallies with all the goods and slaues restored This great woman had in those gallies foure hundred Christian slaues all which vpon the taking of the gallies were as the manner is set at libertie for whom the Venetians made restitution of as many others of the Turks Ramadan Bassa the husband of the aforesaid great ladie was Gouernour of TRIPOLIS in BARBARIE and of the countrey thereabouts who hauing warres with one of the barbarous kings of the Moores went out against him with all his forces wherein were certaine companies of Ianizaries sent by Amurath from CONSTANTINOPLE Now in this countrey as in many other places of AFFRICKE are great and deâ—art sands ouer which whosoeuer is to passe must prouide himselfe both of victuals and skilfull guides without which they are not without danger to be passed Ramadan with his armie vnprouided both of the one and the other hauing entered these deserts was at length brought to that case that he could neither goe forward neither without losse of his men returne Yet at length he retired and got home but not without the losse of some of his people and the manifest danger of his whole armie for which his improuidence the Ianizaries fell into such a rage that not respecting the honour of the man or regarding the displeasure of their soueraigne they fell vpon him and slew him At which their insolencie if Amurath did winke and passe it ouer vnpunished let no man maruell for why the auntient obedience of those martiall men is not now as it was in former times when they were with a more seuere discipline gouerned but now growne proud and insolent as the manner of men is liuing in continuall pay with weapons in their hands doubt not to do whatsoeuer seemeth vnto themselues best be it neuer so foule or vnreasonable Which although it be in many places of this Historie to be seene yet for the more manifestation thereof I thought it not amisse here briefly to set downe an example or two of their notorious insolencie Not many yeares before the Ianizaries in CYPRVS with like insolencie slew Achmetes Bassa Gouernor of that island pretending for the colour of so foule a fact That he had defrauded them of their pay and oppressed them of the countrey with intollerable exactions Amurath highly offended with this their disloialtie in killing their Generall whom they had neuer before complained of thought it much to concerne the majestie of himselfe and the repressing of the like insolencie in others not to suffer it to go vnpunished and for that purpose sent another new Gouernour into CYPRVS with ten gallies furnished as well with other necessarie prouision as with such a conuenient number of souldiors as might suffice to chastice the insolencie of the chiefe offendours This new Gouernour arriued in CYPRVS dissembling the secret commandement he had for the executing of the transgressours by certaine trustie men gaue it out among the Ianizaries That Amurath was so farre from being angrie with the death of Achmetes as that he thought him worthily slaine by the Ianizaries for defrauding them of their wages and oppressing of his other subjects which report the new Gouernour had of purpose giuen out to put them in securitie and without farther
burnt and destroied nineteene other of his townes with vnspeakable crueltie committing all things to fire and sword After all this sacking and rasing Ebrain sent diuers messengers to Man-ogli to trie whether hee would yet be persuaded to come vnto him but nothing could moue the resolute Drusian to commit himselfe into his hands but rather encreased his constancie to auoid a most certaine death Now the great Bassa still thirsting after bloud and reuenge vnderstanding by a spie that the captaine of ANDERA being one of the Factors of Man-ogli with three hundred and fiftie souldiors was got vp to a certaine hill into a place of great securitie he sent Emir Ebne-frec to entice him and to tell him That seeing his lord Man-ogli would not come and yeeld himselfe he should come vnto him which if he would doe he would assuredly in despight of Man-ogli make him a Sanzacke of some of those places which he most desired The ambitious and vnheedie Macademo suffered himselfe to be easily persuaded and being accompanied with his three hundred and fiftie followers went with the said Ebne-frec and came at last to the pauillion of Ebrain hauing first caused his aforesaid men to stay behind in a valley two or three miles off But Ebrain would not so much as see the Macademo although both in respect of the nimblenesse of his person and also the fiercenesse of his lookes he was worthie to be looked vpon but commaunded him to be kept in a seuerall place from Serafadin and in the meane time deuised how he might with least losse of his owne men put to death those three hundred and fiftie the Macademoes followers which was by training them by means of the said Ebne-frec into a certain vineyard and so hauing brought them into a strait suddenly to set vpon them and kill them Which was accordingly performed for being by the treacherous Emir brought into the place appointed for their slaughter fearing nothing lesse they were suddenly enclosed by the Turkes Sanzackes and Ianizaries and slaine euerie mothers sonne This massacre thus finished Ebrain commaunded the Macademo to be brought before him and without delay to be stripped and flaid quicke who being come stoutly vpbraided Ebrain with his promise and his oath and amongst other speeches which he vttered whiles they stripped him said Cut me off my members and first putting them into the priuities of that infamous Ebrains wife put them afterwards into the mouth of himselfe for so I trow he will be contented and satisfied with my flesh And to them that were the executioners of his painfull death he said It is your great good fortune in deed that with such violence and needlesse deformitie ye are now able to spill my bloud and to take my life from me whereas none of you all had been able or once durst man to man to haue drawne one drop of it from me no nor to haue endured my countenance But go to proceed in your wicked and vnsatiable desire of my bloud and fulfill the cruell commaund of your Visier for in the end there will also light vpon you the iust reward of this so villanous a fact With these and other such like speeches the miserable wretch was stripped and three great slashes made on his backe where they began to flea him he in the meane time not ceasing to blaspheme their religion to curse their king and their false prophet also But the barbarous souldiors proceeding in their cruell action made other like gashes vpon his breast and stomacke and so drawing the skin downward could not bring it to his nauell before he was with the extremitie of the paine dead After this Ebrain caused the followers of Serafadin in number about 150 to be cruelly slaine and all his countrey to be most miserably wasted he himselfe still remaining in chaines Whilest the fire and sword thus raged in the Drusian countrey Ebrain by speedie posts sent to SIDON where his gallies lay at rode commaunded That disbarking foure thousand souldiors they should sacke all those countries alongst the sea coast euen as far as CaeSAREA in PALESTINE sparing neither age nor sex nor any person of condition whatsoeuer Which his cruell command was presently put in execution and three thousand soules brought away captiues great booties made of much rich merchandise many townes burnt sundrie castles rased and laid euen with the ground and to be short all the whole countrey of Serafadin and Man-ogli laid vtterly wast and desolat Ebrain was now in readinesse to depart for CONSTANTINOPLE where he was by Amurath expected as well for his gold as the accomplishment of the marriage But bethinking himselfe that whatsoeuer hitherto he had done would be accounted either little or nothing vnlesse he prouided in some sort for the quieting of those people vnder the Turkish obedience he determined to nominat one of the three Drusian Emirs that came to him to IERVSALEM to be Bassa of all those regions And because Emir Aly Ebne-carfus was the richest and most obedient of them all he thought good to commit that charge vnto him and honoured him with that dignitie yet not without a bribe but for the price of an hundred thousand duckats Wherefore he apparelled him in cloth of gold gaue him a horsemans mase and a sword all guilt and deliuered vnto him the kings commission causing him withall to sweare faith and obedience to Amurath And so hauing at least to shew set in order the affaires of those mountaines which an hundred of the Turkes great captaines had in former time vainely attempted he returned to DAMASCO where he staied twelue daies by shamefull shifts extorting money from diuers persons At last hauing no more to doe in those parts he turned himselfe towards GAZIR and BARVTO places vnder the gouernment of Ebne-mansur where he arriued with all his armie and found the gallies which he had left in the port of SIDON now in the hauen of BARVTO as he had before commaunded Now vpon a certaine hill aboue BARVTO neere vnto the sea Ebrain had pitched his owne tent only and none other and hauing sent all the rest of his best and goodly things which he meant to carrie with him to CONSTANTINOPLE aboord the gallies shrowded himselfe only vnder that narrow and base tent Thither he called Ebne-mansur and in pleasant manner told him That now it was time for him to make payment of the debt of an hundred and threescore thousand duckats which he ought the king his lord for the custome of TRIPOLI and BARVTO for that he could not longer stay in those quarters but was to returne to CONSTANTINOPLE which he knew not how to doe vnlesse he carried with him the discharge of that debt Whereunto Ebne-mansur made answere That it would not be long before his Macademoes would come with his monies and that then he would without farther delay make payment Which thing Ebrain well knew to be but an excuse and therefore determined with
with twelue gallies who landing here and there vpon the coasts of ITALIE did much harme causing it to be reported in euery place where he landed That this was but the beginning of a greater war and that a wonderfull fleet was to follow him which raised a great feare as well in other places as in ITALIE Howbeit no such fleet afterwards appeared for why the Turkish emperor much troubled with the reuolt of TRANSYLVANIA VALACHIA and MOLDAVIA and the great mortalitie then raging both among his souldiors and their horses was not at leisure to looke into the sea hauing his hands full ynough with the troubles of HVNGARIE where his men of warre enjoyed little rest in the frontiers of his territories Sigismund the Transyluanian prince had vpon some just causes of late suspected Aaron the Vayuod of MOLDAVIA to haue intelligence not onely with the Polonians but also with the Cardinall Bator and other his mortall enemies and secretly to haue beene about to make his peace with Mahomet and so againe to fall off from him vnto the Turke Which vehement suspition growing dayly more and more was about this time manifestly confirmed by certaine letters intercepted concerning that matter For the preuenting whereof the prince caused Aaron to bee apprehended and with his wife and sonne to be sent as prisoners to PRAGE in whose roume he by the consent of the nobilitie of the countrey placed one Stephen Rozwan a wise and discreet man amongst them and such an one as had been vnto him alwaies faithfull So as much as in him was prouiding that that countrey should not be rent from him and the vnion of the other But against the secret practises of the Polonians he protested openly by letters vnto the emperour by the power of God and aid of his faithfull subjects to redresse those so great injuries himselfe by the sword In the middest of these troubles came three Chiaus embassadours from the Turkish Sultan vnto the prince to persuade him againe to put himselfe into his protection and to giue him passage through his countrey as in former time into HVNGARIE promising him that all the injuries by him or his people done should bee for euer forgotten and forgiuen and that hee should haue those three countries of TRANSYLVANIA VALACHIA and MOLDAVIA as his owne free inheritance without paying any tribute and so to be accounted as the Turkes most louing friend and vassale What the prince answered thereunto was not knowne but by his doings afterwards it was easily to be gathered that he hearkened not vnto the deceitfull charmes of the faithlesse tyrant trusting more vnto the league he had with the Christian Emperour These embassadours were scarce gone but that a secret messenger came with letters from the chiefe of the Christians in BVLGARIA to the prince declaring vnto him That if he did with any good successe prosecute his warres they would be readie to follow his fortune and to joyne hands with him against the cruell tyrant and to shut vp all the passages that way into VALACHIA MOLDAVIA and HVNGARIE Whilest these troublesome times thus passed in TRANSYLVANIA and HVNGARIE one of the old Ianizaries called Wasuode Giezi an old souldior but a confident bold spoken fellow mooued as should seeme with the discontentments of the time came vnto Mahomet the great Sultan at CONSTANTINOPLE and there openly set vpon him with this rough abrupt speech How long at last most mightie Emperour wilt thou endure thy selfe to be seduced and blinded by the great Bassaes of thy Court and commaunders of thine armies How long wilt thou suffer thy selfe to be deceiued to the great danger of thy selfe and hurt of thy subiects Seest thou not how ouerthwartly fraudulently and cunningly they mooued onely with their owne couetous and ambitious humor haue hitherto dealt with thee and thy father especially in that that persuaded by them thou hast dishonourably broken thy league and taken vp armes against the Christian emperour At length open thine eyes and see their deceit and how much they abuse thy power Sinan Bassa who must haue himselfe honoured and exalted aboue all others hath not by strong hand honourably woon RAB as hath beene the manner of thine auncestors but hath craftily bought it with thy money and thereby cast thee into a most dangerous warre and infinit troubles O RAB RAB now the cause of great triumph and reioycing as if thereby all Christendome should in short time bee subdued to thy scepter But thou art therein much deceiued thy barnes thy store-houses as are TRANSYLVANIA VALACHIA MOLDAVIA BVLGARIA and other prouinces adioyning from whence this thy imperiall citie of CONSTANTINOPLE with the countrey about it thy Court yea thy selfe art to be relieued are by this warre shut vp so that downe the riuer of Danubius out of the West or by the Euxine out of the East thou art not to looke for any prouision From whence then ò mightie Emperour wilt thou maintaine thy selfe thy Court this populous citie and the countrey hereabout Not to speake in the meane time of thy mightie armie now in HVNGARIE flesh fish corne all manner of victuall are now at such a price that the common souldior cannot buy them In this extreame dearth of all things not men onely but euen the very beasts and cattell starue for hunger Thy horses goe fat perhaps into HVNGARIE but neither thou nor thy select souldiors can liue by grasse and weeds all that is left in that countrey This miserie and calamitie of thy people thou seest daily and yet thou wilt not with sound iudgement lift vp thine eyes to see from whence these harmes come and how that they by thee put in greatest trust studie not for thy profit or the profit of the commonweale but onely how by all meanes to enrich themselues Mahomet much moued with this confident speech of the old Ianizarie commaunded him to be forthwith committed to ward and by faire meanes to bee examined by whose setting on and for what cause he had so boldly vttered this rude speech vnto his Soueraigne and what further thing he had intended but the rest of the Ianizaries hearing thereof rise presently in a tumult and by strong hand tooke him out of prison and by solemne oath combined themselues to defend him euen to the spending of their owne bloud whereat Mahomet was glad to winke The greatest part of the aid promised by the Christian princes for the maintenance of this yeares warres against the Turke being now come to VIENNA in AVSTRIA countie Mansfelt lieutenant Generall vnder the Archduke forthwith called a counsell of the colonels captaines and other great commaunders of the armie to consult with them what course to take for the beginning of this great warre as whether they should presently lay siege to some towne of the enemies or els to expect him in the plaine field and to giue him battell All things well considered and that resolued vpon which was thought most expedient he remoued from
and so leaue him the citie which the Archduke would not by any meanes agree vnto At length with much entreatie they obtained that they might vpon the same conditions depart that the Christians did at RAB with their scimitars by their sides and so much of their goods as they could carrie vpon their backes vnto such ships as were to be appointed for the carriage of them to BVDA For the performance whereof hostages were on both sides giuen and so the next day being the second of September they began to come out of the citie moe in number than either the prisoners taken in the time of the siege had confessed oâ— the Christians had thought Thirtie ships were appointed for the conuaying of them downe the riuer to BVDA which not suffising many of them tarried in the citie vntill the next day at which time the Bassa with the sicke and wounded sayled to BVDA the prisoners and pledges on both sides being before faithfully deliuered Thus by the goodnesse of God and the good conduct of a few valiants Christians was STRIGONIVM the Metropoliticall citie of HVNGARIE after it had 52 yeares groaned vnder the miserable yoake of the Turkish seruitude againe restored vnto the Christian common-weale which the Christians forthwith repaired and new fortified as was thought best for the defence thereof against the enemie All which being done about the middest of this moneth the Archduke sent eighteene thousand to besiege VICEGRADE otherwise called PLINDENBVRG a strong castle of the Turks vpon the riuer betweene STRIGONIVM and BVDA which castle they tooke Which when they of BVDA vnderstood they were strucken with such a feare that many of the better sort were readie to forsake the citie insomuch that the Bassa to stay their flight was glad to commaund the gates of the citie to be shut vpon them and no man suffered to passe out This good successe of the Christians in these wars caused great rejoycing to be made in most parts of Christendome All this while the Christians were thus busied at the siege of STRIGONIVM the Transyluanian prince was not idle but in diuers places did the Turks exceeding much harme so that now his name began to be dreadfull vnto them It fortuned that the same day that the Countie Mansfelt departed at KOMARA that the prince at ALBA IVLIA with great solemnitie married Maria Christina the daughter of the late Archduke Charles the sonne of the emperour Ferdinand her other sister Anna being before married vnto Sigismund now king of POLONIA for so it was agreed for the more assurance of the league betweene the emperour and him that he should take his wife out of the house of AVSTRIA which he now did Of this solemnitie the Turks his euill neighbors hauing intelligence assembling to the number of 30000 or more thought as vnwelcome guests to haue come vnbidden or vnlooked for thereunto but the vigilant prince vnderstanding of their comming prouided for their entertainment accordingly and setting his pleasures for a while apart and comming vpon them when they least looked for him in a great battell ouerthrew them and slew most part of them carrying away with him as a triumphant victour the whole spoile of his enemies About the same time the Transyluanians also besieged FAGIAT a towne holden by the Turkes not farre from TEMESVVAR where after they had lien twelue daies they of the towne dispairing to be able long to hold out came to parley and couenanting to depart with bag and baggage began to go out of the towne But in their departure vnderstanding that the Bassa of TEMESVVAR with the Sanzacks of LIPPA and IENNE were comming to their reliefe they that were yet in the towne began to find delaies and they that were alreadie gone out began to returne Wherewith the Transyluanians much moued by plaine force entred the towne and put them all to the sword and afterward turning vpon the Bassa who with ten thousand Turks and certaine field pieces was comming to haue relieued the town had with them a cruell battell wherein most part of the Turks fell with small losse of the Transyluanians who so eagerly pursued the victorie that the Bassa himselfe had much adoe with fiue hundred others to escape The two Sanzackes with diuers others of good place were taken and sent prisoners to the prince Not long after about the latter end of August the Transyluanians also besieged LIPPA a famous citie of HVNGARIE standing vpon the riuer Maracz not farre from TEMESVVAR which the Turkes being notable longer to hold fled into the castle where finding themselues in no great safetie after three dayes siege they came to parle and so yielded vpon condition that they might in safetie depart with so much of their goods as they could themselues carrie About which time also the Bassa of BOSNA with ten thousand Turks and Tartars went forth to haue againe recouered BABOTSCA a frontier towne before taken by the Christians which the Stirians and the rest of the Christians dwelling thereabouts betweene the two riuers of Sauus and Drauus vnderstanding conducted by the lords Herbenstein Lewcowitz and Eckenberg that had the charge of those frontiers ouertooke the said Turks and Tartars neere vnto BABOTSCA fought with them and in the plaine field ouerthrew them Mahomet not a little grieued with the good successe of the Christians in euery part of HVNGARIE and aboue measure offended with Ferat Bassa his Generall through whose negligence all or at leastwise most part of this had happened as he was by the enuie of Sinan Bassa persuaded sent for Ferat home and in his place sent out Sinan Of which the great Sultans displeasure Ferat was not ignorant as forewarned thereof by her that best knew euen the Sultans mother and aduised not to come in sight vntill his peace were made Who neuerthelesse trusting to his own innocencie the comfortable but most dangerous and weake stay of the great and doubting not to answere whatsoeuer Sinan should be able to charge him with came to the Court where he was by the commandement of Mahomet shortly after strangled and his goods to the value of fiue hundred thousand duckats confiscated Among all the dangerous enemies of the Christian common-weale was none at this time more cruell than was Sinan an Epirot borne a fishers sonne of a rough and vnciuile disposition now about fourescore and three yeares old euen from his youth brought vp in the warres and yet as his mott was breathing nothing but Bloud and Warre He had many times fortunately led the huge armies of the Turkish Emperours Solyman Selymus and Amurath and is now sent by the great Sultan Mahomet as the fittest man to reduce the late reuolted countries of TRANSYLVANIA VALACHIA and MOLDAVIA to their former thraldome which he before promised vnto Mahomet vpon perill of his head to doe He hauing raised a right puissant armie by a bridge made of boats after a moneths labour spent therein passed ouer
safetie retired themselues into the castle a place of great strength leaâ—ing the citie vnto the Imperials then readie to haue besieged it but doubting of the Turkes great armie which as they heard was marching thitherwards the auauntguard thereof being come to MOAâ—â—ESH where Sarâ—es Bassa was also looked for the report being giuen out that the Turkes hauing relieued BVDA would go to besiege CANISIA or else Sâ—â—Iâ—ONIVM they staied to go any farther as men in doubt what to resolue vpon So were sent certaine colonels â—nd other captaines with their souldiors to fortifie certaine passages whereby the Turkes armie was to passe The rest in the meane time retiring for that the puissant enemie began now to approch as also for that they knew the great desire that Ibrahim Bassa had to recouer again STRIGONIVM and had therefore sent a great number of Tartars to forrage and wast the countrey and so suddenly hauing relieued BVDA and AGRIA there to resolue whether to turne his forces The Imperials in the meane time encamping neere vnto HATWAN and ZOLNOK to hinder the Turkes from victualling of BVDA as they desired cut off fiue hundred of them at their first arriuall who to that purpose were going towards BVDA and tooke also one of the Turkes Chiaus prisoner who sent from Ibrahim the Generall was going to AGRIA to put them in hope of their speedie reliefe They also at the same time attempted to haue surprised ZOLNOK where a good number of them with certaine Petardes approching the gates in hope so to haue broken them open being discouered by the watch were inforced to retire leauing fortie behind them slaine and carrying away with them many moe of their fellowes wounded in reuenge whereof the rest shewed their furie vpon the countrey thereabout destroying the villages and intercepting a great deale of munition which together with other victuals they met by the way as it was going to BVDA and AGRIA Summer now almost spent Ibrahim the great Bassa in the beginning of September came to BVDA with an armie of an hundred and thirtie thousand strong and from thence in the name of his great lord and master gaue the emperour to vnderstand at PRAGE That for the sauing of further effusion of innocent bloud and not for any feare or distrust of his owne strength and power hee could bee content to hearken vnto some reasonable conditions or treatie of peace Whereunto both these great princes hauing well wearied themselues with these long warres and exhausted their treasures seemed not now vnwilling expecting as was thought nothing more than for the honour to be the first entreated and the rather for that the old Sultannesse Mahomet his mother whom by the weakenesse of her sonnes gouernment such as neuer was in any the Othoman kings or emperours before beareth the greatest sway in his affaires seemed in what she might to further the same Wherefore in the latter end of September a place was agreed vpon for a parley for peace which was in an island in the riuer of Danubie beneath STRIGONIVM whither the lords Swartzenburg Nadasti Palfi and the bishop of VACCIA being come for the emperour and Amurath the Bassa of BVDA with the lieutenant Generall of the Tartars and some others for the Grand signior the Turkes at the first after their vnreasonable manner demaunded to haue RAâ— STRIGONIVM FILEK SETCHIN with all the rest of the townes and castles in fiue yeares before taken from them by the Christians to bee now againe surrendered vnto them with a certaine yearely tribute by the emperour to be paied vnto the great Sultan at CONSTANTINOPLE as also there to haue his embassadour leiger continually attending vpon the Turkes Court for which they offered to deliuer againe vnto the emperour the citie of AGRIA onely All which their proud and vnreasonable demaunds being by the aforesaid commissioners on the emperours behalfe rejected they were contented to come to some more reasonable talke offering to leaue vnto the emperour RAE and AGRIA whereof RAE was his owne alreadie onely for STRIGONIVM exchanging as it were STRIGONIVM for AGRIA Which when it could neither bee obtained the parley was so broken off and nothing concluded and so the warres againe continued without any memorable thing more this yeare betwixt them done either on the one side or the other the Christians contenting themselues to haue distressed the chiefe cities the Turkes held in HVNGARIE and the Turks no lesse apaied to haue relieued the same But whilest things thus passed betwixt the Christians and the Turks in HVNGARIE Michael the Vayuod of VALACHIA yet the emperours friend and confederat and vnder his protection certainely enformed his life to be sought after in the Turkes Court by the ambitious Cardinall Bathor his enuious neighbour but lately become the prince of TRANSYLVANIA as is before declared by commaundement from the emperour and to be reuenged of so great a wrong as also betimes to prouide for his owne safetie with an armie of threescore thousand strong suddenly entered into TRANSYLVANIA in most horrible manner burning the countrey and killing the people before him as he went Where whilest the Cardinall who was thought to haue purposed to haue serued him in like sort had he not beene by him preuented was making head against him 〈◊〉 the mean time had the citie of 〈◊〉 commonly called BRASSO with the strong castle of Fogaras yeelded vnto him from whence he marching towards ALBA IVLIA the six and twentith of October with all his armie before deuided into three parts but now againe vnited came into the plains neere TEMISON about three leagues from HERMENSTAT where vnderstanding that his lieutenant corrupted by Ibrahim Bassa had promised to kill him and now well assured thereof to rid himselfe of that danger with his owne hands presently cut his throat and so dispatched him When by and by after came vnto him the Popes Nuntio sent by a finenesse from the Cardinall accompanied with another embassadour the better to countenance out the matter telling him that the same embassadour had commission from the emperor to will him forthwith to desist from armes and without further delay to depart out of TRANSYLVANIA Which thing seeming vnto the Vayuod very strange and almost impossible hee desired to see the said commission Whereunto the Nuntio before instructed answered that he had left it with the Cardinall himselfe but I said the Vayuod haue one here present from the emperour of another purport which I purpose fully to put in execution yet was he for that day entreated by the Nuntio to stay his armie And so in the meane time lying both still and in great suspence the Vayuod desired to know of the Nuntio the cause why the Cardinall forgetting himselfe so troubled that countrey by intruding himselfe thereinto to the great prejudice of them vnto whom it of better right belonged not attending vnto the gouernment of the Church better beseeming his calling than the managing of arms to the
all such strong places as were yet for him holden he surrendered them to Basta and so forthwith honourably accompanied put himselfe vpon his way towards the emperour After whose departure out of TRANSYLVANIA all that prouince voluntarily and without more adoe yeelded to Basta as to the emperours lieutenant who presently called an assembly of all the Nobilitie of the countrey taking of them an oath for their obedience and loyaltie vnto the emperor Thus by the wisedome and prowesse of this worthy commaunder is the countrey of TRANSYLVANIA once againe brought vnder the emperours obeysance a matter of far greater importance than to haue woon the strongest citie the Turke holdeth in HVNGARIE But whilest things thus passed in TRANSYLVANIA great troubles arise also in VALACHIA the country next adjoyning for that the people of that prouince not able longer to endure the great insolencie of the Turks who after the death of Michaell had by their power made one Hieremias Vayuod there by a generall consent tooke vp armes and proclaiming one Radol a fauourit of the Emperours Vayuod chased Hieremias before placed by the Turkes quite out of the countrey who flying vnto Simon Palatine of MOLDAVIA his friend by his meanes and the helpe of the Turkes returning into VALACHIA draue out thence Radol againe who being now at this present with Basta with about ten thousand Valachians his followers earnestly requested of him now that hee was so quietly possessed of TRANSYLVANIA to helpe him with his forces for the recouerie of VALACHIA And Basta well considering how much it concerned the quiet and sure keeping of the possession of TRANSYLVANIA for the Emperour to haue that so neere a prouince to friend easily yeelded to his request and gaue him a great regiment of his old approoued souldiors and so sent him away to recouer his estate with whom at his entrance into VALACHIA the Moldauian meeting with a great power both of his owne and of the Turkes come thither in the fauour of Hieremias there was fought betwixt them a most terrible and bloudie battell the glorie whereof fell vnto Radol he carrying away the victorie In which battell two of the Turkes Bassaes were there slaine with a great numbers of others both of the Moldauians and Turkes After which victorie Radol recouered againe the soueraigntie of VALACHIA for which he was beholden to Basta and shortly after with the same aid cut in peeces a great power of the Tartars that were comming to haue aided the Moldauian Now in the meane time in HVNGARIE also passed many an hot skirmish betwixt the Christians and the Turkes whose garrisons at BVDA and other places in the lower HVNGARIE attempting to haue surprised ALBA REGALIS and discouered by the Christians were with great slaughter enforced to retire At which time also Countie Serinus vnderstanding by his espials that the Turkes with two hundred waggons with munition and victuals were going to CANISIA vpon the sudden set vpon them and hauing slaine and put to flight the conuoy that guarded them carried the waggons with all that was in them away with him And shortly after the free Haiduckes of COMARA in a great partie going out towards BVDA to seeke after bootie and hauing taken threescore Turkes prisoners and so with them about to haue returned home vnderstanding by the way that Ali sometime the Bassa of BVDA and now gouernour of PESTH was with a small retinue about to come downe the riuer Danubius from BVDA towards BELGRADE there to meet the Visier Bassa but then comming into HVNGARIE they slew all their prisoners and hauing got two small boats about fifteene miles beneath BVDA lay in wait for the Bassa who according to their expectation comming downe the riuer was by these aduenturers fiercely assailed and of his thirtie followers hauing foureteene slaine being himselfe also shot in two places of his bodie was there with a great bootie taken and so brought to COMARA and shortly after presented vnto Matthias the archduke at VIENNA who amongst other things certainely enformed him that Hassan Bassa was with a great armie by the commaundement of the great Sultan Mahomet comming to besiege ALBA REGALIS and that he was now vpon his way as farre as BELGRADE presently sent thither the Countie Isolan gouernour thereof who with much adoe got into the citie the Turkes hauing alreadie taken all the passages to haue hindered the Christians from putting either men or munition more than was therein alreadie Howbeit the Countie now got in there and being no lesse good enginer than a valiant commaunder caused all them in the citie to labour vpon the rampiers so that beside the naturall situation thereof which was very strong hee had in short time so fortified it as that in most mens judgement it seemed a place almost impregnable This Ali Bassa was sometime the Great Turkes butler but after the taking of AGRIA made Bassa of BVDA which great place he held but three moneths being by the enuie and ambition of some but especially of Amurath Bassa remoued thence and made gouernour of PESTH from whence now going downe the riuer to BELGRADE it was his fortune to be thus taken by the Haiduckes vnto whom hee offered for his ransome three hundred thousand Sultanines and had with him when he was taken seuentie thousand duckats Mahomet the great Sultan not a little troubled with the losse of ALBA REGALIS taken from him by the Christians the last yeare and now resolued for the recouerie of the same to engage if need should be a great part of his forces had caused an armie of aboue an hundred thousand strong to meet together at HADRIANOPLE for that purpose vnder the leading of Mahomet Bassa otherwise called Sardar Bassa an Albanois and one of the chiefe Visiers to bee sent into HVNGARIE Who by the way of BELGRADE comming to BVDA and from thence to ALBA REGALIS there the twelfth of August encamped as he had oftentimes before threatened with the multitude of his tents couering all the countrey round about as if it had beene a white snow where hauing well entrenched himselfe and planted his artillerie he began a most terrible and furious batterie in such sort as if he had not meant to haue made a breach onely but to haue beaten the citie euen from the face of the earth which seemed now to tremble vnder his feet and the clouds to rent with the thundering of his great ordinance and for that the marish and deepe ditches were a great let vnto his men for to come vnto the assault he caused them with the number of his pioners to be filled vp a worke thought almost impossible and so brought on his men to assault the counterscarfe which the gouernour had caused to be made before the citie for the better defence thereof which assault cost him much bloud by reason of the wonderfull valour of the defendants yet in the end the great number of the Turkes preuailing the Christians were
a prouince of his Empire 713 a. his proud answer vnto King Ferdinand his embassadours 714 k. he returneth to Constantinople 715 b. sendeth his fleet by Barbarussa his Admirall to aid the French King against the Emperour 734 k. Solyman with a great armie commeth againe into Hungarie 736 g. taketh Strigonium 738. entereth into the citie and there setteth vp the Mahometane superstition m. winneth Alba Regalis 742 h. returneth to Constantinople k. by the instigation of Dragut the pyrat sendeth out Sinan Bassa with a great fleet to reuenge the wrong done vnto him by Auria 752 l. Solyman amorous of Rozolana 757 c. manumiseth her 758 h. marrieth her l. by her persuaded resolueth to put to death his eldest sonne the noble Mustapha 761 d. goeth himselfe with a great armie into Asia to kill his sonne e. sendeth for Mustapha who comming is cruelly strangled in his sight 763 c. his stout speech vnto the Ianizaries vp in arms for the vnworthie death of Mustapha 764 k. he glad to yeeld vnto the Ianizaries m. Solyman desirous with as little stirre as might be to appease the grudges betwixt his two sonnes Selymus and Baiazet sendeth Partau and Mehemet two of his Visier Bassaes to bring them to the prouinces by him appointed for them 773 d. maketh preparation against Baiazet and sendeth aid to Selymus e. for countenancing of Selymus goeth himselfe in person with his armie ouer into Asia 776 l. dissembleth with Baiazet 778 g. seeketh to stop his flight into Persia deceiued of his purpose procureth to haue him and his foure sonnes strangled in prison in Persia. 791 d. Solyman by his embassadour Abraham Stroiza confirmeth his league with Ferdinand the Emperor for eight yeares 789 b. his proud letters vnto the Emperour Ferdinand c. his presents sent vnto the Emperour 791 d. he maketh preparation against the knights of Malta 793 a. his Oration vnto his captaines for the inuasion of Malta b. his fleet arriueth at Malta 795 a. with shame returneth 817 c. Solyman purposing now the seuenth time himselfe in person to inuade Hungarie causeth a bridge of a mile long with incredible labor to be made ouer the great riuer Sauus and the deepe fennes toward Sigeth 821. besiegeth Sigeth e. commeth himselfe with a great power into the campe 822 h. winneth the old towne l. falleth sicke and dieth of the bloudie flix at Quinque Ecclaesiae 822 m. his death by Muhamet Bassa concealed and the siege continued 813 a. his bodie with great solemnitie by his sonne Selymus buried at Constantinople 828 h the Spaniards reioycing at the ouerthrow of the Italians by Salec are themselues foyled by Tabacces 658 m Stellusa with Desdrot the Gouernor therof deliuered to Scanderbeg 285 f Stephen Rozwan in stead of Aaron by the Transyluanian prince placed Vayuod of Moldania 1062 l. thrust out by Zamoschie Chancelour of Polonia 1080 g. taken prisoner and put to death 1081 a Stephen Vayuod of Transyluania vpon the commendation of Amurath chosen King of Polonia 921 a Stiria forraged by the Turks 1132 Strigonium in vaine besieged by King Iohn 616 k. besieged by Solyman 736 i. diuers times by the Turks in vaine assaulted c. the strength therof by a fugitiue Christian discouered d. yeelded vnto the Turke 738 h. besieged by the Christians 1033 c. fiue times in vain assaulted with the losse of fiue thousand men 1034 l. the siege by Matthias the Archduke giuen ouer 1037 d. besieged by countie Mansfelt 1065 b. twice in vaine assaulted e. the lower towne taken 1070 g. yeelded vnto the Archduke Matthias 1072 h Suguta by Sultan Aladin giuen to Ertogrul 134 k Sumachia taken by Osman Bassa 936 b recouered by the Persian prince 940 i Swartzenburg by two Italian prisoners flying out of Rab is informed of the state of the towne 1102 g. consulteth with the lord Palsi h. surpriseth that strong town 1103 b. in vain attempteth to haue surprised Buda 1110â— commeth to Pappa to appease the French and Wallons there in mutinie 1117 a. besiegeth the towne 1118. slaine i. Syrgiannes appointed by Andronicus the Emperor to obserue the doings of yong Andronicus his nephew trecherously discouereth the same vnto him 159 c. cunningly coloureth his treason 160 b contemned of the yonger Andronicus reuolteth again vnto his grandfather 162 l. apprehended imprisoned and his house rased 164 l T TAmas the Persian King hearing of the comming of Solyman to Tauris flieth into Hircania 651 d. in feare of Baiazet killeth his followers and imprisoneth him with his sonnes 780 l. sendeth embassadors with presents to Solyman 781 a. the cause why he would not by any meanes let Baiazet goe out of his hands d. his answere vnto the Venetian embassadour persuading him to take vp armes against the Turke 862 k Tamerlan his reasonable and modest answer vnto the other Mahometane princes crauing his aid against Baiazet 210 k. in their behalfe sendeth embassadours with presents to Baiazet l. prouoked by the proud answer of Baiazet the sollicitation of the oppressed princes and the persuasion of Axalla resolueth to make war vpoÌ„ him 211 b his honourable parentage and auncestours 212 i. the causes why some report him to haue beene a shepheard or heardsman k. he himselfe not delighted in bloud m. marrieth the daughter and heire of the Great Cham of Tartarie the ground of his greatnes 213 a. setteth forward against Baiazet 214 k. his great campe still like vnto a well gouerned citie 215 b. the number of his great armie â— he taketh Sebastia and burieth all the people quicke 216 h. staieth the comming of Baiazet 217 a. disposeth of the order of his battell 218 k fighteth a great and mortall battell with Baiazet 219 b. taking him prisoner causeth him like a wild beast to be shut vp in an yron cage 220 m. refuseth the Empire of Constantinople offered him by Emanuell the Emperors embassadors 221 e. goeth priuatly himselfe to Constantinople 222 i. much delighted with the situation and pleasures of that citie k. spoileth the Turks dominions in Asia l. restoreth vnto the poore Mahometaâ—e princes oppressed by Baiazet all their auntient inheritances 223 b. in a great battell ouerthroweth the Sultan of Aegipt neere vnto Aleppo c. winneth Damasco d. commeth to Ierusalem f. taketh Damiata 224 h. assaulteth Cairâ— 225 a driueth the Sultan out of Caire d. pursueth him to Alexandria 226 g. chaseth him into Lybia h leaueth Calibes to gouerne the countries of Aegipt and Syria l. conquereth Mesopotamia and Babylon with the kingdome of Persia. 227 a. returneth to Samarcand b. the great power he continually kept 235 c. his death e. Tangrolipix the Turke sent to aid the Persian Sultan 4 g. by consent of the souldiours chosen Sultan of Persia. l. first Sultan of the Turks m. hauing slaine Pisasiris Caliph of Babylon in battell ioyneth his dominions vnto his owne 5 b. inuadeth the Greeke Emperours dominions f. putteth to death his brother Habramie 6 i Tancred created prince of Galliley winneth Apamea and Laodicea 25
but the Christians came on so fiercely with desire of blood that breaking into the temple the foremost of them were by the presse of them that followed after violently thrust vpon the weapons of their enemies and so miserably slaine Neither did the Turks thus oppressed giue it ouer but as men resolued to die desperatly fought it out with inuincible courage not at the gates of the temple onely but euen in the middest thereof also where was to be seene great heaps both of the victors and the vanquished slaine indifferently together All the pauement of the temple swam with blood in such sort that a man could not set his foot but either vpon some dead man or ouer the shooes in blood Yet for all that the obstinate enemie still held the vaults and top of the temple when as the darknesse of the night came so fast on that the Christians were glad to make an end of the slaughter and to sound a retrait The next day for that proclamation was made for mercie to be shewed vnto all such as should lay downe their weapons the Turks that yet held the vpper part of the temple came down yeelded themselues Thus was the famous citie of IERVSALEM with great bloodshed but far greater honor recouered by these worthie Christians in the yeere 1099 after it had beene in the hands of the infidels aboue foure hundred yeeres The next day after hauing buried the dead and cleansed the citie they gaue thanks to God with publicke praiers and great rejoycing The poore Christians before oppressed now ouercome with vnexpected joy welcomed their victorious brethren with great joy and praise and the souldiers embracing one another sparing to speake of themselues freely commended each others valour Eight daies after the princes of the armie meeting together began to consult about the choice of their king amongst whom was no such difference as might well shew which was to be preferred before the others And although euerie one of them for prowesse and desert seemed woorthie of so great an honour yet by the generall consent of all it was giuen to Robert duke of NORMANDIE who about the same time hearing of the death of the Conquerour his father and more in loue with his fathers new gotten kingdome in ENGLAND in hope thereof refused the kingdome of IERVSALEM then offered vnto him which at his returne he found possessed by William Rufus his yoonger brother and so in hope of a better refusing the woorse vpon the matter lost both After whose departure Godfrey of BVILLON duke of LORAINE whose ensigne was first displaid vpon the wals was by the generall consent both of the princes and the armie saluted king He was a great souldier and endued with many heroicall vertues brought vp in the court of the emperour Henrie the fourth and by him much emploied At the time of his inauguration he refused to be crowned with a crowne of gold saying That it became not a Christian man there to were a crowne of gold where Christ the sonne of God had for the saluation of mankind sometime worne a crowne of thorne Of the greatest part of these proceedings of the Christians from the time of their departure from ANTIOCH vntill the winning of the Holy citie Godfrey by letters briefly certified Bohemund as followeth Godfrey of Buillon to Bohemund king of Antioch greeting After long trauell hauing first taken certaine townes we came to IERVSALEM which citie is enuironed with high hils without riuers or fountaines excepting onely that of Solomans and that a verie little one In it are many cesterns wherein water is kept both in the citie and the countrey thereabout On the East are the Arabians the Moabits and Ammonits on the South the Idumeans Aegyptians and Philistians Westward alongst the sea coast lie the cities of PTOLEMAIS TIRVS and TRIPOLIS and Northward TIBERIAS CESAREA PHILIPPI with the countrey DECAPOLIS and DAMASCO In the assault of the citie I first gained that part of the wall that fell to my lot to assaile and commanded Baldwin to enter the citie who hauing slaine certaine companies of the enemies broke open one of the gates for the Christians to enter Raymond had the citie of Dauid with much rich spoile yeelded vnto him But when we came vnto the temple of Soloman there we had a great conflict with so great slaughter of the enemie that our men stood in blood aboue the ancles the night approching we could not take the vpper part of the temple which the next day was yeelded the Turks pitifully crying out for mercie and so the citie of IERVSALEM was by vs taken the fifteenth of Iuly in the yeere of our redemption 1099 39 daies after the beginning of the siege 409 yeeres after it fell into the hands of the Sarasins in the time of Heraclius the emperour Besides this the princes with one consent saluted me against my will king of IERVSALEM who although I feare to take vpon me so great a kingdome yet I will do my deuoir that they shall easily know me for a Christian king and well deseruing of the vniuersall Faith But loue you me as you do And so farewell from IERVSALEM Whilest these things were in doing at IERVSALEM such a multitude of the Turks and Sarasins their confederats now in their common calamitie all as one were assembled at ASCALON a citie about fiue and twentie miles from IERVSALEM to reuenge the injuries they had before receiued as had not before met together in all the time of this sacred war Against whom Godfrey the late duke and now king assembled the whole forces of the Christians in those countries and leauing a strong garrison in the new woon citie set forward and meeting with them joyned a most dreadfull and cruell battell wherein as most report were slaine of the Infidels an hundred thousand men and the rest put to flight The spoile there taken far exceeded all that the Christians had before taken in this long expedition Godfrey after so great a victorie returning to IERVSALEM gaue vnto God most humble thanks The rest of the princes returned either to their charge as did Bohemund to ANTIOCH Baldwin to EDESSA Tancred into GALLILEY whereof he was created prince or else hauing now performed the vttermost of their vowes returned with honour into their owne countries This was of all others the most honourable expedition that euer the Christians tooke in hand against the Infidels and with the greatest resolution performed for the most part by such voluntary men as mooued with a deuout zeale to their immortall praise spared neither life nor liuing in defence of the Christian faith and religion all men woorthie eternall fame and memorie Not long after ensued a great pestilence the readie attendant of long war and want whereof infinit numbers of people died and among the rest Godfrey the first Christian king of IERVSALEM neuer to be sufficiently commended who with the generall lamentation of all good
good word for them When suddenly the aforesaid Aethiopian jeaster stept foorth earnestly requesting the king not to shew them any fauour but to execute them presently as villaines and traitours rayling vpon them as if he had knowne some great fault by them Baiazet thinking he could haue accused them of some great crime because of his earnestnes asked what reason hee had so to exclaime against them Reason quoth the jeaster because the knaues bee good for nothing and they say that Tamerlan is with a great armie comming against vs if you will but take vp an ensigne in your hand and I goe before you with a drum I will strike vp such a terrible march and you make such a dreadfull shew that wee shall neede none of these bad fellowes or their souldiours in the field to get the victorie ouer our enemies This conceit of the jeaster strucke such a melancholie imagination into Baiazet his head that hee stood musing a great while as it were in a deepe studie at last hauing well considered the drift of the jeasters speech and his furie now somewhat assuaged graunted them pardon which they looked not for This Aethiopian jeaster Baiazet vpon a time sent vnto the old queene his mother to bring her news of the good successe of his wars against the Christians for that she had so desired who comming vnto her and by her commaunded to sit downe she began to demaund of him how the king her sonne did and of the successe of his wars Wherevnto he answered that he did verie well and had won from the Christians a great countrey and greatly enriched his souldiours But after a little more talke the queene mother desirous to heare againe the good newes or else after the manner of some which thinke nothing sufficiently told except it bee told an hundreth times asked him againe how the king her sonne did and how he sped in his wars Wherevnto he answered euerie word as before but asking him the third time the verie same question how her sonne did Doest thou aske me so often said the Aethiopian how hee doth Bre Cachpe O whoore said he thou hast brought forth a sonne like a diuell who roaming vp and downe doth nothing but burne and destroie the world where he commeth Whereat the queene crying out vp start the Aethiopian and betaking himselfe to his heeles was neuer more afterwards seene In the wars which Baiazet had against Sigismund the Vayuod of VALACHIA had giuen aid vnto the Hungarian king wherewith Baiazet being offended determined now at length to be reuenged and therefore intending to make warre vpon the Valachian prince left Temurtases his great lieutenant at ANCYRA in ASIA so passed ouer HELLESPONTUS himselfe against the Valachian Vpon whose departure Aladin his sisters sonne the yong king of CARAMANIA with a great power came suddenly in the night to ANCYRA and tooke Temurtases prisoner who then feared nothing lesse than in time of peace to haue been so surprised and caried away in bonds into CARAMANIA But when he vnderstood that Baiazet had ended his wars in VALACHIA and was with victorie returned to PRUSA he fearing his heauie indignation for so great an outrage presently released Temurtases out of prison apparelled him richly after the maner of that nation craued pardon for the wrong he had done him and set him at libertie to goe whither he would and withall sent one of his noblemen with great gifts and presents to Baiazet to make his excuse in best maner he could vnto which embassador Baiazet yet in choler would not giue audience or suffer him to come in his sight but at the same time leuied a great armie to inuade CARAMANIA Which Aladin vnderstanding and now out of all hope to appease this mightie enemie leuied all the forces he could in his owne kingdome and withall entertained all the mercenarie soldiors he could get intending to trie his fortune in the filed as a man of valour rather than to be thrust out of his kingdome like a coward so in readinesse hearing of the cōming of Baiazet met him vpō the way at a place called ACZAC gaue him battell but being too weak he was ouercome put to flight in which flight his horse stumbling he so falling to the groūd was there before he could recouer himself takē by his enemies which had him in chase so brought boūd to Baiazet his two sons Muhamet Beg Alis Beg being takē in that battell also were sent prisoners to PRUSA Aladin himselfe was by Baiazet his cōmandement deliuered to his enemy Temurtases who in reuēge of the wrong he had before done him presently caused him to be hanged which when Baiazet vnderstood hee seemed very sorrie that he had so put him to death for that he was his owne sisters sonne Baiazet following the course of his victorie woon ICONIVM LARENDA NIGDE with all the rest of Aladin his kingdome About this time also AMASIA the great metropoliticall citie of CAPADOCIA was by the prince thereof deliuered vnto Baiazet being too weake himselfe to defend the same against the force of Casi-Burchanidin prince of the great and strong citie of SEBASTIA his enemie now growne to be a man of great power in that part of ASIA and had solicited the Sultan of AEGYPT to aid him against Baiazet Whereupon Baiazet returning from the conquest of CARAMANIA led his armie towards SEBASTIA where the cittizens had a little before depriued Casi-Burchanidin of his gouernment for his crueltie and placed his sonne in his stead but in short time no lesse wearie of the sonne than before of the father they with like inconstancie sent word to Baiazet that if he would come that way they would yeeld vnto him the citie vpon whose approch Casis his son for feare fled out of the citie to prince Nasradin his brother in law After whose departure the cittizens according to their promise deliuered the citie vnto Baiazet at his comming wherein hee left Solyman his eldest sonne gouernour And so hauing in this notable expedition conquered the kingdome of CARAMANIA and taken the great citties of AMASIA and SEBASTIA with most part of CAPPADOCIA and all that part of ASIA which the Turks call RUMILIA ASIATICA he returned to PRUSA and there wintered The next Spring Baiazet hearing that his old enemie Cutrun Baiazet prince of CASTAMONA and PONTUS was dead came to CASTAMONA with a great armie of whose comming Isfendiar Cutrun Baiazet his sonne and then prince of that country hearing fled out of the citie to SYNOPE a little citie vpon the coast of the Euxine from whence he sent an embassador vnto Baiazet humbly requesting him to suffer him to haue that little citie as his seruant to liue in which he was sure he would otherwise bestow vpon some other of his seruants not to seeke the innocent blood of the sonne for the fathers offence Which his request Baiazet moued with pitie graunted yet neuerthelesse
tooke from him CASTAMONA with the greatest part of his dominion in PONTUS which he gaue to his sonne Solyman At the same time he violently oppressed the prince Germean and tooke from him the cities of DESPOTOPOLIS and HIERAPOLIS with all the rest of his dominion The prince of MENTESIA long before driuen out of his countrey by Baiazet as is before declared and hauing all this while made his abode at CASTAMONA doubting now of his own safetie after the death of his good friend Cutrun Baiazet in the habit of an hermit fled to the great Tartarian prince Tamerlane Baiazet returning to PRUSA there built a magnificent Mahometane temple during which worke hee with great superstition forbore drinking of wine reposing himselfe with the companie of graue and learned men and the administration of justice whereby hee greatly woon the hearts of his subjects and had now so enlarged his kingdome that all kings and princes bordering vpon him stood in great feare of him It fortuned about this time that Achmetes king of BAGDAT or new BABILON EIRACVM with Iosephus Niger king of CHOLCHIS enforced with the violent incursions of Tamerlane and his Tartars for safegard of their liues were glad to flie into SYRIA where they being discouered were both cast in prison by the commaundement of the Aegyptian Sultan who then commaunded ouer SYRIA from whence they afterwards hardly escaping fled to Baiazet his court Where after Achmetes had stayed two moneths he by the aid of Baiazet recouered the possession of EIRACVM part of his own inheritance Iosephus the other Mahometane king hauing tarried in Baiazet his court eight moneths at length procured him to inuade the dominions of the Aegyptian Sultan in which expedition hee mightily preuailed and hauing slaine the Aegyptian Sultans generall and discomfited his forces took the citie of MALATIE or MELETINE in ARMENIA with DIORIGE DERENDE and BEXENE taken from the Turcomans and spoiled all the countrey thereabouts From thence marching with his armie towards ERZNITZANE the prince thereof called Tachretin met him vpon the way yeelding his citie and country into his power which Baiazet presently gaue to Iosephus Niger who after he had six daies enjoyed this new gouernment finding the people vnwilling to be gouerned by him a stranger surrendred the same again into the hands of him that gaue it Wherupon the citizens of ERZNITZANE humbly requested of Baiazet That they might be again gouerned by their old prince Tachretin now his vassale Which thing he at their earnest request graunted but taking his wife and children as a pledge of his loyaltie sent theÌ„ away to PRUSA where they were all not long after made away When Baiazet had now many yeares thus mightily preuailed against the Christian princes in ROMANIA BULGARIA BOZNA THESALIA VALACHIA and other places of EUROPE as is before declared and inflamed with insatiable ambition had in worse manner oppressed the Mahometan kings and princes of ASIA of whom some were by him slaine some driuen out of their dominions into exile some imprisoned and othersome brought into such subjection that they liued as it were but at his deuotion and was now growne to that greatnesse that in the pride of his heart he stood in feare of no man but was as he thought a terrour vnto the world hauing vnder his obeisance great and large dominions in EUROPE but farre greater in ASIA It fortuned diuers of these miserable oppressed and discontented Mahometan princes by great fortune as if it had been by appointment to meet together at the court of the great Tartarian prince Tamerlane whether they were fled for releefe and succour The prince German Ogli after long imprisonment in the castle of IPSAâ—A in EUROPE brake prison and with Hissar-beg his great councellour and prison-fellow consorted themselues with a companie of loytering companions roaming from place to place delighting the countrey people with their apish toies in which companie hee passed HELLESPONTUS as a beareward and at length with much adoe came to Tamerlane his court whether the prince of MENTESIA was come before in the habit of an Hermit as is aforesaid with his head and beard shauen Aidin Ogli passing through the countrey as a pedler with a packe at his backe came thether also The prince Tachretin as a seruingman came attending vpon the prince Isfendiar who came also but in some better sort than the rest as an embassadour from some other prince All these poore princes with diuers others in like miserie in short time arriued at SAMARCAND great Tamerlane his court euerie one perticularly complaining of his owne priuat greefe and all together earnestly requesting that mightie prince to take vpon him their defence and to reuenge the wrong done vnto them by the Turkish tirant Baiazet Whose pitifull complaints much mooued the noble Tartarian but especially the long and wrongfull imprisonment of Germian Ogli and the pitifull complaint and moane of Tachretin who had of late lost his wife and children by the crueltie of Baiazet Yet in this matter of so great and important consequence Tamerlane made no great shew of his forwardnesse although he was by nature in nothing more delighted than in the releeuing of the distressed and chastising of the proud but coldly answered those princes That he could not tell whether all were so as they had reported of Baiazet or not but that he well knew him to be a verie zealous king in setting forth of the Mahometane religion and that hee had therefore made great warres vpon the Christians in which godly cause he said perhaps they had refused to assist him or else had giuen him some other greater occasion of offence to him vnknowne For I can hardly beleeue said he that so great and religious a prince as he would without just and sufficient cause offer such violence as you complaine of especially vnto you his neighbour princes and of the same religion with himselfe neuerthelesse whatsoeuer I intend concerning your request said Tamerlane I will send first an embassadour vnto him to vnderstand more of him and his proceedings before I resolue vpon any thing with which answere hee willed them vntill then to hold themselues contented But as Tamerlane was about to haue dispatched his embassadour to Baiazet he was aduertised that Achmetes late king of new BABILON and Iosephus king of COLCHIS both by him driuen out of their kingdomes hauing broken out of prison from the Sultan of EGIPT were now come to Baiazet his court to craue his aid and assistance wherefore he deferred to send his embassador suspecting that Baiazet incited by these two exiled kings would first in their quarrell begin to make warre vpon him But not long after vnderstanding that they were both againe departed from his court as is before declared hee then dispatched his embassadour to Baiazet with many rich gifts and presents courteously requesting him the rather for his sake to deale kindly with these poore Mahometane princes his friends as also with the Greeke
persuasion of Barbarussa was come with him to CONSTANTINOPLE to craue aid of Solyman against the oppression of his brother Him Barbarussa oftentimes shewed vnto the great Bassaes and in his discourses with them concerning the conquest of AFFRICK set him out as a most fit instrument for subduing of the kingdome of TVNâ—S as a man whom the people more affected than they did Muleasses the vsurper After long deliberation and consultation had with the Bassaes concerning the inuasion of AFFRICRE Barbarussa now admitted vnto the presence of Solyman in these or like words persuaded him to that warre for the entrance whereinto we haue thus farre digressed What thing the priests with lowd voice vse to pray for at such time as the Othoman emperours enter into the temple to pray the same thing doe I also wish vnto thee most mightie Solyman which is That thou shouldest remember thy progenitors by iustice and religion to haue got for thee this empire than which more magnificent or richer the gods haue not giuen to any for fortune hath neuer deceiued them that tread that way and thou hetherto hast so traced their steps that thou hast easily surmounted their fame and glorie administring iustice to thy subiects and inflamed with the hope of eternall praise making continuall warre against the enemies of our religion the true office of a zealous prince By this meanes is BELGRADE taken RHODES woon the king of HVNGARIE slaine in battell GERMANIE twice harried and burnt so that Charles whom the Christians would make equall to thy selfe in power and valour with the great aid almost of all the Christian nations terrified with the noise of thy armie shunned battell But for as much as empires be they neuer so large or victories be they neuer so glorious can either satisfie the greatnesse of an heroicall mind or glut the same with glorie thou hast therefore sent before thee thy victorious ensigns against the Persians and Parthians that those nations who haue wickedly fallen from our rites purified as it were by thy sacred armes may be againe reclaimed to the auntient rites of our religion But be this vnto thy greatnesse most honourable to attempt and glorious to performe let it only be lawfull for me now growne an old man in the middest of armes and dangers to declare what is expedient and briefly to open such things as I haue by long experience learned to concerne the augmenting of thy fame and empire elsewhere Neither would I haue you to take this as presumptuously spoken of me for fortune hath enough yea and more than enough fauoured my designes whom from a poore cottage and bare hope she hath promoted to glorious victories great riches yea vnto the title and maiestie of a king But vnto these things the gods could giue me nothing better than to be called for of thee and sent for in counsell to discourse of matters of greatest importance wherefore my aduise shall bee vnto thee faithfull and with experience confirmed which although it be all that it seemeth old men can doe yet in my sound bodie remaineth such strength that I dare both promise and performe vnto thee my good seruice at all assaies both by sea and land For vnto this onely course haue I bent my selfe day and night from my youth following the purpose counsell of my valiant brother Horruccius who to extend the bounds of our religion persecuted the Christians both by sea and land desiring nothing more than that thy fleet and power might once be ioined with my forces and direction and so vnder thy good hap to be either a commaunder or els commaunded for as much as it grieueth me not to be commaunded by my betters of which my desires if the gods shall make me partaker the Spaniards shall shortly be driuen quite out of AFFRICKE thou shalt heare that the Moores are gone ouer into SPAINE to repossesse the kingdome of GRANADO that TVNES and NVMIDIA are at thy commaund and not to speak of SARDINIA and CORSICA that SICILIA is ours which once taken we shall starue vp ITALIE and on euery side distresse it with our fleet being now weake and brought low by the discord of the princes and that part thereof both towards SICILIA and MACEDONIA readie to submit it selfe vpon any condition so it might cast off the Spanish yoke Thinke not that either that strength or vnitie is now in ITALIE which was when thy great grandfather Mahomet hauing taken HYDRVNTVM brought a great feare not vpon ITALIE onely but vpon other the Christian nations also For by the good successe of that warre which all the Christian princes could hardly withstand he had vndoubtedly taken the citie of ROME and so according to right and reason againe vnited the empire of the East and of the West as they were before in their auntient glorie But hee suddainely left the world rapt to heauen that he might leaue to thee according to the appointment of the fatall destinies and reuolutions of the heauens this worke 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 deseruing all extremities for thy nauie shall be sufficient for me whereof thou shalt haue no need in thy warres so farre within land that whilest thou art conquering ASIA AFRICA the third part of the world may in the meane time be brought vnder thy subiection also Where before all other things Muleasses is to be driuen out of TVNES a man of insatiable couetousnesse vnstayed lust horrible crueltie hated both of God and man who hauing by treacherie slaine eighteene of his brethren or that which worse is cruelly burnt out their eyes doth so raigne alone that he hath left him neither kinsman nor friend For being as vnthankfull as perfidious he hath murthered all his fathers friends who with great trauell had preferred him to the kingdome so to make short paiment for so great desert With this beast we must haue to doe whom whilest no man loueth all men easily wish to perish The Numidians trouble him with daily inuasions whose iniuries the infamous coward endureth with such shame and reproach that it should seeme he had rather to suffer them than reuenge them And yet this effeminat distard holdeth in chaines many valiant Turkes and acknowledgeth not your imperiall name whereunto all men on euerie side sue for grace and which is not to be suffered exceedingly fauoureth the Spaniards at TRIPOLIS to the intent that Agis and Moses two valiant Turkish captaines may be driuen out of the citie This wild beast disarmed of his clawes and teeth we shall easily destroy if it be but for that we haue with vs Roscetes his brother whom the Numidians wish and long for him must we vse if it be but for a shew so shall the thing we desire be without bloud effected as soone as we shall but
present our selues before the gates of TVNES Then shall it be at your pleasure to appoint whom you will haue to gouerne the Numidian kingdome it shall be vnto me glorie enough when the greatest part of AFFRICKE conquered shall be peaceably deliuered into your hands at your returne with the triumphs of PERSIA But by the way as I returne I assure you vpon mine owne priuat so to vse the matter that the Christians shall also haue good cause to bewaile their calamities and if I hap to meet with Auria he shall haue smal cause to reioyce of the mischiefe he hath done for him alone I challenge to persecute as my proper and peculiar enemie both for the remembrance of the harmes we haue receiued at his hands and for the despight I haue at his fame who once taken out of the way the seas shall be open onely to you and your fleets And beleeue me he that shall be able to commaund the seas shall easily also subdue the kingdomes by land But Solyman who after the manner of wise princes vsed well to consider and afterward with ripe judgement to resolue of such matters as he had with attentiue eare hearkened vnto commending Barbarussa for his forwardnesse in his seruice for that time brake vp the counsell Not long after a decree was made according to Abraham the great Bassa his aduise That Barbarussa should be joyned as fourth with the other three chiefe Bassaes of Solymans counsell and be made great Admirall so that all the islands ports and people all alongst the sea coast thorow out Solymans empire should be at his commaund and that it should be lawfull for him to take vp such marriners and souldiours for seruice at sea as pleased him in what place soeuer This being solemnly proclaimed Solyman with his owne hand deliuered him a scepter and a sword willing him by worthie deeds to performe what he had promised After which Aiax and Cassimes the two great Bassaes with the captaine of the Ianizaries brought him with exceeding pompe from the court to the Nauie at which time was carried before him all the tokens of his new obtained honour And toward the maintenance of that warre at sea he had deliuered vnto him out of Solymans treasures eight hundred thousand duckets and eight hundred Ianizaries But for as much as much it was that he did in the seruice of Solyman and more is of him hereafter to be spoken it shall not be amisse here to present vnto the view of the world the sterne but liuely countenance of this so famous a man who liuing kept all the Mediterranean in feare as it is by Boisardus expressed togither with the Elogium following BARBARVSSA Littora te Hesperiae timuere vtriusque Lybesque Oppressi dextra succubuere tua Nunquam te Lypare Corcyraue diliget harum Cum sis immeritos depopulatus agros The coasts of ITALY and SPAINE of thee were sore afraid And so the Moores did stoupe to thee by thy right hand dismaid LYPPAROS will thee neuer loue ne yet CORCYRA strong For that thou causelesse didst to them so great and open wrong Barbarussa sped of that he desired staied not long after at CONSTANTINOPLE but departing out of HELESPONTVS with eightie gallies and certaine galliots shaped his course towards ITALIE leauing Amurathes a sea captaine with twelue gallies to transport Solyman and his armie readie to set forward against the Persian ouer that narrow sea into ASIA Who after hee had so done ouertooke Barbarussa at METHONE who holding on his course to AFFRICK and sodainly passing the strait betwixt ITALIE and SICILIE brought a great feare vpon both the countries but passing by the bay of HIPPONA alongst the coast of the lower CALABRIA he set vpon the towne of S. Lucidius called in auntient time TEMPSA which although it stood vpon a rocke and was reasonable well walled yet such was the violence of the Turkes assault that it could not be defended but was taken with so much more hurt to the inhabitants for that the Maior of the towne to keepe the people from flying away had lockt vp the gates on the other side of the citie from the enemie From thence he with rich spoile and many prisoners went to CITRARIVM where he had learned of his prisoners a fleet of gallies was in building This towne forsaken of the inhabitants for feare he tooke without resistance ransaked and burnt it where he also fired seauen gallies not yet altogither finished But after he was come with his fleet as farre as the island CAPRI within the sight of NAPLES such a terrour was strucke into the minds of all that dwelt alongst that coast that it was thought if he had landed and gone directly to NAPLES the Neapolitanes would for feare haue abandoned the citie But holding on his course he came to PROCHITA which he tooke and rifled so passing by the port of CAIETA which he might easily haue taken he came to SPELVNCA a towne in the hithermost part of the kingdome of NAPLES They of the towne dismaied with the sudden arriuall of so great a fleet yeelded the same without resistance The enemie entring the towne tooke twelue hundred prisoners Pelegrinus a chiefe man amongst them of SPELVNCA was fled into the castle him Barbarussa commaunded to yeeld which if he would presently doe he promised to let him go free but if he should stand vpon his defence he threatned in short time to make him repent his foolish hardinesse with the vtter destruction both of himselfe and the towne The fearefull gentleman without delay came out of the castle and fell downe at his feet who according to his promise gaue him his libertie and with rare courtesie restored to him his wife his sonne and niece whom hee had taken prisoners who receiued them with many teares falling from their eyes for joye The same night also two thousand Turkes came from the fleet thorow the rough and bushie mountaines to the citie FVNDI ten miles distant from SPELVNCA in the vttermost borders of the kingdome of NAPLES conducted as was thought by certaine Italians of that countrey who a few yeares before taken at sea and ouerwearied with the heauie burthen of the Turkish slauerie had reuolted to the Mahometane religion But such was the suddennesse of their comming and their celeritie in entring the citie that Iulia Gonzaga the paragon of ITALIE and the chiefe prise which they sought after had scarce time to get to horse halfe naked and so with much difficultie to escape into the mountaines It is reported that Barbarussa which thing he himselfe afterwards seemed not to denie moued with the same of her incomparable beautie and wonderfull perfection desired exceedingly to haue taken her as a present for Solyman The citisens were for most part either slaine or taken prisoners by the Turkes who loded with the spoile of the citie returned againe to the fleet Another part of Barbarussa his fleet came to TARRACINA which the