Castell named de Loue. Thus the Queene being restored to her absolute power and soueraigne authority shee tooke vnto her for her minion and paramour Iohn Carracciole a fine young Gentleman and of an excellent beauty and him she created Grand Seneschall or high Stuard of Naples This man being not able to abide and endure the greatnesse and authority of Sforce had a determination both to depose him from all credite and countenaunce and also to depriue him of his life whereof Sforce being aduertised and being for that cause become enemy to the Seneschall did seize vppon Naples vnder colour that he would deliuer the Queene from the tyranny and power of the Seneschall The Queene being mightily incensed with anger depriued him of the office of Constable and stirring vp the common people against him commaunded to kill him In the end a peace and accord was concluded betweene Sforce and the Queene wherein it was ordered that the Seneschall should be banished to Rome and that the Count Iames should be restored to his liberty according to the first couenants of the agreement made betwene them This Prince being deliuered imagined and beat his braines vppon nothing else but how he might ruinate both Sforce and the Queene and shee in like case on the other side conceiuing an extreame griefe for the exile of her Seneschall was wonderfully displeased with Sforce and maligning him extreamly did deuise his ruine and destruon as the onely author of her sorrow and discomfort in such sort that she did soone condiscend to the will and minde of the Count her husband Sforce being enformed of the daunger wherein he stoode did very finely worke and contriue the restitution of the Seneschall whose returne and the reconciliation of Sforce with the Queene did so feare and terrifie the Count that he fled secretly to Tarentum and being pursued by the Queene with an army hee made his last retraite into Fraunce where he passed the residue of his daies in the vowes and habit of an Hermit These things thus past Braccio Fortebraccia of Perusa in the yeare one thousand foure hundreth and nineteenth did warre vpon Pope Martin the fifth who hauing recourse vnto the Queene of Naples that held that Crowne of him as Feodary of the Church of Rome and because he had crowned her Queene of Naples he obtained succours of three thousand horse vnder the charge and commaund of Sforce both to the great contentment of the Queene her selfe and of her Minion Carracciole who had long before bene desirous to be ridde of him and Fortune ministred her fit matter and occasion to effect her desire for so it fell out that Sforce was ouerthrowen by Braccio whereupon the Queene depriued him of all his honors estate and authority and she retained the saied Braccio into her pay and seruice The Pope being highly offended with this ingratitude tooke Sforce into his pay and hauing communicated all his affaires with him he fell to agreement and composition with the Perusin and depriued the Queene of the fee of the Realme of Naples and he declared for king in her stead Lewes the third Duke of Aniow the sonne of Lewes the second and of Ioland of Arragon in the yeare 1420. Sforce according to the will and direction of the Pope tooke part with Lewes and put him selfe in his pay and by his practises hauing gotten possession of the towne and castell of Auersa kept them to the vse of Lewes who in the moneth of August next following did present himselfe before Naples with a strong and mighty army by sea About the same time it happened that Alphonsus king of Arragon being departed from Barcelona had assailed Corsica by sea and held siege before Boniface a castle subiect to the Genowaies and named of olde the Port Siracusan The Pope being at that time in Florence there was one Don Garzia a Spaniard who being a verie wise and politicke person was ambassador from Alphonsus to his holinesse Queene Ione likewise had her ambassadour there also named Anthonie Caraffa otherwise Malice This Malice had a motion to the Spaniard that if hee would perswade with the King his maister to take the cause of the Queene into his handes and protection that he for his part would procure that she should adopt him for her sonne and should declare him for her successour in the kingdome of Naples and so cleanly did they conuey this their practise and conceipt betweene them without the knowledge and priuity of the Pope that they concluded to goe together to Plombin and from thence to Corsica towardes the King Alphonsus vnto whom the matter being propounded it was held long in debate and doubt for that Alphonsus and Lewes were cosins in the third degree and there hadde beene expresse capitulations and couenaunts betweene them when Lewes first began his attemptes for Naples whereby Alphonsus had promised not to molest him in that his enterprise But the desire of a Crowne is too great and goodly a thing for men to make a conscience how and by what meanes it be gotten for how so euer it was the effect made it cleare and manifest that Alphonsus in the end did accept of the offer made vnto him yet would he not in any case set foote within the Realme before that the Queene had confirmed all the whole matter by authenticall writings drawen betweene them and that she had put into his handes the two fortresses of Castell noue and De loue These sureties being deliuered and the Charters of the adoption and succession of the Realme being orderly done and dispatched and the siege also being leauied before Boniface Alphonsus was receiued with exceeding honour into Naples and was lodged in the Castell de loue Many and diuerse were the warlike exploites and martiall seruices that passed betweene Alphonsus and the Queenes forces on the one side and Lewes and Sforce on the other side but in processe and succession of time I know not how nor why the * Arragonoys and Catalans began to grow in dislike and disfauour with the Queene and with the Grand Seneschall and there grew diuerse suspitions both on the one side and the other The Spaniards could not endure with any patience nor abide to heare the people cry as they went vp and downe the towne God saue the Queene long may the house of Duraz prosper with such like acclamations besides in all publicke edictes and proclamations there was no mention made of any other then of the name of the Queene onely and therefore Alphonsus determined to preuent her in that which she perhappes and as he thought did pretend against him aud that was to take her prisoner and to seize vppon the estate But the first thing that he purposed was to bereaue her of the councell and assistance of the Grand Seneschall who was a personage of great wisdome and of a deepe reach and sound iudgement and therefore hee faining
succor the Dainians These troupes were greatly aided and augmented by the cōming of two persons by nation Albanois Lech Dusman Peter Span or Spaniard These men had sworne and promised to Scanderbeg their continual seruice deuoit against the Turks and they neuer failed him but the confederacie and amitie which they had contracted for a long time before with the Signiory of Venice by reason that they were neare neighbors to Driuasta and some other places of the Venetian iurisdictiō besides the bond of innumerable benefits receiued frō their estate in times past did now bind thē to their assistance and were the occasion of their preparations to do them seruice Scanderbeg was no whit abashed at the difficultie and greatnesse of this warre but did receiue these newes with great ioy and gladnesse and without anie further delay deuided his forces which exceeded the number of 14000. men he appointed to employ against his enemie onely 7000. horse and 2000. foote The resisidue hauing prouided for all occasions hee left to hold the siege before Dayna The which notwithstanding the rumour of the enemies approach he determined notto leaue or to abandon Thus the vndaunted Chiefrain by his singular prudence hauing seperated his forces into 3. partes did thereby occasion his aduersaries through a vaine foolish kind of hope to triumph ouer him and to grow the more in heart and courage against thē For the Dayniās seeing Castriot to be absent did think now that they were no longer besieged for their courts of guard at the portes were not so strong as was vsuall but they grew to be neglected the wals were not so well manned and oftentimes might the souldiours of the enemy without ioyntly with the citizens within haue entred into their gates which were diuerse times left open To be briefe they growing in a maner careles of al things only the imminent danger of famine did seem to perplexe them which neither was to be contēned by their audacity nor auoided by their valor and magnanimity Notwithstanding the honor reputation of their faith which they had once passed promised did assure their corages did bind them to endure the rigor of all difficulties Besides the aduertisements touching their confederats who aduanced them selues with great iourneis to mitigate these mischieues to deliuer them from this misery did greatly comfort their afflicted spirits made them to conceiue an assured hope of deliuerance Moreouer perswading themselues that Castriot was not able to make head against so great a puissance they did look euery hour in great care and expectation to see some messenger and to heare some certaine newes of the victory which in their opinion they did promise vnto their owne fancies So is it for the most part with all men who the more power they doe in their mindes attribute vnto fortune with so much the more deuotion are they obedient vnto her You need not doubt but that Mustapha was exceedingly ioyous of these troubles tumults in Epire and by reason of the absence of Scanderbeg his courage which was before abated did now begin to returne to be reuiued a certaine secret obliuion of his former misfortune had now abolished the remēbrance thereof out of his mind Faine would he haue assailed the garrison there left vpon the borders and willingly would he haue made a sacrifice to the iust wrath of his Prince and to his owne ambition of those souldiers whom he supposed to be weakened by the absence of their Chieftaine and the rest of their companions He had an infinite desire to be made a partner with the Venetians in this glorie and triumph ouer his deadly enemie and he was more intentiue to the present aduantage and opportunitie then mindful of the charge and commaundement of his Soueraigne But on the other side the seueritie of Ottoman and the sundrie examples of others whose disobedience had bene most grieuously punished did with hold stay his doubtfull and variable mind Last of all though he were partly perswaded that the Sultan would not disallow his resolution grounded vpon so good an opportunitie yet he tooke this to be the surest way that men should rather deeme him negligent by the command and direction of his lorde and master then fortunate by his owne pride and temeritie In the middest of all these tumults whilest the hoast of the Venetians being assembled at Scutarie did there consume the time in the prouision of things necessarie Scanderbeg had passed ouer the riuer of Drynon with his army which was an euident signe of his hardinesse and assurance and preuenting the counsells of his aduersaries he marched on resolutely to encounter them euen within the bowels of their owne dominions and as a man may say vpon their owne dung hill The Venetian could not endure this brauado but dislodging incontinently with his armie he passed on to affront him presently now did the cries of the souldiers and the rebounding sound of the drums trumpets on either side bewray the approch and cōming of the enemie Then did euerie man take a good courage to himselfe cheerefully did they make shew of their fierce and coragious stomacks The very eies of the souldiers seemed to flame with fury on either side was heard a mighty noise an argumēt of their wrath and choller Then were praiers vowes and shewes of deuotion in the mouthes of the leaders also of the souldiers and euery man shewed himselfe a good Christian and recommended himselfe vnto God Either part did hold their armes to be iust lawfull and ech did assure themselues that they were in the right that they had the better cause quarrell The intent of euery of them was only to repulse the iniurie and all of them seemed to haue like reason for the warre the Prince of Albanie to recouer the possession of the towne detained from him contrarie to all right and equitie and the others to defend and protect thē who had chosen them for their protectours The former were encouraged through their merits deserts in so many valiant acts exploits daily atchieued vpon the Barbarians through the remembrance of their honor renowne lately gotten vpon Mustapha the latter though they were wel prouided for all things needfull for a greater warre and though they might not without good cause promise vnto themselues the hope of victorie yet if they should happen to haue the worst they were not for all that such as would be dismaied or stoupe to the fortune of the enemy for euery man knew the vnuanquished power of the Venetians that they were able continually to supply new greater forces to maintaine the quarrell to bring the warre to a better issue in such sort that this enterprise of Dayna was like to be the confusion of the Duke of Albany Yet did the hard miserable estate of the besieged greatly perplex them because they were certified
that there remained a strong power before the city By this time were the armies come in sight and nowe did approach the daie of good or ill fortune to the one side or the other immediatly there followed a strange sudden silence in both armies ech of them resting themselues with great quietnesse The ensignes being fastned on the earth the Marshals did presently make choise of a fit place to encampe in where both the souldier might lodge most at his ease and the leaders by their often exhortations might coÌ„firme those which were resolute encourage others who were not fully resolued The gouernment of the Venetian army was committed to Daniell Iurich of Sebenca a man of an assured experience and practise in deedes of armes the common people call him the Voyuada he hauâ—â—g appointed euery man to his place and hauing prepared all things readie to the combat thus beganne to speake vnto his souldiers Such is the folly and temeritie of men that they thinke all things to be lawful for them when their thoughts are once tickled with the prosperous successe encrease of their fortune Hereof it proceedeth that the mind hauing no power to coÌ„mand it selfe being altogether impatient of her present prosperitie wandring sometimes here sometimes there it troubleth the coÌ„mon rest of others for her owne pleasure doth moue procure warres till such time as in the end by a miserable wretched issue it receiueth the iust chastisement of her vaine conceite imagination An example hereof my good friends is here represented vnto vs in this our enemie no lesse proud then presumptuous who by his vnhappy audacity his excessiue fortune is now growen to this point that he dareth to raise warre vpon warre and to molest those Princes of whom if he will consider the benefits he hath receiued there is not any one thing excepting his temeritie but he may attribute it vnto them wholly But the good hap of his affaires hath now so peruerted his senses that it behooueth vs not onely at this time to take armes publiquely but in priuate also to hate him mortally Behold turne aside your eies to the pitifull estate of the Dainians to the intent the iust wrath of their iniurie the honest care of your friends may animate your courage You ye citizens of Scutarie haue many of your children many of your brethren many of your kinsmen friends allies both Sclauonians Italians all of them hardie good souldiers enclosed shut vp within that garrison where being mewed vp by disloialtie of the enemy being brought to the vttermost point of all extremities they haue no other hope remaining but only in your valure vertue Long time haue they attended you in sorrow in suspence in great care expectation longing looking aloft from off their wals that either your powers shold now restore them to their libertie or else hauing lost all hope of coÌ„fort they must be enforced shamefully to submit theÌ„selues to leaue their liues to the mercy of Castriot vnder the view of his pride who is so insolent vnmercifull in his victory as his like is no where to be found as one who hauing bin of a long time nourished vp amoÌ„g the Barbarians doth excell in all barbarousnes inhumanity For to omit other matters can there be any greater temeritie then this can there be any folly more notable then by so leud an example to debarre men froÌ„ the libertie of protecting of others in the right of their own goods possessions And by meanes thereof most wickedly to purchase to him selfe al that he can seize vpon vnder this vaine pretence of I know not what coÌ„pact agreement to excuse his greedie desire of coÌ„mand abrogating by this meanes and taking away from men all the rights of their libertie His ambitious mind is enraged that the Venetians should be preferred before him by the Dainians he impugneth the voluntarie mind of the mother in the disposition of the heritage of her own sonne deceased but you may see how the malladie infirmitie of his owne mind and the vehemency of his despight hath so blinded and inueigled him that being transported with enuie he runneth headlong to his own destruction for he could not endure to put off the care of this warre till such time as hauing chased away this enemie the Turke who is daily at his dores he might haue bin the better able to vnite all his forces to haue come with al his whole power to execute his hatred against the Venetians neither hath he bin so well aduised as to ioyne battell against vs with any great forces though it be in sight of the towne besieged But he this expert warrior hath separated his forces here and there shewing himself therin a more vpright iudge to you then to himself to further your cause more then his own And whilst that the siege of Dayna on the one side the care doubt of Mustapha on the other doth not suffer his mind to enioy any rest or quietnes he hath reserued this army not as a fit enemie able to encounter with you but as a sacrifice rather to be slaughtered by you Wherfore seeing you are so many braue warriors against an handful of robbers goe to theÌ„ and charge them valiantly cease not till you haue vtterly ouerthrowen them Let your valure prowes enforce their foolish vaineglorious hearts either by loue or by constraint to acknowledge confesse that theÌ„selues are guiltie of the iniustice of this warre which they haue vndertaken so iniuriously And these being once chastised for their folly you shal not need to take any further care nor to redoubt those their forces which are remaining before Dayna For then pursuing the good successe of this battell we may at one and the same instant preuent their purpose by going to charge them first and they within issuing out vppon their backes shall enclose and hedge them in on all sides by meanes whereof we shall finish and bring to an ende a most notable peece of seruice and exceedingly famous The oration of the king of Epire was more milde and not so sharpe and inuectiue neither was it so replenished with ill speeches tending to the disgrace of others but as some say it was neere to this effect that followeth Whether the cause of this present warre be iust or not it is not now time my good friends quoth he to make any question seeing we are come armed into the field nether is that now to be debated on when we are in view of the enemie considering especially that my self was the man that made you to take armes with whom you neuer yet had iust cause to be agreeued either for refusing any war that was lawfull or for seeking any quarrels which were vnlawfull vniust But seeing it is so that in all humain affaires nothing doth more
would well permit and conueniently suffer Young Mahomet likewise being very prompt and forward both in action and in speech did not long keepe silence but the oration of his father being scant ended as one furious and full of venemous rage he arose from his seate and did so bitterly inueigh against the Christians in generall besides the extremitie of his priuate hatred which he bare to the Epirots in particular that he there bewrayed him self as an other Hāniball against the Romans to be their mortall and sworne enemy and after him all the other Chiestaines and leaders did encourage each man his own souldiours By that time that all things were ready and in good order that the Turke had dined at his ease it was neare noone at which time the squadrons being drawn forth of the trenches did display thēselues vpō the plaine It might be iudged an vnfit season to begin such an assault considering the extreme heat of the summer neuerthelesse the Ottoman thought it to be the best time because he mistrusted that if he should haue drawen them out of the campe either in the night or late towardes the euening perhaps it would haue giuen Scanderbeg the more oportunity to rush vpon them and to inuade and molest his trenches and yet did not this his suspition gaine him any thing neither was it altogether in vaine The allarme being giuen and the troupes as we haue sayd being issued forth and marching on with a wonderfull noise and sound of trumpets drummes and clamours of the souldiers they were now come to the wals and the foremost of them had scant or but newly begun the fight when the Turkish campe was sodainely in an vproare and was filled with a great tumult and horrible feare sprong vp amongest them The cause thereof was Scanderbeg who hauing of a long time watched and layd espiall to see what the Sultan would determine to doe now with a strong troupe of horsemen the most able and best mounted of all his army was come to the tents of the enemy rushed in vpon them where they lay next and nighest vnto him The Turks which were placed there in that quarter did receiue him at the first onset very resolutely but perceiuing by the losse slaughter of many of their fellowes that they could not hold out nor stand against him they being scattered dispersed here there in that feare had soone forsaken both their court of garde and all things else whatsoeuer if the others who were next them had not made hast and running thither from all partes at the noyse of the allarme making head against the enemy had not stayed them from flying farther The Albanians keeping their ranckes close and taking the aduantage of this good fortune did charge those that came last to encounter them more liuely then they had done the former and hauing layd more then 600 Turkes dead at their feete and made the Barbarians on that side to betake them selues to flight they sacked two of their tents carrying away diuerse ensignes and whatsoeuer else was found within the same This rumour being brought from hand to hand as the maner is to the eares of Amurath who was then busied in ordering his forces to the assault although the old man had made prouision before of many things did greatly affie himselfe in the sufficiency of those whom he had left within the campe neuerthelesse dreaming and forethinking himself of the worst that might happen for he was wont euer to say that nothing was sufficient to make resistance against the fiercenesse and fury of this beast he sent Seremet one of his captaines with 4000. horse for the repulse of the Christiās Mahomet who did alwayes burne in extreame hatred against this Prince though his father would haue diswaded him from it went thither also being accompanied with the ordinary garde of his person but before that these forces were ready on foot Scanderbeg perceiuing that he should not be able to make his partie good against so many as were comming vppon him had turned bridle and prouided for the suretie of him selfe and his people yet not without the extreame daunger of his life For as the report goeth the heat of fight had made him so farre to forget him selfe that he brake in amongest his enemies where they were thickest and he engaged him selfe so farre that he was almost oppressed by them and he was not able but with extreame payne to make him selfe way through the multitude that pressed vppon him and sought to stoppe his passage for both his owne strength and the forces of his horse began to fayle in somuch that very hardly and difficultlie did he escape and free him selfe from amongest them And after he was with much a do gotten from them yet did they not cease on all parts to pursue him as long as they had any hope to ouertake him or to staye him In this manner did the Christian troupes on the one side and the Generall on the other side by a happie retrait shift them selues out of the fight of the Mahometistes This tumult being pacified and appeased the Turkes returned vnto their camp and the Sultan his son repaired to his father extreamly grieuing that after such a brauado the slaughter of so many of their people his enemy should be escaped from him And he there tooke a solemne oth before them all that he would neuer leaue watching whole moneths daies and nights if need were but at one time or other by his ambushments and traines he would get this sauage and wilde beast to fal into his snares which he meant to lay for him that he wanted neither a good mind nor good meanes to effect it and he did so far assure himselfe of a good successe that if the other did hold on stil and continue in this brauery temerity thus to assaile them and to approach to their trenches he did not doubt but to make him to repent it The Prince of Epire hauing freed him selfe from the pursuite of his enemies tooke an other way and went after his owne company who being in a maruellous care and perplexity for the absence of their master went here and there wandring vp down and sending forth souldiours in quest on all parts to search if they could discouer him or could heare any newes of him in any place Many of them also could not forbeare teares lamenting and deploring the estate of Albany which should remaine as a tender orphan and the common weale of Epire which should continue desolate as it were in widowhood by the death of so diuine a personage so barbarously murthered by the Circumcized miscreāts But his safe returne whereof they despaired did reuiue their harts made them ioyfull both in priuate and publike in so much that besides diuers songs vttered by the common sort in token of their gladnesse many of them with great deuotion performed their
man could imagine to clime and mount to the supreme and highest degree of honour as well in warre as in peace That there was neuer any straunger which had receiued so good entertainement and nouriture in his Court neither had the vertue of any Alien bene so highly recompenced and so honourably rewarded Againe in one and the same instant faining and dissembling to the vtmoste of his power and extreame discontentment and impatiency of griefe and sorrow hee would exalt the loialty of his princes and nobles and would often exclaime and with a loud voice affirme that this notwithstanding was a great good hap and benefit both for him and for the Ottoman Empire to see him selfe freed and discharged from so waighty a burthen as is domesticall fraud and treason that it might be he should haue bene surprised with some other poyson farre more daungerous and with some mischiefe of greater dammage and inconuenience if this plague should haue beene suffered to grow or to continue in his house any longer time that nothing should now trouble his minde and for this fact hee doubted not but it would aske vengeaunce both of God and man it being vnpossible that he should suffer such a crime to remaine vnpunished by which contrary to all right and equity with so wicked and lewd a minde he hadde giuen that victory to the Christians in Hungarie For if he had had any cause or occasion of reuenge against him or any colour or pretence of iust discontentment for the detayning of his patrimony from him and the inheritaunce of his fathers kingdome what could his Army doe to that which with all horrour and cruelty he had brought to the Butchery and had made it neither more nor lesse then as a sacrifice to the enemies What hadde the innocent bloud of his subiectes deserued And in briefe the poore Secretary whereof was he guilty that he might not escape the handes of this bloudy tormentor With such like discourses did the Sultan enflame the hearts of the Barbarians who were already of them selues sufficiently animated against him But nowe ridings being brought one still vppon an other from the partes of Epyre it did more violentlie aggrauate and exasperate his sorrow at such time as it was tolde him that Croie was taken by Scanderbeg that he was possessed of the other places and strong holdes of like waight and consequence that the garrisons were slaine and destroyed and in briefe that the whole estate of his auncestours was remitted and reduced vnder his power and gouernment with the incredible fauour and good liking of all the nation Now albeit these matters went neare the heart of Ottoman and did extreamely grieue him yet hauing in a manner put all other things out of his minde he bent and conuerted all his thoughtes to the warre of Hungarie There was not any other matter or subiect of quarrell or enmity thought on but that onely was it which all men did aduise him to prosecute and which both the desire of euery man in particular and the publique vowes and prayers of all in generall did earnestly long and wishe for Yet did the diuerse and variable opinions of the greatest Captaines hold the minde of the old man in some doubt and suspence some of them who would not be perswaded there was any daunger till such time as they should see all subdued by Scanderbeg were of this minde that it was best to marche with all their forces against the Hungarians and that they ought not by faintnesse and cowardise to leaue the euent and triumph of all the warre vnto those who hadde vanquished and were conquerours but in part onely and yet that neither had they hadde that aduantage and victory of their fellowes but onely by the treason and fellony of his owne followers Furthermore that there was a great difference and no comparison to be made betweene the force of one Bassa with a few vauntcurrers of some twenty thousand in regard of all the puissaunce of Ottoman and of the flower of Asia and Europe and the huge forces which the Sultan hadde for the guard of his person that these were not vsed nor accustomed to be ouercome and conquered But others who did feare some greater ruine and mischiefe were of a contrary aduise and opinion affirming that by how much the more the former did excuse the misfortune of the Bassa laying it vppon the disloyaltie of Scanderbeg so much the more was hee to be blamed in regard of the small number of the enemies for that Huniades with lesse then the moity and one halfe of their number and without any bloud of his souldiours had giuen them so grieuous a checke and discomfiture And whereas they compared the Bassa his forces to the royall army and the greatnesse of the imperiall hoast which they commended so highly these on the contrary did alleadge and willed them to consider the greatnesse of the power of Vladislaus with the renowme of all Hungarie and Poland besides the succours of the Italians guyded and conducted by Iulian the legate Apostolique and the strength and forces of the Almaines all which hadde not as yet any thing entermedled in this warre but in very great deuotion did attend the occasion to enter into this warre with their vtmost power and ability Besides that the Christians would not now in time of neede and extremity leaue or forsake the Despot whose cause they had already so fauoured and vndertaken till such time as they had fully enstalled and settled him in the seate of his auncestors And last of all that Scanderbeg who had newly declared him selfe for their enemy was not to be despised and contemned that there was none of them but knew very well of what and how great spirite and courage the man was and with what good fortune besides his singular experience in the warres he was euer accompanied That hauing in a moment extinguished the name of his aduersaries he was now reentred and repossessed of al the estate of his father without any charge or losse sustained then what would hee doe hereafter when he had settled and assured the affaires of his Realme and gained the hearts and good willes of his subiects That it was not to be doubted but he would stirre vp all Princes Christian to enter into Armes and would spare no trauels dangers nor watchfull labours to exhort and wring from him daily some part or peece of his Empire That it would argue great simplicity in the middest of so many enemies both before and behinde and on all sides and in the middest of so many forces to looke for any other then a very bad and most vnfortunate issue The wisest way therefore and most expedient was for once to yeelde vnto Fortune for feare least shee did often triumphe ouer them and to discouer and lay open vnto her one part of their body for the better couering and safety of that which was most subiect and exposed to her violence
answer That sooner more easily he could be perswaded to hang himself then to abiure those traditions though he were now past ninetie yeares of age which he had reciued from his forefathers giuing vs thereby to vnderstand how dangerous a thing it is to make a mock and iest of religion and of the Sonne of God and to follow after peruerse and false opinions when they shall once grow to haue gotten an habit within vs. For the Despot in this perswasion retyring himselfe from the presence of the Frier was heard oftentimes to reiterate and repeate these words That he had rather his subiects should call him a Prince miserable and vnfortunate then an old and aged dotard This man then now at this time did mightely cleaue vnto the Turke and fauoured his quarrell against the Christians both in regard of his daughter Gathagusina whom he had maried vnto Amurath as also because of the hatred which he bare vnto the Hungarians but especially to Iohn Huniades the Despot of Transiluania by whose aide assistance as we haue before declared in the enlargement and libertie of Scanderbeg at such time as he was succoured against the Sultan restored into his kingdome he tooke it in ill part that certaine townes and places of Verâ—ia which had bene graunted vnto Huniades in recompence of his vertue and desert were not restored and redeliuered vnto him For this cause vnderstanding of the preparations made for the warre of Hungarie and of the comming of Scanderbeg who approched neare his borders he stopped vp all the wayes and passages and debarred him from entring within his dominions Castriot did assay but all in vaine by his Ambassadors sent to the Despot to admonish him of the wrong and iniurie which he offred him and he intreated him in friendly sort That he might not be the first which should charge him with ill dealing who had giuen him no cause of offence and iniurie that he would not of his friend and neighbour purchase him for his enemie and draw vpon him selfe the arms both of all Hungarie and Epire. That he would not suffer and procure by his meanes and occasion onely so great a losse and mischiefe to all Christendome which might swallow vp both himselfe his estate and Empire For albeit in regard of his daughter he did so cleaue and adhere vnto Amurath yet he should not thereby hope and expect for any other then certaine losse assured dammage hauing had good proofe experience both of the infidelitie and periurie of his sonne in law of the great pleasures benefites which the Hungarians on the other part had often times done him These perswasions nothing preuailing in a mind so depraued and corrupted and the Prince of Epire now perceiuing that he was out of all hope to get passage by anie other meanes then by the sword he fully resolued with him selfe to take that course notwithstanding that both it displeased him highly that he held it a matter of some danger and difficultie to begin the warres so neare his owne home and to hazard his forces at that time to the trauell of armes which hee had thought to haue reserued whole fresh and sound and to haue made proofe and triall of them against the royall armie of a more worthie and stronger enemie Whilest the Albanian army thus incensed through discontentmeÌ„t did spend their time vpon the borders of Misia in the middest of infinite inconueniences and discommodities and whilest the iourney of Scanderbeg was delaied rather then hindered by the disloialty of that Apostata the Despot for there is no doubt but he could at length haue gotten passage though not without some dammage and losse of his forces Vladislaus in the meane time both encouraged by the letters receiued from Scanderbeg prouoked also with an assured hope and conceipt of the honour and successe of future victory or rather being drawen on by a certain fatall necessity wherunto he was predestinat such was the particular desteny of them all and Fortune not contented nor satisfied with so many deadly mortall spectacles did now inuite these men who of late had bene preserued and had yet scarce breathed themselues from their forepassed miseries to the danger of more lamentable and fatall perils Vladislaus I say and the army of the Christians hauing marched through Valachia and passed ouer the Danow were now come to Varna with an intent purpose to conioyne vnite their forces to those which were at Sea and so to passe on with easie iournies and ensigns displaid into Romania The countrey of Varna which did swarme with such numbers of enemies shortly after long afore hand was infamous through the ruine of many mighty armies and was a place alwaies as hateful and odious euen to the brauest souldiors is a goodly champion plaine valley situated on the other side of the confines of Misia vpon the sea called Maggiore or the greater sea foure dayes iourney from Andrinople in a streight gulfe betweene two pointes or promontories vppon the one of which is seated Galata and vpon the other Macropolis The bottome of that valley on the right hand is inhabited with husbandmen in seuerall small villages or hamlettes slenderly peopled and frequented On the left hand where Galata standeth is a great marshe at the foot of the hils extending forth her still standing waters euen to the other valley neare at hand which bendeth towards the Occident Amurath being aduertised of these troubles towardes was not any whit discouraged but hauing liuely repulsed the Caramanian and reassured his countrie of Natolia he made no doubt nor difficultie of anie thing but onely howe he might transport his armie ouer the sea by reason that the fleete of the bishoppe of Rome and the Duke of Burgundie did take from him all hope of passage in such sort that he made no great haste to march against the Christians till such time as certaine Marchants Genowayes if it be true that is reported did free and deliuer him from that care in consideration of a great rewarde promised and agreed vppon to be giuen them For at a certaine narrow streight of the sea betweene the two seas of Maggiore and Propontide deuiding Asia from Europe was the Turkish army transported out of Asia they that passed them ouer taking for ech man his passage a ducat There were numbred to be about a hundred thousand all which were gathered and collected out of Asia because the Sultan had a vehement suspition of the faith both of the Greekes and his other subiects within Europe After his armie was once transported he marched on with speede and celeritie so incredible that within seuen daies he came to pitch his tentes within foure miles of the Christians campe neere to the citie of Varna named by the auncients Dionisiopolis The suddaine and vnexpected newes of the approach of Amurath with so great and mightie a
daunger they might make all of them in particular to yeeld an accompt and reckoning of their iorney so vnaduisedly vndertaken At the first Castriot seemed to be somewhat cheared concerning his counsailes and determinations by reason that these tydings seemed to giue fitte occasion and oportunitie for his affaires but after that hee had more particularly enquired of the peasant touching the estate of all things howe the Campe of the enemie was seated and in what manner he carried him selfe then extolling and praysing the prudence of Mustapha he began to admire him and from thencefoorth he iudged that it would stand him vppon from that time forwarde to be better aduised and to looke vnto him selfe and his affaires more nearely and narrowly Hereuppon being not willing to attempt anie thing rashly calling his armie round about him and standing in the middest so as he might well be heard of them all he spake vnto them in this fashion I was wont my companions and copartners in Armes to giue counsell and to set downe the course and order of our affaires but nowe it standeth both you and me vppon to take counsell together touching the state of our matters and the manner of our proceedings against the enemie and this euerie one of you will easily acknowledge if you do but looke into the euent of matters the which in case where reason is not of sufficient force is the chiefe maister and director We were giuen to vnderstand that the Turkes as robbers and free-booters without any order or conduct without any regard did wander vp and downe the fields flying hither and thither as men that did feare any thing more then our comming For this cause by my perswasion and procurement vnder my conduct here are you come with this honorable intent and purpose to inuade and set vpon them with your forces it is not needful that I tell you what new counsels and directions the happy oportune comming of this man hath brought vs you haue heard himself recount what the enemie doth how they do demeane thēselues One thing there is which no man can denie if you consider the purpose and drift of Mustapha both in the fashion of his encamping and in the fortification and defence thereof with men well armed appointed you shall soone vnderstand that he carieth not towards you the countenance nor mind of a robber as it may be you supposed but of a most aduised warie enemie For this cause in my opinion it is requisit that you carrie yourselues more considerately with a better deliberation against your enemies then it seemeth you were determined Let vs leaue them alone that are abrode on foraging lest that in offering occasion to their Captaine to issue out of his trenches who looketh for no better aduātage we do giue them the oportunitie of an easie victorie against vs for whilest we out of order dispersed and in disarray shall thinke to pursue them as they be scattered and disordered it is to be feared lest we being double charged by the enemie be ouerthrown by thē and without all remedie cut in peeces it is better that we issue forth all at once with our whole puissance and that we breake in vpon the rampiers of their fortresse the which if our valor and resolution as it is accustomed shall happen to carrie or if we may put their Generall to flight or may get his head he being slaine to present and make shew thereof to the rest of the Barbarians to appall them which God almight for his mercy grant vs there is no doubt but without any danger you shall to your endlesse honor attaine to your desire in each of these respects For the residue of these free-booters some of them being excluded and separated from the succours of their companions and others of them being on all sides besieged by your forces they will be at your mercie either aliue or dead as your selues shal please to dispose of them But in any case my good soldiers take you heed that the filthie auarice desire of pillage do not carrie you away in the sacking and spoile of the campe for many are the examples that with great shame and dishonor this hatefull humor and affection of couetousnesse hath oftentimes taken away the victories out of the hands of the victors hath giuen it to the enemy when they haue bene quite ouerthrowne discomfited This counsell of the Generall was vniuersally liked and allowed and it was put in execution and followed with the consent of all the soldiers The troupes therefore being marshalled and ordered according to the Art and skil of armes they were drawne forth of the secret and close vallies into the open and plaine fields they did now discouer thēselues to the wards scouts of the Turks who from the tops of the mountaines by the fiers mounting vp on high did giue notice of their comming to those within the fortresse Then was heard the sound noise of the trumpets to the great griefe of those men of armes who were dispersed abroad in the champion and were busied in spoyling and pilling of the countrey Many of them retired vppon the summons and were receiued within the trenches before that our men could get neare them and others as they were making hast to enter were sore troubled and terrified The noise and cry of the enemies soldiers sounding and fearing them with the name of Scanderbeg Many whom the sodaine and speedy comming of the Albanois did finde without at the entry of the Fort were excluded and shut out And being ouercharged with the spoile and prey of the countrey they found them selues likewise charged with their enemies On all sides was the assault giuen to the trenches and at the first charge in a manner their cariages and baggage which they hadde made as a Barricado to their fort and the Targatiers that guarded the place were ouerthrowen and cast downe with an exceeding great noise and confusion both of those that were excluded of our men who striued pell mell to enter with them All of them made way indifferently and alike and all places were full of enemies mixt together The presse was so great and the place so straight that there was no vse of dartes nor yet of shot The fight was more hand to hand and they found it more aduauntage to vse the sword and certaine Mases of iron a short kinde of weapon which the Turkes did often vse in battell It was a strange kinde of fight to see the Turks fighting with their swords in one hand and their fatall booty in the other So greedy is that people of catching proling of any thing whatsoeuer The Christians encreasing still in fury and fiercenesse did eagerly presse vppon them more and more and without intermission did on al parts put them to vtterance filling the whole place with feare and slaughter till such time as Mustapha who kept in the safest
vsual thing that the crosses of Fortune and aduersity doth soone cause men to wax weary of wars concluded to giue himselfe some rest from this toilesome exercise of armes and from thenceforth no more to feed the enemy with the bloud of his subiects but determined to surcease from war till such time as himselfe poore old man who seemed to threaten more danger with his beake then with his talents guided and led on by his sinister vnhappy destiny went thither in person to seeke the end of that glory which he vainly promised to himself and the fruit of that victory which he had most idlely conceiued in his thoughts Yet did he in the meane time command Mustapha to leauy new forces and sent him again into Epire but with expresse charge not to ouerrun nor endamage the enemies countrey nor vpon any occasion whatsoeuer to assaile Castriot but onlie to gard his subiects and his frontiers from all molestations and incursions without any care taken for the purchase of conquest or victory to containe him self within his limits and not be drawen forth to any seruice whatsoeuer And surely we must needs thinke that God did wonderfully prouide for the good and welfare of Castriot in that he inspired the minde of so mighty and redoubted an enemy with such a thought and resolution euen at that time when he was entred into a new war against the Venetiās The comming of Mustapha and the newes of the massacres of the prince of Dayna being reported at one the same instant to Scanderbeg made him diuersly distracted in his thoughtes and cogitations and did greatly perplexe his minde Notwithstanding the Barbarian with whom it was an ordinarie matter to be vanquished did not so much trouble him but the horrible accident of that Prince his singular friend and his end no lesse cruell then lamentable did so oppresse his heart with grief that it was thought it would go neare to kill him Besides this his sorow was much aggrauated when he heard of the determination of the Lady Bossa and that the Venetians had vndertaken her cause and made it their owne proper quarrell for true it was that the gouernors of the places next adioyning had fortified all of them principally the town of Dayna with strong and great garrisons Behold here now the occasion of their dissention and the originall of the quarrell the Prince of Epire found himself aggrieued with the Venetians in that they would seeme to pretend any right to the state of him that was dead wold chalenge it vnto them selues seeing that the resignation which the mother had made vnto them was of no force concerning those goods which her sonne in his life time had ordained to be left vnto him and there was no reason that the rash wilfulnes of the mother should be any lawful preiudice or make voyd the intent and meaning of the sonne For it was euident apparant that there was a former compact past betweene him Zachary that he that was the suruiuer of them twaine should be the others successor and enioy his dominions this their agreement was confirmed by a solemne oth betweene them what the right of law was in that case either for the one or the other I leaue to the lawyers to debate it true it may be that the diuine power by the fortune of the warre did equally deuide their controuersie But here in the meane time may also good Christianlike minds see the fruits effects of ambition and auarice In this doubtfull state of his affaires Scanderbeg being more carefull now then euer did continually keepe neare the forces of Mustapha and coursing vp down euery where with a very small numbar sometimes by aduenturing him self too farre and sometimes by faining of flight and by retiring of his colours in disorder in vaine did he seek to prouoke the wylie General of the Turks to issue forth to the fight the which to his cost he had once made proofe of But now seeing that he refused the combat wherby he was out of all hope either of doing of any exploit or of any meanes to surprize or circumuēt him he there left all those forces which he had with him vpon the borders of the enemy to preuent all new occasions of tumults and to represse the insolencie of the Turks himself bending all his thoughts to the preparation of the war of Daina with a very small company attending him tooke his iorney presently towards Croy. There knowing that the deciding of this debate was not likely to be otherwise then by force of armes he speedily commanded a publike leuie of soldiers and himself riding all ouer the prouince with some of his most notable ancientest Captaines for the raising of men he assembled a mighty armie And then without any delay before that those of Daina should haue the leasure to prouide themselues of corne he cōpassed their citie with his forces round about girding them in with a strong and straight siege and omitting nothing that was to be done sometimes by gentle perswasions sometimes by rough intreatie he employed all his study and indeuors to solicit them within to yeeld themselues to his deuotion for he was in great doubt least if this oportunitie of seizing vpon the towne did slip from him the newes thereof flying in the meane time to Venice wold animate and stir vp the Senators of that citie more earnestly to take vpon them the defence therof send thither fresh succours and stronger forces out of Italie He refrayned notwithstanding frō the spoyling of the country which is cōmonly the first mischiefe that foloweth vpon the siege of any place for doubt lest the minds of the Danians being more eagerly bent should be made the more constant and resolute to continue faithfull to the enemy neither did he assay with artilery to batter their wals nor to force the town by Escalados or assalts but only debarring the inhabitants from all maner of renuing refreshing themselues with victuals or munitions he threatned them with the danger of famine which was not far from them and with the discommoditie of a long tedious siege by meanes whereof when they should hereafter be constrained to submit themselues vnto him then all too late imploring his mercy and compassion they should feele all these extremities which the iust rigor of a conqueror should impose vpon them The Gouernors of those prouinces which were subiect to the Venetians the Captains of the townes neare adioyning being aduertised of the state of the besieged gaue notice to the Signiorie of Venice and hauing commission returned vnto them with no lesse speed celeritie they leauied suddenly in great hast soldiers of all sorts both Albanois and Italians with all which kind of people the next garrisons were ordinarily stuffed by the order of the Venetians and with these they marched on with full purpose to
certaine discorde and discontentment of the residue and because there was not any of thē but did esteeme himselfe to haue asmuch valour as any one of his companions he tooke none with him but the very chiefe and strength of all his armie namely the old souldiours and such as were best hardened or most able to endure in armes for well knew this most expert Chieftaine what difference there is betwixt the besieging of the walles of a towne where men lying incamped idle with their handes in their bosomes doe onely waite by time to enforce and bring a place to reason and the seeking in open field neare at hand and in the face of the enemy by the fury of fight and mortall blowes to purchase honor and glory not easily to be gained or without great difficulty Scanderbeg was scant dislodged from before Dayna but the Scrutarians being fully enformed both of the stirring of the Turks and of their deliberation as also of the departure of the Albanois they assembled their troupes with all possible diligence and with great prouision of artillery for the seasing of Baleze for they confidered that as long as the garrison of Albany was not remoued thence nor that place cleared from their enemies they should haue perpetuall war within their owne territory not be able to breath themselues from their roads and inuasions Vpon this occasion neither more nor lesse then as a company of hungry wolues almost starued for want of food which perceiuing the negligence and absence of the sheepherds do rush without feare vpon the fearefull flocke and do disperse dismember the poore sheepe being ill garded In like maner the Scrutarians hauing bene at all times very vigilant attentiue and now hauing intelligēce of the departure of Scanderbeg that he was far remoued being called to another warre of great importance sodainely with all their forces and prouisions they made hast towards Baleze and there began the reuenge of the iniuries and griefes which they had endured litle had it wanted but the garrison had bene surprized if it had with obstinacie attended the comming of the enemy But as soone as Marin hadde discouered that they went to bring the Canon against the place trussing vppe their baggage both hee and all his souldiours conueyed themselues secretelie to Dayna leauing nothing but their bare and emptie neast and the naked Rampiers for the Scrutarians who by this time had passed and gotten ouer the brooke of Clyre and were not aboue two myles from Baleze where they neither saw nor encountred any thing but a solitarie and wilde countrey hearing neither voyce nor rumour of any persons nor seeing any token or appearance of watch or gardes vpon the walles This so new and straunge a case and this great silence seeming to them verie suspitious did at the first shew make them fearefull and full of horrour but afterwardes certaine of their companie being sent foorth to discouer the enemie and hauing brought word backe that they were departed thence their whole armie approched the fort without any feare The sight of the place so solitarie and the dislodging of the garrison did mightely displease those which were of great and hautie courages seeing that there was nothing but the poore walles for them to bend their forces against and the Towne onely without any liuing creature in it Aboue all others Humoy of whom we haue before spoken was in a great rage and choller by reason of the excessiue desire which hee had by some like match and good hap to be reuenged for his brothers captiuitie for the truth is it vexed him extreamely that he could by no meanes obtaine his deliuerance of Scanderbeg And it may be that he went thither as amitie and friendship doth make the mindes of men very vigilant to the intent at the surprising of this place he might get into his handes some pledge and raunsome of good worth thereby to make an exchaunge for the person of his brother who was detained prisoner On all sides did the souldiours clime and leape ouer the walles for the razing and ouerthrow of the which their ordinance was not needefull to do them any vse or seruice For the stones cleauing but slenderly together by reason that the morter was in a manner new and lately layed and being beaten downe with barres of iron and torne vp without any great labour they did easily enough tumble downe of them selues alone in a small space therefore was all ouerthrowen and ruinated The rest which was made of wood pallizadoes and other such like defences were not long able to continue against the fire which was put vnto them and did altogether consume them the souldiours cabbines and all other fortifications likewise were troden vnder foote and layed euen with the ground Thus the Scutarians of an ouer hastie desire to satisfie their hatred and malicious mindes by a dead kinde of reuenge left that towne most deformed and hideous to looke vnto in doing whereof they were the cause but of their owne dammage and greater griefe and calamitie in making it the subiect of future reuenge to their enemy There were some of the companie whose counsell was that they should march with their forces before Dayna both to chase the enemy from the siege and to trye the fortune of battell seeing that all things seemed to encline to them and to promise them victorie Scanderbeg beeing absent from his armie But the small number of their forces made them that they durst not doe it besides some others there were who would not in any case agree to hazard and aduenture any further then the Generall and gouernour of Scutarie had giuen them in charge and commandement Wherefore they turned their ensignes and retired their troupes home towardes Scutarie without hauing done any thing worthy of glorie or commendation either by the purchase of any bootie or prisoners or by the slaughter of any of their enemies On the other side Maryn hauing brought his garrison backe to Dayna did reuiue in Amese a griefe to see the misfortune and shame bee fallen to them in publique and yet priuately he did euen smile through a kinde of contentment which he tooke in his owne particular mishap in that he seemed not onely and alone thus shamefully to be foyled and repulsed by the Dryuastines but that his colleague and copartner was enforced to become also a companion with him in the like griefe and misfortune the conceipt whereof made this young Prince in the open view and hearing of his souldiours to speake vnto them in this manner This is well quoth hee my friendes and felowes in armes Let vs still be pitifull let vs still bee mercifull and compassionate towardes our enemyes till such time as this foolish pitie and vnaduised clemencie haue vtterly ruinated and confounded euen our selues let vs to our owne destruction let loose the bandes of the Scutarians and set at libertie our prisoners to the intent they
enemies euen the Gods at their command and do they cary victory with them in their bosomes and haue you nothing but your swordes and those vnprofitable and your hands dead and without life and your bodies feeble and subiect to the sword and iniuries of your enemies Behold how they do yet abide you and stirre not a foot from you wherefore stay you Can you endure that a handfull of such base infamous persons should present them selues as conquerors before your eyes whom you are able to swallow vp whole both horse and armes Reuenge your owne bloud my souldiers and if the common reputation doe any thing at all moue you reuenge the deaths of your fellowes and companions at leastwise your owne priuate wrongs and iniuries Vpon these his speaches and exclamations all of them sodainely turned their faces towards the enemy euery man leauing al other busines ran confusedly on all sides and those also which were on the mountaine descended to charge the Albanois But the Prince of Epire would not attend them though they were almost breathles out of order but retiring speedily to the place prouided for his surety he kept the aduauntage which he had gotten in that encounter without any losse except of one only and 3. wounded and so came ioined himselfe with Moses holding that the only way for his safegard from the enemy Of the Turkes there were slaine some 60. or better of which number men say that Scanderbeg slue fiue of them with his owne hands The Barbarians did not pursue them far because the Sultan doubted of some secret traine or counterwaits and the rather for that he had some apparaunt signe of the other troupes in the ambushment wherefore he commanded them againe to a second retrait It was a notable sight to see how in one and the same instant the Barbarians on the one part did charge vpon the Christians and on the other part themselues were charged at the backes by those of Sfetigrade The Turkes scoffed at Scanderbeg as he retired from the fight and being not able to hurt him with their swordes they prosecuted him with taunts and villainous speaches But Perlat on the other side was much more troublesome and despitefull vnto them and did more grieuously importune their companions for he not onely angred thē by the hearing of his quips and fine girding speeches but he vexed them also with good store of blowes at their backes both with pikes shot and other kinde of weapons For as soone as he perceiued that at the only name of Scanderbeg they gaue ouer the assault and descended a pace downe the mountaine he embracing the occasion offered him with a traine of three hundreth men quicke and well armed issued out vpon them with a great clamour and playing vpon them with his shot as thicke as haile he went on beating killing and chasing them euen to the foote of the mountaine Thus was that day most vnfortunate to the Ottoman and all his enterprises for that time fell out to be vaine and vnprofitable The assault was broken off the enemy was not seized vppon but without any losse vanished out of sight The audacity of the defendantes was augmented and encreased and the most part of the Turke his readiest and best souldiers lay dead before the walles of Sfetigrade besides the incredible hauocke and spoile of his munitions and artillery and other prouisions for the assault For the number of those which were slaine in that iourney was reckoned to be full three thousand and more then foure thousand hurt and wounded and infinit engines and instruments for the warre were broken in peeces and consumed with fire This victory cost the towns men the losse only offorty men but of them that were wounded the number was very great yet was there an inestimable quantity both of armes and other baggage found before the walles and caried into the towne whilest the enemy was busied in the pursuite of Scanderbeg which was some amends for the losse and dammage they had sustained For that day the Turke gaue no other attempt but retiring him selfe from before Sfetigrade he spent the whole night in sorrow and sadnesse silent and melancholicke On the other side the Prince of Epire holding him selfe sufficiently contented with this good and happy successe in that this discomfiture and repulse of the enemy did yeelde some time of respite to the besieged he made no longer stay there then whilest his souldiers must of necessity to breath themselues But he imediately after returned to his first campe where hee had left his baggage at his departure and there his people refreshed themselues both with sleepe and victuals The next day early the first thing hee did was to send away messengers who rode post to cary the ioyfull newes of the victory of Sfetigrade both to Vranocontes and to the other townes and peoples vnder his obeysance He him selfe the day following with two hundred horse onely taking his way through the height of the mountaines went to take a view of the demeanour and countenaunce of the enemie All things were there in quiet and the towne at good rest by meanes whereof being returned to his tentes he soiourned there two dayes longer and the third day trussing vp his baggage he remoued his camp into the vpper Dibria there entrenched him selfe in a place strongly seated and well defended about fifteene miles from Amurath The principall cause that moued him so often to remoue from one place to another was as I take it either for feare least the souldiers abiding long in one place certaine might accustome them selues to ouermuch idlenesse or least the enemy might thereby take some course and occasion either by some draught layed to surprize his person or to guard him selfe the better from those traines which the enemy should prepare to entrappe him Amurath all this while being exceedingly malcontent for the vnhappy euent of this first assault and badly digesting in his stomacke the rude repulse sustained by them of Sfetigrade after hee hadde now sufficiently tormented his thoughts with vaine consultations griefes and complaintes once againe hee called together the ministers of his rage and vengeaunce charging them diligently to consider of the site of the place and on what side the towne might be best inuaded and offended The place being once assigned he appointed the ordinaunce to be planted against it and then consumed three whole daies in battering the towne on that side thinking to haue dismanteled it by the the force of the Canon but their labour was all in vaine for albeit on that part the flankers of the wall were beaten downe and though fortifications which had bene made by hand did tumble to the ground yet the excellent and naturall strength of the place would not suffer it to be forced neither by any violence or industry that could be vsed against it For if it had bene laid wholly open and no man
he went euen through their inmost courts of gard passing searching the most secret places of their campe I am not ignorant that some haue ascribed the proofe of this hardy and audacious fact vnto Standerbeg of which for my part neuerthelesse I will not robbe nor depriue Moses relying in this matter though there be no great certainty thereof vpon the pluralitie of opinions which do defend it how beit that this was not the first time that Moses merited this commendation neither was this peculiar to him alone For it cannot be denied but that euen Scanderbeg did aduenture himselfe to the like hazard especially during the siege of Croy with the like courage and good successe I will not say counsell and good aduise seeing in this case there is not any thing in a maner gouerned and guided by reason but by meere chance and fortune And therefore I dare not much commend in a Generall of an army that valour or vertue which is carelesse so prodigall of his life and safetie How beit fortune her selfe seemeth to haue exempted Scanderbeg from reproofe and blame in this behalfe in that she did continually so accompany and second the endeuors heroicall cōceipts of this worthy personage that it was a thing very seldome seene in that age it was a spectacle both rare singular to see a happy issue euent still ioyned with counsell wisedom that vertue should be so attēded by fortune But we shall haue occasion elsewhere to entreate of this matter let vs now returne to our campe with Moses who being perceiued a far off by the court of garde for the moone was then at the full and did shine all night they went to meet him and receiued him with infinite ioye and gladnesse and so conueyed him to the generall Then might you see the priuate and common sort of souldiours mingled pell mell with the nobles and chiefe commanders all of them running in great desire to vnderstand what he had seene what he had learned and what likehood he brought either offeare or hope When it it was knowen that all was well and that matters stood in good case and this ioyfull newes being dispersed published to euery one of them Scanderbeg knew that the wished houre did now approch for them to march on against the enemy he bestirred him selfe therefore on all sides and you might haue seene him sometimes there amongst the rancks and squadrons of his armed souldiours taking order both for the men and their armes Now disposing of some in the vauntgard and others in the rereward each one to his charge And there withall he encouraged them with many braue speeches and exhortations Although sayd he my good friends and companions both the present time and all things in a manner round about especially your valour and prowesse so often manifested may summon me now to be silent yet the noueltie of the course which we now take and this vnaccustomed fashion of fight which now we are to begin it may be will giue you cause to think that my speeches are not needles nor impertinent considering that it behoueth you now at my command to yeeld some new testimony of your auncient vertue against the enemy in the darknes of the night and not as heretofore you were wont in set battell open and orderly raunged This is the cause that I do now freely speake vnto you and as instantly as possibly I may I do pray and entreate you I do exhort you and I do require you that euen the night it selfe may shew you to be mindfull of your noble courage to be mindfull of your honor reputation which you haue purchased and continued so many yeares For now cannot I be either a beholder or encourager of the valour or of the sloth of any of you onely the moon-light shall be the witnesse of your valure and your valure must animate and encourage you Notwithstanding the successe and issue also of this nights seruice will giue an open testimony of your deuoire and my selfe wil be the particular iudge of your seuerall desertes when I shall see your victorious handes bring me the bloudy spoyles of our dead enemies their ensignes encountred and conquered before their trenches and the heads cut off from the carcasses of their slaughtered bodies These and such like speeches did he vse vnto his souldiours as it were in iest and meriment admonishing them notwithstāding in any case to abstaine from the pillage of their campe least in thinking to satisfie their vile couetous humour their booty might happen to proue fatall vnto them and be the occasion of their death and destruction that nothing could be more pretious neither could fortune offer any thing of better value to the braue souldier then the throat of the enemy This done and hauing made their praiers and vowes of all sorts vnto God for the obtaining of victory about the fourth houre of the night hee caused his ensignes to march but the clattering of their armour and the neighing of the horses did discouer their comming to the skoutes before that they came to the tentes of the enemy and they giuing the allarme to their Captaines filled all parts with disorder tumult and confusion Vpon this so sodaine and vnexpected a noise the tents of the Graund Seigniour himselfe were striken with feare and terrour and the old man being soone awaked as a man amazed and destitute of all counsaile did prouide as well as he could vpon so desperate an accident But Scanderbeg for all this neither slacked his course nor abated his fury and although he perceiued by this tumult that all the campe was in an allarme and that the souldiers did runne in and out to the gardes and passages of the campe yet did he not diminish any part of his fury and fiercenesse formerly conceiued but with high cries and wonderfull noise he inuaded their trenches and fortifications The first quarter that was assailed was where certaine souldiers of Asia lay encamped who being by chaunce the first that were encountred had their tents and lodgings ouerthrowen in an instant and themselues as they stood vpon their defence being partly slaine partly put to flight did draw on the like fury and destruction vpon others that succeeded in their roomes For many who had taken armes in great hast tumult came to make head against the enemy but being not able to make their party good by reason they were vnequall to our men both in number and in fiercenesse they were quickly cut in peeces or driuen to forsake the place From thence the Christians passing further on they found diuers tents and pauillions voyde and emptie which they caused to be fired and the cordes being cut in sunder they left them thus ouerthrowen in poore estate Thus did Scanderbeg a long time continue victorious without any losse or bloudshed of his men till such time as a strong batallion of Turkes being
and proportion as it was sufficient to sustaine the soldiers for one whole yeare Then was there preparation also made for supplies of all kinds of shot both long bows and artillery the charge managing whereof was continued to the French-men they had allowance at all times both in peace and war for each mans pay 5. crownes a moneth And most part of the garrison within Croy were harguebussiers crosse bowes The affairs of Croy being well setled and assured that which remained of the victuals did Scanderbeg cause to be transported and deuided to other townes and places of the Prouince For his owne part before he would leauy any new forces to be retained to himselfe for the molesting and inuading of the enemy as he was accustomed he thought it good first to go and visit those troupes which he had lately ordained for the defence and guard of the frontiers And therefore he called vnto him Moses and some few horsemen besides with whom hee went both to take order and giue directions for all things and to send forth espials to sound out the enterprises of Amurath that he might be fully enformed of all things in particular There was no occasion neither of frostes nor cold nor the earth all couered with snow that could hinder or stay the industry and diligence of this laborious and watchfull Chiefetaine neither the greatnesse or difficulty of his affairs or determinations nor the hard trauell of his painfull iourneis could terrifie him but that euery day more resolutely then other he did vndertake all the labors that belonged to his charge visiting and reuisiting sometimes one place sometimes another And at other times would he disguise himselfe and in the habit of a sheepherd would go euen vnder the walles of Sfetigrade to espy if he could by any policy or stratageme as he had in times past or by force or by fauor of secret trains and ambushmens closely laied seize vpon that towne and get it out of the hands of the Ottoman By meanes whereof they within had no liberty to rest themselues but as if they had bin still besieged they stirred not from their gates neither durst they at any time be negligent in keeping good watch and ward and in looking to all things with all care as they were accustomed During that time that Scanderbeg was thus carefully busied about his affairs the espials being returned brought him tidings that there was no more talke of assembling any forces by the Sultan but that the fury of his armes was deferred and that Amurath had put off the war of Epire til the next spring for he hauing heard of the departure of the christians from the siege of Sfetygrade needed not to be entreated considering the season of the yeare to make stay of his preparations which he had begun with so great heate and vehemency but changing his former order decree he had caused a new edict to be published That al his soldiers and captains who were appointed enrolled for that action of Epire should make their repair and rende vous at Andrinople the 15. day of March following He had a great desire to haue that voyage the siege of Croy to be concealed and kept close but he could not disguise nor conuay his matters so cunningly but that euery man might assure himselfe that Scanderbeg was the enemie against whom those forces should be emploied Vpon this determination of the Turkishe Monarch the Christians likewise had leisure for a while to breath themselues Wherefore the garrison vpon the frontiers being diminished by the one moity there were not left aboue 2000. at the most who building for theÌ„selues lodgings cabins as the fashion is of souldiers did prouide against the iniury of the weather winter season and the residue of them were dismissed had leaue to depart home The king of Epire with Moses the others being returned to Croy did for a while coÌ„tinue there during which time he caused certaine bastils and platformes to be added to the other fortifications of the towne and to repaire the wals on that side which lay towards Tiranne where antiquity and continuance of time had made theÌ„ weake ruinous This done as he was euer stirring impatient of rest sodainly he set foot in stirrop posting to this and to that place and being meanly apparelled and with 10. men only in his coÌ„pany he went to the Potentates his next neighbors and allies and to the gouernors of the Venetian towns labouring to embarke them in this war and to put them in mind of the imminent danger and ruine that did threaten them euen at hand and did hang ouer their heades both admonishing and encouraging them to the remembrance of their deuoire and duty Neuertheles the most part of that winter he passed couertly in the confines of Macedony in company of the garrison which was there appointed All which time a man should scarce haue seene them of Sfetygrade to issue forth out of their gates for that the nearenesse of our campe being but 15. miles off made them to stand carefully vpon their guard and did keepe them in great feare and awe The cold winter being thus spent and passed ouer with the new spring came new labours and calamities and all things grew more troublesome both in publicke and in particular There passed almost no day nor night without some letters or intelligence brought to Scanderbeg Amongst the Infidelles one while came some to yeeld themselues to his seruice at an other time others remembring their auncient familiarity would enforme him truly of the desseignes and enterprises of Amurath which caused many to plucke vp their spirites more and more and to others it gaue occasion either of feare or hardines according to the habite disposition of ech mans heart corage But for that he had of late sufficiently prouided for all his townes and nothing had bin reuoked nor diminished of those prouisioÌ„s there was no great matter now remaining to take order for but only to assemble some forces in forme of an army with which he might annoy the enemy sometimes in the open field and somtimes in the straights of the mountaines according as the oportunity of time and place should giue him leaue That so when they should afterwardes beleaguer Croy he might be the better able to weary and annoy them as he had oftentimes at the siege of Sfetigrade atempted and done the like with happy successe and good fortune Of all his Chiefetains Scanderbeg had not then the company or assistance of any but only of Tanuse of Streese and of the Dibrian For the others hauing bene sent and emploied in the like occurrences â—nd occasions were deuided into sundry townes and seuerall fortresses He sent therefore those three with all speed to leauy men throughout all the Prouince but by reason that it was drawen dry of good and able men the flower and youth of the
realme being distributed into diuers places castels they spent many daies in the mustering and leauying of those forces And this was the cause that Scanderbeg as the report goeth in this warre did wage many of the subiects of the Venetians and some also out of the next Dalmatia or that part of Sclauony that confineth vpon the sea The Prince of the Turkes in this meane while had at the time prefixed assembled the most part of his forces yet he wanted many thousands to furnish vp so huge and massy an army as that which he had the yeare last past By reason that either the far distance of places or the difficulty of the waies did hinder some of them either more or lesse And therfore attending till such time as he saw his numbers and preparations in all points performed because he would loose no time he emploied that space in the prouision of other things necessary for an action of that weight and importance and especially for the gathering of victuals Albeit order had bin taken that euery souldier should furnish him self in particular with victuals for many daies prouision for he was fully resolued that the Christians had not left any corn vpon the ground and that they would wast and destroy all the pasture and herbage vppon the first tidings of his approach It were almost a thing impossible to number vp all the instrumentes and engines of assault which were prepared Amongst the rest there were many tooles and instruments of iron vsed by husbandmen besides an infinit number of bars and mattocks pickaxes made of iron crooked of purpose to dig in mines as was afterwards seene by experience for the Sultan had bin perswaded to vse this deuise as a most commodious and fit meane to carry the city of Croy which otherwise was inexpugnable In like maner great prouision was made of litle peeces of artillery such as might conueniently be caried vpon camels and other beastes of cariage And as for great ordinance to serue for battery he prouided great store of brasse and other rude and massy mettall which being caried in grosse should afterwardes be founded and cast for that purpose These things thus prepared and his troupes being fully furnished and complete to their perfect numbers it is generally agreed by all the Historiographers that his army consisted of 160000. fighting men besides artificers as carpenters masons and all other sorts of handy crafts men and laborers which are reported to haue followed this camp part of theÌ„ vpon the purse and pay of the Ottoman and part at their owne charges for the hope and desire of prey and purchase All of them being perswaded that the siege of Croy and their abode in Epire would endure a very long time and space and would proue very tedious for by reason that there went many straunge rumors reports of the strong situation of this city and of the rare fortifications therof as of a place impregnable Amurath was determined not to returne againe to Andrinople till such time as he had gotten it into his hands and possession About the fift of Aprill assoone as all things were in a readinesse and that the hoast was ready to march the vauntcurrours of Alchanzes vnder the leading of Sebalias Zeâ—renesse a man of great practise and iudgement in actions military were sent into Macedony at the same instant that the king of Epire hauing all at leisure raised his forces and disposed good watches wards and skouts throughout all the mountains and woods did ride vp down here there coursing ouerall the Prouince taking order for the estate of his affairs By this time he had retired also his garrison froÌ„ the frontiers and had with great diligence gathered all his troups together All this notwithstanding I doe not find that during this siege of Croy he had with him selfe and in his owne company more then 8000. fighting men whereof 2000. were footmen and the residue horsemen neither do any of those who haue historised his actes affirme any otherwise I do suppose that the cause of this small number proceeded either of the scarcity of souldiers as was lately touched because he was of necessity to depart and to seuer them into so many places or it might be that he thought it more expedient to dally with the enemy and to trauell him by litle litle holding him continually in alarme so to reserue the chiefe strength of his forces to other necessities diuers accidents of fortune Considering that the war was to be made in the very center bowels as it were of the Prouince and that now the consequence of his whole estate and kingdome was in question and he was to set vp his rest vpon the successe of that warre Three daies before the arriuall of the Mahometan troupes into Epire Scanderbeg with his horsemen beating ouer all the champion countrey had trampled vnder foot wasted and spoiled or by sword and fire had consumed and destroied all the corne and whatsoeuer else was found fruitfull vpon the ground And afterwards being aduertised by message vppon message of the approach of the enemy leauing the plaine countrey he retired himselfe vppon a mountaine called Tumenista about foure miles from Croy there to take further aduise and counsell for his proceedings according as the time and the course of his affaires should perswade and induce him The Cauallary of the Turke holding on their march towards Epire encountred not with any in the way that made head against them but passing quietly through the Prouince they did at length make their entry without any impechment into the territory of Croy. And after they had made diligent search round about the city what places were most safe and secure to encampe in and in what quarter they might most coÌ„modiously come to assault the towne they tooke their lodging at the last in Tiranna and there pitched their tents and pauilions The countrey thereabouts is a faire and goodly plaine of sufficient space and largenesse pleasant to the eie and very fertile and fruitefull yet is it more apt for tillage and to beare corne then for any other fruite or commodity It extendeth it selfe from Croy to the towne of the Parthinois But before I proceed any further many reasons do induce me here briefly to touch the originall of this towne and of the ancient estate thereof and especially that which the auncients haue celebrated touching the same which is not vnknowen nor hiddeÌ„ from the posterity It may easily be gathered that this towne was of good reckonning with the rest of the towns of that Prouince before the ciuill wars of Caesar and Pompey The ruines thereof with many shewes and particular markes and monumentes which are yet left may yeeld no obscure representation of the ancient nobility of the place and of the reputation which it once had For the report is that it was
this stay of the assault was welcome to them all For their continuall labour and the heat of the day accompanied with extreame hunger and thirst had in a manner wholly spent them by reason that the suddennesse of the assault had preuented many from taking any repast The residue therefore of the day and the night following they consumed in refreshing themselues both with sleepe and victuals The same night tidings being brought to Scanderbeg of the victory of the Croians it gaue him good cause of ioy and gladnesse and he presently imparted these good newes vnto the Princes and peoples his next neighbours But on the other side the enemie was in great sorrow and discontentment and was seene for many dayes to be very sad and pensiue for the notable losse of that daies worke was very hard to be digested hauing lost in that seruice more then 8000. good souldiers but the Croians had verie little losse and without any great slaughter to speake of It is reported that Amurath kept himselfe close shut vp within his tent for two whole dayes together in debating vpon diuerse counsels and opinions with his Captaines and the Visirs his Counsellers But aboue all others young Mahomet shewed himselfe to be notably vexed and discontented his spirit boiling with fury and choller and his youthfull yeares being yet vnacquainted with crosse fortunes and aduersities had turned all his passions of griefe and anguish into meere rage and madnesse From thenceforth he tooke vpon him to deale in all the affaires of the campe with a carefull eye viewing and reuiewing all the seuerall companies he shewed himselfe so greedie of reuenge that he spared not to labour himselfe extreamely both night and day and was verie watchfull at all times to take the aduantage of any fit occasion but principally he had an eie to that side where the Albanois had lately endammaged their campe For there he placed a strong and puissant court of garde and dressed many ambushments and oftentimes would he watch there him selfe whole nightes in proper person to the intent if fortune did present him any good opportunitie to oppresse Scanderbeg he might not escape againe out of his handes But all these his deuises turned to nothing and vanished away as the smoake by the prouident and circumspect cariage of that expert Chiefetaine the Prince of Albany who being from day to day enformed of all thinges either by such as came to render themselues vnto him or by espials sent abroad of purpose he helde himselfe still and quiet in his campe for a season ordering and prouiding for the safetie of his affaires and drawing on his enemies with delayes Notwithstanding he could not endure to remaine long idle but being very desirous that his enterprises shold surpasse all others in glory reputatioÌ„ he aduised him self of a fine stratageme by which he purposed to surprise theÌ„ who were too intentiue to intrap him One night therefore trussing vp his baggage very secretly he remoued his army to a place called Monticlea from whence he might most coÌ„modiously trauel disturbe the enemy He left Moses Tanusee at Tumeâ—ista accompanied with 500. horse only and hauing set downe a certaine and prefixed time course and coÌ„municated his enterprise with them he willed them to set vppon the trenches of the enemy a litle after midnight next ensuing on the same side where he had last inuaded theÌ„ and that assoone as they had but giuen them a false allarme and made a shew of forcing the barriers of their campe they should suddenly and speedily make away without giuing the enemie any meanes to come to handiblowes with them and that himselfe in the meane time hauing set all things in good order and leauing 200. men for the guarde of his campe would on the other side breake in vpon the tentes of the enemie with the residue of his armie According to this conclusion there was little distance of time betweene the allarme made by Moses and the comming of Scanderbeg For assoone as he perceiued the sudden rumour and terrour of the allarme raised by the Dibrian on the other side he bare in with a full and strong carrer and charged them on that part where they litle doubted or suspected In this manner was the campe of the Infidels full of doubt feare and confusion some ranne here some there making great haste on all sides to oppose themselues against the violence of the Christians One of them wakened another crying that they were enuironned and rounde beset with the enemie But as for Moses he did indeede put them in a feare and that was all he did by reason that those souldiers which had beene lately placed in that quarter by Mahomet did easilie repulse them especially such as were most forward But the night hindered them froÌ„ pursuing after him for that they suspected some ambushment which they had good cause to be in doubt of and especially at that time But the dammage that Scanderbeg wrought them cannot be recounted For their campe was on all parts beaten downe and foully deformed and disordered both by sword fire and yet did not this inuasion continue any long time by reason of the sudden comming and readie arriuall of the Turkes whose presence in so great multitudes did soone determine and ende the conflict For the Christians making a retreate durst not hazarde and oppose themselues against so huge forces as were there vnited especially in a place that was so plaine and euen for it was in Tyranna where they gaue this charge vppon the enemie Neuerthelesse when the Christians beganne to retire the Infidels had no great desire to follow after and if they had it might be they should haue paid well for it for this warie and circumspect warrior had placed all his infanterie and 8000. horse neere at hand to the intent they should be as a gard vnto him behind at his backe and should serue against all such casualties as might befall him Of these companies was he receiued in his retreate with great ioy and high cries and clamors and so passing forward they spent the rest of the night in trauelling to their campe It is reported that Scanderbeg did neuer doe anie exploite vppon his enemie with lesse losse and bloudshed for he brought backe all his troupes safe and sounde without the losse of any one man not leauing vnto the Barbarians aniething saue woundes teares and lamentations as the testimonies of his being with them in such sort that this slaughter and foule discomfiture did make them in a manner quite to forget the calamitie of their late losse which they had had before Croy. No man durst from thencefoorth open his mouth vnto the Sultan or to aduise him to any enterprise for this accident hauing succeeded to their so notable infamie did seeme to reproue all their counsels and deliberations both in times past and at that present Wherefore they had recourse in this their
to be held or esteemed more base vile and seruile then so to giue as to expect a profite and gaine by the gift We are now come vnto thee gentle and worthy Captaine freely and of our owne accord and I speake it from the very bottome of my heart we doe not seeke to surprize thee neither by wordes nor by giftes whom we haue so often proued to be inuincible by armes and dint of sword and who doest repute all things inferiour vnto thee and to the greatnesse of thy thoughtes This is the cause that Amurath loueth thee and doth admire these rare vertues in his enemy this is the cause he doth desire if by any meanes he may to haue thee neare vnto him No doubt that is the place and to be neare the presence of so great a Monarke is far more fit and conuenient for thy merites And there it is that the excellent magnanimity of thy courage and the dexterity of thy spirite shall be able to finde out the way and meanes to mount to the highest and supreame degree of all glory and good fortune not that I condemne Scanderbeg whom euen we our selues his enemies doe glorifie for the recouery of his countrey for the defending of it so often and so valiantly yet through thy succours and assistance principally but thou art worthy of another maner of Prince and of a better and higher aduauncement and not to spend thy yeares and to consume thy glorious life in this obscurity and in this vility and basenesse of estate Moreouer Scanderbeg his good fortune will vanish away euen in a moment the Destinies haue opposed against him an enemy who is too mighty for him to endure continually wel may his punishment be deferred for a season but it cannot be auoided so extreme and incredible an hatred hath the Ottoman Prince conceiued against him Ouer and aboue the incomparable forces which he hath assembled for his destruction he hath sworne and protested not to spare any costes or expences nor trauelles nor daungers nor to depart out of Epire till such time as he haue subdued him and imposed a most deadly and mortall yoke vpon his head Now see how the originall of this mischiefe doth begin principally with you of Croy we heare him euery day sounding into the eares of his counsellours these and the like speaches that he will rather shamefully abandon and forsake his Imperiall city of Andrinople and all the dominions of his estate and Empire before he will quit the possession of this place before he will leaue this city vnconquered and before his wrath shall not be fully satisfied with the slaughter and butchery of your dismembred bodies and there is no doubt but he will doe it and I doe tremble to foretell it For though I be one of your enemies amongst infinite others yet am I a man and haue humaine passions and therefore hardly will my eies be able to endure or suffer so miserable a sight and obiect of your pitifull and lamentable condition Assure your selues he will not faile to do it if you do not chaunge your mindes if now taking the benefit of his long sufferance and patience you do not accept the safety the light the liberty the peace which are so freely offered vnto you but go to say a Gods name that this fortresse so vnmatchable that these walles so inaccessible that your valour which is more then all the rest shall preserue defend you but how long I pray you will this be doe you thinke that the Ottoman will raise his siege and remoue his Campe in the middest and chiefe heate of this war you shall see it to your cost you shall feele it to your griefe and losse that though his forces profite not nor preuaile not though all his attempts and endeuours doe proue vaine bootlesse yet I say you shall see still before your eies and you shall continually behold before your wals these same enemies these same tents till such time as the extremity and importunity offamine which mastereth and ouercommeth all things doe in the end enforce you to yeeld and to submit your selues What other hope then haue you left I pray you whence is it that this greedy desire of perils and dangers hath seized vppon your obstinat and hardened hearts Shall Scanderbeg supply your wants with victuals being imprisonned within these wals who being constrained to keepe close hidden continually in these forrests or wandring vp and down the tops of the mountains and being ouerloaden and ouerwhelmed on all sides with cares and trauels is scarceable to sustaine his miserable body Will the Venetians send or succour you with prouisions who do daily bring and furnish vs against you with all store of sustenance and necessaries for the war euen in excesse and superfluity Be wise therefore you that are so braue and valiant be you once well aduised and take your wits vnto you behold it is your enemy that warneth you you haue persisted long enough in this obstinacy neither your countrey nor your liberty ought to be so wilfully defended that you should oppose your selues for them against the wil pleasure of the diuine maiesty It behoueth you to yeeld to giue place to Fortune and to bend your knees to the most puissant and mighty But what liberty is this wherof I speake vnto you the true liberty the true rewardes and the perpetuall tranquillity of this life is in the power of Amurath Prouide therfore for your selues whilest your affairs are in sound good estate whilest you haue yet time to determine vpon it whilest that we your enemies do exhort you do entreat you and do loue to entertain you rather as our companions and friends with your good liking then as our slaues prisoners by force and constraint In this maner did the Barbarian deliuer his message framing and conforming with a singuâ—â—â— good grace both his countenance and his voice and hauing finished he did attend to obserue what alteration he could perceiue in the spirits and affections of the coÌ„pany purposing thereupon to haue taken an occasion to treat a part in secret with the Gouernour vpon the residue of his ambassade But knowing that the affections of them all were mightely estranged from liking the subiect of his discourse as men that knew how to contemne the swords of their enemies and not their words onely and hearing the souldiers begin to mutter and murmure here there as if they had some wrong offred them rather then be perswaded to yeeld themselues he praid the gouernour to giue him leaue to vse a word or two vnto himselfe alone and in secret which was likewise accorded vnto him for they did all much rely trust vpon the sage wisdome constancy of that personage being assured that he would not vndertake any thing which should not be for the aduantage maiesty of the Realme of Albany and for the profit of ech of them particularly Then began the
wily fox to declare the secret which was committed vnto him by the Sultan couering his detestable and hatefull message with the most affected and plausible speeches that was possible Vranocontes foreseeing the venome of his pernitious practises did cut him off interrupt him in the middest of his talke enioyning him presently to get out of his sight Thus wholly confounded and ashamed did the Ambassador depart no man accepting of his bribes by the expresse commandement of the Gouernor otherwise it is not to be doubted but the licentiousnes greedy desire of the souldiers would not haue needed any intreaty to lighten those varlets of their cariage At such time as this trim Orator of the Turkishe Prince was retiring himself and ready to depart Vranocontes in recompence of his painted and fine language did denounce vnto him this sentence straightly charging and commanding him that neither he nor any other from thenceforth should be so hardy on the part and behalfe of the Ottoman as to repaire againe to the town or to demaund any parley protesting that if they did they should be assured besides the losse of their handes their noses and their eares to haue their bodies wholly and hideously deformed and tormented The Bassa being returned to the campe was receiued of the multitude common sort in great confusion for that they had long expected him with great deuotion and they were come forth against him being desirous to vnderstand the resolution of the besieged This was in a maner the only hope wherupon they did build for the getting of Croy and for the finishing of their labors but when they perceiued that the presents were not receiued which they saw in the hands of the Bassa his seruants they knew well that there was nothing done nor concluded Moreouer after they heard it reported with what obstinacy the Croians had made answer in such sort as is already declared there was not any one of them which conceiued not in his heart either sorrow or feare or fury acording to the naturall inclination of euery one in particular The aged Sultan aboue al the rest being ouercome with impatiency had recourse again to arms purposing once more to force the towne by an aslault which he had earst giuen ouer surceased wherin he did rather content his wrath choller then any way reuenge his disgrace dishonor He commanded therfore to make ready the ladders other engins of assault against the next morning spending almost al the whole night in this idle and vaine labor and in placing the artillery not forgetting also to prouide for the security surety of his campe knowing how Castriot had his eie alwaies open to deuise some means how to annoy him For this cause he left 30000. men wel appointed who held their horses alwaies in a readines and still bridled The next morning about the day break was the souldiers conueied placed neare the wals and at the very first beginning the roaring cannon went off both on the one side the other did seeme to contend which should deuoure most bloud cause greatest mortality But the shot of the Christians fell more fortunatly then those of the Infidels who were as litle respectiue of their own people as of their enemies And whilest they assaied to driue our men from the defence of their wals they made many of their owne cōpany to forsake the fight both by reason of their deadly wounds and in regard of the euident danger which they feared When the ordinance had done thundering they came to the Scalado wherein by how much the more there did appeare perfect valour and true courage so much the more matter did they still find to aduenture the losse of their liues so that in a moment the bloud was seene on all sides to runne downe as it were in streames and the earth was euery where couered with senslesse breathlesse bodies Amurath could not anie longer endure to be cruell against him selfe notwithstanding that he had enterprized this last attempt of a meere wilfulnesse and obstinacie Wherfore causing the fight to cease he retired into his pauillion as one enraged and mad for griefe and anger where he passed the residue of that day his owne hands doing violence and outrage to his aged and white haires pulling himselfe by the chin with his eyes lifted vp to the heauens he powred forth many iniurious and blasphemous speeches reproching euen God him selfe with his complaints exclamations And he did seeme to question with him why he had reserued his hoarie haires and aged yeares to so many misfortunes and ignominies that both the whole race of his forepassed life and the name of the Ottomans should be altogether so disgraced and dishonored and the glorie of his mightie conquests atchieued for many yeares should now at the last be obscured and darkened by meanes of one poore and base Castell in Epire being in a maner but a vile and paultry village The Bassaes other his familiars did labour to comfort him with diuerse discourses recounting vnto him a world of examples both ancient and moderne of the sudden fall and misfortune of other great and mightie Princes and of manie straunge and foraine kings and Emperours but all was in vaine and his crased mind would admit no comfort Notwithstanding the day following the old man albeit he were verie weake and ill disposed in his bodie the vehemencie of his griefe hauing euen almost spent and wasted him to nothing yet did he fall to counsell with certaine of his Chieftaines greatest Peeres who as the report goeth were foure in number two Bassaes the one of Romania the other of Asia and two of those whom they call Vizirs or Counsellers Long time were they in deliberating vpon the summe and consequence of this war they were deuided into three diuers opinions One was to continue the siege so long till that the extremity of famine had worn out the besieged The secōd did aduise him to leaue Croy to pursue Scanderbeg with all his forces and by that means though he should not haue his wil of him by force of armes yet he might peraduenture enclose and shutte him vp in some place where by famine he should bemaster him The last opinion was that seeing they had sufficiently tried al means had aduentured the fortune of al hazards it was but meer folly to continue there any longer with shame and infamy or vpon despite and indignation onely to consume and destroy his owne army but that it were good rather to send some Ambassador to the Albanois which should deale and perswade with him vpon any tearmes to become tributary to the Ottoman And in case he did giue eare vnto it he should demand 10000. crownes for a yearely tribute This opinion was allowed as the most safe and Amurath did consider with him selfe that this would be a good and honorable colour and shew of
and pleasant talke and deuises For his sickenesse being engendred through the impatiency of griefe and discontentment did require to be lenified and mitigated with things confortatiue purposely applied to put away melancholy and the cure was to be wrought with some new and pleasant delights which might cheare vp his drooping thoughts and reuiue his spirites which were so greeuously perplexed This was the estate of their affaires for a time during the which the Turke founde him selfe thus sicke and out of quiet notwithstanding he could yet for all that in some sort giue audience and speake vnto his people without much payning of himselfe and he was able to giue them directions and to prouide for manie accidents which seemed then requisite and necessarie till such time as Scanderbeg being aduertised of this indisposition and crazinesse of his person did altogether draw out of his bodie that litle strength and vigour which remained and was yet left either in his members or in his courage by meanes of two or three inuasions which he made vpon his campe At the first and second time there was not much harme done nor scarce any thing executed worth the remembring for that the promptnesse and vigilancie of the Turkes in defending of their trenches did hinder and disappoint the purpose of the Epirot besides that their mindes were more attentiuely busied rather to the defence of thēselues then to the offending of the enemy But this did more more chafe and incense the hardy courage of Scanderbeg who taking the benefit of the night as the time most proper naturall to procure tumult feare confusion marched with all his horsmen towards Tyranna because the place being more plaine and easie for horse to serue in by means therof the tents of the Turks wold be the more subiect to the inuasiō of their enemies It was now past midnight when the Christians being on foote their cōming was discouered by the noyse and neighing of their horses The darknesse was greater then was vsuall or accustomed and the heauens being couered and obscured with thicke and grosse cloudes did yeeld forth no light nor clearenes at all and therefore hardly could any thing be done or ordained against the violence and furie of the Albanois Neuerthelesse according to the opportunity of the time did they prouide a remedy the souldiers were disposed in order according as they could best imagine by the hearing not hauing the sight of the enemy Neither was the quality of that season lesse cōtrary suspitious to the Christians also And howbeit that ordinarily the assailant hath more resolution assurance then the party that is surprised yet did a certen horror seize vpon them seemed somewhat to daunt their courages not any of them durst set forward or march one before another In the midst of this doubtfulnesse and staggaring as it were both on the one part the other Scanderbeg taking to himself about a hundred horse of his vauntcurrors seuering himselfe from the bodie of his troups aduanced forward with great furie euen to the enemies trenches to prouoke them to issue out and hauing incensed them with high cries clamors and casting of darts in amongst them he drew forth some of them from their appointed stations who separated themselues from their companie with purpose to set vpon him and in hope to haue defeated him but the greatest mischiefe lighted vpon themselues part of them being ouerthrowen the residue were glad quickly to returne frō whence they came Scanderbeg continued for a time coursing vp and downe here and there and as one that deluded dalyed with them he sought meanes to haue drawen forth some greater troupe to charge him but seing the time to passe away in this vaine and friuolous expectation and that the darknesse of the night by little and little bganne to weare away by the drawing on and approch of the day he returned to his companie without any further fayning or dissembling he ordered his troupes with very excellent good skill and deuided them betwene Streeze Tanusee for Moses was left with the infanterie at Tumenista hauing readily instructed them what they should do he lead them on against the enemie The first onset was with shot wherwith they plaied one vpon another and the most of the fight was in that order for the Albanois was in doubt least if the rankes should ioyne and be mingled together in the darke of the night his souldiers should be scarce able to know their felowes frō the Infidels for which cause he would not suffer them to presse in vpon the enemy neither had they come at all to handystroakes if it had not beene long of the Turkes them selues who presuming vpon their huge multitude did cause a strong battallion of horse to make out towardes the left side and so purposed to haue enclosed the Christians betweene them But Scanderbeg seeing them a little separated from the rest of their mayne armie did presently withdrawe him selfe from their trenches into the open fielde and deuiding his troupes also a sunder to the intent the fight should be maintayned on both pattes he made against them speedily and charged them with great furie both before and behinde At the first onset the Barbarians receiued him with a braue and hardie resolution expecting that fresh succours should haue seconded them from their campe but the long tariance and slackenesse of their supplies and the decrease of their owne strength which by litle and litle fayled them and the furie of the Christians encreasing together with the aduantage they had gotten against them made them at length to set spurres to their horses and they neuer thought them to runne fast enough till they had gotten within their campe A great number of Turkes and some Christians also left their liues in that conflict before that the Infidels betooke themselues to flight By this time the day beganne to breake and the multitude of the Infidels beganne to growe so great and encrease so mightily that they constrayned Streeze and Tanusee to retyre The Turkish troupes would gladly haue pursued them in their retreate but for feare to displease the Sultan they layde aside all desire of reuenge and busied themselues in recounting their owne losses and misfortunes Besides that slaughter onely which was made in the fight there happened not any disorder within their campe neither was there aine bootie or pillage gouen but onely some small spoyles which were founde vppon the dead bodies for you must note that the fight was both begunne and ended without and not within the trenches of their campe The great men and Chiefetaines of the armie did very aduisedly seeke to conceale this discomfiture from the Sultan to the intent his melancholique humour might not haue any further matter for to worke vpon Neuerthelesse they could not by anie meanes keepe it from the knowledge of the olde man who was verie iealous and full of
turne and to wheele about and went speedily and roundly to encounter him not without some losse both giuen and taken on both parties After a while he withdrewe himselfe aside causing his armie to retire and to recuile a litle till he had renued the ranckes of his battell and that he had gathered together his souldiours that were dispersed and disordered In like manner Scanderbeg was not verie importunate vpon him whilest he thus temporized and delayed the fight but he emploied his thoughts likewise in the reallying of his forces and reuniting them together in one But the Barbarian could not long endure to suffer him for though his owne battallions were sore trauelled and wearied and were not as yet fully reordered and redressed yet did he beginne to presse vpon him and he gaue a freshe charge and onset vppon our men and as it were in disdaine and mockerie he threatned and vpbraided them telling them that now was the ende come of the insolencie and pride of the Albanian and that he should now receiue the condigne punishment of his rebellion and he often repeated these and the like speches saying that he would vtterly confound and destroy this handfull of Christians both men and horses And in verie deede their numbers was much decreased for besides those which were slaine vnder the conduct of Tanusee and in the chase as they fled before the enemie there were more then three thousand slaine with Musache of which two thousand were footmen and the rest horsemen Neuerthelesse Scanderbeg not vnlike a good and hardie pylot who hauing gathered together the remnants of his shipwarcke and hauing scarcely repaired the bottome of his vessell doth yet cheerefully prepare himselfe with more courage then hope to abide the extremitie of a new tempest doth animate and encourage his souldiers to trie the fortune of a fresh combat calling and crying vnto them with a furious terrible voice Follow me my friends follow me your companion in armes not to the conflict but to the slaughter of these cursed dogges and miscreants and then sharply blaming and reprouing them he called ech of them after other by their names saying what cowardize is this that possesseth you what strange feare hath seized vpon you shall we leaue the noble bodies of so many of our brethren friends and kinsemen here lying without reuenge will all of you yeelde vp your ghoasts vnreuenged you haue not here any other then your wonted and old enemie euen that enemie I say whom you were wont to make the ordinarie subiect of your honour and reputation In the middest of these and the like speeches pressed forward with constraint and necessitie which did inuite him to leaue and commit all to the pleasure of fortune he cast himselfe as a man forlorne and desperate into the middest and thickest of the enemies squadrons confirming by an assured proofe beyond all humaine reason that saying of Homer That amongst all other vertues magnanimitie of courage is often accompanied with a kinde of furie and supernaturall violence Thus did Scanderbeg fill all places wheresoeuer he came with bloud and terror sometimes beating downe those that fled from him and sometimes those which did withstande him as a warriour that was inuincible and most fortunate But if euer his valure did shew it selfe it was at this time when he farre passed and excelled all his former deedes and haughtie exploits The rest of his troupes likewise taking example by his valure and being transported with rage and dispaire did breake in vpon the enemie and rushed vppon their weapons as men blinded and hardened against all perils and followed their Generall through all hazards and daungers But the sudden accident and mishappe of George Thopie brother to Tanusee did put the residue in a great feare and astonishment for he being throwen to the ground and almost ouerwhelmed with the shot of the enemie our men had much a doe to free him out of their handes and to set him on horse backe The infanterie of the Albanois could better saue themselues from the violence of their enemies then from their horses for in many places they made way ouer their bellies as they lay ouerthrowen vpon the ground and so did put them to great scath and mischiefe By meanes wherof as there is nothing that doth more awaken the spirites of a man or that doth make him more apt to deuise and subtillize a thousand fine inuentions then doth necessitie they did aduise themselues of this policie to seize vpon all the horses of those which were slaine and which they coulde possiblie come by both of their fellowes and of the Paynims and speedily they mounted vpon them with singular agilitie This was the cause that very many of them were preserued and it did greatly strengthen the rest of the armie for that their forces were by this meanes in a manner redoubled By this time had Scanderbeg broken and disordered a strong troupe of the enemies horse and had pressed in euen to the standard corps du gard of the Turkish General endeuoring according to his wonted custome in most battels to haue made the beginning of his victorie by their Chieftains death so to haue enforced them to yeeld him the honor of that iourney But euen then at that instant those two souldiers who as we haue saied had sworne his death to the Sultan did aduance themselues in that front of the fight and with their swords readie drawen did receiue him to the combat At that verie time and in the same place Musache de Angeline desiring to succour and aide his Vncle receiued a sore wound vpon his right shoulder and the rest of the Epirots likewise being but fewe against many were so plyed and kept doing on all handes both in front and in flancke and at their backes and that so fiercely and so roundly that they had no leisure to looke after their chiefe commaunder who by meanes thereof being now left alone against two as it were by a fatall kind of chance and destinie did cause eche man to turne and bend their eyes to himwardes For the two Mahometans both with their hands and with their voice putting backe and making their companions to retire would needes by themselues alone carrie away the honour of the death of the Prince of Albanie and they thought to reserue to themselues onely the prize propounded and promised them by the Ottoman But it is a common saying That the foole is greatly deceiued of that he thinketh These two Infidels did continue a while coasting and coursing vp and downe round about him now here now there on euerie side to take him at some aduantage In the end eche of them setting spurres to their horses and with a carelesse contempt of their owne death and daunger they came vpon him brauely and with a full cariere charged this fierce enemie whom they hated most deadly and odiously The notorious
one whom the misfortune of another had sufficiently warned and sufficiently instructed in all points because he would not goe nor present him selfe to the Ottoman with the perill of his life or with any shew or shadow of suspition he tooke and led away with him both his wife and his children as those that should aunswer for his true and plaine meaning and should acquite him from the suspect of any crime and he deliuered them vnto the Infidell as the sure and certaine gages of his faith and fidelity His departure bred maruellous tumult and astonishment throughout all the Prouince euery man thought it very straunge and was inquisitiue after the cause and motiue of this his rebellion considering that besides his neare kindred he was continually held and reputed by Scanderbeg as the companion and consort of his Empire and royalty This accident being reported to his vncle he tooke it very impatiently and with his friends and familiars he beganne to complaine and bemoane his hard fortune Must this sayd he needes fall out to make vp the measure of my trauels and sorrowes that I must be assaulted with domesticall and ciuill warres Am I so odious or is my countrey so vngratefull vnto me or is it the honour of this Crowne and scepter that is so desired and held so precious but Amese it seemeth did beare enuy to Moses well if God if the right and law of nations and if your vertue do not deceiue me he shall yet haue greater cause then euer to enuy him The winter season being now begunne and the fieldes being naked and bare of graâ—â—e or other fruites did put Scanderbeg in hope that he should for a time be freede from the preparations and trouble of the enemy and there was good and apparaunt occasion to induce him to be of that mind and to beleeue that Amese would attend and stay for the spring of the yeare for the setting abroach of his new plots and enterprises For this cause he retired with all his traine to Croy not taking anie care for the leauying of any forces or other preparations of the warre and there he spent and consumed the winter oftentimes visiting the garrison of the Dibrians and preparing him selfe by his espials and ordinary gardes to be in a readinesse for the trauels and daungers that were shortly to ensue The sight of Amese did not so much moue the Turkish Monarch as did afterwardes the speech which hee vsed vnto him for the valour and sufficiency of this personage caused him to haue him in admiration after hee hadde once heard him speake and that he knew his prudence and wisedome by the grauity of his discourse and sounde reasons For as touching his stature it was so small and so vnsightlie that at the first appearaunce it could not yeelde any shew of those secret and rare perfections of his minde but in recompence of that defect of his person hee hadde an heart extreame haughtie and he was of so quicke and sharpe a conceipt and of so delicate and subtile a spirite as none could be more Of all men he was most impatient and could least away with ease and idlenesse and which in men couetous and desirous of Empire are the principall and chiefest partes to gette them honour and the good grace of euery man his liberalitie and courtesie were no whit inferiour to his other vertues What so euer he got either by the purchase of his owne vertue and valour and by the fortune of the warres or by the beneficence and bountie of his vncle he did wholly depart and distribute it amongest his souldiours and his friendes he was very officious and seruiceable to all men very familiar and easie to be acquainted with and as occasion did require he could dissemble singularly and with excellent good skill and cunning By these qualities had he gained so great authority and good liking in the heartes of all men that next to Scanderbeg I doe not know any one man that was so beloued and reuerenced both of the people and of the souldiours in so much that some haue affirmed that there wanted not diuerse of the most priuate and inward friendes of his vncle who did often admonish him to take good care and regard to a minde that was so stirring and suspitious But as he would not be perswaded to credite any such conceipt so did he make litle or no account thereof Notwithstanding in processe of time when his flight and rebellion came to be knowen and manifested he was sooner drawen to beleeue the report thereof in him then he was before of Moses and he then began to call to minde the naturall disposition of the man which had beene better obserued and marked by others then by himselfe But to our purpose Amese being admitted to the presence of Mahomet did not fill his eares with idle and insolent promises and vaunts as Moses had done but colouring the cause of his reuolt and repaire to the Sultan with one onely reason to the intent his speeches might not be accounted either vaine and inconstant or fained and dissembled he began in this manner to speake vnto him Thrice happie and inuincible Monarch if it be lawfull for vs to recall to memorie the errours and iniuries which we haue in times past committed against thy Maiesty it might well and rightly be sayed that we are now come to receiue the worthy and deserued punishment of our offences rather then the hope and expectation of any honours and dignities For wherein could wee haue trespassed and offended more grieuouslie against the Empire of Ottoman then we did in that action of ours heretofore executed in the warre of Hungarie at that time when with equall and no lesse infidelity we both betraied thy army in the battell of Morana and when we tooke Epire by deceipt and fraud out of thy hands the true originall and fountaine of so many mischiefes and calamities of all which enterprises and practises I doe confesse that I was a partner and consort For it behoueth me now being in the presence of your Maiesty not to stand vppon the defence and iustification of my doings but onely to plead my contrition and repentaunce but I hold it a vaine thing to stand in any feare or doubt before so prudent and gracious a Prince considering that my age at that time and my youth inclining to his owne misfortune and my minde being but badly staied in her deliberations and counsels did then perhaps deceiue and beguile me I was then lead to beleeue my vncle and did suffer my selfe simply to be perswaded of many things and being entised with a desire of rule and gouernment a disease properly incident to that age through too much credulity forsaking thy seruice I followed him and the hope of his faire promises but as my vnderstanding encreased with my years I soone began to discerne the secrete disloialty of my vncle and that this my reuolt from the Ottoman
in the sight almost of the Turkish armie So you see the occasion why the foote forces of the Epirots were not discerned by the vantcurrors of the Turkes It may be that some perhaps more curious obseruers of matters then others will demaund vpon what reason or what commoditie Scanderbeg could find in this aduise and conceipt of his in not giuing place to his aduersarie till he saw him euen close at his backe why he made his retrait rather towards Lissa then to any other part of the countrey But I will if I may satisfie these men with the same reason that perswaded me my opinion herein is nothing repugnant vnto those men whose faith and diligence I haue most followed in the continuance of this history Besides the effect and successe of things being curiously conferred together may sufficiently manifest the truth thereof The dissembled and counterfet feare of Scanderbeg did euidently declare that his first stratageme in staying for the coming of the enemie so neare him was to make a shewe that he meant to fight and to hazard the fortune of the field in a maine battell but that seeing the infinite multitude of his enemies and the present danger and extremitie of the perill considered did seeme to put him in such feare and terror as if he had bene enforced to giue backe and to change his mind resolution to the intent that by his shew of flight he might make the Barbarians more confident and hardy and with more loosenesse and licentiousnes to scatter abrode to disband themselues from their standards which he could not by any meanes haue wrought without great suspition if the flight of the one the coming of the other had bene more distant and farther off Moreouer he directed his course shew of flight rather towards Lissa then to any other place because that way seemed to be chosen as the fittest and safest for men who made shew of feare whereas otherwise if he had put him selfe in the other way amongst the thicke forrests and wooddie valleys it was to be doubted that he should haue made lesse shew offeare and haue giuen greater cause of suspition and coniecture to the enemy pursuing him of some secret ambushments layed and disposed to intrap them Besides it is to be beleeued that he had an intent purpose by this faire shew and policie which the issue also did after make manifest to deceiue and ouerreach his enemie vpon whom being caried away with credulitie and stragling loosely abrode he purposed to giue the onset on that side which neither the footsteps of them that fled nor the maner of the place to which they fled did any way make to be suspected For we should do Scanderbeg great wrong to thinke or to confesse that so sage and aduised a Chiefetaine would haue made choise of this course only vpon a vaine and light consideration without any especiall conceipt and purpose Hereof was Amese an infallible witnesse who albeit he were of a very suttle and searching spirit had a sharpe and quicke insight in all matters yet could he not keepe himself from the traines of this old warriour for when the Bassa being somewhat doubtfull troubled in his mind vpon the sleights subtleties of Scanderbeg did demaund of Amese what he thought to be the cause of this his so extraordinary and continuall flight the like whereof he had neuer vsed My vncle quoth Amese did expect and attend for the forces of Moses and therefore hauing suddenly assembled only a running campe according to his wonted maner he did feed him selfe with his wonted hope of victory till such time as seeing him selfe deceiued in his foolish imaginations and that he can not abide in safetie within his owne dominions nor be able to oppose him selfe against such huge and puissant forces he is fled towardes Lissa to get ayde and succours of his neighbours the Venetians This reason of Amese seeming very likely and probable was allowed and held for good no man speaking or alledging any thing to the contrary Howbeit to those that shall with wisedome and aduised deliberation examine matters according to the rule of reason this interpretation made by Amese of his vncles actions can not but seeme very rash and temerous if not vaine and foolish And to proue that Scanderbeg did not thinke any thing of so small a troupe as that whereof Moses had the commaund nor did any whit feare the greatnesse of the daunger this onely point doth sufficiently confirme it because that all things in the countrey of Dibria were disposed in as good order as if the Turkish Monarke him selfe had bene expected there in person There was nothing at all neither cattell nor any other thing of worth or value left in the whole countrey and was not that a peremptorie argument of some notable feare and of a counsell most aduised and of a sound deliberation saue onely to such men whom either fortune or rather the immutable will of God hauing predestinated some mortall and deadly chance had depriued of all sense and vnderstanding as of the principall part of their strength and puissance But I will not any longer blame this credulitie and light beliefe of our enemies seeing it ministred occasion to our Christians of so notable and famous a victory and of immortall renowme glorie The Bassa perceiuing that by the flight of the Epirots all hope and occasion was taken from him to purchase any honour by deeds of armes in that iourney after dinner was ended he assembled the chiefe Captaines and commaunders of the armie to consult and deliberate vpon their occasions In this Counsell it was propounded and debated whether the campe should stirre for that day or not and by what way maner and meanes they should pursue the enemie whether it were best to continue in that place and there to abide till such time as they might haue some certaine newes of his attempts and practises and what the enemy intended to do Amese and some others were of opinion that they should not stirre for that day but stay there till the next morning notwithstanding the pluralitie of voyces caried away the matter and the worst opinion preuailed against the better for they alledged that the returne of Scanderbeg after he had prepared and gotten new succours would scarce be performed in foure dayes that they ought to take the benefite of the time and the occasion that it behoued them to march forward chearefully and roundly in sacking and harrying the residue of the prouince in their passage and not to stay till Scanderbeg hauing re-enforced and augmented his troupes the inhabitants of the countrey might in the meane time vpon the feare and terrour of the report flie into the strong holds and forsaking and leauing their houses graunges and sheepe-cotes voyde and emptie of all prey and bootie might by that meanes make their victory vncertaine and their voyage without all
the Arragonians being discomfited the Angeuins obtayned a notable victorie howbeit it cost them full dearely The report hereof being brought vnto Ferdinand who was fled into Naples beganne to make him muse and imagine with him selfe what would followe and he feared that ere long the towne would be besieged He left therefore the Queene to keepe Naples and being not able of him selfe to make head against the armes both of his domesticall and forraine foes being spoyled of the most parte of his dominions he put him selfe within Barie with a verie small and weake companie The Count Picenin being enformed of his flight left a strong garrison in Abruzze for feare least some newe enemie on that side should cut off the course of his attemptes and with the rest of his troupes he followed close after the king euen to Barie In the meane while Pope Pius and the Millanois made new prouisions and sent them for the reliefe of Ferdinand but the enemie hauing seized vpon all the passages this leuie serued to no purpose but onely for a vaine and fruitlesse shewe The Pope being in greater feare and perplexitie nowe then euer before did perceiue well that this matter would require forreine succours and that the valure and prowesse of straunge forces was to be vsed in this case Whereupon all the confederates did thinke it best to send for Scanderbeg into Apulia who being a Prince of great estimation and renowme in deedes of armes was very seruiceable to the See of Rome and withall was of late the most inward friend of Alphonsus and no lesse affectionate to Ferdinand Besides that they considered that Scanderbeg comming from the Sea they could not hinder nor deny his landing in Apulia but that he might open the passages towards Italie if neede were so as the army and forces of the league might haue free liberty also to come on that side I cannot in this place but greatly wonder and in some sort also it doth not a litle grieue me to see the ingratitude of writers to those persons whose valour hath so well and excellently deserued For whereas diuerse of all sortes haue written very diligently and recorded the summe of this warre betweene Ferdinand and the French yet is there not any of them that hath spoken so much as one word of Scanderbeg as though he had not beene I may well speake it the principall and chiefe cause of the happy successe of that warre nay if I may lawfully saie the truth the true defendor of the Crowne of Ferdinand and the deliuer of him out of the hands of his enemies And hereof I neede giue you no other testimonie then the liberall and bountifull recompence and reward giuen him by the King for besides that he acknowledged and held him for his father as long as he liued he gaue him also in acknowledgement of his desertes and the rewardes of his vertue the towne of Trana and two other townes of as good reckoning in Aqulia which the posteritie of Scanderbeg did continually enioy after that the affaires of Epire vpon the death of Scanderbeg fell to decay and ruine and they do in part also enioy them at this present as may well be seene euen to this day The Ambassadours of the league were no sooner arriued in Epire bringing with them letters from the Pope the king Ferdinand and the Duke of Millan but that Scanderbeg was willing to giue them audience Wherefore being brought vnto his presence they briefly recited vnto him howe the king of Naples hauing lost two great battels in the very heart of his realme his Nobles and subiects and the most part of his townes were reuolted from him and himselfe being as it were banished and exiled out of his countrey was enclosed and shut vp with a tedious and troublesome siege in a towne ill fortified ill prouided and scarce defensible without the hope of some present and speedie succours wherefore if he had any remembrance and regard of the strict friendship and amitie so faithfully held and obserued betweene him and the king Alphonsus father of Ferdinand that then it would please him speedily and without delay to passe with his forces into Apulia to deliuer free him frō the yoke and seruitude of strangers and not him onely but all Italie and it might be the holy siege of the See of Rome whereunto they did all of them intreat and require him most earnestly There needed no great perswasions to the king of Albany to draw him on in this voyage for besides that he was most deuoutly affected to the Church of Rome the memory of his late and most inward amitie with king Alphonsus did so farre preuaile with him that setting aside all the affaires of his owne kingdome both publike and priuate he franckly and voluntarily made him selfe a partie in the warre of Naples and prouided presently and out of hand for his embarkement and departure But before that he left Epire he found the way to assure himself of a truce with Mahomet and yet him selfe was not seene to motion or moue the matter as though it proceeded of his seeking Whereupon hauing set the affaires of his realme in good order he ordained the Queene to be Regent of the kingdome to whom he adioyned for assistaunts some of the most worthie and chiefe persons of the prouince to counsell and aduise her in the gouernement of the Estate Afterwardes he dispatched away Goic his nephew a Knight of great and sufficient prowesse with a choise companie of fiue hundred horse towards the realme of Naples willing him there to attend his comming and in the meane while to keepe the enemie busied by dayly roades and inuasions vpon them These things being thus accomplished after that the publike processions vowes and prayers were ended for their good successe and victorie and for the preseruation of him selfe and his people he caused his armie to set forward part of them to the gulfe of Rizic where the Italian gallies did attend them and part of them to the port of Duras and another part to Acrolissa or Media and the residue of his forces him selfe conducted to Ascriuia and from thence to Ragusa where his owne vessels were prepared to receiue him But before I passe any further I will describe vnto you as well as I can the towne and estate of Ragusa That which at this day men call Ragusa was of old and in times past termed Epidaure a citie as some affirme seated in Liburnia vpon the Adriatique sea beautified with an excellent harbour most fit and conuenient for shipping to ride and anker in and defended with a great and strong tower notably fortified and well furnished The compasse thereof is more then a mile in circuit her castell being inexpugnable is on euery side enuironed with mountaines and besides excellently well fortified by art and handie worke of skilfull enginers The towne was once abundantly stored with Churches
restored the bootie which had bene taken that therefore it behooued them without delay and with most cheerefull and resolute mindes to begin the warre against this common enemie of the Christian faith the preseruation wherof was to be preserred before their owne particular safety and cōmoditie and so much the rather for that the head of the church did mind to be there in person and to come with all his forces of Christendome in armes against the Mahometan This latter opinion being held as the best and most sound and being also most agreeable to the mind and liking both of the King and the better part of his Captaines was allowed and chosen as being for the good and benefit of them all and it was fully concluded agreed that they should renue the wars take armes for the defence of the common weale of Christendome Besides they held it requisite and an acte well beseeming Christians to be obedient to the supreme Bishop and the vicar of Christ to adhere close to the congregation of the faithfull Moreouer there was not any one of them but would haue made it scrupulous to reproue the perswasions of the Archbishop whose counsels and admonitions they held it no lesse needful to obserue and obey then as if they had bene the diuine precepts For as we haue alreadie said the grauitie good life and worthie example of this personage had purchased him wonderfull authoritie amongst them insomuch that all matters were managed by his counsell and sage aduise for that ordinarily being with the King in court Scanderbeg would euer harken giue eare vnto him and had learned of him all the ancient histories and worthy exploits both of the Greeks Latines and he was also maruellously well beloued of all the Chieftaines Lordes and Princes of Albanie The warre therfore being generally concluded and agreed on commissions were directed forth and commandements were giuen to diuerse Captaines to muster souldiers on all sides and to assemble and leauie an armie and that assoone as it should be in a readinesse they should without all delay set forward against the enemie Vpon the rumor and report of this newes those souldiers of Scanderbeg which lay in garrison vpon the frontiers were the first that tooke the field and they ouerranne and ransacked the countrie of the Ottoman with great violence and terror to the inhabitants and hauing farre and wide forraged and wasted all places they retired with a notable prey and bootie driuing away with them at the least 60000. head of kine and oxen 80000. sheepe and 3000. mares with their coltes which were of the race and breed that the Ottoman had for his owne store and yet this was not all for being entred verie farre into the prouince of the Barbarian they put all to sword and fire and left not standing vpon the ground either trees or any thing else bearing frute but filled all parts with horrible feare and terror the tidings whereof when it came to the eares of Mahomet he was newly enflamed and incensed against Scanderbeg beyond all credit and imagination neuerthelesse afterwards stroking his forhead with his hand and suppressing his extreame griefe the report is that with a cheerefull and gladsome countenance he vttered these wordes What meanest thou Scanderbeg what doest thou thinke to do vnto me who am the great commaunder and supreme Prince both of the Orient and the Occident Notwithstanding hauing conceiued and imprinted a deepe reuenge in the inward thoughts of his heart he then sware and vowed the ruine and destruction of Scanderbeg But by reason of the great report and bruite that ranne of the Christian forces and for that he had heard howe they were alreadie raised and on foote readie to march against him he was greatly troubled and perplexed and therefore he thought it best to haue recourse to his wonted cunning and sleights familiar to the Ottomans and he sought by his traines and deuises to reconcile himselfe vnto him Now was it commonly reported it ran rife in euery mans mouth that Pope Pius had assembled from all parts of Christendome great and huge forces and that he would within fewe daies set forward against the Turke and that the first thing which he meant to do after his arriual into Epire after he had celebrated a masse within Duras was to honor the Archbishop of that place with the hat and honour of a Cardinall and to crowne Scanderbeg King of the Albanians Epirots whereupon the infidels also gaue it out openly amongst themselues that if Scanderbeg did take the field as the generall and supreme commander in this enterprize there was no doubt but the victorie would fall to the Christians and they were all of an opinion that the Turkish forces would be hard bested that they could not but be reduced to a most desperat estate so great an astonishment and horror had the verie name of Scanderbeg brought vpon them And this was the principall and chiefest reason that made Mahomet to beate all his braines and to set abroach all his plots and cunning deuises to allure Scanderbeg vnto him to fall to a new composition with him for all matters and to reconfirme and reassure by a solemne oth both on the one part and the other the first couenants and conditions of the agreement past betweene them he wrote vnto him therefore certaine letters in manner and forme following Mahomet Beg Amira Sultan Emperour of the Orient and the Occident to Scanderbeg King of the Albanois and Epirots I haue alwaies heretofore admired the excellencie of thy faith and thy rare integritie and instice most noble and princely Scanderbeg and therfore I cannot easily be perswaded that so generous and magnanimous a Prince should so inconsiderately falsifie his faith and breake the peace established betwene thee and me For as I am giuen to vnderstand thou hast with great forces inuaded my lands and territories and turning all things vpside downe in most pitifull and foule disorder thou hast gotten and carried away an inestimable booty infinite goods from me my subiects Of the which excesse as I am credibly informed and fully perswaded the Venetians haue bene the cause motiue by whose instigation enticement thou hast bene pricked forward incited against vs. By their practises flatteries hast thou bene drawen on to make warre vpon me openly shewing thy selfe to be a breaker of thy promises the violatour of the rightes the law of Nations Wherefore I neither do nor will attribute any or very litle fault blame vnto thee considering the cause of the ignominie rather then the ignominy it selfe but I do impute the whole offence vnto them who haue bene alwaies my sworn professed enemies But what harme is this vnto me ô Scanderbeg who am the Lord commaunder of so many peoples Prouinces doest thou thinke that thou hast done me so great or notable a displeasure or that
in front by the residue of his troupes they were constrained to fall to the fight on all sides before that euer they could take any time to arraunge them selues in any good order Neuerthelesse the conflict was long and mortall betweene them especially on the part of the Epirots both because that many of them had not yet put themselues in rancke within their battell as also by reason of the great number of their enemies but in the ende finding the Infidels to be better furnished and armed with cordes and chaynes to binde the Christians then with hardie and obstinate hearts to put them to vtterance and perceiuing that they fought but faintly they did presse vppon them so violently that being not able to endure them any longer they made them to turne their backes and to betake themselues to flight Whereupon being closely pursued and liuely followed by the Christians they were handled so rudely that they were not able to recouer their trenches but were enforced to abandon their campe to the pillage of their enemies The massacre and the bootie also was inestimable Ballaban himselfe with a very small traine without ensignes without baggage did carrie the newes of his owne discomfiture Mahomet receiued him but with soure lookes and he was long in a doubt and perplexitie whether he should employ anie other Chieftaine in this warre seeing that so small a handfull of men as he obiected vnto him had had the power to ouercome him so shamefully After diuerse consultations he concluded in the ende once againe to employ him against the Albanois and to send him backe into Epyre many causes and considerations vrging him thereunto First of all he knew him to be a mortall enemy to Scanderbeg besides he was an Epyrot borne and he was very well practised and acquainted with all the places and passages of the countrie which were most fit and apt for ambuscadoes Besides amongst so many thousands of excellent Knightes and men of command vnder the obeisance of the Ottoman Empire he knew not any one so worthie and sufficient as him alone Moreouer knowing the disposition of all men and how insatiably couetous the minde of man is of honour and authoritie he promised him the crowne of Epyre in case he could find the meanes to make Scanderbeg away and to destroy him Now Ballaban being a man of notable resolution and withall very desirous to make his life glorious in the world which otherwise was but ignoble and subiect to vncertaintie he thought nothing impossible which might purchase him honour and estimation and therfore albeit he had bene twice beaten by the Albanois yet he accepted this commission very willingly and departed from Constantinople with an army of 20000. fighting men of which 17000. were horsemen the residue were footemen Being arriued at Alchria at the first he held on his wonted course and sent vnto the king of Epyre excellent good and swift horses for a present besides certaine goodly robes of rich worke embroderie humbly entreating him not to disdaine his seruice and amity the proofe triall whereof he promised protested should be alwaies in a readinesse that he should find him most faithfully affected vnto him during his life All this did this craftie Foxe to the intent he might surprise him if so be he found him any thing plyant and credulous to beleeue his faire â—ugred speeches but litle did he know whom he had to deale with all for Scanderbeg being sufficiently acquainted with his traiterous fraudulent practises did scorne disdaine his gifts and pretended courtesies returning him in a mockerie certen counterpresents vile and rusticall such as he had before times sent vnto him Wherefore the Aga hauing all in vaine consumed spent three whole moneths in these bootles practises determined at the last to hazard the fortune of a plaine and set battell and in open fight to encounter with his enemie who was as willing to accept of the coÌ„bat Wherefore after publique deuout praiers made to God for the victory and for the preseruation of the estate of Albanie and hauing procured prepared all things requisite for the iourney he encouraged his people one while with short speeches and effectuall orations another while with giftes and rewardes to some of them horses to others furniture of armes and weapons to some of them rich apparell and to others he gaue money with other coÌ„modities This done he drew forth his army into to the field consisting of 8000. horse 2500. foote all of them chosen souldiers resolute and he arranged them in order of battell vpon a faire plaine before Sfetigrade where Ballaban was encamped He deuided his army into foure parts or battels Ouer the first coÌ„manded Goic Streeze his Nephew the second was lead by Tanusee Ducagin Musache had the conduct of the third and Scanderbeg himselfe kept the fourth battallion for the guard of his owne bodie The infanterie he had arranged and bestowed within the wings of the cauallarie he had appointed for the leading of them foure Chieftaines gentlemen of good worth and experience namely Paul Manessey Peiâ— Manuell Demetrius Berisse Raian Chuque The Generall Turke likewise did differ very litle from him in the ordering of his battallions In this sort the armies on both parts being disposed ready to the combat being animated by their coÌ„manders they went on cheerefully with high and mightie clamors and affronting ech other with great hatred and courage they fell brauely to the encounter and the battel 's ioyned together with great fury Many were ouerthrowen on both sides many were slaine and gaue vp the ghost many were trampled and troden vnder the horse feete but the greatest losse slaughter fell to the Mahometistes It was an horrour to heare the noyse and clattering of their armours the soundes of their weapons stroaks resounding in the aire the pitifull voices cries and gronings of those that lay a dying He that had seene how eger and sharpe set the Christians were fleshing themselues in the slaughter and butcherie of the Infidels would not haue taken them for men but for so manie Lyons chaffed and hunting after their prey For bearing vp close and streight together they did so rudely presse vppon their enemies terrifying and fearing them with their incredible brauerie and couragiousnesse that they enforced them to giue ground themselues not yeelding nor recuiling so much as one foote backewardes as men that were led on with dispaire and resolution and whose eyes were closed vp against all perils whatsoeuer Ballaban who had more then once made proofe of the rude entertainement of the Albanois and knew well what belonged therunto did continue the fight with singular prudence and dexteritie laboring with great and exceeding care and trauell to preuent and eschew all perils and inconueniences For being guarded with a strong troupe of horse he held firme in the forefront of the battell comforting
prompt and venturous in all militarie actions would needs goe and see what should be the cause of their stay taking with him in his companie onely fiue souldiers and no more to the intent he might take a view and be informed of the estate of the enemie and heare some newes also of his owne people But Ballaban who to his owne cost was passing well acquainted and experienced with the cunning and politique draughts of his enemie misdoubting some such matter thought that he would beat him at his owne weapons and therefore he vsed this counterpolicie in hope to ouer-reach him He made choise of certaine stout and very hardie men all excellently well mounted on horsebacke and with them did he beset a certaine passage by which he suspected that Scanderbeg himselfe would come to take a view of his campe and the demeanour of his armie and he was not any thing deceiued in his imagination For behold Scanderbeg was now come to the place of this ambushment but yet before he would proceede any further he caused according to his wonted custome one of his souldiers to goe before him who soone discouered the daunger of the Turkes which lay there ambushed The Infidels seeing themselues bewrayed issued out vpon him with great furie and after some resistance made constrayned him to flie In his flight he put himselfe into a certaine wood or thicket which came next to hand and which lay on the other side of the mountaine which encloseth the plaine of Valcala where by ill happe he chaunced vpon a great tree which being withered with age was fallen downe and lay crosse the path by which he was to passe Scanderbeg setting spurres to his horse made him to leape roundly ouer the like did one of his souldiers which followed him but his companions not being able to doe the like and perceiuing that their last refuge their only hope to saue their liues consisted in their armes couching thēselues close they gaue in valiantly amongst their enemies hauing both slain hurt some of them they yeelded vp their liues as became men of valure and resolution One of the Barbarians following hard after Scanderbeg leapt likewise ouer the trunke of the tree and gathered very close and neere vppon him Scanderbeg casting his eye about and seeing one onely to followe him made backe directly towards him and quickly ouerthrew him dead to the ground the rest being not willing to pursue him any farther were content to let him goe and to depart quietly After this faire and happy escape Scanderbeg being returned to his campe neere Petralba about fifteene miles from the enemie made readie his squadrons for to march against the Infidels At that time more then euer did the Prince of Albanie employ all his senses to encourage and animate his men with good words and all other good meanes to doe their deuoire against their enemies He offered them giftes and large rewards he inuited and importuned them with prayers and earnest intreaties both in generall and in particular to take such things at his hande whereof they stood in any neede were it either for themselues or for their horses As the King was very bountifull to offer them freely of his owne so assure your selues that the souldiers shewed their wonderfull modesty and did as it were conted with him in gratitude and courtesie not taking any thing but in such measurable and modest manner as might serue onely for the present neede and necessitie Then the Albanois hauing taken some repast began to march towards the enemie and trauelling on continually day and night they tooke litle or no rest scarce so much as might suffise nature They were not long therefore ere they had gotten to the valley where the army of Ballaban lay encamped Scanderbeg seizing vpon the toppe of the same valley did pitch his campe with most excellent aduantage by reason that he enuironned the enemie who lay below him in the plaine for he extended his companies throughout all the toppes of the mountains which enclosed the vally occupying all the streights and passages in such sort that he had enclosed on all sides and as it were hedged in the Barbarians whom he visited also with often and daily skirmishes sometimes on the flanckes and sides of their campe sometimes at their backes because he would hold them in doubt and suspence of his intent and meaning The next day following Scanderbeg called a councell of his nobles and Chieftains at the which were present Tanusee Thopie Zacharie Groppe and Peic Manuell his Lieutenants Many of them were of this opinion that the battell should be deferred till such time as the souldiers were very wel refreshed of their long iorney and watching lately endured and that Tanusee should haue some leisure to take a taste of the enemy to keepe him doing in the meane while But Scanderbeg was of another mind and he did not onely perswade but he did instantly vrge and presse them that they should not by their delaies and daliance bring his determinations and counsels into hazard and daunger the suertie whereof consisted in nothing so much as in prompt and speedie execution That Ballaban his armie might easily be broken and defeated whilest that Iagup being ignorant of this attempt did tarrie away and keepe himselfe absent which quoth he being deferred by our prolonging of the time we shall giue them space and leisure to ioyne together and so shall we cause our enterprize which of it selfe is without daunger to come to a doubtfull and vncertaine issue Wherefore it behooueth vs with all speed to found to horsebacke to bid the battell to our enemies and not to lose this aduantage which their error and ouersight hath giuen vs now that their two Generalles are thus deuided the one absent the other present This opinion preuailed and the assembly being dissolued behold now how Scanderbeg did prepare himselfe to the combat Of all his squadrons he made foure battels the one he committed to Tanusee the second to Zacharie Groppe and of the third Peic Manuell had the charge and conduct the infanterie was mingled among the horsemen and the Harguebussiers and Archers were mixed pell mell with the pikes and certaine horsemen whom he sent forth to skirmish with the enemie and to begin the fight The residue of the armie together with the squadron which he had for the gard of his person he reserued to be commaunded by himselfe Hauing thus disposed and ordered his troupes he thought it requisite with some short speech to encourage his companies which he did in this manner The importunitie of the time my companions and your approued valour will not suffer me at this time to make any long discourse you are sufficiently well acquainted with this enemie who is but the scumme and offscouring of those troupes which your swordes haue left aliue and they are but the reffuse and reliques of those battels which you
and the night following about two houres after euening they presented themselues before the towne enuironning it on all sides round about Ballaban Badera had the conduct and commaund of these troupes amounting to the number of foure score thousand horse all picked and choise men This enemy hauing entrenched and fortified his Campe did daily skirmishe with the Croians who made many and often sallies out vpon the Turkes the euent and successe whereof was very variable and diuerse During these doings betweene the forces of Ballaban and the besieged the Sultan being accompanied with the grosse or body of his maine army arriued before Croy and before that he attempted any thing against the towne according to the vse and custome of warre he caused the same to be summoned vppon certaine offers and conditions The defendants gaue him such aunswer as men resolute are wont to make namely that they would sooner be torne in pieces then to commit any acte that should sound to their reproch or that might violate and chaunge their faith giuen to God and to their Prince or that should blemish the honour and reputation which they had gotten in his seruice and with their musquets harguebusse other shot they made signe vnto them that they would not haue them to approch neare the towne and immediatly issuing out with great furie vpon the Infidels they came to handystrokes with them not without a notable slaughter of the Turks and afterward returned ioyfully into the towne carying with them in signe of victorie many of the heads of these enemies Mahomet being incensed with this brauado caused his Canons to be planted and to play against the walles For he had brought thither aboundance of metals to cast artillery of all sizes and he had prouided him selfe of expert and skilfull workemen in the making of all kindes of warlike engines wherewith he determined to thunder against Croy and meant to make them sing another song But Scanderbeg with his troupes sometimes here sometimes there by the mountaine and other places out of the reach and accesse of the enemy did daily vexe and trouble the army of the Infidels not suffering them to haue any space or time to breath or to rest themselues but was continually at their backes on all sides giuing them a thousand alarums and inuasions day and night without any intermission one while vpon their foragers and another while vppon their Campe. And like as a mighty riuer Iwelling and raging with continuall raine doth role and tumble downe most impetuously from the tops of the mountaines carying and drawing along with it whatsoeuer it encountreth and turning all things vpside downe which it findeth in the way in like maner Scanderbeg rushing with extreame fury violence vpon the Turkish hoast now of one side then of another he did commit notable slaughters of the infidelles beating them downe on all handes and afflicting them with all kindes of mischieues and discommodities which was an occasion that the Ottoman thought it high time to looke to his affaires both in regard of the calamity of his people which seemed likely to encrease dayly more and more as also in respect of his owne person which might be in euident and apparant daunger by reason that he had no hope nor likelihood to get any profit or honour by this voyage for that Croy was so far from being forceable that it could not conueniently be made assaultable and therefore he determined not to make any longer abode before the towne but to retire backe againe to Constantinople Notwithstanding for that he could not do it with any honestie nor without great blemish of his honour and reputation if at the least wise he left not behinde him some shew or token of some worthy exploit in this voyage he determined that Ballaban should continue and hold on the siege with a strong and mightie armie ouer which he made him Generall he appointed therefore vnto him a power of eighteen thousand horse and fiue thousand foote and besides he adioyned vnto him eight Saniackes of great account and estimate giuing vnto each of them a regiment of seuen thousand good and tall souldiours all which neuerthelesse were commanded to take and acknowledge him for their chief to be at his commandement These things thus concluded and accomplished Mahomet with shame enough after his short stay trussing vp his baggage in the night time lest Croy and with long iourneys tooke his way home to Constantinople In his passage through the countrey he surprised certaine people of Chaonia and certaine places called Chidna in this manner He suborned two souldiours Albanians promising to make them great men and to aduaunce them to high honour whom he sent with instructions to lye and to tell them of Chidna that they were come from Croy purposly to aduertise their friends to wish them to looke vnto thē selues for feare least being ignorant of the lamentable and desperate estate of the prouince they might peraduenture be the cause of their owne ruine and destruction if they would carie themselues with too much obstinacie towardes the Turkish Monarch for that Scanderbeg as they made them beleeue durst not abide the face of the Ottoman nor the furie of his armes which were so terrible that they made him to play least in sight and that it was verely thought that he had abandoned forsaken Epyre for which cause Croy also seeing it selfe without hope of succours was now vpon termes to yeeld vpon composition to Ballaban who pressed it very hard with a wōderfull streight siege that Mahomet for his part was now disloged from Croy with part of his armie to reduce all the prouince vnder his obeissance and that there was scant any place or fortresse of account but that they were at his deuotion that therefore they should looke to them selues and that they should do well to imitate their example chusing rather to take the benefit of his clemencie singular loue towards them which yeelded them selues voluntarily then to tast the extreme rigour of the warre and the miserie of bondage and seruitude reserued for those persons which should be founde rebellious and obstinat so well did these traiterous wretches play their parts so vehemently did their perswasiōs worke with those poore people being too too credulous that as it is ordinarily seene that the vulgar sort do follow that side which they thinke to haue the best fortune so these vnhappy folkes at the first summons made by the Sultan vpon his fayre and smooth promises of entire and free libertie of conscience and of their goodes fraunchises and immunities did simply yeeld them selues by the enticements of these false Synons to the faith and fidelitie of the Turke which they found to be such as is vsuall with one that maketh publique profession of periurie impietie and disloyaltie for which most monstrous and inhumane crueltie he caused eight thousand of them to be put
your forces to his forces that you might haue chased and expelled out of Europe the cursed sect of Mahomet and the bloudy wolfe which deuoureth the holy flocke of Christ did it stand with your honour or with your Religion to hold off from succoring those prouinces and to suffer so worthy and incomparable a Chieftaine so Religious and deuout a Prince to come and seeke vnto you within your owne doores and houses but seeing such was his mishap and your harts so impassionat let vs see what was the successe and issue of this his voyage The king of Albanie being come to Rome had gratious entertainement of the soueraigne Bishop and of the holy Senat in regard of the glory of his name and the great and excellent maiestie of his presence and being brought into the Consistorie or Conclaue before the Pope and his Cardinals he pronounced an eloquent and vehement oration wherein he began first with the exaltation of the holy siege Apostolicke and his owne singular deuotion and seruice which he had euer borne to the same which wrought in him an incredible contentment in that he was so happy as to come and to kisse the feete of his holynesse whom he reputed and reuerenced as the light and singular ornament of the Church of God being diuinely chosen for the successour of the blessed Saint Peter the first Vicar of Christ and of so many holy and Religious Pastours and excellent fathers who being replenished with all vertues and knowledge adorned with simplicitie and puritie of life had crected and raised the faith of Christ had beautified the world with miracles examples of perfection your merites quoth he most holy Father are in all points correspondent to those of your predecessours in all rare diuine qualities so that it is no maruell if euery man haue conceaued a singular hope of your worthinesse the which if you do not excell and exceede yet do you at the least in all respectes equall well deseruing the publick opinion conceaued of you not onely for freeing and deliuering your holy flocke from the bloudy iawes and throat of those hungry wolues the Mahometistes but also for spreading and enlarging the faith and Religion of Iesus Christ euen to the extremest and farthest partes of the world Good God that my toung and eloquence were able to recount your vertues which do exceede farre beyond all prayses and commendations but if I were able to do it yet the infinit tumultes and perils wherein by a certaine fatall and ineuitable destinie both I and my people are plunged and drowned more then any other nation in Christendome doe not permit nor suffer me to enioy the sweet pleasure and benefite of your perfections the iust griefe of my oppressed estate doth withdraw me the Turkish Prince will not suffer me who following the tract of his auncestours doth euery day inuade your flocke and doth dismember and persecute it being not satisfied with so many murthers with so many rapines and burnings which he hath committed in Asia and in Europe wherewith he hath polluted euen the whole earth doeth now striue with all his strength and puissance to destroy and suppresse me and my people with our poore little Realme as being left vnto him for the last subiect of his cruelty The lōg cōtinuance of the wars and the multitude of the battels which we haue had hath worne out eaten vp consumed all our forces we are now at the last cast in so much that there is not left in our whole body any part whole and sounde which may receaue any more wounds neither haue we any bloud left vs which we may shed or bestow for the cōmō weale of Christēdome Wherfore most reuerēt father of all Princes Christiā the brightnesse glory of the Church of God if your holinesse and clemencie do not speedely and readily helpe to withstand and preuent this mischief the estate and welfare of Albany is for euer gone and lost This is the cause most reuerend Father that hath brought me hither this is it that hath caused me to haue recourse vnto you I haue left a great fire kindled and flaming in my house the enemy is euen at my doores who hath not onely destroyed and layd desolate and wasted my prouince but hath murthered and captiuated my people he holdeth Croy the key and bulwarke of my Realme streightly besieged is resolued not to depart frō thēce till he haue brought and made it to be Turkish and I doubt me he will go neare to do it if we be not succoured by your greatnesse and authoritie whilest it is time therefore thinke vppon me most worthy Prelates and Fathers prouide for me betimes I beseech you it standeth you vppon to represse his violence and to bridle his rage which is growen so strong and mightie that it threatneth and menaceth with all extremities not onely the estate of Christendome and the Church of God but euen the ground and foundation of our Religion also He hath already inflicted vpon the Christian people all the examples acts of inhumanitie which can be possibly inuented in such sort that it would be no lesse difficult and troublesome for me to tell them then it would be reprochfull for you to heare them You see most holy Pastour you see most reuerēd Fathers not only the doubt but euen the certaintie of a most horrible ruine and calamitie you see most Religious Prelates how this ambitious Prince hath already seized vpon two Christian Empires the most part of Asia is in slauery thraldome vnder him all the Greekes are in a manner destroyed the Tryballians the Rascians and the Thracians are brought vnder his subiection Sclauonie is subdued by his forces Morea is in seruitude and almost all Macedonie and Epyre is burned sacked and made desert by his furie and outrage you see the reliques of so many Princes of so many Chieftaines of Macedonie and of all Greece you haue heard most soueraigne Prelate you most reuerend Fathers how many warres how many trauels and tedious exploits toyles my auncestours haue had against this periured faithlesse nation how my selfe after them haue not had one day not one minute of rest quietnes but without ceasing for more thē these 20. yeres I haue had most sharp bloudy conflicts against this prophane people especially against this fierce beast Mahomet who hath now afflicted my estate with so many ruines mischieues that I haue no other way but to giue place vnto him I haue euē till this day resisted opposed my selfe against him I haue almost continually by the diuine bounty gone away with the victory but now at this time most holy Father being wearied with so many trauels discōmodities both past present being wasted consumed with so many battels hauing lost so many excellent Captaines and so many of my souldiers subiectes being slaine and destroyed we haue no part
wood he thought the number of the enemies to be greater then they were in deed and so had he assured it vnto his Generall In so much that Scanderbeg him selfe mounting on horsebacke did make hast in great heate to seize vpon these relickes of his victory being accompanied with all his cauallary The Turkes discerning his cōming a farre off you need not doubt but it troubled them greatly and they acquainted their Chiefetaine with the matter who was more aggrieued then all of them Immediatly they fell to consultation and resolued vpon a course which perhaps was vnbeseeming so great a chieftaine and braue souldiers and yet was it both safe necessary and that was to march without armes and without their horses and so to go meet the conqueror The captaine himself who was the author of this counsell led the way vnto his company was the formost that went against him being all ouer deformed with bloud and filth Not much vnlike to Marke Anthony at such time as he fled from the battell of Modena or Mutina to Lepidus the Triumuir when he came neare him he tooke Scanderbeg his horse by the reines of the bridle and by three or foure good wordes he saued the liues both of him selfe and his companie For he found his enemie to be wonderfully passionated at his misfortune vpon the speech which he vsed vnto him Whither goest thou quoth he ô Scanderbeg what wouldest thou It is not for thine honour still to vanquish and ouercome thine enemies Suffer I pray thee suffer thy selfe sometimes to be ouercome for being so vanquished thy victorie shall be greater then if thou wert victorious and with more glorie and commendation shalt thou recken the triumphs of thy clemencie amongst thy victories then those which thou hast purchased vpon thine armed enemies The Christian Prince smiling and turning about to his people Nothing said he is more subtile then aduerse fortune nothing is more sharpe conceipted or politicke then necessitie ô how wisely and eloquently can we speake when we are conquered which being conquerours we know not how to do And then taking him by the hand he sayd vnto him Assure thy selfe my friend thou shalt haue neither harme nor iniurie if I can helpe it And hauing sent him away he commaunded that his wound should be well looked vnto and that he should want nothing and afterwards he caused certaine of his people to conduct him into some place of suretie For what thing is there more honorable or commendable then to know and to be willing to vse mercy and pity to an enemie who is conquered miserable and afflicted Scanderbeg marched on with his armie coursing vp and downe on all sides here and there and finding the Prouince to be cleare of all ambushments of the enemies he returned to his campe and from thence neare to Croy where he solemnized the rest of his ioy and gladnesse for the victorie Within a few dayes after came Iussumbeg being sent likewise against the Epirot but he followed the same course and fortune that his companion had done and he was so much the more likely to be beaten then the other because he came in a more weake and feeble estate to seeke out that aduersary who was newly victorious and was as yet all embrued in the bloud of his enemies For being entred into Scopia the chiefe city of Macedony with eighteene thousand men he presumed and had determined in his thoughts that he would march euen into the heart and bowels of Epire not considering with him selfe nor looking into the late mishap of Assambeg such was his rashnesse and temerity His comming being reported to the king of Albanie made him greatly to wonder that these men could so straungely and as it were so wilfully forget them selues or rather at their immoderate desire and vnsatiable thirst which they had after his bloud and life Then turning him to his souldiers thus he spake vnto them Goe to my good friends and companions you that are borne to trauels or rather to continuall victories let vs go on to meete with this new enemy and with this new Captaine let vs not refuse to doe him this honour who at the first shocke I dare assure you will giue vs good matter of honor and glory Euery man with loud clamours and acclamations did applaud his wordes and so prepared them selues to follow their Chiefetaine who drawing neare to Scopia and hearing by his vauntcurrours that the enemy had taken the field gaue the signall vnto his souldiers to giue the onset vpon them The Barbarian who was not prepared neither in courage nor resolution to the combat receiued him notwithstanding yet so as he seemed to doe it with the countenaunce of one that came rather to talke of the matter then to fight For he did not thinke that Scanderbeg would haue had either him so greatly in contempt and disdaine or that hardinesse in him selfe as that he durst so farre off from his owne frontiers come to hazard the fortune of a battell within the territories of his enemies frō whence if he should be vanquished he could not haue escaped where he could not either repaire his forces or though he were victorious be well assured nor in safetie This was the reason that the Painim euen at the very beginning loosing both strength courage did find no course better nor more expedient then to turne head and make hast away shewing the way vnto his people of a most shamefull and ignominious flight who kept him company in like maner excepting some 300. or thereabouts who preferring their honor before their liues died valiantly with their armes in their hands But they that fled found themselues in worse case by flying then they expected For whereas they supposed that they might haue fled with safetie and should not haue bene pursued by the enemie by reason they were in their owne countrey and as it were vpon their owne dunghill therein they were greatly deceiued and with those their fellowes which were before slaine in the fight they made vp the full number of 2000. at the least There were very few taken prisoners by reason of the great difficulties and discommodities which hindred the safe conucying of them as also because of the length of their retrait which they were to make for that the paisants might haue assailed them on their way Iussumbeg thought to haue rallied his troupes and to haue layed some ambushment or to haue dressed some deuise for the entrapping of the enemie but his souldiers would not by any meanes hearken vnto him but holding on their scattered course they had a greater desire to returne home though it were with the displeasure of their Prince then not to returne home at all And they excused themselues vpon this their discomfiture and ouerthrowe giuen them by Scanderbeg which they pretended to be a sufficient reason and lawfull cause of their refusall But
Scanderbeg for all this wanted not some one or other to be the successour of so many and great dangers neither was he at any time without enemies Amongst the eldest and most auncient Chiestaines of Mahomet there was one an Asiatique named Carazabeg a very graue and auncient personage and of speciall marke and reputation by reason of many honorable places of charge and diuerse voyages wherein he had bene employed and had acquitted himselfe well and worthely The Sultan also had him in great account and hauing placed him in no small authoritie he retained him neare about his owne person as of late also his father Amurath had done the like This aged Sire as if he had bene some young hotspurre found himselfe pricked on with the spurres of his glorie or rather misfortune which seemed continually to lye in waite to seduce and entrap the greatest and most notable persons to the intent it might obscure the brightnesse of all their former renowme and the merites of their forepassed triumphs by the vnhappie successe of this warre of Epire for neither the late ignominie and opprobrious spectacle of Iussumbeg nor the like mishap which had euer attended vpon so many others besides him nor yet the fatal destiny of the Albanian felicitie which had continued euen to that day could not any thing disswade him but that he was desirous to proue his fortune against Scanderbeg wherfore repairing to the presence of the Sultan he thus spake vnto him Hitherto most soueraigne Prince and euen vnto this day both vnder thy Maiestie and vnder thy father of happie memorie I haue heaped vp and obtained in a maner so many triumphs by my merits as yeares by my age and course of life But now both the one and the other of them is grieuous and lothsome vnto me and I take no pleasure to remēber them through an extreme despite which I haue conceiued to see Scāderbeg obtain so many victories to see the many ouerthrows discōfitures which he hath giuen vs to see the pride and insolency of the Albanians I am resolued as old and vnfit as I am for armes to abandon all to the hazard and chance of fortune and either to bring vnto thee and to prostrate before thy feete dead or aliue this wicked and vngratefull wretch sometimes the slaue of the house of Ottoman now the king of the vnhappie Epirots to the intent he may be accomptant vnto thee for the slaughter of so many and so great armies and for the death of so many of thy noble worthie chieftaines or else this head and this throate of mine shall more and more enoble the glory of his fame and reputation Giue me leaue therefore most worthie Emperour presently to leuie forces and to muster an armie to my owne liking I my selfe will take vpon me the charge and managing of this matter not as a commander but as thy minister and both in the chusing the arming and the trayning of the companies I will not relye vpon any other person but my selfe alone will looke to the handling and dispatching of all things For it is with a notable thiefe and a famous robber that we haue to do and the warre which we make is with such a one as is an arch maister in pollicies and sleights of subtiltie who is growen haughtie and insolent with his many victories and who is as it were fatted with the multitude of the spoyles which he hath gotten of vs. Whatsoeuer this Turke demaunded was freely and fully accorded vnto him by the Ottoman who referred all to his discretion added vnto his demand an ouerplus often thousand men for him selfe had made choise onely of thirtie thousand with whom he thought to haue put this matter in execution notwithstanding that it was of so great importance He sent before him certaine spies whom he willed to disperse them selues ouer the countrey for to discouer and giue him some intelligence of the enemie Scanderbeg on the other side wanted no good aduertisements both throughout the prouince of Epire and in Macedonie and also in the heart and most inward partes of the enemies countrey by meanes whereof the iourney and comming on of Carazabeg was soone made knowen vnto him in such sort that our men had both time and oportunitie to make readie their preparations But when Scanderbeg heard this newes reported vnto him the report is that he vsed this speech vnto some that were neare him If this Chieftaine quoth he were not too farre striken in yeares and ouer aged I should haue feared him alone more then all his great puissaunce which he bringeth with him for both of them knew each other very inwardly and they had bene companions in armes in a certaine voyage made into Asia vnder Amurath much better sayd he and more wisely should Carazabeg haue done if he had made spare and taken compassion of his old age and especially of his fortune which seemeth now to faint and to be ouer wearied and doth as it were repent her selfe of the manifold victories and fauours which she hath bestowed vpon him Wherfore though he be now fiftie yeares of age yet being growen as it were crazie and decrepit I haue no reason to stand in awe of him whom euen in the strength and prime of his youth my selfe being then but a child and in a manner a verie infant I did so little feare that I did euen despise and contemne him Hauing thus spoken he assembled his forces greater and more in number then those which he had against Assambeg by reason of the great fame and renow me of the Turkish Captaine Then trussing vp baggage he tooke his way into Dybria and from thence with two thousand horse he ranne vp euen to the confines of the Tryballians for in this place was the comming of the Turke expected And he layd them in an ambuscado here and there throughout the mountaines to the intent he might enclose the enemy in the middest of his forces and take them at an aduantage The Barbarian likewise hauing caused the maine body of his armie to stay in a certaine place within Macedonie commonly called Chieri had sent before 4000. horsemen who being discouered were suddenly charged by the Albanois the greater part of them being discomfited and slaine and the rest being scattered and dispersed in their flight caried the newes of their misfortune to their Generall before that euer he came neare to the confines of Epire. He therfore being before sufficiently weakned with age sicknes began by the astonishment of this mishap to grow more faint both in mind and in body being not so much aggrieued at the losse of his men as that his coming was disclosed and discouered to the Christian Many and diuerse things did he cast deuise vpon in his mind being in doubt what course to take whether it were best for him to hold on his iourney or else to turne head