the releefe thereof by sea Of which preparation Saladin vnderstanding as also of the kings comming by letters intercepted by his scouts directed to the besieged for the holding out of the siege with promise of speedie reliefe he presentâ—y rise with his armie and departed whereof the king being aduertised retired to SEPHOR Not long after Saladin according to his ambitious nature desirous aboue measure to extend the bounds of his kingdome and seeing the successe of his attempts against the king of HIERUSALEM not answerable to his desire conuerted his forces vnto the countries more eastward and passing the riuer EUPHRATES and entring into MESOPOTAMIA partly by force partly by corruption got into his hand the cities of EDESSA CARRAS and diuers others In which time the king of HIERUSALEM tooke occasion first to spoile the country about DAMASCO and after that diuers other places of the Sultans kingdome making hauock of whatsoeuer came in his way and so laded with the spoile of the Turkes retired to HIERUSALEM Saladin with victorie returning out of MESOPOTAMIA in reuenge of the injuries done vnto him in his absence marched directly to ALEPPO the strongest citie of the Christians in that part of SYRIA which aboue all other he longed after where hee had not long lien but that it was by the treason of the gouernour deliuered into his hands with all the countrie thereabouts wherwith the Christian princes were so discouraged that they euen then began to feare greater matters to ensue The prince of ANTIOCH sould TARSVS the metropoliticall citie of CILICIA to Rupinus prince of ARMENIA for that he saw it was not without great charge and danger to be by him defended being so farre from him and Saladin as it were now stept in betwixt him and it At the same time king Baldwin at NAZARETH fell sicke of a feauer the leprosie also his old disease growing dayly more and more vpon him in so much that dispairing of his life he called vnto him Guy Lusignan countie of IOPPA and ASCALON vnto whom he had before espoused Sybill his eldest sister and in the presence of his mother the Patriarch and all the chiefe commaunders of the souldiers of the sacred war appointed him gouernour of the kingdome reseruing vnto himselfe only the title of a king with the citie of HIERUSALEM and a yearely pension of ten thousand duckats All which was done to the great disgrace and discontentment of the countie of TRIPOLIS the old gouernour It was not long but that Saladin hauing breathed himselfe a little after so great labours came againe into the Holy land where he tooke many castles and did infinit harme in so much that the countrey people were glad for feare to forsake their houses and to flie into cities The Christian armie in the meane time lying fast by at SEPHOR not once moouing although many a faire occasion were offred For the chiefe commaunders affectionated vnto the countie of TRIPOLIS and enuying at the preferment of Guy the new gouernour were vnwilling to fight but finding one excuse or other suffered the enemie at his pleasure to spoile the countrey and so in safetie to depart which he had neuer before done in those quarters Within lesse than a moneth after Saladin with a great armie well appointed with all the habilliments of war needfull for the besieging of a citie or strong castle came againe into the land of PALESTINE and passing through the countrey beyond IORDAN sat downe at last before PETRA in hope by the taking thereof to haue made his passage betweene AEGYPT and DAMASCO more safe Of which his purpose king Baldwin hauing knowledge and taught by the euill successe of late to what small purpose it was to commit the managing of his wars vnto a generall so euill beloued and lesse regarded as was Guy his brother in law sent against him with his armie Raymund the countie of TRIPOLIS the old gouernour whom he had againe restored vnto the gouernment and displaced Guy Of whose comming Saladin hearing raised his siege after he had lien there a moneth and so departed A little before this expedition the king still growing sicker and sicker his foule disease still increasing by the common consent of the nobilitie appointed Baldwin his nephew by his sister Sybylla a child but of fiue yeares old to succeed him in the kingdome and the countie of TRIPOLIS to haue the gouernment of the state during the time of his minoritie This Sybilla the kings sister was first married to William the yoonger marquesse of MOUNT-FERRAT who dying within three months after left her with child with this his posthumus sonne Baldwin now by his vncle deputed vnto the hope of the kingdome After whose death she was married to Guy Lusignan countie of IOPPA and ASCALON the late gouernour who taking in euill part this the kings designement especially for the gouernment of the kingdome by the countie of TRIâ—OLIS departed from the court as a man discontented vnto his citie of ASCALON whereof the Patriarch and the princes of the sacred war fearing and that not without cause great danger to ensue came to the king then holding a parlament at the citie of ACON most humbly requesting him for auoiding of further danger and the safetie of his kingdome to receiue againe into his fauour the countie Guy his brother in law and to make an attonement betwixt him and the countie of TRIPOLIS But this their request sorted to no purpose so that the parlament was dissolued without any thing for the good of the commonweale in that point concluded After that time the kingdome of HIERUSALEM began still more and more to decline In the old king Baldwin sicke both in bodie and mind was almost no hope in the yoong king yet vnfit for so great a burthen much lesse and the dissention betwixt the two counties Guy and Raymund with their fauorits was like enough to bring great harme vnto the state Besides that the countie of TRIPOLIS fearing the power of Guy his enemy was thought to haue secret intelligence with Saladin the Turke in so much that the king was almost in purpose to haue proclaimed him traitour Wherefore the king now rested onely vpon the counsell of William archbishop of TYRE and the masters of the knights of the sacred war by whose aduise he sent Heraclius Patriarch of HIERUSALEM Roger Molins master of the kinghts of S. Iohns and Arnold master of the Templars embassadours vnto Lucius the third then Pope vnto Fredericke the emperour Philip the French king and Henrie the second king of ENGLAND to declare vnto them the dangerous state of that Christian kingdome and to craue their aid against the Infidels These embassadours comming to the Counsell then holden at VERONA with great grauitie and diligence in the presence of the Pope and of the emperour declared the hard estate of the Christians of the East with their humble request vnto them for aid in such sort that they mooued
thing neuer before heard of that all GERMANIE should as it were with one consent be glad to take vp armes for their common safetie in defence of their honour and libertie especially against people brought out of the furthest parts of ASIA SYRIA and AEGYPT Beside the great number of Spaniards Italians and Burgundians the Bohemian campe lay not farre off strengthened with them of SILESIA and MORAVIA There were also some troupes of Polonian horsemen not sent thither by publike authoritie but seruing as voluntarie men king Sigismund winking thereat who as he was carefull not rashly to breake the league he had made with Solyman so least he should seeme carelesse of the Christian common cause by notable dissimulation left place for such of his subjects as would as if it had beene without his knowledge to shew their valour in the most honourable warre The Christian armie readie to receiue the enemie lay in a great field neere vnto VIENNA in this order Three great squadrons of pikemen standing one squadron a great way distant from another were so placed against the enemie with like and equall front that all the horsemen diuided into two parts might well be receiued into the great spaces betwixt the three squadrons for it was not thought conuenient to oppose so small a number of horsemen in open field without the footmen against almost three hundred thousand of the Turks horsemen The right wing of the horsemen was led by the emperour himselfe and the left by king Ferdinand Before and behind and on euerie side of the three squadrons of pikes sauing in those places which were left open for the horsemen about thirtie paces off were placed twentie thousand nimble harquebusiers ranged in length and but fiue in a ranke so that whilest the first discharged the second and after them the third and so the rest readily and orderly comming on might without let deliuer their bullets vpon their enemies neither was it thought any disaduantage to place them so thin for that if they found themselues by the enemies oppressed they might easily retire amongst the pikes standing fast at hand Before the harquebusiers was planted the great ordinance whereof the emperor had such store and so well placed that he could therwith as with a most sure trench haue compassed in his whole armie Only the Hungarians men well acquainted with the manner of the Turks fight chose to lie in the open field in two great wings vnder the leading of their two valiant captaines Valentinus and Paulus Many noble gentlemen beholding this goodly armie wept for joy conceiuing a most assured hope of victorie if the proud enemie durst with all his forces joyne in battell But Solyman who by all meanes sought with his great number of horsemen to keepe the wide and open fields certainly aduertised both of the emperors strength and the manner of his lying got him ouer the riuer of Mura and at MARPVRGE by bridges which he made on the sudden passed ouer the great riuer Dranus And so he which that Sommer held almost all the world in suspence with the doubtfull expectation of the successe of that war hauing with all that his huge power wherwith he threatned the world done nothing at all worth the remembrance but was in euerie place either ouercome or else shamefully repulsed left STIRIA returned the same way he came directly betwixt the riuers of Sauus and Dranus to BELGRADE and so to CONSTANTINOPLE leauing here and there some remembrance of his barbarous crueltie and still looking behind him if the emperour were not at his heeles at such time as a few Dalmatian and Croatian horsemen did still pursue the taile of his armie It is reported that he carried away with him thirtie thousand Christians into captiuitie besides many thousands of poore countrey people slaine by the mercilesse Turkes but especially by Cason and his followers and so to his eternall infamie was twise in the space of a few years driuen out of GERMANIE The emperour vnderstanding of Solymans departure determined with all speed to returne into ITALIE although king Ferdinand his brother most earnestly entreated him before his departure in so fit a time to employ those great forces against king Iohn who now as it were forsaken of Solyman might easily with so puissant an armie haue beene thrust not onely out of BVDA but also quite out of the kingdome of HVNGARIE wherein he was by Solyman as his vassall placed But the emperour for that Winter began now to approach and the plague was got into the campe yea euen into his court continued in his former purpose of departing into ITALIE yet yeelding so farre vnto his brothers request as to leaue behind him all the Italians who joyned with king Ferdinands owne forces were thought sufficient for the accomplishment of the Hungarian warre Ouer these Italians one Fabritius Maramaldus was by the meanes of Alphonsus Victius appointed Generall but no order taken for the paiment of their wages whereby the souldiours might be the more encouraged to take in hand that warre and also kept in obedience Which thing at the first much offended the minds of the other captaines thinking themselues disgraced by the preferment of Maramaldus a man of no greater account than themselues but as soone as it was knowne abroad the vnder captaines and officers of the bands led with the credit and fauour of their old captaines said plainly That they would not go into HVNGARIE except either king Ferdinand would in person himselfe go or else one of the great Commanders Vastius or Leâ—a were appointed for their Generall and the common souldiours said flatly that they would aske leaue to depart except they had three moneths pay which they knew well they should neuer get of that poore king alreadie brought vnto great wants Vastius to appease this mutinie trauelled greatly with his souldiours persuading them to remember the faith of souldiours and by their constant perseuerance to maintaine the honour they had got by their cheerfull comming telling them That valiant souldiours neuer wanted pay furnishing themselues by their victories with all things necessarie from the enemie And as for Maramaldus their Generall they had no just cause to mislike him being an old captaine of great experience for courage and pollicie not inferiour to any of the greatest Commanders and placed by the emperor his owne appointment as a man most sufficient whose judgement they ought not in any case to dislike When Vastius had with these and such like reasons well appeased the tumultuous souldiours and was gone out of the campe into VIENNA to take further order for the remedying of all difficulties night the nurse of sedition came on whose darkenesse excluding all modestie and feare gaue further scope and place vnto the mutinous souldiors insolencie By chance there was at that time brought out of the citie into the campe verie course hoarie moulded bread which some of the souldiours hauing bought and thrusting it vpon
and at the same time to send Barbarussa with a great fleet against the Spaniards their common enemies for the imparting of which his designes he would shortly send vnto them Iunusbeius his embassadour As for the euent of the warre they needed not to doubt when as they of themselues were strong ynough quickly to thrust the emperour out of the dukedome of MILLAN being generally hated of the people feeding his souldiors with the spoile of the countrey and on euery side beset both by sea and land by two of the greatest monarchs of the world Whereunto the Senat delaying the time for certaine dayes that Iunusbeius might in the meane time come thither grauely answered That the amitie they held with king Francis ought to be vnto them an ornament but no burthen the like also they held with the emperour whom they would in no case seeme to cast off although they had beene by him ouer-raught Wherefore the Senators and all the citisens generally were of opinion to preserue their peace as they which in the hard times of war had endured great extremities which would hardly be recouered with long peace But if they did once see the ensignes displayed and the wars begun they would then take further aduice Whether it were good for them to thrust themselues into those warres or not when as they were in league and friendship with three of the greatest princes of the world In the meane time Iunusbeius arriued at VENICE and was there honourably receiued He requested that the league before made at CONSTANTINOPLE by Badoerius their embassador might by the authoritie of the Senat be confirmed so coÌ„mended the French kings cause to the Senat that he requested no more but that vnto that amitie which they alreadie held with the French they would joine further courtesies the rather for that Solyman had accounted him for his brother and had vndertaken to aid him against Charles king of SPAINE but as to joine in league with him or in his quarrell to take vp armes he requested nothing Which was quite beside the expectation of Polinus and Pellicerius who by vrging of the matter and by telling of all had thought easily to haue persuaded the Senat to haue graunted what they requested and therefore thought the Turke who had so coldly spoken in the cause to be some way corrupted But as it afterward appeared there was such equitie and modestie in Solymans letters who was otherwise of a proud and insolent nature that he would not as then exact any thing of them which should not stand with the good of their estate Wherfore Polinus hauing in vaine staied certaine daies at VENICE was in one of their publike gallies transported to RAGVSIVM and from thence trauelled by land to CONSTANTINOPLE where he found all things more difficult than euer he dreamed of For the great Bassaes said There could no fleet be set out that yeare by reason that he was come too late to sue for such a matter the Spring of the yeare being now past of all other times most fit for to take in hand so long a voyage So that Polinus was aboue measure vexed with care and griefe that he had so euill sped and was come so out of season both to VENICE and CONSTANTINOPLE Dixius also one of the masters of the Rhodian gallies was come to CONSTANTINOPLE to carie newes into FRANCE of the comming of the Turks fleet who told Polinus That the kings sonnes were with strong power far entred into the low countries and had alreadie inuaded SPAINE expecting nothing more than the comming of the Turks gallies Wherefore Polinus as it easily chanceth to men deceiued by trust reposed in any other mens promises and bewailing the euill successe of their vaine trauell wonderfully tormented himselfe cursed the froward and vnconstant manners of the Bassaes called vpon the faith of Solyman and besought the great Bassaes one by one that they would not contrarie to their promise forsake the king who vpon the hope of the comming of the Turks fleet had now inuaded both the low countries and the kingdome of SPAINE for as much as by that delay which was vnto them neither honourable nor profitable was as he said betraied the majestie of his king and a most assured victorie now as good as gotten quite marred In which his obtestations he was so importunat and tedious that he became vnto those proud Bassaes rather loathsome than gratious insomuch that to end his sute they thought it best sharply to take him vp and so for that time to shake him off And therefore sending for him and the other French gentlemen which followed him to the court the great Bassaes then sitting in counsell and Barbarussa with them for the honour of his place as soone as they were come into the counsell chamber Solyman Bassa the eunuch turning himselfe about spake vnto them in this sort Frenchmen said he this place for dâ—spatch of most waightie affaires appointed by the graue iudgment of our most mightie emperor to vs his faithfull seruants doth as it best beseemeth receiue vs daily comming vnto it void of loue and hatred and withall doth notably put vs in remembrance to speake our minds freely Neither would I that this franknesse of speech the messenger of truth and therefore the faithfull keeper of friendship should be vnto your eares vnpleasing or troublesome for sithence your king hath beene called the friend and fellow of the Othoman name we may not now either forget the duties of loue or loath your friendship seeing that our emperour doth maruellously affect you and is not a little desirous to strengthen you with his power and by ouercomming your enemies to increase your power and honour But in your demaunds is no equitie no modestie so that wee tearme you vnmodest and importunat and others which fauour you not so well call you plainly by your right names vnreasonable and shamelesse men who as too too forgetfull of your dueties doe most fondly trouble the lawes of amitie and friendship For leagues are confirmed by like profit by making euen the charge and mutuall dangers but if neglecting your friends kindnesse and courtesie you will make no requitall they will quickly grow wearie of you So happeneth it vnto you Frenchmen who euer forgetfull and negligent in our dangers but in your owne alwaies mindfull and diligent haue shewed your selues friends vnto vs when need was not in deeds and certaine aid but onely in bare letâ—ers and embassages Tell me I pray you where euer you shewed any signe or token of your good will or aid whereby the minds of our enemies might at the least wise haue but beene kept in suspence of some doubtfull feare when as Charles with all the power of the West came into HVNGARIE and CORONE and PATRAS were in the meane time shaken in GRaeCE with the enemies fleet and last of all TVNES taken with so great a fleet But all this we pardon you yet
reckoning of the souldiors of the court that in respect thereof hee neither regarded his promise nor that was right and just he would himselfe by force of arms take vpon him the defence of his owne honour and right so light esteemed by his father and reuenge the disgrace offered vnto him by others Whereunto Baiazet answered by the Cadelescher which is a man of greatest place and authoritie amongst the Turkes in matters concerning their superstition and therefore of them honoured aboue others as the sacred interpreter of their law that hee did neither well nor wisely without just cause to fall into so great rage and choller as by his speech and force to thinke to extort that good which was onely by loue and loyaltie to be gained whereas all things should be surely kept for him and the empire vndoubtedly descend vnto him if by vntimely hast hee did not marre that hope which hee ought by sufferance and patient expectation to cherish hee might as the Cadelescher told him learne by the late example and fortune of his brother Selymus what might be for his owne good and welfare and that it was a thing of far more danger desperatly to thrust himselfe headlong into such an action as hee could not possibly see the end of than moderating by reason his hot passions to expect with patience the oportunitie of time and fitnesse of occasion with the alteration of matters all tending to his good Achomates enflamed with anger and greefe of the repulse all the while the Cadelescher was deliuering his fathers message gaue him many sharpe taunts and had much adoe to stay himselfe from offering of him violence oftentimes threatening him that in short time both his father should deerely buy the changing of his purpose and the souldiours of the court their trecherous dealing and so sending him away with this short answere hee presently rise with his armie and passing through BITHYNIA cruelly spoiled the country in his returne to AMASIA There dayly more and more enflamed with the greefe and the indignitie of the repulse before receiued hee determined to inuade the lesser ASIA that if it should so fall out that hee must needs by force of armes trie his right against either of his brethren he might therein vse the wealth of that rich prouince Whereby if it should chance that he should by the practise of any faile of the whole empire yet he should at the leastwise be possessed of the one halfe therof and be the readier for all euents hauing all those great and rich prouinces in his power Wherfore calling vnto him his two sonnes Amurathes and Aladin yong princes of great hope after he had greeuously complained of the vnkindnesse of his father Baiazet and of the injuries done against him by his enemies in the court he declared vnto them that there was now no hope left for him to obtaine the empire except they would forthwith enter into armes with him and so together with him defend both his and their owne right and honour against the mallice and injuries of their enemies which he said would be an easie matter to doe by surprising the lesser ASIA if they would courageously aduenture vpon it for as much as all PISIDIA LYCAONIA PAMPHYLIA with the sea coast of IONIA were not as then kept with any armie or nauie and as for his brother Corcutus there was no great doubt to bee made of him who according to his quiet disposition would bee content either to sit still or els in regard of his just quarrell take part with him or if he would needs intermeddle his quiet estate with the troubled and so enter into arms might easily be thrust out of whatsoeuer he possessed as for the gouernours of the rest of the prouinces he doubted not but that they would also yeeld either to his commaund or fortune Wherefore hee willed them to plucke vp their hearts as men of courage and to goe into the countries thereabouts to take vp men and whatsoeuer els were needfull for the warres These gallants of their owne youthfull disposition readie ynough for such a matter and now encouraged with their fathers persuasion did what they were by him commaunded and had in short time raised a notable armie of voluntarie souldiours of whom the greatest part were of seruile condition But Achomates himselfe besides his old armie which hee had in former time lead against the Persian rebels leuied new forces also and called forth into the field all the able men that were to be found in the cities round about and so running through the prouince proclaimed himselfe king of ASIA and such as would not forthwith yeeld vnto him those he and his two sonnes in diuers places prosecuted with all hostilitie by which meanes many cities especially such as were but weakely fortified partly for feare partly by constraint were deliuered ouer vnto him After that he entered with his armie into LYCAONIA and the borders of CILICIA where by embassadours and often letters he requested Mahometes his brothers sonne who then gouerned those countries to aid him in his just quarell against them who by craftie and sinister persuasions had to his dishonour and disgrace withdrawne his fathers good will from him and so farre seduced him as that hee was determined to appoint another successour in the empire than him his eldest and first begotten sonne which their mallice he would as he said preuent by force of armes recouer his right which his father knowing to be due vnto him was about to haue put him in possession of whilest he yet liued had he not by the sinister practise of others beene hindered for the recouerie whereof if Mahometes would out of his prouince aid him with men and victuall and so further his just cause he promised that he should find a farre better vncle than he had found a father and that his present friendship should in time be most amply and bountifully requited Wherunto Mahometes answered that he could not do what his vncle had required except he were so commanded by his grandfather Baiazet whom alone he acknowledged for his dread soueraign that it was not for him to judge whether he did right or otherwise That he would not in his life time resigne the empire to his sonne But this he said he was not ignorant of that he was not to yeeld his obedience to anie other so long as he liued possessed of the empire to whom both his father Tzihan Shach whilest he liued and himselfe also had giuen their oath of obedience and loyaltie Wherefore it were good for him to pacifie himselfe least in seeking vntimely reuenge of his enemies he should to the offence of all men wrong his father and by too much heat and hast ouerthrow both his hope and honour which of right should be most great if he could but in the meane time haue patience and stay himselfe a while Aâ—homates who expected nothing lesse than such an answere but