there but advance towards the Plain where he was resolved to expect him because he was stronger than Bajazet in Horse At last Bajazet's great Army incourag'd with the hopes of victory and a desire to engage began to assault the Tartars in Sannas but the greatest part of them were gone only some hundreds of Horse having kindled the Fire at the Enemy's approach fled with all speed in some disorder The Prince of Ciarcan having divided his Party into two Bodies and given special order to the first that as soon as they should see the hundred Horse issue out of Sannas and fly away that they should receive them and retreat behind him for he had Posted himself in a Valley with the other Body of Horse near a Wood from whence he saw two thousand Turkish Horse the Scouts of their Army pass by him He charg'd them in the Rear so speedily and with that courage that when they saw themselves so briskly assaulted and had not the time to look about they yielded and fought but faintly retreating many of them were killed and taken Prisoners This was the first Encounter between the Turks and Tartars wherein the Victory fell to the latter All the Prisoners were sent to Tamerlan and amongst them the Bassa of Natolia their Commander The Prince spoke to him and ask'd him what had caused Bajazet to forget himself so strangely as not to regard him and to despise his Army that he hoped that in a few days he should find one that would bring down his pride and make him more tractable The Bassa answer'd that his Lord was the Son of the World that he could not endure a Partner and that for his part he had good cause to wonder at Tamerlan for undertaking so long and dangerous an Expedition to stop the Progress of his Prince's good successes whom Heaven favour'd and to whom all the World yielded obedience and that there was no discretion in him to withstand him Nay said Tamerlan I am sent and appointed by God to chastise this proud Man and to teach him that Insolency deserves the vengeance of Heaven and that God delights as much to abase the proud as to raise the humble Souls That the raising of the Siege of Constantinople was a beginning of his success against his Master And thou may'st said he though I pity thy misfortune understand what a difference there is between my Parthian Horse and that of Bajazet ' s. But thinkest thou that thy Master will fight with me The Bassa reply'd He desires nothing more passionately Afterwards he fell down at Tamerlan's Feet with these words Noble Prince I intreat you suffer me out of your generosity to assist my Prince that day Tamerlan soon yielding to his Request answered in this manner Go and tell thy Master that thou hast seen me and that I shall be in Fight in that place where there shall be a green Flag hung out The Bassa surprised with such a noble Grant promis'd him when he took his leave that next to his Lord and Master there was no Person in the World that he would serve with more affection and sooner than him At his return to the Turkish Army he told Bajazet all the discourse that he had with Tamerlan and chiefly he told what he had wish'd him to say to him We shall understand all these things very shortly reply'd Bajazet and before I have done I will make him repent of his folly The Bassa acknowledg'd the favour that he had received from Tamerlan and publish'd every-where his Grandeur and Goodness extolling highly his Generosity in giving him a very beautiful Horse though he knew that he would use him in fighting against him The next day the Turkish Army marched two Leagues to come in sight of the Tartars who were at Even about a League distant from it expecting the day following in which the great Dispute was to be The Night was not very peaceable the noise of Men and the neighing of Horses filled the Air and caused every one to desire the return of the Sun to give liberty to their courages to act in this Field of Mars The Scythians that love Prey and Plunder were encourag'd by their Leaders to behave themselves valiantly in hopes of the rich Spoils which the Victory would deliver into their Hands The Parthians who were ambitious of the glory and honour of their Nation were obliged to do their uttermost endeavour to overcome the Turks who alone were able to dispute with them for the Empire of Asia The Christians who were very numerous in the Tartarian Army for they were near the fourth part were animated with a hatred against their mortal Enemy whose defeat would prove the liberty of Greece In this manner in the night the several Nations encourag'd one another according to their several dispositions The Prince walk'd about his Camp in the night hearkening to their Discourses which rejoyced his heart because they had a certain assurance of obtaining the Victory Alhacent walk'd along with him The Prince told him That the night before his Fight with the Muscovites his Camp was full of Songs of Triumph and Rejoycings and that none of the Souldiers could sleep which caus'd him to be perswaded of the Victory he obtain'd I see said he the same presage now of the next days happiness and success When he had gone round his Camp he return'd to his Tent at the end of the second Watch and laid himself down upon a Carpet to take a little rest but could not sleep for he was impatient to see the appearance of the next day In the mean whiles he commanded Alhacent to bring him the Book which he commonly read containing the Histories of the Actions of his Forefathers and the worthy deeds of the most famous men of his Country He lighted in opening of the Book upon the Relation of a great Battel which his Grand-father lost fighting against the Persians which he thought before to win and had got it had he not attacked them indiscreetly and neglected the advantages that were offered him trusting too much to his own and his peoples Courages He commanded Alhacent to read over that passage once more with this saying I read often this description of that Battel before I engage in a fight that I might not trust so much to my Lyons Skin that I neglect the use of the Foxes Tail to cover my head That this fault of my Grand father in leaving his advantagious ground against the advice and intreaties of his Servants to assault an Enemy in his Trenches might cause me to be more wary and cautious A little after he ask'd whether it were day and sent for his great Chamberlain to cause the Trumpet to sound that his Horses might be made ready He rested himself a little longer and ask'd for Axalla who came to him with several other Lords and chief Officers of his Army He advis'd with them what was best to observe and took Horse sending them
the march under the Command of Calibes and for fear the rumour of his Distemper should cause any disturbance in the Empire unto which he was newly promoted he was careful to inform by Messengers very often his Uncle of the condition and temper of his Body He had good cause to suspect that a certain great Lord of the Country named Calix was neither his Friend nor content with his Promotion because he had not been with him to acknowledge and render him homage as the other Lords of the Empire Though at that time men discours'd of Calix in a manner that was able to beget a jealousie in Tamerlan his good disposition would not suffer him to take any notice of it neither did he think it convenient to attempt any thing during his Uncles Life or trouble the Peace of an Empire newly put into his hands Some thought that what he had done was out of policy to oblige more strongly to himself the hearts of his new Subjects who had already a love for him and to render himself more dreadful to those that were angry at his Promotion he had craftily suffered this Cloud to gather together and the beginnings of a Civil War to ripen that he might gain to himself more honour credit and reputation by dissipating and destroying it that he was able to stifle it in the Cradle for Empires are gotten and kept by the affections of the Souldiery by treating them well and civilly as his manner was and that it was easie to disappoint such as are of a stirring nature with a little patience for in time they may be destroyed in divers Expeditions or they may be removed into several quarters far from the places where they have credit or they may be imployed in long and tedious services where they may alter their minds and the power of doing mischief In the mean while Tamerlan's delays and long abode in one place was subject to divers censures some thought it was caus'd only by his distemper others better inform'd imagin'd that it was the product of a faithful advice and good knowledge of that which was acting against him which doubtless would break out as soon as he should be on the other side of the Mountains of Pasanfu Calix expected this with great longing as soon as he had understood that the Forces of the Grand Cham were beyond the River of Meau that runs on the other side of the Mountains and that they were incamp'd at Bouprou he thought it high time to discover his design For this purpose he gather'd together his chief and most intimate Friends declaring to them that now the time was come to disappoint all the intentions of the Parthian who purposed to subdue them and keep them under his Command that seeing their Emperour was so unadvis'd of his own head without the approbation of those who ought to have a share in such Elections they for their parts should not neglect so fair an opportunity of redeeming their precious Liberties that Tamerlan was diseased the Grand Cham aged the greatest part of his Army at a distance and that there could not be offer'd a fitter opportunity to set on foot such a design that their Enterprise was so likely to succeed that as soon as they should set footing in the Province of Cattay that the whole Country would declare for him because his Father had govern'd it many years and because the Inhabitants not knowing Tamerlan would believe all that he should tell them that the Province of Zagatay was at a great distance from them that Tamerlan would have much ado with the powerful Enemy who had mock'd his Embassie sent to prevent the War therefore their Enterprise would doubtless succeed happily when he should have sent to assure the Great Cham that their intentions were not against his Person or Government with promises not to forget the Allegiance and Fidelity which they had sworn to keep for him their armed posture being only to shake off the yoak of the Parthians their ancient and unreconcileable Enemies whose Tyranny they would never be perswaded to endure Moreover he assured them that the Emperours decrepitage and weak body loving ease and rest would not intermeddle in this quarrel because he had no Heirs-male to succeed him And that it was easie to destroy Tamerlan's Army by waiting for him at his return and besieging of the Streights of Tenduits after his Forces should be weakned by the Encounters with the Chineses for then they would endeavour to retreat into the Province of Zagatay out of which it was no â—â—ficult matter to keep them by besieging those â—â—ow passages Calix's Speech had a good colour it was strengthen'd with many Reasons and Insinuations He had spent a whole year in winning the peoples favour that he might be able to use them in due time He prepar'd all manner of Ammunitions and had spar'd no cost nor labour to compass his design But though all things were carried secretly without any noise Tamerlan had intelligence of all these practises against his Person At first he made light of it or seem'd so to do wisely concealing all the reports of the Rebellion of this ambitious Fool that it might break out to the eyes of the World and render Calix more guilty and himself less blameable by bearing Arms in his Uncles Dominions whose displeasure he was loath to draw upon himself It is very likely that he could have prevented this mischief in its beginning but he had good cause to deal otherwise His long abode at Cachobach near a Months time because of his indisposition as was pretended had a good reason In the mean while the Tartarians Army commanded by Calibes hearing of the mighty preparations and intentions of the Chineses to assault them murmured because they were idle and let slip the opportunity of shewing their courages to their Enemy and their new Prince The Commanders endeavoured to pacifie and quiet the Souldiers martial disposition with news that came at every foot of some unexpected obstacle that staid Tamerlan from joyning with them It was easie to imagine that his quick and speedy temper in executing his resolutions was stopt by the knowledge of Calix's Conspiracyâ—â— and that he delayed the time only that he might have a favourable occasion to punish him Nevertheless he was willing that Calix should believe that he was pass'd beyond the Mountains to assault the famous Wall defended by all the Armies of the Chineses for that purpose he gave an express Command that care should be taken that none might forsake the Reer to give notice where he was with his Camp This wise proceeding succeeded well for Calix imagining that his Enemy was at a vast distance encountring with the Chineses though he was on this side of the Mountains cast off all dissimulation and with as much indiscretion as he had hitherto shewn wisdom in his secresie commanded all his Forces to march against the Prince to surprise and intangle him But all
the rewards due to their services and labours That therefore they ought to go to be known to him and that for him he would never forsake them whiles breath was in his body he would assist and recommend them to his Majesty After this discourse Axalla chose the Souldiers whom he intended to leave with the Governour of the Province to keep the Country in awe and hinder the enemies invasions after some other Orders given he marched away with the rest of the Army and advanc'd two great days journey towards Persia Whiles Axalla is in the way let us take notice of some particulars of the death of this great Prince who left not behind him his felâ—â—ow in the World He had often sought in vain for help from the skill of the most famous Physitians but when he saw notwithstanding all their endeavours that his distemper increased more and more and that he could not avoid the payment of the ordinary tribute of Nature He called for Sentrochio his eldest Son to whom he spake in the presence of Odmar and of the chief of his Council He gave him an account of all the actions of his life beginning by the retreat of his Father the Prince of Sachetay from all worldly business to employ himself in divine contemplation and Prayers He told him that when he left him the Soveraignity of his Dominions he gave him three great men to assist him to bear part of his burden and advise him for the best That onely Odmar the youngest of the three was then alive That he had been willing to submit to their good Counsels in things relating to Peace and War and had never any cause to repent of it That the great credit and reputation that he had gain'd when he was very young by the famous Victory over the Moscovites who were become so dreadful to all Asia was the effect of their wise counsels rather than the work of hazard or fortune He told him that the bringing down of the Moscovites whom he had made to be tributary to him and the lusire of some vertues that shined in him had obliged his neighbours and his kindred to seek his acquaintance and affiâ—â—ity and caused the Emperour his Uncle to alter his design of dividing his Empire amongst the greatest Lords of his Court whom he loved best before but then he rejoyced to prefer to them the Conquerour of the common enemy of their Nation and a Nephew for whom nature and the nearness of blood pleaded in his heart That it was this that had raised him to the Empire of the Tartars that gave him the Emperours Daughter in marriage because he hoped that he would ease him of his burden in his old age by managing for him his publick affairs and scattering away all divisions and parties through the reputation and dread of his forces He told him that the Emperours expectation had not been disappointed that whiles he lived he honoured and loved him as his Lord and Father That he had behaved himself so uprightly as well towards his Father as towards his Subjects that when the Emperour died he succeeded to the Throne without any contradiction or commotion for all shewed themselves willing to obey So that he succeeded as well to the affections of the people as to the authority over them That since twenty years that he had enjoyed this vast Empire he had been alwayes faithfully served That he gave God thanks that the promises which the Emperour his Unkle had made of the rewards which were due to his Subjects for their services he had had opportunity and means to discharge for the happiness of his Armies had inabled him to pay all his Unkles and his own obligations and debts He continued to him his discourse in this manner I leave thee my Son these for thy Servants who deserve all of them to be Kings Honour them and reign amongst them They will serve thee affectionately and will pardon the mistakes and miscarriages of thy youth Their remembrance of Tamerlan and their own vertues will oblige them to be true to thy concerns and to their duty After this taking Odmar by the hand he removed him from the place where he sat to make him go to the right side of his bed and then casting once more his eyes upon his Son on the left side he spoke to him thus again This side shall be kept for Axalla who is absent His faithfulness and his affection for me and his Noble Actions are so known and famous all over the Empire and to my self that I will say no more of him I command you my Son to believe Odmars and Axalla's Counsells as I have alwayes done to my advantage for the Prince of Tanais I shall say nothing of him his serviceâ—â— and fidelity speak sufficiently for him He told him also that because he was his Kinsman he knew that the Prince would suffer death rather than act contrary to his duty That he recommended to him all the Princes Lords and Captaines who were then before his eyes and those that were absent who had served him so faithfully in so many Wars whereof the Victories and successes had gained so much glory to the Parthian name and rendered the Empire one of the most flourishing of the World That he left it to him to command it because he was his Son though there was no other deserveing in him but the hopes that he gave of his person Afterwards he reached out his hand to all the Princes and Lords about his bed with these words directed to his Son In these persons cheifly your Empire and happiness will consist Then he beckned to his Chancellour to draw near and ask'd from him his Seal which he delivered to the young Prince and caused the Prince to restore it again to the Chancellour He was afterwards a while without speaking but presently he began again my Son said he Love justice shew it to the poor as well as to the rich to the mean man as well as to the great it is your Office your Chancellour will sometimes help you Remember that the sword that you bear is only to put in executionâ—â— the decrees of justice therefore the Wars that you shall undertake must be just then you may promise to you self success Whiles he was talking thus to the Prince the Chancellour being near his person a great noise was heard in the next Chamber The Emperour enquired what might be the cause A Lord at that instant coming in sent from Axalla brought with him tydings of two great Victories which his Army in Natolia had obtained against the Turks This messenger gave him an account of all the passages of the two ingagements which had been manag'd with Wisdome and valour by his brave General he told the Emperour at last that his Valliant Soldiers were in hopes to see his Majesty amongst them assoon as the season of the year would permit to subdue the Empire of Greece which would be easily