that he was contented to grant them Peace on Conditions that they surrendred to him all the Island of Candia with the Fortress of Clissia in Dalmatia and paiment of three Millions of Gold for the Dammages of the War. But these seemed to the Senate to be such unreasonable Propositions and so prejudicial to their Honour that they resolved to maintain the War and to defend themselves more vigorously than ever ANNO 1658. NOtwithstanding the Designs of the Turks against Dalmatia they were not less intent to their Affairs in Candia designing to try their Fortune once again in the Siege of the principal City of that Name for that falling into their Hands the whole Island would quickly be reduced and with that Conquest an end would be put unto the War. The Venetians on the other side attended to their Business with all diligence not neglecting any Provisions which might secure their Interest in that Country year 1658. and that they might regain what they had lost they held Intelligence with some Persons in Canea hoping by their means to surprise the Town but the Turkish Governour being very vigilant reinforced his Garison with five hundred Men and Chusaein Pasha coming to his Assistance with thirty Gallies disappointed the Venetians of landing at that place The Rendezvous of the Army which was to march into Dalmatia was ordered to be at Adrianople where the Brother-in-Law of the Pasha of Aleppo who was Commander of the Forces of that Place arriving later than the day prefixed was for that reason put to death by the Great Vizier This Severity so enraged the Pasha that immediately he raised an Army of forty thousand Men and marched towards Scutari threatning Constantinople it self unless the Head of the Great Vizier were given him by way of reprizal for that of his Brothers The Divan being startled hereat returned him a gentle Message neither denying nor granting his Demand as if they intended to amuse him with Hopes But he interpreting this Delay for a Refusal did not only persist in requiring the Head of the Vizier but of four other principal Counsellors whom he judged to have concurred in the Sentence for his Brother's Death and in farther prosecution hereof he burnt and spoiled all the Country about Constantinople and the Plague raging at the same time in the City affected the Inhabitants with such Sadness and Discontent that the chief Ministers apprehended more Evil from thence than from the Enemy without The Army of the Pasha daily increasing and being grown from forty to sixty thousand Men caused the Vizier to abandon all other Thoughts and Designs but those which tended to the destruction of the Pasha and his Complices so that there necessarily followed a Revulsion of the Forces from Dalmatia the Vizier himself diverting them from thence and Transylvania marched with the whole Army towards Constantinople Yet before the Great Vizier departed from Adrianople he perswaded the Grand Signior to set the Bailo Capello and the Secretary Ballarino at Liberty that thereby he might give some jealousy to the Rebels as if he designed to make a Peace with Venice to have more Power and better leizure to make his War against them This Counsel though prudently given had yet little Influence on the Humor of the Pasha who continued his March fortifying himself in the most advantageous Passes of the Country But what was most bold of all his Actions and rendred his Pardon beyond the Clemency of his Soveraign was the proclaiming a Youth of twenty Years of Age then with him in his Army to be the Son of Sultan Morat and consequently the lawful Heir of the Crown and that in right of him he had taken possession of a great part of Asia and was marching towards Constantinople with resolution to dispossess Sultan Mehmet and exalt this lawful and undoubted Heir on the Throne of his Ancestors This and other Rumors from Persia that that King taking the advantage of these Disorders was making Preparations to regain Bagdat or Babylon and revenge himself of all those Cruelties which the Turks had inflicted on his Subjects and Country increased the Fears and Cares of the chief Ministers of State. Notwithstanding which Chusaein Pasha prosecuted his Business no less in Candia than formerly in hopes to put an end to the War there before the end of the Summer and in order thereunto he received a Recruit of five and twenty thousand Men from the Morea But the daily increase of the Pasha's Forces and his approach towards Constantinople as it was a Matter of the highest Consequence so it required the most prudence and caution in the management In the first place therefore by Fetfa or Resolve from the Mufti the Pasha was declared a Rebel and guilty of High Treason against the Sultan notwithstanding which a Chaous was dispatched with Letters of Pardon if now repenting of his Fault he would disband his Army and return to his former Obedience he should be received into Grace and Favour The Pasha received the Chaous with the same Ceremony and Honour as if he had been an Ambassador being willing to consider him under that Character rather than under the Notion of a Pursuivant or Officer sent to affright him into his Duty and in Answer to the Message replied That it was not in his power to condescend to any Conditions for that since he had assumed the Cause of this Youth who was the Son of Sultan Morat concealed to that Age by his Mother for fear of the Power of his Uncle he could not assent to any Terms or Conditions less than the Exaltation of him to the Ottoman Throne And so carrying this Young Man with him as a Property whereby to cover his Rebellion with the Guise of Justice and Duty he maintained a Court for him after the Ottoman Fashion and causing the Tagho or Standards to be carried before him he permitted him to give Audiences send Dispatches and to take on him all the Royal Marks of Empire The Army of the Pasha was by this time encreased to seventy thousand Men one part of which he sent towards Scutari and another towards Smyrna which alarm'd all the Countries round about and gave the Grand Signior such cause of Apprehension that he tried divers Means and made many Propositions of Honours and Benefits to the Pasha whereby to allure him to Obedience One while he offered to him the Government of Grand Cairo but that being rejected he endeavoured to raise Men in Asia to oppose the progress of his Arms of which some numbers being got into a Body and perceiving the formidable Force of the Pasha revolted and joined themselves to his Party This Extremity of Affairs caused the Grand Signior not only again to proclaim the Pasha a Rebel but to give liberty to his People to destroy him and his Souldiers in any parts where they should encounter them In pursuance of which License a Village in Asia having killed twenty five or thirty of the Pasha's Men
things he was above all others both beloved and honoured of all the People of Epirus next to Scanderbeg himself At his first coming to Mahomet he filled not his Ears with great Promises and vain Praises of himself as had Moses but only excusing his own revolt laboured to perswade him That he had for just causes left his Uncle with a desire now faithfully to serve him And to that purpose spake unto him as followeth If it should please thee most noble Mahomet to call to remembrance the old injuries and antient displeasures by us committed against thine imperial Majesty we might seem now rather to have come hither to receive the just guerdon of our evil deserts than upon any hope of honour or preferment For what could have been done more in disgrace of the Othoman Empire than that you have seen long since done by us in the most dangerous time of the Hungarian War rather of a malicious and set purpose than for that we were just Enemies Whenas in the same perfideous course I my self being a helper and partaker therein for now no excuse is to be pretended for our doings more than repentance your Fathers Army was betrayed at Morava and the Kingdom of Epirus by great Treachery wrested out of your Fathers Hands the only cause of so many Calamities and of so much bloodshed But vain is this fear and our suspition needless with so wise and merciful a Prince especially for that my years then green and youth prone unto the harm of it self and a mind not resting upon his own resolutions deceived me I believed mine Uncle for the ignorant believe many things and allured with the desire of Soveraignty the proper disease of that age and too much credulous I forsook you and followed his promises but discretion growing with years I have by little and little perceived both the slie perfideous dealing of mine Uncle as also that my revolt from you was more hurtful unto my self than to any other Scanderbeg recovered and also enlarged the Kingdom of Epirus but not without my great labour and help I expected long time that he should have given me if not my Fathers whole Inheritance yet at least some part thereof as a small reward of my so great travel and danger Not long after he married a Wife and hath begot a young Heir a new Successor in his Kingdom unto me for shame of the World because I should not altogether lead a private life he hath assigned a base corner of Epirus where he enjoying the rest I might lead a poor and contemptible life In this case I had much ado to bridle my affections and could never digest that injury yet the iniquity of the time with the insolent disposition of the man compelled me to smother up my thoughts and to make fair weather lest finding some suspition he should craftily have intrapped me as he did of late George Stresie his Sisters Son whom wrongfully charged with feigned surmises he hath almost deprived of all his Possessions I would willingly have fled unto the Feet of your Highness I would gladly have forsaken my ingrateful Uncle with the stains of his infamous Kingdom but that the remembrance of the old Rebellion and many Injuries siththence done did make me afraid until that now God I think so appointing it I came most gladly following your most Royal Faith and Promise You had scarcely beckned unto me you had scarcely invited me having of long intentively waited every occasion but straight way I came with such speed as if I would have flown I lingred not I expected not either Scanderbeg or his evil hap or your more prosperous success as of late did Moses lest I might thereby justly seem either for fear or regard of some eminent danger rather to have provided for mine own safety than to have embraced your magnificence Neither have I left any thing for you in me to suspect nor any cause wherefore I should desire to return again into Epirus here are present most sure bonds of my love and faithful Pledges of my Loialty Behold worthy Mahomet you have whasoever is dear unto me yea whatsoever Nature could give pleasing unto men in the course of mans life These have I brought unto thee which should with violence have been taken from an Enemy such Pawns as might assure thee of the Faith of a most doubtful man. More than this I have brought nothing for in so great speed and secret departure I could not have regard of my Substance And if I might have had time to have trussed up my trash at leisure yet I know not how I should have thought it a kind of baseness to have brought with me any part of the poor reliques of mine old Fortune especially unto thee of all other the richest Only my Fidelity I lay down before thee for any thing greater I have not and if thou desire of me any other Bond for more assurance I refuse not whatsoever your Highness shall appoint for I came not hither to set down Covenants and Agreements of my self but to receive them from you I dare not promise to vanquish mine Uncle and to subdue Epirus with an Army of fifteen thousand men the misfortune of Haly-Bassa and other your Generals yea and the late and rare Victory of Sebalias with great bloodshed gained may serve for examples In me you shall neither want diligence nor faithful service as for other things concerning the event of this War and for the revenge of the injuries by you received you being a Prince of power invincible and of a most deep judgment are not to be advised by me your unskilful Vassal This Speech of Amesa seemed unto Mahomet free from all dissimulation forasmuch as he knew most part thereof to be true and his Wife and Children brought unto his presence confirmed the rest Wherefore commending his good affection he appointed him honourable entertainment referring other matters unto a further time Upon the approach of the Spring Mahomet desiring nothing more than to be revenged upon Scanderbeg entred into consultation with his great Bassaes concerning the invasion of Epirus unto which Counsel Amesa was by Mahomet admitted and his wicked device for the destruction of his Country of all others best liked After the matter had been long too and fro debated it was concluded That Isaac the great Bassa of Constantinople should with an Army of fifteen thousand be sent against Scanderbeg and Amesa with him having the charge of five thousand Horsemen and the Bassa to proclaim Amesa King of Epirus thereby to perswade the Epirots that Mahomet invaded Epirus rather for the displeasure he bare against Scanderbeg and for the advancement of Amesa than for any ambitious desire he had to take unto himself that Kingdom Great was the preparation for this War and the expectation thereof greater Flying Fame had in short time filled every corner of Epirus with the report of these News adding thereunto as the manner
certainty reported by them That Scanderbeg with an handful of men was fled out of Epirus and not an Enemy to be seen the Turks began to rejoyce and proudly to triumph that they had without any loss driven the Enemy out of the Country yet much grieved that they could no where find any thing to satisfie their greedy desires for why all things were so clean gone as if the Country had been swept against their coming which might have been a sufficient cause for them to have distrusted some great matter but they flattering themselves supposed all this to be done for fear of them upon extream desperation such is the frail condition of men to lose strength of body common sense yea their reason and understanding when some great mischief is appointed for their Overthrow or Destruction The Bassa seeing the Enemy fled and now no cause of fear consulted with his chief Captains what were now best to be done Amesa still perswading him not to remove but there to stay a time and to expect the farther event of matters But the greater number whose opinion prevailed said it was better to go farther into the Country and to take the spoil thereof before the Country people should convey away all their Substance into places of safety as they had done there in Dibra and leave them nothing but the bare ground and empty Cottages By this perswasion the Bassa early next morning in good order set forward commanding by general Proclamation That no man upon pain of death should break his Array or straggle from the Army Yet before he set forward he called Amesa unto him whom after he had highly commended and with great vehemency inveighed against Scanderbeg he with the great applause of the whole Army in the name of Mahomet created him King of Epirus That day he marched not far by reason of the great heat for it was then about the midst of Iuly Yet when he had well wearied himself with that days travel finding neither Enemy nor any thing else worthy to be accounted in any part of a Victory he encamped at night keeping diligent Watch and sending forth his Scouts every way but especially towards Lyssa The next day which was the third day after the Bassaes coming into Epirus he set forward again and came at length into Aemathia and there encamped that night When Scanderbeg flying for fear as the Turks supposed was gone a great way out of their sight towards Lyssa and come even to the Borders of his Kingdom he there staid all the rest of that day And a little before the going down of the Sun he with a few select Horsemen departed from the Army and with painful travel got up to the top of the High Mountains from whence a man might by day well discover all the Plains of Aemathia There he appointed one Peieus Emanuel a politick and valiant Gentleman with certain Horsemen to mark diligently which way the Enemy held and by certain secret and appointed waftings and signs to give knowledge thereof to the Army After such Order taken he returned himself and came again to the Camp after midnight And presently rising with his Army and fetching a compass about came undiscovered and secretly encamped himself as near as he could unto the Mountains where his Scouts lay with Eagles eyes waiting for the least moving of the Enemy The Bassa desirous to get as far as he could into the Country before the heat of the day began early in the morning to set forward and came to the Plains of Pharsalia through the World spoken of for the great battel in them long time before fought between the two most famous Chieftains Caesar and Pompeius and now once more to be made famous by the slaughter of the Turks Here the Enemy finding some stragling Cattel and other small things which the Country people had in their hasty flight left behind them fell to seeking after Booty and as men without fear spent that day in roaming up and down the Country in hope to find something and at night encamped without any great Watch but towards Lyssum from whence they in great security looked for the coming of Scanderbeg and as it were in disgrace of him carried Amesa in Triumph up and down the Camp as if he had been already possessed of the Kingdom of Epirus Scanderbeg lying on the other side of the Mountains perceived by his Espials which way the Enemy lay and with great silence under the covert of the Mountains and Woods secretly bent his course the same way until he came to a Mountain called Tumenist at the foot whereof he encamped that night The next morning the Bassa holding on his way came and encamped not far from the same Mountain and there staid himself with half his Army and sent Amesa with the other half to burn and spoil the Country who about noon returned to the Camp with such prey as he had got with his Souldiers well wearied with travel and the heat of the day Scanderbeg like a careful Housholder who being about to entertain and feast some honourable Personages trusteth not to his Wife and Servants but looketh to the bestowing of his Provision himself carefully ordering and disposing and setting forth all things especially if his Provision for want of ability be short to welcome so great Guests and setting all things forth to the greatest shew seeketh at least to fill the eyes of his Guests although he doubt to satisfie their Appetites so he carfully viewing all the Mountains and thick Woods thereabouts without resting set Moses in one place Tanusius in another and all the rest in places most convenient He appointeth every man what to do and instructeth them and considerth of every particular circumstance himself and so divideth his Forces as might best serve his purpose and make the most terrible shew to the Enemy for which purpose he in every Company placed more Trumpets Drums and other Instruments of War than he had before at any time used When he had so to his most advantage bestowed so many of his Captains and Souldiers as he thought good and as the nature of the places would give leave he with 4000 Horsemen and the like number of Foot speedily marching up the rough Mountain of Tumenist from thence plainly beheld in what Order the Turks Camp lay in the Plains below The Turks especially they which were lately returned with Amesa from the spoil of the Country lay scattered abroad in the fields with their Horses unbridled and unsadled resting their weary bodies some got under the shadows of Trees were victualling themselves some having filled their Bellies lay fast asleep on the green Grass the rest were passing the time some with one kind of sport some with another as Souldiers do in field when they have little or nothing to do for it was then the hottest time both of the year and of the day being about the midst of Iuly and the
and fearful by how much he was at that time inferior unto his Son both in warlike Provision and number of men Wherefore it were good for him they said to moderate his anger and not now in the winding up of his life to make too much hast by a miserable death in a woful Battel to stain the whole glory of his former life There was as they would have perswaded him but one only course to be taken full of wholesome Policy and Safety and that was That he should with such speed as he had begun march on forward to Constantinople that so Selymus excluded out of the City his chiefest hope and then not knowing which way to turn himself should either of his own accord or for fear of his Fathers greater Forces think of return and so with his rascal Followers more honestly perish by the hands of them whose Countries he had spoiled and upon whom he must of necessity live in his return than by the sword of his Father The Author of this Counsel was Mustapha the most ancient Bassa of those which being in greatest Authority about the Emperor are only of his Privy Council and sway all matters of importance concerning either Peace or War he then upon an unthankful and malicious mind loathing Bajazet as one that had too long reigned hated him also for certain private displeasures conceived of the emulation of the other younger Bassa's by him promoted and secretly bare great affection to Selymus both in condition and favour resembling his Grandfather the Great Mahomet by whom he was brought up himself and him of all the Sons of Bajazet he thought most worthy of the Empire This Mustapha was born in the Town of Seres near unto Amphipolis the Son of a Greek Priest a man of a sly crafty and subtil Wit always subject to corruption which diseases of mind were in him well to have been discovered by his froward look and squint Eyes the certain notes of a nature to be suspected Next unto this Mustapha was Bostanges Bassa born of the honourable House of the Ducagina in Aetholia and therefore called Ducaginoli a man for his Covetousnes Ambition and Treachery infamous as the foul and miserable end of his life afterwards declared Unto this man Selymus had by secret promise betrothed one of his Daughters now marriageable as a reward of his corrupt Faith. By which sleight he had also allured Ajax Aga or Captain of the Janizaries and great Master of the Houshold to promise his Aid for the obtaining of the Empire whereunto he said he was by Destiny called and by his means drew other inferior Captains secretly to favour his quarrel unto whom he spared not to promise whatsoever might please their humors Yea the Captains almost generally either corrupted with reward or for fear following the inclination of the greater Commanders of themselves leaned that way Of all the rest only Cherseogles Bassa whom the Turks Histories call also Achmet Hertezec-Ogli a faithful constant and upright man free from all double dealing and deceit a fast and assured Friend unto Bajazet his Father in Law was of opinion That the immoderate Pride and Insolency of Selymus was even there by force of Arms and strong Hand forthwith to be oppressed before he should approach any nearer unto the Imperial City for fear of raising some further trouble or tumult there than were well to be appeased which was the thing that Selymus his Friends most of all desired Neither was it to be thought as Cherseogles said that the naked Tartarion Horsemen although they were in number more would ever be able to abide the first charge of Bajazet his well armed Pensioners As for the Janizaries of whose approved Faith and Valour tried in many dangers he had before had good experience there was no doubt but that they would now to the uttermost of their power defend the Person and Honour of their aged and victorious Emperor who had of long time so well of them deserved and also to revenge his quarrel upon disobedient Selymus who neither fearing God the just Revenger of such ungracious dealing neither the infamy of men had most unnaturally lift up his Sword against his Father wickedly to deprive him of life of whom he had received life Wherefore he perswaded him in his own just quarrel to go forth unto his Souldiers with chearful countenance and putting them in remembrance of the benefits they had from time to time most bountifully received at his hands as also of their Allegiance and Duty to make them to understand that reposing his trust in their Fidelity and Valour he had resolutely set down with himself in that place before he went any further by their faithful hands to chastise the presumptuous insolency of his unnatural Son together with his rebellious Followers But now that we are fallen into the remembrance of this Cherseogles it shall not be amiss both for the honour of the man and the great love he always bare unto the Christians to step a little out of the way to see the cause why he being a Christian born turned Turk For he was not as almost all the rest of the great men about Bajazet were of a Child taken from his Christian Parents and so brought up in the Mahometan Religion but now being a man grown turned Turk yet so as that he never in heart forgot either the Christians Religion or love towards the Christians a thing not common among such Renegates He being the Son of one Cherseogles a small Prince of Illyria near unto the black Mountain and going to be married unto a Lady whom he most entirely loved and unto whom he was already betrothed honourably descended of the House of the Despot of Servia his intemperate Father with lustful Eye beholding the young Lady of rare Feature and incomparable Beauty desired to have her for himself and regarding more the satisfying of his own inordinate desire than his own honour or the Fatherly Love of his Son took her in marriage himself all his Friends labouring in vain to disswade him and with open mouth crying shame of so foul a Fact. Wherefore the young man moved with the indignity of so great an injury and driven headlong with despair fled first to the Turks Garrisons which lay not far off and from thence to Constantinople where the fortune of the man was to be wondred at For being brought before Bajazet who with chearful countenance entertained him for that he was honourably descended and well liked both of the man and of the cause of his revolt smiling upon him said Be of good chear Noble Youth for thy great courage is worthy of far greater fortune than thy Fathers House can afford thee now in stead of thy Love wrongfully taken from thee by thy Father the Kinswoman of a poor exiled Prince thou shalt have given thee in marriage the Daughter of a great Emperor of rare and singular perfection And not long after abjuring his
began to grow doubtful of his own safety for that they being but few although Men of good worth were to withstand the infinite number of such Enemies as oftentimes used most desperately to expose their lives to all manner of dangers This their fear was also encreased by the coming of certain Messengers from Solyman who understanding of what Nations the Garrison consisted sent unto the City three of his own Guard one a Spaniard another an Italian and the third a German all Renegate Christians that every one of them might without an Interpreter speak unto their Countrymen in their own Language These Men admitted into the City offered great rewards and large entertainment in the Name of Solyman to such as would in time yield denouncing all torture and extremities unto them which should endure the summons of the Cannon Whereunto it was answered by the Captains That those faithful and valiant Souldiers who had reposed their last hopes in their Arms were neither to be won by gifts nor terrified with threats With which answer the Messenger returned and the same day the Turks great Ordnance were planted upon the Hill before the Gate of the City and the weakest parts of the Walls round about the City so well pickt out by the Turks to be assaulted as that they could not more skilfully or commodiously have been chosen out of them which had within most diligently viewed every thing so that it is to be thought that the Christians wanted not only Fortune against the Turks but also Faith amongst themselves Salamanca distrusting the Fortifications of the Suburbs retired into the City contrary to that he had before vainly boasted Achomates General of the European Horsemen laid siege to that part of the Wall which was next to the Bishops Gardens Ulamas the Persian besieged the Tower near unto the Gate towards Buda The Asapi or common Souldiers were by their Captains brought on to dig Trenches and cast up Mounts as was thought most convenient It is incredible to be spoken with what fury the great Ordnance were discharged without ceasing insomuch that the Tower with a great part of the Wall near unto it shaken with continual Battery fell down with such violence as if all had been shaken with a most terrible Earthquake neither was any Man able to stand upon the Walls but that the Janizaries with their Harquebusies out of their Trenches and from their Mounts would most certainly fetch him off and many which stood within farther off were with the Turks Arrows falling from high as if it had been out of the Air grievously wounded But that which most troubled the Defendants and did them greatest harm was the Stones which beaten in sunder with the great Shot and not to be avoided did with their Pieces kill or maim the Souldiers near hand With which dangers they were enforced to forsake the uttermost Wall and to cast up new Fortifications within that they might with less danger defend the place Neither in the Enemy wanted courage to assail the Breach thrice they desperately attempted to have entred and were always with loss repulsed In which assaults amongst others Bultaces Sanzack of Selymbria and a Man of great account among the Turks was lost Whilst the Defendants were thus busied many of the Souldiers and Mariners which came up the River with all things necessary for the Army from Buda went on shore and lay in the Suburbs of the City in such security as if there had been no Enemy nigh which thing they in the City perceiving suddainly sallied out upon them fearing no such matter and slew many of them before they could arm themselves and drave the rest of their Fleet so that betwixt fighting and flying there was about two hundred of them slain Zimar a Persian Admiral of the Fleet in rescuing of them which to save their lives fled unto the River was shot through with a small Shot and slain Whilst these things were in doing and the Turks having in many places sore shaken the Wall did with greater force daily assail the City and the Defendants with their continual loss and out of all hope of relief were more and more discouraged an old Calabrian Engineer which had long time served King Ferdinand fled out of the City to the Turks who being courteously entertained by Solyman and examined by the Bassaes of many things concerning the strength and state of the City satisfied them in all that they desired and further directed them in planting their Batteries in places most convenient for the speedy taking of the Town In the mean time whilst the Turks were with restless labour battering the Walls and working in their Mines it fortuned that a gilt brazen Cross which stood upon the top of the Steeple of the Cathedral Church was by the continual shooting of the Turks thereat at length beaten down at the sight whereof it is reported that Solyman after the superstitious manner of that Nation taking the chance as a token of good luck cried out presently Strigonium is won Liscanus and Salamanca fearfully consulting of the event of the Siege and secretly conferring together resolved to save themselves and to give up the Town Liscanus was no great Souldier and yet by continual spoil grown exceeding rich and therefore thought it but folly to buy the Name of a resolute Captain at too dear a price with the loss of his Life and Wealth The like feeling was also in Salamanca who preferred the safety of himself and of that which he had got in long service before all credit and honour were it never so great This their purpose was not kept so secret but that it was noised abroad amongst the common Souldiers of whom almost the third part was now either slain or with wounds or sickness grown weak yet were they all of opinion generally that they were still strong enough to defend the Town But the under Captains and Antients using to flatter their Generals liked well of the motion to yield unto Solyman upon reasonable conditions rather than to expose themselves to most certain death which should nothing better King Ferdinands cause Not long after an Antient was by night let down over the Wall and having by an Interpreter received the Turks Faith called forth Salamanca that he might upon better conditions go through with them for the yielding up of the Town Who without further delay coming out went to Achomates before he went commanding them which defended the Water Tower next to the River side a place of great danger for safegard of their lives to get them into the City who terrified with that news and hastily retiring were by the vigilant Turks which lay at the siege thereof perceived who suddainly breaking in slew such as were not yet gone and possessed the Castle But Salamanca being brought before the great Bassaes when he had stood upon many nice terms and required many things to have been granted him obtained no more but
and so being come unto the City caused all the Instruments to be played upon even from morning until night The next morning the Embassador invited the Bassa with all the Lords and Officers who being come he entreated them to hear his Musick and in like manner the Lord Bassa invited the Persians But as the Embassador was going to the Banquet came another Sultan of the Kings who brought unto the same Embassador a gilâ— Turbant and a rich Gown wrought with Gold which he caused him to put on by the way By this Embassador the Persian King hath sent all the Armor of Sultan Bajazet with all his Camels and other Wealth The causes of the long stay of this Embassador were especially two the one for that the Persian King had caused to be made two Pavilions of one Piece the Curtains being interlaced with Gold and the Supporters imbroidred with the same Besides this he sent two Books of Histories and two Pearls which in weight weighed ten Mescali one Balasso as big as a little Pearl fourscore and two times an hundred Tumenlich of Stuff amounting to fourscore and two sums of Aspers and forty Falcons all which the Persian King hath sent unto the Great Sultan as to the only Monarch and Patron of the World. This Schach Culi is the next in Authority to the King and so was in the time of great King Hysmael These two Persian Sultans are the Kings chief Sultans and Courtiers and therefore set themselves forth with all the Pomp they can Yet notwithstanding all their Bravery being come to Erzirum within the view of our Army the Persians were amazed to behold the goodly order of the Othomans One part of these Persians are returned again into Persia. And if it please God at the coming of my Messenger unto you your Lordship shall understand of what Condition and State these two Princes and Sultans are They have each of them yearly six Tumoni which maketh after the computation of the Othomans six thousand Aspers Your Lordship after this account may judge of the rest The other cause of the long stay of this Embassador was for that in Syruan the people were up in Rebellion wherein many of them were slain to the appeasing of which Sedition this Schach Culi was sâ—nt and now at last is come From Erzirum in the beginning of the month of Giuma Sulacchir in the year of the Prophet Mahomet 975. This Persian Embassador was with the greatest Pomp that might be entertained by the Turks at his first coming to Hadrianople all the brave Courtiers with the Janizaries and other Souldiers of the Court going forth in most seemly order to meet him Who now entred the City and come before the house where the Emperors Embassadors then lay and seeing certain of their Retinue before the door asked of Isnam the Capitzi Bassa what people they were who told them that they were the Followers of an Embassador that there lay sent from one of the greatest Princes of the Christians namely the Emperor who was desirous to make Peace with the Great Sultan his Master Whereunto the Embassador replied That he would willingly salute them which Isnam hearing straight way turned his Horse towards the place where they stood Now the Emperors Embassador being secret within a Lattice and seeing him come towards them went forth and stood upon the Door-threshold and so with signs and words saluted one another Among the others the Persian Embassador said unto the Emperors That he would gladly talk with him if it might so please the Grand Seignior Hebrahim the Dragoman who then was with the Emperors Embassadors being Interpreter So having courteously saluted one the other they departed but never after came together Two days after the Persian Embassadors according to the manner of those barbarous Nations who with empty hands salute not one another by his Checaia or Steward of his Houshold presented all the Visier Bassaes with divers rich Gifts and Presents every one of them according to their degrees and places and the day after went himself to visit them where by the way fell out a strange matter like enough to have cost him his life For a Giamoglan as the Embassador was going to visit Muhamet the chief of the Visier Bassaes for the first meeting him shot at him with an Harquebush with purpose to have slain him but as God would missed him and hurt but one of his chief Followers in the Arm. Wherewith the Embassador not a little dismaid as supposing himself to have been betrayed turning his Horse was about to have gone to his Lodging but the great Bassa in the mean time having knowledge thereof presently sent out men to Guard him and to excuse himself of the Fact. Whereof the Embassador being assured held on his way In the mean space the Fellow who shot the Harquebush being apprehended was brought before the Embassador and the Bassa who asking him for what cause he discharged the shot against the Embassador he without change of countenance boldly answered That he did it for no other cause but for that the Embassador was an Heretick and sent from an Heretical King and an Enemy to their Religion and therefore that it was not convenient he should come to intreat of Peace with his Lord adding further that he was not worthy of any Peace Which the Bassa hearing adjudged the desperate Villain the next day to be drawn at an Horse-tail through the City and then to have his right Hand cut off and afterward his Head which was accordingly put in execution After this the Persian Embassador the 22 th of the same month went to deliver the Presents sent from his Master unto the Grand Seignior and to kiss his Hand sending first before him the Presents upon 44 Camels whereof 34 were the Kings of Persia and the other ten his own The Kings Present was an Alcoran with the Authority of Ali as they hold For this is their Custom always to present one such Alcoran unto the Princes to whom they send their Embassadors It was covered with Gold and garnished with most precious Stones He presented also a Book or Histories covered as the other he gave also a Box wherein was a very fair precious Stone called Balasso and two Pearls of a wonderful greatness with two Purses of an handful long full of Jewels Besides these he presented also eight Firuari or Porcellane Dishes which we call China-Dishes made of most pure Earth kept above fifty years buried under the ground to the end so to be fined and purified which as some say will melt and dissolve if any Poison be put into them He gave also two most stately Pavilions twenty great Carpets of Silk and many other lesser of Silk and Gold also nine fair Canopies to hang over the Ports of their Pavilions things not used among the Christians He gave also â—ine very fair Carpets of Camels hair nine Saddles set with Stones after
of them he proceeded further in the matter to know his pleasure what he would have done therein cunningly by the way of good Counsel perswading him unto that which he most wished himself to be done Immediately after he secretly advertised M. Antonius the Venetian Embassador That there was great hope of Peace and that therefore the Senate should under the colour of exchanging of Prisoners and redeeming of Merchants Good send some fit Men to Constantinople with whom he would in secret confer of all such matters as might farther the pacification This unexpected news from the Embassador brought to Venice was well heard of the Senate for they thought it much to concern their State to have a way opened whereby upon tolerable conditions to make Peace with the mighty Tyrant if that the League betwixt them and the King of Spain could not be concluded Hereupon they made choice of one Iacobus Ragazonius to go about the matter to Constantinople This Ragazonius was a Man of great spirit and dexterity of Wit to take any matter in hand and of a great reach and deep judgment in the managing thereof and withal exceeding rich and of so good carriage of himself as that he was therefore famous all which things were thought of great moment to win the favour of that covetous and barbarous Nation The Senate although they had not yet made proof what Men thought of the matter yet doubted they not but that upon the report of the sending of this notable Man Men would thereof diversly divine every Man according to his own fantasie and that many of the wiser sort would indeed surmise as the truth was that he was sent for to entreat of Peace although the exchange of Prisoners and redemption of Merchants Goods were the only things were openly pretended and the Senate although they thought it not amiss to have it so understood because such a suspicion was like enough to stir up both the Pope and the Spaniard to accept of such conditions of the desired League as they had before rejected yet lest the hope of the League which they for many causes thought good to cherish thereby cut off might cause the Pope and the Spaniard both to be cold in the matter they certified both them and other Christian Princes of the sending of Ragazonius yet of purpose concealing the secret drift of his going Ragazonius throughly instructed by the Senate was in a Gally conducted to Ragusium which Cassan-Beg the great Bassa Muhametes Son Governor of Liburnia understanding met him upon the Frontiers and told him That he was sent by his Father both to meet him and safe conduct him which the Martial Man contrary to the manner of the Turks courteously performed honourably entertaining him and afterward sending him with a safe Convoy until he was out of all danger Ragazonius coming to Constantinople was there by night secretly received into the City and at first brought into a little base Inn and a Guard set over him that he should speak with no Man. But after three days he was removed to a much better place and presented with divers kinds of dainty Dishes of sundry kinds of Meats The effect of his Message was to try the Turks minds and after conference had with the Embassador to entreat of Peace At length having access to the great Bassa Muhamet after he had delivered unto him as he had in charge his Message concerning the exchange of Prisoners and Merchants Goods Muhamet asked him If he had nothing in charge from the Senate concerning a pacification to be made Whereunto he answered That he had but that he must first speak with the Embassador without whose Advice and Counsel he was not of himself to do any thing At that first encounter the Bassa to terrifie the Messenger declared unto him the innumerable multitude of the Turks Horsemen and Footmen which no Nation as he vainly boasted was able by force or policy to withstand Also his great and invincible Fleets at Sea with whom all the power of the Christians joyned together was not able to encounter and much other such like strength and wealth of his And that the Venetians were now no more able to withstand Selymus than they were in times past to resist his Father and his Ancestors Yet he discoursed of this matter in such sort as not thereby to cut off the hope of the pacification but said That the Venetians should best have provided for the safety of their State if at the first they had listned unto him friendly and faithfully advising them not to have entred into Arms in which doing they shewed more courage than power and that yet as the case now stood and that Selymus was in a most assured hope in short time to become Lord and Master of the whole Island it should be to their great good to prefer the favour and good will of the Turks before War and by the voluntary yielding up of Cyprus gain unto themselves perpetual Peace and Tranquility As for the Isle it self it was not now worth the hazarding of so many dangers being destitute of Inhabitants which were almost all either slain or fled the Cattel driven away the Towns ransackt and burnt and the whole Country of late most pleasant and beautiful now so spoiled and unpeopled that it could not of long time yield unto him that should have it any profit or commodity Ragazonius being a cool and advised Man and withal perceiving that the Bassa was not to be contradicted in his talk so tempered his answer as that he shewed no token of fear neither let any word fall that might offend his ears saying That he was right glad that he had found so much favour in his sight as to have access and leave to talk with so great a Prince who for wisdom and gravity excelled all the rest of the Princes of the great Emperors Court who so far as he might with his Loyalty towards his Sovereign had always most graciously favoured the Venetian State who also not ignorant of the uncertainty of worldly things knew of all others best that on both sides were both Men and Arms and that most mighty Princes had oftentimes with small forces been overthrown the event of things never deceiving Men more than in matters of War no power upon Earth being sure which could not within some bounds contain the strength of it self and that therefore he was in good hope that he so worthy a Man knowing best what belongeth both to Peace and War would devise some such course as might sort to the good and quiet both of the Venetian State and Turkish Empire in which doing he should find sufficient matter for his eternal praise and glory if by his discreet wisdom a pacification might be made Such talk having passed at their first meeting Ragazonius had leave to speak with the Embassador who then lay at Pera under safe keeping In passing over to Pera Ragazonius might see a
most suddain dangers with comfortable words cheared them up willing them as couragious Men to follow him against the Enemy whom they in all things exceeded excepting number which always gave not the Victory The Turks perceiving the Moldavians lately revolted upon the joyning of the Battel as Men in Conscience wounded to shrink back thrust them perforce into the head of their Battel making of them no more account but to blunt the Enemies Swords and such as hung back they themselves slew upon whom as false Traitors the Vayvod caused his Field-Pieces to be most furiously discharged so that most part of these treacherous Men there slain some by the Turks some by their own Friends received the just reward of their Infidelity and Treason accompanied with perpetual Infamy Over the dead Bodies of these Traitors the Turks coming on were at the first notably encountred by the Moldavians and after a most cruel Fight as if they had been discouraged began to retire but indeed of purpose to have drawn the Christians before they were aware within the danger of their great Ordnance and Ambushes which they had before aptly and covertly placed for that purpose Which Sujercevius well acquainted with the Turks fineness perceiving with much ado staid their further pursuit and so avoided the danger prepared for them The Turks deceived of their expectation came on again afresh with no less fury than at the first whom the Christians right valiantly received and made with them a most cruel and mortal Battel wherein many both of the Turks and Christians fell and never rose again But what was so small a power against such a world of Men After long Fight the Moldavians oppressed with the multitude of their Enemies began to give ground and seeing no other remedy but either to flie or to die betook themselves to flight wherein most part of them were slain the furious Enemy still hardly pursuing them at the Heels of the Cossacks were left only 250. The Horsemen the chiefest strength of the Vayvod thus by the Treason of Czarnieviche overthrown the Vayvod with 20000 Footmen and such Horsemen as had now after the Battel joyned themselves unto the Footmen retired unto a Town not far off which he but a little before had rased but was now glad in the ruins thereof to fortifie himself against the suddain and furious Assaults of the Turks who the same night so beset the Vayvods Camp with such a multitude of Men that no Man could go in or out of the Camp or the uttermost part of that huge Army be from any place descried The next day which was the 11 of Iune the Turks shot divers great Shot into the Vayvods Camp but to small purpose for the Christians had for so short a time notably fortified themselves within the ruins of the old Town Which the Turks well perceiving and withal considering how hard and dangerous a matter it would be to assault the Vayvod in his strength they sent Messengers unto him to perswade him without delay to yield himself and to repose more trust in the mercy of the Turks than in his own broken Forces especially in his so hard distress being so beset as that he could not possibly escape and out of hope of all relief and therefore should by such voluntary yielding seek for grace of his Enemies rather than by a desperate obstinacy to cast himself into a most certain destruction where no mercy was to be expected Whereunto the Vayvod answered That he was not ignorant into what danger he was brought rather by the Treason of Czarnieviche and his Followers than by the Valour of the Enemy yet had left with him a strong power of most valiant and resolute Men who would in his quarrel and defence of themselves sell their lives very dear unto the Turks nevertheless that to avoid the farther effusion of blood he could for his part be content to yield unto his hard fortune so that the great Commanders of the Turks Army would condescend unto such reasonable conditions as he should propound and for the performance thereof give him their Faith not once or twice but seven times by solemn Oath to be taken Of this his offer the Turks accepted willing him to set down the conditions which were First that the Polonian Cossacks might in safety depart into their Country with their Horses and Armor then that they should without any violence offered to his person send him alive and in good safety unto the great Emperor Selymus before him to answer his own cause as for the Moldavians he said he needed not to covenant any thing for that the injury offered unto them tended also to the hurt of the Emperor himself and of him whom he should appoint Vayvod whose Subjects they were These conditions as reasonable were well liked of the Turks and so according to his desire confirmed seven times by the solemn Oath of every Captain and Commander in the Army both for themselves and their followers Upon this agreement the Vayvod brought all his Army out of their Trenches wherein they had lien strongly encamped and there with heavy heart took his last leave of his Souldiers to the general grief of them all amongst whom he divided such Mony and Jewels as he had as a remembrance of his kindness And there in the â—ight of them all disarming himself accompanied only with Osmolius a Polonian went in manner of a suppliant to the Turks Camp where he had full four hours Talk with the great Commanders of the Army until that at last Capucius Bassa either offended with his Speech or unmindful of his Faith before given with his Scimitar upon the suddain struck him a great blow overthwart his Face and another cross the Belly whom so wounded and as yet but half dead the Janizaries took and cut off his Head which was forthwith set up upon a Lance for all Men to behold His dead Body they bound by the Feet unto two Camels and so shamefully tore it in pieces and happy was he that could get any little piece thereof or embrue his Sword with the least drop of his Blood. This was the lamentable and woful end of Iohn the Vayvod of Moldavia a right valiant and worthy Man shamefully murdred by the perfidious Turks who had he been more constant in the Christian Faith had not happily fallen into so great misery Whose woful â—all may serve as a most notable example of the uncertainty of these worldly things for as no Man for a time had of the Turks more or more glorious Victories so in the end and as it were in demonstration of Mans fragility no Man perished more miserably The Vayvod thus perfidiously murthred the Turks with like Treachery forthwith set upon the Moldavians and slew them down right as Beasts appointed for the slaughter Which the Cossacks beholding and hoping for no better measure thrust themselves into the thickest of their Enemies and there valiantly
Rivers and to thrust themselves into a thousand Dangers which as it is no commendable kind of Life so is the practise of it unjust For as in this so in other their Actions they spare neither Friend nor Foe all that comes in their way being subject and as it were appointed to their Fury but especially when they want their Pay which affordeth unto them a thousand Excuses for the robbing and spoiling of all men without respect With which manner of fury they were even at this time enraged for want of their Pay in such sort as that if their right-hands spoiled the Turks their left-hands robbed the Christians as upon one and the self-same day they took from the Turks of Agria a number of Beasts and Cattel and rifled divers Villages of the Christians And not content with these Outrages meeting with an hundred or six score Waggons laden with great store of Victuals going toward Alba-Iulia conducted by the Zeclers set upon them slew them that drave them and carried away the Waggons with them But these Wrongs by Christians done unto Christians even the mortal Enemies of the Christians the Turks themselves revenged For the Turks of Temeswar having been abroad toward Lippa and â—ound good store of Booty meeting with these Sharkers were by them charged not so much for that they were their Enemies or for the Zeal of Christianity or for the desire of Honour as for to have had from them their Prey and Booty But the Turks being in number twice as many as they and withal well acquainted with such Business were not so easily spoiled but knowing their own strength with their Number oppressed their Enemies most of whom they slew and took the rest Prisoners God being as just in his Punishments as he is in Works powerful punishing the Wicked by the Weapons of others as wicked or rather worse than they The Turks in the mean time whilst things thus passed began again to fall to their old Practice for the solliciting of a Peace but such Fantasies were too stale and common for them any more to deceive the Christians with howbeit that they yet gave some ear thereunto to discover in their Policy the Commodities and Inconveniences of the Peace by them in shew offered with a thousand Protestations in their Words but far differing from their Thoughts and Deeds who during the time of the Parle laboured in what they might to benefit themselves and to hurt us For even in that same very time they fortified their Towns and Castles with Men and Victuals but especially the City of Buda whereinto by a Convoy of three thousand Turks come from Belgrade they put an exceeding quantity of all sorts of necessary Provision sufficient to serve the same for a whole Year Besides that it was certainly known by certain Turks taken Prisoners and brought to Posconium that all this Parle and Treaty of Peace was but of purpose feigned to put the Christians in security for that the Bassa of Buda who was the chief Publisher of the same had no such Commission from the Great Sultan for the concluding of any Peace in the Absence of the Visier Bassa unto whom the Grand Seignior had given Charge not to make any Peace with the Emperour but upon Condition That he should first deliver unto him the City of Strigonium which if he would not yield that then he should besiege it and by force take it from him and after the winning thereof to refuse all other Treaty of Peace it being the only Cause for which the Turks desired Peace Of all which their double dealing and crafty Designs the Emperour understanding and wholly resolved for War presently sent County Sultze with Commission to Vienna and appointed George Basta Lieutenant-General of his Army in Hungary advising them carefully to look to their Charge and not too much to trust unto the glosing and flattering Speeches of the Turks The Haiducks in the mean time always in Arms as having no other Inheritance whereon to live ceased not still to look abroad to find that was never lost Now it fortuned them in roaming abroad toward Belgrade to light upon Reovin a strong and fair Castle of the Turks wherein eight hundred of the Turks Souldiers and other of their Country people had their Abode together with the greatest part of their Substance In the Strength of which Castle the Turks trusting and there lying in Security without farther care of their Safety were upon the sudden before they were aware by these adventurous men surprised who for haste thrusting one another forward at length carried the Place slew the greatest part of the Turks and taking the rest Prisoners with a great and rich Booty returned to Lippa The like Exploit they of the Garrison of Canisia attempted upon the Castle and Burrough of Lambac which they took and spoiled and afterwards set it on fire the Flame whereof served for a Signal unto the Troops of County Serin which passing that way and lighting upon the Turks over-loaded with the Spoils they had there taken cut them in pieces and so recovered from them the Booty About this time certain of the Garrison Souldiers of Petrinia having secretly conspired with the Turks by whom they were before corrupted to deliver unto them that strong Castle and being about to have betrayed the same by a Mine which they were in making under a Stable near unto a Store-house wherein the Powder for the Store of the Castle lay with a purpose by firing of the same to have given the Turks entrance by the Ruines thereof who lay close hidden in a Wood near unto the Place it fortuned this their wicked Purpose to be perceived by certain Offenders then kept Prisoners in the same Stable near unto the Mine who having discovered the Traitors whole Purpose and in fear to be burned or blown up by the fury of the Mine so near unto them discovered the same unto the Goaler who made the Governour therewith acquainted by whose Commandment they were forthwith apprehended and being convicted of their so foul a Treason were with exemplary Punishment executed Now as the Turks had oftentimes made shew as if they had been desirous of Peace so ceased they not yet with great earnestness to sollicite the same so that the Emperour although he knew it to be a thing rather to be wished than hoped for yet lest he should seem careless of the common Quiet of his Subjects and People and to refuse so great a good so oftentimes offered him now once again appointed certain Personages of great Place and Authority to attend the Propositions of Peace to be on the Turks behalf propounded Of which Commissioners Caesar Gallen Sheriff of Strigonium an Italian and a Man of great experience in matters of State was one Whom the Governour of Strigonium had of purpose sent to Pesth to consider of some good means for the concluding of the Peace whereof he himself in Person had laid the first
not read any Authour which hath given a satisfactory account of such Sects as are sprung up amongst them in these latter and modern times It is a common opinion that there are seventy two sects amongst the Turks but it is probable there are many more if the matter were exactly known and scanned The Turkish Doctours fansie that the seventy two Nations which they call Yesmish â—kee Molet into which the World was divided upon the Confusion of the Languages of Babel was a Type and a Figure of the divisions which in after-Ages should succeed in the three most general Religions of the World. In this manner they account seventy different Sects among the Jews seventy one amongst the Christians and to the Mahometan they assign one more as being the last and ultimate Religion in which as all fulness of true Doctrine is compleated so the Mystery of iniquity and the deviation of mans judgment by many paths from the right rule is here terminated and confined The Turks have amongst themselves as well as in other Religious Sects and Heresies of dangerous consequence which daily increase mixing together with them many of the Christian Doctrines which shall in their due place be described and in former times also a sort of Fanatick Mahometans which at first met onely in Congregations under pretence of Sermons and Religion appeared afterwards in Troops armed against the Government of the Empire So one Scheiches Bedredin Chief Justice of Musa Brother to Mahomet the Fifth King of the Turks after the death of his Master was banished to Nice in Asia where consulting with his servant Burgluzes Mustapha by what means they might raise Sedition and a Second War they agreed the readiest course was by broaching a new Sect and Religion and by persuading the people to something contrary to the ancient Mahometan superstition Whereupon Burgluzes masking his villany under a grave and serious countenance took his journey into Aydinin othewise Caria where he vented Doctrines properly agreeing to the humours of the people preaching to them Freedom and Liberty of Conscience and the Mystery of Revelations and you may believe he used all arts in his persuasions with which Subjects used to be allured to a Rebellion against their Prince so that in a short time he contracted a great number of Disciples beyond his expectation Bedredin perceiving his Servant thrive so well with his Preaching fled from his place of Exile at Nice into Valachia where withdrawing himself into a Forest like a devout Religious man gathered a number of Proselytes composed of Thieves Robbeâ—s and Out-lawed people these he having instructed in the principles of his Religion sent abroad like Apostles to preach and teach the people that Bedredin was appointed by God to be the King of Justice and Commander of the whole World and that his Doctrine was already embraced in Asia The people taken with these Novelties repaired in great numbers to Bedredin who conceiving himself strong enough to take the Field issued from his desâ—rt with Colours displayed and an Army well appointed and fighting with his deluded multitude a bloudy Battel against those Forces which Mahomet sent to suppress him under his Son Amurath the deluded Rebels were overthrown Bedredin taken Prisoner and his pretences of Sanctiâ—y and Revelation were not available to save him from the Gallows And thus we see that the name of God's cause revelations liberty and the like have been old and common pretences and delusions of the World and not onely Christians but Infidels and Mahometans have wrote the name of God on their Banners and brought the pretence of Religion into the Field to justifie their cause CHAP. X. Of the two prevailing Sects viz. Of Mahomet and Hali that is the Turk and the Persian the Errours of the Persian recounted and confuted by the Mufti of Constantinople THE two great Sects among the followers of Mahomet which are most violent each against other the mutual hatred of which diversity of Education and Interest of the Princes have augmented are the Turks and Persians The first hold Mahomet to have been the chief and ultimate Prophet the latter prefer Hali before him and though he was his Disciple and succeeded him yet his inspirations they esteem greater and more frequent and his interpretations of the Law most perfect and Divine The Turk also accuses the Persian of corrupting the Alchoran that they have altered words misplaced the Comma's and Stops that many places admit of a doubtfull and ambiguous sense so that those Alchorans which were upon the Conquest of Babylon brought thence to Constantinople are separated and compiled in the great Seraglio in a place apart and forbidden with a Curse on any that shall read them The Turks call the Persians Forsaken of God abominable and blasphemers of the Holy Prophet so that when Selymus the First made War in Persia he named his Cause the Cause of God and proclaimed the occasion and ground of his War to be the Vindication of the cause of the Prophet and revenge of the blasphemies the Persians had vented against him and so far is this hatred radicated that the Youth of what Nation soever is capable of admittance into the Schools of the â—eraglio excepting onely the Persian who are looked upon by the Turk as a people so far Apostatized from the true Belief and fallen into so desperate an Estate by a total corruption of the true Religion that they judge them alâ—ogether beyond hopes or possibility of recovery and therefore neither give them quarter in the Wars account them worthy of life or slavery Nor are the Persians on the other side endued with better nature of good will to the Turks estranging themselves in the farthest manner from their Customs and Doctrines rejecting the three great Doctours of the Mahometan Law viz. Ebbubecher Osman and Omar as Apochryphal and of no Authority and have a Custome at their Marriages to erect the Images of those three Doctours of Paste or Sugar at the entrance of the Bridal Chamber on which the Guests first casting their looks leave the impression of any secret Magick which may issue fâ—om their eyes to the prejudice or misfortune of the Married Couple for in the Eastern parts of the â—orld they hold that there is a strange fascination innate to the eyes of some people which looking attentively on any as commonly they do on the Bridegroom and the Bride in Marriages produce macerations and imbecillity in the body and have an especial quality contrary to procreation and therefore when the Guests are entred having the Malignity of their eyes Arrested on these Statues they afterwards cut them down and dissolve them And that it may the more plainly appear what points of Religion are most controverted amongst them and what Anathema's and Curses are by both sides vented each against the other this following sentence passed by the Mufti Esad Efendi upon Schah Abbas Tutor to the King of Persia called Sari Halife and all the Persians will
encompass'd about with little Hills famous for the golden Mines and the Country well planted about it with pleasant Vineyards the Governours thereof would neither declare themselves at first either for the Emperor or for the Malecontents But when the Imperialists with their Army drew near to them they could no longer conceal their Affections and good Wishes but broke their Neutrality and declar'd for the Emperor Soon after which Tekeli making himself Master of the place put six of the Chief Inhabitants to death in punishment of their Infidelity and breach of Promise But before the end of this year the Imperialists had their changes of good Fortune as well as the Malecontents a Party of which the Garrison of Filek entirely defeated Filek is Situate in the Road-way from the Mountain Towns in Hungary leading to Transilvania and Cassovia and lies about five Leagues Northward from Agria This Success was seconded by another Rout which Count Esterhasi the Pope's General gave to a party of Five hundred Spahees and Two thousand Ianisaries near Vesprin who were design'd to make Incursions into the Emperor's Countries But least this Action should be ill represented to the Grand Seignior and become the Cause of a Rupture the Emperor dispatched away an Express to Constantinople to give a true account of the Cause and Reasons for this Engagement And now being come to that Season of the year when Armies draw into their Winter-quarters Both Parties being in cooler temper began to Treat so that a Cessation of Arms was agreed and the place appointed for the Conference was Oedembourg where all the Chief Lords of Hungary had agreed to Assemble The person who was to preside for the Emperor was the Prince of Swartzembourg and Count de Nostiz manag'd the Treaty applying himself with much Zeal and Diligence that this Negotiation might be happily concluded ANNO 1679. This Treaty with a Cessation of Arms continu'd till the end of the year with hopes that the beginning of the next would make that poor Kingdom happy with a Peace But the Emperor having as it were secur'd a Peace with France which was one of the greatest fears he had upon him in case of a War with the Turks refus'd to yield unto the same terms which he had frequently offer'd in former times to the Malecontents It was now resolv'd that the Office of Palatine should for ever hereafter be extinguish'd and made void year 1679. and that Kingdom govern'd by a Vice-Roy who was solely to be constituted by Commission from the Emperor 2 dly The Protestants were not to have Churches in Towns or Cities but to content themselves with such as should be allotted them in Villages 3 dly As a Preliminary to all the rest the Malecontents were to dismiss the Foreign Troops entertain'd in their Service before the Treaty upon any other Conditions and Articles should commence The very noise of this alteration in the Emperor's Councils put a stop to all proceedings of a Treaty and an end to the Truce and Cessation of Arms. And indeed the Malecontents were by this time so engag'd with the Turks that on their part also they had put themselves out of all possibility of Accommodation without their concurrence and concernment in the Treaty The Assembly at Oedembourg being dissolv'd the Malecontents held a Diet of their own at Coloswar alias Claudiopolis whereunto Prince Apafi and the Neighbouring Pashas resorted to treat and agree upon the measures which were to be taken for the ensuing year in order to carrying on the War. Whilst they were upon this Treaty a Messenger arriv'd from the Grand Seignior who brought a Scymitar to Prince Apafi which was a certain Signal of the Sultan's favour and acceptance of his Services which was much to the joy of all Persons there present for that it was doubtful before how far the Grand Seignior would abâ—tt the Cause of Pedipol to whom as we have mention'd he had given his Commission to be Prince of Transilvania with exclusion of Apafi Nor was the News of less concernment to them brought at the same time that the Grand Seignior was upon conclusion of peace with the Moscovites by which the whole Ottoman Empire would be at leisure to employ all their Troops against the Germans And with the same occasion the Pashas of Hungary were Commanded to joyn with Apafi and to assist the Malecontents with such Forces as they should desire of all which the Emperor having certain Intelligence from his Resident at Constantinople Order'd three Regiments to be sent into Hungary for recruit of the Forces under Count Lesley of which the Malecontents having Advice took the Field and passing the Theysse pitch'd their Camp near Debrezin to cover and relieve as occasion serv'd the Castle of Kovar This City of Debrezin or Debrechim is situated between Tokai and great Waradin and is very Rich and Populous It was a Free Town and conserv'd it self in a Neutrality during the late Revolutions but after Zolnock and Cassovia were reduc'd the Magistrates thereof desir'd his Imperial Majesty to take them under his protection with which and by payment of a Tribute to the Port the Inhabitants liv'd quiet and free until the year 1676. when it was taken by Count Strazoldo upon pretence that it was become the place of Sanctuary and common Refuge of the Malecontents tho' afterwards upon complaints from the Turks the Emperor withdrew his Forces from thence leaving them free and in their former Condition of Neutrality In the mean time Tekeli falling in love with a Daughter of the Princess Ragotski Dowager who was extreamly zealous as we have mention'd before for the Emperor's Cause refus'd to bestow her Daughter upon him unless he would first Relinquish the Interest to which he had adher'd The passion which Tekeli had for the young Lady was more powerful than his Inclinations to the discontented Party so that first seeming cold in his Old pursuits and declaring his Mind freely in open Discourse his Troops began to suspect his Fidelity and left him and put themselves under the Command of Wessellini Tekeli endeavour'd to perswade Palfi Imbre to joyn with him in his Revolt but not prevailing he singly with some few Servants went over to Vienna Coming thus alone to the Emperor without his Troops he was the less welcome and indeed he was so little regarded and his Merit so ill accounted on that when he made applications to the Emperor for Restitution of his Estate which was Confiscated to the value of two Millions those who enjoy'd the benefit of so great Riches obstructed his Request Representing unto the Emperor that the return to his Duty after a long continuance in Rebellion only in his own Person and without his Troops deserv'd nothing nor was it to be judg'd a satisfaction or an atonement for the many mischiefs and disservices that he had already done and that to recover the Emperor's favour there was something
the 26 th Article of Sopron wherein the same City of Moramoruss is expresly named they had obtain'd the liberty of exercising publickly their Religion and of having Churches Parishes and Schools and have quietly enjoyed the same without giving any offence to the Catholicks until the fatal breaking out of the Wars in the year 1683 and the unexpected Burning of the Town which occasion'd an interruption of the said Exercise of Religion the Ministers and their Parishioners having been forced to disperse themselves up and down yet since the Troubles are appeased they desire in vain to reassume their publick exercise of Religion and to call back their Ministers being hinder'd from the same by the Earl of Hoffkirchen Governour of this Territory who every day growing severer forbids with greater Threats the total Exercise of the Protestant Religion Nay three Months ago the Roman Catholicks did Proclaim with the Beat of Drums that no Protestant should presume to go out of the Territory of Moramoruss to any Neighbouring to perform the Duties of his Religion nor Exercise it in his private House under pain of Imprisonment and of other severe Punishments Therefore they Humbly beg That this their Grievance may be redressed and they re-established in the Privilege granted by the Article It may be added to the foregoing Grievances that one Samuel Bizkey a Protestant Minister of a place of Lower Hungary called Hedes notwithstanding the Protection granted to him by the Council of War has been Plunder'd twice of all the means of Life Clothes Books and Furniture by some Emissaries of the Archbishop of Gran and at last on the 22 d of the last Month of March was taken and carried to Presburg into the Prisons of the Archbishop where he has nothing allowed him but dry Bread and dirty Water Likewise the Protestant Minister of Totâ—falu in Upper Hungary has been taken by a Jesuit called Father Ravasz residing at Naghybania and carried in Fetters into the Prisons of Zatmar where he is still detain'd and most barbarously used The XXI Article of the Diet of Presburg in the year 1687 in the business of Religion the 25th and 26th Articles of the year 1681 are renew'd with the inserted Decleration ALthough they of the Helvetian Confession and of that of Ausbourg by their protesting against the 25 th and 26 th Articles of the late Diet of Sopron have unworthily abused the same and thereby forfeited ipso facto the benefits granted in them nevertheless since His most Sacred Majesty tending the Union and the general quiet of the Kingdom through his great Favour and Clemency has most Graciously resolved that the said Articles shall yet be in force the States have Order'd That the same shall be lookt upon as renewed and reinforced notwithstanding the opposition of the Catholick Clergy and other secular Persons and that as far as they have hitherto been infringed through Abuses introduced by the one or the other party they shall forthwith be put in Execution To these Agrievances the Emperor returned a very Gracious Answer and made several Proposals tending to a Peace And First He offer'd a General Pardon unto all even to Tekeli himself provided he would personally appear to make his Submission Secondly That every Person should be restor'd to his Lands and Goods confiscated again restor'd Thirdly That free exercise of Religion should be allowed but the manner how and the Regulation thereof should be determined at a General Diet which was judged of absolute necessity for the repose and quiet of Hungary Fourthly That all the vacant Offices Governours and Balliages of that Kingdom should be indifferently conferr'd upon Hungarian Gentlemen who were capable by their Natural parts and Abilities to Merit and Discharge such Preferments And Lastly That his Imperial Majesty would vacate the Office of Vice-King and return to the ancient constitution of a Palatine whose Election should be free according to the usage of former times The Plague which still Raged in Austria and Hungary prevented the proceedings of this Treaty which might have taken effect some time before and answer'd all the Demands of the Malecontents but now so much Blood had been drawn in all Parts and Corners of that unhappy Kingdom that it was past the Art of Man to stanch the Bleeding And besides Tekeli and his Malecontents were so nearly adjoyn'd and engaged in secret Leagues and Alliances with the Turk that it was almost impossible to destricate and disentangle themselves from the invitations they had made and from the Assurances and Pledges they had given to the Turks Howsoever the Emperor not to leave any means unattempted until all was become desperate dispatched Count Esterhasi into Hungary in quality of his Plenipotentiary to put those Overtures into Execution which had been fram'd and debated in the Emperor's Council But whilst these things were in agitation they received another Impediment by a discovery made of a Correspondence which several Principal Officers held with the Maleconts upon which Filek and two other Councellors and Mannagers of the Revenue of Hungary were Arrested and accused of having moved and promoted an Insurrection in divers Counties Towards the end of this year when the Armies were drawn into their Winter quarters new Treaties were set on foot The Baron de Kaunitz the Emperor's Resident at Constantinople labour'd to continue and renew the Truce but the Grand Vizier would not agree thereunto on any other Terms than that it might be allowable for the Grand Seignior to afford aid and assistance to the Malecontents But this was to cure a Soar with a greater Evil and what was inconsistent with Reason to make a Peace and yet to continue a War. When the Emperor believed all Accomodation with the Malecontents impossible at least far distant Behold on a suddain and much unexpected the Counts Tekeli Pestrozzi and Wessellino in despight of their Engagements to the Turks offer'd to make Terms by themselves and to abandon their People and their Cause in case they assented not thereunto The Conditions were to have all their Churches restor'd with their Goods and Estates which had been Confiscated To which the Emperor readily assenting there never appear'd at any time a greater probability and likelyhood of an Agreement than upon this overture But whereas to establish and confirm such an Accomodation it was necessary to convene a Diet which by reason of the present Contagion could not be done a Cessation of Arms was in the mean time concluded But whilst in order thereunto a Conference was held at Tokai Count Caprara unluckily march'd out of his Quarters with a considerable force towards that place upon which the Malecontens were so Allarum'd that they Sallied out of their Winter quarters in great numbers leaving the Treaty imperfect and the Cessation of Arms broken and violated ANNO 1681. Notwithstanding the unlucky Accidents which had happen'd to hinder and disappoint the Progress of the aforesaid Treaties Yet at the beginning of this
in case either of these Parties be hard pressed by the Enemy so that the Aid and Assistance of the others be necessary they shall leave their present Designs and apply themselves to the Relief of the Party oppressed That this War be carried on by way of Diversion that is That the Emperor endeavour to conquer and subdue all the Forts and strong Holds in Hungary the King of Poland to recover Kaminiec Podolia and Ukrania and the Venetians the several Towns Fortresses and Islands which they have lost That so soon as these Articles are signed that the several Covenants herein contained be put into immediate Execution That all Christian Princes be invited to enter into this League and especially the Czar of Moscovy That this League shall not be understood to prejudice any other League made with any other Prince particularly That lately concluded between the Emperor and the King of Poland Thus did the Senate of Venice after Mature Deliberation for that Republick did never act rashly enter into the Confederacy with the aforesaid Allies against the Turks The many Insults and Avanias with which the Grand Vizier and others did daily oppress them of which at the beginning of this History we have given some Instances and the difficult Circumstances they lay under by these hard Task-masters who were continually drawing and forcing Mony from them upon false pretences without which they always threatned War were just Grounds and Reasons for breaking that Peace which was concluded with them after the loss of Candia in the year 1668. This happy League was farther improved by Applications to the Czars of Moscovy who had not long before signified unto the Court of Poland their inclinations to enter into this Alliance to forward which the Baron of Zerowski was dispatched into Moscovy and in his way thither by Poland to take Blumferg with him being both Commissionated to Sollicite the Czars for their Assistance and Union with the other Confederates The like Addresses were made to the Princes of Italy who being encouraged and warmed by the late prosperous Successes were ready to contribute all the Force and Aid within their Power The City of Rome moved by the Exhortations and Examples of the Pope did chearfully Concur and the Cardinals Princes and Prelates did all Contribute immense Sums for carrying on this Holy War And the Pope did not only Issue forth liberally Monies out of his own Coffers but sent Forces which were raised in his own Dominions and Territories to joyn with the Imperial Army in Hungary Thus did all things according to the usual course of Nature Concur towards the Prosperity of the Christian Affairs for Mankind naturally sides with the uppermost and strongest side and are ready to depress and beat down the weak and dejected Party Nor did the Emperor only endeavour to fortifie and strengthen his side by united Interests and Alliances but to weaken his Enemies by with-drawing from them the Malecontents who were their Associates and the first Incentives to this War The Successes of the Emperor had damped the Spirits of the Malecontents in such manner that they began now to believe the Turks were vincible and that they had put their Trust in a feeble Arm of Flesh which could not Defend them and engaged their Interest with a Party from which they could promise themselves no Security or Redress Wherefore seriously laying aside their former ill Principles many of the Counties and Cities began to Capitulate and desire to have their Aggrievances redressed upon which they promised to submit unto the Emperor's Pleasure and return to their Obedience But this good Humour being not general amongst all the Malecontents but confind to some few Cities and Counties no Capitulations or Articles were Signed or Concluded so that notwithstanding their good Intentions the Imperialists made Havock of them in all Places and the Turks hearing of their Inclinations to return again to their Obedience to the Emperor and of the Steps they had made towards it Treated them in all Places like Enemies with Fire and Sword so that miserable was the State of this poor People who were become Obnoxious to both Parties they had been the Original causes of the Mischief and were likely to Perish in it But the Clemency of the Emperor Commiserating their unhappy Condition Published an Act of General Pardon to all the People of Hungary who had been mislead and debauched from their Duty and Allegiance to their lawful Sovereign Dated at Lintz in the Month of Ianuary 1684 whereby a Door was opened to a Treaty and Pardon offer'd to all such who were desirous to return to the Protection of his Imperial Majesty and to renounce their dependance on the Turks This Edict was affixed in all publick Places as Church-doors and the Market Crosses and dispersed in all the Frontier Garrisons being Written in the Latin and the Hungarian Tongues that none might pretend ignorance thereof The direction was in this manner To all the States and Orders as well Prelates Barons Nobles as to all Free and Royal Cities Counties and People and to all Persons whatsoever none excepted within the Kingdom of Hungary In the first place The sad and deplorable Condition of that Kingdom being bewailed caused by civil and intestine Discords which evil and perverse Spirits had raised and by their evil Perswasions had deluded many Thousands of poor Innocent Men to Sacrifice their Lives and Fortunes to their Lust and Revenge and even to joyn and unite themselves with the Turks who were the ancient and irreconcilable Enemies to the Kingdom of Hungary and the Christian Religion And tho' His Imperial Majesty having been thus highly provoked by the Rebellions and Outrages of the People and by the Power of his Victorious Arms might justly exempt and reject them from all Pardon Yet his gracious Clemency prevailing he doth once again offer his Mercy to as many as before the end of February next ensuing shall renounce and abandon the interest and party of the Malecontents and union with the Turks and repair to Presburg where Commissioners shall be appointed to receive them and to deliver out Pardons to them taking a new Oath of Allegiance to their King with assurances to remain for ever as good Subjects in perfect Loyalty and Obedience to his Majesty which being perform'd such as are of the Nobility shall be restor'd to their Honours Dignities and Estates And in case any such have formerly enjoy'd Honours and Places of Trust their Case shall be consider'd by the Commissioners who are to make Report thereof unto the Emperor who will be ready in such Cases so to Act as shall be most suitable to the Royal Service Such Soldiers as having been seduced by their Commanders to leave and relinquish the Imperial Army shall return again to their Duty and to their Colours shall have the same Post allotted to them as formerly and shall be received again into the
which several of them were cut off by the Turks before they could reach the Vessels on which they intended to embark The Turks seeing their Enemies draw off and commit themselves unto the Seas had cause sufficient to rejoyce as the Christians had to be sad and dejected when the Rear of the Army was forced to beâ—ake themselves to a precipitate Flight with some Confusion and Disorder Howsoever they all got Aboard on such Vessels as they could at first come unto so that the lighter Vessels were overcharged with Soldiers and with Islanders until such time as at the adjacent Islands where Vessels usually Careen they could more orderly dispose their Companies and repart them by a more commodious and proportionable share unto every Ship Galeass and Gally From this place Orders were given by the Doge unto Venier Captain Extraordinary to pass into the Archipelago to collect the Contribution of the Island Admiral Zaguri was dispatched with four Ships laden with Provisions and Bisket to furnish the Fortresses of that Kingdom The Vessels laden with the Horse were ordered to disembark them at the first Shoar and thence to march by Land to Napoli di Romania Some other Companies were Landed at the Fortress of Termizi All the Foreign Troops were put into Winter Quarters in divers parts of the Morea Other Companies and Troops Embarked on the Squadron of Ships commanded by Captain Pisani were Transported to Modon Navarin and Patras from whence Pisani had Commission to Sail for Zant and Corfu and thence to carry all the Provision and Ammunition which had been brought thither from Venice for Use and Refreshment of the Army All the Galeasses were ordered unto the secure Port of Varvaronda under Cranidi in Romania The Regiments of Brunswick Wirtemberg and Hesse having compleated their time stipulated for Service were discharged and permitted to Sail for Venice Thus all the Troops being dismissed and sent into their Wintet Quarters the Doge intended himself to Land at Napoli di Romania but being taken short by the Wind he could only fetch the Port Tolon where the next Day he Landed and went to Napoli di Romania but an ill condition of Health caused partly by the Hardships of the Siege but chiefly by the Troubles and Affliction of Mind for the Loss and Disgrace he had sustained before the City of Negropont a great cause of which being attributed to the Miscarriage of some Officers who performed not their Duty in the last Attack he ordered a Process to be made against them and their Tryals to be managed at a Counsel of War. But here we will leave the Venetians for this whole Winter and return to the Wars in Hungary transacted in the Year 1689 at the end of which we shall recount all the Actions performed by the Venetians during that Campaign But Procurator Girolamo Cornaro was more fortunate and successful in Dalmatia and Albania where he Commanded the Venetian Army For having Landed his Forces at Scardâ—na on the 24th of Augusâ— they speedily marched towards Clin with design to invest that place and on the 27th the several Troops took their Posts and began a Line of Circumvallation fortifying the same with several Redoubts The next Day Summons were sent to the Garrison which being answered with Vollies of small and great Shot the Night following the Trenches were opened and in the Morning the Cannon and Mortars began to play upon the Town with great execution In the space of two Days a considerable Breach was made in the first Wall which the Besieged labouring to repair the Cannon quickly ruinâ—d their Works So that by the 1st of September the Venetian Trenches were advanced so far and the Breach made so wide that it was resolved to give an Assault which was accordingly executed on the 2d of this Month and performed with such Resolution that the Venetians notwithstanding the Vigorous Opposition of the Enemy mounted the Breach on which having lodged themselves obliged the Defendants to retire within their second Wall or Retrenchment On the 3d and 4th several new Batteries were raised from whence the Enemy was greatly annoyed and a Bomb falling into their Magazine of Powder blew up and killed many of the Inhabitants however the Defendants still continued to maintain their Castle and the Lower Town with great Resoâ—ution At length it being obsâ—rvâ—d by General Cornaro that one side of the Town was naturally fortified by Water without other Guard or Defence he ordered that the Regiments of Corbon and Sebenico should pass over and streighten the Enemy on that side the which they chearfully performed for most of them being practised Swimmers they carried their Swords naked in their Mouths and swam over to the other side which when the Turks observed fearing to have their Retreat cut off from the Castle they quitted the defence of the Breach and retired some within the second Retrenchment and others into the Castle Thus the Venetians without farther opposition entered the first Retrenchment where they found some pieces of Cannon 50 Horses two Camels some Mules 100 Head of Oxen some Corn and a good quantity of Hay The Venetians having gained the first Retrenchment appointed Marquis Borro and Francisco Grimani to maintain the Ground they had gained which they performed by throwing up Earth for shelter of their Men whilst on the other side they cut off the Pipes and ruined the Aqueducts which conveyed Water to the Castle The want whereof and the blowing up of the Magazine of Powder greaâ—ly sunk the Courage of the Defendants howsoever the Venetians continued still to throw their Bombs and Fire into the Castle and batter the Walls of it with their Cannon by which they had now made the Breach so wide that an Assault might be made thereon But the Proveditor-General well considering that the Turks could not long subsist without Water deferred for some few Days the Assault until he saw the Effects which the Extremity of Thirst would constrain them unto the which speedily happened out according to expectation For on the 12th of September the Defendants spread a White Flag on the Walls desiring to Capitulate and that in the mean time a Cessation of Arms should be granted Hereupon the Pasha of the place sent out two Aga's who being conducted to the Tent of General Cornaâ—o they offered the Surrender of the Town and Castle upon License given them to march out with their Arms and Baggage as is usually granted to Valiant Soldiers But Cornaro answer'd That their Behaviour had not merited such kind and honourable Usage And growing angry at their Discourse he told them plainly That he expected they should immediately yield at Discretion without farther Argument or Capitulation The Turks astonished at this peremptory Resolution desired time to propose the same to the Garrison and to the Inhabitants but no more time would be allowed than four Hours during which in case
Reports being aggravated to the Grand Seignior put him into a grievous Affrightment so that in all haste he dispatched Posts one after the other to fetch the Grand Vizier from Belgrade to Adrianople but howsoever he would not move until first he had supplied Temeswaer with all sorts of Provisions for want of which the Turks died of Fluxes and all sorts of Camp Diseases and lying on wet Grounds and upon Morasses more Men died than would have done in a Day of Battle By these means the whole Turkish Army was reduced to 30000 fighting Men to repair which and make the Numbers to seem a little more formidable they forced and Pressed about 10000 Artisans and Country Men Raw and Unexperienced Fellows to make a Shew of which had they most died the World would scarce have missed them only the Albanians a Stout and Valiant People were to be lamented of which not one half returned into their own Country The Mufti and others growing sensible of their Low and Miserable Condition and overwhelmed on all sides by Enemies by Sicknesses by Famine and Poverty wrote a Letter to the Scheriff exhorting him to Peace at such a time as this is when the Enemies to the Mahometan Cause overwhelmed them in all Parts declaring That without betraying the Musselman Cause they could not persist in their Wars against the Sultan and therefore they exhorted them to retire into their own Dominions and to live quietly there rather than to expose the Holy Religion to the Insults of Infidels By this Letter and other Advices which were seconded by many Exhortations of he Religious and Holy Seighs or Preachers in their respective Monasteries the Scheriff seemed to be somewhat appeased and to relent a little of his revengeful Humour against the Turks Besides the meaner Princes of the Arabians who are the most Religious and Superstitious of all the others falling off from the Alliance with the Scheriff on the score of Religion things became more quiet in Arabia and gave the Turks less Fears and Apprehensions than before Moreover Calailicos Ahmet Pasha a cunning Sophister of whom we gave lately an Account having been sent from Constantinople with some Forces against the Scheriff changed his Method from Arms to Epistles Sermons and Exhortations perswading him that since he saw so many Martyrs on all sides Dying for the Mahometan Cause that he should not add to the Slaughter of the Musselmen nor joyn with Infidels to the Destruction of the True Faith. To these were added also divers Letters from other Pasha's as also from Mulla's Seighs and Cadi's of the most esteem in Asia which so prevailed upon the Mind of the Scheriff that he for some time desisted from all Hostilities upon the Turks Notwithstanding which the Eastern Princes bordering on Arabia were a little cautious how they trusted the sincerity of the Scheriff for in despight of all his fair Words they would not be decoyed to leave their Country open and exposed to the Mercy of the Ishmaelites a People that never kept Faith so that the Turks received no more Forces from Asia the following Year than they had done in this present by reason of the Jealousie they conceived of the Arabians Notwithstanding the pressing Desires of the Sultan to hasten the return of his Vizier he made his Excuses to delay his Journey alledging That Prince Lewis had been reinforced by considerable Recruits and therefore it was necessary to observe his Motions that the Floods by the Land-Waters caused by perpetual Rains made it impossible for the Army to march without Hardships and unsupportable Labours But at length the old Year drawing towards an end and it becoming necessary to provide for the Actions Wars and Counsels of the New the Vizier was forced to leave the Army which he did with great haste and arrived before Adrianople about the 8th or 10th of December where he remained under his Tents making a show as if he intended to march into the Morea with intention to recover Scio but before this Design was resolved a Conference was held in the Vizier's Tents where the Mufti was present after which the Chimacam was called as also the Aga of the Janisaries and the Aga of the Spahee's with divers other Officers who returned back with the Grand Vizier at which Assembly it was concluded That by reason of the urgency of the Times and that the Imperialists were chiefly to be attended as being the strongest and most considerable Party and Grand Vizier should remain at Adrianople to raise new Forces and prepare for the Wars of the following Year But as to the present that all their Thoughts and Stratagems should be employed for the recovery of the Island of Scio the which obstructed all Correspondencies and Commerce with Smyrna Rhodes and even with Egypt it self so that Coffee Rice and Sugar were raised to an excessive Price Wherefore cost what it would it was agreed That that place was the first to be taken for which Expedition Misir-Oghli was appointed Captain-Pasha an old experienced Sea-Captain To provide against which Attempt the Venetians put all things in good order both by Sea and Land and in all Places where they suspected that the Enemy might Land and make their Descent they raised Forts and planted Cannon and supplied all necessary Provisions against a Siege giving a report That they would make it as strong as Malta it self The Sultan being sensible that his People were become much disheartned and weakned by the many Misfortunes and Troubles which they had sustained gave Orders to the Chimacam of Adrianople named Mustapha Pasha to treat the People with Kindness and Civility This Chimacam was a prudent Person and being a lover of Justice and tender of the Welfare of the People was esteemed and well spoken of by all and having known Miseries and Hardships during the time that he had undergone a Slavery in Poland he knew the better how to commiserate the Afflictions of others But above all as Matters stood now in these Times the great Concern of a Chief Governour was to prevent Tumults and Insurrections of the People of the danger of which the late Disturbances had given a pregnant Example and so moved the Spirit of the Chimacam to prosecute the Offenders that 315 were put to Death at Adrianople for the aforesaid Sedition and six of the principal Officers being forced to fly to Constantinople were there taken and being put into Sacks were strangled and after the Ancient Fashion thrown into the Sea the which had been amongst the Romans the Punishment for Parricides Insui voluêrunt in culeum vivos dejici in mare After the Conference which the Grand Vizier had held at his Tents with the Principal Ministers of State he made divers Dispatches into several Parts namely Halil Pasha whom he made Seraskier in the Morea with Instructions to keep a watchful Eye upon the Island of Negropont Likewise three Aga's were dispatched to Algier Tripoli
them would be a like inconvenience Wherefore upon return of the Grand Seignior last year unto Constantinople the Boza-Housekeepers made their Addresses to the Vizier for a Dispensation with the Sultan's Decree and License to sell Boza publickly as before the Kaja boldly enters into a Treaty and concludes with them for sixty Purses which so soon as the Grand Seignior was departed were paid and the License given and the Cape or Chief of that Trade was with Ceremony vested by the Chimacam who came also into a share of the benefit But this matter could not long remain a Secret before it was made known to the Sultan by the contrary Faction to the Vizier who having the good fortune to have Kara Kaja his Friend then present when the Complaint was made at which he observing the Grand Seignior to grow very angry immediately interpos'd in behalf of the Vizier excusing him as ignorant in the matter and that none was guilty therein besides Hassan the Vizier's Kaja who was the sole Actor and Contriver of the Offence The Grand Seignior who had always been constant to his prime Minister was willing to see him cover'd with such a screen and without farther delay Sign'd a Command to take off the head of the Kaja which was dispatch'd away by the Salahor or Chief of the Querries belonging to the Stables Kara Kaja a very bad Man who was Friend to the Vizier dispatch'd with all expedition this Advice unto him which he having receiv'd and fearing lest his Kaja should be carried away alive to the Grand Seignior and betray the whole truth of their Combination not staying for the Command immediately order'd him to be strangled It was early in the Morning when the Letter came and at the same moment the Vizier sent for Ali Aga who had been Talkishgee to the late Vizier that is the Officer who carries Messages to the Grand Seignior and then Agent at the Port for the Tartar Han and bid him go to Hassan Kaja and take his Place Ali Aga surpriz'd and confus'd with this direction went as he was order'd and whilst he was speaking to Hassan and telling him that he did not well understand the Vizier's Pleasure in came the Master of the Ceremonies with a Vest with which after the Turkish fashion he Cloathed Ali Aga bidding Hasâ—an to retire into the inward Chamber where being entred two lusty Arnouts who were selling Cimnels in the Streets were brought up and order'd to strangle him the Cord was thrown down before him which seeming stiff and not prepar'd to slip easily he desir'd his Executioners to make use of his own Girdle But before he dy'd he instantly urg'd that it might be permitted him to see the Vizier to whom he had many things of Importance to Communicate But it would not be granted and as the Cord was putting about his neck he Cursed the Vizier saying these last words O Treacherous World now I know thee Being a strong Man he was long in dying and some few hours after his Execution being observ'd to move the Vizier order'd the Principal Gaoler to watch him until he was Enterr'd And so was the Grand Seignior's Sentence forestal'd for he was in his Grave before that arriv'd After his death the next thing was to ransack his Houses where great Riches were found both in Furniture Clothing Jewels and Money he had four hundred and twenty Horses in his Stables to the Meri or Exchequer fifteen hundred Purses of his Money were brought but his Houses and Lands were assign'd to pay his Debts all which he had gain'd in the space of three years In one of his new Houses he had enclosed forty thousand Chequins within a Wall which his Steward discover'd and that he had murther'd the poor Masons whom he had employ'd in the Work. When this Vizier was Chimacam as he was for several years this Man was once his Kaja but he was so shameless a Villain that his Master drubb'd him and turn'd him out of his Service Howsoever being now Vizier and knowing that he had need of such an Instrument he took him again into the same Office and calling to Mind that when he was Pasha of Silistria in the time of Old Kuperlee he sav'd himself by cutting off another Kaja he reserv'd this Rogue for the same purpose The new Kaja was a much better Man and therefore little confided in by the Vizier and consequently made no great Figure at his Court his Chief Confident now was the Reis-Effendi or Principal Secretary by whose hands all Treaties and Negotiations pass'd In short by these Arts and Means the Vizier kept up his Credit with his Master and in despight of the Faction which was against him he stood firm on his Basis such was the favour and constancy of the Sultan to his prime Ministers On the twenty third of November Caplan Pasha who had for some years been Capitan Pasha and of whom we have had occasion to make mention often in our former History died at Smyrna being grown almost to a Dotage he had just such another Kaja as the Vizier had who miserably pillag'd and oppress'd the poor Islanders in the Archipelago from whom he extorted two hundred Purâ—es such another Sum would totally have ruin'd them A Page of the Grand Seignior's who was Selictar-Aga or Sword-bearer succeeded in the great charge of Capitan-Pasha or High Admiral of the Naval Forces he was a Creature of the Viziers and Born in the same Town with him by whom his Party was strengthen'd against the contrary Faction At this time the Vizier was meditating a War against the Emperor but having differences with Poland and Moscovy on his Hands as yet not decided there being neither an open War nor a declar'd peace as yet with either he resolved so soon as possible to bring Matters unto an Accommodation with them both And having made Peace with all the World and super-induced a calmness over the Face of all the Ottoman Empire he might then have a pretence to break out into a new War against the Emperor to which tho' he might meet an aversion in the Grand Seignior for the Causes before mention'd and in the Mufti and Viziers of the Bench upon the Truce which wanted Two years of being expir'd yet having such a favourable conjuncture of Affairs to offer than which nothing could be more inviting he assur'd himself that he should prevail with the Grand Seignior and his Chief Ministers and herein he missed not his aim for laying before them the Successes of the Malecontents in Hungary who were powerful and strong and had of themselves worsted the Emperor's Forces in all their Battels and Skirmishes And that these People declar'd their intentions to throw off their Obedience and Allegiance to the Emperor and offer'd themselves Subjects and Tributaries to the Grand Seignior on the easy and reasonable Condition only of affording them his Assistance and granting them his Protection So that to let slip this
favourable opportunity on the Nice point of a Truce not yet expir'd were said he to give up the Mahometan Cause the advance and increase of which were a sufficient ground to hallow any thing which may stand in opposition to it There were other things also alledg'd in reference to secret Encouragements given from France which tho' they carried not such weight with the Council so as to depend on them yet they served for probable inducements to incite forward unto a War. With which Reasons the Grand Seignior and the Council being convinced a War was determin'd and great preparations made in order thereunto And now in regard we are come to a Crisis of time which gave a turn to the successes of the Turks and hath shaken and almost subverted the whole Fabrick of the Ottoman Empire it may not be an impertinent digression to look back to the Troubles of Hungary which were the Causes and Original of that War which hath prov'd fatal to the Turks and brought the Kingdom of Hungary under the entire and absolute Dominion of the Christian Emperor We shall therefore give a succinct Account of the beginning of those Troubles as reported by the Author of that Tract called Vienna Oppugnata adjoyned at the end of the History of Isthuanus formerly Vice-Palatine of Hungary whose words are to this purpose The Turks having in the Month of August 1664. received an Overthrow with the Slaughter of 10000 Men near St. Gothards a Town in Hungary by the Imperial Army under the Conduct and Command of Raymond Montecuculi a Peace or Truce rather was immediately concluded thereupon to continue for the space of Twenty years During which time the Kingdom of Hungary long harassed with War might have recover'd â—ts pristin happy Estate had not certain Miscreants the barbarous and degenerate offspring of that Country disturbed the Tranquillity and Quiet thereof and by Machinations and Plots against the Life of their Sovereign drawn upon themselves that destruction which they design'd for others But God be praised their Treason was detected and the chief Conspirators namely Francis Count Nadasti Chief Iustice of Hungary Francis Marquis of Frangipani and Peter Serini a Count of Croatia all of them Eminent both for Arms and Letters were taken arraign'd and being found Guilty were put to Death and their Goods and Estates confiscated to the use of the Emperor But so soon as this Rebellion was suppressed another of more dangerous consequence was raised being fomented by the Nobility and Persons most considerable for their Estates and Power in Hungary of which Emericus Count Tekeli was declar'd the Chief the Causes and Grounds of which they deliver'd under these Heads First That contrary to the Laws and Constitutions of the Kingdom a Palatine had not been constituted to supply the vacancy of the former deceased Secondly That the Hungarians were excluded from all Offices and places of Trust and Strangers introduced into their stead Thirdly That the German Troops were forcibly quarter'd upon them and the numbers daily increased And all the Forts Castles and places of defence garrison'd by German Soldiers and no Trust or Confidence reposed in the Hungarians to the great oppression and discouragement of that People Fourthly That by the Counsel and Advice of the Iesuits the free exercise of their Religion was not only taken from them but they were also ejected out of their Churches and places where they worshipped God For which Reason they desired that the Iesuits might be banished out of Hungary And tho' the Emperor did in his Wisdom fore-see all the mischiefs which did ensue and with a gracions Clemency endeavour'd to apply those Lenitives which might appease the Spirits of his discontented Subjects and in order thereunto called a Diet to be held at Cassovia where he offer'd to condescend unto all the Propositions which the Malecontents did demand And afterwards summoned another Diet to be held at Presburg at which before the Coronation of the Queen he assisted and presided in Person and there made new offers to grant Liberty of Conscience and a free exercise of Religion to all Protestants and to restore to them their Churches taken from them with as many other Privileges and Favours as could be desir'd So that there was all appearance imaginable of Peace and a fair Accommodation But matters were permitted to go too far before they received a Check For the Malecontents were engaged wih the Turks beyond any power of retractation And having received Assurances from them of Assistances which were daily expected and Promises as it is said of Money from the French all thoughts of accommodation were laid aside from whence that terrible War hath ensued fatal to the Turks and pernicious to Christendom All this is a short Epitome of the Troubles and Unquietnesses in Hungary for the space of about Eighteen years which having been the occasion of the great War which hath alter'd the state of the whole World We shall not content over selves with this short Relation but shall proceed to render an Account of the rise of these Troubles the continuance of them with the several Successes until the Entire conquest of Hungary by the Emperor The People of Hungary are naturally of a mutinous and unquit Temper complaining of War and not well contented with Peace The Emperor towards the end of the Campaign 1664. had gain'd a Victory as is said over the Turks and made the good use thereof as with that opportunity to clap up a Peace The Hungarians who before that time and even during the War with the Turk bad been unseasonably incensed by many Insults and Outrages committed on them by the German Soldiers but more sensibly touched by having their Churches taken from them by the Counsel and advice of the Jesuits and Clergy of Rome were not content with the Peace made by the Emperor with the Grand Seignior Alledging that they ought to have been made Parties to the Treaty it being their Country which was chiefly concern'd That after so Signal a Victory better and more advantageous Articles might have been obtain'd from the Turk and perhaps Newhawsel it self might have been Surrender'd and Restored but by default hereof their Condition was render'd far worse than before for by vertue of the new Articles lately concluded The Pasha of Newhawsel pretended to bring all the Villages on the Frontiers of Moravia under Contribution and to add unto the new Conquests all the Country and places on this side the Danube which are nearly adjoyning to Gran Alba-Regalis and Kanisia wherein was comprehended the greatest part of the lower Hungary Which they exclaimed against as Terms so disagreeable unto them that a War had been much better and therefore to prevent and disappoint all farther proceedings thereon they seized on the Secretary of the Imperial Resident then remaining with the Vizier on the way as he was carrying the Articles of Peace to be Ratify'd by the Emperor and took from him his Horses and Money