and all the chief Commanders of the Souldiers of the Sacred War appointed him Governor of the Kingdom reserving unto himself only the Title of a King with the City of Ierusalem and a yearly Pension of ten thousand Ducats all which was done to the great disgrace and discontentment of the Count of Tripolis the old Governor It was not long but that Saladin having breathed himself a little after so great Labours came again into the Holy Land where he took many Castles and did infinite harm insomuch that the Country people were glad for fear to forsake their Houses and to fly into Cities The Christian Army in the mean time lying fast by at Sephor not once moving although many a fair occasion were offered for the chief Commanders affectionated unto the Count of Tripolis and envying the Preferment of Guy the new Governor were unwilling to fight but finding one excuse or other suffered the Enemy at his pleasure to spoil the Country and so in safety to depart which he had never before done in those Quarters Within less than a month after Saladin with a great Army well appointed with all the Habiliments of War needful for the besieging of a City or strong Castle came again into the Land of Palestine and passing through the Country beyond Iordan sate down at last before Petra in hope by the taking thereof to have made his passage between Egypt and Damasco more safe Of which his purpose King Baldwin having knowledge and taught by the evil success of late to what small purpose it was to commit the managing of his Wars unto a General so evil beloved and less regarded as way Guy his Brother in law sent against him with his Army Raymund the Count of Tripolis the old Governor whom he had again restored unto the Government and displaced Guy Of whose coming Saladin hearing raised his Siege after he had lien there a month and so departed A little before this Expedition the King still growing sicker and sicker his foul Disease still increasing by the common consent of the Nobility appointed Baldwin his Nephew by his Sister Sybilla a Child but of five years old to succeed him in the Kingdom and the Count of Tripolis to have the Government of the State during the time of his Minority This Sybilla the Kings Sister was first married to William the younger Marquiss of Mont-Ferrat who dying within three months after left her with child with this his Posthumus Son Baldwin now by his Uncle deputed unto the hope of the Kingdom After whose death she was married to Guy Lusignan Count of Ioppa and Ascalon the late Governor who taking in evil part this the Kings designment especially for the Government of the Kingdom by the Count of Tripolis departed from the Court as a man discontented unto his City of Ascalon whereof the Patriarch and the Princes of the Sacred War fearing and that not without cause great danger to ensue came to the King then holding a Parliament in the City of Acon most humbly requesting him for avoiding of further danger and the safety of his Kingdom to receive again into his Favour the Count Guy his Brother in law and to make an atonement betwixt him and the Count of Tripolis But this their request sorted to no purpose so that the Parliament was dissolved without any thing for the good of the Common-weal in that point concluded After that time the Kindgom of Ierusalem began still more and more to decline In the old King Baldwin sick both in body and mind was almost no hope in the young King yet unfit for so great a burthen much less and the dissention betwixt the two Counts Guy and Raymund with their Favorites was like enough to bring great harm unto the State. Besides that the Count of Tripolis fearing the Power of Guy his Enemy was thought to have secret Intelligence with Saladin the Turk insomuch as the King was almost in purpose to have proclaimed him Traytor Wherefore the King now rested only upon the Counsel of William Archbisâ—op of Tyre and the Masters of the Knights of the Sacred War by whose advice he sent Hâ—raclius Patriarch of Ierusalem Roger Molins Master of the Knights of St. Iohns and Arnold Master of the Templars Embassadors unto Lucius the Third then Pope unto Frederick the Emperor Philip the French King and Henry the Second King of England to declare unto them the dangerous State of that Christian Kingdom and to crave their Aid against the Infidels These Embassadors coming to the Council then holden at Vâ—rona with great gravity and diligence in the presence of the Pope and of the Emperor declared the hard estate of the Christians of the East with their humble Request unto them for Aid in such sort that they moved them with all the Princes there present to Compassion From thence they were by the Pope directed unto Philip the French King with whom having dispatched their Affairs they from him passed over into England and afterward into Germany and had at length brought their Negotiation to so good pass that in every place great preparation was made for a great Expedition to be made against the Turks for the Relief of the Christians in the East with which good News the Embassadors returning to Ierusalem filled the sick King with the hope of great matters But greater Quarrels shortly after arising betwixt the Pope and the Emperor and sharp War likewise betwixt the French King and the King of England and the other Christian Princes also being at no better quiet the notable Expedition that had with the expectation thereof so filled the World was again laid aside and quite dashed Whereof King Baldwin understanding both by Messengers and Letters from his Friends oppressed with grief and heaviness more than with the force of his Disease a man for his prowess and painfulness not inferiour to any his Predecessors died without Issue the 16 th day of May Anno 1185. being but five and twenty years old year 1185. whereof he had reigned twelve His Body was afterward with the general mourning of his Subjects solemnly buried in the Temple near unto the Mount Calvary together with his Predecessors the Kings of Ierusalem King Baldwin thus buried Baldwin the Fifth of that name yet but a Boy was Crowned King. But then began the Sparks which had of long lien raked up and hidden in the ashes to break out into a great fire for Raymund Count of Tripolis contended the whole Government of the Kingdom and tuition of the King to be due unto him by the appointment of the late King and consent of the Nobility and did so much that he had almost obtained it to have been confirmed unto him in open Parliament But Sybilla a woman of a most haughty spirit Sister unto the late King and Mother unto the young King yet living prickt forward her Husband Guy in no case to give place unto his Competitor Raymund and so animated
more fierce or cruel Battel But by a fresh charge given by Ferdinands Horsemen who had now put to flight the right Wing of Bodo his Battel all Bodo his Army fighting most valiantly was disordered and put to flight Bodo the General labouring to restore the Battel and to save the Ensign to him before by the King delivered was by the coming in of Paulus Bachitius with his Light-Horsemen taken The other Captains seeing all lost and past hope of recovery betook themselves to flight all the Kings Artillery and Ensigns were taken by the Enemy The King seeing the overthrow of his Army for safeguard of his life fled into Polonia Ferdinands Captains following the course of the Victory entred into Transylvania where the People yielding themselves at the first all the whole Province submitted it self unto the Authority of Ferdinand Bodo and the rest of the Noblemen that were taken Prisoners with the Ensigns taken from the Enemies were sent to Ferdinand But when Bodo having his liberty promised could not be perswaded to renounce his Oath given to King Iohn and to bear Arms against him he was by Ferdinand his commandment cast into a dark Dungeon where shortly after consumed with sorrow and grief he miserably ended his life Shortly after Ferdinand the Hungarians generally submitting themselves unto him was by their common consent saluted King and crowned with the same old Crown wherewith King Iohn had been crowned which the same Perenus a man of little constancy brought unto him and with him was also crowned Ann his Wife the only Sister of the late King Lewis All which solemn ceremonies were celebrated at Alba Regalis the usual place for the Coronation of the Hungarian Kings Ferdinand by rare felicity thus possessed of two Kingdoms whereunto he was not born returned into Bohemia and left his Deputies for the Government of the Kingdom of Hungary these were Stephanus Bator whom he appointed Viceroy with whom he joyned Paulus Bishop of Strigonium who had also revolted from King Iohn and made Berethsaxtus Secretary and Alexius Tursonus a Moravian Treasurer King Iohn thus miserably distressed and thrust out of his Kingdom by Ferdinand fled to Hieronimus Lascus a man for his honourable descent and learned vertue of great fame and reputation amongst the Polonians who glad of so honourable a Guest was more careful of nothing than with all possible kindness and courtesie how to comfort him wrapt up in so many calamities with the loss of his Kingdom he frankly promised unto him all his own Wealth which was not small for the recovery of his former estate and that which more was for the reviving of his former felicity the uttermost of his Wit and Device which in the compassing of all great matters was accounted wonderful That bountiful entertainment of this poor King by Lascus was not altogether unpleasant to Sigismund King of Polonia although because he would not offend Ferdinand with whom he was joyned in Friendship and Alliance he seemed to most men plainly to forget himself in shewing so small kindness unto King Iohn whose Sister Barbara he had sometime married which was the cause that Lascus forgot no point of courtesie in entertaining his Guest and yet the credit of Sigismund with King Ferdinand not toucht But when they had spent almost a month in consultation and debating of matters too and fro Lascus accustomed with his deep Wit sharply to reason and advisedly to determine of most weighty causes at last rested upon this one point That ready help in so hard and desperate a case was only to be hoped for of the Turkish Emperor Solyman being of opinion that he being a most mighty Prince and of an honourable disposition answerable to his greatness would not reject the humble Prayers of an oppressed and exiled King especially if that being by his mercy and power restored he could be content for so great a benefit to hold his Kingdom as of the bounty of the Othoman Kings For Lascus saw that Solyman so great and proud an Emperor was not so desirous of Kingdoms whereof he had so many as could not easily be reckoned then commanding over a great part of the World as of glory and renown wherewith he understood him to be wonderfully delighted above all other Kings of the East naturally carried away with that windy vanity This Counsel as in effect it proved was unto King Iohn wholsome and reasonable if a man do but respect the poor Estate of a King so greatly wronged living in exile but respecting the Christian Common-Weal it was undoubtedly most dangerous and lamentable for one mans particular profit to bring the whole State into most dreadful and horrible danger but the sick minds of worldly men living in small hope of doing well and at the point of desparation refuse no worldly remedies be they never so doubtful or dangerous And not long after upon this resolution with the King Lascus desirous by noble actions to encrease the honour of his name took the matter upon him and went as Embassador from the exiled King to Solyman to Constantinople The report was that Sigismund did not only not stay him but secretly gave him his safe conduct with Letters of Credence wherein he commended him unto the Bassaes and other great men in Solymans Court descended of the Polonian Blood as his faithful and loving Subject sent thither upon an extraordinary and special Embassage Lascus as soon as he was come to Constantinople with wonderful dexterity had in short time won the Favour not of the Bassaes only but of the other Courtiers also presenting them with such Gifts as might for the fineness and rareness thereof rather than for the value as he thought be most acceptable and pleasing to their Wives for amongst that barbarous and corrupted People nothing is better welcome than Gifts whether they proceed of simple good Will or other respect is no great difference Amongst the great Bassaes at that time of greatest Power and Authority was Luftebeius or rather Lutzis who had married Solymans Sister and Abraham born at Praga a base Village in Acarnania brought up in the Court from his Childhood with Solyman he was then Visier or chief of the Bassaes and Keeper of the Emperors Seal and was by his office to subscribe all such Grants or Letters as passed from the Emperor by which his great place and special favour he had with Solyman he in Magnificence Power and Authority far exceeded all the rest of the Bassaes doing whatsoever pleased himself and that with such Sovereignty and the good liking of Solyman that it was commonly said he was the commander of his thoughts Lascus thus insinuated into the Court and oftentimes talking with the Bassaes without an Interpreter for that he could well speak the Sclavonian Tongue the familiar speech of the Turkish Courtiers earnestly solicited the Kings cause wonderfully commending him for at his first coming after he had saluted Solyman and
was about to have declared the cause of his coming he was after the manner of the Turkish Court referred to the Bassaes for Solyman used not to admit any Christian to talk with him in his Court. Lascus requested of Solyman by the Bassaes That King Iohn wrongfully thrust out of his Kingdom by Ferdinand Duke of Austria and the Treason of certain of the Hungarians might by the Turkish power be again restored unto the Kingdom of Hungary which he would hold by homage of the Turkish Emperor as of right belonging unto him since the time that Solyman with victorious hand revenging his wrongs and subduing his Enemies had by Law of Arms Fortune so judging gained the same Promising that King Iohn who for his worthiness was by the general good liking of the Hungarians lawfully chosen to be their King and so after the ancient manner of that Kingdom crowned if he were now received into Solymans Protection and by him restored should never forget so great a benefit but always most faithfully and thankfully to honour the Majesty of Solyman paying him such yearly Tribute as it should please him to impose and to make it known to all men that he was his Vassal Which thing if it would please him to grant it should be no less honour and glory to Solyman himself than profitable and comfortable unto the distressed King. For beside that heroical Kings are compared unto Gods rather for giving than receiving it was easie to be seen how greatly it did concern the profit of the Othoman Kings to be neighboured with a weak and tributary King rather than with Ferdinand a Prince of great Power lately chosen King of Bohemia supported by the strength of his Brother Charles the Emperor commanding over the warlike Nation of the Germans which was as much difference as was betwixt the maintenance of a continual heavy War upon his Borders and the safe enjoying of a most assured Peace Beside that it concerned the Turks to beware that such things as they had got by the Sword they should also by the Sword defend and not to suffer any one to grow greater than the rest in Riches and Power For it might so fall out that Charles grown to be a Prince of mighty Power might draw the rest of the Christian Princes to join with him in the common cause of the Christian Religion and in that quarrel as the Christian Kings of Europe had in former time done with united Forces to seek to recover again what they had before lost whose Force it would be hard to withstand These things being sharply delivered and by the Bassaes again reported unto Solyman who standing at a secret Window had before heard them as they were by Lascus to the Bassaes declared it was no great labour to perswade the Turkish Emperor of himself desirous of Glory and Sovereignty again to undertake the Hungarian War and to grant King Iohn his request promising according to the success of the Victory to give him that he desired that he would faithfully perform what he had promised and not shew himself therefore unthankful In the mean time Ferdinand upon great reason thinking it necessary by all means possible to confirm himself in possession of the Kingdom of Hungary and fearing no force but the Turks determined to prove Solymans disposition and to seek for his Friendship hoping by reasonable means to compass it by shewing unto the barbarous Prince not altogether abhorring from the commendation of Justice his ancient Title and Claim and that he was by the ancient Laws of the Country right Heir thereof thinking that Solyman having obtained so many Victories and ruling over so many Kingdoms would now at length give himself to Peace as a man contented with his glory already gotten His desire was to be received into his Friendship and to joyn with him in League upon the same conditions which Ladislaus and his Son Lewis had for certain years before obtained of the Othoman Kings and Sigismund King of Polonia then also with like quietness enjoyed Wherefore having found out a fit man whom he might send upon this Embassage to Constantinople one Ioannes Oberdanscus a Hungarian he furnished him accordingly and gave him Gifts such as he thought good to beâ—tow upon the great Bassaes. But when Oberdanscus was come unto Constantinople he found Solyman harder to be intreated than he had before hoped and the Bassaes altogether unwilling to hear of any League for although he was courteously received of Solyman and most patiently heard whilst he both eloquently and discreetly before the great Bassaes delivered his Embassage yet in the shutting up of all he received no more but a proud and insolent answer for Solyman said it was far from the manner of his Ancestors to receive them into grace and favour which had done injury to the Othoman name wherefore that Ferdinand had done impudently to invade another mans Kingdom and to think to hold it to himself forasmuch as his old Title and Claim which he stood so much upon was altogether extinguished and lost by Law of Arms by his late Victory against King Lewis for which causes he adjudged him unworthy of his Friendship and Favour purposing sharply to revenge the wrong he had received and proclaiming War to come again into Hungary with such a power as should be sufficient to invade Ferdinand either in Austria or Germany Wherefore instead of Friendship and League he denounced unto him all the calamities of War and so commanded the Embassador with speed to depart from Constantinople But Oberdanscus when he was come back again as far as Vienna and had there told the Kings Lieutenants of the threatning words of Solyman and that he would shortly come thither with his Army he was not of any of them believed but reputed for a vain man. Wherefore to shun the hatred of them which mistook truth for falshood he made hast to come to Ferdinand who was then at Spires labouring for voices to further his suit for that at the next Assembly of the States of the Empire which was then at hand for the Coronation of his Brother Charles he himself as he well hoped was to be chosen King of the Romans The News brought by Oberdanscus did not a little trouble King Ferdinand foreseeing as it were what would happen for that the Turkish Tyrant used not lightly to break such promises but to perform them to the uttermost and that more encreased his care he knew he should come in evil time to crave help of the Germans for the defence of his Kingdom in Hungary against so mighty an Enemy especially his Brother Charles the Emperor being busied in his Wars in Italy and he himself wanting Mony the only means to raise an Army to withstand the Turk year 1529. The Spring now come and all things fresh and green Solyman altering nothing of his former determination having levied an Army of an hundred and fifteen thousand men
that the Christians sometime valiantly receiving the Enemies charge and sometime charging them again repulsed the proud Enemy still busie with them In these continual skirmishes Antius Macer Fuchstat General of the Carinthian Horsemen fighting valiantly was slain being for his brave Armor supposed by the Turks to have been the General of the Field And by like mishap four and twenty Horsemen of great fame were also slain and their Guidon taken amongst these were three Noblemen Andreas Reschius Christopherus Hernaus and Georgius Himelbergus In another place was made a most cruel skirmish with the Saxon Horsemen and them of Misnia Thuringia and Franconia who followed the Saxons Ensign of these fighting most valiantly was slain above six and thirty worthy Captains Lieutenants or Ancients and Chuenricus a principal Captain of the Saxons taken who afterwards died in Bonds amongst the Turks Amongst them which were slain Sebastianaus Methescus and Iacobus Scullemburgh were of greatest Nobility In like manner the Horsemen of Austria couragiously resisting the Enemy for a space were in the end overthrown where amongst them was slain two valiant Noblemen Fetâ—aius and Hoschirchius with divers other men of great place and reputation both in their own Country and abroad But the greatest sâ—aughter was made amongst the Bohemian Horsemen upon whom being disordered by the Janizaries Harquebusiers the Turkish Troops of the old Garrison Souldiers breaking in with their Scimeters and heavy Iron Maces made a most bloody execution The Battel of Footmen being sore gauled and almost disordered in their march by certain Companies of Janizaries and Archers of the Aspi who from a woody Bank of a Marish discharged their shot and arrows continually upon them yet never coming to handy Blows was on the other side so hardly charged by Amurathes with his Troops of Horsemen of Bosna that being not able longer to keep order it was at last by him broken and cut in pieces where the Turks with their Swords and Hatchets slew the poor Christians without mercy Lodronius himself carried away with the breaking in and force of the Horsemen was driven into a Marish where after that he being sore wounded and almost fast in the deep Mud had done the uttermost of that his last endeavour he by the fair entreaty of the Turks perswading him rather to yield than there to be slain so yielded himself that he with three Companies which were with him after they had laid down their Weapons were all saved as valiant Souldiers for now the merciless Turks imbrued with the Christian Blood were weary of slaughter and began greedily to seek after the Spoil hunting after them who flying dispersedly thought themselves to have escaped the Enemies hands with such success that a great number of them was taken and led away for Slaves few of the Footmen escaped and almost all the rest which were not fled before the Battel were to be seen dead upon the ground This shameful Overthrow at Exek was reported to have exceeded the most grievous Overthrows that the Christians had received in any former time for the Flower both of Horse and Foot there lost by the rashness and fault of an unlucky General rather than by the Valour of the Enemy ruthfully perished so that many Provinces were filled with heaviness and mourning For it never chanced before as was to be seen by the unfortunate Battels of Sigismund the Emperor and King Ladislaus that the Turks got such a Victory without some loss so that they which fell almost unrevenged at Exek may seem to have augmented that loss by the great infamy thereof Mahometes having thus almost without the Blood of his Souldiers obtained so great a Victory and taking the Spoil of the Christian Camp pitched his Tents in a little Meadow being cleansed of the dead Bodies and after he had merrily feasted with his Captains commanded the chief Prisoners the goodly Spoils and fairest Ensigns to be brought unto him and openly commending the Captains who had that day done any good service commanding divers Bags of Mony to be brought unto him by the Receivers he with his own hand rewarded the Souldiers some with Gold some with Silver according to their deserts And causing all the Prisoners which were not common Souldiers to be brought forth he diligently viewed them and presently caused every one of their â—ames and the office they bare to be inrolled by his Clerks and unto such as brought in the Heads Ears or Hands of the Christians with Rings upon them he forthwith caused one Reward or another to be given Lodronius when as by reason of his deadly Wounds he was thought unable to endure travel or to be brought alive with the other Prisoners to Constantinople was slain by his Keepers and his Head afterwards sent thither For as many noble Gentlemen and amongst others Laurentius Streiperg and Dietmarus Losestaine have reported who ransomed afterwards returned home again to their Wives and Children amongst the Prisoners which were together with the fair Ensigns and other gallant warlike Furniture especially gilt Armor and Headpieces presented by Mahometes his Messengers to Solyman three of the greatest Captains Heads were in a silver Bason there seen and known which were the Heads of Paulus Bachitius the valiant Hungarian Captain Antius Macer General of the Carinthian Horsemen and Lodronius General of the Footmen which after the Tyrant had looked asquint upon as abhorring that loathsome sight he with stern countenance commanded all the Prisoners to be slain But upon the intercession of the Janizaries who entreated for them as valiant men to whom they had at the time of their taking past their Faith and might afterwards do him good service he changed his countenance and saved many of them But Cazzianer flying to his own Castle was of all men accused as a wicked forsaker of his own Camp and Ensigns and commonly railed upon as the eternal infamy of his Country and Author of the publick calamity so that it was reported that he durst neither go abroad nor shew his Face for shame He was so generally hated that infamous Libels made against him and the other Captains which shamefully fled as he did were commonly sung in the Streets by Boys in all places of Germany Wherewith he was so much grieved that he requested of King Ferdinand that he might safely come to the Court to answer whatsoever could be laid against him which his request the King easily granted and when he came to the Court received him with doubtful countenance But when the hearing of his cause was by the King somewhat longer protracted than he would have had it and he in the mean time kept under safe custody impatient of such delay and half doubtful whether he he should be quitted or condemned thought it better to flie than to abide the Trial. So feigning himself sick and â—craping up by little and little with his Knife a brick pavement under his Bed and so in the
to Medices the Admiral to be conveied up the River to Vienna Liscanus at the time of his apprehension most covetously and uncourteously took from him his Chain and a rich Cloak lined with Sables which indignity done to so noble a Gentleman so much offended the minds of the rest of the Hungarians that above twelve thousand of them thereupon presently returned home to their own dwellings cursing the Germans to the Divel This Perenus was one of the greatest Peers of Hungary but of a most haughty and magnificent mind so that he would sometime have almost a hundred goodly spare Horses fit for service led before him without their Riders and would sometime speak too liberally against the bareness of King Ferdinands Court who polled by his Courtiers hardly maintained his State which his surpassing magnificence and princely Port was cause enough for the other great Courtiers to envy at his Estate and to seek his overthrow who as Men overcharged with the burthen of another Mans vertue whereof they never bore the least part and always gaining by the depraving of other Mens perfection conspired together his overthrow and oftentimes pointing at him with their fingers would say That he favoured of a Crown This notable Man as he had many worthy Vertues so was he not without cause noted of ambition and unconstancy for after that King Lewis was lost he disdaining the preferment of Iohn the Vayvod to the Kingdom of Hungary took part with King Ferdinand against him in hope as it was thought to be next in honour unto himself but after he saw King Iohn again restored and his State strongly supported by Solyman and that all things stood doubtful and fickle with Ferdinand he with like levity sought means by Abraham the great Bassa to be reconciled to King Iohn which was hardly obtained of him by the intercession of Solyman himself as is before declared to whom he gave his Son as a Pledge of his Fidelity After which time he lived in great Honour and Loyalty all the Reign of King Iohn but after he was dead and saw George the Bishop the Kings Tutor doing what he list to reign like a King he disdained his Government and solicited by King Ferdinand revolted again unto him and furthered him in what he could for the obtaining of the Kingdom But now falling into the envy of the Court Malice found out matter enough to work his confusion First it was given out That his Son who had many years been detained in Solymans Court as a Pledge of his Fathers Faith was even then under the colour of a fained escape come into Transylvania when as he had secretly agreed with Solyman that his Father being a Man much favoured of the People should by promising them all possible Freedom allure them to the Turkish subjection in reward of which good service he should be made Governour of the Kingdom of Hungary and put in hope also to be made the Tributary King thereof if it should fortune the young King to die Besides that it was accounted a thing very suspicious that he had the Winter before used great kindness and friendship toward the Turkish Captains by sending them great Presents and receiving the like again And last of all his Letters directed to certain Hungarian Captains were produced wherein he seemed to promise them as his Friends and Followers greater entertainment than agreed with his present Estate All which things King Ferdinand of his own disposition not easily to be perswaded to conceive evil of the Germans his Countrymen were it never so apparent or true but of Strangers any thing quickly believed and therefore caused him as is before said to be apprehended But Perenus as he was brought by Medices the Admiral to Vienna when he was come near unto the Gate of the City and heard that Philippus Torniellus with certain other brave Captains of his acquaintance were come to meet the Admiral he requested that the close Coach wherein he rid might be opened and that he might have leave to speak to those noble and valiant Gentlemen Which thing was easily granted for that the Nobility and approved valour of the Man seemed unto them which had the charge of him unworthy of such restraint of liberty or imprisonment yea or of the least suspicion thereof So he turning himself towards them spake unto them in this sort Wretched I noble Gentlemen said he whom despightful envy hath circumvented guiltless but much more miserable King Ferdinand whom domestical Thieves bereave of Substance of Friends and Honour all at once For so it cometh to pass that by this inconsiderate wrong done unto me he shall utterly lose the love and fidelity of the Hungarian Nation and may therefore for ever not without cause despair for the obtaining of the Kingdom of Hungary sithence that it is not lawful for me inferiour to nâ—â—e of my Nation in Birth and having for my good and faithful service well deserved râ—ward of a just King so much as to rejoyce for the deliverance of my Son from the Captivity of the Turks but that by my sinister fortune dreadful death in stead of incomparable joy must be presented to mine Eies For will these malicious Pick-thanks guilty of thâ—ir own Cowardise the wicked Contrivers and Witnesses of my wrongful Accusation spare me being laid fast and indurance which never spared the Kings Honour For every Man of what Nobility soever be he never so guiltless when he is once in hold must be content to endure not what he hath deserved but what his hard fortune assigneth Yet my upright mind and clear conscience which thing only God the most just Iudge leaveth as a comfort to Men in misery wrongfully accused delivered me of this care and so will the Marquess our General to whom I before upon a mistrust foretold that such a danger would shortly befal me and that I had rather be slain guiltless than to withdraw my self from Trial which thing I told him at such a time as I was so guarded with mine own strength that I feared no Mans force I beseech you do me this honourable favour as to request King Ferdinand in my behalf quickly and honourably to proceed to the Trial of my Cause and according to his own princely disposition and the will of others to discern betwixt his faithful Friends and fained Flatterers Truly we are too too unfortunate Captains if for a little evil success we shall be so adjudged as Men that had overthrown their Fortune Cazzianer peradventure received the just punishment he had deserved for the shameful forsaking and losing of the Army at Exek when as he possessed with an uncouth fear forgot the duty of a General more afraid of death than dishonour for when he had voluntarily committed himself to safe custody he was so generally condemned of Cowardise that despairing to defend his Cause he brake Prison and as wickedly as unfortunately revolted to the Turks But neither was I
him or else that he would by his authority enjoyn the Tartars to restore their Captives and their spoils and render them a reasonable satisfaction The Grand Signior returned no reply hereunto but referred that to be done by his Chimacam silence being esteemed some part of his Majesty and State which he seldom breaks but with few and haughty words This Ambassadour was a man of a bold and daring Spirit a fit Orator for such an Embassy had not his immoderate Covetousness the Vice and Folly commonly incident to Old Age much eclipsed many of those Vertues of which he was Master He was also a Man of a violent temper feavered to a madness in the height of his Choler which strangely betrayed him to â—any undecencies in his Language and Comportment For at his Audience with the Chimacam when he came to receive the Grand Signior's Answer his words were vented with that heat and so like to menaces that the Turks taking exception thereat returned his course Speeches with the like Dialect at which the Ambassadour swelled with that indignation and anger as became not the Moderation and Gravity of his Office adding in Conclusion That he was an Aged Man full of Years and Corporal Infirmities that nothing could arrive more happy to him than a Death in which he should triumph to suffer for the benefit and glory of his Country This excess and intemperance of Language moved the Turks to set a Guard upon him and confine him to his own House in the nature of a Prisoner which violation of his Sacred Office so worked upon his Spirits that he often vented some part of his fury in words and blows on the Ofâ—icers of his Guard for which rude behaviour having received some reproofs from the Chimacam his passion not knowing which way to ease it self feavered him into a desperate sickness of which in a few days phrensical and distracted he departed this life The Secretary of the Embassy being the next in Office took upon him the Function and Charge of the Ambassadour and having now nothing to act but to recâ—ive the Answer to the Message of his Master for which a Day being appointed he was presented with a Horse and Furniture by the Chimacam of whom having Audience he received no other satisfaction to the Complaints against the Tartars than these following which were related to me by the Secretary of the Embassy who did me the honour to make me a Visit when I was on my recovery from a dangerous Sickness at Constantinople First That no compensation or pretence be ever hereafter demanded for the late incursions made by the Tartars into Poland Secondly That the Polanders make not War upon the Cossacks who had lately renounced their subjection and were fled for protection to the Ottoman Power Thirdly That the Poles immediately make War upon the Muscovite Fourthly That the Turk Merchants have free Trade into Poland and that the Turkish Merchants receive satisfaction for what injuries and losses they lately suffered With these Propositions and Conditions of Peace the Secretary was dispatched which did not so well please the Poles as to return thanks for them or a Messenger with Advice of their Acceptance or Ratification and though they could not but be sensible of the scorn and yoke the Turks would impose upon them yet having still remaining amongst them certain Reliques of their former dissentions and diversity about election of a Successour to their King and there being a certain Spirit of Luxury Pride and Sedition which was crâ—pt in amongst the Nobility they considered not the advantage of the present time but willingly preferred a present ease and enjoyment of their Feasts and Banquets before the hazards and uncertainties of benefit which they might receive by the doubtful lot and fortune of War and though never any Season appeared more opportune and advantageous to the Pole than this when the flower of the Turkish Youth and Force was employed in Candia and all places in part dismantled of their usual strength and complement of Souldiers to defend their Frontiers yet they seemed resolved to pass by the former Incursions and Spoils and Robberies made on their People so the Turk would but stop here and permit them without farther provocation to enjoy their quiet and debauched way of living Only some of the Borderers on the Turks who had deeply suffered by the late Incursions moved with the loss of their Estates and the Captivity of their nearest Relations joyned with a considerable number of the Muscovites entered Tartary in the months of October and November and burned about three hundred Villages carrying away Caâ—tives and other prey from under the very Walls of Coffa At this time also the Pasha of Balsora began new rumours and an unseasonable Rebellion who being reported to have an Army of Horse and Foot consisting of forty thousand men gave no small disturbance and apprehension to the Turks who with their difficulties of War in Candia and the jealousies of a storm from Poland remained with some doubts and hesitancy about the way of their proceedings At length Orders were dispatched to the Pashaws of Erzirum Aleppo Damascus and Darbequier to unite against the Rebel to divest him of his Government and to sâ—nd his forfeited head to his Master These Pashaws accordingly joining their Forces defeated the Rebel and as all Conspiracies of open Rebellion distant from the Court have had but ill success in these Countries against the true Prince so this Pasha was routed and being forsaken by his Servants fled with a few Horse to the Protection of the King of Persia. The principal Cause which moved the Pasha of Balsora as I was informed from the mouth of the Pasha of Damascus to this Rebellion was the Confidence he had in his own strength and the fidelity of his people to whom of ancient right that Government was of hereditary Succession descended to him by his Ancestors for many Generations by which means he challenged such absolute interest in his Principality that for many Years he refused to acknowledge the Grand Signior by any other tokens of homage than in the bare name of his Protector and in making Publick Prayers for his Prosperity and Victories But at length the Grand Signior coming to impose farther on him stirred his hot desires into Rebellion and to an open defiance About the beginning of this Year the Captain-General Cornaro with the Proveditor of the Armata Francesco Barbaro returned to Venice bringing with them one Ramadam a Saâ—giack of Egypt and other Slaves taken by the Captains Grimani and Molini The manner was this Ramadam with three and twenty Ships laden with Men and Ammunion endeavoured to enter into Canea but being charged by the Venetians and overcome set sire to their Ship and leaping into the Schiff to save their Lives were taken by the Boat of Molino and though fourteen Gallies came out of Canea to their assistance yet they could not hinder the taking of five
success concluding the year without any great Enterprise or Feats of Arms the Sultan returned to his Court at Adrianople about the end of November licensing all the Asian Horse and Souldiers of remotest parts to return to their own Countries with liberty to appropriate the the following year to their repose and care for their peculiar concernments To these Wars amongst secular Persons and men of Arms were added Differences and never to be decided Controversies between the Religious of the Roman and Greek Churches at Ierusalem who contending for the possession of the Holy Sepulchre of the King of Peace rent that seamless Coat of Christ and managed their Controversie with more malice and rancour each against other than Princes do who invade one the other with Fire and Sword. For the Franks or Western Christians subjected to the Popes Dominion had possessed for several Ages a right to the Holy Sepulchre and enjoyed the honour of the custody thereof notwithstanding the pretences of the Greeks thereunto who for many years in vain attempted at the Ottoman Court to obtain that Priviledge for the Franks being ever more powerful by charitable contributions brought from Christendom besides large Sums of Money from the King of Spain did always outbid the Market of the Greeks and consequently made use of stronger arguments than the adverse Party could produce in defence of their cause Until such time that one Panaioti a Greek born in the Island of Scio having by his parts and excellent address arrived to the honour of being Interpreter for the Western Tongues to the Great Vizier at length obtained that favour with his Master that he seldom refused whatsoever he with reason and modesty requested and being a great Zelot in his Religion and esteemed the chief Patron and Support of the Greek Church he secretly begged in behalf of his Country the recovery of the Holy Sepulchre at Ierusalem out of the hands of the Franks which the Vizier would not deny him both to reward him for some services already performed and likewise because he knew that a concession of this nature would again raise the spirits and animosities of Christians the allaying and appeasing of which being an office solely in the power of himself and the supreme Authority would certainly prove beneficial to the Ottoman Court. Panaioti having obtained this Command and considering that the defence thereof would be a trouble to him for that thereby he should create Enemies which were no less than Kings and Princes to contend with and perhaps should live to see it reversed wisely laid it by him there to remain dormant until the time of his death which happening the year past the Command was produced and brought to light and was before the Easter of this year set on foot at Ierusalem and by virtue thereof the custody of the Sepulchre sentenced by the Pasha and Kadi of that place to belong unto the Greeks the which was occasion of so great trouble and confusion as disturbed the Holy Feast and polluted the Sacrifices with the blood of one or two persons who most earnestly contended for the Priviledge of their Nation and Religion Nor could this difference he decided here but both sides appealed to the Court above which being heard and debated in publick Divan the possession of the Sepulchre was adjudged in favour of the Greeks the Franks being only to injoy aâ— precarious use thereof as Pilgrims and Strangers to the Country Howsoever the Fryers of Ierusalem would not tamely yield up their Right but again resolved to try their Fortune at the Court having by means of F. Canisaries their Commissario with expence of a great Sum of Money obtained a review of the case but without success for all these endeavours and charge proved fruitless the former sentence being confirmed in favour of the Greeks and the Franks having no other Expedient applied themselves to the assistance of the French Ambassadour to whose protection the Holy places are assigned by Capitulations But neither the power of the French Ambassadour nor of any other Christian Representative was available for the Vizier either mindful of his promise to Panaioti or being resolute to maintain the Command he had given would on no terms be perswaded to revoke it the which intention of the Vizier being made known to the Greeks their Patriarch earnestly pressed a hearing of the case but the Fryars not willing to abide the shock retired to Constantinople lest the Greeks forcing them to Justice they should be condemned in Iudicio contradictorio and a Hoget or Sentence passing they should be condemned in Law as well as by Authority of the Hattesheriff Which to put in execution the Patriarch took out a Command whereunto was added That the Fryers in token of their subjection should pay a Drachm of Silver a head to the Patriarch and hold all their places of them This was the issue of the present controversies which is certainly determined for the time of the Vizier without revocation yet perhaps in the time of another it may admit of a review for money especially being received when as yet the new Minister hath not satiated his covetous desires howsoever the expence will always be chargeable and the success uncertain Thus have I seen and observed in this particular the effect and experience of two things viz. The covetousness and pride of Fryars and the conclusion of their Law-suits before Infidels The Franks or the Western Christians had until this time the custody of the Holy Sepulchre and the Greeks that of the Chappel of Bethlem but the use was free to both but the Franks not being able to enjoy the Sepulchre with contentment whilst with envious eyes they beheld the Greeks in possession of Bethlem were always contriving designs by force of money and power of Christian Ministers to eject them from that Right until that now in these contentions they have lost both being neither able to recover the one nor conserve the other Before we end this year of 1674 and begin that of 1675 it will be necessary for us to discourse of the cause and original of that War which England had with the Government of Tripoli in Barbary and the success and conclusion thereof In the year 1672. Old Mahomet boar at Scio and of the Greek race who for many years by Baratz or commission from the Grand Signior had boaren the Office and Title of Pasha of Tripoli and being grown very rich and covetous by the Pyracies his Ships made on the Christians and oppression of his people not dividing amongst the Souldiery that just proportion of the prey which of right belonged to them so incensed the minds of that people that conspiring against him they murdered him in his Castle and seized all his riches to the use of the Publick The Pasha being dead all his creatures and persons that boar Office in his time were displaced and others of more justice and bravery as they imagined put in
slavery they profess and cannot but fansie a strange kind of projected baseness in all the deportment within the Walls of the Seraglio when there appears so much condescension Abroad to all the lusts and evil inclinations of their Master so that a generous Prince as some have been found among the Ottoman Emperors though he desired not the publick Liberty would yet be weary of this slavish compliance and seek other counsel and means to inform himself of the true state of his own and other Kings Dominions than such as proceed from Men unexperienced in any other Court or Country than that they live in This flattery and immoderate subjection hath doubtless been the cause of the decay of the Turkish Discipline in the Time of Sultan Ibrahim when Women governed and now in this present Age of Sultan Mahomet whose Counsels are given chiefly by his Mother Negroes Eunuchs and some handsome young Mosayp or Favourite seldom any from without being permitted or have their Spirits emboldened to declare a Truth or are called to give their counsel in Matters of greatest importance So that this Obedience which brave and wise Emperors have made use of in the advancement of noble Exploits and enlargement of their Empire is with effeminate Princes delighted with flattery the Snare of their own Greatness and occasion of weak Counsels and Means in the management of great Designs If a Man seriously consider the whole composition of the Turkish Court he will find it to be a Prison and Banniard of Slaves differing from that where the Galley-slaves are immured only the Ornaments and glittering out-side and appearances here their Chains are made of Iron and there of Gold and the difference is only in a painted shining servitude from that which is a squalid sordid and a noisome slavery For the Youths educated in the Seraglio which we shall have occasion to discourse of in the next Chapter are kept as it were within a Prison under a strange severity of Discipline some for twenty thirty others forty Years others the whole time of the Age of Man and grow gray under the correction of their Hogiaes or Tutors The two Brothers of this present Grand Signior are also imprisoned here restrained with a faithfull and carefull Guard and perhaps are sometimes permitted out of Grace and Favour into the presence of their Brother to kiss his Vest and to perform the offices of Duty and Humility before their Prince The Ladies also of the Seraglio have their faithful Keepers of the Black Guard to attend them and can only have the liberty of enjoying the Air which passes through Grates and Lattices unless sometime they obtain licence to sport and recreate themselves in the Garden separated from the sight of Men by Walls higher than those of any Nunnery Nay if a Man considers the Contexture of the whole Turkish Government he will find it such a Fabrick of slavery that it is a wonder if any amongst them should be born of a free ingenâ—ous Spirit The Grand Signior is born of a Slave the Mother of the present being a Circasian taken perhaps by the Tartars in their incursions into that Country The Visiers themselves are not always free-born by Father or Mother for the Turks get more Children by their Slaves than by their Wives and the continual supply of Slaves sent in by the Tartars taken from different Nations by way of the Black Sea as hereafter we shall have occasion to speak more fully fills Constantinople with such a strange Race Mixture and Medly of different sorts of Blood that it is hard to find many that can derive a clear Line from ingenuous Parents So that it is no wonder that amongst the Turks a disposition be found fitted and disposed for Servitude and that is better governed with a severe and tyrannous Hand than with sweetness and Lenity unknown to them and their Forefathers as Grotius takes this Maxim out of Aristotle Quosdam homines naturâ esse servos i. e. ad servitutem aptos ita populi quidem eo sunt ingenio ut regi quam regere norint rectius But since it appears that Submission and Subjection are so incident to the Nature of the Turks and Obedience taught and so carefully instilled into them with their first Rudiments it may be a pertinent question How it comes to pass that there are so many Mutinies and Rebellions as are seen and known amongst the Turks and those commonly the most insolent violent and desperate that we read of in Story To let pass the Mutinies of former Times in the Ottoman Camp and the usual though short Rebellions of ancient Days I shall instance in the Causes and Beginnings of two notorious Disturbances or rather Madnesses of the Souldiery not mentioned in any History which being passages of our Age deserve greatly to be recorded This Obedience then that is so diligently taught and instilled into the Turkish Militia as to the Spahees in their Seraglios or Seminaries the Janisaries in their Chambers sometimes is forgot when the Passions Animosities of the Court by which inferior Affections are most commonly regulated corrupt that Discipline which its Reason and Sobriety instituted For the affections of Princes are endued with a general Influence when two powerful Parties aspiring both to Greatness and Authority allure the Souldiers to their respective Factions and engage them in a Civil War amongst themselves and hence proceed Seditions destruction of Empires the Overthrow of Common-Wealths and the violent Death of great Ministers of State. And so it happened when ill Government and unprosperous Successes of War caused Disobedience in the Souldiery which some emulous of the Greatness of those that were in Power nourished and raised to make place for themselves or their Party For in the time of Sultan Mahomet the present Grand Signior when the whole Government of the Empire rested in the hands of one Mulki Kadin a young audacious Woman by the extraordinary Favour and Love of the Queen-Mother who as it was divulged exercised an unnatural kind of Carnality with the said Queen so that nothing was left to the Counsel and Order of the Vizier and grave Seniors but was first to receive Approbation and Authority from her the black Eunuchs and Negroes gave Laws to all and the Cabinet-Councils were held in the secret Apartments of the Women and there were Proscriptions made Officers discharged or ordained as were most proper to advance the Interest of this Feminine Government But at length the Souldiery not used to the Tyranny of Women no longer supporting this kind of Servitude in a moment resolved on a Remedy and in great Tumults came to the Seraglio where commanding the Grand Signior himself to the Kiosch or Banquetting-house they demanded without farther Prologue the Heads of the Favourite Eunuchs there was no Argument or Rhetorick to be proposed to this unreasonable Multitude nor Time given for delays or consultation but every one of the accused as he
these aimed at one mark which was the Government and Command of the City and most of them had in the same their own proper Laws and Courts to decide their Causes and Controversies in Whereby it came to pass that every man might without check or controlement almost do what he list the offenders from one Court to another removing their suits as best served their turns Thus were murders as is before said dayly committed in the Streets men abused houses robbed shops broken up and many other outrages done to the hastning of the wrath of God and grief of all good men Division and dissention the ruin of all Common-Weals thus reigning in the City year 1291. the Souldiers of late sent thither or in zeal come of themselves for the defence thereof gave occasion for the more speedy destruction of the same Such is the power of the Almighty in his wrath and judgments for sin even by those things wherein we most trust and joy to work our utter ruine and destruction These Souldiers for want of such pay as was promised them were enforced to seek abroad and therefore contrary to the League before made with the Egyptian Sultan oftentimes went out in great parties into the Frontiers of his Territories taking the spoil of such things as they light upon Whereof the Sultan understanding demanded by his Embassadors That restitution might be made and the offendors delivered unto him to be punished according unto the League But in that so sick a state of a dying Common-Weal neither was restitution made as reason would or yet the Embassadors courteously heard With which Insolency the Sultan provoked sent Emilech Araphus a notable Captain and as some say his Son with an hundred and fifty thousand men to besiege the City who coming thither and having made his approaches had by a Mine in short time overthrown a piece of the Wall but in seeking to have entred by the breach he found such strong resistance that he was glad with loss to retire Whilst Araphus thus lay at the Siege of Ptolemais Alphir the Sultan died at Damasco in whose stead the Mamalukes made choice of this Araphus for their Sultan who more desirous of nothing than of the glory of the utter rooting up of the Christians in Syria was so far from raising of his Siege either for the death of the Sultan or the news of his Kingdom that he more straightly beset the City than he had in the three months space that he had there lien before Now had they in the City chosen Peter the Master of the Templars their Governor a man of great experience and valour unto whom and the rest of the Nobility the Sultan offered great rewards and unto the Souldiers their pay with free liberty to depart so that they would without more ado yield unto him the City which they could not long hold Which his offer the Master rejected and flatly told him That he had not learned of his Ancestors to sell for Mony unto the Infidels a City bought with so much Christian blood either did so much regard his vain threats as therefore to forget his service due unto his Saviour Christ and the Christian Common-Weal With which answer the Tyrant inraged the next day with all his Forces assaulted the City and that in such desperate and furious manner as if he would even then have carried it having before filled the ditches and promised the Spoil unto his Souldiers the more to encourage them Yet having done what he could and lost a number of his men slain both in the assault and in a Sally which the Christians made out at the same time he was enforced to retire back again into his Trenches In this so terrible an assault not repulsed without some loss also of the Christians the grand Master and Governour of the City was wounded with a poysoned Darâ— whereof he in three days after died with whom the courage of the Defendants fainted also no man being left like unto him to undertake so great a charge although many there were that overweening themselves desired the same In the beginning of this Siege the Christians had sent away all their aged and weak People unfit for service into Cyprus where they in safety arrived But now many of the better sort both Captains and others discouraged one after another conveighed themselves away out of the City of whom a great number in passing thence to Cyprus were upon the coast of the Island together with the Patriarch drowned In the City remained only twelve thousand which were thought sufficient for the defence thereof who afterwards as some report fled also by Sea after their Fellows and so left the City empty unto the barbarous Enemy some others reporting of them more honourably as that they should right valiantly defend the City against the Assault of their Enemies until such time as that most of them being slain or wounded and the rest by force driven from the Walls into the Market place and there for a while notably defending themselves in flying thence unto the Ships were by the way all cut in sunder or else drowned But howsoever it was the Sultan entring the City by the Christians abandoned or by force taken gave the spoil thereof unto his Souldiers who after they had rifled every Corner thereof by his Commandment set it on fire and burnt it down to the ground and digging up the very foundations of the Walls Churches and other publick or private buildings which the fire had not burnt left there no sign of any City at all but purging the place even of the very heaps of the stones and rubbidge left of the rased City made it a fit place of Husbandmen to plow and sow Corn in which he did both there at Sidon Beritus and other Towns alongst the Sea-coast because they should never more serve for a refuge unto the Christians or give them footing again into those Countries Thus together with Ptolemais was the name of the Christians utterly rooted out of Syria and the Land of Palestine in the year 1291 about 192 years after the winning of Ierusalem by Godfrey of Bulloin and the other Christian Princes his Confederates This loss as tending to the great disgrace of the Christians in general moved not a little even the greatest of the Christian Princes wronged all or most part of them in the persons of the Templars or Knights Hospitalers their Subjects so shamefully now quite cast out of Syria and the Land of Promise howbeit troubled with their own turbulent Affairs at home or with their neighbour Princes not far off none of them once stirred for the redress or revenge thereof Only Cassanes the great Tartar Prince having of late subdued the Persians and married the Daughter of the Armenian King a Lady of great perfection and of a Mahometan become a Christian at the request of his Wife and his Father-in-Law took the matter in hand And for that purpose
Grandfather being with as little stir as might be deposed he himself might alone injoy the Empire But needing Mony for the effecting of so great matters he by force took all the Mony from the Collectors whom the old Emperor had sent into Thracia for the taking up of Mony there telling them that he was an Emperor also and in need of Mony and that the common charge was likewise by the common Purse to be discharged After that he took his way towards Constantinople pretending that upon special causes he had occasion to send Embassadors unto the Sultan of Egypt for the transporting of whom he was there to take order for the setting forth of a great Ship and other things necessary for the journey Neither went he slenderly appointed but with a great Power and the Cities of Thracia before well assured unto him such as he suspected being thrust out of Office and others more assured unto him placed in their steads But whilst he thus bestirreth himself one of those that were most inward with him detesting so foul a Treason secretly fled from him unto his Grandfather from point to point discovering unto him all the intended Treacheries and withal how that his Nephew had determined to depose him from his Empire or otherwise to bereave him of his life if he should stand upon his Guard but if in the attempt he should find easie success then to spare his life and depriving him of the Imperial Dignity to thrust him as a Monk into a Monastery and therefore advised him to beware how he suffered him after his wonted manner to come into the City for fear of a general revolt but rather by force to keep him out Which the Emperor hearing and comparing with other things which he had heard of others yet sounding in his Ears deeming it to be true stood up and in the anguish of his Soul thus complained unto God Revenge my quarrel O God upon them that do me wrong and let them be ashamed that rise up against me and preserve thou unto me the Imperial Power which by thee given unto me he cometh to take from me whom I my self begot and advanced After he began to consider what course to take for the assurance of himself and his State in so great a danger And first he sent unto his Nephew come half way to forbid him from entring the City and to tell him that it was a great folly for him being so manifest a Traitor both unto his Grandfather and the State to think his traiterous purposes to be unknown unto the World. And beside in way of reproof to rehearse unto him how many occasions he had given for the breaking of the League with his Grandfather first in taking away the Mony from the Collectors whereof the State never stood in more need by reason of the division of the Empire which required double charge then in that he had in the City every where displaced such Governors and Magistrates as his Grandfather had sent thither and placed others at his pleasure with many other like facts declaring his treacherous aspiring mind for which he was not without cause by his Grandfather forbidden to enter the City After that the old Emperor by secret Letters craved aid of Crales Prince of Servia and Demetrius the Despot his Son who was then Governor of Thessalonica and the Countries adjoyning commanding him with Andronicus and Michael his Nephews Governors of Macedonia with all the Forces they were able to raise and such aid as should be sent unto them out of Syria with all speed to joyn together and to go against the young Emperor But these Letters thus written unto the Prince of Servia the Despot and others as is before said were for the most part intercepted by such as the young Emperor had for that purpose placed upon the Straits of Cristopolis and the other passages especially such as were written in Paper yet some others in fine white linnen Cloth and secretly sowed in the Garments of such as carried them escaped for all their strait search and so were delivered And in truth nothing was done or about to be done in Constantinople but that the yong Emperor was by one or other advertised thereof whereas the old Emperor on the other side understood nothing what his Nephew did abroad or intended For all men of their own accord inclined to him some openly both Body and Soul as they say and such as could not be with him in person yet in Mind and good Will were even present with him and that not only the common sort of the Citizens of Constantinople but the chief Senators the great Courtiers yea and many other of the Emperors nearest Kinsmen also who curiously observing whatsoever was done in the City forthwith certified him thereof Amongst whom was also Theodorus the Marquess one of the old Emperors own Sons who many years before by the Empress his Mother sent into Italy and there honourably married was by his prodigal course of life there grown far in debt so that leaving his Wife and Children behind him he was glad after the decease of his Mother to flie unto his Father at Constantinople and there now lived who beside that he most honourably maintained him in the Court and bestowed many great things upon him paid also all his Debts which were very great All which Fatherly kindness he forgetting went about most Iudas like to have betrayed his aged Father For he also dreaming after the Empire and for many causes but especially for that he was in Mind Religion Manners and Habit become a Latine by him rejected thought he could not do him a greater despight than by revolting unto the young Emperor so that the nearer he was in blood the more he was his Fathers unnatural Enemy Shortly after Demetrius the Despot having received the Emperors Letters at Thessalonica called unto him Andronicus and Michael his Nephews the Governors of Macedonia with whom joyning all his Force and dayly expecting more aid out of Servia he first spoiled the young Emperors Friends and Favourites in Macedonia giving the Spoil of them in all the Cities and Towns of Macedonia unto their Souldiers who made havock of whatsoever they light upon and whosoever seemed any way to withstand them or dislike of their Proceedings their Goods and Lands they confiscated and drave the men themselves into exile Neither was the young Emperor Andronicus in the mean time idle but secretly sent out his Edicts into all parts of the Empire yea into the very Cities of Constantinople and Thessalonica and over all Macedonia whereby he proclaimed unto the People in general a releasement of them from all Tributes Impositions and Payments and frankly promised unto the Souldiers and Men of War the augmenting of their Pensions and Pay which were no sooner bruited but that most men were therewith moved both in Word and Deed to favour his proceedings doing what they could to further the same and by secret Letters
by torture to wrest it out from him what might be got to make it in some sort appear that he died for his due desert Hereupon Bajazet deferred his Execution to a farther time and caused him there presently to be stript and carried away to be tortured Amongst other Gallants of the Court which attended the coming out of the great Bassaes whom they followed was one of Achmetes his Sons a Gentleman of great hope who missing his Father amongst the rest began presently to mistrust that all went not well and speedily running from one of the Bassaes to another with much ado learned the hard estate of his Father whereof he was also at the same instant advertised by a secret Friend near about Bajazet Hereupon this young Gentleman began forthwith piteously to lament his Fathers mishap and to exclaim against the cruelty of Bajazet called on the Janizaries for aid putting them in remembrance of his Fathers great and manifold Deserts towards them together with his imminent danger and so running up and down the City in the dead time of the night had in short space raised up all the Janizaries in Arms who understanding of the danger of their ancient Commander whom they generally loved and honoured as their Father came running by heaps from all parts of the City unto the Court-Gate there with terrible Exclamation doubling and redoubling their Bre Bre which barbarous word they commonly use in expressing their greatest discontentment and fury and did indeed so furiously beat at the Court Gate that Bajazet fearing lest they should break in by violence caused the outer Gate to be set open and shewing himself from above out at an Iron Window demanded of them the cause of that Tumult and Uproar To whom they insolently answered That they would by and by teach him as a Drunkard a Beast and a Rascal to use his great Place and Calling with more sobriety and discretion and among many other opprobrious words wherewith they shamefully loaded him they called him oftentimes by the name of Bengi Bengi that is to say Bachelor or Scholar which amongst those Martial Men Contemners of all Learning is accounted a word of no small reproach and disgrace And after they had in most despiteful manner thus reviled him they proudly commanded him forthwith to deliver Achmetes unto them or else to take that should ensue thereof Bajazet terrified with this Insolency of the Janizaries and fearing some sudden violence to be offered commanded Achmetes to be without delay delivered unto them which was done in such hast that he was brought forth unto them almost naked bare legged and bare headed bearing in his body the manifest marks of his hard usage The Janizaries receiving him with great rejoycing supplied his want of Apparel with such habiliments as they for that purpose upon the sudden took from Bajazets Minions and so taking him upon their shoulders with great joy carried him out of the Court still crying unto him How he did and how he felt himself And so guarded him home ready no doubt to have slain Bajazet and rifled the Court if he would have but said the word But he yet Loyal laboured with good words to appease that Tumult and to pacifie their fury excusing that which Bajazet had done against him to have been done only to correct him for that happily he had forgotten some part of Obedience and Duty Nevertheless hereupon remained no small heart-burning betwixt Bajazet and the Janizaries for a long time after yet Bajazet for fear of them reconciled himself to Achmetes and in open shew had him in greater Honour than before promoting him even unto the highest degrees of Honour howbeit he inwardly hated him to death And the more by the continual instigation of the old Bassa Isaac by whose perswasion when it was thought that all had been forgotten he was by Bajazets Commandment as he sate at Supper in the Court thrust through the body and slain This was the miserable end of Achmetes the great Champion of the Turks and one of the greatest Enemies of Christendom that ever lived in the Turkish Court for by him Mahomet subverted the Empire of Trapezond took the great City of Caffa called in ancient time Theodosia with all the Country of Taurica Chersonesus the impregnable City of Croia with all the Kingdom of Epirus the strong City of Scodra and a great part of Dalmatia and last of all Otranto to the terrour of all Italy by him also Bajazet vanquished and put to flight his Brother Zemes as is before declared In reward of which good Services he was by the Tyrant upon a meer suspition thus cruelly and shamefully murthered About this time also Caigubus Zemes his Son then but a Child was by the commandment of Bajazet his Uncle strangled in the new Tower of Constantinople Bajazet now grievously offended with the pride and late Insolency of the Janizaries caused secret inquiry to be made of them which were the Authors of those late Stirs and finding them to be the Officers of their Companies and specially those which had before slain Mahomet Bassa the great Politician immediately after the death of Mahomet the late Emperor at which time they had also raised great Tumults and done much harm in the City he under colour of Preferment sent away those Authors of Sedition into divers parts of his Empire appointing unto them as unto old Souldiers and Men of good desert certain Lands and Revenues for their Maintenance and Preferment But as soon as they were departed he by secret Letters commanded the Governors and Magistrates of those places whereunto they were sent suddenly to apprehend them and as Traytors to put them to death which was accordingly done The Janizaries of the Court and about Constantinople hearing what had hapned unto their Fellows became wonderful discontented and began to mutine in divers places of the City uttering Speeches against the Emperor full of Despight and Revenge year 1487. Which thing when Bajazet understood and had well considered the late danger he was in together with the intollerable Pride and Insolency of those his masterful Slaves he secretly purposed in himself for the curing of so dangerous a Disease to use a most desperate remedy which was suddenly to kill and destroy all the Janizaries especially those which were belonging to the Court or about Constantinople This his purpose he imparted to divers of his greatest Bassaes charging them upon pain of his heavy displeasure not to disclose it and for the execution thereof had sent for great numbers of those Souldiers which are called Acanzij who are amongst the Turks reputed for the best sort of Common Souldiers Most of all the Bassaes to whom he had imparted this his cruel device much disliked thereof as too full of peril and danger yet seeing him fully resolved for the performance thereof would not or durst not say any thing to the contrary Only Alis and Ishender Bassa both descended of
two or three days in a place Whilst he was thus travelling Selymus no less careful of the keeping of his Estate than he had before been for the obtaining of the same began now to doubt That if he should depart from Constantinople and with all his Forces pass over into Asia against his Brother Achomates Bajazet in the mean time might in his absence return to Constantinople and so again possess himself both of the City and Empire Wherefore to rid himself of that fear he resolved most Viper like before his going to kill his Father and so most unnaturally to deprive him of life of whom he had received life such is the cruel and accursed Nature of Ambition that it knoweth neither Father Mother Brother Wife Kindred or Friend no sometimes not her own Children the fury whereof was never in any one more pregnant than in this most monstrous and cruel Tyrant Selymus The readiest and most secret way he could devise for the effecting of this his damnable device which without great impiety could not be so much as once by him thought upon was to work it by poyson upon which resolution he secretly compacted with Haman a Jew his Fathers chief Physitian to poyson him promising him for his reward a Pension of ten Ducats a day during his life And for that men are oftentimes with terror and fear as well as with reward enforced to be the ministers of mischief he to be the more sure of this Jew prone enough for gain to do evil threatned him with most cruel death if he did not both secretly and speedily work this feat commanding him so soon as he had done it to return unto him to Constantinople The deceitful Jew moved both with the fear of death and hope of reward two great motives coming shortly after to Bajazet and finding him very weak seeming to be very careful of him told him That he would prepare for him a portion which should both restore to him his health and also strengthen his weak body if it would please him to take it the next morning early lying in his bed Bajazet nothing distrusting his old Physitian whom he had so often and so long trusted said he would gladly take it Early the next morning cometh the Jew with the deadly poyson in a Cup of Gold Bajazet yet sleeping which he set down in the Chair of State and so stood waiting untill the aged Prince should of himself awake But Bajazet sleeping soundly as oftentimes it chanceth when men sleep their last and withal somewhat longer than stood with the Jews purpose he presuming of his wonted practice awaked him and told him That the time to take the portion was almost past and asked him if it were his pleasure then to take it Bajazet doubting no Treafon willed him to bring it whereof when the Jew had taken the essay having before himself taken a preservative against that poyson he gave it to Bajazet to drink who chearfully drank it up the Physitian commanding them that waited in his Bed-Chamber and attended on his person to keep him well covered with warm clothes and not to give him any thing to drink until he had well sweat This cursed Jew having thus poysoned the aged Prince to avoid the danger of the Fact and to carry the first news thereof to Selymus secretly conveyed himself away and in hast fled to Constantinople But Bajazet attainted with the force of the Poyso began first to feel most grievous gripings in his Stomach the strong pain whereof appeared by his miserable complaining and heavy groaning in the midst of which torments he gave up the Ghost in the year 1512 when he had reigned thirty years The Turks report that he died a natural death but Antonius Utrius a Genoway who at that time served in Bajazet his Chamber and was present at his death reporteth That upon his dead Body the evident tokens of Poyson were to be seen His dead Body with all his Treasures were presently brought back again to Constantinople and delivered to Selymus who caused the Body of his Father to be with the greatest solemnity that might be buried in a most sumptuous Tomb in a Chappel near unto the great Mahometan Temple which he had before built for himself at Constantinople which Monument there remaineth this day to be seen His Servants were all by Selymus restored to their places which they before held in the Court in the time of their old Master excepting five of the Pages of his Chamber who lamenting the death of their Master above the rest had attired themselves all in mourning Apparel for which cause they were by the commandment of Selymus cast into prison where two of them were put to death the other three at the suit of Solyman Selymus his Son and of other two Bassaes were saved but being stript of their rich Apparel and whatsoever else they had gotten under Bajazet they were inrolled for Common Souldiers under Sullustares Bassa Of these three Antonius Utrius the Genoway before spoken of was one who after ten years miserable Captivity amongst the Turks at last escaped at such time as Selymus was by the Persian discomfited and with much ado returning again into Italy wrote the History of all such things as he himself had there seen with the calamities of Bajazet his House and a great part of the tyrannous Reign of Selymus Haman the false Jew as the same Author reporteth coming to Constantinople and expecting some great reward for his foul Treason by the commandmet of Selymus had his head presently struck off with this exprobration of his Treachery That opportunity serving he would not stick for reward to do the like against Selymus himself Of this Bajazet Ianus Vitalis writeth this Elogium Dum rerum exquiris causas dum procul Hunnes Carmannos Cilices Sauromatasque domas Bajazethe domi proles tua te petit armis Et te per fraudes amovet imperio Adjicit inde novum sceleri scelus tibi miscet Pocula lethiferis illita graminibus Intempestivos crudelis vipera foetus Per sua sic tandem funera rupta parit Quid tutum est cui sint ingentia regna Tyranno Si timant natos progeniemque suam In English thus Whilst that thou Bajazethes seeks of things the hidden cause And fain wouldst bring the Hunne and Russ under thy Turkish Laws Thy Son at home steps up in Arms against thy Royal Crown And by false Treason and Deceit finds means to pluck thee down Whereto he addeth mischief more and straight without delay By Poyson strong in glittering Bowl doth take thy life away The cruel Viper so brings forth her foul untimely Brood Who eat and gnaw her Belly out their first and poisoned Food Which things may Princes hold for safe that do great Kingdoms sway If of their Children they must stand in dread and fear alway Christian Princes of the same time with Bajazet the Second Emperors of
Ufegi one of his Bassaes with five thousand Horsemen who by great journies travelling to Amasia might upon the suddain come upon these two young Princes and take them altogether unprovided and as then fearing no such danger which was thought no great matter for the Bassa to do forasmuch as he might with his light Horsemen easily prevent the fame of his coming and the City of Amasia where they lay was neither well walled nor as then furnished with any sufficient Garrison for defence thereof besides that Achomates himself was at that time absent busied in taking up of Souldiers upon the Frontiers of Caramania But Musthapha the old Bassa by whose special means Selymus had obtained the Empire as is afore declared in the life of Bajazet being privy unto his wicked purpose and now in mind altogether alienated from him detesting his most execreable Tyranny both for the unworthy death of Bajazet his Father and the guiltless blood of so many young Princes his Nâ—phews by him shed without all pity and having compassion of the imminent danger whereinto these two Brethren were now like also to fall by secret and speedy Messengers gave them warning of the coming of the Bassa and all that was intended against them Who upon such knowledge given presently advertised Achomates their Father thereof and laid secret ambush themselves for the intercepting of their Enemies So that within few days after the Bassa coming with his Horsemen towards Amasia fell before he was awar into the midst of his Enemies at which time also Achomates following him at the heels so shut him in with his Army on every side that most of his men being slain he himself with divers other Captains were taken Prisoners and brought to Achomates and by his commandment committed to safe custody Now it fortuned that some of Achomates Souldiers scoffing at the Prisoners whom they had taken told them how they had been deceived and how all the matter had been carried so hard a thing it is to have even the greatest Counsels in Court kept secret boasting that they wanted not their Friends even of such as were most inward with Selymus who secretly favored the better cause and would not long suffer the cruel Beast to rage further all which things Selymus his Souldiers reported again after they were ransomed and retuned home But Ufegi the Bassa lying still in Prison and getting certain knowledge of the whole matter by secret Letters gave Selymus to understand that Mustapha the great Bassa whom he most of all trusted had secret intelligence with Achomates and had been the only cause of the loss of his Army Selymus of late envying at the great Honour and Authority of Mustapha and wishing him dead whose desert he was not able or at leastwise unwilling to requite caused him upon this accusation without further trial to be secretly strangled in his sight and his dead body as it were in scorn of his former felicity to be cast out into the Street for every man to gaze upon This was the shameful end of this traiterous Bassa who had of long time at his pleasure commanded all things in the Turkish Empire and was for Riches Power and Authority next unto the Emperors themselves but now lieth as a dead Dog in the Street no man daring for fear to cast earth upon him A rare spectacle of the uncertainty of worldly Felicity and a worthy example of Disloyalty But Achomates hearing what had happened to Mustapha in revenge thereof in like manner executed Ufegi Bassa his Prisoner and according to his courteous nature set all the rest of the Prisoners at liberty Selymus thirsting after nothing more than the guiltless blood of his Brethren and Nephews upon whom he had against all right usurped the Kingdom whereof he never thought himself sufficiently assured so long as any of them breathed began with the first of the Spring to devise with himself how he might first take away his Brother Corcutus who then lived at Magnesia and having cast off all hope of the Empire gave himself wholly to the study of Philosophy which he seduced with Ambition had in evil time a little before forsaken but now retiring himself thereto again as to his greatest contentment spent his time in quiet contemplation not attempting any thing against his cruel Brother usurping the Empire Selymus resolved upon the destruction of this harmless Prince suddainly commanded his Captains to make choice of ten thousand Horsemen to be in readiness within three days giving it out that he would make an inroad upon the suddain into Cappadocia In the number of these Horsemen Antonius Moenavinus a Genoway Author of this History as he himself reporteth was one All things being in readiness against the appointed time Selymus in person himself set forward with his Army from Prusa still keeping the way on the right hand so that the Souldiers who thought they should have marched directly into Cappadocia and so to Amasia as it was before commonly reported began now to perceive by the contrary course they held that they were to go for Lydia and Ionia When a valiant Souldier among the rest who had sometime served one of the Bassaes in Corcutus his Court by divers circumstances gathering the intention of Selymus secretly conveied himself out of the Army and being excellently well mounted taking the nearest way came to Magnesia and gave Corcutus warning of the coming of his Brother Corcutus considering the great danger he was in richly rewarded the Messenger and leaving his House in such order as it was wont to be fled with two of his Servants to the Sea side in hope to have found passage either into Crete or else Rhodes The next day after Corcutus was departed early in the Morning came Selymus to the Castle of Magnesia before the rising of the Sun in hope to have found Corcutus yet in his bed but being deceived of his expectation he fell into a great rage and with cruel torments examined all his Brothers Servants and Eunuchs What was become of him and where he had hid himself and with much ado got it out of them That he had warning of his coming by a fugitive Souldier and was thereupon fled but whither they knew not Wherefore Selymus staied there fifteen days during which time he caused diligent search to be made all over the Country and along the Sea Coast for to have apprehended him But when after much search he could hear no tydings of him he caused all his Brothers Treasure and rich Furniture to be trussed up and to be sent by Sea to Constantinople So leaving one of his Captains with a thousand Horsemen in Garrison at Magnesia he returned again to Prusa with as much speed as he came from thence verily supposing that his Brother was for safeguard of his life by Sea fled into Italy All this while Bostanges Selymus his Son in Law lying with a Fleet of Gallies upon the Coast of Ionia had
his Gallies taken in token of which Victory he sent part of the rich spoil there taken with the Admirals Ensign as a Present unto Solyman whereby he became famous in the Turks Court but much more after he had repulsed Auria from Cercenna and taken two great Genoway Ships which were coming to Auria loaded with Men and Munition the loss whereof filled the City of Genoa with much sorrow All things sorting thus according to his desire and his name become no less terrible in Spain Italy Sicily and the Islands of the Mediterranian than it was in the greatest part of Africk Solyman grieved with the loss of Corone Patras and the Castles upon the Straits of Lepanto taken from him by Auria Himerales his Admiral being shamefully put to flight by the Counsel of his Bassaes but especially of Abraham the chief Bassa sent Embassadors unto him to Algiers offering him the greatest honours of his Court and to make him Admiral of all his Fleet if he would forthwith repair unto Constantinople for why he was the only man in all mens judgments who for his years and great experience at Sea as well as for his invincible Courage and Glory of his late archieved Kingdom was to be compared with Auria and to be opposed against the Christian Fleet. Sinas a great man in Solymans Court was with this Embassage sent and speedily trasported to Algiers by Mangalis a famous Pyrat then Governor of the Rhodes who at his landing was honourably received by Barbarussa and audience given him Barbarussa understanding the cause of his coming was exceeding glad thereof presently conceiving no small hope of obtaining the Monarchy of Africk if he might once come to Solymans presence and at large shew unto him the state of Africk and power of the Christians with their continual discord amongst themselves Wherefore without further delay committing the protection of his Son Asanes then about eighteen years old and the Government of his new gotten Kingdom to Ramada and Agis two of his nigh Kinsmen and assured Friends of whose Fidelity he doubted not he with forty of his own Gallies in most warlike manner appointed set forward with Solymans Embassador towards Constantinople where by the way he met with a Fleet of Genoway Ships bound for Sicily for Corn which after a sharp and cruel fight he took and burnt After that landing by night in the Country of Elba not far from Naples he suddenly surprised Rhium a rich City where loading his Gallies with the Wealth thereof and carrying away with him all the Inhabitants into Captivity he arrived at Constantinople in the year 1533 where he was by the great Courtiers brought to Solyman of whom he was joyfully received if it were but for the Presents which he gave him which were fair Boys and young Maidens sumptuously apparrelled Eunuchs and wild Beasts of Lybia as Lyons Leopards and such like But after he had certain days discoursed at large with the great Bassaes of the State of Africk the strength of the Christians and how the Wars were to be managed he was afterwards by them seldomer sent for and offering himself into their Company was hardly admitted for Envy the inseparable Companion of growing honour had quickly overtaken him in the Court so that many men letted not openly to say It had not been the fashion of the Othoman Kings to prefer Pyrats the worst kind of Thieves to the honour of their great Admiral and that there wanted not neither ever would want men both vertuous and valiant in the Turks Court which could with great honour maintain and augment the glory of the Turkish Empire both by Sea and Land whereas he had against all right and conscience by shameful Treachery intruded himself into another mans Kingdom in Africk and there persecuted the Mahometan Princes and People being of no Religion himself as one that was born of a renegat Greek and from his youth lived as a merciless Pyrat and common Enemy of Mankind By which Speeches Barbarussa perceived in how evil time Abraham Bassa his best Friend and by whose means he was sent for was absent from Court who at that time was gone to Comagena and wintered at Aleppo with purpose as Solymans Forerunner with the first of the next Spring to pass over Euphrates against the Persian After long suit and much expectation Solyman answered Barbarussa by Ajax and Cassimes two of the great Bassaes That all the matter concerning him should be referred to the discretion of Abraham the chief Bassa for that he was by his Counsel especially sent for into Africk wherefore if he did expect any thing he should repair unto him in Syria that according to his grave judgment all things might be ordered Barbarussa thus rejected into Syria although he well perceived that it tended to his no small disgrace yet in hope by sufferance to obtain another Kingdom seemed contented with the answer and resolved forthwith to take upon him that long and painful journey which the old King lustily performed and so posting by Land through Asia the less and travelling over the Mountain Amanus then covered with deep Snow came in dead time of Winter to Aleppo in Syria where he was honourably received by the great Bassa and heard at large to his so good contentation and liking that he deemed him of all others the fittest to command the Turks Power at Sea and to that purpose writ commendatory Letters in his behalf to Solyman wishing him for his sufficiency to place him as the fourth with the other three Bassaes of his Counsel After Barbarussa was again arrived at Constantinople with these Letters and that it was once known how effectually the chief Bassa had commended him to Solyman it was a wonder to see how on a suddain the face of the Court was changed upon him every man either for Friendship or Flattery began now to speak of his praises and to extol his worthiness who was now in all mens mouths but Barbarussa so great was the Power and Authority of the chief Bassa that being absent yet was his approbation of all men accounted sufficient to prefer whom he pleased and his Letters Laws to the rest of the Court. Barbarussa had brought with him from Algiers one Roscetes the Elder Brother of Muleasses King of Tunnes who wrongfully driven into exile by his younger Brother had lived certain years at Algiers but now by the perswasion of Barbarussa was come with him to Constantinople to crave aid of Solyman against the oppression of his Brother Him Barbarussa oftentimes shewed unto the great Bassaes and in his discourses with them concerning the Conquest of Africk set him out as a most fit instrument for subduing of the Kingdom of Tunes as a man whom the People more affected than they did Muleasses the Usurper After long deliberation and consultation had with the Bassaes concerning the invasion of Africk Barbarussa now admitted unto the presence of Solyman
knowledg thereof drive headlong his Son who was already running too fast of himself Besides that he was not ignorant that the Eyes of all Nations were bent upon this discord of his two Sons and therefore he desired by all means that these Grudges might be with as little stir as was possible appeased Wherefore he answered Bajazet courteously That concerning his Government of Amasia he could not alter it as resolutely set down as well for his Brother as himself and that therefore they should do well to go both to their appointed places as he had before commanded As for the rest they should be of good comfort for that he would take such order as that neither of them should have just cause to complain Partau Bassa the fourth of the great Bassa's of the Court was appointed to go with this Message to Bajazet and Mehemet third of the same great Bassa's with like charge to Selymus because the matter should seem to be done with all indifferency and both of these great Men commanded not to depart from them they were sent unto before they were both come unto the places of their Government whereunto they were assigned Which Solyman wisely did to keep them both within the compass of Duty by the presence of such two grave Counsellors Which thing Selymus took in good part but Bajazet not so who having resolved with himself to set all on a hurly burly thought nothing more unfit for his designs than to have one of his Fathers greatest Counsellors still at his Elbow as Censor of all his Speeches and Doings wherefore having courteously entertained him and rewarded him according to his Ability he dismissed him though unwilling to depart making this excuse That he would use him as his Patron and Defender with his Father forasmuch as he had no other in Court to defend his cause promising not to be unto him an unworthy or unthankful Client and to carry word back again unto his Father That he would above all things have care of his command if he might so do for his Brother Selymus whose Injuries and Treacheries he had much ado to brook Partau the great Bassa so sent away assured Solyman what the very mind and purpose of his younger Son was And albeit that Bajazet to make it seem as if something had been done by that Embassage made shew as if he would have presently gone towards Amasia yet Solyman nevertheless fearing the worst made all the preparation he could against him commanding the Begleâ—beg of Grece although then sick of the Gout to make haste and with his Horsemen to pass over with all speed to aid Selymus and Mehemet Bassa but lately returned he sent foâ—thwith back again for the same purpose to Selymus with certain of the most trusty Companies of the Janizaries and the old Man in readiness made semblance as if he would himself in person have gone over also But the Janizaries and other Souldiers of the Court came with evil Will together detesting that War between the Brethren as altogether abominable for against whom should they draw their Swords was it not against the Emperors Son and happily the Heir of the Empire Wherefore this War might as they said well enough be let alone as altogether unnecessary and not they to be inforced to imbrue their Hands one in anothers Blood and to pollute themselves with such Impiety as for that which Bajazet did was to be holden excused as proceeding from necessity Which Speeches of the Janizaries being brought to Solymans Ears he forthwith declared them to the Mufti who in all matters of doubt they flee unto as unto a most sacred Oracle demanding of him how he was to be intreated who of himself presumed whiles he yet lived to levy Souldiers raise an Army ransack Towns and trouble the State of the whole Empire and what also he deemed of them that were his Followers and took part with him and last of all of them also that refused to bear Arms against him and said that he had in so doing nothing offended Whereunto the Mufti answered That both the Man and his Partakers were all worthy of death and that such as refused to take up Arms against him were as prophane and irreligious Men to be accounted detestable Which the great Priests answer was published unto the People and by the chief Chiaus sent to Bajazet to see if he might be therewith moved Within a few days after there came to Constantinople one of the Chiaus whom Bajazet had intercepted being sent from Solyman to Selymus by whom Bajazet gave his Father to understand That he was in all Duty his and that he had not taken up Arms against him neither refused to be unto him in all things obedient but that he had only to do with his Brother and with him to fight for his life by whose Sword he must die or else he by his for that a mischief was to be by one of them performed which quarrel he was resolved to try whiles he yet lived and that therefore he should do best not to meddle in the quarrel or to give Aid to either But if so be he would needs as the report was pass over the Sea to aid Selymus he should not think easily to get him into his hands for that he knew right well if the worst came how to escape and save himself and would before he could get over into Asia make such spoil with Fire and Sword as never had Tamerlane or other the cruellest Enemy of the Turks that â—ver was Which Message did not a little trouble Solyman And withall it was reported That the Town of Axuar where one of Selymus his Sons ruled as Sanzack was already taken by Bajazet and shamefully sacked But Selymus hearing that his Brother was gone toward Amasia and now on his way as far as Ancyra being out of all suspicion of danger which he feared upon the way so long as his Brother was yet lingring in those quarters hasted now towards Iconium which was with a strong Garrison kept for him for amongst other cares wherewith Solyman was vexed it was not the least That Bajazet intercepting Iconium should get into Syria and from thence into Egypt an open Country and not yet throughly established under the Turkish Government neither forgetful of the old Government of the Mamalukes and therefor desirous of change from whence it would have been an hard matter to have driven Bajazet especially the Arabians being always ready and at hand at every light stir where any hope of Prey was out of which Province also in case of extremity he might easily transport himself into any of the Christian Kingdoms Solyman therefore took great care that this passage which might seem the last refuge of Bajazets devices might be stopped up and concerning the same had given commandment unto most of his Commanders in Asia to be always in readiness to aid Selymus whensoever he should call With them
their minds altogether estranged from that War easily staied the raging Turk they detested that War and forsook their Ensigns a great number of whom especially Horsemen without leave of their Captains returned to Constantinople and being commanded again to the Camp went indeed but with such countenance and chear as well declared how they were affected and what they would do if occasion served for them to revolt For which cause after that Solyman perceived that Bajazet could not alive be got from the Persian excusing himself by fear of revenge by him whom he had so grievously offended if he should by any means escape he thought it best to follow that which was next and to have him there slain which he was in good hope to compass and the rather for that the Persian had but lately written unto him That he could not but much marvel to see him deal so slenderly in a matter of so great importance That he on his part had sent him divers Embassadors and that he on the other side had sent him nothing but common Messengers with Papers which caused him to think that he made no great account of the matter wherefore he should do well to send unto him Men of account and place with whom he might confer and conclude also according to the weightiness and exigence of the cause besides that he was as he said not a little in his debt for that Bajazet and his Followers had been unto him no small charge before he could get him into his power all which it were good reason he should have consideration of Whereby Solyman perceived that Mony was the thing the Persian King sought after and therefore rather than he would in an unfit time of his life intangle himself in a dangerous and unnecessary War he determined by the counsel of his Bassaes rather with Mony than with the Sword to fight with the Persian King. Hereupon was Hassan Aga one of the chief Gentlemen of his Chamber appointed Embassador into Persia with whom was joyned the Bassa of Maras a Man both for his age and place reverend who departing with a large Commission almost in the depth of Winter with great speed and wonderful toil by those long and difficult ways arrived at last at Casbin the Seat of the Persian King having by the way lost divers of their Servants and Followers Being come to the Court the first thing they desired was to see Bajazet whom they found shut up in a close Prison pale and wan as a Man forlorn with his Hair and Beard so long and overgrown as that he was not to be known before he was new Trimmed which done then appeared the lively resemblance of his wonted countenance and favour so that Hassan verily knew him to be him for he had been brought up with him of a Child in the Court and for this cause especially had Solyman sent him thither to be assured that it was he At length after long discourse and conference between the King and the Embassadors it was agreed upon that the King should receive from Solyman full recompence of all the charges he had been at and of the harms by him sustained since the coming of Bajazet into Persia with such further reward as so great a good turn deserved which things performed that then it should be in Solymans power to have Bajazâ—t made away With this news Hassan posteth to his Master at Constantinople who forthwith caused the promised Reward together with such charges as the Persian King demanded to be made ready and with a safe convoy to be sent unto the Borders of Persia where they were of the Persians received Presently after returneth Hassan the appointed Executioner of the unfortunate Bajazet for so Solyman had straitly charged him to strangle him with his own hands Which thing this new made Hangman accordingly performed and with a Bow-string strangled the unfortunate Prince who is reported to have requested of the Executioner that he might but see his Children before he died and take of them his last farewel which poor request could not be granted but he forthwith commanded to die This was the woful end of the unlucky attempt of Bajazet a Prince of far more worth than was Selymus his Brother who in seeking to shun the death he feared hasted the same before his time Such as was the Fathers end was also the end of his four Sons Omer Amurat Selym and Muhamet of whom the three eldest were strangled at Casbin with their Father whose dead Bodies together with his were solemnly brought to Sebastia and there buried The youngest but new born left at Amasia and sent by his Grandfather to Prusa as is before said to be there nursed was now upon the death of his Father commanded by his said Grandfather to be strangled also The Eunuch sent by Solyman to have done the deed and loth to do it himself took with him one of the Porters of the Court a desperate and otherwise a hard hearted Ruffian a Man thought fit to have performed any villany he coming into the Chamber where the Child lay and fitting the Bow-string to the Childs Neck to have strangled him the innocent Babe smiling upon him and lifting it self up as well as it could with open Arms offered to have embraced the Villain about the Neck and kissed him Which guiltless simplicity so wounded the stony hearted Man that he was not able to perform the intended butchery of the poor simple Child but fell down in a swoun and there lay for dead The Eunuch standing without the Door marvelling at his long stay goes in and finding the Ruffian lying along upon the ground with cruel hand performed that the other could not find in his heart to do and so strangled the guiltless Child as had been given him in charge Whereby it evidently appeared that it was not the mercy or compassion of Solyman that so long caused the guiltless Infant to be spared but rather the opinion generally received amongst the Turks who measuring all things by the good or bad success refer all things that fall out well unto God as the Author thereof be they never so ungraciously begun and therefore so long as it was yet uncertain what success the attempts of Bajazet would have Solyman spared the Infant lest upon his Fathers good hap he might seem to have striven against the will of God. But now that his Father was dead and his quarrel by the evil success thereof condemned as it were by the sentence of the Almighty he thought it not good longer to suffer him to live lest of an evil Bird might come an evil Chick I had sometime saith the Reporter of this History great reasoning with my Chiaus about this matter for falling into talk with him of Bajazet he began bitterly to inveigh against him for taking up Arms against his Brother Whereunto saith this Author I replied That in mine opinion he was worthy both to be
Forces much weakned that he rejected the Counsel of Muhamet calling him in his Choler Christian which among the Mahometans is a Word of no small disgrace and yielding wholly to the perswasion of Mustapha and Pial presently caused preparation to be made both by Sea and Land for the performance of that his resolution Which was not so covertly carried in the Turks Court but that it was discovered by M. Antonius Barbarus the Venetian Embassador and not without cause suspected by the Venetian Merchants whom the barbarous Turks began now to cut short in their Traffick looking big upon them as Men suddainly changed and evil intreating them with hard speeches the undoubted signs of greater troubles to ensue The Venetian Embassador now out of doubt of the Turks purpose for the invasion of Cyprus came unto Muhamet the chief Bassa complaining of the breach of the League and putting him in mind of the Fidelity of the Venetian State towards the Turkish Emperor requesting him that Selymus might not make too much haste to begin that War which would set all Europe on a broil but rather by his Embassadors first to declare his mind to the Senate for that so it might haply come to pass that all might be quieted to the good of both parties without War. Which the politick Embassador requested not of the Bassa for any hope he had to avert the War for which the Turk had now all things in a readiness but only by such an hope of composition to hinder the Turks endeavours and to win time until that the State being fully certified of all these matters might make ready their Fleet and Forces and so in Arms be ready to answer their armed Foes Neither did he ever leave the Bassa until he had by his means procured That one Cubates should be sent Embassador to Venice to prove the minds of the Senators whether they would willingly deliver the Island or adventure to have it taken from them by Force These things and such like as were then done at Constantinople being by Letters sent in Post from the Embassador made known at Venice brought a general heaviness upon the City for why that understanding and provident State warned by their former harms of all others most dread the Turks Forces Cubates the Embassador accompanied with Aloysius Barbarus the Embassadors Son and Bonricius his Secretary departing from Constantinople came by long journeys to Ragusium where Angelus Surjanus sent from Venice to meet him was ready to receive him who being taken into his Gally brought him to Venice In the mean time the Senators sitting oftentimes in Counsel were divided in opinions concerning the chief matter they consulted upon some there were that thought it not good to wage War against such an invincible Enemy nor to trust upon a vain and idle hope neither to commit all unto the hazard of such Fortune as was unto them in that War by the Enemy propounded they alledged That they had always unfortunately taken up Arms against the Turks and that therefore they should set before their Eyes what harms they had suffered and how that beside the losses already sustained they had always in the winding up of the Wars lost something more that it were better to depart with Cyprus so that they might quietly enjoy the rest rather than enter into Arms Time they said would at length give them some one fit occasion or other to recover that they had lost and to restore their State unto their former Honour which for the present was above their power to maintain To put their trust in their Confederates they said was but to deceive themselves they should remember how often even small causes of false suspition or hope of profit or fear of harm had utterly frustrated and broken in sunder the most solemn Capitulations of the strongest Leagues how often destruction had come thence from whence aid was always to have been hoped for they needed not to seek farther for examples than from their own Domestical Affairs Others were of a contrary opinion as that the Island was by force of Arms to be defended saying That nothing could be more dishonorable than without fight to depart with so notable a part of their Seigniory neither any thing more commendable than to prove all things for defence of their Honour neither would the proud Turks with whom no assured League could be made as they said hold themselves content with this yielding up of the Island but by intreating of them and giving them way become more insolent and when they had taken Cyprus from them would also seek after Creet and Corcyra and so yielding them one thing after another spoil themselves of all together ambitious and greedy Princes they said grew more bold and insolent by other Mens fear and that no great or notable matter was to be done without danger that hard beginnings had oftentimes merry endings that the Favour and good Will of that insatiable and greedy Nation was not to be gained but with so great loss and charge as that such a costly Peace would be much more hurtful than War it self beside that it much concerned other Christian Princes to have the Venetian State preserved and that therfore it was to be hoped that they would to the uttermost of their power give them aid The matter thus debated to and fro it was in the end resolved upon to take up Arms in defence of their Honour and by plain force to withstand the Turk So when Cubates the Turks Embassador came to Venice neither did any Man of Courtesie meet him neither was any Honour done unto him or so much as common Courtesie shewed unto him but being afterward admitted into the Senate House with his two Interpreters only he delivered Selymus his Letters inclosed in a little Bag wrought with Silk and Gold and so whilst the same Letters were in breaking up and translating out of the Turkish Language into Italian delivered also his Message by word of mouth as followeth What great account the mighty Sultan my dread Sovereign hath always made of your most honourable Friendship is therein right well declared That in the very entrance of himself into his Empire he forthwith and without any hard or new Conditions renewed his League with you which he hath on his part always kept most faithfully and unviolate worthily grieving the like kindness not to be shewed on your behalf neither the like care of keeping your Faith to appear in you who by harboring of Pyrats in your Havens and murthring of his Subjects have oftentimes broken the League Which injuries although they were by War to have been revenged yet hath he so mighty a Monarch hitherto been always more mindful of your Honour and Friendship than of his own Majesty and Profit But forsomuch as there is no end of these Injuries and Wrongs and that it is now come to that point That longer to forbear might be imputed unto him rather
could not overtake him Alexander coming to Tauris understood that the Court lay at Casbin about twelve days Journey farther up into the Country coming thither the fourteenth of August of this year 1571. he chanced to meet with certain English Merchants with whom he had before been acquainted by whose help he not only got to speak with Ayder Tamas the Kings third Son but learned of them all the Manners and Fashions of the Persian Court and how to bear himself therein The Persians by reason of the intollerable Heat do most of their Business at that time of the year by night Wherefore Alexander about midnight brought in to Ayder declared unto him the cause of his coming and the next night admitted unto the speech of his aged Father delivered his Letters of Credence and in the name of the Senate declared unto him with what perfidious dealing Selymus the Turkish Emperor was about to take away Cyprus from the Venetians with what greediness and pride he had set upon the Christians and that discharged of that War he would of all likelihood set upon the Persians having the self same Quarrel unto the Persians that he had unto the Venetians that is An ardent and insatiable desire of Sovereignty a sufficient cause for the greedy Turk to repute every King the richer that he was the more his Enemy After that setting forth to the full the Prowess of the Christians the wonderful preparation they had made both at Sea and Land he perswaded the King with all his power to invade the Turk now altogether busied in the Wars of Cyprus and to recover again such parts of his Kingdom as Solyman the Father of Selymus had taken from him Wars he said were more happily managed abroad than at home That sithence he alone the Christian Princes all then at quiet had withstood the Turks whole force and power he needed not now to doubt of his most prosperous success the Christian Princes now joyning with him That he was much unmindful of his former losses and wrongs if he thought he enjoyed an assured Peace which he should find to be nothing else but a deferring of War unto more cruel times and that the Turk if he should overrun Cyprus would forthwith turn his victorious Arms upon him The end of one War was as he said but the beginning of another and that the Turkish Empire could never stay in one state and that he would observe not the Turks Words but his Deeds and how that the Othoman Emperors according to the opportunity of the times used by turns sometime force sometime deceit as best served their purposes That no Princes had at all times by dissembled Peace and uncertain Leagues more deluded some until they had oppressed others He wished also that at length this his cunning dealing might appear unto the World and that Princes would think that being combined together they might more easily overcome the Turk than being separated defend their own That in former times sometime will sometime occasion was wanting to them to unite their Forces And that therefore they should now combine themselves for their Common good against the common Enemy That it concerned no less the Persians than the Christians to have the power of the Turk abated And that this taking up of Arms should be for the good of the Persian King howsoever things should fall out if well he should then recover what he had before loâ—t with much more that was the Turks if otherwise yet by voluntary entring into Arms to countenance himself and to give the Turks occasion to think that he feared him not which was as he said the only way to preserve their common safety which would be unto all the Confederate Princes easie enough if they themselves made it not more difficult than the power of the Enemy The Speech of the Embassador was willingly heard whereunto the King answered That he would consider thereupon what he had to do and in the mean while a fair House was appointed for the Embassador and his Followers and bountiful allowance appointed of the Kings charge He was also many times sumptuously feasted by the Noblemen whom he still requested to be mediators to the King to take that honourable War in hand The King had at that time a Son called Ismael a Man of a great Spirit whom he then kept in durance for that he with too much insolency made Roads into the Frontiers of the Turks Dominions to the disturbance of the League his Father had before made with the late Turkish Emperor Solyman unto him Alexander having access was of him courteously heard who fretting and languishing for very grief of revenge upon the Turks wished that either the King his Father had his mind or he himself the power of a King and said That if ever it were his good Fortune to obtain the Kingdom he would indeed shew what he then in mind thought But of him more shall be said hereafter Whilst this matter went more slowly forward in the Persian Court than the Embassador would have had it news was brought unto the Court of the great Victory which the Christians had much about that time obtained of the Turks at Sea upon which occasion the Embassador solicited Tamas more earnestly than before to make him partaker of the Victory of the Christians by entring into Confederation with them and by taking up of Arms rather than to hold uncertain friendship with the Turks in their miseries by whom he had been so often wronged This he said was the only time for the Persian King to recover his former Glory the like offer whereof would neither often chance neither long stay and that if he suffered so fit an opportunity to slip away he should afterwards in vain wish for the same when it were too late This so wholsome Counsel was well heard but prevailed nothing to stir up the aged King who then troubled with Rebellion in Media or weary of the former Wars he had had with the Turk and glad of such Peace as he had then with him answered the Embassador That forasmuch as the Christian Princes had made a perpetual League amongst themselves he would for two years expect the event and afterward as occasion served so to resolve upon Peace and War. This improvident resolution of the King brought afterward unprofitable and too late repentance unto the whole Persian Kingdom when as within a few years after all the calamities which the Senate had by their Embassador as true Prophets foretold redounded unto the great shaking thereof The Cyprian War once ended and Peace concluded with the Venetians Amurath the Son of Selymus succeeding his Father in the Turkish Empire invading the Persian King took from him the great Country of Media now called Silvan with a great part of Armenia the Great and the regal City of Tauris as shall be hereafter in due place declared At which time the Persian who now refused to take up Arms or joyn
they were enjoyned so to do by Abas Marize their Lord who had not only caused himself to be called King of Heri but had given it out that he meant to claim the Succession in the whole Kingdom These complaints much prevailed with the King both in respect of the love he bare to Emir Hamze his eldest Son and also of the credit he gave to his Visier especially being accompanied with the crafty packing of the said Visier who as he was very cunning in such Practises of himself so did he make them much more effectual with the effeminate King by the means of divers great Ladies and other Devices that were to him very familiar and usual Insomuch that the King carried away with light belief did continually bethink himself how to find Opportunity to repress the boldness of his disobedient Son not forgetting for all that to make such preparation against the Turks as should be sufficient to stay their Passage to Tauris if they had any purpose so to do But leaving the Persian King to his troubled Cogitations for a while let us again return unto the Turks General the great Bassa Mustapha He now lying at Erzirum after many troubles abroad was surprised and almost overwhelmed with unexpected Quarrels at home many grievous Complaints being made of him to Amurath whereby he was induced afterwards to take from him his Generalship and to call him to the Court to give account of his Actions Which seemed not to be done without cause he having before raised a great Discontentment in the Mind of Amurath by sending such a strong power to the Succours of Teflis whereby he conjectured that the Affairs of Georgia were not in such Security as Mustapha had already informed him they were and also generally offended the Minds of the Souldiers of his Army who all in an uprore accused him of Improvidence and Prodigality for that now this second year he had with so much ado gathered together such a number of Souldiers to the trouble of the whole Empire and infinite charge of their Lord and yet performed nothing worthy the Glory of Amurath or answerable to so great a charge Which Complaints although they were of some moment yet would the Turkish Emperour for the great Favours he bare unto him his antient Tutor never have construed them so hardly against him as for the same to have been induced to have deprived him of his place if the inveterate envy of Sinan Bassa had not ministred strength and force to these hard Accusations and set as it were an edge upon Amurath to do what he afterwards did This Sinan was a most antient Enemy to Mustapha and in all things thought himself his match For if Mustapha had subdued Cyprus so had he conquered Tripolis Guletta with the Kingdom of Tunes in Affricke and if Mustapha were a man of great Courage and reverend for his years Sinan would be his equal both in the one and the other yea and did not stick to think himself his better too for that in the enterprise of Giamen in Arabia he performed such an Exploit as Mustapha neither durst nor yet knew how to put in Execution so carrying away the Glory of that famous Conquest for which ever after there was between them a continual heart-burning one of them envying at the others Glory and both in Word and Deed as Occasions fell out in all things opposing themselves one against the other At last happens this Opportunity for Sinan who taking the occasion of the Complaints of so many against Mustapha caused a great number of them to frame their Supplications to Amurath which he for his part did in most malignant manner inforce and exaggerate against his old Adversary accusing him that this second year he had most manifestly shewed himself to have gone unto the Wars not as a worthy General desirous of noble and honourable Enterprises but as a man that would make merchandise of Blood and of his Souldiers pay employing the most liberal Provision of Corn and Money not as Rewards of well-deserving men nor to the erecting of such Pabricks as were needful and might have been built therewithall but onely to his own proper gain so to inrich himself with his Peoples losses to the great shame of his Lord and consuming of the publick Treasure adding hereunto that if the things done by Mustapha were well searched it would be found that he had neglected many good Opportunities attempted many things in vain and not done any good either to the Emperour or his Souldiers but only to himself whom rather than they would follow again as their General all his People in an uprore shewed themselves ready and willing to adventure themselves in any other far greater Labour that by their Lord and Sovereign should be commanded them These and such like Complaints with the hard Opinion already conceived against him by Amurath were the occasion why he resolved to put him from his place Beside that he thought it a thing dangerous to his state to suffer one and the self same General any long time to command over so great Armies deeming it not so much for his Honour still to employ one man as to shew that he had variety and choice of Subjects worthy of so great a charge And therefore being desirous to find out the truth of that was reported to him concerning Mustapha he sent the chief of his Gentlemen Porters with fifteen others to bring him to the Court with his Chancellour and Treasurer to shew the accounts of such Monies as he had received and to give up an account of their whole Office. Unto this Messenger had Amurath delivered three divers Letters which he should warily shew as occasion served one of them was so written of purpose that Mustapha in the receiving thereof might by the same Messengers be strangled in the second was the Emperours warrant for the doing of that was to them commanded and in the third was contained that Mustapha should forthwith send his Chancellour and Treasurer to the Court by those Messengers Mustapha in the mean time by divers means but especially by the guilt of his own Conscience venting the Displeasure of the Emperour towards him and suspecting as the truth was his Life to be by those Messengers sought after at such time as the Captain Porter came to his Camp found many delays to put him off and would not in any case be spoken withal But when the Messenger would indure no longer delay he was at length admitted to his presence having a circle appointed for him out of which he and his Companions might not stir or approach nearer unto him the Bassa's Guard standing in Arms round about him The Messenger perceiving the Bassa's wariness wilily pluck'd forth the third Letters concerning the sending of his Chancellour and Treasurer to the Court. Then began the crafty old Bassa to find many excuses to have delayed the matter but being hardly pressed by the Messenger
Military Insolency as the Turks term it now and then at their pleasures make incursions for booty both by Sea and Land which answered with the like from their Neighbours so molested there never wanted new Grievances and just causes of Complaint to the stirring up of greater troubles even amongst the greatest Princes The Venetians thus wronged at Sea year 1591 and their Merchants robbed by their Ambassadors complained at Constantinople of the Injuries done them by the Turks Pirats requiring to have them called home and Justice done upon them In like manner the Emperour also seeing many things both this year and the next attempted by Hassan Bassa in Croatia and the other Turks in Hungary contrary to the League to the great disturbance of his Subjects in both those Countries by his Ambassador then lying at Constantinople complained of these Outrages desiring to know whether they were done by the consent and knowledge of Amurath or not and if not then to require that order might be taken for the restraining thereof which was accordingly done and those Incursions for a while stayed and the former Peace continued Amurath still making shew as if he were willing that the League agreed upon for eight years should not be in any wise on his part infringed At which time the Persian King's Son the League not long before concluded died in the Turks Court where he lay in Hostage whose dead body Amurath caused to be honourably sent home to his Father into Persia with an Apology in defence of himself against the suspicion conceived by some That he should have been the cause of the untimely death of that young Prince still urging withal the confirmation of the League which by the death of the Prince was like enough to have been broken Whereof Amurath was the more desirous for that perswaded by his Bassa's as is aforesaid to make Wars with the Emperour although he notably dissembled the same he was in hope thereby to add unto his Empire the reliques of Hungary with some good part of the Territory of the House of Austria also and so to open himself a way into the heart of Germany For which purposes he now caused very great preparation to be made and a strong Army to be raised and at the same time put a great Fleet of Gallies into the Archipelago for the safety of his Islands in that Sea. According to these Designments year 1592 the Bassa of Bosna by the Commandment of Amurath with an Army of fifty thousand entred into Croatia and without resistance burnt and destroyed the Country before him sparing nothing that came in his way And not so contented laid siege to the City of Wihitz being the metropolitical City of that Country strongly scituate as it were in an Island compassed about with the River Vna Which City after he had sore battered and twice assaulted was by the distressed Defendants now despairing of relief and unable longer to hold it out yielded unto the Bassa upon Composition That the German Souldiers there in Garrison might in safety with bag and baggage depart and that such of the Christian Citizens as would might there still remain without hurt from the Turks either in Body or Goods Which Conditions the Bassa faithfully performed to the Garrison Souldiers whom in number but four hundred he sent with safe convoy into their own Territory but afterwards contrary to his faith and promise exercised all manner of Turkish Tyranny upon the poor Citizens The Emperour troubled with this unexpected Invasion of the Turks sent the Lord Petzen whom he had many times imployed in Embassages to the Turk to pray Aid of the German Princes against the common Enemy Who according to the greatness of the danger in large terms promised their help The first that made head was Ernestus Arch-duke of Austria the Emperour's Brother who with five thousand Souldiers came from Vienna to Savaria commonly called Greis the Metropolis of Stiria to whom repaired daily more strength out of Carinthia In the mean time the Turks Army daily increasing in Croatia inclosed six thousand Foot-men any five hundred Horse-men of the Christians who had taken the Mountains Woods and streight Passages and so hardly beset them that of all that number few escaped with life amongst whom many valiant Souldiers and expert Captains were slain namely Iames Prants George Plesbach and Iohn Welverdurff The Bassa after the barbarous manner of the Turks to make his Victory seem more famous laded six Waggons with the Heads of the slain Christians The Turks thus raging in Croatia brought a general fear upon all Hungary Bavaria Bohemia Stiria Carinthia Silesia and the rest of the Provinces thereabouts Whereupon the Emperour calling together the States of Silesia and Moldavia declared unto them the imminent danger perswading them to ioyn their Forces with the rest for the repulsing of so dangerous an Enemy and so imminent a Danger After long delay Ernestus the Arch-duke the tenth of August came to the Emperour his Brother with the Ambassadors of Hungary and the seventh day after were called together the Embassadors of the Kingdoms and Provinces of the Empire where it was throughly debated how the Turks were to be resisted and their attempts infringed as also from whence Forces Money and other Warlike provision was to be raised For now it was manifestly seen that longer to delay the matter was dangerous and the rather for that the Beglerbeg or great Commander of Grecia with threescore thousand select Souldiers both Horse and Foot of long time exercised in the Persian War was e're long expected who joyning with the rest of the Turks Army might do great matters both in Hungary and the Places adjoyning For preventing of which so great and manifest dangers they sate daily in Counsel in Prague yea oftentimes even from morning untill night for the Hungarians and especially the Lord Nadasti a most noble and valiant Gentleman amongst them instantly urged to have Succours sent into Hungary forasmuch as the Turkish Emperour if he should get into his hands the rest of the Towns and Castles yet holden by the Christians in Hungary it was to be feared lest he should in short time after endanger the whole state of Germany the strength whereof the Turk feared not so much as he did those poor reliques of Hungary Others were no less careful of the dangers of Croatia and Stiria as more proper to themselves the Enemy now there raging In these so great dangers the Hungarians with the rest of the distressed cried upon the Emperour for help and he likewise called upon the Princes of the Empire Divers Assemblies were made in Bohemia Hungary Moravia Silesia and the other Provinces of the Emperours and Embassadors sent from almost all the German Princes to the Emperour all was full of Consultation but as for help that came in very slowly yet such as was to be had was forthwith sent into Croatia to defend the Fortresses there against the
Second Emperour of the Romans to Sinan Bassa the Chief Visier greeting WE write at this present unto your most Excellent Emperour our most honoured Friend and Neighbour concerning such matters as we thought fit for the Preservation of the Peace and League betwixt us lest haply otherwise we might seem to have forgotten our Duty Now it shall well-beseem your uprightness and good will which we have at other times proved for the high Place and Authority which you hold and which we rejoyce to be again restored unto you to give unto these things such easie passage before his Majesty as that we may acknowledge your kindness and favour and have occasion therefore to shew our selves unto you thankful First we offer our selves most ready to continue the Peace and to perform whatsoever is according to the conventions of the renewed Peace on our part to be performed as also to send the honourable Present which is not as yet by us sent when as our Ambassador shall have with you appointed any certain time wherein it may be sent And we also assuredly hope so to prevail with your Emperour that on your part the Places within our Territories by your People forcibly possessed together with all such things as have been wrongfully taken away may be again restored and the Fort of Petrinia razed The Bassa of Bosna also who we think would have been kept within the compass of Duty if you had at that time held the Place of the chief Visier and whosoever else guilty of the wicked breach of the League to be worthily according to their deserts punished and displaced and your Souldiers severely charged not to make any farther Incursions nor to do any thing that may â—end to the breach of the League as we likewise shall with new and strait Commands most carefully restrain our Garrison Souldiers upon our Frontiers from all such Incursions and Enemies Actions But of these things our Ambassador is more fully and at large to entreat with you unto whose Speech we desire such Credence to be given as unto our own and we will so provide that you shall have good proof of our great good will towards you From Prague the eighth of March 1593. Vnto which the Emperours Letters Sinan returned answer as followeth Sinan Bassa Chief Visier to Amurath the Third Emperour of the Turks unto Rodolph the Second Emperour of the Romans greeting BY these we give your Majesty to understand That two of your Majesties Letters were brought hither before we were chosen and confirmed Chief Visier in this most Royal Court wherein your Majesty excuses your self and shews the causes why the sending of the wonted Presents hath been so long deferred by laying the fault upon the Insolency of our Garrison Souldiers in Bosna and the breach of the publick Peace Which your Letters being by us read before our most mighty Emperour his Highness in great choler burst out into these words And thy Son the Beglerbeg of Buda hath still hitherto writ and given us to understand that the usual Presents would certainly come and that the King of Vienna would not in any case consent unto the breach of the League or of the Amity betwixt us and him and yet for all that the Presents are not hitherto come wherefore thy Sons Writings and Relations are not true But now the Bassa of Bosna hath sent word unto the Court That your Majesty will not send them and all your doings to be but meer deceit and fraud For which cause our most Mighty Emperour hath removed my Son from his Place in Buda and rewarded the Bassa of Bosna with honourable Garments whereas my Son is for your Majesties sake displaced Now on our behalf nothing is done against the Peace but our Souldiers as with a Bridle kept in whereas on your Majesties part excursions and harms into the Territories of our Emperour never cease especially into Bosna whereinto your Souldiers have of late in warlike manner broken although they were by our Garrisons over-come their great Ordnance taken and brought hither unto the Court. Wherefore seeing the case so standeth your Majesty is to resolve us upon two points whereof the first is Whether you be minded to keep friendship with us as beseemeth and to send hither the two last years Presents or not And the second Whether you will set at liberty our Captive Sanzacks or no Now if your Majesty shall be content to keep the League and within these two Months next to send the two years Presents as also to dismiss our Sanzacks the League shall on our part be likewise undoubtedly kept your Territories shall be in no case molested such Christian Captives as your Majesty shall require be inlarged and a most firm and sure Friendship by us continued Whereas if you shall upon any cause or excuse longer delay the sending of those honourable Presents and unto these our Demands send us nothing but certain vain and windy Answers let God on High be therefore for ever praised for now our most Mighty and Victorious Emperour who wanteth neither Ability nor Power hath Commanded That we our self should in Person go in this War and putting our Confidence in the Highest with the Army of the right-believing Turks to come into those Parts And therefore assure your Majesty that we will not fail there to encounter you at which time shall appear unto the World what is by God our Creator whose Holy Name be for ever blessed in his deep Wisdom pre-ordained and set down for Us. Wherefore seeing that all which concerneth the League together with the safety and quiet of our People on both sides is unto your Majesty thus declared you are to consider the End and to follow our good Advice whereas if otherwise you shall be the cause of the breach of this so wholsom a Peace and Unity which we hitherto have so sincerely and firmly kept the excuse thereof both in this World and in the World to come shall lie upon your self Now we request of you no more but forthwith to send us answer of these our Letters As for the rest well may he speed that taketh the right way From Constantinople the last of the Month Giuma Zuleuel in the year of our Holy Prophet Mahomet 10001. Yet for all these fair offers of Peace thus made by Sinan Bassa in his Letters was his purpose nothing less than to have performed the same seeking onely to have drawn the two years Presents from the Emperour amounting to a great sum of Money and so nevertheless to have prosecuted the inteded War the Emperour being the onely man of whom Amurath his great Master had amongst all the Christian Princes made choice of to exercise his force upon Of all which things the Emperour was not ignorant being thereof as we said fully before by his Ambassador advertised from Constantinople These Troubles of the Spring thus past ensued the Summer much more troublesome for Hassan Bassa of Bosna chief
Treason And at the same time politickly caused to be published in Writing how that the Germans had in the farther side of Hungary got a notable Victory over the Turks for joy whereof he commanded Bonefires to be made and the great Ordnance to be in Triumph shot off with many other signs of joy and gladness and withall caused a notable Banquet to be prepared whereunto together with others were invited also all the chief of the Conspirators of whom even as they were at Dinner and least feared any such matter he commanded fourteen to be apprehended and committed to Prison and the next Morning caused five of them to be Executed in the open Market-place The Principal of whom who had undertaken to have himself slain the Prince after three or four light cuts in the Neck he caused to be drawn in pieces with four Horses the other four namely Alexander and Gabriel Gengi Gregory Diaco and Ladisâ—aus Sallentz were beheaded and their dead Bodies all that day left in the Market Place for the People to behold the rest were also afterwards worthily executed and Balthazor Bator whom the Conspirators had intended to have exalted strangled Having thus revenged himself upon his Enemies he by a publick Edict divulged through all his Dominion gave leave to all his Subjects in general of their own charge to take up Arms against the Turks and whatsoever they could take from them to have it to themselves as good prise gotten from their lawful Enemies By which unwonted Liberty the Transilvanians encouraged as with a great Bounty armed themselves on all hands to the number of forty thousand who being mustered and sworn to hold together against the Turks made their first Expedition towards Danubius where at their first arrival by good hap they light upon certain of the Turks ships laded with Provision for the Camp and Merchandise of all sorts and much Treasure of which rich â—hips they at the first Onset took seven but the eighth being indeed the Admiral escaped their hands In these Ships they took an exceeding rich booty slew many of the Turks and in token of the Victory carried back unto the Prince seven of the Turkish Ensigns This Victory caused great Joy in Transilvania every man of so prosperous a beginning conceiving good hope of most happy Success It is reported that Sinan Bassa hearing of this loss should say That if this Provision had come to him in safety he could with that Treasure more easily have bought Vienna in Austria than he had Rab in Hungary After this Victory the Prince laid siege to Temeswar but hearing of the return of the Tartars from the Turks Camp and that they were coming toward Transilvania as is before said he left Temeswar to look to the defence of his own Country Not long after about the two and twentieth of December a Tumult rise among the Ianizaries of the Court at Constantinople which grew to such an height that in the heat thereof one of the Bassaes was by them slain with some others of good account and one of Amuraths Sons sore wounded and with much ado saved Upon conceit whereof Amurath for Anger and Grief fell into a fit of the falling sickness whereunto he was much subject and was therewith for the space of three Days and three Nights so grievously vexed as if he should have presently given up the Ghost so that the City was filled with heaviness and fear and the great men of the Court were even ready to think upon a new Lord. This Tumult of the insolent Ianizaries many supposed to have been the cause of Amurath's death which shortly after ensued his Grief and Malady increasing daily by the evil News still brought unto him both by Messengers and Letters especially out of Transilvania where the Prince waiting upon every occasion was still at hand with the Turks cutting them short in every place and in sundry Roads which he made upon them this Month took many of their Castles and Forts from them He had at that time in the Field in divers places three Armies one under the conduct of Gesty Ferens in the Country of Lugaâ— near unto Temeswar another under the leading of Michael Horwat on the side of Danubius to intercept the Turks coming to Buda and the third commanded by Caspar Cornoyse in the Country near to Giula unto whom came shortly after fifteen hundred Horsemen out of the upper Hungary The Transilvanian Prince Sigismund Bator thus lately revolted from the Turk year 1595 for the strengthning of his State thought it best betimes to enter into Confederation with his Neighbours of Valachia and Moldavia who moved by his Example shortly after in like manner also cast off the servile Yoke of the Turk but especially with the Christian Emperour Rodolph For which purpose he sent Ambassadors honourably accompanied who coming to Cossovia in Hungary the fourteenth of December arrived at Prague the twelfth of Ianuary with twenty Waggons and an hundred and fifty Horse where they were by the Emperours appointment most honourably received and royally entertained and after a few days having delivered unto the Emperour the sum of their Embassage which was for a Confederation to be made between the Emperour and the Prince after much grave Consultation and serious Discourse it was fully concluded and agreed upon the chief Points whereof I thought it not amiss here in brief to set down for the satisfying of such as desire to know in what terms that worthy Prince next Neighbour unto the Turk then stood with the Christian Emperour First it was agreed upon That the Emperour for himself and for the States of Hungary should promise to proceed in his Wars begun against the common Enemy and not to conclude any Peace with him without the knowledge and good liking of the Prince And that in all Conclusions of Peace to be made betwixt him and the Turk the Countries of Transilvania Valachia and Moldavia should be always comprised in regard whereof the Prince likewise promised for himself and the States of Transilvania to prosecute the commenced War and not to enter into any League with the Turk without the knowledge and consent of the Emperour and the Nobility of Hungary and this to be confirmed by solemn Oath on both sides Secondly That the Province of Transilvania with all the Parts and Confines thereof hitherto possessed by the Prince of Hungary should remain unto the said Prince Sigismond and to his Heirs Male with all the Profits arising thereof in such sort as they had done in the time of Iohn Stephen and Christopher his Predecessors to have therein a most free and absolute Authority yet so as that they should acknowledge his Imperial Majesty and his lawful Successors for their lawful Sovereigns unto whom they should always swear their Fealty but without any Homage doing and that to be performed by his Successors at the time of the change but by the Prince himself presently after the confirming
Governour had in seventy five Waggons trussed up a wonderful deal of Wealth which he had there gotten in the time of his former Government to have been together with himself with a strong Convoy conducted to Belgrade Of this his purpose the Hungarian Heidons lying at Lippa and Ienna having Intelligence lay in wait for him upon the way and in his passing by set upon him where in a sharp conflict they overthrew the Convoy and slew the Bassa whose Head they sent for a Present to the Princess at Alba-Iulia and took the Spoil of the Bassa's Carriages wherein was taken a wonderful Wealth for in one of those Waggons is reported to have been found twenty thousand of Hungarian Duckats In this absence also of the Prince 10000 of the Rascians revolting from the Turk came and offered their Service unto the Princess whereof she by Letters with great speed certified the Prince her Husband who thereupon hasted to dispatch with the Emperour and having procured both from him and the Pope the Promise of some Aid to be afterwards sent him took of him his leave and being honourably accompanied departed from Prague to Vienna where he arrived the eleventh of March sitting in a princely Chariot drawn with six most beautiful Horses the gift of the Emperour At his coming thither he was met by the Nobility of the Country and by Aldobrandinus the Pope's Nephew who presented him with three goodly Horses for Service richly furnished Him the Prince took into his Chariot and so accompanied entred the City where he was with all due Honour received and joyfully entertained and so brought unto the Emperour's Palace where by the learned Students of that University was for his Pleasure acted before him the notable History of Ioshua Having stayed there three days and purposing to have in his Return visited his Mother-in-law at Greies in Croatia News was brought him That the Turks and Tartars by the setting on of Stephen Bathor his Uncle were about to break into Transilvania Wherefore changing his purpose he departed thence to Presburg and so with all speed kept on his way towards Transilvania where he to the great joy and comfort of his Subjects in general arrived in safety in the beginning of April In this while many hot Skirmishes passed betwixt the Christians and the Turks in the Frontiers of their Territories and now the Plague and Famine which had of long raged in Constantinople and other places of the Turks Dominions began to asswage Of which so great Calamities as had devoured many thousands of his People the Turkish Emperour finding himself somewhat eased forthwith caused the continuation of his Wars against the Emperour and the Transilvanian Prince to be three days together proclaimed in Constantinople and a great Army to be raised to be sent into Transilvanian and Hungary giving it out that he would with that so puissant an Army in Person himself come into Hungary At which time it was also reported That he had already sent his Tents and other his necessary Provision before to Hadrianople for now was nothing more odious in the Turk's Court than the Name of the Transilvanian Prince Of all these things was not the Emperour ignorant as fully thereof certified both by Letters and Espials as also by the uniform Confession of such Turks as were daily taken Prisoners For which cause he also with as much speed and care as he could provided for the raising of his Army as he had the Year before as also for the levying of Money and provision of all things necessary that the Enemy at his coming might not find him unprovided Neither spared he to pray Aid of the other Christian Princes his Neighbours especially of the Polonian whom he had divers times sought after to have drawn him into the Confederation with the other Christian Princes against the Turk To which purpose he now also sent unto him the Bishop of Preslaw and the Lord Poppelius his Ambassadors as did the Pope also send unto him the Cardinal Cajetane his Legate and the Princes Electors also their Ambassadors unto whom the Polonian gave good hearing and good words but would not by any means be perswaded to break his League with the Turk or to afford any Aid unto the Christians altho the Cardinal with many pregnant Reasons shewed him what small assurance there was in the Turk's Leagues and how dangerous it might be to his State if the Turk making Peace with the Emperour should turn his force upon him which it was like enough he would as knowing no man longer for Friend than stood with his Profit beside the immortal Blemish of his Honour by dissevering himself from the Union of the Christian Princes to hold Friendship with the Turks and Infidels But all this and much more to no purpose so resolutely was the Polonian set down for the keeping of the Turks Favour So that of all the Christian Princes so near unto the devouring Enemy none stood the Christian Common-weal in less stead than he Which for all that most men imputed not so much unto the King as to others about him especially to Zamoschy the great Chancellor by whom that State was most swayed who was not only supposed but openly reported to have secret Intelligence both with the Turk and the Tartar. All this while the Lord Palfi Governour of Strigonium ceased not with continual Inroads to vex the Turks even to the Gates of Buda as did also the other Christian Captains in other places of the Turks Frontiers in Hungary Near unto Buda were two great Country Villages for most part inhabited by Christians who having given their Oath of Obedience unto the Turk lived a miserable life for the payment of an excessive Tribute yearly These poor Christians weary of the Turkish Thraldom and the continual spoil of their Labours by them of Strigonium by secret Messengers requested the Lord Palfi of Mercy to carry them with their Goods and Cattel away into some other place of the Christian Territory that so they might yet live amongst Christians as he had but a little before done for them of old Buda Unto which their so reasonable a Request the Christian Governour charitably hearkened willing them against a certain appointed time to put themselves with all their things in readiness There was of these Christians about 755 Families who with their Wives and Children and such trash as they had pack'd up into eighty Waggons drawn with fourteen or sixteen Oxen a-piece at the appointed time about mid-night committed themselves with all that they had unto the conduct of them of Strigonium sent out of purpose for them by whom they were in safety brought to Strigonium Amongst them were many rich men who brought with them good store of Coyn with an exceeding great number of Cattel Unto these new-come Guests Palfi assigned certain Fields betwixt Strigonium and Vivaria on the North-side of Danubius where they so commodiously lived as was possible in so troubled an Estate
of his Cowardise if he failed in the performance thereof promising him indeed his Sister in Mariage amongst other the glorious Rewards and Trophies of his Victory and threatning him with Death as a Punishment amongst the Griefs of his Dishonour But it came to pass that by the Cowardise of our men he came unto the effect of his desire as is aforesaid and took the City which promised unto him the glorious Triumph in Constantinople And under the sweet influence of this Planet he returned to Constantinople where he found all things in readiness for the satisfying of his Expectation and the Advancement of his Glory He is magnificently received of his Prince courteously saluted by all the Nobility and with greatest reverence possible honoured of the People And as he had happily discharged his Charge he found in like manner all things prepared and in readiness for the performance of the promise of the Grand Seignior his Lord and Master who had caused them to be in most sumptuous manner provided for the solemnizing of the Marriage and the contentment of the Bassa But nothing now wanting that he could have desired or wished more than the very solemnizing of the Marriage it self and that also every day of all men expected the Ianizaries and Spahi with the other Souldiers of the Court to the number of five and twenty thousand even upon the sudden when as no such thing was feared came and in Arms presented theâ—â—selves before the Divano or Tribunal holden 〈◊〉 the chief Administration of Justice in the Turks Palace the first four days in every week and having set Guards at the Court Gates the more safely to execute what they were before resolved upon proudly demanded to have Audience for certain of the Spahi and Ianizaries of whom they had made choice in the names of them all to deliver unto the great Bassaes their Grievances and the Causes of that their Assembly Who as soon as they were entered into the Divano before the Bassaes of whom the most couragious of them was not without fear as looking for nothing but for present death they at the first demanded to have Hassan Bassa delivered unto them Who thinking that his Head should have served for a Sacrifice to pacifie this their Fury as a man altogether dismayed wan and pale passed through this mutinous Multitude to have gone unto the great Sultan protesting of his own Innocency and calling upon his Prophet Mahomet to discover unto them the truth of all things But they after a thousand Injuries and Reproaches by them heaped upon him rudely demanded of him whence it proceeded that whilst he with a great part of the Forces of the Empire was busied in Hungary for the recovering of Alba-Regalis there was in the mean time no good order taken for the repressing of the Rebel in Asia who by sufferance was as they said now grown so proud as with Ensigns displayed to come within three or four days Journey of Constantinople the Imperial seat of the Othoman Emperours Whereunto he in so small fear answered That he for his part had done his Duty as well while he had the charge of the Army in Asia as now of late whilst he had the like charge against the Christians in Hungary as even the Enemies themselves could witness But seeing himself even ready to die he yet requested them That his guiltless Death might be unto the State in general profitable and in discharging of his Conscience to declare unto them the Causes of this Contempt and Neglect for the surpressing of the Asian Rebel which they were so desirous to know It proceeded as he said only from the evil Government of the Grand Sultans Mother who then all commanded and from the negligent carelesness of the Capi-Aga Which his speech although they with much impatience and storming gave ear unto yet hearing him so well to excuse himself and to lay the blame there where they were well content it should rest they gave him leave to go to the great Sultan to request him that they might speak with him and further to deal with him that they might have the Head of them who had been the cause of this dishonourable Service or otherwise cowardly behaved themselves in the managing of the Wars against the Rebels in Asia Threatning him withall That if he failed to perform this his charge he should not fail to feel the heavy Effects of their just Fury An heavy charge yet glad was the Bassa to undergo the same to rid himself out of their Hands where he saw himself in great danger amongst them most of whom had sometimes served under him than amongst so many his most mortal Enemies but what Remedy he must now so do or die therefore for which he was the more to be excused So in great fear coming unto the great Sultan almost as fearful as himself he shewed unto him the great danger like even presently to ensue by the Mutiny of his best Souldiers and Guarders of his Person perswading him betime to appease their Fury before they had embrued themselves with Blood for fear of further danger like enough to ensue as well unto his own Person as unto the rest of his most faithful and trusty Counsellor from such furious head-strong men up in tumult with their Arms in their Hands And although that a Prince ought not for the Greatness of his Estate to do any thing as thereunto forced by his Subjects lest in so doing he might breed in them a Contempt of himself and increase their Insolency that yet nevertheless in this Action being altogether extraordinary he was not to rest upon that point for that these mutinous Souldiers turned not their Weapons as they pretended against his Imperial Power and Soveraignty but rather to the contrary against the Contemners thereof seeking to be revenged upon them that had done him such evil Service for the maintenance of his Honour and Majesty and for the Punishment of the insolent and disloyal And that therefore the Justice of the Cause requiting and covering the Malice of the Fact he was of Opinion That it were best for him to yield a little unto the Zeal of these his best Souldiers and to satisfie their just desire although they had by very evil and unlawful means sought for the same And therefore advised his Majesty in some sort to satisfie the just Complaints of these men armed for the Revenge of his Honour and to chastise the chief Commanders of his Asian Forces such as by whose Treachery or Cowardise his Service being neglected had armed these men against them with the same hand punishing such as had wronged his Majesty in Honour and appeasing the discontented for the good of his Service Mahomet thus by the Bassa perswaded as also to shew himself in his Majesty unto these his discontented Subjects one part of their desire the Necessity of the Cause so requiring in his Imperial Seat presented himself unto
Horses and Furnitures of value Great Sums of Mony were extracted out of the Exchequer for Military Preparations and Paiments of the Souldiery The Charge of Affairs in absence of the Grand Signior was committed to the Bostangi-bashee who was made Chimacam of Constantinople and so â—ith a fierce Spirit and aspect full of Indignation and Anger he mounted his Horse at the Head of an Army of an hundred thousand he departed from Constantinople about the end of April But before we recount the particulars of what succeeded in Persia year 1635. it is requisite to cast our Thoughts back to the Troubles of Transylvania occasioned by the competition of Stephen Bethlem and George Ragotski for that Principality Bethlem as we have said before being grieved and discontented at his hard Fortune in being put by the Government and resenting the Punishment which Ragotski inflicted on his Son for the Crime of Manslaughter he went to Buda and there renewing his old Complaints to the Pasha he was with Recommendations from him accompanied to the Port where being introduced to the Presence of the chief Ministers he at large declared the Merits and good Services of his Family towards the Sultan That for this Reason only in dishonour and despight to the Ottoman Empire he was excluded from the Government and therefore challenged its Assistance to re-establish him therein in consideration of which he promised the same Faithfulness and Devotion to the Sultan which was professed and maintained by his Ancestors and was natural to the Family of Gabor That as to Ragotski it was apparent that he entertained different Principles that he was a Person of elated Thoughts and a Turbulent Spirit and was ever united in Combination with the Emperor Germans and other Enemies to the Ottoman State. The Turks moved with these Reasons resolved to favour Stephen and to discountenance Ragotski and though the Conjuncture of Affairs was sâ—ch as that any other Engagement in War besides that of Persia did not square with the present Designs yet at all times it was judged convenient to sow the Tares of Discord and promote Differences amongst Christians which have ever produced Advantages to the Mahometan Cause And likewise the Pasha of Buda was commanded to enter Transylvania with a Force sufficient to contend with Ragotski and lest the Emperor should be allarm'd with this Commotion a Chiaus was dispatched to give him a perfect understanding of the Reasons why an Army marched into Transylvania the Design of which was not intended in the least manner to impeach the Articles of Peace between him and the Grand Signior but only to displace a Man of a furious and turbulent Spirit and to ordain another in his stead of a more sober and quiet Temper by whose Moderation and Prudence the Peace between the two Empires may be improved and continued Ragotski startled at this Design intended against him assembled the States of his Country to determine and consult concerning a Remedy and immediately dispatched a Messenger to the Emperor to desire and implore his Imperial Succour and Protection and though Ragotski was sensible of the disparity of his Strength in comparison of that of the Turks yet neither did his Counsels nor Behavior betray Fear or want of Constancy The Hungarians seconded those Instances which Ragotski had made at the Imperial Court and the Party which he had made at Vienna brought the matter to a debate in Council which was argued on both sides with solid and convincing Reasons Those who spake in disfavour of Ragotski alledged That all Assistance contributed to him would be a just Cause and Pretence to the Grand Signior to make War with the Emperor That Ragotski himself was of an unquiet Temper not unlike to Gabor his Predecessor who had often bid Defiance to the Emperor and over-running all Hungary and Austria had often erected his Standard in the sight of Vienna To protect and cherish a Person of this Disposition was no other than to nourish a Serpent or Viper in their Bosom who being elevated at the expence of the Empire in successes against the Turk would convert that Power which he had gained to the damage of the House of Austria combining with the Faction of other Princes to procure its destruction Let us therefore said they stand at a gaze and as Men on the Shore or in a good Port behold the agitation of Ships in the Ocean perhaps the change of a Prince in Transylvania may turn to our Benefit and one may succeed into the place of such a mild Temper and serene Disposition as may better agree with the Maxims of this Court and may cultivate that Peace which can only render these Countries happy Howsoever there were other Opinions to the contrary amongst which it is said that D. Annibal Gonzaga a Person acquainted with the State of Transylvania and of the Turks and Director of the Imperial Army delivered himself in this manner May it please Your Sacred Imperial Majesty IF Ragotski had been the Lawful Son and Hereditary Successor of Gabor who was an Enemy to your Majesty we might then apprehend the evil Consequences of a Son that traces the same Path and Footsteps of his Father But here is another Person another Prince in Emulation different and by Enmity hating the House of Gabor wherefore I cannot imagine how this Prince can possibly entertain Maxims of like Nature with the other For my part I believe that it behoves your Majesty to maintain a good Correspondence with the Princes of Transylvania by a close Vnion against the Turk your adjoining Countries being like contiguous Buildings which are strengthned by a mutual Support Let us therefore support it for if it depends not on us it will be over-run and remain oppressed without us To aggravate the Faults of Gabor to the disparagement of Ragotski is no Logical Consequence unless you will argue That the Faults of the Guilty are to be punished on the Innocent Let us therefore consider which agrees best with the Security of the Empire that Transylvania should remain in the Hands of Ragotski or of the Turk or that we had better strike against the Rock of Iealousie which we conceive against this Transylvanian or on that ruinous Rock of the Turkish Power The Ottoman Councils commonly look asquint they cast their Eye on the Prince when their sight aims at the Principality and threaten the Person when they design to vent their Fury to the subjection of his Country The true Intent of the Turk is to reduce Transylvania to the same Condition with Moldavia and Walachia and to incorporate this with infinite other Provinces into the gross Body of his Empire It is notorious to all the World that the Emperors your Predecessors have lost a large Tract of Land by the Turks and your Losses will every day be greater as their Conquests increase And when their Dominions in Europe are so enlarged that they are able to quarter their Asiatick
10000. Foot and 3000. Horse which were to pass by way of Tâ—ieste into Croatia according to the Promise and Assurance of the Nuntio at Viâ—nna for acknowledgment of which religious and considerable Succour Count Leisle was dispatched from the Imperial Court in a private Character to pass those Offices of grateful Acceptance as were due to so high a Merit and Sense of the Christian Cause But scarce was Lâ—isle arrived at Venice before he understood to his great Admiration that the holy Army was by Order of the Pope disbanded for which no other Cause was assigned than only that at Rome it was seriously debated and in the end it was concluded that the Expence was too great to be charged on the Ecclesiastical State and that the Soldiery also were themselves unwilling to be so far separated from their own Country all which at Vienna were understood to be frivolous Preâ—ences and the causes thereof attributed to the sinister Offices of a Person ill affected to the Emperors Interest by which the Pope and Dâ—n Mario his General falling from their Resolutions and Promises Count Leisle was revoked from his Employment and the Imperial Interest and hopes disappointed of so considerable a Succour Howsoever that the Pastoral care might not seem to be altogether dormant and careless of the Universal Flock the Pope having disbanded his Army could not do leâ—s than to supply the defect thereof with Money for raising of which he charged the Ecclesiastical State through all Italy the Dominions of Venice only excepted whose Wars already with the Turks exempted them from farther Taxes with an Imposition of 6 per Cent. of their yearly Revenue under the notion of Tenths or Tithes which in all amounted to the sum of 700. thousand Dollars which by Bills of Exchange was remitted by way of Venice â—o the Imperial Court. In the mean time the â—â—ench Troops were arrived in Hungary under the Command of the Count Coligni which joining themselves with the General Montecuculi followed the motion of the Viziers Army The Turks designed to pass the Danube for recovery of Lâ—wa or Lâ—vâ—ntz and in their way to destroy and lay desolate the Country of Count Badian and in virtue and strength of that and former Successes to pass forward to the Subjection of 〈◊〉 and Viâ—nna But God who disposes the Affairs of this World and gives Laws and â—ounds to the Licentiousness and unlimited Pride and Avarice of Mankind took off the Wheels oâ— the Turkish Chariots and caused them to move slowly and warily having an Eye always barâ—kwards to the Forces of Mâ—ntâ—cuculi who attended them along the Banks of the River Muer or Mura But whilst these two great Armies marched in view of each other the Walacâ—ian and Moldavian Forces joining with a considerable number of Turks and Tartars under the Command of Chusaein Pasha resolved to Assâ—ult and again to recover Leventz which tho scarce setled being so lately taken by the Christians yet valiantly repulsed two fierce Assaults of the Enemy with that Courage and Bravery that 2000. were Slain under the very Walls By which time it being the 〈◊〉 of Iuly Count Soise passed the Nitra with his Horse and Foot and thence hastning his March with all Expedition he first Encamped at the Foot of a Hill called St. Bâ—net from whence he discovered the Enemies Body â—rom the Top of a Mountain and thence approaching nearer threw up some Earth and Works by the Banks of the River Grava the next day having found a fordable place of the Water Soise in less than two hours passed the gross of his Army which the Enemy observing left their Siege abandoned their Trenches and displaid their Army in open Field which consisting of 25. or 30. thousand fighting Men appeared much more numerous than the Christians For to these Forces under the Conduct of Husaein Pasha of Buda were joined the Pasha of Anatolia and Cidizade the Pasha of Temeswar four Boluchees of Spahees and a good Force of Tartars together with the Militia of Moldavia and Valachia under their respective Princes which composed an Army as was computed of above 25000. Men. Upon approach of Husaein Pasha the Christians gave way and retreated intending to receive their Enemies in a larger Field and afford an occasion to them of greater Confidence in Execution of the Design they came to Act. The Turks supposing the Christians to be fled for fear with more boldness marched forward And believing this Retreat to proceed rather of Fear than Policy continued to contemn the Pusillanimity of the Christians and lest it should argue too much regard and esteem of their Force vouchsafed not to send Scouts abroad either to view their Camp or to prevent surprisal but some of their Officers wisely considering that a Soldier ought never to despise his Enemy they were perswaded to send a considerable Body of Horse to view and discover the Enemies Force who in the way meeting with a party of the Christians after a small Skirmish put them to Flight and taking some Prisoners brought them before the General the Prisoners upon Examination confessed that Count Susa was fully resolved the next Morning to give them Battel and declared the number and courage of his Army to be such as altered the Opinion Husaein had conceived of the Cowardice and Weakness of the Christians power so that that whole Night the Turks past with watchful and vigilant Guards their Arms ready and the whole Camp in a posture of Defence The next Morning being the 9 th of Iuly the day breaking discovered the Christian Army at so near a distance as that their several Motions might be discerned and putting themselves in Array for the Battel made two Wings of Horse each Wing consisting of 3000. Horse the most armed Cap-a-pe and well provided the Foot marched in the Body of the Army well appointed and fitted with all sorts of Ammunition and Arms and so raised with chearful Courages as rendered them in appearance to the Turks a Warlike and formidable Army The Turks likewise drew themselves into Battalia desirous to try the fortune of the day the right Wing was Commanded by the Prince of Valachia and the lest by the Prince of Moldavia The Body of the Army was composed of Turks and Tartars almost all Horse except 2 or 3000. Janizaries sent as an Auxiliary Force from Newhausel and Strigonium These two Armies thus ranged in a Posture of Defiance stood in view each of other until Husaein Commanded his Men to pass the Marsh or Fen which was between them and the Christians but several would have perswaded him the contrary lest the success of the day not proving to Expectation the Marsh should be a disadvantage to their Flight and an occasion of greater Slaughter in the pursuit to which Husaein Couragiously answered That Men who would Conquer were to look forward and not behind them those that would save their Lives by flight were fit to perish
on his actions and to vent any thing which but favoured of his commendations The reason of which I adventure to assign unto two causes The first is that Antipathy or natural aversion the Germans have to the Hungarians and Croatians these endeavouring to maintain the Priviledges of a People who have a free liberty of the Election of their Prince whilst the others desirous to take occasion to weaken and impoverish them would necessitate them to yield their Kingdom to the Emperor by an hereditary Right The second is the fury of Serini and Soise whose zeal without consideration of irritating the Turk or fear of moving the passion of the Lyon beyond the terms of an easie pacification transported them to commit all damage and ruine which are the just concomitants of War which rage seemed over violent to the Court at Vienna and not to suit with the present Policy of the War which was designed to be carried on rather in a defensive than in an offensive posture imagining perhaps that the good nature of the Turk might be complemented into Peace and that gentleness and generosity might have the same effect upon them as it had upon Saul when David had his life at his mercy and yet spared him according to which counsels of the Court Montecuculi squaring every particular of his motion and thereunto adding success mounted on the wings of Fame and had his Glory celebrated without diminutions but the hot and zealous temper of Serini which Souldier-like understood nothing but down-right blows knew not how to use that moderation and caution which the Imperial Court judged an ingredient so requisite to the prudent management of the present War that he was esteemed uncapable of command who had not discretion enough to practice it And this was the true reason that Serini was discountenanced and that his Command was taken from him and that his Appeal to the Court was without redress Howsoever in regard that the Fame he had won carried him high in the esteem of all Christendom he was entertained with hopes and fair promises and even aâ—ter the very â—attel of Rab nothing was more commâ—â—lâ— discoursed than the giving Nicholas 〈◊〉 command independent of any other Genera◠〈◊〉 â—ut in the end it proved nothing but vaiâ— Proposals to humour the fancy of Serini himself and to satisfie the World which admired a Person so qualified and deserving as he should be made a subject of so much disgrace and neglect With this News the Turks remained greatly ashamed and dejected having but two days before demonstrated excesses of joy congratulated the happy News one to the other and after their manner sent Presents abroad deâ—ided the Christians upon the News exprobriated them with a Thousand injuries and applauded their own Virtue Valour and the righteousness of their Cause and Religion But on a sudden Intelligence coming contrary to their expectations such a dampness fell upon their spirits that for some days there was a deep silence of all News at Constantinople they that the Day before sought for Christians to communicate to them the Miracles of their Victory now avoided their Company ashamed of their too forward joy and the liberty they had taken to contemn and deride the low condition of the Christian Camp. And now the ill News not being able longer to be concealed Prayers and Humiliation were appointed publickly to be made at all the great Moschs of Constantinople and Adrianople where all Emaums with their young Scholars were commanded to resort and sing certain Prayers appointed for such occasions The minds of the Soldiery after this defeat were very much discomposed tending more to sedition than obedience Every one took licence to speak loudly and openly his opinion that the War was commenced upon unjust and unlawful grounds That the total Eclipse of the Moon which portends always misfortunes to the Turks should have caused more caution in the Commanders in ingaging the Armies this year until the malignancy of that Influence had been overpassed All generally accused the first Vizier as the Author and ill Manager of the War Iniquissima bellorum conditio est prospera omnes sibi vendicant adversa uni imputantur and calling to mind the solemn Oath with which Sultan Solyman confirmed his Capitulations with the Emperor particularly vowing never to pass the Rab or place where the Turks received their defeat without a solid and reasonable ground of War concluded that this Invasion was a violation of the Vow and an injury to the sacred Memory of that fortunate Sultan and therefore that all Enterprises and Attempts of this War would be fatal and destructive to the Mussulmen or Believers and the end dishonourable to the Empire This opinion was rooted with much superstition and strength of fancy in the minds of the Vulgar And the rumors in the Camp that the Vizier upon a false Alarm of the approach of the Enemy towards his Quarters had commanded the Army to retreat administred fury and courage to the Christians and fear and amazement to his own from which errour and timidity was occasioned that slaughter which ensued on which discourses and reports dangerous discontents daily increasing in the hearâ—s of the souldâ—ery it is thought they would have vented their passion and revenge on their General had he not at a publick Assembly of all the Heads and Commanders of the Army cleared himself freely by charging the miscarriage of all upon the Grand Signior having acted nothing but with Authority of the Imperial Command promising with as much speed as honour and safety would permit by agreement and composition of Peace to bring the War to a conclusion And this contrivance and art was that as is supposed which for the presenâ— secured his life for the Soldiery were greatly terrified and possessed with a dread of the Christians and amazement upon every Alarm For the old and experienced Commanders and Veterane Souldiers were either destroyed by the secret Proscriptions of the Vizier Kuperlee or slain in the Engagements of this Year and the Asian Spahees and other Soldiers having Wives and Children and Possessions to look after were grown poor and desired nothing more than in peace and quietness to return to their homes So that nothing could come more grateful to this Camp no largesses or donatives could pacifie the minds of the Soldiery more than the promises and expectations of a Peace The Sultan during these disturbances and misfortunes was preparing for a hunting Journey to an obscure Village called Yamâ—oli about three or four days travel from Adrianople designing to drive all those vast Woods along the Black Sea for Game where he had a small ruinous Seraglio The Queen Mother the Chimâ—cam with all the Court were to accompany him The Equipage and Pomp he went in perswaded many that the design of that Journey was grounded on other causes of Policy than what were generally penetrated Some conceived that the Vizier contrived his Journey thither
that the Factories should be transferred again over to Tripoli in Soria a place formerly â—requented by our Merchants but by reason of the danger and inconvenience of that Port the Trade was transported to the Scale of Scanderoâ—n This alteration the Tefterdar pretended to have been granted to the Merchants at their earnest Petition and promise to the Grand Signior of payment of 13000 Dollars Yearly for discharge and maintenance of those Guards which were requisite in that place for safety of the Coast and defence of the Caravans which pass with Merchants goods to Aleppo but time and corruption of the Ministers had deprived the Grand Signior of the benefit of that duty And this he urged with the greater instance and eagerness knowing that the Scale of Scanderoon being prohibited the Hattesheriff whereon consisted the priviledg of the Merchants and their sole security must consequently fall and they forced to a new agreement On this occasion our Lord Ambassador had Audience with the Vizier and insisted on that point of our Capitulations which gives us liberty to Trade in any part of the Grand Signiors Dominions and therefore to consent to be restrained or confined to any particular place was to assent to a breach of the Capitulations which was out of his power and only to be dispensed with by his Master the King of England and the Grand Signior by whom they were established and to connive or assent to the breach of one particular clause was to hazard the loss and breach of the whole year 1666. for that our Capitulations to use the Turks saying are like a string of Beads of which when one link is broken the others drop off To which the Vizier replied that the Scale of Scanderoon was open and clear as before for the English Trade but because the Tefterdar and Customer pretended that the Grand Signior was put to great expences for maintenance of a Watch and Guard at that Port which was only in respect to the security of the Merchants Goods Orders shâ—uld be given for taking away those Officers as unnecessary and insignificant to the publick Service no Guards having ever been in that place the Embassador judged his business to be granted and so thanked the Vizier and departed But not many days after the Tefterdar procured a Command for shutting the Scale of Scandeâ—oâ—n and transporting the Factory to Tripâ—li which Command was rather intended to affright our Nation into some composition than really to be put in execution as appeared by the sequel for the Tefterdar better considered than to bring so great an Odium upon himself from the whole Country and City of Aleppo and to enforce the Embassador to have recourse to the Grand Signiors own person for redress of an abuse of so high a nature in derogation of his Imperial Capitulations Howsoever it is observabâ—e in the transaction of all this business that it is dâ—fficult to bring a corrupt Turkish Minister to Juâ—â—â—ce or punishment meerly for breach of our Capâ—tulations or in respect to any difference or abuse offered to Christians unless the complaint be â—ccompanied with Presents or Money which are most prevalent Arguments in the Turkish Court and in this case I really believe that had three or four thousand Dollars been offered as a reward for bringing the Customer to capital punishment the complaint had found acceptance and honourable success for default of which the Cause was starved and naked and carried no fire or heat in those aggravations with which it was represented It is lâ—kewise observable that business in the Turkish Court doth not always find that dâ—â—patch or expedition as is generally believed in â—hâ—istendom unless it come accompanied with the interest of the Ministers themselves and then it is transacted in a moment which otherwise languishes with delays and will never want excuses to defer it Anno 1666. Hegeira 1077. WE shall begin this Year with the strange rumour and disturbance of the Iews concerning Sabatai Sevi their pretended Messiah which for being most principally acted in Turkey may properly belong to the History of this time and place which therefore for delight of the Readers I shall here insert for though it may have been elsewheâ—e published yet being an issue of my Pen I may lawfully now own it and annex it to this Hiâ—tory in respect of that near coâ—erence it may have therewith and that many other particulars have been added thereunto which succeeded until the Death of this Sabatai According to the Predictions of several Christian Writers especially â—f such who comment upon the Apâ—calypse or Revelations this year of 1666. was to prove a year of Wonders of strange Revolâ—tions in the World and particularly of blessing to the Iews either in respect of their Conversion to the Christian Faith or of their Restoration to their Temporal Kingdom This opinion was so dilated and fixt in the Countries of the Reformed Religion and in the heads of Fanatical Enthusiasts who dreamed of Fifth Monarchies the down-fall of the Pope and Antichrist and the greatness of the Iews insomuch that this subtil people judged this Year the time to stir and to fit their Motion according to the season of the Modern Prophecies Whereupon strange reports flew from place to place of the March of multitudes of People from unknown parts into the remote deserts of Arabia supposed to be the Ten Tribes and a half lost for so many Ages That a Ship was arrived in the Northern parts of Scotland with her Sails and Cordage of Silk navigated by Marriners who spoke nothing but Hebrew and with this Motto on their Sails The Twelve Tribes of Israel These reports agreeing thus near to former Predictions put the wild sort of the World into an expectation of strange accidents this Year should produce in reference to the Iewish Monarchy In this manner Millions of people were possessed when Sabatai Sevi first appeared at Smyrna and published himself to the Iews for their Messiah relating the greatness of their approaching Kingdom the strong hand whereby God was about to deliver them from Bondage and gather them from all the parts of the World. It was strange to see how this fancy took and how fast the report of Sabatai and his Doctrine flew through all parts where Iews inhabited and so deeply possessed them with a belief of their new Kingdom and Riches and many of them with promotion to Offices of Government renown and greatness that in all places from Constantinople to Buda which it was my fortune that Year to travel I perceived a strange transport in the Iews none of them attending to any business unless to wind up former Negotiations and to prepare themselves and Families for a Journey to Ierusalem all their Discourses their Dreams and disposal of their affairs tended to no other design but a re-establishment in the Land of Promise to Greatness and Glory Wisdom and Doctrine of the Messiah whose Original Birth and Education is first to be recounted
was in him and Ioseph was made chief Governor and absolute Commander over all Egypt and by this means those Princes who gave themselves much over to softness and luxury could with more ease demand account of Miscarriages in the Rule of their Empire it being their Policy to constitute one on whom all the blame of Miscarriages in Government might be thrown The first constitution that we meet with in History of the first Vizier was in the time of Amurath the third King of the Turks who pasing into Europe with his Tutor called Lala Schabin he made him his chief Counsellor and committed to him the Charge of his Army with which he won Adrianople formerly called Orestias and ever since the Grand Signior hath continued to maintain that Office of Vizier using that common appellation of Lala which signifies Tutor whensoever in familiar Discourse he speaks to him There are besides the first commonly six other Viziers who are called Viziers of the Bench that have no Power nor Authority in the Government but only are grave Men that have perhaps had Charges and Offices and are knowing in the Laws and sit together with the first Vizier in the Divan or Court where Causes are tryed but are mute and cannot give their Sentence or Opinion in any Matter unless the first Vizier please to demand their Counsel or Judgment in point of Law which he seldom does not to disparage his own Reason and Experience Their Pay proceeds from the Grand Signior's Treasury and is not above 2000 Dollars a Year any of these six can write the Grand Signior's Firme or Autogra upon all Commands or Decrees that are sent abroad and because their Riches are but moderate and the Office they are in treats not much with the dangerous Parts of State they live long without Envy or Emulation or being subject to that inconstancy of Fortune and Alteration to which greater degrees of Place are exposed And yet when any great Matter is in consult and of considerable Importance these six with the first Vizier the Mufti and Caddeelescheers or Lord Chief Justices are admitted into the Cabinet-Council and are often permitted freedom to deliver their Opinions on the matter of Question The State and Greatness the Prime Vizier lives in is agreeable to the Honour of him whom he represents having commonly in his Court about 2000 Officers and Servants when he appears in any solemnity or publick Show he carries on his Turbant before two Feathers as the Grand Signior wears three set on with a handle of Diamonds and other rich Stones and before him are carried three Horse Tails called the Tugh upon a long Staff upon the top of which is a gilded Knob the like distinction of Honour is permitted only to the three other principal Pashaes within their Jurisdiction viz. the Pasha of Babylon of Cairo and of Buda the other inferior Pashaes have only one Horse Tail carried before them without other Distinction or Badg os Authority and these three forementioned Pashaes have a right to be Viziers of the Bench and can take their places in the Divan when the Time of their Offices are expired and any of them found at the Court in entire Grace and Favour The Prime Vizier as he is the Representative of the Grand Signior so he is the Head or Mouth of the Law to him Appeals may be made and any one may decline the ordinary course of Justice to have his Case decided by his Determination unless the Vizier through the multiplicity of his Affairs and a small consideration of the Case thinks fit to refer it to the Law. And that he may evidence his care of the Publick Good he is always present at the Divan four times a Week that is Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday and the other days excepting Fridays keeps Divan in his own House so diligent and watchful are these Men to discharge the Acts of Justice and their own Office. He is attended to the Divan which is the Chamber of the Seraglio by a great number of Chiauses and their Commanders in chief who are a sort of Pursevants and other Officers who only serve to attend him to the Divan called Muta-faracan and may be termed Serjeants or Tipstaffs as he descends from his Horse and enters the Divan or upon his return goes into his House he is with a loud Voice of his Attendants prayed for and wished all happiness and long Life not unlike the Salutations the Roman Souldiers used to their Emperors Cum sub auspiciis Caesaris omnia prospera felicia precabantur When he is set upon the Bench all Causes are brought before the Caddeelescheer who is Lord Chief Justice and by him all Judgments pass unless the Prime Vizier shall think the Cause proper for his Cognisance or shall disapprove at any time the Sentence of the Judg and then by virtue of his unlimited Power he can reverse the Verdict and determine as he pleases All Officers in the Divan wear a strange sort of dress upon their Heads called in Turkish Mugevezee The Lord Chief Justices which sit with the Grand Vizier are two of Romelia and Asia called Kadilescher or Judges of the Army And this shall in short serve for what is necessary to speak of the Divan in this place in regard we only touch upon it for the better explanation of the Vizier's Office. The Prime Vizier hath his Power as ample as his Master who gives it him except only that he cannot though he is the Elder Brother of all the Pashaes take off any of their Heads without the Imperial Signature or immediate Hand-writing of the Grand Signior nor can he punish a Spahee or Janisary or any other Souldier but by means of their Commanders the Militia having reserved themselves that Privilege which secures them from several oppressions in other Matters he is wholly Absolute and hath so great a Power with the Grand Signior that whomsoever he shall think fit of all the Officers in the Empire to proscribe he can speedily obtain the Imperial Hand to put it in execution Whatsoever Petitions and Addresses are made in what Business soever ought first to pass through the Hands of the Vizier but yet when a Party hath suffered some notorious Injury in which the Vizier is combined or hath refused him Justice he hath liberty then to appeal to the Grand Signior himself which is permitted by an ancient custom the aggrieved Person putting Fire on his Head enters the Seraglio runs in haste and can be stopt by no Body until he comes to the presence of the Grand Signior to whom he hath licence to declare his wrong The like was done by Sir Thomas Bendysh when Ambassador at Constantinople putting Pots of Fire at the Yard-Arms of some English Ships then in Port and came to an Anchor near the Seraglio The reason thereof was the violent seizure of the Merchants Goods as soon as arrived in Port for the Service of the Grand Signior without Bargain
Articles with them bestowed on them a Grant of all the Immunities and Priviledges they desired the which he signed with the form of his whole hand wetted in Ink and clapped on the Paper which was all the Firm and Seal in those days and is now reverenced amongst the Turks with the same esteem as the Iews do the Tables of Moses or we the most Sacred and Holy Reliques ever since that time this Tribute hath yearly continued and been brought always in the month of Iuly by two Ambassadors who reside at the Turkish Court for the space of a Year the former returning Home these are relieved at the same Season of the following Year by the accession of two others with the like Tribute which with the Presents they also bring to the Prime Vizier chief Eunuch of the Women the Queen-Mother and other Sultans with the Charges and Expences of the Embassy is computed to amount yearly to the Sum of twenty thousand Zechins They were in Times past before the War between the Republick of Venice and the Turk very Poor and put to hard Shifts and Arts to raise the Turkish Tribute but this War hath opened their Scale and made it the Port for transmitting the Manufactures of Venice and all Italy into Turkey which yields them such considerable Customs as thereby their Tribute is supplied with Advance and other Necessities provided for So that now the old Ornaments of the Ambassadors as their black Velvet Bonnets and Gowns of Crimson Satten lined heretofore with Martins Fur but now with Sables are not laid up in the common Wardrobe for the Ambassadors of the succeeding Year but a new Equipage and Accoutrements are yearly supplied at the common Charge and thus they pass honestly and in good esteem at the Ottoman Court being called the Dowbrai Vendick by the Turks or the Good Venetian This petty Republick hath always supported it self by submission and addresses for Favour and Defence to divers powerful Princes courting the Favour of every one never offering Injuries and when they receive them patiently support them which is the cause the Italians call them le sette Bandiere or the seven Bannerers signifying that for their Being and Maintenance of the name of a free Republick they are contented to become Slaves to all parts of the World. And it is observable on what a strange form of jealous Policy their Government is founded for their chief Officer who is in imitation of their Doge at Venice is changed every month others weekly and the Governour of the principal Castle of the City is but of 24 hours continuance every night one is nominated by the Senate for Governor who is without any Preparation or Ceremony taken up as he walks the Streets having a Handkerchief thrown over his Face is led away blindfold to the Castle so that none can discover who it is that commands that Night and by that means all possibility of Conspiracy or Combination of betraying the Town prevented These People in former Times were great Traders into the Western Parts of the World and it is said that those vast Caracks called Argosies which are so much famed for the vastness of their Burthen and Bulk were corruptly so denominated from Ragosies and from the Name of this City whose Port is rather forced by Art and Industry than framed by Nature Some of the Provinces also of Georgia formerly Iberia but now supposed to be called from St. George the Cappadocian Martyr and the poor Country of Mengrelia are also Tributaries to the Turk who every three Years send Messengers with their Sacrifice to the Grand Siginior of seven young Boys and as many Virgins a-piece besides other Slaves for Presents to great Men this People chuse rather this sort of Tribute than any other because Custom hath introduced a forwardness in the Parents without remorse to sell their Children and to account Slavery a Preferment and the miseries of Servitude a better Condition than Poverty with Freedom Of the whole retinue which these Beggarly Ambassadors bring with them for so the Turks called them being about seventy or eighty Persons a crue of miserable People are all set to sale to the very Secretary and Steward to defray the Charge of the Embassy and bring back some Revenue to the Publick Stock so that the Ambassadors return without their Pomp reserving only the Interpreter as a necessary Attendant to their Voyage home The Emperor of Germany may also not improperly be termed one of the Tributaries to the Ottoman Empire whom for Honour's sake we mention in the last place in so ungrateful an Office being obliged according to the Articles made with Solyman the Magnificent to pay a yearly Tribute of 3000 Hungars but it was only paid the first two Years after the conclusion of the Peace afterwards it was excused by the Germans and dissembled by the Turks until taking a resolution to make a War on Hungary made that one Ground and Occasion of the Breach for upon the Truce made for eight Years between Sultan Solyman and the Emperor Ferdinand as Augerius Busbeck reports in those Capitulations that the Tribute is made the Foundation of the Accord Cujus concordiae pacis ac confoederationis hae conditiones sunto primè ut tua dilectio quotannis ad aulam nostram pro arra induciarum 30000 Hungaricos Ducatos mittere teneatur unà cum residuo quod nobis proxime praeterlapsum biennium reservetur CHAP. XV. The Desolation and Ruin which the Turks make of their own Countries in Asia and the Parts most remote from the Imperial Seat esteemed one cause of the conservation of their Empire THIS Position will appear a Paradox at first sight to most Men who have read and consider'd the Roman Conquest whose â—urisdiction and Dominions were far larger than this present Empire and yet we do not find that they so studiously endeavoured to dispeople and lay waste the Nations they subdued but rather encouraged industry in Plantations gave Privileges to Cities meanly stored invited People to inhabit them endeavoured to improve Countries rude and uncultivated with good Husbandry and Maritime Towns with Traffick and Commerce made Citizens of their Confederates and conferred on their conquered Subjects oftentimes greater Benefits than they could expect or hope for under their true and natural Princes and certainly the Romans thrived and were richer and more powerful by their Policy and therefore why the Turk might not proceed in the same manner and yet with the same advantage is worth our consideration For the Solution of which Difficulty it will be necessary to consider that these two Empires being compared there will be found a vast difference in the Original Foundation Progress and Maximâ— each of other For the Romans built their City in Peace made Laws by which the Arbitrary Will of the Prince was corrected and afterward as their Arms succeeded and their Dominions were extended they accommodated themselves often to present Necessities and Humours and
he himself did think fit to nominate and appoint over which the Vice-King was as Chief Commissioner to preside And thus the Parties of both Religions being disgusted and animated to Fight pro Aris Focis for their Laws their Country and Religion Fury and Despair served them in the place of Counsel Money and other Nerves and Sinews of War So that when one party was cut off another arose in greater numbers and like Hydra's increased the more by being destroyed Amongst which appear'd a bold Fellow nam'd Striâ—iniski who pretended to be sent by the Governors fo the Mountain Towns calling himself Duke Iohn and with his own name signed and issued out Commissions and dispersed them every where as if he had been the Sole and Sovereign Prince of that Country Many persons adher'd to him and followed his Standard looking on him as a bold and a daring Fellow who seldom gave quarter to any much less to Jesuits and Priests to whom he never showed mercy whensoever any of that character fell within his Power The which was again revenged by Count Strazoldo in such cruel manner without distinction of persons either of guilty or innocent that the Imperial Council taking notice thereof sent their Orders to him to uâ—e better moderation in his future actings and to treat the Hungarians with more gentleness which tho' he observed in respect to the Sword of his own Souldiers who were forbidden to Massacre or shed their Blood yet being directed to take and bring them before the Courts of Justice by which a speedy Sentence was passed and some were condemned to be hanged some be quarter'd others to be empaled this way of process seemed much more cruel and sâ—vere than a speedy Execution by the Sword of the Soldiery ANNO 1674. Tho' the Grand Seignior had not as yet publickly own'd the cause of the Malecontents howsoever the Pasha's and Officers had receiv'd private Instructions to countenance and favour their Causâ— without open â—eâ—unciations of a War and many Turks in hopes of Plunder and Booty habited themselves in the Hungarian fashion and joyn'd with their Troops and several parties of Turks in great numbers pretending that the Christians in a Hostile manner had made Incursions within their Territories came openly to revenge them and march'd as far as Schentha from whence they carried away an Hungarian Gentleman with 7 Soldiers Upon this Advice Lieutâ—nant Colonel de Soyer with his Dragoons and Hussars Sallied out of the Town to the rescuâ— of the Prisoners but being surpriz'd by 5 Companies of Turkish Foot who issued out of an Ambuscade where they had conceal'd themselves Soyer himself was kill'd with 2 Liâ—utenants 1 Ensign 4 Sâ—rjeants and 80 common Soldiâ—rs The Garrison of Newhawsel encourag'd with this Success continu'd their Incursions along the River of Waagh and made some dâ—predations but being pursu'd by the Hussars and Heydukes of Comorra they were forc'd to surrender 200 Head of Cattle together with all the Booty and Plunder they had taken Thus whilst Matters succeeded with various Successes but most commonly in favour of the Emperor both Parties acted their Cruelties upon each other the Malecontents as often as the Priests fell into their hands they us'd them but very scurvily they buried one of them alive of others they cut off their Noses and Ears and hanged or strangled others In punishment of which the Emperor Order'd the Vice-King to drive the Protestant Ministers out of his Dominions and to seize upon all their Churches to the use of the Catholicks and not to suffer them to meet or exercise their Religious Worship therein In pursuance of these Orders the Bishops of Colonitz and Iavarow seiz'd upon all the Churches Schools Livings and Benefices whatsoever belonging to the Protestant Clergy within their Diocesses And the Archbishop of Strigonium Primate of that Kingdom cited all the Protestant Ministers to appear before him and put many of them to the Question forcing them to confess who those were who for the two last years were the chief Incendiaries of Seditions and Authors of the Rebellion Nor were the smaller sort of the Malecontents only persecuted but some of the great Men and chief Ministers in the Emperor's Court were suspected and accused of correspondence and intelligence with the Rebels The Prince Lubkovitz President of the Council was suspected and accus'd but whether that jealousie arose from the near alliance in Blood he had with the Family of Serini or from malicious Informations is uncertain howsoever his Secretary by Order of the Emperor was put to the Torture and tho' therein he confess'd nothing which could accuse or reflect on his Master yet he was treated as a guilty person and all his Estate real and personal in Austria and Bohemia were seiz'd and confiscated to the use and benefit of the Emperor Count Souches had the like misfortune to have his Fidelity and Loyalty suspected but in regard nothing could be prov'd against him he was commanded to leave the Court and retire to his Government of Waradine or some other part of his Estate The Son also in resentment of this hard usage of his Father abandon'd the Court and all the Offices he enjoy'd therein ANNO 1675. At the beginning of this year the Turks began more openly to assert the Cause of the Malecontents making their Incursions as far as Freystadt within the Neighbourhood of Presburg forcing the People to do Homage and pay Contributions to the Grand Seignior and for default thereof they burnt many Villages and committed other acts of Hostility The Malecontents at the same time defeated a great part of a Croatian Regiment under the Command of Colalto By which and the Advices that the Turks were assembled in a Body of 14000 Men within the Neighbourhood of Newhawsel the Emperor fearing lest they should joyn with the Malecontents convened the chief Lords and Gentlemen of Hungary at Presburg to which place he sent Count Siaki to tender them Conditions of an accommodation of which Prince Apafi frankly offer'd himself to be the Mediator At this Assembly some of the more moderate Men who were desirous to bring Matters to a good understanding represented unto their Companions the ruine and destruction which must necessarily ensue from a Civil War and tho' the exercise of their Religion ought to be dearer to them than their Lives and to be preferr'd before all earthly benefits yet the same Religion taught them not to rebel against their Prince or make Wars for the sake thereof whose foundation and design was peace much less could they justifie the engaging the Turk therein unless whilst they profess'd themselves Protestants they acted like Mahometans But these and many other things were spoken in vain to Men who were possess'd with a Zeal for their Religion year 1675. and with an Opinion that they were Martyrs who died in defence thereof And in regard those of them who were in Hungary were not able
with Tragedies and Destruction of their Chief Ministers and Rulers We shall begin with the fate of Kara Mustapha the Grand Vizier the Chief Author and Cause of all the Evils which are past and those which for many years following are to ensue We have in the beginning of this History made mention how that the Valide Soltana which is the Queen Mother the Kuzlir-Aga who is the black Eunuch of the Women and the Embrahore who is Master of the Horse to the Grand Seignior were all mortal Enemies to this Vizier and attended only an opportunity to destroy him which was now very practicable under the present Circumstances of Affairs especially having the Widow of the Pasha of Buda whom the Vizer had lately put to Death and who was Sister to the Grand Seignior to joyn with them in their methods of Revenge The Grand Vizier being sensible of his Danger from these Enemies and from the ill success of Affairs which usually prove fatal to the Generals or Commanders in Chief marched away towards Belgrade with a great part of his Army esteeming it a Matter of higher Consequence to his own safety to purge himself from blame in the Opinion of his Master than to return back to the Relief of Gran being already advanced as far on his way to Belgrade as the Bridge of Esseck where he received the first intelligence of the Defeat of the several Pashas before Barcan and the Siege of Strigonium These misfortunes hastned his proceedings to Belgrade where being admitted to the presence of the Sultan he described the admirable order of the Siege before Vienna and how near he was to have been Master thereof and even of all Austria and the Emperor 's Hereditary Countries as Appendages thereunto belonging had not these fair hopes been defeated by the Cowardise and ill Conduct of the Pasha of Buda and several other Officers whom he had justly punished with Death for their Treachery and want of Courage He also laid much blame upon Tekeli and on the Princes of Transilvania Moldavia and Valachia for not performing their Duty either out of Treachery or Fear or some secret Correspondences or Reserves for the Christian Interest In fine he so well mannaged his Discourse and justify'd all his Actions with such Colours and appearances of Truth that the Grand Seignior who was naturally constant to his Ministers and particularly favourable to this Vizier who had often feasted and treated him with Presents and brought great Sums into his Treasury no matter by what means did accept of the Excuses he had made as justifiable and acquitted him of all the Crimes of Misgovenrment which were laid to his Charge and having received him to Pardon and Grace the Sultan bestow'd the usual Presents on him in such Cases given and bid him do better the next year and so return'd to Adrianople leaving the Grand Vizier at Belgrade but notwithstanding this new Re-establishment in the favour of his Master and tho' as some say in Confirmation thereof he obtained a Writing under the Hand of his Master Promising and Engaging never to take off his Head upon any Instances and Addresses that could be made him yet his Enemies were busy in Contrivances to take him off amongst which the most irreconcilable of any was a Woman the Grand Seignior's Sister Widow of the late Pasha of Buda who perceiving that her Letters were not prevalent enough to obtain her desir'd Revenge she undertook a Journey from Buda to Adrianople in Disguise not being known on the way until she discover'd herself at her Arrival at the Court where being come she was entertained at the Entry into the Seraglio with the unhappy News of the Death of the Valide or Queen Mother a Person much lamented by all for her Piety and good Works but especially at that time by this Sultana who hoped to have used her as the chief Instrument of her Revenge Howsoever she was not a little comforted by the Kuzlir-Aga or chief Eunuch of the Women when he told her that the Valide upon her Death-Bed had charged him to tell her Son the Sultan that his Affairs could never prosper so long as they were in the Hands and Mannagement of so vile and unfortunate a Person as this present Vizier But whilst they and others of the same Faction were meditating of these Matters Tekelâ— who had heard of the Complaints made against him by the Vizier and that he was in part charged with the miscarriage of the late Successes fearing his own safety came and boldly presented himself at the Feet of the Grand Seignior and in discharge of himself solely laid all the blame upon the Vizier which he confirmed by so many particular Instances and by such Reasons that the Grand Seignior assented to all his Allegations But howsoever not thinking it seasonable at present to stir greater Commotions by change of Officers to which he was never much inclined he favourably dismissed Tekeli with new assurances of his Protection and of sending him very considerable Forces and Recruits against the next Spring This Address of Tekeli had a little prepar'd the Grand Seignior's Mind to receive different Impressions than what he had hitherto conceived against his Grand Vizier which were soon afterwards ripened by new Commotions raised by the industry of the Faction amongst the Ianisaries who Tumultuously assembling ran to the Grand Seignior and crying out that the Vizier had Treacherously forsaken their Companions and suffer'd them miserably to Perish in their Trenches before Vienna and had Unjustly and without any Reason put their Aga or General to Death for which Crimes and many other Miscarriages they demanded the Head of the Vizier The Sultan to whom nothing was so terrible as the Toleration of the Ianisaries entertained them with fair Words and Promises and by distributing Money amongst them for that time dispersed this Tumultuous Meeting But fearing the return again of the Rabble and this unruly Soldiery a Divan or Council was called at which the Mufti and all the Viziers of the Bench with other Grandees of the Court were present After a mature Consideration of the State of Affairs in the Empire it was concluded of absolute necessity for appeasing the Minds of the Soldiery that the Grand Vizier should Dye who had been the Cause and Author of all the late Misfortunes Nothing could be more grievous to the Grand Seignior than this advice but being again terrified with the Threats of next days Commotions the Imperial Command was signed for the Vizier's Death and the Execution thereof committed to the care of the Chiaous Bashee or Chief of the Pursuivants and to the Kapigeelar-Kajasee who is Master of the Ceremonies which two Officers with some few Servants were dispatched away Post to Belgrade These Ministers of Death being near to the City sent privately a Messenger to inform the Aga year 1684. or General of the Ianisaries of their Business requring him in the Name of
it was the Nest and Sanctuary for Pyrates and Robbers who in the times of Peace continually infested Corfu Parga and Pazò the News thereos was satisfactory and pleasing to all the Inhabitants of that Coast So that when the Captain General on the 13 th of November enter'd into Corfu he was there received with loud Acclamations extolling the Glory of his constant and continued Successes with joyful remembrance and with particular Thanks for having reduced the Castle of Gomenizze which had long been an ill Neighbour and had much annoy'd and infested their Seas Thus were the Affairs of the Turks ruinous as well at Sea as at Land in Hungary and in the Morea the Pasha overthrown at Esseck was called Siaus and so was the Captain Pasha or Admiral of the Gallies as if there had been something of Misfortune in the Name Siaus who was Admiral of the Fleet had formerly been Mosaip or Favourite and in his younger Years being a comely Person was much beloved by the Grand Seignior he was always in his Presence and ever had the Honour to be Familiar with him in Conversation to be Clothed like his Master and to Ride equal with him on the right Hand which is the inferiour place with the Turks But he that had always been educated in a Court was upon the tryal found unfit and unable to perform the Office of an Admiral at Sea and therefore was order'd to leave the care and conduct of the Fleet to Mazzamama so called because he had killed his Mother but he was a good Sea Officer bred up in the Gallies from his youth and one of the Beys of the Archipelago of which there are Twenty four in number who are obliged to Arm and Man their Gallies at their own Cost and Charge having in Consideration thereof the Haratch or Pole-money of the Islands setled on them for their Maintenance He was the Son of a Captain Pasha killed by the English in Fight at Sea for which cause he hath ever since declared his Hatred and Malice against our Nation He was a very fat and corpulent Man afflicted much with a Fistula in Ano which he cherished by excessive Eating and a Sedentary Life using no other Exercise than what he received by the motion of his Gally Siaus Pasha being discharged from his Office of Admiral was made Generalissimo of all the Land Forces in the Morea but he was as unfit to Command an Army as he was a Fleet for he was no Soldier nor of any experience in a Camp and besides he was affected with an incurable Lameness in one of his Knees whereby he could neither Walk nor mount on Horse-back without help His Success was agreeable to his Abilities for as we have said his Forces were defeated his Kaya or Lieutenant killed and he himself with difficulty escaped When the News of these ill Successes came from the Morea Hungary and other parts the Court at Adrianople used all imaginable Arts to conceal the losses the Curriers were order'd to come privately by Night into the Town and none durst to Cabal or Discourse of News which was the cause that nothing but Lies were whisper'd about the Town Upon these Emergences frequent Councils were held at which the Mufti Kadileschers or Chief Justices Reis Effendi or Secretary of State and Ianizar-Aga all firm and entire Friends to the Grand Vizier were always present and assistant to him by which unusual method of proceeding in this Court he gave the World to understand that acting nothing of himself he was not to be blamed or censur'd for the Success or to be accountable for the miscarriages of the War. And whereas there were several Murmurings amongst the People and in the Army especially against the Vizier for not going to the War he publickly desired the Grand Seignior's leave and commands to go to which when the Sultan seem'd inclinable the Council unanimously opposed it representing that it was never accustomary nor decent for the Emperor to send his Representative with his Seal and Authority without a Royal Army or without expectation of performing some Signal Enterprize And that on any other Terms or Circumstances than these his going would be Prejudical and Dishonourable It was farther alledged That the attendance on the Vizier would consist of many useless Mouths and the occasion of business draw many Followers to his Court who must necessarily consume a great part of those Provisions which would be more usefully emploied for the use and sustenance of the Camp. But the best Excuse of all was the ill state of the Vizier's health concerning which there were various Reports sometimes it was said that he was desperately ill then again that he was recover'd then that he was relapsed some said that he was Sick in Policy others in Reality but what seemed most probable was that he was afflicted with the Spleen by reason of which all kind of ill News made a sensible alteration in him The Cares which constantly tormented him kept his Mind always bent and increased the pain in his Side which kept him from Repose These matters with Sixty six years of Age were Afflictions sufficient to weary out and harass a Body much more strong and robust than his Thô formerly he had the Report and that not without reason of a bad Man yet after his being Vizier his Comportment was with all Justice and Moderation and thô naturally he was Passionate yet striving with his Temper he became mild and easie in his Conversation Our English Nation in Turky were sensible of this great change of his Humour for he became kind to them which is extraordinary in a Turk without other advantage to himself than his usual and regular Presents It was impossible but that the whole Empire even as far as to Basora to Babylon or Bagdat and the most remote parts of the East should feel the dire effects of this unfortunate War little Money was stirring and Trade interrupted the want of which affects the Publick as much or more than private Members The Grand Seignior was forced at the beginning of the last Campaign to disfurnish his Coffers in the Seraglio of all the ready Money in Cash for the Riches there consists for the most part in Jewels and rich Furniture rather than in Banks of Money After which about the middle of the Summer they ransacked the Treasury of the Stables and took out from thence in Silver and Gold Stirrups and other Horse-furniture which they caused to be Coined with 30 l. per Cent. Allay to the value as was reported of Two thousand Purses which made just a Million of Dollars Misfortunes and Scarcity made the Soldiers mutinous upon every small occasion and averse from going to the War The Lord Treasurer was removed from his Office and made Pasha of Damascus and sent to supply the place and charge of Siaus Pasha killed at Esseck and order'd to repair the Bridge and defend that Pass A Party of
about Two thousand five hundred Spahees then at Adrianople were commanded to follow him upon this Expedition But Five hundred of these withdrawing themselves from the rest demanded their Pay and refused to March saying That by the original constitution of their Order they were not obliged to go to the War but with the Vizier or Standard of the Prophet which it was their Profession and Office to Guard and Defend But to give a stop to this Sedition and Nip it in the Bud the Vizier immediately sent his Kaiah with all his Retinue and Ianizar-Aga to the place where they were assembled not far distant from the City Twenty of them were taken and sent to the Grand Seignior who caused four of their Heads to be cut off and the other Sixteen were sent to the Gallies and two of their Chief Officers were Banished to Cyprus for keeping no better Order amongst their Men all the rest were dispersed and in an hour's time the whole Business was over and in a few Days afterwards those who were banished and those who were sent to the Gallies were recalled and restor'd to their places and all of them contentedly and in good order marched towards Hungary But they had not proceeded far on their way before advices came that after Ibrahim Pasha's defeat near Strigonium there had arose differences and disturbances between the Spahees and Ianisaries to suppress which Ibrahim had cut off several of them Whereupon it being not thought fit to suffer these Mutinous Spahees to joyn with the discontented Parties a stop was put to their March until such time as Agiemzade a grave and wise Person one who had formerly been Reis Effendi or Secretary of State was sent to the Army in Hungary with a Sum of Money to appease the Mutinies and soften the Minds of the Soldiery These little disturbances caused the People to talk and brought the Vizier's name upon their Tongues And those who pretended to be Politicians discoursed That this Empire had been raised and supported by the Soldiery and that from them deserving Persons had been promoted and advanced to the high Degrees of Viziers and Generals and not from Parasites and Syphcoants or from effeminate Courtiers and Favourites And that the Grand Seignior who diverted himself wholly in Hunting and with Women neglecting the main concernments of the Empire was not like his Progenitors who in Person marched at the Head of their Armies and encouraged their Soldiers by their Presence and Personal Valour From such Discourses as these amongst the Câ—mmonalty who reported much worse of their Affairs than perhaps they were in reality we may expect some greater Changes for the ensuing Years For the Army was become Cowardly and Mutinous and running from the War more willingly than coming to it and the Common People affected with a strange Superstition that Fortune will change with exchange of Officers But before we put an end to this Year 1685 let us a little return once more into Hungary and take a view of what was acting in the Upper parts of that Kingdom where the Success of the Imperial Arms had produced such Dread and Terrour in the Minds of Turks and Malecontents that many places yielded at the first Summons or at the appearance of an Army before them In this manner Potak Regentz Ungwar and Serau all Garrisons belonging to Tekeli yielded without one Blow and received the Imperial Troops which being welcom'd with real Joy by the Inhabitants the Military Parol was maintained and not the least injury or damage offer'd to the People The Surrender of these Places were leading Cards to Senetz Valdachin and to the Castles of Sonna Annoin Pallotz Duron Spadiz Ioram Hinghen Zatmar and other places which submitted to Count Caprara and willingly received German Garrisons and being pardon'd and absolved from their Rebellion by this General they took a new Oath of Fidelity and Allegiance to the Emperor But that which chiefly facilitated the defection of these Places was a report that Tekeli was seized by the Turks and lay chained at Waradin the Fame of which had some Foundation for the Seraskier Shitan Ibrahim having had very ill Success the last Summer knew not where to charge the Fault and excuse himself better than by laying all the blame upon Tekeli and to evidence his Resentment caused him to be imprisoned at Waradin until his Crimes were notified to the Court and Orders given by the Grand Seignior for his Punishment But Tekeli by his Agents had so well mannaged his Cause before the Divan that he was fairly acquitted from all Blame and the Seraskier disgraced for his rash Judgment as will hereafter be discoursed more at large And indeed the Grand Seignior and his Council did wisely consider the great Interest of Tekeli in Hungary and what Influence his present Disgrace had already had over the many Towns and Castles which belonged to him and which had Surrender'd upon the Report only of the Imprisonment of their Prince wherefore the Grand Seignior and his Council hasten'd with all possible speed Orders to the Pasha of Waradin for his Release and at the head of his Army to proclaim his Innocence and repair his Honour the which was accordingly performed as appears by a Letter from Tekeli himself dated the 4th of December 1685 from Alba Regalis directed to his Wife the Princess of Ragotzki wherein also he signified his Intentions to return with the Spring into Hungary with a Body of Fifteen thousand Turks and Tartars and endeavour to recover those Places which were revolted from him These Advices so encouraged the Princess that she bravely refused to receive an Imperial Garrison into Mongatz thô her Town was blocked up by Count Caprara during the whole Winter of which we shall speak more at large at the beginning of the ensuing Year and we shall conclude this with the taking of Arad by Colonel Heusler a Place situate upon the Banks of the River Maroz between Temeswar and Giulia distant twelve Leagues from Temeswar and about as far from Sigeth Heusler being not far from Arad detached a Party of Hungarians before to provoke the Ianisaries and draw them forwards to an Engagement Upon sight of the Enemy the Ianisaries made a Sally supported with Fifteen hundred Spahees Commanded by the Pasha of Soffia which were newly come thither from Constantinople These Forces in the vigour and briskness of their Courage pursued the Hungarians who made an orderly Retreat until they came to their main Body at which the Pasha nothing dismayed charged with much Bravery but Colonel Mercy coming up with his Germans fell in upon them with such fury that the Turks in a confusion and disorder endeavoured to make their Escape by flight into Arad but were so closely pursued at the heels by the Germans and Hungarians that they entred into the Town in mixture with the Turks killing and destroying them with such a Slaughter that a Thousand of them together
Crowns which some principal Officers as is said appropriated to their own Use. Besides this stately Tent there were great Numbers of other Tents taken in which the Turks show most of their Grandeur making more Ostentation by their Tents in the Camp than they do by their Houses and Edifices in the City Moreover there were taken Sixty seven Pieces of Canon Four of which were of an extraordinary bigness of Powder there was a Thousand Kintals of March Four hundred about Eight thousand Cannon-Bullets Three thousand Bombs and Carcasses Ten thousand Granadoes Arms of all sorts in great Numbers Two thousand Oxen Five hundred Horse Mules Asses and Camels about Two hundred Buffoloes Four hundred which were appointed and fitted to the Yoke for drawing Carriages and Cannon Sheep and other Cattle innumerable Besides all this there were found great quantities of Coffee Chocolate Sugar Sherbet and Honey with Carpets and Beds of Wool and Cotton Also Oats Rice Barley Flower Oyl Bread and Salt in short all things necessary and convenient for Man and Beast with which the Christian Soldiers refreshed themselves after a long Battle tedious and tiresome Marches in great Want and Scarcity of all Necessaries for Support and sustenance of an Army After which great and signal Victory Te Deum was on the 13 th of August Sung in the Tent of the Grand Vizier and Triumphs made by exposing the Horse-tails and great Numbers of Banners and Ensigns before the Door of the Tent with Vollies of small Shot and Discharge of Four hundred Pieces of Cannon giving Thanks to God for this so remarkable a Success which was the more observable because this Victory was obtained in that very Ground where Lodowick the last of the Hungarian Kings was Slain and his Army Routed by Sultan Soliman the Magnificent who in Memory thereof caused a Mosch of Wood to be Erected and Endowed it with Eight hundred Crowns Yearly Rent that Dervises who are a sort of Turkish Friers might solemnize their daily Devotions and Prayers in that place The Turkish Army being thus totally Routed and Dispersed some in the Woods and others in the Marshes where many of them dyed of their Wounds or fainted for want of Food or Refreshments others of them or as many as could Travelling a Day and a Night came at length faint and weary to lodge themselves under the Walls and Cannon of Esseck without Provision to comfort them or Tents to cover them where being sad and disconsolate had the Mortification to hear the Triumphs which the Christians were making in their Camp for their Victorious Successes This News affected the Inhabitants of Agria to the last extremity of Despair They had lived for a long time in hope of Relief and feeding on that and on Horse-Flesh and Dogs and Herbs growing under the Walls and by making sometimes Excursions near hand to gain a little sustenance but now by this last blow being put beyond all hopes the People had thoughts privately to abandon the Town and fly to other Quarters but the Town being closely blocked up by Marquess Doria was forced soon afterwards to surrender at discretion without any farther Effusion of Blood. The Suceess of this Battle near Harscham happened very seasonable to the Christian Cause and of great Comfort and Joy to the Court of Vienna where they had lately received no very good News in reference to the State of their Army which as Reported was very much weakened by late Skirmishes Sicknesses and want of Provisions and much harassed by long Marches bad Weather and dirty deep Ways Of which the Enemy being sensible was grown bold and daring and often pressed them to a Battle The Emperor being informed hereof was very doubtful and anxious for the Success and Prayers Supplications and Penance were ordered to be made in all Churches to implore the Divine Assistance and Blessing when the Prince Eugene of Savoy arrived at Vienna with the News of the Battle and the Particulars of the Victory which filled all the Court and City with Joy and Triumph To render which the more compleat and full Advices were come the Night before from the Senate of Venice to give an Account to his Imperial Majesty of the Defeat which the Arms of St. Mark had given the Turks in the Morea which had produced such a Terror and Consternation amongst them that in little more than Four and twenty Hours time Four places had surrendered to the Venetians With these happy Advices Expresses being dispatched to all Courts of Christian Princes were the Cause and Subject of common Joy and Jubilee in the Courts of all the most Christian Kings only excepted The Grand Vizier with his scattered Troops rallied near Esseck where taking an account of the Numbers lost he found his Army diminished about Twenty thousand men for besides those which were killed taken and drown'd many had deserted and withdrawn from the Field The Face of the whole Camp was sad and disconsolate and thô the Vizier did all he could to comfort and chear them yet they being not only melancholy but angry and ashamed of their dishonourable Flight began to blame and cast the fault on each other The Ianisaries with good reason upbraided the Spahees as the Authors of their Rout for that they cowardly retiring broke in upon their Ranks and put them into disorder which the Enemy observing pressed so hard upon them that they were forced to give way and with them the whole Army was laid open and exposed to the Enemy The Dispute grew so hot between the Two Ranks and Orders of Soldiers who were always emulous of each other that at length they came to Blows and to a Civil War in which about Seven hundred were killed upon the place The Grand Vizier and Officers had no sooner with much pain and labour parted the Fray but the tumultuous Soldiery joyned together to accuse the Vizier himself and to cry out that the loss of the day was to be charged on him and the Myrmidons about him who were the most forward to show an Example to the Soldiery of a base and fearful Flight the which Clamour caused such a Mutiny in the Camp as had put the Life of the Vizier and many great Officers into extreme danger had not the Vizier with Money and fair words mollified their Anger But this accommodation continued not long before the Grand Vizier was forced to give way to the irresistible fury and sedition of the Soldiery as we shall presently have occasion to declare In the mean time the Duke of Loraine not to lose the benefit and advantage of so glorious a Victory designed a farther Conquest and to conclude the Campaigne with some other memorable Enterprize It was the common Talk at Vienna amongst the Courtiers at the Emperor's Palaces and amongst the Religious men in their Convents and Monasteries that the Duke of Loraine was to prosecute his Victory without delay as far as Belgrade
length all was reduced to these Particulars namely That they should without further delay Surrender the Fortress into the Hands of the Venetians and march forth immediately with their Families Bag and Baggage Thus was the Fortress of Cannina delivered up to the Will and Pleasure of the Captain-General out of which came forth about 3000 Souls besides 546 of the Garrison and were with safe Convoy conducted to their Camp The loss on the Venetian side was not considerable as to the Numbers but for the Quality of the Persons killed and wounded amongst which Alvise Sagredo was wounded with a Musquet-Bullet in the Thigh and General Borri through the Body of which he died to the great Sorrow and Lamentation of the whole Army likewise Monsieur de Moroglie Lieutenant General of the Forces of Malta whose Place was supplied by Sergeant-Major de Brossie a Person of approved Valour and prudent Conduct The Captain-General not being willing to lose the favourable advantage of the present Consternation the Enemy was in their Army being beaten in the Field and put to flight and the Fortress of Cannina delivered and the Cannon for several Batteries playing upon the Town of Valona it was thought fit to make an appearance of the whole Army before the City and to affright them the sooner into a Surrender a threatning Summons was sent them with Menaces of giving no Quarter in case of Refusal but hereunto no Answer was returned by the Turks so that nothing but an obstinate Resistance was expected all things being silent and quiet in the Town during the whole Night At length in thâ— Morning the like Quietness and Silence continuing it was discovered that the Turks had privately in the Night conveyed themselves away and cowardly abandoned the Town to the Pleasure and Will of their Enemies on the 18th of September 1690. In the Fortress of Cannina and in the Town of Valona 134 Pieces of Cannon were taken of several sorts of Metal as well of Brass as of Iron And in this manner this Enterprize ending to the great Glory of the Venetian Arms Te Deum was sung in Venice with much Joy and Triumph and greatly to the Honour and Praise of the Captain-General Cornaro who with equal Valour followed the Footsteps of his fortunate Predecessor Morosini Nor were the Venetian Arms less successful under the Command of General Molino in Dalmatia where Zenalee the Pasha of Arzigovina had a design with a Body of 3000 Horse and Foot to attack the new Subjects lately conquered by the Venetians the which being for the most part Christians of the Greek Church it was resolved to surprize them in the Easter Week when they were more attentive to Devotion than to the Exercise of their Arms but this Design was not so secretly managed but that it was discovered and brought to the knowledge of Pietro Duodo Proveditor Extraordinary of Cataro who upon the News immediately dispatched by an Express an Information thereof to the People of Nixichi advising them to be watchful against the Surprizes of their Enemy Accordingly at the time appointed the Pasha moving from Nevissigne entering into the adjacent Parts of Nixichi began to execute all Acts of Hostility burning Houses and Villages making Slaves and taking a considerable Booty The News hereof being brought to the Churches where the People were assembled and intent at their Devotions they all ran out of their Churches and betook themselves to their Arms with such wonderful Celerity and Resolution that they unexpectedly assailed the Turks and after a sharp Conflict routed them and put them to Flight The Pasha endeavouring to stop their Career killed two of his affrighted Officers with his own Hand but Fear and Consternation had so possessed their Minds that nothing could give a hindrance or stop to their Course for all being in Confusion they trampled one on the other and in the Pursuit 400 Foot and 300 Horse were cut to pieces the Slaves which they had taken were set at liberty and the Booty recovered many Prisoners were taken amongst which were some principal Turks with the Pasha himself who being put into Chains offered 3000 Zechines with two Vests of Sables for his Ransome with some fine Horses and Arms of considerable value but the People of Nixichi were too generous to accept of a Ransome and rather chose to carry their Prisoner in Triumph unto Cataro than to accept of any Present whatsoever in lieu thereof From Cataro by order of General Molino the Pasha was on a Gally transported to Spalatro And least the Turks of Arzigovina being hereby incensed should be provoked to take a Revenge with greater force the General Molino for better security of that People ordered the Commander of that District to march with a Body of 300 Men to their assistance and to put all People into Arms that taking advantage on the present Consternation with which the Turks were affected they might with more ease enjoy the lasting Fruit of the present Victory With like happy Success was the strong Fortress of Filiporich situate in the Neighbourhood of Glamoz in Dalmatia taken and destroyed by order of Molino directed to the Proveditor of Knin who accordingly executed the same with such Prudence and Vigour year 1690. that having dis-speeded 500 Men to a Place called Dervis their fortune was to takâ— 60 Turks which kept the Towers Houses and Moschs within that Precinct together with four small Guns some Musketoons Colours and other Arms of the Turks as also a considerable number of Cows and Sheep they also burnt three great Villages belonging to the Turks consisting of 500 Houses and took 32 Slaves Thus had all the Adventures of this Year answered the Expectations of the Venetians at Land better than those of the Germans had done at the Court at Viennâ— but yet an unhappy Encounter at Sea gave the Turks some cause to rejoyce and not a little tempered the Triumph of the Venetians the which happened in this manner About the opening of the Campaign on the 22th of March of this Year the Captain-General gave Orders to Admiral Valier Commander of the Ship St. Iseppo carrying 44 Brass Guns that taking with him for his Consort the Ship called the St. Mark he should sail to Milo there to collect the usual Charach or Tribute of that Island being about 10000 Dollars a Year And being towards the Evening come near the Island a strong Gale of contrary Winds put them off from the Shoar driving them towards Candia and so continued until Midnight when the Wind abating and the Weather becoming more favourable they directed their Course towards the Island Upon Break of Day 10 Ships were discovered so near that they were easily known to be Enemies at which Alarm the Matches were lighted and the Ships fitted and all prepared for a Fight These 10 Ships proved to be Soltano's Commanded by Meâ—zo Morto a famous Pyrate belonging to Algier of
He travelleth into Syria to the Bassa and is by him commended to Solyman His return to Constantinople Rosceteâ— Barbarussa his speech to Solyman to perswade him to invade Tunes Barbarussa is made Solymans great Admiral He spoileth the Coast of Italy Julâ—a Gonzaga a air Lady hardly distressed by Bâ—rbarusâ—a The Romans afraid of Barbarussa Muleasses King of Tunes The ingratitude of Muleasses Roscetes riseth against his brother Muleasses Forsaken of the Numidian Princes he flieth to Barbarussa Barbarussa laâ—deth at Biserta Biserta yielded Barbarussa cometh to Guletta Muleasses flieth out of Tunes Barbarussa enters into Tunes The Citizens deceived of their expectation rise against the Turks Muleasses returned into the City The Citizens of Tunes discomfited by the Turks Muleasses flieth The Citizens of Tunes yield themselves to Barbarussa The description of Abraham the Bassa His bringing up in the Court. His great credit with Solyman Abraham Bassa perswadeth Solyman to make War upon the Persians Solyman resolveth to go against the Persians Abrahams credit maligned by Solymans mother and Roxolana Abraham Bassa sent before with an Army into Syria The City of Tauris yielded unto the Bassa Solyman cometh to Tauris Solyman followeth Tamas the Persian King into Sultania Solymans Army dâ—stressed with tempest Babylon yielded to Solyman The Countries of Assyria and Mesopotamia possessed by the Turks Tamas comes to Tauris Tamas hearing of the coming of Solyman to Tauris flyeth into Hyrcania Solyman ransackâ— Tauris Delimenthes with 5000 Persians pursues the Turks Delimenthes assails the Turks Camp by night and maketh a great slaughter Solyman discouraged Abraham the great Bassa in disgrace with Solyman Abraham Bassa murdred in the Court by the Commandment of Solyman The causes that moved Charles the Emperor to invade Tunes The Emperors great Preparations for the invasion of Tunes Andrew Auria the Emperors Admiral Alphonsus D'aualus Vastius General of the land forces The Emperor passeth over into Africk Barbarussa hearing of the coming of the Emperor is much discouraged In his rage he â—xecuteth Aloysius Praesenda Barbarussa encourageth his Souldiers Bâ—rbarussa his chief Captains The situation of Guletta The Christian Army landeth at Guletta Salec sallieth out upon the Count and the Italians The Count slain and his Head and right Hand sent to Barbarussa The Spaniards rejoycing at the Overthrow of the Italians are themselves foiled by Tabacches Vastius his Speech to the Spanish Captains The Turks sally again out of Guletta Giaffer Captain of the Ianizaries slain Guletta fâ—riously battered Guletta assaulted by the Christians Guletta won and Barbarussa his Fleet taken Barbarussa rageth The short answer of Sinan the Iew unto Barbarussa Muleaâ—ses cometh to the Emperor The Oration of Muleasses unto Charles the Emperor The Emperors answer to Muleasses The behavior of Muleasses His opinion and counsâ—l concerning the present War. The Spanish light Horsemen put to flight The Emperor restoreth the Battel and with his own hand rescueth Andreas Pontius of Granado The Emperor advised by his Counsellors to return home The resolute answer of the Emperor The Emperor marcheth toward Tunes The Souldiers for 〈…〉 of water 〈…〉 their march A draughâ— of water sold for two Ducats Barbarussa in Field against the Emperor Vastius commandeth the Emperor Barbarussa flieth to â—unes Barbarussa in mind to kill all the Christian Captives is disswaded by Sinan the Iew. The Christian Captives break prison and drive the Turks out of the Castle of Tunes Tunes yielded to the Emperor Tunes spoiled by the Christians Three things especially lamented by Mulâ—asses in the spoil of the Castle of Tunes Barbarussa flieth to Hippona and thâ—re comforteth his Souldiers Auria sendeth certain Gallies to intercept Barbarussa Barbarussa escapeth to Algiers The Kingdom of Tunes is by the Emperor restored to Muleasses The Emperor returneth with Victory into Italy The Egyptian Kings about to let in the Red Sea into the Mediterranean 〈…〉 the Turks The treacherous dealing of Solyman the Eunuch Bassa with the Kings of Arabia Solyman incited by the French Embassador to invade Italy Sâ—lyman with an Army of two hundred thousand Men cometh to to Aulona Sâ—lyman sends Lutzis and Barbarussa with his Fleet to invade Italy Castrum in Apulia yielded to the Turks and by them contrary to their faith spoiled The Turks spoil Apulia Junusbeâ—us with two Gallies driven by the Venetians upon the Acroseraunian Rock Auria taketh 12 of the Turks Gallies full of Ianizaries and Solymans other best Souldiers Junusbeius Barbarussa and Ajax incense Solyman against the Venetians Solyman converteth his Forces from the Italians against the Venetians Solyman in danger to have been slain in his Tent in the midst of his Army Solyman invadâ—th the Island of Corcyra Good Iustice done by Solyman The Turks depart from Corfu and carry away with them above 16000 Christians into Captivity Aegina with other Islands of the Aegium â—poiled The blunt Speech of a Turk sent by Lutzis Bassa unto the Duke of Naxos Naxos becometh tributary unto the Turks Lutzis Bassa disgraced by Solyman and exiled The Turks spoil the Venetians and the Venetians them likewise Mahometes Governour of Belgrade An â—evil assured Peace King Ferdinand breaketh his â—â—ague with the Turks Cazzianer General of King Ferdinands Army Mahometes Governour of Belgrade aided by the other Turks Captains A slow march Cazzianer cometh to Walpo The Turks Skirmish with the Christians The Christians come within sight of Exek The Turks Skirmish with the Christians in passing the Forrest Mahometes wisely refuseth to fight with the Christians offering him Battel Balthazer Pamphilus his counsel for relief of the Army Balthazer taketh the Town of Hermande The Castle of Hermande yielded unto the Christians Cazzianer to retire with more haste would have broken his great Ordnance The Turks sore trouble the Christians in their retiring A general feâ—r in the Christians Camp. The fearful resolution of the Christians to get from the Turks The vigilancy of Mahometes The Christian Captains shamefully flie some one way some another in the night The dishonourable Flight of Cazzianer Lodroni encourageth the Footmen An old German Souldier jesteth at Lodronius The â—â—rsâ—men discomfiâ—â—d bâ— the Tuâ—ks The Christian Footmen overthrown Lodronius slain Three of the great Captains Heads presented to Solyman at Constantinople Cazzianer generally hated Cazzianer imprisoned breaketh Prison Cazzianer most shamefully murdred and his Head sent unto King Ferdinand The Emperor the Venetians and the Bishop of Rome enter into a Confederation against the Turks Solyman sendeth Barbarâ—ssa against the Venetians Barbarussa landing in Creete is repulsed with loss The confederate Princes Fleets meet at Corcyra Gongaza his opinion Auria of another opinion Auria braveth Barbarussa lying in the Bay of Ambracia Barbarussa reproved of cowardise by one of the Turks Eunuchs Barbarussa his answer to Salec concerning the Euâ—uchs speech Barbarussa putteth out of the Bay of Ambracia and followeth Aurâ—â— The order of the Turks Fleet. Auria his politiquâ— course The Christian Fleet shamefully â—â—ieth Barbarussa jeasteth at Auria Barbarussa
and Prayers interceded for his Life And indeed this Joy and Triumph was so much more ridiculous and shameful by how much more fatal and destructive was the ensuing Event For the Turks being now got over the River had not at first time enough given them to cast up Earth but were forced by the Christians to an Engagement for the Christian Army was drawn into Batalia to receive them The right Wing consisted of the Austrian Forces commanded by Montecuculi himself the Left was formed of the Confederates of the Rhine commanded by Count Olac to which was adjoined Forty Troops of the French Cavalry conducted by Monsieur Coligni and the main Body was commanded by the Marshal General Marquis Bada which composed a very formidably Body and assailed the Turks with extraordinary Valour the Fight was very furious and began about Nine a Clock in the morning on the third of August and continued till Four in the Afternoon with variable fortune during which time the Waters being abated the Spahees passed over in several places and charged the left Wing of the Christians and in other places they made attempts only to divert the Army whilst the Janisaries threw up Earth to secure a passage for the rest which when the Christians espied they at first resolved to sound a Retreat but afterwards perceiving that the Trench was but newly begâ—n Montecuculi drawing up the Body of the Army into a half Moon attacked the Janisaries on all sides with that fury ordering the Bodies of Horse to contend with the Spahees that the Turks now faintly fighting began to give ground to their Enemies at which instant turn of Fortune an outcry was heard That Serini on the other side had set on the Viziers Camp which so animated the Christians and terrified the Turks that the latter began to give back and put themselves to shameful flight leaving dead upon the Place Eight thousand of their Companions and the Glory of the Day to the Christians The Turks who always fly disorderly not knowing the Art of a handsome Retreat crouded in heaps to pass the River the Horse trampling over the Foot and the Foot throwing themselves headlong into the Water without consideration of the depth or choice of Places fordable those sinking catching hold on others who could swim sunk down and perished together others were carried away by the rapidness of the Stream and both Men and Horse were carried down the River and swallowed up in deeper places The Water was died with Blood and the whole face of the River was covered with Men Horse Garments all swimming promâ—cuously together no difference was here beâ—ween the valiant and the Cowardly the Foolish and the Wise Counsel and Chance all being involved in the same violence of Calamity Non vox mutui hortatus juvabant adversante unda nihil strenuus ab ignavo sapiens a prudenti consilia a casu differre cuncta pari violentia involvebantur so that the Waters devoured a far greater number than the Sword whilst the Vizier standing on the other side of the River was able to afford no kind of help or relief but as one void of Counsel and Reason knew not how nor where to apply a remedy This defeat though in Christendom not greatly boasted by reason that the destruction of the Turks which was most considerâ—ble by the Water was partly concealed to them yet the Turks acknowledg that Ruine and Slaughter to have been of a far greater number than what the Christian Diaries relate confessing that since the time that the Ottoman Empire arriv'd to this greatness no Stories make mention of any Slaughter or Disgrace it hath suffered to be equâ—l unto the calamity and dishonour of this On the Turks side were slain that day Ishmael the late Pasha of Buda and Kimacham of Constantinople by a shot from the Enemy passing the Water the Spaheelar Agasee or General of the Spahees the Janisar Aga the younger Son of the Tartar Han and several othes Pashaws Alâ—begh General of Bosna Thirty Capugibashees Five and thirty Pages of the Vizier's and Three hundred of his Guard Five thousand Janisaries Three thousand Spahees Fifteen hundred â—osnacks Eight hundred Albanians Six hundred Croats and Hungarians of the Turks Subjects Two hundred and fifty Valachians and Moldavians Six hundred Tartars of Anatolia fifteen hundred and about Four thousand other Asiaticks from the farthest parts of the Turks Dominions Eastward so that in all we may account Seventeen thousand slain on the Turks side besides which were taken Sixteen pieces of Cannon a Hundred and twenty six Colours with the Standard of the Viziers Guard Five thousand Cemiters most of which were embossed with Silver and some beset with Jewels with many Horâ—es of which six were sent as a Present to the Vizier Of the Christians were slain near Three thousand Men those of note were The Count Nassau Count Charles of Bracondâ—rf Captain of the Guards to Count Montecuculi Count Fuchier General of the Artillery of the Empire Collonel Pleâ—ter with his Lieutenant Collonel and Serjeant Major and with many other Gentlemen of the French Nation who deserve for ever to be chronicled for their Virtue and Valour For herein the French Nation ought not to lose their just praise having made proofs of their Valour as well in this as in other Battels it being reported That Monsieur â—â—ligni their General killed Thirty Turkâ— with his own hand The News of this Victory bâ—ing posted to Vienna it is wonderful to consâ—der with what Apâ—plauses with what Honours with what Eâ—coâ—â—um the Fame of Monâ—â—cuculi was celebrated for besides the Triumphs with Fires sounding of Bells Banquets and otheâ— demonstrations of solemn joy the Glory of Mâ—â—tecuculi was the Theme of every Ballad sung in the corners of streets which Honours of the Commonalty were seconded by greater and more substantial of the Imperial Court who conferred upon him the Title of Lieutenant General of the whole Army a Dignity so eminent as is inferiour to none except the Emperor in order of the Militia and was not without some scruple granted to the Archduke Leopold by his Brother Ferdinand the Third and withheld from Piccolomini Duke of Amalfi until he had highly merited it and made his way to it through bloody fields where Providence first crowned him with Laurels of Success and Victory And here is just occasion for us to doubt why Montecuculi should be thus admired and loaded with Honours whilst the services of Serini and Soise were so far from being taken notice of that they seemed to effect the disgrace and ruine of these Worthies rather than to produce the favour of their Prince and the applause of their Country the natural Rewards of Valour and Virtue And indeed I cannot but confess I my self have wondred when in the Court of Vienna I have heard the Actions and Zeal of Serini so slightly spoken of or contemned when a Stranger took the liberty but to descant