souldiours in defence of the common Christian cause so much preuailed with the princes of the empire and the embassadours of the free estates that they highly commended his forwardnesse and all other matters for that time set apart agreed all with one consent at a prefixed day to send vnto VIENNA such warlike forces as they had in any time before set forth for the defence of the Christian religion and the majestie of the empire Whereupon he wrot vnto Alphonsus Vastius his lieutenant Generall in ITALIE and one of the greatest captaines of that age that he should without delay call together the old captaines and to leuie so many companies of harquebusiers as they possibly could and with them and the Spanish souldiors to repaire forthwith vnto him into AVSTRIA He also enjoyned Andreas Auria his admirall that hee should with like diligence rig vp a strong fleet of gallies and marchants ships and to goe against the Turkes nauie into GRaeCIA At the same time he sent for his choise horsemen out of BVRGVNDIE and the low countries and many noble gentlemen and old soldiours out of SPAINE for the guard of his owne person he entertained twelue thousand Germanes such as had longest serued in his warres in ITALIE ouer whom commaunded Maximilian Herbersthene and Tamisius both famous captaines At the same time Clement the seuenth then bishop of ROME although his cofers were greatly emptied by the late Florentine warres which had cost him ten hundred thousand duckats yet to make some shew of his deuotion in so dangerous a time with the great good will he bare vnto the emperor after he had with greeuous exaction extorted from the cleargie a great masse of money whereunto his rich cardinals contributed nothing as if it had been a thing vtterly vnlawfull for them in so good a cause to haue abated any jot of their pontificall shew in the court of ROME sent the young cardinall Hyppolytus Medices his nephew being then about twentie yeares of age a man indeed fitter for the warres than for the church as his legate vnto the emperour accompanied with mo good captaines than cleargie men and his cofers well stuffed with treasure whose comming to RATISBONE was vnto the emperour and the Germanes very welcome for besides that hee was a young gentleman of very comely personage and exceeding bountifull he entertained for those warres besides the companie he brought with him eight â—housand Hungarian horsemen of all others best acquainted with the Turkish warres King Iohn vnderstanding that the formost of Solymans great armie were come as farre as SAMANDRIA in SERVIA thought it now a fit time to wring from king Ferdinand such townes as he yet held in HVNGARIE wherefore he sent Aloisius Grittus whom Solyman had left as a helper for his estate to besiege STRIGONIVM which is a citie of HVNGARIE situat vpon the side of Danubius about thirtie miles from BVDA the castle whereof was at that time holden with a strong garrison of king Ferdinands whereunto for all that Grittus laid such hard siege both by the riuer and by land that the defendants doubting how they should bee able to hold out especially if Solyman should take that in his way as it was most like he would sent for releefe to Cazzianer a warlike captaine then gouernour of VIENNA and generall of all king Ferdinand his forces by whose appointment certaine small frigots were sent downe the riuer of Danubius from POSSONIVM well manned who suddainely setting vpon the Turkes fleet which so kept the riuer that nothing could that way be possibly conueyed either in or out of the castle should by their vnexpected comming open that way but Grittus hauing intelligence thereof by certaine Hungarians which though they serued king Ferdinand made no great account to flie sometime to the one part sometime to the other as best fitted their purpose presently resolued to send his fleet vp the riuer and by his sudden comming to oppresse his enemies in like sort as they had thought to haue done him And the more to encourage his souldiours hee promised great rewards to all such as should performe any extraordinarie peece of seruice in that action and so hauing thorowly furnished all his fleet with good souldiours but especially with Turkish archers sent them vp the riuer to seeke their enemies who fearing no such matter as men surprised with the same mischeefe they had prepared for others were at the first exceedingly dismayed yet considering that they were reasonably well prouided for their comming although they yet wanted such helpe as Cazzianer had appointed to send them they thought it a great shame to flie and therefore putting themselues in order of battell came downe the riuer and with great courage encountred their enemies There began a sharpe and cruell fight many being slaine and wounded on both sides but at last they of POSSONIVM not able longer to endure the deadly shot of their enemies and especially of the Turkish archers who with their arrowes sore gauled both the souldiours and the marriners they turned their backes and fled in which fight of sixtie frigots which came from POSSONIVM onely thirteene escaped with Corporanus the Generall all the rest being either sunke in the fight or els taken by the enemie being run ashore and forsaken by the Possonians trusting more vnto their legs by land than their oares by water Besides this losse of the frigots there was slaine of the Possonians almost fiue hundred After this victorie Grittus hoping that they in the castle of STRIGONIVM despairing now of releefe and fearing the comming of Solyman would not long hold out left off to batter or vndermine the castle wherewith he perceiued he little preuailed purposing by lying still and keeping them in the castle from all releefe to enforce them in time to forsake the place Thus whilst the deuided Hungarians with their owne hands inconsideratly sought one anothers destruction with the ruine of their countrey Solyman the great enemie of all Christians was readie at their backes to deuour both the one and the other as in few yeares after he did Much about this time the old Spanish souldiors in ITALIE drawne together by Vastius as the emperour had before commaunded were come to the Alpes In this campe of one sort of men and other was aboue twentie thousand whereof almost the third part was not seruiceable for the old souldiors enriched with the long warres in ITALIE and the spoile of the rich countrey of LVMBARDIE wherein they had of late beene billited brought with them all their old gotten spoiles and substance not forgetting so much as their women and whatsoeuer els serued their pleasure for carriage whereof they drew after them a great multitude of carriages and vnnecessarie people all which serued for no other vse but for the soldiors pleasure and to consume victuals Which their licentious wantonnesse Vastius desiring to reforme gaue straight commaundement thorow all the campe That they should leaue
about again to haue ben embarked for SYRIA and so into the holy land But the yong prince Alexius in the meane time had by himselfe and the noble Grecians fled with him for feare of the tyrant so wrought the matter with the Latine princes of the West especially with Innocentius tertius the Pope with Philip the emperour his brother in law and Philip the French king that they pittying his estate induced also with some other considerations more proper vnto themselues took him as it were into their protection commending by letters messengers for that purpose sent vnto the armie which they might cōmand the defence both of himselfe and his cause who with the commendation of three so great princes comming to the armie yet lying at IADERA expecting but a faire wind for to haue passed into SYRIA was there of them all most honorably receiued as the sonne of an emperour and as became one vnto them so highly commended And he himselfe also as one that knew his good was not in any thing wanting vnto himselfe but recommended himselfe to their protection as a poore exiled prince in distresse yet of a good and liuely spirit gracious in speech beautifull to behold and very yong and withall fully instructed by the noble Grecians that were with him in all things that might serue to further his purpose And forasmuch as this great armie was composed of diuers nations especially of the French Italians and Venetians not all to be by one meane moued he fitted euery one of them with such motiues as hee thought might most preuaile with them Vnto the French he promised to pay the great summes of mony they had borrowed of the Venetians for the furnishing of themselues in this war Vnto the Venetians he promised to recompence thē for all the injuries they had sustained by the late Constantinopolitan emperors especially by the emperor Emanuell who for that they had refused to aid him in his wars against William king of SICILIE did in one day confiscat all the goods of the Venetian marchants within his empire of a wonderfull value afterwards contrarie to the law of nations shamefully intreated their embassadors sent vnto him amongst whom was Henry Dandulus now by fortune generall for the Venetians in the armie who moued as well with the wrong in particular done vnto himselfe as with the common desired to be reuenged both of the one and of the other which although he could not haue of Emanuell himselfe being long before dead yet was he still desirous to haue it of some one of the Greeke emperours whosoeuer he were Vnto the Pope and the Italians both he and the noblemen with him had before promised That the Greeke Church should for euer acknowledge the supremacie of the church of ROME and from thencefoorth submit it selfe therunto as vnto the soueraigne judge of all the churches of Christendome which caused the Pope Innocentius by letters by legates by embassadours and by all other meanes possible to further the cause of the yong prince Alexius so combined with his owne alleadging the diuersitie of opinions in matters of religion betwixt the Greekes and the Latines to haue been the chiefe cause that the Mahometanes had not been long agoe by their vnited forces subdued or vtterly rooted out In briefe the young prince spared not to promise most bountifull rewards in generall to all that should take his part against his vncle the vsurping emperour By this meanes the deuout warre taken in hand for the reliefe of the poore Christians in SYRIA was laid aside and the same forces that should haue beene therein employed now conuerted against the Greeke empire to the great weakening of that side of the Christian common-weale and aduantage of the common enemie who might then easily haue beene oppressed had he with the vnited forces of the Christians been on this side charged home as he was on the farther by the Tartars The Grecian warre thus resolued vpon it seemed best vnto the great commanders of the armie to march directly to CONSTANTINOPLE as to the head of the Grecian state and place where the tyrant whom they sought after was resiant In the mean time it was by them giuen out through all the Greeke cities which the emperour had strongly manned and fortefied for the staying of their passage that their purpose was not to make warre against the Grecians their friends but onely to restore their lawfull emperour vnto his former state and honour And that forasmuch as euery citie and towne in ancient GREECE had appointed rewards and almost diuine honors vnto such as had deliuered them from tyrants they should now more fauourably receiue and intreat them that came to restore vnto euery citie and to euery man in generall their former libertie and honour And so vpon the resolution for CONSTANTINOPLE embarking their armie and passing through the Ionian sea into the Aegeum and so without let through the straights of Helespontus into Propontis and entring the straits of Bosphorus Thracius which deuide EUROPE from ASIA they came to an anker euen in the face of the citie In this fleet were two hundred and fortie saile of tall ships sixtie gallies seuentie ships for burden and one hundred and twentie saile of victualers which all together made a most braue shew couering that strait in such sort as that it seemed rather a wood than a part of the sea Thus for a space they lay facing the citie attending if happily vpon the comming and sight of so great a fleet and the report of so puissant an armie as the yong prince Alexius had brought with him any tumult or sedition might arise in the citie But the warie tyrant had so well prouided therefore beforehand that the citizens although they in heart fauoured the young prince and wished him well yet durst they not once moue or stirre in his quarrell Whilest the fleet thus lay embassadours came from the isle of CRETE in two great gallies with three banks of oares yeelding vnto the yong prince that goodly island with all the townes and cities therein which he foorthwith gaue vnto the marquesse of MONT-FERRAT generall of the armie thereby to encourage the other great commanders of the armie to do the vttermost of their deuoire in hope of recompence and rewards answerable to their deserts and valour Before the arriuall of this fleet Alexius the emperour had with a great chaine made fast the entrance of the hauen betwixt CONSTANTINOPLE and PERA and appointed twentie great gallies well manned for the keeping thereof but a great gale of wind arising the generall sent out the greatest and strongest ship in the fleet of her greatnesse and swiftnesse called the Eagle which with all her sailes vp carried with a full gale of wind by maine force brake the chain and made a way for the rest of the fleet to enter which the Greekes in the gallies seeing for feare fled leauing the gallies for a
price he thrust in armed men couering those packs with homely couerings sending them by carriages to the castle of BILEZVGA giuing charge that they should not come thither before twilight After that he appareled certaine of his best souldiours in womens apparell as if it had beene his wife and mother in law with their women so casting his journey that he with these diguised souldiours and the other sent in packs might at one instant meet at the castle aforesaid The captaine being now in the countrey and vnderstanding that Othoman was comming in the euening with a great tâ—ame of gentlewomen thought the cause of his late comming to be for that the Turkish women vse to shun the sight of Christian men by all meanes they can Othoman being now come to the place in the countrey where the mariage was next day to be solemnized hauing done his humble reuâ—rence to the captaine requested him to do him the honour That his gentlewomen which were nigh at hand might by his appointment bee sent to his castle there to haue some conuenient lodging where they might alight and bestow themselues a part from others according to the homely fashion of their nation least peraduenture the presence of so honourable a companie of noble men and gallants might put them out of countenance which the captaine graunted and hauing saluted them a far off after the Turkish manner commaunded them to be conueyed to his castle making reckoning of them all as of a rich prey At the same time that these disguised souldiours arriued at the castle came thither also the other souldiours couered in packes in the cariages which so soone as they were within the castle suddenly leapt out of the packs and drawing their short swords with the helpe of their disguised fellowes slew the warders of the castle and without more adoe possessed the same the greatest part of the captaines people being before gon out of the castle to the place of the mariage Othoman hauing taried so long with the captaine as hee supposed the castle by that time by his men surprised so soone as the captaine had taken his chamber suddenly tooke horse with all his followers accompanied also with Cossi taking his way directly to the castle of BILEZVGA of whose sudden departure the captaine vnderstanding presently tooke horse and pursued him with all his traine which were for the most part drunke and ouertaking him before he came to the castle set vpon him in which conflict he was by Othoman slaine and the rest put to flight The same night Othoman vsing great celeritie earely in the morning surprised the castle of IARCHISAR also where he tooke prisoners the captaine thereof with his faire daughter Lulufer which should haue beene maried to the captaine of BILEZVGA the next day with all her friends as they were readie to haue gone to the mariage which faire ladie he shortly after married vnto his eldest sonne Orchanes who had by her Amurath third king of the Turkes and Solyman Bassa Othoman omitting no opportunitie presently sent one of his captaines called Durgut-Apes a man of great esteeme and valour to besiege the castle of EINEGIOL wherein he vsed such celeritie that preuenting the same of that was done at BILEZVGA he suddenly inuironed the castle in such sort that none could passe in or out vntill such time as that Othoman hauing broght his prisoners and prey to the castle of BELIZVGA and there hauing set all things in good order came with the rest of his men of war to EINEGIOL which he presently by force tooke promising the spoile thereof vnto his souldiours The captaine called Hagio-Nicholaus his antient enemie he caused to be cut in small peeces and all the men to be slaine which crueltie he vsed because they a little before had vsed the like tyrannie against his Turks When Othoman had thus got into his subjection a great part of the strong castles and forces of the greater PHRIGIA with the territorie to them belonging he began with all carefulnesse to make good lawes and to execute justice to all his subjects as well Christians as Turkes with great indifferencie studying by all meanes to keepe his countrey in peace and quietnesse and to protect his subjects from the spoile of others as well Christians as Turkes whereby it came to passe that the old inhabitants which for the most part had forsaken the country by reason of the great troubles therein repaired now againe to their antient dwellings and not onely they but many other strangers also supplying the places of them whom the late warres had consumed So that by his good gouernment that wasted countrey in short time grew to be againe verâ—â— populous The ciuile gouernment of his countrey well established hee besieged the citie of ISNICA in antient time called NICE a citie of BITHINIA famous for the generall Counsell there holden against Artus in the time of Constantine the Great This citie hee brought into great distresse by placing his men of war in forts new built vpon euerie passage and way leading vnto the same so that nothing could be brought out of the countrey for the reliefe of the poore citizens They in this extremitie by a secret messenger certified the emperour of CONSTANTINOPLE vnder whose obedience they were in what distresse the citie stood and that except he sent them present reliefe they must of necessitie either perish with famine or yeeld themselues into the hands of their enemies the Turks The emperour mooued with the pittifull complainâ— of this messenger with all expedition embarked certaine companies of souldiours from CONSTANTINOPLE to relieue his besieged citie But Othoman vnderstanding by his espials where these souldiours were appointed to land in secret manner withdrawing most of his forces from the siege lay in ambush neere vnto the same place where the emperours souldiours casting no perill landed who before they could put themselues in order of battell were by Othoman and his Turks in such sort charged that most part of them were there slaine and the rest driuen into the sea where they miserably perished Othoman hauing thus politikely ouerthrowne the Constantinopolitan souldiours returning to his siege continued the same in straighter manner than before The besieged citizens driuen into great pâ—nurie and now despairing of all helpe yeelded themselues with the great and rich citie of NICE into the hands of Othoman with the spoile whereof he greatly enriched his men of war Aladin the great Sultan of ICONIVM glad to heare of this good successe of Othoman against the Christians in token of his fauour and loue sent vnto him a faire ensigne with certaine drums and trumpets a sword and princely robe with large charters That whatsoeuer he tooke from the Christians should be all his owne and also that publike praiers should be said in all the Turks temples in the name of Othoman for his health and prosperous estate which two things properly belonged to the dignitie of the Sultan
of the affaires of the empire and aduantage of the forreine enemie was not a little troubled with a jealous suspition of his brother Constantine commonly called Porphyrogenitus as if he had sought to haue aspired vnto the empire seeking by all meanes to win vnto himselfe the loue and fauour of all men but especially of the nobilitie both at home and abroad and so by that meanes to mount vnto the height of his desires All which as most men thought were but meere slanders maliciously deuised by such as enuying at his honour and taking occasion by the emperours suspition ceased not to increase the same vntill they had wrought his vnwoorthie destruction The first ground of this false suspition in the emperours head was for that this Constantine was euen from his childhood for many causes better beloued of the old emperour his father than Andronicus as better furnished with those gifts of nature which beautifie a prince and of a more courteous behauior than was his brother insomuch that had he not been the yoonger brother his father could willingly haue left him his successour in the empire This was one and the cheefest cause of the emperours grudge and the ground of his suspition Yet was there another also and that not much lesse than this for that his father in his life time had of long thought to haue seperated from the empire a great part of THESSALIA and MACEDONIA and to haue made him absolute prince thereof and had happely so done had hee not beene by death preuented which thing also much grieued Andronicus and the more incensed him against his brother Which his secret hatred he for all that according to his wisdome cunningly dissembled not only during the time that his father liued but three yeares after his death also making shew of the greatest loue and kindnesse towards him that was possible Constantine in the meane time of such great reuenues as were by his father assigned vnto him reaping great profit most bountifully bestowed the same vpon his followers and fauorits and others that made sute vnto him as well the meaner sort as the greater and with his sweet behauior woon vnto him the hearts of all men for affabilitie courtesie in high degree easily allureth mens minds as doe faire flowers in the spring the passengers eyes This was that precept of the wise Indians That the higher a prince was in dignitie and the more courteous he shewed himselfe vnto his inferiours the better he should be of them beloued He therefore that should for the two first causes blame Constantine should doe him wrong as both proceeding not of himselfe but of his fathers too much loue but in the third hee was not altogether blamelesse for if for want of experience hee prodigally gaue such gifts as for the most part might haue besâ—emed the emperour himselfe he ignorantly erred yet did he no little offend but if he knew that for his too profuse bountie he could not be vnsuspected of his brother and yet without regard held on that course hee was greatly to bee blamed therein For if nothing els might haue mooued him yet he should haue considered to what end the like doings of others in former times had sorted and how many it had brought to vntimely end So although perhaps that Constantine meant no harme vnto his brother or any way to supplant him yet did these things not a little increase and agrauate the former suspitioâ—s and open the eares of the emperour his brother vnto such calumniation as commonly attendeth vpon immoderat bountie But to returne vnto our purpose This honourable Constantine then liued in LYDIA but lately maried and in good hope long to liue being not past thirtie years old but pleasantly spending the time with his wife at NYMPHEA in LYDIA at such time as he was thus secretly accused vnto his brother the emperour thought it good as vpon other occasions of businesse to passe ouer into ASIA himselfe but indeed with a secret resolution vpon the suddaine to oppresse his brother vnawares as by proofe it fell out For at his comming ouer Constantine fearing nothing lesse was forthwith apprehended with all his greatest fauorits of whom one Michaell Strategopulus sometime a man in great authoritie with the emperour his father and of all other for wealth honour and noble acts most famous was cheefe who together with Constantine were fast clapt in prison where we will leaue them euery houre looking to die their lands and goods being before confiscated But these woorthie men especially Constantine and Strategopulus thus laid fast who many times in great battailes discomfited the Turks and notably defended the frontiers of the empire alongst the East side of the riuer MEANDER they now finding none to withstand them forraged not only all the rich countrey beyond the riuer but with an infinit multitude passing the same did there great harme also so that there was no remedie but that the emperour must of necessitie make choice of some other woorthie captaine for the defence of those his cities and countries by the incursion of the Turks then in danger in that part of ASIA There was then in the emperours court one Alexius Philanthropenus a right valiant and renowned captaine and then in the flower of his youth of him the emperour thought good to make choice for the defence of those frontiers of his empire in ASIA against the Turks which were before the charge of his brother Constantine and Strategopulus joyning vnto him one Libadarius an old famous captaine and a man of great experience also appointing vnto him the gouernment of the cities of IONIA and vnto the other the frontiers along the winding bankes of MEANDER Where Alexius hauing now gotten a charge woorthie his valour and in many great conflicts with the Turks still carying away the victorie became in short time of great fame besides that he was exceeding bountifull and courteous vnto all men a costly but a readie way vnto dangerous credit and renowne Thus at the first all things prospered in his hand according to his hearts desire yea the Turks themselues bordering vpon him hardly beset on the one side by the Tartars and on the other by himselfe and yet not so much feared with their enemies behind them as mooued with his courtesie came ouer vnto him with their wiues and children and serued themselues many of them in his campe but as they say That in Iupiters court no man might drinke of the tun of blisse but that he must tast also of the tun of woe so fell it out with this great captaine who hauing but tasted of the better tun had the worse all poured full vpon his head For Libadarius seeing all so prosper with him and somewhat enuying thereat began to feare and suspect least he proud of his good fortune and now growne very strong casting off his allegeance should aspire vnto the empire and so first begin with him as the neerest vnto him
solemnitie of words promised to whomsoeuer could bring vnto him the Despot either quicke or dead which were of purpose giuen vnto the country people passing too and fro to be dispersed abroad in the high waies and about in the country neere vnto the Despots campe And after that he caused the death of the emperour his grandfather to be euerie where proclaimed and how that he was by the Constantinopolitans in a tumult slaine which the deuiâ—â—â—s thereof in euery place reported Yea some there were that swore they were themselues present at his wofull death and saw it with their eies othersome more certainely to persuade the matter shewed long white goats haires or such like gathâ—â—ed out of white wooll as if they had beene by the furious people pluckt from the old emperours head or beard at such time as hee was slaine Which things being commonly reported in euery towne and village but especially in the Despots campe wonderfully fillâ—d mens heads with diuers strange and doubtfull â—houghts then diuers also of the dispersed edicts being found and brought vnto the Despot strucke him and not without cause into a great feare insomuch that by the persuasion of his best friends he without longer stay retired in hast to THESSALONICA Whither shortly after came a gallie from CONSTANTINOPLE with secret letters from the emperour to the Despot for the apprehension of fiue and twentie of the cheefe cittizens vehemently suspected for the stirring vp of thâ— people to rebellion and so to haue deliuered the citie vnto the prince all whom the Despot should haue sent bound in that gallie to CONSTANTINOPLE but they in good time perceiuing the danger they were in secretly stirring vp the people and by and by after ringing out the bels the signall appointed for the beginning of the rebellion had in a very short time raised a woonderfull tumult in the citie insomuch that all the citizens werâ— vp in armes who running headling vnto the house of the Despot found not him for he forewarned of their comming was fled into the castle but slew all they met of his or els robbing them cast them in prison As for the Despots house they tooke what they found therein and afterwards pulled it downe to the ground Then comming to the castle they fired the gates which the Despot seeing and not able to dâ—fâ—nd the place tooke horse and fled vnto a monasterie not far off where being taken by them that pursued him he full sore against his will for thâ— safegard of his life tooke vpon him the habit of a monke neuerthelesse he was froÌ„ thence caried prisoner to the yong prince his nephew who shewed himselfe much more courteous vnto him than all the rest of his nobilitie waiters for they as if they would haue eaten him vp were euen foorthwith readie to haue torne him in peeces hâ—d noâ—â—he prince embracing him in his armes saued his life Yet the next day after by the persuasion of his counsell he sent him to DIDIMOTICHVM where hee was cast into a most loathsome prison being verie deepe and straight in manner of a well no bodie to attend vpon him but one boy where he lay in miserable darkenesse and stinke they which drew vp his ordure from him and the boy whether by chance or of purpose pouring it oftentimes vpon his head Where after he had lien a great while in most extreame miserie wishing to die and could not he was at length by the princes commandement entreated thereunto by certaine religious men remooued into a more easie prison where we will for euer leaue him Things falling out crosse with the old emperor and although they were neuer so well deuised still sorting out vnto the worst he became verie pensiue and doubtfull what to do So it fortuned that one day in his melancholy mood hauing a Psalter in his hand to resolue his doubtfull mind he opened the same as if it were of that heauenly Oracle to aske counsell where in the first verse that he light vpoÌ„ was Dum coelestis dissociat reges niue conspergentur in Selmon When the Almightie scattered kings for their sakes then were they as white as snow in Selmon Which he applying to himselfe as if all those troubles and whatsoeuer else had happened in them proceeded from the will of God although for causes to him vnknowne hee by and by sought to reconcile himselfe vnto his nephew contrarie to the mind of Syrgiannes desiring nothing but trouble For as we haue before said the yoong prince although he was desirous of the power and libertie of an emperor yet he left the ornaments and care thereof vnto his grandfather had he not oftentimes and earnestly been egged forward by his companions to affect the whole empire happily could and would haue contented himselfe with the former pacification for being now sent for he came first to RHEGIVM and there visited his mother now set at libertie and sent thither for the furtherance of the desired pacification where he with her and by her counsell did whatsoeuer was there done So within a few daies the matter was brought into so good tearms that an attonement was made and he himselfe went and met the emperour his grandfather before the gates of the citie the old emperour sitting then vpon his horse and the prince lighting from his a good furlong before he came at him and although his grandfather was verie vnwilling and forbad him so to doe yet he came to him on foot and kissed his hand and foot as he sat on horesebacke and afterward taking horse embraced him and there kissed one another to the great contentment of the beholders and so hauing talked some few words departed the old man into the citie and the yoong man into his campe which then lay neere vnto PEGA where staying certaine daies he came diuers times into CONSTANTINOPLE and so went out againe for as then his mother partly for her health partly for the loue of her sonne lay at PEGA But Syrgiannes nothing glad of the agreement made betwixt the emperour and his nephew walked vp and downe sicke in mind with a heauie countenance especially for that in time of peace his busie head stood the commonweale in no stead Wherefore in all meetings assemblies he willingly conuersed with them which most disliked of the present state and spake hardly as well of the emperour as of his nephew wronged as he thought by them both whereas in the time of their greatest distresse hee had as hee said stood them in good stead But seeing one Asanes Andronicus walking melancholie vp and downe as a man with heauinesse oppressed who hauing done good seruice for the yoong prince and not of him regarded had fled vnto the old emperour and there found no such thing as he expected for the ease of his greefe although he were a man honourably borne and otherwaies indued with many good parts with him Syrgiannes acquainted himselfe as grieued with the like
assurance of himselfe and his state in so great a danger And first he sent vnto his nephew come halfe way to forbid him from entring the citie and to tell him That it was a great folly for him being so manifest a traitour both vnto his grandfather and the state to thinke his traiterous purposes to bee vnknowne vnto the world and beside in way of reproofe to rehearse vnto him how many occasions he had giuen for the breaking of the league with his grandfather first in taking away the money from the collectors whereof the state neuer stood in more need by reason of the diuision of the empire which required double charge then in that hee had in the citie euerie where displaced such gouernours and magistrats 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 citie After that the old emperour by secret letters craued aid of Crales prince of SERVIA and Demetrius the Despot his sonne who was then gouernour of THSSALONICA and the countries adjoyning commaunding him with Andronicuâ— and Michael his nephews gouernours of MACEDONIA with all the forces they were able to raise and such aid as should be sent vnto them out of SERVIA with all speed to joyne together and to go against the yoong emperour But these letters thus written vnto the prince of SERVIA the Despot and others as is before said were for the most part intercepted by such as the yoong emperour had for that purpose placed vpon the straits of CHRISTOPOLIS 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 deliuered And in truth nothing was done or about to be done in CONSTANTINOPLE but that the yoong emperour was by one or other aduertised thereof whereas the old emperour on the other side vnderstood nothing what his nephew did abroad or intended For all men of their owne accord enclined vnto him some openly both bodie and soule as they say and such as could not be with him in person yet in mind and good will were euen present with him and that not onely the common sort of the citizens of CONSTANTINOPLE but the chiefe Senatours the great courtiers yea and many other of the emperours neerest kinsmen also who curiously obseruing whatsoeuer was done in the citie foorthwith certified him therof Amongst whom was also Theodorus the marques one of the old emperors owne sons who many years before by the empresse his mother sent into ITALY and there honorably married was by his prodigall course of life there growne far in debt so that leauing his wife and children behind him he was glad after the decease of his mother to flie vnto his father at CONSTANTINOPLE and there now liued who beside that he most honourably maintained him in the court and bestowed many great things vpon him paid also all his debts which were verie great All which fatherly kindnesse he forgetting went about most Iudas like to haue betraied his aged father For he also dreaming after the empire and for many causes but especially for that hee was in mind religion manners and habit become a Latine by him rejected thought he could not do him a greater dispite than by reuolting vnto the young emperour so that the neerer he was in blood the more he was his fathers vnnaturall enemie Shortly after Demetrius the Despot hauing receiued the emperours letters at THESSALONICA called vnto him Andronicus and Michael his nephews the gouernours of MACEDONIA with whom joyning all his forces and dayly expecting more aid out of SERVIA he first spoiled the yoong emperors friends and fauourits in MACEDONIA giuing the spoile of them in all the cities and townes of MACEDONIA vnto their souldiours who made hauocke of whatsoeuer they light vpon and whosoeuer seemed any way to withstand them or dislike of their proceedings their goods and lands they confiscated and draue the men themselues into exile Neither was the yoong emperour Andronicus in the meane time idle but secretly sent out his edicts into all parts of the empire yea into the verie cities of CONSTANTINOPLE and THESSALONICA and ouer all MACEDONIA whereby he proclaimed vnto the people in generall a releasement of them from all tributs impositions and payments and frankly promised vnto the souldiours and men of war the augmenting of their pensions and pay which were no sooner bruited but that most men were therewith mooued both in word and deed to fauour his proceedings doing what they could to further the same and by secret letters inuiting him to hasten his comming into the citie who thereupon comming to RHEGIVM by his embassadours sent from thence requested the old emperour Either to giue him leaue according to the league betwixt them to come into the citie or else to send him certaine of the chiefe of the nobilitie and cleargie with some of the better and more vnderstanding sort of the Burgers and citizens also vnto whom he might frankly speake his mind for them faithfully to deliuer the same againe vnto the emperor his grandfather and the people Which requests the old emperour perceiuing to be full of deceit and trecherie for a good space answered thereunto nothing at all but stood all silent as doubting which to graunt for to suffer his nephew to come into the citie he saw was dangerous the cittizens as he well knew being for the most part enclined to reuolt vnto him so soon as they should once see him within the gates and to send any forth vnto him as he desired might be as he feared an occasion of some tumult to be after raised in the citie for he knew that his nephewes drift therein was openly by faire words and secretly with great gifts and large promises first to gaine them and by them the rest of the citizens Both which things being dangerous he made choice of the easier and sent forth vnto him two of the most noble Senators two of the most reuerend bishops two other graue prelates and foure of the cheefe burgesses of the citie vnto whom at their comming vnto him hee in the open hearing of all men deliuered this premeditated and craftie speech It is not vnknowne vnto the world you my subjects to haue alwaies been vnto me more deare than I haue been vnto my selfe and how that I haue not vpon any ambitious conceit or desire of the sole gouernment against my grandfathers good will gone out For you see how that I neither spare mine owne life or attend my pleasure for the care I haue of you I come not vnto you compassed about with a guard of armed men as is the manner not of kings only for the enuie of their high place but of others also of farre meaner calling whom
long experience know not now in so great a hurle and tempest which way to turne my selfe how can I with safetie commit vnto my nephew so great a charge who as yet is both an vnstayed youth and so carelesse of his owne good as that he knoweth not how well to gouerne his owne priuat affaires For giuing ouer his power vnto yoong vnskilfull men and hauing flung away his imperiall possessions amongst them hee himselfe liueth in penurie and want neither regardeth any thing more than his dogs and kites of whom hee keepeth few lesse than a thousand curres and as many hawkes and not much fewer men to looke vnto them Wherefore vnto such a man how may I safely commit either my life oâ— the administration of mine empire by God committed vnto me But I will neuer witting and willingly cast away either my subjects or my selfe For my nephew I haue loued not onely more than my wife and children but to say the truth more than my selfe also as you all know how tenderly I haue brought him vp how carefully I haue instructed and aduised him as purposing to haue left him the heire and successour both of my wisedome and mine empire that so hee might the better please both God and man But he contemning my good counsell hath spent whole nights in banquetting and riot and brothelhouses wherein hee hath also slaine his owne brother and to bee breeâ—e he hath risen and lifted vp his hand against me his grandfather and a grandfather that had of him so well deserued attempting such a villanie as the Sunne neuer saw Wherfore you ought also to hate and detest his wickednesse and to rise vp to restraine his impudent disloyaltie and by your ecclesiasticall censure to denounce him vnworthie of the empire and the communion of the faithfull is one seperated from God that so ashamed and corrected he may louingly thither returne from whence he is shamefully departed and againe be made heire both of mine empire and staiednesse For there is no man aliue whom I had rather haue promoted vnto the empire so that he would heare my precepts and obey my counsell As for the conclusion he vsed in his former speech it was altogether fained craftie and malicious for you haue heard how many reproches he hath giuen me in all that speech wherewith his conclusion agreeth not but the more to stir vp the hearers thereof against me did of purpose so conclude his speech Vpon this most of the foresaid graue and learned bishops agreed that the young emperour should no more be named in the praiers of the Church vntill he had better conformed himselfe Howbeit the patriarch and some others secretly fauouring both him and his proceedings liked not thereof and therefore saying nothing thereunto returned home vnto their owne houses But meeting once or twise afterwards in the patriarch his house they there conspired together against the old emperour with whom also diuers of the nobilitie consented and thereupon an oath was conceiued in writing whereby they bound themselues to continue constant in that their wicked resolution Whereupon about three dayes after the patriarch causing the bels to be rung and a great number of the vulgar people flocking together pronounced the sentence of excommunication against all such as should in their publike praiers omit the name of the young emperour or refuse to doe him all honour due vnto an emperour Which thing not a little grieued the old emperour as appeared by his speech in saying If the doctor of peace be so mad against vs in hope of reward promised by my nephew that casting off all shame and grauitie he doubteth not to be the authour of sedition who shall represse the rash attempts of the vulgar people against vs if we respect but mans helpe For the Patriarch so much as in him lieth is I see the murtherer of vs. So the bishops of the contrarie faction moued with the notable impudencie of the patriarch excommunicated him likewise as he had done them with his mad followers as the authours of sedition and faction and incited with bribes to the troubling of the state for which cause also he was by the Emperours commandement committed vnto safe keeping in the monasterie called MANGANIUM But about two daies after the young Emperour came to the wals of CONSTANTINOPLE to know how his grandfather had accepted the messengers sent vnto him earnestlie requesting that it might be lawfull for him alone to enter into the citie to do his dutie to his grandfather But neither he neither his words were at all regarded but was by such as stood vpon the wals himselfe with stones driuen away who could not abide to heare him speake but shamefully railed at him saying all his talke to bee nothing els but deceit and fraud and so for that time he retired a little from the wals But night being come certaine busie heads amongst the common people they not few secretly meeting together gaue him knowledge That about midnight when as all the cittizens were asleepe and the watchmen in securitie he should come vnto the wals where they would be readie with ropes to draw him vp vnto the top of the bulwarkes which done the matter as they said were as good as dispatched for that they were persuaded that the citizens so soone as they should once see him in the middest of the citie amongst them would foorthwith all reuolt vnto him So he according vnto this appointment about midnight approching the wals found there no such matter as he had well hoped for the receiuing of him into the citie but contrariwise the watchmen carefully watching all alongst the wall and calling one vnto another Wherefore finding there no hope he with Catacuzenus and Synadenus his cheefe counsellors leauing the South side of the citie in a little boat rowed softly all along the wall that is towards the sea if happely they might there find their friends and so be receiued in but there the watchmen also descrying them from the wals and calling vnto them but receiuing no answere began to cast stones at them and to make a noise so that deceiued of their purpose and out of hope they were glad to get them farther off and to depart as they came But the euill successe of this exploit was shortly after with his better fortune recompenced for by and by after secret letters were sent vnto him from THESSALONICA requesting him with al speed to come thither assuring him in the name of the bishop with diuers of the nobilitie and the good liking of the people in generall at his comming to open the gates of the citie vnto him whereupon he leauing a great part of his armie with Synadenus to keepe short the Constantinopolitanes he himselfe with the rest of his power set forward towards THESSALONICA where he in the habit of a plaine countrey man entred the citie vnsuspected but being got with in the gate and there casting off that simple attire
other Sciemscia the eldest gouernor of CARAMANIA for his towardlinesse most deerely beloued of his father died of a naturall death before him and was of him and his subjects greatly lamented Alemscia died in like manner of whose death as soone as he was aduertised by mourning letters written in blacke paper with white characters as their manner of writing is in certifying of heauie newes he cast from him his scepter with all other tokens of honour and caused generall mourning to be made for him in the court and through all the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE by the space of three daies during which time all shops were shut vp all trading forbidden and no signe of mirth to be seene and for a certaine space after the manner of their superstition caused solemne sacrifices to be made for the health of his soule and 7000 Aspers to be giuen weekly vnto the poore His dead bodie was afterward with all princely pompe conuaied to PRVSA and there with great solemnitie buried Tzihan gouernor of CARIA and Mahomet gouernor of CAPHA vpon their fathers heauie displeasure were by his commaundement both strangled Of his other foure sonnes Achmet otherwise called Achomates Machmut or Mahometes Corcut or Corcuthus and Selymus the second namely Mahometes was of greatest hope and expectation not giuen to sensualitie or voluptuous pleasure as Achomates his eldest brother neither altogither bookish as was Corcuthus nor yet of so fierce and cruell a disposition as Selymus but of such a liuely spirit sharpe wit bountifull disposition and princely carriage of himselfe that in the judgement of most men he seemed alreadie worthie of a kingdome Which immoderat fauour of the people caused his elder brother Achomates yea and Baiazet also himselfe to haue him in no small jealousie as if he had affected the empire and was in short time the cause of his vntimely death Which thing he nothing doubting hastened as fatall things are by such meanes as hee least feared might haue procured anie such mortall distrust or danger Most of Baiazet his children were by diuers women yet Achomates and this Mahometes were by one and the same mother for which cause Mahometes tooke greater pleasure in him than in any his other brethren although it were not answered with like loue againe Achomates was lord and gouernour of AMASIA and this Mahometes of MAGNESIA who desirous to see the manner of his brothers life and gouernment disguised himselfe with two of his familiar and faithfull friends as if they had been religious men of that order which the Turkes call Imailer These men are for most part comely personages borne of good houses who in cleanly attire made after an homely fashion doe at their pleasure wander vp and downe from towne to towne and countrey to countrey noting the disposition and manners of the people whereof as fitteth best their purpose they make large discourses afterwards to others they commonly carrie about with them siluer cymbals whereon they play most cunningly and thereunto sing pleasant and wanton ditties for which idle delight they receiue money of the people as an almes giuen them of deuotion These are the common corrupters of youth and defilers of other mens beds men altogither giuen to ease and pleasure and are of the Turkes called The religious brethren of Loue but might of right better be tearmed Epicurus his hogs than professours of anie religion at all Mahometes and his two consorts as men of this profession trauelled vp and downe the countries of PONTVS and CAPADOCIA where Achomates commaunded and so to the citie of AMASIA receiuing for their merrie glee by the way as they went the almes and deuotion of the foolish countrey people And being at the length come to AMASIA vpon a solemne holiday they awaited the comming of Achomates to the church who passing by staied a while listening attentiuely vnto their pleasant and alluring harmonie which was for that purpose most curiously and skilfully before deuised and by them both with their instruments and voices performed When they had ended their musicke and according to the manner of their idle profession expected his deuotion Achomates being a man of a spare hand commaunds fiue aspers to be giuen them in reward which is about six pence of our money Mahometes disdaining his brothers base reward as a signe of his miserable disposition would in no wise discouer himselfe as he had before determined but taking horse returned with speed to MAGNESIA from whence hee writ taunting letters vnto his brother Achomates scoffing at his good husbandrie no praise to a prince and in contempt sent him backe againe his fiue aspers which thing Achomates tooke in so euill part as that he was neuer afterwards friends with him The report of this fact was in short time dispersed throughout all parts of the Turkish empire diuers men diuersly deeming of his purpose therein Not long after Mahometes had in this sort plaied with his brother Achomates he attired himselfe with certaine of his trustie followers as if they had beene seafaring men and with a small bark came to CONSTANTINOPLE and there landing as aduenturers from sea tooke diligent view both of the imperiall citie and of the citie of PERA standing opposite against it curiously noting how all things were by his fathers appointment ordered and gouerned It happened whilest he was thus staying at CONSTANTINOPLE that Baiazet had appointed a solemne assembly of all his chiefe Bassaes at the court which Mahometes was desirous to haue the sight of as also of the fashion of his fathers court but as he with his companions pressed to haue entred in at the court gate they were by their base apparell taken of the porters to haue been rude mariners and so by them kept out Wherefore consulting what to doe in that case he went and presently bought a most beautifull Christian captiue boy and the next day comming againe to the court with two of his companions as if they had been aduenturers at sea requested to be let in for that they had brought a present for the emperour So finding means to be admitted vnto the presence of Baiazet one of his consorts as if he had been a sea captaine boldly stept forth and with due reuerence offered the present vnto the emperour which he thankfully tooke and in token thereof gaue him his hand to kisse and commaunded a rich garment wrought with gold to be giuen vnto him with two other of lesse valour vnto Mahometesâ—nd â—nd his fellow supposed to be the said captaines followers who all this while stood a farre off as if it had beene for reuerence of the emperor but in deed for feare to be discouered As these counterfeit guests were returning from the court in their garments of fauour they happened to meet with three courtiers which knew Mahometes who dismounting from their horses had done him honour and due reuerence as to the sonne of the great emperour had he not by secret signes forbidden them as one
two wings so that all his spearemen were in the right wing and the archers and carbines in the left in the maine battaile stood the Ianizaries with the rest of the footmen On the otherside Achomates hauing no footmen deuided his horsemen into two wings also Whilest both armies stood thus raunged expecting but the signall of battaile a messenger came from Achomates to Selymus offering in his masters name to trie the equitie of their quarrell in plaine combat hand to hand which if he should refuse he then tooke both God the world to witnesse that Selymus was the onely cause of all the guiltlesse bloud to be shed in the battaile and not he whereunto Selymus answered that he was not to trie his quarrell at the appointment of Achomates and though he could be content so to doe yet would not his soldiors suffer him so to aduenture his person and their owne safetie and so with that answere returned the messenger backe againe to his master giuing him for his reward a thousand aspers Achomates hauing receiued this answere without further delay charged the right wing of his brothers armie who valiantly receiued the first charge but when they were come to the sword and that the matter was to be tried by handie blowes they were not able longer to endure the force of the Persian horsemen who being well armed both horse and man had before requested to be placed in the formost rankes by whose valour the right wing of Selymus his armie was disordered and not without great losse enforced to retire backe vpon their fellows Which thing Selymus beholding did what he might by all meanes to encourage them againe and presently brought on the left wing with their arrowes and pistols in stead of them that were fled and at the same time came on with the Ianizaries also who with their shot enforced Achomates his horsemen to retire Achomates himselfe carefully attending euery danger with greater courage than fortune came in with fresh troupes of horsemen by whose valour the battell before declining was againe renewed and the victorie made doubtfull but in the furie of this battell whilest he was bearing all downe before him and now in great hope of the victorie Canoglis with his Tartarian horsemen rising out of ambush came behind him and with great outcries caused their enemies then in the greatest heat of their fight to turne vpon them at which time also the footmen standing close together assailed them afront and the horsemen whom the Persians had at first put to flight now moued with shame were againe returned into the battaile so that Achomates his small armie was beset and hardly assailed on euery side In fine his ensignes being ouerthrowne and many of his men slaine the rest were faine to betake themselues to flight Where Achomates hauing lost the field and now too late seeking to saue himselfe by flight fell with his horse into a ditch which the raine falling the day before had filled with water and myre and being there knowne and taken by his enemies could not obtaine so much fauour at their hands as to bee presently slaine but was reserued to the farther pleasure of his cruell brother Selymus vnderstanding of his taking sent Kirengen the same squint-eyed captain which had before strangled Corcutus who with a bow string strangled him also His dead bodie was forthwith brought to Selymus and was afterwards by his commaundement in royall manner buried with his ancestours in PRVSA Now Amurat Achomates his sonne vnderstanding vpon the way by the Persian horsemen who serred together had againe made themselues way through the Turkes armie of the losse of the field and the taking of his father returned backe againe to AMASIA and there after good deliberation resolued with his brother to betake themselues both to flight he with the Persian horsemen passing ouer the riuer Euphrates fled vnto Hysmaell the Persian king but Aladin the younger brother passing ouer the mountaine AMANVS in CILICIA fled into SIRIA and so to Campson Gaurus the great Sultan of AEGYPT After this victorie Selymus hauing in short time and with little trouble brought all the lesser ASIA vnder his obeisance and there at his pleasure disposed of all things determined to haue returned to CONSTANTINOPLE but vnderstanding that the plague was hot there hee changed his purpose and passing ouer at CALLIPOLIS and so trauelling through GRECIA came to HADRIANOPLE where hee spent all the rest of that Summer and all the Winter following and afterward when the mortalitie was ceased returned to CONSTANTINOPLE where it was found that an hundred and threescore thousand had there died of the late plague Hysmaell the Persian king whose fame had then filled the world hearing of the arriuall of Amurat sent for him and demaunded of him the cause of his comming The distressed young prince who but of late had lost his father together with the hope of so great an empire now glad for safegard of his life to flie into strange countries oppressed with sorrow by his heauie countenance and abundance of teares more than by words expressed the cause of his comming yet in short strained speech declared vnto him how that his father his vncle with the rest of his cousins all princes of great honour had of late beene cruelly murdered by the vnmercifull tyrant Selymus who with like furie sought also after the life of himselfe and his brother the poore remainders of the Othoman familie who to saue their liues were both glad to flie his brother into AEGYPT and himselfe to the feet of his imperiall majestie Hysmaell moued with compassion and deeming it a thing well beseeming the greatnesse of his fame to take the poore exiled prince into his protection and to giue him releefe willed him to be of good comfort and promised him aid And the more to assure him thereof shortly after gaue him one of his owne daughters in marriage For it was thought that if Selymus for his tyrannie become odious to the world should by any means miscarie as with tyrants it commonly falleth out that then in the Othoman familie sore shaken with his vnnaturall crueltie none was to be preferred before this poore prince Amurat besides that it was supposed that if hee should inuade him with an armie out of PERSIA that vpon the first stirre all the lesser ASIA mourning for the vnworthie death of Achomates would at once reuolt from him who for his crueltie and shamefull murthers had worthely deserued to bee hated together both of God and man Wherefore in the beginning of the Spring Hysmaell furnished Amurat his new sonne in law with ten thousand horsemen willing him to passe ouer the riuer of Euphrates at ARSENGA and to enter into CAPADOCIA as well to make proofe how the people of that countrey were affected towards him as of the strength of the enemie after whom he sent Vsta-Ogli the most famous cheefetaine amongst the Persians with twentie thousand horsemen moe with
with age and liuing in the height of worldly blisse although he knew it fitter for him at those yeares to giue himselfe ease and quietnesse than to thrust himselfe into warres and other princes quarrels yet thought this expedition to be for many causes both good and necessarie First he deadly hated the man for his inhumane crueltie and therefore could neuer be persuaded to renew the league with him which he had in former time made with his father Baiazet Besides that he desired to abate and represse his audacious insolencie grown alreadie by his prosperous successe beyond the bounds of reason for Selymus hauing taken TAVRIS ouerthrowne the Persians and slaine Aladeules began now to seeme terrible to all the princes that bordered vpon him and there were many which said he was another Alexander who whilest other princes sate still as men a sleepe did in the meane time plot in his victorious mind the monarchie of the whole world But aboue all things the feare of the losing of SYRIA and consequently the losse of all his kingdome the quickest motiue for stirring vp of the suspitious minds of the greatest princes most enforced Campson to take in hand this warre For as much as the goodly kingdomes of AEGYPT IVDEA and SYRIA oppressed with the intollerable gouernment of the proud Mamalukes and therefore lesse faithfull to the Aegyptian kings were in danger to reuolt to the Turkes if the Persians should by any mischance or fortune of warre be of the Turkes vanquished For which cause Campson in the beginning of this warre solicited by the Persian embassadours had made a firme league and confederation with Hysmaell and also moued with the miserie of the wofull young prince Aladin the sonne of Achomates was in mind persuaded that the cruell Turkish tyrant might by his and the Persian kings forces easily be thrust out of his empire in ASIA and EVROPE For Aladin who after the death of Achomates his father fled to Campson the Sultan of AEGYPT as is before declared had liued three yeares as a forlorne and distressed prince in the Aegyptian court and by all meanes he could deuise incited the Mamalukes to reuenge the injuries and crueltie of his vncle Selymus The eldest sonne also of the late king Aladeules a goodly young prince hauing at once lost his father his kingdome and whatsoeuer he held else was in good time fled to the Aegyptian king and had so filled the minds of all men with the indignation and detestation of Selymus his exceeding crueltie that the princes of the Mamalukes of their owne accord came to Campson humbly beseeching him to take vpon him so just a warre and if by reason of his great yeares hee should thinke himselfe vnable to endure the trauell thereof it would then please him yet to giue them leaue of themselues to take the matter in hand for the repressing of the insolencie of that great and wicked tyrant These Mamalukes farre excelled the Turkes not onely in strength of bodie skilfull riding and goodly armour but also in courage and wealth Beside that they had not forgotten with what small power they had vnder the leading of Caitbeius their great Sultan ouerthrowne the Turkes great armies in CILICIA first at ADENA and afterward at TARSVS where they tooke prisoners Mesites Palaologus the great Bassa and Cherseogles Baiazet his sonne in law by which victorie they grew into such a proud and vaine conceit of themselues as if they had beene the onely souldiours of the world able of themselues to vanquish and ouercome whomsoeuer they should set vpon These so valiant souldiours were for the most part of the poore people called in auntient time Getae Zinchi and Bastarnae borne neere vnto the Euxine sea and the â—ens of Maeotis especially on that side where the riuer Corax falleth into the Euxine which countrie is of later time called CIRCASSIA of the people called CERCITae neere vnto CHOLCHIS These miserable and wretched people the Valachians Podolians Polonians Roxolanes and Tartars dwelling by TAVRICA puld from their mothers breasts or by other violent means surprised sold vnto merchants who culling out the best for strength of bodie or aptnesse of wit conuaied them by sea to ALEXANDRIA from whence they were continually sent to the great Sultan of AEGIPT and by his appointment were at CAIRE after the old manner of that people deliuered to masters of fence and such other teachers who carefully instructed them being shut vp in their schooles in all manner of feats of actiuitie where after they were become able to bend a strong bow and taught cunningly to shoot leape run vault ride and skilfully to vse all manner of weapons they were then taken into pay and receiued into the number of the kings horsemen or Mamalukes and such of them as proued cowardly or vnapt were made slaues vnto the rest So that they seeing all honour credit and preferment laied vp in martiall prowesse did with all diligence and courage employ themselues to militarie affaires and therein so well profited that oftentimes they which at the first were but bare and base slaues of the meanest of the Mamalukes by many degrees of seruice rise at length to the highest degrees of honour All these Mamalukes were the children of Christian parents from the time of their captiuitie instructed in the Mahometane superstition for no man borne of a Mahometane father or of a Iew could be admitted into the number of the Mamaluke horsemen which was so straightly obserued that the honour of a Mamaluke horseman neuer descended vnto the sons of the Mamalukes yet might they by law inherit their fathers lands possessions and goods by which reason the sonnes of the Sultans themselues neuer succeeded their fathers in the kingdome Hereby also it came to passe that many Christians of loose life or condemned for their notorious offences flying thither and abjuring the Christian religion and suffering themselues to be circumcised being men meet for the warres grew by degrees to great honour as did Tangarihardinus the sonne of a Spanish mariner who by his forwardnesse and industrie grew into such credit and authoritie with Campson the great Sultan that almost all things were done by his aduice and counsell and was diuers times by him employed in most honorable seruice being sent embassadour both to Baiazet the Turkish emperour and to the state of VENICE about matters of great importance Yet his impietie escaped not the hand of God for at length by the enuie of the court he was brought into disgrace thrust out of his place and cast into prison where he loaded with cold yron most miserably died Neither was it to be maruelled if the Mamalukes were growne to that excesse of wealth for as much as the Aegyptians and Syrians being miserably by them oppressed were not suffered to haue the vse either of horse or armour neither admitted to any matters of counsell but being impouerished and brought low with heauie impositions and dayly injuries
of ELBA belonging to the duke of FLORENCE oueragainst POPVLONA where vnderstanding that one of the sonnes of Sinan his old friend was there kept prisoner he writ vnto Appianus gouernour of the island for his deliuerance to this effect I know that a young man a Turke serueth thee the sonne of Sinan surnamed the Iew a famous captaine taken of late at TVNES him I would haue thee friendly to restore which gift I will make thee vnderstand to be vnto me most acceptable for this our great fleet in passing by you shall faithfully forbeare to vse any hostilitie But if thou shalt in this so small a matter refuse to gratifie me expect vpon the coast of thy countrey all the harmes which an angrie enemie can doe Whereunto Appianus shewing his men vpon the wals in token that he was not afraid answered That the young man was become a Christian and therefore might not in any case bee deliuered to the Turkes but that he would in any other thing gratifie him in what he could and for his sake vse the young man as his sonne And to mollifie the vnkindnesse of his answere he sent him fresh victuall with other presents But Barbarussa offended with the answere landed his men round about the island and commanded them to make what spoile they could which they performed accordingly hunting the island people vp and downe the rockes and mountains like Hares vntill that Appianus not without cause doubting the vtter spoile of the island redeemed his peace by deliuering the young man to Salec the pyrat who brought him to Barbarussa gallantly apparrelled after the Italian manner of whom he was joyfully receiued as the sonne of a most valiant captaine his old friend and thereupon Barbarussa stayed his souldiors from doing any further harme vpon the island and gaue Appianus great thanks for him This young man Barbarussa honoured with the commaund of seuen gallies and afterwards sent him to his father then lying at SVETIA a port of the red sea Admirall for Solyman against the Portingals who greatly troubled those seas But the old Iew ouerjoyed with the sudden and vnexpected returne of his sonne whom he had for many yeares before giuen as lost in embracing of him fainted and so presently for joy died This man for valour was accounted little inferiour to Barbarussa but for discretion and just dealing farre beyond him nothing of so furious and wayward a disposition as was he Barbarussa departing from ELBA came into the bay of TELAMON in TVSCVNIE and in short time took the citie which he spoiled and burnt but especially the house of Bartholomeus Telamonius whose dead bodie but a little before buried he caused to be pluckt out of the graue his bones to be scattered abroad because he being Admirall of the bishop of ROME his gallies had in the island of LESBOS wasted Barbarussa his fathers poore possession and marching by night eight miles further into the land surprised MONTENVM and carried almost all the inhabitants away with him into captiuitie The like mischeefe he did at the port called PORTVS HERCVLIS but purposing to haue taken ORHATELLO and there to haue fortified he was by Luna and Vitellius two valiant captaines before sent thither the one by the State of SIENA and the other by the duke of FLORENCE repulsed So though disappointed of his purpose yet hauing done great harme and put the whole countrey of TVSCANIE in exceeding feare he departed thence and landed againe at IGILIVM now called GIGIO an island about twelue miles distant from PORTVS HERCVLIS where he quickly battered the towne and caried a wonderfull number of all sorts into miserable captiuitie keeping on his course he passing the cape LINAR comming oueragainst CANTVMCELLE had burnt that citie for the same reason he did TELAMON had he not been otherwise persuaded by Strozza the French embassador fearing to draw the French king into further obliquie From thence he came with a direct course to the island of ISCHIA where landing in the night he intercepted most part of the inhabitants of the island as they were flying into the mountaines and in reuenge of the hatred he had conceiued against Vastius at the siege of NICE he burnt FORINO PANSA and VARRANIVM three cheefe townes of that island but PITHACVSA the dwelling place of Vastius standing vpon a broken rocke somewhat distant from the sea he durst not aduenture vpon Then scraping along the island PROCHITA with lesse hurt because most part of the inhabitants were before fled to PITHACVSA he put into the bay of PVTEOLI and sent Salec the pyrat with part of his fleet to make proofe if the citie of PVTEOLI might from sea be battered Salec drawing neere the citie shot into it with his great ordinance and by chance slew one Saiauedra a valiant Spaniard vpon the wals and put the citisens in a great feare least the whole fleet should haue landed they themselues as then vnprouided but the viceroy came presently with a power both of horse and foot from NAPLES which Barbarussa discouering from sea as they came downe the mountaines called backe Salec and leauing the Island of CAPRI and passing by the promontorie ATHENEVM was about to haue seised vpon SALERNVM when a tempest suddenly arising dispersed his fleet and driue him beyond the promontorie PALINVRVS vpon the coast of CALABRIA where he did exceeding much harme especially at CARREATO From thence he departed to the island of LIPARI betwixt ITALIE and SICILIE which island he miserably spoyled and with fortie great pieces so battered the citie that the citisens were constrained for feare to yeeld whom he carried away all prisoners about the number of seuen thousand of one sort of people and other and burnt the citie So loaded with the rich spoile of ITALIE and the islands vpon the coast he returned towards CONSTANTINOPLE with such a multitude of poore Christian captiues shut vp so close vnder hatches amongst the excrements of Nature that all the way as he went almost euery houre some of them were cast dead ouer boord euery man detesting the endlesse hatred betwixt the emperour and the French king the very ground of all this and many thousand other most wofull and vndeserued calamities of their poore subjects With this rich prey and an infinit number of captiues Barbarussa arriued at CONSTANTINOPLE in the beginning of Autumne in the yeare 1544 where he was honourably receiued of Solyman and highly commended for his good seruice both by sea and land Solyman triumphing at CONSTANTINOPLE of the good successe he had in HVNGARIE in the middest of all his glorie was aduertised of the death of Mahomet his eldest sonne whom of all his children he held deerest whose dead bodie was shortly after brought from MAGNESIA and with wonderfull solemnitie and no lesse mourning buried at CONSTANTINOPLE How entirely Solyman loued this his sonne well appeared by the great sorrow he conceiued of his death and not contented to
hot to be vnto them very tedious Whiles I thus lay in the campe there came vnto me one Albertus a learned man with certaine presents from the emperour to Solyman which were certaine gilt plate and a most curious clocke which was carried vpon an Eliphant like a castle and some crownes to be dispersed a-among the Bassaes which Solyman would needs haue presented vnto him in the campe in the sight of the whole armie to make it the better knowne what friendship was betweene him and the emperour and that he needed not to feare any danger from the Christian princes But to returne againe to Baiazet from whom we haue a while digressed he after the battell at ICONIVM had retired himselfe to AMASIA the place of his gouernment as though he would haue now there quietly liued if his father would so giue him leaue He had now satisfied his youthfull desires and greefe and seemed willing from thenceforth to satisfie his fathers better expectation and therefore ceased not by letters and fit men to proue his fathers mind Neither did Solyman shew himselfe strange from such a reconciliation at first he easily gaue the messengers audience read his sons letters and courteously returned answere so that it was commonly reported in the campe that the father and the sonne would agree and that the old man would pardon the youthfull pranke alreadie past so that he would from thenceforth remaine dutifull But all this way by the counsell of the Bassaes nothing but deepe dissimulation in the craftie old sire vntill he had shut vp Baiazet and so got him aliue into his hand for it was feared least he despairing of pardon should with such a power breake into the borders of PERSIA now the onely place left for his refuge as might preuent the watchfull diligence of his lieutenanâ—â— vpon those frontiers whom Solyman charged by continuall letters so to stop all the passages 〈◊〉 PERSIA as that there should not be any craâ—ie for Baiazet to flie out by In the mean time if any came within his reach that were suspected to haue taken part with Baiazet or fauored his proceedings those he caused to be tortured and secretly made away and amongst them some whom Baiazet had of purpose sent to excuse themselues For Solyman fearing least Tamas the Persian king more mindfull of his old quarrels than of the late enforced peace should hardly with much ado suffer his sonne to be got out of his hands if he should flie thither and so againe raise along and dangerous warre did therefore what he possibly might to oppresse him before he should come thither Which his purpose although it was couered with all secrecie yet was it not hidden from some of Baiazet his friends by whom he was oftentimes warned not to trust his father but to beware of treason and in any case speedily to prouide for his owne safetie But Solyman thinking he had now so prouided as that he could by no meanes escape and happily the more to deceiue his sonne appointed to returne with his armie to CONSTANTINOPLE the day after their Easter day But Baiazet vpon the very feast day hauing performed the solemnities thereof commaunded all his things to be trussed vp at AMASIA and so set forward vpon his vnfortunat journey towards PERSIA knowing right well that he went to the auntient enemie of the Othoman familie but yet fully resolued to make proofe of any mans mercie rather than to fall into the hands of his angrie father Now were they all set forward except such weake soules as were not thought able to endure the labour of so long a journey amongst whom was left Solyman Baiazet his youngest sonne but then newly borne which guiltlesse babe with his mother Baiazet thought better to leaue vnto the mercie of his grandfather than to take him with him a poore companion of his wofull and miserable flight whom Solyman as yet vncertaine of his fathers fortune commaunded to be nursed at PRVSA Baiazet so gone from AMASIA vsed such celeritie in his trauell that almost in euery place he preuented the fame of his comming and light vpon many that were appointed to haue stayed his passage before they were readie or aware of his comming The Bassa of SEBASTIA he thus deceiued There was two wayes whereof the one of them being intercepted would greatly hinder his journey and that the Bassa had alreadie taken wherefore he sent certaine as if they had beene fugitiues to tell the Bassa that he was alreadie gone the other way Which the Bassa beleeuing left the place he had before taken and rising with all his power to pursue him the other way whereby it was told him he was gone left that way free and open for him to passe by The Bassa of ERZIRVM he deceiued also by another not much vnlike shift from whom when he was not farre distant and knowing that in passing through his countrey he was to endure great danger he set vpon him with a wile sending vnto him certaine of his followers with commendations who afterwards lamentably complaining of the young princes calamitie to moue the Bassa to pitie at last requested that he would giue him leaue to shoo his horses in his territorie telling him That he came vnprouided of all things and therefore desirous in that fruitfull countrey to refresh his horses a day or two and to new shoo them Whereunto the Bassa courteously answered That he would not let him to take whatsoeuer he needed But whether it was for the compassion he had vpon the state of Baiazet or for the secret loue he bare him or that he thought by that meanes the easilier to entrap him is doubtfull and happily preuented by Baiazet his quicke speed had not as yet sufficient time to draw together his souldiors He sent also vnto Baiazet certaine small presents seeming to be glad of his welfare and comming who neuerthelesse kept on his way resting no part of the day and but a little of the night The Bassa of ERZIRVM vnderstanding that Baiazet came still on made what hast he could also and joyned his power to the rest of the Bassaes which followed after for many Bassaes and Sanzackes hearing that Baiazet was fled from AMASIA pursued fast after him being charged by Solyman vpon paine of their heads to bring him backe either aliue or dead but all in vaine by reason of his speedie departure and for that he made more hast to flie than they did to follow Yet it cost no man deerer than this Bassa of ERZIRVM of whom we haue now spoken whom Solyman for this cause displaced and Selymus afterwards slew with two of his sonnes young striplings whom hee had before in despight shamefully abused against nature Yea Selymus himselfe and Mehemet the great Bassa with the Berglerbeg of GRECIA followed also after Baiazet though it were a far off This his departure grieued Solyman aboue measure assuring himselfe as the truth was that
the coast of DALMATIA out of which they caried away with them 1600 poore Christians into captiuitie These arch pyrats at their pleasure roming vp and downe the sea fortuned to light vpon a ship of the Christians bound from MESSANA to CORCYRA which they tooke and in rifling thereof found certaine letters directed to the Gouernour of CORCYRA certifying him of the league then but lately concluded amongst the Christian princes which letters they sent in post to Selymus to giue him knowledge thereof who therupon writ to his Admirals with all hostilitie to infest any of the dominions of the Christian confederats The Turks fleet thus raging and raigning in the Adriaticke brought a great feare not only vpon the coasts of DALMATIA ISTRIA and the islands thereabouts which were by them most afflicted but also vpon the sea coasts of APVLIA and all alongst that side of ITALIE yea vpon the citie of VENICE it selfe insomuch that they were glad to fortifie as well the citie as the frontiers of their dominions with new fortifications and garrisons as did also the king and the Pope in ITALIE for why no ship or gallie could now looke out of any port but it was presently surprised and taken by the Turks which with the sundry calamities before receiued so confounded the Venetians that they in their assemblies and consultations seemed rather to quake for feare than after their wonted maner grauely to consult how the enemy was to be repulsed Yet for the more safetie of their citie and for feare least the Turks fleet should forcibly breake in vpon them they strongly fortified the passages through the rocke or banke which defendeth the citie from the sea and kept continually 12000 men in readinesse in the citie for the more assurance thereof All the Turks fleet being againe met together Partau and Haly departed from AVLONA the 26 of August and sayled directly to CORCYRA which little island seemed to bee compassed in round with the great enemies fleet Partau Bassa at his first arriuall there landed eight hundred horsemen and a thousand foot who ranging vp and down the island did great hurt and burnt the very suburbs of the citie at which time the garrison soldiors sallying out vpon them with a thousand horsemen and fiue hundred foot slew a great number of them and amongst the rest one Paphus Rays a man of great name Thus the Turks fleet hauing done wonderfull harme in the Venetian territorie as well in the islands as vpon the frontiers of DALMATIA enriched with the spoyle of those countries and carrying away with them fifteene thousand most miserable captiues departing from CORCYRA arriued all in the bay of CORINTH now called the gulfe of LEPANTO where we will for a while leaue them to ride in safetie At such time as this great fleet the terrour of that part of Christendome first put into the Adriaticke Venerius the Venetian Admirall then lying with fiftie gallies at CORCYRA and fearing if he stayed there longer to be enforced with so small a power to fight against so strong an enemie or els so to be shut vp that hee could not joyne his forces with the Spanish fleet which was dayly expected vpon the comming of the fleet departed thence to MESSANA there more commodiously and more safely to attend the comming of Don Iohn of AVSTRIA Generall of the Spanish forces At his comming Columnius met him with twelue gallies which the great duke of FLORENCE had sent in the aid of the confederats and three gallies of MALTA who onely were yet come thither and with great honour receiued him Not long after M. Antonius Quirinus and Antonius Canalis came thither also with threeescore and two gallies before appointed by the Venetians for the releefe of FAMAGVSTA but now called backe againe to joyne with the rest of the fleet and in short time the gallies of SICILIE arriued there also At last after long expectation in the latter end of August came Don Iohn with the Spanish fleet a man then about foure and twentie yeares old in whom wanted no honorable parts his mothers blemish onely excepted who although he was most deere vnto his father Charles the fifth yet left he him nothing by his will but onely at his death commended him vnto his sonne Philip as his brother The Venetian and the Popes Admirals hearing of his comming went to meet him and that with such triumph and joy that all the former heauinesse before conceiued of his long staying was turned into gladnesse with most assured hope of triumphant victorie their doubled forces and two great fleets joyned in one encouraged them aboue measure filling all the West with the expectation of some great matter The Venetian fleet consisted of an hundred and eight gallies six galleases two tall ships and a great number of small galliots Vnto them were joyned twelue gallies of the Popes of whom Columnius was Admirall And with Don Iohn the Generall and Auria the Spanish Admirall came fourescore and one gallies of whom three were from the knights of MALTA In this fleet beside marriners were reckoned to be twentie thousand fighting men an armie not onely beautifull for shew as consisting of most choice bodies but indeed most strong and puissant old beaten souldiours almost throughout it in euery place intermixed with others of lesse skill many knowne to be men of great experience rich and lustie bodies were by name called forth to this so honourable seruice and diuers other of great nobilitie as well old men as yong and lustie gallants for the naturall hatred they bare vnto the common enemie came and as voluntarie men cheerefully thrust themselues into that religious war euery of which noble gentlemen as they were greater by birth or power so had they drawne after them a greater number of their fauourits and followers strong and able bodies of their owne charge brauely armed who sought after no other pay for their paines and danger but by some notable victorie to eternise their names or honourably to spend their liues in so just a quarrell as for the defence of the Christian faith and religion Amongst these most honourable and resolute men were three of greatest marke Alexander Farnesius prince of PARMA in time to be the honour and glorie of ITALIE his natiue countrey whose vntimely death in the low countries euen his honourable enemies lamented and being dead is not without cause and worthie desert accounted amongst the most politicke and famous leaders of our age The second was Franciscus Maria prince of VRBIN a yong man both honourably descended and of an inuincible courage and the third Pau. Iordanus Vrsinus an honorable gentleman of the family of the Vrsini in ROME All the power of the confederat princes thus met togither at MESSANA and all things now in readinesse a counsell was called by the Generall to resolue what course to take in those most dangerous wars against so puissant an enemy vnto which counsell
two hundred gallies commended them to the conduct of Vluzales with expresse charge That by how much things had fallen out worse the last yeare he should with so much the more care now beware the like danger and not to go out of the bounds of the ARCHIPELAGO or to aduenture battell but vpon aduantage or at leastwise vpon an euen hand This Vluzales otherwise called Occhiall was an Italian borne in CALABRIA who in his youth taken at sea by the Turks and chained in the gallie and afterwards renouncing his faith by many degrees grew vnto the highest preferments amongst the Turkes and so became an exceeding plague as well to his owne countrey as to all other of the Christians bordering vpon the Mediterranean He now Admirall for the Turke after the manner of the prowd Barbarians threatned with fire and sword to be reuenged vpon the Venetians which knowne at VENICE much troubled them as well acquainted with the furie of the old Archpyrat Beside that Ant. Barbarus their embassadour all the time of this warre kept in safe custodie at CONSTANTINOPLE had by letters certified them what a great fleet and what a strong armie Selymus had prouided against them and that he himselfe told two hundred and fiftie saile of gallies when they set forward from CONSTANTINOPLE beside some other that were to meet with them at GALIPOLIS and that therefore they should beware how they encountred with the Turkes fleet but vpon equall strength It was also at the same time commonly reported that king Phillip chiefe of the confederats carelesse of the warres against the Turke in the East was about to turne his forces vpon the kingdomes of TVNES or ALGIERS neerer vnto him as in deed he did the yeare following The Venetians entangled with so many difficulties were euen at their wits end and day by day the Senat sat from the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same consulting how all these mischiefes were to be remedied But for as much as the greatest danger was to be feared frō the Turks fleet as then houering euen ouer their heads they by letters commanded Fuscarinus their Admirall That whether the confederats came vnto him or not he should forthwith take his course towards the East and there according to the enemies dessignes and his owne discretion and valour to doe what he should thinke best to be done for the common good of his countrey and not to refuse to joyne with the enemie in battell if he saw any good hope of victorie Neither ceased they at the same time both by their embassadours and letters earnestly to call both vpon the Pope and the king to hasten their forces to encounter the enemie before he should come out of his owne seas and to carrie the terrour of the warre home to his owne doores rather than to receiue it at their owne The like message was also done to Don Iohn putting him in mind what his place what the time and what the danger of the time required entreating him if it were possible of himselfe to adde something vnto that hast which the necessitie of so important a cause required Who neuerthelesse for all the messages and letters to him sent which were many went still on faire softly delaying from day to day telling that he would by and by come and that the Spaniards would alwaies be so good as their word Which was so far from his thought that afterwards finding one excuse after another he not only staied his comming but called back again Requisenius also whom he had sent before with 20 gallies to CORCYRA Now were two months fittest for the wars vainly spent when Superantius grieued to see time to no purpose so slip away fearing least the rest of the Sommer should to as small effect in like manner passe also with great instance importuned him to hasten his journey Then at length Don Iohn answered that the Venetians requested but reason neither that he wished for any thing more than to satisfie their desires but that a greater care hindred the lesse which was first to be preuented He was aduertised as he said that the French king pretending the suppressing of certain pyrats had assembled a great fleet at ROCHEL with purpose indeed to inuade SPAINE now that the king was busied in these wars against the Turk that therfore they must pardon him if he preferred the regard of SPAINE before others being expressely commanded from the king not to depart from MESSANA vntill he had other commaundement from him But whether this his excuse by FRANCE proceeded of a true feare or otherwise the Venetians much doubted and the rather for that the French king vnderstanding therof by the Venetians was therewith as reason was exceedingly offended protesting that he was euer so farre from that purpose of hindering any the confederat princes in that their religious warre that if the troubles of his owne countrey would haue so permitted he would gladly haue giuen them aid therein Many there were also that thought Enuie the auntient enemie of vertue and valour to haue had a great power in this delay doubting whether the Spaniards would more rejoyce of the victorie well hoped for if they should joyne with the Venetians or grieue if the same should by the Venetians be obtained without them Superantius wearie of discourses and long expectation and almost out of hope of any helpe in time from the Spaniard how vntowardly soeuer things went thought better yet warily to moderat his griefe than in so dangerous a time to giue any occasion for the Spaniard to fall quite off Yet spake he not fauningly or flatteringly of the matter but with a certaine modest grauitie declared That he had thought heauen would sooner haue fallen than that Don Iohn would not at the appointed time haue come to CORCYRA And withall besought him and wished him to beware that he brought not the common State into some great danger if they had to doe with such an enemie as might be delaied with then he said he could easily abide delay but now for that the warre and the enemie was such as wherein or with whom neuer any Generall had dalied without losse to what end did he longer deferre or trifle out the time or what other fleet did he expect If they should diuide their forces then were they all too weake but vnited togither strong enough to defend the common cause The neerer the enemie came the more hast were to be made to joyne with the Venetian fleet And what could be as he told him more honourable or glorious than for him a noble yong gentleman roially descended of whom the world had conceiued a great hope that he would in martiall honour exceed the glorie of his most famous auncestours againe to vanquish the prowd Turke the greatest and most mightie monarch of the world to fight the battell of the highest to assure the Christian common-weale against so puissant an enemie and to
regarded of Amurath himselfe the disorders of his whole campe for his want of discretion and to be short the particularities of all such actions as had not altogither so honourably been by him performed that yeare causes of themselues sufficient to induce the king to remoue the said Ferat from his Generalship To which occasions were also added sundrie other secret respects for euer since the last departure of Ferat from ERZIRVM Amurath had still in his head the next yeare following to attempt the enterprise of TAVRIS and thereby to stirre vp through the world a famous report of his conquests correspondent to his greatnesse Now among the captaines whom he esteemed to be worthie men to whom he might with trust commit this so great an enterprise he bethought himselfe of Osman Bassa left at SVMACHIA in SIRVAN by Generall Mustapha in the first yeare of this warre who hauing in that prouince remained euer since had without any helpe of the Tartarians by his owne industrie and valour to the great contentment of Amurath brought that large countrey into a reasonable obedience of the Turkish empire and that which most of all pleased the Turkish emperour had in a countrey so farre distant maintained his armie wherewith he had done all this without any expences at all to his king hauing now a good while leuied his souldiors stipends vpon the lands and territories of that region and still exercised a kind of gouernment and soueraigntie ouer those places Of all which his good proceedings he had caused intelligence from time to time to be sent vnto the court by which meanes and other fauourers which he had about the king there was fostered in the mind of Amurath a wonderfull good opinion of him so that now without delay he resolued to send for him to CONSTANTINOPLE and for that purpose before Ferat was arriued at ERZIRVM he had dispatched certaine Capigi and Chiaus to call this famous warriour vnto him yet wanted there not some and those not of the meanest sort that went about to hinder both his comming to the court and also these designments of so great importance For Sciaus the chieâ—e Visier who rather for the comelinesse of his person and alliance with the king than for any other his vertues was mounted to that high roome did greatly feare least Osman whose course it was to sit next vnto him in the order of the greatest Bassaes partly for his experience in matters of warre and partly for the good affection the king did beare vnto him should at his comming to CONSTANTINOPLE persuade the king to what he listed and so peraduenture take from him the chiefest office and get into his hands the whole gouernment of the empire whereby so great wealth was to be gained Wherefore to rid himselfe of these feares he cast about by all meanes to keepe him from comming to the Court but because that to attempt the same openly might proue a matter both difficult and dangerous he thought it better to make triall of a more commodious and secret meanes This Sciaus in consideration of many gifts bestowed vpon him by Mahomet the Cuman Tartar king had many times excused him to Amurath of diuers accusations which Osman by his letters had laid to his charge For not aiding him in the subduing of SIRVAN as he was both by promise and dutie bound and for all his ouersights alleadged such reasons in his behalfe as if they did not altogither persuade Amurath to be kind vnto him yet at the least not to carrie a mind of reuenge against him and had so far proceeded in countenancing this Tartarian king that there was betwixt them confirmed an interchangeable amitie and mutuall confederacie Him Sciaus imagined to find willing and readie by all meanes possible to hinder the comming of Osman his enemie to the Court if he were but made acquainted with the matter And therefore Sciaus as soone as he vnderstood the certaine resolution of Amurath to call Osman to the Court secretly wrote to the Tartar king who lay encamped neere to the hauen of CAFFA vpon the Fens of MEOTIS certifying him That Osman was to come to the Court and that therfore it were good for him to call to mind how great an enemie he had been to him and how much he had endeuoured by letters to Amurath to turne all his hatred and displeasure against him and withall That if he was able to doe so much by letters as if Sciaus had not defended him with verie reasonable excuses the king had executed his wrathfull indignation vpon him to his great danger he should then imagine with himselfe what Osman should be able to doe when he should come in person to the presence of Amurath and without any mediator betweene themselues determine of all matters what they should thinke conuenient These and peraduenture worse letters which Sciaus wrote to the Tartar ministred matter enough vnto him to resolue to doe what he might not to suffer so pernicious an enemie of his to arriue at CONSTANTINOPLE and especially perceiuing that Sciaus in whose breast he reposed all his hope and all his protection did so greatly feare his comming Wherefore to rid himselfe of that feare he commaunded twelue thousand souldiors that changing their weapons and appparell they should go and lie in wait for Osman in the borders betweene COLCHIS and Iâ—ERIA towards the Tartarian Nomades by which way he was to come and so making an assault vpon him to bereaue him of his life Hoping that such an outrage once done could not or would not be imputed to his procurement but rather to the Tartar Nomades or to the Mengrellians or to the Georgians or to the Moscouites or to the robbers by the high way and to be short rather to any bodie else than to him This commaundement of the Tartar king was accordingly by the souldiors put in practise who without further stay joyned themselues together and so rode towards the place appointed And now were the messengers sent from Amurath come to Osman who readily put himselfe on his way towards CONSTANTINOPLE hauing left behind him at DERBENT and SVMACHIA two Bassaes thought to be the most sufficient men in SIRVANIA hauing also appointed very good orders in the same and an assured establishment of all those countries and places which Mustapha first had subdued and he himselfe had afterwards maintained vnder the obedience of Amurath He had also prouided for the safetie of his own person in passing those troublesome and dangerous passages through which he was to trauell by chusing out foure thousand souldiors which he had tried in diuers battels and brought vp vnder his own discipline through whose valour he doubted not safely to passe through the treacheries of the Albanians and the populous squadrons as well of the Tartarians as of the Mengrellians Thus departed he from DERBENT and coasting along the rockes of CAVCASVS that at all times of the yeare are all white and hoarie
was accordingly done and those incursions for a while staied and the former peace continued Amurath still making shew as if he were willing that the league agreed vpon for eight yeares should not be in any wise on his part infringed At which time the Persian kings sonne the league not long before concluded died in the Turkes Court where he lay in hostage whose dead bodie Amurath caused to be honorably sent home to his father into PERSIA with an Apologie in defence of himselfe against the suspition conceiued by some that he should haue beene the cause of the vntimely death of that young prince still vrging withall the confirmation of the league which by the death of the prince was like enough to haue been broken Whereof Amurath was the more desirous for that persuaded by his Bassaes as is aforesaid to make warres with the emperour although he notably dissembled the same he was in hope thereby to adde vnto his empire the reliques of HVNGARIE with some good part of the territories of the house of AVSTRIA also and so to open himselfe a way into the heart of GERMANIE For which purposes he now caused very great preparation to be made and a strong armie to be raised and at the same time put a great fleet of gallies into the Archipelago for the safetie of his islands in that sea According to these designments the Bassa of BOSNA by the commandement of Amurath with an armie of fiftie thousand entred into CROATIA and without resistance burnt and destroied the countrey before him sparing nothing that came in his way And not so contented laid siege to the citie of WIHITZ being the metropoliticall citie of that countrey strongly situat as it were in an island compassed about with the riuer Yna Which citie after he had sore battered and twise assaulted was by the distressed defendants now despairing of reliefe and vnable longer to hold it out yeelded vnto the Bassa vpon composition That the Germain souldiors there in garrison might in safetie with bagge and baggage depart and that such of the Christian citisens as would might there still remain without hurt from the Turks either in bodie or goods Which conditions the Bassa faithfully performed to the garrison souldiors whom in number but foure hundred he sent with safe conuoy into their owne territorie but afterwards contrarie to his faith and promise exercised all manner of Turkish tyrannie vpon the poore citisens The emperour troubled with this vnexpected inuasion of the Turkes sent the lord Petzen whom he had many times employed in embassages to the Turke to pray aid of the Germain princes against the common enemie who according to the greatnesse of the danger in large tearmes promised their helpe The first that made head was Ernestus archduke of AVSTRIA the emperours brother who with fiue thousand souldiors came from VIENNA to SAVARIA commonly called GREIS the Metropolis of STIRIA to whom repaired daily more strength out of CARINTHIA In the meane time the Turkes armie daily encreasing in CROATIA enclosed six thousand footmen and fiue hundred horsemen of the Christians who had taken the mountaines woods and strait passages and so straitly beset them that of all that number few escaped with life amongst whom many valiant souldiors and expert captaines were slaine namely Iames Prants George Plesbach and Iohn Weluerdurff The Bassa after the barbarous manner of the Turkes to make his victorie more famous laded six wagons with the heads of the slaine Christians The Turkes thus raging in CROATIA brought a generall feare vpon all HVNGARIE BAVARIA BOHEMIA STIRIA CARINTHIA SILESIA and the rest of the prouinces thereabouts Whereupon the emperour calling togither the States of SILESIA and MORAVIA declared vnto them the imminent danger persuading them to joyne their forces with the rest for the repulsing of so dangerous an enemie and so imminent a danger After long delay Ernestus the archduke the tenth of August came to the emperour his brother with the embassadour of HVNGARIE and the seauenth day after were called togither the embassadours of the kingdomes and prouinces of the empire where it was throughly debated how the Turkes were to be resisted and their attempts infringed as also from whence forces money and other warlike prouision was to be raised For now it was manifestly seene that longer to delay the matter was dangerous and the rather for that the Beglerbeg or great commaunder of GRaeCIA with threescore thousand select souldiors both horse and foot of long time exercised in the Persian warres was ere long expected who joyning with the rest of the Turkes armie might doe great matters both in HVNGARIE and the places adjoyning For preuenting of which so great and manifest dangers they sat daily in counsell at PRAGE yea oftentimes euen from morning vntill night for the Hungarians and especially the lord Nadasti a most noble valiant gentleman amongst them instantly vrged to haue succours sent into HVNGARIE for as much as the Turkish emperour if he should get into his hands the rest of the townes and castles yet holden by the Christians in HVNGARIE it was to be feared least he should in short time after endanger the whole State of GERMANIE the strength whereof the Turke feared not so much as hee did those poore reliques of HVNGARIE Others were no lesse carefull of the dangers of CROATIA and STIRIA as more proper to themselues the enemie now there raging In these so great dangers the Hungarians with the rest of the distressed cried vpon the emperour for helpe and he likewise called vpon the princes of the empire Diuers assemblies were made in BOHEMIA HVNGARIE MORAVIA SILESIA and the other prouinces of the emperours and embassadours sent from almost all the Germane princes to the emperour all was full of consultation but as for helpe that came in verie slowly yet such as was to be had was forthwith sent into CROATIA to defend the fortresses there against the farther attempts and proceedings of the furious enemie The eighteenth of September the Turkes with all warlike prouision vpon the sudden by night assaulted the strong castle of TOCCAY in the vpper HVNGARIE in hope to haue surprised it but finding it a matter of more difficultie than they had before imagined they departed thence and attempted the lesser COMARA which standing in a marrish ground was also easily defended At which time also the Bassa of BVDA with his power entred into the frontiers of the Christians but hauing well viewed the cities townes castles and forts vpon those borders and finding nothing for his purpose he without any thing doing returned againe to BVDA The six and twentith day of September Hassan the Bassa of BOSNA encamped with his army betwixt the riuers of Kulp and Sauus and in the darknesse of the night passing ouer part of his armie into TVROPOLIS with fire and sword most miserably spoiled all that pleasant and fertile island the lord Bonny to whom the keeping thereof was committed
clock in the forenoone deliuered vp the citie vnto the Bassa and the Christian garrison was all come out the countie himselfe with a few of his friends was with a conuoy of Turks brought in safetie to the appointed place but the Italians and other garrison souldiors that came behind and ought to haue beene by the Gouernour protected were contrary to the Turks promise spoyled of all that they had and hardly escaping with life came that night to HOCHSTRATE and the next day to ALTENBVRG Thus was RAB one of the strongest bulwarkes of Christendome traiterously deliuered vnto the most mortall enemie of the Christian religion being euen then when it was giuen vp victualled for a yeare and sufficiently furnished with all things necessarie for defence all which prouision together with the citie fell into the hands of the faithlesse enemie A losse neuer to haue beene sufficiently lamented had it not beene about foure yeares after euen as it were miraculously againe recouered to the great rejoysing of all that side of Christendome as in the processe of this Historie shall appeare Sinan glad of this victorie as of the greatest trophey of his masters glorie ouer the Christians gaue him speedie knowledge thereof both by letters and messengers Of whom he was for that good seruice highly commended and afterward bountifully rewarded for now had Amurath alreadie in hope deuoured all AVSTRIA with the prouinces thereabout The great Bassa because he would not with too long stay hinder the course of his victorie without delay repaired the rent citie new fortified the battered bulwarkes enlarged the ditches and filled the cathedrall church with earth in manner of a strong bulwarke where vpon he planted great store of great ordinance and with exceeding speed dispatched all things necessarie for the holding of the place In the meane time he sent certaine Tartars to summon the towne and castle of PAPPA which castle and little towne subject thereunto the Christians the night following set on fire because it should not stand the enemie in any stead for the farther troubling of the countrey and so fled The Bassa hauing at his pleasure disposed of all things in RAB and leauing there foure thousand Ianizaries and two thousand horsemen in garrison departed thence with his armie and laid siege to KOMARA a strong towne of that most fertile island which the Hungarians call SCHVT which situated in the verie point thereof about foure miles from RAB is on the East South and North enclosed with the two armes of Danubius All these waies Sinan with his fleet which he had there notably well appointed laid hard siege vnto the towne and gaue thereunto diuers assaults and by land the Beglerbeg of GRaeCE ceased not both by continuall batterie and mines to shake the wals and bulwarks thereof Thus was the citie on all sides both by water and by land hardly laid vnto But the Christians within with no lesse courage defended themselues and the citie than did the Turkes assaile them shewing indeed that the libertie of their religion and countrey was vnto them dearer than their liues Matthias the archduke in the meane time not ignorant how much it concerned the emperour his brother to haue this citie defended hauing after his late ouerthrow gathered togither a good armie of Germanes Bohemians and Hungarians resolued to go and raise the siege and so marching forward with his armie came and encamped the 28 day of October at NITRIA about fiue miles from KOMARA Now were the Tartars a little before departed from the came with purpose to returne home yea the Turkes themselues wearie of the siege and wanting victuall both for themselues and their horses began also as men discouraged to shrinke away Which the Bassa well considering thought it not best with his heartlesse souldiors and armie now sore weakened to abide the comming of the Christians and therefore vpon their approach he forthwith forsooke the citie which he had by the space of three weekes hardly besieged and by a bridge made of boats transported his armie and artillerie ouer Danubius to DOTIS where the next day after he brake vp his armie Immediatly after the Turkes were thus departed the Archduke arriued at KOMARA where he with great diligence caused the breaches to be repaired the mines to be filled vp and new bulwarkes and rampiers to be made in diuers places for the more strength of the citie leauing the charge thereof still vnto the lord Braun the old Gouernour who in the defence thereof had receiued a grieuous wound in his right knee of whom also this notable fact is reported The Bassa in time of the late siege of KOMARA vnder the colour of a parley had sent fiue Turks into the citie to the Gouernour but in deed to proue if he were by any meanes to be woon to yeeld vp the citie and not to hold it out to the last The faithfull Gouernour hauing giuen them the hearing vntill they had discharged their whole treacherie presently caused foure of their heads to he strucken off and to be set vpon long pikes vpon one of the bulwarkes for the Bassa to looke vpon but the fift the beholder of this tragedie he sent backe vnto the Bassa to tell him That although he had found one in RAB to serue his turne he was much deceiued if in him he thought to find Countie Hardeck and that he wished rather to die the emperours faithfull seruant in the bloud of the Turkes than to betray the citie committed to his charge Countie Hardeck late Gouernour of RAB generally before suspected to haue treacherously betraied that strong towne vnto the Bassa was therefore sent for to VIENNA and there by the emperours commaundement committed to prison Where among many things laid to his charge as that he should in the beginning of the siege negligently haue suffered many things to be done by the enemie which afterwards turned to the great danger of the towne and that in the time of the siege he had caused some of the canoniers to discharge certain great pieces against the enemie with pouder onely without shot and that seeing one piece among the rest to do the enemie much harme he had caused the same to be remooued and so placed as that it serued to little or no vse beside that he as it should seeme making small reckoning of the towne should oftentimes say That if the Turkes should win it he should be but one towne the richer with diuers other such things giuing just cause of suspition The thing that lay most heauie vpon him was the testimonie of one of Sinan Bassa his chamber who being taken young by the Turkes and seruing in the Bassaes chamber was now fled from the Turks and comming to the Archduke in the time of his siege declared vnto him that there was treason in his campe and that he but three daies before by the commaundement of his master had deliuered two bags full of duckats vnto two Christians
soâ—â—â—diors well appointed with all things necessarie set forward toward CLISSA and by the way lighting vpon a gallie of the Venetians bound with certain warlike prouision towards the Turks campe tooke her as good prize and rifled her This fleet with a faire wind arriued at SIRET neere vnto TRAV where the gouernour landing his men marched that night part of his way toward CLISSA and all the next day lay close The night following they set forward againe and hauing marched fifteene miles came vnto the enemies campe before day where setting vpon the Turkes in their trenches fearing no such perill they brought such a generall feare vpon the whole campe that the Turks as men amased fled some one way some another euery man as in such sudden feare it commonly happeneth making shift for himselfe leauing whatsoeuer they had in their trenches behind them The Christians contented so to haue put their enemies to flight fell presently to the spoile as more desirous thereof than by the hastie pursute of their enemies to put themselues in possession of an assured victory Which the Turks quickly perceiuing and from the hils with the dawning of the day discouering the small number of the Christians and how they were disordered they gathered themselues againe together and comming downe enclosed on euery side the disordered Christians greedily hunting after the spoile and slew them downeright Leucowitz himselfe with the gouernor of ZENG and some others got into CLISSA where hauing staied two daies and doubting to be able to keepe the towne they secretly by night issued out with six hundred men in hope to haue recouered their fleet but the Turkes suspecting such a matter had so beset the passages that of all that companie Leucowitz had much adoe himselfe with three others to escape The enemie now againe possessed of his trenches laid straighter siege to the towne than before which they of the garrison perceiuing and now out of hope of reliefe agreed with the Bassa that they might with bag and baggage depart and so yeelded vp the towne Thus CLISSA one of the strongest townes of DALMATIA through the greedie couetousnesse of the disordered souldiors fell againe into the hands of the Turks About the same time Palâ—i gouernour of STRIGONIVM vnderstanding of the meeting together of certaine notable aduenturers of the Turks at SOMDOCK a castle almost in the mid way betwixt ALBA REGALIS and BVDA raised the greatest strength he could and so with certain pieces of artillerie and other things necessarie for an assault set forward from STRIGONIVM the two and twentith of May before the rising of the Sunne and about three a clocke in the afternoone came to the aforesaid castle whereunto he presently gaue a most terrible assault which he neuer gaue ouer vntill he had taken it For after that he had by the space of three houres together with great danger maintained a most desperate assault at length hee with much difficultie preuailed and put to the sword all the Turkes he found therein man woman and child and with the rest fiftie Ianizaries but that day come thither This castle was of great beautie and most pleasantly situated whereunto the Bassa of BVDA oftentimes for his pleasure repaired for which cause Palfi was very desirous to haue taken it without spoyling but the fire hee had therein alreadie raised so preuailed that it burnt downe all the goodly buildings thereof with great store of victuals and other prouision nothing remaining but what the Christians had saued for themselues The Transyluanian prince hauing raised a great armie for the reliefe of LIPPA being by great chance a little before his comming relieued came and layed siege to the citie of TEMESVVAR where he had not long lien but that the Turkes and Tartars fearing to loose that so famous a citie assembled together from all places thereabouts to the number of fortie thousand and so came to raise thâ— siege Of whose comming the prince hearing rise with his armie and went to meet them and had with them a great and terrible battell the victorie for a great while standing very doubtfull yet seeming to encline rather to the Turkes and Tartars than to the Christians but at length the Turkeâ— disordered with the great artillerie and the Transyluanians charging them afresh began to giue ground and so at last to betake themselues to plaine flight In this battell were slaine of the Turkes and Tartars fiue thousand and of the Christians fifteene hundred It was for a time reported that the prince himselfe was in this battell slaine which was not so being reserued to the further plague of the Turkes and comfort of his afflicted countrey After this victorie he returned againe to the siege which he more straightly continued than before leaâ—â—â—g nothing vnattempted that he could possibly deuise for the winning of the citie Where wâ—â—lest he yet thus lay battering the citie both night and day newes was brought him That Gâ—â—ffar Bassa and the Tartars were comming with a great armie to the reliefe of the besieged whereupon hee considering his owne strength and the power of his enemies and that the aid promised him both from the Emperour and out of HVNGARIE was not yet readie with great griefe of mind raised his siege and retired with his armie to LIPPA there expecting new supplies as well of his owne as from his friends Whilest he yet there lay he was certainely aduertised That the Bassa of NATOLIA the forerunner of the great Sultan Mahomet was come to BELGRADE with foureteene thousand horse and foure thousand Ianizaries to joyne with the Bassa of BVDA for the relieuing of TEMESVVAR whose forces joyned together were in number about threescore thousand and that Mahomet himselfe of whose comming rise report had been all this yeare was now comming after with a farre greater power Wherupon he departed from LIPPA leauing therein a strong garrison and so returning to ALBA IVLIA called there an assembly of all his states for the repressing of so puissant an enemie Mahomet for the better successe of his warres in HVNGARIE had drawne forth the Tartar with a mightie power who although he was at the first so vnwilling to that seruice considering the great losses he had therein before receiued that he would not as he said send so much as one Asse thereunto yet ouercome with great gifts and the respect he had of the Turkish Sultan was now ready with a strong armie vpon the frontiers of MOLDAVIA to meet him in HVNGARIE vnto whom the late chosen Vayuod sent certaine presents with such store of victuals as he could possibly prouide for him Yet for as much as he was not that way to passe without the leaue of the Polonian Mahomet had both by letters and diuers his embassadours entreated with the Polonian king for his passage as also for the confirmation of the auntient league hee and the Polonian kings his predecessours had to their good of long time had with the Othoman
〈…〉 citie The 〈…〉 in an vproâ—e Murzuâ—â—e attempteth to burne the Venetian fleet Murzufle encourageth his souldiers Constantinople hardly besieged Constantinople set on fire Nicetas Choniates annalâ—um fol. 180. 1204 The Greeke empire diuided amongst the Latines The beginning of the empire of 〈◊〉 by the Comneni Hadrianople besieged by the Emperour Baldwin 1206 Henry second emperour of the Latines in Constantinopleâ— Antioch besieged by Iathatines Iathatines the Sultan slaine by Theodorus Lascaris the Greeke emperour Iohn Brenne by Innocentius the Pope appointed king of Hierusalem 1209 Corradin and Meledin deuide their fathers kingdome betwixt them The situation of Damiata in Aegypt A desperat act of a Christian. Damiata in vain assaulted A faire offer euill refused Succours sent vnto the besieged Dâ—â—â—ata without resistance 〈◊〉 by the Châ—â—stians Dâ—amaâ—a 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 1221 1222 Pelagius the Legat persuadeth the princeâ— of the Christian armie to proceed for the conquest of Aegypt The miserie of the Christians in the drowned land The death of â—enry emperour â—â— Constantinople Peter emperour Robert emperor of CoÌ„stantinople An horrible â—utrage committed vpon the person of an empresse Baldwin the lasâ— emperour of the Latines in Constantinople Iohn Batazes made empeâ—or of the Greekes in Asia Plentie ensuing of peace An imperiall â—â—owne bought with egge mony 1227 1228 1229 Fredericke the emperor crowned king of Hierusalem 1230 The vnfortunat expedition of the king of Nauarrâ— into the Holy land The Christians by persuasion of the 〈…〉 their leâ—gue with the Turkeâ— 1234 Hierusalem taken and rased by the Turks 1248 King Lewis setteth forward toward the Holy land 1249 The citizens of Damiata set fire vpon the citie and ran away by the light A faire 〈◊〉 sondly refused Earle Robert in flying drowned The earle of Salisburie valiaÌ„tly sighting slaâ—â—â— The gouernor of Caire apprehended The beginning of the Mamalukes and their kingdome The ruine of the Turkâ— kingdome in Aegypt The emperour in 〈◊〉 with Marcesina Marcesina the emperâ—â—r 〈…〉 of the church Thâ—odorus Lasâ—â—â—â— chosen emperoâ—r The death of Theodorus the Greeke emperor Enuie in Couâ—â— Muzalo traitâ—â—rously murdered in the church Michael Paleologus aspireth Michaell Paleologus crowned emperor by Arsenius the Patriarch 1260 Haalon the Tartar sent with a great armie against the Turks Aleppo rased by the Tartars Damasco woon The Aegyptian Sultan inuadeth Siria Antioch taken from the Christians 1261 Paleologus the Gâ—eâ—ke emperor taketh possession oâ— the citie of Constantinopleâ— Paleologus â—ealous of his estate Paleologus causeth the yong emperours eyes to be put out Iathatines dieth in exile 1270 Carthage besieged by K. Lewis Caâ—thage woon The Christian princes returning from Tunes suffer shipwracke vpon the coast of Sicilia 1271 Prince Edward 〈…〉 Prince Edward wounded 1273 Rodolph the emperour taketh vpon him the Crosse. Henry the prince taken prisoner sent to Caire 1289 Tripolis won and rased by Elpis the Aegyptian Sultan Sydon and Berythus rased Tyre yeelded The miserable estate of a citie about to perish 1291 Ptolemais besâ—eged Ptolemais in vaine assaulted by the Sultan Cassanes the Tartar intâ—adeth Syria Hierusalem takeÌ„ and repaired by Cassanes The description of Cassaâ—es The citie of Hierusalem with all Syria againe recouered by the Aegyptian Sultan 1300 The death of Mesoot and Cei-Cubades The Turks kingdome rent in sunder by themselues The Turks Anarchie Caramania Saruchania Carasia Aidinia Bolli Mendesia Othoman 〈…〉 familie Phi. Lonicerus hist. Turc lib. 1. All worldly things subiect to change The greatest kingdomes haue in time taken end and so come to naught Solyman Sultan of Machan forsaketh his kingdome for â—â—are of the Tartars Romania Asiatica The sonnes of Solyman and their first aduentures The Christians of Cara-Chisar fall ouâ— with the Turks Small things in time of trouble yeeld vnto the wise great content Othoman â—â—â—orous of Malhatun a countrey maid A â—olly common vnto â—â—uers No friendship in â—oue Othoman besieged in danger for his loue The Oguzian Turks in doubt of whom to makâ— choice for their Gouernour The castle of Chalâ—e surprised by 〈◊〉 The Christians 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 Othomâ—n consulteth with his brother 〈◊〉 what 〈◊〉 to take for the oppresing of the Christians 〈◊〉 neighbours Othoman 〈◊〉 in order his 〈◊〉 commonweale Michael Cossi inuiteth Othoman to the maâ—â—age of his daughter The captaine of Belizuga â—â—â—acherously seeking the death of Othoman is by him himselfe slaine Othoman by adminiâ—â—ration of iustice strengtheneth his gouernment The â—ity of Nice besiâ—ged by Othoman 1300 Neapolis the first regall citiâ— of the Othoman kingâ— Prusa besâ—â—geâ— by Othoman Michael Cossi turneth Turke Alteration of Religion in the Greeke Church Persecution in the Greeke Church for matters of Religion Immoderat bountie in great men dangerous Alexiâ—s Philanthropenus aspireth Libadarius opposeth himselfe against the proceâ—â—iâ—gâ— of Philanthropenus Andronicus the Greeke emperor reposing moâ—e â—ust 〈…〉 his owne subiects greatly hurteth his state Ronzerius what he was 〈◊〉 for want oâ— pay spoileth the emperors subiects Ronzerius 〈◊〉 The Turks first called into Europe by the Catalonians The Turcopuli The vnfortunat battell of Michael the emperour against the Catalonians and Turks Cassandâ—â—â— The Catalonians shut out of Macedonia The Turks 〈…〉 two faâ—tâ—â—ns The vnfortuâ—at battell of the emperour Michael Paleologus with the Turks in Chersonesâ—â—s Thracia spoiled by the Turks Philes Paleologus requesteth of the emperour that he might goe against the Turks The battell betwixt Philes and the Turks The Turks ouerthrowne The causes of the decay of the Greeke empire Syrgiannes his craâ—tie sediâ—iouâ— speech vnto yoong Andronicus 〈◊〉 Andronicus commeth secretâ—y armed vnto his grandfatâ—â—r Thracia reuolâ—eth vnto Andronicus Articles of agreemeÌ„t betwixt the old emperour and his nephew The Greeke empire in Europe deuided Whilest the Greekes are at discord among thâ—selues Othoman layeth the foundation of the Turks empire and the other Turks encroch vpon them also The Island of the Rhodes was by the knights Hospitalers recouered from the Turks in the yeare 1308. Andronicus the old emperor seeketh for counsell of the Psalter as of an heauenly Oracle and so seeketh to make peace with his nephew Psal. 68. vers 14. A treacherous meeting The yong emperour sendeth embassadours vnto his grandfather The speech of the yong emperor vnto his grandfathers embassadors The speech of the old emperor â—nto the Patâ—â—arâ—h and the rest of the bishâ—ps 〈…〉 the young emperour his â—ephew The Patriarch with diuers of the bishops conspire against the old emperour Thessalonica yeelded vnto the yong emperour Constantinople betraied vnto the young emperour The pitifull supplication of the old emperour vnto his nephew Niphon incenseth the yoong emperor against his grandfather The old emperor beâ—â—meth blind Andronicus the old emperour against hâ—â— will mâ—de a Monke and called Anthonie The notable answere of the old emperour to the catching question of the proud Patriarch The death of the oâ—d emperour The Turks kingdome founded by Othoman in Asia at such time as the Greeke emperors were as variance betwixt
the great trouble of all his souldiors for whereas the journey was wont to be two waies worke ordinarily as well in respect of the length of the way as the difficultie of the passage the Generall would now needs haue it done in one the rather thereby to grieue his souldiors But of this his wilfulnesse he receiued euen the same day the just reward for that the chariots wherein his women rode were conuaied away togither with the eunuchs that were their keepers some say by the Georgians that lay in wait for such a prey some others say by the Ianizaries who the more to dishonour their Generall wrought him this injurie Great was the reproach that Ferat receiued in the armie but farre greater at CONSTANTINOPLE when these newes were there knowne but there was no remedie he must now perforce endure it and discontented as he was keepe on his way towards ERZIRVM In ARDACHAN he tooke a surueigh of his armie and there gaue his souldiors leaue to depart himselfe afterwards arriuing at ERZIRVM hated of all his souldiors enuied by his captaines derided for the losse of his women and fallen into the disgrace of euerie man No lesse than the rest was the Turkish emperour discontented with him also first for that he had done nothing worth the speaking of in reuenge of the shamefull injurie done by Manucchiar the Georgian and yet so mightily discontented his souldiors and secondly for that without any care he had suffered Aliculi Chan the Persian prisoner to escape away about whose flight it was thought he could not chuse but haue some intelligence For Ferat after he was by new order from the court to diuert his journey from NASSIVAN to the straits narrow passages of GEORGIA being desirous to be throughly enformed of those dangerous waies in this second yeare when he remoued from ERZIRVM tooke Aliculi Chan out of prison of purpose to vse him as his guide in those dangerous straits and therefore carried him vnder a guard whatsoeuer it was afterwards of his most faithfull vassals still intreating him well and taking such order as that he wanted nothing at last being come to the straits of TOMANIS in GEORGIA where the Castle as we haue before said was erected he from thence secretly escaped into PERSIA The manner of his escape is diuersly reported some say that Ferat in discharge of his promise for his good direction had gratified him with his libertie others say that Ferat corrupted with money gaue him opportunitie to escape some others with more probabilitie that this escape was made neither for money nor discharge of promise but by the onely vigilancie of Aliculi himselfe and the sleepinesse of his keepers and that watching the opportunitie of the night a friend to all escapes he started away Howsoeuer it was in fine hee was deliuered from his long captiuitie to the discredit of Ferat and returned into PERSIA to performe such enterprises against the Turkes as shall bee hereafter declared Generall Ferat before his departure out of GEORGIA had commaunded Aly the Bassa of GRaeCIA whom he left as is before declared in the new castle of LORâ— to fortifie a certaine castle called SAITAN CHASI in our language the Castle of the Diuell which he with great diligence performed and left therein fiftie pieces of arâ—illerie and a thousand souldiors vnder the charge of a Sanzacke and so quieted the passages from fort to fort as that all the waies from REIVAN to CHARS and from CHARS to TEFLIS were made easie and safe and all the means taken away whereby the enemie might be able to plot any new treacherie vpon those passages which was no small piece of good seruice The Persian king in the meane time lying at TAVRIS with his armie vnderstanding that the Turkes had changed their purpose from NASSIVAN to GEORGIA so that there was no further need to employ his armie against them for the defence of TAVRIS or NASSIVAN at last resolued with himselfe to licence his souldiors to depart and to apply himselfe to more priuat reuenges For calling Emir Chan vnto him whom he had left Gouernor of TAVRIS and Generall for that part of his kingdome he required of him the occasion why he had not performed the great promises which he had made to him before his departure to HERI nor done his endeuour to hinder the Turks Fabrik at REIVAN and why he went not ouâ— with other souldiors appointed for that purpose and namely with the Turcomans as he had promised to reuenge so great an injurie and in best manner he could to haue endomaged the Turkish forces Sundrie excuses did Emir Chan alleadge for the colouring of his manifest default but none sufficient to cleare him of the crimes objected against him by the king and the Sultans wherefore he was by the king adjudged to haue his eies burnt out with an hoat yron and so depriued of his sight to be despoiled of all his goods and shut vp in close prison Which heauie doome was without further delay accordingly put in execution whereof within the space of a few moneths the wicked Chan but yet a famous souldior miserably died in prison Whose death so highly offended the Turcoman nation who had him alwaies in great estimation that they absolutely denied their defences for the crowne of PERSIA and the more when they heard that the king had bestowed the roume of Emir Chan vpon Aliculi who although he had in many respects deserued all preferment yet for that he was an auntient enemie to certaine Turcoman captaines they would not in any wise endure that he should be exalted to so great an honour And therefore they waxed more disdainfull and ill affected towards the king whereby the Persian forces became the more weakened and diuided The Turkes notwithstanding the league yet in force betweene Amurath and Rodolph the Christian emperour that now is did many times make incursions into the vpper part of HVNGARIE burning the countrey villages and carrying away the people into captiuitie but in their returne they were oftentimes cut off by the emperours souldiors and slaine Which being reported at CONSTANTINOPLE much moued the Turkish tyrant but when he vnderstood that his men had without any cause made those inrodes into the territorie of the Christians and so receiued the foresaid losses he was againe appeased and in the beginning of this yeare 1584 renewed the league betwixt him and the emperour for eight yeares more Ferat from ERZIRVM aduertised Amurath of all that had happened in his late expedition desiring him to commaund what he would haue taken in hand the next Spring But besides this information from him there wanted not many others which did the like also although in another manner declaring vnto the king and that in an odious sort the whole proceedings of Ferat the escape of Aliculi Chan the shamefull losse of his women his quarrels with the Ianizaries his falling out with Vies Bassa a man well