as being no less desirous to learn the Truth of that I know not than willing to impart to others that little which I know So Wishing thee all Happiness I bid thee farewell R. KNOLLES Sandwich Martiâ— ult 1610. The General HISTORY OF THE TURKS Before the Rising of the Othoman Family With all the Noble EXPEDITIONS of the Christian Princes against them THE glorious Empire of the Turks the present Terror of the World hath amongst other things nothing in it more wonderful or strange than the poor beginning of it self so small and obscure as that it is not well known unto themselves or agreed upon even among the best Writers of their Histories from whence this barbarous Nation that now so triumpheth over the best part of the World first crept out or took their beginning Some after the manner of most Naâ—ions derive them from the Trojans led thereunto by the affinity of the words Turci and Teucri supposing but with what probabily I know not the word Turci or Turks to have been made of the corruption of the word Teucri the common name of the Trojans as also for that the Turks have of long most inhabited the lesser ASIA wherein the ancient and most famous City of TROY sometime stood No great reason in my deeming yet give the Authors thereof leave therewith to please themselves as well as some others which dwelling much further off borrow or rather force their beginning from thence without any probability at all and that with such earnestness as if they could not elsewhere have found any so honorable Ancestors Othersome report them to have first come out of PERSIA and of I wot not what City there to have taken their name neither want there some which affirm them to have taken their beginning out of ARABIA yea and some out of SYRIA with many other far fet devices concerning the beginning and name of this people all serving to no better purpose than to shew the uncertainty thereof Among others Philip of MORNAY the noble and learned Frenchman in his worthy Work concerning the trueness of the Christian Religion seemeth and that not without good reason to derive the Turks together with the Tartars from the Jews namely from the Ten Tribes which were by Salmanaser King of ASSIRIA in the time of Oseas King of ISRAEL carried away into Captivity and by him confined into MEDIA and the other unpeopled Countries of the North whose going thither is not unaptly described by Esdras where among the great hords of the Tartars in the farthest part of the World Northward even at this day are found some that still retain the names of Dan Zabulon and Naphthali a certain argument of their descent whereunto also the word Tartar or Tatar signifying in the Syrian-Tongue remnants or leavings and the word Turk a word of disgrace signifying in Hebrew banished men seemeth right well to agree Besides that in the Northern Countries of RUSSIA SARMATIA and LYTHUANIA are found greater store of the Jewish Nation than elsewhere and so nearer unto the Tartarians still the more whereunto Io. Leunclavius the most curious Searcher out of the Turks Antiquities and Monuments addeth as a farther Conâ—ecture of the discent of those barbarous Northern people from the Jews That in his travel through LIVONIA into LYTHUANIA in the Country near unto the Metropolitan City of RIGA he found there the barbarous people of the Lettoes quite differing in Language from the other Country-people of the Curons and Estons no less barbarous than themselves who had always in their mouths as a perpetual lamentation which they with doleful moans daily repeated abroad in the fields Ieru Ieru Masco Lon whereby they were thought to lament over JERUSALEM and DAMASCO as forgetful of all other things in their ancient Country after so many worlds of years and in a desolate place so far distant thence And Munster in his Description of LIVONIA repeating the like words reporteth That this rude people being demanded what they meant by these words so often and so lamentably by them without cause uttered answered That they knew no more than that they had been so of long taught by their Ancestors But to leave these Opinions concerning their beginning so divers and uncertain and to follow greater probabilities as concerning the place from whence they came it is upon better ground thought by divers others and those of the best Historians That this barbarous Nation which hath of late brought such fatal mutations upon so great a part not of Christendom only but even of the whole World took their first beginning out of the bare and cold Country of SCYTHIA induced thereunto both by the Authority of the greatest Cosmographers as by most apparent reasons Pomponius Mela the Describer of the World reckoning up the people near unto the great River TANAIS the bounder of EUROPE from ASIA Eastward amongst others maketh mention of the Turks in these words Geloni urbem ligneam habitant Iuxta Thyrsagetae Turcaeque vastas sylvas occupant alunturque venando Tum continuis rupibus late aspera deserta regio ad Arympheoâ— usque permittitur The Geloni inhabit a City of Wood and fast by the Thyrsagets and Turks possess the vast Forests and live by hunting Then a rough and desert Country with continual Rocks is spaciously extended even as far as unto the Arympheians Pliny also in like manner reckoning up the Nations about the Fens of MAEOTIS agreeing with that Mela reporteth saith Deinde Euazae Cottae Cicimeni Messeniani Costobocci Choatrae Zigae Dandari Tussagetae Turcae usque ad solitudines saltuosis convallibus asperas ultra quos Arymphei qui ad Riphaeos pertinent montes Next unto them are the Euazae Cottae Cicimeni Messeniani Costobocci Choatrae Zigae Dandari the Thussagets and Turks unto the deserts rough with woody Valleys beyond whom are the Arympheians which border upon the Riphean mountains And Ptolomy in the Description of SARMATIA ASIATICA maketh mention of the Tusci whom many learned men suppose to have been the same Nation with the Turks Unto which ancient Testimonies of reverend Antiquity add the manners and conditions of the Turks their ancient attire their gesture their gate their weapons and manner of riding and fight their language and dialect so well agreeing with the Scythians and a man shall find matter enough sufficient to perswade him in reason that the Turks have undoubtedly taken their beginning from the Scythes whom they in so many things resemble and with whom of all other Nations they best agree Now it hath been no less doubted also among the Writers of the Turks Histories at what time and for what causes the Turks to the trouble of the World left their natural Seats in the cold Country of SCYTHIA to seek themselves others in more pleasant and temperate Countries more Southerly than it had been of their Original beginning Blondus and Platina report them enforced with a general want to have forsaken
days dispatched that he came for and done what good service else he could he departed from Famagusta and within five days after arrived at Crete It was not long but Selymus had knowledge of this late supply put into Famagusta and of the harms done by Quirinus wherewith he was so highly displeased that he commanded the Governor of Chios his Head to be struck off and the Governor of the Rhodes to be disgraced whose charge it was to have kept those Seas so that nothing should have been conveied into Famagusta Neither spared he Pial Bassa but deprived him of his Admiralty and placed Partau Bassa Admiral in his stead for that he had not the year before discomfited the Christian Fleet at the Island of Crete as it was supposed he might have done From the beginning of this War the Venetians with Pius Quintus then Pope who greatly favoured their cause had most earnestly from time to time solicited Philip King of Spain to enter with them into the participation and fellowship of this War which their request standing indeed with the good of his State he seemed easily to yield unto and therefore sent Auria his Admiral the last year with his Fleet to aid them but with such success as is before declared As for to joyn with them in perpetual League and Confederation as it was termed against the common Enemy that he referred unto the discreet consideration of the two Cardinals Granvellan and Pace and Io. Zunica his Embassador sent for that purpose to Rome promising to perform whatsoever they should on his behalf agree upon or consent unto At the same time and for the same purpose lay also Surianus the Venetian Embassador at Rome unto whom the Pope joyned Cardinal Morone Aldobrandinus and Rusticucius with certain other of the chief Cardinals as Men indifferent to both parties to moderate and compose such differences and difficulties as should arise betwixt the aforesaid Commissioners for the King and the Venetians concerning the intended League But these grave Men sent from so great Princes about so great a matter as well there could not be a greater were no sooner met together and set in consultation but that forthwith they began to jar about the Capitulations of the League Necessary it was thought that a League should be agreed upon against so puissant and dangerous an Enemy but to find the way how the same might be concluded to the contentment of all parties seemed a matter almost impossible Oftentimes these Commissioners sat but the oftner the farther off if one difficulty were by the discretion of some appeased in stead thereof at the next meeting arise three others The chief command of the Army to be raised the proportion of the Forces the manner of the War with many other like circumstances incident to so great Actions made great differences among them but most of all the indifferent proportioning of the charge the Spanish Commissioners seeking to turn the greatest part thereof upon the Venetians and the Venetians upon them which was done with such earnestness and study of every Man towards his own part as if they had all there met for the bettering of the particular State from which they were sent rather than for the Common good For the Spaniard who in former time was glad to keep the Frontiers of his large Dominions in Italy Sicily Sardinia Corsica Majorca Minorca yea and of Spain it self with strong Garrisons for fear of the Turk now that the War was risen betwixt the Venetians and him and the danger thereof translated far off into other Mens Territories enjoyned now in his own an unwonted quietness to the great content of his Subjects and easing of his own Charge in maintaining of so many Garrisons as before whereof many were now thought needless Besides that he by the Indulgence of the Pope raised such great Sums of Mony upon his Clergy as was thought by many sufficient to discharge the Charge of the War For which causes he cared not for entring in any further League with the Venetians but as it were in courtesie to send them a yearly Aid to maintain a defensive lingering War and so to keep the Turks busied upon the Venetian a far off from his own Territories But the Venetians in whose Dominions the fierce Enemy daily raged as well in Dalmatia as in Cyprus were even for the same reasons moved to hasten and shorten the War that the Spaniard was to protract it for beside the nearness of the danger and the infinite calamities by them sustained their yearly revenues arising for most part of their Customs were greatly impaired and their Traffick the maintenance of their State almost quite cut off which caused them more earnestly to confederate themselves with the Spaniard But hard it was to joyn in one States so far differing in respect of their particular profit and almost by nature contrary Thus was all the last year and a great part of this also spent by the aforesaid Commissioners in turbulent and fruitless Conferences but nothing was as yet concluded Concerning the League which troubled the Venetians not a little being of themselves too weak for so mighty an Enemy as was Selymus and yet no other certain strength from their Friends to rest upon But whilst they stood thus doubtful of the League with Spain and quite out of hope of any attonement with Selymus upon the suddain when they least expected it was by good Fortune laid as it were in their Laps to make choice whether they would as they had before most earnestly desired joyn in League with the Pope and the King of Spain or else fall to agreement with Selymus and that by this means Muhamet the chief Bassa a secret friend unto the Venetians of whom he had been of long time honoured had no great liking of the prosperous success of Mustapha in Cyprus and therefore devised night and day how to cross the rising of him the Competitor of his Honour and with all to help the Venetians unto whom he was much beholden He by secret Messengers had before oftentimes sounded the mind of the Venetian Embassador and put him in hope that if suit were made unto Selymus for Peace it would undoubtedly be granted and further promised to be himself a helper and intercessor for the same But finding the Embassador to cast many perils and to give small credit unto their talk who had before by trusting them deceived him he did not so give over the matter but referring the further tempering with him unto a more fit time for the present he took opportunity to enter into discourse with Selymus himselfe concerning the Venetians and told him that it was reported That they weary of the long altercation they had had with the Spaniards concerning the League and now destitute of all hope and aid would now haply of their own accord grant him that which they had before to him denied And perceiving him not unwillingly to hear so
tragical a sight it is reported that Amurath let some tears fall as not delighting in such barbarous cruelty but that the state and manner of his Government so required In the beginning of his Reign he established divers wholsome Laws altered the Coin and bountifully relieved the Poor And albeit that he was of a mild and peaceable nature yet because he would not seem to degenerate from the Othoman Princes his Progenitors he prosecuted his Fathers Wars year 1575 and by the Tartars called Praecopenses in the month of October in the year 1575 entred into Russia part of the Polonian Kingdom where he burnt and destroyed two hundred Noble-mens houses besides an infinite number of Towns and Villages made great slaughter of the poor Country people and carried away great numbers of Cattel and Prisoners bound in thongs made of raw Hides But whilst they were dividing the spoil with Peter the new Vayvod of Valachia who had before solemnly promised to give the Tartars no passage that way the Polonian Cossacks who had lien waiting for their return upon the River Boristhenes brake into the Tartars Country and there requited them with like harm and brought back with them a number of old Captives who little expected that their so sudden deliverance The Polonians at this time were at variance among themselves about the Election of their new King Henry Valoys their late King being the last year after the death of Charles his Brother the French King secretly stoll'n from them into France to take upon him that Kingdom after whose departure some of the Polonian Nobility made choice of Maximilian the Emperour other some no less inclining unto the choice of the great Duke of Muscovy and some unto others also Whereof Amurath understanding and loth that either of those two great Princes his Enemies should be invested or strengthened with that so great a Kingdom and so near unto him to hinder that their Election and to bring in another of less power and so less dangerous unto himself even in the beginning of his Reign wrote unto the Polonians to that purpose commending unto them Stephen Battor the Vayvod of Transilvania for their King in manner following Amurath God of the Earth Governour of the whole World the Messenger of God and faithful Servant of the great Prophet unto the most honourable Nobility and Counsellors of the Kingdom of Polonia greeting IT is not unto the World unknown most honourable and mighty Senators our Noble Progenitors to have of long time and for many Years holden good Friendship and Religious Leagues with the Kingdom of Polonia For which cause it hath seemed good and reasonable unto us to put you in remembrance of this so antient a League and Bond of Friendship for that we understanding your Kingdom to be of late become destitute of a King by the departure of the Noble King Henry your Crowned King descended of the Royal Race of the French Kings our friend Who for the small regard you had of him so Great and Worthy a Prince and for your Disloyalty is departed out of your Kingdom without purpose of returning any more into Polonia Whereupon as it is reported unto us but how truly we know not you passing over your said Crowned King Henry are about to maâ—e choice of a new King and especially of Maximilian the Emperour or of the Duke of Muscovie both men of running wits and of us greatly hated For why you may well know they will be troublesome and grievous not unto every one of you only but even unto us also Wherefore be you ware that you be not deceived and take heeâ— lest your Confederations and Lâ—agues cannot long by their valour and prowess â—e established and withal consider well the great dangers and losses which you may thereby fall into Whereof we have thought good to give you a taste Wherefore beware that heavier things befall not your State. We know there are right Noble and Wise men amongst you which know better than they how to Rule and Govern And if so be it please you not to make choice of any of your own Nation there is not far from you one Stephen Bâ—ttor Prince of Transylvania a Man of great Honour and Valour by whose Labour and Dexterity you may easily procure the peace and quiet of your Kingdom Whereas if you shall do otherwise we take to witness your God and his Servant our Great Prophet to destroy all your Wealth and Goods which together with your Selves your Wives and Children shall be given for a prey unto our Souldiers with the chief men of your Cities of Cracovia and Leperis Which for all that we say not as any thing at all doubting of your Fidelity and Constancy toward us As for the rest which it pleased us by word of Mouth to have told unto you we have given charge unto this our Embassadour and Counsellour unto whom our desire is that you should give full credence From Constantinople the last of September in the Year of our Prophet Mahomet 983 and first of our Reign This great Sultan's commendations so much prevailed with the Polonians that notwithstanding that Maximilian the Emperour was by the Archbishop of Gnesna and some others choosen King yet was that his Election by the greater part of the Nobility revoked and both he and the great Duke of Muscovy being passed over the Noble Princess Anne of the most honourable Iagellonian House chosen Queen of Polonia yet with this condition That she should marry Stephen the Vayvod of Transylvania to them by Amurath commended Who afterward elected King all the time of his Life right worthily governed that noble Kingdom not only defending the same in such state as he found it but also notably extending the bounds thereof enlarging it with such Territories as he by force of Arms got from his Neighbours especially the Muscovite Of this Election Amurath would oftentimes afterwards boast and say That he had given the Polonians their King. But of him and of the League made by him with Amurath more shall be said hereafter The year following great troubles arose in Persia year 1576 whereby the flourishing state of that most mighty Kingdom was sore shaken and opportunity given for the Turkish Emperour to invade the same which he laying hold upon entred into that bloudy War which to the great quiet of the Christian Common-weal for long time after exercised the Forces of those most puissant Princes one upon another For the better understanding whereof it shall not be amiss compendiously to set down the same troubles of the Persian Kingdom the very ground of the long and mortal War between those two most mighty Monarchs Old Tamas the Persian King Son to the noble Hismael who with great glory had more than fifty years worthily governed that large Kingdom and mightily withstood the often invasions of the Turkish Emperours now spent with years died the eleventh of May in the year 1576. leaving behind him
Year of Peace and repose of this Empire what the Sultan contrived for security of himself by the death of his Brothers We acquainted you formerly in what manner the Sultan was disappointed in his designs against his Brothers by means of his Mother to whom the Janisaries had committed the care of their safety which she according to her promise had maintained and tendered equally with her own But now the Vizier being returned from the Wars and the most seditious amongst the Janisaries withdrawn from Constantinople it was thought fit to make a new attempt on the Princes still residing in the old Seraglio which was performed with those due preparations and secrecy that it took effect on Sultan Orchan the eldest of the two who in the Month of September 1671. dyed by a draught of poyson which was administred to him as a Present from his courteous Brother some say he was strangled and that before he submitted his neck to the Bow-string he killed one of the Executioners with his Hanjarre This Prince was reported by the people to be a comely Person of a strong and robustious body of large and black eyes like Sultan Morat his death was lamented by all and presaged as fatal to the Empire in regard that that very night that he was murthered the Moon suffered a greater Eclipse than it had done for many years before which happening out in this conjuncture was interpreted as â—minous and served to increase the maledictions and evil spâ—eches which the Turks in all places cast out upon those who gave this counsel to the Sultan About this time the State of Genoua desirous to change their Officers in Turkie sent a new Resident to Constantinople and a Consul to Smyrna which change was principally obtained at the request of the old Ministers who weary of an employment so tedious without a benefit corresponding to their melancholy life and perceiving their Trade decline before it was arrived to any tolerable state or degree of reputation by the assistance and mediation of friends sollicited their Letters of Revocation For the Trade of Genoua being cheifly founded on hopes of those advantages which they expected from a coarse or base alloy of mony did instantly decay so soon as the Turks discovered themselves to be abused by the vast quantities of Temins imported as we have before related after which their profit â—ailing the Consulage consequently decayed which is the only subsistence and encouragement of such Officers as are necessary to reside for the continuance of that Peace which but a few years before they unadvisedly made with the Turk The new Resident had no sooner arrived at Constantinople and considered the poor and mean estate and ill foundation of their Trade the growing charge of the Residency and the great debts thereof that were to devolve upon him from his Predecessor but he perceived into what a Labyrinth of troubles he had ingulfed himself instead of being preferred according to his hopes into a place of Honour and happy retirement In which confusion of thoughts arising one morning before day from his bed and sitting on his Close-stool as the servants of the house report reached at a Towel which being intangled within the Lock of a Carbine that hanged always charged near his bed unfortunately drew the Trigger too hard which with that gave fire and shot the poor Gentleman into the belly with a brace of Bullets of which being mortally wounded after Confession and some Prayers in a few hours he passed to another life unhappy mischance if it may be called a chance for I have understood from a sober person of that Nation that the anguish of mind which he conceived at the evil condition of his Affairs wrought in him a deepness of melancholy and despair under which languishing some days did at last most miserably lay violent hands upon himself And now it is time to recal to mind the Conspiracy of Count Serini Marquess Frangipani and Count Nadasti Persons of Quality and of great Power in Croatia and Hungary who as we said before had sent their Messengers to the Great Vizier then remaining in the Leagure of Candia with overtures of submission to the Ottoman Power It was strange News to the World to hear that the House of Serini should abandon the Christian Party and those renowned Defenders of their Country should apostatize though not from Christianity yet from that Cause and Liberty which their Ancestors and themselves had defended with Blood Treasure Valour and Constancy But dissentions and animosities sown by Satan the Enemy of the Christian Church did strangely corrupt the minds of those famous Persons and raise in them a Spirit resolved to avenge the neglect and injuries put upon them by the Ministers of the Imperial Court though at the expence and hazard of their fortunes and lives and ruine and shiprack of their Honour and Consciences For the neglects and affronts undeservedly cast on Nicholas Serini during the late War as before related and the contempt and scorn put on the Croatian and Hungarian Nobility was supposed to have fited the hot and ambitious Spirits of these Persons who could more easily endure the slavery of the Turkish yoke than condescend to the Government and prevalency of a contrary Party Wherefore in prosecution of their design the complices of Serini being resolved to submit to the Turk dispatched two other Gentlemen to the Ottoman Court besides those which were sent the year before to Salonica who arrived at Adrianople the 11 th of February 1670 1 demanding the protection of the Sultan for which they promised a Tribute of thirty Purses or fifteen thousand Dollars every year for those Lands they held in Croatia To make Answer hereunto a Divan or Council was called in which were weighed all the Arguments and Reasons on one side and the other The Muftee opposed their receiving into protection as being against the Capitulations and Agreement so lately concluded with the Emperor wherein the receiving or abetting of Rebels is expresly forbidden and provided against by one side and the other but Vanni Efendi the Preacher who used to be always of a different opinion to the Muftee urged to have them received because that the advancement of the Mahometan Cause and enlargement of their Empire was more sacred than the conservation of their League with an Infidel Prince And that the Ottoman Court was no longer to be termed the Refuge of the World if it could not yield that protection which oppressed Kingdoms and distressed Princes petitioned to obtain In this manner the matter being controverted without Agreement it was in fine resolved to refer the matter to the determination of the Grand Vizier who was now a few months past return'd triumphant from Candia But by this time Intelligence being come by way of Bosna that the Emperor had already entered Croatia with thirty thousand men that he had taken Chiacheturno in Cotoriba and that Serini and his Associates were
open and become Navigable so soon as the Ice is Thawed and the Carts provided a fixed Day shall be set for Departure of the Turks after which they shall not stay longer than 24 Hours And in the mean time they shall lodge quietly in the Lower Town free from all Molestation Damage or Insolence of the Soldiers II. All Prisoners in the Hands of the Turks without concealing any or Perswasions Allurements or Promises to stay shall be set at liberty be they of what Age Sex or Quality soever III. That all Conveniences and Necessaries shall be allowed to the Turks for their Money as well in their Journey as in the time of their present Aboad IV. That no Violence shall be offered to any upon their Departure V. The Carts or Waggons shall be provided as well for the Old as for others to carry them to the Water-side VI. All those who became Renegadoes before this War began shall have Licence to depart in Company with the Turks but such others as have denied their Faith since the beginning of these Wars shall not be permitted to depart with the others but shall remain still in the City And whosoever shall desire to stay behind and live at their former Habitations shall be left to their own Wills and Arbitrement to do as they shall think fit VII A sufficient number of Waggons shall be provided to carry all the People to the Water-side where in like manner a sufficient number of Boats shall be furnished to Transport the People under a secure Guard to the Confines of the Ottoman Dominions All these Articles being subscribed by His Imperial Majesty a strict charge was given to all Officers and Soldiers and Subjects whatsoever to observe religiously the Contents thereof But before the same had passed the Imperial Signature the Vice-President of the Council of War summoned Hassan Bei several times to Audience and at length upon Delivery of the Capitulations into his Hands he made a most Elegant Speech exalting the generous Piety and Clemency of the Emperour who having all the Inhabitants and Soldiers of Sighet in his Hands and at his Disposal so as either to put them to Death or make them Captives was yet pleased out of a Natural Principle of Mercy to consider their Distresses to spare their Lives and give them Liberty In sense of which Hassan Bei acknowledged the truth of what had been uttered and in token of Thanks to the Vice-President in the Name of the Pasha and People of Sighet with Eyes full of Tears he received the Capitulations and kissed them with profound Reverence and Submission So soon as Hassan Bei had received these Capitulations he departed with all speed by the Post towards Sighet being fully satisfied with the obliging Entertainment he had received during his stay at Vienna where he was sumptuously lodged in the House of Marquis Ferdinando Obizzi Hassan Bei being returned with the Articles subscribed to Sighet no time was lost to put them into execution for all things being prepared and the River open about the beginning of February the Turks quitted Sighet leaving one of the chief Fortresses in the World esteemed both by Nature and Art to be impregnable in the Hands of the Emperour For Sighet hath both a Castle and a City fortified after the ancient manner with Earth lined with Brick hath four very fair Towers encompassed with a very deep Ditch full of Water and environed round with Fens and Marshy Grounds which make the Town inaccessible So that it seems no wonder that Solyman the Magnificent Emperor of the Turks should have spent three Years in taking thereof and not being able to take it in his Life time his Grand Vizier afterwards subdued it by Storm with the loss of 36000 Men. The Turks took it on the 7th of September 1566 after a most valiant Resistance made by Nicholas Esdrin Count of Serini Great Grandfather of the Famous Nicholas Serini who vanquished the Turks in many Battels and died in the Year 1664. The Town hath three Gates one called Quinque Ecclesiae another Siclos and a third Canisia because they lead to those places The Castle is fortified with three Walls and a treble Ditch and is the Capital City of that Province so named There are three Moschs all stately Buildings and covered with Lead The Country round is Pleasant and Fruitful especially one Hill about two Miles from the City which the Turks call Turbe Doggi which was rarely planted with Vines and all sorts of Fruit-Trees and is famous for Cherries of an extraordinary bigness of which there are none so good either in Hungary or in any part of the Ottoman Dominions the Ponds and Lakes are filled with Fish and the Woods yield store of Deer Hares Partridges and all sorts of Game so that no place in the World can afford greater plenty of all things to support Humane Life or to furnish the Tables of the greatest Monarchs Howsoever Canisia refused to follow the Example of Sighet being not as yet it seems reduced to such a Condition of Famine as to oblige them to a Surrender for living in hopes that the Turkish Ambassadors would be able by their Negotiations to obtain a Peace they suffered the utmost Extremities of Want with much patience that in reward thereof they might preserve their Dwellings and Lands and obtain the Honour due to the Constancy of good Soldiers and the Praise and Commendation of their Prince In the mean time the Turkish Ambassadors pressed with much Importunity to be admitted unto Audience that they might deliver their Credentials and execute the Commands of their Master But the Imperial Ministers were not it seems so much in haste intending first to deliberate in what manner they were to be received and what Answers were to be given to their submissive Requests for Peace a Matter unknown before to the Turks who since the beginning of their Empire had never before been acquainted with the manner of supplicating for Peace year 1689. But the Fortune of the World being now changed and the Game running high on the Emperor's Hand Expedients were contrived rather to return a plausible cause of denial and a justifiable ground for continuing a War than how to form and project advantageous Articles for a Peace Howsoever the Resolutions being taken what to do it was judged necessary to admit the Ambassadors to Audience for by the Law of Nations that could not be refused and so accordingly it was agreed That on the 8th of February an Audience should be given them In order unto which two Days before the Ambassadors were conducted from the Castle of Pottendorff into the Suburbs of the City and lodged in that Street called Landt Strass being attended by two Regiments of Foot The Day appointed for the Audience being come they were brought with a Party of Horse to the Gate of Carinthia about Two a Clock in the Afternoon and there consigned up to the Guard
THE TURKISH HISTORY WITH Sir PAUL RYCAUT's CONTINUATION Mahomethes Quartus Magnus Turcarum Imperator Qui nunc Regnat Anno 1687. Sold by T Basset at the George neat S t Dunstans Church in Fleet street THE TURKISH HISTORY FROM THE ORIGINAL of that NATION To the GROWTH of the Ottoman Empire WITH THE LIVES and CONQUESTS OF THEIR Princes and Emperors By RICHARD KNOLLES sometime Fellow of Lincoln-College in Oxford WITH A CONTINUATION To this Present Year MDCLXXXVII Whereunto is added The Present State of the OTTOMAN EMPIRE By Sir PAUL RYCAUT late Consul of Smyrna The Sixth EDITION with the Effigies of all the Kings and Emperors Newly Engraven at large upon Copper The First Uolume LONDON Printed for Tho. Basset at the George near St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet MDCLXXXVII The AUTHOR to the READER THE long and still declining state of the Christian Commonweal with the utter ruin and subversion of the Empire of the East and many other most glorious Kingdoms and Provinces of the Christians never to be sufficiently lamented might with the due consideration thereof worthily move even a right stony heart to ruth but therewith also to call to remembrance the dishonour done unto the blessed Name of our Saviour Christ Iesus the desolation of his Church here militant upon Earth the dreadful danger daily threatned unto the poor remainder thereof the millions of Souls cast headlong into eternal Destruction the infininit number of woful Christians whose grievous groanings under the heavy yoke of Infidelity no tongue is able to express with the carelesness of the Great for the redress thereof might give just cause unto any good Christian to fit down and with the heavy Prophet to say as he did of Jerusalem O how hath the Lord darkned the Daughter of Sion in his wrath and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel and remembred not his footstool in the day of his wrath All which miseries with many others so great as greater there can none be the Prince of darkness and Author of all mischief hath by the persecuting Princes of all Ages and antient Hereticks his Ministers labored from time to time to bring upon the Church of God to the obscuring of his blessed Name and utter subversion of his most sacred Word but yet by none no not by them all together so much prevailed as by the false Prophet Mahomet born in an unhappy hour to the great destruction of Mankind whose most gross and blasphemous Doctrine first fantasied by himself in Arabia and so by him obtruded upon the World and afterwards by the Sarasin Caliphes his seduced Successors with greater Forces maintained was by them together with their Empire dispersed over a great part of the face of the Earth to the unspeakable ruin and destruction of the Christian Religion and State especially in Asia and Africk with some good part of Europe also But the unity of this great Mahometan Monarchy being once dissolved and it divided into many Kingdoms and so after the manner of worldly things drawing unto the fatal period of it self in process of time became of far less force than before and so less dreadful unto the Christian Princes of the West by whom these Sarasins were again expulsed out of all the parts of Europe excepting one corner of Spain which they yet held within the remembrance of our Fathers until that by their Victorious Forces they were thence at length happily removed also after that they had possessed the same above the space of 700 Years In this declination of the Sarasins the first Champions of the Mahometan Superstition who though they had lost much yet held they many Kingdoms both in Asia and Africk taken for the most part from the Christians arise the Turks an obscure and base People before scarce known unto the World yet fierce and couragious who by their Valour first aspired unto the Kingdom of Persia with divers other large Provinces from whence they were about 170 Years after again expulsed by the Tartars and enforced to retire themselves into the lesser Asia where taking the benefit of the discord of the Christian Princes of the East and the carelesness of the Christians in general they in some good measure repaired their former losses again and maintained the state of a Kingdom at Iconium in Cilicia now of them called Caramania holding in their subjection the greatest part of that fruitful Country still seeking to gain from the Christians what they had before lost unto the Tartars But this Kingdom of the Turks declining also by the dismembring of the same there slept up among the Turks in Bythinia one Osman or Othoman of the Oguzian Tribe or Family a Man of great spirit and valour who by little and little growing up amongst the rest of his Countrymen and other the effeminate Christians on that side of Asia at last like another Romulus took upon him the Name of a Sultan or King and is right worthily accounted the first Founder of the mighty Empire of the Turks which continued by many descents directly in the Line of himself even unto Achmat who now reigneth is from a small beginning become the greatest terrour of the World and holding in subjection many great and mighty Kingdoms in Asia Europe and Africk is grown to that height of pride as that it threatneth destruction unto the rest of the Kingdoms of the Earth labouring with nothing more than with the weight of it self In the greatness whereof is swallowed up both the Name and Empire of the Sarasins the glorious Empire of the Greeks the renowned Kingdoms of Macedonia Peloponesus Epirus Bulgaria Servia Bosna Armenia Cyprus Syria Egypt Judea Tunes Algiers Media Mesopotamia with a great part of Hungary as also of the Persian Kingdom and all those Churches and Places so much spoken of in holy Scripture the Romans only excepted and in brief so much of Christendom as far exceedeth that which is thereof at this day left So that at this present if you consider the beginning progress and perpetual felicity of this the Othoman Empire there is in this World nothing more admirable and strange if the greatness and lustre thereof nothing more magnificent and glorious if the Power and Strength thereof nothing more Dreadful or Dangerous Which wondering at nothing but at the Beauty of it self and drunk with the pleasant Wine of perpetual felicity holdeth all the rest of the World in Scorn thundering out nothing still but Bloud and War with a full persuasion in timeâ— to Rule over all prefixing unto it self no other limits than the uttermost bounds of the Earth from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same The causes whereof are many and right lamentable but for the most part are shut up in the Counsels of the Great as that for me to seek after them were great Folly Yet amongst the rest some others there be so pregnant and manifest as that the blind
World taketh thereof as it were a general Knowledge and may therefore without Offence of the Wiser sort as I hope even in these our nice Days be lightly touched Whereof the first and greatest is the Iust and Secret Iudgment of the Almighty who in Iustice delivereth into the Hands of these merciless Miscreants Nation after Nation and Kingdom upon Kingdom as unto the most terrible Executioners of his dreadful Wrath to be punished for their Sins Others in the mean while no less Sinful than they in his Mercy enjoying the benefit of a longer time calling them unto Repentance Then the uncertainty of Worldly things which is subject to perpetual Change cannot long stay in one State but as the Sea is with the Wind so are they in like sort tossed up and down with the continual Surges and Waves of alteration and change so that being once grown to their height they there stay not long but fall again as fast as ever they rise and so in time come to nothing As we see the greatest Monarchies that ever yet were upon Earth have done their course being run over whom Time now Triumpheth as no doubt at length it shall over this so great a Monarchy also when it shall but then live by Fame as the others now do Next to these Causes from above without Offence be it said is the small care the Christian Princes especially those that dwelt further off have had of the common State of the Christian Common-weal whereof even the very Greatest are to account themselves but as the principal Members of one and the same Body and have or ought to have as sharp a feeling one of anothers Harms as hath the head of the Wrongs done unto the feet or rather as if it were done unto themselves Instead of which Christian Compassion and Vnity they have ever and even yet at this time are so divided amongst themselves with endless Quarrels partly for Questions of Religion never by the Sword to be determined partly for Matters touching their own proper State and Sovereignty and that with such distrust and implacable Hatred that they never could as yet although it hath been long wished joyn their common Forces against the common Enemy But turning their Weapons one upon another the more to be lamented have from time to time Weakend themselves and Opened a way for him to Devour them one after another Whereas with their combined Forces the greedy Enemies greatest Terror they might long since not only have repressed his Fury and abated his Pride but with small Danger and much Glory God favoring their so Honourable Attempts have again Recovered from him most of those famous Christian Kingdoms which he by Force against all Right holdeth at this Day in most miserable Subjection and Thraldom Many Millions of the poor Oppressed Christians in the mean time out of the Furnace of Tribulation in the Anguish of their Souls crying in vain unto their Christian Brethren for relief By Civil discord the Noble Country of Graecia Perished when as the Father rising against the Son and the Son against the Father and Brother against Brother they to the mutual Destruction of themselves called the Turk who like a greedy Lyon lurking in his Den lay in wait for them all So Perished the Kingdoms of Bulgaria Servia Bosna and Epirus with the famous Island of the Rhodes and Cyprus betray'd as it were by the Christian Princes their Neighbours by whom they might have easily been relieved So the most Flourishing and Strong Kingdom of Hungary in the Relicks whereof the Fortune of the Turkish Empire hath longer stuck than in the Conquest of any other Kingdom by it attempted whatsoever divided in it self by the Ambition of Princes and Civil discord the Weaker still calling unto his Aid the mighty Power of the Turk is long since for the most part become to him a Prey the poor remainders thereof being at this Day hardly Defended by the Forces of the Christian Emperor and of the Princes his Confederates seldom times meeting together with such Cheerfulness or Expedition as the Necessity of so great a Matter requireth Vnto which so great a Cause of the common decay may be added the evil Choice of our Souldiers employed in those Wars who taken up hand over head out of the promiscuous common People are for the most part Vntrained men serving rather for shew and the filling up of Number than for Vse and in no respect to be compared with the Turks Ianizaries and other his most expert Souldiers continually even from their Youth Exercised in feats of Arms. Not to speak in the mean time of the want of the Antient Martial Discipline the wholesome preservative of most Puissant Armies which breedeth in the Proud Enemy a Contempt of the Christian Forces with a full persuasion of himself that he is not by such Disordered and Weak means to be withstood But to come near unto the Causes of the Turks greatness and more proper unto themselves as not depending of the improvident Carelesness Weakness Discord and Imperfections of others First in them is to be Noted an ardent and infinite Desire of Sovereignty wherewith they have long since promised unto themselves the Monarchy of the whole World a quick motive to their so haughty Designs Then such a rare Vnity and Agreement amongst them as well in the manner of their Religion if it be so to be called as in matters concerning their State especially in all their Enterprises to be taken in hand for the augmenting their Empire as that thereof they call themselves Islami that is to say Men of one Mind or at Peace amongst themselves so as it is not to be Marvelled if thereby they grow Strong themselves and Dreadful to others Ioyn unto this their Courage conceived by the wonderful Success of their perpetual Fortune their notable Vigilancy in taking the advantage of every Occasion for the inlarging of their Monarchy their Frugality and Temperateness in their Diet and other manner of Living their careful observing of their Antient Military Discipline their Cheerful and almost Incredible Obedience unto their Princes and Sultans such as in that point no Nation in the World was to be worthily compared unto them All great Causes why their Empire hath so mightily encreased and so long continued Whereunto may be added the two strongest Sinews of every well Governed Commonweal Reward propounded to the Good and Punishment threatned unto the Offender where the prize is for Vertue and Valour set up and the way laid open for every common Person be he never so meanly Born to aspire unto the greatest Honours and Preferments both of the Court and of the Field yea even unto the nearest Affinity of the Great Sultan himself if his Valour or other Worth shall so Deserve When as on the contrary part the Disloyal or Cowardly is to expect from the same Sovereign Power nothing but Disgrace Death and Torture And yet these great ones not contented by
their native Country and followed their better fortune in the year of our Lord 755. with whom also Segonius agreeth in the cause of their departure but not in the time or place when or whereby they departed for they as he saith issued out of their dwelling places in the year of Grace 844. by the Straits of the Mountain CAUCASUS whereas the other with greater probability suppose them to have come forth by the Caspian Straits which the Turks also as saith Sabellicus affirm of â—hemselves their Ancestors as they say being by their Neighbors driven out of the Caspian Mountains Some others there be thaâ— report them to have forsaken their native Country neither inforced thereunto by necessity or the power of others but for their valor sent for by the Sultan of PERSIA to aid him in his Wars unadvisedly supposing that to have been the cause of their first coming out which indeed hapned long time after as in the process of this History shall appear But whatsoever the aforesaid causes of want or of the enemies power might inforce them unto a greater power no doubt it was that stir'd them up even the hand of the Almighty who being the Author of all Kingdoms upon Earth as well those which he hath appointed as Scourges wherewith to punish the World as others more blessed will have his work and purpose full of Divine Majesty to appear in the stirring of them up from right small beginnings in the increasing and establishing of theiâ— greatness and power to the astonishment of the World and in the ruine and destruction of them again the course of their appointed time once run As for the difference of the time of their coming forth before remembred it may reasonably be referred to the divers emotions of that people who being not under the command of any one but of their divers Governors as the manner of that people was are not to be thought to have come forth all at once either for one cause but at divers times some sooner some later and that for divers causes This people thus stirred up and by the Caspian Ports passing thorow the Georgian Country then called IBERIA near unto the Caspian Sea first seised upon a part of the greater ARMENIA and that with so strong hand that it is by their Posterity yet holden at this day and of them called TURCOMANIA of all other the most true Progeny of the ancient Turks In which great Country they of long under their divers Leaders in the manner of their living most resembling their Ancestors roamed up and down with their Families and herds of Cattel after the manner of the Scythian Nomades their Country men without any certain places of abode yet at great Unity among themselves as not having much to lose or wherefore to strive The first Kingdom of the Turks erected in Persia by Tangrolipix Chieftain of the Selzuccian Family with the success thereof THis wandring and unregarded people but now the terror of the world thus first seated in ARMENIA long time there lived in that wide Country after their rude and wonted manner from which the Turcoman Nation their Posterity in that place even at this day as we said much differeth not and not only notably defended the Country thus by them at the first possessed but still incroaching farther and farther and gaining by other mens harms became at length dreadful unto their Neighbours and of some fame also farther off whereunto the effeminate cowardise of those delicate people of ASIA with whom they had to do gave no less furtherance than their own valour being nevertheless an hardy rough people though not much skilful or trained up in the feats of War. The â—ame of theâ—e Turks together with their fortune thus daily increasing and the mighty Empire of the Sarasins as fast declining which under their Chaliphs the Successors of the false Prophet Mahomet having in less than thâ— space of two hundred years overspread not only the greatest part of ASIA and AFRICK even unto GADES and the Pillars of Hercules but also passing over that strait had overwhelmed almost all SPAIN and not there staying but passing the Pirenei had pierced even into the heart of France and divers other parts of Christendom as namely ITALY SICILY the famous Island of the RHODES with many others of the MEDITERRANEAN now divided in it self and rent into many Kingdoms turned their victorious arms from the Christians upon one another to the mutual destruction of themselves and their Empire Amongst other the Sarasin Sultans which forgetting their Obedience to their great Caliph took upon them the Soveraignty of Government which admitteth no partner was one Mahomet Sultan of PERSIA a right great Prince who hardly beset on the one side with the Indians and on the other with the Caliph of BABYLON his mortal Enemy prayed Aid of the Turks his Neighbours who were now come even to the side of ARAXIS the bounds of his Empire unto which his request the Turks easily granted in hope thereby to find a way for them afterwards to enter into PERSIA and so sent him 3000 hardy men under the leading of one Togra Mucalet the Son of Mikeil a valiant Captain and chief of the Selzuccian Tribe or Family whom the Greeks commonly call Tangrolipix and some others Selduck or Sadock names as I suppose corrupted of the great Family whereof he was descended By the aid of this Tangrolipix for now we will so call him as by the name most used Mahomet the Persian Sultan overcame Pisasiris the Caliph of BABYLON his Arabians being not able to endure the force of his Turkish Archers This war thus happily ended the Turks desiring to return home requested of the Sultan leave to depart and with a safe convoy to be conducted unto the river ARAXIS and there to have the passage of that swift river opened unto them which was by the Persians strongly kept by two Castles built upon each end of the bridge whereby the River was to be passed But Mahomet loath to forgo such necessary men by whom he had obtained so great a Victory and purposing to imploy them further in his Service against the Indians would by no means hearken unto their request but seeming therewith to be discontented commanded them to speak no more thereof threatning them violence if they should more presume to talk of their departure The Turks therefore doubtful of their estate and fearing further danger secretly withdrew themselves into the desart of CARAVONITIS and for that they were in number but few and not able to come into the open field against so many millions of the Sarasins lived as they might by continual Incursions and Roads which they made out of the desart Forest into the Countries adjoyning wherewith Mahomet greatly incensed sent out an Army of twenty thousand men under the Conduct of ten of his best Captains against them who for want of water and other necessaries doubting to enter
Wrath but struck as it were to the heart with a remorse of Conscience and oppressed with heaviness with tears running down his Cheeks and fetching a deep sigh said Why provoke you me to punish so just a man Whereas if I would my self have lived without reproach and infamy I should have kept my Imperial Majesty unpolluted or stained But now sith I my self have been the cause both of mine own disgrace and of the Empires I may thank mine own deserts if of such evil seed as I have sown I now reap also an evil harvest After the death of this good Emperor Theodorus his Son born the first year of his Fathers Reign being then about three and thirty years old was by the general consent of the People saluted Emperor in his stead who in the beginning of his Empire renewed the League which his Father had made with Iathatines the Turkish Sultan And so having provided for the security of his affairs in Asia he with a puissant Army passed over the Straight of Hellespontus into Europe to appease the troubles there raised in Macedonia and Thracia by the King of Bulgaria his Brother-in-Law and Michael Angelus the Despot of Thessalia who upon the death of the old Emperor began to spoil those Countries not without hope aâ— length to have joyned them unto their own by whose coming they were for all that disappointed of their purpose and glad to sue to him for peace But whilst he was there busied he was advertised by Letters from Nice that Michael Paleologus whom he had left there Governour in his absence was secretly fled unto the Turks with which news he was not a little troubled The cause of whose flight as Paleologus himself gave it out was for that he perceived himself divers ways by many of his Enemies brought into disgrace and the Emperors Ears so filled with their odious complaints so cunningly framed against him as that they were not easily or in short time to be refelled and therefore fearing in the Emperors heavy displeasure to be suddenly taken away to have willingly gone into exile if so happily he might save his life from the malice of them that sought after it At his coming to Iconium he found Iathatines the Sultan making great preparation against the Tartars who having driven the Turks out of Persia and other the far Eastern Countries as is before declared and running still on did with their continual incursions spoyl a great part of their Territories in the lesser Asia also and now lay at Axara a Town not far off from Iconium against whom the Sultan now making the greatest preparation he could gladly welcomed Paleologus whom he knew to be a right valiant and worthy Captain commending to his charge the leading of certain Bands of Greeks whom he had retained to serve him in those Wars as he had others of the Latines under the conduct of Boniface Moline a Nobleman of Venice and so having put all things in readiness and strengthened with these forreign Supplies of the Greeks and Latines set forward against his Enemies the Tartars who at the first fight of the strange Ensigns and Souldiers were much dismaied fearing some greater force had been come to the aid of the Turks nevertheless joyning with them in Battel had with them at the first a most terrible and bloody conflict wherein that part of the Army that stood against Paleologus and his Greeks was put to the worse to the great discomfiture of the Tartars being even upon the point to have fled had not one of the greatest Commanders in the Turks Army and a nigh Kinsman of the Sultans for an old grudge that he bare unto the Sultan with all his Regiment in the heat of the Battel revolted unto the Tartars whereby the fortune of the Battel was in a moment as it were quite altered they which but now were about to have fled fighting like Lions and they that were Victors now glad to turn their Backs and flie in which Flight a great number of Turks fell the fierce Tartars most eagerly pursuing them Paleologus with the General of the Turks hardly chased by the Tartars and glad every hour to make a stand and to fight for their lives with much ado after many days flight recovered a Castle of the Generals neer unto Castamona and so saved themselves The Tartars after this so great a Victory wherein they had broken the whole Strength of the Turks and brought in hazard the whole State of their Kingdom without resistance forraged all the Countries and Provinces subject unto the Turkish Sultan making Spoil of whatsoever they light upon insomuch that the Sultan discouraged and having now no Strength left to oppose against them fled unto the Greek Emperor Theodorus for aid who most honourably entertained him with all his Train and comforted him with such small aid as he thought good then to spare him which for his more safety he sent home with him under the leading of Isaacius Duâ—as sirnamed Murtzufle a man in great credit with him In recompence of which kindness the Sultan gave unto the Emperor the City of Laodicea whereinto he presently put a strong Garrison Nevertheless it was not long before it fell again into the Hands of the Turks being a place not to be holden by the Greeks Yet for all this the Sultan finding himself still to weak to withstand the continual invasions of the Tartars and weary of the harms he dayly stustained by the advice of his chief Councellors made a League with them yielding to pay them a certain yearly Tribute thereby to redeem his peace From which time the Tartars accounted of the Turks as of their Tributaries and Vassals Not long after this Michael Paleologus was by the Emperors kind and gracious Letters called home with his faithful promise also before given for his security who before his return bound himself also by solemn Oath to be unto the Emperor and his Son always loyal and from thenceforth never to seek after the Empire or give cause of new suspect for such matters as he had been before charged with but for ever to yield unto the Emperor his Son or other his Successors in the Empire his dutiful Obedience and Fidelity Upon which conditions he was again made great Constable and so received into the Emperors Favour and lived the rest of his Reign in great honour and credit with him Now Theodorus the Emperor having reigned three years fell sick and died leaving behind him his Son Iohn then but a Child of six years old to succeed him in the Empire whom he upon his death bed together with the Empire commended to Arsenius the Patriarch and one George Muzalo his faithful Councellor as to his trusty Tutors to see him safely brought up and the Empire well and peaceably governed This Muzalo was a man of mean Parentage but for his familiar Acquaintance and civil Behaviour of a Child brought up in the Court with the
not for any fear but to save the effusion of innocent blood which consideration set apart he should find him not inferior to himself either in number of most expert Souldiers or other War-like Provision and that therefore if he rejected this Offer of Peace he needed not to doubt but to meet with men of courage which would bear themselves so valiantly in the field against his Turks as that he should have no great cause to rejoyce of his coming thither Which words of the Embassador so netled Amurath that in great rage he commanded him to depart and to will his Master if he were a man of such courage and valour as he said to shew himself in the field with all his Forces there to make an end of all quarrels where he doubted not but in short time to chastise him according to his due deserts So after the Embassador was departed marching forward three days Alis Beg came unto him of whose coming he not a little rejoyced for why he loved him dearly and although he was yet of years but young relied much upon his Council The Embassador returning recounted unto Aladin all that Amurath had said not omitting his hard Speeches and proud Threats and how that he hoped shortly to take from him Iconium and Larenda the principal Cities of Caramania with many things more leaving nothing untold Which Aladin hearing said unto the Confederate Princes that were with him Verily Amurath threatneth to take from us the Cities of Iconium and Larenda but let him take heed that we take not from him his fair City of Prusa Then demanding of the Embassador of what strength Amurath might be it was answered by him that he deemed him to be about seventy thousand strong Whereat Aladin not a little rejoycing said Assuredly when he shall see our Army he will not dare to give us battel or if he do he shall fight upon great disadvantage his men being both fewer in number than we and sore wearied with long and painful travel In the mean time Amurath held on his way towards Caramania daily encouraging his Souldiers with Perswasions and Gifts bountifully bestowed upon them filling their heads with promises of greater the War once happily ended At length he came to the great Plains in Caramania called the French Plains because in former time the Christians whom the Turks for most part call Franks in those places incamped their great Armies as they went to the winning of Ierusalem as in the former part of this History is declared Into these Plains also came Aladin with his Army and was now incamped within one days march of Amurath and so rested that night The next morning Amurath put his Army in order of battel appointing the leading of the right Wing to his youngest Son Iacup with whom he joyned Cuâ—luzes Beg Ein Beg Subbassa Egridum Suâ—bassa Seraze and Custendil two Christian Princes all Captains of great experience The left Wing was led by Bajazet his eldest Son with Ferize and Hozze both valiant Captains in which Wings were also placed the Christian Souldiers sent by Lazarus out of Servia according to the late convention of peace in the main battel he stood himself the Vauntguard was conducted by Temurtases and the rereward by the Subbassa of Oxyllithus called also Temurtases and Achmetes Aladin on the other side with no less care and diligence set his men likewise in order of battel placing himself in the main battel as did Amurath and the Princes his Allies with his other expert Captains some in the right Wing and some in the left as he thought most convenient in such sort as that in all mens judgment he was in Force nothing inferior to his Father in Law. These great Enemies thus ranged with Ensigns displaid came on couragiously one directly upon the other where approaching together the confused noise of Trumpets Drums Fifes with other Instruments of War the neighing of Horses and clattering of Armor was so great that whilst Warlike minds thereat rejoyced Cowards thought Heaven fell But the sign of battel on both sides given Samagazes one of the Confederate Princes with exceeding courage first charged Temurtases in the Vantguard and broke his Ranks at which time Teberruses a Tartar Prince and Varsacides another of the Confederates delivered their Arrows also upon the Vantguard as if it had been a shower of Hail Which Bajazet seeing and how hardly Temurtases was charged having before obtained leave of his Father brake in upon the Enemy with such violence as if it had been the lightning whereof he was ever after sirnamed Gilderuâ— which is to say The lightning Ferizes and Hozze with the other valiant Captains in that Wing following Bajazet with invincible courage entred the battel where for a great space was made a most dreadful and doubtful fight A man would have thought two rough Seas had met together swaying one against the other doubtful which way the current would at length fall In this conflict many thousands were on both sides slain so that the field lay covered with the dead bodies of worthy Men and valiant Souldiers yet at length these Confederate Princes finding themselves overmatched by Bajazet and his Souldiers reserving themselves to their better Fortunes turned their backs and fled when Aladin seeing a great part of his Army thus overthrown and himself now ready to be charged with Amurath his whole Power despairing of Victory sped himself in all hast to Iconium his strong City The spoil which Amurath got in this battel was great most part whereof he gave in reward to Temurtases and his Souldiers which had indured the greatest fury of the battel Amurath after this Victory with all speed marched to Iconium and there besieged Aladin the Caramanian King in his strongest City giving out Proclamation in the mean time That none of his Souldiers upon pain of death should use any violence to any of the Country-people or take any thing from them to the intent it might appear unto the World that he made that War against that Mahometan King rather to propulse Injury and Wrong than for desire of Soveraignty or Spoil Which his so strait a Proclamation the Christians sent by Lazarus amongst others transgressed and therefore by his commandment suffered many of them exemplary punishment which was the cause of the Servian War which not long after ensued fatal both unto Amurath and Lazarus the Despot as hereafter shall appear Aladin now on every side besieged in Iconium and without all hope of escape sent to the Queen his Wife Amuraths Daughter bewailing unto her his desperate estate and requesting her by all the love that so honourable a minded Lady might bear unto her miserable Husband to adventure her self to go to her angry Father and to crave pardon for his great Trespass and Offence The Queen forthwith attiring her self as was fittest for her Husbands present estate came to her Father where falling down at his Feet upon her knees with words
Feet suddenly stabbed him in the bottom of his belly with a short Dagger which he had under his Souldiers Coat of which Wound that great King and Conqueror presently died The name of this man for his courage worthy of eternal memory was Miles Cobelitz who before sore wounded was shortly after in the presence of Bajazet cut into small pieces The Turks in their Annals somewhat otherwise report of the death of Amurath as that this Cobelitz one of the Despot his Servants in time of the Battel coming to Amurath as a Fugitive offering him his Service and admitted to his presence in humbling himself to have kissed his Feet as the barbarous manner of the Turks is stabbed him into the belly and so slew him being himself therefore shortly after as is aforesaid in the presence of Bajazet most cruelly hewen into small pieces Whereupon ever since that time the manner of the Turks hath been and yet is that when any Embassador or Stranger is come to kiss the Sultan his hand or otherwise to approach his Person he is as it were for honours sake led by the Arms unto his presence betwixt two of the great Courtiers but indeed by so intangling him to be sure that he shall not offer him the like violence that did this Cobelitz unto Amurath The dead body of Amurath was presently with all secrecy conveyed into his Tent by the Bassaes and Captains present at his death whether Bajazet was also brought with an Ensign before him as the Successor in his Fathers Kingdom His younger Brother Iacup sirnamed Zelebi or the Noble yet ignorant of that had hapned was by the great Bassaes sent for as from his Father who casting no peril but coming into his Fathers Tent was there presently by them strangled by the commandment of Bajazet as most Histories report howbeit the Turks Annals charge him not therewith This was the beginning of the most unnatural and inhumane custom ever since holden for a most wholsome and good policy among the Turkish Kings and Emperors in the beginning of their Reign most cruelly to Massacre their Brethren and nearest Kinsmen so at once to rid themselves of all fear of their Compâ—â—itors This Amurath was in his Superstition more zealous than any other of the Turkish Kings a man of great courage and in all his Attempts fortunate he made greater slaughter of his Enemies than both his Father and Grandfather his Kingdom in Asia he greatly inlarged by the Sword Marriage and Purchase and using the Discord and Cowardise of the Grecian Princes to his profit subdued a great part of Thracia called Romania with the Territories thereto adjoyning leaving unto the Emperor of Constantinople little or nothing more in Thracia than the Imperial City it self with the bare name of an Emperor almost without an Empire he won a great part of Bulgaria and entred into Servia Bosna and Macedonia he was liberal and withall severe of his Subjects both beloved and feared a man of very few words and one that could dissemble deeply He was slain when he was threescore and eight years old and had thereof reigned thirty one in the year of our Lord 1390. His dead body was by Bajazet conveyed into Asia and there Royally buried at Prusa in a fair Chappel at the West end of the City near unto the Baths there where upon his Tomb lieth his Souldiers Cloke with a little Turkish Tulipant much differing from those great Turbants which the Turks now wear Near unto the same Tomb are placed three Launces with three Horse-tails fastned at the upper end of them which he used as Guidons in his Wars a thing in ancient time not strange There standeth a Castle with a Tomb made in remembrance of him in the Plains of Cossova where he was slain and his Entrails buried which giveth occasion for some to report that he was there also himself enterred FINIS Christian Princes of the same time with Amurath the First Emperors Of the East John Paleologus 1354. 30. Andronicus Paleologus 1384. 3. Emanuel Paleologus 1387. 30. Of the West Charles the Fourth 1346. 32. Wenceslaus Son to Charles King of Bohemia 1378. 22. Kings Of England Edward the Third 1327. 50. Richard the Second 1377. 23. Of France John Valois 1350. 14. Charles the Fifth 1364. 16. Charles the Sixth sirnamed The welbeloved 1381. 42. Of Scotland David Bruce 1341. 29. Robert Stewart 1370. Bishops of Rome Innocent the VI. 1354. 10. Urban the V. 1364. 8. Gregory the II. 1372. 7. Urban the VI. 1378. 11. The LIFE of BAJAZET The First of that NAME The FOURTH and most UNFORTUNATE King of the Turks BAjazet or as the Turks call him Baiasit of his violent and fierce Nature sirnamed Gilderun or Lightning succeeded his Father Amurath in the Turkish Kingdom his younger Brother Iacup being strangled immediatly after his Fathers death as is before declared He in the first year of his Reign invaded Servia and there besieged Cratova a City of the Despots whereunto the Silver Mines of Servia not the least cause of that War belonged Which City was yielded unto him upon condition That the Christian Inhabitants might with Life and Liberty depart Who were no sooner gon out of the City but that by his commandment they were all most cruelly slain by his men of War for that purpose sent out after them At this time he also won Uscupia with divers other Castles in the Country near unto Cratova Sigismund at the same time King of Hungary a young Prince of great hope and Brother to Wenceslaus then Emperor of the West advertised from the Servians his Allies and Confederates of these proud proceedings of Bajazet by his Embassadors sent of purpose requested him That as he was a just Prince and wished to live in quiet with his own to desist from doing of such open wrong and from invading of such Countries of his Friends and Confederates as he had no right in Which Embassadors so sent Bajazet detained without answer until such time as he had overrun a great part of the Despot his Country and therein done what he thought good Then calling the said Embassadors unto him into one of the strong Towns which he had in every corner filled with his own Souldiers told them that they might there see that his Right both unto that Town and the rest by him taken was good enough for as much as the very Walls acknowledged the same And so giving them leave to depart willed them so to tell their Master Which his proud answer by the same Embassadors reported unto the young King no less troubled him than if open War had by them been denounced unto him seeing the Tyrant as it should seem pretended Right unto whatsoever he could by force get nevertheless being himself not yet well setled in his Kingdom and in doubt of the contrary Faction that altogether liked not of his Election into Hungary for their King he was glad at that time to put it
thousand of his men and Tamerlane not many fewer and some other speaking of a far less number as that there should be slain of the Turks about threescore thousand and of Tamerlane his Army not past twenty thousand But leaving the certainty of the number unto the credit of the Reporters like enough it is that the Slaughter was exceeding great in so long a Fight betwixt two such Armies as never before as I suppose met in Field together By this one days event is plainly to be seen the uncertainty of worldly things and what small assurance even the greatest have in them Behold Bajazet the terror of the World and as he thought superior to Fortune in an instant with his state in one Battel overthrown into the bottom of misery and despair and that at such time as he thought least even in the midst of his greatest Strength It was three days as they report before he could be pacified but as a desperate man still seeking after death and calling for it neither did Tamerlane after he had once spoken with him at all afterwards courteously use him but as of a proud man caused small account to be made of him And to manifest that he knew how to punish the haughty made him to be shackled in Fetters and Chains of Gold and so to be shut up in an Iron Cage made like a Grate in such sort as that he might on every side be seen and so carried him up and down as he passed through Asia to be of his own People scorned and derided And to his further disgrace upon Festival days used him for a Footstool to tread upon when he mounted to Horse and at other times scornfully fed him like a Dog with crums fallen from his Table A rare Example of the uncertainty of worldly Honour that he unto whose ambitious mind Asia and Europe two great parts of the World were too little should be now carried up and down cooped up in a little Iron Cage like some perilous wild Beast All which Tamerlane did not so much for hatred to the man as to manifest the just judgment of God against the arrogant Folly of the Proud. It is reported That Tamerlane being requested by one of his Noblemen that might be bold to speak unto him to remit some part of his Severity against the person of so great a Prince answered That he did not use that Rigor against him as a King but rather did punish him as a proud ambitious Tyrant polluted with the blood of his own Brother Now this so great an overthrow brought such a fear upon all the Countries possessed by Bajazet in Asia that Axalâ—a sent before by Tamerlane with forty thousand Horse and an hundred thousand Foot without Carriages to prosecute the Victory came without resistance to Prusa whither all the remainder of Bajazet his Army retired with the Bassa Mustapha the Country as he went still yielding unto him Yea the great Bassa with the rest hearing of his coming and thinking themselves not now in any safety in Asia fled over the Strait of Hellespontâ—s to Callipoliâ— and so to Hadrianople carrying with them out of the Battel Solyman Bajazet his eldest Son whom they set up in his Fathers place Mahomet his younger Brother presently upon the overthrow being fled to Amasia of whom and the rest of Bajazet his Children more shall be said hereafter Axalla coming to Prâ—sa had the City without resistance yielded unto him which he rifled and there with other of Bajazet his Wiâ—es and Concubines took Prisoner the fair Despina Bajazet his best beloved Wife to the doubling of his grief Emaâ—â—â—l the Greek Emperor now hearing of Tamerlane his coming to Prusa sent his Embassadors the most honorable of his Court thither before â—o Axalla by whom they woâ—e there steid until the coming of Tamerlane who received them with all the Honour that might be shewing unto them all his magnificence and the order of his Camp to their great admiration For it resembled a most populous and well governed City for the order that was therein which brought unto it plenty of all kind of Victuals and other Merchandise as well for pleasure as for use By these Embassadors the Greek Emperor submitted all his Empire together with his Person unto Tamerlane the great Conqueror as his most faithful Subject and Vassal which he was bound as he said to do for that he was by him delivered from the most cruel Tyrant of the World as also for that the long journy he had passed and the discommodities he had indured with the loss of his People and the danger of his Person could not be recompenced but by the offer of his own Life and his Subjects which he did for ever dedicate unto his Service with all the Fidelity and Loyalty that so great a benefit might deserves besides that his so many Vertues and rare Accomplishments which made him famous through the World did bind him so to do And that therefore he would attend him in his chief City to deliver it into his Hands as his own with all the Empire of Greece Now the Greek Embassadors looked for no less than to fall into bondage to Tamerlane thinking that which they offered to be so great and delicate a Morsel as that it would not be refused especially of such a conquering Prince as was Tamerlane and that the acceptance thereof in kindness and friendship was the best bargain they could make therein But they received answer from this worthy Prince far beyond their expectation for he with a mild countenance beholding them answered them That he was not come from so far a Country or undertaken so much pains for the inlargement of his Dominions already large enough too base a thing for him to put himself into so great danger and travel for but rather to win Honour and thereby to make his name famous unto all Posterity for ever And that therefore it should well appear unto the World that he was come to aid him being requested as his Friend and Allie and that his upright meaning therein was the greatest cause that God from above had beheld his power and thereby bruised the Head of the greatest and fiercest Enemy of mankind that was under Heaven and now to get him an immortal name would make free so great and flourishing a City as was Constantinople governed by so noble and ancient an House as the Emperors That unto his Courage he had always Faith joyned such as should never suffer him to make so great a breach in his reputation as that it should be reported of him That in the colour of a Friend he came to invade the Dominions of his Allies That he desired no more but that the service he had done for the Greek Emperor might for ever be ingraven in the Memory of his Posterity to the end they might for ever wish well unto him and his Successors by remembring the good he had done them That
certain Troops of Horsemen rid even to the Gates of the City perswading the Defendants to yield the City making them in the name of his Master such Offers and Promises as he thought might most move them But they nothing regarding his words but rather incensed with his presumption sallied out upon him and inforced him to retire but he therewith enraged and half mad for anger came upon them with a fresh charge thinking by plain force to have driven them back into the City In which skirmish he was by one Georgius Alexius with a Bullet shot quite through the Throat and feeling himself mortally wounded setting spuâ—s to his Horse ran as fast as he could to his Camp where he presently fell down from his Horse and died The Turks discouraged with the death of their General and the coming of Scanderbeg rose the same night and with great silence retired themselves unto the Plain of Tiranna about eight miles from Croia Scanderbeg the next morning entring the forsaken Tents of the Turks found therein greatstore of Corn and other Victuals which he caused to be forthwith conveighed into the City and in triumph followed after himself to the great joy and comfort of his late besieged Subjects whom he highly commended for their Fidelity and bountifully rewarded according to their deserts The same day he sent certain companies of Souldiers to take the strait passages whereby the Turks must needs pass in their return out of Epirus which when the Turks understood they sent two Messengers to Scanderbeg who seemed to be men of good account in the Army offering in the name of the rest of the Captains and Commanders to deliver unto him their Horses and Arms so that they might in safety depart with their lives Which their request Scanderbeg propounding to his Counsellors and Captains was by them diversly digested In conclusion they received this answer from Scanderbeg himself That as they came into his Country without his Commandment so should they not by his leave depart thence The Turks receiving this short answer by their Messengers and considering that they must needs in that bare Country in short time perish either with Famine or with the Sword the same night departed from Tiranna and in the dead time of the night entring the aforesaid Straits by plain force desperately brake through and escaped but not without their great loss for whose escape the common Souldiers murmured grievously against Scanderbeg and were not without much ado appeased In short time after Scanderbeg recovered all such places as Mahomet had before taken from him and put to Sword the Souldiers he had left for the keeping of the same which done he brake up his Army retaining only two thousand Horsemen and a thousand Foot for the defence of his Frontiers The Turkish Tyrant hearing of the evil success of his Affairs in Epirus as that his General was slain Croia relieved his Army discomfited and all that he had done brought to nought fretted thereat exceedingly and was therewith so much grieved that he could not for a season eat or drink or take rest his discontented thoughts so much troubled him In the end to remedy the matter he resolved the next Spring to go again in person himself with a most puissant Army into Epirus and so if it were possible to make a full Conquest thereof of which his purpose Scanderbeg understanding provided for his coming as he had in former time The Spring being come Mahomet according to his former resolution with a mighty Army entred into Epirus and there with exceeding labour and charge first repaired or rather re-edified the old ruines of the City of Valmes wherein he left a strong Garrison of purpose to trouble that part of the Country From thence he marched to Dirrachium now called Durazzo but of old time Epidamnum a City upon the Sea-coast then in the possession of the Venetians famous for many things in the time of the Roman Empire but especially for the Flight of the Roman Senate thither and their entertainment there in the time of the civil Wars betwixt Caesar and Pompey This City Mahomet thought to have taken unprovided and so upon the suddain to have carried it but was therein much deceived finding it strongly fortified and manned both by the Venetians and Scanderbeg Where when he had there spent some time and to his great loss in vain attempted the City he rose upon the suddain and retiring into Epirus came and sate down again before Croia of purpose by his suddain coming to have terrified the Citizens and vainly perswaded that he had left Scanderbeg in Dirrachium for that in the assailing thereof he had discovered many of Scanderbegs men and thereby supposed him to have been there also the greatest cause why he so suddainly rose and came to Croia At his first coming he offered great rewards and large priviledges unto the Citizens if they would forthwith yield up their City otherwise he threatned unto them all the calamities of War vowing never to depart thence before he had it whereunto he received no other answer out of the City than was sent him by the mouth of the Canon or brought him by many most brave Sallies Scanderbeg in the mean while continually molesting his Camp and every night falling into one quarter or another thereof Mahomet taught by experience to what small purpose it would be for him to lie there long rose with his Army and marched again to the Sea side to a place now called the head of Redon upon the Gulf of Venice not far from Dirrachium where Scanderbeg had begun to build a new City called Chiuril not yet finished which Mahomet in despight of the man rased down to the ground After that hearing that many of the Epirots were retired into the Mountains he went to seek them out and was with great loss by those Mountain People repulsed Scanderbeg still following them at the Heels and awaiting all opportunities daily cut off part of his Army So that at last the Tyrant despairing of any good to be done in that Expedition was glad to depart out of Epirus having atchieved nothing worth his coming and so full of discontentment and melancholy returned to Constantinople After all these great troubles Scanderbeg rid over most part of Epirus to view the state of his Kingdom and so at last came to Lyssa a City of the Venetians which he had alwaies especially liked there to confer with the Venetian Legate and other the confederate Princes of matters concerning their state in general as his manner was but more particularly how they might take the City of Valmes which Mahomet had the last year built in the Seigniory of Ariannites Comynat and much troubled that part of Epirus But whist he lay there he fell sick of a Fever which daily so increased upon him that he became sick even unto death and now perceiving his end to draw nigh sent for his Wife and Son with the Princes and
power of the Turk without the help of such base minded Cowards In the mean time he commanded them to surcease from their mutinous talk threatning otherwise to make them examples to others what it is so much to forget themselves But these Spaniards shortly after better considering of the matter and what a dishonour it would be both to themselves and their Nation if they should so dishonourably be sent away repenting themselves of that they had done came and craved pardon of the Great Master and to redeem their former fault in all sallies and services during that Siege shewed themselves most valiant and forward men for all that the Great Master would never afterwards trust them in any service alone The Bassa attempting much and prevailing little thought it would much further his designs if he could by any means take the Great Master out of the way by whose careful policy he saw all his devices still countermanded wherefore to bring this his purpose to pass he practised by the means of one Ianus a Dalmatian to poyson him This Ianus having conceived this Treason from the Bassa was received into the City of the Rhodes as a Christian Fugitive fled from the Turks where he acquainted himself with one Pythius an Epirot of great familiarity with Marius Philelphus of late Secretary unto Damboyse but as then out of favour and in disgrace for that he was partaker with the Spaniards in the late mutiny Ianus by the means of Pythius whom he had now throughly corrupted sought after Philelphus who then as he right well knew lived discontented as a fit instrument whereby to work this Treason for that he was a man well acquainted with the Cooks and Butlers and other Servitors in the Great Masters House and himself yet there very conversant also Pythius presuming of his old acquaintance and familiarity with Philelphus and waiting upon his melancholy humor began to perswade him to revenge the disgrace he lived in and withal to shew him the means how to do it by poysoning the Great Master which might as he said fall out to his greater good than he was yet aware of Philelphus making semblance as if he had not disliked of the motion was desirous to know of him what farther benefit might thereby arise to him more than revenge To whom Pythius forthwith shewed the Bassaes Letters to Ianus whereby he assured him that whatsoever he should promise unto any man for the furtherance of the practice he would to the full perform the same Philelphus having got full understanding of the Treason presently discovered the same to Damboyse By whose commandment Ianus and Pythius were straitwaies apprehended and being examined confessed the Treason for which Ianus lost his Head and Pythius as he had well deserved was shamefully hanged Philelphus for his Fidelity was pardoned his former error and again received into the Great Masters favour The Bassa understanding that the Treason was discovered and the Traitors executed was much grieved therewith Nevertheless he ceased not with continual battery to shake the City but especially the Tower of S. Nicholas for the assailing whereof he made wonderful preparation Amongst other things he had framed a great Bridge staied with strong Ropes and Cables over a short fret of the Sea betwixt the place of his Battery and the same Tower whereon six men might march abreast in which device he reposed great hope But as the Turks were making fast this Bridge and had as they thought brought the work to a good perfection Gervaise Rogers an Englishman of great courage and very skilful in Sea matters found means by night to cut and break in sunder all the Ropes and Cables wherewith the Bridge was staid which now looâ—e was by the violence of the Sea quickly carried away and the Turks disappointed of their purpose For which good service he was by the Great Master honourably rewarded and of him in publick audience highly commended Yet was the furious Battery by the Bassa still maintained and a new Bridge framed upon small Boats and Lighters fast moored with Cables and Anchors and divers Pieces of great Ordnance placed in Fusts and Gallies So that the Tower was at one time battered both by Sea and Land the Defendants assailed with small Shot and Arrows innumerable and the Tower at the same instant desperately scaled But Damboyse had so placed his great Ordnance that with the force thereof the Bridge was broken in sunder four of their great Fusts sunk with great store both of Men and Ordnance the Defendants also in the Tower with Shot Timber Stones and other such like things provided for that purpose grievously overwhelmed the Turks that were scaling the Walls and beat them down with great slaughter This hot Assault was desperately maintained by the Turks from three a clock in the morning untill ten when the Bassa seeing no hope to prevail gave over the Assault having therein lost above two thousand five hundred men whose dead bodies shortly after driven on shore were spoiled by the Christians The same night two Mercenary Souldiers of Crete going about to have fled unto the Enemy were apprehended and put to death And George Frapaine who in the beginning of the Siege fled from the Turks now again vehemently suspected of Treason was executed also Thus neither Force nor Treason prevailing the Bassa because he would leave nothing unproved that might better his cause sent certain Messengers unto the Great Master offering to him in the name of the Turkish Emperor great Rewards with many honourable Preferments if he would yield up the City which he could not as they would have perswaded him long hold against so mighty an Enemy wishing him now in his declining estate not to refuse such honourable and princely Offers for fear he were afterwards constrained to accept of far worse or else through his desperate wilfulness plunge himself and his People into such extreme peril as should be impossible for him or them to find any way out of Whereunto the Great Master in brief answered That he would not willingly in his sure estate use the counsel of his Enemy neither in his greatest distress refuse chearfully to yield his Life unto Almighty God to whom he did ow it and that with far better Will than to yield up the City upon any conditions bear they never so fair a shew of honour or profit The Messengers perceiving his constant resolution rather to die than to yield his City began according to instructions before given them by the Bassa to temper with him another way and to perswade him to yield unto the mighty Emperor some small yearly Tribute or other Homage as an acknowledgment of his greatness and so to live as his Friend in Peace But the Great Master knowing by the woful example of others that in that small request lay included the beginning of the Turkish Thraldom and Slavery utterly refused to pay him the least Tribute or to do him the
he had recovered that Kingdom he would forthwith from thence invade the Turks Dominions in Grecia Which great attempt the haughty King was enduced to take in hand by the perswasion of divers of his Nobility but especially the solicitation of Lodovious Sfortia Duke of Millan whereby the whole state of Italy was in short time after sore shaken and Sfortia himself Author of those troubles at last carried away by the French miserably ended his days as a Prisoner in France Alphonsus the Neapolitan King doubting the greatness of the French King his Enemy entred into a confederation with certain of the States of Italy against the French but especially with Alexander the Sixth then Bishop of Rome for the better assurance whereof he gave his base Daughter in Marriage to Godfrey Borgia the Bishops Son and made him Prince of Carinula his other Son Francis he entertained also in great pay to serve him in his Wars And by his Embassador Pandonius Camillus lately returned out of France gave Bajazet to understand what the French King had purposed against them both requesting him to aid him with six thousand Horsemen and as many Foot against their common Enemy promising to give them honourable entertainment during those Wars And to futher the matter Alexander the great Bishop sent George Bucciard a Ligurian skilful in the Turkish Language Embassador to Bajazet to declare unto him with what great preparation both by Sea and Land the young French King desirous of honour and the enlargement of his Kingdom was about to invade Naples and then with what great power after he had dispatched his Wars in Italy he purposed to pass over into Grecia and that he had to that end earnestly travelled with him to have Zemes his Brother delivered into his hands whom he desired to use as a most fit instrument for the troubling of his State and Empire by reason of his many Friends yet that his Holiness having the French in distrust as a proud and ambitious People as also careful for the danger of the City of Rome and of the State of Italy in general had entred into a confederation with Alphonsus King of Naples with their united Forces to withstand that proud Nation both by Sea and Land wanting nothing more for the accomplishment thereof than Mony by which means only Bajazet might as he said provide for the safety of his Kingdom in Grecia if he would put to his helping hand to furnish them with Mony for the entertainment of Souldiers forasmuch as the City of Rome and the Kingdom of Naples were the surest Walls of that side of the Othoman Empire if he not altogether refusing the charge would not spare for a little cost to maintain the War rather in that forreign Country than to receive it brought home to his own door concluding That it were much more commodious and easie with his Treasures to repress his Enemies in a strange Country afar off than by dint of sword and plain battel in his own A thing by experience well known That they which have neglected and set at nought remote dangers for sparing of charge have afterwards been inforced with greater danger to receive the same into their own bosoms when as they were become desperate and past remedy Bajazet who both by his Espials and often Letters and Embassadors from Alphonsus knew all this to be true gave great thanks to the Bishop by his Embassador for that he sitting in so high place did so friendly and in so good time admonish him both a Stanger and of a contrary Religion of things of so great consequence yet for answer he willed him to return again unto his Master with one Dautius his Embassador who should carry with him both Mony and other his secret resolutions concerning those matters Among other things given him in charge was an Epistle written in Greek wherein the barbarous King with great cunning perswaded the Bishop to poison Zemes his Brother as a man of a Religion altogether contrary to his for indeed of him alone for his great Vertues Bajazet stood in fear and doubt lest he should by some chance escape out of Prison to the troubling of his State. For the performance of this his request he promised faithfully to pay unto the Bishop two hundred thousand Ducats and never after so long as he lived to take up Arms against the Christians Otherwise than had his Father Mahomet and his Grandfather Amurath done who both as deadly Enemies unto the name of Christians never ceased by continual Wars to work their woe But George the Bishops Embassador and Dautius travelling towards Italy and having now happily passed the Adriatick as they were about to have landed at Ancona were boarded by Io. Rovereus Brother to Iulianus the Cardinal a man of great account in those quarters and clean quit of their Treasure and whatsoever else they had aboard Rovereus pretending for the defence of the Fact That the Bishop did owe him a great sum of Mony due unto him for his good service done in the time of Innocentius his Predecessor for which he now paid himself Neither could the Bishop much troubled with that injury ever after recover one part thereof although he threatned vengeance with Fire and Sword and also sought for recompence of the Venetians whom it concerned to save the Turks harmless in those Seas for why Rovereus bearing himself upon the French which were now upon coming whose faction he followed kept the Mony and set at nougt the Bishops thundering Curses and vain Threats Dautius himself Bajazets Embassador being set on shore was glad to go on foot to Ancona and so from thence passing up the River Padus came to Franciscus Gonzaga Duke of Mantua of whom for the ancient Friendship betwixt him and Bajazet he was courteously entertained and furnished both with Mony and Apparel and so spoiled returned into Grecia to carry news unto his Master how he had sped When Bajazet understood by Dautius the evil success he had in his late journey he forthwith sent Mustapha one of the Bassaes of the Court unto the great Bishop Alexander with like instructions as he had before given to Dautius who with better hap arrived in Italy and came to Rome in safety where he forgot no part of that was given him in charge by his great Master But amongst many other things the life of Zemes was that he most sought for at the Bishops hands At the same time which was in the year 1495 the French King Charles the Eighth of that name year 1495. passing through the heart of Italy with a strong Army against Alphonsus King of Naples and taking his way without leave through the City of Rome so terrified Alexander the Bishop who as we have before said altogether favoured and as much as in him lay furthered the cause of Alphonsus that he was glad to yield to all such Articles and Conditions as it pleased him then to demand not purposing
humor Yet might Bajazet seem to do him wrong if he should not according to his promise again restore him unto the possession of the Empire which he had almost thirty years before received at his hands as is before in the beginning of his life declared But Selymus being of a more haughty disposition than to brook the life of a Subject under the command of either of his Brethren and altogether given to martial Affairs sought by infinite Bounty feigned Courtesie subtil Policy and by all other means good and bad to aspire unto the Empire Him therefore the Janizaries with all the great Souldiers of the Court yea and some of the chief Bassaes also corrupted with Gifts wished above the rest for their Lord and Sovereign desiring rather to live under him which was like to set all the World on a hurly burly whereby they might increase their Honour and Wealth the certain rewards of their Adventures than to lead an idle and unprofitable Life as they termed it under a quiet and peaceable Prince Whilst men stood thus diversly affected towards these Princes of so great hope Bajazet now far worn with years and so grievously tormented with the Gout that he was not able to help himself for the quietness of his Subjects and preventing of such troubles as might arise by the aspiring of his Children after his death determined whilst he yet lived for the avoiding of these and other such like mischiefs to establish the succession in some one of his Sons who wholly possessed of the Kingdom might easily repress the pride of the other And although he had set down with himself that Achomates should be the man as well in respect of his Birth-right as of the especial affection he bare unto him yet to discover the disposition of his Subjects and how they stood affected it was given out in general terms That he meant before his death to make it known to the World who should succeed in the Empire without naming any one of his Sons leaving that for every man to divine of according as they were affected which was not the least cause that every one of his Sons with like ambition began now to make small account of their former Preferments as thinking only upon the Empire it self First of all Selymus year 1511. whom Bajazet had made Governor of the Kingdom of Trapezond rigging up all the Ships he could in Pontus sailed from Trapezond over the Euxine now called the Black Sea to the City of Capha called in ancient time Theodosia and from thence by Land came to Mahometes King of the Tartars called Praecopenses a mighty Prince whose Daughter he had without the good liking of his Father before married and discovering unto him his intended purpose besought him by the sacred Bonds of the Affinity betwixt them not to shrink from him his loving Son-in-law in so fit an opportunity for his advancement And withal shewed unto him what great hope of obtaining the Empire was proposed unto him by his most faithful Friends and the Souldiers of the Court if we would but come nearer unto his Father then about to transfer the Empire to some one of his Sons and either by fair means to procure his favour or by entring with his Army into Thracia to terrifie him from appointing either of his other Brethren for the Successor The Tartar King commending his high device as a kind Father-in-law with wonderful celerity caused great store of shipping to be made ready in the Pontick Sea and Moeotis but especially at the Ports of Copa and Tana upon the great River of Tanais which boundeth Europe from Asia and arming fifteen thousand Tartarian Horsemen delivered them all to Selymus promising forthwith to send him greater Aid if he should have occasion to use the same These things being quickly dispatched Selymus passing over the River Borrysthenes and so through Valachia came at length to Danubius and with his Horsemen passed that famous River at the City of Chelia his Fleet he commanded to meet him at the Port of the City of Varna called in ancient time Dionysiopolis in the Confines of Bulgaria and Thracia he himself still levying more men by the way as he went pretending in shew quite another thing than he had indeed intended which the better to cover he gave it out as if he had purposed to have invaded Hungary But Bajazet a good while before advertised that Selymus was departed from Trapezond and come over into Europe marvelling that he had left his charge in Asia the Rebellion of Techellis and the Persian War yet scarce quieted and that upon his own head he had entertained forreign Aid to make War against the most warlike Nation of the Hungarians and farther that with his Army by Land he had seised upon the places nearest unto Thracia and with a strong Navy kept the Euxine Sea he began to suspect as the truth was That all this preparation was made and intended against himself for the crafty old Sire had good proof of the unquiet and troublesome nature of his Son especially in that without his knowledge he durst presume to take a Wife from amongst the Tartars and afterwards with no less presumption of himself raise an Army both by Sea and Land whereby he easily perceived that he would never hold himself contented with a small Kingdom so long as he was in hope by a desperat adventure to gain a greater Yet thinking it better with like dissimulation to appease his violent and fierce Nature than by sharp reproof to move him to farther Choler he sent unto him Embassadors to declare to him with what danger the Turkish Kings had in former times taken upon them those Hungarian Wars for example whereof he needed not to go no further than to his Grandfather Mahomet the Great who many times to his exceeding loss had made proof of the Hungarian Forces wherefore he should do well to expect some fit opportunity when as he might with better advice greater power and more sure hope of Victory take those Wars in hand Whereunto Selymus answered That he had left Asia inforced thereunto by the injuries of his Brother Achomates and was therefore come over into Europe by dint of Sword and the help of his Friends to win from the Enemies of the Mahometan Religion a larger and better Province for that little barren and peaceable one which his Father had given him bordering upon Hiberia and Cholchos bare and needy People living as Connies amongst the Rocks and Mountains As for the Hungarians whom they thought to be a People invincible and therefore not to be dealt withal he was not of that base mind to be daunted with any danger were it never so great and yet that in his opinion the War was neither so difficult or dangerous as was by them prentended forasmuch as the ancient prowess of that warlike Nation was now much changed together with the change of their Kings and their Discipline of
executed and found means to have them cunningly delivered to Achomates as if they had been sent from his Friends who giving credit to the same and presuming much upon his own Strength doubted not to leave his Footmen who followed easily after him under the conduct of Amurat his Son and came and encamped with his Horsemen near unto the Mountain Horminius upon the Bank of the River Parthemius Selymus also departed from Prusa and having received into his Army ten thousand Janizaries but a little before come over the Strait sent before Sinan Bassa General of his Asian Horsemen to know and make proof of the Strength of his Enemies The Bassa not knowing as yet where Achomates lay neither of what force he was being deceived by the darkness of the Morning fell into a place of disadvantage where he was set upon by Achomates and having lost seven thousand of his men was glad with other eight thousand which were left to fly back to Selymus For all this loss was not Selymus discomforted or doubtful of the Victory but forthwith marched on forward to the River Elata which runneth directly out of the Mountain Horminius into Pontus watering most large Fields upon the right hand which at this day are called the Plains of the new Land. So did Achomates also who although he knew his Brother to be every way too strong for him yet being incouraged with the late Victory and in hope that his Friends in Selymus his Army whom he vainly supposed to have been yet living would in the very Battel do some notable matter for him and that Victory would follow his just quarrel resolved neither to retire back neither to expect the coming of the rest of his Army The River was betwixt the two Camps and the number of both Armies certainly discovered yet could not Achomates to whom the open Fields offered a safe retreat unto the rest of his Army possessed with a fatal madness be perswaded considering the greatness of the danger in time to provide for the safety of himself and his Army carried headlong as it seemed by inevitable destiny to his fatal destruction which presently after ensued Selymus a little before the going down of the Sun with his Army passed over the River Elata and gave general commandment through all his Camp that every man against the next day should be ready for battel and in a Wood not far off placed a thousand Horsemen in ambush under the leading of Canoglis his Wives Brother a valiant young Gentleman whom his Father had a little before sent from Taurica unto his Son in law with a chosen Company of Tartarian Horsemen unt him Selymus gave in charge that when the Battel was joyned he should shew himself with his Horsemen upon the back of his Enemies and there to charge them As soon as it was day Selymus in a great open Field put his Army in order of Battel placing his Horsemen in two Wings so that all his Spearmen were in the right Wing and the Archers and Carbines in the left in the main Battel stood the Janizaries with the rest of the Footmen On the other side Achomates having no Footmen divided his Horsemen into two Wings also Whilst both Armies stood thus ranged expecting but the signal of Battel a Messenger came from Achomates to Selymus offering in his Masters name to trie the equity of their quarrel in plain Combat hand to hand which if he should refuse he then took both God and the World to witness that Selymus was the only cause of all the guiltless blood to be shed in the Battel and not he whereunto Selymus answered that he was not to trie his quarrel at the appointment of Achomates and though he could be content so to do yet would not his Souldiers suffer him so to adventure his person and their own safety and so with that answer returned the Messenger back again to his Master giving him for his reward a thousand Aspers Achomates having received this answer without further delay charged the right Wing of his Brothers Army who valiantly received the first charge but when they were come to the sword and that the matter was to be tried by handy blows 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 foremost ranks by whose Valor the right Wing of Selymus his Army was disordered and not without great loss enforced to retire back upon their Fellows Which thing Selymus beholding did what he might by all means to encourage them again and presently brought on the left Wing with their Arrows and Pistols instead of them that were fled and at the same time came on with the Janizaries also who with their Shot enforced Achomates his Horsemen to retire Achomates himself carefully attending every danger with greater Courage than Fortune came in with fresh Troops of Horsemen by whose Valour the Battel before declining was again renewed and the Victory made doubtful but in the fury of this Battel whilst he was bearing all down before him and now in great hope of the Victory 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 turn upon 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 moved with shame were again returned into the Battel so that Achomates his small Army was beset and hardly assailed on every side In fine his Ensigns being overthrown and many of his Men slain the rest were fain to betake themselves to flight Where Achomates having lost the Field and now too late seeking to save himself by flight fell with his Horse into a Ditch which the rain falling the day before had filled with water and mire and being there known and taken by his Enemies could not obtain so much favour at their hands as to be presently slain but was reserved to the farther pleasure of his cruel Brother Selymus understanding 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 Body was forthwith brought to Selymus and was afterwards by his commandment in royal manner buried with his Ancestors at Prusa Now Amurat Achomates his Son understanding upon the way by the Persian Horsemen who serred together had again made themselves way through the Turks Army of the loss of the Field and the taking of his Father returned back again to Amasia and there after good deliberation resolved with his Brother to betake themselves both to flight he with the Persian Horsemen passing over the River Euphrates fled unto Hysmael the Persian King but Aladin the younger Brother passing over the Mountain Amanus in Cilicia fled into Syria and so to Campson Gaurus the great
Sultan of Egypt After this Victory Selymus having in short time and with little trouble brought all the lesser Asia under his obeisance and there at his pleasure disposed of all things determined to have returned to Constantinople but understanding that the Plague was hot there he changed his purpose and passing over at Callipolis and so travelling through Grecia came to Hadrianople where he spent all the rest of the Summer and all the Winter following and afterward when the Mortality was ceased returned to Constantinople where it was found that an hundred and threescore thousand had there died of the late Plague Hysmael the Persian King whose Fame had then filled the World hearing of the arrival of Amurat sent for him and demanded of him the cause of his coming The distressed young Prince who but of late had lost his Father together with the hope of so great an Empire and now glad for safegard of his life to fly into strange Countries oppressed with sorrow by his heavy Countenance and abundance of Tears more than by Words expressed the cause of his coming yet in a short strained Speech declared unto him how that his Father his Uncle with the rest of his Cousins all Princes of great Honour had of late been cruelly murthred by the unmerciful Tyrant Selymus who with like fury sought also after the life of himself and his Brother the poor remainders of the Othoman Family who to save their lives were both glad to fly his Brother into Egypt and himself to the Feet of his Imperial Majesty Hysmael moved with compassion and deeming it a thing well beseeming the greatness of his Fame to take the poor exiled Prince into his protection and to give him relief willed him to be of good comfort and promised him Aid And the more to assure him thereof shortly after gave him one of his own Daughters in marriage For it was thought that if Selymus for his Tyranny become odious to the World should by any means miscarry as with Tyrants commonly falleth out that then in the Othoman Family sore shaken with his unnatural Cruelty none was to be preferred before this poor Prince Amurat besides that it was supposed that if he should invade him with an Army out of Persia that upon the first stir all the lesser Asia mourning for the unworthy death of Achomates would at once revolt from him who for his Cruelty and shameful Murthers had worthily deserved to be hated together both of God and Man. Wherefore in the beginning of the Spring Hysmael furnished Amurat his new Son in Law with ten thousand Horsemen willing him to pass over the River Euphrates at Arsenga and to enter into Cappadocia as well to make proof how the People of that Country were affected towards him as of the strength of the Enemy after whom he sent Vasta-Ogli the most famous Chieftain amongst the Persians with twenty thousand Horsemen more with charge That he should still follow Amurat within one days journy and he himself with a far greater power staid behind in Armenia doubting to want Victual if he should have led so great an Army through those vast barren and desolate places whereby he must of necessity pass Amurat marching through the lesser Armenia year 1514. and entring into the Borders of Cappadocia had divers Towns yielded unto him by his Friends some others he took by force which he either sacked or else quite rased and brought such a general fear upon the Inhabitants of that Province that the People submitting themseves unto him all the way as he went it was thought he would have gone directly to Amasia had not Chendemus an old Warlike Captain whom Selymus had left for his Lieutenant in Asia with a great Army come to meet him at Sebastia which at this day is called Sivas This Chendemus had also long before advertised Selymus both of the preparation and coming of the Persians as soon as he had learned by his Espials That they were passed the River Euphrates Upon which news Selymus came presently over into Asia and commanding all his Forces to meet together at Prusa had with wonderful celerity levied thereabout forty thousand common Souldiers Which so soon as Amurat understood as well by such Prisoners as he had taken as by advertisement from his Friends although he was very desirous to have fought with Chendemus yet doubting that if Selymus should with his wonted celerity come against him he should be intangled in the Straits of the Mountain Antitaurus he retired back again to Vasta-Ogli But Selymus who all that year had in his haughty thoughts been plotting some such notable exploit as were worthy his greatness standing in doubt whether he should by Sea and Land invade Hungary the Rhodes or Italy at that time sore shaken with Civil Wars having now so fit an occasion given him by the Persian to the great joy of all Christendom converted himself wholly unto the East and in thirty days march came to Arsenga Where joining his Army with Chendemus when he understood that his Enemies having harried the Country were again retired prickt forward with the grief of the injury and desire of revenge with hope of Victory he resolved to follow after them foot by foot and forthwith to enter into Armenia the greater the principal Province of the Persian Kingdom But the difficulties of this notable expedition which were in Counsel propounded by them which had best knowledg of those Countries were great and many all which by his own good hap and invincible courage he himself afterwards overcame for the Souldiers which had in short time already marched by Land out of Illyria Epirus and Macedonia into Cappadocia must of necessity in this long expedition take upon them new labors they were to endure the sharp and pinching cold of the huge Mountain Taurus and by and by after the most vehement and and scortching heat in the Plains of Armenia the lesser with extream Thirst Hunger and most desperate want of all things and well the more for that the Persians in their Retreat spoiling the Country as they went had utterly destroyed all that might serve for the use of man of purpose to leave nothing to their Enemies but want of all things if they should pursue them besides that his most expert Captains stood in no small doubt of the petty Princes of Armenia the less and the Mountain King Aladeules whom they were to leave behind them at their backs without any great assurance of their Frindship who they well knew would leave them if any thing should happen otherwise than well to Selymus either in the Battel or for want of Victuals or in the strait passages For they were to be relieved with Victuals from the Armenians and Aladeules Forces then in readiness were neither for number nor power to be contemned who also with Castles commodiously placed and strong Garrisons at his pleasure commanded all the straits passages and entrances which led out of
sent for the imperious Letter of the Turkish Tyrant was openly read before the Knights of the Order and the better sort of the Citizens Whereunto the Great Master accounting it both honour enough and sufficient term of life honourably to die answered in this sort You heard sacred Fellows in Arms and valiant Citizens of the Rhodes these imperious and sorrowful Letters whereunto how we are to answer requireth no great deliberation we must as resolute Men either yield or die all hope of the Victory is gone except forraign Aid come Wherefore if you will follow my Counsel let us with Weapons in our Hands until the last Gasp and the spending of the last drop of our Blood like valiant Men defend our Faith and Nobility received from our Ancestors and the Honour which we have so long time gotten both at Home and Abroad and let it never be said that our Honour died but with our Selves This Speech of the Great Master seemed unto mâ—ny heavier than the imperious Commandment of the Turkish Tyrant and a great while Men stood silent heavily looking one upon another many with changing of their countenance and outward gesture more than by words expressing what they thought in heart At length a certain Greek Priest with great compassion of mind as it seemed and Tears trickling down his Cheeks brake forth into these words And I would also hold my peace if I were a private Man and not first of all in so great and troubled assembly broach mine own opinion But forasmuch as the regard of our common preservation can wring a word out of no Mans mouth and all Men know that now is the time to speak and say what every Man thinketh best which shall neither always nor long be granted unto us I will not let it now overpass and slip away Wherefore let us suppose that no command of a most mighty Prince besieging us were come unto us but that I were reasoning as a private Man with his Neighbour or one Friend with another by the fire side or in our cups without care without any great affection to either party as Men indifferent not liking or hating as Men oftentimes do of Princes Affairs which concern them nothing and then as I hope my Speech shall be unto you neither unpleasant nor unprofitable We Greeks and Latins with joyned Arms have now these six Months withstood our deadly Enemies not only abroad before our Walls but also in the very bowels of our City without any forreign help which as we have of long time all vainly looked for so are we now every one of us out of hope thereof And yet our Enemy either moved with the secret goodness of God or else ignorant of our strength and forces spent with Wounds Slaughter Sickness and perpetual Labour doth voluntarily offer that unto us which was of us to be most of all desired and earnestly sued for Your publick and private Treasures the bodies of your selves your Wives and Children he keepeth unviolated he taketh from us only the City which he hath for most part already beaten down and taken Worthy Great Master and you most valiant Knights I have known prowess and valour in many Battels at Sea but especially in this Siege whereof seeing there is no more use in this our desperate estate I do appeal unto your wisdom and discretion Since all is now the Conquerors in that he leaveth unto us our lives and Goods that is to be accounted gains and the yielding up of the City and Island no loss which the victorious Enemy already commandeth which although it be a heavy matter and grievous unto the Nobility yet your Fortune perswadeth you thereunto Wherefore if you be to be moved with any compassion I account it better to yield than to be slain our selves or to see your Wives and Children by Law of Arms to be led away before your Faces into miserable Captivity and Servitude If any Christian compassion remain in your warlike Minds I beseech you seek not the utter destruction of this innocent People who I may with modesty say hath not evil deserved of you whom Christ Iesus whom the Enemy himself would have preserved That I say this which I speak unto you for Christian Charity and for no other cause let this be a sufficient Testimony That so long as you were able to resist by your own power or hoped for Aid from forrein Princes I never spake word or once thought of yielding but now seeing the fatal ruine of all things about us our common Estate brought unto the uttermost extremity our deadly Enemy in the heart of our City no hope and that the War cannot longer be protracted I wish you to yield and for my part had rather make choice of Peace than War and to prove the Enemies Favour than his Fury Most of them there present were of the same mind with the Priest. But as nothing can be so reasonably spoken as to content all Men so this Speech was not of them all liked some there were though not many which considering the harms they had done unto the Turks and doubting with what safety they might yield themselves into the power of that faithless People had rather to have fought it out to the last Man and so to have left unto them a bloody Victory Amongst these one bold spoken Fellow stept forth and in presence of them all disswaded the yielding up of the City in this sort I have not been with any thing more unacquainted than to deliver my opinion before Princes or in such great and publick Assemblies being always more desâ—rous modestly to hear other Mens Opinions than impudently to thrust forth mine own But now seeing extream necessity will not longer suffer me to keep my wonted course of silence I will frankly speak my Mind and tell you what in my Opinion is to bâ— answered unto the heavy Message and imperious Command of the most prefidious Tyrant This cruel Enemy hath overthrown our Wall and is entred three hundred Foot and more within our City and as a most troublesome Guest liveth and converseth with us as it were under the same Roof Such as list not longer to endure such an unwelcome Guest and troublesome Neighbour perswade you because he is troublesome to give him all but worthy and sacred Knights I am of far different Opinion neither do I think a Possession of two hundred and fourteen Years is so lightly to be delivered up and the Ground forsaken but rather that this troublesome Intruder is in like manner to be himself troubled and with deadly Skirmishes continually vexed whom after we had by force of Arms and undaunted Courage maugre his Head held out five Months at length he brake into our City not by any Valour in himself but holpen by time which tameth all things and since his first entrance it is now almost forty days in which time for all his hast he hath scarcely got forward a hundred
shall upon a zeal to your Religion with your Victorious hand take away this stain and plague of Asia there shall undoubtedly be erected unto you so glorious and magnificent a Trophy in the midst of Persia as may be compared yea preferred before the Triumphs of your Victorious Father Selymus For it is not so much to have destroyed the Mamalukes by condition Slaves and the proud Sultans of Egypt and Syria as to have subdued the Persians famous in antient time for their Martial Prowess who so oftentimes vanquished by Alexander of Macedon gave unto him the name of Great Solyman prickt forward with many such Discourses daily sounded in his ears by the Bassa began to yield to his perswasion Whereof Abraham himself greatly rejoyced for it was thought of many that he did never in heart renounce the Christian Religion but was only in outward shew a Turk and in heart a Christian. Which was the rather conjectured for that he marvellously favoured and protected the Christian Merchants furthered by all means the Leagues of the Christian Princes with Solyman and laboured always to turn his Forces from them upon the Persians And the more to whet him forward the Bassa had cunningly insinuated into his acquaintance one Mulearbe of Damasco a man in that time famous in Constantinople for the opinion the people had generally conceived of his Holiness and Profound Knowledge in the secret causes of things and the Art of Magick using him as a Prophet to fill the ambitious mind of Solyman with assured hope of prosperous Success which thing the hypocrital Wisard after the manner of such Deceivers slily performed prophesying unto him all happiness in so Religious a War and so much as he said pleasing God. This the Bassaes purpose was much furthered also by Ulemus a noble and valiant Persian who having married the great Persian King Tamas his Sister was revolted from him to Solyman fearing to be called to account for the Extortion wherewith he had grievously oppressed the Countries whereof he had the Government and being wonderfully countenanced in Solymans Court by the great Bassa did after the manner of disloyal Fugitives perswade Solyman by all means he could to take that War in hand discovering unto him the Power State and Strength of the Persian Kingdom which he could well do and plotting unto him the easiest way for the conquering thereof offering also unto him the uttermost of his devoir So Solyman filled with the vain hope of the Conquest of Persia yielded fully unto the perswasions of the great Bassa and gave out his Commissions into all parts of his Empire for the raising of a mighty Army for the performance of so great an Enterprize commanding all his Captains and Men of War to be ready at the City of Nice in Bithynia at a certain day appointed Which his purpose although it was mightily impugned by his Mother and fair Roxolana his best beloved as that which altogether proceeded from the Bassa the one alledging with what evil success his Grandfather and Father had before him attempted that same War the other assailing him with her passionate affections but both of them indeed repining at the credit of the Bassa and in their hearts disdaining that so great a Monarch should at the pleasure of his Servant be led up and down the World so far from their Company for which cause they did what in them lay to have overthrown the purpose of Abraham and to have altered Solymans former determination But so strong was the Bassaes credit with his great Lord and Master that all these great Ladies Devices and Prayers were as Womens affectionate passions rejected and the Bassaes counsel to their no small grief in all things regarded The time appointed being come and all things in readiness Solyman sent Abraham the Bassa and Ulemas the Persian before him into Syria with a strong Army to be ready with the first of the Spring to invade the Persian King. Which thing the Bassa gladly took upon him and coming into Syria wintered with his Army at Aleppo whither Barbarussa came unto him for his Letters of Credence to Solyman as is before declared The Spring now approaching Abraham sent Ulemas the Fugitive Persian Prince before him with the light Horsemen the forerunners of his Army into Mesopotamia as his Guid because the Country was unto him best known following not far after himself with all his Army And marching still forward in that manner came at length without resistance unto the famous City of Tauris in Armenia the greater called in ancient time Echathana as is probably by some conjectured a great and rich City but unwalled and of no strength where the Persian Kings for the pleasantness of the place and freshness of the Air used commonly to be resiant in the heat of the year From whence Tamas the Persian King was as then absent busied in Wars with Kezien-bassa a Prince of the Corasine Hircanians so that the Citizens of Tauris destitute of all help yielded themselves and the City unto the Bassa at his first coming Tamas the Persian King understanding what had hapned at Tauris drew near with his Power warily expecting to have taken the Turks at some advantage and so by policy to have defeated his Enemies whom he was too weak to meet with in plain battel Which thing the wary Bassa well perceiving for more assurance by speedy Courriers advertised Solyman of the taking of Tauris and of the Enemies purpose requesting him with all speed to repair with his Army to Tauris Solyman was then come far on his way with a great Army not by the way of Ancyra Sebastia Amasia the borders of Trapezond and so over Euphrates at Arsenga into Armenia as his Father Selymus had done before him because that way was thought longer and more troublesome but quite another way on the right hand from Nice in Bithynia to Iconium and by Caesaria to Malathia where is the notable passage over the River Euphrates bursting out by the Vallies of the Mountain Antitaurus from whence the Plains of Mesopotamia then part of the Persian Kingdom begin to open themselves through which Country Solyman marched peaceably with his Army paying the poor Country people for whatsoever he took and so in four and fifty days march came from Nice in Bithynia to the City of Coim in Armenia the greater which is supposed to be built in the ruines of the famous and ancient City of Artaxata But hearing such News as is aforesaid from the Bassa he doubled his march and so in short time after came and joyned his Forces with the Bassa at Tauris Tamas who yet daily expected the coming of the Georgian light Horsemen understanding that Solyman was coming against him with a World of men thought it not good to abide the coming of so puissant an Enemy but with delay to weary him out that drew such a multitude of people after him and by taking of him at all
first encounter slew many of his Men. Wherewith the Admiral grievously offended and still landing fresh Men even with his multitude oppressed them of the Island being but in number few and weary of long fight and so enforced them to retire into the City To be revenged of this injury the Bassa caused certain pieces of great Ordnance to be landed and a Battery planted against the City by force whereof he had in short time in divers places opened the Walls and then with all his power assaulting the Breaches forthwith took the City which after he had rifled he burnt it down to the ground rased the Walls and put the Men every Mothers Son to the Sword. As for the Women he gave them without respect unto the lust of his Souldiers and Mariners whom afterwards together with the Boys and young Children he shipped into the Country near unto Athens to be from thence conveyed unto Constantinople into most miserable servitude Aegina thus utterly rased he with much like force and cruelty raged upon them of Paros and the other Islands thereabouts killing the old Men and such as made resistance and thrusting the rest into his Gallies Shortly after he came to the Isle of Naxos where all the Island people were for fear of his coming fled out of the Country into the City where landing his Men he made havock of whatsoever came to his hand And in the mean time sent a Messenger unto the Duke to will him to yield himself and his City into the obedience of the Turkish Emperor Solyman Which Messenger admitted into the City and brought before the Duke in blunt and plain terms without further circumstance delivered his Message thus If thou wilt without more ado yield thy self thy City and Territory to the Constantinopolitan Emperor thou shalt deserve his favour and so save thy self with that thou hast But if thou otherwise advised shalt now refuse this Grace thou shalt never hereafter have the like offer but for ever undo thy self thy Wife and Children thy Citizens and Subjects in general Here is present a most mighty Fleet with most valiant and victorious Souldiers furnished with all the habiliments of War requisite for Battel or Siege Be warned by them of Aegina Paros and other thy neighbour Princes of the Islands Thy hap is good if thou be not misadvised and warned by other Mens harms wilfully refuse to remedy thine own and when thou mightst be safe wilfully cast away thy self Thus said he was commanded by the Duke to stand aside and a while to expect his answer who with the chief of his Subjects there present but much troubled and all full of heaviness and sorrow consulted what answer to make But after they had according to the weightiness of the cause and necessity of time fully debated the matter it was with general consent agreed That forasmuch as they were not themselves of power to withstand so furious an Enemy neither to expect help from others they should therefore yield unto the present necessity which otherwise threatned unto them utter destruction and reserve themselves unto better times Whereupon answer was given unto the Messenger by the Duke That he was ready to yield himself unto Solyman as his Vassal and of him as of his Sovereign to hold his Seigniory for the yearly Tribute of five thousand Ducats Of which offer the Bassa accepted receiving in hand one years Tribute So was that notable Island yielded unto the Turkish obeisance the 11 of November in the year 1537. from whence Lutzis the proud Bassa loaded with the rich Spoil of the Countries and Islands he had passed by returned to Constantinople with his Fleet. Not long after this great Bassa then in credit and authority next unto Solyman himself fell at ods with his Wife Solymans Sister for that he after the unnatural manner of those barbarous People kept in his house a most delicate Youth in whom he took more pleasure than in his Wife Which she being a Woman of great Spirit not able to endure and knowing her Husband by marrying of her to have been from base degree advanced unto the highest Honours the Emperor her Brother could heap upon him in great rage reproved him with most bitter words saying That she had married him to be of him beloved and used as his Wife and not contemptuously abused by his Minions Wherewith the Bassa moved gave her a Blow on the Ear and caused her as a foolish and unquiet Woman to be shut up in her Chamber But she not brooking such abuse came weeping to Solyman her Brother and complaining of her Husband requested to be Divorced from him who made no better reckoning of her And with her complaint so incensed Solyman that he took from him his Seal and thrust him out of all his honourable Promotions and had undoubtedly put him to death had not the remembrance of his old love and friendship staied his fury yet having utterly disgraced him he banished him the Court into Macedoniâ— where he spent the remainder of his loathed life like a poor priâ—ate Man of whom Boisardus thus writeth Quae tibi cum molli res est pollute Cynedo Cum cubet in Thalamis regia nympha tuis Ex humili fortuna loco te evexit in altum Ex alto major saepe ruina venit On dainty Boys thou filthy Man why do'st thou fix thine eye Whilst Princely Dame of Royal Blood doth in thy Chamber lie From base estate to honours height blind Fortune did thee call And set thee up with Princes great to work thy greater fall Solyman thus fallen out with the Venetians as is aforesaid to intangle them at once with Wars in divers places commanded his Lieutenants in every place bordering upon any part of the Venetian Seigniory to vex and molest them with all Hostility which they did accordingly In Pelâ—ponnessus Cassimes besieged Mauplium and Epidaurus two strong Cities of the Venetians Barbarussa landing his Men in Dalmatia surprised the ancient City of Botrotus belonging to the Venetians carried away the Citizens and rased the City Obroatium another City of the Venetians in Dalmatia called in ancient time Argirutum with the Castle of Nadin were taken by Ustref Solymans Lieutenant in Illyria The Venetians thus invaded on every side requited them again with the like Pisaurius and Veturius the Venetian Admirals landing their Men besieged Scardona a City of the Turks in the borders of Dalmatia which they took by force put the Turks to the Sword and overthrew the Walls of the City because it should be no more a refuge unto the Turks they also sent one of their Captains called Gabriel Ribeus to besige Obroatium who upon the coming of Amurathes one of Ustref his Captains cowardly fled and in flight lost most of his Men for which his Cowardise Pisaurius caused his head to be struck off aboord the Admiral Galley And Camillus Ursinus appointed by the Venetian State Governour of Iadera
be in convenient time relieved began to parly with the French General from the Wall concerning the yielding up of the City upon condition that they might in all respects live under the French King as they had done under the Duke for performance whereof the General gave them his Faith. But Polinus fearing lest the Turks should violate this composition and for grief of the loss of their Fellows or for hope of the Spoil break into the City entreated Barbarussa to recal his Souldiers and to cause them to go aboard his Gallies For which cause not long after the Janizaries as men deceived of their hoped Prey were about to have slain both Polinus and Strozza as they came from talking with Barbarussa The City thus yielded they began to consult for the taking of the Castle the performance whereof consisted first in the assailing of the Castle it self and then in defending of the City from the suddain sallies of them in the Castle and likewise in defending of them which besieged the Castle so that no Enemy should come to raise the Siege of which two things Barbarussa put the French to choice which they would take shewing himself ready either to besiege the Castle or to keep the Field The French standing in doubt of which to make choice the proud old Turk scorning their slow resolution and them also as men unfit for the ready accomplishment of any Martial exploit caused seven Pieces of Battery whereof two were of wonderful greatness to be placed in a trice in a place most convenient and the same quickly intrenched and fortified to the great admiration of the French with which Pieces he had quickly beaten down the Battlements of the Walls and Centinel Houses so that no man was able to shew himself upon the Walls The Frenchmen likewise on the other side did with their great Ordnance continually batter the Castle but with long shooting they came to such want of Shot and Pouder that Polinus was glad to request that he might either borrow or buy some of Barbarussa whereat the Turk fretted and fumed exceedingly That they should in their own Country stand in need of his Provision who at Marceilles had better fraighted their Ships with Wine than with necessaries for the Wars For the rough and severe old Turk could not forbear to taunt them and oftentimes complained that he was deluded with the hope of great matters which Polinus had promised at Constantinople and that in such a rage that he would threaten to lay hands upon Polinus who had brought him from Constantinople thither whereas he must either lose his honour or having spent his Shot and Powder expose himself and his Fleet to all dangers Wherefore being exceeding angry with the French he suddainly called a Counsel of his Captains and other chief Officers giving it out That he would presently return to Constantinople seeing that among these cowardly and unskilful men as it pleased him to term them he found nothing ready or according to promise Yet for all that when he had chafed his fill by the fair intreaties and large promises of the French General and Polinus together the Wayward old man was perswaded to change his mind and to continue the Siege But he was yet scarcely well pacified and his mind set again upon the Siege but Letters were intercepted from the great Captain Alphonsus Vastius to Paulus Captain of the Castle wherein he requested him to hold out a while against the Enemy till that he who had already sent before his light Horsemen might come also himself with his Men at Arms who were upon the way alongst the Alps by the Sea side and would in two days with the slaughter of the Turks put him and his Castle out of all fear and danger Which thing once bruted in the Camp such a great and suddain fear came upon the Turks and Frenchmen the night following the more to terrifie them proving by chance very rainy and tempestuous that they all forsook their Trenches and great Ordnance and laying down their Weapons by narrow Paths climbing over the top of the high Mountain came down headlong to the Sea side to the Fleet. But the day appearing and no Enemy to be seen they were ashamed of that they had done and came again to the Siege Not long after when as the Castle in all mens Judgment was hardly to be battered and standing upon a firm Rock was not but in long time with hard labour and doubtful success to be undermined it was generally thought good to raise the Siege The Turks upon their departure brake into the City and when they had taken the Spoil thereof set it on fire Barbarussa retiring with his Fleet to Antipolis came to anchor at the Island Lerina called of the Mariners Margarita at which time Vastius and the Duke of Savoy with Auria his Fleet arrived at Villa Franca in the entrance of which Haven the Gally wherein Vastius went was like to have been lost Four other Gallies by force of suddain Tempest were driven upon the Rocks and so suddainly beaten in pieces with the Surge of the Sea that the Gally Slaves had not leisure to strike off their Irons but were there all drowned and all the Ordnance lost Polinus understanding this distress of the Enemy sent one Petrus Angelus to Barbarussa to shew him the occasion offered and to perswade him with all speed to hast thither with his Fleet as to a most assured Victory Barbarussa seemed to like well of the motion and promised to go yet he moved not letted as it was thought with the contrary Wind which then blew hard at East and with the roughness of the Sea. But the Wind being fallen and the Sea become calm and he contrary to his wonted manner making no haste set slowly forward and being a little on his way came again to anchor and went no further the Sanzacks and other Captains first marvelling and afterward laughing thereat scoffingly said That Barbarussa did but reason to deal kindly with Auria as his Brother and Friend of his own Profession for that he had some years before received the like Friendship at his hands in letting him escape at Hippona which he now honestly paid him again Whereunto Barbarussa both then and afterwards at Constantinople answered no otherwise but that he being an old Commander and half blind saw more in the matter than all those green Captains with their sharp sight Not long after he returned again to Marceilles and put into the Haven of Tolon called in ancient time Taurenta Vastius and the Duke coming to Nice commended the Captain of the Castle and wondering at the cunning manner of the Turks Fortifications preferred them in that point before the Christians Barbarussa lying with his Fleet at Tolon and by the Kings Officers entertained with all possible Courtesie delivered five and twenty Gallies to Salec the famous Pyrate and Assanes his nigh Kinsman who passing the Bay
for Cowardise than Courtesie as also that it much more concerneth your State than him and that therfore you ought no less than he to desire that all causes of unkindness might be cut off and order taken that in so great and mutual goodwil there should be no falling out by new quarrels dayly arising the only remedy thereof is if you shall deliver unto him the Island of Cyprus the cause of all these grievances Now it beseemeth you for your great Wisdom to make small reckoning of so small a matter in comparison of the Favour of so great a Prince which if you willingly of your selves yield unto him you shall right wisely provide for your Affairs and have him so great a Monarch always your Friend and Confederate whereas if you shall shew your selves obstinate and not to yield to this his so small a request his purpose is by strong â—and not only to take from you the Island the cause of the War but also to prosecute you with most cruel War both by Sea and Land. And thereupon I take God to witness all the blame of the calamities to ensue of so mortal a War to be imputed unto your selves at the worthy reward of your wilfulness and breach of Faith. Which said he in the name of Mahâ—met the Visier Bassa told the Senators That he was right sorry that this breach was fallen out betwixt the Emperor Selymus and them and that although he doubted not but that they would right wisely consider of all things yet he could not for the good Will he bare unto them but admonish them of such things as he deemed for them both profitable and wholesome and therefore did most instantly request them and withal advise them not to enter into Arms against so mighty a Prince neither wilfully to plunge themselves into such dangers as they could hardly or never find the way out for that their strength was nothing answerable unto his and that the event of that War would be unto them deadly and therefore he took God and the love he bare unto them to witness that he had in friendly sort forewarned them of their harms and advised them for their good Giving them further to understand that Selymus did nothing but thunder out most cruel Threats against their State which his indignation was raised of the manifold complaints brought against them to his Court at Constantinople Selymus his Letters answerable to his Embassadors Speech was also full of false surmised grievances he complained That the Venetians had in warlike manner entred into the Frontiers of his Empire in Dalmatia and there had done great harm that they had put to death certain Turkish Pyrates whom they had taken alive that their Island of Cyprus was an Harbor for the Pyrates of the West and that from thence they robbed his peaceable Countries and surprised his Subjects travelling that way for Devotion unto the Temple of Mecha or otherwise about their Affairs And that therefore those causes of discord might be taken away and the hindrance of Traffique removed he required them to yield unto him the Island of Cyprus which if they refused to do he would by force of Arms take it from them and by force of strong hand cause them to do that which they might the better have done frankly and of their own accord and further to make them understand how far the Turks did excel all other Men in Martial prowess As for the League before made betwixt his Father and them he said he had renewed the same not because he had any liking thereunto but because he had as then set down with himself for a while in the beginning of his Empire peceably to endure all things The Venetians for that they knew the Embassadors errand before his coming having now read his Letters gave him such answer as they had before resolved upon which was That the Venetians had at all times inviolably kept their Leagues with the Othoman Emperors and had in regard thereof let slip many opportunities and fit occasions for them to have augmented their Dominions in That they could without any danger to themselves have destroyed the Turks Fleet both at the Rhodes and Malta and other places also but that they more regarded their Honour and alwaies thought that nothing better became great and magnificent Princes than to perform their Faith once given and in all their actions to be like themselves And therefore had dissembled and put up many grievous and bitter indignities lest they might be thought to have first broken the League That they had never passed their own Bounds or invaded the Turks only to have taken order that no Pyrates should at their pleasure roam up and down the Seas Now whereas all Duties being on their part sincerely and most religiously kept Selymus complained himself to be wronged whereas he himself had done the wrong and had contrary to the League denounced War against them expecting nothing less siththence that they could not by the power of the League they would by force of Arms defend that Kingdom which they by ancient and lawful right possessed delivered unto them by their Ancestors That God in whose help they trusted would weigh in indifferent Balance all Mens Words and Deeds whom they took to witness that they were the Authors of Peace and Selymus the cause of War and that the â—ame God would be now present unto their just complaints and forthwith after with his power to take revenge on them which falsifying their Faith and Promise given and violating the sacred League had enforced them to take up most just and necessary Arms which they would with the same Courage mannage that they had taken them in hand With this answer the Embassador departed let out by a secret Postern for fear of the People who having got knowledge of the matter were in great number assembled to the Court-Gate muttering among themselves that it were well done to rend in pieces that accursed Turk the Messenger of his faithless Master Which outrage it was thought they would in their fury have performed had not such as by the commandment of the Magistrates guarded him better assured him of his safety than either regard of Duty or the Law of Nations he by the way as he went still storming and swearing by his Mahomet to be of that so great an indignity revenged This answer of the Senate unto the Turks Embassador concerning War was of some well liked and highly commended as full of Honour and Valour Others deemed it too sharp liking of nothing that was said or done to the further incensing of the Turkish Emperor being of opinion that they might have of him obtained a more indifferent Peace by Courtesie than by Rigor As for the decreed War they utterly disliked forasmuch as all Wars were woful but especially those that were to be maintained against them that are too strong for us In such diversity of opinions it appeared That
Castle carrying with him the Treasurer Now Sinan the General being come with his Army to Buda resolved with himself to begin his Wars in that part of Hungary with the siege of Vesprinium This Episcopal City was by Solyman the great Turk taken from the Christians in the year 1552 and again by them recovered about fourteen years after about the year 1566 since which time untill now it had remained in the hands of the Christians Sinan without delay marching with his Army to Vesprinium compassed the City round and encamping as he saw good planted his Battery wherewith he continually thundered against the City The Christians there in Garrison easily perceiving that the City was not long to be holden against so great a Power placed divers Barrels of Gun-powder in certain Mines they had made under the Walls and Bulwarks of the Town with Trains that should at a certain time take Fire Which done they departed secretly out of the City in the dead time of the Night hoping so in the Dark to have escaped the hand of the Enemy which they did not so secretly but that they were by the Turks descried and most of them slain Ferdinand Samaria Governour of the City after he had for a space valiantly defended himself fell at last into the Enemies hand and so was taken alive together with one Hofkirke a German Captain The Turks entred the City the sixth of October striving who should get in first for greediness of the Prey when suddenly the Powder in the Mines took fire and blowing up the very foundations of the Walls and Bulwarks slew a number of the Turks that were within the Danger thereof and wonderfully defaced the City From Vesprinium the Bassa removed with his Army to Palotta and gave summons to the Castle but receiving such answer as pleased him not he laid siege unto it with all his Power Which at the first Peter Ornand Captain of the Castle chearfully received but being afterward without any great cause discouraged the Castle as yet being but little shaken and but one man slain and the rest of the Souldiers ready to spend their Lives in defence thereof he sent unto the Bassa offering to yield the Castle unto him so that he with his Souldiers might with Bag and Baggage in safety depart Of which his offer the Bassa accepted and granted his Request But he was no sooner come but of the Castle with his Souldiers and ready to depart but the faithless Turk contrary to his Oath and Promise caused them all to be cruelly slain except only the Captain and two other After that the Bassa without any great Labour took in all the Country thereabouts near unto the Lake of Balaton Now at last though long first about the middle of October the Christians began to muster their Army in number about 18000 all good and expert Souldiers with which Power they shortly after passing over Danubius at the first encounter with the Turks put them to the worse slew a great number of them and rescued a number of poor Christian Captives In the latter end of this Month County Hardeck Governour of Rab and General of the Christian Army in that part of Hungary departing from Comaria with all his Power came and laid siege to the strong City of Alba Regalis which by the Force of his Artillery he in short time made assaultable but in assaulting the Breaches was by the Turks there in Garrison notably repulsed So having made sufficient proof both of the Strength and Courage of the Defendants and perceiving no good could be done without a long siege for which he was not as then provided after Consultation had with the rest of the Captains he resolved to raise his Siege which he did the second of November removing that day but half a mile from the City because he would be sure of all his Army But as he was about the next day to remove News was brought him by his Espials that the Enemies Power was at hand and even now almost in sight which proved to be so indeed For the Bassa of Buda by the command of Sinan Bassa the General was come forth with thirteen Sanzacks and twenty thousand Souldiers thirty Field-pieces and five hundred Waggons laden with Victual and other Warlike Provision to raise the Siege and to relieve the City and was now even at hand comming directly upon the Christians whereupon the County assisted by the County Serinus the Lord Palfi the Lord Nadasti Peter le Hussar and other valiant Captains of great Experience with wonderful Celerity put his Army in order of Battel and so courageously set forward to encounter the Enemy The Bassa seeing the Christians marching towards him took the Advantage of the higher Ground and from thence discharged his Field-pieces upon them which mounted too high by good hap did them little or no hurt at all The Christians for all that desirous of Battel and nothing regarding the Disadvantage of the Ground but calling upon the Name of the Almighty mounted the Hill and joyning Battel with the Turks by plain force constrained them to flie In this Army of the Turks being for most part Horsemen were about five thousand foot and many of them Ianizaries who in flying oftentimes made stands and wounded many and yet nevertheless were almost all there slain with many others amongst whom were three great Men the Sanzacks of Strigonium Setchine and Novigrade seven Chiaus and many other men of mark the most valiant Captains of the Turks Borderers The Lord Nadasti with some others taking view of the Turks that were slain and lost in this Battel deemed them to have been at the leaâ—t in number eight thousand few Prisoners were saved all being put to the Sword with caused Sinan to swear by his Mahomet never more to spare any Christian All the Turks Artillery Waggons and Provision became a Prey unto the Christians many Ensignes were there found and Weapons of great Value It is hard to be believed how much this Victory encouraged the Christians and daunted the Turks Whereupon the County with great Joy brought back his Army to Alba Regalis and encamped near the Bulwark called Stopasch where the Turks most feared to be assaulted Palfi Nadasti and some others earnestly perswaded with the County not to depart from the City before he had won it but he considering the hard time of the year the strength of the City which was now full of Souldiers by reason of them that were fled in thither from the late overthrow with the want of things necessary in his Army to maintain a longer Siege and fearing also after long lying to be enforced with Dishonour to forsake it would not hearken to their Perswasions but calling a Council resolved to raise his Siege and to content himself with the Victory he had already gotten which was afterward imputed unto him for more than an oversight So setting Fire upon the Suburbs of the City he rose with
was easily to be gathered how bloody a siege this was unto the Turks forasmuch as all those Bodies were the Bodies of men of good account and place for the Bodies of such common Souldiers as were slain they still threw into the River running by The Fort newly built upon the Bank of Danubius much troubled the besieged Turks in Strigonium because nothing could without danger of it be sent up the River for their Relief Wherefore they by fit Messengers sent word out of the Castle to the Admiral of the Turks Gallies lying below in the River That he should at an appointed time come up the River with his Gallies as high as the Fort and on that side at leastwise to make shew as if he would assault it at which time they of the Town would be likewise ready to sally out and to assail it indeed on the other side by Land. The Admiral accordingly came up the River with his Gallies and by discharging of certain great pieces made shew as if he would on that side have battered the Fort but was so welcomed thereout that he was glad with his rent Gallies quickly to fall down the River again further off out of danger But whilst the thundering shot was thus flying too and fro towards the River they of the Town sallying out assaulted the Fort on the other side toward the Land and that with such desperate Resolution that some of them were got up to the top of the Rampiers and there for the space of two hours maintained a most cruel fight wherein many of them were slain and wounded and the rest enforced with shame to retire The Christians thus still lying at the siege and intentive to all Occasions partly by their Espials and partly by such as they had taken Prisoners understood that a new supply both of Men and Victuals was shortly to be put into Strigonium and therefore sent out certain Companies of Souldiers who lying in two convenient Places the one upon the River the other by Land might intercept the said supply Both which Places were before by the provident Enemy possessed who suddenly assailing the Christians coming thither and fearing no such matter slew some of them and put the rest to flight who nevertheless in their retreat brake the Bridge which the Turks had made of Boats under the Castle of Strigonium over Danubius Of which Boats some were carried away with the Violence of the Stream and of the rest thirty fell into the hands of the Christians without loss of any man more than five who making too much haste out of a little Boat fell into the River and so perished In this time Fame the fore-runner of all great Attempts had brought News into the Christian Camp That Sinan Bassa the Turks great General was coming to the relief of Strigonium of whose Power divers diversly reported But the greater part doubting the worst and weary of the long Siege and of the Calamities incident thereunto added still something to the last report to make the danger of longer stay to seem the greater certain it is that the News of the coming of so great and puissant an Enemy raised many a troubled thought in the Minds of so great a Multitude Now were the besieged Turks in great wants in Strigonium as appeared by Letters intercepted from the Sanzack to the Bassa of Buda declaring unto him the hard estate of the besieged and humbly craving his promised help without which the City could not for want of Victuals possiâ—ly be defended by the fainting Souldiers above three days Which Letters being read in the Camp caused great Preparation to be made for the continuing of the siege and the withstanding of the Enemy whose coming was every hour expected All this while the great Ordnance never ceased on either side whereby many were slain as well of the Christians as of the Turks and amongst others many of the Canoneers But forasmuch as the rife Fame of Sinan Bassa's coming increased daily and the Christian Camp possessed with a general fear gave unto the wise just Suspition of some great Mischief likely to ensure Matthias the General entered into Counsel with County Ferdinand Hardeck the Lord Palfi the Lord Vngenade President of the Counsel for the Wars and Erasmus Eraun Governour of Comara What was the best to be done in so dangerous a time Who with general consent agreed betimes before the coming of Sinan to raise the siege and to remove with the Army into some place of more safety Which their determinate Resolution the day following being the six and twentieth of Iune they made known to the other Princes and great Commanders in the Army who wonderfully discontented therewith especially the Germans both openly by word and solemnly by writing protested against the same as most dishonourable and altogether made without their Knowledge or good likeing To whom the President of the Counsel for their further Satisfaction declared That the Enemy was coming with a very great Army and even now at hand whose strength encreased daily and with what Power he had purposed to assail them in their Tents was uncertain besides that it was manifestly know unto the World how that in the former asâ—aults they had lost many of their best Souldiers beside others that died in the Camp and that the Place wherein they lay encamped was subject to many dangers for which so urgent Causes the General had resolved to raise his siege and before the coming of so strong an Enemy to remove his Army into a place of more safety Which Reasons for all that did not so well satisfie the German Princes and Commanders but that they still urged their former Protestation requesting his Excellency to have them excused before God and the World if they yielding to his Command as to their General did that which they thought not altogether best and which they would not otherwise have done For the more Evidence whereof the said German Princes and great Commanders caused their said Protestation to be solemnly conceived in Writing which they affirmed with their Seals and subscribed with their own hands in order as followeth Francis Duke of Saxony Augustus Duke of Brunswick Sebastian Schlick County Wig and Malâ—zan Ernestus of Aâ—â—tan Henry Phlugk Iohn Nicholas Ruswormb Henry Curwigger Heerrath Iohn Oberhausan Henry Rottcirch Melchior of Nothwith But the Arch-duke with the rest constant in their former Resolution first sent away the great Ordnance and raising the siege the 28 th of Iune followed after with the whole Army passing over Danubius not far from Kokara doubtfully expecting what course Sinan the great Bassa who was then reported to be even at hand would take Yet before their departure they set the old Town on fire and raised the Fort St. Nicholas before taken from the Enemy which they had once purposed to have kept This unexpected departure of the Christians much gladded the besieged Turks who for want of Victuals had not been able long
Contempt as it were of the whole World exercised then the Emperour to have taken his Refuge unto the defence of his just cause and to have used such Remedies as are both before God and the World to be allowed and so by lawful War to have repulsed War. And that altho' all had not the last year prospered in his hand but that he had received some loss yet that Sinan Bassa himself and the Bassa of Buda his Son with other of the wiser sort of the Turks must needs confess that to have chanced not by their Wisdom Policy or Power but by the Sufferance of God by a rare Misfortune through the inexcusable Negligence and Treason of such as he had put in trust with the Confines of his Empire worthy most severe Chastisement And that no man could deny but that great Powers of the Turks had not once but oftentimes been overthrown and discomfited by small handfuls of the Christians therefore their Power not to be so invincible as they vainly vaunted of But whereas it is written that the great Visier Sinan and the Bassa his Son are of Opinion that the Emperour is brought to so low an ebb that he must be glad to accept of most hard and dishonourable Conditions of Peace propounded by them therein they err much and deceive themselves far for by the Power of God they should shortly by Experience know that his Imperial Majesty wanteth neither Power nor Wealth to repair the loss received through the Treason of them he trusted yea and to recover whatsoever else he had lost and that it should in short time be witnessed unto the whole World by the help of God and the defence of a most just Cause that the Emperour was not so poor and weak as they supposed him to be Yet as he of his own natural Goodness and Clemency with his own incomparable loss and harm had always sought for the Quiet and Profit of his Subjects and to the uttermost of his Power staied the effusion of innocent Blood so now also forgetting all Injuries he could happily be content to think of an honourable Peace whereunto he was more inclined than to protract the War with the unspeakable harms of the Subjects on both sides Yet above all things it behoved Sinan to know that he was to restore all such Castles and Towns as have in this War been taken by the Turks beginning at Wihitz in Croatia even to the last innocent Subject by them carried away into Captivity And that the Transilvanians Moldavians and Valachians People many Ages joyned and united as inseparable Members to the Kingdom of Hungary as unto the true Body and now of late by the Practise and Treachery of certain rebellious Persons separated from the same were from henceforth to be left under the Protection and Government of his Imperial Majesty and never more to be impugned by the Turks If these things were done and order taken that the Injury and Disgrace done unto the Emperours late Ambassador a Fact that all the Princes of the World cried shame of might not remain unpunished and that his Servants in durance at Buda and Constantinople might be restored unto their wonted Liberty then some good form of Peace and bounding of their Territories might happily be agreed upon without which Conditions all talk of Peace was but vain for that God the just and mighty Protector of such as put their Trust in him would not fail to help his Imperial Majesty with the rest of the Confederate Princes in their so just a quarrel and abate the Pride of such as trust in their own Strength and Power This answer the Captives at Buda were commanded to give unto the Bassa either by Writing or by word of Mouth and withal earnestly to request him both for their own Liberty and their Fellows wrongfully detained at Constantinople Which if it could not be obtained yet to comfort themselves with that that they should in bounteous manner receive from the Emperour such allowance as should suffice to provide them things necessary as he had granted to Perling whom he might have justy detained and not sent him back again but for his Oaths sake being no lawful Prisoner Thus were the unreasonable Conditions of Peace craftily by the Bassa propounded by others answered but by whom he knew not no Mans Name being set thereunto The Emperour not ignorant with what an Enemy he had to do and of nothing more careful than of the Kingdom or more truly to say of the Reliques of the Kingdom of Hungary lying now as it were in the Lions Mouth ceased not to pray Aid not of the Princes Electors only but of others also farther off yea even as far as Italy and Spain but especially of the King of Polonia as his near Alliance and Neighbour Unto whom both he and the States of Hungary sent their Ambassadors at such time as he moved with the daily Incursions of the Turks and Tartars into the Countries adjoyning upon his had â—or the safety of his own Kingdom called a Parliament of all his States in February last at Cracovia Whereof Mahomet the great Turk hearing sent also two of his chief Chiaus his usual Ambassadors unto the King and his States so assembled to crave his Aid in his Wars in Hungary which if the King should not refuse then to promise him to want no Coin to pay his Souldiers and that Mahomet mindful of so great a courtesie would at all times be ready to requite him with like when his Occasions should require These Ambassadors having obtained safe conduct from Michael the Vayvod of Valachia for their Passage through his Country coming thither were by the Vayvod himself honourably entertained and welcomed and so brought into a fair Lodging where they discoursed with him of many matters But the Vayvod's Followers grieved to see so great Honour done to these their sworn and mortal Enemies with Weapons in their hands brake into the Room where the Ambassadors were and without more ado slew them both and in the same Fury setting upon the rest of the Turks their Followers cut them all in pieces so that of them none came into Polonia to do their great Master's Message neither yet returned to Constantinople to carry news of the rest but there altogether perished Of which Outrage Mahomet yet understanding was therewith wonderfully enraged threatning all Evils both to the Moldavians and Valachians and forthwith sent out other Ambassadors to the same purpose who with better Fortune afterwards in safety arrived in Polonia The Tartars in many places as is before declared overthrown and many strong Castles and Forts taken from the Turks by the Transilvanians Valachians and Moldavians the Turkish Affairs going to wrack in those Quarters and sore shaken on that side of Hungary Mahomet the Turkish Emperour called home to the Court Sinan Bassa his General in Hungary to confer with him as it was thought of some great matters In whose place he sent
Departure sent for the Arch-duke to come into the Camp and for Blankemier into Bavaria to supply his own room But his Disease still increasing became at last desperate so that the Physicians themselves now despaired of his Health Yet lying thus drawing towards his end he almost every hour enquired how the Army did and whether the City were yet taken or what hope there was of the taking thereof But when it was told him a little before his Death that the lower Town was won he thereat greatly rejoyced and the next day being the Fourteenth of August towards night quietly departed this World to the great loss of the Christian Commonweal and the exceeding grief of the whole Army A Man even from his Child-hood brought up in Arms of Stature great but of Courage greater and painful above measure not the least cause of his untimely Death All the time of this Siege he took little Rest either by day or night scarce so much as to lie down upon his Bed in two or three nights together The little Meat he did eat he most part eat it standing or walking yea and sometimes on Horse-back He was a most severe Observer of Martial Discipline which caused him to be of his Souldiers both beloved and feared His Bowels were with due Solemnity buried at Komara where he died but his Body was brought back again to Luxenburg there to be honourably interred with his Ancestors About which time Theodore the great Duke of Muscovia heaâ—ing of the Wars betwixt the Emperour and the Turk sent two Ambassadours with Letters and Presents to the Emperour which Ambassadors coming to Prague the sixteenth of August accompanied with two hundred and fifty Horse were by the Emperours appointment honourably received and entertained And afterward having Audience first delivered the Letters of Credence from the great Duke reported to have been of this purport YOur Majesty hath sent unto us your Ambassador Nicholas Warkotsie requesting our brotherly Aid against the hereditary Enemy of all Christianity the Turkish Sultan Wherefore we also desiring to live with you our dear and well beloved Brother in all perpetual Amity and Friendship send unto you by our faithful Counsellor and Servant Michael Iwanowitze and John Sohnie Aid out of our Treasury against the said Enemy unto whom we have also given other things in charge to be propounded to your Majesty requesting you to give unto them full credit in all things Given in the great Court of our Power at Musco in the year of the World 7103 and from the Nativity of Christ 1595 in the Month of April What things in particular these Ambassadors were sent for was not commonly known but among others it is said That the Muscovite requested the Emperour to send an Ambassador unto the Persian King to draw him also into the League with them against the Turk which Ambassadour should first come into Muscovia and that way to pass into Persia. The Presents which the great Duke sent unto the Emperour were an hundred and fifty thousand Florens of Gold great store of most rich Furs and precious Perfumes deemed to be of exceeding value two white Faulcons and three Leopards alive And Iwanowitze the Ambassador himself presented unto the Emperour of himself certain rich Turky Persian and Babylonian Hangings and Carpets certain Timbers of Sables with other rich Furs no less precious than Sables so many as eight Porters could hardly carry These Ambassadors tarried at Prague until the seven and twentieth day of December and then taking their leave returned with the Emperours answer to the Duke But to return again unto Strigonium The Christians now possessed of the lower Town bent their whole battery upon the higher Town where it fortuned the fourteenth of August that the old Governour Alis-Beg whilst he was carefully walking from Place to Place to see where most danger was had his Arm struck off with a great shot of which huâ— he presently died He was as man of great Gravity about the Age of fourscore years and had of long time notably both governed and defended that famous City the loss whereof was like enough to have been unto him greater Grief than was the loss of his Life there Much about the same time also died the Aga of the Ianizaries being before mortally wounded Both the chief Commanders thus slain the Ianizaries with the other Souldiers and Citizens made choice of the Bassa of Natolia who as is aforesaid escaped out of the late Battel into the City for their Governour who with heavy chear took upon him that forlorn charge The Christians not ignorant of the death of these two worthy Men in whose great and approved Valour they supposed the chief Defence of the City to have rested were in good hope that now the rest would the more readily hearken to some good Composition and therefore sent a Messenger to demand if they would yet whilst there were some Mercy left yield the City Who though they had lost their chief Commanders with the greatest part of the Garrison and were in great wants both of Victuals and all Things else necessary for their Defence yet their Answer was in few Words That they would hold it out even to the last man. The greatest cause of which their obstinate Resolution was the strait charge the Bassa of Buda had given them for the defence thereof besides that they accounted their City holy as won by their magnificent Emperour Solyman whom the Turks generally yet have in a devout remembrance and therefore thought it a great Impiety to deliver it up unto the Christians The next day after came Matthias the Arch-duke into the Camp who after he had well viewed the whole Army and the manner of the siege he called together into his Tent the chief Commanders namely the Marquess of Burgaw his Cousin Iohn de Medices the Florentine and the Lord Palâ—i the Hungarian to consult with them what was further to be done for the winning of the City Shortly after he commanded the City to be assaulted in two Places at once which was by the Walloons and Germans couragiously performed but such was the Valour of the Defendants that when the Christians had done what they could they were glad at last to give over the assault and with loss to retire About this time came the Duke of Mantua with the three Counties his Brethren to the siege and now the Turks began again to draw together near unto Buda there to make head for the relief of Strigonium and to be revenged of the loss they had there before received Whereof the Arch-duke having Intelligence sent out against them eight thousand chosen Souldiers out of the Camp who suddenly setting upon the Turks in their Camp before the rising of the Sun made a great slaughter amongst them and took certain Prisoners of whom the Sanzack of Copan was one and so with Victory returned to the siege The besieged Turks in Strigonium understanding of this overthrow
of his Cowardise if he failed in the performance thereof promising him indeed his Sister in Mariage amongst other the glorious Rewards and Trophies of his Victory and threatning him with Death as a Punishment amongst the Griefs of his Dishonour But it came to pass that by the Cowardise of our men he came unto the effect of his desire as is aforesaid and took the City which promised unto him the glorious Triumph in Constantinople And under the sweet influence of this Planet he returned to Constantinople where he found all things in readiness for the satisfying of his Expectation and the Advancement of his Glory He is magnificently received of his Prince courteously saluted by all the Nobility and with greatest reverence possible honoured of the People And as he had happily discharged his Charge he found in like manner all things prepared and in readiness for the performance of the promise of the Grand Seignior his Lord and Master who had caused them to be in most sumptuous manner provided for the solemnizing of the Marriage and the contentment of the Bassa But nothing now wanting that he could have desired or wished more than the very solemnizing of the Marriage it self and that also every day of all men expected the Ianizaries and Spahi with the other Souldiers of the Court to the number of five and twenty thousand even upon the sudden when as no such thing was feared came and in Arms presented theâ—â—selves before the Divano or Tribunal holden 〈◊〉 the chief Administration of Justice in the Turks Palace the first four days in every week and having set Guards at the Court Gates the more safely to execute what they were before resolved upon proudly demanded to have Audience for certain of the Spahi and Ianizaries of whom they had made choice in the names of them all to deliver unto the great Bassaes their Grievances and the Causes of that their Assembly Who as soon as they were entered into the Divano before the Bassaes of whom the most couragious of them was not without fear as looking for nothing but for present death they at the first demanded to have Hassan Bassa delivered unto them Who thinking that his Head should have served for a Sacrifice to pacifie this their Fury as a man altogether dismayed wan and pale passed through this mutinous Multitude to have gone unto the great Sultan protesting of his own Innocency and calling upon his Prophet Mahomet to discover unto them the truth of all things But they after a thousand Injuries and Reproaches by them heaped upon him rudely demanded of him whence it proceeded that whilst he with a great part of the Forces of the Empire was busied in Hungary for the recovering of Alba-Regalis there was in the mean time no good order taken for the repressing of the Rebel in Asia who by sufferance was as they said now grown so proud as with Ensigns displayed to come within three or four days Journey of Constantinople the Imperial seat of the Othoman Emperours Whereunto he in so small fear answered That he for his part had done his Duty as well while he had the charge of the Army in Asia as now of late whilst he had the like charge against the Christians in Hungary as even the Enemies themselves could witness But seeing himself even ready to die he yet requested them That his guiltless Death might be unto the State in general profitable and in discharging of his Conscience to declare unto them the Causes of this Contempt and Neglect for the surpressing of the Asian Rebel which they were so desirous to know It proceeded as he said only from the evil Government of the Grand Sultans Mother who then all commanded and from the negligent carelesness of the Capi-Aga Which his speech although they with much impatience and storming gave ear unto yet hearing him so well to excuse himself and to lay the blame there where they were well content it should rest they gave him leave to go to the great Sultan to request him that they might speak with him and further to deal with him that they might have the Head of them who had been the cause of this dishonourable Service or otherwise cowardly behaved themselves in the managing of the Wars against the Rebels in Asia Threatning him withall That if he failed to perform this his charge he should not fail to feel the heavy Effects of their just Fury An heavy charge yet glad was the Bassa to undergo the same to rid himself out of their Hands where he saw himself in great danger amongst them most of whom had sometimes served under him than amongst so many his most mortal Enemies but what Remedy he must now so do or die therefore for which he was the more to be excused So in great fear coming unto the great Sultan almost as fearful as himself he shewed unto him the great danger like even presently to ensue by the Mutiny of his best Souldiers and Guarders of his Person perswading him betime to appease their Fury before they had embrued themselves with Blood for fear of further danger like enough to ensue as well unto his own Person as unto the rest of his most faithful and trusty Counsellor from such furious head-strong men up in tumult with their Arms in their Hands And although that a Prince ought not for the Greatness of his Estate to do any thing as thereunto forced by his Subjects lest in so doing he might breed in them a Contempt of himself and increase their Insolency that yet nevertheless in this Action being altogether extraordinary he was not to rest upon that point for that these mutinous Souldiers turned not their Weapons as they pretended against his Imperial Power and Soveraignty but rather to the contrary against the Contemners thereof seeking to be revenged upon them that had done him such evil Service for the maintenance of his Honour and Majesty and for the Punishment of the insolent and disloyal And that therefore the Justice of the Cause requiting and covering the Malice of the Fact he was of Opinion That it were best for him to yield a little unto the Zeal of these his best Souldiers and to satisfie their just desire although they had by very evil and unlawful means sought for the same And therefore advised his Majesty in some sort to satisfie the just Complaints of these men armed for the Revenge of his Honour and to chastise the chief Commanders of his Asian Forces such as by whose Treachery or Cowardise his Service being neglected had armed these men against them with the same hand punishing such as had wronged his Majesty in Honour and appeasing the discontented for the good of his Service Mahomet thus by the Bassa perswaded as also to shew himself in his Majesty unto these his discontented Subjects one part of their desire the Necessity of the Cause so requiring in his Imperial Seat presented himself unto
distressed was now both by Water and by Land plentifully relieved The Christians the last year having left the siege of Buda for the Reasons before written in their return took the Castle of Adom â—eated upon the Bank of Danubius about two Leagues from Buda and for the keeping thereof left therein a Garrison of Haiducks This Castle was commodious for the annoying of the Turks in Buda and for the relief of the Christians in Pesth for that it impeacheth the bringing of Victuals unto the one and favoured the victualling of the other The good and faithful defence of which Place these Haiducks undertook to the uttermost of their Power upon their Honour and Credit as they would be accounted valiant and couragious men but yet refused to be bound by Oath to render an account of the Place whatsoever might befall a thing as they truly said above their Forces and more than was in their Power to perform These men now upon the brute of the coming of the Turks great Army afraid of their Shadows having before trussed up their Baggage set fire on the Castle and so departed retiring themselves to Strigonium where examined by the Governour Althem of the cause of their flight and what Enemies had chased them thence and being not able to make therefore any excuse neither to yield thereof any reason more than their imaginary fear were by his commandment imprisoned there to remain until order were taken by the General of the Army for their further Punishment Sultan Mahomet now wallowing amidst his sensual Delights in Constantinople yet found not therein so full Contentment but that his Pleasures had also their Griefs fully mixt with them In Constantinople the strong Seat of his mighty Empire he was in the midst of the Insolencies and Mutinies of his proud Bassaes and tumultuous Janizaries and abroad he was in Wars both against his rebellious Subjects in Asia and the Christians in Europe Unto all which Troubles he saw not how to give Remedy at once and therefore resolved if it were possible first to appease the Troubles abroad with his rebellious Subjects in Asia as more desirous to be at peace with his own Subjects than with Strangers howbeit that the punishing of Rebellion is more necessary in a Prince for the maintenance of his State than is War against a Stranger for the conquering of a new Country or Kingdom the one preventing the danger hanging over his Head the other serving but his vain and ambitious desire so he preferring Peace with the Rebels his Subjects before Peace with the Christians his Enemies resolved as I said to pacifie the first the more easily to ruinate the other But whether he upon good Faith or upon Policy entered into this Resolution and whether indeed he meant plainly with these Rebels or but only to deceive them is hard to say Howbeit as the sequel of the matter shewed Falshood and Treachery was the ground of all this Business both on the one side and the other For these â—en respecting only the safety and assurance of their Estate held all other Actions to them indifferent whether they were good or bad so that they served to that effect and nourished with the same Milk of Infidelity that their Prince was trained up in the same School and fostered with the same Air feared in him against them that which they felt in themselves against him An hard matter it is to assure minds fraught with like Craft Subtilty and Deceit and possessed with like distrust one of another Howbeit Mahomet spared no kind of cunning to deceive these crafty and subtil men offering unto them together with his gracious Pardon great Preferments Dignities and Honours so that they would but yield to him their due Obedience lay down their Arms and no more take up the same but in his Service But these wily Foxes knew right well that the Promises of faithless Princes cost them nothing but Words the honour and credit whereof they regarded not so that thereby they might attain unto the effect of their desires which they esteemed above all other things so that for them to trust unto a thing of so small Value with him that was so prodigal thereof and for the same so easily to yield up their Lives and Fortunes which they esteemed as their only Treasure they thought right worthily to deserve all shame and mishap that might betide them So that they not only refused to lay down Arms and to yield their Obedience unto him as he desired but even to have Peace with him upon any Conditions whatsoever seeing them dangerous unto themselves and good only for him their Enemy Mahomet finding the Rebels so resolutely set down as not by any means but by force to be appeased thought it now best to turn his purpose unto the Christians and to offer them that which the other had refused in hope that Peace made with the one should be the Ruine and Destruction of the other Upon which Point he being in himself resolved sought now but some honest means not unbeseeming his Greatness to joyn unto this his Project to give him a way thereunto For the easing him of which care the French Ambassador then Lieger at Constantinople was very fitly then entreating with the Visier Bassaes for the Deliverance of the County Ysolan taken at Alba-Regalis the last Year and against all Law of Arms detained Prisoner at Constantinople This noble Gentleman Mahomet thought fit as well for the Sufficiency of himself as with Instructions to deal with the Emperour concerning an entreaty of Peace to be had Whereupon he commanded him to be set at liberty with Charge That he should both discreetly and faithfully deal with the Emperour concerning this matter of Peace which if he should by his Industry effect to the good liking and contentment of Mahomet the great Sultan that then he should become and remain free otherwise to return again into his former Captivity and Bondage for whom the French Ambassador gave his Word and became Pledge Upon which barbarous Conditions the Earl was forthwith delivered who by the Law of Arms should not at all have been detained Besides this Plot laid for the Negotiation of this Peace Achmet Bassa to this purpose writ to Collonitz then Commander of the Emperour's Army in Hungary But see the Copy of the Letters themselves TO thee our Friend Collonitz Health and Greeting I suppose that you yet remember the Propositions concerning Peace which our Sovereign and most mighty Monarch not long ago caused to be opened and propounded unto you by certain of his Bassaes near unto Strigonium which as then remained not resolved But if now it shall seem unto you good that we should assemble our selves together into some place of Assurance both to the one side and to the other we may again conferr about that Business as hâ—ving on my part full Power and Commandment from my Prince so to do yet with Charge That
all the Dogs and Cats Mice and Rats that they could get fell to eating of dead Horses and the loathsome Carrion of other hunger-starved Beasts It is reported also That one man should eat another and that at Hermanstat a Woman having six Children did among them eat one another until they were at length all six devoured and to the contrary that two men did eat their own Mother yea Thieves and other Malefactors hanged for their Villanies were by the poor and miserable hungry People cut down from the Gallows and devoured the People generally living upon nothing but upon the Roots of Weeds green Herbs and the leaves of Trees For remedy of which so extream Miseries it was on all Parts agreed That a General Assembly of the States of the whole Province should be holden at Dewa wherein it was accorded That all Hostility set apart the Gentlemen of Transilvania having by their Rebellion forfeited both their Lives and Lands should be pardoned their Lives with three fourth Parts of their Lands reserved unto them and that for ready Money they might of the Emperour redeem the fourth part also But concerning the Moveables of such as were dead in the time of these Troubles and already confiscate unto the Emperour they should so remain and that they should pay their Dismes or tenth part of their Wine and Fruits unto the Emperour And farther That there should be no farther exercise of Religion permitted unto them but only the Romish Religion and that thâ— Towns of Cronstadt and Clausenburg should within the space of three Weeks pay the one twenty thousand Dollars and the other eight thousand and the Magistrates of those Towns should deliver the Keys of their Towns with all their Power into the hands of the Emperour's Lieutenant and that the Gentlemen of these Towns which would not be accounted in the number of the Rebels should for the safety of their Persons take Letters of Pardon for their Rebellion of the General of the Army This Pacification gave some little time of breathing unto this poor distressed Country which bared of all strength and as it were upon the Graves brink had now but even the last Gasp to give and the Country People began again to give themselves unto their wonted Labours in hope at length to reap the profit thereof themselves but alas all in vain for why the ravening Souldiers inured to Prey after their wonted manner made havock and spoil of all things leaving nothing unto the poor Country-man but his labour for his Pain and time enough to bewail his manifold and remediless Miseries the Causes whereof were the Nobility and Gentlemen themselves who not liking to be governed or rather as they took it oppressed by the Germans and having not upon any desire that they had of Peace but rather by necessity inforced yielded unto the Pacification aforesaid ceased not still under-hand to incite the Souldiers ready enough of themselves to do mischief and in what they might to trouble the Government of the State by the Germans being unto them as they accounted of them but Strangers All which their doings Basta the Emperour's Lieutenant well perceiving caused three of the greatest of the Gentlemen of the Country and whom he most suspected to be the Authors of these Troubles to be apprehended and fast mured up betwixt two strong Walls in an old ruinous Monastery whither their Friends afterwards coming to have visited them and finding them starved to death were therewith much abashed as were also other their Complices assoon as they heard thereof But leaving them to work themselves farther Troubles let us again return unto the Turks Affairs Now was all the hope of Peace betwixt the Christians and the Turks become desperate the Turks making thereof no more account seeing that according to their Desire they had provided Alba-Regalis Agria and Buda of their necessary Provisions They had in four Waggons put into Agria the Pay due unto their Garrisons so that their Affairs being now in good estate and their Courages revived they began to scoff and jest at our Credulity to believe that they had had any purpose to conclude upon any thing that was not agreeing with their Profit how far soever it were differing from their Honour or from their Faith so that now these faithless men began again to renew their wonted Incursions and Pillages upon the Christians with all other manner of Hostility and that in more cruel manner than ever before and our Hussars on the other side well requited them with the like being as well contented as they with these manner of doings their whole Fortune depending upon the points of their Weapons and ever ready to the Service of their Prince for their Pay Now it fortuned that fourscore of the Turks going forth to seek for Booty chanced to meet with certain of these Hussars who finding themselves too weak to encounter with our men and betaking themselves to flight were certain of them taken Prisoners and so brought unto the General unto whom they upon Examination confessed That the Turks much marvelled at the Simplicity and Foolishness of the Christians to believe that they were desirous of Peace and not to have discovered their so manifest Intentions to the contrary tending only to the pleasuring of themselves and the annoying of them their Enemies to the strengthning of themselves and destruction of the Christians as by Proof it appeared so soon as their Desires were accomplished unto the prejudice of their Enemies and that their young Emperour was always against this Treaty of Peace whatsoever shew he had made to the contrary constrained thereunto by the Victories and Conquests of the Persian King all his Wishes and Desires aiming at no other mark than at the general Ruine of Christendom Our Garrisons also seeing themselves charged by the Turks took up Arms likewise and requited them with like Outrages as they did They of Pappa and Vesprinium were the first which began these Broils after the Treaty of the Peace who having joyned their Forces together and making head toward Alba-Regalis met with a number of Turks driving of Sheep and Cattel thither whom they surprised and together with their Cattel carried them away with them Prisoners Which good hap was seconded with the Liberty of twenty Christian Prisoners from Buda who one night seeing their Keepers oppressed with Sleep and with Wine cut their Throats and so happily escaped over the River to Pesth Now while these Troubles betwixt the Christians and the Turks after the Treaty of Peace broken off thus began again in Hungary the Turks beside the Rebellion in Asia were together by the Ears in the Province of Bosna Zellaly having by force joyned with Policy driven Zeffer Bassa as is aforesaid out of Bosna and possessed himself of that Province thought himself now sure enough within the strength of his Government although he being by the great Sultan sent for to Constantinople had
his Penitence and return to Obedience The approach of these two great Personages near to Constantinople made much noise and rumor in the City some blamed the weakness of the Government for accepting an Enemy unto Favour and that the crowning of his Rebellion with Rewards was to encourage others in the like Practices The Vizier was also murmured against for leaving the Army and the War contrary to the Royal Command by such as were emulous of his Greatness But as Envy is converted into Veneration and ceases as Smoke doth when it is blown up by the Flame of Success and Glory so those who were emulous of these Persons submitted to all obsequious Offices towards them and dissembling their Malice went to meet them as far as Scutari that they might add to their Train and Equipage and help at the Solemnity of their Entrance All People now cast their Eyes on the Vizier and Abassa as the two great Men of this Age the first was esteemed for his dexterous and successful management in bringing over Abassa to his Submission and Obedience for though he was not famed much for his great Feats of Arms yet this Reconciliation of Abassa was accounted a Master-piece of Policy and better Seâ—â—vice than a Victory Abassa also drew the Eyes of the People who crowded to see so great a Captain that could contend with the Port and put all Asia into Disturbance and in conclusion could make the same Arms serve his Master which had lately before given a check and stop to all the Ottoman Force The Vizier was the first introduced to the Royal Presence where being graciously received he was presented with a Vest of Sables and a Cemiter set with Jewels Abassa was afterwards admitted and having performed his Obeisance by touching the Ground with his Forehead after their fashion he declared That he never was other than a faithful Vassal to the Sultan and that he had taken up Arms for his sake that he might subjugate the insolence of the Janisaries and with their Blood revenge the Death and sacrifice to the Ghost of his murdered Brother Osman that they might learn to reverence their Princes for the future learn to know how sacred the Blood is of their Soveraign The Grand Signior seemed kindly to accept this Apology and as a Token thereof bestowed three Vests upon him which was a treble Honour of that kind and made him Pasha of Bosna on which employment he immediately entred And though when such offices are bestowed it is commonly the custom for that Person who is invested in the Employment given to kiss the Sleeve of the Grand Signior publickly by way of Thanks Yet lest such Demonstration of Honour should ill affect the Eyes of the Janisaries and cause murmuring and repinings amongst the most envious of the Souldiery his last Audience was designed privately and his Dispatch procured in more secret and familiar manner and therefore more obliging than was usual To yield some assistance to the present growing Charges of the Empire the Vizier imposed a heavy Tax on the Christians and Jews on the first it was levied with all severity but the Jews found more favour by their Arts and secret management of Affairs for they are a People of some Authority and Power in Turkie they are cursed by particular Persons but caressed by the generality they are Slaves in all Countries and yet acquire somewhat of Mastership and Propriety they are Vagabonds and yet every Country is their own they cannot buy Lands and yet daily increase their Fortunes they multiply in abundance because they all marry and are not destroyed by Wars they are great Confidents of the Turks and Enemies to the Christians In short Covetousness in Constantinople is like a publick Courtisan to whom the Jews are the Panders and Ruffians The Grand Signior passing one day through the Streets year 1629. unhappily met with the Ambassador of the Prince of Transylvania who because he did not immediately descend from his Horse in token of Reverence he caused him and his whole Family to be imprisoned but being afterwards excused by the Chimacam to have only been a matter of inadvertency his Omission was pardoned and so released from his Restraint The Souldiery having for a long time been governed by a loose and gentle hand continued their licentious way of living committing many outrages on the Merchants and Inhabitants of Constantinople against which many Decrees having been published and Proclamations made without any effect or notice of the Souldiery the Vizier was unwilling to dally longer and therefore taking a Spahee and a Janisary hanged them up and cut off their Heads and with such course and method of Severity he so abated the haughty Stomachs of the Souldiers already mortified by the assumption of Abassa into favour that they began to yield unto Command and to behold their Rulers with an eye of Respect as those which were seated in some degree above themselves for till now there was scarce a common Janisary but who thought himself to be the Creator or Elector of his General and therefore to be little inferior to him in Power and Dignity And as this Vizier was severe towards the Souldiery so he demeaned himself with equal rigour towards the Pasha's and Grandees of the Court which though it was an Humor in the Vizier at that conjuncture laudable and necessary yet it procured him such enmity as removed him at a distance and caused him to be sent into Persia to command the Army and by that means to expose him to the hazard and difficulties of doubtful Success in a dangerous War. The Vizier being departed the Grand Signior appeared in publick on Horse-back together with his Brother by his side an unusual sight amongst the Turks But the Queen-Mother who in absence of the Vizier ruled much commanded that it should be so The Grand Signior had this Year a Son born which caused great rejoycing at Constantinople because there were few Males at that time surviving of the Ottoman Line but scarce was the Festival ended before the Child died But let us now for a while withdraw our Discourse from the Wars of Persia and look to the Actions in Poland and Transylvania Mehmet the late King of Tartary who was so displeasing to the Port as we have already related was now dead to whom succeeded a Kinsman of his called Iembeg Gheray universally pleasing and acceptable to that People This new King to demonstrate his Prowess and to act something acceptable to the Port dispatched forty thousand Horse into Podolia and Russia to sack and ravage the Country which dividing themselves into several Parties made their Incursions as far as Socal But in the mean time the Polonians and Cossacks having formed a strong Body of Horse under the Command of Stephen Chmieleskie met them at their return near to Burstinow where they gave them a total overthrow And in like manner Stanislauâ— Lubomiskie encountred another Party and
Marquess Villa presented him with a Bason of Gold valued at six thousand Ducats together with a Patent recounting at large the many famous Exploits which he had performed in their Service which they expressed with a stile so generous and obliging as may serve for a Record to transmit the Fame of his Merits to all Posterity Marquess Villa being departed from Candia the Captain-General recalled all his Forces from divers parts of the Archipelago which he had sent thither with the Soldiers wounded in the last Battle and being returned they brought with them great numbers of Pioniers and Workmen to labour in the Fortifications and Mines at the same time also the Captain-Pasha arrived at Canea bringing two thousand Janisaries withhim The Marquess St. Andrea Montbrun a Gentleman of the French Nation was transported to Candia by the General Proveditor Cornaro where being entred into the Charge and Office of Marquess Villa wanted nothing of the vigilance and circumspection of his Predecessour And therefore in the first place having visited all the Forts Out-works and Retrenchments of the Town ordered what was necessary for repair of the breaches and amended what was deficient in the most distressed Fortifications And though the Turks fired a Mine the 22 th of August at the point of the Fort St. Andrea which made a most dangerous breach yet it was so valiantly defended and so speedily repaired that the Enemy gained little or no advantage and all by the extraordinary diligence of this Marquess St. Andrea who passed whole months without uncloathing himself and as his nights were without sleep so his days consumed without repose applying himself personally to all places where was most of danger especially at the Fort of St. Andrea where he took up his constant Quarters The Turks now daily pressing the Town more nearly than before Skirmishes and Sallies were more frequent and more bloody so that about this time the Proveditor General Bernardo Nani applying himself with all earnestness in the performance of his Charge was slain by a Musket-shot in his head his death was much lamented by all being a Gentleman who was born as may be said in the Fleet having had his Education there and passed his youth in Wars and dangers for the safety and honour of his Country Girolamo Bataglia was elected by the Republick to succeed him in the Office whose death was also seconded by that of Francesco Bataglia Brother of the Duke of Candia being shot in the breast with a Musket-bullet and though he was sent thither to administer Justice to the People yet his zeal and courage carrying him to Martial Acts beyond his duty made a grave for him amongst the other Heroes and Worthies of that place The Turk approaching daily nearer with their Works infested very much the passage of Vessels to the Town and shot so directly into the Port that no Ship Galley or Bark could remain in any security from their Cannon to remedy which a small Redoubt was raised at Tramata which being well and strongly fortified served for a small Port under the shelter of which the lesser Vessels found some protection and was of great relief to the distressed City About this time the Popes Gallies with those of Malta arrived commanded by Fra. Vincenzo Rospigliosi the Popes Nephew who having not brought a greater number of people than what served to man their Gallies they were not able to spare many for defence of the Town The long continuance of this Siege and the same thereof noised through the whole World moved the heroick and gallant Spirits of our Age to descend into this Campus Martius this Field of War and give proofs of their Prowess and Valour in defence of the Christan Cause some being moved by a principle of vain-glory proceeding from the briskness of a youthful and aery Spirit and others from the sense of Devotion and fervour towards Religion amongst which none were more forward than some Gentleman of the French Nation as namely Monsieur La Fueillade alias Duke of Roanez with the Count St. Paul a young Cavalier to forward which design taking first the Licence and Benediction of their King they appointed their Rendezvous at Tolon where they listed two hundred Gentleman Cadets or younger Brothers who went in quest of Honour and not of Pay with four hundred ordinary Souldiers who expected their maintenance from the bounty of their Leaders The chief of whom was Monsieur La Fueillade and his Lieutenant the Chevalier De Tresmes Their whole Body was divided into four Bridgades The first commanded by Count St. Paul. The second by the Duke Dâ— Cardâ—â—ousse The third by the Count De Villa Maur. And the fourth by the Duke De Cheateau Tiery When these Persons of Honour and Courage arrived at Candia they found the City hardly beset and reduced to a strait and difficult condition for the Turks were advanced so near to the Fort of St. Andrea that the Souldiers within and without could cross their Muskets and reach Tobaco one to the other howsoever this breach was so well repaired with a good Palissado fortified with several Bonnets and a double Retrenchment on the Bastion it self and a third Retrenchment of squared stone withal that the courage of the Besieged being nothing abated by the many and furious assaults of the Enemy the Town still remained in a defensible posture and still capable with good Succours and Supplies to yield matter of imployment for several years to the Ottoman Forces These worthy Champions as I said being arrived moved with the sense of Religion and desire of glory to themselves challenged the priviledge of mounting the Guard of St. Andrea but that being already prepossessed by the Knights of Malta and other Officers of the place was refused to them Howsoever the Captain-General Morosini was pleased to gratifie them with the Guard of a small Chapel over that Bastion on the right hand of the breach a place of no less danger and therefore of no less honour than the other with which the Cavaliers being satisfied Monsieur St. Paul mounted the Guard one day at six a clock in the morning and continued there â—â—til the same hour of the day following during which time he lost his Major Dupre and Monâ—ieur De Marenval the latter of which had his brains knocked out with so violent a blow of a great shot that some pieces of his skull dangerously wounded the Sieurs De Chamilly and De Lare who were near to him and more maliciously did the Turks ply the stations of these new-come Guests than any others throwing Bomboes Granadoes Stink-pots and other sorts of artificial Fire without cessation into their Quarters notwithstandiug which this young Prince and Monsieur La Fueillade exposed themselves like common Souldiers animating their men more with their example than their words And now by this time by so many Works and removals of Earth by so many Traverses and Mines under ground and throwing up the
not read any Authour which hath given a satisfactory account of such Sects as are sprung up amongst them in these latter and modern times It is a common opinion that there are seventy two sects amongst the Turks but it is probable there are many more if the matter were exactly known and scanned The Turkish Doctours fansie that the seventy two Nations which they call Yesmish â—kee Molet into which the World was divided upon the Confusion of the Languages of Babel was a Type and a Figure of the divisions which in after-Ages should succeed in the three most general Religions of the World. In this manner they account seventy different Sects among the Jews seventy one amongst the Christians and to the Mahometan they assign one more as being the last and ultimate Religion in which as all fulness of true Doctrine is compleated so the Mystery of iniquity and the deviation of mans judgment by many paths from the right rule is here terminated and confined The Turks have amongst themselves as well as in other Religious Sects and Heresies of dangerous consequence which daily increase mixing together with them many of the Christian Doctrines which shall in their due place be described and in former times also a sort of Fanatick Mahometans which at first met onely in Congregations under pretence of Sermons and Religion appeared afterwards in Troops armed against the Government of the Empire So one Scheiches Bedredin Chief Justice of Musa Brother to Mahomet the Fifth King of the Turks after the death of his Master was banished to Nice in Asia where consulting with his servant Burgluzes Mustapha by what means they might raise Sedition and a Second War they agreed the readiest course was by broaching a new Sect and Religion and by persuading the people to something contrary to the ancient Mahometan superstition Whereupon Burgluzes masking his villany under a grave and serious countenance took his journey into Aydinin othewise Caria where he vented Doctrines properly agreeing to the humours of the people preaching to them Freedom and Liberty of Conscience and the Mystery of Revelations and you may believe he used all arts in his persuasions with which Subjects used to be allured to a Rebellion against their Prince so that in a short time he contracted a great number of Disciples beyond his expectation Bedredin perceiving his Servant thrive so well with his Preaching fled from his place of Exile at Nice into Valachia where withdrawing himself into a Forest like a devout Religious man gathered a number of Proselytes composed of Thieves Robbeâ—s and Out-lawed people these he having instructed in the principles of his Religion sent abroad like Apostles to preach and teach the people that Bedredin was appointed by God to be the King of Justice and Commander of the whole World and that his Doctrine was already embraced in Asia The people taken with these Novelties repaired in great numbers to Bedredin who conceiving himself strong enough to take the Field issued from his desâ—rt with Colours displayed and an Army well appointed and fighting with his deluded multitude a bloudy Battel against those Forces which Mahomet sent to suppress him under his Son Amurath the deluded Rebels were overthrown Bedredin taken Prisoner and his pretences of Sanctiâ—y and Revelation were not available to save him from the Gallows And thus we see that the name of God's cause revelations liberty and the like have been old and common pretences and delusions of the World and not onely Christians but Infidels and Mahometans have wrote the name of God on their Banners and brought the pretence of Religion into the Field to justifie their cause CHAP. X. Of the two prevailing Sects viz. Of Mahomet and Hali that is the Turk and the Persian the Errours of the Persian recounted and confuted by the Mufti of Constantinople THE two great Sects among the followers of Mahomet which are most violent each against other the mutual hatred of which diversity of Education and Interest of the Princes have augmented are the Turks and Persians The first hold Mahomet to have been the chief and ultimate Prophet the latter prefer Hali before him and though he was his Disciple and succeeded him yet his inspirations they esteem greater and more frequent and his interpretations of the Law most perfect and Divine The Turk also accuses the Persian of corrupting the Alchoran that they have altered words misplaced the Comma's and Stops that many places admit of a doubtfull and ambiguous sense so that those Alchorans which were upon the Conquest of Babylon brought thence to Constantinople are separated and compiled in the great Seraglio in a place apart and forbidden with a Curse on any that shall read them The Turks call the Persians Forsaken of God abominable and blasphemers of the Holy Prophet so that when Selymus the First made War in Persia he named his Cause the Cause of God and proclaimed the occasion and ground of his War to be the Vindication of the cause of the Prophet and revenge of the blasphemies the Persians had vented against him and so far is this hatred radicated that the Youth of what Nation soever is capable of admittance into the Schools of the â—eraglio excepting onely the Persian who are looked upon by the Turk as a people so far Apostatized from the true Belief and fallen into so desperate an Estate by a total corruption of the true Religion that they judge them alâ—ogether beyond hopes or possibility of recovery and therefore neither give them quarter in the Wars account them worthy of life or slavery Nor are the Persians on the other side endued with better nature of good will to the Turks estranging themselves in the farthest manner from their Customs and Doctrines rejecting the three great Doctours of the Mahometan Law viz. Ebbubecher Osman and Omar as Apochryphal and of no Authority and have a Custome at their Marriages to erect the Images of those three Doctours of Paste or Sugar at the entrance of the Bridal Chamber on which the Guests first casting their looks leave the impression of any secret Magick which may issue fâ—om their eyes to the prejudice or misfortune of the Married Couple for in the Eastern parts of the â—orld they hold that there is a strange fascination innate to the eyes of some people which looking attentively on any as commonly they do on the Bridegroom and the Bride in Marriages produce macerations and imbecillity in the body and have an especial quality contrary to procreation and therefore when the Guests are entred having the Malignity of their eyes Arrested on these Statues they afterwards cut them down and dissolve them And that it may the more plainly appear what points of Religion are most controverted amongst them and what Anathema's and Curses are by both sides vented each against the other this following sentence passed by the Mufti Esad Efendi upon Schah Abbas Tutor to the King of Persia called Sari Halife and all the Persians will
the commandment of his Brother Selymus strangled 542 b. Achomates the great Bassa appeaseth the Souldiers up in Arms for the unworthy death of Mustapha 516 a. his miserable end 517 a. Achmat the great Sultan crowned 837 b his disposition 839 a. sick of the small pox 845 a. contemneth good counsel ib. b. his first son born 857 b. seeketh in vain to make peace with the Persian 881 a. makes Gambolat General of his Army into Asia and suddenly commandeth him to be slain 897 a. his extreme severity 905 b. beats his Sultana 907 b. in danger to be slain by a Deruice 908 a. cometh in state to Constantinople 912 a. admonisheth the Transilvanians to obey Gabor 920 b. commands all the Christians to be slain 933 b. entertains four Armies 942 b. his death and disposition 943 b. Adom Castle abandoned by the Haiducks 820 b. Agria in vain besieged by the Turks 511 b yielded unto Mahomet the Third 767 a. Aladin the son of Kei-Husreu of the Selzuccian Family driven out of Persia seiseth upon Cilicia 54 a. Aladin his Modesty about the division of his Father Othomans Inheritance and Goods with his Brother Orchanes 125 a. Aladin the Caramanian King hanged 144 a. Aladin Amurath's eldest Son slain with a fall from his Horse 197 a. Alba-Regalis yielded to King Ferdinand 472 b. besieged by Solyman 500 a b. the lake and ditches with incredible labor filled up by the Turks ib. b. the suburbs won ib. b. the miserable slaughter of the Christians in their â—light 501 a. yielded unto Solyman 501 b. besieged by Duke Mercurie 793 a. the suburbs of the City surprised by Lord Russworm ib. b. the City taken by the Christians ib. b. besieged by the Turks 799 b. terribly assaulted 800 a. won by the Turks ib. b. Alba-Regalis the suburbs by the Christians sacked and burnt 820 a. Aladeules his Kingdom 353 a. the battel betwixt him and Selymus ib. b. he flyeth into the Mountains ib. b. taken by Sinan Bassa and brought to Selymus is put to death 354 a. his head sent to Venice for a present and his Kingdom brought into the form of a Province ib. a. Albuchomar discovereth unto Selymus the power of Tomombeius and the treason intented by them of Caire 372 a. Aleppo in Syria betrayed and taken from the Christians by Saladin Sultan of Damasco 43 a. by the Tartars taken from the Turks and by them sacked and rased 79 b. by Cayerbeius the Traitor delivered to Selymus 361 a. Alessandro the Georgian submitteth himself unto Mustapha 660 b. Alexius the great President of Constantinople committed to Prison 32 b. his Eyes put out by the commandment of Andronicus ib. b. Alexius Comnenus otherwise called Prophyrogenitus succeedeth his Father Emanuel in the Empire 30 b. by the practice of Andronicus is deprived of his Empire and strangled 35 b. Alexius the young Prince craveth Aid of Philip the Emperour and the Latine Princes against his Vncle the Vsurper 54 a. cometh to the Army of the Christian Princes going towards the Holy Land 55 a. arriveth with a great fleet of the Latins before Constantinople ib. b. taketh land and after a hot skirmish forceth the old Tyrant Alexius to â—lie out of the City ib. b. seeketh to bring the Latins again into the City 56 b is betrayed and strangled by Murzufle 57 a. Alexius Philantropenus by Andronicus the Emperour made Governour of the frontiers of his Empire in Asia against the Turks 103 a aspireth ib. b. betrayed hath his Eyes put out ib. b. Alexius Strategopulus with a small power sent into Graecia by the Emperour Michael Palaeologus by the treason of two Greeks taketh the City of Constantinople from the Latins 80 b. 81 a. Alexander proclaimed Prince of Moldavia 930 a. sendeth Ambassadors to Sultan Achmat ib. a. another to Prince Michna 931 a a third to Bethlem Gabor ib. b. 800 of his Souldiers slain by their hosts for their Insolency 932 b. he receiveth new Aids some whereof are defeated 932 b. 933 a. treacherously forsaken by his General 936 b he and his confederates invironed by the Turks Army 937 b. taken Prisoner and carried to Constantinople 938 b. Algiers described 486 a. in vain besieged by Charles the Emperour ib. a. Aliculi Chan taken 668 a. in hope of liberty conducted Hassan Bassa through the straight passages of Georgia ib. b. cast in prison at Erzirum ib. b. escapeth from Ferat 685 b. by the Persian King to the great discontentment of the Turcomans made Governour of Tauris 686 a. killeth the Bassa of Maras and doth the Turks great harm and so flieth from Tauris 698 b. conspireth with Abas Mirize against the Persian Prince 704 a. being by the Prince sent against the Turks performeth nothing 705 a. Alis Bassa with a great Army overthrown by Scanderbeg 196 b. Alis Bassa sent by Bajazet with an Army ouâ— of Europe against Techellis slain 323 a. Alis Beg and his four Sons treacherously slain by Ferat Bassa 404 b. Alis Bassa of Buda by the commandment of Amurath strangled 706 b. Alis Beg Governour of Strigonium coming down into the lower Town is there stayed by the Ianizaries 748 a. his resolute answer unto the Message sent him from the Lord Palfi 750 a. slain with a great shot 757 a. Almericus Earl of Joppa after the death of his Brother Baldwin chosen the sixth King of Jerusalem 39 a. with a puissant Army entereth Egypt and in plain battel overthroweth Dargan the Sultan ib. a aideth Sanar the Sultan against Saracon Noradins General whom he overthroweth in Egypt ib. b. taketh Alexandria 40 a. winneth Pelusium ib a. dieth 41 a. b. Aloysius Grittus the Duke of Venice's Son sent by Solyman as his Lieutenant into Hungary to oversee King John 426 a. contemned by Americus causeth him to be murthered 427 b. besieged by the Transilvanians 428 a. taken and beheaded ib. b. the great Riches found about him ib. b. Alphonsus King of Naples sendeth aid unto Scanderbeg 252 a. with Alexander Bishop of Rome craveth aid of Bajazet the Turk against Charles the French King 307 a. Alphonsus resigneth his Kingdom of Naples unto his Son Ferdinand 309 a. Alphonsus Daualus Vastius Lieutenant-General of the Emperour's Land-forces in his Expedition for Tunes 441 a. his Speech unto the Spanish Captains 443 b. commandeth the Emperour 448 a. with Hannbaldus sent Ambassadors from the Emperour and the French King to the State of Venice for a confederation betwixt that State and them to be made against Solyman 468 a. his Oration in the Venetian Senate the Answer of the Duke the Senators diversly affected towards the Confederation 466 b. Alteration of Religion in the Greek Church the cause of great troubles 100 b. Althems Regiment in mutiny 841 a. Altensol yielded to the Hungarian Rebels 873 a. Amesa with his Turks overthrown and taken prisoner by Scanderbeg 249 a. Amesa employed by his Vncle Scanderbeg for the recovery of Croia out of the hands of the Turks 183 b
them would be a like inconvenience Wherefore upon return of the Grand Seignior last year unto Constantinople the Boza-Housekeepers made their Addresses to the Vizier for a Dispensation with the Sultan's Decree and License to sell Boza publickly as before the Kaja boldly enters into a Treaty and concludes with them for sixty Purses which so soon as the Grand Seignior was departed were paid and the License given and the Cape or Chief of that Trade was with Ceremony vested by the Chimacam who came also into a share of the benefit But this matter could not long remain a Secret before it was made known to the Sultan by the contrary Faction to the Vizier who having the good fortune to have Kara Kaja his Friend then present when the Complaint was made at which he observing the Grand Seignior to grow very angry immediately interpos'd in behalf of the Vizier excusing him as ignorant in the matter and that none was guilty therein besides Hassan the Vizier's Kaja who was the sole Actor and Contriver of the Offence The Grand Seignior who had always been constant to his prime Minister was willing to see him cover'd with such a screen and without farther delay Sign'd a Command to take off the head of the Kaja which was dispatch'd away by the Salahor or Chief of the Querries belonging to the Stables Kara Kaja a very bad Man who was Friend to the Vizier dispatch'd with all expedition this Advice unto him which he having receiv'd and fearing lest his Kaja should be carried away alive to the Grand Seignior and betray the whole truth of their Combination not staying for the Command immediately order'd him to be strangled It was early in the Morning when the Letter came and at the same moment the Vizier sent for Ali Aga who had been Talkishgee to the late Vizier that is the Officer who carries Messages to the Grand Seignior and then Agent at the Port for the Tartar Han and bid him go to Hassan Kaja and take his Place Ali Aga surpriz'd and confus'd with this direction went as he was order'd and whilst he was speaking to Hassan and telling him that he did not well understand the Vizier's Pleasure in came the Master of the Ceremonies with a Vest with which after the Turkish fashion he Cloathed Ali Aga bidding Hasâ—an to retire into the inward Chamber where being entred two lusty Arnouts who were selling Cimnels in the Streets were brought up and order'd to strangle him the Cord was thrown down before him which seeming stiff and not prepar'd to slip easily he desir'd his Executioners to make use of his own Girdle But before he dy'd he instantly urg'd that it might be permitted him to see the Vizier to whom he had many things of Importance to Communicate But it would not be granted and as the Cord was putting about his neck he Cursed the Vizier saying these last words O Treacherous World now I know thee Being a strong Man he was long in dying and some few hours after his Execution being observ'd to move the Vizier order'd the Principal Gaoler to watch him until he was Enterr'd And so was the Grand Seignior's Sentence forestal'd for he was in his Grave before that arriv'd After his death the next thing was to ransack his Houses where great Riches were found both in Furniture Clothing Jewels and Money he had four hundred and twenty Horses in his Stables to the Meri or Exchequer fifteen hundred Purses of his Money were brought but his Houses and Lands were assign'd to pay his Debts all which he had gain'd in the space of three years In one of his new Houses he had enclosed forty thousand Chequins within a Wall which his Steward discover'd and that he had murther'd the poor Masons whom he had employ'd in the Work. When this Vizier was Chimacam as he was for several years this Man was once his Kaja but he was so shameless a Villain that his Master drubb'd him and turn'd him out of his Service Howsoever being now Vizier and knowing that he had need of such an Instrument he took him again into the same Office and calling to Mind that when he was Pasha of Silistria in the time of Old Kuperlee he sav'd himself by cutting off another Kaja he reserv'd this Rogue for the same purpose The new Kaja was a much better Man and therefore little confided in by the Vizier and consequently made no great Figure at his Court his Chief Confident now was the Reis-Effendi or Principal Secretary by whose hands all Treaties and Negotiations pass'd In short by these Arts and Means the Vizier kept up his Credit with his Master and in despight of the Faction which was against him he stood firm on his Basis such was the favour and constancy of the Sultan to his prime Ministers On the twenty third of November Caplan Pasha who had for some years been Capitan Pasha and of whom we have had occasion to make mention often in our former History died at Smyrna being grown almost to a Dotage he had just such another Kaja as the Vizier had who miserably pillag'd and oppress'd the poor Islanders in the Archipelago from whom he extorted two hundred Purâ—es such another Sum would totally have ruin'd them A Page of the Grand Seignior's who was Selictar-Aga or Sword-bearer succeeded in the great charge of Capitan-Pasha or High Admiral of the Naval Forces he was a Creature of the Viziers and Born in the same Town with him by whom his Party was strengthen'd against the contrary Faction At this time the Vizier was meditating a War against the Emperor but having differences with Poland and Moscovy on his Hands as yet not decided there being neither an open War nor a declar'd peace as yet with either he resolved so soon as possible to bring Matters unto an Accommodation with them both And having made Peace with all the World and super-induced a calmness over the Face of all the Ottoman Empire he might then have a pretence to break out into a new War against the Emperor to which tho' he might meet an aversion in the Grand Seignior for the Causes before mention'd and in the Mufti and Viziers of the Bench upon the Truce which wanted Two years of being expir'd yet having such a favourable conjuncture of Affairs to offer than which nothing could be more inviting he assur'd himself that he should prevail with the Grand Seignior and his Chief Ministers and herein he missed not his aim for laying before them the Successes of the Malecontents in Hungary who were powerful and strong and had of themselves worsted the Emperor's Forces in all their Battels and Skirmishes And that these People declar'd their intentions to throw off their Obedience and Allegiance to the Emperor and offer'd themselves Subjects and Tributaries to the Grand Seignior on the easy and reasonable Condition only of affording them his Assistance and granting them his Protection So that to let slip this
he capable of any for when any thing was propounded to him He answered Yes or No or with some very short Reply after the manner of Laconick brevity and then presently turned away to read the Alchoran He was at first reputed after the manner of his Father to be impotent as to Women but afterwards taking five or six into his Embraces he gave the World cause to conceive another Opinion of him He sat as aukwardly on Horse-back as his Father that Exercise being uneasie to him his chief Divertisements were his Books which we may believe he ill understood and sometimes taking the Air on the Water and in Chiosks or Garden Houses on the side of the Bosphorus he passed his pleasant time Yeghen still continued to Ravage the Country between Sophia and Belgrade as his Comrade Yedic that Arch-robber did in Anatolia And the Government being too weak to suppress two such Thieves or Highway-Men how much less was it able to contend with the German Troops They were forced to dissemble and give way to the present Extremities by making Yeghen Seraskier in Hungary whilst Hassan Pasha was forced to give way and fly privately out of the reach of his Competitor The News hereof flew with great hast to the Thieves in Anatolia who being encouraged with the Success of Yeghen under whose Government they all fancied to be made Pashas or Grandees came over in great numbers to joyn with him Amongst which one Temac Boluckbashee a leading Man with Four hundred of his Robbers passed boldly over from Asia to Constantinople and Yedic their General was not only pardoned but made a Pasha To this hard Plight and Extremity was the Ottoman Empire reduced when the Turks placing their greatest hopes in the Tartars dispatched away an Aga to Apafi Prince of Transilvania with a Patent to confirm him in his Principality and with Orders to demand of him in consideration thereof a round Sum of ready Money wherewith to Succour and pay the Garrisons on the Boristhenes and to provide for the Maintenance of Caminiec which was in want of Ammunition and all things necessary And to persuade Apafi hereunto he told Stories very improper and unfit to compass his ends for he rehersed all the Tumults of the Zorbas at Constantinople and that the Grand Seignior was forced to create Yeghen who was their Chief and Leader to be Seraskier in Hungary That in Constantinople there was want of every thing even to a Famine caused by the Seditions and Mutinies of the Soldiers and that for the appeasing these Tumults and for the Donative unto the Soldiers which is usually given by the Sultans at their Inauguration the Exchequer had been drained of Twenty Millions of Dollars wherefore he urged the States of Transilvania to grant him his Demands in failure of which he threatned them with the Incursions of the Tartars who had already passed the River Prut and were enter'd into the Neighbouring Provinces where they had left sad Marks of their cruel and miserable Devastations And that Sultan Galga and Noradin with a mighty Army were marching to oppose the Emperors designs upon Belgrade General Carafa having notice of these Practices upon Transilvania went with all hast thither and in a short time not only defeated this Aga in his Negotiations but also so well disposed Apafi and the States of Transilvania with entire Devotion to the Emperor that in despight of the Message brought by the Aga they absolutely renounced all Obedience and Duty to the Ottoman Port The which Renuntiation follows in this manner We Michael Teleky de Szek General George and Alexius de Bethlem Laodislaus Szekel of Boroszeno Valentine Frank one of the Iudges Christian Zato Consul of the City of Hermanstadt Counsellors to the Illustrious Prince of Transilvania As also Nicholas of Bethlem Stephen Appor Peter Alvinzy and John Starosy Principal and publick Notaries Michael Filstrick Iudge of the City of Braslavia Plenipotentiaries deputed by the Prince aforesaid and by the States of the Kingdom of Transilvania do hereby declare and make known unto all the World desiring that these Presents may remain upon Record for a lasting Testimony unto all Ages With great Reason may this present Age remain astonished and envious Eyes become dazled with the Splendor of the Divine Clemency which not suffering its beloved Christendom to Groan longer under the Yoak of Barbarous Pride nor remain in Bonds to Tyrannical Servitude nor longer to be overwhelmed and drowned after so many Wars in a Sea of Innocent Blood hath at length out of his great Compassion been pleased to exert the strong Power of his Omnipotent Arm to Rescue so many Kingdoms and Provinces from an unsupportable Slavery under the Turks who transported with senseless Fury had rendered themselves formidable to the World ruinous to their Neighbours and Despisers of all People besides their own But behold How the God of Hosts being justly displeassed with these vain Boastings hath thrown his Thunder-bolts amongst them and dispersed them making the most August Emperor Leopold the First an Instrument of his Vengeance and having showred Flouds of Blessings on his Glorious and Triumphant Arms hath encompassed his Royal Head with Wreaths of Victorious Laurel whilst the Ottoman Throne is dressed up with Mournful Cipress Such were the astonishing operations of the Divine Power made manifest to all the World. For when the barbarous Tyranny was in its full Career and was in the Trail of a hot Scent after Christian Blood then was God pleased to stop them in their Course and reduce their unstable and depressed Fortune to the doubtful Terms of Hope and Fear It is now near an Age that unhappy Transilvania hath been depressed by the unsupportable Ottoman Yoak and bewailed the loss of her lawful King and Lord And after having been Turmoiled tossed with Storms of War with Fire and Sword and Civil Dissentions all things have been so confused and defaced that scarce any thing hath remained on the Registers of it's ancient Glory only since the Dominion of the Turk gained by the intestine differences of it's own Princes some Memorials are written and reserved to represent to the World a History of a most direful Tragedy But now the maligne Influence of the Stars being either abated or entirely exhausted and the Ambitious Pride and Designs of private Men defeated Transilvania embraces the Paternal and Powerful Protection of the most August Emperor of the Romans Leopold the First and Hereditary King of Hungary and of all his Successors and particularly of the most Serene Prince Joseph King of Hungary whose Life may God long continue and of his Heirs after him according as it hath been concluded and agreed in the year 1687 at the last Diet at Possonium with full Consent Approbation and Concurrence of all the States of Hungary who have for a long time poured out their Prayers and Tears and Sighs before God that at length through the Divine Mercy they might
Prusa besieged by Othoman Michael Cossi turneth Turk Alteration of Religion in the Greek Church Persecution in the Greek Church for matters of Religion Andronicus spariâ—g to maintain his Navy weakneth his Empire Immoderate bounty in great men dangerous Alexius Philanthropenus aspireth Libadarius opposeth himself against the proceedings of Philanthropenus Andronicus the Greek Emperor reposing more trust in foreign aid than in his own Subjects greatly hurteth his State. Ronzerius what he was Ronzerâ—us for want of pay spoileth the Emperors Subjects Ronzerius slain The Turks first called into Europe by the Catalonians The Turcopuli The unfortunate battel of Michael the Emperor against the Catalonians and Turks Cassandria The Catalonians shut out of Macedonia A notable stratagem of the Catalonians The Turks divided into two Factions The unfortunate battel of the Emperor Michael Paleologus with the Turks in Chersoneâ—us Thracia spoiled by the Turks Philes Paleologus requesteth of the Emperor that he might go against the Turks The Battel betwixt Philes and the Turks The Turks overthrown The causâ—s of the decay of the Greek Empire Syrgiannes his craâ—ty Seditious Speech unto young Andronicus Young Andronicus cometh secretly armed to his Grandfather Thracia revolteth unto Andronicus Articles of agreement betwixt the old Emperor and his Nephew The Greek Empire in Europe divided whilst the Grecians are at discord amongst themselves Othoman layeth the foundation of the Turks Empire and the other other Turks incroach upon them also The Island of the Rhodes was by the Knights Hospitalers recovered from the Turks in the year 1308. Andronicus the old Emperor seeketh for Counsel of the Psalter as of an heavenly Oracle and so seeketh to make peace with his Nephew Psal. 68. vers 14. A treacherous meeting The young Emperor sendeth Embassadors unto his Grandfather The Speech of the young Emperor to his Grandfathers Embassadors The Speech of the old Emperor unto the Patriarch and the rest of the Bishops and Nobility concerning the young Emperor his Nephew The Patriarch with divers of the Bishops conspire against the Emperor Thessalonica yielded unto the young Emperor Constantinople bâ—â—râ—yed unto the young Emperor The pitiful Supplication of the old Emperor to his Nephew Niphon incenseth the young Emperor against his Grandfather The old Emperor becometh blind Andronicus the old Emperor against his will made a Monk and called Anthony The notable answer of the old Emperor to the catching question of the proud Patriarch The death of the old Emperor The Turks Kingdom founded by Othoman in Asia at such time as the Greek Emperors were at variance betwixt themselves in Europe Prusa yielded unto the Turks The death of Othoman Othoman buâ—ied at Prâ—sa The wealth that Oâ—homan leâ—t unto his two Sons Orchanes and Aladin when that barbarous manner of murthering their Brethren first began among the Turkish Sultans The City of Nice with divers other Castlâ—s recovered from the Turks after the death of Othoman The Emperor wounded The City of Nice surprised by the Turks Abydus besieged by the Turks Nicomedia yielded unto Orchanes Orchanes remoueth his Court to Nice Orchanes invadeth the Country of Carasina The Country of Carasina yielded unto Orchanes The Castle of Maditus tâ—â—en by the Tâ—rks The death of Solyman Bassa Orchanes his eldest Son. The death of Orchanes Amurath succeedeth his Father Orchanes in the Turkish Kingdom Didymotichum yielded unto the Turks Hadrianople yielded unto the Turks Rhodestum surprised by the Turks Hadrianople thâ— Royal Seat of the Tâ—rkish Kings in Europe Boga taken by Amurath and recovered again and rased by the Christians Boga new built by the Turks Amurath invadeth Servia Nissa taken by the Turks Appolonia won 〈◊〉 the Turks Amurath and Aladiâ— prepare themselves for War. The death of Chairadin Bassa The great battel in the plains of Caramania betwixt Amurath and Aladin Aladin flieth to Iconium Iconium besieged by Amurath Lazarus the Despot by his Embassador craveth aid of the King of Bosna Amurath marrieth the Emperor of Constantinoples daughter The Castle of Sarkive with the City jâ—yning unto it taken by thâ— Christians and rased Lazarus slain Amurath slain Amurath buried at Prusa Bajazet invadeth Servia Servia the second time invaded by Bajazet Thessalia invaded by Bajazet Constantinople eight years besieged by Bajazet Constantinople the second time besieged by Bajazet Bajazet marrieth Despina the fair Daughter of Lazarus the Despot Temurtases Bâ—jazet his great Lieutenanâ— in Asia taken Prisoner by Aladin the younâ— King of Caramania Amasia yielded unto Bajazet Sebastia delivered to Bajazet Bajazet invadeth Isfendiar Prince of Castamona The Mahometan Princes of Asia oppressed by Bajazet disguised flie unto Tamerlane for aid Tamerlâ—ne his opinion concerning the diversity of Religions The base opinion some have concerning the Birth and Rising of Tamerlane Tamerlane honourably descended The cause why some have reported him to have been a Shepherd or Herdsman Tamerlane marrieth the Daughter and Heir of the great Cham of Tartary Prince Axalla in great credit with Tamerlane The number of Tamerlanes great Army Sebastia besieged by Tamerlane Sebastia yielded to Tamerlane A Shepherd more happy than Bajazet The Prince of Ciarcan dealeth politickly with the Forerunners of the Turks Army The great and mortal Battle betwixt Bajazet and Tamerlane The Prince of Ciarcaâ— slain The Turks overthrown Bajazet and his Son Musa taken Prisoners Bajazet 〈◊〉 bâ—sâ—e Tamerlane with his Pride Bajazet like a Beast shut up in an Iron Caâ—e Solyman set up in his Fathers steaâ— Prusa taken by â—â—â—lle Tamerlane goeth to Constantinople Tamerlane much delighted with the pleasures of Constantinople A great Battel fought betwixt the Sultan of Egypt and Tamerlane Damasco won by Tamerlane Tamerlane cometh to Jerusalem Damiata taken by Axalla Tamerlane marcheth towards Caâ—er Caier besieged by Tamerlane Caier assaulted by Tamerlane The Sultan flieth from Alexandria Tamerlane desirous to return into his Country The miserable death of Bajazet A comparison betwixt Bajazet and Tamerlane Bajazet in his Posterity more fortunate than Tammerlane Divers opinions concerning the Successors of Bajazet The true Posterity of Bajazet Mahomet Gâ—vernor of Amasia Mahomet â—â—ndâ—â—h Spies into Tamerlane his Camp. Cara Dulet slain Mahomet his 〈◊〉 to Inaâ—l Ogli the Tartar Prince Inall Ogli his answer to Mahomet Inall Ogli overthrown by Mahomet Mahomet his Speech to Tamerlanes Embassador The great power Tamerlane continâ—ally kâ—pt The death of Tamerlane The description of Tamerlane Mahomet goeth against his Brother The answer of Isa to Mahomet his Offers The body of Bajazet honourably buried at Prusa Good counsel Isa with a great army sent by his Brother Solyman into Asia against Mahomet Prusa burnt by Isa. Isa flieth into Caramanâ—a and there dieth in obscurity The Castle of Prusa besieged by Solyman Musa marrieth the Prince of Valachia his daughter Musa in the absence of Solyman received at Hadrianople as King. Musa goeth against Solyman Solyman flieth Solyman strangled by his Brother Musa This Solyman is that same whom some call Celebinus and other some Calepinus and reckon
to have chosen in his room some other Captain of Valour and Discretion but seeing he would needs make choice of the fame unfit man he was not now to blame any other for his Errour but only himself As for his coming to Constantinople it was a thing long before thought most needful not only for his advice how the matter of Peace might be brought to some good pass but also because if that treaty came not to the desired issue then he had to talk with him how he might compass the overthrow of his Enemy which thing as yet he had no fit time to declare unto him but was now ready to reveal it if it were so his Pleasure Wonderfully was Amurath grieved with this sullen answer when he conâ—idered that a slave of his own should so arrogantly and manifesâ—ly reprove him of folly and improvidence Notwithstanding being desirous to know of him what that secret and important matter was which he had to reveal unto him for the easie compassing of his commenced Enterprise he dissembled his discontentment conceived against him and commanded him to disclose those his Devices which he had to utter Sinan in brief of all his Advices propounded these two things first his Counsel was not to proceed in this War as they had hitherto done by seeking with Forts and Foâ—tresses to hold and keep the Enemies Countries for that their Treasures were not able to yield such store of Money as was sufficient for the maintenance of so many and so great Garrisons contrary to the Opinion of Mustapha of late dead who with great pertinacy had perswaded that dangerous chargeable and difficult manner of War. His second Advice was that the true means to bring this War to the wished end consisted especially in the Resolution of Amurath himself who if he would go in Person and against so mighty a King oppose the Person of a King then might he most assuredly promise unto himself all speedy and honourable Victory for that at the only name of his coming the Persians would easily come to any Agreement or if not he might then proceed in his Wars and so obtain most glorious Conquests This his Advice so little pleased the effeminate King that instead of the great Opinion he before held of him he now conceived an envious affection against him and a further suspition fostred by the great Ladies of the Court especially Amuraths Mother That Sinan had thus Counselled the King himself to go in Person not for any good could come thereof but only that so he might find means for the Prince his Son to make himself King and to drive out his Father Which suspition was in such sort nourished in the Mind of Amurath especially being assured of the great affection which the Prince carried towards Sinan and he likewise towards him that he resolved to rid him out of his sight and so depriving him of all charge presently banished him the Court and out of Constantinople to Demotica a City of Thrace from whence afterwards he by most humble Supplication obtained to be removed to Marmara a little beyond Selymbria And into his place of Visiership was preferred Sciaus Bassa who had married Amurath's Sister an Hungarian born a goodly Personage and of honourable Judgment but above all men a seller of Justice and Preferments and yet a great friend to the Peace with the Christian Princes which Sinan had always most wickedly maligned The Persian Captains in the mean time with their Spoils year 1582 and divers of their Enemies Ensignes were with great Joy received at home in Persia but when the Discord that fell out between Mahamet Bassa and Mustaffa the Georgian was also reported the former Joy was redoubled every man being of Opinion that thesâ— Discords might be great impediments unto 〈…〉 further attempts into Persia which it was 〈◊〉 they would the next year attempt to the 〈…〉 of Nassivan and Tauris Upon which 〈◊〉 the Persian King perceiving that he could not have a fitter Opportunity to imploy himself against Abas Mirize his Son then with him in disgrace determined with himself to leave the matters on this side of his Kingdom in their present state and to march toward Hâ—ri whereunto he was earnestly sollicited by his elder Son Emir Hamze Mirize but especially by Mirize Salmas his Visier Upon which Resolution committing the defence of Reivan Nassivan and that side of his Kingdom to Emir Chan Governour of Tauris he set forward himself with his Army towards Casbin and so marching through divers Provinces arrived at length at Sasuaâ— being on that side the chief of all the Cities subject to the Jurisdiction of Heri which City he took by force and without delay caused the Governour thereof to be beheaded although he alledged a thousand excuses for himself and objected a thousand Accusations more against the seditious Visier The King after this departing thence and having also put to death certain Captains and Sultans that were accused by the Visier to be Confederates in the Rebellion of his Son he arrived at last at the desired City of Heri Very strong is this City by Scituation compassed about with a good Wall and watered with deep Channels of running Springs conveyed into it by Tamerlane their Founder or Restorer beside that there was in it many valiant Captains Enemies to Mirize Salmas ready to lay down their Lives in defence of themselves and of Abas their Lord so that the winning thereof could not but prove both long and difficult As soon as the King approached the City he felt in himself many troubled Passions arising of Grief and Pity it grieved him to think that he should beget so graceless a Son who instead of maintaining his State and Honour should seek his Ruine and Destruction it grieved him also to remember the Blood of his Subjects before spilt upon so strange an occasion and scarcely durst he enter into the Cogitation thenceforth to shed any more of the Blood of his People Nevertheless being still more and more sollicited by his Visier he attempted to understand the mind of his Son and if it might be possible to get him into his hands But whiles the King travelling with these thoughts lay with his Army before Heri Abas Mirize in the mean time writ divers Letters to his Father and to his Brother wherein he besought them That they would make known unto him the Occasion of this their stir for if desire of Rule had moved them to seek the deprivation of him being their Son and Brother from the Honour he lawfully possessed and which his Father himself procured for him of his Grandfather Tamas they ought to abandon their Imagination for that he was always ready to spend his Wealth and his Blood together with his Estate in their Service and acknowledged his Father to be his good Father and King but if they were not induced hereunto for this cause but by a desire to revenge some trespasses that he
had committed to the Prejudice of the Crown of Persia or his Fathers Honour he was most ready to submit himself to any amends and with all reason to yield unto them the Kingdom yea the whole World and even his own Life the rather to satisfie their Minds with a more full Contentation With twice and thrice reading over were these affectionate Letters considered and digested and at last both the Father and the Brother perceiving in them such liberality of Words and overcome with Pity or if not with Pity yet with great admiration and contentment they determined to put the matter in practise and moderating their desire of revenge to attempt the reducing of the young mans Mind to some good pass Whereupon they wrote back unto him That no greedy deâ—ire to usurp his Government had induced them to make so great a Voyage to trouble so much People and to shed such abundance of Blood but only his disobedience and presumption in that he had caused himself to be called the King of Persia and had not sent so much as one Captain to aid them in the late Wars against the Turks Glad was Abas the young Prinâ—â— whâ—n he understood the Accusations that were laid against him hoping to make it manifest before all men how the King and his Brother were misinformed in these particularities and therefore incontinently did write back unto them That if they would faithfully promise him honourably and without any outrage to receive his Ambassadors he would send unto them such evident matter and so clear Information touching those his Accusations as that they should not only clearly perceive that there was never any such kind of thought in him but also that he had always desired and laboured the contrary and would moreover open unto them such matter as in respect of other men and not of himself might cause their coming to prove profitable and commodious to all the Kingdom of Persia. Which his request they both solemnly promised faithfully to perform being very desirous to understand what those strange Novelties should be Whereupon Abas Mirize sent unto them two of his chief Counsellors men of great account and reverence both for Years and Wisdom with full Instructions who after many Speeches in the end swearing according to their custom by the Creator that spread out the Air that founded the Earth upon the Deeps that adorned the Heaven with Stars that poured abroad the Water that made the Water and briefly of nothing brought forth all things swearing by the head of Ali and by the Religion of their Prophet Mahomet that such perverse thoughts never entred into the head of Abas Mirize they alleged many Testimonies and manifest Proofs that most loyally in all due time as well when he was advanced to the Kingdom of Persia as also in his Battels against the Turks his Son had always caused devout Prayers and Supplications to be made to God for his Prosperity neither ever desired to hear any other but happy and fortunate success of him They brought with them a thousand and a thousand Precepts and loyal Letters which the young man had caused to be written as occasions required to the Governours that were his Subjects for the Government of the State wherein he never named himself King of Persia but only Your King and Governour of Heri They prayed the King also to cause a diligent Process to be framed against his Son and if there should be found in him any sign or shadow of so wicked a suspition then to take from him his Estate and Liberty offering themselves to remain as Hostages for him But when all this should be done and Abas found altogether free from these unjust Accusations then falling even to the Earth and kissing it they besought him and as it were conjured him not to leave the matter thus imperfect to the Prejudice of his Blood but returning to his Counsellor to take information likewise upon what mind and consideration he had advised the King to take upon him this unorderly and dangerous Voyage where no doubt he should find nothing in him but malignant ambitious and wicked Affections and such an even deserved that with his Blood there should be revenged all the Blood of those which till that hour had been brought to their unworthy and undeserved Deaths And for as much as nothing remained whereof the Visier had informed the King against his Son but the commandment that was given by Abas Mirize to the Governours under him That they should not go to the Wars against the Turks they confessed in Truth that such an order was taken but not to that wicked and traiterous end and purpose as was reported to the King by his great Counsellor but only in respect of an Invasion justly feared in those quarters by the Tartarian Iesselbas who by divers inrodes had already done great harm in the Country about Heri and put young Abas and his Counsellors in such a fear that they durst not disfurnish their Cities of their Guards and Forces and therefore had commanded the said Governours not to go to war against the Turks but to stay and expect further direction And that all this was by writing signified unto the Visier himself which he of a malicious mind had concealed only to try if in these common troubles he could bring to pass that Abas Mirize and the King might be taken away and Emir Hamze succeed in his place and so he himself remain the Superintendent of his Son-in-Law and Moderator of that most famous Kingdom Of which so treacherous a purpose they for all that thought Emir Hamze the young Prince altogether ignorant knowing his honourable Disposition and Love towards his own kindred but imputed it only to the immoderate and ambitious desire of the wicked Traitor Mirize Salmas Of these grave Speeches of the Ambassadors Mahamet the Father by nature credulous began to make great Construction and deeply to consider of their so earnest and important requests which seemed unto him so upright and equal as that he could not chuse but hearken unto the same And therefore calling unto him the Governours the Captains the Judges and Treasurers of all the Cities that were subject to Heri he demanded of them how and in what sort they esteemed of Abas Mirize and in what degree of Honour he desired to be esteemed of them and of them all received one answer That they held him for their Lord and Lieutenant to the King of Casbin and that he himself had always desired to be so taken and thought of for proof whereof every one of them brought in divers Letters Precepts and Orders wherein he never caused himself to be honoured with any other Title but only Your King of Heri He demanded further Whether any such Wars were attempted by the Tartarian Iesselbas or not whereof he received a large and solmen Information that so it was to the great detriment of all those Territories And thus the King