written by me as meaning in any thing to preiudice thy better iudgement but to leaue it to thy good choice in such diuersitie of reports to follow that which may seeme vnto thee most true By which courtesie thou maiest hereafter encourage me to performe some other worke to thy no lesse contentment So wishing thee all happinesse I bid thee farwell From Sandwich the last of September 1603. Thine in all dutifull kindnesse R. KNOLLES The names of the Authors whom we especially vsed in the collecting and writing of the Historie of the Turks following ABrahamus Ortelius Achillis Traducci Aeneas Syluius Pont. Alcoranum Turcicum Antonius Sabellicus Antonius Bonfinius Antonius Pigafetta Antonius Guarnerius Augerius Busbequius Bernard de Girard Blondus Foroliuiensis Caelius Secundus Curio Dauid Chytreus Franciscus Sansouinus Henricus Pantaleon Iacobus Fontanus Ioannes Leunclauius Laonicus Chalcocondilas Lazarus Soranzi Leonardus Chiensis Leonardus Goretius Marinus Barletius Martinus Chromerus Nicephorus Gregoras Nicetas Choniates Nicholaus Honigerus Nicholaus Reusnerus Paulus Iouius Philippus Lonicerus Petrus Bizara Sebastianus Monsterus Thomas Minadoi Theodorus Spanduginus Germanicae Continuationes Relationum Historicarum Andreae Strigelij Theodori Meureri Iacobi Franci THE GENERAL HISTORIE OF THE TVRKES BEFORE THE RISING OF THE OTHOMAN FAMILIE WITH ALL THE NOTABLE EXPEDITIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN PRINCES AGAINST THEM THE glorious Empire of the Turkes the present terrour of the world hath amongst other things nothing in it more wonderfull or strange than the poore beginning of it selfe so small and obscure as that it is not well knowne vnto themselues or agreed vpon euen among the best writers of their histories from whence this barbarous nation that now so triumpheth ouer the best part of the world first crept out or tooke their beginning Some after the manner of most nations deriue them from the Trojans led thereunto by the affinity of the words Turci Teucri supposing but with what probabilitie I know not the word Turci or Turks to haue beene made of the corruption of the word Teucri the common name of the Trojans as also for that the Turks haue of long most inhabited the lesser ASIA wherein the antient and most famous citie of TROY sometime stood No great reason in my deeming yet giue the authors thereof leaue therewith to please themselues as well as some others which dwelling much farther off borrow or rather force their beginning from thence without any probabilitie at al and that with such earnestnesse as if they could not elsewhere haue found any so honourable ancestours Othersome report them to haue first come out of PERSIA and of I wot not what citie there to haue taken their name neither want there some which affirme them to haue taken their beginning out of ARABIA yea and some out of SYRIA with many other far fet deuises concerning the beginning and name of this people all seruing to no better purpose than to shew the vncertaintie thereof Amongst others Philip of MORNAY the noble and learned Frenchman in his woorthy worke concerning the truenesse of the Christian religion seemeth and that not without good reason to deriue the Turks together with the Tartars from the Iewes namely from the ten Tribes which were by Salmanazar king of ASIRIA in the time of Oseas king of ISRAEL caried away into captiuitie and by him confined into MEDIA and the other vnpeopled countries of the North whose going thither is not vnaptly described by Esdras where among the great Hords of the Tartars in the farthest part of the world Northward euen at this day are found some that still retaine the names of Dan Zabulon and Nepthaly a certaine argument of their discent whereunto also the word Tartar or Tatar signifying in the Syrian tongue remnants or leauings and the word Turke a word of disgrace signifying in Hebrew banished men seemeth right well to agreee Besides that in the Northern countries of RVSSIA SARMATIA and LYTHVANIA are found greater store of the Iewish nation than elsewhere and so neerer vnto the Tartarians still the mo whereunto Io. Leunclauius the most curious searcher out of the Turks antiquities and monuments addeth as a farther conjecture of the discent of those barbarous northern people from the Iewes That in his trauell through LIVONIA into LYTHVANIA in the countrie neere vnto the metropoliticall citie of RIâ—A he found there the barbarous people of the Lettoes quite differing in language from the other countrey people of the Curons and Estons no lesse barbarous than themselues who had alwaies in their mouths as a perpetuall lamentation which they with doleful moanes daily repeated abroad in the fields Ieru Ieru Masco Lon whereby they were thought to lament ouer IERVSALEM and DAMASCO as forgetfull of all other things in their antient countrey after so many worlds of yeeres and in a desolat place so far distant thence And Munster in his description of LIVONIA repeating the like words reporteth That this rude people being demaunded what they meant by these words so often and so lamentably by them without cause vttered answered That they knew no more than that they had beene so of long taught by their ancestors But to leaue these opinions concerning their beginning so diuers and vncertaine and to follow greater probabilities as concerning the place from whence they came it is vpon better ground thought by diuers others and those of the best historiographers That this barbarous nation which hath of late brought such fatall mutations vpon so great a part not of Christendom onely but euen of the whole world tooke their first beginning out of the cold and bare countrey of SCYTHIA induced thereunto both by the authoritie of the greatest Cosmographers as by most apparant reasons Pomponius Mela the describer of the world reckning vp the people neere vnto the great riuer TANAIS the bounder of EVROPE from ASIA Eastward amongst others maketh expresse mention of the Turks in these words Geloni vrbem ligneam habitant Iuxta Thyrsagete Turceque vastas syluas occupant alunturque venando Tum continuis rupibus late aspera deserta regio ad Arympheos vsque permittitur The Geloni inhabit a citie of wood And fast by the Thyrsagets and Turks possesse the vast forrests and liue by hunting Then a rough and desart countrey with continuall rocks is spaciously extended euen as far as vnto the Arympheians Plinie also in like manner reckning vp the nations about the fennes of MaeOTIS agreeing with that Mela reporteth saith Deinde Euazae Cottae Cicimeni Messeniani Costobocci Choatrae Zigae Dandari Thussagetae Turcae vsque ad solitudines saltuosis conuallibus asperas vltra quos Arymphet qui ad Riphaeos pertinent montes Next vnto them are the Euazae Cottae Cicimeni Messeniani Costobocci Choatrae Zigae Dandari the Thussagets and Turks vnto the desarts rough with wooddie vallies beyond whom are the Arympheians which border vnto the Riphean mountaines And Ptolomie in the description of SARMATIA ASIATICA maketh mention of the Tusci whom many
learned men suppose to haue been the same nation with the Turks Vnto which antient testimonies of reuerend antiquitie adde the manners and conditions of the Turks their antient 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 persuade him in reason that the Turks haue vndoubtedly 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 beene no lesse 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 naturall seats in the cold countrey of SCYTHIA to seeke themselues others in more pleasant and temperat countries more Southerly than it hath beene of their originall beginning Blondus and Platina report them enforced with a generall want to haue forsaken their natiue countrey and followed their better fortune in the yeere 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 yeere of grace 844 by the straits of the mountaine CAVCASVS whereas the other with greater probabilitie suppose them to haue come foorth by the Caspian straits which the Turks also as saith Sabellicus affirme of themselues their ancestors as they say being by their neighbours driuen out of the Caspian mountaines Some others there be that report them to haue forsaken their natiue countrey neither enforced thereunto by necessitie or the power of others but for their valour sent for by the Sultan of PERSIA to aide him in his wars vnaduisedly supposing that to have beene the cause of their first comming out which in deed hapned long time after as in the processe of this historie shall appeare But whatsoeuer the aforesaid causes of want or of the enemies power might enforce them vnto a greater power no doubt it was that stirred them vp euen the hand of the Almightie who being the author of all kingdomes vpon earth as well those which he hath appointed as scourges wherewith to punish the world as others more blessed will haue his worke and purpose full of diuine majestie to appeare in the stirring of them vp from right small beginnings in the increasing establishing of their greatnesse and power to the astonishment of the world and in the ruine and destruction of them againe the course of their appointed time once runne As for the difference of the time of their comming foorth before remembred it may reasonably be referred vnto the diuers emotions of that people who being not vnder the command of any one but of their diuers gouernours as the manner of that people was are not to be thought to haue come foorth all at once either for one cause but at diuers times some sooner some later and that for diuers causes This people thus stirred vp and by the Caspian ports passing thorow the Georgian countrey then called IBERIA neere vnto the Caspian sea first ceased vpon a part of the greater ARMENIA and that with so strong hand that it is by their posteritie yet holden at this day and of them called TVRCOMANIA of all other the most true progenie of the ancient Turks In which great countrey they of long vnder their diuers leaders in the manner of their liuing most resembling their ancestors roamed vp and downe with their families and heards of cattell after the manner of the Scythian Nomades their countrey men without any certaine places of aboad yet at great vnitie among themselues as not hauing much to loose or wherefore to striue The first kingdome of the Turks erected in Persia by Tangrolipix Chieftaine of the Selzuccian family with the successe thereof THis wandring and vnregarded people but now the terrour of the world thus first seated in ARMENIA long time there liued in that wide countrey after their rude and woonted manner from which the Turcoman nation their posteritie in that place euen at this day as we said much differeth not and not onely notably defended the countrey thus by them at the first possessed but still incroching farther and farther and gaining by other mens harmes became at length dreadfull vnto their neighbours and of some fame also farther off whereunto the effeminat cowardise of those delicate people of ASIA with whom they had to do gaue no lesse furtherance than their owne valour being neuerthelesse an hardie rough people though not much skilfull or trained vp in the feats of war The fame of these Turks togither with their fortune thus daily encreasing and the mightie Empire of the Sarasins as fast declining which vnder their Chaliphes the successors of the false prophet Mahomet hauing in lesse than the space of two hundred yeeres ouerspread not onely the greatest part of ASIA and AFRIKE euen vnto GADES and the pillers of Hercules but also passing ouer that strait had ouerwhelmed almost all SPAINE and not there staying but passing the Pyrenei had pearsed euen into the heart of FRANCE and diuers other parts of Christendom as namely ITALY SICILY the famous Iland of the RHODES with many others of the MEDITERRANEAN now diuided in it selfe and rent into many kingdomes turned their victorious armes from the Christians vpon one another to the mutuall destruction of themselues their empire Amongst other the Sarasin Sultans which forgetting their obedience vnto their great Chaliph tooke vpon them the soueraigntie of gouernment 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 Chaliph of BABYLON his mortall enemie praied aid of the Turks his neighbours who were now come even to the side of ARAXIS the bounds of his empire Vnto which his request the Turks easily granted in hope therby to find a way for them afterwards to enter into PERSIA and so sent him three thousand hardie men vnder the leading of one Togra Mucalet the sonne of Mikeil a valiant captaine and cheefe 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 aide of this Tangrolipix for now we will so call him as by the name most vsed Mahomet the Persian Sultan ouercame Pisasiris the Chaliph of BABYLON his Arabians being not able to endure the force of the Turkish archers This war thus happily ended the Turks desiring to returne home requested of the Sultan leaue to depart and with a safe conuoy to be conducted vnto the riuer ARAXIS and there to haue the passage of that swift riuer opened vnto them which was by the Persians strongly kept by two castels built vpon each
two wings so that all his spearemen were in the right wing and the archers and carbines in the left in the maine battaile stood the Ianizaries with the rest of the footmen On the otherside Achomates hauing no footmen deuided his horsemen into two wings also Whilest both armies stood thus raunged expecting but the signall of battaile a messenger came from Achomates to Selymus offering in his masters name to trie the equitie of their quarrell in plaine combat hand to hand which if he should refuse he then tooke both God the world to witnesse that Selymus was the onely cause of all the guiltlesse bloud to be shed in the battaile and not he whereunto Selymus answered that he was not to trie his quarrell at the appointment of Achomates and though he could be content so to doe yet would not his soldiors suffer him so to aduenture his person and their owne safetie and so with that answere returned the messenger backe againe to his master giuing him for his reward a thousand aspers Achomates hauing receiued this answere without further delay charged the right wing of his brothers armie who valiantly receiued the first charge but when they were come to the sword and that the matter was to be tried by handie blowes they were not able longer to endure the force of the Persian horsemen who being well armed both horse and man had before requested to be placed in the formost rankes by whose valour the right wing of Selymus his armie was disordered and not without great losse enforced to retire backe vpon their fellows Which thing Selymus beholding did what he might by all meanes to encourage them againe and presently brought on the left wing with their arrowes and pistols in stead of them that were fled and at the same time came on with the Ianizaries also who with their shot enforced Achomates his horsemen to retire Achomates himselfe carefully attending euery danger with greater courage than fortune came in with fresh troupes of horsemen by whose valour the battell before declining was againe renewed and the victorie made doubtfull but in the furie of this battell whilest he was bearing all downe before him and now in great hope of the victorie Canoglis with his Tartarian horsemen rising out of ambush came behind him and with great outcries caused their enemies then in the greatest heat of their fight to turne vpon them at which time also the footmen standing close together assailed them afront and the horsemen whom the Persians had at first put to flight now moued with shame were againe returned into the battaile so that Achomates his small armie was beset and hardly assailed on euery side In fine his ensignes being ouerthrowne and many of his men slaine the rest were faine to betake themselues to flight Where Achomates hauing lost the field and now too late seeking to saue himselfe by flight fell with his horse into a ditch which the raine falling the day before had filled with water and myre and being there knowne and taken by his enemies could not obtaine so much fauour at their hands as to bee presently slaine but was reserued to the farther pleasure of his cruell brother Selymus vnderstanding of his taking sent Kirengen the same squint-eyed captain which had before strangled Corcutus who with a bow string strangled him also His dead bodie was forthwith brought to Selymus and was afterwards by his commaundement in royall manner buried with his ancestours in PRVSA Now Amurat Achomates his sonne vnderstanding vpon the way by the Persian horsemen who serred together had againe made themselues way through the Turkes armie of the losse of the field and the taking of his father returned backe againe to AMASIA and there after good deliberation resolued with his brother to betake themselues both to flight he with the Persian horsemen passing ouer the riuer Euphrates fled vnto Hysmaell the Persian king but Aladin the younger brother passing ouer the mountaine AMANVS in CILICIA fled into SIRIA and so to Campson Gaurus the great Sultan of AEGYPT After this victorie Selymus hauing in short time and with little trouble brought all the lesser ASIA vnder his obeisance and there at his pleasure disposed of all things determined to haue returned to CONSTANTINOPLE but vnderstanding that the plague was hot there hee changed his purpose and passing ouer at CALLIPOLIS and so trauelling through GRECIA came to HADRIANOPLE where hee spent all the rest of that Summer and all the Winter following and afterward when the mortalitie was ceased returned to CONSTANTINOPLE where it was found that an hundred and threescore thousand had there died of the late plague Hysmaell the Persian king whose fame had then filled the world hearing of the arriuall of Amurat sent for him and demaunded of him the cause of his comming The distressed young prince who but of late had lost his father together with the hope of so great an empire now glad for safegard of his life to flie into strange countries oppressed with sorrow by his heauie countenance and abundance of teares more than by words expressed the cause of his comming yet in short strained speech declared vnto him how that his father his vncle with the rest of his cousins all princes of great honour had of late beene cruelly murdered by the vnmercifull tyrant Selymus who with like furie sought also after the life of himselfe and his brother the poore remainders of the Othoman familie who to saue their liues were both glad to flie his brother into AEGYPT and himselfe to the feet of his imperiall majestie Hysmaell moued with compassion and deeming it a thing well beseeming the greatnesse of his fame to take the poore exiled prince into his protection and to giue him releefe willed him to be of good comfort and promised him aid And the more to assure him thereof shortly after gaue him one of his owne daughters in marriage For it was thought that if Selymus for his tyrannie become odious to the world should by any means miscarie as with tyrants it commonly falleth out that then in the Othoman familie sore shaken with his vnnaturall crueltie none was to be preferred before this poore prince Amurat besides that it was supposed that if hee should inuade him with an armie out of PERSIA that vpon the first stirre all the lesser ASIA mourning for the vnworthie death of Achomates would at once reuolt from him who for his crueltie and shamefull murthers had worthely deserued to bee hated together both of God and man Wherefore in the beginning of the Spring Hysmaell furnished Amurat his new sonne in law with ten thousand horsemen willing him to passe ouer the riuer of Euphrates at ARSENGA and to enter into CAPADOCIA as well to make proofe how the people of that countrey were affected towards him as of the strength of the enemie after whom he sent Vsta-Ogli the most famous cheefetaine amongst the Persians with twentie thousand horsemen moe with
souldiours in defence of the common Christian cause so much preuailed with the princes of the empire and the embassadours of the free estates that they highly commended his forwardnesse and all other matters for that time set apart agreed all with one consent at a prefixed day to send vnto VIENNA such warlike forces as they had in any time before set forth for the defence of the Christian religion and the majestie of the empire Whereupon he wrot vnto Alphonsus Vastius his lieutenant Generall in ITALIE and one of the greatest captaines of that age that he should without delay call together the old captaines and to leuie so many companies of harquebusiers as they possibly could and with them and the Spanish souldiors to repaire forthwith vnto him into AVSTRIA He also enjoyned Andreas Auria his admirall that hee should with like diligence rig vp a strong fleet of gallies and marchants ships and to goe against the Turkes nauie into GRaeCIA At the same time he sent for his choise horsemen out of BVRGVNDIE and the low countries and many noble gentlemen and old soldiours out of SPAINE for the guard of his owne person he entertained twelue thousand Germanes such as had longest serued in his warres in ITALIE ouer whom commaunded Maximilian Herbersthene and Tamisius both famous captaines At the same time Clement the seuenth then bishop of ROME although his cofers were greatly emptied by the late Florentine warres which had cost him ten hundred thousand duckats yet to make some shew of his deuotion in so dangerous a time with the great good will he bare vnto the emperor after he had with greeuous exaction extorted from the cleargie a great masse of money whereunto his rich cardinals contributed nothing as if it had been a thing vtterly vnlawfull for them in so good a cause to haue abated any jot of their pontificall shew in the court of ROME sent the young cardinall Hyppolytus Medices his nephew being then about twentie yeares of age a man indeed fitter for the warres than for the church as his legate vnto the emperour accompanied with mo good captaines than cleargie men and his cofers well stuffed with treasure whose comming to RATISBONE was vnto the emperour and the Germanes very welcome for besides that hee was a young gentleman of very comely personage and exceeding bountifull he entertained for those warres besides the companie he brought with him eight â—housand Hungarian horsemen of all others best acquainted with the Turkish warres King Iohn vnderstanding that the formost of Solymans great armie were come as farre as SAMANDRIA in SERVIA thought it now a fit time to wring from king Ferdinand such townes as he yet held in HVNGARIE wherefore he sent Aloisius Grittus whom Solyman had left as a helper for his estate to besiege STRIGONIVM which is a citie of HVNGARIE situat vpon the side of Danubius about thirtie miles from BVDA the castle whereof was at that time holden with a strong garrison of king Ferdinands whereunto for all that Grittus laid such hard siege both by the riuer and by land that the defendants doubting how they should bee able to hold out especially if Solyman should take that in his way as it was most like he would sent for releefe to Cazzianer a warlike captaine then gouernour of VIENNA and generall of all king Ferdinand his forces by whose appointment certaine small frigots were sent downe the riuer of Danubius from POSSONIVM well manned who suddainely setting vpon the Turkes fleet which so kept the riuer that nothing could that way be possibly conueyed either in or out of the castle should by their vnexpected comming open that way but Grittus hauing intelligence thereof by certaine Hungarians which though they serued king Ferdinand made no great account to flie sometime to the one part sometime to the other as best fitted their purpose presently resolued to send his fleet vp the riuer and by his sudden comming to oppresse his enemies in like sort as they had thought to haue done him And the more to encourage his souldiours hee promised great rewards to all such as should performe any extraordinarie peece of seruice in that action and so hauing thorowly furnished all his fleet with good souldiours but especially with Turkish archers sent them vp the riuer to seeke their enemies who fearing no such matter as men surprised with the same mischeefe they had prepared for others were at the first exceedingly dismayed yet considering that they were reasonably well prouided for their comming although they yet wanted such helpe as Cazzianer had appointed to send them they thought it a great shame to flie and therefore putting themselues in order of battell came downe the riuer and with great courage encountred their enemies There began a sharpe and cruell fight many being slaine and wounded on both sides but at last they of POSSONIVM not able longer to endure the deadly shot of their enemies and especially of the Turkish archers who with their arrowes sore gauled both the souldiours and the marriners they turned their backes and fled in which fight of sixtie frigots which came from POSSONIVM onely thirteene escaped with Corporanus the Generall all the rest being either sunke in the fight or els taken by the enemie being run ashore and forsaken by the Possonians trusting more vnto their legs by land than their oares by water Besides this losse of the frigots there was slaine of the Possonians almost fiue hundred After this victorie Grittus hoping that they in the castle of STRIGONIVM despairing now of releefe and fearing the comming of Solyman would not long hold out left off to batter or vndermine the castle wherewith he perceiued he little preuailed purposing by lying still and keeping them in the castle from all releefe to enforce them in time to forsake the place Thus whilst the deuided Hungarians with their owne hands inconsideratly sought one anothers destruction with the ruine of their countrey Solyman the great enemie of all Christians was readie at their backes to deuour both the one and the other as in few yeares after he did Much about this time the old Spanish souldiors in ITALIE drawne together by Vastius as the emperour had before commaunded were come to the Alpes In this campe of one sort of men and other was aboue twentie thousand whereof almost the third part was not seruiceable for the old souldiors enriched with the long warres in ITALIE and the spoile of the rich countrey of LVMBARDIE wherein they had of late beene billited brought with them all their old gotten spoiles and substance not forgetting so much as their women and whatsoeuer els serued their pleasure for carriage whereof they drew after them a great multitude of carriages and vnnecessarie people all which serued for no other vse but for the soldiors pleasure and to consume victuals Which their licentious wantonnesse Vastius desiring to reforme gaue straight commaundement thorow all the campe That they should leaue
downe Euen so with many others moe must perish my renowne R. Knolls THE LIFE OF AMVRATH THE THIRD OF THAT NAME SIXT EMPEROVR OF THE TVRKES THe death of the late emperour Selymus was for feare of the insolent Ianizaries notably concealed by the great Bassaes vntill such time as Amurath his eldest sonne then in ASIA by speedie messengers aduertised thereof about twelue dayes after arriued at CONSTANTINOPLE and there receiued into the Seraglio tooke possession of the empire the fiue and twentith day of September solemne amongst vs Christians for the natiuitie of our Sauiour Christ Iesus He was about thirtie or as some write seuen and twentie yeares old when he began to reigne of a manly stature but pale and corpulent wearing his beard thin and long in his countenance appeared not the fierce nature of the Othoman princes being indeed himselfe of a peaceable disposition a louer of justice and in the manner of his superstition very zealous The roiot and excesse growne amongst the Turks by his fathers euill example he reformed by his owne temperance and the seuere punishment of notorious drunkards yet is it reported that he would oftentimes himselfe drinke plentifully of wormewood wine he was much subject to the falling sicknesse and sore troubled with the stone more spare handed than was for the greatnesse of his state and yeelding more to the counsell of his mother his wife and sister than of his great Bassaes which was of many imputed to him for simplicitie At his first comming to CONSTANTINOPLE to appease the murmuring of the Ianizaries grieued to see themselues so disappointed of the spoyle of the Christians and Iewes which they were wont to take in the vacancie of the empire he beside the vsuall largesse which the Turkish emperours at their first entrance into the empire bestow vpon them augmented also their dayly wages and graunted them this priuiledge That their sonnes as soone as they came to be twentie yeares old should be enrolled amongst the number of the younger Ianizaries and be partakers also of their immunities wherby he woon their fauors exceedingly And immediatly to rid himselfe of all competitours he after the vnnaturall manner of the Turkish policie caused his fiue brethren Mustapha Solyman Abdulla Osman and Tzihanger to be all strangled in his owne presence The mother of Solyman pierced through with the cruell death of her young sonne as a woman ouercome with sorrow desperatly strucke her selfe to the heart with a dagger and so died At which so tragicall a sight it is reported that Amurath let some teares fall as not delighting in such barbarous crueltie but that the state and manner of his gouernment so required In the beginning of his reigne he established diuers wholesome lawes altered the coyne and bountifully relieued the poore And albeit that he was of a mild and peaceable nature yet because he would not seeme to degenerate from the Othoman princes his progenitors he prosecuted his fathers warres and by the Tartars called Praecopenses in the moneth of October in the yeare 1575 entred into RVSSIA part of the Polonian kingdome where he burnt and destroyed two hundred noblemens houses besides an infinit number of townes and villages made great slaughter of the poore countrey people and carried away great numbers of cattell and prisoners bound in thongs made of raw hides But whilest they were deuiding the spoyle with Peter the new Vayuod of VALACHIA who had before solemnely promised to giue the Tartars no passage that way the Polonian Cossackes who had lien waiting for their returne vpon the riuer Borysthenes brake into the Tartars countrey and there requited them with like harme and brought backe with them a number of old captiues who little expected that their so sudden deliuerance The Polonians at this time were at variance among themselues about the election of their new king Henry Valois their late king being the last yeare after the death of Charles his brother the French king secretly stolne from them into FRAVNCE to take vpon him that kingdome after whose departure some of the Polonian nobilitie made choice of Maximilian the emperour othersome no lesse enclining vnto the choice of the great duke of MOSCOVIE and some vnto others also Whereof Amurath vnderstanding and loth that either of those two great princes his enemies should be inuested or strengthened with that so great a kingdome and so neere vnto him to hinder that their election and to bring in another of lesse power and so lesse dangerous vnto himselfe euen in the beginning of his reigne wrote vnto the Polonians to that purpose commending vnto them Stephen Battor the Vayuod of TRANSYLVANIA for their king in manner as followeth Amurath God of the earth Gouernour of the whole World the messenger of God and faithfull seruant of the Great Prophet vnto the most honourable Nobilitie and Counsellors of the kingdome of POLONIA greeting It is not vnto the world vnknowne most honourable and mightie Senatours our noble progenitours to haue of long time and for many yeares holden good friendship and religious leagues with the kingdome of POLONIA For which cause it hath seemed good and reasonable vnto vs to put you in remembrance of this so auntient a league and bond of friendship for that we vnderstand your kingdome to be of late become destitute of a king by the departure of the noble king Henry your crowned king descended of the royall race of the French kings our friend who for the small regard you had of him so great and worthie a prince and for your disloyaltie is departed out of your kingdome without purpose of returning any more into POLONIA Whereupon as it is reported vnto vs but how truly we know not you passing ouer your said crowned king Henry are about to make choice of a nâ—w king and especially of Maximilian the emperour or of the duke of MOSCOVIE both men of running wits and of vs greatly hated for why you may well know they will bee troublesome and grieuous not vnto euery one of you onely but euen vnto vs also Wherefore be you ware that you be not deceiued and take heed least your confederations and leagues cannot long by their valour and prowesse be established and withall consider well the great dangers and losses which you may thereby fall into whereof we haue thought good to giue you a tast wherefore beware that heauier 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 gouerne and if so be it please you not to make choice of any of your owne nation there is not farre from you one Stephen Battor prince of TRANSYLVANIA a man of great honour and valour by whose labour and dexteritie you may easily procure the peace and quiet of your kingdome Whereas if you shall doe otherwise we take to witnesse your God and his seruant our Great Prophet to
the Sarasin Caliphes his seduced successours with greater forces maintained was by them together with their Empire dispersed ouer a great part of the face of the earth to the vnspeakeable ruine and destruction of the Christian Religion and State especially in Asia and Affricke with some good part of Europe also But the vnitie of this great Mahometane Monarchie being once dissolued and it diuided into many kingdomes and so after the manner of worldly things drawing vnto the fatall period of it selfe in processe of time became of farre lesse force than before and so lesse dreadfull vnto the Christian princes of the West by whom these Sarasins were againe expulsed out of all the parts of Europe excepting one corner of Spaine which they yet held within the remembrance of our fathers vntill that by their victorious forces they were thence at length happily remooued also after that they had possessed the same about the space of seuen hundred yeares In this declination of the Sarasins the first champions of the Mahometane superstition who though they had lost much yet held many great kingdomes both in Asia and Affricke taken for the most part from the Christians arise the Turks an obscure and base people before scarce knowne vnto the world yet fierce and courageous who by their valour first aspired vnto the kingdome of Persia with diuers other large prouinces from whence they were about an hundred threescore and ten yeares after againe expulsed by the Tartars and enforced to retire themselues into the lesser Asia where taking the benefit of the discord of the Christian princes of the East and the carelesnesse of the Christians in generall they in some good measure repaired their former losses againe and maintained the state of a kingdome at Iconium in Cilicia now of them called Caramania holding in their subiection the greater part of that fruitfull countrey still seeking to gaine from the Christians what they had before lost vnto the Tartars But this kingdome of the Turkes declining also by the dismembring of the same there slept vp among the Turkes in Bythinia one Osman or Othoman of the Ogâ—zian tribe or familie a man of great spirit and valour who by little and little growing vp amongst the rest of his countreymen and other the effeminate Christians on that side of Asia at last like another Romulus tooke vpon him the name of a Sultan or King and is right worthely accounted the first founder of the mightie Empire of the Turks which continued by many discents directly in the line of himselfe euen vnto Mahomet the third of that name who now raigneth is from a small beginning become the greatest terror of the world and holding in subiection many great and mightie kingdomes in Asia Europe and Affricke is growne to that height of pride as that it threateneth destruction vnto the rest of the kingdomes of the earth labouring with nothing more than with the weight of it selfe In the greatnesse whereof is swallowed vp both the name and Empire of the Sarasins the glorious Empire of the Greekes the renowmed kingdomes of Macedonia Peloponesus Epirus Bulgaria Seruia Bosna Armenia Cyprus Syria Aegipt Iudea Tunes Argiers Media Mesopotamia with a great part of Hungarie as also of the Persian kingdome and all those churches and places so much spoken of in holy Scripture the Romanes onely excepted and in briefe so much of Christendome as farre exceedeth that which is thereof at this day left So that at this present if you consider the beginning progresse and perpetuall felicitie of this the Othoman Empire there is in this world nothing more admirable or strange if the greatnesse and lustre thereof nothing more magnificent or glorious if the power and strength thereof nothing more dreadfull or dangerous which wondering at nothing but at the beautie of it selfe and drunke with the pleasant wine of perpetuall felicitie holdeth all the rest of the world in scorne thundering out nothing but still bloud and warre with a full persuasion in time to rule ouer all prefining vnto it selfe no other limits than the vttermost bounds of the earth from the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same The causes whereof are many and right lamentable but for the most part so shut vp in the counsels of the Great as that for me to seeke after them were great follie yet amongst the rest some others there be so pregnant and manifest as that the blind world taketh thereof as it were a generall knowledge and may therefore without offence of the wiser sort as I hope euen in these our nice dayes be lightly touched Whereof the first and greatest is the iust and secret iudgement of the Almightie who in iustice deliuereth into the hands of these mercilesse miscreants nation after nation and kingdome vpon kingdome as vnto the most terrible executioners of his dreadfull wrath to be punished for their sinnes others in the meane while no lesse sinfull than they in his mercie enioying the benefit of a longer time calling them vnto repentance Then the vncertainetie of worldly things which subiect to perpetuall change cannot long stay in one state but as the sea is with the wind so are they in like sort tossed vp and downe with the continuall surges and waues of alteration and change so that being once growne to their height they there stay not long but fall againe as fast as euer they rise and so in time come to nothing As we see the greatest Monarchies that euer yet were vpon earth haue done their course being run ouer whom Time now triumpheth as no doubt at length it shall ouer this so great a Monarchie also when it shall but then liue by fame as the others now doe Next to these causes from aboue without offence be it said is the small care the Christian princes especially those that dwelt further off haue had of the common state of the Christian Commonweale whereof euen the verie greatest are to account themselues but as the principall members of one and the same bodie and haue or ought to haue as sharpe a feeling one of anothers harmes as hath the head of the wrongs done vnto the feet or rather as if it were done vnto themselues in stead of which Christian compassion and vnitie they haue euer and euen yet at this time are so deuided among themselues with endlesse quarrels partly for questions of religion neuer by the sword to bee determined partly for matters touching their owne proper state and soueraignetie and that with such distrust and implacable hatred that they neuer could as yet although it haue beene long wished ioyne their common forces against the common enemie but turning their weapons one vpon another the more to bee lamented haue from time to time weakened themselues and opened a way for him to deuour them one after another Whereas with their combined forces the greedie enemies greatest terrour they might long since not onely haue repressed his furâ—e and abated
his pride but with small danger and much glorie God fauouring their so honourable attempts haue againe recouered from him most of those famous Christian kingdomes which he by force against all right holdeth at this day in most miserable subiection and thraldome many millions of the poore oppressed Christians in the meane time out of the furnace of tribulation in the anguish of their soules crying in vaine vnto their Christian brethren for reliefe By ciuile discord the noble countrey of Graecia perished when as the father rising against the sonne and the sonne against the father and brother against brother they to the mutuall destruction of themselues called in the Turke who like a greedie lyon lurking in his den lay in wait for them all So perished the kingdomes of Bulgaria Seruia Bosna and Epirus with the famous islands of the Rhodes and Cyprus betraied as it were by the Christian princes their neighbours by whom they might haue easily beene relieued So the most flourishing and strong kingdome of Hungarie in the reliques whereof the fortune of the Turkish Empire hath longer stucke than in the conquest of any other kingdome by it attempted whatsoeuer diuided in it selfe by the ambition of princes and ciuile discord the weaker still calling vnto his aid the mightie power of the Turke is long since for the most part become vnto him a prey the poore remainders thereof being at this day hardly defended by the forces of the Christian Emperour and of the princes his confederats sildome times meeting together with such cheerefulnesse or expedition as the necessitie of so great a matter requireth Vnto which so great a cause of the common decay may be added the euill choice of our souldiours emploied in those warres who taken vp hand ouer head out of the promiscuous vulgar people are for most part vntrained men seruing rather for shew and the filling vp of number than for vse and in no respect to be compared with the Turks Ianizaries and other his most expert souldiours continually euen from their youth exercised in feats of armes Not to speake in the meane time of the want of the auntient martiall discipline the wholesome preseruatiue of most puissant armies which breedeth in the proud enemie a contempt of the Christian forces with a full persuasion of himselfe that he is not by such disordered and weake meanes to be withstood But to come neerer vnto the causes of the Turks greatnesse and more proper vnto themselues as not depending of the improuident carelesnesse weaknesse discord or imperfections of others first in them is to be noted an ardent and infinit desire of soueraignetie wherewith they haue long since promised vnto themselues the monarchie of the whole world a quicke motiue vnto their so haughtie designes Then such a rare vnitie 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 of their Empire as that thereof they call themselues Islami that is to say men of one mind or at peace among themselues so as it is not to be maruelled if thereby they grow strong themselues and dreadfull to others ioyne vnto this their courage conceiued by the wonderfull successe of their perpetuall fortune their notable vigilancie in taking the aduantage of euery occasion for the enlarging of their Monarchie their frugalitie and temperatnesse in their diet and other manner of liuing their straight obseruing of their auntient militarie discipline their cheerefull and almost incredible obedience vnto their princes and Sultans such as in that point no nation in the world was to be worthily compared vnto them all great causes why their Empire hath so mightily encreased and so long continued Whereunto may be added the two strongest sinewes of euery well gouerned commonweale Reward propounded to the good and Punishment threatened vnto the offendor where the prize is for vertue and valour set vp and the way laied open for euery common person be he neuer so meanely borne to aspire vnto the greatest honours and preferments both of the Court aâ—d of the field yea euen vnto the neerest affinitie of the great Sultan himselfe if his valour or other worth shall so deserue when as on the contrarie part the disloyall or cowardly is to expect from the same soueraigne power nothing but disgrace death and torture And yet these great ones not contented by such commendable and lawfull meanes still to extend or establish their farre spreading Empire if that point once come in question they sticke not in their diuellish policie to breake and infringe the lawes both of Nations and Nature Their leagues grounded vpon the law of Nations be they with neuer so strong capitulations concluded or solemnitie of oath confirmed haue with them no longer force than standeth with their owne profit seruing indeed but as snares to entangle other princes in vntill they haue singled out him whom they purpose to deuour the rest fast bound still looking on as if their own turne should neuer come yet with no more assurance of their safetie by their leagues than had the other whom they see perish before their faces As for the kind law of nature what can be thereunto more contrarie than for the father most vnnaturally to embrue his hands in the bloud of his owne children and the brother to become the bloudie executioner of his owne brethren a common matter among the Othoman Emperours All which most execrable and inhumane murthers they couer with the pretended safetie of their state as thereby freed from the feare of all aspiring competitors the greatest torment of the mightie and by the preseruation of the integritie of their Empire which they thereby keepe whole and entire vnto themselues and so deliuer it as it were by hand from one to another in no part dismembred or impaired By these and such like meanes is this barbarous Empire of almost nothing growne to that height of maiestie and power as that it hath in contempt all the rest being it selfe not inferiour in greatnesse and strength vnto the greatest monarchies that euer yet were vpon the face of the earth the Romane Empire only excepted Which how farre it shall yet farther spread none knoweth but he that holdeth in his hand all the kingdomes of the earth and with his word boundeth in the raging of the sea so that it cannot further passe Moued with the greatnesse and glorie of this so mightie and dreadfull an Empire growne for the most part out of the ruine of the Christian commonweale with the vtter subuersion of many great and flourishing kingdomes and wofull fall of many moe right puissant and mightie princes not without griefe to be remembred I long since as many others haue entered into the heauie consideration thereof purposing so to haue contented my selfe with a light view of that which might well be for euer of all good Christians
about again to haue ben embarked for SYRIA and so into the holy land But the yong prince Alexius in the meane time had by himselfe and the noble Grecians fled with him for feare of the tyrant so wrought the matter with the Latine princes of the West especially with Innocentius tertius the Pope with Philip the emperour his brother in law and Philip the French king that they pittying his estate induced also with some other considerations more proper vnto themselues took him as it were into their protection commending by letters messengers for that purpose sent vnto the armie which they might cōmand the defence both of himselfe and his cause who with the commendation of three so great princes comming to the armie yet lying at IADERA expecting but a faire wind for to haue passed into SYRIA was there of them all most honorably receiued as the sonne of an emperour and as became one vnto them so highly commended And he himselfe also as one that knew his good was not in any thing wanting vnto himselfe but recommended himselfe to their protection as a poore exiled prince in distresse yet of a good and liuely spirit gracious in speech beautifull to behold and very yong and withall fully instructed by the noble Grecians that were with him in all things that might serue to further his purpose And forasmuch as this great armie was composed of diuers nations especially of the French Italians and Venetians not all to be by one meane moued he fitted euery one of them with such motiues as hee thought might most preuaile with them Vnto the French he promised to pay the great summes of mony they had borrowed of the Venetians for the furnishing of themselues in this war Vnto the Venetians he promised to recompence thē for all the injuries they had sustained by the late Constantinopolitan emperors especially by the emperor Emanuell who for that they had refused to aid him in his wars against William king of SICILIE did in one day confiscat all the goods of the Venetian marchants within his empire of a wonderfull value afterwards contrarie to the law of nations shamefully intreated their embassadors sent vnto him amongst whom was Henry Dandulus now by fortune generall for the Venetians in the armie who moued as well with the wrong in particular done vnto himselfe as with the common desired to be reuenged both of the one and of the other which although he could not haue of Emanuell himselfe being long before dead yet was he still desirous to haue it of some one of the Greeke emperours whosoeuer he were Vnto the Pope and the Italians both he and the noblemen with him had before promised That the Greeke Church should for euer acknowledge the supremacie of the church of ROME and from thencefoorth submit it selfe therunto as vnto the soueraigne judge of all the churches of Christendome which caused the Pope Innocentius by letters by legates by embassadours and by all other meanes possible to further the cause of the yong prince Alexius so combined with his owne alleadging the diuersitie of opinions in matters of religion betwixt the Greekes and the Latines to haue been the chiefe cause that the Mahometanes had not been long agoe by their vnited forces subdued or vtterly rooted out In briefe the young prince spared not to promise most bountifull rewards in generall to all that should take his part against his vncle the vsurping emperour By this meanes the deuout warre taken in hand for the reliefe of the poore Christians in SYRIA was laid aside and the same forces that should haue beene therein employed now conuerted against the Greeke empire to the great weakening of that side of the Christian common-weale and aduantage of the common enemie who might then easily haue beene oppressed had he with the vnited forces of the Christians been on this side charged home as he was on the farther by the Tartars The Grecian warre thus resolued vpon it seemed best vnto the great commanders of the armie to march directly to CONSTANTINOPLE as to the head of the Grecian state and place where the tyrant whom they sought after was resiant In the mean time it was by them giuen out through all the Greeke cities which the emperour had strongly manned and fortefied for the staying of their passage that their purpose was not to make warre against the Grecians their friends but onely to restore their lawfull emperour vnto his former state and honour And that forasmuch as euery citie and towne in ancient GREECE had appointed rewards and almost diuine honors vnto such as had deliuered them from tyrants they should now more fauourably receiue and intreat them that came to restore vnto euery citie and to euery man in generall their former libertie and honour And so vpon the resolution for CONSTANTINOPLE embarking their armie and passing through the Ionian sea into the Aegeum and so without let through the straights of Helespontus into Propontis and entring the straits of Bosphorus Thracius which deuide EUROPE from ASIA they came to an anker euen in the face of the citie In this fleet were two hundred and fortie saile of tall ships sixtie gallies seuentie ships for burden and one hundred and twentie saile of victualers which all together made a most braue shew couering that strait in such sort as that it seemed rather a wood than a part of the sea Thus for a space they lay facing the citie attending if happily vpon the comming and sight of so great a fleet and the report of so puissant an armie as the yong prince Alexius had brought with him any tumult or sedition might arise in the citie But the warie tyrant had so well prouided therefore beforehand that the citizens although they in heart fauoured the young prince and wished him well yet durst they not once moue or stirre in his quarrell Whilest the fleet thus lay embassadours came from the isle of CRETE in two great gallies with three banks of oares yeelding vnto the yong prince that goodly island with all the townes and cities therein which he foorthwith gaue vnto the marquesse of MONT-FERRAT generall of the armie thereby to encourage the other great commanders of the armie to do the vttermost of their deuoire in hope of recompence and rewards answerable to their deserts and valour Before the arriuall of this fleet Alexius the emperour had with a great chaine made fast the entrance of the hauen betwixt CONSTANTINOPLE and PERA and appointed twentie great gallies well manned for the keeping thereof but a great gale of wind arising the generall sent out the greatest and strongest ship in the fleet of her greatnesse and swiftnesse called the Eagle which with all her sailes vp carried with a full gale of wind by maine force brake the chain and made a way for the rest of the fleet to enter which the Greekes in the gallies seeing for feare fled leauing the gallies for a
of the affaires of the empire and aduantage of the forreine enemie was not a little troubled with a jealous suspition of his brother Constantine commonly called Porphyrogenitus as if he had sought to haue aspired vnto the empire seeking by all meanes to win vnto himselfe the loue and fauour of all men but especially of the nobilitie both at home and abroad and so by that meanes to mount vnto the height of his desires All which as most men thought were but meere slanders maliciously deuised by such as enuying at his honour and taking occasion by the emperours suspition ceased not to increase the same vntill they had wrought his vnwoorthie destruction The first ground of this false suspition in the emperours head was for that this Constantine was euen from his childhood for many causes better beloued of the old emperour his father than Andronicus as better furnished with those gifts of nature which beautifie a prince and of a more courteous behauior than was his brother insomuch that had he not been the yoonger brother his father could willingly haue left him his successour in the empire This was one and the cheefest cause of the emperours grudge and the ground of his suspition Yet was there another also and that not much lesse than this for that his father in his life time had of long thought to haue seperated from the empire a great part of THESSALIA and MACEDONIA and to haue made him absolute prince thereof and had happely so done had hee not beene by death preuented which thing also much grieued Andronicus and the more incensed him against his brother Which his secret hatred he for all that according to his wisdome cunningly dissembled not only during the time that his father liued but three yeares after his death also making shew of the greatest loue and kindnesse towards him that was possible Constantine in the meane time of such great reuenues as were by his father assigned vnto him reaping great profit most bountifully bestowed the same vpon his followers and fauorits and others that made sute vnto him as well the meaner sort as the greater and with his sweet behauior woon vnto him the hearts of all men for affabilitie courtesie in high degree easily allureth mens minds as doe faire flowers in the spring the passengers eyes This was that precept of the wise Indians That the higher a prince was in dignitie and the more courteous he shewed himselfe vnto his inferiours the better he should be of them beloued He therefore that should for the two first causes blame Constantine should doe him wrong as both proceeding not of himselfe but of his fathers too much loue but in the third hee was not altogether blamelesse for if for want of experience hee prodigally gaue such gifts as for the most part might haue besâ—emed the emperour himselfe he ignorantly erred yet did he no little offend but if he knew that for his too profuse bountie he could not be vnsuspected of his brother and yet without regard held on that course hee was greatly to bee blamed therein For if nothing els might haue mooued him yet he should haue considered to what end the like doings of others in former times had sorted and how many it had brought to vntimely end So although perhaps that Constantine meant no harme vnto his brother or any way to supplant him yet did these things not a little increase and agrauate the former suspitioâ—s and open the eares of the emperour his brother vnto such calumniation as commonly attendeth vpon immoderat bountie But to returne vnto our purpose This honourable Constantine then liued in LYDIA but lately maried and in good hope long to liue being not past thirtie years old but pleasantly spending the time with his wife at NYMPHEA in LYDIA at such time as he was thus secretly accused vnto his brother the emperour thought it good as vpon other occasions of businesse to passe ouer into ASIA himselfe but indeed with a secret resolution vpon the suddaine to oppresse his brother vnawares as by proofe it fell out For at his comming ouer Constantine fearing nothing lesse was forthwith apprehended with all his greatest fauorits of whom one Michaell Strategopulus sometime a man in great authoritie with the emperour his father and of all other for wealth honour and noble acts most famous was cheefe who together with Constantine were fast clapt in prison where we will leaue them euery houre looking to die their lands and goods being before confiscated But these woorthie men especially Constantine and Strategopulus thus laid fast who many times in great battailes discomfited the Turks and notably defended the frontiers of the empire alongst the East side of the riuer MEANDER they now finding none to withstand them forraged not only all the rich countrey beyond the riuer but with an infinit multitude passing the same did there great harme also so that there was no remedie but that the emperour must of necessitie make choice of some other woorthie captaine for the defence of those his cities and countries by the incursion of the Turks then in danger in that part of ASIA There was then in the emperours court one Alexius Philanthropenus a right valiant and renowned captaine and then in the flower of his youth of him the emperour thought good to make choice for the defence of those frontiers of his empire in ASIA against the Turks which were before the charge of his brother Constantine and Strategopulus joyning vnto him one Libadarius an old famous captaine and a man of great experience also appointing vnto him the gouernment of the cities of IONIA and vnto the other the frontiers along the winding bankes of MEANDER Where Alexius hauing now gotten a charge woorthie his valour and in many great conflicts with the Turks still carying away the victorie became in short time of great fame besides that he was exceeding bountifull and courteous vnto all men a costly but a readie way vnto dangerous credit and renowne Thus at the first all things prospered in his hand according to his hearts desire yea the Turks themselues bordering vpon him hardly beset on the one side by the Tartars and on the other by himselfe and yet not so much feared with their enemies behind them as mooued with his courtesie came ouer vnto him with their wiues and children and serued themselues many of them in his campe but as they say That in Iupiters court no man might drinke of the tun of blisse but that he must tast also of the tun of woe so fell it out with this great captaine who hauing but tasted of the better tun had the worse all poured full vpon his head For Libadarius seeing all so prosper with him and somewhat enuying thereat began to feare and suspect least he proud of his good fortune and now growne very strong casting off his allegeance should aspire vnto the empire and so first begin with him as the neerest vnto him
solemnitie of words promised to whomsoeuer could bring vnto him the Despot either quicke or dead which were of purpose giuen vnto the country people passing too and fro to be dispersed abroad in the high waies and about in the country neere vnto the Despots campe And after that he caused the death of the emperour his grandfather to be euerie where proclaimed and how that he was by the Constantinopolitans in a tumult slaine which the deuiâ—â—â—s thereof in euery place reported Yea some there were that swore they were themselues present at his wofull death and saw it with their eies othersome more certainely to persuade the matter shewed long white goats haires or such like gathâ—â—ed out of white wooll as if they had beene by the furious people pluckt from the old emperours head or beard at such time as hee was slaine Which things being commonly reported in euery towne and village but especially in the Despots campe wonderfully fillâ—d mens heads with diuers strange and doubtfull â—houghts then diuers also of the dispersed edicts being found and brought vnto the Despot strucke him and not without cause into a great feare insomuch that by the persuasion of his best friends he without longer stay retired in hast to THESSALONICA Whither shortly after came a gallie from CONSTANTINOPLE with secret letters from the emperour to the Despot for the apprehension of fiue and twentie of the cheefe cittizens vehemently suspected for the stirring vp of thâ— people to rebellion and so to haue deliuered the citie vnto the prince all whom the Despot should haue sent bound in that gallie to CONSTANTINOPLE but they in good time perceiuing the danger they were in secretly stirring vp the people and by and by after ringing out the bels the signall appointed for the beginning of the rebellion had in a very short time raised a woonderfull tumult in the citie insomuch that all the citizens werâ— vp in armes who running headling vnto the house of the Despot found not him for he forewarned of their comming was fled into the castle but slew all they met of his or els robbing them cast them in prison As for the Despots house they tooke what they found therein and afterwards pulled it downe to the ground Then comming to the castle they fired the gates which the Despot seeing and not able to dâ—fâ—nd the place tooke horse and fled vnto a monasterie not far off where being taken by them that pursued him he full sore against his will for thâ— safegard of his life tooke vpon him the habit of a monke neuerthelesse he was froÌ„ thence caried prisoner to the yong prince his nephew who shewed himselfe much more courteous vnto him than all the rest of his nobilitie waiters for they as if they would haue eaten him vp were euen foorthwith readie to haue torne him in peeces hâ—d noâ—â—he prince embracing him in his armes saued his life Yet the next day after by the persuasion of his counsell he sent him to DIDIMOTICHVM where hee was cast into a most loathsome prison being verie deepe and straight in manner of a well no bodie to attend vpon him but one boy where he lay in miserable darkenesse and stinke they which drew vp his ordure from him and the boy whether by chance or of purpose pouring it oftentimes vpon his head Where after he had lien a great while in most extreame miserie wishing to die and could not he was at length by the princes commandement entreated thereunto by certaine religious men remooued into a more easie prison where we will for euer leaue him Things falling out crosse with the old emperor and although they were neuer so well deuised still sorting out vnto the worst he became verie pensiue and doubtfull what to do So it fortuned that one day in his melancholy mood hauing a Psalter in his hand to resolue his doubtfull mind he opened the same as if it were of that heauenly Oracle to aske counsell where in the first verse that he light vpoÌ„ was Dum coelestis dissociat reges niue conspergentur in Selmon When the Almightie scattered kings for their sakes then were they as white as snow in Selmon Which he applying to himselfe as if all those troubles and whatsoeuer else had happened in them proceeded from the will of God although for causes to him vnknowne hee by and by sought to reconcile himselfe vnto his nephew contrarie to the mind of Syrgiannes desiring nothing but trouble For as we haue before said the yoong prince although he was desirous of the power and libertie of an emperor yet he left the ornaments and care thereof vnto his grandfather had he not oftentimes and earnestly been egged forward by his companions to affect the whole empire happily could and would haue contented himselfe with the former pacification for being now sent for he came first to RHEGIVM and there visited his mother now set at libertie and sent thither for the furtherance of the desired pacification where he with her and by her counsell did whatsoeuer was there done So within a few daies the matter was brought into so good tearms that an attonement was made and he himselfe went and met the emperour his grandfather before the gates of the citie the old emperour sitting then vpon his horse and the prince lighting from his a good furlong before he came at him and although his grandfather was verie vnwilling and forbad him so to doe yet he came to him on foot and kissed his hand and foot as he sat on horesebacke and afterward taking horse embraced him and there kissed one another to the great contentment of the beholders and so hauing talked some few words departed the old man into the citie and the yoong man into his campe which then lay neere vnto PEGA where staying certaine daies he came diuers times into CONSTANTINOPLE and so went out againe for as then his mother partly for her health partly for the loue of her sonne lay at PEGA But Syrgiannes nothing glad of the agreement made betwixt the emperour and his nephew walked vp and downe sicke in mind with a heauie countenance especially for that in time of peace his busie head stood the commonweale in no stead Wherefore in all meetings assemblies he willingly conuersed with them which most disliked of the present state and spake hardly as well of the emperour as of his nephew wronged as he thought by them both whereas in the time of their greatest distresse hee had as hee said stood them in good stead But seeing one Asanes Andronicus walking melancholie vp and downe as a man with heauinesse oppressed who hauing done good seruice for the yoong prince and not of him regarded had fled vnto the old emperour and there found no such thing as he expected for the ease of his greefe although he were a man honourably borne and otherwaies indued with many good parts with him Syrgiannes acquainted himselfe as grieued with the like
assurance of himselfe and his state in so great a danger And first he sent vnto his nephew come halfe way to forbid him from entring the citie and to tell him That it was a great folly for him being so manifest a traitour both vnto his grandfather and the state to thinke his traiterous purposes to bee vnknowne vnto the world and beside in way of reproofe to rehearse vnto him how many occasions he had giuen for the breaking of the league with his grandfather first in taking away the money from the collectors whereof the state neuer stood in more need by reason of the diuision of the empire which required double charge then in that hee had in the citie euerie where displaced such gouernours and magistrats as his grandfather had sent thither and placed others at his pleasure with many other like facts declaring his treacherous aspiring mind for which he was not without cause by his grandfather forbidden to enter the citie After that the old emperour by secret letters craued aid of Crales prince of SERVIA and Demetrius the Despot his sonne who was then gouernour of THSSALONICA and the countries adjoyning commaunding him with Andronicuâ— and Michael his nephews gouernours of MACEDONIA with all the forces they were able to raise and such aid as should be sent vnto them out of SERVIA with all speed to joyne together and to go against the yoong emperour But these letters thus written vnto the prince of SERVIA the Despot and others as is before said were for the most part intercepted by such as the yoong emperour had for that purpose placed vpon the straits of CHRISTOPOLIS and the other passages especially such as were written in paper yet some others in fine white linnen cloth and secretly sowed in the garments of such as carried them escaped for all their strait search and so were deliuered And in truth nothing was done or about to be done in CONSTANTINOPLE but that the yoong emperour was by one or other aduertised thereof whereas the old emperour on the other side vnderstood nothing what his nephew did abroad or intended For all men of their owne accord enclined vnto him some openly both bodie and soule as they say and such as could not be with him in person yet in mind and good will were euen present with him and that not onely the common sort of the citizens of CONSTANTINOPLE but the chiefe Senatours the great courtiers yea and many other of the emperours neerest kinsmen also who curiously obseruing whatsoeuer was done in the citie foorthwith certified him therof Amongst whom was also Theodorus the marques one of the old emperors owne sons who many years before by the empresse his mother sent into ITALY and there honorably married was by his prodigall course of life there growne far in debt so that leauing his wife and children behind him he was glad after the decease of his mother to flie vnto his father at CONSTANTINOPLE and there now liued who beside that he most honourably maintained him in the court and bestowed many great things vpon him paid also all his debts which were verie great All which fatherly kindnesse he forgetting went about most Iudas like to haue betraied his aged father For he also dreaming after the empire and for many causes but especially for that hee was in mind religion manners and habit become a Latine by him rejected thought he could not do him a greater dispite than by reuolting vnto the young emperour so that the neerer he was in blood the more he was his fathers vnnaturall enemie Shortly after Demetrius the Despot hauing receiued the emperours letters at THESSALONICA called vnto him Andronicus and Michael his nephews the gouernours of MACEDONIA with whom joyning all his forces and dayly expecting more aid out of SERVIA he first spoiled the yoong emperors friends and fauourits in MACEDONIA giuing the spoile of them in all the cities and townes of MACEDONIA vnto their souldiours who made hauocke of whatsoeuer they light vpon and whosoeuer seemed any way to withstand them or dislike of their proceedings their goods and lands they confiscated and draue the men themselues into exile Neither was the yoong emperour Andronicus in the meane time idle but secretly sent out his edicts into all parts of the empire yea into the verie cities of CONSTANTINOPLE and THESSALONICA and ouer all MACEDONIA whereby he proclaimed vnto the people in generall a releasement of them from all tributs impositions and payments and frankly promised vnto the souldiours and men of war the augmenting of their pensions and pay which were no sooner bruited but that most men were therewith mooued both in word and deed to fauour his proceedings doing what they could to further the same and by secret letters inuiting him to hasten his comming into the citie who thereupon comming to RHEGIVM by his embassadours sent from thence requested the old emperour Either to giue him leaue according to the league betwixt them to come into the citie or else to send him certaine of the chiefe of the nobilitie and cleargie with some of the better and more vnderstanding sort of the Burgers and citizens also vnto whom he might frankly speake his mind for them faithfully to deliuer the same againe vnto the emperor his grandfather and the people Which requests the old emperour perceiuing to be full of deceit and trecherie for a good space answered thereunto nothing at all but stood all silent as doubting which to graunt for to suffer his nephew to come into the citie he saw was dangerous the cittizens as he well knew being for the most part enclined to reuolt vnto him so soon as they should once see him within the gates and to send any forth vnto him as he desired might be as he feared an occasion of some tumult to be after raised in the citie for he knew that his nephewes drift therein was openly by faire words and secretly with great gifts and large promises first to gaine them and by them the rest of the citizens Both which things being dangerous he made choice of the easier and sent forth vnto him two of the most noble Senators two of the most reuerend bishops two other graue prelates and foure of the cheefe burgesses of the citie vnto whom at their comming vnto him hee in the open hearing of all men deliuered this premeditated and craftie speech It is not vnknowne vnto the world you my subjects to haue alwaies been vnto me more deare than I haue been vnto my selfe and how that I haue not vpon any ambitious conceit or desire of the sole gouernment against my grandfathers good will gone out For you see how that I neither spare mine owne life or attend my pleasure for the care I haue of you I come not vnto you compassed about with a guard of armed men as is the manner not of kings only for the enuie of their high place but of others also of farre meaner calling whom
long experience know not now in so great a hurle and tempest which way to turne my selfe how can I with safetie commit vnto my nephew so great a charge who as yet is both an vnstayed youth and so carelesse of his owne good as that he knoweth not how well to gouerne his owne priuat affaires For giuing ouer his power vnto yoong vnskilfull men and hauing flung away his imperiall possessions amongst them hee himselfe liueth in penurie and want neither regardeth any thing more than his dogs and kites of whom hee keepeth few lesse than a thousand curres and as many hawkes and not much fewer men to looke vnto them Wherefore vnto such a man how may I safely commit either my life oâ— the administration of mine empire by God committed vnto me But I will neuer witting and willingly cast away either my subjects or my selfe For my nephew I haue loued not onely more than my wife and children but to say the truth more than my selfe also as you all know how tenderly I haue brought him vp how carefully I haue instructed and aduised him as purposing to haue left him the heire and successour both of my wisedome and mine empire that so hee might the better please both God and man But he contemning my good counsell hath spent whole nights in banquetting and riot and brothelhouses wherein hee hath also slaine his owne brother and to bee breeâ—e he hath risen and lifted vp his hand against me his grandfather and a grandfather that had of him so well deserued attempting such a villanie as the Sunne neuer saw Wherfore you ought also to hate and detest his wickednesse and to rise vp to restraine his impudent disloyaltie and by your ecclesiasticall censure to denounce him vnworthie of the empire and the communion of the faithfull is one seperated from God that so ashamed and corrected he may louingly thither returne from whence he is shamefully departed and againe be made heire both of mine empire and staiednesse For there is no man aliue whom I had rather haue promoted vnto the empire so that he would heare my precepts and obey my counsell As for the conclusion he vsed in his former speech it was altogether fained craftie and malicious for you haue heard how many reproches he hath giuen me in all that speech wherewith his conclusion agreeth not but the more to stir vp the hearers thereof against me did of purpose so conclude his speech Vpon this most of the foresaid graue and learned bishops agreed that the young emperour should no more be named in the praiers of the Church vntill he had better conformed himselfe Howbeit the patriarch and some others secretly fauouring both him and his proceedings liked not thereof and therefore saying nothing thereunto returned home vnto their owne houses But meeting once or twise afterwards in the patriarch his house they there conspired together against the old emperour with whom also diuers of the nobilitie consented and thereupon an oath was conceiued in writing whereby they bound themselues to continue constant in that their wicked resolution Whereupon about three dayes after the patriarch causing the bels to be rung and a great number of the vulgar people flocking together pronounced the sentence of excommunication against all such as should in their publike praiers omit the name of the young emperour or refuse to doe him all honour due vnto an emperour Which thing not a little grieued the old emperour as appeared by his speech in saying If the doctor of peace be so mad against vs in hope of reward promised by my nephew that casting off all shame and grauitie he doubteth not to be the authour of sedition who shall represse the rash attempts of the vulgar people against vs if we respect but mans helpe For the Patriarch so much as in him lieth is I see the murtherer of vs. So the bishops of the contrarie faction moued with the notable impudencie of the patriarch excommunicated him likewise as he had done them with his mad followers as the authours of sedition and faction and incited with bribes to the troubling of the state for which cause also he was by the Emperours commandement committed vnto safe keeping in the monasterie called MANGANIUM But about two daies after the young Emperour came to the wals of CONSTANTINOPLE to know how his grandfather had accepted the messengers sent vnto him earnestlie requesting that it might be lawfull for him alone to enter into the citie to do his dutie to his grandfather But neither he neither his words were at all regarded but was by such as stood vpon the wals himselfe with stones driuen away who could not abide to heare him speake but shamefully railed at him saying all his talke to bee nothing els but deceit and fraud and so for that time he retired a little from the wals But night being come certaine busie heads amongst the common people they not few secretly meeting together gaue him knowledge That about midnight when as all the cittizens were asleepe and the watchmen in securitie he should come vnto the wals where they would be readie with ropes to draw him vp vnto the top of the bulwarkes which done the matter as they said were as good as dispatched for that they were persuaded that the citizens so soone as they should once see him in the middest of the citie amongst them would foorthwith all reuolt vnto him So he according vnto this appointment about midnight approching the wals found there no such matter as he had well hoped for the receiuing of him into the citie but contrariwise the watchmen carefully watching all alongst the wall and calling one vnto another Wherefore finding there no hope he with Catacuzenus and Synadenus his cheefe counsellors leauing the South side of the citie in a little boat rowed softly all along the wall that is towards the sea if happely they might there find their friends and so be receiued in but there the watchmen also descrying them from the wals and calling vnto them but receiuing no answere began to cast stones at them and to make a noise so that deceiued of their purpose and out of hope they were glad to get them farther off and to depart as they came But the euill successe of this exploit was shortly after with his better fortune recompenced for by and by after secret letters were sent vnto him from THESSALONICA requesting him with al speed to come thither assuring him in the name of the bishop with diuers of the nobilitie and the good liking of the people in generall at his comming to open the gates of the citie vnto him whereupon he leauing a great part of his armie with Synadenus to keepe short the Constantinopolitanes he himselfe with the rest of his power set forward towards THESSALONICA where he in the habit of a plaine countrey man entred the citie vnsuspected but being got with in the gate and there casting off that simple attire
into ASIA and by the same ships returned souldiors as fast as he could into EUROPE so that he had in one day two hundred souldiors more brought ouer vnto him And manning such small vessels as hee had left about the castle sent Ezes-beg alongst the coast on EUROPE side to burne such shipping or vessels as he could find least the Christians should by them hinder his passage vpon the strait of HELLESPONTUS So in a few daies Solyman had transported into EUROPE two thousand good souldiors of the Turks whom he so gouerned that they did not in any violent sort injurie the vulgar Christians by reason whereof the common people began to like reasonable well of the Turks and to conuerse with them without feare This was the first comming ouer of the Turks into EUROPE with purpose there to conquer and inhabit vnder the fortune of the Othoman kings For albeit that some of that nation had at sundrie times before come ouer as men seeking after spoile or otherwise sent for yea sometimes by the Greeke emperours themselues yet neuer stayed they long but hauing done that they came for or els lost themselues returned back againe into ASIA vntill that now conducted by Solyman and possessed of the little castle of ZEMBENIC as is aforesaid they there tooke so fast footing as that they and their posteritie after them were neuer thence to be since that time remoued but still more and more encroching vpon the Christians haue vnto their Asian kingdome joyned a great part of EUROPE also to the terrour of the rest that yet remaineth as in the processe of this Historie shall if God will at large appeare About two miles from ZEMBENIC in CHERSONESVS was another castle called MAITO or more truely MADITVS which Solyman also tooke so that now he had gotten two castles in EVROPE both which he stongly manned After which time the Turkes in great numbers came out of ASIA into EVROPE ouer that narrow strait of HELLESPONTVS to dwell in CHERSONESVS and Solyman in stead of them to make roome for his Turkes sent Christians out of EVROPE to be placed amongst the Turkes in ASIA The report of this comming ouer of the Turkes into CHERSONESVS and of the taking of the castle of ZEMBENIC carried in post to CONSTANTINOPLE was sufficient to haue stirred vp any prouident or carefull men presently to haue taken vp armes for the recouerie of the lost castle and the driuing out againe of the barbarous enemies out of EVROPE before they had gathered any greater strength or setled themselues in those places but such was the carelesse negligence and great securitie of the proud Greekes that in stead thereof they to extenuate the greatnesse of the losse commonly sayd That there was but an hogstie lost alluding vnto the name of the castle and vainely as sayth a graue Father of their owne jeasting at that was not to be jeasted at and laughing at that was not to bee laughed but lamented for as in few yeares it prooued their foolish laughter being not without good cause conuerted into most bitter teares Solyman his strength so still increasing by the dayly comming ouer of the Turkes hee proceeded farther to spoyle the countrey of CHERSONESVS almost as farre as CALLIPOLIS distant from the castle ZEMBENIC about two and twentie miles after which pleasant citie the proud Turke began now to long Which the gouernour thereof perceiuing by the Turkes continuall encroaching vpon him raysed what power he was able to make and so went out against them all the rest of the Greekes in the meane time lying still as if they had beene a sleepe or that the matter had not concerned them but meeting the Turkes he was by them after a great conflict ouerthrowne and for sauegard of his life glad to flie into his citie after whom the Turkes following spoyled the countrey round about and in their returne by plaine force tooke the citie together with the castle also which hapned in the yeere of our Lord 1358 Where the madnesse of the Greeks was againe more than before to bee wondred at for the newes of the losse of CALIPOLIS being brought to CONSTANTINOPLE the people there made small account thereof although it was indeed a right great losse and much concerned the state but to extenuate the matter when they had any talke thereof in jeasting wise commonly said That the Turks had but taken from them a pottell of wine but by taking of such hogstyes and pottels of wine as they termed it the Turks in a few yeares after had gone so farre in THRACIA that Amurath this same Solyman his Nephew which now tooke from the Greekes the citie of CALLIPOLIS euen in the heart as it were of the Greeke empire placed his royal seat at HADRIANOPLE and immediately after him Baiazet his sonne hauing subdued all the countrey euen to the walles of CONSTANTINOPLE for certaine yeares layd hard siege vnto the imperiall citie it selfe and had no doubt then carried it had not the great expedition of the mightie Tartar prince Tamerlaine vnto Baiazet fatall in the meane time hapned whereby God so appointing it the prosperous succeedings of the Turkes were for a space well stayed that they should not before the time by him prefined deuour the reliques of the Greeke empire And it were to be wished that the Christians of our time also by their example warned would at length awake out of their dead sleepe who of late haue lost vnto the same enemie not the castle of ZEMBENIC or the citie of CALLIPOLIS but whole kingdomes as HVNGARIE and CYPRVS and are still faire in the way I say no more for greefe and foreboding of euill fortune But againe to our purpose Solyman hauing made this prosperous entrance into EVROPE and there got strong footing by speedie messengers certified his father what he had done and that it was expedient for him with all speed to send vnto him a great supplie of men of warre as well for the sure defence and keeping of the castles and forts by him alreadie gotten as for the further inuasion of the countrey This message was woonderfull welcome vnto Orchanes and whereas many families of the Sarazins at that present were come into the countrey of CARASINA to possesse the dwellings and places of them which in hope to better their estate were before gone ouer into EVROPE all these Sarazins hee commaunded to passe ouer into EVROPE likewise which they did accordingly seating themselus for a time in the countrey neere to CALLIPOLIS In the meane time Solyman omitted no oportunitie to enter further into the countrie winning small forts and holds and still peopling the same with his Turkes And on the other side they of CARASINA passed ouer into EUROPE placing thēselues as it were in a new world For which cause and for the great desire they had to extend the Turkish dominion and religion they refused no paines of warre so that all things at that time prospered with the
said vnto the confederate princes that were with him Verilie Amurath threatneth to take from vs our cities of ICONIUM and LARENDA but let him take heed that we take not from him his faire citie of PRVSA Then demaunding of the embassadour of what strength Amurath might be It was answered by him that he deemed him to bee about seuentie thousand strong Whereat Aladin not a little rejoycing said Assuredly when he shall see our armie he will not dare to giue vs battaile or if he do he shall fight vpon great disaduantage his men being both fewer in number than we and sore wearied with long and painefull trauaile In the meane time Amurath held on his way towards CARAMANIA daily encouraging his souldiours with persuasions and gifts bountifully bestowed vpon them filling their heads with promises of greater the warres once happily ended At length he came to the great plaines in CARAMANIA called the French plains because in former time the Christians whom the Turks for most part call Frankes in those places encamped their great armies as they went to the winning of IERVSALEM as in the former part of this historie is declared into these plaines also came Aladin with his armie and was now encamped within one daies march of Amurath and so rested that night The next morning Amurath put his armie in order of battaile appointing the leading of the right wing to his youngest sonne Iacup with whom he joyned Cutluzes Beg Eine Beg Subbassa Egridum Subbassa Seraze and Custendil two Christian princes all captaines of great experience the left wing was led by Baiazet his eldest sonne with Ferize and Hozze both valiant captaines in which wings were also placed the Christian souldiors sent by Lazarus out of SERVIA according to the late conuention of peace in the maine battell he stood himselfe the vauntgard was conducted by Temurtases and the reareward by the Sabbassa of OXYLLITHUS called also Temurtases and Achmetes Aladin on the other side with no lesse care and diligence set his men likewise in order of battaile placing himselfe in the maine battaile as did Amurath and the princes his Allies with his other expert captaines some in the right wing and some in the left as he thought most conuenient in such sort as that in all mens iudgement he was in force nothing inferiour to his father in law These great enemies thus ranged with ensignes displaid came on couragiously one directly vpon the other where approaching together the confused noise of trumpets drummes fifes with other instruments of warre the neighing of horses and clattering of armour was so great that whilst warlike minds thereat rejoyced cowards thought heauen fell But the signe of battaile on both sides giuen Samagazes one of the confederate princes with exceeding courage first charged Temurtases in the vauntguard and broke his rankes at which time Teberruses a Tartar prince and Varsacides another of the confederats deliuered their arrowes also vpon the vauntguard as if it had been a shower of haile Which Baiazet seeing and how hardly Temurtases was charged hauing before obtained leaue of his father brake in vpon the enemie with such violence as if it had been the lightening whereof he was euer after surnamed Gilderun which is to say the Lightening Ferizes and Hozza with the other valiant captaines in that wing following Baiazet with inuincible courage entred the battaile where for a great space was made a most dreadfull and doubtfull fight A man would haue thought two wrought seas had met together swaying one against the other doubtfull which way the current would at length fall In this conflict many thousands were on both sides slain so that the field lay couered with the dead bodies of worthie men and valiant souldiors yet at length these confederate princes finding themselues ouermatched by Baiazet and his souldiors reseruing themselues to their better fortunes turned their backes and fled when Aladin seeing a great part of his armie thus ouerthrowne and himselfe now readie to be charged with Amurath his whole power despairing of victorie sped himselfe in all hast to ICONIUM his strong citie The spoile which Amurath got in this battell was great most part whereof he gaue in reward to Temortases and his souldiors which had endured the greatest furie of that battaile Amurath after this victorie with all speed marched to ICONIUM and there besieged Aladin the Caramanian king in his strongest cittie giuing out proclamation in the mean time That none of his souldiours vpon paine of death should vse any violence to any of the countrey people or take any thing from them to the intent it might appeare vnto the world that he made that warre against that Mahometan king rather to propulse injurie and wrong than for desire of soueraigntie or spoile Which his so straight a proclamation the Christians sent by Lazarus amongst others transgressed and therefore by his commandement suffred many of them exemplarie punishment which was the cause of the Seâ—â—ian waâ— which not long after ensued fatall both vnto Amurath and Lazarus the Despot as hereafter shall appeare Aladin now on euerie side besieged in ICONIUM and without all hope of escape sent vnto the queene his wife Amuraths daughter bewailing vnto her his desperat estate and requesting her by all the loue that so honourable a minded ladie might beare to her miserable husband to aduenture her selfe to goe to her angrie father and to craue pardon for his great trespasse and offence The queene forthwith attiring her selfe as was fittest for her husbands present estate came vnto her father where falling downe at his feet vpon her knees with wordes wisely placed and teares distilling downe her faire cheeks from her fairer eies as if it had been from two fountaines in most sorrowfull manner craued her husbands pardon imputing vnto the heat of youth whatsoeuer he had done and would not be comforted or taken vp vntill she had obtained grace Amurath most entirely loued this his daughter and therefore for her sake not onely graunted vnto her her husbands life which in short time was like to haue been in his power to haue spilt but also his kingdome which he as a victorious conquerour might by law of armes haue of right detained She now assured of her fathers promise sent vnto her husband Aladin willing him the next day without feare to come out of the citie and in humble sort to acknowledge his fault before her father Who the next morning accordingly came out and prostrating himselfe before Amurath acknowledged his vndutifulnes of whom for his wiues sake he obtained pardon and restitution to his kingdome with many other great gifts contrarie to his euil desert The Latine histories mistaking the man report that this Caramanian warre to haue been fought against the king of CARAMANIA Amurath his owne grandfather by the mothers side and that he was by Amurath then spoiled of a great part of his kingdom but it agreeth not with the Turkish histories which make
friendship was the best bargaine they could make therein But they receiued answere from this worthie prince farre beyond their expectatation For he with a mild countenance beholding them answered them That he was not come from so farre a countrey or vndertaken so much paines for the enlargement of his dominions alreadie large inough too base a thing for him to put himselfe into so great danger and trauaile for but rather to winne honour and thereby to make his name famous vnto all posteritie for euer And that therefore it should well appeare vnto the world that hee was come to aid him being requested as his friend and allie And that his vpright meaning therein was the greatest cause That God from aboue had beheld his power and thereby brused the head of the greatest and fiercest enemie of mankind that was vnder heauen And now to get him an immortall name would make free so great and flourishing a citie as was CONSTANTINOPLE gouerned by so noble and ancient an house as the emperours That vnto his courage hee had alwaies faith joyned such as should neuer 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 inuade the dominions of his allies That he desired no more but that the seruice he had done for the Greeke emperour might for euer be ingrauen in the memorie of his posteritie to the end they might for euer wish well vnto him and his successours by remembring the good he had done them That long might the noble emperor liue happily to gouern his estate And that before his returne he would so well consider for the establishing of the same as that he should not lightly fall againe into the like jeopardie alwaies assuring himselfe of his good will and fauour towards him Easie it is to judge what joy these Greeke embassadours receiued to heare this so kind an answere from the mouth of Tamerlane himselfe who rather than he would seeme to breake his faith refused an empire offered vnto him with one of the most stately and magnificent cities of the world Few princes I suppose would performe such a part but so there be likewise but few Tamerlanes in the world These embassadours by the commaundement of Tamerlane were by Axalla royally feasted and all the honour done them that might be One of them being sent backe to carrie these vnexpected newes vnto the Greeke emperour filled both him and all the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE with exceeding joy and gladnesse which both he and his subjects in generall spared not with bonfires and all other signes of joy and pleasure to manifest And the more to shew his thankefulnesse shortly after by the aduice of his graue counsailours passed ouer the strait into ASIA to see Tamerlane at PRUSA and in person himselfe to giue him thankes who hearing of his comming and very glad thereof presently vpon the first dayes journey sent the prince Axalla to meet him and to certefie him of the joy that he conceiued to haue the good hap for to see him as also to conduct him to PRUSA where those two great princes with the greatest magnificence that might be met and so spent one whole day together The Greeke emperour the next day taking his leaue was by Tamerlane with much honour conducted out of the cittie Now had Tamerlane himselfe conceiued a secret desire to see this so famous a citie as was CONSTANTINOPLE from which he was not now farre yet would he not goe thither as a conquerour but as a priuat person which by the meanes of Axalla was accomplished and he thereinto by the Greeke emperour priuatly receiued and with all familiaritie possible entertained the emperour shewing vnto him all the rare and excellent things that were therein to be seene and the other Greeke princes deuising all the meanes they could to do him pleasure and them which did accompanie him who were in a manner all apparrelled after the Greeke fashion At which time the Greeke emperour himselfe was curious to shew vnto him all the faire gardens alongst the sea coast a league or two from CONSTANTINOPLE and so priuatly conducting him spent fiue or six daies with all the mirth that might be possible Tamerlane by the way oftentimes saying That he had neuer seene a fairer citie and that it was indeed the citie considering the faire and rich situation thereof of right worthie to commaund all the world He wondered at the costly buildings of the temples the faire ingrauen pillars the high pyramides and the making of the faire gardens and oftentimes afterwards said That he nothing repented him of his so long and dangerous a voyage if it had been onely but to haue preserued from fire and sword so noble a citie as that was In the Greeke emperour he commended greatly his mild nature and courtesie who knowing him aboue all things to take pleasure in faire seruiceable horses gaue vnto him thirtie of the fairest strongest and readiest that were possible to be gotten all most richly furnished and sent likewise faire presents vnto all the princes and great commaunders of the armie and bountifully caused to bee deliuered vnto them all things which he thought to be necessarie for the armie So after many great kindnesses in short time passed and a strait bond of friendship made and by solemne oath confirmed betwixt the two great princes Tamerlane with great contentment tooke his leaue of the emperour and returned againe to his armie at PRUSA Wherewith he now at his pleasure without resistance wasted and spoiled all Baiazet his dominion in ASIA no man daring to make head against him The yeare being now well spent and Winter drawing on Tamerlane dispersed his armie into diuers of the prouinces of the lesser ASIA expecting still when some of Baiazet his sonnes or other friends should make sute or meanes vnto him for his deliuerance but none came some fearing Tamerlane his heauie indignation and others no lesse dreading the fierce nature of Baiazet himselfe who if hee had beene deliuered was like ynough as was thought to haue taken sharpe reuenge vpon all them which forsooke him in the late battaile and therefore neuer made intercession for him Whereupon Tamerlane one day passing by him said vnto him I maruell that none of thy sonnes or friends either come to see thee or to entreat for thee it must needs be that thou hast euill deserued of them as thou hast of others yet how thinkest thou If I should set thee at libertie would they againe receiue thee as their lord and soueraigne or not To whom Baiazet boldly answered Were I at libertie thou shouldest well see how that I want neither courage nor meanes to reuenge all my wrongs and to make those disobedient forgetfull to know their duties better Which his proud answere made Tamerlane to keepe a straighter hand ouer him In this great and bloodie warre wherein the Othoman empire
at length to SAMERCAND the famous place of his birth and glorious seat of his empire Now had Baiazet but a little before one of the greatest princes on earth and now the scorne of fortune and a byword to the world with great impatiencie laine two yeares in most miserable thraldome for most part shut vp in an yron cage as some dangerous wild beast and hauing no better meanes to end his loathed life did violently beat out his braines against the barres of the yron grate wherein he was inclosed and so died about the yeare of our Lord 1399. Yet of his death are diuers other reports some saying That hee died of an ague proceeding of sorrow and greefe others that he poysoned himselfe and the Turks affirming that he was set at libertie by Tamerlane being by him beforehand poysoned whereof hee died three dayes after hee was enlarged a report not like to be true but howsoeuer it was his end appeareth to haue ben right miserable His dead bodie at the request of his sonne Mahomet was by Tamerlane sent to ASPRAPOLIS from whence it was afterwards conueyed to PRUSA and there lieth buried in a chappell neere vnto the great Mahometane temple without the citie Eastward where also lieth his beloued wife Despina with his eldest sonne Erthogrul And fast by in a little chappell lieth buried his brother Iacup whom he in the beginning of his raigne murthered These two great and mightie princes Tamerlane and Baiazet both of them whilest they liued a burâ—hen vnto the world as they tooke their beginning from the Scythes or Tartars so were they of like honourable progenitors descended Baiazet being the fourth in discent from the warlike Othoman the raiser of his familie and Tamerlane in like degree from the great Zingis the first and most fortunat leader of the Tartars his countreymen vnto the pleasures of the East both princes of great power and like spirit wise hardie painefull resolute and most skilfull in martiall affaires but ambitious aboue measure the ground of all the former troubles by them raised to the astonishment of the world Howbeit the great vertues and other the honourable qualities of Baiazet were in him by his chollericke and waiward nature much obscured which made him to exceed both in crueltie and pride being also much more handfast than were his honourable predecessors For which causes he was much feared and lesse beloued of his souldiors and men of warre in generall and of them at his most need forsaken He vsed commonly to say That his treasures were his childrens meat and not his souldiors pay which by way of reproch was by a common souldior cast in his teeth when hee raged to see himselfe by them forsaken in the great battell against Tamerlane telling him as he fled That he ran not away but went to seek his pay wherewith to prouide his children bread Whereas all the aforesaid vertues in Tamerlane were graced with diuers others of like nature no man being vnto his friends more courteous or kind either vnto his enemies more dreadfull or terrible The good seruice of his seruants hee neuer forgot either left the same long vnrewarded being thereof so mindfull as that he needed not by them or others in their behalfe to be put in remembrance thereof hauing alwaies by him a catalogue both of their names and good deserts which he daily perused Oftentimes saying that day to be lost wherein he had not giuen them something and yet neuer bestowing his preferments vpon such as ambitiously sought the same as deeming them in so doing vnwoorthie thereof but vpon such as whose modestie or desert he thought worthie those his great fauours so tempering the seueritie of his commaunds with the greatnesse of his bountie as that it is hard to say whether he was of his nobilitie and men of war for the one more feared or for the other beloued both the great staies of princes states feare keeping the obstinat in their obedience and loue the dutifull in their deuotion But with Baiazet it was not so who deeming all done for him but dutie and by nature chollericke and proud after the manner of tyrants desired aboue all to be of his subjects feared not much regarding how little hee was of them beloued not the least cause of his great fall and miserie and that therein he was of his owne so smally regarded wherin for all that he is to be accounted more fortunat than the other great conquerour his enemie hauing euer since in the lineall descent of himselfe had one of the greatest Monarchs of the world to succeed still in his kingdome and empire as hee hath euen at this day the great Sultan Mahomet the third of that name who now in great majestie raigneth in CONSTANTINOPLE Whereas the glorie of Tamerlane his empire euen in his owne time growne to the height therof and labouring with the greatnesse of it selfe and by him deuided amongst his sonnes shortly after his death decayed rent in sunder by ambition and ciuile discord and not long after together with his posteritie rooted out by Vsun-Cassanes the Persian king to the worlds woonder tooke end nothing of the huge greatnesse thereof now or since then remaining more than the fame thereof as doth also the miserie of the other so brought low But leauing this mirrour of mishap Baiazet vnto his rest and Tamerlane for a while to triumph in SAMERCAND let vs now proceed in the course of our Historie yet not forgetting by the way to remember such Christian princes as then liued together with these two great Monarchs FINIS Christian princes of the same time with Baiazet the first Emperours Of the East Emanuell Palaeologus 1387. 30. Of the West Wenceslaus son to Charles king of Bohemia 1378. 22. Rupertus duke of Bauaria 1400. 10. Kings Of England Richard the second 1377. 23. Henrie the fourth 1399. 12. Of Fraunce Charles the sixt surnamed The welbeloued 1381. 42. Of Scotland Iohn Stuart otherwise called Robert the third 1390. 16. Bishops of Rome Vrban the VI. 1380. 11. Boniface the IX 1390. 14. MAHOMET I. MAHOMETHES PRIMVS QVINTVS TVRCARVM REX FLORVIT ANNO 1405 Vindicibus Mahomet patrium sibi vendicat armis Imperium fractas feruidus auget opes Quod patri abstulerat violentia Tamberlani Imperio reddit Marte fauente suo Ille sagittiferosque Dacas validosque Triballos Contudit populos Ister amoene tuos Turcica sic rursus sublata potentia stragem Attulit imperio Romule magne tuo By force of armes stout Mahomet his fathers kingdome gaines And doth the broken state thereof repaire with restlesse paines What so the force of Tamerlane had from his father tane He by his fortune and his force restor'd the same againe The Dacians he vanquished and Seruians in field And forc'd the people neere to thee faire ISTER for to yeeld So once againe the Turkish state by him rais'd vp on hie Hath to thine empire Romulus brought great
vnwilling to be knowne When he had thus seene his father the court and the imperiall citie he went againe aboord and so with speed returned to MAGNESIA The report of this his doing had in short time filled both the citie and the court and was at last brought to Baiazet his eares which raised in his suspitious head manie a troublesome thought greatly fearing that in these slie practises lay hidden some secret and desperat conspiracie dangerous to himselfe and his other children Wherefore after long discourse had with the three great Bassaes then of his secret counsell concerning the matter to rid himselfe of all feare he resolued in anie case to take him away And therefore caused them in his name to write vnto Asmehemadi a gallant courtier and alwaies neere vnto Mahometes to poison him with a secret poison for that purpose inclosed in those letters sent vnto him with promise of great rewards and preferments for that his seruice to be afterwards receiued from the emperour Charging him withall that if he could not effect the matter he should so conceale it as that Mahometes should haue no distrust thereof the least suspition whereof would tend to his vtter destruction This Asmehemedi for some vnkindnesse bare a secret grudge against Mahometes which Baiazet knowing of made choise of him the rather And he on the other side partly to performe the old tyrants commaund and partly to reuenge his owne priuat vigilantly awaited all opportunities to bring to effect that he had in charge At length it fortuned that Mahometes hauing disported himselfe in his gardens of pleasure and being thirstie after his exercise called for drinke Asmehemedi alwaies at hand in a gilt boule fetcht him such drinke as he desired wherinto he had secretly conuaied the deadly poison sent from Baiazet Mahometes hauing drunke thereof in short time began to feele himselfe euill at ease and presently sent for his phisitions who thinking that he had but something distempered himselfe with drinking too much cold drinke in his heat perceiued not that hee was poisoned vntill that within six daies after he died Of whose death Baiazet aduertised could not abstaine from mourning although he himselfe had beene the onely author thereof and the more to manifest his heauinesse commaunded all the court to mourne with him and prayers to be made in their temples after their superstitious manner and almes to be giuen to the poore for the health of his soule His dead bodie was afterwards carried to PRVSA and there honourably buried with his auncestors Asmehemedi the traitour in reward of his vnfaithfulnesse towards his master was by the commaundement of Baiâ—zet cast into prison and neuer afterwards seene being there as it was thought secretly made away Now had Baiazet but three sonnes left Achomates Selymus and Corcutus Achomates gouernour of AMASIA was a man both politike and valiant but much giuen to pleasure and delight him Baiazet and most part of the great men of the court fauoured aboue the rest of his brethren except such as were before corrupted by Selymus Corcutus for his mild and quiet nature was of most men beloued but not thought so fit for the gouernment of so great an empire especially by the Ianizaries and souldiours of the court for that he was as they thought altogither drowned in the studie of philosophie a thing nothing agreeing with their humour Yet might Baiazet seeme to doe him wrong if he should not according to his promise againe restore him vnto the possession of the empire which he had almost thirtie yeares before receiued at his hands as is before in the beginning of his life declared But Selymus being of a more hautie disposition than to brooke the life of a subject vnder the commaund of either of his brethren and altogither giuen to martiall affaires sought by infinit bountie faigned courtesie subtile pollicie and by all other meanes good and bad to aspire vnto the empire Him therefore the Ianizaries with all the great souldiours of the court yea and some of the chiefe Bassaes also corrupted with gifts wished aboue the rest for their lord and soueraigne desiring rather to liue vnder him which was like to set all the world on a hurlie burlie whereby they might increase their honour and wealth the certaine rewards of their aduentures than to lead an idle and vnprofitable life as they tearmed it vnder a quiet and peaceable prince Whilest men stood thus diuersly affected towards these princes of so great hope Baiazet now farre worne with yeares and so grieuously tormented with the gout that hee was not able to helpe himselfe for the quietnesse of his subjects and preuenting of such troubles as might arise by the aspiring of his children after his death determined whilest he yet liued for the auoiding of these and other such like mischeefes to establish the succession in some one of his sonnes who wholly possessed of the kingdome might easily represse the pride of the other And although he had set downe with himselfe that Achomates should be the man as well in respect of his birthright as of the especiall affection he bare vnto him yet to discouer the disposition of his subjects and how they stood affected it was giuen out in generall tearmes That hee meant before his death to make it knowne to the world who should succeed him in the empire without naming any one of his sonnes leauing that for euery man to deuine of according as they were affected which was not the least cause that euery one of his sonnes with like ambition began now to make small account of their former preferments as thinking onely vpon the empire it selfe First of all Selymus whom Baiazet had made gouernor of the kingdome of TRAPEZOND rigging vp all the ships he could in PONTVS sayled from TRAPEZOND ouer the Euxine now called the Blacke sea to the citie of CAPHA called in auntient time THEODOSIA and from thence by land came to Mahometes king of the Tartars called Praecopenses a mightie prince whose daughter he had without the good liking of his father before married and discouering vnto him his entended purpose besought him by the sacred bonds of the affinitie betwixt them not to shrinke from him his louing sonne in law in so fit an oportunitie for his aduancement and withall shewed vnto him what great hope of obtaining the empire was proposed vnto him by his most faithfull friends and the souldiors of the court if hee would but come neerer vnto his father then about to transferre the empire to some one of his sonnes and either by faire meanes to procure his fauour or by entering with his armie into THRACIA to terrifie him from appointing either of his other brethren for his successour The Tartar king commending his high deuise as a kind father in law with wonderfull celeritie caused great store of shipping to bee made readie in the Ponticke sea and MoeOTIS but especially at the ports of COPA and TANA
with age and liuing in the height of worldly blisse although he knew it fitter for him at those yeares to giue himselfe ease and quietnesse than to thrust himselfe into warres and other princes quarrels yet thought this expedition to be for many causes both good and necessarie First he deadly hated the man for his inhumane crueltie and therefore could neuer be persuaded to renew the league with him which he had in former time made with his father Baiazet Besides that he desired to abate and represse his audacious insolencie grown alreadie by his prosperous successe beyond the bounds of reason for Selymus hauing taken TAVRIS ouerthrowne the Persians and slaine Aladeules began now to seeme terrible to all the princes that bordered vpon him and there were many which said he was another Alexander who whilest other princes sate still as men a sleepe did in the meane time plot in his victorious mind the monarchie of the whole world But aboue all things the feare of the losing of SYRIA and consequently the losse of all his kingdome the quickest motiue for stirring vp of the suspitious minds of the greatest princes most enforced Campson to take in hand this warre For as much as the goodly kingdomes of AEGYPT IVDEA and SYRIA oppressed with the intollerable gouernment of the proud Mamalukes and therefore lesse faithfull to the Aegyptian kings were in danger to reuolt to the Turkes if the Persians should by any mischance or fortune of warre be of the Turkes vanquished For which cause Campson in the beginning of this warre solicited by the Persian embassadours had made a firme league and confederation with Hysmaell and also moued with the miserie of the wofull young prince Aladin the sonne of Achomates was in mind persuaded that the cruell Turkish tyrant might by his and the Persian kings forces easily be thrust out of his empire in ASIA and EVROPE For Aladin who after the death of Achomates his father fled to Campson the Sultan of AEGYPT as is before declared had liued three yeares as a forlorne and distressed prince in the Aegyptian court and by all meanes he could deuise incited the Mamalukes to reuenge the injuries and crueltie of his vncle Selymus The eldest sonne also of the late king Aladeules a goodly young prince hauing at once lost his father his kingdome and whatsoeuer he held else was in good time fled to the Aegyptian king and had so filled the minds of all men with the indignation and detestation of Selymus his exceeding crueltie that the princes of the Mamalukes of their owne accord came to Campson humbly beseeching him to take vpon him so just a warre and if by reason of his great yeares hee should thinke himselfe vnable to endure the trauell thereof it would then please him yet to giue them leaue of themselues to take the matter in hand for the repressing of the insolencie of that great and wicked tyrant These Mamalukes farre excelled the Turkes not onely in strength of bodie skilfull riding and goodly armour but also in courage and wealth Beside that they had not forgotten with what small power they had vnder the leading of Caitbeius their great Sultan ouerthrowne the Turkes great armies in CILICIA first at ADENA and afterward at TARSVS where they tooke prisoners Mesites Palaologus the great Bassa and Cherseogles Baiazet his sonne in law by which victorie they grew into such a proud and vaine conceit of themselues as if they had beene the onely souldiours of the world able of themselues to vanquish and ouercome whomsoeuer they should set vpon These so valiant souldiours were for the most part of the poore people called in auntient time Getae Zinchi and Bastarnae borne neere vnto the Euxine sea and the â—ens of Maeotis especially on that side where the riuer Corax falleth into the Euxine which countrie is of later time called CIRCASSIA of the people called CERCITae neere vnto CHOLCHIS These miserable and wretched people the Valachians Podolians Polonians Roxolanes and Tartars dwelling by TAVRICA puld from their mothers breasts or by other violent means surprised sold vnto merchants who culling out the best for strength of bodie or aptnesse of wit conuaied them by sea to ALEXANDRIA from whence they were continually sent to the great Sultan of AEGIPT and by his appointment were at CAIRE after the old manner of that people deliuered to masters of fence and such other teachers who carefully instructed them being shut vp in their schooles in all manner of feats of actiuitie where after they were become able to bend a strong bow and taught cunningly to shoot leape run vault ride and skilfully to vse all manner of weapons they were then taken into pay and receiued into the number of the kings horsemen or Mamalukes and such of them as proued cowardly or vnapt were made slaues vnto the rest So that they seeing all honour credit and preferment laied vp in martiall prowesse did with all diligence and courage employ themselues to militarie affaires and therein so well profited that oftentimes they which at the first were but bare and base slaues of the meanest of the Mamalukes by many degrees of seruice rise at length to the highest degrees of honour All these Mamalukes were the children of Christian parents from the time of their captiuitie instructed in the Mahometane superstition for no man borne of a Mahometane father or of a Iew could be admitted into the number of the Mamaluke horsemen which was so straightly obserued that the honour of a Mamaluke horseman neuer descended vnto the sons of the Mamalukes yet might they by law inherit their fathers lands possessions and goods by which reason the sonnes of the Sultans themselues neuer succeeded their fathers in the kingdome Hereby also it came to passe that many Christians of loose life or condemned for their notorious offences flying thither and abjuring the Christian religion and suffering themselues to be circumcised being men meet for the warres grew by degrees to great honour as did Tangarihardinus the sonne of a Spanish mariner who by his forwardnesse and industrie grew into such credit and authoritie with Campson the great Sultan that almost all things were done by his aduice and counsell and was diuers times by him employed in most honorable seruice being sent embassadour both to Baiazet the Turkish emperour and to the state of VENICE about matters of great importance Yet his impietie escaped not the hand of God for at length by the enuie of the court he was brought into disgrace thrust out of his place and cast into prison where he loaded with cold yron most miserably died Neither was it to be maruelled if the Mamalukes were growne to that excesse of wealth for as much as the Aegyptians and Syrians being miserably by them oppressed were not suffered to haue the vse either of horse or armour neither admitted to any matters of counsell but being impouerished and brought low with heauie impositions and dayly injuries
Persian warre is to be taken in hand rather than the warres in GERMANIE and especially for that you haue sufficiently enlarged the bounds of your empire Westward which you haue extended euen vnto nations very far distant So that it is now a great matter to defend so much as you haue alreadie gotten and therefore partly for the difficultie of the defending thereof and partly vpon an honourable contempt according to the infinit bountie of your heroicall inclination haue thought good to bestow whole kingdomes vpon strangers yea halfe your enemies Wherefore how much more glorious shall it be now vpon iust occasion to seeke for that which ioyneth vnto your owne confines and may therefore easily be vnited vnto your owne empire if you according to the example of your grandfather and father shall force your selfe to driue that accursed and abhominable race of Ismaell out of ASIA For it shall be a great glorie vnto the name of the Othoman kings for euer if you shall after your wonted manner zealously respect the cause of religion a worke of an incomparable fame if the authors of a most detestable superstition shall by you be chased quite out of ASIA For what more iust or honourable cause can there be to make warre than to professe your selfe the defendor of the deuine precepts of our great prophet Mahomet against the wicked and irreligious impugners thereof And by the way to reuenge and vtterly to destroy the capitall enemies of your auncestours which was the last prayer of your father Selymus Can you endure them which rule so insolently that they account euery one that is neere them their enemies and prey and dare also with their pilfering inuasions prouoke your selfe liuing contented within the bounds of your owne empire in peace both in EVROPE and ASIA and they forsooth such as haue by most horrible wrong crept into the royall seat of the most lawfull and noble kings descended of the bloud of Vsun-Cassanes who after their wonted manner still liue by rapine and robberie Beleeue me noble emperour if you shall vpon a zeale to your religion with your victorious hand take away this staine and plague of ASIA there shall vndoubtedly be erected vnto you so glorious and magnificent a trophie in the middest of PERSIA as may be compared yea preferred before the triumphs of your victorious father Selymus For it is not so much to haue destroyed the Mamalukes by condition slaues and the proud Sultans of AEGIPT and SIRIA as to haue subdued the Persians famous in antient time for their martiall prowesse who so oftentimes vanquished by Alexander of MACEDOM gaue vnto him the name of Great Solyman prickt forward with many such discourses dayly sounded in his eares by the Bassa began to yeeld to his persuasion Whereof Abraham in himselfe greatly rejoiced for it was thought of many that he did neuer in heart renounce the Christian religion but was onely in outward shew a Turke and in heart a Christian. Which was the rather conjectured for that he maruellously fauoured and protected the Christian marchants furthered by all meanes the leagues of the Christian princes with Solyman and laboured alwaies to turne his forces from them vpon the Persians And the more to whet him forward the Bassa had cunningly insinuated into his acquaintance one Mulearabe of DAMASCO a man at that time famous in CONSTANTINOPLE for the opinion the people had generally conceiued of his holinesse and profound knowledge in the secret causes of things and the art of Magicke vsing him as a prophet to fill the ambitious mind of Solyman with assured hope of prosperous successe which thing the hypocriticall wisard after the manner of such deceiuers slily performed prophesieng vnto him all happinesse in so religious a warre and so much as he said pleasing God This the Bassaes purpose was much furthered also by Vlemas a noble and valiant Persian who hauing married the great Persian king Tamas his sister was reuolted from him to Solyman fearing to be called to account for the extorsion wherewith he had grieuously oppressed the countries whereof he had the gouernment and being wonderfully countenanced in Solymans court by the great Bassa did after the manner of disloyall fugitiues persuade Solyman by all means he could to take that war in hand discouering vnto him the power strength and state of the Persian kingdome which he could well doe and plotting vnto him the easiest way for the conquering thereof offering also vnto him the vttermost of his deuoire So Solyman filled with the vaine hope of the conquest of PERSIA yeelded fully vnto the persuasions of the great Bassa and gaâ—e out his commissions into all parts of his empire for the raising of a mightie armie for the performance of so great an enterprise commaunding all his captaines and men of warre to be readie at the citie of NICE in BYTHINIA at a certaine day appointed Which his purpose although it was mightily impugned by his mother and faire Roxalana his best beloued as that which altogether proceeded from the Bassa the one alleadging with what euill successe his grandfather and father had before him attempted that same war the other assailing him with her passionat 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 seruant be led vp and down the world so farre from their companie for which cause they did what in them lay to haue ouerthrowne the purpose of Abraham and to haue altered Solymans former determination But so strong was the Bassaes credit with his great lord and master that all these great ladies deuises and prayers were as womens affectionat passions rejected and the Bassaes counsell to their no small greefe in all things regarded The time appointed being come and all things in readinesse Solyman sent Abraham the Bassa and Vlemas the Persian before him into SYRIA with a strong armie to be readie with the first of the Spring to inuade the Persian king Which thing the Bassa gladly tooke vpon him and comming into SIRIA wintered with his armie at ALâ—PPO whither Barbarussa came vnto him for his letters of credence to Solyman as is before declared The Spring now approching Abraham sent Vlemas the fugitiue Persian prince before him with the light horsemen the forerunners of his armie into MESOPOTAMIA as his guide because the countrey was vnto him best knowne following not farre after himselfe with all his armie And marching still forward in that manner came at length without resistance vnto the famous citie of TAVRIS in ARMENIA the greater called in auntient time ECBATHANA as is probably by some conjectured a great and rich citie but vnwalled and of no strength where the Persian kings for the pleasantnesse of the place and freshnesse of the ayre vsed commonly to be resiant in the heat of the yeare From whence Tamas the Persian king was as then absent busied in warres
and at the same time to send Barbarussa with a great fleet against the Spaniards their common enemies for the imparting of which his designes he would shortly send vnto them Iunusbeius his embassadour As for the euent of the warre they needed not to doubt when as they of themselues were strong ynough quickly to thrust the emperour out of the dukedome of MILLAN being generally hated of the people feeding his souldiors with the spoile of the countrey and on euery side beset both by sea and land by two of the greatest monarchs of the world Whereunto the Senat delaying the time for certaine dayes that Iunusbeius might in the meane time come thither grauely answered That the amitie they held with king Francis ought to be vnto them an ornament but no burthen the like also they held with the emperour whom they would in no case seeme to cast off although they had beene by him ouer-raught Wherefore the Senators and all the citisens generally were of opinion to preserue their peace as they which in the hard times of war had endured great extremities which would hardly be recouered with long peace But if they did once see the ensignes displayed and the wars begun they would then take further aduice Whether it were good for them to thrust themselues into those warres or not when as they were in league and friendship with three of the greatest princes of the world In the meane time Iunusbeius arriued at VENICE and was there honourably receiued He requested that the league before made at CONSTANTINOPLE by Badoerius their embassador might by the authoritie of the Senat be confirmed so coÌ„mended the French kings cause to the Senat that he requested no more but that vnto that amitie which they alreadie held with the French they would joine further courtesies the rather for that Solyman had accounted him for his brother and had vndertaken to aid him against Charles king of SPAINE but as to joine in league with him or in his quarrell to take vp armes he requested nothing Which was quite beside the expectation of Polinus and Pellicerius who by vrging of the matter and by telling of all had thought easily to haue persuaded the Senat to haue graunted what they requested and therefore thought the Turke who had so coldly spoken in the cause to be some way corrupted But as it afterward appeared there was such equitie and modestie in Solymans letters who was otherwise of a proud and insolent nature that he would not as then exact any thing of them which should not stand with the good of their estate Wherfore Polinus hauing in vaine staied certaine daies at VENICE was in one of their publike gallies transported to RAGVSIVM and from thence trauelled by land to CONSTANTINOPLE where he found all things more difficult than euer he dreamed of For the great Bassaes said There could no fleet be set out that yeare by reason that he was come too late to sue for such a matter the Spring of the yeare being now past of all other times most fit for to take in hand so long a voyage So that Polinus was aboue measure vexed with care and griefe that he had so euill sped and was come so out of season both to VENICE and CONSTANTINOPLE Dixius also one of the masters of the Rhodian gallies was come to CONSTANTINOPLE to carie newes into FRANCE of the comming of the Turks fleet who told Polinus That the kings sonnes were with strong power far entred into the low countries and had alreadie inuaded SPAINE expecting nothing more than the comming of the Turks gallies Wherefore Polinus as it easily chanceth to men deceiued by trust reposed in any other mens promises and bewailing the euill successe of their vaine trauell wonderfully tormented himselfe cursed the froward and vnconstant manners of the Bassaes called vpon the faith of Solyman and besought the great Bassaes one by one that they would not contrarie to their promise forsake the king who vpon the hope of the comming of the Turks fleet had now inuaded both the low countries and the kingdome of SPAINE for as much as by that delay which was vnto them neither honourable nor profitable was as he said betraied the majestie of his king and a most assured victorie now as good as gotten quite marred In which his obtestations he was so importunat and tedious that he became vnto those proud Bassaes rather loathsome than gratious insomuch that to end his sute they thought it best sharply to take him vp and so for that time to shake him off And therefore sending for him and the other French gentlemen which followed him to the court the great Bassaes then sitting in counsell and Barbarussa with them for the honour of his place as soone as they were come into the counsell chamber Solyman Bassa the eunuch turning himselfe about spake vnto them in this sort Frenchmen said he this place for dâ—spatch of most waightie affaires appointed by the graue iudgment of our most mightie emperor to vs his faithfull seruants doth as it best beseemeth receiue vs daily comming vnto it void of loue and hatred and withall doth notably put vs in remembrance to speake our minds freely Neither would I that this franknesse of speech the messenger of truth and therefore the faithfull keeper of friendship should be vnto your eares vnpleasing or troublesome for sithence your king hath beene called the friend and fellow of the Othoman name we may not now either forget the duties of loue or loath your friendship seeing that our emperour doth maruellously affect you and is not a little desirous to strengthen you with his power and by ouercomming your enemies to increase your power and honour But in your demaunds is no equitie no modestie so that wee tearme you vnmodest and importunat and others which fauour you not so well call you plainly by your right names vnreasonable and shamelesse men who as too too forgetfull of your dueties doe most fondly trouble the lawes of amitie and friendship For leagues are confirmed by like profit by making euen the charge and mutuall dangers but if neglecting your friends kindnesse and courtesie you will make no requitall they will quickly grow wearie of you So happeneth it vnto you Frenchmen who euer forgetfull and negligent in our dangers but in your owne alwaies mindfull and diligent haue shewed your selues friends vnto vs when need was not in deeds and certaine aid but onely in bare letâ—ers and embassages Tell me I pray you where euer you shewed any signe or token of your good will or aid whereby the minds of our enemies might at the least wise haue but beene kept in suspence of some doubtfull feare when as Charles with all the power of the West came into HVNGARIE and CORONE and PATRAS were in the meane time shaken in GRaeCE with the enemies fleet and last of all TVNES taken with so great a fleet But all this we pardon you yet
of ELBA belonging to the duke of FLORENCE oueragainst POPVLONA where vnderstanding that one of the sonnes of Sinan his old friend was there kept prisoner he writ vnto Appianus gouernour of the island for his deliuerance to this effect I know that a young man a Turke serueth thee the sonne of Sinan surnamed the Iew a famous captaine taken of late at TVNES him I would haue thee friendly to restore which gift I will make thee vnderstand to be vnto me most acceptable for this our great fleet in passing by you shall faithfully forbeare to vse any hostilitie But if thou shalt in this so small a matter refuse to gratifie me expect vpon the coast of thy countrey all the harmes which an angrie enemie can doe Whereunto Appianus shewing his men vpon the wals in token that he was not afraid answered That the young man was become a Christian and therefore might not in any case bee deliuered to the Turkes but that he would in any other thing gratifie him in what he could and for his sake vse the young man as his sonne And to mollifie the vnkindnesse of his answere he sent him fresh victuall with other presents But Barbarussa offended with the answere landed his men round about the island and commanded them to make what spoile they could which they performed accordingly hunting the island people vp and downe the rockes and mountains like Hares vntill that Appianus not without cause doubting the vtter spoile of the island redeemed his peace by deliuering the young man to Salec the pyrat who brought him to Barbarussa gallantly apparrelled after the Italian manner of whom he was joyfully receiued as the sonne of a most valiant captaine his old friend and thereupon Barbarussa stayed his souldiors from doing any further harme vpon the island and gaue Appianus great thanks for him This young man Barbarussa honoured with the commaund of seuen gallies and afterwards sent him to his father then lying at SVETIA a port of the red sea Admirall for Solyman against the Portingals who greatly troubled those seas But the old Iew ouerjoyed with the sudden and vnexpected returne of his sonne whom he had for many yeares before giuen as lost in embracing of him fainted and so presently for joy died This man for valour was accounted little inferiour to Barbarussa but for discretion and just dealing farre beyond him nothing of so furious and wayward a disposition as was he Barbarussa departing from ELBA came into the bay of TELAMON in TVSCVNIE and in short time took the citie which he spoiled and burnt but especially the house of Bartholomeus Telamonius whose dead bodie but a little before buried he caused to be pluckt out of the graue his bones to be scattered abroad because he being Admirall of the bishop of ROME his gallies had in the island of LESBOS wasted Barbarussa his fathers poore possession and marching by night eight miles further into the land surprised MONTENVM and carried almost all the inhabitants away with him into captiuitie The like mischeefe he did at the port called PORTVS HERCVLIS but purposing to haue taken ORHATELLO and there to haue fortified he was by Luna and Vitellius two valiant captaines before sent thither the one by the State of SIENA and the other by the duke of FLORENCE repulsed So though disappointed of his purpose yet hauing done great harme and put the whole countrey of TVSCANIE in exceeding feare he departed thence and landed againe at IGILIVM now called GIGIO an island about twelue miles distant from PORTVS HERCVLIS where he quickly battered the towne and caried a wonderfull number of all sorts into miserable captiuitie keeping on his course he passing the cape LINAR comming oueragainst CANTVMCELLE had burnt that citie for the same reason he did TELAMON had he not been otherwise persuaded by Strozza the French embassador fearing to draw the French king into further obliquie From thence he came with a direct course to the island of ISCHIA where landing in the night he intercepted most part of the inhabitants of the island as they were flying into the mountaines and in reuenge of the hatred he had conceiued against Vastius at the siege of NICE he burnt FORINO PANSA and VARRANIVM three cheefe townes of that island but PITHACVSA the dwelling place of Vastius standing vpon a broken rocke somewhat distant from the sea he durst not aduenture vpon Then scraping along the island PROCHITA with lesse hurt because most part of the inhabitants were before fled to PITHACVSA he put into the bay of PVTEOLI and sent Salec the pyrat with part of his fleet to make proofe if the citie of PVTEOLI might from sea be battered Salec drawing neere the citie shot into it with his great ordinance and by chance slew one Saiauedra a valiant Spaniard vpon the wals and put the citisens in a great feare least the whole fleet should haue landed they themselues as then vnprouided but the viceroy came presently with a power both of horse and foot from NAPLES which Barbarussa discouering from sea as they came downe the mountaines called backe Salec and leauing the Island of CAPRI and passing by the promontorie ATHENEVM was about to haue seised vpon SALERNVM when a tempest suddenly arising dispersed his fleet and driue him beyond the promontorie PALINVRVS vpon the coast of CALABRIA where he did exceeding much harme especially at CARREATO From thence he departed to the island of LIPARI betwixt ITALIE and SICILIE which island he miserably spoyled and with fortie great pieces so battered the citie that the citisens were constrained for feare to yeeld whom he carried away all prisoners about the number of seuen thousand of one sort of people and other and burnt the citie So loaded with the rich spoile of ITALIE and the islands vpon the coast he returned towards CONSTANTINOPLE with such a multitude of poore Christian captiues shut vp so close vnder hatches amongst the excrements of Nature that all the way as he went almost euery houre some of them were cast dead ouer boord euery man detesting the endlesse hatred betwixt the emperour and the French king the very ground of all this and many thousand other most wofull and vndeserued calamities of their poore subjects With this rich prey and an infinit number of captiues Barbarussa arriued at CONSTANTINOPLE in the beginning of Autumne in the yeare 1544 where he was honourably receiued of Solyman and highly commended for his good seruice both by sea and land Solyman triumphing at CONSTANTINOPLE of the good successe he had in HVNGARIE in the middest of all his glorie was aduertised of the death of Mahomet his eldest sonne whom of all his children he held deerest whose dead bodie was shortly after brought from MAGNESIA and with wonderfull solemnitie and no lesse mourning buried at CONSTANTINOPLE How entirely Solyman loued this his sonne well appeared by the great sorrow he conceiued of his death and not contented to
hot to be vnto them very tedious Whiles I thus lay in the campe there came vnto me one Albertus a learned man with certaine presents from the emperour to Solyman which were certaine gilt plate and a most curious clocke which was carried vpon an Eliphant like a castle and some crownes to be dispersed a-among the Bassaes which Solyman would needs haue presented vnto him in the campe in the sight of the whole armie to make it the better knowne what friendship was betweene him and the emperour and that he needed not to feare any danger from the Christian princes But to returne againe to Baiazet from whom we haue a while digressed he after the battell at ICONIVM had retired himselfe to AMASIA the place of his gouernment as though he would haue now there quietly liued if his father would so giue him leaue He had now satisfied his youthfull desires and greefe and seemed willing from thenceforth to satisfie his fathers better expectation and therefore ceased not by letters and fit men to proue his fathers mind Neither did Solyman shew himselfe strange from such a reconciliation at first he easily gaue the messengers audience read his sons letters and courteously returned answere so that it was commonly reported in the campe that the father and the sonne would agree and that the old man would pardon the youthfull pranke alreadie past so that he would from thenceforth remaine dutifull But all this way by the counsell of the Bassaes nothing but deepe dissimulation in the craftie old sire vntill he had shut vp Baiazet and so got him aliue into his hand for it was feared least he despairing of pardon should with such a power breake into the borders of PERSIA now the onely place left for his refuge as might preuent the watchfull diligence of his lieutenanâ—â— vpon those frontiers whom Solyman charged by continuall letters so to stop all the passages 〈◊〉 PERSIA as that there should not be any craâ—ie for Baiazet to flie out by In the mean time if any came within his reach that were suspected to haue taken part with Baiazet or fauored his proceedings those he caused to be tortured and secretly made away and amongst them some whom Baiazet had of purpose sent to excuse themselues For Solyman fearing least Tamas the Persian king more mindfull of his old quarrels than of the late enforced peace should hardly with much ado suffer his sonne to be got out of his hands if he should flie thither and so againe raise along and dangerous warre did therefore what he possibly might to oppresse him before he should come thither Which his purpose although it was couered with all secrecie yet was it not hidden from some of Baiazet his friends by whom he was oftentimes warned not to trust his father but to beware of treason and in any case speedily to prouide for his owne safetie But Solyman thinking he had now so prouided as that he could by no meanes escape and happily the more to deceiue his sonne appointed to returne with his armie to CONSTANTINOPLE the day after their Easter day But Baiazet vpon the very feast day hauing performed the solemnities thereof commaunded all his things to be trussed vp at AMASIA and so set forward vpon his vnfortunat journey towards PERSIA knowing right well that he went to the auntient enemie of the Othoman familie but yet fully resolued to make proofe of any mans mercie rather than to fall into the hands of his angrie father Now were they all set forward except such weake soules as were not thought able to endure the labour of so long a journey amongst whom was left Solyman Baiazet his youngest sonne but then newly borne which guiltlesse babe with his mother Baiazet thought better to leaue vnto the mercie of his grandfather than to take him with him a poore companion of his wofull and miserable flight whom Solyman as yet vncertaine of his fathers fortune commaunded to be nursed at PRVSA Baiazet so gone from AMASIA vsed such celeritie in his trauell that almost in euery place he preuented the fame of his comming and light vpon many that were appointed to haue stayed his passage before they were readie or aware of his comming The Bassa of SEBASTIA he thus deceiued There was two wayes whereof the one of them being intercepted would greatly hinder his journey and that the Bassa had alreadie taken wherefore he sent certaine as if they had beene fugitiues to tell the Bassa that he was alreadie gone the other way Which the Bassa beleeuing left the place he had before taken and rising with all his power to pursue him the other way whereby it was told him he was gone left that way free and open for him to passe by The Bassa of ERZIRVM he deceiued also by another not much vnlike shift from whom when he was not farre distant and knowing that in passing through his countrey he was to endure great danger he set vpon him with a wile sending vnto him certaine of his followers with commendations who afterwards lamentably complaining of the young princes calamitie to moue the Bassa to pitie at last requested that he would giue him leaue to shoo his horses in his territorie telling him That he came vnprouided of all things and therefore desirous in that fruitfull countrey to refresh his horses a day or two and to new shoo them Whereunto the Bassa courteously answered That he would not let him to take whatsoeuer he needed But whether it was for the compassion he had vpon the state of Baiazet or for the secret loue he bare him or that he thought by that meanes the easilier to entrap him is doubtfull and happily preuented by Baiazet his quicke speed had not as yet sufficient time to draw together his souldiors He sent also vnto Baiazet certaine small presents seeming to be glad of his welfare and comming who neuerthelesse kept on his way resting no part of the day and but a little of the night The Bassa of ERZIRVM vnderstanding that Baiazet came still on made what hast he could also and joyned his power to the rest of the Bassaes which followed after for many Bassaes and Sanzackes hearing that Baiazet was fled from AMASIA pursued fast after him being charged by Solyman vpon paine of their heads to bring him backe either aliue or dead but all in vaine by reason of his speedie departure and for that he made more hast to flie than they did to follow Yet it cost no man deerer than this Bassa of ERZIRVM of whom we haue now spoken whom Solyman for this cause displaced and Selymus afterwards slew with two of his sonnes young striplings whom hee had before in despight shamefully abused against nature Yea Selymus himselfe and Mehemet the great Bassa with the Berglerbeg of GRECIA followed also after Baiazet though it were a far off This his departure grieued Solyman aboue measure assuring himselfe as the truth was that
the coast of DALMATIA out of which they caried away with them 1600 poore Christians into captiuitie These arch pyrats at their pleasure roming vp and downe the sea fortuned to light vpon a ship of the Christians bound from MESSANA to CORCYRA which they tooke and in rifling thereof found certaine letters directed to the Gouernour of CORCYRA certifying him of the league then but lately concluded amongst the Christian princes which letters they sent in post to Selymus to giue him knowledge thereof who therupon writ to his Admirals with all hostilitie to infest any of the dominions of the Christian confederats The Turks fleet thus raging and raigning in the Adriaticke brought a great feare not only vpon the coasts of DALMATIA ISTRIA and the islands thereabouts which were by them most afflicted but also vpon the sea coasts of APVLIA and all alongst that side of ITALIE yea vpon the citie of VENICE it selfe insomuch that they were glad to fortifie as well the citie as the frontiers of their dominions with new fortifications and garrisons as did also the king and the Pope in ITALIE for why no ship or gallie could now looke out of any port but it was presently surprised and taken by the Turks which with the sundry calamities before receiued so confounded the Venetians that they in their assemblies and consultations seemed rather to quake for feare than after their wonted maner grauely to consult how the enemy was to be repulsed Yet for the more safetie of their citie and for feare least the Turks fleet should forcibly breake in vpon them they strongly fortified the passages through the rocke or banke which defendeth the citie from the sea and kept continually 12000 men in readinesse in the citie for the more assurance thereof All the Turks fleet being againe met together Partau and Haly departed from AVLONA the 26 of August and sayled directly to CORCYRA which little island seemed to bee compassed in round with the great enemies fleet Partau Bassa at his first arriuall there landed eight hundred horsemen and a thousand foot who ranging vp and down the island did great hurt and burnt the very suburbs of the citie at which time the garrison soldiors sallying out vpon them with a thousand horsemen and fiue hundred foot slew a great number of them and amongst the rest one Paphus Rays a man of great name Thus the Turks fleet hauing done wonderfull harme in the Venetian territorie as well in the islands as vpon the frontiers of DALMATIA enriched with the spoyle of those countries and carrying away with them fifteene thousand most miserable captiues departing from CORCYRA arriued all in the bay of CORINTH now called the gulfe of LEPANTO where we will for a while leaue them to ride in safetie At such time as this great fleet the terrour of that part of Christendome first put into the Adriaticke Venerius the Venetian Admirall then lying with fiftie gallies at CORCYRA and fearing if he stayed there longer to be enforced with so small a power to fight against so strong an enemie or els so to be shut vp that hee could not joyne his forces with the Spanish fleet which was dayly expected vpon the comming of the fleet departed thence to MESSANA there more commodiously and more safely to attend the comming of Don Iohn of AVSTRIA Generall of the Spanish forces At his comming Columnius met him with twelue gallies which the great duke of FLORENCE had sent in the aid of the confederats and three gallies of MALTA who onely were yet come thither and with great honour receiued him Not long after M. Antonius Quirinus and Antonius Canalis came thither also with threeescore and two gallies before appointed by the Venetians for the releefe of FAMAGVSTA but now called backe againe to joyne with the rest of the fleet and in short time the gallies of SICILIE arriued there also At last after long expectation in the latter end of August came Don Iohn with the Spanish fleet a man then about foure and twentie yeares old in whom wanted no honorable parts his mothers blemish onely excepted who although he was most deere vnto his father Charles the fifth yet left he him nothing by his will but onely at his death commended him vnto his sonne Philip as his brother The Venetian and the Popes Admirals hearing of his comming went to meet him and that with such triumph and joy that all the former heauinesse before conceiued of his long staying was turned into gladnesse with most assured hope of triumphant victorie their doubled forces and two great fleets joyned in one encouraged them aboue measure filling all the West with the expectation of some great matter The Venetian fleet consisted of an hundred and eight gallies six galleases two tall ships and a great number of small galliots Vnto them were joyned twelue gallies of the Popes of whom Columnius was Admirall And with Don Iohn the Generall and Auria the Spanish Admirall came fourescore and one gallies of whom three were from the knights of MALTA In this fleet beside marriners were reckoned to be twentie thousand fighting men an armie not onely beautifull for shew as consisting of most choice bodies but indeed most strong and puissant old beaten souldiours almost throughout it in euery place intermixed with others of lesse skill many knowne to be men of great experience rich and lustie bodies were by name called forth to this so honourable seruice and diuers other of great nobilitie as well old men as yong and lustie gallants for the naturall hatred they bare vnto the common enemie came and as voluntarie men cheerefully thrust themselues into that religious war euery of which noble gentlemen as they were greater by birth or power so had they drawne after them a greater number of their fauourits and followers strong and able bodies of their owne charge brauely armed who sought after no other pay for their paines and danger but by some notable victorie to eternise their names or honourably to spend their liues in so just a quarrell as for the defence of the Christian faith and religion Amongst these most honourable and resolute men were three of greatest marke Alexander Farnesius prince of PARMA in time to be the honour and glorie of ITALIE his natiue countrey whose vntimely death in the low countries euen his honourable enemies lamented and being dead is not without cause and worthie desert accounted amongst the most politicke and famous leaders of our age The second was Franciscus Maria prince of VRBIN a yong man both honourably descended and of an inuincible courage and the third Pau. Iordanus Vrsinus an honorable gentleman of the family of the Vrsini in ROME All the power of the confederat princes thus met togither at MESSANA and all things now in readinesse a counsell was called by the Generall to resolue what course to take in those most dangerous wars against so puissant an enemy vnto which counsell
two hundred gallies commended them to the conduct of Vluzales with expresse charge That by how much things had fallen out worse the last yeare he should with so much the more care now beware the like danger and not to go out of the bounds of the ARCHIPELAGO or to aduenture battell but vpon aduantage or at leastwise vpon an euen hand This Vluzales otherwise called Occhiall was an Italian borne in CALABRIA who in his youth taken at sea by the Turks and chained in the gallie and afterwards renouncing his faith by many degrees grew vnto the highest preferments amongst the Turkes and so became an exceeding plague as well to his owne countrey as to all other of the Christians bordering vpon the Mediterranean He now Admirall for the Turke after the manner of the prowd Barbarians threatned with fire and sword to be reuenged vpon the Venetians which knowne at VENICE much troubled them as well acquainted with the furie of the old Archpyrat Beside that Ant. Barbarus their embassadour all the time of this warre kept in safe custodie at CONSTANTINOPLE had by letters certified them what a great fleet and what a strong armie Selymus had prouided against them and that he himselfe told two hundred and fiftie saile of gallies when they set forward from CONSTANTINOPLE beside some other that were to meet with them at GALIPOLIS and that therefore they should beware how they encountred with the Turkes fleet but vpon equall strength It was also at the same time commonly reported that king Phillip chiefe of the confederats carelesse of the warres against the Turke in the East was about to turne his forces vpon the kingdomes of TVNES or ALGIERS neerer vnto him as in deed he did the yeare following The Venetians entangled with so many difficulties were euen at their wits end and day by day the Senat sat from the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same consulting how all these mischiefes were to be remedied But for as much as the greatest danger was to be feared frō the Turks fleet as then houering euen ouer their heads they by letters commanded Fuscarinus their Admirall That whether the confederats came vnto him or not he should forthwith take his course towards the East and there according to the enemies dessignes and his owne discretion and valour to doe what he should thinke best to be done for the common good of his countrey and not to refuse to joyne with the enemie in battell if he saw any good hope of victorie Neither ceased they at the same time both by their embassadours and letters earnestly to call both vpon the Pope and the king to hasten their forces to encounter the enemie before he should come out of his owne seas and to carrie the terrour of the warre home to his owne doores rather than to receiue it at their owne The like message was also done to Don Iohn putting him in mind what his place what the time and what the danger of the time required entreating him if it were possible of himselfe to adde something vnto that hast which the necessitie of so important a cause required Who neuerthelesse for all the messages and letters to him sent which were many went still on faire softly delaying from day to day telling that he would by and by come and that the Spaniards would alwaies be so good as their word Which was so far from his thought that afterwards finding one excuse after another he not only staied his comming but called back again Requisenius also whom he had sent before with 20 gallies to CORCYRA Now were two months fittest for the wars vainly spent when Superantius grieued to see time to no purpose so slip away fearing least the rest of the Sommer should to as small effect in like manner passe also with great instance importuned him to hasten his journey Then at length Don Iohn answered that the Venetians requested but reason neither that he wished for any thing more than to satisfie their desires but that a greater care hindred the lesse which was first to be preuented He was aduertised as he said that the French king pretending the suppressing of certain pyrats had assembled a great fleet at ROCHEL with purpose indeed to inuade SPAINE now that the king was busied in these wars against the Turk that therfore they must pardon him if he preferred the regard of SPAINE before others being expressely commanded from the king not to depart from MESSANA vntill he had other commaundement from him But whether this his excuse by FRANCE proceeded of a true feare or otherwise the Venetians much doubted and the rather for that the French king vnderstanding therof by the Venetians was therewith as reason was exceedingly offended protesting that he was euer so farre from that purpose of hindering any the confederat princes in that their religious warre that if the troubles of his owne countrey would haue so permitted he would gladly haue giuen them aid therein Many there were also that thought Enuie the auntient enemie of vertue and valour to haue had a great power in this delay doubting whether the Spaniards would more rejoyce of the victorie well hoped for if they should joyne with the Venetians or grieue if the same should by the Venetians be obtained without them Superantius wearie of discourses and long expectation and almost out of hope of any helpe in time from the Spaniard how vntowardly soeuer things went thought better yet warily to moderat his griefe than in so dangerous a time to giue any occasion for the Spaniard to fall quite off Yet spake he not fauningly or flatteringly of the matter but with a certaine modest grauitie declared That he had thought heauen would sooner haue fallen than that Don Iohn would not at the appointed time haue come to CORCYRA And withall besought him and wished him to beware that he brought not the common State into some great danger if they had to doe with such an enemie as might be delaied with then he said he could easily abide delay but now for that the warre and the enemie was such as wherein or with whom neuer any Generall had dalied without losse to what end did he longer deferre or trifle out the time or what other fleet did he expect If they should diuide their forces then were they all too weake but vnited togither strong enough to defend the common cause The neerer the enemie came the more hast were to be made to joyne with the Venetian fleet And what could be as he told him more honourable or glorious than for him a noble yong gentleman roially descended of whom the world had conceiued a great hope that he would in martiall honour exceed the glorie of his most famous auncestours againe to vanquish the prowd Turke the greatest and most mightie monarch of the world to fight the battell of the highest to assure the Christian common-weale against so puissant an enemie and to
was accordingly done and those incursions for a while staied and the former peace continued Amurath still making shew as if he were willing that the league agreed vpon for eight yeares should not be in any wise on his part infringed At which time the Persian kings sonne the league not long before concluded died in the Turkes Court where he lay in hostage whose dead bodie Amurath caused to be honorably sent home to his father into PERSIA with an Apologie in defence of himselfe against the suspition conceiued by some that he should haue beene the cause of the vntimely death of that young prince still vrging withall the confirmation of the league which by the death of the prince was like enough to haue been broken Whereof Amurath was the more desirous for that persuaded by his Bassaes as is aforesaid to make warres with the emperour although he notably dissembled the same he was in hope thereby to adde vnto his empire the reliques of HVNGARIE with some good part of the territories of the house of AVSTRIA also and so to open himselfe a way into the heart of GERMANIE For which purposes he now caused very great preparation to be made and a strong armie to be raised and at the same time put a great fleet of gallies into the Archipelago for the safetie of his islands in that sea According to these designments the Bassa of BOSNA by the commandement of Amurath with an armie of fiftie thousand entred into CROATIA and without resistance burnt and destroied the countrey before him sparing nothing that came in his way And not so contented laid siege to the citie of WIHITZ being the metropoliticall citie of that countrey strongly situat as it were in an island compassed about with the riuer Yna Which citie after he had sore battered and twise assaulted was by the distressed defendants now despairing of reliefe and vnable longer to hold it out yeelded vnto the Bassa vpon composition That the Germain souldiors there in garrison might in safetie with bagge and baggage depart and that such of the Christian citisens as would might there still remain without hurt from the Turks either in bodie or goods Which conditions the Bassa faithfully performed to the garrison souldiors whom in number but foure hundred he sent with safe conuoy into their owne territorie but afterwards contrarie to his faith and promise exercised all manner of Turkish tyrannie vpon the poore citisens The emperour troubled with this vnexpected inuasion of the Turkes sent the lord Petzen whom he had many times employed in embassages to the Turke to pray aid of the Germain princes against the common enemie who according to the greatnesse of the danger in large tearmes promised their helpe The first that made head was Ernestus archduke of AVSTRIA the emperours brother who with fiue thousand souldiors came from VIENNA to SAVARIA commonly called GREIS the Metropolis of STIRIA to whom repaired daily more strength out of CARINTHIA In the meane time the Turkes armie daily encreasing in CROATIA enclosed six thousand footmen and fiue hundred horsemen of the Christians who had taken the mountaines woods and strait passages and so straitly beset them that of all that number few escaped with life amongst whom many valiant souldiors and expert captaines were slaine namely Iames Prants George Plesbach and Iohn Weluerdurff The Bassa after the barbarous manner of the Turkes to make his victorie more famous laded six wagons with the heads of the slaine Christians The Turkes thus raging in CROATIA brought a generall feare vpon all HVNGARIE BAVARIA BOHEMIA STIRIA CARINTHIA SILESIA and the rest of the prouinces thereabouts Whereupon the emperour calling togither the States of SILESIA and MORAVIA declared vnto them the imminent danger persuading them to joyne their forces with the rest for the repulsing of so dangerous an enemie and so imminent a danger After long delay Ernestus the archduke the tenth of August came to the emperour his brother with the embassadour of HVNGARIE and the seauenth day after were called togither the embassadours of the kingdomes and prouinces of the empire where it was throughly debated how the Turkes were to be resisted and their attempts infringed as also from whence forces money and other warlike prouision was to be raised For now it was manifestly seene that longer to delay the matter was dangerous and the rather for that the Beglerbeg or great commaunder of GRaeCIA with threescore thousand select souldiors both horse and foot of long time exercised in the Persian warres was ere long expected who joyning with the rest of the Turkes armie might doe great matters both in HVNGARIE and the places adjoyning For preuenting of which so great and manifest dangers they sat daily in counsell at PRAGE yea oftentimes euen from morning vntill night for the Hungarians and especially the lord Nadasti a most noble valiant gentleman amongst them instantly vrged to haue succours sent into HVNGARIE for as much as the Turkish emperour if he should get into his hands the rest of the townes and castles yet holden by the Christians in HVNGARIE it was to be feared least he should in short time after endanger the whole State of GERMANIE the strength whereof the Turke feared not so much as hee did those poore reliques of HVNGARIE Others were no lesse carefull of the dangers of CROATIA and STIRIA as more proper to themselues the enemie now there raging In these so great dangers the Hungarians with the rest of the distressed cried vpon the emperour for helpe and he likewise called vpon the princes of the empire Diuers assemblies were made in BOHEMIA HVNGARIE MORAVIA SILESIA and the other prouinces of the emperours and embassadours sent from almost all the Germane princes to the emperour all was full of consultation but as for helpe that came in verie slowly yet such as was to be had was forthwith sent into CROATIA to defend the fortresses there against the farther attempts and proceedings of the furious enemie The eighteenth of September the Turkes with all warlike prouision vpon the sudden by night assaulted the strong castle of TOCCAY in the vpper HVNGARIE in hope to haue surprised it but finding it a matter of more difficultie than they had before imagined they departed thence and attempted the lesser COMARA which standing in a marrish ground was also easily defended At which time also the Bassa of BVDA with his power entred into the frontiers of the Christians but hauing well viewed the cities townes castles and forts vpon those borders and finding nothing for his purpose he without any thing doing returned againe to BVDA The six and twentith day of September Hassan the Bassa of BOSNA encamped with his army betwixt the riuers of Kulp and Sauus and in the darknesse of the night passing ouer part of his armie into TVROPOLIS with fire and sword most miserably spoiled all that pleasant and fertile island the lord Bonny to whom the keeping thereof was committed
vnto the Admirall of the Turkes gallies lying below in the riuer That he should at an appointed time come vp the riuer 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 towne would be likewise readie to sallie out and to assaile it indeed on the other side by land The Admirall accordingly came vp the riuer with his gallies and by discharging of certaine great pieces made shew as if he would on that side haue battered the fort but was so welcommed thereout of that he was glad with his rent gallies quickly to fall downe the riuer againe further off out of danger But whiles the thundering shot was thus flying too and fro towards the riuer they of the towne sallying out assaulted the fort on the other side toward the land and that with such desperat resolution that some of them were got vp to the top of the rampiers and there for the space of two houres maintained a most cruell fight wherein many of them were slaine and wounded and the rest enforced with shame to retire The Christians thus still lying at the siege and intentiue to all occasions partly by their espials and partly by such as they had taken prisoners vnderstood that a new supplie both of men and victuals was shortly to be put into STRIGONIVM and therefore sent out certaine companies of souldiors who lying in two conuenient places the one vpon the riuer the other by land might intercept the said supply Both which places were before by the prouident enemie possessed who suddenly assayling the Christians comming thither and fearing no such matter slew some of them and put the rest to flight who neuerthelesse in their retreat brake the bridge which the Turkes had made of boats vnder the castle of STRIGONIVM ouer Danubius Of which boats some were carried away with the violence of the streame and of the rest thirtie fell into the hands of the Christians without losse of any man more than fiue who making too much hast out of a little boat fell into the riuer so perished In this time Fame the forerunner of all great attempts had brought newes into the Christian campe That Sinan Bassa the Turks great Generall was comming to the reliefe of STRIGONIVM of whose power diuers diuersly reported But the greater part doubting the worst and wearie 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 seeme the greater certaine it is that the newes of the comming of so great and puissant an enemie raised many a troubled thought in the minds of so great a multitude Now were the besieged Turks in great wants in STRIGONIVM as appeared by letters intercepted from the Sanzacke to the Bassa of BVDA declaring vnto him the hard estate of the besieged and humbly crauing his promised helpe without which the citie could not for want of victuals possibly be defended by the fainting souldiors aboue three dayes Which letters being read in the campe caused great preparation to be made for the continuing of the siege and the withstanding of the enemie whose comming was euery houre expected All this while the great ordinance neuer ceased on either side wherby many were slaine as well of the Christians as of the Turks and amongst others many of the cannoniers But for as much as the rife fame of Sinan Bassaes comming encreased dayly and the Christian campe possessed with a generall feare gaue vnto the wise just suspition of some great mischiefe likely to ensue Matthias the Generall entered into counsell with countie Ferdinand Hardeck the lord Palfi the lord Vngenade president of the counsell for the warres and Erasmus Eraun gouernor of COMORA What were best to be done in so dangerous a time who with generall consent agreed betimes before the comming of Sinan to raise the siege and to remoue with the armie into some place of more safetie Which their determinat resolution the day following being the six and twentith of Iune they made knowne to the other princes and great commanders in the armie who wonderfully discontented therewith especially the Germans both openly by word and solemnely by writing protested against the same as most dishonourable and altogether made without their knowledge or good liking To whom the president of the counsell for their further satisfaction declared That the enemie was comming with a very great armie and euen now at hand whose strength encreased dayly and with what power hee had purposed to assaile them in their tents was vncertaine besides that it was manifestly knowne vnto the world how that in the former assaults they had lost many of their best souldiors beside others that died in the campe and that the place wherein they lay encamped was subject to many dangers For which so vrgent causes the Generall had resolued to raise his siege and before the comming of so strong an enemie to remoue his armie into a place of more safetie Which reasons for all that did not so well satisfie the Germane princes and commaunders but that they still vrged their former protestation requesting his excellencie to haue them excused before God and the world if they yeelding to his commaund as to their Generall did that which they thought not altogether best and which they would not haue otherwise done For the more euidence whereof the said Germane princes and great commaunders caused their said protestation to be solemnely conceiued in writing which they firmed with their seales and subscribed with their owne hands in order as followeth Francis duke of SAXONIE Augustus duke of BRVNSWICK Sebastian Schlick countie Wigand Maltzan Ernestus of ALSTAN Henry Phlugk Iohn Nicholas Ruswormb Henry Curwigger Heerrath Iohn of OBERHAVSEN Henry Rottcirch Melchior of NOTHVVITH But the Archduke with the rest constant in their former resolution first sent away the great ordinance and raising the siege the eight and twentith of Iune followed after with the whole armie passing ouer Danubius not farre from KOKARA doubtfully expecting what course Sinan the great Bassa who was then reported to be euen at hand would take Yet before their departure they set the old towne on fire and rased the fort S. Nicholas before taken from the enemie which they had once purposed to haue kept This vnexpected departure of the Christians much gladded the besieged Turkes who for want of victuals had not beene able long to haue holden out Yet lay the lord Teuffenbach still at the siege of HATVVAN labouring by all meanes to take from the besieged Turkes their water and with earth and faggots to fill vp their ditches which worke he had now happily brought to some good perfection Whereof they in the towne by letters aduertised the Bassa of BVDA and that except they were within the space of three daies relieued they should be enforced to yeeld the towne Which their distresse the
clock in the forenoone deliuered vp the citie vnto the Bassa and the Christian garrison was all come out the countie himselfe with a few of his friends was with a conuoy of Turks brought in safetie to the appointed place but the Italians and other garrison souldiors that came behind and ought to haue beene by the Gouernour protected were contrary to the Turks promise spoyled of all that they had and hardly escaping with life came that night to HOCHSTRATE and the next day to ALTENBVRG Thus was RAB one of the strongest bulwarkes of Christendome traiterously deliuered vnto the most mortall enemie of the Christian religion being euen then when it was giuen vp victualled for a yeare and sufficiently furnished with all things necessarie for defence all which prouision together with the citie fell into the hands of the faithlesse enemie A losse neuer to haue beene sufficiently lamented had it not beene about foure yeares after euen as it were miraculously againe recouered to the great rejoysing of all that side of Christendome as in the processe of this Historie shall appeare Sinan glad of this victorie as of the greatest trophey of his masters glorie ouer the Christians gaue him speedie knowledge thereof both by letters and messengers Of whom he was for that good seruice highly commended and afterward bountifully rewarded for now had Amurath alreadie in hope deuoured all AVSTRIA with the prouinces thereabout The great Bassa because he would not with too long stay hinder the course of his victorie without delay repaired the rent citie new fortified the battered bulwarkes enlarged the ditches and filled the cathedrall church with earth in manner of a strong bulwarke where vpon he planted great store of great ordinance and with exceeding speed dispatched all things necessarie for the holding of the place In the meane time he sent certaine Tartars to summon the towne and castle of PAPPA which castle and little towne subject thereunto the Christians the night following set on fire because it should not stand the enemie in any stead for the farther troubling of the countrey and so fled The Bassa hauing at his pleasure disposed of all things in RAB and leauing there foure thousand Ianizaries and two thousand horsemen in garrison departed thence with his armie and laid siege to KOMARA a strong towne of that most fertile island which the Hungarians call SCHVT which situated in the verie point thereof about foure miles from RAB is on the East South and North enclosed with the two armes of Danubius All these waies Sinan with his fleet which he had there notably well appointed laid hard siege vnto the towne and gaue thereunto diuers assaults and by land the Beglerbeg of GRaeCE ceased not both by continuall batterie and mines to shake the wals and bulwarks thereof Thus was the citie on all sides both by water and by land hardly laid vnto But the Christians within with no lesse courage defended themselues and the citie than did the Turkes assaile them shewing indeed that the libertie of their religion and countrey was vnto them dearer than their liues Matthias the archduke in the meane time not ignorant how much it concerned the emperour his brother to haue this citie defended hauing after his late ouerthrow gathered togither a good armie of Germanes Bohemians and Hungarians resolued to go and raise the siege and so marching forward with his armie came and encamped the 28 day of October at NITRIA about fiue miles from KOMARA Now were the Tartars a little before departed from the came with purpose to returne home yea the Turkes themselues wearie of the siege and wanting victuall both for themselues and their horses began also as men discouraged to shrinke away Which the Bassa well considering thought it not best with his heartlesse souldiors and armie now sore weakened to abide the comming of the Christians and therefore vpon their approach he forthwith forsooke the citie which he had by the space of three weekes hardly besieged and by a bridge made of boats transported his armie and artillerie ouer Danubius to DOTIS where the next day after he brake vp his armie Immediatly after the Turkes were thus departed the Archduke arriued at KOMARA where he with great diligence caused the breaches to be repaired the mines to be filled vp and new bulwarkes and rampiers to be made in diuers places for the more strength of the citie leauing the charge thereof still vnto the lord Braun the old Gouernour who in the defence thereof had receiued a grieuous wound in his right knee of whom also this notable fact is reported The Bassa in time of the late siege of KOMARA vnder the colour of a parley had sent fiue Turks into the citie to the Gouernour but in deed to proue if he were by any meanes to be woon to yeeld vp the citie and not to hold it out to the last The faithfull Gouernour hauing giuen them the hearing vntill they had discharged their whole treacherie presently caused foure of their heads to he strucken off and to be set vpon long pikes vpon one of the bulwarkes for the Bassa to looke vpon but the fift the beholder of this tragedie he sent backe vnto the Bassa to tell him That although he had found one in RAB to serue his turne he was much deceiued if in him he thought to find Countie Hardeck and that he wished rather to die the emperours faithfull seruant in the bloud of the Turkes than to betray the citie committed to his charge Countie Hardeck late Gouernour of RAB generally before suspected to haue treacherously betraied that strong towne vnto the Bassa was therefore sent for to VIENNA and there by the emperours commaundement committed to prison Where among many things laid to his charge as that he should in the beginning of the siege negligently haue suffered many things to be done by the enemie which afterwards turned to the great danger of the towne and that in the time of the siege he had caused some of the canoniers to discharge certain great pieces against the enemie with pouder onely without shot and that seeing one piece among the rest to do the enemie much harme he had caused the same to be remooued and so placed as that it serued to little or no vse beside that he as it should seeme making small reckoning of the towne should oftentimes say That if the Turkes should win it he should be but one towne the richer with diuers other such things giuing just cause of suspition The thing that lay most heauie vpon him was the testimonie of one of Sinan Bassa his chamber who being taken young by the Turkes and seruing in the Bassaes chamber was now fled from the Turks and comming to the Archduke in the time of his siege declared vnto him that there was treason in his campe and that he but three daies before by the commaundement of his master had deliuered two bags full of duckats vnto two Christians
emperour and that his purpose in bringing of him from CONSTANTINOPLE was to no other end but to haue vsed his helpe in concluding a peace betwixt the Great Sultan and the emperour and so to haue set him with all his at libertie but now that he was dead he would send them his treacherous seruants to the emperour to be by him examined and withall to tell him That he was sent from the Great Sultan whose power was not by any but God onely to be withstood to besiege VIENNA which he could as he said the last yeare haue taken with lesse labour than he had done RAB and that therefore it were best for him betime to seeke for peace before so great a power had taken the field And that for farther instructions he would referre them to his sonne the Bassa of BVDA to whom he sent them from BELGRADE togither with the new come treasurer Being come to BVDA they were forthwith brought before the Bassa and amongst them the late embassadours secretarie vnto whom after he had said somewhat of the hard dealing with the embassadour and his followers he declared that he had alwaies disliked of that manner of proceeding and oftentimes entreated his father for their libertie and now at last to haue obtained that the embassadour being dead his seruants might be set free and so put them in good hope that they should in short time be restored to their wonted libertie In the meane time that one of them should go vnto the emperours Court and there speak with one of his Secretaries whom he had before aduised to bethinke himselfe of peace vnto whom also hee afterwards writ vpon what conditions he thought peace might be at the Sultans hand obtained Which were if all the castles and strong holds taken by the emperours forces in these warres as FILEK SETCHINE and NOVIGRAD with their territories should be restored SISEG in CROATIA surrendred if the emperour should from thenceforth refuse to aid or protect the Transyluanians Moldauians and Valachians and leaue them to the Great Sultan to be chastised as rebels if finally the emperour would at once send vnto the Turkes Court his wonted tribute for the yeares past and so yearly afterwards so he could be content by the mediation of his father to attempt to appease the fierce and inueterat displeasure of the Sultan and to farther the treatie of peace This he commaunded the Secretarie to write and to send it by the young lord Perling and to require thereof answere yet that he should go with this condition That if the said Perling within the space of fiue and twentie daies returned not with answere all the rest should for his default lose their heads A subtile deuise and full of deceit wherein the craftie Bassaes both the father and the sonne sought for nothing else but to see what confidence the Christians had in themselues and to breake the confederation made betweene the emperour the Transyluanians Moldauians and Valachians and that other princes whom God had stirred vp in defence of so just a cause hearing of a rumour of peace might grow cold and deferre to send their promised aid For now the Turkes had found by experience how hurtfull and dangerous the reuolt of the three countries of TRANSYLVANIA MOLDAVIA and VALACHIA was vnto them as they which brought ten hundred thousand duckats yearly into the Great Sultans treasurie besides that those people now become their enemies were of all other fittest to intercept all manner of prouision to be brought by land either to or from CONSTANTINOPLE were it victuall or other warlike prouision Notwithstanding this motion of peace made by the two Bassaes Sinan the old Bassa in the meane time with great diligence at BELGRADE prepared all things necessarie for warre and caused three bridges to be made whereby he might in diuers places as he thought best transport his armie ouer Danubius and at the same time sent for the garrisons round about and other souldiors before billited in the countrey and put in readinesse all things necessarie for a most mortall warre Within the appointed time came Perling from the emperours Court with answere to the letters written by the embassadours Secretarie at the commaundement of the Bassa the effect whereof was That he had receiued his letters by Perling and did thereby vnderstand what had passed betweene the captiue seruants of the late embassadour and Sinan Bassa at BELGRADE and also betweene them and Sinan Bassa his sonne at BVDA and that the emperours mind was neuer other but that a firme peace might haue been made betweene him and the Sultan and that the emperour had done nothing else by his embassadour at CONSTANTINOPLE or by others in other places but that such reasonable conditions might haue been found out as might haue ended those warres and haue on both sides deliuered their innocent subjects from their great and daily calamities which might easily haue been done if Sinan the authour and fautor of this warre had with like desire furthered the peace But that it was manifest vnto the whole world that all complaints of infinit grieuances being by the embassadour yea and by the emperour himselfe by his letters laid open vnto the Sultan and his chiefe Bassaes had not onely nothing preuailed but also to haue been with great contempt rejected and the treatie of peace once begun to haue by the insolencie of the Bassa of BOSNA been interrupted That the emperour because the matter should not breake out into open warre had sent his double tribute into the confines of HVNGARIE which was a great while laid vp at KOMARA vntill the Sultans mind were knowne But when all his dessignes tended to warre and the Christian prouinces were by his robbers on euerie side spoiled the inhabitants led away into most miserable captiuitie the townes and villages burnt yea whole countries left desolat and all manner of outrages were vpon a meere pride and contempt as it were of the whole world exercised then the emperour to haue taken his refuge vnto the defence of his just cause and to haue vsed such remedies as are both before God and the world to be allowed and so by lawfull war to haue repulsed warre And that although all had not the last yeare prospered in his hand but that he had receiued some losse yet that Sinan Bassa himselfe and the Bassa of BVDA his sonne with other of the wiser sort of the Turkes must needs confesse that to haue chanced not by their wisedome pollicie 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 worthie most seuere chastisement And that no man could denie but that great powers of the Turkes had not once but oftentimes been ouerthrowne and discomfited by small handfuls of the Christians therefore their power not to be so inuincible as they vainly vaunted of But whereas it is
written that the great Visier Sinan and the Bassa his sonne are of opinion that the emperour is brought to so low an ebbe that he must be glad to accept of most hard and dishonourable conditions of peace propounded by them therein they erre much and deceiue themselues farre for by the power of God they should shortly by experience know that his imperiall majestie wanteth neither power nor wealth to repaire the losse receiued through the treason of them he trusted yea and to recouer whatsoeuer he had lost else and that it should in short time be witnessed vnto the whole world by the helpe of God and the defence of a most just cause that the emperour was not so poore and weake as they supposed him to be Yet as he of his owne naturall goodnesse and clemencie with his own incomparable losse and harme had alwaies sought for the quiet and profit of his subjects and to the vttermost of his power staied the effusion of innocent bloud so now also forgetting all injuries he could happily be content to thinke of an honourable peace whereunto he was more enclined than to protract the warre with the vnspeakable harmes of the subjects on both sides Yet aboue all things it behooued Sinan to know that he was to restore all such castles and townes as haue in this warre been taken by the Turks beginning at WIHITZ in CROATIA euen to the last innocent subject by them carried away into captiuitie And that the Transyluanians Moldauians and Valachians people many ages joyned and vnited as inseperable members to the kingdome of HVNGARIE as vnto the true bodie and now of late by the practise and treacherie of certaine rebellious persons seperated from the same were from henceforth to be left vnder the protection and gouernment of his imperiall majestie and neuer more to be impugned by the Turkes If these things were done and order taken that the injurie and disgrace done vnto the emperours late embassadour a fact that all the princes of the world cried shame of might not remaine vnpunished and that his seruants in durance at BVDA and CONSTANTINOPLE might be restored vnto their wonted libertie then some good forme of peace and bounding of their territories might happily be agreed vpon without which conditions all talke of peace was but vaine for that God the just and mightie protectour of such as put their trust in him would not faile to helpe his imperiall majestie with the rest of the confederat princes in their so just a quarrell and abate the pride of such as trust in their owne strength and power This answere the captiues at BVDA were commaunded to giue vnto the Bassa either by writing or by word of mouth and withall earnestly to request him both for their owne libertie and their fellowes wrongfully detained at CONSTANTINOPLE Which if it could not be obtained yet to comfort themselues with that that they should in bounteous manner receiue from the emperour such allowance as should suffice to prouide them all things necessarie as he had granted to Perling whom he might haue justly detained and not sent him backe againe but for his oaths sake being no lawfull prisoner Thus were the vnreasonable 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 enemie he had to doe and of nothing more carefull than of the kingdome or more truely to say of the reliques of the kingdome of HVNGARIE lying now as it were in the lyons mouth ceased not to pray aid not of the princes electors onely but of others also farther off yea euen as farre as ITALIE and SPAINE but especially of the king of POLONIA as his neere alliance and neighbour Vnto whom both he and the States of HVNGARIE sent their embassadours at such time as he moued with the daily incursions of the Turkes and Tartars into the countries adjoyning vpon his had for the safetie of his owne kingdome called a parliament of all his States in Februarie last at CRACOVIA Whereof Mahomet the Great Turke hearing sent also two of his chiefe Chiaus his vsuall embassadours vnto the king and his States so assembled to craue his aid in his warres in HVNGARIE which if the king should not refuse then to promise him to want no coine to pay his souldiors and that Mahomet mindfull of so great a courtesie would at all times be readie to requite him with like when his occasions should require These embassadours hauing obtained safe conduct from Michael the Vayuod of VALACHIA for their passage through his countrey comming thither were by the Vayuod himselfe honourably entertained and welcomed and so brought into a faire lodging where they discoursed with him of many matters But the Vayuods followers grieued to see so great honour done to these their sworne and mortall enemies with weapons in their hands brake into the roume where the embassadours were and without more adoe slew them both and in the same furie setting vpon the rest of the Turkes their followers cut them all in pieces so that of them none came into POLONIA to do their Great masters message either yet returned to CONSTANTINOPLE to carrie newes of the rest but there altogither perished Of which outrage Mahomet yet vnderstanding was therewith wonderfully enraged threatning all euils both to the Moldauians and Valachians and forthwith sent out other embassadours to the same purpose who with better fortune afterwards in safetie arriued in POLONIA The Tartars in many places as is before declared ouerthrowne and many strong castles and forts taken from the Turkes by the Transyluanians Valachians and Moldauians the Turkish affaires going to wracke in those quarters and sore shaken on that side of HVNGARIE Mahomet the Turkish emperour called home to the Court Sinan Bassa his Generall in HVNGARIE to conferre with him as it was thought of some great matters In whose place hee sent Ferat Bassa he who sometime had the leading of Amuraths great armies against the Persians who now departing from CONSTANTINOPLE came to BELGRADE in Aprill and there tooke the charge vppon him Where at his first comming in the night time all the ropes and cordes of the tents were suddenly cut in sunder and so his tent let fall about his eares which some supposed to haue been done to his disgrace by the procurement of Cicala Bassa before by him wronged or as others thought by the insolent Ianizaries who disliking of him did it in despight wishing rather to haue been led by Mahomet himselfe Now at his comming the famine which the last yeare began amongst the Turkes was growne exceeding great not at BVDA and BELGRADE onely but euen generally in most places of HVNGARIE possessed by the Turkes insomuch that the Tartar women that followed the campe were faine to roast their owne children and eat them This famine was also accompanied with a most terrible plague whereof great numbers of the
〈…〉 citie The 〈…〉 in an vproâ—e Murzuâ—â—e attempteth to burne the Venetian fleet Murzufle encourageth his souldiers Constantinople hardly besieged Constantinople set on fire Nicetas Choniates annalâ—um fol. 180. 1204 The Greeke empire diuided amongst the Latines The beginning of the empire of 〈◊〉 by the Comneni Hadrianople besieged by the Emperour Baldwin 1206 Henry second emperour of the Latines in Constantinopleâ— Antioch besieged by Iathatines Iathatines the Sultan slaine by Theodorus Lascaris the Greeke emperour Iohn Brenne by Innocentius the Pope appointed king of Hierusalem 1209 Corradin and Meledin deuide their fathers kingdome betwixt them The situation of Damiata in Aegypt A desperat act of a Christian. Damiata in vain assaulted A faire offer euill refused Succours sent vnto the besieged Dâ—â—â—ata without resistance 〈◊〉 by the Châ—â—stians Dâ—amaâ—a 〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉 1221 1222 Pelagius the Legat persuadeth the princeâ— of the Christian armie to proceed for the conquest of Aegypt The miserie of the Christians in the drowned land The death of â—enry emperour â—â— Constantinople Peter emperour Robert emperor of CoÌ„stantinople An horrible â—utrage committed vpon the person of an empresse Baldwin the lasâ— emperour of the Latines in Constantinople Iohn Batazes made empeâ—or of the Greekes in Asia Plentie ensuing of peace An imperiall â—â—owne bought with egge mony 1227 1228 1229 Fredericke the emperor crowned king of Hierusalem 1230 The vnfortunat expedition of the king of Nauarrâ— into the Holy land The Christians by persuasion of the 〈…〉 their leâ—gue with the Turkeâ— 1234 Hierusalem taken and rased by the Turks 1248 King Lewis setteth forward toward the Holy land 1249 The citizens of Damiata set fire vpon the citie and ran away by the light A faire 〈◊〉 sondly refused Earle Robert in flying drowned The earle of Salisburie valiaÌ„tly sighting slaâ—â—â— The gouernor of Caire apprehended The beginning of the Mamalukes and their kingdome The ruine of the Turkâ— kingdome in Aegypt The emperour in 〈◊〉 with Marcesina Marcesina the emperâ—â—r 〈…〉 of the church Thâ—odorus Lasâ—â—â—â— chosen emperoâ—r The death of Theodorus the Greeke emperor Enuie in Couâ—â— Muzalo traitâ—â—rously murdered in the church Michael Paleologus aspireth Michaell Paleologus crowned emperor by Arsenius the Patriarch 1260 Haalon the Tartar sent with a great armie against the Turks Aleppo rased by the Tartars Damasco woon The Aegyptian Sultan inuadeth Siria Antioch taken from the Christians 1261 Paleologus the Gâ—eâ—ke emperor taketh possession oâ— the citie of Constantinopleâ— Paleologus â—ealous of his estate Paleologus causeth the yong emperours eyes to be put out Iathatines dieth in exile 1270 Carthage besieged by K. Lewis Caâ—thage woon The Christian princes returning from Tunes suffer shipwracke vpon the coast of Sicilia 1271 Prince Edward 〈…〉 Prince Edward wounded 1273 Rodolph the emperour taketh vpon him the Crosse. Henry the prince taken prisoner sent to Caire 1289 Tripolis won and rased by Elpis the Aegyptian Sultan Sydon and Berythus rased Tyre yeelded The miserable estate of a citie about to perish 1291 Ptolemais besâ—eged Ptolemais in vaine assaulted by the Sultan Cassanes the Tartar intâ—adeth Syria Hierusalem takeÌ„ and repaired by Cassanes The description of Cassaâ—es The citie of Hierusalem with all Syria againe recouered by the Aegyptian Sultan 1300 The death of Mesoot and Cei-Cubades The Turks kingdome rent in sunder by themselues The Turks Anarchie Caramania Saruchania Carasia Aidinia Bolli Mendesia Othoman 〈…〉 familie Phi. Lonicerus hist. Turc lib. 1. All worldly things subiect to change The greatest kingdomes haue in time taken end and so come to naught Solyman Sultan of Machan forsaketh his kingdome for â—â—are of the Tartars Romania Asiatica The sonnes of Solyman and their first aduentures The Christians of Cara-Chisar fall ouâ— with the Turks Small things in time of trouble yeeld vnto the wise great content Othoman â—â—â—orous of Malhatun a countrey maid A â—olly common vnto â—â—uers No friendship in â—oue Othoman besieged in danger for his loue The Oguzian Turks in doubt of whom to makâ— choice for their Gouernour The castle of Chalâ—e surprised by 〈◊〉 The Christians 〈◊〉 of the 〈…〉 Othomâ—n consulteth with his brother 〈◊〉 what 〈◊〉 to take for the oppresing of the Christians 〈◊〉 neighbours Othoman 〈◊〉 in order his 〈◊〉 commonweale Michael Cossi inuiteth Othoman to the maâ—â—age of his daughter The captaine of Belizuga â—â—â—acherously seeking the death of Othoman is by him himselfe slaine Othoman by adminiâ—â—ration of iustice strengtheneth his gouernment The â—ity of Nice besiâ—ged by Othoman 1300 Neapolis the first regall citiâ— of the Othoman kingâ— Prusa besâ—â—geâ— by Othoman Michael Cossi turneth Turke Alteration of Religion in the Greeke Church Persecution in the Greeke Church for matters of Religion Immoderat bountie in great men dangerous Alexiâ—s Philanthropenus aspireth Libadarius opposeth himselfe against the proceâ—â—iâ—gâ— of Philanthropenus Andronicus the Greeke emperor reposing moâ—e â—ust 〈…〉 his owne subiects greatly hurteth his state Ronzerius what he was 〈◊〉 for want oâ— pay spoileth the emperors subiects Ronzerius 〈◊〉 The Turks first called into Europe by the Catalonians The Turcopuli The vnfortunat battell of Michael the emperour against the Catalonians and Turks Cassandâ—â—â— The Catalonians shut out of Macedonia The Turks 〈…〉 two faâ—tâ—â—ns The vnfortuâ—at battell of the emperour Michael Paleologus with the Turks in Chersonesâ—â—s Thracia spoiled by the Turks Philes Paleologus requesteth of the emperour that he might goe against the Turks The battell betwixt Philes and the Turks The Turks ouerthrowne The causes of the decay of the Greeke empire Syrgiannes his craâ—tie sediâ—iouâ— speech vnto yoong Andronicus 〈◊〉 Andronicus commeth secretâ—y armed vnto his grandfatâ—â—r Thracia reuolâ—eth vnto Andronicus Articles of agreemeÌ„t betwixt the old emperour and his nephew The Greeke empire in Europe deuided Whilest the Greekes are at discord among thâ—selues Othoman layeth the foundation of the Turks empire and the other Turks encroch vpon them also The Island of the Rhodes was by the knights Hospitalers recouered from the Turks in the yeare 1308. Andronicus the old emperor seeketh for counsell of the Psalter as of an heauenly Oracle and so seeketh to make peace with his nephew Psal. 68. vers 14. A treacherous meeting The yong emperour sendeth embassadours vnto his grandfather The speech of the yong emperor vnto his grandfathers embassadors The speech of the old emperor â—nto the Patâ—â—arâ—h and the rest of the bishâ—ps 〈…〉 the young emperour his â—ephew The Patriarch with diuers of the bishops conspire against the old emperour Thessalonica yeelded vnto the yong emperour Constantinople betraied vnto the young emperour The pitifull supplication of the old emperour vnto his nephew Niphon incenseth the yoong emperor against his grandfather The old emperor beâ—â—meth blind Andronicus the old emperour against hâ—â— will mâ—de a Monke and called Anthonie The notable answere of the old emperour to the catching question of the proud Patriarch The death of the oâ—d emperour The Turks kingdome founded by Othoman in Asia at such time as the Greeke emperors were as variance betwixt
conuenient Whereunto the besieged Turkes answered That the Christians had now fiue weekes lien at the siege and must yet lie three weekes longer and that whereas of late some few of their friends came to haue relieued them and had failed therein there was yet an hundred thousand moe to come after them who if they should not be able to performe that they came for yet that they would not for that deliuer or forsake the citie before they were readie to be drawne out of it by the heeles and that yet they would then take three daies to resolue thereupon Now had the Christians with long and continuall batterie sore beaten both the vpper and the lower towne which batterie they now maintained with greater furie than at any time from the beginning of the siege and within the citie their wants increased daily hauing nothing left to liue vpon but a little wheat and barley with some horseflesh vnto whom thus distressed the lord Palfi by the commandement of the Countie to trie what confidence they yet had in themselues the ninth of August sent two Gentlemen to the citie to doe a message from him to the Gouernour Who aduertised thereof being a verie aged and courteous man accompanied with the Aga of the Ianizaries came to the wals to heare what they had to say where one of the said gentlemen in few words deliuered him this short message My most gratious Lord the lord Palfi most worthie Gouernour greeteth thee well and knowing thee to be a captaine both valiant and wise and one that hath alwaies courteously vsed such as haue fallen into thy hands hath compassion of thy desperat obstinacie and therefore whereas thou art to looke or hope for nothing else but present death and destruction he as thy neighbour and a louer of thy vertues aduiseth and exhorteth thee if thou wilt saue thy selfe and thine from most vndoubted and imminent death and vtter confusion without delay to deliuer vp this citie which thou canst not longer hold Vnto whom the old Gouernour thus without stay courteously answered Thy speech my friend and thy masters aduise are vnto me both vaine Tell the lord Palfi in my name that I cannot pleasure him with the least stone in this citie One foot I haue alreadie in the graue and will with honour carrie these my graie haires into the same and am yet comforted with a most certaine and vndoubted hope that my most dread and mightie soueraigne and my lord Sinan Bassa will not forsake me yea and that if they should write vnto me that they could find no meanes or way to relieue me which I am sure they can yet would I well and at leisure consider whether it were fit for me to deliuer vp this citie or not seeing that of the defence thereof dependeth all mine honour and credit Besides that what reward they haue on both sides that so easily deliuer ouer the cities they haue in charge all the world doth see With this answere he sent them away All this while the Aga of the Ianizaries standing by spoke not one word but sighing in silence and grinding his teeth declared by his countenance his indignation and inward griefe In the mid way betwixt BVDA and STRIGONIVM in the middest of the riuer of Danubius lieth a little island called VIZZE wherein many rich clothiers dwelt this island the Hungarian Heidons spoiled and in returning thence met with foure and twentie wagons laded with corne going to BVDA which they tooke with eight and twentie prisoners which they brought into the campe The lower towne being with long and continuall batterie made saultable was by the Christians the thirteenth of August in three diuers places at once assaulted The Bauarians were by lot to giue the first charge who in the performing thereof beginning to faint for that they were notably repulsed by the Turks but seconded by them of REITNAW and SVEVIA pluckt downe a great palisado filled the ditches remoued whatsoeuer stood in their way and so long fought with the Turks in the breaches that by the comming in of the Marquesse of BVRGAVVE with six ensignes of fresh men they preuailed vpon the enemie and so altogither brake into the towne In the middest of this dangerous fight was the Marquesse himselfe who both with his presence and cheerfull speech so encouraged his souldiors that they as men fearing no perill ran headlong into all danger vntill they had entred the towne There might a man haue heard a most miserable crie especially of women and children throughout the citie when as the Christians breaking in on euerie side slew whosoeuer came in their way without respect of age or sex sparing neither women great with child neither the little children hanging at their mothers breasts Yet did not all that were entred so much attend the present execution as some of them did the spoile and prey and especially the Hungarians vnto whom all was good bootie euen the verie hinges of the doores and windowes whereby many escaped into the castle and vpper towne with the Bassa and Alis-Beg the old Gouernour The Christians had not many houres possessed the towne but that diuers fires began to breake out in diuers places but by what meanes was not at the first knowne At last it was found out that the Turks doubting the losse of the towne had before where they thought best left gunpouder which taking fire by matches left burning for that purpose should at a certaine time set all on fire by which meanes many most horrible fires were raised in the towne which consumed many goodly buildings and other things which might haue stood the Christians in great stead and could hardly be in a day or two quenched This so joyfull a victorie saw not he by whose good direction next vnder God it was gained the worthy Countie for he a few daies before being fallen sicke of a feauer taken by drinking too much cold drinke in his heat with immoderat paines taking in the late battell and so afterwards falling into a great flix with a feauer was by the counsell of his physitions for the better recouering of his health remoued to KOMARA as a place of more quietnesse hauing before his departure sent for the Archduke to come vnto the campe and for Blankemier into BAVARIA to supply his owne roume But his disease still encreasing became at last desperat so that the physitions themselues now dispaired of his health Yet lying thus drawing towards his end he almost euerie houre enquired how the armie did and whether the citie 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 towne was woon he thereat greatly rejoyced and the next day being the fourteenth of August towards night quietly departed this world to the great losse of the Christian common-weale and the exceeding griefe of the whole armie A man euen from his childhood brought
vp in armes of stature great but of courage greater and painfull aboue measure not the least cause of his vntimely death All the time of this siege he tooke little rest either by day or night scarce so much as to lie downe vpon his bed in two or three nights togither The little meat he did eat he most part eat it standing or walking yea and sometimes on horsebacke he was a most seuere obseruer of martiall discipline which caused him to be of his souldiors both beloued and feared His bowels were with due solemnitie buried at KOMARA where he died but his bodie was brought backe againe to LVXENBVRG there to be honourably enterred with his auncestours About this time Theodore the Great duke of MVSCOVIA hearing of the warres betwixt the emperour and the Turke sent two embassadours with letters and presents to the emperour which embassadours comming to PRAGE the sixteenth of August accompanied with two hundred and fiftie horse were there by the emperours appointment honourably receiued and entertained And afterward hauing audience first deliuered the letters of credence from the Great duke reported to haue been of this purport Your Maiestie hath sent vnto vs your embassadour Nicholas Warkotsie requesting our brotherly aid against the hereditarie enemie of all Christianitie the Turkish Sultan Wherefore we also desiring to liue with you our deare and welbeloued brother in all perpetuall amitie and friendship send vnto you by our faithfull counsellor and seruant Michael Iwanowitze and Iohn Sohnie aid out of our treasurie against the said enemie vnto whom we haue also giuen other things in charge to be propounded to your Maiestie requesting you to giue vnto them in all things full credit Giuen in the great Court of our power at MVSCO in the yeare of the world 7103 and from the natiuitie of Christ 1595 in the moneth of Aprill What things in particular these embassadours were sent for was not commonly knowne but among others it is said That the Muscouite requested the emperour to send an embassadour vnto the Persian king to draw him also into the league with them against the Turke which embassadour should first come into MVSCOVIA and that way to passe into PERSIA The presents which the Great duke sent vnto the emperour were an hundred and fiftie thousand Florens of gold great store of most rich furs and pretious perfumes deemed to be of exceeding valour two white faulcons and three leopards aliue And Iwanowitze the embassadour himselfe presented vnto the emperour of himselfe certaine rich Turkie Persiâ—â—â— and Babylonian hangings and carpets certaine timbers of Sables with other rich furs no lesse pretious than Sables so many as eight porters could hardly carrie These embassadours tarried at PRAGE vntill the seuen and twentith day of December and then taking their leaue returned with the emperours answere to the duke But to returne againe vnto SRIGONIVM The Christians now possessed of the lower towne bent their whole batterie vpon the higher towne where it fortuned the fourteenth of August that the old Gouernour Alis-Beg whilest he was carefully walking from place to place to see where most danger was had his arme strucke off with a great shot of which hurt he presently died He was a man of great grauitie about the age of eight and twentie yeares and had of long time notably both gouerned and defended that famous citie the losse whereof was like enough to haue been vnto him greater griefe than was the losse of his life there Much about the same time also died the Aga of the Ianizaries being before mortally wounded Both the chiefe commaunders thus slaine the Ianizaries with the other souldiors and citisens made choise of the Bassa of NATOLIA who as is aforesaid escaped out of the late battell into the citie for their Gouernour who with heauie cheere tooke vpon him that forlorne charge The Christians not ignorant of the death of these two worthie men in whose great and approued valour they supposed the chiefe defence of the citie to haue 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 whilest there were some mercie left yeeld the citie Who though they had lost their chiefe commaunders with the greatest part of the garrison and were in great wants both of victuals and all things else necessarie for their defence yet their answere was in few words That they would hold it out euen to the last man The greatest cause of which their obstinat resolution was the strait charge the Bassa of BVDA had giuen them for the defence thereof besides that they accounted their citie holy as woon by their magnificent emperour Solyman whom the Turkes generally yet haue in a deuout remembrance and therefore thought it a great impietie to deliuer it vp vnto the Christians The next day after came Matthias the archduke into the campe who after he had well viewed the whole armie and the manner of the siege he called togither into his tent the chiefe commaunders namely the Marquesse of BVRGAVV his cousin Iohn de Medices the Florentine and the lord Palâ—i the Hungarian to consult with them what were farther to be done for the winning of the citie Shortly after he commanded the citie to be at once in two places assaulted which was by the Wallons and Germanes 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 giue ouer the assault and with losse to retire About this time came the duke of MANTVA with the three Counties his brethren to the siege and now the Turkes began againe to draw togither neere vnto BVDA there to make head for the reliefe of STRIGONIVM and to be reuenged of the losse they had there before receiued Whereof the Archduke hauing intelligence sent out against them eight thousand chosen souldiors out of the campe who suddenly setting vpon the Turkes in their campe before the rising of the Sunne made a great slaughter amongst them and tooke certaine prisoners of whom the Sanzacke of COPAN was one and so with victorie returned to the siege The besieged Turkes in STRIGONIVM vnderstanding of this ouerthrow of their friends from whom they expected most speedie reliefe and beside the terrour of the continuall batterie and still feared assaults pinched also with extreame wants of all things began now to faint Wherefore the Bassa with the other captaines ouercome with the aforesaid difficulties and the generall outcrie of the fearfull people resolued with one consent to come now to parley and vpon reasonable conditions to yeeld vp the citie whereupon a flag of truce was set vp and parley craued Which granted the Archduke after the going downe of the Sunne came into the lower towne where nine of the Turks attended his comming who entring into parley required that they might vnder safe conuoy with bag and baggage depart