as being no less desirous to learn the Truth of that I know not than willing to impart to others that little which I know So Wishing thee all Happiness I bid thee farewell R. KNOLLES Sandwich Martiâ— ult 1610. The General HISTORY OF THE TURKS Before the Rising of the Othoman Family With all the Noble EXPEDITIONS of the Christian Princes against them THE glorious Empire of the Turks the present Terror of the World hath amongst other things nothing in it more wonderful or strange than the poor beginning of it self so small and obscure as that it is not well known unto themselves or agreed upon even among the best Writers of their Histories from whence this barbarous Nation that now so triumpheth over the best part of the World first crept out or took their beginning Some after the manner of most Naâ—ions derive them from the Trojans led thereunto by the affinity of the words Turci and Teucri supposing but with what probabily I know not the word Turci or Turks to have been made of the corruption of the word Teucri the common name of the Trojans as also for that the Turks have of long most inhabited the lesser ASIA wherein the ancient and most famous City of TROY sometime stood No great reason in my deeming yet give the Authors thereof leave therewith to please themselves as well as some others which dwelling much further off borrow or rather force their beginning from thence without any probability at all and that with such earnestness as if they could not elsewhere have found any so honorable Ancestors Othersome report them to have first come out of PERSIA and of I wot not what City there to have taken their name neither want there some which affirm them to have taken their beginning out of ARABIA yea and some out of SYRIA with many other far fet devices concerning the beginning and name of this people all serving to no better purpose than to shew the uncertainty thereof Among others Philip of MORNAY the noble and learned Frenchman in his worthy Work concerning the trueness of the Christian Religion seemeth and that not without good reason to derive the Turks together with the Tartars from the Jews namely from the Ten Tribes which were by Salmanaser King of ASSIRIA in the time of Oseas King of ISRAEL carried away into Captivity and by him confined into MEDIA and the other unpeopled Countries of the North whose going thither is not unaptly described by Esdras where among the great hords of the Tartars in the farthest part of the World Northward even at this day are found some that still retain the names of Dan Zabulon and Naphthali a certain argument of their descent whereunto also the word Tartar or Tatar signifying in the Syrian-Tongue remnants or leavings and the word Turk a word of disgrace signifying in Hebrew banished men seemeth right well to agree Besides that in the Northern Countries of RUSSIA SARMATIA and LYTHUANIA are found greater store of the Jewish Nation than elsewhere and so nearer unto the Tartarians still the more whereunto Io. Leunclavius the most curious Searcher out of the Turks Antiquities and Monuments addeth as a farther Conâ—ecture of the discent of those barbarous Northern people from the Jews That in his travel through LIVONIA into LYTHUANIA in the Country near unto the Metropolitan City of RIGA he found there the barbarous people of the Lettoes quite differing in Language from the other Country-people of the Curons and Estons no less barbarous than themselves who had always in their mouths as a perpetual lamentation which they with doleful moans daily repeated abroad in the fields Ieru Ieru Masco Lon whereby they were thought to lament over JERUSALEM and DAMASCO as forgetful of all other things in their ancient Country after so many worlds of years and in a desolate place so far distant thence And Munster in his Description of LIVONIA repeating the like words reporteth That this rude people being demanded what they meant by these words so often and so lamentably by them without cause uttered answered That they knew no more than that they had been so of long taught by their Ancestors But to leave these Opinions concerning their beginning so divers and uncertain and to follow greater probabilities as concerning the place from whence they came it is upon better ground thought by divers others and those of the best Historians That this barbarous Nation which hath of late brought such fatal mutations upon so great a part not of Christendom only but even of the whole World took their first beginning out of the bare and cold Country of SCYTHIA induced thereunto both by the Authority of the greatest Cosmographers as by most apparent reasons Pomponius Mela the Describer of the World reckoning up the people near unto the great River TANAIS the bounder of EUROPE from ASIA Eastward amongst others maketh mention of the Turks in these words Geloni urbem ligneam habitant Iuxta Thyrsagetae Turcaeque vastas sylvas occupant alunturque venando Tum continuis rupibus late aspera deserta regio ad Arympheoâ— usque permittitur The Geloni inhabit a City of Wood and fast by the Thyrsagets and Turks possess the vast Forests and live by hunting Then a rough and desert Country with continual Rocks is spaciously extended even as far as unto the Arympheians Pliny also in like manner reckoning up the Nations about the Fens of MAEOTIS agreeing with that Mela reporteth saith Deinde Euazae Cottae Cicimeni Messeniani Costobocci Choatrae Zigae Dandari Tussagetae Turcae usque ad solitudines saltuosis convallibus asperas ultra quos Arymphei qui ad Riphaeos pertinent montes Next unto them are the Euazae Cottae Cicimeni Messeniani Costobocci Choatrae Zigae Dandari the Thussagets and Turks unto the deserts rough with woody Valleys beyond whom are the Arympheians which border upon the Riphean mountains And Ptolomy in the Description of SARMATIA ASIATICA maketh mention of the Tusci whom many learned men suppose to have been the same Nation with the Turks Unto which ancient Testimonies of reverend Antiquity add the manners and conditions of the Turks their ancient attire their gesture their gate their weapons and manner of riding and fight their language and dialect so well agreeing with the Scythians and a man shall find matter enough sufficient to perswade him in reason that the Turks have undoubtedly taken their beginning from the Scythes whom they in so many things resemble and with whom of all other Nations they best agree Now it hath been no less doubted also among the Writers of the Turks Histories at what time and for what causes the Turks to the trouble of the World left their natural Seats in the cold Country of SCYTHIA to seek themselves others in more pleasant and temperate Countries more Southerly than it had been of their Original beginning Blondus and Platina report them enforced with a general want to have forsaken
tragical a sight it is reported that Amurath let some tears fall as not delighting in such barbarous cruelty but that the state and manner of his Government so required In the beginning of his Reign he established divers wholsome Laws altered the Coin and bountifully relieved the Poor And albeit that he was of a mild and peaceable nature yet because he would not seem to degenerate from the Othoman Princes his Progenitors he prosecuted his Fathers Wars year 1575 and by the Tartars called Praecopenses in the month of October in the year 1575 entred into Russia part of the Polonian Kingdom where he burnt and destroyed two hundred Noble-mens houses besides an infinite number of Towns and Villages made great slaughter of the poor Country people and carried away great numbers of Cattel and Prisoners bound in thongs made of raw Hides But whilst they were dividing the spoil with Peter the new Vayvod of Valachia who had before solemnly promised to give the Tartars no passage that way the Polonian Cossacks who had lien waiting for their return upon the River Boristhenes brake into the Tartars Country and there requited them with like harm and brought back with them a number of old Captives who little expected that their so sudden deliverance The Polonians at this time were at variance among themselves about the Election of their new King Henry Valoys their late King being the last year after the death of Charles his Brother the French King secretly stoll'n from them into France to take upon him that Kingdom after whose departure some of the Polonian Nobility made choice of Maximilian the Emperour other some no less inclining unto the choice of the great Duke of Muscovy and some unto others also Whereof Amurath understanding and loth that either of those two great Princes his Enemies should be invested or strengthened with that so great a Kingdom and so near unto him to hinder that their Election and to bring in another of less power and so less dangerous unto himself even in the beginning of his Reign wrote unto the Polonians to that purpose commending unto them Stephen Battor the Vayvod of Transilvania for their King in manner following Amurath God of the Earth Governour of the whole World the Messenger of God and faithful Servant of the great Prophet unto the most honourable Nobility and Counsellors of the Kingdom of Polonia greeting IT is not unto the World unknown most honourable and mighty Senators our Noble Progenitors to have of long time and for many Years holden good Friendship and Religious Leagues with the Kingdom of Polonia For which cause it hath seemed good and reasonable unto us to put you in remembrance of this so antient a League and Bond of Friendship for that we understanding your Kingdom to be of late become destitute of a King by the departure of the Noble King Henry your Crowned King descended of the Royal Race of the French Kings our friend Who for the small regard you had of him so Great and Worthy a Prince and for your Disloyalty is departed out of your Kingdom without purpose of returning any more into Polonia Whereupon as it is reported unto us but how truly we know not you passing over your said Crowned King Henry are about to maâ—e choice of a new King and especially of Maximilian the Emperour or of the Duke of Muscovie both men of running wits and of us greatly hated For why you may well know they will be troublesome and grievous not unto every one of you only but even unto us also Wherefore be you ware that you be not deceived and take heeâ— lest your Confederations and Lâ—agues cannot long by their valour and prowess â—e established and withal consider well the great dangers and losses which you may thereby fall into Whereof we have thought good to give you a taste Wherefore beware that heavier things befall not your State. We know there are right Noble and Wise men amongst you which know better than they how to Rule and Govern And if so be it please you not to make choice of any of your own Nation there is not far from you one Stephen Bâ—ttor Prince of Transylvania a Man of great Honour and Valour by whose Labour and Dexterity you may easily procure the peace and quiet of your Kingdom Whereas if you shall do otherwise we take to witness your God and his Servant our Great Prophet to destroy all your Wealth and Goods which together with your Selves your Wives and Children shall be given for a prey unto our Souldiers with the chief men of your Cities of Cracovia and Leperis Which for all that we say not as any thing at all doubting of your Fidelity and Constancy toward us As for the rest which it pleased us by word of Mouth to have told unto you we have given charge unto this our Embassadour and Counsellour unto whom our desire is that you should give full credence From Constantinople the last of September in the Year of our Prophet Mahomet 983 and first of our Reign This great Sultan's commendations so much prevailed with the Polonians that notwithstanding that Maximilian the Emperour was by the Archbishop of Gnesna and some others choosen King yet was that his Election by the greater part of the Nobility revoked and both he and the great Duke of Muscovy being passed over the Noble Princess Anne of the most honourable Iagellonian House chosen Queen of Polonia yet with this condition That she should marry Stephen the Vayvod of Transylvania to them by Amurath commended Who afterward elected King all the time of his Life right worthily governed that noble Kingdom not only defending the same in such state as he found it but also notably extending the bounds thereof enlarging it with such Territories as he by force of Arms got from his Neighbours especially the Muscovite Of this Election Amurath would oftentimes afterwards boast and say That he had given the Polonians their King. But of him and of the League made by him with Amurath more shall be said hereafter The year following great troubles arose in Persia year 1576 whereby the flourishing state of that most mighty Kingdom was sore shaken and opportunity given for the Turkish Emperour to invade the same which he laying hold upon entred into that bloudy War which to the great quiet of the Christian Common-weal for long time after exercised the Forces of those most puissant Princes one upon another For the better understanding whereof it shall not be amiss compendiously to set down the same troubles of the Persian Kingdom the very ground of the long and mortal War between those two most mighty Monarchs Old Tamas the Persian King Son to the noble Hismael who with great glory had more than fifty years worthily governed that large Kingdom and mightily withstood the often invasions of the Turkish Emperours now spent with years died the eleventh of May in the year 1576. leaving behind him
Garrisons or Regiments respectively All Counties and Cities who by their Deputies shall appear before the Commissioners in order to such Reconciliation shall have safe Pasports to go and return with all security As to matters of Religion the Worship of God and Restitution of Churches all the particulars agreed unto and promised at the last General Diet held at Edemburg shall be perform'd and inviolably maintained As to the Statute made in the year 1655 concerning the Coronation of the King of Hungary on which various Glosses and Interpretations have been put which have caused great disorders and disturbances the same shall be referr'd to the next Convention of the States to consider thereof and Decrees therein what shall be most agreeable to the Fundamental Constitutions of the Nation So that a true and impartial Interpretation being put on all things as well in Religious as in Temporal Matters a good and lasting Peace and right understanding may pass between the King and his People And as to those who shall not take hold of this Golden Scepter now held forth unto them with this opportunity and within the time limited It is declared That they are excluded from Mercy and are guilty of all the Miseries which shall fall upon themselves and their Country and shall be Prosecuted as Rebels Outlawed and Felonious Persons and such as are never more to be receiv'd into Grace or Pardon To put this Commission into Execution were appointed the Duke of Loraine the Count Kinski Chancellor of Bohemia the Baron of Abele and Count Vinceslat of Altheim who were to open the same at Presburg on the 15 th day of February But in regard nothing was declar'd explicitely in this Decree touching Liberty of Conscience the Exercise of the Protestant Religion and the Conservation of Privileges it seemed so short and narrow and incomprehensive of the Cause for which the Malecontents had so long contended that very few thought it worthy the acceptance Howsoever some there were who being convinced by the Success of the Emperor that they had engolfed themselves in a desperate Interest embraced the offers of the Imperial Pardon such were the Baron of Baragotzi who abandoning Tekeli's party Fled with Three hundred Hussars into his Castle of Zakwar The Count Humanai and some other Hungarian Lords followed his Example and fortified themselves in the Castle of Angwar The Barons Ladislaus Francis Baragotzi Schienissi Clebai and Malkai intending a like Revolt were seized and by Order of Tekeli were put to Death With all these Misfortunes the Spirit of Tekeli being nothing abated but rather raised with Rage and Despair he Issued out a Proclamation of his own in Imitation of that of the Emperor's in which with an Imperial Stile he declared Pardon to all such as should within a time limited return to the defence of the Malecontented party of which he had owned himself the Head and Protector And for their better Encouragement he laid out a Project of constituting a Republick by which all the Nobility and many of the Commonalty should come to bear a share in the Government And to punish those who had Revolted from him he marched with a Body of 10.000 Men of his own and a considerable force of the Turks under the Command of the Pashas of Buda and Agria to Besiege Count Baragotski in his Castle of Zakwar of which Count Rabata having advice he presently marched with all his Forces against them which Tekeli fearing declin'd an Engagement in a Season when the Winter was scarce past but on a suddain turning his design on the Castle of Angwar which was defended by the Count of Humanai he took it by force in three Days time and carried away the Count himself to Cassovia where he cut off his Head. To revenge these Insults the Lituanians whom the King of Poland had left behind him in their Winter-quarters made frequent Incursions upon the Countries of the Malecontents especially into the County of Sepusa burning their Villages and carrying away their Cattle But this Militia remain'd not long in those parts before they were recalled by the King of Poland out of Hungary either because he was informed that his Soldiers deserted daily or else out of some pique or discontent of being refused to be Mediatour and Guaranty for the Peace with the Malecontents for which Reason he declared That he would not concern himself in a War against Tekeli and his Complices but against the Turks only to which the Articles of Alliance did oblige him and to no other The Spring being now advanced and Tekeli at Cassovia he Wrote a Letter from thence to the Pope Dated the 12 th of April wherein he represented That ever since the last year he was very desirous to put an end to the Troubles of Hungary upon those Terms and Conditions which were agreed with the Baron Saponara And being not able to obtain from the Emperor a Grant to constitute the King of Poland Guaranty of this Treaty he was forced to take new Measures and to support Himself and his Interest under Protection of the Turks which his Enemies interpreted to be a Renuntiation of his Christianity But he sacredly protested to his Holiness that he took up Arms for no other Reason and Cause than the Defence of his Country and to conserve himself from entire Ruin having had the experience of many years that the Emperor was in no State or Condition to defend him That He and his Party did not deserve the Odious Name of Rebels considering that the Arms they took up were in Defence only of the Liberties and Privileges granted unto them by the ancient Kings of Hungary and particularly by King Andrew the II. whose Letters are conserved amongst the Archives of the Vatican which if his Holiness would be pleased to inspect and examine he would easily find that those Articles have been so far from being performed that they have been wholly laid aside and violated in every particular That as to his own Person he hath been despoyled of his Estate and made an Exile in the very tender years of Youth with others of the Hungarian Nobility who could never obtain redress upon their complaints but instead thereof received Sentence of Death by corrupt and partial Iudges without any regard to the formalities prescribed by Law. And tho' in this Cause not only Protestants but great numbers of Catholicks were concerned amongst which George Lippa Archbishop of Gran was one a Person very Zealous for Restoration of those Liberties which the Emperor had Sworn to maintain when in the year 1655 he had received the Crown of Hungary at Presburg yet nothing could avail towards moderating the violent Proceedings of that Council by which the Emperor was governed so that having no other remedy they were enforced as their last Refuge to have recourse unto their Arms not with design to act against the Catholick Religion or to the prejudice thereof either in Hungary or elsewhere
open and become Navigable so soon as the Ice is Thawed and the Carts provided a fixed Day shall be set for Departure of the Turks after which they shall not stay longer than 24 Hours And in the mean time they shall lodge quietly in the Lower Town free from all Molestation Damage or Insolence of the Soldiers II. All Prisoners in the Hands of the Turks without concealing any or Perswasions Allurements or Promises to stay shall be set at liberty be they of what Age Sex or Quality soever III. That all Conveniences and Necessaries shall be allowed to the Turks for their Money as well in their Journey as in the time of their present Aboad IV. That no Violence shall be offered to any upon their Departure V. The Carts or Waggons shall be provided as well for the Old as for others to carry them to the Water-side VI. All those who became Renegadoes before this War began shall have Licence to depart in Company with the Turks but such others as have denied their Faith since the beginning of these Wars shall not be permitted to depart with the others but shall remain still in the City And whosoever shall desire to stay behind and live at their former Habitations shall be left to their own Wills and Arbitrement to do as they shall think fit VII A sufficient number of Waggons shall be provided to carry all the People to the Water-side where in like manner a sufficient number of Boats shall be furnished to Transport the People under a secure Guard to the Confines of the Ottoman Dominions All these Articles being subscribed by His Imperial Majesty a strict charge was given to all Officers and Soldiers and Subjects whatsoever to observe religiously the Contents thereof But before the same had passed the Imperial Signature the Vice-President of the Council of War summoned Hassan Bei several times to Audience and at length upon Delivery of the Capitulations into his Hands he made a most Elegant Speech exalting the generous Piety and Clemency of the Emperour who having all the Inhabitants and Soldiers of Sighet in his Hands and at his Disposal so as either to put them to Death or make them Captives was yet pleased out of a Natural Principle of Mercy to consider their Distresses to spare their Lives and give them Liberty In sense of which Hassan Bei acknowledged the truth of what had been uttered and in token of Thanks to the Vice-President in the Name of the Pasha and People of Sighet with Eyes full of Tears he received the Capitulations and kissed them with profound Reverence and Submission So soon as Hassan Bei had received these Capitulations he departed with all speed by the Post towards Sighet being fully satisfied with the obliging Entertainment he had received during his stay at Vienna where he was sumptuously lodged in the House of Marquis Ferdinando Obizzi Hassan Bei being returned with the Articles subscribed to Sighet no time was lost to put them into execution for all things being prepared and the River open about the beginning of February the Turks quitted Sighet leaving one of the chief Fortresses in the World esteemed both by Nature and Art to be impregnable in the Hands of the Emperour For Sighet hath both a Castle and a City fortified after the ancient manner with Earth lined with Brick hath four very fair Towers encompassed with a very deep Ditch full of Water and environed round with Fens and Marshy Grounds which make the Town inaccessible So that it seems no wonder that Solyman the Magnificent Emperor of the Turks should have spent three Years in taking thereof and not being able to take it in his Life time his Grand Vizier afterwards subdued it by Storm with the loss of 36000 Men. The Turks took it on the 7th of September 1566 after a most valiant Resistance made by Nicholas Esdrin Count of Serini Great Grandfather of the Famous Nicholas Serini who vanquished the Turks in many Battels and died in the Year 1664. The Town hath three Gates one called Quinque Ecclesiae another Siclos and a third Canisia because they lead to those places The Castle is fortified with three Walls and a treble Ditch and is the Capital City of that Province so named There are three Moschs all stately Buildings and covered with Lead The Country round is Pleasant and Fruitful especially one Hill about two Miles from the City which the Turks call Turbe Doggi which was rarely planted with Vines and all sorts of Fruit-Trees and is famous for Cherries of an extraordinary bigness of which there are none so good either in Hungary or in any part of the Ottoman Dominions the Ponds and Lakes are filled with Fish and the Woods yield store of Deer Hares Partridges and all sorts of Game so that no place in the World can afford greater plenty of all things to support Humane Life or to furnish the Tables of the greatest Monarchs Howsoever Canisia refused to follow the Example of Sighet being not as yet it seems reduced to such a Condition of Famine as to oblige them to a Surrender for living in hopes that the Turkish Ambassadors would be able by their Negotiations to obtain a Peace they suffered the utmost Extremities of Want with much patience that in reward thereof they might preserve their Dwellings and Lands and obtain the Honour due to the Constancy of good Soldiers and the Praise and Commendation of their Prince In the mean time the Turkish Ambassadors pressed with much Importunity to be admitted unto Audience that they might deliver their Credentials and execute the Commands of their Master But the Imperial Ministers were not it seems so much in haste intending first to deliberate in what manner they were to be received and what Answers were to be given to their submissive Requests for Peace a Matter unknown before to the Turks who since the beginning of their Empire had never before been acquainted with the manner of supplicating for Peace year 1689. But the Fortune of the World being now changed and the Game running high on the Emperor's Hand Expedients were contrived rather to return a plausible cause of denial and a justifiable ground for continuing a War than how to form and project advantageous Articles for a Peace Howsoever the Resolutions being taken what to do it was judged necessary to admit the Ambassadors to Audience for by the Law of Nations that could not be refused and so accordingly it was agreed That on the 8th of February an Audience should be given them In order unto which two Days before the Ambassadors were conducted from the Castle of Pottendorff into the Suburbs of the City and lodged in that Street called Landt Strass being attended by two Regiments of Foot The Day appointed for the Audience being come they were brought with a Party of Horse to the Gate of Carinthia about Two a Clock in the Afternoon and there consigned up to the Guard
THE TURKISH HISTORY WITH Sir PAUL RYCAUT's CONTINUATION Mahomethes Quartus Magnus Turcarum Imperator Qui nunc Regnat Anno 1687. Sold by T Basset at the George neat S t Dunstans Church in Fleet street THE TURKISH HISTORY FROM THE ORIGINAL of that NATION To the GROWTH of the Ottoman Empire WITH THE LIVES and CONQUESTS OF THEIR Princes and Emperors By RICHARD KNOLLES sometime Fellow of Lincoln-College in Oxford WITH A CONTINUATION To this Present Year MDCLXXXVII Whereunto is added The Present State of the OTTOMAN EMPIRE By Sir PAUL RYCAUT late Consul of Smyrna The Sixth EDITION with the Effigies of all the Kings and Emperors Newly Engraven at large upon Copper The First Uolume LONDON Printed for Tho. Basset at the George near St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet MDCLXXXVII The AUTHOR to the READER THE long and still declining state of the Christian Commonweal with the utter ruin and subversion of the Empire of the East and many other most glorious Kingdoms and Provinces of the Christians never to be sufficiently lamented might with the due consideration thereof worthily move even a right stony heart to ruth but therewith also to call to remembrance the dishonour done unto the blessed Name of our Saviour Christ Iesus the desolation of his Church here militant upon Earth the dreadful danger daily threatned unto the poor remainder thereof the millions of Souls cast headlong into eternal Destruction the infininit number of woful Christians whose grievous groanings under the heavy yoke of Infidelity no tongue is able to express with the carelesness of the Great for the redress thereof might give just cause unto any good Christian to fit down and with the heavy Prophet to say as he did of Jerusalem O how hath the Lord darkned the Daughter of Sion in his wrath and cast down from heaven unto the earth the beauty of Israel and remembred not his footstool in the day of his wrath All which miseries with many others so great as greater there can none be the Prince of darkness and Author of all mischief hath by the persecuting Princes of all Ages and antient Hereticks his Ministers labored from time to time to bring upon the Church of God to the obscuring of his blessed Name and utter subversion of his most sacred Word but yet by none no not by them all together so much prevailed as by the false Prophet Mahomet born in an unhappy hour to the great destruction of Mankind whose most gross and blasphemous Doctrine first fantasied by himself in Arabia and so by him obtruded upon the World and afterwards by the Sarasin Caliphes his seduced Successors with greater Forces maintained was by them together with their Empire dispersed over a great part of the face of the Earth to the unspeakable ruin and destruction of the Christian Religion and State especially in Asia and Africk with some good part of Europe also But the unity of this great Mahometan Monarchy being once dissolved and it divided into many Kingdoms and so after the manner of worldly things drawing unto the fatal period of it self in process of time became of far less force than before and so less dreadful unto the Christian Princes of the West by whom these Sarasins were again expulsed out of all the parts of Europe excepting one corner of Spain which they yet held within the remembrance of our Fathers until that by their Victorious Forces they were thence at length happily removed also after that they had possessed the same above the space of 700 Years In this declination of the Sarasins the first Champions of the Mahometan Superstition who though they had lost much yet held they many Kingdoms both in Asia and Africk taken for the most part from the Christians arise the Turks an obscure and base People before scarce known unto the World yet fierce and couragious who by their Valour first aspired unto the Kingdom of Persia with divers other large Provinces from whence they were about 170 Years after again expulsed by the Tartars and enforced to retire themselves into the lesser Asia where taking the benefit of the discord of the Christian Princes of the East and the carelesness of the Christians in general they in some good measure repaired their former losses again and maintained the state of a Kingdom at Iconium in Cilicia now of them called Caramania holding in their subjection the greatest part of that fruitful Country still seeking to gain from the Christians what they had before lost unto the Tartars But this Kingdom of the Turks declining also by the dismembring of the same there slept up among the Turks in Bythinia one Osman or Othoman of the Oguzian Tribe or Family a Man of great spirit and valour who by little and little growing up amongst the rest of his Countrymen and other the effeminate Christians on that side of Asia at last like another Romulus took upon him the Name of a Sultan or King and is right worthily accounted the first Founder of the mighty Empire of the Turks which continued by many descents directly in the Line of himself even unto Achmat who now reigneth is from a small beginning become the greatest terrour of the World and holding in subjection many great and mighty Kingdoms in Asia Europe and Africk is grown to that height of pride as that it threatneth destruction unto the rest of the Kingdoms of the Earth labouring with nothing more than with the weight of it self In the greatness whereof is swallowed up both the Name and Empire of the Sarasins the glorious Empire of the Greeks the renowned Kingdoms of Macedonia Peloponesus Epirus Bulgaria Servia Bosna Armenia Cyprus Syria Egypt Judea Tunes Algiers Media Mesopotamia with a great part of Hungary as also of the Persian Kingdom and all those Churches and Places so much spoken of in holy Scripture the Romans only excepted and in brief so much of Christendom as far exceedeth that which is thereof at this day left So that at this present if you consider the beginning progress and perpetual felicity of this the Othoman Empire there is in this World nothing more admirable and strange if the greatness and lustre thereof nothing more magnificent and glorious if the Power and Strength thereof nothing more Dreadful or Dangerous Which wondering at nothing but at the Beauty of it self and drunk with the pleasant Wine of perpetual felicity holdeth all the rest of the World in Scorn thundering out nothing still but Bloud and War with a full persuasion in timeâ— to Rule over all prefixing unto it self no other limits than the uttermost bounds of the Earth from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same The causes whereof are many and right lamentable but for the most part are shut up in the Counsels of the Great as that for me to seek after them were great Folly Yet amongst the rest some others there be so pregnant and manifest as that the blind
World taketh thereof as it were a general Knowledge and may therefore without Offence of the Wiser sort as I hope even in these our nice Days be lightly touched Whereof the first and greatest is the Iust and Secret Iudgment of the Almighty who in Iustice delivereth into the Hands of these merciless Miscreants Nation after Nation and Kingdom upon Kingdom as unto the most terrible Executioners of his dreadful Wrath to be punished for their Sins Others in the mean while no less Sinful than they in his Mercy enjoying the benefit of a longer time calling them unto Repentance Then the uncertainty of Worldly things which is subject to perpetual Change cannot long stay in one State but as the Sea is with the Wind so are they in like sort tossed up and down with the continual Surges and Waves of alteration and change so that being once grown to their height they there stay not long but fall again as fast as ever they rise and so in time come to nothing As we see the greatest Monarchies that ever yet were upon Earth have done their course being run over whom Time now Triumpheth as no doubt at length it shall over this so great a Monarchy also when it shall but then live by Fame as the others now do Next to these Causes from above without Offence be it said is the small care the Christian Princes especially those that dwelt further off have had of the common State of the Christian Common-weal whereof even the very Greatest are to account themselves but as the principal Members of one and the same Body and have or ought to have as sharp a feeling one of anothers Harms as hath the head of the Wrongs done unto the feet or rather as if it were done unto themselves Instead of which Christian Compassion and Vnity they have ever and even yet at this time are so divided amongst themselves with endless Quarrels partly for Questions of Religion never by the Sword to be determined partly for Matters touching their own proper State and Sovereignty and that with such distrust and implacable Hatred that they never could as yet although it hath been long wished joyn their common Forces against the common Enemy But turning their Weapons one upon another the more to be lamented have from time to time Weakend themselves and Opened a way for him to Devour them one after another Whereas with their combined Forces the greedy Enemies greatest Terror they might long since not only have repressed his Fury and abated his Pride but with small Danger and much Glory God favoring their so Honourable Attempts have again Recovered from him most of those famous Christian Kingdoms which he by Force against all Right holdeth at this Day in most miserable Subjection and Thraldom Many Millions of the poor Oppressed Christians in the mean time out of the Furnace of Tribulation in the Anguish of their Souls crying in vain unto their Christian Brethren for relief By Civil discord the Noble Country of Graecia Perished when as the Father rising against the Son and the Son against the Father and Brother against Brother they to the mutual Destruction of themselves called the Turk who like a greedy Lyon lurking in his Den lay in wait for them all So Perished the Kingdoms of Bulgaria Servia Bosna and Epirus with the famous Island of the Rhodes and Cyprus betray'd as it were by the Christian Princes their Neighbours by whom they might have easily been relieved So the most Flourishing and Strong Kingdom of Hungary in the Relicks whereof the Fortune of the Turkish Empire hath longer stuck than in the Conquest of any other Kingdom by it attempted whatsoever divided in it self by the Ambition of Princes and Civil discord the Weaker still calling unto his Aid the mighty Power of the Turk is long since for the most part become to him a Prey the poor remainders thereof being at this Day hardly Defended by the Forces of the Christian Emperor and of the Princes his Confederates seldom times meeting together with such Cheerfulness or Expedition as the Necessity of so great a Matter requireth Vnto which so great a Cause of the common decay may be added the evil Choice of our Souldiers employed in those Wars who taken up hand over head out of the promiscuous common People are for the most part Vntrained men serving rather for shew and the filling up of Number than for Vse and in no respect to be compared with the Turks Ianizaries and other his most expert Souldiers continually even from their Youth Exercised in feats of Arms. Not to speak in the mean time of the want of the Antient Martial Discipline the wholesome preservative of most Puissant Armies which breedeth in the Proud Enemy a Contempt of the Christian Forces with a full persuasion of himself that he is not by such Disordered and Weak means to be withstood But to come near unto the Causes of the Turks greatness and more proper unto themselves as not depending of the improvident Carelesness Weakness Discord and Imperfections of others First in them is to be Noted an ardent and infinite Desire of Sovereignty wherewith they have long since promised unto themselves the Monarchy of the whole World a quick motive to their so haughty Designs Then such a rare Vnity and Agreement amongst them as well in the manner of their Religion if it be so to be called as in matters concerning their State especially in all their Enterprises to be taken in hand for the augmenting their Empire as that thereof they call themselves Islami that is to say Men of one Mind or at Peace amongst themselves so as it is not to be Marvelled if thereby they grow Strong themselves and Dreadful to others Ioyn unto this their Courage conceived by the wonderful Success of their perpetual Fortune their notable Vigilancy in taking the advantage of every Occasion for the inlarging of their Monarchy their Frugality and Temperateness in their Diet and other manner of Living their careful observing of their Antient Military Discipline their Cheerful and almost Incredible Obedience unto their Princes and Sultans such as in that point no Nation in the World was to be worthily compared unto them All great Causes why their Empire hath so mightily encreased and so long continued Whereunto may be added the two strongest Sinews of every well Governed Commonweal Reward propounded to the Good and Punishment threatned unto the Offender where the prize is for Vertue and Valour set up and the way laid open for every common Person be he never so meanly Born to aspire unto the greatest Honours and Preferments both of the Court and of the Field yea even unto the nearest Affinity of the Great Sultan himself if his Valour or other Worth shall so Deserve When as on the contrary part the Disloyal or Cowardly is to expect from the same Sovereign Power nothing but Disgrace Death and Torture And yet these great ones not contented by
their native Country and followed their better fortune in the year of our Lord 755. with whom also Segonius agreeth in the cause of their departure but not in the time or place when or whereby they departed for they as he saith issued out of their dwelling places in the year of Grace 844. by the Straits of the Mountain CAUCASUS whereas the other with greater probability suppose them to have come forth by the Caspian Straits which the Turks also as saith Sabellicus affirm of â—hemselves their Ancestors as they say being by their Neighbors driven out of the Caspian Mountains Some others there be thaâ— report them to have forsaken their native Country neither inforced thereunto by necessity or the power of others but for their valor sent for by the Sultan of PERSIA to aid him in his Wars unadvisedly supposing that to have been the cause of their first coming out which indeed hapned long time after as in the process of this History shall appear But whatsoever the aforesaid causes of want or of the enemies power might inforce them unto a greater power no doubt it was that stir'd them up even the hand of the Almighty who being the Author of all Kingdoms upon Earth as well those which he hath appointed as Scourges wherewith to punish the World as others more blessed will have his work and purpose full of Divine Majesty to appear in the stirring of them up from right small beginnings in the increasing and establishing of theiâ— greatness and power to the astonishment of the World and in the ruine and destruction of them again the course of their appointed time once run As for the difference of the time of their coming forth before remembred it may reasonably be referred to the divers emotions of that people who being not under the command of any one but of their divers Governors as the manner of that people was are not to be thought to have come forth all at once either for one cause but at divers times some sooner some later and that for divers causes This people thus stirred up and by the Caspian Ports passing thorow the Georgian Country then called IBERIA near unto the Caspian Sea first seised upon a part of the greater ARMENIA and that with so strong hand that it is by their Posterity yet holden at this day and of them called TURCOMANIA of all other the most true Progeny of the ancient Turks In which great Country they of long under their divers Leaders in the manner of their living most resembling their Ancestors roamed up and down with their Families and herds of Cattel after the manner of the Scythian Nomades their Country men without any certain places of abode yet at great Unity among themselves as not having much to lose or wherefore to strive The first Kingdom of the Turks erected in Persia by Tangrolipix Chieftain of the Selzuccian Family with the success thereof THis wandring and unregarded people but now the terror of the world thus first seated in ARMENIA long time there lived in that wide Country after their rude and wonted manner from which the Turcoman Nation their Posterity in that place even at this day as we said much differeth not and not only notably defended the Country thus by them at the first possessed but still incroaching farther and farther and gaining by other mens harms became at length dreadful unto their Neighbours and of some fame also farther off whereunto the effeminate cowardise of those delicate people of ASIA with whom they had to do gave no less furtherance than their own valour being nevertheless an hardy rough people though not much skilful or trained up in the feats of War. The â—ame of theâ—e Turks together with their fortune thus daily increasing and the mighty Empire of the Sarasins as fast declining which under their Chaliphs the Successors of the false Prophet Mahomet having in less than thâ— space of two hundred years overspread not only the greatest part of ASIA and AFRICK even unto GADES and the Pillars of Hercules but also passing over that strait had overwhelmed almost all SPAIN and not there staying but passing the Pirenei had pierced even into the heart of France and divers other parts of Christendom as namely ITALY SICILY the famous Island of the RHODES with many others of the MEDITERRANEAN now divided in it self and rent into many Kingdoms turned their victorious arms from the Christians upon one another to the mutual destruction of themselves and their Empire Amongst other the Sarasin Sultans which forgetting their Obedience to their great Caliph took upon them the Soveraignty of Government which admitteth no partner was one Mahomet Sultan of PERSIA a right great Prince who hardly beset on the one side with the Indians and on the other with the Caliph of BABYLON his mortal Enemy prayed Aid of the Turks his Neighbours who were now come even to the side of ARAXIS the bounds of his Empire unto which his request the Turks easily granted in hope thereby to find a way for them afterwards to enter into PERSIA and so sent him 3000 hardy men under the leading of one Togra Mucalet the Son of Mikeil a valiant Captain and chief of the Selzuccian Tribe or Family whom the Greeks commonly call Tangrolipix and some others Selduck or Sadock names as I suppose corrupted of the great Family whereof he was descended By the aid of this Tangrolipix for now we will so call him as by the name most used Mahomet the Persian Sultan overcame Pisasiris the Caliph of BABYLON his Arabians being not able to endure the force of his Turkish Archers This war thus happily ended the Turks desiring to return home requested of the Sultan leave to depart and with a safe convoy to be conducted unto the river ARAXIS and there to have the passage of that swift river opened unto them which was by the Persians strongly kept by two Castles built upon each end of the bridge whereby the River was to be passed But Mahomet loath to forgo such necessary men by whom he had obtained so great a Victory and purposing to imploy them further in his Service against the Indians would by no means hearken unto their request but seeming therewith to be discontented commanded them to speak no more thereof threatning them violence if they should more presume to talk of their departure The Turks therefore doubtful of their estate and fearing further danger secretly withdrew themselves into the desart of CARAVONITIS and for that they were in number but few and not able to come into the open field against so many millions of the Sarasins lived as they might by continual Incursions and Roads which they made out of the desart Forest into the Countries adjoyning wherewith Mahomet greatly incensed sent out an Army of twenty thousand men under the Conduct of ten of his best Captains against them who for want of water and other necessaries doubting to enter
not for any fear but to save the effusion of innocent blood which consideration set apart he should find him not inferior to himself either in number of most expert Souldiers or other War-like Provision and that therefore if he rejected this Offer of Peace he needed not to doubt but to meet with men of courage which would bear themselves so valiantly in the field against his Turks as that he should have no great cause to rejoyce of his coming thither Which words of the Embassador so netled Amurath that in great rage he commanded him to depart and to will his Master if he were a man of such courage and valour as he said to shew himself in the field with all his Forces there to make an end of all quarrels where he doubted not but in short time to chastise him according to his due deserts So after the Embassador was departed marching forward three days Alis Beg came unto him of whose coming he not a little rejoyced for why he loved him dearly and although he was yet of years but young relied much upon his Council The Embassador returning recounted unto Aladin all that Amurath had said not omitting his hard Speeches and proud Threats and how that he hoped shortly to take from him Iconium and Larenda the principal Cities of Caramania with many things more leaving nothing untold Which Aladin hearing said unto the Confederate Princes that were with him Verily Amurath threatneth to take from us the Cities of Iconium and Larenda but let him take heed that we take not from him his fair City of Prusa Then demanding of the Embassador of what strength Amurath might be it was answered by him that he deemed him to be about seventy thousand strong Whereat Aladin not a little rejoycing said Assuredly when he shall see our Army he will not dare to give us battel or if he do he shall fight upon great disadvantage his men being both fewer in number than we and sore wearied with long and painful travel In the mean time Amurath held on his way towards Caramania daily encouraging his Souldiers with Perswasions and Gifts bountifully bestowed upon them filling their heads with promises of greater the War once happily ended At length he came to the great Plains in Caramania called the French Plains because in former time the Christians whom the Turks for most part call Franks in those places incamped their great Armies as they went to the winning of Ierusalem as in the former part of this History is declared Into these Plains also came Aladin with his Army and was now incamped within one days march of Amurath and so rested that night The next morning Amurath put his Army in order of battel appointing the leading of the right Wing to his youngest Son Iacup with whom he joyned Cuâ—luzes Beg Ein Beg Subbassa Egridum Suâ—bassa Seraze and Custendil two Christian Princes all Captains of great experience The left Wing was led by Bajazet his eldest Son with Ferize and Hozze both valiant Captains in which Wings were also placed the Christian Souldiers sent by Lazarus out of Servia according to the late convention of peace in the main battel he stood himself the Vauntguard was conducted by Temurtases and the rereward by the Subbassa of Oxyllithus called also Temurtases and Achmetes Aladin on the other side with no less care and diligence set his men likewise in order of battel placing himself in the main battel as did Amurath and the Princes his Allies with his other expert Captains some in the right Wing and some in the left as he thought most convenient in such sort as that in all mens judgment he was in Force nothing inferior to his Father in Law. These great Enemies thus ranged with Ensigns displaid came on couragiously one directly upon the other where approaching together the confused noise of Trumpets Drums Fifes with other Instruments of War the neighing of Horses and clattering of Armor was so great that whilst Warlike minds thereat rejoyced Cowards thought Heaven fell But the sign of battel on both sides given Samagazes one of the Confederate Princes with exceeding courage first charged Temurtases in the Vantguard and broke his Ranks at which time Teberruses a Tartar Prince and Varsacides another of the Confederates delivered their Arrows also upon the Vantguard as if it had been a shower of Hail Which Bajazet seeing and how hardly Temurtases was charged having before obtained leave of his Father brake in upon the Enemy with such violence as if it had been the lightning whereof he was ever after sirnamed Gilderuâ— which is to say The lightning Ferizes and Hozze with the other valiant Captains in that Wing following Bajazet with invincible courage entred the battel where for a great space was made a most dreadful and doubtful fight A man would have thought two rough Seas had met together swaying one against the other doubtful which way the current would at length fall In this conflict many thousands were on both sides slain so that the field lay covered with the dead bodies of worthy Men and valiant Souldiers yet at length these Confederate Princes finding themselves overmatched by Bajazet and his Souldiers reserving themselves to their better Fortunes turned their backs and fled when Aladin seeing a great part of his Army thus overthrown and himself now ready to be charged with Amurath his whole Power despairing of Victory sped himself in all hast to Iconium his strong City The spoil which Amurath got in this battel was great most part whereof he gave in reward to Temurtases and his Souldiers which had indured the greatest fury of the battel Amurath after this Victory with all speed marched to Iconium and there besieged Aladin the Caramanian King in his strongest City giving out Proclamation in the mean time That none of his Souldiers upon pain of death should use any violence to any of the Country-people or take any thing from them to the intent it might appear unto the World that he made that War against that Mahometan King rather to propulse Injury and Wrong than for desire of Soveraignty or Spoil Which his so strait a Proclamation the Christians sent by Lazarus amongst others transgressed and therefore by his commandment suffered many of them exemplary punishment which was the cause of the Servian War which not long after ensued fatal both unto Amurath and Lazarus the Despot as hereafter shall appear Aladin now on every side besieged in Iconium and without all hope of escape sent to the Queen his Wife Amuraths Daughter bewailing unto her his desperate estate and requesting her by all the love that so honourable a minded Lady might bear unto her miserable Husband to adventure her self to go to her angry Father and to crave pardon for his great Trespass and Offence The Queen forthwith attiring her self as was fittest for her Husbands present estate came to her Father where falling down at his Feet upon her knees with words
thousand of his men and Tamerlane not many fewer and some other speaking of a far less number as that there should be slain of the Turks about threescore thousand and of Tamerlane his Army not past twenty thousand But leaving the certainty of the number unto the credit of the Reporters like enough it is that the Slaughter was exceeding great in so long a Fight betwixt two such Armies as never before as I suppose met in Field together By this one days event is plainly to be seen the uncertainty of worldly things and what small assurance even the greatest have in them Behold Bajazet the terror of the World and as he thought superior to Fortune in an instant with his state in one Battel overthrown into the bottom of misery and despair and that at such time as he thought least even in the midst of his greatest Strength It was three days as they report before he could be pacified but as a desperate man still seeking after death and calling for it neither did Tamerlane after he had once spoken with him at all afterwards courteously use him but as of a proud man caused small account to be made of him And to manifest that he knew how to punish the haughty made him to be shackled in Fetters and Chains of Gold and so to be shut up in an Iron Cage made like a Grate in such sort as that he might on every side be seen and so carried him up and down as he passed through Asia to be of his own People scorned and derided And to his further disgrace upon Festival days used him for a Footstool to tread upon when he mounted to Horse and at other times scornfully fed him like a Dog with crums fallen from his Table A rare Example of the uncertainty of worldly Honour that he unto whose ambitious mind Asia and Europe two great parts of the World were too little should be now carried up and down cooped up in a little Iron Cage like some perilous wild Beast All which Tamerlane did not so much for hatred to the man as to manifest the just judgment of God against the arrogant Folly of the Proud. It is reported That Tamerlane being requested by one of his Noblemen that might be bold to speak unto him to remit some part of his Severity against the person of so great a Prince answered That he did not use that Rigor against him as a King but rather did punish him as a proud ambitious Tyrant polluted with the blood of his own Brother Now this so great an overthrow brought such a fear upon all the Countries possessed by Bajazet in Asia that Axalâ—a sent before by Tamerlane with forty thousand Horse and an hundred thousand Foot without Carriages to prosecute the Victory came without resistance to Prusa whither all the remainder of Bajazet his Army retired with the Bassa Mustapha the Country as he went still yielding unto him Yea the great Bassa with the rest hearing of his coming and thinking themselves not now in any safety in Asia fled over the Strait of Hellespontâ—s to Callipoliâ— and so to Hadrianople carrying with them out of the Battel Solyman Bajazet his eldest Son whom they set up in his Fathers place Mahomet his younger Brother presently upon the overthrow being fled to Amasia of whom and the rest of Bajazet his Children more shall be said hereafter Axalla coming to Prâ—sa had the City without resistance yielded unto him which he rifled and there with other of Bajazet his Wiâ—es and Concubines took Prisoner the fair Despina Bajazet his best beloved Wife to the doubling of his grief Emaâ—â—â—l the Greek Emperor now hearing of Tamerlane his coming to Prusa sent his Embassadors the most honorable of his Court thither before â—o Axalla by whom they woâ—e there steid until the coming of Tamerlane who received them with all the Honour that might be shewing unto them all his magnificence and the order of his Camp to their great admiration For it resembled a most populous and well governed City for the order that was therein which brought unto it plenty of all kind of Victuals and other Merchandise as well for pleasure as for use By these Embassadors the Greek Emperor submitted all his Empire together with his Person unto Tamerlane the great Conqueror as his most faithful Subject and Vassal which he was bound as he said to do for that he was by him delivered from the most cruel Tyrant of the World as also for that the long journy he had passed and the discommodities he had indured with the loss of his People and the danger of his Person could not be recompenced but by the offer of his own Life and his Subjects which he did for ever dedicate unto his Service with all the Fidelity and Loyalty that so great a benefit might deserves besides that his so many Vertues and rare Accomplishments which made him famous through the World did bind him so to do And that therefore he would attend him in his chief City to deliver it into his Hands as his own with all the Empire of Greece Now the Greek Embassadors looked for no less than to fall into bondage to Tamerlane thinking that which they offered to be so great and delicate a Morsel as that it would not be refused especially of such a conquering Prince as was Tamerlane and that the acceptance thereof in kindness and friendship was the best bargain they could make therein But they received answer from this worthy Prince far beyond their expectation for he with a mild countenance beholding them answered them That he was not come from so far a Country or undertaken so much pains for the inlargement of his Dominions already large enough too base a thing for him to put himself into so great danger and travel for but rather to win Honour and thereby to make his name famous unto all Posterity for ever And that therefore it should well appear unto the World that he was come to aid him being requested as his Friend and Allie and that his upright meaning therein was the greatest cause that God from above had beheld his power and thereby bruised the Head of the greatest and fiercest Enemy of mankind that was under Heaven and now to get him an immortal name would make free so great and flourishing a City as was Constantinople governed by so noble and ancient an House as the Emperors That unto his Courage he had always Faith joyned such as should never suffer him to make so great a breach in his reputation as that it should be reported of him That in the colour of a Friend he came to invade the Dominions of his Allies That he desired no more but that the service he had done for the Greek Emperor might for ever be ingraven in the Memory of his Posterity to the end they might for ever wish well unto him and his Successors by remembring the good he had done them That
humor Yet might Bajazet seem to do him wrong if he should not according to his promise again restore him unto the possession of the Empire which he had almost thirty years before received at his hands as is before in the beginning of his life declared But Selymus being of a more haughty disposition than to brook the life of a Subject under the command of either of his Brethren and altogether given to martial Affairs sought by infinite Bounty feigned Courtesie subtil Policy and by all other means good and bad to aspire unto the Empire Him therefore the Janizaries with all the great Souldiers of the Court yea and some of the chief Bassaes also corrupted with Gifts wished above the rest for their Lord and Sovereign desiring rather to live under him which was like to set all the World on a hurly burly whereby they might increase their Honour and Wealth the certain rewards of their Adventures than to lead an idle and unprofitable Life as they termed it under a quiet and peaceable Prince Whilst men stood thus diversly affected towards these Princes of so great hope Bajazet now far worn with years and so grievously tormented with the Gout that he was not able to help himself for the quietness of his Subjects and preventing of such troubles as might arise by the aspiring of his Children after his death determined whilst he yet lived for the avoiding of these and other such like mischiefs to establish the succession in some one of his Sons who wholly possessed of the Kingdom might easily repress the pride of the other And although he had set down with himself that Achomates should be the man as well in respect of his Birth-right as of the especial affection he bare unto him yet to discover the disposition of his Subjects and how they stood affected it was given out in general terms That he meant before his death to make it known to the World who should succeed in the Empire without naming any one of his Sons leaving that for every man to divine of according as they were affected which was not the least cause that every one of his Sons with like ambition began now to make small account of their former Preferments as thinking only upon the Empire it self First of all Selymus year 1511. whom Bajazet had made Governor of the Kingdom of Trapezond rigging up all the Ships he could in Pontus sailed from Trapezond over the Euxine now called the Black Sea to the City of Capha called in ancient time Theodosia and from thence by Land came to Mahometes King of the Tartars called Praecopenses a mighty Prince whose Daughter he had without the good liking of his Father before married and discovering unto him his intended purpose besought him by the sacred Bonds of the Affinity betwixt them not to shrink from him his loving Son-in-law in so fit an opportunity for his advancement And withal shewed unto him what great hope of obtaining the Empire was proposed unto him by his most faithful Friends and the Souldiers of the Court if we would but come nearer unto his Father then about to transfer the Empire to some one of his Sons and either by fair means to procure his favour or by entring with his Army into Thracia to terrifie him from appointing either of his other Brethren for the Successor The Tartar King commending his high device as a kind Father-in-law with wonderful celerity caused great store of shipping to be made ready in the Pontick Sea and Moeotis but especially at the Ports of Copa and Tana upon the great River of Tanais which boundeth Europe from Asia and arming fifteen thousand Tartarian Horsemen delivered them all to Selymus promising forthwith to send him greater Aid if he should have occasion to use the same These things being quickly dispatched Selymus passing over the River Borrysthenes and so through Valachia came at length to Danubius and with his Horsemen passed that famous River at the City of Chelia his Fleet he commanded to meet him at the Port of the City of Varna called in ancient time Dionysiopolis in the Confines of Bulgaria and Thracia he himself still levying more men by the way as he went pretending in shew quite another thing than he had indeed intended which the better to cover he gave it out as if he had purposed to have invaded Hungary But Bajazet a good while before advertised that Selymus was departed from Trapezond and come over into Europe marvelling that he had left his charge in Asia the Rebellion of Techellis and the Persian War yet scarce quieted and that upon his own head he had entertained forreign Aid to make War against the most warlike Nation of the Hungarians and farther that with his Army by Land he had seised upon the places nearest unto Thracia and with a strong Navy kept the Euxine Sea he began to suspect as the truth was That all this preparation was made and intended against himself for the crafty old Sire had good proof of the unquiet and troublesome nature of his Son especially in that without his knowledge he durst presume to take a Wife from amongst the Tartars and afterwards with no less presumption of himself raise an Army both by Sea and Land whereby he easily perceived that he would never hold himself contented with a small Kingdom so long as he was in hope by a desperat adventure to gain a greater Yet thinking it better with like dissimulation to appease his violent and fierce Nature than by sharp reproof to move him to farther Choler he sent unto him Embassadors to declare to him with what danger the Turkish Kings had in former times taken upon them those Hungarian Wars for example whereof he needed not to go no further than to his Grandfather Mahomet the Great who many times to his exceeding loss had made proof of the Hungarian Forces wherefore he should do well to expect some fit opportunity when as he might with better advice greater power and more sure hope of Victory take those Wars in hand Whereunto Selymus answered That he had left Asia inforced thereunto by the injuries of his Brother Achomates and was therefore come over into Europe by dint of Sword and the help of his Friends to win from the Enemies of the Mahometan Religion a larger and better Province for that little barren and peaceable one which his Father had given him bordering upon Hiberia and Cholchos bare and needy People living as Connies amongst the Rocks and Mountains As for the Hungarians whom they thought to be a People invincible and therefore not to be dealt withal he was not of that base mind to be daunted with any danger were it never so great and yet that in his opinion the War was neither so difficult or dangerous as was by them prentended forasmuch as the ancient prowess of that warlike Nation was now much changed together with the change of their Kings and their Discipline of
executed and found means to have them cunningly delivered to Achomates as if they had been sent from his Friends who giving credit to the same and presuming much upon his own Strength doubted not to leave his Footmen who followed easily after him under the conduct of Amurat his Son and came and encamped with his Horsemen near unto the Mountain Horminius upon the Bank of the River Parthemius Selymus also departed from Prusa and having received into his Army ten thousand Janizaries but a little before come over the Strait sent before Sinan Bassa General of his Asian Horsemen to know and make proof of the Strength of his Enemies The Bassa not knowing as yet where Achomates lay neither of what force he was being deceived by the darkness of the Morning fell into a place of disadvantage where he was set upon by Achomates and having lost seven thousand of his men was glad with other eight thousand which were left to fly back to Selymus For all this loss was not Selymus discomforted or doubtful of the Victory but forthwith marched on forward to the River Elata which runneth directly out of the Mountain Horminius into Pontus watering most large Fields upon the right hand which at this day are called the Plains of the new Land. So did Achomates also who although he knew his Brother to be every way too strong for him yet being incouraged with the late Victory and in hope that his Friends in Selymus his Army whom he vainly supposed to have been yet living would in the very Battel do some notable matter for him and that Victory would follow his just quarrel resolved neither to retire back neither to expect the coming of the rest of his Army The River was betwixt the two Camps and the number of both Armies certainly discovered yet could not Achomates to whom the open Fields offered a safe retreat unto the rest of his Army possessed with a fatal madness be perswaded considering the greatness of the danger in time to provide for the safety of himself and his Army carried headlong as it seemed by inevitable destiny to his fatal destruction which presently after ensued Selymus a little before the going down of the Sun with his Army passed over the River Elata and gave general commandment through all his Camp that every man against the next day should be ready for battel and in a Wood not far off placed a thousand Horsemen in ambush under the leading of Canoglis his Wives Brother a valiant young Gentleman whom his Father had a little before sent from Taurica unto his Son in law with a chosen Company of Tartarian Horsemen unt him Selymus gave in charge that when the Battel was joyned he should shew himself with his Horsemen upon the back of his Enemies and there to charge them As soon as it was day Selymus in a great open Field put his Army in order of Battel placing his Horsemen in two Wings so that all his Spearmen were in the right Wing and the Archers and Carbines in the left in the main Battel stood the Janizaries with the rest of the Footmen On the other side Achomates having no Footmen divided his Horsemen into two Wings also Whilst both Armies stood thus ranged expecting but the signal of Battel a Messenger came from Achomates to Selymus offering in his Masters name to trie the equity of their quarrel in plain Combat hand to hand which if he should refuse he then took both God and the World to witness that Selymus was the only cause of all the guiltless blood to be shed in the Battel and not he whereunto Selymus answered that he was not to trie his quarrel at the appointment of Achomates and though he could be content so to do yet would not his Souldiers suffer him so to adventure his person and their own safety and so with that answer returned the Messenger back again to his Master giving him for his reward a thousand Aspers Achomates having received this answer without further delay charged the right Wing of his Brothers Army who valiantly received the first charge but when they were come to the sword and that the matter was to be tried by handy blows they were not able longer to endure the force of the Persian Horsemen who being well armed both Horse and Man had before requested to be placed in the foremost ranks by whose Valor the right Wing of Selymus his Army was disordered and not without great loss enforced to retire back upon their Fellows Which thing Selymus beholding did what he might by all means to encourage them again and presently brought on the left Wing with their Arrows and Pistols instead of them that were fled and at the same time came on with the Janizaries also who with their Shot enforced Achomates his Horsemen to retire Achomates himself carefully attending every danger with greater Courage than Fortune came in with fresh Troops of Horsemen by whose Valour the Battel before declining was again renewed and the Victory made doubtful but in the fury of this Battel whilst he was bearing all down before him and now in great hope of the Victory Canoglis with his Tartarian Horsemen rising out of ambush came behind him and with great outcries caused their Enemies then in the greatest heat of their Fight to turn upon them at which time also the Footmen standing close together assailed them afront and the Horsemen whom the Persians had at first put to flight now moved with shame were again returned into the Battel so that Achomates his small Army was beset and hardly assailed on every side In fine his Ensigns being overthrown and many of his Men slain the rest were fain to betake themselves to flight Where Achomates having lost the Field and now too late seeking to save himself by flight fell with his Horse into a Ditch which the rain falling the day before had filled with water and mire and being there known and taken by his Enemies could not obtain so much favour at their hands as to be presently slain but was reserved to the farther pleasure of his cruel Brother Selymus understanding of his taking sent Kirengen the same squint-eyed Captain which had before strangled Corcutus who with a Bow-string strangled him also His dead Body was forthwith brought to Selymus and was afterwards by his commandment in royal manner buried with his Ancestors at Prusa Now Amurat Achomates his Son understanding upon the way by the Persian Horsemen who serred together had again made themselves way through the Turks Army of the loss of the Field and the taking of his Father returned back again to Amasia and there after good deliberation resolved with his Brother to betake themselves both to flight he with the Persian Horsemen passing over the River Euphrates fled unto Hysmael the Persian King but Aladin the younger Brother passing over the Mountain Amanus in Cilicia fled into Syria and so to Campson Gaurus the great
Sultan of Egypt After this Victory Selymus having in short time and with little trouble brought all the lesser Asia under his obeisance and there at his pleasure disposed of all things determined to have returned to Constantinople but understanding that the Plague was hot there he changed his purpose and passing over at Callipolis and so travelling through Grecia came to Hadrianople where he spent all the rest of the Summer and all the Winter following and afterward when the Mortality was ceased returned to Constantinople where it was found that an hundred and threescore thousand had there died of the late Plague Hysmael the Persian King whose Fame had then filled the World hearing of the arrival of Amurat sent for him and demanded of him the cause of his coming The distressed young Prince who but of late had lost his Father together with the hope of so great an Empire and now glad for safegard of his life to fly into strange Countries oppressed with sorrow by his heavy Countenance and abundance of Tears more than by Words expressed the cause of his coming yet in a short strained Speech declared unto him how that his Father his Uncle with the rest of his Cousins all Princes of great Honour had of late been cruelly murthred by the unmerciful Tyrant Selymus who with like fury sought also after the life of himself and his Brother the poor remainders of the Othoman Family who to save their lives were both glad to fly his Brother into Egypt and himself to the Feet of his Imperial Majesty Hysmael moved with compassion and deeming it a thing well beseeming the greatness of his Fame to take the poor exiled Prince into his protection and to give him relief willed him to be of good comfort and promised him Aid And the more to assure him thereof shortly after gave him one of his own Daughters in marriage For it was thought that if Selymus for his Tyranny become odious to the World should by any means miscarry as with Tyrants commonly falleth out that then in the Othoman Family sore shaken with his unnatural Cruelty none was to be preferred before this poor Prince Amurat besides that it was supposed that if he should invade him with an Army out of Persia that upon the first stir all the lesser Asia mourning for the unworthy death of Achomates would at once revolt from him who for his Cruelty and shameful Murthers had worthily deserved to be hated together both of God and Man. Wherefore in the beginning of the Spring Hysmael furnished Amurat his new Son in Law with ten thousand Horsemen willing him to pass over the River Euphrates at Arsenga and to enter into Cappadocia as well to make proof how the People of that Country were affected towards him as of the strength of the Enemy after whom he sent Vasta-Ogli the most famous Chieftain amongst the Persians with twenty thousand Horsemen more with charge That he should still follow Amurat within one days journy and he himself with a far greater power staid behind in Armenia doubting to want Victual if he should have led so great an Army through those vast barren and desolate places whereby he must of necessity pass Amurat marching through the lesser Armenia year 1514. and entring into the Borders of Cappadocia had divers Towns yielded unto him by his Friends some others he took by force which he either sacked or else quite rased and brought such a general fear upon the Inhabitants of that Province that the People submitting themseves unto him all the way as he went it was thought he would have gone directly to Amasia had not Chendemus an old Warlike Captain whom Selymus had left for his Lieutenant in Asia with a great Army come to meet him at Sebastia which at this day is called Sivas This Chendemus had also long before advertised Selymus both of the preparation and coming of the Persians as soon as he had learned by his Espials That they were passed the River Euphrates Upon which news Selymus came presently over into Asia and commanding all his Forces to meet together at Prusa had with wonderful celerity levied thereabout forty thousand common Souldiers Which so soon as Amurat understood as well by such Prisoners as he had taken as by advertisement from his Friends although he was very desirous to have fought with Chendemus yet doubting that if Selymus should with his wonted celerity come against him he should be intangled in the Straits of the Mountain Antitaurus he retired back again to Vasta-Ogli But Selymus who all that year had in his haughty thoughts been plotting some such notable exploit as were worthy his greatness standing in doubt whether he should by Sea and Land invade Hungary the Rhodes or Italy at that time sore shaken with Civil Wars having now so fit an occasion given him by the Persian to the great joy of all Christendom converted himself wholly unto the East and in thirty days march came to Arsenga Where joining his Army with Chendemus when he understood that his Enemies having harried the Country were again retired prickt forward with the grief of the injury and desire of revenge with hope of Victory he resolved to follow after them foot by foot and forthwith to enter into Armenia the greater the principal Province of the Persian Kingdom But the difficulties of this notable expedition which were in Counsel propounded by them which had best knowledg of those Countries were great and many all which by his own good hap and invincible courage he himself afterwards overcame for the Souldiers which had in short time already marched by Land out of Illyria Epirus and Macedonia into Cappadocia must of necessity in this long expedition take upon them new labors they were to endure the sharp and pinching cold of the huge Mountain Taurus and by and by after the most vehement and and scortching heat in the Plains of Armenia the lesser with extream Thirst Hunger and most desperate want of all things and well the more for that the Persians in their Retreat spoiling the Country as they went had utterly destroyed all that might serve for the use of man of purpose to leave nothing to their Enemies but want of all things if they should pursue them besides that his most expert Captains stood in no small doubt of the petty Princes of Armenia the less and the Mountain King Aladeules whom they were to leave behind them at their backs without any great assurance of their Frindship who they well knew would leave them if any thing should happen otherwise than well to Selymus either in the Battel or for want of Victuals or in the strait passages For they were to be relieved with Victuals from the Armenians and Aladeules Forces then in readiness were neither for number nor power to be contemned who also with Castles commodiously placed and strong Garrisons at his pleasure commanded all the straits passages and entrances which led out of
shall upon a zeal to your Religion with your Victorious hand take away this stain and plague of Asia there shall undoubtedly be erected unto you so glorious and magnificent a Trophy in the midst of Persia as may be compared yea preferred before the Triumphs of your Victorious Father Selymus For it is not so much to have destroyed the Mamalukes by condition Slaves and the proud Sultans of Egypt and Syria as to have subdued the Persians famous in antient time for their Martial Prowess who so oftentimes vanquished by Alexander of Macedon gave unto him the name of Great Solyman prickt forward with many such Discourses daily sounded in his ears by the Bassa began to yield to his perswasion Whereof Abraham himself greatly rejoyced for it was thought of many that he did never in heart renounce the Christian Religion but was only in outward shew a Turk and in heart a Christian. Which was the rather conjectured for that he marvellously favoured and protected the Christian Merchants furthered by all means the Leagues of the Christian Princes with Solyman and laboured always to turn his Forces from them upon the Persians And the more to whet him forward the Bassa had cunningly insinuated into his acquaintance one Mulearbe of Damasco a man in that time famous in Constantinople for the opinion the people had generally conceived of his Holiness and Profound Knowledge in the secret causes of things and the Art of Magick using him as a Prophet to fill the ambitious mind of Solyman with assured hope of prosperous Success which thing the hypocrital Wisard after the manner of such Deceivers slily performed prophesying unto him all happiness in so Religious a War and so much as he said pleasing God. This the Bassaes purpose was much furthered also by Ulemus a noble and valiant Persian who having married the great Persian King Tamas his Sister was revolted from him to Solyman fearing to be called to account for the Extortion wherewith he had grievously oppressed the Countries whereof he had the Government and being wonderfully countenanced in Solymans Court by the great Bassa did after the manner of disloyal Fugitives perswade Solyman by all means he could to take that War in hand discovering unto him the Power State and Strength of the Persian Kingdom which he could well do and plotting unto him the easiest way for the conquering thereof offering also unto him the uttermost of his devoir So Solyman filled with the vain hope of the Conquest of Persia yielded fully unto the perswasions of the great Bassa and gave out his Commissions into all parts of his Empire for the raising of a mighty Army for the performance of so great an Enterprize commanding all his Captains and Men of War to be ready at the City of Nice in Bithynia at a certain day appointed Which his purpose although it was mightily impugned by his Mother and fair Roxolana his best beloved as that which altogether proceeded from the Bassa the one alledging with what evil success his Grandfather and Father had before him attempted that same War the other assailing him with her passionate affections but both of them indeed repining at the credit of the Bassa and in their hearts disdaining that so great a Monarch should at the pleasure of his Servant be led up and down the World so far from their Company for which cause they did what in them lay to have overthrown the purpose of Abraham and to have altered Solymans former determination But so strong was the Bassaes credit with his great Lord and Master that all these great Ladies Devices and Prayers were as Womens affectionate passions rejected and the Bassaes counsel to their no small grief in all things regarded The time appointed being come and all things in readiness Solyman sent Abraham the Bassa and Ulemas the Persian before him into Syria with a strong Army to be ready with the first of the Spring to invade the Persian King. Which thing the Bassa gladly took upon him and coming into Syria wintered with his Army at Aleppo whither Barbarussa came unto him for his Letters of Credence to Solyman as is before declared The Spring now approaching Abraham sent Ulemas the Fugitive Persian Prince before him with the light Horsemen the forerunners of his Army into Mesopotamia as his Guid because the Country was unto him best known following not far after himself with all his Army And marching still forward in that manner came at length without resistance unto the famous City of Tauris in Armenia the greater called in ancient time Echathana as is probably by some conjectured a great and rich City but unwalled and of no strength where the Persian Kings for the pleasantness of the place and freshness of the Air used commonly to be resiant in the heat of the year From whence Tamas the Persian King was as then absent busied in Wars with Kezien-bassa a Prince of the Corasine Hircanians so that the Citizens of Tauris destitute of all help yielded themselves and the City unto the Bassa at his first coming Tamas the Persian King understanding what had hapned at Tauris drew near with his Power warily expecting to have taken the Turks at some advantage and so by policy to have defeated his Enemies whom he was too weak to meet with in plain battel Which thing the wary Bassa well perceiving for more assurance by speedy Courriers advertised Solyman of the taking of Tauris and of the Enemies purpose requesting him with all speed to repair with his Army to Tauris Solyman was then come far on his way with a great Army not by the way of Ancyra Sebastia Amasia the borders of Trapezond and so over Euphrates at Arsenga into Armenia as his Father Selymus had done before him because that way was thought longer and more troublesome but quite another way on the right hand from Nice in Bithynia to Iconium and by Caesaria to Malathia where is the notable passage over the River Euphrates bursting out by the Vallies of the Mountain Antitaurus from whence the Plains of Mesopotamia then part of the Persian Kingdom begin to open themselves through which Country Solyman marched peaceably with his Army paying the poor Country people for whatsoever he took and so in four and fifty days march came from Nice in Bithynia to the City of Coim in Armenia the greater which is supposed to be built in the ruines of the famous and ancient City of Artaxata But hearing such News as is aforesaid from the Bassa he doubled his march and so in short time after came and joyned his Forces with the Bassa at Tauris Tamas who yet daily expected the coming of the Georgian light Horsemen understanding that Solyman was coming against him with a World of men thought it not good to abide the coming of so puissant an Enemy but with delay to weary him out that drew such a multitude of people after him and by taking of him at all
was easily to be gathered how bloody a siege this was unto the Turks forasmuch as all those Bodies were the Bodies of men of good account and place for the Bodies of such common Souldiers as were slain they still threw into the River running by The Fort newly built upon the Bank of Danubius much troubled the besieged Turks in Strigonium because nothing could without danger of it be sent up the River for their Relief Wherefore they by fit Messengers sent word out of the Castle to the Admiral of the Turks Gallies lying below in the River That he should at an appointed time come up the River with his Gallies as high as the Fort and on that side at leastwise to make shew as if he would assault it at which time they of the Town would be likewise ready to sally out and to assail it indeed on the other side by Land. The Admiral accordingly came up the River with his Gallies and by discharging of certain great pieces made shew as if he would on that side have battered the Fort but was so welcomed thereout that he was glad with his rent Gallies quickly to fall down the River again further off out of danger But whilst the thundering shot was thus flying too and fro towards the River they of the Town sallying out assaulted the Fort on the other side toward the Land and that with such desperate Resolution that some of them were got up to the top of the Rampiers and there for the space of two hours maintained a most cruel fight wherein many of them were slain and wounded and the rest enforced with shame to retire The Christians thus still lying at the siege and intentive to all Occasions partly by their Espials and partly by such as they had taken Prisoners understood that a new supply both of Men and Victuals was shortly to be put into Strigonium and therefore sent out certain Companies of Souldiers who lying in two convenient Places the one upon the River the other by Land might intercept the said supply Both which Places were before by the provident Enemy possessed who suddenly assailing the Christians coming thither and fearing no such matter slew some of them and put the rest to flight who nevertheless in their retreat brake the Bridge which the Turks had made of Boats under the Castle of Strigonium over Danubius Of which Boats some were carried away with the Violence of the Stream and of the rest thirty fell into the hands of the Christians without loss of any man more than five who making too much haste out of a little Boat fell into the River and so perished In this time Fame the fore-runner of all great Attempts had brought News into the Christian Camp That Sinan Bassa the Turks great General was coming to the relief of Strigonium of whose Power divers diversly reported But the greater part doubting the worst and weary of the long Siege and of the Calamities incident thereunto added still something to the last report to make the danger of longer stay to seem the greater certain it is that the News of the coming of so great and puissant an Enemy raised many a troubled thought in the Minds of so great a Multitude Now were the besieged Turks in great wants in Strigonium as appeared by Letters intercepted from the Sanzack to the Bassa of Buda declaring unto him the hard estate of the besieged and humbly craving his promised help without which the City could not for want of Victuals possiâ—ly be defended by the fainting Souldiers above three days Which Letters being read in the Camp caused great Preparation to be made for the continuing of the siege and the withstanding of the Enemy whose coming was every hour expected All this while the great Ordnance never ceased on either side whereby many were slain as well of the Christians as of the Turks and amongst others many of the Canoneers But forasmuch as the rife Fame of Sinan Bassa's coming increased daily and the Christian Camp possessed with a general fear gave unto the wise just Suspition of some great Mischief likely to ensure Matthias the General entered into Counsel with County Ferdinand Hardeck the Lord Palfi the Lord Vngenade President of the Counsel for the Wars and Erasmus Eraun Governour of Comara What was the best to be done in so dangerous a time Who with general consent agreed betimes before the coming of Sinan to raise the siege and to remove with the Army into some place of more safety Which their determinate Resolution the day following being the six and twentieth of Iune they made known to the other Princes and great Commanders in the Army who wonderfully discontented therewith especially the Germans both openly by word and solemnly by writing protested against the same as most dishonourable and altogether made without their Knowledge or good likeing To whom the President of the Counsel for their further Satisfaction declared That the Enemy was coming with a very great Army and even now at hand whose strength encreased daily and with what Power he had purposed to assail them in their Tents was uncertain besides that it was manifestly know unto the World how that in the former asâ—aults they had lost many of their best Souldiers beside others that died in the Camp and that the Place wherein they lay encamped was subject to many dangers for which so urgent Causes the General had resolved to raise his siege and before the coming of so strong an Enemy to remove his Army into a place of more safety Which Reasons for all that did not so well satisfie the German Princes and Commanders but that they still urged their former Protestation requesting his Excellency to have them excused before God and the World if they yielding to his Command as to their General did that which they thought not altogether best and which they would not otherwise have done For the more Evidence whereof the said German Princes and great Commanders caused their said Protestation to be solemnly conceived in Writing which they affirmed with their Seals and subscribed with their own hands in order as followeth Francis Duke of Saxony Augustus Duke of Brunswick Sebastian Schlick County Wig and Malâ—zan Ernestus of Aâ—â—tan Henry Phlugk Iohn Nicholas Ruswormb Henry Curwigger Heerrath Iohn Oberhausan Henry Rottcirch Melchior of Nothwith But the Arch-duke with the rest constant in their former Resolution first sent away the great Ordnance and raising the siege the 28 th of Iune followed after with the whole Army passing over Danubius not far from Kokara doubtfully expecting what course Sinan the great Bassa who was then reported to be even at hand would take Yet before their departure they set the old Town on fire and raised the Fort St. Nicholas before taken from the Enemy which they had once purposed to have kept This unexpected departure of the Christians much gladded the besieged Turks who for want of Victuals had not been able long
Contempt as it were of the whole World exercised then the Emperour to have taken his Refuge unto the defence of his just cause and to have used such Remedies as are both before God and the World to be allowed and so by lawful War to have repulsed War. And that altho' all had not the last year prospered in his hand but that he had received some loss yet that Sinan Bassa himself and the Bassa of Buda his Son with other of the wiser sort of the Turks must needs confess that to have chanced not by their Wisdom Policy or Power but by the Sufferance of God by a rare Misfortune through the inexcusable Negligence and Treason of such as he had put in trust with the Confines of his Empire worthy most severe Chastisement And that no man could deny but that great Powers of the Turks had not once but oftentimes been overthrown and discomfited by small handfuls of the Christians therefore their Power not to be so invincible as they vainly vaunted of But whereas it is written that the great Visier Sinan and the Bassa his Son are of Opinion that the Emperour is brought to so low an ebb that he must be glad to accept of most hard and dishonourable Conditions of Peace propounded by them therein they err much and deceive themselves far for by the Power of God they should shortly by Experience know that his Imperial Majesty wanteth neither Power nor Wealth to repair the loss received through the Treason of them he trusted yea and to recover whatsoever else he had lost and that it should in short time be witnessed unto the whole World by the help of God and the defence of a most just Cause that the Emperour was not so poor and weak as they supposed him to be Yet as he of his own natural Goodness and Clemency with his own incomparable loss and harm had always sought for the Quiet and Profit of his Subjects and to the uttermost of his Power staied the effusion of innocent Blood so now also forgetting all Injuries he could happily be content to think of an honourable Peace whereunto he was more inclined than to protract the War with the unspeakable harms of the Subjects on both sides Yet above all things it behoved Sinan to know that he was to restore all such Castles and Towns as have in this War been taken by the Turks beginning at Wihitz in Croatia even to the last innocent Subject by them carried away into Captivity And that the Transilvanians Moldavians and Valachians People many Ages joyned and united as inseparable Members to the Kingdom of Hungary as unto the true Body and now of late by the Practise and Treachery of certain rebellious Persons separated from the same were from henceforth to be left under the Protection and Government of his Imperial Majesty and never more to be impugned by the Turks If these things were done and order taken that the Injury and Disgrace done unto the Emperours late Ambassador a Fact that all the Princes of the World cried shame of might not remain unpunished and that his Servants in durance at Buda and Constantinople might be restored unto their wonted Liberty then some good form of Peace and bounding of their Territories might happily be agreed upon without which Conditions all talk of Peace was but vain for that God the just and mighty Protector of such as put their Trust in him would not fail to help his Imperial Majesty with the rest of the Confederate Princes in their so just a quarrel and abate the Pride of such as trust in their own Strength and Power This answer the Captives at Buda were commanded to give unto the Bassa either by Writing or by word of Mouth and withal earnestly to request him both for their own Liberty and their Fellows wrongfully detained at Constantinople Which if it could not be obtained yet to comfort themselves with that that they should in bounteous manner receive from the Emperour such allowance as should suffice to provide them things necessary as he had granted to Perling whom he might have justy detained and not sent him back again but for his Oaths sake being no lawful Prisoner Thus were the unreasonable Conditions of Peace craftily by the Bassa propounded by others answered but by whom he knew not no Mans Name being set thereunto The Emperour not ignorant with what an Enemy he had to do and of nothing more careful than of the Kingdom or more truly to say of the Reliques of the Kingdom of Hungary lying now as it were in the Lions Mouth ceased not to pray Aid not of the Princes Electors only but of others also farther off yea even as far as Italy and Spain but especially of the King of Polonia as his near Alliance and Neighbour Unto whom both he and the States of Hungary sent their Ambassadors at such time as he moved with the daily Incursions of the Turks and Tartars into the Countries adjoyning upon his had â—or the safety of his own Kingdom called a Parliament of all his States in February last at Cracovia Whereof Mahomet the great Turk hearing sent also two of his chief Chiaus his usual Ambassadors unto the King and his States so assembled to crave his Aid in his Wars in Hungary which if the King should not refuse then to promise him to want no Coin to pay his Souldiers and that Mahomet mindful of so great a courtesie would at all times be ready to requite him with like when his Occasions should require These Ambassadors having obtained safe conduct from Michael the Vayvod of Valachia for their Passage through his Country coming thither were by the Vayvod himself honourably entertained and welcomed and so brought into a fair Lodging where they discoursed with him of many matters But the Vayvod's Followers grieved to see so great Honour done to these their sworn and mortal Enemies with Weapons in their hands brake into the Room where the Ambassadors were and without more ado slew them both and in the same Fury setting upon the rest of the Turks their Followers cut them all in pieces so that of them none came into Polonia to do their great Master's Message neither yet returned to Constantinople to carry news of the rest but there altogether perished Of which Outrage Mahomet yet understanding was therewith wonderfully enraged threatning all Evils both to the Moldavians and Valachians and forthwith sent out other Ambassadors to the same purpose who with better Fortune afterwards in safety arrived in Polonia The Tartars in many places as is before declared overthrown and many strong Castles and Forts taken from the Turks by the Transilvanians Valachians and Moldavians the Turkish Affairs going to wrack in those Quarters and sore shaken on that side of Hungary Mahomet the Turkish Emperour called home to the Court Sinan Bassa his General in Hungary to confer with him as it was thought of some great matters In whose place he sent
Departure sent for the Arch-duke to come into the Camp and for Blankemier into Bavaria to supply his own room But his Disease still increasing became at last desperate so that the Physicians themselves now despaired of his Health Yet lying thus drawing towards his end he almost every hour enquired how the Army did and whether the City were yet taken or what hope there was of the taking thereof But when it was told him a little before his Death that the lower Town was won he thereat greatly rejoyced and the next day being the Fourteenth of August towards night quietly departed this World to the great loss of the Christian Commonweal and the exceeding grief of the whole Army A Man even from his Child-hood brought up in Arms of Stature great but of Courage greater and painful above measure not the least cause of his untimely Death All the time of this Siege he took little Rest either by day or night scarce so much as to lie down upon his Bed in two or three nights together The little Meat he did eat he most part eat it standing or walking yea and sometimes on Horse-back He was a most severe Observer of Martial Discipline which caused him to be of his Souldiers both beloved and feared His Bowels were with due Solemnity buried at Komara where he died but his Body was brought back again to Luxenburg there to be honourably interred with his Ancestors About which time Theodore the great Duke of Muscovia heaâ—ing of the Wars betwixt the Emperour and the Turk sent two Ambassadours with Letters and Presents to the Emperour which Ambassadors coming to Prague the sixteenth of August accompanied with two hundred and fifty Horse were by the Emperours appointment honourably received and entertained And afterward having Audience first delivered the Letters of Credence from the great Duke reported to have been of this purport YOur Majesty hath sent unto us your Ambassador Nicholas Warkotsie requesting our brotherly Aid against the hereditary Enemy of all Christianity the Turkish Sultan Wherefore we also desiring to live with you our dear and well beloved Brother in all perpetual Amity and Friendship send unto you by our faithful Counsellor and Servant Michael Iwanowitze and John Sohnie Aid out of our Treasury against the said Enemy unto whom we have also given other things in charge to be propounded to your Majesty requesting you to give unto them full credit in all things Given in the great Court of our Power at Musco in the year of the World 7103 and from the Nativity of Christ 1595 in the Month of April What things in particular these Ambassadors were sent for was not commonly known but among others it is said That the Muscovite requested the Emperour to send an Ambassador unto the Persian King to draw him also into the League with them against the Turk which Ambassadour should first come into Muscovia and that way to pass into Persia. The Presents which the great Duke sent unto the Emperour were an hundred and fifty thousand Florens of Gold great store of most rich Furs and precious Perfumes deemed to be of exceeding value two white Faulcons and three Leopards alive And Iwanowitze the Ambassador himself presented unto the Emperour of himself certain rich Turky Persian and Babylonian Hangings and Carpets certain Timbers of Sables with other rich Furs no less precious than Sables so many as eight Porters could hardly carry These Ambassadors tarried at Prague until the seven and twentieth day of December and then taking their leave returned with the Emperours answer to the Duke But to return again unto Strigonium The Christians now possessed of the lower Town bent their whole battery upon the higher Town where it fortuned the fourteenth of August that the old Governour Alis-Beg whilst he was carefully walking from Place to Place to see where most danger was had his Arm struck off with a great shot of which huâ— he presently died He was as man of great Gravity about the Age of fourscore years and had of long time notably both governed and defended that famous City the loss whereof was like enough to have been unto him greater Grief than was the loss of his Life there Much about the same time also died the Aga of the Ianizaries being before mortally wounded Both the chief Commanders thus slain the Ianizaries with the other Souldiers and Citizens made choice of the Bassa of Natolia who as is aforesaid escaped out of the late Battel into the City for their Governour who with heavy chear took upon him that forlorn charge The Christians not ignorant of the death of these two worthy Men in whose great and approved Valour they supposed the chief Defence of the City to have rested were in good hope that now the rest would the more readily hearken to some good Composition and therefore sent a Messenger to demand if they would yet whilst there were some Mercy left yield the City Who though they had lost their chief Commanders with the greatest part of the Garrison and were in great wants both of Victuals and all Things else necessary for their Defence yet their Answer was in few Words That they would hold it out even to the last man. The greatest cause of which their obstinate Resolution was the strait charge the Bassa of Buda had given them for the defence thereof besides that they accounted their City holy as won by their magnificent Emperour Solyman whom the Turks generally yet have in a devout remembrance and therefore thought it a great Impiety to deliver it up unto the Christians The next day after came Matthias the Arch-duke into the Camp who after he had well viewed the whole Army and the manner of the siege he called together into his Tent the chief Commanders namely the Marquess of Burgaw his Cousin Iohn de Medices the Florentine and the Lord Palâ—i the Hungarian to consult with them what was further to be done for the winning of the City Shortly after he commanded the City to be assaulted in two Places at once which was by the Walloons and Germans couragiously performed but such was the Valour of the Defendants that when the Christians had done what they could they were glad at last to give over the assault and with loss to retire About this time came the Duke of Mantua with the three Counties his Brethren to the siege and now the Turks began again to draw together near unto Buda there to make head for the relief of Strigonium and to be revenged of the loss they had there before received Whereof the Arch-duke having Intelligence sent out against them eight thousand chosen Souldiers out of the Camp who suddenly setting upon the Turks in their Camp before the rising of the Sun made a great slaughter amongst them and took certain Prisoners of whom the Sanzack of Copan was one and so with Victory returned to the siege The besieged Turks in Strigonium understanding of this overthrow
to concur herein with assistance of his Imperial States yet at least he would be pleased not to interdict him from the Glory of that design in which he questioned not but to succeed and in a short time to render not only to his Majesty but also to the whole Christian World proofs of his Valour and a good account of his Enterprize Howsoever the Emperor's Council seriously considering that Serini's State could not be engaged with the Turk without involving his Interest and that the Princes of the Empire though when assaulted would willingly contribute their Forces in the defensive part yet would be backward to be the Aggressors and engage their States in an offensive and provoking War did therefore not only deny to second or abet his designs with Military succours but positively commanded him to retire and desist from his resolution against Canisia with which Answer the Zeal and Spirit of Serini was so inflamed that throwing in passion his Cemiter on the Ground he raised his well-formed Seige and retired to his proper Residence at Chiacaturno The loss also of Varadin moved the Transilvanians to consult their safety in this extremity of their Affairs which now amidst these dangers and storms which threatned them appeared in a desperate and languishing Condition unless remedied by a desperate Cure and the resolves of some wise and valiant Counsel Wherefore in the first place they concluded to depose Acatius Barclay the Favourite of the Turks and in his stead they constituted Iohn Chiminianus or Kemâ—nius the late General of Ragotski's Army In the next place they made their Addresses and Applications to the Emperor for assistance supplicating as Ragotski and those of Varadin had done before the powerful protection and sacred Patronage of the Imperial Eagles alledging those Arguments of common safety and mutual interest which apparent reason suggested and which were the present Subject and Theme of all the Courts in Christendom To this Demand the Emperor assented promising readily his assistance but with Proviso that for his security the Cities of Zechelhid Chowar Iulia and other places should receive Garisons of German Soldiers The Transilvanians willingly accepted the Propositions so that soon after those places were supplied with German Garisons But as yet no effectual Forces came from the Emperor nay rather the German Councils seemed willing to perswade the Turks that there was no design but to maintain the ancient friendly and amicable Correspondence to which end it is said confidently that the Prince Gonzaga wrote to the Pasha of Buda That those Garisons sent to possess certain places of Transilvania were only in appearance and not to create Dissentions between the Austrian Court and the Ottoman Prince which Letters Ali Pasha sent to the Transilvanians with design that discovering unto them an evident reason to distrust the Emperor they should wholly resign themselves to the good will and disposition of the Port. But notwithstanding these verbal assurances prevailed not so much with the Turks on one side as the German Garisons administred jealousie on the other So that the Vizier raged furiously against the Emperor for encouraging Kemenius who had treacherously murdered his two innocent Brothers in his Rebellion against Barclay the only true and lawful Possessor Nor did the Turks only vent their anger and disdain in words but also by the sad and calamitous effects of War passing without farther parly into the Emperors Dominions in Hungary where they put all to fire and sword Count Serini perceiving evidently hereby that the War was broken forth and that it was not longer time to stand at a gaze and not make necessary Provisions for defence about the beginning of Iune year 1661. he laid the foundations of a Fortress on the Banks of the River Muer within the Dominions of the Turks about a League distant from Canisia and in memory of his Family and Name called it Serinswar a place convenient to assault and offend the Enemy and to fix the Bulwark or Redoubt of the Province of Stiria which work was laid with that secresie and executed with such expedition that it was almost finished beâ—ore it was known or notice taken thereof by the Turks but so soon as it was discovered and the News arrived at Constantinople the old Vizier Kuperlee stormed with rage and in his height of passion signed a Command for strangling the Pasha of Canisia for not timely preventing the Erection of that Fort in its beginning In like manner this work was an occasion of disgust at Vienna for though the Turks were the first who had broken the Peace and given just cause to the Christians to provide all cautions imaginable for their safety Yet I know not why nor wherefore there wanted not certain persons in the Court either emulous of Serini's Glory or zealous of the Emperors Interest who interpreted the activeness and forward heat of this Count to be like fire to enflame the Fuel of Controversie between the two Empires yet certainly we cannot but meritoriously applaud the Heroick Spirit of this Prince who was provident of his Countries safety watchâ—ul of the Enemies Motion soon touched with the sense of the Mahometan infidelity and in fine a zealous Champion of the Christian Cause But now with what Salve or Balsome soever the Italian or Spanish Chirurgions of Politick Government imagined to â—bduct a callous over the smarts or wounds of these differing States the Breaches grew every day too wide to be drawn up or cemented by artificial compliances or verbal lenitives for now the succours promised by the Emperor were arrived in Transilvania under the Command of Count Mâ—ntecuculi and joining with the Forces of Kemenius formed such a numerous and well composed Army as was judged not only sufficient to contend for the interest of the Christian Cause but also for the entire decision of the Worlds Dominion So that both Generals with an unanimous consent confident of Victory agreed not to expect the approach of Ali Pasha but boldly to meet and provoke him to Battel Ali the Turkish General perceiving the strength and resolution of the Christians thought it prudence for a while to detract from Engagement and temper the usual mettle of the Ottoman fury with cooler Counsels of advantage which delays and opportunities of time would administer for observing that the Transilvanians were divided into Factions he humoured the dissenting party by constituting Michael Apafâ— their Prince a person in the flower and strength of his Age of great parts and abilities and one who violently affected the Principality having but lately pâ—rchased his freedom from slavery In this manner Apafi passing from his Prison and Chains to the glâ—ry and trouble of a Throne poor Transilvania remained divided and taking Arms against her self went daily working and contriving her own ruine This hath always been the Master-piece of the Turkish Policy and this disunion amongst Christians hath availed the Ottoman Interest more than their
Marquess Villa presented him with a Bason of Gold valued at six thousand Ducats together with a Patent recounting at large the many famous Exploits which he had performed in their Service which they expressed with a stile so generous and obliging as may serve for a Record to transmit the Fame of his Merits to all Posterity Marquess Villa being departed from Candia the Captain-General recalled all his Forces from divers parts of the Archipelago which he had sent thither with the Soldiers wounded in the last Battle and being returned they brought with them great numbers of Pioniers and Workmen to labour in the Fortifications and Mines at the same time also the Captain-Pasha arrived at Canea bringing two thousand Janisaries withhim The Marquess St. Andrea Montbrun a Gentleman of the French Nation was transported to Candia by the General Proveditor Cornaro where being entred into the Charge and Office of Marquess Villa wanted nothing of the vigilance and circumspection of his Predecessour And therefore in the first place having visited all the Forts Out-works and Retrenchments of the Town ordered what was necessary for repair of the breaches and amended what was deficient in the most distressed Fortifications And though the Turks fired a Mine the 22 th of August at the point of the Fort St. Andrea which made a most dangerous breach yet it was so valiantly defended and so speedily repaired that the Enemy gained little or no advantage and all by the extraordinary diligence of this Marquess St. Andrea who passed whole months without uncloathing himself and as his nights were without sleep so his days consumed without repose applying himself personally to all places where was most of danger especially at the Fort of St. Andrea where he took up his constant Quarters The Turks now daily pressing the Town more nearly than before Skirmishes and Sallies were more frequent and more bloody so that about this time the Proveditor General Bernardo Nani applying himself with all earnestness in the performance of his Charge was slain by a Musket-shot in his head his death was much lamented by all being a Gentleman who was born as may be said in the Fleet having had his Education there and passed his youth in Wars and dangers for the safety and honour of his Country Girolamo Bataglia was elected by the Republick to succeed him in the Office whose death was also seconded by that of Francesco Bataglia Brother of the Duke of Candia being shot in the breast with a Musket-bullet and though he was sent thither to administer Justice to the People yet his zeal and courage carrying him to Martial Acts beyond his duty made a grave for him amongst the other Heroes and Worthies of that place The Turk approaching daily nearer with their Works infested very much the passage of Vessels to the Town and shot so directly into the Port that no Ship Galley or Bark could remain in any security from their Cannon to remedy which a small Redoubt was raised at Tramata which being well and strongly fortified served for a small Port under the shelter of which the lesser Vessels found some protection and was of great relief to the distressed City About this time the Popes Gallies with those of Malta arrived commanded by Fra. Vincenzo Rospigliosi the Popes Nephew who having not brought a greater number of people than what served to man their Gallies they were not able to spare many for defence of the Town The long continuance of this Siege and the same thereof noised through the whole World moved the heroick and gallant Spirits of our Age to descend into this Campus Martius this Field of War and give proofs of their Prowess and Valour in defence of the Christan Cause some being moved by a principle of vain-glory proceeding from the briskness of a youthful and aery Spirit and others from the sense of Devotion and fervour towards Religion amongst which none were more forward than some Gentleman of the French Nation as namely Monsieur La Fueillade alias Duke of Roanez with the Count St. Paul a young Cavalier to forward which design taking first the Licence and Benediction of their King they appointed their Rendezvous at Tolon where they listed two hundred Gentleman Cadets or younger Brothers who went in quest of Honour and not of Pay with four hundred ordinary Souldiers who expected their maintenance from the bounty of their Leaders The chief of whom was Monsieur La Fueillade and his Lieutenant the Chevalier De Tresmes Their whole Body was divided into four Bridgades The first commanded by Count St. Paul. The second by the Duke Dâ— Cardâ—â—ousse The third by the Count De Villa Maur. And the fourth by the Duke De Cheateau Tiery When these Persons of Honour and Courage arrived at Candia they found the City hardly beset and reduced to a strait and difficult condition for the Turks were advanced so near to the Fort of St. Andrea that the Souldiers within and without could cross their Muskets and reach Tobaco one to the other howsoever this breach was so well repaired with a good Palissado fortified with several Bonnets and a double Retrenchment on the Bastion it self and a third Retrenchment of squared stone withal that the courage of the Besieged being nothing abated by the many and furious assaults of the Enemy the Town still remained in a defensible posture and still capable with good Succours and Supplies to yield matter of imployment for several years to the Ottoman Forces These worthy Champions as I said being arrived moved with the sense of Religion and desire of glory to themselves challenged the priviledge of mounting the Guard of St. Andrea but that being already prepossessed by the Knights of Malta and other Officers of the place was refused to them Howsoever the Captain-General Morosini was pleased to gratifie them with the Guard of a small Chapel over that Bastion on the right hand of the breach a place of no less danger and therefore of no less honour than the other with which the Cavaliers being satisfied Monsieur St. Paul mounted the Guard one day at six a clock in the morning and continued there â—â—til the same hour of the day following during which time he lost his Major Dupre and Monâ—ieur De Marenval the latter of which had his brains knocked out with so violent a blow of a great shot that some pieces of his skull dangerously wounded the Sieurs De Chamilly and De Lare who were near to him and more maliciously did the Turks ply the stations of these new-come Guests than any others throwing Bomboes Granadoes Stink-pots and other sorts of artificial Fire without cessation into their Quarters notwithstandiug which this young Prince and Monsieur La Fueillade exposed themselves like common Souldiers animating their men more with their example than their words And now by this time by so many Works and removals of Earth by so many Traverses and Mines under ground and throwing up the
Year of Peace and repose of this Empire what the Sultan contrived for security of himself by the death of his Brothers We acquainted you formerly in what manner the Sultan was disappointed in his designs against his Brothers by means of his Mother to whom the Janisaries had committed the care of their safety which she according to her promise had maintained and tendered equally with her own But now the Vizier being returned from the Wars and the most seditious amongst the Janisaries withdrawn from Constantinople it was thought fit to make a new attempt on the Princes still residing in the old Seraglio which was performed with those due preparations and secrecy that it took effect on Sultan Orchan the eldest of the two who in the Month of September 1671. dyed by a draught of poyson which was administred to him as a Present from his courteous Brother some say he was strangled and that before he submitted his neck to the Bow-string he killed one of the Executioners with his Hanjarre This Prince was reported by the people to be a comely Person of a strong and robustious body of large and black eyes like Sultan Morat his death was lamented by all and presaged as fatal to the Empire in regard that that very night that he was murthered the Moon suffered a greater Eclipse than it had done for many years before which happening out in this conjuncture was interpreted as â—minous and served to increase the maledictions and evil spâ—eches which the Turks in all places cast out upon those who gave this counsel to the Sultan About this time the State of Genoua desirous to change their Officers in Turkie sent a new Resident to Constantinople and a Consul to Smyrna which change was principally obtained at the request of the old Ministers who weary of an employment so tedious without a benefit corresponding to their melancholy life and perceiving their Trade decline before it was arrived to any tolerable state or degree of reputation by the assistance and mediation of friends sollicited their Letters of Revocation For the Trade of Genoua being cheifly founded on hopes of those advantages which they expected from a coarse or base alloy of mony did instantly decay so soon as the Turks discovered themselves to be abused by the vast quantities of Temins imported as we have before related after which their profit â—ailing the Consulage consequently decayed which is the only subsistence and encouragement of such Officers as are necessary to reside for the continuance of that Peace which but a few years before they unadvisedly made with the Turk The new Resident had no sooner arrived at Constantinople and considered the poor and mean estate and ill foundation of their Trade the growing charge of the Residency and the great debts thereof that were to devolve upon him from his Predecessor but he perceived into what a Labyrinth of troubles he had ingulfed himself instead of being preferred according to his hopes into a place of Honour and happy retirement In which confusion of thoughts arising one morning before day from his bed and sitting on his Close-stool as the servants of the house report reached at a Towel which being intangled within the Lock of a Carbine that hanged always charged near his bed unfortunately drew the Trigger too hard which with that gave fire and shot the poor Gentleman into the belly with a brace of Bullets of which being mortally wounded after Confession and some Prayers in a few hours he passed to another life unhappy mischance if it may be called a chance for I have understood from a sober person of that Nation that the anguish of mind which he conceived at the evil condition of his Affairs wrought in him a deepness of melancholy and despair under which languishing some days did at last most miserably lay violent hands upon himself And now it is time to recal to mind the Conspiracy of Count Serini Marquess Frangipani and Count Nadasti Persons of Quality and of great Power in Croatia and Hungary who as we said before had sent their Messengers to the Great Vizier then remaining in the Leagure of Candia with overtures of submission to the Ottoman Power It was strange News to the World to hear that the House of Serini should abandon the Christian Party and those renowned Defenders of their Country should apostatize though not from Christianity yet from that Cause and Liberty which their Ancestors and themselves had defended with Blood Treasure Valour and Constancy But dissentions and animosities sown by Satan the Enemy of the Christian Church did strangely corrupt the minds of those famous Persons and raise in them a Spirit resolved to avenge the neglect and injuries put upon them by the Ministers of the Imperial Court though at the expence and hazard of their fortunes and lives and ruine and shiprack of their Honour and Consciences For the neglects and affronts undeservedly cast on Nicholas Serini during the late War as before related and the contempt and scorn put on the Croatian and Hungarian Nobility was supposed to have fited the hot and ambitious Spirits of these Persons who could more easily endure the slavery of the Turkish yoke than condescend to the Government and prevalency of a contrary Party Wherefore in prosecution of their design the complices of Serini being resolved to submit to the Turk dispatched two other Gentlemen to the Ottoman Court besides those which were sent the year before to Salonica who arrived at Adrianople the 11 th of February 1670 1 demanding the protection of the Sultan for which they promised a Tribute of thirty Purses or fifteen thousand Dollars every year for those Lands they held in Croatia To make Answer hereunto a Divan or Council was called in which were weighed all the Arguments and Reasons on one side and the other The Muftee opposed their receiving into protection as being against the Capitulations and Agreement so lately concluded with the Emperor wherein the receiving or abetting of Rebels is expresly forbidden and provided against by one side and the other but Vanni Efendi the Preacher who used to be always of a different opinion to the Muftee urged to have them received because that the advancement of the Mahometan Cause and enlargement of their Empire was more sacred than the conservation of their League with an Infidel Prince And that the Ottoman Court was no longer to be termed the Refuge of the World if it could not yield that protection which oppressed Kingdoms and distressed Princes petitioned to obtain In this manner the matter being controverted without Agreement it was in fine resolved to refer the matter to the determination of the Grand Vizier who was now a few months past return'd triumphant from Candia But by this time Intelligence being come by way of Bosna that the Emperor had already entered Croatia with thirty thousand men that he had taken Chiacheturno in Cotoriba and that Serini and his Associates were
not read any Authour which hath given a satisfactory account of such Sects as are sprung up amongst them in these latter and modern times It is a common opinion that there are seventy two sects amongst the Turks but it is probable there are many more if the matter were exactly known and scanned The Turkish Doctours fansie that the seventy two Nations which they call Yesmish â—kee Molet into which the World was divided upon the Confusion of the Languages of Babel was a Type and a Figure of the divisions which in after-Ages should succeed in the three most general Religions of the World. In this manner they account seventy different Sects among the Jews seventy one amongst the Christians and to the Mahometan they assign one more as being the last and ultimate Religion in which as all fulness of true Doctrine is compleated so the Mystery of iniquity and the deviation of mans judgment by many paths from the right rule is here terminated and confined The Turks have amongst themselves as well as in other Religious Sects and Heresies of dangerous consequence which daily increase mixing together with them many of the Christian Doctrines which shall in their due place be described and in former times also a sort of Fanatick Mahometans which at first met onely in Congregations under pretence of Sermons and Religion appeared afterwards in Troops armed against the Government of the Empire So one Scheiches Bedredin Chief Justice of Musa Brother to Mahomet the Fifth King of the Turks after the death of his Master was banished to Nice in Asia where consulting with his servant Burgluzes Mustapha by what means they might raise Sedition and a Second War they agreed the readiest course was by broaching a new Sect and Religion and by persuading the people to something contrary to the ancient Mahometan superstition Whereupon Burgluzes masking his villany under a grave and serious countenance took his journey into Aydinin othewise Caria where he vented Doctrines properly agreeing to the humours of the people preaching to them Freedom and Liberty of Conscience and the Mystery of Revelations and you may believe he used all arts in his persuasions with which Subjects used to be allured to a Rebellion against their Prince so that in a short time he contracted a great number of Disciples beyond his expectation Bedredin perceiving his Servant thrive so well with his Preaching fled from his place of Exile at Nice into Valachia where withdrawing himself into a Forest like a devout Religious man gathered a number of Proselytes composed of Thieves Robbeâ—s and Out-lawed people these he having instructed in the principles of his Religion sent abroad like Apostles to preach and teach the people that Bedredin was appointed by God to be the King of Justice and Commander of the whole World and that his Doctrine was already embraced in Asia The people taken with these Novelties repaired in great numbers to Bedredin who conceiving himself strong enough to take the Field issued from his desâ—rt with Colours displayed and an Army well appointed and fighting with his deluded multitude a bloudy Battel against those Forces which Mahomet sent to suppress him under his Son Amurath the deluded Rebels were overthrown Bedredin taken Prisoner and his pretences of Sanctiâ—y and Revelation were not available to save him from the Gallows And thus we see that the name of God's cause revelations liberty and the like have been old and common pretences and delusions of the World and not onely Christians but Infidels and Mahometans have wrote the name of God on their Banners and brought the pretence of Religion into the Field to justifie their cause CHAP. X. Of the two prevailing Sects viz. Of Mahomet and Hali that is the Turk and the Persian the Errours of the Persian recounted and confuted by the Mufti of Constantinople THE two great Sects among the followers of Mahomet which are most violent each against other the mutual hatred of which diversity of Education and Interest of the Princes have augmented are the Turks and Persians The first hold Mahomet to have been the chief and ultimate Prophet the latter prefer Hali before him and though he was his Disciple and succeeded him yet his inspirations they esteem greater and more frequent and his interpretations of the Law most perfect and Divine The Turk also accuses the Persian of corrupting the Alchoran that they have altered words misplaced the Comma's and Stops that many places admit of a doubtfull and ambiguous sense so that those Alchorans which were upon the Conquest of Babylon brought thence to Constantinople are separated and compiled in the great Seraglio in a place apart and forbidden with a Curse on any that shall read them The Turks call the Persians Forsaken of God abominable and blasphemers of the Holy Prophet so that when Selymus the First made War in Persia he named his Cause the Cause of God and proclaimed the occasion and ground of his War to be the Vindication of the cause of the Prophet and revenge of the blasphemies the Persians had vented against him and so far is this hatred radicated that the Youth of what Nation soever is capable of admittance into the Schools of the â—eraglio excepting onely the Persian who are looked upon by the Turk as a people so far Apostatized from the true Belief and fallen into so desperate an Estate by a total corruption of the true Religion that they judge them alâ—ogether beyond hopes or possibility of recovery and therefore neither give them quarter in the Wars account them worthy of life or slavery Nor are the Persians on the other side endued with better nature of good will to the Turks estranging themselves in the farthest manner from their Customs and Doctrines rejecting the three great Doctours of the Mahometan Law viz. Ebbubecher Osman and Omar as Apochryphal and of no Authority and have a Custome at their Marriages to erect the Images of those three Doctours of Paste or Sugar at the entrance of the Bridal Chamber on which the Guests first casting their looks leave the impression of any secret Magick which may issue fâ—om their eyes to the prejudice or misfortune of the Married Couple for in the Eastern parts of the â—orld they hold that there is a strange fascination innate to the eyes of some people which looking attentively on any as commonly they do on the Bridegroom and the Bride in Marriages produce macerations and imbecillity in the body and have an especial quality contrary to procreation and therefore when the Guests are entred having the Malignity of their eyes Arrested on these Statues they afterwards cut them down and dissolve them And that it may the more plainly appear what points of Religion are most controverted amongst them and what Anathema's and Curses are by both sides vented each against the other this following sentence passed by the Mufti Esad Efendi upon Schah Abbas Tutor to the King of Persia called Sari Halife and all the Persians will
them would be a like inconvenience Wherefore upon return of the Grand Seignior last year unto Constantinople the Boza-Housekeepers made their Addresses to the Vizier for a Dispensation with the Sultan's Decree and License to sell Boza publickly as before the Kaja boldly enters into a Treaty and concludes with them for sixty Purses which so soon as the Grand Seignior was departed were paid and the License given and the Cape or Chief of that Trade was with Ceremony vested by the Chimacam who came also into a share of the benefit But this matter could not long remain a Secret before it was made known to the Sultan by the contrary Faction to the Vizier who having the good fortune to have Kara Kaja his Friend then present when the Complaint was made at which he observing the Grand Seignior to grow very angry immediately interpos'd in behalf of the Vizier excusing him as ignorant in the matter and that none was guilty therein besides Hassan the Vizier's Kaja who was the sole Actor and Contriver of the Offence The Grand Seignior who had always been constant to his prime Minister was willing to see him cover'd with such a screen and without farther delay Sign'd a Command to take off the head of the Kaja which was dispatch'd away by the Salahor or Chief of the Querries belonging to the Stables Kara Kaja a very bad Man who was Friend to the Vizier dispatch'd with all expedition this Advice unto him which he having receiv'd and fearing lest his Kaja should be carried away alive to the Grand Seignior and betray the whole truth of their Combination not staying for the Command immediately order'd him to be strangled It was early in the Morning when the Letter came and at the same moment the Vizier sent for Ali Aga who had been Talkishgee to the late Vizier that is the Officer who carries Messages to the Grand Seignior and then Agent at the Port for the Tartar Han and bid him go to Hassan Kaja and take his Place Ali Aga surpriz'd and confus'd with this direction went as he was order'd and whilst he was speaking to Hassan and telling him that he did not well understand the Vizier's Pleasure in came the Master of the Ceremonies with a Vest with which after the Turkish fashion he Cloathed Ali Aga bidding Hasâ—an to retire into the inward Chamber where being entred two lusty Arnouts who were selling Cimnels in the Streets were brought up and order'd to strangle him the Cord was thrown down before him which seeming stiff and not prepar'd to slip easily he desir'd his Executioners to make use of his own Girdle But before he dy'd he instantly urg'd that it might be permitted him to see the Vizier to whom he had many things of Importance to Communicate But it would not be granted and as the Cord was putting about his neck he Cursed the Vizier saying these last words O Treacherous World now I know thee Being a strong Man he was long in dying and some few hours after his Execution being observ'd to move the Vizier order'd the Principal Gaoler to watch him until he was Enterr'd And so was the Grand Seignior's Sentence forestal'd for he was in his Grave before that arriv'd After his death the next thing was to ransack his Houses where great Riches were found both in Furniture Clothing Jewels and Money he had four hundred and twenty Horses in his Stables to the Meri or Exchequer fifteen hundred Purses of his Money were brought but his Houses and Lands were assign'd to pay his Debts all which he had gain'd in the space of three years In one of his new Houses he had enclosed forty thousand Chequins within a Wall which his Steward discover'd and that he had murther'd the poor Masons whom he had employ'd in the Work. When this Vizier was Chimacam as he was for several years this Man was once his Kaja but he was so shameless a Villain that his Master drubb'd him and turn'd him out of his Service Howsoever being now Vizier and knowing that he had need of such an Instrument he took him again into the same Office and calling to Mind that when he was Pasha of Silistria in the time of Old Kuperlee he sav'd himself by cutting off another Kaja he reserv'd this Rogue for the same purpose The new Kaja was a much better Man and therefore little confided in by the Vizier and consequently made no great Figure at his Court his Chief Confident now was the Reis-Effendi or Principal Secretary by whose hands all Treaties and Negotiations pass'd In short by these Arts and Means the Vizier kept up his Credit with his Master and in despight of the Faction which was against him he stood firm on his Basis such was the favour and constancy of the Sultan to his prime Ministers On the twenty third of November Caplan Pasha who had for some years been Capitan Pasha and of whom we have had occasion to make mention often in our former History died at Smyrna being grown almost to a Dotage he had just such another Kaja as the Vizier had who miserably pillag'd and oppress'd the poor Islanders in the Archipelago from whom he extorted two hundred Purâ—es such another Sum would totally have ruin'd them A Page of the Grand Seignior's who was Selictar-Aga or Sword-bearer succeeded in the great charge of Capitan-Pasha or High Admiral of the Naval Forces he was a Creature of the Viziers and Born in the same Town with him by whom his Party was strengthen'd against the contrary Faction At this time the Vizier was meditating a War against the Emperor but having differences with Poland and Moscovy on his Hands as yet not decided there being neither an open War nor a declar'd peace as yet with either he resolved so soon as possible to bring Matters unto an Accommodation with them both And having made Peace with all the World and super-induced a calmness over the Face of all the Ottoman Empire he might then have a pretence to break out into a new War against the Emperor to which tho' he might meet an aversion in the Grand Seignior for the Causes before mention'd and in the Mufti and Viziers of the Bench upon the Truce which wanted Two years of being expir'd yet having such a favourable conjuncture of Affairs to offer than which nothing could be more inviting he assur'd himself that he should prevail with the Grand Seignior and his Chief Ministers and herein he missed not his aim for laying before them the Successes of the Malecontents in Hungary who were powerful and strong and had of themselves worsted the Emperor's Forces in all their Battels and Skirmishes And that these People declar'd their intentions to throw off their Obedience and Allegiance to the Emperor and offer'd themselves Subjects and Tributaries to the Grand Seignior on the easy and reasonable Condition only of affording them his Assistance and granting them his Protection So that to let slip this
he capable of any for when any thing was propounded to him He answered Yes or No or with some very short Reply after the manner of Laconick brevity and then presently turned away to read the Alchoran He was at first reputed after the manner of his Father to be impotent as to Women but afterwards taking five or six into his Embraces he gave the World cause to conceive another Opinion of him He sat as aukwardly on Horse-back as his Father that Exercise being uneasie to him his chief Divertisements were his Books which we may believe he ill understood and sometimes taking the Air on the Water and in Chiosks or Garden Houses on the side of the Bosphorus he passed his pleasant time Yeghen still continued to Ravage the Country between Sophia and Belgrade as his Comrade Yedic that Arch-robber did in Anatolia And the Government being too weak to suppress two such Thieves or Highway-Men how much less was it able to contend with the German Troops They were forced to dissemble and give way to the present Extremities by making Yeghen Seraskier in Hungary whilst Hassan Pasha was forced to give way and fly privately out of the reach of his Competitor The News hereof flew with great hast to the Thieves in Anatolia who being encouraged with the Success of Yeghen under whose Government they all fancied to be made Pashas or Grandees came over in great numbers to joyn with him Amongst which one Temac Boluckbashee a leading Man with Four hundred of his Robbers passed boldly over from Asia to Constantinople and Yedic their General was not only pardoned but made a Pasha To this hard Plight and Extremity was the Ottoman Empire reduced when the Turks placing their greatest hopes in the Tartars dispatched away an Aga to Apafi Prince of Transilvania with a Patent to confirm him in his Principality and with Orders to demand of him in consideration thereof a round Sum of ready Money wherewith to Succour and pay the Garrisons on the Boristhenes and to provide for the Maintenance of Caminiec which was in want of Ammunition and all things necessary And to persuade Apafi hereunto he told Stories very improper and unfit to compass his ends for he rehersed all the Tumults of the Zorbas at Constantinople and that the Grand Seignior was forced to create Yeghen who was their Chief and Leader to be Seraskier in Hungary That in Constantinople there was want of every thing even to a Famine caused by the Seditions and Mutinies of the Soldiers and that for the appeasing these Tumults and for the Donative unto the Soldiers which is usually given by the Sultans at their Inauguration the Exchequer had been drained of Twenty Millions of Dollars wherefore he urged the States of Transilvania to grant him his Demands in failure of which he threatned them with the Incursions of the Tartars who had already passed the River Prut and were enter'd into the Neighbouring Provinces where they had left sad Marks of their cruel and miserable Devastations And that Sultan Galga and Noradin with a mighty Army were marching to oppose the Emperors designs upon Belgrade General Carafa having notice of these Practices upon Transilvania went with all hast thither and in a short time not only defeated this Aga in his Negotiations but also so well disposed Apafi and the States of Transilvania with entire Devotion to the Emperor that in despight of the Message brought by the Aga they absolutely renounced all Obedience and Duty to the Ottoman Port The which Renuntiation follows in this manner We Michael Teleky de Szek General George and Alexius de Bethlem Laodislaus Szekel of Boroszeno Valentine Frank one of the Iudges Christian Zato Consul of the City of Hermanstadt Counsellors to the Illustrious Prince of Transilvania As also Nicholas of Bethlem Stephen Appor Peter Alvinzy and John Starosy Principal and publick Notaries Michael Filstrick Iudge of the City of Braslavia Plenipotentiaries deputed by the Prince aforesaid and by the States of the Kingdom of Transilvania do hereby declare and make known unto all the World desiring that these Presents may remain upon Record for a lasting Testimony unto all Ages With great Reason may this present Age remain astonished and envious Eyes become dazled with the Splendor of the Divine Clemency which not suffering its beloved Christendom to Groan longer under the Yoak of Barbarous Pride nor remain in Bonds to Tyrannical Servitude nor longer to be overwhelmed and drowned after so many Wars in a Sea of Innocent Blood hath at length out of his great Compassion been pleased to exert the strong Power of his Omnipotent Arm to Rescue so many Kingdoms and Provinces from an unsupportable Slavery under the Turks who transported with senseless Fury had rendered themselves formidable to the World ruinous to their Neighbours and Despisers of all People besides their own But behold How the God of Hosts being justly displeassed with these vain Boastings hath thrown his Thunder-bolts amongst them and dispersed them making the most August Emperor Leopold the First an Instrument of his Vengeance and having showred Flouds of Blessings on his Glorious and Triumphant Arms hath encompassed his Royal Head with Wreaths of Victorious Laurel whilst the Ottoman Throne is dressed up with Mournful Cipress Such were the astonishing operations of the Divine Power made manifest to all the World. For when the barbarous Tyranny was in its full Career and was in the Trail of a hot Scent after Christian Blood then was God pleased to stop them in their Course and reduce their unstable and depressed Fortune to the doubtful Terms of Hope and Fear It is now near an Age that unhappy Transilvania hath been depressed by the unsupportable Ottoman Yoak and bewailed the loss of her lawful King and Lord And after having been Turmoiled tossed with Storms of War with Fire and Sword and Civil Dissentions all things have been so confused and defaced that scarce any thing hath remained on the Registers of it's ancient Glory only since the Dominion of the Turk gained by the intestine differences of it's own Princes some Memorials are written and reserved to represent to the World a History of a most direful Tragedy But now the maligne Influence of the Stars being either abated or entirely exhausted and the Ambitious Pride and Designs of private Men defeated Transilvania embraces the Paternal and Powerful Protection of the most August Emperor of the Romans Leopold the First and Hereditary King of Hungary and of all his Successors and particularly of the most Serene Prince Joseph King of Hungary whose Life may God long continue and of his Heirs after him according as it hath been concluded and agreed in the year 1687 at the last Diet at Possonium with full Consent Approbation and Concurrence of all the States of Hungary who have for a long time poured out their Prayers and Tears and Sighs before God that at length through the Divine Mercy they might