should haue paid them with verie foule and contumelious words as that there was not money enough to pay the Christian soldiers of the Latines and the Greeks much lesse those vile dogs whom they so called for that they had but a little before receiued the damnable doctrine of the false prophet Mahomet the great seducer of the world who euen in that time flourished Vpon which discontentment they at their returne reuolted from the empire and joyned themselues vnto their great prophet and so afterwards vnto the Caliphs his successors extending his doctrine together with his soueraigntie to the vttermost of their power and that with so good successe that in short time they had ouerrun all AEGYPT SIRIA the land of promise and taken the Holy citie With these the disciples of Mahomet and his successors the Sarasins for so now they would be called the Greeke emperors ensuing had for certaine yeeres diuers conflicts with diuers fortune for the possession of SIRIA But at length wearied out by them ouercom they left the aforesaid countries wholy vnto their deuotion Hereby it came to passe that the Sarasins for the space of 370 yeeres following held those countries with many others in great subjection oppressing still the poore Christians in IERVSALEM with most grieuous tributes and exactions vnto whom they yet left a third part of the citie for them to dwell in with the temple of the Sepulcher of our Sauiour and mount SION not for any deuotion either vnto them or those places but for that it yeelded them a great profit by the recourse of deuout Christians trauelling thither reseruing in the meane time vnto themselues the other two parts of the citie with the temple of Salomon before reedified by the Christians Now whilst the Sarasins thus triumph it in the East and not in the East onely but ouer a great part of the West also contenting themselues with such tributs as they had imposed vpon the subdued nations and countries vp start the Turks a vagrant fierce and cruell people who first breaking into ASIA as is before declared and by rare fortune aspiring vnto the kingdome of PERSIA subdued the countries of MESOPOTAMIA SIRIA with the greatest part of the lesser ASIA and IVDEA together with the Holy citie who both there and in all other places held the poore oppressed Christians in such subjection and thraldom as that the former gouernment of the Sarasins seemed in comparison of this to haue beene but light and easie Neither was there any end or release of these so great miseries to haue beene expected had not God in mercie by the weake meanes of a poore heremit stirred vp these most woorthie princes of the West to take vp armes in their defence who hauing with their victorious armies recouered the lesser ASIA with a great part of SIRIA were now come vnto this Holy citie The gouernour of IERVSALEM vnderstanding by his espials of the proceedings of the Christians had before their approch got into the citie a verie strong garrison of right valiant souldiers with good store of all things necessarie for the holding out of a long siege The Christians with their armie approching the citie encamped before it on the North for that towards the East and the South it was not well to be besieged by reason of the broken rocks and mountaines Next vnto the citie lay Godfrey the duke with the Germans and Loranois neere vnto him lay the earle of FLANDERS and Robert the Norman before the West gate lay Tancred and the earle of THOLOVS Bohemund and Baldwin were both absent the one at ANTIOCH the other at EDESSA The Christians thus strongly encamped the fift day after gaue vnto the citie a fierce assault with such cheerfulnesse as that it was verily supposed it might haue beene euen then woon had they beene sufficiently furnished with scaling ladders for want whereof they were glad to giue ouer the assault and retire But within a few daies after hauing supplied that defect and prouided all things necessarie they came on againe afresh and with all their power gaue vnto the citie a most terrible assault wherein was on both sides seene great valour policie cunning with much slaughter vntill that at length the Christians wearie of the long fight and in that hot countrey and most feruent time of the yeere fainting for lacke of water were glad againe to forsake the assault and to retire into their trenches onely the well of Siloe yeelded them water and that not sufficient for the whole campe the rest of the wels which were but few being before by the enemie either filled vp or else poysoned Whilst the Christians thus lay at the siege of IERVSALEM a fleet of the Genowaies arriued at IOPPA at which time also a great fleet of the Egyptian Sultans lay at ASCALON to haue brought reliefe to the besieged Turks in IERVSALEM whereof the Genowaies vnderstanding and knowing themselues too weake to encounter them at sea tooke all such things out of their ships as they thought good and so sinking them marched by land vnto the campe There was amongst these Genowaies diuers enginers men after the manner of that time cunning in making of all manner of engines fit for the besieging of cities by whose deuice a great moouing tower was framed of timber and thick plancks couered ouer with raw hides to saue the same from fire out of which the Christians might in safetie greatly annoy the defendants This tower being by night brought close vnto the wall serued the Christians in steed of a most sure fortresse in the assault the next day where whilst they striue with like valour and doubtfull victorie on both sides from morning vntill midday by chance the wind fauouring the Christians carried the flame of the fire into the face of the Turks wherewith they had thought to haue burnt the tower with such violence that the Christians taking the benefit thereof and holpen by the tower gained the top of the wall which was first footed by the duke Godfrey and his brother Eustace with their followers and the ensigns of the duke there first set vp to the great encouraging of the Christians who now pressing in on euerie side like a violent riuer that had broken ouer the banks bare downe all before them All were slaine that came to hand men women and children without respect of age sex or condition the slaughter was great and the sight lamentable all the streets were filled with blood and the bodies of the dead death triumphing in euerie place Yet in this confusion a woonderfull number of the better sort of the Turks retiring vnto Salomons temple there to do their last deuoire made there a great and terrible fight armed with dispaire to endure any thing and the victorious Christians no lesse disdaining after the winning of the citie to find there so great resistance In this desperat conflict fought with woonderfull obstinacie of mind many fell on both sides
their vsuall manner of dealing with their emperours in that declining state of the empire as well appeared in the time of the emperor Baldwin who for lacke of monie was glad first to sell away many of the goodly ornaments of the citie and afterwards to pawne his own sonne vnto the Venetian marchants for monie to maintaine his state as is in the former part of this Historie declared But to returne againe to the course of our Historie The emperour certainely aduertised of the enemies purpose for the generall assault shortly to be giuen first commended the defence of himselfe and the citie vnto the protection of the almightie by generall fasting and prayer and afterwards appointed euerie captaine and commaunder to some certaine place of the wall for defence thereof which was done by the direction of Io. Iustinianus his Generall in whose valor the Constantinopolitans had reposed their greatest hope But the cittie being on euerie side now beset with the Turkes great armie and the defendants in number but few for so great a citie in compasse eight miles the wals could not but slenderly in many places be manned and especially on both sides toward the sea where indeed least danger was The greatest strength and best souldiours were placed for defence of the vtter wall where the breach was and the assault expected by land Iustinianus the Generall himselfe with three hundred Genowayes well armed and certaine chosen Greekes vndertooke the defence of that part of the battered wall neere vnto the Romane gate where the fall of the tower BACTATINA had filled the ditch as is aforesaid against which place Mahomet himselfe lay encamped with his Ianizaries and best men of warre Neere vnto Iustinianus lay the emperor himselfe for defence of another part of the wall and so other captaines orderly with their companies all alongst the vtter wall And because the defendants should haue no hope to saue their liues more than their owne valour the emperour caused all the gates of the inner wall to be fast shut vp And in this sort they lay all the night expecting continually when the assault should bee giuen all which time they might heare great hurly burly and noise in the Turks campe as they were putting things in readinesse for the assault A little before day the Turks approached the walles and begun the assault where shot and stones were deliuered vpon them from the wals as thicke as haile whereof little fell in vaine by reason of the multitude of the Turkes who pressing fast vnto the wals could not see in the darke how to defend themselues but were without number wounded or slaine but these were of the common and worst souldiours of whom the Turkish king made no more reckoning than to abate the first force of the defendants Vpon the first appearance of the day Mahomet gaue the signe appointed for the generall assault wherupon the citie was in a moment and at one instant on euerie side most furiously assaulted by the Turks for Mahomet the more to distresse the defendants and the better to see the forwardnesse of the souldiours had before appointed which part of the cittie euerie colonell with his regiment should assaile Which they valiantly performed deliuering their arrowes and shot vpon the defendants so thicke that the light of the day was therwith darkened others in the mean time couragiously mounting the scaling ladders and comming euen to handie stroakes with the defendants vpon the wall where the formost were for most part violently borne forward by them which followed after On the other side the Christians with no lesse courage withstood the Turkish furie beating them downe againe with great stones and waightie peeces of timber and so ouerwhelmed them with shot darts and arrowes and other hurtfull and deadly deuises from aboue that the Turkes dismaied with the terrour thereof were readie to retire Mahomet seeing the great slaughter and discomfiture of his men sent in fresh supplies of his Ianizaâ—ies and best men of warre whom hee had for that purpose reserued as his last hope and refuge by whose comming on his fainting souldiours were againe encouraged and the terrible assault begun afresh At which time the barbarous king ceased not to vse all possible meanes to maintain the assault by name calling vpon this and that captain promising vnto some whom he saw forward golden mountaines and vnto others in whom he saw any signe of cowardise threatning most terrible death by which meanes the assault became most dreadfull death there raging in the middest of many thousands And albeit that the Turkes lay dead by heapes vpon the ground yet other fresh men pressed on still in their places ouer their dead bodies and with diuers euent either slew or were slaine by their enemies In this so terrible a conflict it chanced Iustinianus the Generall to bee wounded in the arme who losing much blood cowardly withdrew himselfe from the place of his charge not leaâ—ing any to supplie his roome and so got into the cittie by the gate called ROMANA which hee had caused to be opened in the inner wall pretending the cause of his departure to be for the binding vp of his wound but being indeed a man now altogether discouraged The souldiors there present dismayed with the departure of their Generall and sore charged by the Ianizaries forsooke their stations and in hast fled to the same gate whereby Iustinianus was entered with the sight whereof the other souldiors dismayed ran thither by heapes also But whilest they violently striue all together to get in at once they so wedged one another in the entrance of the gate that few of so great a multitude got in in which so great a presse and confusion of minds eight hundred persons were there by them that followed troden vnderfoot or thrust to death The emperor himselfe for safegard of his life flying with the rest in that presse as a man not regarded miserably ended his dayes together with the Greeke empire His dead bodie was shortly after found by the Turkes amongst the slaine and knowne by his rich apparrell whose head being cut off was forthwith presented to the Turkish tyrant by whose commaundement it was afterward thrust vpon the point of a launce and in great derision caried about as a trophee of his victorie first in the campe and afterwards vp and downe the citie The Turkes encouraged with the flight of the Christians presently aduanced their ensignes vpon the top of the vttermost wall crying victorie and by the breach entred as if it had been a great floud which hauing once found a breach in the banke ouerfloweth and beareth downe all before it so the Turkes when they had woon the vtter wall entred the citie by the same gate that was opened for Iustinianus by a breach which they had before made with their great artillerie and without mercie cutting in pieces all that came in their way without further resistance became lords of that
trouble to bring them into his danger Hereupon the Ianizaries cheerfully and with all due reuerence receiued their new Gouernor but shortly after to be sure they by an vnexpected guile when as nothing was lesse feared compassed in all the new come souldiors and slew them euerie mothers sonne and not so contented seized also vpon the gallies that brought them Which second outrage though Amurath tooke in euill part as seeing his majestie therein contemned yet was he content to passe it ouer being loth to adde domesticall troubles to the great wars he had in hand with the Persian But to end this matter with the opinion of one of their own greatest Bassaes concerning these maisterfull men It fortuned that whilest Busbequius embassadour for Ferdinand the emperour vnto Solyman lay in the Turkes campe at such time as Solyman in person himselfe was gone ouer the strait into ASIA to countenance his eldest sonne Selymus against his younger brother Baiazet that vpon a light quarrell though heauily taken betweene the followers of the said embassadour and certaine Ianizaries washing themselues at the sea side the embassadour for the quieting thereof was glad to vse the helpe of Rustan the great Bassa Solyman his sonne in law who vnderstanding the matter by a messenger sent of purpose aduised the embassadour to cut off all occasion of contention with those most naughtie fellowes asking him farther if he knew not that it was now the time of warre in which time they so raigned as that Solyman himselfe was not able to rule them but stood in feare of them Which speech fell not rashly from Rustan a man right well acquainted with his lord masters griefe for that most notable prince feared nothing more than least some secret dangerous treason should lie hidden among the Ianizaries which breaking out vpon the sudden might worke his finall destruction whereof hee needed not to seeke for any farther example than to his grandfather Baiazet For as true it is That great are the commodities of a perpetuall armie of a princes owne so are the incommodities also not small if they be not carefully met withall but especially for that the prince is euer in doubt of rebellion and that it is still in the power of those armed souldiors at their pleasure to translate the kingdome to whom they list Whereof there haue been many great examples although there are many waies for the remedying of the same But now that we haue by occasion of the occurrents of that time a little stept out of the way let vs returne againe vnto the wars of PERSIA the chiefe object of Amuraths hautie desires Now according to the commandements gone out through all the cities of the empire the souldiors of all sorts began to flock togither and all those that were either desirous to be established in their former charges and gouernments or ambitiously sought to be now promoted repaired to Osman as vnto a king and the soueraigne moderator of the Turkish empire presenting him verie large and liberall gifts whereby he gathered togither a huge heape of infinit treasure and so entertaining them with all affable courtesie and promising both rewards and honours to such as would follow him in his purposed expedition he leuied a wonderfull great number both of men and monies And now was the time come that called him away to go towards ERZIRVM where he was greatly expected of his huge armie there assembled togither And notwithstanding the great dearth of victuall that commonly raigneth in those quarters yet thither he must where he arriued about the latter end of the moneth of Iuly in the yeare 1585 and there taking a view of his whole armie and of all the prouision necessarie for so important and famous an enterprice he daily laboured to hasten his departure In this citie of ERZIRVM were met togither all the souldiors of the prouinces that were wont to send helpe but yet in a greater number than euer was gathered by any Generall before for that euerie man forsooke his owne priuat businesse and vpon assured hopes of new rewards and vnwonted honours were all induced to follow the fame of this their new Visier and Generall onely the people of AEGYPT and DAMASCO were busied with other more priuat quarrels at home whereof because they were both of great importance and also fell out at this verie instant leauing Osman with his armie for a while at ERZIRVM I will in as few words as I may make a briefe rehearsall Amurath had heretofore taken Hassan Bassa the Eunuch out of the Serraglio from the charge he had there to serue in the queens Court and at her instance sent him as Bassa to CAIRE the great citie of AEGYPT Which great office beside the honour belonging vnto it is also beneficiall to them whose good hap it is to be aduanced thereunto the riches the multitude of people inhabiting therein being so great that it seemeth not to be one citie but rather to containe within the large circuit thereof many cities This man being exceeding couetous and therefore desirous to handle the matter in such sort as that he should little need to seeke for any more such grants at the kings hands sought by all manner of meanes to oppresse the whole nation and by all importunities to wring and extort from them rewards and bribes without regard of honestie or reason By which his sinister and corrupt dealing he had now made himselfe so odious and intollerable to the people in generall that they in great number and many times began to go to CONSTANTINOPLE and with humble petitions to request the king to take from them such a cruell and vnjust Gouernour so that generally in the Court there was no talke but of the villanies and mischiefes that were reported of the couetous Eunuch At last Amurath seeing that these publike exclamations went daily so farre as that he could not for shame let them go any further without due punishment he resolued with himselfe to call him to the Court and hauing sent vnto him certaine messengers admonished him sundrie times to returne home But the Eunuch loth to leaue so fit an occasion to enrich himselfe did still delay his returne alleadging diuers faigned excuses for his longer stay Which thing when Amurath vnderstood thinking himselfe thereby deluded he determined to prouide for so great a disorder and by punishing of the mischieuous Eunuch to satisfie in some part the discontented minds of his oppressed subjects in CAIRE There sat at that time among the chiefe Bassaes of the Court one Ebrain or as most call him Ibrahim by nation a Sclauonian a young man of the age of two and thirtie years or therabouts of verie faire conditions and of a reasonable judgement vpon whom Amurath himselfe had determined to bestow his owne daughter to wife and so to make him his sonne in law And therefore being now minded to remoue the Eunuch from his office and to satisfie
A secreâ— grudge betweene Campson and Cayerbeius gouernour of Comagena The Mamalukes notable souldiors The order of Campsons baâ—tâ—ll The order of Selymus his battell The death of Campson Aleppo deliuered to Selymus by Cayerbeius the traitor The dead bodie of Campson laid out for all men to view Paulus Iouius li. 4 Elog. vÃtorum Illust Selymus commeth to Damasco Notable discipline in Selymus his armie Tomombeius by the generall consent of the Mamalukes chosen Sultan of Aegypt Gaza yeelded to Sinan Sinan aduertised of the comming of Gazâ—lles goeâ—â— seâ—retly to meâ—â— him The battell betweene Sinan Bassa and Gazelles Selymus doubting Sinan Bassa to haue been lost becommeth melancholie Neâ—eâ— of Sinans 〈◊〉 comforâ—eth Selymus 1517 Sinan Bassa goeth to meet Selymuâ— aâ— he waâ— comming to Gaza Tomâ—mbâ—ius seekâ—th to entrap the Turkes The comming of 〈◊〉 by an â—nexpected way maketh great confusion in Tomombeiuâ— camp Christian canoniers serue the Turkes against the Aegyptians The order of Selymus his armie Sinan Bassa Generall of the field Sinan â—â—ssa with â—ost of his follâ—â—ers slaine by â—idon Mustapha with his Aâ—â—â—n souldiâ—rs ouerthroweâ—h the left â—ing of the Sultaâ—â— armie Selymus causeth the Diadare and the valiant captaine Bidon to be slaine The purpose of Tomombeius discouered to Selymus The Aegyptians diuersly affected 〈◊〉 the Mamalukes The description of the great citie of Caire The pyramides of Aegypt Selymus encourageth his souldiors to the winning of Caire A most morâ—all battell fought in Caire A long and terrible battell 〈◊〉 takâ—n by 〈◊〉 Gazelles his speech to Selymus Albuchomar discouereth to Selymus the power of Tomombeius and the trecherie of thâ—m of Cairâ— The causes mouing Selymus to send embassadors to Tomombeius Selymus his embassadouâ—â— slaine by the Mamalukes Tomombeius distresseth the Turkâ— in passing the bridge made ouer Niluâ— The Mamalukes giue a fresh charge vpon the Turkes The Mamalukes put to flight Tomombeius taken and brought to Selymus Tomombeius tortured The miserable end of Tomombeius last Sultan of Aegypt Pâ—ulus Iouiâ—â— Illust. virorum Elog. lib. 4. The Aegyptians in doubt of their estate bewaile the death of Tomombeius Selymus câ—nningly reducâ—â—â— the Arabians 〈◊〉 his obedience Of this Cortug-Ogli see more in the life of Solyman Cayerbeius the 〈◊〉 made gouernour of Caire Aegypt Ionuses enuieth at the preferment of Cayerbeius Selymus commaundeth the wages of his soldiors to be left in garrison at Caire to be augmentedâ— Selymus calleth for Ionuses Bassa to answere the matter The answere of Ionuses Bassa The death of Ioâ—uses the great Bassa Ionuses Bassa â—ealous of his faire wife 〈◊〉 The faire ladie Manto cruelly slaine by her iealous husband The causes why Hysmaell inuaded not Selymus wholly busied in the Aegyptian â—â—â—res 1518 1519 Selymus purposing to inuade the Christianâ—â—â— strucke in the reynes of his backe with a canker 1520 The death of Selymus The iust iudgement of God Phi. Lonicerus Turcicae Historiae Tomo primo lib. primo Selymus before his death coÌ„mendeth the â—â—ition of his sonne Solyman to Pyrrhus Bassa The bloudie and tirannicall precepts left by Selymus to his son Solyman which he afterwards most assuredly kept as is to be seene in his lifâ— following Phil. Lonicer Hist. Turc lib. 1. Solyman hardly persuaded that his father was dead Gazelles gouernour of Syria rebelleth against Solyman Gazelles slaine Belgrade 〈◊〉 by Solyman 1522 Philippus Villerius chosen Great master of the Rhodes Cortug-Ogli the pirat persuadeth Solyman to besiege the Rhodes Solymans letter to Villerius Great Master of the Rhodes The answere of Villerius to Solymans letters Solymans Oration to his men of warre declaring his purpose of besieging the Rhodes Solyman maketh preparation against the Rhodes Villerius prepareth to make resistance against the Turks Solymans letter to Villericus Pyrâ—hus Bassa his letters to Villerius Villerius his ansâ—â—re to Sâ—lymans letters Villerius his answere to Pyrrhus the Bassa his letters Villerius aduertised oâ— the comming of the Turks fleet The carefulnessâ— of the Graund master Villâ—rius his Oration vnto the Rhodiaâ—â— Solymans threatening letters to the Rhodians The Rhodians for feare of the Turks destroy their suburbâ— places of pleasure without the citie The â—eare of the countrey people The Chancellor his speech persuading the Rhodians to fight with the Turkeâ— gallies The worthie coÌ„mendation of the Great master The Turks â—leet descried at sea troubleth the Rhodians The order of the Turkes fleâ—â— The Great master by his embassadours craueth aid of the Christian prinâ—eâ— The commendation of Prelanâ—â— The description of the Rhodes A Turkish woman slaue conspireth to fire the citie The painfulnesse of the Turkes pioners The Turkes deceiued by the Christian marriners Selymus commeth into the campe Solymans chollericke Oration to his souldiorâ—s Apella a traâ—â—or The Turkes batâ—â—rie The English bulwarke blowne vp The Turkes assault the English bulwarke the second time and are againe repulsed Mustapha Bassa falleth into disgrace with Solyman The English bulwarke assaulted the third time by Mustapha The Turkes ensignes aduanced to the top of the wals are againe cast downe Another breach made in the wals The Great master his oration vnto his knights The Turkes assaulâ— the citie in fiue places at once The Rhodians valiantly deâ—end the citie The Spanish bulwarke taken by the Turkâ— The Spanish bulwarke againe recouered The Turks giue ouer the assault Solyman in his furie commaundeth the two great Bassaes Mustapha and Pyrrhus to be put to death The Bassaes spared at the intercession of the other counsellors Solyman displaceth his Admirall punisheth him as a slaue Solyman exceedingly greeued with the repulse and losse receiâ—â—ed at the siege of thâ— Rhodes was vpoÌ„ point to haue left the same Achimetes promiseth to make a way for Solyman into the citie Solyman comforteth his souldiors and persuadeth them with patience to endure the siege Achimetes winneth the Vaumures of the Auergne bulwarke raiseth a strong penthouse against the wall and so vndermineth the same The miserable state of the common souldiors of the Turkes and the small account is made of them Solyman encourageth his souldiours to afrâ—sh assault The distressed estate of the Rhonians and their courâ—gious resolution therein The Turks trouble the Rhodians with continuall alarums and by casting vp of trenches get into the citie Parley oâ—â—ered by the Turkes tâ— the Rhodians Secret Parley reiected The Great master at the instance of his peâ—people sendeth embassadours to Solyman Solymans letters sent to the Great master and the Rhodians by their embassadours The Great Master his opinion concerning that Solyman demanded by his letters A notable speech of a Greek priest persuading the Great Master to yeeld A most resoâ—â—â—â— speech of a common souldior dissuading the yeelding vp of the Rhodes The former speech notably answered by a Greeke and the yeelding of the citie vrged The Great Master râ—solued that the citie was not to bee defended calleth a common counsell of all his knightâ— and the buâ—â—esses of the citie A truce taken with the â—urkes for foure
assurance of himselfe and his state in so great a danger And first he sent vnto his nephew come halfe way to forbid him from entring the citie and to tell him That it was a great folly for him being so manifest a traitour both vnto his grandfather and the state to thinke his traiterous purposes to bee vnknowne vnto the world and beside in way of reproofe to rehearse vnto him how many occasions he had giuen for the breaking of the league with his grandfather first in taking away the money from the collectors whereof the state neuer stood in more need by reason of the diuision of the empire which required double charge then in that hee had in the citie euerie where displaced such gouernours and magistrats as his grandfather had sent thither and placed others at his pleasure with many other like facts declaring his treacherous aspiring mind for which he was not without cause by his grandfather forbidden to enter the citie After that the old emperour by secret letters craued aid of Crales prince of SERVIA and Demetrius the Despot his sonne who was then gouernour of THSSALONICA and the countries adjoyning commaunding him with Andronicuâ— and Michael his nephews gouernours of MACEDONIA with all the forces they were able to raise and such aid as should be sent vnto them out of SERVIA with all speed to joyne together and to go against the yoong emperour But these letters thus written vnto the prince of SERVIA the Despot and others as is before said were for the most part intercepted by such as the yoong emperour had for that purpose placed vpon the straits of CHRISTOPOLIS and the other passages especially such as were written in paper yet some others in fine white linnen cloth and secretly sowed in the garments of such as carried them escaped for all their strait search and so were deliuered And in truth nothing was done or about to be done in CONSTANTINOPLE but that the yoong emperour was by one or other aduertised thereof whereas the old emperour on the other side vnderstood nothing what his nephew did abroad or intended For all men of their owne accord enclined vnto him some openly both bodie and soule as they say and such as could not be with him in person yet in mind and good will were euen present with him and that not onely the common sort of the citizens of CONSTANTINOPLE but the chiefe Senatours the great courtiers yea and many other of the emperours neerest kinsmen also who curiously obseruing whatsoeuer was done in the citie foorthwith certified him therof Amongst whom was also Theodorus the marques one of the old emperors owne sons who many years before by the empresse his mother sent into ITALY and there honorably married was by his prodigall course of life there growne far in debt so that leauing his wife and children behind him he was glad after the decease of his mother to flie vnto his father at CONSTANTINOPLE and there now liued who beside that he most honourably maintained him in the court and bestowed many great things vpon him paid also all his debts which were verie great All which fatherly kindnesse he forgetting went about most Iudas like to haue betraied his aged father For he also dreaming after the empire and for many causes but especially for that hee was in mind religion manners and habit become a Latine by him rejected thought he could not do him a greater dispite than by reuolting vnto the young emperour so that the neerer he was in blood the more he was his fathers vnnaturall enemie Shortly after Demetrius the Despot hauing receiued the emperours letters at THESSALONICA called vnto him Andronicus and Michael his nephews the gouernours of MACEDONIA with whom joyning all his forces and dayly expecting more aid out of SERVIA he first spoiled the yoong emperors friends and fauourits in MACEDONIA giuing the spoile of them in all the cities and townes of MACEDONIA vnto their souldiours who made hauocke of whatsoeuer they light vpon and whosoeuer seemed any way to withstand them or dislike of their proceedings their goods and lands they confiscated and draue the men themselues into exile Neither was the yoong emperour Andronicus in the meane time idle but secretly sent out his edicts into all parts of the empire yea into the verie cities of CONSTANTINOPLE and THESSALONICA and ouer all MACEDONIA whereby he proclaimed vnto the people in generall a releasement of them from all tributs impositions and payments and frankly promised vnto the souldiours and men of war the augmenting of their pensions and pay which were no sooner bruited but that most men were therewith mooued both in word and deed to fauour his proceedings doing what they could to further the same and by secret letters inuiting him to hasten his comming into the citie who thereupon comming to RHEGIVM by his embassadours sent from thence requested the old emperour Either to giue him leaue according to the league betwixt them to come into the citie or else to send him certaine of the chiefe of the nobilitie and cleargie with some of the better and more vnderstanding sort of the Burgers and citizens also vnto whom he might frankly speake his mind for them faithfully to deliuer the same againe vnto the emperor his grandfather and the people Which requests the old emperour perceiuing to be full of deceit and trecherie for a good space answered thereunto nothing at all but stood all silent as doubting which to graunt for to suffer his nephew to come into the citie he saw was dangerous the cittizens as he well knew being for the most part enclined to reuolt vnto him so soon as they should once see him within the gates and to send any forth vnto him as he desired might be as he feared an occasion of some tumult to be after raised in the citie for he knew that his nephewes drift therein was openly by faire words and secretly with great gifts and large promises first to gaine them and by them the rest of the citizens Both which things being dangerous he made choice of the easier and sent forth vnto him two of the most noble Senators two of the most reuerend bishops two other graue prelates and foure of the cheefe burgesses of the citie vnto whom at their comming vnto him hee in the open hearing of all men deliuered this premeditated and craftie speech It is not vnknowne vnto the world you my subjects to haue alwaies been vnto me more deare than I haue been vnto my selfe and how that I haue not vpon any ambitious conceit or desire of the sole gouernment against my grandfathers good will gone out For you see how that I neither spare mine owne life or attend my pleasure for the care I haue of you I come not vnto you compassed about with a guard of armed men as is the manner not of kings only for the enuie of their high place but of others also of farre meaner calling whom
he caused his vauntgard to march towards ALEXANDRIA and hauing passed ouer the riuer euen in an instant turned directly vnto CAIER to the great astonishment of the Sultan who made prouision for the defence of ALEXANDRIA as the neerest vnto danger But vnderstanding of these newes vsed such diligence that he entred into the citie with fortie thousand horse and threescore thousand foot euen as Tamerlane his armie aproached purposing in person himselfe to defend it By whose comming the great citie readie before to haue reuolted was againe in his obedience confirmed to the great hinderance of Tamerlane his affaires for to remaine long before it was impossible for want of victuals for so great an armie in the enemies countrey Yet notwithstanding all this did not Tamerlane forbeare to draw neere vnto it and with all his armie to encampe neere vnto the same hauing caused a great trench to bee made for to couer his horsemen and thereby to lodge his armie more safely during which time he caused diuers onsets to be giuen as well to trie what confidence the enemie had in himselfe as to see how the people of the cittie especially the slaues which in that populous cittie are infinite were affected towards him who certainely enformed him of the state of the cittie and the armie as glad to see the same by him shut vp and the proud Mamalukes still put to the worst But thus lying still at the siege one day he thought it good to shew his armie before the citie for to trie whether the enemie had a desire to come to a daie of battaile or not as also to view what forces he had and so indeed to seeke occasion to fight In hope also that if the Sultan did come foorth with all his armie into the field some reuolt might happen within the cittie as well by the slaues vnto whom libertie was by him promised as by the cittizens themselues discontented with the insolencie of the Mamalukes entered of late into the cittie with the Sultan vnto whom he had made it knowne by certaine slaues for that purpose fled as fugitiues out of his armie into the cittie how that hee was not come to hurt them but onely for the destruction of the Mamalukes both his and their enemies But betimes standing so in battaile array no man came foorth neither was there any tumult or sturre raised in the cittie as hee had expected For the Sultan in so great a cittie well prouided of all things was resolued to wearie him out with lying still and not to put all to the hazard of a battaile Which Tamerlane perceiuing and set downe not to depart thence but victorious resolued likewise to force him euen in his greatest strength in the heart of his greatest citie although it were not to be done but with great aduenture such confidence he had in the strength and multitude of his armie Now his purpose was first to take one of the cities for CAIRE is diuided into three therin encamping himself by litle litle to aduance forward as he might stil fighting with the enemy Vpon which resolution he commaunded an assault to be giuen and hauing brought his footmen vnto the place where he would haue them to giue the onset for the citie was not walled but onely fortified with ditches and trenches he commaunded the prince of THANAIS with fiftie thousand footmen to begin the assault euen in the face of the enemie which hee most valiantly perfourmed and there began a most terrible and cruell fight Axalla in the meane time deeming as the truth was that the Sultan had drawn his greatest forces vnto the place where the prince of THANAIS sought to enter as vnto a place of greatest danger fet a compasse about and vpon another quarter of the citie with small resistance passed the trenches where he presently left thirtie thousand men to fill vp the ditches and to make way for the horsemen to enter aduancing forward himselfe against twentie thousand sent by the Sultan to haue stopped his further passage the prince of THANAIS being at the same time almost beaten backe by the Mamelukes But the way being made plaine by them that were for that purpose left by Axalla and ten thousand horse entred which charged vpon the backs of the Mamelukes where the Sultan himselfe was and they seconded by ten thousand moe sent in by Tamerlane following himselfe after with all his power the Sultan retired vnto a second strength which he had made in the next citie The fight endured full the space of seauen houres wherein were slaine of the Sultan his men aboue sixteene thousand and of Tamerlanes betwixt seauen and eight thousand Who contented to haue dislodged the enemie and gained a third part of the citie caused a retrait to be sounded in hope the next daie to winne all the rest as indeed he did For the prince of THANAIS the next daie forcing the enemies trenches in one place and Axalla in another the Sultan after a great fight finding himselfe hardly pressed by the obstinate enemie and too weake long to hold out retired and so forthwith abandoned the citie and encamped himselfe along the side of the riuer NILUS with purpose to passe the same and to flye to ALEXANDRIA his second strength and refuge Which Tamerlane suspecting followed after him with his horsemen who onely were in order and some few foot hardly drawne from the citie which their fellowes were in spoiling so as hee was glad to promise them especially to regard and reward their good seruice Against whom the Sultan vpon a narrow cawsey had opposed twelue or fifteen thousand men whom he called his slaues to fauour his passage but were indeed his best souldiours and stood fast the place seruing greatly for their aduantage who for all that at length forced by their enemies still increasing vpon them though not without great losse cast themselues into the great riuer and made a most honourable retrait euerie man hauing his weapon in the one hand and swimming with the other to the farther banke The Sultan flying with some eighteene thousand horse for the rest were sundrie waies fled or else drowned is reported in his flight to haue comforted his men by telling of them That they were not men that had vanquished them but gods there appeared in them so great wisedome force and valour diuers of the Mamelukes taken in the late fight being brought before Tamerlane and by him courteously vsed were of him demaunded if they could be content to serue him now that their maister was fled and gone which they all vtterly refused Whom notwithstanding for their fidelitie Tamerlane set at libertie to goe againe vnto the Sultan as no lesse desirous to be admired of his enemies for his bountie and courtesie than feared for his force and valour The wonderfull wealth of this so great and famous a citie became a preie vnto his souldiours who for the space of foure and twentie houres
behold all the assault who with the dawning of the day being the two and twentith of Iuly entring the same the Turkes who in the couert of the night had conuaied themselues as neere vnto the walles as they could vpon the signall of battell giuen by a tire of ordinance discharged from the Bassaes mount suddenly ran to the breaches as thicke as bees in hope by their sudden approach to haue taken the Christians at some aduantage wherein they were much deceiued For they alwaies doubting such a matter and carefully obseruing the least motion of the enemie were alwaies in readinesse to meet with their attempts so that the Turkes desperatly striuing to gaine the breaches and the Christians valiantly defending the same there was in diuers places begun a most cruell and mortall fight but especially neere vnto the great gate where the furie of the Canon had made the wals most saultable There the enemie was come to fight hand to hand and preuailing vpon the defendants had set vp one of the Turkes ensignes vpon the top of the rampiers which Mahomet beholding rejoyced exceedingly thinking the citie now as good as taken But the Christians seeing the danger speedily repaired thither with new supplies and by plaine force draue the enemie out againe and beat him from the rampiers Vpon them also that were comming vp they cast downe peeces of timber great stones wildfire pots of lime and such other things as might most annoy them as for shot none fell in vaine by reason of the wonderfull multitude of the Turkes who stood so thicke that a man could hardly haue cast downe a graine of mustardseed from the wall but it must needs haue light vpon some of them by which meanes the Turkes were notably repulsed their ensigne pluckt downe and they enforced to retire from the wals Which sudden alteration Mahomet perceiuing fell into a great rage and forthwith commaunded his great ordinance with greater furie than euer to be discharged into the breach And with great words commaunded the two chiefe Bassaes which stood by him vpon the mount to go presently downe and enforce the souldiours which were alreadie retired to returne againe vnto the assault These great commanders seeing the tyrant in such a fret forthwith descended from the hill and where persuasion would not serue with their drawne swords enforced the souldiours to returne backe againe to the assault The Turkes knowing that they were now in the eye of their king and in the presence of their greatest commanders striue with might and maine to win the rampiers for in that place the wals of the citie were beaten downe to the ground shaken before this assault with 2539 shot of the cannon or other peeces of no lesse force The Christians likewise in defence of themselues and their citie with inuincible courage opposed themselues against the Turks so that a more desperat fight than there was hardly euer to be seene desperat men with desperat hand assailing one another And the more to encrease the terrour of the day the thundring shot with the clamour of men and noise of the instrumenâ—â— of warre was so great as if heauen and earth should haue presently fallen togither and arrowes falling into the citie as if it had beene showers of raine oftentimes darkened the light of the day In this dreadfull fight manie of the defendants were slaine but of the Turkes twentie to one Neere vnto that gate where this terrible assault was giuen were certaine loupes hewen out of the maine rocke which flanked the ditch all alongst that side of the citie out of which the Christians with their murthering shot made lanes amongst their enemies and slew them without number For all that the mightie Bassaes and great captaines one while by persuasion another while by threatning forced them still forward and if anie turned backe presently slew him so that the Turkes seeing no lesse danger in retiring than in fighting against the enemie like desperat men thrust forward by heapes and were slaine without number Yet still pressing on so long as life lasted and others stepping forward in stead of them that were slaine they began againe to preuaile vpon the defendants who in that place were for most part either slaine or hurt and againe recouered the top of the rampiers and there aduanced the Turkes ensignes Then began the tyrant to lift vp his head making sure account that the citie was now his owne But as the common saying is He that reckoneth without his hoast must reckon twise so chanced it to Mahomet For the companies from the beginning of the siege left in the market place readie for all euents and oftentimes wishing for some occasion wherein to shew themselues being now in good time aduertised of the imminent danger came with speed to the place of the assault before the Turkes had taken good footing and there valiantly encountring them slew a great number of them and forced the rest from the rampiers and plucking downe their ensignes before set vp in stead of them placed their owne With which repulse the Turkes were so dismaied that they quite forsooke the assault and in despight of their imperious commaunders not expecting anie signe of retrait in hast retired to their campe Mahomet fallen from so great an hope and grieued aboue measure with this shamefull repulse returned into his pauilion fretting and fuming as a man halfe mad where two daies he tormented himselfe with his owne passions not admitting any man to his presence The Christians afterwards tooke the spoile of the dead Turkes and cutting off diuers of their heads set them vp vpon poles round about the citie to the terrour of their fellowes In this assault were twelue thousand of the Turks slaine and many mo wounded Of the Christians were lost 400 and of them that came to the breach escaped none but he was wounded more or lesse After that Mahomet had two daies disgested the last repulse the shame whereof grieued him more than the losse it selfe he sent for both the great Bassaes of CONSTANTINOPLE ASIA and other two of his chiefe councellors with whom hee resolued to giue another assault and thereon to gage his whole forces for they were all of opinion with him that the defendants were so weakned and wasted with the former assault that they could not possibly hold out another Wherupon straight commandement was giuen through the campe that euerie man without exception should be readie to go to the assault whensoeuer they were called vpon and the more to encourage the souldiours great rewards and preferments were promised to them which in time of the assault should performe any especiall piece of seruice The first appearance of the new Moone which the Turks worship with great deuotion was the time that Mahomet had appointed for this generall assault in the meane space he spared not to poure out his furie against the wals and rampiers of the towne by the mouth of the cannon
The Christian defendants on the other side first by heartie prayer commended themselues and their citie to the protection of the most mightie and afterwards with restlesse labour and no small perill speedily repaired and new fortified whatsoeuer the furie of the artillerie had ouerthrowne or shaken omitting nothing that could be done or deuised for the defence of themselues and the citie Now as soone as the new Moone began to shew her selfe the Mahometane priests going about the armie gaue the souldiours knowledge thereof as their manner is by singing of a song in manner of a procession wherunto the whole armie answered with a short responde but with such a terrible noise as was wonderfull to heare and at the same time bowing themselues to the ground saluted the Moone with great superstition All their fond ceremonies performed they began to drawnie the citie so thicke and in number so manie that all the ground for the space of a mile round about SCODRA was thicke couered with men The Christians expecting euerie houre to be assailed were readie vpon the wals and rampiers of the citie to repulse the enemie but especially at the great gate where most danger was feared for that the Turks with their great ordinance had made that place of all others most saultable Here Iacobus Moneta a noble captaine with his brother Moncinus a valiant gentleman tooke vpon theÌ„ to receiue the first assault which is commonly of all others most terrible for the Turks vse in their assaults to giue three attempts whereof the first is most furious and dangerous as performed by their best souldiours the other two are of lesse force but if they faile in all three they forsake the enterprise as men discouraged Whilest both the assailants and the defendants stood thus in readinesse the one as it were facing the other a great part of the night Mahomet before day went vp to the top of the Bassaes mount from whence he had before beholden the former assault at whose comming there were presently eleuen cannons discharged and twelue smaller pieces the signal appointed for the assault The Turkes vpon this signe giuen with exceeding tumult and most hideous outcrie as their manner is began to assaile the citie round and with such wonderfull agilitie of bodie and courage mounted the rampiers at the great gate that they had there as it were in a trice set vp one of their ensignes which was foorthwith pluckt vp by Moneta and the Turkes with great slaughter driuen downe where many of them were slaine with stones timber fire and such other things cast downe vpon them beside a great number slaine or wounded with shot arrowes and darts whereof none fell to the ground in vaine by reason that the Turkes stood so thicke that they violently pressed one another forward in such sort that the formost could by no meanes shun any danger were it neuer so great or terrible In this sort the assault was with great slaughter of the Turkes continued vntill it was day they striuing to win the breach and the Christians most valiantly defending the same Moneta himselfe in this fight receiued diuerse wounds and was twice beaten downe to the ground yet still recouering himselfe encouraged his souldiors and woorthily repulsed the enemie Mahomet seeing his souldiors beaten from the breach caused a tyre of his great Ordinance to be discharged vpon the Christians which stood therein thicke for the defence thereof by force whereof many of them were rent in peeces and the rest sore dismayed which the Turkes quickly perceiuing and therewith encouraged came on againe with a fresh charge forcing themselues to the vttermost to haue entred But the valiant captaine nothing discouraged either with the losse of them that were slaine or with the danger of himselfe couragiously withstood the furious enemie and maintained the place vntill new supplies came to relieue him and neuer departed thence either suffered any man to depart vntill the assault was ended Many were slaine on both sides yet nothing troubled the defendants so much as the great ordinance which being discharged from the Bassaes mount into the breach at such times as the Turkes were driuen backe slew many of the Christians leauing the breach almost cleare so giuing occasion for the Turkes to haue entred had not other couragious souldiours stept vp in stead of them that were slaine who manfully repulsed the enemie The tyrant from the mouâ—â— seeing the inuincible courage of the defendants was therewith exceedingly troubled but fully resolued now or neuer to haue it commaunded all his forces to be drawne from all other parts of the citie vnto the great gate there to renew the assault straightly charging his captaines neuer to returne thence vntill they had taken the citie Hereupon the greatest part of that hugâ—â— armie was forthwith in the sight of himselfe brought vnto the appointed place and there gaue a sharpe and cruell assault at the breach with such desperat furie that in short time they had slaine most of the defendants there present and aduanced diuers of their ensignes vpon the top of the rampiers Which Mahomet beholding from the mount rejoyced exceedingly making sure account that the citie was now his owne but by that time he had well conceiued this hope new supplies of fresh and couragious men of purpose reserued for all euents came to the place of danger and with great resolution encountring the wearied Turkes draue them backe cleared the breach and ouerthrew their ensignes Which so sudden an alteration in the breach wrought no lesse alteration in the prowd tyrants mind his hope was turned into despaire and his rejoycing into choller insomuch that in his furie he commaunded all his great artillerie to be at once discharged into the breach whereby manie of his forward and couragious souldiours were slaine togither with the defendants At the same time the great commaunders and captaines knowing themselues to bee in the eye of their imperious lord and maister with their drawne swords forced the poore souldiours againe forward to the breach and the more to encourage them aduentured themselues also amongst them whereby the fight became more fierce and terrible than before Manie of the Turkes were there slaine yet such was the force and multitude of them which still stept vp in their place and bullets and arrowes flew so thicke that the defendants oppressed with multitude and ouerwhelmed with shot were hardly able longer to maintaine the place being for most part either slaine or wounded Whereupon a great one ran vpon the sudden through the citie that euerie man without exception should forthwith repaire to the breach Which was with such cheerfulnesse done that in lesse time than was to haue been thought a wonderfull multitude of all sort of people was there met togither encouraging one another against the present danger who all as men resolued to lay downe their liues in defence of their countrey valiantly encountred the Turkes vpon the top of the rampiers
foure of their great fusts sunke with great store both of men and ordinance the defendants also in the tower with shot timber stones and other such like things prouided for that purpose grieuously ouerwhelmed the Turks that were scaling the wals and beat them downe with great slaughter This hoat assault was desperatly maintained by the Turkes from three a clocke in the morning vntill ten when the Bassa seeing no hope to preuaile gaue ouer the assault hauing therein lost aboue 2500 men whose dead bodies shortly after driuen on shoare were spoyled by the Christians The same night two mercinarie souldiors of CRETE going about to haue fled vnto the enemie were apprehended and put to death And George Frapaine who in the beginning of the siege fled from the Turks now againe vehemently suspected of treason was executed also Thus neither force nor treason preuailing the Bassa because he would leaue nothing vnproued that might better his cause sent certaine messengers vnto the great Master offering vnto him in the name of the Turkish emperour great rewards with many honourable preferments if he would yeeld vp the citie which he could not as they would haue persuaded him long hold against so mightie an enemie wishing him now in his declining estate not to refuse such honourable and princely offers for feare he were afterwards constrained to accept of farre worse or els through his desperat wilfulnesse plunge himselfe and his people into such extreame perill as should be impossible for him or them to find any way out of Whereunto the great Master in breefe answered That he would not willingly in his sure estate vse the counsell of his enemie neither in his greatest distresse refuse chearefully to yeeld his life vnto Almightie God to whom he did owe it and that with farre better will than to yeeld vp the citie vpon any conditions beare they neuer so faire a shew of honour or profit The messengers perceiuing his constant resolution rather to die than to yeeld his citie began according to instructions before giuen them by the Bassa to temper with him another way and to persuade him to yeeld vnto the mightie emperour some small yearely tribute or other homage as an acknowledgement of his greatnesse and so to liue as his friend in peace But the great Master knowing by the wofull example of others that in that small request lay included the beginning of the Turkish thraldome and slauerie vtterly refused to pay him the least tribute or to doe him the least homage that could be deuised With which answere the messengers returned hauing obtained nothing of that they were sent for The resolute answer of the great Master reported by the aforesaid messengers vnto the Bassa troubled him exceedingly for though he had small hope by force to win the citie yet hee was alwayes in hope vntill now at his pleasure to forsake the siege with some such reasonable composition as might stand with his honour But sith nothing remained now but by plaine force to constraine his enemies hee resolued for the safegard of his honour in that extremitie to vse that extreame remedie Wherfore beside the great peeces of batterie he had alreadie planted against the wals he mounted diuers smaller peeces much higher thereby the more to annoy the defendants by beating downe of their churches and high built houses His ordinance thus placed he battered the citie day and night for the space of foure dayes together without intermission during which time the Christians out of the citie spared not liberally to bestow their shot amongst their enemies also so that the aire seemed to grow thicke and the light of the day to be darkned with the smoke of the great ordinance and the great shot came so thicke into the citie that the fearefull women and children were glad to shroud themselues from the danger thereof in cellars and caues vnder ground So long continued this great batterie that at length the strength of the wall gaue place to the furie of the cannon and a faire breach was laid open for the enemie to enter which was no sooner made but that with the first shew thereof the Turks gaue thereunto a desperat assault and preuailing by reason of their multitude had vpon the suddaine recouered the top of the wals and there set vp some of their ensignes but the Christians speedily comming in on euery side to the defence of the breach they were againe quickly repulsed and beaten down into the ditches out of which most of them neuer rise more At which time the Turks in another place with their scaling ladders had gained the top of the wals and there aduanced their ensignes also and were now fiue hundred of them entred the citie and come into the street called the Iews street where they were encountred by the Great Master his followers and all slaine that were alreadie entred and their ensignes that stood vpon the wals throwne downe The rest yet scaling the wals and ignorant of the fortune of their fellowes were likewise beaten from the wals and with wonderfull slaughter rejected So that the Bassa not able longer to endure the slaughter of his men being in both places repulsed caused a retreat to be sounded and left the assault wherein he had lost of his most forward men about fiue thousand with small losse of the Christians In this assault the great Master himselfe receiued fiue wounds whereof one vnder his right pap was thought to haue been deadly which yet afterwards was very well cured with the rest After that the Bassa had by the space of three months to small purpose spent all his forces and deuises vpon the citie he began to doubt whether it were better for him to raise his siege and depart or to tarrie and expect some better fortune which in all his former actions had seemed almost to haue waited vpon him to forsake the siege was dishonourable and to continue it without hope presented no lesse danger Besides that in the former assaults he had alreadie lost nine thousand of his best souldiours and all the rest of his armie was filled with heauinesse and despaire to heare the wofull sighing and groning of their fellowes of whom fifteene thousand lay dispersed in the campe sore wounded and readie many of them to giue vp the ghost and also but euen a little before two great ships sent from Ferdinand king of NAPLES with men and munition were in despight of all the Turkes gallies safely arriued at the RHODES to the great joy and encouragement of the besieged and no lesse discontentment of the Turks Whilest the Bassa was thus deliberating what course to take a rumor was raised in the campe That the Christian princes were comming with great power to relieue the town with which news the whole armie was exceedingly troubled whereupon he raised his siege Some others say that Mahomet hearing of the euill successe of his armie in the island of the RHODES with the
greefe that he himselfe was with whom as with his friend without any dissimulation he plainly discoursed of all such things as his greefe desired But Asanes handling him with great wisedome did himselfe with like words speake hardly both of the emperour and his nephew but yet curiously noted whatsoeuer Syrgiannes said for he had before hated him for his ambition and as then tooke it in displeasure that he was enemie vnto Catacuzenus his sonne in law who was all in all with the yoong prince and did oftentimes comfort him But the song being throughly set Asanes came secretly vnto the old emperour and told him the whole matter and in fine that except hee betime laid hold vpon Syrgiannes affecting the empire he should in short time be by him brought to his end Whereupon Syrgiannes was forthwith clapped fast in prison whose house with all his wealth the common people tooke the spoile of and not contented to haue rased it downe to the ground conuerted the site thereof together with the pleasant vineyards adjoyning vnto the same into a place to feed goats and sheepe in a worthie reward for his manifold trecheries The yoong prince shortly after going to CONSTANTINOPLE was there crowned emperor as fellow in the empire with his grandfather vnto which solemnitie in the great temple of Sophia both the emperors riding it fortuned the old emperour by the stumbling of his horse to be ouerthrowne and foulely beraied in the myre the streets being then very foule by reason of the great raine but a little before fallen which many tooke as ominous and portending the euill fortune which shortly after befell him During the time of this peace it fortuned that as the yoong prince was a hunting in CHERSONESUS seuentie Turkes aduenturers were by force of weather driuen on shore who before they would yeeld themselues prisoners made a great fight with the emperours men and slew diuers of them in which conflict the yong emperour himselfe was wounded in the foot wherewith he was a great while after exceedingly tormented Andronicus the late prince and now fellow in the empire with his aged grandfather held not himselfe long so contented but after the manner of ambitious men and continually prickt forward by his aspiring fauorits longed to haue the whole gouernment vnto himselfe which hardly brooketh any partener and therefore wearie to see his grandfather liue so long resolued no longer to expect his naturall death although it could not by course of nature be farre off but by one deuice or other to thrust him from the gouernment or if that might not bee wrought at once to dispatch him both of life and state together And the surer to lay the plot whereon so foule and horrible a treason was to be built he by the counsell of his mother others by whom he was most directed sent for Michael the prince of BULGARIA his brother in law though before to him vnknowne as was his wife his sister also to make with him a firme league to the intent by him to prouide That if the prince of SERVIA who had but lately married the old emperours nigh kinswoman and so to him much deuoted should take part with him he should by the Bulgarian his neighbour bee intangled Who so sent for with his wife the old emperours daughter came to DIDYMOTICHUM where they were many dayes most honourably entertained both by the yoong emperour and his mother for why this meeting plotted vpon great treason was finely coloured with the desire the yong emperour had to see his sister and her husband as before vnto him vnknowne and the empresse her daughter whom she had not seene in three and twentie yeares before But the secret conclusion betwixt them was That the Bulgarian prince should to the vttermost of his power aid the yong emperour against his grandfather and he likewise him against the Seruian as he should haue need and further That if his grandfather being deposed he should recouer the whole empire then to giue him a great sum of mony with certaine speciall cities and prouinces confining vpon him as in dowrie vnto his kind brother in law and companion in his labours So Michael the Bulgarian prince honourably entertained by the yoong emperour and the old empresse his mother in law loaded with rewards and promises of greater returned home into his countrey This matter thus dispatched the yoong emperour therewith incouraged and knowing also the Constantinopolitans besides the other cities of THRACIA exceedingly to fauour him and his proceedings by whom also he was secretly inuited to hasten his comming thither as wearie of the long life and lazinesse as he tearmed it of his grandfather thought it best cunningly to go about the matter that so his grandfather being with as little stur as might be deposed he himselfe might alone enjoy the empire But needing money for the effecting of so great matters he by force tooke all the money from the collectours whom the old emperour had sent into THRACIA for the taking vp of money there telling them that he was an emperour also and in need of money and that the common charge was likewise by the common purse to be discharged After that he tooke his way towards CONSTANTINOPLE pretending that vpon speciall causes hee had occasion to send embassadours vnto the Sultan of AEGYPT for the transporting of whom he was there to take order for the setting forth of a great ship and other things necessarie for the journey Neither went he slenderly appointed but with a great power and the cities of THRACIA before well assured vnto him such as he suspected being thrust out of office and others more assured vnto him placed in their steads But whilst he thus besturreth himselfe one of those that were most inwward with him detesting so foule a treason secretly fled from him vnto his grandfather from point to point discouering vnto him all the intended treacheries and withall how that his nephew had determined to depose him from his empire or otherwise to bereaue him of his life if he should stand vpon his guard but if in the attempt hee should find easie successe then to spare his life and depriuing him of the imperiall dignitie to thrust him as a monke into a monasterie and therefore aduised him to beware how he suffered him after his woonted manner to come into the citie for feare of a generall reuolt but rather by force to keepe him out Which the emperor hearing and comparing with other things which he had heard of others yet sounding in his eares deeming it to be true stood vp and in the anguish of his soule thus complained vnto God Reuenge my quarrell ô God vpon them that do me wrong let them be ashamed that rise vp against me and preserue thou vnto me the imperiall power which by thee giuen vnto me he commeth to take from me whom I my selfe begot and aduanced After he began to consider what course to take for the