new orders for the undertaking of new Enterprises with the Troops of Franconia which he commanded But the Duke of Lorrain perswaded himself that these Difficulties had not hapned if by a quick engagement they had hurried the Allies to pursue the Victory and this was one of the chief reasons that moved the Duke to press the King in it Several Projects were made to divide the Army for different Occasions many Conferences were had with the Allyes and all the time was consumed in Councils In the mean time the Duke who thought of nothing but improving the rest of the Summer proposed every thing that he thought favourable either for the Reduction of Hungary for the Siege of Newhausel or that of Gran or to take the Posts of Barcam and that of Pest for the setling of their Winter Quarters and made it appear that nothing of all this could be done without great Forces the Army of the Turks not being wholly defeated however routed and that the Rebels Army was still entire He determined nothing because he knew not what measures the Turk would take He only affirmed that they ought to march forthwith into Hungary with all the Dispositions necessary to act as the Enemies should direct The Emperour having approved his Propositions and the King of Poland conforming to them they marched the 18 th towards Presburg and they encamped the same day with all the Imperial Troops near Fichen from thence they went to Heinburg and the 20 th they approached Presburg where the Duke expected the Boats from the Bridge of Tuln according to orders However the Bridge could not be finished till the 25 th by reason of the great Winds and the Difficulty of getting Boats in a desolate Country The Franconians continued camped near Vienna and the Bavarians came the 19 th to Fichen The 22 th news came that Count Budiani who upon the arrival of the Turks had abandoned the passages which he kept upon the Raab and embraced the party of the Malecontents after having warred against the Emperour's Troops with a Body of Turks and Hungarians of his Generality burnt and pillaged a great number of Villages upon the frontier of Styria had surprised and cut in pieces those same Turks to which he was united and had afterwards joyned with the Count of Aspremont to endeavour to incommode them of the great Army in their retreat towards Buda The Bridge upon the Danube to pass into the Isle of Schuts being finished the 25 th the Poles began to file over the same day and being followed by the Emperour's Army they encamped the 27 th at Gersdorff The Marquis of Barch who in the Prince of Waldeck's absence now sick at Vienna commanded the Troops of Franconia advertised the Duke that he could not follow him with the Troops of his Circle and sent him the copy of an Order from Prince Waldeck dated the 26 th He received at the same time another Letter from the Elector of Bavaria dated the day following from his Camp at Ort two Leagues from Vienna which gave him notice that the Franconians would not leave their Camp before they had received Orders from the Princes of their Circle which he judged would be rather to recall than cause them to advance He added that his Infantry being extremely weaken'd and diminished by bloudy Fluxes and his Cavalry ruined his Troops could not so soon follow the Army of the Emperour And yet if they would undertake any great action where they should be necessary he would cause such as were in condition to serve immediately to march The Duke apprehending that this separation might put him out of condition of undertaking any thing considerable sent Prince Lewis of Baden to the Elector who was gone to Bin to change Ayr by reason of some indisposition of health he was charged to perswade him to let his Troops follow remonstrating to him that it would be a great matter now that the Forces of the Christians were diminished to hinder the Turks to take heart to oblige part of Hungary to submit themselves to take Post for Winter Quarters in the Enemies Country and thereby encourage the Franconians to follow their example In the mean time the Season advanced these Negotiations consuming much time and the Duke could make no stay upon command of the Troops he was not sure of and willing not to lose the season he perswaded the King of Poland to continue the march of the Army towards Komorra without the Allies The King advancing always an hour before the Imperialists they arrived near that City the second of October they camped at Wismar and a Council of the Generals of the Army was held there to know what the Imperialists might undertake independent without the Allies in case of delay or being abandoned Intelligence was brought that Tekely with his Army encamped at Lewentz that the gross of the Turkish Army lay about Buda that the Grand Visier had sent a Detachment towards Gran that he had put 4000 men into Newhausel to fortifie that Garrison but that there were in the Enemies Army a great many discontented Persons at the conduct of the Grand Visier by so much the more dissatisfied because that upon his return near Raab he had caused the Visier of Buda to be strangled as also some other Bassa's and more than fifty Subaltern Officers whom he accused of not having done their duty in the late Battel besides that he had also sacrificed a great number of those Run-aways who had preceded his retreat After the Council held at Wiswar they were not of opinion to attempt the Siege of Newhausel in a season so advanced and in a Country full of Marshes the Garrison being strong and a great Army in the Neighbourhood neither was it thought reasonable to propound the King's going against the Enemy because the Troops of the Empire had not followed and that they should be oblig'd to pass through a Country where Forrage would be wanting The attack of Gran seemed but little feasible before they were Masters of Barcam that the communication might be cut off This inclined the Duke to attempt the Fort of Barcam which is the head of the Bridge of Gran after which they would further deliberate to pass to Pest or besiege Gran according to the countenance of the Enemy The Duke acquainted the King of Poland with what had been resolved whereunto his Majesty assented On the 3 d of October the King began to pass that branch of the Danube at Komorra called the Waagh The Emperours Horse followed and all the Cavalry marched to Mose where the Count of Starenberg was to be on the 7 th with the Infantry the King having promised to stay for him there The 7 th day which should have been a day of repose to give the Infantry time to joyn the rest of the Army the King sent to tell the Duke of Lorrain that he would march towards Barcham desiring him that he would do the same
The Sultana Queen gave 4000 Purses of 500 Crowns each and the chief Officers of the Seragâ—io presented great sums And yet all this cannot cure their fears nor remove the Plague sweeping away 1000 a day in Constantinople and Galata to which Calamities the scarcity of Provisions may be added occasioned by the Cossacks disturbing the Commerce of the black Sea and the Christians that of the Alexandria and the Arches Nor was it with these hardships only that the Turks were to contend they had yet no less powerful Enemies the Poles and the Venetians whose Histories we have for method sake referred to their proper Classes What they did the last year is distinctly related and we shall be no less particular in the actions of this which are of more noise and no less lugubrious consequence to the Ottoman Empire especially the latter The Poles were much earlier in the field this year and stronger than the last Their Forces consisted of 20000 Poles 15000 Lituanians and 10000 Cossacks with a great train of Artillery and being met at their general Rendezvouz at Trembowla marched toward the Niester with the King at the head of them The Turks being interior in their Preparations had abandon'd Barr and Miedzibos sending those Garrisons with all their stores to strengthen Caminiec where the Tartars had likewise lately conducted a Convoy The King being come to the frontier of Moldavia expected that the Hospodars of that Country and Walachia should as they had promised joyn their Forces to the Army of the Crown which they were inclin'd enough to do but that they dreaded the Turkish Power The Poles having past the River they advanced to the Forrest of Bucovina where they had been engaged with the Turks last year but to secure their passages now the King caused several Redoubts to be built to guard the avenues of the Forest and consequently secure his retreat These being finished he marched towards Iassi the Capital City of Moldavia to give the Hospodar an opportunity to joyn his Forces with him as he had promised But this Prince thinking it too soon as yet to declare retired upon the News he had of the Kings approaching notwithstanding the assurances his Majesty had given him of his Friendship and Protection The King being come as far as Pererit in Moldavia caused a Royal Fort to be built on the side of the River Prutti to secure a Retreat and the passage of Convoy for it was very difficult to subsist in those harrassed Countries which the Turks and Tartars had near ruin'd Whilst the Army was upon its march the Hospodar sent Deputies to the King to excuse his retiring from Iassi and his not joyning Forces with those of his Majesty seeing he could not now openly declare without exposing his Children to certain destruction having been forc'd to deliver them as Hostages to the Turks The King replyed that he could never meet with a more favourable conjuncture to shake off the Ottoman Yoak than now being he was come in Person to deliver him from it he expected now the performance of his reiterated Promises which if he did not make good he should be necessitated to treat him as a declared Enemy The King continuing his march came to Iassi which he found not only abandoned by the Prince but also the Garrison and principal Inhabitants Those that remained opened their Gates to the Troops his Majesty sent thither and furnished them with some Provisions Some Tartars taken by a party reported that the Seraskier had passed the Danube near Axiopolis with 15 or 16000 men that he expected 6000 more which when come up he intended to march towards Bessarabia to joyn the Tartars commanded by Sultan Nuraden reported to be 30000 strong The Armies approaching each other occasioned many encounters The King continued his march on this side the River Prutti as far as Falfyn The Court Marshal who commanded the Vauntguard of the Army encountring with a party of Tartars of 8000 engaged them both fighting with great Courage but the Tartars being stronger pressed hard upon the Poles and had worsted them if they had not been succour'd by some fresh Troops who adding new Vigour to their Companions turned the Scales forcing the Tartars to a disorderly retreat some hundreds of them were killed and amongst others a near Relation of Sultan Nuradons for whose body he offered the liberty of 3 Polish Genlemen some Prisoners were likewise taken and one of the Chams Standards nor was this success bloodless divers of the Polish Officers and Souldiers being killed and wounded The King having caused a Bridge near that Place to be laid over the River passed it with his Army advancing into a great Plain with a Resolution to enter into the Country of Budriac But the Troops suffer'd much by excessive heat which had caused a great drought and burnt up all the Grass so that the Horses were in great want of forrage Chevalier Lubormiski had likewise an advantageous onset against the Tartars but the News of the Moldavians having contrary to their promise joyned the Tartars did not please These were also reinforced with further Detachments of Turks which had passed the Danube at Ken and Smil These Tartars had likewise taken a Convoy of 200 Waggons that were going to the Army and together with the Turks made an attempt upon the Christian Camp it self but finding the Troops in a condition to receive them they made what haste they could to retire tho' not without some loss Octob. 4. The Poles obtained a Victory against the Turks and Tartars of whom some thousands were said to be killed upon the place and 300 taken with several of their principal Officers for which success Te Deum was sung at Lemberg The Poles also had 1500 slain and amongst them divers Persons of Quality After this the King weary of Moldavia most commonly fatal to the Poles repassed the Forrest of Buckovina in order to put his Troops into Winter-Quarters He had not only quitted Iassi which had been in part destroyed by an accidental fire but had also caused the several Forts which he had built to secure the Passages of the Forrest to be demolished from whence People concluded that the King had no design to return in haste that way again but rather attempt Caminiec so ruinous to that side of his Kingdom and into which the Turks had newly put 500 Waggons laden with Provisions the Detachment of Horse that was sent to obstruct their Passage coming too late The Christians being gon to quarters the main body of the Tartars did so too but some parties of them had lately made an incursion into the Vkrain and Podolia where they did much mischief The Turks who served this Campaign against the Poles repassed the Danube and the Hospodar of Moldavia returned to Iassi from whence he had fled The Poles had been highly animated with the League Offensive and Defensive which they had made the beginning of this last Campaign
Grandfather being with as little stir as might be deposed he himself might alone injoy the Empire But needing Mony for the effecting of so great matters he by force took all the Mony from the Collectors whom the old Emperor had sent into Thracia for the taking up of Mony there telling them that he was an Emperor also and in need of Mony and that the common charge was likewise by the common Purse to be discharged After that he took his way towards Constantinople pretending that upon special causes he had occasion to send Embassadors unto the Sultan of Egypt for the transporting of whom he was there to take order for the setting forth of a great Ship and other things necessary for the journey Neither went he slenderly appointed but with a great Power and the Cities of Thracia before well assured unto him such as he suspected being thrust out of Office and others more assured unto him placed in their steads But whilst he thus bestirreth himself one of those that were most inward with him detesting so foul a Treason secretly fled from him unto his Grandfather from point to point discovering unto him all the intended Treacheries and withal how that his Nephew had determined to depose him from his Empire or otherwise to bereave him of his life if he should stand upon his Guard but if in the attempt he should find easie success then to spare his life and depriving him of the Imperial Dignity to thrust him as a Monk into a Monastery and therefore advised him to beware how he suffered him after his wonted manner to come into the City for fear of a general revolt but rather by force to keep him out Which the Emperor hearing and comparing with other things which he had heard of others yet sounding in his Ears deeming it to be true stood up and in the anguish of his Soul thus complained unto God Revenge my quarrel O God upon them that do me wrong and let them be ashamed that rise up against me and preserve thou unto me the Imperial Power which by thee given unto me he cometh to take from me whom I my self begot and advanced After he began to consider what course to take for the assurance of himself and his State in so great a danger And first he sent unto his Nephew come half way to forbid him from entring the City and to tell him that it was a great folly for him being so manifest a Traitor both unto his Grandfather and the State to think his traiterous purposes to be unknown unto the World. And beside in way of reproof to rehearse unto him how many occasions he had given for the breaking of the League with his Grandfather first in taking away the Mony from the Collectors whereof the State never stood in more need by reason of the division of the Empire which required double charge then in that he had in the City every where displaced such Governors and Magistrates 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 City After that the old Emperor by secret Letters craved aid of Crales Prince of Servia and Demetrius the Despot his Son who was then Governor of Thessalonica and the Countries adjoyning commanding him with Andronicus and Michael his Nephews Governors of Macedonia with all the Forces they were able to raise and such aid as should be sent unto them out of Syria with all speed to joyn together and to go against the young Emperor But these Letters thus written unto the Prince of Servia the Despot and others as is before said were for the most part intercepted by such as the young Emperor had for that purpose placed upon the Straits of Cristopolis 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 delivered And in truth nothing was done or about to be done in Constantinople but that the yong Emperor was by one or other advertised thereof whereas the old Emperor on the other side understood nothing what his Nephew did abroad or intended For all men of their own accord inclined to him some openly both Body and Soul as they say and such as could not be with him in person yet in Mind and good Will were even present with him and that not only the common sort of the Citizens of Constantinople but the chief Senators the great Courtiers yea and many other of the Emperors nearest Kinsmen also who curiously observing whatsoever was done in the City forthwith certified him thereof Amongst whom was also Theodorus the Marquess one of the old Emperors own Sons who many years before by the Empress his Mother sent into Italy and there honourably married was by his prodigal course of life there grown far in debt so that leaving his Wife and Children behind him he was glad after the decease of his Mother to flie unto his Father at Constantinople and there now lived who beside that he most honourably maintained him in the Court and bestowed many great things upon him paid also all his Debts which were very great All which Fatherly kindness he forgetting went about most Iudas like to have betrayed his aged Father For he also dreaming after the Empire and for many causes but especially for that he was in Mind Religion Manners and Habit become a Latine by him rejected thought he could not do him a greater despight than by revolting unto the young Emperor so that the nearer he was in blood the more he was his Fathers unnatural Enemy Shortly after Demetrius the Despot having received the Emperors Letters at Thessalonica called unto him Andronicus and Michael his Nephews the Governors of Macedonia with whom joyning all his Force and dayly expecting more aid out of Servia he first spoiled the young Emperors Friends and Favourites in Macedonia giving the Spoil of them in all the Cities and Towns of Macedonia unto their Souldiers who made havock of whatsoever they light upon and whosoever seemed any way to withstand them or dislike of their Proceedings their Goods and Lands they confiscated and drave the men themselves into exile Neither was the young Emperor Andronicus in the mean time idle but secretly sent out his Edicts into all parts of the Empire yea into the very Cities of Constantinople and Thessalonica and over all Macedonia whereby he proclaimed unto the People in general a releasement of them from all Tributes Impositions and Payments and frankly promised unto the Souldiers and Men of War the augmenting of their Pensions and Pay which were no sooner bruited but that most men were therewith moved both in Word and Deed to favour his proceedings doing what they could to further the same and by secret Letters
Battel or not as also to view what Forces he had and so indeed to seek occasion to fight in hope also that if the Sultan did come forth with all his Army into the Field some revolt might happen within the City as well by the Slaves unto whom Liberty was by him promised as by the Citizens themselves discontented with the insolency of the Mamalukes entred of late into the City with the Sultan unto whom he had made it known by certain Slaves for that purpose fled as Fugitives out of his Army into the City how that he was not come to hurt them but only for the destruction of the Mamalukes both his and their Enemies But betimes standing so in Battel array no man came forth neither was there any tumult or stir raised in the City as he had expected For the Sultan in so great a City well provided of all things was resolved to weary him out with lying still and not to put all to the hazard of a Battel Which Tamerlane perceiving and set down not to depart from thence but victorious resolved likewise to force him even in his greatest Strength in the Heart of his greatest City although it were not to be done but with great adventure such confidence he had in the Strength and Multitude of his Army Now his purpose was first to take one of the Cities for Caire is divided into three and therein incamping himself by little and little to advance forward as he might still fighting with the Enemy Upon which resolution he commanded an Assault to be given and having brought his Footmen to the place where he would have them to give the onset for the City was not walled but only fortified with Ditches and Trenches he commanded the Prince of Thanais with fifty thousand Footmen to begin the Assault even in the Face of the Enemy which he most valiantly performed and there began a most terrible and cruel Fight Axalla in the mean time deeming as the truth was that the Sultan had drawn his greatest Forces to the place where the Prince of Thanais sought to enter as unto a place of greatest danger fet a compass about and upon another quarter of the City with small resistance passed the Trenches where he presently left thirty thousand men to fill up the Ditches and to make way for the Horsemen to enter advancing forward himself against twenty thousand sent by the Sultan to have stopt his further passage the Prince of Thanais being at that same time almost beaten back by the Mamalukes But the way being made plain by them that were for that purpose left by Axalla and ten thousand Horse entred which charged upon the Backs of the Mamalukes where the Sultan himself was and they seconded by ten thousand more sent in by Tamerlane following himself after with all his Power the Sultan retired unto a second Strength which he had made in the next City The Fight indured full the space of seven hours wherein were slain of the Sultan his men above sixteen thousand and of Tamerlanes betwixt seven and eight thousand Who contented to have dislodged the Enemy and gained a third part of the City caused a Retreat to be sounded in hope the next day to win all the rest as indeed he did For the Prince of Thanais the next day forcing the Enemies Trenches in one place and Axalla in another the Sultan after a great Fight finding himself hardly pressed by the obstinate Enemy and too weak long to hold out retired and so forthwith abandoned the City and encamped himself along the side of the River Nilus with purpose to pass the same and to flie to Alexandria his second Strength and Refuge Which Tamerlane suspecting followed after him with his Horsemen who only were in order and some few Foot hardly drawn from the City which their Fellows were in spoiling so as he was glad to promise them especially to regard and reward their good service Against whom the Sultan upon a narrow Causey had opposed twelve or fifteen thousand men whom he called his Slaves to favour his passage but were indeed his best Souldiers and stood fast the place serving greatly for their advantage who for all that at length forced by their Enemies still increasing upon them though not without great loss cast themselves into the great River and made a most honourable Retreat every man having his Weapon in the one Hand and swimming with the other to the further Bank. The Sultan â—lying with some eighteen thousand Horse for the rest were sundry waies fled or else drowned is reported in his Flight to have comforted his men by telling of them that they were not men that had vanquished them but gods there appeared in them so great Wisdom Force and Valour divers of the Mamalukes taken in the late Fight being brought before Tamerlane and by him courteously used were of him demanded if they could be content to serve him now that their Master was fled and gon which they all utterly refused whom notwithstanding for their Fidelity Tamerlane set at liberty to go again to the Sultan as no less desirous to be admired of his Enemies for his Bounty and Courtesie than feared for his Force and Valour The wonderful Wealth of this so great and famous a City became a Prey unto his Souldiers who for the space of four and twenty hours had the Spoil thereof every man being then by open Proclamation commanded to repair to his Quarter The Citizens he set at liberty not suffering any of them to be taken Prisoners and so leaving ten thousand good Souldiers with a great number of others whereof he carried a great multitude in his Army planting every where as he passed as it were new Colonies and carrying away with him such of the Inhabitants as he thought might hurt him and taking order for all things necessary for the keeping of such a City he caused his Army to pass over the River for to follow the Sultan to Alexandria to the end not to leave his Victory unperfect Axalla hasting before with the Avantgard for to hinder the Sultan for joyning his Forces again together and the rest of his Army conducted by the Prince of Thanais he himself with an infinite number of Boats and Souldiers to attend upon him going by Water taking great pleasure to behold the fair River and his swift course sometimes and in an instant to become so calm as if it scarce moved The Citizens of Alexandria hearing of his coming and fearing what might betide them besought the Sultan to have compassion of their Estate and to withdraw himself into Lybia whither Tamerlane for the Barrenness of the Country could not with any great Power follow him resolved for their parts to give place unto Fortune and to do as the time required and no more to resist so great a force whereof they had already made sufficient trial promising yet to remain in Heart still his and upon the first occasion offered
Assault The Turks knowing that they were now in the Eye of their King and in the presence of their greatest Commanders strive with might and main to win the Rampiers for in that place the Walls of the City were beaten down to the ground shaken before this Assault with two thousand five hundred thirty nine-Shot of the Canon or other Pieces of no less force The Christians likewise in defence of themselves and their City with invincible Courage opposed themselves against the Turks so that a more desperate Fight than there was hardly ever to be seen desperate men with desperate hand assailing one another and the more to increase the terror of the day the thundering Shot with the clamour of Men and noise of the instruments of War was so great as if Heaven and Earth should have presently fallen together and Arrows falling into the City as if it had been showers of Rain oftentimes darkned the light of the day In this dreadful Fight many of the Defendants were slain but of the Turks twenty to one Near unto that Gate where this terrible Assault was given were certain Loops hewn out of the main Rock which flanked the Ditch all alongst that side of the City out of which the Christians with their murdering Shot made Lanes amongst their Enemies and slew them without number For all that the mighty Bassaes and great Captains one while by perswasion another while by threatning forced them still forward and if any turned back presently slew him so that the Turks seeing no less danger in retiring than in fighting against the Enemy like desperate men thrust forward by heaps and were slain without number Yet still pressing on so long as life lasted and others stepping forward instead of them that were slain they began again to prevail upon the Defendants who in that place were for most part either slain or hurt and again recovered the top of the Rampiers and there advanced the Turks Ensigns Then began the Tyrant to lift up his Head making sure account that the City was now his own But as the common saying is He that reckoneth without his Host must reckon twice so chanched it to Mahomet For the Companies from the beginning of the Siege left in the Market place ready for all events and oftentimes wishing for some occasion wherein to shew themselves being now in good time advertised of the imminent danger came with speed to the place of the Assault before the Turks had taken good footing and there valiantly encountring them slew a great number of them and forced the rest from the Rampiers and plucking down their Ensigns before set up instead of them placed their own With which repulse the Turks were so dismaied that they quite forsook the Assault and in despight of their imperious Commanders not expecting any sign of Retreat in hast retired to their Camp. Mahomet falling from so great an hope and grieved above measure with this shameful repulse returned into his Pavillion fretting and fuming as a man half mad where two days he tormented himself with his own passions not admitting any man to his presence The Christians afterwards took the spoil of the dead Turks and cutting off divers of their Heads set them up upon Poles round about the City to the terror of their Fellows In this Assault were twelve thousand of the Turks slain and many more wounded Of the Christians were lost four hundred and of them that came to the Breach escaped none but he was wounded more or less After that Mahomet had two days digested the last repulse the shame whereof grieved him more than the loss it sâ—lf he sent for both the great Bassaes of Constantinople and Asia and other two of his chief Counsellors with whom he resolved to give 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 Whereupon strait Commandment was given through the Camp that every man without exception should be ready to go to the Assault whensoever they were called upon and the more to incourage the Souldiers great rewards and preferments were promised to them which in time of the Assault should perform any especial piece of service The first appearance of the new Moon which the Turks worship with great Devotion was the time that Mahomet had appointed for this general Assault in the mean time he spared not to pour out his fury against the Walls and Rampiers of the Town by the mouth of the Canon The Christian Defendants on the other side first by hearty Prayer commended themselves and their City to the Protection of the Almighty and afterwards with restless labour and no small peril speedily repaired and new fortified whatsoever the fury of the Artillery had overthrown or shaken omitting nothing that could be done or devised for the defence of themselves and their City Now as soon as the new Moon began to shew her self the Mahometan Priests going about the Army gave the Souldiers knowledg thereof as their manner is by singing of a Song in manner of a Procession whereunto the whole Army answered with a short Respond but with such a terrible noise as was wonderful to hear and at the same time bowing themselves to the ground saluted the Moon with great Superstition All their fond Ceremonies performed they began to draw nigh the City so thick and in number so many that all the ground for the space of a mile round about Scodra was thick covered with men The Christians expecting every hour to be assailed were ready upon the Walls and Rampiers of the City to repulse the Enemy but especially at the great Gate where most danger was feared for that the Turks with their great Ordnance had made that place of all others most assaultable Here Iacobus Moneta a Noble Captain with his Brother Moncinus a valiant Gentleman took upon them to receive the first Assault which is commonly of all others most terrible for the Turks use in their Assaults to give three attempts whereof the first is most furious and dangerous as performed by their best Souldiers the other two are of lâ—ss force but if they fail in all three they forsake the enterprise as men discouraged Whilst both the assailants and the Defendants stood thus in readiness the one as it were facing the other a great part of the night Mahomet before day went up to the top of the Bassaes Mount from whence he had before beholden the former Assault at whose coming there were presently eleven Canons discharged and twelve smaller Pieces the signal appointed for the Assault The Turks upon this sign given with exceeding tumult and most hideous out-cry as their manner is began to assail the City round and with such wonderful agility of Body and Courage mounted the Rampiers at the great Gate that they had there as it were in
a trice set up one of their Ensigns which was forthwith pluckt up by Moneta and the Turks with great slaughter driven down where many of them were slain with Stones Timber Fiâ—e and such other things cast down upon them beside a great number slain or wounded with Shot Arrows and Darts whereof none fell to the ground in vain by reason that the Turks stood so thick that they violently pressed one another forward in such sort that the foremost could by no means shun any danger were it never so great or terrible In this sort the Assault was with great slaughter of the Turks continued until it was day they striving to win the Breach and the Christians most valiantly defending the same Moneta himself in this Fight received divers wounds and was twice beaten down to the ground yet still recovering himself incouraged his Souldiers and worthily repulsed the Enemy Mahomet seeing his Souldiers beaten from the Breach caused a tire of his great Ordnance to be discharged upon the Christians which stood therein thick for the defence thereof by force whereof many of them were rent in pieces and the rest sore dismaied which the Turks quickly perceiving and therewith encouraged came on again with a fresh charge forcing themselves to the uttermost to have entred But the valiant Captain nothing discouraged either with the loss of them that were slain or the danger of himself valiantly withstood the furious Enemy and maintained the place till new supplies came to relieve him and departed not thence nor suffered any man to depart till the Assault was ended Many were slain on both sides yet nothing troubled the Defendants so much as the great Ordnance which being discharged from the Bassaes Mount into the breach when as the Turks were driven back slew many of the Christians leaving the breach almost clear so giving occasion for the Turks to have entred had not other couragious Souldiers stept up in stead of them that were slain who manfully repulsed the Enemy The Tyrant from the Mount seeing the invincible Courage of the Defendants was therewith exceedingly troubled but fully resolved now or never to have it commanded all his Forces to be drawn from all parts of the City to the great Gate there to renew the Assault straightly charging his Captains never to return thence until they had taken the City Hereupon the greatest part of that huge Army was forthwith in the sight of himself brought to the appointed place and there gave a sharp and cruel Assault at the breach with such desperate fury that in short time they had slain most of the Defendants there present and advanced divers of their Ensigns upon the top of the Rampiers Which Mahomet beholding from the Mount rejoiced exceedingly making sure account that the City was now his own but by that time he had well conceived this hope new supplies of fresh and couragious men of purpose reserved for all events came to the place of danger and with great resolution incountring the wearied Turks drave them back cleared the breach and overthrew the Ensigns Which so suddain an alteration in the breach wrought no less alteration in the proud Tyrants mind his hope was turned into despair and his joy into choler insomuch that in his fury he commanded all his great Artillery to be at once discharged into the breach whereby many of his forward and couragious Souldiers were slain together with the Defendants At the same time the great Commanders and Captains knowing themselves to be in the Eye of their imperious Lord and Master with their drawn Swords forced the poor Souldiers again forward to the breach and the more to encourage them adventured themselves also among them whereby the Fight became more fierce and terrible than before Many of the Turks were there slain yet such was the force and multitude of them which still stept up in their place and Bullets and Arrows flew so thick that the Defendants oppressed with multitude and overwhelmed with Shot were hardly able longer to maintain the place being for most part either slain or wounded Whereupon a great cry ran upon the suddain through the City that every man without exception should forthwith repair to the breach Which was with such chearfulness done that in less time than was to have been thought a wonderful multitude of all sorts of people was there met together encouraging one another against the present danger who all as men resolved to lay down their lives in defence of their Country valiantly encountred the Turks upon the top of the Rampiers and so hardly laid upon them that notwithstanding their great number they began now again to waver and shrink back Which thing the Tyrant perceiving from the Mount in great rage commanded his Canoniers as fast as they could to discharge the great Ordnance into the breach without regard of his own men so that together with them he might also kill some of the Christians and withal imperiously commanded his Captains with all their force and power to maintain the Assault threatning them with most horrible death if they returned without Victory Hereupon the Assault was again renewed every man in shew at least set down there to do his last Devoir But the great Ordnance still playing upon the breach slew many of the Turks as well as of the Christians Thrice the great Shot fell amongst the Turks themselves and rent in sunder a great number of them which were foremost to the great discouragement of the rest whereof the Tyrant had small regard so that together with them he might also diminish the number of the Defendants Nevertheless such was the desperate fury of the Enemy that the City was in no small danger to have been presently taken had not fresh supplies come from other parts of the City which they were appointed unto who with great Courage resisted the Enemy Yet the Turks far exceeding in number and fresh men continually stepping up in stead of them which lay by heaps under their Feet and served them in stead of Steps to get up to the Rampiers maintained a long and terrible fight at which time the great Ordnance also sore annoyed the Defendants so that with one Shot whereby the greatness of the harms done at other times may be gathered eighteen of the Christian Defendants were slain As for Arrows they flew as thick as Hail into the City so that they obscured the light of the day and lay in most places of the Street a Span thick so that for the space of a month after the inhabitants used no other fuel to burn but Turkish Arrows It was a ruful sight to have seen the bodies of the valiant Christians rent in sunder with the great Shot and pieces of them cleaving upon every Wall thereabout every Street was stained with their Blood the great Ordnance continually thundred Churches and Houses came ratling down yea the heavy countenance of the Air it self seemed to bewail the misery of the poor
least homage that could be devised With which answer the Messengers returned having obtained nothing of that they were sent for The resolute answer of the Great Master reported by the aforesaid Messengers unto the Bassa troubled him exceedingly for though he had small hope by force to win the City yet he was alwaies in hope until 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 plain force to constrain his Enemies he resolved for the safeguard of his honour in that extremity to use that extream remedy wherefore besides the great Pieces of Battery he had already planted against the Walls he mounted divers smaller Pieces much higher thereby the more to annoy the Defendants by beating down of their Churches and high built Houses His Ordnance thus placed he battered the City day and night for the space of four days together without intermission during which time the Christians out of the City spared not liberally to bestow their Shot among their Enemies also so that the Air seemed to grow thick and the light of the day to be darkned with the smoak of the great Ordnance and the great Shot came so thick into the City that the fearful Women and Children were glad to shroud themselves from the danger thereof in Cellars and Caves under ground So long continued this great Battery that at length the strength of the Wall gave place to the fury of the Canon and a fair breach was laid open for the Enemy to enter which was no sooner made but that with the first shew thereof the Turks gave thereunto a desperate Assault and prevailing by reason of their multitude had upon the suddain recovered the top of the Walls and there set up some of their Ensigns but the Christians speedily coming in on every side to the defence of the breach they were again quickly repulsed and beaten down into the Ditches out of which most of them never rose more At which time the Turks in another place with their scaling Ladders had gained the top of the Walls and there advanced their Ensigns also and were now five hundred of them entred the City and come into the Street called the Iew-Street where they were encountred by the Great Master and his Followers and all slain that were already entred and their Ensigns that stood upon the Walls thrown down The rest yet scaling the Walls and ignorant of the fortune of their Fellows were likewise beaten from the Walls and with wonderful slaughter rejected So that the Bassa not able any longer to indure 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 five thousand with small loss of the Christians In this Assault the Great Master himself received five wounds whereof one under his right Pap was thought to have been deadly which yet afterward 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 Devices upon the City he began to doubt whether it were better for him to raise his Siege and depart or to tarry and expect some better fortune which in all his former actions had seemed almost to have waited upon him to forsake the Siege was dishonourable and to continue it without hope presented no less danger Besides that in the former Assaults he had already lost nine thousand of his best Souldiers and all the rest of his Army was filled with heaviness and despair to hear the woful sighing and groaning of their Fellows of whom fifteen thousand lay dispersed in the Camp sore wounded and ready many of them to give up the Ghost and also but even a little before two great Ships sent from Ferdinand King of Naples with Men and Munition were in despight of all the Turks Gallies safely arrived at the Rhodes to the great joy and encouragment of the besieged and no less discontentment of the Turks Whilst the Bassa was thus deliberating what course to take a rumor was raised in the Camp That the Christian Princes were coming with great power to relieve the Town with which news the whole Army was exceedingly troubled whereupon he raised his Siege Some others say that Mahomet hearing of the evil success of his Army in the Island of the Rhodes with the difficulty of the Siege and now ready to go in person himself against the Sultan of Egypt sent for the Bassa and that so the Siege was raised Howsoever it was the Bassa before his departure caused all the Vines and Trees growing in that part of the Island to be cut down and spoiled and so after he had poured forth his fury upon the senseless Creatures which he could not according to his desire exercise upon the people again embarked his Army and with shame departed the seventeenth of August At the same time that the Rhodes was thus besieged Mahomet sent his old and most expert Captain Achmetes Bassa with a great Fleet and a strong Army to make an entrance into Italy for no Kingdom was so strong which the ambitious Tyrant in the pride of his heart thought not he might now command and having long before conquered Constantinople otherwise called New Rome was still dreaming I wot not what of the conquest of Old Rome also The mischievous Bassa according to his great Masters designs embarked his Army at Vallona otherwise called Aulona a Sea Town in the borders of Macedonia and from thence passing directly over that narrow Sea which is in breadth about sixty miles landed his men in that rich and fertile part of Italy called in ancient time Apulia now Puglia near unto the old and famous City Hydruntum at this day called Otranto where as soon as this warlike Bassa had landed his forces he forraged all that rich Country alongst the sea coast and took such infinite spoil as might well have satisfied the greedy desire both of himself and of his hungry Souldiers all which rich booty he caused to be conveighed into his Gallies So when he had at his pleasure ranged up and down the Country by the space of fourteen days and saw that none made head against him he laid siege to Otranto the chief City of that Country and as it were the Key of that part of Italy and having with such Ordnance as he took out of his Gallies made a breach easily entred the same and so without any great loss took the City A thing not greatly to be marvelled at forasmuch as it was but weakly manned and more weakly defended by men altogether living in security in the midst of their Wealth and Pleasure The Archbishop with Zurlo the Governor and the chief men of the City for safeguard of their lives fled into the great Cathedral Church as into a Sanctuary where they were all
antient obedience of those martial men is not now as it was in former times when they were with a more severe Discipline governed but now grown proud and insolent as the manner of men is living in continual pay with Weapons in their hands doubt noâ— to do whatsoever seemeth unto themselves best be it never so foul or unreasonable Which although it be in many places of this History to be seen yet for the more manifestation thereof I thought it not amiss here briefly to set down an Example or two of their notorious Insolency Not many years before the Janizaries in Cyprus with like Insolency slew Achmetes Bassa Governour of that Island pretending for the colour of so foul a fact that he had defrauded them of their pay and oppressed them of the Country with intolerable exactions Amurath highly offended with this their Disloyalty in killing their General whom they had never before complained of thought it much to concern the Majesty of himself and the repressing of the like Insolency in others not to suffer it to go unpunished and for that purpose sent another new Governour into Cyprus with ten Gallies furnished as well in other necessary Provision as with such a convenient number of Souldiers as might suffice to chastise the Insolency of the chief Offendors This new Governour arrived in Cyprus dissembling the secret Commandment he had for the executing of the Transgressors by certain trusty men gave it out among the Janizaries That Amurath was so far from being angry with the death of Achmetes as that he thought him worthily slain by the Janizaries for defrauding them of their Wages and oppressing of his other Subjects Which report the new Governour had of purpose given out to put them in Security and without further trouble to bring them into his danger Hereupon the Janizaries chearfully and with all due Reverence received their new Governour but shortly after to be sure they by an unexpected guile when as nothing was less feared compassed in all the new come Souldiers and slew them every Mothers Son and not so contented seised also upon the Gallies that brought them Which second outrage though Amurath took in evil part as seeing his Majesty therein contemned yet was he content to pass it over being loth to add edomestical Troubles to the great War he had in hand with the Persian But to end this matter with the Opinion of their own greatest Bassaes concerning these masterful men It fortuned that whilst Busbequius Ambassador for Ferdinand the Emperour unto Solyman lay in the Turks Camp at such time as Solyman in Person himself was gon over the Straight in Asia to countenance his eldest Son Solymus against his younger Brother Bajazet That upon a light Quarrel though heavily taken between the Followers of the said Ambassador and certain Janizaries washing themselves at the Sea-side the Ambassador for the quieting thereof was glad to use the help of Rustan the great Bassa Solyman's Son-in-Law who understanding of the matter by a Messenger sent of purpose adviseth the Ambassador to cut off all occasion of Contention with those most naughty Fellows asking him further if he knew not that it was now the time of War in which time they so raigned as that Solyman himself was not able to rule them but stood in fear of them Which speech fell not rashly from Rustan a man right well acquainted with his Lord and Masters Grief for that most notable Prince feared nothing more than lest some secret and dangerous Treason should lie hidden among the Janizaries which breaking out upon the sudden might work his final Destruction whereof he needed not to seek for any further Example than to his Grandfather Bajazet For as true it is That great are the Commodities of a perpetual Army of a Princes own so are the Incommodities also not small if they be not carefully met withall but especially for that the Prince is ever in doubt of Rebellion and that it is still in the Power of those armed Souldiers at their Pleasure to translate the Kingdom to whom they list Whereof there have been many great Examples although there are many ways for the remedying of the same But now that we have by occasion of the Occurrents of that time a little stept out of the way year 1585 let us return again unto the Wars of Persia the chief Object of Amuraths haughty Designs Now according to the Commandments gon out through all the Cities of the Empire the Souldiers of all sorts began to flock together and all those that were either desirous to be established in their former Charges and Governments or ambitiously sought to be now promoted repaired to Osman as unto a King and the sovereign Moderator of the Turkish Empire presenting him very large and liberal Gifts whereby he gathered together a huge heap of infinite 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 levied a wonderful great number both of Men and Monies And now was the time come that called him away to go towards Erzirum where he was greatly expected of his huge Army there assembled together And notwithstanding the great dearth of Victual that commonly raigneth in those quarters yet thither he must where he arrived about the latter end of the Month of Iuly in the year 1585 and there taking a view of his whole Army and of all the Provision necessary for so important and famous an Enterprise he daily laboured to hasten his departure In this City of Erzirum were met together all the Souldiers of the Provinces that were wont to send help but yet in greater number than ever was gathered by any General before for that every man forsook his own private Business and upon assured hopes of new Rewards and unwonted Honours were all induced to follow the Fame of this their new Visier and General only the People of Egypt and Damasco were busied with other more private Quarrels at home whereof because they were both of great Importance and also fell out at this very instant leaving Osman with his Army for a while at Erzirum I will in as few words as I may make a brief rehearsal Amurath had heretofore taken Hassan Bassa the Eunuch out of the Seraglio from the charge he had there to serve in the Queens Court and at her instance sent him as Bassa to Caire the great City of Egypt Which great Office beside the Honour belonging unto it is also beneficial to them whose good hap it is to be advanced thereunto the Riches the multitude of People inhabiting therein being so great that it seemeth not to be one City but rather to contain within the large Circuit thereof many Cities This man being exceeding covetous and therefore desirous to handle the matter in such sort as that he should little need to seek for any more such grants at the Kings hands
hundred Horse well armed went to encounter the said Squadron which advanced bravely towards the Princes Cannon The Combate was long without any shew of Advantage which made the Marshal of the Turks Army to send three thousand Turks to succour them and the Princes caused a Squadron of Cossacks and Moldavians to advance who carried themselves so valiantly as they forced the Turks to retire above an hundred Paces Then Prince Alexander cried out Now my Companions behold the Enemy is in disorder let us charge them resolutely and the Victory is certain After which he advanced with the rest of his Army commanding two Cannons to be shot off together for a sign to Prince Coresky that he might sally forth and charge the Turks Rereward as it had been resolved but he stayed not for the Signal being already advanced above three hundred Paces fearing that the Party would be ended without him or that he should fail at need The Bassa seeing this Stratagem which he feared not and the bad success of his men which he had sent to fight and that he was charged both before and behind he began to be amazed and having caused a Squadron of two thousand Horse Turks and Valachians to advance to second his Troops he retired apart with Stephano who was no less afraid than himself with the rest of the Turkish Cavalry to attend the event of the Battel There was never a more furious Combate seen which continued for the space of two hours full of fearful Howlings of Turks who in the end fainted seeing no Succours come unto them whereas if the Bassa and the cowardly Stephano had joyned with them they had without doubt fortified their Carriages and renewed their Forces and by all appearance won the Victory which they lost beyond all mens Expectation When as the Bassa and Stephano saw that their Forces were in rout and no means to draw them again together they began to make a Retreat with above two thousand Horse which had not yet fought in the mean time the Princes Tischevich and Coresky like two Thunderbolts of War cut all in pieces they could meet and fearing lest they should make a new head the Princes drew all their men together and made a stand upon the Place of Battel not suffering their Souldiers to go to the Spoil before they were assured that the Enemy was retired in great haste fearing the Princes would have pursued them the which they would willingly have done if their Men and Horses had not been almost tired in the former Battel in which there was slain above twelve thousand men besides the Wounded and Prisoners Prince Alexander being returned to Cochina with the other Princes and Noblemen they gave Thanks to God for the Victory they had obtained against the Turks and their Confederates and there was much joy with the Princess and all the Ladies who were retired into the Fort attending the Event of this fearful Battel Prince Coresky burned with desire to enjoy his Mistress whom he loved as his own life so as by a free consent of all Parties they were married within two days after the Victory to the great content of all the Court. Whilst that the Princes began to enjoy the Fruits of their Victory the Bassa and wretched Stephano returned to Yas but finding no safety there they parted presently the Bassa to Constantinople and the Tyrant into Valachia to Prince Michna who was his only support notwithstanding that he had mocked him apparently But before this Wretch departed from Yas having no hope ever to return again he caused the Town to be set on fire in many places so as of two and twenty thousand Houses there were not above six hundred untouched The Princes having advice hereof in the beginning of April they marched speedily thither where finding it so desolate they resolved to pursue Stephano into Valachia and punish him according to his deserving The next day they marched towards Valachia being to pass the River of Siretta there being on the other side a Borough in which Michna had four hundred men in Garrison to keep the Frontiers The Princes arriving at this place the Garrison put themselves in defence but they were soon forced and cut in pieces so as there escaped not one and as for the Inhabitants they were well intreated having made no resistance and withal they hated Michna for the Vexations they received from the said Garrison The Army having rested there three days advanced with all speed towards the City of Bonza whereas Michna then remained with wretched Stephano who had no care but to make good cheer The Army being come within a League of Bonza it was discovered by some Country-men who ran to advertise their Prince wishing him to save himself speedily for that they had discovered the Polonian Army near the City Michna was ready to sit down to dinner having invited Stephano to accompany him but he was so amazed at this unexpected coming of the Princes as he ran himself to his Stable and mounted upon the first Horse he could find without Saddle and so took his way towards Tergovist being followed by few of his People one of which gave him his own Horse which was better furnished and as for Stephano having sadled his own Horse he fled all alone towards Nicopolis The Princes being entred Bonza without resistance they were wonderfully grieved that they had not found Stephano which was their whole Design and that Prince Michna to whom they intended no harm had been so amazed The Army at their first Entrance spoiled the City which the Princes could not hinder nor yet the ravishing of many Wives and Virgins which drew the Wrath of God upon them and in all appearance was the true cause of the Miseries which afterward befell the Princes During their Abode at Bonza to refresh their men many Boyers or Noblemen of the Couâ—try desiring the shake off the Yoke of Prince Michna's Command who governed insolently came unto Prince Alexander beseeching him to stay in Valachia promising that the whole Nobility would willingly yield him all Obedience and Fidelity But the Prince having no intent to dispossess Michna thanked them for their good will the which the Boyers understanding they told him that they would be glad seeing he refused it that Prince Cherbanne who had been their Vayvod before Michna and had been expelled Valachia by Bethlem Gabor and forced to retire into Germany to the Emperour might return and take upon him the Government of Valachia intreating him to give him Passage through Moldavia if he presented himself the which Prince Alexander willingly granted desiring much that Prince Cherbanne were restored for that Michna favoured his Enemy and had himself a design upon the Estate of Moldavia which in the end he obtained Prince Michna being come to Playa which is betwixt Bonza and Tergovist he stayed some days there attending his Train during the which he sent speedilyto his Wife being
And there shall be sent with all Expedition our Royal Edicts to all our Beglerbegs Beghs Cadees Governours Customers Farmours Superintendents and Commissioners of our Revenues that from henceforth none of them shall give any Molestation to any of your Merchants or other Subjects And insomuch as our happy Gates are ever open to any who with sincerity seek our Friendship good Will and Favour and the Table of our lively Graces is always prepared for all men Therefore whensoever on the behalf of the Polacks an Ambassador shall arrive at our high Court and kiss the hem of our Vesture and repent them of their former Errors and present unto us a good Friendship and sincere League and shall desire our Favour and Amity by the Mediation of your Resident now in our Imperial Port all matters shall be pacified and ended and with a Pen we will blot out all former Differences And the Peace being so established your instances and desires for them shall have grateful acceptance with us and we will give fit order for the Prisoners To the Beglerbeghs of Tunis and Algier and to all other our Slaves in those parts we will presently send our express and high Commands and other Orders that they shall never hereafter transgress the tenor of our Imperial Capitulations nor commit any Injustice nor do any Violence to the Subjects of your Majesty And concerning the business of the Merchant Arthur Garaway wherein you have informed us that there hath been taken from him by Oppression a great estate and faculty in the time of our Father Achmat Han of happy Memory the Visier Achmet Bassa being then Deputy here upon pretence that divers Mussulmens Goods were found in his Hands which cause being now overpassed many years you require a new hearing and inquisition By the Grace of the great God it shall be renewed and examined with all Iustice in the process and Issue whereof you shall be assured to receive a right and fit answer from your Ambassador now remaining in our Court. And in our time we shall never permit that any the least Injury or Injustice shall be done to any Giving you assurance on our behalf that the Foundation and Nerves of Peace Friendship and League between us are of us straitly preserved continued and increased and our Amity Correspondence and Love is ever respected esteemed and precious with us Therefore in the mean time while our Capitulations are making perfect and that the full Conclusion may be certified unto you your Ambassador having sollicited us for an Answer to the Propositions made by you by an express Messenger Robert Roe this our Imperial Letter is written and sent unto you Which arriving we hope that as in times past the antient perfect and acceptable course of Friendship Amity and League adorned with abundant Sincerity resplendent Love and benigne Correspondency on your part hath been alway observed and maintained so it is now also requisite that you preserve the same Affections with all pure firm and constant good Will Grace and Goodness or rather that you advance and increase therein as we will ever do by all sincere ways of Loyal Friendship and Holy Peace nourishing it with our perfect Intention and affectionate Diligence never admitting any occasion that may be thereunto prejudicial Given in our Imperial City of Constantinople the first day of the Month Gemaziel Achir or April in the year of the departure of our Prophet Mahomet 1031 that is Anno Christi Dei pari 1622. The Grand Seignior discontented since his disgrace in Poland as soon as he came to Constantinople meditating Revenge upon his Souldiers and alteration and finding that his Pretence for Mecha did not relish gave out that he would pass into Asia to suppress the Emir of Sidon who had taken Arms and was reported to rebell but indeed having secret Intelligence with Osman and the Visier Delavir Bassa But from which purpose being disswaded by the great instance of the Visier and that it would not so well serve his secret Designs he returned to his first colour that he would visit Mecha the Tomb of his false Prophet To make this Voyage the more secure in apparence he seemed content to accept of any Treaty with the Polacks even to Conditions both of Disadvantage and Dishonour for his Estates in Hungary he re-inforced the Frontiers with divers Troops and though he were much troubled at the League between the Emperour of Germany and Bethlem Gabor yet he dissembled it so as that he would not displease the Transilvanian but rather offered new Succours and forbearance of his Tribute From the Incursions of the Cossacks he hoped to assure himself by the Treaty of the Poles and in occasion of Breach he had the Tartars ready to requite them and for more security he added to the number of his Gallies appointed to keep the Black Sea. The common People and Visiers of the Port that loved rest and knew not the design were much troubled and discontent at this Journey and made many Remonstrances to him of the Inconveniency and Danger to leave the seat of his Empire to the trust of a Deputy in a time when Bethlem Gabor was newly reconciled to the German Emperour and therefore not to be trusted and the Polacks newly reconciled to him and therefore to be mistrustrusted Divers other reasons were made to him many Petitions delivered from the Church-men Lawyers and from all Estates But melancholy Revenge had wholly possessed him so that by no means he could be perswaded to desist The Souldiery passed so far as to threaten publickly and to protest they would not follow but rather set up another King in his absence that should stay among them In conclusion carried by his own fate to Destruction having first commanded away his Armado to the Levant and thereby disposed many of his Souldiers upon Wednesday the seventh of May he began to pass over his Tents and Pavilions to Asia side with great quantities of Treasure The Janizaries and Spahies who had also secret Intelligence upon the King 's own Words and Actions betraying some further project than a Pilgrimage for he made Preparations to carry away all his Jewels and Treasure even defacing his Palace and taking from Churches and his Ward-robes whatsoever could be converted to Bullion suddenly met at the Hippodrome in the City upon a word given and from thence ran to the Seraglio in Tumult but without Arms and there according to their barbarous Mutinies cryed out for the King having first taken order to stop the passage of any thing upon the Water who appearing to them asked What this Insolency meant and what they pretended They then by the mouth of a Multitude for they had no head but that of the Monster demanded first That he should not proceed in his purpose to go to Mecha nor into Asia but that he would abide in the City Secondly they required to have delivered to their Fury the Great Visier
Grand Signiors return to his Imperial Seat prevailed with him as a matter wholly necessary to adorn and comfort that place by his Presence for now he began to declare a kind of abhorrency to it in regard the memory of those Rebellions which were nourished in that place to the Destruction of his Father and to the great hazard and narrow escape after wards of himself had taken that Impression on his Fancy that the Chamber of the Seraglio appeared melancholly and dismal and the Walks of his Garden solitary and the noise of the Rooks and Daws amongst his Trees were like the croakings of Ravens or unlucky Birds Howsoever the Vizier had so far entered into his Affection and Esteem that his Perswasions were stronger than his own absolute Dominion and prevailed so with him against the force of his own Fancy that about the Equinoctial he began his Journey towards Constantinople year 1662. to the great Joy and Satisfaction of his People But by the way lingring out his time in Hunting and other Pastimes of the Woods and Fields it was the 30 th of March before he made his Entry for never was Prince so great a Nimrod so unwearied a Huntsman as this never was he at quiet but continually in the Fields on Horseback rising sometimes at Midnight to ride up the Mountains that he might more early discover the Sun in the Morning by which extravagant course of Life he wearied out his Court and Attendants who began to believe the amorous humour of the Father more supportable than the wandring Vagaries and restless Spirit of the Son. But not only were his Huntings tedious to his Court but troublesome and expensive to the whole Country which were all summoned in wheresoever he came and sometimes thirty or forty thousand men appointed to beat the Woods for three or four days carrying before them the compass of a days Journey about inclosing all the Game and wild Beasts within that Circuit which on the day of the Hunt the Grand Signior kills and destroys with Dogs Guns or any other way with abundance of noise and confusion which Pastime tho lawful in it self and commendable enough in so great a Prince yet the frequent use of it was a burden and an oppression to his People whilst in the Winter they passed many cold Nights in the Woods and being unused to that hardship many of them paid for their Emperors Pastime with their own lives The Grand Signior being now at Constantinople the Vizier judged not himself so well fixed in his Government but that through the Malice of his powerful Enemies who were familiar to the Grand Signiors Ear he was then in danger to be shaken the principal of which was Kuzlir Aga or chief Eunuch of the Women of the Seraglio who by means of the Valede or Queen Mother was ill-affected to him being both inclined to prefer some Favourites of their own for the Diminutition and Eclipse of the Viziers Power one whereof was the Tefterdar Pasha or Lord Treasurer placed in Office against the Viziers Approbation which the Vizier understanding made short Work with him depriving him of his Office commanded him in a few hours to quit Constantinople But the Queen Mother and Kuzlir Aga resentting this Affront to their Favourite resolved to even scores in a piece of the like Nature Wherefore they obtained for the Viziers Kahya or Steward the Pashalick of Darbiquier a rich and honourable Government not for any disaffection or hatred they had unto him but only to deprive the Vizier of the Counsel and Assistance of so knowing and faithful a Servant for he was a Person who by his own Estate and Friends had raised the House of Kuperlee having in the time of his Poverty and Meanness lent him that Sum of Money which gave him the first Rise to his Richess and Authority for Recompence and Interest of which old Kuperlee made him his Steward and shared to him his Honours and Prosperity in which deporting himself towards all People with the same modesty and evenness of Temper which he used in his former Condition he procured no Enemies to his own Person and such as hated the Interest he served only wishing him disobliged from it so as to be able to dispense their Malice on the Vizier without concerning him in his Masters ruin This consideration moved the angry Lady and the envious Eunuch to vex their Adversary by the removal of his most faithful Creature and Servant Mahomet Kahya now Pasha of Darbiquier after a reasonable and convenient time allowed him for his Preparations being very rich set forward towards his Government with a very noble and numerous Retinue having amongst the rest five hundred Persons young well mounted and well armed which notwithstanding were not so strong but before they were advanced many days Journey into Asia were encountred by a greater force of bold and desperate Robbers who engaging with him killed two hundred of his People on the place rifled his Baggage and constrained the Pasha himself to fly to the next City This strange and audacious Robbery produced many Commands and Orders for Seizure and Suppression of Theives in the lesser Asia And because the custom is that something must be done in Compliance with the Imperial Commands many poor innocent Men were taken in the Fields and Mountains and perhaps without any other Crime against them than that they were not masters of a thousand Aspers to bribe the Officers were for want thereof sent as Thieves to the Port where without further Conviction or Tryal they were executed The Vizier being thus weakned by the removal of his faithfullest Friend his Condition was given over as desperate by the generality of the World and several appearances of Troubles arising from the Eastern and Western parts gave occasion to the Queen Mother and her Party to disparage his Abilities in the esteem of the Sultan Wherefore they exhorted him to imitate the Example of his Renowned Predecessors who made use of their Viziers only to ease them from the troublesom part of their Government but did not entirely throw off the Knowledg and Privity of the important Transactions and State Affairs in the whole Empire This Lesson awakened the Grand Signior a little so that he declined some days his Sports abroad and Exercise on Horse-back and instead thereof passed much of his time in a Chiosk or Garden-house on the Wall of the Seraglio just opposite to the Viziers Gate where his chief Business and Concernment was to observe such as went in or came out and when at any time he espied those enter remarkable for their Attendance or difference of Habit he would send to know of the Vizier what occasion drew those People thither what their Business was and the like by which he gave himself that Satisfaction as to believe that he had now found the true way of inspecting his Affairs and taking care of his Empire The Vizier was not insensible from
deliver this poor Carcass of mine from under the covering of this accursed Roof For Answer whereunto I did not stand to expostulate the Reasons with him well knowing the cause of his discontent but that I would communicate his desires to my Lord Ambassador and speedily return with my Answer to him Accordingly I departed from him and quickly brought from my Lord a Promise to endeavour his utmost to comply with his request at which he seemed to be much satisfied and commanded his Servants then present especially one called Sig. Tomaso Gobbato his great confident to be Witnesses thereof The next day he expired his last Breath and the day following his Body being embalmed his bowels were buried and the Funeral Rites performed with such order and decency as was seemly in a Country where he lived rather like a Prisoner than an Ambassador All things being thus prepared the Earl of Winchelsea according to the Will of the Deceased sent for his Body already embalmed which was immediately without opposition or scruple sent to his house where it remained for some months in expectation of a conveyance for Venice At length a Dutch ship being bound from Constantinople thither it was designed that the Body should be thereon imbarked but I know not for what reason the Customer refused to suffer it to pass though it may well and rationally be conjectured That Ballarino who was sensibly touched to have the care of the Body of his Master his Countryman and Colleague taken from him did with Presents prevail with the Customer to put difficulties in the way which he supposed might vex those who were thought worthy of this employment This opposition being made and not to be overcome without much Money it was contrived that the Ship departing should attend the Corps at Tenedos which was without the command of the Castles and the Body being divided from the Legs was packed up in a But ofCavear and so sent down by a boat with Licence of the Customer as a parcel of Goods and Merchandice and so safely arriving aboard the Corps were separated from their adjuncts and being laid decently in a Coffin covered with a Pall of black Velvet with Scutcheons and other ornaments appertaining to the Funerals of such great Personages it arrived safely at Venice where it was interred with the usual ceremonies in the Tomb of the Ancestors of that Ancient Family But the heads and thoughts of these Governours were not so employed in their preparations of War but that the Vizier could lend an ear to the suggestions of some malicious Pharisees who under pretence of Religion informed him That the Christian Churches burnt down in Constantinople and Galata by those dreadful Fires in the year 1660 were again re-edified against his command and the Law of the Turks which allows the reparation of Churches and continuance of such which were found standing when Mohometanism was introduced but not to erect new or rebuild what are either by time fire or other accidents fallen to ruine And being farther informed that though those Churches were restored under the notion of Dwellings or Ware-houses yet secretly served for Celebration of Divine Service and thereby his Decrees and Edicts were frustrated and disappointed Wherefore furiously transported with a Mahometan Zeal commanded immediately that the Authors of those Buildings should be imprisoned the Churches themselves levelled to the Foundation and the ground whereon they stood confiscated to the Grand Signior This action though naturally agreeable to the disposition of the Vizier who was a perfect Turk zealous in execution of all points of the Mahometan Law being educated after the severest sort of Professors and one of those whom they called Soâ—taes yet he was chiefly prompted unto this and to a greater abhorrency of Christianity by one Vanni Effendi a Shegh or Preacher one who was as inveterate and malicious to the Christian Religion as any Enthusiast or Fanatick is to the Rites of our Church and Religion And thus we may see how troublesom Hypocrisie and Puritanism are in all places where they gain a Superiority for this Preacher not contented only to ruine the Christian Churches but perswaded the Vizier that the terrible Fires in Constantinople and Galata in the year 1660 and the last years unparallel'd Pestilence and the inconsiderable advance of the Turks on the Christians for some years were so many parts of Divine Judgments thrown on the Mussulmen or Believers in vengeance of their too much Licence given to the Christian Religion permitting Wine to be sold within the Walls of Constantinople which polluted the Imperial City ensnared the faithful by temptation to what was unlawful Wherefore a command was issued That no Wine should be henceforth sold within the Walls of the City And it was farther intended that Greeks Armenians all other Christians who had Dwellings or Possessions within the Walls of the City should within Forty days sell those habitations and depart which otherwise should be confiscated to the Grand Signior but God who supports the Faithful in â—ryals of Persecution moderated this Decree and reserved still â—his Church in the midst of Infidels not suffering this City to lose the Name nor Religion of that holy Emperor who both erected and christned it as also to preserve most of the Churches which though again uncovered yet were redeemed for Money from the possession of the Turks Nor was the Mohometan Zeal satisfied in Demolishment of the Churches themselves unless it vented part of its fury against the poor Workmen which for their hire and days Wages erected them such as Greek Labourers Masons and Carpenters who were all beaten and imprisoned But it happening at that time that the Queen Mother building a sumptuous Mosch and having occasion of many Labourers and Artists to forward so vast a Work sent to the Maimarbashee who is the Master work-man or Cape over all such who are employed in Building to supply such a number of Carpenters Masons and others as were convenient to carry on that Fabrick with expedition who readily replyed That he would provide all that was possible but could not promise a sufficient number unless those Greeks were set at liberty who were imprisoned by the Grand Vizier for building the Christian Churches which answer being reported again to the Queen Mother she interceded with the Vizier in their behalf who being glad of any occasion to gratifie so great a Lady immediately released them without any fine or reward which he designed to obtain for their liberty Howsoever the Vizier not well brooking such an indignity as he supposed put upon him by so mean a Slave as the Maimarbashee dealt with some of the imprisoned Labourers to accuse him as the Author and Licenser of building the Christian Churches The Greeks easily enough perswaded to please so great a Personage accused him accordingly whose Evidence though nor passable against a Turk by the Mahometan Law yet served the Viziers revenge for the present who
their Sovereign The Truth is the Palatines and great Men of the Kingdom being weary to see the Crown as it were Hereditary in the House of Austria made use of the pretence of Religion to stir up the People and oblige them to take Arms for defence of their Liberty both Spiritual and Civil And this aversion was the true Cause of the War. The Emperour was no less dissatisfied with the Turks for General Kops having sent complaints to the Bassa of Waradiâ— for that he had given Quarters to the Hungarians in Places which depended on his Government the Bassa told him That he look'd upon them as Passengers who paid for what they took for their subsistance and that consequently he could not look upon their Reception into his Territories as any violation of the Peace The Hostilities betwixt the Imperialists and the Turks did still continue notwithstanding their Negotiations Five hundred Christian Horse commanded by Azos Benas advancing towards Erlaw were cut in pieces by the Infidels Another Party commanded by Collonel Wolping was likewise defeated by a Detachment from the Garrison of Newhausel with the loss of above 200 the Commander being also much hurt A few days after this Encounter the Bassa of that City dyed which occasioned an Accident which did well-nigh make a rupture betwixt the Emperour and the Port. The Imperialists had unadvisedly attack'd the new Bassa which the Grand Seignior did send to Newhausel and defeated his Convoy consisting of 200 Horse by way of Reprisal as they gave out for the Damages which had been done them by the Garrison of that Place without considering that this new Governour had had no share in these Violences The Bassa of Buda sent his complaints of this Affront to the Imperial General with threats that he would acquaint his Master with it and exact satisfaction by all the ways imaginable And they did so for drawing out strong Parties from the Garrison of Erlaw and Waradin they resolved to revenge the Insult done to the Bassa of Newhausel and marching towards Sando near Butrac which they pillaged they returned with above 200 Prisoners Count Wourmb the Emperour's General demanded Justice for this Violence from the Bassa of Buda but received no other answer but that what was done was by way of Reprisal During these Traverses Count Paul Wesselini dyed who had Commanded the Army of the Malecontents with great success but is succeeded by Count Tekeley young yet wary and brave who to this day heads the however broken discontended Party The Emperour who knew that the greatest force of Tekeley's Army came from Transilvania would divert Abaffi by re-establishing the Party of Pedipold who had formerly contested for the Sovereignty of that Principality To this end he obliged that Prince to send four Deputies to Constantinople to implore the protection of the Grand Seignior but the Visier caused them to be put into the Castle of the seven Towers which extremely surprised the Emperour's Resident who had orders to Negotiate that Affair joyntly with them The Emperour being informed hereof sent Monsieur Iullies with secret Instructions to the Port but he dyed by the way which did not a little trouble his Imperial Majesty being all this Envoy's Papers fell into Count Tekeley's Hands who drew no small advantage from the lights he received by them Hoffman Secretary of State returning from Constantinople was stopped at Belgrade being the Bassa of that Place refused to furnish him with necessaries for the continuation of his Journey But the Emperour having dispatch'd an Express to the Bassa of Buda to complain of this incivility he obtained what he desired Being upon his departure from Belgrade he was informed that the Great Visier was arrived upon the Banks of the Danube with a great Army and design to enter into the Province of Vkraine to fight the Muscovites he sent to demand Audience of him but this Minister returned him for answer That he should have it at Constantinople when the Campaign was ended Many and great were the Encounters betwixt the Imperialists and Malecontents the latter being for the most part successful who also ravaged Moravia being assisted by 2000 Tartars and Austria it self under the Command of Collonel Iosua sometimes a Priest known by the Name of Father of Ioseph who turning Protestant raised 6000 Men at his own Charges and joyning with the Malecontents grew formidable even to the Gates of Vienna But the Imperialists had also their turn and Count Esterhasi Governour of Papa attacked 2000 Janizaries and 500 Spahies near Vesâ—ren He took several Prisoners and amongst them some Agas As this Action might cause a Rupture if mis-represented betwixt the two Empires his Imperial Majesty dispatch'd a Courier to the Port to inform the Grand Seignior with the particulars of this Combat year 1679. The constancy of the Malecontents and their Intelligence with the Turks did not a little disquiet the Emperour but he was more troubled when he heard that these Infidels were upon the point of agreeing with the Muscovites which would put them into a Condition to turn all their power against him He thought he could not do better than to divert them by obliging the King of Persia to break with them and therefore sent the Baron of Meierburg to Hisâ—ahan to negotiate that Affair The Diet of Transilvania being held at Clausenburg the Grand Seignior as well to secure his own Interest as being dissatisfied with Prince Abaffi's Conduct sent the Bassa of Waradin with a strong Army to preside at that Assembly But things being accommodated betwixt them to the satisfaction of the strongest the Transilvanian and the Bassa's bordering upon his Principality who had been at the Diet had no other thoughts but of deliberating with the Deputies of the Hungarians of the means how to assist them The Emperour being advertised hereof sent Doctor Ferling to Constantinople to endeavour to penetrate into the Intentions of that Monarch and hinder that the Bassaes should not succour the Rebels There was also some under-hand dealing with the great ones of the Party to make their particular Peace with the Court. Amongst others the Proposition being made to Palaffi Imbre he found so little security in it that to shew his Companions he would never accommode himself with the Emperour he treated with the Bassa of Buda to deliver all the Places that were in his power into his hand and possession the which also he put in Execution tho' his Castle of Devin was in the mean time invested by Count Strasoldo before the Turks could enter it and together with the City forced by him 500 of the Garrison being made Prisoners The Grand Seignior to shew the esteem and satisfaction he had of the Person of Abaffi sent him a Sable as a token of his Favour and gave Orders at the same time to all the Bassaes of Hungary to send Troops and Forces as oft as he should require them being absolutely resolved to assist the Malecontents which he also
a Sable a Pole-ax and a Colours He gave him also upon his own account some Horses richly harnessed some affirmed that his Civilities passed further and that Tekely was declared King of Hungary by the Bassa who put the Crown upon his Head and cloathed him in Royal Habiliments in presence of all the Officers of the Garrison and several Bassaes who had been expresly commanded thither to assist at the Ceremony Tekely having satisfied his Ambition would now content his Love. He had sent his Secretary to Vienna to obtain the Emperours Permission to espouse the Princess Rogotski His Imperial Majesty thinking he ought to manage this Count in a time wherein he endeavoured to make him break his Engagements with the Port and further perceiving that it was but a Civility done him and that if he did not consent they would effect it without him granted his Envoy what ever his Master had desired Tekely gave immediately advice hereof to the Princess and prayed she would not defer his Happiness any longer She who as she had not desired to see him a King but to prevent her descent into a lower rank then that wherein Prince Rogotsky had placed her sent him word that he might come to Montcatz where after his return from Buda their Marriage was celebrated with great Pomp. This Lady was Sister to Count Serin a Roman Catholick but in some few Weeks after her espousals with Count Tekely she turn'd Protestant and thereupon discharged all her Catholick Servants This gave so much suspition to the Imperial Court that no more good was expected from that Alliance nor were they deceived his Attachments to the Port being too strict and his jealousie of the Germans too great He for all that treated still with Count Saponara the Emperours Envoy but it was to amuze him in expectation of the Turks taking the field to second his Designs The Emperour did also employ Count Serin to his new Brother-in-Law but he instead of serving his Sovereign enter'd into new Engagements as shall be declared hereafter In the beginning of Iuly the Tartars made inrodes as far as Trinchein from whence they brought more than 18000 Slaves killing all the old men from whom they could expect no Service The Palatine would have raised the Militia of the Country to oppose them but the Protestants refused to obey his Orders until the Emperour would give them Satisfaction upon all the points that had been proposed in their Name the last Diet. About the end of the same Month his Imperial Majesty received Letters from Count Albret· Caprara which signified to him that he had received Audience from the Great Visier and that he could not obtain a prolongation of the Trevis but upon the following Terms viz. That Hungary should be put into the same state that it was in the year 1655 That this Kingdom should pay his Otthoman Highness a Tribute of 50000 Florins yearly That the Fortresses of Leopolstat and Gratz should be demolished That Neutra Schults Eckof and the Isle of Schults near Presburg with the Fort of Muran should by a formal cession be delivered to Count Tekely That a general Amnesty or Act of Oblivion should be granted to the Malecontents and that they should be re-established in all their Good◠and Priviledges These Conditions seemed so harsh to the Emperour that he rejected them preferring a War before such a sordid accommodation The Cessation betwixt Tekely and the Germans being ended he joyned Forces with the Turks near Pest consisting of 40000 Men. He passed near Caschaw or Cassovia and turning suddenly surprised the Castle of Zatmar and in a few days after took the City Cassovia and other considerable Places ran the same fate And now the Turks act by themselves Tokai rendring it self to them as soon as they appeared before it The Emperour sent to complain to the Bassa of Buda of these Acts of Hostility but he answered that he did not pretend to break the Cessation in attacking these little places which were but receptacles of Robbers the Inhabitants thereof daily pillaging his Highnesses quarters Thus the strongest seldom fail of pretences to oppress the weakest On the other side the Bassa of Waradin having besieged Fileck pressed it hard He had already assaulted the place thrice and though Strazoldo Caprara Staremberg and the Palatine advanced with design to relieve it yet all these Generals however brave durst not attempt the Enemies Lines and it might be said that they were come so far but to be witnesses of the Victory by the loss of the place which surrendred it self The sixteenth of September the Hungarians entred into the Turkish Service but the Germans and all the Officers were made Prisoners because they refused to sign the Capitulation and the Women were made slaves the Turks lost 2000 Janizaries in this siege which obliged them to treat the Officers with so much Rigour and perhaps the place which they demolished was therefore razed or rather to prevent the Malecontents who demanded the possession of it from enjoying it The said Bassa after the forcing of Filek went with 40000 Men and invested Lewentz and Neutra which surrendred to him upon demand And Tekeley taking advantage of the absence of Strasoldo rendred himself Master of the High-land Cities The Bassa of Buda advanced also towards Gran with design to make a Bridge there over the Danube to the end he might open a passage into upper Hungary Tekeley seeing himself Master of the upper Hungary especially of the Cities thereof which by their Mines of Gold made up a great part of the Revenues of the Crown and now having refreshed himself in these rich Quarters he caused Moneys to be coined representing on one side his Effiges with this Inscription Emericus Comes Tekeley Princeps Hongariae and on the reverse these words Pro Deo pro Patria pro Libertate The Winter being now advanced he sent his Secretary to Vienna to offer a Cessation of Arms. This proposal was not disagreeable to the Imperial Court but they could not resolve to leave the said upper Cities in his possession his Deputies represented thereupon That their Master could not part with them without the consent of the Bassa of Buda but that he would favour the Imperial Work-men and suffer them to labour for his Majesties profit provided he might be allowed a Compensation for his Protection if not he threatned to destroy the said Cities worth 200000 Crowns yearly to his Imperial Majesty after some altercation the Cessation was again agreed upon and the Directors of the Mines were obliged to pay Tekeley six hundred Crowns every Week this Trevis did not hinder several Encounters betwixt the Christians and Turks A Party of Hussars in November defeated a Detatchment of the Infidels commanded by an Aga who was kill'd there There were found in his Pockets nineteen Letters of the Bassa of Buda's writ to Officers of that Nation ordering them to cause the Grand Seignior's Subjects to pay the Extraordinary
Counterscharp fortifying the whole Works and to plant Palizadoes As they had not apprehended a Siege the Generals found the more to do Lorrain endeavoured however to provide for all things before the arrival of the Enemy who began since the 11 th to shew their most advanced Troops near the City The same day Starenberg's Regiment arrived as also a thousand commanded Men who advancing swiftly before the rest of the Army entred the City And now they burn the Suburbs which was continued the day following the Citizens themselves carrying Fire into their own Houses and in the Evening there was a great Skirmish near the Palace called the Favorite where the Turks advanced to discover All the Infantry arrived the 13 th and Lorrain made them all march into the Counterscharp except eight Batallions which he retained in the Tabor the better to defend that Post where he resolved to stay until the Powder and Bullets expected from Lintz were arrived which being effected and the Ammunition conducted into the Arsenal he caused the rest of the Foot to be removed into the Town together with Dupigni's Regiment of Horse the whole composing a Body of twelve thousand Men. The Tartars had committed infinite Ravages and Cruelties in that vast extent of Countries round Vienna for several Leagues It is their custom to run before the Army armed only with a Javelin and to burn and sack and spread Terror over all where they find no resistance They kill such as fall into their Hands or traffick them away as Slaves with the Turks No place escapes their Inhumanity not the most retired Places of Forrests the impenetrable Dens of wild Beasts or the most obscure retreats of Valleys There is nothing these Barbarians do not discover by means of their Blood-hounds the use whereof is common amonst them But now the gross of the Enemies Army approaching a great number of Waggons some with four Horses and others drawn with Oxen and very many Camels laden with Baggage began to range themselves in form of a Croysent or half Moon about the City extending from the Danube behind St. Mark along the Suburbs of Leopolstat and the neighbouring Villages even to Neudorf At the same time the Turks opened their Trenches on the side of the Imperial Gate and lodged there in spight of the Cannon of the Town that endeavoured to hinder them The Duke of Lorrain having ordered Affairs at Vienna retired with his Horse and Dragoons over the Bridges and camp'd there he would gladly have kept some Foot with him but having considered the greatness of the Enemies Strength the Works that were to be made the distance of Supplies and the diminution which the continuance of a Siege would make in the Garrison he resolved to leave all his Infantry with the Governour who most earnestly desired it The Duke before he left Vienna had designed to continue in the Tabor or Isle of St. Leopold and so conserve the Communication with the City Tabor is an Island of a League and a half long environed with the Danube This Isle is full of Houses of Pleasure Gardens and Groves But upon a true Survey of the Place his Highness could not think it defensible the Waters being so low that the Arm of the River which formed this Iâ—le was almost every where fordable so that whole squadrons might pass at once without breaking their Ranks for this and other Reasons the Isle being likewise exposed to the Enemies Artillery they were obliged to repass the Danube The Turks by this time had pitch'd an infinite number of Tents about the City and making a lodgement in Rottenhoffs Garden where they had first opened their Trenches and raised a great Battery they thundered without ceasing to favour their Works which they continued winding and turning The besieged on their side covered themselves with Gabions and sacks of Earth to hinder the effect of the Enemies Cannon they also raised a good Battery on that side and all the Engineers and most knowing Officers being distributed into the several Posts were continually employed to render their Cannon serviceable and fortifie the Places the most exposed to the Enemies Fire which cost many of them their Lives The Turks moved to see that the Christians were Masters of the Bridges made an attempt to force Conte Schultz who had the guard of them This General seeing his forlorn and advanced Guards pressed he sent other Troops to sustain them but the Infidels having already a great body in the Isle of Tabor the Christians were forced to fly over the Bridge The Enemy planted their Standards there but the Cannon loaden with Cartrages flanking that place and the swift firing of the Dragoons ranged along that Arm of the Danube constrained them to retire though themselves were exposed to the Enemies great and small shot The Dragoons pressed them with so much violence in their retreat that they took their Colours The Turks upon this occasion lost a Bassa and many of their Janizaries General Schultz himself was wounded here as also the Conte of Salsburg and a Polish Major slain In the mean time the Turks having possessed themselves of St. Leopold's Isle shut up the City on all sides They made Bridges upon that Arm of the Danube which runs next the City not only to communicate with their Camp but to hinder the descent of Boats. They burnt the Favorite and reduced all the Palaces of the Grandees to Ashes As soon as the heat of firing began to cease in the Suburbs the Turks filled them with Janizaries so that none could enter or go out of the City which much troubled the Duke of Lorrain who could no more give or receive Intelligence from the besieged though so near and in sight of them The Camp of twelve thousand Men which the Grand Visier had left near Raab to favour the Convoys continued there still under the command of the Bassa of Buda but he was relieved by Prince Abaffi being himself obliged to go to the Siege of Vienna There was also a Camp almost always betwixt Fickem and Altembourg upon the same account that is to keep open and assist the Passage of Convoys which came from Buda and the Neighbouring Parts The Turks being posted in St. Vlrick's Suburbs run their Trenches within fifty paces of the Counterscharp and Batteries They also advanced their Cannon there but before they discharged them they caused a little Bag of Linnen carried upon the Spur by two Spahies to be thrown into the Counterscharp This contained a Letter from the Grand Vizier written in the Latin and Turkish Languages the Explication whereof follows TO You Generals Governours and Noble Citizens of Vienna We make known by these Presents according to the Orders we have received from the most Serene most Mighty most Redoubted and the Mightiest Emperour of the Vniverse our Master the true Image of God upon Earth who by the Grace of the most High in imitation of our holy Prophet Mahomet
of the Engineers came in great haste to the Governour to tell him that he had seen in one of the Shores of the City somewhat that had the Figure of a Man and that it was to be feared that the Turks had found a Passage and were entered through this Vault which disgorges it self in the Danube and that they designed to surprise the City that way The Governour not being yet well recovered of his hurt sent Nitski back with the Baron of Wels his Son-in-Law and Collonel Rumblingen who was present to examine the matter with care but being they stayed somewhat long the Governour weak as he was mounted on Horseback Being come to the place he alighted and entered himself notwithstanding the infectious smells into the hole having sâ—arched all about with Torches he found that they were Carkasses that the Executioners men had flead He very sharply reproved the Authors of this Inhumanity having accidentally met some of them and returned to his Palace pleasantly rallying this Pannick fear with those that accompanied him The Duke of Lorrain had continued in his Camp by the Bridges of Vienna to refresh his harassed Cavalry from the 16 th to the 25 th of Iuly He had there News of the defeat of 800 Tartars by a party of a Detachment which Count Dunewald Commanded which render'd these Barbarians more reserved The Count de la Tour the Emperours Envoy in Poland came to the same Post to him to assure him that that Prince promised to come to the relief of Vienna but that he could not be there before the beginning of September At the same time the Duke of Lorrain was advertised that Tekely having assembled his Troops near Tirnau designed to march to Presburg that the Governour of that Castle wavered and that the City was much sollicited to receive a Garrison of the discontented Hungarians which obliged him to march along the Marck to oppose this design and in the interim he sent 200 men with Major Okelby to endeavour to put them into the said Castle with a Convoy of 300 Horse for his Security The Duke discamp'd from the Bridges of Vienna having burnt them leaving notwithstanding the Regiments of Savoy and Ricardi to preserve the Forts Being arrived at the Mark he was informed that Okelby with his Convoy were beaten by a party of the Malecontents that the City had received a Garrison that they were by order of the Grand Visier preparing a Bridge for the Communication of both Armies that Tekely had 20000 Hungarians and 8000 Turks commanded by the Bassa of Waradin and Pest and that he prepared to come and besiege the Castle of Presburg This design appeared to the Duke of that consequence that he believed himself obliged to march thither notwithstanding all the Obstacles that seemed to oppose him This resolve was however a great while contested He considered the difficulty of the ways the Enemies Forces much superior to his the danger of receiving a check in a time when the Emperours Forces were to be preserved for relief of Vienna On the other side he foresaw that the Communication of the two Armies at Presburg did put the Enemies in a Condition to joyn their Forces to pass where they pleased and to hinder the Conjunction of the Arms of Poland or oblige them to tedious Circuits These Considerations made him determine to oppose the Designs of Tekely He traversed the Marck the 28 th of Iuly with his Horse and Dragoons being in all eight thousand Horse and two thousand Poles commanded by Lubomirsky A party that appeared a League from the River was forced back the Imperialists continuing their march to the Lanes that descended to Presburg Night being come on Prince Lewis of Baden and the Baron Mercy were detached with all the Dragoons to force the narrow Passages and gain the tops of the Vineyards which they did without any Opposition having a sight of the Enemy in the plain below The General upon notice came speedily there from whence he observed two Camps posted at some distance from each other He caused his Horse to advance which he had left behind the narrow Passages to be ready upon Occasion and in the mean time caused Okelby to enter the Castle with two hundred Men commanded a-new for this Enterprise At break of day the General commanded Prince Lewis of Baden to inspect the Suburbs where some Malecontents did appear Upon his advance the Enemy retreated into the City and abandoned the said Suburbs without resistance This happy Success and that in sight of the Enemy seemed an Argument of their Weakness and occasioned the summoning of the Town which in the Surprise it was seeing the Imperial Army at their Gates and the Garrison of the Castle reinforced immediately surrendred deliberating no longer than was necessary to give means to the Garrison of the Malecontents to retire to their Camp which did not happen for one part of them was cut in pieces when they were out and the other made Prisoners in the Town After this advantage the Duke was resolved to attack the Enemy who were advanced in Batalia within three quarters of an hour of the City He gave Prince Lewis of Baden Orders to seise with his Dragoons the Vineyards and Gardens at the head of the Suburbs and to extend on both hands from the Danube to the foot of the Mountain whilst the Horse commanded by Count Caprara descended by the same Vineyards to embattel themselves The Enemy on their side made some motions of coming up to the Imperialists and detached some Parties to begin the Skirmish but the Duke would not Engage them before all his Troops were in Battel-array As soon as the second Line was formed they began to advance which occasioned the Malecontents to change their Countenance for whereas they had appeared as if designing to bring the business to a Battel much Dust appeared in the Rear of their right Wing as also the left and removed farther off which seemed to be occasioned by retiring Troops which also proved so all the Line which stood opposite to the Imperialists wheeling and separating into a perfect Retreat Those who were on the Lorrainers right and had a Party of Polanders in opposition to them finding themselves pressed by their Avantguard were intirely routed being chased with considerable loss until they had gained a Wood and passed a Brook two miles off they there rallied on the other side and obliged the Troops that had pressed them to a stand On the left another detachment of Poles seconded by some German Squadrons and the Regiment of Palfi charged the Enemy with so much Vigour that having broken them they kill'd and took betwixt five and six hundred of them They seised on above a thousand Waggons with Baggage and pursued them towards Tirnau with so much heat that they forced some of them with great Confusion into the Woods and others into the Danube The fear was such that they fled on all sides until they had
that appeared made a motion putting themselves into three Lines leaving only two great squadrons on their right They then came and charged the left of the Christian Army with much fierceness and searching the Poles they attack'd the Hussars which the Great General Commanded At the same time the gross of the Turks who were in the middle of the height advanced towards the adverse Foot as if they would have charged them and being come within half Musquet-shot they declined to the leâ—t of the Christians exposing their Flank to relieve their own men The Duke who was gon towards his Infantry seeing this motion ran along the Line of the Horse of the left Wing and with all the party 〈…〉 first Line which had not yet charged he himself advanced at the head of the Squadrons and charged the Enemy in flank which put them to a general rout incapacitating them to make head again He ordered Dunewald to pursue with the whole first Line and with all the Poles of the same Wing who followed them Pell-Mell to the very Gates of Barkam and the Marshes of Gran where many of them were slain Whilst Count Dunewald chased the Enemy the Duke caused the Army to advance in Battalia towards Barcam The King having seen the flight of the Turks was come from the right Wing to the left to complement the Duke the Generals and Senators who accompanied him did the same Amongst the rest Iablorisky the Grand General of Poland in presence of all avowed that his People refusing to advance to sustain the Hussars the readiness of Count Dunewald to succour him and the Vigour of the Emperours Horse had repaired that fault and could not be sufficiently commended And now in the disorder the Enemy was in they resolve to attack Barcam The King caused some of his Cossacks to advance and the Duke added five Battalions of Starenberg of Grana and Baden all under the conduct of Count Starenberg This detachment was scarce ordered when the Duke who was approached to the Fort to inspect it was advertised that the Bridge upon the Danube was broken by the precipitate flight of the first Run-aways and that the crowding in Barkam and upon the side of the River were so great that they seemed to be packed upon each other He hasted thither and would lose no time upon such an occasion He gave Prince Lewis of Baden orders to dismount the Regiments of Dragoons of Schults Comfettein and Castell and to march to the Fort on that side to make a second Attack The command was instantly executed and having sent some parties of Foot by Water and five pieces of Cannon charged with Cartrages he ordered that the Fort should be assaulted whilst the great and small shot plyed their Vollies upon the Banks of the River The Turks seeing themselves thus pressed on all sides could not withstand the Attack the place being forced the Foot and Dragoons entering at the same time by the ways they attâ—mpted it The slaughter was terrible though most of the defendants to save themselves from the fury of the assailants precipitated themselves into the Danube some leap'd in with their Horses others tried to pass by swimming holding by the Mane and tailes of their Horses or some plank or piece of the broken Bridge and there were some who crept over the dead bodies which were held by the cordage and pieces of wood remaining where the breach was This slaughter continuing long the number of the dead was very great all that part of the Danube near the shore not being very rapid being filled with them all the surface of the River where largest being covered with cloaths and the equipage of Men and Horses and there did not escape above seven or 800 of all this multitude who found their preservation in the kind of a Redoubt which was at Barcam where they had put themselves and from whence they demanded quarter and had it The Town being garrisoned with Dutch and Poles Count Staremberg seeing these two Nations were ready to murther each other for the booty removed the Imperialists having only the Poles there who awhile after burnt Barcam and all the Pallisado's that â—â—â—losed it because the Turks had placed the â—â—ads of the Poles slain in the late Engagement upon the tops of them Count Tekely who had orders from the Grand Visier to joyn with the Bassa of Buda at Barkam was advanced upon the Mountains within two miles of it but being informed by those he sent to discover what the Christians did of what was passed he retired with much diligence By Letters from Gran as also by the relation of Prisoners there were not 3000 men of all this detachment of 14000 Horse and 1200 Janisaries saved They were the flower of their Army commanded by the Bassa of Buda Haly Bassa of Aleppo the Bassa of Silistria and some Aga's The booty was great above six thousand Horses being taken and the Tymbals and the Baggage which the Poles had left were recovered This Victory did not only re-assure the Poles but put the Male-contents into a despondency and did so strongly increase the disorders in the Turkish Army that the Grand Visier unable to master them was obliged to retire The next thing the Christians undertook was the Siege of Gran though the Duke had need of all his Reasons and elocution to perswade the King of Poland to it but having at length consented and the Bavarian Forces being come up three Batteries were forthwith raised and ten great Guns were by force of men as also eight Mortars drawn up the Mountains of Martin and Thomas deserted by the Enemy The Castle was strongly battered on the Gate on the Buda side great quantity of Bombs were thrown in and the shooting lasted all day The Imperialists advanced to the Ditch and lodged there on the side of the Bavarian approaches They advanced to the foot of the Wall which lookt towards Barcam and about five in the evening some commanded Battalions of the Imperialists attack'd the City on the other extremity and carried it without resistance for as much as the Enemy having retired contented themselves to defend it by their great firing from the Castle from whence the very sills of the Houses are discovered The Imperialists being masters of the City the Bavarians in the Night gained the foot of the Castle where they fell to Mining whilst the Imperialists leaped into the Mote and lodged there Several men were lost there by the defendants Bombs Granadoes Stones c. which they continually threw amongst them whilst they were covering themselves The Cannon beginning to make a breach about Ten a Clock and the Miner at work a Summons was sent in by a Turkish Prisoner with offer of goods and life if they would surrender the place before the day was ended The besieged demanded till the morrow which being refused the firing of the Artillery Musquets and Bombs were redoubled They passed the Moat made two Lodgments by
After this the General sent also to the Princess Ragotzki Count Tekely's Wife to surrender her strong Castle of Mongatz to the Emperour's Service which contrary to expectation she absolutely refused to do And this put an end to the Campaign in those parts except their Excursions beating up of Quarters and Surprises which were frequent on both sides Nor were the Turks more fortunate on the side of Croatia where Count Lesley commanded the Imperialists for he burnt the Suburbs of Canisia and destroyed the Countrey four Miles round and now understanding that the Turks had left but three or four thousand men to guard the Bridge at Esseck the Serasquier having taken the rest with him to fight the Imperialists he decamped from the Place of his Rendezvous near the Drave with a Resolution if possible to burn the said Bridge of Esseck In order to this he left his Baggage at Turanowitz with a Guard of two thousand Men discamping with four thousand Germans and two thousand Croats all choice Men each one being ordered to carry Provision with him for ten days by reason of the scarcity of Victuals by the way Michalovitz being surprised expecting no Enemy surrendred to his Avantcurrers upon his further advance the Country being alarm'd some Turkish Horse appearing skirmished with the Avant-guard of Croats and had treated them ill if they had not been succoured by the German Dragoons and Cuirasiers who had the Guard they however left a Captain-Lieutenant with near thirty Souldiers They marched on but no Turks opposed scarce appeared before they came to the Plains of Esseck Then there appeared a thousand Turkish Horse with some Foot at a distance behind them which obliged the Christians to range themselves in Battalia and the Turks suffered them to advance till they came within Musquet shot they then begun to stir and being charged on both Wings by the Croats they were wholly broke and routed and many of them slain in the pursuit The Infantry saved themselves in the Town and afterwards in the Castle The Christians advanced in order to thâ— Suburbs which they took at first onset and afterwards the City both which they miserably pillaged and plundred The City of Esseck is great and populous having at least five hundred shops of Merchants of in it many Mosques and Hacars which are great Inns for Passengers All was crowded with Rice Flower Bread Bisquet Salt c. as also â—arley Oats and Forrage in abundance enough to furnish an Army As soon as they were Master of the City they placed a Guard against â—â—e Castle whilst the General went to see the bridge the like whereof is not in the World. On this side the Drave from Esseck to the said â—iver it is about eleven hundred paces long and on the other side more than eight thousand all of Oak Wood. It is twelve paces broad The Drave is not large in this place the Bridge being supported by only sixteen Boats. The Turks brake it the preceeding day letting the materials vogue with the stream into the Danube Count Lesley caused thirteen fair Mills upon the Drave to be burnt and having in vain attempted to burn the Bridge on the other side consumed that on this with Fire in few hours The Imperialists knowing that the Inhabitants had saved their best goods in the Castle they would also attempt that but having lost several Captains and other Officers they desisted and Lesley returned back to his Camp at Turaâ—â—â—itâ— The Wars against Poland were carried on with more Success at least Equality by the Ottomans who together with the Tartars made perpetual Incursions into the Vkrain and the confining Provinces burning and ravaging the Villages and Countrey carrying the alarm to the very Gates of Leopol Not were the Poles forward in their Preparations moving but very slowly to their general Rendezvous so that the King not going to the Field in Person it was very late in the year before they were come together however entertained in the mean time with a very sad account from Podolia Volinia and the lesser Russia of the miserable Devastations of those Countries by the continued Incursions of the Infidels The Grand Seignior had appointed Solyman Bassa now Seraskier to command his Army against the Poles year 1683. which he endeavoured to raise and form with all imaginable Industry being sollicitous for Caminiec which he took care by reiterated Convoys though some sometimes miscarried to provide for He hearing of the Christians advance towards the Niester the Cham of Tartary being joyned with him and both near forty thousand strong posted himself near the River to hinder the Poles from passing it And now the Armies drawing near it was supposed they would not separate without a Battel The Poles passed the Niester with theirs consisting of betwixt twenty and thirty thousand men on a Bridge they had made for that purpose advanced into Moldavia where they encamped and now the whole Army being come up the Crown General having summoned a Council of War it was determined to go and find the Enemy and force him to fight The Army marched accordingly and were three days passing the Woods and Streights of Boucovisia without any Intelligence of the Enemy Being come into a Plain their Van-Guard was presently charged by a Body of Tartars Ten Troops of Horse were sent to support the Christians but being over-power'd were forced to give way The Prince of Courland advancing with three Battalions and some Field-pieces gave the Christians Opportunity to rally and returning to the charge obliged the Tartars to retire to the Hill from whence they came The next Morning the two Armies stood in view of each other only some slight Skirmishes passing betwixt them The third the Seraskier designing to fall upon the Enemies right Wing with his main force charged it briskly but finding it strengthned from the main body retired and fell upon the main body it self but with the like success The Poles left Wing was charged by the Tartars with some advantage at first but in the Conclusion were forced to retire That day the Turks had been incommoded by the opposite Artillery composed of thirty pieces of Ordnance and the following day having received Cannon from Camineck they repayed them in kind The Christians continued encamped the two following days securing themselves with Trenches and Redoubts On the ninth day the Christian General being informed that a great Detachment was sent to fall in the rear of the Army and shut up the Passages of the Forrest he resolved to retire and that he might do it with less trouble he caused all their Waggons that were not absolutely necessary to be burnt It was next Morning before the Turks were aware of their march when descending into the Plain they charged three Battalions of foot which had not yet entered the Wood but they being well covered with turn Pikes and each two Field-pieces they received the Enemy with so great a Fire that they forced
satisfactions he shewed them the Emperour's Commission and Orders to begin the Campaign with the Siege of Buda exhorting them to do their duty in an enterprise of such great importance whereon depended not only the conservation of his Highness's Conquests the security of his Crown and the good of Christendom but also the ruine of the Ottoman Empire being the loss of this considerable place would be attended on with the surrender of the other Cities and Fortresses of Hungary which would return to the Obedience of their natural Sovereign The Generals who expected to begin with the Siege of Agria or Alb-Royal were overjoy'd to understand that the design was upon Buda and this News being spread amongst the Officâ—rs and Souldiers of the Armies they all testified their Satisfaction by their forwardness and their desire to see themselves before a Place where they might signalize their Valour and revenge the Death of their Comrades who had been interred in the Trenches of the former Siege The Voluntiers to the number of six thousand of all Quality and Conditions which were come thither out of Germany France England Spain the Low-Countries and other parts of Europe to seek Honour in so pious a War shewed much Ardour and Zeal to signalize themselves in so glorious an undertaking The Troops of the Circles were not yet come and they of Brandenburg who marched through Silesia and the Straits of Iabluncka advanced but slowly by reason of the difficulty of their way and could not come so soon as desired But the Armies to lose no time discamped on the twelfth of Iune by break of day the Duke of Lorrain taking his way by the Bridge of Gran had passed it the thirteenth the Troops of Saxony having the Vauntguard The Elector of Bavaria marched on this side the Danube to possess the City of Pest. Whilst the two Armies were thus marching on both sides the River Count Rabatta who was Commissary General had caused a prodigious quantity of Gabions and Fagots which the Souldiers had made as they came to the general Randezvouz to keep them from Idleness to be imbark'd and sent by Water towards Buda together with the Artillery Ammunitions Provisions Forrage and other necessary things for the subsistence of Armies The next day the Armies advanced the great one near Vicegrade and the other by Vaccia The fifteenth the Imperial Horse followed by the Foot and their Cannon and Baggage passed Vicegrade some Prisoners having been made by a party that the Duke had sent to make Discoveries These unanimously declared that they of Agria and Alba Regalis fearing a Siege had refuged all their best Moveables in Buda and that this Capital City was as well as the other Places furnished with Troops and necessary Provisions to sustain a long Siege in expectation of Relief Being come within an hour of the Town without any encounter the Horse made halt as well to repose themselves as to expect the coming up of their Infantry and Artillery and now they begin to lay a Bridge of Boats at the Isle of St. Andrew for the Communication of the two sides of the Danube On the eighteenth the Baron of Diependal General de Battalia invested the City of Buda whilst the Infantry were marching up and taking up their Posts half a League from the place they began to break Ground and work at their Line of Circumvallation A great party of Horse and Foot appeared out of the Garrison at the Vienna Port but they returned again upon the advance of a Detachment of Imperial Horse who had Orders to charge them contented to welcome the Assailants with eight Volleys from their Cannon though they kill'd but one Pioneer by reason of the too great distance The nineteenth the Duke advanced with the Army as far as the hot Baths the Turks having abandoned that Post the day before The general Quarters were taken up within a quarter of a League of the Town The same day the Elector of Bavaria seized upon the City of Pest which the Turks had quitted retiring with their Cannon Ammunitions and Provisions into Buda after they had broken part of the Bridge behind them The Croats who scouted about the Country took a Turkish Chiaux with a Convoy of forty Spahis who was sent with Letters from the Port to the Visier of Buda Being brought to the Camp his Letters were examined which contained rigorous Orders to the Visier to be very careful of the Places which depended on his Government and to assure him of a quick and powerful relief in case he were attack'd On the twentieth the Bridge over the Danube was finished The same day a party of Horse sallied out of the Town with design to surprise the Christians advanced Guard but the Duke being advertised of it in time sent four squadrons to which many Volunteers joyned themselves with orders to charge them but they upon their approach retired without any engaging The Artillery being arrived two Batteries were raised against the lower Town where the Duke of Lorrains Attack was and at Night the Trenches were opened A Janizary who deserted reported much after the same manner that the Prisoners already mentioned had done that there were but eight thousand men of formed Troops in the Town The Visier having some time before sent two thousand Souldiers to Agria and as many to Alba-Regalis upon a supposition that the Christians would not think of besieging Buda which had been so fatal to them but two years ago This Run-away affirmed further that the Place was abundantly furnished with all manner of Provisions and Ammunitions to sustain a very long Siege that the Visier Abdi Bassa was no great Warrior and therefore the less considered by the Souldiery that he had assembled all the Officers and Souldiers of the Garrison together had exhorted them to do their Duty and to support with Honour the Glory of the Turbant adding that he had Orders from the Grand Seignior to defend the City with his Life which he was resolved to do and expect the Succours which the Grand Visier would infallibly bring them To this the Ianizaries and Spahis replyed that they were ready to sacrifice their Lives in his Highness's Service and for defence of their Laws upon Condition however that the Visier would immediately give them ten Crowns a Man that the Souldiers and Officers that were detained in Prison for what Crime soever should be set at Liberty and that he would not suffer things to come to the last extremity lest the same misfortune might happen to them as did to those of Newheusel all which the Visier promised them to oberve exactly I must acknowledge I am entring into a tedious Narrative and somewhat against my Humour which affects lucid brevity but the History of this Siege perhaps circumstantially the greatest upon Record full of such strange Events of Emulation in the pursuit of Glory of succesful Temerity and an invincible Resolution on the one side as also the Fidelity the
Constancy and the unfortunate Valour of the other hurries me on to a description of it in all its particulars which I will do with that Candor that the very indifferent Reader shall find nothing that may justly shock him and the curious wherewith to content him The Elector of Bavaria having left a Garrison at Pest and passed the Bridge of Boats at the Isle of St. Andrew came with his Army before the place and took his Post in the same place where he had commanded in the preceding Siege that is on the Castle side and the upper Town to form the second attack the third being reserved for the Brandenburgers who were expected in a few days and were to be reinforced with the Troops of Suabia and Franconia That Night the Turks fired mightily upon them that worked in the Approaches and Batteries whereof several were killed and hurt in the Lorrain Attack The Duke sent all the Imperial and Bavarian Horse under the command of the Generals Palfi Gondola and others to camp in the Neighbourhood of Alba Regalis on purpose to consume the Forrage and keep that Garrison in continual alarms there remaining in the Camp but three thousand Imperial and fifteen hundred Bavarian Horse to secure the Trenches and Pioneers The Night passed the Battery against the lower Town was brought to perfection and twelve Pieces of Cannon mounted upon it which played all the following day with the loss of five men slain and several wounded from break of day the Cannon continued firing with such success that they made a breach in the Wall of the lower Town which was found to be twenty paces large In the mean time the Bavarians on their side carried their Approaches on with great diligence and had also some killed and wounded The day following the breach being enlarged was assaulted towards evening the Walls being easily gained for the Defendants retired into the upper Town after the first discharge The Christians lost a Captain of Foot a Lieutenant of Granadiers some Souldiers and six Voluntiers in this attempt besides seven or eight hurt and from that time they began to attack the Town in form it being resolved that the Trenches should be relieved every day by a Lieutenant General and a Major General as well in the Duke of Lorrain's attack as in the Elector's The 25 th Count Souches and Diependal relieved the Trenches but nothing was done besides assuring the Lodgment upon the Wall of the lower Town and opening the Gate which the Turks had shut up on the right far enough from the breach where they took Post and that the Labourers might be less incommoded General Souches caused fire to be put in the neighbouring Houses where some Fuseliers did lurk who were burnt with them The Bavarians finished the same day a little Battery upon St. Gerards Hill which the Turks had abandoned from whence they threw some small Bombs into the City to try experiments They also finished another great Battery to beat the great Rondel which joyns the Castle to the upper Town The same day Count Budiani presented some Standards to the Duke of Lorrain taken from a party of Turkish Horse which convoyed fourteen or fifteen Barks loaden with the Wives and Children of the Officers of Buda who retired with all their riches to Belgrade and which his Heyduques and Hussars reinforced with some Imperial Dragoons had surprised and beaten at the Island of St. Margaret The booty was great and ninety-twâ— Women and Children taken amongst which was the Visier of Buda's Wife The 26 th they made several traverse Lines and laboured to compleat the Approaches to secure their Quarters in the lower Town which was furnished with two thousand Souldiers and a good number of Pioneers The Earth being rude and stony did much obstruct the Labourers The great Master of the Teutonick Order which commanded the Trenches observing that the Pioneers in the lower Town might be easily insulted and beaten by the Besieged had upon his demand six Battalions sent him which were posted along the Wall to countenance them Two fugitives who said they were Hungarians rendered themselves and confirmed that the Garrison was but eight thousand Combatants who by order of the Visier had begun to untile the Houses and unpave the Streets to hinder the effect of the Bombs In the evening betwixt six and seven a Clock the Turks sallied out with great Cries to intimidate them who were posted in the Rondel by the Water side but they were so well received that they retreated confusedly Marshal Starenberg hastned thither seasonably with two Battalions of them that had been posted the day before behind the Wall without which Succour the Turks would have made a great Slaughter amongst the Labourers The Enemy was pursued and the Souldiers cut off some Heads which they presented to the Duke who gave them a golden Ducket for each Head. A Captain was hurt in this scuffle and ten or twelve Souldiers killed and as many wounded The Bavarians raised two Batteries for Bombs on the two sides of their great Battery They carried on their Trench above one hundred paces and ran three traverse Lines with a place of Arms for the defence of their Battery The Turks fired much with their Artillery but killed only two Souldiers The 27 th the Christians compleated the works they had made in the Night new traverses were made some Musketiers were placed in the Mosque of the old Town a Post was taken on the right near the Gate which makes the Angle of the Upper Town the Lines were enlarged and deepned and the great Battery was well-nigh finished with the loss only of one Man and some few wounded This Morning the Enemy appear'd where they had been yesterday seemingly disposed to skirmish but seeing that the Christians were ready to receive them they retired without attempting any thing About Eleven a Clock they sallied out Horse and Foot with design to dislodge the Besiegers posted on the right but having stood a Volley and seeing Count Hoffkirchen Lieutenant Collonel to D. â—ewald advancing with the Guards of Horse they returned into the City leaving twenty of their men dead behind them Of the Christians there were but two killed and five or six hurt Another Deserter came out of Town who reported that the Governour was greatly perplexed in that he saw the inevitable fall of the City which the Grand Seignior had committed to his charge and that he lost in the Sallies his best Souldiers without being able to ruine the Enemies works but that he resented nothing equally with the captivity of his Wife and those of the Principal Officers of the Place taken when they thought them past danger In the Bavarian attack they finished a battery to play upon the Castle and the Rondel that joyns it to the City The 28 th in the Lorrain attack a Line of Communication four hundred paces long was drawn from the Post at the Angle on the right to the middle Gate and
another Line was made to go to the new battery upon which they planted twelve pieces of Cannon A little one was likewise in hand for four Mortars which were carried thither that Night with some Cart loads of Bombs The besieged began to shoot Bombs and Stones out of Town A Captain and sixteen Souldiers were wounded that Night and some killed The Duke of Lorrain foreseeing that Forrage would grow scarce in the Camp sent most of the baggage Horses to the Meadows assigned them betwixt Gran and Newheusel General Dunewald who commanded the Horse camped near Alb-Royal advertised the Duke that the Turks having abandoned the Castle of Bathyan upon the River of Zarvis he had put men into it and that he was going to make a tentative upon Palotta a place of good strength near Alb-Royal The twenty ninth they continued to compleat their Works and the Duke augmented the number of the Labourers with an addition of six hundred more The besieged made no Sallies these two days but they plyed their Artillery more furiously than ordinary to ruine the Christians great Battery About five a Clock they sallied upon the Bavarian attack with two thousand Horse and Foot with so much Success that they put the Besiegers into much disorder and the Janizaries leaping into the Approaches were busie in throwing of them down when Count Hoffkirch flying thither with the Guard of Horse from the Duke of Lorrain's Quarter and the Bavarian Generals with their reserves the fight was rude on both sides till the Turks were forced to retreat being pursued even to the Gates of their City notwithstanding the continued fire from their Cannon and Musquets from the Walls Prince Eugenius of Savoy had his Horse killed under him Prince Lewis of Baden and the Generals Fontaine and la Vargne signalized themselves in this Action as also the Voluntiers and particularly the Prince of Commercy Switterdael a Bavarian Lieutenant-Collonel was slain as also six Voluntiers with thirty seven Souldiers besides sixty two wounded one Captain two Lieutenants and an Ensign The loss on the Turks side was greater being the Christians brought away sixty of their Heads besides what a fugitive Rascian reported that the Turks had had near two hundred kill'd and wounded That Evening the four Mortars placed by the great Battery began to play into the besieged Works Six Culverins were also planted upon the old Battery wherewith they design'd to shoot into the Town Gate to incommode the Sallies of the besieged The thirtieth the Troops of Suabia and Franconia arrived in the Camp and took the Posts designed for them all the Night and Day were employed to advance the Works which are so numerous that they are scarce distinguishable Count Souches who commanded the Trenches that day having sent three Granadeers to discover the distance betwixt the Approaches and the Rondel they brought word that it was no more than three hundred paces and that the Turks were making a Ditch at the foot of the said Rondel Every Night great store of Gabions Fagots Munitions and Provisions arrived in the Camp by the care of the Commissary General Count Rabatta Count Caprara parted from the Camp with the Suabian Horse to joyn those encamped near Alb-Royal and to command the whole in chief Five Rascian Shepheards feeding their Sheep without under the Walls slipt insensibly into the Bavarian Quarters with at least four hundred where they were well received and gratified All they could say was that the Consternation was great amongst the besieged who were yet resolved to defend themselves in expectation of the Succours they were in hope for They added that the Bombs and Carcasses had fired the Town in several Places though it had been luckily enough extinguished The first of Iuly Count Starenberg shewed General Schoning who commanded the Bradenburg Auxiliaries and arrived in the Camp the Night before the Approaches and the Attacks which were reserved for his Troops which was on the Water side on the left of the Imperialists after which he was magnificently treated by the Duke of Lorrain from whence he went to joyn his Troops which were expected the next or the following day This Morning the Imperialists began to shoot out of their new Battery out of four Pieces which shot twenty four pound Bullets The five Mortars by the great Battery continued to play upon the Rondel on the right with such Success that the Defendants durst not shew themselves there The Works were compleating and there were two Redoubts made to secure the Communication with the great Battery This Night there were but five hurt and one killed and this Morning an Adjoutant General was hurt in the Head with a Musquet-shot as he was carrying Orders into the Approaches There hapned nothing in the Bavarian Quarters where they only continued their Labour and their Batteries made a Breach in the outward Rampart The rest of the Troops of Franconia consisting in fourteen hundred Foot arrived there who were placed near the rest of the same Circle The second the Lorrain Attack advanced within two hundred Paces of the Walls of the City The battery of twelve Guns of twenty four pound Balls was finished and four other Mortars that played without ceasing all the last Night fired the Town near the great Church which lasted till Morning the Cannon was plyed all this day against the two first Rondels which are in a manner defenceless Two Battalions more were sent to reinforce those who were camped under the Wall of the old Town The besieged threw again many Bombs and Stones but with little prejudice to the Besiegers killing them not above three or four Souldiers The Troops of Suaben began to work at their line of Circumvallation and purpos'd the following Night to raise a Battery upon a height which they possess'd The Bavarians thundred furiously against the Castle and upper Town and had thrown many Bombs which had kindled a fire that was not yet extinguished The Duke apprehending that the Turks might when it was dark put by the help of small barks Men and Ammunition into the Town went in Person to discover the suspected Places about Pest commanding the Prince of Savoys Regiment of Dragoons to post themselves there to assist the Hungarians who were already there and had Orders to raise some Sconces along the River side for their Security On the third of Iuly the Brandenburg Troops were seen to march on the other side of the Danube The Duke of Lorrain went to visit them where he was received by General Schoning with a triple Salvo of all the Foot ranged in battalia with their Cannon at the head of the Infantry His Highness was treated there with much Gallantry and afterwards returned to his Quarters extremely satisfied to see such a fine body of Men so brisk so well disciplin'd and provided with such a good Train of Artillery The Imperialists finished another line for to defend their Approaches They made such great fire with their Cannon and Mortars that
of day that the Enemy had made a Gallery of Planks to pass the Miners to the middle Rondel they rolled down many Bombs threw many Granados and other artificial Fire with combustible stuff in such abundance that the Planks were burnt and the Gallery reduced to Ashes At five in the Morning the besieged sprung a Mine some Paces from the Wall betwixt the middle Rondel and that at the Gate with Success being it overturned one of the Christians Mines with the loss of seven or eight of the Miners They seconded this with a sharp Sally disordered the Workmen ruined their Labours and posted themselves betwixt the Imperialists and Brandenburgers but the reserve coming to their Aid from their place of Arms they forced them back into the Town There were above eighty of the two Attacks killed and wounded in this Adventure one of their chief Cannoneers slain and several subaltern Officers The besieged lost as many Notwithstanding this check the Works were continued with the same Vigour in the Approaches Lines and Galleries On the Bavarian side they ruined the little Port from their Battery with ten demy Cannons and the breach there was very spacious Iuly the tenth At the Lorrain Attack they work'd all Night to repair the Batteries and the Approaches which the besieged had ruined in the former Sally and to redress the Gallery which they had burnt and the Miners were again fired that Night At the Bavarian Attack the Miners worked under the Palizade of the Rondel and under the Wall with hopes of compleating their Mines in three days several were slain amongst whom was Lieutenent-Collonel Wachtenheim The Christians had Intelligence by their Spies that the Turks to the number of seven thousand reinforced with some Tartars who ravaged the Country had a design to introduce a new Commander with a recruit of Troops into Buda which obliged the Duke of Lorrain to command some Foot to post themselves on the other side of the Danube and upon occasion to joyn with the Horse that were there already and meet and fight the Enemies Iuly the eleventh This evening five demy Cannons were mounted on the two new Batteries in the Lorrain Attack and two Mortars planted in a little Fort with the loss only of two killed and five hurt The Brandenburgers placed three pieces in battery and would plant more the Night following to shoot glowing Bullets into the City The Bavarians fortified their Attack by two Redoubts Yesterday in the Evening four hundred Foot were ordered to raise some Defences on Pest side near the Danube to hinder lest any thing should pass that way into Buda Iuly the twelfth All the Batteries of Lorrain and Brandenburg were compleated and the first lines of these two Attacks were so joyned that men could pass from the one to the other undiscovered by the Enemies Fire And now they were so near the Walls the besieged did perpetually throw hand Granadoes and Stones to incommode the Workmen but without any great harm The Miner on the left found himself much advanced under the Wall but they met with more difficulty on the right and so they would inlarge the breach by force of their Cannon The Count de Souches inspected the breach by order of the Field Marshal Starenberg and it was found spacious enough to be assaulted The Brandenburgers began to shoot their inflamed Bullets and Bombs out of twenty two Cannons and two Mortars but with no great Success being the Besieged had uncovered all their Houses The Bombs and Carcasses invented by the Franciscan Frier were highly esteemed They now only plained and inlarged the Breaches and prepared themselves for the assault There were nine hurt and three slain with Granadoes and Stones The Breach in the great Rondel on the Bavarian side was large enough and the Miner was at work under the Pallizade of the Ditch The Duke having Intelligence that the Seraskier was advanced with some thousands of Turks near Hatwan commanded 3000 Horse and six Battalions of Foot Imperialists Brandenburgers and Bavarians under the Conduct of General Mercy to pass the Danube and post themselves on the other side of the Bridge to hinder the Turks to put a recruit of Troops into the City with the new designed Commander Achmet Bassa who had the Reputation of being one of the best Officers that the Grand Seignior had in his Service Iuly the thirteenth This morning the besieged sprung a Mine under the middle Rondel near the Christians Mine which was already finished which Mine did what the besiegers designed by throwing down part of the Rondel where they had no breach as yet There were two hundred Turks ready to fly into the adverse Works as soon as the Mine took but seeing it had a contrary effect to what they designed they retired All things being disposed for an assault thereby to make a lodgment upon the Wall Count Starenburg directed the attack in the manner following Count Guydo Starenburg commanded on the right of the Rondel Count Herberstein the middle of the Curtain and Count Aversberg all three field Officers on the left They had each of them two hundred and eighty Souldiers the Engineers Granadeers Fuseliers Carpenters and Pioneers were posted betwixt two and the rest to the number of two thousand were divided into three bodies of Reserves to support the Assailants the Voluntiers who had demanded the point mingled themselves with the first Betwixt seven and eight a Clock the signal for the Assault was given by a discharge from all the Batteries and a shower of Bombs and Carcasses which were discharged upon the City and the Retrenchments which the besieged had made behind the breach and notwithstanding all the resistance of the besieged the Christians mounted the breach where the Combat was very rude and obstinate on both sides for three quarters of an hour with all possible bravery The besieged sprung a Mine under the Assailants first line which buried Captain Kalkreiter and some Souldiers But seeing they could not take post for want of Earth that they could not force the Pallizado'd Retrenchment behind the breach and that the chief Officers were already all hurt or slain by the continual fire of the besieged it was thought expedient to make a retreat five or six leap'd over the Turks Retrenchment but being ill followed got off with the rest The Regiments of Souches and Mansfeld suffered most in this Action and that of Starenburg was also ill treated There were more than four hundred kill'd and wounded but the loss of so many brave Officers and Voluntiers who lost their Lives there were particularly deplored but few that were hurt escaped which begot a belief that the Turks shot with envenomed Bullets Amongst the dead were Count Herberstein Count Kuffstein and another Captain of the same Regiment the Baron Rolle three Captains more and eight Lieutenants and Ensigns Of Voluntiers that were slain there or died of their Wounds the Duke of Vexar a Grandee of Spain who was one of
great Opposition particularly at the great Rondel where the Breach was high and the Defendants very numerous and resolute The Christians were beat back two or three times but returning still to the Assault they at length took possession of the Breach and posted themselves in it The Brandenburgers took the Wall of the little Rondel The Combat lasted from five till nine a Clock with great effusion of Blood not so much by the Turks Arms as their Mines and Powder which they had strewed in great quantities in several places which they successively fired as they were forced from their Posts There could be nothing more lamentable than to see two or three hundred men at once tossed up by force of the Mines which were most killed or grievously wounded And yet the Besieged could not terrifie the Christians nor hinder them by their obstinate resistance to lodge upon the Rondels and the Curtain The Hayducks apprehending the fire failed in their false alarming on the Water side The Duke and General Staremberg were near the Great Master with their Swords in their Hands encouraging the Officers and Souldiers to do well and the Prince of Croy was in the middle near the Curtain where he was hurt The Night being come put an end to the fight and it was spent in securing their Lodgments with two Lines of Communication from the Approaches to the possessed Rondels and the Miners were fastned to the inner Wall of Retrenchment where the Turks fortified themselves This Assault was one of the bloodiest the most hardy and best disputed that ever was seen whether we consider the bravery and intrepidness of the Assailants or the obstinate Valour of the Defendants The number of the slain amongst whom was Adjoutant General Attein was not very great but that of the wounded very surprising of which Catalogue were the Prince of Croy the Pâ—â—nce of Commeâ—cy General Diependael General Thungen the Baron of Asti the Major of Starenberg Lieutenant Collonel Redere Major Pini Conte Schlick Baron Gera and many other Captains and subalterne Officers On the Brandenburg side Count Dona Collonel of Foot was slain Major Marwitz and the Prince of Curland grievously wounded with very many others At the Bavarian Attack the Elector had ordered the Assault in this manner The Palizades upon the Breach having been burnt the day before by forty choice Souldiers the Elector commanded a Lieutenant with 20 Fuseliers a Serjeant six Voluntiers and ten Granadeers and a Corporal with six Carpenters to cut the Palizadoes an 100 Musqueteers with their Officers were ordered to post themselves at the Enemies Palizade and to shoot without ceasing to favorise the Pioneers to make the Lodgment upon the Rondel amongst which there were twenty five with Spades and Pickaxes and 75 with Hatchets commanded by a Captain and seconded by a Lieutenant-Collonel a Major and a Captain with fifty men armed with half Pikes Halberds and Partizans by a Lieutenant with thirty Granadeers and by 200 Musqueteers under two Captains and two Lieutenants Things being thus disposed as well on the right as the left the two Neighbouring Redoubts were furnished each with thirty Harquebusiers and three Battalions of Imperialists Bavarians and Saxons were to second the Assailants The Gunners had order to fire from all the Batteries and to throw Bombs and Carcasses without ceasing into the Castle and betwixt the two Walls on the Water side as also to point their Cannon against the high Walls and Windows of the Castle All things being thus ordered and the signal given from Pest they advanced towards the Breach however difficult to mount on the right and left of the Rondel as also the Curtain and that with so much Vigour that they became Masters of the Post driving out the Besieged for all their incessant firing and a shower of Stones which they threw from their Castle Windows They also took the Swingher which is a great Place in form of a retreat betwixt the Walls and the Houses but this Place being commanded by the said Walls whence the Turks annoyed the Aggressors with Granadoes Stones and Bombs which they rolled down the Elector caused those that were there to retire being content to secure the Lodgments upon the Rondel and the Wall of the Castle by a Line of Communication from the Gate of the Bridge to that of the Swingher so that the Bridge remained in their Power which was further secured by traverse Lines and two Redoubts The Elector eminently appeared in all this Action and the Generals signalized their Courage as did also the Voluntiers Officers and Souldiers who sought with all the bravery that was to be expected from men of Courage Nor were the Turks less commendable for their Constancy and Fidelity doing every thing that oppressed Valour could be capable of They who defended the Rondel and the Swinger were for the most part killed and hurt There were eight pieces of Cannon found there and two Mortars turned now against the Besiegeds second Wall and Retrenchments In this Assault of the Bavarians there were slain two Majors two Captains four Lieutenants one Ensign but the wounded were many one Collonel two Lieutenant-Collonels two Majors 25 Captains 16 Lieutenants thirteen Ensigns The Generals Lavergne Rummel and Asprâ—mont were of the number of the wounded as also the Duke of Escalona a Grandee of Spain and some other Voluntiers of Quality making up with the Officers and Souldiers the number of 117 slain and 972 wounded Of the Troops of Saxony a Lieutenant-Collonel and some under Officers were killed one Lieutenant-Collonel two Majors two Captains one Captain-Lieutenant and three Ensigns were hurt of the Souldiers there were seventy slain and a hundred ninety nine wounded so that the number of the slain and wounded in this Assault amounted to above three thousand men Iuly 28 In the three Attacks they were only employed in burying their dead and securing their Lodgments upon the Breaches The Duke of Lorrain did also apply the Miner to the second Wall which was done in three several Places as did also they of Bavaria and Brandenburg Iuly 29. The three Mines in the second Wall were sprung with that Success that they made a new Breach there and filled part of the Ditch with the Ruins The Bavarians advanced to the right of the Rondel and seized two Mortars there which they turned against the Besieged The great Cannon was advanced and they pretended to batter the City with an 100 pieces of Ordnance and forty Mortars if the Turks continued in their Obstinacy The Besieged howsoever made several Cuts and Retrenchments behind the second Wall. The Duke seeing that well nigh all the Generals of the Infantry were hurt and in no Condition to act order'd for the future that the Generals of the Horse should serve in the Approaches to wit the Count of Stirum and the Conte of Lodron and so the first mounted the Guard that Night with General Souches and was to be relieved on the morrow by the grand
up and turned her Head about upon which the Executioners being again called back the Cord was a second time applied and wrung so hard with the haft of a hatchet that at length she was dispatched and the News carried to the Royal Chamber The black Eunuchs immediately took up the Corpse and in a reverend manner laid it stretched forth in the Royal Mosch with about 400 of the Queen's Slaves encompassing it round about with Howling and Lamentations tearing the Hair from their Heads after their barbarous fashion moved compassion in all the Court. This Work being over the Vizier having given thanks to the Ichoglans or Pages for their pains gave order to produce the Banner of Mahomet which is carefully and reverently kept in the Treasury which being produced obliges all of that Faith from seven Years and upward to arm and come under it The Banner being brought forth with a rich Covering was advanc'd with great shouts of Allah Allah and carried by the Ichoglans out of the chief Gate of the Seraglio where it was shewn to the People who with wonderful admiration and devotion beheld their glorious Standard order was also given to proclaim through the whole City the Procession of the Heavenly Banner for they say that the Angel Gabriel brought it to Mahomet in the time of a great War made against the Christians as an infallible Sign and Evidence of Victory The opinion of this superstitious Flag so prevailed as it brought not only the Young and Healthful to fight under it but Sick and Old and Women judged themselves obliged to run to the defence of this Holy Ensign The news hereof and the death of the old Queen coming to the old Chamber of the Janisaries several of them and those also of the principal Heads began to murmure that it was now necessary to lay aside their private Interests and have a respect to their Faith and their Souls for should they oppose the Heavenly Banner they should run themselves into the State of Gaurs and Infidels and become liable to the same censure or punishment which is inflicted upon unbelievers But in the new Chambers Bectas endeavoured to remove this apprehension from the mind of his Souldiers by large Presents both of Gold and Silver perswading them to uphold their Fame and Reputation for that the Grand Signior and his Mother were Enemies to their Name and Designs and resolved to abase or destroy the order of that Militia and with assurance of Victory and encouragement against a People unarmed and undisciplined animated them to fight and to make the business more easie advised them to fire the City in several parts that so the People might be diverted and divided for safety of their own Goods and Dwellings But this proposition took not with the Officers and Souldiers who had many of them Houses and Possessions of their own in Constantinople but put them into great Distractions and Divisions in their Counsels In this pause came an Officer from the Grand Signior who to venture his life had the promise of a good Reward with a command in Writing which he threw in amongst them and galloped away as fast as he could crying out as he rode He that comes not under the Banner of the Prophet is a Pagan and his Wife divorced The Writing was taken up and carried to the presence of the principal Officers which being opened and read was to this purpose Bectas Aga I have made Pasha of Bosna Kara-chiaus I have made Captain-General of the Sea Kul-kahya I have made Pasha of Temiswar and Kara Hassan Ogle I have made Janisar Agasi and I require at sight of these Presents that every one of you upon pain of Death and ruine of his Family repair to his Duty and Station In this instant came news that the old Chamber of Janisaries had left their station and were run under the Banner without Arms and had refused Bectas's Mony and deserted his Cause and that the Spahees in great Troops and the Jebegees who command the Ordnance approached with Artillery to beat upon their Chambers The Spahees came thundring in upon the Janisaries in remembrance of their past Injuries and had certainly cut them off had not the Vizier with his Sword in his hand by good and bad words restrained them and appeased their Animosity The Janisaries of the new Chamber proclaimed their new Commander and visited him with their usual form of Congratulation running afterwards confusedly â—nder the Banner Kara Hassan the new elected Aga of the Janisaries went to the Seraglio to thank the Grand Signior for the Honour done him and with ten of his principal Friends was admitted to the Grand Signior's Presence who humbly kissing the Ground received the accustomed Vests and with some Admonitions was fairly dismissed and ordered to reduce his Janisaries to better Obedience By this time Bectas Kuskahya and Kara Chiaus with some of their Favourites remained wholly abandoned looking one upon the other full of Complaints and Railings each at other for the miscarriage of the Action But since it was not now time to condole but to save their Lives every one made to his House First Bectas fled to his Home where having ordered his Affairs he clothed himself in the Albanian fashion and escaped to the House of a poor Man formerly his Friend and Confident but the next day being discovered by a Youth was taken and being set on a Mule was with the scorn and derision of the People conducted to the Grand Signior's Seraglio and there strangled This Person was held in so much detestation by the common People that after his Death the Cooks and inferiour sort of Servants run Spits and Pitch-forks through his Body and plucking the Hairs out of his Beard sent them for Presents to their acquaintance through all Constantinople saying These are the Hairs of that Traitor who gloried that before he would lose his Head there should be raised a Mountain of Heads as high as St. Sophia But Kulkahya being come to his House filled his Portmantles with Gold and Jewels and accompanied with sixty Horse resolved to fly to the Mountains of Albania places so inaccessible that they have never yielded to the Turkish Yoke but finding himself hotly pursued in his Journey and that it was impossible to escape with so great a Number freely distributed a great part of his Gold upon his Retinue and thanking them for their Affection and good Intentions dismissed them all excepting one Servant with whom he journied with four laden Horses with Gold Jewels and other Riches and perceiving that this also was too great an incumbrance they buried a Treasure to the value of 600 thousand Dollars in the Country as they travelled which was afterwards found out by certain Shepherds who disagreeing about the division thereof the Matter came to be known to the Judg of that Country who seised upon it all and sent it to the Grand Signior's Treasury But Kulkahya travelling still farther with his
Schaffemberg Assistants to the Lieutenant Governour and Major Volontiers were Count Trotmandorf who had been a Colonel many years in Flanders Count Five-Kerk Captain of the Provincial Circle of Austria the Count of Salzbourg who was Colonel of a Regiment of Croats but being come to Vienna to be Cur'd of a Dissentery which he had got in the Army and the Siege happening before his perfect Recovery he offer'd to serve in nature of a Volontier The Baron of Kilmensec Great Forester to the Emperor defended the Court-bastian for three days with eighty of his Foresters who being excellent Marks-Men and used to their Guns which they charged with an exact proportion of Powder and Bullet did great Execution upon the Turks seldom missing their Shot and the Baron himself killed a Turk at 300 paces distant who was afterwards known to have been one of the Turks principal Canoniers The Count Vignacourt a French Gentleman formerly employed by his most Christian Majesty in quality of an Ambassador to Ferdinand the Third Father of the present Emperor and to other Princes of Germany was an other of the Volontiers As were also the Count de St. Micaele a Venetian Ernest Sigismund de Zeternz of an antient Family in Silesia Cornelius Rummingken a Person of Sixty two years of Age and tho' much afflicted with the Gout yet being an experienced Soldier his Councils were more available to the Governour than his Bodily Services And lastly There was Sigismond de Reitoffar a Gentleman of Moravia who had formerly been a Major General who shewed himself at all times daring and active in the Execution of such Orders as he received from Count Staremberg the Governour This was all the Force which was lodged in Vienna to defend it against that Formidable Army then ready to encompass it on all sides But whom God will save are always well protected and then there never want Provisions nor Councils nor Courage in the Soldiery The Count of Kollonitz who was Treasuerer of Hungary did most seasonably furnish the Bishop of Newstadt with Five hundred thousand Florins for supply of the Garrison during the Siege with Three thousand Measures of Wine which this Bishop who was a Knight of the Great Cross of Malta and had been in the Siege of Candia did with good mannagement lay up in several Cellars in the Town and distributed to the Soldiers in time of the Siege as also the Money which was paid out with such order and on such occasions as were requisite and necessary to appease all complaints which might arise for want thereof But above all care was taken to establish a Council in the Town during the Siege The Persons thereunto nominated and appointed were Count de Capliers Counsellor of State and General of the Ordnance Count de Molard Grand Marshal of Austria Baron de Belchamp Councellor of the Emperor's Houshold and the Chancellor Hoffman The Governours under Count Staremberg were the Counts of Thun and Serini and after them Souches and Schaffemberg Baron de Beck the Prince of Wirtemberg and Baron Heister who were all Colonels of Regiments which served in Vienna By this time being the 14 4 of Iuly the Duke of Loraine having given all the necessary Orders for conservation of the City year 1683. the Turks began to descend by the Hill of St. Mark with their Horses Waggons and Camels laden with Baggage ranging themselves in form of a Crescent or Half-moon round the Town Upon appearance whereof and the News of the near approach of the Great Vizier the Duke of Loraine on the 15 th at night drew off all his Horse and Dragoons to the other side of the Bridges and there Encamped He had once entertained some Thoughts of conserving a part of the Foot in his Camp but considering the great Force of the Enemy ready to surround the City the largeness of the Works which were to be maintained the distance of the Forces which were designed for its Relief and the daily decay and diminution of Soldiers in a long Siege were sufficient inducements to this Wise Commander to supply the City with all the Infantry without any reserve unto himself Howsoever he had once some Thoughts of posting some of his Cavalry in the Tabor to keep a Communication with the Town but upon a true survey thereof the Water was found to be Shallow in many places and Fordable that Man and Horse could March into it in Rank and File so that the Water being of no security to a Camp the place was deserted The Tabor is an Island in the Danube of about a Mile and half in length planted with Trees and Orchards and full of Gardens Fountains and Houses of Pleasure The Tabor being judged no place for the Cavalry to Lodge in the Duke of Loraine passed the Danube leaving the Bridges to be defended by the Dragoons of General Schultz By this time the Van-guard of the Turks were advanced and great numbers of Tents pitched round the City And the Vizier with the Gross of the Army was Marching to the Siege having left the Pasha of Buda with Twelve thousand Men to block up Raab where he remained until such time as he was Relieved by Apafi Prince of Transilvania with some of Tekeli â—s Forces and then he proceeded to the Siege of Vienna On the 16 th the Vizier enter'd the Camp highly raised and puffed up with assurances of finding the Gates of Vienna opened unto him or at least to run over the Walls without much Opposition His numerous Force gave him a confidence of Success and his natural Pride suggested to him an Impossibility of being Overcome The Country People nourished this Opinion in him by Reports that all the Christian Infantry were shut up in the Isle of Schultz that there was no force in the City and the disorder and Confusion so great therein that upon the first Summons they would open their Gates Nor was the Report ill grounded for at that time the whole Garrison of Vienna did not consist of above Six hundred Men of which the Vizier was well advised and knew that if he made but some more than ordinary hast with his Army oâ— detached a formidable Body to appear in sight of the Town before the Duke of Loraine had Re-inforced the Garrison and put all things into a Posture of Defence the Gates might easily have been opened and the City become the Prey and Reward of the Ottoman Soldiers But this was not the Vizier's business his desire was to gain and appropriate all the Riches unto himself which was to be done only by Articles and Conditions of Surrender drawn and agreed in the time of a formal Siege and therefore he would neither hasten his Troops to take Possession of the City before it was Reinforced nor yet incourage his Mâ—n to Enter the Town by mere Force and Dint of Sword which in the Opinion of the Soldiery he might have done if when he Stormed the Works
Steeple to give notice unto the Duke of Loraine of th◠great distress of the City and of the daily advances the Enemy made upon them and the hourly diminution of the Garrison The nex day to confirm these Signals the Duke of Loraine received Letters from Staremberg and Capliers representing the sad and extreme misery of the City which could not hold out much longer but must if not speedily relieved be yielded to the Besiegers Howsoever they concluded with a Resolution to defend themselves to the last drop of their Blood. The 29 th the Turks fired the greatest Mine of any they had yet done but to so little purpose that they durst not adventure to second it by an Assault as they had formerly done This day about three a Clock in the Afternoon a Mine of the Turks over-threw a great part of the right Flanker of the first Retrenchment of the Ravelin which was still defended by the Imperialists thô the outward Retrenchment was possessed by the Turks The Christians lost only two Men by this Mine who were buried in the Earth but the Turks pressing forward were repulsed with loss of twenty of their Men who were killed The Turks to conclude this Month fired their Cannon and Mortars so incessantly that it was believed a General Storm would follow And having fired a Mine in the Morning they hoped to have become Masters of the Ravelin now as it were at its last gasp and Assaulted it with such Fury that it seem'd ready to yield But the Christians fought with so great Resolution that they kill'd Sixty Ianisaries upon the Ruins and recover'd all the third and part of the first Retrenchment And thô the Defendants were well assur'd that they should be Relieved in very few days yet not knowing what Accidents might occur which none could foresee they with all diligence made another Retrenchment at the Foot of the Court Bastion and at other places Towards the Evening it was discovered that the Turkish Miners were at work under the Ravelin in which to disturb them it was agreed the next day to make a brisk Sally and to burn the Galleries by which they passed to the Mine The next Day being the first of the Month the Sally was accordingly performed by three Hundred Men who descending into the Ditch of the Court-Bastion advanced as far as to the Galleries intending to burn and destroy them with Granadoes and diverse sorts of Fire-balls but the Works being deep and the Ianisaries pressing on them in great numbers the Defendants were forced to retire with the loss of about twenty Men thô with many more on the Enemy's side Towards the Evening the Fight was again renewed by a fresh Assault of the Ianisaries purposing with full resolution to become entire Masters of the Ravelin but the Christians being spirited with the hopes of speedy Succour so valiantly opposed them that at length they were forced to retire with great Slaughter Immediately after which the Besieged made another Sally with about four hundred and fifty Men burnt their Galleries and ruined those Works which they could not repair again in less than three Days In this Action the Citizens behaved themselves with much Bravery and Dexetity in the execution of their Fire-works and thô this Sally cost them Ninety Men yet it was attended with the death of above three Hundred Ianisaries The Day before was remarkable for the Encounter of the Duke of Loraine and the King of Poland the first going to Olbrun to meet his Majesty So soon as they came in sight of each other about the distance of twenty five Spaces the Duke descended from his Horse as did also the King and coming near they embraced The King in very affectionate Terms demanded after his Health and commended his Valour and Conduct by which he had sustained so long the force of such powerful Enemies Then he presented to him his Son Prince Alexander whom he said he had trained up betimes in War to serve the Emperor and did not doubt but he would improve much more by the Guidance and Example of so great a General To which the Duke returned answer That his Majesty had not only amazed him with the heroick and generous Act of so long and tedious a March but had astonished him with the excess of his Favour and obliging Expressions towards him That next to the Service of the Emperor he desired to live that he might perform something acceptable to his Majesty and to all his Relations That as to the Forms and Rules of War no Person alive was so well versed in them as his Majesty from whom all the Generals and Captains of the World might without discredit not be ashamed to learn the Lessons of Military Discipline After which the Generals of the Army the Nobility and Vice-Chancellor of that Kingdom came and paid their Respects to the Duke of Loraine And then being mounted on Horse-back the King having the Duke on the Right-hand and the Prince on the Left they enter'd into Discourse concerning the State of the War and continued the same until they came to the Camp where in the King's Tent a sumptuous Supper was prepared at a long Table the King sate in the middle on his Right-hand the Duke was placed and on his Left the Prince of Poland after which the King ordered all the Nobility who came with the Duke of Loraine to sit also The Supper being ended at which various Discourses passed but most relating to the present Enterprise the Duke of Loraine returned to his own Camp much satisfied with the Courtesie and Resolution of the King who dispatched Messengers with all diligence to the General who brought up the Rear to hasten the March of the Army with all convenient speed And the next day the King dining with the Duke of Loraine at his Tent resolved to meet the Emperor at Krembs on the second of September where the Interview was appointed and there it was where all things were to be concerted about the Passage over the Danube and Conjunction of the Armies Whilest these things were projecting Count Sciamburg came from Nayburgh bringing Advice That the Elector of Saxony with his Forces could not be at Krembs until the third or fourth of this Month upon which it was computed that the Relief of Vienna could not possibly be until the 12th Intelligence of all these Matters being carried to the Emperor the Presence of his Imperial Majesty was judged necessary at Krembs where the place of general Rendezvous was appointed both to animate and inspirit the Army and to accommodate compose and silence such Quarrels and Punctilio's as might arise amongst so many Princes of different Countries concerning Place and Precedency but the Emperor in his way thither being taken ill of some Indisposition in his Health proceeded no farther than Lintz where he remained until he received the happy News of the Relief of Vienna and the Confusion of his Enemies
of the Honour of the Success of this Day was due to the Bravery of the Germans who were the first to enter into the Camp and Trenches of the Enemy Thus were the Christians become Masters of the Turkish Camp where they lodged that Night in the same Form and Order as the Turks had done the Night before with Fires and Lights in all the Tents only it was a more grateful Spectacle to the Besieged which they could behold with more Comfort and Security than ever they had done the Nights before for this was of Joy and the others of Terrour In the Night the Turks passed the River at Sweker with so much Fear and Precipitation that they not only left their whole Camp standing but even the Standard of the Empire which is the Sacred Banner of their Religion with the three Horse Tails which are the Ensigns of the Vizier's Authority Moreover they abandoned to their Enemies all their Tents Baggage Ammunition and Provisions with all their Cannon and Artillery being One hundred and eighty Pieces and so speedy were they in their Flight that before the next Day in the Evening the Van of their Army had passed Raab Next day early in the Morning Count Staremberg attended with his Son and several of the principal Commanders of the City went out to return Thanks to his Benefactors for so great deliverance and to Congratulate with them their Fortunate Successes and Triumph which would appear Glorious over all the World But the first thing which the Duke of Loraine did that Morning by break of Day was to Order all his Army to put themselves into a readiness to March whilst he consulted with the King of Poland how and in what manner they might pursue the Enemy and improve the Victory But the King seemed so well satisfied with the advantage already gained and with the Prey and Booty of which he was possessed sitting Master in the Vizier's Tent with all the Appurtenances and Accommodations thereunto belonging that he excused all farther Proceedings at present saying That his Army was much Harassed and required Repose and not in a Condition to pursue an Enemy whom they beheld at a far distance advanced in their way before them by the Fires and Smoak whith ascended upwards for as the Turks fled they burnt all the Villages through which they passed And now in the Christian Camp and in the City was time for Joy and Triumph Count Staremberg having paid his Respects and made his Complements to the King of Poland and the Duke of Loraine he conducted them into the City with a numerous attendance of Nobility and Gentry who had served in the late Siege all the Forces were drawn up on both sides of the Streets between which they passed with loud Acclamations of Joy unto the Church of the Augustin Fryers where in the first place as was most just Te Deum was Sung and Thanks returned to God with Sincere Devotion Thence they went to the House of the Governour Count Staremberg where he received the Applause and Praises of the King of Poland and the Duke of Loraine which were due to his Conduct and Valour and the like Commendations were bestowed by them upon all the Officers and Souldiers of the Garrison who had every one signalized themselves during this Siege by some Action or piece of Service or other which was Remarkable and worthy of Observation Afterwards these welcome and long-desired Guests were entertained with a sumptuous Feast at the Governour 's House after which towards the Evening with the like Joy and Festivity they returned to their respective Quarters and Tents in the Camp. In the mean time the Besieged Inhabitants who had long been pent up and inclosed within the Walls of the City were not only desirous to breath in a more open Air but were carried with a Curiosity to see the Approaches which the Enemy had been making on them and how near they had entred to the Heart of the City that it may be doubtful whether it was more pleasant to Men lately delivered from the extremity of a perishing Condition to behold how near they were to the devouring Enemy and yet to escape or to survey with an amazed Curiosity the Tents Batteries Trenches and Approaches which the Turks had formed against them with wonderful Art and Industry The Face of all things was now changed Want and Famine into Plenty Fears and Anguish into Joy and War into Peace In the Vizier's Tent of which the King of Poland was possessed the rich Vestments Jewels and Mony there found were valued at a Million and became the Prey and Booty allotted to his Majesty which no Man envied considering the generous and heroick Action of that Prince for whose Merit no Reward seemed too great Amongst other things in that Tent the Standard of Mahomet was found which the King sent to Pope Innocent the XI by his Secretary Tulenti On the 14th the Emperor with the Electors of Bavaria and Saxony entred into the City of Vienna which he beheld with Eyes of Compassion and Tenderness for seeing the Desolation which the Enemy had made and considering the Slaughter of many of his trusty Citizens and valiant Soldiers he could not refrain from Tears of Sorrow mixed with Joy for the Deliverance and Safety of the superviving Party Being entred within the Gates he went directly to the Cathedral of St. Stephen's not on Horse-back or on a Triumphal Chariot but humbly and meekly on Foot carrying a Taper in his Hand in a kind of penitential manner went to the great Altar to pay his Duty and offer up his solemn Thanks to Almighty God according to his usual Devotion for the wonderful and miraculous Deliverance of that City And having thus in the first place complied with his Service towards God he went in the next to visit the King of Poland whom he overtook at Sweket a Village about a League distant from Vienna as he was proceeding on some farther Enterprise against the Enemy Upon notice of the Emperor's Approach the King whose Army marched in the Van made a stop and the German Army being in the Rear the Emperor placed himself at the head of them and the Polish Army facing at the same time about the Kiâ—g appeared at the head of his and so between the two Armies these two great Princes attended with a numerous Train of the chief Nobility and Gentry belonging to each Court met and embraced each other and with very affectionate Complements and Expressions of Kindness and Friendship having entertained Discourse together for the space of near half an Hour after second Embraces they departed Never was there a more heroick and generous Action performed in the World than was this of the King of Poland who after a long and tedious March so valiantly exposed his own Person to Hazard and his Army in the face of an Enemy which to human Appearance was Invincible and all this to bring Relief
appeared a great Fire and Smoak which was judged to arise from the Town and that the Turks themselves intended to Burn it to the ground By break of Day in the Morning the Duke mounting on Horse-back at the head of his Cavalry ordering the Foot to follow him at leisure he approached near the Walls and gave orders to a Detachment of Dragoons to make discovery of the State and Condition of the place which was soon found to have been set on Fire and abandoned by the Turks only a few remained who had not time with the rest to pack up their Baggage and be gon these endeavouring to make some little Opposition were killed and three Colours taken those who escaped fled over the Bridge and broak off Fifty of the Boats to prevent the Pursuit of the Enemy which floating down the Current were taken up by the Christians The Duke of Loraine being come to Pest caused the Fire to be extinguished which had as yet Burnt but one third part of the Town all the Stores of Ammunition and Provision being saved The Works and Fortifications were ordered to be repaired and Cannon to be mounted on the Walls but the Place proved too hot for them being so much incommoded by incessant shooting from Buda that there was no abiding for them there for Pest lies in a beautiful Plain and gives Denomination to the Country round about which is called Comitatus Pesthiensis From Buda is hath a sumptuous Prospect by the appearance of the Towers on the old Walls and Spires of the Moschs but is so overtopt by Buda that all the Cannon there can shoot into it so that the Imperial Army quitted the Place until it should fall into their Hands and follow the Fate of Buda as an Appendage or Dependance thereof The Troops being with-drawn from Pest they marched back to Witzen where two Bridges of Boats were making to pass the River at the Island of St. Andrew's where the River divides it self in two Branches and makes the Ferry over much more short and easy The Passage over the first Branch or Arm was not very difficult but that on the farther side of the Island was much more hazardous by reason that the Stream was broader and more rapid and the Turks with 20.000 Men encamped within three Miles from the Banks of the River but nothing seemed now too hard or dangerous to a victorious Army and an invincible Captain for whilst the Bridge was finishing with incredible Expedition some Soldiers for Spyes swam over to the other side where having observed that the Turks lay with much Security within their Camp and without any motion which was a strange thing considering that they might easily have defended the River and made the Passage over impossible Five thousand Foot with some Pieces of Cannon were ferried over in Boats where being landed without any disturbance they intrenched themselves and raised a Battery from whence they could shoot into the Enemies Camp and secure the Passage of the Water for the rest of the Army On the 10 th of this Month the Bridge being finished the whole Army passed over the same Day and joyned themselves with the other Body already on that side The Seraskier being informed that only a part of the Army was got over he advanced against them with all his Horse and eight Hundred Ianisaries and two small Field-pieces with him were the Pasha of Buda and thirteen other Pashas leaving the rest of the Ianisaries and all other his Foot with the Cannon about the distance of an Hour's March The Attack which the Turks made was so suddain that the Christians had scarce time to put their Forces into order of Battail but howsoever such was the readiness of this Army and the good Discipline of it that every Regiment and Troop at the first sound of an Allarum took their Places without the least Confusion The Duke of Loraine at the head of his Cavalry undertook to lead the Van and therewith sustained the first shock of the Enemy with Carbine-shot only standing so firm and resolute that no breach could be made into their Ranks in which time the rest of the Army had opportunity to put themselves into posture of Battle which upon their Motion appeared so formidable that the Turks began to make a disorderly Retreat and to fly as fast as their Horses could carry them until they came to the Place where the Ianisaries and Cannon remained Howsoever being closely pursued by the Polish Horse many of them came short home and several Colours were taken nor was this Action without some loss to the Christians and particularly of some Persons of Note and Quality as namely The Count de Velheim Bernardino Scotti a Gentleman of Milan with some other Voluntiers of Heroick Courage who pressing too forward to signalize their Valour ended their days with much Honour and Glory The next day being the 11 th the whole Christian Army advanced towards Buda between which and a Party of the Turks there happened a Skirmish to the disadvantage of the latter with which and with a constant Train of other ill Successes the Turkish Army being cowarded and dismayed with-drew themselves out of the open Plains to seek shelter under Hills and Mountains and lodged themselves near St. Gerard â—s Mount whilst Major General Staremberg advancing near the City began to prepare Matters necessary towards a Siege The 13 th the Turks set fire to the lower Town of Buda and retired into the upper which was situate on a Hill and defended by a strong Castle The Fortifications hereof were not very regular but made of old Towers without Bastions but the Garrison consisting of Eight thousand Men was the best of its Strength Commanded by five Pashaes and well supplied with all sorts of Ammunition and Provision the Governour was the Vizier of Buda and under him as his Deputy-Governour was Shitan Ibrahim of whom we shall hereafter have occasion to give a more particular Character The 14 th a small Attack was given and designed purposely as a good Omen to the Soldiery who still retained in their Memories that the same Day of the Year past the Turks had formed their Siege before Vienna and this very Day the Duke of Loraine had brought his heavy Cannon to the places of Battery and had now perfected a formal Siege against the capital City of Hungary The next day the Cannon beginning to play they made themselves Masters of the Ditch and of St. Gerard's Mount which Commands the Town and thereon a Battery was raised The Seraskier finding that his Army was dismayed and neither for their Courage nor Numbers a competent Match for their victorious Enemy retired three Leagues distant from Buda intending often to trouble and infest the Besiegers with continual Alarums Whilst these things were thus acting the Duke of Loraine received Advice that the Pasha of Maroz who was appointed to guard the Bridge of Esseck was
the Batteries had razed a Bulwark to the Ground and widned the Breach and dismounted four Pieces of the Enemies Cannon and the Bombs had set Fire to several parts of the Town and so far was the Siege carried on in order to a general Assault that on the 6 th of August the Turks hung out a white Flag as a Signal that they would Capitulate Accordingly a Treaty was had and Hostages given and at length an Agreement was concluded That the Turks with their Families might have Liberty to leave the Town with so much and no more than they could carry on their Backs The Garrison being Seven hundred Men towards the Evening marched forth with Sword and Musquet and were ship'd and carried on the farther Shoar of an Arm of the Sea all the Christian Slaves were set at Liberty on Condition to serve on Ships and Gallies of the Republick in the Quality of Seamen and Soldiers The Venetians entred the Town at the Breach the Plunder whereof which was considerable was given to the Soldiers In the Place great store of Provisions were found with Eighty Pieces of Cannon The Venetians lost about Two hundred Men in the Siege Morosini immediately caused the principal Mosch to be Blessed in which Te Deum was sung and dedicated to St. Saviour because it was the 6 th of August on which day is the Feast of the Trasfiguration when the Turks hung out the white Flag of Surrender The Command of the Place was given to Lorenzo Venier a noble Venetian one of whose Ancestors was Commander in chief of the Venetian Army when Selimus was entirely defeated at the Battle of Lepanto The Fortifications of Santa Maura being repaired and a Garison left in it General Morosini set Sail to the Port of Petula and thence to the Port of Dragonetta where he cast Anchor and landed his Army which consisted of Two thousand Venetians about One thousand of the Pope's Auxiliaries and about Fifteen or Sixteen hundred Greeks This Army advanced on the Plains upon approach of which several Turkish Troops which were employed to defend Passages retired without any Resistance which gave opportunity to the Christians to Burn four or five Villages which having done they returned to the Fleet and re-embarked themselves At the same time General Morosini with his Gally got sight of Patras and Lepanto and thence Sailing to the Port of Damata a Council of War was called and there it was resolved to Attack Preveza without which Santa Maura could not be secured Preveza is a Fortress which now stands in the place of the ancient Nicopolis of Epirus the Situation of which is very Commodious for it Commands the entrance into the Gulf and was anciently the Royal City of Pyrrhus This Enterprize being resolved General Morosini dispeeded five Gallies and six Galleasses to approach the Castles of the Gomenizze which being discerned by the Turks from Preveza they sent back those Soldiers which they had lately drawn from thence on supposition that the Venetians would make all their Attempt upon Preveza which happened according to the Desire and Intention of Morosini whose Aim it was to divide their Forces The Army in the mean time having left Damata came to an Anchor on the 20 th of September at the entrance into the Gulf and the next day Captain Manetta with Twenty four Barks and some Brigantines entring the Gulf landed part of his Forces which the Turks in vain endeavoured to hinder by great and small Shot and next Morning by break of Day the Gallies which had anchored under the Hill of Mahomet Effendi appeared within Musquet-shot of the Place which gave a Diversion to the Turks who having drawn all their Forces to that side gave opportunity to the Christian Forces to land on the other without much Annoyance under the Conduct of General Strazoldo which Errour so soon as the Turks discovered Shaban Pasha the Governour immediately ordered Five hundred Spahees to ride full speed to Attack the Forces before they were landed but before they could come they found the Christians already drawn up in Battalia upon whom having made some slight Charge they retreated again in disorder with the loss of several of their Men. Thus did the Christians advance without much difficulty and make themselves Masters of the Out-town and of the Hill of Mahomet Effendi which Commands the City and at the same time the Gallies and Galliots approached yet nearer to Preveza when Morosini thought it seasonable to Summon the Town letting them know that in case they deferred the Surrender until the last extremity he would grant no Quarter nor any Conditions whatsoever But the Officer who commanded in chief under Shaban Aga who was gone to head Four thousand Men without the Town and observe the Motions of the Enemy refused to read or receive the Letter but barbarously shot the Messenger who brought it having a Confidence the Governour whose Deputy he was would speedily return and raise the Siege Whereupon Morosini having viewed the Posts and Situation of the Place caused his Cannon and Bombs to be landed and raised his Batteries which played with so good Success that several parts of the Town were fired and most of the Enemies Guns dismounted and those which remained on their Carriages were so ill managed that they did little or no Execution for there was as yet of the Christians but one Soldier killed and five wounded The Breach by this time was found very considerable and on the 28 th a Lodgment was made in the Ditch and a Mine being ready to be Sprung Orders were given to prepare for an Assault which the Turks fearing to expect hung out a white Flag and offered to capitulate and to accept the same Conditions which were given to Santa Maura But at length it was concluded that Thirty only of the most considerable persons amongst them might march out with their Arms and Baggage and the rest without Arms and with no more than they could carry about them and that all the Christian Slaves should be set at Liberty Accordingly the Day following the Turks to the number of Two hundred Men marched out at the Gate towards the Sea and were Embarked on some Grecian Boats with a Convoy and were Landed within four Miles of Larta about Two hundred of the Inhabitants remaining in the place The Town being taken the Standard of St. Mark was set up on the Walls and all the Turkish Colours and Banners taken down and sent to the Admiral Gally In the Town were found Forty six Pieces of Cannon Eighteen of which were Brass and carried Fifty five pounds of Ball. The place was well Stored with all sorts of Provision and with Musquets and Bullets and Six hundred Quintals of Powder This Town was very beneficial to the Venetians for it put them into an entire Possession and Dominion of the Gulf and the places of that Coast the Fishing Trade whereof is so considerable that it
yielded to the Turks a Thousand Crowns every year arising on the Customs thereof Thus ended this Campagne to the Honour and Reputation of the Venetian Arms And the Auxiliary Gallies and Forces returned home having been more diminished by Fatigues and making Incursions into the Land than by slaughter or loss sustain'd from the Enemy The Venetians took their Winter-quarters in several Isles belonging to the Republick Molino Captain extraordinary of the Ships brought back his Squadron to Corsu but General Morosini wintered at Preveza with design to render that place impregnable and to engage the Greeks who are a People of an unconstant Humour to remain steady in that Duty and Faith which they caused them to Swear to the Venetian Republick whilst these things were carrying on some matters of less moment were acted in lighter Skirmishes near Clissa from whence the Turks carried away seven Prisoners but being pursued by the Morlaques they were again rescued by them and forced to quit their whole Booty with the loss of Fifty of their Men killed on the place Seignior Antonio Zeno Proveditor extraordinary of Cataro came to Perasto and pillaged and burnt all the Towns and Villages near Castel Nuovo and hinder'd the Turks from carrying in their Harvest and seized great Stores of Wheat and other Corn which he carried to Clissa To compleat the Successes of this year a Galliot of Dulcigno was taken Commanded by Solyman Reis a famous Corsaire In the Fight Solyman himself with Twenty of Men was killed and Twenty two Christians were Released and set at Liberty whom this Pyrate was carrying into Slavery And now having given a Relation of the Venetian Successes of this year it will be time to return to the German Camp which we left at the Siege before Buda The Siege as we have said being compleatly formed on the 12 th of Iuly a Mine was sprung near the great Tower which thô it had done great effect yet it plainly appeared That the Turks were too strong as yet in the Town to be assaulted at the entrance of any Breach until such time as their numbers were more diminished by a longer Siege On the 14 th the Vizier of Buda called Kara Mahomet died of a Wound which he had received on his Face he was one of the best Officers amongst the Turks Shitan Ibrahim succeeded him in the Government He was a Person very well known to the English Nation which had lived in Turky to which he bore a signal kindness and respect and particularly to that worthy Person Sir Ionathan Dawes with whom he cultivated a Friendship which was extraordinary and unsual for a Turk towards a Christian. When I came first into Turky he was then Testerdar or Lord Tresurer whom I have seen when he was giving out the Pay to the Army to bestow Mony on the Earl of Winchelsea's Pages and Servants who being then Lord Ambassadour Extraordinary to the Grand Seignior was returning from an Audience which he had had with the Grand Vizier He was afterwards Married to the Grand Seignior's Sister and was sent Pasha to Gran Caro which is an Office of the highest Degree amongst the Turks having remained three years in that Employment which is the usual time allowed to that Government he was then recalled and taxed at Six hundred Purses of Money he was forced to lay down one half in ready Money and to pay the other Moiety in a few Days afterwards upon Penalty of being committed to a Prison from whence he had never been delivered but by Death He was afterwards made Pasha of Damascus then of Aleppo and with his Forces was engaged to pass by Sea to the Siege at Candia I remember him at Smyrna when he embarked there and then he told me how grievous it was for him and his Men to leave their Horses than which nothing was more pleasing and dear and to Embark on a Gally and pass the Seas to which he and his Soldiers had never been accustomed Afterwards he was employed in many great Offices to which he had been bred from his Youth and in which he had deported himself with singular Reputation and Esteem being naturally of a frank and a generous Temper He was then about Eighty years of Age and nothing declined but still as Robust and Vigorous as if he were but Forty when he defended Buda and succeeded the Pasha who was killed on the Walls and in this Condition we shall leave him for a year or two until being involved in the Common Fate and Misfortunes of the Turks he yielded to the Destiny which was provided for him On the 16 th of August the Besieged made a Sally and were beaten back with some loss but the next day they had better Fortune and killed many of the Christians as they did also in several other Sallies But to encourage the Christians in this Siege several Deserters escaped out of the Town and to flatter the Party into whose Hands they were fallen they told a thousand Falsities concerning the distresses and wants of the Town But notwithstanding all their Reports it was concluded necessary to open the Breach in the Wall of Buda much wider than it was before to which end the Cannon plaid continually upon that part of the Town where the Assault was to be made But in the mean time to disturb these proceedings the Seraskier Pasha with all the Force of the Ottoman Army appeared often times in sight of the Camp which gave such frequent Allarums that the Duke of Loraine thought fit to draw out a great part of his Army to engage them leaving all the left Wing in the Approaches under Command of Count Staremberg General of the Artillery and with the remainder of the Infantry and all the Cavalry he marched between the upper City and Mount St. Gerard to meet the Seraskier and so soon as the Way opened into the Vally between Buda and Strigonium he discover'd a great Body of Turkish Horse upon a Hill opposite to the Army upon view of which the Christian Army drew into Battalia and thô the way to an Engagement with the Enemy was rough craggy and very steep yet such was the Spirit which by frequent Victories had possessed the Christian Soldiery that with incomparable Valour their right Wing moved over all the difficulties of the Ground against the left Wing of the Turks but they fearing to stand the Shock made their Retreat to another Hill within Cannon-shot of Buda where their right Wing was drawn up The Imperial Troops still continuing to advance against the Enemy detached Two thousand of their choice Horse who making as if they intended to form another Line before the Front posted themselves under the Walls of the City during which time the main Body of the Turks stood firm and kept their Ground until the Christians were come within Musquet-shot and then their formost Troops fell violently into the Trenches on the right Hand whilst a
Sally was made out of the City by the Ianisaries on the left And so Furious was the Charge they made that they gained the first Post which was maintain'd by Count Furstemburg Captain the Regiment of Grana and passed to the second Guard defended by a Captain of the Regiment of Baden and proceeded even to the third Post under one of the Batteries But Count Aspremont and Colonel Bek with two Battalions coming to their assistance as did also the Battalions of reserve under Staremberg and Souches the Enemy was so vigorously repulsed by them that they not only recovered the several Posts which they had lost but gained a Fort from the Enemy which was Situated on the Danube and took four Standards from them with the Slaughter of many Ianisaries At the same time the Enemies left Wing of Horse was so warmly charged by the Imperialists that they were put into a disorderly Flight and run over and trampled down their Foot howsoever Rallying again they made a stand as if they had intended to renew the Fight But observing the right Wing of the Christians to advance towards them and the left Wing to come into their assistance they durst not adventure to stand the Shock but fled in full Career but such as were worse mounted and trusted not to the Swifness of their Horses in a desperate manner made their way into the City for Refuge This enterprise of the Turks cost the Christians Three hundred Men those of Qualitie killed were the Counts of Fustemberg and Carlovitz and the Counts Guido Staremberg and Scalemberg were wounded for which the Turks paid most dearly leaving Seven thousand of their Companions slain upon the place The Seraskier and his Army being thus repulsed with great slaughter and much dismayed the Duke of Loraine resolved to attempt the lower Town by the Breach which was made The which was accordingly executed by the Baron of Asti who in despight of the Granadoes and continual Vollies of the Musquets surmounted the Ruins and took possession of the Breach and being seconded by other Forces he proceeded and made himself Master of the more inward Retrenchments destroying the Palisadoes and the Works in such manner that the Defendants had no other Shelter than their Houses remaining to them By this time Count Tulli and a Captain of the Regiment of Mansfield were come to their assistance and together with Asti advanced to the Gate which opens to the Danube where after a sharp Fight with much effusion of Blood on both sides they forced open the Gate and gave entrance to Colonel Culemfels with Five hundred Men who being also followed by great numbers of Hayducks they so overwhelmed the the Turks with their power that they fled for refuge to the Castle But being closely pursued by the Christians who were now mixed with them those in the Castle feared to open theirGates lest by giving entrance to their Friends they should receive their Enemies so that as many as were excluded out of the Castle fell by the German Sword others betaking themselves to their Houses barred their Doors and hid themselves in Vaults and Cellars But there being no protection for the miserable Fire was applyed to the Houses whereby those who had escaped the Sword perished in the Flames In this Glorious Action it is said That 12.000 Ianisaries were Slain with the loss only of Seventy five or Eighty Christians killed and wounded after which the several Posts and Gates of the Town were well secured and Orders given to Attack the Palanca and Castle of St. Gerards which at the first sight and appearance only of an Attempt the Defendants abandoned carrying away with them all their Cannon and Ammunition The lower Town being thus subdued and possessed by the Christians the very same Night Batteries were raised on St. Gerard's Mount and Trenches and Approaches made on that side whereby the upper City of Buda was more closely Besieged and the Enemy reduced within a more narrow Compass Whilst these matters were Acting Count Lesly with a Body of Fifteen thousand Men made an Attempt upon the City and Castle of Virovitz which is in Sclavonia Situated on the Frontiers of Croatia and is sometimes called Berseck To Succour this place the Seraskier caused several Troops to advance who encountring a Detachment of Eight hundred Croats they put them into Disorder and caused them to Retreat unto their main Body with the loss of three of their Standards but pursuing them too far their Career was stopt by the Army of Lesly who vigorously repulsed them and put them to Flight with the loss of Five hundred of their Men and Two hundred killed on the side of the Christians This good Success was seconded by another happy Encounter which Count Trotmansdorf with a Party of Four thousand Croats had over a Party of Two thousand Turks designed by the Pasha of Marotz who was appointed to Guard the Bridge of Esseck to Succour the Town and Castle of Virovitz for they were all defeated by him as was also another Party of Fifteen hundred Horse who were marching with all diligence to joyn with the Two thousand lately routed and dispersed Thus the Town and Castle having lost all their hopes of Succour and Relief they spread a white Flag on the Walls which demonstrated their intentions to Capitulate Accordingly a Treaty being had several particulars were agreed and the places Surender'd The Turkish Garrison which consisted of about One thousand Soldiers were permitted to march forth without their Arms unless Fifteen of the principal Officers who had liberty to go forth with their Horses and Arms the rest were to have no more than what they could carry on their Backs The Turks having quitted the City and Castle the Christians supplied it with a Garrison of Two hundred Men under the Command of the Baron of Schelardt The News of the loss of Virovitz put all the Country thereabouts into such Consternation that several places were abandoned by the Turks and a way opened to General Lesly to march without any impediment to the Bridge of Esseck In the mean time the Approaches and Works before Buda proceeded with infinite diligence and labour so that by the 26 th Day of Iuly they were advanced within Sixty Paces of the Counterscarp Likewise other Batteries were raised of Twenty five Pieces of great Cannon and Twelve Mortar-pieces which fired continually and on the side of Pest they annoied the Turks with long Guns and small Pieces of Ordnance that they were not able to approach near the River for Water of which there was great scarcity and want in the Town The Batteries not doing the Execution which was expected by Reason that the Walls were filled with Earth endeavours were made to Under-mine a corner of the Counterscarp and on that side towards Strigonium to advance the Works within Sixty Paces of the Tower In which Attempts One hundred and twenty six Germans were killed in one day
given to stop the effusion of Blood which came only in time to save the Lives of about Two hundred Persons In the Town Eighty Pieces of Cannon were taken with great quantities of Ammunition About Forty Christian Slaves were set at liberty The Plunder of the Town was esteemed to amount unto two Millions besides Plate good Furniture and Moveables belonging to the Houses There were Fifty Horses of Price taken which were distributed amongst the General Officers all which was performed with the loss of Fifty Soldiers only and one Lieutenant So soon as the Place was taken Count Scaffemberg took Post to carry the joyful News thereof unto the Emperor who was graciously pleased in Reward of his Services to conferr upon him the Government of that Place The News of two such Atchievements as the defeat of the Turkish Army and taking Newhausel filled all Christendom with Joy and Wonder and Thanks to Almighty God for such glorious and unexpected Successes which also being accompanied with the taking of Esperies by General Schultz and the burning of the Town and Bridge of Esseck by Count Lesly increased the Jubilee of that Year in Christendom as on the contrary never was there such a Damp on the Spirits of the Turks nor such Sorrow and Grief as at that time For the Loss having been Universal through the whole Empire the Death of Friends and Relations was lamented as far as to Bagdat or Babylon it self and to other remote parts of the East The Advice of taking Newhausel was brought to the Duke of Loraine whilst he was in Discourse with the Elector of Bavaria and the other Generals of carrying on the Wars with such other Enterprise as might conclude and terminate this Campaign with the greater Glory Upon the News hereof the Generals moved with a desire to see the Place enter'd into it on the 20 th and there beheld the most horrid Spectacle of Slaughter and Desolation in the World. To cover which immediate Orders were given to bury the Dead and to repair the Breaches which the Cannon had made in the Walls and with the Labour of Turkish Slaves to fill up the Trenches and Approaches which were made without the Town during the Siege The Christian Slaves which on occasion of the late Defeat had escaped out of the hands of the Turks came in great numbers to Newhausel and there related how that the Seraskier was come to Buda with a slight Wound in his Leg that the Confusion amongst the Turks was so great that they killed and robbed one the other in the Flight that in the Sieges of Strigonium and Vicegrade they had lost at least Four thousand Men and that the latter place was so weakned by blowing up the Tower and required so much time and labour to repair it that they expected Orders from the Seraskier to demolish and abandon the Place And in fine That the Turkish Forces were so scatter'd and divided that after all these losses and discouragements they were scarce able to Rally an Army of 30.000 Men. We having not thought fit to interrupt the Relation of two such great Matters as the Fight near Strigonium and the Siege of Newhausal with a Digression unto other Actions which being now past let us look back and behold the Progress which Count Lesly and General Schultz were making against the Common Enemy in different Places Lesly being advanced into the Country near Kanisia had the good fortune to meet a Party of Turks belonging to that place which he defeated and with the Slaughter of several hundred of them caused the rest to Fly into their Fortress After which with an Army of about Eight thousand Men composed of Croats Hungarians and Germans he resolved to render himself Master of the Bridge of Esseck In order whereunto having left his Baggage at Turnawitz under the Custody and Guard of Two thousand Men he marched away on the 9 th of August which Four thousand Germans and Two thousand Croats all choise and experienced Soldiers towards Esseck taking with them Provisions for ten Days in regard the Country was so wasted and destroyed by the War that it yielded neither Food for Men nor Forage almost for Horses The same Day a Detachment was made of Five hundred Croats under the Command of an Officer to Invest Michalowitz which upon the first Summons Surrender'd before the Body of the Army appeared without making any Terms or Conditions for their Liberty The Guard of this Fort was committed to the defence of Two hundred Foot and One hundred Heyduks and the Prisoners taken both Men Women and Children were secured in a Tower belonging to the Fortress After which the Army marched with all diligence towards Esseck Upon sight hereof the little Forts and Palancas on the way fired their Guns to Alarum the Country round about and passing by Carafina which is a Town fortified with strong Walls and a double Ditch the Turks Sallied forth with Horse and Foot and Skirmished with some of the Troops without any great hurt or damage on either side After three or four Days of hard march Lesly drew up his Forces on the 13 th of the Month into order of Battle in the Plains of Esseck expecting to meet the Enemy in those Parts But finding no opposition they pitched their Tents and Hutts so much to advantage and which took up so much Ground as if they had contained an Army of at least 30.000 Men Soon afterwards a Thousand Turkish Horse came and took a view of the Camp with some Infantry marching in their Rear Whereupon the Army Commanded by Siaus Pasha drew out into order of Battle and marched softly against the Enemy who stood firm neither advancing nor retiring until the Christians were come within Musquet-shot and then they began to give Ground which the Croats perceiving fell upon both their Wings and gave them a total Rout and Defeat The Horse fled by the way of Belgrade but being hotly pursued by the Croats several of them were killed but the Foot found a nearer Refuge in the Town and Castle of Esseck The German Horse and Foot advanced still in good Order to the Suburbs of the Town which at the first Assault they took and Plunder'd and thence found an easy entrance into the City it self from whence the Turks had the Day before sent their Wives and Children by Water towards the Danube into which the Drave falls not far from the City Those who remain'd were with their Goods and Moveables retired into the Castle The City of Esseck is not very large but well peopled and well fortified and as I remember after the modern fashion it hath about Five hundred Shops belonging to Tradesmen and adorned with many Mosques and Caravasaries or Inns built for the Reception of Travellers which are commonly stately Structures It is very strange that this place which was esteemed so strong and well fortified by the Turks that they made it their Granary and
made to the Emperor for a Peace were not likely to prevail he used all imaginable diligence which was possible to prosecute the War living in hopes that the following year would prove more auspicious to the Ottoman Arms than those lately past In the first place frequent Messages were sent to the Tartar Han to hasten their speedy march and begin the Campaign early and with one Body to joyn with the Turkish Forces and with another to infest the Borders and Confines of Poland and to make the diversion there greater and more violent endeavours were used to raise divisions and jealousies between the Cosacks who were Subjects to the Poles and those to the Moscovites sending rich Presents and kind Salutes and Promises to invite them to Desert and Revolt from their Princes and take part with the Ottoman Forces But this design miscarried and took no Effect by the happy arrival of Two Ambassadors from the Czar's of Moscovy at the Court of Poland where having occasion of their Union and Friendship nothing was omitted to gain their Alliance thô their demands were so exorbitant that nothing but a present necessity could have gained their concession The Vizier being disappointed on that side looked closely to his business in the lower Hungary for having lost Quinque Ecclesiae Siklos Capiswar and a great part of the Bridge of Esseck being burnt the strong Fortress of Sigeth seemed to be in some danger and lie most exposed to the design of the Enemy To prevent which the Vizier caused the Tartars to advance and pass the River Drave and so to join with the Turks in the City of Esseck the Tartars who are the most expert Soldiers in the World for destroying and laying waste a Country having passed the Drave left nothing for those who were to follow after them carrying away all the Inhabitants with them and with what Provisions they had plundered they supplied the small Garrisons which remained to the Turks on the Banks of the Drave and especial care above all was taken to furnish Sigeth with all sorts of Forage and Provisions so that it was made the chief Magazine of all that Country for better defence and security of which several new Boats were built to repair the Bridge before Esseck and on the sides of the River divers small Forts were raised on which Forty Pieces of Canon were Mounted to prevent all Incursions of the Enemy and Attacks on Sigeth during which season of a rigorous Winter the Tartars plaid their parts to hinder all Convoys laden with Forage and Provisions to supply the Fortresses which the Christians had lately conquered Howsoever by the diligence of Thinghen Sergeant-General of Battalia and the Governor of Quinque Ecclesiae joyning themselves to the Regiment commanded by Baron de Pace they agreed to disappoint the aforesaid design of the Enemy To which end having detatched Two hundred and Fifty select or choice Foot and Five hundred well-disciplined Horse and Dragoons led by Brave and well Experienced Commanders they sallied out of their Quarters about Sun-set and the Horse for better Expedition mounting the Foot behind them they made such haste that before day in the Morning they lodged themselves secretly near the Town of Sigeth and without any noise conveying themselves into the Suburbs about dawning of the day set them on Fire which took with so much fury that in a short time Three hundred Houses were all in a Flame the which more increased the Consternation of the Inhabitants and Soldiery because that many of those Houses were the Store-houses in which were laid up vast quantities of Provisions Many People surprized with the sudden and unexpected Fire were smothered in the smoak and perished in the flames others at a distance betook themselves with great Confusion to their Arms and not knowing as yet where the Enemy or the Danger was Fired their Canon at random they knew not where nor on whom The Day coming on the light discovered the Enemy and the Danger in which they were howsoever in all this Action the Turks killed but Four Troopers Three Dragoons and a Corporal of Foot and leaving their Houses in the Town retired to the Castle which gave the Imperialists an opportunity to set Fire to the City and to burn some hundreds of Waggons all laden with Provisions designed for the Camp and Relief of Alba Regalis With this success the Christians retired driving away with them some few heads of Cattle a small quantity of Provisions and such Plunder as could be taken and carried away in so hasty an Action To recover which the Turks made a sally and attacked them in the Arrear to which shame and confusion of face gave them Courage but the Conquerors whose Valour increased according to their success made a stand and so assailed the Enemy that notwithstanding all the considerations of shame and desire of revenge they carried away their Spoils and honour of the Victory The consequence of this success thô the Action in it self was not very great was yet very considerable for thereby the intercourse between Quinque Ecclesiae Siklos and other conquered Towns was rendered more free and secure and not only the Peasants of those Countries brought their Provisions with readiness and safety to the Market but even the Rascians who were Inhabitants of the Town of Sigeth came voluntarily in and submitted themselves to the Protection of the Emperor This Action served likewise to disappoint and overthrow the design of the Commanders in Esseck who intended an incursion of Turks and Tartars in Two separate Bodies but their Provisions in Sigeth on which they depended for maintenance of their Forces being consumed that resolution was put off till a fairer opportunity Howsosoever the Imperial Forces remained Vigilant and Watchful on their Guard having received frequent Alarums that the Turks resolved on some sudden Enterprize to avenge themselves and repair their Honour which General Thinghen and Colonel Pace greatly suspecting retired to Quinque Ecclesiae from whence they sent and distributed considerable quantities of Corn and Flower to Kaposwar and other places for sustenance of the Garrisons giving special charge to the Governors thereof to be intent and watchful to prevent any surprize of the Enemy And for better security thereof the Commissary General Count Rabata farther supplyed all those places with Victuals there being no want amongst them of Arms or Ammunition Care likewise was taken to repair the Breaches at Quinque Ecclesiae in as good a form and manner as the Season of the Year would permit But because the Fortress of Siklos lay much exposed to the attack of the Enemy being the most Frontier Garrison they raised with admirable industry and diligence a half Moon which they encompassed with Palisadoes the Season os the Year nor time permitting to fortify it with a Wall or any other Work. Whilst things were thus transacted and places secured on the Frontiers no care or
Enemy and being come as far as Valkovar the Scouts brought word that Rustan Pasha the late Governor of Agria with about One thousand Horse and Foot had conducted into Illoch a very great Convoy of about Two hundred Waggons laden with Provisions and that afterwards he himself was returned unto Belgrade Tunkel being disappointed of this Design was more successful in another Attempt which he made on a place called Ratza situate on this side of the Save defended by some Spahees and Ianisaries to which privately marching in the Night he surprized the place about Two hours after Midnight with the Death of about Three hundred Turks and Seventy Slaves and set at liberty Fifty Christians and took Sixty Horses with great Numbers of Cattle and Three Ensigns and having set Fire to the City he returned in Safety and Triumph to Oseck laden with Honour and Spoyls On the other side the Pasha of Gradisca having advice that Count Caprara was upon his march towards Oseck with a strong Party to Conduct and Convoy many Waggons laden with Ammunition and Provisions in order to some extraordinary Enterprize the Pasha apprehending that his Design might be upon Belgrade resolved to pass the Bridges which he had laid over the Save with design to surprize Possega and Zernech and thereby to divert the Attack intended upon Belgrade In pursuance of which the Pasha marched with a Body of Three thousand Five hundred men towards Zernech but not with that Privacy as Tunkel had lately done for in their way they set Fire to all the Villages round and killed the People which gave such an Alarum to that Garrison by the affrighted Peasants which had escaped that they immediately put themselves into a posture of defence And Colonel Baron Amanzaga having also News thereof hastned with a Body of Horse and some Foot and came so seasonably to the succour of the Town that they encountred the Turks in their march and charged them with so much bravery that they not only put the Cavalry to Flight but also forced them to abandon the Ianisaries and to expose them to the Sword of their Enemies The greatest part of which to the Number of about Five hundred were Slain upon the place and Two hundred made Prisoners amongst which was the Commander in Chief of the Ianisaries Four Aga's and the Son of the Pasha of Gradisca with several Colours and Drums The News of which Baron Amanzaga dispatched to General Caprara with all Expedition About the same time or the Day before another Party detached from the main Body made an Attack upon the Out-guards of Possega which being over-matched in numbers retreated under the Gates of the City The Lieutenant Governour to whom at that time with some veterane Soldiers and subaltern Officers the Command of the Town was committed took the Alarum but not being cautious enough to be informed of the Strength and Numbers of the Enemy by the Report of the Out-guards he advanced too far from the Town which when the Turks observed they made a feigned Flight with design to bring their Enemy into an Ambuscade which they had prepared for them in which they had all miscarried had not Count Truxes Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment of Holstein and Count Bizzaro Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment of Lodron who were accidentally marching to relieve the Out-guards come seasonably into their Succour and Rescue who so vigorously charged the Enemy that they put them to Flight and forced them to take Refuge in the Woods and Mountains whilst the Christians the Night approaching retired orderly into Possega There being in the mean time various Reports at the Imperial Court concerning the State and Condition of the City of Alba Regalis which holding out so long beyond all expectation it was conjectur'd that the Blocade was not strict or at least not sufficiently guarded and watchfully attended as it ought to have been which obliged the Counsel of War to dispatch Orders to Colonel Riccardi that he with his Regiment should March to Vesprimio Palotta and other Neighbouring places to make enquiry into the State and Condition of that City and Garrison Riccardi according to his Orders marched out of Giavarino or Rab and taking with him a Company of Croats and a Party from Schomberg he came to Quarter for one Night at a Village called Brin about a League distant from Alba Regalis and early in the Morning by break of day sounding to Horse in pursuance of his March he detached Ten Croats and as many Hungarians to advance before with directions to seize and surprize what Turks they should meet near the City that by them they might be informed of the State of the place But they meeting with none on the way came up to the very Gates of the Town which they found shut and unguarded But soon afterwards they were opened to give Passage to the Sally of a Party both of Horse and Foot the latter of which remained within their Palisadoes but the first Sallied out into the Field having the Renegado Wrebeck at the head of them who coming near frankly discoursed with the Christians in this manner Soldiers what is it you demand May a Man trust to your Word To which Answer was made That he might whereupon he came up boldly to them and touched the Hand of an Hungarian Ensign and a Rascian By which time Wrebeck perceiving the numbers of the Enemies to increase and to approach within Cannon-shot of the Town he Demanded what those Troops were To which Answer was made That they were the Troops of a certain Croatian Colonel who desired to have conference with the Pasha or with some other of the principal Officers Wrebeck promised to carry that Message and accordingly returned to the City where at the Gates thereof he met the Pasha of that Country with the Commander in Chief of the Ianisaries year 1688. and with two or three other of the principal Officers of that place to whom he made a Report that the Troops without were Commanded by a certain Croatian Colonel who desired to enter into a Conference with the Pasha To which the Pasha suddainly replied in these words It is well he is welcome I will go and speak with him These words being over-heard by the Chief Commander or Aga of the Ianisaries he arose up in a Fury and throwing down his Turbant with a Rage upon the Ground cried out Treachery and that the Pasha had a Design to betray them into the Hands of the Christians And Roaring out Treachery Treachery he ran to advise the Vizier thereof whom he found on one of the Bastions taking a view of the Enemie's Troops in the Field The Vizer having heard this saying Commanded that the Business should be examined and in case the Pasha should be found Guilty he should be stoned to Death and his Body thrown over the Walls The Pasha being highly incensed upon this so unjust an occasion took up his
Nissa where the Differences between him and Hassan Pasha grew to that Heat that their Parties falling to Blows Two hundred were killed in the Fray which Hassan being the Wiser and more temperate Commander interpreted for a bad Omen of Success in the following Campaign The Court took little Notice of all this Matter but still continued to encourage Yeghen with Promises of Additional Forces and new Supplies ordering him to oppose all the Designs and Attempts of the Christians to the utmost of his Power giving him also a Commission to enter into a Treaty of Peace with the Christian General in case any Overture should fairly offer its self But Yeghen not having with these Commands received the Prophet's Standard nor the Imperial Seal which are the Badges and proper Signals of the Office of Grand Vizier became Angry and Sullen for tho' he was made General yet that seemed not sufficient without the Title of Supreme Governor And whereas before he was on his March towards Belgrade he returned back again to Sophia declaring that without those powerful Instruments it was impossible for him to Govern the Army and Rule them with such strict Obedience as was necessary against so powerful an Enemy and so formidable as the Christians And as to the Overtures of Peace he was resolved to make none nor suffer the Ambassadors to pass until such time as he had tried the Fortune of the Ottoman Sword once more in the Field To this pitch of Insolence was this Yeghen arisen that he was ready to Sacrifice the whole concernment of the Empire to his own Pride and Vanity But Express after Express coming from Belgrade with News that the Germans were Marching towards the Save with a Resolution to pass that River so soon as the Elector of Bavaria should Arrive in the Camp Yeghen began to grow a little ashamed and fearing that all the Misfortunes impending over Belgrade would be attributed to his ill Government and Sedition he Marched away from Sophia and being come to Belgrade he made publick Declaration that the Sultan had created him General of all Hungary upon which the Forces Encamped in the Parts adjacent to the City submitted to his Command and being now invested with the sole Power he vented his Spleen against his old Competitor Hassan Pasha with whom formerly as we have said he had a Quarrel in Bosnia and having now an opportunity to shew his farther Resentments he seized on his Tents Horses and Money and would have strangled him had he not been prevented by the Aga of the Ianisaries and the Son of the Han of Tartary who was there present with a small Body of Tartars But the Turks had now something more to do than to quarrel amongst themselves for the Christians came pouring upon them on all sides and how to resist them was the present Incumbence and grand Concernment so that laying aside all Intestine differences Yeghen with Ten thousand Soldiers joyned to the Troops of Tekeli resolved to pass the Save and Encamp near Semblin on the other side of the River But that design was laid aside so soon as News was brought to Belgrade that P. Lewis of Baden was Decamped from Valkovar and that together with Caprara he had taken his march towards Illock with which year 1688. Yeghen and the Turks fainting in their Courage were inclined rather to Proposals of Peace than to a continuance of the War and to try whether any reasonable offers of that nature would be accepted Two ordinary Peasants were dispatched to Oseck with Letters to Marquess Herman of Baden and Marshal Caprara desiring them to interceed with his Imperial Majesty to put an end to this bloody War which had already cost the lives of many innocent People and laid waste and desolate vast and large Countries and Provinces But such a Message as this being brought by Peasants who are improper Instruments to be employed in so eminent an Action gave just cause to the Generals to take and esteem them for no other than Spyes Upon which suspicion they were imprisoned and Advice sent thereof to the Imperial Court which not judging fit to take notice of any Offers of Peace proposed in such Form gave new Orders and Instructions to Caprara to pursue with all vigour imaginable the Rules chalked out and designed for carrying on the Work of this Campaigne In the mean time the Troops of Bavaria arrived in the Camp under the Command of General Serini an experienced Captain and therewith the main Army being reinforced Caprara took his march towards Illock of which so soon as the Turks had received intelligence they were put into such consternation that they abandoned the place and having packed up what Moveables the shortness of time would permit they set Fire to the City and retired in a precipitate and disorderly Flight The Smoke being descryed at a distance Caprara detached a Body of Germans and Hungarians to advance towards the Town to observe the face of the Enemy year 1688. and the occasion of that Smoke and being come near to the Gates and perceiving that the Soldiers and Inhabitants had deserted the City the Germans were employed to extinguish the Fire and the Hungarians to pursue the flying Enemy which they performed so effectually that they seized a great part of the Goods which were then carrying away and brought them to the Camp. The News hereof so affrighted the Garrison of Peter-Waradin that with like Terror and Precipitation they abandoned their City and fled to Belgrade These Successes gave great encouragement to the whole Army and to the Imperial Court at Vienna where the Duke of Mantoua about this time arrived with intention to pass forward to the Camp and signalize himself and his Followers in a War against the common Enemy his Equipage was very splendid and agreeable to the Spirit of so generous a Prince In like manner the Elector of Bavaria Maximilian Emanuel the Third arrived at Vienna being called by the Emperor to command the Army in Hungary in the place of the Duke of Loraine who was become so weak by his Indisposition and want of Health that he judged himself unable to command the Army with such vigour as was required in so active a War. The Elector was so intent upon this Expedition that the very day he arrived at Vienna with his most Serene Consort he had departed and proceeded to the Camp had he not been forcibly detained by the obliging invitation of the Emperor and persuaded to stay until the Evening of the following day In the mean time a design was formed to block up Great Waradin but the Garrison being strong within the Turks made frequent Excursions with Two hundred Horse and a Thousand Ianisaries at a time and frequently brought Provisions into the Town the which was so managed by the Pasha and other Commanders that the Castle held out until the Year 1692. Howsoever the Blocade of Sigeth and
from the main Body of the Army C. Hoffkirchen abandoned the place accordingly and having sacked it set Fire to it and passed the River with a very rich Booty The particulars of this Retreat not being well understood caused some Disturbance at Possega where it was reported that the Turks in a Body of Fifteen hundred Men had passed the Save and having defeated Hoff-kirchen intended to dispute the Passage with Prince Lewis of Baden Who being in great Concernment for Hoff-kirchen was come as far as Possega to enquire after him and to receive true Information he dispatched General Piccolomini with Three hundred Horse to look after him but they Marching by different Ways missed of each other When the General came to Proot where he discovered some Parties of the Enemy which cover'd themselves within those Ruins having first broken down all the Bridges near to that Palanca he passed the Water and boldly attempted the Turks imagining their numbers to be less than they were The Turks guessing on the other side that these Forces were some advanced Troops of the main Body of the Army retired themselves into the old Fort over against Proot where having no Cannon they plied their Small-shot very plentifully upon the Imperialists by which it being discover'd that the Turks were at least Two thousand in number Piccolomini made a very skilful Retreat according to the Military Order and returned towards Possega where he found Hoff-kirchen Prince Lewis and all the other other Troops happily joyned The Troops having refreshed themselves one day in Possega and being provided with all things requisite for their Subsistence Prince Lewis began his March thence towards Gradiska on the 24 th of Iuly carrying with him four Demy-culverins and some Field Pieces resolving to pass the Save at Sisseck in Croatia and joyn there with a Body of Croats and endeavour to Attack the Enemy if possible And here we will leave him for a while on this Expedition and return to the great Camp where the Elector of Bavaria was Arrived to the great Joy and Triumph of the whole Army The same Evening that the Elector entered the Camp at Tiska he resolved next Morning to proceed towards Belgrade and accordingly he made a strong Detachment under the Command of Count Dunewalt to Advance and discover the Countenance of the Enemy who as it was reported with a Body of Twenty thousand Men had fortified the Banks of the Save all along the Shoar as far as to the Danube with Timbers and Ditches and Palisadoes in the same manner as they had done the year before under Esseck besides which Tekely had formed a Camp with such Advantage as that he could in a very short time come in to their Assistance The Army having the 5 th of August Encamped at Tiska continued their March next day towards the Save and made a Halt at Bagliutz about half a League distant from the River where the Artillery lately brought by Water from Buda together with the Baggage and the Boats on Wheels with other Materials necessary for making a Bridge joyned the Army that Evening under a Good Convoy of Horse and Foot. About the same time a Prisoner was brought to the Camp who upon Examination declared That the Ottoman Army was composed of about Twenty five thousand Men of which Twenty five Chambers of Ianisaries consisting of about Four or five hundred each were employed to finish the Intrenchments they had made on the other side of the Save to hinder the Passage of the Christian Army A Counsel of War being held thereupon it was resolved to force the Passage and to send a good Body of Men to burn the Bridge which the Turks had Built near Belgrade But in case that Design succeeded not then they were to Post themselves as near the Bridge as they could both to give the Alarum on that side and also to secure the Convoys which were coming to the Army from Peter Waradin for security of which the Detachment of Four thousand Men under Dunewalt was also appointed In the mean time the gross Body of the Army moved towards the Save directing their March towards the Island of Zingar or Swallows which the Turks had possessed but fled and quitted it upon a Report of the near Approach of the Christian Army so that the Imperialists without any Opposition possessed themselves of that Island the Foot passed over in Boats but the Horse forded the Water But the great difficulty lay on the other side where the Water was not only deeper but the opposite Banks defended so well by the Enemies Cannon and Small-shot that there seemed an impossibility almost to pass and the more because that Tekely lay Encamped on the other side joyned to a strong Body of Turks who lay ready to receive them at their landing and to give them an unpleasing Welcome All which being consider'd it was resolved to Alarum the Turks that Night in divers places whilst Count Serini General of the Bavarian Forces assisted with the Generals Stirum and Aspremont should with Six thousand Men endeavour to pass the River at a good distance from the place where the chief Alarum was made which was executed with that Care and Conduct that the Success proved answerable thereunto for the Six thousand Men having safely passed without any Opposition posted themselves with the Chevaux de Frise chained and linked together which served like a Turn-pike against the Enemies Horse and Foot until the rest of the Army could follow But so soon as it was clear Day they were furiously attacked by Eight thousand Ianisaries who were as warmly received and forced to Retreat leaving Six hundred of their Men dead upon the place with the loss only of One hundred and twenty Men on the Christian side during this Engagement which lasted about two Hours a Bridge was laid over the River with such Expedition that the whole Army passed that Day except only the Cannon and the Heavy Baggage which were also Transported over without any delay The most difficult Point of the whole Campaign being now overcome the Elector of Bavaria distributed Two thousand Ducats amongst those who had signalized themselves in this Action and without any demur marcâ—ed towards Belgrade from whence he was not distant above three days March. Had the Turks been Men of Courage or Conduct they might easily have hindred the Christian Army from passing the River but indeed to speak the Truth they had lost all that Bravery and Spirit by which they had gained so many Kingdoms in the East and advanced so far into the Dominions of Europe But being now dispirited by unfortunate losses of their Cities and strong Holds and by Over-throws and Defeats in Battle and more especially by their own intestine Mutinies and Dissentions in which most of their brave Men perished they became so sunk in their Spirits that they were not half the Men that they
formerly had been but being struck with a Consternation as their Enemies were raised and flushed with Victory and Triumph they Cowardly gave back year 1688. and lost the advantage which Nature had given them by the Waters for a defence The Elector designed to pursue the Enemy before he Attempted the Siege of Belgrade and to raise his Camp with the rising of the Moon then entring into the last Quarter when he was hinder'd by a violent Storm of Wind and Rain with Thunder and Lightning which endanger'd the Bridge and lasted until break of Day of the 10 th in the Morning The Turks interpreting this Storm as a bad Omen unto themselves abandoned their Camp leaving many Thousand Heads of Cattle dispersed in the Fields with all their Instruments for Intrenching and fled with such Precipitation and Hast that the Christian Generals judging it impossible to overtake them directed their Course by the nearest way to Belgrade Prince Eugeny of Savoy was Commanded by his Electoral Highness to advance with his Regiment and some Guards towards the City to take a view of the Enemy and discover in what order they were lodged in their Trenches The Inhabitants of the City having received the affrighting News of the near Approach of the Christian Army had the time of three or four days to Embark their useless People with the best of their Moveables and richest Goods on a Thousand Boats with which they sailed down the Stream of the River landing afterwards at several places where Friends or Relations or other Coveniencies invited them And in the mean time the remaining Garrison set Fire to the Suburbs and reduced all to Ashes Notwithstanding which the Flight was so confused and hasty that many of the Inhabitants with their Wives and Children had not time to Convey themselves away of which some were killed and many made Captives year 1688. Only some Iews and Râ—â—â—ians remained behind who being habiâ—â—d in the Turkish fashion had been exposed to the Fury of the Soldiery had not the Generosity of the Prince restrained the Heat of their Martial Fury Soon afterwards the whole Army came up and Sacked and Plundered the Suburbs sparing neither Mosque nor House And thô the Fire and Flames were very terrible yet the Soldiers gained more Plunder and Booty in those Suburbs than they had done in all Buda because they had the fortune to surprize whole Bales of Goods and Moveables ready Packed up which the Owners in their Flight had not time to carry away Howsoever some of these Plunderers being over-intent on their Prey were surprized by a Party of the Enemy and either killed or made Captives No time was lost in opening the Trenches into which Major General Steinau and Count Ottingen enter'd on the 21 st of August and Commanded there that Night but could not advance much by reason of the continual Rains. Howsoever in two or three days the Trenches were finished and three Batteries were raised and furnished with the Heavy Cannon which on the 25 th arrived in the Camp. Twenty six Pieces were immediately mounted and began to play upon the Castle and thô they had raised their Batteries as high as was possible yet the Ruins of the Suburbs lay so much in the way that the Shot could not reach the bottom of the Wall till the Way was cleared by the Pioniers and then two new Batteries more being raised and all the remaining Artillery planted thereon they ply'd incessantly on the Walls of the Castle with great Shot and Bombs in the mean time the Enemy was not idle but returned the like into the Christian Camp making frequent Sallies with much Bravery in which the Germans lost more Men than the Turks amongst which was the Count of Ligneville Colonel of Foot and Adjutant General who by a Shot received in the Trenches died immediately The Town and Castle of Belgrade being in this manner formally invested it was believed That it could not hold out long by reason of the Weakness of the Garrison which consisted of no more than Three thousand and five hundred Men Commanded by Ibrahim late Pasha of Bagdat or Babylon who being a Brave and Valiant Soldier resolved to maintain the place to the last Extremity giving out for Encouragement of his Garrison that powerful Succours were coming to their Relief under the Command of Osman Pasha of Aleppo but this Report grounded on some stragling Troops belonging to Tekeli seen in the Neighbour-hood of Semandria gave some hopes to the fainting Garrison but General Dunewalt being sent against Tekeli with a strong Detachment of Horse soon drove him from those Quarters The chief Force of the Turks being no more than Twenty five thousand Men under Command of Osman Pasha of Aleppo lay Encamped near Nissa whilst Yeghen was retired with his Horse for his Foot had deserted him near to Sophia destroying and consuming the Forage round the Country The Turks finding themselves in this low and helpless Condition inclined to Counsels tending to Peace and reassumed their former Resolution of sending their two forementioned Ambassadors Zulficar Effendi and the Interpreter Mauro-cordato to beg a Peace to whom as we have said Yeghen gave lately a stop a Method never before practised by the Ottoman Emperors since the beginning of their Empire But the Misfortunes of War and the Miseries of their own intestine Dissentions had bowed their Hearts and Haughty Thoughts to submissive and humble Prayers for Peace in order to which Osman Pasha of Aleppo wrote this following Letter to the Elector of Bavaria brought to him by the Hand of a Chiaus TO him who is Dear to God and ranked in chief Degree amongst the Princes of Germany powerful in People and Government Famous and Renowned in all Parts Duke Maximilian Emanuel Elector of Bavaria and General of the Army of the Emperor of the Romans unto whom may God grant that Health which I wish unto him After Salutations premised Be it known unto you That one of the Chief Officers of our Emperor of the Turks who now Reigns is dispatched with an important Letter to your most powerful Emperor This Ambassador is a Person highly esteemed amongst us both for his Wisdom and Vertue whose name is Zulficar Effendi with whom goes also joyned in the same Commission Alexander Mauro-cordato Interpreter to the Port for secret Affairs a Person of singular Reputation and Fame and a Christian by Profession These two Persons are arrived at this place from Constantinople with design to proceed farther to your Camp in case they may be received with the same Honourable Safe and Courteous Entertainment as hath by ancient Custom and laudable Practice been shewn to those of their Character They have with them about One hundred Persons belonging to their Retinue for whom that safe Convoy and Pasports may be dispatched I have sent you this Letter to request such Security for them as is necessary When they draw near to your Camp
Senior of all the Senators then in the Camp he at first was hurt with a Musket-shot in the Side but refusing to yield unto that Wound or to be carried into the Tent for Cure he continued to fight until he was cut down by a Turkish Scimeter with which the Turk would have taken off and carried away his Head but that Seignior Almoro Morosini covered his Body and defended it from the Insults and Indignities of the Enemy Of the Venetians about 200 were wounded amongst which was Prince Harcourt by a Shot on his Breast Prince of Turene in the Arm but the Prince of Wirtemberg mortally In the Trenches all their Cannon and Mortar-pieces were taken with great Numbers of Arms and all their Baggage and Provisions after which with little difficulty the Venetians made themselves Masters of the Suburbs wherein also they found some Cannon Provisions and Arms besides some good plunder The Day following this Action News was brought by a Deserter That the wounded Men brought into the Town were above 1000 and those who were killed were much more amongst which they reckoned the Son of the Sâ—raskier and one Mustapha Pasha who was Bey of five Gallies with many other Officers The next Day the Venetians continued to batter the Town with Cannon and Bombs and the 23d the Turks made a furious Sally but were repulsed with the loss of 150 Men and 30 killed on the Venetian side For three Days afterwards nothing happened besides the continual shooting of Cannon and Bombs until the 27th when the Christians began to open their Approaches nearer to the Town which continueâ— until the 5th of September without the least damage imaginable to the Pioneers or Soldiers when the Turks to the Number of 500 made a Sally from the Part of the Suburbs on the Quarters of the Sclavonians and made themselves Masters of the first Trench but afterwards rallying again in good order they drove them out of the Trench and pursued them to the very Ditch killing about 40 of them with the loss only of 14 Christians General Konismark continuing sick and his Fever increasing on him the Doge substituted the Major of the Troops of Brunswick in his place to oppose the Sally of the Enemies and tho' this brave Man was also at that time laid upon his Bed and labouring under the Access or Fit of a Fever yet he arose and strove against his Natural Weakness to comply with the Command of the Doge but so soon as he was gone out of the Door of his Tent a Cannon-shot from the Enemy stroke his Bed and overthrew it The Night following Captain Verneda the chief Engineer and a Captain of the Regiment of Wirtemberg with some common Soldiers were killed by Musket-shot as they were advancing their Works towards the Ditch The 6th and 7th passed without other Action than firing Cannon on both sides by which the Venetians made a Breach in a Tower on the Sea-side at the end of the Ditch upon which the Engenier Romagnato a Man of resolute Courage made an offer with 50 Persons how difficult soever the Attempt seemed to mount the Breach This generous Offer being accepted and greatly applauded the Doge came ashoar in Person and placed himself in one of the Batteries to be a Spectator of this Enterprize and to give the necessary Orders therein which should be required for seconding so resolute an Enterprize On the eighth an Attack was made and with great courage they mounted the Breach and planted two Ensigns thereon but because the Breach was very narrow without any covert from the Shot of the Enemy and the descent into the Town very deep and hazardous they were forced to quit the Post which they had gained with the loss of six or eight Men amongst which was one of the Ensigns whose Colours howsoever were recovered by another Officer Nor did the Turks escape without some loss on occasion of the Attack for 300 Men being lodged in the Ditch to support those who were to make the first Entrance did great execution on the Turks that appeared on the Breach without any covert or shelter There is one thing very remarkable of a Soldier who in this Assault received six Wounds on his Head and in his Body with Scimeters by which falling on the Ruines was esteemed for Dead and so remained until the Dusk of the Evening when rising up it was not so Dark but that he was perceived by the Enemy who made many Shot at him to avoid which he threw himself into the Sea bleeding with all his Wounds and notwithstanding the many Shot aimed at him of which he received one in his Shoulder he swam away and got ashore at the Camp where he was afterwards cured of his Wounds which made the Doge to give him the Name of the wonderful Man. The Regiments of Count Waldeck and Colonel Bilz belonging to the Troops of Wirtemberg being advanced without any Order for so doing one to the Bank of the Ditch and the other to the Foot of the Tower received an unhappy welcome by several Vollies of small shot both from the Wall and from the false Bray by which two Colonels seven or eight Captains twelve or fourteen Subaltern Officers five Cavalier Adventurers and about 200 common Soldiers were all slain upon the place and as many wounded which was a discouraging loss to the Besiegers tho' the Defendants according to the Report of some Deserters lost double the number within the City Howsoever the Venetians being not dismayed hereat on the 10th of this month forced an Entrance into the Ditch where they began to form a Gallery for a more near approach unto the Wall under which they designed once to form a Mine but because it would be the work of fifteen Days at least before the Mine could be brought to Perfection for want of good Engeniers of which many were Dead and Sick They raised a new Battery on the other side of the Water from whence they made a Breach on the other Tower and with two pieces of Cannon planted on the Bank of the Ditch they bartered the foot of the Courtain between the two Towers The Day following some Deserters from the Town brought Advice That the whole Garrison within did not consist of more than 3000 Men and those much afrighted and discouraged by their many losses only that which supported their Spirits was the free and open passage by the Bridge between the Turkish Camp and the City by which every third day they received Recruits of Men and Supply of Provisions so that now little hopes remained of taking the City for this year the Season also being far advanced All therefore that remained to be done was to continue the Batteries and to throw Bombs of which above 10000 having been already cast into the City few Houses remained standing but all reduced to a Mass of Rubbish and Ashes The Venetians being
some of the Soldiers standing up to the Middle in Water remained exposed to the Enemies shot who guarded the Traverse which being thus sustained for several Hours above 1000 Soldiers with divers Officers lost their Lives amongst which were Lieutenant Colonel Slade and the Captains Pini Pipam and Gilinon and of the Stranger or Foreign Troops several were sorely wounded amongst which were General Spahar and the Prince of Hermanstadt who were the Principal Officers appointed to direct the Assault Nor were the Losses on the Sea-side less than those on the Land. For the Gallies appointed to make the Diversion were so droven by a Storm of Wind into the Current that it was impossible to save themselves but by coming to an Anchor just under the Town from whence they received many Cannon-shot Antonio Nani had his Main-Mast disabled by a Shot of 1000 weight Gredenigo received the like which carried away all his Poop besides other Damages The Gally of Pizzamanâ— was strook with a Stone-Bullet of three Fathom and a half in Circumference which had almost sunk the Gally Alvige Foscari received a Shot of 50 weight in the Midship of the Gally and another which carried away his Rudder George Marin had the Poop of his Galley carried away and he himself wounded in the Throat by the Splinters Nor did it pass much better with the Captain of the Gulâ— by a Shot on the Lar-board side of the Galley by which he received much damage In this manner the Gallies drawing off at a farther distance and the Land Soldiers desisting from their Attacks all hopes of taking the Town began now to fail so the Commanders assembling at a Council of War where every thing was debated and the impossibility considered of making another Assault in regard to the Fleet which as we have said was much endamaged and the Camp much diminished by Sickness Slaughter and Departure of some of their Troops and the Season of the Year advanced to the beginning of Winter so that it was judged impossible longer to maintain the Siege But because much Blood and Treasure and the time of a whole Summer had been consumed before that City a Retreat from which would look something shameful before the Turks and make an ill noise and report over all Christendom it was proposed at a Council of War not wholly to quit or abandon the place but to remain before it during the Winter Season in order unto which it was projected to draw a Line of Circumvallation from one Neck of Land to the other which was not above the space of an Italian Mile and the Mould or Soil being all Earth it might easily be effected the which being fortified with a Ditch and Palliâ—adoes Redoubts and Cannon might make a sufficient place of defence for the Soldiers and convenient Quarters might be made for them out of those Timbers and Planks which they had saved from the Ruines of the Suburbs of Negropont And that they might be in a condition all the Winter to endamage the Town and hinder the Turks from repairing their Breaches the Mount of Muslekat and the Hill of Vilibaba were to be strongly fortified with Cannon In fine all things were proposed and provided as far as Humane Reason could contrive for security of the Camp and Maintainance of the Soldiery and for Provision and Sustenance they promised themselves sufficient from the Inhabitants of the Islands besides those which might be brought from the other Isles of the Archipelago These Matters being thus proposed and projected in the Council of War where Enquiry was made into the Miscarriages of the late Assault which was made appear otherwise than was represented it was ordered that the Cannon which were nearest to the place should be drawn off and the manner contrived how it might be executed and the Night following they began to draw off the covered Cannon which lay under the Works the which Attempt was the most difficult of any To prevent which the Turks all that Night assaulted the Bonnet with quantities of Granadoes and Sacks of Powder but a valorous resistance being made by the Defendants the Turks were repulsed with great loss so that the Night following all the remaining Cannon were drawn off and secured In which Work Silvester the Admiral of Candia having been very active and adventurous as he had been in many other doubtful and hazardous Attempts the Doge honoured him with a Gold Chain and Medal as an evidence of his good Services and of the Esteem he entertained of his Personal Courage and Conduct Had the Project of Quartering all that Winter on the Island succeeded it was very probable and with good reason it might have been rationally concluded that the City would have been obliged to yield before the Spring but the Foreign Troops being acquainted with the Design began to mutiny and loudly to declare That they would not Winter on the Island it being one of their Capitulations of Agreement when they first Enrolled themselves for Soldiers that they should at the Season when Armies usually break up their Camp be provided with warm and convenient Quarters and with the Spring return again into the Field To force the Soldiers to an Obedience in this particular was not esteemed adviseable but to try how far soft Terms and perswasive Arguments might prevail upon them several Noblemen and chief Commanders were employed to incline the Wills and Consent of the Soldiery thereunto but the Plot was deeper laid for tho' the Commonalty only appeared openly therein yet it was well known that their Officers had the chief Hand in the Design and instigated their Soldiers to act that part which was most desired by themselves But what was most prevalent with the Council of War was the Report made by Sergeant General Hor That the Soldiers in the advanced Lines were so far set on a Resolution to Abandon the Siege that in case it were not done above 100 of them would desert and fly to the Enemy Whereupon the Doge took a Resolution before other Misfortunes arrived to comply with the Soldiery and as a beginning thereof to embark all their Sick and Wounded Men and Baggage and that the Enemy should not discover the Design it was ordered That the Cannon which were not drawn off from the Lines Bonnet and Batteries should continue still to play upon the City After which by degrees â—ll the remaining Cannon was shipped and many of their Horse embarked and all things put in order for an entire Desertion of the Island and Siege which when the Grecian Inhabitants observed who had taken the part with the Venetians against the Turks full of Fear and terrified Consternation came running to the Shoar petitioned to be carried off to the Christian Coast to avoid the Fury of the Turks for performance of which all the Boats and Vessels of the Island were taken up at Freight for Service of the Army and Transportation of the Islanders of
recognize the Imperial Camp at Salankement but so soon as the News thereof was brought to the General a strong Party of Heydukes and Imperial Dragoons were Detached to meet them at the noise of which the Turks Retired and therewith the Campaign ended in Hungary For the Janisaries being debased in their Courages by the ill Success of the last Year refused to return into the Field complaining of the Cowardice of the Spahees by whom they had been exposed in open Field and given up to the Fury of the Enemy whilst the Spahees fled and saved themselves in Belgrade and the Tartars not returning to the War gave the Janisaries just cause to put an end more early than was accustomary to this Years Campaign who according to the Military Constitutions of the Ottoman Empire may be obliged to continue in the Field until the 28th of October but no longer for in such case if not provided with Winter-Quarters by that Day the Janisaries may leave the Camp against the Will and Command of their Generals and shift for themselves Tho' the Campaign was ended in Hungary yet something of Action continued in Poland where on the 27th of September the Turks Attacked a Fortress called Soroka with an Army of 30000 Men Commanded by the Seraskier Mustapha Pasha the same consisting of 8000 Turks 2000 under the Pasha of Silistria 6000 under the Hospodar of Valachia 2000 under the General of the Cossacks with 12000 Tartars With this Army as we say Mustapha Pasâ—a Invested this small Fortress which was defended by a Garrison of 600 Men with most of which the Governour made a Sally on the same Day that the Enemy came before it and killed about 80 of the Besiegeâ—s and so returned to the Fort having first burnt the Suburbs to prevent the Enemy from taking Shelter therein So inconsiderable a Fort as this which might have been taken by this Powerful Army with open Breasts without the Methods of Trenches and Approaches was now Invested with all the Formalities of a Siege â—or the first Night the Turks began their Trenches and to throw Bombs into the Place and to raise a Battery of Great Guns which they plyed for three or four Days and Nights continually On the 1st of October they advanced their Treâ—ches to the Ditch-side the which haâ—ing filled up they stormed the Fortress but were râ—pulsed with the loss of 600 Men notwithstanding which they made a second Attempt and entered the City and Burnt it but being again beaten out of it they continued the following Day to Fire without ceasing for the space of three or four Days by which time tho' great Breaches were made yet the Besieged with indefatigable Industry repaired in the Night what the Enemies had ruined in the Day On the 5th and 6th the Turks took Post in â—he Ditch and endeavoured to fortifie themselves there but the Besieged Sallying out dislodged them from thence the Turks howsoever recruiting themselves with fresh Forces recovered their Post and having drained out all the Water from the Ditch they encompassed the Fortress round on all sides throwing thereinto Bombs Carcasses Stink-Pots and other Artificial Fires But neither these not Batteries availing to terrifie the Besieged the Turks applied themselves to sink Mines which the Besieged having discovered made some of them useless by Countermines howsoever the Turks intâ—nding to Storm the Place on the 9th of that Month sired one of their Mines early that Morning which threw down part of the Wall aâ—d immediately they began to Storm the Place which the Besieged withstood for four Hours together driving the Tâ—rks from the Walls as often as they advanced and planted their Colours thereâ—pon In this Action the Besieged took three Standards and killed 800 of the Enemy and prosecuting this Success they drove them out of most of their Posts and Lodgments with the loss of 1000 of their Men and having gained six Ensigns they returned with Joy and Triumph to their Fortress This Vigorous Defence so astonished the Turks and caused them to despair of taking the Fortress that silently in the Night they raised their Camp with so much Precipitation that they left behind them two Great Guns and three Mortar-pieces with much Ammunition and Provisions The next Morning being the 11th of the Month the Besieged Sallying out found no Enemy near them The Action was very strange and almost Miraculous considering that the Turks had lost more than 4000 Men and the Christians had 150 Killed and 120 Wounded the Turks had an Army of 30000 Men to oppugne the Castle and the Christians no more than 600 to defend it And with this Action the Campaign ended as well in Poland as in Hungary After the Death of Sir William Hussey who Died as we have said the last Year at Belgrade William King of England c. immediately dispatched away Mr. Herbert in Quality of Ambassador to the Grand Seignior with Orders to reassume the Mediation of Peace between the Emperor and his Allies with the Sultan and not to lose the present Opportunity which looked favourable in regard to both sides Mr. Herbert had very little time given him to provide himself for so great an Undertaking and Journey over Land and tho' he was often afflicted with the Gout and not very well at ease when he begun so long a Journey yet being a Man of a great Spirit he forced himself that he might not lose the Merit and Honour of being the Instrument of procuring that Peace between the Emperor and the Sultan in which all Europe was concerned the Turks being then very low and much debased in their Spirits seemed flexible and inclinable to a Peace And not to lose this favourable Conjuncture the Journey of Mr. Herbert was pressed with all the haste imaginable but what with the Fatigue of the Journey and the Unquietness of his Mind for being obstructed in a Negotiation so much desired by him he became so violently Attacked by the Gout that he was forced to yield unto his Distemper and lay himself up for some Months at Frankfort so that it was March before his Arrival at Vienna and far in the Month of April before his Departure from thence during which time I received two Letters from him the chief substance of which was to complain of his want of Health and of the little appearance of a Peace between the Emperor and the Turks they despising as he said all the Overtures that had been made to them which had served only to exalt the French Ambassador and to keep the Turks from a Peace who imagined that such Instances would never have been made for Peace had the Christians not been droven to Extremities and want of Power to support and continue a War Howsoever Mr. Herbert in Obedience to His Majesty's Commands resolved to proceed and try his Fortune and being furnished by the Emperor the Venetians and the King of Poland with their Conditions
and on the 27th hung out a White Flag and sent out three of their Principal Men into the German Camp Where entring into a Treaty it was agreed that the next day one of their Gates and Bulwarks should be delivered up into the Hands of the Besiegers which being performed the following day the Garrison of the Turks consisting of about 800 sighting Men with 200 Horse were convoyed within half an hour's march from Lippa This City was provided with four Bulwarks fortified with a high and strong Wall broad and deep Ditches into which the River Kerez hath a passage and within it hath another retreat fortified with four Towers In this Place the Germans found 35 Brass and three Iron Guns with other Warlike Stores as 20000 pounds of Powder and other Ammunition proportionable In this Siege within the Town 350 Men were killed and wounded Immediately after the surrender of Geno General Heusler invested the strong Fortress of Philaâ—oras situated between Geno and Lippa which yielded unto him and having repaired the Breaches of Geno and placed a small Body of Men in those parts under the Command of General Hofkirkâ—n he returned to Great Waradin with his remaining Forces The Grand Vizier being on his march to Belgrade the news of what had happened at Geno and Philagoras was brought to him and thereby suspecting that Temeswaer would be the next enterprize of Heustler dispatched immediately Orders to the Pasha of Belgrade to send another Convoy and more Troops thither to reinforce the Garrison of Temeswaer with Men and Provisions But the Pasha with several other Commanders refusing to obey upon certain pretences that such a Detachment would be the Ruin of the Place and that to save Temeswaer they should lose Belgrade the Vizier became so enraged that with his own Hand he killed six of the Principal Turks who were Complices with the Pasha and left their Dead Bodies in the Streets to the view and terror of others Whilst these things passed at Belgrade the Duke of Croy who commanded the Imperial Army prepared all necessaries to besiege the Place And in the first place he caused a Bridge to be laid over the Danube at Veresmarton of an hours journey in length over which he passed one half of his Army and the other half he transported in Ships and Boats and were followed by the Hanover Troops and the Artillery And tho' he had by these means gotten together in a Body yet many things were wanting to begin and carry on the siege to supply which being encamped on the 25th of this Month near Peter Waradin he dispatched an Express to some Brandenburgher Troops which remained in the Rear to advance forwards and hasten their march And having assembled a Council of War it was resolved forthwith to pass the Save over the Bridge of Peter Waradin and proceed to Belgrade And accordingly towards the end of this Month marching with great diligence the Hussars having the Vanguard surprized the Turks near Belgrade of whom they took many Prisoners with some Cattle which they brought back into the Army by which the Turks were so alarm'd and by the march of the Imperial Army towards them that they endeavoured to carry away and save the best of their Goods but the Imperial Horse prevented their design The Christians approaching near the Turks on the first of August began to fire on all sides from the Town whilst the Germans on the contrary were busily working on their Lines of Circumvallation had not finished any Battery until the fifth when they likewise began to fire on the City It was farther at that time designed that two of the Christian Gallies well armed should driveaway from before the Town some light Turkish Gallies by which means that side lying open they could easily encompass the City on all sides On the ninth the Brandenburgher Troops joyned the Army and on the same day some Turks belonging to the Garrison of a Palanca called Boskoua situated about three hours distance from the Army came to the Camp and offered to capitulate the which being granted with such Conditions as were proposed the Fortress surrendred and the Soldiers and Inhabitants were convoyed safe to Semendria In the Palanca they found nine Guns with some Ammunition with good store of Hay and Corn. On the 12th of this Month the Turks to celebrate their Annual Feast of the Bairam fired all the Guns round the City and Castle and the Day following made a brisk Sally with such Bravery that at the first they brought the Germans into some Confusion but rallying themselves again into good Order they beat the Turks back into the City On the 14th they made another Sally more furious than the former but with less Success being repulsed with the loss of 500 Men killed and taken Prisoners This Blow gave the Christians an advantageous Opportunity in the space of two Days to advance their Approaches to 150 Paces from the Counterscarp On the 17th another Sally was made by the Turks but were repulsed with the loss of about 100 Men by which the Germans advanced their Works within 80 Paces of the Counterscarp And On the 19th threw several Bombs into the City which did great execution and posted six Regiments on the other side of the Danube by which all Succours coming to the Town from Temeswaer or other Parts on that side were hindred from giving any Relief and the Turks Ships were bridled and obliged to keep at a distance On the 26th the great Battery of 36 Guns was finished from which the Besiegers continually fired on the City and the Turks again on the Battery where the Duke of Croy standing open was shot through the Hat with a Musket-Bullet and his Adjutant-General killed by his side with the like The next Day being the 30th of August Kathana Mustapha Pasha with a Body of 300 Horse Attacked the Emperor's advanced Troops near Semblin but were so received by them that 40 of them remained upon the Spot several Wounded and many made Prisoners The same Day Intelligence was brought to the Duke of Croy That the Grand Vizier had drawn together from all Parts as many Forces as he had been able to do with Resolution to relieve the Town On the last Day of August the Chief Ingineer Keyserfelt entering the Trenches was killed by a Musket-shot In the first six Days of September nothing was performed which was considerable but that the Approaches were still advancing so that on the 7th the Besiegers Stormed the Counterscarp which continued until the going down of the Moon when the Darkness of the Night put an end to the Assault in which the Christians lost 1000 Men killed and wounded on the Place and amongst them the Bavarian General Sybeldorf with two Lieutenant-Colonels and other Officers The ill Success that the Christians had sustained by the Storm made on the Counterscarp being the cause of Raising the Siege it may be
Arms so that Colonel Kyba according to his Instructions from the General proceeded in his March And On the 17th came to the Castle Maglay which upon the first Summons Surrendered on condition only to go out with their Wives and Children leaving all other things behind them On the 18th by Break of Day in the Morning the Garrison of Maglay marched out and Surrendered the Place About which time nothing more was heard from the Enemy only that the Kahya the Son of the Deceased Pasha was Encamped near Orâ—ssa Viza and that the Imperial Foragers were annoyed much by the Meroders of the Enemy On the 18th they appeared before the Palanca or Pass called Schebze wherein were 300 Turks which upon the Summons demanded a time of Consideration until the next Day which the General of the Imperialists would not grant them but advanced with 400 Foot Soldiers and 300 Dragoons with the Artillery belonging to them and mounting 12 Pieces of Cannon against the Palanca in the Night they stormed it in two Places in which Attack having lost 12 or 15 Men within the Pallisadoes without any stop they still advanced forward whilst Colonel Kyba meeting with 200 Horse of the Enemy whose Design was to cast themselves into the Pass Schebze but were prevented being in part killed and in part taken Prisoners And having Intelligence That the Kahya was with a Body of about two or 3000 Men between Schebze and Branduck he caused Batteries to be raised to hinder their ready Passages On the 19th they marched on through the Orohovizar Valley being a very troublesome Passage at the first Entrance thereinto not only for the Narrowness and Streightness of the Road but also because the Enemies on both sides had cut and ruined the Ways so that about three a Clock in the Afternoon the last Regiments which were Horse entered the Field and joyned the former Troops but the Infantry came not thither until it was Night and as to the Artillery and Baggage they remained full half an Hours March behind at a distance from the narrow Passage where it remained all the Night guarded by two Regiments of Dragoons which in the Morning marched in safe Conduct and guarded them in safety to the Body of the Army The 20th the March was through Narrow and Rocky Passages worser than the former or that way which leads to the Castle Branduck which was so difficult that the Imperial Army would have been in a very ill Condition had the Turks been capable of disputing vigorously the Passage with them But at length having passed the most rough and difficult Ways of Branduck which were so inconvenient that the Artillery and Baggage could not be brought after them but were forced to be lodged under a strong Guard on the Orohovizar Valley where the Places were fairer and more pleasant but the Inhabitants were fled and gone but had left behind them all sorts of good Fruits with small and large Cattle in great Numbers with sufficient Herbage and Sustenance to maintain them The 21st the Imperial Army arrived near the River Bosna over which there was a Bridge but so Old and Ruinous that the Army was not willing to adventure a Passage over it but rather esteemed it more secure for every Dragoon or Horseman to take a Man behind him and therewith to Wade through the River with this Burden and Equipage they marched over a very high Hill for the space of two Hours which nevertheless was more easie to pass over than the former So they continued their March again over the Bosna by the help and convenience of a good strong Bridge not ruined by the Enemy and so advanced into the Camp near the Village Doboy where Colonel Kyba joyned again with Prince Eugenius advancing still before the same Night towards Sarai or Seraglio to observe the Place to which great Numbers of People of that Country were fled for security But because that City was not capable to receive such Multitudes of People great Numbers of them were forced to lodge before the City Gates so as the Prisoners declared which together with those in the City would make up a Body of 30000 Men but they wanted Arms very much So that tho' the Kahya was then personally present in the City yet his Power and Authority was weak to dispose Matters into any tolerable State and Condition of Defence But the Imperialists found this Part very Fair Fruitful and well Built and therefore the Christians and Inhabitants of that Land went to the Imperial Camp to render themselves up under their Protection At the beginning of this March on the 22d the Troops found the Ways Narrow Crooked and Deep but afterwards passed into a more pleasant Place called Visega and then repassed again the River Bosna over a Bridge at the end of which after an Hours time they Encamped and by this time Colonel Kyba was come back with his People who had done some Execution against the Inhabitants in their March killing some and making Prisoners of others which put the City of Seraglio into great Amazement and Confusion whilst several Parties of the Enemy roved round the adjacent Parts and took several Prisoners at which time a Cornet with a Trumpeter were sent into Seraglio to Summon the City to submit willingly or otherwise no Quarter should be given to any of them The 23d two Parties sent out the Day before returned back again very early in the Morning before the breaking up of the Imperial Army bringing no News or Advice from the Enemy Only the Cornet gave a Relation That as he was going to Seraglio for almost a Quarter of an Hours time he had met with no Body at all but afterwards falling in amongst the Turks to whom having made a Sign with his Hand he showed them the Writing he had with him which were Proposals for the Surrender of the City but that he happened to see the Trumpeter killed before his own Eyes and with much difficulty with divers Wounds escaped himself And farther reported That all the Inhabitants in great haste went out of Seraglio After this the Army in a Body marched to the City which the Turks had quitted and abandoned leaving none remaining but Christians and Iews from whom they took all they could find but nothing of great Value in regard the Turks had not only disposed of the best of their own Goods but likewise before their Flight had Plundered the Houses of the Christians and committed the Guard of the Castle to a Garrison of 150 Men and the same Day towards Evening a Fire broke out in the City of which no care being taken to Extinguish it it was totally burnt and consumed The Castle howsoever was not burnt for it being built of Stone required leisure to demolish which at that time could not be allowed Howsoever several Parties on the 24th returned from abroad bringing some Prisoners with them and many poor Christians came likewise Voluntarily in with Resolution to
Selymus with his Army passeth over the River Achomates strangled Amurat and Aladin the Sons of Achomates fly the one into Persia and the other to Egypt Amurat spoileâ—h Cappadocia Selymus râ—sâ—lveth to invade the Persian Chendemus â—assa disswades Selymus from going any further against the Persians Chendemus Bassa by the commandment of Selymus slain Selymus senâ—eth oâ—t his Scouâ—s who do râ—turn with bad news Selymus passeth over Araxes Hysmael sends an Herald to Selymus Selymus his answer unto Hysmael The order of Selymus his Battel Hysmael with thirty thousand Persians giveth Battel to Selymus with three hundred thousand Turks The great and mortal Battel between Hysmael and Selymus Vasta Ogli slain The terror of the Battel between Selymus and Hysmael The Persian Tents taken by the Turks The Ianizaries in mutiny against Selymus Selymus in passing the River Euphrates receiveth great loss Selymus cometh to Amasia The former History as it is reported by Jo. Ant. Mâ—â—navinus a Genoway present at doing thereof Selymus and Hysmael compared together Hysmael majestical Selymus tyrannical Hysmael courteous Selymus churâ—ish The Persians better Horsemen than the Turks The cause why Hysma â— came with so small an Army againsâ— Selyuâ—us The Countries â—â—bject to Hysmael Selymus with a new Army entreth into Armenia Aladeules his Kingdom Aladeules flies into the Mountains Aladeules taken and brought to Selymus is put to death Selymus invadeth Hungary Selymus goeâ—h to Iconium The causes moving Campson to fall out with Selymus The order of the Mamalukes The imperious Government of the Mamalukes in Egypt Judea and Syria The beginning of the Government of the Mamalukes in Egypt The moderate and happy Government of Campson Campson his answer to the Embassadors of Selymus Selymus converteth his Forces from the Persians against Campson Selymus encourageth his Souldiers to go against the Mamalukes The wholesome Counsel of Gazelles for protracting the War. A secret grudge between Campson and Cayerbeius Governor of Comagena The Mamalukes notable Souldiers The order of Campson his Battel The order of Selymus his Battel The death of Campson Aleppo delivered to Selymus by Cayerbeius the Traitor The dead Body of Campson laid out for all men to view Paulus Jovius Illust. virorum Elog. lib. 4. Selymus coming to Damasco Notable discipline in Selymus his Army Tomombeâ—us by the general consent of the Mamalukes chosen Sultan of Egypt Gaza yielded to Sinan Sinan advertised of the coming of Gazelles goeth secretly to meet him The Battel between Sinan Bassa and Gazelles Selymus doubting Sinan Bassa to have been lost becometh Melancholy News of Sinans Victory comforteth Selymus Sinan Bassa goeâ—h to meet Selymus as he was coming to Gaza Tomombeius 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of Selyâ—â—s by an 〈◊〉 way makâ—s great confusion in Tomombeâ—us Camp. Christian Canoniers serve the Turks against the Egyptians The order of Selymus his Army Sinan Bassa General of the Field Sinan Bassa with most of his Followers slain by Bidon Mustapha with his Asian Souldiers overthroweth the left Wing of the Sultans Army Selymus causâ—th the Diadare and valiant Captain â—idon to be slain Tomombeius his purpose discovered to Selymus TheEgyptians diveâ—sly afâ—ected toward the Mamalakes The description of the great City of Caire The Pyramids of Egypt Selymus encourageth his Souldiers to the wining of Caire A most mortal Battel fought in Caire A long and terrible Fight Caire taken by Selymus Gazelles his speech to Selymus Albuchomar discovereth to Selymus the power of Tomombeius and the treachery of them of Caire The causes moving Selymus to send Embassadors to Tomombeius Selymus his Embassadors slain by the Mamalukes Tomombeius distresseth the Turks in passing the bridge made over Nilus The Mamalukes give a fresh charge upon the Turks The Mamalukes put to flight Tomombeius taken and brought to Selymus Tomombeius tortured The miserable and of Tomombeius last Sultan of Egypt Paulus Jovius Illust. virorum Elog. lib. 4. The Egyptians in doubt of their Estate bewail the death of Tomombeius Selymus câ—nningly reduceth the Arabians to his obedience Of this Cortug-Ogli see more in the life of Solyman Cayerbeius the Traitor made Governor of Caire and Egypt Jonuses envieth at the prâ—ferment of Cayerbeius Selymus commanded the Wages of his Souldiers to be left in Garrison at Caire to be augmented Selymus calleth for Jonuses Bassa to answer the matter The answer of Jonuses Bassa The death of Jonuâ—es the great Bassa Jonuses Bassa jealous of his fair Wife Manâ—o The fair Lady Manto cruelly slain by her jeâ—lous Husband The cause why Hysmael invaded not Selymus wholely busied in the Egyptian Wars Selymus purposing to invade the Christians struck in the Reins of his Back with a Cancer The death of Selymus The 〈◊〉 judgment of God. Phi. Lonicerus Turcicae Historiae Tomo primo lib. primo Selymus before his death commendeth the tuiâ—ion of his Son Solyman to Pyrrhus the Bassa The bloody and tyrannical Precepts left by Selymus to his Son Solyman which he afterward most assuredly kept as is to be seen in his life following Solyman hardly perswaded that his Father was dead Gazelles Governor of Syria rebelleth against Solyman Gazelles slain Belgrade won by Solyman Philippus Villerius chosen great Master of the Rhodes Cortug-Ogly the Pyrat perswadeth Solyman to besiege the Rhodes Solymans Letter to Villerius Great Master of the Rhodes The answer of Villerius to Solymans Letter Solymans Oration to his Men of â—ar declaring his purpose of bâ—siâ—ging the Rhodes Solyman maketh preparation against the Rhodes Villerius prepareth to make resistance against the Turks Solymans Letter to Villerius Pyrrhus Bassa his Letter to Villerâ—us The answer of Villerius to Solymans Letter Villerius his answer to Pyrrhus the Bassa his Letters Villerius advertised of the coming of the Turks Fleet. The carefulness of the Grand Master Villerius his Oration unto the Rhodians Solymans threatning Letters to the Rhodians The Rhodians for fear of the Turks destroy their Suburbs and places of pleasure without the City The fear of the Country People The Chancellor his Speech perswading the Rhodians â—o fight with the Turks Gallies The worthy commendation of the Great Master The Turks Fleet descried at Sea troubleth the Rhodians The order of the Turks Fleet The Great Master by his Embassadors craveth aid of the Christian Princes The commendation of Prejanes The description of the Rhodes A Turkish Woman Slâ—ve conspireth to fire the City The painfulness of the Turks Pioniers The Turks deceived by the Christian Mariners Solyman cometh into the Camp. Solymans cholerick Oration to his Souldiers Apella a Traitor The Turks battery The English Bulwark blown up The Turks assault the English Bulwark the second time and are again repulsed Mustapha Bassa â—alleth into disgrace with Solyman The English Bulwark assaulted the third time by Mustapha The Turks Ensigns advanced to the top of the walls are again cast down Another breach made in the Walls The Great Master his oration unto his Knights The Turks assault the City in five places at once
Summons given promising to yield the City after they had once won the City of Ierusalem From thence they came to Cesarea in Palestine where they solemnly kept the Feast of Whitsontide and so to Rama which they found for fear forsaken of the Infidels Marching from Rama and drawing near to Ierusalem they in the Vantgard of the Army upon the first descrying of the Holy City gave for joy divers great Shouts and Outcries which with the like applause of the whole Army was so doubled and redoubled as if therewith they would have rent the very Mountains and pierced the highest Heavens There might a man have seen the devout passions of these most worthy and zealous Christians uttered in right divers manners some with theâ—r Eyes and Hands cast up towards Heaven called aloud upon the name and help of Christ Jesus some prostrate upon their faces kissed the ground as that whereon the Redeemer of the World sometime walked others joyfully saluted those holy places which they had heard so much of and then first beheld in brief every man in some sort expressed the joy he had conceived of the sight of the Holy City as the end of their long travel This most ancient and famous City so much renowned in holy Writ is situate in an hilly Country not watred with any River or fresh Springs as other famous Cities for most part be neither yet was it well seated for Wood or Pasture ground but what wanted in these and such other benefits of Nature was by the extraordinary blessings of the most High so supplied as that the Jews there dwelling so long as they kept the Ordinances of the Lord were of all other people in the World justly accounted the most happy and fortunate Yet in those so blessed times was this City for the sin of the people oftentimes delivered into the Enemies hand and the glory thereof defaced as well appeareth by the whole course of the History of holy Scripture as also by the ancient and approved Histories as well of the Jews themselves as others Nevertheless it still rose again though not in like glory as before in the time of King David Solomon and the other next succeeding Kings and so was still repeopled by the Jews until that at last according to the foretelling of our Saviour Christ it was with a great and of all others most lamentable destruction utterly rased and destroyed by the Romans under the leading of Vespasian the Emperor and his noble Son Titus forty years after our Saviour his precious Death and Passion Since which time it was never until this day again repaired or yet well inhabited by the Jews but lying buried in the ruines of it self all the Reign of Domitian Nerva and Trajan until the time of the great Emperor Aelius Adrianus it was again by him re-edified about the year 136 and after the name of him called Aelia who together with the name changed also in some part the ancient situation of the City For whereas before it was seated upon the steep rising of an hill in such sort that towards the East and the South it overlooked the whole ground having only the Temple and the Castle called Antonia in the highest part of the City Adrian translated the whole City unto the very top of the hill so that the place where our blessed Saviour suffered his most bitter Passion with the Sepulchre wherein he was also laid and from whence he in Glory rose again before without the City were then inclosed within the Walls thereof as they are at this day to be seen Yet for all that the Emperor being dead in process of time this new built City recovered again the ancient name of Ierusalem whereby it hath ever since and is at this day yet known This City so re-edified the Emperor first gave unto the Jews whom he afterwards thrust out again for their Rebellion and gave it to the Christians to inhabit over whom one Mark first Bishop of the Gentiles there had the charge But forasmuch as the Roman Emperors were at that time altogether Idolaters and Persecutors of the poor Christians the Church also at Ierusalem with others endured sundry and many grievous Persecutions under the Emperors Antonius Commodus Severus Maximinus Valerianus Aurelianus Dioclesianus and Maxentius until that at length Constantine the Great converted unto the Faith of Christ about the year of Grace 320 suppressing the Pagan Idolatry gave general Peace to the afflicted Church whereby the Christian Church at Ierusalem for the space of three hundred years after happily flourished under the Greek Emperors until the time of the Emperor Phocas who having most cruelly slain the good Emperor Maurice with his Children and so possessed himself of the Empire gave occasion thereby unto Chosroe the Persian King in revenge of the death of Maurice his Father in law with all his Power to invade Syria who as a tempest bearing down all before him took also by force the City of Ierusalem having that year which was about the year Six hundred and ten slain almost an hundred thousand Christians But Phocas the Usurper being by them of his Guard most cruelly slain and Heraclius succeeding in his stead Chosroe was by him again driven out of Syria and the Holy City again recovered about the year 624. In these great Wars against the Persians Heraclius had used the help of the Arabians called Scenite a warlike people of Arabia Deserta altogether given to the Spoil who the Wars now ended expecting to have received their pay were contrary to their expectation and without all reason rejected by them that should have paid them with very foul and contumelious words as that there was not mony enough to pay the Christian Souldiers of the Latines and the Greeks much less those vile dogs whom they so called for that they had but a little before received the damnable Doctrin of the false Prophet Mahomet the great Seducer of the World who even in that time flourished Upon which discontentment they at their return revolted from the Empire and joyned themselves unto their great Prophet and so afterwards unto the Caliphs his Successors extending his Doctrin together with his Soveraignty to the utmost of their power and that with so good success that in short time they had overrun all Aegypâ— Syria the Land of Promise and taken the Holy City With these the Disciples of Mahomet and his Successors the Sarasins for so now they would be called the Greek Emperors ensuing had for certain years divers conflicts with diverse fortune for the possession of Syria But at length wearied out and by them overcome they left the aforesaid Countries wholly to their Devotion Hereby it came to pass that the Sarasins for the space of 370 years following held these Countries with many others in great subjection oppressing still the poor Christians in Ierusalem with most grievous Tributes and exactions unto whom they yet left a third part of the City
for them to dwell in with the Temple of the Sepulchre of our Saviour and Mount Sion not for any devotion either unto them or those places but for that it yielded them a great profit by the recourse of devout Christians travelling thither reserving in the mean time unto themselves the other two parts of the City with the Temple of Solomon before re-edified by the Christians Now whilst the Sarasins thus triumph it in the East and not in the East only but over a great part of the West also contenting themselves with such Tributes as they had imposed upon the subdued Nations and Countries up start the Turks a vagrant fierce and cruel people who first breaking into Asia as is before declared and by rare fortune aspiring unto the Kingdom of Persia subdued the Countries of Mesopotamia Syria with the greatest part of the lesser Asia and Iudaea together with the Holy City who both there and in all other places held the poor oppressed Christians in such Subjection and Thraldom as that the former government of the Sarasins seemed in comparison of this to have been but light and easie Neither was there any end or release of these so great miseries to have been expected had not God in mercy by the weak means of a poor Hermit stirred up these most worthy Princes of the West to take up Arms in their defence who having with their victorious Armies recovered the lesser Asia with a great part of Syria were now come unto this Holy City The Governour of Ierusalem understanding by his Espials of the proceedings of the Christians had before their approach got into the City a great garrison of right valiant Souldiers with good store of all things necessary for the holding out of a long Siege The Chrstians with their Army approaching the City encamped before it on the North for that toward the East and the South it was not well to be besieged by reason of the broken Rocks and Mountains Next unto the City lay Godfrey the Duke with the Germans and Lorains near unto him lay the Earl of Flanders and Robert the Norman before the West gate lay Tancred and the Earl of Tholouse Bohemund and Baldwin were both absent the one at Antioch the other at Edissâ— The Christians thus strongly encamped the fifth day after gave unto the City a fierce assâ—ult with such chearfulness as that it was verily supposed it might have been even then woon had they been sufficiently furnished with scaling ladders for want whereof they were glad to give over the assault and retire But within a few days after having supplied that defect and provided all things necessary they came on again afresh and with all their power gave unto the City a most terrible assault wherein was on both sides seen great valour policy and cunning with much slaughter until that at length the Christians weary of the long Fight and in that hot Country and most fervent time of the year fainting for lack of Water were glad again to forsake the assault and to retire into their Trenches only the Well of Siloe yielded them water and that not sufficient for the whole Camp the rest of the Wells which were but few being before by the Enemy either filled up or else poysoned Whilst the Christians thus lay at the Siege of Ierusalem a Fleet oâ— the Genowaies arrived at Ioppa at which time also a great Fleet of the Aegyptian Sultans lay at Ascalon to have brought relief to the besieged Turks in Ierusalem whereof the Genowaies understanding and knowing themselves too weak to encounter them at Sea took all such things out of their Ships as they thought good and so sinking them marched by Land unto the Camp. There was amongst these Genowaies divers Engineers men after the manner of that time cunning in making of all manner of Engines fit for the besieging of Cities by whose device a great moving Tower was framed of timber and thick planks covered over with raw Hides to save the same from fire out of which the Christians might in safety greatly annoy the Defendants This Tower being by night brought close to the Wall served the Christians instead of a most sure fortress in the assault the next day where whilst they strive with warlike Valour and doubtful Victory on both sides from morning until midday by chance the wind favouring the Christians carried the flame of the fire into the face of the Turks wherewith they had thought to have 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 wâ—â—h their followers and the Ensigns of the Duke there first set up to the great encouraging of the Christians who now pressing in on every side like a violent River that had broken over the Banks bare down all before them All were slain 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 every place Yet in this confusion a wonderful number of the better sort of the Turks retiring to Solomons Temple there to do their last Devoir made there a great and terrible Fight armed with dispair to endure any thing and the victorious Christians no less disdaining after the winning of the City to find there so great resistance In this disperate conflict fought with wonderful obstinacy of mind many fell on both sides but the Christians â—ame on so fiercely with desire of blood that breaking into the Temple the foremost of them were by the press of them that followed after violently thrust upon the weapons of their Enemies and so miserably slain Neither did the Turks thus oppressed give it over but as men resolved to dy desperately fought it out with invincible courage not at the gates of the Temple only but even in the midst thereof also where was to be seen great heaps both of the Victors and the vanquished slain indifferently together All the Pavement of the Temple swam with blood in such sort that a man could not set his foot but either upon some dead man or over the shooes in blood Yet for all that the obstinate Enemy still held the Vaults and top of the Temple when as the darkness of the night came so fast on that the Christians were glad to make an end of the Slaughter and to sound a Retreat The next day for Proclamation was made for mercy to be shewed unto all such as should lay down their weapons the Turks that yet held the upper part of the Temple came down and yielded themselves Thus was the famous City of Ierusalem with great bloodshed but far greater honour recovered by these worthy Christians year 1099. in the year 1099 after it had been in the hands of the Infidels above