should haue paid them with verie foule and contumelious words as that there was not money enough to pay the Christian soldiers of the Latines and the Greeks much lesse those vile dogs whom they so called for that they had but a little before receiued the damnable doctrine of the false prophet Mahomet the great seducer of the world who euen in that time flourished Vpon which discontentment they at their returne reuolted from the empire and joyned themselues vnto their great prophet and so afterwards vnto the Caliphs his successors extending his doctrine together with his soueraigntie to the vttermost of their power and that with so good successe that in short time they had ouerrun all AEGYPT SIRIA the land of promise and taken the Holy citie With these the disciples of Mahomet and his successors the Sarasins for so now they would be called the Greeke emperors ensuing had for certaine yeeres diuers conflicts with diuers fortune for the possession of SIRIA But at length wearied out by them ouercom they left the aforesaid countries wholy vnto their deuotion Hereby it came to passe that the Sarasins for the space of 370 yeeres following held those countries with many others in great subjection oppressing still the poore Christians in IERVSALEM with most grieuous tributes and exactions vnto whom they yet left a third part of the citie for them to dwell in with the temple of the Sepulcher of our Sauiour and mount SION not for any deuotion either vnto them or those places but for that it yeelded them a great profit by the recourse of deuout Christians trauelling thither reseruing in the meane time vnto themselues the other two parts of the citie with the temple of Salomon before reedified by the Christians Now whilst the Sarasins thus triumph it in the East and not in the East onely but ouer a great part of the West also contenting themselues with such tributs as they had imposed vpon the subdued nations and countries vp start the Turks a vagrant fierce and cruell people who first breaking into ASIA as is before declared and by rare fortune aspiring vnto the kingdome of PERSIA subdued the countries of MESOPOTAMIA SIRIA with the greatest part of the lesser ASIA and IVDEA together with the Holy citie who both there and in all other places held the poore oppressed Christians in such subjection and thraldom as that the former gouernment of the Sarasins seemed in comparison of this to haue beene but light and easie Neither was there any end or release of these so great miseries to haue beene expected had not God in mercie by the weake meanes of a poore heremit stirred vp these most woorthie princes of the West to take vp armes in their defence who hauing with their victorious armies recouered the lesser ASIA with a great part of SIRIA were now come vnto this Holy citie The gouernour of IERVSALEM vnderstanding by his espials of the proceedings of the Christians had before their approch got into the citie a verie strong garrison of right valiant souldiers with good store of all things necessarie for the holding out of a long siege The Christians with their armie approching the citie encamped before it on the North for that towards the East and the South it was not well to be besieged by reason of the broken rocks and mountaines Next vnto the citie lay Godfrey the duke with the Germans and Loranois neere vnto him lay the earle of FLANDERS and Robert the Norman before the West gate lay Tancred and the earle of THOLOVS Bohemund and Baldwin were both absent the one at ANTIOCH the other at EDESSA The Christians thus strongly encamped the fift day after gaue vnto the citie a fierce assault with such cheerfulnesse as that it was verily supposed it might haue beene euen then woon had they beene sufficiently furnished with scaling ladders for want whereof they were glad to giue ouer the assault and retire But within a few daies after hauing supplied that defect and prouided all things necessarie they came on againe afresh and with all their power gaue vnto the citie a most terrible assault wherein was on both sides seene great valour policie cunning with much slaughter vntill that at length the Christians wearie of the long fight and in that hot countrey and most feruent time of the yeere fainting for lacke of water were glad againe to forsake the assault and to retire into their trenches onely the well of Siloe yeelded them water and that not sufficient for the whole campe the rest of the wels which were but few being before by the enemie either filled vp or else poysoned Whilst the Christians thus lay at the siege of IERVSALEM a fleet of the Genowaies arriued at IOPPA at which time also a great fleet of the Egyptian Sultans lay at ASCALON to haue brought reliefe to the besieged Turks in IERVSALEM whereof the Genowaies vnderstanding and knowing themselues too weake to encounter them at sea tooke all such things out of their ships as they thought good and so sinking them marched by land vnto the campe There was amongst these Genowaies diuers enginers men after the manner of that time cunning in making of all manner of engines fit for the besieging of cities by whose deuice a great moouing tower was framed of timber and thick plancks couered ouer with raw hides to saue the same from fire out of which the Christians might in safetie greatly annoy the defendants This tower being by night brought close vnto the wall serued the Christians in steed of a most sure fortresse in the assault the next day where whilst they striue with like valour and doubtfull victorie on both sides from morning vntill midday by chance the wind fauouring the Christians carried the flame of the fire into the face of the Turks wherewith they had thought to haue burnt the tower with such violence that the Christians taking the benefit thereof and holpen by the tower gained the top of the wall which was first footed by the duke Godfrey and his brother Eustace with their followers and the ensigns of the duke there first set vp to the great encouraging of the Christians who now pressing in on euerie side like a violent riuer that had broken ouer the banks bare downe all before them All were slaine that came to hand men women and children without respect of age sex or condition the slaughter was great and the sight lamentable all the streets were filled with blood and the bodies of the dead death triumphing in euerie place Yet in this confusion a woonderfull number of the better sort of the Turks retiring vnto Salomons temple there to do their last deuoire made there a great and terrible fight armed with dispaire to endure any thing and the victorious Christians no lesse disdaining after the winning of the citie to find there so great resistance In this desperat conflict fought with woonderfull obstinacie of mind many fell on both sides
The Christian defendants on the other side first by heartie prayer commended themselues and their citie to the protection of the most mightie and afterwards with restlesse labour and no small perill speedily repaired and new fortified whatsoeuer the furie of the artillerie had ouerthrowne or shaken omitting nothing that could be done or deuised for the defence of themselues and the citie Now as soone as the new Moone began to shew her selfe the Mahometane priests going about the armie gaue the souldiours knowledge thereof as their manner is by singing of a song in manner of a procession wherunto the whole armie answered with a short responde but with such a terrible noise as was wonderfull to heare and at the same time bowing themselues to the ground saluted the Moone with great superstition All their fond ceremonies performed they began to drawnie the citie so thicke and in number so manie that all the ground for the space of a mile round about SCODRA was thicke couered with men The Christians expecting euerie houre to be assailed were readie vpon the wals and rampiers of the citie to repulse the enemie but especially at the great gate where most danger was feared for that the Turks with their great ordinance had made that place of all others most saultable Here Iacobus Moneta a noble captaine with his brother Moncinus a valiant gentleman tooke vpon theÌ„ to receiue the first assault which is commonly of all others most terrible for the Turks vse in their assaults to giue three attempts whereof the first is most furious and dangerous as performed by their best souldiours the other two are of lesse force but if they faile in all three they forsake the enterprise as men discouraged Whilest both the assailants and the defendants stood thus in readinesse the one as it were facing the other a great part of the night Mahomet before day went vp to the top of the Bassaes mount from whence he had before beholden the former assault at whose comming there were presently eleuen cannons discharged and twelue smaller pieces the signal appointed for the assault The Turkes vpon this signe giuen with exceeding tumult and most hideous outcrie as their manner is began to assaile the citie round and with such wonderfull agilitie of bodie and courage mounted the rampiers at the great gate that they had there as it were in a trice set vp one of their ensignes which was foorthwith pluckt vp by Moneta and the Turkes with great slaughter driuen downe where many of them were slaine with stones timber fire and such other things cast downe vpon them beside a great number slaine or wounded with shot arrowes and darts whereof none fell to the ground in vaine by reason that the Turkes stood so thicke that they violently pressed one another forward in such sort that the formost could by no meanes shun any danger were it neuer so great or terrible In this sort the assault was with great slaughter of the Turkes continued vntill it was day they striuing to win the breach and the Christians most valiantly defending the same Moneta himselfe in this fight receiued diuerse wounds and was twice beaten downe to the ground yet still recouering himselfe encouraged his souldiors and woorthily repulsed the enemie Mahomet seeing his souldiors beaten from the breach caused a tyre of his great Ordinance to be discharged vpon the Christians which stood therein thicke for the defence thereof by force whereof many of them were rent in peeces and the rest sore dismayed which the Turkes quickly perceiuing and therewith encouraged came on againe with a fresh charge forcing themselues to the vttermost to haue entred But the valiant captaine nothing discouraged either with the losse of them that were slaine or with the danger of himselfe couragiously withstood the furious enemie and maintained the place vntill new supplies came to relieue him and neuer departed thence either suffered any man to depart vntill the assault was ended Many were slaine on both sides yet nothing troubled the defendants so much as the great ordinance which being discharged from the Bassaes mount into the breach at such times as the Turkes were driuen backe slew many of the Christians leauing the breach almost cleare so giuing occasion for the Turkes to haue entred had not other couragious souldiours stept vp in stead of them that were slaine who manfully repulsed the enemie The tyrant from the mouâ—â— seeing the inuincible courage of the defendants was therewith exceedingly troubled but fully resolued now or neuer to haue it commaunded all his forces to be drawne from all other parts of the citie vnto the great gate there to renew the assault straightly charging his captaines neuer to returne thence vntill they had taken the citie Hereupon the greatest part of that hugâ—â— armie was forthwith in the sight of himselfe brought vnto the appointed place and there gaue a sharpe and cruell assault at the breach with such desperat furie that in short time they had slaine most of the defendants there present and aduanced diuers of their ensignes vpon the top of the rampiers Which Mahomet beholding from the mount rejoyced exceedingly making sure account that the citie was now his owne but by that time he had well conceiued this hope new supplies of fresh and couragious men of purpose reserued for all euents came to the place of danger and with great resolution encountring the wearied Turkes draue them backe cleared the breach and ouerthrew their ensignes Which so sudden an alteration in the breach wrought no lesse alteration in the prowd tyrants mind his hope was turned into despaire and his rejoycing into choller insomuch that in his furie he commaunded all his great artillerie to be at once discharged into the breach whereby manie of his forward and couragious souldiours were slaine togither with the defendants At the same time the great commaunders and captaines knowing themselues to bee in the eye of their imperious lord and maister with their drawne swords forced the poore souldiours againe forward to the breach and the more to encourage them aduentured themselues also amongst them whereby the fight became more fierce and terrible than before Manie of the Turkes were there slaine yet such was the force and multitude of them which still stept vp in their place and bullets and arrowes flew so thicke that the defendants oppressed with multitude and ouerwhelmed with shot were hardly able longer to maintaine the place being for most part either slaine or wounded Whereupon a great one ran vpon the sudden through the citie that euerie man without exception should forthwith repaire to the breach Which was with such cheerfulnesse done that in lesse time than was to haue been thought a wonderfull multitude of all sort of people was there met togither encouraging one another against the present danger who all as men resolued to lay downe their liues in defence of their countrey valiantly encountred the Turkes vpon the top of the rampiers
the riuer with much difficultie and ouertaking him with his armie the next day being the first of May about one of the clocke in the afternoone between ZARCHA and FVCASALVA with his great ordinance disordered the rereward of the enemies battell and comming on couragiously with his whole armie began a most cruell fight which the Turkes a great while endured with wonderfull resolution but now destitute of their wonted multitude their greatest confidence and hardly layed vnto by the Christians they in the end turned their backes and fled whom six thousand Hungarians and Germanes fiercely pursued and had the killing of them almost to BVDA In this battell the Christians tooke all the enemies great ordinance with seuenteene ensigns and also the castle of Iasperin which the Turkes had for feare abandoned wherein was found good store of victuals certaine great pieces with much other warlike prouision Of this so notable a victorie Teuffenbach by letters presently aduertised the Archduke after he was againe returned to the siege of HATVVAN Which letters because they containe many particularities and circumstances of this battell I haue thought it not amisse here to insert Although sayth he I haue by a speedie messenger vpon the very kalends of May certified your excellencie of the notable victorie which God of his great goodnesse gaue vnto vs the same day ouer our hereditarie enemie yet afterward vpon diligent inquisition we vnderstood many particularities as well of the captiues themselues as of the inhabitants about ZOLNOCK PESTH and BVDA whereof I thought good to aduertise you The captiues themselues confesse That the Bassa of BVDA with the Sanzackes of ZOLNOC ZARVVACE GIVLA and TSCHANGRAD CIPPAIO GENNâ— and others had with great celeritie raised an armie of thirteene thousand souldiours amongst whom were many Tartars with purpose to haue relieued the besieged towne of HATVVAN and vpon the sudden to haue oppressed vs in our tents Filled with which hope they in great hast came with all their power the last of Aprill towards HATVVAN but for as much as they could not passe ouer the riuer Zagijwa by reason of the height of the water they were the next day being the first of May conducted by the captaine of Iasparin to a more commodious passage so to come the neerer vnto vs and the next day in the morning to haue surprised vs in our tents But our most mercifull God hath auerted this so great a mischiefe from vs and turned it vpon their owne heads For as it is most constantly reported from ZOLNOC PESTH and BVDA and confirmed by the inhabitants of the same places there are two thousand fiue hundred of the Turkes slaine and as many wounded of whom many perished and are found dead vpon the high wayes leading to PESTH and ZOLNOC of these wee haue sent a thousand heads to CASSOVIA and caused many of the Turkes to be buried for feare of infection in this so great heat Verely it was a bloudie battell so that the old souldiours say they haue not remembred or seene the Turkes no moe in number to haue stood so long in battell and to haue so fought it out without flying Many men of great name place there perished and fell amongst whom are reckoned the Sanzacks of PESTH NOVIGRAD TEMESKE GENNE ALAVUS BOGSTE ALVSTAFA MARIELAVS and certain Chiaus lately sent from the Court with the Bassa his guard wherin were eight hundred right valiant soldiors of whom few escaped with life Many fell that would haue yeelded great ransome but it was agreed vpon betweene the Germanes and the Hungarians not to spare any of the enemies but to put them all to sword and that whosoeuer did otherwise it should be imputed vnto him for dishonour So that more than sixteene common souldiors none were taken prisoners of whom we might learne how things went amongst the Turkes with other circumstances of the battell We tooke thirteene field pieces whereof foure were greater than the rest which they called organes and foure and twentie of the enemies ensignes The Bassa of BVDA beside other three wounds by him receiued was grieuously wounded in the side Of our men were lost about an hundred and many of them most expert souldiors and about six hundred others grieuously wounded of whom there is small hope many of them being alreadie dead Neither is the losse small we haue receiued in our horses and armour for there be few amongst the Germane horsemen which haue not lost one two or three of their horses or seruants whereby our horsemen are wonderfully weakned yet was the victorie great to God be the praise to him be the glorie and thankes therefore Let vs in the meane time prosecute the siege begun The last night I commaunded the water to be drawne another way so that now our trenches may be aduaunced many paces and bulwarks raised within two hundred paces of the wall We haue alreadie planted fiue great pieces of artillerie in one bulwarke and hope the next night to place fiue moe vpon amount fast by and will doe what shall bee needfull for a straight siege and when time shall serue vndertake the towne with all our power God graunt vs therein good successe and victorie The Turkes in garrison at ZAâ—OLA a fort thereby discouraged with the ouerthrow of their friends forsooke the â—ort which for strength and greatnesse was comparable with TOCAY or ERLA Which strong place the Christians without any losse now recouered Whilest this valiant captaine the lord Teuffenbach thus lay at the siege of HATVVAN Matthias the archduke Generall of the Christian armie in HVNGARIE encouraged with the good successe he had at NOVIGRAD came with his armie being 44000 strong before STRIGONIVM sometime the Metropoliticall citie of HVNGARIE but now of long a sure receptacle of the Turkes and the sixt of May encamped his armie about a quarter of a mile from the castle in a most pleasant medow from whence both the citie and the castle were plainely to be seene Vpon whom the Turâ—es out of the castle and three gallies that lay vpon the riuer discharged certaine great pieces without any great harme doing but after that the Christian fleet was a little before night come downe the riuer and with their great ordinance began to answere them againe the enemie ceased shooting and lay still that night In the meane time it fortuned that a Turkish youth taken in a garden thereby and brought into the campe and examined confessed that there was no garrison in the citie more than foure hundred Ianizaries and that a new supply was daily expected from BVDA The Christians labouring that night were by the breaking of the day come with their trenches to a hill ouer against the castle where they placed their batterie and forthwith began to batter the citie The same day being the seauenth of May two and twentie Turkes heads were presented to the archduke and foure men taken aliue newly sent out of the citie to haue viewed the
assurance of himselfe and his state in so great a danger And first he sent vnto his nephew come halfe way to forbid him from entring the citie and to tell him That it was a great folly for him being so manifest a traitour both vnto his grandfather and the state to thinke his traiterous purposes to bee vnknowne vnto the world and beside in way of reproofe to rehearse vnto him how many occasions he had giuen for the breaking of the league with his grandfather first in taking away the money from the collectors whereof the state neuer stood in more need by reason of the diuision of the empire which required double charge then in that hee had in the citie euerie where displaced such gouernours and magistrats as his grandfather had sent thither and placed others at his pleasure with many other like facts declaring his treacherous aspiring mind for which he was not without cause by his grandfather forbidden to enter the citie After that the old emperour by secret letters craued aid of Crales prince of SERVIA and Demetrius the Despot his sonne who was then gouernour of THSSALONICA and the countries adjoyning commaunding him with Andronicuâ— and Michael his nephews gouernours of MACEDONIA with all the forces they were able to raise and such aid as should be sent vnto them out of SERVIA with all speed to joyne together and to go against the yoong emperour But these letters thus written vnto the prince of SERVIA the Despot and others as is before said were for the most part intercepted by such as the yoong emperour had for that purpose placed vpon the straits of CHRISTOPOLIS and the other passages especially such as were written in paper yet some others in fine white linnen cloth and secretly sowed in the garments of such as carried them escaped for all their strait search and so were deliuered And in truth nothing was done or about to be done in CONSTANTINOPLE but that the yoong emperour was by one or other aduertised thereof whereas the old emperour on the other side vnderstood nothing what his nephew did abroad or intended For all men of their owne accord enclined vnto him some openly both bodie and soule as they say and such as could not be with him in person yet in mind and good will were euen present with him and that not onely the common sort of the citizens of CONSTANTINOPLE but the chiefe Senatours the great courtiers yea and many other of the emperours neerest kinsmen also who curiously obseruing whatsoeuer was done in the citie foorthwith certified him therof Amongst whom was also Theodorus the marques one of the old emperors owne sons who many years before by the empresse his mother sent into ITALY and there honorably married was by his prodigall course of life there growne far in debt so that leauing his wife and children behind him he was glad after the decease of his mother to flie vnto his father at CONSTANTINOPLE and there now liued who beside that he most honourably maintained him in the court and bestowed many great things vpon him paid also all his debts which were verie great All which fatherly kindnesse he forgetting went about most Iudas like to haue betraied his aged father For he also dreaming after the empire and for many causes but especially for that hee was in mind religion manners and habit become a Latine by him rejected thought he could not do him a greater dispite than by reuolting vnto the young emperour so that the neerer he was in blood the more he was his fathers vnnaturall enemie Shortly after Demetrius the Despot hauing receiued the emperours letters at THESSALONICA called vnto him Andronicus and Michael his nephews the gouernours of MACEDONIA with whom joyning all his forces and dayly expecting more aid out of SERVIA he first spoiled the yoong emperors friends and fauourits in MACEDONIA giuing the spoile of them in all the cities and townes of MACEDONIA vnto their souldiours who made hauocke of whatsoeuer they light vpon and whosoeuer seemed any way to withstand them or dislike of their proceedings their goods and lands they confiscated and draue the men themselues into exile Neither was the yoong emperour Andronicus in the meane time idle but secretly sent out his edicts into all parts of the empire yea into the verie cities of CONSTANTINOPLE and THESSALONICA and ouer all MACEDONIA whereby he proclaimed vnto the people in generall a releasement of them from all tributs impositions and payments and frankly promised vnto the souldiours and men of war the augmenting of their pensions and pay which were no sooner bruited but that most men were therewith mooued both in word and deed to fauour his proceedings doing what they could to further the same and by secret letters inuiting him to hasten his comming into the citie who thereupon comming to RHEGIVM by his embassadours sent from thence requested the old emperour Either to giue him leaue according to the league betwixt them to come into the citie or else to send him certaine of the chiefe of the nobilitie and cleargie with some of the better and more vnderstanding sort of the Burgers and citizens also vnto whom he might frankly speake his mind for them faithfully to deliuer the same againe vnto the emperor his grandfather and the people Which requests the old emperour perceiuing to be full of deceit and trecherie for a good space answered thereunto nothing at all but stood all silent as doubting which to graunt for to suffer his nephew to come into the citie he saw was dangerous the cittizens as he well knew being for the most part enclined to reuolt vnto him so soon as they should once see him within the gates and to send any forth vnto him as he desired might be as he feared an occasion of some tumult to be after raised in the citie for he knew that his nephewes drift therein was openly by faire words and secretly with great gifts and large promises first to gaine them and by them the rest of the citizens Both which things being dangerous he made choice of the easier and sent forth vnto him two of the most noble Senators two of the most reuerend bishops two other graue prelates and foure of the cheefe burgesses of the citie vnto whom at their comming vnto him hee in the open hearing of all men deliuered this premeditated and craftie speech It is not vnknowne vnto the world you my subjects to haue alwaies been vnto me more deare than I haue been vnto my selfe and how that I haue not vpon any ambitious conceit or desire of the sole gouernment against my grandfathers good will gone out For you see how that I neither spare mine owne life or attend my pleasure for the care I haue of you I come not vnto you compassed about with a guard of armed men as is the manner not of kings only for the enuie of their high place but of others also of farre meaner calling whom
to shape them answere accordingly Wherfore so soone as the embassadours were departed to SINDEROVIA hee first by his messengers aslaied the minds of the cittizens and souldiors with magnificall promises of large liberties and infinit rewards and preferments if they would yeeld vp the cittie and many arrowes with letters made fast vnto them full of like promises were at the same time shot into the cittie But when he saw no hope to preuaile by that meanes hee called together the captaines and commaunders of his armie and there in the presence of them all spake vnto them as followeth Although I know it is in mine owne power to graunt or not to graunt the peace whereof our enemies haue made a motion yet it is my pleasure worthie soldiors to know your minds also For so much as we haue that warre in hand wherein with worldly felicitie whereof amongst you I hold the cheefe place is also indangered our religion and puritie of life the defence and care whereof equally belongeth vnto vs all for although we differ much one from another in the manner of our vocation and liuing here yet after death we all hope for one and the selfesame felicitie And therefore I would haue you to vnderstand all that I shall say as proceeding not of any regard of mine owne priuate but vpon the consideration of the common good of you all For as concerning mine owne estate I possesse so large countries in ASIA such great dominions in EUROPE that either part thereof in good time bee it said might seeme a sufficient kingdome so that perhaps it might better stand with my estate to take more care for keeping of that I haue than to trauell for the gaining of more but you are to consider with your selues whether you haue euery man sufficient to suffice himselfe or not and how long you thinke your selues assured of the same and moreouer that together with these worldly things we shall be driuen at length to forsake our profession and religion if we shall now lay downe armes For our enemies require that we should first cease from warre and then afterwards they thinke it meet to talke of peace I will not speake of the indignitie that men besieged and in euill plight should propound conditions of peace to them that besiege them and are well furnished of all things that feeble and cowardly men should promise peace vnto courageous and expert souldiors I omit what labour and paines we haue taken in laying our siege in raising of mounts in making of shipping all which our enemies commaund vs to forsake as if they had vs alreadie bound or couped vp in hold as we haue them All BULGARIA and the greater part of RASCIA is now by vs conquered and most part of SERVIA is at our commaund all which places are either by vs to be kept or els all the rest of that we possesse in EUROPE is with them to be quite lost and forsaken Whosoeuer shall haue in their power this citie which we besiege and that our enemies know right well shall haue not onely as it were a fortresse and bulwarke of defence for his owne but also a castle and entrance for the subduing of others The kingdome of HUNGARIE is now deuided in it selfe and full of domesticall sedition neither is it so much strengthened by the vniting of the kingdome of POLONIA as it is by ciuile dissention weakened and in this motion of peace nothing is sought for but to gaine time for the pacifying of their priuate quarrels that they may afterwards with their doubled forces set vpon vs. For if we shall breake vp our siege before we haue woon the cittie they will easily find delaies so long to protract the conclusion of peace vntill that either Vladislaus his good fortune or els the Hungarians being of themselues better aduised shall make an end of their ciuile wars What manner and conditions of peace will they then require of vs when they are at vnitie amongst themselues and in armes against vs seeing that now being in danger with mutuall discord and almost by vs vanquished doe thinke it reasonable as if they had woon the field that we should first raise our siege and then entreat of peace Their proud demaunds for the restitution of BULGARIA and RASCIA with other countries and citties woon by our trauell and danger alreadie sound in mine eares Which if wee shall refuse to graunt not onely the Hungarian being then at vnitie among themselues but also the Polonians joined vnto them will bring those wars home to our dores which we now at great aduantage make vpon them troubled with discord and ciuile broiles And if for desire of peace we could be content to yeeld vnto such shamefull and miserable conditions and restore vnto them all they should or in reason could desire do you thinke the prince of SERVIA would rest contented with his owne whose haughtie mind I am sure being inflate with the combining of two such mightie kingdomes thinketh not onely of the recouerie of that hee hath lost but euen now gapeth at all that is ours in EUROPE He will not thinke himselfe satisfied before he hauing brought the Hungarian and Polonian forces against vs shall see the same hauocke and spoile made in our kingdome with fire and sword which he hath before seene made by vs in his owne Where if his fortune should answere his designes which God forbid but yet it may chance beside all the miserable and intollerable outrages which are to be feared of an angrie conquerour it is accounted with them for a godly and religious worke to vse all cruell and vnspeakeable villanies against our nation except wee will forsake the faith and religion deliuered vnto vs by our ancestors and follow their new and incredible ceremonies Neither doe they thinke they can more easily and effectually procure the fauor of God with any other kind of sacrifice or seruice than by ouerthrowing and prophaning our temples by scoffing at our most sacred and secret rites and ceremonies by scorning our religion and priests and that you may know all the furie wherewith they rage against vs and our religion they account all them for holy saints which die in fight against vs. There is no cause valiant souldiors that vpon the vaine hope of peace we should expect whilest the enemie doth gather and vnite his forces and armes against vs especially such an enemie as propoundeth not spoile and worldly honours but immortalitie it selfe as a reward of his victorie We haue alreadie taken much more labour than we haue to take we haue filled the ditches with restlesse labour we haue cast vp bulwarkes equall with the wals and part of the wals we haue beaten euen with the ground so that you see the towne halfe opened and that towne by gaining wherof all that ours is may be made safe and quiet and that which our enemie possesseth subiect to our spoile and prey If you will but a little
inforce your selues as men mindfull of our good fortune and forwardnesse you shall find our temples our sacrifices our religion all worldly and heauenly felicitie to bee then assured vnto vs when as you shall to morrow ouerthrow the very foundation of the enemies wall Then couragious souldiors we may crie victorie not for the present but for euer If this warre should bring vnto vs nothing els but an assured securitie of our estate it were sufficient reward for which we ought cheerefully to aduenture our selues to all dangers and to challenge in combat euen death it selfe But as this victorie doth defend all our things as with a deep trench or sure wall so doth it lay open and expose all our enemies dominions vnto danger spoile Hitherto we haue striuen with nature her selfe in the rough and abrupt mountains of BVLGARIA RASCIA where we were to striue with hunger thirst labor desperation all them we haue ouercome allured with no other reward but that at length we might attaine vnto the wealth of fruitfull HVNGARIE from whence we must fetch the guerdon of our victorie and the ground of our glorie We are come to the gates which being laid open we are not to passe ouer inaccessible rocks or vncouth desarts but we shal go through most pleasant places decâ—ed both by nature her selfe and the industrie of man where the temperatnesse of the aire and liuely springs with the fruitfulnesse of the soile doth euery where yeeld plentie of all manner of food both for man and beast not only to serue for natures necessitie but euen to glut our wanton desires What thing soeuer curious indeuor hardly bringeth forth in other places that the fertilitie of this soile yeeldeth plentifully of it selfe so that it is to be thought that nature adorned HUNGARIE with a certain extraordinary care when as she would set forth a pattern of good husbandrie for other countries to imitate Neither hath she in any place ben more bountifull in bestowing her rich gifts for gold which other men most painfully dig vp that in few places the Hungarians gather at their ease as if it were a growing plant It is in your power worthie soldiors whether you will to morrow open a way to all these good things for your selues for euer or els leaue the way open for your enemies vnto all that you hold I would that you would remember when you goe vnto the breach that all the store of happie fortune is laid open vnto you for a prey without any other defence without any other garrison without any other keeper and that behind you are your wiues children your houses your temples and religion together with the rewards of all your former victories ouer whom except you win this citie the furie and insolencie of the victorious enemie will most cruelly and shamefully insult I according as I shall see you fight at the breach to morrow shall easily perceiue how you are set downe to commaund as conquerors or els as slaues to be commaunded and also what to answere to the most insolent demaunds of the proud embassadours In the meane time make much of our selues and together with your armour haue all things in readinesse that to morrow with the dawning of the day we may assault the breach The Turkish captaines for that time joyfully departed as if they had been alreadie assured of the victorie and of all those good things which Amurath had so liuely set before their eies The next morning very early Amurath commanded the assault to be giuen vnto a great breach which he had made in the wall with continuall batterie the souldiours with great courage assailed the breach especially the Ianizaries who vnder the leading of Haly-Bassa valiantly woon the same and were entring the citie with assured hope of victorie The Christians seeing all in danger to be lost running to the breach from all parts of the citie so forceably charged the proud Ianizaries on euerie side that they were glad to retire with more hast than they before entred in which retrait many of them were slaine and the rest flying out at the breach were either slaine or burnt to death in the towne ditch with wild fire whereof the defendants had cast great store vpon the Turks at the breach which hauing taken hold vpon the faggots hurdles and other light matter wherewith the Turks had vpon the sudden made their way ouer the towne ditch did so terribly burne that the Ianizaries which had entred the breach being againe repulsed were in that fierie lake consumed or else with smoke strangled In this assault Amurath is reported to haue lost eight thousand of his best men beside seauen thousand others ouerwhelmed or strangled in the mines by the countermines of the Christians The other part of the Turks which at the same time assaulâ—ed the citie by water out of their gallies and small ships had as euill or rather worse successe many of them were sunke with great shot and some burnt by the fire cast from the wals and so fired one another and diuers of them in that sudden feare for avoiding of that present danger ran a ground vpon the shelfs in the riuer and so split Amurath wonderfully discoraged with the slaughter of his men and shamefully beaten from the assault returned to his camp with his Turks much like men which had lately escaped from some great shipwracke And thus partly by famine and partly by the defendants force hauing lost the greatest part of his armie he determined now after seauen moneths siege to returne home Yet because hee would not encourage his enemies by shewing his feare he sent for the embassadours into the campe and with sterne countenance answered them in this sort We will said he then talke of peace when Vladislaus shall deliuer vnto vs all that part of RASCIA which he yet holdeth and also this citie of BELGRADE as a pledge of the league And for this time I will raise my siege to giue Vladislaus time to aduise himselfe yet I would wish him rather to accept of my friendship vpon these conditions than by denying that little which is demaunded to hâ—zard the state of both his kingdomes I aske but that which is mine owne by law of armes before Vladislaus was called into HUNGARIE and the Hungarians cannot transfer vnto him that right which they had not themselues Wherefore if hee will proceed rather to striue for that which is other mens than quietly to possesse his owne I will in good time repaire hether againe with my God the beholder and reuenger of wrong With this answere he dismissed the embassadours and forthwith rise with his armie sore rerepenting his comming thether yet because he would take something in his way he left his nephew Isa-beg with certaine troupes of horsemen at SCOPIA in SERVIA who so troubled the king of BOSNA that he was glad to require peace of Amurath and to promise vnto him a yearely tribute
following his good fortune marched towards PETRA-ALBA in such hast as if the citie had been running away from him well knowing that though Time be euer more pretious yet neuer more than in martiall affaires wherein the least moment is often times of such power as to effect or frustrate mens greatest designes PETRA-ALBA is a citie in the country of AEMATHIA distant from PETRELLA thirtie miles strongly scituat vpon the top of a mountain neere vnto the riuer AEMATHVS Scanderbeg had scarcely well encamped himselfe before this citie but that the Gouernour thereof terrified with the fortune of CROIA and PETRELLA offered to deliuer vp the citie vpon the same conditions that were graunted at PETRELLA which being agreed vpon the citie was forthwith deliuered and the conditions by Scanderbeg faithfully performed PETRA-ALBA being thus taken all things set in order Scanderbeg caried with the course of his victorie without delay came to STELLVSA which is also a strong citie of AEMATHIA fiftie miles distant from CROIA pleasantly as it were of purpose built vpon the top of an high hill standing in the middest of a pleasant and fruitfull vallie with great plaines round about it There Scanderbeg encamped a little before the going downe of the sunne and rested that night In the morning he sent a messenger to the cittie with like conditions as were accepted at PETRELLA and PETRA-ALBA which most part of the garrison souldiours of the Turks would gladly haue accepted but that Desdrot the Gouernour of the citie with some few others earnestly withstood the rest wherevpon a great contention arose amongst the garrison souldiours But the greater part desirous to yeeld vp the citie when they could by no meanes persuade the Gouernour and those few which tooke his part to yeeld to their desires they violently set vpon him and deliuered him with the rest to Scanderbeg fast bound and so yeelded vp the citie For which fact fearing to returne to Amurath some of them remained with Scanderbeg and afterwardes became Christians the rest were either honestly prouided for or else well rewarded and suffered to depart whether they would All the other weaker places of EPIRVS wherein any of the Turkish garrisons lay hearing that the strongest cities were alreadie deliuered vnto Scanderbeg in short time yeelded themselues vpon like conditions onely Sâ—ETIGRADE otherwise called the holy citie remained in the possession of the Turks which citie is placed in the vpper country of DIBRA in the frontiers of EPIRVS vpon the top of an high steep hill as if it were an Eagles neast Vnto this citie came Scanderbeg with all his armie and hauing placed his tents hee began first to assay if he could gaine it by composition as he had done the rest and the rather to moue them by the examples of others he caused his embassadours to declare vnto them all that had happened at CROIA PETRELLA PETRA-ALBA and STELLVSA especially how he had vsed the garrison of STELLVSA which yeelded vnto him with all bountie and courtesie and how that on the contrarie part he had the gouernour in bands with all his wilfull partakers whome they should presently see executed before their faces if they forthwith deliuered not the citie This message troubled the minds of all the garrison but especially of the gouernour seeing before his eiâ—s in the wofull example of another man what might by and by happen vnto himselfe Wherfore fearing to deliuer his owne opinion and to giue answere vnto the embassadour for offending the inconstant multitude and vnknowne minds of the people he first entertained the embassadours honourably and afterwards turning himselfe vnto the citizens and souldiours said vnto them Worthie men and most faithfull souldiors what is your pleasure or what shall we answere to these 〈◊〉 enemies demaunds Then one of the souldiors that stood by a rough bold spirited fellow vnwilling for his owne part to giue vp the citie and deeming the gouernour to be of the same mind in that he had tearmed them worthie and faithfull and Scanderbeg by the name of an enemie drawing out his sword and with his right hand shaking it on high answered Most valiant Gouernour this same and the like shall make answere for vs. Nothing was to lesse purpose than with premeditated words to seeke to terrifie valiant minds first with the diuerse fortune of CROIA and then of STELLVSA for as the faces and countenances of men are diuers so also are their minds and dispositions Euery man wisely directeth his owne actions according to his owne proper humour and by the same plaies the foole or bedlam We prescribe no laws to them of PETRELLA nor to them of STELLVSA neither let them prescribe any vnto vs. Let neuer so base examples of cowardly slaues euer enter into the thoughts of courageous men braue minds disdaine to imitate other men in their honest actions much lesse in their cowardise And why for euery man liueth after his owne fashion Wherefore let Scanderbeg proceed let him kill the gouernour of STELLVSA before our faces let him sacrifice our fellow souldiors doe you therefore thinke that we shall die in their bodies shall our liuing spirits be there extinguished shall our blood there be spilt But ô happie bodies â— ghosts of me euer to be reuerenced which in worthie defence of your libertie and faith haue indifferently contemned gold siluer death and torture and whatsoeuer els miserable worldlings hold deere 〈◊〉 dismall Wherefore carrie thou backe againe vnto thy master this answere from a common souldior â—f he seeke to impose these conditions vpon vs let him once more bare that arme of his which men of coâ—rage feare not so much as he thinketh He may peraduenture inforce vs to these conditions of his if God forsake vs but assuredly persuade vs vnto them shall he neuer And yet for all that your master Scanderbeg is not the man we haue long since heard him reported to be of an honourable mind easie to forgiue and such a one as will indifferently judge betwixt the enemie and himselfe for why then doâ—th he hold in bonds the gouernour of STELLVSA for that he freely justly and honorably stood in defencâ— of his king his faith and libertie Why doth he threaten him with death whereas he hath not deserueâ— the same although he hath resolutely offered himselfe thereunto for defence of his libertie All they which were present listened with great attention to the soldiors speech neither was he interrupted by any vntill he had said what he would TheÌ„ the soldiors thronging about him and beating their swords targets together withall gaue a great shout in token that they all approued his speech for answer So the gouernor encouraged with the cheerefulnes of his soldiors returned the embassador without other answer than that of the common soldiors and presently appointed euery man to his charge and with great carefulnesse ordred all things for the better defence of the citie But wheÌ„ Scanderbeg had
haue not learned of mine elders to heare any message from mine enemie by night neither at any time else out of the hearing of the garison to whom Scanderbeg hath committed the defence of this citie and I the sauegard of my person you must therefore at this time pardon me and to morrow if your maister so please I will heare you at large And therewith commanded him to depart from the wals So he returned for that time without audience as he came It grieued Amurath not a little to see his messenger so lightly regarded yet forasmuch as hee had more hope to gain the citie by large offers or some reasonable composition than by all his great force he dissembled his wrath and the next daie sent the same messenger again with one of his Bassaes a graue and well spoken man himselfe borne in EPIRVS This Bassa with three souldiours and two seruitours was by the gouernours commaundement by one of the ports receiued into the citie and brought into S. Maries church Where after he had with great eloquence sought to insinuate himselfe into the minds of the Gouernour and the hearers and afterwards augmented the terrour of Amuraths power beyond all measure laying before them the great victories by him obtained against the Hungarians and the other Christian princes in fine he exhorted them to yeild the citie vnto him in whose name he promised first that the citizens should in all respects vnder his gouernement liue as they had before done vnder Sanderbegs then that the Gouernor should receiue at Amurath his hands most honourable preferments with many rich and princely gifts and that it should be lawfull for the garrison souldiours to depart in safetie whether they would and to haue three hundreth thousand Aspers diuided amongst them in reward But when the Bassa had ended his speech the Gouernour in this sort replied If you had not deliuered this speech vnto resolute men deuoted vnto the defence of their libertie it might perhaps haue wrought some effect and we said he might peraduenture listen vnto your offers if we were either afraid of the Othoman king and the vaine threats of our enemies or else were wearie of the gouernement of the noble Scanderbeg But forasmuch as no euill desert of his nor good desert of your masters hath yet passed for which we should preferre a stranger before our naturall soueraigne an enemie before a friend a Turke before a Christian let your maister proceed first in his action begun let him prooue his fortune let him by force terrifie vs beat downe our wals make hauocke of our men and by strong hand driue vs to humble our selues at his feet and to sue for peace But it were a great dishonour yea a thing almost to be laughed at if we should cowardly accept of these conditions by him offered before any assault giuen before one drop of bloud spilt before any souldior did so much as once grone for any wound receiued before one stone were shaken in the wall or any small breach made But your maister shall doe better to raise his siege and get him backe againe to HADRIANOPLE there to spend the small remainder of his old yeares in quiet and not to prouoke vs his fatall enemies whose courage in defence of our liberties and fidelitie towards our prince hee hath so often times prooued to his great dishonour and losse of his armies The faith I haue once giuen to my Soueraigne for the defence of this citie I will neuer forget vntill the effusion of the last drop of my bloud It shall be vnto me reward and honour inough if I either liuing defend this citie or with losse of my life shall leaue my guiltlesse soule at libertie and my carkasse amongst the dead bodies of worthie souldiours when I shall find a way into a farre better place The Generall hauing giuen this resolute answere vnto the Bassa bountifully feasted him that day at dinner and afterwards led him through the middest of the citie where he saw great store of victuals by the Gouernour commaunded of purpose to be set in shew to put Amurath out of hope of winning the citie by long siege And so sent the Bassa out by the same port whereby he came in much discontented with the answere he was to returne to his maister When Amurath vnderstood by the Bassa of the Gouernours resolution he was therewith exceeding wroth and thereupon with his great ordinance battered the citie three dayes without intermission And hauing by the furie of his artillerie made a small breach he foorthwith gaue thereunto a most terrible assault labouring first to win the same by the force and multitude of his common souldiors which the Turks call Asapi whom hee forced by great numbers to that seruice Of these souldiors the Turke in his warres maketh no great reckoning but to blunt the swords of his enemies or to abate their first furie thereby to giue the easier victorie to his Ianizaries and other his better souldiors which the Othoman kings hold for good policie Whilest these forlorne souldiors without respect of danger pressing forward are slaine by heapes at the breach the Ianizaries at the same time in another place attempted to haue scaled the wals of the citie but whilest they with much labour and difficultie first crawle vp the steepe rocke whereon the cittie was built and afterward desperatly mount vp their scaling ladders they were by the defendants with huge stones and weightie peeces of timber cast vpon them beaten down wherwith they were driuen headlong to the bottome of the rocke and so miserably slaine Many of them together with their skaling ladders were by the Christians thrust from the wall and tumbling downe the rocke violently carried with them others comming vp behind them Some few got to the top of the ladders and taking hold of the battlements of the wals lost some their fingers some their hands but most their liues being beaten downe as the other were Many of them which stood farther off were then wounded also and with shot from the wals slaine With this miserable slaughter and no hope to preuaile the Turks discouraged began to withdraw themselues from the assault but the Bassaes and captaines standing behind them forced them againe forward exhorting some threatening others and beating the rest forward with their trunchions By which meanes the assault was againe renewed but not with such courage as before though with no lesse slaughter which the defendants seeing gaue from the wals great tokens of joy and triumph Amurath perceiuing his discouraged souldiours readie of themselues to forsake the assault presently sent Feri-Bassa one of his most valiant captaines with a new supplie of three thousand chosen souldiours to renew the fight The Christians well aware of their comming ceased not with continuall shot to beat them from the wals but such was the forwardnesse of that fierce captaine that without regard of danger he brought his men to the wals where the
gally who generally grieued to see him so great a commaunder to let slip so faire an opportunitieâ— But he fearing to come any neerer came to an anchor and moued not neither gaue any signe of comfort or reliefe to the besieged Which thing the Turkish king quickly perceiuing and therwith encouraged hauing now in diuers places beaten downe the wals and made them sauâ—table brought on his men to the breaches promising them the spoile of the citie with many other great rewards and hie preferments according to their particuler deserts whereof he said he would himselfe be an eye-witnesse Hereupon the Turkes gaue a most fierce and furious assault which the defendants with inuincible courage receiued and made such slaughter of them that the ditches were filled and the breaches made vp with the bodies of the dead Turkes But such was the number of that populous armie the greatest strength of the Turkes that the liuing little felt the losse of the dead Mahomet continually sending in new supplies of fresh men in steed of them that were slaine or wounded So that one could no sooner fall but two or three slept vp in his roome and so successiuely as if new men had sprong out of the bodies of the dead Twise they had euen woon the breaches and were both times with wonderfull slaughter beaten out againe This deadly and dreadfull assault was maintained a whole day and a night without intermission At length the defendants being for the most part slaine or wounded and the rest wearied with long fight and vnable to defend the towne now assaulted almost round retired from the breaches into the market place and there like resolute men sold their liues at a decre price vnto the Turkes Amongst the slaine Christians were found the dead bodies of manie notable women who seeing the ruine of the citie chose rather to die with their friends in defence thereof than aliue to fall into the hands of their barbarous enemies Mahomet being now become lord of the citie and hauing lost fortie thousand of his Turks in that siege in reuenge thereof caused all the men that were found in the citie aliue to be put to most cruell death especially the Italians vpon whom he shewed his tyrannie with most exquisit and horrible torments Paulus Ericus gouernour of the citie with a few others who with him were fled into the castle without resistance deliuered the same vnto him vpon his faithfull promise that they might in safetie depart but after that he had got them into his power the perfidious tyrant without regard commaunded them all to bee cruelly murthered The gouernours daughter a maiden of incomparable beautie was amongst the rest taken prisoner and for her rare perfection by them that tooke her presented to Mahomet as the mirrour of beautie The barbarous tyrant greedie of so faire a prey sought first by flattering words and faire persuasion to induce her to consent to his desire but when hee could not so preuaile he fell into an other vaine and began to shew himselfe in his owne nature threatning her with death torture and force worse than death it selfe if shee would not otherwise yeeld vnto his appetite Whereunto the constant virgin worthie eternall fame answered so resolutely and so contrarie to the tyrants expectation that hee being therewith enraged commaunded her to bee presently slaine The horrible and monstrous crueltie with the filthie outrages by that beastly and barbarous people committed at the taking of that cittie passeth all credit CHALCIS thus woon the rest of that fruitfull island without farther resistance yeelded vnto the Turkish slauerie vnder which it yet groaneth This calamitie happened to the Venetian state or rather to say truely to the generall hurt of the Christian common-wealâ— in the yeare of our redemption 1470. Canalis the Venetian Admirall who all the time of the siege had in the sight of the cittie lien at anchor as a looker on fearing now that the cittie was lost to bee set vpon by the Turkes fleet hoised saile and laded with dishonour returned in hast vnto VENICE where hee was by the commaundement of the Senat committed to prison and afterward with all his family exiled to VTINVM Shortly after when Mahomet was departed with his armie out of EVBoeA and his fleet returned to CONSTANTINOPLE the Venetians with their gallies attempted to haue vpon the sudden surprised the cittie a little before lost But Mahomet had therein left so strong a garrison that when the Venetians had landed their men they were againe enforced to retire to their gallies and to forsake their island CHALCIS thus lost with all the island of EVBoeA the Venetians chose Petrus Mocenicus a valiant and discreet gentleman Admirall of their fleet instead of Canalis and by their embassadours sollicited Sixtus the fourth of that name then bishop of ROME and Ferdinand king of NAPLES with Lewis king of CYPRVS and the grand master of the RHODES to joyne their forces together with theirs against the great and common enemie which thing all the aforesaid Christian princes promised them to doe And the more to entangle the Turke they at the same time sent Caterinus Zenus their embassadour with rich presents vnto Alymbeius Vsâ—n-Cassanes the great king of PERSIA to incite him on that side against the Turke in which negotiation Zenus so well behaued himselfe that the next yeare following that great king tooke vp armes against Mahomet and had with him mortall warres as shall be in conuenient place hereafter declared Mahomet not ignorant of these proceedings of the Venetians and that they did what they might to stirre vp as many enemies as they could and to bring him if it were possible into hatred with the whole world and well knowing how much he had offended the minds of the Christian princes with the crueltie he had of late vsed against them of CHALCIS thought it not best as then further to prouoke them and so happily to bring all at once about his eares but for a season to lie still at CONSTANTINOPLE as if he had beene desirous now to liue in peace not meaning further harme hoping therby that although he concluded no peace with any of them which indeed he was not desirous of yet that tract of time might mitigate the hainousnesse of the fact and coole the heat of their displeasure whereby it came to passe as hee wished that nothing worth the speaking of was that yeare attempted against him And because the Persian king was the man of whom he stood most in doubt hee sought by his embassadours to pacifie him and to withdraw him from the league of the Christians requesting him if it were for nothing els but for the communitie of the Mahometane religion wherein they well agreed and were thereby the professed enemies of the Christians to withdraw his hand and in their cause to cease to take vp armes vrging now for that it so stood with his purpose the zeale of religion whereas
foure of their great fusts sunke with great store both of men and ordinance the defendants also in the tower with shot timber stones and other such like things prouided for that purpose grieuously ouerwhelmed the Turks that were scaling the wals and beat them downe with great slaughter This hoat assault was desperatly maintained by the Turkes from three a clocke in the morning vntill ten when the Bassa seeing no hope to preuaile gaue ouer the assault hauing therein lost aboue 2500 men whose dead bodies shortly after driuen on shoare were spoyled by the Christians The same night two mercinarie souldiors of CRETE going about to haue fled vnto the enemie were apprehended and put to death And George Frapaine who in the beginning of the siege fled from the Turks now againe vehemently suspected of treason was executed also Thus neither force nor treason preuailing the Bassa because he would leaue nothing vnproued that might better his cause sent certaine messengers vnto the great Master offering vnto him in the name of the Turkish emperour great rewards with many honourable preferments if he would yeeld vp the citie which he could not as they would haue persuaded him long hold against so mightie an enemie wishing him now in his declining estate not to refuse such honourable and princely offers for feare he were afterwards constrained to accept of farre worse or els through his desperat wilfulnesse plunge himselfe and his people into such extreame perill as should be impossible for him or them to find any way out of Whereunto the great Master in breefe answered That he would not willingly in his sure estate vse the counsell of his enemie neither in his greatest distresse refuse chearefully to yeeld his life vnto Almightie God to whom he did owe it and that with farre better will than to yeeld vp the citie vpon any conditions beare they neuer so faire a shew of honour or profit The messengers perceiuing his constant resolution rather to die than to yeeld his citie began according to instructions before giuen them by the Bassa to temper with him another way and to persuade him to yeeld vnto the mightie emperour some small yearely tribute or other homage as an acknowledgement of his greatnesse and so to liue as his friend in peace But the great Master knowing by the wofull example of others that in that small request lay included the beginning of the Turkish thraldome and slauerie vtterly refused to pay him the least tribute or to doe him the least homage that could be deuised With which answere the messengers returned hauing obtained nothing of that they were sent for The resolute answer of the great Master reported by the aforesaid messengers vnto the Bassa troubled him exceedingly for though he had small hope by force to win the citie yet hee was alwayes in hope vntill now at his pleasure to forsake the siege with some such reasonable composition as might stand with his honour But sith nothing remained now but by plaine force to constraine his enemies hee resolued for the safegard of his honour in that extremitie to vse that extreame remedie Wherfore beside the great peeces of batterie he had alreadie planted against the wals he mounted diuers smaller peeces much higher thereby the more to annoy the defendants by beating downe of their churches and high built houses His ordinance thus placed he battered the citie day and night for the space of foure dayes together without intermission during which time the Christians out of the citie spared not liberally to bestow their shot amongst their enemies also so that the aire seemed to grow thicke and the light of the day to be darkned with the smoke of the great ordinance and the great shot came so thicke into the citie that the fearefull women and children were glad to shroud themselues from the danger thereof in cellars and caues vnder ground So long continued this great batterie that at length the strength of the wall gaue place to the furie of the cannon and a faire breach was laid open for the enemie to enter which was no sooner made but that with the first shew thereof the Turks gaue thereunto a desperat assault and preuailing by reason of their multitude had vpon the suddaine recouered the top of the wals and there set vp some of their ensignes but the Christians speedily comming in on euery side to the defence of the breach they were againe quickly repulsed and beaten down into the ditches out of which most of them neuer rise more At which time the Turks in another place with their scaling ladders had gained the top of the wals and there aduanced their ensignes also and were now fiue hundred of them entred the citie and come into the street called the Iews street where they were encountred by the Great Master his followers and all slaine that were alreadie entred and their ensignes that stood vpon the wals throwne downe The rest yet scaling the wals and ignorant of the fortune of their fellowes were likewise beaten from the wals and with wonderfull slaughter rejected So that the Bassa not able longer to endure the slaughter of his men being in both places repulsed caused a retreat to be sounded and left the assault wherein he had lost of his most forward men about fiue thousand with small losse of the Christians In this assault the great Master himselfe receiued fiue wounds whereof one vnder his right pap was thought to haue been deadly which yet afterwards was very well cured with the rest After that the Bassa had by the space of three months to small purpose spent all his forces and deuises vpon the citie he began to doubt whether it were better for him to raise his siege and depart or to tarrie and expect some better fortune which in all his former actions had seemed almost to haue waited vpon him to forsake the siege was dishonourable and to continue it without hope presented no lesse danger Besides that in the former assaults he had alreadie lost nine thousand of his best souldiours and all the rest of his armie was filled with heauinesse and despaire to heare the wofull sighing and groning of their fellowes of whom fifteene thousand lay dispersed in the campe sore wounded and readie many of them to giue vp the ghost and also but euen a little before two great ships sent from Ferdinand king of NAPLES with men and munition were in despight of all the Turkes gallies safely arriued at the RHODES to the great joy and encouragement of the besieged and no lesse discontentment of the Turks Whilest the Bassa was thus deliberating what course to take a rumor was raised in the campe That the Christian princes were comming with great power to relieue the town with which news the whole armie was exceedingly troubled whereupon he raised his siege Some others say that Mahomet hearing of the euill successe of his armie in the island of the RHODES with the
their naturall king or rather their brother borne and brought vp amongst them they all with one consent answered That they would spend their liues and goods in his quarrell so long as he should keepe his armie whole and defend the citie of CAPVA But if it should so chance that the Aragonians should be ouerthrowne or els for feare abandon that citie and the French king as victor to approch the citie of NAPLES he should doe both against reason and equitie if by exacting fidelitie and allegeance of his subjects apprehended with so just a feare he should so expose that noble citie with the fruitfull countrey thereabout to bee spoiled and destroyed by a mercilesse and cruell enemie Whilest Ferdinand was thus busied in appeasing and confirming his wauering subjects at NAPLES the French king had taken diuers cities and was come before CAPVA The citizens of CAPVA although they were alwayes well affected to the Aragonian kings yet seeing the French king as a most violent tempest to beare downe all before him began now to consult amongst themselues of yeelding vp the cittie whereunto they were the more prickt forward by the suddaine reuolt of the great captaine Triuultius with his followers as also by the departure of Verginius and Petilianus two great and famous commaunders who seeing themselues forsaken of Triuultius fled with their companies vnto the citie of NOLA In this discomfiture of king Ferdinand his armie the Frenchmen had entered into the suburbes of the citie which thing Gothfredus and Gaspar two valiant Germane captaines beholding sallied with their companies out of the citie of purpose to abate the pride of the French to confirme the doubtfull citizens These worthie captaines when they had with exceeding valour repulsed the French and thought to haue againe returned into the citie could not be suffered to enter but were by the citisens shut out of the gate in danger to haue had their throats cut by the enemie In which perplexitie they were glad vpon their knees to entreat the cowardly citisens standing vpon the wals not in such traiterous manner to betray their friends readie in their defence to bestow their liues and with much entreating at length obtained of those heartlesse men that they might by ten and ten in a companie be receiued in at one gate of the citie and so put out at another farthest from the danger of the enemie in which sort when they had passed through the citie they tooke the way towards NAPLES and vpon the way met with the king at AVERSA vnto whom they declared all that had happened in his absence at CAPVA Who although he saw his armie dispersed and all things now desperat yet went hee on forward and came to the very gates of CAPVA and there called vpon diuers of the cheefe men of the citie requiring to be let in But when hee saw there was none to giue him answer and an ensigne of the French king displayed vpon the wall in token that the citie was become French hee returned to NAPLES where he found the gates now shut against him and all the citisens vp againe in armes and not willing to receiue any of the souldiors which came from CAPVA more than the king himselfe for flying fame preuenting his returne had filled euerie corner of the citie with report That all the cheefe captaines of his armie were either gone ouer to the enemie or els for safegard of their liues fled That the whole armie was broken vp and CAPVA yeelded to the French Wherfore the Neapolitanes framing their fancies according to the condition of the time began now also to fawne vpon the good fortune of the French and to haue king Ferdinand in contempt which hee well perceiuing and fetching a compasse farther off from the cittie came vnto the castle whereinto he was receiued with his followers by his faithfull captaines therein before left But prouidently foreseeing that he could not there long stay but that hee should bee besieged by his enemies both by sea and land he commended the keeping of that peece vnto Alphonsus D'aualus a most valiant captaine and departed himselfe with twentie gallies well appointed vnto AENARIA an Island not farre from NAPLES hauing in it a commodious harbour and a strong castle where fortune neuer firme but in miserie seemed againe to deride the poore remainder of his honor For comming thether the captaine of the castle vnworthely named Iustus forgetting his dutie towards his soueraigne of whom he had before receiued many extraordinarie fauours most traiterously now in his so hard distresse shut the gates of the castle against him at his landing and vnkindly refused to receiue him With which vnexpected ingratitude the poore king was wonderfully perplexed and almost abashed yet with earnest entreatie and ample commemoration of the benefits and preferments which both his father and himselfe had in times past bestowed vpon him he preuailed so much with this vnthankefull man that hee was content to receiue him into the castle so that he would come but himselfe alone of which his offer when no more could be got the king seemed to accept So the captain hauing opened a port to receiue him in was in the very entrance thereof suddenly stabd to the heart with a dagger by king Ferdinand and slaine in the middest of his armed souldiours Which was done with such a countenance and majestie that the warders with their weapons in their hands dismayed with his look forthwith at his commaundement opened the gate and receiued him in with all his followers Whereby it appeareth That in the countenance of princes resteth a certaine diuine majestie in all fortunes aboue the common course of nature which is of power to daunt the hearts of most disloyall traitors in the performance of their vnnaturall treasons The next day after the departure of king Ferdinand from the castle of NAPLES Charles the French king was receiued into the citie with such pompe triumph and acclamation of the Neapolitanes as if they had euen then by the benefit of that forraine king been restored vnto perfect libertie and deliuered out of some long and hard bondage Shortly after the castle of NAPLES with all the strong places thereabout were yeelded vnto the French and embassadours sent from all the princes and people of that kingdome yeelding themselues into the power of the French king Then Ferdinand seeing all lost and gone departed from AENARIA where he lay expecting the euent of his hard fortune and sailed into SICILIA Thus the house of ARAGON in lesse than fiue moneths lost the kingdome of NAPLES about 63 yeares after that it was first taken from the French by Alphonsus the elder this Ferdinand his great grandfather The report of the great preparation made by the French for this warre had long before filled the eares of them which dwelt in any part of the Turks dominions in EVROPE but when they saw the French ensignes displayed vpon the wals of the castles and
You heard sacred fellowes in armes and valiant citizens of the RHODES these imperious and sorrowfull letters whereunto how we are to answere requireth no great deliberation we must as resolute men either yeeld or die all hope of victorie is gone except forraine aid come Wherefore if yâ—â— will follow my counsell let vs with weapons in our hands vntill the last gaspe and the spending of the last drop of our bloud like valiant men defend our faith and nobilitie receiued from our auncestours and the honour which we haue so long time gotten both at home and abroad and let it neuer be said that our honour died but with our selues This speech of the Great Master seemed vnto many heauier than the imperious commaundement of the Turkish tyrant and a great while men stood silent heauily looking one vpon another many with changing of their countenance and outward gesture more than by words expressing what they thought in heart At length a certaine Greeke priest with great compassion of mind as it seemed and teares trickling downe his cheekes brake forth into these words And I would also hold my peace if I were a priuat man and not first of all in so great and troubled an assemblie broach mine owne opinion But for as much as the regard of our common preseruation can wring a word out of no mans mouth and all men know that now is the time to speake and say what euery man thinketh best which shall neither alwaies nor long be graunted vnto vs I will not let it now ouerpasse and slip away Wherefore let vs suppose that no commaund of a most mightie prince besieging vs were come vnto vs but that I were reasoning as a priuat man with his neighbor or one friend with another by the fire side or in our cups without care without any great affection to either partie as men indifferent not liking or hating as men oftentimes doe of princes affairs which cencerne them nothing and then as I hope my speech shall be vnto you neither vnpleasant nor vnprofitable We Greekes and Latines with ioined armes haue now this six moneths withstood our deadly enemies not onely abroad before our wals but also in the very bowels of our citie without any forraine helpe which as we haue of long time all vainely looked for so are we now euery one of vs out of hope thereof And yet our enemie either moued with the secret goodnesse of God or els ignorant of our strength and forces spent with wounds slaughter sicknesse and perpetuall labour doth voluntarily offer that vnto vs which was of vs to be most of all desired and earnestly sued for Your publicke and priuat treasures the bodies of your selues your wiues and children he keepeth vnuiolated he taketh from vs only the citie which he hath for most part alreadie beaten downe and taken Worthie Great Master and you most valiant Knights I haue knowne your prowesse and valour in many battailes at sea but especially in this siege whereof seeing there is no more vse in this our desperat estate I doe appeale vnto your wisdome and discretion Sithence all is now the conquerors in that he leaueth vnto vs our liues and goods is to be accounted gaines and the yeelding vp of the citie and Island no losse which the victorious enemie alreadie commaundeth which although it be a heauie matter and greâ—uous vnto the nobilitie yet your fortune persuadeth you thereunto Wherefore if you be to be moâ—â—d with any compassion I account it better to yeeld than to be slaine your selues or to see your wiues and children by law of armes to be led away before your faces into miserable captiuitie and seruitude If any Christian compassion remaine in your warlike minds I beseech you seeke not the vtter destruction of this innocent people who I may with modestie say hath not euill deserued of you whom Christ Iesus whom the enemie himselfe would haue preserued That I say this which I speak vnto you for Christian charitie and for no other cause let this be a sufficient testimonie That so long as you were able to resist by your owne power or hoped for aid from forraine princes I neuer spake word or once thought of yeelding but now seeing the fatall ruine of all things about vs our common estate brought vnto the vttermost extremitie our deadly enemie in the heart of our citie no hope and that the warre cannot longer be protracted I wish you to yeeld and for my part had rather make choise of peace thâ—â— warre and to proue the enemies fauour than his furie Most of them there present were of the same mind with the priest But as nothing can be so reasonably spoken as to content all men so this speech was not of them all liked some there were though not many which considering the harmes they had done vnto the Turkes and doubting with what safetie they might yeeld themselues into the power of that faithlesse people had rather to haue fought it out to the last man and so to haue left vnto them a bloudie victorie Amongst these one bold spoken fellow stept forth and in presence of them all dissuaded the yeelding vp of the citie in this sort I haue not been with any thing more vnacquainted than to deliuer my opinion before princes or in such great and publicke assemblies being alwaies more desirous modestly to heare other mens opinions than impudently to thrust forth mine owne But now seeing extreame necessitie will not longer suffer me to keepe my wonted course of silence I will frankely speake my mind and tell you what in my opinion is to be answered vnto the heauie message and imperious commaund of the most perfidious tyrant This cruell enemie hath ouerthrowne our wall and is entred three hundred foot and more within our cittie and as a most troublesome guest liueth and conuerseth with vs as it were vnder the same roofe Such as list not longer to endure such an vnwelcome guest and troublesome neighbour persuade you because he is troublesome to giue him all But worthie and sacred knights I am of far different opinion neither doe I thinke a possession of 214 yeares is so lightly to be deliuered vp and the ground forsaken but rather that this troublesome intruder is in like manner to be himselfe troubled and with deadly skirmishes continually vexed whom after we had by force of armes and vndaunted courage maugre his head held out fiue moneths at length he brake into our citie not by any valour in himselfe but holpen by time which tameth all things and since his first entrance it is now almost fortie daies in which time for all his hast he hath scarcely got forward 130 paces hindered by the blockes we haue laied in his way and will not cease continually to lay if we be wise men and mindfull of our former valour Destroy me you heauenly powers before I see with these eies these sacred knights to yeeld vp this famous citie
old men were slaine the young men led away into captiuitie women rauished before their husbands faces and afterwards slaine with their children young infants were ript out of their mothers wombs and others taken from their breasts were cut in pieces or else thrust vpon sharpe stakes yeelding vp againe that breath which they had but a little before receiued with many other incredible cruelties which were then by the mercilesse enemie committed Solyman himselfe shortly after followed these forerunners and setting forward with all his armie from BVDA towards VIENNA by the way tooke the castle of ALTENBVRGE whether by force or composition is diuersly reported of the garrison souldiors there placed by king Ferdinand he reserued three hundred Bohemians whom he commaunded to follow his campe He also assaulted the little citie of NEAPOLIS seauen times in one day and was as often repulsed but being loath to spend any longer time about a towne of so small importance he forsooke that and held on his way to VIENNA whither he came about the six and twentith day of September and encamped in fiue places found about the citie with such a world of people that vnto them which viewed his campe from the highest tower in VIENNA it seemed that the ground was for the space of eight miles all couered with the multitude of his tents and people King Ferdinand who from the time that he had by his embassador Oberdanscus receiued the hard answere from Solyman alwaies stood in doubt of his comming had beside his owne forces which were not great to oppose against so mightie an enemie craued aid of the Christian princes his neighbours especially of the princes of the empire who graunting him aid against the common enemie appointed Fredericke countie Palatine of RHENE and duke of BAVARIA Generall of their forces But whilest the Germans after their manner slowly set forward and made lesse hast than the greatnesse of the present danger required Solyman comming in the meane time had so belaied the citie that it was not possible for the duke Frederick by any meanes to get into it but was glad to stay with his army at CHREMSE about twelue miles from VIENNA A few daies before by good hap vpon the report of the losse of BVDA twentie thousand souldiors horsemen and foot out of diuers countries were in good time come to VIENNA amongst these the cheefe commaunders was Philip the Paulsgraue duke Fredericks nephew a young gentleman of great courage and hope sent thither but a little before with a few companies of horsemen and footmen by Fredericke his vncle who was comming after with a greater power himselfe but was now shut out of the citie by Solyman Nicholaus countie of SALMA the L. William Rogendorff steward of the kings houshold Ioannes Cazzianer a noble man of CROATIA and afterwards gouernour of VIENNA and next vnto them Nicholaus Turrianus Ioannes Hardecus Leonardus Velsius Hector Ramsack men both for their birth and valour of great account amongst the Germanes The citie of VIENNA as it was of some good strength toward the North by reason of Danubius so in other places it was at that time neither by art nor nature strong The ditches such as they were were altogether drie and easie to be passed ouer the wals of bricke built round without any flankers and neither high nor thicke but after the antient simple manner of fortification of cities for before that time neither had king Ferdinand fearing no enemie neither they of VIENNA who had not of many yeares seene an enemie had any care to fortifie the citie but as men altogether buried in securitie and nothing fearing the comming of so mightie an enemie although they were thereof before admonished by Oberdanscus had not so much as cast vp any rampier or bulwarke more than at the gate of CARINTHIA whereon they might conueniently place their great Ordinance so that of a hundred great peeces and three hundred others of lesse charge which might haue wonderfully annoyed the enemie a great part serued to no vse for want of conuenient place to mount them vpon Yet as the suddain comming of the enemie and the shortnesse of the time gaue leaue such bulwarkes as they could vpon the suddaine they cast vp and planted their ordinance thereon The citie was deuided into diuers quarters and to euery part a strong garrison appointed for defence thereof all the gates of the citie were mured vp except such as were of purpose reserued to sallie out at Now had Abraham the great Bassa encamped himselfe vpon a high hill where stood a ruinous castle from whence he might ouerlooke all the citie yet so as that he lay out of the danger of gunshot Becrambeius Solymans great commaunder in ASIA lay at the gate called PVRGATORIA neere the church of S. Vlderich In the third campe towards the rising of the hils lay Michael Ogli towards the church of S. Vitus At the Scottish gate towards Danubius lay the Asapi with diuers companies of the Ianizaries which with shot out of their trenches suffered no man to appeare vpon the wals in that quarter without most manifest danger and powred such showers of arrowes ouer the wals into the citie as if they had fallen out of the clouds that hardly could any man stirre in the citie vnarmed but he was forthwith wounded Solyman himselfe lay neere vnto S. Markes church compassed about with the Ianizaries and other souldiours of the court defended also with the bricke wals of the gardens thereabouts Whilest the Turkes were thus encamping themselues the Christian defendants oftentimes fortunatly sallied out vpon them and slew many of them In one of which sallies Wolfgangus Hagen a valiant captaine with certaine old souldiours of the Spaniards was slaine fighting most valiantly at the gates of the castle and in another skirmish Christophorus Zetlitz a man of great courage sallying out of the citie with fiue hundred horsemen euen vnto the enemies trenches was intercepted and taken with six others of his companie who were all compelled by the Turkes to carrie so many heads of their slaine fellowes vpon poles and so presented vnto Solyman of whom he enquired many things as well concerning Ferdinand himselfe and where he was as concerning the princes which had the charge of the citie whether they were in hope to defend the same against his mightie power or not Whereunto Christopherus aptly and wisely answered although not altogether so truly That king Ferdinand lay not farre off at the citie of LINTZ expecting the assembly of a great armie and that the princes of GERMANIE BOHEMIA MORAVIA and of diuers other places were comming vnto him with great aid so that if he would but stay a little vntill his forces were come together he should then see whether of them were of greater strength and power for as much as it would not be long before the king would come and giue him battell As for the princes in the citie he said he knew
pleasantly all alongst the country from the ruines of old CARTHAGE to the wals of TVNES which was vnto the citisens whose greatest possessions lay there a most heauie and lamentable spectacle But Muleasses had so attempered their minds with faire speeches and large promises of recompensing euery man to the full for all such harme as they should sustaine by his brothers furie in the countrey and beside that had the citie in such strong possession by reason of his souldiors that the citisens either would not or could not reuolt to Roscetes The Numidian princes wearie of that long and vaine expectation according to the leuitie of that nation accounting it no shame after victorie once gotten to depart began one after another to shrinke away to their owne dwellings persuading Roscetes also to prouide for himselfe whilest he had time and to attend his better fortune Wherefore he fearing to be betrayed by the Numidians or circumuented by his cruell brother fled to Barbarussa then raigning at ALGIERS in great glorie where he was honourably entertained and there remained vntill such time as by his persuasion he went with him as is aforesaid to CONSTANTINOPLE to craue helpe of Solyman by whom he was detained in safe custodie although it was in policie giuen out by Barbarussa that he was in the fleet and that he should by Solymans power be restored to his fathers kingdome at TVNES This was the state of the kingdome of TVNES at such time as Barbarussa with Solymans great fleet contrarie to all mens expectation suddenly departing from the coast of ITALIE landed in AFFRICKE at BISERTA a famous port of the kingdome of TVNES They of BISERTA wearie of the gouernment of Muleasses and of themselues desirous of change as soone as they heard the name of Roscetes forthwith draue out their Gouernour and receiued the Turkes into the towne For Barbarussa had before sent certaine of Roscetes his familiar friends ashore which bare the people in hand that he was in the fleet but not able yet to come on shore for that he was as they said seasicke and troubled with an ague BISERTA thus possessed by Barbarussa he presently departed thence and sayling by VTICA thirtie miles distant from BISERTA and so keeping alongst the coast and passing the promontorie of CARTHAGE came before GVLETTA a strong castle within the bay of TVNES so placed vpon a strait that it commaundeth all the passage by sea vnto the citie of TVNES Before this castle Barbarussa in token of friendship discharged all his great ordinance which they of the castle answered with like but being required to deliuer it vp to Roscetes they said it should be alwayes at his commaund that ruled in the citie of TVNES The newes of Roscetes his supposed comming flying swiftly by land from BISERTA to TVNES and the great fleet once discouered set all the citie on an vprore for the citisens were in great expectation of their new king both for the loue of Roscetes who had alwayes shewed himselfe to be of a mild and bountifull nature and also for the hatred of Muleasses whose tyrannous and couetous gouernment they thought they had too long endured Neither was he ignorant what report ran of himselfe and how he had lost the hearts of his subjects which was euidently to be seene in the eyes and countenances of the cheefe men of the citie And that which more encreased their hatred was for that he had not according to his promise to them in time of his distresse made them any recompence for their goodly houses and oliue gardens destroyed in the countrey by Roscetes in the former warres wherefore at such time as he came now out of the castle and in the greatest assemblie of his people began to persuade them to play the men and to continue constant in their obedience promising vnto them such reward as they knew he was neuer able to performe they all departed and left him alone yea some of them vnder the colour of friendship and amongst them Abdahar then Mesuar which was cheefe officer next vnto the king persuaded him to giue place to his hard fortune forthwith to flie for by chance at the same instant it was in euery mans mouth that the Turks were euen at hand which thing caused Muleasses forsaken of his subjects of himselfe fearefull and worthily doubting to be betrayed to flie in such hast out of the citie that he left behind him both his treasure and jewels which afterwards came into the hands of his enemies The first that reuolted was Abezes a man of great authoritie and Fetuches captaine of the castle both renegate Spaniards Fetuches presently after the flight of Muleasses brought out Roscetes wife and children whom Muleasses had long time kept in prison to welcome their father placed them in the kings royall seat Abezes also forthwith aduertised Barbarussa of the departure of Muleasses and with what longing the people expected their desired king wishing him without delay to repaire vnto the citie and for a present sent him a goodly Barbarian horse richly furnished and diuers others for his other cheefe captaines Hereupon Barbarussa without longer stay set forward with fiue thousand Turks which he had alreadie landed and comming to the citie was of the citisens joyfully receiued But after long looking when they could no where descrie Roscetes their supposed king and heard nothing but the name of Solyman and Barbarussa doubled and redoubled by the Turkes in their militarie acclamations as they marched thorow the citie towards the castle they began to distrust as the truth was that in stead of their new king whom they so much desired they had receiued the Turkish gouernement which they vtterly detested Which suspition once confirmed by certaine of Roscetes friends whom Barbarussa had brought with him of purpose to delude the people who grieued to see the ruine of their natiue countrey spared not for feare of the present danger to tell their friends and acquaintance as they went That they did in vaine looke for Roscetes whom they had left in bonds at CONSTANTINOPLE it was a wonder to see how suddainely the minds of the people were changed how speedily they ran to their weapons and how furiously they assailed the Turkes now fearing no such matter and were not as yet all got into the castle The cheefe leader of the citisens in this tumult was Abdahar the Mesuar who but a little before vpon the comming of the Turkes by augmenting the danger and the vnfaithfulnesse of his subjects had persuaded Muleasses to flie but now perceiuing himselfe deceiued of his expectation for the comming of Roscetes and repenting of that he had done sought by all meanes to driue out the Turkes and to recall Muleasses And the more to animate the people as he stood on high from whence he might best be heard he cried vnto them with a loud voice We are most villanously betrayed worthie citizens for
of Wherefore in the beginning of the Spring which was in the yeere 1539 Barbarussa by his commaundement repaired againe his fleet and notably furnished it with all manner of warlike prouision manning his gallies for the most part with Ianizaries and other such select souldiors With this fleet Barbarussa Sommer now well come on departed out of the HELESPONTVS and came to the bay RIZONICVS at which time also Vlames the Persian then Gouernour of BOSNA shewed himselfe with his forces vpon the mountaines as he had in charge from Solyman Barbarussa before he entred the straits of the bay sent before him Dragut and Corsetus two notable pirats with thirtie galliots who landing their men neere vnto CASTRONOVUM as they were commaunded were valiantly encountred by Sarmentus with his Spaniards and forced againe to their galliots many of the Turks being slaine and taken prisoners After that came Barbarussa with ninetie gallies and three tall ships which carried the artillerie for batterie and other necessarie prouision for the campe where he spent three daies in landing his great ordinance and casting vp trenches which could not be done but by night by reason of the continuall shot out of the towne wherewith the Spaniards had in that three daies space slaine aboue a thousand Turkes amonst whom was Agis Hariadenus who had made himselfe as it were a king at TAIORâ—A a citie neere TRIPOLIS in AFRICA whose death much grieued Barbarussa as one of his most antient and best friends At length Barbarussa hauing cast vp his trenches landed foure and fiftie great pieces of artillerie for batterie wherof he gaue a fourth part to Vlames to batter the towne on the North side whilest he in the mean time in three diuers places battered the East side and Salec from Sea with ten gallies did morning and euening batter another part of the wall Whilest Sarmentus was thus in so many places assailed and did what was possible to haue repaired the breaches the Turks by force tooke one of the towers where after they had displaied their ensignes they from thence with their shot sore troubled the Spaniards At the same time also Vlames had made a breach and was readie on the other side of the citie to enter In which extremities Sarmentus seeing no meanes longer to defend the citie commanded the hurt souldiors to get them into the castle below and the rest with him to take the market place there to die togither like men where the Turks straightway breaking in on euerie side vpon them made a most bloudie and cruell fight wherein the Spaniards ouerwhelmed with shot and the multitude of their enemies were slaine almost euerie man Sarmentus wounded in the face with three arrowes and wearied with long fight seeing Sancius Fria a captaine readie to flie sharpely reproued him and catching him by the hand made him there to tarrie by it vntill they were there both togither slaine Many valiant captaines were there lost whose names for breuitie I omit Aloysius Arius and certaine other captaines who togither with the wounded souldiors were got into the castle seeing no meanes to defend the place yeelded themselues whom Barbarussa according to his promise took to mercie in sparing their liues yet carried them away into captiuitie to CONSTANTINOPLE The dead bodie of Sarmentus could not be knowne amongst so many heapes of the dead although Barbarussa had caused most diligent search to be made for it and offered great sums of money and libertie also to who soeuer could discouer it being desirous to haue sent his head for a present to Solyman Barbarussa proud of this victorie began forthwith to gape after CATTARVS a citie of the Venetians in the bottome of the same bay and thereupon writ threatning letters to Ioannes Bembus one of the Venetian Senators then Gouernour of the citie presently to deliuer the citie which he would as he said otherwise assault by force Whereunto Bembus answered againe by letters That in so doing he should violate the league lately made with Solyman and that he should find him readie by force to repell his forces Wherewith Barbadussa displeased sent certaine gallies into the bottome of the bay who discharging certaine great pieces at the citie made shew as if they had come to besiege it At whom Bembus as a man of good courage caused as many mo like pieces to be discharged and shewed his men vpon the wals Which thing Barbarussa perceiuing staied his course and calling backe his gallies returned to CASTRONOVUM from whence better appeased with presents afterwards sent from Bembus he departed out of that bay The long warres betwixt Charles the emperour and Francis the French king were now well pacified and such friendship at leastwise in show now growne betwixt these two great princes that most men thought that all other quarrels laid aside they would now at length with vnited forces go against the great and dangerous enemie of Christendome Which opinion noâ— altogether of the wiser sort beleeued was yet at this time wonderfully confirmed by many extraordinarie and rare courtesies then passing betwixt them which concerne not this historie as also in that two of their most famous captaines Alphonsus Vastius and Hanibald were as it were with one consent by them both sent embassadours to VENICE to haue drawne the Venetians into the confederation of that warre against the Turke Which two renowned captaines comming to VENICE most gallantly accompanied were by Landus the duke and the whole State with great magnificence receiued the people after their wonted manner flocking together in euery place to behold them so noble captaines sent from such mightie princes but especially Vastius whose fame hauing many times before filled their eares made them now the more desirous to satisfie their eyes also with the beholding of his tall and comely person Which two famous captaines admitted into the Senat for that purpose fully assembled and audience giuen Vastius arising from the dukes side in these or like words deliuered their embassage It is come to passe as I suppose by the great prouidence of Almightie God and of all the diuine powers most noble duke and honourable Senators that two of the most mightie kings of EVROPE who of late had of long time made mortall wars one vpon another touched with the zeale of religion are become great friends Vndoubtedly to that purpose onely that hauing made a firme peace they may bring such a generall quietnesse to the long troubled and afflicted state of Christendome as best beseemeth their greatnesse and taking in hand a sacred warre to reuenge so many calamities receiued from the Infidell That this might be made knowne vnto you most noble Venetians these mightie Monarchs haue sent vs hether in good time to kindle in you the like zeale wherewith it is well knowne you haue alwayes for the honour of your State been enflamed for you of all others which are of such power and valour at sea they wish for as
most desired Besides that they said he should deale neither honorably nor indifferently if he should preferre the young child before king Ferdinand who beside his auntient right vnto that kingdome which they were not now to vrge as oppressed by his happie victories but might in time be reuiued had also a late interest by a league betwixt him and king Iohn wherein he had expressely couenanted by the solemne consent of the greatest part of his nobilitie that king Ferdinand should succeed him in the kingdome Whereby they excused him of the late warre as justly taken in hand against the queene and her sonne vsurping vpon his right which king Iohn knowing to be good and mooued with conscience had by his solemne act acknowledged though to the great offence and prejudice of Solyman his setter vp and defender as also to the touching of himselfe in honour to haue so vnthankfully and fraudulently dealt with his patrone to whom hee was by the oath of obedience bound Wherefore they requested That sith he being a prince of all others most mightie and magnificent standing vpon his vpright dealing both in peace and warre had so lightly regarded the slie dealing of so ingratefull a man he would rather accept of king Ferdinand so many waies injured as his friend and tributarie than to haue him his perpetuall enemie Concluding that nothing could be vnto him for the good report of his justice more commendable or for the assurance of a perpetuall peace more profitable or to the immortall praise of his bountie more honourable than to call a king of a most auntient dissent famous for his vertue and fidelitie chosen for a king by the Bohemians desired for a king by the Hungarians emperour elect of the Roman empire by the Germans and the naturall brother of the great emperour his tributarie king of HVNGARIE Solyman with cheerefull countenance accepting and commending of the presents answered them two daies after by Rustan the Bassa his sonne in law that this was his resolute condition of peace and friendship If king Ferdinand would forthwith restore all the cities towns castles which were before belonging to K. Lewes and for euer after abstaine from HVNGARIE and whereas he had beene so often prouoked by him to warre and had therein bestowed so great charges and taken so much trauell he could for that be content with an easie paine which should be for his greater honour to impose an easie tribute vpon AVSTRIA vpon which conditions he was content to enter into league with them but if so be that those conditions seemed vnto them too heauie and that they would rather make choise of warre than peace hee would bring to passe by continuall warre that such things as they had taken from the kingdome of HVNGARIE should be requited with the destruction of AVSTRIA But the embassadours although they were much moued at the proud demaund of tribute for AVSTRIA as that wherein the two brethren of mightie power Charles the emperour and king Ferdinand were disdainfully abused to keepe the best course of their negotiation and to win some time in so hard estate of things required a truce vntill such time as king Ferdinand and the emperor his brother might be made acquainted with the matter Which their request the Turke perceiuing their drift and purpose would in no case grant for Winter was now fast comming on It was lawfull for the embassadours all the time they were in the Turks campe to view euerie part thereof Rustan Bassa conducting them from place to place where aboue all things they most wondred at the perpetuall and dumbe silence of so great a multitude the souldiors being so readie and attentiue that they were no otherwise commanded but by the beckning of the hand or a nod of their commaunders They maruelled also at the exquisite order and sweetnesse of the Turkes campe finding therein nothing disordered or noisome so that it seemed not the campe of such a rude and barbarous nation but rather of them which were the authors of martiall discipline The embassadours being rewarded and so sent away Solyman commaunded the old Gouernour of BELGRADE to spoile the borders of AVSTRIA all alongst Danubius Cason also Generall of the voluntarie horsemen he sent into MORAVIA for like purpose who neither of them did any great harme by reason of the sudden rising of the great riuers with the aboundance of raine then falling in Autumne After that Solyman appointed one Solyman an Hungarian who taken prisoner in his youth by the Turkes had from that time followed the Mahometane superstition gouernour of BVDA who by the vpright administration of justice and courteous vsing of the people with Verbetius the old chancellor should doe what was possible to put the people in hope of long peace and tranquilitie Which things done after he had staied about twentie daies at BVDA hee determined to returne againe into THRACIA because the raine of Autumne and the cold of Winter was now come in and was also in doubt to be shut in with the rising of the great riuers wherwith the countrey of HVNGARIE is in euerie place so watered and on euerie side so compassed that it is a hard matter to passe By the way he set Lascus king Ferdinands embassadour againe at libertie whom he had left in prison at BELGRADE but he long enjoyed not that benefit for shortly after returning into POLONIA he died of the flix which caused many to suppose that he was poisoned by the Turkes A man for his vertue and learning famous worthie of a longer life whose death the king himselfe much lamented As Solyman was returning into THRACIA and was come to the riuer Dranus it was told him that Stephen Maylat Vayuod of TRANSILVANIA who tooke king Ferdinand his part a professed enemie of the Turks was taken by the cunning of Peter of MOLDAVIA and prince of VALACHIA and that all the country of TRANSILVANIA was well pacified and yeelded to his obedience Of which newes Solyman was passing glad for he exceedingly hated Maylat a martiall man of a froward nature desirous of rule and readie vpon any occasion to reuolt forasmuch as he remembred Grittus his legat and the Turks by him slaine and knew also that the Transiluanians an inuincible people borne to trouble and more delighting in vncertaine warre than assured peace was by him stirred vp whom he wished rather by gentlenesse to appease than by force of armes and strong hand to subdue But because we haue oftentimes before made mention of this Maylat of whose taking Solyman so much rejoyced it shall not be amisse in few words to declare by what finenesse he fell into the hands of this treacherous and bloudie man Peter of MOLDAVIA This Moldauian by the commaundement of Solyman as is aforesaid had joyned his forces with Achomates Gouernour of NICOPOLIS against Maylat which being vnited were in number fiftie thousand horsemen beside footmen which after the manner of
any thing of the fleet fell into the bay amongst them before they were aware the bigger whereof Viscontes Cicada stemmed with his gallie and sunke him the other with wonderfull celeritie got into the hauen In the meane time Mendoza with his gallies had passed the promontorie of Apollo now called the cape of CASSINEVS and in token of honour saluting the emperour after the manner at sea with all his great Ordinance gaue him knowledge that the Spanish fleet was not farre behind In this fleet was aboue a hundred tall ships of BISCAY and the low countries and of other smaller vessels a farre greater number In these ships besides the footmen was embarked a great number of braue horsemen out of all parts of SPAINE for many noble gentlemen had voluntarily of their own charge gallantly furnished themselues with braue armour and courageous horses to serue their prince and countrey against the Infidels Ouer these choice men commaunded Ferdinand of TOLEDO duke of ALBA for his approoued valour then accounted a famous captaine These ships going altogether with sailes were not yet able to double the cape as did Mendoza with his gallies for now it was a dead calme howbeit the billow of the sea went yet high by reason of the rage of the late tempest and did so beat against the plaine shore that it was not possible to land the souldiors but that they must needs be washed vp to the middle which thing the emperour thought it not good to put them vnto and so to oppose them seasicke and thorow wet against the sudden and desperat assaults of their fierce enemies He also stayed for the comming of the Spanish ships for two causes first that he might with his vnited power more strongly assault the citie and terrifie the enemie then to communicat the whole glorie of the action with the Spaniards at whose request and forwardnesse and greatest charge he had vndertaken that warre Which fatall delay of two dayes although it was grounded vpon good reason did not onely disturbe an assured victorie but to the notable hurt of the whole armie opened a way to all the calamities which afterwards ensued In the meane while the emperour sent a conuenient messenger to Asanagas otherwise and more truly called Assan-Aga or Assan the eunuch who with a little flag of truce in his hand making signe of parley and answered by the Moores with like as their manners is went on shore and was of them courteously receiued and brought to Assan This Assan was an eunuch borne in SARDINIA brought vp from his youth in the Mahometane superstition by Barbarussa a man both politicke and valiant and by him left for the keeping of his kingdome of ALGIERS in his absence with Solyman This messenger brought into his presence required him forthwith to deliuer the citie first surprised by force and trecherie by Horruccius and afterwards to the destruction of mankind fortified by Hariadenus Barbarussa his brother to Charles the mightie emperour come in person himselfe to be reuenged on those horrible pyrats which if he would doe it should be lawfull for the Turks to depart whether they would and for the naturall Moores to abide still with their goods and religion wholly reserued vnto them vntouched as in former time and for himselfe he should receiue of the emperour great rewards both in time of peace and warres so that he would remember himselfe that he was born in SARDINIA and was once a Christian and accept of the fairest occasion which could possibly be offered for him to returne againe to the worshipping of the true God and to enjoy the fauour and bountie of the most mightie emperour and withall to reuenge himselfe of the cruell tyrant Barbarussa for the vnnaturall villanie done vnto his person But if he would needs dallie on the time and make proofe of the strength of so great a preparation he should vndoubtedly with the rest of his followers receiue the same reward of his obstinacie which they had to the example of others receiued at TVNES Wherunto the vngratious eunuch answered That he thought him altogether mad that would follow his enemies counsell and with a grinning countenance asked him Vpon what hope the emperour trusted to be able to win the citie the messenger pointing with his finger directly to the fleet told him That which you see with his great artillerie and valour of his souldiors both horse and foot Whereat the eunuch scornefully laughing replied And we with like force and valour will defend this citie and make this place alreadie famous for your ouerthrowes here twice now the third time of all others most famous by the emperours discomfiture It is reported that there was in ALGIERS an old witch famous for her predictions who had as it was said foretold the shipwrackes and miserie of Didaco Verra and Hugo Moncada to them of ALGIERS and also prefixed a time when as the Christian emperour aduenturing to besiege that citie should there receiue great losse both by sea and land The fame of which blind prophecie seruing fitly to confirme the hope of good successe in the minds of the vulgar multitude Assan so fed and augmented although hee himselfe being a craftie wise fellow beleeued no such vanitie that he did therewith not only encourage his owne souldiors but also strucke a terror into the minds of the weaker sort of his enemies seeing themselues cast vpon so dangerous a coast vpon the approch of Winter There was in garrison in the citie but eight hundred Turkes and most of them horsemen but such as whose valour and resolution farre exceeded their number For Assan had lost many of his best men some in fight against Mendoza and othersome at sea slaine or taken by Auria in CORSICA and in other places by the Rhodian Neapolitane and Sicilian gallies but many moe were by his leaue gone to aid the Moores against the Portingals the other multitude did scarce make vp the number of fiue thousand which were partly naturall Moores borne in that countrey and partly such as were born in GRANADO to whom was joyned many fugitiues out of the islands of MAIORCA and MINORCA who in former time hauing entred into rebellion and fearing condigne punishment were fled to ALGIERS and there reuolted to the Mahometane superstition But the captaines of the wild Numidians made vp a great number both of horse and foot which lying stragling without the citie in the open fields should night and day vex and molest the Christians This brutish people naturally enemies vnto the Christians had Assan with rewards and hope of a rich spoile allured out of the countries thereabout to aid him neither was it lawfull for any man to carrie his wife or children out of the citie into places of more safetie farther off or to shew any small token of feare paine of death being by the imperious eunuch proposed to whosoeuer should but looke heauily for feare of danger or speake a
depart away with his horses of seruice which he kept very good and had cunningly stuffed the saddles full of gold thinking so slyly to haue conueyed it the Turke laughing at him tooke from him his horses furnished as they were saying That he which was to goe by water needed no horses So was the couetous wretch at once quit of the great wealth which he had in long time euill gotten The captaines with the rest of the souldiors dispoiled of their armes were conueyed ouer the riuer of Danubius and so trauelled on foot to POSSONIVM where the countie Salme by the commaundement of the king apprehended Liscanus Salamanca and some other of the captaines for suspition of treason and committed them to safe custodie there to answere for their cowardly yeelding vp of the citie Solyman entred into STRIGONIVM the tenth of August in the yeare 1543 and there conuerting the Christian churches into temples for the Mahometane superstition first sacrificed for his victorie as he had before done in BVDA and after with all speed so strongly fortified the citie as if he would thereby for euer haue taken from the Christians all hope of recouering the same againe deriding the slouthfull negligence of the Germans who possessed of it foureteene years had neglected all that time to fortifie it Not long after Solyman leauing Ossainus a valiant captaine gouernour of STRIGONIVM and sending his Tartarian horsemen to spoile the countrey on the left hand as farre as ALBA REGALIS went himselfe to besiege the castle of TATTA called in auntient time THEODATA The garrison souldiours terrified with the losse of STRIGONIVM and the sight of the Turkes armie vpon the first summons yeelded the castle without resistance and were so suffered quietly to depart That castle after the manner of the Turkish discipline who with few and those very strong holds keepe their prouinces in subjection was by Solymans commaundement presently rased downe to the ground Torniellus Generall of the Italians caused Hanniball captaine of the castle to haue his head strucke off for his cowardly yeelding vp of the peece he had taken charge of thereby to admonish others which had the charge of strong places not to refuse an honourable death in defence of their countrey for feare of an ignominious death attending their cowardise TATTA thus layd in the dust Solyman marched with his armie towards ALBA surnamed REGALIS for that the kings of HVNGARIE by an auntient custome vsed to be there crowned and also buried BVDA STRIGONIVM and ALBA REGALIS three principall cities of the kingdome of HVNGARIE stand in manner of a triangle almost equally distant one from another about a hundred miles in compasse BVDA and STRIGONIVM are siâ—â—at vpon the riuer of Danubius but ALBA standeth more into the land strongly seated in the midst of a great lake but not so wholesomely especially in the Summer time the Winter waters then decreasing and grosse vapours arising with the heat of the Sunne From the citie thorow the marrish or lake vnto the firme land lie three broad and high causeyes in manner of the strakes of a cart wheele well built with faire houses and gardens on either side and a broad way in the middle whereby men passe in and out of the citie At the end of euery causey towards the land were cast vp strong bulwarkes which the citisens vsed not to watch but in dangerous times of warre so that by these bulwarkes the houses of the suburbs standing vpon these causies were safe from the danger of the enemie the lake filling vp all the spaces betwixt the causies which what for the depth what for mud flaggs and bulrushes growing in it was not by horse or man to be passed thorow And the citie it selfe standing in the middest of the lake compassed round about with a strong wall and a deepe ditch alwayes full of water was hardly to be besieged for which causes a great number of the countrey people vpon the comming of Solyman fled into it with their cattell as vnto a most sure hold In the citie lay in garrison two companies of Germans and two hundred horsemen vnto whom were joyned fiue hundred Hungarian horsemen such as in time of peace liued by robbing and are by an infamous name called Vsarous vnto these the Italian countie Torniellus who with his Italians was come as farre as IAVARINVM or RAB sent foure captaines with their companies such as were most forward in that seruice after whom followed Barcocius captaine of the kings guard with a companie of horsemen appointed by the king for Generall Who was no sooner come into the citie but news was brought of Solymans approch Whereupon he in hast called together the other captaines with Birrous then maior of the citie and other the cheefe citisens to consult with them What was best to be done for the defence of the citie but especially Whether the suburbes of the citie standing vpon those three broad causies were to be destroyed or not that so the citie standing in the middest of the great marrish might both with lesse labour and danger be defended This question was seriously debated and great reasons alleadged on both sides at last the citisens cried out with one voice against the matter and said That they would neuer suffer those goodly suburbs wherein were so many churches and faire buildings as might compare with the citie it selfe to be so shamefully destroied to the vtter vndoing of so many rich citisens for what could be said they more dishonourable or lamentable than to the encouraging of the barbarous enemie to shew such a token of extreame feare and with their owne hands to burne and destroy those stately buildings which might by strong hand be well enough defended against the enemie if they did not play the shamefull cowards Of which opinion with the citisens was also Octauianus Serosactus an Italian captaine alleadging that both the citie and the suburbs might both with like danger be defended forasmuch as they were equally fortified with the benefit of the marrish and if the worst should happen the defendants might yet safely enough retire into the citie At last standing vp as one thrust forward both with the publicke hard fortune and his owne said Valiant gentlemen what shew will you giue of your valour or what honour shall you haue of your seruice If you shall defend so famous a citie by deforming of it your selues and cutting off the suburbes as it were the armes thereof before the danger vpon too hastie desperation Verily you shall doe nothing either in the seruice of the king or the honour of your selues except this citie if God so please be of you whole and sound valiantly defended Vpon this speech they all arise the wiser sort and of greatest experience giuing place to the importunitie of the ignorant and simple Barcotius himselfe full of care and ouercome with the vaine opinion of the greater part yeelded also vnto that fatall resolution
and the more for that the Bassa an old and most expert Generall was there in person himselfe present a most seuere and absolute commaunder whom it would haue been a hard matter to haue withstood with equall power The Venetians had euer had great care of the island of CYPRVS as lying farre from them in the middest of the sworne enemies of the Christian religion and had therefore oftentimes determined to haue fortified the same yet fearing thereby to seeme to distrust or dread the Turks and so to giue them occasion of offence left it still vndone This citie of NICOSIA standeth in the middest of the island in a plaine and champaine countrey compassed round with a wall as if it had bin drawne with a compasse and is in circuit about fiue miles for the manner of the situation magnificent buildings as well publike as priuat many haue compared it vnto the beautifull citie of FLORENCE in ITALIE and was for the wholsome and commodious situation thereof notably peopled This citie had the Venetians of late fortified with new wals thicke rampiers and eleuen strong bulwarkes according to the manner of the fortification of our time and had raised three great fortresses for defence of the wall which they furnished with a strong garrison great store of artillerie and other warlike prouision Neuerthelesse they found by experience in this warre That fortifications are strengthened by the defendants rather than the defendants by the fortifications The two and twentith of Iuly the Bassa with his armie encamped within a mile and a halfe of the citie when presently the Turks by troupes issuing out of the campe rid contemptuously before the wals and gates of the citie and with often and lowd outcries vpbraided the defendants which by them being answered with silence was taken as a token of their feare And Mustapha himselfe comming as neere as he might without danger tooke full view of the wals and situation of the citie Shortly after the enemie drew neerer vnto the citie into a more open plaine and with their tents filled the lower part of the hill which they called MANDIA but the Bassaes tent they set aloft vpon the hill to the terrour of the defendants and encouragement of the Turkes The campe being fortified the Turks with incredible labour and celeritie brought their trenches from farre and at the first cast vp some few forts but afterwards as their armie increased many mo which they raised so high that they ouertopped the wals of the citie and made the place more dangerous for the Christians to defend There hauing placed seauentie great pieces of batterie they began to batter the citie both day and night without intermission with such an horrible thundring that the earth trembled the houses shooke as if they would haue fallen downe at which time many were slaine both with the deadly shot and the broken pieces of stones beaten out of the wals neuer was such a feare as then within the citie of NICOSIA euerie day the enemie brought his trenches neerer and neerer and rested not vntill he had with restlesse labour brought them vnto the verie brim of the towne ditch which the citisens before the comming of the Turks had not well scoured Being come so nigh they first skirmished a far off with their small pieces but afterwards they not onely battered the wals with their great artillerie but with small shot arrowes and stones ouerwhelmed the defendants as if it had been a shower of haile so to haue driuen them from off the wall and rampiers In few daies not only all the curtaines betwixt three of the bulwarks was by the furie of the great ordinance beaten downe but all places thereabout lay full of the dead bodies of the assailants and defendants For although the Christians fought at great disaduantage both for the number of men and indifferencie of the place yet desperation joyned with extreame necessitie of all other the greatest weapon gaue them such courage as with shot stones timber and such like to keepe downe their enemies and defend their wals and oftentimes to make great slaughter of them with their artillerie and muthering pieces bent vpon them as at a certaine marke who the thicker they stood the greater was their harme They also oftentimes dismounted many of the great pieces and made them vnseruiceable and with featherbeds and sacks of cotten wooll made vp their breaches which the Turks laboured againe to burne with pitch barrels and earthen pots full of wild fire After long fight the Turks entring the ditch made themselues two waies to the wals which they fortified on both sides with fagots and earth in such sort as that they were safe from the loupes of the bulwarks which flankered the ditch All this quickly performed some presently set vp scaling ladders others filled the ditches with brushwood fagots and earth and others in the meane time with mattocks and leauers were digging downe the foundations of the bulwarks CONSTANCE and PODOCATERA taking name of them that had the chiefe charge in the building thereof The Christians right valiantly endured the first assault of the enemie and strucke downe dead into the ditches many of them that were climing vp the ladders and had in short time slaine mo than they were themselues in number and enforced the rest to giue ouer the assault These things were done in the beginning of the siege whilest yet both parties were strong in which hard conflicts a great number of souldiors were lost and most of the canoniers slaine After this assault both parties for a while busied themselues and spent the time in their ingenious deuises wherein it appeared that the Turks were much cunninger in deuising of meanes to take cities than were those Christians in defending the same Now had the Venetians in the first motions of these wars praied aid of diuers Christian princes from most part of whom they receiued but cold comfort as is before declared yet now at length though somewhat late they had drawne into the confederation of this warre the Pope and the king of SPAINE by whose example some other princes of ITALIE moued put to also their helping hands The Venetians as they whom the matter most concerned had in good time put their fleet to sea but knowing themselues too weake to encounter the Turks they lay still vpon the coast of DALMATIA about IADERA expecting the comming of the Spanish admirall with his gallies Two moneths wherein much might haue been done were now past in this expedition and yet no newes of his comming so that what the speed and industrie of the Venetians had well prepared was by the delay and lingering of the Spaniard marred Besides that the plague began to arise in the fleet lying so long in one place which at length grew so hoat that many of the gallies had neither marriner nor souldiour left in them neither did this mortalitie so sease vntill there were twentie thousand dead thereof amongst whom
in the castle of BRAILOVIA not farre off whereupon he forthwith marched thither with his armie The citie of BRAILOVIA standeth vpon the riuer Danubius and had in it a castle of some good strength defended both by the nature of the place and a strong garrison of the Turks which Selymus had appointed for the keeping thereof as the key of the countrey not farre from this citie the Vayuod encamping his armie writ vnto the captaine of the castle forthwith to deliuer vnto him the Palatine with Peter his brother his mortall enemies who neuer wronged by him had inuaded his countrey and sought after his life and being ouerthrowne in battell were fled vnto him which if he should refuse to doe he threatned neuer to depart thence vntill he had to his farther harme constrained him by force to yeeld them These letters he sent by two Valachian captiues to be deliuered vnto the captaine of the castle whereunto he returned answere by foure Turkes two of the citie and two of his owne seruants by whom he also sent ten great shot and as many small with two Turkish arrowes and this message For that I know thee to be the seruant of my dread soueraigne Selymus I regard thee and will not denie the same men to be with me whom thou so much requirest But for as much as I vnderstand that thou of late hast slaine a great number of the seruants of the great emperour who by his commaundement were bringing Peter the brother of the Palatine into MOLDAVIA I therefore tell thee that except thou betime raise thy siege I will feed thee and thy followers with such dishes as these whereupon thou and thine armie gorged to the full shall all afterwards dangerously surfeit and cast Farewell This rough answere so much mooued the Vayuod that he commaunded hands to be laid vpon the aforesaid foure messengers and their noses lips and eares being cut off both their feet to be with great nailes fast nailed vnto a long piece of timber and so with their hands hanging downward to be set vp before the citie and so left for the captaine and the citisens to gaze vpon Signifying withall vnto the captaine that sent them that he himselfe with the other fugitiues his guests should in like manner be serued if they fell into his hands Immediatly after he assaulted the citie and vsing the cheerfulnesse of his souldiors by plaine force tooke the same the defendants being not able to hold them out There was made great slaughter of the Turkes whereas no man was taken to mercie the very babes were slain together with their mothers and bloud ran like riuers into the Danubius For the space of foure dayes this bloudie execution endured no place serued for refuge euen the most secret and obscure places were searched and the poore creatures there found drawne forth and slaine The furie was so great that no liuing thing no not so much as the very dogs were spared Much gold siluer plate jewels and other rich spoyle was there found all which became a prey vnto the greedie souldiours for that citie was of all others in those quarters the richest as a place much frequented enjoying long peace as after such time the Turkes were fully possessed of GRaeCIA not being troubled with any warres vntill now that it was by the Vayuod first ransackt and afterwards rased downe to the ground and nothing thereof left standing more than the bare castle it selfe which the Vayuod durst not aduenture vpon for that it was well fortified and furnished with so strong a garrison as that it could not without his great losse be taken Whiles the Vayuod was thus busied in the spoile of BRAILOVIA newes was brought vnto him of the comming of fifteene thousand Turkes to the reliefe of the castle against whom hee forthwith sent Suierceuius with his Cossackes and other eight thousand Moldauian horsemen who suddenly comming vpon the Turks disordered and fearing no such matter slew almost fourteene thousand of them and chased the rest vnto the castle of TEINA Of this victory Suierceuius in all hast certified the Vayuod and withall that there was another great power of the Turkes comming which might easily be also ouerthrowne if he leauing the siege of the castle of BRAILOVIA would without delay come and joyne his forces with his He glad of that news and well perceiuing how difficult and dangerous that siege would be vnto him rise forthwith with his armie and went to Suierceuius and afterwards vpon conference had with him laid siege to TEINA which citie taken without much labour he put to sword all the people found therein not leauing one aliue and by the seruice of Suierceuius ouerthrew the Turks comming towards BRAILOVA Selymus in the meane time much troubled with the proceedings of the Vayuod and doubting to be quite thrust out of VALACHIA TRANSALPINA which he was like ynough to haue beene had not the treason of Czarnieuiche hindered the matter prepared new forces for that seruice and after the manner of the Turks in time of their greatest distresse appointed generall supplications and prayers to be made vnto his prophet Mahomet for the better successe of his wars the vndoubted signe of his feare The Vayuod after so many victories against the Turkes purposing for a while to breake vp his great armie called vnto him his old friend Ieremias Czarnieuiche vnto whom as vnto the man he of all others most trusted he had resolued to commit the charge with part of his armie to keepe the Turks from passing againe ouer the riuer Danubius into his countrey and in deliuering to him his charge spake vnto him as followeth Sith fortune hath hitherto answered our desires worthie Czarnieuiche with most rare and perpetuall successe against the Turkes our most cruell enemies we are thankefully to take the same and to render most humble and heartie thankes vnto Almightie God that it hath pleased him the author of all victorie so to haue prospered our endeuours against these fierce and deuouring enemies Now what remaineth for the present but to disband mine armie wearied with labour and trauell and to giue my soldiors leaue to depart home to rest themselues that so I may as occasion shall require againe vse their fresh forces for our better seruice you in the meane time with thirteene thousand of my select souldiors shall lie vpon the side of Danubius to keepe the Turkes from passing the riuer Haue good regard I pray you vnto this your charge which I vpon an especiall trust grounded vpon your antient loue and fidelitie haue at this time imposed vpon you And let me from time to time with all expedition vnderstand from you of euery motion of the enemie that so we may in due time prouide for him accordingly And so in token of his greater fauour taking his leaue of him with a kisse as the manner of those people is gaue leaue vnto the greatest part of
him of life that had bereft him of liuing which because he could not by any fit meanes put in execution by reason of the guard of slaues that keepe the person of the Visier so that no man can come neere him that holdeth that high place except he could by some meanes acquaint himselfe in the Visiers house and so insinuate himselfe into his acquaintance he resolued to take vpon him the rude habit of those religious which the Turkes call Deruislars and after their manner to present himselfe euery morning before the Visier to aske his almes and so hee did counterfeiting withall a certaine kind of follie and lightnesse of mind as doe those Deruislars to make the people beleeue that they contemne all worldly things as men rauished onely with heauenly cogitations which yet was by some that knew him thought to haue happened in him through the greefe he had conceiued for the losse of his stipend Muhamet not onely the first time but also at all other times that this counterfeit hypocrite came before him caused him to be comforted with his almes and as it were with a kind of priuat stipend enjoyned him euery morning to come vnto him into the Diuano and there together with others appointed for the same purpose to say his deuout prayers and in singing praises to their wicked Prophet to entreat God for his saluation for it is a custome of all the noblemen that at ordinarie houres of prayers all their priests assemble themselues in the Diuano which is made readie for them and there all together the infidell wretches doe with their vncleane mouthes mumble vp their superstitious prayers or rather most abhominable blasphemies By this meanes did this dissembling companion so insinuate himselfe into the Visiers acquaintance that the counterfeit foole went in and out of the Diuano at his pleasure no man gainesaying either his going in or comming out but dayly sat in the presence of the Visier and so hauing said his prayers and taken his almes with all reuerence quietly departed At last when the craftie hypocrit thought that the time was come wherein he might most fitly execute his purpose hauing vtterly resolued with himselfe to die so that he might satisfie the desire he had of reuenge so long couertly fostered in his heart hauing conueyed a very sharpe dagger secretly into one of his sleeues he went according to his custome to require his almes with an assured resolution when he had said his prayers and reached out his hands to receiue his wonted almes speedily to charge vpon the Visier and with the dagger to strike him to the heart According to the accustomed manner was the counterfeit hypocrit for who would euer haue suspected so long and so traiterous a designement admitted into the Diuano where Muhamet the Visier sat in his house to giue publike audience and after the vsuall manner before any of the suters that attended for answeres and dispatch of their businesse suspected any such deceit he was admitted neere vnto the Visier and sitting right against him according to his old wont poured out those vaine deuotions which those hypocriticall Barbarians vse to mumble vp in their prayers which being finished whilest the Visier simply reacheth vnto him his wonted almes the traiterous villaine in receiuing it suddenly drew out his dagger and once or twice stabbed it into the Visiers breast out of which so deadly wounds gushed out his bloud and life together Whereupon the standers by astonied with the strangenesse of the fact ran in but loe the old hoarie Visier lay all soyled in his owne bloud deadly pale and breathing forth his last gaspe The mischieuous murtherer they presently laied hands vpon and bound him fast but the rumour of the strange fact did by and by flie vnto the emperours eares who suspecting that some of the other great Bassaes desiring to mount into that high dignitie had prouoked the traitor to doe this detestable act would needs vnderstand of the traiterous murderer What occasion had mooued him so trecherously to kill his Visier Who resolutely answered him That he did it to deliuer the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE from the tyrannie of him by whom he was vndeseruedly depriued of his pension But when he could get no other answere of him he deliuered him into the hands of the slaues of the dead Visier who with most exquisit torments put him to death Muhamet thus dead after him succeeded Achmetes the neâ—t Bassa who as is before said shortly after died also so that it was now Mustapha his course to sâ—cceed in that chiefe roome for that he was the third in the order of the Bassaes. But when he had vsed all the meanes that he possibly could to haue obtained that so honourable a place by order due vnto him yet could he not find so much grace in the sight of Amurath his great lord as to haue it granted him vnder seale although in effect he made him sit as Visier and all matters of state were brought vnto him as chiefe Visier but in his stead the seale was sent to Sinan Bassa who was now made Generall for the Persian wars Which disgrace not a little discontented Mustapha fearing least some other strange accident should in short time light vpon him After that Mustapha was thus displaced from his Generalship Amurath nominated Sinan Bassa to be Generall in his stead for this expedition against the Persians and for the preseruation of CHARS and TEFLIS giuing him soueraigne authoritie to commaund and to set in order all such preparations as he should thinke necessarie for such enterprises as he should thinke good to attempt in his first yeare who although by reason of his great fauour he grew haughtie and glorious yet did he not foreslow to discourse throughly with himselfe vpon all his dessignments and namely beside the succouring of TEFLIS he determined to build a fort at TOMANIS to assure the passage thither from CHARS and withall to attempt all the meanes he could to induce the Persian king to send embassadours for peace with such conditions as should be acceptable to Amurath With these and such like discourses did he busie himselfe whilest he was yet making preparation to set forwards towards ERZIRVM Of all these changes and alterations was the Persian king aduertised as also that this new Turkish Generall Sinan was carefull how this long warre might by some meanes be appeased and a good peace concluded Vpon which occasion and by the persuasion of Leuent ogli the Georgian and of Mirize Salmas his Visier he was induced to send embassadors to CONSTANTINOPLE to demaund peace of Amurath Vpon which resolution he dispatched Maxut Chan of some called Maxudes his embassador with direction that he should go to Sinan and of him to receiue guides to conduct him to CONSTANTINOPLE with letters to Amurath and as much as lay in him to labour for the pacifying of all these troubles and in any case to conclude vpon it so that
conuenient Whereunto the besieged Turkes answered That the Christians had now fiue weekes lien at the siege and must yet lie three weekes longer and that whereas of late some few of their friends came to haue relieued them and had failed therein there was yet an hundred thousand moe to come after them who if they should not be able to performe that they came for yet that they would not for that deliuer or forsake the citie before they were readie to be drawne out of it by the heeles and that yet they would then take three daies to resolue thereupon Now had the Christians with long and continuall batterie sore beaten both the vpper and the lower towne which batterie they now maintained with greater furie than at any time from the beginning of the siege and within the citie their wants increased daily hauing nothing left to liue vpon but a little wheat and barley with some horseflesh vnto whom thus distressed the lord Palfi by the commandement of the Countie to trie what confidence they yet had in themselues the ninth of August sent two Gentlemen to the citie to doe a message from him to the Gouernour Who aduertised thereof being a verie aged and courteous man accompanied with the Aga of the Ianizaries came to the wals to heare what they had to say where one of the said gentlemen in few words deliuered him this short message My most gratious Lord the lord Palfi most worthie Gouernour greeteth thee well and knowing thee to be a captaine both valiant and wise and one that hath alwaies courteously vsed such as haue fallen into thy hands hath compassion of thy desperat obstinacie and therefore whereas thou art to looke or hope for nothing else but present death and destruction he as thy neighbour and a louer of thy vertues aduiseth and exhorteth thee if thou wilt saue thy selfe and thine from most vndoubted and imminent death and vtter confusion without delay to deliuer vp this citie which thou canst not longer hold Vnto whom the old Gouernour thus without stay courteously answered Thy speech my friend and thy masters aduise are vnto me both vaine Tell the lord Palfi in my name that I cannot pleasure him with the least stone in this citie One foot I haue alreadie in the graue and will with honour carrie these my graie haires into the same and am yet comforted with a most certaine and vndoubted hope that my most dread and mightie soueraigne and my lord Sinan Bassa will not forsake me yea and that if they should write vnto me that they could find no meanes or way to relieue me which I am sure they can yet would I well and at leisure consider whether it were fit for me to deliuer vp this citie or not seeing that of the defence thereof dependeth all mine honour and credit Besides that what reward they haue on both sides that so easily deliuer ouer the cities they haue in charge all the world doth see With this answere he sent them away All this while the Aga of the Ianizaries standing by spoke not one word but sighing in silence and grinding his teeth declared by his countenance his indignation and inward griefe In the mid way betwixt BVDA and STRIGONIVM in the middest of the riuer of Danubius lieth a little island called VIZZE wherein many rich clothiers dwelt this island the Hungarian Heidons spoiled and in returning thence met with foure and twentie wagons laded with corne going to BVDA which they tooke with eight and twentie prisoners which they brought into the campe The lower towne being with long and continuall batterie made saultable was by the Christians the thirteenth of August in three diuers places at once assaulted The Bauarians were by lot to giue the first charge who in the performing thereof beginning to faint for that they were notably repulsed by the Turks but seconded by them of REITNAW and SVEVIA pluckt downe a great palisado filled the ditches remoued whatsoeuer stood in their way and so long fought with the Turks in the breaches that by the comming in of the Marquesse of BVRGAVVE with six ensignes of fresh men they preuailed vpon the enemie and so altogither brake into the towne In the middest of this dangerous fight was the Marquesse himselfe who both with his presence and cheerfull speech so encouraged his souldiors that they as men fearing no perill ran headlong into all danger vntill they had entred the towne There might a man haue heard a most miserable crie especially of women and children throughout the citie when as the Christians breaking in on euerie side slew whosoeuer came in their way without respect of age or sex sparing neither women great with child neither the little children hanging at their mothers breasts Yet did not all that were entred so much attend the present execution as some of them did the spoile and prey and especially the Hungarians vnto whom all was good bootie euen the verie hinges of the doores and windowes whereby many escaped into the castle and vpper towne with the Bassa and Alis-Beg the old Gouernour The Christians had not many houres possessed the towne but that diuers fires began to breake out in diuers places but by what meanes was not at the first knowne At last it was found out that the Turks doubting the losse of the towne had before where they thought best left gunpouder which taking fire by matches left burning for that purpose should at a certaine time set all on fire by which meanes many most horrible fires were raised in the towne which consumed many goodly buildings and other things which might haue stood the Christians in great stead and could hardly be in a day or two quenched This so joyfull a victorie saw not he by whose good direction next vnder God it was gained the worthy Countie for he a few daies before being fallen sicke of a feauer taken by drinking too much cold drinke in his heat with immoderat paines taking in the late battell and so afterwards falling into a great flix with a feauer was by the counsell of his physitions for the better recouering of his health remoued to KOMARA as a place of more quietnesse hauing before his departure sent for the Archduke to come vnto the campe and for Blankemier into BAVARIA to supply his owne roume But his disease still encreasing became at last desperat so that the physitions themselues now dispaired of his health Yet lying thus drawing towards his end he almost euerie houre enquired how the armie did and whether the citie were yet taken or what hope there was of the taking thereof But when it was told him a little before his death that the lower towne was woon he thereat greatly rejoyced and the next day being the fourteenth of August towards night quietly departed this world to the great losse of the Christian common-weale and the exceeding griefe of the whole armie A man euen from his childhood brought
condition women were slaine great with child and yong children hanging at their mothers breasts it booted not to crie for mercie the bloudie sword deuouring all The furie of the Wallons here exceeded who ript the children out of their mothers wombs and made thongs and points of the skins of men and women whom they had flaine quicke Which their crueltie they afterwards excused when they were therefore reproued by pretending that thereby they did teach the Turkes hereafter not so wickedly to blaspheme against Christ or with such their wonted and barbarous crueltie to torment the Christians that fell into their hands for feare of like themselues In this assault and furie perished of the Turkes about foure thousand and of the Christians not past three hundred In this towne beside that which the fire deuoured was found a verie rich prey The first that entred the towne was one Terskie a notable captaine with his companie after whom followed Ruswurme who each of them were thought in their entrance at the breach to haue slaine with their owne hand eight or ten Turkes Now in the meane time Mahomet the great Sultan being come to BELGRADE remoued thence to come downe into the heart of HVNGARIE sending Cicala Bassa before him and at length after long looking for the second of September arriued at BVDA hauing in his armie about two hundred thousand men and three hundred field pieces From thence he presently sent fortie thousand to TEMESVVAR but staied there himselfe with the rest of his armie The Christians yet lying at HATVVAN and doubting least the Sultan suddenly passing the riuer should come vpon them not yet readie for battell departing thence and retiring backe againe came and encamped not farre from VACIA And albeit that the Archduke before his departure from HATVVAN had left a conuenient garrison for the keeping of the towne yet such was the terrour of the Turkes approach that the next day after they that were there left in garrison forsooke the towne and setting it on fire followed themselues after the campe This comming of the Turkish Sultan to BVDA brought also a great feare vpon them at VIENNA as much doubting least he should that way haue turned his forces which caused them both day and night to labour for the better fortification of the citie and for the prouision of all things as if it had been for a present siege But Mahomet not prouided for the vndertaking of so strong a place and not ignorant of the disgrace his great grandfather the victorious Solyman had sometime receiued vnder the walles thereof had no purpose thereto as hauing bent his thoughts quite another way In the vpper part of HVNGARIE is an auntient famous citie well fortified and honoured with a bishops See called AGRIA not farre from HATVVAN Vpon this citie as the chiefe fortresse of the Christians in those quatters had Mahomet at his comming into HVNGARIE cast his eyes and began now that way to make head with purpose by taking of that citie and placing there of a strong garrison to hinder the vniting of the emperours forces with the Transyluanians for the mutuall strengthening of the one the other by the way of the vpper HVNGARIE Which the Archduke perceiuing sent thither forthwith the valiant Colonell Terskie with a notable companie of Italians and Germanes and a thousand other harquebusiers who all arriued there in safetie At which time also the lord Teusfenbach sent into the citie three thousand footmen vnder the conduct of countie Turn with good store of warlike prouision needfull for the defence thereof The one and twentith of September Mahomet attended vpon by the great Bassaes Ibrahim Giaffar Hassan and Cicala for old Sinan was now dead with his armie of an hundred and fiftie thousand men came and encamped betweene the two riuers of Danubius and Tibiscus couering a great part of the countrey with his tents Approaching the citie he with wonderfull celeritie cast vp fiue great mounts and from them with such furie battered the wals that the Christians were glad night and day to stand in armes for the defence thereof And although that the wals were so great and in many places so weakly fortified as that they were not but by a greater garrison to be defended against so puissant an enemie and that therefore the defendants with their honour lawfully might euen the first day haue set the citie on fire and retired themselues into the castle which was both faire and strong and the onely place to be trusted vnto yet for the space of six daies they worthily defended the whole citie against the furie of the enemies and out of it did them great harme But seeing the danger daily encreasing and that the citie was not longer to be holden they set it on fire hauing before conuaâ—ed all the best of their substance with themselues into the castle which the Turkes quickly perceiuing brake so suddenly into the citie as if they would togither with the Christians haue entred â—he castle also but in the attempting therof they were notably repulsed and many of them slaine Adjoyning to the castle was a great and strong bulwarke against which the Turks for certaine daies furiously thundred with their great ordinance and that without intermission and hauing in diuers places sore shaken it in the space of two daies assaulted it twelue times but not without the wonderfull losse of their men and yet gaue it not so ouer but as men with their losse more enraged came on againe with 〈◊〉 furie than before and so at last by plaine force tooke iâ— and there put to the sword all them they found therein except such as by good hap got betimes into the castle This bulwarke thus lost the Christians the next day sallying out againe recouered wherein they slâ—w a great numbeâ— of the Turkes with the losse of some thirtie men and as many moe wounded The besieged now diuers times both by letters and messengers craued aid of Maximilian the Generall giuing him to vnderstand that they could not long hold out for want of shot and poâ—der if they were not betimes relieued whereof the enemie also was not ignorant yet were they resolued to hold it out euen to the last man although the great Sultan had oftentimes by messengers sent of purpose willed them to yeeld it vp with promise that they should in safetie with life and good depart otherwise threatning vnto them greater extremities than was of late shewed vnto the Turks at HATVVAN if they should as obstinat men hold it out vnto the last Whereunto they neuer answered him any thing for Terskie had forbid them all parlâ—y with the enemie and in the middest of the market place had caused a paire of gallowes to be set vp threatning to hang him thereon whosoeuer he were that should once make motion of yeelding vp the citie Whilest the besieged thus liue in hope of reliefe the Archduke vpon the comming oâ—er of the Sultan towards
A secreâ— grudge betweene Campson and Cayerbeius gouernour of Comagena The Mamalukes notable souldiors The order of Campsons baâ—tâ—ll The order of Selymus his battell The death of Campson Aleppo deliuered to Selymus by Cayerbeius the traitor The dead bodie of Campson laid out for all men to view Paulus Iouius li. 4 Elog. vÃtorum Illust Selymus commeth to Damasco Notable discipline in Selymus his armie Tomombeius by the generall consent of the Mamalukes chosen Sultan of Aegypt Gaza yeelded to Sinan Sinan aduertised of the comming of Gazâ—lles goeâ—â— seâ—retly to meâ—â— him The battell betweene Sinan Bassa and Gazelles Selymus doubting Sinan Bassa to haue been lost becommeth melancholie Neâ—eâ— of Sinans 〈◊〉 comforâ—eth Selymus 1517 Sinan Bassa goeth to meet Selymuâ— aâ— he waâ— comming to Gaza Tomâ—mbâ—ius seekâ—th to entrap the Turkes The comming of 〈◊〉 by an â—nexpected way maketh great confusion in Tomombeiuâ— camp Christian canoniers serue the Turkes against the Aegyptians The order of Selymus his armie Sinan Bassa Generall of the field Sinan â—â—ssa with â—ost of his follâ—â—ers slaine by â—idon Mustapha with his Aâ—â—â—n souldiâ—rs ouerthroweâ—h the left â—ing of the Sultaâ—â— armie Selymus causeth the Diadare and the valiant captaine Bidon to be slaine The purpose of Tomombeius discouered to Selymus The Aegyptians diuersly affected 〈◊〉 the Mamalukes The description of the great citie of Caire The pyramides of Aegypt Selymus encourageth his souldiors to the winning of Caire A most morâ—all battell fought in Caire A long and terrible battell 〈◊〉 takâ—n by 〈◊〉 Gazelles his speech to Selymus Albuchomar discouereth to Selymus the power of Tomombeius and the trecherie of thâ—m of Cairâ— The causes mouing Selymus to send embassadors to Tomombeius Selymus his embassadouâ—â— slaine by the Mamalukes Tomombeius distresseth the Turkâ— in passing the bridge made ouer Niluâ— The Mamalukes giue a fresh charge vpon the Turkes The Mamalukes put to flight Tomombeius taken and brought to Selymus Tomombeius tortured The miserable end of Tomombeius last Sultan of Aegypt Pâ—ulus Iouiâ—â— Illust. virorum Elog. lib. 4. The Aegyptians in doubt of their estate bewaile the death of Tomombeius Selymus câ—nningly reducâ—â—â— the Arabians 〈◊〉 his obedience Of this Cortug-Ogli see more in the life of Solyman Cayerbeius the 〈◊〉 made gouernour of Caire Aegypt Ionuses enuieth at the preferment of Cayerbeius Selymus commaundeth the wages of his soldiors to be left in garrison at Caire to be augmentedâ— Selymus calleth for Ionuses Bassa to answere the matter The answere of Ionuses Bassa The death of Ioâ—uses the great Bassa Ionuses Bassa â—ealous of his faire wife 〈◊〉 The faire ladie Manto cruelly slaine by her iealous husband The causes why Hysmaell inuaded not Selymus wholly busied in the Aegyptian â—â—â—res 1518 1519 Selymus purposing to inuade the Christianâ—â—â— strucke in the reynes of his backe with a canker 1520 The death of Selymus The iust iudgement of God Phi. Lonicerus Turcicae Historiae Tomo primo lib. primo Selymus before his death coÌ„mendeth the â—â—ition of his sonne Solyman to Pyrrhus Bassa The bloudie and tirannicall precepts left by Selymus to his son Solyman which he afterwards most assuredly kept as is to be seene in his lifâ— following Phil. Lonicer Hist. Turc lib. 1. Solyman hardly persuaded that his father was dead Gazelles gouernour of Syria rebelleth against Solyman Gazelles slaine Belgrade 〈◊〉 by Solyman 1522 Philippus Villerius chosen Great master of the Rhodes Cortug-Ogli the pirat persuadeth Solyman to besiege the Rhodes Solymans letter to Villerius Great Master of the Rhodes The answere of Villerius to Solymans letters Solymans Oration to his men of warre declaring his purpose of besieging the Rhodes Solyman maketh preparation against the Rhodes Villerius prepareth to make resistance against the Turks Solymans letter to Villericus Pyrâ—hus Bassa his letters to Villerius Villerius his ansâ—â—re to Sâ—lymans letters Villerius his answere to Pyrrhus the Bassa his letters Villerius aduertised oâ— the comming of the Turks fleet The carefulnessâ— of the Graund master Villâ—rius his Oration vnto the Rhodiaâ—â— Solymans threatening letters to the Rhodians The Rhodians for feare of the Turks destroy their suburbâ— places of pleasure without the citie The â—eare of the countrey people The Chancellor his speech persuading the Rhodians to fight with the Turkeâ— gallies The worthie coÌ„mendation of the Great master The Turks â—leet descried at sea troubleth the Rhodians The order of the Turkes fleâ—â— The Great master by his embassadours craueth aid of the Christian prinâ—eâ— The commendation of Prelanâ—â— The description of the Rhodes A Turkish woman slaue conspireth to fire the citie The painfulnesse of the Turkes pioners The Turkes deceiued by the Christian marriners Selymus commeth into the campe Solymans chollericke Oration to his souldiorâ—s Apella a traâ—â—or The Turkes batâ—â—rie The English bulwarke blowne vp The Turkes assault the English bulwarke the second time and are againe repulsed Mustapha Bassa falleth into disgrace with Solyman The English bulwarke assaulted the third time by Mustapha The Turkes ensignes aduanced to the top of the wals are againe cast downe Another breach made in the wals The Great master his oration vnto his knights The Turkes assaulâ— the citie in fiue places at once The Rhodians valiantly deâ—end the citie The Spanish bulwarke taken by the Turkâ— The Spanish bulwarke againe recouered The Turks giue ouer the assault Solyman in his furie commaundeth the two great Bassaes Mustapha and Pyrrhus to be put to death The Bassaes spared at the intercession of the other counsellors Solyman displaceth his Admirall punisheth him as a slaue Solyman exceedingly greeued with the repulse and losse receiâ—â—ed at the siege of thâ— Rhodes was vpoÌ„ point to haue left the same Achimetes promiseth to make a way for Solyman into the citie Solyman comforteth his souldiors and persuadeth them with patience to endure the siege Achimetes winneth the Vaumures of the Auergne bulwarke raiseth a strong penthouse against the wall and so vndermineth the same The miserable state of the common souldiors of the Turkes and the small account is made of them Solyman encourageth his souldiours to afrâ—sh assault The distressed estate of the Rhonians and their courâ—gious resolution therein The Turks trouble the Rhodians with continuall alarums and by casting vp of trenches get into the citie Parley oâ—â—ered by the Turkes tâ— the Rhodians Secret Parley reiected The Great master at the instance of his peâ—people sendeth embassadours to Solyman Solymans letters sent to the Great master and the Rhodians by their embassadours The Great Master his opinion concerning that Solyman demanded by his letters A notable speech of a Greek priest persuading the Great Master to yeeld A most resoâ—â—â—â— speech of a common souldior dissuading the yeelding vp of the Rhodes The former speech notably answered by a Greeke and the yeelding of the citie vrged The Great Master râ—solued that the citie was not to bee defended calleth a common counsell of all his knightâ— and the buâ—â—esses of the citie A truce taken with the â—urkes for foure
her the kingâ—dome of Hungarie The queenes answere to the embassadour King Ferdinand inuadeth Hungarie Vicegrade taken Pesth and Vacia taken Buâ—a besieged King Ferdinands armie departeth from Buda Alba Regalis yeelded to king â—erdinand The queene craueth aid of Solyman against Ferdinand Solyman promiseth to protect the queene and her sonne against Ferdinand and sendeth presents to the yong king Laschus king Ferdinand his embassador imprisoned by Solyman 1541 The queene ioyneth her forces with the Turks and burneth Vacia Pesth in vaiâ—e besieged by the Turkes King Ferdinand sendeth the Lo. William Rogendorff with an armie into Hungarie Buda besieged Rogendorff threatneth the queene The bishop scornfully answereth Rogendorff A great breach in the wals of Buda The Germanâ— assaulting the breach are with losse repulsed Bornemissa practiseth to beâ—ray the citie of Buda Bornemissa receiueth in the Germans by a posterne supposing them to haue beene Hungarians The Germans not conducted are discouered and discomâ—ited Solyman at one time maintaineth wars in diâ—ers places of the world farre distant Mahometes Bassa commeth with the Turks armie to relieue Buda The order of king Ferdinands armie The Bassa entrencheth his armie within halfe a mile of the kings armie Skirmishes betwixt the Christians and the Turkes Rayschachius for sorrow of his sonne slaine by the Turks suddenly dieth The Turks suddenly assaile the Christians in the Island Valentinus Generall for the queene in Buda certifieth Perenus of the comming of Solyman The Christian armie departeth by night from Buda The Turkes assaile the Christians in their camp at their departure A mischieuous practise of the bishop Great slaughter of the Christians Pesth taken by Cason admirall of the Turkes fleet Rogendorff against his will caried away by his physition and chamberlaine to Comara there dieth Solyman commeth to Buda Turkish crueltie Solyman sendeth for the yong king into the campe The queene sendeth the young king her sonne to Solyman in the campe attended with the nobility Solyman courteously receiueth the yong king Solyman crafâ—â—ly taâ—eth the citie of Buda Solyman detaineth the noblemen of Hungarie in his campe The great Bassaes of diuers opinions for the disposing of the kingdome of Hungarie The Oration of Mahometes of Belgrade to Solyman concerning the disposing of the kingdome of Hungarie Mischiâ—uous counsell Solyman entreth Buda the 30 of August 1541 and there first sacrificeth after the Mahometane manner The doome of Hungarie The queene departeth out of Buda with heâ— sonne King Ferdinand sendeth embassadours and presents to Solyman The frugall cheere of the Turkes The request of the embassadors in the behalfe of king Ferdinand Solymans proud answere to king Ferdinands embassadours The Turkes campe well ordered Solyman returneth towards Constantinople Lascus set at libertie by Solyman shortly after dâ—â—th Maylat the Vayuod not able to keepe the field against Achomates the prince of Moldauia flieth to Fogaras Mailat commeth into the Turkes campe Maylat treacheâ—ouslâ— taken prisoner by the Moldauian Transiluania giuen by Solyman to the young king Charles the emperour returneth out of Germanie to inuade Algiers The French kings embassador slaine by the â—mperialâ— The emperour and the bishop of Rome meet aâ— Luca. The emperour driuen by tempest into Sicilia The emperour commâ—th to Algiers The emperours fleet out of Spain and the low countries The duke of Alba Delay in great actions hurtfull The emperour sendeth a messenger to Asan aga gouernour of Algiers for Barbarussa The scornefull answer of Assan the eunuch to the emperours messenger The emperour landeth his armie as Algiers The description of Algiers The Numidians skirmish with the Spaniards The Spaniards put the Numidians to flight and game the hils The description of the Numidian footmen and horsemen A maruellous tempest The Moores 〈◊〉 to flight by the Italians The Italians diâ—comâ—ited by the Moores flie and endanger the whole campe The notable courage of the emperour in slaying the â—light of his armie An horrible tempest The Christian fleet perisheth by shipwracke A hard choise Many gallies lost by sauing of one man The miserie of the Christian armie The chearefulnesse of the emperour comforteth the whole distressed armiâ— Horses good meaâ— in the emperours armie The emperour departeth from Algiers He embarketh his armie Horses of great price drowned by the emperouâ— a commaund to in the roome for the common souldiors Two Spanish ships fâ—ll of souldiors driuen by temâ—â—st to Algiers Assan taketh the Spaniards to mercie The emperour commeth to â—â—zia The emperour arriueth in Spaine 1542 The French king the mâ—re to trouble the emperâ—r solliciteth Solyman to inuade his countries Polinus the French embassadour meeteth Solyman coÌ„ming from Buda and offreth vnto him presents from the French king The request of the French embassadour to Solyman Polinus returneth into France Polinus sent backe againe to Solyman coÌ„meth to Venice and notably solliciteth the Venetians to take vp armes with the French king against the emperour The craftie answere of the Venâ—tians to the French kings embassadour Solymans embassadours commeth to Venice Polinus comming to Constantinople findeth not the Turke so reaâ—â—e to send his fleet to aid the French king aâ— he had hoped The sharpe orâ—tion of Solyman the eunuâ—h bassa to Polinus the French embassadour Polinus by the meanes of the Capiaga it 〈…〉 to the 〈◊〉 of Solyman himselfe Solymans answer to Polinus The Princes of Germanie ioine their forces with king Ferdinand against the Turk in Hungarie The Marquesse of Brandenburg commeth to Pesth with hiâ— armie The Turks sally out of Pesâ—h and put the Christians to the worse The Turks sallying out againe are disâ—omfited by Vitellâ—us and Perenus Mauritius in danger to be slaine A breach made in the wals of Pesâ—h The breach assaulted by the Italians The Germanes stand still as lookers on whilst the Italians giue the assault The conâ—umelious speech of a Turke against the Germanes The Germanes and the Italians retire with losse A notable skirmish betwixt the Turkeâ— and the Hungarians The Christians remoouing from Pesth are assailed by the Turks The Christian armie broken vp at Vâ—â—nna Pâ—â—enuâ— the noble Hâ—ngarian apprehended vpon suspition of treason The vncourtesie of Liscanus the Spaniard in the apprehension of Perenus Matters surmised against Perenus The lamentable speech of Perenus to Torniellus and the other captaines concerning his apprehension Perenuâ— his request of the Admirall and the rest of the captaines Perenus Valentinus and Maylat three of the greatest nobilitie in Hungarie kept in perpetutuall prison 1543 Solyman granteth to send his fleet by Barbarussa to aid the French king against the emperourâ— Solymans letters to the French king Barbarussa amorous of the captaine of Rhegium his daughter The French embassadours letters to comfort Rodolph the cardinall the Popes legat in Rome Solyman commeth with a great army into Hungarie The castle of Waâ—po treacherously yeelded the traitors iustly rewarded Solyman commeth with his army to Strigonium The sâ—â—ut answer of the captaines The terrible batterie of the Turks at
most part the faithfulnesse of all the rest they will looke vpon you whom they may praise or accuse and whose example they may follow in the fortune of these warres But to what purpose should men of woorth in their actions pretend the necessitie of faith or chaunce of fortune whereas by reason things are both best begun and accomplished It seldome chaunceth that fortune faileth the sound aduice or is not obedient vnto vertue and you haue all things which most politicke care could prouide for your safetie You want not armour you want not plentifull prouision of victuals you want not valiant men the superfluous multitude of vnnecessarie people the pitifull lamentation of women and troublesome crying of children shall not withdraw you from your publike charge from your seruice and defence of your countrey I haue left you alone to your selues for defence of your citie your religion and dwellings that you might be encouraged onely with the prouocations of honour and libertie with the emulation of aduenture and danger and the very sight one of another and I my selfe will not be far off with my courageous souldiors a silent beholder and encourager of your vertue where although I may not auert from you all the force of the cruell enemie by rash aduenture nor trie the whole fortune of this war in plaine field yet will I turne a great part of your dangers vpon my selfe and trouble the enemies designes with many a hot skirmish For as much as there is no better manner of fight nor safer kind of warre for vs amongst such a multitude of men and so many thousands of souldiors than neuer to offer battaile vnto the enemie in plaine field neither to aduenture all vpon the fortune of one conflict although a man did see apparent signes of victorie He will of purpose at the first giue vs the oportunitie of good hap hee will feed our hardinesse with the blood of his base souldiors the easilier to intrap and oppresse our rashnesse allured with the sweet bait of good fortune but the craftie deuises of the Othoman king are by great policie and consideration to be frustrated This mightie enemie is by little and little to bee cut off as time and place shall giue occasion For truly that victorie should bee vnto me lamentable which I should buy with the blood of my souldiors and beleeue me it would be vnto me a more sorrowfull than pleasant sight to see eight or ten thousand of my enemies slaine with the losse of a few of you I will praise and honour my subiects of EPIRVS for valiant conquerours if they shall not suffer themselues to be conquered of the Turkish king The rest I had rather you courageous souldiors of DIERA should consider with your selues than that I should seeme to distrust of your assured faith by giuing you a carefull and tedious admonition When Scanderbeg had with cheerefull persuasion thus encouraged the minds of them of SFETIGRADE he departed thence and visited diuers other cities of EPIRVS where finding all things politickely ordered by Moses and the other captaines whom he had put in trust he returned to his armie then lying neere vnto CROIA Whilest Scanderbeg was with great carefulnesse yet thus prouiding for the safegard of his kingdome in the meane time Amurath his armie was assembled at HADRIANOPLE to the number of a hundred and fiftie thousand men whereof many were pioners and men appointed for other base seruices necessarie at the siege of townes Of this great armie Amurath sent fortie thousand light horsemen before him to SFETIGRADE who according to his commaund came and encamped before the citie the newes of their comming with a great deale more than truth was forthwith brought to Scanderbeg then lying with his small armie neere CROIA whereupon he with foure thousand horsemen and a thousand foot took the way toward SFETIGRADE and strongly encamped his armie within seuen miles of the citie Where hauing set all things in good order he accompanied with Moses and Tanusius went by certaine blind waies through the mountaines and woods vntill he came so neere vnto the citie that from the place where hee stood vpon the top of a hill he might easily discouer in what sort the enemie lay encamped and so returning backe againe to his campe rise with his armie in the night following and drawing as neere vnto the Turks armie as he could vndiscouered placed all his armie in the couert of the woods and secret valleyes vnperceiued of his enemies After that hee sent forth Moses and Musachi his nephew with thirtie of his best horsemen apparelled as if they had been but common souldiors but passing well mounted driuing before them certaine horses laden with corne by a by-way as if they had purposed to haue secretly got into the cittie The day then breaking they were discouered by the Turks scouts and set vpon where at the first Moses and the rest began of purpose to flie but when he saw that they were pursued but with like number to themselues hee returned backe vpon the Turks and slew fiue of them and chased the rest vnto the campe The Generall seeing what had happened sent foorth foure thousand horsemen to pursue these supposed victualers whom they quickly recouered the sight of for that Moses of purpose had made small hast to flie but when the Turks began to draw nigh Moses left the horses laden with corn and fled yet so that he still drew on the Turks with hope to ouertake him vntill he had brought them where Scanderbeg with his armie lay in wait by whom they were suddainly assailed on euerie side and with great slaughter put to flight In this conflict two thousand of the Turkes were slaine and a thousand of their horses taken of the Christians were lost but two and twentie This was the first welcome of the Turks armie to SFETIGRADE About eight daies after came Amurath with all his armie in the beginning of May in the yeare of our lord 1449 and hauing made the greatest shew he could with his huge armie to terrifie the defendants he encamped the baser sort of his footmen at the foot of the hill whereon the citie stood and lay himselfe with his Ianizaries and other his most valiant souldiors about three quarters of a mile further off where after he had line still one daie well considered the strength of the place towards euening he sent a messenger to the citie who requested to speake with the Gouernour Perlat Whereof hee hearing came to the wall of whom the messenger requested That he would commaund the souldiours standing by to goe further off for as much as he had some thing in secret to say vnto him from his master Vnto whom Perlat merrily answered It is like indeed to bee some great secret that you would haue kept not onely from the hearing of my soldiors but from the verie light of the dale and therefore haue chosen the night but I