Eiuases The other Bassa Ibrahim counsailed Amurath to put to sword all those rebels that had followed Mustapha but by the mediation of Eiuases to whome they had yeelded themselues they were generally pardoned Amurath departing from VLIBAD or LOPADIUM came to BOGA and there hanged vp the captaine that had giuen Mustapha passage From thence he held on his way to LAMPSACUM intending to pursue Mustapha into EUROPE but being come to the sea side hee could find no passage for that Mustapha had caused all the shipping on that side to bee brought ouer into EUROE Yet at last Amurath by good fortune chaunced vpon a great Genoway ship which hee hired for foure thousand duckats to transport his armie and so with much adoe at length landed in EUROPE Mustapha seeing that Amurath was now come ouer fled to HADRIANOPLE where he found such cold welcome that fearing to bee betraied hee was glad to speed himselfe thence thinking all the world to little to hide himselfe in and so came to an obscure place in the countrey of the Turks called KISUL-AGATZ-GENITZE where the souldiours sent to pursue him ouertook him and brought him bound to Amurath then being at HADRIANOPLE by whose commaundement he was shamefully hanged from the battlements of one of the highest towers of the citie and there left to the worlds wonder This Mustapha is of some writers reported to haue been indeed the sonne of the great Sultan Baiazet and that he was kept in prison all that long time and thus at length set vp by the Greeks to trouble the state of the Turkish kingdome but the Turkish histories report as before calling him Dusme or counterfait Mustapha And it is verie likely that if he had been one of the sonnes of Baiazet he would haue found some meanes to haue made some great stirre long before that as all the rest of the vnquiet brood of Baiazet did which neuer rested vntil they had like the earth borne brethren one destroied the other besides that their bloodie natures considered it is verie like that Mahomet his younger brother who raigned in HADRIANOPLE almost eight yeares and was in league all that time with the emperour of CONSTANTINOPLE would for his more safetie haue got him into his owne power if hee had been in prison with the emperour or else haue dispatched him if he had been in prison with himselfe All which I am the rather persuaded to thinke for that Orchanes a child the son of Solyman could find no safe place of abode at CONSTANTINOPLE in the raigne of Mahomet but flying was apprehended and his eies put out as is before declared in the life of Mahomet much lesse is it like that Mustapha being a warlike prince and his elder brother could haue been so long preserued and kept in prison from his furie It fortuned in these late broiles as oftentimes it doth with others in like case diuers of the rebels Asapi or common souldiors whom he for his greater countenance had apparrelled and armed like the Ianizaries to fall into the hands of the true Ianizaries Amurath his faithfull guard whose liues indeed they spared but vsing them with all the despight and indignities possible Amongst the rest one of the Ianizaries being an hungred brought two of these Asapi his prisoners vnto a cookes shop offering to sell them vnto him for a little victuall which the cooke refused to giue him as hauing no vse for such vnnecessarie seruants Wherewith the proud Ianizarie enraged swore many a great oath presently to cut off their heads to giue them him for nought if he would not for a thing of nought redeeme them And like ynough he was to haue so done had not the cooke moued with pitie offered him for them both a sheepes head which the Ianizarie tooke for them swearing That the cooke had giuen for theÌ„ more than indeed they were worth Which disgrace so long since done vnto these Asapi is yet oftentimes by way of reproch in great contempt by the masterfull and insolent Ianizaries objected vnto the whole bodie of the Asapi the greatest part of the Turks huge armies of whom for all that the proud Ianizaries make small reckoning accounting them scarcely for men in their rage oftentimes telling them That two of them are not worth a sodden sheepes head Amurath hauing at length with much adoe thus pacified the dangerous rebellion raised by the counterfeit Mustapha both in EUROPE and ASIA was yet not a little grieued to thinke how the same had to the great hazard of his estate beene first plotted by the Greekes and afterwards countenanced by the Greeke emperour of whom he thought now to be reuenged And therefore sending before him Michael Ogli his lieutenant generall in EUROPE with his Europeian souldiors to inuade the countrey about CONSTANTINOPLE followed himselfe after with the Ianizaries and his Asian forces and encamping before the cittie filled all that necke of land which lieth before it from sea to sea And so encamped began right furiously to batter the wals in hope so to haue made a breach and by the same to haue entered the cittie but finding the wals of greater strength than hee had before supposed and the defendants still repairing whatsoeuer the furie of his artillerie had beaten downe or shaken hee ceased his batterie and comming on with all his forces desperately attempted by assault to haue gained the citie wherein his 〈◊〉 was not answerable to his desire For approching the cittie with arrowes as showers falling 〈◊〉 the defendants and scaling ladders in the mean time clapt vp to the wals and the Ianizaries with others of his best souldiors courageously mounting the same they were by the defendants notably repulsed and beaten downe loosing some their hands some their armes some their heads but most their liues no shot falling in vaine from the wals Which Amurath beholding and grieued to see though vnwilling commaunded a retreat to be sounded and the assault â—â—uen ouer and shortly after seeing no hope to preuaile in great rage raised his siege and departed Vnto whom for all that the Greeke emperour not long after sent his embassadours to entreat with him for peace whereof he would by no meanes heare but proudly threatened to be ere long of all his wrongs reuenged Which caused the Greeke emperour to deuise what he might for the troubling of his estate so to keepe him otherwise busied as he did shortly after with the Caramanian king by countenancing another Mustapha surnamed Cutzug or the little Amurath his younger brother against him to the raising of new stirres and Amurath his no small trouble Mahomet the late king had fiue sonnes and seuen daughters whereof Amurath was the eldest and succeeded in his fathers kingdome Mustapha the second surnamed the little Achmetes the third who died before his father the other two Iosephus Machmutes both died of the plague being but children after the death of their father Three of their sisters were married
all such strong places as were yet for him holden he surrendered them to Basta and so forthwith honourably accompanied put himselfe vpon his way towards the emperour After whose departure out of TRANSYLVANIA all that prouince voluntarily and without more adoe yeelded to Basta as to the emperours lieutenant who presently called an assembly of all the Nobilitie of the countrey taking of them an oath for their obedience and loyaltie vnto the emperor Thus by the wisedome and prowesse of this worthy commaunder is the countrey of TRANSYLVANIA once againe brought vnder the emperours obeysance a matter of far greater importance than to haue woon the strongest citie the Turke holdeth in HVNGARIE But whilest things thus passed in TRANSYLVANIA great troubles arise also in VALACHIA the country next adjoyning for that the people of that prouince not able longer to endure the great insolencie of the Turks who after the death of Michaell had by their power made one Hieremias Vayuod there by a generall consent tooke vp armes and proclaiming one Radol a fauourit of the Emperours Vayuod chased Hieremias before placed by the Turkes quite out of the countrey who flying vnto Simon Palatine of MOLDAVIA his friend by his meanes and the helpe of the Turkes returning into VALACHIA draue out thence Radol againe who being now at this present with Basta with about ten thousand Valachians his followers earnestly requested of him now that hee was so quietly possessed of TRANSYLVANIA to helpe him with his forces for the recouerie of VALACHIA And Basta well considering how much it concerned the quiet and sure keeping of the possession of TRANSYLVANIA for the Emperour to haue that so neere a prouince to friend easily yeelded to his request and gaue him a great regiment of his old approoued souldiors and so sent him away to recouer his estate with whom at his entrance into VALACHIA the Moldauian meeting with a great power both of his owne and of the Turkes come thither in the fauour of Hieremias there was fought betwixt them a most terrible and bloudie battell the glorie whereof fell vnto Radol he carrying away the victorie In which battell two of the Turkes Bassaes were there slaine with a great numbers of others both of the Moldauians and Turkes After which victorie Radol recouered againe the soueraigntie of VALACHIA for which he was beholden to Basta and shortly after with the same aid cut in peeces a great power of the Tartars that were comming to haue aided the Moldauian Now in the meane time in HVNGARIE also passed many an hot skirmish betwixt the Christians and the Turkes whose garrisons at BVDA and other places in the lower HVNGARIE attempting to haue surprised ALBA REGALIS and discouered by the Christians were with great slaughter enforced to retire At which time also Countie Serinus vnderstanding by his espials that the Turkes with two hundred waggons with munition and victuals were going to CANISIA vpon the sudden set vpon them and hauing slaine and put to flight the conuoy that guarded them carried the waggons with all that was in them away with him And shortly after the free Haiduckes of COMARA in a great partie going out towards BVDA to seeke after bootie and hauing taken threescore Turkes prisoners and so with them about to haue returned home vnderstanding by the way that Ali sometime the Bassa of BVDA and now gouernour of PESTH was with a small retinue about to come downe the riuer Danubius from BVDA towards BELGRADE there to meet the Visier Bassa but then comming into HVNGARIE they slew all their prisoners and hauing got two small boats about fifteene miles beneath BVDA lay in wait for the Bassa who according to their expectation comming downe the riuer was by these aduenturers fiercely assailed and of his thirtie followers hauing foureteene slaine being himselfe also shot in two places of his bodie was there with a great bootie taken and so brought to COMARA and shortly after presented vnto Matthias the archduke at VIENNA who amongst other things certainely enformed him that Hassan Bassa was with a great armie by the commaundement of the great Sultan Mahomet comming to besiege ALBA REGALIS and that he was now vpon his way as farre as BELGRADE presently sent thither the Countie Isolan gouernour thereof who with much adoe got into the citie the Turkes hauing alreadie taken all the passages to haue hindered the Christians from putting either men or munition more than was therein alreadie Howbeit the Countie now got in there and being no lesse good enginer than a valiant commaunder caused all them in the citie to labour vpon the rampiers so that beside the naturall situation thereof which was very strong hee had in short time so fortified it as that in most mens judgement it seemed a place almost impregnable This Ali Bassa was sometime the Great Turkes butler but after the taking of AGRIA made Bassa of BVDA which great place he held but three moneths being by the enuie and ambition of some but especially of Amurath Bassa remoued thence and made gouernour of PESTH from whence now going downe the riuer to BELGRADE it was his fortune to be thus taken by the Haiduckes vnto whom hee offered for his ransome three hundred thousand Sultanines and had with him when he was taken seuentie thousand duckats Mahomet the great Sultan not a little troubled with the losse of ALBA REGALIS taken from him by the Christians the last yeare and now resolued for the recouerie of the same to engage if need should be a great part of his forces had caused an armie of aboue an hundred thousand strong to meet together at HADRIANOPLE for that purpose vnder the leading of Mahomet Bassa otherwise called Sardar Bassa an Albanois and one of the chiefe Visiers to bee sent into HVNGARIE Who by the way of BELGRADE comming to BVDA and from thence to ALBA REGALIS there the twelfth of August encamped as he had oftentimes before threatened with the multitude of his tents couering all the countrey round about as if it had beene a white snow where hauing well entrenched himselfe and planted his artillerie he began a most terrible and furious batterie in such sort as if he had not meant to haue made a breach onely but to haue beaten the citie euen from the face of the earth which seemed now to tremble vnder his feet and the clouds to rent with the thundering of his great ordinance and for that the marish and deepe ditches were a great let vnto his men for to come vnto the assault he caused them with the number of his pioners to be filled vp a worke thought almost impossible and so brought on his men to assault the counterscarfe which the gouernour had caused to be made before the citie for the better defence thereof which assault cost him much bloud by reason of the wonderfull valour of the defendants yet in the end the great number of the Turkes preuailing the Christians were
and sometime on the other and slew many of them whereby he so troubled Amurath his passage that he was glad to leaue the viceroy of ROMANIA with 30000 to attend vpon Scanderbeg that he himselfe might in the meane time with more safetie march away with the rest of his armie Scanderbeg perceiuing the stay of the viceroy ceased to follow Amurath further fearing to bee enclosed betweene those two great armies The viceroy seeing that Scanderbeg was retired after he had staied a few daies followed his master to HADRIANOPLE and so Scanderbeg returned to CROâ—A Shortly after the departure of Amurath out of EPIRVS Scanderbeg left two thousand souldiours vpon the borders for defence of the countrey against the Turks These soldiors so straightly kept in the Ianizaries left in garrison at SFETIGRADE that they could not looke out of the citie but they were intercepted and slaine And within a few daies after came himselfe with an armie of eighteene thousand and laied siege to SFETIGRADE the space of a moneth which was from the middle of September vntill the middle of October In which time he gaue two great assaults to haue recouered the citie but was both times repulsed with the losse of fiue hundred men Amurath vnderstanding that Scanderbeg lay at the siege of SFETIGRADE sent with all speed to recall his armie but lately before dispersed Whereof Scanderbeg hauing intelligence considering also the difficultie of the enterprise with the approch of Winter raised his siege and returned to CROIA where he set all things in the same order he had done before the comming of Amurath to the siege of SFETIGRADE and put two thousand of his best souldiors there in garrison vnder the charge of the famous captaine Vranacontes and stored the citie with sufficient victuall for a yeares siege wherein he had great helpe from the Venetians and other Christian princes for that there was then great scarcitie of all things in EPIRVS by reason of the late warres The like care he had also of all the rest of his cities being continually aduertised from his secret friends in the Turks court of the great preparation intended against him by the Turkish king against the beginning of the next Spring Amurath vnderstanding that Scanderbeg was departed from SFETIGRAD changed his former determination for the calling backe again of his armie appointed it to meet againe at HADRIANOPLE in the beginning of March following whether the Bassaes and other great commaunders at the time appointed assembled with their companies according as Amurath had before commaunded So that by the latter end of march hee had there in readinesse an armie of an hundreth and threescore thousand men strong Of which great multitude he after the manner of the Turkish warres sent fortie thousand horsemen vnder the leading of Sebalyas a polliticke captaine as his vauntcourriers into EPIRVS in the beginning of April in the yeare 1450. The valiant captaine with great speed and no resistance entred into EPIRVS as was giuen him in charge and without let came to CROIA where after he had aduisedly considered of the scituâ—ation thereof and of the places thereabouts he strongly encamped himselfe neere thereunto in the pleasant plaine called TYRANNA and there within his trenches kept his souldiours close attending nothing more but that no new supplie of men munition or victuals should be conuaied into the citie more than was therin before his comming For he was not able with his horsemen to doe any thing against the citie and Scanderbeg had left nothing abroad in the countrey subject to his furie Besides that he was expresly by Amurath forbidden to attempt any thing against Scanderbeg himselfe After Sebalyas had twentie daies thus line encamped before CROIA neither doing nor taking harme Amurath by reason of his great age hauing marched oftentimes but fiue miles a day came thether also with his whole armie wherewith hee filled all the countrey round about the very sight whereof had been inough to haue discouraged the small garrison in CROIA had they not been men both of great experience and resolution Where after he had spent foure daies in setling of his campe he sent two messengers to the Gouernour as the manner of the Turkes is offering him if he would yeeld vp the citie that it should be lawfull for him with all his souldiors in safetie with bagge and baggage to depart and the Gouernour himselfe to receiue in reward two hundreth thousand aspers with an honorable place amongst the great Bassaes of his court if it would please him to accept thereof and further that the citizens should enjoy all their antient liberties as in former time without any alteration with promise also of greater These messengers comming to the gates of the citie could not bee suffered to enter but standing without were commaunded there to deliuer their message Which when the Gouernour had heard hee scornefully rejected their offers and returned the messengers shamefully derided by the souldiours which stood vpon the wall Amurath more offended with this contempt than the refusall of his offers and seeing no other meanes to gaine the citie conuerted all his deuises vnto the siege thereof Wherefore he first commaunded ten great peeces of artillerie to be forthwith cast for he had brought none with him readie made because of the difficult passage ouer the high mountaines into EPIRVS whereby it seemed to bee a matter of infinite trouble to haue brought his great ordinance and therefore caried with him great store of mettall in masse whereof at his pleasure to make his great artillerie as he saw cause In fifteen daies this worke was brought to perfection and ten peeces of huge greatnesse were readie mounted vpon cariages Six of them he placed against the East side of the citie towards the plain of TYRANNA and the other foure against the gate in which two places onely CROIA was subject to batterie being on all other parts naturally defended with impregnable rocks vpon the tops whereof were built faire battlements more for beautie than needfull defence These two places Amurath battred foure daies continually and with the furie of his artillerie had in both places beaten downe halfe the wall and sore shaken the rest Wherewith the Turks were exceedingly encouraged and with great cheerefulnesse made all thinges readie to assault those breaches whensoeuer Amurath should commaund striuing among themselues who should shew himselfe most forward in that dangerous enterprise And Mahomet the young prince the more to encourage the souldiors besides the great rewards by his father proposed promised of himselfe to giue an hundreth thousand aspers to him that should first set vp an ensigne vpon the wals of the citie The garrison souldiours on the other side considering that the whole state and welfare of EPIRVS was reposed in their valour and that the eies of most part of Christendome were as it were fixed vpon them were nothing dismaied with the breaches made but manfully comforted and encouraged one
Islands of the AEGEVM which after the losse of CONSTANTINOPLE had for the most part put themselues vnder the protection of the Venetians and commanded his admirall with that fleet to take his course through the straits of Bosphorus into the great Euxine sea now called the blacke sea and so sailing alongst the coast to come to anker before SINOPE the cheefe citie of PAPHLAGONIA and there to expect his comming thither with his armie by land This great citie of SINOPE standeth pleasantly vpon a point of the maine which runneth a great way into the Euxine sometime the metropoliticall citie of that prouince but as then with CASTAMONA and all the countrey thereabout was vnder the gouernement of Ismael a Mahometane prince vpon whom Mahomet had now bent his forces for no other cause than that he was in league with Vsun-Cassan the Persian king Now with great expedition had Mahomet leuied a strong armie and passing therwith ouer into ASIA was come before he was looked for to SINOPE Ismael seeing himselfe so suddainely beset both by sea and land in his strongest citie although he wanted nothing needfull for his defence hauing in the citie foure hundred peeces of great artillerie and ten thousand souldiours yet doubting to be able with that strength to endure the siege offered to yeeld vp the citie to Mahomet with all the rest of his dominion vpon condition That he should freely giue him in lieu thereof the citie of PHILIPPOPOLIS in THRACIA with the countrey therevnto adjoyning Of which his offer Mahomet accepted and so taking possession of SINOPE with the strong citie of CASTAMONA and all the rest of the princes territorie sent him away with all his things to PHILIPPOPOLIS as he had promised This Ismael was the last of the honourable house of the Isfendiars who had long time raigned at HERACLEA and CASTAMONA in PONTVS From SINOPE he marched on forward with his armie to TRAPEZOND This famous citie standeth also vpon the side of the Euxine or Blacke sea in the country of PONTVS where the emperors of CONSTANTINOPLE had alwayes their deputies whilest that empire flourished and commaunded the East part of the world as farre as PARTHIA but after it began againe to decline as all worldly things haue but their time one Isaack whose father emperour of CONSTANTINOPLE the Constantinopolitanes had for his euill gouernment slaine flying to TRAPEZOND tooke vpon him the gouernment of that citie with the countries of PONTVS and CAPADOCIA and many other great prouinces and was at first called the king of TRAPEZOND but after hee was well established in that gouernment both he and his successours tooke vpon them the name and title of emperours which they maintained equally if not better than the late Constantinopolitane emperours and therefore are of most accounted for emperours Hee that then raigned was called Dauid Comnenus which most honourable familie of the Comneni had long time before raigned in CONSTANTINOPLE and out of the same were many other great princes descended which ruled in diuers places of MACEDONIA EPIRVS and GRaeCIA Mahomet comming to TRAPEZOND laied hard siege vnto the same by the space of thirtie dayes both by sea and land burnâ— the suburbs thereof as he had before at SINOPE The fearefull emperour dismayed with the presence of so mightie an enemie and the sight of so puissant an armie offered to yeeld vnto him the citie with his whole empire vpon condition That hee should take his daughter to wife and deliuer vnto him some other prouince which might yeeld him such yearely profit as might suffice for the honourable maintenance of his state Mahomet perceiuing the weakenesse of his enemie by his large offers refused to accept therof and attempted by force to haue taken the citie which not sorting to his desire the matter was againe brought to parle where after long debating too and fro it was at last agreed vpon That the emperour vpon the faith of the Turkish king for his safe returne should in person meet him without the cittie if happily so some good attonement might be made betwixt them Whereupon the emperour following the Turkes faith before solemnly giuen for his safe returne as was before agreed went out of the citie to meet him in hope to haue made some good agreement with him but as soone as hee was come out Mahomet according to the damnable hellish doctrine of his false prophet That faith is not to be kept with Christians presently caused the emperour to be cast into bonds and so to be detained as prisoner Which when it was bruted in the citie the citizens vtterly discouraged without farther resistance yeelded themselues with the citie into his power Mahomet now lord of TRAPEZOND entring the citie tooke prisoners the emperors daughter with all the rest of his children and kindred and all such of the nobilitie as hee found in the citie whom he caused forthwith together with the emperor to be sent by sea as it were in triumph to CONSTANTINOPLE Of the rest of the cittizens he chose out so many as hee pleased for his owne seruice and appointed eight hundred of the Christian children in whom appeared most towardlinesse to be brought vp for Ianizaries many also of the other citizens were sent into captiuitie to CONSTANTINOPLE the beautifull women and virgines hee deuided amongst his friends and men of warre certaine chosen paragons of whom hee sent as presents to his sonnes After he had thus taken his pleasure in the citie and left none there but the basest of the people he put a strong garrison of his Ianizaries into the castle and a great garrison of common souldiors into the citie appointing his admirall to gouerne the same The rest of the emperours strong townes discouraged with the taking of TRAPEZOND and the miseries thereof in short time submitted themselues vnto the Turkish thraldome wherein they haue euer since most miserably liued So Mahomet in the space of few moneths hauing reduced that empire into the forme of a prouince returned in great triumph to CONSTANTINOPLE when hee had in this expedition subdued PAPHLAGONIA PONTVS and a great part of CAPADOCIA with some other prouinces neere vnto the Euxine sea When he was come to CONSTANTINOPLE he sent the emperour with his children prisoners to HADRIANOPLE But afterwards vnderstanding that the Persian queene the wife of Vsun-Cassan sought meanes to get some one of her vnckles children whom by the power of her husband she might if it were possible aduance vnto her fathers empire he sent for Dauid the wofull emperour to CONSTANTINOPLE and there cruelly caused him withall his sonnes and kinsmen to be put to death and to the vttermost of his power rooted out all that most honourable familie of the Comneni excepting George the emperors youngest sonne who at his first comming to HADRIANOPLE turned Turke whose sister the emperours daughter Mahomet afterwards tooke to be one of his concubines This Christian empire was by the Turkish
otherwise he regarded as was thought no religion at all But Zenus the Venetian embassadour lying continually in the Persian court so wrought the matter with Vsun-Cassanes that hee told the Turkes embassadours plainely That he could not nor would not longer endure the manifest injurie and wrong done vnto him by the Turkish king and farther that hee had made a faithfull league with the Christian princes and therefore would to the vttermost of his power make it knowne vnto the world that he would effectually performe what thing soeuer he had promised and so dismissed them now no lesse discontented than were before the Persian embassadours at such time as they returned from the Turkes court hauing obtained nothing they then requested concerning the emperour of TRAPEZOND The yeare following Mocenicus the Venetian Admirall with his fleet arriued in the Isle of LESBOS where he did great harme From thence hee passed the bay of ADRAMITTIVM into the lesser ASIA and sore spoiled the countrey about PERGAMVS After that hee landed againe at CNIDVS vpon the coast of CARIA where he tooke a great bootie and so hauing done the Turkes exceeding much harme in ASIA all alongst the sea coast opposit to GRaeCIA he returned laden with spoile towards PELOPONESVS In his returne about the promontorie of MALEA vpon the coast of PELOPONESVS he met with Richaiensis comming vnto him with seuenteene gallies from king Ferdinand by whom hee was certified that the great Bishops fleet was readie to come forth also After mutuall gratulation as the manner at sea is the Admirals joining their fleets in one landed at METHONE now called MODON then a citie of the Venetians in PELOPONESVS where after they had well refreshed their souldiours and taken in fresh victuals they put to sea againe and sailing through the Islands landed in ASIA where they were at their first landing encountered by the countrey Turkes whom at last they put to flight and by the space of foure daies tooke what pillage they could in the countrey where the souldiours found great store of rich bootie especially of Turkie carpets which are there made in great abundance From thence they sayled to HALICARNASVS which is a part of CARIA where sometime stood the stately tombe which queene Artemesia built for her husband Maâ—solus accounted amongst the wonders of the world where they tooke a wonderfull spoile There came vnto them Nicholas Bishop of MODRVSSA with twentie gallies sent from the great Bishop whom the other two Generals welcommed with great joy At the same time also came thither two gallies from the great master of the RHODES With this fleet of 85 gallies they sailed to the Isle of SAMOS oueragainst EPHESVS sometime a place of great fame but then altogether desolate and vnpeopled there to consult for their further proceeding in those warres Loosing from SAMOS they tooke their course alongst the coast of ASIA and landed at ATTALIA the cheefe citie of PAMPHILIA a place of great trafficke where they found in the suburbes of the cittie great store of many rich commodities brought thither out of AEGIPT and SYRIA whereof they tooke what pleased them and burnt the rest together with the suburbes Vnto the cittie it selfe they began to lay siege but perceiuing that it was not without great losse of their men to be taken they departed thence and running all alongst the coast of PAMPHILIA burnt and destroied what came in their way and so returned backe againe to the RHODES where they met an embassadour from Vsun-Cassanes the Persian king to the bishop and the Venetians for great ordinance whereof that so mightie a prince was altogether vnfurnished Of this embassador they vnderstood that Vsun-Cassanes was entered into league with the Christian princes and now busie in making preparation against the Turke At which time Mahomet requited the Venetians with no lesse harme in EPIRVS and DALMATIA than they had done to him in ASIA for now that Scanderbeg was dead the Turkes mightely preuailed vpon the weake princes of EPIRVS and ALBANIA with the countries adjoyning The Christian fleet departing from the RHODES landed in the countrey of the Myndians a part of CARIA and with great spoile returned to the Island of NAXOS one of the CYCLADES from whence king Ferdinand his gallies returned home laded with much rich spoile for now the yeare was farre spent Yet after the departure of the kings gallies Mocenicus with the Legate returned backe againe into ASIA and there landing their men tooke the famous citie of SMYRNA in IONIA and when they had taken the spoile thereof set it on fire At which time also they did great harme about CLAZOMENE not far from SMYRNA So Winter drawing now fast on they returned laded with the rich spoiles of ASIA the Legate into ITALIE and Mocenicus to METHONE The insatiable desire of soueraignetie whereunto the Turkish king was naturally enclined had continually armed him not onely against the Christian princes but against others also euen of his owne superstition making no great difference betwixt the one the other if so he might extend his dominion He had long before vnder the pretence of a friendly parley craftely circumuented the king of MYSIA a countrey in ASIA and hauing got him within his danger cruelly put him to death and by force subduing his kingdome left not one of the kings blood aliue After that he inuaded CILICIA which the Turkes call CARAMANIA where the two young brethren Pyramet and Cassambet raigned and draue them both out of CILICIA of whom Pyramet the elder fled for refuge to Vsun-Cassanes Cassambet the yonger assisted by his old friends sought by force of armes to recouer againe his inheritance wrongfully by the Turkes possessed and was besieging certaine townes vpon the sea coast which being taken from the Turkeâ— would easily draw all the rest of the kingdome after them Mocenicus the Venetian Admirall being now with the first of the Spring come vpon the coast of CILICIA at the request of Cassambet landed certaine companies of his men vnder the leading of Victor Superantius and certaine peeces of great artillerie wherewith he so battered the wals of SICHINVM that hee enforced the Turkes therein to yeeld vp the citie which he deliuered to Cassambet In like manner he tooke the citie of CORYCVS which he also restored to Cassambet At last hee laid siege to Sâ—LEVCIA which standeth vpon the riuer ORONTES and was built by king Seleucus one of the successors of Alexander the Great distant from the sea about fiue miles the Gouernour of this citie discouraged with the sight of the great artillerie deliuered the citie to the Venetian captain who by the appointment of the Admirall restored the same to Cassambet Who by this meanes brought againe into his kingdome gaue great thankes vnto the Admirall promising both for himselfe and for his brother to be alwayes friends vnto the Venetians Mocenicus departing from CILICIA landed his men in LYCIA and harried that countrey all
that siege After this great batterie the tyrant caused a fresh assault to be giuen but with little or rather worse successe than before for though diuers of the defendants amongst them some of good place as Franciscus Patauinus Franciscus Scorbaro two Italian captaines and some other of the better sort of the citizens were there slaine with the great shot whereof the enemie that day discharged into the breaches 193 yet were they with greater losse enforced againe to retire and with shame to giue ouer the assault Notwithstanding this repulse Mahomet continuing his batterie with no lesse furie than before still sought by force of his artillerie to open a way into the citie and the third day after the former assault gaue a more furious and desperate attempt vnto the citie than before insomuch that the Turkes were in the breaches come to handie strokes with the Christians and there made a most cruell and deadly fight wherein many fell on both sides but of the Turkes most yet were there many of the Christians also slaine especially with the Turkes great ordinance It was a right ruthfull sight to haue seene the rampiers at the great gate of the citie beaten downe flat to the ground and to lie full of the rent bodies of the Christians at which place the enemie so preuailed that he was euen now readie to haue entered for the Turkes so furiously assailed the defendants and the murthering shot from the Bassaes mount fell so thicke and so terribly into the breach beside the infinit number of arrowes that there was scarce any of the Christians which defended that place but they were either slaine or greeuously wounded But when all seemed now almost desperat and forlorne and the greedie enemie euen ready to deuour his prey a new supplie of lustie souldiors well armed came courageously to the breach and as lyons encountering the enemie draue him downe againe and so enforced him with great losse to retire Mahomet greeued with this repulse in his furie caused 173 great shot to be discharged into the citie and afterwards sending for his great Bassaes and other his principall men of war declared vnto them his mind as followeth I thinke none of you are ignorant right worthie souldiours that now it is the third moneth since this citie hath by vs beene most straitly besieged and with all manner of artillerie and engines of 〈◊〉 impugned assaulted and on euery side assailed the wals thereof vtterly subuerted and the bulwarks laied flat with the ground and as you see as good as rased Besides that so oft as wee haue set 〈◊〉 vpon their fortresses so oft we haue prouoked them of SCODRA to fight and haue also much vexed them with assaults Last of all as you know we haue left nothing vnproued nothing vnattempted which could be deuised the easilier to ouercome them being wearied worne out their strength spent Wherfore in mine opinion the matter is not longer to be put off or delayed but euen to morrow before the enemie can recouer his strength or repaire his breaches let vs enclose the citie round and giue them a generall and terrible assault and therefore euery one of you make your selues readie and exhort your souldiors in the campe that they euery one of them to morrow with the dawning of the day come forth armed and well appointed for the winning of the citie Now will I proue and know them that are worthie of my pay Thou the Bassa of CONSTANTINOPLE with thy squadrons and certaine companies of the Ianizaries our faithfull guard giue charge vnto the breach in the meane time let the Bassa of ASIA with his power assault the other parts of the cittie let euery man make readie and bring with him what so is needfull for this generall assault my mind giueth me that to morrow before this time we shall win the citie for who is there can resist vs The towne as you see is bared both of wall and of all other defence the bulwarkes and ditches are laied euen and an easie way for vs to come vnto it the citizens themselues wearie with so many fights and assaults faint and want strength whereas we are still fresh and lustie they in number few we almost innumerable besides that we farre passe them in the force of our artillerie wherewith many of them shall perish in the defending of the breaches Who then can gainesay but that they of SCODRA are alreadie our prisoners Where vpon such as remain aliue I will at my pleasure vse the law of armes and captiuitie On therfore courageous hearts without further delay Is not the very name of SCODRA hatefull vnto vs for which of you dooth not with great disdaine call to remembrance the death of your parents or brethren or friends or companions cruelly slaine vnder these wals Can you disgest your hatred against them of SCODRA and so many slaughters of your friends by them made But to forget elder times and the harmes receiued from them long since let vs but looke vpon our late slaughters and wounds as it were yet bleeding it is not yet full foure yeares since that we made warre with these men of SCODRA wherein so many thousands of our people fell that their slaughter is yet almost obiect to our eyes and their blood crauing reuenge This very hill whereon we stand and the stones yet seeme besprinckled and polluted with their blood Wherefore hast you as men of courage take vp armes valiantly mount the hill assault the town and reuenge your old iniuries Glut your selues to the full in the effusion of the Christian blood whereunto our lawes doe so much exhort vs and do what you may with force and sword that not one of them of SCODRA may be left aliue which you may easily bring to passe hauing all things thereunto needfull for there is nothing to withstand you nothing wanting for the gaining of the victorie All things are prepared all things are readie an easie matter it is for a strong man to ouercome the weake and feeble that wanteth strength as doe they This speech of the barbarous tyrant was receiued with great applause and good liking of the hearers and now was SCODRA to be with all might and maine assaulted and not a man there left aliue Hereupon proclamation was made throughout the campe That euerie man vpon paine of death should be readie against the appointed time And the great captains and commanders of the armie departing from Mahomet went vp to the top of the hill whereon the Bassa lay and from thence taking view of the citie and laying their heads togither consulted how they might best giue the assault The defendants on the other side alwaies expecting their enemies houering ouer their heads left nothing vndone that they could possibly deuise for the defence of themselues and the citie Now vpon the top of the Bassaes mount was a royall pauilion erected richly couered with purple from whence the prowd tyrant might plainly
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
repaired thither out of ITALY FRANCE SPAINE GERMANIE and other places of Christendome cheerfully to aduenture their liues in defence both of the place and of the Christian religion against the common enemie of Christianitie The Great Master taking a generall view of all the forces he had to oppose against so puissant an enemie found that he had in the citie sixteene thousand able men in which number were reckoned manie Iewes and other men of seruile condition who in the siege following did right good seruice The great Bassa conducted by the false traitour Demetrius safely landed both his armie and artillerie in the island the two and twentith day of Iune not farre from the citie At which time the Great Master considering that the safetie of the citie consisted more in the liuely valour of the defendants than in the strength of the dead wals or other warlike prouision thought 〈◊〉 requisite as a part of his duetie by cheerfull persuasions to encourage them valiantly to wiâ—hstand the force of their enemies And therefore calling them all together spake vnto them as followeth At length valiant souldiours and fellowes at armes we see the Turkes our mortall enemies 〈◊〉 we were before aduertised as well by letters from our friends as by common fame breathing after 〈◊〉 destruction in readinesse to destroy our churches our oratories our alters our religion and whatsoeuer els we account sacred or religious seeking the ruine of this noble citie and the cruell death of vs all gaping at once to deuour our liues our wealth our hope with all our former honour And 〈◊〉 as I cannot denie but that the chance of warre is doubtfull and the euent thereof vncertaine so when I consider your valiant courage and cheerfulnesse of mind I presently conceiue a most assured hope of victorie They haue entered into armes against vs not so much for anie desert of ours or vpon 〈◊〉 other quarrell as for the vnsatiable desire of rule and the great despite they beare against vs and the Christian religion But to withstand their furie and to frustrate their designes we want neither wâ—â—pons nor artillerie nor prouision for many yeares we haue a most strong garrison of Frenchmen Spaniards Germaines English and others the verie chiualrie of Christendome and that which 〈◊〉 is Christ Iesus our Captaine and Generall by whose power we shall no doubt easily repulse the 〈◊〉 force of our most wicked and gracelesse enemies The care wee haue for the defence of the Christiâ—â— faith wherunto we are by speciall profession bound will animate and encourage vs against them which seeke for nothing more than to extend their wicked and grose superstition to the great dishonour of God and of his sonne Christ Iesus Besides that we are warlike Frenchmen Italians Germaines and other worthy Christians they are of CARIA LYDIA CAPADOCIA and the other delicat countries of ASIA effeminat persons brought vp to pleasure I say it not to draw you into anie manifest or ineuitable danger neither to feed you with vaine hope or to fill your eares with windie words bâ—â— this I promise and assure you of that if this siege shall continue long hither will come such strong 〈◊〉 out of FRANCE ITALY GERMANIE and SPAINE as will serue not onely to raise the siege bâ—â— to recouer againe the empires of CONSTANTINOPLE and TRAPEZONDE Then shall our enâ—mies see no good end of their counsels but all their deuises so confounded as that they shall hardly be able by speedie flight to saue themselues But suppose the hardest should happen which I feare 〈◊〉 would not anie man account his life most happely and honourably spent in defence of a good conscience and the quarrell of Christ Iesus Truely my great yeares and course of life now almost spent 〈◊〉 defeâ—â— of the Christian religion as I euer desired doth call me forth as one so assured of that good laid 〈◊〉 for me in heauen by Christ Iesus whose battell we are to fight that I no whit feare anie enemies force or future chance which for all that I haue as farre as I could and to the vttermost of my power so prouided for as that we will not I hope be therwith ouerwhelmed Be you therefore of good cheâ—re and comfort as I know you are and shew your selues valiant and couragious which resteth wholy iâ— your selues and as for all the rest time and our discretion shall right well prouide I doubt not The valiant men and worthy souldiours resting vpon the assurance of their aged gouernor departed euerie man to his charge full of hope and courage Now had the Bassa landed his great armie and sent Demetrius the traiterous knight Meligalus his companion with certaine troupes of horsemen and some foot to view the ground where he might best encampe with his armie Demetrius in great pride riding about the citie was knowne by Anthony Damboyse the Great Masters brother by whose leaue he sallied out with a troupe of gallant horsemen and skirmished with them but the Turkes being mo in number cast about to haue encloased them which Anthony perceiuing turned vpon them that were comming behind him and that with such force that he slew or wounded most part of them In this hoat skirmish Demetrius hauing his horse slaine vnder him and himselfe ouerthrowne was there troden to death vnder the horses feet an end too good for so false a traitour Muratius a French knight vnaduisedly dispoiling his dead bodie was by the Turkes slaine and his head presented vnto the Bassa in stead of Demetrius The Bassa approaching the citie at the first comming tooke a great orchard which the Great Master had strongly entrenched and therein placed certaine companies of souldiours with some small pieces of ordinance which place if it could haue beene kept might haue fitly serued the defendants to haue at their pleasure sallied out vpon the enemie But they which were appointed to the keeping thereof either terrified with the sight of so great an armie or else doubting to be able to hold it against so great a power abandoned it by night and retired into the citie leauing the great ordinance behind them for hast In this place the Bassa by the counsell of George Frapaine a Christian fugitiue of the RHODES and now master of his ordinance began to plant his batterie from thence to batter the tower called Nicholea or S. Nicholas his tower distant froÌ„ the citie three hundreth paces But against this place Damboyse had so aptly mounted two great Basiliskes that he made him glad quickly to forsake the same yet finding no other place more conuenient for his purpose shortly after he neere vnto the same place planted againe his batterie of farre greater force than before Wherein beside the ordinance of greatest charge he had three hundred smaller pieces for batterie wherewith at the first he did small harme for that this George Frapaine repenting himselfe as it was thought of his foule treason bestowed the shot to small purpose
for which cause the Bassa began to haue him in distrust which Frapaine perceiuing fled by night againe vnto the RHODES and discouered vnto the Great Master all the secrets of the Turkes campe The Turkes continuing the batterie had sore shaken the aforesaid tower called S. Nicholas and beaten downe some part thereof which the Christians with great industrie speedily repaired in best sort they could For all that the Turks gaue therunto a fierce assault by the space of six houres forcing themselues to the vttermost to haue taken it but perceiuing that it preuailed them nothing they retired hauing lost eight hundred of their men with manie others drowned in the sea of whom the number was not knowne and a thousand others sore wounded Mesithes disappointed of his former purpose bent his artillerie against the wals of the citie and with continuall batterie had made a faire breach But Damboyse foreseeing the danger had with great labour cast vp such rampiers with a countermure before the breach that the Bassa durst not in anie case aduenture to enter the breach he had made For performance of this so necessarie a worke the captaines themselues refused not to put to their helping hands by whose example all the rest of the people which were able to doe anie thing being moued willingly employed their labour vntill the worke was fully finished Whilest these things were in doing Cali-Bassa the younger a great courtier was sent from Mahomet to see with what successe the siege went forward Vpon whose arriuall it was giuen out through all the Turks campe That Mahomet was in person himselfe comming to the siege with an hundred thousand men and an hundred and fiftie peeces of great ordinance These news of purpose deuised to the terrour of the defendants being blowne out of the campe into the citie strucke an exceeding great feare into the mindes of some of the defendants and so discouraged the Spaniards with their nigh neighbors that came from NAVAR that they began openly to reason in their conuenticles That it was not possible for the citie to be defended against such a power and therefore after an insolent manner desired leaue to be gone to the great discouragement of the rest The Great Master vnderstanding of their doings sent for these mutinous Spaniards and after he had sharpely reprooued them both of disorder and cowardise promised to ship them away forthwith out of the isle saying That he doubted not right well to defend the citie against the greatest power of the Turke without the helpe of such base minded cowards In the meane time he commanded them to surcease from their mutinous talke threatning otherwise to make them examples to others what it were so much to forget themselues But these Spaniards shortly after better considering of the matter and what a dishonour it would be both to themselues and their nation if they should so dishonourably be sent away repenting themselues of that they had done came and craued pardon of the Great Master and to redeeme their former fault in all sallies and seruices during that siege shewed themselues most valiant and forward men for all that the Great Master would neuer afterwards trust them in any seruice alone The Bassa attempting much and preuailing little thought it would much further his designes if he could by anie meanes take the Great Master out of the way by whose carefull pollicie he saw all his deuises still countermaunded wherefore to bring this his purpose to passe he practised by the meanes of one Ianus a Dalmatian to poyson him This Ianus hauing conceiued this treason from the Bassa was receiued into the citie of the RHODES as a Christian fugitiue fled from the Turkes where hee acquainted himselfe with one Pythius an Epiroâ— of great familiaritie with Marius Philelphus of late secretarie vnto Damboyse but as then out of fauour and in disgrace for that he was partaker with the Spaniards in the late mutinie Ianus by the meanes of Pythius whom he had now throughly corrupted sought after Philelphus who then as hee right well knew liued discontented as a fit instrument whereby to worke this treason for that he was a man well acquainted with the cookes and butlers and other seruitours in the Great Masters house and himselfe yet there verie conuersant also Pythius presuming of his old acquaintance and familiaritie with Philelphus and waiting vpon his melancholie humour began to persuade him to reuenge the disgrace he liued in and withall to shew him the meanes how to doe it by poysoning of the Great Master which might as he said fall out to his greater good than he was yet aware of Philelphus making semblant as if he had not disliked of the motion was desirous to know of him what farther benefit might thereby arise vnto him more than reuenge To whom Pythius forthwith shewed the Bassaes letters to Ianus whereby hee assured him that whatsoeuer he should promise vnto anie man for the furtherance of the practice he would to the full performe the same Philelphus hauing got full vnderstanding of the treason presently discouered the same to Damboyse By whose commandement Ianus and Pythius were straightwaies apprehended and being examined confessed the treason for which Ianus lost his head and Pythius as hee had well deserued was shamefully hanged Philelphus for his fidelitie was pardoned his former errour and againe receiued into the Great Masters fauour The Bassa vnderstanding that the treason was discouered and the traitours executed was much grieued therewith Neuerthelesse he ceased not with continuall batterie to shake the citie but especially the tower of S. Nicholas for the assailing whereof he made wonderfull preparation Amongst other things he had framed a great bridge staied with strong ropes and cables ouer a short fret of the sea betwixt the place of his batterie and the same tower whereon six men might march a breast in which deuise he reposed great hope But as the Turkes were making fast this bridge and had as they thought brought the worke to a good perfection Geruaise Rogers an English man of great courage and verie skilfull in sea matters found meanes by night to cut and breake in sunder all the ropes and cables wherewith the bridge was staied which now loose was by the violence of the sea quickly carried away and the Turkes disappointed of their purpose For which good seruice he was by the Great Master honorably rewarded and of him in publike audience highly commended Yet was the furious batterie by the Bassa still maintained and a new bridge framed vpon small boats and lighters fast moored with cables and anchors and diuers peeces of great ordinance placed in fusts and gallies So that the tower was at one time battered both by sea and land the defendants assailed with small shot and arrowes innumerable and the tower at the same instant desperatly scaled But Damboyse had so placed his great ordinance that with the force therof the bridge was broken in sunder
forces to assaile the Turke their common enemie Shortly after the embassadours hauing obtained nothing more than the hope of a league to be in time concluded and being honourably rewarded returned with their gallies to CYPRVS and so from thence to SYRIA where they had secret conference with Petrus Zenus the sonne of Catarinus Zenus a man famous for his embassage vnto Vsun-Cassanes into PERSIA gouernour of the Venetian merchants at DAMASCO Which thing Baiazet hauing intelligence of and of the passage of the Persian embassadors that way cōplained grieuously both by his embassadors and letters vnto Campson Gaurus Sultan of Aegypt that he dealt not as a friend and confederat with him in suffering those embassadours so to passe through the middest of SYRIA vnto the Christians their common enemies to stir them vp to warre Whereupon all the Venetian merchants which were at TRIPOLIS ALEPPO DAMASCO BERYTVS and ALEXANDRIA and especially Zenus himselfe were forthwith apprehended by the commandement of the great Sultan and carried in bonds to CAIER where they were manie times enforced in chaines to answere vnto such things as were laid to their charge and after they had by the space of a yeare endured the manifold despights of the prowd Mamalukes hardly obtained to escape with life and libertie The two seditious prophets Chasan and Techellis well strengthned with the aid of the Persians were now come vnto ICONIVM the most famous citie of LYCAONIA and wasting all the country before them drew a great multitude of people to receiue their new doctrine For the repressing of which outrages Orchanes and Mahomethes two of Baiazet his nephews who insteed of their fathers Alem Schach and Tzihan Schach the sonnes of Baiazet before dead gouerned those countries gathered togither their forces and disdaining to suffer such disgrace by such a rabble of rascall people in the sight of so famous a citie came into the field to giue them battell But they in their youthfull heat making too much hast and joyning battell in a place of disuantage were by the rebels ouerthrowne and put to flight Neither would these ringleaders in that victorie haue forborne to haue assailed ICONIVM but that they wanted artillerie and engines of war requisit for the besieging of cities Corcutus also one of the sonnes of Baiazet hauing at the same time leuied a conuenient army about THYATIRA SYPILVS MAGNESIA and PHOCEA durst not farther stur or set forward against the rebels although they lay dispersed about the countrey fast by him These new prophets with ensignes displaied marching from countrey to countrey through the heart of the lesser ASIA entered at length into BYTHINIA where neere vnto the riuer Sangarius they met with Caragoses Bassa the Viceroy of ASIA comming against them with a great army well appointed which he had a little before raised vpon the bruit of the comming of these rebels and had also commaunded Acomathes whom the Turkes call Achmetes the eldest sonne of Baiazet then liuing gouernour of the great countries of CAPADOCIA and PONTVS to raise his power and to follow at the backe of the rebels who if they should hap to be put to the worse would neither be able to retire neither to keepe the field being so shut vp betwixt two great armies But Techellis by his speedie comming frustrated these designes of the Viceroy for marching with all possible speed he was vpon Caragoses before he was well aware of his comming neere vnto the mountaine HORMYNVS as he was then taking vp of mo souldiours and daily expected the comming of others as if he had beene going against some puissant enemie The Viceroy seeing the rebels approach although he had before not purposed to haue encountred them before he had raised farre greater forces thought it not now to stand with his honour to refuse to giue them battell although his armie for most part consisted of the rude countrey peasants taken vp vpon the sudden out of PAPHLAGONIA GALATIA PONTVS and BYTHINIA raw souldiours and for most part vnarmed as commonly they are which in those countries are pressed against their wils out of the townes and villages and are of the Turkes called Asapi who of the Ianizaries are scarcely accounted for men But his greatest confidence he reposed in the approued valour of his auntient horsemen by whose meanes he doubted not in safetie to retire out of the battell and to saue himselfe if anie thing should fall out otherwise than well making no great account of the common souldiours more than by them if he could to weaken the force of the rebels who on the other side their greatest force consisting of footmen had no hope to saue themselues by flight but onely by plaine valour and dint of sword Which Techellis well considering exhorted his souldiours to remember into what countrey they were come and that there was no cities of refuge no new power no other gods of defence to flie vnto if they should not that day play the men Wherefore let vs couragiously said he set forward against our enemies and by victorie defend our liues togither with the truth of our religion for which we haue vowed both our soules and bodies He had scarce said thus much but that his whole army in token of cheerfulnesse gaue a most terrible shout without farther stay set vpon their enemies The Viceroy had placed his footmen in the maine battell in the middle and his horsemen in the wings thereby to haue compassed in his enemies but Techellis had set all his footmen in one great square battell and his Persian horsemen for a refuge But the Viceroy his freshwater souldiors could scarcely abide the sight of Techellis his army for in the front of the battell stood souldiours throughly armed and all the rest of his armie with red hats vpon their heads as if they had been embrued with bloud which wonderfully terrified the Bassaes cowardly and vnskilfull souldiors so that hauing endured the fight scarcely halfe an houre they all turned their backs and fled The Turkish horsemen which had valiantly assailed the rebels army on both sides although they had slaine manie with their arrowes and launces and somewhat disordered the battell for that the footmen were enforced to leaue their places and to presse still on forwards against them yet when Techellis his souldiours hauing ouercome the footmen and diuiding themselues into diuers squadrons began with their long pikes to kill their horses and to lay hardly vnto them they likewise betooke themselues to flight also Then the Persian horsemen which all this while had stood still as lookers on left their standings and following the chase slew manie of the Turkes in their disordered flight and following fast on enclosed the Viceroy as he was staying of his horsemen and could not for the thicknesse of the dust well discerne his enemies so that he had beene there taken if he had not beene speedily rescued by his guard and so deliuered from that danger The rest
laied together hee said the Sultan might afterward vpon euen hand goe into the field if he should thinke it so much to concerne his honour to giue his enemies battaile But for as much as the greatest warres which at the first had most violent and most furious motions by the politicke enemies delay did most commonly in time grow calme hee should not therefore make too much hast to aduenture the fortune of battaile for that the errours of warre which many times chanced through the ouersight or rashnesse of the cheeftains might well of good men be lamented and detested but hardly or neuer recouered or amended Gazelles his graue and considerat speech had much moued both the Sultan and others yet the cheerefulnesse of the souldiors and foolish hardinesse of the Mamalukes did so fill Campsons eares that he could not hearken to so good and wholesome counsell for as soone as they heard certainely of the comming of the Turkes they began to leape and daunce and to rejoice among themselues that the time was come wherein they might make proofe of their valour and win to themselues honour For now as they said was come that time they had long wished for wherin they would by notable slaughter of their enemies aduance the honour and majestie of Campson their Sultan far aboue the fame of Caitbeius And some euen of the cheefe men about Campson vpon flatterie and vaine ostenâ—ation alledging how honourably and with what small labour they had before ouerthrowne the Turkes great armie at TARSVS persuaded him that the victorie would easily and without any great danger be gotten But especially Cayerbeius gouernor of ALEPPO and of the prouince of COMAGENA who after his warre ended was in reward of his foule treason by Selymus vnworthily preferred to the greatest honours of AEGYPT extolling with glorious words the faithfulnesse courage and valour of the Mamalukes and extenuating the strength and power of the enemie forced his wits to the vttermost to ouerthrow the wholsome counsell of Gazelles For this Cayerbeius for all his faire face bare a grudge in heart against Campson because he had some few yeares before poysoned his brother whom he had in jealousie being a man next to himselfe of greatest power wealth and authoritie amongst the Mamalukes and withall of an aspiring mind Whereupon Cayerbeius afterwards thinking it good to looke to himselfe and doubting the like practise to be intended against himselfe being as the manner of that kingdome was summoned to a parliament at CAIRE faigned himselfe sicke and would not come wherwith Campson was not a little offended yet for a time he thought it best to dissemble the matter and to await some fitter oportunitie for the taking away of that proud man so forgetfull of his dutie and bearing himselfe against his soueraigne as if he had been an absolute king in his owne prouince This he thought might most couertly be brought to passe if he should vpon the occasion of the present warre as it then fell out or els vnder the colour of going in person himselfe to the riuer Euphrates come to ALEPPO for it was the manner of the antient Aegyptian Sultans not to account themselues worthie of the name of a Sultan or great Generall before they had as Caitbeius had of late done encamped their armie vpon the side of the riuer Euphrates at the citie BYRTHA which standing vpon the banke of the riuer retaineth at this day both the antient name and fame and there with solemne pompe had in the sight of the armie forced their horses into the riuer to drinke giuing to vnderstand by that ceremonie the greatnesse of their empire and that they were readie by force of armes to proue that all those countries were their which lay alongst the riuer Euphrates from the mountaine TAVRVS vnto the deserts of ARABIA But the consideration of this war letted that hee did not at his first comming oppresse him because he deemed it to stand best with his present affaires and not yet knowing the purpose of Selymus to expect the motions of the Turkes and Persians and to deferre the execution of his wrath against Cayerbeius vntill the end of the warre for feare least the other Mamalukes dismayed with the hainousnesse of the suddaine fact should either reuolt from him or els raise some mutinie or rebellion in that populous citie For Cayerbeius had by his courtesie and bountie many strong companies in the armie fast bound vnto him and beside that was of greatest credit and authoritie with them of ALEPPO hauing in his keeping a strong citadell built vpon the rising of an hill in the middest of the citie which he kept with a strong and sure garrison But whiles Campson doth thus slowly and considerately purpose his destruction many of the Sultans secret friends to him more officious than faithfull secretly aduised Cayerbeius to beware of the Sultan and by some good meanes in time to prouide for his owne safetie He vnderstanding of the danger and thinking all delay deadly sent secret messengers vnto Selymus discouering vnto him the cause of his greefe and promising as occasion should serue to come ouer vnto him and to deliuer into his power the castle with the hearts of the citisens and all the strength of his owne horsemen thereby to prouide for his owne safetie to reuenge his brothers death and to further his victorie against Campson and for performance of promises on both sides required secret hostages to be giuen By the same messengers he also aduertised him what strength the Sultan was of persuading him in any case to make hast to giue him battaile before hee had gathered any greater power Selymus nothing doubted to condiscend to all that the traitor had requested promising of himselfe farre greater things than euer he had required assuring himselfe of the victorie if his enemie should lose so much of his strength by the reuolt of so great a commaunder Campson enforced by the generall consent of his souldiors and the violence of his ineuitable destinie then at hand rejecting the good and faithfull counsell of Gazelles at such time as Selymus was reported to be at hand resolued according to the counsell of the traitour Cayerbeius to dare him battell He lay conueniently encamped vpon the riuer Singa almost ten miles from the citie in such sort as that his souldiors might vse the benefit of the riuer and remoued from the houses and pleasures of the citie might yet neuerthelesse be easily releeued with the stoâ—e and plentâ—e thereof The Mamalukes were scarce in number twelue thousand but euery one of them according as he was of greater place or calling so had he attending vpon him moe seruants well furnished with horse and armour A goodly and inuincible armie if the battaile might haue been tried by true valour The Mamalukes wearing their beards long and rough with graue and sterne countenance hauing strong and able bodies vsed such cunning in all their fights and battailes that
that for as much as he had by manly force nothing preuailed in open field he would now altogether vse policie as hee which of late hauing vnfortunately made proofe of his strength his forces yet all whole thought it not good againe to aduenture the fortune of a battell neither was hee in hope if he should so doe to be able with his small power and desperat supplies to protract the warre vntill the heat of Summer as he desired Wherefore he resolued by night to assaile the Turkes campe and if possibly he could to set it on fire For which his deuice hee seemed to haue two reasons whereof the one consisted in the speedie execution that he might desperatly attempt to doe some notable exploit in the night before the enemie should perceiue the weakenesse of his power which was not great and scambled vp vpon the sudden as also before hee himselfe should grow into contempt with the naturall Aegyptians who desiring nothing more than to cast off the seruile yoke of the Mamaluke gouernment with wauering minds expected but some fit occasion to rebell the other was that by the benefit of the night hee might auoid the danger of the great ordinance which in sudden accidents and especially in the darknesse of the night serueth to little or no purpose in which kind of strength he had before to his great losse learned that his enemies were farre too good for him But these his reasonable policies when all things were in readinesse to haue put the same in execution were in like manner as the first ouerthrowne by the treason of such as secretly reuolted from him to the enemie For Selymus vnderstanding the whole plot by certain Mamalukes which hauing the kings euill fortune in contempt as it commonly falleth out with men in miserie daily forsooke him commaunded his armie to be alwaies in readinesse and making great fires in diuers places of his campe kept most carefull and vigilant watch By which his diligence it came fitly to passe that the night following Tomombeius approching his campe was repulsed with no small losse of his first troups which vnaduisedly were gone on too far and had no doubt that night thereby receiued his last ouerthrow but that he wisely misdoubting the vnwonted light of the fires shining in all parts of the campe in time called backe his hasting troups which were themselues with more hast than good speed marching into the verie mouth of the Turks great artillerie bent of purpose vpon them Tomombeius disappointed of his purpose by persuasion of his chieftaines retired to CAIRE for the Mamalukes still put to the worse in plaine field thought it best to proceed in another manner persuading him with the whole strength of his armie to man all the conuenient places of that great citie otherwise exposed to the enemies pleasure and so to keepe the Turkes from entring For they as men brought to this extremitie that they must now fight for their dwellings liues wiues and children thought it more honourable and better agreeing with their antient glorie so to doe in their sight and in the entrance of their houses than elsewhere farther off Wherefore the Mamalukes comming home to CAIRE furnished all their families and flâ—â— roofes of their houses with all manner of weapons euerie one of them now humbly requesting the Aegyptians their neighbours to take vp armes against the Turks their antient and mortall enemies and not to suffer themselues to be cowardly slaine their goods spoiled and their wiues and children carried away into most miserable captiuitie forasmuch as the mercilesse and greedie enemie if he should once get the victorie would no whit spare them although they should as neuters stand looking on and helpe neither partie for victorie as they said alwaies full of insolent pride would know no friend but such as with resolute hand did their vttermost deuoire in time of danger for the obtaining thereof There were many of the wealthiest of the Aegyptians who as they thought the change of the state would be hurtfull to their trades and wealth so were they readie in all they could to helpe the Mamalukes their old lords So on the other side there were many of the middle sort of the citisens and a farre greater multitude of the basest sort of the vulgar people who hauing little or nothing to lose liued in hope now to make a gaine of other mens losses and withall remembring what miserie and slauerie they had endured about the space of three hundred years vnder the proud gouernment of the Mamalukes kept themselues close in their houses expecting the last euent of warres and secretly rejoycing in their hearts that the time was come God so appointing wherein their outragious and cruell masters should be justly and worthely punished for their oppression and hard dealing and that which gladded them the more that the reuenge should be taken by the hazard of other mens liues with which wished spectacle they well hoped shortly to fill their desirous eies Tomombeius with much labour and greater care fortified all the gates and entrances of the citie appointed vnto euerie street a particular captaine in euerie publike place encouraged the people omitting nothing that could possibly be done or deuised and that which in so great a calamitie and danger was of all other things the hardest with cheerfull countenance and vndaunted courage made shew of greatest hope The Mamalukes also beside the necessitie which in cases of extremitie is of power to encourage and make desperat the faint hearted coward prouoked with emulation straue amongst themselues who should best performe all the dueties of worthie captaines and souldiours for euerie one of them according to his conceit and deuise caused deepe ditches or great timber logs to be cast ouerthwart the streets some in couert trenches set vp sharpe stakes whereupon the enemie falling vnawares might be gaged othersome according to their store furnished the windowes and fronts of their houses in the greatest and most open streets with harquebusiers all which things with many mo were done with such celeritie that none of the best or most honourable of the Mamalukes refused to handle a spade or a mattocke or to put his hand to any other base labour so that nothing could be sooner deuised but it was forthwith performed This great and auntient citie of CAIRE was not compassed with any wals yet were there diuers gates and entrances which led into it whereof one broad straight street came directly from the East gate vnto the castle and middle of the citie the rest were so narrow and crooked that by them no great artillerie could possibly be brought or souldiours enter without great danger Into this place especially had Tomombeius conuaied his chiefest strength for that he knew his enemies must of necessitie come in that way for the largenesse of the streets the other parts of the citie he kept with lesse garrisons But the innermost part where the castle stood was
kept in order and gouerned great speakers but small doers greater in shew than in deed The Great Master hauing carefully prouided and ordered all things needfull for defence of the citie and fearing nothing more than the faint hearts of the citisens caused them all to bee called together for encouragement of whom hee spake vnto them as followeth Valiant gentlemen and worthie citisens we heare that the Turke our mortall enemie is comming against vs with a huge armie raised of diuers nations from whose naturall crueltie and wonted periurie except we defend our selues by force one and the selfe same danger is like to befall me my knights and you all For wee haue with common consent and hand greeuously spoiled him both by sea and land and you are by booties taken by strong hand out of his dominions enriched and at this day we keepe his people in greeuous seruitude and he ours but he iniuriously and we most iustly For his ancestors wearie of the darke dennes and caues of the mountaine CAVCASVS their naturall dwelling without right title or cause incited onely with couetousnesse ambition and the hatred of our most sacred religion haue driuen the Christians out of SYRIA and afterwards oppressed the Grecians in GRECIA where not contented to haue destroied the people with one simple kind of death as barbarisme is euer cruell and mercilesse they haue with most exquisit and horrible torments butchered many thousands of that nation All whom this wicked proud youth whose mischeefe exceedeth his yeares aâ— euill neighbour to all men not contented with the dominions of ARABIA SYRIA AEGIPT the greatest part of ASIA and of many other places moe seeketh in tyrannie murther spoile periurie and hatred against Christ and Christians farre to excell and forceth himselfe to the vttermost of his power to take from vs our Islands and to subdue the Christian countries that so at length being lord of all and commaunder of the World he may at his pleasure ouerthrow the Christian cities kill the Christians and vtterly root out the Christian name which he so much hateth For the repulsing of which intollerable iniurie we haue especially chosen this Island of the RHODES for our dwelling place because the same seemed more commodious than any other for the annoying of this barbarous nation We haue done what in vs lay holpen by you we know by proofe your great valor and fidelitie which we now haue not in any distrust Wherefore I will not vse many words to persuade you to continue in your fidelitie and loyaltie neither long circumstance to encourage you to play the men sithence worthie minds are not with words either encouraged or dismaied But concerning my selfe and my knights of the Order I will speake a few words I wiâ—â— them with whom as I hope the Christian princes and other my knights of the West will in good time ioine their forces are most readie and prest to defend your selues your children your wiues your goods the monuments of your ancestours and sacred temples dedicated to the seruice of our God Which opinion that it may remaine firme and fix in your minds if nothing els my faithfulnesse in your warres my bodie not yet altogether spent but able enough to endure paines and trauell the nobilitie of these worthie knights of the Order their loue towards you and their hatred towards your enemies were sufficient to confirme but beside this the strength of this citie which this noble Order hath with infinit charges so notably fortified with ditches wals towers and bulwarkes against all the force and furie of artillerie is such that no citie may worthely be compared much lesse preferred before the same It is wonderfully stored with all kind of weapons and war like prouision we haue laid vp plentie of wine flesh and corne in vaults so that neither wet weather nor wormes can attaint the same of wood and wholesome water not to be taken from vs things necessarie for men besieged we haue plentie and able men ynow for the defence of the citie All which things promise vnto vs assured victorie and such end of the warre as we wish for Besides this Necessitie which giueth courage euen vnto cowards will enforce vs to fight Yet standeth on our side true religion faith conscience deuotion constancie the loue of our countrey the loue of our libertie the loue of our parents wiues children and whatsoeuer els we hold deare Wheras they bring with them the proud commaund of their captaines infidelitie impietie vnconstancie a wicked desire of your bondage of your bloud and the bloud of your parents wiues and children Out of doubt beloued citisens our good God will not suffer so many good vertues to be ouercome by their foule vices Wherefore be you in minds quiet and secure and trouble not your selues with forboding feare of your enemies onely continue in the fidelitie and loyaltie which you haue alwaies kept inuiolat and vnspotted toward this sacred and honourable fellowship in most dangerous wars and hardest chances of fortune and if need shall so require with courageous hand shew your valour against your enemies and 〈◊〉 it knowne vnto the Spaniards French Italians Hungarians and English That the Rhodians are of power to daunt the Turkish pride and to auert their fleets and armies from ITALIE which they haâ—e so many yeares threatened with fire and sword and will no doubt thither with all speed hasten and come if that which my mind abhorreth to speake they should here preuaile Neither will this ambitious youth in courage falshood and crueltie exceeding Hanniball imitate him in that that hauing ouerthrowne the Romanes in the great battell at â—ANNAS knew not to vse his victorie but he will presently with more than Caesarsâ—eleritie â—eleritie bring forth the treasures his father got in AEGIPT and with great fleets and huge armies inuade APVLIA CALABRIA and SICILIA from whence he will forthwith breake into FRANCE and afterwards into SPAINE and other Christian countries raging through them with all kind of crueltie But I am caried away further than I purposed and than need is For your fidelitie and valor most worthie citisens to endure the siege and repulse the enemie is such as needeth not my persuasion and of greater resolution than that it can be shaken with the dangers incident to men besieged Yet the greatest and most forcible miseries of all which is hunger and thirst I assure you you shall neuer feele which pinching calamities for all that some people in faithfulnesse courage and valour nothing comparable to you haue neuerthelesse most constantly endured For they of PETELINVM besieged by the Carthaginensians for want of victuall thrust their parents and children out of the citie the longer to hold out the siege and liued themselues with hides and leather sod or broiled and leaues of trees and manie other homely things by the space of eleuen months and could not be ouercome vntill they wanted strength longer to stand vpon the wals and to
this the grauer sort of the counsell without whose consent the master might in such cases doe nothing thought it not good in so dangerous a time to aduenture any great part of their forces which they should afterwards want for the defence of their citie The Turkish generall deceiued of his expectation and perceiuing that the Rhodians would not be drawne forth to battell at sea withdrew his fleet twelue miles off vnto a place called VILLANOVA where casting anchor and landing his men he burnt the corne all thereabouts which was now almost ripe but forsaken of the people as a thing desperat as for the people themselues they were all fled and had retired themselues either into the citie of the RHODES or els into strong castles in other places of the island At the same time certaine troupes of horsemen sent forth to haue skirmished with the Turks that were burning of the corne were by a messenger sent from the Great master commanded to retire For the prouident Generall sought by all meanes to reserue his soldiors for greater dangers which he justly feared in the expected siege during which time he shewed himselfe a most politike captaine and braue soldiour he would many times by day eat his meat with his soldiors as one of them and most part of the night keepe watch himselfe walking vp and downe resting himselfe when he was wearie vpon some stone or piece of timber or other homly seat as it chanced In time of assault he was alwaies more forward and aduenturous than the graue counsellors wished fearing neither shot nor enemie yet did he alwaies more commend discreet counsell grounded vpon reason than prosperous actions commended but by their euents And that which a man would wonder at amongst so many cares in middest of such diuers and dangerous chances he carried alwaies such a grace and majestie in his cheerfull countenance as made him to be of the beholders both reuerenced and loued All the time he could spare from the necessarie cares of his waightie charge from assaults and the naturall refreshing of his bodie he bestowed in prayer and seruing of God he did oftentimes spend the greatest part of the night in the church alone praying his headpiece gorget and gauntlets lying by him so that it was commonly said that his deuout praiers and carefulnesse would make the citie inuincible The six and twentith day of Iune early in the morning newes was brought into the citie from the watch-tower standing vpon S. Stephens hill about a mile from the citie That a most hugie fleet was descried at sea making thitherwaâ—ds all alongst the Westerne coast of LYCIA This bad newes much troubled the citie although it was not of most men vnexpected all places was filled with tumult and hurly burly euerie man measured the greatnesse of the danger by the measure of his owne feare and such a pitifull crie was in euerie place as is vsually in cities presently to be besieged Hereupon publike praiers were made through all the citie and euerie man with great deuotion besought the God of heauen That as it was his pleasure that the Rhodians should at that time be the champions of the Christian religion so he would giue them strength and victorie against their enemies and to turne the calamities of warre vpon the enemies of his name Their deuotion ended the gates of the citie were shut vp and people from all places ran vnto the wals great flocks of women children and aged men not able to stand without a staffe going forth of their houses to gaze vpon that dreadfull fleet wherein was aboue 200 sailes as is reported filled the streets the tops of the high towers and houses The formost of the fleet was the Admirall of CALIPOLIS to whom Solyman had committed the charge of all his name and to assaile the citie by sea The rear admirall was Cara Mahometes an arch pirat who was afterwards slaine with a great shot out of the citie The viceadmirall in the middle of the fleet with a great squadron of gallies hauing a faire Westernly wind strucke saile directly before the mouth of the hauen which was on both sides defended with two strong towers well furnished with great artillerie and began to row towards the citie whereupon an alarum was raised the trumpets sounded and many hasted vnto the bulwarke which defended the left side of the hauen which the enemie seemed to direct his course vnto and was indeed more subject to danger than the other But the Turke seeing himselfe in danger to be sunke with shot from the bulwark was glad to get himselfe farther off vnto the rest of the fleet the Rhodians from the wals with lowd outcries scornfully deriding him for his foolish attempt This great fleet in exceeding brauerie and triumph passing by the citie in sight of the Rhodians standing vpon their wals with ensignes displaied did not more terrifie them than they were themselues terrified to behold the strength of the citie and cheerfulnesse of the defendants But passing on they came to the promontorie which the inhabitants call Bo about three miles distant from the citie Eastward which small harbour being not able to receiue so great a fleet many of the gallies were enforced to ride it out at sea where they were by shot out of the citie oftentimes endangered and enforced to get them farther off Whilest the enemie was there landing his great ordinance and other instruments of warre prepared for the siege chusing a place for his campe transporting his land souldiours from the maine into the island viewing the strength and situation of the citie and in what place he might with most ease assault the same the Rhodians in the meane time were not idle but sunke diuers deepe sounds in many places of the citie neere vnto the wals to discouer the enemies mines and fortified their bulwarks with greater rampiers in which worke euerie man put to his helping hand without respect of age or calling The Graund master about that time sent Lodouicus Andugus one of the knights of the Order into SPAINE to Charles the emperour and Claudius Ducenuillus another of the Order also to ROME to the Cardinals and Italian knights of the Order and from thence into FRANCE vnto the French king with letters crauing the aid of these Christian princes for reliefe of the citie by sea and land besieged But all in vaine for they carried away with the endlesse grudge of one against another or respecting only their owne estates returned the embassadors with good words without reliefe At this time Preianes Gouernour of CHIOS of whom we haue before spoken a man comparable with any of the captaines of that age an excellent souldiour both by sea and land valiant and thereto fortunat of an inuincible courage brought vp in the wars from his childhood when he had by the space of two or three daies hid himselfe in the rocks at sea for feare of the Turkes great fleet
poore wretches depart in safetie with a little trash Except these worldly considerations haue moued him to mercie and compassion then out of doubt it is wrought by diuine power and the secret fauor of God towards vs of our Sauior Christ Iesus crucified Whereunto if you be men well aduised if religious if mindfull of the dutie of Christians it becommeth you not to oppose any obstacle and with the ruin of your selues to destroy this miserable people which for this halfe yeares siege hath scarcely had so much rest as might suffice the necessitie of nature â—tanding for you in battell enduring both wounds and death for your honour and victorie by whose faithfull labour and diligence you haue beene alwaies holpen both at home and abroad whether you inuaded the Turke by land in MYTILENE NAVPACTVS METHONE PATRAS or other parts of Pâ—LOPONESVS or els by sea thrust him out of the possession of the Ionian or Egeum whereby it may appeare euen vnto a blind man how iniurious it is far from truth to obiect vnto vs That enioying the fruits of peace we refuse the charges of wars nay we neuer refused wars But now it is come to that point that if we would neuer so faine make wars we are not able so to do the flower of our youth being slaine and the small remainder that is left not only weakened in bodie with wounds sicknesse watching and restlesse labour but also in mind discouraged whilest all things fall out prosperously to our enemies and to vs aduerse the greatest and best part of our great artillerie being broken with continuall vse which if it were whole we could haue thereof small vse or profit for want of pouder which not only this citie 〈◊〉 wanteth but also your strong holds LERVS LINDVS HALICARNASVS ARANGIA I was neuer desirous or curious to looke into other mens doings much lesse into your manner of wars but yet Great Master you cannot denie but it is so who haue caused soldiors to be brought from thence hither openly and gunpouder secretly by which prouident foresight you haue withstood your forraine enemie these six months and deceiued the trecherie of one or two domesticall traitors But I gladly admit we haue all these things I stand not vpon the truth I say not what most men say but I speake to please a few and suppose we wanted neither armour nor courage I would then aske you this whether they would aduise you to vse them to your defence or to your destruction for vnto both it cannot be no more than at once to be a freeman and a slaue To vse them to your destruction that were madnesse and sencelesse pride hatefull to God and man you should therefore vse them to defence But how shall we defend a citie I doe not say as the truth is alreadie lost and possessed by the enemie wherein he raigneth rangeth and turneth all vpside down but hauing the wals battered down a great breach in the Spanish station and another not like but euen now as good as made in the Italian station how shall we be able to keepe this vnfortunat towne battered and rent at the French English and Auergne stations and the tower of S. Nicholas Which if it were not so battered and bared of all warlike prouision but sound and thorowly furnished with munition and victuall yet necessitie enforcing and reason persuading you ought to forsake it for so much as all power of further resistance is taken from you Doe you not see how easily and almost without any trouble the enemie by means of the castle he hath new built vpon the mount PHILERMO not past two miles distant can take from you all manner of prouision both by sea and land and restraine you from going out or in Truly notable gentlemen honourable for your martiall prowesse you see and haue long agoe foreseene these things better than I altogether ignorant in martiall affaires altogether busied in the trade of merchandise and caring for my familie yet suffer me to say the truth All the powers wherby this kingdome stood are departed and gone against the force of our enemies no policie or force of man remaineth and to expect armies of angels or soldiours from heauen and other such like miracles is in my iudgement more and more to prouoke God to anger although in his anger he be vnto vs mercifull Wherefore being destitute of all worldly helpe let vs as we may prouide for our safetie I beseech thee worthie Great Master by these my aged teares by the naturall pitie ingrafted in thy noble nature expose not this miserable citie to the spoile of the enemie our old and middle aged men to the sword our wiues and daughters to be rauished our boies and youths to the vnnaturall filthinesse of our barbarous enemies and to be corrupted with the mad and grosse opinion of the vngodly Mahometane superstition I would noble knights you had seene with what teares with what mourning our heauie families and children crying about their mothers sent vs hither and what prayers they made for vs at our departing I would you knew with what mind and how great hope they expect their safetie from your clemencie and aduised resolution This speech of the aged Greeke might haue moued a heart of flint but the Great master who in his countenance shewed a greater courage than his present state required commaunding euerie man to his charge after the matter had beene thus most part of the night discoursed gaue them no other answere but That he would be carefull of all their well doing The next morning he sent for Preianes Martiningus and a few other of greatest judgement and experience by whom he was fully resolued that the citie in so many places by the enemie laid open and shaken was not possible to be long defended Whereupon he caused a common counsell to bee called of all the knights of the Order togither with the Burgesses of the citie where after long debating Whether they should fight it out to the last man or yeeld vpon such conditions as was to be obtained it was by generall consent concluded That the citie should be yeelded and therupon a decree made which was by the Great master pronounced Whilest these things were thus in doing a truce was taken with the enemie for foure daies but full of feare and danger During which time diuers of the Turks presuming vpon the truce came by great companies to behold the wals and rampiers of the citie wherewith Fornouius the Frenchman of whom mention is before made being sore moued in his choller without further commaund discharged a tire of great ordinance amongst the thickest of them contrarie to the truce taken At which time also the Rhodians receiued into the citie secretly by night a ship loaded with wines out of CRETE and in her Alphonsus a Spaniard chiefe pilot of the Rhodian gallies and with him one hundred voluntarie souldiours all Latines all which went out of
no more of their minds but that both they and all the souldiours from the highest to the lowest had solemnely sworne to defend the citie and not to giue it ouer vnto the last man reposing their hope not in the wals and fortresses thereof but in their weapons and valour being men of great resolution and not easily to be vanquished or discouraged With which answere although Solyman was a little moued yet dissembling his present heat said he had hetherto made warre against diuers nations and alwaies had the victorie whereof he doubted not now also But as for him and the others taken with him they knew they were in his power to saue or kill at his pleasure Yet to make them know that he could shew mercie vnto his vanquished enemies he frankely graunted them their liues and libertie charging them that after they were againe returned into the citie they should in his name wish the defendants of themselues to yeeld vp the citie which it was impossible for them long to defend against his mightie power which neither the strong citie of BELGRADE nor the famous citie of the RHODES were able to withstand and to accept of such reasonable conditions as he should graunt vnto them promising that amongst other things proceeding of his infinit bountie hee would take order that they should in safetie depart thence with bag and baggage in which doing they should well prouide for the safetie of themselues and of their goods by flying vnto his mercie in time before the furie of the warre was growne to further extremitie all which it would be too late to expect after the victorie when nothing was to be hoped for but cruell death murder and miserable destruction Wherefore it were good for them well to consider of the matter and not foolishly to refuse that was now frankely offered them of mercie which they should not afterwards obtaine with any prayers or teares for why he was resolutely set downe as he said not to depart thence before he had taken the citie When he had thus schooled them he gaue vnto euery one of them three Hungarian duckats and so sent them away They being receiued into the citie with great joy made relation vnto the princes and great captaines of all the threatning and proud speeches of the Turkish tyrant which they tooke in such disdaine that they would not vouchsafe to returne him any answere Solyman not a little displeased that his great words were so lightly regarded by way of derision sent word vnto the citie That if they wanted helpe he would send them the three hundred Bohemians whom he tooke in the castle of ALTENBVRGE to whom answere was returned by them of the citie That they needed no helpe from him wherefore he might dispose of his prisoners as he thought good By this Solyman perceiued that VIENNA was not to be woon with words nor the defendants to be discouraged with great lookes wherfore he begun to vse his force and with such ordinance as he had brought with him to batter the wals which because it was not great but fitter for seruice in field than for batterie did not much more harme than to beat downe the battlements and such little standings made of timber and bourds in manner of galleries hanging here and there ouer the wall for the small shot to play out of a simple deuise in stead of flankers His great artillerie prouided for batterie was comming vp the riuer of Danubius which he daily looked for but by good hap Wolfgangus Hoder a forward captaine hearing of the Turks comming vp the riuer went out of POSSONIVM with certaine small vessels well appointed and meeting with the Turkes set vpon them with such courage and resolution that he slew many of them and suncke diuers of their boats and pinnaces amongst whom were they which were bringing vp Solymans great peeces for batterie to VIENNA which was there all suncke in the riuer with the boats that brought it By this good seruice Solyman was disappointed of his great artillerie and the citie deliuered of a great danger So Wolfgangus hauing made great spoile amongst the Turkes and lost some few men returned with victorie to POSSONIVM Yet another part of the Turkes fleet comming vp to VIENNA at the first comming brake downe all the bridges for a little aboue the citie the riuer of Danubius deuiding his channell maketh diuers Islands which by sundrie bridges are joyned together ouer which lieth the way from AVSTRIA vnto the citie This fleet so kept the passage that no man could without danger either by water or by land goe in or out of the citie Solyman hauing lost all his peeces for batterie and seeing how little he preuailed with his field peeces fell to vndermining of the citie hoping by that meanes to ouerthrow the wals and to make a way for his men to enter This worke as the Turkes cheefe hope was with wonderfull labour and diligence attempted in fifteene sundrie places which was not so secretly done but that it was by drums laied vpon the ground by basons filled with water sounds made into the earth perceiued by the defendants and so with countermines met withall that most part of those works were vtterly frustrated and in them eight thousand of his Turkes either slaine or buried quicke Solyman to busie the defendants that they should not so perfectly discouer his mines diuided his armie into foure parts appointing theÌ„ orderly to succeed one after another in giuing alaroms to the towne that filling their eares with continuall noise he might keepe them alwaies occupied In the middest of which hurly burly his workes in the mines went forward with all speed possible neither was he in that his expectation deceiued for one of the mines brought to perfection vnperceiued by the defendants and suddenly blowne vp shooke and ouerthrew a great part of the wall neere vnto the gate which leadeth towards CARINTHIA whereat the Turkes gaue a great shout as if the citie had now been taken and withall couragiously stepping forward pressed in on all sides by the ruines of the wall to haue entered the breach charging the defendants with their small shot and Turkie arrowes as thicke as haile Who on the contrarie part like resolute men stood in the face of the breach with more assurance than the wall it selfe receiuing them with deadly shot and push of pike in such furious manner that the Turks for all their multitude vnable longer to maintaine the assault began to retire Which thing Solyman perceiuing sent in new supplies and so renewed the assault before giuen ouer but with no better successe than before for hauing receiued a great ouerthrow as men forgetting both duetie and martiall discipline they retired not expecting any signe of retrait At this assault so many of the Turkes were slaine that the ground neere vnto the towne lay coueâ—ed and the ditches filled with their dead bodies Not long after the wall was blowne
longer stay but without delay pluckt vp their ensignes and forward they go directly towards NEOSTAT In this tumult in stead of their old captaines which either were not then present or refused to goe with them they chose others to bee their leaders who once named by the seditious multitude might in no case without danger refuse to take the charge vpon them were they neuer so vnwilling These were Montebellius Nerius Melcarius Sanctius and the two twins of MILLANE called Glussani who drew after them eight thousand souldiours the rest partly for shame and partly for feare staied still with Maramaldus their new appointed Generall When they were thus gone Vastius and diuers other great captaines hearing thereof in the citie posted after them six miles and at length ouertaking them requested them to stay and not to dishonor themselues with so foule a fact telling them that their pay was readie for them and omitting nothing wherwith they might haue ben moued to stay mingled their praiers with grieuous threats but they resolutely set downe would neither heare nor stay but as men enraged with furie and their own guiltie conscience with sterne lookes discharged some small shot vpon them Whilest Vastius would there haue staied the companie and did what hee possibly could by threatening and otherwise to haue terrified their leaders and to haue brought them backe he was oftentimes in danger to haue been slaine In the end he was glad to forsake them and to returne as he came King Ferdinand by this sudden departure of the Italians for that time disappointed of all his hope of recouering the kingdome of HVNGARIE from king Iohn in great choller writ vnto his subjects of STIRIA and CARINTHIA whereby the Italians were to passe that they should shew them no manner of courtesie in their passage whereupon ensued great hurt on both sides Yet for all that these Italians in despight of what could bee done at length recouered TILIAVENTVM in the borders of ITALIE where they disbanded themselues and returned euery man to his owne dwelling leauing king Ferdinand vnto his owne forces The emperour also breaking vp his armie at VIENNA and purposing now as before to returne into ITALIE appointed Ferdinand Gonzaga to goe formost with the light horsemen with whom also he went himselfe after him followed Vastius with the Spaniards two dayes after came the cardinall whose traine was of all the greatest last of all followed the mercinarie Germanes in which order he returned in safetie into ITALIE This was the end of those wonderfull preparations made by the two great monarchs Solyman and Charles the fift in the yeare 1532 which held the world in great suspence with the fearefull expectation of some maruellous alteration and so much the more for that at the same time appeared a great blasing starre by the space of fifteene daies All which for all that God so appointing sorted to farre lesse harme than was of most men feared Now whilest Charles the emperour was thus in Armes against Solyman in AVSTRIA Andreas Auria by his appointment with a fleet of 35 tall ships and 48 gallies wherein he had embarked 25000 good souldiours well appointed did in the meane time wonderfully annoy the Turkes in PELOPONESVS With this fleet Auria departing from MESSANA in SICILIA and passing alongst the coast of ITALIE into the Ionian neere vnto the Isle of ZACYNTHVS met with Vincentius Capellius the Venetian admirall with a fleet of sixtie gallies set forth by the Venetians for defence of their territories who offered vnto Auria all possible kindnesse but excused himselfe that he could not joine with him in that warre against the common enemie by reason of an old league betwixt the Turkes and the Venetians which Solyman had but a little before renewed So that at that time the Venetians stood as men indifferent betwixt Charles the emperour and Solyman offering like kindnesse to both but taking part with neither yet in readinesse to fall out with either if they should by sea or land offer any injurie to their state wherein they bare themselues so indifferent that it was thought that they at one and the selfesame instant aduertised Auria That Himerales the Turks admirall lay with his fleet of sixtie gallies euill appointed in the bay of AMBRACIA where he might easily be surprised and gaue likewise warning to him of the comming of Auria with a strong fleet wishing him in time to prouide for his better safetie by retiring his fleet into some other place of more assurance which he presently did for knowing himselfe too weak he departed from AMBRACIA to the strong hauen of CALCIDE Which thing with other like well considered might giue just cause to any Christian heart to bewaile the state of that time wherein the Christian princes being either in mortall warres among themselues or entangled by Solyman with leagues of no assurance omitted the fairest oportunitie that could haue beene wished for the abating of the Turkes greatnesse for if the Venetians joyning their forces with Auria had in time pursued the Turkish admirall it was like that not onely all Solymans power at sea had beene vtterly discomfited but also most part of GRaeCIA mindfull of their antient empire and libertie and then readie to haue rebelled and joyned hands with the Christians might haue been recouered out of the Turkish thraldome yea and the imperiall citie of CONSTANTINOPLE greatly endangered few or none being left for the defence thereof beside yong Ianizaries and effeminat eunuchs the heartlesse keepers of the Turks concubines Solyman himselfe being then far off in HVNGARIE and hauing drawne with him the greatest strength of his empire Auria taking his leaue of the Venetian admirall with much honour done at sea on both sides was shortly after aduerâ—ised that the Turkes admirall was fled to CALCIDE Wherefore now out of hope to doe any good against him he directed his course to CORONE which is a strong citie vpon the coast of PELOPONESVS about twelue miles distant from MODON with purpose to besiege it which when hee had well viewed and considered of the strength thereof he laid siege thereto both by sea and land battering it most terribly at one time with foureteene great peeces of artillerie by land and a hundred and fiftie by sea so that a more terrible batterie had not been lightly heard of for all that the Turks valiantly stood vpon their defence and manfully repulsed the Italians which vnder the leading of the countie of SARNE assaulted the citie by land The Turkish garrisons lying about in the country of PELOPONESVS did what they might to haue releeued the citie who by the valour of the said countie were discomfited and Zadares their cheefe leader slaine whose head with others of the slaine Turks was set vp vpon stakes to the terrour of the defendants At length the Turkes wearied with assaults and terrified with the thundering shot which neuer ceased and driuen also from their greatest strength towards sea by
perfidiously told him lies for truth concerning the emperour and therefore commaunded him to be forthwith executed When he had thus with the vnworthie death of a guiltlesse Christian somewhat mitigated the greefe of his light beleefe hee forthwith began to cast with himselfe how he might best withstand his puissant enemie And first of all calling to counsell his sea captaines in whom for their approued valour he reposed most confidence hee showed vnto them that they as valiant men acquainted with the dangers attending vpon honorable actions were not to doubt of the victorie for so much as he saw it as good as alreadie gained for the same reasons for which he had before persuaded himselfe that the emperour if he had not beene halfe mad would not haue vndertaken so desperat and doubtfull a warre For who is there said he that knoweth this countrey not to speake of our owne forces which would not reasonably thinke our enemies should in short time know the price of their ambitious desire and rash attempt which in a most vnseasonable time of the yeare the dayes being now at the longest and the Sunne in his greatest strength are come to â—ight in a countrey scorched with heat and altogether without water where the very sand which riseth with euery blast of wind flying into their eyes and faces shall no lesse trouble them than their enemies Shall we thinke that they which as I heare for most part are fresh water souldiours and surcharged with heauie armour can easily march forward or retire or yet keepe their ground as the diuers occasions of battell shall require when as the deepe and hollow burning sand vp to the middle leg will not suffer them to keepe any order of array How shall they be able by any meanes to abide the force of our Turkish footmen or the often charging of the nimble Numidian horsemen And if they be so many of them as they say there is where can they get victuall to feed such a multitude if we doe but protract the warre Assuredly most valiant and courageous cheefetaines we shall erect a most rare and incomparable trophie in this countrie of AFFRICKE when as Charles the rich and great emperour of the Christians shall either here be slaine in battell or els fall into our hands as a most rich prey For mine owne part I will notably prouide that you shall want neither weapons victuall nor aid during the time of this warre I will open the old armories brâ—ach my store and bring foorth my treasures The Numidian princes now ourâ— friends I will without delay entertaine with great pay and such presents as shall be to them most welcome As for the citisens of TVNES you know how easily they are to be kept in obedience and brought on against the enemie for a small pay and hope of reward But this one thing is it that I most earnestly require of your approoued valor That you most valiantly defend the strong castle of GVLETTA as the most assured defence not of this citie onely but of the whole kingdome and especially of our nauie which there lieth in safe harbour for that piece will our enemies with all their forces first assaile Wherefore as worthie men neuer to be vanquished keepe that for Solyman and me so that it being vainly attempted by our enemies and resolutely defended by you the Christian emperour there failing of his purpose and shamefully foiled shall now begin to despaire not of the taking of the citie of TVNES but of his owne returne and safetie When he had thus said the sea captaines answered with one consent That they would most willingly and cheerefully performe whatsoeuer it should please him to commaund and in confirmation thereof promised him not to doe any thing which beseemed not most valiant and resolute men Amongst these sea captaines Sinan of SMIRNA a Iew who had lost his right eie was both for his age and long experience in militarie affaires of greatest account next vnto him was Haidinus of CILICIA for his furiousnesse in fight surnamed of the Italians Cacciadiabolo and Salec of IONIA which two had before in a great battell at sea slaine Rodericus Portendus great Admirall of SPAINE and taken his sonne Iohn prisoner and seuen great gallies after these was Tabacches of LAODICIA and Giaffer a valiant captaine of the Ianizaries all which were notable pirats and then men of great fame The strong castle of GVLETTA standeth in the bottome of the bay of CARTHAGE vpon a point of the land where the sea by a narrow strait runneth on the East side of the castle into the lake of TVNES which being in a manner round is about twelue Italian miles ouer But now that castle is parted from the maine on the West side also by the sea that way let in which chargeable worke was by Barbarussa begun but giuen ouer againe by him persuaded by some That the sea comming in that way would in short time fill vp the lake with sand but was afterwards for all that perfected by others So that now it standeth in manner of an island in the mouth of the lake deuided from the firme land by two narrow straight passages the one on the East and the other on the West yet so that it commaundeth both This castle Barbarussa had before strongly fortified both with men and munition as the key of that kingdome but now vpon the comming of the emperour he put into it his most expert and resolute captaines before named well foreseeing that in the defence therof rested the safetie of his nauie which then lay within the lake as in a most sure harbour and also the greatest hope he had for the holding of the citie of TVNES whereon depended the whole state of that kingdome The emperour lying at anchor with all his fleet neere vnto the shoare gaue generell commaundement that his soldiours should with as much speed as was possible be landed with the long boats which was so orderly done that the Moores terrified with the hideous crie of the souldiours making toward land and not able to abide the showres of small shot were easily beaten from the shoare whither they were come downe in great multitudes and so suffered the Christian souldiours to land quietly The first that landed were the Spanish companies after them the Italians and last of all the Germans whom Vastius Generall of the armie caused presently to encampe themselues straightly commaunding that no man should straggle from the campe farther into the land vntill the horsemen and great artillerie were all landed The emperour himselfe bearing victorie in the cheerfulnesse of his countenance landed also In the meane time certaine companies were sent out by the Generall to view the places nigh hand and to seeke out the cesterns and fountaines of fresh waters thereabout which sometime serued the famous citie of CARTHAGE with whom the Moores but especially the Numidian horsemen a swift subtill and painfull
citie where viewing the garrison the great artillerie and fortification of the citie he perceiued it was not to be taken without a greater power and in a more seasonable time of the yeare Which thing so moued Velsius by nature suspitious and doubtfull of the fidelitie of a stranger that he commaunded him in anger to void the campe because he had without his leaue gone into the citie and vpon his owne priuat insolencie had conference with the enemie and by amplifying their strength to haue discouraged the armie by putting them out of hope of victorie Wherefore Velsius neuer attempting to assault the citie returned againe to VICEGRADE to besiege the higher castle wherein the auntient crowne of king Stephen wherewith the Hungarian kings were euer after him crowned was kept which castle he also tooke with something lesse losse than he had done the lower towne Not long after he marched with his armie to ALBA REGALIS the citie where the Hungarian kings were vsually crowned and buried which by the meanes of Perenus was deliuered vnto him and a garrison put into it for king Ferdinand These things thus done Velsius retired againe to STRIGONIVM which he did the rather because the Germanes and Hungarians two rough nations could by no meanes agree together insomuch as that Velsius the Generall in parting them was wounded in the thigh and Perenus hurt with a stone besides that Winter was now come farre on and the souldiors cried out for pay For which causes Velsius being also sicke of the stone billitted his souldiours for that Winter about in the countrey Yet before that he new fortified PESTH and left therein a garrison because it was reported that the Turkes vpon their frontiers were making preparation to come to aid them of BVDA At such time as king Ferdinand was leuying his forces for the inuasion of HVNGARIE the queene by the counsell of the Bishop had in good time craued aid of the Turkes lieutenants in the countries bordering vpon HVNGARIE especially of Vstref gouernour of BOSNA a very aged man and of great honour who had married one of the daughters of Baiazet the old emperour as also of Mahomethes gouernour of BELGRADE and Amurathes who had the charge of the frontiers of DALMATIA from whom she receiued one answere That they might in no case without expresse commaundement from Solyman depart from the places of their charge Besides that Mahometes was by rewards ouercome by Laschus as he passed by BELGRADE to CONSTANTINOPLE not to stirre or aid the queene Wherefore she rejected by these great captaines certified Solyman by her embassadours what danger her selfe her sonne and the kingdome was in crauing his speedie aid Laschus was not yet come to CONSTANTINOPLE being fallen sicke by the way but had sent before Ptolomeus his physition to the great Bassaes and especially to Lutzis his old acquaintance vpon whom he had bestowed great gifts and was in hope by him to haue obtained what he desired but all in vaine for Solyman who thought it much for his honour to defend his owne right and that he had before giuen vnto king Iohn thought also that it would redound both to his great profit and glorie if he should as it were vpon charitie take vpon him the protection of the widdow and fatherlesse child in their so great distresse and danger Wherefore calling vnto him the embassadours the three great Bassaes standing by he said That he had of his meere bountie before giuen the kingdome of HVNGARIE vnto king Iohn to descend to his posteritie so long as they should retaine the kind remembrance of so great a benefit wherefore to declare his constancie inseparable from his bountie he said he would take such a course in the matter as that the Germans his enemies should not long rejoice of the warres they had begun And in token of friendship and that he had taken vpon him the protection of the young king he caused to be deliuered vnto the embassadours a royall robe of purple and gold a buckler with the bosse most curiously wrought a horsemans mase with a handle of gold and a scimitar with the scabberd richly set with stones and afterwards writ effectually to Vstref and Mahometes his lieutenants that they should without delay aid the queene and not to make excuse because it was Winter threatening them that if she tooke any harme through their default or negligence it should cost them their heads The queenes embassadours glad of their good dispatch were scarce departed from the Turks court when Laschus came to CONSTANTINOPLE and vnderstanding by his physition the successe of the Hungarian embassadours proceeded for all that in his businesse and deliuered his message and vpon many reasonable conditions requested the kingdome for king Ferdinand But when he in speaking had oftentimes made mention of Charles the emperour as if he would with all the power of GERMANIE aid his brother Solyman was so mooued therewith that he was presently taken away and committed to prison the great Bassaes but especially Rustan Solymans sonne in law a proud and furious young man chiding him and shaking him vp as worthie of death for offending with his liberall speech the majestie of so courteous a prince and as it were mocking the king of kings requiring friendship when in the meane time his master most impudently made warres in HVNGARIE Vstref and Mahometes the Bassaes aforesaid hauing receiued such straight commaundement from Solyman assembled their dispersed souldiors and by shipping brought them downe the riuers Sauus and Dranus into Danubius for it is a hard matter to performe any great thing by warres in HVNGARIE without the helpe of a great fleet for conueying of the great ordinance victuall and other such necessaries of the armie from one side of the great riuers to the other as occasion requireth but as then being the middest of Winter and the North wind blowing hard Danubius was so frozen on both sides that the middle of the riuer was scarce open so that the Turkes not able to passe for the extremitie of the weather nor daring to returne for the straight command of Solyman were enforced in their tents there to abide the hardnesse of Winter to shew their readinesse It is almost incredible to be spoken with what patience and resolution the souldiors endured all the extremities of the time in so bare a place their horses which of all other things they hold most deare staruing for cold and want of meat The Spring at length comming on right welcome both to the Turkes and the queene Mahometes with his Turks and wild Illyrians and Vstref with his souldiors of BOSNA entred into HVNGARIE with whom Valentinus Generall of the queens forces joyned also with a strong power of Hungarians brought from BVDA And the queene to further the matter sent presents to the Turks Generals victualed the campe and furnished them with great ordinance for the besieging of such cities as were holden by
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
with certaine companies issued out ouer the bridge against the enemy who now in shew discouraged with the comming out of this new supply did in deed or at leastwise made as if they did disorderly retire for feare At which time Ferdinand Gonzaga viceroy of SICILIA a man of greatest account in the armie next vnto the emperour comming in also and angrie with them which had before fled persuaded them as valiant men to recompence their shamefull flight with a fresh charge by driuing the enemie home to his owne doore which thing Columna said could not be done without great perill But Gonzaga being a man of noble courage desired to haue the disgrace which the Italians had receiued salued some way although it were with neuer so great danger thinking also that it might happely fall out that the enemie being put to flight and hastily pursued they might togither with them enter the citie without danger of the artillerie So without farther delay the rest of the Italian companies were fled forth of their trenches with great cheerefulnesse by Augustine Spinula who so valiantly charged the enemies that they put them to flight and pursued them so hard that they came with them to the verie gates of the citie where many shut out for feare of letting in the Italians togither with them escaped by knowne waies some to another gate and some into the mountaines But then these barbarous people with darts and shot from the wals began to ouerwhelme the Italians which were vnaduisedly come within their danger and with terrible outcries to terrifie them and they which before were fled without the wals returned againe to fight They also which had shut the gate sallied out againe and hardly charged the Italians who alreadie galled with shot from the wals and rent in sunder with the great ordinance fled most disorderly for why they were but raw souldiors taken vp in hast little or nothing acquainted with the wars At which time Asan also sallying out who was easily knowne by his countenance and rich attire pursued the chase with his troups of Turks and Moores footmen Only certaine knights of the RHODES fought valiantly and retired orderly and Spinula with some other gentlemen making a stand at a little woodden bridge somewhat staied the enemie and saued the liues of many So the Italians which first charged most valiantly being in the flight become hindermost the enemie striking them downe as they fled couered the fields with their dead bodies by the space of halfe a mile especially they which fled towards the sea for there they were circumuented and slaine by the mercilesse Numidians who beholding the shipwracke were come downe to the sea side for prey But the formost companies of the Italians which first fled into the campe fled in so much hast and so great feare that none of the leaders in so great and sudden a perplexitie remembred either the common safetie or performed the duetie of an aduised captaine so that all sâ—â—med at once lost both by sea and land Only the emperour armed with an inuincible courage against all the chances of fortune and not to be dismaied with any mishap was both vnto himselfe and others that day the greatest captaine for when as all was almost lost he in good time staied the matter by comming on with the squadron of Germans whereof he sent before three ensignes to stay the flight and with them as a sure and fresh supply to guard his campe beyond the bridge which was ouer the ditch seruing his armie for a trench as we haue before said But such a feare had possessed the minds of the flying Italians and such was the fierce pursuit of the enemie that those Germans not before woont to turne their backs as if they had been afraid of the Turkes white caps or not able to abide their sight or to hold vp weapon against them by and by turned their backs and shamefully fled for companie with the Italians Then the emperour galloping forth with his horse and his sword in his hand drawne reprouing them of cowardise that fled set forward with the German squadron and with a stout and manly courage spake to them these few words in their owne language When will you fellow souldiors shew your faces to your proud enemies if now when you should fight for the honour of the Christian name for the glorie of the German nation for the safegard of your owne liues in the presence of your emperour you feare a few disordered and naked Barbarians Immediatly when he had thus said the Germans touched with shame and disdaining that it should be thought they needed any exhortation to performe the parts of valiant souldiors issued out against the enemie who moued with their comming and seeing the Italian battell againe restored by the valour and trauell of certaine valiant and expert captaines stood still a while and began to retire whether it were because they feared the great artillerie assault of the Germans or that they thought they had done enough for that sally when as for the full accoÌ„plishment of the victorie they saw the Christian fleet ouercome with a most horrible tempest miserably to perish before their faces and many of their men especially the Moores hasted to the sea side in hope of a more certaine prey whereas was no enemie to be feared For the blustring winds blowing from diuers quarters as if they had conspired to raise a most horrible tempest had made such a wrought sea and the hugie billowes went so high that the ships by the violence of the weather and rage of the sea put from their anchors fell foule one of another and were so lost or else driuen vpon the maine were there beaten in pieces in the sight of the armie so that all the sea coast Westward from ALGIERS to CERCELLO layfull of dead men and horses and the ribs of broken ships The Numidians beholding this miserable wracke came downe by great companies from the mountaines and without mercie slew all that came aliue to land In the space of a few houres was lost about an hundred and fortie ships and all the small boats and caruels which were in number many Some of the gallies when they had from midnight to the next day at noone by the painfull labour of the marriners and skilfulnesse of the masters rid it out being no longer able to endure the rage of the tempest and fearing to be eaten vp with the sea with sailes and oares ran a ground but the souldiors and marriners swimming to land in hope to saue their liues and thinking that the greatest danger had been now past were by the Numidian horsemen which ran vp and downe the sea side slaine There might a man haue seene free men of all sorts with teares commending their liues and libertie to their owne gally-slaues that by the speech and intreatie of them which by the sudden change of fortune had but euen
they would for all that keep it to the last man For that perhaps the like honourable occasion for them to shew theÌ„selues in should neuer again be offred wherfore they had as they said resolued in that place to spend their liues for the glorie of God and the Christian religion The course of this life they said was but short but that honour and fame was for euer and whereas death is to all men prefined it were to be wished that the life which is to nature due should rather seeme to be by vs franckly giuen to God and our countrey than reserued as natures debt Which if it should so happen they would so vse the matter as that the barbarous enemie should haue neither pleasure nor joy which should not cost him much bloud euen of his best souldiors This they willed the knights to tell the Great master and to request him not to bee too carefull of them but to promise vnto himselfe those things of them which best beseemed resolute men especially of them who had vowed themselues to that sacred warre This answere of greater resolution than fortune receiued the three knights when they had diligently viewed the castle returned to the Grand master who calling to counsell his knights and hauing heard the answere of the besieged would needs heare also what opinion the three knights themselues were of concerning the keeping of the castle of whom Castriot was of opinion That the place was still to be defended and that if he were there to commaund he would vndertake to performe it and there rather to lose his life than to forsake it after he had once taken vpon him the charge thereof But Roces the French knight was farre of another mind and said plainely that the place could not possibly be holden against so strong an enemie and that if Iulius Caesar himselfe were aliue and saw to what straight the place was brought especially all the rampiers being either beaten downe or â—ore shaken such a power of obstinat enemies lying round about it he would neuer suffer so many valiant souldiors to be lost but quit the place and reserue his men to further seruice for why it was the part of valiant men to performe so much as was of men to be performed but to striue to do more was no manhood at all Wherefore he thought it best to doe that which men vse with members mortified whose recouerie is desperat in which case we doubt not to make a seperation so to saue the rest of the bodie with life The Spanish knight in most part agreeing with Castriot said That he thought it not good that the place should so easily be forsaken first for that the ditches and bulwarkes were yet defencible and then because he saw so great a consent amongst the defendants and such a cheerefulnesse to withstand the enemie which thing as hee said presaged victorie These opinions of the knights thorowly in counsell debated and euery particular well wayed it seemed good to the greater part that they which were in the castle should for certain daies yet hold it out especially because it was not the manner of the knights of the Order easily to abandon their strong holds but rather to keepe them to the last that euen therein the barbarous enemie might perceiue with whom he had to doe and so see his pride abated For if they should haue forsaken the place they might haue beene thought to haue done it for feare whereby the enemies insolencie might haue beene encreased and the honourable Order of those sacred knights disgraced But the Turkes intentiue to that they had before determined the three and twentith day of Iune assembling all their forces both by sea and land round about the castle in the dead time of the night on euery side set vp scaling ladders made bridges wrought mines and with two and thirtie great pieces of artillerie battered the rest of the wals yet standing and presently gaue a most terrible assault The defendants on the other side beat downe some repulsed others slew many euer more carefull how to wound the enemie than to saue themselues and where he pressed fastest on there to shew their greatest valour Great were the outcries made on both sides mixt with exhortation mirth and mourning the face of the whole fight was diuers vncertaine cruell and dreadfull and now it was the third houre of the day when still the victorie stood doubtfull and had not the furie of the great ordinance beene so terrible that it had now beaten downe all the wals vnto the very rocke whereon the castle stood the defendants might for some longer time haue endured the enemies force But the very rocke bared both of wals and defendants and more than foure hundred slaine a man could scarcely now shew himselfe but hee was presently strucke in pieces Monserratus Gouernour of the castle and Garas of EVâ—oeA men of equall valour integritie and honour were both slaine with one shot for a short and transitorie life made partakers of immortalitie together Yet the rest which stood in defence of the castle nothing terrified with so great a losse and slaughter of their fellowes but augmented rather as it were with new courage from aboue fought with greater force than before ouerthrew the Turks ensignes now set vp in the castle slew the ensigne-bearers captaines and colonels now respecting nothing more but honourably to lay downe their liues for their religion and the obtaining of immortall fame By this time the Sunne was mounted to the middle of heauen great was the heat and men exceeding wearie the murdering shot neuer ceased and such was the multitude of the enemie that he still sent in fresh men in stead of them that were wearied or wounded On the other side the small number of the Christians and those weakened with labor watching thirst and wounds did what men might yet at length were ouercome by a greater force and so the castle by the Turks woon but with such slaughter of their men that it was a wonder that so many should be slaine of so few The defendants were all slaine euery man in valiant fight Here may I not in silence passe ouer the inhumane and more than barbarous crueltie of the Turks against the dead bodies of the slaine knights that thereby may appeare that crueltie neuer wanteth whereon to shew it selfe mercilesse yea euen after death The Turks after they had taken the castle finding certaine of the knights yet breathing and but halfe dead first cut their hearts out of their breasts and then their heads from their bodies after that they hanged them vp by the heeles in their red cloakes with white crosses which manner of attire they after an auntient custome vse in time of war as they doe blacke in time of peace in the sight of the castles S. ANGELO and S. MICHAELL And yet Mustapha the Turks Generall not so contented commaunded them afterwards to be fast
that day to confirme their former labours and victories and not to suffer their vanquished enemies to triumph ouer them he told them that the enemie had now no defence left wherewith to couer himselfe that all was beaten downe flat and that there remained onely a few wearie and maimed bodies which were not able long to endure the edge of their swords that with such resolution they had before woon the castle of S. Elmo last of all he by promising to some mony to some honour and preferment threatening some and requesting others encouraged some one way some another euery one according to his qualitie and disposition who mooued either with their Generals presence promises or threats gaue a fresh and fierce assault The fight was on both sides terrible yet at length the Turkes were againe enforced to retire for the defendants had cast vp a rampier whereon they had fitly placed two field pieces wherewith they sore troubled the enemie and at the first shot strucke in sunder one of those woodden engines which the enemie had made stronger than the rest couered with raw hides to keepe it from burning and rent in pieces fortie souldiors which were vnder it and the same night they which were in the other town and the castle bulwarke sallying couragiously out destroyed all the enemies defences draue them from a mount which they had made vpon the fortifications of the Christians whereby they perceiued plainely what small courage the Turks had to fight for vpon that mount they were almost three hundred whereas of our men was but fiue and twentie with which small number for all that they had no mind to deale The defendants had for like purpose as before made another mine at the castle bulwarke but perceiuing that it was in danger to be found by the enemie in repairing his fortifications without they suddenly put fire vnto it by force whereof threescore Turks which were within the danger of the place were blowne vp and slaine Garzias the Viceroy in the meane while that these things were in doing departing with his fleet from SIRACVSA with a prosperous wind kept on his course toward PACHYNVM where they descried a tall ship at sea driuen thither as was afterwards knowne by tempest she out of the island MENINâ— was carrying a great supplie of shot and pouder vnto the Turkes campe at MALTA but now ouertaken by the Christian fleet easily yeelded and was by the Viceroy sent by other marriners to SIRACVSA And now the Christian fleet caried with a faire gale towards MALTA suddenly arose such a tempest from the East that they were driuen to the island AEGVSA two hundred and twentie miles West of MALTA from whence the first of September letters were brought from the Viceroy to the Great master certifying him That he would in short time come with his fleet and relieue him The same day also a Christian fled out of the Turkes gallies wherein he was captiue to the citie S. Angelo who reported That in the Turkes campe were few men able to fight most of the armie being with wounds famine sicknesse and other miseries brought to extreame weakenesse and besides that that infinit numbers of them died dayly yet for all that he said moreouer that they were determined to besiege the citie of MELITA and had alreadie for that purpose mounted fiue great pieces of artillerie for batterie and that they had but a few dayes before taken twelue and the last day of all foureteene horsemen of the garrison souldiors of that citie In the meane while the fleet which was driuen as we said to AEGVSA the rage of the sea being now well appeased came to Dâ—â—PANVM and from thence toward GAVLOS as was before intended where by the way the two gallies of MALTA light vpon two of the Turkes galliots and tooke them The fift day of September the Christian fleet came to GAVLOS where the Viceroy perceiuing not the appointed signes from MALTA whereby he might safely land returned forthwith backe againe to POZALO whether Auria immediatly following him told him That hee had seene the signes and assured him of safe landing in the island of MALTA wherewith the Viceroy encouraged the next day towards night returned againe to GAVLOS The same day a Christian captiue fled from the Turks to S. Angelo and told the Great master That he was come to bring him good newes how that the Turks had determined to proue their last fortune in assaulting the castle S. Michael which they would doe the next day where if the successe were answerable to their desire they would then tarrie but if not then forthwith be gone and that Mustapha the more to encourage his souldiors had promised fiue talents of gold to the ensigne bearers that should first aduance their ensignes vpon the wals and farther to promote them to greater places of honor as for the rest he would reward euery one of them according to their desert either with money or preferment Valetta thinking all these things to be by Gods appointment discouered vnto him by such men as they had from time to time beene first gaue thankes vnto Almightie God and after that with all diligence prepared such things as he thought most necessarie for the repulsing of the enemie But the Turks all that day with their great ordinance battered the new citie and the shipping in the hauen in such sort that one of the great ships was there sunke In the morning Garzias the Viceroy with his fleet arriued at the island of MALTA and there quickly and quietly landed his forces and whilest his gallies watered at GAVLOS went forward with the armie about halfe a mile instructing the Generals and Colonels what hee thought needfull to be done commaunding all proclamations and commaunds to be made in the name of the king of SPAINE vntill they came to the Great master and then in all things to obey him as their Soueraigne and charged Ascanius Cornia the Generall in all his actions to follow the counsell of the greater part So in few words exhorting them to play the men he left them marching towards MELITA About noone he retired to his gallies and sayling Eastward came with all his fleet within the sight of the citie of MELITA about three miles distant from the South shore They of the citie vpon sight of the fleet in token of joy discharged all the great artillerie which was answered from the fleet by discharging all their great ordinance twice After that he returned as he had before determined into SICILIA to take into his gallies the duke of VRâ—INS companies which were come to MESSANA and certain bands of Spaniards at SYRACVSA and so forthwith to returne to MALTA to attend the departing of the Turks fleet being now euill appointed and alreadie as good as halfe ouerthrowne The Turkes who as is before said had purposed to prooue their last fortune vpon the towne of S. Michael had now certaine dayes before
most terribly to batter the new towne in three places and with incredible labour cast vp a mount in the middest of the marrish as it were in the towne ditch from whence they the next day with certaine peeces of great artillerie day and night battered the inner castle of the towne without any intermission and did great harme both to the castle and the defendants The countie perceiuing the new citie to be now so laid open with the furie of the Turks batterie as that it was not possible to be defended caused his souldiors to set it all on fire and so retired into the old The tenth of August the Turks furiously battered the old town in three places and brought their ordinance into the new towne and with timber earth and rubbidge made a bridge the more commodiously to go ouer the marrish For the speedier accomplishment whereof all the Turkes were compelled to lay to their hands and to carrie wood fagots earth and such like things without ceasing There might a man haue seene all the fields full of cammels horses and of the Turks themselues like eâ—mets carrying wood earth stones or one thing or other to fill vp the marrish so was there with wonderfull labour two plaine wayes made thorow the deepe fenne from the towne to the castle where the Ianizaries defended from the great shot with sacks of wooll and such like things did with the multitude of their small shot so ouerwhelme the defendants that they could not against those places without most manifest danger shew themselues vpon the wals So that what by their vigilant industrie and the furie of the great artillerie the Turks though not without great losse by force entred the old towne the nineteenth of August vsing in their victorie such celeritie that they slew many of the most valiant defendants before they were able to recouer the safegard of the castle Both the townes thus lost and so many worthie men slaine not without cause brought great heauinesse vpon the rest which were in the castle with the countie The Turks possessed of the old towne the next day planted their batterie against the castle in foure places and with faggots rubbidge and earth made two plaine wayes vnto it still filling vp the marrish and hauing with continuall batterie made it saultable the nine and twentie day of August they began fiercely to assaile the breaches but when they had lost many of their men and done what they could they were enforced with shame to retire In this assault amongst many other of their best souldiors was lost one of their great Bassaes also Whilest these things were in doing Solyman farre spent with yeares and distempered with his long trauell fell sicke of a loosenesse of his bellie and for the better recouerie of his health retired himselfe the siege yet continuing to QVINQVE ECLESIae a citie neare to SIGET where shortly after he died of the bloudie flix the fourth day of September in the yeare of our Lord 1566 when he had liued 76 yeares and raigned thereof 46. He was of stature tall of feature slender long necked his colour pale and wan his nose long and hooked of nature ambitious and bountifull more faithfull of his word and promise than were for most part the Mahometan kings his progenitors wanting nothing worthie of so great an empire but that wherein all happinesse is contained faith in Christ Iesus Muhamet the Visier Bassa who all commaunded in Solymans absence fearing the insolencie of the Ianizaries and least some tumult should arise in the campe if his death should be knowne concealed it by all meanes and to be sure of them that were of all others best able to make certaine report thereof caused his physitions and apothecaries to be secretly strangled and by a trustie messenger sent in post certified Selymus Solymans onely sonne and his father in law then lying in MAGNESIA of the death of his father willing him in hast to repaire to CONSTANTINOPLE to take possession of the empire and that done forthwith to come to the armie in HVNGARIE But this could not be so secretly done but that the Ianizaries began to mistrust the matter Which Muhamet Bassa quickly perceiuing caused the dead bodie of Solyman in his wonted apparrell to be brought into his tent sitting vpright in his horselitter as if he had beene sicke of the gout his wonted disease and so shewing him to the Ianizaries both deceiued and contented them and so went forward with the siege The Ianizaries hauing in the last assault lost many of their fellowes began now to vndermine the greatest bulwarke of the castle from which the defendants with their great ordinance did most annoy them wherein they vsed such diligence that the fifth of September they with gunpouder and other light matter prouided for that purpose had set all the bulwarke on a light fire and by that meanes possessed thereof with all their force assailed the bulwarke next vnto the castle gate from whence they were with great slaughter twice repulsed by the countie But the raging fire still encreasing he was enforced with those which were yet left aliue to retire into the inner castle wherein was but two great pieces and foureteene others of small force Thus the Turks still preuailing and taking one place after another the seuenth of September they furiously assaulted the little castle whereinto they cast such abundance of fire that in short time it caught hold on the buildings and set all on fire The countie thus assailed by the enemie without and worse distressed with the fire within which still encreasing left no place for him in safetie to retire vnto went into his chamber where putting on a rich new sute of apparrell came presently out againe with his sword and targuet in his hand and finding his souldiors with cheerefull countenance and their weapons in their hands attending his comming spake vnto them these few his last words The hard fortune of this sinfull kingdome hath together with our owne ouertaken vs but let vs noble hearts with patience endure what is to vs by God assigned You know what wee haue before promised which hitherto God be thanked we haue accordingly performed and now let vs with like resolution performe this last The place you see is not longer to be kept the deuouring fire groweth so still vpon vs and we in number are but few Wherefore let vs as becommeth valiant men breake out into the vtter castle there to die in the middest of our enemies to liue afterwards with God for euer I will be the first that will goe out follow you me like men This said with his sword and targuet in his hand without any other armour calling thrice vpon the name of Iesus he issued out at the castle gate with the rest following him where valiantly fighting with the Ianizaries vpon the bridge and hauing slaine some of them he was first wounded in two places of
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
some worthie present for their great lord and master Selymus they fraughted a great gallion of Muhamets the chiefe Bassaes and two other tall ships with the richest of the spoile of NICOSIA and the choise of the prisoners there taken But when they were now readie to hoise saile and depart as they were carrying out of the gallion certaine barrels of gunpouder which Mustapha the Generall had commaunded for his better prouision to be landed a noble gentlewoman captiue in the gallion wishing rather to die with honour than to liue dishonoured secretly fiered the pouder by force whereof the same gallion with the other two ships were suddenly rent in pieces and all that was therein blowne vp into the ayre Of all that were in those three vessels none escaped with life but the master of the gallion and two Christian captiues but there perished togither with the rich spoile But the Bassaes following their former resolution departed from CYPRVS and afterwards in safetie arriued at CONSTANTINOPLE where both then and all the Winter following such preparation was in making as if Selymus had the next yeare purposed some farre greater matter than the conquest of CYPRVS Whilest Sebastianus Venerius now the Venetian Admirall yet lay at CORCYRA the rude Acroceraunian people more famous for nothing than for their theft and want of all things by trustie messengers promised to deliuer into his power the strong castle of CHYMERA kept by a garrison of three hundred Turks if he himselfe with a few gallies and a conuenient number of footmen would come into the bay of AMERACIA offering him good hostages for the better assurance of their promise Of which their offer he gladly accepted and forthwith went to the appointed place with a companie of horsemen three thousand footmen and certaine gallies who were no sooner landed but that presently a thousand of those rough mountaine people came vnto them with which power taking the hill and repulsing the Turks garrison comming to the reliefe of the castle he so discouraged them that were in the hold that the next night they let themselues downe with ropes into the valley below but being descried were there all either taken or slaine And so in a verie short time was that strong castle taken by the Admirall and a strong garrison of Christians put into it in stead of the Turkes Not long after Quirinus the Viceadmirall a man of great courage landed with foure and twentie gallies in PELOPONESVS neere the bay of MAINE and there vpon the sudden both by sea and land besieged a strong castle which the Turks but two yeares before had built to trouble the Christians passing that way Which castle he tooke in fiue houres and put to the sword fiue hundred Turkes which lay there in garrison and rasing it downe to the ground carried away with him foure and twentie great pieces of artillerie into the island of ZACYNTHVS At such time as Mustapha before lay at the siege of FAMAGVSTA Bragadinus Gouernour of the towne with Baleonius a most expert captaine from out of the high places of the citie beholding the great armie of the Turkes which couered the ground almost as farre as they could see with their cunning manner of their fortification were therewith much moued and therefore thought it good betime to giue the Senat knowledge thereof and in so great a danger to craue their aid And that their request might be of more waight and haue the better hearing they entreated Hieronimus Ragazonius bishop of the citie a reuerend and deuout man to take vpon him that charge vnto whom they joyned Nicholas Donatus a noble gentleman of CYPRVS The bishop at the first was verie vnwilling to go as loath in so great danger to leaue his flocke but at length ouercome with the entreatie of the Gouernour and teares of the besieged suffered himselfe to be entreated And embarked in a gallie about the going downe of the Sunne loosing out of the hauen and hoising saile with a faire gale of wind passed through the Turkes fleet which then lay at anchor before the citie and by the comming on of the night and by the great way he made got him quickly out of sight After foure daies sayling he came to CRETE and so at length to VENICE where as he had before vnto the Admirall so there vnto the Senat he declared the dangerous estate of the citie the strength of the enemie the weaknesse of the defendants against so great a multitude and the want of many things needfull for the holding out of the siege and to be briefe that except they sent speedie reliefe the citie could not be kept Zanius at that time Admirall carefull for the besieged caused foure tall ships to be laded with all manner of victuall and a great quantitie of gunpouder and put into them seauenteene hundred select souldiors all which he sent from CRETE to the reliefe of them of FAMAGVSTA appointing M. Antonius Quirinus with twelue of the best gallies in all the fleet to conduct the same thither This Quirinus was a most valiant and expert captaine meanly discended but by seruice growne to be a man both of great reputaton and wealth and therefore Zanius at his departure to VENICE although he knew the matter required hast yet presuming vpon his wisedome and carefulnesse left it to his discretion when and how to performe that peece of seruice Quirinus not without cause doubting to set forward the seas as then full of the Turkes gallies staied vntill Winter was well spent and then setting forward the seauenteenth of Ianuarie kept aloofe from the ships which with a prosperous wind came directly before FAMAGVSTA in hope that the Turkes gallies which lay in the mouth of the hauen might so be drawne farther into the sea in hope of some good bootie he himselfe staying with his gallies in place conuenient out of sight Neither had the euent deceiued his expectation had not his fierce nature hindred the same for the Turkes vpon the dawning of the day descrying the ships made hastily toward them But Quirinus not able longer to stay himselfe and before desirous to fight with them shewed himselfe too soone in the open sea before the enemie was come neere the ships whom as soone as the Turks had seene and that there was no hope to withstand him they staied their oares and with all speed retired But Quirinus following faster vpon them they were glad for safegard of their liues with all the power they could to run three of their gallies aground and to run to shoare themselues which three gallies Quirinus did with his great ordinance beat all to pieces and sore gauled the other foure The hauen thus cleared he returned againe vnto the ships and brought them with the supplie in safetie to FAMAGVSTA vpon whose arriuall was great rejoicing both amongst the garrison soldiors the citisens for the Turks thought nothing lesse than that the Christian gallies durst
all the Persian kingdome These important outrages thus appeased the Generall turned himselfe with all his armie towards COY a citie situat beyond VAN in the middest betweene TAVRIS and the Martian Meere where he refreshed his armie with all things he could desire From COY he passed to MARANT a citie subject to the Persians plentifull also of all things needfull for man or beast From thence he leaned downe towards SOFFIAN a fruitfull place subject also to the Persians from whence he began to discouer TAVRIS Great was the joy of the whole campe and now the mutinous souldiors of GREECE and CONSTANTINOPLE could highly commend the aduice of the Generall or rather of Amurath himselfe in giuing out the rumour of NASSIVAN for TAVRIS as the onely meanes whereby they were in quiet come so farre the Persians being wholly occupied as they supposed about NASSIVAN insomuch that euery man being waxen couragious and replenished with joy without any feare at all began prowdly to plot vnto themselues nothing but sackings pillings taking of prisoners rauishments robberies and all those insolent and outragious actions that vse rashly to proceed from the greedie affections of those barbarous victors especially they of the vauward who being desirous of bootie and to discouer the enemies countrey descended downe toward certaine pleasant gardens full of all sorts of trees springs and fruits where hauing satisfied their appetites they withdrew themselues to a certaine little riuer neere to a bridge called The Bridge of salt water and there stayed at pleasure attending the comming of the armie But euen whiles they were thus enjoying the water the fruits the shade the greene grasse and other delights of the place the Persian prince Emir Hamze king Mahamets eldest sonne who with ten thousand good souldiors had closely couched himselfe watching still when some of the enemies bands should come downe to those resting places suddenly set vpon them with such speed courage and furie that as if it had beene a lightening and in a manner without any resistance he ouerran all those Turkes and dispersed them putting to the sword about seuen thousand of them And so leading away with him many prisoners horses slaues with sundrie ensignes and Turkish drums he withdrew himselfe backe towards his blind father who lay then encamped about twelue miles from TAVRIS with fiftie thousand souldiors or thereabouts Aliculi Chan Gouernour of TAVRIS being left in the citie with foure thousand souldiors onely A greater armie than this not exceeding the number of threescore and foure thousand men was not the Persian king able to leuie the principall occasion whereof was the death of Emir Chan for which the Turcoman nation being waxen rebellious and disobedient would not by any meanes be brought to defend that citie whereof Aliculi Chan their capitall enemie was now Gouernour and from GHEILAN and HERI there came not so much as one souldior to relieue the necessities of PERSIA So that with these small forces in comparison of the enemies the Persian king had no stomacke to meet the Turkish armie in plaine battell but sought how he might with as little losse to himselfe as possibly he could make triall of his forces and by all politike meanes to weaken and annoy his strong enemie Osman vnderstanding of this discomfiture of his vauward forthwith dispatched Sinan Bassa the sonne of Cicala and Mahamet the Bassa of CARAEMIT with fourteene thousand souldiors to pursue the victorious prince who in their pursuit vsed such expedition that at length they ouertooke him in the way towards his fathers campe But as soone as the prince saw the Turkes so neere him that without a shamefull and dangerous flight he could not auoid the battell couragiously he turned his face and joyned with them a most bloudie conflict which being begun two houres before night was most fiercely maintained vntill that the darknesse of the night bereauing them of the vse of their weapons enforced both the one side and the other to retire Which was done with the notable losse of the Turkes who in this second conflict as it was commonly reported lost six thousand men and had as it was thought suffered a generall slaughter had not the night interrupted so vncouth an action well worthie of a thousand daylights So that hitherto the Turkes sustained the losse of more than ten thousand souldiors and yet had scarce discouered or seene the citie which they so greedily longed after The next morning the Turkes campe remoued and came within two miles of TAVRIS where they encamped But whiles they were setting vp their tents Aliculi Chan issuing out of the citie with all his garrison and such of the citisens as were fit to beare armes set vpon the face of the vauward being now renewed and with many cunning turnings and windings so charged them that with great losse he forced them to retire euen vnto the maine battell where after he had espied the great artillerie he without hurt withdrew himselfe againe to the citie The confusion of the Turkes in this skirmish was notable for in a verie small time the vauward was disordered and almost three thousand slaine But Aliculi not so contented in the shutting in of the euening sallied out of the citie the second time and swiftly running along that side of the armie that lay towards TAVRIS slew the Bassa of MARAS and did great hurt in that quarter which done without any stay he fled to the kings campe and forsooke the defence of that sorrowfull citie which he could not hold Neuerthelesse the Taurisians as many of them as remained in the citie gathered themselues togither to the gates of the citie well armed prepared to make a bloudie entrance for the Turkes whensoeuer they should come All the night was spent in watching without rest on either side and yet nothing attempted but vpon the breake of the day a great multitude of the seruile sort of the Turkes and of the common rascall rout without any order from their captaines armed with corselets speares and swords went to the citie with resolution to haue sacked it and so to haue enriched themselues with the spoile and pillage of that wealthie citie But when they came to the guarded gates of the citie they found there contrarie to their expectation a terrible rescue and were enforced there to joyne an hard and mortall battell so that the wals the entrance yea all the ground thereabouts was bathed with bloud and as it were couered with weapons and dead carkases And yet for all that though the Persians stood fast and firme at the arriuall of this seruile rout at the last they were constrained to yeeld the entrance being ouercome by the multitude of them that out of the campe flowed in vpon them like a floud and retiring into the citie now astonied and amazed on euerie side they fortified themselues in their houses vnder the ground and in the corners and winding turnings of the streets from whence with
Christian Generall remoued with all speed to FILEK a strong citie of the higher HVNGARIE which Solyman the Turkish emperour tooke from the Christians in the yeare 1560 and placed therein a Sanzacke vnder the commaund of the Bassa of BVDA The Generall encamping before this citie the next day after planted his batterie and in most terrible manner without intermission thundered against the wals and gates of the citie The Sanzacke Gouernour thereof considering the power of the Christians got out secretly by night with a few souldiors to acquaint the other Turkish Sanzackes his neighbours with the comming of the Christians and the number of their armie and further to consult with them how the citie might bee relieued The Bassa of TEMESVVARE with the Sanzackes of GIVLA HADVVAN SCANTTZAG and SCIRME vndertooke the matter and therupon the Bassa sent for eight hundred Ianizaries of late left by Sinan Bassa in garrison at BVDA and ALBA REGALIS who all flatly refused to goe to this seruice saying That they would not be led as beasts to the slaughter as were their fellowes but a little before at ALBA REGALIS neuerthelesse they enforced the Armenians whom Sinan and his sonne had brought thither to goe but of BVDA ALBA REGALIS and SCAMBOTH were sent onely fifteene hundred common souldiors For all that the Bassa with the Sanzacks his followers firme in their former resolution for the reliefe of the distressed citie hauing made great preparation and raised an armie of eighteene thousand strong with many field pieces by night drew neere vnto FILEK and staied within two miles of the citie But the Generall of the Christians with Stephen Bathor and the other captaines vnderstanding of their comming with seauen thousand good souldiours chosen out of the whole armie went out presently against them and the one and twentith of Nouember suddenly assailing them in their tents ouerthrew them and put them all to flight whom the Christians fiercely pursued with a most terrible execution In this fight and flight there was slaine six thousand Turks and but few or none taken The Bassa himselfe with the Sanzacke of FILEK and many others of great name were found amongst the bodies of the slaine Turks This victorie gained with little or no losse yeelded vnto the Christians a rich prey many gorgious tents and faire ensignes much cattell and nine and twentie field pieces with two hundred wagons laded with victuall and other prouision all which they carried into the campe of FILEK and so more straightly besieged the citie than before The same day the lord Palfi and Martin Lasla came to the campe with six thousand souldiors and forthwith three trumpeters were sent to tell them of the citie That if without farther resistance they would forthwith yeeld the citie they should haue leaue in safetie to depart with life and goods although the Turkes had of late in like case broken their faith with the Christians at PALOTTA but if they refused his grace and would needs hold it out to the vttermost then to denounce vnto them all extremities For all this the Turks nothing dismaied refused to yeeld wherupon the batterie began afresh and in more terrible manner than before so that though the citie was most strongly fortified both with wals and rampiers yet had the Christians in three daies space with continuall batterie made a faire breach into it whereby they in despight of the enemie entred without any notable losse the foure and twentith of Nouember ransacked the citie and burnt a great part thereof The same day they also tooke the vttermost castle wherein the Sanzackes pallace stood this castle standeth vpon a verie high hill strengthned both by art and nature and had in it a strong garrison of valiant souldiors who spared not lustily to bestow their shot amongst their enemies of whom they slew a great number Neuerthelesse the Christians after they had for the space of two daies and two nights with a most furious batterie shaken the wals by plaine force entred the castle the six and twentith of Nouember and put to sword all the garrison souldiors except such as had in good time forsaken this castle and retired themselues into another more inward Who being in number eight hundred with their wiues and children without hope of reliefe and seeing the cannon now bent vpon them set out a white ensigne in token of parley which granted it was agreed that they should depart with life and so much of their goods as euerie one of them could carrie Vpon which agreement the castle was yeelded the eight and twentith day of Nouember and the Turks with a safe conuoy brought vnto the place they desired In this castle was found a great bootie many pieces of artillerie with much other warlike prouision but of victuals small store The Generall with the rest of the captaines entring the castle fell downe vpon their knees and with their hearts and hands cast vp towards heauen thanked God for their victorie and for the recouerie of that strong citie but especially for the deliuerie of so many Christians out of the Turkish â—hraldome For it is reported that there are aboue eight hundred countrey villages subject to the jurisdiction of FILEK the poore inhabitants whereof were now all freed from the Turkish seruitude by the taking of this only citie The Christians forthwith repaired the wals bulwarks and trenches and strongly fortified euerie place against the enemie and so leauing a sufficient garrison in the citie and castles departed with their armie now in number about twentie thousand towards SODOCH six miles from FILEK But as they were vpon the way newes was brought vnto the Generall how that the Turks had for feare abandoned the castles of Dâ—IVVIN and SOMOSKE whereupon he sent out certaine companies of souldiors to take in both those places who comming thither found them in deed forsaken of the enemie but yet many pieces of artillerie and other warlike prouision there still left In the latter end of Nouember the Generall marched with his armie towards SETSCHINE a strong towne in the diocesse of AGRIA but the Turkes in that place had two or three daies before prepared themselues to flie and sent their wiues their children and the best of their substance some to HATVVAN some to BVDA and now hearing of the approach of the Christian armie set fire on the towne and fled The Christians immediatly entring did what they could to quench the fire and saued a great part of the towne so leauing there a conuenient garrison he hasted with speed to BLAVENSTEIN which the Turkes did also set on fire and betooke themselues to flight The Christians comming thither the next day after namely the fourth of December â—ound a great part of the towne yet vnburnt wherein they left a strong garrison and from thence marched to SALLEK which towne they also tooke being forsaken by the enemie and put thereinto a good garrison The Generall was of nothing more desirous than
to haue prosecuted this so happie a course of victorie but such was the foulenesse of the winter weather that he could not trauell with his great artillerie without which no great matter was to be done against the enemie still keeping himselfe in his strong holds And his armie in that wasted and forsaken countrey began now to feele the want of victuals so that many had withdrawne themselues out of the armie vnto their owne dwelling places At the same time also the lord Palfi going to DREGEL and PALANKA and finding them forsaken by the enemie furnished both places with garrisons of his owne men Certaine other strong places were also this moneth recouered from the Turkes as AINACKE SOLLOCKE WETSKE and others and so much territorie gained by the Christians as was in circuit thought equall with the lower AVSTRIA The joyfull newes of the aforesaid victories with the recouerie of so much of the countrey and so many strong townes and castles made great rejoycing both at VIENNA and PRAGE for which cause publike praiers with thankesgiuing to almightie God were made in both places with many other tokens of joy and triumph both there and in diuers other places of the empire Yet were not the dead bodies of the Turkes slaine at ALBA REGALIS buried whereof rise such a loathsome and noysome smell thereabout that no man could abide to come nigh the place to the great trouble of the inhabitants round about At length certaine Turks out of BVDA and ALBA REGALIS to the number of 350 met togither to haue buried those loathsome carkases vpon whom it chanced a captaine of the Hussars to light with his horsemen who fiercely assailing them left most of them there dead for others to burie and carried away the rest prisoners The Bassa of BVDA had caused Murat Sanzacke of PALOTTA to be strangled for that he suspected him to haue had intelligence with the Christians in whose roume he placed another who comming with 600 Turkes to take possession of his preferment was by the way set vpon by Peter le Hussar with the garrison souldiors of PAPPA and THVRN and slaine with most part of his followers Fiue and thirtie of them were taken aliue with all the Sanzackes rich furniture To end this yeare withall the Turks in garrison at PETRINIA SISEG CASTROVVITZ and other places thereabours met togither in number about 300 who the 19 of December passing ouer the riuer Sauus began to spoile the frontiers of those countries But before they were gone farre they were so encountred by the lord Graswin and the borderers thereabout that 500 of them were left dead vpon the ground diuers of good account taken prisoners and almost all the rest drowned in the riuer so that of all them that came ouer few escaped with life In the latter end of this moneth great numbers of souldiors were taken vp in SAXONIE and other places of GERMANIE whereof some were sent to PRAGE and some to VIENNA in AVSTRIA and in HVNGARIE the Christians encreased their strength with new supplies In AVSTRIA also a new armie was raised and two and twentie great pieces of artillerie sent downe the riuer of Danubius to COMARA and new preparation made in euerie place for the next yeares wars Amurath the Turkish emperour going out of the citie to CONSTANTINOPLE the 11 of Ianuarie to muster the armie he had prepared against the Christians for this yeare was suddenly ouertaken with such a tempest of wind and raine that it ouerthrew his tents his chariots yea his horses and men had much adoe to withstand it Wherewith he being as with an ominous prodigie exceedingly troubled returned with his armie into the citie and oppressed with melancholy cast himselfe downe vpon his bed as a man halfe sicke Where falling asleepe hee dreamed that he saw a man of an exceeding stature standing with one of his feet vpon the tower of CONSTANTINOPLE and the other ouer the strait in ASIA who stretching out his armes held the Sunne in one of his armes and the Moone in the other whom whiles he wondred at the monster with his foot strucke the tower which forthwith fell downe and in falling ouerthrew the great temple with the imperiall pallace Amurath awaked as he thought with the noise and much troubled with the dreame for the Turks are in such vanities verie superstitious sent for all his wisards and interpreters of dreames to know the meaning of this his so strange or rather so melancholy a dreame Who hypocritically answered him That forasmuch as he had not with all his force as a tempest impugned the Christians their great Prophet Mahomet threatned by that dreame to ouerthrow the tower the temple and the imperiall pallace that is to say the religion and empire of the Turks Which vaine and fained interpretation so much moued the superstitious tyrant that he swore from thenceforth to turne all his forces vpon the Christians and not to giue ouer warre vntill he had done what he might to subdue them This the Turks dreame with the interpretation thereof and the solemne vow he had made for the destruction of the Christians was publikely read in the Churches of TRANSYLVANIA and many godly exhortations made vnto the people to moue them by prayer and all other good meanes to auert that so threatned thraldome Of the rich spoile taken from the Turks in the late victorie neere vnto ALBA REGALIS the Christian captaines made a present for the emperour and the archduke Matthias his brother which they sent by the lords Gall and Brun and was by them presented vnto the emperour and his brother the 11 of Ianuarie at VIENNA in order as followeth First went the master of the ordinance of RAB on both sides attended vpon with the other officers of the artillerie after them were drawne thirtie great pieces of ordinance taken in that battell After these pieces followed three Turkish horses with rich saddles and furniture studded with gold the stirrups and bridles being of siluer guilt and most curiously wrought after them were carried two and twentie of the Turkes ensignes three of them verie rich and the other right faire Then followed the two embassadours aforesaid with each of them a guilt mase in his hand such as the Turkes Bassaes vse to carrie after them were brought many instruments of war guilt scimitars gleaues bowes and arrowes targets and ten of the Ianizaries drums Two of the aforesaid horses were presented to the emperour and the third to the archduke The field pieces brought to the castle gate and orderly placed vpon the plaine were all at such time as the rest of the Present entred the castle forthwith by the cannoniers discharged and there for certaine daies left vpon the plaine for the people to feed their eies vpon The embassadours discharged of their Present and rewarded by the emperour with chaines of gold and other gifts returned againe vnto the campe Notwithstanding that it was now deepe
Christian campe About night certaine bals of wild fire were shot into the citie whereof one fell vpon the tower called S. Adelbert and set it on fire wherewith first the church and afterward a great part of the towne fell on fire The Sanzackes house with all his horses and armour and a great quantitie of pouder was then burnt and inestimable hurt done in the citie The next day the Christians had with continuall batterie made a breach in the castle wall but adjoyning vnto the wall was an high and broad sandie rampier which could hardly be battered for all that the Germanes gaue a fierce assault vnto the breach hoping to haue entred by the ruines of the wall but being not able to get ouer the sandie rampier were enforced with losse to retire The day following they began againe the batterie with eighteene great pieces when about eight a clocke in the morning the Rascians that were in the old citie gaue the Generall to vnderstand That if he would at a place by them appointed assault the greater citie to draw the Turks thither they would in the meane time deliuer vnto the Christians certaine little posternes and receiue them into the old citie vpon condition that no violence should be done vnto them or theirs Which being so agreed vpon the Christians accordingly gaue the assault the eleuenth of May in the euening and by the helpe of the Rascians tooke the citie who according to promise were all taken to mercie and the Turkes slaine except such as by their good hap recouered the new towne The keeping of this citie was committed to the charge of two companies of Germane footmen and six hundred Hungarians with three hundred Rascians and other townesmen Thus was the old citie of STRIGONIVM gained by the Christians the suburbs whereof they presently burnt neuerthelesse the new towne with the castle was still holden by the Turkes Wherefore the Christians hauing cast vp certaine trenches and mounts and placed their artillerie as they thought most conuenient began againe to batter the castle and after they had by the furie of the cannon made it saultable with great courage assailed the breach which the Turkes valiantly defended so that the Christians were glad to retire leauing behind them about an hundred and thirtie of their fellowes slaine in the breach The Turkes a little before the comming of the Christians had fortified an hill wherunto the castle was something subject called of the Christians S. Nicholas his hill this hill so fortified the Christians with continuall batterie and assault gained the 17 of May and put all the Turkes left aliue therein to the sword and turning the ordinance from thence also battered the castle The two and twentith of May a little before the going downe of the Sunne certaine ensignes of footmen were drawne out of the campe to haue the next day assaulted the lower towne who taking the benefit of the night attempting to haue entred the towne in the dead time of the night were notably encountred by the Turkes sallying out of the towne vpon them The Christians for all that hauing enforced them to retire prosecuted their former resolution and with much adoe got ouer the vttermost wall but finding there contrarie to their expectation such a deepe and broad countermure as was not possible to be passed they stood as men dismaied neither could they in the darknesse of the night well see how to get back againe ouer the towne ditch but disorderly retiring stucke fast many of them in the deepe mud and there perished In this assault there were about a thousand of the Christians wounded and slaine and albeit that they twise or thrise renewed the assault yet preuailed they nothing but were still repulsed with losse Many also of the Turkish garrison were likewise slaine yea the Sanzacke himselfe hurt with a great shot with many other wounded men sent downe the riuer to BVDA brought thither true newes of the aforesaid assaults and of the state of the besieged In the meane time newes was brought to the campe That Sinan Bassa the old enemie of the Christians and the Turkes great lieutenant comming towards HVNGARIE with a great armie and hauing by boats conuaied ouer part thereof was set vpon by â—he Rascians these are poore oppressed Christians dwelling on both sides of Danubius who weary of the Turkish thraldome and desirous of their auntient libertie haue oftentimes taken vp armes against the Turkes as they now did encouraged by the good successe of the Christians on the other side of HVNGARIE and that after diuers skirmishes they had taken thirteene of the Turkes vessels wherein beside victuals and certaine great pieces of artillerie they found about 2400 waight of pouder 447 hundred of lead 46454 bundles of match 1200 great shot whereof 1005 were of 66 pound waight and of small shot for harquebusiers 48500 with much other warlike prouision a great part whereof was brought into the campe at STRIGONIVM and the rest reserued to future vses This losse so troubled the great Bassa that he altered his purpose before entended for CASSOVIA The fourth of Iune about fiue hundred Turkes sent vp the riuer from BVDA conducted by two Sanzackes vnder two red and white ensignes landed neere to GOKARA on the farther side of Danubius ouer against STRIGONIVM where after they had a while refreshed themselues and left some few for the more assurance of the place all the rest were conuaied ouer the riuer into STRIGONIVM where they had been long looked for the old garrison being now sore weakned by the former assaults Foure daies after the Turkes encouraged with this supply sallied out vpon a sudden and had entred one of the forts of the Christians but were forthwith againe repulsed hauing lost six and twentie of their men and two of their ensignes not farre off lay a troupe of horsemen who if they had in time come in not one of the Turks had escaped Long it were to tell how often and in what manner the Christians assaulted this citie but were by the Turkes so receiued that in fiue assaults they lost fiue thousand of their men amongst whom were diuers captaines lieutenants auntients and others of good account three and twentie canoniers were also slaine and ten great pieces of artillerie so spoiled as that they were no more seruiceable The garrison of this citie consisted for most part of the Ianizaries the Turkes best souldiors whose notable valour in holding out of this siege was both of their owne people and their enemies much commended whatsoeuer was beaten downe by day that they againe repaired by night and still relieued with victuall and things necessarie from BVDA did what was possible to be done for defence of the citie About the same time certaine Turkes chancing vpon a troupe of Germane horsemen in fight slew about fiftie of them and put the rest to flight whereupon an alarum being raised in the campe many ran out to the
miles short of RAB The Christian armie but newly passed ouer Danubius in marching towards KOMARA might see the mountaines and fields on the other side the riuer all couered with the multitude of the Turks armie who though they were in deed many yet marching dispersedly made show of moe than in truth they were So both armies marching in sight the one of the other and seperated onely with the riuer held on their way the Christians to KOMARA where they encamped vnder the verie wals of the citie yet in such sort as that they might a farre off well descrie one another and the Turkes towards DOTIS where the Bassa with all his armie encamped the 21 day of Iuly The night following hauing planted his batterie he began in furious manner to batter the castle the chiefe strength of the towne the Christian armie looking on but not daring at so great ods to relieue their distressed friends So whiles the Bassa granteth no breathing time vnto the besieged but tireth them out with continuall batterie and alarums they of the towne dispairing of their owne strength and to be able for any long time to hold out against so mightie an enemie within three daies after yeelded the towne being in that short time sore battered and also in diuers places vndermined yet with this condition That it should be lawfull for the garrison souldiors and townesmen with their wiues and children in safetie to depart Which was vnto them by the Bassa frankly granted but not so faithfully performed for at their departure many of their wiues and children were staied by the Turkes and the lord Baxi Gouernour of the towne fouly entreated Immediatly after the Bassa without much adoe tooke S. Martins castle also not far from DOTIS being by the captaine yeelded vnto him In the meane time the countrey villages round about forsaken of the poore Christians were by the Turks most miserably burnt and all the countrey laied wast Yea some of the forerunners of the Turks armie passing ouer the riuer Rabnitz ran into the countrey as farre as ALTENBVRG within fiue miles of VIENNA burning the countrey villages as they went and killing the poore people or that worse was carrying them away into perpetuall captiuitie yet not without some losse foure hundred of these roaming forragers being cut off by the lord Nadasti Palfi also and Brun Gouernour of KOMARA following in the taile of the Turks armie set vpon them that had the charge of the victuals of whom they slew a great number tooke 120 of them prisoners and 150 camels and 30 mules laded with meale and rice which they carried away with them to KOMARA DOTIS and S. Martins thus taken Sinan Bassa constant in his former determination set forward againe towards RAB and being come within a mile of the citie there encamped the Christian armie then lying not far off on the other side of the riuer This citie of RAB is a strong and populous citie honoured with a bishops See and was worthily accounted the strongest bulwarke of VIENNA from whence it is distant about twelue Germane miles standing vpon the South side of Danubius where the riuer diuiding it selfe maketh a most fertile island called SCHVT in the East point whereof standeth the strong citie of KOMARA The defence of this citie of RAB was committed to Countie Hardeck a man of greater courage than fidelitie with a garrison of twelue hundred choise souldiors vnto whom a little before the comming of the Bassa were certaine companies of Italians joyned who togither with the citisens made vp the number of fiue thousand able men a strength in all mens judgement sufficient for the long defence of that place The last of Iuly Matthias the archduke about the going downe of the Sunne departing out of the citie of RAB ouer the riuer into the island ouer against it came Sinan Bassa with his huge armie and beset it round casting vp trenches and mounts whereon he skilfully placed his gabions and great artillerie and whatsoeuer else was necessarie for so great a siege and that with such celeritie as was to the beholders thought most strange The second of August he with great furie battered the citie and brought his trenches within musket shot of the wals At which time foure thousand Tartarian horsemen swam ouer the Danubius between RAB and KOMARA after whom followed six thousand Turkes who being with much adoe got ouer to the farther side suddenly surprised a fort of the Christians next vnto the riuer and forthwith turning fiue great pieces of ordinance which they found therein discharged them vpon the campe of the Christians who terrified with the sudden accident rise vp all in armes and hardly charging those desperat aduenturers slew many of them especially such as seeking after bootie had dispersed themselues from their fellowes and forced the rest againe to take the riuer wherein most of them perished About fiue daies after the Tartarians liuing for most part vpon prey swam againe ouer the riuer and vpon the sudden burnt a village in the island and slew certaine Christians in their tents but being quickly encountred by the Christian-horsemen they were easily ouerthrowne and many of them slain the rest casting away their weapons and forsaking their horses ran headlong into the riuer trusting more to their swimming than to their fighting whom the Christians hardly pursuing in the verie riuer slew about two thousand of them and by this victorie obtained many of the Tartarian swift horses with their scimitars their bowes and arrowes and such ensignes as they had All this while Sinan Bassa without intermission lay thundring with threescore great pieces of batterie against the citie but to little or small purpose for as yet he had made no breach whereby to enter but the harme that was done was vpon the towers or high built houses or in the campe by such randon shot as flying ouer the towne fell by chance among the tents of the Christians And the Ianizaries intentiue to all opportunities in a great raine furiously and with a most horrible crie as their manner is assaulted an vtter bulwarke of the Christians which they for feare forsooke and retired themselues into the citie vpon which bulwarke so taken the Ianizaries had set vp three of their ensignes When the Christians ashamed of that they had done and better aduised taking courage vnto them forthwith sallied out againe and couragiously charging the Ianizaries but now entred slew many of them and recouered againe the bulwarke Sinan Bassa leauing nothing vnattempted that might further his desire for the winning of the citie was now casting vp a great mount against the citie which whilest he dayly surueyed he chanced to fall sicke and therefore appointed one of the Bassaes in his owne stead to ouersee the worke who whilest he was walking too and fro hastening the worke and commaunding this and that thing to be done he was taken with a shot out of the towne and
the houses and defacing the fort so much as in that sudden feare they possibly could fled into the lower towne The next day the Countie with resistance tooke the aforesaid places forsaken by the Turkes which hee manned with certaine companies of Wallons and made a bridge of boats ouer Danubius cast vp certaine mounts and did many other things for the furtherance of the siege In three daies he had againe repaired the fort vnder Saint Thomas hill abandoned by the Turkes and therein placed foure great pieces of artillerie wherewith he began to batter the lower towne and in other places to strait the besieged more than they had been the yeare before The Bassa of BVDA not ignorant of the want both of men and munition in the besieged citie and the rather for that they had but a little before sent part of their garrison with shot and pouder to RAB and DOTIS attempted thrise as he did many times after during the time of the siege to haue by the riuer put new supplies both of men and munition into the citie but was still by the diligence of the Christians excluded and enforced with losse to returne In short time the Lower towne which they call WASSERSTAT or the Water towne was with continuall batterie sore beaten so that scarcely any house or building was left whole and a counterscarfe made the last yeare beaten downe Whereunto certaine Wallons were sent only to haue viewed the breadth and manner of the ditches after whom certaine companies of the Hungarian Heidons presently followed without any commaund from their captaines who with great courage got to the top of another high counterscarfe there set vp some of their ensignes Which the Turks beholding and comming on close togither by plaine force enforced them with losse to retire Among these Hungarians were diuers also of the Wallons slaine with some others of good name and place to the great griefe of the Countie being not a little offended with that disordered seruice yet day and night the batterie ceased not and the Christians out of their trenches with their musket shot slew many of the Turks vpon the wals receiuing little hurt againe the Turkes still shooting but sparingly for feare of wanting shot and pouder at their greater need yet that they spent they bestowed so well that amongst others they had slaine foure of the Christian canoniers and one Wallon captaine About the middest of Iuly the Countie with continuall batterie had made the Water towne as he thought saultable and therefore sent certaine companies to begin the assault who hauing passed the counterscarfe found the ditch full of deepe mud and but newly cut broader certaine paces by the Turks so that it was thought scarce possible to be passed without a bridge behind which ditch was an high wall with strong bulwarkes and within all this was another new cast ditch and vpon the very brinke thereof a thicke and high parapit all which for all that certaine companies of the Wallons with great labour and danger aduentured to passe but such was the valour of the defendants and the small number of them that came on to the assault with the disaduantage of the place wherein they stood that at length they were glad to retire with the losse of many of their fellowes The Christians in the beginning of this siege had taken a little island in the riuer before the citie which was kept with some few companies of the lord Palfi his Heidons whereof the Turks hauing intelligence at BVDA with three gallies and certain other vessels landed in the island 3000 soldiors which slew the Heidons vnto whom no succour could be suddenly sent and so recouered againe the island wherein they left a sufficient garrison for the keeping thereof furnished with all things necessarie and so departed About three dayes after the former assault the Christians in hope of better successe the second time assaulted the Water towne in which assault the chiefe leaders were the lord Greis and Anthonie Zinne a famous captaine had he not stained his honor with countie Hardeck at RAâ— but being pardoned by the Emperour did now together with the rest appointed to that seruice most couragiously assault the breach but were againe by the Turks notably repulsed and enforced at last to giue ouer the assault and so to retire with the losse of an hundred and fiftie men amongst whom Zinne himselfe was slaine with one captaine Ruger and some of the counties owne guard the lord Greis was wounded in the head and the yonger lord Schuendi with diuers other captaines grieuously hurt The next day after six hundred of the mountaine people came into the campe vnto the countie with supplications to request him Not to giue ouer the siege vntill he had woon the citie promising in the name of those towns and villages from whence they were sent of their owne charges to repaire for him what harme soeuer he should doe in the citie for the taking therof yea though he should lay it euen with the ground for why the harmes they daily receiued from the garrison of that citie were wonderfull At the same time also he was aduertised by his espials of whom he maintained many for the discouerie of the enemies doings that Mahomet the Turkish Sultan had writ vnto the Bassa of BVDA carefully to prouide that his beloued citie of STRIGONIVM tooke no harme and not to spare either for men or money betime to relieue it and therein to do nothing without the aduice and good liking of his old and faithfull seruant Alis Beg who of long time had gouerned and also defended that citie and to the intent that nothing should be wanting for the performance hereof that he had sent Alexander Aga of the Ianizaries from the Court whose seruice he might euill haue spared whose approued counsell and helpe he might also vse in all things for that he had rather loose some other whole kingdome than that one citie And that therefore he should beware that it were not by the enemie woon or by any composition yielded wherein if he failed he threatned vnto him his heauie displeasure not to be appeased without the price of his head Which so seuere a commaundement of the great Sultans the Bassa sent to them of STRIGONIVM with most grieuous threats from himselfe if they terrified with any batterie vndermining or assault should yield the citie and not hold it out as became valiant souldiors vnto the last man swearing to empaile them all vpon stakes that should consent to the yielding vp thereof The old Gouernour Alis hauing receiued this so straight a commaund from him that was both able and like ynough to performe what he had threatened vtterly to deterre the souldiors from once thinking of yielding caused diligent enquirie to be made throughout the garrison if any of them had at any time made any motion of yielding vp the citie or otherwise murmured against their captaines or commaunders
man of great experience and valour was appointed lieutenant Generall for that countrey to the great contentment of the souldiors in generall all shewing themselues most readie at his commaund The lord Swartzenburg in the meane time remaining in the lower HVNGARIE at RAB with eight thousand good souldiors and the Archduke Matthias at VIENNA for the dispatch of George Basta and the hasting of him foeward for that the vpper HVNGARIE to the great hurt thereof began now to feele the incursions of the Turkes and Tartars besides that he was afterwards to returne himselfe to speake with the emperour his brother still expecting a Chiaus of the Turkes by the appointment of the Grand signior sent by the way of POLONIA for PRAGE to intreat with the emperour concerning a peace They of BVDA in the meane while seeing the delay of the Turks of whom not one band yet appeared in those quarters and on the other side perceiuing the great preparation of the Imperials and the great garrison at RAB so neere at hand began now to doubt some new resolution of the Christians wherein they were no whit deceiued for no armie of the Turks being then in field in the lower HVNGARIE and the countrey plaine and open the lord Palâ—i with a conuenient power and certaine pieces of batterie set forward to attempt the enterprise and the sixteenth of October with sixteene pieces of artillerie began to batter the citie of BVDA to the great feare and discomfiture of them within hauing first taken the fort S. Gerarde with hope to haue gained the rest also For which cause the men the women and all that dwelt in the citie most instantly besought the Bassa not to endure the destruction of the same with the inhabitants and wealth thereof altogither but being not able long to hold out against so furious a batterie in time to hearken vnto some reasonable composition that so they might yet euerie man at least with life depart Whereunto the Bassa for all that would not hearken but put them still in hope that they should be presently relieued Howbeit the batterie still continuing and they not able longer to endure the force of the Imperials nor any reliefe yet comming they were glad at length to abandon the citie with the losse of two thousand of the Ianizaries and but three hundred of the Christians slaine and eight hundred hurt the rest of the Turkes at the same time retiring themselues into the castle where they might for a space deeme themselues safe So the lord Palfi possessed of the citie with all his forces laid siege vnto the castle which although it were in some places shaken with the continuall furie of the cannon yet were the defendants still readie to make good the same insomuch that Palfi vpon good hope of successe giuing thereunto a generall assault was by their valour enforced to retire they within in the meane time with great labour and industrie repairing the breaches and gaules made by the artillerie So that Palfi considering the difficultie of the assault thought it better by vndermining to shake the rock whereon the castle stood than by a new assault to expose so many worthie men vnto so manifest a danger which his purpose by the enemie discouered was by them also by countermining disappointed yet for all that were the Christians still in good hope by an other mine not yet by the enemie perceiued to sort to the full of their desire and the more for that they saw not so much brauerie or shew of courage in the defendants as before Who now kept themselues silent and quiet as if they had been consulting about the yeelding vp of the castle as men bereft of all hope of reliefe and succour the Christians being now possessed of a strong abbey and fortresse fast by and hauing broken downe all the bridges ouer the Danubius in such sort as that the besieged could not receiue any reliefe either by land or water But forasmuch as the time of the yeare began now to grow tedious and the winter weather sharpe the Christians thought it not best there long to protract the time and therefore resolued to present vnto the castle another generall assault and at the same instant to blow vp the mine but in giuing this assault they were againe repulsed with the losse of two hundred men At which time also a number of the Turks â—allying out of the castle couragiously encountred the Christians but not with successe answerable to their valour being there almost all cut in pieces neither did the mine take the desired effect but being blowne vp did little or no harme at all So that the Christians wearie of their long suffering of the extremitie of the weather and withall considering the great courage of the defendants were euen vpon the point to haue risen yet willing to giue a fresh attempt by the mine they began againe to worke in the same and in hope to preuaile began to parley with the defendants about the giuing vp of the castle but all to little or no purpose for that the mine hauing taken no effect the souldiors could hardly be drawne on through the deepe and muddie ditches to giue a new assault In fine seeing no hope to preuaile and hearing also of the comming of a great armie of the Turkes for the reliefe of the besieged they raised their siege and at their departure burnt their suburbs carrying away with them a great bootie and so retiring towards STRIGONIVM expected farther direction where to winter Where shortly after order was taken that the forces disbanded should be dispersed some into the garrisons and some into the countrey thereabout to the intent they might so be in the more readinesse with the first of the next Spring to take the field or as occasion should serue to be otherwise imploied But Sigismund the Transyluanian prince in the mean time repenting himselfe of the vnequall exchange he had made with the emperour in disguised apparell hasting in post out of SILESIA came to CLAVSENBVRG in TRANSYLVANIA and there joyfully receiued of his subjects and taking of them a new oath of obedience by messengers sent of purpose certified Maximilian the Archduke appointed by the emperour for the gouernment of TRANSYLVANIA and now vpon his way as farre CASSOVIA of the causes of his returne persuading him rather to conuert his forces against the Turkes for the recouerie of AGRIA than to trouble himselfe to come any farther for TRANSYLVANIA now againe by him to the great contentment of his subjects repossessed as did also the princesse his wife Maximilian his cousin german wishing him to consider what hurt and dishonour he should doe vnto the Emperour his majestie himselfe the Roman empire and the whole Christian common-weale in generall if in so dangerous a time hee should attempt any thing against the prince her husband and vnto him by her so neerely allied Now the Turkes great armie being come into the vpper HVNGARIE lay
with one consent affirming That albeit he should find no other difficulties in the attempting thereof yet the lake it selfe was not possible to be passed who neuerthelesse not altogether trusting them sent certaine of his men secretly to trie the matter who hauing so done brought him word That the lake was vndoubtedly though with much difficultie to be passed Whereupon he with a thousand select souldiours with euery one of them a good faggot on his backe beside his armes to fill vp the deepest of the marish by night entered the same wherein he had not gone farre but that he almost 〈◊〉 the danger of his life found it much deeper and more troublesome than the spies had vnto him before reported but caried with an inuincible courage himselfe and his souldiors moued by his example he still went on they also following of him It is almost a thing incredible to tell what these aduenturous men endured plunged in the deepe mud amongst the flags and bulrushes going still vp in water and mud vnto the wast euen where the marish was the shallowest where also if one missed but a step he was by and by ouer head and eares and in danger to be drowned if he were not by his fellowes presently holpen yet at length by God his helpe hauing with the losse but of six or seauen men a little before day got ouer the duke by an appointed signe aduertised thereof with greater stirre and tumult than at any time before assailed that side of the citie where he lay as if euen then and there he had onely meant to haue engaged his whole forces for the winning thereof When in the meane time the lord Russwurm on the other side with his resolute souldiours with ladders prouided for the purpose scaled the wals of the suburbe and almost vnperceiued recouered the top thereof the Turkes being at the same time wholly bent for the defence of the other side of the citie where most stirre and apparent danger was and so being got into the suburbes with a great and terrible crie assailed the Turkes who surprised with an exceeding feare and not well knowing which way to turne themselues without any great resistance fled into the citie the Christians following them at the heeles and making of them a great slaughter In which so great a confusion euen where was least feared the duke by other his souldiors tooke the rest of the suburbes as he had before determined the Turkes there also for feare forsaking them and retiring with all the hast they could vnto their fellowes in the citie there to liue or die together The Christians in these suburbes beside much other rich prey tooke also foureteene great pieces of artillerie with good store of shot and pouder The suburbes the greatest strength of the citie thus happily taken the duke againe summoned the citie requiring to haue it deliuered vnto him whereunto the Turkes gaue no other answere but by their pieces which they discharged vpon the Christians so persuading them to yeeld Wherewith the duke much displeased sent them word That he would send them other manner of messengers to morrow and by Gods helpe sup with them in the citie although he were not vnto them welcome Neither failed hee of that his promise for the next day hauing out of the suburbes by the furie of his artillerie made two faire breaches into the citie he by the ruines thereof with great slaughter of the enemie entered the citie albeit that the Turkes did what they might to haue defended the same by casting downe vpon the Christians as they entered darts wild fire and such like things vsually prouided for such purpose But seeing now no remedie but that they must needs giue place vnto the fortune of their enemies they fled amaine into their houses there to defend themselues or els to die many of which houses they had before of purpose so vndermined as that they could easily ouerthrow them and so ouerwhelme as many as should come within the danger of them which so strange a resolution was by many of them as desperatly performed insomuch that the goodly church the pallace with many other sumptuous buildings were left vnto the Christians all rent and torne not much better than rude heapes of rubbidge and stones Howbeit the Bassa vpon promise of life yeelded himselfe and was by the duke presently sent vnto the campe the rest of the souldiors being as in such case it commonly happeneth all or most of them put to the sword The greatest part of the prey fell vnto the Wallons who by heapes breaking into the richest houses not onely tooke what themselues light vpon but stript the Germans also of such things as they had by chance gotten to their great heart-burning and griefe yea these rauenous and irreligious men not so contented opened the tombes of the Hungarian kings there long before buried to spoile euen the dead of such things as had for honours sake beene long before enterred with them if happily any such thing were there to be found shewing themselues therein more barbarous than the Turks who by the space of threescore yeares hauing had the citie in their possession had yet spared those reuerend monuments and suffered the reliques of those worthie princes to rest in peace Of this taking of ALBA REGALIS the Bassa of BVDA long before taken prisoner and then lying at VIENNA hearing abstained from meat with his two seruants a whole day prostrate vpon his face praying vnto his prophet Mahomet who had as he said all this yeare ben angrie with the Turks Which had the siege of CANISIA taken the like effect had then vndoubtedly been vnto them most vnfortunat but God in his wisdome still tempereth the sweet with the soure Now in the meane while was Assan the Visier Bassa and Generall of the Turkes armie with such souldiors as were alreadie assembled at BELGRADE comming t◠haue relieued ALBA REGALIS and albeit that he vnderstood by the way as he marched that the citie was by the Christians woon yet held he on his entended journey and so taking with him the Bassa of BVDA with the other Sanzackes and commaunders of the townes and castles thereabout had formed an armie of about threescore thousand strong but for most part raw and vnexpert souldiours with which power he still held on his way towards ALBA REGALIS as well thereby to giue some contentment vnto the angrie Sultan his master as in hope also to ouerthrow the Christian armie or at leastwise to find the citie as yet vnrepaired and so to regaine it But vaine was that his designement especially for the recouerie of the citie for that the duke had no sooner taken it but that he forthwith caused the breaches to be repaired and for the more assurance of it put into it a strong garrison of old expert souldiours and being himselfe about twentie thousand strong and hearing of the Bassaes comming set forward to meet him and
trouble them in the castle and the vpper citie of BVDA Which their entended exploit they happily attempted and brought to passe in this sort The citie of PESTH standing right ouer against BVDA is as we haue oftentimes beforesaid deuided from the same with the great and swift riuer of Danubius ouer which the Turkes vpon boats had with great labour and cost of late built a most easie and commodious bridge for passage or carriage of things from the one citie to the other this bridge the Imperials thought necessarie first to breake the more easily to besiege either the one or other citie and for that purpose had by a strange deuice built a ship which by the force of the streame carried downe the riuer and resting vpon the bridge should by a wonderfull power breake the same Which ship the Turks seeing comming downe the riuer with the rest of the fleet after her they ran by heapes especially out of the Water citie to the bridge for the defence thereof where whilest they were thus busied Countie Sultze on the other side by land with a Petarde blew vp one of the gates of the citie and so entering and killing all such as he light vpon came vnlooked for vpon the backes of the Turkes at the bridge of whom some he slew some he draue into the riuer who there perished the rest in number not many by speedie flight retiring themselues into the citie whereupon he had now brought such a generall feare that they all as well the souldiors as the citisens with the Christians at their heeles with as much hast as they could tooke their refuge into the vpper citie of BVDA much stronger and better fortified than was the lower citie At which time the bridge was by them vpon the riuer broken also so that now the one citie could no more thereby relieue the other as before The Water citie thus woon and the bridge broken the next was for the Imperials to besiege either the one or the other citie But for that they of PESTH might with their great ordinance much annoy them in the besieging of the castle and the vpper citie of BVDA they thought best to begin with it first which they did in much like sort as they had before done at the lower citie of BVDA the same deuice againe well prospering in their hand For the lord Russworm with the fleet vpon the riuer making a great shew as if hee would euen presently on that side haue entered had with the stirre by him raised drawne downe most part of the garrison souldiors vnto that side of the citie where most shew of danger was whilest in the meane while Countie Sultze with the gouernour of ALTHEM before vndiscouered vpon the sudden by land scaled the other side of the citie and gained the wals the Turkes yet dreaming of no such matter But hereupon began a great outcrie the Turkes standing as men astonied especially now feeling the Christians weapons in their bodies before they knew they were got into the citie In this so great an amasement such of them as could fled into the strongest towers the rest hid themselues in cellars and other the most secret corners they could find out of which they were afterwards by the Christians drawne and slaine They which were retired also into the towers and other stronger places of the citie seeing the great ordinance in euery place bent vpon them and now out of all hope of reliefe offered to yeeld requesting onely that they might with their wiues and children with life depart promising for that fauour so shewed them to persuade them of BVDA also in like manner to yeeld Vpon which promise that their poore request was graunted and the lord Nadasti with certaine other captaines sent with some of these citisens of PESTH with their wiues and children to BVDA who comming thither according to their promise most earnestly requested them of BVDA to yeeld for that they were not now to expect any further helpe and that by their foolish obstinacie they should bee the cause of the death of them their friends their wiues and children Vnto whom also to mooue them the more the lord Nadasti promised in the name of the Generall That they should all excepting some few of their chiefe commaunders in safetie depart howbeit they of BVDA would not hearken thereunto but stood still vpon their guard In this citie of PESTH well inhabited with Turkish marchants the Christians found great store of wealth which all became a prey vnto the souldiors with a thousand horses for seruice many great pieces of artillerie and much other warlike prouision PESTH thus woon and a strong garrison left therein they returned againe ouer the riuer to besiege the castle and vpper citie of BVDA which they attempted by vndermining the same as also by batterie hauing placed some of their great ordinance so high that they could at their pleasure shoot into the middest of the streets of the citie wherewith they much troubled the Turkes not a little before discouraged with the losse of PESTH thundering also at the same time with their other batteries in diuers places at the wals both of the castle and of the citie Where vnderstanding that the Turkes garrisons of the frontier townes and castles thereabouts hearing of the siege were comming to the reliefe of their distressed friends they sent out their horsemen with some part of their footmen against them who meeting with them gaue them a great ouerthrow and so with victorie returned againe vnto the rest of the armie lying at the siege being still in hope either by force or composition to become masters of the citie But whilest they lay in this hope and hauing the twelfth of October brought their approaches neerer vnto the wals had there planted certaine notable pieces of batterie with purpose the next day with all their power to haue assaulted the citie behold the Visier Bassa hearing by the way as he was going to BELGRADE and so to CONSTANTINOPLE that PESTH was woon and BVDA besieged changing his mind returned in hast with such forces as hee had yet left and so vnlooked for came and sat downe before PESTH being not then aboue fiue and twentie thousand strong but those all or for the most part old and expert souldiors But whilest the Bassa thus lay at the siege of PESTH on the one side of the riuer and the Imperials at the siege of BVDA on the other diuers braue attempts were in both places giuen both on the one side and the other The Christians besieged by the Turkes in PESTH hauing amongst them diuers braue captaines and desirous of honour one day vnder their conduct sallied out of the citie to skirmish with the Turkes and comming with them to the sword by plaine valour disordered them and enforced them to flie and so allured with the sweetnesse of the victorie pursued them euen to their trenches from whence a great squadron of the
Turks horsemen and harquebusiers at the same instant issuing out and with their multitude ouercharging the Imperials constrained them of force to retire in which retreat Countie Maximilian Martinengo one of these aduenturers doing what hee might both with his valour and direction to haue stayed the disordered retreat of the Christians was with many others slaine wherewith the rest discouraged tooke their refuge towards the citie Which they of the garrison beholding sent out certaine companies to relieue them by whose comming out the furie of the Turkes was not onely repressed but they also euen vnto their trenches againe repulsed Shortly after which hot skirmishes the lord Russworm with the other Christian captaines on the other side of the riuer hauing with continuall batterie made such a breach into the castle as that the same seemed to be now saultable in good order came on with certaine companies of their footmen appointed for that seruice and so couragiously assailed the breach where the Turkes who before had expected this assault hauing in best sort they could repaired the breach and on both sides thereof placed diuers murthering pieces with great store of dangerous fire-workes at such time as the first companies of the Christians sought couragiously to haue entered the breach ouerwhelmed them with that deadly fire and so rent them with their murthering shot that they no faster entered but that they were forthwith cut off and slaine with the sight whereof they which were appointed to second them nothing discouraged but seeking desperatly to haue entered and with the taking of the castle and slaughter of the Turkes to haue required the death of their fellowes were themselues in like sort welcommed So that now a thousand of them being lost the captaines considering how much the losse of so many braue souldiors concerned the whole enterprise taken in hand and that the breach could not be gained without the losse of the greatest part of them they caused a retreat to be sounded and so the assault for that time to be giuen ouer But long it was not that the Visier Bassa thus retired as aforesaid had lien before PESTH but that by reason of his so sudden returne great wants began to arise in his campe his souldiors for want of food being glad to eat their dead horses a pound of bread being sold for two Hungarian duckats and a bushell of oates for fiue and yet hardly so to bee gotten which wants in that so wasted a countrey still more and more encreasing and many of his souldiours secretly stealing away from him he had much adoe by all the meanes he could vse to persuade them there to stay eight dayes longer Which time expired and nothing more done than some few weake attempts giuen and some light skirmishes made rather for fashions sake than for any hope of preuailing and the want of all things still encreasing he with the rest of the commaunders fearing some sudden mischiefe to bee done them by the hungrie and discontented souldiours the second of Nouember causing his baggage to bee trussed vp in the dead time of the darke and silent night rise with his armie and so in hast retired directly to BELGRADE leauing behind him in his campe three hundred dead horses not yet eaten by his hunger-starued souldiors Immediately after whose departure the lord Nadasti and some other of the commaunders in the armie with fiue thousand souldiors and certaine great pieces of artillerie some by land some by water went downe alongst the riuer to ADOM a faire well built towne vpon the banke of Danubius about foure Hungarian miles from BVDA and seruing as it were for a store-house for the garrison there which towne Nadasti summoned by his Hussars sent before requiring to haue it deliuered vnto him Which they of the towne at the first refused to doe but afterwards seeing a farre greater power come prouided of great ordinance and all things els requisit for a siege they with the sight thereof discouraged without more adoe offered to yeeld the towne so that they might with bag and baggage in safetie depart which they did the Christians conducting them as farre as FELDVVAR which castle was also at the first summons by the persuasion of them of ADOM deliuered vnto them for they of the castle by them enformed of the great strength of the Christians and of the store of great ordinance they had brought with them and that they staied therewith but fast by were easily persuaded to hearken to their friends and so yeelded Which done the free Haiduckes the same night surprised also the castle of Pax from whence the Christians still marching on alongst the riuer tooke in also the citie of TOLNA But whilest Nadasti with the rest were thus busied in taking these castles and townes alongst the South side of Danubius they in the campe at BVDA were aduertised of the new designes of the Turkes lieutenants and captaines thereabouts for the reliefe of the besieged as that the Bassa of BOSNA with the Gouernours of CANISIA SIGETH and others had assembled an armie of thirtie thousand for the raising of the siege Wherefore the Christians doubting as they lay at the siege dispersed to be by them oppressed leauing their tents in their trenches gathered themselues together into the Water citie which the Turkes out of the vpper citie quickly perceiuing as feeling themselues now at some more libertie presently sallying out tooke both the trenches and the tents so left with no small slaughter of such as were left for the keeping of them and so possessed of the trenches and tents held them by the space of two houres vntill they were by strong hand by the Christians beaten out and so with some losse enforced againe to retire into the citie The lord Nadasti also with the rest that had taken the aforesaid castles and townes vpon the side of Danubius making a rode towards ALBA REGALIS in their returne within a mile of BVDA light vpon a thousand Turkes there gathered together most part of whom they slew and hauing put the rest to flight tooke some fiftie of them prisoners At which time also another of the Imperiall colonels meeting with certaine other companies of the Turkes comming to the reliefe of the besieged not farre from BVDA slew most part of them tooke an hundred and threescore of them prisoners with a number of horses and much other rich bootie all which he brought into the campe Neither were they at the siege in the meane time idle their great artillerie still thundering against the wals both of the castle and the citie so that by the furie of the cannon hauing beaten downe a strong towne next vnto the Danubius not farre from the kings stable they were a little before night about to haue there entered when suddenly such a tempest of wind and raine arise as that they could not possibly vse their pieces or well any other weapon so that the heauens as it were then fighting for the
their vsuall manner of dealing with their emperours in that declining state of the empire as well appeared in the time of the emperor Baldwin who for lacke of monie was glad first to sell away many of the goodly ornaments of the citie and afterwards to pawne his own sonne vnto the Venetian marchants for monie to maintaine his state as is in the former part of this Historie declared But to returne againe to the course of our Historie The emperour certainely aduertised of the enemies purpose for the generall assault shortly to be giuen first commended the defence of himselfe and the citie vnto the protection of the almightie by generall fasting and prayer and afterwards appointed euerie captaine and commaunder to some certaine place of the wall for defence thereof which was done by the direction of Io. Iustinianus his Generall in whose valor the Constantinopolitans had reposed their greatest hope But the cittie being on euerie side now beset with the Turkes great armie and the defendants in number but few for so great a citie in compasse eight miles the wals could not but slenderly in many places be manned and especially on both sides toward the sea where indeed least danger was The greatest strength and best souldiours were placed for defence of the vtter wall where the breach was and the assault expected by land Iustinianus the Generall himselfe with three hundred Genowayes well armed and certaine chosen Greekes vndertooke the defence of that part of the battered wall neere vnto the Romane gate where the fall of the tower BACTATINA had filled the ditch as is aforesaid against which place Mahomet himselfe lay encamped with his Ianizaries and best men of warre Neere vnto Iustinianus lay the emperor himselfe for defence of another part of the wall and so other captaines orderly with their companies all alongst the vtter wall And because the defendants should haue no hope to saue their liues more than their owne valour the emperour caused all the gates of the inner wall to be fast shut vp And in this sort they lay all the night expecting continually when the assault should bee giuen all which time they might heare great hurly burly and noise in the Turks campe as they were putting things in readinesse for the assault A little before day the Turks approached the walles and begun the assault where shot and stones were deliuered vpon them from the wals as thicke as haile whereof little fell in vaine by reason of the multitude of the Turkes who pressing fast vnto the wals could not see in the darke how to defend themselues but were without number wounded or slaine but these were of the common and worst souldiours of whom the Turkish king made no more reckoning than to abate the first force of the defendants Vpon the first appearance of the day Mahomet gaue the signe appointed for the generall assault wherupon the citie was in a moment and at one instant on euerie side most furiously assaulted by the Turks for Mahomet the more to distresse the defendants and the better to see the forwardnesse of the souldiours had before appointed which part of the cittie euerie colonell with his regiment should assaile Which they valiantly performed deliuering their arrowes and shot vpon the defendants so thicke that the light of the day was therwith darkened others in the mean time couragiously mounting the scaling ladders and comming euen to handie stroakes with the defendants vpon the wall where the formost were for most part violently borne forward by them which followed after On the other side the Christians with no lesse courage withstood the Turkish furie beating them downe againe with great stones and waightie peeces of timber and so ouerwhelmed them with shot darts and arrowes and other hurtfull and deadly deuises from aboue that the Turkes dismaied with the terrour thereof were readie to retire Mahomet seeing the great slaughter and discomfiture of his men sent in fresh supplies of his Ianizaâ—ies and best men of warre whom hee had for that purpose reserued as his last hope and refuge by whose comming on his fainting souldiours were againe encouraged and the terrible assault begun afresh At which time the barbarous king ceased not to vse all possible meanes to maintain the assault by name calling vpon this and that captain promising vnto some whom he saw forward golden mountaines and vnto others in whom he saw any signe of cowardise threatning most terrible death by which meanes the assault became most dreadfull death there raging in the middest of many thousands And albeit that the Turkes lay dead by heapes vpon the ground yet other fresh men pressed on still in their places ouer their dead bodies and with diuers euent either slew or were slaine by their enemies In this so terrible a conflict it chanced Iustinianus the Generall to bee wounded in the arme who losing much blood cowardly withdrew himselfe from the place of his charge not leaâ—ing any to supplie his roome and so got into the cittie by the gate called ROMANA which hee had caused to be opened in the inner wall pretending the cause of his departure to be for the binding vp of his wound but being indeed a man now altogether discouraged The souldiors there present dismayed with the departure of their Generall and sore charged by the Ianizaries forsooke their stations and in hast fled to the same gate whereby Iustinianus was entered with the sight whereof the other souldiors dismayed ran thither by heapes also But whilest they violently striue all together to get in at once they so wedged one another in the entrance of the gate that few of so great a multitude got in in which so great a presse and confusion of minds eight hundred persons were there by them that followed troden vnderfoot or thrust to death The emperor himselfe for safegard of his life flying with the rest in that presse as a man not regarded miserably ended his dayes together with the Greeke empire His dead bodie was shortly after found by the Turkes amongst the slaine and knowne by his rich apparrell whose head being cut off was forthwith presented to the Turkish tyrant by whose commaundement it was afterward thrust vpon the point of a launce and in great derision caried about as a trophee of his victorie first in the campe and afterwards vp and downe the citie The Turkes encouraged with the flight of the Christians presently aduanced their ensignes vpon the top of the vttermost wall crying victorie and by the breach entred as if it had been a great floud which hauing once found a breach in the banke ouerfloweth and beareth downe all before it so the Turkes when they had woon the vtter wall entred the citie by the same gate that was opened for Iustinianus by a breach which they had before made with their great artillerie and without mercie cutting in pieces all that came in their way without further resistance became lords of that
most famous and imperiall citie Some few there were of the Christians who preferring death before the Turkish slauerie with their swords in their hands sold their liues decre vnto their enemies amongst whom the two brethren Paulus and Troâ—lus Bochiardi Italilians with Theophilus Palaeologus a Greeke and Ioannus Stiaâ—us a Dalmatian for their great valour and courage deserue to be had in eternall remembrance Who after they had like lyons made slaughter of their enemies died in the midst of them embrued with their bloud rather oppressed by multitude than by true valour ouercome In this furie of the Barbarians perished many thousands of men women and children without respect of age sex or condition Many for safegard of their liues fled into the Temple of SOPHIA where they were all without pittie slaine except some few reserued by the barbarous victors to purposes more grieuous than death it selfe The rich and beautifull ornaments and jewels of that most sumptuous and magnificent Church the stately building of Iustinianus the emperour were in the turning of a hand pluckt downe and carried away by the Turkes and the Church it selfe built for God to be honored in for the present conuerted into a stable for their horses or a place for the execution of their abhominable and vnspeakable filthinesse the Image of the crucifix was also by them taken downe and a Turks cap put vpon the head thereof and so set vp and shot at with their arrowes and afterwards in great derision carried about in their campe as it had been in procession with drums playing before it railing and spitting at it and calling it the god of the Christians Which I note not so much done in contempt of the image as in the despite of Christ and the Christian religion But whilest some were thus spoyling of the churches others were as busie in ransacking of priuat houses where the miserable Christians were enforced to endure in their persons whatsoeuer pleased the insolent victors vnto whom all things were now lawfull that stood with their lust euerie common souldiour hauing power of life and death at his pleasure to spare or spill At which time riches were no better than pouertie and beautie worse than deformitie What tongue were able to expresse the miserie of that time or the prowd insolencie of those barbarous conquerors whereof so many thousands euerie man with greedinesse fitted his owne vnreasonable desire all which the poore Christians were enforced to endure But to speake of the hidden treasure money plate jewels and other riches there found passeth credit the Turkes themselues wondred thereat and were therewith so enriched that it is a prouerb amongst them at this day if any of them grow suddenly rich to say He hath been at the sacking of CONSTANTINOPLE whereof if some reasonable part had in time been bestowed vpon defence of the cittie the Turkish king had not so easily taken both it and the cittie But euerie man was carefull how to encrease his owne priuat wealth few or none regarding the publike state vntill in fine euerie man with his priuat abundance was wrapped vp togither with his needie neighbour in the selfesame common miserie Yea the securitie of the Constantinopolitans was such that being alwaies enuironed with their mortall enemies yet had they no care of fortifying of so much as the inner wall of the citie which for beautie and strength was comparable with the wals of any citie in the world if it had been kept well repaired but suffered the officers which had the charge to see to the fortifying of the citie to conuert the greatest part of the money into their own purses as appeared by Manuel Giagerus a little before a verie poore man and likewise by Neophitus who then hauing that office to see vnto the fortification of the citie had in short time gathered togither seuentie thousand florens which became all a worthy prey vnto the greedie Turkes After that the barbarous common souldiour had thus by the space of three daies without controlment taken his pleasure in the citie as Mahomet had before promised and throughly ransackt euerie corner thereof they then returned into the campe with their rich spoils driuing the poore Christian captiues before them as if they had ben droues of cattell or flocks of sheepe a spectacle no lesse lamentable than was the sacking of the citie It would haue grieued any stonie heart to haue seene the noble gentlewomen and great ladies with their beautifull children and many other faire personages who lately flowed in all worldly wealth and pleasure to bee now become the poore and miserable bondslaues of most base and contemptible rascals who were so farre from shewing them any pittie as that they delighted in nothing more than to heape more and more miserie vpon them making no more reckoning of them than of dogs There might the parents see the wofull miserie of their beloued children and the children of the parents the husband might see the shamefull abuse of his wife and the wife of her husband and generally one friend of another and yet not able to mourne together the least part of heauie comfort being in the thraldome of diuers cruell masters by whom they were kept in sunder like in few dayes to be dispersed into diuers farre countries without hope that they should euer find release or one see another againe The souldiors being all retired into the campe Mahomet as a proud conquerour with great triumph entered into the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE then desolate and void of all Christian inhabitants and there after the manner of the Turkish kings made a sumptuous and royall feast vnto his Bassaes and other great captaines where after he had surcharged himselfe with excesse of meat and drinke he caused diuers of the cheefe Christian captiues both men and women of whom many were of the late emperours line and race to bee in his presence put to death as hee with his Turks sat banquetting deeming his feast much more stately by such effusion of Christian blood Which manner of exceeding crueltie he daily vsed vntill such time as he had destroyed all the Grecian nobilitie that was in his power with the cheefe of the late Constantinopolitan citizens At which time also diuers of the Venetian Senatours with Baiulus their Gouernor and many rich marchants of GENVA and other places of ITALIE were in like manner murthered so that of seuen and fortie Senatours of VENICE which were there taken whereof most part came thither by chaunce bound for other places but there vnluckily shut vp some few found the fauour with exceeding great ransomes to redeeme themselues Amongst these noblemen thus lamentably executed was one Lucas Leontares or Notaras coÌ„monly called Kyr-Lucas or lord Lucas but of late great chancellor of CONSTANTINOPLE a man of greatest account next vnto the emperour himselfe whom the Turkish tyrant seemed greatly to blame that hee being a man in so great credit with the late emperour persuaded him not
thousand men beside the slaughter of the ten thousand forragers although Tocomac to make his losse to seeme the more tollerable made report to the king of a greater slaughter made The Persian captaines full of sorrow for this vnexpected ouerthrow with the licence of their Generall departed euerie man to his seuerall gouernment as Emanguli Chan to GENGE Serap Chan to NASSIVAN Tocomac himselfe to REIVAN and all the rest to other cities to the gouernment whereof they were before by the king appointed and so remained expecting his farther pleasure from CASBIN Mustapha was now come to the riuer of Canac which he was to passe ouer into SIRVAN and therefore made straight proclamation through his whole armie That euerie man should be in readinesse against the next day to passe the riuer At which proclamation all his people suddenly arose in a tumult and with injurious tearmes euen to his face reproued his folly and inhumanitie propounding vtter danger vnto himselfe and an vniuersall conâ—usion vnto the whole armie and therfore praied him to surcease from proceeding any farther vnlesse he were minded to cast them all away But his resolute mind was not by their threats or entreaties to be remoued neither gaue he them other answere than this That so had Amurath commaunded and that if all the rest should shew themselues vnwilling to obey their Soueraigne hee himselfe would not nor could not but would be the first man to attempt and performe that which they all so abhorred and reproued Valiant souldiors he said were discouered and knowne not in idlenesse and ease but in great paines taking and difficult enterprises who neuer ought to be afraid to change this momentarie life for euerlasting honour or to shun death if the seruice of their prince so required And for mine owne part said he I most earnestly request you that after I haue attempted the passage of the riuer if any thing happen vnto me otherwise than well yet carrie my dead bodie to the other side of the riuer to the end that if I cannot whilest I yet liue execute the commaundement of my soueraigne I may yet at least performe the same when I am but a speechlesse and liuelesse carkasse for as much as the desire of my lord is not in any sort to be frustrated for making too great account of mine owne life Diuers and sundrie murmurings and whisperings followed vpon this speech of the Generall who notwithstanding the next morning did first of all wade ouer the deepe and swift riuer himselfe after whom presently followed the Bassaes with all their slaues by whose example the rest also were induced at last to doe the like and so continued vntill the darknesse of the night interrupted their passage by which occasion more than halfe the armie could not then get ouer In this passage being with great tumult and disorder attempted it came to passe that about eight thousand persons carried away with the violence of the riuer were miserably drowned with the great outcrie of all the hoast The like happened also to many mules camels and sumpter horses vpon whose backes diuers persons being mounted in hope to haue passed drie ouer the riuer were likewise headlong ouerwhelmed therein With great complaints and blasphemous cursings was the whole night spent by them that were yet on this side the riuer whose feares were not a little increased by the example of their vnfortunate fellowes before drowned And like enough it was some pestilent sedition to haue ensued thereupon had there not a shallow foord by great chance been discouered which gaue safe passage to those that were left For in the passage which the people made that followed Mustapha the grauell of the bottome of the riuer being raised and remoued by the heauie hooues of the cattell was driuen downe the riuer to a place where by great good hap there was also a foord and there gathered togither in an heape had in such sort raised the depth of the channell that it made as it were a shelfe for their commodious passage so that the remnant of the armie carriages and artillerie passing ouer the same there was not so much as one man that perished So hauing with much difficultie at last got ouer the riuer of Canac they rested themselues that day and the next and there staied vntill the whole armie was mustered and againe put in order Remouing thence the day following they encamped in certaine barren Champaines where was neither corne nor cattell neither could they perceiue or learne that in those quarters were any villages at all By meanes whereof the hunger of their beasts increasing they were enforced to giue their horses and mules leaues and stalkes of verie drie and withered reeds and such other like things of little or no sustenance at all and the men themselues were faine to satisfie their hunger with those vttermost reliques which they were faine to picke out of such poore victuals as now by corruption were become loathsome to mans nature and that which worse was they saw no end of these miseries they were so entred into Notwithstanding there was now no looking backe but needs on they must and follow the fortune of their leaders among whom Mustapha before all the rest set forward on his determined journey He had not long marched but there was discouered good store of sundrie plants and shortly after a verie large plaine countrey all greene and flourishing and garnished with many trees by the onely sight whereof euerie man was refreshed with the hope of reliefe and with more than ordinarie paces hasted vntill they were entered into those Champaines abounding with all kind of corne and fruits that could be of an hungrie man desired In this place did euerie man satisfie his appetite and forgot in part the forepassed calamities Through this fruitfull and pleasant countrey Mustapha leading his armie at last ariued at ERE 's the chiefe citie in that coast of SIRVAN as you trauell from GEORGIA This citie of ERE 's was forsaken of a number of her inhabitants as soone as it was knowne that the Turkes were come to Canac who all followed their Gouernour Samir Chan who with Ares Chan Gouernour of SVMACHIA and other the Gouernours of SECHI and other places of SIRVAN forsooke the cities and altogither withdrew themselues into the mountains as places of more suretie attending the euent of these so great motions So that as the Turkes entred the citie vndisturbed so were they with the prey they found therein nothing enriched for that in this common danger euerie man had carried away with him the best things he had Here staied Mustapha two and twentie daies during which time he erected a fortresse in the said citie whereupon he placed two hundred small pieces of artillerie and for the keeping thereof appointed Caitas Bassa with a garrison of fiue thousand souldiours In the meane time also he commaunded Osman Bassa one of the voluntarie captaines with ten thousand men
to possesse SVMACHIA sometime the Metropoliticall citie of that prouince with the title of Visier and Gouernour Generall of SIRVAN Giuing him farther in charge that in any case he should cleare the passage to DERBENT and giue present aduertisements to the Tartarians of his arriuall there whom he supposed by that time to be come into those quarters for that they had before so faithfully promised to Amurath Osman comming to SVMACHIA presently seazed vpon the citie and was friendly entertained of those that remained there whom he likewise courteously entreated without doing or suffering any outrage to be done vpon them Of which his courteous vsage they of DERBENT vnderstanding sent presently to offer their citie vnto him beseeching him to receiue them into his protection and to defend them from the Persians vnder whom although they had long liued in subjection yet differed they from them in the ceremonies of their Mahometane superstition wherein they better agreed with the Turkes Mustapha hauing thus brought the countrey of SIRVAN into the Turkish subjection and finished his fortresse at ERE 's and put all things in such order as he thought best importuned by the Ianizaries and the people of GRaeCIA and somewhat enforced by the season of the yeare which was now farre spent departed from ERE 's and turned his course homeward toward the countrey of Alexander surnamed the Great as he had promised in his late passage into SIRVA And hauing trauelled a long journey he sent before him certaine engines and pioners to make a bridge ouer Canac so without danger to passe ouer his armie Hauing passed the riuer he gaue notice to Sahamall one of the lords of GEORGIA of his arriuall who presently came and yeelded himselfe as vassall to the Turkes and being entertained of the Bassa with great pompe and rewarded after the Turkish manner tooke his leaue and so returned into his mountaine of BRVS Mustapha setting againe forward and trauelling by night because he would not lose the opportunitie of the faire weather by the errour of his guides lost his way and so fell into rough and difficult passages whereby he was enforced to stay and wait for day light which arising did manifest vnto them that they were now entred into the countries of his friend Alexander And therefore he gaue forthwith proclamation through all his armie That no man vpon paine of death should be so hardie as to molest or disquiet any of the subjects of Alexander but to haue good respect vnto them and to entreat them with all courtesie The day following he still trauelled on in the same countrey when there arriued from ZAGHEN certaine embassadours of Alexanders with great aboundance of cattell corne fruits and other reliefe sent for a present to the Generall with a solemne excuse that he came not himselfe because the infirmitie of his bodie would not suffer him Wherewithall Mustapha rested satisfied and leauing the citie of ZAGHEN on the right hand caused the messengers of Alexander to guide him the way to TEFLIS which they so directly did that within the space of three daies they conducted him thither with his armie without the feeling of any annoiance from whence they returned being well rewarded for their paines by the Generall Who now come to TEFLIS found the garrison he had there left for the keeping thereof so hardly pinched with famine that they were glad to eat cats dogs sheepskins and such like vnwonted food for neither durst they for feare of the enemie go out of the castle to prouide for themselues nether if they had so done had it any thing auailed such was the carefulnesse of the enemie in keeping of his things but now by the comming of the Generall they were relieued with meat money and plentie of all things Hauing staied there two daies he put himselfe againe vpon his way and with fire and sword destroied whatsoeuer came in his way in the Champaines subject to the said citie onely the sepulchers of Simons progenitors lord of that countrey were left vntouched by the Turkes furie The next day they trauelled ouer rough and ragged mountains full of a thousand difficulties which were the more encreased by wonderfull great snowes that were fallen by reason whereof many souldiors horses camels and mules perished In which distresse the armie continued two daies during which time the souldiors were fallen into such a disorder that forgetting the feare of the enemies countrey wherein they were euerie man without regard tooke vp his seuerall lodging apart some here some there where they might find either some thicke bush or some small cottage or some quiet valley to shelter themselues in from the wind the snow and the stormes Of which disorder certaine Georgian lords vnderstanding by the scouts which from time to time waited vpon the Turkes armie joyned themselues together and in the night secretly approached vnto it expecting the opportunitie of performing some notable exploit and hauing obserued that Hosaine Bey had withdrawne himselfe with his regiment from the rest of the army vnder certaine mountaines to defend himselfe from the storme and wind they tooke the occasion presented and so assailing him slew his slaues and all his squadrons tooke a great bootie of many loads of money and apparell lead away with them all his horses and whatsoeuer else they could find and scarce gaue him leisure to saue himselfe by flying into the tents of Beyran Bassa The next morning the Turkes remoued and in the euening came to a castle called CHIVRCHALA where they staied a whole day to make prouision of victuall which was attempted by sending abroad many of their slaues into the fields conducted by them of the castle who were all miserably cut in pieces by the Georgians From this place the Turkes armie departed in great hunger ouer diuers rough places of the Georgians where they were faine oftentimes to rest themselues and at last came to the confines of Dedesmit of her called the widowes countrey In the entrance whereof they must needs passe through a narrow strait betweene certaine mountaines where the riuer Araxis windeth it selfe with a thousand turnings in the low vallies a dangerous place and so narrow that no more but one man alone could at once passe through it Betweene this strait and a verie thicke and hilly wood they lodged vpon the banke of the said riuer and from thence they remoued the next morning and trauelled ouer verie steep mountaines and rough forrests ouer yse and snow more harder than marble and ouer other hanging rocks in such miserable sort that many camels mules and horses tumbling downe headlong into the riuer there miserably perished Through these ruinous crags and diuers other miseries they marched all the next day and after that another day also as miserable to the armie as the former And so at last being sore afflicted with hunger spoiled of the enemie tormented with the hard season of the yeare and situation of the place they arriued