owne name Calataiub which is now called Calacaiud But he coulde not perfourme his purpose so fullye aboute the rest because there was diuers in sundrye partes of Spaine whiche vsurpyng the Kingdome were obstacles in his waye For whereas Corduba was the head Citie and Seats royall of all Spayne and the Captainshippes or gouernaunce of al the other Cities and Prouinces were distributed and bestowed vpon the noble men of the Countrey euery one imitating the fact of Abdeluzite called themselues Kinges of those places where their auctoritie and Iurisdiction laye Whereby Spayne was deuided into many Kingdomes as the Kingdome of Syuyle Granado Giaen Murtia Denia Sciatiua whiche was once called Setaba Valentia Tortosia Lerida Fraga Saragoza and mani other les places not of so great fame as these which Kinges so long as they agréed among themselues oftentimes afflicted Christendome with great ouerthrowes and oppressions but after that they fell at discord and intestine variaunce among themselues they gaue occasion to the Christians to recouer Spaine againe into their owne rightfull possession Which thing was first attempted as before we haue shewed by Pelagius who vsinge his valiauntnesse wisedome and myracles to his best commoditie and happelye takyng occasion by this dissention and discorde of his Enemies amonge themselues wanne agayne many cities and deliuered sundry townes out of the miserable thraldome of their tyrannie With hym did Alphonsus the sonne of Peter Duke of Calabria ioyne and take parte being descended of the ancient line of Richared King of Gothes vnto whome Pelagius gaue his Daughter Orismunda in mariage and they two atchiued many notable victories ouer the Miscreaunte Moores In the East after the discease of Aumar the Caliph Gizide the Sonne of Abdimelik succéeded and was installed in the pontificate in the yéere of our Lorde 722. In whose raigne there stepped vp an other Caliph and Gizid in Persia whose name was Moalabs Against whom was sent with a great army Masabnak who vanquished hym in battayle and subdued all Persia and thus Gizid the sonne of Abdimelick was the onely Caliph of all the Saracenes who raigned thrée yéeres and then died After whom his Sonne Euelide was created Caliph who entred the Romane Prouinces in Asia and Europa with a huge power but within a short while without perpetrating any notable exployte worthy of remembraunce he gaue hymselfe altogether to ydlenesse slouth and voluptuousnesse Notwithstanding in the seconde yéere of his Empire he sent Malsamas with an Hoast againe into Cappadocia who tooke the Citie Caesarea and Euelite he sent by an other way into Thracia who hauing wasted and spoyled it retourned into Syria About this time néere the Sea coastes of the lesse Asia the earth in the bottom of the sea burned in such sort that at the first there appeared nothynge but smoke but within awhile after such incredible store of hoat burning Pumise stones as though they had bene litle hilles in the Sea swam aboue water that with the same Pumyses al the shoares of lesse Asia Lesbos Abydos and Macedonia were full and the Sea it self semed all couered ouer a certaine Island at that time appeared and was discouered néere the holy Isle After this Euelide sent one Muauias and Amer with an Hoaste of .90000 Saracenes to besiege Nicaea a Citie of Bithynia which being most fiercely and strongly with all arte and pollicie by them assayled the Christians most valiauntly defending and beating them alwayes back with great slaughter and effusion of bloude at length they raised their Siege and returned home without any harme doing sauing that in their retourne they tooke a little Towne called Ateum Afterward the Prince of Gazaria sonne to Cagan king of Bulgaria warred vpon the Saracens in the borders of Armenia and Gradack the Pretor of Armenia Media a Saracene borne being in battaile vanquished and slaine he brought those two Prouinces againe vnder the subiection of the Romane Empire And in the yéere 730. Malsamas with a huige power entred into the Streightes of Caucasus and gaue battayle vnto the Turkes who at those dayes were called the Hunnes Teutazites which is to saie Gentile a fierre terrible people dwelling within those Mountaynes This blouddy battaile continued a whole day and many slaine on both sides till night came and brake of their fight vncertaine as yet to whether side the victorie woulde incline But Malsamas retired into Armenia for he had now concluded a peace with the sonne of King Cagan During all this while Pelagius hauing good successe in his Spanishe affaires against the Saracenes the Tarraconians liuing in the mountaines by the example of the Asturians created Garcias Scimenecius their King in the denne of Iean Pignia called Panouio And within a while after Pelagius when he had raigned .xiiij. yéeres dyed in the yéere of our Lord. 732. After whom his sonne Fafila succéeded who in the secōd yéere of his raigne was in a wodde deuoured of wilde Beares leauing no childrē behind him These kings appointed the chiefe Citie of their Kingdome at Legio which is now called Leon and bare in their Coate Armour a Lyon purple in a Shielde Argent Not because of the name of the citie where their Seate royall was whiche hath his name not of a Lyon but of a Legion of Souldiours whiche Cocceius Nerua placed there but because they fought so couragiously and eigrely for the sauegard and libertie of their countrey as though they had béene most fierce Lyons In the raigne of this Fafila the Saracenes passed into Fraunce by that part of the Pyrenees that was in their possession by the Mediterranean Sea. Fraunce was then possessed of the Frankes a people of Germanie who about 400. yéeres after the incarnation departing out of their natiue Countrey to séeke some other place where to plant thēselues had that part of high Bourgoyne next to Germanie geuen vnto them to inhabite by Aetius a Romane Senatour who then was Pretor of the Prouince of Gaule because he would haue some strong garrison and defence against the Hunnes who were then issued in great plumpes out of their owne Countrey and vnder the conduct of Attila spoyled and wasted Europa if they shoulde fortune to inuade Gaule which Realme is yet of their name called Fraunce For the Frankes were the warlikest stoutest people in all Germanie inhabiting as I thinke that region or portion thereof which is yet called Franconia or Frankland who afterward by little and little enlarging their dition obtained at length the regiment and Empire of all Fraunce in so muche that the name of the Frankes extended very farre But when the Franke or Frenche Kings addicted themselues to an ydle and voluptuous life and degenerated from the former stoutnes and valiaunce of their Progenitours not executing the administration of their affaires in their owne proper persons but exployted the same by vnder officers of their Court and Graund maisters of their Houshold Pipine the first of that name Sonne of Arnolph
all Arabie with many mo and conquered all the country as farre as Gabata At which successe of the Saracens the Emperour Heraclius greatly storming sent his Brother Theodorus with a great army against them Who encountring in a bloody battell with Homar was ouercome and fledto Emessa Heraclius hearing tydings of this heauy chaunce furnished out Baanes with a greater power against them who incamped himself nere Emessa Where the Saracens settinge vpon hym with great force and violence were by hym vanquished insomuch that they were fayne to trudge into the borders of Damasco and lodging their campe by the banke side of the riuer Bardanes made such outragious roades and incursions into the Countraye adioynynge that no man was hable to represse their furye nor withstand their invasion Wherefore Heraclius mistrustinge any good successe in the pursute of further warres and hauynge great diffidence in his owne power fearynge also his owne lyfe and safetie if hée should any longer stay within that Prouince and Countrey for hee was at that time in Hierusalem out of which since the League and composition made with Persia hee had not departed tooke awaye with hym all the precious Shrines and snmptuous Ornamentes of the Temple of Hierusalem least the barbarous Enemies should despoyle them and retourned agayne to Constantinople The next yéere the Saracenes layde siege to the Citie Damasco wherewith Baanes who defended the Citie with the sayd Emperours Garrisons being greatly moued desired Theodorus Sacellarius Lieutenaunt for the Emperours Maiestie in Assyria to come to ayde and assist hym Which hee making hast to doe was by the way surprised by the Saracenes and discomfited The Souldiers vnder Baanes not willing to serue vnder a Capitayne of small credit and countenaunce but rather desirous to haue a Gouernour of most high power and aucthorytie saluted hym their Emperour But they which came with Sacellarius and escaped the handes of the Saracenes in their laste bickeringe willynge to kéep their true allegiaunce to Heraclius departed thence and would not in any wyse consent to the depriuation and deposing of their lawful Prince and Emperour The number of Baanes his Souldiours was 4000. And Sacellarius had almoste as many The Saracenes hauing intelligence of this variance and deuision among the Romane Souldiers discamped from the place where they were lodged and set vppon them The bickering was sore on both sides for a while but the Wind blowyng ful in the faces of the Roman Host which in that drye and sandye Countrey raysed vp the dust they neither could sée their Enemies nor skantly fetch their breath Which oportunytie the Saracenes not neglectinge but takeyng the same to their most aduantage and commoditie put the Emperials to flyght in which chase they fléeinge through thicke and thinne by daungerous wayes and sleepe places did almost all perishe and were drowned in the Riuer Ermeta Which luckie victory so puffed vp the haultie mindes of the proude Saracenes that they aduaunced theyr Armye agaynste Damasco and wynnynge that Cittie subdued and brought al Phoenicia vnder their subiection Then they made preparation to goe into Egipte whiche hearynge the Romanes who were Lordes and possessours of that Prouince appoynted Cyrus Bysshoppe of Alexandria to be Chieuetayne who sendyng a solemne Ambassade to the Saracenes for peace obtayned it vppon condition that he should pay vnto them yéerely a Tribute of .200000 Crounes And so for the space of thrée yéeres they were quiet and receiued no kind of molestation at their handes But the Emperour Heraclius vnderstandyng this geare and thinkyng this composition greatly sounded to his dishonour sent for Cyrus home agayne to Constantinople and in his stéede made Emanuel an Armenian ruler ouer EGYPT who flatlye and playnelye denyed the payment of anye money before by Cyrus promysed to the Saracenes Wherefore in great displeasure they inuaded Egipt with a buyge power and Emanuel with a small compaignie for his sauetie wente to Alexandria But Heraclius to late now and to hys coste beynge taught that promyse and faith oughte to be kepte and perfourmed euen to the Enemies when hée well sawe that hée had not strength ynough to match in battayle against such mighty foes sent Cyrus agayne to the common supplications should bée made during the whole moneth of September and after the same ended the whole volume of Mahomet hys lawe shoulde be openly redde to the people He was tall of stature broune coloured balde headed thinne bearded and the same som what enclining to whitenes and was buryed néere to Mahomet But before he dyed feeling himselfe so sore wounded that he despaired of recouerie he appoynted for his Successour Ozmen who also had béen a great furtherer and fauourer to Mahomet in all matters and had twyse beene his Sonne in Lawe For he maryed his two daughters which both deceassed wythout children in the life time of Mahomet which dignitie he chiefely attained through giftes and briberie For receyuing at the handes of Homars Treasurer all hys money and goodes hée frankely distributed bothe it and all that hée himselfe had lefte vnto him by his Parentes among his Souldiours Ozmen therefore béeyng inuested the thyrde Bishop after Mahomet sente the nexte yéere following a huyge armye vnder the conducte of Hucba into Affrica agaynst the Lorde Gregorie chiefe and supreme gouernour of all that Prouince He béeyng ouercome in battayle and Carthage also subuerted he vnyted all that Prouince to hys other Saracenicall Dominions But fearyng to bée surprised and taken nappyng wyth some sodayne Alarum out of Europa if they shoulde lye long in Carthage they dislodged thence and remooued to Tunice a Citie standing within the Baye of Golet and there rousting themselues for a season greatly enlarged the same But afterwarde receyuing a commaundement from Ozmen that they shoulde not dwell in any Port towne or other places vppon the Sea Coaste because he had taken suche agréement and order wyth the Emperour they departed sixe and thirtie myles from the Sea and aboute a hundreth from Tunice where they buylded themselues a Citie called Cairoan After this in the thirde yéere of thys mans raygne Muauias who was wée shewed before was Lieutenant of Egypte wyth a Nauie of a thousande and seauen hundreth or as some saye wyth seauen hundreth Shippes onely arryued in Cypres and takyng by force the noble Citie Constantia spoyled the whole Islande But béeyng certefyed that Carcozir one of the Emperour Constans hys Capitaynes was commyng agaynst hym with a greate fléete for feare of further harme he departed thence and planted hys Siege before another Citie in the same Islande named Aradum where he nothynge preuayled Séeynge therefore hys purpose to quayle hée broughte backe hys Hoaste to Winter in Damasco In the meane whyle Ozmen caused the odde papers and Schedules of Mahomet before by Homars procurement collected together to bée brought into a better order and to bée deuided into Chapters makyng of them a Booke whiche is called the Alcorane wherin all the opinions and Institutions
desire of eas◠openly protested himselfe to be a Prophete practised tyrannie therin and of the line of this Mutar the Kinges of Persia which at this day are called Sophi are descēded Iezid his Poesie was DEVS EST MEVS DOMINVS He raigned thrée yéeres and dyed at Arrane being of the age of fortie yéeres when the Citizens of Cufa had called home Hocem the Sonne of Ali entending to create hym Byshoppe but Abdalam the Sonne of Iezid in the fieldes of Carball néere Cufa treacherously lying in waite slue him and there was he buried In remembrāce of which thing there was at his graue and Sepulchre afterwarde builded a Citie called Carbala called so of the name of the field wherin the fact was done Hocem lefte twelue Sonnes behind him when he dyed that is to say Zeinal Abadine Zeinal Muamedes Baguer Muamedes Giafar Cadeneg Giafar Musa Cazine Musa Hali Muceratius Alle Muamedes Taguin Muamedes Halinaguin Alle Haceme Asquerine Haceme Muamedes Mahadine which were in diuers places buryed that is to wit some néere to their great Graundfathers father Mahomet some at Bagadat some at Herine but as for Muamedes Mahadine the Persians do affirme not to bée yet dead do hold opinion that he shall come mounted on horsebacke to declare and shewe the law to all Nations and shall conuert all people and that all this shall first begin in the citie of Massadale where the body of his graūdfather Ali lyeth buried And therfore they haue alwayes in that citie a horse ready to receiue him whom after the ende of their praiers and orisons they lead with Torche light to the Church and vpō one certaine day which is among them kept most festiuall and solemne they bryng thys horse to the Temple where Ali is buryed wyth as muche pompe as maye bee beseechyng and making petition vnto the same Ali that he would as spéedily as may bée send vnto them this his Nephew whom they looke for Vnto the which feast there is resort of people from di together with the opinion that was conceiued of hym and his Sect so incensed and swelled his ambitious mind that he first of all others tooke vpon hym the name of a Miralmumine which worde in the Arabian language signifieth the Prince of all beléeuers which name afterwards our Historiographers depraued corruptly called Miramuline He also builded the large and most e noble citie of Marocco néere to the foote of Mounte Atlas and appointed it to be the chiefe Keye and Metropolytane Citie of all his Kingdome Notwithstandinge many doo affirme that it was built by Iosippus the Sonne of Tesfine and some say by an other Against them Abdimelick partlye for that he sawe him to procure no hurt nor attempt any hinderaunce to his procéedinges and partly because he was wrapped in heapes of troubles elsewhere and had moe yrons in the fire then he coulde wel temper attempted nothing For although he had supplanted Dadack with all his faction and adherentes and with victory retourned to Damascus yet could he not long enioy that victory nor brooke it quietlye because there began such a plague and pestilenciall mortalytie that had almost quite destroyed all the Saracenicall Nation Beside this plague the people were greatly pinched with famine in all his Countries And the Mardaites gettyng agayne the possession of Mount Libanus enlarged their limites as farre as Hierusalem and morouer the principalytie of Persia vsurped by Mutar much disquieted his troubled minde Abdimelick weltringe in the surges of this froward Fortune and fearing to bee ouerwhelmed with some greater mischaunce sent a solemne Ambassade to Iustinian then Emperour beyng of the age of sixtéene yéeres for a confirmation of the peace and League that Muauias strake with Constantine and farther to request hym that the Mardaites might bee dispossessed and driuen out of Libanus which thinge if the rour would graunt he promysed that he would euery day geue vnto the Romanes in the name of a Tribute ten poundes of Golde a Slaue and a goodly faire Horse And moreouer in consideration of the confirmation of this peace which he so earnestly desired to th end that Caesar might the better expulse and rid the Mardaites which nowe were not aboue .xij. thousand in number out of Libanus he gaue and graunted vnto him the one halfe of his yéerely Tributes of Cyprus Armenia and Iberia This peace beyng confirmed and he deliuered out of the feare of the Mardaites a fierce and outragious people he sent Ciafa with a great Armye againste Mutar who vnder the pretext and coloure of Religion practized tyranny and extort regiment in Persia Which expedition and voyage had very vnluckie end for Mutar with an Host marching to méete him vanquished him and discomfited al his power whereby he wanne a greater estimation and credite then euer he had before Abdimelick to th' intent he might from a néerer place surueigh and beholde how matters prospered in Persia goeth into Mesopotamia where he was againe with many calamities aduerse bruntes sore crushed For the Emperour Iustinian the Sclauoys partli yéelding themselues vnto his mercy and partly tamed by dent of Sword picking out of the stoutest Gallantes in all that Nation a crewe of 30000 or there aboute mustred and tooke vp Souldiours apace for his warres and so trustinge to their valyaunt seruice brake the League lately made makyng for the coulour of his quarel the the money payable for his yéerely Tribute had not the Roman stamp but was of a new Arabian coigne Sending therfore his Lieutenaunt Leontius with this new leuied army into Asia subdued and brought vnder his subiection Iberia Abania Hircania and Media which Regions were vnder the Saracenes Empyre At the same time also one Said reised sedition and rebelled against Abdimelick against whom Abdimelick spéedyng hymselfe with an Army so dismayd and terrified hym that he fel downe on his Marybones and craued forgeuenesse Whom Abdimelick with dissimuling countenaunce pardoned and séemed to forgeue but within awhile after he commaunded hym priuelie to be slain At this same time also there arose an other tyrantie among the Saracenes named Abdala Zubir who sent his Brother Musub into Persia against Mutar and of hym Mutar was both vanquished and slayne albeit he enioyed not the fruite of his victory long For Abdimelick withall his power igoynge againste hym ouercame and discomfited him and all his Hoast and from thence holding on his way into Persia brought all that Prouince vnder his subiection Abdalas Zubir discouraged with the good successe of his aduersarie fled vnto Mecca after whome Abdimelick sent Cagian with a great Armye to pursue and take hym who by force winning the Citie Mecca slue Zubir and set the auntientest Idole of that citie with the Temple also on fire And thus Abdimelick hauinge recouered Persia and dispatched out of the way his aduersaries and being alone in possession of the Saracenicall Soueraigntie after hee had oftentimes in vaine besought the Romane
and South with the Atlantique Ocean on the East with the East red Arabian Sea and is ioyned to Asia by a little narow part of dry land lying betwene the vttermost end of the. Arabiā Gulph our Sea yet Egypt which Prouince extendeth frō the Cataractes and fludgates of the riuer Nilus to the mouth of the same together with Aethiopia which lieth aboue it of many old writers yea of late Authours also is not reckened into Affrica And as the riuer Nilus parteth the East part of this halfe Isle that is to wit Aegypt Aethiopia where the large mightie dominions of Presbiter Iohn lye so the riuer Nigir springing as many write from the same fountain and hauing as the other hath his course from the South into the North so this frō the East into the Weast and falling into the Athlantique Ocean parteth and separateth the most wealthie Kingdomes of the Nigrites from it So that the Lybia which we here meane is contained within the boūdes of Nilus and Nigir the Athlantique Ocean and our Sea. All which as farre as it stretcheth from the Weast into the East the buyge Mount Athlas cutteth and seuereth a sunder béeyng at this daye diuided into three partes Barbaria Numidia and Lybia Lybia which in the Arabian tongue is called Sarra that is to say Desert is bound on the Southe wyth the kingdomes of the Nigrites on the North with the moūt Athlas on the East with the riuer Nilus on the west with the Oceā Numidia called in the Arabiā tongue Biledulgerid which is to say a Countrey wherein groweth great store of dates stretching frō the borders of Aegypt to the Oceā lyeth South frō the moūtain Athlas Barbarie from the East to the West cōtained within the same limittes and borders comprehēdeth all that which lyeth betwene Athlas and our Sea. And this is also diuided into foure Prouinces Mauritania Tingintana which containeth the Kingdomes of Marrocco Feze Caesariensis wherin is the king dome of Telensine the .iii. part both in thold time now is properly called Affrica wherin in aunciēt time the Carthaginians flourished conteining now at this day the Citie Affrica Tunice and Tripolis After this foloweth Cirenes which is cōprehended in the kingdome of Bugia At the first inuasiō and irruptiō made into this Prouince during the raigne of Ozmen the Saracens swarming out of Aegypt wan Cyrenaica Affrica But making peace afterward with the Emperour they were cōmaūded to depart from al the places néere to the Sea coastes and so they remooued further into the Confines of Numidia and Lybia and in the raigne of Muauias they againe entring into the Territories of the Carthaginians subdued the coūtrey of Affrica all about the Sea coastes And nowe auauncing forward their Standards they inuaded both the Mauritaines appointed for the limites of their Empire the Oceā the riuer Nigir Ouer which prouince Vlite thē chief Bishop of the Mahumetane sect made Mucas high deputée appointed vnto him a strōg power But yet the part of Tingintana that lyeth toward the straictes of Marrocke was vnder the rule of Roderike Visigotte king of Spaine For the Gothes expulsing all the Romane garrisons were lordes of the whole countrye of spaine from 300. yéeres almost passed acknowledgyng for their King none but this Rodericke who was not onely King of both the Spaynes the néerer and furthér but also possessed all that laye toward the straict Sea in Mauritania Tingintana The Straictes in Affrica hath thrée Promontories makyng two Bayes or Elbowes into the landwarde and in Spaine as many Promontories with so many bosomes or Elbowes of the Sea. The famous and noble Cities by the Sea in Spayne were Carteia situate by the Promontorie Calpe which afterwarde was called Tarifa in Aphrica Tingis of whom Mauritania Tingintana hath his name standyng by the Promontorie Abyle and Cepta called of Ptolomaeus Essilissa The Romanes deuided all Spayne into two Prouinces and sent into them two Proconsulles or Propretors whereof the one gouerned the néerer and the other the furder But these partes were not alwayes of one greatnesse for when as they had not yet the whole possession of all Spayne the hyther Spaine was contayned within the riuer Iberus and the Pyrenee Mountaynes and all beyond Iberus was of the further Spayne which belonged to the Carthaginians But after that they had driuen out the Punique Garrysons out of euery quarter of the Countraie and had got the possession of all Spayne they called that which on the East and south is enuironed almost Ilandwise without Sea on the West with the Athlantique Ocean on the North with the Sea Cantabricum and the Pyrenee Mountaynes exceptinge Lusitania and Betica by the name of the néerer Spaine and those partes which be deuided by the riuer Anas and compassed about with the Ocean as far as to the Asturians thei called the further Spaine callyng that which marcheth vpon the straicts Betica which now contayneth Vandalusia the Kingdome of Granado the which extendeth from the riuer Anas to the riuer Duria they called Lusitanie and al the hyther part Tarraconensis Which tripartite diuision Geographers in their descriptions haue obserued Ouer these thrée Prouinces and also ouer the Asturians and Cantabrians which be on this side the Pyrenees by the North ocean and also ouer the Prouince called Narbonensis so farre as the Riuer of Rhone which was then called Gallia Gottica this Roderike Visigot was as we haue sayd king gouernour at that time when the Saracenes extended the limits of their Dominyon in Aphrica to the ocean which was in the yéere of our Lorde .712 This Rodericke made Iuliane Earle of Cepta descended of the bloud of Visigottes a man of great power and wealth in Spayne and chief ruler ouer a certayne Ilande now called Viridis lying in the narow Sea and many other places aswell in Spayne as in Tingintana his high Deputie and warden in Betica and all other such places as were vnder his rule in Tingintana Vnto hym hee committed the whole charge to defend Spayne on that side from the inuasions of the Saracenes and to kepe the narow Seas This Iulyan had a Daughter named Caba a beautyfull young Ladye insomuch that for her parsonage she was no lesse pernitious to Spayne then faire Helena was to the Troyanes For Rodericke fallynge in loue with her whether it were by force or by fraud for it is reported both waies made a breach into her virgynitie Which vnprincely trick she as soone as she conueniently could vttered and discouered vnto her Father Who dissimuling as though he had knowne nothyng of this iniurie done to him in his Daughter and kéepyng to hymselfe the desire of iust reuenge till a tyme for his purpose conuenient desired leaue of the Kinge to departe the Courtand to go to Cepta because being there as he said he could much better defeat the Saracens entended enterprises Which request obtayned he
Duke of Bauaria first attained this honour and dignitie by subduing and getting the vpperhand of the LieutenauÌ„ts and Captaines of the kings Prouinces who séeing the King to bée a weake and vnwarlike man tyrannically ruled the Countrey according to their own sensual lustes for their priuate commodities Then in the raigne of Theodoricus the second the excellent dexteritie and worthy vertue of Charles Martellus second Sonne to this Pipine was in that office very conspicuous and renoumed throughout all the lande of Fraunce in so much that he was accompted and taken as the Prince of all the people At the same time was King of Aquitanie theÌ„ called Gallia Gottica one Eudo a Gothian borne whom king Roderik made ruler of the Prouince but hearing of the discomfiture of the King his Liege Lord he made himselfe king thereof This Eudo whyle Charles Martellus was busied with other warres in Germanie began to surmise certaine quarelles which brake out into open warre with the French Capitaines of the places néere adioyning to the limittes of his Territories whom going about to defend their titles rightes he afflicted with many ouerthrowes Wherfore Martellus tooke the matter in hande and warred against him And at the same time the Saracens passing the Pyrenees had taken Narbon and in it shewed all kind of outragious crueltie because they woulde by that example make the countrey afraide any more to withstande theÌ„ Wherfore Eudo considering with himselfe that he was vnable to warre at one time both with the Frankes the Saracens and for the Mugnoces a man in great fauour and estimation with the Saracens was his Sonne in law he thought it better for him to make a league amitie with the Saracens theÌ„ with the Christians Which after he had by Mugnoces meanes and friendship brought to passe looking big vpon the matter and bearing himselfe stoute by reason of the aide and succour which they sent to him he inferred much harme to the Franke Nation But when he perceaued that the Saracens fortified with their owne garrisons and kept to their owne vses al such Cities townes as they entred into he begaÌ„ when it was to late to beshrew himselfe and wishe that he had neuer attempted any such enterprise For they kept Nimes Mountpelier Auinion with all the places thereabout in their owne possession Wherevpon Eudo gathering all his power together to profligate and driue them out gaue vnto them battayle wherin he was discomfited Mugnoces by whose meanes and procurement the league and amitie was concluded greatly complayned of the iniurious dealing of Eudo in falsefying his faith infringing his promise accordingly as he had vndertakeÌ„ for him WhervpoÌ„ Abderama king of Gottalonia marching with an hoast against him besieged him in the Castle of Cerdania out wherof Mugnoces for scarcitie of water escaping fléeing into thickets and hillish places fell into the hands of another coÌ„pany of Saracens who tooke him prisoner beastly slew him and sent his head his wiues the daughter of Eudo to Abderama and thus all the traitours of their Countrey within shorte space came to a miserable end and confusion Then Abderama hauing dispatched and ridde out of the way all enemies that were to be feared on his back returned into FrauÌ„ce passed the riuer of Rhone and destroyed many places that belonged to the Christians and made such a slaughter at Arle that a heape then made of the bones of the deade carkasses remaineth there yet to this day in a place called Alies Campi TheÌ„ went he with his army against Eudo who began again to gather more strength make a new commocioÌ„ He besieged Tolose the chiefe Citie of Gallia Gottica in which siege for that the citie was very well rampyered and fortified with Ditches walles and also well stored with Engins and munitions of war and with all sorts of weapons beside a conuenient Garrison of souldiours with all other thinges necessarye theâ—e planted for defence the Saracenes receiued great losse and were well payde home especially by meanes of certayne Engyns deuised by skylfull arte of ingenious Architectes and by diuers other Stratagemes of warlyke pollicie Notwithstanding Burdeaux was then taken and sacked of the Saracenes and all the Inhabitauntes therein both man woman and childe vnmercifully slayne and manquelled and the Temples razed and laide euen with the ground Thence by the confines of Perigot beyonde the ryuer Geronde they made inroades into the Country of Xantongue and destroyed Angolisme and Blaye From thence through Limosin and Poytiers they russhed into the Countrey of Tours Where they spoyled the Churche of Sainct Martine wherein was great foyson and plenty of gyftes and offeringes that had bene geuen and bequeathed vnto it and afterward set it on fire Eudo being sore afflicted with these vnmanerly dealyngs and driuen to great extremytie by the Saracenes entred into league with Marcellus and they two with both their powers ioyned in one gaue battayle vnto Abderama before the Citie of Tours wherein they discomfited hym and all his host In this battayle there were slayne CCC lxxv thousand Saracenes and of the French no moe but .xv C. And if the night had not come vppon them ere the battayle was fully ended the whole route of the Saracenes had bene at that time vtterly destroyed For Abderama in the night season perceiuinge how the game went and what a mortall ouerthrow he had receiued had no lust to tarye and expect the hazard of the next daye but trudged as fast as he could by long iourneyes with those fewe of his companye that were left and hable to folow him to the Pyrenees entendinge from thence to retourne into Spaine leauing behinde hym in his Tents all his carriage and stuffe for a praye to his Enemies But the Nauarrians hauyng stopped the streight passages where their iourney laye killed them euery one The next day assoone as the Sonne was vp Martellus in good order marshalled his army and tooke the Féeld awaiting the commyng of his enemies But when he perfectlye vnderstoode that they were fled his Souldiours fell to the spoyle which they found in the Saracenes Campe most aboundant and plentifull After the death of Eudo Martellus added that parte of Eudo his Kingdome to his Empyre For which cause Hunold and Vaifar the sonnes of Eudo incensinge that part of Gaule called Narbonensis Prouincia containing the Countrys of Sauoye Dolphinie Prouance and Languedock to take parte with them renewed the warre afresh with Martellus And passinge ouer the riuer of Rhone with most barbarus cruelty destroyed burnt and killed man and beast makynge hauock of all Townes Villages Féelds that was in their way without sparing either age or Sexe The chief burnt of which lamentable storme and furious immanitie that part of the Allobroges now called Dolphinie specially felt before Martellus could prouide or prepare sufficient power to go against them But when he was come Visigot departed
causes of the Realme Charles still abode in the Valleye which for this cause is to this day called Charles Valley whyther he had remoued his Campe out of Hospita Who vnderstandinge of the great ouerthrow and losse of his Men retyred with al spéede againe into Fraunce Alphonsus excused himselfe by Ambassadours vnto him that all these thinges were attempted and done without his consent and knowledge with whome Charles renewed the former amytie and league betwene them stroken and concluded Then deuisinge in his minde to procure an atonement and vniuersall peace to the whole world sent his Ambassadours into Syria and Aegypt to conclude an amytie and peace with the Princes and Chiefe Rulers of the Infideles to the ende that they should the better vse and entreate the Christians liuing vnder their subiection Which he obteined insomuch that Aaron the high Caliph of Persia and Arabia who not longe afore rufflingly inuadyng the Prouinces of Asia that were vnder the Constantinopolitane Empire with CCC.M. men had enforced and by compulsion dryuen Nicephorus the emperour to redéeme and as it were to ferâ—â—e peace at his hands by paying yéerely an annuall fée in gold from thenceforth not onely not infested and vexed the Christians but also gaue yéerely a great Masse and summe of moneye to the reliefe of those poore Captiues that liued vnder his rule and also sent his Ambassadours with great rewardes to King Charles For when Aaron had with many ouerthrowes and pillages miserably afflicted and frusshed the Romane empyre surpryzed and taken Tyana where he erected and dedicated a temple vnto Mahomet an infinite numbre of townes moe Nicephorus séeinge his matters goe to wrecke and distrustinge any better fortune sent his Letters to the Arabian to obteyne and request a peace accordinge to the tenour folowinge Why thoâ— shouldest thus vniustlie warre againste me and my dominions sythens I haue not wronged nor offended thée or who they be that counsaile thee therunto I know not neither do I se any cause reasonable to moue thée vnles it be peraduenture because thou hast a delight and pleasure in murther robberie and rapine For that thou doest it for religion sake thou canst not pretend a ny excuse sithens Machomet thy high Prophet commauÌ„deth you to vse and accoumpt al Christians as Brothers Doest thou thinke that Almightie God the creatour of all thinges and the staie of both the People whome he hath created and made after his owne similitude and lykenes is delighted with effusion and shéeding of innocent bloud God forbid For your Prophet Mahomet did not commaund you to offre vnto him any such sacrifice or satisfactorie expâ—ation Or else perchaunce doest thou inuade the territories and prouinces belonginge to other men for some néede and want of Syluer Golde and such other thinges But alas there is no such store of these thinges with vs yea all precious iewelles and wares that are rare and hard to be gotten are among you in great plentie But if there be any thinge in our Countreys that may do thee pleasure why doest thou not aske it fréendly and we will bestow the same vpon the without delaye moste louingly If thou care not for man nor any force the mortall man can annoye thee with all yet know thou that there is a God which séeth and remembreth right and wronge For sythens we be mortall it is not comely nor fitte for vs to beare immortall grudge and endlesse enemitie one toward an other in that poinct to resemble imitate the Diuell which euer spighteth at mans felicity and soulehealth and is at perpetuall warre with all mankinde With these lettres sent not without rewardes and sumptuous presentes Aaron being appeased sent agayn many presentes and gyftes to Nicephorus concluded a peace with hym vpon a condition that the Emperour should pay yéerely vnto hym xxx M. Crownes and thrée for his owne head and as many for his Sonne and that he should not reedifie nor repayre such Townes as were rased and wasted by the saracenes But in the perfourmance of this agreement there was les faith in the Greke then in the Barbarian For Nicephorus after the departure of the Saracenes out of those townes immediatly reedified and fortyfied them Which dealyng when Aaron vnderstood he furnished out an other Armye into Grecia which tooke Thebes and sendinge a Nauy into Cyprus subuerted the Churches and expulsed the Cyprians And when Aaron had raigned xxiij yéeres he payed his debte to Nature after whom succéeded in the Pontificate his Sonne Muamat Who fallynge at mortall debate with his Brother Halad and with him coapynge in conflicte wherein his side went to wrack Fortune more fauoring his Brothers part grew to a composition with hym that they twaine should ioyntly with egal authoryty hauing both one and the same tytle or style enioy the Empire Then ther were created foure Tyrauntes whereof one had for his share Spayne an other Aphrica the third Aegipt and the fourth Syria and Palestina Wherevpon the Saracenical power began to decline for awhile the affayres of the Orient were indyfferently quiete among the Saracenes And Muamat the Caliph of Syria woulde not now haue his imperiall Seat at Damasco but buylded a newe citie néere where olde Babilon once stoode and called it Bagadat and it constituted the Pontificall Sea of Syria and all the Orient For the Persians were yet vnder his rule iurisdiction The Aegiptian kept his residence at his Metropolitane Citie of Cayre whiche was as before wee haue shewed buylded néere the place where olde Memphis earst stood Which after the Sea royall was in it appoyncted and kepte so encreased that at this daye it is thought to be one of the greatest Cities in the whole Worlde the chiefe Sea of Aphrica was accounted by Elagleb to be at Caioran whiche Citie was builte in Affrica when Ottmen had the regiment and gouernaunce of the Empyre and is distaunte from the Citie of Tunice about an hundreth Myles and from the Sea thyrtie and sixe Spaigne although it obeyed had in it many kings yet they all acknowledged the Byshop of Marrocco for their Diocesan whiche is a Citie of Mauritanie Tingitana He that gouourned Assyria was called the Caliph whiche name signyfieth a successoure because he boasted and bragged himself to be the Successoure of Mahomet The Aegiptian Byshoppe was called the Sultane and hee of Caioran lyke as the Assyrian dyd named himselfe a Caliph and hee of Marrocco by the auncient name of the Founder and buylder of that Citie was named a Miralmumine Vnder these there also arose certayne other lesse Kingdomes in Affrica as the Kyngdome of Tunice of Tripolis of Algeria of Oran of Fess and an innumerable sorte moe lesse then these For as euerye one was Ruler ouer anye Citie or Prouince So he called hymselfe Kinge of the same and possessinge the Stile and name thereof as due by inheritaunce lefte and delyuered the same as it were by hand to his
stoode and what he purposed to do willing him spéedily to come with more power to ayde him and be partaker of that glorious noble enterprise The Antiochians knowing their chiefe Tower to be taken ranne couragiouslye to repell and dispossesse the Romanes out of the same Now the Maister of the Tentes had in charge from the Emperour that he should not in ani wise inuade Antioch because the common brute went that the captiuitie of that Citie did portende within awhile after the Emperours confusion whiche bred in him such doubtfull cares that he knew not what to doo in that case nor which way to take Neuerthelesse loath that so manye valiaunt men should through his default perysh thinkyng it no poynt of humanytie to sée them thus fall into the lapse for want of a small ayde marched with all his power and inuaded Antioche at whose comming the Saracenes were so dismayde that their hartes fainted and their stomackes immediatly quayled Burzes his company which before dispayred of any help or remedye looking for nothing but present death tooke new hart agrace and were reuiued and bursting open the Gates with his battayle Axe made frée passage and ingresse for the maâ—ster of the Tentes and his traine to enter Thus was Antioche one of the noblest Cities in the world brought into the power of the Romanes whiche shortly after in the time of the Emperoure Iohn Zimisca the Saracenes with all their ioynt powers and forces both of the Orient and occident attempted to recouer And so vnder the conduct of the Caliph of Cairoan in Affrica because the power of the Caliph of Syria was now sore weakened and brought to a lowe ebbe they planted their Siege about it Whose inuasions and malyce the Citezins and Inhabitauntes manfullye and constantlye withstoode tyll the Emperour might hereof be certyfied Who hauing intelligence of this generall conspiracie of the Gentiles commaunded his Prouost of Mesopotamia to ayde his besieged Fréendes and Subiectes Who according to his charge and coÌ„mission in a pitched battaile wherein the Saracenes were in number farre moe then the Romanes them disparcled chased and discomfited Now because I sée the empire of the Saracens to draw apace towarde an ende and finall ruyne we must before we procéede any further briefelye and compendiouslie wryte of the remnauntes and reliques of them that yet lurked in Africa and Spayne and firste wee wyll speak of Spayne then afterward of Africa In Spayne therefore Ramire Kinge of Lyon in the yéere of our Sauiour Christ 901. making war vpon the Saracenes destroyed a Towne of theirs named Madrite and put them to flight néere vnto Osma and made Benaiam King of Saragoza Tributary vnto hym Whom afterward rebelliouslye ioyninge in league with Abduramen King of Corduba and tourning to his olde vomyt agayne Ramire eftsoones vanquished and tooke Prisoner in battayle néere to a Towne called Synâ—ncas wherein there were slayne of the Saracenes thyrtye thousande and many other annoyances and harmes did hee vnto them Afterwarde lying at the Siege of Talauâ—ra he ouercame the Toletane Saracenes whiche came to reyse the Siege and to rescue the Citie of whom vii M. were taken and xii M. slayne After this Sancius kinge of Lyon beinge depriued and driuen out of his kingdome by his owne people came to Abduramen king of Corduba to be cured of a certayne disease by the help of his Phisicions whom for conning and knowledge he had heard to be the expertest and skilfullest that were then in al the world Whom the king of Corduba did not onely cause to be healed but also with his power and help maugre all his foes restored him to his Roome and dignitie But after that hee was dead the Saracenes wanne Symancas Duengas Sepulueda and Gormas Townes belonginge to the kingdome of Lyon and rased Zamorra And within awhile after destroyed and euerted Portugall the head of all Lusitanie and Compostella After the death of Abduramen Alliagib his Successoure in that kingdome naming him selfe Almansor which is as much to say as the Protectoure of king Mansor his Lorde and maister because bee hoped therby the rather to allure the peoples goodwils and vnder that coloure to insinuate himselfe into their fauoures for at that time Mansor raigned at Marrocco Which Citie as we haue afore shewed was the Seate royall of all the Saracenes Empire Occidentall vnder whose iurisdiction and rule all the inferiour kinges of the Saracenicall nacion in Spayne lyued gathered a mighty power and inuaded the Territories of the Castulonians Lyon and Bâ—â—kaye The Citie of Lyon he almost vtterly defaced the Towers and Bulwarkes thereof which were all of Marble he rased and heat downe to the grownde leauinge onelye one vntouched and vnblemished to the intent that the memorye of the beautye and gorgeousnes of that Citie might appeare and remayne to posterytie He tooke Asturia and Coiaca which is now called Valenâ—ja not that Valentia which standeth vpon the midland Sea but an other in the kingdome of Leon by the Pyrenes and Sansagnium with many other Townes And in the Precinct of the Castulonians he destroyed Osma Alcobetla Berlanga and Atienza and of the Gallycian Townes he tooke S. Iames and commaunded the Belles to bee caryed away thence to Corduba where he vsed them in stéede of Lampes in his prophane Temples in this sorte he continued outraging and kéeping sharpe warres for the space of twelue yeares Tyll at length Bermudes King of Lyon with the powers of the Castulonians the Byskayes and his owne bad vnto hym battayle in a place called Calataicor This battayle was fiercely foughten on both sides for the space of a whole daye where were slayne of the Saracenes many thousandes and in th' end Almansor with all his retinew and Adherents fled and shortly after died for sorow of his ouerthrow The Spaniardes ruffling and spoiling their camp found therin great booties prayes which they at their flight had left behind them Abdimelick greatly mooued with his fathers misfortune and purposing to recouer and haue amendes for the same was also vanquished But afterward in the reigne of Alphonsus the Son of Bermudes the Saracenes agayne inuading the borders frontiers of the Castulonians destroied Auila tooke Ormetum with any other townes And Alphonsus reedifled the citie of Lyon. After al this there sprang vp ciuile warres among the Spanish Saracenicall Kinges and Princes whereby the power of the Christians in that prouince dayly encreased insomuch that Mahomet Enasâ—r Bishop of Marrocco being vanquished in Gottalonia néere to Valentia and ix M. Saracenes slaine with him in the yéere of our redémption 1150. the Christians within xxx yéeres folowing recouered Valentia Deuia Alicante Muria new Carthage Corduba Syuile Iaen and Vbeda and the Saracenes had no more in their possession but onely the Kingdome of Granado from whence at length they were vtterlye expulsed and driuen out by Ferdinando the last king of the Tarracomans or Aragon Grandfather by the Mothers side
owne vncle Moses Mahomet the sixte Kyng of Turkes when his brother was thus rydde out of the way enioyed the Crowne alone This Mahomet subdued Seruia Walachia and a great part of Sclauonie Sigismund king of Hungarie in a battaile against the Turkes foughten in the fieldes of Salumbeze whyche were somtimes called Philadelphia was put to the worse and fledde Mahomet imposed gréeuous and intollerable tributes vpon the Walachians He translated the Seate royall or chiefe Citie of his Empire out of Bythinia into Thracia and gaue prerogatiue to Adrianople preferring it before Prusia He was the first king of that race that passed the ryuer of Danowe he subdued Macedonie and came as farre as the Ionian Sea. Ammurathes the seuenth King of Turkes vanquishing Mustapha the sonne of Baiazeth by force of Armes obteined his fathers kingdome This Turke made his first voyage against George the king of Seruia otherwyse called Rascia from whom after foure yeeres siege hee wanne Newmound and Scopia and myserably afflicted Synderouia The kinges ij sonnes whom he tooke in battaile he berest of their eyes and cutte of their priuie members But he maryed and tooke to wife his daughter for her rare beautie and comely personage Thessalonica a famous Citie belonging to the Seigniorie of Venice was won by the Turkes who left there no kinde of villanie and spightfull dealing agaynste the Christians vnpractyzed Amurathes besieging Belgrade in Hungarie loste 10000 of his men and was faine to retyre into his owne Countrey after he had in vayne and to his great shame continued his siege vij monthes Iohn Huniades encountred with the Turkes spoyling Hungarie and them discomfited Ladislaus king of Polonie and Hungarie sending out a power against the Turkes vnder the guydaunce leading of the same Iohn Huniades had ouer thē a noble victorie in the fieldes of Haemus and draue the Turke to such a streict that he was faine to condiscend to a peace This peace made with the Turke contrary to league and othe was violated and broken by the vnabuised procurement and exhortation of Pope Eugenius whiche breache to the Chrystians was verye pernicious and hurtful For first the Christians in the Streicts of Hellespont lost lxx Gallyes Afterward in a battaile foughtē at the féeld aboue xxx thousand of them slaine belīde a great number drowned in the Bogges In that battayle was slayne Iulian Caesarine a Cardinal Legat for the pope who came thither to procure and incense the Princes to violacion of their League and Oth and warranted them from daunger the king Vladislaus himself was ther slaine who was merueilous desirous to enterprise this War. Huniades with much adoo escaped by flight and saued himselfe The Turke could not haue brought his Nauy through the Streictes of Bosphorus in Thracia to do this mischief had not the couetous Genowayes winked at the matter and suffered them hauing in bribe and rewarde for euery Turke a péece of Golde payed vnto them Ammurathes wanne the Isthmos of Corynth and vanquished the Gréekish Garrysons together with the emperours Brother of Constantinople and ouercame with pitifull spoyle all Peloponesus The Kinge of Polonie encountred with the Turkes as they inuaded Hungary and obtayned the victory The Turkes desirous of reuenge assembled a huige power afresh and renewed Warre Wherin both parties were lamentably damnyfied loosing welnéere 800000 men betwéene them Notwithstanding the number of the Turks there slayne was farre greater then of the Christians But the Generall of the Christian Armye was there slayne and his head brought to the Kinge of Turkes In the same battayle also was slayne the sonne of the sayd King of Turkes The Hungarians vnder the leadinge of Huniades to the number of 600000 entred into the Turks Countries and ioyning battayle with them at the firste conflict they had the victorye but in the seconde they were slayne in maner euery one except 1000. or ther aboute which by flight saued themselues The great Turke besieged Croia a citie of Aemathia many Monthes but by the worthy prowesse of Scanderbeg he was defeated from his purpose and with losse of many of his men was sent away packing with a Flea in his eare Amurathes Emperoure of Turkes dyed bequeathing his Crowne and kingdome to Mahomet his Son the 8. King of Turkes Who least his Father should be buried alone without company slew at his first entraunce his owne Brother and commaunded them to be buried both in one graue The first Warre that this Mahomet tooke in hande was against Scanderbeg Besieginge Croia with lxxx thousand men but he departed away without his purpose to his great shame and reproche leauing behinde him at the sayde Siege Ballabano one of his chiefe Bassaes The famous and renowmed Citie of Athens the Vniuersitie and Nurce of all worthy Artes Disciplines was conquered and rased to the ground by this most cruel Tyrant the Turk who in some places therof digged vp the very foundacions for extreeme hatred that he bare to learning He threw all the Bookes and Monuments that he could finde into dyrtie Sinkes and filthiest places in the citie and to be put to the vilest vses that could be And if any man séemed to lament it the same partye was streight wayes put to death The Castle of Pyruaem and Munychia was also most furiously rased to the grounde This Tyraunt the xxix day of May after a continuall assault geuen thereto from the ix of Aprill afore that is to say 50. continual daies by his innumerable multytude of Turks conquered the noble citie of Constantinople to the vnspeakable hindraunce of all Christendome and high aduancement of the Turkes Domynion At the taking of this citie most horyble prophanacion of the Temples was vsed As for Imags which the Turks themselues cannot abyde in great scorne and contempte were throwne downe Among others Mahomet himself laughing at the supersticious Citezens in great be rysion gaped and laughed at the Crucifix and caused it in scornfull maner to be caryed about the Stréetes with Trumpettes and wrat vpon the head of the said Picture these wordes Hic est Christianorum Deus This is the God of the Christians Thrée dayes together he gaue leaue to his outragious Souldiours to kill spoyle and rauishe both Wyues Matrons and Maydes without any reuerence of nature The citizens some they murthered some they rosted vppon Spits some they steyed the skinnes and afterwarde hanged them vp to consume with fainyne of others they put Salt into their woundes the more to encrease theyr payne contending amonge themselues who could deuise most straungest kind of new torment insomuch that the Citie was no Citie but rather a Slaughter House or Shambles of Christian bodyes The Emperoure hymselfe being there slayn his head was pitched vpon a speare and caryed about At euery dinner and Supper some of the Emperours Cosens and Nobles of the Countrey were put to death so longe as anye remayned of that ligne Of the inferior sorte no day passed wherein he caused not to
wounded The Maister of the Rhodes at this Siege for the Christians was the valiaunt Peter Dabuson The same yéere the Turke with a great Nauie inuaded Puell and by Acomate one of his Capitaines wanne Otronto a goodly large and populous Citie standyng vppon the Sea and put all the Inhabitauntes to the Sworde In this yeere also 6000 Turkes were slaine at the Citie Mantinea in the kingdome of Lacedemon In this yeere also this raging Helhounde Mahomet the Great Turke first of all others tooke vpon him the name of Emperour Hee wanne from the Christians two flourishing and Noble Empyres Constantinople and Trapezunce twelue Christian Kingdomes and CC. cities After which sundry conquestes he yéelded vp his blasphemous soule and payed his debt to nature to the great relaycing aswell of his enemies as of his owne people because of the horrible vnspeakeable iorueltie without respecte aswell to fréendes as foes most rigorouslye shewed Baiazeth the viij Emperour of Turkes appeasing all ciuile dissensions and domesticall discorde at home chased his brother Zizime out of all Turkiâ— and was himselfe enstalled in the Empire The same yeere Ferdinando King of Naples sent his Sonne Alphonse with an Armye who recouered from the Turkes the Citie Otronto before wonne by Mahomet Also this yéere Iohn Castriotte the Sonne of Scanderbeg assembled a power and recouered his enheritaunce that was by force taken from his father by Mahomet The same yéere also Stephan Vamoda and King Matthias wanne from the Turke the higher couÌ„trey of Mysia which now is called Bosna Baiazeth often ioyning battaile with the Sultan of Aegypt had the worse and in the ende was glad to make a league with him The Turkes inuaded and wanne Walachia 〈◊〉 Brother to this Baiazeth the Great Turke liuing an exile in Rhodes whither he fled for scare of the sayd Turke his brother was this yéere sent to Rome to Pope Innocent the viii And after a certeyne time of abode there was poysoned together with Alexander the Pope his Sonne Ferdinando king of Spaine with x. M. Horsemen and fifty thousand footemen wan from the Saracen Moores the kingdome of Granado and chased them vtterly out of that Countrey beyond the Sea. This Turke Baiazeth with a great power both by Sea and Land inuaded the Inhabitaunts of the Hils in Greece called Ceraunij and all the frée Corporacions of Epyre and them subdued to his Turkish Empyre The same yéere Matthias Kinge of Hungary conquered a strong Holde from the Turkes called Sabatrum whereby his Countrey lyued in more quietnesse and out of â—eare A mightye Armye was sent into Hungarie vnder the leading of Cadume Bassa by whom were slayne vii M. Hungarians and for testimony of this spoyle and ouerthrow géeuen to the Christians they sent many Christian mens Heades with their noses cut of and in lothsomâ— wise disfigured to Constantinople The Turks rushing into Croacia were put to flight by Maximilian The Turke warred against the Venetians spoylinge with fire and Sword the Countrey Dalmaâ—ia â—â—aryed away with him great prayes In Foriulij also he coÌ„manded aboue 4000. men to be beheaded because he coulde not cary them away with him by reason of a great deluge of the riuer there The Citie of Venice for dread of hym was in great perplexitie and feare The Turkes wanne this yéere Modona and Corona two cities of Peloponese The Citie Methon was by the Turkes wonne from the Venetians vpon S. Laurence daye Baiazeth commaunded the Byshop of that place to be beheaded in hys sight and killed the Townesmen euery one and for the most part consumed all the Houses with fire By lyke misfortune also the sayd Venetians lost Naupactum and Dyrrhachium Certayne Kings Princes of Christendome fréends and fauorers of the Venetian state ioyned their Nauye with the Venetian Fléete ouer the which Benedict Pisaure was Admirall and spoyled the Iles of Aegina and Zacynth inuaded Leucas and Cephalenia tooke the I le of Neritus at this day called Sainct Maures Ilande and reskued Nauplia The Turke greatly fearing his owne state by reason of the brute and rumour that went vpoÌ„ Elias the Prophet of Persia commaunded aboue CC. Houses in Constantinople with all the Inhabitauntes therein to be burnte This Prophet was in such credit and estimation among the People that aboue CL. thousande men leaned to his Sect and folowed after hym in Campe. His Tentes were excéeding rich and gorgeous and all thinges among them were common The same yéere the Turke entred into League and concluded peace with the king of Hungary and the Duke of Venice The King of Spaine in Mauritania Caesariensis wan Mayneport from the Saracenes The Sophie of Persia vanquished chased and slew the Turkes in Asia Grane a populous and wealthy citie of Africa this yere was wonne by the Spaniardes The Spaniardes by force of Armes conquered Bugia in Africa Zelime youngest Sonne to Baiazeth the great Turke rebelliously and most vnnaturally lay in wayt to kill his olde Father expelled him out of his kingdome in his olde dayes with all his Brothers and Kinsmen At length he caused his Brothers and their Children to be strangled and by a certayne Iew whom for that intent he had hyred he caused his sayd father to be poysoned This Zelime by the factious election of his disordered doultiours and affectionate Rakehelles was chosen and annoynted the ix Emperoure of Turkes Acomathes the brother of Zelime being ayded by the Persians warred against his Brother but Fortune so frowned on him that he was strangled Zelime concluding a peace renewinge League with the Venetians and Hungarians made sharpe Warre vppon Ismael the king of Persia him neere to a towne called Chalderan vanquished and put to flight And tooke Taurum the chiefe Citie of his kingdome somtime called Artaxata without any resistaunce or bloudshed Hee waged fresh warres against Aladule Kinge of Cappadocia and taking his chiefe Capitaine in the chase cut him shorter by the head and sent his head to Venice for a Trophée or signe of his victory This bloudy Zelime discomfited Campsor the Sultane of Aegypt with all his power and slue the Sultane hymselfe in the chase And folowing his good fortune and prosperous successe in this battayle conquered and annexed to his Empyre Alkaire and Alexandria two goodly embatteled Cities and all Aegipt beside He also wanne Damascus the large and renowmed Citie of Syria Hee made a passage or a Brydge of Shippes ouer the riuer Nilus to the intent hee might pursue and coape with Tomombey the new Sultan of Aegipt Whom by treason hee tooke and after all kindes of most cruell tormentes and spightfull contumelies commaunded hym to be hanged Charles Kinge of Spayne draue out of his Realme the Marranes which were a remnaunt of the Saracens and slue welnéere of the Barbarians .40000 Zelime the Great Turke was this yéere as he had well deserued murthered in that place where before he had moste vnnaturallye and rebelliouslye persecuted hys Father After him succéeded his Sonne
their dominions haue receiued from them as next heires vnto them both their Religion and Kingdomes and yet to this day in Affrica some of the mere lyne of the Saracens be of great power and authoritie But before we go any further to the declaration discouerie of their Acts gouernment we must firste a little speake of the originall Pedagrew of the first founder and authour of their damnable Secte All Arabie is deuided into thrée partes wherof one is called Petreia hauing his name of an olde auncient town in it called Petra the second is called Deserta and the thirde Faelix or Sabaea Petreia hath on the West side Aegipt and is separated from it firste by the Mount Casius and then by wast wildernesse on the North it hath Iurie and Palestina on the East Arabia Deserta and on the South the innermost part or arme of the Arabian Goulph called Sinus Arabieus Deserta wherin the Citie Scene otherwise called Scenitis stoode boundeth on the South vpon the Mountaines of Arabia Faelix on the North it hath Mesopotamia and on the East the Riuer Euphrates Arabia Faelix runneth a long betwéene the two bosomes of the Sea the Arabian and the Persian being almost on euerie side enuironed wyth water like an Iland It hath on the North Petreia and Deserta on the West of the Arabian Gulphe on the East the Persian Gulphe and on the South the redde Sea. I finde that these Regions were inhabited by foure kindes of people that is to wit by the auncient Arabians which were descended from Arabus Sabus and Petreius the sonnes of Cures and the Nephewes of Cham of whom the thrée Arabies had their names as Arabia Deserta of Arabus Arabia Sabaea which is also called Faelix of Sabus and Petreia of Petreius as witnesseth Berosus Chaldaeus Then of the Ismaelites which were descended from Ismaell the Sonne of Abraham by his handmayde Agar of whom a parte of the Countrey called Agarena and the Town Agarenum which in Strabo are corruptly read Ararena and Agranum had their first beginning and denomination as that part called Petreia was called Nabathaea of Nabath the people Caedrei of Caedar the Sonnes of the same Ismael The thirde people came and descended of the Sonnes of Ketura Abrahams second wife which possessed a great part of Arabia Foelix specially that portion which lyeth toward the redde Sea. They also made Colonies and vnder Cities in Lybia and peopled the same with inhabitauntes of their owne linage and nation where vpon after ward as Iosephus witnesseth the Cuntrie was called Affrica of Ophre the Sonne of Mandanes and Nephew to Abraham by his wife Ketura The fourth kinde tooke their originall beginning of Esau the Sonne of Isaac who inhabited the partes of Arabia Petreia next vnto Iurie and of him the people in Arabia Petreia are of Plinie and Ptolomaeus called by the name of Saracens For Isaac Esau his father was the Sonne of Abraham by his wife Sara And they were called Saracens both because they might thereby shew and testifie that they were descended of the lyne of Sara who was Mystresse and not of Agar the handmaid as the Ismaelites were and also that they might be discerned and knowen from the Iewes who also had the verie same parentes and were procéeded out of the same stocke and Progenie Among al these the people Scenitae which inhabited Arabia Deserta were most valiaunt and warlike hauing no habitation nor houses to dwelin but wandred abroade lay in Tentes in the open fieldes These insolently bragged and made their auaunt that they were of most auncientie and contended with all others for the nobilitie of their race There aide and helpe the Romane Emperours in their warres oftentymes vsed The Arabians euer had many ordinaunces and Rites such as the Hebrewes had and do yet to this day retaine and kéepe the same for as Herodotus and Diodorus two auncient Historiographers affirme they euer vsed circumcisiō and kept the same order of their Tribes and families that the Iewes did and accompt it a heynous offence that a woman should be maried to a man of any other Tribe and familie then shée her selfe is and likewise for a man to take to wife a woman of another linage They inuiolablie kéepe the nobilitie of their race and Pedagrew so that none but of the noblest sort should raigne ouer them Neither hath one the regiment and gouernaunce ouer all but euerie Tribe to haue their proper King after whom his owne sonne shoulde not succéede in the kingdome but the first that was borne of the séede of a right noble man and woman after he were saluted King was kept and brought vp as heyre apparaunt to the Crowne A people naturally and generally geuen to thefte and robberie as all others commonly are which dwell in hoate Countries Many kindes of religion was vsed among them for some worshipped Christ of whose nature deitie omnipotencie at that time whence this our Historie taketh his beginning as in all other places at that time also there were diuerse sectes and opinions Some obserued the Rites and Ceremonies of the Iewes some honoured the Sunne and Moone some certain trées some Serpentes some a Towre called Alcaba which they beléeued and thought was builded by Ismael some one thing and some another In the time of these so great garboyles and diuersities in religions and among suche blockishe and rude people was Mahomet borne at Itraripe a towne of Arabia Deserta belonging to Mecca being by his fathers side of the auncient line of Corah the sonne of Esau or as some say of Caedar the sonne of Ismael in the moneth of Februarie and in the yéere after the incarnation of Christ as they say 560. whose father was named Abedela his mother Emma a Iew borne both poore folkes and of base parentage By meanes whereof his father beyng an Ismaelite and his mother a Iew he was in his tender age by them instructed and taught both the rites of the Hebrewes and the manner of worshipping that the Gentiles vsed His Parentes dyed while he was but yet a tender and younge ladde so that then he was committed to the charge and custodie of one Salutelib his vncle by the fathers syde And whē he came to mans stature he was taken prisoner of the Scenites which were as before was shewed the fiercest and warlickest people in all that Countrey and lyued altogether by robberies and by them was he solde to a ryche Cobbe one Abdimoneples an Ismaelite Who quickly perceiuing his prompt wit and throughly vnderstanding his impudent nature thought him to bée a fit instrument to make his factour into other Cuntries about his traffique of merchandize and so vsed oftentimes to send him out of Palestina where he dwelte into Egipt Which trade of life Mahomet the space of many yeeres exercising gotte great acquaintance and crepte highly in fauour with the Hebrews Christians and Gentiles This Mahomet was of a
of Mahomettes Sect are contained and at large specifyed The nexte Spring after Muauias with a greater Nauie then before arryued in Cypres and assaulted the Citie of Aradum which at length after many battryes he wanne and permitting the Inhabitantes to go whither they woulde wythout hurte or bodely harme he rased the Citie to the grounde and layde all the Islande waste and left it dispeopled At the same tyme also an other army of Saracens vnder the conducte of Busurre inuaded Isauria and spoyled the whole Countrey wyth fyre and sworde and retourned home from thence with fiue thousand Prisoners After these so many ouerthrowes and miserable discomfitures receaued Constance Caesar desired a truce for .ij. yéeres of Muauias which beinge not obtayned while Muauias prepared a great Nauye at Tripolis a Citie of Syria to inuade the Prouinces and Territories belonging to the Romane Empire his purpose by the worthynesse and valyaunt demeanure of two Brothers was for a litle while frustrate Who breaking open the prisons wherein a great number of Christians were set them al at lybertye insomuch that they sodenly geuing an onset on the Saracens killed a maruelous number of them and putting the rest to flight with victorye ran to their ships and takeing so many of them as woulde serue to transport them they set the reste on fire and came saue into Thracia But Muauias nothing dismayed with this mischance and ouerthrow prepared a greater naâ—y and furnished the same with all habilimentes and Municions necessarye with whom he landed at Phoenice a Hauen of Lycia where Constance with his Nauy laye and geuing the charge vpon him made such a slaughter of the Romanes that the Sea was red with the bloud of them that were slayne Constance disguising himselfe in the habite and apparrell of a poore man fled in a Small ship with a fewe others in his company to Constantinople Which victory set Muauias in such a hoygh and conceipt that he thought nothing inuincible or able to withstande hym Where vpon he tooke Rhodes and pulled downe the huge Image of the Sun called Colossus Solis which Chares was in making as Plinie sayth .xij. yéeres and the charges thereof drewe to thrée hundreth Talentes The brasse of this Image beyng bought by a certen Iew of Emessa was somuch as nine hundred Camels coulde carie The Saracenes caryed away thence not onely this Image which was in height .70 Cubites but innumerable others For Plinie writeth that in that I le there were beside this Colosse of the Sunne .73 thousand Statues or Images and a hundreth lesse Colosses Hauinge spoyled Rhodes they cut their course alonge by the Sea Agaeum and plagued the Cyclades with lyke calamitie At this time also laid Generall of an other army of Saracenes entred into the borders of Armenia and wasted al farre and neere tyll he came to Mount Caucasus And Muauias retourning from Rhodes furnished a Nauye with all thinges necessary to inuade Sicile which wasted and ruynated the Countrie with Sword and fire without mercy tyll Olimpius the Exarche of Italy for so was he that had the gouernaunce ouer Italy at that time for the Emperour of Constantinople called encountringe with them in a bloudye Conflicte with much effusion of Christian bloud discomfited and expelled them In which battell he so eagrely fought was so fore wearied that he tell sicke and shortly after dyed Muauias himselfe leuying an Armye by land conducted them into Cappadocia to besiege Coesarea the head Citie of that Prouince But before he could atchieue any notable exploite worthy to be remembred hearinge that Ozmen the Caliph was dead in hope to be his Successour retyered with his Host back agayne This Ozmene in the twelfth yéere of his Pontificall dignytie being in his owne house beset and besieged with a company of Saracenes which would haue had Ali to be Caliph slue hymselfe because he would not fall into their handes He by chaunce lost the Ring of Mahomet which all the Caliphes before hym wore and caused an other to be made of Siluer wherein by his commaundement were ingrauen these wordes O PERTINACES O POENITENTES He was white of coulour graue and curteous of visage a long Beard and of a meane stature highlye and dearelye beloued was he of the common people both before and after he embraced this Secte and gotte very great wealth by Marchaundize Notwithstandyng he was alwayes verye lyberall yea rather magnificent and honourable and as we haue shewed disbursed and gaue bribes largelye to the Souldiours that hee might obtayne the Pontificate He lyued .lxxxvij. yeeres and was buryed in the night without any Funerall pompe because he slue himselfe Therefore after hys death there arose great contention amonge the Saracenes aboute the election of a newe Bysshoppe Some woulde haue Ali to succéede hym some Muamad sonne to Ozmen and some Muauias But Ali raysed warres againste Muamad and preuayled agaynste hym so that he was installed and made Bysshoppe by all mens consent sauynge onelye Muauias Who reposinge greate truste and confidence in the Aegiptian and Assyrian Souldiours whose prowesse and magnanymytie he had sufficientlye tryed aforetime in so manye Battayles made sharpe warres agaynst hym colourablye pretendynge that hée tooke the same in hande onely to reuenge the death of Ozmen When both the Armyes were come to the Riuer Euphrates Muauias hauynge more skyll in warlyke pollices and also hauinge olde beaten Souldiours vnder hym so fortyfied and entrenched hys Campe néere to the Riuer side and the Citie Babylon that neyther coulde he be inforced by hys aduersarye to fight vnlesse he would hymselfe and also hys Armye shoulde not be destitute of water whereof in that Region there is great scarsitye nor yet be vnprouided of victayles and moreouer néeded not to feare anye Alarmes behynde at their backes Whereas in the meane whyle Ali his Armye was extremely pinched for lacke of water And so for the space of eleuen Monthes keeping his Souldiours within the Trenches of hys Campe he weryed hys Enemye and lyngered the tyme onely now and then with Skirmishes tyll at length by the intercession of certayne Priestes and others skilfull in the Lawe of Mahomet order was taken betwéene them that the whole cause shoulde be decided by the iudgement and awarde of two olde men On Ali his side was chosen Alascates and for Muauias parte Alascius These two comminge to a Towne called Algendel to sit vpon this waightie matter of both their tytles the one thought it necessarye that Ali should be disgraded and deposed from his pontificall dignitie and the other stiflye helde opinion that he was a man moste worthy for the office Thus pleading to and froe neyther absolutely determyninge nor fully concludinge any attonement Ali and Muauias retourned agayne either of them to his owne Campe. And neuer ceased with often Skirmishing to molest and kill one an other spoylynge and wastynge one an others Countries till at length Ali in a certayne Temple néere Cufa a
Egypt Albeit there be some which write that Constantine hearing of the deathe and murther of his father Constanoius sayled into Sycilie and caryed the Spoyles from thence with him to Constantinople After this an other populous armie of Saracens entring into Affrica had suche successe that they destroyed and wasted all the Countrey néere the Sea coastes for a great part of the maine land and middle soyle was alreadie in their subiection and haryed away with them into slauerie and thraldome .800000 Prisoners And on an other side Muauias furnished out a huige Host vnder the conduct of Muamades and Caises whiche subdued Lydia and Cilicia two other of the Romane Prouinces And within a while after to thintent he might conquere subiugate Constantinople he sent another armie after the other wherof Saeuus was General which being ioyned to y other marched both directly toward the citie Constātinople girded it about with a terrible stege And for there more strēgth he appointed a nauie to help thē which stopped all the passages and places frō the West promontorie of Hebdomum to Cyglobium With al this force they oftentimes gaue terrible assaultes to the citie but their attempts were all in vaine This siege lasted from the month of Aprill till September fléete left which then vexed Crete vnder the guydaunce and conduct of Fadall and Cadall Through these good fortunes and prosperous successes the Maiestie of the Romane Empire séemed eftsones to flourish and somewhat to reuiue and recouer his pristinate glory But Muauias hauynge thus concluded a peace and league which to the Christians was most pernicious because the Saracens beinge nowe weake and without force mighte haue bene vtterly oppressed and easly vanquished if Caesar had not more delighted in present Idlenesse and quiet reste then studying for the long tranquillytie of his Common wealth which by no meanes is made more longer of continuaunce and safer with barbarous nations then by perfect victory tourned his power made his quarell against the Mardaites and dispossessing them from their high descrying places in the Mountaines which before they enioyed he studyed and bent his mind to appease certayne controuersies and Sectes newly sprong vp about his religion Therfore he called a generall Counsell or Synode of his sect vnto whom by publique proclamation he commaunded all the learned men of his Empire and such as had any wryting or Schedule either of Mahomet or of any his predecessours Bishoppes before hym to come and bring the same writinges with them This Tartarical Synode was holden and celebrated at Damasco where when as nothyng coulde be determyned by reason of the contrarietie of repugnaunt sentences hee commaunded sixe of the wisest in the company by the common consent of them al to be picked out so there were chosen Mulcine Boari Buor Anoeci Atermind Dauid These six being shut vp together into one house with all such writinges as were thither brought hee gaue straight charge that they should lay their heades together out of these writinges gather into one volume such actes sayings of Mahomet as shuld some to haue ani likelihod of truth And whē they had made sixe volumes the residue of the writings be caused to be throwne into a riuer which were so many that 200. Camels were laden with the cariage of them away Then he apoincted by a law a greuous paine punishement to as many as in thought word or déede beléeued otherwise then in those sixe Alcoranes was prescribed Of the which six volumes afterward procéeded and spronge vp soure Sectes of Saracens which are called Melicians Asafians Alambelians Buanifians The Aphrycans were Melicians the Arabians and Damascenes Asafians the Armenians and Persians Alambelians the Alexandrians Assyrians were Buanifians In Cayre the greatest Citie of Egypt all these Sectes no man agaynsaying are vsed and embraced When Muauias had finished taken this order in his matters at Damasco which was the head seat of his Empire he died and was there buried He was the first of the Saracen Capitaines that with Ozmen during Homars raigne entred into the Roman prouinces with an host and was the first that enlarged amplyfied the limites of the Saracenicall Empire as far as Aegipt and Aphrica westward into Mesopotamia Eastward and into Asia northward and was the first that constituted a certen seate royall at Damasco which citie for the fertilitie of the soyle and pleasantnes of the ayre far excelleth any other He vsed firste of his race to haue Slaues and Eunuches after a princely state guise to stand bare headed before hym for he was a man altogether marcial and warlike and in the atchiuing of his deuises prudent and wise His coulour was white his face pleasaunt and graue his eyes of diuers coulours his stature meane his Bearde alwayes blacke for euer as it beganne to waxe graye hee dyed it and conserued it in his former state He lyued lxxvij yeares and raigned twenty and foure His Signet which he caryed about with hym had in it this Posie engrauen O Deus ignosce mihi Of learnyng he was altogether ignoraunt in so muche that he could not write his own name whereas otherwise he had by nature a verie profound witte Wherfore it is reported that Mahomet on a time making his prayers at a banquet in presēce of many as his custome was said these wordes O God teach Muauias to write to number and defend him from all daungers By which words that craftie Pseudoprophete who knewe the nature of Muauias to be fierce and prompt withall shewed and signified two things First that he if he had the ayde of any learning might greatly helpe and furder his Secte For they which can write can also reade and thereby become wyser Then because he saw him to be of suche a fierce courage that he was lyke to aduenture and obiect himself to many perilles and hazardes he desired of God to teach him the Arte of numbring wherby he might skanne and obserue due times and tempestiuities and to haue the skil to take the occasions that shoulde be fittest for the exployting of his affayres when they fell and for the same cause he desired of God to protect deliuer him from all daungers But he being a man craftie ynough of himselfe and naturally geuen to pollicie néeded not these helpes After that Muauias was dead immediately his sonne Iezid was saluted Bishop and King who atchieued no notable acte in his time worthie of remembraunce For he was a man altogether giuen to slouth idlenes and riot and moreouer was sickly and of a body nothing lustie sauing that he put many of the nobilitie of Arabie to death He loued his owne Sister lividinously and was greatly delited in learning and Poetrie and made many verses a most spightfull contemner of Mahomets Law and euerie other Religion During this mans raigne Mutar whom he had made President ouer the Prouince of Persia perceiuing his drowsie sluggishnes and
Emperor that he would not infringe the League betwéene them concluded at length bent all his power againste the Greeques which inferred warre vpon hym againste the Lawes both of God and man and ouer his army he appoynted for Generall one Muamates Who findinge the Greeques at Sebastonople hanged the Tables of the League vpon a Speare poynt and caused the same to bee borne before him like an Ensigne And calling vpon God to reuenge the breaking and violation therof which were so soleÌ„nelie made and confirmed by taking his holy name â—o witnesse he in good order of battell gave the charge vpon them Albeit first he had corrupted the Sclauoyâ— with money Of whom assoone as the battell was once begun néerehand xx M. reuolted from the Emperour went to the Saracenes which thinge so appauled the Greeques that they were easely ouercome and put to flight and in the chase were kylled almost euery mothers sonne The Emperour Iustinian for he was present himselfe at this conflict dishonorably and shamfully by flight sauing himselfe with a few others in his company assoone as he came to Leucas caused all the remnaunt of the new band of sclauonoys to be put to death and their dead carkesses to bee cast into the Sea Whervpon the saracenes afterward without any damage not only recouered their owne Territories before lost but also inuaded the residue of the Roman Prouinces Sabatius also a noble Senatour and Pretor of Armenia vnderstanding of the wrecks and ouerthrows of the Romans reuolted to the Saracens and betraied into their hands the whole countrie of Armenia Nether did they yet cease to ouerrun the whole East and to leade away the christians into seruitude for y part also of Persia which yet acknowledged the Roman Empire was subdued by Cagian and Muamates with helpe of those Sclauonoy tourning to his side and entring into the Prouince of Thracia spoyled it with Sweard and fire pitifully the Roman Empire being in the meane season with ciuile discords and intestine hatred so disseuered and torne asunder that no man durst set in foote to withstande this outrage The Lord Leoutius hauing exiled Iustinian into the Ile Cherson vsurped the empire and straitwaies sent a Lord of his countrie named Iohn with a nauie to inhibite and stop the violent irruption of the Aphricane saracenes which not content with the midle lande that was graunted vnto them by league for their habitation inuaded a fresh the Countrie néere about the Sea Coastes This man vanquishing the Saracenes in battaile draue them out of the Romane Territories But for as muche as their power and wealth was dreadfull and terrible in Syria and all the East and newes brought by sundry rumours that there was more ayde comming from Abdimelik to the ayde of these Saracens in Affrica Iohn thinking his power vnable to defend and kéepe the possession of the prouince went to Constantinople to fetch more ayde from Leontius leauing his hoast behind him in Affrica But while these things were to slowly purueighed and prepared by Leontius Abdimelik vnderstanding the state of his subiectes in Affrica and sore mooued wyth the late losse by them there sustained furnished out a great Nauie to recouer the Prouince againe With whoÌ„ the Romane fléete thinking themselues not hable to make their part good departed thence into Crete Where the Chieuetaines and Princes consulting together thought it much souÌ„ded to their shame dishonour to returne home hauing thus lost Affrica and left the same open to their enemies and partly moved with displeasure towarde the Emperour which did so dreamingly prouide for the furniture supply of warlicke affaires egged the Mariners to reuolte and to salute Absimar Emperour whom they also called Tybarius He in all hast speeding himself toward ConstaÌ„tinople with an armie and finding Leontius vnprouided without any stop wanne the Citie and taking Leontius cut of his nose and cast him into prison The Saracens forciblie enioyed all Affrica and draue out all the Romane garrisons The most part of them that then inhabited the places of Affrica néere the Sea were of the Gothes lyne This Tyberius immediatly after he was enthronyzed and made Emperour sent his brother Heraclius with a huige armie into Asia against the Saracenes Who inuading Syria pearced into the countrey as farre as Samosata and wasting al the places néere therabout slue néerehand of them two hundreth thousande and taking there many prisoners and great booties brought all the Countrey in great feare of him And at the same time the Princes of Armenia in a sedition killed all the Saracenes which were in Armenia and sending Ambassadours to Absimar receiued the Romanes againe into their Prouince Muamates netteled with these dealinges with a great power set vpon them brought them againe vnder the Saracenicall obeysaunce and burned the chiâ—fe Princes and leaders of the people alyue Then he also inuaded Cilicia spoyling and ruynating it euerie where piteouslie but he escaped not himselfe scotfree For Heraclius encountring with him discomfited a great part of his hoast and tooke the rest prisoners whom he sent bound to Constantinople to the Emperour At which time Abdimelik dyed in the .xxi. yéere of his raigne We shewed before that one Abedramon descended of the Mauronion stock conueyed himselfe into Mauritania in the beginning of Abdimelik his Pontificate and was there in suche estimacion among his people and Sectaries that all the Saracens dwelling in that Prouince reuerenced him as an other Caliph or rather as one greater then a Caliph but for as muche as he entermedled not with any bellicall insurrections and also was farre of Abdimelik did not persecute him so as he did others But yet notwithstanding his name was great in Arabia He dying left a sonne behind him named Vlite who succéeded Abdimelik in the Pontificate was called the Muralmumine in the yéere after the incarnatioÌ„ of Christ .708 During whose raigne Armenia was once againe brought vnder the Romane subiectioÌ„ and the Saracens theÌ„ce expulsed The Arabians making an irruption into the Romane Prouinces tooke by force the citie Mista with many Castles fortified townes and with great booties and prayes returned home Then againe vnder the conduct of Abatius they inuaded Galatia and sacked it miserably and the Emperour Iustinian being againe restored to the Empyre by Trebellius king of Bulgaria the Saracens taking occasion by reason of these new tumultes commotions issued out of Aegipt with a greater preparatioÌ„ power theÌ„ they did before and debellad all Lybia to the Ocean Sea. I call it now Lybia because I haue alreadie shewed that Affrica was before by theÌ„ takeÌ„ which is a part of Lybia to th ende you may vnderstand that I do not speake of a part only which was already conquered but of the whole region For wheras Lybia or the whole couÌ„trey of Affrica being almost on euery side compassed about with water like an Island is on the North enuironed with our Sea on the West
trussed vp al his furniture of houshold with his wife went to Cepta When he was come thither fayning an excuse that his wife was sore sicke he desired the king to geue Caba his doughter leaue to come home and sée her languishing mother who was neuer like to sée her any more For Caba with other Princes and Lordes daughters as the manner was at that time waited in the court Hauing by this meanes receiued home his Daughter he went to Mucas who was as before we shewed the head ruler of all Lybya vnder Vlite and vnto hym he opened from poynt to poynt the whole cause of his comming away from the Court and promysing to make hym Lord of all Spayne if he woulde geue the aduenture take the enterprise in hand Mucas shewed the whole matter vnto Vlite because he durste not deale in such a waightye case withoute his will and pleasure first knowne Of whom he receaued this answer that the matter propounded was of great importaunce and difficultie and that it were not best in such a doubtfull matter to geue rashe credite to a subtyle persone and one altogether estraunged from their Religion Notwithstandinge to trye the trust and faithfulnesse of the Earle he was resolued that the matter might be best assayed by deliuering vnto hym a small crewe of Souldiours at the first and if he sped well and had good successe at the beginning afterward more ayde and greater power might be sent Mucas although he were throughlye perswaded by the Earles talke and motion that althings would sort to good effect yet durst he not passe nor goe beyond the contents of his Commissiō prescribed by vlite Wherefore he delyuered vnto Iulyan one of his Capitaynes named Tarife Auenzarca with a hundred Horsmen 400. footemē Who were all transported in foure Ships into a litle Ile lyinge in that Elbow of Sea that the Promontorie Calpe maketh which I le was afterward of this Capitayne Tarife called Gelriza Tarif Vnto this place Iulyan called and by gentle meanes allured all his friendes and kinsfolkes recomptinge vnto them from poynct to poynt the commodities and plesures which by his labour industrie and perilles the King had receaued for recompence whereof he forgat not to tell them the Kinges vngratitude and the spightfull dishonor doone vnto hys house by the rauishing and deflowryng of his Daughter telling them further that the King did vniustly vsurp that kingdome whiche by rightfull succession of inheritaunce belonged to the Sonnes of Vitiza For which causes he desired their helpynge handes in this so good and iust quarell to assiste hym tellyng them that the next yéere he would come with a conuenient army to performe asmuch as he then spake He so much perswaded them with these and such lyke wordes that they promysed hym when time shoulde serue their best seruice and furtheraunce and there vpon retourned home euery man to his owne house Iulian because he would make a beginning of his purposed warre inuaded the Ile Gades liing in the vtter part of the ocean néere to the narrow sea whiche Ile was afterwarde named Alzira Dalfrada which with Sword and fire he spoyled caryinge the Inhabitantes awaye with hym Prisoners and after that shewed the lyke curtesie to Lusitania and Betica and beyng laden with aboundaunce of spoyles and booties returned into Aphrica Mucas séeing this good successe and thinkyng it a beginninge good ynough delyuered vnto hym twelue thowsande Saracenes beside them before vnder the conducte of the same Tarife With whome hee arriued at the foote of the Promontorie Calpe which Mountayne was thereof afterward called Gabel Traife which is as much to say as the Mount of Traif and now it is called Gibel and setting his Souldiers on land tooke by force the citie Carceia which afterwarde euen till our time was called Tarifa The rumour of this great cōmotion being spred throughout all Spaine the kinsfolkes of Earle Iulian gathering together all the power that they were able and feigning that they went to repulse this Saracenicall inuasiō went straight wayes thither and ioyned themselues with him And so all their powers being linked in one they wasted and haryed al the coast about the Riuer Betis now named Guadolouir and commonly called Andalusia or of the Vandales Vandalusia Roderike in the meane season with as much spéede as he coulde gathered a very great Armie and appointing his Cosen Germaine Ignicus to be Chieuetaine thereof sent him against his enemyes Who making many conflictes and skirmishes with them was at length with all his Armie discomfited and ouerthrowne The Saracens hauing made great pyllage desolation in the Countrey and laden with foyson of many booties and carying a great multitude of Prisoners with them returned into Affrica At which time Vlite beyng in Asia and making preparation to warre with Constantinople dyed after whom Zulciminie the Sonne of Abdimelik was made high Bishop during whose raigne the Saracens the seconde time besieged Constantinople For immediatly after his creation he sent Malsana with an armie by lande and Aumar with an other by Sea against Constantinople and he himselfe with a great power folowed after But this his strong and terrible purpose was for a while defeated by Leo the Praetor of Armenia whō they séeking meanes to entrap and deceiue were themselues by him entrapped and deceaued for he stopping the passages conuenient places through which they must néedes goe hindered their reckening Whilest these thinges were in doyng Mucas comming out of Affrica to congratulate and doe his duetie to Zulciminie the new Byshop declareth vnto him the state of their affaires in Spaine wherevpon he being meruelous desirous to enlarge the limittes of his Empire gaue him in commaundement to send Tarife againe into that Prouince with a mightier armie then any he had before Mucas therfore retourning into Affrica the next yeere folowing transfreted with a buige armie into Spayne kéeping with him as a pledge or hostage Richila Counte of Tingis and cosen to Iulian whom he halfe mistrusted Which armie being once landed on the next coast Roderike speedely gathered the powers of the Prouinces néere about And so with the ayde of the people of Gottalonia now called Catalonia and in tholde time Lacetani the inhabitauntes of Iberia now called Tarracon or Aragon the Cantabrians béeyng at this day in the Kingdome of Nauarre and the people of Gallia Gottica wherein are the Cities Tolosa Nimes vnto the Ryuer Rhone he sodainly and vnlooked for encountred with them at the Ryuer Bedalaces whiche of tholde wryters was called Betis néere to a towne called xerez The Saracenes at that tyme had encamped them selues on that side of the Ryuer where Andalusia standeth and the King wyth hys battaile on the other side wherein the Kingdome of Castile is For the Ryuer Betis springing out of mount Ortospeda in the borders of Aragon and runnyng into the Ocean nexte to the Streightes diuideth Andalusia and the Kyngdome of Granado from Castile and runneth
chase and pursued the poore vanquished fléers set vpon them with a fierce recharge fighting lyke eigre Lyons robbed and bereft of their whelps manfully discomfited the vauntgard of their Enemies Armye But beynge not hable to sustayne the force of Iulians battayle which were strong men and wel armed they were faine to retyre into the Citie Tarife encampinge hymselfe there where now at this daye the Well of Tarif is and thence géeuing assault to the Citie with litle a do wanne it Which done by the counsell of Iulian he deuided his host into many braunches assignynge vnto euery parte such Capitaines as he thought fittest ymagining yea not doubtyng but the Christians before they coulde take any counsell what way were best to follow or be able to gather anye more power might be oppressed and all at once dispercled whersoeuer they could be founde They Sonnes of Vitiza and Byshoppe Opasius were appointed Capitaynes ouer them One Hoast addressed themselues toward the conquest of Malacca now called Malega a Port or hauen of Betica by the midland sea which to be spéedely taken was much for their behoofe aduantage An other marched to sack Corduba ouer whom was Chieuetaine a certayne christian hauing a litle before renounced his Christianitie and Saracenyzed whose name was Mageitar And the third was conducted by Tarife himselfe which tooke the way to the Citie Mentesia adioyning to that part of Aquitania which lyeth hard by the Pyrenees and is called Guienne or Gascoigne And subuertyng that Citie which chose rather to be vtterly ruynated then to be come vassall vnder Saracenicall slauerie he discamped to Toledo wanne it and after that Gaudalagiar Medina Almeide which Citie was so named of a pretie big Table made all of one gréene precious stone like an Emeraulde found in it Then he tooke the strong citie of Amaia wherin was kept at the tresure for the wars After this he inuaded the Region called Gottici Campi tooke by surrendrie the Cities Asturica Gigion wherof Mugnuza a Gothian was Captaine and subiugated Gatalonia being ayded by Mugnoces Prince of Cerdania who also was a Gothian borne Wherefore the Saracenes made him Ruler of all the places confininge to Cerdania An other Army hauinge wonne Granado marched to subdue Nurtia and Horihuela where there was a bloudy battaile foughten betwéene the Christians and the Saracenes in the plaine Fields which are to this day thereof called sangonarij in which conflict the Saracenes gettinge the vpperhand the citie yéelded After this the same hoast remoued to Valentia and discomfiting the Valentians yssuing out of the towne to fight when they saw the citie strongly fortefied rampiered with wals and diches they tooke it by surrendrie with this condicion that the Christians should be permitted to haue in it one Temple to inhabit which was Saint Basil his Colledge now at this day called Sainct Barptolomewes All the rest they dedicated to that Idolatrous verlet their Prophet Mahomet sauing onely that Temple whiche stoode in the Figge market where holie Vincent was martyred which was afterward an Hospital of christians The citie was pestered peopled with Moores albeit the Iews were suffred to remayne still in it and a few christians which dwelt in S. Basilles colledge Which the inhabitants of Puigum a towne of Enesa hearing wher ther was an other colledge of S. Basill left their homes fled burying their great Bell a certaine Marble Image in that churche in hope one day of a returne Whither the saracenes sent people of their owne to inhabit vnder the conduct of Cebola wherof the same towne Puigum was afterwarde called Cebole who also builded an other litle towne of the same name And thus Valentia Sogorbes Tortosa Lerida Barcinon Sarragoza with al Spayne was brought vnder the power and iurisdiction of the Saracenes But Tarracon because it long resisted stoutlye stoode at defiance with them they vtterly subuerted rased which was afterward new builded by Bernhard Metropolytane of Toledo at the cōmandement of Vrban the second of the name pope of Rome in the yéere 1090. By this meanes al spaine in the space of .xiiij Monthes was subdued which was a thing easie to be doone considering that the people wer cleane without armour weapon munition or Capitaine Opasius Metropolitane of Syuile euer exhortinge them to yéeld promysing vnto them the they should quietly enioye their religion lawes as they had before doone whiche promise was not obserued nor kept sauing in a few places as at Valencia Siuile and Toledo in which they left certaine temples for the Christians to inhabite Wherevpon yet to this daye in the chiefest Cathedrall Church of the Citie the Rites and diuine seruice among them celebrated is Mozarabicall that is to say mingled with Arabian which was allowed and confirmed by the Bishops of that time according to the order and institution of Saint Leandre After these victories the number of the Saracens dayly encreased in Spaine in so much that the Spanyardes then chaunged not onely their religion and maners but corrupted their language and the names of their Cyties Townes Hilles Ryuers and all other places were likewise altered Albeit many of them fled into Fraunce England Italie and Grecia to craue ayde of other Christian Princes Some others planted themselues in that part of the Pyrenees that lyeth out into Asturia and reacheth within the Aquitanicall Ocean And they whiche remained still with the Saracens had in euerie place their Prelates and Pastours mē deuout and holy But the first recouerie and helpe of Spaine sprang vp among the Asturians Which Countrey not only remayned safe and vndemnified of that Barbarous Nation but also was the first that stopped their lewde inuasions and there was the auncient and natiue language of Spayne conserued Which thing that it maye the better bée vnderstoode by what meanes it happened we must briefely describe the whole tracte and situation of the Pyrenees Wée said before that Spayne was in forme of a Cherronese or almost as a Islande enuironed with Sea on euery side sauyng onely in one place The Northe parte whereof ioyneth to Fraunce by a narowe porcion of lande that lyeth betwéene two Seas and the Pyrenee Mountaines lying a long from the Sunne rising in Winter to the setting of the same in Sōmer enuiron it about lyke a wall The bredth of the Isthmos or narow trench of land lying betwene the two Seas being one distant but a litle from the other is about CClxx Myles But the Pyrenee moūtaines stretch in length a great way further For when they come to the angle and as it were into a Baye of the Cantabrique Ocean which lyeth on the Northe syde of Spayne they stretch out in length a great waye into the Equinoctiall West and kéeping of the Sea Cantabricum from the Northe part of Spayne stretcheth euen into the plaine Ocean that hemmeth in all the West parte of Spaine That part of these Mountaines that lyeth toward Fraunce is
altogether barraine and vnfruitful but that part which is next Spayne is full of trees and well peopled wyth many townes and villages We will therfore beginne our description of them at the Ocean where they ioyne in Spayne to the region called Guipuzque but in Fraunce they border vpon the confines of the Vasconians On the side of Spayne there is Stephans vallay aboue the which are Besaca and Guciutha townes of the Vardulians confinyng vpon the region of Nauarre containeth Cantabria and Asturia then are there other smaller hilles lying out from the Pyrenees within which are conteined Basse and Squa which doe make the vallayes Rocida or Ronus on Fraunce side néere to the confines of the Vasconians is Iean Pedeportesburie a strong well fortefied place Néere to the valley Rocida the arme which before wée talked of is from them let into the Ocean reaching and extending to the mayne Sea through Gallicia or the Gallecians the Asturians But from the valley of Rocida Eastwarde they make the valley called Salazar wherein standeth a towne called Ociogauia then Ronceuall wherein is Isaua and the frontiers of the King domes of Tarraconensis Nauarre which was once called Nagiera Next Fraunce are the townes of Bierne Now foloweth the hill of Camfrank wherevnto in Fraunce is néere ioyning the countrey of Peiraner Vrdos in Spain Villa noua an auncient noble Citie Iaca Saint Christinsburie and Iean Pigniasburie and in the same tract lower is the Mount Aragon Hosca and frō them the Occetanes and Caesaraugusta now at this day called Saragoza Out of the Mount that lieth ouer Saint Christines springeth the Ryuer Aragon and because out of the moūtaines of Ronceuall there springeth an other little Ryuer of the same name called the lesse Aragon or Subordam therefore thys is called the greater Aragon and the whole region lying betwéene them was of them called Aragonia There followeth in the Pyrenees a hill named Gauas abutting on Fraunce syde vppon Larount a countrey of the Bigorians and on Spaynes syde on the countrey of Tenia In which Countrey are the townes Salent Saint Helens and Biesca Out of the hill Gauas springeth a Ryuer named Gallecus whiche hauing hys course through the valley Tenia falleth into Iber néere to the Citie Saragoza Then is there nexte the Cragge of Horca the stiepest and roughest of them all on which on Fraunce syde confyneth the Countrey of Arne and on that side towarde Spaine the same valley Tenia then the Cliues of Tarla from whom springeth the riuer Ara which afterwarde runneth into the ryuer Cinca néere to the towne Iuza hauing on Spaines side the valleyes of Brote and on Fraunce Voteia a valley of Guyenne In the valley of Brote are these towns folowing Torla Brotum Oto Linares Faulum Bresse Sarbise Aierue Laresitalla Scartinum and Giasa Then foloweth the craggie mount of Bielsa from which a part of the Ryuer Cinca spryngeth and the valley of Bio and belowe in this same very tract is the region Sobarbria then in the Pyrenees the vale Gistau out of whose Hilles springeth an other Braunche of the ryuer Cinca whiche hauing hys course through Sobarbria is augmented by receauing into it the ryuer Segre néere to a towne called Scarpe and then falleth into Iber néere Meschinentz The chiefest townes of fame in the valley Gistau are these Gistaine Senias Serbetum Iean Carauelsburie Plannium Poma Gistaina Cerquetum Lamian Catalauigna Badaine Then is there moreouer in the Pyrenees the valley Bonasia and the longe region of Ribagorge wherein are Gabaleria Grausium Benauarre Peralt and Paniello Then are the Hilles of Castrum Leonis vnder whome is the valley Aran or Fiscalia which hath in it these townes Biolla in Fiscalia Lardies Vorastrium Saint Iustus Ligarre Aretiza Sciabierre Saint Olalia Acortum Tricase Abese Planiell Saint Foelix Sason Silues Spierle Ascase and beneath it is the valley named Solana Agayne in the Pyrenees there followe Petrae Blaniae Altalauaccae where there is a passage throughe the Hylles of Torre and of the Countie Pimorent and Pallasium Vnder these is the valley of Henui wherein standeth the Citie Valentia and Palasia then the Clyues of Andoria where there is a passage oute of Spaine into Fraunce wyth a valley of the same name ouer agaynst which in Fraunce is Arachsium in Aquitanie Hitherto the places of Nauarre Then a long Cerdania is the Mount Bellamir the valley Bibesia the Mount Liuia and the pitche of Persa Then they enter within the Countrey of Rocilion ouer against the townes of Puigiualed Caudiese Arotonie Galamij Fanum Perapertuza Eitor and Leocata where theyr precinctes boundes end by the Mediterranean Sea. In the end wherof in Spain there standeth Salses a Castle impregnable hauyng with in it a most plentifull fountaine where in tymespaste stoode the Citie Gerunda or Girona ouer against it in Fraunce is Tēplū Veneris now called Cap de Creux Directly on the other side in Gottalonia other hilles do aunswere vnto it which may be called the lesse Pyrenees or Antipyrenees throw of Rodericke and what hast the Saracenes vsed in the pursuite of their victory tooke his Sister with hym and departed to Gigion supposing that place to be surer for his securytie But when Mugnuza duke of Gigion contrarie to his hope expectation had entred into league and was assistaunt to the Saracenes in their exploytes Pelagius dissimulyng what he inwardly thought and for the time bearyng two faces vnder one hood remayned styll with the same Duke vntyll Mugnuza fallyng sore in loue with his sayde Sister and deuisinge whiche way to frame his plat to enioy his desired lust sent her Brother Pelagius to Corduba to consult entreat about certaine affaires with the Saracen Princes In whose absence bearyng her in hand that he would mary her he had the spoyle of her maydenhead Whereof Pelagius at his retourne beynge by his Sister certefied departed thence with her into the higher Country til a time fitter to bring that to passe which he purposed Mugnuza greatly mooued with his departure tolde Tarifa that Pelagius intended somwhat against the Maiestie of the Saracenicall Empire Wherefore Tarifa sent one of his Captaines with a band of Souldiours if it were possible to apprehend Pelagius And now the Souldiours were come to Brette in which towne Pelagius was then resiaunt who being priuelie aduertised by a Christian one that was with them and knew all their counsailes tooke his Horse and ridinge all vpon the Spurre tyll he came to the great riuer Pionia tooke the water and swamme ouer Whiche they that pursued hym not daryng to doo for dread of drownyng hee escaped their clutches and came with heauy cheere into the Vale of Canica Where by the prouidence of God hee mette with the Magistrates and Péeres of many Cities of Cantabria and Asturia whiche were goyng to surrender and yéelde themselues and their Cities to the Saracenes And when hee vnderstoode the errand and cause of their iourney it is reported
receyuing sommonce of any warre But peraduenture you hope to spéede the better and that they will shewe more clemencie to you if you voluntarily yelde your selues and that all your Religion and Lawes shall remayne safe and in suche force as they did before and that your Wyues and Children shall not bée constuprated harmed nor vncurteously handled For wyth suche fayre glosing promyses these cutthroates and villanous Traitours to theyr Countrey vse commonlye to deceyue and enueigle the simple people as thoughe there could bée any faithe in them which haue betrayed their Lordes their Countrey their friendes and kinsfolkes yea God himselfe their Lorde and maker Did not Valentia a most strong maritimall and famous Citie yeâ—elde vnto them vppon this promyse and yet as soone as they were entred and had possession of the same they eyther cast out all the inhabitauntes or kylled them or else by compulsion enforced them vnto their Secte Did not Toledo the verye same and Siuyle and a greate manye of other noble Cities which being deceiued with this hope and bewitched with these flattering charmes yéelded themselues vnto them These domesticall examples are sufficient to teache you that it is a great deale better valiauntly to dye together like men and so much the more for that as yet thinges are not so farre spent but that they maye bée recured and holpen You haue hyghe Craggie Mountaines for refuge and in them some places inaccessible you haue some Townes moste strongly fortefied vppon trust wherof many times a smal number hath discomfited populous armies And you are a sort of tall men whom the nature of the heauen and earth hath made stoute and valiaunt acquainted with labours and hitherto inuincible Also there lyue a great sortevnder the Saracenes whiche I put you out of all doubt will come from all partes and ioyne them selues to you if they once sawe you péepe vp and auaunce your selues in this your so iust quarell Behynde at our backes is Fraunce a Region at this daye most flourishing bothe in Chyualrie and skilfull Capitaynes from whence no doubte wée shall haue ayde and succour For the Frenche will not any longer suffer this cowardly nation whiche hathe alreadie encroched as farre as the Mediterranean Sea beyonde the Pyrenees so saucely and malapertly to plaie these cruell Pageauntes and furious prankes against the borders of their Kingdome in suche sorte as they haue done to others And God hymselfe if we wyll tourne vnto hym with amendement of lyfe wyllayde and strengthen vs who being on our side euerye one of vs néedeth not to feare a hundred thousand of these blasphemous Grynneagods and lewde vyllaynes This oration sank so déepely into their braines that beyng perswaded with the pithy force therof for Pelagius was vehement and verye earneste in his matter and for his wisedome and sanctytie of lyfe highlie estéemed among those people they returned euery man to his home and callyng their neighbours together tolde vnto them the causes of their retourne to wytte how that Pelagius whose vertue and vnspotted lyfe was well knowne vnto them all because as before we haue shewed he dwelled long among them myraculouslye delyuered out of the cruell handes of bloudy tyrants met them as though hee had bene some messanger sent downe from heauen who shewed vnto them what an heynous offence they shoulde commit and what a pernicious acte they had purposed to doe Wherfore not ceassing as well in open Sermons as in priuat talke to perswade the people to constancye and godlynesse he was by common assent of all the people created King of Cantabria and Asturia in the yéere after Christ 717 Which done they all got them to mouâ— Anseua When the fame of this matter was blasetâ—-broad and knowne throughoute Spayne all the Gothes that could any way scape or by any meanes shyft themselues out of the handes of that barbarous nacion conceying great hope of lyberty good luck tooke them to their Weapons and ioyned side with hym and such as coulde not do the same out of hande with all care and dillygence sought oportunitie and occasion how to flée to hym Tarifa sent against hym Abraem Alcamack with a great Army and with him Byshop Opasius Sonne of the king of Egica and Metropolitane of Syuyle who as before hath bene tolde adhered to the faction of Iulian and other traitours of their CouÌ„trey Pelagius hearing what great preparatioÌ„ was made against him séeing himselfe not of equall power to repulse so great a multitude entred with a few of his companie but of the valiauntest among his whole bande into a certain Denne within the Mount Anseua appointing the rest to defend the narow passages and Streight wayes Whither wheÌ„ the Saracens were come Opasius weÌ„t about with many glosing termes to persuade them that kepte the Streictes to yelde them selues vnto the Moores but when he sawe his labour was all in vaine there beganne a cruell and a bloudie bickering The Saracenes shotte so many Arrowes and Dartes into the denne that they séemed to rayne from Heauen as faste as droppes of water in a stormie shower and to light among them as thicke as Hailestones But God myraculously making their dartes to rebutte against the same persons that shotte them there were so many of them either slaine or wounded that they were forced to recule and geue back Then the Christians vndoubtedly knowing the God was with them fought for theÌ„ yéelded most hartie thankes vpoÌ„ their knées vnto his diuine Maiestie that it had pleased him thus to relieue visit his poore afflicted people which done they boldly issued out vtterly repulsed all the residue There were slaine of the Saracens in this coÌ„flict about .xx. M. of the ChristiaÌ„s very few or none at all for writers make no mention thereof Those Saracens which escaped from the battaile fled into the top of the hill which by diuine miracle being shaken with a terrible earthquake and falling downe into the Riuer Iua running by the foote of the same hill they were all cast awaye and perished Opasius and Mugnuza two Archtraitours as they were fléeing for they went not vp with their felowes vnto the hill were taken and Mugnuza in a place called Olaglias was straightwayes by the Asturians put to death and the Citie Gigion vtterly ruynated to the perpetuall ignominie and shamefull reproche of the said Mugnuza Prince therof What was done with Opasius Authors make no mention When Mucas heard hereof suspecting that Iulian others of the same conspiracie were priuie to the counsells of Pelagius he straightwayes commaunded Iulian and Sisibertus and Ebasius the sonnes of king Vitiza to be put to death and thus in the ende they receiued a iust reward of their treason Which example so terrefied many of Iulians retinue and faction that they reuolted from Mucas and went to the Asturians and those whiche liued vnder the tyrannie of the Saracens dayly by stelth and priuily flying to Pelagius his power
within shorte space was so encreased that they which a little before were scantly able to defende their owne now recouered many of those Regions and Cities which the Saracens before had brought vnder their subiection For the Citie Legio at this daye called Leon was immediatly to them surrendred so also was Rota Mansilia Canicas commonly called Cangas Tineum and many other townes of that Countrey ¶ The Second Booke ¶ Conteining the declination of the Saracenicall Empyre till the beginning of the Turkes THe Saracens in the East being in a great phrensie that their Siege certaine yéeres passed layd to Constantinople was frustrate and hearing that Leo by whose only meanes their attempte was repelled was now Emperour leuyed a mighty armie againe and deuiding the same into two parties tooke in hand the same enterprise afreshe purposing then or neuer to bring their desires to a finall effect and conclusion Malsamas the Generall of th one armie transfreting with his cōpanie into Thracia spoyled a great part of that Prouince and geuing a sharpe assault vnto the chiefe citie and Imperiall Seat therof encamped himself on the West side of the same Citie néere to the walles where there is an Isthmos or narow portiō of land hauing Sea on either syde on that part he laid battrie Zulciminie the chiefe Bishop laye before the citie on the Sea with a nauie of three thousand Sayle as many do affirme For the citie Constantinople being both very huige and beautifull and aswel by nature as Arte most strong and impregnable standeth at the mouth of the Thracian Sea Bosphorus where Asia and Europa do almost ioyne together hauing no more but one small streit Sea to part them by which it is emptyed hath issue into the Sea Propontis where there stretcheth out a little Cape or elbow of Sea full of wyndings turnings in as though they were Hauens For which cause the place is called by the name of a Horne because by reason of the seuen hilles of the Citie hanging out into it it hath as it were many boughes or braūches like the hornes of a Hart. Along betwene this Cape and Propontis there runneth a certaine hill in forme like a Cherronese or half I le beyng on euery side almost enuironed with water contayning in length from the west into the East aboute thyrty furlonges howbeit it riseth not greatly in anye height but the ridges and clyues thereof do runne styll a long Propontis On the North side where his forme is lyke a Horne which a litle before we tearmed a Cape or Elbow it hath seauen Hylles annexed vnto it of the which foure do hang out into the Cape and that which is washed with Bosphorus is the greatest and maketh the base of a Triangle for the forme of this Citie and countrey beyng almost a perfect I le is thrée cornerde This hath two Promontories one lyinge towarde Propontis west of Hebdomum the other Northward which defendeth the mouth of the Baye from the iniurie of wyndes and is called Chrysoceras From whiche if a streigth lyne be drawen to the seauenth and innermost Hyll of all which also defendeth the Bay from the west wynde you must néeds include the plaine champaine of Pera now called Galata within the compasse of the Arche made by reason of the continuall ridge and cliffe of the Cherronese The length of that Cape or Bay is about lx furlonges in the innermost part whereof are the mouthes of the Riuers Cydrus and Barbysa the latitude or bredth thereof is diuers and not in all places alyke where it is moste it passeth not sixe furlonges and where it is lest not aboue thrée The streicts of it ar very narrow For on the north part wherin the towne Pera standeth there hangeth out a Promontory into the South named Metopicum and Cyclobium and lykewise an other on Asia side direct lye abutting vpon the middle Streictes of the Baye named Damalicum This Cherronese on the west side where the mayne Land of Thracia lyeth doth seperate this Elbow or Bay from Propontis with a narowe porcion of land lying betwéene the two Seas The bredth of that same Isthmos or narrowe share of Land where it toucheth the seauenth Hill and inner corner of the Citie is fifty paces and further beyonde it is greater Thus in this plot of ground beyng a perfect I le on all sides sauing one is situate the noble Citie of Constantinople once called Bizantium ouer againste whom on the other shore side of the Streict standeth the towne Pera once called Galata whichalso maketh promōtories into the Horned Bay. And in Asia there is directly ouer against it the Citie Chalcedon The entries of this Créeke or Hauen in the narowest places are enclosed and fast shut vp with a great Cheyne which reachynge from the Tower Pharea to the Promontorie Chrysoceras is extended and drawn in length ouer to the Metopique Promontorie of Galata where there is also an other strong fortresse or Blockhouse The Citie it selfe is fenced and fortyfied with thrée strong walles two verye broad and déepe ditches and many Towers and Bullwarkes beside It hath on euery side a playne prospect The middle part of the Citie ryseth vp a litle in height by reason of the Hylles whereon it standeth The whole circuite or compasse of the Citie is about xiii myles This so noble and florishing Citie Constantine in the place where before Byzantium stoode vnaduisedly ynough as the sequele proued buylded and translated the Imperiall Seat with all the riche Ornamentes of the Citie of Rome thither For although the soyle where it stādeth séemed to be a place most fit for an Imperial citie yet the disposition of the ayre and destenie would not suffer this citie to be the head seate keye of the Romane empire For as not only euery Country but also euery citie haue their proper fates maners fashions and rites so they may not safelye be translated or remooued into an other place no although the verye same persons and Lawes bee translated and remooued thither with them For the disposition and temperature of the ayre altereth mens manners which being altered their destinies and Fortunes are also chaunged Which to be true the ende proued apparantlie For the Empire being translated almost into the borders of Asia the Emperors themselues and the Romane Legions were afterwarde chosen out of that Prouince who being infected with their Gréekishe lightnesse and ambition seditiously practized sundry factions amonge themselues and effeminated with the nyce wantonnesse of Asia were not of power to repel the incursions of foraine Barbaryans when as in the meane season Italie and Rome the Maistresse and Castle of the whole earth lacking a head and hauyng lost the right vse of warlyke discipline was made an open pray for all nations to inuade And thus that Empyre which lyke a good trée in his owne soyle bare very good fruict beynge transplanted into a strange aire and ground within short time perished
were now dismaid at their wits end not hable to hold out ani longer but on euery side do what they could were by the valyant French Assaylaunts throwen downe from the walles or els slayne out of hand Within the Citie also there was a great slaughter of them vntyll the King had made proclamation that as many as were vnarmed and without weapon should be spared Then lo the Saracenes euer before that time choosing and accustomed rather to die then to yéeld as long as they had weapon Armure threwe downe their weapons and vpon their knées holdyng vp their vnarmed hands be sought pardon Then were the walles rased and the citie sacked From thence the Campe remooued and went to Saragoza the head Citie of the Prouince Taraconensis which beinge terryfied and feared by the example afore straightway condiscended and agréed to accept the offers and conditions propounded vnto them whiche was that they shoulde admitte and receaue into their Citie such as preached the glad tydinges of the Gospell of God and receaue againe Ibnabala their King and hym to acknowledg and obey as their Soueraigne Lorde After this he went into Gottalonia compelled the two kings of the Prouince which were accused to haue expulsed Ibnabala but of his kingdome Abuâ—am Deuiâ—feze to come into his Paullion with Giftes and Presents condiscend to become Tributaries Thus his name was had in feare and awe throughout all Spaine But when he was returned home agayne into Fraunce some write that there came out of Aphrica one Aigoland sent from the high Duke of the Aphrican Saracens who kept his Seat royall at Marrocco with a mighty army to recouer all such Townes and places as Charles had taken in Spaine with whom there were many other Princes Potentats and valyaunt personages And that Charles after many combates darraigned and foughten with hym hand to hand beinge thereunto by hym chalenged and prouoked fought a bloudy battayle with hym at Baion a Citie of Vasconia wherein were slayne 400000. Christians and among them Myles Anglere Father to Rouland a stout Gentleman and a hardy who had the leadinge and was Generall of the whole Army Notwithstanding all was regained by the puyssance and prowesse of Charles and other fresh ayd that then came euen in the nicke out of Italy to succour the Frenchman in that distresse Insomuch that Aegoland priuyly fled and conueighed himselfe away But not long after hauinge repaired his army with a supplie of moe Souldiours Aegoland againe prouoked Charles into Vasconia and besieged the Citie Gennum now called Baion the space of seuen Monthes and departing thence was in the borders of Xantongue in a cruell battel ouerthrowen after which discomfiture he fled back againe into Spaine And how that Charles because he would at length bring his Spanish warres to an end with a greater army then any afore entred into Spaine where after many light skirmishes he slew AegolaÌ„d in a notable battell after which victorie he brought vnder his subiection and rule almost all Spaine with many moe forged reportes and mere fables of some aduoutched all which for the vntruth and vnlykelyhood therof we do heare pretermit But if any be desirous to sée them let them reade Turpine Byshoppe of Rhemes to whom also I do referre you for the trueth of this which wee haue here last recited For we doe not fynde in any of those credible and approued wryters whych wée folowe that Charles made any moe voyages against the Saracenes into Spaine but one nor that they euer entred into Fraunce during his Raigne But this is manifest that Alphonsus Kyng of Asturia mooued with the famous renowne of his noble Actes and inuincible valiaunce and for the common weale of his Kingdome and Subiectes because he had no Children of his owne and saw that the power of that onely Region was farre vnhable so beare out and maintaine continuall warres wyth the Saracens offered vnto him secretely by trustie Messengers and Ambassadours the Kingdome of Lyon so that he would ayde hym against the King of Corduba with whom he had then waged Warre Charles accepting this offer and condition sent ayde vnto hym Which composition when the Nobles and Péeres of the Realme of Lyon vnderstoode they were soore displeased and tooke the matter greuously spighting as commonly in like cases it falleth out to haue a Nation hard vnder theyr noses to bée rulers ouer them and therevpon they compelled theyr King to starte from his Bargaine and vndoe his League And not so contented to leaue purposed also and deuised which way to dispatch and destroye King Charles and all his Army fearing least he séeing himselfe thus deluded and mocked would reuenge this iniurie done vnto him Therefore gathering and assembling all the power of the Asturians and Cantabrians together and sendyng also for ayde to the Saracenes in secrete wise preuenting Charles tooke and kept the narow Streights of the Mountaines where the passage way lyeth into Spaine by Ronceuall For Charles was retourned into Fraunce and was now againe in his way going into Spaine to reuenge this wrongfull dealing The Armie of King Charles was theÌ„ at the foote of the Pyrence Mountaines on that side next Fraunce in the valley yet called Hospita when there came newes vnto them that the Spaniardes were comming in warlike maner against him along by the valley called at this day Charles Valley which was a faire plaine ChaÌ„paine Therfore diuiding his hoast into thrée Battailes by the fraudulent traiterous couÌ„saile of GaleroÌ„ or as some cal him Gane whoÌ„ the enemies had corrupted with money he appointed Rouland his Nephew by his Sister commonly called of the vulgar sort Orland Duke of little Britaine a valiaunt GentlemaÌ„ and a hardy to leade the Vauwarde wherein he placed al the noble States Péeres of FrauÌ„ce in the second battaile he placed innumerable GentlemeÌ„ and noble Personages and he himself with the third wherin was the traitour GaleroÌ„ taried stil in the campe commaunding Orland with the vauntgard to aduaunce himself forward The Spanish army was embattailed in Ronceuall expecting their coÌ„ming Vpon whoÌ„ the fronte of the French hoast geuing the onset was at the first brunt so handled for the Spanyardes had gotteÌ„ the vpper grouÌ„d and al the strait passages that they were in worse case which escaped their hands theÌ„ they which were slain outright in fighting for they dyed were quickly out of pain but the other â—léeing through thicke thinne among the stones and craggy Cliues falling down froÌ„ high Rockes had their limmes brokeÌ„ so continued for a loÌ„ger seasoÌ„ in extreme tormente and agonies Thus Rouland all his traine being wearied what with climing vp the hill and what with the waight of their armour were easely killed and brought to confusioÌ„ After the same maner also was the second battaile haÌ„dled wherin were the 12. Péeres of FrauÌ„ce in whose power it is to create the king decide al waightie
the Sonne of Irene the Empresse The Emperour knowing of this new stirre and commotion made preparation for warre and sent one of his Lordes with an Army nothing equall God wot nor of power to match and encounter with his enemies which was by Thomas discomfited and cleane ouerthrowē After this méeting with the Romane Fléete tooke the same and with .lxxx. M. men tooke his way to Abydus which is a Citie of Asia the lesse standing vpon the Sea syde spoyling and destroying all where he went burning to ashes not only poore vplādish villages but goodly towns and stronge Cities And from thence in a very darke nyghte transfreted into Thracia where many of the Emperours Souldiours reuoulted and fled dayly vnto hym He put to flight and draue downe all the Emperors power sent against hym Wherof were chief Capitaines Olbian and Catacella and lyke a ragyng Streame violently runnyng downe from a Hyll profligated both by Sea and Land and bore downe before him an other wel apoynted Nauy manned out lykewise by the emperour against him He burst asunder the yron chayne that went ouerthwart the Hauen so layd siege to the citie both by Sea and land But preuailyng nothing that way he determyned to winne his purpose by long siege and fortifiyng his Campe in very good order sent parte of his army to subdue the Townes lying by the Coast of Euxine This doone with the rest of his power which was very great he on euery side beclipped the citie with a mighty oppugnation and gaue thereto a terrible battery But by the valyaunt courage of the Defendauntes all his attemptes were frustrate And his Nauy on the Sea by force of tempest was dispersed and disseuered so that he was fayne to brynge his hoast back agayne into Asia tyll the wynter were passed The Spring folowyng he agayne retourned to the same siege but Michael being now better furnished and prouided then hee was before both with a Nauy of tall Shippes to scowre the Coastes and kéepe the Seas and also with an army of lusty souldiours by land first assaied by diuers slights to vndermine Thomas his souldiours to sollicite them to renownce and forsake their Capitaine but al was in vayne Wherfore setting all the Gates of the citie open he sodenly with all his company issued out and set vpon Thomas suspectyng no such pretence and matter and him there discomfited and his whole Fléete on the Sea also There was one Gregory Cosen to Leo late Emperor who with a crew of good fighting Souldiours ayded Thomas but now séeinge the worlde thus tourned separated foorthwith his Souldiours aparte from the residue in hope thereby to wynne the Emperours fauour and set vpon Thomas behinde Whiche when Thomas espyed beyng nothing therewith discouraged nor yet therefore remoouing his stronglye lodged Campe from the Citie set vpon Gregorie with parte of hys Army and him discomfited who for his sauegard flying away he caught in the chase and put to death Then spéeding himselfe into his Camp agayne he addressed his letters abroad into all quarters vntruly makyng report that he had gotten the vpperhand against Michael in battayle and sent for the Nauy that lay at Berytum wherein were of Gallayes and Hulkes to the number of CCC.L. Sayle with all expedition to come vnto him as though the matter should foorthwith be tryed likewise by Sea. Which drifte and commaundement when the Admyralles and Capitaines of the Romane Nauy vnderstoode and knew they set vppon them at vnwares by night in the roade when they lay at Anker and with their sodayne comming so scarred and affrayed the Mariners that they were at their wittes ende and knewe not how vpon such a sodayne to defend themselues so that there many of them were by the Imperials taken and many burnt and very few escaped which beyng quicke of sayle gott away and ioyned themselues to the other Army that was on the land While this terrestriall army lay before Constantinople without any notable battayle sauing only manylight skirmishes and small bickeringes wherein somtimes Fortune smyled and somtime frowned vpon either part the same and reporte thereof was spread and bruted throughout the Worlde In somuche that Mortago King of Bulgarie notwithstandinge the Emperoure for gréedinesse and miserable sparing of his money as he was by nature most couetous and a néere Prince thankyng hym for his good wyll had before refused his ayde offeryng to assist him saying that he had no néede therof partlye because hee was desirous of Warre and spoyle of his enemies and partly to confirme the former thrée yeeres League made with Leo Armenus marched with an Armye agaynste Thomas and him in a place called Cedocto not farre from Constantinople where the two armyes met in Battayle ouercame vanquished wherin many a man was slayne and after the ende thereof retourned home with many Prisoners and rich Booties When the Nauye that Thomas had left at the Siege heard of this notable discomfiture and ouerthrowe they all reuoulted from Thomas and submitted themselues to the Emperour Thomas gatheringe together the remnaunt of his Armye that escaped vnkylled at the last conflict with Mortago conducted them into a playne Féelde called Diabasis distaunt certayne Furlonges from the Citie a place verye commodious and fit for excursions and for plentie of water very profitable Where hee anew encamped From thence makinge vagaries and roades he wasted and despoyled al the Emperours sumptuous buyldings and banqueting houses of pleasure standing in the Suburbes of the Citie The Emperoure hauinge his Armye euery daye more and more encreased strake vp Alarme and gaue the charge vpon him in thrée seuerall parts whereby he throughly put al Thomas his Armye to flight For Thomas before had geuen commaundemente to his men that at the firste onsette they should retyre and make a shewe as though they fled and afterward vpon the sodayne tourne agayne and recharge vpon their enemies After this discomfiture many of his men fledde to the Emperour Thomas with a few of his adherents came in safetie to Adrianople and his adoptiue Son Anastasius escaping also by flight tooke for his sauegarde the Castel of Byzia After whom the Emperour without delay making pursuite went firste to Adrianople where Thomas was And least the Scythians dwellyng thereabout should learne the knowledge of such engyns and Arrtyllerie as serue for Battery and oppugnation of Cities he determyned by famine to driue them to surrender and yéelde and so beclipped it rounde aboute with a strong Siege The Citie was well walled and beside that surely entrenched and fortefied with Bulwarkes But they were so pinched with Famine that all their victualles beinge spent they secretly had conference with Michael and being at a poyncte and composition with him for pardon of this their rebellyous conspiracie deliuered Thomas into his handes The Emperour now hauinge in his possession his deadly enemie obseruing the auntient custome of other Emperors in lyke cases first made him to prostrate himselfe vpon
the Bishop and a few other old meÌ„ all the other multitude commoÌ„ sort they caried thence away with them The Emperour Michael sent out another Nauie wherof was Captain Craterus the Lieutenant of Cyberetes against the Saracenes which rousted nestled in Crete Who with .lxx. Sayle of his owne and an infinite number of Galleys of other Islandes well manned appointed couragiously landed in Crete where he found the Saracens neuer a whit abashed of his arriuall neither refusing by dent of sword and stroke of battaile to darraigne their quarell Whervpon they mette together in a place méete for such a purpose where betwene theÌ„ was fought a sharpe and cruell Battaile lasting from the dawning of the day till Noone in such doubtfull fortune that hard it was to iudge whether part in th' end would cary away the victory But at length toward Euening the Saracens were ouercome and fled wherof many were slain in the fielde but moe throwing away their weapons were taken insomuch that that daye theyr Citie was lyke to haue beene taken and wonne if it had not béene so néere nighte Which night and victorie was the destruction and ouerthrow of the Greekes as afterward shall appéere For being now in their iolitie and pryde hopyng the next day folowing with small labour or none at all to bring those fewe of theyr enemyes yet left a liue into their power gaue themselues to biâ—ynge ryot and bellychere as though they had not bene in their enemies precincte and daunger but at home in their own houses taking no regard to set heir watch kept or any other expedient order obserued Insomuch that minding no other thing but sléepe ease and stouth the vtter ouerthrowers of al goodnes they were set vpon in the dead time of the night snortinge with their dronken nowles by the Saracenes who espyed the aduantage and oportunytie and were slayne euery Mothers sonne not somuch as a Messenger left aliue to carry home newes of their yll spéede Onely Craterus the Captaine embarkinge himselfe in a Marchauntes Craer sought to saue his life But when the Chieuetayne of the Saracenicall Armye after longe séekinge and tumblinge among the dead Carkasses and Prisoners could not finde him knowing him then to be escaped and fled sent in all post hast to pursue and hunt him out Who being taken and apprehended in the I le of Coo was hanged vpon a Gibbet The Emperour Michael hearing these newes commanded Orypha a wiseman and verie skilfull in Martiall affaires to gather together the Praetorian Legion which because euery souldiour of that Legion had for his wages xl Crownes was then called Quadragenaria and with them he spedde himselfe against the saracenes whome he greatly endamaged somtimes killinge them as they raunged licentiously and excursiuely abroad into other Ilandes for spoyle partly breaking out vpon them out of Stales and Ambushes layd for the nonce to intrap them and partly by open conflictes pitched battailes He also cooled the courage and abated the pride â—â—moderate audacitie of them that vsurped the Countrey of Crete At this time there was one Euphemius Capitayne of a certayne Band of Souldiours in Sicilie who not hable to master the lasciuious passions of inordinate loue perforce tooke a virgin out of the Cloyster wher she was professed Nun and had vowed chastytie from her tender age and her by the example of his Lorde and Maister the emperour who also had aforetime perpetrated the lyke enormity rauished and carnally knew against her consent and wyll For whiche impyous acte her Brothers made complaynt to the Emperour with humble request the this detestable exaÌ„ple might not escape the penalty punishmeÌ„t due for such a villanye Whereupon the Emperour sent Commaundement to the Regent of Sicilie that if this were true he should slitte and cut of Euphemius his nose Euphemius vnderstanding what sentence and iudgment the emperour had geueÌ„ against him entred into a conspiracie with his owne Souldiours and other Capitaynes besides and they altogether fled to Ambulak Bysshop of the Saracenes in Mauritania Promysing vnto him that if he might by his help and meanes be proclaymed Emperour of Romanes he would delyuer and bring all Sycile in subiection vnder him and woulde moreouer paye vnto hym a great Tribute Whiche offer and condition Ambulak not refusing inuested hym with the tytle of Romane Emperour and furnished him with a great Armye by meanes whereof he wan the possession of Sicile but Euphemius making his progresse and walkes about Sicile in the habit and stately gesture of Emperour was at the Citie of Syracuse slaine Then began the Saracens to set foote into Calabria and diuers other partes of Italye making therin great hauock and spoyle of whom one Nauy perished and was cast away about the Coastes of Sardinia the other for there were two sent out in fléeinge wyse retourned home Whiche caused Ambulak to conclude a peace with the french Kinge But within a while after Bernard the Sonne of Pipine raigning in Italy the Saracens despising and reiecting the peace that Ambulak had made inuaded Corsica who in their returne homwarde beinge laden and full fraught with booties and great store of Pyllage were in the mayne Sea encountred by one Ermengarius a man of great power in the greater of the Baleare Ilands to the behoofe of the king of Italy maintained a garison ther by whos prowesse the Saracenes at the first onset were cleane discomfited and put to flight and diuers of their Shipes intercepced and taken beside 500. Christian Prisoners in them which were rescued and saued Notwithstandinge all this misfortune and discomfiture the Saracens would rest but coasting about Italie with their Fléet sodaynely landed and surprised a towne in the Coast of Hetruria named Centumcel whiche nowe is called the olde Citie Which being so taken they sacked and with Sword and Fire defaced most rufully From thence holding on their vioage toward Narbon they destroyed haryed and spoyled the Country al about and that doone inuaded Sardinia where they practised all kinde of wast and robbery But as they fetched their vagaries and licencious roades Ermengarius agayne with the power of the I le by hym assembled vpon a sodayne gaue the charge vpon them put them to flight and with great slaughter on their side draue them to the Sea where for hast as they thicke and thréefolde striued who might first get a boorde they were killed downe right at the pleasure and full desire of their Enemies Being thus gréeuously afflicted and hauynge lost a great part of their Nauy they waighed vp their Ankers and sayled into Africa And they which were in Sycile hearinge that the Venetians to gratyfie the Constantinopolitan Emperoure vnto whom that Ile was subiect purposed to send a Nauy against them filled their Bagges and stuffed their powches with such spoyle and pray as they lyked and went their way After this Haido whom Lewes Kinge of Fraunce and the Emperour had made Ruler of
his Souldiours with a vehement Oration and made a way perforce to the place where the Emperour was distressed and hym béeyng nowe wearied and vtterly dispayring of any escape or remedie yet mynding to abyde the vttermost hazarde rather then he woulde dismaye and leaue his Souldiours comfortlesse through hys departure saying that he woulde not by flight betray the lyues of his poore vassalles into the mercylesse talauntes of that wicked generation deliuered and brought out of that daunger not without threates and menaces that he woulde kill him vnlesse he woulde consent to folow him openyng the way and passage for him to escape And the fourthe tyme both the Armyes wyth all theyr powers comming into the fielde without any notable thing done worthie of remembraunce retourned home The fifte yeere Theophilus leadyng his Armye farre within Syria wasting and spoyling all the Countrey in hys waie wanne and Conquered Zozopetra the Countrey and Seate of Impraell which so nettled and chaufed Imprael that he assembled all the power hee was hable to make wyth intent to inuade Amorium the Countrey of Theophilus His Armye mette all together at Tharsus whither when Imprael himselfe was come he sent hys Sonne with parte of his Armye before to skirmishe and dallye as it were in the waye of an assaye with the Romane Hoaste whiche was lodged and emcaped at Dorylaeum thrée dayes iourney from Amorium And vnto hym he appoynted tenne thousande Turkes and all the power of Armenia Who beyng thus furnished and appoynted wyth men and armour and encamped at Drazymenum Theophilus went against him and lodged his Hoaste in a place called Auzin purposing before he woulde ioyne anye Battayle to espie and discouer the multitude and number of his enemyes Armye for that the Saracenes as though they had bene afrayde kept their heades within the walles of their citie was lulled in securitie geuynge no regarde to orderly behauiour nor to the good keeping of their watch the Saracenes all in armure vppon the thirde day after the Siege was planted wheÌ„ al the Romane Souldiours were assembled congregated together to héere diuine seruice for it was vppon a Sundaye setting open their Gates and issuing out sodaynlye kylled and manquelled the Romans on euery side insomuch that the Emperoure himselfe had much a doo to escape loosing and leauyng behinde him all his carriage and prouision And agayne within two yéeres next after the Saracenes entred within the diâ—ion and lymites of the Romane Empire with xxx M. men wherefore Michael meaning to wynne his Spurres againe to be euen with the saracens for the foyle lately taken at their handes leuied an Army of xlv M. Thracians and Macedonians and marched against them Which when they knew by daungerous iourneyes and compendious pathes they preuented his purpose settinge vpon him sodaynly and at vnawares being in his iournay and out of order Wherby he was discomfited and compelled to flée And at that time they saye that Michael had fallen into the handes of his Enemies if Manuel had not venturously entred and violentlye broken into the breast of the Enemies Armye and disturbinge their araie delyuered him from daunger Two yéeres after this Mamume the Son of Imprael beinge Caliph of Syria the Saracenes with an Armye of xl thousand men spoyled and ouerrunne Armenia and all the Sea coastes cruelly At whiche time the Caliph is reported to haue done as Xerxes longe afore did commaunding the Sea to be whipped and beaten with Scourges because it stopped his intent that he could not haue his will to go any further Michael who could not with pacient minde brooke and digest these iniuries sent his Vncle Petrona Lieutenaunt of Thracia with a great power against Mamume Who encamped hymselfe in a certayne place called Lalacaeon and settinge Stales and Ambushes on euery side to surprise and entrappe his foes when aduantage should be offered prouoked Mamume to the encountrie and battayle Mamume being thus beset and on euery side circumuented by his Enemies lyke vnto a Byrd in a Cage or a Déere in a Buckstall was at his wittes ende not knowynge how to escape or shift hymselfe out of that imminent perill And demaunding of one of the Romane captiues whom he had taken Prisoner the name of that Countrey and place wherein he had pight his Pauilyons and Campe and by what name the riuer there harde by was called answere was made by the Prysoner that the Countrey was called Lalacaeon the place Ptoson and the riuer Gyris Whereby he presaged and by the appellacions of the same places for hee was a man well séene in the Greeque and Latyne Tongues and earnestlye geuen to the study of Philosophy immediatly coniectured the those names portended his confusion and some notable ouerthrowe of his people and signified that hee and his retynew should be on euery side beset and caught lyke Fishes in a Net by the Romanes Notwithstandinge he encouraged his men not to quayle and despayre but to stande lustelie to their tackelynge and to determyne with themselues to withstand their Enemies Therfore the next morning as soone as the day appeared well perceiuing himselfe to be hemmed in on euery side he determined to séeke a way and egresse by that part and place which Petrona guarded and therevpon geuing vnto his men a watchword and token to geue aloude shoutâ— all at once there set vpon his enemies But séeing his attempt and purpose to be all in vayne he a litle retyred after a small breathing gaue a sharpe and freshe onset agayne and vsing this order sundry tymes by startes geuyng a blow and away agayne at length desperatly with a vehement violence and force rushed into the middes of his enemyes and was there slayne both he and all his Hoast vtterly His Sonne whom he had sent on rouing and spoyling with parte of his Armye hearinge of his Fathers death and confusion retyred in hast to Melitena But he was pursued and taken by the Capitaine of the Charsian streicts and presented to Petrona This Mamume was surerly a man garnished and endued with many excelent qualities and notable vertues For beyng himselfe singulerlie well learned he cherised and entyerlye loued all them that were learned estéemyng and entertayning them very honorable as by that example following shal appeare which for the worthynesse and commendacion thereof I haue thought good héere to disciphere There was in Constantinople somtime called Byzance a certayne Philosopher named Leo somtime byshoppe of Thesalonica and now depriued from the Prâ—lacie and Bysshoprich therof by reason of a deuision and controuersâ—e touching the hauyng and worshipping of Images which at that time merueilouslye frushed and disturbed the Latine and the Greeke Church Beinge for this cause thence exiled hee came to Constantinople where he hyered a poore Cotage and set vp a Schole professing to traine and instructe such Scholers as resorted to him in what Arte soeuer euery one was best disposed to learne Insomuch that out of his pryuate Schoole
all Hetruria to assist and ioyne side with hym for the repulse of this daungerous inuasion Whiche Alberick with a mighty armie that he had leuied in his owne Countrey and partly also mustered and taken vp in and about Rome encountred them after they had set foote within the Romane Terrytorie and at the firste not far from the Citie in Battaile them vanquished but afterwards at the riuer of Leyre about the Citie Minturne he so notably discomfited them that they were now resolued and fully purposed altogether to depart quight out of Italy Wherfore burning all alonge the Sea coaste as they went they departed into Apulia and buyldinge a Castle vpon Mount Gargan and vnder the rydge of the same Mount a Towne strongly fenced and fortyfied for the warres they continued there for many yéeres sore infesting and spoyling Italye Then they tooke Beneuent and it ransacked and after fiered Whiche terrible example so amazed and astonned the other cities adioining that without resistaunce they receiued the Garrisons of that nacion within their walles But ayde beinge sent by the Pope the barbarous Mawmettes doynge all rather with pyllage and robberie then with any iust war departed without any battaile out of the Romane limits and dominions And an other fléete of the same nacion comminge out of Affrica after long and cruell Siege tooke the citie of Geane and at their first entree slue all the defendants but the Maydenes Damoselles Matrones and younge boyes they shipped and caried away with them into Africa But Dandulus Venetus writeth the al of the Male sexe retourned afterwarde home againe into their Countrey but how and by what meanes that came to passe is by none declared nor written Geane was wonne and taken in the yeare after the incarnacion 935. And the Saracenes being first dispossessed of the Castle of Mount Gargan by the Dalmatians and afterwards in many ouerthrowes weakened and vanquished by the Pannonians were lastlye by Otho Emperour of Germaines in the yéere of our Lorde 969. quight expulsed and driuen out of Italy The Greekes doo héere make their auaunt that Italy was deliuered and rid out of the seruitude and dreadfull oppression of the Saracens through the aide and helpe of their Constantinopolytane Emperoure in that the French succoured and relieued them for the good wyl and friendshippe that they bare to their Emperoure For they say that the Italyans hearinge Rhagusium to bee rescued and deliuered from the Siege by the Greekish Nauy submitted themselues vnder the obeisaunce of the Empyre and requested ayd also for themselues Whervpon Basilius by his Letters directed addressed vnto the Frenth King treated with him to aide them and by him was the Sultane taken and brought to Capua who afterwarde by the fauorable meanes of the Commons of Capua with whom he had conspired against the King was set at liberty and the King being thence expulsed he inferred warre vpon the Capuans but by the ayde of the Greekes which came against him he packed and went away This French King of whom they surmise this talke and Historye I thinke should be Carolus Crassus the fifte Emperoure of Germaines but for the trueth thereof I referre you to my Authours the Greekes whom I wyl shall shifte for themseues touching the credit of the premisses a most noble victorye He wasted and subuerted Berraea al sauing the Castle where he found great store of riches and treasure and taking innumerable of them prisoners deliuered many Christians out of thraldome Afterward this Nicephorus Phocas being aduauÌ„ced to the Empire Duke Manuel the Bastard sonne of Leo was sent with a mighty Nauie against the Saracens into Sicile where through negligence want of skill he with all his hoast was slaine And at the very same time Iohn Zimisca afterward Emperour being sent into Cilicia had the vpperhand of the Saracens at the Citie of Adana TheÌ„ Nicephorus himself in persoÌ„ with a great power entred into Cilicia and tooke Anabarza Rosa and Adana thrée proper Cities of that Prouince with many other stronge holdes and Castles which done he returned into Cappadocia and there wintered In the beginning of the nexte Spring he went thither againe and sent his brother Leo with a part of his army to Tharsus himselfe laid siege to Mopsihestia through the middle wherof there ranne a riuer named Sarus While the Emperour layde harde siege and sore distressed the one side thereof the Saracens seeing no remedie set fire in that part and departed vnto the other part which being also conquered and wonne he slew of them euery man When the Tharsians hearde thereof they submitted themselues to the Emperoures grace And within thrée daies after a Nauie was sent out of Aegypt to ayde the Tharsians which could not attaine to land and in their returne homeward what with force of weather and blustering windes and what with incursions of the Romane Gallayes they were for the most parte all lost and cast away When the Emperour was retourned home to Constantinople he caused the brasen gates which he had brought froÌ„ the winning of Tharsus Mopsihestia of excellent workmanship curious art to be set on the East West side of the Castle with other new ornaments garnishments of his owne cost added therto Then he inuaded Syria and hauing partly beaten downe and partly wasted the Cities about Libanus the Sea coast he came before Antioch which Citie standeth vpon the riuer Orontes But the Antiochians standing at resistaunce and also victual in his Camp waxing very scant beside such continuall raine that the ground was all ouerflowen couered with water he was faine to builde a Bastyle on the Mount Taurus which is at this day is called Maurus leauing there behind him to infest skirmish with the Antiochians Michael Burze whom he had aduauÌ„ced to be one of his chief Nobilitie inuested with the tytle of the Capitaine of Mount Taurus And appointed one of his Eunuches named Peter a valiant constant skilful warriour master of his Tentes and Pauilions to sée order taken prouided for the wintering of hs host in Cilicia after which order â—o takeÌ„ he returned to Constantinople Burzes with many venturous Râ—ades excursions laid sore to the charge of the Antiochian Saracens and them greatly molested studying by all meanes to wynne honour and glorie by déedes of Armes and to take the Citie Vppon a time he priuily measured out the altitude and height of the Tower of the same and preparing scaling Ladders equall in height therewyth in a very darke and snowye Winter nyght he came secretely and without making any noyse vnder the walles of the Citie where setting vp his Ladders with CCC men that he had brought thyther with him for the same purpose he mounted vp and kylled the watchmen and keepers of the Tower and as manye as hee could méete withall and straightwayes dispatched a Currour to the Maister of the Tentes and Pauilions to aduertyze him how the case
others insomuch that within a whyle hys Armye grewe to the number of 50000. men Muchumet stormyng marueilouslye at this ouerthrowe and discomfiture of hys Hoaste caused the eyes of those tenne whom he had appoynted Capitaines to bée pulled out and threatened the rest of the Souldiours which fledde out of the Battaile that so soone as he had vanquished his fees he woulde cloathe them all in womans apparell and leade them as gazing stockes in Triumph before him This done he himselfe in person marcheth against his Enemies His men who before had bene vanquished of the Turkes considering the threates and shamefull handling that was ment towarde them reuolted from Muchumet and fledde to Tangrolipix Who now hauing his Armie encreased with such a warlike Crewe of freshe Souldiours with all his whole power together came against Muchumet by dinte of mortall battaile to trie and finally determine the cause of controuersie betwene them Muchumet with hys power of Saracenes Persians Arabians and Cabirians well appoynted and armed to the number of fyue hundreth thousande and a hundreth Elephantes wyth Towers on theyr backes mette his Enemye at a place called Aspacha where betweene them was fought a cruell and bloudie Battayle and many slayne on bothe partes In this conflicte Muchumet as hee rode vnheedely from ranke to ranke chéeryng his Souldiours and exhorting them to doe valiauntly by meanes of the foltering and stumbling of hys horse fell downe and brake his necke He béeyng once deade his Armye fell to a Parley and composition wyth the Turkes and so wyth one consente and wyll of all sides Tangrolipix was proclaymed King of Persians Who immediately opened a waye and passage for his people into Persia Of whom a great multitude went thyther and oppressing the Persians and Saracenes perforce possessed all the Countrey of Persia They also honoured Tangrolipix by the stile or tytle of Sultane whiche is asmuch to saye as a most Soueraigne Emperour or Kyng of Kinges He displaced the Inhabitauntes of the Countrey out of theyr Offices Roomes and Dignities and placed his owne Nation and people in the same and amonge them empouerishing and vtterly oppressing the Countrey borne persons diuided and parted the whole Region of Persia Also Daber Prince of Aegypt béeyng in League and amitie wyth the Romanes falsefyed hys othe and promise whiche before hee had condiscended vnto and destroyed the Temple at Hierusalem wherein was the Sepulchre of our Sauiour Chryst and all the other holie places in the same For Hierusalem at that tyme was vnder hys obedience and dominion And wythin a whyle after hee sent a Nauie into the Isles called Cyclades to trie some maistries there which Nauie was encountred and mette wythall by the Duke of Samos who tooke .xii. of them as Pryzes with all the men and Capitaines therein and the rest to hys hyghe laude and glory dispersed and scattered After this Argyropylus béeyng Emperour of Constantinople the Arabians wanne all suche Cities as Nicephorus and Iohn Zimisca had taken in Syria and slewe the Garrysons that were lefte to keepe them And the Prynce of Chalep wyth continuall incursions infested Antioche and dyuerse other Cities and Countreyes confyning vppon Syria that were subiecte to the Romane Empyre By whom also the Capitayne of Antioche Constantine béeyng yet alyue was shamefullye vanquished and hardly escaped wyth the losse of manye of hys men In whose office and roome the Emperour appoyntyng another went himselfe wyth a competent number of well furnished Souldiours to snaffle the pretenced outrage and insolent demeanure of the same Prince of Chalep The Chalepians hauing vnderstanding of his approche sent Ambassadours with giftes and rewardes to meete him on the way and to desire pardon for their former temerytie and vndutifull behauiours towardes him offering agayne to submit themselues and from thencefoorth to become his true Vassalles and liege people Whiche submission and peace although manye of his Lordes and Capitaines exhorted him to accepte yet hee hoping easely to subdue the Saracenes and thereby to purchase vnto himselfe a great name and glory would néeds march on and continue his voyage into Syria And when he had strongly encamped himselfe néere to Chalep the Arabians beinge bolde and nimble fellowes and naked with good swift Horses vnder them lyke Dimylaunces planted themselues in euery corner in Ambushes So that if any of their enemies went out on forraging or to fetch water they sodenly brake out and either slew or tooke thē prisoners By reason whereof both the Souldiours and their Horses fainted for thirste and were not hable to doe any seruice Thus they being better acquainted and enured with these incursions and skirmishes tooke heart a grace accusing the Romanes of Slouth and cowardyse and sheweing themselues in great plumpes descēding sodenly from the Hylles with great shoutes and cryes so terryfied and dismayed the Romane Hoast that they tourned their backs fled The emperour himself being there in great danger of his lyfe and forsaken of his Pretorian Souldiours which for feare shifted for themselues and left hym alone had fallē in the Lapse and bene taken Prisoner yf one of his company had not set him vpon his Horse and aduised him to saue him selfe by flight The Saracenes supposinge this their fléeinge to be done but for a pollicie and for the nonce pursued not the chase but entred into the Emperours Tentes where taking a few noble personages and spoylinge his rych Pauilion wherein was great foyson of Treasure and princely furniture departed thence and retyred back lading their Horses with as much as they could cary away In their retourne back they ouercame the countrey of Mesopotamia And the Aegiptian Fléet wasted the coast of Illyricum but they could not goe cleare away For the Greekish Fleet encountered with them and burnt many of them the rest which escaped by flight by tempest were drowned in the Sicillian Sea. Also an other Nauy of a thousand Sayle or there about being sent out of Aphrica spoyled many Islandes and places bordering vpon the sea Coastes But the Romane gallayes chaunceing vpon them tooke certayne sonke many and sent 500. of them prisoners to the Emperour And George Maniaces prouost of all the Cities along the Riuer Euphrates lying at Samosata conquered and rased a citie called Edessa wher he finding an Epistle of our Sauiour Iesus Christ written with his owne hande he sent the same vnto the Emperoure This Citie afterwarde in the Empyre and raigne of Michael Paphlagon was besieged by the Arabians and had bene wonne if Constantine Capitaine of Antioch and Brother to the Emperour had not succoured and relieued the poore Defendauntes that were within it After that the Prince of Aegypt was dead the Quéene his wyfe being a Christian and her son concluded a truce with the Romanes to endure for xxx yéeres and caused the Temple and other holie places at Ierusalem to be restored and newe reedified About this time two Brothers both Saracenes iounctlie and with equall authorytie
and infestinge the Romane Prouinces were vaunted and ouercome by Mychael Comnenus Generall and Chieftaine for the Emperoure and within awhile after the same Michael being sent by the Emperoure into Syria with a lesse power for certayne spight and hartburning borne agaynst hym was vanquished and taken of the Turkes After this the Emperoure in person with a great power went into the orientall Prouinces and entamping at a place called Criapega in a battayle whiche hee fought with his Enemies wher the Scythians that were in his Army forsoke him and fled to the Turkes most manfully fightinge was taken and brought before the Sultane whose name then was Axan for Tangrolipix was now dead This Axan as he was a most precise man and of great moderation and prudence when hee certainlye knew that it was the Emperour for he would not beléeue it was he till the Ambassadours vnto him before sent affirmed it was he indéede and certayne Greeke Capitaines whiche hee had in Prison being brought before him fel downe and prostrated themselues at his féete curteously lifted hym vp from the ground lying prostrate and knée lynge at his Feete as the custome and manner is for them that acknowledge themselues vanquished and so louinglye embraced him as though he had bene his owne Brother speakinge vnto hym these comfortable wordes folowyng I would not wish you moste noble Emperour to lament and sorow for this your present chaunce and miserie For such is the state and course of this worlde that the fortune of Warre sometime allotteth victorie to one sometime to an other humbleth one and aduaunceth an other Your Maiestie hath moste puissauntlye quitte your selfe in many notable Battayles your valiaunt courage and inuincible prowesse in warlyke affaires shall euer be renowmed and spoken of yf you now shew your selfe to be no lesse pacient and stoute in aduersitie then you were prudent and wise in prosperitie Albeit at my handes you shall not be vsed as a Captiue and prisoner but lyke an Emperour and as is most sitting for one of your estate And immediatly he apointed vnto him a most Princelye and rych Tabernacle with seruauntes to await and geue attendaunce vppon his Person and all other furniture méete for an Emperour And caused him to sit at his owne table next vnto himselfe for his sake set at lybertie as many Prisoners as he would demaunde Which Princely curtesie argued that he had regarde to humane mutabilitie and fickle state considering the same missehappe might as well haue happened vnto hym Thus these two mighty Princes keping company famylyerly together for certayne dayes talking most fréendly one to an other at last established and concluded a perpetuall and infringible peace for euer to continue betwene them and vpon promise of affinitie by Mariage betwéene their Children to be solempnised hee franklie delyuered and fréely dismissed Diogenes with a great traine of honorable Personages awaighting vppon him and gaue vnto hym a riche sute of Princelye Apparaile But after that Diogenes was at Constantinople murthered by his owne People Axan the Sultane hearinge thereof and greatlie lamentinge his death for reuenge thereof sent out his Armies not now to pylfer and robbe as before but to subdue and vtterlie to reduce the same vnder his subiection Against whom Michael Ducas the Emperour sent Isaac Comnenus with a great power who was ouercome and taken of the Turkes and payde a great Summe of Money for his Raunsome After this Cutlume Nepheiu to Tangrolipix as before hath béene declared leuyinge agreat Power some the Citie of Hierusalem and some with muche labour and effusion of bloude regained other Cities and there constituted a Christian Kingdome Nowe this while the Emperour of Constantinople was in league with the other Sultan of the Turkes was Lord of the Prouinces confyning and bordering next vnto Constantinople for wée shewed before howe that those Prouinces were alotted and geuen to Cutlume the which hys Heires after him enioyed and Tangrolipix his Successours had the regiment ouer the Persians and Babylonians and in Aegypt there were yet remayning the remnauntes and residue of the Saracenes But after the death of Cutlume and his Sonne Sultanes of the Occident and Lordes of all Cappadocia one Tanismanye succéeded Of these Christian Capitaines when they were arryued in safetie in Asia the Turkes gaue a great ouerthrowe vnto Raymund watching him at a vauntage when he was entred into the Countrey about Nice vnaduisedly without searche and hym compelled to flie vnto a poore desert towne called Exorgum where after he had bin a certain space besieged throughly wearied with a sewe others yelded to his enemyes The rest which would not yelde and submit themselues after long Siege were partly consumed in skirmishes and partly perished by famyne and such as were taken alyue were slaine euerie one So many as were leste departed first to Nicomedia and from thence remooued to Nice a Citie of Bithynia Whiche Citie while they fiercely assaulted Tanismany or Solyman with lx thousande Turkes yssued out and bent his full force agaynst that part of the Christian Campe which was ledde by the Byshoppe of Podie but the Frenche stoode so stoutly at the receipt that the enemyes were easely repulsed and so at length the Citie of Nice was taken After this there was a sharpe bickering and conflict with Solyman at the fourth Tent pitch from Nicaea For he had gathered together the power of the whole Orient and had procured as much aide from else where as he could TheÌ„ â—conium a Citie standing by Mount Taurus the Seate Royall and Metropolitane Citie of Solyman which at this day is called Cogni and the Pallace of the Princes of Phrygia now called Caramania and Heraclea were wonne Afterwarde Baldwyne diuiding hys Armye into two partes tourned into Cilicia and tooke Tharsus Edessa and Manussa the greater Hoaste wynning Armenia delyuered the regiment and rule thereof to Palmurus an Armenian After this good successe they tooke Cappadocia Caesarea Sororgia and Sura in the Straicts of Mount Taurus When they had passed the Mount Taurus the Turkes aduaunced themselues in a faire plaine but they were easely and with litle adoe discomfited and put to flight by the Latines and from thence marched straight to Antioch a noble and strong Citie in Phaenicia by which the riuer Orontes runneth for there is another of the same name in Pamphilia néere vnto Seleucia and tooke the same by surrendre by reason that the Turkes were afore vanquished in battaile and yelded themselues In which battaile were slaine of the Tuâ—ks a hundreth thousand and xv M. Camelles taken During these broyles the Venetian Fleete beynge CC. sayle and sent to ayde the Latynes wanne a Citie in the Coast of Ionia called Smyrna and the Latines after they had taken Antioch wanne Rugia and Albaria and there Wintered In the Spryng folowing departyng thence they layde Siege fyrst to Tortosa and Tripolis The king of Tripolis submitting himselfe was receiued vnder Protection but Tortosa
for euer be ill reported of and reuiled in the mouthes and speaches of al men as fugitiues forsakers Traitours of their Liege Emperour as villaines vnthankfull vnmyndfull of God his benefites and which is more should by God his own mouth be accurst and adiudged to endlesse paines sempiternal tortures Wherfore he aduised thē to plucke vp their heartes and by his example euery one to make for himself a way passage with his sword Whē he had finished these his spéeches with those few that he had left be made streyght into the middest of his enemies and after many woundes geuen and taken on either side breaking through the Turkes araie and being so slashed and hewen in all his body that thirtie Arrowes or the rabout stacke fast in his Target and not able to take vp his own Bassenet or headpéece that was stroken of yet maugre their heades hee escaped and went throughe the thickest crowde of them The other Legions were on euery side slaine and brought to their bane and troden down one of another Such as escaped alyue and were passed these perillous Streictes in safetie were neuerthelesse slayne and quelled by their enemies in the other vallay beyond For the passage in that place was diuided into .vij. déepe vallayes néere one to another and beyng at the first entraunce somewhat broade and roumye was the further a mā went in streicter and narrower All which places the Turkes had fortified planted with their Ambushmētes and garrisons Moreouer there sodainely arose such a terrible gale of blusterous and tempestuous windes which tossed raised vp such habundance of Sand wherof those places are full that both the Armies most fiercely clasping together bickered in the darke as though it had bene at midnight and killed all such as came in their reach without any respect whether they were friendes or foes And in the same place were they Turkes or Romanes horses or other cattel it skilled not for they dyed in heapes together one with another And the valley where this cōflicte was séemed to bee nothing else but a common a large Sepulchre or buriall place for them all But yet at this time there died moe of the Romanes thē of the Turkes specially of the nobler sort such as were the Emperours néere Cosens kinsmen And many being there left halfe aliue lay so buried couered ouer with heapes of dead Carkasses the they were not hable by any meanes by strugling to get themselues out neither was there any at hand to help them for euery one had ynough adoe to labour sweate for his owne life and saluetie In this ougly sort they long languishing in that kind of horrible lothsome torment wer in th' end enforced there to geue vp the Ghost by a death most stinking lothsome and lamentable The Emperour himself panting and out of breath was got al alone vnder a wilde Peare trée to take aire recouer his faint powers hauing with him neither Page Henxmā yeman of his Gard nor kéeper Whom a poore cōmon Souldiour or horsemā of his owne troupe being likewise thither escaped out of the battaile finding in such miserable plight breathlesse and comfortlesse dutifully pitied and bewailed and offering in that his calamitie to minister vnto his Maiestie the best seruice that hée was able raught him vp his Helmet buckeled on hys other Armour that lay héere and there dangling about him Which while he was in doing a certaine Turke ranne hastely vnto him séeing no man there to defend nor rescue him tooke the Emperours horse by the bridle meaning likewise to haue caried away the Emperor himself as prisoner Whom the Emperour with a péece of his broken Speare that he had yet left so blessed and humbasted about the pate that he laid him there on the ground to sléepe Then ranne the other Turkes fiercely vpō him to haue taken him aliue Which he séeing tooke the same horsemans Speare of whō before we spake and with the same run one of his enemies cleane through while the said Souldiour with his naked sword dubbed another of thē shorter by the head and so repulsed kept thē of at the swordes point till tenne other of the Roman souldiors came running to assist them Then was he very desirous to haue ioyned himselfe to the other Legions and most coragiously gaue the aduēture through his enemies but the heapes aswel of dead Carkasses as of Turkes encountring with him in euery corner as he went much hindered and preiudiced his pretence Horse in suche a pace as hee was hable Him had fifty Turkes espied and on ech side enclosed to haue taken but he no more stirred nor amended his pace for them then if no man at all had pursued him When they were clustered about him he drew his sword aud slyced one of them so cleane in the middle from the head downe to his backe together with the Sadle of the Horse also that the residue for feare to be serued with the same sauce kept aloofe and durst not meddle And after that this Frederick was drowned in a riuer the Germaines retourned home agayne About this time there sprong vp great discord and sedition among the Turkes For Clizastlan the mightie Sultan of Iconium when he dyed left foure Sonnes behind him Masute Coppatine Rucratine and Chaichosroes Vnto Masute he bequeathed the principalitie of Amasia Ancira Dorylaeum and certaine other cities of Pontus Vnto Coppatine hee gaue Melitene Caesarea and the Colonie nowe called Taxara Vnto Rucratine hee allotted Amisa Docea and the other Cities vpon the sea Coastes Chaichosroes possessed Iconium the regall seat of the Sultans and with it Lycaonia and Pamphylia and all as far as Cottyanium Coppatine being dead Rucratine and Masute fell together by the eares and stroue for his Segniorie and enheritance But Rucratine for that he was a wittie and skilfull man in martial affaires got the victorie and wyped Masute his nose cleane from all the principalitie of Coppatine their late Brother And being now all in his iolytie and ruffe for this his good successe victorie hauing a monthes mind to catch into his hands Iconium also denounced open warre and sent his deffaunce vnto his Brother Chaichosroes whose Mother was a Christian vnlesse he woulde resigne his Crowne geue place vnto him ouer all his Soueraigntie Whervpon Chaichosroes fled for his refuge and ayd to the emperoure Alexius Angelus as his father had done before him albeit not with so good Fortune and spéede as his father for hee was sent home agayne thence without his purpose He was scantly come to Iconium but hee was expulsed by Rucratine and driuen to flie to Lebune king of Armenia of whom he was freendlie receiued and courteouslie entertayned but as for reléefe and ayde he gotte none wherefore hee retourned to Constantinople and there in poore estate passed out the rest of his dayes During the Empyre of this Alexius Angelus the
Venetians tooke Constantinople and Angelus being thence disthronyzed the Greekes in Asia created Theodorus Lascaris his Sonne in Law Emperoure who had vnder his Empire and obedience not onely Bythinia and the Regions along the Sea but also extended the Lymittes of his Dominions very farre into the maine Lande and had vnder him all from Caria and the riuer Meander Southwarde to the Sea Galaticum and Cappadocia Northward and cōstituted his Imperial Seate at Nice Which so tickeled and fretted Alexius that he passing the Sea Aegaeum entred into Asia and priuily went to Iathine the Sonne of Rucratine being now Sultane in pitifull plight poore rayment before whō he in suppliant words opened his state fortune humbly besought him of aide succor to restore him to his lawful Empyre and Crowne vniustly by an vsurper detained withholden not forgetting to put him in remembrance of the former frendship which afore time he had shewed horne to him while he was in prosperitie and further promised hym great Summes of money Insomuch that Iathine taking compassion vpon him and mooued greatly with his large promises forth with dispatched Ambassadours to Theodorus threatning warre and destruction vnto him vnlesse he gaue place to his father in law suffred him quietly to enioy his rightfull Diademe and Imperiall authoritie them out of that poore plot and beggerly region which affronteth Persia and the Caspiā Sea almost Islandwise and is enuironed on ech side with the Scythian Ocean and ioyneth vnto Asia by one onely Isthmus or narrow porcion of land lying betwene the two Seas the which is compassed and enclosed with the highe and inaccessible Mountaines called Riphaei as it were with a Wall or Rampier the waues of the Sea sayeth Hayton the Armenian going backe and making way for them to passe betwene the Mountaines and the Sea. And therfore all those Scythians afterward of that Tribe wherof their first Emperor was descended were called Tartarians whose auncient descēt and beginning many as before we haue sayde of the Turkes doe referre vnto the tenne Tribes of Israell whose opinion I doe not see howe it standeth with reason nor wherevpon it is grounded This am I persuaded and this séemeth vnto me most like and probable that the Scythians be descended of Magog the sonne of Iapetus of whom the Scripture in many places maketh mention and that those tenne Tribes were by the King of Persia translated not into Scythia but into Media But howsoeuer the matter goeth the Tartarians in such sort as we haue declared yssuyng and in great companyes departyng from the Hyperboreans vnder the conduct of Cangio whom for honours sake they called Cham which is as muche to say as a most high and Soueraigne Emperour tooke their way downe along to the Sea Caspium In the meane season Cangio the Cham departing this lyfe his Sonne Hoccota succéeded in his place a man ryght wyse and valiaunt and the eldest of twelue brothers Hée sendyng out Gebesabada with a huyge power to subdue and conquere the regions of the Occident and himselfe in person passing the Caspian Streictes Sogdiana Bactrian Oxo and the ryuer Sogdus whiche is encreased wyth many and the same great Springes flowing and running into it wyntered at the foote of Mount Taurus solacing himselfe and enioying the fruictfulnesse of that region and suche bootie as he had before taken This Mount Taurus is the greatest Mountaine in all the world whose ridge top hanging still together without any particion hath his beginning Westward néere the Sea Aegaeum and stretching a long to the Ocean Orientall diuideth all Asia into two parts This Hill is also called Caucasus The next Spring when the groūd was new clothed decked with the fresh attyre of greene grasse pleasant floures they discamped from the foote of Caucasus like an innumerable sort of Sheepe mounted to the toppe of the Mountaines inuading the Countreyes vnderneth them and after they had there made great pillage and taken their pleasure they pearced into India all about the Bankes of the noble ryuer Indus on either side constituting the Ocean for the limitte of their Empyre And there building a Princely Citie called Cambalu most beautifull sumptuous and large and for all pleasure of man the most delectable and pleasauntest Citie in all Asia appointed it to be their chiefe Pallace and Seate Royal. Afterward exployting his warres by Deputies and Lieutenauntes whom he made Chieftaines and Generalles ouer hys Armyes choosing therto such as were eyther hys brothers or else of the bloude Royall some of them went Northwarde some Westwarde and some Southwarde and after they had subdued the Arachosians Caramanians sundry other Nations wonne Persia and thence expulsed the Turkes they then came to the Chaldees and Arabians From thence they marched agaynst the Babylonians and Assyrians and conquering Mesopotamia brought vnder their subiection the Persians Parthians and Medians After this going vp by the greater Armenia with incredible celeritie they ouercame Colchis northward and Iberia that confineth hard vpon it insomuch that their state surmounted and flourished in same and honor excéedinglye Now this mightie Tartarian Prince was purposed to make the Sea on euery side the limits and bounds of his Empire but the pleasaunt delicacies and amyable soyle of the Countrey of India so mollified and effeminated his mind that beinge loath to departe thence he setled staied there and distributed the Prouinces Cities Houses fat Farmes and Tenements amonge his souldiours and people and receiued the Rites Ceremonies and Customes of the Assyrians Persians and Chaldees Therefore as soone as these Tartarians hauinge passed the Caspian Mountaines had sodainly and forciblie surprised Alexandria a citie standing néere the Streicts now called the Yron Gates the Imperiall Sultane of the Turkes greatly terrified and dismayd with this sodayne irruption of a new and most fierce people and fearing lest if he should be driuen and enforced to enter into Warres with the Tartarians his olde Enemies the Romanes would be readie to set on him behind at his backe sent his Ambassadours with full authoritie and commission to the Emperour to confirme and strike an vnitie and peace betwéene them which thing the Emperoure as being encoumbred with Europian Warres was very glad of and willinglye therevnto condescended because the Turks should be as a strong Rampier and Wall in Asia for him against the inuasion of the Tartarians This League therfore with the Turkes was of al handes gladlie embraced and to the Greekish Empire most conducible For whereas men being so long time afflicted with the lamentable calamyties of long Warres bad neither occupied tillage nor bred vp Cattayle it fell out in th' end as néedes must that great dearth and scarsitie was in all the countrey and their Treasuries also with the charges and costes of so long continuance were in maner emtied and cleane exhausted Wheresore beinge now by this newe attonement and League ridde out of the same and brought to
into a gréeuous sicknesse and maladie insomuch that he saw himselfe not like any longer to liue and fearing least his Sonne Caceme beinge a younge man woulde after the death of him deliuer these young Orphans and fatherlesse Children to Rocene which raigned after his Father Iacob furnished them with money Horse and Guides néedfull for their iourney and sent them home againe to their Mother and Kinsfolkes These Orphans being enformed of their state and noble byrth and by what meanes they had béene preserued which thing before that present thei knew nothinge of their Kinsmen Adherents and fauorers for their fathers sake flocking in from euery part vnto them Ismael the elder of the twaine whose wit was both more pregnant and déeper then his Brothers drawne therto by destiny naturall zeale openlie before his fréends protested that he would neuer rest till he had reuenged the murder and death of his father and after he had made certaine roades into the Marches and Precinctes of the Georgians his power also daylie encreasing he named himselfe Protectoure of Ali his doctrine and defendour of all his authorities and therwithall denounced open Warre vpon Rocene King of Persia and all his pertakers And because he had xij Brothers which contended with him for the succession of the Crowne he flew him and al the rest sauing only Marabeck This Marabeck fledde to Solyman Prince of Turks and requested his ayde wherupon ensued much trouble and great Warres betwéene the Othomannians and Sophians But before he had obtained any ayde of the Turkes to succour him Ismael had wonne not onely al Persia but also atchieued and won many notable victories of the Tartarians And thus the Saracenes expulsing the Turks began agayne to raigne in Persia in the yéere after the natiuitie of our Sauiour Christe 1500. and there do raigne tyll this day And the Turkes with all their powers together hauing conquered all the Romane Prouinces in Asia as farre as the Sea distributed and cast lottes for the same among themselues in which distribution and Lotterie the maigne countrey of Phrygia as far as Philadelphia and néere to Antioch situate vpon the riuer Meander fell vnto Carman Alisure whereof the Countrie was afterwarde named Caramania All from thence to Smyrna and the inner Coast of Ionia happened vnto one Sarcane Magnesia Priene and Ephesus were allotted vnto Sasan From Lydya and Aetolia to Mysia situate by Hellespont Calames and his Sonne Cerasus enioyed From the riuer Sangar to Paphlagonia the Sonnes of Armurius parted among them All within Olympus and the whole Countrey of Bythinia fell vnto Atman otherwise named Othoman of whose race the Emperours of Turkes which euer since and now at this day raigne in Turkye and lineally descended in the yéere of our saluation 1300. Albert the firste of that name descended of the house of Austrich being then Caesar and Emperour of Germanie And from this Othoman Laonicus Chalcondyla an Athenian Paulus Iouius and other both Gréeke and Latine Turcographers doo beginne their Histories wherfore to auoyd tediousnes least after Homere wee shoulde seeme to write an other Ilias héere we make an ende FINIS ¶ A Summarie or breefe Chronicle of Saracens and Turkes continued from the birthe of Mahomet their first péeuish Prophet and Founder till this present yeere 1575 MAhomet the Sonne of Abedela and Emma of the ligne of Ismael was borne at Itraripe in Arabia in the time that Maurice was Emperoure and Gregory the first Pope of Rome Mahomet patched together his Alcorane a Booke containing his pestilēt doctrine grosse opinions through the instinction and procurement of two hereticall Monkes Iohn of Antioch and Sergius of Italy And therewith seducing the light brayned Arabians and other fickle minded people of Asia called them Saracens At the age of xl yéeres he dyed and was burried in Mecha a Citie of Persia Hierusalem after it had bene besteged by the Saracens the full space of two yéeres was taken and spoyled All Syria ouerrunne and wasted by the Saracenes The Saracenes reuolted from the Emperoure of Romanes Antioch destroyed by Saracenes Damascus taken Phaenicia inuaded and Egipt subdued The Saracenes wanne the greatest part of Africa and layed it to their Empyre The moste Noble I le of Rhodes inuaded by the Saracenes and taken out of whiche they caryed awaye with them great abundaunce of Golde and a Noble Image of the Sunne called a Colosse whiche was in height 110. foote The Brasse therof being solde to the Iewes was as much as 900 Camelles coulde carye away They practyzed outragious Pyracie on the Aegean Sea and did much harme to the Isles called Cyclades The Saracens discomfited Olympius the Exarch of Italy with all his Hoast in Sicilie Constantine the fourth entred into league with Muchamed King of Saracens vpon condition that the Saracens shuld pay a great Summe of Gold to the Romanes with a goodly Horse and a Childe of noble byrth The Saracens rushed into Sicilie and after they had taken Syracuse and wasted the whole Countrey they returned backe to Alexandria Constantinople was besieged by the Saracens vnto which they gaue sundry assaultes but al in vaine wherefore they shipped themselues entending to haue returned home but the greater part of them through Shipwracke perished by the way The Romanes ouercame the Saracens and slewe of them 30000. Peace the second time was made betwene the Romanes and the Saracens for xxx yéeres vpon condition that the Saracens should pay yéerely to the Romanes 3000. li. of Gold 50. noble Prisoners and as many Horses The Saracens in the reigne of their King Ammirath inuaded Africa and Lybia caryed away many spoiles After the death of Constantine the Emperour Iustinian entred into league with the Saracens vpon these conditions that they shoulde restore vnto the Empyre Africa and Lybia and pay euery day for the space of ten yéeres a thousande Crownes a Horse and a Childe of noble byrthe in the name of a Tribute Iustinian breaking this League and ioyning battayle with the Saracens receyued at theyr handes much harme and great ouerthrowes The Saracens putting the Romanes to flight greatly enhaunced their name and authoritie contrariwise the dignitie of the Romanes therby greatly decayed Abimelech King of Saracens inuading Africa enioyed not his victory there long The Romans spoyling Syria discomfited 200000. Saracenes While Iustinian and Leontius were striuing for the Empire the Saracens againe inuader 〈◊〉 The Saracens sayling out of Lybia thus yéere set first foote into Spaine wasting Aragon Betica and Lusitanie The Saracens of Asia landed at Constantinople with 300. Saile and fiercely besieged the same both by Sea and lande The same yéere in Bulgaria there were slaine 22000. Saracens Zulcemō King of Saracens dyed in his Camp before Constantinople in whose place succéeded Amirath During this Siege of Constantinople many of the Saracens dyed of famyne plague and colde They that remained alyue meaning to retourne home by tempest on the Sea and Lightening perished being
afflicted The Saracens draue the christians cleane out of Siria Antioch was sacked by Bodegar the Sultane Yet againe Lewes the french kinge with his thrée Sonnes sayled into Africa against the Saracens with a great power Where by his knightly prowesse he had the victorie of them and besieged Carthage but by reason of the vnholsome countrey and chaunge of ayre the pestilēce infected his Hoast wherof the king himself dyed and his sonne Iohn also and then brake vp the siege The Armenians and Scythians at Gamala a citie of Iurie were destroyed by the Saracens with the citie also The citie Tripolis was taken fiered by the Sultan of Aegipt and the Christians in most cruell wyse slayne or els caryed away captiue The cities of Tyre Sydon Tripolis and Bericus by the same Sultan were fiered rased euen with the ground Ptolomais also being afore a place of refuge for the dispearsed christians was taken without any resistance and destroyed and the very foundations digged vp The christians which fled away and for sooke the citie in their way toward Crete perished by shipwrack and were drowned And thus were the Christians vtterly chased out of syria 190 yéeres after they wan it vnder Godfrey of Bolleine The kingdome of Turkes OThoman a man of obscure byrth very ambicious growing in great wealth riches by spoyle and robberie was the first that tooke vpon him the name of Kinge of Turks He within x. yéeres space subdued to his seigniorye a great part of Bythinia other countreis about the Euxine Sea whose generation since hath wrought much mischiefe to Christendome The I le of Rhodes was won frō the Sar. by the hospitelers Alphonse King of Castile in a notable conflict ouercame the Saracens and tooke two mighty cities Othoman king of Turks dyed and after him succéeded Orchanes his Sonne the second king of that Nacion While Cantacuzen Paleologus contended for the Empire of Constantinople Orchanes by force wan the most noble citie of Prusia Orchanes in a battayle against the Tartarians for so ar the Scythians called lost the féeld and was with many of his army slaine After him succéeded Amurathes the third kinge of Turkes Amurathes through the couetousnes and treason of the Genowais lending their ships vnto him passed the streicts of Hellespont to Abydus where he conquered the cities of Philippople and Hadrianople vnto his subiection This Ammurathes inuaded Seruia and Bulgaria conquered them from the Christians and at the same tyme tooke and slue Lazarus King of Seruia Ammurathes inuading the higher Mysia was thrust into the flanke with a Dagger by one that was a faithful seruaunt to the aboue named King Lazarus whose pretence was to reuenge his maisters death of the whiche wound he dyed After Ammurathes thus slaine Baiazeth his sonne obteyned the kingdome was the fourth king of Turkes and slue his owne brother Marke Cratenique king of Bulgaria with all the nobilitie of his realme was vanquished in battayle by Baiazeth He spoyled Bosna Croacia Illyria Albania and VValachia kyllyng many thousandes of Christians being partly slaine and partly caryed into captiuitie Constantinople was afflicted and besieged fully .viij. yéeres by this vnmercifull Tyraunt the Turkish king The Lordes of England and Fraunce at the instance of the Genowayes ioyning with them made a voyage into Africa against the Saracenes and compelled them to restore and set at liberty the Christian Prisoners liuing among them and to pay 10000 Crownes The Walachians craued ayde of the Turkes against the Hungarians whom notwithstanding the Hungarians vanquished and put to flight The Christians and the Turks mette and ioyned battayle at Nicopolis vpon the. 28 day of September But the victorie fell to Baiazeth who had there 300000. stoute fighting men well appoynted wherof 60000 were horsemen The Army of the Christiās being French Hungarians was not aboue lxxx thousande among whom there were about .xx. M. Horsemen The French Capitaines were in a maner all taken Prisoners Sigismund the king of Hungarie himselfe escaped hardly by flight In this battaile were slaine of Christians 20000. and of Turkes 60000. This lamentable ouerthrowe happened throughe the discorde of the Christian Host among themselues by reason that one whyle the Frenche and another while the Hungarians claimed the first onset and the leading of the Vauntgard After this battaile the Turke retyred backe to the siege of Constantinople Tamburlane Kyng of Scythia a man of obscure byrthe and Pedagrew grew to such power that he maynteined in his Court daily attending on him a thousand and CC Horsemen This Prince inuadyng the Turkes dominions in Asia with an innumerable multitude of armed Souldiours in the confynes of Gallitia and Bithynia néere to Mount Stella gaue to the Turke a sore battaile in the which he slew of them two hundreth thousand He tooke Baiazeth the Great Turke Prisoner and kepte hym in a Cage tyed and bounde wyth golden Chaynes When so euer hee tooke Horse he caused the sayde Baiazeth to be brought out of hys Cage vsed his necke as a Styrrope and in this sorte caryed hym throughout all Asia in mockage and derysion He vanquished the Persians ouercame the Medians subdued the Armenians and spoiled all Aegypt He built a Citie and called it Marchantum wherein he kept all his Prisoners and enriched the same with the spoyles of all such Cities as he conquered It is reported in Histories that in his hoast he had an incredible nūber of thousands he vsed cōmōly to haue xij hundreth thousand vnder him in Campe. When he cam in sight of his enemies his custome was to set vp thrée sortes of Pauylions or Tentes the first was white signifying therby to his Enemyes that if at that shew they would yelde there was hope of grace and mercye at hys handes the next was redde whereby he signified bloude and flame lastly blacke which betokened vtter subuersion mercilesse hauocke of all things for their contempt The same yéere Walachia Transyluania Moldauia and all the Region beyonde the ryuer of Danowe by procurement of Stephan Vaiuoda their Captaine sediciously mutyned and stirred vprores against Sigismund Whereby all men might perceiue and vnderstande that the same Vaiuoda was the very Authour of the late discomfiture in procuring the Turkes to come thither Cyriscelebes whom some do call Calepine after that the Great Turke his father was takē prisoner and his Host vanquished by Tamburlane the Scythian King saued himself by flight tooke vpon him to be king of Turkes being the fyst from Othoman The Turkes after their king was thus taken their power daunted atchieued nothing worthy of any remēbraunce vnder this Cyriscelebes Cyriscelebes the kinge this yéere dyed leauing behind him two Sonnes Orcannes and Mahomet Orcannes throughe the great fauour of the Nobles of Thracia was appointed Successour to the Crowne béeing yet a very young man but in a conflict at Gazar not farre from the ryuer Hebrus he was slaine chiefly by the villanie of his
the coulour of warfare into far Countries There raigned at that time in Persia a King named Cosdroes who had maried the daughter of Maurice the Emperour called Marie at whose instāce persuasiō he was contented to be Baptized and so long as his father in law liued vsed himself most friendly toward all the Christians was vnto them very curteous liberall But after that he was traiterously slaine by Phocas who succéeded hym in the Empire Cosdroes detesting the disloyal treacherie falsehod of them which had elected such a wicked man as Phocas polluted with the bloudie murther of his liege Lorde and Soueraigne to be their Prince reputing them as Accessaries to the same horrible acte and conspiracie prepared a great armie at the instigation and procurement of his wife to reuenge the death of his said father in law And the more was he emboldened so to do because he wel ynough perceiued Heraclius for Phocas was slain within a while after to bée altogether lulled in securitie and to lye quietly at home without attempting any thing against the Barbarous Nations which with fire sword on euery side despoiled Italie and the Romane Empyre Wherevpon with a huige and populous armie he enuaded the frontiers of the Empyre and subduyng by fyne force all the South partes of Asia entred into Aegipt and tooke Alexandria and yet not contented went further and conquered Carthage withall Affrica And when he had taken good order for the fortefying of that Countrey with strong garrisons he retyred backe to Alexandria wasting Syria and Iurie Heraclius being not a litle netteled with these iniurious dealings of Cosdroes sent vnto him for peace which when he coulde not obtaine at his handes rather enforced and driuen by necessitie then drawne to it by any goodwyl in himselfe leuied an army in which he also had retayned the Arabian Scenites with whom some say that Mahomet was and that in a battell wherein Cosdroes side was discomfited he was sore wounded by a common Souldier named Turcus And when Heraclius had many times ioyned battell with Cosdroes and in diuers conflictes put him to the foyle at length he so much crushed his power that he was glad to fly beyonde the riuer Tigranes where he proclaymed his yonger sonne called Medarses Successour and heyer apparaunt to his Crowne dishereting and not regardinge his elder sonne Sirochis a younge Gentleman of great hope and towardnesse Whose heart not paciently brookyng this contumelious and vnnaturall dealyng secretlye conspyred with Heraclius to betray both his Father and his Brother Medarses whom his father had so vnkindly preferred before him with al their richesse and princelye furniture And promised further to discampe and remooue out of all the Romane Prouinces such Garrisons as his Father had placed there conditionallye that hee might enioye the Kingdome of Persia and a firme peace infringiblie to be kept betwéene both Empires In this poyncte Heraclius beynge a Christian Prince was nomore ashamed to delyuer the Kingdome of Persia to a wicked and rank rebellious person Traytor to his owne Father and Brother being now throughlye weakned with the losses of so many vnluckye battailes and now most certainly in his own hands specially the King himself trusting to his leggs and fléeing if he could haue vsed his good fortune victory when it was offred vnto him and to buy a dishonorable cowardly peace by consenting to such a wicked déede then that wicked Barbarian disloyal yonker was by such vndue detestable meanes to pul the kingdom frō thē to himself Such desire of principalitie reigned in the one so great loue slouthful idlenes in the other Cosdroes therfore and Medarses with their wiues being aprehended and brought backe from whence they were fledde were cast into prison and within awhile after by the commaundement of Syrochis both put to death In whom appeared a cruell example of Fortunes variablenesse A goodly president and warning for Princes to marke and consider vpon in nominating their Successoure that they at no hand reiectinge the stout and valyaunt elect and choose tender weaklynges and effiminate Meycokes For nothing so soone moueth a noble and firce heart to furious impacience and indignation as beyng stout and couragious to be reiected and not accompted of among his owne friends All things in Persia by means of this League appeased and set in order and Syria and Ierusalem with the other Prouinces restored to the Romane Empire Mahomet accompanied with a pompous traine met with Heraclius in his returne whomwarde from these warres and of hym desired some Countrye for hym and his Souldiers to inhabite in which sute and request at the Emperours hands he obtayned Not long after it happened that when the Souldiours were paide their wages the Arabians repyned and founde themselues agréeued that they were defrauded and cut shorte of their due stipende and ordinarie allowance Whiche comming to the eares of the chiefe Paymaster he more rashly and arrogantly then wisely and consideratly answered that there was skantlie innough to pay the Roman and Gréeque souldiours much lesse for such a rascal company of Dogs as they were Which words within awhile after were almost the subuersion and ruine of all Christendome insomuch that euen tyll this day they beare a grudge of reuengment for this iniurie in their mindes against vs Such a heape of mischieues many times doth the ouerthwartinge wilfulnesse of one rashe person bréede speciallie when stout and warlyke fellows shynk themselues apparantly iniuried For the Arabians swellyng with anger and incensed with fell disdaine for this reprochfull and open contumelye departed into Syria and ioyned themselues to Machomettes traine and faction Wherat Mahomet glad to see his power thus increased went the fourth time against Mecca determining with might and maine to besiege it The Magistrats of Mecca perceiued well ynough his purpose and what he pretended wherefore with greater preparation and stronger power then before the whole body almost of the Citie bent themselues to repulse his inuasion Betwéene whome there was at the riuer of Bredine a sore and terrible conflict wherein Mahomet got the victory and slue of the nobilytie and chief Citizens of Mecca beside a very great number of the Communalty thrée hundred persons in somuch that at this battell the whole nobillytie of Mecca were in maner all slayne And so Mahomet like a triumphant Conquerour entred and tooke possession of the faire Citie of Mecca fortefiyng the same with a garrison of his owne appoyntment after departyng with his army thence he layd séege to Hunaimum and wanne it deuidinge the spoyle thereof which was very great among his Souldiers After that he besieged Tarsus which Citie after he had all in vaine battred the space of a whole month he raysed his séege and retourned into the maigne Countrye of Arabia and tooke firste Itraripe otherwise called Ietripe and after that Medina a Mart towne well peopled with wealthy Iewes And grauntyng the spoyle
thereof to his Souldiours he ranscaked and made hauocke of the towne but as for all the Iewes which partly in the citie and partly in other places of Arabi because they being skilfull in the diuine law greatly withstood his attempts procedings he hated deadly in the ende in.xi. battailes them vtterlye vanquished and destroyed Thence retourninge to Itraripe he appointed Azeib his Lieutenant of Mecca who entred into the Citie with a great route of Arabians or Saracens For Mecca then was and yet is as well because of an opinion of great auncientie for it is thought to be builded by Ismael or else by Abraham himselfe as also for the bignesse of the Citie and resorte of people most noble and famous Then againe within the same yéere discharging the said Azeib of his office he appointed Moad the Sonne of Gadel Lieutenant of the same Citie in his roume with this commauÌ„dement that after Mahomet his death he should desend and maintayne his lawe and diligently looke that the same should of the people be reuerently obserued and so in the meane season to minister iudgement and execution of his lawes to the Mecchyans Al things in this sort beyng set in good frame and order he remooued to Tambicum and there buylded a Temple which is to be séene at this day Thence he sent an armye vnder the conducte of Zalid and Malid two of his chiefe Captaines agaynst Alozaid the Sonne of Almathaliph King of Aliendel whom by force of armes they ouercame and made tributarie And thus all Arabia being brought in subiection he commaunded Eubocar with parte of his Hoste to go to Mecca he himself lying still at Itraripe and charged him that he should leaue neuer a mothers Sonne a liue in it nor suffer any forrayner to enter sauing only such as willingly would obey his Law and beléeue his doctrine For his meaning and entent was as afterwarde he brought it to passe that Mecca should be the Metropolitane Citie of his religioÌ„ and Empire And thus within a short space Mecca was replenished wyth none but Mahometanes And not onely Mecca but all Arabia besides as they are people by nature lyght of beléefe and newfangled embraced his pestilent errours And from that tyme all they whych yelded themselues to that Secte were called by the name of Saracens both because that errour sprong vp and was first begonne by the Saracens and also for that Mahomet persuaded them that all the promyses in the Scriptures promysed to the Séede of Abraham belonged appertayned to them Beyng puffed vp with arrogance by reason of thys good successe in hys affayres he sent Ambassades to Kinges and Princes néere adioyning aduisyng them to embrace his Religion and vnto them addressed hys letters sealed wyth a Signet of Syluer wherein were engrauen these woordes Mahomet the messanger of God namely to the Emperour of Constatinople to the King of Persia the King of Egypte and to other Princes Afterwarde he created soure Tribunes or chiefe Capitaynes in warres commonly called Admyralles whyche had euerie one vnder them many Peticapitaines and Centurions and these foure hee woulde commonly vse to call the sharpe Swordes of God and them he commaunded to goe into the foure partes of the worlde euerie one by him selfe a seuerall waye and to kyll all suche as repugned hys law There names were Ebubezer Omar Ozmen and Ali the Sonne of his vncle Salutelib vnto whom he also ioyned in mariage Fatema hys daughter in Lawe by hys first wife Of these foure Ebubezer called of some Vbequar and of some other Buback or Eubocar father in Law to Mahomet tooke hys voyage to Palestina and there layde Siege to a certayne towne called Muchea the Capitayne whereof was one Theodorus Begarius who had the rule of the towne in the behalfe and name of Caesar Who gathering together his power sodainly set vppon the Saracens with such valiaunt courage and force that many of them beyng slayne the residue lyke tall fellowes ranne away At which time 〈◊〉 thirde Ides of March Mahomet dyed in the yeere of our saluation .637 when he had raigned tenne yéeres in the house of Aissa his wife in the Citie Medina and in the very same bedde wherein he was wont to sléepe and take his rest His bodie without any Princely furniture or ceremonial solemnitie was shrined and lapped in a white Shéete thrée tymes double and so beyng chested in an yron coffin was after a homely sort buried where afterwarde his kinsfolkes and Allyes edified a sumptuous and magnificall Temple of bricke worke and arched the same wyth a vault so pargetted with Lodestones whose nature is to draw yron vnto it that the yron Coffyn wherein Mahomet his body was inclosed was drawen vp euen vnto the toppe of the Churche and there hangeth For which cause that place is yet with great deuocion and Pylgrymage worshipped of all the East They say that while he was banished his Countrey going once on Pylgrimage into Mauritania Tingintana he crossed the Seas ouer into Spaine But when he vndestoode that Bishop Isidore laide waite to haue caught him he immediatly shifted thence and conueyed himselfe away Vpon his death bed he appointed Ali his sonne in lawe to bée his Successour and the Caliph that is to saye the chiefe Prelate of hys Secte and vnto him togither with his daughter he committed the whole charge of his body But Eubocar his father in law stopped them a tyde in that matter alledging that for as much as Mahomet deceassed in his house and by his only meanes had stepped vp to such credite welth estimation and gouernment as being bolstered mainteyned and preferred by his countenance and fréendship none other by good reason was fitter to succéede then he that had béene his chiefe supporter Against whom Ali durst not once open his mouth to reply because Eubocar himselfe was a â—an of great power and also his kinsmen Omar and Ozmen tooke part with him whiche were men valiaunt and factious whose wordes would be heard and whose commaundements before his would be obeyed Who forasmuch as by good right they iudged the kingdome to appertayne vnto them being Coadiutours to Mahomet in the exployte of all his affaires had leifer haue Eubocar succéede beinge olde their nere Kinsman then Ali being young and in his lusty yéeres who might perchaunce raigne so long that no hope euer to enioy the Kingdome by the order and course of nature shoulde be left to them and also for that he was nothinge of kin vnto any of them Wherefore Eubocar was made high Bisshoppe of Mahomet his Sect who immediatly after his creation departinge out of his owne Territories with a great Armye discomfited the Roman Garrisons and retourning into Arabie with victorye dyed not without some suspition of poyson when he had raigned not fullye three yéeres and without any princely funeralles buried néere to Mahomet After him succéeded Homar who as we before shewed was his Kinsman Hesubdued Bosra the chief citie of