towne Townes they said consisted of the number of men and not men of the enclosures of wals and ditches They that were of this opinion for the deliuering vp of the towne seeing the other obstinatly set downe to the contrarie withdrawing themselues from the counsell presently tooke vp armes and by force entred the houses of them that were of contrarie opinion and tooke from them their weapons by that means and perforce to constrain them to yeeld to their desire As soone as they that lay before CAIRE almost drowned in the waters vnderstood of this dissention at DAMIATA about the deliuerie of the towne they sent them word That if they would not yeeld the towne vnto the Sultan they would foorthwith send to PTOLEMAIS which would not faile to do what should be commanded to haue it in steed of DAMIATA surrendred vnto the Aegyptians So was DAMIATA againe yeeded vnto the infidels and so great labours of the Christians taken at the siege and winning thereof all lost That which made the indignitie thereof more tollerable was that Meledin the Sultan hauing without bloodshed gained so great a victorie did neither by word or deed any thing in despite or reproch of the Christians but vsed theÌ„ with all courtesie relieuing them also with victuals such other things as they wanted by faithfull guides conducting them in safetie out of the country In like manner also Corradin his brother Sultan of DAMASCO made truce with the Latins for eight yeares Whereupon the king of HIERUSALEM went ouer into ITALIE and there by the persuasion of Honorius the Pope his wife being now dead gaue his daughter Yoland now crowned queene of HIERUSALEM in the right of her mother in marriage to Fredericke king of SICILIA and emperour of the Latines the rather thereby to stirre him vp for the taking in hand of the sacred warre Euer since which time hee and the kings of SICILIA his successours haue beene called kings of HIERUSALEM albeit that they haue euill prosecuted that their pretended right and title as still busied in more prophane wars against other Christian princes King Iohn afterwards departing from ROME for FRANCE was by the way honourably entertained at PISA but arriuing at the French court he found Philip the French king desperatly sicke who by his last will and testament gaue vnto the knights Hospitalers and Templars sixtie thousand crownes for the maintenance of their warres against the infidels which money was to their vse afterward paied vnto king Iohn Who shortly after to discharge himselfe of a vow he had made to visit the pilgrimage at COMPOSTELLA going into SPAINE by the way married Berengaria the king of CASTILE his daughter and there staying a great while returned againe into FRANCE where he lay long expecting the setting forward of the emperour Frederick his sonne in law for the recouerie of his wiues right vnto the kingdome of HIERUSALEM which although he solemnely vowed at such time as he with all princely magnificence married the said ladie at ROME yet otherwise letted with troubles neerer home performed not the same vntill almost seuen yeares after all which time the Christians in SYRIA enjoying the fruit of the late concluded peace for eight yeeres liued in great rest and quietnesse where so leauing them vntill the arising of new troubles let vs in the meane time againe returne vnto the troubled affaires of the Turkes Greekes and Latines at CONSTANTINOPLE and in the lesser ASIA Henry the second emperour of the Latins at CONSTANTINOPLE after he had as is aforesaid with much adoe repressed the furie of the Bulgarians and Scythes his barbarous enemies and so giuen peace vnto the miserable countrey of THRACIA died hauing raigned a most troublesome raigne about the space of eleuen yeares After whom succeeded Peter countie of AUSSERRE his sonne in law third emperour of the Latines in CONSTANTINOPLE who in the beginning of his empire willing to gratifie the Venetians and to reuenge himselfe of Theodorus Angelus a great prince of EPIRUS competitor of his empire besieged him in DIRRACHIVM which strong citie the said Theodorus had but a little before surprised belonging to the Venetian seignorie At which siege Peter the emperour lying was so cunningly by the wilie Greeke vsed that a peace was vpon most honourable conditions betwixt them concluded and a familiar kind of friendship joyned Insomuch that the emperour at his request not well aduised came vnto him as his guest who now of his enemie become his hoste entertained him with all the formalities that faigned friendship could deuise But hauing him now in his power and fearing no harme regarding neither the lawes of fidelitie or hospitalitie he most traiterously slew him as he was yet in the middest of his banquet Of whose end some others yet otherwise report as that he should by the same Theodorus haue been intercepted about the pleasant woods of TEMPE in THESSALIA as he was trauelling from ROME to CONSTANTINOPLE and so afterwards to haue been by him cruelly put to death Of whose misfortune Tepulus gouernour of CONSTANTINOPLE vnderstanding for the more safetie of the state in that vacancie of the Greeke empire made peace with Theodorus for fiue yeares and the Turks for two Shortly after came Robert the sonne of the aforesaid vnfortunate emperour Peter with his mother to CONSTANTINOPLE and there in his fathers stead was solemnely saluted emperour but not with much better lucke than was his father before him for shortly after his comming he tooke to wife a faire young ladie the daughter of a great rich and noble matrone of the citie but before beâ—rothed vnto a gallant gentleman a Burgundion borne with whom the old ladie broke her promise and more carefull of her daughters preferment than fidelitie gaue her in marriage vnto the new emperour The joy of which so great an honour was in short time conuerted not into a deadly heauinesse but euen into death it selfe For the young Burgundion more enraged with the wrong done him than discouraged with the greatnesse and power of the emperour consorted himselfe with a companie of lustie tall souldiors acquainted with his purpose and awaiting his time when the emperour was absent by night entred the court with his desperat followers and first meeting with the beautifull young empresse cut off her nose and her eares and afterward threw her old mother into the sea and so fled out of the citie into the woods and mountaines with those desperat cut-throates the ministers of his barbarous crueltie The emperour pierced to the heart with this so great a disgrace shortly after went to ROME to what purpose was not certainely knowne but in returning backe againe through ACHAIA he there died leauing behind him his yoong sonne Baldwin yet but a child begotten by his first wife to succeed him in the empire who by the name of Baldwin the second was crowned the fift and last emperour of the Latines in CONSTANTINOPLE And for
commaunders promising them farre greater if they would without further troubling themselues returne home againe whereunto they willingly graunted and so were of him honourably feasted and the neâ—â— day after conducted vpon their way homewards It fortuned that the young emperour returning backe againe from the Bulgarians and encamped in the same place where he before lay two of the watchmen of the citie the one called Camaris and the other Castellanus both smiths fled secretly vnto him who admitted to his presence and all others commaunded to depart excepting Catacuzenus offered to betray the citie vnto him so that he would vnder his hand writing assure them of such a summe of money and such possessions as they required which he easily graunting and the houre and manner of performing of the same being by them declared and agreed vpon they by and by without longer stay for feare of suspition returned againe into the citie But the emperour staying foure daies in the same place caused certaine ladders to be made of great ropes such as they vse in great ships But the appointed night being come the two traitours hauing before prouided great store of good wine liberally gaue the same by way of curtesie vnto the watchmen their companions neere vnto them who drunke so plentifully thereof that not able any longer to hold vp their heads they fell into so sound a sleepe as that but for breathing they differed not much from dead men About midnight came certaine souldiours of the young emperours with the aforesaid ladders which the traitours by and by drawing vnto them by a rope cast downe and making them fast vnto the top of the wall receiued by the same eighteene armed men who being got into the citie without more adoe brake open the Romane gate whereby the young emperour with his armie presently entred no man letting him But it is woorth the marking how things appointed to befall vs are by no meanes to be auoided although we bee thereof before neuer so plainly forewarned For the same night the citie was surprized immediatly after the setting of the Sunne the gates being shut a certaine countrey man came running in all hast from out of a village there by and knocking hard at the gate called Girolimna required to speake with some of the souldiours who being come he told them how that a little before hee had seene a great number of the young emperours men marching toward the citie by the way that leadeth vnto the Romane gate which being told vnto the old emperour did not a little trouble him And therefore thought it good to send out certaine scouts to see if all were cleere along the wals toward the land from sea to sea which his purpose Metochita his great counsellor letted saying it not to beseem a couragious mind to be vpon so light an occasion so much moued for that either the rumour was false or the indeuour of so few vaine the wals and gates of the citie being so filled with armed men which happily he said not so much vpon ignorance of martiall affaires as blinded by a certaine commaunding power that the supernall decree giuen by God himselfe against the old emperour might at length take place And againe the third part of that night yet scant past diuers other countreymen came running vnto the said gate Gyrolimna and told the watchmen vpon the wals that a great number of men were met together at the Romane gate wherof the emperor hearing was therewith much more troubled than before In so much that sharply rebuking Metochita he said vnto him Thou seemest to be straÌ„gely metamorphosed into a man of yron which art become so secure as not to haue any feeling of the danger wherewith we are enclosed Seest thou not that the matter requireth not that we should thus sit still and take our rest for the noise of my nephew soundeth in mine eares as the sound of a great drum and disquieteth my mind I feele a sea of calamitie broken out against me which ouerwhelmeth and drowneth my heart and courage Neuerthelesse he firme in his former opinion made no reckoning of those reports and therefore rose to go to bed to shew indeed that he accounted nothing of them but as false alarms But the emperour left alone and no bodie with him vnto whom he might breake his griefe laied him downe vpon a pallet not putting off his clothes but as if he had together with them put on extreame desperation lay tumbling too and fro as a man in mind troubled with many and diuers heauie thoughts In the meane time he heard a great noise at the court gate and the report of the entring of the young emperour his nephew with a great clattering of armour for there were aboue eight hundred souldiours entred with him and withall they of the citie on euerie side saluted him with most joyfull acclamations But the old emperour hearing the great tumult and outcrie rose from his pallet exceedingly troubled and destitute of all the helpe of his captaines and souldiours for why his palace was altogether desolate except of such as were his ordinarie waiters betooke himselfe vnto his praiers Beseeching God not to forsake him in so great a danger but in his mercie to defend him from the furie of those wicked men Who presently heard him and sent him present reliefe For whilest he was thus praying in the palace the young emperour without calling together all his captaines and lieutenants straightly charged them vpon paine of death neither by word nor deed to violate the majestie of the old emperour his grandfather nor any other about him for this victorie said he God hath giuen vs not we our selues his will ordereth all things wherunto all things obey the stars the aire the sea the earth men flouds tempests plagues earthquaks shoures dearth and such like sometimes to our blisse and sometime to our correction and destructien wherefore vsing vs as the instruments of his chastisement he hath giuen vnto vs this present victorie which peraduenture to morrow he will giue to others to vse against vs and then as wee haue beene vnto them wee haue ouercome such will they also shew themselues vnto vs againe wherefore if neither nighnesse of blood neither that we be all of one countrey may mooue vs yet in respect of ourselues let vs vse mercie that we feele not the hand of God vpon vs in like case In the meane time a courtier opened a wicket vnto the young emperour with this message from his grandfather For as much as God this day my sonne hath giuen vnto thee the imperiall scepter taken from me I request of thee this one good turne For many which I haue euen from thy birth bestowed vpon thee for in this my hard estate I let passe that I next vnto God haue been the authour of thy natiuitie and encrease giue me my life spare thy fathers head and with violent weapon spill not that blood from
become emperour flockt in great numbers as birds about an owle to see him and with vaine praises to chatter about him In this sort he came as farre as PAPHLAGONIA in euerie place honourably receiued as if he had beene a deliuerer of his countrey sent from God And in the imperiall citie he was not longed for of the vulgar people onely as their light and load stat but diuers of the nobilitie also by secret messengers and letters persuaded him to hasten his comming and to take vpon him the gouernment assuring him that there would be none to resist him or to oppose themselues against his shadow but all readie to receiue him Especially Marie the yoong emperours sister by the fathers side with her husband Caesar who being a woman of a great spirit and grieuing much to see her fathers empire made a prey vnto Alexius the president and the empresse her stepmother whom she naturally hated had raised a great and dangerous tumult in the citie against them both which was not without much bloodshed appeased and now ceased not by often and most earnest letters to her owne destruction and her husbands as it afterwards fell out to pricke forward Andronicus and to hasten his comming who by letters and messengers dayly comming vnto him from the court still more and more encouraged leauing behind him the countrey of PAPHLAGONIA came to HERACLEA in PONTUS and still on towards the imperiall citie with great cunning and dissimulation winning the hearts of the people as he went For who was so stonie hearted whom his sweet words and abundant teares flowing from his gratious eies as from two plentifull fountaines downe by his hoarie cheeks might not haue mooued All that he did or desired was as he said for the common good and libertie of the emperour By which meanes he had drawne vnto him a woonderfull number of the rude countrey people by the way as he came But comming into BYTHINIA he was by Iohn Ducas gouernour of the great citie of NICE shut out as an enemie to the state and so at NICOMEDIA also Neuerthelesse passing by those cities he held still on his way vntill at length he was neere vnto a castle called CHARACE encountred by Andronicus Angelus sent with a great power against him by the great president Alexius who otherwise as an effeminat man giuen ouer to his pleasure spending the greatest part of the night in rioting by candle light and most part of the day in his bed with courtaines close drawn as if it had beene night yet doubtfull now of the comming of his enemie left nothing vndone which he thought might helpe for the assuring of his estate Many of the nobilitie of whom he stood in doubt he gained vnto him by meanes of the emperors mother who by her rare beautie sweet words and gratious behauiour as with a line drew all men vnto her Other some he ouercame with gifts and great summes of money whereof he now made no spare And so wrought the matter that no man of any account or marke went ouer to Andronicus Who neuerthelesse with such followers as he had joyning battell with Angelus sent against him as is before said ouerthrew him and put him to flight Wherewith Alexius much troubled in great displeasure and without reason called Angelus now fled to CONSTANTINOPLE to an account for the money deliuered vnto him for the defraying of the charges of that vnfortunat war who seeeing his misforturne to be so taken as if he had framed it himselfe and of purpose betraid the armie committed to his charge by the counsell of his six sonnes being all men of great valour and wisedome first tooke the refuge of his owne house but finding himselfe there in no safetie with his wife and his said sonnes two of which came afterwards to be emperours presently fled ouer the strait to Andronicus Who seeing of him comming towards him is reported to haue vsed this text of Scripture Behold I will send mine Angell before thy face to prepare thy wayes alluding to his name of Angelus as the presage of his good successe Wherefore encouraged with the cōming of these noblemen his kinsmen he without longer stay marched directly vnto the sea side and there a little aboue CHALCEDON encamped almost right ouer against CONSTANTINOPLE causing many great fires moe than needed to be made in his armie to make it seeme vnto them of the citie greater than indeed it was and with the sight thereof to keepe the citizens in suspence with the doubtfull expectation of some great matter to ensue Wherein he was no whit deceiued for they hauing him now as it were in sight leauing their worke ransome to the sea side some vp to the hils high towers to behold his armie a far off willing with their friendly looks if it had ben possible to haue drawn him ouer the strait into the citie Alexius knowing himselfe not able by land to encounter with so strong an enemie for now some which on foot could not goe ouer to Andronicus were secretly in heart alreadie with him othersome thought themselues sufficiently to shew their fidelitie vnto the emperor if sitting still at home they should take part with neither for so haue subtill heads aspiring minds for the furtherance of their desires taught the cōmon people both to say thinke thought it best by sea to auert the present danger And therefore commanded all the emperours gallies being before rigged vp and readie to be strongly manned and put to sea for the keeping of PROPONTIS and the strait of BOSPHORUS that Andronicus should not that way passe Now had hee determined to haue made especiall choice of some assured friend of his owne for to bee generall of this fleet as he had done of the captaines and masters being all his owne kinsmen or domesticall seruants but as he was about to haue so done Contostephanus surnamed the Great captaine opposed himselfe against it challenging that place as due vnto himselfe before all others So that ouercome by his authoritie which it was no time for Alexius now to dispute he was glad to commit the charge and trust of the whole fleet vnto him as generall Thus hauing as he thought made the sea sure he sent ouer vnto Andronicus as from the emperour for all was done in his name one George Xiphilinus with letters and other instructions wherof the effect was To command him forthwith in peace to returne vnto the place from whence he came and not farther to trouble the state promising him in so doing the emperours fauour with many great honors and preferments to bee afterward bestowed vpon him which otherwise might turne to his vtter destruction Which letters Xiphilinus hauing deliuered and done his message is reported to haue secretly aduised Andronicus to proceed in his purpose and not in any case to yeeld to that which was of him required wherewith Andronicus encouraged proudly rejected the graces offered and willed
the releefe thereof by sea Of which preparation Saladin vnderstanding as also of the kings comming by letters intercepted by his scouts directed to the besieged for the holding out of the siege with promise of speedie reliefe he presentâ—y rise with his armie and departed whereof the king being aduertised retired to SEPHOR Not long after Saladin according to his ambitious nature desirous aboue measure to extend the bounds of his kingdome and seeing the successe of his attempts against the king of HIERUSALEM not answerable to his desire conuerted his forces vnto the countries more eastward and passing the riuer EUPHRATES and entring into MESOPOTAMIA partly by force partly by corruption got into his hand the cities of EDESSA CARRAS and diuers others In which time the king of HIERUSALEM tooke occasion first to spoile the country about DAMASCO and after that diuers other places of the Sultans kingdome making hauock of whatsoeuer came in his way and so laded with the spoile of the Turkes retired to HIERUSALEM Saladin with victorie returning out of MESOPOTAMIA in reuenge of the injuries done vnto him in his absence marched directly to ALEPPO the strongest citie of the Christians in that part of SYRIA which aboue all other he longed after where hee had not long lien but that it was by the treason of the gouernour deliuered into his hands with all the countrie thereabouts wherwith the Christian princes were so discouraged that they euen then began to feare greater matters to ensue The prince of ANTIOCH sould TARSVS the metropoliticall citie of CILICIA to Rupinus prince of ARMENIA for that he saw it was not without great charge and danger to be by him defended being so farre from him and Saladin as it were now stept in betwixt him and it At the same time king Baldwin at NAZARETH fell sicke of a feauer the leprosie also his old disease growing dayly more and more vpon him in so much that dispairing of his life he called vnto him Guy Lusignan countie of IOPPA and ASCALON vnto whom he had before espoused Sybill his eldest sister and in the presence of his mother the Patriarch and all the chiefe commaunders of the souldiers of the sacred war appointed him gouernour of the kingdome reseruing vnto himselfe only the title of a king with the citie of HIERUSALEM and a yearely pension of ten thousand duckats All which was done to the great disgrace and discontentment of the countie of TRIPOLIS the old gouernour It was not long but that Saladin hauing breathed himselfe a little after so great labours came againe into the Holy land where he tooke many castles and did infinit harme in so much that the countrey people were glad for feare to forsake their houses and to flie into cities The Christian armie in the meane time lying fast by at SEPHOR not once moouing although many a faire occasion were offred For the chiefe commaunders affectionated vnto the countie of TRIPOLIS and enuying at the preferment of Guy the new gouernour were vnwilling to fight but finding one excuse or other suffered the enemie at his pleasure to spoile the countrey and so in safetie to depart which he had neuer before done in those quarters Within lesse than a moneth after Saladin with a great armie well appointed with all the habilliments of war needfull for the besieging of a citie or strong castle came againe into the land of PALESTINE and passing through the countrey beyond IORDAN sat downe at last before PETRA in hope by the taking thereof to haue made his passage betweene AEGYPT and DAMASCO more safe Of which his purpose king Baldwin hauing knowledge and taught by the euill successe of late to what small purpose it was to commit the managing of his wars vnto a generall so euill beloued and lesse regarded as was Guy his brother in law sent against him with his armie Raymund the countie of TRIPOLIS the old gouernour whom he had againe restored vnto the gouernment and displaced Guy Of whose comming Saladin hearing raised his siege after he had lien there a moneth and so departed A little before this expedition the king still growing sicker and sicker his foule disease still increasing by the common consent of the nobilitie appointed Baldwin his nephew by his sister Sybylla a child but of fiue yeares old to succeed him in the kingdome and the countie of TRIPOLIS to haue the gouernment of the state during the time of his minoritie This Sybilla the kings sister was first married to William the yoonger marquesse of MOUNT-FERRAT who dying within three months after left her with child with this his posthumus sonne Baldwin now by his vncle deputed vnto the hope of the kingdome After whose death she was married to Guy Lusignan countie of IOPPA and ASCALON the late gouernour who taking in euill part this the kings designement especially for the gouernment of the kingdome by the countie of TRIâ—OLIS departed from the court as a man discontented vnto his citie of ASCALON whereof the Patriarch and the princes of the sacred war fearing and that not without cause great danger to ensue came to the king then holding a parlament at the citie of ACON most humbly requesting him for auoiding of further danger and the safetie of his kingdome to receiue againe into his fauour the countie Guy his brother in law and to make an attonement betwixt him and the countie of TRIPOLIS But this their request sorted to no purpose so that the parlament was dissolued without any thing for the good of the commonweale in that point concluded After that time the kingdome of HIERUSALEM began still more and more to decline In the old king Baldwin sicke both in bodie and mind was almost no hope in the yoong king yet vnfit for so great a burthen much lesse and the dissention betwixt the two counties Guy and Raymund with their fauorits was like enough to bring great harme vnto the state Besides that the countie of TRIPOLIS fearing the power of Guy his enemy was thought to haue secret intelligence with Saladin the Turke in so much that the king was almost in purpose to haue proclaimed him traitour Wherefore the king now rested onely vpon the counsell of William archbishop of TYRE and the masters of the knights of the sacred war by whose aduise he sent Heraclius Patriarch of HIERUSALEM Roger Molins master of the kinghts of S. Iohns and Arnold master of the Templars embassadours vnto Lucius the third then Pope vnto Fredericke the emperour Philip the French king and Henrie the second king of ENGLAND to declare vnto them the dangerous state of that Christian kingdome and to craue their aid against the Infidels These embassadours comming to the Counsell then holden at VERONA with great grauitie and diligence in the presence of the Pope and of the emperour declared the hard estate of the Christians of the East with their humble request vnto them for aid in such sort that they mooued
and so marching directly on to ICONIVM tooke it by force and gaue the spoile thereof vnto his souldiors in reuenge of the injuries before done vnto his vncle the emperour Conrade by the Sultan of that citie Departing thence and marching through CILICIA he in another battell ouerthrew the Turkes that hauing taken the straits of the mountaines had thought to haue staied his farther passage into SYRIA After that he tooke the citie PHILOMELA which the Sultan had strongly fortefied which he rased to the ground and put to sword all the people therein for that they contrarie to the law of nations had slaine such messengers as he had sent vnto them for the summoning of the citie In like manner he entred into the lesser ARMENIA where he took the citie MELITENE and subdued all the countrey thereabouts vnto the reliefe whereof the Turkes comming with a most huge armie were by him with an exceeding great slaughter ouerthrowne and put to flight After that entring into COMAGENA and meeting with Saphadin Saladin his sonne with a great armie of the Turks he ouerthrew him in the plaine field and discomfited his whole armie But whilest he too eagerly pursueth the enemie he had then in chace his horse â—oundring vnder him as he passed the riuer SALEPH he was so ouerthrowne and his foot hanging fast in his stirrop drawne through the deepe riuer and almost drowned and at the farther side of the riuer was so plunged by his horse at his landing that he was taken vp for dead Yet breathing a little and casting his eyes vp to heauen with much adoe he vttered these few words Lord receiue my soule and so in the hands of them that tooke him vp gaue vp the ghost vnto the great greefe and hindrance of the Christian commonweale for Saladin hearing of his approch was so afraid of him as that he began to doubt not how to keepe that he had before woon in SYRIA but how to defend himselfe in AEGIPT Thus miserably perished this worthie emperour the tenth of Iune in the yeare of grace 1190 being then of the age of seuentie yeares whereof he had with much trouble raigned eight and thirtie His dead bodie was caried along with the armie and afterward with all funerall pompe buried in the cathedrall church at TYRE Fredericke the emperour thus dead Fredericke his sonne duke of SUEVIA was by the generall consent of the princes in the armie chosen generall in his steed vpon whom with the rest of the armie yet mourning for the death of the emperour the Turkes gaue a sudden and fierce charge in hope so to haue ouerthrown them But finding greater resistance than they had before supposed and hauing lost some of their men they with like speed that they came retired againe Now began famine one of the ordinarie attendants of great armies to increase in the campe for why the Turkes for that purpose had before destroied or carried away all that was in the countrie leauing nothing for the Christians more than the bare ground Wherefore Fredericke turning a little out of the way came to ANTIOCH which was easily deliuered vnto him and his hungrie souldiers well refreshed by the citizens being as yet for the most part Christians But he had not there staied past fifteene daies for the refreshing of his armie but that the plague the handmaid of famine and another scourge of the greatest multitudes began to rage among his souldiers in such sort that he was glad with his armie to forsake the citie and to get him abroad againe into the open field where foorthwith newes was brought vnto him that Dodequin generall of such forces as Saladin had sent for out of AEGYPT which were not small was by great journeis comming towards him against whom he in good order set forward with his fathers corse still carried in the middest of his armie These two armies meeting together and both willing to fight joyned a great and doubtfull battell fortune enclining now to the one side and by and by to the other the Christians exceeding their enemies in valour and they them againe in number At length the Christians in the vauntguard began to retire and they that seconded them were also hardly charged when Fredericke mindfull of his fathers valour with a troupe of valiant horsemen brake into the enemies battell with such force that the Turkes were glad to giue ground after whom Leopold duke of AVSTRIA comming presently on with his footmen brought such a feare vpon the whole armie of the Turkes that they betooke themselues to speedie flight In this battell were foure thousand of the enemies slaine with small losse of the Christians and about one thousand mo taken prisoners with fifteene of their ensignes After which victorie Fredericke marching further in CaeLO-SYRIA pacified LAODICEA then in mutinie and like to haue been deliuered vnto the Turks He also with a little labour tooke BERYTHVS with diuers other cities of SIRIA which before belonging vnto the kings of HIERUSALEM were now reuolted vnto the Turks So afterward comming to TYRE he there solemnly buried his father dead as is before said from thence certified Guy the king still lying with the other Christian princes at the siege of PTOLEMAIS of his comming who forthwith sent the Marques of MONT-FERRAT with part of the fleet to transport him with his people that were left by sea for that by land he could not so safely haue come being now but weake for meeting with Saladin who with a great armie lay still houering about his besieged citie intentiue to all opportunitie So was duke Frederick with his souldiers yet left safely by sea conducted from TYRE to the campe at PTOLEMAIS and there joyfully receiued by the king and the other princes with the generall applause of the whole campe In the meane time the Turks sayling out of the citie of PTOLEMAIS had done great harme among the Christians by whom they were not without some losse againe repulsed But after the comming of duke Frederick and his Germains it was thought good by the generall consent of all the great commanders in the armie that the citie should be assaulted round and to that purpose was euery mans regiment appointed what place to assaile The king himself with the Templars and the Italians from PISA vndertooke that part of the citie which was toward the sea vnto duke Frederick and his Germains was allotted all betwixt the bridge ouer the riuer BELE and the bishops palace the Venetians Genowaies and knights Hospitalers were appointed vnto the rest of the wall as farre as the court of Raymund the Friselanders Flemings and Hollanders tooke vp all the rest of the wall vnto the sea side Thus was the citie at once in euerie side assailed by the Christians with such furie as if they had thereon purposed to gage their whole forces seeking by a thousand wounds and a thousand kinds of death to haue by their scaling ladders gained the top of the
to send him about midnight certaine companies of souldiers into the citie assuring him to receiue them in by a gate neere vnto the pallace which should be opened vnto them by certaine of his trustie seruants there left for that purpose Of this plot Alexius Ducas of his bittle browes surnamed Murzufle whom of a base fellow the emperour Isaack had promoted vnto the greatest honours of the court was not ignorant who being a man of an aspiring mind and in these troublesome times hauing long thirsted after the empire tooke now this occasion to worke vpon The night following he by his agents men instructed for the purpose raised a tumult in the citie not inferiour vnto that which had happened the day before and at the same instant as if he had had nothing to do in the matter came suddenly vnto the yoong emperour in the dead time of the night which he might at all times do by reason of the great confidence the emperour had in him and with a sad countenance told him That the people were vp againe in an vprore and especially they of his guard and that they were comming towards him to do him some violence for the loue he bare vnto the Latines With which vnexpected newes the yoong emperour terrified demaunded of him as of his most faithfull counsellor what were best in that case for him to doe Who presently embracing him in his night gowne lead him out by a secret dore into a tent hee had of his owne in the court as if hee would there haue kept him safe but far was that from his traiterous thoughts who departing from him as if he had gone to appease the tumult had before taken order That he should presently after his departure be cast in bonds and so be clapt vp into a close stinking prison Which done the false traitor openly shewing himselfe made an oration vnto the people wherein he shewed himselfe to haue great compassion of the Greeke empire of the Greeks his countrymen themselues especially in that they were gouerned by a youth vnfit for the gouernment who suffered himselfe to be misse-led according to the pleasure of the Latines And that it was high time for the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE the seat of the Greeke empire to looke about it and to haue an eie vnto it selfe sith it was betraied sold by them which ought to preserue and keepe the same that they had now need of a man that loued his countrey and countreymen before that which yet remained of the Graecian name were vtterly extinguished by the Latines This his speech fitted of purpose vnto the humour of the seditious was receiued with the great outcrie and applause of the windie headed people Some cried out that hee and none but he was to be made chiefe of the common weale that was by them to be established othersome cried as loud to haue him made generall of the armies and forces of the state but the greatest crie was to haue him chosen and created emperour whereunto the rest giuing place hee was by the generall consent of the tumultuous people without longer stay chosen and proclaimed emperour Alexius the traitour by no lawfull election or rightfull succession but onely by the furie of the tumultuous people thus created emperour was of nothing more carefull than how to breake the forces of the Latines of whom onely he now stood in dread And therefore to begin withall he first attempted by certaine gallies filled with pitch flax brimstone and such like matter apt to take fire to haue burnt the Venetian fleet which gallies so set on fire carried with a faire gale of wind amongst the fleet had beene like enough to haue done great harme had it not by the warinesse of the Venetians bene preuented who being good sea men not vnacquainted with such deuises easily and without danger auoided the same by keeping themselues aloofe one from another in the sea This finenesse sorting to no purpose he to colour the matter sent certaine messengers to the generall and other commaunders of the armie to giue them to vnderstand that that which was done for the firing of the fleet had beene done without his priuitie by the malice of the tumultuous people and that for his part he would be glad of their fauour and friendship assuring them likewise of his and promising them to aid them both with men and money and whatsoeuer else they should haue need of in their wars against the infidels Whereunto an answer was giuen by Dandulus the Venetian generall That he would beleeue it when Alexis the sonne of the emperour Isaack whom the Latines had placed in the empire should assure them thereof and intreat for the people vpon whom the fault of that outrage was laid which answere the more mooued the traiterous tyrant to rid himselfe cleane of the feare of the yoong prince by taking him out of the way to the intent to hinder the people of the hope and great desire they had to grow to some peace with the Latines by taking him out of prison and receiuing him againe for their emperour For the people by nature mutable and not desirous of the good of themselues but according to the occurrents present without any great regard of that they haue alreadie done or ought to haue done began now to repent themselues of that they had done against the yoong emperor Alexis in the fauour of the tyrant and commonly said That they must find some meanes whatsoeuer it were to remedie their fault together with their troubles Wherfore Murzufle fearing this sudden mutation of the people with his owne hands most villanously strangled the yoong prince Alexis in prison hauing as yet not raigned much aboue six months and immediately after caused it to be bruited abroad That the said yoong prince dispairing of his estate had as a man desperat hanged himselfe The tyrant in vaine hauing thus attempted the burning of the fleet and still fearing the reuenging sword of the Latines resolued now by plaine force to meet them in the field and there to dare them battell So hauing made readie and armed the whole strength of the imperiall citie he with cheerfull speech encouraged his souldiers requesting them valiantly to maintaine and defend their countrey of Greece the monuments of their fathers the glorie of their ancestors their honour present and the future hope of their posteritie that hauing before their eies the wals of their citie within which they were borne nourished and brought vp in hope of great matters they would haue pitie and compassion of their temples their wiues their children and in no case to suffer them to fall againe into so miserable and wretched a seruitude but rather to die a thousand deaths And the more to grace this his enterprise taken in hand for the defence of his countrey as he would haue the world to beleeue it with the colour of a superstitious deâ—otion also hee caused the
of the affaires of the empire and aduantage of the forreine enemie was not a little troubled with a jealous suspition of his brother Constantine commonly called Porphyrogenitus as if he had sought to haue aspired vnto the empire seeking by all meanes to win vnto himselfe the loue and fauour of all men but especially of the nobilitie both at home and abroad and so by that meanes to mount vnto the height of his desires All which as most men thought were but meere slanders maliciously deuised by such as enuying at his honour and taking occasion by the emperours suspition ceased not to increase the same vntill they had wrought his vnwoorthie destruction The first ground of this false suspition in the emperours head was for that this Constantine was euen from his childhood for many causes better beloued of the old emperour his father than Andronicus as better furnished with those gifts of nature which beautifie a prince and of a more courteous behauior than was his brother insomuch that had he not been the yoonger brother his father could willingly haue left him his successour in the empire This was one and the cheefest cause of the emperours grudge and the ground of his suspition Yet was there another also and that not much lesse than this for that his father in his life time had of long thought to haue seperated from the empire a great part of THESSALIA and MACEDONIA and to haue made him absolute prince thereof and had happely so done had hee not beene by death preuented which thing also much grieued Andronicus and the more incensed him against his brother Which his secret hatred he for all that according to his wisdome cunningly dissembled not only during the time that his father liued but three yeares after his death also making shew of the greatest loue and kindnesse towards him that was possible Constantine in the meane time of such great reuenues as were by his father assigned vnto him reaping great profit most bountifully bestowed the same vpon his followers and fauorits and others that made sute vnto him as well the meaner sort as the greater and with his sweet behauior woon vnto him the hearts of all men for affabilitie courtesie in high degree easily allureth mens minds as doe faire flowers in the spring the passengers eyes This was that precept of the wise Indians That the higher a prince was in dignitie and the more courteous he shewed himselfe vnto his inferiours the better he should be of them beloued He therefore that should for the two first causes blame Constantine should doe him wrong as both proceeding not of himselfe but of his fathers too much loue but in the third hee was not altogether blamelesse for if for want of experience hee prodigally gaue such gifts as for the most part might haue besâ—emed the emperour himselfe he ignorantly erred yet did he no little offend but if he knew that for his too profuse bountie he could not be vnsuspected of his brother and yet without regard held on that course hee was greatly to bee blamed therein For if nothing els might haue mooued him yet he should haue considered to what end the like doings of others in former times had sorted and how many it had brought to vntimely end So although perhaps that Constantine meant no harme vnto his brother or any way to supplant him yet did these things not a little increase and agrauate the former suspitioâ—s and open the eares of the emperour his brother vnto such calumniation as commonly attendeth vpon immoderat bountie But to returne vnto our purpose This honourable Constantine then liued in LYDIA but lately maried and in good hope long to liue being not past thirtie years old but pleasantly spending the time with his wife at NYMPHEA in LYDIA at such time as he was thus secretly accused vnto his brother the emperour thought it good as vpon other occasions of businesse to passe ouer into ASIA himselfe but indeed with a secret resolution vpon the suddaine to oppresse his brother vnawares as by proofe it fell out For at his comming ouer Constantine fearing nothing lesse was forthwith apprehended with all his greatest fauorits of whom one Michaell Strategopulus sometime a man in great authoritie with the emperour his father and of all other for wealth honour and noble acts most famous was cheefe who together with Constantine were fast clapt in prison where we will leaue them euery houre looking to die their lands and goods being before confiscated But these woorthie men especially Constantine and Strategopulus thus laid fast who many times in great battailes discomfited the Turks and notably defended the frontiers of the empire alongst the East side of the riuer MEANDER they now finding none to withstand them forraged not only all the rich countrey beyond the riuer but with an infinit multitude passing the same did there great harme also so that there was no remedie but that the emperour must of necessitie make choice of some other woorthie captaine for the defence of those his cities and countries by the incursion of the Turks then in danger in that part of ASIA There was then in the emperours court one Alexius Philanthropenus a right valiant and renowned captaine and then in the flower of his youth of him the emperour thought good to make choice for the defence of those frontiers of his empire in ASIA against the Turks which were before the charge of his brother Constantine and Strategopulus joyning vnto him one Libadarius an old famous captaine and a man of great experience also appointing vnto him the gouernment of the cities of IONIA and vnto the other the frontiers along the winding bankes of MEANDER Where Alexius hauing now gotten a charge woorthie his valour and in many great conflicts with the Turks still carying away the victorie became in short time of great fame besides that he was exceeding bountifull and courteous vnto all men a costly but a readie way vnto dangerous credit and renowne Thus at the first all things prospered in his hand according to his hearts desire yea the Turks themselues bordering vpon him hardly beset on the one side by the Tartars and on the other by himselfe and yet not so much feared with their enemies behind them as mooued with his courtesie came ouer vnto him with their wiues and children and serued themselues many of them in his campe but as they say That in Iupiters court no man might drinke of the tun of blisse but that he must tast also of the tun of woe so fell it out with this great captaine who hauing but tasted of the better tun had the worse all poured full vpon his head For Libadarius seeing all so prosper with him and somewhat enuying thereat began to feare and suspect least he proud of his good fortune and now growne very strong casting off his allegeance should aspire vnto the empire and so first begin with him as the neerest vnto him
the reuolt of Lazarus Despot of SERVIA was therewith much disquieted Wherefore he commanded Alâ—â—â—Bassa his cheefe counsellour with all speed to send foorth commissions into all parts of his kingdome for the leuying of a royall armie which was done in such post hast that it was thought he would haue taken the field before the beginning of the Spring At which time also the other Mahometane kings and princes of ASIA Caraman Ogli Teke Ogli and the rest bound vnto him by homage with diuers others of smaller power were sent for to aid him in this war who partly for feare and partly mooued with the zeale of their Mahometane superstition brought their forces with great deuotion Vnto this war against the Christians came also great numbers of the Mahometanes from far countries as voluntarie souldiors Baiazet his sonne also then gouernor of CUTAIE with a great part of GALATIA gathering all his forces came to aid his father in this religious war as it was by theÌ„ tearmed The Christian tributarie princes were not then forgotten of whom two came namely Custendyll and Seratzill other two forsaking Amurath came not which was Sasmenos prince of BULGARIA and the prince of VARNA and DOERITZA with whom Amurath was highly offended In the time of this so great a preparation old Lala Schahin Amurath his tutor and faithfull seruitor died being a man of great yeares and Temurtases was appointed gouernour in his place The reuolting of the two Christian princes Sasmenos and the prince of VARNA much grieued Amurath wherefore hee commaunded Alis Bassa with an armie of thirtie thousand to inuade and spoile Sasmenos his countrey now called BULGARIA and in antient time the lower MYSIA Alis Bassa according to that was giuen him in charge calling vnto him Iaxis Beg the sonne of Temurtases Vlu Beg Suratze Bassa with other captaines and commaunders of the Turks prouinces in EUROPE assembled an armie of thirtie thousand for the inuasion of BULGARIA With this armie the Bassa tooke many strong townes and castles in BULGARIA as PIRAVADE VENVZINA MADRA SVNI with others In the meane time whilest Alis Bassa had thus begun the wars against the Christians in BVLGARIA Amurath hauing gathered a great armie in ASIA determined in the beginning of the Spring to passe ouer with the same into EUROPE commending the gouernment of his countries in ASIA to Temurtases Bassa Ferices Beg Temurtaces Subbassa Cutlu Beg and Haza Beg and so all things set in order in ASIA he drew down his Asian forces towards HELLESPONTVS where he was a while staied with coÌ„trary winds but was afterwards transported to CALLIPOLIS by Ienitze Beg Sanzacke there This was the third time that Amurath brought his armie out of ASIA into EUROPE But whilest he staied at CALLIPOLIS Baiazet his sonne with a great power came unto him thither Alis Bassa also vnderstanding of Amurath his arriuall in EUROPE retired out of BVLGARIA and came to him at CALCIDE recounting vnto him the whole successe of his expedition into BVLGARIA Sasmenos prince of BVLGARIA seeing his countrey spoiled his strong cities and castles taken by the Turks and withall hearing of their great preparations for warre by the aduice of his nobilitie thought it best betimes againe to submit himselfe vnto Amurath wherefore tying a winding sheet about his necke in token that he had deserued death after the manner of the Barbarians he came to Amurath at CALCIDE where falling flat vpon the ground at the horses feet whereon Amurath sat he in most humble wise craued pardon offering by a certaine day to deliuer SILISTRIA the chiefe citie of his dominion into Amurath his possession as a pledge of his fidelitie who thereupon graunted him pardon and to assure him of his fauour commaunded a rich garment to be cast vpon him after the manner of the Turks sending Alis Bassa at the time appointed to take possession of SILISTRIA But Sasmenos repenting himselfe of that hee had so largely promised would not deliuer his citie but in strongest manner he could presently fortified the same Wherewith Amurath more offended than before commaunded the Bassa with fire and sword againe to spoile and wast his countrey who according to his commaundement entred againe into BULGARIA and strucke such a terrour of his comming into the hearts of the people that many strong places were voluntarily yeelded into his power namely DIRITZE COSSOVA with the citie TERNOVA the seat of the princes court TZERNEVI NOVAKESTRI ZISTOVA with diuers others and proceeding farther he laid siege to NICOPOLIS the strongest citie of BULGARIA vpon the side of the great riuer DANVBIUS whither Sasmenos was for feare himselfe fled Who finding himselfe vnable to hold out the siege once again with shame ynough tying a winding sheet about his necke as he had done before and taking his sonne with him went out of the citie and in most abject manner falling downe at the Bassa his feet craued pardon which the Bassa mooued with compassion to see the miserie of so great a man and hauing alreadie taken from him the greatest part of his dominion and now out of feare of further resistance easily graunted And hauing thus ended the Bulgarian war returned to Amurath of whom he was right joyfully receiued Amurath had now made great preparation for the inuading of SERVIA for which purpose he had drawne ouer into EUROPE the greatest forces he possibly could out of ASIA sending also for his youngest sonne Iacup gouernour of CARASIA who vnderstanding his fathers pleasure repaired vnto him with all the power hee could make This armie by Amurath thus assembled was the greatest that euer was before that brought by the Turks into EVROPE Lazarus not ignorant of this great preparation made by Amurath had drawn into the societie of this war the king of BOSNA as is aforesaid with Vulcus prince of MACEDONIA his sonne in law who both brought vnto him great aid hee had also by his embassadors procured great supplies from other Christian kings and princes out of VALACHIA HVNGARIA CROATIA SCLAVONIA ALBANIA BVLGARIA and ITALIE besides great numbers of other voluntarie deuout Christians which all assembled and met together did in number far exceed the great armie of the Turks With this armie Lazarus the Despot encamped vpon the side of the riuer Moroua the greater not far from whence stood the strong castle of SARKIVE which Alis Bassa had of late taken from Sasmenos the Bulgarian prince standing as it were betwixt BVLGARIA and SERVIA this castle being now possessed of the Turks was thought by Lazarus dangerous to his countrie who therefore sent one Demetrius a right valiant captaine with certain companies of select men to take in the same The name of this captaine Demetrius was a generall terrour vnto the Turks for the harme he had done them so that they in the castle hearing that he was come without further resistance yeelded the same vnto him Whereof Amurath vnderstanding sent Eine and Sarutze Bassa to recouer the same but
tooke from him CASTAMONA with the greatest part of his dominion in PONTUS which he gaue to his sonne Solyman At the same time he violently oppressed the prince Germean and tooke from him the cities of DESPOTOPOLIS and HIERAPOLIS with all the rest of his dominion The prince of MENTESIA long before driuen out of his countrey by Baiazet as is before declared and hauing all this while made his abode at CASTAMONA doubting now of his own safetie after the death of his good friend Cutrun Baiazet in the habit of an hermit fled to the great Tartarian prince Tamerlane Baiazet returning to PRUSA there built a magnificent Mahometane temple during which worke hee with great superstition forbore drinking of wine reposing himselfe with the companie of graue and learned men and the administration of justice whereby hee greatly woon the hearts of his subjects and had now so enlarged his kingdome that all kings and princes bordering vpon him stood in great feare of him It fortuned about this time that Achmetes king of BAGDAT or new BABILON EIRACVM with Iosephus Niger king of CHOLCHIS enforced with the violent incursions of Tamerlane and his Tartars for safegard of their liues were glad to flie into SYRIA where they being discouered were both cast in prison by the commaundement of the Aegyptian Sultan who then commaunded ouer SYRIA from whence they afterwards hardly escaping fled to Baiazet his court Where after Achmetes had stayed two moneths he by the aid of Baiazet recouered the possession of EIRACVM part of his own inheritance Iosephus the other Mahometane king hauing tarried in Baiazet his court eight moneths at length procured him to inuade the dominions of the Aegyptian Sultan in which expedition hee mightily preuailed and hauing slaine the Aegyptian Sultans generall and discomfited his forces took the citie of MALATIE or MELETINE in ARMENIA with DIORIGE DERENDE and BEXENE taken from the Turcomans and spoiled all the countrey thereabouts From thence marching with his armie towards ERZNITZANE the prince thereof called Tachretin met him vpon the way yeelding his citie and country into his power which Baiazet presently gaue to Iosephus Niger who after he had six daies enjoyed this new gouernment finding the people vnwilling to be gouerned by him a stranger surrendred the same again into the hands of him that gaue it Wherupon the citizens of ERZNITZANE humbly requested of Baiazet That they might be again gouerned by their old prince Tachretin now his vassale Which thing he at their earnest request graunted but taking his wife and children as a pledge of his loyaltie sent theÌ„ away to PRUSA where they were all not long after made away When Baiazet had now many yeares thus mightily preuailed against the Christian princes in ROMANIA BULGARIA BOZNA THESALIA VALACHIA and other places of EUROPE as is before declared and inflamed with insatiable ambition had in worse manner oppressed the Mahometan kings and princes of ASIA of whom some were by him slaine some driuen out of their dominions into exile some imprisoned and othersome brought into such subjection that they liued as it were but at his deuotion and was now growne to that greatnesse that in the pride of his heart he stood in feare of no man but was as he thought a terrour vnto the world hauing vnder his obeisance great and large dominions in EUROPE but farre greater in ASIA It fortuned diuers of these miserable oppressed and discontented Mahometan princes by great fortune as if it had been by appointment to meet together at the court of the great Tartarian prince Tamerlane whether they were fled for releefe and succour The prince German Ogli after long imprisonment in the castle of IPSAâ—A in EUROPE brake prison and with Hissar-beg his great councellour and prison-fellow consorted themselues with a companie of loytering companions roaming from place to place delighting the countrey people with their apish toies in which companie hee passed HELLESPONTUS as a beareward and at length with much adoe came to Tamerlane his court whether the prince of MENTESIA was come before in the habit of an Hermit as is aforesaid with his head and beard shauen Aidin Ogli passing through the countrey as a pedler with a packe at his backe came thether also The prince Tachretin as a seruingman came attending vpon the prince Isfendiar who came also but in some better sort than the rest as an embassadour from some other prince All these poore princes with diuers others in like miserie in short time arriued at SAMARCAND great Tamerlane his court euerie one perticularly complaining of his owne priuat greefe and all together earnestly requesting that mightie prince to take vpon him their defence and to reuenge the wrong done vnto them by the Turkish tirant Baiazet Whose pitifull complaints much mooued the noble Tartarian but especially the long and wrongfull imprisonment of Germian Ogli and the pitifull complaint and moane of Tachretin who had of late lost his wife and children by the crueltie of Baiazet Yet in this matter of so great and important consequence Tamerlane made no great shew of his forwardnesse although he was by nature in nothing more delighted than in the releeuing of the distressed and chastising of the proud but coldly answered those princes That he could not tell whether all were so as they had reported of Baiazet or not but that he well knew him to be a verie zealous king in setting forth of the Mahometane religion and that hee had therefore made great warres vpon the Christians in which godly cause he said perhaps they had refused to assist him or else had giuen him some other greater occasion of offence to him vnknowne For I can hardly beleeue said he that so great and religious a prince as he would without just and sufficient cause offer such violence as you complaine of especially vnto you his neighbour princes and of the same religion with himselfe neuerthelesse whatsoeuer I intend concerning your request said Tamerlane I will send first an embassadour vnto him to vnderstand more of him and his proceedings before I resolue vpon any thing with which answere hee willed them vntill then to hold themselues contented But as Tamerlane was about to haue dispatched his embassadour to Baiazet he was aduertised that Achmetes late king of new BABILON and Iosephus king of COLCHIS both by him driuen out of their kingdomes hauing broken out of prison from the Sultan of EGIPT were now come to Baiazet his court to craue his aid and assistance wherefore he deferred to send his embassador suspecting that Baiazet incited by these two exiled kings would first in their quarrell begin to make warre vpon him But not long after vnderstanding that they were both againe departed from his court as is before declared hee then dispatched his embassadour to Baiazet with many rich gifts and presents courteously requesting him the rather for his sake to deale kindly with these poore Mahometane princes his friends as also with the Greeke
almost in one battell subuerted report nothing simply of him but in what they may detracting from his worthie praises wrongfully charge him with many vntruths not concerning his parentage onely but euen in the course of his whole life also making him as they would haue the world to beleeue first to haue beene a very abject amongst men and then for his inhumane crueltie a very monster in nature or as it was long before but more truly said of another great one much like himselfe a lumpe of earth tempered with blood Which incredible reports concerning so great a monarch I list not to follow as too full of dishonour especially whereas others of no lesse credit than they with farre more modestie and greater probabilitie report of him the greatest honour that may be Hee was as they and the others also say borne at SAMERCAND the cheefe citie of the Zagataian Tartars pleasantly situated vpon the riuer IAXARTES his father was called Zain-Cham or as some others will Og prince of the Zagataian Tartars and of the countrey of SACHETAY sometime part of the famous kingdome of PARTHIA third in descent from Zingis the great and fortunate leader of the Tartars before in the former part of this historie remēbred Which Og as a prince of a peaceable nature accounting it no lesse honour quietly to keepe the countries left him by his father than with much trouble and no lesse danger to seeke how to enlarge the same long liued in most happie rest with his subjects no lesse happie than himselfe not so much seeking after the hoording vp of gold and siluer things of that nation not regarded as contenting himselfe with the encrease and profit of his flocks of sheepe and heards of cattell then and yet also the principall reuenues of the Tartar kings and princes which happily gaue occasion vnto some ignorant of the manner and custome of those Northerne nations and countries to account them all for shepheards and heardsmen and so also to haue reported of this mightie prince as of a shepheards sonne or heardsman himselfe vainely measuring his nobilitie by the homely manner of his people and subjects and not by the honor of his house heroicall vertues such as were hardly to be found greater in any prince of that or other former ages His peaceable father now well stricken in yeares and wearie of the world deliuered vp vnto him not yet past fifteene yeares old the gouernment of his kingdome joining vnto him two of his most faithfull counsellours Odmar and Aly to assist him in the gouernment of his state retiring himselfe vnto a solitarie life the more at quiet to serue God and so to end his daies in peace which two his trustie seruants and graue counsellors he dearely loued whilest they liued and much honoured the remembrance of them being dead The first proofe of his fortune and valour was against the Moscouit for spoiling of a citie which had put it selfe vnder his protection and for entering of his countrey and for proclaiming of warre against him whom he in a great battaile ouerthrew hauing slaine fiue and twentie thousand of the Moscouits footmen and betweene fifteene and sixteen thousand horsemen with the losse of scarce eight thousand horsemen and foure thousand footmen of his own After which battell he beholding so many thousands of men there dead vpon the ground was so farre from rejoicing thereat that turning himselfe vnto one of his familiars he lamented the condition of such as commaunded ouer great armies commending his fathers quiet course of life accounting him happie in seeking for rest and the other most vnhappie which by the destruction of their owne kind sought to procure their owne glorie protesting himselfe euen from his heart to be grieued to see such sorrowfull tokens of his victorie With this ouerthrow the Moscouit discouraged sent embassadours to him for peace which vpon such honourable conditions as pleased him to set downe was by him graunted and so the peace concluded Now the Great Cham of TARTARIA his fathers brother being growne old and out of hope of any mo children moued with the fame of his nephew after this victorie sent vnto him diuers presents and withall offering him his onely daughter in marriage and with her to proclaime him heire apparant vnto his empire as in right hee was being his brothers sonne and the daughters not at all succeeding in those empires Which so great an offer Tamerlane gladly accepted and so the mariage was afterwards with great triumph at the old emperors court solemnized and he proclaimed heire apparant vnto that great empire Thus was Tamerlane indeed made great being euer after this marriage by the old emperour his vncle and now his father in law so long as hee liued notably supported and after his death succeeding him also in that so mightie an empire Yet in the meane time wanted not this worthie prince the enuious competitours of these his so great honours insomuch that whilest by the aduise and persuasion of the old emperour he was taking in hand to make warre against the great king of CHINA who had as then gone far beyond his bounds and so was now well onwards on his way he was by the conspiracie of Calix a man of greatest power and authoritie in the Great Cham his court almost thrust out of his new empire Calix with a right puissant armie hauing alreadie ceized vpon the great citie of CAMBALU and the citizens also generally fauouring those his traiterous proceedings as disdaining to bee gouerned by the Zagataian Tartar For redresse whereof Tamerlane was enforced with the greatest part of his armie to returne and meeting with the rebell who then had in his armie fourescore thousand horse and an hundred thousand foot in a great and mortall battell wherein of the one side and of the other were more than fiftie thousand men slaine ouerthrew him though not without the great danger of his own person as being there himselfe beaten down to the ground tooke him prisoner and afterwards beheaded him Which so dangerous a rebellion with the death of the traitour and the cheefe of the conspiratours repressed and his state in the newnesse thereof by this victorie well confirmed he proceeded in his intended war against the great king of CHINA brake downe the strong wall which the Chinoies had made foure hundred leagues long betwixt the mountaines for the repressing of the incursions of the Tartars entered their countrey and meeting with the king leading after him three hundred and fiftie thousand men whereof there were an hundred and fiftie thousand horsemen and the rest on foot in a great and dreadfull battaile with the slaughter of 60000 of his men ouercame him and tooke him prisoner whom for all that he in the course of so great a victorie wisely moderating his fortune shortly after set againe at libertie yet so as that hauing before taken from him the one halfe of his kingdome and therein left Odmar
in the middest of the Ianizaries where he lay enclosed with their dead bodies in token he died not vnreuenged whose vntimely death Tamerlane for all that greatly lamented for he was his kinsman and like inough one day to haue done him great seruice Whose dead bodie Tamerlane caused to be embalmed and with two thousand horse and diuers of the Turks prisoners chained and tied together to be conuaied to SAMERCAND vntill his comming thether All the other dead bodies were with all honor that might be buried at SENNAS This great bloodie battaile fought in the yeare of our lord 1397 not farre from the mount STELLA where sometime the great king Mithrydates was by Pompey the Great in a great battaile ouerthrown was fought from seuen a clocke in the morning vntill foure in the after noone victorie all that while as it were with doubtfull wings houering ouer both armies as vncertaine where to light vntill at length the fortune of Tamerlane preuailed Whose wisdome next vnto God gaue that daies victorie vnto his souldiours for that the politique tiring of the strong forces of Baiazet was the safegard of his owne whereas if hee had gone vnto the battaile in one front assuredly the multitude finding such strong resistance had put it selfe into confusion wheras this successiue manner of aiding of his men made them all vnto him profitable The number of them that were in this battaile slaine is of diuers diuersly reported the Turks themselues reporting that Baiazet there lost the noble Mustapha his sonne with two hundreth thousand of his men and Tamerlane not many fewer and some other speaking of a farre lesse number as that there should be slaine of the Turkes about threescore thousand and of Tamerlane his armie not past twentie thousand But leauing the certaintie of the number vnto the credit of the reporters like inough it is that the slaughter was exceeding great in so long a fight betwixt two such armies as neuer before as I suppose met in field together By this one daies euent is plainly to be seen the vncertaintie of worldly things and what small assurance euen the greatest haue in them Behold Baiazet the terrour of the world and as hee thought superiour to fortune in an instant with his state in one battaile ouerthrowne into the bottome of miserie and dispaire and that at such time as he thought least euen in the middest of his greatest strength It was three daies as they report before he could be pacified but as a desperate man still seeking after death and calling for it neither did Tamerlane after he had once spoken with him at all afterwards courteously vse him but as of a proud man caused small account to be made of him And to manifest that he knew how to punish the haughtie made him to bee shackled in fetters and chaines of gold and so to bee shut vp in an iron cage made like a grate in such sort as that he might on euerie side be seen and so caried him vp and downe as hee passed through ASIA to be of his owne people scorned and derided And to his farther disgrace vpon festiuall daies vsed him for a footstoole to tread vpon when he mounted to horse and at other times scornefully fed him like a dogge with crums fallen from his table A raâ—e example of the vncertaintie of worldly honour that he vnto whose ambitious mind ASIA and EUROPE two great parts of the world were to little should be now caried vp and downe cooped vp in a little iron cage like some perillous wild beast All which Tamerlane did not so much for the hatred to the man as to manifest the just judgement of God against the arrogant follie of the proud It is reported that Tamerlane being requested by one of his noble men that might be bold to speake vnto him to remit some part of his seueritie against the person of so great a prince answered That he did not vse that rigour against him as a king but rather did punish him as a proud ambitious tirant polluted with the blood of his owne brother Now this so great an ouerthrow brought such a feare vpon all the countreys possessed by Baiazet in ASIA that Axalla sent before by Tamerlane with fortie thousand horse and â—n hundreth thousand foot without cariages to prosecute the victorie came without resistance to PRâ—SA whether all the remainder of Baiazet his armie was retired with the Bassa Mustapha the countrey as he went still yeelding vnto him Yea the great Bassa with the rest hearing of his comming and thinking themselues not now in any safetie in ASIA fled ouer the strait of HELLESPONTUS to CALLIPOLIS so to HADRIANOPLE carying with them out of the battaile Solyman Baiazet his eldest sonne whom they set vp in his fathers place Mahomet his younger brother presently vpon the ouerthrow being fled to AMASIA of whom and the rest of Baiazet his children more shall be said hereafter Axalla comming to PRUSA had the citie without resistance yeelded vnto him which he rifled and there with other of Baiazet his wiues concubines tooke prisoner the faire Despina Baiazet his best beloued wife to the doubling of his greefe Emanuell the Greeke emperour now hearing of Tamerlane his comming to PRUSA sent his embassadours the most honourable of his court thether before to Axalla by whom they were there stayed vntill the comming of Tamerlane who receiued them with all the honour that might be shewing vnto them all his magnificence and the order of his campe to their great admiration For it resembled a most populous and well gouerned citie for the order that was therein which brought vnto it plentie of all kind of victuals and other marchandise aswell for pleasure as for vse By these embassadours the Greeke emperour submitted all his empire together with his person vnto Tamerlane the great conquerour as his most faithfull subject and vassaile which he was bound as he said to doe for that hee was by him deliuered from the most cruell tirant in the world as also for that the long journey he had passed and the discommodities he had endured with the losse of his people and the danger of his person could not bee recompenced but by the offer of his owne life and his subjects which hee did for euer dedicate to his seruice with all the fidelitie and loyaltie that so great a benefit might deserue besides that his so many vertues and rare accomplishments which made him famous throughout the world did bind him so to doe And that therefore he would attend him in his cheefe citie to deliuer it into his hands as his owne with all the empire of GREECE Now the Greeke embassadours looked for no lesse than to fall into bondage to Tamerlane thinking that which they offred to be so great and delicate a morsell as that it would not be refused especially of such a conquering prince as was Tamerlane and that the acceptance thereof in kindnesse and
the while that the great and mightie Tamerlane with his innumerable forces couered the face of the countries fast by him most part whereof Mahomet hath now since his departure againe recouered Wherefore it were best for you to send for your angrie brother Isa to CONSTANTINOPLE and to make him generall of the armie you intend to send into ASIA against Mahomet In which warres it is not vnlike but that one of your brethren will be lost whereby you shall haue one competitor of your kingdome the lesse So shall you afterwards with lesse trouble subdue him that is left or at leastwise please him with some part of that which they haue so mightely striuen for This counsell was of Soliman and all the rest well liked of and approued So was Isa presently sent for vnto CONSTANTINOPLE and a great armie leuied Who being come to HADRIANOPLE was by Soliman courteously welcommed and made generall of his armie and therewith shipped ouer the strait of HELLESPONTVS into ASIA Where at his first comming hee possessed the whole countrey of CARASIA or LYDIA and passing further in all places where he came was receiued of the people with great reuerence they all promising him their obedience if it were his fortune to preuaile against his younger brother Mahomet wherewith he held himselfe well contented So comming to the cittie of BEG-BAZER otherwise called DESPOâ—â—POLIS he there wintered with his armie In which time hee with many kind and louing letters still directed to Mahomet as his younger brother seemed to be glad that he was so well obeyed and liked of by his subjects and that presuming of his loue and fauour he was as his louing brother and not as an enemie come into ASIA to entreat with him of such matters as much concerned the good of them both Whereunto Mahomet with like dissimulation answered That hee was right glad of his comming for which he needed not as he said to make any excuse for that he was entred into a kingdome in part his owne and the rest open before him in token wherof he commaunded a rich garment to be cast vpon the messenger as a fauor sending also diuers rich presents vnto his brother with great prouision of victuals and other necessaries for his souldiors But Winter past and the Spring come Isa marched with his armie to PRUSA and â—here shewed vnto the cittizens the louing letters he had at sundry times before receiued from Mahomet and telling them that hee was in good hope that they should in short time right well agree requested to haue the castle deliuered vnto him sometime their soueraigne whereinto the better sort of the cittizens had retired themselues and made fast the gates against him but when he saw that he could by no faire words or pollicie gaine the possession of the castle enraged with that repulse he set fire vpon that goodly citie and burnt it downe to the ground Mahomet not ignorant how his brother Isa romed vp and downe his kingdome vsing all kindnesse to such as yeelded vnto him and exercising no lesse crueltie vpon such as refused his obedience and how that hee had rased the royall cittie of PRVSA hauing gathered a strong armie marched in ten daies from AMASIA to PRVSA and by the way meeting with his brother Isa in a great battaile ouerthrew him with all his forces Isa himselfe accompanied with no more but ten persons fled vnto CASTAMONA prince Isfendiar his cittie who hearing of his arriuall there entertained him with all the honour he could in recompence of the great friendship he had before found at his hands at what time he was an humble suter in his father Baiazet his court Mahomet comming to PRUSA greeued exceedingly to see that faire citie so destroied yet to comfort the poore citizens he gaue exceeding summes of money to bee bestowed amongst them and tooke order for the new building of the citie and there continued certaine daies himselfe to see the worke begun Isa in the meane time hauing incited the prince Isfendiar in his quarrell to inuade his brother Mahomet and going thether himselfe in person was by him now the third time ouerthrowne and put to flight Neuerthelesse he with some small forces twice afterwards entred into Mahomets dominion but finding few or none willing to follow his euill fortune was glad at last to flie to the prince of SMIRNA by whom he was both honourably entertained and comforted This prince of SMIRNA mooued with Isa his pitifull complaints in so manifest a wrong did not onely promise him what helpe he could of himselfe but also by his embassadours solicited the princes of AIDINIA SARUCHANIA and MENTESIA to giue him aid in so just a quarrell for the releefe of Isa against his vsurping brother These princes pitying the case of the distressed prince and moued with the request of the prince of SMIRNA and fearing also the ambitious spirit of Mahomet amongst them sent such aid that being all assembled together Isa had now twentie thousand men in armes Mahomet vnderstanding of this great preparation made against him and hauing raised a strong armie thought it not best to expect his brothers comming into his countrey where perhaps many might joyne themselues vnto him being so strong in field but entred the prince of SMIRNA his country with such speed that he was vpon him and the rest of his enemies before he was looked for where after a great bloodie fight he obtained of them a notable victorie Isa hauing lost the battaile and therewith his hope also fled into CARAMANIA and there in such obscuritie ended his daies that no man can tell where nor how he died This was the end of this noble prince alwaies of greater courage than fortune The prince of SMIRNA the chiefe authour of this warre humbling himselfe to Mahomet obtained his fauour The other confederate princes which gaue aid to Isa were shortly after by Mahomet for most part spoiled of their dominions Which done he returned with victorie to the building of PRUSA hoping now to liue at more quiet But whilst Mahomet after this victorie dreading no danger was in the middest of his pleasures at PRUSA he was certainly aduertised That his eldest brother Solyman had raised a great armie in EUROPE to inuade him in ASIA Vpon which aduertisement hee furnished the castle of PRUSA with a strong garrison and all things needfull for the induring of a long siege and placed Iacup-Beg the sonne of Firoses captaine therein and afterwards departed himselfe because that citie lately before burnt by Isa was not as yet to be defended much lesse to be accounted of as a place to retire vnto if need should so require From PRUSA he came to ANCYRA from thence directed commissions for the taking vp of souldiors in all parts of his kingdome At which time hee writ letters also to Doioran a Tartar prince whom hee had many times greatly pleasured for aid who presently came vnto him with certaine troupes
to the three sonnes of the king of CARAMANIA Ibrahim Aladin and Isa other two were bestowed vpon the sonnes of the prince Isfendiar Ibrahim and Casimes the sixt was giuen in mariage to Cozza-Beg viceroy in ANATOLIA and the seuenth to the sonne of Ibrahim Bassa who died at Mâ—CHA whither she went vpon superstitious deuotion on pilgrimage At such time as Amurath was busied in his warres in EUROPE against Mustapha the supposed sonne of Baiazet the younger sonne of Mahomet called also Mustapha being but thirteene years old and Amurath his brother indeed was set vp to raise new troubles by the king of CARAMANIA and other princes as well Mahometans as the Christian princes of GRECIA who thought it good pollicie by that meanes to impeach the greatnesse of Amurath This young prince Mustapha strengthened with the forces of his friends entered into his brothers dominions in ASIA and besieged NICE which was at length yeelded vnto him Amurath aduertised of this new rebellion by great gifts and large promises corrupted Ilias Beg the young princes tutor to betray the prince into his hands Whereupon Amurath with great celeritie set forward with his armie from HADRIANOPLE and in nine daies came to NICE where he entered the cittie with small resistance as was to him before promised where Mustapha was by his false tutor to him presented who because he would not spill one drop of the sacred Othoman blood as the Turks call it commaunded the executioner presently to strangle him with a bow string which was done accordingly and his bodie afterwards buried by his father at PRUSA Amurath hauing suppressed these two rebellions and now out of all feare of any competitor thought his fiue counsellers too many by three and therefore remoued the three Bassaes Omâ—re Vrutzi and Alis the sonnes of Temurtases into honorable places retaining of his counsell onely the two old Bassaes Ibrahim and Eiuases But shortly after Eiuases was secretly accused to Amurath That he sought by his fauorits the souldiors of the court to aspire vnto the kingdome himselfe and to depose the king and that intending some such matter hee did vsually weare a priuie coat This suspicious report troubled the jealous tyrant wherefore on a time as he rid accompanied with Eiuases he cast his arme about him as if it had beene in kindnesse but finding him secretly armed would needs know the cause thereof whereunto Eiuases answered That it was for feare of some enemies hee had in the court but this excuse could by no meanes serue his turne wherefore he was forthwith apprehended by the commaundement of Amurath and both his eyes burnt out with a hot steele glasse Whilest Amurath was thus busied in subduing rebellions at home Muhamethes the Caramanian king besieged ATTALIA a great cittie in PAMPHILIA by the space of six moneths which was valiantly defended by Hamza-beg Amurath his lieutenant there at which siege the vnfortunat king himselfe as he was taking view of the citie was slaine with a great shot out of the citie whereupon Ibrahim which succeeded him in the kingdome brake vp the siege returned home to burie his father At this time also Dracula prince of VALACAIA passing ouer DANUBIUS did the Turks much harme about SILISTRA but was afterwards enforced to submit himselfe to Amurath and become his tributarie About this time also Tzunites the prince of SMYRNA which had before aided the rebell Mustapha did by all meanes he could vex and molest Iaxis-beg Amurath his lieutenant in AIDINIA hauing by chance taken his brother prisoner put him to death This prince of SMYRNA was descended of the antient princes of AIDINIA and therefore pretended an interest in that siegnorie which his claime the people of the countrey secretly fauoured so farre as they durst for feare of the Turks Amurath hearing of the harmes that this prince of SMYRNA did commaunded Hamze-beg viceroy of ANATOLIA with all his power to make warre vpon him The viceroy without delay assembled a great armie and inuaded the princes country and the prince being well prouided for his comming meeting him vpon the way gaue him battaile wherein Hasan the princes sonne leading a great part of his fathers armie had put one part of the Turkes armie to flight and pursuing them with too much furie left his father at the same time so hardly beset by the viceroy that he was glad to flie to his castle of HIPSILY fast by Hasan returning from the chace of the enemie not knowing what had happened to his father was by the Turkes in his returne ouercome and taken prisoner After which victorie the viceroy presently laid siege to the castle wherein the prince was This siege continued a great while at length the prince brought to extremitie was content to yeeld himselfe vnto the viceroy vpon condition he should vse no violence against the person of himselfe or his sonne but to send them prisoners vnto Amurath which thing the viceroy by solemne oath promised whereupon the prince came out of the castle and yeelded himselfe prisoner to the viceroy Iaxis-beg whose brother the prince had before put to death attended the going of Hamze the viceroy to his tent where finding Hasan the princes sonne sitting vpon the ground as the manner of the Turkes is tooke him by the choller with great furie and drawing him along to the feet of the prince his father there most cruelly strucke off his head and in the same rage laying his bloodie hands vpon the aged prince strucke off his head also to the great dishonour of the viceroy who had before giuen his faith for their safetie The heads of the prince and his sonne were set vpon two launces within the sight of the castle which the defendants seeing and now despairing of all rescue yeelded themselues with the castle This infortunat Tzunites was the last prince of SMYRNA after whose death all his territorie was vnited to the Othoman kingdome After all these troubles Amurath with great triumph married the daughter of the prince Isfendiar Amurath hauing laied vp in the depth of his thoughts the remembrance of that the Grecian princes had done in giuing aid to the rebels aforesaid thought it now high time to take reuenge of that wrong and for that purpose gathered a great armie wherewith he ranged at his pleasure through MACEDONIA vntill he came to THESSALONICA surprising by the way diuers cities and castles at that time belonging to the Constantinopolitane empire This famous cittie of THESSALONICA now called SALONICHI for beautie and wealth sometime not inferiour to any of the greatest and most renowned cities of GRECIA is situate vpon the borders of MACEDONIA close vnto a bay of the ARCHIPELAGO or the sea AEGBUM which bay was in auntient time called THERMAICUS-SINUS and now the bay of SALONICHI To the Christian congregation there dwelling S. Paul wrote two Epistles in the latter whereof hee forewarneth them of a great defection to come before the latter day Before
dominions in ASIA for so it was agreed betweene the Christian princes of EUROPE and the Mahometan princes of ASIA to whom the greatnesse of the Othoman kingdome was now become dreadfull That whensoeuer hee inuaded the Christians in EUROPE the Mahometan princes should inuade his countries in ASIA and that whensoeuer hee should turne his forces into ASIA the Christian princes should spoile his countries in EUROPE Against this Caramanian king Amurath transported his armie into ASIA and as he went seazed vpon the countries of SARUCHANIA MENTESIA and other prouinces which were before but tributaries vnto him driuing out the poore princes before him and so entred into CARAMANIA and inforced the king so farre that he was glad to agree to such conditions of peace as it pleased him to propound vnto him and to send his sonne to wait at his court And at the same time picking a quarrell with Isfendiar prince of CASTAMONA caused him to become his tributarie and to send his sonne to his court also By which meanes the name of Amurath became terrible to all the Mahometan princes When Amurath had thus quieted all his troubles in ASIA he returned to HADRIANOPLE and vnderstanding that the Hungarians passing ouer DANUBIUS had in his absence made diuers incursions into his dominions hee was therewith greatly offended and in reuenge thereof first sent Alis Bassa the sonne of Eurenosis with an armie to inuade HUNGARIA which he performed accordingly by the space of a moneth and returned from thence with rich bootie Not long after he himselfe in person made another road into HUNGARIE commanding the prince of SERVIA his father in law to giue his armie free passage through his countrey and charging Dracula prince of VALACHIA to aid him with his forces in that expedition which his commandement both the Christian princes more for feare than of good will diligently performed So Amurath hauing inriched his souldiors with the spoile taken in HUNGARIE returned home and wintered at his court at HADRIANOPLE The secret confederation betweene the Hungarians and the Mahometan king of CARAMANIA was not vnsuspected of Amurath which he was the rather induced to beleeue for that wheÌ„soeuer he inuaded the one he was presently set vpon by the other either in EUROPE or in ASIA of which plot he doubted not but that George prince of SERVIA his father in law was chiefe authour although in shew he was therein the least actor Wherfore Amurath intending to spill the play sent for the prince his father in law to come to the court at HADRIANOPLE but he doubting some Turkish tragedie pretended great occasions that he could not come and fearing that which afterwards fell out fortified and manned all his strong cities and castles by all meanes he could possibly especially his chiefe citie SEMENDRE otherwise called Sâ—ENDEROVIA and left therâ—in his sonne Gregorie or as some call him George as gouernour for his other sonne Stephan was long before in Amurath his court with the queene his sister The prince of SERVIA himselfe went into HUNGARIE to procure from thence some aid hauing there also himselfe certaine territories which he had in exchange of Sigismundus late emperour and king of HUNGARIE for the citie of BELGRADE It was not long after but Amurath forgetting both the affinitie and league hee had with the prince his father in law entered with a great armie into SERVIA destroying all before him and hardly besieged SEMENDRE where after long siege the young gouernour the princes sonne doubting to fall into his enemies hands by suddaine assault yeelded himselfe with the citie Which thing so discouraged the rest of the Seruians that in short time SOPHIA NOVOMONT with all the rest of the cities of SERVIA were yeelded into the power of Amurath After which conquest he returned to HADRIANOPLE and hearing that the prince of SERVIA with the Hungarians were making head against him and that the two yong Seruian princes Gregorie and Stephen his wiues brethren had intelligence with their father he commaunded them both to be cast in prison at DIDYMOTICHVM and their eyes cruelly to be burnt out with a brasen bason made red hot a coÌ„mon vnmercifull practise among the Turks About this time Albertus duke of AVSTRIA hauing before maried Elizabeth the only daughter of Sigismund the emperor and succeeding his father in law both in the empire and kingdome of HVNGARIE vnto which type of highest honour nothing more furthered him than the remembrance of Sigismund in the second yeare of his raigne before hee was well setled in those new aâ—chieued honours died of the flix as he was making great preparation against Amurath the Turkish king who hauing lately driuen George prince of SERVIA and RASCIA out of his dominions had now extended the Turkish kingdome euen vnto the borders of HVNGARIE This Albertus dying left his wife great with child The Hungarians in whose minds the remembrance of Sigismund was yet fresh could haue beene contented to haue liued vnder the gouernment of the queene his daughter the widdow of Albertus then great with child but that the Turkish king was now growne so great and come so nigh that it was thought more than needfull by Iohn Huniades and other of the Hungarian nobilitie for the defence of that kingdome not wholly to rest vpon the deuotion of the people toward the queene and the expectation of her issue wherby they should be nothing strengthened but to make choice of some great prince by whose power they might the better defend themselues and the kingdome against their dangerous enemies Whereupon with consent of the queene it was resolued vpon to make choice of Vladislaus the yong king of POLONIA then a prince of great power but of farre greater fame and expectation and by embassadors to offer vnto him the mariage of the queene with her the kingdome also This embassage being sent vnto Vladislaus the matter was too and fro debated in the Polonian court Whether it were to be accepted of or not Some began to speake of the inequalitie of the match considering that the king was but in the prime of his youth and the queene well stept into yeares vrging farther that nothing was offered in that match but wars and that the Hungarians therein sought for nothing more than by the Polonian forces to defend themselues against the Turks Others of contrarie opinion said That the vniting of those two mightie kingdoms would be to the great good of them both and to the great honour of the king whose very name would thereby become terrible vnto the Turkes and that it were greater pollicie by the forces of both the kingdomes to keepe the Turkish king from entring into HVNGARIE than to leaue that kingdome to him for a prey and afterward be inforced to fight with the same enemie in the heart of POLONIA and as for inequalitie of yeares betwixt the king and the queene it was not so great a matter that in regard thereof so honourable and
and sometime on the other and slew many of them whereby he so troubled Amurath his passage that he was glad to leaue the viceroy of ROMANIA with 30000 to attend vpon Scanderbeg that he himselfe might in the meane time with more safetie march away with the rest of his armie Scanderbeg perceiuing the stay of the viceroy ceased to follow Amurath further fearing to bee enclosed betweene those two great armies The viceroy seeing that Scanderbeg was retired after he had staied a few daies followed his master to HADRIANOPLE and so Scanderbeg returned to CROâ—A Shortly after the departure of Amurath out of EPIRVS Scanderbeg left two thousand souldiours vpon the borders for defence of the countrey against the Turks These soldiors so straightly kept in the Ianizaries left in garrison at SFETIGRADE that they could not looke out of the citie but they were intercepted and slaine And within a few daies after came himselfe with an armie of eighteene thousand and laied siege to SFETIGRADE the space of a moneth which was from the middle of September vntill the middle of October In which time he gaue two great assaults to haue recouered the citie but was both times repulsed with the losse of fiue hundred men Amurath vnderstanding that Scanderbeg lay at the siege of SFETIGRADE sent with all speed to recall his armie but lately before dispersed Whereof Scanderbeg hauing intelligence considering also the difficultie of the enterprise with the approch of Winter raised his siege and returned to CROIA where he set all things in the same order he had done before the comming of Amurath to the siege of SFETIGRADE and put two thousand of his best souldiors there in garrison vnder the charge of the famous captaine Vranacontes and stored the citie with sufficient victuall for a yeares siege wherein he had great helpe from the Venetians and other Christian princes for that there was then great scarcitie of all things in EPIRVS by reason of the late warres The like care he had also of all the rest of his cities being continually aduertised from his secret friends in the Turks court of the great preparation intended against him by the Turkish king against the beginning of the next Spring Amurath vnderstanding that Scanderbeg was departed from SFETIGRAD changed his former determination for the calling backe again of his armie appointed it to meet againe at HADRIANOPLE in the beginning of March following whether the Bassaes and other great commaunders at the time appointed assembled with their companies according as Amurath had before commaunded So that by the latter end of march hee had there in readinesse an armie of an hundreth and threescore thousand men strong Of which great multitude he after the manner of the Turkish warres sent fortie thousand horsemen vnder the leading of Sebalyas a polliticke captaine as his vauntcourriers into EPIRVS in the beginning of April in the yeare 1450. The valiant captaine with great speed and no resistance entred into EPIRVS as was giuen him in charge and without let came to CROIA where after he had aduisedly considered of the scituâ—ation thereof and of the places thereabouts he strongly encamped himselfe neere thereunto in the pleasant plaine called TYRANNA and there within his trenches kept his souldiours close attending nothing more but that no new supplie of men munition or victuals should be conuaied into the citie more than was therin before his comming For he was not able with his horsemen to doe any thing against the citie and Scanderbeg had left nothing abroad in the countrey subject to his furie Besides that he was expresly by Amurath forbidden to attempt any thing against Scanderbeg himselfe After Sebalyas had twentie daies thus line encamped before CROIA neither doing nor taking harme Amurath by reason of his great age hauing marched oftentimes but fiue miles a day came thether also with his whole armie wherewith hee filled all the countrey round about the very sight whereof had been inough to haue discouraged the small garrison in CROIA had they not been men both of great experience and resolution Where after he had spent foure daies in setling of his campe he sent two messengers to the Gouernour as the manner of the Turkes is offering him if he would yeeld vp the citie that it should be lawfull for him with all his souldiors in safetie with bagge and baggage to depart and the Gouernour himselfe to receiue in reward two hundreth thousand aspers with an honorable place amongst the great Bassaes of his court if it would please him to accept thereof and further that the citizens should enjoy all their antient liberties as in former time without any alteration with promise also of greater These messengers comming to the gates of the citie could not bee suffered to enter but standing without were commaunded there to deliuer their message Which when the Gouernour had heard hee scornefully rejected their offers and returned the messengers shamefully derided by the souldiours which stood vpon the wall Amurath more offended with this contempt than the refusall of his offers and seeing no other meanes to gaine the citie conuerted all his deuises vnto the siege thereof Wherefore he first commaunded ten great peeces of artillerie to be forthwith cast for he had brought none with him readie made because of the difficult passage ouer the high mountaines into EPIRVS whereby it seemed to bee a matter of infinite trouble to haue brought his great ordinance and therefore caried with him great store of mettall in masse whereof at his pleasure to make his great artillerie as he saw cause In fifteen daies this worke was brought to perfection and ten peeces of huge greatnesse were readie mounted vpon cariages Six of them he placed against the East side of the citie towards the plain of TYRANNA and the other foure against the gate in which two places onely CROIA was subject to batterie being on all other parts naturally defended with impregnable rocks vpon the tops whereof were built faire battlements more for beautie than needfull defence These two places Amurath battred foure daies continually and with the furie of his artillerie had in both places beaten downe halfe the wall and sore shaken the rest Wherewith the Turks were exceedingly encouraged and with great cheerefulnesse made all thinges readie to assault those breaches whensoeuer Amurath should commaund striuing among themselues who should shew himselfe most forward in that dangerous enterprise And Mahomet the young prince the more to encourage the souldiors besides the great rewards by his father proposed promised of himselfe to giue an hundreth thousand aspers to him that should first set vp an ensigne vpon the wals of the citie The garrison souldiours on the other side considering that the whole state and welfare of EPIRVS was reposed in their valour and that the eies of most part of Christendome were as it were fixed vpon them were nothing dismaied with the breaches made but manfully comforted and encouraged one
the forme of a Mahometan Moschie and whether the great Turk goeth often times to heare seruice being indeed but the Sanctuarie or chauncell onely of the great stately and wonderfull church built by Iustinian the emperor is most beautifull and admirable That which standeth of it now is both round verie high built after the fashion of the Pantheon in ROME but much greater fairer and not open in the top as is that the wals thereof being of the finest marble and the floare all paued with faire marble also In the middest there is a verie great and large circle compassed in with high and huge pillars of most excellent marble of diuers sorts and these support a mightie vault that beareth vp as many moe pillars aboue standing after the verie same order and in a downe right line almost of the like greatnesse and goodnesse of the marble with the other below vpon which aboue the second vault in manner of a looâ—ar resteth the great round roofe which couereth all that space of the church which is compassed with the aforesaid pillars being all enameled and fillited with the pictures of Saints after the antient manner of some great churches in Christendome but that the Turks who like not to haue any puctures in their churches haue put out their eies onely as loath to spoile such a rare peece of worke and vtterly to deface it In like manner the wals of the vpper vault are wrought painted or portraied after the same order though in some part decayed by reason of their long continuance and standing About this church are eighteen or twentie dores of brasse right faire and costly well declaring the magnificence and greatnesse thereof in more antient times when as it had as is reported more than two hundred dores of like making and greatnesse and beside the hugenesse of the frame and building it selfe had also diuers faire monasteries and houses of religion joyned vnto it whereunto belonged six thousand priests whose houses and lodgings extended almost all ouer the place where now the Turke his pallace standeth and the other places adjoyning to this great church which is now their cheefe Moschie and called by them by the proper name of S. Sophia because they hold euen as we do the wisdome of God to be incomprehensible and infinit The next in magnificence vnto this is the Moschie of Solyman wherin he lyeth buried with his welbeloued wife the faire Roxolana a worke well beseeming the majestie of so mightie a monarch There are beside these also many other faire Moschies Seraglioes for the Turke his wiues and concubines Bezestanes or Burses for marchants Obeliskes Bathes and other publicke edifices and buildings of great majestie and state all well worth the beholding wherein consisteth all the beautie of this so auntient and renowned a citie farre vnlike to that it was in the time of the first Greeke emperours and before it was spoiled by the Latines For the Turkes priuat houses in this so great and imperiall a citie so much renowned through the world are for the most part low and base after the Turkish fashion built some of wood some of stone and some of vnburnt bricke layd with clay and dyrt which quickly decaieth againe they after their homely manner by long custome receiued neuer building any thing sumptuously for their owne priuate vse but contenting themselues with their simple cottages how meane soeuer commonly saying them to be good inough for the short time of their pilgrimage and yet not sparing for any cost vpon the publicke buildings and ornaments of the commonwealth which they build with great majestie and pompe but especially their Moschies wherein they excell Neuerthelesse there yet are in CONSTANTINOPLE some other houses also built high and comely inough but these bee few and verie old all inhabited by the Christians and Iewes and not by the Turks But of this inough and so againe to our purpose Mahomet with his puissant armie thus encamped before the citie placing his Asian souldiors on the right hand toward the BOSPHORVS his Europeian souldiors on the left hand toward the hauen lay himselfe with 15000 Ianizaries and other souldiors of the court in the middle betwixt both against the heart of the citie On the farther side of the hauen also by PERA hee placed Zoganus one of his cheefe counsellors with another part of his armie At which time also Pantologes his Admirall came to the siege with a fleet of thirtie gallies and 200 other small ships and a number of other lesser vessels which were rowed with three or fiue oares a peece full of Turkish archers fitter for shew than seruice But for defence of the hauen and so of the citie on that side the emperour had caused the hauen to bee strongly chained ouerthwart from the citie to PERA and within the chaine had orderly placed his small fleet the greatest strength whereof was seauen great ships of GENVA with three gallies and two galliots of VENICE three of CREET and a few others of the Iland of CHIOS all which were there rather by chance vpon marchants affaires than that they were prouided for any such seruice yet by this meanes the Turks fleet was shut out of the hauen and so the citie put in good saftie on that side When Mahomet had thus conueniently encamped his armie and surrounded the citie both by sea and land he first cast vp great trenches as neere as hee possibly could vnto the wals of the citie and raised mounts in diuers places as high as the wals themselues from whence the Turks with their shot greatly annoied the defendants After that hee placed his batterie against one of the gates of the citie called CALEGARIA and terribly battered the same especially with one peece of ordinance of a wonderfull greatnesse which with much difficultie was brought from HADRIANOPLE with an hundreth fiftie yoke of oxen caried a bullet of an hundred pound waight made as his other shot was of a kind of hard blacke stone brought from the Euxine sea For as yet as it seemeth so soone after the inuention of that fatall engine the vse of bullets of mettall was vnknowne There with continuall batterie he terribly shooke the wals which although they were verie strong yet were they not able to withstand the furie of so great a batterie The Christians also out of the citie discharged their great artillerie vpon the Turkes but so sparingly as if they had beene afraid to shake their owne wals or loath for good husbandrie to spend shot powder which was vnto the canoniers verie sparingly allowed yet that which was spent was so well bestowed that the Turks were therewith greeuously annoyed The breach also which they had made at the aforesaid gate was by the defendants with great and dangerous labour againe repaired with faggots and earth and such like matter best seruing for that purpose and so made stronger than before In which most dangerous work they were
enforced to confesse where all his treasures lay he was most cruelly in his extreame old age executed After whose death his friends and seruants which were many for he was a man greatly beloued in court in token of their griefe put on mourning apparell so that in the court appeared a great shew of common sorrow wherewith Mahomet being offended caused proclamation to be made That all such as did weare such mourning apparell should the next day appeare before him at which time there was not one to be seene about the court in that heauie attire for feare of the tyrants displeasure After that Mahomet was thus become lord of the imperiall citie of CONSTANTINOPLE as is aforesaid and had fully resolued there to place his imperiall seat he first repaired the wals and other buildings spoiled in the late siege and by proclamations sent forth into all parts of his dominions gaue great priuiledges and immunities to all such as should come to dwel at CONSTANTINOPLE with free libertie to exercise what religion or trade they pleased Whereby in short time that great and desolat citie was againe well peopled with such as out of diuers countries resorted thither but especially with the Iewish nation which driuen out of other places came thither in great numbers and were of the Turkes gladly receiued So when he had there established all things according to his hearts desire he tooke vpon him the name and title of an Emperour and is from that time not vnworthely reputed for the first emperour of the Turks Now amongst many fair virgins taken prisoners by the Turks at the winning of CONSTANTINOPLE was one Irene a Greek borne of such incomparable beautie and rare perfection both of body mind as if nature had in her to the admiration of the world laboured to haue showne her greatest skill so prodigally she had bestowed vpon her all the graces that might beautifie or commend that hir so curious a worke This paragon was by him that by chance had taken her presented vnto the great Sultan Mahomet himselfe as a jewell so fit for no mans wearing as his owne by the beautie and secret vertues whereof he found himselfe euen vpon the first view not a little moued Neuerthelesse hauing as then his head full of troubles and aboue all things carefull for the assuring of the imperiall citie of CONSTANTINOPLE by him but euen then woon he for the present committed her to the charge of his Eunuch and sent her away so to be in safetie kept vntill his better leisure But those his troubles ouerblowne and his new conquests well assured he then began forthwith to thinke of the faire Irene and for his pleasure sending for her tooke in her perfections such delight and contentment as that in short time he had changed state with her she being become the mistresse and commander of him so great a conqueror and he in nothing more delighted than in doing her the greatest honour and seruice he could All the day he spent with her in discourse and the night in daliance all time spent in her companie seemed vnto him short and without her nothing pleased his fierce nature was now by her well tamed and his wonted care of armes quite neglected Mars slept in Venus lap and now the soldiors might go play Yea the verie gouernment of his estate and empire seemed to be of him in comparison of her little or not at all regarded the care thereof being by him carelesly committed to others that so he might himselfe wholy attend vpon her in whom more than in himselfe the people said he delighted Such is the power of disordered affections where reason ruleth not the reine But whilest he thus forgetfull of himselfe spendeth in pleasure not some few daies or moneths but euen a whole yeare or two to the lightning of his credit and the great discontentment of his subjects in generall the Ianizaries and other souldiors of the court men desirous of imploiment and grieued to see him so giuen ouer vnto his affections to make no end therof began at first in secret to murmur thereat and to speake hardly of him and at length after their insolent manner spared not openly to say That it were well done to depriue him of his gouernment and state as vnworthy thereof and to set vp one of his sonnes in his steed Which speeches were now growne so rife and the discontentment of the men of warre so great that it was not without cause by some of the great Bassaes feared whereunto this their so great insolencie would grow But who should tell the tyrant thereof whose frowne was in it selfe death or who durst take in hand to cure that his sicke mind which distraught with the sweet but poysoned potions of loue was not like to listen to any good counsell were it neuer so wisely giuen but as a man metamorphosed to turne his furie vpon him which should presume so wholesomely but contrarie to his good liking to aduise him Vnhappie man whose great estate and fierce nature was not without danger to be medled or tempered with no not by them who of all others ought in so great a perill to haue beene thereof most carefull but were now for feare all become silent and dumbe Now amongst other great men in the Court was one Mustapha Bassa a man for his good seruice for that he was of a child brought vp with him of Mahomet greatly fauoured and by him also highly promoted and he againe by him as his Soueraigne no lesse honored than feared who no lesse than the rest greeued to see so great a change in the great Sultan of whom they had conceiued no small hope of greater matters than were by him as yet performed and mooued also with the danger threatened vnto him by the discontented Ianizaries and men of warre espying him at conuenient leisure to be spoken vnto and presuming of the former credit he had with him aduentured thus to breake with him and to giue him warning thereof How dangerous a thing it is for a subiect or vassale without leaue presumptuously to enter into the secrets of his dread Lord and Soueraigne the wofull examples of others most mightie Mahomet haue so sufficiently warned me as that were it not for the dutifull loyaltie I ow vnto your greatnesse far dearer vnto me than mine owne life I would not at this time aduenture my selfe vnto the hazard of your doubtfull acceptance of my faithfull speech and meaning but with others keepe silence and in secret mourne together with my heauie thoughts which if I should in so great a danger both of your life and empire now doe without warning you thereof I were not to be accounted vnworthie onely those your great fauours and honours most bountifully on me bestowed but as a most vile traitor both vnto your state and person to be of all men detested and abhorred The life you haue of late led euer since the taking of CONSTANTINOPLE
Turkes to breath vntill he had by force wrested all that kingdome out of their hands Wherewith Mahomet being exceedingly grieued in great furie came with a strong armie into BOSNA and laid hard siege to IAZIGA which was by the Christians right valiantly defended vntill Mathias with a puissant armie came to the reliefe thereof who so troubled the Turkes campe with continuall skirmishes on the one side and they of the towne with desperat sallies on the other that at length the prowd Turke was driuen to such extremitie that he was glad secretly to steale away by night with all his army into SERVIA and for hast to leaue behind him both his tents and great ordinance which the Turks histories report he caused to be cast into the riuer because it should not come into the hands of the Christians Mathias after he had thus valiantly put to flight his enemies and relieued his citie followed the Turkes into SERVIA and tooke part of that countrey also which togither with BOSNA he vnited to the kingdome of HVNGARIE In these warres Mahomet had such proofe of the force and power of Mathias and the Hungarians that for a good while after he had no great stomacke to prouoke them farther for why the name of Mathias was now become vnto the Turkes no lesse dreadfull than was sometime the name of his father the valiant Huniades The Venetians at the same time also with their gallies scoured the seas and landing their men sometime in one place sometime in another did great harme in manie places of the Turkes dominion neere vnto the sea coast Amongst other their generals at diuers times sent from that state one Nicholas Canalis succeeding Lauretanus whom we haue before spoken of as soone as he had receiued his charge came with his fleet into the bay of SALONICHI and landing his men burnt diuers townes and villages alongst the sea side Afterwards returning into PELOPONESVS he fortified the towne of LEGOSTICIVM in the gulfe of PATRAS which worke the Turkes with their often skirmishes laboured to haue hindred but in despite of all they could doe it was brought to perfection and a strong garrison therein left for the defence thereof which done he returned againe to EVBoeA Shortly after he with the same fleet put to sea againe and sayling alongst the coast of MACEDONIA and THRACIA surprised the citie of AENUS which standeth vpon the mouth of the riuer Meritza called in auntient time Hebrus vpon which riuer the famous cities ANDRINOPLE and PHILIPPOPOLIS are also situate Canalis after he had taken the spoyle of the citie returned to his gallies carrying away with him two thousand captiues into EVBoeA At the same time also the Venetians giuing aid vnto Nicholaus Duchaine against his brother Alexius then at variance for the principalitie of ZADRIMA neere vnto the riuer of DRINO in EPIRVS gaue a great ouerthrow to the Turkes which came in the quarrell of Alexius Mahomet not a little offended with the harmes done vnto him by the Venetians and perceiuing that the island of EVBoeA now called NIGROPONTE was for the commodious situation and strength thereof the chiefe place from whence they wrought him all these wrongs and whither they afterwards retired againe as vnto a most sure place of refuge determined with himselfe at once to be euen with them for all and to imploy his whole forces both by sea and land for the gaining of that place This island of EVBoeA is about an hundred miles in length and lieth ouer against that part of GRECIA which was of old called BaeOTIA from whence it is separated with a narrow strait of the sea it aboundeth with corne wine oyle fruit and wood fit for shipping The chiefe citie thereof was in auntient time called CHALCIDE and of later time NIGROPHONTE by which name also the whole island was knowne albeit the Turkes now call it EGRIBOS a populous rich and strong cittie so fortified with wals and bulwarks that in most mens iudgement it seemed a place impregnable Vnto this strong citie Mahomet resolued to lay siege knowing well that vpon the fortune thereof depended the state of the whole island Wherefore he assembled a mightie army and made great preparation both by sea and land and when all things were in readinesse sent Mahomet the great Bassa of the court with a fleet of three hundred gallies and certaine other small vessels well furnished with souldiours mariners and all things necessarie by sea into EVBoeA and with a great armie marched himselfe by land through ACHAIA vntill he came ouer against the citie of CHALCIS The Venetian Admirall hearing of the comming of the Turkes fleet set forward to haue met them neere vnto the straits of HELLESPONTVS but after he had by his espials descried the great number of the enemies fleet finding himselfe too weake shaped his course to the island of SCIROS The Bassa comming out of the straits of HELLESPONTVS couered the sea with his fleet and holding on his entended course without let came to EVBoeA where at his first landing he tooke STORA and BASILICON two small townes which he rased to the ground and from thence went directly to CHALCIS As soone as this great fleet was there arriued Mahomet caused a bridge to be made of his smaller vessels ouer the strait betwixt ACHAIA and EVBoeA whereby he passed all his armie and so belaid the citie round both by sea and land And after he had planted his batterie began most furiously to shake the wals wherein he had in short time made faire breaches and the sooner for that one Thomas of LIBVRNIA chiefe canonier of the citie before corrupted by the Turkes by signes agreed vpon gaue them certaine knowledge in what places the wals were weakest whereby they so aptly planted their batterie as if they had taken view on the inside of the wals Which foule treason was at length perceiued and the traitor therefore worthely executed Yet little preuailed the tyrant thereby for such was the industrie of the defendants that whatsoeuer he had by the furie of his great ordinance beaten downe by day that they with restlesse labour repaired againe by night Thus was the siege continued thirtie daies in which space many a sharpe assault was giuen by the Turkes to their great losse and the citie still valiantly defended by the Christians At length the Venetian Admirall to the great comfort of the besieged came with his fleet within view of the cittie making semblant as if he would haue giuen the Turkes battell Whereupon it is reported that Mahomet was about to haue raised his siege and haue got himselfe ouer into the maine for feare the Venetians should with their gallies haue broken the bridge and so haue shut him vp into that island Which thing it was thought the admirall might haue done to his great praise if he would as a couragious chieftaine haue aduentured the matter as he was earnestly requested by the captaines of euerie priuat
many reasons on both parts alledged at length it was by generall consent concluded That they should all forsake the citie and the house of bondage as dangerous both to their soules and bodies and liue as it should please God amongst other Christians So the Turks giuing pledges for the safe departure of the Christians in SCODRA they all at an appointed day with bag and baggage came out of the citie and were by the Venetians carefully transported into other paâ—â—s of their territorie in ITALIE where they liued in peace The Turks who had now besieged the citie a whole yeare after the departure of the Christians entered the citie with great joy and triumph which with many others therabout hath euer since to the great ruth of all Christendome remained in the possession of the faithlesse infidels Thus was the strong citie of SCODRA lost and the long warres ended betwixt Mahomet and the Venetians which happened in the yeare 1478. Mahomet now at peace with the Venetians sent the same Achmetes Bassa by whom he had but a litle before taken in SCODRA with his fleet of gallies against one Leonard prince of NERITVS ZACYNTHVS and CEPHALENIA islands neere vnto PELOPONESVS where the Bassa arriuing easily tooke the same islands the poore prince for safegard of his life being glad to flie into ITALIE with his wife treasure to king Ferdinand whose nigh kinswoman he had maried About the same time Alis-Beg surnamed Michal Ogli Isa Beg the sonne of Cassanes and Bâ—lâ— Beg surnamed Malcozogli men of great account amongst the Turks and most honourably descended entred into TRANSYLVANIA with a great armie of an hundred thousand men and brought such a generall feare vpon the country that Stephanus Batore the Vaiuod was glad with all speed to flie vnto Matthias king of HVNGARIE to declare vnto him the danger of his countrey and to craue his aid Matthias at the same time lay sicke of the gout neuerthelesse he tooke such order by his captaines Stephanus Cherepetrus and Paulus Kinisius countie of TEMESWARE that the Turks were encountred not farre from ALBA IVLIA and there in a great and bloudie battell ouerthrowne wherein Isa one of their great captains was slaine with 30 thousand Turks mo Neither was this victorie gained by the Christians without losse Bator the Vayuod himselfe being sore wounded and eight thousand men slaine Mahomet in his ambitious humour had long time desired to haue in his subjection the island of the RHODES For why it grieued him that so small an island should lie so nie his great dominions in ASIA holden by a few Christians to the great trouble of his merchants trading in the Mediteranean beside manie other harmes daily from thence receiued and to haue no feeling of his greatnesse But forasmuch as the winning of that place was thought to be a matter of great difficultie and in former times vnfortunatly attempted by some of the Mahometane princes he purposed now with good aduise to take this enterprise in hand Wherefore calling togither his graue counsellors and most expert men of warre after he had declared vnto them the manifold injuries receiued from them of the RHODES he propounded the matter Whether it were best to attempt the winning of that island or not Some forward men persuaded him to reuenge those injuries done by those Christians and to subdue that island which for the neernesse vnto CARIA might of right be accounted as part of his dominion and not to forbeare that enterprise for feare of repulse forasmuch as he was able to bring mo men to assaile it than were stones in the wall about it Others better aduised declared the strength of the island with the valour of the defendants men alwaies brought vp in armes and as it were chosen out of all parts of Christendome so that it was as they said like to proue a matter of more difficultie than was by some supposed whereof some of the Mahometane princes had to their no small dishonour alreadie made sufficient triall Alleadging farther that that small island which scarcely appeared in the sea was not of that worth as that he should thereon gage his honour with the liues of so manie good men and most valiant souldiours as might serue for the conquest of a kingdome For all that Mahomet prickt forward with the spurs of ambition and continuall solicitation of Anthonius Meligalus a fugitiue knight of the RHODES resolued to follow the counsell of them which persuaded the warre This Meligalus was a knight of the order which when he had prodigally consumed his substance which was great with two others Demetrius and Sophonius men of his owne qualitie and disposition fled vnto the Turkish emperour presenting vnto him a perfect plot of the citie with all the strength both of it and the isle wherein it stood and which way he might with most ease win it In which seruice they frankly offered to spend their liues but hoping indeed by such foule treacherie to repaire their broken estate All things being now in readinesse Mahomet appointed Mesithes Paleologus one of his chiefe Bassaes the neere kinsman of Constantinus Paleologus the last emperour of CONSTANTINOPLE Generall for that expedition committing to his charge the whole managing of that so great an action Mesithes embarking his armie in number eightie thousand and throughly furnished with all things necessarie for the siege set forward from CONSTANTINOPLE and with a pleasant gale of wind sayled alongst the coast of ASIA the lesse towards the RHODES where by the way he called vnto him Demetrius one of the fugitiue knights to learne of him the best meanes for the safe landing of his aâ—mie As for the arch traitor Meligalus and chiefe author of this warre he was fallen sick vpon the way and in the extremitie of his sicknesse growing both troublesome and loathsome vnto the Turkes that were with him in the same gallie was by the marriners throwne ouer-boord aliue crying out in vaine for helpe no man vouchsafing to haue anie compassion vpon him and so swallowed vp of the sea receiued amiddest the waues the just guerdon of his treacherie At this time Peter Damboyse a Frenchman an Auergnoies a man of singular gouernment was Great Master of the RHODES whose valiancie was such that commonly once in eight daies he had certaine intelligence what great matters passed in the Turkes court and therewith oâ— such deepe judgement that he was seldome or neuer ouertaken or deceiued with anie false aduertisements This carefull Graund Master was not ignorant of all these great preparations neither of the comming of the Bassa and therefore had before strongly fortified the citie and so stored the same with all things needfull as might well haue serued for manie yeares siege but especially with such shot and powder that it was deemed as indeed it was an especiall meanes whereby the citie was afterwards preserued At the same time manie noble and valiant gentlemen hearing of the Turkes designes
enemies of Christendome that euer liued in the Turkish court for by him Mahomet subuerted the empire of TRAPEZONDE tooke the great citie of CAFFA called in auntient time THEODOSIA with all the countrey of TAVRICA CHERSONESVS the impregnable citie of CROIA with all the kingdome of EPIRVS the strong citie of SCODRA and a great part of DALMATIA and last of all OTRANTO to the terrour of all ITALY by him also Baiazet vanquished and put to flight his brother Zemes as is before declared In reward of which good seruices he was by the tyrant vpon a meere suspition thus cruelly shamefully murdred About this time also Caigubus Zemes his son then but a child was by the commaundement of Baiazet his vnckle strangled in the new tower at CONSTANTINOPLE Baiazet now grieuously offended with the pride and late insolencie of the Ianizaries caused secret inquirie to be made of them which were the authors of those late stirs and finding them to be the officers of their companies and especially those which had before slaine Mahomet Bassa the great polititian immediatly after the death of Mahomet the late emperour at which time they had also raised great tumults and done much harme in the citie he vnder colour of preferment sent away those authours of sedition into diuers parts of his empire appointing vnto them as vnto old souldiors and men of good desert certaine lands and reuenues for their maintenance and preferment But as soone as they were departed he by secret letters commaunded the gouernours and magistrates of those places wherunto they were sent suddenly to apprehend them and as traitors to put them to death which was accordingly done The Ianizaries of the court and about CONSTANTINOPLE hearing what had happened vnto their fellowes became wonderfully discontented and began to mutine in diuers places of the citie vttering speeches against the emperour full of despight and reuenge which thing when Baiazet vnderstood and had well considered the late danger he was in togither with the intollerable pride and insolencie of those his maisterfull slaues he secretly purposed in himselfe for curing of so dangerous a disease to vse a most desperat remedie which was suddenly to kill and destroie all the Ianizaries especially those which were belonging to the court or about CONSTANTINOPLE This his purpose he imparted to diuers of his greatest Bassaes charging them vpon paine of his heauie displeasure not to disclose it and for the execution therof had sent for great numbers of those soldiors which are called Acanzij who are amongst the Turks reputed for the best sort of common soldiors Most of all the Bassaes to whom he had imparted this his cruell deuise much disliked thereof as too full of perill and danger yet seeing him fully resolued for the performance thereof would not or durst not say anie thing to the contrarie Onely Alis and Ishender Bassa both discended of the honourable family of Michal Ogli dissuaded him from attempting any such thing alleadging first that the Ianizaries were in number manie souldiours of great courage and experience resolute men and such as would sell their liues deare then admitting that he should kill all them about the court and in CONSTANTINOPLE yet forasmuch as all his strong towns and castles especially in the frontiers and chiefe places of his dominions were possessed and holden by strong garrisons of other Ianizaries fellowes and friends of these who would vndoubtedly take vp armes in defence of themselues and reuenge of their dead friends it were a thing verie like to endanger himselfe togither with the whole state of his empire beside the great dishonour which would grow vnto himselfe thereby for euer This so dangerous an exploit wherein the hands of so manie were to be vsed was not kept so secret but that the vigilant and wily Ianizaries had got an inckling thereof and thereupon began daily more and more to suspect the matter both by the often and secret repaire of the great men to the court more than they had before seene and also by the vnwonted multitude of those Acanzij which were daily brought vnto the imperiall citie by great companies Wherefore fearing to bee suddenly surprised they banded themselues togither and openly stood vpon their guard and by chance lighting vpon Alis-beg as he came from the court who was in deed their best friend after their barbarous manner with manie opprobrious and contumelious words demaunded of him if he were not one of them who had conspired their destruction and without more adoe had presently slaine him had he not as a well spoken man with great protestations and oathes persuaded them that he neuer consented to anie such thing or that they needed to feare any such thing from him and so with much adoe rid himselfe out of their hands Baiazet seeing his purpose discouered that he could not without great bloudshed and danger both to his state and person worke his will vpon the Ianizaries by the counsell and aduise of them that saw farther into the matter to colour his former intention commanded by open proclamation That the Ianizaries and other his men of warre of whom hee had a great power now assembled at CONSTANTINOPLE to be in readinesse against a certaine prefixed day to go with him into MOLDAVIA as if he had raised that power for that purpose onely But when the time was come that he should set forward the Ianizaries put themselues in order of battell by themselues and would in no wise joyne themselues with the rest of the armie or receiue the emperour into the middest of their rankes as they had alwaies before accustomed but furiously shaking their weapons at him told him plainly that hee had sought their destruction and bid him therefore if he thought it so good to set his executioners to worke vpon them whom hee should find both readie and able to defend themselues To pacifie their furie Baiazet was glad to giue them good words and to vse all the meanes he could by his great Bassaes and other captaines which were able to doe anie thing with them to persuade them to be quiet swearing vnto them by the holy soule of his father a solemne oath amongst the Turkes that he would not harme or wrong the meanest of them So with much adoe they were at length appeased and receiued Baiazet into the middest of them as their wonted manner was This dangerous tumult so quieted Baiazet set forward and passing oueâ— Danubius entered into MOLDAVIA where he first laied siege to a strong towne standing vpon the Euxine sea called of the Turkes KELE but in antient time ACHILLEIA which was at length deliuered vnto him by composition From thence hee went to AC-GIRMEN otherwise called ASPROCASTRON which after a moneths siege was also deliuered vp by composition which two strong places so woon he returned againe to CONSTANTINOPLE Many great princes desirous of Zemes laboured by their embassadours to haue obtained him of the Great
other Sciemscia the eldest gouernor of CARAMANIA for his towardlinesse most deerely beloued of his father died of a naturall death before him and was of him and his subjects greatly lamented Alemscia died in like manner of whose death as soone as he was aduertised by mourning letters written in blacke paper with white characters as their manner of writing is in certifying of heauie newes he cast from him his scepter with all other tokens of honour and caused generall mourning to be made for him in the court and through all the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE by the space of three daies during which time all shops were shut vp all trading forbidden and no signe of mirth to be seene and for a certaine space after the manner of their superstition caused solemne sacrifices to be made for the health of his soule and 7000 Aspers to be giuen weekly vnto the poore His dead bodie was afterward with all princely pompe conuaied to PRVSA and there with great solemnitie buried Tzihan gouernor of CARIA and Mahomet gouernor of CAPHA vpon their fathers heauie displeasure were by his commaundement both strangled Of his other foure sonnes Achmet otherwise called Achomates Machmut or Mahometes Corcut or Corcuthus and Selymus the second namely Mahometes was of greatest hope and expectation not giuen to sensualitie or voluptuous pleasure as Achomates his eldest brother neither altogither bookish as was Corcuthus nor yet of so fierce and cruell a disposition as Selymus but of such a liuely spirit sharpe wit bountifull disposition and princely carriage of himselfe that in the judgement of most men he seemed alreadie worthie of a kingdome Which immoderat fauour of the people caused his elder brother Achomates yea and Baiazet also himselfe to haue him in no small jealousie as if he had affected the empire and was in short time the cause of his vntimely death Which thing he nothing doubting hastened as fatall things are by such meanes as hee least feared might haue procured anie such mortall distrust or danger Most of Baiazet his children were by diuers women yet Achomates and this Mahometes were by one and the same mother for which cause Mahometes tooke greater pleasure in him than in any his other brethren although it were not answered with like loue againe Achomates was lord and gouernour of AMASIA and this Mahometes of MAGNESIA who desirous to see the manner of his brothers life and gouernment disguised himselfe with two of his familiar and faithfull friends as if they had been religious men of that order which the Turkes call Imailer These men are for most part comely personages borne of good houses who in cleanly attire made after an homely fashion doe at their pleasure wander vp and downe from towne to towne and countrey to countrey noting the disposition and manners of the people whereof as fitteth best their purpose they make large discourses afterwards to others they commonly carrie about with them siluer cymbals whereon they play most cunningly and thereunto sing pleasant and wanton ditties for which idle delight they receiue money of the people as an almes giuen them of deuotion These are the common corrupters of youth and defilers of other mens beds men altogither giuen to ease and pleasure and are of the Turkes called The religious brethren of Loue but might of right better be tearmed Epicurus his hogs than professours of anie religion at all Mahometes and his two consorts as men of this profession trauelled vp and downe the countries of PONTVS and CAPADOCIA where Achomates commaunded and so to the citie of AMASIA receiuing for their merrie glee by the way as they went the almes and deuotion of the foolish countrey people And being at the length come to AMASIA vpon a solemne holiday they awaited the comming of Achomates to the church who passing by staied a while listening attentiuely vnto their pleasant and alluring harmonie which was for that purpose most curiously and skilfully before deuised and by them both with their instruments and voices performed When they had ended their musicke and according to the manner of their idle profession expected his deuotion Achomates being a man of a spare hand commaunds fiue aspers to be giuen them in reward which is about six pence of our money Mahometes disdaining his brothers base reward as a signe of his miserable disposition would in no wise discouer himselfe as he had before determined but taking horse returned with speed to MAGNESIA from whence hee writ taunting letters vnto his brother Achomates scoffing at his good husbandrie no praise to a prince and in contempt sent him backe againe his fiue aspers which thing Achomates tooke in so euill part as that he was neuer afterwards friends with him The report of this fact was in short time dispersed throughout all parts of the Turkish empire diuers men diuersly deeming of his purpose therein Not long after Mahometes had in this sort plaied with his brother Achomates he attired himselfe with certaine of his trustie followers as if they had beene seafaring men and with a small bark came to CONSTANTINOPLE and there landing as aduenturers from sea tooke diligent view both of the imperiall citie and of the citie of PERA standing opposite against it curiously noting how all things were by his fathers appointment ordered and gouerned It happened whilest he was thus staying at CONSTANTINOPLE that Baiazet had appointed a solemne assembly of all his chiefe Bassaes at the court which Mahometes was desirous to haue the sight of as also of the fashion of his fathers court but as he with his companions pressed to haue entred in at the court gate they were by their base apparell taken of the porters to haue been rude mariners and so by them kept out Wherefore consulting what to doe in that case he went and presently bought a most beautifull Christian captiue boy and the next day comming againe to the court with two of his companions as if they had been aduenturers at sea requested to be let in for that they had brought a present for the emperour So finding means to be admitted vnto the presence of Baiazet one of his consorts as if he had been a sea captaine boldly stept forth and with due reuerence offered the present vnto the emperour which he thankfully tooke and in token thereof gaue him his hand to kisse and commaunded a rich garment wrought with gold to be giuen vnto him with two other of lesse valour vnto Mahometesâ—nd â—nd his fellow supposed to be the said captaines followers who all this while stood a farre off as if it had beene for reuerence of the emperor but in deed for feare to be discouered As these counterfeit guests were returning from the court in their garments of fauour they happened to meet with three courtiers which knew Mahometes who dismounting from their horses had done him honour and due reuerence as to the sonne of the great emperour had he not by secret signes forbidden them as one
vnwilling to be knowne When he had thus seene his father the court and the imperiall citie he went againe aboord and so with speed returned to MAGNESIA The report of this his doing had in short time filled both the citie and the court and was at last brought to Baiazet his eares which raised in his suspitious head manie a troublesome thought greatly fearing that in these slie practises lay hidden some secret and desperat conspiracie dangerous to himselfe and his other children Wherefore after long discourse had with the three great Bassaes then of his secret counsell concerning the matter to rid himselfe of all feare he resolued in anie case to take him away And therefore caused them in his name to write vnto Asmehemadi a gallant courtier and alwaies neere vnto Mahometes to poison him with a secret poison for that purpose inclosed in those letters sent vnto him with promise of great rewards and preferments for that his seruice to be afterwards receiued from the emperour Charging him withall that if he could not effect the matter he should so conceale it as that Mahometes should haue no distrust thereof the least suspition whereof would tend to his vtter destruction This Asmehemedi for some vnkindnesse bare a secret grudge against Mahometes which Baiazet knowing of made choise of him the rather And he on the other side partly to performe the old tyrants commaund and partly to reuenge his owne priuat vigilantly awaited all opportunities to bring to effect that he had in charge At length it fortuned that Mahometes hauing disported himselfe in his gardens of pleasure and being thirstie after his exercise called for drinke Asmehemedi alwaies at hand in a gilt boule fetcht him such drinke as he desired wherinto he had secretly conuaied the deadly poison sent from Baiazet Mahometes hauing drunke thereof in short time began to feele himselfe euill at ease and presently sent for his phisitions who thinking that he had but something distempered himselfe with drinking too much cold drinke in his heat perceiued not that hee was poisoned vntill that within six daies after he died Of whose death Baiazet aduertised could not abstaine from mourning although he himselfe had beene the onely author thereof and the more to manifest his heauinesse commaunded all the court to mourne with him and prayers to be made in their temples after their superstitious manner and almes to be giuen to the poore for the health of his soule His dead bodie was afterwards carried to PRVSA and there honourably buried with his auncestors Asmehemedi the traitour in reward of his vnfaithfulnesse towards his master was by the commaundement of Baiâ—zet cast into prison and neuer afterwards seene being there as it was thought secretly made away Now had Baiazet but three sonnes left Achomates Selymus and Corcutus Achomates gouernour of AMASIA was a man both politike and valiant but much giuen to pleasure and delight him Baiazet and most part of the great men of the court fauoured aboue the rest of his brethren except such as were before corrupted by Selymus Corcutus for his mild and quiet nature was of most men beloued but not thought so fit for the gouernment of so great an empire especially by the Ianizaries and souldiours of the court for that he was as they thought altogither drowned in the studie of philosophie a thing nothing agreeing with their humour Yet might Baiazet seeme to doe him wrong if he should not according to his promise againe restore him vnto the possession of the empire which he had almost thirtie yeares before receiued at his hands as is before in the beginning of his life declared But Selymus being of a more hautie disposition than to brooke the life of a subject vnder the commaund of either of his brethren and altogither giuen to martiall affaires sought by infinit bountie faigned courtesie subtile pollicie and by all other meanes good and bad to aspire vnto the empire Him therefore the Ianizaries with all the great souldiours of the court yea and some of the chiefe Bassaes also corrupted with gifts wished aboue the rest for their lord and soueraigne desiring rather to liue vnder him which was like to set all the world on a hurlie burlie whereby they might increase their honour and wealth the certaine rewards of their aduentures than to lead an idle and vnprofitable life as they tearmed it vnder a quiet and peaceable prince Whilest men stood thus diuersly affected towards these princes of so great hope Baiazet now farre worne with yeares and so grieuously tormented with the gout that hee was not able to helpe himselfe for the quietnesse of his subjects and preuenting of such troubles as might arise by the aspiring of his children after his death determined whilest he yet liued for the auoiding of these and other such like mischeefes to establish the succession in some one of his sonnes who wholly possessed of the kingdome might easily represse the pride of the other And although he had set downe with himselfe that Achomates should be the man as well in respect of his birthright as of the especiall affection he bare vnto him yet to discouer the disposition of his subjects and how they stood affected it was giuen out in generall tearmes That hee meant before his death to make it knowne to the world who should succeed him in the empire without naming any one of his sonnes leauing that for euery man to deuine of according as they were affected which was not the least cause that euery one of his sonnes with like ambition began now to make small account of their former preferments as thinking onely vpon the empire it selfe First of all Selymus whom Baiazet had made gouernor of the kingdome of TRAPEZOND rigging vp all the ships he could in PONTVS sayled from TRAPEZOND ouer the Euxine now called the Blacke sea to the citie of CAPHA called in auntient time THEODOSIA and from thence by land came to Mahometes king of the Tartars called Praecopenses a mightie prince whose daughter he had without the good liking of his father before married and discouering vnto him his entended purpose besought him by the sacred bonds of the affinitie betwixt them not to shrinke from him his louing sonne in law in so fit an oportunitie for his aduancement and withall shewed vnto him what great hope of obtaining the empire was proposed vnto him by his most faithfull friends and the souldiors of the court if hee would but come neerer vnto his father then about to transferre the empire to some one of his sonnes and either by faire meanes to procure his fauour or by entering with his armie into THRACIA to terrifie him from appointing either of his other brethren for his successour The Tartar king commending his high deuise as a kind father in law with wonderfull celeritie caused great store of shipping to bee made readie in the Ponticke sea and MoeOTIS but especially at the ports of COPA and TANA
the imperiall citie it selfe destitute of sufficient defendants Doe we not heare that Selymus is raising of new forces aboue VARNA to expect a new supply of horsemen from the Tartar king his father in law and alreadie as it were houering ouer our heads Is he not of greater spirit and courage than to be daunted or dismaied with the misfortune of one battell Or if you shall end ouer your old beaten souldiours into ASIA and call Corcutus into EVROPE with the forces he leuied the last yeare who in time of your sicknes may withstand the attempts of Selymus will he feare these fresh water souldiours of ASIA or their philosophicall Generall which feared not the souldiors of your court the pickt and chosen men of the world and your selfe a most worthy and victorious emperour You are deceiued and if I may be bold so to say you throughly see not into the doubtfull euent of things if you thinke not that you must at one time wage warre against two dangerous enemies euen iâ— the remotest parts of your empire in ASIA and EVROPE For whilest you shall go about to expulse Achomates out of CAPADOCIA Selymus neerer at hand and waiting all opportunitie will by and by at your backe raise a most dangerous warre in the verie heart and chiefe strength of your eâ—pire But if you moued with the greatnesse and due consideration of the danger shall go about to defend THRASIA and for that purpose retaine with you the most approoued and faithfull souldiours of the court you shall see all ASIA on a fire before your face neither will Achomates make an end of wast and warre vntill such time as he haue drawne the empire of ASIA to himselfe Wherefore if it be not to be imputed to your fault but to your fate or fortune that two begotten of your selfe should by your selfe and the consent of all men be adiudged traitours vnto your crowne and dignitie whereof the one through rashnesse the other vpon pride and vaine discontentment hath risen vp in armes against you why doe you not in so doubtfull and perplext a matter preferre safe and sound aduise before that which masketh vnder the shew of maiestie and honour and whom you cannot both at one time correct and be reuenged vpon to set vpon them as occasion shall serue when they are togither by the eares betwixt themselues This is the onely hope of your safetie this is the onely way if you shall resolue as the common prouerbe saith to driue out one naile with another and so to ouercome your enemies Moderate a while your hoat desire of reuenge and for the present dissemble yoâ—â— greefe graunt vnto one of them pardon and in shew take him into your grace and fauor imploy him against the other so shall you without danger howsoeuer it fall out persecute the one whom you loue not with the hasard of the other whom you trust not and at your pleasure oppresse him to whom you shall commit your ensignes and armie the hands of your faithfull and trustie souldiors being euer at your appointment readie to take reuenge So shall you with securitie make an end of this warre exposing vnto the danger him whom you had rather to ouercome as your enemie by him whom you wish also to perish Mustapha had scarce made an end of speaking but the other Bassaes as they had before agreed amongst themselues began where he left and with all their cunning laboured to persuade Baiazet to call home his sonne Selymus and to make him Generall of his armie against his brother saying That he had alreadie endured sufficient punishment for his former disloyaltie and that therefore it was like that he as a well corrected child would from thenceforth containe himselfe within the compasse of his most dutifull obedience whereas Achomates proud of his birth-right hauing of late violated his fathers embassadours and filled all ASIA with rebellion was not like to bee brought to any reasonable conformitie vntill hee were by force of armes pluckt downe and so made to know himselfe in like manner as was his brother Selymus of late Baiazet seeing that in resoluing of a matter of so great consequence Cherseogles Bassa his sonne in law and the onely faithfull counsellour then about him sat all silent hanging the head as a man not of thesame opinion with the rest stood a great while in doubt what to resolue vpon he could not so easily forget the late injuries done against him by Selymus it was yet fresh in memorie how that he had out of ASIA inuaded EVROPE surprised HADRIANOPLE giuen him battaile endangered his person with his Tartarian horsemen and that onely by the goodnesse of God he had obtained the victorie on the other side his Majestie contemned his nephewes imprisoned his embassadours violated the citties of ASIA ransacked and all those goodly countries presently smoking with the fire of rebellion so filled his old heart with anger and indignation as that he desired nothing more than to be reuenged Whilest hee was thus strugling with his owne thoughts and doubtfull what to doe the vnfaithfull Bassaes by deepe deceit and treacherie Cherseogles most instantly persuading the contrarie ouercame him so farre as with his owne hand to write letters to Selymus promising him that forgetting all injuries past he would vpon the hope of his loyaltie receiue him into his former grace and fauour and make him Generall of his armie if hee would without delay repaire to CONSTANTINOPLE and so passe ouer into ASIA against his rebellious brother Achomates Whilest these things are in doing at CONSTANTINOPLE Corcutus aduertised by letters from his friends of the weake estate of his aged father and by what persuasions he had beene induced after Achomates was proclaimed traitor to call vnto him Selymus and to make him Generall of his armie came downe out of MAGNESIA to PHOCIS and there embarking himselfe in his gallies sailed to CONSTANTINOPLE where being arriued hee went presently to the court attended vpon with a great number of his friends and fauourites and entring into the priuie chamber humbled himselfe before his father and kissed his hand and after much talke had betwixt them of diuers weightie matters is reported to haue spoken vnto him as followeth It is now aboue thirtie yeares past most reuerend father and dread Soueraigne since that I being chosen and proclaimed emperour by the prerogatiue of the souldiors of the court by generall consent of the citisens of this imperiall citie and by the graue iudgement of the wise and graue Bassaes of the Court haue cheerefully and willingly and as I may truly say with mine owne hand deliuered from my selfe vnto your Maiestie the possession of this most glorious kingdome and empire Which thing what worldly wight would haue done but either a mad man or els a most kind and loning sonne Vnto which so rare an example of a religious and louing heart I was not by any feare or constraint enforced but onely
CONSTANTINOPLE during which time he sought neither by gifts nor golden promises to procure the loue and good liking of the great Bassaes or souldiors of the court for that he as a plaine vpright man thought it not good by sute and corruption the great promotors of the vnworthie to seeke for that at their hands which was of right due vnto him by his fathers fauour and promise In the meane time Selymus his fast friends aduertising him of the comming of Corcutus to the court aduised him to make hast and with all speed possible to come to CONSTANTINOPLE for that it was to bee feared least Baiazet being verie aged and withall easie to be drawne away might by the persuasion of Corcutus be enduced to alter yea and perhaps quite breake off the course before well set for his most readie preferment Vpon which newes Selymus attentiuely waiting vpon nothing more than to haue accesse vnto his friends in court and before resolued at his first comming thither not to spare for anie cost in corrupting the men of warre and so to possesse himselfe of the empire made now no stay but with certaine troupes of horsmen commaunding the rest to follow after came with wonderfull sceleritie to CONSTANTINOple Corcutus with the great Bassaes and courtiers and most part of the souldiours of the court going to meet him at the gates of the citie at his entrance receiued him with a kisse as is the manner of the Turkes and brought him through the middest of the citie all the people running out by heaps to haue a sight of the man of late in euerie mans mouth for his desperat rebellion but now welcomed with much thundring shot in token of triumph and the joyfull acclamation of men women and children and people of all sorts So that it easily appeared that all the hatred before conceiued against him for his late outrage against his father was now quite forgotten and that he would in short time before his other brethren aspire vnto the empire The next day after Selymus came to the court and hauing accesse to his father fell prostrat before him and kissed his feet and with the greatest shew of humilitie possible craued of him pardon for his disloialtie O deepe dissembler and traitor of all others most treacherous of late in field with sword drawn to haue slaine his aged father but now prostrat at his feet and within an houre mounted perforce into his imperiall seat The old emperour smiling vpon this Crocodile in most kind manner tooke him vp and courteously said vnto him Thy faults sonne Selymus are so much the lesse for that they haue found speedie repentance wherefore I doe the more willingly grant thee pardon but from henceforth endeuour thy selfe that God who hath giuen thee a notable spirit and courage may also be thought to haue endued thee with a good and well disposed mind There is a martiall matter readie worthy thy hardinesse wherein thou maiest sufficiently manifest vnto the world thy forwardnesse and courage there when time serueth let it appeare Shortly after was called a counsell for the warres but especially for the chusing of a Generall to go against Achomates the honor of which place when manie would haue giuen to Selymus he began with great dissimulation to refuse making as though he would not in any case be preferred before his brother Corcutus to whom he would as he said willingly giue place both in respect of his years and learned discretion who could no doubt with greater authoritie and wisedome manage that warre as for himselfe now he had obtained his fathers gratious pardon and fauour he could well content himselfe with any corner of the empire were it neuer so little But Corcutus and his friends who had reposed all their hope and all their deuises in the departure of Selymus with the souldiours of the court as if they had with great modestie contended on both sides againe persuaded him yea and instantly requested him not to refuse that honour by generall consent without anie disgrace to his brother giuen to him as to a worthy chieftaine of greater experience in martiall affaires So Selymus with wonderfull cunning deluding Corcutus and his fauorits whilest he seemeth craftely to refuse the thing he most desireth is by the generall consent of all parts chosen Generall of the armie to go against his brother Achomates Which was no sooner made knowne vnto the soldiors especially the Ianizaries and other souldiors of the court but they before instructed with lowd acclamations saluted him not for their Generall onely but for their soueraigne lord and emperor also and so without farther delay put themselues in armes to defend and make good that they had done if anie better disposed should seeme to withstand them or dissent from them Selymus by the souldiours thus saluted emperour at first made shew as if he had beene halfe vnwilling to take vpon him the empire and so began faintly to refuse it as moued so to doe by the due reuerence and regard of his father yet liuing But after a while he suffered himselfe to be entreated and then commending himselfe and his cause wholy to the men of war to bind them vnto him the faster promised beside the particuler fauors he ought them to bestow a right great and generall larges amongst them which he afterwards accordingly performed After that he requested the chiefe Bassaes and commaunders of the armie there present to go forthwith vnto his father and to take such order seeing it was the mind of the whole army it should be so that the empire might by his goodwill without farther trouble or tumult be forthwith transferred vnto him Mustapha the great Bassa in whose wily head all this matter was to his owne worthy destruction first hammered whether it were vpon a new finenesse of his owne or that Selymus as it was giuen out had threatned to kill him except he would go and shew all the whole processe of the matter to his father comming as a man dismaied to Baiazet who awaked with clamour and tumult of the souldiours was come out of his chamber into the open roomes of his pallace in few words deliuered vnto him this most vnwelcome message as followeth Emperour said he the men of warre haue in their counsell saluted Selymus both their Generall and Emperour which their choise they require thee to ratifie being readie presently to breake into the court to kill vs both if thou shalt refuse forthwith to resigne the empire They all with one consent request that of thee which they haâ—â— alreadie put into the hand of another Wherefore it is a thing of farre more danger to seeke to 〈◊〉 that thou hast alreadie lost than willingly to yeeld that which is alreadie taken from thee seeing it is not by anie force or pollicie to be regained They in arms in â—urie and now entred into rebellion thinke vpon some greater mischiefe Baiazet troubled with feare and choller and
and eunuches onely and satisfying natures want with some one simple dish of meat Hee seldome went abroad but to the church vpon the friday the Turkes chiefe Saboth and then so beset with his pentioners and other souldiours of the court that although he vsed to ride alone mounted vpon some couragious horse yet was it a hard matter by face to know him amongst so many armed men who with great pride and insolencie kept backe the beholders He was seldome seene abroad in the citie chusing rather for his recreation to passe ouer in his gallie into ASIA and there alongst the sea coast to take the ayre His wiues he would not suffer to come to court neither vsed their companie but for procreation sake and that as was thought without any great good countenance or familiaritie for that he being not greatly giuen to women but more delighted with vnnaturall pleasure thought a mans bodie and mind to be not a little weakned with the allurements of women wherefore hee seldome resorted to the cloister of choise paragons in the middest of CONSTANTINOPLE shut in on euerie side with high and blind wals Those daintie pieces either taken from their Christian parents or by chance surprised by pirats are there most curiously kept by auntient matrons and old eunuches by whom they are with all diligence instructed in the principles of the Mahometane law and to read the Arabian tongue and withall cunningly and comely to sing play daunce and sow But Selymus of all others vsed seldomest to see these allurements as a man not greatly delighted with women or desirous of many and oftentimes vnfortunat children hauing but one sonne Solyman by the daughter of Muhamet a Tartar king who afterwards by the sufferance of God prooued a great plague to the Christian common weale Such spare time as he had from his serious and waightie affaires hee vsed to spend in walking in his gardens with some of his Bassaes or other great courtiers and in beholding noting the noble mens children there sporting themselues would discourse and consult of many things of great importance Some houres he would spend in the bathes and in reading the histories of his auncestors and other forraine princes imitating therin his grandfather Mahomet the Great who caused almost all the histories of the famous princes of the world to be translated into the Turkish language and their liuely counterfeits to be with cunning hand drawn that by their worthy examples he might be the more enflamed to extend his fame and glorie He would many times scoffe at the great businesse of his father Baiazet who as he said was so drowned in the studie of Auerrois determining nothing certainly of the nature of the soule and the motions of the heauens that he desired rather the name of a sharpe disputer amongst the idle professours of Philosophie than of a renowned cheefetaine amongst his valiant souldiors and men of warre One of the Persian embassadours finding him pleasantly disposed demaunded of him why he did not weare his beard long as his father Baiazet and other great princes of that age had done thereby to seeme vnto their subjects of greater majestie to whom he answered That hee liked not to carrie about with him such an vnnecessarie handfull whereby his Bassaes might at their pleasure lead him vp and downe the court as they had done his father Noting thereby that Baiazet whilest he yet liued had beene too much ouerruled by the Bassaes which he could by no meanes endure following no mans aduise but his owne in whatsoeuer he tooke in hand But to come vnto the Persians themselues they in their warres had great disaduantage of the Turkes for as they were strong in horsemen so were they destitute of expert trained footmen by whose onely meanes the Turkes haue atchieued their greatest victories and performed their greatest warres Beside this it was a great want in the Persians that they had not the vse of guns against whose furie no sufficient resistance can bee made or force of man opposed as appeared by the lamentable example of Vsun-Cassanes at ARSENGA and now of Hysmaell in the Calderan fields whose victorious armies of horsemen were in both places put to the worse by the terrour and violence of the Turkes artillerie For the naked Turkish horseman is not to be compared with the Persian man at armes who comes into the field armed with a strong cuiras a sure headpeece and a good targuet whereas the Turkish Europeian horsemen altogether naked vse onely a square or crooked buckler wherewith they doe scarcely couer themselues and the Asian horsemen bucklers made of soft reeds wound round and couered with some kind of silke The Persian horsemen also wearing their pouldrons and gauntlets and bearing staues of good ash armed at both ends fight with them as occasion serueth at the halfe staffe after the manner of the Numidians and with doubling and redoubling their often thrusts from on high doe easily wound or kill the vnarmed Turkes with their horses whereas the Turkish horsemen after the manner of the Graecians couching their staues in their rests doe at the first course most commonly breake the same being made of light and brittle firre and so presently come to their scimitars or horsemens maces being in all other things farre inferiour to the Persian man at armes As for the Turkish archers on horsebacke they are in no respect to be compared with the Persians who well mounted and surely armed and vsing both greater and stronger bowes shoot more deadly arrowes and so make small account of the Turks So that all things well considered the Persian armie deuoted to their king as well for the great and firme opinion conceiued of his high courage and diuine spirit as for that they were to him by faith obliged although it was in number farre inferiour yet had it beene of the Turkes inuincible if it had not beene ouerwhelmed by the cruell cowardly and murthering artillerie and wonderfull multitude of men The cause why Hysmaell out of so many great and large prouinces then vnder his obeisance able in antient times with their multitude to couer the face of the earth and to drinke the riuers drie brought now so small an armie against the Turkish emperour breaking into the heart of ARMENIA was for that Hysmaell to win the hearts of the people by bountie had remitted a great part of his customes and tributes so as then stood best with his policie hauing but lately aspired vnto the kingdome and thrust downe his neere kinsmen the posteritie of Vsun-Cassan and Iacup the rightfull inheritours thereof so that his cofers being emptie and wanting money the sinews of warre he was not able to raise so great an armie as otherwise he might out of those populous kingdomes and countries yeelding plentifully all things necessarie for the vse of man Whereas with Selymus it was farre otherwise whose horsemen footmen captaines canoniers both at sea and land officers of
kept with a verie great and strong garrison of most valiant soldiors that whither soeuer the clamour of the enemie or danger of the battell should call they might speedily from thence come with reliefe For why that citie of all others the greatest could not with so small power as Tomombeius then had be in euerie place and entrance sufficiently defended for within the circuit of MEMPHIS now called CAIRE are contained three great cities which joyned one to an other with stragling bridges make one citie whereof the greatest and most populous is at this day called New CAIRE It lieth in length six miles alongst the riuer Nilus from which it is equally distant a mile the breadth thereof exceedeth not a mile and a quarter In the middest thereof is a castle standing vpon a little rising ground somewhat higher than the rest of the citie more notable for the greatnesse and beautie thereof than for the manner of the fortification for in it were many princely gardens a faire street with many large galleries diuers faire tilt-yardes and courts with stately chambers opening euerie way the vtter part thereof was garnished round about with towers fortresses and beautifull battlements from whence all parts of the citie the riuer Nilus running by and the high Pyramides were most pleasantly to be seene Not far from this princely pallace is a lake made by the hand of man the water wherein deriued from the riuer Nilus is on euerie side enclosed with most stately buildings and is a place of wonderfull pleasure when as a man standing at a window may take both fish and soule whereof there is in the lake great store Another lake there is farre greater and fairer than this in forme of a triangle in the vttermost part of this New citie of CAIRE toward BVLACH it is filled at the rising of Nilus by a great sluce made of stone with yron floudgates and being joyned to the great riuer by a broad channell is able to beare small boats and barges wherin gentlemen for their disport vsed to solace themselues both by day and night in courting their mistresses The houses were all gallantly built afront all about the lake with porches garnished with open galleries and paued with smooth marble euen to the brim of the lake there the citisens in their more prosperous times vsed to row vp and down in boats and with pleasant musicke to delight the listening eares of the hearers On the East side of this lake stood a most sumptuous and stately pallace the late worke of queene Dultibe wife of the great Sultan Caitbeius for manner of the building and inward beautie farre exceeding the other proud buildings of this pleasant place for the wals glistered with red marble and pargeting of diuers colours yea all the house was paued with checker and tesseled worke the windowes and gates were made of alablaster white marble and much other spotted marble the posts and wickets of massie yourie checkered with glistering blacke ebonie so curiously wrought in winding knots as might easilier stay than satisfie the eies of the wondering beholder neither was the furniture in it inferiour to the magnificence of the building but such as might fitly answere both a princes state and a womans queint desire All which things shortly after Selymus hauing obtained the victorie carried to CONSTANTINOPLE not sparing the verie wals but plucking them downe so to take out the curious stones whole Beside the goodly buildings about that lake in euerie place of New CAIRE was to be seene the faire houses of the chiefe Mamalukes more commended for their commodiousnesse than for the manner of their building The rest of the buildings of the citie was but low replenished with the common sort of base people There are yet extant in diuers places of the citie three churches of the Christians whereof one is holden in greater reuerence than the rest for the fame of a low vault in the ground where it is reported the virgin Marie flying the furie of Herod to haue reposed her selfe with her child Christ Iesus the Sauiour of the world another dedicated to the virgin Barbara and the third to S. George which amongst those nations are of great fame Vnto the citie of New CAIRE the citie of BVLACH is joyned almost with continuall buildings It is of an high and stately building lying close vnto the riuer Nilus and was in Sommer time frequented by the Mamalukes and other noble men that they might at their pleasure from their high places behold the inundation of that famous riuer There land all the shipâ— which come vp the riuer yet the great meeting of the merchants is at New CAIRE On the other side of the riuer ouer against BVLACH are many cottages made of hurdles and leaues of date trees the dwellings of poore fishermen and watermen A little aboue BVLACH is old CAIRE which is also joyned vnto the new citie with continuall buildings yet distant from it about two miles and an halfe and standeth also fast by the riuer of Nilus Oueragainst it in the middest of the riuer is an island notable for the pleasantnesse of the gardens and banqueting houses therein In it is an antient temple famous for the loue of king Pharaos daughter and the danger of Moses a most auntient historie yet euerie where there still fresh in memorie But most part of the buildings of old CAIRE are now growne into gardens and rude ruines It is supposed by many probable conjectures that there sometime stood the auntient citie of MEMPHIS Vpon the banke of the riuer the late Sultan Campson built a sumptuous tower ouertopping the castle in new CAIRE to conuay water thither out of Nilus which being by many wheeles and ingenious deuises forced into the top thereof and there receiued into great cesterns was from thence by pipes of stone and lead conuaied into all places of the kings great pallace at new CAIRE About fiue miles distant from old CAIRE on AFRICKE side stand the Pyramides monuments of the barbarous Aegyptian kings vanitie whose proud names and titles Time hath worne out of those huge and wonderfull buildings of purpose made for the vaine eternising of their fame and endlesse wealth so that of them it may now well be said Miramur perijsse homines monumenta fatiscunt Interitus saxis nominibusque venit What wonder we that men doe die the stately tombes doe weare The verie stones consume to naught with titles they did beare Within them are the sepulchers of the old Aegyptian kings deuided into chappels garnished with stone of great price curiously wrought Yet are those places loathsome of smell and for darknesse thereof dreadfull to behold for as men go downe to come into them by a narrow way almost swarued vp with rubbidge their lights arâ— oftentimes put out with the dampe of the earth and swarmes of reremise flying about their eares Some hauing got to the tops of them report that the watch tower of ALEXANDRIA and
8. SOLYMAN SOLYMANNVS MAGNIFICVS TVRCARVM IMPRATOR QVARTVS FLORVIT ANNO 1520 Imperij Soliman patrij moderatur habenas Regnaque Christiadum cladibus vsque metit Antiquam capit ille Rhodon Naxumque Parumque Tyrrheni infestat Littora curua maris Pannonios multo populatur milite fines Et cingit muros clara Vienna tuos Inclyta Sigethi dum moenia concutit armis Cogitur hinc Stygiam nudus adire domum His fathers empire Solyman doth rule with mightie power And Christian kingdomes ceaseth not with slaughter to deuour The antient RHODES with NAXOS Isle and PAROS he did take And on the coasts of ITALIE did wofull hauocke make Faire HVNGARIE with armies great he often did annoy And with a world of men had thought VIENNA to destroy But whilest to SIGETH he laied siege in hope the same to haue Cut off by death in his great pride went naked to his graue THE LIFE OF SOLYMAN THE FOVRTH AND MOST MAGNIFICENT EMPEROVR OF THE TVRKES THe death of Selymus was with all carefulnesse concealed by Ferhates the onely Bassa then present for feare least the Ianizarâ—es and souldiours of the court getting knowledge thereof should after their wonted manner in the time of the vacancie of the empire spoile the merchants and strangers in places where they lay in garrison and especially in the imperiall citie and not so contented after their accustomed insolencie prescribe vnto the greatest Bassaes at their pleasure For preuenting whereof Ferhates dispatched a trustie messenger with letters in post to Solyman the onely sonne of Selymus then lying at MAGNESIA certifying him of the death of his father and that he should deserue well of his peaceable subjects by hastening his comming to CONSTANTINOPLE whilest all things were yet in good order in time to represse with his presence the feared disordered proceedings of his men of warre Solyman hauing to his great content perused the Bassaes letters as one desirous enough of the empire yet considering the cruell disposition of his father who vpon a meere jealous conceit of his aspiring mind and for certaine words by him let fall in dislike of his fathers extreame dealing had practised most vnnaturally to haue taken him away by poison which danger he escaped onely by the carefulnesse of his mother who misdoubting the worst caused the poisoned rich shirt sent to him from his father to be first worne by one of his chamber whereof he in short time after died and also that the letters were signed onely by Ferhates and the newes not seconded from any of the other Bassaes fearing some hidden secret plot of his father tending to his distruction durst not aduenture to remoue from his charge but returned the messenger as one to whom he gaue little or no credit Ten daies thus spent and the death of Selymus nothing as yet suspected Ferhates vnderstanding by his messenger the warinesse of Solyman and that he expected more assured aduertisement sent presently vnto the other great Bassaes Pyrrhus and Mustapha at HADRIANOPLE that they should without delay repaire vnto the court vnto whom at their comming he declared the death of the emperour Which after they had seene to be true they by an other secret and speedie messenger aduertised Solyman againe thereof firming those letters with all their hands and seales whereby Solyman now assured of his fathers death presently put himselfe vpon the way and by long and painfull journies in few daies came to SCVTARIVM called in auntient time CRISOPOLIS ouer against CONSTANTINOPLE Where he was met with the Aga or captaine of the Ianizaries and by him transported in a gallie ouer that straight passage to CONSTANTINOPLE where at his landing the Ianizaries by the appointment of their captaine were readie to receiue him knowing as yet nothing of the death of Selymus vntill that Solyman being now in the middest of them the captaine with a loud voice said vnto them Behold your emperour Whereupon they all with great acclamation cried out Long liue the great emperour Solyman which consent of the men of warre is vnto the Turkish emperours the greatest assurance of their estate And so with much triumph he was by them brought into the royall pallace and placed in his fathers seat in the yeare 1520 in which yeare also Charles the fift was chosen emperour of GERMANIE The Ianizaries disappointed by the Bassaes of the spoile of the merchants especially Christians and Iewes receiued of the bountie of Solyman a great largious and in the beginning of his raigne had their accustomed wages somewhat augmented also to their wonderfull contentment Solyman was about twentie eight years old when he began to raigne and was at the first supposed to haue been of a mild and peaceable disposition so that the princes to whom the name of Selymus was before dreadfull were now in hope that a quiet lambe was come in place of a raging lyon But in short time they found themselues in that their expectation farre deceiued and especially the Christian princes bordering vpon him vnto whom he became a farre more dangerous enemie than was his father before him conuerting his forces most part of his long raigne vpon them which Selymus had almost altogither emploied against the kings of PERSIA and AEGYPT the greatest princes of the Mahometane superstition The first that felt his heauie hand was Gazelles Gouernour of SYRIA who presently vpon the death of Selymus thinking himselfe now discharged of the oath of obedience which he had giuen to Selymus but not to his successours and earnestly desiring to restore againe the kingdome of the Mamalukes lately ouerthrowne gathered togither the remainder of the dispersed Mamalukes which speedily resorted vnto him out of all parts of ASIA and AFRICKE and alluring with rewards the leaders of the wild Arabians with great numbers of the countrey people of SYRIA discontented with the Turkish gouernment entred into open rebellion and by force of armes draue the Turkes garrisons out of BIRTHA TRIPOLIS and diuers other cities of SYRIA taking them into his owne possession And the better to effect that he had taken in hand he sent embassadours to CAIRE vnto Cayerbeius who had of Selymus receiued the gouernment of Aegypt the vnworthie reward of his horrible treason persuading him by any meanes to take reuenge of the injurie and wrong before done to the Mamalukes and by killing of the Turkes garrisons to make himselfe Sultan of Aegypt and restore againe the kingdome of the Mamalukes offering him therein the vttermost of his deuoire and seruice But Cayerbeius either not trusting Gazelles his old enemie or ashamed by new treason to augment his former dishonour or els which was most like misdoubting his own strength in performance of so great an enterprise after he had attentiuely heard what the embassadours had to say caused them presently in his owne sight to be put to death as traitors and with all speed certified Solyman therof who without delay sent Ferhates bassa with a strong armie
poore wretches depart in safetie with a little trash Except these worldly considerations haue moued him to mercie and compassion then out of doubt it is wrought by diuine power and the secret fauor of God towards vs of our Sauior Christ Iesus crucified Whereunto if you be men well aduised if religious if mindfull of the dutie of Christians it becommeth you not to oppose any obstacle and with the ruin of your selues to destroy this miserable people which for this halfe yeares siege hath scarcely had so much rest as might suffice the necessitie of nature â—tanding for you in battell enduring both wounds and death for your honour and victorie by whose faithfull labour and diligence you haue beene alwaies holpen both at home and abroad whether you inuaded the Turke by land in MYTILENE NAVPACTVS METHONE PATRAS or other parts of Pâ—LOPONESVS or els by sea thrust him out of the possession of the Ionian or Egeum whereby it may appeare euen vnto a blind man how iniurious it is far from truth to obiect vnto vs That enioying the fruits of peace we refuse the charges of wars nay we neuer refused wars But now it is come to that point that if we would neuer so faine make wars we are not able so to do the flower of our youth being slaine and the small remainder that is left not only weakened in bodie with wounds sicknesse watching and restlesse labour but also in mind discouraged whilest all things fall out prosperously to our enemies and to vs aduerse the greatest and best part of our great artillerie being broken with continuall vse which if it were whole we could haue thereof small vse or profit for want of pouder which not only this citie 〈◊〉 wanteth but also your strong holds LERVS LINDVS HALICARNASVS ARANGIA I was neuer desirous or curious to looke into other mens doings much lesse into your manner of wars but yet Great Master you cannot denie but it is so who haue caused soldiors to be brought from thence hither openly and gunpouder secretly by which prouident foresight you haue withstood your forraine enemie these six months and deceiued the trecherie of one or two domesticall traitors But I gladly admit we haue all these things I stand not vpon the truth I say not what most men say but I speake to please a few and suppose we wanted neither armour nor courage I would then aske you this whether they would aduise you to vse them to your defence or to your destruction for vnto both it cannot be no more than at once to be a freeman and a slaue To vse them to your destruction that were madnesse and sencelesse pride hatefull to God and man you should therefore vse them to defence But how shall we defend a citie I doe not say as the truth is alreadie lost and possessed by the enemie wherein he raigneth rangeth and turneth all vpside down but hauing the wals battered down a great breach in the Spanish station and another not like but euen now as good as made in the Italian station how shall we be able to keepe this vnfortunat towne battered and rent at the French English and Auergne stations and the tower of S. Nicholas Which if it were not so battered and bared of all warlike prouision but sound and thorowly furnished with munition and victuall yet necessitie enforcing and reason persuading you ought to forsake it for so much as all power of further resistance is taken from you Doe you not see how easily and almost without any trouble the enemie by means of the castle he hath new built vpon the mount PHILERMO not past two miles distant can take from you all manner of prouision both by sea and land and restraine you from going out or in Truly notable gentlemen honourable for your martiall prowesse you see and haue long agoe foreseene these things better than I altogether ignorant in martiall affaires altogether busied in the trade of merchandise and caring for my familie yet suffer me to say the truth All the powers wherby this kingdome stood are departed and gone against the force of our enemies no policie or force of man remaineth and to expect armies of angels or soldiours from heauen and other such like miracles is in my iudgement more and more to prouoke God to anger although in his anger he be vnto vs mercifull Wherefore being destitute of all worldly helpe let vs as we may prouide for our safetie I beseech thee worthie Great Master by these my aged teares by the naturall pitie ingrafted in thy noble nature expose not this miserable citie to the spoile of the enemie our old and middle aged men to the sword our wiues and daughters to be rauished our boies and youths to the vnnaturall filthinesse of our barbarous enemies and to be corrupted with the mad and grosse opinion of the vngodly Mahometane superstition I would noble knights you had seene with what teares with what mourning our heauie families and children crying about their mothers sent vs hither and what prayers they made for vs at our departing I would you knew with what mind and how great hope they expect their safetie from your clemencie and aduised resolution This speech of the aged Greeke might haue moued a heart of flint but the Great master who in his countenance shewed a greater courage than his present state required commaunding euerie man to his charge after the matter had beene thus most part of the night discoursed gaue them no other answere but That he would be carefull of all their well doing The next morning he sent for Preianes Martiningus and a few other of greatest judgement and experience by whom he was fully resolued that the citie in so many places by the enemie laid open and shaken was not possible to be long defended Whereupon he caused a common counsell to bee called of all the knights of the Order togither with the Burgesses of the citie where after long debating Whether they should fight it out to the last man or yeeld vpon such conditions as was to be obtained it was by generall consent concluded That the citie should be yeelded and therupon a decree made which was by the Great master pronounced Whilest these things were thus in doing a truce was taken with the enemie for foure daies but full of feare and danger During which time diuers of the Turks presuming vpon the truce came by great companies to behold the wals and rampiers of the citie wherewith Fornouius the Frenchman of whom mention is before made being sore moued in his choller without further commaund discharged a tire of great ordinance amongst the thickest of them contrarie to the truce taken At which time also the Rhodians receiued into the citie secretly by night a ship loaded with wines out of CRETE and in her Alphonsus a Spaniard chiefe pilot of the Rhodian gallies and with him one hundred voluntarie souldiours all Latines all which went out of
vnto his enemies He slew Hamet a great commander among the Numidians chased Benchades and Amida two of their greatest princes out of the country and with like fortune at sea ouercame Hugo Moncada a famous Spaniard who sore wounded had much adoe to saue himselfe by flight when he had lost diuers of his gallies He also in battell at sea ouerthrew Rodericus Portundus admirall of SPAINE in which fight the admirall with his sonne were both slaine and seuen of his gallies taken In token of which victorie he sent part of the rich spoile there taken with the admirals ensigne as a present vnto Solyman whereby he became famous in the Turkes court but much more after he had repulsed Auria from CERCENNA and taken two great Genoway ships which were comming to Auria loaded with men and munition the losse whereof filled the citie of GENVA with much sorrow All things sorting thus according to his desire and his name become no lesse terrible in SPAINE ITALIE SICILIE and the Islands of the Mediterranean than it was in the greatest part of AFFRICKE Solyman grieued with the losse of CORONE PATRAS and the castles vpon the straits of LEPANTO taken from him by Auria Himerales his admirall being shamefully put to flight by the counsell of his Bassaes but especially of Abraham the cheefe Bassa sent embassadours vnto him to ALGIERS offering him the greatest honours of his court and to make him admirall of all his fleet if hee would forthwith repaire vnto CONSTANTINOPLE for why he was the onely man in all mens judgements who for his yeares and great experience at sea as well as for his inuincible courage and glorie of his late atchieued kingdome was to be compared with Auria and to bee opposed against the Christian fleet Sinas a great man in Solymans court was with this embassage sent and speedily transported to ALGIERS by Mangalis a famous pyrat then gouernour of the RHODES who at his landing was honourably receiued by Barbarussa and audience giuen him Barbarussa vnderstanding the cause of his comming was exceeding glad thereof presently conceiuing no small hope of obtaining the Monarchie of AFFRICK if he might once come to Solymans presence and at large shew vnto him the state of AFFRICKE and power of the Christians with their continuall discord amongst themselues Wherefore without further delay committing the protection of his sonne Asanes then about eighteene yeares old and the gouernment of his new gotten kingdome to Ramada and Agis two of his nigh kinsmen and assured friends of whose fidelitie he doubted not he with fortie of his owne gallies in most warlike manner appointed set forward with Solymans embassadour towards CONSTANTINOPLE where by the way hee met with a fleet of Genoway ships bound for SICILIE for corne which after a sharpe and cruell fight he tooke and burnt After that landing by night in the Island of ELâ—A not farre from NAPLES he suddenly surprised RHIVM a rich citie where loading his gallies with the wealth thereof and carying away with him all the inhabitants into captiuitie he arriued at CONSTANTINOPLE in the yeare 1533 where he was by the great courtiers brought to Solyman of whom he was joyfully receiued if it were but for the presents which he gaue him which were fair boyes and young maidens sumptuously apparrelled eunuchs and wild beasts of LYBIA as Lyons Leopards and such like But after he had certaine daies discoursed at large with the great Bassaes of the state of AFFRICKE the strength of the Christians and how the warres were to be managed he was afterwards by them seldomer sent for and offering himselfe into their companie was hardly admitted for enuie the inseparable companion of growing honour had quickly ouer taken him in the court so that many men letted not openly to say That it had not beene the fashion of the Othoman kings to preferre pyrats the worst kind of theeues to the honour of their great Admirall and that there wanted not neither euer would want men both vertuous and valiant in the Turkes court which could with great honour maintaine and augment the glorie of the Turkish empire both by sea and land whereas he had against all right and conscience by shamefull treacherie intruded himselfe into another mans kingdome in AFFRICKE and there persecuted the Mahometane princes and people being of no religion himselfe as one that was borne of a renegat Greeke and had from his youth liued as a mercilesse pyrat and common enemie of mankind By which speeches Barbarussa well perceiued in how euill time Abraham Bassa his best friend and by whose meanes he was sent for was absent from the court who at that time was gone into COMAGENA and wintered at ALEPPO with purpose as Solymans forerunner with the first of the Spring to passe ouer Euphrates against the Persian After long sute and much expectation Solyman answered Barbarussa by Aâ—ax and Cassimes two of the great Bassaes That all the matter concerning him should be referred to the discretion of Abraham the cheefe Bassa for that hee was by his counsell especially sent for into AFFRICKE wherefore if he did expect any thing he should repaire vnto him into SIRIA that according to his graue judgement all things might be ordered Barbarussa thus rejected into SIRIA although he well perceiued that it tended to his no small disgrace yet in hope by sufferance to obtaine another kingdome seemed contented with the answere and resolued forthwith to take vpon him that long and painefull journey which the old king lustily performed and so posting by land thorow ASIA the lesse and trauelling ouer the mountaine AMANVS then couered with deepe snowe came in the dead time of Winter to ALEPPO in SIRIA where hee was honourably receiued of the great Bassa and heard at large to his so good contentation and liking that he deemed him of all others the fittest to commaund the Turks power at sea and to that purpose writ commendatorie letters in his behalfe to Solyman wishing him for his sufficiencie to place him as the fourth with the other three Bassaes of his counsell After Barbarussa was againe arriued at CONSTANTINOPLE with these letters and that it was once knowne how effectually the cheefe Bassa had commended him to Solyman it was a world to see how vpon the sudden the face of the court was changed vpon him euery man either for friendship or flatterie begun now to speake of his praises and to extoll his worthinesse who was now in all mens mouths but Barbarussa so great was the power authoritie of the cheefe Bassa that being absent yet was his approbation of all men accounted sufficient to preferre whom he pleased his letters lawes to the rest of the court Barbarussa had brought with him from ALGIERS one Roscetes the elder brother of Muleasses king of TVNES who wrongfully driuen into exile by his younger brother had liued certaine yeares at ALGIERS but now by the
preuented by renewing the league with Solyman This matter was with great heat debated in the Senat too and fro either part hauing great faultours so that the Senatours spent almost whole Winter nights in the court in discoursing and consulting what were best to be done But whatsoeuer was there said or decreed was forthwith by one of the factions or other made knowne not onely to the embassadours present in the citie but by letters also discouered into prouinces far off a thing neuer before in that state knowne which had euer vsed as it were with a religious silence to keepe secret whatsoeuer was there decreed Which thing Marcus Foscarus an old Senator and a man of great wisdome perceiuing said openly That the state was betrayed by the multitude and corruption of voices and must needs shortly perish if it were not speedily committed to the graue and faithfull judgement of some few for there was almost two hundred of them which gaue voices reducing that multitude to the number of fiftie who for their experience and loue toward their countrey were holden for men of greatest grauitie and secrecie so was the madnesse of many stayed by the discretion of a few But Foscarus shortly after fell into such hatred of the multitude grieued to be as light headed men without discretion so excluded out of the counsell that he was by the voices of the multitude first thrust out of the counsell himselfe and by them kept a great while after from all the preferments and honours of the citie being indeed one of the grauest Senatours and a man of deepest judgement Which disgrace turned afterward to his great honour and credit as one that had foreseene much after they were once found out and condemned which had traiterously reuealed the secrets of the State But this long consultation concerning the confederation came to this end That the Senatours doubting the vnion of those two great princes and yet willing to expect the euent decreed forthwith to send three embassadours whereof two should be sent to the emperour and the French king to discouer their designes and the third which was Aloysius Badoerius a wise and well spoken man was with all speed dispatched away to Solyman to preuent the fame of the distrust to be conceiued of the agreement of those great Christian princes and if he could by any meanes to spare for no cost to saue vnto the Venetians their cities of NAVPLIVM and EPIDAVRVS which Solyman required of them before he would graunt them peace Which if it could not be obtained of the proud and craftie tyrant than to yeeld vnto necessitie and to conclude a peace with him vpon any conditions which course the Decemviri thought to be most expedient for the State yet concerning the yeelding vp of the cities they gaue him secret instructions and warrant fearing forsooth the force and tumult of the headstrong multitude who if they had knowne any such thing would vndoubtedly thereupon haue taken occasion to haue crossed and ouerthrowne that most wholesome decree for there was no doubt that if they had delayed the matter and sought for peace too late but that Solyman would vpon another mans weakenesse and necessitie haue encreased his insatiable desire and not graunted them peace being brought low forsaken except they would deliuer vnto him the islands of CEPHALENIA ZACINTHVS and CORCYRA a matter no lesse grieuous than the destruction of the very citie of VENICE it selfe So that the great embassadours Vastius and Hanebald who came of purpose to haue hindered the league with the Turke by their great diligence wrought nothing more effectually than that the Venetians the better foreseeing the danger of their estate should as they did make hast to conclude the same for it falleth out in mens purposes and actions That a good and happie successe otherwise well hoped for is oftentimes marred with too much diligence and caâ—e Neither was it any doubt but that Hanebald was sent by the French king but for fashion sake and secretly vnderhand by Pelliterius the old embassadour persuaded the Venetians to hasten the conclusion of peace with Solyman Which as Badoerius their embassadour was carefully solliciting the matter at CONSTANTINOPLE and being loth to yeeld the strong cities which Solyman required offering vnto him in stead of them a great summe of money Solyman tooke him vp with threatening words as a shamelesse dissembler earnestly protesting That he would neuer graunt him peace without the yeelding of those cities rehearsing vnto him the most secretest points of his embassage and how that he was authorised from the Decemviri to yeeld them vnto him which thing the embassadour little thought Solyman had knowne Wherefore Badoerius so shamefully reprooued and standing in doubt of his life seeing the greatest secrets of his embassage reuealed to Solyman and his Bassaes was glad to accept of peace by yeelding vnto him NAVPLIVM and EPIDAVRVS two cities in PELOPONESVS and with them NADINVM and LABRANA two castles of DALMATIA to the great greefe of the whole Senate for gâ—aunting whereof the common people ignorant of the secret decree of the Decemviâ—i and supposing that Badoerius had giuen away that which he had no authoritie to giue were so enraged against him at his returne that it was much adoe to saue the guiltlesse man from exile and his goods from confiscation although the traitors were then knowne which had discouered the secrets of the state vnto the Turkes These were Mapheus Leonius a Senatour and Constantinus Cobatius secretarie to the colledge of the Decemviri and Franciscus Valerius one of the Senators base sonnes the traiterous disperser of the Turks money for the corruption of others who with other his complices were for the same fact hanged in the market place when as Leonius and Cobatius were a little before fled into FRAVNCE About the same time which was in the yeare of our Lord 1540 died Ioannes Sepusius king of HVNGARIE Solymans tributarie after whose death ensued great warres in HVNGARIE and the lamentable subuersion of that flourishing kingdome for the better conceiuing whereof it shall not be amisse with as much breuitie as the plainnesse of the historie will permit to open the causes and grounds of the endlesse calamities which afterwards ensued and neuer tooke end vntill that warlike kingdome was to the great weakning of Christendome vtterly subuerted King Ferdinand and this tributarie king Iohn had with like desire of peace and quietnesse made betweene them a league profitable to them both as their estates then stood rather than honourable yet most welcome to the Hungarians who deuided into factions and hauing followed some the one king and some the other enjoyed neuerthelesse their lands and goods by the benefit of this peace the townes and castles being still kept by them in whose possession they then were at the making of the peace In the capitulations of which peace it was comprised That Ferdinand should from
repulsed In which assaults amongst others Bultaces Sanzacke of SELYMBRIA a man of great account among the Turkes was lost Whilest the defendants were thus busied many of the souldiors and marriners which came vp the riuer with all things necessarie for the armie from BVDA went on shoare and lay in the suburbs of the citie in such securitie as if there had been no enemie nigh which thing they in the citie perceiuing suddenly sallied out vpon them fearing no such matter and slew many of them before they could arme themselues and draue the rest to their fleet so that betwixt fighting and flying there was about two hundred of them slaine Zymar a Persian Admirall of the fleet in rescuing of them which to saue their liues fled vnto the riuer was shot thorow with a small shot and slaine Whilest these things were in doing and the Turkes hauing in many places sore shaken the wall did with greater force daily assaile the citie and the defendants with their continuall losses and out of hope of all reliefe were more and more discouraged an old Calabrian enginer which had long time serued king Ferdinand fled out of the citie to the Turkes who being courteously entertained by Solyman and examined by the Bassaes of many things concerning the strength and state of the citie satisfied them in all that they desired and farther directed them in planting their batteries in places most conuenient for the speedie taking of the towne In the meane time whilest the Turkes were with restlesse labour battering the wals and working in their mines it fortuned that a gilt brasen crosse which stood vpon the top of the steeple of the Cathedrall church was by the continuall shooting of the Turkes thereat at length beaten downe at the sight whereof it is reported that Solyman after the superstitious manner of that nation taking the chance as a token of his good lucke cried out presently STRIGONIVM is woon Liscanus and Salamanca fearefully consulting of the euent of the siege and secretly conferring together resolued to saue themselues and to giue vp the towne Liscanus was no great souldior and yet by continuall spoile growne exceeding rich and therefore thought it but follie to buy the name of a resolute captaine at too deare a price with the losse of his life and wealth The like feeling was also in Salamanca who preferred the safetie of himselfe and of that which he had got in long seruice before all credit and honour were it neuer so great This their purpose was not kept so secret but that it was noised abroad amongst the common souldiours of whom almost the third part was now either slaine or with wounds or sicknesse growne weake yet were they all of opinion generally That they were still strong ynough to defend the towne But the vnder captaines and auntients vsing to flatter their Generals liked well of the motion to yeeld vnto Solyman vpon reasonable conditions rather than to expose themselues to most certaine death which should nothing better king Ferdinands cause Not long after an Auntient was by night let downe ouer the wall and hauing by an interpreter receiued the Turks faith called forth Salamanca that he might vpon better conditions goe thorow with them for the yeelding vp of the towne Who without further delay comming out went to Achomates commaunding before he went them which defended the water tower next vnto the riuer side a place of great danger for safegard of their liues to get themselues into the citie who terrified with that newes and hastily retiring were by the vigilant Turks which lay at the siege thereof perceiued who suddenly breaking in slew such as were not yet gone possessed the castle But Salamanca being brought before the great Bassaes when he had stood vpon many nice tearmes and required many things to haue beene graunted him obtained no more but that they should without delay yeeld vp the citie and put themselues wholly to the mercie of Solyman So the Spaniard being there stayed himselfe writ to Liscanus how he had sped willing him forthwith if he loued his owne safetie to yeeld the citie without standing vpon further tearmes Liscanus vpon receit of these letters comming forth to the souldiors declared vnto them the necessitie of yeelding vp of the towne and what hope there was to escape with life and libertie But whilest the souldiors filled with indignation stood as men in doubt what to doe Halis commaunder of the Ianizaries came vnto the gate and with cheerefull rather than sterne countenance required to haue it opened vnto him according to the agreement made by Salamanca in the campe which was forthwith opened by Liscanus and the keyes deliuered vnto him the Ianizaries entring peaceably into the citie possessed themselues of the wals and fortresses round about commaunding the Christian souldiors to giue place out of whom they chose all the beardlesse youths and commaunded the rest to cast downe their harquebusiers and other weapons in a place appointed which they all for feare did expecting nothing but some cruell execution to be done vpon them by the barbarous enemie Which their feare was the more encreased by a strange accident then vnluckily chancing For whilest the souldiors did as they were commaunded with their harquebusiers cast their flaskâ—s full of pouder also one of them suddenly tooke fire of a match which was by chance cast in amongst them with fire in it which firing the rest blew abroad all that heape of weapons amongst the Turks which so filled them with anger and feare of some sudden trecherie that they fell vpon the Christians slew diuers of them vntill such time as Halis persuaded that it was a thing happened rather by chance than mallice commaunded his Ianizaries to stay their furie This tumult appeased Halis caused proclamation to be made That all such Christian soldiors as would serue Solyman in his warres should haue such place in his armie as their qualitie required with bountifull entertainement yet of all the Christian souldiors were found onely seuentie which carefull of their liues accepted the offer fearing that the Turkes would vpon such as refused exercise their wonted crueltie Halis entertaining them courteously sent them away with the other youths whom he had before culled out downe the riuer to BVDA the other souldiors he tooke into his protection and vsed their labour to helpe the Turks to make cleane the castle But Liscanus who to saue his gold had made shipwrack of his honour and reputation was glad to giue vnto Halis the faire chaine of gold which he had most couetously and insolently before taken from Perenus when as Halis who would otherwise haue taken it from him by force by way of militarie courtesie now craued it of him as a strange kind of ornament amongst the Turks with which gift he was in hope to haue saued the rest of his coine But fortune fauoured not so much the couetous coward For when he was about to
other souldiours with high and long plumes of feathers standing vpright all which made a beautifull shew and gaue all great grace to the Bassaes court these men stirre not one foot in their standings and if the consultation doe last foure houres long so long are they to continue standing without moouing The embassadours hauing staied two daies at BVDA were by the Bassa dismissed sending with them his Checai the Steward or gouernour of his house a man of great reputation and Becram the Chiaus the same that came to meet them at COMARA with a sufficient guard and certaine Ianizaries sent for their more safe trauelling and to prouide for them from place to place of all things necessarie for their diet as also for their horses at the Turkes charges And thus accompanied they embarked the tenth day of the aforesaid moneth towed vp by the Turkes gallies which holpen by the swiftnesse of the riuer carried them down in eight daies to BELGRADE where they arriued the eighteenth of Iuly So hauing staied at BELGRADE and there leauing their boats and taking their coaches they set forward by land the twentith of the said moneth and with great paines trauelling through RASCIA BVLGARIA and THRACIA and passing a part of the great mountaine SCARDVS and after that the mountaine RHODOPE so by the way of PHILIPPOPOLIS and HADRIANOPLE the two and twentith of August gathered fast vpon CONSTANTINOPLE where many of the Spahies and Chiausais of the court with a number of the Ianizaries and other souldiors for their greater honor came to meet them a great way without the citie By whom the embassadours honourably mounted on horsebacke were by them conducted to their lodging appointed for them about the middest of the citie where the lord Albert de Vuis the emperours embassadour Lieger not long before enlarged hauing long looked for their comming now most joyfully receiued them It was then Friday the Turks Sabaoth and a day of them aboue all other daies in the weeke regarded and about ten of the clocke two houres before noone at which time the embassadours were no sooner alighted but that Selymus going to heare the ceremonies of his religion in the Moschie of his father Solyman as his manner was sometime to doe passed along before the gate where the embassadours lay with the whole traine of his court and peraduenture somewhat more than ordinarie to shew the magnificence of his power and state to the end that the embassadours aboue the former opinion by them conceiued might hold him in the reputation of a most puissant and mightie monarch He passing by vouchsafed not once to giue them a regard or so much as to cast his eye aside vpon them although they were strangers and but euen then arriued but with a countenance as if he had knowne not so much as nothing of their comming held on his way as it say But Muhamet the chiefe Visier Bassa with the other Bassaes and great courtiers in most gratious manner as they passed by cast their eies vpon them all the courtesie they could then shew them Six daies after being the eight and twentith of August the embassadours all three went to visit and salute Muhamet or as the Turks call him Mehemet the chiefe Visier Bassa as the manner was presenting him from the emperour with foure cups of siluer all guilt of most faire and cutious workmanship of which two of them being greater than the other were three spans high the other two being not so high by a span but hauing in them two thousand duckats of gold beside which they gaue him also a clocke being a most curious piece of worke and all ouer double guilt After which greetings and presents deliuered beside the contents of his majesties letters they declared vnto him in generall points the cause of their comming and the mind of the emperour well disposed to a peace and what great benefit would arise thereby to both parties and lastly turning ouer the blame of the late warres and laying the fault thereof to the charge of others sweetned thereby the sower of their former dealings Neither was the Bassa likewise for his part to seeke of good words but answered them in Turkish by the mouth of Hibraim the cheefe Dragoman who deliuered his mind to them in Latin or Italian accordingly as the embassadours had before vttered theirs which parle so ended certaine of the cheefe of the embassadours followers were admitted into the Diuano to kisse the proud Bassaes hand The same day the embassadours also saluted Partau the second Bassa and Ferat the third in order and authoritie To Partau they presented two cups of siluer all guilt beside a clock of the same making with the abouenamed and two thousand dollers and the like to Ferat The next day they went to visit the other three Bassaes Acomat Piall and Muhamet presenting euery one of them with two faire cups and a thousand dollars These were the six Visier Bassaes to Selymus then lying at Court with him men that for wealth and authoritie went before all other in the Turkish empire as in the course of this historie may appeare And so hauing visited them in generall the embassadours to set their affaires on foot the fourth of September closed with Muhamet to whom the ordering of state-matters was especially committed Yet after this first conference because it was necessarie before so weightie affaires were broached first to doe the Great Turke reuerence and to deliuer the presents with the emperours letters to him written for some few dayes there was not any point at all of the embassadours businesse handled Selymus not long after the embassadours were arriued went out for his disport and pleasure on hunting so that in the meane time after the presents were giuen to the Bassaes matters stood still altogether vnaduanced vntill the one and twentieth of September and that day Selymus being now returned from his disport it was appointed that the embassadors should haue audience at the Court. Whereupon they made choice out of their followers of those that should attend vpon them which were not in all aboue twelue persons For they to whom this charge was committed said it was neither the manner nor yet meet that any great traine should come before so great a prince and that they might not bring with them aboue that number whereupon they appointed but six a peece to attend them and of fifteene cups all of siluer and guilt being most curiously and cunningly engrauen one of the fairest among the rest was giuen to each of those twelue to carrie and they ordered to goe by two and two before the rest that came after in order with the rest of the present which was two exceeding pretious Clockes like in bignesse to them before giuen to the Bassaes but far aboue them in value and fiue and fortie thousand Dollars for the tribute behind and yet vnpayed The greatest of those cups was six spans and an halfe and
vnto the Turks Court with some resolute answere concerning that matter So it was that during the reigne of the late emperour Ferdinand that the Turke his subjects in HVNGARIE payed all their taxes and tributes vnto their old lords and masters abiding and liuing in the emperours jurisdiction as did the subjects of Ferdinand to their lords that dwelt in the Turks dominion and territories Now in this treatie for peace the Turks amongst other their vnreasonable requests demanded to haue their subjects freed and yet the subjects of the emperour to pay as they were before accustomed Which as it was a request nothing indifferent so was it no lesse prejudiciall and hurtfull vnto the emperour his subjects in HVNGARIE for which cause the embassadours would not by any meanes consent thereunto before they knew the emperours farther pleasure concerning the same Whereupon they dispatched one Sig. Odoardo a gentleman of MANTVA very skilfull in the Turkish language and in such like affaires by reason that as well about this businesse as at diuers times before about other the like he had beene employed from VIENNA to CONSTANTINOPLE in the emperours seruice So Selymus shortly after viz. the twentieth of October departing from CONSTANTINOPLE in great magnificence passed by the gate where the embassadours lay with his whole Court in armes and in the same order that is vsually kept when he goeth to warre or taketh any great journey After whose departure the embassadours hauing sufficiently viewed the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE and then at good leisure to passe the time and to see the countries they had so often both heard and read of together with the ports and hauens on both sides that narrow sea which deuideth EVROPE from ASIA embarking themselues and crossing the mouth of the hauen betwixt CONSTANTINOPLE and PERA passed all alongst the coast on EVROPE side vnto the Euxine or blacke sea and so backe againe by the other side of that straight sea curiously noting the great ruines of the antient cities of BITHYNIA with some others alongst the Asian shore together with the pleasant situation they in former times had whilest they yet flourished in their glorie but now for most part or rather altogether laied in the dust brought to nought and so returned againe to CONSTANTINOPLE But whilest they thus deceiued the time and lay long expecting the returne as well of their owne messenger sent vnto the emperor as of Selymus himselfe they were aduertised in all hast to repaire vnto him to HADRIANOPLE whether the aforesaid messenger was now come with full instructions of all things concerning the treatie for peace For which cause they with great speed making themselues ready and taking their leaue of Piall Bassa who for that he was Selymus his great Admirall then lay at CONSTANTINOPLE set forward the first of Ianuarie in the yeare 1568 and so after nine dayes trauell at length arriued at HADRIANOPLE about an hundred fiftie three Italian miles distant from CONSTANTINOPLE Here they stayed vntill the peace was concluded which was the seuenteenth of Februarie the cheefe capitulations whereof were That either of those great princes should still hold what they had got each from the other in the late warres That the emperour should yearely pay thirtie thousand duckaâ—s to the Turkish Sultan as a tribute for HVNGARIE the tribute to begin in the beginning of Ianuarie last past this yeare 1568 That the subjects of the Turke should pay nothing to the subjects of the emperour neither the emperours any thing to the Turks but to be both of those paiments free And that vpon these conditions there should be a firme sure peace betwixt these two great Monarchs for eight years next following wherin the Vayuod of TRANSILVANIA was as the Turkes tributarie to be also comprehended Neuerthelesse all things at this time thus agreed vpon the Turkes after their subtile manner finding sundry cauillations and raising many doubts about the aforesaid capitulations did what they might to haue in some part altered what they had before agreed vpon to the bettering of themselues and the hurt of the Christians and so with many their vnreasonable demaunds stayed the departure of the embassadours vntill the twentith of March following At which time hauing their dispatch and taking their leaue of the Great Turke and the Bassaes accompanied with Hebraim-Beg Selymus his embassadour vnto the emperour they by land returned towards VIENNA where they with the joyfull newes of peace the tenth of May arriued being there two daies after at the Court most honourably receiued And fiue daies after audience was giuen vnto the Turks embassadour who well heard and better rewarded shortly after returned with a full conclusion of peace from the emperour to CONSTANTINOPLE But whilest this peace was thus in concluding and the embassadours yet resident at HADRIANOPLE the sixteenth of Februarie came an honourable embassage from Shach Tamas the Persian king vnto the Great Sultan Selymus to entreat a peace betwixt them or rather to conclude the same being before agreed vpon the controuersies for which they afterwards fell to open war Which embassage for that it is no lesse truly than plainely set downe in a letter sent from ERZIRVM a citie then in the confines of the Turkes dominions towards the Persians written by a Chiaus to Muhamet cheefe of the Visier Bassaes which Chiaus was of purpose sent from CONSTANTINOPLE to meet the said Persian embassadour I thought it not amisse for the better vnderstanding thereof to set downe the effect of the same letter as it was translated out of the Turkish into the Italian by the emperours embassadours interpreter The effect of the letter written to Muhamet Bassa the cheefe Visier by a Chiaus sent of purpose to meet the Persian Embassadour After due salutations this is the effect of that which we thought good to make knowne vnto your lordship Now at this present to wit in the beginning of the month Giuma Sulacchir is in good health arriued the embassadour of Persia the kings cheefe counsellour called Schach Culi Soltan attended vpon with a hundred and twentie gentlemen with guilt turbants on their heads well furnished with spare horses led in mens hands Besides whom he was accompanied also with two hundred knights all apparrelled in cloth of gold with foure hundred Persian marchants in all aboue seuen hundred persons with a thousand nine hundred beasts cammels mules and horses fiue couple of drums euery couple being placed vpon a seuerall cammell fiue Nacars three trumpets fiue flutes and other instruments in all about thirtie musitions playing vpon these instruments There were also two queristers or chaunters of the Alcoran one Organist one playing vpon a Turkish instrument like a Lute two players vpon Sagbuts with two other musitions eight in all There were also foure bondwomen seruing in the embassadours owne chamber Who when he was with all this magnificent pompe come within one dayes iourney of ERZIRVM the Sayms and
Spahies assembling themselues together to the number of eight thousand men went to meet him amongst whom were an hundred and more all apparrelled in cloth of gold and sattin two thousand men with guilt morrions on their heads in which brauerie we marching forward the Persian embassadour amazed to see so great maiestie and pompe said that all the armie of CONSTANTINOPLE was come to meet him and so being come into the citie caused all the instruments to be played vpon euen from morning vntill night The next morning the embassadour inuited the Bassa with all the lords and officers who being come he entreated them to heare his musicke and in like manner the lord Bassa inuited the Persians But as the embassadour was going to the banquet came another Sultan of the kings who brought to the same embassadour a guilt Turbant and a rich gowne wrought with gold which he caused him to put on by the way By this embassadour the Persian king hath sent all the armour of Sultan Baiazet with all his cammels and other wealth The causes of the long stay of this embassadour were specially two the one for that the Persian king had caused to be made two pauilions of one peece the curtains being interlaced with gold and the supporters imbrodered with the same Besides this he sent two bookes of histories and two pearles which in weight weighed ten Mescali one Balasso as big as a little pearle fourescore and two times an hundred Tumenlich of stuffe amounting to fourescore and two summes of Aspers and fortie Falcons all which the Persian king hath sent vnto the Great Sultan as to the onely Monarch and Patrone of the world This Schach Culi is the next in authoritie to the king and so was in the time of the great king Hysmaell These two Persian Sultans are the kings cheefe Sultans and courtiers and therefore set themselues forth with all the pompe they can Yet notwithstanding all their brauerie being come to ERZIRVM within the view of our armie the Persians were amazed to behold the goodly order of the Othomans One part of these Persians are returned againe into PERSIA And if it please God at the comming of my messenger vnto you your lordship shall vnderstand of what condition and state these two princes and Sultans are They haue each of them yearely six Tumoni which maketh after the computation of the Othomans six thousand Aspers Your lorâ—â—ship after this account may iudge of the rest The other cause of the long stay of this embassadour was for that in SIRVAN the people were vp in rebellion wherein many of them were slaine to the appeasing of which sedition this Schach Culi was sent and now at last is come From ERZIRVM in the beginning of the moneth of Giuma Sulacchir in the yeare of the Prophet Mahomet 975. This the Persian embassadour was with the greatest pompe that might be entertained by the Turks at his first comming to HADRIANOPLE all the braue Courtiers with the Ianizaries and other souldiors of the Court going forth in most seemely order to meet him Who now entred the citie and come before the house where the emperours embassadours then lay and seeing certaine of their retinue before the dore asked of Isnam the Capitzi Bassa what people they were who told him that they were the followers of an embassadour that there lay sent from one of the greatest princes of the Christians namely the emperour who was desirous to make peace with the Great Sultan his master Whereunto the embassadour replied That he would willingly salute them which Isnam hearing straightway turned his horse towards the place where they stood Now the emperours embassadour being secret within a lattise and seeing him come towards them went forth and stood vpon the dore threshold and so with signes and words saluted one another Amongst the others the Persian embassadour said vnto the emperours That he would gladly talke with them if it might so please the Grand Signior Hebraim the Dragoman who then was with the emperours embassadours being interpreter So hauing courteously saluted one the other they departed but neuer after came together Two dayes after the Persian embassadours according to the manner of those barbarous nations who with emptie hands salute not one another by his Checaia or steward of his houshold presented all the Visier Bassaes with diuers rich gifts and presents euery one of them according to their degrees and places And the day after went himselfe to visit them where by the way fell out a strange matter like ynough to haue cost him his life For a Giamoglan as the embassadour was going to visit Muhamet the cheefe of the Visier Bassaes for the first meeting him shot at him with an harquebush with purpose to haue slaine him but as God would missed him and hurt but one of his cheefe followers in the arme Wherewith the embassadour not a little dismayed as supposing himselfe to haue beene betrayed turning his horse was about to haue gone to his lodging but the great Bassa in the meane time hauing knowledge thereof presently sent our men to guard him and to excuse himselfe of the fact Whereof the embassadour being assured held on his way In the meane space the fellow who shot the harquebush being apprehended was brought before the embassadour and the Bassa who asking him for what cause he discharged the shot against the embassadour he without change of countenance boldly answered That he did it for no other cause but for that the embassador was an hereticke and sent from an hereticall king and an enemie to their religion and therefore that it was not conuenient he should come to entreat of peace with his lord adding further that he was not worthie of any peace Which the Bassa hearing adjudged the desperat villaine the next day to be drawne at an horse taile through the citie then to haue his right hand cut off and afterward his head which was accordingly put in execution After this the Persian embassadour the two and twentieth of the same moneth went to deliuer the presents sent from his master vnto the Grand Signior and to kisse his hand sending first before him the presents vpon foure and fortie cammels whereof foure and thirtie were the kings of PERSIA and the other ten his owne The kings present was an Alcoran with the authoritie of Alâ— as they hold For this is their custome alwayes to present one such Alcoran vnto the princes to whom they send their embassadours It was couered with gold and garnished with most pretious stones He presented also a booke of histories couered as the other hee gaue also a box wherein was a very faire pretious stone called Balasso and two pearles of a wonderfull greatnesse with two purses of an handfull long full of jewels Besides these he presented also eight Firuari or Porcellane dishes which we call China dishes made of most pure earth kept aboue fiftie yeares buried vnder the
for wealth allured the pouertie of the people of ROME to lay hold vpon it so that we haue rather couetously than justly got the rule thereof In the heart of the island standeth NICOSIA sometime the regall and late metropoliticall citie thereof And in the East end thereof FAMAGVSTA sometime called TAMASSVS a famous rich citie the cheefe and onely port of all that most pleasant island Other faire cities there be also as PAPHOS AMATHVS now called LIMISSO and CYRENE This island of it selfe long time maintained the majestie of a kingdome as then when Richard the first king of ENGLAND passing that way with his fleet for the releefe of the Christians then distressed in the Holy land about the yeare 1191 was prohibited there to land and certaine of his people by force of tempest there cast on shore were by the Cypriots either cruelly slaine or taken prisoners which barbarous violence king Richard tooke in so euill part that he there by force landed his armie and rested not vntill he had taken Isaak the king prisoner and subdued the island The king he sent in chaines of siluer to TRIPOLIS there to be kept in close prison the kingdome he kept a while in his owne hand which not long after he gaue or as some say exchanged with Guido the titular king of HIERVSALEM for which cause the kings of ENGLAND for a certaine time afterwards were honoured with the title of the kings of HIERVSALEM This kingdome by many descents came at length to Ianus son of king Peter who in the yeare 1423 was by Melechella Sultan of AEGIPT taken prisoner but afterwards for the ransome of an hundred and fifteene thousand Sultanins was set at libertie and restored to his kingdome paying vnto the Sultan and his successours a yearely tribute of fortie thousand crownes This Ianus left a sonne called Iohn who after the death of his father married the daughter of the Marques of MONT-FERRAT after whose death he married one Helena of the most noble house of the Paleologi in GRaeCIA by whom he had one onely daughter called Carlotte but by another woman a base sonne named Iames. This king Iohn was a man of no courage altogether giuen to pleasure and according to the manner of his effeminate education shewed himselfe in all things more like a woman than a man which Helena his wife a woman of a great spirit quickly perceiuing tooke vpon her the soueraignetie and whole gouernment of the realme gracing and disgracing whom she pleased and promoting to the ecclesiasticall dignities such as she best liked abolishing the Latine ceremonies and bringing in them of the Greeks and tooke such further order as pleased her selfe in matters of state concerning both peace and warre her husband in the meane time regarding nothing but his vaine pleasure whereby it came to passe that all was brought into the power of the Greekes the queenes friends Now the queene her selfe was much ruled by the counsell of her nurse and the nurse by her daughter so that the people commonly said The daughter ruled the nurse the nurse the queene the queene the king The nobilitie ashamed and wearie of this manner of gouernment by generall consent of the people sent for Iohn the king of PORTINGALS cousin Germane whom some call the king of PORTINGALL to whom they gaue Carlotte the kings daughter in marriage with full power to supplie that want of gouernment which was in king Iohn his father in law He taking the authoritie into his hands quickly reformed the disordered kingdome as well in matters concerning religion as ciuile policie The Latine ceremonies were againe restored and the gouernement of the daughter the nurse and the queene brought to an end But the mischieuous daughter doubting the countenance of the new king persuaded her mother as she tendered her owne life to poyson the king Which thing the wretched woman by the consent of the queene mother as was reported in shorttime performed and so brought that noble prince well worthie longer life vnto his vntimely end whereby the gouernment was againe restored to the Greeke queene who in the name of her weake husband commaunded againe at her pleasure But aboue all the nurse and her daughter insulted vpon the young queene Carlotte which shee not well brooking grieuously complained thereof to Iames her base brother requiring his helpe for redresse therof who not long after slew the nurses daughter not so much in reuenge of the wrong by her done vnto his sister as to prepare a way for himselfe for the obtaining of the kingdome grieuing inwardly that shee or her husband whosoeuer should bee preferred before himselfe Which thing Helena the queene quickly perceiuing persuaded the king her husband to cause his base sonne to enter into the orders of priesthood and so to become a church man thereby to cut off all his hope of aspiring vnto the kingdome which the king at her instance did and made him archbishop of NICOSIA In the meane time Carlotte by the persuasion of her mother and the nobilitie of the countrey married Lewes sonne to the duke of SAVOY who being for that purpose sent for came with all speed to CYPRVS After that the queene mother and the old nurse desiâ—ing nothing more than to reuenge the death of the nurses daughter vpon Iames now archbishop deuised first how to thrust him out of all his spirituall promotions which were great and afterward quite banish him the kingdome Hereupon the queene wrote letters against him to the Pope to haue him disgraded for that he being a man base borne with his hands embrued with guiltlesse blood was vnworthie of holy orders Which letters by chance came to Iames his hands who enraged therewith accompanied with a number of his friends and fauorits suddenly entred the Court slew such of his enemies as he found there deuided their goods amongst his followers and as king possessed himselfe of the regall citie In this broile the Greeke queene Helena died and shortly after her husband also All things being thus in a hurle and out of order certaine of the nobilitie for redresse thereof sent for Lewes the husband of Carlotte as for him to whom that kingdome in the right of his wife most justly belonged who vpon his arriuall was of all sorts of men joifully receiued and welcommed as their king Iames the vsurper vnderstanding before of the comming of Lewes and perceiuing the inclination of the people towards him fled with diuers of his friends to ALEXANDRIA to craue aid of the Aegyptian Sultan in whose Court he found such fauour as that he was by the Sultans commaundement royally apparrelled and honoured with the title of the king of CYPRVS which he promised for euer to hold of the Sultans of AEGIPT as their vassale and tributarie At which time the Sultan also by his embassadours commaunded Lewes to depart the isle who by all meanes sought to haue pacified the Sultan declaring vnto him his rightfull title yet
the peace doe and deuise many things for the furtherance of the same which could not so well bee done by letters as if he were there himselfe present to resolue them vpon euery particular This his request obtained he with great speed got him out of CONSTANTINOPLE but was scarcely got out of the gates when report of the league which the Venetians had made with the Pope and the king of SPAINE was brought vnto the Court and had in short time filled the citie Which made all the way as he trauelled more troublesome and frustrated that also which was before concluded concerning the exchange of prisoners and marchants goods Ragazonius being come to VENICE declared at large in the Senat the drift and purpose of the Turke and what conference he had had with the great Bassa and in what forwardnesse the peace was for which his discreet carriage of the matter his wisedome was highly by the whole Senat commended and he himselfe afterward honourably rewarded In the meane time the commissioners at ROME after long consultation concluded a league which they would haue to bee perpetuall as well for inuasiue as defensiue warres against the Turke and was by solemne oath confirmed by the Pope the king of SPAINE and the Venetian Senat the foure and twentith day of May in the yeare 1571. For the execution of which league it was agreed vpon That the sea land forces should consist of two hundred gallies an hundred ships fiftie thousand footmen and foure thousand fiue hundred horsemen with a proportionat quantitie of great artillerie victuals other things necessarie to be euery yeare ready in March or at farthest in Aprill to meet together at such place in the East as should be vnto them for that purpose appointed to be employed as the Admirals saw cause and as the present state of things should require For maintenance of which charge it was agreed That the king of SPAINE should defray the one halfe and the other halfe to be deuided into three equall parts whereof the Venetians should beare two parts and the Pope the third which if it should be too heauie for him then that remained by him vndischarged to be deuided into fiue parts whereof the king was to discharge three and the Venetians two The charge thus proportioned they tooke order also for the prouision of victuals to be at a reasonable price taken vp in any the confederats dominions where the armie or fleet should chance to stay yet so that it should bee at the king of SPAINE his discretion out of his kingdomes of NAPLES and SICILIE first to take his prouision for the victualling of GVLETTA MALTA and his owne nauie It was also agreed That if the king of SPAINE should at any time when as the confederats had no common war inuade ARGIERS TRIPOLIS or TVNES that then the Venetians should of their own charge and him with fiftie gallies well appointed As also that the king should in like manner and with like forces aid them as oft as they should by the Turkes be inuaded But if it should fortune the Romane territorie to be inuaded that then the aforesaid princes should be bound with all their forces to the vttermost of their power to defend those places and the person of the Pope And that in managing of the confederate warre the three Admirals should conferre together of all matters and whatsoeuer the greater part should agree vpon that to be reputed as agreed vpon by them all That Don Iohn of AVSTRIA Charles the fifth his naturall sonne and brother to the king should haue the cheefe commaund of the forces both at sea and land but not to display his owne ensigne but the common ensigne of the confederates Also that such places as should bee gained from the Turke by the confederat armie should be deuided amongst the confederat princes excepting TVNES ARGIERS and TRIPOLIS which should remaine onely to the king of SPAINE That all controuersies arising amongst the Generals should be decided by the Pope vnto whom the Venetians should lend twelue gallies furnished of all things sauing men and victuals which the Pope should of his owne charge supplie which gallies at the end of the warre hee should againe deliuer in such case as they then were That an honourable place should be left for Maximilian the emperour the French king the king of POLONIA and the king of PORTINGALL to enter into this league whom with the rest of the Christian princes it should beseeme the Pope to stir vp in so good a quarrell And that it should not be lawfull for any the aforesaid confederat princes to entreat of peace or enter into league without the knowledge and consent of the other confederates And for the better proceeding of all things it was agreed That euer in Autumne the confederat princes should by their embassadours at ROME consult of the next yeares warres and according as the time and occurrents should require to determine whether their forces were to be encreased or deminished This league thus at length with much adoe concluded was not long after in Iune with great pompe and triumph openly proclaimed in ROME VENICE and SPAINE to the great joy of the greatest part of Christendome Whilest these things were in doing the Venetians the more to entangle the Turke thought it good to make proofe if they might by any meanes stirre vp Tamas the Persian king to take vp armes against him who as hee was a prince of great power so did hee exceedingly hate the Turks as well for the difference betwixt the Persians and them about matters of their vaine superstition as for the manifold injuries he had oftentimes sustained There was one Vincent Alexander one of the Secretaries for the State who hauing escaped out of prison at CONSTANTINOPLE was but a little before come to VENICE a warie wise man and of great experience who for his dexteritie of wit and skilfulnesse in the Turkish language was thought of all others most fit to take in hand so great a matter He hauing receiued letters and instructions from the Senat and furnished with all things necessarie trauelling through GERMANIE POLONIA and the forrests of MoeSIA in Turkish attire came to MONCASTRON a port towne vpon the side of the Euxine or Blacke sea at the mouth of the great riuer Boristhenes where hee embarked himselfe for TRAPEZOND but was by a contrarie wind driuen to SINOPE a citie of great trafficke from whence he trauelled by rough and broken wayes to CVTAY keeping still vpon the left hand because he would not fall vpon any part of the Turks armie which was then marching towards CYPRVS through all those countries neuerthelesse he fell vpon a part thereof from which he with great danger rid himselfe being taken for a Turke and by blind and troublesome wayes through rockes and forrests arriued at length at ERZIRVM a strong citie of the Turks then vpon the frontiers of the Turks dominions toward
their auntient libertie Two dayes after this victorie Venerius sent Humfredus Iustinianus with newes thereof vnto the Senate at VENICE who comming in at the Adriaticke port about noone the nineteenth of October by shooting off of certaine great pieces gaue warning vnto the citie of his comming which at that time hung in great suspence betwixt hope and feare The citiâ—â—ns generally awaked with the report of the great ordinance came flocking by heapes to 〈◊〉 port euery man longing to heare the first newes There they might see Iustinian comming afarre off with his gallie but when he was come neerer they might perceiue all the marriners attired like Turkes and foure of the Turkes ensignes hanging behind at the poupe of the gallie which filled their minds with the hope of good newes deeming it to be as indeed it was part of the spoyle of the enemie But after that Iustinian was landed which he had much to doe for the prease and was gone to the Court with a world of people following after him crying out for newes and had there deliuered his letters and at large discoursed of all the successe of the battaile which was forthwith blowne into the citie and the marriners also after his departure had reported the victorie and that the enemie was in a great battaile ouerthrowne good God how the people as men ouerjoyed ran vp and downe the streets doubling and redoubling the joyfull name of victorie The Senatours also rejoycing together gaue thankes to God with publicke prayers and joyfull hymnes in euery church and afterwards by ringing of bels peales of ordinance bone-fires and other such like things shewed all the tokens of joy possible And to make this joy the more generall all prisoners were set at libertie and all debts that exceeded not the summe of fiue and twentie crownes payed out of the common treasurie which was generally done through all the Venetian seigniorie and a decree made That that day whereon the victorie was gotten which was the seuenth of October dedicated to the memoriall of Iustina should for euer be kept holyday and for the perpetuall remembrance thereof a great masse of money was coyned with the impression of Iustina vpon it and an inscription declaring the victorie Many also their neighbour princes sent their embassadours gratulatorie to VENICE namely the dukes of SAVOY FLORENCE FERRARA PARMA MANTVA and VRBIN and the knights of MALTA In which so publicke joy no man was seene to put on any mourning garments or to shew any token of heauinesse although many had lost their dearest friends and neerest kinsmen whose liues they reckoned not lost but giuen vnto the Christian commonweale The like rejoycing was also made in ROME in SPAINE NAPLES SICILIA and MALTA especially at such times as embassadours from their neighbour princes came to joy them of this victorie yea and afterwards in other countries further off was like rejoysing and signes of joy as with vs here in ENGLAND This is that notable battell commonly called the battell of LEPANTO fought neere vnto the islands CVRZOLARI the seuenth day of October in the yeare 1571 the like whereof was neuer fought at sea against the Turke wherein he lost his cheefe strength at sea with most of his best sea captaines and might thereby well perceiue what he and his successours were to feare if the Christian princes at vnitie amongst themselues all discord set apart should in zeale of their religion joyne their inuincible forces against them In the middest of all this joy generally conceiued of the late victorie one of the cheefe prisoners of the Turks hearing it compared with the losse of CYPRVS for that Selymus had therin lost his fleet his best men of warre with great store of ordinance by a fit comparison shewed it not to be so saying That the battell lost was vnto Selymus as if a man should shaue his beard which would ere long grow againe but that the losse of CYPRVS was vnto the Venetians as the losse of an arme which once cut off could neuer be againe recouered Declaring therby the great inequalitie of the losse The rich spoyle taken from the enemie in this most glorious victorie was thus deuided amongst the princes confederat Vnto the Pope were allotted nineteene gallies two galliots nine great pieces of ordinance two and fortie lesser pieces and fourscore and one prisoners Vnto the king of SPAINE eight and fiftie gallies and an halfe six galliots and an halfe eight and fiftie great pieces and an halfe eight great murthering pieces and an halfe an hundred twentie eight lesser pieces and a thousand seuen hundred and thirteene prisoners Vnto the Venetians were assigned for their share nine and thirtie gallies and an halfe four galliots and a halfe nine and thirtie great pieces and a halfe fiue great murthering pieces and a halfe fourscore and six lesser pieces and a thousand one hundred threescore and two prisoners The rest were bestowed vpon such other princes as had giuen aid aid or otherwise well deserued in that seruice The joy conceiued of this victorie was not so great amongst the Christians but that the sorrow thereof was amongst the Turks farre greater Selymus himselfe was then at HADRIANOPLE where eight dayes after the battell newes was brought vnto him That his fleet was ouerthrowne and almost all taken or sunke by the Christians Which so soone as he heard he was strucken with exceeding greefe and ouercome with melancholie would not that day suffer any man to speake with him And the rumor of the ouerthrow still encreasing had in short time filled all places with feare teares mourning and heauinesse some bewayling their parents some their children some their husbands some their friends or kinsmen there lost But that which most grieued the Turkish emperour was the losse of so many worthie and expert captaines of so many skilfull masters and notable souldiors who brought vp all their liues at sea were not thought inferiour to any then liuing besides the perpetuall ignominie and vnwonted disgrace thereby inflicted vnto him and his posteritie for euer Wherefore full of wrath and indignation he was about to haue commaunded all the Christians in his dominions in number infinit to be put to death Doubting indeed nothing more than that they wearie of the Turkish thraldome and desirous of innouation should with weapons put into their hands rise vp against him and take part with the other Christians his enemies But whilest the other Bassaes as men dismaied with the crueltie of the commaund stood all silent Muhamet Bassa for his former deserts in great fauour with the tyrant thought it good to make proofe if his furie might by reasonable persuasion be mitigated and some better course taken both for the honour of Selymus himselfe and the common good of the State Yet well knowing how full of danger it was in that tyrannicall gouernment openly to speake any thing contrarie to the good liking of the wilfull emperour he durst not apertly
laying their houses euen with the ground rasing both the old and new wals of that citie of late so desired a receit for the Turkes But when he was to depart thence he stood in doubt Whether to goe on to DERBENT or to returne to PERSIA the strength of that citie the appproch of Winter and the long journey he was to take homeward persuaded him to lay aside the enterprise for DERBENT whereupon he resolued to returne to CASBIN yet first to make his returne by them of ERE 's and SECHI and vpon them as vpon rebels to inflict well deserued punishment So making his present repaire thither spared neither sex nor age nor any condition of persons but vpon them all poured forth his furious indignation without exception Which done he with his aforesaid mother Begum and his armie though somewhat deminished yet victorious and triumphant returned to CASBIN Yong Abdilcherai the Tartarian was kept safe in the kings pallace at CASBIN but with such easie imprisonment as was agreeable to his calling which was day by day so enlarged as that he seemed not to liue as a prisoner but rather as a companion of those of the Court and as it were in apparent libertie By which occasion hauing insinuated himselfe into the loue of Begum the kings wife he spent his time in courting of her and she againe in entertaining of him in all secret and couert manner Yet these their mutuall affections and interchangeable fauours passed not so secretly but that in the Court and all ouer the citie it was a rife report That the shamelesse ladie prodigall of her honour had participated both her bed and her selfe with the Tartarian prisoner Howbeit neither the king nor the prince knew any thing of it But the king perceiuing the yong gentleman to be generally commended valiant courteous and of a comely feature and withall nobly borne for he gaue it out that he was the brother of Tatar Chan persuaded himselfe that it would stand with the great good of his state of a captiue to make him his sonne in law by giuing him his daughter in marriage whereby he was in good hope there might grow such an amitie and vnion betweene the Tartarian Praecopenses and himselfe as that they would from thenceforth not onely refuse to fauour Amurath in those warres but also become enemies vnto him and in the fauour of PERSIA turne their armes and affections against him Which his deepe and considerat purpose so displeased the Sultans of CASBIN that they sought by all meanes they could possibly deuise to auert the king from that so strange a policie but all in vaine for the king being fully resolued and now vpon the point to make a conclusion of the marriage the Sultans entering into the pallace with their followers and finding there the vnfortunat Tartarian ran him through the bodie and cutting off his priuie members flapped them vpon his mouth after a most barbarous and filthie manner It is reported that the queene was then also murdered by them certaine it is that the poore ladie neuer after that day saw the light of the Sunne but whether it was put in execution by the appointment of the king her husband or that the Sultans did it for the publicke interest is not certainely knowne Vpon these murders sprung vp many troubles and much ciuile dissention threatning the vtter confusion of the Persian kingdome to the singular benefit of Amurath All which tumultuous disorders the king by brideling his owne affections and the motions of his sonne Emir Hamze Mirize well appeased procuring at last a perfect vnitie as then most necessarie for the defence of his kingdome Osman Bassa being in DERBENT the onely place of refuge now left for the Turkes in SIRVAN ceased not with all carefulnesse to deuise what he possibly could for the assuring of that countrey of late woon and now againe almost lost vnder the gouernment of Amurath For the better establishing whereof together with his owne safetie he thought it good to enter into friendship with old Sahamal the Georgian lord of the mountaine of BRVS With this man did Osman practise many tokens of good will and he again interchangeably towards Osman whereupon there arose great friendship betweene them at leastwise in outward appearance whereunto in short time there was added a straight knot of alliance for that Osman took to wife a daughter of the said Sahamals the greatest signe of his sincere loue towards him Neuerthelesse shortly after Osman vpon some reasonable conjectures began to suspect as indeed the truth was that Sahamal for all the faire shew of friendship he made towards him might for all that receiue some secret order from the Persian king to betray him and to free the citie from the Turks and so to reduce all that prouince vnto the auntient deuotion in which jealous suspition he was fully confirmed by the speeches of his wife the daughter of Sahamal who rauished with the honour valour and riches of her husband could not conceale any thing that she knew deuised against him but frankely told him That her father being secretly reconciled to the Persian king held friendship with him and that letters went betweene them of great matters and particularly of the affaires of SIRVAN Hereupon the Bassa persuaded himselfe that all the friendship of Sahamal was but deepe dissimulation and the marriage of his daughter nothing but a meane to procure his death Neuerthelesse he made shew vnto his wife as if he had made no such reckoning of it as indeed he did but kept it in store to his owne safetie and the destruction of Sahamal whom for all that he still entertained with all honour and kindnesse due vnto a most louing father in law But to preuent the malitious purpose of Sahamal hauing enuited him according to the custome to a certaine solemne feast he acquainted certain companies of his most trustie and valiant souldiors with his determination enjoyning them that as soone as Sahamal was entered into his Court euen in the very dismounting from his horse they should all fall vpon him cut off his head and put all his retinue to the sword Which his cruell commaund was by him accordingly at Sahamals comming put in execution he in lighting from his horse being slaine and all his followers murdered when forthwith were sent forth by Osman two thousand horsemen to spoyle and sacke all the country of the said Georgian lord to the great maruell and astonishment both of farre and neere The Persian king hearing of these newes tooke the matter grieuously as foreseeing that the recouerie of that countrey and prouince of SIRVAN would proue a matter of great difficultie and fearing greatly that it would still remaine as indeed it doth in the possession of the Turkes This was the end of the Turkes attempts against the Persians in SIRVAN this yeare 1578 wherein they lost aboue seuentie thousand men deuoured partly with the sword and partly with famine
and the other miseries of warre And so Winter comming on very sharpely euery man withdrew himselfe from the field wholly attending the keeping of that they had alreadie gotten vntill the comming on of the next Spring Amurath aduertised by letters from Mustapha of all that had happened in the late expedition against the Persians vpon these prosperous successes which the Bassa had for the aduancing of his owne credit described to be farre greater than indeed they were began to cast many deuices in his head touching such matters as were to be attempted the next year And first he thought it necessarie to send his forces againe into SIRVAN to recouer such places as were first conquered by Mustapha but afterward againe subdued by the Persian so to establish his gouernment in that countrey But vpon better consideration he ceased further to thinke of that matter for the great hope he had conceiued of the aid that was promised him by Tatar Chan who had faithfully assured hoth him and Osman that he would ouerrun that prouince anew and do great matters in furtherance of the Turkes desseignes all which for all that fell out to be but windie words yet in respect of this hope he layed SIRVAN aside and committed the defence thereof to the false promises of the Tartarian and the valour of Osman And pleasing his ambitious desires with more haughtie thoughts he began to deuise with himselfe for sending his armie directly to TAVRIS there to erect a fortresse which being strongly fortified and furnished with a garrison of most valiant souldiors should neuer be againe subdued by all the power of PERSIA and by this meanes to keepe in subjection all those great countries betweene TAVRIS and ERZIRVM Which his conceit being of great weight and importance was much encreased by the persuasion of others very inward with him euery man being almost of opinion That it was an easie matter for so great an hoast in few dayes to performe that seruice and to pierce not onely into TAVRIS but further to passe whether soeuer he would desire Yet after he had more deeply considered of an enterprise of so great importance and with more indifferent judgement compared his owne forces with his enemies he began to find many difficulties and dangers which in the heat of his ambitious desires he at the first saw not For beside the length and tediousnesse of the journey he doubted that in sending his armie for TAVRIS it might be on the one side assailed by the Georgians of whose obedience he had as yet no great assurance and on the other side by the Persians and so brought into great danger which he was alwayes to feare whensoeuer he should haue occasion to send new supplies vnto the fortresse by him entended at TAVRIS Whereupon laying aside all his former conceits as too eagre and perillous he resolutely concluded with himselfe first to make sure his owne borders and afterwards by little and little to enter into the enemies countrey still fortifying in conuenient places as he went and so surely although but slowly to triumph ouer his enemies rather than by thrusting his armie headlong vpon vncertaineties into places strongly fenced both by nature and the power of most mightie enemies to be enforced with shame to abandon the enterprise so hastily begun Of this his resolution he aduertised Mustapha by writing giuing him in charge against the next Spring to prouide all such things as should be necessarie for the building of certaine forts vpon the way that leadeth from ERZIRVM into GEORGIA that hauing made those wayes safe and brought the people vnder his obedience he might afterwards attempt greater matters Whereupon Mustapha presently directed forth precepts to the cities of ALEPPO of DAMASCO CARAEMIT and other places of SORIA and MESOPOTAMIA for the taking vp of cunning workemen of pioners and such like to the number of twentie thousand and likewise wrot to all the countries out of which he had raised his armie the last yeare That all their souldiors yea and in greater number also should be in readinesse against the next Spring to returne to the wars The rumor whereof he caused to be spread euen as far as AEGIPT He commaunded also the taxes and tenths of those countries to be collected and further vsed the chambers of ALEPPO and other places for such masses of mony as he thought necessarie for these purposes In this while the two Georgian brethren Alexander and Manucchiar sent as we haue before said by Mustapha to Amurath at CONSTANTINOPLE in doubtfull hope expecting the end for which they were sent vnto the Court were both examined and exhorted to embrace the Mahometane religion whereunto Manucchiar easily yeelded Whereas on the other side Alexander his elder brother could by no allurements or meanes bee induced to consent to so infamous and damnable a change of his religion although he knew he should therefore be depriued of his state but protesting his obedience at all times to Amurath and his loue to his brother requested onely That he might but as a priuat man goe and liue in his countrey there to be buried amongst his auncestours Which his request the Turkish emperour referred to the discretion of Manucchiar to doe therein as he saw good who consented thereunto Hereupon Manucchiar was circumcised and the name of Mustaffa giuen him with the title of the Bassa and Gouernour of ALTVNCHALA and of all his mothers and brothers countries and being thus created a Turke had his brother Alexander a Christian committed vnto him and so both returned into their owne countries Now in the Persian court at CASBIN were many consultations had for the repressing of the inuasions of the Turks And among others carefull of those matters Emanguli Chan Gouernor of GENGE doubting to loose his honourable gouernment by reason of the late sacke of his citie and spoile of his countrey by the Tartarian by those plots that were daily in contriuing for the sending of men into SIRVAN to impeach the dessignments of Osman Bassa and if it were possible to driue him out of DERBENT tooke occasion to offer vnto the king vpon paine of his head to defend SIRVAN and not to suffer Osman the Turke to attempt any new fortifications or further conquests in that prouince Of which his offer the king accepted and thereupon the gouernment of GENGE and guarding of the countrey of SIRVAN against the forces of Osman was frankly committed vnto him And commandement giuen to the Gouernours of TAVRIS REIVAN and NASSIVAN and to diuers other captaines that were neerest to be readie at all times with their power to assist Emanguli Chan if it should fortune either the Tartarians or Turks with any great power to enter into SIRVAN which order so taken was thought sufficient for the securitie of that prouince But how to protect the Georgian countrey was thought to be a matter of greater importance euerie man being almost of opinion That some great power
then proceed in his wars and so obtaine most glorious conquests This his aduise so little pleased the effeminat king that in stead of the great opinion he before held of him he now conceiued an enuious affection against him and a further suspition fostred by the great ladies of the court especially Amuraths mother That Sinan had thus counselled the king himselfe to go in person not for any good could come therof but onely that so he might find meanes for the prince his sonne to make himselfe king and to driue out his father Which suspition was in such sort nourished in the mind of Amurath especially being assured of the great affection which the prince carried towards Sinan and he likewise towards him that he resolued to rid him out of his sight and so depriuing him of all charge presently banished him the court and out of CONSTANTINOPLE to DEMOTICA a citie of THRACE from whence afterwards he by most humble supplication obtained to be remoued to MARMARA a little beyond SELYMBRIA And into his place of Visiership was preferred Sciaus Bassa who had married Amurath his sister an Hungarian borne a goodly personage and of honorable judgement but aboue all men a seller of justice and preferments and yet a great friend to the peace with the Christian princes which Sinan had alwaies most wickedly maligned The Persian captaines in the meane time with their spoiles and diuers of their enemies ensignes were with great joy receiued at home in PERSIA but when the discord that fell out betweene Mahamet Bassa and Mustaffa the Georgian was also reported the former joy was redoubled euerie man being of opinion that these discords might bee great impediments vnto the Turkes further attempts into PERSIA which it was feared they would the next yeare attempt to the great danger of NASSIVAN and TAVRIS Vpon which occasions the Persian king perceiuing that he could not haue a fitter opportunitie to employ himselfe against Abas Mirize his sonne then with him it disgrace determined with himselfe to leaue the matters on this side of his kingdome in their present state and to march toward HERI whereunto he was earnestly solicited by his elder sonne Emir Hamze Mirize but especially by Mirize Salmas his Visier Vpon which resolution committing the defence of REIVAN NASSIVAN and that side of his kingdome to Emir Chan Gouernour of TAVRIS he set forward himselfe with his army towards CASBIN and so marching through diuers prouinces arriued at length at SASVAR being on that side the chiefe of all the cities subject to the jurisdiction of HERI which citie he tooke by force and without delay caused the Gouernour thereof to be beheaded although he alleadged a thousand excuses for himselfe and objected a thousand accusations moe against the seditious Visier The king after this departing thence and hauing also put to death certaine captaines and Sultans that were accused by the Visier to be confederats in the rebellion of his sonne he arriued at last at the desired citie of HERI Verie strong is this citie by situation compassed about with a good wall and watered with deep channels of running springs conuaied into it by Tamerlane their founder or restorer besides that there was in it many valiant captaines enemies to Mirize Salmas readie to lay downe their liues in defence of themselues and of Abas their lord so that the winning thereof could not but proue both long and difficult As soone as the king approched the citie he felt in himselfe many troubled passions arising of griefe and pietie it grieued him to thinke that hee should beget so gracelesse a sonne who in stead of maintaining his state and honour should seeke his ruine and destruction it grieued him also to remember the bloud of his subjects before spilt vpon so strange an occasion and scarcely durst he enter into the cogitation thenceforward to shed any more of the bloud of his people Neuerthelesse being still more and more solicited by his Visier he attempted to vnderstand the mind of his sonne and if it might be possible to get him into his hands But whiles the king trauelling with these thoughts lay with his armie before HERI Abas Mirize in the meane time writ diuers letters to his father and to his brother wherein he besought them That they would make knowne vnto him the occasion of this their stirre For if desire of rule had moued them to seeke the depriuation of him being their sonne and brother from the honour hee lawfully possessed and which his father himselfe had procured for him of his grandfather Tamas they ought to abandon that imagination for that he was alwaies readie to spend his wealth and his bloud togither with his estate in their seruice and acknowledged his father to be his good father and king But if they were not induced hereunto for this cause but by a desire to reuenge some trespasse that he had committed to the prejudice of the crowne of PERSIA or his fathers honour he was most readie to submit himselfe to any amends and with all reason to yeeld vnto them the kingdome yea the whole world and euen his owne life the rather to satisfie their minds with a more full contentation With twise and thrise reading ouer were these affectionat letters considered and disgested and at last both the father and the brother perceiuing in them such liberalitie of words and ouercome with pitie or if not with pitie yet with great admiration and contentment they determined to put the matter in practise and moderating their desire of reuenge to attempt the reducing of the yong mans mind to some good passe Whereupon they wrote backe vnto him That no greedie desire to vsurpe his gouernment had induced them to make so great a voyage to trouble so much people and to shed such aboundance of bloud but onely his disobedience and presumption in that he had caused himselfe to be called the king of PERSIA and had not sent so much as one captaine to aid them in the late warres against the Turkes Glad was Abas the yong prince when he vnderstood the accusations that were laied against him hoping to make it manifest before all men how the king and his brother were misinformed in these particularities and therefore incontinently did write backe vnto them That if they would faithfully promise him honourably and without any outrage to receiue his embassadours he would send vnto them such euident matter and so cleare information touching those his accusations as that they should not onely clearely perceiue that there was neuer any such kind of though in him but also that he had alwaies desired laboured the contrarie and would moreouer open vnto them such matter as in respect of other men and not of himselfe might cause their comming to proue profitable and commodious to all the kingdome of PERSIA Which his request they both solemnly promised faithfully to performe being verie desirous to vnderstand what those strange
trouble to bring them into his danger Hereupon the Ianizaries cheerfully and with all due reuerence receiued their new Gouernor but shortly after to be sure they by an vnexpected guile when as nothing was lesse feared compassed in all the new come souldiors and slew them euerie mothers sonne and not so contented seized also vpon the gallies that brought them Which second outrage though Amurath tooke in euill part as seeing his majestie therein contemned yet was he content to passe it ouer being loth to adde domesticall troubles to the great wars he had in hand with the Persian But to end this matter with the opinion of one of their own greatest Bassaes concerning these maisterfull men It fortuned that whilest Busbequius embassadour for Ferdinand the emperour vnto Solyman lay in the Turkes campe at such time as Solyman in person himselfe was gone ouer the strait into ASIA to countenance his eldest sonne Selymus against his younger brother Baiazet that vpon a light quarrell though heauily taken betweene the followers of the said embassadour and certaine Ianizaries washing themselues at the sea side the embassadour for the quieting thereof was glad to vse the helpe of Rustan the great Bassa Solyman his sonne in law who vnderstanding the matter by a messenger sent of purpose aduised the embassadour to cut off all occasion of contention with those most naughtie fellowes asking him farther if he knew not that it was now the time of warre in which time they so raigned as that Solyman himselfe was not able to rule them but stood in feare of them Which speech fell not rashly from Rustan a man right well acquainted with his lord masters griefe for that most notable prince feared nothing more than least some secret dangerous treason should lie hidden among the Ianizaries which breaking out vpon the sudden might worke his finall destruction whereof hee needed not to seeke for any farther example than to his grandfather Baiazet For as true it is That great are the commodities of a perpetuall armie of a princes owne so are the incommodities also not small if they be not carefully met withall but especially for that the prince is euer in doubt of rebellion and that it is still in the power of those armed souldiors at their pleasure to translate the kingdome to whom they list Whereof there haue been many great examples although there are many waies for the remedying of the same But now that we haue by occasion of the occurrents of that time a little stept out of the way let vs returne againe vnto the wars of PERSIA the chiefe object of Amuraths hautie desires Now according to the commandements gone out through all the cities of the empire the souldiors of all sorts began to flock togither and all those that were either desirous to be established in their former charges and gouernments or ambitiously sought to be now promoted repaired to Osman as vnto a king and the soueraigne moderator of the Turkish empire presenting him verie large and liberall gifts whereby he gathered togither a huge heape of infinit treasure and so entertaining them with all affable courtesie and promising both rewards and honours to such as would follow him in his purposed expedition he leuied a wonderfull great number both of men and monies And now was the time come that called him away to go towards ERZIRVM where he was greatly expected of his huge armie there assembled togither And notwithstanding the great dearth of victuall that commonly raigneth in those quarters yet thither he must where he arriued about the latter end of the moneth of Iuly in the yeare 1585 and there taking a view of his whole armie and of all the prouision necessarie for so important and famous an enterprice he daily laboured to hasten his departure In this citie of ERZIRVM were met togither all the souldiors of the prouinces that were wont to send helpe but yet in a greater number than euer was gathered by any Generall before for that euerie man forsooke his owne priuat businesse and vpon assured hopes of new rewards and vnwonted honours were all induced to follow the fame of this their new Visier and Generall onely the people of AEGYPT and DAMASCO were busied with other more priuat quarrels at home whereof because they were both of great importance and also fell out at this verie instant leauing Osman with his armie for a while at ERZIRVM I will in as few words as I may make a briefe rehearsall Amurath had heretofore taken Hassan Bassa the Eunuch out of the Serraglio from the charge he had there to serue in the queens Court and at her instance sent him as Bassa to CAIRE the great citie of AEGYPT Which great office beside the honour belonging vnto it is also beneficiall to them whose good hap it is to be aduanced thereunto the riches the multitude of people inhabiting therein being so great that it seemeth not to be one citie but rather to containe within the large circuit thereof many cities This man being exceeding couetous and therefore desirous to handle the matter in such sort as that he should little need to seeke for any more such grants at the kings hands sought by all manner of meanes to oppresse the whole nation and by all importunities to wring and extort from them rewards and bribes without regard of honestie or reason By which his sinister and corrupt dealing he had now made himselfe so odious and intollerable to the people in generall that they in great number and many times began to go to CONSTANTINOPLE and with humble petitions to request the king to take from them such a cruell and vnjust Gouernour so that generally in the Court there was no talke but of the villanies and mischiefes that were reported of the couetous Eunuch At last Amurath seeing that these publike exclamations went daily so farre as that he could not for shame let them go any further without due punishment he resolued with himselfe to call him to the Court and hauing sent vnto him certaine messengers admonished him sundrie times to returne home But the Eunuch loth to leaue so fit an occasion to enrich himselfe did still delay his returne alleadging diuers faigned excuses for his longer stay Which thing when Amurath vnderstood thinking himselfe thereby deluded he determined to prouide for so great a disorder and by punishing of the mischieuous Eunuch to satisfie in some part the discontented minds of his oppressed subjects in CAIRE There sat at that time among the chiefe Bassaes of the Court one Ebrain or as most call him Ibrahim by nation a Sclauonian a young man of the age of two and thirtie years or therabouts of verie faire conditions and of a reasonable judgement vpon whom Amurath himselfe had determined to bestow his owne daughter to wife and so to make him his sonne in law And therefore being now minded to remoue the Eunuch from his office and to satisfie
the citie and being also willing withall to giue meanes to his said sonne in law to enrich himselfe he resolued to send him as generall Syndic and soueraigne judge into AEGYPT giuing him in particular charge to remember how wickedly his predecessour had dealt before him And so this new Bassa tooke his journey towards AEGYPT although there ran before him a great rumour of his comming and of the great authoritie wherewith he was sent At which report as the Aegyptians rested content and joyfull so the Eunuch waxed verie sad and sorrowfull persuading himselfe that this alteration could not but engender some strange issue and effect against him Whereupon aduising himselfe to prouide better for his owne affaires and the safetie of his life he resolued not to stay the comming of the new Gouernour but departing out of AEGYPT with great care and circumspection for feare of meeting with Ebrain he trauelled towards CONSTANTINOPLE in hope to appease the kings wrath or at least by mediation of bribes and by the intercession of the queene to find him more fauourable than he should find Ebrain who without doubt would not haue spared any extremitie or crueltie to haue bereft him both of his goods and life togither Amurath aduertised from Ebrain of the sudden flight of the Eunuch Bassa out of AEGYPT and hearing withall that he kept not the high way from CAIRE to CONSTANTINOPLE began to feare least when he came into SORIA he should flie into PERSIA to the king and so worke him double and treble domage as one that had alreadie gathered a huge treasure and hauing long liued in the Court knew the most secret affaires thereof and had learned all the priuie deuises and fashions of the Serraglio Whereupon he with all diligence dispatched his Imbrahur Bassi whom we may call Master of his horse with fortie of his Capigi all gentlemen Vshers and officers of most secret neerest roomes about him with charge and commaundement that if they met him they should bring him to the Court vsing all the aid and assistance of his people that might be requisit and for that purpose deliuered vnto him verie effectuall and large letters after the best manner of the Court This messenger with his appointed traine departed and without any extraordinarie enquirie found the Eunuch in SORIA encamped in the plaines neere vnto the citie now called AMAN but in times past APAMEA the principall citie of that countrey As soone as the Eunuch vnderstood of the comming of the Imbrahur himselfe he gaue order to his guard of slaues which in great number with speares and arcubuses did ordinarily keepe his pauilion that they should not grant entrance into his tenâ— to any but onely vnto the Imbrahur himselfe and if need were by force to keepe the rest of the Capigi from comming in Which order was in verie good time giuen for as soone as the kings officer had discouered the tents of the fugitiue Bassa in all hast he ran towards the same and seeking out the greatest among them went presently thither to haue entred with all his followers but the slaues being in armour opposed themselues against them and permitting onely the Imbrahur to enter in entertained the rest of his traine without The Imbrahur being come in read vnto him the commaundement which he had from the king to bring him to the Court and most instantly moued him that without any further resistance he would quietly go with him To whom the warie Eunuch answered Behold how without any calling of the king or conducting by you I come of my selfe well assured to find not onely pardon and pitie but also fauour and grace in the sight of my lord whose vpright and mild nature the wicked treacheries of my false accusers cannot abuse to the preiudice of me an innocent And so without more adoe they went all to CONSTANTINOPLE the Eunuch yet still standing vpon his guard The polliticke and craftie Eunuch had in this meane time dispatched diuers postes with letters to the Sultan ladies certifying them of his comming and principally beseeching the queene to protect him and to appease the kings wrathfull indignation that happily he might haue conceiued against him and so at length they arriued at SCVTARI As soone as Amurath vnderstood of his comming thither he caused all the treasure which he had gathered to be taken from him with all the rest of his priuat substance and the wretch himselfe to be clapt vp in prison in the Iadicula or seauen towers Where after he had languished many daies still fearing some deadly blow he at length receiued from the queene an vnexpected but most welcome aduertisement That he should be of good cheere and quiet himselfe for that his wealth had alreadie saued his life and that she hoped in short time to procure him also his libertie Which in deed she brought to passe for she her selfe made earnest petition to Amurath her husband that for as much as he had bereft her Eunuch of all his goods he would yet at least deliuer him out of prison and restore him vnto her againe Which request of the queenes was granted accordingly and the Eunuch enlarged but the treasure that he had so vnjustly scraped togither in AEGYPT that remained still among the gold and other jewels of the kings But Ebrain Bassa with his new commission now arriued in AEGYPT had in short space by far more sinister deuises than had the Eunuch before him scrapt togither such an infinit heape of riches as was able onely of it selfe to make him worthie of his promised wife and therefore he was called home to the Court to accomplish the intended marriage With this commaundement to return to CONSTANTINOPLE he receiued also in charge to make his journey through the people of DRVSIA and such as he should find loyall to confirme them in their due obedience and to make them pay their antient duties but such as he should find stubborne and disobedient he should quite root them out and destroy them This commaundement Ebrain presently put in execution and hauing packt vp togither all the riches he had gathered in the time of his gouernment and raised good store of souldiors in that prouince he tooke with him thirteene Sanzackes that were ordinarily accustomed to sit as assistants vnder the gouernment of the Bassa in the ruling of the populous territories of CAIRE and so set forwards towards GAZA passing ouer those vast and huge wildernesses of sand that lie betweene CAIRE and GAZA From GAZA joyning the Sanzacke thereof with him he went to IERVSALEM from thence causing the Sanzacke there also to follow his traine he turned by SAFFETTO by LEZIVM by NAPLOS called in times past SAMARIA still taking with him the Sanzackes of all those places and at last turned himselfe towards DAMASCO so that before he joyned with the band of DAMASCO he had gotten together eighteene Sanzackes with all their squadrons of souldiours and slaues Besides these hee had
himselfe to thrust him into the gallies and because he could not carrie the money vnto the king yet at the least to bring him his debtor But for as much as he doubted to put this his determination openly in execution for feare of some insurrection amongst the people as well for that he was within the territories of the said Ebne-mansur as for that he saw him greatly beloued and fauoured of the other two Drusian lords Ebne-frec and Ebne-carâ—us he therefore thought it better pollicie by concealing this his purpose to shew him in his outward actions all good countenance and by secret and subtile meanes to take him prisoner Whereupon he deceitfully told him That for as much as he was to stay there for his businesse that night and was resolued the next day to make a road into the countrey of Man-ogli he therefore praied him to doe him the fauour to be his guide and for that purpose when he should send for him at midnight that he would come vnto him verie secretly because he was minded to depart without any stirre onely with fiue hundred men in his companie The Drusian lord verily beleeued the matter that so it was and withall was in good hope by that means to find some way to escape his hands Wherupon being called vp at midnight he readily went to the tent of Ebrain who presently charging him whom all men thought he had especially affected with many abhominable and foule tearmes caused a chaine to be cast about his necke and his armes and so fast bound to be carried into the gallies And yet not so contented tooke the spoile of all his countrey whereby there was leuied such a prey as was maruellous to behold for besides money wherof there was a verie huge summe the store of clothes of silke and gold was such and so great as might better beseeme some great prince than such a mountaine rusticall lord as he was When the Bassa had conueied all this into his gallies he sailed to TRIPOLI where he found Serafadin in the custodie of Veis Bassa and Ali Bassa and hauing stayed there some few dayes wherein he committed sundrie villanous and abhominable robberies he caused the said Serafadin to be put into the gallies with all his silkes and other wealth and so departed for CONSTANTINOPLE where at such time as he entered into the channell of the citie accompanied with foure and twentie gallies hee was encountered and receiued by a wonderfull number of his friends and fauourits and saluted with an honourable peale of artillerie out of the Seraglio Iohn Thomas Minadoi the best reporter of this historie as also of the late warres betwixt the Turkes and the Persians being then at CONSTANTINOPLE and hauing as he reporteth of himselfe good meanes to see the bountifull and beautifull presents which the spoyling and rauenous Bassa gaue the Turkish king reporteth the summe thereof to haue beene a million of gold besides the yearely reuenue of CAIRE amounting to six hundred thousand duckats with threescore horses most richly garnished of singular beautie but especially of the Arabian race a liue Elephant and a liue Giraffâ—e which is a beast like a Cammell and a Panther two great Crocodiles dead a chaire of massie gold richly set with pretious stones a casket also beset with pretious stones and gold many packs of most fine clothes woollen and silkes certain other clothes with fringe of gold and siluer and the Barbarian cutworke most fine linnen of ALEXANDRIA and all the arcubuses taken from the Drusians besides sundrie rich presents giuen by the prowd Bassa to the great ladies of the Court reported by Leunclauius to haue beene worth two hundred thousand Sultanines But now for as much as we haue before made mention of the Sanzacke of IERVSALEM and his flight it shall not be altogether impertinent to our historie though somewhat out of time in few words to declare what passed between him and the Arabians of PALESTINE a little before the comming of Ebrain the great Bassa into those quarters by which little the desirous Reader may easily perceiue the wofull and troublesome state of that sometime most blessed and fruitfull but now most miserable and barren land of IVRIE and of those places in holy Writ so much renowned In the confines of SODOME and in the places that lie not only betweene the lake ASPHALTITES and DAMASCO but also in the plaines and in the vallies of IERICHO and of SAMARIA and in other places about BETHLEHEM EMAVS BETHANIE BETHFAGE CAPHARNAVM NAZARETH LEVIR BETHSAIDA NAPLOS and other townes of name thereabouts there doe haunt and liue sundrie Arabian captaines who spreading themselues euen as far as RAMA and IOPPA ouerrun at their pleasure all the countries there round about and continually commit grieuous outrages as well against the said cities as also vpon the goods and wealth not onely of the inhabitants there but also of strangers yea and their insolencie oftentimes groweth so great that they dare to assault the fenced cities beside the spoiling of trauellers that by reason of their businesse haue occasion to passe from one citie to another They are good horsemen but vse no armour their horses are very swift to run and spare of diet and are themselues bold and aduenturous theeues These Arabians hauing had intelligence that the aforesaid ambitious youth appointed Sanzacke of IERVSALEM was in mind to raise all the Sanzackes thereabout and joyning himselfe with them and his father the Bassa of DAMASCO to restraine their insolent libertie and to worke their destruction resolued with themselues not to stay vntill he and his confederats were readie but rather by sundrie inuasions vpon him euen vnto the gates of IERVSALEM to prouoke him to come out into the field And the rather to induce him so to do they compacted with a certaine Subbassi of BETHLEHEM their friend to encourage and animate the Sanzacke thereunto by promising vnto him good successe and prosperous euents The ambitious young man seduced with the glorious persuasions of the false Subbassi of whom he made good reckoning and prouoked by their insolencies resolued as they had wished to issue out of the citie into the open field and thereupon hauing armed an hundred of his vassales and raised all the horsemen that were vnder his gouernment to the number of six hundred he made a rode towards IERICHO sending before defiance vnto them against whom the Arabians came accordingly and with their arrows and Indian canes ouerwhelming his arcubuses as if it had been a raging floud wrought him great woe when in the very nicke the battell yet being at the hotest the traiterous Subbassi fled towards BETHLEHEM and left the souldiors of IERVSALEM in the hands of the Arabians who put most part of them to the edge of the sword and scarcely gaue libertie to the Sanzacke to saue himselfe by flight The Sanzacke certainely enformed of this fraud of the dissembling Subbassi to be reuenged vpon him began
labouring in vaine to defend the same About the end of this moneth the Bassa of ZIGET with the Sanzackes of MOHAS KOPPAN and QVINQVE ECCLESIae and other Turkes of great name came with a strong armie and encamped betweene ZIGET and RODESTO And shortly after newes was brought to the emperours Court that KANYSIA a citie of STIRIA not farre from the riuer Zala was hardly besieged by the enemie and that the Turks in comming thither had taken many Christians captiues whom they had sent to be sold at CONSTANTINOPLE and that there was in the Turks armie about an hundred threescore thousand men But for as much as the Christian armie daily encreased also and was now grown to the number of threescore thousand men began to hope well that the enemies rage would be staied from any farther proceeding About the same time Ernestus the archduke appointed Generall of the armie with the Marquesse sonne to Ferdinand the archduke his lieutenant came both vnto the armie In these preparations about the beginning of October heauie newes was brought vnto the emperours Court how that seauen thousand men whom he but a little before had sent into CROATIA vnder the conduct of Thomas Artelius Beane George Gleichspacher and Dionysius Denke to hinder the course of the Turks proceedings being encamped betwixt WIHITZ and CAROLSTAT and hauing the twelfth of September discouered from an high hill certaine companies of the Turks which were in deed of purpose come thither to view the armie of the Christians sent out fiftie horsemen to discouer the Turkes armie where it lay and what it attempted Who finding no mo of the Turkes than those whom they had before seene from the mountaine returned againe vnto the armie with such simple intelligence whereunto the Christians giuing credit became secure in their tents as men out of feare of the enemie and so kept but negligent watch But in this their so great securitie the enemie on a sudden came vpon them and with an hundred thousand men brake into their trenches where the Christian footmen for all that for the space of foure houres maintained a notable fight wherein many were on both sides slaine But the poore Christians being beset round and oppressed with the multitude of their enemies were there slaine almost all yet the captaines seeing the danger by speedie flight saued their liues for which their cowardise and carelesse negligence they were afterwards apprehended and beheaded Almost all the common souldiors were there slaine yea such as fell aliue into the hand of the enemie were most cruelly cut in pieces The spoile also of the tents of the Christians fell vnto the enemie wherein beside aboundance of other things they found sixtie thousand dollers brought but two daies before from LINTZ for the souldiors pay The Turkes after their barbarous manner in ostentation of their victorie laded fourteene wagons with the heads of the slaine Christians which they sent vnto diuers of their places thereabouts This was indeed a great victorie but gained by the Turks with much bloud for the Christians fighting as men desperat slew of their enemies aboue twelue thousand and died themselues as men rather with number oppressed than with true valour vanquished The night following the Turks vpon the sudden in the dead time of the night surprised the castle of S. George and without respect of age or sex cruelly put to the sword all them that were therein except an hundred and fiftie persons whom they carried away captiues and so setting the castle on fire departed At the same time diuers companies of the Turkes were seene about SISEG who led away with them about six hundred Christians into most miserable captiuitie And that nothing might be wanting vnto the calamities of this so miserable a wasted countrey three hundred wagons charged with all manner of prouision sent out of the prouinces thereby for the reliefe of the garrison souldiors in CROATIA were all intercepted by the Turkes and so carried away The emperour considering these proceedings of the Turkes and that their strength daily encreased gaue notice by writing to all the princes and states of the empire what incursions the Turkes had of late made into CROATIA and the frontiers of HVNGARIE with other places neere vnto them and that the Beglerbeg of GRaeCIA with the Bassaes of BOSNA BVDA and TEMESVVAR without regard of the league yet in force had taken diuers cities townes castles and strong places and so extended the bounds of their dominion aboue fortie Germane miles hauing slaine or carried away into captiuitie the poore inhabitants of those countries and now to be growne to that height of pride that except their farther proceedings were with like forces repressed they would in short time set foot into GERMANIE it selfe and possessing themselues of STIRIA and CARINTHIA would from thence daily more and more encroach vpon the empire which to hinder was not in his power onely but required their helpe in generall wherefore he requested them now at length in so publike a danger to open their cofers and to send out their forces against the common enemie Which request of the emperors with the due consideration of so great a danger moued not only the princes and states of the empire but others also farther off to yeeld liberall contribution vnto so necessarie and generall a cause The Turkes now hearing of the great preparation of the Christian princes beside the armie which was alreadie in the field and that they had made a strong bridge ouer the riuer of Drauus which they had also fortified thereby in safetie at their pleasure to transport their armie without further delay furnished such places as they had gotten with strong garrisons and so withdrew themselues into their owne territorie which they did the rather for that the plague then raged sore in CONSTANTINOPLE insomuch that there died a thousand a day Which contagion had also taken hold of the Turkish armie so that the Christians for feare of infection forthwith slew what Turke soeuer fell into their hands And thus ended the troubles of this year being but as it were an introduction for greater to ensue the yeare following The Turks together with the beginning of the new yeare began also their wonted incursions into the frontiers of the Christians They of the garrison of PETRINIA a strong for t but lately and contrarie to the league built by the Turkes vpon the riuer Colapis or Kulp for the further inuasion of CROATIA made dayly excursions out of that new fort and entering into the island TVROPOLIS spoyled and burnt the towne and castle of Bâ—CK VOCHOBINAM and hauing made a great slaughter carried away with them foure hundred prisoners And in HVNGARIE the Turkish garrisons to supplie their wants made diuers rodes vpon the Christians and did exceeding much harme of which aduenturers six hundred in passing ouer the frosen lake were all drowned in the midst thereof In another place three thousand of them
with twelue gallies who landing here and there vpon the coasts of ITALIE did much harme causing it to be reported in euery place where he landed That this was but the beginning of a greater war and that a wonderfull fleet was to follow him which raised a great feare as well in other places as in ITALIE Howbeit no such fleet afterwards appeared for why the Turkish emperor much troubled with the reuolt of TRANSYLVANIA VALACHIA and MOLDAVIA and the great mortalitie then raging both among his souldiors and their horses was not at leisure to looke into the sea hauing his hands full ynough with the troubles of HVNGARIE where his men of warre enjoyed little rest in the frontiers of his territories Sigismund the Transyluanian prince had vpon some just causes of late suspected Aaron the Vayuod of MOLDAVIA to haue intelligence not onely with the Polonians but also with the Cardinall Bator and other his mortall enemies and secretly to haue beene about to make his peace with Mahomet and so againe to fall off from him vnto the Turke Which vehement suspition growing dayly more and more was about this time manifestly confirmed by certaine letters intercepted concerning that matter For the preuenting whereof the prince caused Aaron to bee apprehended and with his wife and sonne to be sent as prisoners to PRAGE in whose roume he by the consent of the nobilitie of the countrey placed one Stephen Rozwan a wise and discreet man amongst them and such an one as had been vnto him alwaies faithfull So as much as in him was prouiding that that countrey should not be rent from him and the vnion of the other But against the secret practises of the Polonians he protested openly by letters vnto the emperour by the power of God and aid of his faithfull subjects to redresse those so great injuries himselfe by the sword In the middest of these troubles came three Chiaus embassadours from the Turkish Sultan vnto the prince to persuade him againe to put himselfe into his protection and to giue him passage through his countrey as in former time into HVNGARIE promising him that all the injuries by him or his people done should bee for euer forgotten and forgiuen and that hee should haue those three countries of TRANSYLVANIA VALACHIA and MOLDAVIA as his owne free inheritance without paying any tribute and so to be accounted as the Turkes most louing friend and vassale What the prince answered thereunto was not knowne but by his doings afterwards it was easily to be gathered that he hearkened not vnto the deceitfull charmes of the faithlesse tyrant trusting more vnto the league he had with the Christian Emperour These embassadours were scarce gone but that a secret messenger came with letters from the chiefe of the Christians in BVLGARIA to the prince declaring vnto him That if he did with any good successe prosecute his warres they would be readie to follow his fortune and to joyne hands with him against the cruell tyrant and to shut vp all the passages that way into VALACHIA MOLDAVIA and HVNGARIE Whilest these troublesome times thus passed in TRANSYLVANIA and HVNGARIE one of the old Ianizaries called Wasuode Giezi an old souldior but a confident bold spoken fellow mooued as should seeme with the discontentments of the time came vnto Mahomet the great Sultan at CONSTANTINOPLE and there openly set vpon him with this rough abrupt speech How long at last most mightie Emperour wilt thou endure thy selfe to be seduced and blinded by the great Bassaes of thy Court and commaunders of thine armies How long wilt thou suffer thy selfe to be deceiued to the great danger of thy selfe and hurt of thy subiects Seest thou not how ouerthwartly fraudulently and cunningly they mooued onely with their owne couetous and ambitious humor haue hitherto dealt with thee and thy father especially in that that persuaded by them thou hast dishonourably broken thy league and taken vp armes against the Christian emperour At length open thine eyes and see their deceit and how much they abuse thy power Sinan Bassa who must haue himselfe honoured and exalted aboue all others hath not by strong hand honourably woon RAB as hath beene the manner of thine auncestors but hath craftily bought it with thy money and thereby cast thee into a most dangerous warre and infinit troubles O RAB RAB now the cause of great triumph and reioycing as if thereby all Christendome should in short time bee subdued to thy scepter But thou art therein much deceiued thy barnes thy store-houses as are TRANSYLVANIA VALACHIA MOLDAVIA BVLGARIA and other prouinces adioyning from whence this thy imperiall citie of CONSTANTINOPLE with the countrey about it thy Court yea thy selfe art to be relieued are by this warre shut vp so that downe the riuer of Danubius out of the West or by the Euxine out of the East thou art not to looke for any prouision From whence then ò mightie Emperour wilt thou maintaine thy selfe thy Court this populous citie and the countrey hereabout Not to speake in the meane time of thy mightie armie now in HVNGARIE flesh fish corne all manner of victuall are now at such a price that the common souldior cannot buy them In this extreame dearth of all things not men onely but euen the very beasts and cattell starue for hunger Thy horses goe fat perhaps into HVNGARIE but neither thou nor thy select souldiors can liue by grasse and weeds all that is left in that countrey This miserie and calamitie of thy people thou seest daily and yet thou wilt not with sound iudgement lift vp thine eyes to see from whence these harmes come and how that they by thee put in greatest trust studie not for thy profit or the profit of the commonweale but onely how by all meanes to enrich themselues Mahomet much moued with this confident speech of the old Ianizarie commaunded him to be forthwith committed to ward and by faire meanes to bee examined by whose setting on and for what cause he had so boldly vttered this rude speech vnto his Soueraigne and what further thing he had intended but the rest of the Ianizaries hearing thereof rise presently in a tumult and by strong hand tooke him out of prison and by solemne oath combined themselues to defend him euen to the spending of their owne bloud whereat Mahomet was glad to winke The greatest part of the aid promised by the Christian princes for the maintenance of this yeares warres against the Turke being now come to VIENNA in AVSTRIA countie Mansfelt lieutenant Generall vnder the Archduke forthwith called a counsell of the colonels captaines and other great commaunders of the armie to consult with them what course to take for the beginning of this great warre as whether they should presently lay siege to some towne of the enemies or els to expect him in the plaine field and to giue him battell All things well considered and that resolued vpon which was thought most expedient he remoued from
the houses and defacing the fort so much as in that sudden feare they possibly could fled into the lower towne The next day the Countie with resistance tooke the aforesaid places forsaken by the Turkes which hee manned with certaine companies of Wallons and made a bridge of boats ouer Danubius cast vp certaine mounts and did many other things for the furtherance of the siege In three daies he had againe repaired the fort vnder Saint Thomas hill abandoned by the Turkes and therein placed foure great pieces of artillerie wherewith he began to batter the lower towne and in other places to strait the besieged more than they had been the yeare before The Bassa of BVDA not ignorant of the want both of men and munition in the besieged citie and the rather for that they had but a little before sent part of their garrison with shot and pouder to RAB and DOTIS attempted thrise as he did many times after during the time of the siege to haue by the riuer put new supplies both of men and munition into the citie but was still by the diligence of the Christians excluded and enforced with losse to returne In short time the Lower towne which they call WASSERSTAT or the Water towne was with continuall batterie sore beaten so that scarcely any house or building was left whole and a counterscarfe made the last yeare beaten downe Whereunto certaine Wallons were sent only to haue viewed the breadth and manner of the ditches after whom certaine companies of the Hungarian Heidons presently followed without any commaund from their captaines who with great courage got to the top of another high counterscarfe there set vp some of their ensignes Which the Turks beholding and comming on close togither by plaine force enforced them with losse to retire Among these Hungarians were diuers also of the Wallons slaine with some others of good name and place to the great griefe of the Countie being not a little offended with that disordered seruice yet day and night the batterie ceased not and the Christians out of their trenches with their musket shot slew many of the Turks vpon the wals receiuing little hurt againe the Turkes still shooting but sparingly for feare of wanting shot and pouder at their greater need yet that they spent they bestowed so well that amongst others they had slaine foure of the Christian canoniers and one Wallon captaine About the middest of Iuly the Countie with continuall batterie had made the Water towne as he thought saultable and therefore sent certaine companies to begin the assault who hauing passed the counterscarfe found the ditch full of deepe mud and but newly cut broader certaine paces by the Turks so that it was thought scarce possible to be passed without a bridge behind which ditch was an high wall with strong bulwarkes and within all this was another new cast ditch and vpon the very brinke thereof a thicke and high parapit all which for all that certaine companies of the Wallons with great labour and danger aduentured to passe but such was the valour of the defendants and the small number of them that came on to the assault with the disaduantage of the place wherein they stood that at length they were glad to retire with the losse of many of their fellowes The Christians in the beginning of this siege had taken a little island in the riuer before the citie which was kept with some few companies of the lord Palfi his Heidons whereof the Turks hauing intelligence at BVDA with three gallies and certain other vessels landed in the island 3000 soldiors which slew the Heidons vnto whom no succour could be suddenly sent and so recouered againe the island wherein they left a sufficient garrison for the keeping thereof furnished with all things necessarie and so departed About three dayes after the former assault the Christians in hope of better successe the second time assaulted the Water towne in which assault the chiefe leaders were the lord Greis and Anthonie Zinne a famous captaine had he not stained his honor with countie Hardeck at RAâ— but being pardoned by the Emperour did now together with the rest appointed to that seruice most couragiously assault the breach but were againe by the Turks notably repulsed and enforced at last to giue ouer the assault and so to retire with the losse of an hundred and fiftie men amongst whom Zinne himselfe was slaine with one captaine Ruger and some of the counties owne guard the lord Greis was wounded in the head and the yonger lord Schuendi with diuers other captaines grieuously hurt The next day after six hundred of the mountaine people came into the campe vnto the countie with supplications to request him Not to giue ouer the siege vntill he had woon the citie promising in the name of those towns and villages from whence they were sent of their owne charges to repaire for him what harme soeuer he should doe in the citie for the taking therof yea though he should lay it euen with the ground for why the harmes they daily receiued from the garrison of that citie were wonderfull At the same time also he was aduertised by his espials of whom he maintained many for the discouerie of the enemies doings that Mahomet the Turkish Sultan had writ vnto the Bassa of BVDA carefully to prouide that his beloued citie of STRIGONIVM tooke no harme and not to spare either for men or money betime to relieue it and therein to do nothing without the aduice and good liking of his old and faithfull seruant Alis Beg who of long time had gouerned and also defended that citie and to the intent that nothing should be wanting for the performance hereof that he had sent Alexander Aga of the Ianizaries from the Court whose seruice he might euill haue spared whose approued counsell and helpe he might also vse in all things for that he had rather loose some other whole kingdome than that one citie And that therefore he should beware that it were not by the enemie woon or by any composition yielded wherein if he failed he threatned vnto him his heauie displeasure not to be appeased without the price of his head Which so seuere a commaundement of the great Sultans the Bassa sent to them of STRIGONIVM with most grieuous threats from himselfe if they terrified with any batterie vndermining or assault should yield the citie and not hold it out as became valiant souldiors vnto the last man swearing to empaile them all vpon stakes that should consent to the yielding vp thereof The old Gouernour Alis hauing receiued this so straight a commaund from him that was both able and like ynough to performe what he had threatened vtterly to deterre the souldiors from once thinking of yielding caused diligent enquirie to be made throughout the garrison if any of them had at any time made any motion of yielding vp the citie or otherwise murmured against their captaines or commaunders
appointing them to any seruice and such as he found to haue so done he to the terror of others caused to be presently executed and after that went down himselfe into the lower towne to see that nothing were there wanting or amisse where most danger was But when he would haue againe returned into the vpper towne he was stayed by the Ianizaries who told him That seeing he was of so valiant and couragious a mind and their Gouernour he should there stay with them and take such part as they did were it better or worse and so would he or would he not there needs stay he must Now the Bassaes of BVDA and TEMESVVAR with diuers Sanzackes as well of those parts of HVNGARIE which the Turks possessed as other places were assembling their forces for the reliefe of the besieged in STRIGONIVM Whereof the Transyluanian prince hearing made shew as if he would forthwith haue besieged TEMESVVAR so that the Bassa thereof leauing the intended expedition for STRIGONIVM was glad to returne for the defence of his own charge They also of STIRIA CARINTHIA CROATIA with the troupes of countie Serinus had so stopped all the passages that twelue thousand Turks which were comming from ZIGETH and the places thereabout could by no meanes come to joyne themselues with their fellowes for the reliefe of the distressed citie The countie leauing nothing vnattempted or vndone that might helpe for the gaining of STRIGONIVM had made a notable fort vpon S. Thomas hill and therein placed fiue great culuerines wherewith he furiously battered the higher citie and did therein great harme and thereby also brought to passe that no man could goe vp or downe the hill betwixt the vpper towne and the lower but he was in danger to be set off with those pieces or the musketiers who defended by those great pieces lay vpon the side of the hill in caues and bushes awaiting for such as should goe vp or downe betwixt the two townes Thus the Christians at one time battered the vpper towne the lower towne and the strong towne and fort of GOKARA standing on the farther side of Danubius oueragainst STRIGONIVM besieged by the lord Palfi But of all these places GOKARA was with the furie of the great ordinance most shaken which the countie perceiuing caused the batterie to be encreased and so continued vntill he had beaten downe the counterscarfe and made certaine faire breaches in the wall Whereunto the Morauians vnto whose lot it fell the one and twentith of Iuly gaue an assault in fiue diuers places whom the lord Palfi seconded with his Hungarians of whom certaine were of purpose appointed beside their armes to bring things with them for the firing of the towne which they in the time of the assault found meanes so well to bestow that in a while the towne was all on a light fire The Turkes at first made notable resistance but finding themselues ouerpressed and seeing the towne now on a fire about their eares which with the force of the wind so encreased that it caught hold of the lower towne on the other side of the riuer they retired to the riuers side where some of them by boats got ouer to STRIGONIVM othersome perished in the riuer the rest falling into the hands of the Christians were by them all put to the sword GOKARA thus taken and the fire quenched the Christians repaired the breaches and storing it with all warlike prouision left in it a strong garrison Within a night or two after were two hundred of the Turks horsemen descried in a field fast by which caused an alarum to be raised in the campe as if the whole armie of the Turks had beene at hand howbeit those horsemen retiring and no other appearing it was afterwards knowne that they were onely scouts sent out by the Turkes to take view of the armie of the Christians and in what sort they lay encamped The latter end of this moneth it fortuned that a young countrey fellow secretly sent out of the citie by the Gouernour and falling into the hands of Palfi was by him sent to the countie by whom he was in friendly manner demanded From whence he came whether he was going and whereabouts Whereunto the youth frankely answered That he was sent from the Gouernour with letters to the Bassa of BVDA which he presently drew out of his bosome and deliuered them vnto the countie who after he had read them caused them to be closed vp againe and so deliuered them to the young man with some few crownes commaunding him to carrie them to the Bassa as he was about and in his returne to bring him the Bassaes answere promising for his so doing to reward him bountifully which the young man vndertooke to doe and so departed Now the purport of the Gouernours letters was That if the Bassa did not within six or seauen dayes send him aid and relieue him he should for want of victuals and other things necessarie for the holding out of the siege be enforced either to abandon the citie or to yield it vp into the enemies hands Whereunto the Bassa returned answere by the aforesaid messenger That he would within the appointed time bee with him willing him in the meane while to be mindfull of his wonted valour and not to be with any thing discouraged appointing him the day the houre the way the meane with all the other circumstances how he would relieue him Which letters the young man according to his promise deliuered vnto the countie who thereupon prouided accordingly for the welcomming of the Bassa Within a day after also one of the Turkes canoniers considering the danger the citie lay in and feating that it would be lost fled out of it into the campe who besides that he aptly declared the state of the citie and the wants the besieged were in did also afterwards good seruice during the time of the siege The Turkes had in this while many times sallied out to their great losse yet now vpon hope of better successe they aduentured the nine and twentith of this moneth to sallie out againe but with like fortune as before leauing fourescore of their men behind them hauing slaine but fiue of the Christians Now had the Turks in great wants by the space of a moneth right worthily defended STRIGONIVM expecting still for reliefe At length newes was brought into the campe That the Bassa of BVDA with twentie thousand men was comming to raise the siege who the second of August came accordingly and with his armie encamped within foure miles of the Christians lying so nigh certaine of the Turkes horsemen seeking after bootie came very neere vnto the campe of the Christians and out of the pastures euen vnder their noses carried away some few horses against these desperat aduenturerers certaine troupes of the Hungarian and Germane horsemen issuing out had with them an hot skirmish but the Turkes of purpose retiring as men ouercharged and the Christians still following
the great riuer of Danubius into VALACHIA of whose comming the Transyluanians with the Valachians and Moldauians hauing knowledge had before so shut vp the passages of the countrey as that he could not without much danger haue farre entered and were also readie with their vnited forces euen at his first enterance to giue him battell Which hee not refusing there began a most mortall and cruell fight with much bloudshead on both sides Thrice were the Transyluanians enforced to retire but still relieued with new supplies and knowing that they then carried in their armes the welfare of their whole countrey came on afresh againe and as hardly charged the Turkes as they had beene by them charged Thus with doubtfull fortune and great slaughter was the battell maintained from the morning vntill night victorie with doubtfull wings houering now ouer the one side now ouer the other vntill that at length the Turkes ouercome by true valour their battailes being quite disordered and broken were now glad to seeke to saue themselues by flight In this battaile being fought the eleuenth of September besides many thousands of the common souldiours were slaine also diuers of great account amongst the Turkes and amongst the rest Haidar Bassa a man of them much regarded was found dead euen in the same place where the battaile was fought Sinan himselfe in making too much hast to get ouer the bridge fell into the deepe mud and in that generall confusion of his armie was like ynough there to haue perished but as the common prouerbe goeth Seldome lieth the diuell dead in a dike the old Velliarde was with much adoe drawne out by them of his guard and so saued to further mischiefe Neuerthelesse the danger was so great that for certaine daies it was commonly reported that he was there drowned most of his owne people not as yet certainely knowing what was become of him All the spoyle of the Turks became a prey vnto the Christians as did also their great ordinance and many of their ensignes amongst which was one greene one which they accounted religious as sacred to their prophet Mahomet whereunto they in time of their greatest distresse flie as vnto their last refuge there was taken also all their tents with great aboundance of victuals and other warlike prouision The old Bassa thus ouerthrowne full of griefe and euen mad for despight posted himselfe in all hast to the Court thinking it better himselfe to make the best of that which was indeed nought than to haue it made worse than nought by the enuious report of others and withall to fill the mind of the great Sultan with desire of reuenge which no man so much longed after as himselfe wherein he so discreetly vsed the matter as that the late losse was easily passed ouer as receiued by the common chance of warre or any other occasion els whatsoeuer rather than by any default of his and new commission giuen him for the raising of another armie for the subduing of the late reuolted countries In the meane time to shew his hatred vnto the Christians and to please the eyes of them of the Court with the noueltie of the sight he caused an hundred and twelue Christian captiues whom he had in prison at BELGRADE to be brought in chaines like beasts to CONSTANTINOPLE and so being led through the principall streets of the citie to the vaine contentment of the citisens to bee brought to the Court gate for the Sultan to looke vpon and the Courtiers to deride from whence they were after many vnspeakeable indignities conueyed to most miserable and loathsome prisons there to be fed with the bread of tribulation About this time the Turks vnder the commaund of the Bassa of BOSNA to the number of almost twentie thousand made a rode into CROATIA where they were by the Christians vnder the leading of the lord Eckenberg and Leucowitz ouerthrowne and almost all slaine the Christians following the chase euen into the Turks frontiers burnt fifteene of their villages and tooke the castle of VARVINAR immediately after their forces encreasing by the comming in of the lord Herbensteine Gouernour of VALERIA and WINDISMARCHE and certain other troupes of horsemen out of CARINTHIA and the countries thereabouts they returned the thirteenth of September to besiege PETRINIA otherwise called PETROVVINA which because they were in hope to take by assault they euen at their first comming couragiously assailed But after two houres hard fight finding both greater resistance and more difficultie than they had before supposed to haue found and that without great ordinance which could not in short time bee got ouer the mountaines there was no good to be done they were glad to giue ouer the assault and with such losse as they had receiued to returne to SISEG there to consult further of the matter But the same night a fugitiue horseman fled from the enemie came to the campe and told the Christians That Rustan Beg Gouernour of PETRINIA was in the late assault wounded in the breast with a small shot and dead and that the Turkes in the towne discouraged with his death and the late ouerthrow of their friends in CROATIA would vpon the first sight of them abandon the towne if they would but againe returne to besiege it Vpon which good hope the Christians presently rise and set forward againe towards PETRINIA which the Turkes hearing of their comming had before as the soldior reported for feare abandoned So the Christians without resistance entering the towne found therein some pillage but better store of shot and pouder and presently sending forth certaine troupes of horsemen to pursue the flying Turks tooke diuers of them and among the rest the late Gouernours lieutenant whom they brought backe againe into the towne Thus was PETRINIA againe recouered from the Turkes to the great quiet and safetie of all that side of the countrey Sigismund the Transyluanian prince not ignorant with what an enemie he had to doe either of the mallice of old Sinan who he knew would not be long before he returned or yet of the secret practise of the Polonians for the withdrawing of the countrey of MOLDAVIA from him sought now by all means as it stood him vpon to make himselfe so strong as he could against so many stormes arising It fortuned that euen at the same time the Zaculians better known by the name of Siculi in former time a free people but as then tributaries vnto the Turkes bordering vpon the Northeast part of TRANSYLVANIA now wearie of the Turkish thraldome and seeing the good successe of the prince and the late reuolted countries their neighbours offered vnto the prince their seruice promising of their own charge to maintaine fortie thousand men in the field during his warres with the Turke and yearely to pay him of euery house a dollar with a certaine measure of wheat oates and barley after the manner of their owne countrey and further That if God should blesse
The report of this ouerthrow giuen vnto the Turks by the Valachian with the sacking of NICOPOLIS running abroad brought a generall feare vpon the Turkes euen in the imperiall citie of CONSTANTINOPLE For the staying whereof Mahomet commaunded the chiefe of his Bassaes with a great power of tumultuarie soldiors taken vp in hast to go forthwith against the Vayuod to stay the course of his farther proceedings to the dismaying of his people himselfe thundring out most horrible threats against him who encouraged with his late victorie and well acquainted with the Turks manners little regarded the same as knowing that he was not with words but with armes to be vanquished Now Mahomet the Turkish emperour oppressed with melancholie to see himselfe at once assailed with the plague then raging in CONSTANTINOPLE the bloudie wars in HVNGARIE and the horrible mortalitie and losse of his people in both places and withall not ignorant of the eâ—ill successe of his armie at VERADINVM of the great harme done at NICOPOLIS by the Valachian yet for all that ceased not in what he might to prouide for so many euils but gaue order to Taut Bassa with all speed to set forward as we haue said from CONSTANTINOPLE toward VALACHIA as from whence he feared the greatest danger who without delay to make the Vayuod to vnderstand how highly the great Sultan was displeased with him put himsâ—â—fe vpon the way with six hundred Ianizaries towards HADRIANOPLE with purpose there to Winter vntill the Spring and so to expect the comming of the rest of the armie that so with the same vnited vnto the forces of Mehemet Satergi who the last yeare besieged VERADINVM he might in the field appeare more terrible vnto his enemies The Christian Emperour also at the same time rested much discontented that his people in so faire a way for the winning of the castle of BVDA had yet failed thereof the Wallons laying the fault vpon the lords Swartzenburg Palfi and the rest of the commaunders that it was not woon for that when they as valiant men offered to haue done therein the vttermost of their deuoir their leaders had made choise by the spade and mattocke rather than by the sword to performe the same But Michael the Vayuod seeing the Turkes not a little dismayed with the sacking of NICOPOLIS began afresh to their greater terrour and hurt to make new inrodes vpon them in such sort as that he was entred an hundred miles into their territorie against whom Mehemet Satergi as yet the Turkes generall in HVNGARIE comming with his forces he againe retired carrying away with him the spoile of the countrey by him wasted They of BVDA in the meane time fearing some sudden assault to bee giuen vpon them and suffering within great want of victuals expected long to be relieued both with victuals and other necessaries vnderstanding yet withall that the Grand signior had caused it to bee giuen out in CONSTANTINOPLE that he was raising a great power of his best and most expert souldiors and had therefore sent for vnto the Court all his old men of warre such as had serued in the wars of PERSIA to be now againe employed in HVNGARIE Where the Turks in the meane time prouiding to relieue the distressed citie of BVDA both with men and many other necessaries certaine resolute Hungarians vnderstanding by their espials that one of the Turkes Bassaes with three thousand souldiors was comming thither to encrease the garrison laied themselues close in ambush in a place whereby the Turkes were to passe where they had not long stayed but that the Turks as men without feare disorderedly passing by were by them with such force and furie assailed that in a moment when they least thought they were ouerthrowne and put to flight with the losse of many of their horses much money and jewels and many captaines there taken prisoners the Bassa himselfe with much adoe hardly escaping into the citie But shortly after foure hundred Christians scouring the countrey about BVDA and hauing taken a good bootie of cattell and other pillage returning loaded with the prey were by the way assaulted by the Turks and enforced to forsake the same and to fight for their liues whom for all that they notably repulsed with the slaughter of diuers of them and so againe recouering their bootie returned with victorie And about this time or not long after in the vpper HVNGARIE a great power of the Turkes and Tartars hauing forraged a great part of that countrey and done the Christians great harme came before CASSOVIA making shew as if they would euen presently haue besieged that citie which put the inhabitants in such a feare that many of them without further deliberation fled forthwith as fast as they could into the mountaines thinking themselues more safe there than in the citie Neuerthelesse by the persuasion of George Basta the emperours lieutenant in those parts two thousand valiant and expert souldiors staied there with him expecting what the Turks would doe who approching the wals demaunded of them of the citie a great summe of money by way of contribution threatening otherwise the vtter ruine and destruction thereof Which their proud demaund was by Basta stoutly rejected and they with the losse of a great many of their liues enforced to get them further off Wherefore seeing themselues not able to preuaile against a citie so well prouided they for feare by night rise and departed quite another way than that whereby they came doing great harme still as they went The free Haiduckes of VALACHIA also a warlike kind of people liuing for the most part vpon prey and willing to shew some token of their hatred toward the Turkes by certaine bridges passing ouer the Danubius encountered with the Bassa of NATOLIA with a great power whom they ouerthrew with much slaughter of his people and the losse of his brother there slaine also and so afterwards ouerrunning the countrey did there exceeding harme and tooke the same Bassa his sonne prisoner Thus passed the Winter with many light skirmishes and incursions in diuers parts of HVNGARIE and other the frontier countries which had done great harme had it not beene before hand well prouided for by the Imperials who in most places strengthened with new supplies stayed the furie of their barbarous enemies Maximilian the Archduke in the meane time comming from PRAGE to VIENNA found himselfe there to haue in his campe but foure and twentie thousand foot and ten thousand horse readie against the next Spring diuers of the Germane princes this yeare not sending thither any aid at all by reason of their troubles neerer home with the Spaniards in the lower side of GERMANIE which made him the more to dread the enemies comming who he knew after his accustomed manner would that Summer appeare in the field with a farre greater number But to haue holpen this want the great duke of MVSCOVIâ— about this time by his embassadours amongst other things
safetie retired themselues into the castle a place of great strength leaâ—ing the citie vnto the Imperials then readie to haue besieged it but doubting of the Turkes great armie which as they heard was marching thitherwards the auauntguard thereof being come to MOAâ—â—ESH where Sarâ—es Bassa was also looked for the report being giuen out that the Turkes hauing relieued BVDA would go to besiege CANISIA or else Sâ—â—Iâ—ONIVM they staied to go any farther as men in doubt what to resolue vpon So were sent certaine colonels â—nd other captaines with their souldiors to fortifie certaine passages whereby the Turkes armie was to passe The rest in the meane time retiring for that the puissant enemie began now to approch as also for that they knew the great desire that Ibrahim Bassa had to recouer again STRIGONIVM and had therefore sent a great number of Tartars to forrage and wast the countrey and so suddenly hauing relieued BVDA and AGRIA there to resolue whether to turne his forces The Imperials in the meane time encamping neere vnto HATWAN and ZOLNOK to hinder the Turkes from victualling of BVDA as they desired cut off fiue hundred of them at their first arriuall who to that purpose were going towards BVDA and tooke also one of the Turkes Chiaus prisoner who sent from Ibrahim the Generall was going to AGRIA to put them in hope of their speedie reliefe They also at the same time attempted to haue surprised ZOLNOK where a good number of them with certaine Petardes approching the gates in hope so to haue broken them open being discouered by the watch were inforced to retire leauing fortie behind them slaine and carrying away with them many moe of their fellowes wounded in reuenge whereof the rest shewed their furie vpon the countrey thereabout destroying the villages and intercepting a great deale of munition which together with other victuals they met by the way as it was going to BVDA and AGRIA Summer now almost spent Ibrahim the great Bassa in the beginning of September came to BVDA with an armie of an hundred and thirtie thousand strong and from thence in the name of his great lord and master gaue the emperour to vnderstand at PRAGE That for the sauing of further effusion of innocent bloud and not for any feare or distrust of his owne strength and power hee could bee content to hearken vnto some reasonable conditions or treatie of peace Whereunto both these great princes hauing well wearied themselues with these long warres and exhausted their treasures seemed not now vnwilling expecting as was thought nothing more than for the honour to be the first entreated and the rather for that the old Sultannesse Mahomet his mother whom by the weakenesse of her sonnes gouernment such as neuer was in any the Othoman kings or emperours before beareth the greatest sway in his affaires seemed in what she might to further the same Wherefore in the latter end of September a place was agreed vpon for a parley for peace which was in an island in the riuer of Danubie beneath STRIGONIVM whither the lords Swartzenburg Nadasti Palfi and the bishop of VACCIA being come for the emperour and Amurath the Bassa of BVDA with the lieutenant Generall of the Tartars and some others for the Grand signior the Turkes at the first after their vnreasonable manner demaunded to haue RAâ— STRIGONIVM FILEK SETCHIN with all the rest of the townes and castles in fiue yeares before taken from them by the Christians to bee now againe surrendered vnto them with a certaine yearely tribute by the emperour to be paied vnto the great Sultan at CONSTANTINOPLE as also there to haue his embassadour leiger continually attending vpon the Turkes Court for which they offered to deliuer againe vnto the emperour the citie of AGRIA onely All which their proud and vnreasonable demaunds being by the aforesaid commissioners on the emperours behalfe rejected they were contented to come to some more reasonable talke offering to leaue vnto the emperour RAE and AGRIA whereof RAE was his owne alreadie onely for STRIGONIVM exchanging as it were STRIGONIVM for AGRIA Which when it could neither bee obtained the parley was so broken off and nothing concluded and so the warres againe continued without any memorable thing more this yeare betwixt them done either on the one side or the other the Christians contenting themselues to haue distressed the chiefe cities the Turkes held in HVNGARIE and the Turks no lesse apaied to haue relieued the same But whilest things thus passed betwixt the Christians and the Turks in HVNGARIE Michael the Vayuod of VALACHIA yet the emperours friend and confederat and vnder his protection certainely enformed his life to be sought after in the Turkes Court by the ambitious Cardinall Bathor his enuious neighbour but lately become the prince of TRANSYLVANIA as is before declared by commaundement from the emperour and to be reuenged of so great a wrong as also betimes to prouide for his owne safetie with an armie of threescore thousand strong suddenly entered into TRANSYLVANIA in most horrible manner burning the countrey and killing the people before him as he went Where whilest the Cardinall who was thought to haue purposed to haue serued him in like sort had he not beene by him preuented was making head against him 〈◊〉 the mean time had the citie of 〈◊〉 commonly called BRASSO with the strong castle of Fogaras yeelded vnto him from whence he marching towards ALBA IVLIA the six and twentith of October with all his armie before deuided into three parts but now againe vnited came into the plains neere TEMISON about three leagues from HERMENSTAT where vnderstanding that his lieutenant corrupted by Ibrahim Bassa had promised to kill him and now well assured thereof to rid himselfe of that danger with his owne hands presently cut his throat and so dispatched him When by and by after came vnto him the Popes Nuntio sent by a finenesse from the Cardinall accompanied with another embassadour the better to countenance out the matter telling him that the same embassadour had commission from the emperor to will him forthwith to desist from armes and without further delay to depart out of TRANSYLVANIA Which thing seeming vnto the Vayuod very strange and almost impossible hee desired to see the said commission Whereunto the Nuntio before instructed answered that he had left it with the Cardinall himselfe but I said the Vayuod haue one here present from the emperour of another purport which I purpose fully to put in execution yet was he for that day entreated by the Nuntio to stay his armie And so in the meane time lying both still and in great suspence the Vayuod desired to know of the Nuntio the cause why the Cardinall forgetting himselfe so troubled that countrey by intruding himselfe thereinto to the great prejudice of them vnto whom it of better right belonged not attending vnto the gouernment of the Church better beseeming his calling than the managing of arms to the
his horsemen Another great part of his strength consisteth in his footmen and especially in his Ianizaries in whom two things are to be considered their Nation and Dexteritie in arms Concerning their Nation such of the Azamoglans as are borne in ASIA are not ordinarily enrolled in the number of the Ianizaries but such as are borne in EVROPE for they of ASIA are accounted more effeminate as they haue beene alwaies more readie to flie than to fight whereas the people of EVROPE haue euen in the East beene accounted for better and more valiant souldiours hauing there to their immortall glorie set vp the notable trophees of their most glorious victories The souldiors of ASIA be called Turkes after the name of their nation and not of their countrey no countrey being indeed so properly called and they of EVROPE Rumi that is to say Romani or Romanes as the country especially about CONSTANTINOPLE is called by the name of RVM-ILI that is to say the Romane countrey as it was in auntient time of the notable Romane colonies therein knowne by the name of ROMANIA Now as concerning their Dexteritie such male children are culled out from the Christians as in whom appeareth the greatest signes of strength actiuitie and courage for these three qualities are in a souldior especially required This choice is made euery third yeare except necessitie enforce it to be made sooner as it happened in the late Persian warre wherein not onely oftener choice was made but they were glad to vse the Azamoglans also a thing neuer before by them done For those youths the children of Christian parents being by them that haue taken them vp brought to CONSTANTINOPLE are taken view of by the Aga of the Ianizaries who causeth to be registred the name of the youth with the name of his father and countrey wherein he was borne which done part of them are sent into the lesser ASIA now called NATOLIA and other prouinces where learning the Turkish language and law they are also infected with the vices and maners of them with whom they liue and so in short time become right Mahometanes Another part of them and those of the most towardliest is deuided into cloisters which the Grand signior hath at CONSTANTINOPLE and PERA of whom the fairest and most handsome are appointed for the Serraglio of the great Sultan himselfe All the time that these youths thus sent abroad liue in the lesser ASIA or other the Turkes prouinces they are not appointed to any certaine exercises but still kept busied some at husbandrie some in gardening some in building some in other domesticall seruices neuer suffered to be idle but alwaies occupied in painefull labour where after certaine yeares they haue beene thus eâ—ured to labour and paines taking they are called thence into the cloysters of the Azamoglans for so they are called all the time vntill they bee enrolled into the number of the Ianizaries and are there deliuered vnto certaine speciall gouernours appointed to take charge of them who keepe them still exercised in painefull worke and labour entreating them euill ynough as well in their diet as in their apparell and lodging they sleepe together in large roumes like vnto the religious Dormitories wherein are lampes still burning and tutors attending without whose leaue they may not stirre out of their places There they learne to shoot both in the Bow and Peece the vse of the Scimitar with many feats of actiuitie and being well trained in those exercises are enrolled amongst the Ianizaries or Spahi of whom the Ianizaries receiue not lesse than fiue aspers nor more than eight for their daily pay and the Spahi ten Being recorded among the Ianizaries they are either sent away into the warres or into some garrison or els attend at the Court These last haue for their dwelling three great places like vnto three monasteries in the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE there they liue vnder their gouernours to whom they are deputed the younger with great obedience and silence seruing the elder in buying of things for them in dressing of their meat and such like seruices They that be of one seat or calling liue together at one table and sleepe in long walkes If any of them vpon occasion chance to lie all night abroad without leaue the next euening hee is notably beaten with such nurture and discipline that after his beating he like an Ape kisseth his gouernors hands that so corrected him These Ianizaries haue many large priuiledges are honoured although they be most insolent and are feared of all men yea euen of the great Sultan himselfe who is still glad to make faire weather with them In their expeditions or trauell they rob the poore Christians cottages and houses who must not say one word to the contrarie When they buy any thing they giue for it but what they list themselues They can be judged by none but by their Aga neither can they be executed without danger of an insurrection and therefore such execution is seldome done and that very secretly They haue a thousand royalties some of them are appointed to the keeping of embassadours sent from forraine princes othersome of them are assigned to accompanie strangers trauellers especially them that be men of the better sort to the intent they may safely passe in the Turkes dominions for which seruice they are commonly well rewarded They haue made choice of their prince namely of Selymus the first his father Baiazeâ— yet liuing neither can any the Turkes Sultans account themselues fully inuested in their imperiall dignitie or assured of their estate vntill they be by them approued and proclaimed Euery one of their Sultans at his first comming to the empire doth giue them some great largesse and sometime the better to please them encreaseth also their pay In euery great expedition some of them goeth forth with their Aga or his lieutenant and are the last of all that fight There is no office among the Turkes that moe enuie at than at the office of the Aga of the Ianizaries for the greatnesse of his authoritie and commaund onely he and the Beglerbeg of GRaeCIA chuse not their owne lieutenants but haue them nominated vnto them by the Grand signior Vnto this great man the Aga of the Ianizaries nothing can portend a more certaine destruction than to be of them beloued for then is he of the great Sultan straightway feared or mistrusted and so occasion sought for to take him out of the way The number of the Ianizaries of the Court is betwixt ten and foureteene thousand This warlike order of souldiors is in these our daies much embased for now naturall Turkes are taken in for Ianizaries as are also the people of ASIA whereas in former times none were admitted into that order but the Christians of EVROPE onely beside that they marrie wiues also contrarie to their antient custome which is not now forbidden them And because of their long lying still at
so great a worke shall be brought to passe but he in whose deepe counsels all these great reuolutions of empires and kingdomes are from eternitie shut vp who at his pleasure shall in due time by such meanes as he seeth best accomplish the same to the vnspeakeable comfort of his poore afflicted flocke in one place or other still in danger to bee by this roaring lyon deuoured Which worke of so great wonder he for his sonne our Sauiour Christ his sake the glorie of his name and comfort of many thousand oppressed Christians fed with the bread of carefulnesse amidst the furnace of tribulation in mercie hasten that we with them and they with vs all as members of one bodie may continually sing Vnto him be all honour and praise world without end FINIS A TABLE OR INDEX POINTING vnto all the most notable things in the Historie of the Turkes before written wherein such directorie letters as are set without numbers are to be still referred to the next number of the page precedent AAron Vayuod of Moldauia suspected by the Transyluanian prince to haue intelligence with the Turke with his wife and sonne sent prisoners vnto Prage 1062 l Abas Mirize by the practise of Mirize Salmas brought into suspition with Mahomet his father the Persian king 946 i. by his embassadours purgeth himselfe of the supposed treason 964 g Abdilcheraie with his Tartars commeth into Siruan 838 k. taketh Ares Chan. 939 a. spoileth Genge is himselfe ouerthrowne and taken prisoner by the Persian prince 940 g. beloued of the Persian queene k. slaine in the Court. 941 a Abedin Bassa with a great armie sent by Amurath to reuenge the death of Mesites spoileth Valachia and so entereth into Transyluania 271 a. encourageth his Turkes 273 b. in a great and mortall battell ouerthrowne by Huniades at Vascape 274 l Abraham otherwise called Pyramet last king of Caramania slaine by Baiazet 447 b Abraham Bassa his description 645 f. his bringing vp in Court 646 g. his great credit with Solyman i. he persuadeth him to make warre vpon the Persians 647. â— maligned by Solymans mother and Roxolana 649 b. sent before by Solyman with an armie into Syria c. hath the citie of Tauris yeelded vnto him d. in disgrace with Solyman 653 f. shamefully murthered in the Court by the commaundement of Solyman 654 h Abydus surprised by the Turks 183 a Acanzij what they be 415 b Achmetes Bassa Gouernour of Cyprus slaine by the Ianizaries 979 b Achmetes the great Bassa his notable speech to Mahomet to dissuade him from any more assaulting of Scodra 423â— landeth with his armie in Apulia 432 i. by Baiazet made Generall of his armie against his brother Zâ—â—es 438. l. his death contriued by Isaack Bassa 443. b. in danger to haue beene put to death deliuered by the Ianizaries 444. h. suddenly slaine k. Achmetes Bassa with his armie ouerthrowne by the Mamalukes taken and sent prisoner vnto Caytâ—eius at Caire 448 i Achomates polliticke and valiant but too much giuen to pleasure 478 k. discontented 487â— threateneeh the Cadelescher sent vnto him by his father 488 g. entereth with his sonnes into rebellion h. killeth his fathers embassador proclaimed traitor 489 f secretly fauoured by diuers great men in Selymus his armie 503â— ouerthrowne in battell taken and by the commaundement of his brother Selymus strangled 504 i Achomates the great Bassa appeaseth the souldiors vp in armes for the vnworthie death of Mustapha 764 h. his miserable end 765. c. Agria in vaine besieged by the Turkes 756 k. yeelded vnto Mahomet the third 1096 h Aladin the sonne of Kei-Husreu of the Selzuccian familie driuen out of Persia ceisâ—th vpon Cilicia 76 l Aladin his modestie about the deuision of his father Othomans inheritance and goods with his brother Orchanes 179 d. Aladin the Caramanian king hanged 208 m. Aladin Amurath his eldest sonne slaine with a fall from his horse 289 d Alba Regalis yeelded to king Ferdinand 700 l. besieged by Solyman 740 i. the lake and ditches with incredible labour filled vp by the Tarkes l. the suburbes woon 741 c. the miserable slaughter of the Christians in their flight d. yeelded vnto Solyman 742 g besieged by duke Mercurie 1134 l the suburbes of the citie surprised by lord Rusworm 1135 d. the citie taken by the Christians 1136 g. besieged by the Turkes 1144 l. terribly assaulted 1145. woon by the Turkes d. Aladeules his kingdome 519 a. the battell betwixt him and Selymus â— he flieth into the mountaines 520 g. taken by Sinan Bassa and brought to Selymus is put to death l. his head sent to Venice for a present and his kingdome brought into the forme of a prouince m. Albuchomar discouereth vnto Selymus the power of Tomombeius and the treason intended by them of Caire 547â— Aleppo in Syria betrayed and taken from the Christians by Saladin Sultan of Damasco 61 a. by the Tartars taken from the Turkes and by them sacked and rased 113 d. by Cayerbeius the traitour deliuered to Selymus 530 l Alessandro the Georgian submitteth himselfe vnto Mustapha 933 c Alexius the great president of Constantinople committed to prison 45 f. his eyes put out by the commaundement of Andronicus 46â— Alexius Comnenus otherwise called Porphyrogenitus succeedeth his father Emanuel in the Empire 43 b. by the practise of Andronicus is depriued of the Empire and strangled 50 b Alexius the young prince craueth aid of Philip the Emperour and the Latine princes against his vncle the vsurper 77 a. commeth to the armie of the Christian princes going towards the holy land 78 g. arriueth with a great fleet of the Latines before Constantinople l. taketh land and after an hot skirmish forceth the old tirant Alexius to flie out of the citie 79 c. seeketh to bring the Latines again into the citie 80 k. is betrayed and strangled by Murzufle l. Alexius Philanthropenus by Andronicus the Emperour made Gouernour of the frontiers of his empire in Asia against the Turkes 147 e. aspireth 148 i. betrayed hath his eyes put out 149 a Alexius Strategopulus with a smal power sent into Grecia by the Emperour Michaell Palaeologus by the treason of two Greekes taketh the citie of Constantinople from the Latines 115 d Algiers described 720 g. in vaine besieged by Charles the Emperour h. Aliculi Chan taken 944 l. in hope of libertie conducteth Hassan Bassa through the straight passages of Georgia 945 b. cast in prison at Erzirum d. escapeth from Ferrat 972 m. by the Persian king to the great discontentment of the Turcomans made Gouernour of Tauris 937 c. killeth the Bassa of Maras doth the Turkes great harme and so flieth from Tauris 991 c. conspireth with Abas Mirize against the Persian prince 1000 h. being by the prince sent against the Turkes performeth nothing 1001 c Alis Bassa with a great armie ouerthrowne by Scanderbeg 288 k Alis Bassa sent by Baiazet with an armie out of Europe against Techellis slain 474 l. Alis Beg and his foure sonnes
daiâ—â— A barbarous â—act Solyman his speech vnto the Great master The resolute answere of the great Master to Solyman Solyman commeth into the citie vnto the Great master The speech of the Great masâ—â—â— to Solyman The notable answere of Solyman to the great Master Solyman entreâ—h into the Rhodes on Christenmaâ— day in the yeare 1522. Solyman sendeth Ferhates Bassa against Alis beg the mountaine prince Alis and his foure sons treacherously slaine Solyman returneth to Constantinople Solyman vpon the discord of the Christian princes and disordered state of Hungarie taketh occasion to inuade that kingdome 1526 Solyman commeth against Lewes king of Hungarie The vanitie of Tomoreus Wholsome counsell not followed The battell of Mâ—hatchz Tomoreus slaine King Lewis drowned in a ditch The heads of slaine Christian bishops and captaines presented to Solyman The bishop of Veradium too â—rue a prophet The honourable speech of Solyman concerning his comming into Hungarie Ioannes Sepusius Vaiuod of Transiluania aspireth to the kingdome of Hungarie King Lewes buried Iohn Sepusius the Vaiuod chosen and crowned king of Hungarie Ferdinand king of Bohemia laieth claime â—o the kingdome of Hungarie King Ferdinand taketh Buda The battell of Tocai betweene the armies of king Iohn and king Ferdinand King Iohn â—lieth iâ—to Polonia Ferdinand crowned king of Hungarie at Alba Regalis Lascus counselleth king Iohn to â—raue and of Solyman Lascus goeth embassadour for king Iohn to Solyman Abraham Bassa Lascus his request of Solyman in the behalf of king Iohn Solyman graunteth Lascus his request Ferdinand sendeth an embassador to Solyman Solymanâ— answer to Ferdinands embassadour 1529 Solyman coÌ„meth into Hungarie with a great armie King Iohn commeth to Solyman aâ— Belgrade Solyman entreth Buda without resistance and besiegeth the castle Solyman contrarie to his promise caâ—seth the garrison souldiours afâ—er they had deliuered the castle to be slaiâ— Austria spoiled by the Turkâ— Altenburge taken Solyman commeth to Vienna Vienna badly fortified Solyman releaseth the Christian princes without ransome Eight thousand Turkes lost in the mines The wals of Vienna blowne vp The Turkes repulsed from the breach A most terrible assault The Turkes the third time repulsed The Lo. William Rogendorffe Vienna againe assaulted The Turks repulsed Solyman raiseth his siege 80000 Turks lost at the siege of Vienna Solyman restoreth the kindome of Hungarie to king Iohn The honourable saying of Solyman to K. Iohn 1530 Solyman circumciseth his three sonnes King Ferdinand sendeth embassadors to Solyman The preparation of Charles the emperour against Solyman Strigoâ—ium besieged by king Iohn Mutinie amongst the Spanish souldiours 1532 Solyman coÌ„meth into Hungarie Gunza besieged by the Turkes The huge army of Solyman Solyman proud 〈◊〉 to Charles the emperour and king Ferdinand Abraham Bassa persuadeth Solyman to leaue the siege of Gunza The Gouernour commeth to the Bassa His answere to the Bassa Solyman departeth from the siâ—ge of Gunza Cason sent with 15000 horsemen to spoile 〈◊〉 4000 Christian captiues murdred by Cason Cason discomfiâ—â—d by the Palatine and slaine The slaughter of the Turkes Charles the emperour his power at Vienna The order of the Christian armie Solyman returneth The Italians left for the aid of king Ferdinand arise in mutinie The seditious or 〈◊〉 of Titus Marconius to the mutinous Italians * At this verie time a great blazing starre was seene in the sâ—â—mament at Vienna Eight thousand of the Italian in mutinie forsake their captaines and returne to Italie Charles the emperour returneth into Italie Auria goeth against the Turks Auria besiegeth Corone in Peloponesus Corone yeelded to Aâ—â—ia by the Turkes Patras taken and ransacked by Auria Auria returneth to Italie 1533 The Turkes besiege Corone Auria sent by the emperour to relieue Corone The order of Auria his fleet before Corone The Christian fleet disordered Auria arriueth at Corone The Turkes â—â—eeâ— flieth to Modon Corone relieued by Auria Auria returneth and before Modon braueth the Turks fleet The Moore of Alexandria well beaten and taken by Canalâ—s the Venetianâ— The garrison soldâ—ors of Corone desire of their generall to bee brought to some seruice Macicaus gouernour of Corone goeth out to surprise Andâ—ussa Macicaus slaiâ— Corone forsaken by the Spaniards 1534 Aloysius Grittus the duke of Venice his sonne Solymans lieutenant in Hungarie to ouerseâ— king Iohn Americus bishop of Veradium and Vaâ—od of Transiluania contemneth Grittus Ianus Docia incenseth Grittus against the Vayâ—od The cause why Lascus the Polonian â—ell from king Iohn The Vayuod murdred in his tent by Docia and his head presented to Grittus The Transiluanians rise vp in armes against Grittus to reuenge the death of the Vayuod Grittus bâ—sieged by the Transiluanians Grittus taken and bâ—â—ugâ—t to Maylat Grittus beheaded The riches founâ— about Grittus Solyman aâ— one time purposeth to inuade Persia and Affrickâ— The â—â—ore beginning of Horruccius and Hariadenus who of base pyrats aspired to the kingdome of Algiers Horruccius his successe Horruccius slain and his head caried about in Spaine Hariadenus surnamed Barbarussa succeedeth his brother Horruccius in the kingdome of Algiers His wonderfull successe Solyman sendeth for Barbarussa Barbarussa commeth to Constantinople Barbarussa enuied in the Turkâ— court Barbarussa reiâ—ctâ—d to Abraham the great Bassa He trauelleth into Siria to the Bassa and is by him commended to Solyman His returne to Constantinople Roscetes Barbarussa his speech to Solyman to persuade him to inuade Tuneâ— Barbarussa made Solymans great Admirall He spoileth the coast of Italie Iulia Gonzagá â— faire lady hardly distressed by Barbarussa The Romans afraid of Barbarussa Muleasâ—eâ— king of Tunes The ingratitude of Muleasses Roscetes riseth against his brother Muleasses Forsaken of the Numidian princes he flieth to Barbarussa Barbarussa landeth at Biserta Biserta yeelded Barbarussa commeth to Guletta Muleasses flieth out of Tunes Barbarussa entreth into Tunes The citisens deâ—â—iued of their expectation â—ise against the Turkes Muleasses returneth into the citie The citisâ—ns of Tuâ—eâ— discomfiâ—ed by the Turks Muleasses flieth The citisens of â—unes yeeld theÌ„selues to Barbarussa The description of Abraham the great Bassa His bringing vp in the court His great credit with Solyman Abraham Bassa persuadeth Solyman to make war vpon the Persians Solyman resolueth to goe against the Persians Abrahams crediâ— maligned by Solymans mother and Roxâ—lana Abraham Bassa sent before with an armie into Siria The citie of Tauris yeelded to the Bassa Solyman commeth to Tauriâ— Solyman followeth Tamaâ— the Persian king into Sultania Solymans armie dâ—sâ—â—â—ssed with tempest Babylon yeelded to Solyman The countries of Asâ—iria and Mesopotamia possessed by the Turks Tamas commeth to Tauris 1535 Tamas hearing of the comming of Solyman to Tauriâ— flieâ—h into Hircania So 〈◊〉 â—ansaâ—â—â—keth Tauris Delimâ—nthes with 5000 Persian◠〈◊〉 the â—urkes Delimenthes assaâ—â—eth the Turks campe by night and maketh a great slaughter Solyman discouraged Abraham the great Bassa in disgrace with Solyman Abraham Bassa murthered in the court by the commaundement of Solyman The causes which moued Charles the emperour
so that he might at his pleasure doe more in Zemes his quarrell than should stand with the safetie of Baiazet a matter to be well considered of and also carefully preuented For remedie of which dangers it was thought necessarie that Achmetes at his returne to court should be taken away and slaine Achmetes fearing nothing lesse than that which was contriued against him came after his wonted manner to the court and was with the other great Bassaes inuited to a solemne supper which Baiazet had commaunded to be prepared to solace himselfe after his trauels as it was giuen out with his chiefe Bassaes. To this royall supper came Achmetes with the rest of the bidden guests mistrusting nothing and was there sumptuously feasted by Baiazet who to make his guests the merrier drunke wine plentifully himselfe causing them also to drinke in like manner so that they were full of wine a thing vtterly forbidden by their law yet daily more and more vsed especially by their great men in their feasts Supper now ended and the night farre spent Baiazet in token that they were welcome and stood in his good grace caused certaine rich robes of pleasing colours to be brought forth and to be cast vpon euery of his guests one giuing beside vnto euery one of them a faire guilt boule full of gold But vpon Achmetes was cast a gowne of blacke veluet which amongst the Turks may well be called the mantle of death being so sure a token of the emperors heauie indignation as that it is death for any man once to open his mouth or to intreat for him vpon whom it is by the emperours commandement so cast Achmetes seeing himselfe now vnder the shadow of death and knowing it but vaine to intreat for mercie as he was a man of great spirit brake forth and said Oh cachpogli which is as much as to say thou sonne of a whore sith thou entendedst so much crueltie against me why didst thou not put it in execution before thou hadst enforced me to drinke this impure and forbidden wine and so casting his eies vpon the ground sat still The other Bassaes hauing leaue to depart giuing thanks to the emperour and crauing pardon for their excesse kissed the ground at his feet and so departed with whom Achmetes offered to haue gone out also but was forthwith commanded to sit still for that the emperour had to talke with him in secret The Bassaes were no sooner departed but the terrible executioners of Baiazet his wrath stept in and laid hands vpon Achmetes to haue slaine him when one of the Eunuchs in greatest fauour with the tyrant standing by aduised him not to be too hastie in executing of so great a man so entirely beloued of his best souldiours and men of warre but rather to stay his execution for a while to see how the matter would be disgested and in the meane time by torture to wrest out from him what might be got to make it in some sort appeare that he died for his due desert Hereupon Baiazet deferred his execution to a farther time and caused him there presently to be stript and carried away to be tortured Amongst other gallants of the court which attended the comming out of the great Bassaes whom they followed was one of Achmetes his sonnes a gentleman of great hope who missing his father amongst the rest began presently to mistrust that all went not well speedily running from one of the Bassaes to another with much adoe learned the hard estate of his father wherof he was also at the same instant aduertised by a secret friend neere about Baiazet Hereupon this young gentleman began forthwith piteously to lament his fathers mishap and to exclaime against the crueltie of Baiazet calling vpon the Ianizaries for aid putting them in remembrance of his fathers great and manifold deserts towards them togither with his imminent danger and so running vp and downe the citie in the dead time of the night had in short space raised vp all the Ianizaries in armes Who vnderstanding of the danger of their antient commander whom they generally loued and honoured as their father came running by heapes from all parts of the citie vnto the court gate there with terrible exclamation doubling and redoubling their Bre Bre which barbarous word they commonly vse in expressing their greatest discontentment and furie and did indeed so furiously beat at the court gate that Baiazet fearing least they should breake in by violence caused the outer gate to be set open and shewing himselfe from aboue out at an yron window demaunded of them the cause of that tumult and vprore To whom they insolently answered That they would by and by teach him as a drunkard a beast and a rascall to vse his great place and calling with more sobrietie and discretion and amongst many other opprobrious words wherewith they shamefully loaded him they called him oftentimes by the name of Bengi Bengi that is to say Bachelor or Scholler which amongst those martiall men contemners of all learning is accounted a word of no small reproach and disgrace And after they had in most despitefull manner thus reuiled him they proudly commaunded him forthwith to deliuer Achmetes vnto them or else to take that should ensue thereof Baiazet terrified with this insolencie of the Ianizaries and fearing some sudden violence to be offered commaunded Achmetes to be without delay deliuered vnto them which was done in such hast that he was brought forth vnto them almost naked bare legged and bare headed bearing in his bodie the manifest markes of his hard vsage The Ianizaries receiuing him with great rejoycing supplied his want of apparell with such habiliments as they for that purpose vpon the sudden tooke from Baiazet his minions and so taking him vp vpon their shoulders with great joy carried him out of the court still crying vnto him How he did and how he felt himselfe and so guarded him home readie no doubt to haue slaine Baiazet and rifled the court if he would haue but said the word But he yet loyall laboured with good words to appease that tumult and to pacifie their furie excusing that which Baiazet had done against him to haue beene done only to correct him for that happely he had forgotten some part of obedience and duetie Neuerthelesse hereupon remained no small heart burning betwixt Baiazet and the Ianizaries for a long time after yet Baiazet for feare of them reconciled himselfe to Achmetes and in open shew had him in greater honour than before promoting him euen vnto the highest degrees of honour howbeit he inwardly hated him to death And the more by the continuall instigation of the old Bassa Isaack by whose persuasion when it was thought that all had beene forgotten he was by Baiazets commandement as he sat at supper in the court thrust through the bodie and slaine This was the miserable end of Achmetes the great champion of the Turkes and one of the greatest