slain amounted to above 3000. besides the wounded which were not many so that it appears the Garrison was much strâ—nger than the Deserters reported The Governour Basha dy'd bravely upon the the Breach where he defended himself valiantly with his Scimiter in his hand scorning to Retreat or demand Quarter that he might not degenerate from the Honour and Heroic Vertue of the ancient Mussel men nor falsifie the Oath which he had made the Grand Signior either to preserve the Town or gloriously to end his days The Vice Basha being an Officer of high Reputation defended the Castle but perceiving all was lost retir'd fighting into the fore-mentioned Fort at the foot of the Castle which he thought to make good and give the Grand Visier leisure to relieve him but seeing the desperate condition of Affairs he rather chose to implore the clemency of the Victors than to occasion the Massacre of those that were about him and so was taken Prisoner with the rest by the Bavarians and presented to his Electoral Highness The Aga of the Janisaries taken by the Imperialists was delivered up to the D. of Lorrain with some other Turkish Officers of note So that the number of the Prisoners did not much exceed 2000. Men of 13000. at the beginning of the Siege all stout and experienc'd Soldiers and the very sinews of the Militia of all the Ottoman Empire The loss on our side was very small compar'd with that of the Enemies For we cannot reckon above 400. kill'd and about 200. wounded among whom were several Volunteers but very few Officers Colonel Spinola Marquess of Arquato an Officer of great merit receiv'd his death's wound at the head of the Assailants the Baron of Asti who had been twice wounded before during the Siege receiv'd a third wound more dangerous than any of the former to the great hazard of his life The booty which the Soldiers got was extraordinary there being a vast deal of Wealth in the City which the Inhabitants of other Cities and Places under the dominion of the Turk had brought thither for Security as being a place which they thought impregnable There was found in the Town Ammunition and Provision sufficient for a Siege of two Months longer a Magazine furnish'd with all sorts of Arms Offensive and Defensive for above 30000. Men Harness for Horses Saddles Boots and other Equipage for the Cavalry and besides all this near 400. Pieces of Cannon and Mortar Pieces of which 170. were never the worse fixed upon their Carriages It is impossible to give you an Inventory of every thing 't will be enough to say that never any City could be better provided to sustain a vigorous Siege than this was or ever was defended by a stouter Garrison But if the resistance met with were so surprizing much more must be the Glory of so many brave Officers Volunteers and Soldiers that signalized their valour and eternized not only their own Memories but the Honour of the Emperor in gaining such a strong hold and recovering it into the Possession of him to whom it belongs by right of Nature and Succession and which had endured so many Sieges before it could be reduced under the Subjection of its Lawful Sovereign BVDA SEXTO INEXPVGNABILIS SEPTIMO FIT CESARIS Buda six times Inexpugnable the seventh becomes Caesar's The D. of Lorrain after he had prevented any farther slaughter and given all necessary orders to reduce the Soldiers under their Colours commanded the People to quench the fire that continu'd burning in several parts gave the Government of the place to General Beek with a Garrison of 5000. Foot and 1000. Horse till his Imperial Majesty should otherwise dispose of the absolute Government of this Imperial City and commanded between 8 and 10000 Cuirassiers and Dragoons with the Hussars under Count Budiani to pursue the Grand Vizier who having look'd on and seen the taking of Buda decamp'd with his whole Army to secure the rest of the Turkish Fortresses to reinforce the Garrisons and gain the Bridge of Esseck where our General is resolv'd to attack him if he can overtake him in his march To which purpose the Infantry was embark'd upon the Danaw to make the more hast while the Cavalry march'd by Land Thus was this great and strong City the Capital City of all Hungary the seat of the Ancient Kings reduced under the Obedience of our most Illustrious and Invincible Emperour Leopold the first after it had groaned under the Tyrannous Yoke of the Ottomans a hundred forty five years who made use of it as a place of Rendezvous for their Armies and a Magazine to furnish all the other Cities in those parts under their subjection with Men and Ammunition to which purpose they always furnished it with a numerous Garrison never consisting of less than between 8 and 10000 Janisaries and Spain's whether in Peace or War And though Sultan Solyman won this important place from King Ferdinand Brother to the Emperour Charles the Fifth in the year 1529. through the treachery of the Hungarian Garrison nevertheless he put it into the hand of John Zapolilia Prince of Transilvania who had call'd him to his Assistance to preserve him in the Throne to which he had been advanc'd by Sedition and contrary to Form by a part of the Nobility after the death of King Lewis slain at the Battle of Mohaes contrary to the Proclamation of the real King Ferdinand duly elected by the four Orders of the States of the Kingdom This Usurper being thus confirm'd in the enjoyment of one part of the Kingdom and of the Capital City under the Protection of the Turks King Ferdinand sent his General Count Roggendorff who had so valiantly defended Vienna under the Command of the Elector Palatine against the efforts of Solyman to lay Siege to Buda but he was constrain'd to raise his Siege after he had lost a great part of his Army General Felsius was sent thither 10. years after But that Enterprise succeeded no better thaâ— the former notwithstanding the Death of the Usurper Zapolia and the Minority of his Son John Sigismund who was under the Tutelage of the Princess Elizabeth of Poland his Mother and George Martinusius chief Minister of State to his deceased Father However King Ferdinand was no way discouraged by these two unsuccessful Attempts but considering the Importance of the Place for the Support of his Crown resolv'd upon a third Attempt To which purpose he raised a more numerous Army than before and gave the Command of it to Roggendorff who the next Year laid a third Siege to Buda and had made himself Master of it if Solyman at the Sollicitation of the Princess Elizabeth had not hastned to his Relief which constrained the General to raise his Siege not being able to make head against such a numerous Army of the Infidels Thereupon the Sultan politickly seized upon the City of Buda sent the young Prince John Sigismund with the Princess his Mother
AN Historical Description OF THE GLORIOUS CONQUEST Of the CITY of BUDA THE Capital CITY of the KINGDOM of HUNGARY By the Victorious Arms of the Thrice Illustrious and Invincible Emperor LEOPOLD I. Under the Conduct of his Most Serene Highness the Duke of LORRAINE and the Elector of BAVARIA LICENSED October 1st 1686. R. L'Estrange LONDON Printed for Robert Clavell at the Peacock in St. Pauls Church-Yard MDCLXXXVI THE BOOKSELLER TO THE READER AFTER so many disjointed Relations of Truth and uncertain Reports hudled and confus'd one among another we do here present the Reader with a continued Diary of the whole Siege of Buda from the very first March of the Army that lay before it till the end of the Siege which terminated in the Winning of the Town The Gentleman that wrote it in French was without question an Eye-witness of most of those bloody Transactions as being an Imperialist and upon the Theatre himself Nor is it reasonable to mistrust the Credit of a Person whose Zeal for the Common Cause makes him so diligent as not to omit the least Particular that may contribute to the Honour of so many Renowned Commanders without detracting in the least from the Gallantry of the Defendants So that the Passages of every Day thus clos'd and join'd together yields a full Prospect of the Industry Vigilancy Courage Resolution Experience and Conduct of Generals exact in Martial Affairs and the Indefatigable Constancy and Valour of Laborious and well-Disciplin'd Soldiers A Piece which when the Curious in History have read they will find the Story of the most Famous Siege in the World the Assailants equalling if not surpassing Titus surrounding Jerusalem and Abdi Basha no less bravely obstinate in defending his Trust than Villerius upon the Walls of Rhodes Of which I shall say no more in the Epistle since the Book is so near at hand AN Historical Description OF THE CONQUEST Of the CITY of BUDA THE Divisions and Mis-understandings that have reign'd among the Christian Princes gave the Mahometans an opportunity to surprise some by Policy and Stratagem others by the force of their triumphing Arms and to constrain some that were not in a condition to stop the Torrent of their formidable Armies to put themselves under their Protection and acknowledge by the payment of an Annual Tribute the power of the Ottoman Empire which in less than four Centuries has spread it self to such a vast Extent and become so terrible to all the Earth that their Chief Sultans would suffer no Superiours nor acknowledge any Equals True it is the Potent Tamerlan King of the Tartars and Parthians had the good fortune to tame the Pride and haughty Arrogance of Bajazet But his death which happen'd in the flower of his Age reviv'd the dejected courage of the Turks in such a manner that they not only regain'd the Kingdoms and Countries which that victorious Prince had wrested out of their hands but in process of time forc'd the Parthians also and the Tartars to do them Homage to pay 'em Tribute and submit to such Laws as the Ottoman Emperours thought fit to impose upon ' em These Barbarians have often attempted to bring Germany under their subjection to which purpose they have several times like an Inundation with all the Forces of the East over-run Hungary Austria and the adjacent Countries and had accomplished their designs had not God in meer pity and compassion heard the Prayers of all Christendom and twice miraculously delivered the City of Vienna from the fury of the Infidels First in the year 1529. when Solyman the Magnificent with an Army of 300000 fighting Men had reduc'd it to the last extremity by means of the bloody Assaults with which he harrass'd the Defendants without ceasing yet was constrain'd to raise his Siege upon the approach of the Emperor Charles the Fifth The second time in the year 1683. when a numerous Ottoman Army consisting of above 200000. Men under the Command of the Grand Visier Cara Mustapha attack'd that important Bulwark of Germany with so much fury during a Siege of three Months carried on with the greatest vigor and obstinacy that had been known for many Ages past so that the place was driven to its last shifts and had certainly been forc'd to undergo the Ottoman Yoke had not the God of Battels rais'd the Polonians Bavarians Saxons and other Subjects of the Empire to follow their several Princes to the Succour of the capital City of Austria where they all equally shar'd the honour of fighting those Infidels and putting them to a shameful flight with the loss of all their Baggage Riches Artillery and a prodigious quantity of warlike Ammunition and Provisions and above fifty thousand of their number slain Since which time God approving the justice of our thrice Illustrious and Invincible Emperour's Cause has in such a manner blest his victorious Armies under the Conduct of the Brave and Generous Duke of Lorrain and the most Serene Elector of Bavaria through the great Victories they have gain'd and the glorious Conquests they have made during the whole course of four Campagnes together that they have struck a Terror over all the Ottoman Empire So that the people not knowing where the fault lay have miserably put to death the principal Ministers of the Port and the best Officers of their Armies imputing to them the cause of God's wrath as now intending to destroy their Empire and exterminate the Law of their Prophet for engaging them in an unjust War contrary to the opinion of their Mufti who is the Oracle of the Turks and to whom those Infidels give as much credit as the Christians do to the Traditions and Writings of the true Prophets and Doctors of the Church This Mufti who is the Interpreter and Dispenser and consequently the Head of the Mahometan Law was the only person in the Divan who endeavour'd to disswade the Grand Signior from entring into a War with the Emperor in favour of Teckely foretelling him the curses that would fall upon his head the hazard he would run of losing his Empire and seeing it shar'd among the Christian Princes saying withal That God would never endure that the Musselmen who had always been so punctual in the observation of their Treaties should violate a League two years before its expiration and enter into an unjust War which would infallibly draw upon their heads the anger of the Almighty And indeed he miss'd but little of moving the credulous People and rousing up in their minds an aversion to a War so fatal and ruinous to their Repose The Grand Signior to remedy so many disorders and prevent the mischiefs threatned him from his own Subjects used all the means imaginable to put an end to this Bloody War to which end he offer'd to make a Peace with the Emperour upon Articles favourable to Christendom and the Court of Vienna having rejected his Propositions he addressed himself to the King of Poland and the Republic
of Venice to bring 'em to a particular accommodation and to break that Sacred League which our Holy Father Innocent XI so politickly contriv'd and carry'd on at the expence of the Treasures of the Church for the good of the Cause of Jesus Christ and the Propagation of the True Faith In the mean time the great War-like preparations which the Emperour made in his Hereditary Countries and other parts of Germany were carry'd on so vigorously that all things were ready by the time appointed to thunder in upon the Turkish Garrisons The Artillery the vast number of Bombs Granado's Shells and Fire-works the inventions of a Franciscan Monk and the Sieur Gonzales a Spanish Ingineer were so dreadful that well there could not any doubt be made of the happy issue of one of the most glorious and daring Enterprises that had been undertaken in a long time And though the Siege of Buda were in vain attempted in the year 1684. at what time it cost us the blood of 10000. Christians the disappointment of one Campagne and the expence of so much Treasure yet was not the Imperial Court discourag'd from a second attempt well knowing that upon the Conquest of that important Capital depended all the rest of Hungary and the neighbouring Countries True it is the Duke of Lorrain was not more succesful in the first Siege than those other Generals which had preceded him in that Enterprise however he fail'd not to acquire great honour and made it apparent that he might be compar'd with the most renowned Captains which past Ages have admir'd by that noble retreat which he made in the face of a numerous Garrison and an Army of the Enemies little inferiour to his own who durst not make the least attempt upon his Rear for fear of having no better success than at the time of the Siege during which the Duke had three times beaten the Serasquier's Army and had it not been that the Winter was already come which caus'd a scarcity of Forrage and other necessaries for the subsistence of the Armies and some little mis-understandings among the Generals perhaps there might have been no need of a second Siege In the Council of War that was held the last year in presence of the Emperor to consult what was to be done the next Summer there were some who presently propounded the Siege of Buda and to keep the Fortress of Newhausel blockt up that so it might be compelled to yield of it self which was rejected by others who were of opinion That Thorn was first to be pulled out of the foot and that the Expedition of Buda was to be reserv'd for the present year as was done In the mean time there were several Councils of War wherein the Sentiments of the Generals were very much divided the most part affirming That it was first requisite to be Masters of Alba Regalis to prevent the Turks from making use of it as a place of Retreat and sheltering their Army under the Cannon of that Fortress as the Serasquier had done at the last Siege to the great vexation of our Forces Others were for marching directly to the Bridge of Esseck taking that City and then leaving a part of the Army for the preservation of that important Passage to wast all the Enemies Country and so to sit down before Buda Others were for the Recovery of Agria and the Fortress of Mongats thereby to exterminate the Remainder of that Arch-Rebel Teckely's adherents of which the Reduction of those two places would clear all the Vpper Hungary Some propos'd to act with two Armies apart That the Elector of Bavaria should march into the Vpper Hungary and draw one part of the Enemies Forces that way while the Duke of Lorrain Besieg'd Alba Regalis and that the Croatian Army under General Schultz should march toward the Bridge of Esseck There were very few that concluded positively for the Siege of Buda which was nevertheless the Enterprize that the Emperor and the Duke of Lorrain had resolv'd to put in Execution whatever it cost 'em that they might have the rest of Hungary at a cheaper rate keep a door open to Belgrade and Winter fifty or sixty thousand Germans in the Kingdom where the year before they could not Winter above twenty thousand This Design thus concluded upon was kept very secret even from the Generals themselves to whom the Emperour upon their dismission declar'd that he would send his Resolution what he would have done to the general Rendezvous which was appointed to be in the Plains of Barkan upon the thirtieth of May. But because the Auxiliary Forces of Bavaria Brandenburgh Saxony and the Circles could not be there so soon they were delay'd for some days In the mean time the Forces march'd from all parts to the place assign'd as well by Water as Land so that it was a lovely sight to see the Danube cover'd with such an infinite number of Barks and Barges laden with Soldiers great Guns Ammunition and Provisions Bullets Bombs Granado's Carcasses Shovels Pick-Axes and other Instruments fit for the Siege of a Town Upon the 20th of May the Elector of Bavaria arriv'd at Newstadt to which place the whole Court was come from Vienna some days before There his Electoral Highness together with the Arch-Dutchess his Lady were received by their Imperial Highnesses with all the Marks of a tender Affection beseeming the near Relation between Personages of that illustrious Quality the Cannon of the Garrison being three times discharged upon their Entrance Upon the 23d being Ascension-Day the Elector went to visit the Duke of Lorrain who was come to Oldenburgh though somewhat indisposed and returned the same Evening to Newstadt Where his Electoral Highness having had several Conferences about the opening of the Campaign and taken leave of their Imperial Majesties and the Electress his Wife he departed the second of June with the Acclamations of the whole Court and People and the Prayers and good Wishes of all That God would be pleased to preserve the Life of that young Prince who was going so generously to expose his own and the Lives of his Subjects in such a Holy War against the sworn Enemy of Christendom After that his said Electoral Highness arriving at Comorrha was there received by the Commanders and Magistrates of the City with Peals of Cannon and three Volleys of small Shot ranged in double Files and so conducted to the Lodging prepared for him The next day the Duke of Lorrain who had put himself at the Head of the Imperial Army near Barkan came to give a visit to his Electoral Highness and view the Bavarian Army which was to that purpose drawn up in Battle-Array in the Fields near Comorrha where Prince Lewis of Baden commanded next under his Electoral Highness in the quality of General of the Cavalry Count Serini in quality of General of Artillery The Marquess de la Vergne and the Count de Fontaign acted there as Lieutenant-General Marshals of
the Camp the Count d'Aspremont and Prince Eugenius of Savoy served as Generals of Battalia's The Baron of Beck who was also nominated to serve under his Electoral Highness lying sick at Newhausel of a dangerous Feaver was dispenc'd with but his Regiment of Infantry which was in the number of those which the Emperour had made choice of to re-inforce the Bavarians fail'd not to be there under the Command of the Lieutenant Colonel The 10th of June Count Straatman great Chancellour to the Emperour arriv'd at the general Rendezvous near Barkan to compose certain differences that were risen among the Generals upon certain Punctilio's of Command and allotment ordain'd of who and who to serve in the separate Armies of the Duke of Lorrain and the Elector of Bavaria This Minister of State who is one of the most dextrous Persons and profoundest Politicians of his Age caus'd a Council of War to be call'd where he so well manag'd the dispositions of the Generals that he gave them all the satisfaction imaginable Which done he shew'd them the Imperial Commission containing the Emperour's orders to begin the Campagne with the Siege of Buda exhorting them withal to behave themselves according to their Qualities in an Enterprize of such great importance upon which depended not only the preservation of his Conquests the establishment of his Crown Imperial and the welfare of Christendom but also the Ruin of the Ottoman Empire which after the loss of so considerable a place could not prevent the other Cities of Hungary from returning under the Obedience of their Lawful Sovereign nor stop the progress of the Christian Arms. So that though the Generals expected positive Orders to besiege Agria or Alba Regalis it is not to be express'd how much overjoy'd they were when they heard that the Emperour was resolv'd they should sit down before Buda And this News being spread among the Officers and Soldiers of both Armies they testify'd their particular satisfaction and the eager desire which they had to hasten to the place where they should have such noble opportunities to give signal proofs of their Valour and revenge the death of their Comrades which had laid their bones in the Trenches of the former Siege The Volunteers which were already numbred to be above six thousand that resorted to this Stage of War from Germany Spain Italy France England the Low-Countries and all part of Europe of all Qualities and Conditions to win honour under the Imperial Ensigns manifested the greatest heat and zeal imaginable to signalize their Courage in so glorious an Enterprize The Auxiliaries of Saxony commanded by the Prince of Saxen-Hall and Major-General the Count de Trautmansdorf who had taken their march through Moravia being by this time also arriv'd at the Rendezvous the Generals resolv'd to decamp without staying any longer for the Forces of the Circles or those of Brandenburgh who having chosen the way of Silesia and the narrow streights of Jabluncka march'd but slowly and could not arrive so soon Thereupon the Armies dislodg'd the 12th of June being Corpus Christi Eve by break of day The Duke of Lorrain taking the Road that led to the Bridge of Gran which his Army pass'd the 13th The Troops of Saxony keeping the Van. The Elector of Bavaria held his march on this side the Danaw that he might make himself Master of the City of Pest before he sate down before Buda While the two Armies march'd thus on both sides the Danaw the Count of Rabata Commissary-General caus'd a prodigious number of Gabions and Bavins to be embark'd for making of which the Soldiers were still employ'd as they came to their Rendezvous to keep 'em from idleness which were all sent with the great Guns Ammunition Provision Hay and other necessary Provisions for the subsistence of the Armies The 14th The Body of the main Army advanc'd so far as till they came under Vicegrad but the smaller Artillery and the Reer-guard were constrain'd to stay behind by reason of the narrow ways through which they were to pass The Bavarian Army quarter'd that night near Vaccia on the other side of the Danaw The 15th The Imperial Cavalry continu'd their march for an hour beyond Vicegrad followed by the Infantry and Artillery And then it was that the Duke of Lorrain sent out a commanded Party to discover the Enemy who met with a small Party of the Turks that presently betook themselves to flight but ours had the good fortune to overtake 'em and after they had kill'd some to make five Prisoners whom they brought to our Camp Where being examin'd they unanimously declar'd that the Inhabitants of Agria and Alba Regalis fearing a Siege had secur'd the best of their Goods in the City of Buda which together with both the other places were provided both with Men and all things necessary to sustain a long Siege till Relief came The 16th They came within an hours march of Buda none of the Troops of the Garrison appearing all this while to observe our countenances The 17th The Cavalry made a halt to rest themselves and to give the Infantry and the Artillery time to come up At what time the Duke of Lorrain commanded three thousand Men to make some thousands of Gabions and Bavins and began to lay a Bridge of Boats over the River to the Island of St. Andrew thereby to joyn together both sides of the Danaw The 18th The Baron of Diependael General of Battalia invested the City of Buda with one part of the Cavalry while the Infantry came up and took their Posts about half a League from the place and then they began the Lines of Circumvallation At what time a great Party of the Garrison both Horse and Foot shew'd themselves without Vienna Gate But they retreated into the City upon the approach of a detachment of the Imperial Cavalry which was commanded to charge ' em But then the besieged bestowed upon us eight Peals of their Cannon though without doing any more hurt than only killing one single Pioneer by reason they shot at too great a distance The 19th The Duke of Lorrain caus'd the Army to advance as far as the hot Baths of which he made himself Master without any opposition the Turks having abandon'd that Post the day before and took up his Head Quarters about a quarter of a League from the place The same day the Elector of Bavaria made himself Master of the City of Pest which the Turks had forsaken after they had carry'd off their Cannon Ammunition and Provisions into Buda and broken down part of the Bridge of Communication between the one place and the other About the same time our Croats scouting up and down met a Turkish Chaous with a Convoy of forty Spahi's who carry'd Letters from the Port to the Grand Visier of Buda Him they brought Prisoner to the Camp where his Letters were read containing only strict Orders to the Visier to be watchful over the Security of the Places
that depended upon his Government and to assure him of speedy and powerful succour in case of an Attack The 20th The Bridg over the Danaw was finished Some of the Enemies Cavalry also the same Day sallied out of the Town with a design to cut off our Advancd Guards but his Highness the Duke of Lorrain having timely notice thereof sent 4 Squadrons of Horse to repel 'em with whom joined also several Volunteers upon whose approach the Enemy retreated not daring to engage The same Day the Artillery arrived in the Camp and two Batteries were begun to be raised against the lower Town which was the Duke of Lorrain's Attack the Count of Starenbergh doing the duty of the Day as Camp-Marshal-General That Evening the Trenches were opened and a Janisary surren dring himself to our Camp reported as the other Prisoners had done before that there were not above eight Thousand Souldiers in the Garrison for that the Vizier had sent some few days before a Reinforcement of two Thousand Men to Agria and an equal number to Alba Regalis in regard the Turks never dreamt that the Imperialists had determined a second Siege of Buda which had proved so fatal to 'em but two Years ago This Deserter likewise said that the Place was abundantly provided with Victuals and Warlike Ammunition to maintain a long Siege Moreover that the Vizier Abdi Bassa was no great Soldier fitter to make a Merchant of than a Governour and consequently despised by the Soldiers That he had assembled in the public Piazza of the City all the Captains and Soldiers and had there with a studied Harangue exhorted 'em to behave themselves according to their Duties and gloriously to maintain the honour of the Turbant adding withal that he had Orders from the Grand Signior to defend the Place to the last dorp of his Blood which he was resolved to do hoping that they would do the like in Expectation of that Relief which the Grand Signior would infallibly send them To whom the Janisaries and Spahi's replied that they were ready to sacrifice their Lives in the Service of his Highness and defence of their Law upon Condition nevertheless that the Grand Vizier would pay them down upon the Nail ten Crowns a Head that he would set at Liberty the Officers and Souldiers detained in the Prisons whatever their Crimes might be and that the Vizier would not hold out to the last Extremity lest the same Misfortune should befal them as befel the Garrison of New-hausel all which Conditions the Vizier promised exactly to perform The 21st The Trenches were relieved upon the Duke of Lorrain's Attack by Monsieur Fonck Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment of Souches And the same day the Elector of Bavaria having left a sufficient strength in Pest and passed the Bridge of Boats to St. Andrew's Island arrived with his Army before the Place and took his Post on the same part of the Town where he had commanded in the former Siege that is to say next to the Castle and the High Town to form a second Attack the third being reserved for the Brandenburghers which were expected in a few Days and were to be re-inforced with the Troops of Suabia and Franconia That Night the Enemy fired furiously upon our Men that wrought hard in making their Approaches and raising their Batteries of whom there were about seven or eight Killed and as many Wounded The 22d The Duke of Lorrain sent all the Imperial and Bavarian Cavalry under the Command of General Palsi Gondola and others to Quarter about Alba Regalis to consume the Forrage in those Places and keep that Garrison in continual Alarm reserving in his Camp no more than a Thousand Bavarian and three Thousand Imperial Horse to secure the Pioneers That Night we brought to Perfection a Battery against the low Town upon which were planted twelve Pieces of Cannon which played all that Day without ceasing We had five Men Killed and some Wounded The 23d By Break of day we continued Firing with such good Success that there was a Breach made in the Wall of the Low Town about twenty Paces broad All this while the Bavarians wrought hard in making their Approaches of whom there were some also Killed and Wounded The 24th The Breach being enlarged they gave an Assault toward Evening and made themselves Masters of the Wall without much resistance for that they who were to have defended it were retired into the High Town after they had fired only once In this onset we had a Captain of Foot a Lieutenant of Granadeers four Soldiers and six Volunteers Killed and seven or eight Wounded And from this time forward they began to attack the City according to the due forms of Art and a resolution was taken that the Trenches should every day be relieved by a Serjeant General of Battalia as well upon the Duke of Lorrain's Side as that of the Duke of Bavaria's and so upon the 25th The Count of Souches Lieutenant Camp-Marshal General and Diependael General of Battalia relieved the Trenches at what time little else was done but only they secured their Lodging upon the Wall of the Low Town and re-open'd a Gate which the Turks had closed up to the Right hand at a good distance from the Breach where they had taken their Post and to the end the Pioneers might work more safely the Count de Souches caused some adjoining Houses to be fired where some Fuseleer Turks were burnt The same day the Bavarians finished a small Battery upon St. Gerards Mount which the Enemy had abandoned from whence they shot some small Bombs into the High Town to try the Effect They also finished another great Battery to beat down the great Roundel that joins the Castle to the High Town The same day Count Budiani presented to the Duke of Lorrain some Colours which he had won from a Party of Turkish Cavalry which convoyed about fourteen or fifteen Barks laden with Women and Children belonging to the Officers of Buda who were endeavouring to make their Escape with all the wealth of the City to Belgrade and whom his Hussars and Heydukes reinforced with a Party of Imperial Dragoons had surprized and routed near St. Margarets Island got a rich Booty and taken Ninety two Women and Children and among the rest the Vizier of Buda's Wife The 26th They wrought upon several traverse Lines and to finish the Approaches to secure our Lodgments in the Low Town which were furnished with two Thousand Soldiers and a good number of Pioneers who met with great difficulty to advance their Works the Ground being very rugged and Stony The same day the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order perceiving that our Workmen in the Low Town might be easily assailed and beaten by the Turks sent to Count Starenbergh Camp-Marshal General for some Infantry who thereupon sent him six Battalions viz. That of Starenbergh Newbourg Mansfield Souches Diependael and Tungen who were posted along the Wall to secure the
Workmen The same day also two Deserters who pretended themselves to be Hungarians surrendred themselves and confirmed what had been said before that the Garrison consisted of no more than eight Thousand fighting Men and that by the order of the Visier Bassa they had begun to take away the Roofs of the Houses and to unpave the Streets on purpose to prevent the Effects of the Bombs Toward Evening between six and seven a Clock the Turks sallied forth making hideous outcries on purpose to scare those that were posted near the Roundel toward the Water-side but they were so well received that they retired in great Confusion For Camp-Marshal General Starenbergh came timely in with two Battalions of those Men that had been posted the day before behind the Wall which had he not done the Enemy without doubt had made a great Slaughter of our Pioneers The Enemy was pursued about two Hundred Paces from the Trenches and our Soldiers brought off several of the Heads of the Turks which they presented to his Highenss the Duke of Lorrain who caused a Ducket in Gold to be given to each Soldier for every Head Captain Burger of Starenbergh's Regiment was there wounded with ten or twelve Soldiers and as many slain outright The same day the Bavarians finished two Batteries for Bombs on each side their Grand Battery They also carryed on their Trenches above a Hundred Paces they also made three cross Lines and a Place for drawing up the Soldiers for the Guard of their Battery The Turks also fired very furiously upon us with their great Guns but did us no more Mischief than only to kill us two Men. The 27th Finished the Works which they had begun in the Night they made new Traverses some Musqueteers were put into the Mosque of the Low Town a Post was taken upon the Right hand near the Gate which makes the Angle of the High Town they enlarged and deepened their Lines to render 'em capable of holding more Men and almost finished the Grand Battery without any Loss saving one Man Killed and some Wounded That Morning the Enemy shewed themselves in the same Part as the day before ranged as if they had designed some Encounter but perceiving we were ready to receive them they retired within the Circuit of their Walls without enterprizing any thing About eleven a Clock at Noon they sallied out Horse and Foot to dislodge our Men that were posted on the Right hand but having discharged one single Volley and perceiving the Count of Hoffkirken Dunewald's Lieutenant Collonel hastning to the relief of ours with the Horse-guard they regain'd the City leaving twenty of their Men dead upon the Spot besides the Wounded which they carried along with them Of ours there were but two killed and five or fix wounded The same day came another Deserter who reported that the Governour was very much perplexed foreseeing the inevitable loss of the City which the Grand Signior had committed to his Charge as also for that in his Salleys he lost the best and choicest of his Men without any hopes of ruining our Works but that nothing griev'd him so much to the Heart as the taking of his own and the Wives of the principal Officers of the Garrison by the Heydukes Hussars and Dragoons when they thought they had been in a place of safety The same day also finished a Battery on the Bavarian Attack levelled against the Castle and the Rondel next the City They 29th They drew a Line of Communication four Hundred Paces in length from the Post of the Right hand Angle to the middle Gate and another Line were made to go to the middle Battery upon which was Planted twelve Pieces of Cannon They also wrought to raise a small Battery near the great one 〈…〉 place 〈…〉 whereon 〈…〉 four Mortar pieces which were brought thither in the Evening with some Waggons full of Bombs The same time the Besieged began to cast Bombs and Stones upon ours so that a Captain and 16 Soldiers were wounded that night and some slain The Duke of Lorrain then foreseeing that there might be a scarcity of Horse-meat in the Camp sent the greatest part of the Baggage Horses into the Meadows that were assign'd them between Newhausel and Gran. And then it was that General Dunewald who commanded the Cavalrie encamped near Alba Regalis gave Advice to his Highness That the Turks having quitted the Castle of Bathyan upon the River Zarwis he had placed a Garrison therein and that he had made an Attempt upon Palotta a very strong Fort near Alba Regalis The 29. we continued to finish our Works and his serene Highness increased the number of Pioneers to six hundred The Enemy made no Sallies during these two Days but fir'd more suriously than usually to ruine our great Battery About five 〈◊〉 Clock in the Evening they made a most furious Attack upon the Bavarian Attack with 2000 Horse and Foot with so much â—uccess that they put ours into a Confusion and the Janisaries â—â—rowing themselves into the Approaches were very busie in â—â—ining all before 'em when the Count of Hoffkirken who there â—â—d Wonders flew to the Relief of the Engaged with the Horseâ—uard of the Duke of Lorraine's Quarter and the Bavarian â—enerals with the Reserve so that the Combat was very cruel â—â—d bloody on both Sides but the Enemy was forced to give â—â—ound and was pursued to the very Gates of the City notâ—â—thstanding the Besieged continually play'd upon our Men with â—â—eir great Guns and small Shot Prince Eugenius of Savoy â—â—s in great Danger having his Horse killed under him Prince â—â—â—is of Baden and the Generals Fontain and La Vargne sigâ—â—lized themselves in this Action as did also the Volunteers â—â—t above all the Prince of Commercy who was in the hottest of 〈◊〉 Engagement The Sieur de Switterdael Lieutenant Colonel 〈◊〉 the Bavarian Regiment of Stainaâ— was there kill'd with seven 〈◊〉 thirty Soldiers and six Volunteers besides sixty two â—unded among which was a Captain two Lieutenants and an 〈◊〉 sign but the Loss of the Turks was much more considerable 〈◊〉 that our Souldiers brought away sixty Heads and by a â—â—scian Deserter we understood afterwards that the Turks had above two hundred of their Men killed and wounded in that Encounter That Evening upon the Lorrain Attack they began to play the four Mortar Piecey planted near the great Battery and to shoot Bombs upon the Enemies Batteries Six Culverins also were planted upon the old Battery formerly raised to make a Breach in the low Town design'd to play directly upon the Gate of the City and disturb the Sallys of the Besieged The 30. The Forces of Suabia and Franconia arrived in the Camp and took the Posts which had been assigned them All the Night and all the Day were spent in advancing our Works which were so numerous that they could hardly be distinguished one from another This Night there were but two Souldiers killed and some
few wounded The Count of Souches who commanded this day in the Trenches having sent three Granadeers to observe the Distance between our Approaches and the Roundel brought word that it was not above three hundred Paces and that the Enemy was hard at work in making a deep Trench at the Foot of the Roundel and that having gone a great way forwarder on the left side than on the right they had encreased their number of Workemen on the right side All night long Bavins Gabions Munition and Provision were sent to the Camp in great abundance through the Care of the Count de Rabata Commissary General The same day General Caprara left the Camp with the Cavalry of Suabia to head the Cavalry encamped near Alba Regalis which he was to command in chief Five Rascian Shepherds also coming out of the City to feed along by the Walls surrendred themselves with above four hundred Sheep to the Elector of Bavaria's Quarter who caused 'em to be well rewarded They could give nothing of Information only that there was a great Consternation among the Besieged nevertheless that they were resolved to defend themselves in expectation of the Succour which they were promised moreover that our Bombs and Carcasses had set fire to several parts of the City which had been fortunately quenched The first of July Yesterday in the Evening General Schoning who commands the Auxiliary Forces of Bradenbâ—rgh arrived in the Camp And this Morning Camp-Marshal-General Starenburgh shewed him the Approaches and the Attack which was reserved for his Men which was toward the water side to the left of the Imperialists after which he was magnificently treated by the Duke of Lorrain and having had a Conference with his Highness where was also present General Starenburgh he returned to meet his Forces that were expected the next day or the next day after at farthest This morning the Imperasists began to shoot from their new Battery of four Pieces carrying twenty four pound Ball. The five Mortar Pieces also near the great Battery continued playing upon the round Tower upon the right Hand with such Success that the Besieged durst not appear there any more The same day they finished their Works and made two Redoubts to secure a Communication with the great Battery This Night we had but five wounded and one slain but in the morning Adjutant General Mercy was wounded in the Head with a Musket as he was carrying Orders to the Approaches There was nothing done in the Bavarian Quarter this day only they advanced their Works and their Batteries had made a Breach in the Rampart without And the same day the remainder of the Bavarian Forces arrived consisting of 1400 Foot which were added to the rest of the same Circle July 2. Our Approaches on the Lorrain Attack side were advanced within two hundred Paces of the Wall of the City The night before was finished a Battery of twelve pieces of Cannon carrying twenty four pound ball and four Mortar Pieces more were planted near the first that play'd without ceasing and fir'd the last night a part of the City next the great Church which burnt till morning Nevertheless we continued â—â—ooting with our great Guns against the two first round Towers which were left almost defenceless The two Battalians also of Keyserstein and Croy were commanded to reinforce those that lay encamped under the Wall of the low Town The Enemy likewise shot down several Bombs and Stones without doing us any great Mischief only that they kill'd us two or three Soldiers The same day the Troops of Suabia began their Line of Circumvallation and the next night raised a Battery upon the Hill which they possess In the mean time the Bavarians play'd very furiously against the Castle and the high Town and shot in several Bombs which occasioned a new Conflagration which was not quenched in a good while And now the Duke of Lorrain apprehensive lest the Turks might in the night time by the help of small Barks get in Men and Provisions into Buda went personally to view the Places adjoyning to Pest and commanded the Prince of Savoy's Regiment of Dragoons to post themselves in the Townâ— that they might be ready to assist the Hungarians who lay there and had orders to raise certain little Forts upon the Banks of the Danaw July 3. This morning arriv'd the Troops of Brandenburgh from the other side of the Danaw that lay encamped near our Bridge Soon after came the Duke of Lorrain to take a view of 'em and was received by General Schoning with three Volleys of Musqueteers rang'd in Battalia and three Peals of Artillery planted at the head of the Infantry His Highness also was entertain'd with much splendor at Dinner and then return'd to his Quarters extreamly satisfied to have seen such a considerable Body of Men stout and active and so well provided with a noble Train of Artillery The same day the Imperialists finish'd another Line for the defence of their Trenches They also fired very furiously with their Cannon and Mortar Pieces so that they not only made a considerable Breach in the Wall but also ruin'd the Batteries upon the two first Roundels from whence the Enemy fired without Intermission On the other side the Bavarians advanced their Lines to the Castle and raised a new Battery on the right hand toward the Danaw upon which they planted nine Mortar Pieces which did wonderful Execution Three days before this they play'd from a Battery of seven Demi-Cannons against the round Tower while from another of four Pieces they belabour'd the Flanks they likewise raised a new Battery of eight Pieces to beat down the left side of the Roundel Seven men were kill'd in the Lorrain Attack and some wounded This day in the Afternoon an Ensign of the Janisaries rendred himself to the Camp having deserted his own Party for having kill'd a Turkish Officer in a Duel He assured us that of true Janisaries there were not above fifteen hundred in the Garrison but that what with the Saphi's Albanians and others they made up the number of seven thousand fighting Men. He added that the Bombs and Carcasses had already ruined several Edifices and occasioned great destruction both of Men and Cattel That the Besieged were very busie in making a Mine behind the Breach of the Lorrain Attack and that till that very hour there had not any person entred the place As for General Dunewald he forbore to prosecute his Design upon Palotta finding it was provided with a good Garrison a Party of which had kill'd some of his Men that went to take a view of the place Another Parry also of the Garrison of Alba Regalis had met withal and routed some Forragers of the Horse that were quartered in the Neighbourhood and kill'd among others Count Papenheim Captain of Horse in the Bavarian Troops July 4. They advanced so far with their Approaches in the Lorrain Attack that they were got within a hundred Paces
of the Breach of the Roundel on the right hand The Enemy also began to make a Line without the Breach about fifty Paces from our Works to render the Breach more inaccessible and though they fired continually all night long with their Musquets and slung an infinite number of Stones we had but thirteen men kill'd and wounded And now had we fourteen Mortar Pieces planted that shot Bombs and Carcasses continually without ceasing In the Bavarian Attack but only what concern'd the securing our Works and advancing the Batteries This morning a Polonian that serv'd the Turks render'd himself to the Camp and reported that the besieged were resolv'd to Surrender if they were not reliev'd within a Month and another Deserter in the afternoon came and declared that the besieged had the night before landed five Horsemen ashore on Pest side who were to take several Roads that one at least might get safe to the Serasquier and press him to hasten the Relief that he had promis'd On the other side the Duke of Lorrain sent a Detachment of Horse toward Voitfar to destroy the Grass and Corn and watch the Motion of the Enemy Of this some Tartars had Intelligence and snapt some of our Forragers on the other side of the Danaw they also took some Horses and two Grooms belonging to Prince Lewis of Baden who were in St. Marget's Island July 5. Last night sixty Granadeers with some Pioneers were commanded to go and ruin the Line which the Enemy had the day before begun before the breach of the Roundel which succeeded so well that they filled up the breach without the loss of more than two Soldiers By this time also the breaches were made wider and wider as well where the Lorrainers as where the Bavarians attacked and what the Turks repaired in the night was by us overthrown in the day time And now all the Bavarians were come up and joyned together in their Quarters upon whom the Enemy made a Sally in the night time and though they were bravely received and purfued to the very Gates of the City yet they lost many gallant and stout Men and among the rest the Son of Camp-Marshal-General Dorfeling an Ingineer two Lieutenants and seven and twenty Soldiers besides the same number wounded July 6. There was a Line of Communication made from the Duke of Lorrain's Attack to that of the Brandenburghers not above fifty Paces from the Gate in the middle and about sixty Paces from the breach on the right hand This morning the Cannon played so furiously that they utterly beat down the two Roundels with the Curtain and when night came they shot without ceasing Bombs and Granadoes that kindled a fire near the Roundel on the right hand that lasted three hours The Duke of Lorrain and General Starenbergh stay'd till eleven of Clock at night in the Approaches to encourage the Workmen with their presence The Brandenburghers also had by this time vigorously advanced their Works their Generals of Battalia alternatively relieving one another in their Trenches The Sieur Fonk Lieutenant Colonel to Souches was wounded in the Leg with six Soldiers and two killed The Brandenburghers had a Captain of Granadeers wounded with six Soldiers and eight slain July 7. Last night a great number of Bombs were shot into the Town which did great Execution in regard the fire was seen to blaze out in several parts of the City though greater Execution was expected to be done upon the Arrival of Gonzales our Ingineer who was lookt for in the Camp within two or three days whither the great Guns Mortar Pieces Bombs Carcasses and other Artificial Fire-works were already arrived This morning the Enemy sallied out upon the Brandenburghers Attack with Horse and Foot but greatly to their disadvantage being so vigorously receiv'd that they were forced to retire in great disorder being pursued under the very Walls of the City there were also preparing their Batteries to be ready in two days when they resolved to be heard as loud as the rest of their Friends Yesterday the Miners began to work upon the Lorrain Attack to widen the breaches and this night the same was done upon the Bavarian Attack where they had by this finish'd two new Batteries the one of ten the other of seven Pieces of Cannon and a third was raising toward the water side to level the attacked Roundel and a gate through which the besieged sallied out very frequently to get into a close way which they had made before the said Roundel Yesterday the Bavarians advanc'd their Approaches to the foot of the Castle so that they could approach no nearer till the breach were enlarged And indeed the Works in the Lorrain Attack were so near the Wall that they could not advance any nearer without lodging upon the breach So that there were above fifty men killed and wounded in the three Attacks Yester night the Enemy shot a Bomb which lighting into a barrel of Powder kill'd nine of our Cannoneers The 8th was busily employ'd upon the Lorrain Attack in raising nearer the Walls two new Batteries of three Demi-Cannons each and upon the left hand where we had not carried on our Approaches as upon the left they advanced their Approaches to the very Wall of the Roundel which being a work to be done so near the Enemy cost us five and twenty Soldiers kill'd and wounded the most part with Stones and Granadoes among whom was Major General Thâ—ngen who was upon the Guard of the Trenches with the Count de Souches The Sieur Bischoffhansen Serjcant Major of one of the Suabian Regiments had his Arm broken with a Musket shot one of Starenbergh's Captains was wounded in the shoulder and Souches's Captain Lieutenant in the Foot As for the Miners that were ordered to sapp under the right side of the Roundel had not as yet met with any Mines of the Enemy This evening others were set to work upon the left side of the middle Roundel and this night Captain Bâ—rger of Starenbergh's Regiment who had been wounded in the Mouth in the Salley upon the 26th of June died of his wound Some Country-men having found a means to make their Escapes out of the City came the same night to our Camp and assured us that there were not above three hundred men that laboured constantly in the Mines and the Retrenchment which the Enemies were making behind the Wall whither to retire in case of necessity July 9. All night long there was nothing done but shooting of Bombs and Carcasses into the City to keep the besieged in Action and to deprive them of their Repose But by break of day the Enemy perceiving that we had made a Gallery of Planks to pass the Miners over to the middle Roundel rowl'd down several Bombs threw Granadoes and other Fire-works with all sorts of combustible Materials in such abundance that the fire caught hold of the Planks and reduced the Gallery to Ashes which obliged our Miners to come away and
desist from their work till the next night This morning about five a clock the Enemy sprung a Mine some Paces without the Wall between the middle Roundel and that of the Gate which succeeded so well that it overthrew one of our Mines where we had seven or eight of our Miners some kill'd and some wounded After that they made a Salley put our Pioneers into disorder destroy'd some of our Works and posted themselves between the Imperialists and Brandenburghers But the Reserve flying thither from the Main-guard constrained the Enemy after a sharp Encounter of half an hour to regain the City We had forty of ours kill'd and wounded and the Brandenburghers had few less among whom was one of their best Cannoneers and some Inferiour Officers The Enemy left behind them above fourscore slain besides what were wounded But notwithstanding this rude check to their Success the besiegers went on with the same vigour as before with their Approaches their Lines and their Galleries And the Bavarians yesterday ruin'd the little Gate near the Roundel with a Battery of ten Pieces of Demy-Cannon so that the breach was already become very broad July the 10th In the Lorrain Attack the men labour'd all night to repair the Batteries and Approaches ruin'd by the Salley which the Enemy made the day before and to rebuild the Gallery which they had burn'd so that they design'd to put the Miners to work that evening On the Bavarian side the Miners were set to work under the Palisado of the Roundel and under the Wall in hopes that the Mines would be ready to spring in three days We had Soldiers kill'd and wounded among whom those of chiefest note were Lieutenant Colonel Wachtenheim who commanded in one of the Suabian Regiments At the same time we had Intelligence by our Spies that the Turks to the number of seven thousand re-inforced by the Tartars that ramble about the Country had a design to put a new Governour into Buda with a Supply of Men which obliged the Duke of Lorrain to command some Infantry to post themselves on the other side the Danaw and joyn in case of necessity with the Cavalry which lay there and to meet and fight the Enemy July 11. This night five Demi-Cannon were planted upon the new Batteries in the Lorrain Attack and two Mortar Pieces upon a little Fort adjoyning with the loss only of two Soldiers slain and five wounded The Brandenburghers planted three Pieces upon a Battery and the next night they planted a greater number to shoot red hot Bullets into the City The Bavarians likewise secured their Works with two Redoubts Yesterday in the evening four hundred commanded Foot were sent upon Pest side to raise some Desences upon the Danaw to prevent the putting of any Relief into Buda And now the Command of Lieutenant Colonel to Souches being vacant by the death of the Sieur Fonck who dy'd yesterday of his wound in the Leg it was conferred upon the Count of Herlerstein Serjeant Major to La Vergne The 12. All the Batteries were finished as well in the Lorrain Attack as in that of the Brandenburghers and the first Lines of these two Attacks were joyned in such a manner that the men might pass from the one to the other secure from the Shot of the Enemy For being so near the Wall as they were the Besieged did nothing but throw Granado's and sling Stones to disturb the Workmen But being thus secured the damage they did us was inconsiderable The Miners in the Mine on the Lefthand were already far advanced under the Wall But in that upon the Right-hand they met with more difficulty and therefore they resolved to widen the Breach with their Cannon Last Night the Count de Souches who commanded in the Trenches caused the Breach to be viewed by the Orders of Count Starenbergh and it was found wide enough to make an Assault The Brandenburghers also this day began to shoot red-hot Bullets and Bombs into the City with twenty two Cannons and two Mortar-Pieces but they did no great Execution in regard the Besieged had taken away all the Rafters of their Houses And yet the Bombs and Carcasses invented by the Franciscan Fryer and the Spanish Engineer may be said to work Wonders Nevertheless the main business of this day was to widen and level the Breaches and we had this day nine wounded and three killed by the Granado's and Stones As for the Bavarians the Breach which they had made in the great Roundel was by this time wide enough and the Miners were at work under the Palisado of the Trench Yesterday the Duke of Lorrain having Intelligence that the Serasquier was advanced with some thousand Turks as far as Hatwan commanded Three thousand Horse and six Battalions of Infantry Imperialists Bavarians and Brandenburghers under the Conduct of General Baron de Mercy to pass the Danaw and post themselves on the other side of the Bridge to prevent the Enemy from putting any Relief into the Town with a new Governor called Achmet Bassa reputed one of the best Officers that the Turk has in his Service July 13. This morning the Enemy sprung a Mine at the middle Roundel near to ours that was already finished without so much as the loss of one Man of our side Tho on the other side it did the Execution which ours ought to have done and overthrew a part of the Roundel where as yet we had not made any Breach There were two hundred Turks who were ready to have fallen pell mell into our Works so soon as the Mine was sprung but finding it had done an Execution quite contrary to what they expected they retir'd And now all things being in a Readiness for an Assault to the end they might post themselves upon the Wall Count Starenbergh directed the Attack in the following manner Count Guido Starenbergh Lieutenant Collonel to the Regiment of that Name was commanded upon the right hand against the Roundel Count de Herbersteen Serjeant Major to Scherffenbergh was in the middle of the Curtin and the Count d' Averspergh Lieutenant Collonel to Mansfield had the left hand They had each two hundred and eighty Soldiers The Engineers Granadeers Fuseleers Carpenters and Pioneers were posted between them and the rest to the number of two thousand men were divided into three Bodies of Reserve to support and relieve the Assailants The Volunteers who had requested that Station intermixed themselves among the first Between seven and eight of the Clock in the Evening the Signal was given to mount the Breaches with a Peal from all the Batteries and a showre of Bombs and Carcasses that were shot against the City and the Retrenchments of the Enemy behind the breach Nor could all the Resistance of the Enemy prevent our men from mounting where the combat was very obstinate on both sides and maintained for the space of three quarters of an Hour with all the bravery imaginable At what time the Enemy
also sprang a Mine under our first Line which buried Captain Kalkreiter of Starenbergh's Regiment and some Soldiers But at length finding we could not get footing for want of Ground that we could not force the Pallisado'd Retrenchment of the Besieged behind the Breach and that our chief Officers were already all either wounded or killed by the continual firing of the Enemy it was thought convenient to cause the Assailants to retreat who had fought like Lions and of which five were so valiant as to throw themselves into the Retrenchment and yet to bring themselves off and retire with the rest who had they been but duly succoured perhaps there would have needed no farther work to have lodged upon the Breach However the Retreat was made in good Order The Regiments of Souches and Mansfield suffered most in this Action and Starenbergh's also was very much damnified There were about four hundred killed and wounded but that which was more particularly to be deplored was the loss of so many brave Officers and Volunteers The Duke of Lorrain and Camp-Marshal-General Starenbergh were present at this Action giving Orders every where as occasion required Few of the wounded escaped which is the Reason some believe the Turks do shoot with poyson'd Bullets Among the dead were the Count de Herberstein Serjeant Major to Scherffenbergh the Count of Kuffstein a Captain to Starembergh with another Captain of the same Regiment The Baron of Rolle the Sieur Kirchmeyer one of Souches's Captains and two of Mansfield's Captains with eight Ensigns and Lieutenants of Infantry Of the Volunteers that were slain or died of their Wounds the chief were the Duke of Vejar Grandee of Spain who behaved himself with so much Courage that he was one of the first upon the Breach Prince Robert's Son with another English Lord the Baron of Scheyffer the Son of the Count of Maldegem the young Count of Courmaillon a Count of Donaw and seven or eight other Persons of Quality Among the wounded as well Officers as Volunteers there was Lieutenant-Collonel Guido de Starenbergh wounded with the splinter of a Granado in the Shoulder and a Musket Bullet in the Foot Lieutenant Collonel the Count d' Averspergh in the Foot but not dangerously and indeed there were few of the rest of the Officers escaped the Prince of Veldens of the Palatine Family Prince Picolomine two English Lords the Duke of Escalona a Grandee of Spain the Marquis of Valero Brother to the Duke of Vejar the Prince of Commercy and above thirty other Volunteers of Quality The Spanish and English distinguished themselves and fighting to out-vye one another endured the main Fury of the Enemy And indeed the English suffered very much For of twenty all Persons of Quality there were not above six that were not either killed or wounded The Loss of the Besieged was also very great for by what we understood afterwards they had above two hundred of their chiefest Men killed and wounded It was thought the Brandenburghers would have made an Attempt on their side but they excused themselves alledging that their Breach was not then wide enough However the Turks upon the Retreat of our Men made a little sally upon their Attack but were repulsed with the loss of twenty four of their Party Upon the Bavarian side they had made a considerable Breach in the Roundel and in the Wall that secures the Castle which the Besieged repair'd every Night with Gabions Palisado's and Bavins The 14th All the night and day was spent in burying the dead and repairing the Approaches in planting more Cannon upon the Batteries and in carrying on the Mines the Miners being actually set to work under Ground on the side of the great Roundel Two Galleries were also built toward the Curtin between the twelfth and thirteenth Roundel The Duke of Lorrain also having sent for three Regiments of Horse from near Alba Regalis to go and re-inforce General Mercy the Count de Caprara detach'd the Regiments of Trusches Taff and Stirum who this morning pass'd the Bridge on Pest side In the evening the besieged sprung a Mine in the Eavarian Attack on the left hand of the Roundel of the Castle which succeeded very ill The same day his Electoral Highness having caus'd eight Parapets of thick oaken Planks plaited with Iron being a new Invention found them very proper to be made use of in Assaults and Attacks every Parapet being sufficient to secure a hundred armed men The same day the Bavarians discovered and disappointed five Mines of the Enemies The 15th They went on finishing their Lines and being to dig under the Wall they heard the Enemy at work under the breach This day the Sieur Gonzales arriv'd and shot his Bombs and Carcasses into the City which did great Execution where five or six were kill'd and wounded This day the Duke of Lorrain having intelligence that the Convoy of the Enemy which had pass'd the Tibiscus near Segedin lay still encamp'd under the Cannon of the Fortress of Hatwan his Excellency sent for two Regiments of Horse more to joyn with General Mercy with a design to constrain the Enemy to repass the River On the 16th a new Battery was erected in the Lorrain Attack without the Wall of the low Town on the right hand against the great Roundel which was also battered on the other side to make the breach the larger This day a Rascian coming out of the City with a Packet of Letters which the Governor of the place had intrusted him with to carry to the Governour of Alba Regatis rendred himself in the Duke of Lorrain's Quarters But in regard the Letters were written in the Armenian Language and for that there was never an Interpreter in the Camp they sent them to Vienna to be deciphered Some Country People also making their Escape from the Town reported that the Janizaries began to murmur against the Governour for being so obstinate to let things go to the utmost extremity but that by the punishment of the Mutineers by means of his Money and a strong assurance of speedy Succour he had so well confirm'd the rest in their duty that they promised to hold out to the last drop of blood This evening the Elector of Brandenburgh commanded a hundred and fifty men seconded by a great number to attack the Palisado in the Trench at the foot of the Roundel of the Castle the Lieutenant General the Count of Fontain undertook the Attack on the right hand and the Count of Aspremont on the left And this was the first time they made use of three Parapets of Wood which were very profitable to us and they attackt that post so vigorously that they carried it by dint of Sword and cut to pieces all that were in it but they sold their Lives dear however for we had there the Count of Fontain kill'd with five and thirty Soldiers and Volunteers The Count of Aspremont was very much bruis'd in the Head with a Musket-bullet
which strook off his Steel-cap Baron Gottalisky Captain of Beck's Regiment and the Sieur Vaubon Captain of the Granadeers of Baden were both dangerously wounded with several others However this Post gave us access to the Roundel The 17. Yesterday the Enemy began to shoot from a new Battery of four great Pieces which they had raised within the inner Wall but General Starenbergh giving order to the Gunners to play upon it with several Pieces they so utterly destroyed that Battery in a short time that the besieged could make no farther use of it About noon twenty or thirty Janisaries shew'd themselves upon the breach of the Roundel on the right hand but the Soldiers from the Trenches firing upon 'em they retired immediately The Prince of Croy arrived in the Camp yesterday in the evening with Commission to be General of the Artillery This day Caprara's and Newburgh's Regiment of Horse marched to joyn General Mercy As for the Bavarians and Brandenburghers they did little this day but mind the finishing of their Works and fired continually from their Batteries The 18. We advanced some Paces with a new Line to the right the better to protect our Miners that wrought in two distinct places under the Curtin and to make use of it in the next Assault The Brandenburghers enlarged their great Battery of three Pieces of Cannon Nor were the Bavarians idle for their Miners were at work under the Wall behind the Palliasado'd Trench of which they had made themselves Masters As for the Enemy he seldom now appear'd in the day time but in the night time they kept siring continually and kill'd us a great many men with their Stones and Granadoes which they flung into our Works The 19. The Cannon was planted upon the new Battery and the Line was secured with two little Forts Last night the Enemy sprang a Mine behind our Miners that wrought under the Wall which damnified our Mine into which there was a necessity to make a new Entrance to make it serviceable again Some of our Miners were almost buried in the Earth but they were all fortunately recovered again except the Sieur Libert their Captain whose Body could not not be found Mr. Kerry Brother to my Lord Ouberry a Scotch Lord was kill'd in the Approaches with a Musket bullet together with seven or eight Soldiers and some wounded This morning the Duke of Lorraine held a Council of War where were present the Generals of his Army but the Determination was kept secret Some Deserters also came to the Camp this day and assured us that the besieged would come to no Composition but were resolved to wait the Relief which the Grand Visier should bring them The 20. The new Line in the Lorrain Attack was finished Three false Alarms also were given to the besieged only to harrass them by causing certain Granadeers to mount the Breach who threw Granadoes into the Place upon which the Turks hastning to make defence were saluted with several Cannon-shot Bombs and Carcasses that did good Execution Which sort of Attacks were frequently to keep the Enemy in continual Alarm and in ignorance of the time of the really design'd Assault Moreover they â—gorousloy carried on their Mines a certain German undertaking a new one which he promised to finish in two or three days In the Bavarian and Brandenburgh Attacks there was nothing pass'd considerable only that the Miners hop'd the next night to be under the Roundels They also continued battering the Walls with great fury and shoting red hot Bullets Bombs and Carcasses into the City which did very much mischief Upon Information given that the Turks prepared to relieve the place the Trench of the Line of Circumvallation was made deeper and strengthned with certain Redoubts the better to secure the besiegers to which purpose two hundred Heydukes were added to the number of Pioneers July 21. The principal Work now carried on was that of the Mines which were opened in three several parts Nor could Captain Liâ—erâ—'s body yet be found though all diligence has been used to hâ—llow the Earth in that place where his body was by all conjecture lost He was an Officer a Walloon by Nation much lamented by all the Generals and by all that knew his Experience in the business of Mining Our Miners also heard the Enemy at work but they went on with their own work for all that A Battery was likewise raised for four Mortar Pieces near that of the three Spanish Pieces which batter the Roundel on the right Hand Moreover all the Cannons and Mortar Pieces were designed to be planted nearer the Breaches on purpose to widen them with more ease and ruin the Defences of the Enemy which are behind the said Breaches We had in the Lorrain Attack only twenty seven killed and wounded among whom were Serjeant Major Boeneburgh a Dane and the Sieur Lerneux the fifth Captain of Starenbergh's Regiment The Sieur Gonzale's Bombs and Carcasses have had the success which was expected For by the Report of a Deserter one of those Bombs falling yesterday into the City made its way into a House into which were retired above a Hundred Persons of both Sexes who were all miserably buried in the Ruins of it The Bavarians finished their Battery near the Roundel and began another toward the water side to batter the Flanks of the City on that side And now the three Attacks having made their Approaches to the Breaches that now seem'd wide enough all things were preparing for a general Assault there being two thousand scaling Ladders in a readiness to make false Attacks and scale the Walls while others mounted the Breaches The 22. Nothing passed considerable in the Lorrain Attack nor in that of the Brandenburgher but the Enemy this morning sprang two Mines which did no other Execution than only ruin a part of the Curtin where there was no Breach before The new Battery likewise of four pieces upon the brink of the Ditch of the Roundel being finished the Turks gave 'em a most bloody Serenade by break of day for sallying out in a good number they stole down into the Trench along the Palisade and being come to the said Battery before they were discovered through the darkness of the Night they set up a most dreadful Howling and Hollowing nayl'd three pieces of Cannon and a Mortar and ruined some part of the Gabions of the Battery The Saxons of the adjoining Posts hastning to the Relief of their Friends were put into some Disorder but Prince Lewis of Badens Regiment being the Reserve coming up in time repelled the Enemy with the loss of thirty men stain Which was but a small thing in comparison of the Loss which we suffered which amounted to above a hundred killed and wounded the most part Saxons and Bavarians Among the slain were Collonel Lehel of the Saxon Forces and some inferiour Officers The Sieur Geschwint Collonel of the Artillery was also dangerously gashed and hack'd with a Scimiter However the
and Soldiers to do their Duty The Prince of Croy stood in the middle near the Curtin where he was wounded Night parting the Combat they finished their Lodgments with two Lines of Communication of the Approaches to the Roundels possessed and they put the Miners to Work at the Wall or Entrenchment within where the Turks fortified themselves We cannot sufficiently applaud the martial Valour of the Generals Officers and Soldiers that were in this piece of Service who were almost all wounded in sight of the Duke of Lorraine whose Adjutant General the Steur d' Artein was slain as he was carrying Orders The number of the Slain was not very great but that of the wounded extraordinary among whom were the Prince of Croy the Prince of Commercy General Diependale General Thungen the Baron of Asti who notwitstanding he was wounded but two days before would needs signalize himself in this Action where he received a second wound the Serjeant-Major of Sâ—arenbergh two Captains of the same Regiment the Baron of Redere Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment of Newburgh Serjeant Major Pini Count Schlick Baron Gera and several other Captains Lieutenants and other inferior Officers On the Brandenburghers side Count Donaw Colonel of Foot was Slain as also the Sieur Marwitz Serjeant-major and the Prince of Curland grievously wounded with several others In the Bavarian Attack the Elector had ordered the Onset in this manner The Palisado's upon the Breach-being burnt the day before by forty selected Soldiers his Electoral Highness commanded a Lieutenant with twenty Fuseleers a Serjeant with six Volunteers and ten Granadeers a Corporal with six Carpenters to cut the Pallisado's A hundred Musqueteers under a Captain and two Lieutenants had Orders to Post themselves at the Enemies Pallisado's and to Fire continually the better to secure the Workmen to make a Lodgment upon the Roundel among which there were twenty five with Shovels and Pickaxes and seventy five with Hatchets under a Captain all which were guarded by a Leiutenant-Collonel a Serjeant-Major and a Captain with fifty men arm'd with Half-pikes Halberds and Partisans a Lieutenant with thirty Granadeers and two hundred Musqueteers under two Captains and two Lieutenants This Order being observed as well upon the right Hand as upon the left the two adjoyning Redoubts were finished with thirty Arquebusiers each and three Battalions of Imperialists Bavarians and Saxons were to second the Assailants The Cannoneers and Bombardeers had order to Fire from all the Batteries and to throw Bombs and Carcasses without intermission into the Castle and between the two first Walls towards the Water-side All things thus ordered they advanced through the Overtures toward the Breach tho very high and difficult to ascend on the right and left Hand of the Roundel as also of the Curtin and with that Fury that they made themselves masters of the Post and drave away the Enemy notwithstanding their continual firing their Muskets and a showre of Stones which they threw from the Windows of the Castle They also made themselves masters of the Swinger which is a great space of Ground in form of a Retreating Place between the Wall and the Houses But this place being commanded by the higher Walls from which the Enemy did much endamage our men with their Granadoes Stones and Bombs his Electoral Highness caused those that had the possession of it to retire thinking it sufficient to secure their Lodgments upon the Roundel and the Wall of the Castle with a Line of Communication from the Gate of the Bridge to the Swinger-Gate to the end they might have the Bridge in their own power to which purpose they also raised transverse Lines and two Redoubts His Electoral Highness shewed himself all the while on the first Posts encouraging his men with his presence All the Generals signalized their Courage by striving to outvie one another as did also the Officers Volunteers and Soldiers who fought with all the bravery that could be expected from men of Courage The Turks who defended the Castle and Swinger were for the most part kill'd and wounded only some few that saved themselves by flight There were found eight pieces of Cannon and two Mortar Pieces which were made use of to batter the second Wall or the Enemies Parapet within the City In this Assault of the Bavurians were killed two Lieutenants of the Regiment of Baden and five Captains one Lieutenant and three Ensigns wounded Of the Regiment of Beck the Baron of Welsbergh Lieutenant Collonel five Captains three Lieutenants and five Ensigns wounded Of the Regiment of Aspremont the Collonel Lieutenant Collonel Count Nicholas Palfi Serjeant Major Count Zacco seven Captains five Lieutenants and two Ensigns wounded and one Ensign killed Of the Regiment of Furstenbergh one Captain one Lieutenant and one Ensign wounded In the Elector's Regiment of Guards one Captain killed the Serjeant-Major one Captain and three Lieutenants wounded In the Regiment of Steinau the Serjeant-Major and one Lieutenant slain one Captain two Lieutenants and one Ensign wounded In the Regiment of Rummel one Captain and one Lieutenant killed three Captains and one Ensign wounded In the Regiment of Seibolstorfe the Serjeant Major slain one Captain and two Lieutenants wounded In the Regiment of Gallenfels the Lieutenant Collonel killed two Captains and one Lieutenant wounded The Generals La Vergne Rummel and Asprement are in the number of the wounded as also the Duke of Escalona a Grandee of Spain and some other Volunteers of note In all what with Officers what with common Soldiers One hundred and seventeen killed and Nine hundred seventy two wounded In the Saxon Regiments there was one Lieutenant Collonel and some Inferiour Officers killed one Lieutenant Collonel two Serjeant-Majors two Captains one Captain Lieutenant three Ensigns two Serjeants and two Corporals wounded which together with the common Soldiers made up seventy slain and One hundred ninety nine wounded So that the number of the slain and wounded in all the three Attacks during this vigorous onset somewhat exceeds three thousand The 28. There was nothing done in all the three Attacks their time being spent in burying the dead and securing their Lodgments upon the breaches The Duke of Lorrain also caused three Mines to be opened under the second Wall in three several parts which was also done in the Bavarian and Brandenburghers Attack The 29. About seven in the morning three Mines were sprung under the second Wall with such success that they made a notable breach in it and filled up one part of the Trench The Bavarians also advanced on the right hand of the Roundel and made themselves Masters of two Mortar Pieces which they turn'd upon the besieged The same day the great Cannon were planted nearer to the Town with a resolution to batter the inside of the City with a hundred Pieces of Cannon and forty Mortar Pieces if the Turks persisted in their Obstinacy who nevertheless went on with their Ditches and Intrenchments behind the Wall with great
diligence And now the Duke of Lorrain finding that almost all the Generals of the Foot were wounded and not in a condition to do Service ordered for the future that two Generals of the Cavalry should do Duty in the Approaches viz. the Count of Stirum and the Count of Lodron Whereupon the former mounted the Trenches this evening with Lieutenant General Souches and was Relieved the next day by the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order and the Count of Lodron The 30. A Battery of three Demi-Cannons and another of four Mortar Pieces were finished upon the Curtin and great diligence was used to perfect several Mines to the end they might be ready for springing the next day Certain Rascians having made their escape out of the Town reported That though the besieged had resolved to defend themselves to the last yet that they began to falter in their Resolutions and to cry out That it was but reasonable to prevent the farther effusion of blood Upon which a Council of War was held and after a short Consultation the Duke of Lorrain sent a second Summons to the Governour to Surrender while there was yet a Door of Mercy open and that he might do it upon honourable Terms which if he refused he would not be answerable for the blood that should be spilt if the Place should be carried by Assault for that the Soldiers would spare neither Age nor Sex Abdi Bassa kindly received his Highness's Letter and desired a day to consult with the Officers of his Garrison which was granted him and so there was a suspension of Arms. The Deserters that left the Town in great numbers assured us that in the last Assault meerly in the Bavarian Attack the Turks had three hundred men kill'd and seven hundred wounded We had Intelligence this evening that four thousand Turkish Horse were seen four Leagues from the Camp being sent to discover the Condition of the Place but that being afraid of being surpriz'd they retreated as suddainly The 31. About nine of the clock in the morning the Count of Lamberg Adjutant General was commanded by the Duke of Lorrain to go with an Interpreter and receive the Governour 's Answer which was to this effect That he neither could nor would so easily surrender the City which was the Key of the Ottoman Empire but that if he would make a general Peace they would surrender into our hands some other Town equivalen In the afternoon the Enemy desired a Cessation of Arms in the Bavarian Attack and sent two Aga's in Hostage to his Electoral Highness who sent in their place the Baron of Creux Lieutenant Colonel of the Regiment of Baden with an Interpreter The Turks received him with great Ceremony and all the Civilities imaginable However he was not conducted to the Basha but into another House the Streets as he passed along being lined with Soldiers in Arms and in very good order though not many in number So soon as he came into the House he was presented with Rice a roasted Pullet and little Pasties with Coffee and Wine The Basha Governour sent his Excuse That he could not speak with him as yet until he had consulted the other Captains of the Garrison what Propositions to make him In which Interval several Turkish Officers came to visit the Baron Half an hour after the Governour sent word That he would take it for a kindness if he would be pleased to come over to his House which the Baron agreed to and went accompanied with a great number of Turks of which the two chiefest took him under the Arm and so led him before the Basha who was in a Lodging of Wood over against his House very well adorned and spread with rich Tapestries at which time having caused a Seat to be set for the Baron he told him That he look'd upon himself to be very unfortunate to be in such a Place which had been several times besieged without success and now happened to be so long abandoned without Relief On the other side that he was so earnestly prest by the Emperour's Son-in-Law and the Grand Vizier that he wished he were able to give his Resolution touching the Surrender of the Place but that being an Affair of great Importance and as much as his Life was worth it was impossible for him to resolve upon Surrender adding withal That if they would require any other Place in Hungary it should be delivered into the Emperour's hands To which the Baron answered That he had no Commission to discourse of Conditions but to know of the Basha himself whether he would surrender or no That it behov'd him to consider that our men were already Masters of the City That it would be too late to Capitulate if he stay'd till another Assault when it would not be in the power of the Generals to repress the fury of the Soldiers nor to prevent this Siege from being no less Tragical than that of Newhausel To which the Basha made no other Answer but only shrugged up his shoulders remaining mute like one that had been Thunder-strook But as the Baron was going about to depart he desird him to go along with him into his Cabinet whither having called the Musti and three other Turks of the most considerable Quality he declared to him moreover That he could not by any means do the Grand Signior so great a prejudice as to surrender a Place upon which depended two hundred Leagues of Country and which was the Key of Turky and then offered again any other City of Hungary with its Appendances and Dependencies yet at length protesting farther That if he would give him any Assurances of a general Peace with the Port that he would then resolve to surrender the City of Buda But the Baron who had no Commission to treat took leave of the Basha only telling him That he would communicate both to the Elector and the Duke of Lorrain the Declaration which he had made but that he could not assure him that things would be so concluded The Basha desired him to publish his Declaration through the Camp in writing and desired to be reconducted to the place where he was first meâ— which was done with a great deal of Ceremony being accompanied by several of the Turkish Officers to the Gate But it was Imposible either for the Baron or the Interpreter to express the waste which our Bombs have made in the City where they have ruined the greatest part of the Buildings The Truce therefore that had been observed during this Inter-parley was broken off yesterday in the evening at what time the great Guns began again to play with greater fury than before This day about Noon the Besieged sprang a small Counter-Mine to ruin our Mine made under their Battery opposite to the great Roundel but without any Execution Two days after we sprang two of our Mines which were made to fill up the Trenches which succeeded very well but in the afternoon Count Starenbergh
looking out between two Gabions was unfortunately wounded with a Musquet-shot in his right Thumb the Cheek and Shoulder but not dangerously however he presently caused his Thumb to be cut off because the Bone was broken About twenty or thirty were this day wounded in the Lorrain and Brandenburghers Attack August 1. A Battery was finished upon the Roundel upon which were planted two pieces of Cannon In the Morning was sprung the third Mine near the said Roundel but tho' it succeeded well yet there was no other Attempt made because the Trench was not sufficiently fill'd whereupon a Resolution was taken to fill it up with Faggots sacks of Earth and such like Materials Our Miners Yesterday smelt such a noysom Stench in one of their Mines that they were scarce able to abide at their Work till they had remov'd two Bodys that were half dead About Noon we received intelligence that seven thousand Turks were posted at Sexaritwan thirteen Leagues from Buda and that the Grand Vizier had begun to pass the Bridg of Esseck with an Army which he had form'd out of the Garisons of Hungary and places adjoyning and other Campanies got together by force among which were seven thousand men drawn out of Bossina and that of eight thousand Janisaries which the Grand Vizier had brought from the middle of Turkie three thousand had deserted him in his March that nevertheless he hoped to be at the Head of fifty thousand men for the Relief of Buda General Dunewald return'd this Evening with the Regiments of Horse with which he had been scouting toward the Bridge of Esseck to â—ain Intelligence of the Enemy The Generals Caraffa and He 〈◊〉 arrived also from Zolnock after two days March with five thousand Horse and some Hungarian Companies The next day Count Budiani arrived with two thousand Hâ—ngarians and the Duke of Lorrain sent express Orders to General Scherffenbergh to joyn him with his Body of ten thousand Men. About this time his most serene Highness the Duke of Lorrain had had some two or three Fits of an Ague However he failed not to appear every day in the Trenches and to give all necessary Orders for the carrying on the Siege To which purpose great Preparations were made for a second Onset upon the second Wall This Morning the Bavarians beat down a great part of the Wall with their Cannon and by the springing of a Mine and made themselves Masters of the second Swinger where they also seized upon the Cannons and Mortar Pieces of the Enemy which they turned upon the City August 2. They continued filling up the Trench and every thing was ready for an Assault which was delay'd by reason of the continual Rains that fell Upon repeated Advice of the Approach of the Grand Vizier who as our Scouts assured us had pass'd the Bridge of Esseck all necessary Preparations were made to receive the Enemy in case they attempted to relieve the Town August 3. A Deserter who affirm'd himself to be a Domestic Servant to one of the most considerable Officers in the City surrendered himself and declared that the Besieged had a Mine ready to spring in the Brandenburghers Attack and had begun a second That they impatiently expected Relief And that of all those whom the Bassa had sent abroad not one was returned into the City which very much perplexed him and that the number of serviceable Soldiers still exceeded two thousand besides the Inhabitants The Miners could not finish the grand Mine by reason of a Rock which they met with But upon the Breaches certain little Banks were made to the end the Soldiers might fire with greater Advantage upon the Besieged during the Assault which was ordered after the following manner About Noon the Trenches were reliev'd and they that were relieved were to serve as a Reserve The first Attack was on the right Hand of the Roundel to which were appointed fifty Granadeers under a Captain a Lieutenant and a Serjeant followed by twenty men that carryed great store of Granado's They were followed by fifty Fuseleers under a Captain a Lieutenant and a Serjeant and after them march'd fifty men with Hatchets The same Order was observed by the Brandenburghers on the left Hand To the third Attack of the midle Curtain the Hungarians were assign'd preceded by thirty Germans and followed by sixty with necessary Officers The Onset began between five and six in the Evening in the Presence of all the Generals the grand Master of the Teutonic Order commanding the Trench They forbore to make any false Attack because the Mine had not done that Execution that was expected But the Duke of Lorrain being informed by an Adjutant that the Elector of Bavaria had absolutely begun the Assault commanded that the false Attack should be chang'd into a formal Onset The Combat lasted two hours in which three hundred Horsemen that serv'd on foot behav'd themselves with great valour as did also the Hungarians But the Breach being hard to mount the besieged well defended with Palisadoes and fighting like men in despair the Duke of Lorrain would not hazard more men to maintain the inner Breach where our men had lodged themselves already and therefore sounded a Retreat contenting himself with making a Lodgment on the right hand of the Roundel of the Angle where forty men entrenched themselves forthwith We had few men kill'd by the Enemies firing but about two hundred wounded with Stones and Arrows which flew like Hail about the Assailants Ears Count Leopold of Herberstein Lieutenant Colonel to Souches was dangerously wounded the Sieur Bischopshausen Serjeant-Major in the Regiments of Suabia carrying his Arm in a Scarf by reason of a former wound was again wounded in the hand Nor were the Bavarians in their Attack less pester'd with Stones and Arrows and the Splinters of Bombs which the Enemy rowl'd down upon the Planks out of the windows of the Castle though to little purpose so that the loss on that side was not very considerable The Prince of Savoy was wounded in the hand with an Arrow together with three Captains some inferiour Officers seven or eight Volunteers and ninety Soldiers killed and wounded Prince Lewis of Baden going in the morning to visit the Approaches received a Musquet-shot which burnt his Justocore and very much bruised his Breast but the strength of his Armour preserved him from death August the 4th They fired with a redoubled Force from all three Attacks to enlarge the Breaches and ruin the Enemies Defences The Line of Circumvallation was also finished and strengthned with several Redoubts and small Forts to flank their Works The Imperialists Bavarians and Brandenburghers were also ordered to possess themselves of all the higher Grounds where they might entrench to advantage The Heydukes were posted all along the inner Wall of the low Town and thus they continued their Attacks with the same vigour as before The Bavarians raised a Battery of nine Pieces of four and twenty pound Ball upon
the Roundel of the Castle with which they battered the Flanks and widen'd the Breach for in regard the Ground is very narrow the Enemy had the more advantage to dispute the Entrance of our Men. This day our Scouts brought Intelligence to the Duke of Lorrain that the Grand Vizier had actually passed the Bridge of Esseck and that he had twenty thousand fighting men about his Person which with the Forces that lay near Alba Regalis would make between forty and fifty thousand men for the most part Veteranes drawn out of the Garrisons of Cities and Fortresses in whose room he had put his new Levies and forc'd Men. We had also Intelligence the same day that the Basha of Agria having drawn together about a thousand Turks out of the Garrisons of Vpper Hungary was come to Hatwan where he had commanded a great number of Waggons to be laden with Ferry-boats to be carried to the Danaw by the means of which he designed to put in a Reinforcement into Buda at the same time that the Vizier assail'd our Lines on the other side Upon which Intelligence all precautions imaginable were used to prevent the Designs of the Enemy and secure the River on Pest side The 5th of August in the Lorrain Attack they carried on their Approaches of the great Roundel toward the second Wall where they had lodged themselves after the last Assault The Miners were also set to work under the grand Roundel on the right hand of the Breach to enable us to attack the Enemy in Flank and in two other parts on the left hand under the Curtin to blow up the Entrenchments of the Besieged behind the Breach The same day they began to build a Gallery to give a Passage to the inner Trench and the better to secure the Attack Palisadoes were fixed to the Flanks of our Works This night the Besieged did nothing but throw Bombs Granadoes and Stones to disturb our Workmen but all the hurt they did was the killing of three Heydukes and wounding six or seven other Soldiers In the Afternoon one of their Bombs lighted upon a Barrel of Powder upon one of the Batteries which kill'd five and wounded three of our Men. The sixth of August A new Battery of two Demy Cannons was raised in the Lorrain Attack behind the great Roundel by means of which the Defence of the little Roundel was ruined which had done us great Mischief They also continued filling up the inner Trench with Bavins Barrels Sacks of Earth and the like The Bavarians and Brandenburghers vigurously continued their Approaches but nothing else considerable passed this day Aug. 7. Last Night we had several false Alarums as if the Turks had been at hand to attempt the Relief of the Town which caused us to labor hard in deepning the Trenches round about the Lines and fortifying the Posts to discourage the Enemy from any design to force our Camp The Miners also were hard at work to get the Mines ready within the next three or four days The Heydukes undertook in twenty four hours time to fill up the Trench of the second Wall for a Reward of four thousand Florins which was promised them by the Generals And now the Breach in the second Wall was very much enlarged which made the Generals resolve upon a second Assault so soon as the Mines should be ready In the Bavarian Attack they met with great Difficulty to make themselves Masters of the Castle by reason of the several Walls and Defences which they had to force and the obstinate Opposition of the Besieged which made the Elector resolve to redouble his Cannon Batteries And indeed they did nothing else but batter the Castle with several Batterles which play'd upon the Flanks and Curtins that it could not be expected they should stand long This day his Electoral Highness having sent abroad a Party of thirty Hussars to gain Intelligence of the Enemy they met an equal Party of the Turks whom they pursued for two whole Hours together but the Enemy was so swift of Heel that they could only kill one and take four Prisoners whom they brought to the Camp Among these Prisoners there was an Aga that four Years ago had been releas'd out of Raab for a Ransom of eight thousand Crowns These Prisoners declared that the Seralquier would be at Alba Regalis with twenty six thousand Horse and would be followed by the Grand Vizier who was randevouzing his Army near the bridg of Esseck which would not be inferior to that which we brought last year to the Siege of Gran. They added likewise that the Serasquier had Orders not to engage in a Battle with the Christians for fear of losing the City of Buda and the Army both at once only that he should endeavor to put in a Reinforcement of Men into the Town upon peril of his Life August 8. In the Morning four thousand Turks and Tartars Horse shew'd themselves upon a high rising Ground just against the Bavarian Quarter and then retreated after some slight Skirmishes with Count Budiani's Hussars reinforced with some Commanded Troops and Volunteers The Prisoners then taken deposed that the Serasquier lay encamped under the Cannon of Alba Regalis with twenty thousand fighting Men where he expected the Grand Vizier with the Body of the Army But by the Relations of our Spies and Courriers we were inform'd that the Grand Vizier wavered whether he should pass any farther with the whole Army or whether he should stay at the Bridge of Esseck with the greatest part of his Forces to make head against the Croats who might ruin the Bridge if he forsook it and by that means cut off his Retreat However it were to prevent the worst we continued fortifying our Camp and playing with our Cannon and Mortar Pieces against the City August 9. Some thousands of Turks posted themselves some Leagues from our Camp in a very advantageous place as if they intended to make some Attempt but we were every way provided for their Coming Besides that the Souldiers were very Couragious and wished for nothing so much as to come to Blows with the Enemy However because the Enemy gave us such frequent Alarums the Duke of Lorrain ordered that all the Foot that was not in the Approaches should be disposed of within the Lines and particularly in the Spurs of the Fortification This Morning a Bomb from the Besieged unfortunately lighting upon a Reserve of our Granado's set fire to it and killed three and wounded thirteen of our Men. This Evening some of the Turks shewed themselves again upon the right Hand behind the Bavarian Camp Toward which two Squadrons of the Enemy advanced to outbrave our Men but some of our Volunteers sallying forth with a Resolution to encounter them they retreated with the loss only of one Man slain August 10. They wrought hard to finish the third Mine in the Lorrain Attack the other two Mines being now ready to play His Highness caused the
soon as General Scherffenbergh should arrive in the Camp with his Body of men out of Transilvania where he had garrison'd some Castles that the Duke would attack the Grand Vizier in his Camp who by the Report of all the Prisoners and Deserters was not above six and forty thousand men of which the one half were forc'd and undisciplin'd Men. In the mean time he was very vigilant to send out considerable Parties to observe the Motion of the Enemy who every foot meeting with the Turks gain'd every day some remarkable Advantage over ' em The 20th The Grand Vizier desirous once more to try to put Relief into Buda resolved to attempt with a lesser Body than before that he might not be so easily discovered and might approach our Camp before we had notice of it To this purpose he made choice of the stoutest Officers of his Army who promised to obey his Commands or perish in the Attempt These Men set forward in the Night time with two thousand Spahi's and an equal number of Janiseries for the more speed And this morning by break of day they appeared in St. Paul's Valley Where having put themselves in order without being perceived they came thundring upon our Out-Guards with loud Cries and terrible Yelling and having easily forc'd them fell upon two Squadrons of Caprara's and Heusler's Cavalrie who received 'em briskly and gave opportunity to others to come to their Assistance and repel the Barbarians who fled as fast as their Horses Heels could carry them The Janisaries also some of whom were already alighted with an Intention to break through our Lines and get into the City were very coursely entertain'd being pursu'd by General Heusler to the very Gate and met by the Bavarian Horse-Guard who came running in upon the Alarum so that the Slaughter of the Enemy was very great and very few had the good Luck to enter the City For tho' some will have them to be a hundred and fifty hardly a hundred had that good Fortune which it was easy to judg by the Horses that were quitted which exceeded not the same number and besides a good part of them were wounded too by the Musket shot of our Souldiers in the Approaches by which there was a necessity for 'em to pass And indeed had the Out-Guards done their Duty not a Turk had passed our Lines The Enemy had above four hundred slain and of our Men there were about fifteen slain and twenty seven wounded General Heusler who behaved himself with an extraordinary Gallantry received a Wound in the Foot but not dangerous but General Maigret was very much cut and mangled with a Scirnitar The Marquess Santini Knight of Malta and Captain in Salleburgh's Regiment was taken Prisoner in the first Onset And now the Besieged to testify their Joy for the Relief they had received hung out three red Colours in sign of Victory and fir'd three Rounds of all their great and small Shot During the Combat some Squadrons of Horse of the Grand Vizier's Army who had followed the rest to second them if Occasion were shew'd themselves in Battel Array to the Bavarian Attack making a shew as if they intended to try their Fortune on that side but they retired without enterprizing any thing But at ten a Clock at Night they returned again to the same place where they had attempted to break through in the Morning but were repulsed by our Men and retired in Confusion Within the Lines the Bavarians raised a new Battery of four pieces of Cannon in their Attack and the Besieged planted a whole Cannon upon the high Wall of the Castle with which they battered all the Covert way as also the Bavarian Battery upon the great Roundel The 21st This Morning a Redoubt was raised in that part which the Turks forced the day before planted with two pieces of Cannon and strengthened with a sufficient Force to defend the Passage Another Redoubt was also raised upon the Hill upon the left hand where Lodron's Regiment encamped This day the Besieged fired some Rounds of great Guns in token of Joy tho' we could not guess the reason unless it were for the Celebration of some Festival This day also the Sieur Rummel General of the Bavarian Forces being in the Approaches was killed with a Musket Shot He was very much lamented as being an Officer who all along had given most signal Proofs of his martial Valor and fought distinguished upon all Occasions where he might win Honour The 22d This Morning the Elector caused an Assault to be given to the great Tower which is in the middle of the Castle and which our Artillery had for the most part ruin'd and made himself Master of it after an hours Dispute which cost us the loss of seventy three men and as many wounded among whom was Duke Henry of Saxon-Mersbergh During this Assault there was a false Alarum given in the Lorrain Attack to divert the Enemy and the great Guns fired with great Fury upon the Defences which the Enemy had raised upon the Breaches of the inner Wall This Evening about ten a Clock a Turk was apprehended who having got out of the Town by swimming the River travelled all along the Banks of the Danaw and was got as far as St. Margetts Island where being perceived he threw his Letters into the River but nevertheless confessed that he was dispatched by the Governor to inform the Grand Vizier of the Condition of the Place and to press Relief Adding withal that there was another got out upon the same Errand The 23d The Besieged made an Attempt to recover the great Tower of the Castle which the Elector's Forces had won the day before but they were repulsed and pursued to their Intrenchments In the Lorrain Attack four pieces of Cannon were planted upon the old great Battery with which they began to batter the new Palisadoes upon the Breach of the inner Wall Last night the Besieged made a Salley upon the Saxons Quarter but were so smartly received and repulsed by Lieutenant Colonel Pletze who was upon the Guard with a hundred Horse that they had much ado to regain their second Wall where this Officer was slain with two Musquet-shots the one in his side and the other in his head The 24th This morning the Turks shewed themselves in two distinct Bodies one upon the Lorrain and the other next the Bavarian Quarters but without making any attempt they Retreated about Noon to their Camp which they had removed about a League nearer to ours than it was before This day a Deserter assured us that the Besieged began to talk with a great deal of liberty against the Governour who nevertheless endeavoured all he could to retain them in their Duty assuring them that the Grand Vizier daily expected in his Camp one of the chief Ministers at the Port called Michtakis with full power from the Grand Signior to treat and conclude a Peace with the Generals of the Christian
where they were all cut to pieces except 4. who were so fortunate as to get into the Town We reckoned above 600. Turks that were slain in this Action besides the Prisoners which are not very many There were also taken 25. Colors of Horse and Foot all Red to signifie that they would either enter the Town or dye On our side there were not above 30. slain and wounded among which latter was General Mercy having receiv'd two Cuts with a Scimitar one in the Head and the other in the Shoulder tho' nothing dangerous but his Adjutant-General was slain During the heat of this Action the Besieged made a Sally upon the Bavarian Attack but the Heydukes assailing 'em in Flanck they had much ado to retire with the loss of 17. killed upon the Place All this day the Grand Vizier shewed himself on the Bavarian Quarters ready to try the Fortune of a Battle but perceiving the Arrival of General Picolomini in our Camp with three Regiments of Cuirassiers and two of Dragoons being the Vanguard of General Scherffenbergh's Body he retreated in great hast to his Camp The 30th General Picolomini arriving yesterday with the Regiments of Saxon Lawenburgh Picolomini St. Croix Tettwin and Magni making in all 25. Squadrons was this day followed by Lieutenant-General Scherffenbergh with the rest of his Body composed of the Foot Regiments of Veterani Getz Sereni Spinola and Scherffenberg all lusty proper Men and well disciplin'd The Deserters also assur'd us that there was a great Scarcity in the Grand Vizier's Army and that the Souldiers half starved had pillaged certain Barks that brought Provisions for Buda their Officers not being able to prevent it The 31th In the Lorrain Attacque a new Post was taken in the Trench before the Breach of the Inner Wall which is not above three Fadom distance from the Palisado's of the Besieged and in regard the place was very deep the Turks could not annoy us so that we had not above two men wounded This Morning the Duke of Lorrain accompany'd with all the rest of the Generals went over to the Elector's Quarters where he held a Council of War and after Dinner the Duke return'd to his own Quarters where he order'd the Works to be enlarg'd and deepn'd that they might with less difficulty go on to the General Affault which was then intended within a day or two Sept. 1. The Turks shewed themselves before day by the light of the Moon near the Bavarian Attack to the number of 3000 Horse and Foot but perceiving our men to be in good order and ready to receive 'em they retired without making any attempt Yesterday the Grand Chancellor the Count de Straatman being arrived at the Camp with a private Commission from the Emperor he caused a Council of War to be call'd where were present the Duke of Lorrain the Elector of Bavaria and all the Generals both Imperialists and Auxiliaries The Chancellor then produced his Commission to this effect That his Imperial Majesty earnestly desiring an end of that bloody Siege they were to consult the most proper and expedient means to do it Thereupon two Points were proposed Whether to fight the Grand Vizier with the greatest part of the Army leaving a sufficient Force to guard the Lines or whether to give a general Assault to the Place with a greater Force than had yet been made use of to that purpose Which latter Proposal was concluded upon by the greatest part of the Generals and so a general Assault being concluded upon the next day all things were prepared in a readiness that the Blow might not fail and to keep the Enemy in ignorance a Rumor was spread abroad in the Camp That the next day the General intended to give the Grand Vizier Battel which caused great rejoycing among the Officers and Soldiers who desired nothing more than to signalize their Valour Nevertheless they forbore not to play all the day long from all the Batteries to widen the Breaches and beat down the Enemies Defences The 2d All the Generals got on Horseback and the Army was drawn up ready to quit the Lines and march to the grand Parade from thence to march toward the Grand Vizier The Duke of Lorrain and the Elector visited every Quarter encouraging the Officers and Soldiers valiantly to maintain the Cause of God and the Emperor's Honour In the mean time the Infantry rang'd themselves in their several Battalions the great Guns were fired with re-doubled Fury from all the three Attacks and an infinite number of Bombs and chain'd Shot were thundred against the Defences of the Besieged But when the Army was just ready to march toward the Grand Vizier of a suddain the whole order of the March was chang'd and about three a Clock in the afternoon the Rean-Guard was commanded to mount the Breaches all things being so provided before hand that without disturbing the Order of the Battalions they might fall on Which they did in three several Places viz. In the Lorrain Bavarian and Brandenburghers Attacks besides other false Attacks premeditated to divert the Enemy But notwithstanding all these Precautions to render the Assault more easie such was the obstinate Resistance that they had much ado to prevail They defended themselves above three quarters of an hour with their Halbards Half-pikes and Partisans and slung such an infinite quantity of Stones Arrows and Granadoes that they repulsed us vigorously more than once but at length our men encouraged by the Presence of their Generals returned to the Assault with greater Fury and made themselves Masters of the Breaches in all the three Attacks The Turks defended themselves retreating from Entrenchment to Entrenchment so that the slaughter was very bloody for our Soldiers having driven the Turks from their Defences entred the City by main force over-run the Streets put all to the Sword that encountred their Fury sparing neither Sex nor Age so that there was nothing else to be seen but the dead Bodies of the slain The Bavarians also pursued their Advantage and fell upon a thousand Turks who were retired to a little Fort at the Foot of the Castle where they defended themselves to the utmost till at length despairing of their Safety they hung out a white Flag and begg'd for Quarter Which considering their obstinacy and the slaughter they had made of our men the Duke and the Elector were at first unwilling to grant but recollecting afterwards that their number was great that they might do us more mischief that Night drew on that the Grand Vizier was at hand with a Formidable Army that the Soldiers were tired and wanted repose and that the City was on Fire in several places they resolv'd to give them their Lives of which when these miserable Creatures were assured they flung down their Arms and yielded at discretion There were about a thousand Turks more who being retired into Caves and Caverns obtained the same favour The number of the Barbarians that were
into Transilvania and kept the Town in his own Hands with a Resolution never to restore it notwithstanding his public Declaration to keep it only during the Minority of the Prince And to that intent he filled it with a strong Garrison of his own Men the choicest in his Army under the Command of a Beglerbeg or Vice Roy whose Authority extends over all the Basha's of Hungary Thus it was that this Royal City has been ever since in subjection to the Ottoman Empire The Marquess of Brandenburgh hadform'd a design upon Buda in the Year 1542. but having in vain assaulted the City of Pest which is separated from it only by the Danaw he retreated without making the least Attempt upon the Capital City So that this Expedition is not to be lookt upon as a Siege as some would erroneously have it to be Count Smarzenburgh besieg'd it in the Year 1598. but was constrain'd to raise his Siege after he had lain thirty days before it by reason of the continual Rains when the Year was too far spent In the Year 1602. General Roswourm lay before it with the Imperial Army and attacqu'd it in vain Nor was the fatal day for this Place languishingunder the Tyranny of the Turks yet come in the Year 1684. when the Duke of Lorrain first attacked it For God had ordain'd the 2d of Septemb. 1686. the day when it was taken by Solyman to be the day of his Triumph when it was again wrested from the Hands of the Barbarians after this same 7th Siege had been carried on with that Heat Constancy Prudence and Conduct of the Couragious D. of Lorrain assisted by the Elector of Bavaria no less eminent for all the forementioned Vertues and several other Generals of the Emperor and his Auxiliaries unanimously conspiring the Regaining of this Place that we have reason to hope for Conquests far more Glorious and more Considerable for the Advancement of the Cause of God Advancement of the Austrian Family and consolation of so great a number of Christian Souls as groan'd under the Tyrannous Yoak of Infidels and the Recovery of an infinite number of Barbarians into the Bosom of the true Church of God The Turks have heretofore experienced the Valour of Huniades and Scanderbergh who were the Scourges of those barbarous People They have trembled at the Courage and Conduct of the D. of Merceur to that degree that the Grand Signior threaten'd a Rupture with France if the King would not recall him out of the Emperor's Service They have been apprehensive of the Progress of the Valiant Count Serini and several other famous Captains every where attended by their good Fortune But much more Reason have they to be astonished at the Heroic Virtues of our undaunted and martial D. of Lorrain who seems to have been born for the Subversion of the Mahometan Law and with whom no Person living can dispute the Honour of being the greatest Captain of his Age and the Terror of the Musselmen who knows not what it is to lose a Battel and who may say with the Invincible Emperor Charles V. when he swam cross the Elb vanquish'd and took Prisoner Frederic D. of Saxony crying out Veni vidi Deus vicit For in all Encounters whereever he engaged during this Holy War he has miraculously triumphed o're his Enemies and born away the Victory He it was who during the Seige of Vienna surpriz'd and overcame near Presburgh the Rebellious Army of Perfidious Teckley Reinforced with a Body of Turks under the Command of Hussein-Basha He it was that defeated the Turks near Calenburgh and constrain'd the Grand Vizier dishonourably to raise his Siege from before Vienna He it was that vanquished the Enemy near Barkan and rescu'd the King of Poland and the Prince his Son when they were both in iminent Danger and the Polish Army in Confusion He it was that during the Siege of Buda three times defeated the Serasquier's Army Who during the Siege of Newhausel relieved the City of Gran and routed the Army of Zeitan Ibraim Bassa And lastly he it was who won this glorious Conquest while the Grand Vizier Solyman looked on with a potent Army of Barbarians twice or thrice beat his Succors and tho' at length he came up with all his Forces against our Lines gave a general Assault and by main Force carried this Important Place guarded still by above 5000. fighting Men So that it is deservedly said of him EXPVLIT EX BVDA TVRCAM He drave the Turk out of Buda The Conquests made in Turkie are the price of so many Victories and will doubtless be attended with many more by the assistance of the God of Battels who has hitherto favour'd and bless'd the victorious Arms of our thrice Illustrious Monarch under the Conduct of so great a Captain defcended from the Noble Stock of so many Illustrious Hero's and particularly from the warlike Conqueror of the Holy Land Godfrey of Bulloign whose steps he treads so gloriously that if the Christian Princes would but assist him with their Forces and act unanimously with him he might with ease regain the Kingdom of Jerusalem his ancient Patrimony which the Infidels wrested from his Ancestors Would it might please Divine Providence that now the time were come to humble the Ottoman Empire which according to the Prognostications of the Turks themselves has not long to subsist it being a Prediction currant among 'em That the City of Constantinople having been taken by one Mahomet will be re-taken by the Christians under the Raign of another Mahomet God grant that this may happen under Him at present who by the loss of Buda has lost the Key of all his Empire Nor will it be amiss to add in this place the following Epigram made by an ingenious Person upon this Subject Integra de Victis foret ut Victoria Turcis Littera Christicolis B capienda ter est Buda prius posthanc Belgradum Regia demum Maenia Bysanti caetera lusus erunt O're conquer'd Turks the Victory to compleat The Christians thrice must Letter B repeat First Buda Belgrade next the third Effort Bysantium's Walls the rest will be but Sport That is to say that before we can gain an absolute Triumph over the Turks and ruin their Empire the Christians must win the three Principal Cities of their Empire that begin with the Letter B Buda Belgrade and Bysantium the rest will come easily Buda which is the strongest of all these three places is already taken as you have heard and by the Recovery of this Important Place the Gate is open to Belgrade there being no Fortress upon the Danaw able to dispute our Approach and the advantage of that River will not a little contribute to facilitate an Enterprize of so great Importance to all Christendom Bysantium or Constantinople also might be easily attacked both by Sea and Land while the Naval Power of the most Serene Republick of Venice re-inforced with the Galleys of the Pope Malta Tuscany and others force the Dardanels and block it up by Sea The Polonian Army also crossing Bessarabia might march as far as the Pontus Euxinus and awe those Countries which for many Ages have not known what War is nor seen an Enemy For if a handful of Cossacks that inhabit the Rocks of Borysthenes during the late Wars of Poland have been so couragious as to affront with their small Barks the Grand Signior in his Seraglio and alarm Constantinople it self the Capital City of the Empire and to fire the very Suburbs what might not such formidable Armies of so many Christian Princes be able to do encouraged by so many remarkable Victories which they have obtained over their Enemies and the famous Conquests they have won under the Conduct of such Renowned Captains who know nothing else but how to Conquer especially at a time when the King of Persia and the Grand Duke of Muscovy are preparing to make most powerful Diversions in favour of the Christians TIBI DEVS EXERCITVVM GLORIA SIR AEVITERNA To thee O God of Battel be Eternal Glory FINIS