Constantinople was with this his outragious dealing much offended and thereupon calling unto him his Bassaes and faithful Counsellers declared unto them the unnatural proceedings of Mahomet against his Brother Isa. Wherein said he he doth me also great wrong in taking upon him the Soveraignty over those great Dominions and Countries in Asia which of right belong to me his elder Brother and not to him the youngest of six In revenge of which Injury and Wrong I intend in mine own Right to pass over into Asia with a strong Army and by force of Arms to recover mine Inheritance there if I may not otherwise come by it Unto which Speech one of his grave Counsellors replied That in his opinion it was not the best course for himself to go in Person into those Wars For although said he your Brother Mahomet be but young and therâ—fâ—re by your greatness less accounted of yet is his Fâ—rtune great and his experience above his years None have yet had to do with him but they have had enough of him yea it is worth the noting how politickly he hath born himself for his own safety and the safeguard of the Countries which he governed all the while that the great and mighty Tamerlane with his innumerable Forces covered the face of the Countries fast by him most part whereof Mahomet hath now since his departure again recovered Wherefore it were best for you to send for your angry Brother Isa to Constantinople and to make him General of the Army you intend to send into Asia against Mahomet In which Wars it is not unlike but that one of your Brethren will be lost whereby you shall have one Competitor of your Kingdom the less So shall you afterwards with less trouble subdue him that is left or at leastwise please him with some part of that which they have so mightily striven for This Counsel was of Solyman and all the rest well liked of and approved So was Isa presently sent for unto Constantinople and a great Army levied Who being come to Hadrianople was by Solyman courteously welcomed and made General of his Army and therewith shipped over the Strait of Hellespontus into Asia Where at his first coming he possessed the whole Countrey of Carasia or Lydia and passing further in all places where he came was received of the people with great Reverence they all promising him their Obedience if it were his fortune to prevail against his younger Brother Mahomet wherewith he held himself well contented So coming to the City of Beg-Bazer otherwise called Despotopolis he there wintered with his Army In which time he with many kind and loving Letters still directed to Mahomet as his younger Brother seemed to be glad that he was so well obeyed and liked of by his Subjects and that presuming of his Love and Favour he was as his loving Brother and not as an Enemy come into Asia to intreat with him of such matters as much concerned the good of them both Whereunto Mahomet with like dissimulation answered That he was right glad of his coming for which he needed not as he said to make any excuse for that he was entred into a Kingdom in part his own and the rest open before him in token whereof he commanded a rich Garment to be cast upon the Messenger as a favour sending also divers rich Presents unto his Brother with great Provision of Victuals and other necessaries for his Souldiers But Winter past and the Spring come Isa marched with his Army to Prusa and there shewed unto the Citizens the loving Letters he had at sundry times before received from Mahomet and telling them that he was in good hope that they should in short time right well agree requested to have the Castle deliverd unto him sometime their Soveraign whereinto the better sort of the Citizens had retired themselves and made fast the Gates against him but when he saw that he could by no fair words or policy gain the possession of the Castle enraged with that repulse he set fire upon that goodly City and burnt it down to the ground Mahomet not ignorant how his Brother Isa roamed up and down his Kingdom using all kindness to such as yielded unto him and exercising no less cruelty upon such as refused his Obedience and how that he had rased the Royal City of Prusa having gathered a strong Army marched in ten days from Amasia to Prusa and by the way meeting with his Brother Isa in a great battel overthrew him with all his Forces Isa himself accompanied with no more but ten persons fled unto Castamona Prince Isfendiar his City who hearing of his arrival there entertained him with all the Honor he could in recompence of the great Friendship he had before found at his hands at what time he was an humble Suiter in his Father Bajazet his Court. Mahomet coming to Prusa grieved exceedingly to see that fair City so destroyed yet to comfort the poor Citizens he gave exceeding Sums of Money to be bestowed amongst them and took order for the new building of the City and there continued certain days himself to see the Work begun Isa in the mean time having incited the Prince Isfendiar in his quarrel to invade his Brother Mahomet and going thither himself in Person was by him now the third time overthrown and put to flight Nevertheless he with some small Forces twice afterwards entred into Mahomets Dominion but finding few or none willing to follow his evil Fortune was glad at last to fly to the Prince of Smyrna by whom he was both honourably entertained and comforted This Prince of Smyrna moved with Isa his pitiful Complaints in so manifest a wrong did not only promise him what help he could of himself but also by his Embassadors solicited the Princes of Aidinia Saruchania and Mentesia to give him Aid in so just a quarrel for the relief of Isa against his usurping Brother These Princes pitying the case of the distressed Prince and moved with the Request of the Prince of Smyrna and fearing also the ambitious spirit of Mahomet amongst them sent such Aid that being all assembled together Isa had now twenty thousand men in Arms. Mahomet understanding of this great Preparation made against him and having raised a strong Army thought it not best to expect his Brothers coming into his Country where perhaps many might joyn themselves unto him being so strong in the field but entred the Prince of Smyrna his Country with such speed that he was upon him and the rest of his Enemies before he was looked for where after a great and bloody Fight he obtained of them a notable Victory Isa having lost the battel and therewith his hope also fled into Caramania and there in such obscurity ended his days that no man can tell where nor how he died This was the end of this noble Prince always of greater courage than fortune The Prince of Smyrna the chief Author of this
especially in the newness of his Kingdom Neither did Touarres refuse the same as standing with his present profit for upon this agreement Amida was to give him certain Mony to pay his Souldiers and to deliver him the Prisoners he had taken with the Ensigns and Body of Lofredius For more assurance whereof he gave Sehites his Son then nine years old in Hostage yet upon condition that if an assured Peace could not be agreed upon but that they must needs enter into War then Touarres should forthwith restore him his Son Sehites in safety These Capitulations although they seemed not unreasonable and were of them well liked yet Touarres thought it not altogether agreeing with the honour of the Emperor that he should enjoy the Kingdom who by most horrible Treason and detestable Villany had thrust himself thereinto without the Emperors leave Wherefore he entred into a new device to call in the rightful Heir who might at the Emperors pleasure offended with the injury done by Amida reign in Tunes There was an exile amongst the Numidians one Abdamelech ever since the time that Roscetes fled to Barbarussa Him because he was Muleasses natural Brother Touarres sent for putting him in hope of the Kingdom supported by Anemseha a great Prince amongst the Numidians who had all that long time courteously entertained him Neither was Abdamelech slow to accept the occasion presented especially incouraged thereunto by the Numidian Prince his good Friend and the predictions of the Astrologers who had foretold him That he should die King of Tunes Which vain kind of Divination having in it no manner of assurance yet causeth great minds oftentimes to undertake great attempts beyond reason which falling out with more hap than they were with reason foretold giveth some credit to that Vanity and causeth those cold Prophets to be of some accounted as great Wizards And to work this feat such a time was offered as a better could not be wished for Amida having set all things in order as he pleased in the City and casting no peril was gone to Biserta to take order for his Customs which was there great upon Fishing Wherefore Touarres to keep his promise sent back Sehites Amida's Son in a Boat to Tunes and received Abdamelech who travelling most part by night was secretly come to Guletta and there resting himself and his Horses a few hours to prevent the fame of his coming posted in haste with a Troop of his Numidian Followers to Tunes and passing through the City went directly to the Castle which he entred without resistance of the Warders supposing him to have been Amida come from Biserta for Abdamelech had after the manner of the Moors covered his Face with a Skarf as if it had been to have kept him from the Sun and the Dust and by that happy slight got into the Castle before it was known who he was The Warders perceiving their error began as Men amazed now too late to betake themselves to their Weapons for in making resistance they were quickly slain by the Numidians which came in with Abdamelech who thus possessed of the Castle the chief strength of that Kingdom let in his Friends which were many in the City by whom he was presently saluted King the rest of the Citizens either well liking of the matter or at least not daring for fear to stir But as in these worldly things for which Men so vainly toil is no assurance so this new King shortly after fell sick and died when he had reigned but six and twenty days and was afterwards Royally interred After whose death his mighty Friends with the chief of the Citizens perswaded and encouraged by Touarres the Spaniard chose Mahometes his Son a Child scarce twelve years old to reign in his Fathers place appointing Abdalages Maniphet Brother to him who Amida slew Abdelchirinus Mesuar Shyriffus a great Man in the Mahometan Superstition and Perellus a Christian Knight to be his Directors and Governors which four swaied all at their pleasure But Abdelchirinus tendring the Welfare of his Country and devising out of season how to set up one of the Royal Blood that were of himself able to govern the Kingdom saying That it was not for the common good to be ruled by a Child was for his labour by his other three Fellows suddainly slain with all his Kindred and known Friends After whose death the other three erected a manner of Triumvirat Government every one of them laying hand upon one part of the State or other as liked him best Amida thus shut out of Tunes and having lost his Kingdom wandred up and down to Leptis Cyrapolis and many other places craving Aid of every Man to recover his Kingdom miserably rent in sunder as he said by most wicked Men who insolently triumphed over the Boy King. Which they of Tunes knew well to be true and dayly complained of the death of Abdelchirinus whom they called the faithful Counsellor and Father of his Country Whilst Amida is thus trudging up and down craving help of this and that Prince proving his Friends and sounding his Subjects Affection towards him Muleasses grown miserable with his long imprisonment and the calamity of his disaster Fortune obtained of the young King his Nephew so much favour as that he might sometime go out of the Castle to the Church under colour whereof he took Sanctuary a place in Tunes holden in such reverence amongst the Moors as that it was a most inviolable Refuge to all such as fled thereunto Not long after at such time as Bernardinus Mendoza the Admiral of Spain came to Guletta with the Spanish Fleet Muleasses at the request of Touarres was conveyed out of the Sanctuary to the Lake and so by Water to Guletta there to be present at the Consultation there holden for the utter subversion of Amida and the driving out of the Turks out of such Cities as they yet held alongst the Sea-Coast in Africa Muleasses had hardly before escaped the hands of certain of his Enemies in Tunes who sought after his life preserved by an old Woman who moved with pity hid him from their fury under a great heap of Garlike and had he not now in good time escaped to Guletta he had again fallen into the hands of his merciless Son Amida who shortly after recovered again his Kingdom and would not as he said himself have spared him for the Reverence of any Sanctuary For the Citizens of Tunes weary of the evil Government of such as were in Authority about the young King and not a little offended with the King himself for espousing Melucca his Cousin one of Muleasses his Daughters secretly encouraged Amida by Letters to repair to the City promising to aid him in recovering his Kingdom Whereupon he came in such haste that the young King had scarce time to get out of the City and Amida entring without resistance and holpen by his Friends easily obtained again the Kingdom
ghost the two and twentieth day of August in the year 1131. whereof he reigned with much trouble thirteen years and was solemnly buried in the Temple upon Mount Calvary with the other two Kings Godfrey and Baldwin his Predecessors year 1131. The Kings Funeral ended the Princes of the Kingdom with one accord made choice of Fulk the old Count Earl of Anjou for their King who the 16 day of September was with all solemnity by William the Patriarch crowned in Ierusalem This man in the beginning of his Reign besides his troubles abroad was also vext with domestical and intestine discord Pontius Count of Tripolis seeking by force of Arms to have rent the Dukedom of Antioch from the Kingdom and Hugh Count of Ioppa for fear of due punishment for his Treason joyning himself with the Sarasins of Ascalon and so with them infesting the Territories of Ierusalem to the great hurt of the Christian State and advantage of the Infidels Which troublesome broyls were yet afterwards by the King partly by force partly by the mediation of the Patriarch and other Princes who seeing the danger thereof like to ensue had interposed themselves well again appeased Vengeance yet nevertheless still following both the aforesaid Traitors Pontius being shortly after slain by the Turks and Hugh dying in exile Besides these domestical troubles the Turks also invaded the Country about Antioch where they were by the sudden coming of the King overthrown with the loss of their Tents and exceeding great Riches And that nothing might be wanting unto the disquieting of the State of that new erected Kingdom not long after Iohn the Constantinopolitan Emperor together with the Empire Inheritor also of his Fathers malice against the proceeding of the Christians in Syria with a puissant Army passing through the lesser Asia and by the way taking by force Tarsus the Metropolitical City of Cilicia with the whole Province thereunto belonging came and besieged Antioch which Fulk but a little before had together with Constance the Daughter and Heir of the late Duke of Antioch given in marriage to Raymund Count of Poitou for that purpose sent out of France But in this so dangerous a state of that Christian Kingdom the other zealous Christian Princes interposed themselves as Mediators betwixt the Emperor pretending the same to belong unto his Empire and Raymund that was in possession thereof And in fine brought it to this end that Raymund for the present submitting himself unto the Emperor should from thenceforth hold his Dukedom of him as of his Lord and Sovereign upon which agreement the Emperor returned unto Tarsus where he wintered and so afterwards unto Constantinople Much about the same time Sanguin one of the Turks great Princes invading the Country about Tripolis besieged the Castle of Mont-Ferrand unto the relief whereof Fulk coming with his Army was by the Turks overthrown and for the safeguard of his life glad to take the refuge of the Castle the Count himself being in that battel taken Prisoner After which Victory the Turks laid harder Siege unto the Castle than before the besieged in the mean time being no less pinched within with Famine than pinched without by the Enemy In this the Kings hard distress the other Princes having raised the whole power of the Kingdom were coming to his relief whereof the Turk understanding offered of himself to give them all leave freely to depart and to set the Count at liberty so that they would deliver unto him the Castle of which his offer they gladly accepting yielded up the strong Hold and so departed The King by the way meeting with the Army thanked his Friends for their forwardness and so returned to Ierusalem About four years after Iohn the Constantinopolitan Emperor with a great Army came again into Syria with purpose to have united the famous City of Antioch unto his Empire and so to have made a way into the Kingdom of Ierusalem whereafter he had now a good while longed But coming thither in hope to have found the Cilicians and Syrians ready to have received him he was deceived of his expectation being shut out by the Latines and not suffered to enter but upon his Oath and that with some few of his followers and so after due reverence done unto him quietly to depart without any stir or innovation in the City In revenge of which disgrace at his departure he gave the Suburbs of the City as a prey to his greedy Souldiers pretending the same to be done for want of Victuals who made havock of whatsoever came to hand not sparing the very Fruit Trees but cutting them down to dress their meat withall Having thus under colour of necessity revenged the disgrace received he returned into Cilicia and there wintered where one day for his disport hunting of the wild Boar and having wounded him with his Boar-Spear the wild beast therewith enraged and with all his force bearing forward upon the weapon forced the Emperors hand backward upon the poynt of a poysoned Arrow that was hanging in a quiver at his back and so was therewith lightly wounded Nevertheless as light as the wound was such was the strength of the Poyson that the grief thereof still encreasing and his hand and Arm more and more swelling there was no remedie to be â—ound but that his Arm must be cut off which desperate and uncertain cure he abhorring in the extremity of his pain oftentimes pleasantly saying That the Greek Empire was not to be governed with one hand overcome with the strength of the Poyson died In whose place succeded his youngest Son Emanuel Alexius and Andronicus his two Elder Sons being both dead at his setting forth unto this so unhappy an expedition It fortuned about this time also that the Kingdom of Ierusalem being now at peace that Fulk the King with the Queen his Wife lying at the City of Ptolemais in the time of Autumn it pleased the Queen for her disport to walk out of the City unto certain pleasant Fountains there by in the Country for whose company the King would needs go also with certain of his Courtiers where by the way it chanced that certain Boys running along the field put up an Hare that was sitting in a furrow after which all the Courtiers on horseback galloped amain with notable outcry and hollowing Amongst the rest the King to be partaker of the Sport forcing his horse to the uttermost of his power in the midst of his course fell together with his horse foundring under him and in falling chanced to fall his head under the horse with whose weight and the hardness of his saddle he was so crushed that his Brains came out both at his nose and ears In this pitiful case being taken up for dead and with great heaviness being carried back he yet breathing lay speechless three days and so died the thirteenth of November in the year of Grace 1142. His dead body afterwards brought to Ierusalem was
was chief who together with Constantine were fast clapt into prison where we will leave them every hour looking to die their Lands and Goods being before confiscated But these worthy men especially Canstantine and Strategopulus thus laid fast who many times in great Battels discomfited the Turks and notably defended the frontiers of the Empire along the East side of the River Meander they now finding none to withstand them forraged not only all the rich Country beyond the River but with an infinite multitude passing the same did there great harm also so that there was no remedy but that the Emperor must of necessity make choice of some other worthy Captain for the defence of those his Cities and Countries by the Incursion of the Turks then in danger in that part of Asia There was then in the Emperors Court one Alexius Philanthropenus a right valiant and renowed Captain and then in the flower of his youth of him the Emperor thought good to make choice for defence of those Frontiers of his Empire in the lesser Asia against the Turks which were before the charge of his Brother Constantine and Strategopulus joyning to him one Libadarius an old famous Captain and a man of great experience also appointing unto him the Government of the Cities of Ionia and unto the other the Frontiers along the winding banks of Meander Where Alexius having now gotten a Charge worthy his valour and in many great Conflicts with the Turks still carrying away the Victory became in short time of great fame besides that he was exceeding bountiful and courteous unto all men a costly but a ready way unto dangerous Credit and Renown Thus at the first all things prospered in his hand according to his hearts desire yea the Turks themselves bordering upon him hardly beset on the one side by the Tartars and on the other by himself and yet not so much feared with their Enemies behind them as moved with his courtesie came over to him with their Wives and Children and served themselves many of them in his Camp But as they say That in Iupiters Court no man might drink of the Tun of Bliss but that he must taste also of the Tun of Woe so fell it out with this great Captain who having but tasted of the better Tun had the worse all poured full upon his head For Libadarius seeing all to prosper with him and somewhat envying thereat began to fear and suspect lest he proud of his good Fortune and now grown very strong casting off his allegiance should aspire unto the Empire and so first begin with him as the nearest unto him which thing many of the Nobility secretly surmised also but how truly many doubt But this envious Plot was not yet ripe but lay as fire raked up in the ashes Now there was with Alexius Philanthropenus certain Companies of Cretensians whom for their good Service and Fidelity he both honoured and trusted above others using them all for the Guard of his own Person These men proud of their Credit hearing of the surmised aspiring of their General and in hope by his advancement to raise their own Fortunes also ceased not continually to suggest unto him high conceits of himself and to perswade with all speed to take the matter upon him the very conceit whereof as they said would be unto him no less danger than if he should enter into the Action it self as he might well see by the woful Examples of the noble Constantine and Stratigopulus both in extream peril but for the jealous conceit surmised against them Which quick Suggestions wrought in his great mind divers and those most contrary motions so that he scarce knew himself what he would or would not For they which are unto themselves in conscience guilty of any grievous Crime if any mischief hang over their heads therefore it happeneth unto them as foreknowing and expecting the same even from the time that they offended unto whom if nothing else yet that same very foreknowledge easeth not a little the grief and misery whereas contrariwise they which are with sudden mischiefs and unlooked for overwhelmed not knowing any just cause why must needs stand as men dismaid and almost beside themselves But at length after divers great Conflicts with himself the evil Perswaders of Rebellion prevailed with him Yet did he at the first forbid any mention to be made of him in the Army as Emperor which caused the Cretensians the chief Authors of his Rebellion almost to force him forthwith to take upon him the Imperial Ornaments thereby to confirm the minds of his Followers and Favorites for that such Resolutions were as they said forthwith to be put into execution neither that any thing required so joynt celerity and dexterity both of the mind and the hand and for that longer delay would but fill his Souldiers heads with doubts and discourage them with the fear of the uncertainty of the event all which for all that moved him not so to do but whether for fear of the greatness of the danger or for that he secretly thought how first to circumvent Libadarius of whom he stood most in doubt is uncertain The report of all which his doings and designs were in short time carried first unto Libadarius as the nearest and so in Post unto the Emperor who were therewith not a little both disquieted And had Alexius as some perswaded him at the first set upon Libadarius then unprovided no doubt but he had done much but God by whom all Princes Reign and whose Power confoundeth the devices of the pâ—oud turned him from Libadarius by whom he was to be oppressed to follow after Theodorus the Emperors Brother of whom he was to have feared no harm This Theodorus the first man that Alexius shot at warned by his Brother Constantines harms lived a pleasant private life in Lydiâ— far from the ambition of the Court and therefore so much the more beloved of the Emperor but Alexius fearing lest in that hurle many should resort unto him as unto the Emperors Brother and so hinder his proceedings thought best first to make him sure and afterward to oppress Libadarius not aware that in stead of the body he followed but after the shadow But Libadarius as a man of great experience taking the benefit of this his oversight and knowing money to be the sinews of War gathered together all the Coin he possibly could both of his own and his friends sending also for the Emperors Treasures of Philadelphia and with all speed raised the greatest Power that possibly he could out of Ionia which he furnished with all things necessary promising unto his Souldiers great matters and filling them with greater hopes and that within ten days he would with a great Army meet the Rebel in the heart of Lydia and there dare him battel But withall considering that the Cretensians men but of a mercenary Faith had always the Guard of Alexius his Person he thought good to
War humbling himself to Mahomet obtained his Favour The other Confederate Princes which gave Aid to Isa were shortly after by Mahomet for most part spoiled of their Dominions Which done he returned with Victory to the building of Prusa hoping now to live more at quiet But whilst Mahomet after this Victory dreading no danger was in the midst of his Pleasures at Prusa he was certainly advertised That his Brother Solyman had raised a great Army in Europe to invade him in Asia Upon which advertisement he furnished the Castle of Prusa with a strong Garrison and all things needful for the induring of a long Siege and placed Iacup-Beg the Son of Firoses Captain therein and afterwards departed himself because that City lately before burnt by Isa was not as yet to be defended much less to be accounted of as a place to retire unto if need should so require From Prusa he came to Ancyra and from thence directed Commissions for the taking up of Souldiers in all parts of his Kingdom At which time he wrote Letters also to Doioran a Tartar Prince whom he had many times greatly pleasured for Aid who presently came unto him with certain Troops of brave Horse promising him his faithful Service Not long after hearing that his Brother Solyman was with a puissant Army now come over Hellespontus he consulted with his best Leaders what course first to take being himself of opinion without delay to meet his Brother in the Field deeming it great shame not to offer him present battel But he was by his more expert Captains advised to consider that he was to fight against his eldest Brother of whose good or bad Fortune he had as yet no experience and that many secretly favoured his Quarrel and Claim as the eldest Son and right Heir of his Father Bajazet and therefore it were better for him to retire further off into the strength of his Kingdom and so temporizing to await all good opportunities that might chance as it doth in nothing more than in Martial Affairs rather than to commit all to the hazard of one battel wherein if Fortune failed him all were then utterly lost Upon which Resolution he retired from Ancyra towards Amasia At which time Doioran the false Tartarian marching out at the other side of the City fell to robbing and spoiling of Mahomets Subjects as an Enemy burning the Country-Villages as they went which thing when Mahomet understood he with his Horsemen pursued him and overtaking him before he was looked for slew most part of his men and recovered all the spoil which he had before taken all which Mahoâ—â—t gave to his Souldiers Doioran himself hardly escaping by flight And so Mahomet having revenged himself upon his dissembling Friend held on his way towards Amasia Solyman being come into Asia led his Army towards Prusa where the Citizens understanding of his coming went out of the City to meet him and having done unto him such Honour and Reverence as belonged to their Sultan brought him peaceably into the City But Iacup-Beg stood upon his guard and would by no means deliver unto him the Castle which was before by Mahomet committed to his charge for which cause Solyman laid hard siege unto it and gave thereunto divers sharp Assaults whereby the Defendants were greatly weakned many of them being slain and the rest for the most part wounded Whereupon Iacup by Letters sent by one Eine Hozze certified Mahomet how things stood and that the Castle could not long be holden against the furious Assaults of Solyman except it were with speed relieved upon which News he in all hast made towards Prusa returning the same Messenger before him with Letters to the Captain of the Castle if happily he could find means to deliver the same wherein he highly commended him for faithful Service and promised him speedy relief This Messenger with his Letters chanced by Solyman his Souldiers to be intercepted and brought to Alis Bassa Solyman his chief Counsellor a man of a sharp conceit who of nothing could make something but having any thing to work upon could do wonders he having straitly examined the Messenger and perused the Letters suppressed the same and presently writ others in the name of Mahomet commending the Captain for that he had already done in his Service but yet forasmuch as he could not possibly in time relieve him he willed him therefore to deliver up the Castle and to provide for the safeguard of himself and his Garrison by such conditions as he could best obtain These counterfeit Letters Alis Bassa found means to be as cunningly delivered unto the Captain as they were craftily indited who having read the same and now out of all hope of relief expecting also every hour to be assaulted by the furious Enemy upon reasonable conditions yielded the Castle to Solyman The news whereof being brought unto Mahomet now come within one days march of Prusa exceedingly grieved him but seeing no remedy he returned back again to Amasia whither Solyman now possessed of the City and Castle of Prusa and having thereby got a great Name in Asia shortly after came with his Army and hardly besieged his Brother in Amasia but seeing no hope to win the City he retired back again to Prusa and there after his wonted manner spent his time in riot and excess whereunto he was exceedingly given Iacup-Beg for yielding of the Castle was afterward by Mahomet straitly imprisoned and in danger to have been put to death had not the great Bassaes become earnest Intercessors for him Mahomet lying at Amasia was by his secret Espials advertised That his Brother Solyman having dispersed his Army lay in great security at Prusa guarded but with a small Power passing his time in all voluptuous pleasure his common Exercise Whereupon he in all hast marched with his Army thitherwards to have surprised him before he should be able to call together his dispersed Forces But when he was come to the River Sangarius he was discovered by Solyman Subbassa a great Captain whom Sultan Solyman had sent for the taking up of men in that side of the Country Who returning in all hast gave Solyman knowledge of his Brothers coming with which sudden news he was so dismayed being now of small strength that for the avoiding of the imminent danger he would presently have fled into Europe had not Alis Bassa otherwise perswaded him telling him That if he should so cowardly fly away it would not only blemish and defame his Honour but discourage his Friends also in Asia and incourage his Enemies to pursue him perhaps unto the Gates of Hadrianople and that therefore it were better with such Forces as he had to take the Straits of Neapolis and so to stay his Brothers further passage into that Country until such time as he might assemble the rest of his Army According to which good Counsel he first took the beforenamed Straits and Passages whereby Mahomet was of necessity to pass and
fresh Supplies as need or occasion should require Whilst the great Ordnance was in casting the Bassa caused a great Bridge of Timber to be made over the River that so he might at his pleasure pass over his men and command both sides of the River The Christians in the mean time with vigilant Eye so attending the Turks that none of them could stir within shot but he was forthwith set off and slain The thirteenth of Iune Mustapha the Beglerbeg or Viceroy of Asia commonly called the great Bassa of Natolia came also in great pomp to the Siege with thirty thousand Souldiers brought out of Asia personable men but not accounted so good Souldiers as they of Europe for it is a common saying among the Turks That the Men of Europe and the Horses of Asia do best service This great Bassa was honorably met and welcomed by the other great Bassa of Constantinople and was quartered upon another side of the City where his rich Pavillion all of Green was pitcht in a Vineyard about a mile from the Town Mustapha to prove the courage of his Souldiers propounded a reward to which so ever of them as durst adventure but to go and touch the Walls of the City upon which occasion two of his Souldiers passing well mounted attempted to have performed that enterprise But making what hast they could possibly they were both slain from the Wall and one of their bodies recovered by certain valiant Souldiers which sallied out of the Town and his head being cut off was upon a Launce set upon the Walls for the Turks to behold The fifteenth of Iune five thousand six hundred Ianizaries came into the Camp with four white Ensigns at whose coming all the Souldiers of both the Bassaes Camps gave a wonderful shout and welcomed them with great joy These are the great Turks Guard and best Souldiers in whom the greatest Strength of his Kingdom consisteth and are called the Sons of the great Sultan After whose coming Mahomt himself was dayly expected Three days after came two other great men attended upon with a number of followers who by their countenance and the great reverence done unto them by the rest of the Turks seemed to be men of great place and authority these men desired that they might with safety speak with the Governor of the City and the rest of the Captains to deliver unto them such a Message as they had for their good as they said brought unto them from Mahomet Which their request being granted the elder of them after he had with many glorious words set forth the power of his Master and what he had done to other great Cities with their Princes and further shewed into what danger they were like to fall if they should long stand upon their defence he began to perswade them to yield up the City assuring them of all kind usage with many rich rewards from the great Emperor whereas otherwise they were to expect nothing but extream misery and most shameful death Whereunto answer was in the name of them all given by the mouth of Petrus Pagnanus a grave and worthy Citizen That they were not afraid of the greatness of Mahomet or of any thing he had done or could do and that he should find it hard to inforce them but impossible to perswade them to deliver their City and therefore that he might at his pleasure use his Forces against men fully resolved rather to yield unto nature her last due than to hearken to any composition and in conclusion told them that if they should at any time after make any such motion they should not expect any other answer than from the mouth of the Canon With which short answer these great men departed not a little discontented At this same time the strong City of Croia which the worthy Scanderbeg had living so honourably defended and dying had left it with his Kingdom in the protection and possession of the Venetians having holden out a years Siege after all the Kingdom of Epirus and most part of Albania was lost for lack of Victuals was yielded up unto the Turk upon condition That the hunger-starved Defendants who then seemed rather Ghosts than Men might at their pleasure in safety depart which agreement the faithless Turk brake and without mercy put them all to the Sword. This heavy news was delivered to them of Scodra by certain Christians in the Turks Camp wherewith they were much grieved but nothing at all discouraged Whilst the Turks thus lay at the Siege the Watermen of whom a great number lived upon the great Lake of Scodra being in circuit about one hundred miles came many times down the River by night and did much harm in the Turks Camp for remedy whereof they were inforced to build certain small Gallies to keep them in who for all that many times stole secretly upon them and much troubled them The two and twentieth of Iune the Turks mounted two great Pieces of Ordnance upon the top of the Hill whereon the Bassa lay whereof the one carried a Bullet made of an hard kind of round Stone of three hundred pound weight and the other a Bullet of four hundred wherewith they began to batter the Town four days after that they placed a third Piece of Artillery at the foot of the same Hill which delivered a Bullet of four hundred pound weight and the next day they planted a fourth Piece greater than the rest about the middle of the same Hill which carried a Shot of six hundred and fifty pound weight In this while eight thousand of the Turks Souldiers called Asapi which are known from the Ianizaries by their red Caps whereas the Ianizaries wear white came into the Camp. And shortly after came Mahomet himself with all his Army to the River of Drimon whither the two great Bassaes of Asia and Constantinople went with great Pomp and Triumph to meet him The second of Iuly Mahomet with all his Army before the rising of the Sun came to the Camp before Scodra where after he had well viewed the Situation thereof he is reported to have said O what a fair and stately place hath the Eagle chosen out for her self to build her nest and to hatch her young ones in Divers rich Pavillions were set up for Mahomet himself but one far greater than the rest distant from them about a Flight shoot which was the place wherein he held his Counsel the other were for his own private use Round about these his Tents lay the Ianizaries incamped a good distance off yet so close one to another as if it had been a perpetual Rampire or strong Trench whereinto was but one entrance continually guarded with a most strong Guard. Round about the Ianizaries lay all the rest of the Army encamped so that all the Country as far as a man could see was covered and white with Tents much like as when the ground in Winter is covered over with a deep Snow and
professors of any Religion at all Mahometes and his two Consorts as men of this profession travelled up and down the Countries of Pontus and Cappadocia where Achomates commanded and so to the City of Amasia receiving for their merry glee by the way as they went the Alms and Devotion of the foolish Country People And being at the length come to Amasia upon a solemn Holyday they awaited the coming of Achomates to the Church who passing by staid a while listening attentively unto their pleasant and alluring Harmony which was for that purpose most curiously and skilfully before devised and by them both with their instruments and voices performed When they had ended their Musick and according to the manner of their idle profession expected his devotion Achomates being a man of a spare hand commanded five Aspers to be given them in reward which is about six pence of our Mony. Mahometes disdaining his Brothers base reward as a sign of his miserable disposition would in no wise discover himself as he had before determined but taking horse returned with speed to Magnesia from whence he wrote taunting Letters unto his Brother Achomates scoffing at his good Husbandry no praise to a Prince and in contempt sent him back again his five Aspers which thing Achomates took in so evil part as that he was never afterwards friends with him The report of this Fact was in short time dispersed throughout all parts of the Turkish Empire divers men diversly deeming of his purpose therein Not long after Mahometes had in this sort plaid with his Brother Achomates he attired himself with certain of his trusty Followers as if they had been Seafaring men and with a small Bark came to Constantinople and there landing as Adventurers from Sea took diligent view both of the imperial City and of the City of Pera standing opposite against it curiously noting how all things were by his Fathers appointment ordered and governed It hapned whilst he was thus staying at Constantinople that Bajazet had appointed a solemn assembly of all his chief Bassaes at the Court which Mahometes was desirous to have the sight of as also of the fashion of his Fathers Court but as he with his Companions pressed to have entred in at the Court Gate they were by their base Apparel taken of the Porters to have been rude Mariners and so by them kept out Wherefore consulting what to do in that case he went and presently bought a most beautiful Christian Captive Boy and the next day coming again to the Court with two of his Companions as if they had been Adventurers at Sea requested to be let in for that they had brought a Present for the Emperor So finding means to be admitted to the presence of Bajazet one of his Consorts as if he had been a Sea Captain boldly stept forth and with due reverence offered the Pesent unto the Emperor which he thankfully took and in token thereof gave him his hand to kiss and commanded a rich Garment wrought with Gold to be given unto him with two others of less value unto Mahometes and his Fellow supposed to be the said Captains Followers who all this while stood a far off as if it had been for reverence of the Emperor but indeed for fear to be discovered As these counterfeit Guests were returning from the Court in their Garments of Favour they hapned to meet with three Courtiers which knew Mahometes who dismounting from their Horses had done him Honour and due Reverence as to the Son of the great Emperor had he not by secret signs forbidden them as one unwilling to be known When he had thus seen his Father the Court and the Imperial City he went again aboard and so with speed returned to Magnesia The report of this his doing had in short time filled both the City and the Court and was at last brought to Bajazets Ears which raised in his suspitious Head many a troublesome thought greatly fearing that in these slie practices lay hidden some secret and desperate Conspiracy dangerous to himself and his other Children Wherefore after long discourse had with the three great Bassaes then of his secret Counsel concerning the matter to rid himself of all fear he resolved in any case to take him away And therefore caused them in his name to write unto Asmehemedi a gallant Courtier and alwais near unto Mahometes to poison him with a secret Poyson for that purpose inclosed in those Letters sent unto him with promise of great rewards and preferments for that his service to be afterwards received from the Emperor charging him withal that if he could not effect the matter he should so conceal it as that Mahometes should have no distrust thereof the least suspition whereof would tend to his utter destruction This Asmehemedi for some unkindnes bare a secret grudge against Mahometes which Bajazet knowing of made choise of him the rather and he on the other side partly to perform the old Tyrants command and partly to revenge his own private wrong vigilantly awaited all opportunities to bring to effect that he had in charge At length it fortuned that Mahometes having disported himself in his Gardens of Pleasure and being thirsty after his exercise called for drink Asmehemedi alwaies at hand in a gilt Boul fetcht him such drink as he desired whereinto he had secretly conveied the deadly Poyson sent from Bajazet Mahometes having drunk thereof in short time began to feel himself evil at ease and presently sent for his Physicians who thinking that he had but something distempered himself with drinking too much cold drink in his heat perceived not that he was poisoned until that within six dais after he died Of whose death Bajazet advertised could not abstain from mourning although he himself had been the only Author thereof and the more to manifest his heaviness commanded all the Court to mourn with him and Prayers to be made in their Temples after their superstitious manner and Alms to be given to the Poor for the health of his Soul. His dead body was afterwards carried to Prusa and there honourably buried with his Ancestors Asmehemedi the Traitor in reward of his unfaithfulness towards his Master was by the commandment of Bajazet cast into Prison and never afterwards seen being there as it was thought secretly made away Now had Bajazet but three Sons left Achomates Selymus and Corcutus Achomates Governor of Amasia was a man both politick and valiant but much given to pleasure and delight him Bajazet and most part of the great men of the Court favoured above the rest of his Brethren except such as were before corrupted by Selymus Corcutus for his mild and quiet nature was of most men beloved but not thought so fit for the Government of so great an Empire especially by the Janizaries and Souldiers of the Court for that he was as they thought altogether drowned in the study of Philosophy a thing nothing agreeing with their
a new War except he will have the remainder of your War the fatal Plague of his Empire to prey still upon his Subjects all which strong places he shall have without slaughter without bloodshed as reason is if he should let you and us poor wretches depart in safety with a little trash Except these worldly considerations have moved him to mercy and compassion then out of doubt it is wrought by divine power and the secret favour of God towards us and of our Saviour Christ Iesus Crucified Whereunto if you be Men well advised if Religious if mindful of the duty of Christians it becometh not you to oppose any Obstacle and with the ruine of your selves to destroy this miserable People which for this half years Siege hath scarcely had so much rest as might suffice the necessity of nature standing for you in Battel enduring both Wounds and Death for your Honour and Victory by whose faithful labour and diligence you have been always holpen both at home and abroad whether you Invaded the Turk by Land in Mytilene Naupactus Methone Patras or other parts of Peloponnesus or else by Sea thrust him out of the Possession of the Ionian or Aegeum whereby it may appear even unto a Blind Man how injurious it is and far from truth to object unto us That enjoying the Fruits of Peace we refuse the Charges of Wars nay we never refused Wars But now it is come to that point that if we would never so fain make Wars we are not able so to do the flower of our youth being slain and the small remainder that is left not only weakned in Body with Wounds Sickness Watching and restless Labour but also in Mind discouraged whilst all things fall out prosperously to our Enemies and to us adverse the greatest and best part of our great Artillery being broken with continual use which if it were whole we could have thereof small use or profit for want of Powder which not only this City now wanteth but also your strong Holds Lerus Lyndus Halicarnassus Arangia I was never desirous or curious to look into other Mens doings much less into your manner of War but yet Great Master you cannot deny but it is so who have caused Souldiers to be brought from thence hither openly and Gunpowder secretly by which Policy you have withstood your forreign Enemy these six Months and deceived the treachery of one or two domestical Traitors But I gladly admit we have all these things I stand upon the truth I say not what most Men say but I speak to please a few and suppose we wanted neither Armour nor Courage I would then ask you this whether they would advise you to use them to your defence or to your destruction For unto both it cannot be no more than at once to be a Freeman and a Slave To use them to your destruction that were madness and senseless pride hateful to Goâ— and Man you should therefore use them to defence but how shall we defend a City I do not say as the truth is already lost and possessed by the Enemy wherein he reigneth rangeth and turneth all upside down But having the Walls battered down a great Breach in the Spanish Station and another not like but even now as good as made in the Italian Station how shall we be able to keep this unfortunate Town battered and rent at the French English and Avergne Stations and the Tower of St. Nicholas Which if it were not so battered and bared of all Warlike Provision but sound and throughly furnished with Munition and Victual yet necessity enforcing and reason perswading you ought to forsake it forsomuch as all power of further resistance is taken from you Do you not see how easily and almost without any trouble the Enemy by means of the Castle he hath new Built upon the Mount Philermo not past two Miles distant can take from you all manner of Provision both by Sea and Land and restrain you from going out or in Truly notable Gentlemen honâ—urable for your Martial Prowess you see and have long ago foreseen these things better than I altogether ignorant in Martial Affairs altogether busied in the Trade of Merchandise and caring for my Family yet suffer me to say the truth All the Powers whereby this Kingdom stood are departed and gone against the force of our Enemies no policy of force remaineth and to expect Armies of Angels or Souldiers from Heaven and other such like Miracles is in my judgment more and more to provoke God to anger although in his anger he be unto us merciful Wherefore being destitute of all worldly help let us as we may provide for our safety I beseech thee worthy Great Master by these my aged Tears by the natural piety ingrafted in thy noble nature expose not this miserable City to the spoil of the Enemy our old and middle aged Men to the Sword our Wives and Daughters to be Ravished our Boys and Yâ—uths to the unnatural filthiness of our barbarous Enemies and to be corrupted with the mad and gross Opinion of the ungodly Mahometan Superstition I would noble Knights you had seen with what Tears with what Mourning our heavy Families and Children crying about their Mothers sent us hither and what Prayers they made for us at our departing I would you knew with what mind and how great hope they expect their safety from your clemency and advised resolution This Speech of the aged Greek might have moved a Heart of Flint but the Great Master who in his countenance shewed a greater courage than his present state required commanding every Man to his charge after the matter had been thus most part of the night discoursed gave then no other answer but That he would be careful of all their well doing The next mornning he sent for Prejanes Martiningus and a few other of the greatest judgment and experience by whom he was fully resolved that the City in so many places by the Enemy laid open and shaken was not possibly to be long defended whereupon he caused a Common-Council to be called of all the Knights of the Order together with the Burgesses of the City where after long debating whether they should fight it out to the last Man or yield upon such Conditions as were to be obtained It was by general consent concluded that the City should be yielded and thereupon a Decree made which was by the Great Master pronounced Whilst these things were thus in doing a Truce was taken with the Enemy for four days but full of fear and danger During which time divers of the Turks presuming upon the Truce came by great Companies to behold the Walls and Rampiers of the City wherewith Fornovius the Frenchman of whom mention is before made being sore moved in his choler without further command discharged a Tire of great Ordnance among the thickest of them contrary to the Truce taken At which time also the Rhodians received into the
that they should without delay yield up the City and put themselves wholly to the mercy of Solyman So the Spaniard being there staid himself writ to Liscanus how he had sped willing him forthwith if he loved his own safety to yield the City without standing upon further terms Liscanus upon receit of these Letters coming forth to the Souldiers declared unto them the necessity of yielding up of the Town and what hope there was to escape with life and liberty But whilst the Souldiers filled with indignation stood as Men in doubt what to do Halis Commander of the Janizaries came unto the Gate and with chearful rather than stern countenance required to have it opened unto him according to the agreement made by Salamanca in the Camp which was forthwith opened by Liscanus and the Keys delivered unto him The Janizaries entring peaceably into the City possessed themselves of the Walls and Fortresses round about commanding the Christian Souldiers to give place out of whom they chose all the beardless Youths and commanded the rest to cast down their Harquebusies and other Weapons in a place appointed which they all for fear did expecting nothing but some cruel execution to be done upon them by the barbarous Enemy Which their fear was the more encreased by a strange accident then unluckily chancing for whilst the Souldiers did as they were commanded with their Harquebusies cast their Flasks full of Powder also one of them suddainly took fire of a Match which was by chance cast in amongst them with fire in it which firing the rest blew about all that heap of Weapons among the Turks which so filled them with anger and fear of some suddain Treachery that they fell upon the Christians and slew divers of them until such time as Halis perswaded that it was a thing hapned rather by chance than malice commanded his Janizaries to stay their fury This tumult appeased Halis caused proclamation to be made That all such Christian Souldiers as would serve Solyman in his Wars should have such place in his Army as their quality required with bountiful entertainment yet of all the Christian Souldiers were found only seventy which careful of their lives accepted the offer fearing that the Turks would upon such as refused exercise their wonted cruelty Halis entertaining them courteously sent them away with the other youths whom he had before culled out down the River to Buda the other Souldiers he took into his protection and used their labour to help the Turks to make clean the Castle But Liscanus who to save his Gold had made Shipwreck of his honour and reputation was glad to give unto Halis the fair Chain of Gold which he had most covetously and insolently before taken from Perenus when as Halis who would otherwise have taken it from him by force by way of military courtesie now craved it of him as a strange kind of ornament among the Turks with which gift he was in hope to have saved the rest of his Coyn. But fortune favoured not so much the covetous Coward for when he was about to depart away with his Horses of service which he kept very good and had cunningly stuffed the Saddles full of Gold thinking so slily to have conveyed it the Turk laughing at him took from him his Horses furnished as they were saying That he which was to go by Water needed no Horses So was the covetous Wretch at once quit of the great Wealth which he had in long time evil got The Captains with the rest of the Souldiers dispoiled of the Arms were conveyed over the River of Danubius and so travelled on foot to Possonium where the Count Salme by the commandment of the King apprehended Liscanus Salamanca and some other of the Captains for suspicion of Treason and committed them to safe custody there to answer for their cowardly yielding up of the City Solyman entred into Strigonium the tenth of August in the year 1543. and there converting Christian Churches into Temples for the Mahometan Superstition first sacrificed for his Victory as he had before done in Buda and after with all speed so strongly fortified the City as if he would thereby for ever have taken from the Christians all hope of recovering the same again deriding the slothful negligence of the Germans who possessed of it fourteen years had neglected all that time to fortifie it Not long after Solyman leaving Ossainus a valiant Captain Governour of Strigonium and sending his Tartarian Horsemen to spoil the Country on the left hand as far as Alba Regalis went himself to besiege the Castle of Tatta called in ancient time Theodota The Garrison Souldiers terrified with the loss of Strigonium and the sight of the Turks Army upon the first summons yielded the Castle without resistance and were so suffered quietly to depart That Castle after the manner of the Turkish Discipline who with few and those very strong Holds keep their Provinces in subjection was by Solymans commandment presently rased down to the Ground Torniellus General of the Italians caused Hanibal Captain of the Castle to have his Head struck off for his cowardly yielding up of the place he had taken charge of thereby to admonish others which had the charge of strong places not to refuse an honourable death in defence of their Country for fear of an ignominious death attending their Cowardise Tatta thus laid in the Dust Solyman marched with his Army towards Alba surnamed Regalis for that the Kings of Hungary by an ancient custom used there to be Crowned and also buried Buda Strigonium and Alba Regalis three princial Cities of the Kingdom of Hungary stand in manner of a Triangle almost equally distant one from another about a hundred miles in compass Buda and Strigonium are situate upon the River of Danubius but Alba standeth more into the Land strongly seated in the midst of a great Lake but not so wholsomely especially in the Summer time the Winter Waters then decreasing and gross vapours arising with the heat of the Sun. From the City through the Marish or Lake unto the firm Land lie three broad and high Causeys in manner of the streaks of a Cart-wheel well built with fair Houses and Gardens on either side and a broad way in the middle whereby Men pass in and out of the City At the end of every Causey toward the Land were cast up strong Bulwarks which the Citizens used not to watch but in dangerous times of War so that by these Bulwarks the Houses of the Suburbs standing upon these Causeys were safe from the danger of the Enemy the Lake filling up all the spaces betwixt the Causeys which what for the Depth what for Mud Flags and Bulrushes growing in it was not by Horse or Man to be passed through And the City it self standing in the midst of the Lake compassed round about with a strong Wall and a deep Ditch always full of Water was hardly to
then such Captives without delay be suffered safely to return home again Furthermore whatsoever Christians shall have any business to do in our magnificent Court or any part of our Dominions as are Embassadors Officers Servants and such others unto all these we not only grant and permit that they may come and go about their business and so again depart from our Court or Provinces but also have willed and commanded them to be well and courteously entreated by our Subjects and furthered with the interpretation of our Language And if it should fortune any contention or discord to arise betwixt our Subjects on either side about the Bounds and Limits of Lands or other such like causes such controversies we will to be decided and determined by discreet and indifferent Men on both parts and the Authors of such discord and variance to be punished as suspected persons and breakers of the League We also prohibite those Skirmishes or Combats which were wont to be sometimes on both sides made upon the Borders And desire that the form of this League and Peace and every Article thereof may be publickly read and set up in sundry places of your Dominions and commandment given that they may with due obedience and reverence be observed and kept Which we likewise have now before promised faithfully and assuredly to perform and your Embassador whom a few Months agon you sent unto us in your name requested the same of us and hath with earnest Prayers moved us by Imperial Oath and these Letters of Credence to witness that we did ratifie and confirm the same as if we our selves should speak to you in presence Wherefore we have given to him these our Letters of Pacification to you directed that your Generals Souldiers and Subjects may be bound also to observe and keep all these things wherefore so long as nothing contrary to this League shall be done on your part so long in like manner all these Articles of Peace shall be of me accepted and assured For witness and confirmation whereof I swear this Oath By the true and living Creator of Heaven and Earth by the true signs of our great and reverend Prophet by my Imperial Power and by my true Faith that nothing contrary or repugning unto the aforesaid Articles Conditions and Promises of the eight years League agreed upon betwixt us shall be attempted or done by any our Governours Generals or Vayvods c. Commanding moreover all our sworn Governours of our most mighty Empire in Walachia and Moldavia and King Stephen himself and others which have the Government of our Empire confining upon you That they all and every of them as well as our selves shall justly faithfully and religiously accept reverence and keep these conditions of Peace towards your Subjects Cities Castles Towns and other things appertaining to you and in the least thing not to hurt injure or wrong any your Subjects In brief we shall as far as our part concerneth us give unto this most mighty and great new made love and friendship so great honour reverence and authority that that which may even in the least things be had shall not on our part be wanting In token whereof we have suffered certain Christian Captives whom by your Embassador you requested to have set at lâ—berty frankly to return unto you without ransom â—ut of which Captivity they could never have been redeemed if in regard of this our amity and friendship we had not granted them liberty trusting that you will in like sort set at liberty such of ours as you have Captives Given at our Imperial Palace and Seat in the most mighty City of Constantinople the first day of September in the year of our great and reverend Prophet 969. The same Embassador after he had delivered these Letters presented unto the Emperor the Gifts he had brought from his great Master which was two great Cups of natural Crystal curiously wrought and set with Stones of great price a couragious Turky Horse with a Saddle and Trappings wrought with Gold and set with precious Stones and garnished with Chains of pure Gold and four of the fairest Camels that were to be got in all Constantinople In delivering of which Presents the Bassa made his excuse that the Horse and Camels had lost their beauty being with four months Travel from Constantinople grown somewhat lean and weary This Peace thus concluded betwixt the Emperor Ferdinand and Solyman year 1564. held firm until the death of Ferdinand who about two years after in the year 1564 upon St. Iames's day died being sixty years old whereof he reigned as Emperor not full seven years In whose place succeeded Maximilian his Son before chosen King of the Romans But immediately after the death of Ferdinand the Captains on the Frontiers of that part of Hungary which was holden for the Emperor on the one side and the Turks Captains with the Vayvod of Transylvania on the other side weary of their ease began contrary to the form of the League to surprise strong Holds and Towns one in anothers Confines whereof ensued much trouble The Author whereof was Melchior Balas the Emperors Lieutenant in that part of Hungary which bordereth upon Transylvania who first surprised certain Towns upon the Frontiers thereabouts in revenge whereof the Vayvod suddainly set upon Sackmar a Town in the Emperors Territory which he took and therein Balas his Wife and Children In despight whereof Balas ransacked and burnt Debrezin a great Town of the Vayvods But not long after the Vayvod Solymans Vassal aided by him with four thousand Turks and three thousand Moldavians did much harm upon the Frontiers of that part of Hungary which belonged unto the Emperor and first took Hadad and afterwards besieged Ungar In requital whereof Maximilian the Emperor sent Lazarus Suendi a valiant Captain who with an Army of eight thousand besieged the strong Castle of Tokay which he took the fifth of February in the year 1565 year 1565. and after that took the rich Town of Erden In the mean time Solyman who had in himself fully purposed to be revenged of all these injuries as well appeared by that he did the year following to stay the Emperor from proceeding father until such time as he were at better leisure to be revenged for as then he was making great preparation for Malta sent Marcus Lilinesius a Renegate Transylvanian of Cibinum his Embassador to Maximilian to put him in remembrance of the League made with his Father and to wish him to have regard how he further proceeded to the Breach thereof Whereupon the Emperor because he would not seem unwilling to hearken to peace commanded his Lieutenants and Captains no more to invade Transylvania or that part of Hungary which the Turks held Howbeit that whilst this Embassador was thus entreating of Peace at Vienna the Bassa of Temeswaâ— in the Borders of Transylvania made divers incursions into the Borders of Hungary and with six thousand
causing him withall to swear Faith and Obedience to Amurata And so having at least to shew set in order the Affairs of those Mountains which an hundred of the Turks great Captains had in former time vainly attempted he returned to Damasco where he staied 12 days by shameful shifts extorting Money from divers Persons At last having no more to do in those parts he turned himself towards Gazir and Baruto Places under the Government of Ebne-Mansur where he arrived with all his Army and found the Gallies which he had left in the Port of Sidon now in the Haven of Baruto as he had before commanded Now upon a certain Hill above Baruto near unto the Sea Ebrain had pitched his own Tent only and none other and having sent all the rest of his best and goodly things which he meant to carry with him to Constantinople aboard the Gallies shrowded himself only under that narrow and base Tent. Thither he called Ebne-Mansur and in pleasant manner told him That now it was time for him to make payment of the Debt of an hundred and threescore thousand Duckats which he owed the King's Lord for the Custom of Tripoli and Baruto for that he could not longer stay in those quarters but was to return to Constantinople which he knew how to do unless he carried with him the discharge of that Debt Whereunto Ebne-Mansur made Answer That it would not be long before his Macadamoes would come with his Monies and that then he would without further delay make Payment Which thing Ebrain well knew to be an excuse and therefore determined with himself to thrust him into the Gallies and because he could not carry the Money unto the King yet at the least to bring him his Debtor But forasmuch as he doubted to put this his Determination openly in Execution for fear of some Insurrection amongst the People as well for that he was within the Territories of the said Ebne-Mansur as for that he saw him greatly beloved and favoured of the other two Drusian Lords Ebne-frec and Ebne-carfus he therefore thought it better Policy by concealing this his purpose to shew him in his outward Actions all good Countenance and by secret and subtil means to take him Prisoner Whereupon he deceitfully told him That forasmuch as he was to stay there for his Business that Night and was resolved the next day to make a road into the Country of Man-Ogli he therefore prayed him to do him the Favour to be his Guide and for that purpose when he should send for him at Midnight that he would come unto him very secretly because he was minded to depart without any stir only with five hundred men in his Company The Drusian Lord verily believed the matter that so it was and withall was in good hope by that means to find some way to escape his hands Whereupon being called up at Midnight he readily went to the Tent of Ebrain who presently charging him whom all men thought he had especiall affected with many abominable and foul terms caused a Chain to be cast about his Neck and his Armes and so fast bound to be carried into the Gallies And yet not so contented took the spoil of all his Country whereby there was levied such a Prey as was marvellous to behold for besides Money whereof there was a very huge sum the store of Cloths of Silk and Gold was such and so great as might better beseem some great Prince than such a mountain rustical Lord as he was When the Bassa had conveyed all this into his Gallies he sailed to Tripoli where he found Serafadin in the Custody of Veis Bassa and Aly Bassa and having stayed there some few days wherein he committed sundry villainous and abominable Robberies he caused the said Serafadin to be put into the Gallies with all his Silks and other Wealth and so departed for Constantinople where at such time as he entered into the Channel of the City accompanied with four and twenty Gallies he was encountered and received by a wonderful number of his Friends and Favourites and saluted with an honourable Peal of Artillery out of the Seraglio Iohn Thomas Minadoi the best Reporter of this History as also of the late Wars betwixt the Turks and the Persians being then at Constantinople and having as he reported of himself good means to see the bountiful and beautiful Presents which the spoiling and ravenous Bassa gave the Turkish King reporteth the sum thereof to have been a million of Gold besides the yearly Revenue of Caire amounting to six hundred thousand Duckats with threescore Horses most richly garnished of singular beauty but especially of the Arabian Race a live Elephant and a live Giraffâ—e which is a beast like a Camel and a Panther two great Crocodiles dead a Chair of massie Gold richly set wâ—th precious Stones a Casket also beset with precâ—ous Stones and Gold many Packs of most fine Cloaths Wollen and Silks certain other Cloaths with Fringe of Gold and Silver and the Barbarian cut-work most fine Linnen of Alexandria and all the Harquebuzes taken from the Drusians besides sundry rich Presents given by the proud Bassa to the great Ladies of the Court reported by Leunclavius to have been worth two hundred thousand Sultanines But now forasmuch as we have before made mention of the Sanzack of Ierusalem and his flight it shall not be altogether impertinent to our History though somewhat out of time in few words to declare what passed between him and the Arabians of Palestine a little before the coming of Ebrain the great Bassa into those quarters by which little the desirous Reader may easily perceive the woful and troublesome state of that some time most blessed and fruitful but now most miserable and barren Land of Jury and of those Places in Holy Writ so much renowned In the Confines of Sodom and in the Places that lie not only between the Lake Asphaltites and Damasco but also in the Plains and in the Vallies of Iericho and of Samaria and in other Places about Bethlehem Emaus Bethanie Bethfage Capharnaum Nazareth Levir Bethsaida Naplos and other Towns of Name thereabouts there do haunt and live certain Arabian Captains who spreading themselves even as far as Rama and Ioppa over-run at their Pleasure all the Countries there round about and continually commit grievous outrages as well against the said Cities as also upon the Goods and Wealth not only of the Inhabitants there but also of the Strangers yea and their Insolency oftentimes groweth so great that they dare to assault the fenced Cities beside the spoiling of Travellers that by reason of their business have occasion to pass from one City to another They are good Horse-men but use no Armour their Horses are very swift to run and spare of Diet and are themselves bold and adventurous Theeves These Arabians having had Intelligence that the aforesaid ambitious Youth appointed Sanzack of Ierusalem was
wherein if he failed he threatned unto him his heavy displeasure not to be appeased without the price of his Head. Which so severe a Commandment of the great Sultan's the Bassa sent to them of Strigonium with most grievous threats from himself if they terrified with any Battery undermining or assault should yield the City and not hold it out as became valiant Souldiers unto the last man swearing to impale them all upon Stakes that should consent to the yielding up thereof The old Governour Alis Beg having received this so strait a Command from him that was both able and like enough to perform what he had threatned utterly to deterr the Souldiers from once thinking of yielding caused diligent Enquiry to be made throughout the Garrison if any of them had at any time made any motion of yielding up the City or otherwise murmured against their Captains or Commanders appointing them to any Service and such as he found to have so done he to the terror of others caused to be presently executed and after that went down himself into the lower Town to see that nothing were there wanting or amiss where most danger was But when he would have again returned into the upper Town he was stayed by the Janizaries who told him That seeing he was of so valiant and couragious a mind and their Governour he should there stay with them and take such part as they did were it better or worse and so would he or would he not there needs stay he must Now the Bassaes of Buda and Temesware with divers Sanzackes as well of those parts of Hungary which the Turks possessed as other places were assembling their forces for the relief of the besieged in Strigonium whereof the Transilvanian Prince hearing made shew as if he would forthwith have besieged Temesware so that the Bassa thereof leaving the intended Expedition for Strigonium was glad to return for the defence of his own Charge They also of Stiria Carinthia and Croatia with the Troops of County Serinus had so stopped all the Passages that twelve thousand Turks which were coming from Zigeth and the places thereabout could by no means come to joyn themselves with their Fellows for the relief of the distressed City The County leaving nothing unattempted or undone that might help for the gaining of Strigonium had made a notable Fort upon S. Thomas Hill and therein placed five great Culverins wherewith he furiously battered the higher City and did therein great harm and thereby also brought to pass that no man could go up or down the Hill betwixt the upper Town and the lower but he was in danger to be fetch'd off with those Pieces or the Musquetiers who defended by those great Pieces lay upon the side of the Hill in Caves and Bushes awaiting for such as should go up or down betwixt the two Towns. Thus the Christians at one time battered the upper Town the lower Town and the strong Town and Fort of Gokara standing on the farther side of Danubius over against Strigonium besieged by the Lord Palfi But of all these Places Gokara was with the fury of the great Ordnance most shaken which the County perceiving caused the Battery to be increased and so continued until he had beaten down the Counterscarf and made certain fair breaches in the Wall. Whereunto the Moravians unto whose Lot it fell the one and twentieth of Iuly gave an Assault in five divers places whom the Lord Palfi seconded with his Hungarians of whom certain were of purpose appointed besides their Arms to bring things with them for the firing of the Town which they in the time of the Assault found means so well to bestow that in a while the Town was all on a light Fire The Turks at first made notable Resistance but finding themselves over-pressed and seeing the Town now on a fire about their ears which with the Wind so increased that it caught hold of the lower Town on the other side of the River they retired to the River-side where some of them by Boats got over to Strigonium other some perished in the River the rest falling into the hands of the Christians were by them all put to the Sword. Gokara thus taken and the fire quenched the Christians repairing the Breaches and storing it with all warlike Provision left in it a strong Garrison Within a night or two after were two hundred of the Turks Horse-men descried in a Field fast by which caused an Alarm to be raised in the Camp as if the whole Army of the Turks had been at hand howbeit those Horse-men retiring and no other appearing it was afterwards known that they were only Scouts sent out by the Turks to take view of the Army of the Christians in what sort they lay encamped The latter end of this Month it fortuned that a young country fellow secretly sent out of the City by the Governour and falling into the hands of Palfi was by him sent to the County by whom he was in friendly manner demanded from whence he came whither he was going and whereabouts Whereunto the Youth frankly answered That he was sent from the Governour with Letters to the Bassa of Buda which he presently drew out of his Bosom and delivered them unto the County who after he had read them caused them to be closed up again and so delivered to the Young-man with some few Crowns commanding him to carry them to the Bassa as he was about and in his Return to bring him the Bassa's Answer promising for his so doing to reward him bountifully which the Young-man undertook to do and so departed Now the purport of the Governours Letters was That if the Bassa did not within six or seven days send him aid and relieve him he should for want of Victuals and other things necessary for the holding out of the Siege be inforced either to abandon the City or to yield it up into the Enemies hands Whereunto the Bassa returned Answer by the aforesaid Messenger That he would within the appointed time be with him willing him in the mean time to be mindful of his wonted Valour and not to be with any thing discouraged appointing him the day the hour the way the means with all the other Circumstances how he would relieve him Which Letters the Young-man according to his Promise delivered unto the County who thereupon provided accordingly for the welcoming of the Bassa Within a day after also one of the Turks Canoneers considering the danger the City lay in and fearing that it would be lost fled out of it into the Camp who besides that he aptly declared the state of the City and the wants the Besieged were in did also afterwards good Service during the time of the Siege The Turks had in this while many times sallied out to their great loss yet now upon hope of better Success they adventured the twenty ninth of this Month to sally out again but with like fortune as before
Proposals of executing Justice on the Offenders for the Spahees seconded by the Janisaries who were glad of any cause to make a Commotion assembled in the Hippodromo from whence they sent an Arz to the Sultan requiring the Heads of the Great Vizer and of divers others as well within as without the Seraglio The Grand Signior denying positively to assent hereunto the Souldiery as plainly threatned to depose him and place his Brother in the Throne at which barbarous Resolution the Grand Signior being affrighted his youthful constancy was so shaken that he wrote to his Mother to desire her excuse in case he assented to the death of her Son-in-law the Great Vizier for that the Storm of the Military Fury was so great that he could not endeavour to protect him without the loss of his Life and Crown wherefore the Vizier being turned out of the Gates of the Seraglio he was immediately butchered in the presence of the Sultan Nor did the impetuous Rage of the Souldiery end here but they proceeded farther to demand the Head of the Janisar-Aga or General of the Janisaries who was reputed the chief Instrument of the Death of Casref because he was a principal Favourite to the Grand Signior but he wisely taking divers off with Mony and Presents sowed division between the Janisaries and Spahees so that some Difficulty arising hereupon the determination of his Death was deferred for a while howsoever they proceeded to demand that the Mufti should be discharged of his Office and that the Tefterdar or Treasurer should be delivered into their hands To the first the Grand Signior assented but being willing to save the other he pretended that he was escaped and fled but when he was found he should run the same Fate with the Vizier But the military Sedition not being appeased with this Answer they roved through the whole City and Galata and other parts of the Suburbs the Spahees persisting to require the Head of the Janisar-Aga and not finding him in his House they plundered it and departed and meeting with a Youth a Favourite of the Grand Signior's they killed him and so returning with the like Fury to the Seraglio they required admission to the New Vizier and Mufti Regep Pasha another of the Brothers-in-law was then made Vizier who with the new Mufti trembling at these Tumults were careful to treat the Souldiery with all lenity and condescension imaginable desiring them to declare their Grievances and whatsoever might give them Satisfaction should be granted The seditious Souldiers replied That they were resolved to see the Grand Signior's Brother for that when the present Sultan did not govern well they might know from whence to produce another of better Abilities and more agreeable to the Designs of the Empire That necessity which caused the late easiness of condescension to former demands made way also for compliance with this so that the young Prince being brought forth they obliged the Sultan not to attempt any thing against his Life and caused the Vizier and Mufti to become Caution and Security for it Nor did these Concessions contribute towards a Pacification but rather their Insolence increased thereby renewing their Exclamations at the Gates of the Seraglio for the Heads of the Janisar-Aga and the Tefterdar not would they be satisfied with answer that these Men were not found in the Seraglio but still persisted in their rude Out-cryes and Menaces losing all respect and reverence to the Sultan and the Superiors so that the Grand Signior resolved once to sally out upon them with his own Guard but trying their Temper and Resolution he discovered most of them to be poisoned with the like Spirit of Sedition and combining with the others as Associates in the Treason The Viziers and other principal Officers perceiving the Mutiny to increase daily and not knowing to what degree it might arise made it their business to search out for those proscribed by the Souldiery at length the Aga was happily discovered by a certain Person to whom a Reward was given of a thousand Zechins with the Office of Zorbasi or Captain and the Aga confessing that he had counselled the Death of Casref he was immediately strangled and his Body hanged upon a Tree to publick view The like Fate befel the Teftardar who being also taken was killed and hanged up together with the Body of the Aga. All which Persons thus inhumanely murdered by the Souldiery were the Enemies of the present Great Vizier Regep for which cause the Grand Signior suspecting that he secretly contrived and nourished these Rebellions never after looked on him with a gracious eye Of which the Vizier being sensible combined with the Souldiery and judging it almost impossible to set himself right in the Affection of his Master he courted the Favour of the Militia as the only means to protect his Life and maintain his Power But as the revenge of Princes is not like a Thunder-bolt which wounds on a sudden but rather like a Mine which requires time to form and is then sprang when it may do the best execution so in the same manner the Grand Signior dissembled his hate towards the Vizier until one Night being present with him in the Seraglio to see certain Fire-works he called him aside and whispered to him that he should go into his private Lodgings where being entred the Door was shut upon him and he strangled by certain Eunuchs who were appointed to attend him for that purpose But little benefit or riches did the Grand Signior reap by his death for the Vizier having for some time expected this Blow had concealed his Treasure and conveyed it away for the use of his Posterity The like hatred did the Sultan conceive against the Souldiery resolving in his mind to execute his Revenge especially on the Janisaries as the most turbulent Fomenters of Rebellion and Treason and to vent his Anger either by the Cord or Sword or some other more expedite way as opportunity presented and to prevent or oppose the like Seditions for the future he fortified the Seraglio and brought Arms in thither by night chusing into his Guard select Men of Courage and Faithfulness and being sensible that the being of his Brother attempered his Soveraignty and drew away the Hearts and Eyes of his Souldiers and People from fixing entirely on his own Person he therefore intended to cut him off but the Caution and Security given by himself and chief Ministers to preserve his Life diverted him from this Resolution In place of the deceased Vizier Mehmet late Pasha of Cairo was constituted and the Seal consigned to him with whom the Grand Signior consulting of the present Emergency of Affairs often uttered his displeasure against the late Seditions and signified his Intention to redress them for the future in order unto which he caused the Heads of the most mutinous Spahees to be cut off and on various Pretences separated the Souldiery each from other into divers Parts some numbers of
Soldiers ruled and the powerfull Soliman himself who then reigned trembled at nothing more than the apprehension of some secret Ulcer of perfidiousness which might lie concealed within the reretiement of the Ianizaries But as there is no question but a standing Army of veterane and well Disciplined Soldiers must be always usefull and advantageous to the Interest of a Prince so on the contrary negligence in the Officers and remisness of Government produces that licentiousness and wrestiness in the Soldiery as betrays them to all the disorders which are dangerous and of evil consequence to the welfare of a State. And so it hath fared with the Ottoman Empire which rifing onely by the power of Arms and established on the bloud of many valiant and daring Captains gave Privileges Honours and Riches to the Militia and at all times encouraged their prowess and forwardness by Rewards and Connivance at their Crimes by which indulgence and impunity these men ill-principled in rules of Vertue and unequally bearing prosperity and the favour of the Prince have for a long time been gathering a stock of ill humours ready to receive any contagion of seditious design and to maintain it with an impudence contrary to the Ianizaries for some ages which may equal the levity of the Roman Soldiery untill they shamelesly set their Empire to sale and forgot both their old obedience to the Senate and reverence to their new Emperours The death and ruine of many Grandees and of the Sultan himself by such like Seditions hath at length by dear experience taught the principal Ministers how unsafe it is to permit an Army lodged in the bowels of the Capital City of a disposition favourable to it self envious and impatient of any other jealous and always at enmity with the Court rich and powerfull with Possessions and Rents appertaining to its Commanders in Anatolia and a Treasury of unknown sums which have descended to the common Bank by the decease of their Generals or Ianizar Aga's and therefore have by degrees and as prudently as might be begun to diminish the strength of this Militia by the destruction of the veterane Soldiers and ruine of their reputation by various arts in the estimation of the world The particular means whereby the Ianizaries have been studiously destroyed are by many ways evident for first they are exposed upon every obscure Service and drawn forth to encounter every Assault of the Empire as the Wars of Candy have exhausted the flower of this Militia the Battels at Sea buried vast numbers who were formerly reserved for times of eminent exploits and glory Secondly Which destruction of the veterane Soldiers hath created other mischiefs to this Order in point of Discipline as prejudicial as the former for as the Agiamoglans were obliged to perform six or seven years Novitiate now by reason of the constant necessities to supply the Wars they overskip the orderly formalities of the first Institution and create them Ianizaries after a year or half a years service And others I have known educated in Mechanick professions and from framing Timber and carrying Burthens in the Arsenal have at once for the service of Candy been created Ianizaries who neither know how to manage a Musket nor are otherwise Disciplined to any exercise of Arms. Thirdly That Europe may not be dispeopled by the triennial seisure of Christian Children for the Grand Signior's service which in Turkish is called Deuschirme the politick Custome and principal conservation of the Discipline of Ianizaries is as we have said before wholly forgotten and instead thereof election is made of Vagabonds that proffer themselves out of Asia or other parts who having passed five or six months like Novices are afterwards made Ianizaries and being ignorant in the use of Arms and unaccustomed to labours and sufferings run from their Colours and renounce their Order which has been in times past one of the most honourale in the whole Empire Fourthly The old veterane Officers which had by degrees and steps proceeded to honour methodically from inferiour Soldiers have either by their own seditious spirits or jealousies of the Prince been dispeeded from this World and in their places the Sons of Constantinopolitan Ianizaries succeeded who have been bred up with softness and effeminacy and their Tchorbagees or Captains have not obtained their Commands by time by valour but Buy their Places with Money and Presents to their Prime Officers Fifthly And to forward the decay of this Militia and to take off their warlike and haughty Courages the confinement to their Chambers is not severe but liberty given upon colour of Poverty and impossibility of livelihood on their mean Pay to attend other Trades and Services whereby the exercise of Arms and thoughts of the War is converted to Mechanick Arts and an intention to ways of maintenance of themselves and Families Sixthly Hope of reward and fear of punishment which are the incitements to worthy actions and restrictions from the vilest crimes are rarely help up to the Ianizaries in these times for their encouragement or terrour for without Money to the superiour Officers none of them obtains Preferment nor can any worn out with age and wounds procure dismission from the War with the enjoyment of the usual stipend who are called by the Turks Oturak and by the Latins Exauctorati and on the contrary the Children of Officers born in Constantinople are often made Oturaks in their Cradles and lusty Youths are with favour and Money exempted in the flower of age from the labours of War and yet enjoy the benefits due to a tollesome Militia And yet as if all the connivance at these various disorders and subversion of the good institutions of the Soldiery were not sufficient to impoverish their spirits to mould them into a more effeminate temper and cause them to lose their interest and reputation it is the common opinion that the Visier Kupriuli laid the designs for the late War with Germany before his death and enjoined it to his Son to prosecute with an intention amongst other expectations of benefit to the Empire to complete the final destruction of the ancient Spahees and Ianizaries so as to be able to lay a foundation of a new Discipline which may more easily for the future restrain the Turkish Militia within the compass of better modesty and obedience which design hath taken so severe effect in the War of Hungary in the year 1664. that the bloudlest part of slaughter in the Battels fell on the Ianizaries and Spahees and by how much more any were more bold and forward in their attempts by so much more fatal and hasty was their ruine so that it is reported that the valiantest Soldiers of the Confines the veterane and best disciplined of the Spahees and Ianizaries and the best number of their skilfull Commanders and expert Captains perished promiscuously together to the great damage and weakning to the Ottoman Power so that now it is not probable that a new Militia succeeding