about again to haue ben embarked for SYRIA and so into the holy land But the yong prince Alexius in the meane time had by himselfe and the noble Grecians fled with him for feare of the tyrant so wrought the matter with the Latine princes of the West especially with Innocentius tertius the Pope with Philip the emperour his brother in law and Philip the French king that they pittying his estate induced also with some other considerations more proper vnto themselues took him as it were into their protection commending by letters messengers for that purpose sent vnto the armie which they might cōmand the defence both of himselfe and his cause who with the commendation of three so great princes comming to the armie yet lying at IADERA expecting but a faire wind for to haue passed into SYRIA was there of them all most honorably receiued as the sonne of an emperour and as became one vnto them so highly commended And he himselfe also as one that knew his good was not in any thing wanting vnto himselfe but recommended himselfe to their protection as a poore exiled prince in distresse yet of a good and liuely spirit gracious in speech beautifull to behold and very yong and withall fully instructed by the noble Grecians that were with him in all things that might serue to further his purpose And forasmuch as this great armie was composed of diuers nations especially of the French Italians and Venetians not all to be by one meane moued he fitted euery one of them with such motiues as hee thought might most preuaile with them Vnto the French he promised to pay the great summes of mony they had borrowed of the Venetians for the furnishing of themselues in this war Vnto the Venetians he promised to recompence thē for all the injuries they had sustained by the late Constantinopolitan emperors especially by the emperor Emanuell who for that they had refused to aid him in his wars against William king of SICILIE did in one day confiscat all the goods of the Venetian marchants within his empire of a wonderfull value afterwards contrarie to the law of nations shamefully intreated their embassadors sent vnto him amongst whom was Henry Dandulus now by fortune generall for the Venetians in the armie who moued as well with the wrong in particular done vnto himselfe as with the common desired to be reuenged both of the one and of the other which although he could not haue of Emanuell himselfe being long before dead yet was he still desirous to haue it of some one of the Greeke emperours whosoeuer he were Vnto the Pope and the Italians both he and the noblemen with him had before promised That the Greeke Church should for euer acknowledge the supremacie of the church of ROME and from thencefoorth submit it selfe therunto as vnto the soueraigne judge of all the churches of Christendome which caused the Pope Innocentius by letters by legates by embassadours and by all other meanes possible to further the cause of the yong prince Alexius so combined with his owne alleadging the diuersitie of opinions in matters of religion betwixt the Greekes and the Latines to haue been the chiefe cause that the Mahometanes had not been long agoe by their vnited forces subdued or vtterly rooted out In briefe the young prince spared not to promise most bountifull rewards in generall to all that should take his part against his vncle the vsurping emperour By this meanes the deuout warre taken in hand for the reliefe of the poore Christians in SYRIA was laid aside and the same forces that should haue beene therein employed now conuerted against the Greeke empire to the great weakening of that side of the Christian common-weale and aduantage of the common enemie who might then easily haue beene oppressed had he with the vnited forces of the Christians been on this side charged home as he was on the farther by the Tartars The Grecian warre thus resolued vpon it seemed best vnto the great commanders of the armie to march directly to CONSTANTINOPLE as to the head of the Grecian state and place where the tyrant whom they sought after was resiant In the mean time it was by them giuen out through all the Greeke cities which the emperour had strongly manned and fortefied for the staying of their passage that their purpose was not to make warre against the Grecians their friends but onely to restore their lawfull emperour vnto his former state and honour And that forasmuch as euery citie and towne in ancient GREECE had appointed rewards and almost diuine honors vnto such as had deliuered them from tyrants they should now more fauourably receiue and intreat them that came to restore vnto euery citie and to euery man in generall their former libertie and honour And so vpon the resolution for CONSTANTINOPLE embarking their armie and passing through the Ionian sea into the Aegeum and so without let through the straights of Helespontus into Propontis and entring the straits of Bosphorus Thracius which deuide EUROPE from ASIA they came to an anker euen in the face of the citie In this fleet were two hundred and fortie saile of tall ships sixtie gallies seuentie ships for burden and one hundred and twentie saile of victualers which all together made a most braue shew couering that strait in such sort as that it seemed rather a wood than a part of the sea Thus for a space they lay facing the citie attending if happily vpon the comming and sight of so great a fleet and the report of so puissant an armie as the yong prince Alexius had brought with him any tumult or sedition might arise in the citie But the warie tyrant had so well prouided therefore beforehand that the citizens although they in heart fauoured the young prince and wished him well yet durst they not once moue or stirre in his quarrell Whilest the fleet thus lay embassadours came from the isle of CRETE in two great gallies with three banks of oares yeelding vnto the yong prince that goodly island with all the townes and cities therein which he foorthwith gaue vnto the marquesse of MONT-FERRAT generall of the armie thereby to encourage the other great commanders of the armie to do the vttermost of their deuoire in hope of recompence and rewards answerable to their deserts and valour Before the arriuall of this fleet Alexius the emperour had with a great chaine made fast the entrance of the hauen betwixt CONSTANTINOPLE and PERA and appointed twentie great gallies well manned for the keeping thereof but a great gale of wind arising the generall sent out the greatest and strongest ship in the fleet of her greatnesse and swiftnesse called the Eagle which with all her sailes vp carried with a full gale of wind by maine force brake the chain and made a way for the rest of the fleet to enter which the Greekes in the gallies seeing for feare fled leauing the gallies for a
and sometime on the other and slew many of them whereby he so troubled Amurath his passage that he was glad to leaue the viceroy of ROMANIA with 30000 to attend vpon Scanderbeg that he himselfe might in the meane time with more safetie march away with the rest of his armie Scanderbeg perceiuing the stay of the viceroy ceased to follow Amurath further fearing to bee enclosed betweene those two great armies The viceroy seeing that Scanderbeg was retired after he had staied a few daies followed his master to HADRIANOPLE and so Scanderbeg returned to CROâ—A Shortly after the departure of Amurath out of EPIRVS Scanderbeg left two thousand souldiours vpon the borders for defence of the countrey against the Turks These soldiors so straightly kept in the Ianizaries left in garrison at SFETIGRADE that they could not looke out of the citie but they were intercepted and slaine And within a few daies after came himselfe with an armie of eighteene thousand and laied siege to SFETIGRADE the space of a moneth which was from the middle of September vntill the middle of October In which time he gaue two great assaults to haue recouered the citie but was both times repulsed with the losse of fiue hundred men Amurath vnderstanding that Scanderbeg lay at the siege of SFETIGRADE sent with all speed to recall his armie but lately before dispersed Whereof Scanderbeg hauing intelligence considering also the difficultie of the enterprise with the approch of Winter raised his siege and returned to CROIA where he set all things in the same order he had done before the comming of Amurath to the siege of SFETIGRADE and put two thousand of his best souldiors there in garrison vnder the charge of the famous captaine Vranacontes and stored the citie with sufficient victuall for a yeares siege wherein he had great helpe from the Venetians and other Christian princes for that there was then great scarcitie of all things in EPIRVS by reason of the late warres The like care he had also of all the rest of his cities being continually aduertised from his secret friends in the Turks court of the great preparation intended against him by the Turkish king against the beginning of the next Spring Amurath vnderstanding that Scanderbeg was departed from SFETIGRAD changed his former determination for the calling backe again of his armie appointed it to meet againe at HADRIANOPLE in the beginning of March following whether the Bassaes and other great commaunders at the time appointed assembled with their companies according as Amurath had before commaunded So that by the latter end of march hee had there in readinesse an armie of an hundreth and threescore thousand men strong Of which great multitude he after the manner of the Turkish warres sent fortie thousand horsemen vnder the leading of Sebalyas a polliticke captaine as his vauntcourriers into EPIRVS in the beginning of April in the yeare 1450. The valiant captaine with great speed and no resistance entred into EPIRVS as was giuen him in charge and without let came to CROIA where after he had aduisedly considered of the scituâ—ation thereof and of the places thereabouts he strongly encamped himselfe neere thereunto in the pleasant plaine called TYRANNA and there within his trenches kept his souldiours close attending nothing more but that no new supplie of men munition or victuals should be conuaied into the citie more than was therin before his comming For he was not able with his horsemen to doe any thing against the citie and Scanderbeg had left nothing abroad in the countrey subject to his furie Besides that he was expresly by Amurath forbidden to attempt any thing against Scanderbeg himselfe After Sebalyas had twentie daies thus line encamped before CROIA neither doing nor taking harme Amurath by reason of his great age hauing marched oftentimes but fiue miles a day came thether also with his whole armie wherewith hee filled all the countrey round about the very sight whereof had been inough to haue discouraged the small garrison in CROIA had they not been men both of great experience and resolution Where after he had spent foure daies in setling of his campe he sent two messengers to the Gouernour as the manner of the Turkes is offering him if he would yeeld vp the citie that it should be lawfull for him with all his souldiors in safetie with bagge and baggage to depart and the Gouernour himselfe to receiue in reward two hundreth thousand aspers with an honorable place amongst the great Bassaes of his court if it would please him to accept thereof and further that the citizens should enjoy all their antient liberties as in former time without any alteration with promise also of greater These messengers comming to the gates of the citie could not bee suffered to enter but standing without were commaunded there to deliuer their message Which when the Gouernour had heard hee scornefully rejected their offers and returned the messengers shamefully derided by the souldiours which stood vpon the wall Amurath more offended with this contempt than the refusall of his offers and seeing no other meanes to gaine the citie conuerted all his deuises vnto the siege thereof Wherefore he first commaunded ten great peeces of artillerie to be forthwith cast for he had brought none with him readie made because of the difficult passage ouer the high mountaines into EPIRVS whereby it seemed to bee a matter of infinite trouble to haue brought his great ordinance and therefore caried with him great store of mettall in masse whereof at his pleasure to make his great artillerie as he saw cause In fifteen daies this worke was brought to perfection and ten peeces of huge greatnesse were readie mounted vpon cariages Six of them he placed against the East side of the citie towards the plain of TYRANNA and the other foure against the gate in which two places onely CROIA was subject to batterie being on all other parts naturally defended with impregnable rocks vpon the tops whereof were built faire battlements more for beautie than needfull defence These two places Amurath battred foure daies continually and with the furie of his artillerie had in both places beaten downe halfe the wall and sore shaken the rest Wherewith the Turks were exceedingly encouraged and with great cheerefulnesse made all thinges readie to assault those breaches whensoeuer Amurath should commaund striuing among themselues who should shew himselfe most forward in that dangerous enterprise And Mahomet the young prince the more to encourage the souldiors besides the great rewards by his father proposed promised of himselfe to giue an hundreth thousand aspers to him that should first set vp an ensigne vpon the wals of the citie The garrison souldiours on the other side considering that the whole state and welfare of EPIRVS was reposed in their valour and that the eies of most part of Christendome were as it were fixed vpon them were nothing dismaied with the breaches made but manfully comforted and encouraged one
but the Christians came on so fiercely with desire of blood that breaking into the temple the foremost of them were by the presse of them that followed after violently thrust vpon the weapons of their enemies and so miserably slaine Neither did the Turks thus oppressed giue it ouer but as men resolued to die desperatly fought it out with inuincible courage not at the gates of the temple onely but euen in the middest thereof also where was to be seene great heaps both of the victors and the vanquished slaine indifferently together All the pauement of the temple swam with blood in such sort that a man could not set his foot but either vpon some dead man or ouer the shooes in blood Yet for all that the obstinate enemie still held the vaults and top of the temple when as the darknesse of the night came so fast on that the Christians were glad to make an end of the slaughter and to sound a retrait The next day for that proclamation was made for mercie to be shewed vnto all such as should lay downe their weapons the Turks that yet held the vpper part of the temple came down yeelded themselues Thus was the famous citie of IERVSALEM with great bloodshed but far greater honor recouered by these worthie Christians in the yeere 1099 after it had beene in the hands of the infidels aboue foure hundred yeeres The next day after hauing buried the dead and cleansed the citie they gaue thanks to God with publicke praiers and great rejoycing The poore Christians before oppressed now ouercome with vnexpected joy welcomed their victorious brethren with great joy and praise and the souldiers embracing one another sparing to speake of themselues freely commended each others valour Eight daies after the princes of the armie meeting together began to consult about the choice of their king amongst whom was no such difference as might well shew which was to be preferred before the others And although euerie one of them for prowesse and desert seemed woorthie of so great an honour yet by the generall consent of all it was giuen to Robert duke of NORMANDIE who about the same time hearing of the death of the Conquerour his father and more in loue with his fathers new gotten kingdome in ENGLAND in hope thereof refused the kingdome of IERVSALEM then offered vnto him which at his returne he found possessed by William Rufus his yoonger brother and so in hope of a better refusing the woorse vpon the matter lost both After whose departure Godfrey of BVILLON duke of LORAINE whose ensigne was first displaid vpon the wals was by the generall consent both of the princes and the armie saluted king He was a great souldier and endued with many heroicall vertues brought vp in the court of the emperour Henrie the fourth and by him much emploied At the time of his inauguration he refused to be crowned with a crowne of gold saying That it became not a Christian man there to were a crowne of gold where Christ the sonne of God had for the saluation of mankind sometime worne a crowne of thorne Of the greatest part of these proceedings of the Christians from the time of their departure from ANTIOCH vntill the winning of the Holy citie Godfrey by letters briefly certified Bohemund as followeth Godfrey of Buillon to Bohemund king of Antioch greeting After long trauell hauing first taken certaine townes we came to IERVSALEM which citie is enuironed with high hils without riuers or fountaines excepting onely that of Solomans and that a verie little one In it are many cesterns wherein water is kept both in the citie and the countrey thereabout On the East are the Arabians the Moabits and Ammonits on the South the Idumeans Aegyptians and Philistians Westward alongst the sea coast lie the cities of PTOLEMAIS TIRVS and TRIPOLIS and Northward TIBERIAS CESAREA PHILIPPI with the countrey DECAPOLIS and DAMASCO In the assault of the citie I first gained that part of the wall that fell to my lot to assaile and commanded Baldwin to enter the citie who hauing slaine certaine companies of the enemies broke open one of the gates for the Christians to enter Raymond had the citie of Dauid with much rich spoile yeelded vnto him But when we came vnto the temple of Soloman there we had a great conflict with so great slaughter of the enemie that our men stood in blood aboue the ancles the night approching we could not take the vpper part of the temple which the next day was yeelded the Turks pitifully crying out for mercie and so the citie of IERVSALEM was by vs taken the fifteenth of Iuly in the yeere of our redemption 1099 39 daies after the beginning of the siege 409 yeeres after it fell into the hands of the Sarasins in the time of Heraclius the emperour Besides this the princes with one consent saluted me against my will king of IERVSALEM who although I feare to take vpon me so great a kingdome yet I will do my deuoir that they shall easily know me for a Christian king and well deseruing of the vniuersall Faith But loue you me as you do And so farewell from IERVSALEM Whilest these things were in doing at IERVSALEM such a multitude of the Turks and Sarasins their confederats now in their common calamitie all as one were assembled at ASCALON a citie about fiue and twentie miles from IERVSALEM to reuenge the injuries they had before receiued as had not before met together in all the time of this sacred war Against whom Godfrey the late duke and now king assembled the whole forces of the Christians in those countries and leauing a strong garrison in the new woon citie set forward and meeting with them joyned a most dreadfull and cruell battell wherein as most report were slaine of the Infidels an hundred thousand men and the rest put to flight The spoile there taken far exceeded all that the Christians had before taken in this long expedition Godfrey after so great a victorie returning to IERVSALEM gaue vnto God most humble thanks The rest of the princes returned either to their charge as did Bohemund to ANTIOCH Baldwin to EDESSA Tancred into GALLILEY whereof he was created prince or else hauing now performed the vttermost of their vowes returned with honour into their owne countries This was of all others the most honourable expedition that euer the Christians tooke in hand against the Infidels and with the greatest resolution performed for the most part by such voluntary men as mooued with a deuout zeale to their immortall praise spared neither life nor liuing in defence of the Christian faith and religion all men woorthie eternall fame and memorie Not long after ensued a great pestilence the readie attendant of long war and want whereof infinit numbers of people died and among the rest Godfrey the first Christian king of IERVSALEM neuer to be sufficiently commended who with the generall lamentation of all good
into the rest that for safegard of their liues they betook themselues to flight some one way some another neuer thinking themselues in safetie so long as they were within the greedie tyrants reach wherof shortly after ensued no small troubles to the shaking of the state of the whole empire Isaack Comnenus the emperour Emanuels nigh kinsman tooke his refuge into CIPRVS kept that island to himselfe Alexius Comnenus Emanuels brothers son fled into SCICILIA there stirred vp William king of that island against Andronicus who with a great army landing at DYRRACHIVM tooke the city so from thēce without resistance passing through the heart of MACEDONIA spoyling the countrey before him as he went met his fleet at THESALONICA which famous city he also tooke by force most miserably spoiled it with all the countrey therabout in such sort as that he brought a great feare euen vpon the imperiall citie it selfe vnto which so great euils Andronicus entangled with domesticall troubles not knowing whom to trust was not able to giue remedie although for shew he had to no purpose sent out certaine of his most trusty ministers with such forces as he could spare For the majestie of his authoritie growing still lesse lesse the number of his enemies both at home and abroad daily encreasing the fauor of the vnconstant people who now began to speake hardly of him declining he vncertain which way to turne himselfe rested wholy vpon tyrannie proscribing in his feare not only the friends of such as were fled whom he distrusted but somtimes whole families together yea that for light occsions somtime those who were the best of his fauourits whose seruice he had many times vsed in the execution of his crueltie So that now no day passed wherin he did not put to death imprison or torture one great man or other Wherby it came to passe that the imperiall citie was filled with sorrow heauinesse euery man hanging the head and with silence couering his inward griefe not without danger to haue been then vttered Amongst many others appointed to this slaughter was one Isaack Angelus a man of great nobilitie whom Hagiochristophorites the chiefe minister of Andronicus his tyrannie and for the same by him highly promoted suspecting as one that bare no good will to the emperour cause enough of death came to his house to apprehend him finding him at home after some few hot words commanded him to follow him Whereat the noble man making some stay and abhorring the verie sight of the wretch as vnto him ominous and fatall Hagiochristophorites himselfe began to lay hands on him reuiling his followers that they had not foorthwith drawn him out of his house by the haire of his head vnto the prison by him appointed For they touched with the honour of the man and mooued with compassion forced him not but stood still as beholders Isaack seeing himselfe thus beset and no way now left for him to escape resoluing rather there presently to die than shortly after to be murdred in prison drew his sword as the rest were about to haue laid hands vpon him and at the first blow cleft the wicked head of Hagiochristophorites downe to his shoulders and so leauing him wallowing in his owne blood and like a desperat man laying about him amongst the rest made himselfe way through the middest of them And so embrued with blood with his bloodie sword yet in his hand running through the middest of the citie told the people what he had done and crying vnto them for helpe in defence of his innocencie fled into the great temple there to take the refuge of the sanctuarie where he had not long sit in the place where the guiltie flying thither for refuge vsed to sit confessing their offence craue pardon of such as go in and out but that the temple was filled with the multitude of people flocking thither out of all parts of the citie some to see the nobleman some to behold what should become of him for all men thought that he would before the going downe of the sunne notwithstanding the reuerence of the place be drawne thence by Andronicus put to some shamefull death Thither came also Iohn Ducas Isaacks vncle and his sonne Isaack to increase the tumult not for that they were any thing guiltie of the death of Hagiochristophorites but for that they had before become sureties vnto the suspitious tyrant for their kinsman Isaack he likewise for them by whose trespas they well knew themselues now brought into no lesse danger than if they had been abettors therunto And beside them also many other there were which standing in doubt of their owne estate fearing the like might happen to themselues prickt forward with hard speeches the common people flocking thither instantly requesting them to stay there and to stand by them now at their need being so injuriously wronged whose pitifull complaints moued right many to take part with them At which time also no man yet comming from the emperor being as then out of the citie to represse the sedition nor any of the nobilitie opposing themselues no friend of Andronicus appearing none of his bloodie ministers or officers shewing themselues nor any that did so much as speake a good word in his behalfe or in dislike of the tumult the boldnesse of the seditious people increased euerie man in so great libertie saying what he list and after their rude manner one encouraging another So spent Isaack that long night not thinking God wot of an empire but still expecting the deadly stroake of Andronicus Yet had he with great entreating so preuailed that diuers of the assembly shutting the church dores and bringing lights into the church staied there with him all night and by their example caused some others to stay also The next morning by the breake of the day were all the citizens flockt againe vnto the temple cursing the tyrant to the deuill as the common enemie of mankind wishing vnto him a shamefull death and the honour of the empire vnto Isaack At that time by fortune or rather God so appointing it Andronicus was out of the citie at his pallace of MELVDINVM on the East side of PROPONTIS where he was by nine a clocke at night certified of the death of Hagiochristophorites and of the tumult of the people yet that night stirred he not either did any thing more but by short letters aduised the people to pacifie themselues and not by foolish rebellion to cast themselues into farther danger In the morning Andronicus his fauourits began to shew themselues and to do what they might to haue appeased the tumultuous multitude yea and presently after came Andronicus himselfe and landed with his imperiall gally at the great pallace in the citie But with the inraged people naught preuailed either the persuasions of the one or report of the presence of the other for they all as
hands as of his dread soueraigne and after so long discord to sue to be reconciled vnto him as now wearie of the Turkes amitie with whom he should make shew to be vtterly fallen out At which time also to giue the matter the better grace Saladin of purpose with a great armie came and besieged TIBERIAS a citie of the counties jurisdiction for the reliefe whereof the traiterous countie craued aid of the king and the other princes of the sacred warre Who with an armie though not great yet very well appointed came according to his desire encamped neere vnto the fountaine of SOPHOR where they had not long stayed but that they met with the huge armie of the Turkes being in number one hundred and twentie thousand horse and one hundred and sixtie thousand foot with whome they joyned a most sharpe and terrible battell which by reason of the extremitie of the heat of the weather it then beeing the twelfth of Iuly and the approch of the night was againe giuen ouer both armies as if it had been by consent retiring The next day the battell was againe begun wherein the Turkes by the treason and shamefull flight of the false countie of TRIPOLIS gained the victorie In this battell Guy the king himselfe with Gerard master of the Templars Boniface marquesse of MONT-FERRAT and diuers others men of great marke were taken prisoners And to say the truth in this battell was broken the whole strength of the Christians in the East The Christian commonweale by the treason of the false countie thus betrayed vnto the Infidels Saladin without any great resistance had the cities of PTOLEMAIS BIâ—LIS and BERITHVS deliuered vnto him in all which places he vsed his victorie with great moderation not enforsing any Christian more than the Latines to depart thence but suffering them there still to remaine as before yeelding vnto him their obedience with such tribute as he had imposed vpon them With like good fortune he within the space of one moneth tooke all the port townes betwixt SIDON and ASCALON alongst the sea coast excepting only the auncient citie of TYRE vnto the citie of ASCALON also he laid siege by the space of nine daies but loath to stay the course of his victorie by the valour of the defendants resolued there to spend their liues hee departed thence and marched directly vnto HIERUSALEM the chiefe citie of that kingdome And approching the same gaue summons thereunto persuading the citizens yet whiles they had time to yeeld themselues together with the citie vnto his mercie Which they refusing to doe he inclosed the same with his armie and by the space of foureteene dayes laid hard siege vnto it leauing nothing vndone or vnattempted that might helpe for the gaining thereof At which time the citizens considering the danger they were in and that the strength of the kingdome with the flower of their chiualrie were in the late battell lost and that they were not now to expect any forraine aid agreed vpon certaine conditions to yeeld vp the citie which were That such Christians as would might remaine still with their libertie and goods and that such as would not might in safetie depart with so much of their goods as they could carie vpon their backs These conditions being by Saladin granted the holy citie was vnto him deliuered the second of October in the yeare 1187 after it had been by the Christians holden froÌ„ the time that it was by Godfrey of BUILLON other Christians woon about 89 yeares Saladin entring into the citie prophaned first the temple of the Lord conuerting it vnto the vse of his Mahometane superstition the other churches he vsed as stables for his horses onely the temple of the sepulchre was by the Christians for a great summe of money redeemed and so kept vndefiled The Latine Christians he thrust out of the citie yet with leaue to carrie with them such things as they were able themselues to beare who trauailing with heauie burdens but much more heauie hearts some to TRIPOLIS some to TIRE some to ANTIOCH for onely these three cities were now left vnto the Christians in SYRIA were by the false countie of TRIPOLIS by the way lightened of their burthens to the increasing of the heauinesse of their hearts most of them being by him and his followers spoiled of that little they had by the mercie of their enemies saued in the ruine of their state Vnto the other Christians that were naturall Syrians Greekes Armenians Georgians and such like Saladin appointed certaine places of the citie for them to dwell in where some of their posteritie were long time after to be found All the monumenss of the Christians were by the barbarous Mahometanes and Turkes defaced onely the sepulchre of our blessed Sauiour Christ with the monument of Godfrey of BUILLON and his brother Baldwin for the reuerence of the men were by them spared In these so great troubles aboue twentie thousand of the Christians perished amongst the rest the countie of TRIPOLIS was shortly after found dead in his bed and as some say circumcised a manifest token of his reuolt not from the king onely but from the Christian faith also HIERUSALEM thus woon Saladin returned againe to the siege of ASCALON which after he had by the space of tenne dayes most straitly besieged was vnto him by composition deliuered wherein amongst other things agreed vpon for the safe departure of the citizens was comprised also that he should freely set at libertie Guy the king and Gerard master of the Templars both before taken prisoners as is before declared which he afterward performed Thus the victorious Turke still vrging his good fortune departing thence attempted to haue taken TRIPOLIS but hauing made some proofe of his owne forces and the valour of the defendants he was glad to giue ouer the siege and to depart as he came Marching thence with his armie because he would leaue no place vnattempted he laid siege vnto the citie of TIRE where Conrade marquesse of MONT FERRAT was a little before arriued with Isaack Angelus the Greeke emperours fleet and a supplie of certaine companies of good souldiors Vnto which place were come great numbers of the poor distressed Christians fled from HIERUSALEM and other places so that the citie was full of men This citie Saladin most furiously assaulted but was by the Christians notably repulsed not without the great losâ—e of his best souldiors At which time also the admirall of SICILIA discomfited his fleet at sea and landing his forces came vnlooked for vpon the backe of him so that hauing his hands full before by them of the towne and charged behind by these newcome enemies he was glad to retire in such hast as that he left his tents with all that therein was vnto the spoile of the Christians Within a few daies after Saladin hauing againe repaired his armie inuaded the countrey about ANTIOCH with fire and sword destroying whatsoeuer was
could not take in good part but said That it was apparant to all men that he abandoned the warres in SYRIA to returne into FRAVNCE for no other end or purpose but the more easily to inuade the prouinces of GVIEN and NORMANDIE now disfurnished of their garrisons and so subject to his mallice Which point hee so vrged that the French king could haue no leaue with his honour to depart vntill such time as he had by solemne oath bound himselfe vnto king Richard not to attempt any thing either by force or fraud against him or any thing of his vntill fiftie dayes were expired after king Richard his return home Which how well it was by the French king obserued I leaue it to the report of the hystories of that time And so the French king not to be intreated longer to stay leauing behind him the aforesaid number of men he had promised embarking the rest of his armie and accompanied with three tall ships of the Genowaies his friends and Ruffin Volta their admirall departed from PTOLEMAIS to TYRE the first of August and two daies after loosing thence alongst the coast of ASIA and cutting through the Mediteranean arriued at length in the mouth of the riuer of TYBER and from thence went to ROME where after he had visited Pope Celestine and the famous places of that most renowned citie he returned againe to his fleet and so by sea arriued in safetie in FRAUNCE hauing in that great expedition so honourably by him intertained performed nothing answerable to that the world looked for After the French king followed Leopold duke of AUSTRIA with his Germans and not long after him the Venetians also with them of PISA and GENUA Of whose departure Saladin vnderstanding and that the Christian forces were thereby much empaired refused either to pay the money or to restore the prisoners as was promised at the giuing vp of PTOLEMAIS threatning moreouer to chop off the heads of all such Christian captiues as he had in his power if the king should shew any extremitie vnto the pledges of the citie Neuerthelesse shortly after he sent his embassadours with great presents vnto the king requesting a longer time for the sparing of his pledges which his request together with his gifts the king refused to graunt or accept Whereupon Saladin foorthwith caused such Christian captiues as were in his power to bee beheaded which albeit king Richard vnderstood yet would hee not preuent the time before agreed vpon for the execution of his prisoners being the 20 day of August vpon which day hee caused the Turks prisoners to the number of 2500 or as the French and Germans write to the number of 7000 in the sight of Saladines armie to be executed The losse of the strong towne of PTOLEMAIS much empaired the reputation of Saladin euen among his owne people as it commonly falleth out that the euill successe of a great commander in his affaires altereth the good will affection and opinion especially of the vulgar sort which judge of all things by the euent And albeit that his losses were great and such as much daunted him yet he thought it best as the case then stood to make them greater and with his owne hands as it were to ruinate and ouerthrow such townes and cities as he saw hee could not keepe rather than to suffer them whole and vndefaced to fall into the enemies hand So carried headlong with despaire he caused all the townes he had alongst the sea coast in SYRIA and PALESTINE to be sacked and ruinated and their wals ouethrowne especially such as were of most importance and like to stand the Christians in stead namely PORPHIRIA CESAREA IOPPA ASCALON GAZA and ELAM with diuers other castles and citadels in the countries thereabouts most part whereof were againe by king Richard and the Templars fortified and repeopled although Saladin in the meane time did what he might to haue letted the same Nothing more hindred the good proceeding of the Christian princes in this and other their most honourable expeditions against the Infidels than the discord among themselues one still enuying at anothers honour and euery one jealous of his owne Great strife and heart burning there had beene betweene the two kings of FRAVNCE and ENGLAND during the time they were together in this sacred expedition to the great hinderance of the same No lesse contention had there ben betwixt Guy the late king of HIERUSALEM and Conrade marques of MONT-FERRAT about the title of that lost kingdome whereby the whole power of the Christians in SIRIA was deuided into two factions Richard king of ENGLAND Baldwin earle of FLAUNDERS Henrie earle of CHAMPAINE the knights Hospitalers of Saint Iohn the Venetians and Pisans taking part with Guy And Philip the french king Odo duke of BURGUNDIE Rodolph earle of CLAREMONT the Templers the Genowayes the Lantgraue of THURIN Leopold duke of AVSTRIA and Robert countie of NASSAU taking part with Conrade the marques But Conrade shortly after the taking of PTOLOMAIS being slaine by two of the desperate Assassins or as some others say by two desperate ruffians suborned thereunto by the prince of TORONE in reuenge of the dispite done vnto him by the said marques by taking from him Isabell his espoused wife as he was walking in his citie of TYRE and doubting no such treason king Richard seeing now a fit occasion offered for the vtter extinguishing of that claime and how to intitle himselfe vnto that kingdome persuaded the aforesaid Isabell the widdow of the late Marques and in whose right hee had laied claime vnto the kingdome to relinquish that so troublesome a title and to take to her husband Henry earle of CHAMPAINE his nephew vnto whom he gaue the citie of TYRE Guy the king exclaiming to the contrarie as of a wrong done vnto himselfe Shortly after he began also to temper with Guy persuading him to resigne vnto him that little right and interest hee had in the kingdome of HIERUSALEM and in lieu thereof to receiue at his hands the kingdome of CIPRUS Which his offer the poore king was glad to accept By which exchange Guy became king of CIPRUS and Richard king of HIERUSALEM which honorable title he afterwards as some report vsed in his stile as did some others his successors the kings of ENGLAND after him So Guy with all his wealth passing ouer into CIPRUS took possession of the kingdome where he long liued not Neuerthelesse that pleasant kingdome continued in his familie of the Lusignans by the space of about 283 yeares afterwards vntill that at length that familie failing in the posthumus sonne of Iames the bastard last king of that Island it fell into the hands of the Venetians by whom it was holden as a part of their seignorie almost an hundred yeares vntill that it was in our fresh remembrance again from them taken by Selymus the second great emperour of the Turks in the yeare 1571 as in the processe of this historie shall
to send him about midnight certaine companies of souldiers into the citie assuring him to receiue them in by a gate neere vnto the pallace which should be opened vnto them by certaine of his trustie seruants there left for that purpose Of this plot Alexius Ducas of his bittle browes surnamed Murzufle whom of a base fellow the emperour Isaack had promoted vnto the greatest honours of the court was not ignorant who being a man of an aspiring mind and in these troublesome times hauing long thirsted after the empire tooke now this occasion to worke vpon The night following he by his agents men instructed for the purpose raised a tumult in the citie not inferiour vnto that which had happened the day before and at the same instant as if he had had nothing to do in the matter came suddenly vnto the yoong emperour in the dead time of the night which he might at all times do by reason of the great confidence the emperour had in him and with a sad countenance told him That the people were vp againe in an vprore and especially they of his guard and that they were comming towards him to do him some violence for the loue he bare vnto the Latines With which vnexpected newes the yoong emperour terrified demaunded of him as of his most faithfull counsellor what were best in that case for him to doe Who presently embracing him in his night gowne lead him out by a secret dore into a tent hee had of his owne in the court as if hee would there haue kept him safe but far was that from his traiterous thoughts who departing from him as if he had gone to appease the tumult had before taken order That he should presently after his departure be cast in bonds and so be clapt vp into a close stinking prison Which done the false traitor openly shewing himselfe made an oration vnto the people wherein he shewed himselfe to haue great compassion of the Greeke empire of the Greeks his countrymen themselues especially in that they were gouerned by a youth vnfit for the gouernment who suffered himselfe to be misse-led according to the pleasure of the Latines And that it was high time for the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE the seat of the Greeke empire to looke about it and to haue an eie vnto it selfe sith it was betraied sold by them which ought to preserue and keepe the same that they had now need of a man that loued his countrey and countreymen before that which yet remained of the Graecian name were vtterly extinguished by the Latines This his speech fitted of purpose vnto the humour of the seditious was receiued with the great outcrie and applause of the windie headed people Some cried out that hee and none but he was to be made chiefe of the common weale that was by them to be established othersome cried as loud to haue him made generall of the armies and forces of the state but the greatest crie was to haue him chosen and created emperour whereunto the rest giuing place hee was by the generall consent of the tumultuous people without longer stay chosen and proclaimed emperour Alexius the traitour by no lawfull election or rightfull succession but onely by the furie of the tumultuous people thus created emperour was of nothing more carefull than how to breake the forces of the Latines of whom onely he now stood in dread And therefore to begin withall he first attempted by certaine gallies filled with pitch flax brimstone and such like matter apt to take fire to haue burnt the Venetian fleet which gallies so set on fire carried with a faire gale of wind amongst the fleet had beene like enough to haue done great harme had it not by the warinesse of the Venetians bene preuented who being good sea men not vnacquainted with such deuises easily and without danger auoided the same by keeping themselues aloofe one from another in the sea This finenesse sorting to no purpose he to colour the matter sent certaine messengers to the generall and other commaunders of the armie to giue them to vnderstand that that which was done for the firing of the fleet had beene done without his priuitie by the malice of the tumultuous people and that for his part he would be glad of their fauour and friendship assuring them likewise of his and promising them to aid them both with men and money and whatsoeuer else they should haue need of in their wars against the infidels Whereunto an answer was giuen by Dandulus the Venetian generall That he would beleeue it when Alexis the sonne of the emperour Isaack whom the Latines had placed in the empire should assure them thereof and intreat for the people vpon whom the fault of that outrage was laid which answere the more mooued the traiterous tyrant to rid himselfe cleane of the feare of the yoong prince by taking him out of the way to the intent to hinder the people of the hope and great desire they had to grow to some peace with the Latines by taking him out of prison and receiuing him againe for their emperour For the people by nature mutable and not desirous of the good of themselues but according to the occurrents present without any great regard of that they haue alreadie done or ought to haue done began now to repent themselues of that they had done against the yoong emperor Alexis in the fauour of the tyrant and commonly said That they must find some meanes whatsoeuer it were to remedie their fault together with their troubles Wherfore Murzufle fearing this sudden mutation of the people with his owne hands most villanously strangled the yoong prince Alexis in prison hauing as yet not raigned much aboue six months and immediately after caused it to be bruited abroad That the said yoong prince dispairing of his estate had as a man desperat hanged himselfe The tyrant in vaine hauing thus attempted the burning of the fleet and still fearing the reuenging sword of the Latines resolued now by plaine force to meet them in the field and there to dare them battell So hauing made readie and armed the whole strength of the imperiall citie he with cheerfull speech encouraged his souldiers requesting them valiantly to maintaine and defend their countrey of Greece the monuments of their fathers the glorie of their ancestors their honour present and the future hope of their posteritie that hauing before their eies the wals of their citie within which they were borne nourished and brought vp in hope of great matters they would haue pitie and compassion of their temples their wiues their children and in no case to suffer them to fall againe into so miserable and wretched a seruitude but rather to die a thousand deaths And the more to grace this his enterprise taken in hand for the defence of his countrey as he would haue the world to beleeue it with the colour of a superstitious deâ—otion also hee caused the
of the gates but to keepe them as prisoners coupt vp within the wals of the citie This warlike captaine with this handfull of men passing ouer PROPONTIS encamped at REGIUM not far from CONSTANTINOPLE where by chance lighting vpon certaine poore labouring men Greekes borne in the citie and there dwelling he diligently inquired of them the state thereof and of what strength the Latines were with many other things such as he was desirous to know who not onely told him that the strength of the Latines was but small but also that the greatest part thereof was gone to the siege of DAPHNVSIA a towne not farre off vpon the side of the EVXINE sea and withall as Greekes euill affected to the gouernment of the Latines and desirous of the libertie of their countrey offered of themselues to shew him a meanes how to giue him entrance into the citie These poore men dwelt within the citie close by one of the gates neere whereunto by an old ruinous mine almost swarued vp was a secret vnsuspected way into the citie not knowne to any but to themselues By this blind hole they promised him by night to receiue in fiftie of his best souldiers which suddenly setting vpon the watch fast by and dispatching them out of the way might presently breake open the gate and so let in the rest of the armie whereunto they promised themselues with their friends to put to their helping hands assuring him of the good successe thereof This plot for the betraying of the citie thus laied and agreed vpon Alexius the Caesar well rewarding the men and filling them with greater promises sent them away who as if they had beene about their countrey worke were after their woonted manner receiued into the citie without suspition at all And within a few daies after according to their promise at an appointed houre receiued in by night the aforesaid fiftie souldiours who aided by them presently slew the watch and brake open the gate wherby Alexius entring a little before day in conuenient place put his men in order of battell and afterward to the greater terrour of the Latines caused the citie to be set on fire in foure places which increased with the wind burnt in most terrible manner and was in short time come almost to the emperours pallace Who scarce well awaked and seeing the citie all on a fire about his eares and the enemie comming on was about at the first with those few Latines that hee had for Greekes he had none to haue made head against them But better aduised and perceiuing it to be now to no purpose he the last of the Latine Emperours that euer raigned in CONSTANTINOPLE with Iustinian the Latine Patriarch and some other of his friends fled by sea into EVBOCA and so from thence afterwards vnto VENICE and afterwards to Lewis the French king in hope to haue beene by him and the Venetians relieued After whom fled also all the rest of the Latines Thus the imperiall citie of CONSTANTINOPLE by great fortune fell againe into the hands of the Greeks in the yeare 1261 after it had beene in possession of the Latines about 58 yeares The joyfull newes of the recouerie of the imperiall citie was in short time carried vnto Michael Paleologus the Greeke emperour at NICE who at the first beleeued it not as thinking it scarce possible so strong a citie to haue beene by so weake a power surprised where as hee himselfe not long before was not able with a right puissant armie and much other warlike prouision to win the little castle of GALATA ouer against it But afterwards assured of the truth thereof with his hands and eies cast vp towards heauen gaue most heartie thankes to God therefore causing hymnes and psalmes of thanksgiuing to bee solemnly sung in euerie church with all the other signes of joy and triumph that could be deuised So setting all other things apart he wholy busied himselfe in making preparation for his going to CONSTANTINOPLE now once againe the seat of the Greeke empire wherein and in trauelling hauing spent many daies he at length with the empresse his wife and Andronicus his sonne then but two yeares old as if it had been in solemne procession on foot entred into the citie by the gate called the Golden Gate and so after praiers and thankes giuen went to the pallace prepared for him neere vnto the tiltyard for the other imperiall pallaces of greater beautie sometime the stately dwellings of the greatest emperours of the Greekes had now of long during the raigne of the Latines lien ruinous or altogether defaced And shortly after because vertue and true desert should not want their due honour he caused Alexius Caesar by whose meanes the citie was recouered in solemne triumph in his roabs of honour with a crowne vpon his head not much inferiour vnto the imperiall crowne with great pompe to bee carried through all the citie and farther commaunded That his name for one yeare next following in all solemne hymnes and praiers of thanksgiuing should be joyned with the name of the emperour himselfe And yet not thinking to haue done him honour enough caused his liuely image afterward to be most curiouslly made and as a trophie to be set vpon a faire marble piller before the great church of the holy Apostles in perpetuall remembrance of him and that he had done for the deliuerie of his countrey which shortly after ouerthrowne by an earthquake was by his sonne againe restored Now was this great and famous citie sometime the beautie of the word by these strange and fatall mutations woonderfully defaced and brought to great desolation in euerie place was to be seene great heapes or rather to say the truth great hils of rubbidge the eternall witnesses of the ruine thereof the houses stood some quite fallen downe some readie to follow after and some other great and stately buildings now the small reliques of great fires for the great beautie thereof was before at such time as the Latines tooke it most defaced by fire who all the time that they had it ceassed not night and day to destroy some part or other of it as if they had knowne they should not long keepe it neither did this last fire raised by the Greekes themselues to terrifie the Latines a little deforme it for which cause the emperours chiefe care now was to cleanse the citie and in best sort he could to reforme so great a confusion of things not to be all at once amended first beginning with the churches which ruinous or readie to fall he repaired and next to that filled the emptie houses with new inhabitants And albeit that the chiefe of the Latines were together with the emperour fled and gone yet was the most part of the artificers and tradesmen of the citie Venetians and of them of PISA mingled together vnto whom also to joyne the Genowaies and so to fill the citie with Latines he thought it not altogether safe although
of the affaires of the empire and aduantage of the forreine enemie was not a little troubled with a jealous suspition of his brother Constantine commonly called Porphyrogenitus as if he had sought to haue aspired vnto the empire seeking by all meanes to win vnto himselfe the loue and fauour of all men but especially of the nobilitie both at home and abroad and so by that meanes to mount vnto the height of his desires All which as most men thought were but meere slanders maliciously deuised by such as enuying at his honour and taking occasion by the emperours suspition ceased not to increase the same vntill they had wrought his vnwoorthie destruction The first ground of this false suspition in the emperours head was for that this Constantine was euen from his childhood for many causes better beloued of the old emperour his father than Andronicus as better furnished with those gifts of nature which beautifie a prince and of a more courteous behauior than was his brother insomuch that had he not been the yoonger brother his father could willingly haue left him his successour in the empire This was one and the cheefest cause of the emperours grudge and the ground of his suspition Yet was there another also and that not much lesse than this for that his father in his life time had of long thought to haue seperated from the empire a great part of THESSALIA and MACEDONIA and to haue made him absolute prince thereof and had happely so done had hee not beene by death preuented which thing also much grieued Andronicus and the more incensed him against his brother Which his secret hatred he for all that according to his wisdome cunningly dissembled not only during the time that his father liued but three yeares after his death also making shew of the greatest loue and kindnesse towards him that was possible Constantine in the meane time of such great reuenues as were by his father assigned vnto him reaping great profit most bountifully bestowed the same vpon his followers and fauorits and others that made sute vnto him as well the meaner sort as the greater and with his sweet behauior woon vnto him the hearts of all men for affabilitie courtesie in high degree easily allureth mens minds as doe faire flowers in the spring the passengers eyes This was that precept of the wise Indians That the higher a prince was in dignitie and the more courteous he shewed himselfe vnto his inferiours the better he should be of them beloued He therefore that should for the two first causes blame Constantine should doe him wrong as both proceeding not of himselfe but of his fathers too much loue but in the third hee was not altogether blamelesse for if for want of experience hee prodigally gaue such gifts as for the most part might haue besâ—emed the emperour himselfe he ignorantly erred yet did he no little offend but if he knew that for his too profuse bountie he could not be vnsuspected of his brother and yet without regard held on that course hee was greatly to bee blamed therein For if nothing els might haue mooued him yet he should haue considered to what end the like doings of others in former times had sorted and how many it had brought to vntimely end So although perhaps that Constantine meant no harme vnto his brother or any way to supplant him yet did these things not a little increase and agrauate the former suspitioâ—s and open the eares of the emperour his brother vnto such calumniation as commonly attendeth vpon immoderat bountie But to returne vnto our purpose This honourable Constantine then liued in LYDIA but lately maried and in good hope long to liue being not past thirtie years old but pleasantly spending the time with his wife at NYMPHEA in LYDIA at such time as he was thus secretly accused vnto his brother the emperour thought it good as vpon other occasions of businesse to passe ouer into ASIA himselfe but indeed with a secret resolution vpon the suddaine to oppresse his brother vnawares as by proofe it fell out For at his comming ouer Constantine fearing nothing lesse was forthwith apprehended with all his greatest fauorits of whom one Michaell Strategopulus sometime a man in great authoritie with the emperour his father and of all other for wealth honour and noble acts most famous was cheefe who together with Constantine were fast clapt in prison where we will leaue them euery houre looking to die their lands and goods being before confiscated But these woorthie men especially Constantine and Strategopulus thus laid fast who many times in great battailes discomfited the Turks and notably defended the frontiers of the empire alongst the East side of the riuer MEANDER they now finding none to withstand them forraged not only all the rich countrey beyond the riuer but with an infinit multitude passing the same did there great harme also so that there was no remedie but that the emperour must of necessitie make choice of some other woorthie captaine for the defence of those his cities and countries by the incursion of the Turks then in danger in that part of ASIA There was then in the emperours court one Alexius Philanthropenus a right valiant and renowned captaine and then in the flower of his youth of him the emperour thought good to make choice for the defence of those frontiers of his empire in ASIA against the Turks which were before the charge of his brother Constantine and Strategopulus joyning vnto him one Libadarius an old famous captaine and a man of great experience also appointing vnto him the gouernment of the cities of IONIA and vnto the other the frontiers along the winding bankes of MEANDER Where Alexius hauing now gotten a charge woorthie his valour and in many great conflicts with the Turks still carying away the victorie became in short time of great fame besides that he was exceeding bountifull and courteous vnto all men a costly but a readie way vnto dangerous credit and renowne Thus at the first all things prospered in his hand according to his hearts desire yea the Turks themselues bordering vpon him hardly beset on the one side by the Tartars and on the other by himselfe and yet not so much feared with their enemies behind them as mooued with his courtesie came ouer vnto him with their wiues and children and serued themselues many of them in his campe but as they say That in Iupiters court no man might drinke of the tun of blisse but that he must tast also of the tun of woe so fell it out with this great captaine who hauing but tasted of the better tun had the worse all poured full vpon his head For Libadarius seeing all so prosper with him and somewhat enuying thereat began to feare and suspect least he proud of his good fortune and now growne very strong casting off his allegeance should aspire vnto the empire and so first begin with him as the neerest vnto him
hope by troubling the state either to aspire vnto the empire himselfe or at leastwise to some good part thereof thought now a fit occasion to be ministred vnto him for him to worke vpon both for the one and the other by setting the old emperour and his ambitious nephew together by the eares which opportunitie he not minding to let slip taking the yoong prince one day aside discouered vnto him all his grandfathers deuise in briefe as followeth Your grandfather noble prince said he hath set me as a watch ouer your actions or more truely to say as a blood-hound to seeke after not your doings onely but if it were possible euen after your most secret thoughts also and so whilest he maliciously prepareth for you snares and fetters you not aware thereof foolishly follow your shallow and childish conceits For what shall it auaile you secretly to flie away whereas if the best chance yet must you as the common saying is put your feet vnder another mans table and liue of his charge if it fall not out worse that you be slaine or made away by them you flie vnto for reliefe or else fall into the snares by your grandfather laid for you But if so be that casting behind you these your fond deuises you will hearken vnto my counsell I will shew you a readie way how you shall in short time and without any danger aspire vnto the imperiall seat and dignitie the onely way whereunto is this if you leauing the citie of CONSTANTTNOPLE shall flie out into the cities and prouinces of THRACIA For seeing men are most commonly by nature desirous of change and the miserable Thracians are with often exactions grieuously vexed if you shall but once proclaime a redresse of their grieuances with immunitie for euer they will all with one accord follow you whether soeuer you will your grandfathers long and heauie yoke being cast off as if it were Sisiphus his heauie stone which they had long rolled and neuer the neere If you like of this aduise I will be vnto you both the authour and the leader of this exploit and will easily bring to good effect the whole matter so that you againe on the other side promise vnto me vpon your faith to reward this my trauell according to my desert therein But what rewards shall these be Honourable preferments large possessions great reuenues the first place in your fauour and that no great matter be done or concluded without my consent and knowledge For you see how willingly I make my selfe partaker of your calamitie and companion of your dangers no necessitie enforcing me thereunto forgetting euen my verie faith in comparison of the loue and zeale I beare towards you wherein if any mishap shall by the mutabilitie of fortune betide me I haue set downe my selfe with patience to indure it All which considered you need not to grudge to yeeld vnto my requests if you tender your owne safetie And for as much as the shortnesse of the time will suffer no long consultations and that delay bringeth extreame danger let vs without longer stay impart the matter vnto such others as for the hatred of the emperour are like to keepe our counsell and may yet much further our designes The yoong prince mooued with this speech as if it had beene with a charme easily graunted to his desire confirming the same by his oath conceiued in writing at which time were present such as were especially to be acquainted with the plot of the conspiracie namely Iohn Catacuzene and Theodorus Synadenus both men of great honour and the old emperours antient supposed friends and of him beloued much of like age vnto himselfe and Alexius Apocaucus the third not of like honour with the other yet a man of great place and of a most subtile and deepe wit who all vnderstanding the matter shewed themselues not as ministers but as ringleaders and captaines of the intended rebellion This conspiracie with most solemne oaths and promises on euerie part confirmed they began right cunningly to attempt the matter and to begin withall Syrgiannes and Catacuzenus by corrupting diuers of the great and most gratious courtiers procured to themselues the gouernment of such cities and prouinces in THRACIA as they thought fittest for them to begin their rebellion in Syrgiannes hauing the gouernment of the sea coast and the inland countrey euen from the sea side vnto the top of mount RHODOPE and Catacuzenus the gouernment of the countrey about ORESTIAS In all which places they mustred souldiors prouided armour entertaining also strangers and other vagrant and masterlesse men as for some great war besides that in the cities for the gouenment thereof they placed their most trustie friends remoouing such others as they had in suspect All which they coloured by rumours falsly raised one while of the comming of the Europian Tartars from DANVBIVS and another while by the comming of the Turks out of ASIA against whose inuasions these preparations were giuen out to be made for auoiding of suspition and the traitours for their prouident care highly commended euen by the emperour himselfe against whom they were intended All which things Syrgiannes notably dissembled oftentimes withall certifying the yong prince what he had done and what was likewise of him to be performed But the old emperour seeing his youthfull nephew not to hearken to his graue aduise but still to proceed in his dissolute kind of life was about solemnly to haue reproued him before the Patriarch and some others of the chiefe nobilitie if happily such open reproofe might haue wrought in him some change of manners if not then to haue committed him to prison and like enough he was to haue so done had he not bene otherwise persuaded by Theodorus Metochita who of all others was able to do most with him by reason of the libertie of the time for then it was vpon the point of Shrouetide when as the people distempered with excesse of meate and drinke were of all other times most fit vpon any light occasion to be drawne into a tumult or vprore for feare whereof he was contented for that time to let him alone But Shrouetide past and a good part of Lent also the old emperour seeing no amendment in his nephew calling vnto him Gerasimus the patriarch the rest of the reuerend bishops thē present in the citie sent for his nephew openly before them all to chide him and to schoole him for his disordered life but especially for his purposed flight that ashamed of such open reproofe before such reuerend fathers he might either amend his life or at leastwise of all men be thought justly punished for the same if he should still proceed therin So the young prince being sent for came accompanied with a number of his fauourits and followers most of them being secretly armed and he himselfe not altogether vnprouided for it was agreed amongst them that if the emperour should vse gentle and fatherly admonition
others whereof some he vtterly rased and into the â—est put strong garrisons At this time also Chasi-ilbeg and Eurenoses two of his most valiant captaines tooke certaine forts standing vpon the riuer MERITZA in auncient time called HEâ—â—US Whereby they much troubled the inhabitants of the countrey thereabouts Wherwith the captaine of DIDYMOTICHUM offended gathered his souldiors together intending to haue intercepted the great captaine Chasi-ilbeg in which attempt he lost most of his followers and was himselfe there taken prisoner For whose ransome and certain other conditions the citizens of DIDYMOTICHUM yeelded the citie vnto the Turks Shortly after Amurath sent his tutor Lala Schahin to besiege HADRIANOPLE now called ANDRINOPLE but in antient time ORESTIAS of whose comming the Christians hearing encountred him vpon the way and fought with him a great battaile wherin many were on both sides lost but in the end the Christians being put to the worst retired againe to the citie Of this victorie Schahin sent newes vnto Amurath with certaine of the heads of the slaine Christians who thereupon sending Chasis and Eurenosis before he himselfe with a great armie followed after to the siege of HADRIANOPLE of whose comming the gouernour of HADRIANOPLE vnderstanding fled secretly out of the cittie by night to AENUS The citizens seeing themselues so â—orsaken of their gouernour yeelded their citie vnto Amurath in the yeare of our Lord 1362. The taking of these strong cities in THRACIA especially of DIDYMOTICHUM and HADRIâ—NOPLE is by some of the Turks owne Histories otherwise reported which because it is neither improbable nor disagreeing from the subtile dealings of the Turkes and of themselues also receiued I haue thought good to set downe as their owne Historiographers report the same The Turkish king Amurath had as they say and as truth was in the beginning of his raigne concluded a peace with the Christians of THRACIA during which peace the Gouernour of DIDYMOTICHUM intending to fortifie his citie with new and stronger fortifications against the assaults of the Turkes entertayned all the masons carpenters and other workemen hee could by any meanes get which Amurath vnderstanding secretly caused two hundreth good and lustie workemen and labourers to come out of ASIA to offer their seruice vnto the gouernour who gladly entertained them vsing their helpe in that his great and hastie worke Which thing some of the wiser sort of the citizens disliking wished the Gouernour to beware of those Asian workemen as by them suspected But he presuming vppon the peace made with Amurath and considering they were but base workemen and no souldiers had the lesse care of them neuerthelesse vsing their work all day he commanded them to lodge without the wals of the citie euery night Amurath vnderstanding that these workemen were thus by the Gouernour entertained sent for the valiant captaine Chasis-Ilbeg and requested him with thirtie other good souldiours disguised as poore laborers to go to DIDYMOTICHUM to seeke for worke and in doing thereof to espie if any oportunitie might be found for the surprising of the citie Chasis with these thirtie according to Amurath his direction comming as poore men lacking worke found entertainement at DIDYMOTICHVM where they caried stones morter and such like things euer shewing themselues verie diligent in their worke Chasis with vigilant eye still awayting what might best serue his turne for the surprising of the citie When night was come the Turkish workemen and labourers after their accustomed manner and as they were by the gouernour appointed went out of the citie into the suburbs to their lodgings from whence Chasis secretly departing in the night came to Amurath and shewed him how one of the gates of the citie might vpon the sudden be taken if it would please him to place a sufficient number of Turks in ambush neere vnto the citie to joyne with him and the other Turkish labourers when occasion should serue Which being resolued vpon Amurath sent him backe againe to put this his deuise in execution so Chasis returning to DIDYMOTICHVM brake the matter to so many of the Asian workemen as hee thought conuenient fully instructing them what was to be done The next day according to his appointment the Christians being then at dinner these Turkish workmen and labourers fell at wordes among themselues and from wordes to fayned blowes in which counterfait brawle tumult they suddenly ran to one of the gates of the citie fast by as was before appointed and there laying hands vppon the warders weapons as if it had beene to defend themselues against their fellowes suddenly set vpon those warders being in number but few and then at dinner also and so presently slew them which done they opened the gate of the citie and let in the other Turkes which lay in wait not farre off who with great celeritie entring the citie presently took the same and there put the cheefest of the citizens to the sword sparing the rest of the meaner sort The citie of RHODESTUM of the old writers called RHoeDESTUM was by Amurath his commaundement in this time of peace by sudden assault giuen in the night by the lord Eurenoses taken also With this foule dealing and breach of league yet in force the Christians hardly charged Amurath who turned it ouer to the vnrulinesse of his captaines and men of warre whom he threatned with great seueritie to punish and to giue the better colour that it was done without his priuitie he had fained himselfe sicke all the while these things were in doing But being requested to restore these cities so wrongfully taken froÌ„ the Christians he vtterly refused so to do saying That it was against the law of his great prophet Mahomet to deliuer againe vnto the Christians any towne or citie wherin the Mahometan religion had ben once openly taught Wherevpon waâ—s began againe to arise on fresh betwixt the Christians and him wherein somtime the one preuayled and sometime the other in such sort as that those warres at length became vnto them both verie tedious Wherefore Amurath made peace againe with the Christians of HADRIANOPLE SELYBRIA and CONSTANTINOPLE yet desiring nothing more in heart than to take the citie of HADRIANOPLE which the better to bring to passe he caused Chasis-Ilbeg as a discontented captaine to flye to HADRIANOPLE pretending himselfe to haue been hardly vsed by the tyrant his master where hauing in his companie other such dissembling fugitiues as was himselfe he oftentimes issued out of the citie and valiantly skirmished with the Turks which so â—reatly pleased the gouernour of HADRIANOPLE that he thereby grew into his great fauour Many other Turkes also vnder pretence of like discontentment resorted vnto Chasis wherewith finding himselfe well strengthened he writ letters secretly vnto Amurath That he would deliuer one of the gates of HADRIANOPLE vnto him at a certaine appointed time if he would â—gainst the same time be readie to send him present succors All things being agreed vpon Chasis at the appointed
in the middest of the Ianizaries where he lay enclosed with their dead bodies in token he died not vnreuenged whose vntimely death Tamerlane for all that greatly lamented for he was his kinsman and like inough one day to haue done him great seruice Whose dead bodie Tamerlane caused to be embalmed and with two thousand horse and diuers of the Turks prisoners chained and tied together to be conuaied to SAMERCAND vntill his comming thether All the other dead bodies were with all honor that might be buried at SENNAS This great bloodie battaile fought in the yeare of our lord 1397 not farre from the mount STELLA where sometime the great king Mithrydates was by Pompey the Great in a great battaile ouerthrown was fought from seuen a clocke in the morning vntill foure in the after noone victorie all that while as it were with doubtfull wings houering ouer both armies as vncertaine where to light vntill at length the fortune of Tamerlane preuailed Whose wisdome next vnto God gaue that daies victorie vnto his souldiours for that the politique tiring of the strong forces of Baiazet was the safegard of his owne whereas if hee had gone vnto the battaile in one front assuredly the multitude finding such strong resistance had put it selfe into confusion wheras this successiue manner of aiding of his men made them all vnto him profitable The number of them that were in this battaile slaine is of diuers diuersly reported the Turks themselues reporting that Baiazet there lost the noble Mustapha his sonne with two hundreth thousand of his men and Tamerlane not many fewer and some other speaking of a farre lesse number as that there should be slaine of the Turkes about threescore thousand and of Tamerlane his armie not past twentie thousand But leauing the certaintie of the number vnto the credit of the reporters like inough it is that the slaughter was exceeding great in so long a fight betwixt two such armies as neuer before as I suppose met in field together By this one daies euent is plainly to be seen the vncertaintie of worldly things and what small assurance euen the greatest haue in them Behold Baiazet the terrour of the world and as hee thought superiour to fortune in an instant with his state in one battaile ouerthrowne into the bottome of miserie and dispaire and that at such time as he thought least euen in the middest of his greatest strength It was three daies as they report before he could be pacified but as a desperate man still seeking after death and calling for it neither did Tamerlane after he had once spoken with him at all afterwards courteously vse him but as of a proud man caused small account to be made of him And to manifest that he knew how to punish the haughtie made him to bee shackled in fetters and chaines of gold and so to bee shut vp in an iron cage made like a grate in such sort as that he might on euerie side be seen and so caried him vp and downe as hee passed through ASIA to be of his owne people scorned and derided And to his farther disgrace vpon festiuall daies vsed him for a footstoole to tread vpon when he mounted to horse and at other times scornefully fed him like a dogge with crums fallen from his table A raâ—e example of the vncertaintie of worldly honour that he vnto whose ambitious mind ASIA and EUROPE two great parts of the world were to little should be now caried vp and downe cooped vp in a little iron cage like some perillous wild beast All which Tamerlane did not so much for the hatred to the man as to manifest the just judgement of God against the arrogant follie of the proud It is reported that Tamerlane being requested by one of his noble men that might be bold to speake vnto him to remit some part of his seueritie against the person of so great a prince answered That he did not vse that rigour against him as a king but rather did punish him as a proud ambitious tirant polluted with the blood of his owne brother Now this so great an ouerthrow brought such a feare vpon all the countreys possessed by Baiazet in ASIA that Axalla sent before by Tamerlane with fortie thousand horse and â—n hundreth thousand foot without cariages to prosecute the victorie came without resistance to PRâ—SA whether all the remainder of Baiazet his armie was retired with the Bassa Mustapha the countrey as he went still yeelding vnto him Yea the great Bassa with the rest hearing of his comming and thinking themselues not now in any safetie in ASIA fled ouer the strait of HELLESPONTUS to CALLIPOLIS so to HADRIANOPLE carying with them out of the battaile Solyman Baiazet his eldest sonne whom they set vp in his fathers place Mahomet his younger brother presently vpon the ouerthrow being fled to AMASIA of whom and the rest of Baiazet his children more shall be said hereafter Axalla comming to PRUSA had the citie without resistance yeelded vnto him which he rifled and there with other of Baiazet his wiues concubines tooke prisoner the faire Despina Baiazet his best beloued wife to the doubling of his greefe Emanuell the Greeke emperour now hearing of Tamerlane his comming to PRUSA sent his embassadours the most honourable of his court thether before to Axalla by whom they were there stayed vntill the comming of Tamerlane who receiued them with all the honour that might be shewing vnto them all his magnificence and the order of his campe to their great admiration For it resembled a most populous and well gouerned citie for the order that was therein which brought vnto it plentie of all kind of victuals and other marchandise aswell for pleasure as for vse By these embassadours the Greeke emperour submitted all his empire together with his person vnto Tamerlane the great conquerour as his most faithfull subject and vassaile which he was bound as he said to doe for that hee was by him deliuered from the most cruell tirant in the world as also for that the long journey he had passed and the discommodities he had endured with the losse of his people and the danger of his person could not bee recompenced but by the offer of his owne life and his subjects which hee did for euer dedicate to his seruice with all the fidelitie and loyaltie that so great a benefit might deserue besides that his so many vertues and rare accomplishments which made him famous throughout the world did bind him so to doe And that therefore he would attend him in his cheefe citie to deliuer it into his hands as his owne with all the empire of GREECE Now the Greeke embassadours looked for no lesse than to fall into bondage to Tamerlane thinking that which they offred to be so great and delicate a morsell as that it would not be refused especially of such a conquering prince as was Tamerlane and that the acceptance thereof in kindnesse and
friendship was the best bargaine they could make therein But they receiued answere from this worthie prince farre beyond their expectatation For he with a mild countenance beholding them answered them That he was not come from so farre a countrey or vndertaken so much paines for the enlargement of his dominions alreadie large inough too base a thing for him to put himselfe into so great danger and trauaile for but rather to winne honour and thereby to make his name famous vnto all posteritie for euer And that therefore it should well appeare vnto the world that hee was come to aid him being requested as his friend and allie And that his vpright meaning therein was the greatest cause That God from aboue had beheld his power and thereby brused the head of the greatest and fiercest enemie of mankind that was vnder heauen And now to get him an immortall name would make free so great and flourishing a citie as was CONSTANTINOPLE gouerned by so noble and ancient an house as the emperours That vnto his courage hee had alwaies faith joyned such as should neuer suffer him to make so great a breach in his reputation as that it should be reported of him That in the colour of a friend he came to inuade the dominions of his allies That he desired no more but that the seruice he had done for the Greeke emperour might for euer be ingrauen in the memorie of his posteritie to the end they might for euer wish well vnto him and his successours by remembring the good he had done them That long might the noble emperor liue happily to gouern his estate And that before his returne he would so well consider for the establishing of the same as that he should not lightly fall againe into the like jeopardie alwaies assuring himselfe of his good will and fauour towards him Easie it is to judge what joy these Greeke embassadours receiued to heare this so kind an answere from the mouth of Tamerlane himselfe who rather than he would seeme to breake his faith refused an empire offered vnto him with one of the most stately and magnificent cities of the world Few princes I suppose would performe such a part but so there be likewise but few Tamerlanes in the world These embassadours by the commaundement of Tamerlane were by Axalla royally feasted and all the honour done them that might be One of them being sent backe to carrie these vnexpected newes vnto the Greeke emperour filled both him and all the citie of CONSTANTINOPLE with exceeding joy and gladnesse which both he and his subjects in generall spared not with bonfires and all other signes of joy and pleasure to manifest And the more to shew his thankefulnesse shortly after by the aduice of his graue counsailours passed ouer the strait into ASIA to see Tamerlane at PRUSA and in person himselfe to giue him thankes who hearing of his comming and very glad thereof presently vpon the first dayes journey sent the prince Axalla to meet him and to certefie him of the joy that he conceiued to haue the good hap for to see him as also to conduct him to PRUSA where those two great princes with the greatest magnificence that might be met and so spent one whole day together The Greeke emperour the next day taking his leaue was by Tamerlane with much honour conducted out of the cittie Now had Tamerlane himselfe conceiued a secret desire to see this so famous a citie as was CONSTANTINOPLE from which he was not now farre yet would he not goe thither as a conquerour but as a priuat person which by the meanes of Axalla was accomplished and he thereinto by the Greeke emperour priuatly receiued and with all familiaritie possible entertained the emperour shewing vnto him all the rare and excellent things that were therein to be seene and the other Greeke princes deuising all the meanes they could to do him pleasure and them which did accompanie him who were in a manner all apparrelled after the Greeke fashion At which time the Greeke emperour himselfe was curious to shew vnto him all the faire gardens alongst the sea coast a league or two from CONSTANTINOPLE and so priuatly conducting him spent fiue or six daies with all the mirth that might be possible Tamerlane by the way oftentimes saying That he had neuer seene a fairer citie and that it was indeed the citie considering the faire and rich situation thereof of right worthie to commaund all the world He wondered at the costly buildings of the temples the faire ingrauen pillars the high pyramides and the making of the faire gardens and oftentimes afterwards said That he nothing repented him of his so long and dangerous a voyage if it had been onely but to haue preserued from fire and sword so noble a citie as that was In the Greeke emperour he commended greatly his mild nature and courtesie who knowing him aboue all things to take pleasure in faire seruiceable horses gaue vnto him thirtie of the fairest strongest and readiest that were possible to be gotten all most richly furnished and sent likewise faire presents vnto all the princes and great commaunders of the armie and bountifully caused to bee deliuered vnto them all things which he thought to be necessarie for the armie So after many great kindnesses in short time passed and a strait bond of friendship made and by solemne oath confirmed betwixt the two great princes Tamerlane with great contentment tooke his leaue of the emperour and returned againe to his armie at PRUSA Wherewith he now at his pleasure without resistance wasted and spoiled all Baiazet his dominion in ASIA no man daring to make head against him The yeare being now well spent and Winter drawing on Tamerlane dispersed his armie into diuers of the prouinces of the lesser ASIA expecting still when some of Baiazet his sonnes or other friends should make sute or meanes vnto him for his deliuerance but none came some fearing Tamerlane his heauie indignation and others no lesse dreading the fierce nature of Baiazet himselfe who if hee had beene deliuered was like ynough as was thought to haue taken sharpe reuenge vpon all them which forsooke him in the late battaile and therefore neuer made intercession for him Whereupon Tamerlane one day passing by him said vnto him I maruell that none of thy sonnes or friends either come to see thee or to entreat for thee it must needs be that thou hast euill deserued of them as thou hast of others yet how thinkest thou If I should set thee at libertie would they againe receiue thee as their lord and soueraigne or not To whom Baiazet boldly answered Were I at libertie thou shouldest well see how that I want neither courage nor meanes to reuenge all my wrongs and to make those disobedient forgetfull to know their duties better Which his proud answere made Tamerlane to keepe a straighter hand ouer him In this great and bloodie warre wherein the Othoman empire
had almost taken end the Sultan of AEGYPT had as is aforesaid giuen aid vnto Baiazet which Tamerlane tooke in so euill part as that he resolued to be thereof reuenged For as he was vnto his friends of all others most kind and courteous so was he to his enemies no lesse terrible and dreadfull Yet thinking it good before his departure out of the lesser ASIA to take some good order with these his new conquests and finding nothing more honourable to resolue vpon he restored vnto the poore Mahometane princes Tachretin Isfendiar Germian and the rest before fled vnto him for refuge all their auncient inheritance with something more as he did also diuers cities and countries of NATOLIA vnto the Greeke emperour for the yearely tribute of foure hundred thousand duckats of gold and eight hundred thousand franks of siluer which the emperour promised to pay vnto him yearely And so hauing enriched his armie with the spoiles of the Othoman empire in ASIA he turned his forces against the Aegyptian Sultan and so passing through CARAMANIA entred into SYRIA then part of the Sultans kingdome where neere vnto ALLEPPO being before yeelded vnto him was fought betwixt them a great and mortall battaile the Sultan hauing in his armie an hundred thousand foot and seuentie foure thousand horse whereof there were thirtie thousand Mamelukes accounted the best horsemen of the world In which battaile Axalla the great captaine with the avauntguard of Tamerlane his armie was hardly distressed and Axalla himselfe taken but foorthwith againe rescued by Tamerlane who had hee not by his comming on with new forces speedily restored the battaile cunningly protracted by Axalla that day was like ynough to haue made an end of his good fortune But the victorie after a long and cruell fight wherein were fourescore thousand men on both sides slaine enclining to Tamerlane the Sultan fled Tamerlane pursuing him by the space of three leagues After which victorie Tamerlane deuiding his armie sent Axalla with fortie thousand horse and fiftie thousand foot to pursue the Sultan alongst the coast of ARABIA who oftentimes shewed himselfe with some foure thousand horse to haue hindred Axalla who hauing the smallest forces followed him the nearest Tamerlane himselfe in the meane time with threescore thousand horse an hundred thousand foot marching alongst the sea coast had all the cities as he went yeelded vnto him as MAGATA AMAN otherwise called APAMEA TORTOSA BARRUTO NEPHTHALIN only the strong citie of DAMASCO refused to receiue him whereinto the Sultan had put the prince Zamadzen with a strong garrison who did what hee might to haue defended the same But all in vaine for Tamerlane hauing by batterie ouerthrowne a great part of the wall by assault woon the cittie only the castle yet remaining as being of a wonderfull strength and almost impregnable whereinto such a multitude had at the taking of the citie retired themselues as was not possible therein long to liue who in short time pinched with hunger and many of them dead the rest vpon safeguard of their liues offered to yeeld whom for all that Tamerlane would not receiue to mercie to make them feele what it was to hold out against him so that most of them dying of famine the rest yeelded without condition and were for their obstinacie almost all slaine Which his seueritie towards them of DAMASCO caused that thirtie leagues off they brought the keyes of their cities vnto him in token of their submission whom he no way molested more than in contributing vnto the charge of his armie From DAMASCO he turned directly towards IERUSALEM at which time they of the citie had driuen out the Sultans garrison as had almost all they of IUDEA submitting themselues vnto Tamerlane At CHORAZNI the Sultan had left six thousand men in garrison for the defence of the place who at the first seemed to stand vpon their guard but afterward dismaied to see so great an armie before it and that Tamerlane hauing approched the wals was set downe to haue it they submitted themselues and found mercie In which citie Tamerlane left certaine of his men in garrison for the better repressing of the Mamalukes who with often incursions troubled his armie So marching on he himselfe with certaine horsemen for his guard rode to IERUSALEM to visit the sepulchre so much reuerenced of all nations and there to make his oblations where hee was of the inhabitants joyfully receiued and hauing sought out all the antiquities of that auncient citie would be conducted vnto all the places thereabouts where Iesus Christ had preached euen as the pilgrimes doe and comming to the sepulchre gaue thereunto and the deuout there many rich and precious gifts to the great contentment of all men to see him honour those holy places but of the Iews only who greatly blamed him for so doing of whom of all others Tamerlane made no reckoning but called them the accursed of God There had he newes that the Sultan had gathered all his forces and being come into AEGYPT was there fortifying of his citties especially the great cities of ALEXANDRIA and CAIER Tamerlane his armie in the meane time by his commaundement came towards AEGYPT to DAMIATA which strong citie hee thought not good to leaue behind him although he was by some persuaded so to do for that it was thought impregnable as well in respect of the castle as of the strong garrison that the Sultan had put thereinto But he whose fortune nothing could hinder would needs goe thither and so hauing commaunded Axalla to set vpon it followed himselfe after with the rest of his armie Now Axalla hauing summoned the citie and declared vnto the inhabitants who were most of them Christians the mildnesse and courtesie of Tamerlane as also who himselfe was and what religion he held causing many of the Greeke captaines to speake vnto them and to tell them of the miserie they endured vnder the Moores and Mamalukes so farre preuailed with them that they all determined to aduenture their liues to put the Mamalukes out of the cittie with all them that fauoured the Sultan And so in the night taking vp armes made themselues masters of one quarter of the cittie and deliuered one of the gates to Axalla whereby he entering put all the Mamalukes to the sword or tooke them prisoners and so gained the citie Whereof Tamerlane hearing being as yet vpon his march was in good hope of so prosperous a beginning to find an happie end also of his designes in EGYPT For besides the good fortune thereof hee knew that this hauen of DAMIATA might serue him with victuals out of all the parts of GREECE as the emperour Emanuel had promised him and wherein hee nothing failed him Into which port Tamerlane hauing made his entrie left there in garrison two thousand of the emperour Emanuell his souldiours with a gouernour of whom he tooke an oath for their obedience So hauing stayed a space at DAMIATA
he caused his vauntgard to march towards ALEXANDRIA and hauing passed ouer the riuer euen in an instant turned directly vnto CAIER to the great astonishment of the Sultan who made prouision for the defence of ALEXANDRIA as the neerest vnto danger But vnderstanding of these newes vsed such diligence that he entred into the citie with fortie thousand horse and threescore thousand foot euen as Tamerlane his armie aproached purposing in person himselfe to defend it By whose comming the great citie readie before to haue reuolted was againe in his obedience confirmed to the great hinderance of Tamerlane his affaires for to remaine long before it was impossible for want of victuals for so great an armie in the enemies countrey Yet notwithstanding all this did not Tamerlane forbeare to draw neere vnto it and with all his armie to encampe neere vnto the same hauing caused a great trench to bee made for to couer his horsemen and thereby to lodge his armie more safely during which time he caused diuers onsets to be giuen as well to trie what confidence the enemie had in himselfe as to see how the people of the cittie especially the slaues which in that populous cittie are infinite were affected towards him who certainely enformed him of the state of the cittie and the armie as glad to see the same by him shut vp and the proud Mamalukes still put to the worst But thus lying still at the siege one day he thought it good to shew his armie before the citie for to trie whether the enemie had a desire to come to a daie of battaile or not as also to view what forces he had and so indeed to seeke occasion to fight In hope also that if the Sultan did come foorth with all his armie into the field some reuolt might happen within the cittie as well by the slaues vnto whom libertie was by him promised as by the cittizens themselues discontented with the insolencie of the Mamalukes entered of late into the cittie with the Sultan vnto whom he had made it knowne by certaine slaues for that purpose fled as fugitiues out of his armie into the cittie how that hee was not come to hurt them but onely for the destruction of the Mamalukes both his and their enemies But betimes standing so in battaile array no man came foorth neither was there any tumult or sturre raised in the cittie as hee had expected For the Sultan in so great a cittie well prouided of all things was resolued to wearie him out with lying still and not to put all to the hazard of a battaile Which Tamerlane perceiuing and set downe not to depart thence but victorious resolued likewise to force him euen in his greatest strength in the heart of his greatest citie although it were not to be done but with great aduenture such confidence he had in the strength and multitude of his armie Now his purpose was first to take one of the cities for CAIRE is diuided into three therin encamping himself by litle litle to aduance forward as he might stil fighting with the enemy Vpon which resolution he commaunded an assault to be giuen and hauing brought his footmen vnto the place where he would haue them to giue the onset for the citie was not walled but onely fortified with ditches and trenches he commaunded the prince of THANAIS with fiftie thousand footmen to begin the assault euen in the face of the enemie which hee most valiantly perfourmed and there began a most terrible and cruell fight Axalla in the meane time deeming as the truth was that the Sultan had drawn his greatest forces vnto the place where the prince of THANAIS sought to enter as vnto a place of greatest danger fet a compasse about and vpon another quarter of the citie with small resistance passed the trenches where he presently left thirtie thousand men to fill vp the ditches and to make way for the horsemen to enter aduancing forward himselfe against twentie thousand sent by the Sultan to haue stopped his further passage the prince of THANAIS being at the same time almost beaten backe by the Mamelukes But the way being made plaine by them that were for that purpose left by Axalla and ten thousand horse entred which charged vpon the backs of the Mamelukes where the Sultan himselfe was and they seconded by ten thousand moe sent in by Tamerlane following himselfe after with all his power the Sultan retired vnto a second strength which he had made in the next citie The fight endured full the space of seauen houres wherein were slaine of the Sultan his men aboue sixteene thousand and of Tamerlanes betwixt seauen and eight thousand Who contented to haue dislodged the enemie and gained a third part of the citie caused a retrait to be sounded in hope the next daie to winne all the rest as indeed he did For the prince of THANAIS the next daie forcing the enemies trenches in one place and Axalla in another the Sultan after a great fight finding himselfe hardly pressed by the obstinate enemie and too weake long to hold out retired and so forthwith abandoned the citie and encamped himselfe along the side of the riuer NILUS with purpose to passe the same and to flye to ALEXANDRIA his second strength and refuge Which Tamerlane suspecting followed after him with his horsemen who onely were in order and some few foot hardly drawne from the citie which their fellowes were in spoiling so as hee was glad to promise them especially to regard and reward their good seruice Against whom the Sultan vpon a narrow cawsey had opposed twelue or fifteen thousand men whom he called his slaues to fauour his passage but were indeed his best souldiours and stood fast the place seruing greatly for their aduantage who for all that at length forced by their enemies still increasing vpon them though not without great losse cast themselues into the great riuer and made a most honourable retrait euerie man hauing his weapon in the one hand and swimming with the other to the farther banke The Sultan flying with some eighteene thousand horse for the rest were sundrie waies fled or else drowned is reported in his flight to haue comforted his men by telling of them That they were not men that had vanquished them but gods there appeared in them so great wisedome force and valour diuers of the Mamelukes taken in the late fight being brought before Tamerlane and by him courteously vsed were of him demaunded if they could be content to serue him now that their maister was fled and gone which they all vtterly refused Whom notwithstanding for their fidelitie Tamerlane set at libertie to goe againe vnto the Sultan as no lesse desirous to be admired of his enemies for his bountie and courtesie than feared for his force and valour The wonderfull wealth of this so great and famous a citie became a preie vnto his souldiours who for the space of foure and twentie houres
had the spoile therof being then by open proclamation commaunded euerie man to repaire to his quarter The citizens he set all at libertie not suffering any of them to be taken prisoners And so leauing ten thousand good souldiours with a great number of others whereof he caried a great multitude in his armie planting euerie where as he passed as it were new colonies and carying away with him such of the inhabitants as he thought might hurt him and taking order for all things necessarie for the keeping of such a citie he caused his armie to passe ouer the riuer for to follow the Sultan vnto ALEXANDRIA to the end not to leaue his victorie vnperfect Axalla hasting before with the avauntgard for to hinder the Sultan for joyning his forces againe together and the rest of his armie conducted by the prince of THANAIS He himselfe with an infinite number of boats and souldiors to attend vpon him going by water taking great pleasure to behold the faire riuer and his swift course sometimes and in an instant to become so calme as if it scarce mooued The cittizens of ALEXANDRIA hearing of his comming and fearing what might betide them besought the Sultan to haue compassion of their estate and to withdraw himselfe into LIBIA whether Tamerlane for the barrennesse of the countrey could not with any great power follow him resolued for their parts to giue place vnto fortune and to doe as the time required and no more to resist so great a force whereof they had alreadie made sufficient triall promising yet to remaine in heart still his and vpon the first occasion offered to make the same to him appeare Whereupon the Sultan seeing all things desperate determined for a time to retire in hope that time would bring some change as also that Tamerlane his populous armie would not long remaine there And so departing out of ALEXANDRIA with teares standing in his eyes oftentimes said That God was angrie with him and his people and that hee must of necessitie suffer the fatall ouerthrow of his estate himselfe hauing done as much as in him lay according to his charge and the expectation the world had of him and yet that he hoped at length to returne againe and deliuer his people from the bondage whereunto they must now needs submit themselues Tamerlane comming to ALEXANDRIA before yeelded to Axalla there staied a great while sending Axalla to pursue the Sultan exceedingly grieued that he could not get him into his hands and therefore still fearing some innouation to be by him raised which caused him to deale the more hardly with them whom he suspected to fauour him Now the bruit of these victories hauing with Axalla passed beyond ALEXANDRIA into LYBIA had brought such a feare not onely vpon the people adjoyning vnto these conquests but also vpon all AFFRICA they supposing that Tamerlane did follow that two and twentie of the Moore kings sent their embassadours vnto him to offer vnto him their obedience the Sultan as a man forsaken of fortune still flying before him Of the nearest of which kings Tamerlane tooke hostages as for the other farther off he contented himselfe with their faith giuen and with the other outward signes of their good wils Now after this long trauaile and paines taken was Tamerlane more desirous than hee had before vsed to see the pleasures of his owne natiue countrey the rather thereunto moued by the request of his wife then longing for his returne and the newes hee heard of the sicknesse of the old Tartarian emperour his father in law besides that age it selfe began to bring vnto him a desire of rest with whom also the desires of his souldiors well agreed as men now wearie â—o haue run so many and diuers fortunes The onely stay was that hee expected the comming of Calibes an old and faithfull seruant of his whom he for his good desert had of his owne accord appointed gouernour of all his new conquests in AEGYPT and SYRIA A great honour no doubt but not too great for him that had so well deserued So mindfull was he of the good deserts of his faithfull seruants as that he needed not by others to be of them put in remembrance were they neuer so farre off as was now Calibes who at this time was with the third part of his armie making way for him along the great riuer EUPHRATES for the conquest of MESOPOTAMIA and PERSIA whose comming was now with great deuotion looked for of the whole armie desirous to returne Which their expectation he long delayed not but being sent for came to ALEXANDRIA whither the whole armie was now by the commaundement of Tamerlane againe assembled Vpon whose comming Tamerlane departed from ALEXANDRIA hauing there left the prince Zamalzan a man of great reputation with six thousand horsemen and ten thousand foot as gouernour of that place and lieutenant generall vnder Calibes whom Tamerlane as I haue said had now appointed to commaund ouer all AEGYPT and SYRIA together with the countries newly conquered in LYBIA and BARBARIE and now conducting him vnto the great citie of CAIRE and there taking the best order he could for the preseruation of his new conquest left him with fortie thousand horse and fiftie thousand foot And so hauing sufficiently instructed him how he would haue those kingdomes gouerned dismissed him not like a master but as a companion seeming very sorâ—ie to leaue him destitute of his presence So setting forward with his armie conducted by the prince of THANAIS Tamerlane himselfe with a few to guard him by the way turned aside vnto IERUSALâ—M where he remained eleuen dayes daily visiting the Sepulchre of Christ Iesus whom hee called the God of the Christians and the ruines of Salomon his temple much wondering thereat and at IERUSALEM the seat of Dauids kingdome and of that great Salomon but grieued that he could not see them fully in their former beautie He only despised the Iews which had committed so cruell a murder against him that came to saue them And to shew his deuotion towards the holy citie commaunded it to be free from all subsidies and garrisons of men of warre and gaue great gifts vnto the monasteries and honoured them so long as he remained there Departing from IERUSALEM he came to DAMASCO which great citie as well for that it was infected with the opinion of Iezides accounted an arch hereticke among the Mahometanes as also euill affected to his proceedings he caused to be rased and the bones of Iezides the false prophet to be digged vp and burnt and his graue before much honoured in despight to bee filled with dung So marching on and blasting the world before him as he went for long it were and from our purpose to recount all his victories he passed ouer the riuer EUPHRATES and hauing conquered MESOPOTAMIA with the great cittie of BABILON and all the kingdome of PERSIA loaded with the spoile of the world and eternized for euer he returned
there in one of his countrey pallaces royally feasted him At which time Mahomet requested the emperour to joine with him in that warre against their common enemie but hee excused himselfe by reason of his great age yet neuerthelesse assisted him with certaine companies of valiant Christians whose seruice afterward stood the Turke in great stead So Mahomet taking his leaue of the emperour marched with his armie to the riuer WYZEN in THRACIA where by the way he receiued letters from the antient captaine Chasis Eurenoses aduising him to be very circumspect in his marching and not to make too much hast to joine battaile with his brother counselling him also if he could by any means to allure Iegides Bassa Barac Beg and Sinan Beg to forsake his brother and to follow his ensignes for that in those men consisted Musa his greatest strength and promised in good time to come vnto him himselfe also if he were not too hastie This messenger that brought this newes Mahomet bountifully rewarded and so sent him away Shortly after as he was marching towards HADRIANOPLE part of the enemies armie began to shew it selfe vnder the leading of Cara Calile and was presently charged by Michaell Ogli and put to flight So holding on his way to HADRIANOPLE hee laied siege to the cittie where the cittizens sent out vnto him certaine of their grauest and most substantiall burgesses to certefie him That by reason of the garrison there left by Musa they could not as then deliuer the cittie vnto him but if it should please him to goe and trie his fortune in the field against his brother who should be the commaunder thereof he should find them readie to follow his good fortune and to yeeld themselues the cittie and all therein to his pleasure if it were his good hap to carrie away the victorie With which answere Mahomet contenting himselfe raised his siege and tooke the way towards ZAGORA In that place Musa is reported to haue come secretly disguised into Mahomet his campe and to haue taken full view thereof but perceiuing himselfe too weake to encounter his brother withdrew his armie into the safegard of the great woods and strong places and so from thence retired with his armie towards PHILIPPOPOLIS and so marched along the riuer MERITZE called in antient time HEBKUS Where Iegides Bassa with Hamza Beg and Ismir Ogli three of Musa his great captaines set vpon the rereward of Mahomets armie and were by Michael Ogli repulsed Mahomet holding on his way came to SOPHIA where as he went Musa diuers times from the mountaines made shew of his armie but durst not come downe into the plaine to giue him battaile Mahomet hauing refreshed his armie at SOPHIA marched to SARKIVE where he receiued letters from Iegides Bassa Barac Beg and Sinan Beg all secretly persuaded by old Eurenoses to reuolt vnto him the tenor whereof in breefe was this Iegides Bassa Barac Beg and Sinan Beg vnto the great Sultan Mahomet We are three young men most mightie Monarch and haue with vs three thousand choice soldiors men of incomparable valor such as the world hath scarce the like draw your forces neare vnto vs with as much speed as you can and you shall find vs readie to come ouer vnto you Fare you well Whereupon he marched all the next night after vntill he came to the riuer MORAVA and there encamped where the three aforenamed captains according to their promise joined themselues vnto him with all their souldiors Thither came also old Eurenoses of all others the most famous captaine amongst the Turks and now no longer blind bringing with him a great companie of most expert souldiours Marke the Despot of SERVIA for the displeasure he bare vnto Musa sent him aid thether also By which supplies Mahomets armie was greatly encreased who after he had courteously welcomed all these new come captains he began againe to march farther vntill he came to COSSOVA the vnfortunate plaine where Hamza Beg the prince of SMYRNA his sonne hauing forsaken Musa came vnto him with fiue hundreth horse certifying him that all the nobilitie had forsaken his father so as he marched from place to place his forces still encreased by the reuolt of his brothers Musa seeing his souldiours thus daily fall from him insomuch that he had almost none now left but the souldious of the court which were indeed his best men of warre and alwaies vnto him faithfull because he had been euer vnto them exceeding bountifull thought it best to attempt something before he were left himselfe alone Wherfore hauing yet with him seuen thousand of those expert souldiors he drew neerer vnto his brother seeking to haue taken him at some aduantage But Mahomet hauing knowledge of his purpose and contented to be aduised by his old expert captaines had euer a vigilant eye vnto him Yet at last whether it were vpon good hope or els prickt forward with despaire Musa vpon the suddaine valiantly set vpon his brothers armie but his souldiors oppressed with multitude rather than ouercome with true valour after a hard and bloodie fight were put to the worst which he seeing desperatly brake into the middest of his enemies seeking there for death amongst the thickest of them But being knowne by Baiazet Bassa Mahomet his lieutenant generall desirous to take him aliue he was beset on euery side where seeing himselfe in more danger to be taken than slaine hee with great courage brake from amongst the middest of them and fled In which flight his horse falling into a deepe muddie ditch or as some others say hoxed by Sarutzes his owne seruant and himselfe wounded ouerthrew him and there before he could againe recouer himselfe was taken by Baiazet Bassa the great lieutenant Michael Ogli and Barac Beg which had hardly pursued him out of the battaile and so was with his handes bound by them brought through the middest of the armie Which pitifull sight greeued not a little the hearts of many to see him but euen now so great a king and one of the sonnes of great Baiazet by the strange change of fortune bound like a captiue slaue led forth to execution yet were most part glad thereof hoping this long ciuile wars would now in him take end Shortly after came vnto him a noble man called Balta Ogly sent as was thought from Mahomet himselfe who after he had in few words bitterly reprooued him for the crueltie by him before shewed vnto his brother Solyman in like case caused him presently to be strangled with a bow string His dead body was by and by after presented to his brother Mahomet who seeing it shed a few Crocadils teares ouer it He raigned three yeares and seauen moneths and was afterwards conuaied to PRUSA and there lieth buried by the bodie of his brother Solyman in the same chappell with his grandfather Amurath Mahomet after the death of Musa now free from all competetours tooke vpon him the sole gouernment of the
inforce your selues as men mindfull of our good fortune and forwardnesse you shall find our temples our sacrifices our religion all worldly and heauenly felicitie to bee then assured vnto vs when as you shall to morrow ouerthrow the very foundation of the enemies wall Then couragious souldiors we may crie victorie not for the present but for euer If this warre should bring vnto vs nothing els but an assured securitie of our estate it were sufficient reward for which we ought cheerefully to aduenture our selues to all dangers and to challenge in combat euen death it selfe But as this victorie doth defend all our things as with a deep trench or sure wall so doth it lay open and expose all our enemies dominions vnto danger spoile Hitherto we haue striuen with nature her selfe in the rough and abrupt mountains of BVLGARIA RASCIA where we were to striue with hunger thirst labor desperation all them we haue ouercome allured with no other reward but that at length we might attaine vnto the wealth of fruitfull HVNGARIE from whence we must fetch the guerdon of our victorie and the ground of our glorie We are come to the gates which being laid open we are not to passe ouer inaccessible rocks or vncouth desarts but we shal go through most pleasant places decâ—ed both by nature her selfe and the industrie of man where the temperatnesse of the aire and liuely springs with the fruitfulnesse of the soile doth euery where yeeld plentie of all manner of food both for man and beast not only to serue for natures necessitie but euen to glut our wanton desires What thing soeuer curious indeuor hardly bringeth forth in other places that the fertilitie of this soile yeeldeth plentifully of it selfe so that it is to be thought that nature adorned HUNGARIE with a certain extraordinary care when as she would set forth a pattern of good husbandrie for other countries to imitate Neither hath she in any place ben more bountifull in bestowing her rich gifts for gold which other men most painfully dig vp that in few places the Hungarians gather at their ease as if it were a growing plant It is in your power worthie soldiors whether you will to morrow open a way to all these good things for your selues for euer or els leaue the way open for your enemies vnto all that you hold I would that you would remember when you goe vnto the breach that all the store of happie fortune is laid open vnto you for a prey without any other defence without any other garrison without any other keeper and that behind you are your wiues children your houses your temples and religion together with the rewards of all your former victories ouer whom except you win this citie the furie and insolencie of the victorious enemie will most cruelly and shamefully insult I according as I shall see you fight at the breach to morrow shall easily perceiue how you are set downe to commaund as conquerors or els as slaues to be commaunded and also what to answere to the most insolent demaunds of the proud embassadours In the meane time make much of our selues and together with your armour haue all things in readinesse that to morrow with the dawning of the day we may assault the breach The Turkish captaines for that time joyfully departed as if they had been alreadie assured of the victorie and of all those good things which Amurath had so liuely set before their eies The next morning very early Amurath commanded the assault to be giuen vnto a great breach which he had made in the wall with continuall batterie the souldiours with great courage assailed the breach especially the Ianizaries who vnder the leading of Haly-Bassa valiantly woon the same and were entring the citie with assured hope of victorie The Christians seeing all in danger to be lost running to the breach from all parts of the citie so forceably charged the proud Ianizaries on euerie side that they were glad to retire with more hast than they before entred in which retrait many of them were slaine and the rest flying out at the breach were either slaine or burnt to death in the towne ditch with wild fire whereof the defendants had cast great store vpon the Turks at the breach which hauing taken hold vpon the faggots hurdles and other light matter wherewith the Turks had vpon the sudden made their way ouer the towne ditch did so terribly burne that the Ianizaries which had entred the breach being againe repulsed were in that fierie lake consumed or else with smoke strangled In this assault Amurath is reported to haue lost eight thousand of his best men beside seauen thousand others ouerwhelmed or strangled in the mines by the countermines of the Christians The other part of the Turks which at the same time assaulâ—ed the citie by water out of their gallies and small ships had as euill or rather worse successe many of them were sunke with great shot and some burnt by the fire cast from the wals and so fired one another and diuers of them in that sudden feare for avoiding of that present danger ran a ground vpon the shelfs in the riuer and so split Amurath wonderfully discoraged with the slaughter of his men and shamefully beaten from the assault returned to his camp with his Turks much like men which had lately escaped from some great shipwracke And thus partly by famine and partly by the defendants force hauing lost the greatest part of his armie he determined now after seauen moneths siege to returne home Yet because hee would not encourage his enemies by shewing his feare he sent for the embassadours into the campe and with sterne countenance answered them in this sort We will said he then talke of peace when Vladislaus shall deliuer vnto vs all that part of RASCIA which he yet holdeth and also this citie of BELGRADE as a pledge of the league And for this time I will raise my siege to giue Vladislaus time to aduise himselfe yet I would wish him rather to accept of my friendship vpon these conditions than by denying that little which is demaunded to hâ—zard the state of both his kingdomes I aske but that which is mine owne by law of armes before Vladislaus was called into HUNGARIE and the Hungarians cannot transfer vnto him that right which they had not themselues Wherefore if hee will proceed rather to striue for that which is other mens than quietly to possesse his owne I will in good time repaire hether againe with my God the beholder and reuenger of wrong With this answere he dismissed the embassadours and forthwith rise with his armie sore rerepenting his comming thether yet because he would take something in his way he left his nephew Isa-beg with certaine troupes of horsemen at SCOPIA in SERVIA who so troubled the king of BOSNA that he was glad to require peace of Amurath and to promise vnto him a yearely tribute
Caragusa was by Manessi at the first encounter stroke through the head and slaine Manessi alighting disarmed the dead bodie and stroke off his head and so loaded with the armour and head of the proud challenger returned with victorie to the armie where he was joyfully receiued and brought to Scanderbeg of whom he was there presently honourably both commended and rewarded Scanderbeg seeing his men by this good fortune of Manessi greatly encouraged and the Turkes as men dismaied with the death of their Champion hanging their heads like an inuincible captaine himselfe set first forward toward the enemie as it were in contempt of their multitude and had charged them as they stood before they had set one foot forward had not Mustapha to encourage his souldiours with certaine disordered troupes opposed himselfe against him which the whole armie seeing faintly followed but as they set forward with small courage so were they at the first encounter easily driuen to retire Which when Mustapha saw he called earnestly vpon them to follow him and the more to encourage them by his owne example put spurres to his horse and fiercely charged the front of Scanderbegs armie as one resolued either to gaine the victorie or there to die after whom followed most of the principall captains of his armie which would not for shame forsake their generall thus by his valour the battaile was for a while renued But Moses preuailing with great slaughter in one part of the armie the Turks began to flie in which flight Mustapha the Generall with twelue others of the cheefe men in that armie were taken prisoners but of the common souldiours few were saued There was slaine of the Turkes armie ten thousand and fifteen ensignes taken whereas of the Christians were lost but three hundreth The Turks tents and campe with all the wealth thereof became a prey to Scanderbegs souldiours Wherewith although he had satisfied the desires of them all yet to keepe his old custome he entred into the confines of MACEDONIA and there burnt and spoiled all that hee could And afterwards leauing a garrison of two thousand horsemen and a thousand foot for defence of his frontiers returned againe with the rest of his armie to the siege of DAYNA Not long after the Venetians made peace with Scanderbeg and Amurath desirous to redeeme his captaines about the same time sent great presents vnto Scanderbeg with fiue and twentie thousand duckats for the ransome of Mustapha the other chieftaines whom Scanderbeg so honourably vsed as if there had neuer been any hostilitie betwixt him and them and so with a safe conuoy sent them out of his countrey The raunsome of Mastapha and the other Turks he deuided amongst his souldiours When Scanderbeg had thus made peace with the Venetians hee forthwith led his armie againe into MACEDONIA with the spoile of that countrey to make his souldiours better pay as his vsuall manner was And to doe the greater harme he diuided his armie into three parts wherewith he ouerrunning the countrey wasted and destroied all before him putting to the sword all the Turks that came in his waie As for the Christians that there liued amongst them he spared but left them nothing more than their liues the buildings of the countrey he vtterly consumed with fire so that in all that part of MACEDONIA which bordereth vpon EPIRVS nothing was to be seen more than the bare ground and the showes of the spoile by him there made Which vnmercifull hauocke of all things he made to the end that the Turks should find no releefe in those quarters whensoeuer they should come either to lie in garrison in that countrey or to inuade EPIRVS The spoile hee made was so great that it was thought hee left not in all that countrey so much as might releeue the Turkes armie for one daie Of all these great harmes by Scanderbeg done in MACEDONIA Amurath was with all speed aduertised and therewith exceedingly vexed howbeit he resolued with his great counsellors no more to send any of his Bassaes or captaines but to goe himselfe in person with such a royall armie as should be sufficient not to conquer EPIRVS but if need were to fill euery corner thereof Wherefore hee commaunded commissions to bee speedily directed into all parts of his kingdomes and prouinces for the leuying of a great armie for HADRIANOPLE yet whither he intended to imploy the same was not knowne to any in the Turks court more than to the Bassaes of the counsaile Which caused all the bordering Christian princes to make the best preparation they could for their owne assurance euery one fearing least that growing tempest should breake out against himselfe But Scanderbeg of long acquainted with the Turkish policie easily perceiued all that great preparation to be made against him which he was the rather induced to thinke by reason of the vnaccustomed quietnesse of Amurath who all that while had neither sent any armie to reuenge the ouerthrow of Mustapha nor so much as a garrison for defence of the borders of his kingdome but had let all things negligently passe as if he had beene in a dead sleepe Besides that it was also thought that he had secret intelligence from some of his old friends and acquaintance in Amurath his court who probably suspected the matter Wherefore Scanderbeg setting all other things apart gaue himselfe wholly to the preparing of things necessarie for the defence of his small kingdome against so mightie an enemie First hee by letters and messengers aduertised all the Christian princes his neighbours and friends of the greatnesse of the danger of that warre wherein Amurath as he said sought not onely his destruction but the vtter ruin of them all exhorting them therefore to consider how farre the danger of so great an armie might extend and therefore to stand fast vpon their guard Then hee sent Moses and other his expert captaines into all parts of EPIRVS to take vp souldiors and all the prouision of corne and victuals that was possible to be had Wherein he himselfe also busily trauailed day and night not resting vntill he had left nothing in the countrey whereupon the enemie might shew his crueltie Most part of the common people with their substance were receiued into the strong cities the rest tooke the refuge of the Venetian and other Christian princes townes and countries farther off vntill this furie was ouerpast all such as were able to beare armes were commaunded to repaire to CROIA where when they were all assembled there were ynow to haue made a right puissant armie But out of all this multitude Scanderbeg made choice onely of ten thousand old expert souldiors whom he purposed to lead himselfe to encounter with the Turkes great armie as he should see occasion and placed a thousand three hundred in garrison in CROIA The cittizens also themselues were throughly furnished with all manner of weapons and other prouision meet for the defence of their cittie Then
defendants from aboue ouerwhelmed them with stones timber wild fire and such other things as are vsually prepared for the defence of townes besieged For all that Feri-Bassa gaue so great an assault that he slew diuers of the defendants vpon the wals and had there forcibly entered had not the Gouernour perceiuing the danger with a companie of fresh souldiors come with speed to the defence of that place whereby the enemie was presently repulsed and driuen againe from the wals Amurath seeing the great slaughter of his men and no hope of successe caused a retreat to be sounded and so leauing the assault retired againe into his campe The great losse and dishonour at this assault receiued much troubled his wayward mind who for all that yet ceased not to giue the like vaine attempts At length the captaine of the Ianizaries perceiuing that part of the citie which was farthest from the campe to be commonly but slenderly manned by reason that it seemed a place impregnable both for the height and steepenesse of the rocke told Amurath That he would assay if it so pleased him secretly in the night to attempt by that place to enter the cittie where as they thought nothing was more to bee feared than the height thereof which they supported with the wings of desire doubted not to mount vnto This his deuice exceedingly pleased the king and was the next night with great silence put in execution But such was the carefulnesse of the Gouernour ouer euery part of his charge that nothing could be done against the same but that it was by him forthwith discouered The Gouernour aduertised by the watch of the Turks attempt with great silence presently repaired to the place with a great companie of the garrison souldiors and standing close from the top of the wall beheld the Turks as it had beene a swarme of Emmets climing vp the high rockes and one helping vp another by such desperate way as was in reason to haue been thought no man would haue attempted But when they were come to the top of the rocke now euen readie to enter they were from aboue suddenly ouerwhelmed as it had been with a shower of shot and so violently forced downe that high rocke that most part of them which had got vp to any height were miserably crushed to death either with the weight of themselues or of others falling vpon them and many of the rest slaine with shot from the top of the rocke whereof Amurath presently vnderstanding was therwith exceedingly greeued During the time of this siege Scanderbeg neuer lay long still in one place but remooued continually from place to place as best serued his purpose breaking sometimes into one quarter of the Turks campe and sometime into another and straightway so suddenly gone againe and as it were vanished out of sight that Amurath many times wondered what was become of him At this time being the latter end of Iune he was come with his armie within eight miles of Amuraths campe and from thence sent Moses his greatest captaine in the attire of a common souldior with two other to take view how the enemie lay encamped By which trustie espials he was enformed That the Turkes lay in great securitie as men without feare keeping but negligent watch Of which oportunitie Scanderbeg rejoycing the night following suddenly assaulted one quarter of the Turks campe Whose comming although it was a little before by the Turkes scouts discouered yet his furious assault was so suddaine and so forceable that he slew two thousand of the Turks and filled euery corner of that great campe with feare and tumult before they could well arme themselues or make resistance After which slaughter he safely retired carrying away with him two hundred and thirtie horse with seuen of the Turkes ensignes hauing in this skirmish lost of his men but two and fortie whose dead bodies the Turkes the next morning in reuenge of their slaine friends hewed into small peeces Vpon these great disgraces one following in the necke of another Amurath hauing no other object but the citie to shew his furie vpon gaue three fierce assaults vnto the same one after another and was alwaies with losse both of his men and honour repulsed But the more he lost the more he burnt with desire of reuenge persuading his souldiors That as the strongest citties and fortresses were built by mens hands so were they to bee ouerthrowne and laied euen with the ground by resolute and valiant men encouraging them to a fresh assault with greater promises of reward than euer hee had done before in all his warres from the first beginning of his raigne And because he would with more safetie giue this his last and greatest assault he appointed Feri-Bassa with twelue thousand horsemen and six thousand foot to attend vpon Scanderbeg if hee should hap to come as he thought he would to trouble the assault by assailing of his camp Feri-Bassa glad of this charge well hoping now to redeeme his former ouerthrow with some great victorie and leading forth his armie a little from the campe as he was commaunded so lay wishing for nothing more than the comming of Scanderbeg vainely boasting That he would seeke him in the field and there trie his force and fortune with him hand to hand which he did shortly after to his cost When Amurath had thus set in order all things requisit as well for the siege as for the safegard of his campe the next morning he compassed the citie round about with his armie and couered the ground with his men of war purposing at that time to gage his whole forces vpon the taking thereof The wals he had before in some places battered so much as was possible and yet but so as that they were not without skaling ladders to be assaulted partly for the naturall strength of the place and partly for that the defendants had with great diligence continually repaired and filled vp with earth what the furie of the cannon had throwne downe This assault Amurath began first with his archers and small shot which deliuered their arrowes and bullets vpon the top of the wall and into the citie as if it had beene a shower of haile thereby to trouble the stationarie souldiours In this heat ladders were clapped to the wals in euery place where any could be possibly reared and the Turkes began desperatly to skale the wals but the Christians nothing dismaied thereat with great courage resisted them and with shot from their safe standings wounded and slew many of them yet others still pressed vp in the places of them that were slaine so that the assault became most terrible in many places at once but especially neere vnto the great gate of the citie where the Turks had vpon the suddaine with ladders timber and planks clapped together raised close vnto that tower as it had beene a woodden tower equall in height to the wall from whence the Turks greatly distressed
the forme of a Mahometan Moschie and whether the great Turk goeth often times to heare seruice being indeed but the Sanctuarie or chauncell onely of the great stately and wonderfull church built by Iustinian the emperor is most beautifull and admirable That which standeth of it now is both round verie high built after the fashion of the Pantheon in ROME but much greater fairer and not open in the top as is that the wals thereof being of the finest marble and the floare all paued with faire marble also In the middest there is a verie great and large circle compassed in with high and huge pillars of most excellent marble of diuers sorts and these support a mightie vault that beareth vp as many moe pillars aboue standing after the verie same order and in a downe right line almost of the like greatnesse and goodnesse of the marble with the other below vpon which aboue the second vault in manner of a looâ—ar resteth the great round roofe which couereth all that space of the church which is compassed with the aforesaid pillars being all enameled and fillited with the pictures of Saints after the antient manner of some great churches in Christendome but that the Turks who like not to haue any puctures in their churches haue put out their eies onely as loath to spoile such a rare peece of worke and vtterly to deface it In like manner the wals of the vpper vault are wrought painted or portraied after the same order though in some part decayed by reason of their long continuance and standing About this church are eighteen or twentie dores of brasse right faire and costly well declaring the magnificence and greatnesse thereof in more antient times when as it had as is reported more than two hundred dores of like making and greatnesse and beside the hugenesse of the frame and building it selfe had also diuers faire monasteries and houses of religion joyned vnto it whereunto belonged six thousand priests whose houses and lodgings extended almost all ouer the place where now the Turke his pallace standeth and the other places adjoyning to this great church which is now their cheefe Moschie and called by them by the proper name of S. Sophia because they hold euen as we do the wisdome of God to be incomprehensible and infinit The next in magnificence vnto this is the Moschie of Solyman wherin he lyeth buried with his welbeloued wife the faire Roxolana a worke well beseeming the majestie of so mightie a monarch There are beside these also many other faire Moschies Seraglioes for the Turke his wiues and concubines Bezestanes or Burses for marchants Obeliskes Bathes and other publicke edifices and buildings of great majestie and state all well worth the beholding wherein consisteth all the beautie of this so auntient and renowned a citie farre vnlike to that it was in the time of the first Greeke emperours and before it was spoiled by the Latines For the Turkes priuat houses in this so great and imperiall a citie so much renowned through the world are for the most part low and base after the Turkish fashion built some of wood some of stone and some of vnburnt bricke layd with clay and dyrt which quickly decaieth againe they after their homely manner by long custome receiued neuer building any thing sumptuously for their owne priuate vse but contenting themselues with their simple cottages how meane soeuer commonly saying them to be good inough for the short time of their pilgrimage and yet not sparing for any cost vpon the publicke buildings and ornaments of the commonwealth which they build with great majestie and pompe but especially their Moschies wherein they excell Neuerthelesse there yet are in CONSTANTINOPLE some other houses also built high and comely inough but these bee few and verie old all inhabited by the Christians and Iewes and not by the Turks But of this inough and so againe to our purpose Mahomet with his puissant armie thus encamped before the citie placing his Asian souldiors on the right hand toward the BOSPHORVS his Europeian souldiors on the left hand toward the hauen lay himselfe with 15000 Ianizaries and other souldiors of the court in the middle betwixt both against the heart of the citie On the farther side of the hauen also by PERA hee placed Zoganus one of his cheefe counsellors with another part of his armie At which time also Pantologes his Admirall came to the siege with a fleet of thirtie gallies and 200 other small ships and a number of other lesser vessels which were rowed with three or fiue oares a peece full of Turkish archers fitter for shew than seruice But for defence of the hauen and so of the citie on that side the emperour had caused the hauen to bee strongly chained ouerthwart from the citie to PERA and within the chaine had orderly placed his small fleet the greatest strength whereof was seauen great ships of GENVA with three gallies and two galliots of VENICE three of CREET and a few others of the Iland of CHIOS all which were there rather by chance vpon marchants affaires than that they were prouided for any such seruice yet by this meanes the Turks fleet was shut out of the hauen and so the citie put in good saftie on that side When Mahomet had thus conueniently encamped his armie and surrounded the citie both by sea and land he first cast vp great trenches as neere as hee possibly could vnto the wals of the citie and raised mounts in diuers places as high as the wals themselues from whence the Turks with their shot greatly annoied the defendants After that hee placed his batterie against one of the gates of the citie called CALEGARIA and terribly battered the same especially with one peece of ordinance of a wonderfull greatnesse which with much difficultie was brought from HADRIANOPLE with an hundreth fiftie yoke of oxen caried a bullet of an hundred pound waight made as his other shot was of a kind of hard blacke stone brought from the Euxine sea For as yet as it seemeth so soone after the inuention of that fatall engine the vse of bullets of mettall was vnknowne There with continuall batterie he terribly shooke the wals which although they were verie strong yet were they not able to withstand the furie of so great a batterie The Christians also out of the citie discharged their great artillerie vpon the Turkes but so sparingly as if they had beene afraid to shake their owne wals or loath for good husbandrie to spend shot powder which was vnto the canoniers verie sparingly allowed yet that which was spent was so well bestowed that the Turks were therewith greeuously annoyed The breach also which they had made at the aforesaid gate was by the defendants with great and dangerous labour againe repaired with faggots and earth and such like matter best seruing for that purpose and so made stronger than before In which most dangerous work they were
their soueraigne so desirous of reuenge offered to spend their liues in that seruice whose forwardnesse he seemed not to refuse howbeit he had in his mind alreadie plotted another manner of reuenge He was not ignorant what great matters his father Amurath had brought to passe by sowing discord amongst the princes of GRaeCIA which fowle practise he purposed now to put in practise himselfe There was at that time many famous chieftains in EPIRVS of Scanderbeg both beloued and trusted amongst whom he was in hope to find some one who for desire of wealth or promotion might be allured to giue some desperat attempt against the life or state of Scanderbeg Of all others Moses Golemus of DIBRA a man honourably descended was most inward with Scanderbeg and for his prowesse and experience in martiall affaires of all men accounted the best captaine in all EPIRVS next vnto Scanderbeg himselfe him the craftie tyrant most desired to alienat from Scanderbeg as one fittest to serue his purpose and easiest without suspition to be delt withall because he commonly lay with a strong garrison in DIBRA vpon the verie frontiers of EPIRVS Wherfore he directed his letters vnto the gouernor of SFETIGRADE commanding him by all meanes he could possibly deuise to withdraw Moses from Scanderbeg and not to spare for any gold or golden promises whereby to allure him promising also vnto the gouernour himselfe great preferments if hee could winne him Vpon receit of which letters the gouernor began forthwith carefully to deuise how he might best attempt the matter he had in charge where after many deuises he at last thought vpon a shrewd-headed fellow one of the Christians which dwelt in SFETIGRADE whom for that he was a Christian he might without suspect vse as an instrument in so dangerous and important an action This Christian the gouernour called vnto him and after he had with great gifts and large promises woon him to vndertake the matter he sent him away fully before armed with plenteous instructions full of treason and deceit When this subtill messenger was come vnto Moses and vnder pretence of great and secret matters of importance had obtained to speake with him in priuat he after some discourse had of matters well worth the hearing began at length vnder the couert of faire glozing words to vtter his poison Shewing vnto him as a messenger from the gouernor the great and good opinion the Turkish emperour had of long time conceiued of his valour and prowesse for which cause his heroicall nature could not but honour him although he were his enemy and therewith also maruell that he being a man of that worth could be contented to be commaunded by Scanderbeg whose state was by him chiefly vpholden whereas if he would doe wisely and changing his affection follow Mahomet an emperour of greatest magnificence and power he should quickly in his court find such honourable entertainment as were to be preferred before the state of Scanderbeg or if the soueraigntie of EPIRVS his natiue countrey did better please him he might easily be thereunto aduanced by joyning his owne endeuour vnto Mahomets great power It pleased Moses well to heare his owne praises a thing incident vnto hautie minds and he liked well that he was so fauoured of the Turkish emperour but the hope of the kingdome of EPIRVS began to worke in him new conceits and moued him more than all the rest Such is the force of ambitious thoughts that they make a man forget all things saue themselues so glorious a thing it is to stand in the highest place For all that Moses neither in word or countenance made any semblant of liking or disliking the message Which the wily messenger taking for a secret consent and hartely glad that he had been so well heard not desiring as then any further answere craued leaue to depart promising in short time to returne to him againe After the departure of this messenger many troubled thoughts began to arise in the mind of Moses his mirth was changed into melancholy and the cheerfulnesse of his countenance was abated his hautie thoughts were his solitarie companions and the imagined kingdome the idoll he in secret worshipped so that in short time he seemed vnto the wiser sort as a man altogither metamorphosed Some were so bold as for to aske the cause of the messengers comming vnto whom he answered That he was one from whom he receiued intelligence of matters concerning the good of the state which his answere was holden for true for who durst once mistrust Moses Whilest he was thus tossed vp and downe with his owne thoughts as a shippe with the billowes of a wrought sea the same slie messenger according to his promise came againe and for his more credit in secret brought with him such presents as well might seeme to haue beene sent from the Great Turke with his message better framed than before Of all which that was sent Moses is reported to haue receiued nothing but the worst which was the verie treason it selfe And so returned the messenger with answere That he could not but in good part accept of the Turkish emperours great fauours and for the rest of his requests whatsoeuer he should chance to doe therin he should not from thenceforth find him any great enemy commanding the messenger at his departure no more to repaire vnto him about that matter for feare of suspition After that it chanced that Scanderbeg came into DIBRA to see how all things stood there and to consult with Moses for the besieging of SFETIGRADE which citie it grieued him to see in the possession of the Turkes Moses to auert Scanderbeg from that enterprise wherein hee must of force be driuen to shew himselfe told him That he vnderstood of late by a certaine messenger which came to him out of SFETIGRADE that the citie was so well stored by the Turks of all things necessarie for the defence thereof that it were but lost labour to attempt any thing against the same wherefore hee aduised him rather to besiege BELGRADE not that BELGRADE which is situated vpon the riuer of Danubius but another of the same name in the confines of EPIRVS then holden by the Turkes but distant from SFETIGRADE about an hundreth and fortie miles of the taking whereof there seemed to be more hope By this persuasion Scanderbeg resolued with himselfe to make prouision for the besieging of BELGRADE And forasmuch as his souldiours of EPIRVS alwaies vsed to the field were not so fit for the besieging of townes he thought it good to pray aid out of ITALY from his old friend Alphonsus king of NAPLES with whom he had been of long time acquainted and vnto him much beholden Wherefore he sent two of his noblemen embassadours vnto him with certaine rich presents and familiar letters of this purport Our souldiours of EPIRVS know only how to fight with men and them to vanquish with wals they know not how to deale You
of that citie Whilest he lay in EVBoeA he was persuaded that the citie of PATRAS in PELOPONESVS would be deliuered vnto him by the Christians that dwelt therein if hee did but shew himselfe before it Whereupon he departed from EVBoeA and comming into the gulfe of PATRAS landed 4000 footmen vnder the leading of Barbaricus and 200 horsemen of whom one Nicholaus Ragius was captaine Barbaricus marching toward PATRAS was come within a mile of the cittie when manie of the horsemen and of the vnruly mariners disorderly scattering abroad neglected the intended seruice and sought after pillage all about the countrey The Turkes garrisons taking this opportunitie set vpon them with their horsemen and so easily ouerthrew them being scattered and out of order At the first encounter Barbaricus himselfe was slaine Ragius captaine of the horsemen was taken aliue empailed vpon a sharpe stake Of all them that were landed scarce a thousand were left who saued their liues by flying vnto the gallies With this ouerthrow Victor the Venetian Admirall was greatly discomfited yet hauing conceiued some hope of better successe in few daies after attempted againe to haue taken PATRAS but with like hap as before For hauing lost a thousand of his men about the citie and the rest glad to take their refuge to the fleet he was constrained with great dishonour to depart thence And so full of sorrow and heauinesse returning into EVBoeA oppressed with melancholy there suddenly died The Venetians deceiued of the great hope they had conceiued of the generall preparation made against the Turkes and much troubled with the hard proceeding of their warres against so mightie an enemie by their embassadours solicited Mathias not long before chosen king of HVNGARIE to joyne in league with them and to take vp armes against the common enemie offering presently to furnish him with a great summe of money beside a large yearely pention for the maintenance of those warres for which he should to his power by land defend all their territorie betwixt the Rhetian Alpes and the Adriatique against the inuasion of the Turke This Mathias surnamed Coruinus was the yonger sonne of the most famous captaine Io. Haniades whose elder brother Vladislaus a gentleman of such courage as might well shâ—w whosâ— sonne he was being not able to disgest the injuries and disgraces done vnto him and his brother by Vlricus countie of CILIA and vnckle vnto Ladislaus the yong king of BOHEMIA and HVNGARIE for the despite he alwaies bare vnto their father Huniades slew the same Vlricus at ALBA REGALIS euen in the kings court Which outrage the yong king was glad for the present to winke at and also to grant him pardon as hauing taken away the man whose immoderat power well stood not with the kings safetie but in deed fearing the citizens of ALBA the men of war who exceedingly fauoured the sonnes of Huniades for their fathers sake For all that Ladislaus returning into BOHEMA caused both the sons of Huniades vpon the sudden to be apprehended and most cruelly executed Vladislaus being then about six and twentie yeares old Mathias the yonger brother was kept in prison expecting nothing else but to be partaker of his brothers hard fortune as vndoubtedly he had had not Ladislaus the yong king vpon the sudden as hee was vpon the top of his marriage with Magdalaine the French kings daughter by vntimely death beene taken away After whose death the Hungarians for the loue they bare vnto the remembrance of Huniades by a militarie election chose this Mathias his youngest sonne theâ— in prison at PRAGE to be their king Wherof Pogebrache who after the death of Ladislaus of an old gouernour had made himselfe the young king of BOHEMIA hauing speedie intelligence as he was sitting at supper sent for Mathias his prisoner and when he was come commaunded him to sit downe at the vpper end of the table whereat the young gentleman being then but about eighteene yeares of age and sore abashed began to craue pardon But when the king would needs haue it so and that he was set the king to quiet his troubled thoughts willed him to be of good cheere for that he had good newes to tell him Good newes said he if it would please your majestie to grant me libertie Yea that said the king and more to and then saluting him by the name of the king of HVNGARIE brake vnto him the whole matter how that he was by the generall consent of the Hungarians chosen their king And so in few daies after married vnto him his daughter which done he furnished him with all things fit for his estate and royally accompanied him into HVNGARIE where he was with great joy and triumph receiued of the Hungarians ouer whom he afterwards gloriously raigned for the space of eight and thirtie yeares In which time he notably enlarged the kingdome of HVNGARIE and became a farre greater terrour vnto the Turkes than euer was his father Huniades And therewithall which is not to be accounted in the least part of his praises was alwaies a great fauourer and furtherer of good letters and ingenious deuises But to returne againe to our purpose Mathias hauing well considered of that the Venetians had requested answered them that they had many times before in like case refused to giue aid vnto the Hungarian kings his predecessours yea and that more was thought it a thing not reasonable that anie such thing should be requested at their hands forasmuch as they then receiued no harme from the Turke but were in league and amitie with him so that the Hungarian kings wanting their helpe had manie times receiued greater losse from the Turke than otherwise they should haue done if they had beene by them aided Yet for all that he was content to forget all such vnkindnesse and to grant them what they had requested promising the next Spring to inuade the Turkes dominion and according to their request to take into his protection all their territorie betwixt the Rhetian Alpes and the Adriatique which thing hee most honourably performed For with the first of the Spring he passed ouer Danubius at BELGRADE with a puissant armie and rased the forts which the Turkes had built thereabouts and so entring into SERVIA laid all the countrey waste before him and afterwards laden with spoile returned home carrying away with him twentie thousand captiues Neither so rested but with great good fortune maintained great warres against Mahomet during all the time of his raigne and afterwards against Baiazet his sonne also wherein he most commonly returned with victorie so that it is of him as truely as briefly written That no Christian king or chieftaine did more often or with greater fortune fight against the Turkish nation or had of them greater victories Mahomet deliuered of the great feare he had before conceiued of the generall preparation of the Christian princes against him determined now to worke his will vpon such as were neerest vnto
thousand of his best souldiors and with euery one of the other eight captaines seuen thousand moe departed himselfe with the rest of his armie from CROIA towards CONSTANTINOPLE But by the way as he went he tooke from Scanderbeg certaine small forts and with faire promises corrupting the Gouernour of a place called CHIDNA wherein eight thousand of Scanderbeg his souldiours lay had the same deliuered into his power vpon his faith before giuen That all the souldiours with the rest of the people should in safetie depart thence But after the tyrant had them in his power without regard of faith or promise hee caused them all most cruelly to bee cut in peeces sparing neither man woman nor child to the great greefe and weakening of Scanderbeg who had not at any time before receiued so great a losse And after hee had so raged hee in great melancholie returned vnto CONSTANTINOPLE Scanderbeg disdaining to haue his cheefe cittie besieged by Balabanus sometime one of the basest of his fathers subjects and yet finding himselfe vnable to releeue the same for as much as his souldiors were with continuall warres sore wasted and his warie enemies lay so encamped as that they were not but by a strong armie to bee remoued sent vnto the Venetians and other the confederat princes of ALBANIA ILLYRIA and DALMATIA praying of them aid now at his need against that enemie which preuailing against him would forthwith set vpon them All which princes promised forthwith to send their succours At the same time also hee passed ouer into ITALIE secretly and disguised in simple attire came to ROME to craue aid of Paulus the second of that name then great Bishop by whom he was honourably entertained but obtained nothing of that he came for so cold was his holy deuotion onely at his departure hee gaue vnto Iunetrio Scanderbeg his treasurer a poore almes of three thousand duckats Scanderbeg returning into EPIRVS found all such aid readie as was promised from the confederat princes but especially from the Venetians which was for most part drawne out of their garrisons of SCVTARI DRIVASTO ALYSSA and DIRRHACHIVM so that hee had in few daies in his armie thirteene thousand foure hundred choice soldiors With this strength he marched towards CROIA but vnderstanding by the way that Ionima was within a daies journey comming with a new supplie to his brother Balabanus hee drew out certaine troupes of his best horsemen and coasting ouer the countrey in the night suddainly came vpon the Turks and put them to flight where amongst others Ionima himselfe with his sonne Hedar were taken prisoners whom he shewed the next day in bonds to Balabanus This exploit so happily performed he with all speed returned to his armie and so marching to CROIA by plaine force driue the Turks from the mountain CRVINA their greatest strength and nearest to the citie of CROIA Which thing when Balabanus saw he with certaine troupes of horsemen rid euen to the gates of the cittie persuading the defendants to yeeld the citie making them in the name of his master such offers and promises as he thought might most moue them But they nothing regarding his words but rather incensed with his presumption sallied out vpon him and enforced him to retire but he therewith enraged and halfe mad for anger came vpon them with a fresh charge thinking by plaine force to haue driuen them backe into the citie In which skirmish he was by one Georgius Aâ—exius with a bullet shot quite through the throat and feeling himselfe mortally wounded setting spurres to his horse ran as fast as he could to his campe where he presently fell down from his horse and died The Turkes discouraged with the death of their Generall and the comming of Scanderbeg rise the same night and with great silence retired themselues vnto the plain of TIRANA about eight miles from CROIA Scanderbeg the next morning entring the forsaken tents of the Turks found therein great store of corne and other victuals which he caused to be forthwith conueyed into the citie and in great triumph followed after himselfe to the great joy and comfort of his late besieged subjects whom he highly commended for their fidelitie and bountifully rewarded according to their deserts The same day he sent certaine companies of souldiors to take the strait passages whereby the Turkes must needs passe in their returne out of EPIRVS which when the Turkes vnderstood they sent two messengers vnto Scanderbeg who seemed to be men of good account in the armie offering in the name of the rest of the captaines and commaunders to deliuer vnto him their horses and armes so that they might in safetie depart with their liues Which their request Scanderbeg propounding vnto his counsellors captaines was by them diuersly disgested In conclusion they receiued this answere from Scanderbeg himselfe That as they came into his country without his commandement so should they not by his leaue depart thence The Turkes receiuing this short answere by their messengers and considering that they must needs in that bare countrey in short time perish either with famine or with the sword the very same night departed from TIRANNA and in the dead time of the night entering the aforesaid straits by plaine force desperatly brake through and escaped but not without their great losse for whose escape the common souldiors murmured greeuously against Scanderbeg and were not without much ado appeased In short time after Scanderbeg recouered all such places as Mahomet had before taken from him and put to sword the soldiors he had left for the keeping of the same which done he brake vp his armie retaining only two thousand horsemen and a thousand foot for the defence of his frontiers The Turkish tyrant hearing of the euill successe of his affaires in EPIRVS as that his Generall was slaine CROIA releeued his armie discomfited and all that he had done brought to nought fretted thereat exceedingly and was therewith so much greeued that hee could not for a season eat or drinke or take rest his discontented thoughts so much troubled him In the end to remedie the matter he resolued the next Spring to goe againe in person himselfe with a most puissant armie into EPIRVS and so if it were possible to make a full conquest thereof of which his purpose Scanderbeg vnderstanding prouided for his comming as he had in former time The Spring being come Mahomet according to his former resolution with a mightie armie entred into EPIRVS and there with exceeding labour and charge first repaired or rather reedified the old ruines of the citie of VALMES wherein he left a strong garrison of purpose to trouble that part of the countrey From thence he marched to DIRRACHIVM now called DVRAZZO but of old time EPIDAMNVM a citie vpon the sea coast then in the possession of the Venetians famous for many things in the time of the Romane empire but especially for the flight of the Romane Senate thither and their
gally who generally grieued to see him so great a commaunder to let slip so faire an opportunitieâ— But he fearing to come any neerer came to an anchor and moued not neither gaue any signe of comfort or reliefe to the besieged Which thing the Turkish king quickly perceiuing and therwith encouraged hauing now in diuers places beaten downe the wals and made them sauâ—table brought on his men to the breaches promising them the spoile of the citie with many other great rewards and hie preferments according to their particuler deserts whereof he said he would himselfe be an eye-witnesse Hereupon the Turkes gaue a most fierce and furious assault which the defendants with inuincible courage receiued and made such slaughter of them that the ditches were filled and the breaches made vp with the bodies of the dead Turkes But such was the number of that populous armie the greatest strength of the Turkes that the liuing little felt the losse of the dead Mahomet continually sending in new supplies of fresh men in steed of them that were slaine or wounded So that one could no sooner fall but two or three slept vp in his roome and so successiuely as if new men had sprong out of the bodies of the dead Twise they had euen woon the breaches and were both times with wonderfull slaughter beaten out againe This deadly and dreadfull assault was maintained a whole day and a night without intermission At length the defendants being for the most part slaine or wounded and the rest wearied with long fight and vnable to defend the towne now assaulted almost round retired from the breaches into the market place and there like resolute men sold their liues at a decre price vnto the Turkes Amongst the slaine Christians were found the dead bodies of manie notable women who seeing the ruine of the citie chose rather to die with their friends in defence thereof than aliue to fall into the hands of their barbarous enemies Mahomet being now become lord of the citie and hauing lost fortie thousand of his Turks in that siege in reuenge thereof caused all the men that were found in the citie aliue to be put to most cruell death especially the Italians vpon whom he shewed his tyrannie with most exquisit and horrible torments Paulus Ericus gouernour of the citie with a few others who with him were fled into the castle without resistance deliuered the same vnto him vpon his faithfull promise that they might in safetie depart but after that he had got them into his power the perfidious tyrant without regard commaunded them all to bee cruelly murthered The gouernours daughter a maiden of incomparable beautie was amongst the rest taken prisoner and for her rare perfection by them that tooke her presented to Mahomet as the mirrour of beautie The barbarous tyrant greedie of so faire a prey sought first by flattering words and faire persuasion to induce her to consent to his desire but when hee could not so preuaile he fell into an other vaine and began to shew himselfe in his owne nature threatning her with death torture and force worse than death it selfe if shee would not otherwise yeeld vnto his appetite Whereunto the constant virgin worthie eternall fame answered so resolutely and so contrarie to the tyrants expectation that hee being therewith enraged commaunded her to bee presently slaine The horrible and monstrous crueltie with the filthie outrages by that beastly and barbarous people committed at the taking of that cittie passeth all credit CHALCIS thus woon the rest of that fruitfull island without farther resistance yeelded vnto the Turkish slauerie vnder which it yet groaneth This calamitie happened to the Venetian state or rather to say truely to the generall hurt of the Christian common-wealâ— in the yeare of our redemption 1470. Canalis the Venetian Admirall who all the time of the siege had in the sight of the cittie lien at anchor as a looker on fearing now that the cittie was lost to bee set vpon by the Turkes fleet hoised saile and laded with dishonour returned in hast vnto VENICE where hee was by the commaundement of the Senat committed to prison and afterward with all his family exiled to VTINVM Shortly after when Mahomet was departed with his armie out of EVBoeA and his fleet returned to CONSTANTINOPLE the Venetians with their gallies attempted to haue vpon the sudden surprised the cittie a little before lost But Mahomet had therein left so strong a garrison that when the Venetians had landed their men they were againe enforced to retire to their gallies and to forsake their island CHALCIS thus lost with all the island of EVBoeA the Venetians chose Petrus Mocenicus a valiant and discreet gentleman Admirall of their fleet instead of Canalis and by their embassadours sollicited Sixtus the fourth of that name then bishop of ROME and Ferdinand king of NAPLES with Lewis king of CYPRVS and the grand master of the RHODES to joyne their forces together with theirs against the great and common enemie which thing all the aforesaid Christian princes promised them to doe And the more to entangle the Turke they at the same time sent Caterinus Zenus their embassadour with rich presents vnto Alymbeius Vsâ—n-Cassanes the great king of PERSIA to incite him on that side against the Turke in which negotiation Zenus so well behaued himselfe that the next yeare following that great king tooke vp armes against Mahomet and had with him mortall warres as shall be in conuenient place hereafter declared Mahomet not ignorant of these proceedings of the Venetians and that they did what they might to stirre vp as many enemies as they could and to bring him if it were possible into hatred with the whole world and well knowing how much he had offended the minds of the Christian princes with the crueltie he had of late vsed against them of CHALCIS thought it not best as then further to prouoke them and so happily to bring all at once about his eares but for a season to lie still at CONSTANTINOPLE as if he had beene desirous now to liue in peace not meaning further harme hoping therby that although he concluded no peace with any of them which indeed he was not desirous of yet that tract of time might mitigate the hainousnesse of the fact and coole the heat of their displeasure whereby it came to passe as hee wished that nothing worth the speaking of was that yeare attempted against him And because the Persian king was the man of whom he stood most in doubt hee sought by his embassadours to pacifie him and to withdraw him from the league of the Christians requesting him if it were for nothing els but for the communitie of the Mahometane religion wherein they well agreed and were thereby the professed enemies of the Christians to withdraw his hand and in their cause to cease to take vp armes vrging now for that it so stood with his purpose the zeale of religion whereas
Ionian and Adriaticke that he might from thence but looke toward ITALIE which he began now to long after he determined with himselfe first to subdue those countries as standing in his way both for the inuasion of ITALIE and of the territories of the Venetians And for as much as the strong cittie of SCODRA otherwise called SCVTARIE then in the possession of the Venetians for the commodious situation thereof seemed to giue him the best entrance into the countries of ALBANIA EPIRVS DALMATIA and to such cities as the Venetians held alongst the sea coast he resolued there to begin his wars This citie was of great strength as well for the naturall situation thereof as for the strong fortifications therein made by the hand of man which thing Mahomet was not ignorant of but presuming of his owne strength and power vainely persuaded himselfe that no place was now able long to hold out gainst him Wherefore hauing prepared all things fit for the besieging thereof he sent Solyman Bassa an Eunuch whom hee had made his lieutenant Generall in EVROPE in the place of Amurath Bassa before slaine by Vsun-Cassanes with eightie thousand souldiours to besiege SCODRA This great Bassa according to his charge came and with great pompe encamped round about the citie the fiue and twentieth of May. Shortly after hauing planted his batterie hee began most furiously to shake the wals and ceased not by all meanes hee could deuise to â—rouble the defendants and when he had by force of the cannon done what hee could gaue diuers sharpe assaults vnto the cittie but was still with great losse valiantly repulsed by them of the citie Long it were to declare how often and in what terrible manner that warlike Bassa Mahomet his cheefe captaine attempted to haue woon the citie as also to shew how they of SCODRA directed by their worthie Gouernour Antonius Lauretanus valiantly defended themselues and their cittie nothing was omitted that the enemie could doe or deuise for the gaining thereof but all his deuises and attempts were so met withall by the defendants that they serued him to no other purpose but to the destruction of his people Whilst the Bassa thus lay at the siege of SCODRA Mocenicus hauing receiued such commaundement from the Senate came and joyned himselfe to Grittus the new Admirall who then lay with his fleet in the mouth of BOLIANA a great riuer running out of the lake whereupon the cittie of SCODRA standeth These two great commaunders being met together were both as one man and with a wonderfull consent did what they might for the furtherance of the common good a thing not common first they put strong garrisons with all things necessarie into CHOLCHINVM LYSSA DIRRHACHIVM and other citties of their signorie vpon the sea coast After that they went vp the riuer BOLIANA with certaine gallies and came within sight of SCODRA and there by fires in the night and other tokens of comfort encouraged the defendants as with an assured promise of releefe which thing it greeued the Turkes to behold who therefore went about to haue shut in those same gallies with a great chaine drawne crosse the riuer where it was narrowest betwixt them and the sea but in doing thereof the Venetians out of their gallies slew fiue hundred of the Turkes and wounded diuers others and so returned againe to sea It was afterward attempted by the aforesaid Admirals if a new supplie might haue beene put into the cittie but the enemie had so beset the same that it was not possible to be done In the meane time Mathias king of HVNGARIE receiuing a great yearely portion of the Venetians for the defence of their countries against the Turke hearing that SCODRA was besieged began to make such spoile in the Turkes dominions bordering vpon him that Mahomet was glad to call home the great Bassa from the siege of SCODRA to defend his owne frontiers So the Bassa after he had lien three months with his great armie at the siege and lost foureteene thousand of his men whereof the greatest part died of sickenesse taken by long lying in the rotten moorish ground neere vnto the riuer by commaundement from his mastâ—r rise with his armie and departed The Venetians also which lay all that while thereabout in their gallies were toucht with the same contagion Triadanus Grittus died thereof and Mocenicus the other Admirall fell thereof dangerously sicke but being somewhat recouered returned home and was shortly after for his good seruice chosen duke of VENICE Marcellus the old duke being then dead With this dishonour taken at SCODRA Mahomet was so discontented that he appointed a yearely fee vnto one to put him in mind dayly of the siege of SCODRA The same yeare that this great Bassa Solyman had in vaine besieged SCODRA hee was afterward sent with a great armie into VALACHIA where he was so entangled in the woods and fens by Stephanus the Vayuod that hee lost all his armie and with much adoe escaped himselfe by the wonderfull swiftnesse of a mare whereon he rid The yeare following which was the yeare 1476 Mahomet sent out a great fleet to sea vnder the conduct of Geduces Achmetes his cheefe counsellour and man of warre whose very name was dreadfull in all places where hee came in hope to haue by treason surprised the Island of CRETE But that plot was in good time by the Venetians perceiued the traitors executed and he of his purpose disappointed Whereupon he changed his former purpose for CRETE sent the same Achmetes with his fleet into the Euxine or as the Turkes call it the Blacke sea to besiege the rich citie of CAFFA This citie was in antient time called THEODOSIA situate in the countrey of TAVRICA CHERSONESVS fast by the sea side and had of long time beene in possession of the Genowaies and was a place of exceeding great trade vntill that this great emperor Mahomet hauing taken CONSTANTINOPLE and falling out with the Venetians had by his strong castles built vpon the straits of HELLESPONTVS and BOSPHORVS taken away both the trafficke of marchants into those seas and all possible meanes for the Genowayes to send succour to that citie yet it is credibly reported that one valiant captaine vndertooke to carrie his companie in number not aboue an hundred and fiftie men by land from GENVA to CAFFA not much lesse than two thousand miles and worthely performed what hee had vndertaken Achmetes comming thither with his fleet enclosed the citie both by sea and land which deuided in it selfe by reason of the diuers disposition of the inhabitants being of diuers nations some Genowayes some Greekes some Armenians but most Tartars could not long hold out but was in short time giuen vp to the Bassa vpon condition That the Genoway marchants who were there both in number many and exceeding rich might in safetie depart thence with their wealth Which promise the Bassa performed not but when he was possessed of the
May Aly-Beg with his eightie thousand Achanzij came into the suburbs of the citie and there encamped so that none could go in or out of the gates which was not the least part of his charge To him by the commandement of Mahomet had Scander-Beg gouernour of BOSNA and Malcotius with seauen thousand horsemen joyned themselues vpon the way Of this Malcotius it is reported as was of Augustus that the majestie of his countenance with the resplendent beames issuing out of his eies as if it had been the raies of the Sunne were of such piercing brightnesse that no man was able with immoued and fixed eye long to behold the same These horsemen the forerunners as I said of Mahomets great army the Christians much troubled with often sallies and shot out of the town and slew manie of them with little or no losse vnto themselues When Aly-Beg had thus lien before the citie ten daies came Taut Gaiola the great Bassa of CONSTANTINOPLE with fiue and twentie thousand souldiours and about twelue thousand camels for most part laden with mettall in mass for to make great ordinance of and other necessaries for the campe The Bassaes great and stately tent of purple colour was pitched vpon the top of an high hill called the Bassaes hill because in that place Solyman Bassa had lien in the former siege about foure yeares before The Bassaes armie lay encamped betwixt the same hill and the towne This Taut Gaiola was borne in EPIRVS of base parentage and was from thence by the Turkes carried away young to CONSTANTINOPLE where for his sharpenesse of 〈◊〉 and rare actiuitie he grew into such fauour first with Mahomet and afterward with Baiazet his sonne that he was by them promoted to the greatest places of honour next vnto themselues wherein he became so popular and had so possessed the hearts of the people that it was suspected of some he would haue aspired to the Turkish empire himselfe Presently after the comming of this great Bassa workmen were set a worke about the casting of the great ordinance and making readie of other things for the siege The Christians also were no lesse busie about their fortifications the gouernour appointing vnto euerie man his charge and which part of the wall to defend yet keeping continually in the market place certaine companies with the ensignes of S. Marke and S. Stephen to serue as fresh supplies as need or occasion should require Whileâ—t the great ordinance was in casting the Bassa caused a great bridge of timber to be made ouer the riuer that so he might at his pleasure passe ouer his men and commaund both sides of the riuer The Christians in the meane time with vigilant eye so attending the Turkes that none of them could stir within shot but he was forthwith fet off and slaine The thirteenth of Iune Mustapha the Beglerbeg or Viceroy of ASIA commonly called the great Bassa of NATOLIA came also in great pompe to the siege with thirtie thousand souldiors brought out of ASIA personable men but not accounted so good souldiours as they of EVROPE for it is a common saying among the Turkes That the men of EVROPE and the horses of ASIA doe best seruice This great Bassa was honourably met and welcomed by the other great Bassa of CONSTANTINOPLE and was quartered vpon an other side of the citie where his rich pauilion all of Greene was pitcht in a vineyard about a mile from the towne Mustapha to proue the courage of his souldiours propounded a reward to which soeuer of them as durst aduenture but to go and touch the wals of the citie vpon which occasion two of his souldiours passing well mounted attempted to haue performed that enterprise But making what hast they could possibly they were both slaine from the wall and one of their bodies recouered by certain valiant souldiours which sallied out of the towne and his head being cut off was vpon a launce set vpon the wals for the Turkes to behold The fifteenth of Iune 5600 Ianizaries came into the campe with foure white ensignes at whose comming all the souldiors of both the Bassaes camps gaue a wonderfull shout and welcomed them with great joy These are the great Turkes guard and best souldiours in whom the greatest strength of his kingdome consisteth and are called the sons of the great Sultan after whose comming Mahomet himselfe was daily expected Three daies after came two other great men attended vpon with a number of followers who by their countenance and the great reuerence done vnto them by the rest of the Turkes seemed to be men of great place and authoritie these men desired that they might with safetie speake with the gouernour of the citie and the rest of the captaines to deliuer vnto them such a message as they had for their good as they said brought vnto them from Mahomet Which their request being granted the elder of them after he had with manie glorious words set forth the power of his master and what hee had done to other great cities with their princes and farther shewed into what danger they were like to fall if they should long stand vpon their defence he began to persuade them to yeeld vp the citie assuring them of all kind vsage with manie rich rewards from the great emperour whereas otherwise they were to expect nothing but extreame miserie and most shamefull death Whereunto answere was in the name of them all giuen by the mouth of Petrus Pagnanus a graue and worthy citizen That they were not afraid of the greatnesse of Mahomet or of anie thing he had done or could doe and that he should find it hard to enforce them but impossible to persuade them to deliuer their citie and therefore that he might at his pleasure vse his forces against men fully resolued rather to yeeld vnto nature her last due than to hearken to anie composition and in conclusion told them that if they should at anie time after make any such motion they should not expect any other answere than from the mouth of the Canon With which short answere these great men departed not a little discontented At this same time the strong citie of CROIA which the worthy Scanderbeg had liuing so honourably defended and dying had left it with his kingdome in the protection and possession of the Venetians hauing holden out a years siege after that all the kingdome of EPIRVS and most part of ALBANIA was lost for lacke of victuals was yeelded vp vnto the Turke vpon condition That the hungerstarued defendants who then seemed rather ghosts than men might at their pleasure in safetie depart which agreement the faithlesse Turke brake and without mercie put them all to the sword This heauie newes was deliuered to them of SCODRA by certaine Christians in the Turkes campe wherewith they were much greeued but nothing at all discouraged Whilest the Turkes thus lay at the siege the watermen of whom a great number liued vpon the great lake of
yeares liued most straitly and austerely contenting themselues with such things as the earth of it selfe affoorded them without seeking for better These hipocrits were first seene and afterwards acquainted with the sheepheards and heardsmen liuing vpon the mountaines and in processe of time with the rude husbandmen and countrey people who wondring at their strait and deuout kind of life relieued them with all things necessarie Yea Baiazet himselfe hearing of their austere and deuout manner of liuing sent them yearely six or seauen thousand aspers as his almes giuen them vpon charitie and deuotion But afterwards when they began to tell fortunes and as it were by the way of diuination to prognosticat of things to come the rurall people held them for more than men and conceiued of them a firme opinion that they were some diuine prophets And so were by the countrey people first drawne into the countrey villages and afterwards as if it had been against their wils into the cities where they had in short time filled all the countrey farre and neere with the admiration of their fame But after they began to publish their new phantasied doctrine concerning the true successour of their great prophet Mahomet they wanted not their new-fangled followers as had Haider their master before among the Persians who had them in singular reuerence persuaded now by them that they should be condemned for euer if they did not as they were by them taught giue the honour of the true succession of their great prophet onely to Hali and him onely to reuerence and call vpon next vnto the great prophet himselfe When they had thus with their often sermons and blind prophecies seduced the people and in short time woon great credit amongst the vulgar sort of themselues too much giuen to noueltie and superstition they commanded their disciples and followers to weare vpon their Turkish hats a red band or riband whereby to be knowne from others that were not of their profession Of which red bands or ribands they which professed this new superstition were and yet are ouer all the East part of the world called by the name of Cuselbassas which is to say Red heads Hysmaell also liuing in exile most earnestly embraced that new superstition which Haider his father had before taught in PERSIA but with farre better fortune and successe For as soone as he was growne to mans estate he following his fathers manner of life and being by nature wonderfull eloquent comely of person exceeding wise and of an inuincible courage was of the rude vulgar people accounted of more like a god than a man so that he grew to be of great fame and power amongst those barbarous people with whom he liued And not the base and vulgar sort only but diuers noblemen also and others of good reputation once allured with the noueltie of his doctrine the more to manifest their good will towards the author of their sect after they had forsaken their old superstition ceased not as the manner of men is to cōmend him in the highest degree of vertue honor And he himselfe as yet but a youth altogether bending his wit to the setting forth of himselfe making semblant of more than was indeed in him obtained as if it had beene against his will riches honour fame and authoritie of all which things hee as a notable dissembler seemed to make no account or reckoning neither were there some wanting which would sweare that Haider his father as he was an excellent Astronomer calculating his natiuitie should say That he should prooue a great prophet and the author of true religion who subduing the greatest part of the East should become as glorious both in matters of religion and martiall affaires as was Mahomet the Great prophet himselfe Which report being bruted abroad amongst the vulgar people greatly encreased his authoritie and gaue them occasion to talke of wonders Not long after Hysmaell was first by the admiration or rather assentation of his friends and followers and afterwards as if it had ben by a generall consent surnamed Sophos which amongst those people signifieth a Wise man or the interpreter of the gods These prosperous beginnings with the troubled state of the Persian kingdome encouraged him to take in hand great matters for his vncle Iacup the Persian king was long before dead being together with his sonne poysoned by his adulterous wife which thing he presently perceiuing enforced her to drinke of the same cup and because he would be sure that she should not escape with his owne hand strucke off her head and immediately after died with his sonne After whose death great troubles arose about the succession and diuers great men one after another aspired to the kingdome which they enjoyed not long And amongst the rest Eluan-beg whom Iouius calleth Aluantes at that time stood in no sure possession of the kingdome being mightily impugned by his brother Moratchamus Hysmaell taking hold of this opportunitie armed diuers of the most able men of his followers and receiuing some small aid from his poore old friend Pyrchales entered into ARMENIA and there partly by the fame that ran of him and partly by the good will of the people rather than by any force recouered his fathers inheritance whereunto the remembrance of his dead father did not a little further him He encouraged with this good beginning dayly grew stronger and stronger by the continuall repairing vnto him of such as hauing once receiued the doctrine of Haider were glad of long for feare of persecution to dissemble the same but now hauing got an head and cheefetaine to cleaue vnto began openly to shew themselues againe and in great number to resort vnto him in hope of the good successe of their religion not so happely begun by his father His power thus dayly encreasing beyond his expectation he laied siege vnto SVMACHIA a citie in the confines of MEDIA which he tooke by force and sacked and with the spoile thereof both enriched and armed his souldiors which before were for most part naked men The taking of this citie wonderfully encreased both his fame and courage as oftentimes it falleth out That haughtie minds courageously attempting high exploits by the good euent of their first attempts make way vnto the full of their stately desires So after this Hysmaell his thoughts were not so low as to thinke of the taking of this or that litle citie but how he might now compasse the great citie of TAVRIS the very seat of the Persian kings and afterwards the kingdome it selfe Whereupon reposing no lesse confidence in his owne good fortune than the valour of his souldiors he marched with his armie directly to the citie of TAVRIS and that with such expedition that he was come before it before any such thing was feared much lesse prouided for Eluan the Persian king was then at TAVRIS and had but a little before fought a great battaile with his brother
vpon the great riuer of Tanais which boundeth EVROPE from ASIA and arming fifteen thousand Tartarian horsemen deliuered them all to Selymus promising forthwith to send him greater aid if he should haue occasion to vse the same These things being quickely dispatched Selymus passing ouer the riuer Borysthenes and so through VALACHIA came at length to Danubius and with his horsemen passed that famous riuer at the citie of CHELIA His fleet hee commaunded to meet him at the port of the citie of VARNA called in antient time DIONYSIOPOLIS in the confines of BVLGARIA and THRACIA he himselfe still leuying moe men by the way as he went pretending in shew quite another thing than that he had indeed intended which the better to couer he gaue it out as if he had purposed to haue inuaded HVNGARIE But Baiazet a good while before aduertised that Selymus was departed from TRAPEZOND and come ouer into EVROPE maruelling that he had left his charge in ASIA the rebellion of Techellis and the Persian warre yet scarce quieted and that vpon his owne head hee had entertained forraine aid to make warre against the most warlike nation of the Hungarians and farther that with his armie by land he had seized vpon the places neerest vnto THRACIA and with a strong nauie kept the Euxine sea hee began to suspect as the truth was That all this preparation was made and entended against himselfe for the craftie old sire had good proofe of the vnquiet and troublesome nature of his sonne especially in that without his knowledge hee durst presume to take a wife from amongst the Tartars and afterwards with no lesse presumption of himselfe raise an armie both by sea and land Whereby he easily perceiued that he would neuer hold himselfe contented with a small kingdome so long as hee was in hope by desperat aduenture to gaine a greater Yet thinking it better with like dissimulation to appease his violent and fierce nature than by sharpe reproofe to moue him to farther choller he sent vnto him embassadours to declare vnto him with what danger the Turkish kings had in former times taken vpon them those Hungarian warres for example whereof he needed not to goe further than to his grandfather Mahomet the Great who many times to his exceeding losse had made proofe of the Hungarian forces wherefore he should doe well to expect some fitter opportunitie when as he might with better aduise greater power and more assured hope of victorie take those wars in hand Whereunto Selymus answered That he had left ASIA enforced thereunto by the injuries of his brother Achomates and was therefore come ouer into EVROPE by dint of sword and the helpe of his friends to win from the enemies of the Mahometane religion a larger and better prouince for that little barren and peaceable one which his father had giuen him bordering vpon HIBERIA and CHOLCHOS bare and needie people liuing as connies amongst the rockes and mountaines As for the Hungarians whom they thought to be a people inuincible and therefore not to be dealt withall he was not of that base mind to be daunted with any danger were it neuer so great and yet that in his opinion the warre was neither so difficult or dangerous as was by them pretended for as much as the antient prowesse of that warlike nation was now much changed together with the change of their kings and their discipline of war not onely much decayed but almost quite lost after that Vladislaus farre vnlike in policie and prowesse had succeeded the renowmed Matthias in that kingdome Neither had he as he said from his cradle learned to be afraid of death or of the common chances of warre as knowing that neither God nor man would bee wanting to him who with an honourable resolution did aduenture vpon vertuous and worthie attempts and that therefore hee was fully resolued for his owne honour which his father had in some sort blemished by the immoderate aduancement of his brethren either to die honourably in the field in battaile against the enemies of the Mahometane religion or els gloriously to extend the bounds of the Turkish empire and that he would not though one of the yongest in the Othoman familie bee accounted inferiour to any of his brethren in vertue and prowesse Thus was the Hungarian warre neuer by Selymus entended notably by him pretended and with no lesse dissimulation by Baiazet dissuaded The embassadours although Selymus in all his speeches shewed no token of peace yet in his fathers name presented vnto him diuers gifts therby if it might be to appease his fierce and cruell mind Vnto his old gouernment they adjoyned SAMANDRIA which the Hungarians call SCHENDEROVIA a strong citie of SERVIA vpon the borders of HVNGARIE with many other strong townes in the same countrey they gaue him also threescore thousand duckats beside a thousand garments of cloth and silke with good store of prouision wherewith to relieue and content the souldiors by him entertained least that they drawne farre from home in hope of spoile should take it in euill part if they should be sent away emptie handed Selymus in a happie time hauing receiued these gifts returned the embassadours vnto his father with more doubtfull answere and vncertaine hope than before yet changing nothing in himselfe of his former resolution secret messengers and letters from his friends in the court still whetting him forward too much alreadie enflamed with desire of soueraignetie persuading him to make hast and to repose his greatest hope in his quicke speed for that they vnderstood that about the time of his setting forward his brother Achomates was comming with a great power being sent for out of CAPADOCIA by his father In the meane time Baiazet moued the rather with the feare of Selymus resolued vpon that whereof he had long before in his mind deeply considered and now said openly That he would appoint his successour who in stead of himselfe spent with yeares and sickenesse should bring with him the flower of youth and strength of bodie fit to gouerne so great an empire But when these things were propounded vnto the souldiours of the court by the foure great Bassaes who in all things both of peace and warres had next place vnto the emperour himselfe it was forthwith gainesaied by those martiall men crying aloud with one voice That they would know no other emperor but Baiazet vnder whose conduct and good fortune they had now serued aboue thirtie yeares and therefore would not suffer him to liue a priuat life in obscuritie who with so many victories and strong cities taken had brought the Othoman empire vnto that height of renowme and glorie They said moreouer that there was in him yet strength ynough if he would but with the reuerend honour of his age retaine the majestie of his place and the glorie he had gotten with his long and happie raigne and most famous victories and that of his children such a one should
Neither was it to be thought as Cherseogles said that the naked Tartarian horsmen although they were in number moe would euer be able to abide the first charge of Baiazet his well armed pensioners As for the Ianizaries of whose approued faith and valour tried in manie dangers hee had before had good experience there was no doubt but that they would now to the vttermost of their power defend the person and honour of their aged and victorious emperour who had of long time so well of them deserued and also reuenge his quarrell vpon disobedient Selymus who neither fearing God the just reuenger of such vngratious dealing neither the infamie of men had most vnnaturally lift vp his sword against his father wickedly to depriue him of life of whom he had receiued life Wherefore he persuaded him in his owne just quarrell to go forth vnto his souldiours with cheerfull countenance and putting them in remembrance of the benefits they had from time to time most bountifully receiued at his hands as also of their alleagance and duetie to make them to vnderstand that reposing his trust in their fidelitie and valour hee had resolutely set downe with himselfe in that place before he went any farther by their faithfull hands to chastise the presumptuous insolencie of his vnnaturall sonne togither with his rebellious followers But now that we are fallen into the remembrance of this Cherseogles it shall not be amisse both for the honour of the man and the great loue he alwaies bare vnto the Christians to step a little out of the way to see the cause why he being a Christian borne turned Turke For hee was not as almost all the rest of the great men about Baiazet were of a child taken from his Christian parents and so brought vp in the Mahometan religion but being now a man grown turned Turke yet so as that he neuer in heart forgot either the Christian religion or loue toward the Christians a thing not common among such renegates He being the sonne of one Chersechius a small prince of ILLYRIA neere vnto the Blacke mountaine and going to be maried vnto a ladie whom he most entirely loued and vnto whom he was alreadie betrothed honourably descended of the house of the Despot of SERVIA his intemperat father with lustfull eye beholding the young ladie of rare feature and incomparable beautie desired to haue her for himselfe and regarding more the satisfying of his owne inordinat desire than his owne honour or the fatherly loue of his sonne tooke her in marriage himselfe all his friends labouring in vaine to dissuade him and with open mouth crying shame of so foule a fact Wherefore the young man moued with the indignitie of so great an injurie and driuen headlong with despaire fled first to the Turkes garrisons which lay not farre off and from thence to CONSTANTINOPLE where the fortune of the man was to bee wondred at For being brought before Baiazet who with cheerefull countenance entertained him for that he was honourably descended and well liked both of the man and of the cause of his reuolt smiling vpon him said Be of good cheere noble youth for thy great courage is worthy of farre greater fortune than thy fathers house can affoord thee now in steed of thy loue wrongfully taken from thee by thy father the kinswoman of a poore exiled prince thou shalt haue giuen thee in marriage the daughter of a great emperour of rare and singular perfection And not long after abjuring his religion and changing his name of Stephen to Achomates and Cherseogles hee married one of Baiazet his daughters a princesse of great beautie and deserued to haue a place amongst the Bassaes of greatest honour in the court Yet still retaining the remembrance of his former profession with a desire to returne thereto againe insomuch that he kept in his secret closet the image of the crucifix which he shewed to Io. Lascaris as to his trustie friend as he himselfe reported This man at such time as the citie of MODON was taken by the Turkes and a multitude of poore Christian captiues cruelly put to death in the sight of Baiazet by earnest entreatie saued the Venetian Senatours there taken and afterward by earnest sute deliuered Andreas Gritti being prisoner at CONSTANTINOPLE and condemned to die who not manie yeares after was chosen duke of VENICE He was the chiefe meanes whereby the Venetians to their great good obtained peace of Baiazet He also by his great authoritie and of his owne charge redeemed innumerable Christians from the seruitude of the Turkes and set them at libertie Neither is his kindnesse towards the furtherance of good learning to be forgotten for at such time as the aforesaid Io. Lascaris the notable and learned Grecian by the appointment of Leo the Tenth sought for the antient works of famous writers he procured the Turkish emperours letters patents that he might freely at his pleasure search all the libraries in GRaeCIA to the great benefit of good letters Now Baiazet encouraged by this mans persuasion as is aforesaid and hearing as hee lay in his pauilion the alarum of the enemie with the tumult and clamour of his owne souldiours as if they had been men afraid and sundrie messengers also at the same time comming vnto him with newes That Selymus with his Tartarian horsemen had almost enclosed the reareward of his armie and alreadie taken some of his baggage grinding his teeth for verie madnesse and griefe of mind with teares trickling downe his hoarie cheekes got him out of his pauilion in his horselitter for hee was at the same time so troubled with the gout that he was not able to sit on horsebacke and turning himselfe vnto the pensioners and Ianizaries standing about him as their manner is said vnto them Will you foster children valiant souldiours and faithfull keepers of my person who with great good fortune haue serued me in field aboue the space of thirtie yeares and for your faithfull and good seruice haue both in time of peace and warre of me receiued such rewards as by your owne confession and thanksgiuing farre exceeded your owne expectation and the measure of our treasures Will you I say suffer the innocent father to be butchered by his gracelesse sonne And your olde emperour tormented with age and diseases to be cruelly murthered by a companie of wild Tartars little better than arrant roagues and theeues Shall I be now forsaken in this my heauie olde age and last act of life and shall I be deliuered vnto mine enemies by them by them I say who many yeares ago with great faithfulnesse and inuincible courage defended mine honour and right against my brother Zemes and haue manie times since not onely valiantly defended this empire against most warlike nations but also most victoriously augmented the same But I will not so easily beleeue that which to my no small griefe is brought vnto mine eares concerning the reuolting of mine armie neither if I did
champaine and drie country Selymus hauing made so great a journey and yet not able so much as by report to vnderstand what was become of Hysmaell his great and populous armie which he knew was but a little before departed out of CAPADOCIA as a man in doubt and halfe afraid stayed and encamped his armie at the head of the riuer Euphrates and from thence sent out his scouts euery way if happily they could intercept some which might giue him knowledge of his enemies But the Armenians whether it were for feare of the comming of the Turks or that Hysmaell their king had so commaunded were all before fled out of that part of the countrey whereby Selymus was to passe with his armie and hauing forsaken their houses had carried away with them or els by fire destroyed whatsoeuer might serue for the vse of man The Turkish scouts after they had by the space of two dayes scoured vp and downe the countrey returned backe againe to Selymus not hauing taken so much as any one man shewing vnto him that all things were destroyed before him and nothing left but wide fields and a most desolate countrey without any appearance of man or beast and that they were of opinion that either their Armenian guides were deceiued in the way or els had of purpose brought them into such desert places whereas wanting pasture for their horses and food for men they must needs together perish with hunger Which their present feare was greatly encreased by the weak kings whom they had left behind them at their backes but especially Aladeules who either for shame or feare had a few dayes at the first holpen the Turkes with victuals but after they were farther entered into ARMENIA performed nothing of that hee had before most faithfully promised seeking therein the fauour of Hysmaell who hee thought would with the same good fortune vanquish the Turks that he had not long before the greatest part of the East Selymus perplexed in mind began now to suspect treason to feare famine to dread the deserts and forsaken places and with greefe of mind to call to remembrance all that old Chendemus his faithfull counsellour had before most truly told him for all that he shewed himselfe vnto his souldiors with cheerfull countenance as a man nothing dismayed which his firme constancie seemed to promise vnto their discouraged minds good successe with speedie victorie Wherefore calling vnto him his guides and such as best knew the countrey and vnderstanding by them that on the right hand beyond the mountaine PERIARDO lay the most fruitfull countrey of all ARMENIA hee rise with his armie and compassing the hill toward the North turned downe toward the riuer Araxes and aboue the citie of COY passed his armie ouer the riuer his footmen by little bridges and his horsemen by foords for Araxes vntill it haue receiued such riuers as fall into it out of the marishes of the PERIARDO runneth but with a small streame and is in some place easie to be passed ouer Selymus had scarcely well got ouer the riuer and encamped his armie when Vsta-Ogli who hauing joyned his forces with Amurath lying encamped not farre off and fearing least the citie of COY and the vnprouided citisens should by the sudden comming of the enemie bee oppressed quickly rise with his armie and set forwards to meet with the Turkes for that citie of all others in that countrey for fresh fountaines and riuers most pleasant wherein the Persian kings for the great plentie of all manner of fruit and wholesomenesse of the aire leauing TAVRIS were wont to spend most part of the Summer had then in it many rich citizens and sumptuous buildings which Vsta-Ogli thought good betimes to rescue and not with dishonour to loose that rich citie looking as it were vpon it and leauing it vnto the enemie to suffer him there to refresh his hunger-statued souldiors with plentie of all things Cassinus an Armenian borne and present in those warres did by many probabilities as Iouius writeth shew vnto him that this citie of COY was in antient time that most famous citie called ARTAXATA which Domitius Corbulo destroyed Neither did Hysmaell himselfe although he had but a little before sent the greatest part of his forces against the Coraxeni who were then risen vp against him in rebellion as he that made no great reckoning of the Turkes or euer thought that they durst haue come so farre into ARMENIA make any delay but forthwith as soone as he had heard of the comming of Selymus came also in person himselfe vnto his armie By chance Vsta-Ogli who contrarie to all mens expectation had vntill then shunned to fight or come in sight of his enemies of purpose with lesse danger and losse of men to ouerthrow them afterwards being sore weakened and almost spent with long trauell and want of victuals lay then encamped neere the citie when as the Turkes scouts vpon the comming of Hysmaell perceiued by the great rising of the dust and by the neighing of the Persian horses that some greater power was at hand Which so soone as it was noised in the Turkish campe they began to rejoice exceedingly and to conceiue the first hope both of their safetie and victorie glad that now meeting with their enemies they should either by victorie turne their labour toile famine and extremities wherewith they had of long time striuen into ease and plentie of all things or els by honourable death end all their miseries at once for many of the horsemen especially of them that came out of EVROPE whose horses were starued for want of forrage and the common footmen spent with long trauell greeuously troubled with the flix who trauelling in the extreame heat of the Sunne had for most part liued vpon crabs and other wild fruits with a bad supping made of meale and vineger and almost despairing to get the sight of their enemies began now to die in euery corner Hysmaell as soone as he was come within sight of his enemies reposing great confidence as well in the valour of his souldiors as in his owne rare fortune the more to terrifie them thought it good forthwith to giue them battaile whereupon he sent an herauld vnto Selymus accompanied with certaine skilfull souldiors which should in best fort they could take view of the number and force of their enemies of their artillerie and in what sort they lay encamped and to tell him That for as much as hee had no title vnto ARMENIA nor that the Turkes had at any time claimed any interest therein he could not but maruell why he had against all right entered with his armie into his dominion but if hee happily vpon a vaine presumption to the imitation of Alexander of MACEDON should thinke so much of the world his owne as hee could by the sword and his owne fortune win hee should then make himselfe readie against the next day to make proofe of his owne fortune and the
with such policie and dexteritie reforme the shaken state of that kingdome before rent in sunder with ciuile warres taking away by poyson and other secret deuices some few the cheefe authors of sedition that for the space of sixteene yeares neither tumult nor noise of warre was at any time heard of in all SYRIA or AEGIPT Worthie vndoubtedly the name of a most excellent and fortunat prince if when he had by singular wisedome and policie established the generall peace and prosperitie of his kingdome he could haue there contented himselfe to haue liued in quiet and in the winding vp of his life not rashly haue thrust himselfe into the dangerous quarrels of other princes The Cadelescher and Iachis Selymus his embassadours departing from ICONIVM came in few daies to Campson the great Sultan who then lay encamped neere vnto the riuer ORONTES at this day called FAREAR These embassadours entertained by Campson with greater bountie than courtesie and shortly after their comming hauing audience in his pauilion did with most temperat and calme speech deliuer their embassage To whom Campson answered That it was the auntient custome of the Aegyptian Sultans forasmuch as they held the chiefe place in their religion with all care and industrie to keepe the other Mahometane kings and people in peace and concord amongst themselues whereof hee for his part had beene alwaies most desirous and was for no other purpose come with his armie into his prouince of SYRIA than to persuade Selymus to peace Who if he would needs wilfully proceed in his intended warres against Hysmaell the Persian king his friend and confederat he would then doe what should stand with his honour and place and not longer suffer all to go to wracke for the vaine pleasure and furie of one insolent and ambitious man He said also That he had of long time before seene into Selymus his insatiable fierce and troublesome disposition who hauing most vnnaturally procured the death of his good father the old emperour Baiazet and slaine his brethren princes of great valour seauen of his nephewes princes of no small hope with many other of his best friends and faithfull counsellors could make no end of his ambitious tyrannie Wherfore they should tell Selymus that one and all the conditions of peace should be if he would from thenceforth desist from inuading of Hysmaell and restore to Aladeules his sonne his fathers kingdome which had of long beene vnder the defence and protection of the Aegyptian Sultans as of right and reason he ought to doe he should in so doing beside his fauour and friendship which might greatly stand him in steed reape greater fame and glorie by an assured and honourable peace than by doubtfull and dangerous warre The embassadours although they knew right well that Selymus would not for any threats giue ouer his enterprise or lay downe armes yet to the intent they might the sooner be disparched and so in time aduertise Selymus of the Sultans sudden comming seemed wonderfully to like of his motion for peace and to giue good hope by their reasonable persuasions to induce Selymus to like thereof Forasmuch as they were of his secret counsell and men able to doe much with him whereby they trusted as they would haue had the Sultan to beleeue it would easily be brought to passe that those sparkes might be quenched which all things standing vpright had not as yet kindled the fire of warre So they being by Campson rewarded and hauing leaue to depart trauelling day and night returned to Selymus who was then come to CaeSAREA Campson also remouing from ORONTES came into COMAGENA vnto the famous citie of ALEPPO which citie is probably supposed to haue been built of the ruines of the auntient citie HIERAPOLIS by Alepius the emperor Iulianus his lieutenant who in that prouince did many notable matters called that new built citie after his own name It is situat neere vnto the riuer Singa which rising out of the mountaine PIERIVS with many turnings and windings runneth thorough Comagena and being but a small riuer falleth at length into the citie Euphrates This citie Hyalon king of the Tartars tooke and burnt at such time as the Christian princes of the West made warre with the Aegyptian kings for the kingdomes of SYRIA and IERVSALEM Which calamitie notwithstanding it was againe repeopled and is at this day a famous citie for the commodious situation thereof much frequented with merchants from the furthest parts of the world It is scarce fiue daies journey from TRIPOLIS and BERYTVS the great ports of SYRIA and is also neere vnto the Turkes and Persians so that the riches of the East are thither commodiously conuaied out of Turkie ouer the mountaine AMANVS which parteth CILICIA from SYRIA and so likewise out of PERSIA and MESOPOTAMIA ouer the riuer Euphrates where the citie BYRTHA of late time bounded the kingdome of the Aegyptian Sultans from the Persian Selymus vnderstanding by his embassadours who had diligently noted all things in the Sultans campe both of the comming and of the number of his enemies and also enformed of the Sultans proud answere who had so peremptorily prescribed vnto him such vnreasonable conditions as pleased himselfe thought good to alter his purpose and now to conuert his forces an other way than he had before determined For that to enter farther into ARMENIA leauing so puissant an enemie as Campson at his backe seemed a thing too full of danger and to giue ouer the enterprise he had with so great care and charge vndertaken at the appointment and pleasure of another man stood neither with his honour or state Wherefore in a matter so doubtfull he resolued vpon a notable and necessarie point well fitting the greatnesse of his mind He made shew as if he would haue gone directly against the Persian as he had before determined and that the more certaine report of this his purpose might be carried to Campson he sent before part of his armie with his carriages to the citie SVASSIA in old time called SEBASTA it standeth in the frontiers of the Persian kingdome where the great riuer Euphrates pent vp with the rocks of the mountaine TAVRVS breaketh againe violently forth into MESOPOTAMIA but turning himselfe vpon the right hand purposed to passe the mountaine TAVRVS and breaking suddenly into COMAGENA to come vpon the Sultan before he were well aware of his comming Wherefore calling vnto him his trustie Ianizaries with the other souldiours of the court hee openly with cheerfull countenance declared vnto them what he had resolued to doe with the reasons of the alteration of his former determination persuading them that the victorie would easily be atchieued if they as couragious souldiours would with all celeritie before the Mamalukes could perceiue they were returned get vp to the top of the mountaines and recouer those difficult passages not fearing the vaine names and titles of the Mamalukes For why said he the strength of those horsemen is long
and lay by heapes slaine in the ditches and breaches of the towne Solyman from his standing for that purpose made of high masts beholding the miserable slaughter of his men and no hope of gaining the citie caused a retreat to be sounded a thing welcome both to the Rhodians and the Turkes In this terrible assault which endured by the space of six houres diuers of the knights of the Order were slaine especially of the French and Spanish nation with a hundred and fiftie common souldiours all worthie of eternall fame and of the Turks as they which write most modestly report twentie thousand The yong tyrant was so much offended with the shamefull repulse he had receiued at this last assault that he fell into a rage against all them who had persuaded him to enter into that action but especially against the great Bassa Mustapha whom he accused as an vnfaithfull counsellour and cheefe persuader of that vnluckie warre who flattering him in his vaine humour by extolling his forces aboue measure falsely extenuating the power of the enemie assuring him that vpon the first approch of his armie they would yeeld themselues without resistance had drawne him into that dangerous expedition like to sort to the great dishonour of himselfe and all the Othoman familie for which doing he adjudged him worthie of death and in a great furie commanded the executioner without further delay to put him to death in his presence Which dreadfull doome so suddenly and vpon so light an occasion giuen vpon a man of so great marke and qualitie strucke such a terrour into the minds of all there present that none of them durst speake one word against the rigour of that sentence or so much as fet a sigh in pitying of his case The executioner now readie to giue the fatall stroke Pirrhus the most antient of all the Bassaes moued with compassion and presuming of his great fauour with the tyrant whom he had from his childhood had the charge and gouernment of stept foorth and appealing vnto his mercie earnestly requested him to spare his life Wherewith Solyman was so filled with wrath and indignation that for his presumption and for sending for him to CONSTANTINOPLE to come to that dangerous siege he commaunded him to be executed also All the rest of the counsellors seeing the danger of these two great men fell downe at the feet of the fuming tyrant crauing pardon saying That the enemies ground had alreadie drunke too much of the Turkish bloud and was not to be further moistened with the bloud of such two noble personages and worthie counsellors Solyman moued with this generall intercession of his great men pausing a little vpon the matter the heat of his furie being something ouer suffered himselfe to bee intreated and graunted them their liues vnto Pyrrhus for his great age and wisdome and to Mustapha for his wiues sake who was the tyrants naturall sister sometime the wife of Bostanges All the time of this siege the Turkes great fleet furnished with men and all manner of warlike prouision lay before the entrance of the hauen without doing any thing at all for the Admirall being no man of warre seeing the mouth of the hauen chained and the castles vpon the entrance full of ordinance and strongly manned durst not attempt either to enter the hauen or besiege the castles for which his cowardise and for that he had negligently suffered prouision both of victuall and munition to be conueyed into the citie during the time of the siege to the great releefe of the besieged he was by Solyman adjudged to die a most cruell death but by the mediation of Achimetes one of his best men of warre the seueritie of that sentence was changed into a punishment vnto any noble mind more grieuous than death it selfe For he was by Solymans commaundement openly set vpon the poupe of the admirall gallie and there as a slaue receiued at the hands of the executioner a hundred stripes with a cudgell and so with shame was thrust out of his office After that Solyman had in so many places with all his power so long time in vaine besieged the RHODES his haughtie courage began to quaile so that he was vpon point to haue raised his siege and left the Island yea the greefe he had conceiued went so neere him that he many times fainted and lay speechlesse as if he had been a dead man The remembrance of so many vnfortunat assaults the death of so many worthie captaines the losse of so many valiant souldiors sufficient to haue subdued a great kingdome so much grieued him that a great while after he shunned the companie of men and would not suffer himselfe to be spoken withall vntill at length he was againe by Abraham his minion a man in whom he tooke singular pleasure recomforted and persuaded to continue the siege for that Time as he said which worketh all things would at length tame the fiercenesse of his enemies whom the sword could not vpon the suddaine subdue In the meane time Solyman for his pleasure and to shew vnto the Rhodians that he purposed not to depart began to build a sumptuous castle vpon the top of the mount PHILERMVS in the eye of the citie During which time diuers letters were shot into the citie with Turkish arrowes out of the campe wherein many of Solymans most secret counsels were reuealed and the reuolt of a great man promised which the Rhodians by many circumstances gathered to haue been Mustapha who could not easily forget the injurie so lately offered vnto him by Solyman needs it must be some one of Solymans secret counsell otherwise he could not haue reuealed so great secrets as it were out of the bosome of Solyman But see the chance at the very same time tidings came vnto Solyman That Cayerbeius the gouernour of AEGIPT was dead in whose place Solyman sent Mustapha to CAIRE as gouernour of AEGIPT by that honourable preferment again to please his discontented mind after which time no more letters came into the citie Now the Turkes began to make faire warres their terrible batteries began to grow calme and for certaine daies it seemed by the manner of their proceeding that they purposed rather by long siege than by assault to take the towne Neuerthelesse the enemies watching day and night in their trenches vsed all the policie they could sometimes offering vnto the souldiors vpon the wals great rewards if they would yeeld vp the citie and sometimes threatening them as fast and to breed a dislike amongst the defendants they would oftentimes say that Solyman desired only to be reuenged vpon the Latines without meaning any harme vnto the Greekes It was now the beginning of October and Winter began to grow fast on great raine with terrible thunder and lightening and mightie tempests heauens threats then fell so abundantly that the Turks before wearied in bodie with labour and wounds were now also in mind
of Achimetes vndermined the wal and as they wrought shoared vp the same againe with timber whereunto they afterwards set fire hoping by that meanes to ouerthrow the wall which falling not out according to their expectation for that they had not farre enough vndermined it they assaied with great hooks and strong ropes to haue pulled it downe But the Rhodians with their great ordinance from the Auergne bulwarke quickly put them from that mad worke with great slaughter and frustrated all their long labour Achimetes thus disappointed of his purpose stood in great doubt whether he should giue ouer the enterprise for that he saw he laboured in vaine or else in that dangerous place to expect some better hap the onely meane to saue him from the tyrants heauie displeasure who as hee knew measured all things by the euent Solyman vnderstanding by Achimetes that the wall although it was not ouerthrowne as was expected was yet sore shaken and weakned with vndermining caused his batterie to be planted against that part of the wall so vndermined which so many waies weakned and now sore battered fell downe daily more and more For remedie whereof the Rhodians laboured day and night to raise a new wall in steed of that which was beaten downe At the same time Solyman persuaded by the generall opinion of all his great captaines that the citie was that day or neuer to be taken determining to giue another generall assault caused proclamation to be made thorow his campe wherein he gaue the spoile of the citie vnto his soldiours and the more to encourage them spake vnto them in few words as followeth Fortune at length valiant souldiours hauing notably proued your courage and patience now offereth vnto you the worthie rewards of your labour and paines The victorie and wealth of your enemies which you haue so much desired is now in your hands Now is it the time to make an end of this mungrell people of whom more are slaine than left aliue and they not men but the shadowes and ghosts of men feeble and spent with hunger wounds wants and labour who will I know resist you not because they so dare but because of necessitie they so must enforced thereunto with all extremities Wherfore now reuenge your selues of the falshood crueltie villanies of these Christians and make them a wofull example to all posteritie that neuer man hereafter presume to offer iniurie to a Turke in whatsoeuer state he be The way is alreadie open into the citie there is a faire breach made whereby thirtie horsemen may at once enter nothing wanteth but courage in you to assaile the same The souldiours encouraged with this speech of their emperour made great shew of cheerfulnesse and promised to doe their vttermost deuoire threatning vnto the Christians most horrible death and miserable captiuitie In the meane time the great shot flying continually thorow the breach did beat downe many houses in the citie but the countermure new built against the breach standing vpon a lower ground it seldome toucht to the great good of the Rhodians The ratling of the falling houses the horrible noise of the enemie with the thundring of the great artillerie wonderfully terrified the miserable citisens in euerie place was heard the lamentation of women and children euerie thing shewed the heauinesse of the time and seemed as altogither lost and forlorne The day thus troublesomely spent the night followed much more troublesome and after the night the day of the assault of all other most dreadfull for with the dawning therof the glistering ensignes of the enemie were seene flying in the wind and the Turkes cheerfull with the hope of spoile and victorie hasted towards the breach with great outcries and songs after their countrey manner and there before one of the gates of the citie called S. Ambrose gate set downe a great number of their ensignes deckt with garlands in token of victorie The Turks great fleet also at the same time sayling too and fro before the hauen made shew as if it would haue assailed the citie on that side who had seene the citie so beset would haue said that it would at one instant haue been besieged both by sea and land and to most mens judgements it seemed that the Rhodian state should that day haue taken end and been destroied Yet for all these extremities the Rhodians were nothing discouraged but looking vpon their weapons as the onely remainders of their hopes not regarding any danger vpon the alarum giuen came running out of their houses by heaps vnto the wals like desperat men opposing their bodies in steed of the battered wals against their enemies in defence of their countrey There needed neither exhortation nor commaund of captaine euerie man was vnto himselfe a persuader to fight valiantly in defence of the citie and one of them propounded vnto another the cruell death the miserable seruitude the mocks and taunts they should endure if they should chance to come into the proud enemies hand all which was to be auoided either by honourable victorie or death The Turkes conducted by Achimetes fiercely assailed the breach which was by the Rhodians standing vpon the ruines of their wals valiantly defended In the meane time the dismaied matrons and maidens some in their houses with heauie hearts expected the woful destruction of the citie and themselues other some in the churches with flouds of teares and lamentable cries poured forth their prayers to the Almightie crauing his helpe in that their hard distresse and to protect them against their barbarous enemies The deadly fight at the breach was on both sides with great courage and force maintained The Turks were in good hope forthwith to win the citie if they did but a little more straine themselues and therefore to terrifie the Rhodians the more oftentimes in their fighting gaue out most terrible outcries and the Rhodians accounted the Turkes as good as vanquished for that they being so many in number and in a place of such indifferencie had not yet preuailed beside that they were greatly encouraged with the greatnesse of the common danger and the sight one of anothers valour so that by their inuincible courage the Turks were enforced shamefully to retire The Rhodians seeing their enemies turne their backs gaue a great shout in derision of them the Turks disdaining that they in number many and now victors if they should with a little resolution maintaine the assault they had begun should be so derided of a handfull of men as good as alreadie vanquished with great indignation returned againe to the breach and more furiously assailed the Rhodians than at the first At which time the citie had vndoubtedly been taken had not they which defended the ends of the wall yet standing on both sides of the breach out of their baricadoes with their shot ouerwhelmed the Turks thronging in at the breach and others with murthering shot out of the flankiers of the new built wall so 〈◊〉 them
poore wretches depart in safetie with a little trash Except these worldly considerations haue moued him to mercie and compassion then out of doubt it is wrought by diuine power and the secret fauor of God towards vs of our Sauior Christ Iesus crucified Whereunto if you be men well aduised if religious if mindfull of the dutie of Christians it becommeth you not to oppose any obstacle and with the ruin of your selues to destroy this miserable people which for this halfe yeares siege hath scarcely had so much rest as might suffice the necessitie of nature â—tanding for you in battell enduring both wounds and death for your honour and victorie by whose faithfull labour and diligence you haue beene alwaies holpen both at home and abroad whether you inuaded the Turke by land in MYTILENE NAVPACTVS METHONE PATRAS or other parts of Pâ—LOPONESVS or els by sea thrust him out of the possession of the Ionian or Egeum whereby it may appeare euen vnto a blind man how iniurious it is far from truth to obiect vnto vs That enioying the fruits of peace we refuse the charges of wars nay we neuer refused wars But now it is come to that point that if we would neuer so faine make wars we are not able so to do the flower of our youth being slaine and the small remainder that is left not only weakened in bodie with wounds sicknesse watching and restlesse labour but also in mind discouraged whilest all things fall out prosperously to our enemies and to vs aduerse the greatest and best part of our great artillerie being broken with continuall vse which if it were whole we could haue thereof small vse or profit for want of pouder which not only this citie 〈◊〉 wanteth but also your strong holds LERVS LINDVS HALICARNASVS ARANGIA I was neuer desirous or curious to looke into other mens doings much lesse into your manner of wars but yet Great Master you cannot denie but it is so who haue caused soldiors to be brought from thence hither openly and gunpouder secretly by which prouident foresight you haue withstood your forraine enemie these six months and deceiued the trecherie of one or two domesticall traitors But I gladly admit we haue all these things I stand not vpon the truth I say not what most men say but I speake to please a few and suppose we wanted neither armour nor courage I would then aske you this whether they would aduise you to vse them to your defence or to your destruction for vnto both it cannot be no more than at once to be a freeman and a slaue To vse them to your destruction that were madnesse and sencelesse pride hatefull to God and man you should therefore vse them to defence But how shall we defend a citie I doe not say as the truth is alreadie lost and possessed by the enemie wherein he raigneth rangeth and turneth all vpside down but hauing the wals battered down a great breach in the Spanish station and another not like but euen now as good as made in the Italian station how shall we be able to keepe this vnfortunat towne battered and rent at the French English and Auergne stations and the tower of S. Nicholas Which if it were not so battered and bared of all warlike prouision but sound and thorowly furnished with munition and victuall yet necessitie enforcing and reason persuading you ought to forsake it for so much as all power of further resistance is taken from you Doe you not see how easily and almost without any trouble the enemie by means of the castle he hath new built vpon the mount PHILERMO not past two miles distant can take from you all manner of prouision both by sea and land and restraine you from going out or in Truly notable gentlemen honourable for your martiall prowesse you see and haue long agoe foreseene these things better than I altogether ignorant in martiall affaires altogether busied in the trade of merchandise and caring for my familie yet suffer me to say the truth All the powers wherby this kingdome stood are departed and gone against the force of our enemies no policie or force of man remaineth and to expect armies of angels or soldiours from heauen and other such like miracles is in my iudgement more and more to prouoke God to anger although in his anger he be vnto vs mercifull Wherefore being destitute of all worldly helpe let vs as we may prouide for our safetie I beseech thee worthie Great Master by these my aged teares by the naturall pitie ingrafted in thy noble nature expose not this miserable citie to the spoile of the enemie our old and middle aged men to the sword our wiues and daughters to be rauished our boies and youths to the vnnaturall filthinesse of our barbarous enemies and to be corrupted with the mad and grosse opinion of the vngodly Mahometane superstition I would noble knights you had seene with what teares with what mourning our heauie families and children crying about their mothers sent vs hither and what prayers they made for vs at our departing I would you knew with what mind and how great hope they expect their safetie from your clemencie and aduised resolution This speech of the aged Greeke might haue moued a heart of flint but the Great master who in his countenance shewed a greater courage than his present state required commaunding euerie man to his charge after the matter had beene thus most part of the night discoursed gaue them no other answere but That he would be carefull of all their well doing The next morning he sent for Preianes Martiningus and a few other of greatest judgement and experience by whom he was fully resolued that the citie in so many places by the enemie laid open and shaken was not possible to be long defended Whereupon he caused a common counsell to bee called of all the knights of the Order togither with the Burgesses of the citie where after long debating Whether they should fight it out to the last man or yeeld vpon such conditions as was to be obtained it was by generall consent concluded That the citie should be yeelded and therupon a decree made which was by the Great master pronounced Whilest these things were thus in doing a truce was taken with the enemie for foure daies but full of feare and danger During which time diuers of the Turks presuming vpon the truce came by great companies to behold the wals and rampiers of the citie wherewith Fornouius the Frenchman of whom mention is before made being sore moued in his choller without further commaund discharged a tire of great ordinance amongst the thickest of them contrarie to the truce taken At which time also the Rhodians receiued into the citie secretly by night a ship loaded with wines out of CRETE and in her Alphonsus a Spaniard chiefe pilot of the Rhodian gallies and with him one hundred voluntarie souldiours all Latines all which went out of
CRETE without the knowledge of the Venetian Senat for at that time the Venetians were in league with Solyman The Turkes justly offended with the breach of the truce and the taking in of new supplies which they supposed to haue beene farre greater than in truth they were without commaund of any captaine or ensigne displaied in great numbers thrust in thorow the ruines of the breaches into the citie as farre as the rampiers and baricadoes new made and furiously assailed the defendants in which conflict many were slaine and wounded on both sides But after the Turkes had to their cost againe made proofe of the courage of their enemies as without commandement they began that skirmish so of themselues they brake it off and retired After the truce was thus broken the captaine of the Turkes fencers a bloudie cruell fellow hauing taken three Christians prisoners cut off their hands eares and noses and sent them so dismembred into the citie with letters to the Great master charging him with the vnjust breach of the truce barbarously threatning within three or foure daies to make like example of him to all posteritie Amongst other none was more troubled with this sudden and vnexpected breach of the truce than Robertus Perusinus Raymundus Marchet and Raymundus Lupus three knights of the Order men of singular wisedome and grauitie embassadours at that time in the Turks campe whom the barbarous people in their furie had vndoubtedly slaine or put to torture if they had not feared the like measure to haue beene shewed to their hostages in the citie But after that Nicholaus Vergotâ—s and Georgius Sandriticus two of the Burgesses of the citie were come into the campe with articles containing the conditions whereupon the Rhodians were contented to deliuer vp the citie all their furie and rage was quickly appeased Solyman for his greater majestie and the more terror of these messengers beset round about with his great armie and guarded about with his Ianizaries in their richest attire and glistring armour gaue them audience who admitted to his presence with great humilitie offered vnto him in writing the conditions whereupon the Rhodians would yeeld vp vnto him the citie The chiefe points whereof were That the churches should remaine vnto the Christians inuiolated that no children should be taken from their parents that no Christian should be enforced to forsake his religion and turne Turke that such Christians as would tarrie still in the citie might so doe at libertie without paying any tribute for the space of fiue yeares that all they which would depart might go with bag and baggage furnished with conuenient shipping and prouision as farre as CRETE and to carrie with them so much great ordinance as they pleased and that the Christians should appoint a reasonable day for the time of their departure All which articles Solyman condescended vnto and solemnly swore faithfully to performe the same But how they were indeed performed the writers of that age doe much varrie it should seeme they were neither altogither kept nor broken but so performed as pleased the conquerour certaine it is that many great outrages were through militarie insolencie committed by the proud Turkes vpon the poore Christians contrarie to the mind of Solyman Iacoâ—us Fontanus a Ciuilian and at that time one of the judges of the citie out of whose writings this historie is for most part collected reporteth That the Turks not expecting the departure of the Christians brake into the citie vpon Christenmas day by the gate called COSQVINIVM polluted the temples shamefully abused the Christians and made hauocke of all things and that he himselfe falling into their hands after he had with such money as he had redeemed himselfe hauing not sufficient to content all their greedie desires was by them hardly entreated and grieuously beaten The Great master by the counsell of Achimetes putting on such simple attire as best beseemed a vanquished man that was to humble himselfe before the conquerour went out of the citie into the campe attended vpon with a few knights of the Order where after he had waited in the raine most part of the day before Solymans tent at last he had a rich gowne cast vpon him and so brought into the proud tyrants presence Where after they had a while at the first with piercing eies one earnestly beholden the other the Great master humbling himselfe before him was in token of grace admitted to kisse his hand and welcomed by Solyman in this sort Although said he I might worthely and iustly infringe the articles I haue prescribed concerning the yeelding of the citie with thy most wicked crossed compieres the people of the RHODES and thee especially such a capitall enemie from whose deserued punishment neither faith nor oath ought to stay a most iust conquerour yet I haue determined to be not onely gratious and mercifull vnto thee so great an offender deseruing exemplarie punishment but also liberall and bountifull who if thou wilt by well doing amend the grieuous transgressions of thy former life I promise vnto thee most honourable entertainment great preferment and the highest places in my empire in my armie iâ— time of warre and in counsell in time of peace Not to refuse this my offer both thy present estate persuadeth thee and the Christians whose quarrell thou tookest vpon thee to defend against me with better beginning than successe deserue at thy hands no better for what should let thee forsaken of all thy friends a man as it were betraied and vanquished to cast thy selfe into the perpetuall faith and protection of a most mightie and mercifull conquerour of himselfe offering thee this vndeserued grace and fauour Whereunto the Great master presently answered Most mightie and gratious emperour your offered fauours before your other worthie captaines I deserue not neither is my present estate and desert towards you such as that I dare or ought to refell the same yet I will speake freely in the middest of your victorious armie a man vanquished in presence of the conquerour whose great mercie I neuer dispaired of and whose faith I neuer doubted I had rather now I haue lost my soueraigntie forthwith to lose my priuat and vnfortunat life or else for euer hereafter to liue in obscuritie than of my people to be accounted a fugitiue rather than a vanquished man For to be vanquished is but chance of warre and of so great a conquerour no shame to him that is conquered but afterwards to forsake his owne people and to turne to the enemie I account it shamefull cowardise and treacherie Solyman maruelling at the courage and majestie of the hoarie old prince in his so great extremitie dismissed him and sent him againe into the citie guarded with his owne guard vntill he was come into his pallace and vnto euery one of the knights attending vpon the Great Master was giuen a rich garment in token of Solymans fauour Within a few daies after Solyman comming into
no more of their minds but that both they and all the souldiours from the highest to the lowest had solemnely sworne to defend the citie and not to giue it ouer vnto the last man reposing their hope not in the wals and fortresses thereof but in their weapons and valour being men of great resolution and not easily to be vanquished or discouraged With which answere although Solyman was a little moued yet dissembling his present heat said he had hetherto made warre against diuers nations and alwaies had the victorie whereof he doubted not now also But as for him and the others taken with him they knew they were in his power to saue or kill at his pleasure Yet to make them know that he could shew mercie vnto his vanquished enemies he frankely graunted them their liues and libertie charging them that after they were againe returned into the citie they should in his name wish the defendants of themselues to yeeld vp the citie which it was impossible for them long to defend against his mightie power which neither the strong citie of BELGRADE nor the famous citie of the RHODES were able to withstand and to accept of such reasonable conditions as he should graunt vnto them promising that amongst other things proceeding of his infinit bountie hee would take order that they should in safetie depart thence with bag and baggage in which doing they should well prouide for the safetie of themselues and of their goods by flying vnto his mercie in time before the furie of the warre was growne to further extremitie all which it would be too late to expect after the victorie when nothing was to be hoped for but cruell death murder and miserable destruction Wherefore it were good for them well to consider of the matter and not foolishly to refuse that was now frankely offered them of mercie which they should not afterwards obtaine with any prayers or teares for why he was resolutely set downe as he said not to depart thence before he had taken the citie When he had thus schooled them he gaue vnto euery one of them three Hungarian duckats and so sent them away They being receiued into the citie with great joy made relation vnto the princes and great captaines of all the threatning and proud speeches of the Turkish tyrant which they tooke in such disdaine that they would not vouchsafe to returne him any answere Solyman not a little displeased that his great words were so lightly regarded by way of derision sent word vnto the citie That if they wanted helpe he would send them the three hundred Bohemians whom he tooke in the castle of ALTENBVRGE to whom answere was returned by them of the citie That they needed no helpe from him wherefore he might dispose of his prisoners as he thought good By this Solyman perceiued that VIENNA was not to be woon with words nor the defendants to be discouraged with great lookes wherfore he begun to vse his force and with such ordinance as he had brought with him to batter the wals which because it was not great but fitter for seruice in field than for batterie did not much more harme than to beat downe the battlements and such little standings made of timber and bourds in manner of galleries hanging here and there ouer the wall for the small shot to play out of a simple deuise in stead of flankers His great artillerie prouided for batterie was comming vp the riuer of Danubius which he daily looked for but by good hap Wolfgangus Hoder a forward captaine hearing of the Turks comming vp the riuer went out of POSSONIVM with certaine small vessels well appointed and meeting with the Turkes set vpon them with such courage and resolution that he slew many of them and suncke diuers of their boats and pinnaces amongst whom were they which were bringing vp Solymans great peeces for batterie to VIENNA which was there all suncke in the riuer with the boats that brought it By this good seruice Solyman was disappointed of his great artillerie and the citie deliuered of a great danger So Wolfgangus hauing made great spoile amongst the Turkes and lost some few men returned with victorie to POSSONIVM Yet another part of the Turkes fleet comming vp to VIENNA at the first comming brake downe all the bridges for a little aboue the citie the riuer of Danubius deuiding his channell maketh diuers Islands which by sundrie bridges are joyned together ouer which lieth the way from AVSTRIA vnto the citie This fleet so kept the passage that no man could without danger either by water or by land goe in or out of the citie Solyman hauing lost all his peeces for batterie and seeing how little he preuailed with his field peeces fell to vndermining of the citie hoping by that meanes to ouerthrow the wals and to make a way for his men to enter This worke as the Turkes cheefe hope was with wonderfull labour and diligence attempted in fifteene sundrie places which was not so secretly done but that it was by drums laied vpon the ground by basons filled with water sounds made into the earth perceiued by the defendants and so with countermines met withall that most part of those works were vtterly frustrated and in them eight thousand of his Turkes either slaine or buried quicke Solyman to busie the defendants that they should not so perfectly discouer his mines diuided his armie into foure parts appointing theÌ„ orderly to succeed one after another in giuing alaroms to the towne that filling their eares with continuall noise he might keepe them alwaies occupied In the middest of which hurly burly his workes in the mines went forward with all speed possible neither was he in that his expectation deceiued for one of the mines brought to perfection vnperceiued by the defendants and suddenly blowne vp shooke and ouerthrew a great part of the wall neere vnto the gate which leadeth towards CARINTHIA whereat the Turkes gaue a great shout as if the citie had now been taken and withall couragiously stepping forward pressed in on all sides by the ruines of the wall to haue entered the breach charging the defendants with their small shot and Turkie arrowes as thicke as haile Who on the contrarie part like resolute men stood in the face of the breach with more assurance than the wall it selfe receiuing them with deadly shot and push of pike in such furious manner that the Turks for all their multitude vnable longer to maintaine the assault began to retire Which thing Solyman perceiuing sent in new supplies and so renewed the assault before giuen ouer but with no better successe than before for hauing receiued a great ouerthrow as men forgetting both duetie and martiall discipline they retired not expecting any signe of retrait At this assault so many of the Turkes were slaine that the ground neere vnto the towne lay coueâ—ed and the ditches filled with their dead bodies Not long after the wall was blowne
while to endure those calamities of warre telling them that the emperour would the next Spring make warre against the Turkes both by sea and land in PELOPONESVS and free them from the Turkish bondage And so embarking the old garrison of Spaniards departed from CORONE and came before METHON where he lay as it were brauing the Turks Admirall hoping thereby to draw him out of that strong harbour to battell But when he saw that the enemie could by no meanes be allured out of his strength or assailed as he lay he departed thence to CORCYRA and so backe againe to MESSANA in SICILIA Within a few dayes after Assam-beg the Moore of ALEXANDRIA and most famous pyrat lying in wait for the marchants ships of VENICE comming out of SIRIA with marchandise by chance met with Hieronimus Canalis vpon the coast of CRETE where in the night time was fought betwixt them a fierce and cruell battell wherein of the Moores thirteene gallies foure were sunke three taken and the rest hauing lost most part of their rowers fled to ALEXANDRIA In this fight was slaine three hundred Ianizaries which were going to CAIRE and a thousand other Turks of all them that were taken there was scarcely one saued but the Moore himselfe who greeuously wounded in the face for safegard of his life was glad to discouer himselfe for the Venetians maintaining their state by trade and trafficke doe of all other shew least fauour vnto pyrats When the Moore had made himselfe known vnto Canallis there was great care taken for the curing of his wounds and either of them began with notable dissimulation to excuse the matter to other saying that they were both deceiued by the likenesse of the gallies and mistaking of their friends for enemies when as for all that they knew one another right well For the Moore said that he tooke those Venetian gallies for to haue beene part of Auria his fleet and Canalis excused himselfe by saying that he mistooke him for Barbarussa who a few yeares before had surprised three of the Venetian gallies Yet the Venetians doubting how Solyman would take the matter by their embassadour sought to excuse that was done as a thing happening by errour and mischance of which excuse Solyman excepted and said moreouer that Canalis had done well and soldior like to repulse by force the wrong that was offered him Three of the emperors gallies staying behind the rest of the fleet were neere vnto the promontorie PALINVRVS vpon the coast of APVLIA intercepted and carried away by Sinam surnamed the Iew a notable pyrat of that time also The Winter following the Spaniards and Greekes in CORONE began to want victuals especially wine and flesh for the Turkes had so blocked vp the citie that nothing was to be had out of the countrey wherefore the souldiors requested Macicaus their Gouernour and Generall to lead them forth to some peece of seruice against the enemie for so much as they were not to hope for any releefe elsewhere before Aprill wishing rather valiantly to die like men in fight against the Turkes than to languish within those dead wals for want of victuall But Macicaus mindfull of his charge sought by many reasons to dissuade them from such purpose shewing them what an offence it were rashly to depart out of the citie committed to their custodie which might be vnto them dangerous although they should speed neuer so well and that those wants which they rather feared than felt would well enough be ouercome by sparing and patience and therefore told them plainely that hee was resolutely set downe to keepe the citie for the emperor and to endure all hardnesse rather than to incurre the infamie That he had forsaken the citie and betrayed his garrison Yet for all this the matter was so vrged by Didacus Touarres and Hermosilla both great captaines and by the generall importunitie of the souldiours that Macicaus was enforced to yeeld to their desire and to promise them to goe yet earnestly protesting that he did it altogether against his will rather enforced than persuaded vnto that wherof he had no great hope of successe Amongst other that were so forward in this action was one Barbatius a most valiant Greeke who could perfectly speake the Turkes language and of all others best knew the bywayes and secret passages of the countrey he vndertooke to be their guide and by vnknowne wayes to bring them vnto the enemies vndiscouered in the dead time of the night when as they feared no such matter So Macicaus commending the custodie of the citie to Liscanius and Mendesius with charge that they should suffer no man to goe out of the citie after his departure for feare of giuing any knowledge vnto the enemie set forward about ten a clocke in the night towards ANDRVSSA Barbatius being his guide who shunning the common beaten wayes brought them by secret and vncouth pathes that night halfe the way to ANDRVSSA but vpon the rising of the Sunne he brought them into a secret woodie valley where they rested and refreshed themselues all that day and setting forward againe at night came to ANDRVSSA before day In this towne which was of no great strength lay one Caranus a warlike captaine with three thousand footmen whereof the one halfe was of the Ianizaries and in the suburbes lay Acomates with a thousand chosen horsemen with which garrison the Turkes kept all that side of PELOPONESVS in awe Macicaus brought by his guide vnto the place where his enemies lay went directly to the towne to haue surprised it Hermosilla in the meane time standing still with certaine companies of Spaniards oueragainst the place where the horsemen lay But this could not be done with so great silence but that some of the horse boyes being awake discouered them by the fire in their matches who first awaked the negligent watchmen and afterwards raised an alarum in the suburbes whereupon Hermosilla couragiously set vpon the horsemen being altogether vnreadie and slew many of them before they could arme themselues and set fire also vpon the stables wherein the Turkes horses stood with the rage whereof many of the Turkes perished with their horses and armour Great and terrible was the noise raised vpon the sudden in the suburbes but especially of the horses which burnt as they stood fast tied in the stables or by chance breaking lose ran vp and downe with their tailes and maines on a light fire by occasion whereof an alarum was raised in the towne and the Turkes got to the wals before the Spaniards could enter Macicaus himselfe labouring to breake in at a posterne was shot in the head with a small shot and slaine diuers others neere vnto him were there slaine also The Turkes perceiuing the small number of their enemies sallied out vpon them and enforced them to retire to Hermosilla who had alreadie made great spoile amongst the horsemen by whose skilfull direction the Spaniards retired in
be brought vnto him by the receiuers he with his owne hand rewarded the souldiors some with gold some with siluer according to their deserts And causing all the prisoners which were not common souldiors to be brought forth he diligently viewed them and presently caused euery one of their names and the office they bare to be enrolled by his clarkes and vnto such as brought in the heads eares or hands of the Christians with rings vpon them he forthwith caused one reward or other to be giuen Lodronius when as by reason of his deadly wounds he was thought vnable to endure trauell or to be brought aliue with the other prisoners to CONSTANTINOPLE was slaine by his keepers and his head afterwards sent thither For as many noble gentlemen and amongst others Laurentius Streiperg and Dietmarus Losenstaine haue reported who raunsomed afterwards returned home againe to their wiues and children amongst the prisoners which were together with the faire ensignes and other gallant warlike furniture especially gilt amour and headpeeces presented by Mahometes his messengers to Solyman three of the greatest captaines heads were in a siluer bason there seene and knowne which were the heads of Paulus Bachitius the valiant Hungarian captaine Antius Macer Generall of the Carinthian horsemen and Lodronius Generall of the footmen which after the tyrant had looked asquint vpon as abhorring that loathsome sight hee with sterne countenance commaunded all the prisoners to be slaine But vpon the intercession of the Ianizaries who intreated for them as valiant men to whom they had at the time of their taking giuen their faith and might afterwards doe him good seruice he chaunged his countenance and saued many of them But Cazzianer flying to his owne castle was of all men accused as a wicked forsaker of his owne campe and ensignes and commonly railed vpon as the eternall infamie of his countrey and author of the publike calamitie so that it was reported that he durst neither go abroad nor shew his face for shame He was so generally hated that infamous libels made against him and the other captaines which had shamefully fled as he did were commonly sung in the streets by boyes in all the cities of GERMANIE Wherewith he was so much grieued that he requested of king Ferdinand that he might safely come to the court to answere whatsoeuer could be laid against him which his request the king easily graunted and when he came to the court receiued him with doubtfull countenance But when the hearing of his cause was by the king somewhat longer protracted than he would haue had it and he in the meane time kept vnder safe custodie impatient of such delay and halfe doubtfull whether he should be quitted or condemned thought it better to flie than to abide the triall So faigning himselfe sicke and scraping vp by little and little with his knife a bricke pauement vnder his bed and so in the night getting out first one bricke and after that another at length brake thorow the vault and with his sheets letting himselfe downe escaped hauing post horses readie for him without the castle Not long after as he was a man of a hastie and vnconstant nature despairing of his estate he fled to the Turkes Mahometes gladly receiuing him and beside his great entertainement promising him the gouernment of all CROATIA in manner of a tributarie king if he would faithfully serue Solyman and helpe him in the subduing of the cities of AVSTRIA After he had agreed vpon all the conditions of his reuolt that he might returne to Mahometes with some more credit he began boldly to deale with Nicholaus Sirenus a noble man of CROATIA and his deere friend as he supposed to reuolt with him assuring him that Solyman would deale as kindly with them both as he had before with king Iohn in the kingdome of HVNGARIE Sirenus promised him he would or at least made as if he promised to do what he desired and so agreed as it were vpon the matter promising to goe ouer with him to the Turke with a troupe of his best and most trustie horsemen But Sirenus considering with himselfe the heinousnesse and impietie of so great an offence changing his purpose chose rather to deale trecherously with his old friend fearing no such thing in his house than to offend both against God and his prince Wherefore after he had well feasted Cazzianer at his house he as a most cruell hoast caused him to be slaine and sent his head to king Ferdinand in reward whereof he receiued of the kings gift Cazzianer his castle with all his substance In the meane time the Venetians prouoked by the Turks with diuers injuries both by sea and land when as Solyman but a little before hardly besieging CORCYRA and with most barbarous crueltie wasting the island had broken the league and euen then by his lieutenant Cassimes Bassa besieged EPIDAVRVS and NAVPLIVM two of their cities in PELOPONESVS resolued without delay to make warres likewise vpon him who for a small trespas would admit no excuse or recompence Wherunto they were also animated both by Charles the emperour and Paulus the great Bishop who warned by the late and dangerous attempts of Solyman and Barbarussa thought it more for the safetie of their estates by giuing aid to the Venetians to keepe the Turks busied farther off than to suffer them to acquaint themselues too much with the ports of ITALIE or SICILIA Wherefore all the Winter following they laboured by their embassadours to set downe what number and what manner of ships what souldiours what money was to be prouided and how to be according to their estates apportioned for the setting forth of a strong fleet against the next Summer to be sent into GRaeCIA against the Turks At last it was agreed amongst these confederat princes by their embassadours at ROME That the emperour should furnish and set forth fourescore and two gallies the Venetians the like number and the bishop six and thirtie to make vp the number of two hundred gallies that the Venetians should lend vnto the bishop so many gallies readie rigged as he should desire to be furnished by him with marriners and souldiors and that the emperour and the state of GENVA should find sufficient shipping for the transportation of the land forces and victuall The Generals also of this great fleet to be set forth were at the same time appointed Andreas Auria for the emperour Vincentius Capellus for the Venetians and Marcus Grimmanus patriarch of AQVILBA for the Bishop to whom was joyned Paulus Iustinianus one of the cheefe Senators a man of great experience in sea matters It was also agreed that Ferdinand Gonzaga viceroy of SICILIE should haue the commaunding of the land forces and that whatsoeuer was got from the Turks in that expedition in GRaeCIA the Islands or DALMATIA should be all faithfully deliuered to the Venetians who had receiued so many injuries from the Turks The emperour also
into a shattered house which joyned vnto the wall and certaine other companies one souldiour helping vp another had almost recouered the top of the rampier and were there readie to haue set vp their ensignes When they of BVDA with wonderfull constancie and resolution withstood the assailants George the bishop encouraging them and fighting amongst them who hauing laid aside his hood was now to be seene with his helmet on his head running too and fro as need required all alongst the rampier At length the Germans seeing themselues to striue in vaine against resolute men were enforced to retire In this assault Rogendorff lost aboue 800. men Perenus was also in like manner but with lesse losse repulsed at the other breach he had made at the gate SABATINA After that Rogendorff attempted by vndermining to haue taken the citie but was by countermines disappointed of his purpose Yet for all this they in the citie began to feele the want of many things so that it seemed they were not able to endure any longer siege the common people pinched with hunger crying openly out in mutinous sort that it was time to yeeld and make an end of those common miseries but such was the authoritie of the bishop with his prouident foresight of all vrgent euents that once shewing himselfe in the market place as if he would haue preached he could turne the peeuish minded people which way he pleased After all this it missed but a little but that this citie which could not by enemies force bee woon had by shamefull treason beene lost there was at that time in BVDA one Bornemissa a lawyer who had in former time beene maior of the citie this Bornemissa exceedingly hated the bishop for taking part with a banckerout Iew against him and being full of malice and desirous of reuenge promised to Reualius martiall in the enemies campe to deliuer vnto him a blind posterne in S. Maries churchyard whereby he might enter the citie which gaâ—e serued the citisens in time of peace to go thorow to the riuer Rogendorff the Generall made acquainted with the matter so liked thereof that he in himselfe thought it not good in a matter of so great importance to vse at all the seruice of the Hungarians Quite contrarie to that Bornemissa had requested of Reualius who desirous to haue the matter brought to passe without the slaughter of so many guiltlesse people as was by him to be betraied would haue had it altogither performed by the Hungarians who he was in good hope would shew mercie vnto their countrey men and kinsmen and vse their victorie with more moderation than the Germans who prouoked with many despights and comming in by night were like enough to make great effusion of bloud But Rogendorff after the manner of his nation to be counted polliticke vsing to keepe promise with no man and hoping by excluding the Hungarians to haue all the glorie of the conceiued victorie wholy to himselfe made as if he would haue vsed onely the Hungaans and glosed with Reualius whose son for the more assurance he tooke as pledge For against the appointed houre which was about midnight hauing before giuen straight charge that no man should stir in the campe he sent foure select companies of Germans with great silence vnto the posterne at which time his sonne Condi stood with a strong troupe of horsemen readie to haue entred at such time as the Germans receiued into the citie should breake open the great gate as was before agreed Neither did Bornemissa faile to performe what he had as a traitor promised but opening the posterne wee spake of had with great silence receiued in most part of those German companies But when he still asked softly of them as they came in for Reualius and heard them answere nothing but in the German language although hee was otherwise a man of a bold spirit yet then surprised with a sudden feare as it oftentimes chanceth in such actions to men deceiued of their expectation he stood as a man amazed that knew not what to doe forgot to conduct the Germans who altogither vnacquainted with the citie knew not which way first to go and stealing on softly in the darke went on with no great courage for feare of treason still asking of them that followed for him that should direct them The Germans could not go so closely but that they were by the clattering of their armour and the light of their matches descried by the watch who asking for the word and they not giuing it presently raised an alarum but now all too late the citie being as good as halfe taken had the Germans well conducted resolutely gone on with the matter so well begun but they ignorant of the way and now descried and chased with their owne feare ran backe againe to the posterne in such hast that one of them miserably wrong another in striuing who should get out first and their passage out much letted by the pikes and weapons which they which fled first had cast crosse the way to run the lighter into the campe The first that set vpon the Germans was Bacianus who had that night the charge of the watch and after him Vicche who kept the court of guard in the market place and hearing the alarum came thither with a strong companie both of horsemen and footmen Many of the most valiantest Germans who comming in first were in flight become last were slaine or taken and amongst them many of Bornemissa his familiars and friends as for himselfe he was got out amongst the formost from whom the bishop by exquisite torture wrong out the whole plot of the treason and afterwards caused them to be seuerally executed to the terrour of others Reualius in the meane time complaining in the campe That he was deceiued by the Generall and Bornemissa wofully lamenting That hauing worthely got the name of an infamous traitour hee had thereby lost all his substance and vndone his friends and kindred The Generall Rogendorff condemned euen of the common souldiors for his foolish arrogancie and pride was hardly spoken of thorow all the campe as he that by too much insolencie had ouerthrowne the fairest occasion of a most goodly victorie wherefore from that time he attempted no great matter but set himselfe downe by long siege to tame his enemies and so to win the citie Solyman vnderstanding of the queenes distresse in HVNGARIE and with what desire Ferdinand supported by the emperour his brother thirsted after that kingdome consulted with his Bassaes of the purposes and power of his enemies both there and elsewhere and politikely resolued at one time with his deuided forces to withstand their attempts in diuers places and those farre distant one from another wherby the greatnesse of his power is well to be perceiued First he sent Solyman Bassa an eunuch to BABYLON to defend the countrey of MESOPOTAMIA and the frontiers of his empire alongst the riuer Tygris
repulsed In which assaults amongst others Bultaces Sanzacke of SELYMBRIA a man of great account among the Turkes was lost Whilest the defendants were thus busied many of the souldiors and marriners which came vp the riuer with all things necessarie for the armie from BVDA went on shoare and lay in the suburbs of the citie in such securitie as if there had been no enemie nigh which thing they in the citie perceiuing suddenly sallied out vpon them fearing no such matter and slew many of them before they could arme themselues and draue the rest to their fleet so that betwixt fighting and flying there was about two hundred of them slaine Zymar a Persian Admirall of the fleet in rescuing of them which to saue their liues fled vnto the riuer was shot thorow with a small shot and slaine Whilest these things were in doing and the Turkes hauing in many places sore shaken the wall did with greater force daily assaile the citie and the defendants with their continuall losses and out of hope of all reliefe were more and more discouraged an old Calabrian enginer which had long time serued king Ferdinand fled out of the citie to the Turkes who being courteously entertained by Solyman and examined by the Bassaes of many things concerning the strength and state of the citie satisfied them in all that they desired and farther directed them in planting their batteries in places most conuenient for the speedie taking of the towne In the meane time whilest the Turkes were with restlesse labour battering the wals and working in their mines it fortuned that a gilt brasen crosse which stood vpon the top of the steeple of the Cathedrall church was by the continuall shooting of the Turkes thereat at length beaten downe at the sight whereof it is reported that Solyman after the superstitious manner of that nation taking the chance as a token of his good lucke cried out presently STRIGONIVM is woon Liscanus and Salamanca fearefully consulting of the euent of the siege and secretly conferring together resolued to saue themselues and to giue vp the towne Liscanus was no great souldior and yet by continuall spoile growne exceeding rich and therefore thought it but follie to buy the name of a resolute captaine at too deare a price with the losse of his life and wealth The like feeling was also in Salamanca who preferred the safetie of himselfe and of that which he had got in long seruice before all credit and honour were it neuer so great This their purpose was not kept so secret but that it was noised abroad amongst the common souldiours of whom almost the third part was now either slaine or with wounds or sicknesse growne weake yet were they all of opinion generally That they were still strong ynough to defend the towne But the vnder captaines and auntients vsing to flatter their Generals liked well of the motion to yeeld vnto Solyman vpon reasonable conditions rather than to expose themselues to most certaine death which should nothing better king Ferdinands cause Not long after an Auntient was by night let downe ouer the wall and hauing by an interpreter receiued the Turks faith called forth Salamanca that he might vpon better conditions goe thorow with them for the yeelding vp of the towne Who without further delay comming out went to Achomates commaunding before he went them which defended the water tower next vnto the riuer side a place of great danger for safegard of their liues to get themselues into the citie who terrified with that newes and hastily retiring were by the vigilant Turks which lay at the siege thereof perceiued who suddenly breaking in slew such as were not yet gone possessed the castle But Salamanca being brought before the great Bassaes when he had stood vpon many nice tearmes and required many things to haue beene graunted him obtained no more but that they should without delay yeeld vp the citie and put themselues wholly to the mercie of Solyman So the Spaniard being there stayed himselfe writ to Liscanus how he had sped willing him forthwith if he loued his owne safetie to yeeld the citie without standing vpon further tearmes Liscanus vpon receit of these letters comming forth to the souldiors declared vnto them the necessitie of yeelding vp of the towne and what hope there was to escape with life and libertie But whilest the souldiors filled with indignation stood as men in doubt what to doe Halis commaunder of the Ianizaries came vnto the gate and with cheerefull rather than sterne countenance required to haue it opened vnto him according to the agreement made by Salamanca in the campe which was forthwith opened by Liscanus and the keyes deliuered vnto him the Ianizaries entring peaceably into the citie possessed themselues of the wals and fortresses round about commaunding the Christian souldiors to giue place out of whom they chose all the beardlesse youths and commaunded the rest to cast downe their harquebusiers and other weapons in a place appointed which they all for feare did expecting nothing but some cruell execution to be done vpon them by the barbarous enemie Which their feare was the more encreased by a strange accident then vnluckily chancing For whilest the souldiors did as they were commaunded with their harquebusiers cast their flaskâ—s full of pouder also one of them suddenly tooke fire of a match which was by chance cast in amongst them with fire in it which firing the rest blew abroad all that heape of weapons amongst the Turks which so filled them with anger and feare of some sudden trecherie that they fell vpon the Christians slew diuers of them vntill such time as Halis persuaded that it was a thing happened rather by chance than mallice commaunded his Ianizaries to stay their furie This tumult appeased Halis caused proclamation to be made That all such Christian soldiors as would serue Solyman in his warres should haue such place in his armie as their qualitie required with bountifull entertainement yet of all the Christian souldiors were found onely seuentie which carefull of their liues accepted the offer fearing that the Turkes would vpon such as refused exercise their wonted crueltie Halis entertaining them courteously sent them away with the other youths whom he had before culled out downe the riuer to BVDA the other souldiors he tooke into his protection and vsed their labour to helpe the Turks to make cleane the castle But Liscanus who to saue his gold had made shipwrack of his honour and reputation was glad to giue vnto Halis the faire chaine of gold which he had most couetously and insolently before taken from Perenus when as Halis who would otherwise haue taken it from him by force by way of militarie courtesie now craued it of him as a strange kind of ornament amongst the Turks with which gift he was in hope to haue saued the rest of his coine But fortune fauoured not so much the couetous coward For when he was about to
of that place lost this short and transitorie life winning thereby immortall fame and at S. Michaels Adurnius one of the knights and Pagio with certaine others were greeuously wounded for the enemie suddenly retiring from the assault presently so thundred into the breaches with their great and small shot that all the island seemed to tremble the heauens to burne and the aire to be darkened with smoake In the meane time Valetta thorowly wearied with the mornings fight had withdrawne himselfe a little to breath himselfe when suddenly a Spanish priest with his hands cast vp to heauen came running to him roaring and crying out That all was lost and forlorne and that three or foure ensignes of the enemies were by the castle breach broken into the towne Which the Great master hearing suddenly clapt his helmet vpon his head and with a pike in his hand said vnto them that were about him Loe fellow souldiors the houre is come wherein you may shew your selues the most valiant champions of the Christian religion if it be so that you now also retaine the same valor which you haue in other battel 's shewed There is no cause wherefore you should doubt of this last for the enemie is the same and the same God which hath hetherto preserued vs will not now forsake vs wherefore follow me valiant hearts This said he hasted to the place where most danger was and with him all the souldiors all the citisens men and women old and yong yea the very children all against the common enemy There was fought a most dreadfull and dangerous battell some kept the enemie from entring some set vpon that were alreadie entred whom they wounded chased and slew although they notably resisted Within without all was couered with darts weapons dead bodies and bloud The Great master was carefull of all in euery place present commending exhorting directing as occasion required performing at once all the duties of a most valiant souldior and worthie Generall At length the Turkes with the setting of the Sunne retired and so the assault ceased Thus was the Great master the vndoubted victor but not without much bloud of his people considering his small number for in this fight he lost aboue 200 men wheras of the enemies beside them which were entred whereof not one escaped were slaine aboue 2000. These are those foure terrible assaults presently giuen one after another vnto the besieged Garzias the Viceroy in the meane time taried for nothing els to transport his armie to MALTA but for the comming of Io. Cardona who with twelue gallies was gone to PANORMO to conduct thence foure ships laded with prouision but when he saw him stay long he sent to him in post That if he could not with such speed as was required tow foorth those ships he should spend no longer time but take out the prouision into his gallies and with speed to come away So the Viceroy with a fleet of threescore and twelue gallies the twentith day of August set forward from MESSANA to SIRACVSA wherein he caried ten thousand select souldiors amongst whom were aboue two hundred knights of the Order of S. Iohn and about fortie of the Order of S. Stephen which is an Order of knights instituted by Cosmus Medices duke of FLORENCE to the imitation of the knights of MALTA in the yeare 1561 and haue their residence at COSMOPOLIS a new built citie in the island of ELBA in the Tuscane sea oueragainst PIOMBINO Besides these knights in this fleet were diuers noble and valiant gentlemen of ITALIE SICILIE and other countries The fleet being arriued at SIRACVSA the Viceroy sent Auria with one gallie and a boat to MALTA to land a man to know of Paccius left as we haue before said for a watch in the island at MALECA what newes or what he had seene By whom it was vnderstood That no ship was seene at sea but one galliot which the one and twentith day of August in the morning made towards GAVLOS and the same day towards night as he was informed by the watchmen of MALECA sixteene gallies came to water at SALINE but what became of them afterwards by reason of the comming on of the night could not be descried In this while the besieged had notably repaired the breach at the castle bulwarke and had in sundry places aptly placed certaine great pieces to flanker the ditches and to beat the mount cast vp by the enemie at the bulwarke of BONINSEGNA that they might from thence annoy all the plaine of the castle with their small shot But the Turkes hauing determined with all their forces at once to assault both the townes as before brought an engine made of spars and boords able to couer thirtie men vnder the breach at S. Michaels whereby it came to passe that none of the defendants could without danger shew themselues in the breach which when they could by no meanes endure they suddenly sallied out and putting them to flight which were there couered set fire on the engine and burnt it In like manner they which besieged the new citie were repulsed at the castle breach and another like engine burnt The next night certaine of the watch of the castle issued out and hauing destroyed the Turkes engines prepared for the assayling of that place and slaine them that were set for the keeping thereof returned in safetie into the castle But when the enemies both that day and others following rested not but repairing their mines mounts and engines laboured in both places to haue beaten the Christians from the wals all their endeuour and labour was by the industrie and valor of the defendants made frustrate The besieged had at the castle breach made a mine and laid in it eight barrels of pouder that if the enemie should again assault that place he might there be blowne vp but whilest the Turks were for like purpose working a mine in the same place they chanced vpon the mine before made which they spoyled and carried away all the pouder Thus whilest they labour both on the one side and the other Mustapha the Generall a most expert and famous commaunder considering that Summer now so farre spent he was not to vse longer delay and withall that resolute perseuerance oftentimes in warre findeth out a way to victorie determined with all his power once againe to assault the castle S. Michael Wherfore displaying the stately standerd of the Turkish emperour vpon the point whereof was fastened a globe of gold he commaunded his souldiors to enter the breach who now like desperat men attempted to haue performed his command and were by the Christians valiantly encountred so that in the breach was made a most terrible and doubtfull fight But when the Turkes had now beene twice rejected and beaten downe Mustapha perceiuing his souldiors as men halfe discouraged but faintly to maintaine the assault came himselfe to the places praying and exhorting them not to be discouraged but
embassage as also to purchase the greater credit to his embassadour joyned vnto him a most honourable Baron called the lord Christopher Teufenbatch of STIRIA one of his counsellours also for the wars who with full instructions both taking their leaue of the emperour then holding a parliament at PRESEVRâ— departed and being attended vpon with a great and honourable retinue set forward the first of Iuly 1567 and so came to COMARA a strong towne in HVNGARIE not past a league from the Turkes frontiers In which place the embassadours staying vntill the seauenth of Iuly in the meane time gaue knowledge of their comming vnto the Gouernor of STRIGONIVM demanding for their securitie in the enemies countrey to be met and receiued by some of his garrison which granted they tooke their barkes brought from VIENNA and POSSONIVM sufficient for their greatnesse to haue carried them downe the riuer to BELGRADE with horse and wagon and their whole furniture and so entring vpon the Turks dominion about a league or a little more from COMARA being so farre wafted by the souldiors and gallies of COMARA they were met by an Aga of the Turkes with a Chiaus called Becram sent by the Bassa of BVDA in certaine gallies armed with Turkish souldiors To whom the embassadour at his landing deliuered his mind and afterward his person giuing them to vnderstand that they were with all safetie to conduct both him and all his to the Bassa of BVDA which they answered they were readie to accomplish and so courteously inuited by the embassadours they came aboord their barke and there dined all togither Here they that were sent with them leauing them in the hands of the Turkes hauing licence to depart returned to COMARA and they that day after fiue leagues sailing arriued at STRIGONIVM where they were by the Gouernour of the citie denied landing for which so dishonourable a part he was afterward sharply rebuked by the Bassa of BVDA Yet as they lay that night vpon the water certaine Turkish minstrels to doe them honour and to get a largesse with their barbarous bawling instruments plaied them vp many an homely fit of mirth and diuers others with sundrie sorts of vauting and tumbling sometime leaping one vpon anothers shoulders and sometime doing their tricks on the earth all the euening shewed them great sport and pastime From STRIGONIVM they with fiue leagues sayling came to BVDA leauing behind them the castle of VICEGRADE two leagues distant from STRIGONIVM In this citie of BVDA lieth the great Bassa by whom all HVNGARIE with the prouinces thereto belonging in the Turkes power is gouerned This citie sometime the regall seat of the Hungarian kings is situat vpon a little hill on the Southside of Danubius hauing in the South point thereof a castle much higher than the citie and of a most braue prospect in which castle lieth a captaine with a garrison of fiue hundred souldiors as the Turkes say howbeit it is thought that they are not altogither so many it is the losse of his head to stir out of his charge and beside he hath commission to denie the Bassa himselfe entrance vnlesse he come verie sleightly accompaniedâ— so jealous are the Turkes of that castle as if the state of HVNGARIE depended thereon Herein standeth the kings pallace which taketh vp most part of the place greatly beautified by king Mathias and shewing outwardly to haue been a verie stately thing for there are in it both large hals and faire galleries and chambers built in most royall manner where amongst other roomes the embassadours found a decaied librarie full of pictures and Latine titles of bookes all which things when they present themselues vnto the eies of the Christian beholders offer a just consideration of noble and reuerend antiquitie and withall strike into their hearts a certaine compassion joyned with horror to see the renowmed glorie of so many great kings all wasted and brought to nothing The next morning the embassadours went to speake with the Bassa whose house was reasonable faire considering their guise and custome not much delighting in the beautie of their priuat buildings scituat vpon the riuers side at the bottome of the hill whereon the citie standeth Vnto this Bassa the embassadors presented two faire gilt cups a clocke all curiously wrought in gold and a thousand dollars which present the Bassa receiued in his Diuano being a large hall where he sat with his counsellours officers and other Turkes in their places and order some on his right hand and others on his left all richly attired in garments of silke of diuers colours and fashions reaching downe to their ancles after their manner their heads couered with their passing white and well made Turbants in which assembly nothing being to be seene but goodly order and graue silence they seemed to the strange beholders so many counsellours of exceeding grauitie and reputation Round about the hall wherein the embassadours had audience were many seats couered with Turkie carpets the rest of the roome being all vacant The Bassa in a place more apparant than the rest sitting in great majestie before whom were set two little chaires on which after he had stood vp a while and embraced the embassadors he caused them both to sit downe Whose speech deliuered in the Italian tongue after they had discharged themselues of the emperours letters and greetings was to this effect viz That his imperiall majestie for the common benefit of their subjects in HVNGARIE requested him to continue in his good purpose and dealing for peace and further to giue safe conduct vnto them his embassadours with their retinue vntill they were come vnto the Turkes court where they were to entreat and conclude a peace to the ending of all troubles and the publike benefit of their subjects in generall Which speech with cheerfull and friendly countenance ended many of the embassadours followers were admitted to kisse the Bassaes hand accounted no small fauor amongst those Barbarians The interpretour of these things was a Iew of PADVA who declared all that was spoken in the Turkish language vnto the Bassa and in the Italian vnto the embassadors And although if it had been their pleasure they might haue told their mind each to other in the Sclauonian tongue without an interpretour yet the Bassa standing more vpon his reputation and for some other respects beside would haue the matter propounded and likewise answered in the Turkish In which sort they also conferred continually afterward with the Bassaes at CONSTANTINOPLE vnlesse it were in some particular and priuat talke of small importance or else in some point beside the matter for then the interpretours spake in the Crouatian or Sclauonian tongue which is familiar to most of the Turks but especially to the men of warre Before this hall where the embassadours were entertained by the Bassa in the base court stood all the Ianizaries in goodly array and his slaues with their red zarcull on their heads and
much as the Christian princes had made a perpetuall league amongst themselues he would for two yeares expect the euent and afterward as occasion serued so to resolue vpon peace and warre This improuident resolution of the king brought afterward vnprofitable and too late repentance vnto the whole Persian kingdome when as within a few yeares after all the calamities which the Senat had by their embassadour as true prophets foretold redounded vnto the great shaking thereof For the Cyprian warre once ended and peace concluded with the Venetians Amurath the sonne of Selymus succeeding his father in the Turkish empire inuading the Persian king tooke from him the great countrey of MEDIA now called SILVAN with a great part of ARMENIA the great and the regall citie of TAVRIS as shall be hereafter in due place declared At which time the Persian who now refused to take vp armes or joine in league with the Christian princes repented that he had not before hearkened vnto the wholsome counsell of the Venetians and taught by his owne harmes wished in vaine that the Christian princes would againe take vp armes and joyne with him against the Turke Mustapha the great Bassa and Generall of the Turks armie furnished of all things that could be desired for the maintenance of his siege and souldiors in great number daily repairing vnto him out of CILICIA SYRIA the Lesser ASIA and the countries thereabout beside great supplies brought vnto him by Haly Bassa from CONSTANTINOPLE insomuch that it was thought he had in his armie two thousand men began now that Winter was past in the latter end of Aprill to draw neerer vnto FAMAGVSTA and with incredible labour to cast vp â—â—enches and mounts against the citie of such height that the defendants from the highest places of the citie could scarcely see the points of the Turks speares or top of their tents as they lay encamped which was no great matter for the Bassa to performe hauing in his campe fortie thousand pioners alwaies readie at his commaund The citie of FAMAGVSTA is scituat in the East end of the island in a plaine and low ground betwixt two promontories the one called S. Andrewes head and the other the head of GRaeCIA It is in circuit two miles and in forme fouresquare but that the side toward the East longer and more winding than the rest doth much deforme the exact figure of a quadrant it is almost on two parts beaten vpon with the sea the other parts towards the land are defended with a ditch not aboue fifteene foot broad a stone wall and certaine bulwarks and parapets Vpon the gate that leadeth to AMATHVS standeth a six cornered tower other towers stand out also in the wall euerie of them scarce able to containe six pieces of artillerie It hath a hauen opening toward the Southeast defended from the injurie of the weather by two great rockes betwixt which the sea commeth in by a narrow passage about fortie paces ouer but after opening wider giueth a conuenient harbour to ships whereof it cannot containe any great number and was now shut vp with a strong chaine Neere vnto the hauen standeth an old castle with foure towers after the auntient manner of building There was in the citie one strong bulwarke built after the manner of the fortifications of our time with palisadoes curtaines casamets and such like in such manner as that it seemed almost impregnable All which although they made shew of a strong and well fortified citie yet for that there wanted many things it was thought too weake long to hold out against the great power of the Turke but what wanted by reason of the situation and weake fortification that the Gouernour and other noble captaines supplied in best sort they might with a strong garrison of most valiant souldiours the surest defence of strong places There was in the citie two thousand and fiue hundred Italians two hundred Albanoies horsemen before entertained by the Gouernour and of the Cypriots themselues were mustered two thousand and fiue hundred mo all men resolutly set downe to spend their liues in defence of their countrey Mustapha with wonderfull celeritie hauing brought to perfection his fortifications planted his batterie of sixtie foure great pieces amongst which were foure great basilisks of exceeding bignesse wherewith he continually without intermission battered the wals of the citie in fiue places but especially that part of the wall that was betweene the hauen and the gate that leadeth to AMATHVS And with great morter pieces cast vp huge stones which from high falling into the citie with their waight brake downe the houses they light vpon and fell often times through their vaults euen into the bottome of their sellars to the great terrour of the besieged The wals in diuers places sore shaken and the houses beaten downe he began to assault the citie which the defendants their forces yet whole valiantly repulsed and not onely defended their wals and draue the Turkes from the breaches but furiously sallied out vpon them and hauing slaine and wounded many wonderfully disturbed their fortifications and abated their courage neither did the enemy with greater furie maintaine the batterie or assault than did the Christians the defence of the citie still sending their deadly shot into the thickest of that great multitude insomuch that in few daies the Bassa had lost thirtie thousand of his men and the captains themselues wondering at the valour of the defendants as if they had not now to doe with such Christians as they had before so oftentimes ouerthrowne but with some other strange people began to dispaire of the winning of the citie The Turkes thus doubting and almost at a stand the Christians in the meane time made vp their breaches with earth baskets wool-sacks and such like not sparing their verie beds and bedclothes chests carpets and whatsoeuer else might serue to fill vp the breach Amongst many wants they feared the greatest was the want of pouder which with continuall shooting began greatly to be diminished wherefore to reserue some part thereof against all extremities they thought it best whilest yet some store was left to vse the same more sparingly and to shoot more seldome But the Turks still drawing neerer and neerer the citie and casting vp mounts higher than the wals of the citie with earth and fagots filled vp the ditch which done they of the broken stones made wals on either side to saue themselues from the flankering shot of the Christians then giuing a fresh assault they vsed not onely their shot and other missiue weapons but came foot to foot and notably fought in the breach hand to hand Which manner of fight as if it had been so agreed vpon they euerie day maintained for the space of six houres And although the Turkes by reason of their multitude were diuided into many parts and fresh men still succeeded them that were wearie yet such was the courage of the defendants that
euerie man requested to haue the places of most danger and from thence with couragious hand repulsed the Turkes with exceeding great slaughter But for all that the furious enemie maintaining the assault not onely by day but by often alarums in the night also kept the Christians continually in doubtfull suspence and readinesse as if they should haue receiued a present assault and as soone as it was day with fresh men that had slept their fill desperatly assailed the Christians almost spent and maigre for lacke of sleepe and rest Force not preuailing the restlesse enemie leauing nothing attempted by a queint deuise was like to haue taken one of the gates of the citie There was growing in the island great plentie of a kind of wood much of the nature of the firre or pitch tree easie to be set on fire but hardly to be quenched but differing in this that in burning it gaue foorth such a noysome smell as was not by any man well to be endured of this kind of wood the Turkes brought a wonderfull quantitie to one of the gates called LIMOSINA which once set on fire could not by the defendants by any meanes be quenched although they cast whole pipes and tuns of water at once into it but most terribly burning close vnto the gate by the space of foure daies with the vehemencie of the heat and loathsomnesse of the smell so troubled the defendants that scarce any of them could endure to stand vpon the wall but forsaking the same were euer and anone like to haue giuen the enemy leaue to enter Bragadinus the Gouernour more carefull of the common safetie than of his owne danger ceased not still to be going about from one place to another telling the Italians That now was giuen the fittest occasion they could desire for them to shew their valour in and to gaine great honor of their barbarous enemies that it would be to their eternall glorie if by their only means without any other helpe the citie so farre off from the reliefe of the Christians might be defended and the great power of the Turke defeated This he said was the onely time wherein it stood them most vpon to play the men for if they could keepe that little was left the rest of the island would be easily recouered and although the Turkes army exceeded farre in number yet did they excell them in prowesse and valour whereby a few and as it were but an handfull of men had oftentimes preuailed against most infinit multitudes Now all the eyes of the world as well friends as foes to be fixed vpon them so that if they held out against so great a power both their enemies would admire their valour and all Christendome extoll their inuincible courage and prowesse and that they themselues should thereby reape both great profit and honour Neither that any thing could be alleadged why they should not be compared with the worthie knights of MALTA who to their eternall fame had deliuered themselues out of the mouth of the Turke and left vnto the world a most faire example for men valiantly to stand in so good a quarrell vpon their owne defence NICOSIA he said was lost rather by the cowardise of the defendants than by the valour of the enemie He also praised the fidelitie and courage of the Graecians who for any feare or danger could neuer be remoued from the Venetians or induced to submit themselues vnto the Turkes gouernment and persuaded them with the same resolution to defend their owne citie that they saw in the Venetian souldiors fighting for them and for their owne honour to striue with the Italians in defence of their State their countrey their wiues and children against the tyrannie of the Turkes for as much as aid would in short time come and set them free from all danger The Senat also in like manner had sent letters to FAMAGVSTA willing them to be of good cheere and yet a while to hold out the siege and that they should be in short time relieued Baleonius also Generall of the garrison souldiors himselfe in armes was present at euerie skirmish carefully foreseeing what was in euerie place and at all times to be done and by encouraging of his souldiors and aduenturing of his person shewed himselfe to be both a worthie commaunder and valiant souldior Neither did the souldiors alone but euen the women also what they might striuing aboue the power of the strength both of their minds and bodies some bringing meat some weapons vnto the defendants and others stones beds chests such like stuffe to make vp the breaches But victuals beginning now to wax scant 8000 of the vulgar sort of the people were turned out of the citie who all in safetie were suffered to passe thorow the midst of the Turks army to seeke their liuing in the countrey Thus whilest open force preuailed not according to the Turkes desire they began in foure places to vndermine the citie in hope so to haue found entrance But the defendants doubting such a matter by diligent listening and great vessels set full of water neere vnto the wals and drums laid vpon the ground by the mouing thereof discouered their workes and with countermines frustrated those of the enemies yet in so great a stirre and hurly burly all things were not possibly to be discouered Whereby it came to passe that whilest the defendants were altogither busied in defending the wals a mine not perceiued was suddenly blowne vp neere vnto the tower standing vpon the hauen by force whereof a great part of the wall thereabout was in a moment with a most horrible noise ouerthrowne With the fall whereof the Turks thinking the citie as good as taken with an horrible shout and outcrie mounted the wall and in the breach set vp their ensignes Countie Peter who had the charge of that part of the wall being not now able to defend the same so suddenly ouerthrown which Nestor Martinengus quickly perceiuing came speedily from his owne station to repulse the enemie now readie to haue entred The fight became there most fierce and terrible on the one side hope on the other desperation enraged their minds the Turks were in hope that if they forced themselues but a little they should forthwith win the citie and the defendants propounding nothing vnto themselues but shamefull death and torture fought as men altogither desperat The Turks trusted to their multitude and the Christians to their valour In the meane time Andreas Bragadinus with certaine great pieces aptly placed out of the castle slew a number of the Turks as they were comming to the breach Baleonius hearing of the danger came in hast with a companie of couragious souldiors to relieue them that were fighting at the breach and chearing vp his followers thrust himselfe with the formost into the face of the breach and there not only appointed what was to be done and with cheerfull speeches encouraged his souldiors but with
setting forward calling together the captaines and cheefe commaunders of the fleet Partau the more to encourage them spake vnto them as followeth We are to fight said he fellowes in armes with that kind of men whom our ancestors haue driuen out of EVBoeA the RHODES MYTILENE PELOPONESVS and TRIPOLIS and wee our selues but yesterday out of the famous island of CYPRVS whose cities and strong townes in number infinit our emperour hath as the rewards of his warres whom we haue alwayes vanquished as well by sea as by land and shall it then now repent you that you in this warre embrued in the Christian blood haue sunke or taken many of their ships and gallies That you haue caried away great and rich spoils That you haue taken whole islands and cities at the first assault That we haue by proofe shewed vnto the world what force is in the Turke to subdue strong cities and townes and what little power is in the Christians to defend the same What direction brought vs victorie before the same shall also at this present giue vs the like Not to speake of that that we farre excell them both in number of men and gallies this is more to be reckoned of that we excell them in valour and prowesse for you being old expert souldiors from your infancie trained vp in the warres hardened in infinit battels and full of courage and strength shall fight against weake fresh water and effeminat souldiors who entertained for pay of the refuse of all nations know nothing belonging to the warres or forcibly pressed out of cities serue not because they would but because they must neither will nor chuse But not to speake more of the manner of the Christian souldiors who are nothing els than the perpetuall exercise of your renowne and prowesse and to come vnto him vnder whose fortune and conduct they serue What should I say should I compare either of vs who haue spent our liues in victories and triumphs who borne and brought vp amongst armes haue with our right hands gained vnto our selues honour and fame with this stripling and halfe moneths captaine who neuer saw battels but these who in a lesse matter neuer shewed proofe of himselfe why should he be accounted of in a greater who in so weightie a cause needeth a tutor and such a one as indeed beareth the name of a Generall more for his honour than for any worth in himselfe Besides amongst the enemies is such dissention that euerie man regardeth his owne priuat serueth as pleaseth himselfe contemneth and is contemned Whereas with vs is such consent that it cannot be deuised how the souldiors in generall should more trust their commaunders or the commaunders their souldiours What things were by the discipline of warre or carefulnesse of a Generall to be prepared all those you haue abundantly and plentifully in readinesse onely this last warlike labour remaineth which once dispatched our enemies shall be discomfited euen in that wherein their greatest confidence resteth They shall be despoiled of their honour and trafficke at sea and that citie once subdued which is alone the glorie of the sea there shall be no hope left for the Christians neither by sea nor land and that we haue alwaies wished ITALIE faire ITALIE wherein these matters are plotted against vs shall be in our hand and power wherefore let vs with such courage assaile our enemies as beseemeth most victorious conquerours men so many times conquered And so set forward as if you saw our emperour himselfe encouraging you and giuing you the signall of battell of his bountie and the present victorie expecting all felicitie and blisse This comfortable speech with great grauitie deliuered by the Bassa so encouraged the Turks as that they all with one voice and mind seemed to desire nothing more than battell for they still possessed with the first report of Caracoza and encouraged by the Bassaes speech were in god hope to haue fought the battell vpon great aduantage and therefore thought vpon nothing but present victorie Whereupon setting forward with great cheerfulnesse they came out of the gulfe and shaped their course for the islands ECHINADES about midway betwixt LEPANTO and PATRAS before little islands or rather obscure rocks scarcely appearing in the sea but now to be made famous throughout the world by the most notable battell that euer was fought in those seas The Christians also comming still on towards the enemie the seauenth of October in the afternoon vnderstood by their espials that the Turkes fleet was comming and euen now at hand whereupon the Generall commaunded the great ensigne of the confederats the appointed signall of battell to be forthwith displaied and a great warning piece to be shot off out of his Admirall gallie And himselfe glistering all in bright armour with Cardona Admirall of SICILIA and Soto his secretarie in a long boat went to all the squadrons of the fleet one after another exhorting them with cheerfull countenance to follow their leaders and to play the men remembring that they that day carried in their hands the wealth honour glorie and libertie of their countries yea and the verie religion of their forefathers and that that daies victorie would bring vnto them and theirs perpetuall felicitie whereas otherwise if they should as cowards suffer themselues to be ouercome and vanquished it would be vnto them the beginning of all manner of most wofull calamities To which and other his like speeches the captaines and souldiors before of themselues cheerfull enough in euerie place where he came gaue such applause with the joyfull crie of Victorie Victorie so often and so cheerfully in all places resounded as that it was taken as a luckie aboadment of the glorious victorie shortly after ensuing In like manner Auria in the right wing and Barbadicus in the left for the fleet kept the same order that they had appointed before at MESSANA ceased not by all comfortable speeches to encourage their followers shewing vnto them That now the time was come they had so long wished for wherein they not oppressed with multitude might at length shew their true valour against the false and faithlesse enemies who being in deed nothing else but base and contemptible slaues borne to bondage and hauing lost their owne libertie came to impugne the libertie of others bringing with them a greater terrour of their name than valour of their persons and that therefore if euer they would now shew themselues valiant and couragious and that day wherein of all others true force was to be seene to abate the pride of the barbarous and cruell enemie and to make their rejoycing for the conquest of CYPRVS short before they had well tasted the pleasure thereof At which time also the captaines generally throughout the fleet with cheerfull countenances and couragious speech encouraged their souldiors leauing nothing vnsaid that might harten them on or vndone that might further the victorie Neither were the Turks wanting to themselues
princes And so the two brethren being reconciled togither and the sonne to the father after that Abas had againe promised his wished obedience which he afterwards most dutifully performed king Mahamet returned with the prince towards CASBIN where by reason of new and vnexpected motions of the Turkes he had now beene long looked for and desired Amurath through the rough speeches of Sinan was more and more setled in his purpose for the continuing of the Persian warre accounting it so much the more to his owne glorie as it should in happie successe fall out contrarie to the opinion of many and thereupon began to bethinke himselfe whom he might chuse for his Generall to whom he might commit so great a charge Among the Bassaes of the court there was one Ferat a man of ripe yeares but yet fierce of courage tough in opinion in counsell as hardie as might beseeme his age readie for all sudden and strange aduentures but aboue all a vassall most deuoted to the king Of this man at last he was resolued to make choise to haue the leading of his armie and therfore calling him apart declared vnto him what he had in himselfe purposed encouraging him to take the charge vpon him with a firme resolution to performe all things answerable to so worthie an enterprise with the opinion he had conceiued of his valour Verie willingly did Ferat accept of this new office and thought himselfe as indeed he was highly fauoured by the king and thereupon made him a large promise to employ his strength his wit and vttermost deuoire to put in execution whatsoeuer should be offered vnto him either by occasion or by his royall commandement At first Amurath had no other purpose to imploy him any further but only to assure the passage to TEFLIS and so into all GEORGIA and to haue destroied the country of Mustaffa the Georgian who had so audaciously injured the lieutenant of Amurath and put his whole army in confusion but being certainly aduertised of the troubles in PERSIA betweene the king and his sonne he changed his purpose and commaunded Ferat to employ all his forces to erect a fortresse at REIVAN a place belonging to Tocomac and to assure the passage from CHARS to REIVAN for so they should be reuenged of many harmes they had receiued by him and lay open the way to the citie of TAVRIS to the great glorie of Amurath As for Mustaffa the Georgian although he had well deserued to be chastised for his rash attempt against Mahamet Bassa being then his Generall yet he willed Ferat to dissemble his euill opinion of him and if it were possible so to worke as to vse him as an instrument to conuay treasure and succours to TEFLIS for by this meanes the passage being made safe all GEORGIA would without any mo fortresses be subdued and then the next yeare they might attempt the enterprise for TAVRIS Highly did Ferat commend the deuises of Amurath his lord and shewed himselfe readie for any attempt And so the time being come wherein it behooued them to set on foot their important dessignments in the beginning of the yeare 1583 commandements were sent out to all the cities of the empire which were wont to make their appearance at these warres That vpon fresh summons they should be readie to returne against the Persians and to put in execution that should be enjoyned them by their new Generall The fame whereof flew as farre as SORIA IVRIE PALESTINE MESOPOTAMIA BABYLONIA to BALSARA to SIVAS to MARAS to all BITHYNIA CAPADOCIA CILICIA ARMENIA yea and beyond CONSTANTINOPLE to the borders of HVNGARIE and GRECE and in briefe to all the regions that were wont to come to this warre all which sent their captaines and souldiors accordingly And so at the last Generall Ferat departing from CONSTANTINOPLE and passing ouer to SCVTARI by the way of AMASIA and of SIVAS came to ERZIRVM where he tooke a view of all his armie and prouision and from thence in eight daies arriued at CHARS conducted by the Persian fugitiue Maxut Chan and from CHARS set himselfe on his way towards REIVAN Three daies before he came to REIVAN of certaine ruines of an old castle which the Turkes call AGGIA CHALASI or the Castle of strangers he erected a new fortresse and left in it a garrison of foure hundred souldiors with a Sanzacke and certaine pieces of ordinance and then went to REIVAN This countrey is distant from TAVRIS eight or nine daies journey betweene which two places are situat NASSIVAN CHIVLâ—Aâ— MARANT and SOFIAN all enriched with goodly gardens and pleasant greenes but in the way are many craggie mountaines to be climed and sundrie hard passages either for armie or traueller Here then did Ferat encampe himselfe with his armie and taking aduise of his chiefe captains where he should build the fort they all with one consent aduised him to seaze vpon the houses and gardens of Tocomac and there to fortifie Which he accordingly did enclosing the gardens with strong wals and deepe ditches round about whereinto he conuaied water from a certaine riuer that comming downe from the mountaines ran into Araxis Which worke was performed with such expedition that within the space of fifteene daies the fortresse was finished being in circuit seauen hundred and fiftie yards It grieued Tocomac exceedingly thus to lose his countrey and dwelling and so much the more because it happened so suddenly and as it were vnlooked for He himselfe as soone as he vnderstood that the Turkish armie was comming to that coast hauing withdrawne himselfe and his men of warre out of the citie hee could not keepe sought by all meanes to be reuenged if not altogither yet in some part of this so great an injurie And therefore he wrote vnto the king at CORAZAN to Emir Chan at TAVRIS to Simon in GEORGIA he gathered soldiors out of the villages and vsed all his possible endeuour to enable himselfe to annoy the enemies armie But from none of these places could he receiue any helpe the king being so farre off in wars against his sonne the Georgian being busied by hindering any reliefe to be brought to the besieged in TEFLIS as for Emir Chan who by solemne promise vnto the king before his departure to HERI had vndertaken the defence of that side of the kingdome against the Turkes he either would not or could not stirre neither sent so much as one souldior hauing as some supposed secret intelligence with Generall Ferat not to disturbe him in this his worke So Tocamac destitute of all other helpe and not able of himselfe to doe much against so mightie an enemie yet ceased not to lay such priuie ambushes for the Turkes as hee could killing of them sometimes 100 sometime 150 and sometimes mo as they fell into his danger And to ease his stomacke against Emir Chan who sitting still at TAVRIS as it were to behold his miserie would not so much as
himselfe to thrust him into the gallies and because he could not carrie the money vnto the king yet at the least to bring him his debtor But for as much as he doubted to put this his determination openly in execution for feare of some insurrection amongst the people as well for that he was within the territories of the said Ebne-mansur as for that he saw him greatly beloued and fauoured of the other two Drusian lords Ebne-frec and Ebne-carâ—us he therefore thought it better pollicie by concealing this his purpose to shew him in his outward actions all good countenance and by secret and subtile meanes to take him prisoner Whereupon he deceitfully told him That for as much as he was to stay there for his businesse that night and was resolued the next day to make a road into the countrey of Man-ogli he therefore praied him to doe him the fauour to be his guide and for that purpose when he should send for him at midnight that he would come vnto him verie secretly because he was minded to depart without any stirre onely with fiue hundred men in his companie The Drusian lord verily beleeued the matter that so it was and withall was in good hope by that means to find some way to escape his hands Wherupon being called vp at midnight he readily went to the tent of Ebrain who presently charging him whom all men thought he had especially affected with many abhominable and foule tearmes caused a chaine to be cast about his necke and his armes and so fast bound to be carried into the gallies And yet not so contented tooke the spoile of all his countrey whereby there was leuied such a prey as was maruellous to behold for besides money wherof there was a verie huge summe the store of clothes of silke and gold was such and so great as might better beseeme some great prince than such a mountaine rusticall lord as he was When the Bassa had conueied all this into his gallies he sailed to TRIPOLI where he found Serafadin in the custodie of Veis Bassa and Ali Bassa and hauing stayed there some few dayes wherein he committed sundrie villanous and abhominable robberies he caused the said Serafadin to be put into the gallies with all his silkes and other wealth and so departed for CONSTANTINOPLE where at such time as he entered into the channell of the citie accompanied with foure and twentie gallies hee was encountered and receiued by a wonderfull number of his friends and fauourits and saluted with an honourable peale of artillerie out of the Seraglio Iohn Thomas Minadoi the best reporter of this historie as also of the late warres betwixt the Turkes and the Persians being then at CONSTANTINOPLE and hauing as he reporteth of himselfe good meanes to see the bountifull and beautifull presents which the spoyling and rauenous Bassa gaue the Turkish king reporteth the summe thereof to haue beene a million of gold besides the yearely reuenue of CAIRE amounting to six hundred thousand duckats with threescore horses most richly garnished of singular beautie but especially of the Arabian race a liue Elephant and a liue Giraffâ—e which is a beast like a Cammell and a Panther two great Crocodiles dead a chaire of massie gold richly set with pretious stones a casket also beset with pretious stones and gold many packs of most fine clothes woollen and silkes certain other clothes with fringe of gold and siluer and the Barbarian cutworke most fine linnen of ALEXANDRIA and all the arcubuses taken from the Drusians besides sundrie rich presents giuen by the prowd Bassa to the great ladies of the Court reported by Leunclauius to haue beene worth two hundred thousand Sultanines But now for as much as we haue before made mention of the Sanzacke of IERVSALEM and his flight it shall not be altogether impertinent to our historie though somewhat out of time in few words to declare what passed between him and the Arabians of PALESTINE a little before the comming of Ebrain the great Bassa into those quarters by which little the desirous Reader may easily perceiue the wofull and troublesome state of that sometime most blessed and fruitfull but now most miserable and barren land of IVRIE and of those places in holy Writ so much renowned In the confines of SODOME and in the places that lie not only betweene the lake ASPHALTITES and DAMASCO but also in the plaines and in the vallies of IERICHO and of SAMARIA and in other places about BETHLEHEM EMAVS BETHANIE BETHFAGE CAPHARNAVM NAZARETH LEVIR BETHSAIDA NAPLOS and other townes of name thereabouts there doe haunt and liue sundrie Arabian captaines who spreading themselues euen as far as RAMA and IOPPA ouerrun at their pleasure all the countries there round about and continually commit grieuous outrages as well against the said cities as also vpon the goods and wealth not onely of the inhabitants there but also of strangers yea and their insolencie oftentimes groweth so great that they dare to assault the fenced cities beside the spoiling of trauellers that by reason of their businesse haue occasion to passe from one citie to another They are good horsemen but vse no armour their horses are very swift to run and spare of diet and are themselues bold and aduenturous theeues These Arabians hauing had intelligence that the aforesaid ambitious youth appointed Sanzacke of IERVSALEM was in mind to raise all the Sanzackes thereabout and joyning himselfe with them and his father the Bassa of DAMASCO to restraine their insolent libertie and to worke their destruction resolued with themselues not to stay vntill he and his confederats were readie but rather by sundrie inuasions vpon him euen vnto the gates of IERVSALEM to prouoke him to come out into the field And the rather to induce him so to do they compacted with a certaine Subbassi of BETHLEHEM their friend to encourage and animate the Sanzacke thereunto by promising vnto him good successe and prosperous euents The ambitious young man seduced with the glorious persuasions of the false Subbassi of whom he made good reckoning and prouoked by their insolencies resolued as they had wished to issue out of the citie into the open field and thereupon hauing armed an hundred of his vassales and raised all the horsemen that were vnder his gouernment to the number of six hundred he made a rode towards IERICHO sending before defiance vnto them against whom the Arabians came accordingly and with their arrows and Indian canes ouerwhelming his arcubuses as if it had been a raging floud wrought him great woe when in the very nicke the battell yet being at the hotest the traiterous Subbassi fled towards BETHLEHEM and left the souldiors of IERVSALEM in the hands of the Arabians who put most part of them to the edge of the sword and scarcely gaue libertie to the Sanzacke to saue himselfe by flight The Sanzacke certainely enformed of this fraud of the dissembling Subbassi to be reuenged vpon him began
miles short of RAB The Christian armie but newly passed ouer Danubius in marching towards KOMARA might see the mountaines and fields on the other side the riuer all couered with the multitude of the Turks armie who though they were in deed many yet marching dispersedly made show of moe than in truth they were So both armies marching in sight the one of the other and seperated onely with the riuer held on their way the Christians to KOMARA where they encamped vnder the verie wals of the citie yet in such sort as that they might a farre off well descrie one another and the Turkes towards DOTIS where the Bassa with all his armie encamped the 21 day of Iuly The night following hauing planted his batterie he began in furious manner to batter the castle the chiefe strength of the towne the Christian armie looking on but not daring at so great ods to relieue their distressed friends So whiles the Bassa granteth no breathing time vnto the besieged but tireth them out with continuall batterie and alarums they of the towne dispairing of their owne strength and to be able for any long time to hold out against so mightie an enemie within three daies after yeelded the towne being in that short time sore battered and also in diuers places vndermined yet with this condition That it should be lawfull for the garrison souldiors and townesmen with their wiues and children in safetie to depart Which was vnto them by the Bassa frankly granted but not so faithfully performed for at their departure many of their wiues and children were staied by the Turkes and the lord Baxi Gouernour of the towne fouly entreated Immediatly after the Bassa without much adoe tooke S. Martins castle also not far from DOTIS being by the captaine yeelded vnto him In the meane time the countrey villages round about forsaken of the poore Christians were by the Turks most miserably burnt and all the countrey laied wast Yea some of the forerunners of the Turks armie passing ouer the riuer Rabnitz ran into the countrey as farre as ALTENBVRG within fiue miles of VIENNA burning the countrey villages as they went and killing the poore people or that worse was carrying them away into perpetuall captiuitie yet not without some losse foure hundred of these roaming forragers being cut off by the lord Nadasti Palfi also and Brun Gouernour of KOMARA following in the taile of the Turks armie set vpon them that had the charge of the victuals of whom they slew a great number tooke 120 of them prisoners and 150 camels and 30 mules laded with meale and rice which they carried away with them to KOMARA DOTIS and S. Martins thus taken Sinan Bassa constant in his former determination set forward againe towards RAB and being come within a mile of the citie there encamped the Christian armie then lying not far off on the other side of the riuer This citie of RAB is a strong and populous citie honoured with a bishops See and was worthily accounted the strongest bulwarke of VIENNA from whence it is distant about twelue Germane miles standing vpon the South side of Danubius where the riuer diuiding it selfe maketh a most fertile island called SCHVT in the East point whereof standeth the strong citie of KOMARA The defence of this citie of RAB was committed to Countie Hardeck a man of greater courage than fidelitie with a garrison of twelue hundred choise souldiors vnto whom a little before the comming of the Bassa were certaine companies of Italians joyned who togither with the citisens made vp the number of fiue thousand able men a strength in all mens judgement sufficient for the long defence of that place The last of Iuly Matthias the archduke about the going downe of the Sunne departing out of the citie of RAB ouer the riuer into the island ouer against it came Sinan Bassa with his huge armie and beset it round casting vp trenches and mounts whereon he skilfully placed his gabions and great artillerie and whatsoeuer else was necessarie for so great a siege and that with such celeritie as was to the beholders thought most strange The second of August he with great furie battered the citie and brought his trenches within musket shot of the wals At which time foure thousand Tartarian horsemen swam ouer the Danubius between RAB and KOMARA after whom followed six thousand Turkes who being with much adoe got ouer to the farther side suddenly surprised a fort of the Christians next vnto the riuer and forthwith turning fiue great pieces of ordinance which they found therein discharged them vpon the campe of the Christians who terrified with the sudden accident rise vp all in armes and hardly charging those desperat aduenturers slew many of them especially such as seeking after bootie had dispersed themselues from their fellowes and forced the rest againe to take the riuer wherein most of them perished About fiue daies after the Tartarians liuing for most part vpon prey swam againe ouer the riuer and vpon the sudden burnt a village in the island and slew certaine Christians in their tents but being quickly encountred by the Christian-horsemen they were easily ouerthrowne and many of them slain the rest casting away their weapons and forsaking their horses ran headlong into the riuer trusting more to their swimming than to their fighting whom the Christians hardly pursuing in the verie riuer slew about two thousand of them and by this victorie obtained many of the Tartarian swift horses with their scimitars their bowes and arrowes and such ensignes as they had All this while Sinan Bassa without intermission lay thundring with threescore great pieces of batterie against the citie but to little or small purpose for as yet he had made no breach whereby to enter but the harme that was done was vpon the towers or high built houses or in the campe by such randon shot as flying ouer the towne fell by chance among the tents of the Christians And the Ianizaries intentiue to all opportunities in a great raine furiously and with a most horrible crie as their manner is assaulted an vtter bulwarke of the Christians which they for feare forsooke and retired themselues into the citie vpon which bulwarke so taken the Ianizaries had set vp three of their ensignes When the Christians ashamed of that they had done and better aduised taking courage vnto them forthwith sallied out againe and couragiously charging the Ianizaries but now entred slew many of them and recouered againe the bulwarke Sinan Bassa leauing nothing vnattempted that might further his desire for the winning of the citie was now casting vp a great mount against the citie which whilest he dayly surueyed he chanced to fall sicke and therefore appointed one of the Bassaes in his owne stead to ouersee the worke who whilest he was walking too and fro hastening the worke and commaunding this and that thing to be done he was taken with a shot out of the towne and
clock in the forenoone deliuered vp the citie vnto the Bassa and the Christian garrison was all come out the countie himselfe with a few of his friends was with a conuoy of Turks brought in safetie to the appointed place but the Italians and other garrison souldiors that came behind and ought to haue beene by the Gouernour protected were contrary to the Turks promise spoyled of all that they had and hardly escaping with life came that night to HOCHSTRATE and the next day to ALTENBVRG Thus was RAB one of the strongest bulwarkes of Christendome traiterously deliuered vnto the most mortall enemie of the Christian religion being euen then when it was giuen vp victualled for a yeare and sufficiently furnished with all things necessarie for defence all which prouision together with the citie fell into the hands of the faithlesse enemie A losse neuer to haue beene sufficiently lamented had it not beene about foure yeares after euen as it were miraculously againe recouered to the great rejoysing of all that side of Christendome as in the processe of this Historie shall appeare Sinan glad of this victorie as of the greatest trophey of his masters glorie ouer the Christians gaue him speedie knowledge thereof both by letters and messengers Of whom he was for that good seruice highly commended and afterward bountifully rewarded for now had Amurath alreadie in hope deuoured all AVSTRIA with the prouinces thereabout The great Bassa because he would not with too long stay hinder the course of his victorie without delay repaired the rent citie new fortified the battered bulwarkes enlarged the ditches and filled the cathedrall church with earth in manner of a strong bulwarke where vpon he planted great store of great ordinance and with exceeding speed dispatched all things necessarie for the holding of the place In the meane time he sent certaine Tartars to summon the towne and castle of PAPPA which castle and little towne subject thereunto the Christians the night following set on fire because it should not stand the enemie in any stead for the farther troubling of the countrey and so fled The Bassa hauing at his pleasure disposed of all things in RAB and leauing there foure thousand Ianizaries and two thousand horsemen in garrison departed thence with his armie and laid siege to KOMARA a strong towne of that most fertile island which the Hungarians call SCHVT which situated in the verie point thereof about foure miles from RAB is on the East South and North enclosed with the two armes of Danubius All these waies Sinan with his fleet which he had there notably well appointed laid hard siege vnto the towne and gaue thereunto diuers assaults and by land the Beglerbeg of GRaeCE ceased not both by continuall batterie and mines to shake the wals and bulwarks thereof Thus was the citie on all sides both by water and by land hardly laid vnto But the Christians within with no lesse courage defended themselues and the citie than did the Turkes assaile them shewing indeed that the libertie of their religion and countrey was vnto them dearer than their liues Matthias the archduke in the meane time not ignorant how much it concerned the emperour his brother to haue this citie defended hauing after his late ouerthrow gathered togither a good armie of Germanes Bohemians and Hungarians resolued to go and raise the siege and so marching forward with his armie came and encamped the 28 day of October at NITRIA about fiue miles from KOMARA Now were the Tartars a little before departed from the came with purpose to returne home yea the Turkes themselues wearie of the siege and wanting victuall both for themselues and their horses began also as men discouraged to shrinke away Which the Bassa well considering thought it not best with his heartlesse souldiors and armie now sore weakened to abide the comming of the Christians and therefore vpon their approach he forthwith forsooke the citie which he had by the space of three weekes hardly besieged and by a bridge made of boats transported his armie and artillerie ouer Danubius to DOTIS where the next day after he brake vp his armie Immediatly after the Turkes were thus departed the Archduke arriued at KOMARA where he with great diligence caused the breaches to be repaired the mines to be filled vp and new bulwarkes and rampiers to be made in diuers places for the more strength of the citie leauing the charge thereof still vnto the lord Braun the old Gouernour who in the defence thereof had receiued a grieuous wound in his right knee of whom also this notable fact is reported The Bassa in time of the late siege of KOMARA vnder the colour of a parley had sent fiue Turks into the citie to the Gouernour but in deed to proue if he were by any meanes to be woon to yeeld vp the citie and not to hold it out to the last The faithfull Gouernour hauing giuen them the hearing vntill they had discharged their whole treacherie presently caused foure of their heads to he strucken off and to be set vpon long pikes vpon one of the bulwarkes for the Bassa to looke vpon but the fift the beholder of this tragedie he sent backe vnto the Bassa to tell him That although he had found one in RAB to serue his turne he was much deceiued if in him he thought to find Countie Hardeck and that he wished rather to die the emperours faithfull seruant in the bloud of the Turkes than to betray the citie committed to his charge Countie Hardeck late Gouernour of RAB generally before suspected to haue treacherously betraied that strong towne vnto the Bassa was therefore sent for to VIENNA and there by the emperours commaundement committed to prison Where among many things laid to his charge as that he should in the beginning of the siege negligently haue suffered many things to be done by the enemie which afterwards turned to the great danger of the towne and that in the time of the siege he had caused some of the canoniers to discharge certain great pieces against the enemie with pouder onely without shot and that seeing one piece among the rest to do the enemie much harme he had caused the same to be remooued and so placed as that it serued to little or no vse beside that he as it should seeme making small reckoning of the towne should oftentimes say That if the Turkes should win it he should be but one towne the richer with diuers other such things giuing just cause of suspition The thing that lay most heauie vpon him was the testimonie of one of Sinan Bassa his chamber who being taken young by the Turkes and seruing in the Bassaes chamber was now fled from the Turks and comming to the Archduke in the time of his siege declared vnto him that there was treason in his campe and that he but three daies before by the commaundement of his master had deliuered two bags full of duckats vnto two Christians
appointing them to any seruice and such as he found to haue so done he to the terror of others caused to be presently executed and after that went down himselfe into the lower towne to see that nothing were there wanting or amisse where most danger was But when he would haue againe returned into the vpper towne he was stayed by the Ianizaries who told him That seeing he was of so valiant and couragious a mind and their Gouernour he should there stay with them and take such part as they did were it better or worse and so would he or would he not there needs stay he must Now the Bassaes of BVDA and TEMESVVAR with diuers Sanzackes as well of those parts of HVNGARIE which the Turks possessed as other places were assembling their forces for the reliefe of the besieged in STRIGONIVM Whereof the Transyluanian prince hearing made shew as if he would forthwith haue besieged TEMESVVAR so that the Bassa thereof leauing the intended expedition for STRIGONIVM was glad to returne for the defence of his own charge They also of STIRIA CARINTHIA CROATIA with the troupes of countie Serinus had so stopped all the passages that twelue thousand Turks which were comming from ZIGETH and the places thereabout could by no meanes come to joyne themselues with their fellowes for the reliefe of the distressed citie The countie leauing nothing vnattempted or vndone that might helpe for the gaining of STRIGONIVM had made a notable fort vpon S. Thomas hill and therein placed fiue great culuerines wherewith he furiously battered the higher citie and did therein great harme and thereby also brought to passe that no man could goe vp or downe the hill betwixt the vpper towne and the lower but he was in danger to be set off with those pieces or the musketiers who defended by those great pieces lay vpon the side of the hill in caues and bushes awaiting for such as should goe vp or downe betwixt the two townes Thus the Christians at one time battered the vpper towne the lower towne and the strong towne and fort of GOKARA standing on the farther side of Danubius oueragainst STRIGONIVM besieged by the lord Palfi But of all these places GOKARA was with the furie of the great ordinance most shaken which the countie perceiuing caused the batterie to be encreased and so continued vntill he had beaten downe the counterscarfe and made certaine faire breaches in the wall Whereunto the Morauians vnto whose lot it fell the one and twentith of Iuly gaue an assault in fiue diuers places whom the lord Palfi seconded with his Hungarians of whom certaine were of purpose appointed beside their armes to bring things with them for the firing of the towne which they in the time of the assault found meanes so well to bestow that in a while the towne was all on a light fire The Turkes at first made notable resistance but finding themselues ouerpressed and seeing the towne now on a fire about their eares which with the force of the wind so encreased that it caught hold of the lower towne on the other side of the riuer they retired to the riuers side where some of them by boats got ouer to STRIGONIVM othersome perished in the riuer the rest falling into the hands of the Christians were by them all put to the sword GOKARA thus taken and the fire quenched the Christians repaired the breaches and storing it with all warlike prouision left in it a strong garrison Within a night or two after were two hundred of the Turks horsemen descried in a field fast by which caused an alarum to be raised in the campe as if the whole armie of the Turks had beene at hand howbeit those horsemen retiring and no other appearing it was afterwards knowne that they were onely scouts sent out by the Turkes to take view of the armie of the Christians and in what sort they lay encamped The latter end of this moneth it fortuned that a young countrey fellow secretly sent out of the citie by the Gouernour and falling into the hands of Palfi was by him sent to the countie by whom he was in friendly manner demanded From whence he came whether he was going and whereabouts Whereunto the youth frankely answered That he was sent from the Gouernour with letters to the Bassa of BVDA which he presently drew out of his bosome and deliuered them vnto the countie who after he had read them caused them to be closed vp againe and so deliuered them to the young man with some few crownes commaunding him to carrie them to the Bassa as he was about and in his returne to bring him the Bassaes answere promising for his so doing to reward him bountifully which the young man vndertooke to doe and so departed Now the purport of the Gouernours letters was That if the Bassa did not within six or seauen dayes send him aid and relieue him he should for want of victuals and other things necessarie for the holding out of the siege be enforced either to abandon the citie or to yield it vp into the enemies hands Whereunto the Bassa returned answere by the aforesaid messenger That he would within the appointed time bee with him willing him in the meane while to be mindfull of his wonted valour and not to be with any thing discouraged appointing him the day the houre the way the meane with all the other circumstances how he would relieue him Which letters the young man according to his promise deliuered vnto the countie who thereupon prouided accordingly for the welcomming of the Bassa Within a day after also one of the Turkes canoniers considering the danger the citie lay in and feating that it would be lost fled out of it into the campe who besides that he aptly declared the state of the citie and the wants the besieged were in did also afterwards good seruice during the time of the siege The Turkes had in this while many times sallied out to their great losse yet now vpon hope of better successe they aduentured the nine and twentith of this moneth to sallie out againe but with like fortune as before leauing fourescore of their men behind them hauing slaine but fiue of the Christians Now had the Turks in great wants by the space of a moneth right worthily defended STRIGONIVM expecting still for reliefe At length newes was brought into the campe That the Bassa of BVDA with twentie thousand men was comming to raise the siege who the second of August came accordingly and with his armie encamped within foure miles of the Christians lying so nigh certaine of the Turkes horsemen seeking after bootie came very neere vnto the campe of the Christians and out of the pastures euen vnder their noses carried away some few horses against these desperat aduenturerers certaine troupes of the Hungarian and Germane horsemen issuing out had with them an hot skirmish but the Turkes of purpose retiring as men ouercharged and the Christians still following
trouble them in the castle and the vpper citie of BVDA Which their entended exploit they happily attempted and brought to passe in this sort The citie of PESTH standing right ouer against BVDA is as we haue oftentimes beforesaid deuided from the same with the great and swift riuer of Danubius ouer which the Turkes vpon boats had with great labour and cost of late built a most easie and commodious bridge for passage or carriage of things from the one citie to the other this bridge the Imperials thought necessarie first to breake the more easily to besiege either the one or other citie and for that purpose had by a strange deuice built a ship which by the force of the streame carried downe the riuer and resting vpon the bridge should by a wonderfull power breake the same Which ship the Turks seeing comming downe the riuer with the rest of the fleet after her they ran by heapes especially out of the Water citie to the bridge for the defence thereof where whilest they were thus busied Countie Sultze on the other side by land with a Petarde blew vp one of the gates of the citie and so entering and killing all such as he light vpon came vnlooked for vpon the backes of the Turkes at the bridge of whom some he slew some he draue into the riuer who there perished the rest in number not many by speedie flight retiring themselues into the citie whereupon he had now brought such a generall feare that they all as well the souldiors as the citisens with the Christians at their heeles with as much hast as they could tooke their refuge into the vpper citie of BVDA much stronger and better fortified than was the lower citie At which time the bridge was by them vpon the riuer broken also so that now the one citie could no more thereby relieue the other as before The Water citie thus woon and the bridge broken the next was for the Imperials to besiege either the one or the other citie But for that they of PESTH might with their great ordinance much annoy them in the besieging of the castle and the vpper citie of BVDA they thought best to begin with it first which they did in much like sort as they had before done at the lower citie of BVDA the same deuice againe well prospering in their hand For the lord Russworm with the fleet vpon the riuer making a great shew as if hee would euen presently on that side haue entered had with the stirre by him raised drawne downe most part of the garrison souldiors vnto that side of the citie where most shew of danger was whilest in the meane while Countie Sultze with the gouernour of ALTHEM before vndiscouered vpon the sudden by land scaled the other side of the citie and gained the wals the Turkes yet dreaming of no such matter But hereupon began a great outcrie the Turkes standing as men astonied especially now feeling the Christians weapons in their bodies before they knew they were got into the citie In this so great an amasement such of them as could fled into the strongest towers the rest hid themselues in cellars and other the most secret corners they could find out of which they were afterwards by the Christians drawne and slaine They which were retired also into the towers and other stronger places of the citie seeing the great ordinance in euery place bent vpon them and now out of all hope of reliefe offered to yeeld requesting onely that they might with their wiues and children with life depart promising for that fauour so shewed them to persuade them of BVDA also in like manner to yeeld Vpon which promise that their poore request was graunted and the lord Nadasti with certaine other captaines sent with some of these citisens of PESTH with their wiues and children to BVDA who comming thither according to their promise most earnestly requested them of BVDA to yeeld for that they were not now to expect any further helpe and that by their foolish obstinacie they should bee the cause of the death of them their friends their wiues and children Vnto whom also to mooue them the more the lord Nadasti promised in the name of the Generall That they should all excepting some few of their chiefe commaunders in safetie depart howbeit they of BVDA would not hearken thereunto but stood still vpon their guard In this citie of PESTH well inhabited with Turkish marchants the Christians found great store of wealth which all became a prey vnto the souldiors with a thousand horses for seruice many great pieces of artillerie and much other warlike prouision PESTH thus woon and a strong garrison left therein they returned againe ouer the riuer to besiege the castle and vpper citie of BVDA which they attempted by vndermining the same as also by batterie hauing placed some of their great ordinance so high that they could at their pleasure shoot into the middest of the streets of the citie wherewith they much troubled the Turkes not a little before discouraged with the losse of PESTH thundering also at the same time with their other batteries in diuers places at the wals both of the castle and of the citie Where vnderstanding that the Turkes garrisons of the frontier townes and castles thereabouts hearing of the siege were comming to the reliefe of their distressed friends they sent out their horsemen with some part of their footmen against them who meeting with them gaue them a great ouerthrow and so with victorie returned againe vnto the rest of the armie lying at the siege being still in hope either by force or composition to become masters of the citie But whilest they lay in this hope and hauing the twelfth of October brought their approaches neerer vnto the wals had there planted certaine notable pieces of batterie with purpose the next day with all their power to haue assaulted the citie behold the Visier Bassa hearing by the way as he was going to BELGRADE and so to CONSTANTINOPLE that PESTH was woon and BVDA besieged changing his mind returned in hast with such forces as hee had yet left and so vnlooked for came and sat downe before PESTH being not then aboue fiue and twentie thousand strong but those all or for the most part old and expert souldiors But whilest the Bassa thus lay at the siege of PESTH on the one side of the riuer and the Imperials at the siege of BVDA on the other diuers braue attempts were in both places giuen both on the one side and the other The Christians besieged by the Turkes in PESTH hauing amongst them diuers braue captaines and desirous of honour one day vnder their conduct sallied out of the citie to skirmish with the Turkes and comming with them to the sword by plaine valour disordered them and enforced them to flie and so allured with the sweetnesse of the victorie pursued them euen to their trenches from whence a great squadron of the