their dominions haue receiued from them as next heires vnto them both their Religion and Kingdomes and yet to this day in Affrica some of the mere lyne of the Saracens be of great power and authoritie But before we go any further to the declaration discouerie of their Acts gouernment we must firste a little speake of the originall Pedagrew of the first founder and authour of their damnable Secte All Arabie is deuided into thrée partes wherof one is called Petreia hauing his name of an olde auncient town in it called Petra the second is called Deserta and the thirde Faelix or Sabaea Petreia hath on the West side Aegipt and is separated from it firste by the Mount Casius and then by wast wildernesse on the North it hath Iurie and Palestina on the East Arabia Deserta and on the South the innermost part or arme of the Arabian Goulph called Sinus Arabieus Deserta wherin the Citie Scene otherwise called Scenitis stoode boundeth on the South vpon the Mountaines of Arabia Faelix on the North it hath Mesopotamia and on the East the Riuer Euphrates Arabia Faelix runneth a long betwéene the two bosomes of the Sea the Arabian and the Persian being almost on euerie side enuironed wyth water like an Iland It hath on the North Petreia and Deserta on the West of the Arabian Gulphe on the East the Persian Gulphe and on the South the redde Sea. I finde that these Regions were inhabited by foure kindes of people that is to wit by the auncient Arabians which were descended from Arabus Sabus and Petreius the sonnes of Cures and the Nephewes of Cham of whom the thrée Arabies had their names as Arabia Deserta of Arabus Arabia Sabaea which is also called Faelix of Sabus and Petreia of Petreius as witnesseth Berosus Chaldaeus Then of the Ismaelites which were descended from Ismaell the Sonne of Abraham by his handmayde Agar of whom a parte of the Countrey called Agarena and the Town Agarenum which in Strabo are corruptly read Ararena and Agranum had their first beginning and denomination as that part called Petreia was called Nabathaea of Nabath the people Caedrei of Caedar the Sonnes of the same Ismael The thirde people came and descended of the Sonnes of Ketura Abrahams second wife which possessed a great part of Arabia Foelix specially that portion which lyeth toward the redde Sea. They also made Colonies and vnder Cities in Lybia and peopled the same with inhabitauntes of their owne linage and nation where vpon after ward as Iosephus witnesseth the Cuntrie was called Affrica of Ophre the Sonne of Mandanes and Nephew to Abraham by his wife Ketura The fourth kinde tooke their originall beginning of Esau the Sonne of Isaac who inhabited the partes of Arabia Petreia next vnto Iurie and of him the people in Arabia Petreia are of Plinie and Ptolomaeus called by the name of Saracens For Isaac Esau his father was the Sonne of Abraham by his wife Sara And they were called Saracens both because they might thereby shew and testifie that they were descended of the lyne of Sara who was Mystresse and not of Agar the handmaid as the Ismaelites were and also that they might be discerned and knowen from the Iewes who also had the verie same parentes and were procéeded out of the same stocke and Progenie Among al these the people Scenitae which inhabited Arabia Deserta were most valiaunt and warlike hauing no habitation nor houses to dwelin but wandred abroade lay in Tentes in the open fieldes These insolently bragged and made their auaunt that they were of most auncientie and contended with all others for the nobilitie of their race There aide and helpe the Romane Emperours in their warres oftentymes vsed The Arabians euer had many ordinaunces and Rites such as the Hebrewes had and do yet to this day retaine and kéepe the same for as Herodotus and Diodorus two auncient Historiographers affirme they euer vsed circumcisiō and kept the same order of their Tribes and families that the Iewes did and accompt it a heynous offence that a woman should be maried to a man of any other Tribe and familie then shée her selfe is and likewise for a man to take to wife a woman of another linage They inuiolablie kéepe the nobilitie of their race and Pedagrew so that none but of the noblest sort should raigne ouer them Neither hath one the regiment and gouernaunce ouer all but euerie Tribe to haue their proper King after whom his owne sonne shoulde not succéede in the kingdome but the first that was borne of the séede of a right noble man and woman after he were saluted King was kept and brought vp as heyre apparaunt to the Crowne A people naturally and generally geuen to thefte and robberie as all others commonly are which dwell in hoate Countries Many kindes of religion was vsed among them for some worshipped Christ of whose nature deitie omnipotencie at that time whence this our Historie taketh his beginning as in all other places at that time also there were diuerse sectes and opinions Some obserued the Rites and Ceremonies of the Iewes some honoured the Sunne and Moone some certain trées some Serpentes some a Towre called Alcaba which they beléeued and thought was builded by Ismael some one thing and some another In the time of these so great garboyles and diuersities in religions and among suche blockishe and rude people was Mahomet borne at Itraripe a towne of Arabia Deserta belonging to Mecca being by his fathers side of the auncient line of Corah the sonne of Esau or as some say of Caedar the sonne of Ismael in the moneth of Februarie and in the yéere after the incarnation of Christ as they say 560. whose father was named Abedela his mother Emma a Iew borne both poore folkes and of base parentage By meanes whereof his father beyng an Ismaelite and his mother a Iew he was in his tender age by them instructed and taught both the rites of the Hebrewes and the manner of worshipping that the Gentiles vsed His Parentes dyed while he was but yet a tender and younge ladde so that then he was committed to the charge and custodie of one Salutelib his vncle by the fathers syde And whē he came to mans stature he was taken prisoner of the Scenites which were as before was shewed the fiercest and warlickest people in all that Countrey and lyued altogether by robberies and by them was he solde to a ryche Cobbe one Abdimoneples an Ismaelite Who quickly perceiuing his prompt wit and throughly vnderstanding his impudent nature thought him to bée a fit instrument to make his factour into other Cuntries about his traffique of merchandize and so vsed oftentimes to send him out of Palestina where he dwelte into Egipt Which trade of life Mahomet the space of many yeeres exercising gotte great acquaintance and crepte highly in fauour with the Hebrews Christians and Gentiles This Mahomet was of a
trussed vp al his furniture of houshold with his wife went to Cepta When he was come thither fayning an excuse that his wife was sore sicke he desired the king to geue Caba his doughter leaue to come home and sée her languishing mother who was neuer like to sée her any more For Caba with other Princes and Lordes daughters as the manner was at that time waited in the court Hauing by this meanes receiued home his Daughter he went to Mucas who was as before we shewed the head ruler of all Lybya vnder Vlite and vnto hym he opened from poynt to poynt the whole cause of his comming away from the Court and promysing to make hym Lord of all Spayne if he woulde geue the aduenture take the enterprise in hand Mucas shewed the whole matter vnto Vlite because he durste not deale in such a waightye case withoute his will and pleasure first knowne Of whom he receaued this answer that the matter propounded was of great importaunce and difficultie and that it were not best in such a doubtfull matter to geue rashe credite to a subtyle persone and one altogether estraunged from their Religion Notwithstandinge to trye the trust and faithfulnesse of the Earle he was resolued that the matter might be best assayed by deliuering vnto hym a small crewe of Souldiours at the first and if he sped well and had good successe at the beginning afterward more ayde and greater power might be sent Mucas although he were throughlye perswaded by the Earles talke and motion that althings would sort to good effect yet durst he not passe nor goe beyond the contents of his Commissiō prescribed by vlite Wherefore he delyuered vnto Iulyan one of his Capitaynes named Tarife Auenzarca with a hundred Horsmen 400. footemē Who were all transported in foure Ships into a litle Ile lyinge in that Elbow of Sea that the Promontorie Calpe maketh which I le was afterward of this Capitayne Tarife called Gelriza Tarif Vnto this place Iulyan called and by gentle meanes allured all his friendes and kinsfolkes recomptinge vnto them from poynct to poynt the commodities and plesures which by his labour industrie and perilles the King had receaued for recompence whereof he forgat not to tell them the Kinges vngratitude and the spightfull dishonor doone vnto hys house by the rauishing and deflowryng of his Daughter telling them further that the King did vniustly vsurp that kingdome whiche by rightfull succession of inheritaunce belonged to the Sonnes of Vitiza For which causes he desired their helpynge handes in this so good and iust quarell to assiste hym tellyng them that the next yéere he would come with a conuenient army to performe asmuch as he then spake He so much perswaded them with these and such lyke wordes that they promysed hym when time shoulde serue their best seruice and furtheraunce and there vpon retourned home euery man to his owne house Iulian because he would make a beginning of his purposed warre inuaded the Ile Gades liing in the vtter part of the ocean néere to the narrow sea whiche Ile was afterwarde named Alzira Dalfrada which with Sword and fire he spoyled caryinge the Inhabitantes awaye with hym Prisoners and after that shewed the lyke curtesie to Lusitania and Betica and beyng laden with aboundaunce of spoyles and booties returned into Aphrica Mucas séeing this good successe and thinkyng it a beginninge good ynough delyuered vnto hym twelue thowsande Saracenes beside them before vnder the conducte of the same Tarife With whome hee arriued at the foote of the Promontorie Calpe which Mountayne was thereof afterward called Gabel Traife which is as much to say as the Mount of Traif and now it is called Gibel and setting his Souldiers on land tooke by force the citie Carceia which afterwarde euen till our time was called Tarifa The rumour of this great cōmotion being spred throughout all Spaine the kinsfolkes of Earle Iulian gathering together all the power that they were able and feigning that they went to repulse this Saracenicall inuasiō went straight wayes thither and ioyned themselues with him And so all their powers being linked in one they wasted and haryed al the coast about the Riuer Betis now named Guadolouir and commonly called Andalusia or of the Vandales Vandalusia Roderike in the meane season with as much spéede as he coulde gathered a very great Armie and appointing his Cosen Germaine Ignicus to be Chieuetaine thereof sent him against his enemyes Who making many conflictes and skirmishes with them was at length with all his Armie discomfited and ouerthrowne The Saracens hauing made great pyllage desolation in the Countrey and laden with foyson of many booties and carying a great multitude of Prisoners with them returned into Affrica At which time Vlite beyng in Asia and making preparation to warre with Constantinople dyed after whom Zulciminie the Sonne of Abdimelik was made high Bishop during whose raigne the Saracens the seconde time besieged Constantinople For immediatly after his creation he sent Malsana with an armie by lande and Aumar with an other by Sea against Constantinople and he himselfe with a great power folowed after But this his strong and terrible purpose was for a while defeated by Leo the Praetor of Armenia whō they séeking meanes to entrap and deceiue were themselues by him entrapped and deceaued for he stopping the passages conuenient places through which they must néedes goe hindered their reckening Whilest these thinges were in doyng Mucas comming out of Affrica to congratulate and doe his duetie to Zulciminie the new Byshop declareth vnto him the state of their affaires in Spaine wherevpon he being meruelous desirous to enlarge the limittes of his Empire gaue him in commaundement to send Tarife againe into that Prouince with a mightier armie then any he had before Mucas therfore retourning into Affrica the next yeere folowing transfreted with a buige armie into Spayne kéeping with him as a pledge or hostage Richila Counte of Tingis and cosen to Iulian whom he halfe mistrusted Which armie being once landed on the next coast Roderike speedely gathered the powers of the Prouinces néere about And so with the ayde of the people of Gottalonia now called Catalonia and in tholde time Lacetani the inhabitauntes of Iberia now called Tarracon or Aragon the Cantabrians béeyng at this day in the Kingdome of Nauarre and the people of Gallia Gottica wherein are the Cities Tolosa Nimes vnto the Ryuer Rhone he sodainly and vnlooked for encountred with them at the Ryuer Bedalaces whiche of tholde wryters was called Betis néere to a towne called xerez The Saracenes at that tyme had encamped them selues on that side of the Ryuer where Andalusia standeth and the King wyth hys battaile on the other side wherein the Kingdome of Castile is For the Ryuer Betis springing out of mount Ortospeda in the borders of Aragon and runnyng into the Ocean nexte to the Streightes diuideth Andalusia and the Kyngdome of Granado from Castile and runneth
altogether barraine and vnfruitful but that part which is next Spayne is full of trees and well peopled wyth many townes and villages We will therfore beginne our description of them at the Ocean where they ioyne in Spayne to the region called Guipuzque but in Fraunce they border vpon the confines of the Vasconians On the side of Spayne there is Stephans vallay aboue the which are Besaca and Guciutha townes of the Vardulians confinyng vpon the region of Nauarre containeth Cantabria and Asturia then are there other smaller hilles lying out from the Pyrenees within which are conteined Basse and Squa which doe make the vallayes Rocida or Ronus on Fraunce side néere to the confines of the Vasconians is Iean Pedeportesburie a strong well fortefied place Néere to the valley Rocida the arme which before wée talked of is from them let into the Ocean reaching and extending to the mayne Sea through Gallicia or the Gallecians the Asturians But from the valley of Rocida Eastwarde they make the valley called Salazar wherein standeth a towne called Ociogauia then Ronceuall wherein is Isaua and the frontiers of the King domes of Tarraconensis Nauarre which was once called Nagiera Next Fraunce are the townes of Bierne Now foloweth the hill of Camfrank wherevnto in Fraunce is néere ioyning the countrey of Peiraner Vrdos in Spain Villa noua an auncient noble Citie Iaca Saint Christinsburie and Iean Pigniasburie and in the same tract lower is the Mount Aragon Hosca and frō them the Occetanes and Caesaraugusta now at this day called Saragoza Out of the Mount that lieth ouer Saint Christines springeth the Ryuer Aragon and because out of the moūtaines of Ronceuall there springeth an other little Ryuer of the same name called the lesse Aragon or Subordam therefore thys is called the greater Aragon and the whole region lying betwéene them was of them called Aragonia There followeth in the Pyrenees a hill named Gauas abutting on Fraunce syde vppon Larount a countrey of the Bigorians and on Spaynes syde on the countrey of Tenia In which Countrey are the townes Salent Saint Helens and Biesca Out of the hill Gauas springeth a Ryuer named Gallecus whiche hauing hys course through the valley Tenia falleth into Iber néere to the Citie Saragoza Then is there nexte the Cragge of Horca the stiepest and roughest of them all on which on Fraunce syde confyneth the Countrey of Arne and on that side towarde Spaine the same valley Tenia then the Cliues of Tarla from whom springeth the riuer Ara which afterwarde runneth into the ryuer Cinca néere to the towne Iuza hauing on Spaines side the valleyes of Brote and on Fraunce Voteia a valley of Guyenne In the valley of Brote are these towns folowing Torla Brotum Oto Linares Faulum Bresse Sarbise Aierue Laresitalla Scartinum and Giasa Then foloweth the craggie mount of Bielsa from which a part of the Ryuer Cinca spryngeth and the valley of Bio and belowe in this same very tract is the region Sobarbria then in the Pyrenees the vale Gistau out of whose Hilles springeth an other Braunche of the ryuer Cinca whiche hauing hys course through Sobarbria is augmented by receauing into it the ryuer Segre néere to a towne called Scarpe and then falleth into Iber néere Meschinentz The chiefest townes of fame in the valley Gistau are these Gistaine Senias Serbetum Iean Carauelsburie Plannium Poma Gistaina Cerquetum Lamian Catalauigna Badaine Then is there moreouer in the Pyrenees the valley Bonasia and the longe region of Ribagorge wherein are Gabaleria Grausium Benauarre Peralt and Paniello Then are the Hilles of Castrum Leonis vnder whome is the valley Aran or Fiscalia which hath in it these townes Biolla in Fiscalia Lardies Vorastrium Saint Iustus Ligarre Aretiza Sciabierre Saint Olalia Acortum Tricase Abese Planiell Saint Foelix Sason Silues Spierle Ascase and beneath it is the valley named Solana Agayne in the Pyrenees there followe Petrae Blaniae Altalauaccae where there is a passage throughe the Hylles of Torre and of the Countie Pimorent and Pallasium Vnder these is the valley of Henui wherein standeth the Citie Valentia and Palasia then the Clyues of Andoria where there is a passage oute of Spaine into Fraunce wyth a valley of the same name ouer agaynst which in Fraunce is Arachsium in Aquitanie Hitherto the places of Nauarre Then a long Cerdania is the Mount Bellamir the valley Bibesia the Mount Liuia and the pitche of Persa Then they enter within the Countrey of Rocilion ouer against the townes of Puigiualed Caudiese Arotonie Galamij Fanum Perapertuza Eitor and Leocata where theyr precinctes boundes end by the Mediterranean Sea. In the end wherof in Spain there standeth Salses a Castle impregnable hauyng with in it a most plentifull fountaine where in tymespaste stoode the Citie Gerunda or Girona ouer against it in Fraunce is Tēplū Veneris now called Cap de Creux Directly on the other side in Gottalonia other hilles do aunswere vnto it which may be called the lesse Pyrenees or Antipyrenees throw of Rodericke and what hast the Saracenes vsed in the pursuite of their victory tooke his Sister with hym and departed to Gigion supposing that place to be surer for his securytie But when Mugnuza duke of Gigion contrarie to his hope expectation had entred into league and was assistaunt to the Saracenes in their exploytes Pelagius dissimulyng what he inwardly thought and for the time bearyng two faces vnder one hood remayned styll with the same Duke vntyll Mugnuza fallyng sore in loue with his sayde Sister and deuisinge whiche way to frame his plat to enioy his desired lust sent her Brother Pelagius to Corduba to consult entreat about certaine affaires with the Saracen Princes In whose absence bearyng her in hand that he would mary her he had the spoyle of her maydenhead Whereof Pelagius at his retourne beynge by his Sister certefied departed thence with her into the higher Country til a time fitter to bring that to passe which he purposed Mugnuza greatly mooued with his departure tolde Tarifa that Pelagius intended somwhat against the Maiestie of the Saracenicall Empire Wherefore Tarifa sent one of his Captaines with a band of Souldiours if it were possible to apprehend Pelagius And now the Souldiours were come to Brette in which towne Pelagius was then resiaunt who being priuelie aduertised by a Christian one that was with them and knew all their counsailes tooke his Horse and ridinge all vpon the Spurre tyll he came to the great riuer Pionia tooke the water and swamme ouer Whiche they that pursued hym not daryng to doo for dread of drownyng hee escaped their clutches and came with heauy cheere into the Vale of Canica Where by the prouidence of God hee mette with the Magistrates and Péeres of many Cities of Cantabria and Asturia whiche were goyng to surrender and yéelde themselues and their Cities to the Saracenes And when hee vnderstoode the errand and cause of their iourney it is reported
quietnesse he bent his whole minde an other while to the feats of peace the swéet Nource and Storehouse of plentifulnesse and aboundaunce And because he would by his example prouoke and stirre vp the rest of his subiectes to doe semblablit he like a good Householder one fit to be a Prince among the people vndertooke to procure cause so much of the vnhusbanded ground as was neither fit to beare corne nor good to plant Vines to be tourned vp and tylled and manured so much thereof as he thought woulde be sufficient for the expences of his owne Table for the maintainance of all them whom of his méere liberalitie and bountifull goodnesse he had retayned and taken into hys charge to kéepe and sée cherished that is to witt the poore diseased impotent people vnto whom he assigned houses and Hospitalles and appointed also certaine Granaters and ouerseeers such as were trained vp had the skil of Tillage and Vine planting Which officers layed vp yéerely in his Storehouses and Graners great prouision and store of the ouerplus of the corne He also had aboundantly store himselfe with Oxen Kyne Horses Shéep Swine and with diuers kindes of same Byrdes by whom he yéerely receiued great encrease and profyte This not onely did he himselfe but also by his example occasioned others of the Péeres and Nobilyty his Cosins and Allyes to doe the lyke so that euery one hauinge of his owne competentlie whereon to liue the Communaltie should not be oppressed nor the inferiour sort by sorce and extortion of the richer impouerished with any intollerable Tributes Assessements and Paymentes By this means the Romane weale publique was scowred and cleane purged from all notable exactions and bribing pyllages insomuch that within fewe yéeres space euerye man had his Barnes and Cellers full stored and stuffed with Corne and Wine and such encrease of cattel Hens and other homish Foules that the high waies and strets Stables and Shéepe cotes Houses and Gardens were vneth hable to holde them This golden state and blessed felicitie was héereby also the more augmented for that the Turkes were within themselues merueilouslie pinched and afflicted with great hunger dearth and penurie of Corne whereby it came to passe that all their Golde Syluer Iuelles and precious Wares through this godlye forcaste and diuine wisedome of the Emperour came into the hands and possession of the Romanes for then might a man haue séene them faine to choppe and chaunge their rich Wares for a litle bread Corne to sustaine themselues withall and euery Byrde Oxe Cow or Kidde was solde at an excessiue price All the wayes were pestered full of Turkysh Women and Children of the Turkish Nacion cōminge to and going from the Romane Prouinces The Empresse also of the ouerplus of Hennes egges for they were not possible to be all spent in her house and Famylie at that time solde at a very high price daylye to the Turks had got together in short space such an incredible Masse of Money as was sufficyent to pay for a most rych Crowne of Goulde set full of orient Pearles and precious Stones whiche for that cause the Emperours called and tearmed Ouata because it was bought with Egge Money so in short time the Emperour enriched himself and all his Subiectes with Wealth excéedinglie During this while the Tartarians vnder the leadinge of their Capitaine Baydo marching and making impressions into the frountiers of the Turkishe countries the Sultan of Iconium leuying as great a power as hee was able of all Nacions for he had then with him of Greekes and Latines that is to wit of Italians Germaines and Frenchmen two Cohortes or Bands Ouer the Gréekish band was Capitaine one Iohn Liuitnada a Cyprian borne or as some say one Paleologus who earst had reuolted from the Emperoure and ouer the Latines was Boniface Moline one of the nobilitie of Venice euerie man being braue in apparell well apointed with Penons and flages of their owne Armes With these couragious personages marching against the Tartarians he met with them in a place neere to the Citie Arscor in the great Armenia called Cosdrach The Tartarians so sone as the espied this straung Army apparailed contrarie to the guise and fashion of that countrey supposing some greater ayd and succour had bene sent vnto them were merueilously dismayd astonied and if one of the Sultane his Kinsmen for an olde gruge had not in the beginning of the battaile fled vnto their side with a great crew of pertakers thei wold haue tourned their backes and fled But the occasion therof was the cause at that time of the Turkes ruyne and ouerthrow afterward almost brought al their kingdom principalytie in subiection to the Tartarians For the Tartarians obtaining the vpperhand victorie in this conflict neglected not the oportunitie good chaunce that Fortune now offered them but passed the riuer Euphrates and subdued Syria as far as Palestina Arabia Wher after thei had assessed yéerely tributes vpon the remnaunts of the Syrians Arabians Phaenicians they laded themselues with many rich booties spoyles returned againe into the orient But the next yéere folowing thei passing Euphrates againe tooke their way Northwarde into Cappadocia went as far as the riuer Thermodoon and taking Iconium the chiefe Citie that belenged to the Turkes Azatine the Sultane beynge banished with his Brother Melecke fled for succour to the Emperour Michael Paleologus whom not long before in like case and respect fléeing vnto him for comforte and aide he had pleasured honorably and entertained with all poinctes of princely curtesie And putting him in remembraunce of his former fréendship shewed vnto him in his néede distresse and vnfolding before him the pitifull plight of thys hys present state and calamitie instantly requested him eyther to ayde him against his Capitall foes the Tartarians or else to assigne him some péece of ground or odde corner as it were a colonie where he his people might repose themselues in some more ease and securitie for he had brought with him his Wyues and Children and many Seruauntes with much wealth and Richesse The Emperour for that he was on euery side encombred and wrapped in Warres would in no wise diminishe anye part of his own power and as for the assignement of any part of his Countrey to such a great Potentate as had beene a mightie Monarch and Prince ouer many Prouinces and also from his tender age euer brought vp in Princely pompe and stately preheminence he iudged a thing very daungerous For he considered and wysely imagined that the Lordes and nobilitie which were vnder his rule and authoritie would séeke their Lorde and Maister where euer he should be and that his people being scattered and dispersed in diuers places like the wandring Planetes in the night would flocke together and concurre to him that goeth before them with a Linke and leadeth the way So would they come running
into a gréeuous sicknesse and maladie insomuch that he saw himselfe not like any longer to liue and fearing least his Sonne Caceme beinge a younge man woulde after the death of him deliuer these young Orphans and fatherlesse Children to Rocene which raigned after his Father Iacob furnished them with money Horse and Guides néedfull for their iourney and sent them home againe to their Mother and Kinsfolkes These Orphans being enformed of their state and noble byrth and by what meanes they had béene preserued which thing before that present thei knew nothinge of their Kinsmen Adherents and fauorers for their fathers sake flocking in from euery part vnto them Ismael the elder of the twaine whose wit was both more pregnant and déeper then his Brothers drawne therto by destiny naturall zeale openlie before his fréends protested that he would neuer rest till he had reuenged the murder and death of his father and after he had made certaine roades into the Marches and Precinctes of the Georgians his power also daylie encreasing he named himselfe Protectoure of Ali his doctrine and defendour of all his authorities and therwithall denounced open Warre vpon Rocene King of Persia and all his pertakers And because he had xij Brothers which contended with him for the succession of the Crowne he flew him and al the rest sauing only Marabeck This Marabeck fledde to Solyman Prince of Turks and requested his ayde wherupon ensued much trouble and great Warres betwéene the Othomannians and Sophians But before he had obtained any ayde of the Turkes to succour him Ismael had wonne not onely al Persia but also atchieued and won many notable victories of the Tartarians And thus the Saracenes expulsing the Turks began agayne to raigne in Persia in the yéere after the natiuitie of our Sauiour Christe 1500. and there do raigne tyll this day And the Turkes with all their powers together hauing conquered all the Romane Prouinces in Asia as farre as the Sea distributed and cast lottes for the same among themselues in which distribution and Lotterie the maigne countrey of Phrygia as far as Philadelphia and néere to Antioch situate vpon the riuer Meander fell vnto Carman Alisure whereof the Countrie was afterwarde named Caramania All from thence to Smyrna and the inner Coast of Ionia happened vnto one Sarcane Magnesia Priene and Ephesus were allotted vnto Sasan From Lydya and Aetolia to Mysia situate by Hellespont Calames and his Sonne Cerasus enioyed From the riuer Sangar to Paphlagonia the Sonnes of Armurius parted among them All within Olympus and the whole Countrey of Bythinia fell vnto Atman otherwise named Othoman of whose race the Emperours of Turkes which euer since and now at this day raigne in Turkye and lineally descended in the yéere of our saluation 1300. Albert the firste of that name descended of the house of Austrich being then Caesar and Emperour of Germanie And from this Othoman Laonicus Chalcondyla an Athenian Paulus Iouius and other both Gréeke and Latine Turcographers doo beginne their Histories wherfore to auoyd tediousnes least after Homere wee shoulde seeme to write an other Ilias héere we make an ende FINIS ¶ A Summarie or breefe Chronicle of Saracens and Turkes continued from the birthe of Mahomet their first péeuish Prophet and Founder till this present yeere 1575 MAhomet the Sonne of Abedela and Emma of the ligne of Ismael was borne at Itraripe in Arabia in the time that Maurice was Emperoure and Gregory the first Pope of Rome Mahomet patched together his Alcorane a Booke containing his pestilēt doctrine grosse opinions through the instinction and procurement of two hereticall Monkes Iohn of Antioch and Sergius of Italy And therewith seducing the light brayned Arabians and other fickle minded people of Asia called them Saracens At the age of xl yéeres he dyed and was burried in Mecha a Citie of Persia Hierusalem after it had bene besteged by the Saracens the full space of two yéeres was taken and spoyled All Syria ouerrunne and wasted by the Saracenes The Saracenes reuolted from the Emperoure of Romanes Antioch destroyed by Saracenes Damascus taken Phaenicia inuaded and Egipt subdued The Saracenes wanne the greatest part of Africa and layed it to their Empyre The moste Noble I le of Rhodes inuaded by the Saracenes and taken out of whiche they caryed awaye with them great abundaunce of Golde and a Noble Image of the Sunne called a Colosse whiche was in height 110. foote The Brasse therof being solde to the Iewes was as much as 900 Camelles coulde carye away They practyzed outragious Pyracie on the Aegean Sea and did much harme to the Isles called Cyclades The Saracens discomfited Olympius the Exarch of Italy with all his Hoast in Sicilie Constantine the fourth entred into league with Muchamed King of Saracens vpon condition that the Saracens shuld pay a great Summe of Gold to the Romanes with a goodly Horse and a Childe of noble byrth The Saracens rushed into Sicilie and after they had taken Syracuse and wasted the whole Countrey they returned backe to Alexandria Constantinople was besieged by the Saracens vnto which they gaue sundry assaultes but al in vaine wherefore they shipped themselues entending to haue returned home but the greater part of them through Shipwracke perished by the way The Romanes ouercame the Saracens and slewe of them 30000. Peace the second time was made betwene the Romanes and the Saracens for xxx yéeres vpon condition that the Saracens should pay yéerely to the Romanes 3000. li. of Gold 50. noble Prisoners and as many Horses The Saracens in the reigne of their King Ammirath inuaded Africa and Lybia caryed away many spoiles After the death of Constantine the Emperour Iustinian entred into league with the Saracens vpon these conditions that they shoulde restore vnto the Empyre Africa and Lybia and pay euery day for the space of ten yéeres a thousande Crownes a Horse and a Childe of noble byrthe in the name of a Tribute Iustinian breaking this League and ioyning battayle with the Saracens receyued at theyr handes much harme and great ouerthrowes The Saracens putting the Romanes to flight greatly enhaunced their name and authoritie contrariwise the dignitie of the Romanes therby greatly decayed Abimelech King of Saracens inuading Africa enioyed not his victory there long The Romans spoyling Syria discomfited 200000. Saracenes While Iustinian and Leontius were striuing for the Empire the Saracens againe inuader 〈◊〉 The Saracens sayling out of Lybia thus yéere set first foote into Spaine wasting Aragon Betica and Lusitanie The Saracens of Asia landed at Constantinople with 300. Saile and fiercely besieged the same both by Sea and lande The same yéere in Bulgaria there were slaine 22000. Saracens Zulcemō King of Saracens dyed in his Camp before Constantinople in whose place succéeded Amirath During this Siege of Constantinople many of the Saracens dyed of famyne plague and colde They that remained alyue meaning to retourne home by tempest on the Sea and Lightening perished being
wounded The Maister of the Rhodes at this Siege for the Christians was the valiaunt Peter Dabuson The same yéere the Turke with a great Nauie inuaded Puell and by Acomate one of his Capitaines wanne Otronto a goodly large and populous Citie standyng vppon the Sea and put all the Inhabitauntes to the Sworde In this yeere also 6000 Turkes were slaine at the Citie Mantinea in the kingdome of Lacedemon In this yeere also this raging Helhounde Mahomet the Great Turke first of all others tooke vpon him the name of Emperour Hee wanne from the Christians two flourishing and Noble Empyres Constantinople and Trapezunce twelue Christian Kingdomes and CC. cities After which sundry conquestes he yéelded vp his blasphemous soule and payed his debt to nature to the great relaycing aswell of his enemies as of his owne people because of the horrible vnspeakeable iorueltie without respecte aswell to fréendes as foes most rigorouslye shewed Baiazeth the viij Emperour of Turkes appeasing all ciuile dissensions and domesticall discorde at home chased his brother Zizime out of all Turkiâ— and was himselfe enstalled in the Empire The same yeere Ferdinando King of Naples sent his Sonne Alphonse with an Armye who recouered from the Turkes the Citie Otronto before wonne by Mahomet Also this yéere Iohn Castriotte the Sonne of Scanderbeg assembled a power and recouered his enheritaunce that was by force taken from his father by Mahomet The same yéere also Stephan Vamoda and King Matthias wanne from the Turke the higher couÌ„trey of Mysia which now is called Bosna Baiazeth often ioyning battaile with the Sultan of Aegypt had the worse and in the ende was glad to make a league with him The Turkes inuaded and wanne Walachia 〈◊〉 Brother to this Baiazeth the Great Turke liuing an exile in Rhodes whither he fled for scare of the sayd Turke his brother was this yéere sent to Rome to Pope Innocent the viii And after a certeyne time of abode there was poysoned together with Alexander the Pope his Sonne Ferdinando king of Spaine with x. M. Horsemen and fifty thousand footemen wan from the Saracen Moores the kingdome of Granado and chased them vtterly out of that Countrey beyond the Sea. This Turke Baiazeth with a great power both by Sea and Land inuaded the Inhabitaunts of the Hils in Greece called Ceraunij and all the frée Corporacions of Epyre and them subdued to his Turkish Empyre The same yéere Matthias Kinge of Hungary conquered a strong Holde from the Turkes called Sabatrum whereby his Countrey lyued in more quietnesse and out of â—eare A mightye Armye was sent into Hungarie vnder the leading of Cadume Bassa by whom were slayne vii M. Hungarians and for testimony of this spoyle and ouerthrow géeuen to the Christians they sent many Christian mens Heades with their noses cut of and in lothsomâ— wise disfigured to Constantinople The Turks rushing into Croacia were put to flight by Maximilian The Turke warred against the Venetians spoylinge with fire and Sword the Countrey Dalmaâ—ia â—â—aryed away with him great prayes In Foriulij also he coÌ„manded aboue 4000. men to be beheaded because he coulde not cary them away with him by reason of a great deluge of the riuer there The Citie of Venice for dread of hym was in great perplexitie and feare The Turkes wanne this yéere Modona and Corona two cities of Peloponese The Citie Methon was by the Turkes wonne from the Venetians vpon S. Laurence daye Baiazeth commaunded the Byshop of that place to be beheaded in hys sight and killed the Townesmen euery one and for the most part consumed all the Houses with fire By lyke misfortune also the sayd Venetians lost Naupactum and Dyrrhachium Certayne Kings Princes of Christendome fréends and fauorers of the Venetian state ioyned their Nauye with the Venetian Fléete ouer the which Benedict Pisaure was Admirall and spoyled the Iles of Aegina and Zacynth inuaded Leucas and Cephalenia tooke the I le of Neritus at this day called Sainct Maures Ilande and reskued Nauplia The Turke greatly fearing his owne state by reason of the brute and rumour that went vpoÌ„ Elias the Prophet of Persia commaunded aboue CC. Houses in Constantinople with all the Inhabitauntes therein to be burnte This Prophet was in such credit and estimation among the People that aboue CL. thousande men leaned to his Sect and folowed after hym in Campe. His Tentes were excéeding rich and gorgeous and all thinges among them were common The same yéere the Turke entred into League and concluded peace with the king of Hungary and the Duke of Venice The King of Spaine in Mauritania Caesariensis wan Mayneport from the Saracenes The Sophie of Persia vanquished chased and slew the Turkes in Asia Grane a populous and wealthy citie of Africa this yere was wonne by the Spaniardes The Spaniardes by force of Armes conquered Bugia in Africa Zelime youngest Sonne to Baiazeth the great Turke rebelliously and most vnnaturally lay in wayt to kill his olde Father expelled him out of his kingdome in his olde dayes with all his Brothers and Kinsmen At length he caused his Brothers and their Children to be strangled and by a certayne Iew whom for that intent he had hyred he caused his sayd father to be poysoned This Zelime by the factious election of his disordered doultiours and affectionate Rakehelles was chosen and annoynted the ix Emperoure of Turkes Acomathes the brother of Zelime being ayded by the Persians warred against his Brother but Fortune so frowned on him that he was strangled Zelime concluding a peace renewinge League with the Venetians and Hungarians made sharpe Warre vppon Ismael the king of Persia him neere to a towne called Chalderan vanquished and put to flight And tooke Taurum the chiefe Citie of his kingdome somtime called Artaxata without any resistaunce or bloudshed Hee waged fresh warres against Aladule Kinge of Cappadocia and taking his chiefe Capitaine in the chase cut him shorter by the head and sent his head to Venice for a Trophée or signe of his victory This bloudy Zelime discomfited Campsor the Sultane of Aegypt with all his power and slue the Sultane hymselfe in the chase And folowing his good fortune and prosperous successe in this battayle conquered and annexed to his Empyre Alkaire and Alexandria two goodly embatteled Cities and all Aegipt beside He also wanne Damascus the large and renowmed Citie of Syria Hee made a passage or a Brydge of Shippes ouer the riuer Nilus to the intent hee might pursue and coape with Tomombey the new Sultan of Aegipt Whom by treason hee tooke and after all kindes of most cruell tormentes and spightfull contumelies commaunded hym to be hanged Charles Kinge of Spayne draue out of his Realme the Marranes which were a remnaunt of the Saracens and slue welnéere of the Barbarians .40000 Zelime the Great Turke was this yéere as he had well deserued murthered in that place where before he had moste vnnaturallye and rebelliouslye persecuted hys Father After him succéeded his Sonne
the coulour of warfare into far Countries There raigned at that time in Persia a King named Cosdroes who had maried the daughter of Maurice the Emperour called Marie at whose instāce persuasiō he was contented to be Baptized and so long as his father in law liued vsed himself most friendly toward all the Christians was vnto them very curteous liberall But after that he was traiterously slaine by Phocas who succéeded hym in the Empire Cosdroes detesting the disloyal treacherie falsehod of them which had elected such a wicked man as Phocas polluted with the bloudie murther of his liege Lorde and Soueraigne to be their Prince reputing them as Accessaries to the same horrible acte and conspiracie prepared a great armie at the instigation and procurement of his wife to reuenge the death of his said father in law And the more was he emboldened so to do because he wel ynough perceiued Heraclius for Phocas was slain within a while after to bée altogether lulled in securitie and to lye quietly at home without attempting any thing against the Barbarous Nations which with fire sword on euery side despoiled Italie and the Romane Empyre Wherevpon with a huige and populous armie he enuaded the frontiers of the Empyre and subduyng by fyne force all the South partes of Asia entred into Aegipt and tooke Alexandria and yet not contented went further and conquered Carthage withall Affrica And when he had taken good order for the fortefying of that Countrey with strong garrisons he retyred backe to Alexandria wasting Syria and Iurie Heraclius being not a litle netteled with these iniurious dealings of Cosdroes sent vnto him for peace which when he coulde not obtaine at his handes rather enforced and driuen by necessitie then drawne to it by any goodwyl in himselfe leuied an army in which he also had retayned the Arabian Scenites with whom some say that Mahomet was and that in a battell wherein Cosdroes side was discomfited he was sore wounded by a common Souldier named Turcus And when Heraclius had many times ioyned battell with Cosdroes and in diuers conflictes put him to the foyle at length he so much crushed his power that he was glad to fly beyonde the riuer Tigranes where he proclaymed his yonger sonne called Medarses Successour and heyer apparaunt to his Crowne dishereting and not regardinge his elder sonne Sirochis a younge Gentleman of great hope and towardnesse Whose heart not paciently brookyng this contumelious and vnnaturall dealyng secretlye conspyred with Heraclius to betray both his Father and his Brother Medarses whom his father had so vnkindly preferred before him with al their richesse and princelye furniture And promised further to discampe and remooue out of all the Romane Prouinces such Garrisons as his Father had placed there conditionallye that hee might enioye the Kingdome of Persia and a firme peace infringiblie to be kept betwéene both Empires In this poyncte Heraclius beynge a Christian Prince was nomore ashamed to delyuer the Kingdome of Persia to a wicked and rank rebellious person Traytor to his owne Father and Brother being now throughlye weakned with the losses of so many vnluckye battailes and now most certainly in his own hands specially the King himself trusting to his leggs and fléeing if he could haue vsed his good fortune victory when it was offred vnto him and to buy a dishonorable cowardly peace by consenting to such a wicked déede then that wicked Barbarian disloyal yonker was by such vndue detestable meanes to pul the kingdom frō thē to himself Such desire of principalitie reigned in the one so great loue slouthful idlenes in the other Cosdroes therfore and Medarses with their wiues being aprehended and brought backe from whence they were fledde were cast into prison and within awhile after by the commaundement of Syrochis both put to death In whom appeared a cruell example of Fortunes variablenesse A goodly president and warning for Princes to marke and consider vpon in nominating their Successoure that they at no hand reiectinge the stout and valyaunt elect and choose tender weaklynges and effiminate Meycokes For nothing so soone moueth a noble and firce heart to furious impacience and indignation as beyng stout and couragious to be reiected and not accompted of among his owne friends All things in Persia by means of this League appeased and set in order and Syria and Ierusalem with the other Prouinces restored to the Romane Empire Mahomet accompanied with a pompous traine met with Heraclius in his returne whomwarde from these warres and of hym desired some Countrye for hym and his Souldiers to inhabite in which sute and request at the Emperours hands he obtayned Not long after it happened that when the Souldiours were paide their wages the Arabians repyned and founde themselues agréeued that they were defrauded and cut shorte of their due stipende and ordinarie allowance Whiche comming to the eares of the chiefe Paymaster he more rashly and arrogantly then wisely and consideratly answered that there was skantlie innough to pay the Roman and Gréeque souldiours much lesse for such a rascal company of Dogs as they were Which words within awhile after were almost the subuersion and ruine of all Christendome insomuch that euen tyll this day they beare a grudge of reuengment for this iniurie in their mindes against vs Such a heape of mischieues many times doth the ouerthwartinge wilfulnesse of one rashe person bréede speciallie when stout and warlyke fellows shynk themselues apparantly iniuried For the Arabians swellyng with anger and incensed with fell disdaine for this reprochfull and open contumelye departed into Syria and ioyned themselues to Machomettes traine and faction Wherat Mahomet glad to see his power thus increased went the fourth time against Mecca determining with might and maine to besiege it The Magistrats of Mecca perceiued well ynough his purpose and what he pretended wherefore with greater preparation and stronger power then before the whole body almost of the Citie bent themselues to repulse his inuasion Betwéene whome there was at the riuer of Bredine a sore and terrible conflict wherein Mahomet got the victory and slue of the nobilytie and chief Citizens of Mecca beside a very great number of the Communalty thrée hundred persons in somuch that at this battell the whole nobillytie of Mecca were in maner all slayne And so Mahomet like a triumphant Conquerour entred and tooke possession of the faire Citie of Mecca fortefiyng the same with a garrison of his owne appoyntment after departyng with his army thence he layd séege to Hunaimum and wanne it deuidinge the spoyle thereof which was very great among his Souldiers After that he besieged Tarsus which Citie after he had all in vaine battred the space of a whole month he raysed his séege and retourned into the maigne Countrye of Arabia and tooke firste Itraripe otherwise called Ietripe and after that Medina a Mart towne well peopled with wealthy Iewes And grauntyng the spoyle
Emperor that he would not infringe the League betwéene them concluded at length bent all his power againste the Greeques which inferred warre vpon hym againste the Lawes both of God and man and ouer his army he appoynted for Generall one Muamates Who findinge the Greeques at Sebastonople hanged the Tables of the League vpon a Speare poynt and caused the same to bee borne before him like an Ensigne And calling vpon God to reuenge the breaking and violation therof which were so soleÌ„nelie made and confirmed by taking his holy name â—o witnesse he in good order of battell gave the charge vpon them Albeit first he had corrupted the Sclauoyâ— with money Of whom assoone as the battell was once begun néerehand xx M. reuolted from the Emperour went to the Saracenes which thinge so appauled the Greeques that they were easely ouercome and put to flight and in the chase were kylled almost euery mothers sonne The Emperour Iustinian for he was present himselfe at this conflict dishonorably and shamfully by flight sauing himselfe with a few others in his company assoone as he came to Leucas caused all the remnaunt of the new band of sclauonoys to be put to death and their dead carkesses to bee cast into the Sea Whervpon the saracenes afterward without any damage not only recouered their owne Territories before lost but also inuaded the residue of the Roman Prouinces Sabatius also a noble Senatour and Pretor of Armenia vnderstanding of the wrecks and ouerthrows of the Romans reuolted to the Saracens and betraied into their hands the whole countrie of Armenia Nether did they yet cease to ouerrun the whole East and to leade away the christians into seruitude for y part also of Persia which yet acknowledged the Roman Empire was subdued by Cagian and Muamates with helpe of those Sclauonoy tourning to his side and entring into the Prouince of Thracia spoyled it with Sweard and fire pitifully the Roman Empire being in the meane season with ciuile discords and intestine hatred so disseuered and torne asunder that no man durst set in foote to withstande this outrage The Lord Leoutius hauing exiled Iustinian into the Ile Cherson vsurped the empire and straitwaies sent a Lord of his countrie named Iohn with a nauie to inhibite and stop the violent irruption of the Aphricane saracenes which not content with the midle lande that was graunted vnto them by league for their habitation inuaded a fresh the Countrie néere about the Sea Coastes This man vanquishing the Saracenes in battaile draue them out of the Romane Territories But for as muche as their power and wealth was dreadfull and terrible in Syria and all the East and newes brought by sundry rumours that there was more ayde comming from Abdimelik to the ayde of these Saracens in Affrica Iohn thinking his power vnable to defend and kéepe the possession of the prouince went to Constantinople to fetch more ayde from Leontius leauing his hoast behind him in Affrica But while these things were to slowly purueighed and prepared by Leontius Abdimelik vnderstanding the state of his subiectes in Affrica and sore mooued wyth the late losse by them there sustained furnished out a great Nauie to recouer the Prouince againe With whoÌ„ the Romane fléete thinking themselues not hable to make their part good departed thence into Crete Where the Chieuetaines and Princes consulting together thought it much souÌ„ded to their shame dishonour to returne home hauing thus lost Affrica and left the same open to their enemies and partly moved with displeasure towarde the Emperour which did so dreamingly prouide for the furniture supply of warlicke affaires egged the Mariners to reuolte and to salute Absimar Emperour whom they also called Tybarius He in all hast speeding himself toward ConstaÌ„tinople with an armie and finding Leontius vnprouided without any stop wanne the Citie and taking Leontius cut of his nose and cast him into prison The Saracens forciblie enioyed all Affrica and draue out all the Romane garrisons The most part of them that then inhabited the places of Affrica néere the Sea were of the Gothes lyne This Tyberius immediatly after he was enthronyzed and made Emperour sent his brother Heraclius with a huige armie into Asia against the Saracenes Who inuading Syria pearced into the countrey as farre as Samosata and wasting al the places néere therabout slue néerehand of them two hundreth thousande and taking there many prisoners and great booties brought all the Countrey in great feare of him And at the same time the Princes of Armenia in a sedition killed all the Saracenes which were in Armenia and sending Ambassadours to Absimar receiued the Romanes againe into their Prouince Muamates netteled with these dealinges with a great power set vpon them brought them againe vnder the Saracenicall obeysaunce and burned the chiâ—fe Princes and leaders of the people alyue Then he also inuaded Cilicia spoyling and ruynating it euerie where piteouslie but he escaped not himselfe scotfree For Heraclius encountring with him discomfited a great part of his hoast and tooke the rest prisoners whom he sent bound to Constantinople to the Emperour At which time Abdimelik dyed in the .xxi. yéere of his raigne We shewed before that one Abedramon descended of the Mauronion stock conueyed himselfe into Mauritania in the beginning of Abdimelik his Pontificate and was there in suche estimacion among his people and Sectaries that all the Saracens dwelling in that Prouince reuerenced him as an other Caliph or rather as one greater then a Caliph but for as muche as he entermedled not with any bellicall insurrections and also was farre of Abdimelik did not persecute him so as he did others But yet notwithstanding his name was great in Arabia He dying left a sonne behind him named Vlite who succéeded Abdimelik in the Pontificate was called the Muralmumine in the yéere after the incarnatioÌ„ of Christ .708 During whose raigne Armenia was once againe brought vnder the Romane subiectioÌ„ and the Saracens theÌ„ce expulsed The Arabians making an irruption into the Romane Prouinces tooke by force the citie Mista with many Castles fortified townes and with great booties and prayes returned home Then againe vnder the conduct of Abatius they inuaded Galatia and sacked it miserably and the Emperour Iustinian being againe restored to the Empyre by Trebellius king of Bulgaria the Saracens taking occasion by reason of these new tumultes commotions issued out of Aegipt with a greater preparatioÌ„ power theÌ„ they did before and debellad all Lybia to the Ocean Sea. I call it now Lybia because I haue alreadie shewed that Affrica was before by theÌ„ takeÌ„ which is a part of Lybia to th ende you may vnderstand that I do not speake of a part only which was already conquered but of the whole region For wheras Lybia or the whole couÌ„trey of Affrica being almost on euery side compassed about with water like an Island is on the North enuironed with our Sea on the West
and South with the Atlantique Ocean on the East with the East red Arabian Sea and is ioyned to Asia by a little narow part of dry land lying betwene the vttermost end of the. Arabiā Gulph our Sea yet Egypt which Prouince extendeth frō the Cataractes and fludgates of the riuer Nilus to the mouth of the same together with Aethiopia which lieth aboue it of many old writers yea of late Authours also is not reckened into Affrica And as the riuer Nilus parteth the East part of this halfe Isle that is to wit Aegypt Aethiopia where the large mightie dominions of Presbiter Iohn lye so the riuer Nigir springing as many write from the same fountain and hauing as the other hath his course from the South into the North so this frō the East into the Weast and falling into the Athlantique Ocean parteth and separateth the most wealthie Kingdomes of the Nigrites from it So that the Lybia which we here meane is contained within the boūdes of Nilus and Nigir the Athlantique Ocean and our Sea. All which as farre as it stretcheth from the Weast into the East the buyge Mount Athlas cutteth and seuereth a sunder béeyng at this daye diuided into three partes Barbaria Numidia and Lybia Lybia which in the Arabian tongue is called Sarra that is to say Desert is bound on the Southe wyth the kingdomes of the Nigrites on the North with the moūt Athlas on the East with the riuer Nilus on the west with the Oceā Numidia called in the Arabiā tongue Biledulgerid which is to say a Countrey wherein groweth great store of dates stretching frō the borders of Aegypt to the Oceā lyeth South frō the moūtain Athlas Barbarie from the East to the West cōtained within the same limittes and borders comprehēdeth all that which lyeth betwene Athlas and our Sea. And this is also diuided into foure Prouinces Mauritania Tingintana which containeth the Kingdomes of Marrocco Feze Caesariensis wherin is the king dome of Telensine the .iii. part both in thold time now is properly called Affrica wherin in aunciēt time the Carthaginians flourished conteining now at this day the Citie Affrica Tunice and Tripolis After this foloweth Cirenes which is cōprehended in the kingdome of Bugia At the first inuasiō and irruptiō made into this Prouince during the raigne of Ozmen the Saracens swarming out of Aegypt wan Cyrenaica Affrica But making peace afterward with the Emperour they were cōmaūded to depart from al the places néere to the Sea coastes and so they remooued further into the Confines of Numidia and Lybia and in the raigne of Muauias they againe entring into the Territories of the Carthaginians subdued the coūtrey of Affrica all about the Sea coastes And nowe auauncing forward their Standards they inuaded both the Mauritaines appointed for the limites of their Empire the Oceā the riuer Nigir Ouer which prouince Vlite thē chief Bishop of the Mahumetane sect made Mucas high deputée appointed vnto him a strōg power But yet the part of Tingintana that lyeth toward the straictes of Marrocke was vnder the rule of Roderike Visigotte king of Spaine For the Gothes expulsing all the Romane garrisons were lordes of the whole countrye of spaine from 300. yéeres almost passed acknowledgyng for their King none but this Rodericke who was not onely King of both the Spaynes the néerer and furthér but also possessed all that laye toward the straict Sea in Mauritania Tingintana The Straictes in Affrica hath thrée Promontories makyng two Bayes or Elbowes into the landwarde and in Spaine as many Promontories with so many bosomes or Elbowes of the Sea. The famous and noble Cities by the Sea in Spayne were Carteia situate by the Promontorie Calpe which afterwarde was called Tarifa in Aphrica Tingis of whom Mauritania Tingintana hath his name standyng by the Promontorie Abyle and Cepta called of Ptolomaeus Essilissa The Romanes deuided all Spayne into two Prouinces and sent into them two Proconsulles or Propretors whereof the one gouerned the néerer and the other the furder But these partes were not alwayes of one greatnesse for when as they had not yet the whole possession of all Spayne the hyther Spaine was contayned within the riuer Iberus and the Pyrenee Mountaynes and all beyond Iberus was of the further Spayne which belonged to the Carthaginians But after that they had driuen out the Punique Garrysons out of euery quarter of the Countraie and had got the possession of all Spayne they called that which on the East and south is enuironed almost Ilandwise without Sea on the West with the Athlantique Ocean on the North with the Sea Cantabricum and the Pyrenee Mountaynes exceptinge Lusitania and Betica by the name of the néerer Spaine and those partes which be deuided by the riuer Anas and compassed about with the Ocean as far as to the Asturians thei called the further Spaine callyng that which marcheth vpon the straicts Betica which now contayneth Vandalusia the Kingdome of Granado the which extendeth from the riuer Anas to the riuer Duria they called Lusitanie and al the hyther part Tarraconensis Which tripartite diuision Geographers in their descriptions haue obserued Ouer these thrée Prouinces and also ouer the Asturians and Cantabrians which be on this side the Pyrenees by the North ocean and also ouer the Prouince called Narbonensis so farre as the Riuer of Rhone which was then called Gallia Gottica this Roderike Visigot was as we haue sayd king gouernour at that time when the Saracenes extended the limits of their Dominyon in Aphrica to the ocean which was in the yéere of our Lorde .712 This Rodericke made Iuliane Earle of Cepta descended of the bloud of Visigottes a man of great power and wealth in Spayne and chief ruler ouer a certayne Ilande now called Viridis lying in the narow Sea and many other places aswell in Spayne as in Tingintana his high Deputie and warden in Betica and all other such places as were vnder his rule in Tingintana Vnto hym hee committed the whole charge to defend Spayne on that side from the inuasions of the Saracenes and to kepe the narow Seas This Iulyan had a Daughter named Caba a beautyfull young Ladye insomuch that for her parsonage she was no lesse pernitious to Spayne then faire Helena was to the Troyanes For Rodericke fallynge in loue with her whether it were by force or by fraud for it is reported both waies made a breach into her virgynitie Which vnprincely trick she as soone as she conueniently could vttered and discouered vnto her Father Who dissimuling as though he had knowne nothyng of this iniurie done to him in his Daughter and kéepyng to hymselfe the desire of iust reuenge till a tyme for his purpose conuenient desired leaue of the Kinge to departe the Courtand to go to Cepta because being there as he said he could much better defeat the Saracens entended enterprises Which request obtayned he
within shorte space was so encreased that they which a little before were scantly able to defende their owne now recouered many of those Regions and Cities which the Saracens before had brought vnder their subiection For the Citie Legio at this daye called Leon was immediatly to them surrendred so also was Rota Mansilia Canicas commonly called Cangas Tineum and many other townes of that Countrey ¶ The Second Booke ¶ Conteining the declination of the Saracenicall Empyre till the beginning of the Turkes THe Saracens in the East being in a great phrensie that their Siege certaine yéeres passed layd to Constantinople was frustrate and hearing that Leo by whose only meanes their attempte was repelled was now Emperour leuyed a mighty armie againe and deuiding the same into two parties tooke in hand the same enterprise afreshe purposing then or neuer to bring their desires to a finall effect and conclusion Malsamas the Generall of th one armie transfreting with his cōpanie into Thracia spoyled a great part of that Prouince and geuing a sharpe assault vnto the chiefe citie and Imperiall Seat therof encamped himself on the West side of the same Citie néere to the walles where there is an Isthmos or narow portiō of land hauing Sea on either syde on that part he laid battrie Zulciminie the chiefe Bishop laye before the citie on the Sea with a nauie of three thousand Sayle as many do affirme For the citie Constantinople being both very huige and beautifull and aswel by nature as Arte most strong and impregnable standeth at the mouth of the Thracian Sea Bosphorus where Asia and Europa do almost ioyne together hauing no more but one small streit Sea to part them by which it is emptyed hath issue into the Sea Propontis where there stretcheth out a little Cape or elbow of Sea full of wyndings turnings in as though they were Hauens For which cause the place is called by the name of a Horne because by reason of the seuen hilles of the Citie hanging out into it it hath as it were many boughes or braūches like the hornes of a Hart. Along betwene this Cape and Propontis there runneth a certaine hill in forme like a Cherronese or half I le beyng on euery side almost enuironed with water contayning in length from the west into the East aboute thyrty furlonges howbeit it riseth not greatly in anye height but the ridges and clyues thereof do runne styll a long Propontis On the North side where his forme is lyke a Horne which a litle before we tearmed a Cape or Elbow it hath seauen Hylles annexed vnto it of the which foure do hang out into the Cape and that which is washed with Bosphorus is the greatest and maketh the base of a Triangle for the forme of this Citie and countrey beyng almost a perfect I le is thrée cornerde This hath two Promontories one lyinge towarde Propontis west of Hebdomum the other Northward which defendeth the mouth of the Baye from the iniurie of wyndes and is called Chrysoceras From whiche if a streigth lyne be drawen to the seauenth and innermost Hyll of all which also defendeth the Bay from the west wynde you must néeds include the plaine champaine of Pera now called Galata within the compasse of the Arche made by reason of the continuall ridge and cliffe of the Cherronese The length of that Cape or Bay is about lx furlonges in the innermost part whereof are the mouthes of the Riuers Cydrus and Barbysa the latitude or bredth thereof is diuers and not in all places alyke where it is moste it passeth not sixe furlonges and where it is lest not aboue thrée The streicts of it ar very narrow For on the north part wherin the towne Pera standeth there hangeth out a Promontory into the South named Metopicum and Cyclobium and lykewise an other on Asia side direct lye abutting vpon the middle Streictes of the Baye named Damalicum This Cherronese on the west side where the mayne Land of Thracia lyeth doth seperate this Elbow or Bay from Propontis with a narowe porcion of land lying betwéene the two Seas The bredth of that same Isthmos or narrowe share of Land where it toucheth the seauenth Hill and inner corner of the Citie is fifty paces and further beyonde it is greater Thus in this plot of ground beyng a perfect I le on all sides sauing one is situate the noble Citie of Constantinople once called Bizantium ouer againste whom on the other shore side of the Streict standeth the towne Pera once called Galata whichalso maketh promōtories into the Horned Bay. And in Asia there is directly ouer against it the Citie Chalcedon The entries of this Créeke or Hauen in the narowest places are enclosed and fast shut vp with a great Cheyne which reachynge from the Tower Pharea to the Promontorie Chrysoceras is extended and drawn in length ouer to the Metopique Promontorie of Galata where there is also an other strong fortresse or Blockhouse The Citie it selfe is fenced and fortyfied with thrée strong walles two verye broad and déepe ditches and many Towers and Bullwarkes beside It hath on euery side a playne prospect The middle part of the Citie ryseth vp a litle in height by reason of the Hylles whereon it standeth The whole circuite or compasse of the Citie is about xiii myles This so noble and florishing Citie Constantine in the place where before Byzantium stoode vnaduisedly ynough as the sequele proued buylded and translated the Imperiall Seat with all the riche Ornamentes of the Citie of Rome thither For although the soyle where it stādeth séemed to be a place most fit for an Imperial citie yet the disposition of the ayre and destenie would not suffer this citie to be the head seate keye of the Romane empire For as not only euery Country but also euery citie haue their proper fates maners fashions and rites so they may not safelye be translated or remooued into an other place no although the verye same persons and Lawes bee translated and remooued thither with them For the disposition and temperature of the ayre altereth mens manners which being altered their destinies and Fortunes are also chaunged Which to be true the ende proued apparantlie For the Empire being translated almost into the borders of Asia the Emperors themselues and the Romane Legions were afterwarde chosen out of that Prouince who being infected with their Gréekishe lightnesse and ambition seditiously practized sundry factions amonge themselues and effeminated with the nyce wantonnesse of Asia were not of power to repel the incursions of foraine Barbaryans when as in the meane season Italie and Rome the Maistresse and Castle of the whole earth lacking a head and hauyng lost the right vse of warlyke discipline was made an open pray for all nations to inuade And thus that Empyre which lyke a good trée in his owne soyle bare very good fruict beynge transplanted into a strange aire and ground within short time perished
owne name Calataiub which is now called Calacaiud But he coulde not perfourme his purpose so fullye aboute the rest because there was diuers in sundrye partes of Spaine whiche vsurpyng the Kingdome were obstacles in his waye For whereas Corduba was the head Citie and Seats royall of all Spayne and the Captainshippes or gouernaunce of al the other Cities and Prouinces were distributed and bestowed vpon the noble men of the Countrey euery one imitating the fact of Abdeluzite called themselues Kinges of those places where their auctoritie and Iurisdiction laye Whereby Spayne was deuided into many Kingdomes as the Kingdome of Syuyle Granado Giaen Murtia Denia Sciatiua whiche was once called Setaba Valentia Tortosia Lerida Fraga Saragoza and mani other les places not of so great fame as these which Kinges so long as they agréed among themselues oftentimes afflicted Christendome with great ouerthrowes and oppressions but after that they fell at discord and intestine variaunce among themselues they gaue occasion to the Christians to recouer Spaine againe into their owne rightfull possession Which thing was first attempted as before we haue shewed by Pelagius who vsinge his valiauntnesse wisedome and myracles to his best commoditie and happelye takyng occasion by this dissention and discorde of his Enemies amonge themselues wanne agayne many cities and deliuered sundry townes out of the miserable thraldome of their tyrannie With hym did Alphonsus the sonne of Peter Duke of Calabria ioyne and take parte being descended of the ancient line of Richared King of Gothes vnto whome Pelagius gaue his Daughter Orismunda in mariage and they two atchiued many notable victories ouer the Miscreaunte Moores In the East after the discease of Aumar the Caliph Gizide the Sonne of Abdimelik succéeded and was installed in the pontificate in the yéere of our Lorde 722. In whose raigne there stepped vp an other Caliph and Gizid in Persia whose name was Moalabs Against whom was sent with a great army Masabnak who vanquished hym in battayle and subdued all Persia and thus Gizid the sonne of Abdimelick was the onely Caliph of all the Saracenes who raigned thrée yéeres and then died After whom his Sonne Euelide was created Caliph who entred the Romane Prouinces in Asia and Europa with a huge power but within a short while without perpetrating any notable exployte worthy of remembraunce he gaue hymselfe altogether to ydlenesse slouth and voluptuousnesse Notwithstanding in the seconde yéere of his Empire he sent Malsamas with an Hoast againe into Cappadocia who tooke the Citie Caesarea and Euelite he sent by an other way into Thracia who hauing wasted and spoyled it retourned into Syria About this time néere the Sea coastes of the lesse Asia the earth in the bottom of the sea burned in such sort that at the first there appeared nothynge but smoke but within awhile after such incredible store of hoat burning Pumise stones as though they had bene litle hilles in the Sea swam aboue water that with the same Pumyses al the shoares of lesse Asia Lesbos Abydos and Macedonia were full and the Sea it self semed all couered ouer a certaine Island at that time appeared and was discouered néere the holy Isle After this Euelide sent one Muauias and Amer with an Hoaste of .90000 Saracenes to besiege Nicaea a Citie of Bithynia which being most fiercely and strongly with all arte and pollicie by them assayled the Christians most valiauntly defending and beating them alwayes back with great slaughter and effusion of bloude at length they raised their Siege and returned home without any harme doing sauing that in their retourne they tooke a little Towne called Ateum Afterward the Prince of Gazaria sonne to Cagan king of Bulgaria warred vpon the Saracens in the borders of Armenia and Gradack the Pretor of Armenia Media a Saracene borne being in battaile vanquished and slaine he brought those two Prouinces againe vnder the subiection of the Romane Empire And in the yéere 730. Malsamas with a huige power entred into the Streightes of Caucasus and gaue battayle vnto the Turkes who at those dayes were called the Hunnes Teutazites which is to saie Gentile a fierre terrible people dwelling within those Mountaynes This blouddy battaile continued a whole day and many slaine on both sides till night came and brake of their fight vncertaine as yet to whether side the victorie woulde incline But Malsamas retired into Armenia for he had now concluded a peace with the sonne of King Cagan During all this while Pelagius hauing good successe in his Spanishe affaires against the Saracenes the Tarraconians liuing in the mountaines by the example of the Asturians created Garcias Scimenecius their King in the denne of Iean Pignia called Panouio And within a while after Pelagius when he had raigned .xiiij. yéeres dyed in the yéere of our Lord. 732. After whom his sonne Fafila succéeded who in the secōd yéere of his raigne was in a wodde deuoured of wilde Beares leauing no childrē behind him These kings appointed the chiefe Citie of their Kingdome at Legio which is now called Leon and bare in their Coate Armour a Lyon purple in a Shielde Argent Not because of the name of the citie where their Seate royall was whiche hath his name not of a Lyon but of a Legion of Souldiours whiche Cocceius Nerua placed there but because they fought so couragiously and eigrely for the sauegard and libertie of their countrey as though they had béene most fierce Lyons In the raigne of this Fafila the Saracenes passed into Fraunce by that part of the Pyrenees that was in their possession by the Mediterranean Sea. Fraunce was then possessed of the Frankes a people of Germanie who about 400. yéeres after the incarnation departing out of their natiue Countrey to séeke some other place where to plant thēselues had that part of high Bourgoyne next to Germanie geuen vnto them to inhabite by Aetius a Romane Senatour who then was Pretor of the Prouince of Gaule because he would haue some strong garrison and defence against the Hunnes who were then issued in great plumpes out of their owne Countrey and vnder the conduct of Attila spoyled and wasted Europa if they shoulde fortune to inuade Gaule which Realme is yet of their name called Fraunce For the Frankes were the warlikest stoutest people in all Germanie inhabiting as I thinke that region or portion thereof which is yet called Franconia or Frankland who afterward by little and little enlarging their dition obtained at length the regiment and Empire of all Fraunce in so muche that the name of the Frankes extended very farre But when the Franke or Frenche Kings addicted themselues to an ydle and voluptuous life and degenerated from the former stoutnes and valiaunce of their Progenitours not executing the administration of their affaires in their owne proper persons but exployted the same by vnder officers of their Court and Graund maisters of their Houshold Pipine the first of that name Sonne of Arnolph
Duke of Bauaria first attained this honour and dignitie by subduing and getting the vpperhand of the LieutenauÌ„ts and Captaines of the kings Prouinces who séeing the King to bée a weake and vnwarlike man tyrannically ruled the Countrey according to their own sensual lustes for their priuate commodities Then in the raigne of Theodoricus the second the excellent dexteritie and worthy vertue of Charles Martellus second Sonne to this Pipine was in that office very conspicuous and renoumed throughout all the lande of Fraunce in so much that he was accompted and taken as the Prince of all the people At the same time was King of Aquitanie theÌ„ called Gallia Gottica one Eudo a Gothian borne whom king Roderik made ruler of the Prouince but hearing of the discomfiture of the King his Liege Lord he made himselfe king thereof This Eudo whyle Charles Martellus was busied with other warres in Germanie began to surmise certaine quarelles which brake out into open warre with the French Capitaines of the places néere adioyning to the limittes of his Territories whom going about to defend their titles rightes he afflicted with many ouerthrowes Wherfore Martellus tooke the matter in hande and warred against him And at the same time the Saracens passing the Pyrenees had taken Narbon and in it shewed all kind of outragious crueltie because they woulde by that example make the countrey afraide any more to withstande theÌ„ Wherfore Eudo considering with himselfe that he was vnable to warre at one time both with the Frankes the Saracens and for the Mugnoces a man in great fauour and estimation with the Saracens was his Sonne in law he thought it better for him to make a league amitie with the Saracens theÌ„ with the Christians Which after he had by Mugnoces meanes and friendship brought to passe looking big vpon the matter and bearing himselfe stoute by reason of the aide and succour which they sent to him he inferred much harme to the Franke Nation But when he perceaued that the Saracens fortified with their owne garrisons and kept to their owne vses al such Cities townes as they entred into he begaÌ„ when it was to late to beshrew himselfe and wishe that he had neuer attempted any such enterprise For they kept Nimes Mountpelier Auinion with all the places thereabout in their owne possession Wherevpon Eudo gathering all his power together to profligate and driue them out gaue vnto them battayle wherin he was discomfited Mugnoces by whose meanes and procurement the league and amitie was concluded greatly complayned of the iniurious dealing of Eudo in falsefying his faith infringing his promise accordingly as he had vndertakeÌ„ for him WhervpoÌ„ Abderama king of Gottalonia marching with an hoast against him besieged him in the Castle of Cerdania out wherof Mugnoces for scarcitie of water escaping fléeing into thickets and hillish places fell into the hands of another coÌ„pany of Saracens who tooke him prisoner beastly slew him and sent his head his wiues the daughter of Eudo to Abderama and thus all the traitours of their Countrey within shorte space came to a miserable end and confusion Then Abderama hauing dispatched and ridde out of the way all enemies that were to be feared on his back returned into FrauÌ„ce passed the riuer of Rhone and destroyed many places that belonged to the Christians and made such a slaughter at Arle that a heape then made of the bones of the deade carkasses remaineth there yet to this day in a place called Alies Campi TheÌ„ went he with his army against Eudo who began again to gather more strength make a new commocioÌ„ He besieged Tolose the chiefe Citie of Gallia Gottica in which siege for that the citie was very well rampyered and fortified with Ditches walles and also well stored with Engins and munitions of war and with all sorts of weapons beside a conuenient Garrison of souldiours with all other thinges necessarye theâ—e planted for defence the Saracenes receiued great losse and were well payde home especially by meanes of certayne Engyns deuised by skylfull arte of ingenious Architectes and by diuers other Stratagemes of warlyke pollicie Notwithstanding Burdeaux was then taken and sacked of the Saracenes and all the Inhabitauntes therein both man woman and childe vnmercifully slayne and manquelled and the Temples razed and laide euen with the ground Thence by the confines of Perigot beyonde the ryuer Geronde they made inroades into the Country of Xantongue and destroyed Angolisme and Blaye From thence through Limosin and Poytiers they russhed into the Countrey of Tours Where they spoyled the Churche of Sainct Martine wherein was great foyson and plenty of gyftes and offeringes that had bene geuen and bequeathed vnto it and afterward set it on fire Eudo being sore afflicted with these vnmanerly dealyngs and driuen to great extremytie by the Saracenes entred into league with Marcellus and they two with both their powers ioyned in one gaue battayle vnto Abderama before the Citie of Tours wherein they discomfited hym and all his host In this battayle there were slayne CCC lxxv thousand Saracenes and of the French no moe but .xv C. And if the night had not come vppon them ere the battayle was fully ended the whole route of the Saracenes had bene at that time vtterly destroyed For Abderama in the night season perceiuinge how the game went and what a mortall ouerthrow he had receiued had no lust to tarye and expect the hazard of the next daye but trudged as fast as he could by long iourneyes with those fewe of his companye that were left and hable to folow him to the Pyrenees entendinge from thence to retourne into Spaine leauing behinde hym in his Tents all his carriage and stuffe for a praye to his Enemies But the Nauarrians hauyng stopped the streight passages where their iourney laye killed them euery one The next day assoone as the Sonne was vp Martellus in good order marshalled his army and tooke the Féeld awaiting the commyng of his enemies But when he perfectlye vnderstoode that they were fled his Souldiours fell to the spoyle which they found in the Saracenes Campe most aboundant and plentifull After the death of Eudo Martellus added that parte of Eudo his Kingdome to his Empyre For which cause Hunold and Vaifar the sonnes of Eudo incensinge that part of Gaule called Narbonensis Prouincia containing the Countrys of Sauoye Dolphinie Prouance and Languedock to take parte with them renewed the warre afresh with Martellus And passinge ouer the riuer of Rhone with most barbarus cruelty destroyed burnt and killed man and beast makynge hauock of all Townes Villages Féelds that was in their way without sparing either age or Sexe The chief burnt of which lamentable storme and furious immanitie that part of the Allobroges now called Dolphinie specially felt before Martellus could prouide or prepare sufficient power to go against them But when he was come Visigot departed
animated with so many victories gloriously and happely atchieued they were not afrayde to offer battayle vnto Maruane who had in his army iij. hundreth thousand fighting Souldiours ready appointed in the fielde néere to the Ryuer Zaban whom also with all his army they discomfited Maruane with foure thousand only of his company fled into Aegypt cutting downe the bridge where he passed ouer that his enemies should not pursue and chase after him But Saline the Sonne of Asmuline persecuted and folowed after him at his héeles and in Aegypt in a blouddy battaile ouercame him and thus was all the Maraunian Lynage and Pedagrew expulsed The remnauntes of whose lyne and Progenie which had flourished and reigned so many yéeres were dispersed and scattered abroade some fledde into Mauritania where being wearied they planted themselues and some went into Spaine From this Asmuline afterward that house and family which now at this day raigneth in Persia called Sophi is lineally descended After the death of Asmuline and Cataban one Abubalan surnamed Muamat was Prince of Syria and Persia and Saline of Aegypt and héere began the first Empyre of the Sultanes or Souldanes of Aegypt which haue their imperiall Seate at Cayre For by that name the Aegiptian Caliphes would be called which name Sultan by interpretatioÌ„ signifieth the highest Soueraigne Prince and King of Kings About the same time dyed Pipine King of Fraunce and Charles his sonne beganne his raigne in his fathers steede And among the Asturians Alphonsus the sonne in Law of Pelagius and surnamed Catholicus succéeded Fafila This King recouered from the Saracenes in Gallicia Lucus Tui and Asturica in the Countrey called Campi all that lyeth within the Ryuers Stola Carrion Pisquerra and Duerro in Castulonia Simancas Duengas Amaia Caniciares Alesanium Transinera Supuerta and Carracia in Lusitanie Bracha Viseum and Portum of whom Gallicians compounded together whiche are a people of the same Prouince all Lusitanie is at this day called Portugall Hée fortefied many places as Alaba Ordugina in Cantabria whych Countrey is nowe called Biskaie in Nauarra Rueonia Sarracecasium and diuerse other places as farre as the Pyrence Mountaines And when he had raigned eyghtéene â—eeres he dyed after whom his Sonne Froila was saluted and crowned king This man gaue an ouerthrow to the Saracens which had inuaded Gallicia wherein he slew their Captaine Omar with fiftie thousand others of his company and compelled Ioseph king of Corduba to flée and brought al the region of Gallicia into his owne rule and iurisdiction He beyng afterward by his owne Subiectes murthered Aurelius his brothers sonne obtained the kingdome of whom we reade no notable exploite done against the Saracens and he also dying within short space after his Coronation his brother Silo was made king Against him the Gallicians rebelled wherfore because he might the better subdue and bring theÌ„ to reasonable conformitie he concluded a peace with the Saracens He raigned eight yéeres and theÌ„ dyed After whoÌ„ succéeded Alphonsus the second sonne of Froila surnamed Castus which was in the yéere of our Lord God .780 Against him by the counsaile and persuasioÌ„ of his vncle Mauregate the Saracens made warre Thys Mauregate had promised vnto them that if he myght by their meanes and helpe obtayne the Kingdome of Lyon which hys Predecessours and Auncestours before hym had enioyed he would paye vnto them yeerely in the name of a tribute fyftie persons of noble race and as many Virgins of baser birthe with many other execrable and impious things Wherevpon by the ayde of the Saracenes whiche furthered his pretence and quarell with all their myght and power he forciblie got Lyon with the whole Kingdome thereof and it intrusiuely vsurped by the space of fyue yéeres After whose deathe Vermudeces Sonne to hys brother Vimaran succéeded who after two yéeres voluntarily and of his owne fréewyll restored the Kingdome to Alphonsus Whych when the Saracenes vnderstoode they sent a great armye agaynst hym vnder the leadyng of Mucas betwéene whom néere to a Towne named Lutum or Ledum was fought a terrible and sharpe battayle but in the ende the Saracenes were ouercome and of them were slaine .lxx. thousande beside a great number which were taken Prisoners While these garboyles were in doyng in Spaine the Saracenes in the Orient were deuided among themselues by intestine sedicion and ciuill tumulte For Abubalan ruling in Syria many commotions and vprores were reysed against hym in Arabia by the faction of deade Maruane affirmyng and proclayming abroade that Maruane was not yet deade and that therefore they put on Armour to restore him againe into hys rightfull estate and regall dignitie By reason of which rebellious stirre many were slayne on both sydes and great depopulation committed After the deathe of Abubalan his brother Abedela succéeded who was traiterously and insidiouslye murthered by an other Abedela which aspyred to the Byshopprike hopyng to enioye it after hys decease as hee dyd in déede During whose Raigne and Empyre the Turkishe broode and Nation breaking cat of the Streictes of Caucasus about the yéere of oure Lorde .800 made roades and incursions into Armenia and when they had piteously spoyled and sacked it they retourned into their owne Countrey And the yeere folowing they yssued oute in great Plumpes and fought with the Saracenes so long till manie béeing slaine on bothe parties the nyght made them to surceasse and make an ende of their battaile Abedela the seconde of that name in the eightenth yéere of his raygne dyed in whose place succéeded hys Sonne Madi Who without any notable thing in al his tyme atchiued dyed when he had raigned ix yéeres leauyng behind him for his Heyre and successour his sonne Moyses Who in the second yéere of his raigne dyed and in his roome was created Caliph one Aaron But now to retourne to the affaires of the Occident Ibnabala King of Saragoza being expulsed and dryuen out of his Countrey by the other Princes of the Saracenes in Spayne came into Fraunce to King Charles to implore and desire ayd of hym to reuenge the iniurie vnto hym done and at the same time also Ambassadors came to the same Charles from Alphonsus surnamed Castus King of Asturians to incense and mooue hym to warre vpon the Saracenes in Spaine and to set the Country in good order and by his prowesse to deliuer it out of the clutches of Tyrannicall vsurpers Charles therefore gathering together not only the power of his owne kingdome but also hauinge a supplye of forraine aide among whome were certaine younge Gentlemen of the Danes which profered their seruice to accompaignie him partlie for a desire that they had to bellicall affaires and partlie to shewe their prowesse and couragious stomackes with an Host not very huyge and populous in number but yet competent inough and such as were skilful Souldiours and expert Capitaines passed ouer the Pyrenees by Ronceuall without resistaunce or stoppe of any man And entring within the frontiers and borders of
the Bishop and a few other old meÌ„ all the other multitude commoÌ„ sort they caried thence away with them The Emperour Michael sent out another Nauie wherof was Captain Craterus the Lieutenant of Cyberetes against the Saracenes which rousted nestled in Crete Who with .lxx. Sayle of his owne and an infinite number of Galleys of other Islandes well manned appointed couragiously landed in Crete where he found the Saracens neuer a whit abashed of his arriuall neither refusing by dent of sword and stroke of battaile to darraigne their quarell Whervpon they mette together in a place méete for such a purpose where betwene theÌ„ was fought a sharpe and cruell Battaile lasting from the dawning of the day till Noone in such doubtfull fortune that hard it was to iudge whether part in th' end would cary away the victory But at length toward Euening the Saracens were ouercome and fled wherof many were slain in the fielde but moe throwing away their weapons were taken insomuch that that daye theyr Citie was lyke to haue beene taken and wonne if it had not béene so néere nighte Which night and victorie was the destruction and ouerthrow of the Greekes as afterward shall appéere For being now in their iolitie and pryde hopyng the next day folowing with small labour or none at all to bring those fewe of theyr enemyes yet left a liue into their power gaue themselues to biâ—ynge ryot and bellychere as though they had not bene in their enemies precincte and daunger but at home in their own houses taking no regard to set heir watch kept or any other expedient order obserued Insomuch that minding no other thing but sléepe ease and stouth the vtter ouerthrowers of al goodnes they were set vpon in the dead time of the night snortinge with their dronken nowles by the Saracenes who espyed the aduantage and oportunytie and were slayne euery Mothers sonne not somuch as a Messenger left aliue to carry home newes of their yll spéede Onely Craterus the Captaine embarkinge himselfe in a Marchauntes Craer sought to saue his life But when the Chieuetayne of the Saracenicall Armye after longe séekinge and tumblinge among the dead Carkasses and Prisoners could not finde him knowing him then to be escaped and fled sent in all post hast to pursue and hunt him out Who being taken and apprehended in the I le of Coo was hanged vpon a Gibbet The Emperour Michael hearing these newes commanded Orypha a wiseman and verie skilfull in Martiall affaires to gather together the Praetorian Legion which because euery souldiour of that Legion had for his wages xl Crownes was then called Quadragenaria and with them he spedde himselfe against the saracenes whome he greatly endamaged somtimes killinge them as they raunged licentiously and excursiuely abroad into other Ilandes for spoyle partly breaking out vpon them out of Stales and Ambushes layd for the nonce to intrap them and partly by open conflictes pitched battailes He also cooled the courage and abated the pride â—â—moderate audacitie of them that vsurped the Countrey of Crete At this time there was one Euphemius Capitayne of a certayne Band of Souldiours in Sicilie who not hable to master the lasciuious passions of inordinate loue perforce tooke a virgin out of the Cloyster wher she was professed Nun and had vowed chastytie from her tender age and her by the example of his Lorde and Maister the emperour who also had aforetime perpetrated the lyke enormity rauished and carnally knew against her consent and wyll For whiche impyous acte her Brothers made complaynt to the Emperour with humble request the this detestable exaÌ„ple might not escape the penalty punishmeÌ„t due for such a villanye Whereupon the Emperour sent Commaundement to the Regent of Sicilie that if this were true he should slitte and cut of Euphemius his nose Euphemius vnderstanding what sentence and iudgment the emperour had geueÌ„ against him entred into a conspiracie with his owne Souldiours and other Capitaynes besides and they altogether fled to Ambulak Bysshop of the Saracenes in Mauritania Promysing vnto him that if he might by his help and meanes be proclaymed Emperour of Romanes he would delyuer and bring all Sycile in subiection vnder him and woulde moreouer paye vnto hym a great Tribute Whiche offer and condition Ambulak not refusing inuested hym with the tytle of Romane Emperour and furnished him with a great Armye by meanes whereof he wan the possession of Sicile but Euphemius making his progresse and walkes about Sicile in the habit and stately gesture of Emperour was at the Citie of Syracuse slaine Then began the Saracens to set foote into Calabria and diuers other partes of Italye making therin great hauock and spoyle of whom one Nauy perished and was cast away about the Coastes of Sardinia the other for there were two sent out in fléeinge wyse retourned home Whiche caused Ambulak to conclude a peace with the french Kinge But within a while after Bernard the Sonne of Pipine raigning in Italy the Saracens despising and reiecting the peace that Ambulak had made inuaded Corsica who in their returne homwarde beinge laden and full fraught with booties and great store of Pyllage were in the mayne Sea encountred by one Ermengarius a man of great power in the greater of the Baleare Ilands to the behoofe of the king of Italy maintained a garison ther by whos prowesse the Saracenes at the first onset were cleane discomfited and put to flight and diuers of their Shipes intercepced and taken beside 500. Christian Prisoners in them which were rescued and saued Notwithstandinge all this misfortune and discomfiture the Saracens would rest but coasting about Italie with their Fléet sodaynely landed and surprised a towne in the Coast of Hetruria named Centumcel whiche nowe is called the olde Citie Which being so taken they sacked and with Sword and Fire defaced most rufully From thence holding on their vioage toward Narbon they destroyed haryed and spoyled the Country al about and that doone inuaded Sardinia where they practised all kinde of wast and robbery But as they fetched their vagaries and licencious roades Ermengarius agayne with the power of the I le by hym assembled vpon a sodayne gaue the charge vpon them put them to flight and with great slaughter on their side draue them to the Sea where for hast as they thicke and thréefolde striued who might first get a boorde they were killed downe right at the pleasure and full desire of their Enemies Being thus gréeuously afflicted and hauynge lost a great part of their Nauy they waighed vp their Ankers and sayled into Africa And they which were in Sycile hearinge that the Venetians to gratyfie the Constantinopolitan Emperoure vnto whom that Ile was subiect purposed to send a Nauy against them filled their Bagges and stuffed their powches with such spoyle and pray as they lyked and went their way After this Haido whom Lewes Kinge of Fraunce and the Emperour had made Ruler of
his Souldiours with a vehement Oration and made a way perforce to the place where the Emperour was distressed and hym béeyng nowe wearied and vtterly dispayring of any escape or remedie yet mynding to abyde the vttermost hazarde rather then he woulde dismaye and leaue his Souldiours comfortlesse through hys departure saying that he woulde not by flight betray the lyues of his poore vassalles into the mercylesse talauntes of that wicked generation deliuered and brought out of that daunger not without threates and menaces that he woulde kill him vnlesse he woulde consent to folow him openyng the way and passage for him to escape And the fourthe tyme both the Armyes wyth all theyr powers comming into the fielde without any notable thing done worthie of remembraunce retourned home The fifte yeere Theophilus leadyng his Armye farre within Syria wasting and spoyling all the Countrey in hys waie wanne and Conquered Zozopetra the Countrey and Seate of Impraell which so nettled and chaufed Imprael that he assembled all the power hee was hable to make wyth intent to inuade Amorium the Countrey of Theophilus His Armye mette all together at Tharsus whither when Imprael himselfe was come he sent hys Sonne with parte of his Armye before to skirmishe and dallye as it were in the waye of an assaye with the Romane Hoaste whiche was lodged and emcaped at Dorylaeum thrée dayes iourney from Amorium And vnto hym he appoynted tenne thousande Turkes and all the power of Armenia Who beyng thus furnished and appoynted wyth men and armour and encamped at Drazymenum Theophilus went against him and lodged his Hoaste in a place called Auzin purposing before he woulde ioyne anye Battayle to espie and discouer the multitude and number of his enemyes Armye for that the Saracenes as though they had bene afrayde kept their heades within the walles of their citie was lulled in securitie geuynge no regarde to orderly behauiour nor to the good keeping of their watch the Saracenes all in armure vppon the thirde day after the Siege was planted wheÌ„ al the Romane Souldiours were assembled congregated together to héere diuine seruice for it was vppon a Sundaye setting open their Gates and issuing out sodaynlye kylled and manquelled the Romans on euery side insomuch that the Emperoure himselfe had much a doo to escape loosing and leauyng behinde him all his carriage and prouision And agayne within two yéeres next after the Saracenes entred within the diâ—ion and lymites of the Romane Empire with xxx M. men wherefore Michael meaning to wynne his Spurres againe to be euen with the saracens for the foyle lately taken at their handes leuied an Army of xlv M. Thracians and Macedonians and marched against them Which when they knew by daungerous iourneyes and compendious pathes they preuented his purpose settinge vpon him sodaynly and at vnawares being in his iournay and out of order Wherby he was discomfited and compelled to flée And at that time they saye that Michael had fallen into the handes of his Enemies if Manuel had not venturously entred and violentlye broken into the breast of the Enemies Armye and disturbinge their araie delyuered him from daunger Two yéeres after this Mamume the Son of Imprael beinge Caliph of Syria the Saracenes with an Armye of xl thousand men spoyled and ouerrunne Armenia and all the Sea coastes cruelly At whiche time the Caliph is reported to haue done as Xerxes longe afore did commaunding the Sea to be whipped and beaten with Scourges because it stopped his intent that he could not haue his will to go any further Michael who could not with pacient minde brooke and digest these iniuries sent his Vncle Petrona Lieutenaunt of Thracia with a great power against Mamume Who encamped hymselfe in a certayne place called Lalacaeon and settinge Stales and Ambushes on euery side to surprise and entrappe his foes when aduantage should be offered prouoked Mamume to the encountrie and battayle Mamume being thus beset and on euery side circumuented by his Enemies lyke vnto a Byrd in a Cage or a Déere in a Buckstall was at his wittes ende not knowynge how to escape or shift hymselfe out of that imminent perill And demaunding of one of the Romane captiues whom he had taken Prisoner the name of that Countrey and place wherein he had pight his Pauilyons and Campe and by what name the riuer there harde by was called answere was made by the Prysoner that the Countrey was called Lalacaeon the place Ptoson and the riuer Gyris Whereby he presaged and by the appellacions of the same places for hee was a man well séene in the Greeque and Latyne Tongues and earnestlye geuen to the study of Philosophy immediatly coniectured the those names portended his confusion and some notable ouerthrowe of his people and signified that hee and his retynew should be on euery side beset and caught lyke Fishes in a Net by the Romanes Notwithstandinge he encouraged his men not to quayle and despayre but to stande lustelie to their tackelynge and to determyne with themselues to withstand their Enemies Therfore the next morning as soone as the day appeared well perceiuing himselfe to be hemmed in on euery side he determined to séeke a way and egresse by that part and place which Petrona guarded and therevpon geuing vnto his men a watchword and token to geue aloude shoutâ— all at once there set vpon his enemies But séeing his attempt and purpose to be all in vayne he a litle retyred after a small breathing gaue a sharpe and freshe onset agayne and vsing this order sundry tymes by startes geuyng a blow and away agayne at length desperatly with a vehement violence and force rushed into the middes of his enemyes and was there slayne both he and all his Hoast vtterly His Sonne whom he had sent on rouing and spoyling with parte of his Armye hearinge of his Fathers death and confusion retyred in hast to Melitena But he was pursued and taken by the Capitaine of the Charsian streicts and presented to Petrona This Mamume was surerly a man garnished and endued with many excelent qualities and notable vertues For beyng himselfe singulerlie well learned he cherised and entyerlye loued all them that were learned estéemyng and entertayning them very honorable as by that example following shal appeare which for the worthynesse and commendacion thereof I haue thought good héere to disciphere There was in Constantinople somtime called Byzance a certayne Philosopher named Leo somtime byshoppe of Thesalonica and now depriued from the Prâ—lacie and Bysshoprich therof by reason of a deuision and controuersâ—e touching the hauyng and worshipping of Images which at that time merueilouslye frushed and disturbed the Latine and the Greeke Church Beinge for this cause thence exiled hee came to Constantinople where he hyered a poore Cotage and set vp a Schole professing to traine and instructe such Scholers as resorted to him in what Arte soeuer euery one was best disposed to learne Insomuch that out of his pryuate Schoole
raigning in Sycilie fell at discorde and variaunce betwéene themselues wherevppon the one of them desired ayde and assistance of the Emperoure Who immediatlie sent George Maniaces a noble Counsaillour and expert Warriour with a tall companye of Men to ayde hym But before he could come into Sycile the two Brothers were reconcyled and made Fréendes and ioyninge bothe their powers together to repulse Maniaces from landing in the Islandes sent also for ayde to Carthage But when both the armies were clasped together in battayle the victorie fell vnto the Romanes who gaue vnto the Saracenes a notable ouerthrow and slew of them a great number Which done the Generall rased and destroyed xiii Cities and from thence marching styll forwarde recouered and restored againe all Sycile to the Romane Empyre But in the Orient it was a fayre hap that the Citie of Edessa had not bene surprised by the Saracenes For twelue of the chiefe Princes or Nobles of them brought fiue hundreth Camelles to Edessa euery one laden with two Chestes a péece and in euery Chest an armed souldiour pretending and saying that their comming was to present the Emperoure with certaine rewardes and giftes Their intent was if they might haue bene let in the next night with their armed Souldiours in the Chestes to haue taken the Citie But their subtile stratageme and crafty conueighance missed of hoped effect by this meanes There was a certayne Begger an Armenian borne whiche could well vnderstande and speake the Arabian language This poore Armenian begging the charitable almes of the Arabians which lodged abroad without the Citie chaunced to heare one of them in the Chestes asking an other of his fellowes where they were and immediatlye departinge from them went into the Citie and discouered this trecherous traine to the Prouoste Who by this meanes hauing ynckeling and intelligence thereof left the Princes of the Arabians banquetynge and making good chéere in the Citie and with a conuenient number of Citezens issued out of the Gates and openinge the Chestes kylled all the armed men in the same And comming back againe into the Citie killed also all the Princes and Capitaines of them sauing onely one whose two handes he chopped off and curtaylyng his nose and eares sent him away packinge with a Flea in his eare to carry news home of their good spéede and aduenture On the other side when the Caliph of Cairoan in Aphrica vnderstoode of the losse and destruction of his Armies he went himselfe in person with a greater Armye into Sycile Against whom Maniaces came with a maine power commaunding the Admyrall of his Nauy dilygently to looke to his charge and so narowly to scoure the Coastes and kéepe the Sea that the vanquished Carthaginians should by no meanes escape And then both the Armies grapeled together in a terrible and moste sharpe conflicte wherein were slaine so many of the Saracenes that they could by no meanes be numbred But their Prince escaping out of the Féelde embarked himselfe with all spéede possible in a Brigandine and retourned home in safetie Now Tangrolipix Kinge of Persia hauynge set all the affaires of his Kingdome in good staye and order made Warre vppon Pisasirye chiefe Gouernour of Babilon and ouercame him in many battayles and last of al flewe him And so the Babylonians being subdued and annexed to his Domynions he sent Cutlume his Nepheu with an Armye againste Carbese Kinge of Arabie Of whom Cutlume being ouercome desired by his Ambassadours of Stephan Regent of Media which countrey is now called Baas Prachan to geue him leaue with hys people to passe throughe the borders of his Countrey and iurisdiction Which request Stephan did not onely flatly denie but also armed himselfe and went againste him Notwithstanding he left many of his men and was himselfe taken Prisoner And so Cutlume retourning home to Tangrolipix recompted vnto him his successe in the Median warre and highly extolled the fertilitie and fruitfulnes of that region affyrming that the same was verie easie to be wonne But Tangrolipix being sore offended with him for his late discomfiture went himselfe against the Arabians Cutlume for feare fled away with his company and taking a Citie of the Chorasmiorians named Pasar reuolted from the Sultan But the Sultane winking at this matter and letting it slippe for a whyle helde on his voyage with his whole Hoast against the Arabians by whom he also was put to flight and so comming home with more losse then gaine with the greatest part of his Hoast besieged Cutlume But Cutlume reposing great trust and assuraunce in the naturall situation and strength of the place long time resisted him In the meane seasō Tangrolipix sent Asan his other Nephew surnamed Surdus with .xx. M. wel appointed Souldiours into Media Who rushing with his inuasiue power into the Prouince and ioyning Battaile with the Romanes was with his whole Hoast excepting a very few slaine The Sultan vnderstanding therof and minding to winne his honour againe for so notable a losse and ouerthrowe sent one Alim Abramie with a hundreth thousand fighting men into the same Prouince againe The Regent of the Countrey sent to the Emperour for aide thought it best for him not to fight with the Turkes till Liparites Prouost of a part of Iberia were come with his Iberians to ayde him The Romanes kept thēselues within theyr fortes strong Holdes wherfore Alim séeing that they minded not to trie matter with him by force of battaile assaulted a small vnwalled village called Arzen where innumerable wealthy Merchauntes dwelled supposing the same would haue bene got and surrendred vnto hym at the first brunt in a maner without resistance But it happened not altogether according to his expectatiō For the Townesmen stopped his wayes and passages with great Timber logges threw dartes and other weapons at them from the toppes of their houses and slew many of them Alim after that he had giuen the assaulte vnto it by the space of sixe continual dayes saw the stoute hearts of the Citizens in defending and that he could not conueniently lye any longer at the Siege therof threw wilde fire into the houses which flamed and in euery place so raged that the Inhabitants to laue their liues fled And by this meanes the Turkes wanne the village wherein they found much Gold and store of rychesse which the fire had not consumed From thence they discamped sped them toward the Romane Armye vnto whose ayde Liparites was now come with the power of Iberia Both the Battayles ioygnyng together a lyttle before nyghte the Turkes were discomfited and put to flight whom the Romanes chased and pursued till farre in the nyght Albeit in this conflicte Liparites who ledde the one wing of the Battayle was taken Prisoner and brought to the Sultan For whose raunsome and redeliuerie the Emperour sent a great masse of money and other rewardes to the Sultan desiring him also that a peace and league might bée concluded betwéene them
to be of the best towardnesse and disposition for Warres in time to come whome he brought vp in his Hall or Courte And because they should with the more willing myndes obey his commaundementes and stirre at his becke his fashion was with some cōfectioned Potion to bring them into a dead sléepe which done his custome was then to transport carye them into the place or Gardaine where being awaked they solaced themselues and had the fruicion of all kynd of pleasures for two or thrée dayes space and then agayne beyng with the same drinkes brought on sléepe as before they had bene were caryed out themselues knowing nothing at all thereof And by this meanes it came to passe that afterward they refused neither perils nor Daungers to fulfill his mynde and commaundemetes but were willing and ready to slea and kil whom he would commaunde yea thoughe they dwelled in places distant farre of And the number of them which he had there were about lx thousand Wherby his power and his Successours after him called Sexmountes grew and in such sorte encreased that he instituted the same order also in Syria and had a Lieutenaunt vnder him at Damasco For there was of them as it were a certaine order of Knightes whereof the chiefe President and Maister was called Sexmount and had diuerse officers of the order of this Knighthode in sundry other places The Castle wherein these Gardaines were was named Tigad These Cutthroate Souldiours with murthers and robberies made euery place in Asia daungerous and vnpassable to the Christians But this Castle being afterward assaulted and besieged ful seuen yéeres space by the Tartarians was in th' end by them taken and they within vtterly destroyed This is the Historie of them whom some by mistaking do call Essenes and some Arsacidas as we haue found in the most credible and approued Authours After the death of Tanismanye the Occidentall Turkishe Empyre began to be diuided For one Muchumet succéeded Tanismanye betwene whō and Masute President of Iconium was kindled certaine displeasure and priuie heartburning But the Emperour Iohn Comnenus entred into league and linked in amitie with Masute whose both powers ioyned together went agaynst Muchumet At length for spight borne to the Emperour there was meanes found for a reconciliation and agreement betwene the two Turkishe Potentates Masute and Muchumet which béeing brought about and concluded Masute abiured his former league and reuolted frō the Emperour Notwithstanding the Emperour rased two noble Cities of Pontus in the Turkes possession the one called Castamon and the other Gangre But within a while after Muchumet recouered them again and subdued Iberia also with sundrye places in Mesopotamia And Masute wanne Iconium with other places in Syria But making an enroade into Thracia hee was talked wythall to hys coste and put to flight by Manuel Comnenus The Emperour glad aboue measure for this victorie layde Siege to Iconium but the Turkes set theyr Stales so couertly and brake out of an Ambushe so sodainely that they discomfited his Hoast and he hymfelfe escaped very hardly The Christians in Hierusalem béeyng sore distressed by the Miscreauntes there was a thyrde Voyage and expedition made thyther whereof was chiefe Captayne and leader Conrade Duke of Franconia who with a great Armie of Germanes Italians and Frenchmen relieued thē and méeting wyth the Turkes wyth whom the Greeques had also conspired néere by the Ryuer Meander gaue vnto them Battayle In which terrible conflicte there was a merueylous greate slaughter of Turkes After that Masute was deade his thrée Sonnes parted the Kingdome among them and afterward Iagupasanes and the Sultane of Iconium fell together by the eares for their moyties In th' ende Iagupasanes got the victorie and the Sultane fledde for succour to the Emperour who caryed him to Constantinople with him for a Triumph And heere by the waye I may not omyt to declare a pretie Iest of a Sarracene Icarus This merie felow attending vpon the Sultane and bearing the countenaunce of a Iuggeler at a certaine solemne Iustes or Tyltrunnyng voluntarily went vp to the toppe of a Turret standyng in the Tyltyeard at Constantinople vnder the which Turret was the Tylte it selfe where the Horse◠tooke their races and courses and aboue were those foure couragious and praūsing gilt Coursers which now stand on the toppe of the Church of S. Marke in Venice directly opposite standyng ful but one against another He standing on the toppe of this Turret craked and bragged that he would flie in the Ayre the space of a furlong And hauing on a large white garmēt down to his foote ful of plaites knotted and gathered round to hoouer in the ayre withall he stoode fluttering for winde with his handes in steede of winges and hauing as he thought sored long ynough at length committed his body to the curtesie of the wind but falling downe headlong on the grounde hee bruised and brake all his bones wyth the fall and there lyke a vaine Cockscombe yelded vp the Ghost and dyed Nowe Manuel to th' intent he would bee reputed and thought of the Sultane to be a Prince liberall magnificent and mightie dismissed and sent him away not wythout honourable rewardes besyde a huyge Masse of money and other most precious Wares vppon condition that hee shoulde redeliuer and restore vnto him the Citie of Sebastia wyth the Suburbes of the same But when the Sultane was retourned to Iconium wyth hys money he retourned to hys former vomite spoyling Sebastia and all the places neere aboute it and tooke vppon hym the chiefe Soueraigntie and preheminence of all that Territorie and dryuing hys other brother Dadune out of the Countrey and getting by force the Citie of Caesarea he went about also to supplant and ouerthrow Iagupasan Dadune got into hys possession the Countrey of Amasia béeyng wythout any possessour but it was not long ere he was agayne expulsed and dryuen oute by Clizastlan the Sultane who bore all the swaye in Cappadocia This Clizastlan albeit he called the Empeperour father yet he euer incroched vppon his Prouinces and spoyled hys Countreyes Wherevppon within a whyle after a newe garboyle and hatred was kindled betweene them for that the Sultane likewise charged the Emperour with breache of promyse in sundrye Articles and couenauntes before condiscended vnto The Emperour purposing with all hys myght to bée auenged of his Aduersaries and alreadye conceyuing in his mynde the destruction and vtter subuertion of the Turkishe Nation leuyed together al his olde beaten Souldiours mustered newe Legions and procured all the forayne ayde that hee coulde from any place made a firme League with Baldwine King of Hierusalem and retained in wages the Scythians confyning vpon the Ryuer Ister and thus hauing a mightie and populous Army wyth all thinges in good order and readines decently purueighed after he had made hys prayers to Almightie God the gyuer of all victorye for his diuine assistaunce marched foorth in good order against them
Venetians tooke Constantinople and Angelus being thence disthronyzed the Greekes in Asia created Theodorus Lascaris his Sonne in Law Emperoure who had vnder his Empire and obedience not onely Bythinia and the Regions along the Sea but also extended the Lymittes of his Dominions very farre into the maine Lande and had vnder him all from Caria and the riuer Meander Southwarde to the Sea Galaticum and Cappadocia Northward and cōstituted his Imperial Seate at Nice Which so tickeled and fretted Alexius that he passing the Sea Aegaeum entred into Asia and priuily went to Iathine the Sonne of Rucratine being now Sultane in pitifull plight poore rayment before whō he in suppliant words opened his state fortune humbly besought him of aide succor to restore him to his lawful Empyre and Crowne vniustly by an vsurper detained withholden not forgetting to put him in remembrance of the former frendship which afore time he had shewed horne to him while he was in prosperitie and further promised hym great Summes of money Insomuch that Iathine taking compassion vpon him and mooued greatly with his large promises forth with dispatched Ambassadours to Theodorus threatning warre and destruction vnto him vnlesse he gaue place to his father in law suffred him quietly to enioy his rightfull Diademe and Imperiall authoritie them out of that poore plot and beggerly region which affronteth Persia and the Caspiā Sea almost Islandwise and is enuironed on ech side with the Scythian Ocean and ioyneth vnto Asia by one onely Isthmus or narrow porcion of land lying betwene the two Seas the which is compassed and enclosed with the highe and inaccessible Mountaines called Riphaei as it were with a Wall or Rampier the waues of the Sea sayeth Hayton the Armenian going backe and making way for them to passe betwene the Mountaines and the Sea. And therfore all those Scythians afterward of that Tribe wherof their first Emperor was descended were called Tartarians whose auncient descēt and beginning many as before we haue sayde of the Turkes doe referre vnto the tenne Tribes of Israell whose opinion I doe not see howe it standeth with reason nor wherevpon it is grounded This am I persuaded and this séemeth vnto me most like and probable that the Scythians be descended of Magog the sonne of Iapetus of whom the Scripture in many places maketh mention and that those tenne Tribes were by the King of Persia translated not into Scythia but into Media But howsoeuer the matter goeth the Tartarians in such sort as we haue declared yssuyng and in great companyes departyng from the Hyperboreans vnder the conduct of Cangio whom for honours sake they called Cham which is as muche to say as a most high and Soueraigne Emperour tooke their way downe along to the Sea Caspium In the meane season Cangio the Cham departing this lyfe his Sonne Hoccota succéeded in his place a man ryght wyse and valiaunt and the eldest of twelue brothers Hée sendyng out Gebesabada with a huyge power to subdue and conquere the regions of the Occident and himselfe in person passing the Caspian Streictes Sogdiana Bactrian Oxo and the ryuer Sogdus whiche is encreased wyth many and the same great Springes flowing and running into it wyntered at the foote of Mount Taurus solacing himselfe and enioying the fruictfulnesse of that region and suche bootie as he had before taken This Mount Taurus is the greatest Mountaine in all the world whose ridge top hanging still together without any particion hath his beginning Westward néere the Sea Aegaeum and stretching a long to the Ocean Orientall diuideth all Asia into two parts This Hill is also called Caucasus The next Spring when the groūd was new clothed decked with the fresh attyre of greene grasse pleasant floures they discamped from the foote of Caucasus like an innumerable sort of Sheepe mounted to the toppe of the Mountaines inuading the Countreyes vnderneth them and after they had there made great pillage and taken their pleasure they pearced into India all about the Bankes of the noble ryuer Indus on either side constituting the Ocean for the limitte of their Empyre And there building a Princely Citie called Cambalu most beautifull sumptuous and large and for all pleasure of man the most delectable and pleasauntest Citie in all Asia appointed it to be their chiefe Pallace and Seate Royal. Afterward exployting his warres by Deputies and Lieutenauntes whom he made Chieftaines and Generalles ouer hys Armyes choosing therto such as were eyther hys brothers or else of the bloude Royall some of them went Northwarde some Westwarde and some Southwarde and after they had subdued the Arachosians Caramanians sundry other Nations wonne Persia and thence expulsed the Turkes they then came to the Chaldees and Arabians From thence they marched agaynst the Babylonians and Assyrians and conquering Mesopotamia brought vnder their subiection the Persians Parthians and Medians After this going vp by the greater Armenia with incredible celeritie they ouercame Colchis northward and Iberia that confineth hard vpon it insomuch that their state surmounted and flourished in same and honor excéedinglye Now this mightie Tartarian Prince was purposed to make the Sea on euery side the limits and bounds of his Empire but the pleasaunt delicacies and amyable soyle of the Countrey of India so mollified and effeminated his mind that beinge loath to departe thence he setled staied there and distributed the Prouinces Cities Houses fat Farmes and Tenements amonge his souldiours and people and receiued the Rites Ceremonies and Customes of the Assyrians Persians and Chaldees Therefore as soone as these Tartarians hauinge passed the Caspian Mountaines had sodainly and forciblie surprised Alexandria a citie standing néere the Streicts now called the Yron Gates the Imperiall Sultane of the Turkes greatly terrified and dismayd with this sodayne irruption of a new and most fierce people and fearing lest if he should be driuen and enforced to enter into Warres with the Tartarians his olde Enemies the Romanes would be readie to set on him behind at his backe sent his Ambassadours with full authoritie and commission to the Emperour to confirme and strike an vnitie and peace betwéene them which thing the Emperoure as being encoumbred with Europian Warres was very glad of and willinglye therevnto condescended because the Turks should be as a strong Rampier and Wall in Asia for him against the inuasion of the Tartarians This League therfore with the Turkes was of al handes gladlie embraced and to the Greekish Empire most conducible For whereas men being so long time afflicted with the lamentable calamyties of long Warres bad neither occupied tillage nor bred vp Cattayle it fell out in th' end as néedes must that great dearth and scarsitie was in all the countrey and their Treasuries also with the charges and costes of so long continuance were in maner emtied and cleane exhausted Wheresore beinge now by this newe attonement and League ridde out of the same and brought to
partly cōsumed by fire and partly drowned in the waters insomuch that of their whole fléete which was 3000. Shippes more and lesse there escaped but only fiue This Siege lasted fully two yeeres The same yeere the Saracens thinking to recouer some of theyr former losses wyth a huyge Army entred into Spayne and spoyled all the Countrey sauing onely Gallicia Abidimar Capitaine of the Saracens in Africa sacked and spoyled Burdeaux a Citie of Fraunce and remoouing thence to Poytiers was mette withall and repressed by Charles Martellus Their Captaine and Prince Abidimar being slaine the Saracens for a while were quiet and medled not with any moe warres The Saracenes bringyng wyth them theyr wyues Children and whole Householde entred a freshe into Fraunce as thoughe they had meant there continuallye to haue dwelled and planted themselues for euer Wyth them Charles the Great ioyned Battayle hauyng the ayde of the Frenche Nation and slewe of them 380000. and loste of his owne men onely 1500 Souldiours Charles King of Fraunce by hys valiaunt Knyghthood delyuered out of the handes of the Saracens the noble Citie of Auinion whyche they had before guilefully surprized Charles restored many other Cityes to peace and libertie expulsing out the Saracens slaying Amorrheus one of their Captaines putting Athine another of their Guydes to flight The same Charles by helpe of Luitprand Kinge of Lumbardie draue and expulsed all the Saracens out of Fraunce Constantinus Copronymus Emperour of Constantinople furnished out a Nauie against the Saracenes in Aegypt The Saracens in the East were euer wynning somewhat that belonged to the Romans and layed it to theyr owne Empyre by meanes that the Romanes disagreed among themselues and bent themselues only against the French Kings Charles the Great had a noble victorie agaynst the Saracenes in Spaine Rowlande in combate ouercame a Saracen that often chalenged the Christians Through which Victorie and vpperhande he made the waye the easyer for the rest of his fréendes and Countreymen to wynne the victorie Leo the fourthe Emperour made a voyage against the Saracens in Syria Aaron Prince of Saracens wyth 300000 lyght Horsemen inuaded Nicephorus Emperour of Constantinople and made hym glad to become Tributarie and to accepte such offers as greatly mislyked and diseased hym but there was no remedy Sardinia and Corsica two Islandes were spoited by the Saracens The Saracens wanne the I le of Crete and ouercame the Gréekes in two Battayles The Saracens of Asia rushed into Palestina and they of Africa into Sicilie Boniface Countee of Corsica hauing no helpe of the Chrystians sauyng onely the Hetrurians sayled into Africa and in foure Battayles betweene Carthage and Vtica had of them the Victorie and vpperhand and so feared the Saracenes wyth the terrour of his onely name that they were faine to depart out of Sicilie and get them home to defend theyr owne Many Countreyes receyued greate damage at the handes of the Saracenes and manye Cyties for feare in euery quarter fledde and submitted themselues vnto them Saba Kynge of Moores and Capitayne of the Saracenes wasted Sicilie and all the Countrey about Crotona and tooke Tarento agaynst whom Theophilus the Emperour and the Venetian fleete stoode at resiststaunce but all in vaine The Saracenes inuadyng Hetruria and Latium spoyled and sacked Rome but before theyr retourne home the greatest parte of them perished by Shypwrecke Hauyng wasted Illyrium and Dalmatia they coasted alonge the Adrian Sea and burned Ancona a Citie of Picene after they had taken the spoyle thereof Leo the fourth Pope of Rome compelled the residue of the Saracens to packe oute of the Hauen of Ostia and strengthened all the Countrey beyonde Tyber againste them The Saracens agayne onely for bootie and spoyle brake into Italie and wasted with fire and sword all the Countrey aboute Beneuent by the Samnytes But by King Ludouick and Kinge Lotharius they were put to flight The Saracens renewed Warres with the Persians The Persians through the help of the Turkish Souldyours at that time the Turkes inhabited Mount Caucasus and were called Tartarians ouercame them Euer after from that time the Turkes neuer left Asia and not onely encroched vpon the Domynions of the Saracens but also were called by the same name as they were After the Saracenes had enioyed Sicilie xlvii yéeres they were thence cleane expulsed Charles surnamed the Thicke repulsed the Saracens breaking into Italy Nicetes one of the Capitaines of the Constantinopolitane Emperoure had a notable victorie ouer the Saracens The Saracens inuaded Puell and Calabria At Lyris a riuer of Campania the Saracens as they were spoylynge the Cities belonginge to the Romans were ouercome The Saracens breaking out of Fraxinete came as far as Aquisgrane where encountringe with the Inhabytantes they were vtterly destroyed and Sagitus theyr Capitaine slayne The Saracens spoyled Geane a Citie of Liguria and with great booties retourned into Afryca Hugh King of Italie wanne Fraxinete and burned the Nauie of the Saracens Ramyre King of Gallyce discomfited a great Armye of Saracenes in Spayne The Saracenes committing many murthers and firyngs in Calabria Puell and Lucania by the Knightlye prowesse of Alberick Marquesse of Hetruria were repressed and néere to Minturne in Campania by the Ryuer Lyris vanquished There intentes were to haue come to Rome The Saracenes by force kéeping the Mount Garganus made out of it many Roades into the Countrey néere adioyninge and burned Beneuent Otho the first Emperour of Germanes draue the Saracenes out of Italie and dispossessed them cleane out of their holde in Mount Garganus The Saracenes recouered Consentia out of the which a litle before they were throwen out by the Hungarians The I le of Crete taken from the Saracenes Otho the seconde receiued a great ouerthrowe at the handes of the Saracenes in a battayle fought with them in Calabria the Ides of Iulie with whom the Greekes had stricken a League and ioyned powers His stoutest souldiours and Capitaines being in this conflict slaine he himselfe had much a doo by flight to saue himselfe Alphonsus King of Spaine besiedging a stronge holde of the Saracens called Viseum was wounded with an Arrowe and therof dyed The Saracens deuidinge their hoast into two partes landed in Italie tooke Capua and besieged Barum The Saracenes of Asia tooke Hierusalem Henry the second Emperour of Germanes draue the Saracens out of Capua and persecuted with gréeuous Warre certayne Capitaines which fauored their side The Egiptian Caliph through the ayd of an army of Saracens and Turks which then ruled all the roast in Persia spoyled the Temple of our Lord at Hierusalem Baldwyne after .xviij. monthes Imprisonment deceyued his kéepers and escaping out of Prison retourned to his owne people Dominicus Michael Duke of Venice with a well furnished Nauie greatly annoyed the Saracenes in Syria To the Venetians for their worthy seruice and valiauntnes were graunted sundry great Priuiledges An Army of 400000 men set vpon the Christians and were encountred withall by 3000. Christians who thorow
the goodnes of God slew of their Enemies with the sworde 7000 and 5000 drowned so that the victorye fell to the Christians In Syria the Christians discomfited the Saracens in two notable ouerthrowes in the first conflict 2500 of them were slaine In the other although both Armies were afflicted yet the Christians obteined the victory The king of Ascalon was by Baldwine repressed and the king of Damascus in thrée battailes ouercome After the death of Baldwine the third king of Hierusalem Fulco was made the fourth king The Erle of Tripolis by treason was slaine king Fulco was put to flight by his Enemies and condiscended to very hard conditions to be clearely deliuered from siege The Christians coaped in fight with the Egyptians and were superiours Ascalon was recouered by the Christians Fulco the fourth king of Hierusalē in hunting the Hare and ryding fast after the game through a fall from hys horse dyed after whom succéeded his Sonne Baldwine who was the fift king The Citie Edessa and almost all Mesopotamia was wonne by the Saracens Alaph Captaine of the Turks which now were of great name and power in the East where they kylled without all mercy a wonderfull number of Christiās rauishing mens wiues in the Church of Saint Iohn Baptiste in despight of Christianitie euen vpon the Alter Baldwine the thirde of that name and the fifte king of Hierusalem conquered Gaza and Ascalon and cast out al the Saracens And at Hierico he ouercame and put to flight Norandine Maister of the Chiualry of Damascus and slue 5000. of his enemyes Manuel Emperour of Constantinople with muche ouersight and negligence led through daungerous wayes and desert places his Christian Hostes against the Saracens insomuch that for scarcitie of vittayles and other necessaries they could atchiue no notable enterprise against the myscreaunt people Roger King of Sicilie and Normannes made the Africane Saracens tributarie to him for .xxx. yéeres and tooke their king Prisoner This yéere Conrade the second Emperour leuyed a great power against the Saracens against whom he had in battaile but ill successe Lewys King of Fraunce assembled a mightie Armie to go against the Infideles Out of England Flaunders and Loraine were furnished out 200 saile against the Saracens This yéere Conrade the Emperour passing ouer Bosphorus without anye resistaunce came néere to his enemies but for want of victuals and as some say his corne being corrupted and mingled with lyme and plaister he was glad to stay himselfe and go no further and to bring backe his Armye The Saracens vnderstanding hereof set vpon them behind and slue of them certain thousands The same yéere the French king came to the Emperour to aide him but by reason that his Army was greatly distressed and pynched with famine he could bring no notable atchieuaunce to passe The same time the Venetians with a well furnished Nauie went into Asia to aide the Emperour against the Saracens The Spanyardes expulsing the Saracens recouered Almaria and Tortosa two goodly embattailed Cities The same yeere Damascus was besieged by the Syrians Frenchmen and Hierosolymitanes and the Vamures thereof defaced And when they were euen at the poynt to haue wonne the Citie and subdued the Saracenes the chiefe Princes and Capitaines disagreyng and fallyng out amonge themselues called theyr owne Souldiours euery man together and departed thence leauing the siege Raymund King of Antioch with hys whole Hoast was discomfyted by the Saracens who spoyled all hys Countrey Antioch it selfe by the Kinge of Hierusalem was hardly rescued and saued Baldwine King of Hierusalem discomfited the Aegiptians and Babilonians The Saracenes draue the Spanyardes by force of Armes out of Almaria Baldwine set at libertie and restored many Cities expulsing thence the Saracens Baldwine dyed and in his stéede reigned hys brother Almericke the fixt king of Hierusalem Almericke in Aegypt obteined a noble victorie The same king befieged Damiata but in th' ende he agreed to a peace vppon conditions neither honorable nor profitable The Saracenes of Africa made manye Roades into Spaine Almericke King of Hierusalem dyed of an Ague And his sonne Baldwine was annoynted the seuenth king Baldwine in two battailes vanquished Saladine Kyng of Aegypt and brought much treasure into Hierusalem The Daughter of the king of Saracens being maryed to Prince Pagane was taken prisoner on the Sea by the King of Sicilie in hir voyage and iourney homewarde to hir husband Thys yeere the Christians in Hierusalem were ouercome Mausamunth king of the Saracens with great costes and charges repayred Carthage Baldwine the .vij. king of Hierusalem beyng infected with Leprosie dyed His Nephew Baldwine his Sisters sonne was elected king after him but by frouning destenies he was kepte backe from his dignitie After whom succéeded the .viij. king Guye of Lesingham Betweene this Guye kyng of Hierusalem and Raymund Earle of Tripolis there arose dissension and hartburning whiche was the cause that the Christians were brought into extreme daunger The Christians ioyning battayle with the Armye of Saladine had a lamentable ouerthrow In this battayle were slaine 20500. Christians King Guye was taken Prisoner and the Erle of Tripolis dyed sodainly Hierusalem hauing now bene enioyed and possessed by the Christians lxxxbiij was this yéere by surrendrie deliuered vp to the king of Saracens and the Christians there expelled the second day of October This yéere all Iurie was wonne from the Christians by the Saracens the Cities of Tyre Tripolis and Antioche being with much a doe and hardly kept Fridericke Emperour of Romans with his sonne Fridericke Philip king of Fraunce Richarde king of England with manye other Princes and Nobles assembling their Parliamentes decreed throughly determyned to ayde the Christians in Iurie Great preparation was made for this voyage Fridericke leadyng hys Armie into Syria and wynning the lesse Armenia went in the hoate time of Sommer into the Riuer Selephus to bathe washe himselfe where by misfortune he was drowned Lewes Kinge of Fraunce went with an Armye toward the holy Land with entent to supplant the Saracenes and relieue the Christians The sayd King Lewes ioyning battayle with the Saracenes brought vnder his subiection Damiata a populous citie and curiouslye embatteyled The same King Lewes in a terible conflict at Faramia was taken prisoner by the Saracens with his two brethren Charles and Alphonse Wherevpon Damiata was redeliuered into the hands of the Saracens whereby he saued his owne lyfe and his fréendes and was delyuered out of Prison This kinge was taken the fifte day of Aprill The Saracens lost the I le called Baleares which the Duke of Aragon subdued The kinges of Spaine fallynge at variaunce and discord the one brother fled into Fraunce to craue ayde the other into Africa to desire assistaunce of the Saracens against his owne brother whereby they wrought much scath both to themselues and to their countrey Deadly hatred and grudge fell betwéene the Venetians and the Genoways whereby the Christians inhabyting Ptolomais and Tyre were gréeuously