the third leaving behind him two Sons Ignatius Leopolâ—us and Charles Ioseph the eldest of whom being a minor much canvasing there was about the Election of a Caesar for that by the Custome and Golden Bull of the Empire no person under the Age of eighteen years of which he lacked one is Capable of being chosen to that Dignity Notwithstanding he had been Crowned King of Hungary soon after the Death of his Brother Ferdinand who as was mentioned before Deceased in 1653. with the usual Solemnities which we forbear to recite because mentioned at large before Prince Rakoczi being thus retreated into Transylvania was there again by a Chiaux Commanded to resign the Principality to Radus but he hoping either to make his Peace at the Port with the usual Purchase and so countermine his Enemies or trusting at last to his Interest in the Souldiery and his People and his own Abilities as indeed he was a Prince very well skilled in Military Affairs and of personal Valour and great Spirit delayed any such surrender but strengthned himself all that he could and dispatcht away Embassadors to crave Aid of the Neighbouring Princes against this threatned Encroachment of the Tâ—rks but the Pole and the Austrians had conceived such rancour against him the first for his Invasion and the other for his League with the Swede that they abandoned him to his Fortune Neverthelesse the Princes of Moldavia and Valachia promised their assistance as their Common Cause while the Turk disturbed at home this Year 1658. by the Mutininies of the Janizaries and the Insurrections of the Bassa of Aleppo permitted Rakoczi to be quiet but the next year he thrust in an Army by way of Valachia against whom that Vayvod making opposition was by them totally routed and eight thousand of his men slain and he forced by a timely submission and great Presents and promises of Hostility against Rakoczi to purchase his Peace and Establishment in his Dignity Soon after the Bassa of Buda being Commanded upon the same service marched to Lippa and thence to Arad Town and Castle whose Suburbs the Transylvanians fired which the Turks Officers who had the Avantgurd perceiving and supposing the Enemy had deserted the Place in great hast and disorder marched to the quenching of the Flame but the Transylvanian and Hungarian Forces not far distant making advantage of this Rout and falling upon them in the smoke so routed them that they were driven back to their Body with great losse where being received in with their Waggons with which they were barricado'd the whole Army of Rakoczi advanced and with their Great Cuns so shivered them that they were compelled to forsake their Camp and to fly in which many of them perished in the River Mor. There were here taken Prisoners Mustapha Beg the Bassa of Agria the Coll. Aga of the Janizaries the Aga of Buda and Aga of Lippa the Beg of Waitzen was drowned with many other men of note For this defeat the grand Seignior threatned to flea the Bassa of Buda if he did not presently bring him Rakoczi's head and forthwith Imprisoned the Emperours and the French Kings Ambassadours In 1660. the Turk sent a greater Force then before into Transylvania In the mean while Prince Rakoczi march'd with a considerable Force before Hermanstad and it came to a Bloody Encounter wherein Rakoczi deported himself valiantly killing 17 men with his own hand and so the Infidels for That Bout were forced to quit the Field and leave the Victory to the Transylvanians leaving likewise upon the Place 6 or 7000 Turks and Tartars Rakoczi in the persuit received five wounds and five dayes after this Fight Iune the sixth he was brought to Great-Waradiu where he departed this Life The fall of this Prince ballanced the Advantage of the Tictory and exceedingly animated the Turks who pressing more and more eagerly upon the Transylvanians drove them every where to their strong Holds Whereupon General Souches had Order from Vienna to draw toward Transylvania and make it good against the Turks and he forthwith march'd thither with a considerable Body and possessed himself of several Holds Iuly the 14 of the same year the Turk with 100000 Men laid close Siege to Great-Waradin which was stoutly defended by one Collonel Gaude a Scotchman the Governour of the Town During the Siege the Turk sent abroad strong Parties to subdue smaller Towns forcing the People unto several works as the building of Bridges and the Like putting them to the Sword at last for their Reward At one time killing 150 Christians and at another Loading 20 Wagons with Christians Heads which they carried away On the 6 of August That brave Souldier and Governour Collonel Gaude was slain by a shot and the Besieged being left without any hope of Relief This strong place surrendred unto the Turk upon Accord being a passage into Transylvania Hungary and Poland After the death of Rakoczi his Cousin Radus being disliked of by the Turk as unfit for his designs there started up one Barckay a â—reature of the Turks making himself Prince of Transylvania whom the Turk protected and supplyed with Forces whereby he undertook to reduce several places siding in pretence with General Souches who well understood this violence of the Turks to be a design not only upon Transylvania but also upon the Empire it self and making large promises under hand that whatsoever he got by the Turkish Ayd was meant for the good of the Emperour to whom he intended a just and Honourable Restitution reserving only Waradin to remain under the Power of the Prince of Ttransylvania but the matter proved otherwise in the end Toward the end of this Year a Blazing-Starre appeared with the Tayl toward Dalmatia and the Head toward Transylvania which the ensuing Calamities portended sadly of the War Soon after This the Labolizish Peasants Rebelled against the Christians in Transylvania whom they partly put to the sword some they took Prisoners and others they sold to the Turk the right Successour of Rakoczi was Remini Ianos by many Transylvanians received and entertained for such who was bitterly persecuted by Barckay and the Turks In 1661. Ianos fought them at Thassabat and made a great slaughter but at last oppressed with Numbers he left Transylvania and retreated to Tockay And now it appeared that the Turks Businesse was not to stop there but to fall also upon Hungary Whereupon his Imperial majesty granted Commissions for the raising of an Army which was dispatched part of it into Transylvania In the Interim Count Nichola Serini began to look to himself and raised a strong Fort on the Wall over against Canischa Naming it Serinswar getting together a strong Body of Croats and other Nations that lay heavy upon the Quarters thereabout which the Turks stomach'd not a little however they carried it fair at present and a while they talk'd of nothing but Peace but at last they brake out into high
Conditions understanding at Malevill what had happened to his fellows flew presently to his Arms and breaking open the Gates of the City entred and slew 4000. Hungarians but being pursued by Coloman to avoyd him fell into the hands of the Soldan of Nicia who had an Army of Forty thousand men and lost more by his rashnesse and incogitance than ever he could have gained with his greatest moderation Nor did Godschalk the Preist fare any better for entring Hungary upon the former terms his Souldiers from the affluence of provisions began to riot forgetting the Lawes of Hospitality to abuse their Entertainers To represse this Insolence Coloman made after them to Belgrade with a great Army where ensued a Battel but with such equal Fortune that Coloman having recourse to Policy prevailed upon them under pretences of civility and reconciliation desiring onely the Plunderers to be punished that they confiding in his words disarmed themselves and were instantly when they no way suspected such usage horribly destroyed not one of them being left alive to carry the news of this Massacre The Rear of those Forces arriving at Meersburgh a place encamped with the Danow Lynx and Morasses and ignorant of what had happned to their followes and knowing the agreement made for their passage did wonder to see the Straights shut to them which the King dreading the punishment of his perfidy had so commanded whereupon after a vain message to Coloman they besiged Mâ—ersburgh slew 700. of the Hungarians but just as the Town was brought to the utmost Extremity a Panick-fear seiâ—ed on them whereafter ensued a great slaughter of them the rest saved themselves by â—light But Godfrey of Boâ—â—ign anxious of the losse of those Legions succeeded better for having debated the businesse and received an account of the late slaughter by Godfrey of Ascha he easily perswaded the Hungarians to consent to another passage at an enterview between them to such a firm understanding that Coloman while yet Godfrey was at the said Malevill on the Banks of Saviâ—â— having furnished him also with all manner of Provisions delivered to him his Brother Baldwin whom he had left as Hostage for the performance of the Agreement though Bonfinus reports that the Duke having taken Zemlin opened his way by the Sword and compelled Coloman being too weak to oppose him to consent at last to Passage through his Dominions There followed this Feud a Quarrel between Coloman and his Brother Almus One part of the Kingdome adhered to the King the other to Almus both Armies met at the River Tybiscus by a Town called Varkon where a Truce being concluded on it was further proposed that the two Princes to save the lives of others should determine their own Quarrel by Duel â— Custome then much in use in that Warlike Nation which Coloman refusing the difference was for a while respited and both parties laid down Armes which presently were employed against the Russes but with ill Successe He makes Peace thereupon with the Venetians and in the mean time debaucheth the Fidelity of the Iadrenses their Subjects whom to reduce Ordephalus was Commissioned who recovered Iadra with a bloody slaughter and advanced his Successful Armes as far as Croatia but was at last by Coloman assisted by the Styrians in the saccage of the Coast of Dalmatia engaged and overcome and so all the places returned with Iadra again to his obedience Hungary was now again divided by the Factions of the Brethren Almas twice suspected and twice assisted by Forrainers was once more restored by the Armes of Hen. 5. Emp. but such was the arrogance of Colomans fortune that seizing upon him he caused his and his Son Bela's Eyes to be put out without any tryal or compearance afore Judges whence several grudges and Conspiracies of the Nobles secret seditious practises were occasioned somented against him the effect whereof he prevented by sudden Death which happened in the twenty fifth year of his Raign STEPHEN for his Sanguinous nature as delighted in often seeing the punishments of the Condemned by his Father Nick-named Thunder was therefore placed under the Government and Tuition of the most Eminent Persons for Nobility and Vertue under whom what he gained in Fame and Estimation so freed from them he lost it as fast notwithstanding the first and longest part of his Raign was very prosperous His first Enterprize was against the Russes to restore Iarislaus to that Government who fearing his Uncle Uladomirs designs against him had fled into Poland but he dying the war ended as soon as it was begun The next Expedition was against the Bohemians where worsted at the first Encounter he recruited his Army and overthrew them Thrice he turned his Arms upon Bulgaria Macedonia and Greece and taking Belgrade razed Zengminum afterwards he fought with various successes against Calo Iohannes Emperour of Constantinople but finally had the better of it forcing him to sneak home by by wayes from his progression as far as Ister and that not without a signal defeat given him in his retreat at a Town called Mala Scala though Bonfinius reports Stephen to have been beaten at the River of Carassus and to have besought his peace A Polish War ensued this in favour of the Russes against another Iarislaus Duke of Halicia whom Boleslaus King of Poland had resettled in his Estate wherein the Pole otherwise a very Fortunate Prince was Defeated by a Stratagem of Stephens joyning himself to the Rear of the Polish Army upon pretence of Friendship And so when he had wearied his Cruelty abroad he began to exercise it at home vailing his sloth with severity murdering his Nobles and ravishing their Ladies but in the twenty second year of his Raign troubled in Conscience with the flagitiousnesse of his Facts he put himself into a Monastery though others write he onely designed such a retirement BELA his Cousin German who had his Eyes put out as before and flying was entertained at Constantinople which was the cause of the Quarrel between Stephen and Calo Iohannes was by the wonderful inconstance of Fortune called to a Crown from his banishment he had gained to his Wife Helena Daughter of Vrâ—â— Count of Augusta by whom he had four Sons Geysa Ladislaus Stephen and Almus His adverse Condition had so sweetned his Felicity to him that he wholly intended his Repose wherein he gave many signs of great abstinence and Equity notwithstanding he was not altogether faultlesse for at an Assembly or Convention of the Estates at Arad though he seemed to be averse to any Execution yet he so wrought upon the affections of others that most cruel punishments were inflicted on the Authours of his Fathers occaecation Hereupon the Sons of the oppressed solicite Borichus the Bastard Son of Coloman to assume the Government who with the assistance of some Poles and Russes came as far as Sajus a River dividing both the Armies
fortunate to the Brothers who had to their assistance Twenty thousand Bohemians this Battel was fought by the Vaccian Forrest and with great resolution on both sides Vidus was here slain and Solomon thereby driven out of his Kingdome GEYSA now swayed the Hungarian Scepter being busied in prosecuting his late victory for that Solomon appeared in the confines towards Presburgh endevouring the restitution of his Fortune by the aid of the Germans and other adjacent people and in this Martial angry mood he lighted upon the Bessi who had undertaken for their Liberty his final discomfiture and severely chastised this their preingaged arrogance yet he advantaged not his ovvn Affairs till Henry the Emperour appeared in his quarrel first took Newhausel and advanced as far as Vacia and seemed to threaten Geysa's Claim but what he wanted in strength to oppose he was supplied with in Craft and Policy to impose upon the Germans by a round sum of money sent them upon which the Emperour retired intent upon a revengeful design against Pope Hildebrand And here an end was put to the Tragedies of so many Kings wherein we may observe by the way that the Emperours though superiour by power and victory could never make good their pretended Title to Hungaria nor those Kings vvho adhered to or made use of their Arms to passe unpunished Geysa dyed by a natural death the third year of his Reign on vvhose Affections Desideriue the Metrapolitan Bishop is said to have had so much influence that he was once thinking to have rendred the Scepter to Solomon But bethinking himself that his privacy could not be without danger and that it would be rashnesse to trust the will and pleasure of an enemy he resolved to retain the Government LADISLAUS having gloriously passed the Ducal Dignity conferred on him by his Brother had the Regal Honour unanimously bestowed on him as reputed a Prince of very great Virtue and Piety and though he refused the Crown because Solomon was yet alive yet the pertinacious importunity of the Hungarians overcame his modesty He first restored the true worship of God the good laws of his Ancestors then obliterated and disused He was assisted by an opinion of the divine favour accompanying him in all his Actions then which there is not a better Instrument and Engine to govern the multitude who conceived that the Crown of Hungary with which the Princes are to this day inaugurated came down from Heaven upon the head of this Ladislaus He agreed with Solomon for a certain yearly revenue but he musing on his ambition designed on pretence of a friendly conference to betray him but that being discovered He seized on him and imprisoned him at Visigrade where being condemned at the intercession of a Nun admonished by Heaven as she boasted he gave him Life and Liberty which courtesy he strait abused by engaging Cuteschus the King of the Cumani to take his part but unprosperously his Army being overpowered and discomfited so that despairing of recovering the Kingdome and weary of the World he put on Sackcloth and betook himself to the woods and Caverns living upon Acorns and Berries and drinking the water of the Lakes for his thirst teaching the world the uncertainty of all worldly things and that felicity can be placed no where but in death It is reported he was seen once in the time of Coloman the succeeding King in whose Reign he also ended his Life in the Woods of Istria In the mean while Ladislaus reduced Dalmatia and made it a perpetual Appendix to the Hungarian Dominion together with Croatia There after followed a war with the Emperour of Byzantium or Constantinople but it eveened with losse to the Hungarians for which the Bulgarian Victory and Conquest soon after made amends The Fury of the Cumani could nevertheless not be restrained till after three overthrowes the last whereof was most couragiously desended at the banks of Ister till Ladislaus with his own hands very difficultly slew Achus their General whose death stroke and broke the Constancy of this valiant enemy whose Confederates and Auxiliaries the Roxolani fell under the same Fate and precariously obtained their Peace Poland was the next Scene of his Successe the cause of which Expedition was their Expulsion of Boleslaus his great Friend and Familiar who flying into Hungary tormented with an evil Conscience for the ills he had done being become of a good a very bad man died there The Armies joyned in the Confines of Sauromatia where he vigorously routed the Poles nor desisted from his pursuit till he had Sacked Cracovia the Metrapolis of that Nation when Vladislaus the Brother of Boleslaus besought him Peace which he obtained upon Condition that Miesco Boleslaus his Son should have the Second Dignity The Sword being now sheathed he built his Royal Seat of Varadin by the River Chrysus This City in our Times was the Chief and principal of the County of Bihor famous of old for the Sepulture of Kings and the Sanctity of the place on the North are Hills planted with fruitful Vines and watered with ever-running Rivulets the East aspects the Baths and Medicinal Springs the other part the plain and the woods encompasse These great things effected this zealous Religious Captain even to the report of certain miracles wrought at his Grave afterwards received at Bodrogh Embassadors from the Kings of England France and Spain desiring his assistance in the Sarazen War which he denied not but the Embassie took not its effect for he died in a new Expedition against Suatopologus of Moravia leaving by so much a greater Name by how much his Successors came behind him in prowesse and martial Atchievements COLOMANNUS Ladislaus dying without Issue succeeded his Uncle in the Throne though otherwise designed by him for he preferred Almus his younger Nephew Son of Geysa as abler in body and mind to Coloman the elder whom he praedicted for a Bloody man But the Nobles sending for Coloman out of Poland whither he had fled for fear of his Uncles words Crowned him their King his Brother Almus being Tituladed with a Dukedome and invested in a fourth part of the Kingdom Being thus advanced as prosperous things do search the mind with sharper pricks he did not consider himself as a Governour and his People as Citizens but as an absolute Lord aud they his Slaves and vassals About the same time Peter the Hermit brought the Crusado into Hungary when Famin and the Plague throughout Christendome seemed to prevent his most Religious Negotiation Neverthelesse in the Year 1096. Gualterus Sensavir was entertained by him and passage given him he paying such a certain rate for his provision some of whose Souldiers stragling and committing some little spoyle about Belgrade were seized and most basely and ignominiously handled which Gualter thought good to dissemble intent upon his Expedition Peter the Hermit marching the same way upon the sâ—me
the interim Iohn the Vayvod elevated by his Successe against Szekelehi besieged Sarno a Garrison of the Turks but was so cowardly frighted that he fled and forsook his Great Guns at the news of the approach of Baly Beg neverthelesse by the Valour of Michael Praxius who sustained the Van of the Enemy they were recovered King Ladislaus lived not long afterwards fitter indeed for ease and quiet then the Rule of the stubborn and Effâ—ene Hungarians but whether out of Grief and vexation of mind or the Common course of Nature is uncertain LEWIS his Son succeeded him having according to the late Agreement Married Mary the Sister of Charles the fifth by their Father Philip the first of Spain In this Prince all things as his Birth Succession Beard Wedlock and Death were praeproperous and Early At the same time died Maximilian to whom chiefly by the suffrage of Frederick of Saxony succeeded Charles the fifth as did Solyman just after the ratification of an eight years Truce succeed his Father Selymus Divine Providence so ordering it that those two great Potentates should Govern the World together and restrain each other by a mutual dread of one anothers Power and Vertues Yet Solyman was so great an esteemer of his own Glory and so unbounded in his Conceits of it that he demanded of Lewis the purchase of a Peace with him at a certain Tribute which being denyed he Invaded Hungary and wrested Moldaviae and Valachia from that Dominion together with the greatest part of Sclavonia Nothing withstanding his Arms there but Iaycia Defended by the signal Valour of Peter Keglevitius These victorious proceedings caused Lewis to levy an Army of 60000. Men but his Exchequer not being sufficient to bear the Expence they were as soon dissolved In the mean while Belgrade so often maintained against the Turkish power was now gained by the Fortune of Solyman and the Treachery of the Governours who would not admit the succour and Assistance brought by Andrew Bathori into the Town Hence the Conquerour having received a losse from Stephen Bathori the Palatine who defeated Pyrhus Bassa then wasting Syrmia and contented with his former Success dispatched a Chiaux with offers of Peace to the King but his Youthful mind swayed by evil Counsel and corrupted with the luxury of George Marquisse of Brandenburgh was debauched into that perfidious basenesse that he Commanded the Envoy to be privily put to Death at Tata and for the concealment of the murther his body to be cast into the Fish-pond Solyman was then returned home to the Enterprize of Rhodes and Lewis his Leiutenant had had some successes against the Turks especially Christopher Frangepanes not onely repulsed them from Iaycia but beat them out of their Trenches and took their Camp as Tomori defeated Ferhates Begogli while Severinum was also reduced but the Dissentions and Divisions that arose in Hungary among the Nobility for the Title of Palatine between Verbeczius Zobius and their Party of the Multitude against Bathori legally so Created Besides that the Reformed Religion now took footing in this Kingdome although endevoured by fire to be suppressed but maintained by Prynius in the County of Bodrogh and by Nadanyi at Chrysus These concurrent mischeifs I say brought Solyman back into Hungary declaring his intention of revenge for the Death of his Messenger which sudden appearance of his caused much dread and terrour for that no present remedy could be thought on Notwithstanding Lewis without any Aid from abroad resolved to encounter him with an Army of twenty four thousand men Commanded by the Arch-Bishop of Colocza and George Zapolianus although disswaded by Iohn Scepusius and Frangepanes who would have had him withdrawn his person at least which however would save the Kingdome and to have staid till he had Collected the whole Force of his Kingdome but such was his Heat and Temerity and the like proud humour of the Nobility though it proved their Common Destruction the sign often of a great but now of an unhappy Resolution that an Engagement ensued at Mohacz where the Hungarians were vanquished and put to a total rout The King with his Prelates and Nobles to whom it was ignominous to fly and to survive their Prince being killed on the place At the news of this overthrow Buda was abandoned the Queen with her best moveables flying to Presburg whence she retired to Charles the fifth her Brother who Deputed her to the Government of the Low Countreys where she presided thirty years and afterwards weary of the World like him betook herself to a Monastery and was joyned with him in Death Solyman entring Buda abstained from the Usurpation of the Regality guessing that a Kingdome so slightly gained might as slightly be lost but forbore not the plunder of the Countrey asmuch as lyes betwixt the Balaton Lake the Danow and Tybiscus being miserably depopulated As to this Tragedy and the Death of the King there were many things that portended it as that he was Born without any Skin which was supplied by the Art of the Physicians Besides a Spectrum appeared before the Gate of the Castle of Buda demanding Conference with the King which being not much regarded vanished without any presage And now when as yet the safety of the Kingdome was not dispaired of Civil Wars subserved Fate and helped on the general Ruine The Supreme Power was unsociable and Interest would not be joyned by the presentnesse of the danger Armies were presently gathered and as soon dismissed Fortune not admitting two to the Supremacy while all men stood still at gaze the Enemy took advantage to disperse them The Fourth BOOK VVHile this Battel was fought at Mohacz Iohn Zapolyai Scepusius the Vayvod of Transylvania stayed at Szeged and Cajoling the remains of the Nobility came to Buda where he perswaded Perenyi the keeper of the Crown to deliver it to him conferring upon him therefore the Praefecture of Transylvania and thence speeded with them to Alba Regalis A Convention being here held Verbeczius opened the present state of Affairs in favour of Iohn who was by the Assembly accepted and styled King having passed by Ferdinand who as well by the favour and good will of many as by the Marriage of Ann the Sister of Lewis had a good Claim and Title to the Kingdome wherefore Iohn was advised to begin the War against him but he following milder then safer Counsel and the opinion of Frangepanes dismissed his Forces hoping to gain the Kingdome by Largesse and Bounty At the same Bathori the Palatine the perpetual Enemy of Iohn held a Convention at Presburgh where he maintained the Title of Ferdinand by whom Perenyus at the solicitation of Thurzo and the Confirmation of his former Title was brought over and the Crown with the other Royal Ensigns conveyed into his hands Hereupon Ferdinand was Proclaimed and Inaugurated by Paul Vardanus and Encouragement given by the Hungarians readinesse
met him and there gave reception to Iohn Sigismund having fetcht him from the other side of the Danow in his own Barge and presented him with a stately Horse richly set out on which he was brought through his Guard of Ianizaries to his own person Sigismund himself had the Honour of his right hand joyned with his the rest of his Train kissed Solyman's knee or the hem of his Vest. After some discourse and thanks rendred for his many Kindnesses and his Aid and assistance anew implored against the Germans he drew out a Petitionary paper containing the Oath that Solyman had took concerning the redelivery of Buda betwixt hope and fear of what would ensue such an Addresse But such was the generous freedome and clearnesse of Solyman's nature that to rid him of the anxiety he presently Commanded his Vizier Mahomet to conforme in all things with the desire and request of his Beneficiary But Mahomet taxing the Ingratitude of Iohn upbraiding him with his own tendernesse as having been more a Father to him than Solyman and taking it in scorn that he should keep equal State with him before Company so wrought upon Solyman by setting before him how many Musselmens lives his Quarrel and that Place had cost him and that it was against the Law of Mahomet to yeild it to the Christians that not onely the City was not rendred to him but he dismist with a prohibition of any further speech or sight of the Grand Seigniour At the same time Portau Bassa took Gyula which Ladislaus Kereczsenius for a while resolutely Defended but being corrupted by the Enemy against the advice and intimation given him of the necessity of the Turks departure by Stephen Bathori delivered it upon terms which the perfidious Enemy observed not how ever by the favour of the Night and the Reeds growing thereabouts some few escaped He himself as a just reward for his Treason was by the Command of the Sultan rolled down a Hill in a Barrel stuck full with Nails Whos 's first attaque was upon the Town of Sigeth wherein was Governour Count Nicholas Serini with Two thousand five hundred Men an incompetent number to the Defence of the place which diverted the storm from Agria at a Town neer to which called Soklos the Bassa of Bosnia had been slain upon it self All Military Experiments were practised in this Seige the continual discharge of the Cannons so rarefying the Air that the noyse of the Leagure was heard as far as Canisa Aly Portau the General of the Ordinance doing the part of a valourous and skilful Commander as well by diverting the Course of the River as bringing his Men in person to the breaches Nor was Serini lesse active and Couragious filling the Grafts with the slaughtered Carcasses of the Enemy from the shame whereof arose Indignation and resentment of their losse by which both Towns the old and the new were taken and Sacked Aly Portau surviving not that Effort committed the prosecution of the Castle to Seysedin Bassa now destitute of provision and wanting men the few Defendants being tired out with constant duty Three dayes before the Castle fell into the hands of the Turk died Solyman labouring with an anxious Expectation of its reduction and wearied with old Age made more irksome by a pain in his Leg and accelerated by the Flux His Death was concealed by the Policy of Mahâ—met until Selym his Son should be seated in the Imperial Throne and several menacing Edicts fainedly given out to make the Turks desperate in the next Assault when Serini being disabled to hold out longer opening the Gates and encouraging his Souldiers to die with him having put on a rich Sute with a Hundred peices of Gold in his Pocket the reward of him that should kill him sallyed out with fury upon the Enemy and died nobly revenged in the midst of them having slain during the Siege no lesse than Twenty some say Thirty thousand men The Head of this Famous person was made a publique spectacle one whole day and the next by Mustapha Bassa of Buda sent to the Count of Salms and interred at Csaktornya but by the Imperial Army in veneration of his great and admirable Actions solemnly attended to Abdua and there deposited The said Army consisting with the aydes of the Empire of 25 Thousand Horse and 80 Thousand Foot paid chiefly with the money of Pope Pius the 5th lay encamped about Raab where a sad Fire happened about this time not offering to stir to the relief of Sigeth nor to the suppression of Iohn Sigismond who aided with a great body of Tartars his own Army amounting to 15000 men had ruined the Terâ—itories of Patach Munkacks and Bereckshez sparing neither age nor Sex Tockay was defended against him by the valour of Iacob Ranuger and Matthias Calvasius the same Tartars continued this their ravage of both sides the Tibiscus to the County of Bodroch and Samosch intending the like upon â—ihor to such a desolation of the Country that Iohn afflicted with the sight of it when he could neither regain the Captives nor perswade them to desist their cruelty near to Debreczinum gave them battel and victoriously freed his people of these Locusts and Destroyers as while Maximilian retired to Vienna having fortified Canisa and thereafter disbanded his Army Mahomet took in Babozza and with the honour of the Campania retired to Belgrade having met Selymus in his return at Valkovar who followed his Fathers Corps meanly attended in sign of humane frailty to Constantinople where it was interred in a most magnificent Mosque built by himself in his life time The War in Transylvania was yet maintained betwixt Maximilian and Iohn by their Generals Swendius and Bebecus who being inferiour in strength to Swendius thought by pretences of his Revolt to the Emperour to gain time but the sagacity of Swendius disappointed his Plot several Towns being taken from Iohn by Seige during this Intrigue which we may not here enumerate Iohn therefore joyned his Army with Hasan Bassa of Temeswar who turned the Scale of fortune and retook as many places but in the midst of this successefull progesse he was violently afflicted with an arthritical distemper which like a Civil war in his Microcosme imperseded his bent to the prosecution of his Quarrel nor did Hasan at his departure meet with better luck at his arrival at Dedesla in the plunder whereof his powder took fire and blew up 400 Turks into the Air by this means all parties were willing to a composure which Caesar the equallest esteemer of fortune as preferring the commendation of his humanity before the pleasure of revenge had by his Ambassadors Veranczius and Tieffenbach effected at the Port Selym being intent upon the Conquest of Cyprus It was now the year 1567. when this outward peace was blemished with a foul and most nefarious design against the life of Maxâ—milian with the seizure
Preacher of the Calvinist Faction whose Wife Bathori most leudly loved at the second resolution assaulted slew him in the street of Varadin called Velenze as he was going to the Baths Bethlen was immediately acknowledged by the Transylvanians and confirmed for his presents acknowledgments both by the Turk and Emperour His first Act was the vindication of Bathori's death by the popular fury permitted upon his Assassinates whom he summoned to the dyer with a salvo statu then held at Medgysium At the same time Achmet was ready at Adrianople with an Army to invade Hungary but the Emir of Sidon who derives himself from Godfrey of Buâ—loyn gave him a diversion as did the Cossacks plague him in the Euxine Sea by burning 24 of his Galleys and infesting Thracia also by Land but the chief remora of all was His death in the year 1617. Mustapha his brother succeeded him but was presently deposed and Osman Achmets Son aged 16 years was saluted Emperour who survived not long after being strangled by Daout Bassa Not to mention the War now commenced between the Emperour and the Venetians about Pyracies committed by the Uschockâ— and Chroats upon their Maritine Territories as publick in a discourse by it self which war was managed with great resolution by both parties in Dalmatia and Friuli The event of this unkind war redounded to a good and amicable understanding between Matthias and Ferdinand who was now adopted to the Crown provided that he intermedled not during the life of the Emperour and the next year he was Crowned King of Hungary at which time three Suns appeared denoting the mischeifs if they may be so construed that befell his Dominions in the ensuing War of Bohemia first managed by Ernest Count Mansfeld for the reformed and Count Bucquoy for the Emperour Matthias who wearied with a lingring and continual distemper having lived 62 years and governed Hungary 12 as Germany 7 years deceased with the blessings of a Peace to his Subjects FERDINAN the 2d by the endevours of Matthias being elected King administred the Government Government by many alterations the cause of which changes was the same with the usuall excesses of arbitrary Innovation for he recalled the Jesuits in hatred of the Protestants and very much infringed the Articles of Bocskay which made them have recourse to the Count of Thurn then in Arms near Vienna At the same time the Bohemian Estates prevailing no more as to Liberty of Conscience conferred the Kingdome on Frederick Count Elector Palatine who animated by his Wife the only Daughter of Iames King of England of whose assistance together with the Dutch he was made confident as assured of a nearer help from Bethlen Gabor upon the same account of Religion accepted thereof The Hungarians raised hereupon by Teiffenback thrust themselves into Silesia more intent upon the prey then studious of the cause while Bethlen having repulsed Homonnai who had introduced the Jesuits into Claudiopolis either hung or banished them publishing a Proclamation against the entertainment or reception of any of that Society And now in pursuance of his Confederacy with Frederick the Count Palatine he rushed into Hungary with an Army of 18000 men and 18 great Guns where meeting with a discontented part of the Nobles by the infringment of the abovesaid Articles and strengthned by them he took in Cassovia by his Lieutenants Redei and Szecsi and by fair words cajoled Andrew Docrius the Generall of Upper Hungary by pretence of peace-making into a Captivity in Transylvania wherein he dyed This proceeding so frighted the Jesuits and Friers that they made what hast they could out of his way so many places rendring themselves led by the examples of the Mine Towns of which Rosnoboyana was the first as Fileck Vâ—â—zia Tyrnaw Nitria Posing c. that they knew not where to be secure only Comorra and Raab firmly Garrisoned by Austrians withstood his Fortune Part of the Army therefore was employedin an irruption into Moravia the other being joyned with Thurn beseiged Presburgh wherein was the Palatine of Hungary with a small Garrison and some Troops of Bucquoy in the Suburbs the which he presently cut off and thereupon the City yeilded it self with the Crown other regal Ornaments and gave him liberty by the seizure of some interjacent places as Viscetus and Eberstorph to carry the terrour with the sight of his Arms to Vienna But here the misfortune that befell George Rakoczi whom he had left his Vicegerent in Transylvania impeded his further Progresse George Honnonnai a firm adherer to the House of Austria having fled from his late defeat into Poland with a fresh supply thence returned and encountred Rakoczi by whom he was worsted but recruited with present supplies engaged him again which fight had lasted two dayes when Homonnai by the counterfeit of a flight drew him into his ambushes and there discomfited him the foot were all of them slain Rakoczi and the Horse escaped by flight This emergency recalled Gabor from Vienna after he had caused himself to be proclaimed King of Hungary in defyance of Ferdinand and contracted a firmer league with the Bohemians to the designation of higher matters Ferdinand was absent at the diet at Franckfurt when the Bohemians revolted where having complained as also to the Kings of France and England of their insolence he appointed Maximilian of Bavaria his Generall the Duke of Saxony and the Catholick Elector being also made sure to his Interest and besides a truce was concluded on with Gabor to Michaelmasse And now ready for a war in Germany the French suspended it by their interposition at Ulms. That not proving durable Ioachim Ernestus the Marquesse of Anspach was entrusted by Frederick with the charge of the Palatinate and the Government of Heydelberg who being ready to engage with Maximilian was not only diverted and recalled by Spinola's arrivall who took in Oppenheim Baccharach and other places but corrupted also by his Gold although the Prince of Aurange had engaged to his assistance Maximilian freed of this Enemy marched to Prague with an Army of 25 Thousand men attended with Count Bucquoy whose Troops in the night surprized the Hungarians sent to aid the Palatine by Bethlen that were quartered upon the White-hill and carried away 1500 Horses after a great slaughter committed on the Riders This ominous defeat so heightned Maximilian that he dared the Enemy to an engagement against the advise of Bethlen who would have had the Bohemians temporize till he could personally assist them but such was the Palatines fate that a battel ensued wherein at first by the rout of the young Prince of Anhalt the Bohemians seemed to be fortunate but the sudden flight of 8000. Hungarians altered the Case and gave the Imperiallists a compleat victory Frederick with his Princesse fled to Vratislavia and Bohemia as not long after Moravia and Silesia accepted of the Emperours Conditions Bethlen
him but in this he onely trifled away time while Rakoczi most of the strong places being possessed by the Catholick party besieged Tyrnaw which at last opened its Gates to General Douglasse and his Son Sigismund where the Bishops and Noblemen now Crest-fallen humbly intreated Canysius the Protestant Preacher of the place to mediate with the Victor that he would take them into his Clemency which was granted at his intercession And now Rakoczi distrusting this eager favour of Fortune inclined to a Composure which Caesar more desirous of both for that the Climate agreed not with his forrain Souldiery and the huge price of grain the unsuccessful siege of Cassovia with the forced retreat of Bouchain to Presburgh readily consented to and hastily concluded to the great vexation and anger of the Swede This Peace was Proclaimed on St. Bartholomew's Day by which seven Lordships in Hungary were confirmed to the Transylvanian 90 Churches restored to the Protestants and the rest of their Priviledges confirmed to them Torstenson thus forsaken of his Confederate was abandoned by his Fortune and forced to rise from the siege of Prunna In the mean while died the Palatine to whom Drascovitius was substituted and the Instrument of the Transylvanian Pacification was made publick notwithstanding both parties in Hungary were as imbittered as ever about the Extermination of the Jesuits and ready to draw one upon another The next year Ferdinand the fourth was Crowned King of Hungary the Peace continuing with the Turks but so fallaciously that three hundred of them were got privily into Raab where being discovered by a Woman they were all of them slain and the City preserved by the Divine favour and protection In the Year 1648 died Prince Rakoczi to whom Succeeded his Son George as Ferdinand the fourth Crowned King of the Romans a Prince of more Hopes then Glory after he had lived to the age of 22 years Deceased in the Year 1653. and Leopold Ignatius his Brother succeeded him in all his Dignities Kingdomes and Dominions In the Year 1656 the Swede having Invaded Poland and almost Conquered the hither part so that the many Garrisons he was forced to Man had almost drayned his Army by his Ambassadors invited Prince Rakoczi to the Spoyl and his Assistance and such was the evil Fate of Transylvania and Rakoczi in particular that allured by the great advantages the Ruin of that Kingdom promised him he Confederated himself with the Swede maintaining Correspondencies and intrigues with all his Allyes particularly with the pretended Protector of England to whom he sent an Envoy to transact his Concerns of Money to the payment whereof the King of Sweden had by pact obliged the said Usurper the consideration and satisfaction whereof are of no great moment to this discourse The Transylvanians betaking themselves to their Arms from which they had been longer disused than throughout the whole series of their History the Turks having been sometime before engaged against the Persians and lately against the Venetians and labouring with their own mis-carriages and errours of Government little imagined they should wear them so long if ever it be their hap to put them off without parting with their Liberty and Religion and to such a Calamitous Defence of their own Countrey In fine an Army of 16000 men was presently raised and put under the Command of Backos Gabor which were the Van of those Forces that Rakoczi intended for this Expedition himself following in person with another Army who as soon as they were entered Poland in most horrible manner fell a ravaging and Sacking the Towns and pillaging the Churches and defacing the beauties thereof in hatred of the Roman Catholick Religion so that a fearful Desolation was made as they passed To passe by other occurrents of his proceedings in this Kingdome after he had joyned with the Swedes the Enterprize of Cracovia may suffice for instance of his Hostility in this Kingdome which he besieged and after a short Defence had it surrendred to him the Swedes and he demolishing almost the City of Casimir built on the other side the Weysel it being one of those places which was to be assigned him with the Palatinate thereof for his share in recompense of his Service This place in the ballance of the Swedish Fortune being besieged by Feild Marshal Lubomirsky Rakoczi came to its relief and gave a notable Defeat to the Pole who raised his siege and fled before him The said Prince afterwards embodying with the Swedes in Lithuania took in the strong City of Biscia Litinsky being there personally present with the King of Sweden and where he took his last leave of him returning to Samoysch to secure his footing and maintain what he had gotten but the Danish War interveening and calling the King of Sweden away to the Defence of his own Kingdome and the Duke of Brandenburgh falling off likewise and renouncing that Kings Interest besides that the Pole had newly made a League with the House of Austria who upon Caution and Articles were to supply him with an Army of 16000 men then upon their March out of Silesia Rakoczi perceived that the whole brunt of the War was like to fall upon him now deserted and abandoned by all his Partakers And therefore he thought it high time to apply himself to the wayes of Peace the Turk having also countermanded him sometime before at the instance of the Polish Ambassador at Constantinople who it was thought had bribed Rakoczi into that disfavour and hatred with the Grand Seignior who now peremptorily Commanded him he having delayed to comply with his first Orders of return so surrender his Principality to his Cousin Reada or Radus and in tendency thereunto made offer of a surrender of all those places he had taken during this War thinking thereby also to have satisfied the Tukish Emperour provided he might have safe egresse out of that Kingdome which was now very hazzardous for that the Poles and Austrians had way-laid him in the mountainous passages by which he must needs return But the Poles so stomached the loss prejudice they received from him causelesly especially his Church-robberies that they delayed him with an answer to this effect That being tied to such Articles with the House of Austria and the King of Hungary they could make no Agreement without them which artifice being understood by Rakoczi more Forces drawing likewise against him besides that another party of 12000. of them had Invaded his Dominions in Hungary and in Revenge burnt down thirty six Villages he resolved to make his way with his Sword while there was a possibility of effecting it which with much difficulty and hazard being several times set upon and forced to fight his way by good Guides and happy Conduct he atchieved but brought a sorry Army home in Comparison of what he marched out with This same year Died the Emperour Ferdinand
constituting any Generalissimo but left the Army to their distinct Generalls of Horse and Foot The Emperours General is Count Mountecuculi the Feild Marshalls are the Paltsgrave of Sultzbach for Horse and General Spar a Subject of the Marquesse of Brandenburg of Foot Over the Ayds the Generall of Horse is Leopold Marquesse of Baden of Foot Vlrick Duke of Wittenberg with Count Fugger M. Gen. of Horse Duke Adolph of Holstein Duke Gustave of Durlach the Younger House of Baden and Baron de Souches Major General of Foot The Ayds of the four Circles of the Rhine without their Auxiliaries will amount to 28000 men the other circles out of which the hereditary Provinces of Austria Bohemia and are to be excepted will make as many more which with the 13000 advanced by the Pope and the French Forces and the aforenamed Auxiliaries will make up a body of 80000 men besides the Emperours own Army which will amount and is to be made up to 40000 men Effectif In the mean time of these consultations at Regensburg Apaffi the Prince of Transylvania was driving on his designs in that Province working upon the Emperours necessities and the discontents of the Garrisons of Zekelkeyt and Clausenburg which in conclusion for want of pay dismist their Officers and submitted the Towns to Him having been held by the Emperour ever since the Troubles and death of Prince Rakoczi Zacmar also wavered but was happily reclaimed by some moneys that came opportunely to satisfie the Souldiers The year proving very mild and gentle in the depth of winter had frustrated many designes of the Tartars who had taken up their Quarters in Hungary to be ready for some Invasion whereupon overburdening the places and Garrisons they were in and provisions growing scarce after some quarrels 'twixt the Turks and them for victuall they dispersed themselves for better accommodation At the same time Count Nicholas Serini the Emperours General took advantage of this their separation and the benefit of a sudden Frost and with his Army consisting of between 30 and 35000 men among whom were the German ayds under Count Hohenlo made an Invasion into the Turks Countrey in the lower Hungary and parts of Croatia as far as Esseck near the conjunction of the Danow and the River Dravus a place infamous for the descent of Caczianerus King Ferdinand's the First 's Generall and the noble Lodrâ—â—us defeated there hard by by the policy of the Turks as mentioned before This Bridge it the onely passage the Turks have besides sudden shifts by boats c. for conveyance from Belgrade otherwise called Greek Weâ—ssâ—nburg and those parts possessed by the Turk both for Waggon and Artillery so that the 〈◊〉 Count well knowing what disadvantage the breaking down thereof would cause to the Turks designs at the approaching Campagnia resolved to destroy it or render it unserviceable to the Enemy and fortune so favoured the Enterprize that Maugre all opposition made by the Enemy he in one night and day had so maimed and disjoynted it that a great part of it fell into the Dravus the rest being set on Fire towards the Turks side but hastily quenched by them since when they have been very busie in repairing it the Grand Vizier storming exceedingly that it was no better defended and for which he hath called the Officers appointed to maintain it into question for their lives but it is judged impossible that it can be reedifyed this Summer so as to be made able to bear Carriages which will be a great stop to the Turks progresse by way of lower Hungary Count Serini having finished this exploit with so good successe laid waste all the Countrey round about of this that is the Northern side of the Dravus betwixt that and the Danow among which were many places formerly the possessions of his noble Ancestors who enjoyed a 〈◊〉 and plentifull revenâ—ue in those parts encreased by the additions of the patrimony of the Carlovitii and Torquati which fell-likewise to them but now thralled to those Infidels insomuch that some have reckoned â—1000 Vilâ—ages burnt by him but the Turkâ—sh desolation hath scarse left so many for him to destroy This work being over and having thus revenged himself for the spoil of his Fortunes he thought it time to return for that there were severall confident rumours that the Enemy with a great body was marching after him although it proved a meer lye raised and industriously spread by the Turks for fear of further mischief to be done them by his staying in those parts where hâ—s name was grown most formidable and the effects of his conduct highly dreadful But yet he made not such hast but that in his way home he made a halt at Quinque Ecclesiae and summoned it which the Towâ—men seemed to entertain and by that means drew some of his Forces not suspecting Hostility under reach of their Cannon which they furiously discharged upon them and killed some Eminent Officers and men of valour which Action so incensed Serini that he gave order for a present storm by which the Town was mastered and entred and the plunder thereof given to the Souldiers and soon after sack'd and set on Fire the Souldiers and such as escaped flying into the Castle which held out and was in prudence given over by the Generaâ—l whose men having been so much toyled and wearied already were in no condition for a Seige and a sudden attempt was improbable of successe Here were slain many Officers the greatest number whereof was of the Germans under Count Holenlo From hence passing by Zigeth the Town and Castle whereof were so famously defended by his Grandfather as too tite and tedious a peice of work he fell upon Segess a Town distant Westward two Hungarian miles 18 English from Zigeth which he took by assault with the losse of more Officers of note requited upon the Turks by a promiscuous slaughter of them all as for Tartars no quarter was any where allowed them and there he left a Garrison in the very midst of the Enemies Country and came home by Canysia which place he had designed to besiege but his Army being much diminished the Enterprize is laid aside till he shall be recruited with new Levyes answerable to so great an undertaking in which affair he is at present employed but it is feared the sudden appearance of the Grand Seignior who will open this Campagnia in person will put him on other Councels and designes FINIS The Derivation of the Huns Scithia their place of Extraction It s Description and division The Asian Scythia Scythia now called Tartary It s Desart and Inhabitable side The Antiquity of the Scythians their propagation Their change of Name into Huns. The Destruction of the Huns. The former inhabitants of Hungary The Danubius The Description of Dacia Pannonia whence so called The invitation of the Huns into Europe * or Roxolans now Russes Bâ—lamber their first Captains