those of the Castle that if they would yeeld to him he would then vse them curteously and with fayre warres suffer them to depart in all securitie with their baggage and he would yeeld them such recompence that they should haue good occasion to thinke well of him and if they stood out and performed the contrarie he assured them he would put them all to death and pitch them vpon stakes if they fell into his hands But those within would giue no eare to this summons neither would they make any answer but onely by signe causing a beare or coffin couered with blacke to be fastned vpon two Launces and in this sort to be shewed ouer the wall to the Trumpetter who spake to them they not speaking any one word to him thereby giuing him to vnderstand that that Castle should bee their sepulcher rather then they would yeeld it to them it being then a custome to vse such a ceremonie when they would not accept of any conditions of yeelding but rather die in libertie then liue vnder the commaund of their enemies Mahomet vnderstanding of this their determination and seeing in vaine he sought composition with them sent that night to view the Castle and afterward appointed two batteries the one towards the Church and the other towards the hill and in each batterie he planted 25. peeces which continually played the space of 40. daies All the top and heigth of the Castle was wholly ruinated and so open that the assieged could not any longer bee in safetie in respect the Artillerie did greatly endamage them and specially that which was vpon the hill which to warrant themselues from the violence thereof they within made a large and deepe Trench along the walles where they rampierd themselues and in the night kept good watch without being farre from it neither to eate nor sleepe vntill the others were come thither to relieue them which euery sixe houres they carefully performed Presently after Basha Achmeth and Mahomet caused in one day to be giuen three assaults in diuers places in which they lost 8000. Turkes who were climed vp to the top of the walles and mounted vpon the breach with many of their principall Commanders for whose deaths the Turkes were more inraged and incensed then before and yet they ceased not without intermission to trie the assieged with new assaults and reenforcing of Cannons and one day they gaue in foure places one of the horriblest assaults that euer was heard of to which ranne all the men and women of the towne who with no lesse courage then the men themselues desperatly fought like Lionesses with weapon stones and skalding water making so great a massacre of the enemies that it was a dreadfull and most horrible thing and worthie of commiseration to beholde During these assaults they performed many notable acts and worthie to bee registred in all volumes of which the first was that the mother the daughter and sonne in law fighting vpon the wall the husband of the said daughter was killed and the mother with compassion saying to her daughter that she should goe and burie him she replied that it was now no time to vse obsequies nor to attend vpon funerals but rather to performe some cruell reuenge whereupon taking her husbands sword and his target vpon her arme she thrust her selfe into the place of the dead where she shewed incredible valour and by no meanes she would depart from thence before she had reuenged the death of her husband by the defeate of three Turkes which being done she withdrew herselfe and tooke the bodie of her dead husband in her armes and carried it to the Church causing him to be buried according to his degree It happened also in another place that a woman carying a great stone vppon her head with intent to throw it downe from the wall vpon the Turkes a Cannon bullet strooke off her head and falling dead at her daughters feet who taking that stone vpon her head all bloodie as it was without omitting any time to bewaile the death of her mother saying that her death ought not to bee vnreuenged and that it was not fitting for her being her daughter to liue without reuenging her death vpon another and thus being inflamed and as it were inraged she ranne thence with great furie where the greatest throng and prease of Turks were and killed two of them and wounded many other imitating a true Amazon or woman of Lacedemonia and bestirring her selfe from one place to another she exhorted euery one to performe their vttermost valour putting them in minde of the oth which they had taken and the glorious reputation which before God and the world they should obtaine and by this meanes she preuailed so farre that the enemies were shamefully repulsed and forced maugre their brauerie to retire forsake their Artillerie in such sort that there was two of their greatest peeces lipped The courages now of the assieged was marueilous great and specially of the women who with their husbands fathers children and brothers fought so couragiously that they feared not any danger how great so euer it was And as one day the Turkes gaue an assault to the towne they being as commonly they were wont to be vpon the wall armed with dead mens armour it happened that a shot of Artillerie brought three or foure of those to the ground who were the formost and most readie to throw stones vpon the enemie and although the blood and peeces of those did much hinder the trauailes of them that were their companions yet notwithstanding they made not any semblance or token of feare but rather in stead of hiding themselues they more inraged then before presented themselues to the fight to reuenge their companions and taking the same stones all besprinkled with their blood they mounted vpon the top of the wall performing incredible valour By these heroicall acts we may easily conceiue how great is the loue of our natiue countrie and what commaund it hath ouer vs since it incourageth for the defence thereof a thing so feeble and weake as is a woman appertly manifesting to euery one that there is not any thing in the world more deare or pretious then our natiue countrie for the good and preseruation of which we are bound with our goods honours and liues to defend and preserue Those of Agria remained in this sort so constant in their defence not willing at any time to speake or lend their eare to any Turke notwithstanding they were greatly importuned thereto that in the end they put Mahomet and the Basha of Buda in despayre for euer getting them vnder their puissance And thus these two Commaunders of the Turkish armie seeing the assieged would by no meanes yeeld and that by strength they could not subdue them nor force the towne by reason of the losse which they had made of their people at the former assaults and that the time now was against them for that the cold
succours he sent Iohn Turky with 4000. horse and Charles Scheretin with his 400. men of armes to possesse the other side of the riuer Marosse by which passage might come the ayde which he expected from the Basha of Buda and the Belerbey and by which place also he might haue some hope to saue himselfe And thus ioyntly with the Frier who that day performed the acts of an expert and valiant Captaine he prouided for all things which were necessarie now riding on this side then on the other as one that perfectly vnderstood the proceedings of martiall affaires who failed not to consider of all accidents which might befall him in any respect whatsoeuer thinking on fit meanes to remedie the same On the other side Oliman lost no time but animating his people he effected that the besieged fighting couragiously endured a very sore assault which was for foure houres very bloodie on both sides in which the Turkes did not any thing yeeld to our people Certaine Captaines of those who were the first that mounted vp the breach with Iulian de Carleual seeing the Turkes so brauely defended themselues and that it was now growing late and not minding to see so many as they had alreadie lost to be cast away aduertised Castalde that their aduice was to sound a retraict seeing the fight had so long time endured and that therein the Turkes had made a great slaughter of our people Castalde returned them present answer that they should firmely maintaine the fight and that they should remember that the assault which in former time they had giuen to Dure had in like sort continued foure houres and that by any meanes howsoeuer they should not faile but that the towne might bee taken that night and if they entered not that night besides the losse of their reputation which is a thing of speciall importance in feates of warre they should put themselues in daunger to leaue there that glorie with losse of their liues which in resisting would assuredly shroud them from such sinister accidents and that further he plainly saw how the retraict would be farre more dangerous then the entering At this time Frier George couered then with a greene cassocke by which he hid his habit for feare of being knowne by the enemies and Counte Thomas Nadasdy came together to the assault and to the quarter where the Germanes and Spaniards were mingled with other nations who animating them said that they should couragiously force themselues to enter into the towne to reuenge the blood of their friends who yet fresh before their eyes had been cruelly slaine and wounded and in many places pitifully ouerthrowne by the Turkes Whilest these two on the one side animated the souldiours Castalde on the other side perceiued that the Caualarie which Oliman had ordered in a squadron by the breach began to recoyle and retire backe which was a likelihood they could not any longer resist and that they should be either forced to flie or presently to yeeld He taking hold of this oportunitie commaunded presently that the 200. men of armes of Ourestolf should dismount from their horses and that one part of them taking the Target and Cutlace and the other the Pike should force the breach He had also before appointed that all the straglers of the Campe only armed with the Hatchet a la Hungresque should goe to that hill which commaunded the towne in forme of a Caualier and that there with some brauing shew they should make a view and front of souldiours whereby the Turkes seeing them they would iudge them to be souldiours indeede who came to assaile that part of the wall which was opposite to them these people made a shew of an infinit number of men Castalde then presently sent to the Captaine that commaunded them that instantly when hee should see the assault renued that then he should descend from the hill with all his people and with the cries and shrikings vsuall to that nation he should directly march to the wall of the towne to giue although not effectuall yet at the least in shew a feare of a cruell assault That done he went where he had caused those men of armes to dismount themselues who were readie to goe to the breach and said to them enter enter my companions the houre is now come which will make vs together with this victorie very glorious These speeches so kindled the heart and courage of euery man that the Turkes when they expected our men would haue retired seeing them come with greater courage to the breach then before and also perceiuing the others who at the same instant with great cries descended from the hill directly towards them they began so faintly to abate their courage that presently losing all heart and valour they suffered our people to enter into the towne some at the breach and others in other places with a great throng and presse of our Vauntgard which then was conducted by the Marquesse Sforce Palauicin who at the same time also behaued himselfe valiantly in the fight as in all other his former actions he had done discharging the Artillerie so effectually against the towne that it was an incredible thing Captaine Iohn Viglioa was the first that mounted vpon the wall and presently he was seconded by Francis de Salcede who bore his Colours and who was onely remaining all the rest being taken away at the first assault by the Turkes Carleual was also one of the first vpon the breach and in like sort entered many of the Hungars and other souldiours who were the first that aduanced themselues at the breach vpon which was seene more then 1200. dead Turkes All the Ianisaries who were the last that shronke or retired and the other who remained aliue with Oliman began with such feare and so tumultuously to flie to the Castle that it was a marueilous thing to see those men so vilely forsake and disperse themselues that had before so gallantly defended their liues by the space of more then fiue houres Ferdinands people being entered into the towne they found not any Turke who durst lift vp his sword against them but suffered themselues to be beaten downe like beasts and the noyse was so great both within and without that nothing else was heard but grieuous sighings and groanes of those who gaue vp the ghost and such a confused medly of others who not finding any to incounter withall crying victoria victoria kill kill did runne vp and downe through all Lippa like mad men and afterwards sacked the towne The Turkes who were on horsebacke thinking to saue themselues forsooke the towne and they fell into the ambuscado of those horses which as we haue aforesaid were for that purpose sent by Castalde to guard the riuer and there by these horsemen they were miserably disordered and the greatest part of them slaine The remainder willing to auoyde this bloodie perill fell into another the like or more great and for
and knee betweene both hindered that the groome could not shut it The Marquesse keeping himselfe firmely there the Secretarie in the meane time approached Frier George who was in his shirt and night-gowne he vsing no other circumstances to apparell him but onely came presently out of his bed and leaning then on the table vpon which he had a little Clocke a Breuiarie and a booke of his notes with an Inkehorne by The Secretarie told him that the Marquesse Sforce was to goe to the Court of Ferdinand and before his departure he was come to kisse his hands and would know his pleasure if he would commaund him any seruice that being said he put into his hands the letters and patents aforesaid to seale them After that the Frier had perused them and taking penne and inke to subscribe his name the Secretarie not omitting any time with a poynard which secretly he had he gaue him a stab betweene the throate and the breast but not so deepe that it was mortall The Frier being greatly amazed herewith and comming to himselfe againe and saying Virgo Maria he pulled the dagger out of his breast and for that he was a man of great strength and of a bolde resolution he made the Secretarie retire to the end of the table The Marquesse being very attentiue hearing this bruite entered presently into the chamber and laying hand vpon his sword gaue him so great a blow vpon the head that he cleaued it Whereupon all the rest entering with Captaine Lopez discharged their Harquebuzes vpon him which the Frier seeing said no other thing but these words in Latin What meaneth this my friends and saying Iesus Maria he fell dead to the ground Behold now the end of the proudest and insolentest man in the world and the greatest and closest Tyrant that euer liued God permitting that he should in that very place end his daies which he had caused to be built vpon the foundations of an ancient Church and Monestarie of religious persons which for that occasion he caused to be defaced and pulled down for the ruine whereof his death was foretold vnto him by the Abbot of that place And neither could his authoritie wisedome nor great wealth protect him from the action of so miserable an end whereinto his daies being almost come to a period he suddenly fell The bruite ranne that this death inflicted on him was rather by the enuie and malice of those who hated him then by any act which he was culpable in for that the defence which he vndertooke for Olimans protection and safetie tended to no other end as was afterward perceiued and as wee shall hereafter more at large treate of but that by such curtesie vsed to Oliman and his people he might pacifie the Turkes furie and cause them to abstaine from further oppression of Transiluania and suffer euery one to liue peaceably This wee are sure on that all those which were actors of his death in time fell into great misfortunes The Marquesse Sforce within a while after was ouerthrowne and taken prisoner by the Turkes who inflicted great torments vpon him Captaine Monin was beheaded at S. Germanes in Piemont Marc Anthonie Ferraro in anno 1557. was also beheaded in Alexandria by the Cardinall of Trent his commaund Another was quartered by the Frenchmen in Prouence Cheualier Campeggio in anno 1562. was in the presence of the Emperour Ferdinand mortally wounded with a Bore in Bohemia And the conclusion was that in the end Transiluania remained not long vnder the obeysance of his Maiestie but returned vnder the gouernment of yong King Iohn so that the death of Frier George was more offensiue and preiudicial to the Christians then profitable as we will hereafter in his due place mention Returning then to the pursuite of our historie whilest these were busied about their execution Castalde was walking vpon the Castle wall to giue colour to their proceedings and there to expect the issue of this bloodie enterprise Being now assured that the Frier was dead he presently came downe and went to the Castle gate where suddenly with his souldiours which were entered into it and other gentlemen which he had with him he caused all the Aiduchs who then were appointed for the guard of it to goe foorth who hearing the bruite which was within and seeing the Spanyards in battaile without and that the Frier their Lord was dead they so suddenly were amazed that without betaking themselues to armes they most willingly fled and departing in this manner aduertised the Friers guards who were at the bridge on the other side of the Castle of what had happened This exploite being now finished Castalde doubting that many of the Friers friends would depart whereupon he presently went forth to finde Francis Chendy Ference who was alreadie in his Coach to bee gone and taking him by the hand he desired him to stay And surely if hee had not then at that instant staied him he would haue fallen into a great daunger for that he was one of the greatest friends Frier George had and hee was of that might within the Realme as he could stirre them vp against the souldiours of Ferdinand to be reuenged of the Friers death Hee hauing thus staied him brought him to the place where the Spanyards and Germanes were among whom he placed him to see what would become of this tumult that the gentlemen and seruants of the Friers would make and specially his guard who mounted all on horsebacke and gathered together in the field hauing for their Captaine Paul Bancchy who at the siege of Lippa was the Friers Lieutenant They being thus all ranged in battaile in a plaine began among themselues to deliberate what was best to bee done and being acertained of the Friers death made no other semblance against Castalde doubting they could not make their partie good in respect he had an infinit companie of men with him and that this murther was not done without great intelligence for which cause esteeming they could not greatly preuaile but rather receiue more losse and damage they resolued for the present to obscure this reuenge in silence and reserue the chastisement thereof vntill a more conuenienter time And so this assemblie was discomfited euery man taking his neerest and safest way leauing their masters dead bodie to bee a pray and spoyle and vnburied It remained there many daies aboue ground all naked and without light there being not any who respected to couer or burie him being so stiffe with cold that he seemed as a man made out of Marble hauing in the head breast and armes many wounds vpon which was yet remaining the blood all frozen which to say truly was an obiect worthie of compassion and on the other side it was very execrable and enormious to see so great a personage so vily left without buriall by those who God knoweth for what cause had practised his death In the end by some of his
he of Vilne Kioky Samogithia Trocense Vitiliense Polocense and he of Nouograde The Palatins haue many Prouinces vnder them and euery Prouince sendeth thither two messengers The Chauncellor Vicechauncellor Treasurer of the kingdome and he of the Court haue in this assemblie places in the first rank All that which is resolued vpon in this Diet by the greatest part of those that are there is held firme and stable And if therein be treated any matter which belongeth not to the election of a new King it may be resolued in this assemblie although it bee against the Kings will And from thence it commeth that the Kings are lesse warlike in action then in courage because that they cannot vndertake any warre if it bee not graunted to them by such assemblies This Diet whereof we now write for the election of a new King was appointed at Varsouia To it were come many Ambassadours from the greatest Princes of Europe some requesting and suing for their Masters and others soliciting in the behalfe of those whom they would recommend From Charles the King of France there was first come thither the Lord of Lansac well vnderstanding the Slauonian tongue and greatly experienced in these Northerly countries and after there came thither the Bishop of Valence of the house of Monluc a good Oratour as also the Lord of Rambouillet These men by reason of their goodly speech and fayre promises setting out also the great reputation that the Duke of Aniou brother to Charles had alreadie gotten through all the world by the great armies which alreadie he had conducted in those yong yeeres wherein he was did so well that he for whom they spake was chosen King of Poland and the election published presently there was dispatched a Lord of Poland to the said Duke of Aniou who then as Lieutenant generall for King Charles held the towne of Rochell besieged This Prince hauing receiued this gracious newes which tended nothing else but to the encrease of his glorie because he saw that it was extended to the vttermost parts of the world as well by the proper nature thereof which is to flie with renowne from one Region to another by passing the seas as also by reason of so many Northerly Princes against whom contrarie to all mens opinions he carried away the credit and honor to be reputed the most valiant and warlike Prince of all considering that this siege by reason of the strength of the towne and valiantnes of the souldiours who were within was to continue so long a time that it might bring some preiudice to his new estate and also being pricked forward by this Polish Lord who was come to him who had been thereto solicited by them that fauoured the assieged his Highnes praied the King his brother that he would giue him leaue and dismisse his armie after he had made some accord with the Rochellers to the end to aduise vpon his particular affayres and to hasten his voyage into Poland He being come to Paris and by the perswasion of the King hauing accepted this election and sworne betweene the hands of the Ambassadours who were alreadie arriued in this towne appointed by the generall assemblie of the kingdome of Poland to keepe and obserue the conditions with which he had been chosen and the lawes of the kingdome without preiudicing neuerthelesse his successiue right to the Crowne of France if it should so fall out after he had amassed great store of money to the summe of two millions as well to content those who had chosen him as to make his voyage he departed from the Court accompanied with the Queene his mother and with many other Princes and Lords of France whereof some and the greatest part accompanied him vnto Polonia Passing through the countrie of the Count Palatin he there receiued some discourtesie by this Lord in shewing him the picture of the deceased Admirall of France called Coligny otherwise Chastillon slaine with many other Lords of the pretended reformed religion in the towne of Paris the 24. of August the last precedent yeere the which Admirall was alwaies assisted by men of warre and counsell sent by the said Lord to the warres which for the space of tenne or twelue yeeres were maintained in France for Religion As this man thought to braue this Prince on the other side the Duke of Saxonie was astonished at the comming of this new King passing through his countrie seeing neere him the Polonians in armes In the end Henry at the beginning of the yeere entered into his kingdome he being receiued thereinto with great applause and after hauing againe sworne the obseruance of the countrie lawes he receiued the tokens and royall Ensignes according to the ancient custome Almost about the same time yet a little before Stephen otherwise called Iohn sonne of Iohn the Vayuode and King of Transiluania departed this world without any lawfull issue By reason of this decease there began to breake forth new troubles in Transiluania because that the Turke procured that this Prouince which was commodious to him for the passage into Hungarie should maintaine it selfe in league with him and vnder the same confederacie which was betweene him and Iohn On the other side Maximilian aspired to this kingdome as well by the right and inheritance of his deceased mother who had succeeded King Lewis her brother as also by reason of Stephens will and testament who at his death had named him his heire and ordained that this kingdome should bee yeelded to him pricked thereto perhaps by remorse of conscience or else fearing that it should fall into the Turkes hands who made to him great suite therefore which could not happen but to the great damage of all Christendome But the Barons of the countrie did not so presently resolue vpon that which they should haue done because that on the one side they seared the Turkes forces who would not faile to endamage them if they should giue themselues to the Emperour On the other side they feared worse if they should elect a King at his deuotion Vpon such feares many moneths passed without any resolution Certaine men of note fearing the iust anger of the Emperour against them because during the life of King Iohn they banded against his Emperiall Maiestie in manner of hostilitie firmely resisted those who fauoured Maximilians part and who demaunded that the testament of the dead should bee put in execution These feares engendred amongst them great diuersitie which was an occasion long to delay their last resolution But within a few moneths after it was finally concluded amongst them that they should particularly chuse a King of their nation minding thereby to preserue their kingdome and that they might remaine in peace with the Turke they would pay him the accustomed tribute and that he who should be chosen King should maintaine himselfe in peace with the Emperour they all iudging thereby that the Turke would haue occasion to content
he was to fight against all their armie and as for the rest he needed not to doubt of victorie At this his speeches the King incontinently commanded to sound the alarme and presently all the Trumpets Clarions and Drummes made a marueilous and terrifying noise and al the souldiours following their accustomed manner inuocating the name of Iesus made a confused noise of crying and at the same instant one might perceiue the enemies to descend the hill which was opposite against the Hungars seeming by their rankes an infinite number among whom was Soliman himselfe Then they gaue the King his head-peece who vpon the receipt thereof looked very pale as a presaging of euill fortune at hand And then the signall to fight was giuen to those who were in front who very couragiously charged the enemie and all their artillerie was also made readie and discharged But this first incounter was not greatly offensiue to the enemies neuerthelesse there was more slaine of them then of the Hungars in so much that they were forced to retire being so hardly pressed by the Christians whether it was by the force and courage of the Hungars or the subtiltie of the enemie endeuouring by that meanes to draw them on to the mouth of their Cannon that I know not Then presently Andrew Battor hasted to the King declaring to him that the Turkes had turned their backes that the victorie was now in him that he should not doubt but set forward and that it was needfull presently to second his men who were in chase of the enemie that fled Whereupon the King aduaunced forward in hap hazard but when they came to the place where the first charge was giuen there might you haue seene many bodies of the Hungars dispersed ouer all the field some maimed others halfe aliue yet breathing In the meane while those of the Vandgard pursuing the enemie and valiantly fighting the battaile of the Hungars approached to them with as much speede as armed men could make the left wing began to bend and many quitted themselues and fled being feared which I well beleeue with the enemies Cannon which then began to play among them This did not a little astonish the battaile whilest those who were in it did heare the continuall and horrible whistling of the bullets which passed through their rankes and ouer their heads and then the King was seene no more in the ranke where he was whether it was for that he passed beyond the first rankes which were before him as wee haue noted and as was before determined vpon to the end that he should not bee too much knowne remaining in the same place or whether that he was forced from the daunger by those who were behinde him for both the one and the other might well bee Some said that hauing gone beyond the rankes which were neere him he thrust himselfe into the front of the battaile where hee valiantly fought with the enemie but neither dare I affirme it nor altogether denie it For my part I know this for trueth that he was not found in that place neither in the ranke wherein he was at the beginning after the Cannon of the enemie began to play and when those of the left wing of the Vandgard were seene to flye At the same instant was missing the Archbishop of Strigonium who was side by side by the King and also certaine others who were by his Maiestie I will not impose this fault of the losse of our King vpon those to whom he was committed in custodie nor to those which may be carried him by force or ill hap out of the battile but euen to the hard fortune of the Hungars to the end that together with the losse of their King they might not onely suffer that which they endured of a stranger but also endure the infinite euill which they afterward felt by their factious and domesticall dissentions for the election of a new King in place of him whom they had lost their sinnes no doubt being more worthie of a greater scourge and punishment For wee know that both the one and the other who had the charge to respect the Kings safetie were most faithfull vnto his Maiestie and very desirous to preserue his life And concerning those three who ought to haue had a watchfull eye vpon him it is most certaine they could not returne from the enemie against whom they had been sent before our armie was put to flight yea one of them was taken and suddenly deliuered That which causeth mee to discourse more particularly of this action is through the vehemencie of griefe which I haue by reason of a certaine man who in a praier which he set forth was not afeard falsely to call the Hungars the forsakers of their King But should one esteeme those to haue forsaken and abandoned their King who shewed vnto him all the duties that good and faithfull subiects owe vnto their Prince and who also were well neere all slaine in that field wherein his Maiestie was found dead who also by their death declared how true and faithfull they were to their King what great loue they beare to their countrie But this goodly Oratour who hath couched this in writing and who so greatly iniurieth this nation doth besides so largely write such a discourse of this ouerthrow that I am ashamed of him so impudently dareth he diuulge to the worlds view the historie of a thing which was altogether vnknowne to him But to our purpose The battaile of the Hungars being greatly troubled by this inconuenience as wee haue said and shaken in such manner that it altogether tended to a flight neuerthelesse they fought a long time not in that large plaine but euen before the Cannons mouth of the enemie which was but ten paces from them so that the Hungars as well for the feare which they had thereof as for the smoake which darkened them were forced for the most part to descend into a valley adioyning to those aforesaid marishes the rest notwithstanding continued still fighting before the Cannon In the end those who were retired into this valley being returned againe to the fight and seeing there was no meanes to support the violence of the artillerie and the smoake which still thickened one part of the armie being alreadie put to flight they also were forced to turne their backes Euery man then as his commoditie would serue began to flye drawing for the most part towards that place wherein an houre before they had passed in great mirth and brauings and full of hope to obtaine the victorie trauersing their Camp which was now alreadie sacked and rased by the enemies wherein there was nothing remaining but onely their footsteps and dead bodies The Turkes seeing the flight of the Hungars thinking it to bee but some stratagem or else feeling themselues wearie of the fight continued a long time at a stay in so much that they did not pursue them in respect
of the night which had alreadie couered all the earth This partly was the cause and also the vehement raine that fell that night for the safegard and preseruation of many The violence of the fight endured at the most but an houre and a halfe and many were swallowed vp and smothered within that marish The bodie of the King who was said to haue ended his daies in that place was afterward found in a great whirle or rift of earth aboue Mohacz halfe a mile on this side a little village which is called Czelie the which medow was then ouerflowed more then it was wont to be with Danubius in that place he was stifled with his horse vnder the water being armed as he was at the battaile And seeing wee shall speake no more of this King I will adde to in this historie one thing of him worthie the noting and that is when he was newly borne he had no skinne that couered his bodie which he neuerthelesse recouered by the helpe of Phisitions who by their art succoured and helped the want and defect of nature We haue heretofore noted a certaine presage of the pittifull end which should happen to him but the same might well haue been told him before as a destenie of that which afterward happened to him during the time he gaue order for his affaires to resist the enemies according to the first newes which he had receiued For he being at Buda when he was at dinner the gates of his Castle being shut as the custome was a certaine Ghost in forme and shape of a man euill fauoured with crookedlegs came haulting and knocked at the gate and with a loude shrill voyce desired to speake with the King to acquainte him with things which neerely concerned both the good of himselfe and of the kingdome His speeches being not at the first heard by the guard who were at the gate as it is the vse in Princes courts hee cried lowder and with a horrible voyce demaunded againe whether they gaue the King notice thereof In the end certaine of the companie being moued by the importunitie of this deformed Ghost they demaunded of him what he would haue but he replying sayd that he would not reueale his secrets to any but to the King This message was presently carried to his Maiestie who vnderstanding thereof sent vnto him one of his seruants in the best and richest apparell and one who was next himselfe faining that he was the King commaunding him to enquire what this fellow would say This messenger comming before this Ghost and asking of him in priuate what secret he would impart vnto him the other denying that he was King whereby he thought to abuse him with a high and loude voyce he sayd that since the King would not heare him he should shortly perish These words being pronounced he vanished away to the great astonishment of all that were present It is a discourse somewhat neere vnto that of Saule but yet different for that which the one required was not offered to him but this of it selfe was presented without seeking for it which one may enterpret diuers waies But let vs returne againe to the subiect of our historie In this place where the Kings bodie was founde many others also lost their liues A little beyond was also found the bodies of Andrew Trepka and Stephen Azel It is said that the Frier ended his life valliantly fighting in the Vauntgard the day following his head being cut off was carryed vpon the top of a launce round about the enemies Campe in token of ioy and some said that it was for a time placed before the Pauilion of Soliman The day after the Battaile 1500. Hungers who were taken prisoners among whom were the chiefest of the Nobilitie being all commaunded to be set in a rounde forme were presently beheaded their bloud seruing in stead of a sacrifice to the Gods of these Infidels Very few prisoners had been saued if it had not been to informe and giue them notice of some speciall matters which Soliman and Abraham Bascha were desirous to knowe Among those was Nicholas surnamed Hertzek which in the Hungarish language signifieth Duke as he was indeede and the Kings Treasorer Iohn Pileczky and Iohn Maczieouusky Polanders were also of that number They were gentelmen of the Kings chamber and being returned vnto the Queene they discouered many matters which for the breuitie of this historie we will omit to write of Michael Fekete and Bartholmew Martine were also saued from death and within a while after were redeemed paying a great ransome Among those which dyed in the fight and flight besides the King were these Ladislas Salcane Archbishop of Strigonium Paul Tomoree Bishop of Colocense and Lieutenaunt generall of the Armie Francis Peren Bishop of Varadine Philip More Bishop of the fiue Churches Blaise Paxy Bishop of Iauerin Francis Gzacholy Bishop of Chenat George of Pauline Bishop of Bosnia George of Zapolia Count of Sepusa the other commaunder of the Armie Iohn Dragfy Prouost of the Kings house Francis Orzag chiefe gentelmen of the Kings chamber Peter Corlathy and Andrew Trepka Captaines of the watch at the gate Simon Horuuath the chiefe taster Thomas Zechy Gabriel Peren Ambriose Zarchan Anthonie Poloczy Mathias Czethingny Counte of Francapin Sigismonde Bransy Francis Hampo Iohn Bathian Stephen Slÿk a Bohemian with certaine other Bohemians and Morauians And these were the principall Barons of Hungarie Among the Nobles and other Lords of the Countrie there are worthie of note Francis Balasse Nicholas Tharza Iohn Paxy Iohn Istuuanfy Emeric Warday Michael Podnamisky George Orlouuchicz Captaine of Segin Stephen Azel Castelane of Poson Sigismonde Pogan Iohn Torualy Iohn and Stephen Kalnay Nicholas Forgach and besides these about 500. other As for the foote men there escaped three or foure thousand and they were in all 12. or 13000. There was remayning of their Captaines no more then Hanibal Cypryan All the peeces of Artillerie as well those which were planted before the Battaile as those which were remayning within the Campe and in the boates were all taken by the enemie the charge thereof was giuen too late being but the night before the fight to Iohn Hadek a man of good courage and well managed in such affaires who had alwaies frequented the Kings court of whom he was so loued that few had the like fauour of his Maiestie The night and day after this vnfortunate Battaile the enemies running all ouer made wonderfull waste and ruine of all the neighbour countries set fire on all not sparing any person hauing no regarde to sexe nor age nor to any religion executing vpon the poore people all cruell and inhumaine acts My wit cannot sufficiently write and bewayle the calamitie of this whole night and the dayes following being so great and intollerable for all this part of Hungarie which we haue named to be on this side the riuer that I cannot be perswaded that euer any barberous enemie hath
but in the ende the force and courage of the Germanes increased the Turks being constrayned to yeeld notwithstanding the admonitions prayers exhortations and threatnings of the Sangiacs and other Captaines who with blowes of their Semitaries forced them to returne againe to the assault not being able otherwise to stay them from turning their backes Thus while the ayre resounded and the earth shaked by reason of the wonderfull thunder the Artillerie made and by the noyse and sound of bels and drums the enemie with greater obstinacie then before returned to the assault which was long and couragiously maintayned more then foure houers continually not without great slaughter on both sides During which assault there was slaine with Ambust Ottinge a valiant Colonell many Captaines and men of speciall marke and of those without many Captaines of the Ianisaries and of the Asapes and many Sangiacs who for their vertue and renoune were greatly esteemed among their Nation These being prouoked with furie and courage put themselues on foote with their sword and target only to animate and encourage others the more to the fight In the ende the Turks not being able any longer to resist the prowesse and valour of the assiedged abandoning all shame of dishonor and dispising all iniurious vpbrayding not respecting the blowes which they receiued of their Captaines they tumbled downe through and from the ruines and breach of the wall flying directly to their lodgings Solyman throughly vexed to see such a bucherie of his people vrged by a kinde of deepe reuenge did purpose to put in execution his last endeauored violence wholy to destroy the towne And to that effect he caused all the Captaines and principals of his Armie to come before him who seuerely and with sharpe speeches reprehending them in great choler that they so villanously and infamously and by a more then womanish cowardlynes hauing almost the victorie in their hands suffered now themselues to be depriued thereof and put to flight commaunding them within a short time to make themselues readie and renew the assault with greater courage euery one either resoluing to die there or else to regaine the victorie euen as it behooued them more then any other nation At this cruell commaund which was pronounced to the extreame feare of all euery man furnished himselfe with armes and with all necessarie things for fight and the prefixed time being come to begin this horrible assault which was the 13. of October Anno 1529. the Turkes with all their force and last endeauour in diuers places and especially by the Port of Carinthia began again to assaile the towne with so great a multitude and furie of the souldiours that it seemed the world would presently haue ended thinking by their shouting and fearefull cries to enter the towne and darkening the day by the great cloudes of arrowes with which they filled the ayre But the Germanes who held themselues gallantly aloft were aduaunced before the insolencie and boldnes of the enemie opposing their thicke squadrons against their force and multitude and by such valarous meanes frustrated their violence making with their Cannon and handy strokes a great butcherie of them which would cause great maruaile and amazement in those who could beholde the infinite number of them that were slaine and wounded notwithstanding the Turkes abated nothing of their courage but to the contrarie abandoning all feare of death more hardie rash and more inflamed with pride then before redoubled the assault and so fiercely they persisted in their obstinacie that many times our men were constrained to yeeld a little backe But at last by the vollies of the harquebuziers and the violence of the Artillerie which by good discresion was disposed about the walles especially where they saw the greatest force of the Turkes fighting the enemies were forced to retire miserably falling in heapes by the ruines of the breach making themselues a pittifull spectacle the ditch being filled with the dead bodies of these Infidels and the stones stained with their bloud Thus hauing lost all their courage and hope of winning the towne and no more dreading the threates and menaces nor the blowes of their commanders of two extreames they chose rather to be killed of their Captaines then by those of the towne whereupon tumultuously they retired themselues in great confusion from that terrible assault flying in great hurly burly to their lodgings By this confused retraict behold how this bloodie fight that day tooke an end which did very deere and infinitly cost the Turkes by the death of his brauest and valiantest Captaines Wherefore Solyman seeing fortune contrarie to him and considering the vallour of the assiedged not willing to attempt any more so cruell a losse determined to packe vp and depart And before his departure he caused certaine prisoners to be apparaled in robes of Veluct and cloth of golde who liberally were sent home againe into the towne whereby they might informe the Citizens that his intent was not to take Vienna but onely to be reuenged of the iniuries which he had receiued of Ferdinand and specially because hee meant to possesse those kingdomes which were not his and further that he was so much the more displeased that his enemie was retired into the midst of Germanie and had not attended him in Hungarie that there he might be reuenged the better of the iniuries offered to Kind Iohn his friend and that if they would yeeld to him hee assured them that he would not enter into their towne but leaue them in full libertie promising to the souldiours who were within that they should retire themselues to any secure place where they would and that afterward he would incontinently returne againe These speeches being by the prisoners recited in the assemblie of all the people and souldiours gaue notice to them that the forces of the Turkes were greatly weakned and by that they iudged the losse which he had receiued and that he vsed this deceite but onely to win them to his lure and so nothing but laughing at it they made account of his words as they deserued knowing well by reason of the winter which was at hand that the siege could not long continue And so within two dayes after which was the thirtieth day of the siege the Turke raysed his Campe from before Vienna deuiding it into three partes and hee tooke the way towards Constantinople one part whereof marched by Strigonium the other by Gran and the third by Bosnia And in order with such an innumerable quantitie of spoyle and prisoners Solyman retired himselfe from Vienna and Abraham Basha remained in the rerewarde to defend that none should charge or assaile the squadron of the grand Seigniour marching along Danubius vpon the which also softly floted another part of the Armie to giue reliefe of victualls munition and of men to those who were on land if neede should require it At the departure of so great and puissant an enemie all Germanie and Hungarie greatly
being come to him to honour him the more in this voyage as was fitting to their Vayuode and supreame Bishop and especially vnderstanding that this was to goe before Gritty These men together with Emerics traine ranged in the middest of a field seemed in a manner a good armie This wonderfully moued the tyrannicall spirit of Gritty who ambitiously aspired to haughtie attempts and probably to the vsurpation of that Countrie considering that the authoritie of that Bishop might molest and frustrate the greatest part of his deseignes and imagining that it was necessarie to parlie with him in the plaine field with an appointed battaile as it were against his professed enemies For this cause after Gritty had dined not being able any longer to smother the vehemencie of his cholor arrogancie he tooke his hat off his head which was agglated and made of Martens Sables after the Turkish manner and with a swelling pride cast it on the ground saying That that hat could not serue for two heads since it was so necessarie that but one alone should haue the vse thereof and threatning all those who would not obey to his commaund he put it on his head againe By these and such like speeches Iohn Doce tooke occasion to reuenge himselfe vpon Emeric and answered him thus Truly Seigniour Gritty a man cannot better applie this which you haue said to any thing then to this Realme which by no meanes can tolerate two Lords nor two gouernours And I assure you by the liuing God that you can neuer vse your puissant and magnificall authoritie so maiestically as long as Emeric shall remaine aliue against whom you ought this day to maintaine the authoritie and royaltie of Solyman and your selfe I now perceiue by this his insolencie which I haue long before knowne what this cruell beast Emeric is the boldnes and pride of whom if you please shall soone bee abated and I will make him lie full low as he well deserueth for that he so peremptorily refuseth obedience to Solyman and that dareth to despise thy name manifesting thereby that he rather aspireth to make himselfe an absolute King then to maintaine the dignitie of a Vayuode Therefore it is necessarie by some deuise to make him away whereby euery one may be freed from his insolencie and pride This counsaile was specially praised by Gritty who incouraged him to execute it And the better and in more safetie to attaine to the period of his enterprise he caused to bee giuen vnto him by Vrbain Batian a good troupe of Hungarish horse And although it is said that Gritty commaunded not Doce to kill Emeric but onely to take him prisoner and that afterward he might send him chained to Constantinople to the grand Seigniour minding to create in his place Hierome Lasky Vayuode who then was with him and by whom as wee haue before recited the affayres of King Iohn was greatly furthered neuerthelesse the common bruite was that Gritty by enuie and the false suggestion which was reported to him gaue commaund to Doce to kill him feining of his part an intent but to goe and visite him Thus Doce secretly in the night dislodged and came on a sudden to the Campe of Emeric being a little before aduertised by his spyes that Emeric was without guard or any feare being lodged in the fields vnder the shadow of trees to auoyde the heat which then was and that he was accustomed to lye alone in his Tent onely with the groomes and pages of his chamber and all the rest of his people dispersed in cōmodious places as euery man found it most profitable to himselfe little distrusting any treacherie thinking that they should the next morning haue time enough considering the distance of places to assemble themselues before they should encounter with Gritty This little mistrust of Emeric increased the courage of Doce and gaue him good hope to execute his diuellish enterprise Whilest that Bishop Emeric dreamed not on such vnhappie and miserable fortune which by the wickednes of another vntimely happened to him he was layd vpon his bed to take his rest when suddenly Doce and his souldiours were within his Tents who before himselfe orany of his household were awaked or before any noyse or neighing of horses were heard seized presently on his bodie without hauing any reuerence to the qualitie and condition of his calling and forgetting all Christian pietie he cut off his head afterward giuing leaue to those Turkes who had accompanied him in this murther to sacke and pill all the moueables and baggage of this poore Bishop and to leade away his horses All the rest of this goodly companie being greatly astonished at this detestable accident betooke themselues to flight This being done Doce retired himselfe to Bresouia carying the head of Emeric hanging by one of the eares and presented it to Gritty who laughing did behold it with Hierome Lasky who was then with him This man stirred vp with so vilanous and infamous an act conceiued in him a great indignitie at the miserable fortune happened vnto so venerable a man But dissembling the griefe which touched him at the hart and which of a friend made him an enemy made semblance as though he little cared therefore Gritty turning himselfe to him said Seigniour Lasky doe you know this shauen head beleeue me it was the head of a great personage but yet besides ambitious and proud At these speeches Lasky oppressed both with anger and griefe at one time answered that it was then at no hand like to that which he had seene when it was aliue standing on his shoulders These words neerely touched Gritty who presently replied as one repenting himselfe of that deede and that he could not containe himselfe from shame in respect he was so vniustly put to death and that he gaue no such commaund that he should be slaine but onely taken prisoner After he caused certaine Hungarish and Turkish horsemen to seaze vpon a Castle which was reported to bee the place where his treasure was By this time the issue of this pitifull and lamentable death was diuulged into the eares of euery one in respect whereof all the nations of that prouince as Saxons Sicilians Transalpinians and Podolians who are vpon the confines of Polonia with all possible discontent felt themselues greatly outraged with griefe and assembled together against Gritty to reuenge the death of so honourable and reuerend a man and within few daies they were about 40000. men they hauing for their Commaunders Gottart a Saxon and Stephen Maillat who alwaies bore great affection and honour to Emeric and in their publike Diet condemned this foule act and detestable crueltie iudging Gritty worthie of any kinde of infamouse death and his adherents as murtherers and theeues ought to bee pursued and punnished with death Gritty vnderstanding this tumult of the Transiluanians and the great assemblie of souldiours and preparations which were determined of
I hold it false that Grittyes returning into Hungarie by the appointment of the grand Seigniour was permitted him by the meanes of Abraham Basha who determining to haue slaine Solyman and made himselfe Emperour of Constantinople had alreadie acquainted Gritty with part of his determinations whereby he might the rather consent vnto his practises because such a matter falling out he thought by the force of his Armie to haue held all Hungarie in peace and therefore it was said that this was the occasion that moued Gritty to put all those to death whome he esteemed great in reputation and such who might oppose themselues against him and somewhat impeach his enterprises But often it is seene that humaine practises although they be not periudiciall to any doe seldome happen according to the desire of the partie who manageth them And therefore how much lesse ought those to succeede to a wished end which are wicked and detestable which for the most part light vpon the backes of those who inuent them to their great shame and confusion King Ferdinand of Aragon said That euill councell doth for the most part bring more damage to him who giueth it then to him who doth execute it as it happened to these two far from that which their ambitious mindes forethought vpon for one of them died miserably as hath been said and the death of the other needed not to be any occasion of enuie to the suruiuour For that not long after Abraham Basha was accused by an Eunuch verie domesticall with the great Turke to whom he discouered his intention thinking he could not execute his practise without his assistance and vpon this accusation although it was then said that it was for negligent gouerning the martiall affaires of Persia or as some say for a certaine Carcanet of precious stones which he bought for his wife for enuie whereof Rosa Solymans concubine was greatly incensed against him saying that this was done in contempt of her in that she would first haue bought it before it was showne to him he was in the night strangled as he slept in one of the grand Seigniours chambers who also presently commaunded all his goods to be confiscat leauing his wife in great care and distresse for want of the benefit and commoditie of her dowrie Gritty being thus defeated the Transiluanians determined not to admit into their kingdome any of those two Kings namely King Iohn and King Ferdinand but to maintaine themselues Neuters electing a Captaine who should rule and gouerne them vntill it might be determined which of those two should be their lawfull King and thus they gouerned a certaine time But King Iohn within a while after reduced them vnder his obedience In the meane time these two Princes did daylie make war one vpon the other fortune being now fauorable to one and immediatly to the other and neuer any intermission was of their quarrels vntill it was concluded betweene them that Iohn as long as he liued should enioy all that then he possessed and after his death all should succeed to Ferdinand or to his successors with such conditions neuerthelesse that if Iohn left any children legitimat Ferdinand was bound to giue them in recompence so much of the reuenew of his patrimonie in townes and castles which should be conuenient honorably to maintaine their estate and besides the Vayuodship of Transiluania Within few dayes after occasion presented it selfe to execute these agreements by the death of King Iohn who left one only sonne borne eleuen daies before his death named Stephen who afterward by the commandement of the Turke was also called Iohn in memorie of his Father This Infant was borne of Queene Izabella the daughter of Sigismonde Kind of Polonia who was his gardian and gouernesse of the kingdome with George who commonly was called the Frier for so he was by profession This George was a Croatian borne and discended of a noble family but in great pouertie and brought vp in the house of Iohns Mother where he was employed in seruile and meane affaires and he neuer had during his youth a more liberall imployment then the carrying of wood and coales to offices and making fires He seeing by this kinde of life he could attaine to no higher promotion being vrged with dispaire or incited by destinie which may be did prouoke him to doe it became a Frier of the order of Saint Benedic in the Monasterie of Saint Paul by Buda in which place during the first yeares he had no better office then in distributing the almes to the poore at the Abbey gate and as he himselfe some time said he bestowed the better part to his friends rather then to others But he being of a liuely spirit and haughtie courage knowing this his present fortune not to be sufficient to attaine to any honor or to be ranged amongst worthie men imagined in himselfe that certainely he should neuer be aduanced to any place of esteeme as long as he was in such obscure estate For this cause desirous to put in practise his deuises which were impressed in his thoughts he studied to write faire and to learne as much latine as would serue him to sing a Masse Which hauing now sufficiently obtained for his content by meanes whereof attayning to the degree of a singing Priest he endeuoured himselfe so much that he was entertained into the seruice of King Iohn whilest he was in Polonia chased from his kingdome for whose affaires he trauailed into many places and alwaies returned againe with quicke and faithfull expedition ayding himselfe greatly with his habit vnder the colour of which he freely passed through euery place for none suspected that vnder that habite he could performe such waightie affaires and it helped him much to escape from many great daungers and trauailes After Iohn was returned into Transiluania and that he had recouered his kingdome he was then mindefull of the seruice which the Frier had done him and considering he had been so faithfull to him in his aduersities and knowing that all the daungers which he was often subiect vnto and all the troubles which he had endured for his sake proceeded not but of a great loue and good affection began now specially to fauour and to accept of him to be neere about his owne person And although that at the beginning King Iohn gaue him not so great meanes as willingly he would haue done yet neuerthelesse by his diligent seruices being a man who well could temper himselfe and who had a passing subtile wit and who naturally in his minde aspired to great things gayned the fauour of the King in such sorte who noting in him such great prudence and excellent wisedome made him of his counsell and gaue him the Treasurership and not long after he was chosen Bishop of Varadin By such dignities he came to so high authoritie that he was in generall greatly esteemed and honored of all And thus continuing his dutifull
she and her sonne should presently depart the Castle and that she should retyre to Lippa which is beyond Tibiscus to gouerne the kingdome of Transiluania where she might liue in better securitie and content then at Buda and where she should be a neighbour to the kingdome of Sigismond King of Polonia her father and there they should remaine vntill her sonne should come to age and be able to gouerne and rule that kingdome of which he offered himselfe to bee an ouerseer and protector promising to make restitution thereof vnto him at that time alleadging for his excuse that it imported her sonne no lesse to haue sufficient and carefull ouerseers to gouerne Hungarie then of other persons able to defend and preserue it for him Whereupon he nominated Peter Vicchy to be Gouernour of the County of Themesuar of the neighbour countries bordering thereon and willed that Stephen Verbetz a man in yeeres wise and prouident should remaine at Buda to execute Iustice and to haue respect to the Hungars And to encourage her the more to depart and beginne her iourney with best conuenience hee offered her waggons and horse as many as should bee sufficient to carrie her baggage and other moueables and besides he appointed her a sufficient conuoy of Caualarie and Ianisaries to accompanie her vnto Tibiscus he hauing notwithstanding those his fained promises another secret intention in himselfe that within a while he would make himselfe absolute Lord not only of Transiluania but also of all Hungarie which was on the other side of Danubius towards Vienna not being able at that time to prosecute so difficult a matter in respect of many occasions impediments which did then greatly hinder him from it Afterwards he named King Stephen his Vayuode and confirmed the Queene to bee his gouernesse raigning in Transiluania and made Frier George her coadiutor Treasurer following therein the last will of King Iohn bequeathed to him by his Testament of which he said he was and would be an executor The Queene hauing vnderstood this cruell and vnlooked for commaund and bathing her face with teares did extreamely blame and grieuously crie out against the naturall impietie of so damnable and faithles a Lord who against his vowed faith depriued her both of her kingdome and of all that which she held most deere but seeing no remedie she patiently yeelded to fortune her enemie and left the Fortresse out of the which the Turkes would not suffer her to take any Artillerie nor munition but onely her moueables and tooke her iourney out of the towne of Buda with such prouision of waggons and horse as Solyman would appoint her Vpon her departure the Turke presently set at libertie all those Lords which he kept prisoners except Valantine Turky who as hath been said was sent prisoner with Maillat to Constantinople where within a while after they both dyed The other although they were greatly offended to see themselues so fraudulently depriued of their lands and goods yet were they exceeding ioyous seeing themselues free and secure of their liues whereof they stood in great dread They being thus at libertie they presently went to the Queene who together with them and the Frier and certaine other of her household tooke their way towards Transiluania being often constrained for want of horses to draw her Coach with oxen which she notwithstanding endured with an inuincible and noble courage alreadie very well perceiuing that her affayres were in a manner declining and besides seeing her selfe according to womans nature to bee a weake and tender woman not able to resist so sad and heauie blowes which fortune began alreadie to torment her with But being now fully resolued to make small account of al misfortunes that might betide her took notwithstanding alwaies good heede during these aduersities to preserue her authoritie and royall gouernment in such decent and discreete manner that during her life she was greatly honoured therefore as her dignitie well merited In the meane time while the Queene with these complaintes and griefes drew neere Transiluania Ferdinand hauing receiued vnder the conduct of Roccandolph this bloudie ouerthrow and wonderfull losse of people Artillerie Munition and speciall townes of importance distrusting the Turk would amasse together all his Armie before Vienna presently dispatched Leonard Velsh to the I le of Comar after the death of Roccandolph to reallie the remnant of his Armie and with all speed to conduct them to Vienna and to fortifie the said I le with the best defence he could And seeing on the other side his brother the Emperour Charles so busied in the affaires of Germanie that he could not then send him any succours did deliberate with himselfe by Ambassages to require peace and to proue how Solyman was affected towards him To this end he sent an Ambassage by Nicholas Salm and Sigismond Litestan with rich and excellent presents to him among which was a cup of golde beautified and enriched with pretious stones of great valew furnished with a couer vpon the which was a diall that did not onely containe in it the course of the howers Moone and Sunne but also of all the other Starres and Planets It was a worke made with such excellent and marueilous art that it seemed a miracle of nature to them who could seriously contemplate of the rarenes thereof and it came by succession from the Emperour Maximilian These Ambassadours arriuing at the Turkes Campe first presented themselues to Rostan Basha and afterward to Basha Casson who lodged them in honorable tents and the day following they dined with the Bashaes at their owne table The feast being ended they tooke from them their weapons and also their kniues according to their custome and were by the Bashaes euery one of them betweene two Bashaes that lead them arme in arme presented before Solyman whose hand they kissed and after offered him their presents which greatly pleased him and especially the vessell of golde that bore this admirable dial which he so curiously beheld that he could not therewith sufficiently satisfie his greedie sight so often did he view reuiew it both within and without by meanes of him who vsually kept it who purposely came with the Ambassadours curiously demonstrating vnto Solyman the exquisitnes thereof and caused him to see the excellent workemanship that was with in it and how wonderfull the worke was Solyman after hee had sufficiently perused this rare iewell gaue audience to Nicholas and Sigismond They demaunded that he would giue to Ferdinand together with Buda the kingdome of Hungarie with the same charges and conditions vpon which before he had agreed with Iohn promising that the Emperour his brother for his greater suretie should send Ambassadours to be comprised in the same peace and that he would yeeld to the conditions that should be mentioned therein whereby he might more liberally and without suspition by force of armes enlarge the limits
thereby this being manifest that Transiluania is the Port that giueth large enterance to annoy it which being vnder the hands of so puissant an enemie Ferdinand might then with griefe easily discerne what preparation and meane this would bee to enter into his countrie of Austria and Germanie which he could by no meanes hinder considering the weakenes of his forces and his brother the Emperour Charles greatly incombred by the dissentions of Germanie in regard whereof he could by no meanes send such succour as was needfull for him and that for his part he saw him alreadie to be old and sickly and without meanes to defend this countrie against the mightie puissance of such an enemy who not onely by force but also by deceit and subtiltie would not cease vntill he had reduced it vnder his gouernment And that vpon this occasion before he would see such an indignitie and receiue so great a losse and especially not being able by reason of the great bonds wherein he was obliged to King Iohn to doe otherwise then procure that this kingdome might remaine free and peaceable to his sonne Stephen hee had aduised and determined with himselfe to haue recourse to the maiestie and princely regalitie of Ferdinand desiring his helpe to frustrate dissolue such enterprises importuning the Counte to recite amply this waightie matter to him praying him hee would not faile to fauour a deede so holy and iust the issue whereof would not onely bee profitable to the seruice of God and to the good of all Christendome but also a speciall profit and commoditie to his Maiestie in whose royall fauour he offered to doe him all possible seruice to the end that that which hee alreadie had negotiated with the Queene might take effect to wit in perswading her to relinquish that State according to that which King Iohn had by his last will and Testament decreed excusing and acquiting himselfe by such like offers of al dislikes which before had passed promising to doe him faithfull seruice in time to come and to obserue and entertaine inuiolably whatsoeuer it would please his Maiestie to commaund him Counte Salms made him answer that he would very willingly vndertake to aduertise Ferdinand of all which had passed betweene them two And to animate and confirme him the more in this his good purpose he promised him to performe it both by word and deede assuring him that Ferdinand would not faile but condiscend to all that which he had demaunded neuerthelesse with this condition that he should still perseuer in his faith and promise and effectually obserue all which he had promised him With this conclusion they both departed the Frier taking his iourney towards Transiluania and the Counte towards Vienna to impart vnto Ferdinand the whole discourse which had passed betweene them This conference was not so priuate but the Queene had present notice thereof and well knowing that the Frier sounded all the meanes to doe her the greatest mischiefe and spite he could she vnderstood that he secretly practised to accomplish fully his thoughts and put her to all trauaile and paine which hee thought good and meete to chase her out of her kingdome she well knowing that for this end and not to doe him seruice nor for any other occasion then that which he falsely and wickedly pretended practised to ioyne with Ferdinand and take part with him and knowing her selfe to be a Queene of weake force and a woman without the ayde of any Christian Prince and euen of Ferdinand himselfe by the friendship and fauour of whom she hoped to preuaile in her necessities being depriued therof by the subtilties and crafts of the Frier she was constrained that she might not behold a man to whom she wished so much ill to triumph ouer her and her sonne rather to serue her present neede with the promise and offer of the Turke esteeming it better for her to endure all that which should happen to her by the violence of this great disaster then the euill although it would proue but little which might betide her by the Friers wicked policies and practises Vpon this resolution she presently dispatched Iohn Solanze a man of good esteeme and greatly renowned in those countries and who was very much deuoted to her to goe to Constantinople and acquaint Solyman with the practises that Frier George wrought against her He trauailing with good expedition arriued in short time before the Turke to whom he imparted all the effect of his Ambassage Solyman who by his owne people had beene alreadie aduertised of all the affayres which were done in Transiluania and namely of the Friers proceedings was at this new information prouoked and incensed the more and sent presently one of his Chiauses to the Basha of Buda with expresse commaund that he should either take the Frier aliue or dead he also writing to the Transiluanians that they should fauour and assist his Chiauss in all things which he might neede from them and charged him that if he did see that they could not execute that which he would that then he should shew them other Letters Patents by which he depriued the Frier of all his degree dignitie and state and commanded them all no longer to obey him but to oppose themselues against him and according to the manner of that countrie that they should endeuour to kill him as a traytor and theefe and if any refused to execute this commaund he should threaten them all with death and ruinate and quite subuert the whole countrie He writ in like sort to the Vayuodes of Moldauia and Transalpina and to the Basha of Buda that as often as the Queene required them they should presently take armes and ayde her against the Frier with the greatest force they could The Chiauss was scarcely departed from Constantinople and these commaunds dispatched by Solyman but Frier George had presently secret and particular notice thereof by many his friends Vpon which occasion being well aduised he retired himselfe from the Queenes Court to a towne of good strength called Sassebesse which he presently caused to be well victualled and fortified putting therein a good strong garrison clensing and deepning the ditches heightning the rampiers repayring the wals where they were decayed and furnishing it with Artillerie sufficiently to sustaine the brunt of a siege in the meane while he forgot not by the best meanes that he could deuise and particularly by good words to cleere himselfe to the Turke During this time whilest hee was carefull with expedition to effect this matter yet neuerthelesse as being very vigilant he omitted not to practise on the other side what was fitting for him that he might not be surprised Therefore he called together all his friends and especially the Sicilians who are the warlikest people in that kingdome and from amongst them he tooke into his pay 4000. first causing them to sweare that they should bee faithfull to him By these and others he so encreased
behold thee bringing with thee nought but dishonor and ignomie knowing well that thou neuer tookest this reproachfull example of thy forefathers who neuer yet fell into such vnseemely cowardlines whereinto thy selfe art now deeply plunged And who of our time is he that by so base vile a courage hath committed so foule and enormious a fault and who hath euer left vnto his heires so great and infamous an outrage without being reuenged as they selfe Doest thou not thinke that it would rather haue reioyced and contented me if thou hadst with thine owne hands slaine our enemies and that my selfe euen with my mouth might haue sucked their blood then to see them so cruelly murthering ours and to sucke the blood of mine And neuerthelesse thou leauing all thine dead in the place darest now presume to come crying before me as a little girle euen as sound and whole as when thou didst depart from thy house Auoyde infamous man and cause that mine eyes doe neuer behold thee for they shall haue as great shame to see thee to bee my husband as my selfe to behold my selfe to bee thy wife since the condition and noblenes of my blood abhorreth the indignitie of thy person whom if it had pleased God I would in regard of so shameles a fact I had neuer knowne thee and so I would esteeme my selfe more proud and ioyfull then now I am and in stead of life I should not bee so vrged as now I am to desire death She hauing ended these words inflamed with ire and great indignation departed from him being many daies and moneths before she would once vouchsafe to see him againe Whilest fortune in this sort fauoured the affayres of Varcocce the Frier went to Megest not in respect he misdoubted the strength of Sassebesse but onely to be more neere vnto the Sicilians vpon whose forces he greatly reposed himselfe there being the principall of the kingdome ranged on the Queenes part to whō they were very fauourable vntill the Chiauss of whō we haue before spoken being without hope any longer to delude the Frier or obtaine him by any stratagem did diuulge to them the Turkes commaund telling them that if all of them did not presently take armes against the Frier he would procure the Basha of Buda and the two Vayuodes of Moldauia and Transalpina to chastice and handle them as the deserts of disobedient persons merited destroying all their townes and ruinating the whole countrie as they were wont to doe But these threatnings little profited the Queene but to the contrarie so incensed the hearts of those who were adhearing to her part to succour her that seeing the Turke began to take vpon him to ayde her they wholly dismissed themselues from her seruice in respect of the naturall hate which they bore to the Turkes Vpon this occasion the Frier omitted no oportunitie but thereby did the better shadow his ambitious proceedings imparting to those Lords that if they any longer fauoured the Queenes part they might be well assured that it would be the manifest ruine and vtter subuersion of their countrie seeing it was apparant that vnder the colour of ayde she endeuoured to bring the Turkes in among them who once knowing the Fortresses and difficult passages the condition and fertilnes of the countrie and prying by all deuises into their commodities and their other actions they might within short time finde the meanes to patronize themselues of all Transiluania euen as by the like facts they tyrannously haue made themselues masters of all Greece By these and such like perswasions the Lords were drawne vnto his faction absolutely leauing the Queene and they amassed and vnited themselues with the Frier that within few daies he assembled a good armie and incamped before Albe-iula where for the most part the Queene made her abode with such few men as she had of the countrie the chiefe and Captaine generall of whom was Peter Vicchy Both parties being thus certaine daies without performing any memorable act the one against the other the Sicilians began to mutinie saying they would returne home againe and that they would no longer remaine in that place against the Queene The Frier not knowing the cause of this mutinie armed himselfe with his Curasse and being well mounted went into the middest of the mutiners who vnderstanding the cause that did thus moue them to this tumult answered them in this sort that they should not bee astonished at so great a delay the which was not done without speciall aduice and benefit to the whole countrie and that thereof there should proceede great good and quiet to euery one for that now in the meane time an agreement was laboured betweene himselfe and the Queene which was almost well brought to passe And for that cause he prayed them a while to haue patience not doubting but this busines would effect to good end and that afterward they should returne with great content and quiet By such and many other sweete perswasions which he well knew at pleasure how to vse both in time and place he appeased all this tumult yet not without great trauaile and labour But seeing it was no easie matter for him to entertaine them with words but that he must in the end conclude by deedes for that these dissentions were like to continue long and end by warre and battaile which the Sicilians by no meanes would endure he began knowing it greatly imported him in respect the Basha of Buda the Moldauian and the Transalpinian were comming against him with three armies diligently to seeke an agreement betweene himselfe and the Queene who also was greatly inclined to peace for that she doubted no ayde would come from the Turke and she presently accepted of the conditions which the Frier offered her and the rather in regard she was disfurnished of necessaries for the maintenance of warre as of men money fauour and forsaken as she thought of the Turke in whom she reposed but little trust And being a sole woman not hauing any whom she might assure her selfe to relie vpon she thought that the continuance of this peace would be very momentarie notwithstanding of two euils she determined to chuse the least and the rather accepted of this agreement which was concluded betweene them and both willingly dismissed all their forces Whilest Frier George and the Queene were in tearmes of reconciliation the Basha of Buda on the one part and the two Vayuodes on the other being carefully solicited by the Queene were alreadie in their way whilest these broyles were in motion and euery one of them brought a sufficient armie to relieue her and although she was aduertised thereof yet in stead of comming forward she writ vnto them that they should retire because the Frier and her selfe were now accorded and in tearmes of agreement and that their comming would bee little profit or commoditie to her But neither the one nor the other would hearken thereunto for that they determined
they be not choked and that the munition be not fiered 8 That the Canoniers ought to bee lock Smiths black Smiths Carpenters and Masons because such men are necessarie for a Campe to shooe the Artillerie and horses when neede shall require to build bridges Bulwarkes wals and other engins vpon any occasion 9 And because that oftentimes it happeneth vpon the way that the Artillerie by default of the wheeles and carriages doth breake and faile by which inconueniences it doth much hinder the speed of an armie therfore to auoyde such lets he ought alwaies to haue in such necessitie other instruments and engins which are fit and necessarie to mount and dismount the Artillerie 10 The manner being that after the Artillerie the munition and instruments follow therefore he ought to make prouision of as many waggons and carts drawne by horses or oxen as shall serue to beare the powder bullets lines or ropes tooles to mend the wheeles cariages axeltrees and scourers veriuice vineger leade nayles and other necessarie things as boords double wheeles double cariages and axeltrees barrels spokes and staues of wheeles hammers peeces of iron anuils pincers and many such instruments and to haue them alwaies in a readines 11 He ought to haue ouer the said munition a wise and prouident Comissarie who particularly may haue the charge to distribute and dispose of them according to the oportunitie and necessitie of the time and a good Saltpeter or gunpowder maker and others who can make and inuent al sorts of artificiall fires and to beate the powder for the Artillerie and small shot whereby no inconuenience should happen through his negligence and to the contrarie by the good store of prouision the armie shall not onely haue sufficient for it selfe but also that it may be able to send to the neighbour fortresses some reliefe if neede require 12 And considering that it is well knowne what profit Pioners bring to a Campe to make trenches rampiers mynes and countermynes to make plaine and mend the bad waies to sappe the walles and holds of townes or Castles that are besieged to cut trees and necessarie wood for the fortification of any place to digge pits for the commoditie of souldiours as well to haue water as also to throw thereinto all the filth and ordure of the Campe. For these occasions he ought to be prouided of as many as he can to whom he must appoint a Captaine and other Commaunders such as it behoueth to haue some knowledge and art to fortifie a Campe and to make bastions when occasion serueth which kinde of people are most necessarie for a Campe. 13 That he ought to chuse a Captaine who may haue the care and charge of the Spies and another to haue regard to the Guides they both being very necessarie and among other things to conduct the Interpreters These two Captaines shall haue the charge to dispatch all the Spies and Guides that they will employ to enquire and know by their voyages and trauailes that which the enemie intendeth to enterprise against their King and Lord. Vnder these the Spies which the Lieutenant generall would keepe by himself must not be comprised 14 In like sort he ought to ordaine and appoint certaine officers to clense the Campe of the filth and excrements which is done as well by men as beasts which oftentimes causeth a great mortalitie for that the ayre should not bee corrupted nor the souldiours fall sicke and they ought to carrie it by waggons or carts to the riuer or to throw it into deepe ditches made for that purpose 15 That hee ought also to make prouision of good store of waggons drawne either with horse or oxen furnished with coffers for bread bisket meale salt flesh salt fish cheese oyle pulses and other kinde of victuals with wine vineger and salt to vse as occasion serueth and also to carry prouender 16 He ought also to haue carts to carrie piles stakes pickaxes hatchets sawes pincers and other instruments fit for Pioners and good store of helues for piles stakes and other iron instruments as occasion shall serue in time and place to vse them 17 He ought also to carrie with him in the carts Mils to grinde corne and Ouens to bake bread on the way where they can finde no such necessaries and to leaue them as they passe by in Castles and strong Forts where they haue none and to assist them therewith in time of necessitie which often happeneth vnlooked for 18 That he ought to be furnished with boates and bridges portable of beames boords cords and cables to binde them together which things he ought in like sort to haue carried vpon the carts whereby he may bee the better able to passe any riuer ditch bogge or any bad passage 19 He ought also to make good prouision of Pikes Launces Caliuers Swords Murrions Burgonets and Corselets also good store of Harquebuzes a crock and men who are able to vse them and serue therewith at neede These weapons ought to bee carried in carts after the Campe. He ought also to haue good store of Saddles Bridles Bits Stirrops Spurres and all such like necessaries which are fitting for a Campe. 20 That he ought to haue with the armie good Phisitions Surgions Barbers and Apothecaries to attend and heale the sicke and wounded 21 He ought also to appoint a diligent Master of the Post who ought continually to bee well prouided of good horses and to follow the Campe and still hourely with diligence to carrie the aduertisements and answers which come to his hands 22 And to the ende that the souldiours doe not of a greedie minde robbe and spoyle others it is necessarie that they forget not what appertaineth to good Christians Therefore he ought to make choise of Priests to follow the Campe with their Vestments and other ornaments fit publikely to sing Masse whereby they enclining and addicting themselues somewhat to religion may vndertake the warre for honor and glorie and not for spoile or to inrich themselues vniustly by the goods of their neighbours seeing that in euery armie the feare of God the respect of religion and the obseruation of iustice are the true foundations and pillers of all commendable vertue 23 That the said Priests ought to haue the charge of the Hospitall which for the common good of the poore souldiours shall be ordained in three or foure Tents at the Kings cost and charges and the Campe to bee prouided of Phisitions Surgions and Barbers to heale those who are sicke and wounded and that they also bee prouided of seruants sufficient for their turne And if any of the sicke bee at the point of death the Priests shall be readie at hand to confesse them and minister the Communion and al the Sacraments to them as is fitting for good Christians and if they dye to be buried with as great honour as may be 24 He
friends he was conuaied to the Church of Albe-iula where Castalde at the charges of Ferdinand caused him to bee buried in a Tombe of stone in the middest of the new great Church by King Iohn Huniades Coruin These Aiduchs and other of the Friers people being thus retired Castalde seeing that in these alterations of fortune there would not befall vnto him any great disturbance nor tumult for the death of the Frier came on foote before the Spanish squadrons hauing Francis Chendy by the hand and began with him to set forward to Sassebesse He was not yet farre on his way but a messenger came and told him that the Castle of Binse was rifled by those who were left in custodie thereof and that the Friers Secretarie was taken by Iohn Alphonse Castalde and warranted from death and how that in the Friers chamber there was found a little Cabenet within which was 12000. Hungarish Duckets which Captaine Andrew Lopez with foure other souldiours had taken and broken vp and parted shares according to their qualities reseruing the greatest quantitie for himselfe He vnderstanding this newes presently sent Captaine Diego Velez to pacifie this disorder and take the money againe from them who had thus stollen it and to cause them to restoreal the moueables of the Frier and establish them in the former estate waiting till he should send a Comissarie who should receiue all the Friers treasure to the vse of Ferdinand By this meanes he caused the pillage to cease and recouered againe much money and other things to the value of 80000. Duckets which was all committed to the charge of his Maiesties Treasurers And marching thus along very discontented with those who had rifled the Friers chamber within short time after hee arriued at Sassebesse from whence he presently sent to the Captaines and Gouernours of such Castles and Forts as were at the Friers deuotion that they should yeeld to Ferdinand threatning them that if they would not obey his commaund he would presently send his armie and Artillerie to subdue them Among which places there was one called Wyuar where the Frier had his treasure and there hee also priuately kept an Ambassadour of the Turkes which Castalde presently after the Frier had yeelded vp the ghost sent Captaine Diego Velez to apprehend and bring the said Ambassadour to him wheresoeuer he should be to see if any matter of moment could bee learned out of him touching the Friers proceedings and whether there had been any intelligence and practise betweene them against Ferdinand as was vehemently suspected and specially in respect of the Diet of Wasrael where they looked for the Sicilians and in which as the common bruite and speech amongst our people was they should haue discoursed of the meanes which should be vsed to expulse Castalde out of Transiluania with all the Spanyards Germanes Bohemians and Hungars who should be at that time found in it and were payd by Ferdinand This Ambassadour being vnder Castaldes commaund and diligently examined they could neither know nor finde in him any matter as they desired but onely certaine letters of credit written in the Turkish language directed to Solyman Rostan Basha the Belerbey and to certaine other of speciall credit in the Turkes Court and sealed with the seale which the Frier was wont to vse in all the affayres concerning the kingdome which letters he had dispatched without imparting any thing thereof to Castalde He remained at Sassebesse one whole day that by the meanes of Iulian de Carleual he might aduertise Ferdinand of all that which happened and writ to all the townes to acquaint them with the enterprises and death of the Frier and to pray them to remaine in a loyall deuotion to the King The day following fearing the Sicilians being speciall friends to the Frier would rise against him and that it was not in his power to auoyde the tumult which he alreadie saw stirred vp determined to goe to Sibinio for that it was a towne of good strength and most faithfull to Ferdinand and lesse affected to the Frier among all those which were in that quarter in which he thought to temporise while he might together with his securitie see what end these matters would haue whereupon he left good garrisons of Germanes in Albe-iula and at Sassebesse and he left also at Binse Captaine Diego Velez with his Spanish companie and went himselfe to Sibinio where being arriued he lodged the rest of his armie without the towne but so neere at hand that vpon any necessitie and first signe giuen within foure houres he could bring them into the towne onely retaining with him 50. Harquebuziers for his guard There he was very friendly receiued of the citizens who greatly reioyced with him for that he had deliuered them from the subiection and feare of this stearne and proud Frier promising not to faile him in all prosperous and aduerse accidents whatsoeuer and offering him all that which should be any way necessary for him Castalde gaue them many kind thanks and was exceedingly pleased for that hee found the Sibinians in so good an humour and such assured friends and minding afterwards to depart from thence and go to Seghesuar that so he might be more neere to Wasrael where the Sicilians were assembled expecting the Friers arriuall and also the better to vnderstand and know of them what their purpose might be and whether after they vnderstood of the Friers death they would continue in the friendship and deuotion of Ferdinand The inhabitants of Sibinio would by no meanes permit him that he should goe out of their towne without a good guard telling him that to goe to such a Diet it was very necessarie he should leade with him more men then he had and that by no meanes he should repose any trust in the Sicilians vntill he saw how they would take the Friers death vrgently perswading him not to go to that Diet with lesse then 15000. men Vpon these considerations Castalde sent to seeke the men of armes of Charles Scerettin and certaine Spanyards and Germanes to the number of 1800. and went from thence with this troupe to Seghesuar still hauing in his companie Francis Chendy whom he now had wonne and by offers and kind vsage although it might bee thought it was more by compulsion then loue had drawne to the seruice of Ferdinand They being arriued in this towne they reposed themselues there the first day and the day following Castalde sent Chendy to Wasrael where alreadie were met the principall men of Seculia deuising together of the meanes which should be vsed to reuenge the death of the Frier Chendy being now present before them all in Castaldes name said vnto them that they should louingly and faithfully embrace Ferdinand of whom they should receiue more pay rewards and curtesies in one houre then they had receiued of the Frier in 20. yeeres whose death fell vpon him in regard of his bad demeanour hauing
absolutely determined to bring the Turkes into these countries and to make himselfe sole Lord of Transiluania which would haue been not onely their particular ruine but also an irreparable damage to all Christendome With these friendlie speeches and other plausible reasons which he alleadged to them he wonne that abilitie ouer them that he conuerted them from their former malice to sweare all obeysance to his Maiestie and to offer him to be faithfull and readie hereafter in all his affayres performing whatsoeuer Castalde should commaund them The principals among them within a while after came together to visit Castalde at Seghesuar to manifest vnto him in his presence the assurance of that true fidelitie which in words they had by Chendy promised vnto him Castalde receiued them with infinit ioyes and demonstrations of kindnes promising large pensions to those who were at the Friers pay and giuing honourable titles and liuings to others and besides at Ferdinands charges he bestowed as well vpon the poore as rich many presents to some horses robes of silke apparell of cloath to others money entertaining euery man with good loue and curteous words and assuring them with great and ample hopes of a future and present acknowledgement of their subiection hee made them in a manner so fauourable vnto him that hee verely thought he might well trust them and assist himselfe with them in any enterprise whatsoeuer Obseruing herein the custome of the ancient Romanes who by meanes of curtesie and liberalitie made all sorts of men how proud or insolent soeuer they were to be tractable and louing friends and by force of armes and feare to become subiect and obedient The Sicilians being exceeding well satisfied by these speeches shewed themselues so well contented with this new friendship that it was an incredible thing hardly to be beleeued considering how within so short a time this barbarous and rude nation was wonne and who in all iudgement was to bee greatly mistrusted By such managings men may easily see how forcibly the industrie and gouernment of men are and how greatly the prudence of Francis Chendy serued to reduce those who for our destruction were purposely vnited together and who also had sworne to destroy all Ferdinands people and to driue Castalde out of those regions and also how great and excellent his foresight was in so wisely tempering that people that from that time forward they alwaies shewed themselues to be Ferdinands speciall friends After then that these nations were thus appeased Castalde began to diuide all the companies into commodious places of the kingdome to the end that his souldiours by the benefit of their safegards might in part begin to restore themselues from their trauailes which they had endured and that after they were refreshed they might prepare and finde themselues better disposed to the future warre which alreadie was discerned to come from the Turkes And although that all tumults seemed then to be pacified and extinct yet neuerthelesse there wanted not some who secretly kindled the fire in many places and practising with inward hatred many things according as time fitteth we shall write of brought great detriment to Ferdinands affayres and great paines and hatred as well to his people as to the particular quarters of that kingdome The end of the fourth Booke THE FIFTH BOOKE OF THE HISTORIE OF HVNGARIE THE ARGVMENT OF THE FIFTH BOOKE THE Turke prepareth to make warre vpon Ferdinand Castalde soliciteth for succours and fortifieth the frontier townes of Transiluania The great store of treasure of Frier George Demaunds of Izabella to Ferdinand for performance of couenants Zegedin surprised from the Turkes and the ouerthrow of our people there The Pope excommunicateth the authors of George his death and the information thereof Mahomet Basha commeth into Hungarie Castalde calleth a Diet at Torde and the custome there concerning adulterie Duke Maurice of Saxonie raiseth forces against the Emperour Charles the 5. and forceth him to forsake his aboade and in the end they are accorded Izabella complaineth of Ferdinand and Castalde soliciteth him for succours Themesuar besieged by Mahomet in the end yeelded and the Gouernour thereof with all his people treacherously ouerthrowne and slaine by the Turkes Caransebesse yeelded to the Turks The cowardlines of Aldene Gouernour of Lippa the forsaking thereof and the burning of it by him which was afterwards possessed by the Turks Drigall besieged by the Palauicine he is defeated there by Achmeth Basha of Buda and in the end he is taken and ransomed Zaluoch besieged by Mahomet the cowardlines of the Germane souldiours there and braue resolution of the Castellan Mahomet determineth to goe and besiege Agria IN the beginning of this yeere 1552. Ferdinand and his Lieutenants thought by the death of Frier George to haue procured to Hungarie and Transiluania a long repose and perpetuall peace seeing that some of those who were vehemently suspected did not any thing oppose themselues nor made any shew of insurrections insomuch that they imagined that Fortune by that meanes had brought to euery one a happie life and sweete tranquilitie euery man applauding the present time and extreamely blaming the time past not any manner of way considering that which might happen Thus continuing in this their hope of a better life it was not long but that Fortune according to her naturall inclination gathered together so much poyson and spread abroad so many perturbations that she gaue vniuersall notice of how many mischiefes she had been the cause Then after the discontent of the Sicilians was appeased and that euery one was departed from the Diet of Wasrael Castalde returned to Sibinio when all the Castles and Fortresses which in the Friers name for a time held out they sent to him in the name of Ferdinand and offered vnto him all obeysance and yeelded vp all the treasure which was found therein that in any sort appertained to Frier George In the end hauing accepted their offers and reestablished the same Captaines in the said places he presently certified Ferdinand thereof to the end that with all expedition he should dispatch certaine Comissaries to receiue by account all that which was found in those places to haue been the Friers and afterward to dispose of them as it pleased him Whilest hee expected these Comissaries and that hee was at Sibinio certaine newes came daily by Marchants of Tergonista a principall towne of the Transalpinians concerning that which was done at Constantinople and touching the great preparation that the Turke made being exceeding angrie and enraged for the death of the Frier and caused to bee leauied two great armies to send them against the Transiluanians with which he determined at one instant to assaile this Prouince on two sides on the one side by the Moldauian and on the other by the low Marishes Vpon this newes Castalde both by letters and messengers vrgently pressed Ferdinand for present reliefe and that he would in time prouide himselfe of sufficient
guard of the passage vpon the day that the defeate aforesaid happened seeing a multitude of men to come towards him flying and demaunding of them what was happened and for what cause they ranne so hastily They answered him that all our people were quite defeated and cut in peeces by the Basha of Buda and that to warrant themselues from his victorious hand they fled in the greatest haste they could to saue themselues This souldiour hearing this without any other inquirie or information of the surplusage assuredly beleeuing that the Spanyards were also defeated vnloosed all the barkes for feare of being pursued presently passed to the other side of the water These other souldiours who were with him did the like and entering a wood together they tooke the way towards Themesuar the Corporall of the squadron hauing a boy with him who came somewhat behinde and trauailing along with others a good while he presently recalled his spirits to him thinking of that which cowardly hee had done and set before his eyes the little esteeme which euery man would haue of him in so vily forsaking those boates which Aldene had giuen him in charge without making further inquirie how all things were passed at Zegedin and further considering that if happely the Spanyards were saued he could neuer haue the courage to look thē in the face on the other side if they were lost that those that shuld see him come so sound safe might demand of him the occasion and manner how his companions were so ouerthrowne to which he could neither satisfie nor answer thē he began now to turmoyle his braine vpon these considerations and being plunged into the depth of shame for this his vile flight so farre was he growne into horror thereof that he resolued to kill himselfe and drawing out his sword for that purpose he was in good time preuented by his boy who fearing that his master would continue in his wicked purpose to assure his life hee tooke away his sword and poynard from him which the other willingly suffered him to doe dissembling that which gladly hee would haue executed The boy not thinking of any other thing and assuring himselfe of his masters life by reason of his weapons which he had taken away tooke no further care nor respect to him But this souldiour perceiuing the little account that his seruant made of him faining to repose himselfe a little out of the way commaunded that he should there attend Whilest the boy had no other regard of him it was not long but that he fell on sleepe being drowsie and wearie of his iourney And when his master sawe himselfe alone hee presently charged his harquebuze and set the mouth of the peece against his stomacke and discharged it with his foote which shot him quite through so that within a short time after he gaue vp the ghost and so long as his life lasted he did no other thing but instantly desire his boy who at the noyse came running thither that he would finish the killing of him it being not fitting said he that a man should liue who so dishonourably was fled and especially being meerely ignorant for what cause and vpon what occasion hee had so done and with these words the soule departed out of his bodie Behold here the tragedie of this vnfortunate iourney which wee haue before described which was the beginning and an vntimely forewarning of al the future and miserable accidents which happened in this yeere 1552. About this time the newes of Frier George his death was brought to Rome by occasion whereof Pope Iulius the third and all the Cardinals made great complaints against Ferdinand and those who had slaine him excommunicating them in the highest degree that could be And although his Maiesties Ambassadours directly informed the Pope of the cause for which he was put to death his Holines notwithstanding for all that would not be appeased demaunding whether Frier George was of that bad disposition as they deciphered him and wherefore did their master write in his behalfe for him to be a Cardinall and being one why did he tolerate him to bee slaine and furthermore for that he assured all the Colledge of Cardinals of his goodnes fidelitie and endeuour which hee had manifested against the Turkes to the profit and commoditie of Christendome for which good and commendable reports he could by no meanes be induced to beleeue that he was now fallen into that crime whereof he was accused but rather that he was slaine by enuie and to rob him of his treasure and moueables which were more worth then 300000. crownes which in respect he was a Cardinall and dying intestate they did of right belong to the Apostolike Sea Moreouer the Pope and Cardinals could not be silent concerning this that with such ignominie had laid hands vpon the blood of a Cardinall which by no meanes they could support or digest in respect of the reuerend degree and honour due to that calling and to giue example to others not to attempt the like enormitie Thus they grieuously being incensed against Ferdinand the Pope by no meanes would suspend the excommunication yet in the end at the earnest instance of his Ambassadours he was contented and agreed that three Cardinals with the Deane who was the Cardinall of Trany should enquire and take notice of this fact and should see whether the death of Frier George had been vniustly proceeded in or no and that they should send appointed men to Vienna and into those countries to informe him of the offence and that in the meane time the Friers moueables should be seazed in the name and to the vse of the Apostolike Chamber Against this last demaund of the Pope the Ambassadours obiected that Ferdinand had alreadie disposed of the said moueables as well to pay his souldiours as for other necessarie occasions concerning the warre which daily he had against the Turks and that they were not of that great value nor so goodly and rich as was said but farre inclining to a meaner proportion This accord being thus concluded there were presently some dispatched to iourney to Vienna to informe and inquire out the cause and to proceede therein To these Commissioners his Maiesties agents failed not to manifest the infidelitie of the Frier and how hee would haue accorded with the Turke and purloyne Transiluania from Christendome and make himselfe absolute Lord thereof in paying tribute to the Infidels and as happely it was discouered by many of his letters writ to diuers Lords of the Turkes Court to massacre all those who in his Maiesties name were vnder the conduct of Castalde And to agrauate the matter the more they produced many horrible facts and the death of certaine persons Against such accusations the Pope in defence of the Frier obiected many things and among others produced certaine letters of the Grand Viccar of Albe-iula and of certaine other persons who assured him that he was slaine by
her sports for a little while he distrusted that this disgrace would be accompanied with another and that so much the rather because he saw so puissant an enemie readie not onely to the ruine and subuersion of Transiluania and Hungarie but also of all Christendome and he supposed that he had done no small matter if he could maintaine himselfe in such estate as then he tooke himselfe to be in hauing but weake force a very smal armie which also then he could not pay and daily seeing the Fortresses to be abandoned most cowardly left in the Turks power and on the other side continually perceiuing war to approach vpon him and that euen by them from whom he hoped to find most fauour and ayd to maintaine Ferdinands part and to assure these countries vnder his obeisance who on the contrarie wrought a dangerous reuolt and secretly practised to depriue King Maximilian of al this prouince to render it to King Iohns son to reinuest the Queene his mother into her first royall dignity they being not able any longer to support the wars other inconueniences which daily afflicted thē labouring with al their skill to effect their purposes In respect of these vehement suspitions Castalde was in great vexation and heauines fearing that that would shortly happen to him which he had alwaies before suspected specially because he knew the nature of the Transiluanians to be much inclined to nouelties and alterations and that more then any neighbour Prouince whatsoeuer and that alreadie oftentimes the principall persons among them vnder the colour of diuers vrgent occasions retired into such places where they gaue more suspition of reuolting then assurance of true amitie all this notwithstanding he omitted not to consult and deliberate with the Vayuode and others touching all that which was necessarie and to prouide for it accordingly not minding that any fault should be attributed to him by his negligence or indiscretion nor to be reproued for that he had not as a skilfull Captaine foreseene euery inconuenience as he very wisely managed matters which thing hereafter we shall more amply treate of in his proper place The end of the fifth Booke THE SIXTH BOOKE OF THE HISTORIE OF HVNGARIE THE ARGVMENT OF THE SIXTH BOOKE QVeene Izabella complaineth of Ferdinand and she seeketh the Turkes ayde The enterprise to kill the Vayuode of Moldauia The Transiluanians reuolt from Ferdinand Aldenes triall vpon life and death Duke Maurice of Saxonie bringeth with him 15000. men into Hungarie for Ferdinands ayde Mahomet besiegeth Agria the resolution of the Citizens and courage of the women there in the end he is forced to raise his siege and retire from thence with shame and losse The Hungars seeke peace with the Turke and pay him tribute The Popes absolution in fauour of Ferdinand for the murther of George Solymans insolent answer to the Hungars vpon their request of peace and the astonishment of the Transiluanians thereat Castaldes present arriuall at Wasrael and his oration there to the Hungars by which they are reanimated against the Turkes The pursuite against Aldene Queene Izabella practiseth her returne into Transiluania and is assisted by diuers of the nobilitie who in respect of the many wrongs and iniuries offered them by Ferdinands people incline to her WHilest Castalde was busied to redresse these casualties of fortune which alreadie passed through the kingdome and that Mahomet marched with his victorious armie towards Agria Queene Izabella seeing that nothing was performed of that which was promised her in the behalfe of Ferdinand and that she could draw nothing from them but words being greatly offended thereat complained of Ferdinand to the King of Polonia her brother and to Queene Bonna her mother of the wrong which she receiued and how by too credulent a beliefe she was cunningly lifted out of her estate and in this sort deceiued and depriued of all humane helpe and also that they denied for wife to her sonne the Infanta Ioane and the estates which was offered to her and the payment and disbursing of her ioynter and dowrie For which respects she would not that the agreement and resignation compacted about Transiluania should be any further proceeded in saying that she was not bound to obserue any condition with him who performed not any of his promises to her and that it was reasonable for her to breake with him that had so often failed with her With this choller and griefe she practised the meanes to set footing againe into this Prouince and to draw the principallest States thereof to fauour the cause of her sonne minding to assist her selfe with the offers which Mirce Vayuode of the Transalpinians had made her promising to ayde her both with men and money and besides to performe what possibly he could to reinuest King Iohn into his former dignities And before she discouered any the least inckling of her determination she had caused Solyman secretly to bee intreated that it would please him to fauour her cause insinuating to him how great and vnfained had been the amitie and affection which King Iohn her deceased husband bore him and the great confidence that after his death she alwaies had in him and that he would vouchsafe not now to denie her his ayd in so great necessitie which for the present she was in and especially seeing she was spoyled of all her goods because she reposed too great trust in another and that if for her sake he would not doe any thing yet that at the least he would haue a princely regard of pitie to her sonne Iohn who was a child and orphane and expulsed from his owne inheritance whom she committed into his armes knowing that from the bountie of his princely disposition she could not but hope of a remedie worthie of his excellent magnanimitie there being not any thing more commendable among Princes and Monarkes then to defend the iust causes of afflicted widowes and poore orphanes as she and her sonne were in whose defence he should greatly inrich his renowne with perpetuall glorie and adde to those his royall dignities the surname of a pitifull and iust protector of those who vniustly are oppressed by the wickednes and intrusion of others it being more expedient and behoouefull for his affayres to haue them for his neighbours and confederates then Ferdinand from whom he could expect nothing else but continuall warre and perpetuall trouble By these speeches and other like reasons which she caused to be alleadged to him she by the meanes and fauour of Achmeth Basha crept so into the fauour of Solymans liking that presently he writ to the Vayuode of Moldauia named Stephen that at all times and as often as he should bee requested by the Queene of Transiluania to ayde her he should not faile with the greatest force he could make to doe her all possible fauour and the like he also commaunded to the Basha of Buda Castalde during these practises had alreadie
hee would gladly consort with them and especially knowing betweene them how the other had most iniuriously wronged them and with what crueltie hee had much persecuted them euen to death discouering to them that it was farre more conuenient to make him away by some deuice then to looke for this that he should take away their liues These two greatly ioyed at this vnexpected offer and determined to performe that vpon him which vniustly he had imposed vpon them and to reuenge themselues of the honours which were taken from them and of the shame and obloquie which vndeseruedly they had receiued against all right and reason Many of their friends and kinsemen who thought not wel of that which was done against them conspired with them as also many others who were kinsemen to him who lawfully should haue been Vayuode These altogether complotted with the Bugeron concerning the meanes that should be vsed to put their conspiracie in execution which was that they should suddenly assaile their enemie and kill him as within short time they performed it entering furiously one day into the Vayuods Tent who was laid vpon his bed to repose himselfe imagining that neuer any durst haue the face to offend or disturbe him they gaue him so many stabs with a poynard that they caused him presently to giue vp the ghost and afterwards by the meanes of them that followed them they set vpon 2000. Turks and Tartars which he continually had for his guard cutting and hewing them all in peeces electing him for Vayuode who indeed should be he which being performed they conuerted their furie against the Tyrants kindred killing his mother children and friends as the manner is in that countrie not leauing aliue any of the contrarie faction from whom afterwards they might haue any occasion of mistrust This death seemed to all very profitable and specially to the Transiluanians who by meanes thereof saw themselues deliuered from very great dread and feare of being at any other time assailed by him and on the contrarie they saw this new Vayuode to make some shew to imbrace the amitie and friendship of Ferdinand which possessed them with a speciall hope of a long and quiet repose But all these vaine hopes in the end proued contrary as wee shall more commodiously in another place speake of for that this new Vayuode of Moldauia did not long continue in this league which he brake within a short time after that he might bee in the Turkes grace and fauour Also this death was the speciall cause which hindered the conspiracie that was wrought in Transiluania against Castalde and also because that at that time it came to be discouered insomuch that euery one knew all them that were actors therein and who had promised him to enter thereinto which made Peter Vicchy and Chendy to be greatly doubted as all those likewise who were compacted in this conspiracie of which number Castalde would not punish any therefore knowing it was then no time being on the one side withheld in regard of the feare and suspition of the future warre and on the other side seeing himselfe more troubled then euer he was by the vexations and discontents which his owne people hourely gaue him which farre exceeded those that he receiued by the enemie For the Germanes in respect they were not payed committed the greatest outrages that were possible ranging and spoyling all the plaine countrie killing the inhabitants of villages and doing incredible things without any regard committing vnworthie excesses and such as are vnfit for a Christian who is bound rather to yeeld a rule and forme of an exemplarie and modest life then of wicked or infamous liuers seeing that by the one they might gaine much and by the other lose infinitly From these so execrable extortions proceeded the speciall cause that afterward incensed all the inhabitants of the kingdome to reuolt and specially the Nobilitie who seeing that their first enterprise taken in hand vnder pretext of doing good yet came to no effect propounded one day before Castalde that it was expedient seeing they were all then in the field to goe with all their people to besiege Lippa and vse some stratagem or force to take it it being reported that Cassombassa had few men within it hauing sent from thence the greatest part of the garrison to Mahomet to the siege of Agria importuning him that he would not omit this occasion and commoditie whilest it shewed it selfe fauourable fearing that neuer after the time would bee so conuenient for such an enterprise all of them very willingly offering themselues to this warre They spake this with a dissembling heart to deuise some meanes to worke Ferdinands armie out of the kingdome with an intent they being once out not to suffer them to reenter againe But Castalde who well vnderstood these deuises which they shadowed with a pretence of good and which in effect had an outward appearance of trueth would by no meanes consent to their perswasions but dissembling and possessing them with hope to graunt their requests deferred as much as he could their demaunds and that so much the rather for that he knew how greatly it imported him to remaine in that place where he was then resident from whence he might with good aduantages prouide for all distressed parts and specially for the necessities which daily might happen as also to consider the end to which Mahomets affayres against Agria might tend In this time there arriued at Vienna the Popes Nuntio and Comissaries with articles drawne and propounded by Cardinals deputed thereto touching the information of Frier George his death vpon which they were to examine witnesses and to bee informed by them if it were true that hee practised treason against Ferdinand in fauour of the Turkes and namely to cause him to lose and be depriued of the Realme and so accordingly to censure if the death of Frier George was iust or no. Hereupon Ferdinand and King Maximilian writ to Castalde that he should send them the examination of the witnesses which he had caused to be heard and examined as well in Transiluania as elsewhere to the end that thereby they might censure of the offence as the qualitie and condition of the fact required Castalde receiuing this message caused to be examined one Emeric the Friers Secretarie and an other that was his Chancellor named Adam who deposed certaine things which might giue some shadow and colour of suspition but in their examinations they were quite different the one from the other and the said Emeric vpon some displeasure which he conceiued against the Frier was not accounted an vnblameable witnes Castalde was greatly troubled to finde any who could verefie that which was imputed against the Frier yet within certaine moneths after there were sent to Vienna certaine proceedings which they had passed touching that point and afterwards they were presented to the Comissaries who with speede carried them to Rome As these persons departed
this matter was ended and the absolution for them all was sent to Vienna Which was not performed but with Ferdinands great content who vntill then was prohibited to heare Masse and all other diuine seruice yea and he was forbidden to enter into the Church During this season there happened a thing which I will not forget to make recitall of although it doth somewhat estrange it selfe frō the subiect of this my discourse It happened in former time that one Raoul a gentleman of Transalpinia was dispossessed from the Vayuodship of the Transalpinians which before his time was maintained and kept by his father and which by right of succession the office belonged to him This man seeing himselfe expulsed by force and treacherie from that kingdome by the crueltie and wickednes of Marc which in their language is called Mirce an arrogant and proud tyrant who had made himselfe Vayuode and who had constrained Raoul shamefully to flie away and to seeke elsewhere how he might maintaine his life leauing his house and possessions vnder the commaund of his mortallest enemies and thinking in himselfe many thoughts concerning this his miserable fortune and apprehending a thousand deliberations in his minde that he might bee able to reenter againe into his possessions and imagining that there was not any of sufficient strength to ayde him thereto in the end he resolued to preuaile if he could by the meanes and fauour of Castalde to whom he was alreadie retired and had serued him during the passed warres with fiue or sixe seruants onely and some few horses and although he was held in good regard and entertained as well as might be yet was it nothing in comparison of his passed greatnes being respected and hohoured as a King so that he esteemed of this small entertainment no otherwise then of a certaine miserie which caused a great commiseration among all the nations seeing a man that had gouerned and managed a kingdome euen as his owne to bee brought by the crueltie of wicked Fortune into such extreame pouertie as to haue so few seruants to whom oftentimes he could doe no more but prouide them foode And euery man seeing this his miserie to continue so long they esteemed him a man of small resolution and such an one as could not haue in himselfe any aspiring thoughts But in the end feeling himselfe spurred on with such a shame and he being informed of the good successe happened to Stephen Vayuode of Moldauia tooke courage by this president and began to thinke how he could make away his enemie and intreating Castalde for a certaine number of footmen and horse and that he would further him with his meanes in the enterprise which hee would execute touching the death of Mirce not being able any longer to tolerate this pouertie which by hard fortune he was fallen into and comming one day vnto him he began in this sort to speake Sir it is some yeeres since that I haue been out of my hereditarie estate expulsed from thence by the fraud and treason of that cruell and tyrannicall Mirce who now by the support and fauour of the Turkes possesseth it daily vsing therein monsterous cruelties farre vnfitting all humane proceedings and which indeede farre exceed all barbarous custome hauing a while since for feare I should bee ayded to recouer that which I haue lost put to death by diuers torments more then 3000. men besides an infinit company of women with most horrible crueltie not minding euer to eate before he had satisfied his crueltie in cutting off the head of some great Lord. And with such tyrannous behauiour he dominereth ouer that my poore and miserable people who for feare of losing their liues are constrained either to abandon their naturall homes continually roming here and there or else contrarie to their likings to doe that which he commaundeth them Now considering these wicked and detestable actions I not being able to containe my selfe any longer within the bounds of patience I am determined to assaile my fortune which I trust will yeeld me mine owne estate or else I will depriue my bodie of this mortall life which is not able any longer to tolerate this his insolencie And in regard thereof I earnestly entreate you by the faith of Iesus Christ according to which we liue and in which my enemie beleeueth not but rather vtterly despiseth that you would not forsake me in this necessitie but assist me with what succours you can to the end that by the meanes thereof I may be able to recouer my kingdome and reuenge the blood shed of so many noble gentlemen as for my sake haue been most vily and against all equitie cruelly massacred And if the victorie happely inclineth to my part it shall be for the generall good of all Christians and specially for Ferdinands seruice And if it succeedeth otherwise which God defend I had rather die fighting within mine owne countrie then to liue in this exile expulsed by the treacherie of this cruell monster Mirce Castalde comforting and exhorting him to pursue this enterprise answered him that considering the iust causes which he alleadged and of which he was sufficiently informed he need not to doubt to haue good issue thereof by reason of the succours which he promised him and specially by the assistance of Iesus Christ which was the most sure and certaine helpe because he was worshipped by him and not by his enemie and secondly that support which he might get by the force and vertue of his owne arme and by the valiantnes of his combattants and for the last he offered him a good number of souldiours and summes of money exhorting him to hasten this expedition whilest the Turk was busied in the Persian affayres and that he should not lose this occasion which so fauourably presented it selfe for that before the Turke could come to giue any reliefe to Mirce he should bee more then a yeere setled and possessed of the Seigniorie and should haue the meanes so firmely to assure and reestablish his forces there that he would bee well content to haue him for his friend He gladly condiscended to all that which he demaunded and rather by reason of the compassion which he had of him then that he thought he could become victorious in such an enterprise Whereupon he gaue him 700. horse and 1500. Aiduchs the best souldiours that he had and who had very well witnessed their valour during these warres they being continually employed about Themesuar keeping Mahomets Campe still in larums and many times put them to shamefull foyles The Captaine of which companie was named Nicholas a most gallant and resolute man in fight although very often he would bee drunke according to the custome of those nations Raoul hauing obtained his desire tooke leaue of Castalde and with his souldiours and others his confederates that were adhering to him he resolued either to conquer or dye As these marched on Mirce had notice of the forces that Raoul leauied in all
nuncios tam ad excelsam Portam nostram quà m ad eum decernatis Quod si mandato nostro huic in obedientes cum inimicis nostris concordes eritis crudelitatem stragem quam Transiluaniae regnum videbit ex demeritis vestris processisse credatis Nam gratia Creatoris omnipotentis Dei speramus Christianis regno Transiluaniae iram potentiam nostram ostendere Etsi ipsi Transiluani ad pristinam obedientiam fidelitatem nobis adiuuantibus reuerti recusabunt nusquam tuti erunt per totum mundum debitas luent poenas Iurauimus enim Omnipotenti Deo quod in Transiluania lapis super lapidem non relinquetur homines omnes in ore gladij dari pueros faeminas in captiuitatem omniaque loca solo aequari faciemus Propter quod vti inuictissimum potentissimum Imperatorem decet ne tantarum animarum exitum super nostram animam fiat vos omnes prius monendos esse sensuimus Iam multoties vobis mandata talia misimus quae neglexistis sed si mandato huic vltimo obedientes non eritis acerbitatem ruinam quam videbitis non nobis sed vobis ipsis attribuite Omnia igitur cum tempore bene consulite nam caetera prudentiae vestrae examinanda relinquimus Datum Constantinopoli septima Lunae Octobris The english of which is this that followeth THE MANDATE OF THE INVINCIBLE EMPErour of the Turks to Lord Andrew Battor Captaine in Transiluania and to all the other Lords and Peeres of that countrie BY the authoritie and expresse commaund of our greatnes and highnes you shall vnderstand you faithfull in the faith of Christ Andrew Battor wise and knightly Lord amongst all the Christians inhabiting in Transiluania and all you the residue of our louing Lords how that many times wee haue made knowne to you since that Frier George our Treasurer was cruelly and by treason murdered before he could chase out the Germanes which you by your dissentions vntimely haue brought into the kingdome that you your selues and all the rest of the Lords of Transiluania should by common consent and mutuall ayd expulse the said Germanes out of your countrie according to the fidelitie which you owe to our Port and statelines Which not being as yet performed by you wee were very carefull now to incite you to doe it pardoning you of all the former offences and faults which vntill now you haue committed against vs and promising to giue it you againe and to preserue all the libertie which heretofore you haue had in that kingdome of Transiluania and you our Lords and subiects shall alwaies be vnder our protection and safegard and we will hold you in such regard as shall be fitting for you And concerning the kingdome of Transiluania as vnder the gouernment of King Iohn and of his sonne our faithfull subiects it was in peace and freedome euen so wee will ordaine that at this present it shall so continue and we assuredly promise you that the said sonne of King Iohn shall raigne and gouerne amongst you For so long as King Iohn our Vassall and subiect serued vs faithfully and sincerely we neuer suffered that any should molest or trouble you but further after his death wee of our singular grace and clemencie gaue to his sonne being yet in minoritie his fathers countrie and that kingdome and then Transiluania was alwaies quiet But after that you had called in the Germanes amongst you great dissentions were stirred vp betweene you in respect whereof and to reestablish King Iohns sonne and his mother and to deliuer Transiluania from her naturall enemies we by the grace of God haue commaunded to leauie a very great and puissant armie It behoueth you therefore in consideration of your loyaltie that your care and diligence bee with force of armes to expulse out of your kingdome the Germanes and whilest that King Iohns sonne bee reestablished in his place and dignitie that you elect a generall Captaine in that kingdome to whom you may all obey and not suffer any longer your naturall enemies to bee amongst you but by a common consent to banish from thence those who are the cause of so many garboyles amongst you and that euery one of you endeuour himselfe according to his abilitie well and diligently to gouerne the kingdome of King Iohns sonne your Lord. And if we receiue from you this marke and token of fidelitie and obedience you shall not onely obtaine of vs your ancient libertie in this your kingdome of Transiluania but also receiue further from our imperiall Maiestie speciall honour and fauour In the meane time wee will entertaine our mightie armie for the affayres of that kingdome and for the ayde and assistance of King Iohns sonne and we haue alreadie commanded that it should presently march for the deliuerie thereof from out of his enemies hands For wee will by no meanes tolerate that his enemies shall raigne and gouerne in this Prouince And being sufficiently ascertained how much King Iohn our Vassall hath been to vs a faithfull seruant and also his sonne wee haue determined to reinstall him into his kingdome and to cause him to raigne in it by our meanes and afford him such ayde that by Gods permission he shall bee able to ouercome and surmount his enemie To this intent by Gods assistance wee haue caused to march the magnificall and puissant our obedient subiect and faithfull seruant to our Highnes the most illustrious Achmeth Basha second Councellor to our excellent Maiestie and many other our subiects and Courtiers with a great number of Ianisaries of the most mightie and inuincible Port of our greatnes and highnes hauing also commaunded all our generall Captaines and Sangiachs to cause to come from Greece and Buda a great armie insomuch that with our said Councellor we shall haue an armie of 200000. men well appointed before wee march in person against our enemie And further wee haue commaunded the most excellent Prince of Tartaria the Vayuodes of Vallachia and Moldauia with all the Sangiachs which are in those countries on this side and beyond Danubius that with all their Infantrie and Caualarie they shall ioyne with our said Vizir And it is also necessarie that you obey according to your fidelitie the said Basha and that you send your Ambassadours as well towards our royall Port as also to him But if you perseuer disobedient to our mandate and that you accord and adherre to our enemies then assuredly thinke that the ruine losse and crueltie which the kingdome of Transiluania shall endure shall not ensue but by your demerits For by the grace of God the almightie Creator wee hope to giue sufficient testimonie to Christians and to the kingdome of Transiluania what our indignation and puissance is And if the Transiluanians we affoording them our ayde will not returne to their ancient obedience and loyaltie they shall neuer be on any side sure or safe but shall endure through the world the iust
he had receiued such letters gaue them to Rossa to the end that according to the oportunitie and occasion of the time she might shew them to the Turke She in shewing them these letters as a subtell and malicious woman made great shew to be exceedingly contented at the generositie and valiantnes of Mustapha and to be very respectiue of his life and health and then on the other side as being carefull of the preseruation and puissance of her Lord and spouse by wilie and subtell meanes she propounded to him the example of Selim who by the like craft and industrie depriued his father both of his Empire and life desiring him to finde the meanes to discouer the deseignes of Mustapha But for this time her deuices tooke no great effect in Solyman and she seeing that they came to nothing thought to make him away by poyson and sending him in his fathers name certaine presents gaue charge to some to carrie them to him But for that the houre of his death was not yet come he would at no hand taste thereof vntill the bringer had first made an assay who presently fell downe stone dead for which cause he made them to bee cast away and so escaped the death This treacherie falling out contrarie to the desire of Rossa yet for all that she lost no courage but inuented another desiring her Lord that he would doe her this fauour that sometimes one and sometimes another of his children might come to the Court to see him and after that returne againe into their gouernment thereby the rather to continue a reciprocall amitie betweene him and his children This deuice tended to this end that Mustapha comming thither should with better commoditie bee dispatched by some maner of meanes whatsoeuer and not comming thither he should be sent for For the eldest sonnes of the Turkish Emperours are not accustomed to depart out of their Prouinces to come to Constantinople except they bee sent for to bee made Emperours with a strong and puissant armie which they are not wont to doe so long as the father liueth Neuerthelesse she obtained that two of his children should come thither and thus alwaies was one or two with Solyman either in the towne or in the armie or in some other place where hee was Zeangir the crookbacke was oftner there then any of them for that he was pleasant and merrie and one that could fit all humours well whereat the Grand Seigniour tooke great pleasure Now certaine yeeres after Fortune enuious of Mustaphaes magnanimitie and fauouring the wickednes of this woman caused a letter to bee brought from the Basha the gouernour of Mustapha and of Amasia it being the custome that when a sonne of the Grand Seigniour goeth into any gouernment to giue him a Basha to instruct him in Militarie discipline and a Doctor to teach him the liberall Arts and other good erudiments It was imported by this letter that a mariage should bee treated of betweene the said Mustapha and the daughter of the King of Persia whereof this Basha did diligently aduertise the Court and the Grand Seigniour to the end that not any thing should be imputed to him as if he had participated in this affayre This letter being come into the hands of Rostan esteeming that this was a subiect very fit for him to ouerthrow Mustapha withall acquainted Rossa with all the matter with whom he hauing conferred of that which they should doe they went both together to the Turke shewing him the ambition of Mustapha and that he had a purpose to inuest himselfe in the Empire and by the affinitie contained in this letter to ioyne the Persian armies with his that so he might the better expulse him from Constantinople adding at the end the little faith which was to be hoped of the Ianisaries because they were corrupted by his great bountie These so euident reasons were with words full of such great efficacie pronounced by them that they so moued Solyman that to assure his kingdome and life he determined to put his sonne to death and according to this resolution he caused Rostan Basha to march before with a great armie towards Syria with commaund and expresse charge vnder the colour to driue away the Persians to seaze vpon the person of Mustapha by some subtell dexteritie and to conduct him to him Rostan being come to the enterance of this Prouince and Mustapha hauing vnderstood of his comming presently marched towards him with 7000. of the valiantest souldiours that he had Rostan seeing that then his enterprise could take no good issue bruiting it abroad that he found all things in good tranquilitie returned without any further expecting the comming of Mustapha or without seeing the dust of his souldiours and returned from thence to Constantinople with more then ordinarie speede where being arriued he recited to the Grand Seigniour all that which was happened to him and giuing colour to that which hee had alreadie practised with Rossa he caused him to redouble his feare telling him that hauing found the armie which he led with him into Syria most readie and willing and at the deuotion of Mustapha and they desired no other thing but only that he were absolute Lord he by this occasion meant not to trust them to giue him any battaile nor hazard any thing by reason of the incredible good will which all the Ianisaries bore him but that he thought it more expedient to returne from thence and submit all vnder the aduice and iudgement of his Maiestie as he did These speeches ingendered in Solymans heart a most great indignation and were the cause to bring to end that treason thus wrought against this innocent yong man This then being the yeere 1553. he commaunded that all the souldiours should assemble and that Achmeth Basha of Buda with all the prouision of Hungarie should march towards Amasia to bring to end the Persian warre it being expressely euery where bruited abroad that the Persians were afresh entered into Syria with many great troupes Solyman set himselfe onward on his iourney with all his armie and being there arriued he presently caused letters to be writ to Mustapha that he should come to him at Aleppo and endeuouring to conceale the hate which through others malignitie he bore to his sonne yet could he not so well dissemble it but that Achmeth Basha as of better iudgement then the other Bashaes were did perceiue it and conceiuing great displeasure that the father should be thus incensed against his sonne because he was too generous secretly aduertised Mustapha that he should looke well to himselfe and his life and not be too secure This did greatly astonish the poore yong man and the rather considering the comming of his father with so puissant an armie into that countrie without any reasonable occasion the Persians being then with them quiet and in peace and he entering into great suspition was many daies greatly tormented in the end although he was
to take his life from him and he on the other side assaied to defend himselfe the most cruel and abominable father who was on the one side of the Pauilion very attentiue to see the end of so horrible and inhumane a tragedie putting forth his head spake with choler to these executioners Haue you not yet taken away the life from this Traytor who for certaine yeeres together hath not suffered me to sleepe in quiet At these words the Muets and Eunuches taking courage threw him on the ground and by force drawed and stretched the corde which strangled him there dying in this manner the most liberall and magnificent Lord that euer was of the Ottoman house a man truly both of minde and bodie very noble and who by his vertuous qualities merited not to haue giuen to others so horrible a spectacle of himselfe as hee gaue by the deceit and treacherie of his enemies This cruell act being thus committed the Turke caused presently to bee taken the Basha of Amasia and a Venetian of the house of Michely who was taken a child in the iourney of Preuesa and who then with great credit bore the Colonels Ensigne and presently caused their heads to be publikely cut off calling afterward to him Zeangir the crookbacke who yet knew nothing of this enormious crueltie to whom he commanded to goe see his brother who was in the Pauilion and who was but lately arriued He hauing vnderstood of his brothers arriuall ranne with a pleasant countenance to goe and imbrace him and entering where the poore vnfortunate Mustapha lay thus euilly intreated strangled on the ground beholding him with great teares Solyman sent presently to him that he should take the Treasures Tents and Pauilions and the Prouince of Mustapha bestowing them on him for a gift But in stead of thanking those which brought him this message he spake vnto them these words O cursed treacherous dogge not a father but a most cruell Tyger enioy thou rather the Treasures Moueables Pauilions and the Prouince of Mustapha seeing this is fallen into thy inraged heart to put to death so vertuous a sonne and of so great hope and such a one as there was neuer his like neither yet shall be in the Ottoman house I pray God that I poore crookbacke liue not that thou maist doe the like to me Whereupon drawing a little poynard which he had by his side he thrust it into his owne breast so presently he died The King vnderstanding of this vnexpected newes fell into extreame sadnes And this was the trueth of the crookbacks deed although the world might not be filled with so vile an act and for the reuerence of the Ottoman house the Turkes say that he thus suddenly died of a Squinancie The Grand Seigniour hauing afterward commaunded that the Pauilions and moueables of Mustapha should bee carried with his while they whom he had commaunded to doe it went about to execute it many were moued and opposed themselues against it thinking that they meant to sacke them these valiant souldiours not yet knowing what was happened to their Lord and seeing a great number of men to come towards them fearing some sudden insolencie put themselues in armes repulsing those backe who were the formost not without great slaughter Those of the Kings Campe perceiuing the rumour which hourely increased running to succour their fellowes and the other part doing also the like both Camps reenforcing themselues with a terrible bruite they put themselues in armes and gaue a great assault where remained slaine vpon the place more then 2000. men and this skirmish had not thus ended if Achmeth Basha a graue man and of great authoritie for his renowned vertue generally knowne and greatly esteemed among the souldiours had not caused the Ianisaries to retire and if turning himselfe towards the souldiours of Mustapha he had not vsed to them such like gentle speeches What my brethren and children will you be of so bad a disposition and so bold to resist the commaund of the Grand Seigniour whose pleasure is that his sonnes treasure should be taken out of his Pauilions and carried to his I cannot beleeue that you who so long haue knowne your selues to be the most valiant and good Musulmans as truly you are would now shew your selues so insolent and perfidious to our common Lord hauing so long a time with such fidelitie warred amongst the Ottoman armies without being stained or defiled of any infamie for his preseruation as by your vertuous actions for his seruice you haue declared through all the world he being your Lord and mine Therefore now lay downe your weapons which are but too much sharpened for so vile an occasion These speeches of this couragious Basha had such force ouer them that they were appeased and as very obedient they suffered to bee carried to the Turkes Tent all whatsoeuer was in Mustaphaes But his death being within a little while after knowne amongst the Ianisaries and bruited through the Campe the occasion thereof and the distrust of him and because it was imposed vpon him they all tooke armes againe and making a great tumult mingled with infinit teares and weepings they approached very nigh to the Grand Seigniours Pauilion This second commotion put him into such a maze that losing his senses he would gladly haue fled but being stayed by his people not without great daunger to bee massacred in this furie he resolued constrained by necessitie to doe that which in an assured place hee would not haue done and standing at the entrance of his Pauilion although he was greatly pale yet he boldly spake to them Tell me quoth he what tumults are these here What commotion is this What insolencies do you thus inconsideratiuely offer to me Doe you not peraduenture know me Am I not your Lord and he that ought to rule and gouerne you Certaine of them answered him that they well knew him to be such a Lord who had a long time been chosen by them whom they had reuerenced and whose Empire they had by their vertue so greatly inlarged to this end notwithstanding that he should rule ouer them with iustice and not without occasion so inconsideratiuely and cruelly shed the blood of the good and cause the innocent to bee slaine and that these armes were iustly by them taken sharply to reuenge the death of Mustapha and to purge themselues from that treason which was imputed vpon them and that they would neuer lay them downe vntill the accusers should bee brought to iudgement and he conuicted them to be culpable and that then with all humilitie if it so fell out they promised as worthie of seuere chastisement to submit their liues to the most cruell and shamefullest death that could bee found and that for a finall resolution they meant that that should bee auerred in the same field These speaking so stoutly by reason of the griefe which they felt left not for all that to bathe their cheekes with
know to be necessarie for you whereof I desire you not to feare to aduertise and solicite me In the meane time I recommend my selfe to your good fauour and prayers and humbly desire God to keepe you my Lord Cardinall in long health and happie life From Gaunt the 2. of September 1556. According to the contence of this letter Philip the only sonne of the Emperour came to his father at Scuebourg in Zeland whither from Gaunt he was come to imbark himselfe to sea There the father instructed him how he should gouerne the affayres of his States and how he should carrie himselfe to his subiects and his confederates after he had giuen him his blessing and imbraced him for the last time and dismissed all the Princes Ambassadours Gentlemen and Captaines who were there present his Maiestie the 14. of September a little before the sunne rising went aboord vnto a vessell prepared for him together with the two Queenes Elinor and Mary his sisters and being accompanied with 60. saile directed his course towards Biscay where with a fauourable winde he arriued within few daies hauing before passed the sea sixe other times He disimbarked at Larede a Port of that Prouince and there he was receiued with great honour by the Lords and Spanish gentlemen Some say that as soone as he set foote on land he kneeled downe thanking God for that in these last daies of his life he had shewed him this fauour to conduct him into this countrie which aboue all others he held alwaies most deare and by meanes whereof he was come to that high degree of the Empire attributing to it next to God in a manneral his victories and honours vsing these words As naked I came out of my mothers wombe so naked doe I returne to thee my second mother and in recompence of many merits which thou hast vsed to me I not being able for the present to bestow any other thing on thee I giue thee this my sicke bodie and these my feeble and weake bones After he had vsed these words notwithout shedding some teares he very kindly saluted all those Lords which were come thither to doe him that honour which they owed to him and after being put into his Litter he was conducted to the towne of Valladolid where was the Prince Charles his yong sonne In this towne which next to that of Tolledo is the principall towne of Spaine his Maiestie was resident a while during the which he exhorted this yong Prince to imitate the footsteps of his predecessors and charily to obserue and keepe the Christian and Catholike religion After that he went from thence into the Prouince of Estremadure to a Monestarie of S. Hieromes called the Heremite Friers situated in a very solitarie place and commodious to leade a holy life Hauing in this place giuen leaue to the two Queenes his sisters to depart and sent them backe to Valladolid this great Emperour chused there his last aboade and there ending the rest of his daies with few domestike officers giuing himselfe ouer to continuall contemplation of diuine things and forsaking all the affayres of this world he passed the rest of his time in prayer almes deedes and other charitable workes In the meane time Ferdinand King of the Romanes after he had receiued by the hands of the Prince of Orange the patents of the Emperour by which in his fauour he renounced the dignitie of the Empire the Scepter and Crowne with the Emperiall Mantle he went to the Diet of Franckfort accompanied with the said Prince with George Sigismond Sille Vice-chancellor and Wolfang Haller Secretarie of the Empire about the moneth of March. At this Diet were all the Electors and the ceremonies accustomed in such solemne acts being accomplished his Maiestie with all his Princes went to Aix where he was crowned Emperour notwithstanding the refusall which Pope Paul the 4. made to ratifie this election alleadging that it was not lawfull for that the Heretike Electors as he so called them intermedled therewithall But this no otherwise proceeded not from his Holines but by an occasion of a certaine deuice betweene him the King of France and others altogether against the house of Austria according vnto which the Duke of Albe was euen now come to blowes with the Captaines of his Holines and within a while after followed the breach of the foresaid truce vpon which occasion happened to the French this great losse which they sustained vpon S. Laurence his day in the moneth of August by the towne of Saint Quintins About this time the Grand Seigniour declared to the Queene of Transiluania that he vnderstood that certaine sects were crept into the religion which she held which by no meanes he would she should tolerate if she would remaine in his fauour knowing that such nouelties would bring nothing to her but tumult and losse of her kingdome and to him much trauaile and for this cause he commaunded her vtterly to extirpite them who were authors thereof and in such manner to extinguish them that there should not be any mention of them This command was not without cause For the Heretikes were alreadie nesled in this kingdome and by their preachings had sowed their darnell and withdrawne many from the vniuersall Church and if this commaund had not put them in great feare all the kingdome had been replenished with them But according to the will of the Turke and obeying thereto they were presently banished and chased from thence By which wee may see how much a sudden and readie foresight which is vsed with wisedome in things stirred vp besides and against ancient custome may infinitly profit in general at no hand preiudice in particular If this had been obserued in Germanie when the heresies there budded out this Prouince had not so much bin giuen to troubles as it was with the losse and damage of all Christendome In this same time Charles King of Spaine and not long since Emperour being fallen sicke in the Monestarie of the Hieronimite Friers after he had receiued all the Sacraments of the Church by the hands of the Archbishop of Tolledo named Bartholmew Miranda and not without the teares of those who were there present the 21. of September he yeelded his soule to God putting by his death an end to his great triumphs and victories and leauing this perpetuall memorie of him that of long time before him there was not any Emperour more valiant couragious wise and fortunate then himselfe His bodie was intombed in the towne of Granado in the place where ordinarily are buried all the Kings of Spayne His sonne Philip onely heire of all his kingdomes and seigniories after he vnderstood of his death he made a sumptuous preparation for his funerals in the Church of S. Iula at Bruxels And among other magnificences there was a great Ship which was made to goe through the streetes by art which was round about filled with goodly
especially towards religion whereof he became protector in such sort that laying aside all his other particular interest he had speciall regard to the people which were committed to him endeuouring himselfe to preserue them against heresies and indeede not omitting any occasion or meanes to reduce those to the true knowledge who were strayed from the ancient Religion his good disposition was so great towards all the Princes of the Empire that with a reciprocall amitie he was so well affected of them that euen those who had important busines to negotiate with the Emperour Charles his brother feared not to take him to arbitrate betweene his brother and them so greatly did diuine iustice shine in him which comprehendeth in it selfe all other vertues Also not without cause of his good deedes as well in generall as towards particular Princes the Electors of the Empire continued their election in his familie from the father to the sonne almost making by this doing this succession not as election but as it were hereditarie It is not to be doubted but that his decease brought great griefe to the hearts of euery one as it very euidently appeared by the bewailing which vniuersally was made for his death His sonne Maximilian who alreadie was chosen King of the Romanes succeeded him in the Empire This man after he had taken the Crowne the Mantle and other Emperiall ornaments was confirmed Emperour by Pope Pius and seeing himselfe aduanced by this goodly and great dignitie with augmentation of goods and meanes hauing of a long time nourished in himselfe a mortall hatred against King Iohn of Transiluania he meant suddenly to vndertake the reuenge of many wrongs and losses receiued from him and to doe this he resolued to assaile him on a sudden And for this purpose hauing amassed a great number of footmen vnder the conduct of Melchior Ballassi and causing them speedily to march towards Transiluania he suddenly possessed certaine Fortresses Iohn mightily prouoked at this that against the compositions made with Ferdinand he was so wronged by a new King caused also his people very quickly to come into the field and without delay tooke the direct way against Sachmar a strong place belonging to Ballassi who had not well prouided for it mistrusting rather any other enterprise then this This place was taken by a stratagem Iohn hauing ranged all his people nigh to it about night in an Ambuscado so couert that without being perceiued they had commoditie to place themselues at the Port as they opened it to receiue in the Heardsmen who from the fieldes brought their heards of beasts into this towne Ballassi vexed at such a losse went from thence and put himselfe into a great towne yet not very strong named Debrezen in which ordinarily assembled many Marchants of diuers countries and thereunto hauing put fire he spoyled all there about In the meane time the King of Transiluania hauing reenforced his army with 4000. Turkes that the Basha of Buda sent him by the commaund of Solyman came to force the towne of Hadao and by composition he also made himselfe master of Atauiar and leading about many prisoners went and besieged the place of Vngar The Emperour not ignorant of this that his enemie was suddenly fortified with the ayde which was sent him from Buda had also dispatched a great number of Lansquenets and some Caualarie vnder the charge of Purchastaler Captaine and Gouernour of Vngar A good part of these troupes were alreadie entered into this place when Iohn arriued there with his armie and this succour came thither in so happie a time that the enemie notwithstanding all his endeuour was forced to raise his siege hauing lost there 4000. men at one charge which Purchastaler came and gaue him while he was not attentiue to any thing but to the besieged this Captaine hauing vsed this policie that planting his Cannon vpon the flanke of the enemy couering it with his people because he would not haue it discouered when they came to hand-strokes at the first signall his people as it were flying retired themselues from before their Artillerie which then being fitly discharged made a great butcherie of his enemies and put them into such disorder that the Germanes had a great hand of those who were come out of the trenches of the Campe to fight with them All this serued to no other end but the more to kindle the fire betweene these two Princes both the one and the other being willing to reuenge themselues whilest Iohn being succoured by the Turkes who liked it better to haue a weake neighbour for their friend then a neighbour who was strong and puissant Maximilian also thinking that thereby he lost much of his honour at the beginning of his Empire did daily make new leauies of souldiours and seeing he had to doe with a partie more strong then he thought for made Lazare Schuendy an ancient and very expert Captaine his Lieutenant in this warre and one who had attained great experience by the passed warres vnder the Emperour Ferdinand in the same countrie of Hungarie as wee before haue written For the rest of the yeere Schuendy could not enterprise any thing vpon Transiluania because that he was come too late into this armie winter being alreadie come vpon them so that the cold constrained him to lodge his people in garrisons vntill the Spring time furnishing himselfe in the meane while with necessarie things for the next warre Sigismond King of Polonia vncle to Iohn by reason of his sister considering that such preparations would bring but a desolation to Christendome and desiring for the auoyding of this euill to pacifie these two Princes enterposed himselfe to treate of an accord betweene them two and for this effect sending his Ambassadours both to the one and other he laboured his best to reduce them to a peace but they being both greatly moued he could effect nothing Therefore the Spring approaching Schuendy Lieutenant generall for the Emperour drew his people out of garrison and came into the field with an army drawing towards Transiluania to the end to assay the taking of the Castle of Tocchay which is a Fortresse very renowned situated vpon the frontire of Hungarie betweene the riuers Thissa and Wodrog which could not bee very easily besieged except these two riuers were frozen as then they were This place was before taken by Cazzianet for the Emperour Ferdinand who at the perswasion of some had giuen it then to a Hungarian Baron of the familie of Scheredy for recompence of certaine good and great seruices which he had done his Maiestie This Lord being deceased left one sonne who for that he was of yong yeeres was kept in this Castle vnder the gouernment of Francis Nemethy who of a Tutor became a Tyrant and vsurping the place for himselfe forsooke Maximilians part and adhered to Iohn This man being well ascertained that they would come and besiege it before the enemie presented
did not greatly regard This way was authorised by the King and confirmed by Pope Sixtus After that the King himselfe hauing vnderstood that these Friers vsed too seuere rigour and that they indeede committed a great abuse therein This finding them out otherwise called an Inquisition comming of this word enquire was taken from them and committed into the hands of the most sufficient Ecclesiasticall Seculars To these if any be presented as thinking ill of the faith he is presently summoned by a Sergeant whom they call a Familier and appearing at the day whereof he must not faile if he auoucheth nothing of that whereof he is accused he is sent backe againe but there is charge secretly giuen to a Spye to haue an eye of him and to note his doings and know what talke he vseth in companie If there be discouered against him any thing of euill presently the report thereof is made to the Inquisitors who againe laie vpon him a new assignation When he appeareth the informour is hid behinde a tapistrie to acknowledge whether he be the accused and being acknowledged whether he freely confesse that wherof he is accused or whether by subtell interrogations something is drawne from him if he be a straunger he is retained but if he be of the countrie he is often sent back againe After that they call for the Curate because that they would not further enterprise against the sheepe without the knowledge of his Pastour to whom they shew the information Vpon which all or at the least three Inquisitors ordaine vnder their signes a Habeas Corpus If the accused flieth there is sent after him a Sergeant of the Inquisition to whom they describe the age stature face haire and such other circumstances This Sergeant if the accused be of qualitie whose doctrine is feared will follow him through euery place and he will vse such diligence that he will attach him Against the other the pursuit is not so hot The accused being taken he is presently dispossessed of his keyes and they are giuen to a Sergeant and a Notarie who goeth into his house to take an Inuentorie of all his moueables papers iewels and such other things which they sequester and commit it into the custodie of one of their richest neighbours to answere it at the end of the cause All these moueables are confiscated if the accused bee conuicted The Iaylor putting this poore infortunate person in prison searcheth whether there bee any thing about him and taketh from him all but his outward garments He remaineth there eight daies and vntill that the Iaylor speaking vnto him counselleth him to demaund audience Being before these Lords he is by them intreated to acknowledge his fact to discharge his conscience and to confesse his wickednes promising him all fauour so that he doe repent If he confesseth they forbeare not to proceede in processe against him if he saith nothing he is returned to prison admonishing him to thinke well of his fact There is giuen to him at his request many such audiences without other effect neither doe they acquaint him with that whereof he is accused for that they had rather conuince him by his owne mouth if by chance among so many interrogatories it might fall out that he did discouer without thinking thereupon some matter of his fact If they can draw nothing from him by this meanes he is called they threaten him to send the Fiscall to him and this is he whom we call the Kings Attourney to pleade against him and that they will proceede against him by all direct courses of law Besides these threatnings they present to him the Crucifix and a Missall to cause him to sweare thereupon If he sweareth not he is conuicted and if he sweareth then they demaund of him of what countrie he is of his kindred and companions and such other things from whence they thinke to draw some arguments and presumptions Those that be most subtell and know their manner to proceede doe not answer but after they haue seene the information against them In the end they communicate vnto him the accusation to answer thereto and he chuseth a Proctor and an Aduocate to doe it who taketh his defence in hand and setteth it downe in writing adding thereto reasons and testimonies of law and after giueth them to the Inquisitors who peruse them during three daies together and afterward cause to come before them the accused and the Aduocate who counselleth him to speake the trueth If he saith nothing he is againe committed to prison Afterward at his request is read to him the information but it is without naming of any witnesses whom if he would take exceptions vnto he must gesse if hee will except against them In which often happeneth that which they seeke for which is that he minding to purge himselfe he nameth and chargeth others with whom he had communication of the faith Those of the wiser sort demaund a coppie of the information and time to answer thereto Two eye witnesses are sufficient to conclude his death and the Iaylor alone One sufficeth for torture and euery one may accuse him The Kings Attourney is a partie and the informers are witnesses Three daies after that he hath had a coppie of his information he shall be called forth His Aduocate discouereth to him the greatest offences the strongest depositions those which agree and those which doe not he telleth him that if he would take exceptions to his witnesses he must gesse at them whereupon they giue him certaine daies during which he calleth to minde who are his enemies Enmitie is receiued for sufficient exception and the contradiction which is betweene these witnesses and also if the partie accused proue that hauing often resisted specially as in regard of the deed whereof he is accused the same thing against him that hath accused him These daies being passed he desireth the Iudges to see if such and such his enemies are not those who haue informed against him If hee surmise amisse he is conuicted but if he gesse well they will not allow it his Aduocate onely who dareth not speake to him but before them will demaund of him what exceptions he can take against those whom he hath nominated The Aduocate shall set downe the exceptions in forme and further demaundeth of him whether he haue any meanes to purge himselfe by contrarie proofes as that he hath alwaies been a friend of the Churchmen obserued the ceremonies of the Church heard Masses to haue been at Confession reuerenced the Crosse and Images and done such other deedes This proofe which is graunted to him to wit when he hath no strong and concluding proofe against him must bee made within nine daies and his counterwitnesses being heard they conclude the triall after the Kings Attourney hath taken his conclusions and before iudgement be giuen the Diuines which in this respect examine very curiously the matter must confirme the doctrine and declare that the faith of the
bee offered to this Captaine a very good offer if he would yeeld to him But these offers could nothing moue the faith which the Count had sworne to Maximilian Notwithstanding if the Emperour had had good Spies who would haue informed him of the trueth or if at least he had credited the reports which was made him it is without all doubt that with prosperous successe he should haue finished this warre for that then was taken a Turke of good qualitie who after he had requested libertie swore and affirmed vpon his head that Solyman was dead the which was confirmed by other demonstrations The Emperour notwithstanding would not beleeue any thing hereof iudging that if such a thing were happened it could not be possible that the Turkish armie should bee in such quiet nor so well gouerned But the prudence and marueilous industrie of Mehemet Basha a most wise Lord knew so well to manage this matter that not onely he concealed the death of his Lord but yet further assured the Empire vnto him to whom it belonged and which is of no lesse consequence contained so great an armie in militarie obedience repressed the furie and sedition of the Ianisaries preserued the treasure and obtained a notable victorie Solyman was come into Hungarie with a puissant armie of 150000. men which he diuided into many parts whereof one was towards Iula in the confines of Hungarie adioynant to Transiluania and another towards Sighet vpon the marches of Croatia In this was his greatest force and there was himselfe in person to the end that his presence should the more encourage the souldiours to the taking of this towne But being now of the age of 66. yeeres and being crazed in respect of the labours of so long a voyage and perhaps hauing his courage abated to see his people in so many assaults repulsed with so great a butcherie of them and it may bee this accustomed valour of minde being no longer in him with which he before had happely brought to end so many goodly enterprises the humours of his bodie being corrupted a bloody flux troubled him which within few daies took him out of this world And thus the prognostication which in the moneth of May before going had been made touching the anuall reuolution of this Prince by those that had been curious to know that which heauen did promise touching this warre fell out to be true This prognostication contained that the Emperour of Turkes should dye there if peraduenture he was not ouerthrowne and defeated by the Christians notwithstanding the great leauie of people which he made against them Mehemet Basha seeing his Prince dead and Sighet yet vntouched as it were and in possession of the Christians presently thought that it was expedient to keepe this death secret as well for the continuance of this siege and taking of the place as for the preseruation of the armie and treasure as also to inuest the new Sultan Selim in the possession of the Empire to whom of right it belonged Vpon this resolution he readily dispatched a messenger to the Basha of Constantinople to aduertise him of the fortune which was happened and he sent him word of that which was necessarie for him to doe Then with a singular subteltie knowing that the souldious would bee offended if they saw not their Lord he caused the bodie to be clothed with his accustomed habits and setting him in a high place within his Pauilion caused him a farre off to bee shewed to all without that any of them could know that he was dead This being thus well inuented Mehemet went forth of the Pauilion and taking occasion thereupon began to encourage the Ianisaries exhorting them to performe their last endeuour to the assault of Sighet But while he was speaking and calling to minde that his Lord was dead he could not for the griefe which he felt in his minde refraine from weeping And as this passion was pricking his wisedome to couer it was also very readie in such sort that presently remembring that his teares gaue to the souldiours some apprehension and assurance of the death of their prince vpon some little bruite which alreadie was spread in the Camp vsing a braue stratagem in wisely dissembling his inward griefe added to his speeches that he wept not for the death of his Lord as it seemed they iudged who thanks be to God was liuing and out of all daunger But that he wept for the miserable and pitious condition of all the armie for that their Prince had made an inuiolable oth laying hand on his breast and head that if within few daies Sighet were not taken he would put them all to death without remission with a cruell and strange kinde of death Mehemet by these speeches and many others animating euery one a singular desire of fight and also presently to returne to the assault possessed all the souldiours and aboue all the Ianisaries being all obstinate to performe therein their last endeuours or else to end their liues there Vpon this resolution after he had giuen order to that which appertained to such an assault all the souldiours running with great furie to the breach and skaladoe the 6. of September they were neuerthelesse repulsed with great losse both of the one part and other But the enemies hauing meanes to refresh them and continuing their blowes came againe for the last time the day following to the breach with a marueilous furie and a greater force then they had yet euer made and the one and other fighting betweene hope to ouercome and feare to dye there was seene a terrible conslict now on this side then on the other Count Serin performing then the dutie of an aduised and most valiant Captaine encouraging his people ranne here and there not being wanting either to himselfe or to his souldiours appeared greater then himselfe He seeing that the Artillerie of the enemie had set fire in the Fortresse and being astonished thereat caused the port to bee opened and hauing planted a Cannon charged with many little bullets at the enterance of it and giuing fire thereto more then 100. Turkes were layd on the ground by that shot and presently the Count aduanced himselfe vpon the bridge with his Courtlasse and Target being followed of his people who of 1200. were reduced onely to 500. and they all thronging in amongst the enemies fought valiantly Serin would neuer yeeld himselfe although the Turks desired him to doe it willing to haue him aliue into their hands but alwaies fighting couragiously in the middest of the enemies increased in himselfe an incredible valour and thus managing his hands with extreame courage was thrust into the breast with a pike But he fearing to abate the courage of his people concealed this wound as much as he could vntill in the end he was greatly wounded in the head with a blow which killed him And although that the souldiours desisted not yet could they not make such resistance as
strength There hauing gathered a greater armie he againe assailed them and hauing made a great butcherie of them to the number of 20000. besides the wounded who were in great number he saued from their hands many thousands of soules who they led into miserable seruitude Among these were many gentlewomen which they had taken from the Castle of Beregras to which they were retired for the greater suretie all that countrie remaining in the meane time which is towards Cassouia so desolate for the great and horrible cruelties which these people had vsed that it was not possible to endure any more During such mutinies 400. Ianisaries passed very neere to Filech a place neighbouring to Sepusa committing where they passed infinit outrages and vsing acts altogether barbarous and cruell and hauing taken out of the mountaines more then 8000. soules they gaue a great amazement to all the neighbour people of Danubius of Vagne and of Arabon The Turkes a little before had taken two Forts such as they were named Comar and Calambach as also those of the garrison of Alberegalis had done the like seazing themselues by forces of Ghestez and Vitan and thus daily increasing there was at Palota Vesprimia and at Tata a great doubt of the enemie The Tartars after the ouerthrow which they had receiued of the Transiluanian ioyning themselues a new with other Turkes among which there was a good companie of Ianisaries and many Valachians who robbed and spoiled through all Rossia and Podolia which are countries belonging to the King of Polonia vsing all acts of hostilitie fiering all the villages and Castles massacring the old and impotent persons and making slaues of more then 100000. soules finally attempting to besiege the Palatin of Rossia in a Castle he making many sallies vpon them with a good number of souldiours he n a manner put them all to the sword and taking from them 12. peeces of Artillerie they were forced to retire The Emperour being at the assemblie of his Estates of Austria whom he caused to bee called thither as wee aboue haue written proposed to all the Prelates and principall of the Nobilitie what neede he had of succours to withstand the violence of the enemies And for this effect he demaunded of them the same succours as was graunted the yeere before which amounted to little lesse then 300000. Florins for the entertainment of 900. horse which they were bound to furnish And besides he demaunded of them that he who had 100. Florins of reuenew should pay for a horse and he who should haue more should also furnish one for euery hundred And because that although his Maiestie would march in person to the warre he would not that the Nobilitie of the countrie should goe thither with him and in stead of such a personall seruice he demaunded of them that they would furnish him with the pay of 1000. horse and 5. companies of foote And besides he would that vntill 6. yeeres were compleate euery one should come to labour at Vienna sixe daies in the yeere To these demaunds as very excessiue the Austrians not willing to condiscend were wilfull in their opinions deferring for many daies to make an answere giuing others openly to vnderstand that first they should permit them the exercise of the Confession of Ausbourg The Emperour not being able to containe himselfe from anger caused to be declared vnto them that he had not proposed any article concerning the faith and religion and that therefore they should answer to his demaunds if they would not incurre his indignation In the end they againe assembling together yeelded to these articles to wit that they were content yeerely to giue him 138000. Florins and 300000. for the fortification of Iauerin that he who had 100. Florins of yeerely reuenew should entertaine at his owne charges for the seruice of the warre one horse for three moneths that he who had a greater reuenew should also furnish more that if his Maiestie would march to the confines of the Prouince for the affayres thereof they should bee bound of fifteene persons to furnish him with one if he departed out of the confines they should giue him one of euery thirtie This last offer was in stead of 1000. horse which he demaunded to serue him in place of the Nobilitie After these accords the Austrians minding to renew againe the article of the Confession of Ausbourg being not content with the deniall which the Emperour had made them thereof meant againe to replie But he gaue them to vnderstand that those who would not liue nor beleeue as himselfe did might sell their goods and depart the countrie and by this conclusion he made them silent In the meane time endeuouring himselfe to assure his countries against the incursions of the Turkes who remained with the Transiluanian from the death of Solyman he laboured nothing else but to make peace with the Turkes knowing that Selim after being come to the Empire had confirmed peace with the Venecians who among so great warres which his father had would neuer take armes against him although they were often required thereunto The Princes of Italie endeuoring themselues to bee well liked of with Maximilian sent him new succours among others Cosine de Medicis establishing the more by this meanes his owne Estate The Pope the Duke of Sauoy and he of Ferrara did also succour him with good store of men His Maiestie had before time sent to the Grand Seigniour for Ambassadour George Hossute thinking by him to negotiate some peace with Solyman whom he thought to be yet liuing But this Ambassadour vnderstanding for certaine vpon the way the decease of the Turke returned towards the new Emperour Selim at the same time that he went to Constantinople after the bodie of his father as wee haue said before At this meeting it was permitted him to see his Maiestie but not to entertaine any talke of peace with him Mehemet Basha shewing to him that he had been sent towards the Maiestie of the deceased Solyman and that seeing that he was dead he was not to treate with his successour and that therefore if his King would any thing with Selim he should send another or else himselfe This Basha did particularly counsel him to demaund peace of Selim and that otherwise there could not but euill happen to Maximilian When that Hossute arriued at Belgrade Cheretsken in times past Captaine and Gouernour of Iula was there with bolts on his heeles This man made great promises to the Turke who conducted Hossute to bee permitted to speake to him but he could neuer obtaine it And not being able to attaine this fauour he writ a long letter by which he sent him word of all that which he endured at Iula and how he had been deceiued by a vaine hope of succours alleadging among other things that he had maintained the siege for 70. daies that one day he had seene 14. Turkish Ensignes vpon
the wall and besides there was happened to him during this siege a great and daungerous sicknes that with all this after he had a long time expected the succours which was promised him which neuer appeared he was constrained to accept of composition In the end he desired all his friends to make suite for him to the Emperours Maiestie signifying that he might bee set at libertie so soone as the Sangiach should be deliuered in exchange of him and being at libertie he offered to remaine in such a prison as it would please his Maiestie there to attend the iudgement which should be giuen vpon his cause not perceiuing himselfe culpable in any thing Cheretsken writ to Hossute concerning all these things to the end he should report them to the Emperour In the meane time it was held for certaine in the Court that the Lord of Arrach might set at libertie the Sangiach of Alberegalis whom he held prisoner in one of his Fortresses named Zetipont to redeeme Cheretsken there hauing been made before this bad fortune a treatie of mariage betweene them this Lord hauing promised to Cheretsken one of his daughters But a while after fortune being no way fauourable to this poore prisoner there was heard of him a miserable end For many complaining to Selim for hauing receiued by this Captaine many cruell iniuries some hauing by his commaund lost their nose others hauing had their eares cut off others their mouth and all alleadging against him such like cruelties Selim moued with such a report gaue him vnto them that accused him permitting them to take what reuenge of him they would These taking a Tunne nayled within full of great nayles whereof the points were inward and carrying it to the top of a high hill inclosed Cheretsken within and after they cast him headlong from the top thereof to the foote and by this cruell and horrible paine they caused him to dye The Lord of Arrach receiued great displeasure at this death for that he could not relieue him and within a while after he had 50000. crownes for a ransome of the Sangiach and although that he should remaine debter of another great summe the Emperour neuerthelesse would that he should be set at libertie He being set on his way accompanied with Iohn Suizen a Councellor of Hungarie and being arriued on the frontier Suizen at his returne reported marueilous things of ioy and mirth that the Turkes made for the returne of this Lord. Besides the money by him disbursed they gaue libertie to Captaine Gorger who was taken at Iula and who for his ransome was taxed at 40000. crownes Schuendy being now growne to good health from so long a sicknes and receiuing good strong troupes went into the field with his people and besieged the Castle of Zatmar well furnished with all things except men This belonged to Bec the Emperours capitall enemie and the principall author of the enmitie and discord which was nourished betweene his Maiestie and King Iohn He seeing they came to besiege him he secretly departed from this Fortresse which being out of hand straightly besieged in the end the souldiours within yeelded their liues and baggage saued This taking was vpon the 14. of Ianuarie and in that place was gotten great store of bootie and Schuendy freely setting at libertie the Becs wife with all his moueables retained onely for himselfe all the Artillerie Maximilian was in the meane time to continue the Diets of his Estates and hauing been alreadie at Bruna and after at Troppa to goe from thence to Prage in Bohemia in which places he made his demaunds and at Bruna it was concluded that in stead of the Nobilitie they should giue him 1200. horse which his Maiestie should send whither it pleased him and besides that the Nobilitie should be bound to keep the limits of the countrie when there should bee neede thereof He being arriued at Prage he made his entrie thereinto very solemnely being receiued by the Citizens vnder a Canapie with great pompe and magnificence From thence he sent the Duke of Bauier and Doctor Inuch his Councellor with certaine other to the Diet of Ratisbon The Bohemians at the Diet held at Prage accorded that the succours before graunted for three yeeres should bee reduced into one onely payment seeing that the appointed money for this effect should be committed to custodie into a certaine place and that these should not come into his Maiesties coffers except they were imployed against the Turke Besides all the Estates graunted during the space of two yeeres the succours which followeth to wit that all the houses being vnder the precinct of fees belonging to Princes Barons and Gentlemen as well Spirituals as fenditaries should pay for one yeere halfe a Dollor except the publike Bathes the houses of Pastors and the shops of Artisans that the towne of Prage and the other subiects to the Emperour and those who make the third estate of the kingdome should pay three Dollors for euery house All the cities boroughs and villages euery one gaue 100. Duckets the labourers 9. the seruants and mercinaries a white groshe those who put mony to interest aswell spirituall as secular payed so much to his Maiestie which the interest came vnto by their bargaines but if the Emperour should goe in person to the warre against the Turke they should be bound hauing 10000. dollors at interest to entertaine in the warre a horseman well armed for foure moneths and that the poorer sorte should contribute rate for rate of their goods and the same should be practised if they had neede for the defence of the 15. Dukedomes of Bohemia to wit in entertayning one horseman well armed for euery reuenew of 6000. dollers and 10. footemen for a 100. subiects which should be vnder his fee. By this meanes the Emperour was succoured from all parts with men and monie to preuent any more a suddaine surprisall by the enemie when at any time he would againe make incursions into Hungarie On the other side Schuendy after one siege had yeelded vnto him by composition their liues and baggage saued the Castle of Mourach situated in Transiluania All these preparations and this losse gaue the Transiluanian sufficient matter to thinke of for that this Fortres was of great importance to him being on the way betwixt Polonia and Russia from whence by this occasion he could not draw any more succours except with a long compasse by Moldauia which was a very teadious and daungerous iourney After this taking Schuendy went to besige Hust a place of no lesse importance then the other These enterprises and executions gaue vehement suspition that betweene the Emperour and the Turke would neuer be any accord although afterwards both the one part and other treated thereof considering that in precedent yeares by reason of the same place of Mourach all the negotiation of peace was broken betweene Ferdinand and Iohn it being verie likely that the Transiluanian for
brother King of Polonia being aduertised of his death made present instance to the Lords of Poland to permit him to goe into France to take possession of so great a kingdome and to set things in order there promising them to returne againe within few moneths The Pollacques would not willingly graunt to him that which he demaunded neuerthelesse they aunswered him that they would consent thereunto if so be that for that effect a Diet should be assembled without which they could graunt him nothing In the meane time his Maiestie gaue order to locke vp his best implements and Iewels and to depart secretly with all speed and after he had sent away before the Ambassadour of France vnder coulour that his authoritie was expired by the decease of his Master and seeing that to attend any longer the resolution of this Diet which the Pollacques delayed from day to day of purpose to detaine him and being resolued to depart he caused to be written in his name by the Lord of Pibrac a letter in Latin to the Senat of Poland by which his Maiestie aduertised them that the occasion more then apparant and the neede of France forced him to depart from their kingdome sooner then hee thought for without further expecting the issue of the Diet he being solicited by messengers vpon messengers to doe it by the Princes and Lords of France and especially by the Queene his Mother without further expecting the issue of the Diet. Hauing left these letters vpon his table and as the said Lord of Pibrac had ended them his Maiestie departed in the night from Cracouia out at a secret posterne of which he vsually had the keyes to goe on hunting and being mounted on horsebacke he made so good speed that within a short time he was out of the limits of the kingdome of Poland and being come to the confines of the Emperours territories he was receiued by his Emperiall Maiestie and by his children with all demonstration of great amitie and by them conducted to Vienna where he was honored and vsed with all manner of honorable respects From thence hee went to Venice where the Seigniorie prouided for him a magnificent enterie After that he passed by Ferrara Mantua and Turin being greatly entertayned by the Princes of Italie An Ambassadour of Poland met him at Ferrara who greatly complayned himselfe of his Maiestie and protested that if hee returned not within a short time the Polonians were resolued to make choise of a new King for that this kingdome could not remaine without the presence of a King His Maiestie desired him to stay this resolution promising him to returne within a short time From Turin within few daies he arriued in France at the same time that the Hungars giuing order to their affayres and fortifying their frontier places against the Turkes prepared for the warre and this they did so much the more willingly for that they already saw amongst them many disorders and that in Transiluania there was declared King by the commaund of the Turke Stephen Battor a man of great experience of whom they had some feare and not without cause Vpon such distrusts and with such preparations they began both of the one part other greatly to be indamaged But during such feares as the Hungars had by reason of the Turke he alreadie preparing to destroy all Christians and feeling himselfe marueilously puffed vp with glorie by reason of the happie successes which betided him in Africa and thinking to take away from the Venecians the I le of Candie as he had done that of Cypresse he dyed within few daies after He was a Prince aboue all other of his time greatly periurious barbarous and wholly fraughted with treacherie he being not come to this Empire but by deceits and falsehoods hauing induced his father to cause all his brethren to be massacred as it was afterwards auerred and hauing thus filled his house with homicides and murthers he obserued not any law or religion but was drowned in all filthie and vilanous vices whatsoeuer This death happened then when the Polonians seeing that their King Henry was peaceably possessed of the Crowne of France and that the time by him prefixed was expired many moneths alreadie past began to treate of the election of another King Henry being aduertised of their intention desired the Electors and Barons of the kingdome that they would attend vntill a certaine time in which space he promised to returne to them or else that hee would send them full commission to chuse another such as they would think to be more commodious for them To this request being ioyned the threats of Amurath the Turke the Polonians contented themselues to stay vntill the prefixed time This passed and at the last expired the Diet was appointed at Cracouia The Emperour Maximilian after that he was aduertised that the intention of the Polonians was not to remaine without the presence of a King began to negotiate with them to cause himselfe to bee chosen King amongst them On the other side Amurath who succeeded Selim hauing vnderstood the suites which the Emperour made sent to the Pollacques and aduised them to doe nothing in that affayre which was disliking to him and that he would they should chuse for their King one amongst them or else Stephen Battor King of Transiluania And the more to astonish this negotiation of Maximilian he writ vnto him by a Chiauss that he and his brothers the Archdukes should pay him tribute of all whatsoeuer they possessed otherwise that he would march into Hungarie and Austria with a puissant armie to put all to fire sword threatning him in the end that if for him or any of his he shuld practise the getting of the kingdom of Polonia he would make him repent it Notwithstanding these threats the Emperour by meanes of those who were of his partie was chosen K. of Poland against the King of Transiluania and Duke of Muscouia which two perceiuing themselues greatly disdained determined to endamage with all their forces that kingdome Maximilian being aduertised thereof and foreseeing that he should draw vpon himselfe so many and so puissant enemies and considering that he had not sufficient forces to oppose himselfe against them and especially against the Turk who prepared to thrust himselfe into Poland being offended with this that the Polonians had so slightly regarded his aduertisements and messengers fearing to trouble himselfe in a warre too daungerous for him and his from whence very hardly he could vntangle himselfe made no great shew of reioycing at this election but laying aside the care which he ought to haue had of it fained as though he knew nothing thereof prolonging by that meanes the taking possession of that kingdom vnder a hope that after the first assaults of these Princes there would not thereby happen to him in the end any other thing Neuerthelesse the Polonians fearing the puissance of the Turke who prepared himselfe to armes
being suddainly taken with a vehement trembling of his members and with a great panting of his heart he ended his dayes He was a Prince who well knew to preserue his Emperiall dignitie and the greatnes of his house Hauing receiued the administration of the Empire his father liuing the care which he alwaies had in his minde was to keepe Germanie in peace and in such sort to effect it that it should not any more feele the former calamities whereinto it was fallen For this cause some seeing Germanie in so great repose had a sinister opinion of him as though he had too much fauored the Protestants But these men did not consider that amongst so many diuisions and hazards as were alreadie in France Flaunders other countries it was not profitable for the Catholike partie to adde Germanie thereto for feare least the rest of the Catholikes might not be in like perill This Prince in his young yeares was very hot of the warre He greatly loued the professours of the liberall arts and especially handicrafts men Hee had a delight to please euery one Hee spoke most familiarly many and diuers sorts of languages so that it seemed he was borne with them and although he had a subtile and fine wit oftentimes hauing an intention contrarie to his actions yet neuerthelesse he was indued with many other vertuous qualities To this man succeeded in the Emperiall dignitie Rodolph second of that name his sonne King of Bohemia and Hungarie a most Catholike and religious Prince He in the same Diet of Ausburg in which he was chosen King of the Romans was receiued for Emperour whilest that the Diet continued Presently his Maiestie commaunded the better to take away all hopes of change from all his subiects in his hereditarie estates that they should liue Catholikely and caused to be made seuere executions against those who would vndertake to preach any other doctrine but Catholike and by his example speeches perswaded all the Princes Catholikes and Protestants carefully to obserue Gods commaundements So soone as he was proclaimed Emperour he caused the Polish Ambassadours to be released and sent to Amurath to demaund truce which without any great difficultie was accorded to him because that the Turke hauing had aduertisement of the war which the King of Persia prepared against him and of the resolution of the Germanes who had made a great leauie of souldiers and money vpon euery estate of the Empire to maintaine warre against him could not any whit assure himselfe to be able to make resistance in so many places his Empire elsewhere being sorely weakened by the iust punishment of God with plague war and famine in regard of which he very easily granted the demaunds of Rodolph At the same time all the Christian Princes sent to his Maiestie to congratulate with him his new promotion in the Emperiall dignitie and amongst others Battor not long before chosen King of Poland also sent his Ambassadours thither for the same effect knowing the release that Rodolph had made of his Ambassadours while he besieged the rich town of Danzit situated at the mouth of Vistula vpon the sea of Prusia being of the demains of Polonia which then held of Maximilians part the inhabitants then knowing nothing of his death but as soone as they were assured thereof they capitulated with their new King and yeelded to him vnder condition that the towne should not be spoyled and that the penaltie should be conuerted into monie They besides gaue him 12. peeces of great Artillerie with other lesser and certaine amongst themselues for hostages to the end the more to assure his Maiestie of their fidellitie towards him This done Battor presently caused his Armie to make head against the Muscouit to recouer the places that the Duke had taken towards Liuonia During this busines he omitted not to send to the Pope to acknowledge him as soueraigne Prelat of the catholike Church and by the same meanes sought through Italie for many Captaines of valour and other men of knowledge offering them great pensions and rich recompences as he manifested to many who both of one and other vocation went to him this Prince being as much giuen to armes as hee was indued with the knowledg of learning and sciences and especially in diuinitie and histories hauing passed his youth in the exercise of armes and learning in Germanie and Italie Within a short time hee recouered all that which the Muscouits and Tartars had vsurped vpon him and tooke many places from them hauing so many times beaten them that he constrayned them in the end to seeke peace of him euen as Demetrius Duke of Muscouia for this effect solicited thereto Pope Gregorie the 13. of that name vsing him as a meane to this Prince to the end that he might obtaine it The Hungars for all this were neuer a whit the more at rest For notwithstanding the truce Amurath as these Princes are barberous proud couetous caused to be stayed at Constantinople the Emperours Ambassadour who at his new arriuall brought not to him the accustomed Present Rodolph willing to reuenge himself of this iniurie commanded his people who were in Hungarie to make incursions vpon the Turkes and to enterprise some thing vpon some of their places in stead of two Forts that these had taken in Croatia The Hungars desirous to attempt somewhat vpon certaine Castles by Alberegalis were in the way intrapped by the Turkes and most of them cut in peeces The Emperour considering that these skirmishes might in the end ingender a greater war caused a Diet to be called in Bohemia soliciting therein the Bohemians that they would succour him against the Turkes who without regard of the truce ran spoyled continually the frontiers of his countries These accorded to him a good summe of monie For the same effect he also called the Hungars to Poson and not being able to be therein for his indisposition he shewed to them by the Prince Ernestus his brother the necessitie which constrayned him to solicite them to haue regard to the common defence against the Turkes by whom daylie they receiued so many oppressions But his Maiestie could then draw nothing from them at that time minding that he himselfe should be in person at the Diet and warre In the end notwithstanding they daylie perceiuing the effects of the violence of their enemies who notwithstanding the warre of Persia in which Amurath was greatly combered ceased not neuerthelesse greatly to molest them and procured them much trouble graunted to the Emperour the greatest part of his demaunds and they all taking courage opposed themselues so valiantly against the Turkes that many times they constrayned them to retire from them and euen to forsake a great part of the Countrie which they vsurped Rodolph notwithstanding so happie successe of his people ceased not to send to Amurath to complaine of the great timeritie of the Turkes who had not any respect to the
the daughter of Ferdinand 120. restored into his kingdome 273. warreth vpon Ferdinand 282. sent Ambassadours to Ferdinand to accord their differences and to demand the Insanta Ioane ibid. would not forsake the friendship of the Turke 283. taketh many places from Ferdinand by the Turkes aide 284. 286. taketh others 288. is hindered in his deseignes by a great inundation 289. sent Ambassadours with the Turk to Maximilian to treate of a peace ibid. he was in danger to be stroken with an Artillerie bullet 203. he caused many to be taken who fauoured Maximilian 295. drew to him to the Hungars 326. publisheth a Diet at Tord 317. went before Solyman with rich presents 319. besiegeth Tocchay taken by Schuendy after that raiseth the siege by reason that the Tartars mutined 334. ouer throweth them after it is besieged by them together with the Turkes 335. his death 357 Iohn Baptiste Castalde Iohn Baptiste Castalde is chosen by Char. the 5. to goe into Hungarie with Frier George against Izabella 90. is instructed by Ferdinand how he should carrie himselfe to the said Frier 91. gaue instruction for the conduct of an armie ibid. marcheth into Hungary 95. causeth Agria to be fortified 96. entereth into Transiluania 98. 102. industriously deceiueth the Marquesse of Balasse ibid. besiegeth by his Lieutenants Dalmas a Castle of the Queenes ibid. taketh Dalmas by surrender 104 conferreth with George ibid. went to seeke him at Albe-iula meanly accompanied 105. from thence went to seeke the Queene and declared to her his charge 106. speaketh to her without Georges priuitie 107. writ to Ferdinand to make George a Cardinall 110 receiueth of Izabella the Crowne and other royall ornaments in Ferdinands name 115. sent them to Ferdinand 116. receiueth oth of the Hungars fidelitie 116. 117. causeth places to be fortified 121. and to pay the tribute due to the Turke 122. leauieth souldiours to oppose himselfe against the Turk 125. his diligence and suspition towards George 127. holdeth a Diet at Sibinio 128. suppresseth and punisheth the tumult happened at Brassouia 133 he speaketh vnto the Lords and Captains of his army 134. sheweth himselfe wise and patient in the behalfe of George 136. conceiueth a mortall hate against him 138. receiueth aduertisement frō Ferdinand to put him to death 139. went in the night to seeke George in his tent 140. besiegeth Lippa 141. maketh a breach 145. gaue an assault 147 is repulsed with great losse 148. redoubleth the assault 150. carrieth the towne 152. besiegeth the Castle 153. he was obstinate at this siege against the liking of George 154. would not receiue Olyman but to his discretion 155 contradicted and opposeth himselfe against George minding to saue Olyman ibid. determineth to put Frier George to death 159. vseth courtesie and liberalitie to an honest woman spoyled by George 162. arriued at Binse 163. sent with all speede Sforce Palauicin and other Spanish Captaines 164. communicateth to him his enterprise touching the death of George 165. causeth him to be slaine 167. after buried 169. caused the moueables of George which were taken away by his murtherers to bee restored ibid. caused the Turkes Ambassadour to bee taken who was kept secretly by George at Wyuar 170. went to Seghesuar to sound the liking of the Sicilians for the death of George 171. receiueth of them the oth of fidelitie ibid. receiueth into the obedience of Ferdinand all the places which held for George 170. soliciteth Ferdinand to haue succours against the Turke who prepared himselfe ibid. caused to fortifie his places 175. committeth the treasures of George into the hands of Comissaries 175. is very well recompenced for the murther of George 176. furnisheth Lipps and Themesuar of new garrisons 181. sent Count Iohn Baptiste of Archo to command at Brassouia to defendit 189. soliciteth Ferd. to haue succours against the Turke 193. maketh preparations to resist him 196. retireth from Colosuar to Torde to auoyde the furie of the mutinous Germanes 197. sent succours to Themesuar which was besieged and marcheth against the Moldauian 197. causeth him to retire in disorder 198. sent new succours to Themesuar the first being defeated 199. incourageth the Hungars amazed for the losse of Themesuar 208. is aduertised of Lippa burned and forsaken by Aldene which he gaue Ferdinand notice of 213. retired himselfe to Sassebesse and fortifieth it 214. ransometh the Palauicin for 15000. Duckets 220. receiueth great displeasure for the losse of Zaluoch 225. foreseeth a reuolt of the Hungars and Transiluanians ibid. for which he prouideth remedie 228. consenteth to the death of the Moldauian ibid. discouereth a conspiracie against himselfe 230. his counsell not being beleeued he loseth a braue occasion to defeate the Turke 236. consenteth to the peace with the Turke 237. minding to oppose himselfe against the deseignes of Cassombassa the Germanes mutinie against him ibid. is forsaken by the Colonell of the men of warre of the countrie 238. giueth meanes and succours to Mirce of Transalpinia to recouer his kingdome 241. arriueth at the Diet of Wasrael confirmeth them against the Turk 251. followeth the pursuite of Aldene 252. dismisseth Duke Mauris 254. aduertiseth Ferdinand of the diligence of the Transiluanians to cause Izabella to returne againe 256. held a Diet at Colosuar 257. recouereth out of the Turks hands Battors people ibid. returneth towards Ferdinand 259. is calumniated after recompenced for his seruices by Ferdinand 260. is recalled into Flanders by Charles the 5. and went thither to him 269 Iohn Alphonse Pescaire caried the Crown of Hungarie to Ferdinand 116 Iohn Ardech sallied forth of Vienna to skirmish lost his Cornet 47 Count Iohn Baptiste of Archo commaundeth in Brassouia 189. stayeth the Moldauian by skirmishes 197. ouerthroweth troupes of Moldauians and Turks 198 Iohn Bornemisse gouernour of K. Lewis 9 Iohn Chendy Lieutenant of George defeateth the Transalpinian 85 Iohn Doce enemie of the Vayuod of Transiluania and the reason 52. prouoketh Gritty against Emerick 53. wickedly killeth the Vayuode of Transiluania 54. is torne in peeces 56 Iohn Dragfy Preuost of the Kings house bore the Ensigne royall 28. dyed in battaile 33 Iohn Hedek Comissarie of the Artillerie ibid. Iohn Kalay one of those to whom the King was committed vnto to preserue him in battaile 26 Iohn Oberdansch Ambassadour for Ferdinand to Solyman 44 Iohn Salanze Izabellaes Ambassadour to Solyman against the practises of George 79 Iohn Statile sent to the Vayuode with George Basi 17 Iohn Tahy and Iohn Banfy principall Lords of Slauonia in succour of Lewis 25 Iohn Zapoly Count of Scepusa and after King of Hungarie 7. aspireth to the Crowne 38. chosen King ibid. Iohn Zerechen in succour of Lewis 26 Indignities of Turkes towards Christian Prouinces which he subdueth 119 Information vpon the death of Frier George 231 Inquisition of Spaine by whom inuented and the manner thereof 310 Instruction of a Turkish Emperours son 265 Instruction for the conduct of an armie and entertainment of it 91 Inuestitures of Fees giuen
by the Emperour to the Princes of Germanie and touching that which is due therefore 307 Izabella Izabella daughter of Sigismond King of Polonia mother of Stephen Tutresse and Gouernesse of Hungarie after the death of King Iohn her husband 58 is put in minde by Ferdinand of the accords passed betweene him and the deceased King Iohn 59. which she refusing is besieged by the said Ferdinand within Buda ibid. she determineth to yeeld Buda 61. is succoured ibid. receiueth and offereth presents to the Turke 62. sent to him her sonne Stephen 69. writ to him in fauour of the Hungarish Lords which he held prisoners 70. is sent by Solyman into Transiluania and forced to forsake Hungarie 71. her constancie ibid. is with much adoe receiued into Transiluania 74. after long patience she complaineth of George to Solyman 76. being aduertised of the conference of George with Nicholas Salm she sent backe to Solyman against their practises 79. gathereth forces against George 80. is forsaken of the Transiluanians and for what 83. accordeth with George 84. confirmeth him and against her liking writ to Solyman in fauour of George 87. prouoketh the Transiluanians against George ibid. causeth a Diet to bee held at Egneth 99. it being broken by George she retireth with her sonne to Albe-iula after that to Sassebesse 99. sent the Marquesse of Balasse to hinder the passage of Castaldes comming to ioyne with George 102. she accordeth againe with George 103. sent to visit Castalde 105 spake secretly to him and complaineth of George 107. submitteth her selfe to Ferdinand 108. accordeth with him 109 speaketh againe to Castalde and accuseth George to him 111. dismisseth her selfe from the kingdome and royall ornaments and committeth them into the hands of Castalde 113. departeth the kingdome 120. her miserie 122. arriueth at Cassouia 123. after the death of George requireth of Ferdinand the moueables of George which he had taken from King Iohn her husband and demanded the accomplishment of that whic he had promised her 176. she complaineth of Ferdinand to the King and Queene of Polonia 192. 226. accepteth the offer of the Vayuode of Transalpinia and seeketh againe the Turke 227. is succoured by him and the principall of the countrie ibid. practiseth her returne into Transiluania 252. is solicited by the Transiluanians to returne 256. causeth certaine places to be surprised 260. she reestablisheth her selfe in her kingdom and chaseth out Ferdinands people 272. recompenceth those who had not forsaken her part 273. banisheth by the commandement of the Turk the new sects 278 Iula besieged by Solyman 325. taken 330 Iulius the 3. excommunicateth the murtherers of George 186 Iule Salazar sent by Ferdinand to Castalde to cause George to be killed 139 Iulian de Carleual planted himselfe the first at the assault of Lippa and caried away the guerdon by Castalde 148 Iustice saleable in Hungarie 3 K KEretsken excuseth himselfe by writing for the yeelding of Iula 337. is cruelly put to death by those whom he had badly vsed 338 Koteze wherefore so called 9 Krasso a poole or marrish 20 L LAdislas Cheretsken yeeldeth Albe-iula by composition to the Turk 329 Ladislas Endef induceth the Saxons and Sicilians to acknowledge Ferd. 119 Ladislas a Macedonian Bishop of the fiue Churches 11 Ladislas Salcane Archbishop of Strigogonium Primate of Hungarie and great Chancellor yeeldeth vp the royall Seale 9. died in battaile 33. blamed by Solyman for his couetousnes 37 Ladislas poysoned the day of his mariage 39 Largesse due to the Ianisaries by the new Emperour 332 Largesse done at the consecration of Rodolph K. of Hungarie 348 Lazare Schuendy Lazare Schuendy Lieutenant generall in Hungarie for Maximilian 287. put his armie in the field ibid. besiegeth and taketh Tocchay and other places 288. 334. receiueth new succours from the Emperour 291. burneth Debrezen for deliuering victuals to the Turke 292. defeateth the garrison of Moncat ibid. is taken with an agew ibid. killeth 4000. Turks 293. writ to the Lords of Hungarie against the letters of King Iohn 317. assiegeth and taketh Zathnar 338. after that Mourach and besiegeth Hurst 339 Legates from the Pope to Charles the 5. and the King of France 274 Leonard Gnomsky a Polonian Marshall of the Campe. 18 Leonard Gnomsky deliuereth his minde touching the ordering of the battaile 26 Letters of Solyman to Andrew Battor 254. 255 Letters of Charles the Emperour to the Cardinall of Mentz 274 Letters of Solyman to George the Frier vpon the complaints of Izabella 77 Letters from King Iohn to the Hungarish and Transiluanian Lords 317 Letters of Schendy to the contrarie effect ibid. a League against the Polonians 353 Lippa and Themesuar townes of importance 121 Lippa yeelded to the Turke 131 Lippa and his situation 141. besieged by Castalde 142. brauely maintained the assault 147. 148. taken by assault of Castalde 152. committed to Aldenes custodie 163. cowardly forsaken and burned by Aldene 212. taken againe by the Turk 215 Lords dead in the field in battaile against the Turk 33 Lewis the 2. Lewis the 2. King of Hungarie and Bohemia and his birth 7. the qualities of Lewis ibid. Lewis assembleth the Estates to aduise for the defence of the kingdome against the Turke 10. demaundeth ayde of Christian Princes ibid. goeth into the field 15. sent backe George Basi to the Vayuode after instructions 17. sent letters and posts into diuers places to hasten the succours ibid. arriueth at Tholne 18. Lewis in choller amongst his Councell and his braue resolution 19. distressed touching the resolution of the battaile 21. commandeth all the Councellors to resolue vpon battaile or else to discampe 23. his forces against Solyman 26. he was committed to three notable men during the battaile ibid. the losse of him 30. he was found dead 31. he was borne without skinne 32. buried 38 Lewis Gritty Duke of Venice with Solyman aydeth King Iohn with his fauour 45. remaineth at Buda with K. Iohn 51. is recalled by Solyman to Constantinople after sent backe into Hungarie ibid. maketh friendship with the Vayuode of Moldauia 52. enterpriseth vpon Transiluania ibid. laugheth beholding the head of Emeric 54. his conscience reprouing him he confesseth the innocent death of Emeric ibid. retireth himselfe to Megest ibid. is besieged by the Transiluanians 55. forsaken of his friends thinking to saue himselfe is taken and committed to Francis Chendy to cause him to bee put to death 56. his children beheaded ibid. Lubec a rich towne 299 monie of Lysimachus found by peasants 214 the Loue of our countrie is of great efficacie 235 germane Lords enter into Vienna to defend it 46 hungarish Lords conducting Stephen to Solyman are retained by him 70. set at libertie 72 hungarish Lords stirre vp Ferdinand to make warre against King Iohn 39 M MAgdebourg a puissant towne 298 Mahomet Basha sent to the succours of Queene Izabella against Ferdinand 61. incampeth by Roccandolph 62. taketh the I le of Chep 63 Mahomet Basha Lieutenant generall for Solyman against Transiluania 187 arriueth
with a puissant armie 196 besiegeth Themes 197. capitulateth with Losonze 205. he vseth him with great perfidiousnes after he had yeelded Themesuar 206. taketh Caransebesse into his protection 207. is aduertised that Lippa is abandoned sent to take possession thereof 215. taketh his iourney towards Hungarie 218. besiegeth Zaluoch 220. 221. taketh it being forsaken by the garrison 224. besiegeth Agria ibid. 232. summoneth the Castle 234. after thirteene assaults raiseth the siege 236. retireth himselfe out of the kingdome 239 Mahomet the sonne of Mustapha aduanced in recompence of the innocent death of his father 272 Lieutenant generall of an Armie what assistance he ought to haue with him 91 Master of the poste necessarie in an armie 94 duke of Mantua in succour of the Emperour 336 Marata the sepulcher of Solyman 332 Marc Anthonie of Ferrara Castaldes Secretarie killed George 167 Marie sister of the Emperour Char. the 5. Queene of Hungarie 7 Marie gaue summes of money out of her Exchequer to leauie people 17 Marie the Queene retireth her selfe 32 Marie daughter of Charles the Emperour married to Maximilian King of Bohemia 128 Marie Queene of Bohemia obtained pardon for Aldene 260 Maromarusia a Prouince 12 Marosse a riuer ibid. Maroth and the great murther of Hungars happened in it 35 Marquesse of Balasse in seruice of Izabella 102. pursueth Olyman sauing himselfe from Lippa 160. is wounded with a harquebuze shot 161 Martelots wicked peasants 323 Martiane a forrest 11 Martin Rostan in France with an armie for the Emperour Charles 191 Mathias Lobosky sent by Queene Izabella to Ferdinand 193 Matthew Nagh of meane condition defended the Castle of Strigonium against the Turk 32 Mauris Duke of Saxonie riseth against the Emperour Charles 190 Mauris came to Ispurch to surprise the Emperour and Ferdinand 191. they doe accord 192 Mauris Duke of Saxonie arriueth in Hungarie with an armie for Ferdinand 232 D. Mauris dismissed 254 Maximilian Maximilian sonne of Ferdinand chosen King of the Romanes 285. is made King of Hungarie ibid. prepareth himselfe to make warre vpon K. Iohn 286. treateth of peace with the Turk 289. sent succours to Schuendy 290. 291. celebrateth the funerals of his father ibid. prepareth a new armie against the Turk 292. sent Ambassadours to the great Turke to continue the treatie of peace 296. publisheth a Diet at Ausbourg to request succours against the Turk 297. came himselfe before the Elector of Mentz comming to the Diet. 302. his demaunds in the Diet. 305. the offers which are made him for succour 306. commaundeth the Kings of Swethen and Denmarke to lay aside armes 306. gaue to Princes the inuestiture of their fees 307. dismisseth the Diet and trauaileth to another Diet at Vienna ibid. the ordinances which he made ibid. commaundeth prayers at certaine houres at the sound of a bell and forbiddeth all manner of sports 323. declareth in his armie Ferdinand his brother to be his Lieutenant generall 334. receiueth certaine newes of the death of Solyman and the coronation of Selim. 333 dismisseth his army and retireth himselfe to Vienna ibid. calleth the Estates ibid. made his entry into Prage and obtaineth succours against the Turk 350. 351. sent Ambassadours to Selim for peace ibid. obtaineth it 352. complaineth himselfe to Selim of King Iohn 353. is solicited by the Venecians and Pope to make warre vpon the Turk 354. yeeldeth the kingdomes of Hungarie and Bohemia to his sonne Rodolph 355. pretendeth succession of the kingdome of Transiluania after the death of King Iohn 357. seeketh againe Selim to obtaine a prolonging of truce which he could not 361. obtaineth succours of the Germanes against the Turke 362. sueth for the Crowne of Polonia 364. is chosen K. by his partakers ibid. taketh not possession of the kingdome for certaine considerations 365. is angrie hearing the election of Battor ibid. demaundeth succours of the Germanes against the Polonians 366. sent to solicite the Sophy against Amurath ibid. his Ambassadours massacred by Battor he causeth those to be staid of Battors and many Pollacques 367. dieth ibid. Medals of gold of Lysimachus found by peasants 214 Medals of gold of Ninus and Semiramus ibid. Megest shut the Ports against Lewis Gritty and for what 55 Mehemet Basha very aduised and faithfull to the successour of Solyman 327 concealeth the death of Solyman ibid. Melchior Ballassy for Maximilian against Iohn 286 Moueables of Mirce of great price wonne by Raoul 244 Moueables of a Cardinall dying without will belong to the Pope 186 Murtherers of George excommunicated ibid. absolued by the Pope 240 Mines discouered 47 Mines of the Germanes at Buda blowen vp 60 Mines of gold siluer and copper in Hungarie 14. in Transiluania 13 Mines of gold siluer and iron in Transiluania 101 Mines of salt gold and siluer in the Bishoprick of Saltsbourg 298 Ministers of the Church men of warre in Hungarie 3 Mirce Vayuode of the Transalpinians offereth himselfe to Izabella to place her againe in her kingdome 227. defeated and chased by Raoul 240 discription of Mohacz and place of battaile 13 Mohacz the place where the Hungars were defeated 36 Moldauia and Transalpinia parts of Valachia 13 Moldauia named by the Turks Carabogdania 8 Moldauia a Romane Colonie 100 Monastarie of Hermits whither retired the Emp. Charles to end his daies 277 Muscouits and Denmarks make warre in Polonia 365 Mourach taken by Schuendy 351 Meanes to incourage souldiours to an assault 147 Meanes to discouer a mine 47 seuen Muets executioners of the Grand Seigniours will 238 Mufty or Muplety chiefe of the Turkes Priests 271. 333 Mustapha maketh warre in Transiluania 65 Mustapha the eldest sonne of Solyman banished into Amasia 69. the historie of his death 261 Mustapha at the commaundement of his father went to seek him 266. is strangled 268. knowne to be innocent 272 Mustapha Basha sent into Transiluania in succour of Queene Izabella 62 Musulmans very superstitious 267 N NAndor-Albe a Fortresse anciently Taurinum 14 Nazadiez vessels 18 Newstat taken and retaken many times 296 Nicholas Captaine of Aiduchs a valiant man 242 Nicholas Esdrin Count of Serin 290. gouernour of Sighet for the Emp. 325. slaine at the 13. assault of Sighet 328 Nicholas Gerendy Commissioner for the money leauied of the one halfe of the Ecclesiasticall treasure 11 Nicholas Count Salm chiefe of the Hungarish armie 10 Nicholas Salm Ambassadour for Ferdinand to Solyman 72 Nicholas Salm Lieutenant for Ferdinand in Hungary parlieth with Frier George 77 Nicholas Serpietre ioyned with Peter Vicchy against George 80. is defeated by Varcocce 81. sharply checked by his wife 82 Nicholas Tharczay bold and faithfull to his King 27 Nobilitie insupportable in Hungarie 3 Noremberg an Emperiall towne gouerned by the Nobilitie 398 O OFen a new name of Buda 15 necessarie Officers in an armie 91 Offers of Ferd. to Q. Izabella 59. 107 Oliman a Persian in succour of Queene Izabella 62 Oliman commandeth at Lippa maintaineth the assault and repulseth Castalde 147. 148. beginneth to recoyle 152 saueth himselfe
of Bosnia and Belgrade confer with Izabella 273 Sangiach of Alberegalis taken and lead to Vienna 330. set at libertie by ransome 338 Sassebesse fortified 127 Sauus a riuer passed by the Turkish Armie 11. 14 Saxons dwelling in the townes of Ortel a Prouince of Hungarie 13 Saxons and Sicilians naturall enemies 85 Saxons dwelling in Transiluania 100 the Saxons and Sicilians of Transiluania sweare fidelitie to Ferdinand 119 Scach a Persian word what it signifieth 353 Sclauonia part of high Pannonia 12 Sclauonia diuided from Hungarie by Drauus ibid. Seate and office of the Electors of the Empire in publike acts 302 Sebessa a riuer 164 Succours came to Lewis vpon the resolution of battaile 25. 26 Succours of Solyman to Queene Izabella 62 Succours from the Pope to Lewis 18 Succours granted to Ferdinand against the Turk 282 Succours come to the Emperour from forraine Princes 320 Secretarie in an Armie and his charge 92 Segnia a capitall towne of Dalmatia subiect to the Hungars 12 Selim by subteltie and industrie depriued his father of his Empire and life 264 Selim put to death the messenger of Mustaphaes death 272. succeedeth Solyman 331. entereth into Constantinople ibid. made his sacrifices and offerings 331. is saluted Emperour 332. leaueth Cheretsken to the reuenge of those whom he had vsed ill 337. maketh peace with Maximilian 341. sent an Armie against the Muscouite ibid. threatneth King Iohn 342. beginneth warre againe with the Hungars 350. dieth 351. his vices described ibid. Senath besieged by Vicchy 80. is succoured 81. yeelded to the Turk 130 Sepulture of Solyman sumptuous 332 Sepulture of Iob place of sacrifices in Constantinople 331 Sforce Palauicin Marquesse Comissarie generall of Ferdinands armie 128. 152. besiegeth Drigall against the coūsel of Castalde 218. is defeated by Achmet ibid. taken valiantly fighting 219 ransomed for 15000. Duckets 220 Sibinium a principall towne of Transiluania 102 Sibinio fortified 121 Sibinio a towne which was friend to Ferdinand and enemie of George 170 Sicilians and their manner of life 13 Sicilians in pay of George 83. doe mutinie ibid. are appeased ibid. Sicilians or Ceculians what nation 100 Sicilians mutiny for the death of George and are appeased by Chendy 171 the Sicilians would restore Iohn into his kingdome 253 Sighet besieged by Solyman 325. taken at the 13. assault 328 Sigismond King of Polonia confederate with the Turk 10. is in disgrace with his mother and Polonians for his wife 273. enterposeth himselfe betweene the accord of Maximilian and Iohn 287. hindered by the Duke of Muscouia to make this peace 301 death of Sigismond King of Polonia 343 Sigismond Lichtstain Ambassadour for Ferdinand to Solyman 72 Signes of great hap and repose 4. and of a great decaying and ruine ibid. Simon Erdeund Bishop of Zagrabia in succour of Iohn 26 Sirmia a large countrie ruined 9 Sirmia diuideth Hungarie from Slauonia 12 firtilitie of Sirmia 14 Souldiours murmure vpon the message of Lewis 21. demaund battaile 24 Souldiours of Ferdinand retired into a Church are cut in peeces to the number of 3000. 65 Solyman Solyman in Hungarie with a puissant armie 7.9 Solymans forces against Lewis 26 Solyman defeateth the Hungars 35. gaue his censure vpon the heads of the dead Bishops 37. sorroweth for the fortune of King Lewis and of the Queene 37. returneth to Constantinople 38. taketh the defence of Iohn 43. denounceth warre to Ferdinand 44. arriueth in Hungarie with an armie ibid. before Vienna 46. reproueth with choller his Captaines 49. raiseth the siege of Vienna 50. sent succours to Queene Izabella against Ferdinand 61. commeth to Andrionoplis in fauour of Q. Izabella 61. marcheth into Hungary 64. arriueth by Buda 68. sent presents to Stephen and to the Hungarian Lords demaunding they would send to him the said Stephen ibid. sent back Stephen to his mother and retaineth the Hungarian Lords 70. holdeth a Councell vpon the prisoners ibid. releaseth them 72. causeth the great Church of Buda to be consecrated and made sacrifice there 71. returneth to Constantinople 74. writ to Frier George in fauour of Izabella 75 Solyman incensed against George declareth him an enemie and traytor 79 Solyman in fauour of the Queene threatneth the Transiluanians 82 Solyman deceitfully answereth to the letters of Q. Izabella writ in fauour of George 91. sent to the Transiluanians to obey George ibid. Solyman prepareth an Armie against Hungarie by the Belerbey of Greece 125 Solyman sent to the Moldauian and Basha of Buda that they should succour Izabella 27 Solyman resolueth to put to death Mustapha his eldest sonne 266. is in great daunger after he had caused his eldest sonne to be strangled 270. hardly besieged by his armie 271. saueth himselfe amongst the mutinous souldiours ibid. aduanceth Mahomet the sonne of Mustapha in recompence of the innocent death of his father 272 Solyman in trouble and doubt by Baiazet his sonne 284. seeketh againe peace with Ferdinand 285. marcheth into Hungarie with a puissant armie in fauour of K. Iohn 319. arriueth there 325. besiegeth Sighet and Iula ibid. dieth 327. is carried to Constantinople 333 Soliman a Hungarian turned Turke is Gouernour of Buda 74 Solimos defended against the Turk 131 Solimos a Fortresse munitioned for two yeeres cowardly forsaken by the Spaniards 216. who are defeated by the Turk 216 Sophy the surname of the King of Persia by scoffe 353 Sopronia a towne 12 Statues of Brasse carried from Buda to Constantinople 38 Stirian souldiours of Ferdinand put in route by K. Iohn 42 Stratagems of the Turks in Hungarie 17 18. 31. 33. 34. 35. 37. 45. 46. 62. 63. 64. ibid. 65. 66. 67. 68. ibid. 69. 70. 71. 125. 127. 128. 131. 132. 137. 160. 181. 183. 184. 199. ibid. 181. 183. 184 299. ibid. 206. 207. ibid. 214. 216. 218. 219. 220. 224. 225. 233. 234. 289 290. 293. 295. 296. 318. 326. 327. ibid. 328. 329. 330. 334. 335. 249. Stridon the place where S. Hierome was borne 12 Strigonium the Metropolitane citie in Hungarie ibid. Strigonium a rich Archbishoprick 111 the Swisses sent to the Diet of Ausbourg 306 the Starres haue their returne more soone or late the one then the other 2 the great coniunction of Starres happened in these times 3 Subteltie against the conductors of Artillerie 290 Spoyle made in Hungarie by the Turk 34 45. 46 a merrie and earnest Speech of Francis Peren. 25 Skirmishes before the battaile 26 a Slaue sent by George to Oliman besieged at Lippa taken by Castalde 155 Spaniards mutinie spoyle Hungarie 255 two Spaniards reneged are cause of the taking of Themesuar 203 Spyes taken discouer the Turks deseignes 296 a French Spye in Ferdinands armie aduertiseth the Turk of the Transiluanian affayres 112. saueth himselfe by meanes of Vicchy 113 the immortall Spirit not subiect to stars 4 the State of Germanie touching the Diets 397. 398 the three States of Hungarie corrupted 3 a State come to his full perfection presently declineth 4 Stephen the sonne of Iohn King of Hungarie named Iohn by the Turks
was payed to the Turke by the Hungars The Popes absolution in fauour of Ferdinand for the murther of George Raoul expulsed from his Vayuodship of Transalpinia by Mirce he recouereth it and discomfiteth Mirce The battaile betweene Raoul and Mirce Mirce ouerthrowne Tergouista the capitall towne of the Transalpinians The answer of Solyman to the request that the Hungars made for peace Letters of Solyman to Battor Vayuode of Transiluania Solyman for Queene Izabella The Transiluanians astonished at the letters of Solyman The oratiō of Castalde to those of the Diet of Wasrael The Transiluanians reanimated against the Turkes The pursuice against Aldene Queene Izabella practiseth her returne into Transiluania Peter Vicchy and Chendy for Izabella Euill intreatie caused the rebellion of the Transiluaniās against Ferdinand Duke Mauris dismissed The garrison of Deua put in route some Turkish companies Anno 1553. The Transiluanians solicite Queene Izabella to returne into Transiluania The renewing of the procuring of peace A Diet at Colosuar The Spaniards mutinie Aldene brought to Vienna Castalde retired out of Transiluania and returned to Ferdinand Castalde wrongfully accused Tocchay The Transiluanians rise in the behalfe of Queene Izabella Aldene condemned to death saued by fauour Hedin taken by the Emperour Charles from the French Castalde returned to the Emperour in Flanders The historie of the death of Mustapha Solymans eldest sonne Mustapha the eldest sonne of Solyman Rossa beloued of Solyman Mahomet Baiazet Selim Zeangir children of Solyman by Rossa Chameria daughter of Solyman maried Rostan Basha Muplety an arch Presbiter of the Mahometanes Gods reward for charitable workes done by Slaues appertaine to their masters Rossa made free To vse a free woman is sin Rossa made the spouse of Solyman The Turkish Emperours neuer marrie Rossa practiseth the death of Mustapha Rostan Basha conspireth with Rossa the death of Mustapha The eldest sonnes of the Turkish Emperours remaine not at the Court. The instructiō of the Turkish Emperours sonnes Anno 1553. The diuine resolution of Mustapha The Ianisaries obeying the signes of then Commaunders The vision of Mustapha prognosticated his death Seuen Muets executors of the Grand Seigniours pleasure The cruell words of a Tyrant Mustapha strangled Zeangir killed himselfe seeing his brother dead A great tumult in Solymans armie Solyman in danger of his person Solyman escapeth from his mutinous souldiours Bursia a towne where is the sepulture of the Turkish Emperours The innocencie of Mustapha discouered Selim killeth him who brought the newes of his brothers death Chendy excuseth himselfe to Ferdinand concerning the insurrection of Transiluania Albe-iula yeelded to Queene Izabella and all Transiluania Sigismond the 2. King of Polonia in disgrace with his mother and Polanders for his wife The Queene of Polonia retireth into Italie * A rich Barge wherein the Venetian Seigniorie expatiat themselues in the Adriatike sea neere to their citie Pappacoda entertained Bonna the Queene of Polonia A truce betweene the Emperour Charles and the King of France Charles the Emperour renounceth the Empire to the end that Ferdinand might haue it Philip came to seeke his father the Emperour Charles arriued in Spaine Valladolid The Emperor Charles instructed his little sonne Charles The place where the Emperour Charles retired himselfe to end his dates Ferdinand crowned Emperour The truce broken betweene King Henry of France and Philip King of Spaine Commaund from the Turk to Queene Izabella to chase out of her kingdome the new sects The death of the Emperour Charles Sumptuous funerals made at Bruxels by Philip King of Spaine for the Emperour his father Ambassadours of France at the Diet of Ausbourg The seate of the Emperour and Princes of the Empire in the Diets Succours graunted to Ferdinand against the Turke Tocchay taken by K. Iohn from Ferdinand Debatement of peace betweene King Iohn and the Emperour Ferdinand Albert Lasky Solyman in trouble and doubt by Baiazet his son Maximillian sonne of Ferdinand chosen King of the Romanes Solyman seeketh peace with Ferdinand Maximilian made King of Hungarie The death of Ferdinand Maximilian made Emperour Maximilian made warre vpon K. Iohn Sachmar taken by Iohn Debrezen burned by the Emperials Hadao and Atauiar taken by Iohn Lazare Schuendy Lieutenant generall in Hungarie for Maximilian Nemethy a Tutor spoileth his pupil of Tocchay The siege of Tocchay by the Emperials Nemethy slaine Tocchay yeelded Sachmar burned Eiden yeelded to the Emperials A great winter Debatement of peace betweene Maximilian Solyman Iohn Sigismond Nicholas Esdrim Counte of Serin Sachmar re-established A complot against the cōductors of the Artillerie Erdeu besieged by the Turkes Erdeu yeelded to the Turkes by composition Debrezen burned by the Emperials Newstat inriched with mynes of diuers mettals Bullets annoynted with fat cause death A continuation of the treatie of peace Paul Veidner a Phisition of a Iew became a Christian Ambassadours are not to be retained for and in place of prisoners taken in the warre Counte Salm enterpriseth vpon Alberegalis George Hossute Ambassadour for Maxilian to the Turke Newstat taken by the Turks Peasants paying custome to both parts The Estate of Germanie touching the Diets Ecclesiasticall Electors The Bishop of Salzburg rich The Bishop of Magdebourg Primate of Germanie Secular Electors The Elector of Saxonie and the Duke of Bauier the richest of them all Emperiall townes Little tribute due by the Emperiall townes to the Emperour Magdebourg puissant Lubec wealthie Ausbourg rich Danzie The policie which is held at the Diets Warre betweene the Kings of Sweden and Denmarke The King of Sweden referreth himselfe to the Emperour Maximilian Protestant Princes in rumour against Count Palatin for that he had changed his religion A negotiation for the mariage of Charles the 9. King of France Sigismond King of Polonia hindered by the Duke of Muscouia from making peace betweene the Emperour and King Iohn The Princes of the Empire arriued at the Diet. The Emperor went to meete the Elector of Mentz Succours frō the Pope to the Emperor The manner of Protestant Princes accompanying the Emperour to the Church The place and office of the Electors in publike acts The Duke of Sauoy and the Duke of Mantoa came to the ayde of the Emperor Demaunds of the Emperour in the Diet. Offers of succours made to the Emperour by the Princes of the Empire Commaundement from the Emperour to the Kings of Sweden and Denmarke The Switzes send to the Diet of Ausbourg Inuestiture is giuen by the Emperour and of that which is due for it Ordinances made in Austria to draw succours against the Turkes Occasion which might cause Count Palatin to distrust so great a preparation for warre Ordinance made in Germanie vpon the diuersitie of religion The opinion of Zwinglius or Caluin diuulged in Spaine and the punishmēt of some Sectaries thereof The notable ceremonie touching the execution which is done in Spaine against Heretikes The forme of the Spanish Inquisition King Iohn drew the Hungers to him Ainathschen taken by the Turkes
one death receiued two because that venturing into the riuer to saue themselues by swimming to the otherside the Hungarians Germanes and Bohemians setting themselues against them pearced both them and their horses with their Launces on euery side insomuch that he who died not by dint of the sword was forced pitifully to end his life in the water and to drowne himselfe a long time stayning the water with their blood The other seeing their companions thus badly intreated and returning vpon the spurre to the towne with hope to saue themselues in the Castle were by our men in all parts so cut off and slaine that not a man could saue himselfe Oliman who also had forsaken the towne with a good troupe of horse with intent to saue himselfe seeing what was done to others tooke for the last refuge which fortune that day alotted to him to saue his life wherein most of his people lost their liues a resolution to saue himselfe in the Castle Flying thither a pace he found there a great throng of his people that as yet remained safe from this furious and bloodie tempest who for the great prease to saue themselues from slaughter endeuoured to enter in many falling from the railes of the bridge into the Ditch sorely brused and crusht in peeces and by this time there was more then fiftie horse and men ouerthrowne therein who with their masters there perished Oliman being also arriued at that time mixt himselfe with this throng although he often saw himselfe almost troden downe by this multitude and entered into the Castle vpon the bridge whereon there was also some of our people mingled among them and if then they had bin well aduised to haue throughly charged thē on that side they might easily that day which was the 6. of Nouember haue taken the Castle and Oliman had neuer been saued But the desire and couetousnes of gaine which too vsually happeneth in such cases so blinded euery one as it was omitted and not any thing thought of Now all the towne being sacked wherein was gotten great spoyle and the night come Castalde caused all the Castle to bee enuironed and placed about it good and strong guards for feare least the enemie by the obscuritie and fauour of the night occasion to bee incensed against this countrie onely contenting themselues with this that they had alreadie done against him in taking this towne by force and hauing killed therein so many valiant souldiours of his and forcing the Belerbey to retire with shame and on the contrarie it was now more expedient to sweeten and temper his crueltie by milde courses to effect which he thought it good to let all those freely and in safetie passe who were retired into that little Castle Castalde replying said vnto him that by no meanes he would suffer such a stearne enemie as Oliman was to scape seeing they now had him in their hands and that none but God should free him thence and that vsing such rigour and seueritie in his proceedings he should begin to abate the pride and boldnes of the Turk and by no meanes he would suffer such fauourable occasions to slip away which of a long time they found not so happy and fortunate to them as now and that they should not haue it might bee in time to come so prosperous successe as this which was now offered by this good occasion The Frier neuerthelesse still contradicting him and maintaining that it was needfull to saue Oliman and the end at which he aymed being manifest to all the Campe as that also which the Slauonian had confessed who a little before was taken he was in the end forced to discouer his wicked intent and plainly to tell Castalde that for no mans pleasure hee would not become enemie to the Turke but that hee meant to set Oliman at libertie and permit him freely to depart with his armes horse and all his people who were with him and that if this could not be done he must be forced to defend him against any who would withstand it Castalde answered him that since he had determined to doe so this was his aduice that before hee would conclude any other thing hee would cause all the principall Lords and Captaines of Ferdinands armie and them of Transiluania to bee called together in a publike assemblie to the end that euery one might speake his opinion thereof and that by this meanes they should haue no occasion to complaine that they were depriued of that honour and profit which they had dearly purchased with their owne blood and with extreame paine without giuing them to vnderstand some good matter therefore and that they should not haue any occasion to complaine of them two The Frier liked very well of this motion assuring himselfe that none neither would nor durst contradict his will And thus being in his Tent accompanied with Castalde Andrew Battor Thomas Nadasdy who not long before was made Palatine of Hungarie Perein Peter Iohn Turky the Marquesse of Balasse and other Lords and Captaines as well Hungarians and Bohemians as Spanyards and Germanes and with them all the Deputies of townes and prouinces of the kingdome Frier George in the presence of them all began thus to speake in Latin My louing Lords and friends I perswade my selfe you are not ignorant how much the force and terrour of the Grand Seigniour is to be redoubted and Feared in respect of his imperiall rule and command which I know hath been by experience too soone proued by you to your vnspeakeable detriment by the ruinating of your townes and death of your deare friends and kindred and in like manner you know of the enormious cruelties which at his pleasure and in his furie he knoweth iustly or iniustly to vse against men and women sparing neither children nor virgins vsing fire and sword not onely against you but also against your Temples houses and lastly the very trees plants and beasts themselues are not any thing warranted from the furie of his barbarous ire For this cause I esteeme it to be more then necessarie that wee wilfully draw not more hatefull indignation vpon our selues then that which alreadie his people naturally are possest withall against our Religion and former iniuries but on the contrarie that wee endeuour our selues by all meanes and manners to appease him and to make him mild and mercifull that in time to come he contenting himselfe with the accustomed tribute he may suffer vs to liue in peace quietly possesse our goods without any dread of warre To accomplish which I am of this minde to imploy therein this Oliman Bech now straightned by you in this Castle of Lippa to whom and to his people giuing libertie safely to depart shall recite to the Grand Seigniour our good and friendly intention who in respect of so friendly a deliuerance will rake vp in obliuion the reuenge which otherwise he would violently vse against vs for the wrongs which he hath receiued
they perceiued not any enemie whatsoeuer for that Cassombassa hauing vnderstood that Castalde was not any thing sleepie or carelesse for the safetie of this Prouince durst not enter any further fearing to be cut off at the retraict distrusting himselfe that the boldnes of those who were so forward vpon his borders was nothing else but some traine to delude and intice him to proceede on that afterward they might circumuent and intrap his deseignes For these respects he proceeded no further and our men returned againe from thence without any other profit but onely endamaging their friends possessions consuming their victuals spoyling them of those little goods which they had leauing to these poore villages by this disorder a perpetuall memorie of the euill effects of warre They being now all returned the Captaine generall of the armie of the countrie would stay no longer in that kingdome whereupon hee went to demaund leaue of Castalde who by no meanes would permit him to depart saying it should bee ill done of him to forsake him in such a manner being now alone in the field with so few men specially then because it was certaine that the Basha was not yet wholly retired desiring him to haue patience and expect a while vntill the said Basha was at the least further remoued from that quarter from whence he was assured that he must shortly bee forced to depart by reason of the Persian warre which Solyman had determined to make against the Sophy to recouer the countries which were taken from him and to warrant himselfe from his eldest sonne Mustapha of whom he had great mistrust fearing that he would make himselfe Lord and master of his Empire But all these perswasions and intreaties were of no force to keep him there for that those reasons which Castalde vsed thinking thereby to hinder him from going did also serue him to hasten his departure as he did at the end of eight daies all his Caualarie following him not any thing respecting all the protestations which Castalde could vse to disswade him therefrom Notwithstanding all this Castaldes determination was not to remoue out of the field neither to depart before he had heard certaine newes that Mahomet was passed Tibiscus and Danubius because that since the raising of his siege from before Agria he had aduertisement that he vsed long and tedious iourneys to passe them And expecting this issue Castalde endured great discommodities and extreame colds for the high and deepe snowes which daily fell in great abundance which made the souldiours passionate and specially for that they were not payed Being then largely certified that Mahomet was entirely out of that part of Hungarie he presently licensed all the souldiours of the kingdome to depart and lodged the Germanes and Spaniards by Sibinio and reenforced the garrison of Deua sending thither a certaine number of Aiduchs to bee mingled amongst the Germanes and with the Caualarie that was therein to the end that the one for the loue of the other should bee more vigilant and carefull for the defence thereof and he gaue the commaund of all the horse to Iohn Turky and the gouernment of the towne and foote to Paul Banchy Hee also sent certaine horse to Branchich and commaunded that Deua should be wholly enuironed with a wall made of earth and wood mingled together by equall distances to the end that the Caualarie should not so easily approach thereunto and that the Infantrie should not offend them Now he seeing that all the people of Transiluania began greatly to murmur for the taxes which they daily paied to maintaine the burthen and charges of the warre and both that he might giue time to his people to fortifie themselues and to resist such tumults and also that he might certainly know whether the Turke would enterprise the warre of Persia caused the better to temper and mollifie the hearts of euery one to bee published that all the principall Peeres of the countrie should assemble at Wasrael to attend there the answer of Solyman and to know if he would be content to accept with the foresaid conditions the yeerely tribute of 20000. Duckets and so to make truce with them which he did thinke would be more expedient and behoouefull for Ferdinands affayres then for the benefit of that people matters being full of stirres and doubtfulnes and specially for that he saw himselfe disfurnished of men and money and out of hope to haue any succours further considering that though the same would not serue to any other end but to bring with it a great commoditie of gaining time that in the meane while he might cause to be aduanced and finished the fortifications begun about the townes yet neuerthelesse it would be a speciall cause of great profit to Ferdinand as well to accommodate and negotiate his matters in Germanie as also to demaund ayde both of men and money and likewise to remedie the great necessities which then were dispersed through all the parts of that Prouince which now tended rather to reuolt then maintaine obedience and former faith giuen to Ferdinand According to these considerations he by the meanes of sundrie persons solicited that this busines might take effect yet he would not be openly seene therein himselfe for feare least the Turke should conceiue in him some relenting and should see the necessities which enuironed him on all sides But on the contrarie he made an outward semblance as though he no whit at all feared his enemie vsing this course to the end that the Turke fearing they would spoyle the countrie whilest he should bee busied in the Persian warre which was farre from this countrie he would the more willingly bee inclined vnto peace After this publication he went and lodged at Albe-iula from whence he might more commodiously prouide for all places hauing for his guard 500. Spanish Harquebuziers and one companie of 200. Aiduchs to put into garrison in that towne At this very same time there was brought to Rome the proceedings taken touching Frier George his death and vpon the continuall soliciting of Ferdinands Ambassadours the Cardinals appointed for that purpose assembled to giue a finall sentence of this fact this cause being alreadie very grieuous in the Court of Rome and notwithstanding that they found many things and allegations worthie of good oppositions yet neuerthelesse not to ingender more grieuous inconuenience and for many other reasons besides which I will not write of they ceased not considering it was a deed which could be no otherwise then done to absolue Ferdinand with all the conspirators adding notwithstanding this clause in their sentence that if the defences and allegations propounded by Ferdinand were true Which the soliciters of his Maiestie liked not of who so much importuned the Pope that in the end they had it absolute without limit of any condition And although the Pope refused to absolue the complices of this death yet in the end at the earnest intreaties of the said Ambassadours