great Spirit and yet exceeding proud which was the cause that he was both the less beloved and feared of his Subjects in general but especially of the Janizaries and other his Souldiers and men of War who scorning his loose Government and griev'd to see even the greatest Affairs of his State not only imparted to Women but by them managed and over-ruled also as by his Mother the Sultaness his Wife and others not only rebelled against him but were oftentimes in their Rages about to have deposed him He was altogether given to sensuality and voluptuous pleasure the marks whereof he still carried about with him a foul swoln unwealdy and overgrown Body unfit for any Princely Office or Function and a Mind thereto answerable wholly given over unto Idleness Pleasure and Excess no small means for the shortning of his days which he ended with Obloquy unregarded of his Subjects and but of few or none of them lamented He had Issue four Sons and three Daughters married unto three of the great Bassaes. His first and eldest Son was called Mahomet after his own Name whom he caused to be strangled in his own sight upon suspicion of aspiring to the Empire and conspiring with the Rebels in Asia but afterward finding him guiltless caused his Body to be buried in his own Sepulchre and hanged the Bassa that had misinformed him His second Son died a natural Death being yet very young His third Son was Sultan Achmat who succeeded his Father and came to the Empire by the untimely Death of Mahomet his eldest Brother His fourth Son being then a Youth of about sixteen Years old was carefully kept within the Seraglio with such a strait Guard set over him as that his Name was not to be learned even by a good understanding Friend of mine of late lying above three Months together at Constantinople who most curiously enquired after the same having very good means to have learned it He was reported to have been long since murthered howbeit that he of late lived but looking every day to be by his Brothers cruel Commandment strangled which is accounted but a matter of course and a Death hereditary to all the younger male Children of the Othoman Emperours the Policy for the maintenance of their great Empire entire and whole so requiring His dead Body lieth buried at Constantinople in a fair Chappel of white Marble near unto the most famous and beautiful Church of S. Sophia for that only purpose by himself most sumptuously built about fifty foot square with four high small round Towers about the which are certain small round Galleries of Stone from which the Turkish Priests and Church-men at certain hours use to call the People every day to Church for they use no Bells themselves neither will they suffer the Christians to use any But the top of this Chappel is built round like unto the ancient Temples of the Heathen Gods in Rome In the midst of this Chappel being indeed nothing else but this great Sultan's Sepulchre standeth his Tomb which is nothing else but a great Urn or Coffin of fair white Marble wherein lieth his Body covered with a great covering of the same Stone over it made rising in the midst and stooping on each sidâ— not much unlike to the Coffins of the ancient Tombs of the Saxon Kings which are to be seen on the North side of the Quire of S. Paul's Church and in other Places of this Land but that this Coffin of the Great Sultan is much greater and more stately than are those of the Saxon Kings it being above five foot high at the end thereof and by little and little falling toward the feet covered with a rich Hearse of Cloth of Gold down to the ground his Turbant standing at his Head and two exceeding great Candles of white Wax about three or four Yards long standing in great brass or silver Candlesticks gilded the one at his Head the other at his Feet which never burn but there stand for shew only all the Floor of the Chappel being covered with Mats and fair Turky Carpets upon them And round about this his Tomb even in the same Chappel are the like Tombs for his Wives and Children but nothing so great and fair Into this Chappel or any other the Turks Churches or Chappels it is not lawful for either Turk or Christian to enter but first he must put off his Shoes leaving them at the Church or Chappel Gate or carrying them in his hand Near unto this Chappel and the great Temple of Sophia are divers other Chappels of the other great Turks as of Sultan Selim this Man 's Grand father with his seven and thirty Children about him of Sultan Amurath this Man's Father with his five and forty Children entombed about him Anâ— in other places not far from them are the Chappels and Sepulchres of the rest of the Great Sultans as of Sultan Mahomet the Great of Sultan Bajazet Sultan Selim the first Sultan Solyman all by these great Mahometan Emperours built whose Names they bear And being all of almost one form and fashion have every one of them a fair Hospital adjoyning unto them wherein a great multitude of poor People are daily still relieved Some others of the great Bassaes have their Chappels and Sepulchres with their great and stately Alms-houses also not much inferiour unto those of the great Sultans as namely Ibrahim Bassa of all the Bassaes that ever were amongst the Turks the most magnificent hath his stately Chappel Sepulchre and Alms-Houses near both in Place and Beauty unto that of Solyman's The Turks bury not at all within their Churches neither are any at all buried within the Walls of the City but the great Turkish Emperours themselves with their Wives and Children about them and some few other of their great Bassaes and those only in Chappels by themselves built for that purpose All the rest of the Turks are buried in the Fields some of the better sort in Tombs of Marble but the rest with Tomb-stones laid upon them or with two great Stones the one set up at the head and the other at the feet of every Grave the greatest part of them being of white Marble brought from the Isle of Marmora They will not bury any man where another hath been buried accounting it Impiety to dig up another man's Bones by reason whereof they cover all the best Ground about the City with such great white Stones which for the infinite number of them are thought sufficient to make another Wall about the City But not to stand longer upon the manner of the Turks Burials leaving this great Sultan to rest with his Ancestors let us now prosecute the course of our History Christian Princes of the same time with Mahomet the Third Emperours of Germany Rodolph the Second 1577. Kings Of England Queen Elizabeth 1558. 47. Of France Henry the Fourth 1589. Of Scotland James the Sixth 1567. Bishops of Rome Clement the
so for that time he retired a little from the Walls But night being come certain busie heads among the common people and they not a few secretly meeting together gave him knowledge that about midnight when as all the Citizens were asleep and the Watchmen in security he should come unto the Walls where they would be ready with Ropes to draw him up unto the top of the Bulwarks which done the matter as they said was as good as dispatched for that they were perswaded that the Citizens so soon as they should once see him in the midst of the City amongst them would forthwith all revolt unto him So he according to this appointment about midnight approaching the Walls found there no such matter as he had well hoped for the receiving of him into the City But contrariwise the Watchmen carefully watching all alongst the Wall and calling one unto another Wherefore finding there no hope he with Catacuzenus and Synadenus his chief Counsellors leaving the South side of the City in a little Boat rowed softly all along the Wall that is toward the Sea if happily they might there find their Friends and so be received in but there the Watchmen also descrying them from the Walls and calling unto them but receiving no answer began to cast stones at them and to make a noise so that deceived of their purpose and out of hope they were glad to get them further off and to depart as they came But the evil success of this Exploit was shortly after with his better Fortune recompenced for by and by after secret Letters were sent unto him from Thessalonica requesting him with all speed to come thither assuring him in the name of the Bishop with divers of the Nobility and the good liking of the people in general at his coming to open the Gates of the City unto him Whereupon he leaving a great part of his Army with Synadenus to keep short the Constantinopolitans he himself with the rest of his Power set forward towards Thessalonica where he in the habit of a plain Country man entred the City unsuspected but being got within the Gate and there casting off that simple attire wherewith he had covered his Rich and Royal Garments and presently known to be the young Emperor the people came flocking about him and with many joyful Acclamations received him as their Lord and Soveraign yet some few more favouring the old Emperor fled into the Castle and there stood upon their Guard which after they had for a space notably defended was at length taken from them Thessalonica thus yielded Demetrius Andronicus and Asan Michael the old Emperors chief Captains then lying with their Army not far off and not well trusting one another fled most of whose Souldiers presently went over unto the young Emperor who departing from Thessalonica came to Serre which by composition was delivered unto him also but not the Castle for that was by Basilicus Nicephorus the Captain thereof still holden for the old Emperor This Basilicus was a man honourably descended but of no great Capacity or Wit as the finer sort supposed and therefore not of them much regarded or thought fit for the taking in hand of any great matter whom yet the old Emperor for his plain sincerity more than for any thing else had made Captain of that Castle and Governor of the Country thereabouts which he yet still held and in these most troublesome times shewed himself wiser than all that had so thought of him of whom some died in despair some fled some were taken Prisoners and so suffered a thousand evils the rest with the loss of their Honour traiterously revolting from the old Emperor to the young whereas he alone looking but even forward upon his Allegiance with his trust in God so long as the old Emperor lived opposed himself against these troubles and stood fast for him and was not to be moved with any fair Promises or cruel Threats of the young aspiring Emperor whereof he lacked none But having strongly fortified the Castle committed to his Charge there kept himself until that hearing of the death of the old Emperor he then reconciling himself to the young as unto his right Soveraign delivered up unto him the Castle who in reward of his Fidelity gave it him again to hold for him in as ample manner as he had before held it for his Grandfather For wise men honour Vertue even in their Enemies as did King Philip in Demosthenes when as he said If any Athenian living in Athens doth say that he preferreth me before his Country him verily would I buy with much money but not think him worthy my friendship but if any for his Countries-sake shall hate me him will I impugne as a Castle a strong Wall or a Bulwark and yet admire his vertue and reckon the City happy in having such a man. And so in few words to conclude a long discourse the young Emperor in short time having roamed through all Macedonia and without resistance taken all the strong Towns and Cities therein he there took also Demetrius the Despots Wife and Children with all his Treasure as also the Wives of Andronicus and Asanes and of all the Senators that followed them after whom the great Commanders their Husbands were also for the most part taken and cast into prison some at Thessalonica some at Didâ—motichum some of the rest afterward most miserably perishing in exile Wherewith the old Emperor discouraged was about to have sent his Embassadors unto his Nephew for Peace whilst he was yet thus busied in Macedonia and had indeed so done had not another hope arising in the mean time quite altered that his better purpose It fortuned at the same time whilst the old Emperor was thus thinking of Peace that Michael the Bulgarian Prince in hope of great profit thereof to arise secretly offered his Aid unto him against the young Emperor his Nephew of which his Offer the old Emperor gladly accepted and Embassadors were sent to and fro about the full conclusion of the matter no man being acquainted therewith more than two or three of the Emperor his most secret friends and trusty Counsellors Yet in the mean time disdaining to be so coupt up as he was by Synadenus one of his Nephews Captains even in the Imperial City sent out one Constantinus Assan with the greatest part of his strength against him who encountering him at the River Maurus was there by him in plain battel overthrown and taken Prisoner the rest of his discomfited Army flying headlong back again to Constantinople All things thus prosperously proceeding with the young Emperor and the Countries of Macedonia and Thracia now almost all at his Command he returned in hast with all his Power unto Constantinople to prevent the coming of the Bulgarians thither as fearing lest that they finding the City weakly manned should treacherously kill the old Emperor with such as were about him and so seize upon the City themselves
from the fair young Lady and took charge of her himself As for Demetrius her Father he gave to him the City Aenum with the Custom arising of the Salt there made as a Pension for him to live upon Thus this most famous and populous Country of Peloponnesus fell into the Turkish Thraldom about the year of our Lord 1460. seven years after the taking of Constantinople Which I have here together set down as it is reported by them who lived in that time and in the same Countries omitting of purpose other great Occurrents of the same time which shall in convenient place be hereafter declared to the intent that the fall of that great Empire with the common misery of the delicate Grecians might appear under one View which otherwise being delivered by piece-meal as it did concur with other great accidents according to the course of the time would but breed confusion and require the Readers great attention The Christian Princes especially such as bordered upon the Dominions of the Turkish Tyrant were no less terrified than troubled with the subversion of the Constantinopolitan Empire for they saw by the continual preparation of the Turk that his ambitious Desires were rather increased than in any part satisfied with so great and late Victories Wherefore they with all carefulness fortified their frontier Towns and provided all things necessary for the defence of themselves and for the repulsing of so mighty an Enemy Among the rest George the old Despot or Prince of Servia whose Dominions of all other lay most in danger of that Tempest speedily mustred his Men of War fortified his strong Cities placed his Garrisons and left nothing undone that he thought needful for the defence of the Country for he had many times before to his great loss indured the fury of the Turkish Kings although he were joyned to them in the bonds of nearest Alliance And having thus politickly set all things in order at home in Person himself took his Journey into Hungary from thence to procure Aid against such time as he should have need But the Hungarians and especially Huniades who at that time bare greatest sway in that Kingdom having before had sufficient trial of the uncertainty and light Faith of that aged Prince who had so often fashioned himself according to the occurrents of the time that he was counted neither right Turk nor good Christian refused to promise him any Aid but left him to his own Fortunes wherewith he returned discontented and full of Indignation But shortly after he was come home he died of a hurt received in a Skirmish with Michael Zilugo Governor of Belgrade whose Brother Ladislaus he had but a little before treacherously murdered as he was travelling by Waggon to Belgrade with his said Brother Michael who at the same time hardly escaped This was the end of the Despot of Servia when he had lived 90 years in which time of his long life he had plentifully tasted of both Fortunes A man assuredly of great courage but of a marvellous unquiet nature by Profession a Christian yet a great Friend unto the Turks whom he many times stood in great stead a deep dissembler and double in all his dealings whereby he purchased unto himself that Credit that he was not of any his Neighbour Princes whilst he lived either beloved or trusted and after his death of his Subjects so detested that the people of that Country even at this day in their Country-Songs still term him the Faithless and Graceless Despot Lazarus his youngest Son after his death succeeded in his place having deprived both his elder Brethren Stephen and George of the Government for Amurath the Turkish King had long time before put out their Eyes of purpose to make them unfit for the Government of so great a Country yet these blind Princes found means to fly away from him to Mahomet carrying with them a great mass of Money and so incited him against Lazarus their younger Brother that to keep Friendship with the Tyrant he was glad to promise unto him a great yearly Tribute and so to become his Tributary But within few months after Lazarus died the last Christian Prince that reigned in Servia after whose death great Troubles arose in Servia for the Soveraignty the blind Brethren still craving Aid of Mahomet with whom they then lived and the desolate Widow of Lazarus putting her self with her three Sons Iohn Peter and Martin into the Protection of the Hungarians by which means she with much trouble held her State for a season Until such time as the Servians seeing small assurance in that manner of Government and weary of the harms they daily received of the Turks yielded themselves with their Country unto the Obedience of the Turkish Emperor Mahomet who for ever united the same unto his Empire as a Province thereof and so it remaineth at this day Now was Mahomet by the continual course of his Victories grown to that height of mind that he thought no Prince able to abide his Force neither any Enterprise so great which he was not of Power to bring to pass wherefore he ceased not on every side continually to vex and trouble the Princes whose Countries bordered upon his But above others his heart was greatest against the Hungarians for that by them the Turkish Kings his Ancestors had been more troubled and their State more endangered than by any or all other the Christian Princes Wherefore he resolved now to take them in hand which thing he had from the beginning of his Reign greatly desired And because the City of Belgrade standing upon the great River of Danubius was accounted the Key of that Country he determined there to begin his Wars and by taking thereof to make an entrance into the heart of Hungary Hereupon he levied a great Army of an hundred and fifty thousand 〈◊〉 his best Souldiers in whom he reposed such an assured trust and confidence that he accounted the City already as good as taken and a fair way made into Hungary so ready are we to promise unto our selves the things we earnesty desire For the better accomplishment of these his Designs he had provided in readiness a Fleet of 200 Ships and Gallies which he sent up the River of Danubius from Vidina to Belgrade to the intent that no Relief or Aid should be brought unto the City out of Hungary by the great Rivers of Danubius and Savus whereupon the City of Belgrade standeth With this Fleet he kept both those Rivers so straitly that nothing could be possibly conveyed into the City by water and not so contented sent part of his said Fleet farther up the River of Danubius and so landing his Souldiers in many places spoiled the Countries all alongst the River side Shortly after he came with all his Forces by Land and encamped before the City whereunto at his first coming he gave a most fierce Assault thinking to have taken them unprovided but finding greater
the loss of their provision fearing that if they should now stay longer in the Country they should forthwith be driven to great extremities for want of necessaries Wherefore when they had evilly rested that nigh t the next day early in the morning they presented themselves in order of battel before their Enemies braving them into the Field and daring them to Battel The Turks disdaining to see any prouder in field than themselves after they had in goodly order ranged their Battels set forward with Ensigns displayed against their proud Enemies There began a most terrible and bloody Battel sought with such desperate resolution as if they had solemnly vowed either to overcome or die in the place where they stood A man would have said that the former days fury had been but a play in comparison of this many valiant Souldiers covered with their dead bodies the same ground whereon they living stood when they received the first encounter of their Enemies Of both those great Armies none was seen to give ground or once look back the Turks Ianizaries and the Egyptians Mamalukes the undoubted strength of the greatest Mahometan Monarchs Souldiers for their Valour much feared and through the World renowned there buckled together and standing foot to foot spent the uttermost of their Forces one upon another as if they would in that battel have made it known unto the World which of them were to be accounted the better Souldiers Whilst Victory stood thus doubtful and the day was now far spent Usbeg the Egyptian General with fifteen thousand valiant Horsemen whom he had received for that purpose gave a fresh Assault upon the Turks Squadrons with such force that they had much ado to keep their order and began now to give ground which was by and by made good again by other fresh men speedily brought on by the Bassaes. Then became the Battel more fierce than before every man striving to the uttermost of his power to sell his life unto his Enemies as dear as he could In which manner of Fight all the rest of the day was spent until that after the going down of the Sun the darkness of the night coming fast on they were glad for lack of light to break off the Battel and to retire themselves into their Camps not knowing as yet who had got the better The Turks Bassaes taking view of the Army and finding that of an hundred thousand fighting men which they brought into the Field there was scarce a third part left and most of them also maimed or hurt and doubting to be set upon again the next morning by their resolute Enemies fled away secretly the same night leaving behind them for haste their Tents well stored with Victuals and all other things needful The Egyptians also having lost one half of their Army which was at the first seventy thousand and wanting their necessary provision were reretired also the same night into the Mountain Taurus not knowing any thing of the Flight of the Turks And some of the Souldiers passing quite over the Mountain without stay into Syria raised a report all over the Country as they went That the Sultans Army was overthrown and that the Turks had got the Victory so uncertain was the true knowledge of the event of that Battel even unto them that were present therein The Egyptian lying that night upon the side of the Mountain had speedy intelligence from Aladeules of the flight of the Turks which being also confirmed by his Espials to be true he presently came down from the Mountain and entred into the Turks Camp where he found plenty of Victuals and of all other things needful for the refreshing of his Army Aladeules the Mountain King with the People called Varsacide by whose confines the Turks must needs in their return pass robbed and slew many of them in their disordered Flight and had so stopped the passages that they were in flying overtaken by the Mamalukes and slain with so great a slaughter that of all that great Army of the Turks few remained alive to carry news home Calibeius and Cherseogles the Bassaes were in that flight both taken Prisoners and afterwards presented to Caytbeius the Sultan at Caire with eighteen Ensigns of the Turks Sanzachs which are great men amongst them having every one of them the regiment and command of some one Province or other and are in degree next unto the Bassaes. Neither was the fortune of Bajazet his Navy at Sea better than that of his Army at Land for as it lay at rode upon the Coast of Syria at the mouth of the River Orontes which runneth by the famous City of Antioch his Gallies were by tempest and rage of the Sea put from their Anchors and in the sight of their Enemies swallowed up of the Sea or else driven upon the Main and there with the Surges of the Sea beaten in pieces Bajazet not a little troubled with these losses both by Sea and Land at length with much ado year 1492. by his Embassadors concluded a Peace with the Sultan unto whom he restored all such places as he had before taken from him for which the Sultan delivered unto him Calibeius Cherseogles Achmetes and Ishender with all the rest of the Turks Prisoners which he had in great number in his keeping Shortly after this Peace was concluded betwixt these two great and mighty Princes Caytbeius the Sultan died who of a Circassian Slave by many degrees of Honour and by the favour of the Mamalukes his Fellows obtained the rich Kingdom of Egypt which he right worthily governed to his immortal praise by the space of two and twenty years commanding at one time the great and rich Country of Egypt with all Africk as far as Cyrene Westward and Iudea with a great part of Arabia and all Syria unto the great and famous River Euphrates Eastward In the later end of his Reign he overcome with the importunity of his Wife Dultibe an Arabian born a Woman of an haughty Spirit joyned his Son Mahomethes a young man of about four and twenty years old with him in the Fellowship of his Kingdom that so possessed of it his Father yet living he might the better enjoy it after his death Contrary to the custom of the Mamalukes who of long time had not used to have their King by succession but by their free election Who grudging to be thus defrauded of their wonted choise immediately after the death of Caytbeius slew Mahomethes his Son and in few months after four more who one after another without their good liking had aspired unto the Kingdom neither could they be contented until such time as that they had according to their wonted custom set up a Sultan of their own choice About the same time that the aforesaid Peace was concluded betwixt the two great Mahometan Princes Bajazet and Caytbeius Charles the French King was making great preparation against Alphonsus King of Naples giving it out That after
loves to slide not stand And leaves fortunes ice vertues firm land Honour had rather be with danger driven Than stay with vertue on the hand of Heaven THE REIGN OF MUSTAPHA The First of that Name Ninth Emperour of the Turks year 1617 OSMAN the eldest Son of Achmat being not above twelve years old Mustapha Brother to Achmat being five and twenty was drawn out of a Cell where he lived as it were religiously and in Contemplation and proclaimed Sultan Mustapha Chan. They write of him that he grew cruel causing young Osman to be kept under sure Guards putting to death his Brethren He also did many indignities unto the Christian Ambassadours and to confirm him in his Throne he gave great Sums of Money to the Janizaries and Spahies and sent a Messenger to Vienna to the Emperour to assure him that he would maintain inviolably whatsoever had been concluded betwixt him and his deceased Brother Achmat. But growing odious by reason of his Tyranny the Grand Visier came out of Persia with an Army and deposed him forcing him to return to his Cell setting Prince Osman at liberty and seating him in the Imperial Throne But for that it may seem strange that Mustapha should be preserved alive during the Reign of his Brother Achmat contrary to the custom of the Othoman Emperours who do usually kill all their Brethren at their first coming to the Crown thinking thereby the better to assure their Estates it shall be fit to make mention thereof Mahomet the third of that name dying in the year 1602 and leaving Achmat and Mustapha his Sons by the Sultana Flatra a Lady of Cyprus some say of Bosna Achmat the eldest was sent for speedily out of Magnesia by the Bassaes to take possession of his Father's Crown being the first Emperour of that Name And for that the custom of the Turkish Emperours was as we have said to have neither Brother nor Nephew alive unless they could save themselves by flight yet the Visier Bassaes and other Officers of the Court concluded in Council that it was not fit that Mustapha Brother to Achmat should dye grounding their opinion upon a good reason of State for that their Emperour being but fifteen years old they feared that dying in his Nonage without children able to govern the Empire might fall into Combustion and ruine it self by reason of Civil Wars Whereupon they decreed that Mustapha's Life should be preserved but with that caution and restriction that he should remain still a Prisoner in some Chambers of the Emperour's Seraglio at Constantinople During Achmat's minority and before he had Children there was no cruel Decree made against Mustapha but he only continued in his Contemplation without any liberty But when as the Emperour saw himself fortified with Issue and remembring the cruel Custom of his Predecessors year 1617 he many times propounded the putting of his Brother to death to his Council the which may seem very strange it took not effect having been often concluded Among others it is written that his Death was concluded one Evening and that it should have been put in Execution the next day But Achmat was so frighted in the Night with Apparitions and fearful Dreams as day being come he said Seeing that the only Resolution to put his Brother to death had so terrified him he did believe that his Torments would much increase if he should put it in Execution and therefore he commanded his Brother should live more in regard of the Terror of his Mind than for any brotherly Affection Another time Sultan Achmat being in one of the Windows of his Seraglio he beheld his Brother Mustapha who by his permission was walking in the Gardens with his Guard Some one of his Bassaes or other Officer that was near unto him and willing to flatter his Humor told him that it was a matter of dangerous Consequence to suffer him to have so great Liberty Achmat move with jealousie and distrust grew into rage at his Words whereupon he suddenly took his Bow and Arrow being a very expert Archer as all the Turkish Nation generally are and aimed at his Brother to kill him but at that very instant he felt so great a pain in his Arm and Shoulder as not able to let loose his Arrow nor to perform what he had intended he said with a loud Voice That Mahomet would not have Mustapha to dye This Prince had three Chambers in the Seraglio where he ramained a Prisoner fifteen years and spent his time in a Contemplative kind of Life after the manner of the Musulmans his whole delight was to read the Arabian Books of their Doctors in divers Sciences The Grand Seignior gave him leave sometimes to take the Air of his Gardens with his Guard and called him to consult with him of Affairs of Estate taking his Advice many times knowing him to be of a sound Judgment After a long imprisonment and a daily apprehension of death the Emperour Achmat falling grievously sick in November as you have heard his Bassaes and other Counsellors about him seeing the danger he was in perswaded him to take some good course for the succession of his Empire He had Children by the Sultana but they so young as they were not capable to govern the Empire Moreover this Sultana was dead and the Children left Friendless and none to speak for them But on the other side the Sultana Flatra Mother to the Emperour Mustapha was yet living who thought that if the Bassaes should undertake to govern the State during the minority of the Emperour's Children her Honour would be much eclipsed wherefore she favoured Mustapha and persuaded the dying Emperour to make him his Successor On the fifteenth of November Achmat seeing his End grow near he called for his Brother and told him That seeing Death approached he desired to provide for the Preservation of the Empire and therefore had made choice of him to succeed him intreating him to take the Government upon him presently after his death Mustapha was much amazed at his Speech and answered him with Words full of Fear and Humility That he might not accept of the Honour which he did him seeing that the Empire did rightly belong unto his eldest Son. Achmat disabled his Son for so great a Government both for his Age and Capacity being necessary for the maintenance of so great a Monarchy that he who was of ripe years and deep judgment should take upon him the managing thereof recommending the Children he had by the Sultana unto him intreating him to use them in the same manner that he had used him leaving the other Children which he had by Concubines being his Slaves to his Discretion Soon after these Words Achmat dyed and Mustapha was generally acknowledged for Successor to the Turkish Empire who at the first was so amazed as he thought he had been in a Dream to see himself advanced to so great a Power and Sovereignty from a straight Prison and
the Christian Reader what I was glad to seek for out of the confused Labours of many A Work so Long and Labourious as might well have deterred a Right Resolute and Constant Mind from the undertaking thereof being as yet to my Knowledge not undergone or performed by any Wherein among such Variety or more truly to say contrariety of Writers I did content my self as a blind man led by his Guide happily of no better sight than himself to tread the steps of this or that one man going for a while before me and by and by leaving me again stumbling in the Dark But out of the Learned and Faithful Works of many according to my simple Iudgment to make Choice of that was most probable still supplying with the perfections of the better what I found wanting or defective in the Weaker propounding unto my self no other Mark to aim at than the very Truth of the History as that which is it self of Power to give Life unto the Dead Letter and to cover the Faults escaped in the homely Penning or compiling thereof Which the better to perform I Collected so much of the History as possibly I could out of the Writings of such as were themselves present and as it were Eye-witnesses of the greatest part of that they Writ and so as of all others best able most like also to have left unto us the very Truth Such is the greatest part of so much of the History of the Greek Empire as I have for the better Vnderstanding of the rising of the Turks in this History set down gathered out of the Doings of Nicetas Choniates Nicephorus Gregoras and Laonicus Chalcocondiles all Writing such Things as they themselves saw or were for most part in their time and near unto them done Such are the Wonderful and almost Incredible Wars betwixt old Amurath the Second and his Foster-Child the Fortunate Prince of Epirus of the Turks commonly called Scanderbeg and by that wayward Tyrant at his Death together with his Kingdom delivered as it were by Inheritance unto his Son the Great and Cruel Sultan Mahomet all Written by Marinus Barletius himself an Epirot and in all those troublesom Times then living in Scodra a City of the Venetians joying upon Epirus Such is the Woful Captivity of the Imperial City of Constantinople with the miserable Death of the Greek Emperor Constantinus Palaeologus and the Fatal Ruine of the Greek Empire Written by Leonardus Chiensis Archbishop of Mytilene being himself then present and there taken Prisoner Such is the Lamentable History of the Rhodes taken for most out of Ja. Fontanus his Three Books de bello Rhodio a Learned Man then present and in great Credit with Villerius the great Master at such time as that famous Island after it had by him and the other Worthy Knights of the Order been most wonderfully of long Defended was to the great ruth of Christendom taken by the Great Sultan Solyman Such is the most Tragical History of Bajazet Solymans youngest Son Collected out of the notable Epistles of Augerius Busbequius Legationis Turcicae he himself then lying Ambassadâ—r for the Empiror Ferdinand at Constantinople and present in Solymans Camp at such time as he himself in Person went over with his Army into Asia to Countenance his eldest Son Selymus who Succeeded him in the Empire against his Valiant yonger Brother Bajazet and beside well acquainted with the Great Bassaes Achmet Rustan Haly and others oftentimes mentioned in the History following Such is also the History of the taking of the antient City of Tripolis in Barbary from the Knights of Malta by Sinan the proud Bassa Written by Nicholas Nicholy Lord of Arâ—euile present at the same time with the Lord of Aramont then Ambassador for the French King unto Solyman So might I say also of the miserable spoil of the Fruitful and Pleasant Islands of the Mediterranean made by Lutzis Bassa Solyman his Brother in Law and Great Admiral with the submitting of the Island of Naxos to the Turks Obeisence Written by John Crispe at that time Duke of the same Island And so likewise of diverse other parts of the History too long to rehearse But forasmuch as every Great and Famous Action had not the Fortune to have in it a Caesar such as both could and would commend unto Posterity by Writing that whereof they might truly say They were themselves a great part many Right Excellent Generals contenting themselves with the Honor of the Field and their Glory there Won leaving the Honorable Fame thereof to be by others reported for lack of such most certain Authors or rather as I before said Eye-witnesses I gathered so much as I could of what remained out of the Works of such as being themselves Men of Great Place and well acquainted with the Great and Worthy Personages of their Time might from their Mouths as from certain Oracles Report the undoubted Truth of many most Famous Exploits done both by themselves and others As might Pau. Jovius from the mouth of Muleasses King of Tunes from Vastius the Great General from Auria the Prince of Melphis Charles the Emperor his Admiral and such others Or else out of the Writings of such as were themselves great Travellers into the Turks Dominions and withal diligent observers of their Affairs and State as were the Physitians Pantaleon Minadoie and Leunclavius of all others a most curious Searcher of their Antiquities and Histories unto which great Clerks and some others of that Learned Profession we may Worthily attribute the greatest Light and Certainty of that is Reported of a great part of the Turkish Affairs But these in the Course of so long a History failing also as by conferring that which is hereafter Written together with their Histories is easily to be perceived to perfect that I had taken in Hand I took my refuge unto the Writings of such other Learned and Credible Authors as of whose Integrity and Faithfulness the World hath not to my Knowledge at any time yet doubted Yea for these few late Years I was glad out of the German and Italian Writers in their own Language in part to borrow the Knowledge of these late Affairs As also from the credible and certain Report of some such Hâ—norable minded Gentlemen of our own Country as have either for their Honors sake served in these late Wars in Hungary or upon some other Occasions spent some good times in Travelling into the Turks Dominions but especially unto the Imperial City of Constantinople the chief Seat of the Turkish Empire and Place of the Great Turks abode Amongst whom I cannot but deservedly remember my kind Friend and Cousin M. Rog. Howe unto whose discreet and curious Observations during the time of his late abode at Constantinople I justly account my self for many things beholden In which Course of my Proceeding if the Reader find not himself so fully satisfied as he could desire I would be glad by him my self to be better informed
Children altogether following his pleasure his Mother with his Fathers Kinsmen and Friends who above all things ought to have had an especial care of his Education neglecting the old Emperors trust in them reposed followed also their own Delights without the regard of the Ruine of the Commonweal Some enamoured with the Beauty of the young Empress gave themselves all to bravery and the courting of her othersome in great authority with no less desire in the mean time with the common Treasures filled their empty Cofers and a third sort there was of all the rest most dangerous who neither respecting their sensual pleasure nor the heaping up of wealth looked not so low aiming at the very Empire it self As for the common good that was of all other things of them all least regarded Among these third sort of the ambitious was old Andronicus the Cousin of the late Emperor Emanuel a man of an haughty and troublesom Spirit whom he the said Emperor Emanuel had for his aspiring most part of the time of his Reign kept in prison or else in Exile as he now was being by him not long before for fear of raising new troubles confined to live far off from the Court at Oenum who now hearing of the death of the Emperor Emanuel of the Factions in Court of the Childishness of the young Emperor Alexius given wholly to his Sports and the great men put in trust to have seen to his bringing up and to the Government of the Empire some like Bees to fly abroad into the Country seeking after Mony as the Bees do for Hony some others in the mean time like Hogs lying still and fatting themselves with great and gainful Offices wallowing in all Excess and Pleasure to have no regard of the Honour or Profit of the Common-weal thought it now a fit time in such disorder of the State for him to aspire unto the Empire after which he had all his life-time longed That he was generally beloved of the Constantinopolitans yea and of some of the Nobility also he doubted not for them he had long before by his popular behavior gained together with the distrust of the late Emperor jealous of his Estate which as it cost him his Liberty so missed it not much but that it had cost him his Life also but now that he was dead wanted nothing more than some fair colour for the shadowing of his foul purpose Among many and right divers things by him thought upon was a clause in the Oath of Obedience which he had given to the Emperor Emanuel and Alexius his Son which Oath he had delivered unto him in Writing That if he should see hear or understand of any thing dangerous or hurtful to their Honor Empire or Persons he should forthwith bewray it and to the utmost of his power withstand it which words not so to have been wrested as best serving for his purpose he took first occasion to work upon And as he was a stout and imperious man thereupon writ divers Letters unto the young Emperor his Cousin unto Theodosius the Patriarch and other such as he knew well affected unto the late Emperor Emanuel wherein among other things which he wished to be amended in the present Government he seemed most to complain of the immoderate power and authority of Alexius then President of the Council who in great favour with the young Emperor and more inward with the Empress his Mother than was supposed to stand with her honour ruled all things at his pleasure insomuch as that nothing done by any the great Officers of the Empire or by the Emperor himself was accounted of any force except his approbation wâ—re thereunto annexed whereby he was grown unto such an excessive pride having all things in his power as that no man could without danger as upon the venemous Basilisk look upon him Of which his so excessive and insolent power Andronicus by his Letters now greatly complained moved thereunto as he would have it believed with the care he had of the young Emperors safety which could not as he said long stand with the others so great power which he therefore as in duty bound wished to be abridged aggravating withall the infamous report of Alexius his too much familiarity with the Empress which first muttered in Court afterwards flew as he said throughout the whole World. The reformation of which things as tending to the danger of the Person of the Emperor and Dishonour of the State he forsooth as one in conscience bound with great Gravity and Eloquence being a very learned man both in open Speech and Writing most earnestly desired and thereby so wrought as that he was generally accounted for a man of great experience as indeed he was and a faithfull Counsellor to the State a thing much to have been wished Wherefore leaving Oenum the place whereunto he was by the Emperor Emanuel in a sort banished travelling towards Constantinople he gave it out in every place where he came what he had sworn and what he would for his Oaths sake do unto whom men desirous of the change of the State and such as gave credit unto the report long before given out That he at length should become Emperor flockt in great numbers as Birds about an Owl to see him and with vain praises to chatter about him In this sort he came as far as Paphlagonia in every place honourably received as if he had been a deliverer of his Country sent from God. And in the Imperial City he was not longed for of the Vulgar People only as their Light and Load-Star but divers of the Nobility also by secret Messengers and Letters perswaded him to hasten his coming and to take upon him the Government assuring him that there would be none to resist him or to oppose themselves against his shadow but all ready to receive him especially Mary the young Emperors Sister by the Fathers side with her Husband Caesar who being a Woman of great spirit and grieving much to see her Fathers Empire made a prey unto Alexius the President and the Empress her Step-Mother whom she naturally hated had raised a great and dangerous tumult in the City against them both which was not without much bloodshed appeased and now ceased not by often and most earnest Letters to her own destruction and her Husbands as it afterwards fell out to prick forward Andronicus and to hasten his coming who by Letters and Messengers daily coming unto him from the Court still more and more encouraged leaving behind him the Country of Paphlagonia came to Heraclea in Pontus and still on towards the Imperial City with great cunning and dissimulation winning the hearts of the People as he went. For who was so stonie hearted whom his sweet words and abundant tears flowing from his gracious eyes as from two plentiful Fountains down by his hoary Cheeks might not have moved All that he did or desired was as he said for the
Ministers of his Wickedness who had now oftentimes in their mouths that saying of the Poet Est mala res multos dominarier unicus esto Rex Dominusque An evil thing it is to be ruled by many One King and one Lord if there be any And that the old age of an Eagle was better than the youth of a Lark So by the general consent of that wicked Assembly unworthy the name of a grave Council a Decree was made That Alexius should as a man unfit to Govern the State be deprived of all Imperial Dignity and commanded to live a private life Which disloyal Decree of the Conspirators was yet scarcely published but that another more cruel came out of the same Forge That he should forthwith be put to death as one unworthy longer to live For the execution of which so horrible a Sentence Siephanus Hagiochristophorites one of the chief Ministers of Andronicus his Villanies and by him promoted even unto the highest Degrees of the Honours of the Court with Constantinus Trypsicus and one Theodorus Badibrenus Captain of the Tormentors were sent out who entring his Chamber by night without compassion of his tender age or regard of his Honour or Innocency cruelly strangled him with a Bow string which detestable murther so performed Andronicus shortly after coming in spurned the dead body with his foot railing at his Father the late Emperor Emanuel as a forsworn and injurious man and at his Mother as a common Whore. The head was forthwith struck off from this miserable Carkass the mirror of Honours unstability and left for the monstrous Tyrant to feed his eyes upon the body wrapped up in Lead was in a Boat carried to Sea by Io. Camaterius and Theodosius Chumenus two of Andronicus his noble Favorites who with great joy and glee returned with the same Boat to the Court as if they had done some notable Exploit But long continueth not the joy of the Mischievous Vengeance still following them at the heels as it did these two who not long after with the rest that conspired the innocent Emperors death all or most part of them came to shameful or miserable ends Thus perished Alexius the Emperor not yet full fifteen years old in the third year of his Reign which time he lived more like a Servant than an Emperor first under the command of his Mother and afterwards of the Tyrant which brought him to his end Who joyeth now but old Andronicus made young again as should seem by his new gained Honours for shortly after the murder committed he married Anne the French Kings Daughter as some report before betrothed to young Alexius a tender and most beautiful Lady not yet full eleven years old an unfit Match for three score and ten And in some sort as it were to purge himself and his Partakers of the shameful murther by them committed and to stop the mouths of the people he by much flattery and large promises procured of the Bishops a general Absolution for them all from the Oath of Obedience which they had before given unto the Emperor Emanuel and Alexius his Son Which obtained he for a while had the same Bishops in great Honour and shortly after in greater Contempt as men forgetful of their Duties and Calling After that he gave himself wholly unto the establishing of his Estate never reckoning himself thereof assured so long as he saw any of the Nobility or famous Captains alive that favoured Emanuel the late Emperor or Alexius his Son of whom some he secretly poysoned as Mary the Emperor Emanuels Daughter with her Husband Caesar some for light occasions he deprived of their sight as he did Emanuel and Alexius the Sons of that noble Captain Iohn Comâ—enus Andronicus Lapardus whose good Service he had oftentimes used Theodorus Angelus Alexius Comnenus the Emperor Emanuels base Son some he hanged as Leo Synesius Manuel Lachanas with divers others some he burnt as Mamalus one of the Emperor Alexius his chief Secretaries all men of great Honour and place For colour whereof he pretended himself to be sorry for them deeply protesting that they died by the severity of the Law not by his will and by the just doom of the Judges whereunto he was himself as he said to give place and that with tears plentifully running down his aged Cheeks as if he had been the most sorrowful man alive O deep dissimulation and Crocodiles tears by nature ordained to express the heaviness of the heart flowing from the eyes as showers of rain out of the Clouds in good men the most certain signs of greatest grief and surest testimonies of inward torment but in Andronicus you are not so you are far of another nature you proceed of joy you promise not unto the distressed pity or compassion but death and destruction how many mens eyes have you put out how many have you drowned how many have you devoured Most of the Nobility that favoured the late Emperor Emanuel and Alexius his Son thus taken out of the way by Andronicus struck such a fear into the rest that for safeguard of their lives they betook themselves to flight some one way some another never thinking themselves in safety so long as they were within the greedy Tyrants reach whereof shortly after ensued no small Troubles to the shaking of the State of the whole Empire Isaac Comnenus the Emperor Emanuels nigh Kinsman took his Refuge into Cyprus and kept that Island to himself Alexius Comnenus Emanuels Brothers Son fled into Silicia and there stir'd up William King of that Island against Andronicus who with a great Army landed at Dyrrachium took the City and so from thence without resistance passing through the heart of Macedonia spoiling the Country before him as he went met his Fleet at Thessalonica which famous City he also took by force and most miserably spoiled it with all the Country thereabout so that he brought a great fear upon the Imperial City it self Unto which so great evils Andronicus intangled with domestick Troubles and not knowing whom to trust was not able to give remedy although for shew he had to no purpose sent out certain of his most trusty Ministers with such Forces as he could well spare For the Majesty of his Authority growing still less and less and the number of his Enemies both at home and abroad daily increasing and the favour of the unconstant people who now began to speak hardly of him declining he uncertain which way to turn himself rested wholly upon Tyranny proscribing in his fear not only the Friends of such as were fled and whom he distrusted but sometimes whole Families together yea and that for light occasions sometime those who were his best Favorites whose Service he had many times used in the execution of his Cruelty so that now no day passed wherein he did not put to death imprison or torture one great Man or other Whereby it hapned that the
the Relief thereof he raised his Siege and retired as he did also next year after having in vain attempted the strong Castle of Mont-Royal on the further side of Iordan In like manner also the third year he came again into the Holy Land and spoiled the Country beyond Iordan but hearing of the Kings coming against him he forthwith returned again into Egypt All these light Expeditions this politique Prince made not so much for hope of Victory or to prove his Enemies strength as to train his Souldiers especially the effeminate Egyptians and to make them fitter to serve him in his greater designs year 1173. Shortly after died Noradin Sultan of Damasco and in his time a most notable Champion of the Turks after he had reigned nine and twenty years Upon whose death Almericus forthwith besieged the City of Paneale in hope to have again recovered the same but he was by the Widow of the late dead Sultan for a great sum of money and the delivery of certain noble Prisoners intreated to raise his Siege and depart So having sent away his Army and traveling with his ordinary Retinue to Tyberias where he had the Summer before been sick of the Flux feeling himself not well he returned on Horse-back by Nazareth and Neapolis to Ierusalem where his old Disease increasing upon him he was also taken with a Fever wherewith after he had been some few days grievously tormented he requested his Physitians with some gentle potion to loose his Belly which was now somewhat stayed which they refusing to do he commanded the potion to be given him upon his own peril hap thereon what hap should which being given him and his Belly again loosed he seemed therewith to have been at the first well eased but his wonted Fever with great vehemency returning before his weak and spent Body could be with convenient meats refreshed he suddenly died the tenth of Iuly in the year 1173. when he had reigned about ten years His dead Body was with the great lamentation of all his Subjects solemnly buried by his Brothers He was a most wise Prince and withall right valiant amongst many most fit for the Government and Defence of that troublesome Kingdom so hardly beset with the Infidels if it had pleased God to have given him longer life Four days after the death of Almericus was Baldwin his Son then a Youth about thirteen years old by the general consent of the Nobility chosen King and by Almericus the Patriarch in the Temple with great Solemnity Crowned in the year 1173. unto whom as not yet by reason of his tender age fit himself to manage the weighty Affairs of the Kingdom Raymond Count of Tripolis was by the whole consent of the Nobility appointed Tutor to supply what was wanting in the young King. Noradin Sultan of Damasco dead as is aforesaid left behind him Melechsala his Son yet but a Youth to succeed him in his Kingdom Whose Government the Nobility disdaining sent secretly for Saladin Sultan of Egypt unto whom at his coming they betrayed the City of Damasco the Regal Seat of the Turks in Syria Whereof Saladin possessed and entring into Coelosiria without Resistance took Heliopolis Emissa with the great City of Caesarea and in fine all the whole Kingdom of Damasco the City of Arethusa only excepted But thus to suffer Melechsala the young Prince to be wronged and the Kingdom of Damasco to be joyned to the Kingdom of Egypt was of the wiser sort thought not to stand with the safety of the Kingdom of Ierusalem lying in the middle betwixt them both Wherefore the Count of Tripolis Governor of that Kingdom made out certain Forces to have hindred his proceedings At which time also Cotobed Prince of Parthia and Melechsala Uncle sent certain Troops of Parthian Horse-men to have aided his distressed Nephew who were by Saladin overthrown and almost all slain near unto Aleppo where Melechsala lay As for the Count of Tripolis and the other Christian Princes with whom Saladin in the newness of his Kingdom had no desire to fall out he appeased them with fair Intreaty and Rewards unto the Count he sent freely the Hostages which yet lay for his Ransome at Emissa unto the other Princes he sent rich Presents and therewith so contented them all that they returned without any thing doing against him After which time three or four years passed in great quietness to the great strengthening of him in those new gotten Kingdoms At length upon the coming over of Philip Earl of Flanders the Christian Princes of Syria encouraged consulted of an Expedition to be made into Egypt whereof Saladin having Intelligence drew down into that Country the greatest part of his strength But Philip disliking of that Expedition and the rather for that he saw no great chearfulness in the Count of Tripolis and the rest thereunto they with one consent changed their Purpose for Egypt and turning their Forces a quite contrary way miserably and without resistance wasted the Country about Emissa and Caesarea Whilst the Christians wâ—re thus busied in Coelosiria Saladin on the other side took occasion out of Egypt to invade the Kingdom of Ierusalem of whose coming King Baldwin having intelligence with such small Forces as he had left hastned himself to Ascalon In the mean time Saladin with a great Army was entred into the Holy Land where burning the Country before him and raging in the blood of the poor Christians he came and encamped not far from Ascalon and struck such a fear upon the whole Country that they which dwelt in Ierusalem were about to have forsaken the City as for the King himself he lay close within the City of Ascalon not daring to adventure upon so strong an Enemy Wherewith Saladin encouraged and out of fear of his Enemies dispersed his Army some one way some another to forrage the Country Which the King perceiving secretly with all his Power issued out of the City if happily so he might overtake the Sultan unawares neither was he deceived in his expectation for coming suddenly upon him and secretly charging him he had with him for a good space an hard and doubtful battel until that the Victory by the Power of God at length inclining to the Christians Saladin with his Turks fled overthrown with a great slaughter most part of his great Army being either there slain or lost afterward with hunger and cold This Victory fell unto the Christians the 25 th day of November in the year 1177. not without the Almighty Hand of God year 1177. the Turk having in his Army above six and twenty thousand Horse-men and the King not past four hundred Horse with some few Foot-men After which Victory Baldwin in great Triumph returned to Ierusalem and there shortly after with great care and diligence repaired the decayed Walls of the City Saladin in revenge of this Overthrow made divers Incursions into the Frontiers of the Christians and did great harm specially in
Wrath but struck as it were to the heart with a remorse of Conscience and oppressed with heaviness with tears running down his Cheeks and fetching a deep sigh said Why provoke you me to punish so just a man Whereas if I would my self have lived without reproach and infamy I should have kept my Imperial Majesty unpolluted or stained But now sith I my self have been the cause both of mine own disgrace and of the Empires I may thank mine own deserts if of such evil seed as I have sown I now reap also an evil harvest After the death of this good Emperor Theodorus his Son born the first year of his Fathers Reign being then about three and thirty years old was by the general consent of the People saluted Emperor in his stead who in the beginning of his Empire renewed the League which his Father had made with Iathatines the Turkish Sultan And so having provided for the security of his affairs in Asia he with a puissant Army passed over the Straight of Hellespontus into Europe to appease the troubles there raised in Macedonia and Thracia by the King of Bulgaria his Brother-in-Law and Michael Angelus the Despot of Thessalia who upon the death of the old Emperor began to spoil those Countries not without hope aâ— length to have joyned them unto their own by whose coming they were for all that disappointed of their purpose and glad to sue to him for peace But whilst he was there busied he was advertised by Letters from Nice that Michael Paleologus whom he had left there Governour in his absence was secretly fled unto the Turks with which news he was not a little troubled The cause of whose flight as Paleologus himself gave it out was for that he perceived himself divers ways by many of his Enemies brought into disgrace and the Emperors Ears so filled with their odious complaints so cunningly framed against him as that they were not easily or in short time to be refelled and therefore fearing in the Emperors heavy displeasure to be suddenly taken away to have willingly gone into exile if so happily he might save his life from the malice of them that sought after it At his coming to Iconium he found Iathatines the Sultan making great preparation against the Tartars who having driven the Turks out of Persia and other the far Eastern Countries as is before declared and running still on did with their continual incursions spoyl a great part of their Territories in the lesser Asia also and now lay at Axara a Town not far off from Iconium against whom the Sultan now making the greatest preparation he could gladly welcomed Paleologus whom he knew to be a right valiant and worthy Captain commending to his charge the leading of certain Bands of Greeks whom he had retained to serve him in those Wars as he had others of the Latines under the conduct of Boniface Moline a Nobleman of Venice and so having put all things in readiness and strengthened with these forreign Supplies of the Greeks and Latines set forward against his Enemies the Tartars who at the first fight of the strange Ensigns and Souldiers were much dismaied fearing some greater force had been come to the aid of the Turks nevertheless joyning with them in Battel had with them at the first a most terrible and bloody conflict wherein that part of the Army that stood against Paleologus and his Greeks was put to the worse to the great discomfiture of the Tartars being even upon the point to have fled had not one of the greatest Commanders in the Turks Army and a nigh Kinsman of the Sultans for an old grudge that he bare unto the Sultan with all his Regiment in the heat of the Battel revolted unto the Tartars whereby the fortune of the Battel was in a moment as it were quite altered they which but now were about to have fled fighting like Lions and they that were Victors now glad to turn their Backs and flie in which Flight a great number of Turks fell the fierce Tartars most eagerly pursuing them Paleologus with the General of the Turks hardly chased by the Tartars and glad every hour to make a stand and to fight for their lives with much ado after many days flight recovered a Castle of the Generals neer unto Castamona and so saved themselves The Tartars after this so great a Victory wherein they had broken the whole Strength of the Turks and brought in hazard the whole State of their Kingdom without resistance forraged all the Countries and Provinces subject unto the Turkish Sultan making Spoil of whatsoever they light upon insomuch that the Sultan discouraged and having now no Strength left to oppose against them fled unto the Greek Emperor Theodorus for aid who most honourably entertained him with all his Train and comforted him with such small aid as he thought good then to spare him which for his more safety he sent home with him under the leading of Isaacius Duâ—as sirnamed Murtzufle a man in great credit with him In recompence of which kindness the Sultan gave unto the Emperor the City of Laodicea whereinto he presently put a strong Garrison Nevertheless it was not long before it fell again into the Hands of the Turks being a place not to be holden by the Greeks Yet for all this the Sultan finding himself still to weak to withstand the continual invasions of the Tartars and weary of the harms he dayly stustained by the advice of his chief Councellors made a League with them yielding to pay them a certain yearly Tribute thereby to redeem his peace From which time the Tartars accounted of the Turks as of their Tributaries and Vassals Not long after this Michael Paleologus was by the Emperors kind and gracious Letters called home with his faithful promise also before given for his security who before his return bound himself also by solemn Oath to be unto the Emperor and his Son always loyal and from thenceforth never to seek after the Empire or give cause of new suspect for such matters as he had been before charged with but for ever to yield unto the Emperor his Son or other his Successors in the Empire his dutiful Obedience and Fidelity Upon which conditions he was again made great Constable and so received into the Emperors Favour and lived the rest of his Reign in great honour and credit with him Now Theodorus the Emperor having reigned three years fell sick and died leaving behind him his Son Iohn then but a Child of six years old to succeed him in the Empire whom he upon his death bed together with the Empire commended to Arsenius the Patriarch and one George Muzalo his faithful Councellor as to his trusty Tutors to see him safely brought up and the Empire well and peaceably governed This Muzalo was a man of mean Parentage but for his familiar Acquaintance and civil Behaviour of a Child brought up in the Court with the
the Mamalukes and others with a full purpose to have utterly rooted out all the remainders of the Christians in Syria and the Land of Palestine and so to have entirely joyned those two great Countries unto his own Kingdom But what he had so mischievously devised he lived not to bring to pass being in the midst of those his great designs taken away by sudden death After whom Alphix or as some call him Elpis succeeding him in the Kingdom and with a puissant Army entring into Syria laid Siege to Tripolis which he at length took by undermining of it and put to the Sword all the Christians therein except such as by speedy flight had in time got themselves out of the danger and rased the City down to the ground which calamity betided unto the Christians the ninth of April in the year 1289. Presently after he had the strong Castle of Nelesine yielded unto him year 1289. whereinto he put a strong Garrison to hinder the Christians from building again the late destroyed City In like manner also he took the Cities of Sidon and Berythus which he sacked and laid them flat with the ground And after that he removed to Tyre which aâ—ter three months straight Siege was by the Citizens now out of all hope of relief yielded unto him upon condition That they might with bag and baggage in safety depart With like good Fortune he in good time and as it were without resistance took all the rest of the strong Towns and Castles which the Christians yet held in Syria and the Land of Palestine excepting only the City of Ptolemais whereunto all the poor Christians fled as unto a Sanctuary to be there defended by the honourable Knights Templars and Hospitalers Nothing now leâ—t unto them more than that strong City the Sultan of his own accord made a Peace with them for the space of five years fearing as was supposed to have drawn upon him all the Christian Princes of the West if he should at once have then utterly rooted out all the Christians in those Countries together The Christians affairs thus brought to the last cast in Syria and yet faintly as it were breathing by the benefit of the late obtained Peace Peter Beluise Master of the Templars with the grand Master of the Knights Hospitalers suddenly passed over as Embassadors from the rest into Europe unto Nicholaus quartus then Pope craving his fatherly aid Who moved with so great miseries of the poor afflicted Christians solicited the other Christian Princes to have sent them relief especially Rodolph the German Emperor who then busied 〈◊〉 the affairs of the Empire and his Troubles nearer home as were the other Christian Pâ—inces also gave good words but no help at all Yet some of them under the colour thereof got from their Subjects great sums of Mony which they imployed to other worse uses only the Pope sent fiâ—teen hundred men at Arms whom with devout perswasion and much earnest Preaching he had induced to take upon them that sacred Expedition and entertained them of his own charge unto whom also many others out of divers Countries upon a Religious Zeal joyned themselves as voluntary men who meeting together at Brundusium and there embarked with the two grâ—nd Masters of the Templars and Hospitalers in safety at length arrived at Ptolemais There was then in the City a great number of People of all sorts of able men there was about fifty thousand and about forty thousand of the weaker sort amongst whom divers Murders Felonies Rapes and such other shameful Outrages all hastning the dreadful judgments of God were dayly committed and let pass unregarded more than of them that were injured For all the chief Commanders were then at variance among themselves every one of them laying claim not worth a rush unto the vain Title of the Kingdom of Ierusalem Henry King of Cyprus coming thither with a great Fleet charged the Templars to deliver him the Crown of that Kingdom which they had as he said wrongfully taken from Almericus and Guy his Ancestors And Charles King of Sicilia by his Embassadors laid claim unto the Title of that Kingdom as due unto the Kings of that Island and understanding it to be given unto Henry King of Cyprus caused all the Revenues of the Templars within his Dominion to be brought into his Treasuries and their Lands and Houses to be spoyled Hugh also Prince of Antioch laboured with tooth and nail to defend the overworn Right that his Father and Grandfather had unto that lost Kingdom And the Count of Tripolis laid in for himself That he was descended from Raymund of Tholous and that beside himself remained no Prince of the antient Nobility which had won that Kingdom out of the hands of the Sarasins and that therefore that regal Dignity did not of better right appertain unto any other than unto himself Neither did these four Princes more strive for the Title of the lost Kingdom than for the present Government of the City straightway about to perish The Popes Legate pretending thereunto a right also for that King Iohn Brenne had before subjected it unto the See of Rome As for the claim unto the City of Ptolemâ—is the Patriarch of Ierusalem challenged unto himself the Preheminence for that the Metropolitical City of Tyrâ— under which the City of Ptolemais was the third Episcopal Seat was under his jurisdiction even by the Decree of the West Church The Templars also and the Knights Hospitalers whose power in the City was at that time far the greatest pretended the Government thereof of best right to belong unto them as the just reward of their blood already and afterward to be spent in the defence thereof promising great matters if it might be wholly referred unto them Neither spared the French King or the King of England by their Messengers to claim the Soveraignty of the City by their Predecessors sometimes won And they of Pisa having still a Consul therein and by often Marriages with the natural Inhabitants grown into great affinity with them did what they might to get the Government into their Hands The Venetians also by their Authority and great Wealth laboured to gain the good Will of the People sparing therein no Cost And they of Genoa no less cunning than the rest supplanted the strongest Factions by giving aid both apertly and covertly unto the weaker that so having weakned the Faction they most doubted and hated they might by the joynt favour of the weaker aspire unto the Government of the stronger and so consequently of the City it self The Florentines also by their continual Traffique thither were not out of hope by one fineness or other amongst so many Competitors to find a mean to step up above the rest But the greatest part of the People for all that were most inclined unto the Armenians and Tartars as both for their nearness and power most like of all other to stand them in stead All
the Castle of In-Ungi requiring to have Othoman fortwith delivered unto him Where among the Souldiers there in Garrison with the Captain began to arise divers opinions some wishing for the averting of the present danger for which they were now unprovided to have him delivered and other some abhorring so treacherous a fact willing rather to endure all extremities In the end after much consultation honesty prevailed and it was generally resolved that he should be defended who could not without their great infamy be delivered But Othoman terrified with that diversity of opinions which had even at first shewed it self and thinking it not for his safety to commit himself unto the trust of such wavering men entred into a deep conceit of a matter of great adventure which was by a sudden sally to make himself way through the midst of his Enemies Wherewith having made his Brother Iundus and those few his followers there present acquainted and thereupon resolved he fiercely sallied out and by plain force brake through the midst of them and so took his way towards Suguta still notably repulsing them that were sent to pursue him But being come into the Frontiers of his Fathers Territory and the report of his dangers known and that being but weakly accompanied he was by a great number of his Enemies pursued presently all the lusty youths and such as loved him well took horse to come to his rescue who meeting with the Governours Souldiers that had Othoman in chace in a sharp conflict slew divers of them and put the rest to flight Of whom some were also taken Prisoners and amongst the rest one Michael Cosse a Christian Captain of a little Castle in that Country called Hirmen-Caia or the Rock of Ormeni Of whom Othoman taking compassion freely pardoned him that offence With which unexpected curtesie he was so moved that ever after he took part with him and did him great service in his Wars whose Posterity hath ever since even until this our age continued next unto the Othoman Family most honourable and famous amongst the Turks by the name of Michael Oglies that is to say the Sons or Posterity of Michael Ertogrul now spent with age shortly after died in the year of our Lord 1289. having lived 93 years and thereof governed the Oguzian Family after the death of his Father Solyman 52. His death was of all his Tribe and Kindred generally lamented and his body after the Turkish manner honourably buried at Suguta where he had of long time lived After whose death these plain Oguzian Turks in a general Assembly consulting whom they might chuse for their Lord and Governour in stead of old Ertogrul casting their eyes especially upon two stood in doubt of which of them to make choice For although most men were of opinion that Othoman for the rare gifts and vertues as well of body as of mind was to be preferred before the rest of his Brethren the Sons of Ertogrul yet were there some and they also men of great gravity and experience who had in suspect the young mans age as of it self slippery and for the most part prone to vice especially in the liberty of great power and therefore thought it better to make choice of Dunder Ertogruls Brother and Othomans Uncle a man of far greater gravity judgment and experience But Dunder himself being indeed a wise man and far from all ambition perswaded them in that choice not to have any regard at all unto his honour or preferment but to consider what were best for their State and Welfare in general For he providently foresaw in what danger the Oguzian State stood exposed on the one side to the mortal hatred and treacheries of the Greeks grieved to see themselves spoyled by the Turks and naturally hating them for the Mahometan Religion and on the other side not surely backt by the Sultans of Iconium brought in thraldom to the Tartars and dayly grown weaker and weaker Unto which inconveniences and dangers he said an old weak and overgrown body as his was could give no help or remedy at all but required the help of a wise politick vigilant stirring and valiant man such as they all well knew was Othoman his Brothers Son. Thus before he came unto the election he in privat declared his mind unto the chief of the Oguzian Family and afterward at their request coming to the general Assembly all mens minds and eyes now fixed upon Othoman he first of all by his example to encourage the rest for the good of the Oguzian Tribe his ancient House and Family saluted him their great Lord and Governor promising unto him all Loyalty with the utmost of his service whereunto by and by ensued the great applause of the rest of the People as unto a Governour sent unto them by God unto whom they joyfully wished all happy success with long life and a prosperous Government Thus with all mens good liking was Othoman made the great Governor of the Oguzian Turks and so become among them a great Commander and honoured with the Title of O Esman-Beg or the Lord Osman Yet was this his honour included in a small circuit plain and homely without any great Pomp or Shew as commanding amongst rough and rude Heardsmen and Shepheards not acquainted with the curtesie of other more civil Nations for as yet they were the same homely Scythian Nomades that they were before and could not as yet be perswaded to forsake their wonted rude and uncivil manners by long tradition received from their Ancestors and so best agreeing with their Nature and Calling Amongst which rude Heardsmen this new Governor himself not too far exceeding the rest in civility commanded much like unto another Romulus of whom also the Turks report many such things as do the Romans of their Founder which for brevity I thought good to pass over Now it fortuned that Othoman even in the beginning of his Government fell first at odds with one Hagionicholaus or S. Nicholas Captain of Einegiol a Castle there by for that he had oftentimes of purpose troubled and molested these Oguzian Heardsmen in passing to and fro with their Cattel by his Castle For which cause Othoman was inforced to request the Captain of Bilezuga another Castle there by also his Neighbour and Friend that his people in passing that way to the Mountains might with their Goods and Cattle as occasion should require take the refuge of his Castle which the courteous Captain well acquainted with old Ertogrul Othomans Father easily granted yet with this proviso that none should with such Goods or Cattle have access into his Castle but the Turks Women only which his courtesie Othoman refused not So was the Castle of Bilezuga from that time forward a refuge unto the Turks Women who passing that way and there shrouded with their Goods and Cattle usually presented the Captain with some one homely Country Present or other which afterwards was the loss of the Castle Yet was
obstinacy defending the same and the other of the contrary Faction now countenanced by the Emperor without modesty or measure insulting upon them whereof arose exceeding great stirs and troubles especially in the beginning of hiâ— Reign to the great benefit of the incroaching Turks who in the mean time ceased not by all means to increase their Territories in Asia and not only there but in the Islands of the Miditerranean Sea also For Andronicus by the death of Charles King of Sicily delivered of the greatest fear for which both he and his Father before him had to their great cost and charge both built and maintained a strong Fleet of Gallies now perswaded by some whose actions and speeches were after the manner of the Court all framed unto the Princes Appetite as the readiest way to thrive without respect of the common good to spare that needless charge as they termed it which yearly cost him more than any thing else had discharged all his Mariners and Sea-men and commanded all the Gallies to be laid up some in one â—reek some in another where neglected and not looked unto they in time for the most part rotted and perished As for the Mariners they went some one way some another as their Fortunes led them to seek â—or their Livings in forreign Countries even with the Emperors Enemies and some gave themselves to Husbandry thinking it better by doing something to live than by sitting still to perish Which good Husbandry at the first seemed to be very profitable unto the Emperor but especially unto such as being near unto him and courteously given made small reckoning of all other the most necessary defences of the Empire in comparison of hoording up of mony until that it was afterward too late by experience found hereof to have sprung many great mischiefs unto the great weakning of the Greek Empire For besides that the Turks without let did great harm on the Sea the Pirats now out of fear of the Emperors Gallies at their pleasure took the Spoyl of the rich Islands in the Mediterranean and robbed the Towns all along the Sea-coast to the unspeakable grief of the poor Country People and yet not so contented came with their Gallies sometime two sometime three sometime more as it were in contempt even close unto the imperial City Yea the Venetians were so bold as upon a right small displeasure to rifle and afterward to set fire upon the Suburbs thereof which they would hardly have adventured had the Emperors Fleet been preserved and maintained in the wonted Strength At the same time also Andronicus the Emperor to the great hindrance of the Affairs of the Empire and advantage of the forreign Enemy was not a little troubled with a jealous Suspition of his Brother Constantine commonly called Porphyrogenitus as if he had sought to have aspired unto the Empire seeking by all means to win unto himself the love and favour of all men but especially of the Nobility both at home and abroad and so by that means to mount unto the height of his desires All which as most men thought were but meer Slanders maliciously devised by such as envying at his Honour and taking occasion by the Emperors Suspition ceased not to increase the same until they had wrought his unworthy destruction The first ground of this false Suspition in the Emperors head was for that this Constantine even from his Childhood was for many causes better beloved of the old Emperor his Father than Andronicus as better furnished with those gifts of Nature which beautifie a Prince and of a more courteous Bahaviour than was his Brother insomuch that had he not been the younger Brother his Father could willingly have left him his Successor in the Empire This was one and the chieâ—est cause of the Emperors grudge and the ground of his Suspition Yet was there another also and that not much less than this for that his Father in his life time had of long thought to have separated from the Empire a great part of Thessalia and Macedonia and to have made him absolute Prince thereof and had haply so done had he not been by death prevented which thing also much grieved Andronicus and the more incensed him against his Brother Which his secret hatred he for all that according to his Wisdom cunningly dissembled not only during the time that his Father lived but three years after his death also making shew of the great love and kindness towards him that was possible Constantine in the mean time of such greatest revenues as were by his Father assigned unto him reaping great profit most bountifully bestowed the same upon his Followers and Favourites and others that made sute unto him as well the meaner sort as the greater and with his sweet Behaviour won unto him the Hearts of all men for Affability and Courtesie in high degree easily allureth mens minds as do fair flowers in the Spring the Passengers Eyes This was that precept of the wise Indians That the higher a Prince was in Dignity and the more courteous he shewed himself unto his Inferiors the better he should be of them beloved He therefore that should for the two first causes blame Constantine should do him wrong as both proceeding not of himself but of his Fathers too much love but in the third he was not altogether blameless for if for want of experience he prodigally gave such gifts as for the most part might have beseemed the Emperor himself he ignorantly erred yet did he not little offend but if he knew that for his profuse bounty he could not be unsuspected of his Brother and yet without regard held on that course he was greatly to be blamed therein For if nothing else might have moved him yet he should have considered to what end the like doings of others in former times had sorted and how many it had brought to untimely end So although perhaps that Constantine meant no harm unto his Brother or any way to supplant him yet did these things not a little increase and aggravate the former Suspitions and open the Ears of the Emperor his Brother unto such calumniation as commonly attendeth upon immoderate bounty But to return to our purpose this honourable Constantine then lived in Lydia but lately married and in good hope long to live being not past thirty years old but pleasantly spending the time with his Wife at Nymphea in Lydia at such time as he was thus secretly accused unto his Brother the Emperor thought it good as upon other occasions of business to pass over into Asia himself but indeed with a secret resolution upon the sudden to oppress his Brother unawars as by proof it fell out For at his coming over Constantine fearing nothing less was forthwith apprehended with all his greatest Favourites of whom one Michael Strategopulus sometime a man in great Authority with the Emperor his Father and of all other for wealth honour and noble acts most famous
forward by his Companions to affect the whole Empire happily could and would have contented himself with the former pacification for being now sent for he came first to Rhegium and there visited his Mother now set at liberty and sent thither for the furtherance of the desired pacification where he with her and by her Counsel did whatsoever was there done So within a few days the matter was brought into so good terms that an Attonement was made and he himself went and met the Emperor his Grandfather before the Gatâ—s of the City the old Emperor sitting then upon his Hoâ—se and the Prince lighting from his a good furlong before he came at him and although his Grandfather was very unwilling and forbad him so to do yet he came to him on foot and kissed his Hand and Foot as he sate on horseback and afterward taking horse embraced him and there kissed one another to the great contentment of the Beholders and so having talked some few words departed the old man into the City and the young man into his Camp which then lay near unto Pega where staying certain days he came divers times into Constantinople and so went out again for as then his Mother partly for her health partly for the love of her Son lay at Pega But Syrgiannes nothing glad of the agreement made betwixt the Emperor and his Nephew walked up and down sick in mind with a heavy countenance especially for that in time of Peace his busie head stood the Common-weal in no stead Wherefore in all Meetings and Assemblies he willingly conversed with them which most disliked of the present State and spake hardly as well of the Emperor as of his Nephew wronged as he thought by them both whereas in the time of their greatest distress he had as he said stood them in good stead But seeing one Asanes Andronicus walking melancholy up and down as a man with heaviness oppressed who having done good service for the young Prince and not of him regarded had fled to the old Emperor and there found no such thing as he expected for the ease of his grief although he were a man honourably born and otherwaies endued with many good parts with him Syrgiannes acquainted himself as grieved with the like grief that he himself was with whom as with his Friend without any dissimulation he plainly discoursed of all such things as his grief desired But Asanes handling him with great wisdom did himself with like words speak hardly both of the Emperor and his Nephew but yet curiously noted whatsoever Syrgiannes said for he had before hated him for his Ambition and as then took it in displeasure that he was Enemy unto Catacuzanus his Son-in-Law who was all in all with the young Prince and did oftentimes comfort him But the song being throughly set Asanes came secretly unto the old Emperor and told him the whole matter and in fine that except he betime laid hold on Syrgiannes affecting the Empire he should in short time be by him brought to his end Whereupon Syrgiannes was forthwith clapt fast in Prison whose House with all his Wealth the common People took the Spoil of and not contented to have rased it down to the ground converted the Site thereof together with the pleasant Vineyards adjoyning unto the same into a place to feed Goats and Sheep in a worthy reward for his manifold Treacheries The young Prince shortly after going to Constantinople was there crowned Emperor as fellow in the Empire with his Grandfather unto which solemnity in the great Temple of Sophia both the Emperors riding it fortuned the old Emperor by the stumbling of his Horse to be overthrown and fouly beraied in the mire the Streets being then very foul by reason of much rain but a little before fallen which many took as ominous and portending the evil fortune which shortly after befel him During the time of this Peace it fortuned that as the young Prince was a hunting in Chersonesus seventy Turks adventurers were by force of weather driven on shore who before they would yield themselves Prisoners made a great Fight with the Emperors men and slew divers of them in which conflict the young Emperor himself was wounded in the Foot wherewith he was a great while after exceedingly tormented Andronicus the late Prince and now Fellow in the Empire with his aged Grandfather held not himself long so contented but after the manner of ambitious Men and continually prickt forward by his aspiring Favourites longed to have the whole Government to himself which hardly brooketh any Partner and therefore weary to see his Grandfather live so long resolved no longer to expect his natural death although it could not by course of Nature be far off but by one device or other to thrust him from the Government or if that might not be wrought at once to dispatch him both of life and state together And the surer to lay the Plot whereon so foul and horrible a Treason was to be built he by the Council of his Mother and others by whom he was most directed sent for Michael the Prince of Bulgaria his Brother-in-Law though before to him unknown as was his Wife his Sister also to make with him a firm League to the intent by him to provide that if the Prince of Servia who had but lately married the old Emperors nigh Kinswoman and so to him much devoted should take part with him he should by the Bulgarian his Neighbour be intangled Who so sent for with his Wife the old Emperors Daughter came to Dydymotichum where they were many days most honourably entertained both by the young Emperor and his Mother for why this meeting plotted upon great Treason was finely coloured with the desire the young Emperor had to see his Sister and her Husband as before unto him unknown and the Empress her Daughter whom she had not seen in three and twenty years before But the secret conclusion betwixt them was that the Bulgarian Prince should to the uttermost of his power aid the young Emperor against his Grandfather and he likewise him against the Servian as he should have need and further that if his Grandfather being deposed he should recover the whole Empire then to give him a great sum of Mony with certain special Cities and Provinces confining upon him as in Dowry to his kind Brother-in-law and Companion in his labours So Michael the Bulgarian Prince honourably entertained by the young Emperor and the old Empress his Mother-in-Law loaded with rewards and promises of greater returned home into his Country This matter thus dispatched the young Emperor therewith encouraged and knowing also the Constantinopolitans besides the other Cities of Thracia exceedingly to favour him and his proceedings by whom also he was secretly invited to hasten his coming thither as weary of the long life and laziness as he termed it of his Grandfather thought it best cunningly to go about the matter that so his
manner of Caps the Ianizaries use at this day The Turks also in Orchanes Reign and long time after used not to cut or shave their Beards but did wear them long so that if the King would disgrace any man he would in his displeasure command his Beard to be cut or shaven The manner of cutting and shaving their Beards which they now use they learned of the Italians of whom they have also borrowed many other fashions not only differing but quite contrary to their ancient Manners and Customs Orchanes about this time removed his Court to Nice where he lay a long time after There he built a sumptuous Church appointing a Preacher to preach to the People every Friday he erected in Nice also two fair Abbies in the one of which he with his own hands served the Strangers and Poor the first dinner He was the first that builded Abbies or Monasteries among the Turks whose example most of his Successors have imitated and is amongst them used unto this day The Government of Nicomedia Orchanes committed to his eldest Son Solyman as is before said a Prince of great towardliness giving him in great charge to have a vigilant Eye to the Towns of Taraxa Govinuca and Mudurne which were nigh unto Nicomedia yet in possession of the Christians all which Towns with the Countries adjoyning Solyman in short time got without force by composition This Solyman was of a Princely Disposition so tempering Justice with Clemency in his Government that many Christians allured with his Vertues became of his Religion and gladly put themselves under his Subjection the politick Laws of the Country he neither abrogated nor changed but maintained as they had been of ancient time accustomed whereby he greatly won the Hearts of the People Amurath his younger Son Orchanes made Lord and Governor of Prusa after he had removed his Court to Nice And the Castle of Chara-chisar with the Seigniory thereto belonging he gave to his Cousin Artemure the Son of his Uncle Iundus There was at this time in Orchanes Court a Noble young Gentleman called Turson-Beg the Son of Dharasis King of Charasia by whose perswasion Orchanes in Person himself with a strong Army made an Expedition into that Country for that his Fathers Subjects after the death of the King his Father denied their Obedience to his elder Brother wishing rather to have Turson for their Soveraign In whose behalf Orchanes taking that journy surprised by the way many Castles and Towns to his own use Orchanes was no sooner entred the Country of Charasia but Tursons elder Brother fled to Pergamum whither the Turks shortly pursued him where Turson desirous to speak with his Brother unwarily approaching the City was wounded with an Arrow shot from the Walls and there slain With whose death Orchanes was so greatly offended that he threatned to destroy the whole Country with Fire and Sword if they did not by a day prefixed generally submit themselves to his mercy The People terrified with this proclamation of so great a Prince already in Arms yielded themselves unto his Subjection The Kings Son also that was fled into Pergamum upon reasonable conditions yielded himself unto Orchanes who sent him to Prusa where after he had there lived two years he died of the Plague after whose death Orchanes made his Son Solyman Prince of Carasina Neither is this taking in of the Country of Carasina to be accounted a small Conquest one of the greatest Houses of the Turks the Successors of the Iconian Sultan Aladin now thereby taking end and their Dominions which were not small as containing almost Lydia with some good parts of Misia Troas and the lesser Phrygia now united unto the Othoman Kingdom Orchanes upon his return for the good success of this journy built a Church and Monastery at Prusa placing therein religious men with all diligence sought for out of all his Kingdom of which Religious the Turks write many Fables better worth the smiling at than the serious reporting Hitherto the Kingdom of Othoman and Orchanes his Son was contained within the bounds of the lesser Asia which the Turks call Anatolia Now it resteth to be shewed upon what occasion Orchanes or rather his Son Solyman Bassa as it were fatally with a small power first passed over Hellespontus into Europe where they and their Successors have by little and little so enlarged their Dominions that they have now long ago quite overthrown the Grecian Empire with many other great Kingdoms and are at this present a terror to all Christian Princes bordering upon them to the perpetual Infamy of the Greeks who for want of courage and busied with civil discord never sought in time to impeach their greatness Orchanes having now so augmented his Kingdom that he might from many parts thereof out of Asia take view of the pleasant borders of Europe from whence he was excluded only by the narrow Sea of Hellespontus and continually incited with the insatiable and restless desire of Soveraignty began to devise how he might possibly pass that strait Sea and set foot in Europe another part of the World. Which his conceit one day he imparted to his Son Solyman who presently answered his Father That if it would please him to give him leave he would not doubt to pass the Strait of Hellespontus and in time to plant the Mahometan Religion in those Countries of Europe possessed by the Christians Which answer of Solyman much pleased his Father who gave him leave to depart into his Country and in that matter to proceed further as he thought best and as occasion should best serve Solyman taking leave of his Father took his journey into Carasina where riding up and down the Country as it had been for his pleasure only he made his way to the place where it is thought the famous City of Troy sometime stood where yet as the Turks and some others say are to be seen the wonderful ruins of that unfortunate City by the Sea side In this place Solyman stood still a great while as it were in a study forecasting as it seemed some great matter without speaking one word to any of his Followers When one of his Chieftains called Ezes-Beg to put him out of his deep thoughts boldly said unto him My Lord and great Soveraign what strange thing is this that you are so deeply drowned in these your melancholy thoughts undoubtedly it is some great matter that you are studying upon Truth it is said Solyman for I was thinking how it were possible to pass over this Sea of Hellespontus into the borders of Europe and to take view of that Country and so to return undiscovered If this be the matter said Ezes-Beg joyning unto him one Fazil-Beg a man of no less valour than himself we two will by the power of God perform unto you this Enterprise Then was Solyman desirous to know of them about what place they would pass over which they well knowing the Sea coast shewed
danger to seek how to enlarge the same long lived in most happy rest with his Subjects no less happy than himself not so much seeking after the hoording up of Gold and Silver things of that Nation not regarded as contenting himself with the increase and profit of his Flocks of Sheep and Herds of Cattle then and yet also the principal revenues of the Tartar Kings and Princes which happily gave occasion to some ignorant of the manner and custom of those Northern Nations and Countries to account them all for Shepherds and Herdsmen and so also to have reported of this mighty Prince as of a Shepherds Son or Herdsman himself vainly measuring his Nobility by the homely manner of his People and Subjects and not by the Honour of his House and Heroical Vertues such as were hardly to be found greater in any Prince of that or other former Ages His peaceable Father now well stricken in years and weary of the World delivered up unto him not yet past fifteen years old the Government of his Kingdom joyning unto him two of his most faithful Counsellors Odmar and Ali to assist him in the Government of his State retiring himself unto a solitary life the more at quiet to serve God and so to end his days in Peace which two his trusty Servants and grave Counsellors he dearly loved whilst they lived and much honoured the remembrance of them being dead The first proof of his Fortune and Valour was against the Muscovite for spoiling of a City which had put it self under his protection and for entring of his Country and for proclaiming of War against him whom he in a great Battel overthrew having slain five and twenty thousand of the Muscovites Footmen and between fifteen and sixteen thousand Horsemen with the loss of scarce eight thousand Horsemen and four thousand Footmen of his own After which Battel he beholding so many thousands of men there dead upon the ground was so far from rejoycing thereat that turning himself to one of his Familiars he lamented the condition of such as commanded over great Armies commending his Fathers quiet course of life accounting him happy in seeking for rest and the other most unhappy which by the destruction of their own kind sought to procure their own glory protesting himself even from his Heart to be grieved to see such sad tokens of his Victory With this overthrow the Muscovite discouraged sent Embassadors to him for peace which upon such honorable Conditions as pleased him to set down was by him granted and so the Peace concluded Now the great Cham of Tartaria his Fathers Brother being grown old and out of hope of any more Children moved with the Fame of his Nephew after this Victory sent him divers Presents and withal offering him his only Daughter in marriage and with her to proclaim him Heir apparent unto his Empire as in right he was being his Brothers Son and the Daughters not at all succeeding in those Empires Which so great an offer Tamerlane gladly accepted and so the marriage was afterwards with great Triumph at the old Emperors Court solemnized and he proclaimed Heir apparent unto that great Empire Thus was Tamerlane indeed made great being ever after his marriage by the old Emperor his Uncle and now his Father-in-Law so long as he lived notably supported and after his death succeeding him also in that so mighty an Empire Yet in the mean time wanted not this worthy Prince the envious Competitors of these his so great Honours insomuch that whilst by the advice and perswasion of the old Emperor he was taking in hand to make War against the great King of China who had as then gon far beyond his bounds and so was now well onwards on his way he was by the Conspiracy of Calix a man of greatest Power and Authority in the great Cham his Court almost thrust out of his new Empire Calix with a right puissant Army having already seized upon the great City of Cambalu and the Citizens also generally favouring those his traiterous proceedings as disdaining to be governed by the Zagatian Tartar. For redress whereof Tamerlane was enforced with the greatest part of his Army to return and meeting with the Rebel who then had in his Army fourscore thousand Horse and an hundred thousand Foot in a great and mortal Battel wherein of the one side and of the other were more than fifty thousand men slain overthrew him though not without the great danger of his own Person as being there himself beaten down to the ground took him Prisoner and afterwards beheaded him Which so dangerous a Rebellion with the death of the Traitor and the chief of the Conspirators repressed and his State in the newness thereof by this Victory well confirmed he proceeded in his intended War against the great King of China brake down the strong Wall which the Chinoies had made four hundred Leagues long betwixt the Mountains for the repressing of the incursions of the Tartars entred their Country and meeting with the King leading after him three hundred and fifty thousand Men whereof there were an hundred and fifty thousand Horsemen and the rest on Foot in a great and dreadful Battel with the slaughter of sixty thousand of his Men overcame him and took him Prisoner whom for all that he in the course of so great a Victory wisely moderating his fortune shortly after set again at liberty yet so as that having before taken from him the one half of his Kingdom and therein left Odmar his trusty Lieutenant with a sufficient Power for the restraining of the proud King if he should again begin to raise any new stirs and withal imposed such other conditions as pleased himself with the yearly Tribute of three hundred thousand Crowns he well provided for the assuring of those his new Conquests and so in Triumph returned with Victory unto the old Emperor his Father-in-Law at Cambalu not a little glad to see both him and his Daughter who had in all those Wars still accompanied him But leaving him now thus by Birth great by his Fortune greater but by his Vertue greatest of all as able now to draw after him almost the whole Power of the East let us again return thither from whence we have for the better knowledge of him thus with him digressed The War against the Turkish Sultan Bajazet as is aforesaid by Tamerlane resolved upon he sent Axalla the great Captain to his Country of Sachetay called of some Zagatay to give beginning to the assembling of his Forces from all parts to the end that with the first of the Spring he might set forward for the relief of so many distressed Princes and the abating of the Pride of so great and mighty a Tyrant as was Bajazet Now had Tamerlane procured from the great Tartarian Emperor his Uncle and Father-in-Law an hundred thousand Footmen and fourscore thousand Horsemen hoping to have as many more from Sachetay his own Country
like case caused him presently to be strangled with a Bow-string His dead body was by and by after presented to his Brother Mahomet who seeing it shed a few Crocodils tears over it He reigned three years end seven months and was afterwards conveyed to Prusa and there lieth buried by the body of his Brother Solyman in the same Chappel with his Grandfather Amurath Mahomet after the death of Musa now free from all Competitors took upon him the sole Government of the Turkish Kingdom as well in Europe as in Asia And here the Turkish Histories begin the Reign of this Mahomet fifth King of the Turks accounting the troublesome time from the Captivity of Bajazet unto the death of Musa as a time of vacancy or Anarchy wherein the Turkish Kingdom was not at any time wholly possessed by any one of Bajazet his Sons Isa possessing one part whereof he was by Mahomet dispossessed who afterwards usurped all that part of the Turkish Kingdom in Asia being the right of his elder Brother Solyman who at that time reigning in Eurâ—pe was deposed and strangled by his Brother Musa who was in like manner served by his youngest Brother Mahomet the only Son of Bajazâ—t then left as is before declared Which divers Mutations and interrupted Successions was the cause that the Historiographers do so greatly dissent upon the Successor of Bajazâ—t some reckoning one some another and some more some fewer and some such as never were But forasmuch as Mahomet held all or most part of the Turkish Kingdom in Asia during his troublesome time and in the end possessed the other part thereof in Europe also I reckon him for the fifth King of the Turks and Successor to his Father Bajazet including also in this History of his life all that Intestine and Serpentine-like Tragedy wherein he himself was the principal Actor Whilst Mahomet was as is aforesaid thus busied in his Wars in Europe against his Brother Musa year 1415. the King of Caramania taking the advantage of his Troubles there with a great Army invaded his Kingdom joyning upon him in Asia burning and spoling all before him as he went Eivases Bassa Mahomet his Lieutenant then lying at Prusa not able to withstand him and fearing his coming thither because it was the Seat of the Othoman Kings in Asia caused the Citizens to bring the greatest part of their Wealth into the Castle whereinto he also received so many of the Citizens as he conveniently could willing the rest to shift for themselves as they might in such case of extremity Shortly after the King of Caramania according to his expectation came to Prusa and without resistance took the City not as yet fully fortified which he without delay caused the second time to be burnt down to the ground and afterwards laid siege to the Castle giving many great Assaults thereto by the space of thirty days but was always valiantly repulsed by Eivases the Bassa who ceased not continually to encourage his Souldiers still putting them in comfort that Mahomet having now overcome his Enemies in Europe would in few days undoubtedly come to their Relief It chanced at the same time that the dead body of Musa sent to Prusa to be buried was honourably conveyed upon the way with much people following it The Caramanian King hearing of the coming of such a multitude and fearing it to have been Mahomet with his Power raised his Siege and with speed departed whereat the Turks long time after jested saying If the Caramanian King run away for fear of the dead body of the Othoman King what would he do if he had come against him alive But the truth was he feared Mahomet and his Power Orchanes the Son of Solyman yet a Boy having lived at Constantinople ever since the death of his Father about this time departed thence because of the League lately made between the Emperor and his Uncle Mahomet purposing to have gone into Valachia but by the way as he was travelling the Turkish voluntary Souldiers understanding that he was the Son of their late King Solyman resorted unto him in great numbers offering in his Quarrel to spend their lives Of which Insurrection Mahomet hearing marched thither in all hast with a great Power to suppress the same of whose coming the Souldiers with Orchanes understanding dispersed themselves and fled As for Orchanes himself he was by his unlawful Tutor Zaganos betrayed unto his Uncle Mahomet who presently caused his Eyes to be put out and so sent him to Prusa allowing him great Revenues to live upon and ever after used him with great Honour The Sister of this Orchanes he gave in marriage to one of his Noblemen with a great Dowry This is that Orchanes whom some Historiographers reckon up among the Turkish Kings as one of the Successors of Bajazet and that he was betrayed to his Uncle Moses erring as I suppose both in Succession and the Name mistaking Moses for Mahomet year 1416. Now Mahomet calling to remembrance the Injury which the Caramanian King had done to him in his absence returning to Prusa assembled a great Army to revenge himself of that wrong At which time he sent to the Prince Isfendiar for Aid who sent him his Son Cassumes He commanded also the Prince Germean Ogli to make provision for the Victualling of his Camp as he should pass by his Country which was accordingly done And so provided of all things necessary he with his Army entred into the Caramanian Country where he took the Cities Aspropolis Despotopolis Hierapolis and besieged Iconium but by reason of the immoderate rain which at that time fell he was glad to make Peace with the Caramanian King called also Mahomet And so raising his Siege departed towards Pontus where he had not long stayed but that News was brought unto him That the Caramanian King renouncing his League was again up in Arms. Wherefore returning into Caramania and so to Iconium he there overthrew the King in battel and took both him and his Son Mustapha Prisoners who redeemed themselves by delivering many of their strong Cities and Castles into his hands and afterward concluded a Peace they receiving from him an Ensign as the Turkish manner is in token they were now become his Vassals year 1417. The Caramanian War thus happily ended he went over into Europe and passing over Danubius foraged the Country of Valachia Transalpina making there great spoil for redress whereof the Valachian Prince by his Embassadors sent him such Tribute as he demanded and his Son also to serve him in his Court. About which time hapned a great Earthquake in Prusa and other places of Asia whereby many Houses and Towns were overthrown after which ensued great troubles in most parts of Asia howbeit Mahomet going thither by his presence kept all his Dominions in peace and quietness Isfendiar Prince of Castamona and part of Pontus reserving unto himself Castamona with a little part more of his Dominion gave the rest
unto Mahâ—mâ—t upon condition that he should restore no part thereof again unto his Son Cassumes who having long time served in Mahomet his Court and Wars could not be perswaded to return again unto his Father and therefore was by him thus disinherited Which great Gift Mahomet thankâ—ully accepted and in lieu thereof assigned unto Cassimes other great and large Possessions within his own Kingdom Mahomet after the death of his Brother Musa had sent Scheiches Bedredin his Brothers Cadelescher to Nice in Asia as unto a place of exile allowing him nevertheless a great Pension whereon to live This Bedredin had in his house one Burgluzes Mustapha his Steward these two consulted together how to raise some Tumult or Rebellion to trouble the peaceable Government of Mahomet For which purpose Burgluzes according to the Plot by them laid took this way into Aidinia sometime called Caria and there pretending great Zeal of Reformed Religion with a wonderful Gravity began to broach divers new and strange Opinions far differing from the Turkish ancient Superstition yet very plausible and well fitting the humour of the vulgar people By which means he was in short time reputed for a famous learned devout Man and had many Followers drawing after him much people fit to begin some great Innovation Bedredin glad of his mans success fled from Nice into the Prince Isfendiar his Country from whence he took shipping over the Euxine into Valachia and there withdrawing himself into a great Forest as if he had been some devout and religious Man allured unto him a great number of Outlaws and Theeves which there lived Whom when he had sufficiently instructed and framed to his purpose he sent them in the habit of Religious Men into the Country of Zagora and other places in the Frontiers of Mahomet his Dominions near unto him as his Disciples who with great boldness and confidence published Bedredin his Doctrine and Authority and how that he was by God appointed to be the King of Justice and Commander of all the World whose Doctrine and manner of Government was as they said already received as they gave it out in Asia being set forth but by one of his Scholars Burgluzes whose Fame was now dispersed throughout all the Turks Dominion and that therefore if any were desirous of Preferment they should repair to Bedredin who would in short time shew himself to the World and promote his Followers according to their Deserts Many of the Country people deluded with this phantasie and practise of these seditious Seed-Men resorted to Bedredin in hope of Preferment and with them some of good Calling also At last out of the Forest cometh this great Prophet with Banner displayed attended upon with a great multitude of the seditious vulgar people which daily resorted unto him more and more Mahomet for the repressing of these dangerous Tumults sent his Son Amurath and Bajazet the great Bassa with two thousand Men to apprehend Burgluzes in Aidinia but when they came thither they found him guarded with three thousand Men well appointed ready to adventure their Lives in defence of their foolish Prophet Nevertheless Amurath and Bajazet not dismayed with the multitude of those uplandish people set upon them where was fought a right bloody Battel for the number and many slain on both sides yet at last the Rebels fled in which flight Burgluses himself was slain and hewen all to pieces After which Victory Bajazet from thence hasted to Magnesia and there executed Torlac Kemal another seditious Turkish Monk which with two thousand by him seduced did much harm in the Country thereabout At the same time also Mahomet sent another Power against Bedredin but most of his Followers seeing in him no such matter as was by his Disciples and himself promised and as they hoped for were already fallen from him so that of that great multitude which before followed him few or none were left with him whereby he was easily apprehended by them that Mahomet had sent against him and so being brought to Mahomet to Serras was there in the Market-place before a Tavern-door fairly hanged without any further harm Mahomet in the short time of his Reign finished the great Mahometan Temple at Hadrianople before begun by his Brethren Solyman and Musa Where he also built a Princely Palace the Seat of the Turkish Kings in Europe until the taking of Constantinople He also built another Temple with a most sumptuous Abbey and a publick School thereto adjoyning endowing the same with great Revenews such as had by him and those his Brethren of late been taken from the Christians He gave also great Sums of Money yearly to be paid at Medina and Mecha for the relief of poor Pilgrims travelling from far to the Sepulchre of their great Prophet Mahomet at Medina or his Temple at Mecha Shortly after Mahomet fell sick at Hadrianople and perceiving himself in danger of death by his last Will appointed his eldest Son Amurath to Succeed him in his Kingdom and sent Elvan-Beg a man in great Favour with him in post to Amasia to will him with all speed to repair to the Court at Hadrianople But feeling death to approach and that he could not possibly live until the coming of his Son he straightly charged his Bassaes with all secrecy to conceal his death until his coming for fear lest any Trouble should rise upon the bruit thereof before his coming thither and so having set all things in Oder he departed out of this World unto his Prophet Mahomet about the year of our Saviour Christ 1422. when he had reigned Seventeen years accounting in his Reign that troublesome ten years next after the Captivity of Bajazet in which time the Turks Kingdom was by his ambitious Sons rent in sunder as is aforesaid until it was at length again by this Mahomet restored to the former Integrity about seven years before his death which the Turks account for the whole time of his Reign and the other troublesome ten years as a vacancy or Anarchy of their Kingdom as is aforesaid Mahomet being dead the three great Bassaes Eivases Bajazet and Ibrahim to rid themselves of the fear they had of the Janizaries and other Souldiers of the Court called a Divano or Council for the Wars as if the King had been alive wherein it was pretended That Mahomet had determined to make War upon the Prince of Smyrna and that for that Service it was his pleasure That the Janizaries should forthwith pass over into Asia to the Castle of Baga Whereupon Press-money was presently given them and they sent over with Letters directed to the Vice-Roy of Anatolia for the assembling of an Army for Baga In the mean time the great Bassaes of the Court sate daily in Council placing and displacing promoting and disgracing whom they thought good as if the King had so commanded the Kings Physitians also to countenance the matter were commanded continually to go to and fro with their
City and upon the Success thereof to shape them answer accordingly Wherefore so soon as the Embassadors were departed to Synderovia he first by his Messengers assayed the minds of the Citizens and Souldiers with magnifical Promises of large Liberties and infinite Rewards and Preferments if they would yield up the City and many Arrows with Letters made fast unto them full of like Promises were at the same time shot into the City But when he saw no hope to prevail by that means he called together the Captains and Commanders of his Army and there in the presence of them all spake unto them as followeth Although I know it is in mine own Power to grant or not to grant the Peace whereof our Enemies have made a motion yet it is my pleasure worthy Souldiers to know your minds also For so much as we have that War in hand wherein with worldly Felicity whereof amongst you I hold the chief Place is also endangered our Religion and purity of Life the defence and care whereof equally belongeth unto us all for although we differ much one from another in the manner of our Vocation and living here yet after death we all hope for one and the self same Felicity And therefore I would have you to understand all that I shall say as proceeding not of any regard of mine own Private but upon the consideration of the Common Good of you all For as concerning mine own Estate I possess so large Countries in Asia such great Dominions in Europe that either part thereof in good time be it said might seem a sufficient Kingdom so that perhaps it might better stand with my Estate to take more care for keeping of that I have than to travel for the gaining of more but you are to consider with your selves whether you have every man sufficient to suffice himself or not and how long you think your selves assured of the same and moreover that together with these worldly things we shall be driven at length to forsake our Profession and Religion if we shall now lay down Arms. For our Enemies require that we should first cease from War and then afterwards they think it meet to talk of Peace I will not speak of the Indignity that men besieged and in evil plight should propound conditions of Peace to them that besiege them and are well furnished of all things that feeble and cowardly men should promise peace unto couragious and expert Souldiers I omit what labour and pains we have taken in laying our Siege in raising of Mounts in making of Shipping all which our Enemies command us to forsake as if they had us already bound or couped up in hold as we have them All Bulgaria and the greater part of Rascia is now by us conquered and most part of Servia is at our Command all which places are by us either to be kept or else all the rest of that we possess in Europe is with them to be quite lost and forsaken Whosoever shall have in their Power this City which we besiege and that our Enemies know right well shall have not only as it were a Fortress and Bulwark of defence for his own but also a Castle and Entrance for the subduing of others The Kingdom of Hungary is now divided in it self and full of domistical Sedition neither is it so much strengthned by the uniting of the Kingdom of Polonia as it is by civil dissention weakned And in this motion of Peace nothing is sought for but to gain time for the pacifying of their private Quarrels that they may afterward with their double Forces set upon us For if we shall break up our Siege before we have won the City they will easily find delays so long to protract the conclusion of Peace until that either Uladislaus his good Fortune or else the Hungarians being of themselves better advised shall make an end of their Civil Wars What manner and conditions of Peace will they then require of us when they are at Unity amongst themselves and in Arms against us seeing that now being in danger with mutual Discord and almost by us vanquished they think it reasonable as if they had won the Field that we should first raise our Siege and then intreat of Peace Their proud Demands for the Restitution of Bulgaria and Rascia with other Countries and Cities won by our travel and danger already sound in mine ears which if we shall refuse to grant not only the Hungarians being then at Unity among themselves but also the Polonians joyned unto them will bring those Wars home to our doors which we now at great advantage make upon them troubled with discord and civil broils And if for desire of Peace we could be content to yield unto such shameful and miserable Conditions and restore unto them all they should or in reason could desire do you think the Prince of Servia would rest contented with his own whose haughty mind I am sure being inflate with the combining of two such mighty Kingdoms thinketh not only of the recovery of that he hath lost but even now gapeth at all that is Ours in Europe He will not think himself satisfied before he having brought the Hungarian and Polonian Forces against us shall see the same havock and spoil made in our Kingdom with Fire and Sword which he hath before seen made by us in his own Where if his Fortune should answer his Designs which God forbid but yet it may chance desire all the miserable and intolerable Outrages which are to be feared of an angry Conqueror it is accounted with them for a godly and religious Work to use all cruel and unspeakable Villanies against our Nation except we will forsake the Faith and Religion delivered unto us by our Ancestors and follow their new and incredible Ceremonies Neither do they think they can more easily and effectually procure the Favor of God with any kind of Sacrifice or Service than by overthrowing and prophaning our Temples by scoffing at our most sacred and secret Rites and Ceremonies by scorning our Religion and Priests and that you may know all the Fury wherewith they rage against us and our Religion they account all them for holy Saints which die in fight against us There is no cause valiant Souldiers that upon the vain hope of Peace we should expect whilst the Enemy doth gather and unite his Forces and Arms against us especially such an Enemy as propoundeth not spoil and worldly Honours but Immortality it self as a reward of his Victory We have already taken much more labour than we have to take we have filled the Ditches with restless labour we have cast up Bulwarks equal with the Walls and part of the Walls we have beaten even with the ground so that you see the Town half opened and that Town by gaining whereof all that Ours is may be made safe and quiet and that which our Enemy possesseth subject to our spoil and prey If you will
Wherefore for God his Cause I request you above all things to continue the Christian League and with your happy and victorious Forces to march forward into Macedonia and Thracia as is before by you with the other Christian Princes your Confederates agreed In conclusion having much spoken of the Authority and Power of the great Bishop he in his Name disannulled the League whatsoever by the King made with the Turk and absolved him with the rest whom it might concern from the Oath they had given and the Promise they had made Which so well contented both the King and the rest that there was now no more question of the Oath or of the lawfulness of the War but a Decree made for the continuation of the League with the other Christian Princes their Confederates and for the prosecution of the Wars against the Turks as was with them before agreed whom they could now say they were not to forsake and to leave them as a Prey unto the Turk their greedy Enemy now for nothing more in danger than for that at their request they had taken up Arms in their quarrel Unto which unfortunate Decree both the Despot and Huniades the chief Authors of the late Peace betwixt the King and Amurath easily consented the Despot induced with the great hope he had conceived of the good success of the War and Huniades with the desire of the Kingdom of Bulgaria promised unto him by Uladislaus and by fair Charter also as some said assured unto him Of this the Kings Resolution for the breach of the Peace with the Turks notice was with all speed given unto the Constantinopolitan Emperor and Francis the Florentine Cardinal then lying with a Fleet of seventy Gallies at the Straits of Hellespontus for fear lest they hearing of the former concluded Peace should alter also or else quite desist from their former purposes In the mean time whilst these things were yet in plotting the Turk ignorant hereof according to his promise had withdrawn all his Garrisons out of Servia and other places before agreed upon in the late concluded Peace restoring the same unto the Despot and others the lawful Owners although it was not done at the very prefixed day at which it should have been done In which time also he set at liberty great numbers of Captives and amongst the rest the two blind Sons of the Prince of Servia faithfully performing whatsoever he had before upon his Religion promised in the League with the Christians before concluded so desirous he was of Peace with the Hungarians Howbeit Uladislaus by the Counsel of Huniades detained to his own use certain of the strong Holds in Servia for which cause George the Despot ever afterwards bore a secret grudge against Huniades Now as King Uladislaus having by the perswasion of Iulian the Cardinal renounced the League betwixt him and Amurath was preparing his Forces the fame of the Epirot Prince Scanderbeg was also by the recovery of his Fathers Kingdom of Epirus out of the Turks hands and by the late Overthrow of Alis Bassa grown great every one speaking of him honour and praise Wherewith Uladislaus moved and reasonably perswaded what a furtherance it would be unto his haughty designs aiming at no less than the utter overthrow of the Turks Kingdom in Europe if he might unto his own great preparations joyn also the strength of that so fortunate a Prince by the consent of his Nobility with all speed dispatched away his Embassadors with Letters unto him certifying him of his honourable purpose for the rooting out of â—he Turks and in that common cause praying his Aid against such a dangerous and dreadful enemy The purport whereof here followeth Vladislaus King of Hungary and Polonia unto the noble Scanderbeg Prince of Epirus greeting IT may be that some good hap hath deferred this our late Congratulation until this present to the intent we might at this time together with you rejoyce in the double success of your Prosperity first for the happy recovery of your Estate and then for that the same hath by your wisdom and valour of late been so notably defended Wherefore in this we rejoyce not only in your behalf but in the behalf of all good Christians that it hath pleased God of his goodness by your valour to have given so great an increase and comfort unto the Christian Commonwealth for as much as amongst others our great Evils the loss of the Albanian people hath not been to be accounted the least at such time as John Castriot a worthy Prince your Father oppressed by Amurath and by the ungrateful Destinies taken out of this world had neither the means to leave unto you his Kingdom and Scepter as unto his Son then living in his Enemies Power either was able yet otherwise to provide for his Affairs And would to God this your Father most happy in such a Son might have till now lived whose felicity had in that surmounted all others if he might have seen you before his death For as you seem unto me above all other Princes in the World without offence be it said most accomplished with all the good Graces and Perfections both of body and mind so are you indowed also with a certain divine and wonderful Fortune under the good Conduct whereof not only the whole Kingdom of Epirus may think it self in security but all the rest of the other Nations also lately by the detestable fraud and violence of the Othoman Kings dismembred from the Realm of Macedon may also recover the former beaâ—ty of their ancient Laws and Liberties For to say nothing of those things which even from your Childhood having continually made you envied have herâ—tofore purchased unto you an immortal Fame and Glory even amongst the Barbarians themselves what can be more glorious than this Victory which as we have heard and believe you to your singular admiration have obtained by the overthrow and uâ—ter discomfiture of Alis Bassa with his so great and mighty a Power But now O Scanderbeg God so appointing it who in his deep and secret Wisdom hath reserved you unto these so dangerous times for the Publique Good and Comfort of the Christian Commonweal there offers it self unto you an object of far greater Glory with a fair and fit occasion for you to revenge your self of all the Wrâ—ngs and Injuries both new and old by Amurath the Turkish Sultan done not in private to the person of your self only but unto the whole State and Kingdom of Epirus also and not the domestical and civil Miseries of your own Country only but the Publique Calamities also and those approbrious Disgraces done against the Christian Faith and Religion in general now oppressed I will not say extinguished and that is if you with your victorious Forces will succâ—ur us in this extremity of our Affairs not yet altogether desperate Hereunto do all the Princes of Hungary and Polonia and all other men of courage invite you
you and had rather have you our voluntary Companions and Friends than our enforced Servants and Slaves This the Bassa spake with great gravity and no less vehemency expecting some great motions to have risen in the minds of the Souldiers But when he perceived that his Speech had rather filled them with indignation than with fear and that it was but a vain thing to go about to terrifie them with Words whom all the Power of Amurath could not make afraid with Weapons he requested to talk alone with the Governor in secret which was also granted For all men had no less good opinion of the worthy Governors Fidelity than of his great Wisdom and Valour The crafty Bassa having him by himself began with great cunning to deliver his more secret message when Uranacontes perceiving by a little what the whole tale meant interrupted him in the middle of his Speech and without more ado commanded him to depart straitly charging him That neither he nor any other should after that time presume to come from his Master to the City to speak with him about any such dishonourable matter for if he did he would in detestation thereof cause their Hands their Nose their Ears to be cut off and so return them dismembred instead of answer And so the Bassa was with his Presents again returned out of the City and no man suffered to receive any thing of him in reward although the Souldiers could have been well content to have eased him and his Servants of that carriage if the Governor would but have winked thereat Great was the expectation in the Turks Camp of the Bassa's return but when they saw the Presents were not received they easily guesâ—ed that all went not as they wished But when Amurath himself understood the Governors resolute answer he in great rage commanded all things to be made ready for a fresh Assault which he did rather to satisfie his anger than upon any hope he had to prevail therein The next day he caused a furious Assault to be given to the City but with greater loss to himself than before the Christians still valiantly defending the City against the Turkish Fury In this Assault many of the Turks were slain at the breach with their own great Shot for whilst Amurath sought therewith to drive the Christians from the defence of the Breach he slew a great number more of the forwardest of his own men than he did of the Defendants But wearied at length to behold the endless slaughter of his men he gave over the Assault and returned into his Camp as if he had been a man halâ—â—rantick or distract of his Wits and there sate down in his Tent all that day full of melancholy Passions sometimes violently pulling his hoary Beard and white Loâ—ks complaining of his hard and diaster Fortune that he had lived so long to see those days of disgrace wherein all his former Glory and triumphant Victories were obscured by one base Town of Epirus His Bassaes and grave Counselloâ—s labouring in the mean time with long discoursâ—s to comfort him up sometimes recounting unto him his many and glorious Victories and other whiles producing antient examples of like event But dark and heavy conceits had so overwhelmed the melancholy old Tyrant that nothing could content his waiward Mind or revive his dying Spirits so that the little remainder of natural heat which was left in his aged Body now oppressed and almost extinguished with melancholy conceits and his aged body dried up with sorrow he became sick for grief Whereupon by the Counsel of some of his Bassaes he sent an Embassador to Scanderbeg offering him Peace if he would yield to pay him a yearly Tribute of ten thousand Ducats thinking by that means his Honour to be well saved if before his departure out of Epirus he could but make Scanderbeg his Tributary This Embassador was by Scanderbeg honourably entertained in his Camp but the offered Peace at the same time utterly refused The Embassador returning to Amurath declared unto him the evil success of his Embassage which greatly increased his melancholy Sickness And Scanderbeg to grieve him the more understanding that he was dangerously sick and that the great Bassaes were more careful of the Kings health than of the success of his Wars divers cimes assailed the Turks Camp. Which thing though the Bassaes kept from his knowledge with all carefulness yet he oftentimes suspected the matter by the often Alarms and Tumults in the Camp and with the grief thereof languished So feeling his sickness dayly to encrease and that he could not longer live lying upon a Pallet in his Paâ—ilion grievosly complained to his Bassaes That the Destinies had so blemished all the former course of his Life with such an obscure Death that he which had so often repressed the fury of the Hungarians and almost brought to nought the pride of the Grecians together with their name should now be enforced to give up the Ghost under the Walls of an obscure Castle as he termed it and that in the sight of his contemptible Enemy After that turning himself to his Son Mahomet he earnestly commended him to the faithfulness of his Bassaes and gave him many grave advertisements sometimes in secret betwixt themselves and sometimes in the hearing of others want of strength and abundance of tears running down his aged Face upon the sight of his Son oftentimes interrupting his Speech Yet sick unto death as he was and drawing fast unto his end he forced himself to warn his Son of such things as now at his death grieved him most Lâ—t mine example quoth he be a warning unto thee my Son never to contemn thine Enemy be he never so weak of which one thing above all others I have repented my self of long and shall do after my death if any feeling of humane things remain in the dead And that I was so foolish and inconsiderate as to faster as it were in my bosome this my domestical and neglected Enemy whereby I have purchased unto my self this calamity and for ever blemished the Honour of the Othoman Kings whilst I so basely ending my days under the Walls of Croia shall become a by-word unto the World and all Posterity for ever This Traitor should even then have been oppressed when he by great Treachery first recovered his wicked Kingdom in that newness of his Estate and before the minds of the People were assured unto him then it had been an easie matter without bloodshed to have utterly extinguished the wretch together with his name Alis Bassa whose evil Fortune was the first beginning of his good Nor the other Generals who by him slain or taken Prisoners increased his strength and credit unto his Subjects should not have been sent against him a thing which I have oftentimes thought upon but could scarce have believed that ever I should have thereby received such disgrace together with the ignominious renting of my Kingdom if I
had not been taught the same by mine own experience to my great loss and hearts grief We entred into Epirus and here encamped an hundred and threescore thousand men strong now if leasure serve you take view of them examine the matter you shall find a great want of that number The Fields could not contain our Regiments and the multitude of our mâ—n but now how many Tents stand empty how many Horses want Riders You shall go to Hadrianople with our Forces much impaired As for me the Destinies have vowed my Spirits to this Country of Epirus as unto me fatal But wherefore do I impute unto my self these impediments and chances of Fortune For then first began this seed of mischief in Epirus when the Hungarians with other the Christian Princes rose up in Arms against us at which time we fought not with them for Soveraignty but for the whole State of our Kingdom as the bloody Battlâ—s of Varna and Cossova still witness unto the World. So whilst I had neither leisure nor sufficient pâ—wer to take order for all my important Affairs at 〈◊〉 in the mean time this Enemy grew as you see But how or in what order you are hereafter to wage War against him you may not look for any directions from me which have in all these matters so evil directed my self Fortune never deceived my endeavour more than in this But happily thou Mahomet my Sâ—a maist prove a more fortunate Warrior against him and for so many Honours already given unto me the Destinies have reserved the triumph of Epirus for thee Wherefore my Son thou shalt receive from me this Scepter and these Royal Ensigns but above all things I leave unto thee this Enemy charging thee not to leave my death unrevenged It is all I charge thee with for so great and stately a Patrimony as thou art to receive from me it is the only Sacrifice that my old departing Ghost desireth of thee Shortly after he became speechless and striving with the Pangs of Death half a day he then breathed out his gastly Ghost to the great joy and contentment of the poor oppressed Christians He died about the midle of Autumn in the year of our Lord 1450 when he had lived eighty five years as most write and thereof reigned eight and twenty years or as some others report thirty about five months after the Siege laid before Croia Thus lieth great Amurath erst not inferior unto the greatest Monarchs of that Age dead almost in despair a worthy mirror of Honours frailty yeilding unto the worldly man in the end neither comfort nor relief Who had fought greater Battels who had gained greater Victories or obtained more glorious Triumphs than had Amurath who by the Spoils of so many mighty Kings and Princes and by the conquest of so many proud and warlike Nations again restored and established the Turks Kingdom before by Tamerlane and the Tartars in a manner clean defaced He it was that burst the heart of the proud Grecians establishing his Empire at Hadrianople even in the Center of their Bowels from whence have proceeded so many miseries and calamities into the greatest part of Christendom as no Tongue is able to express He it was that first brake down the Hexamile or Wall of separation on the Strait of Corinth and conquered the greatest part of Peloponesus He it was that subdued unto the Turks so many great Countries and Provinces in Asia that in plain Feild and set Battel overthrew many puissant Kings and Princes and brought them under his Subjection who having slain Uladislaus the King of Polonia and Hungary and more than once chased out of the Field Huniades that famous and redoubted Warrior had in his proud and ambitious Heart promised unto himself the Conquest of a great part of Christendom But O how far was he now changed from the man he then was how far did these his last Speeches differ from the course of his fore passed life full of such base passionate complaints and lamentations as beseemed not a man of his place and spirit but some vile wretch overtaken with despair and yet afraid to die Where were now those haughty Thoughts those lofty Looks those thundering and commanding Speeches whereat so many great Commanders so many Troops and Legions so many thousands of armed Souldiers were wont to tremble and quake Where is that Head before adorned with so many Trophies and Triumphs Where is that victorious Hand that swaied so many Scepters Where is the Majesty of his Power and Strength that commanded over so many Nations and Kingdoms O how is the case now altered he lieth now dead a gastly filthy stinking Carcass a Clod of Clay unregarded his Hands closed his Eyes shut and his Feet stretched out which erst proudly traced the Countries by him subdued and conquered And now of such infinite Riches such unmeasurable Wealth such huge Treasures such stately Honours and vain glorious Praises as he in his life time enjoyed his frail Body enjoyeth nothing but left all behind it O the weak condition of Mans Nature O the vain glory of mortal Creatures O the blind and perverse thoughts of foolish men Why do we so magnifie our selves why are we so puft up with Pride why do we so much set our minds upon Riches Authority and other vanities of this Life whereof never man had yet one days assurance and at our most need and when we least think quite forsake us leaving even them that most sought after them and most abounded in them shrowded oftentimes in the Sheet of Dishonour and Shame That his death is otherwise by some reported I am not ignorant The Turks saying that he died miraculously forewarned of his death at Hadrianople and some others That he died in Asia strucken with an Apoplexy proceeding of a Surfeit taken of the immoderate drinking of Wine But Marinus Barlesius who lived in his time in Scodra fast by Epirus whose Authority in report of the Wars betwixt him and Scanderbeg we follow setteth it down in such manner as is aforesaid Presently after his death Mahomet his Son for fear of some innovation to be made at home raised the Siege and returned to Hadrianople and afterward with great Solemnity buried his dead body at the West side of Prusa in the Suburbs of the City where he now lieth in a Chappel without any roof his Grave nothing differing from the manner of the common Turks which they say he commanded to be done in his last Will that the Mercy and Blessing of God as he termed it might come unto him by the shining of the Sun and Moon and falling of the Rain and Dew of Heaven upon his Grave He whilst he lived mightily enlarged the Turkish Kingdom and with greater Wisdom and Policy than his Predecessors established the same insomuch that some attribute unto him the first institution of the Ianizaries and other Souldiers of the Court the greatest Strength of the Turkish Empire
wonderfully even to the astonishment of the World increased and extended their Empire But of them more shall be said hereafter This great King was whilst he lived of his Subjects wonderfully beloved and no less of them after his death lamented He was more faithful of his word than any of the Turkish Kings either before or after him by Nature melancholy and sad and accounted rather politick than valiant yet was indeed both a great dissembler and painful in travel but wayward and testy above measure which many imputed unto his great Age. He had issue six Sons Achmetes Aladin Mahomet Hasan otherwise called Chasan Urchan and Achmetes the younger of some called Calepinus three of whom died before but the two youngest were by their unnatural Brother Mahomet who succeeded him in the Turkish Kingdom even in their infancy in the beginning of his Reign most cruelly murthered Christian Princes of the same time with Amurath the Second Emperors Of the East John Palaeologus 1421. 24. Constantinus Palaeologus 1444. 8. Of the West Sigismund King of Hungary 1411. 28. Albert the Second King of Hungary and Bohemia 1438. 2. Frederick the Third Arch-Duke of Austria 1440. 54. Kings Of England Henry the Fifth 1413. 9. Henry the Sixth 1422. 39. Of France Charles the Sixth 1381. 42. Charles the Seventh 1423. 38. Of Scotland James the First 1424. 13. James the Second 1436. 29. Bishops of Rome Martin the V. 1417. 13. Eugenius the IV. 1431. 16. Nicholas the V. 1447. 8. Qui riâ—i inÌ„uumeros populos tot regno lot urbes Solus eâ— immensi qui timor orbis â—ram Me 〈◊〉 quaecunque rapit mors improba sed sum 〈◊〉 â—xcelsa duclus ad astra tamen 〈◊〉 Aleâ—â—â—nder non me suit Anibal et non Eâ—deriâ— Auâ—oniâ—s tot licet ille Duces 〈…〉 Danaos domuique feroces 〈…〉 populâ—s Sauromatas que truces Pannonius sensiâ—â—â— antum surgebit in armis Vis meaâ—quâ—e latio cognita nuper erat Arsacidae sensere manus has sensit Arabsque El mea suâ—t Persae cognita tela duci Mens fueral bellâ—re Rhodum superare superbam Italiam sed non fata dedere modum Hei mehi nam rapuit mors aspera quaeque sub alto Pectore â—onâ—ideram rertit et hora brevis Sic hominum faâ—lus perâ—unt sic Stemata Sicque Imperium atque qurum quicquid et Orbis habet I who to kingdomes Cities brought their fate The terrour of the trembling world of late Yield to the greater Monarch Death but am Yet proud to think of my immortal fame Greater than Alexander once was I Or him that Camps of Romans did destroy I vanquisht the victorious Greeks and I Destroyd Epyrus and fierce Tartary From mighty Me th'Hungarians had their doome And the report reacht y e proud walls oâ— Rome Th'Assyrian and Arabian felt my hand Nor could the Persian my dread power withstand Ore Rhodes and Italy I designd to ride But fate the progress of my aimes denyd Ai me grim Death and one unlucky houre Has baffled all my thoughts and boundless power So haughty man and all his hopes decay And so all sublunary gloryes pass away The LIFE of MAHOMET The Second of that NAME The Seventh KING and First EMPEROR of the TURKS For his many VICTORIES sirnamed The Great THE report of the death of old Amurath the late King was in short time blown through most part of Christendom to the great joy of many but especially of the Greeks and other poor Christians which bordered upon the Tyrants Kingdom who were now in hope together with the change of the Turkish King to make exchange also of their bad Estate and Fortune and the rather for that it was thought that his eldest Son Mahomet after the death of his Father would have imbraced the Christian Religion being in his Childhood instructed therein as was supposed by his Mother the Daughter of the Prince of Servia a Christian. But vain was this hope and the joy thereof but short as afterward by proof appeared For Mahomet being about the Age of one and twenty years succeeding his Father in the Kingdom in the year of our Lord 1450. year 1450. embraced in shew the Mahometan Religion abhorring the Christian but indeed making no great reckoning either of the one or of the other but as a meer Atheist devoid of all Religion and worshiping no other God but good Fortune derided the simplicity of all such as thought that God had any care or regard of worldly men or of their actions which graceless resolution so wrought in him that he thought all things lawful that agreed with his lust and making conscience of nothing kept no League Promise or Oath longer than stood with his Profit or Pleasure Now in the Court men stood diversly affected towards the present State the mighty Bassaes and others of great Authority unto whom the old Kings Government was never grievous inwardly lamented his death doubting lest the fierce Nature of the young King should turn to the hurt of some of them in particular and the shortning of their Authority in general as indeed it shortly after fell out But the lusty Gallants of the Court weary of the old King who in hope of preferment had long wished for the Government of the young Prince were glad to see him set upon his Fathers Seat. And the vulgar People never constant but in unconstancy and alwaies fawning upon the present exceedingly rejoyced in their young King. The Ianizaries also at the same time according to their accustomed manner took the Spoil of the Christians and Jews that dwelt amongst them and easily obtained pardon for the same whereupon he was by the same Ianizaries and other Souldiers of the Court with great Triumph saluted King. Which approbation of these men of War is unto the Turkish Kings a greater assurance for the possession of their Kingdom than to be born the eldest Son of the King as in the process of this History shall appear so great is the power of these masterful Slaves in promoting to the Kingdom whichsoever of the Kings Sons they most favour without much regard whether they be the eldest or not This young Tyrant was no sooner possessed of his Fathers Kingdom but that he forgetting the Laws of Nature was presently in person himself about to have murthered with his own hands his youngest Brother then but eighteen Months old begotten on the Daughter of Sponderbius Which unnatural part Moses one of his Bassaes and a man greatly in his favour perceiving requested him not to embrue his own hands in the blood of his Brother but rather to commit the execution thereof to some other which thing Mahomet commanded him the Author of that counsel forthwith to do So Moses taking the Child from the Nurse strangled it with pouring water down the throat thereof The young Lady understanding of the death of her Child as a Woman whom Fury had made past fear came and in her rage reviled the Tyrant to
Turk the sixth of August in the year of our Lord 1456. Shortly after this most valiant and renowned Captain Huniades worthy of Immortal Praise died of a hurt taken in these Wars or as some others write of the Plague which was then rise in Hungary who when he felt himself in danger of death desired to receive the Sacrament before his departure and would in any case sick as he was be carried to the Church to receive the same saying That it is not fit that the Lord should come to the house of his Servant but the Servant rather to go to the House of his Lord and Master He was the first Christian Captain that shewed the Turks were to be overcome and obtained more great Victories against them than any one of the Christian Princes before him He was unto that barbarous people a great terror and with the spoil of them beautified his Country and now dying was by the Hungarians honourably buried at Alba Iulia in St. Stephens Church his death being greatly lamented of all good men of that Age. Mahomet the Turkish Emperor no less desirous to extend his Empire with the glory of his Name by Sea than by Land shortly after the taking of Constantinople put a great Fleet to Sea wherein he surprised divers Islands in the Aegeum and hardly besieged the City of the Rhodes At which time Calixtus the Third then Bishop of Rome aided by the Genoways for the grudge they bare against the Turks for the taking of Pera put to Sea a Fleet of sixteen tall Ships and Gallies well appointed under the Conduct of Ludovicus Patriarch of Aquilla who with that Fleet scoured the Seas and recovered again from the Turks the Island of Lemnos with divers other small Islands thereabout and encountring with the Turks Fleet near unto the Island of the Rhodes at a place called The Burrow of St. Paul discomfited them sunk and took divers of their Gallies and forced them to forsake the Rhodes After which Victory at Sea he for the space of three years with his Gallies at his pleasure spoiled the Frontiers of the Turks Dominions all alongst the Sea coast of the lesser Asia and wonderfully terrified the effeminate people of those Countries and so at length returned home carrying away with him many Prisoners and much rich spoil After that Mahomet was thus shamefully driven from the Siege of Belgrade and his Fleet at Sea discomfited as is before declared he began with great diligence to make new preparation against the next Spring to subdue the Isles of the Aegeum specially those which lay near unto â—â—loponnesus But whilst he was busie in those Cogitations in the mean time Embassadors from Usun-Cassanes the great Persian King arrived at Constantinople with divers rich Presents sent to him from the said King. Where among other things they presented unto him a pair of Playing-Tables wherein the men and dice were of great and rich precious Stones of inestimable worth and the Workmanship nothing inferior to the matter which the Embassadors for Ostentation said That Usun-Cassanes found in the Treasures of the Persian King whom he had but a little before slain and bereft of his Kingdom and had there been left long before by the mighty Conqueror Tamerlane Together with these Presents they delivered their Embassage the effect whereof was That those two mighty Princes might joyn and live together in Amity and that whereas David the Emperor of Trapezond had promised to pay unto Mahomet a yearly Tribute enforced thereunto by George his Lieutenant in Asia he should not now look for any such thing forasmuch as that Empire after the death of the Emperor then living should of right belong unto Usun-Cassanes in right of his Wife who was the Daughter of Calo-Ioannes the elder Brother of David the Emperor then living and further required him from that time not to trouble or molest the said Emperor his Friend and near Alliance so should he find him his faithful and kind Confederate otherwise it was as they said in his choice to draw upon himself the heavy displeasure of a most mighty Enemy Mahomet before envying at the rising of the Persian King and now disdaining such peremptory Requests little differing from proud Commands in great choler dismissed the Embassadors with this short answer That he would ere long be in Asia himself in Person to teach Usun-Cassanes what to request of a greater than himself This unkindness was the beginning and ground of the mortal Wars which afterwards ensued betwixt these two then the greatest Princes of the East as shall be hereafter more at large declared The Embassadors being departed and Mahomets Fleet of an hundred and fifty Sail ready to put to Sea he altered his former determination for the Islands of the Aegeum which after the loss of Constantinople had for the most part put themselves under the Protection of the Venetians and commanded his Admiral with that Fleet to take his course through the Straits of Bosphorus into the great Euxin Sea now called the Black Sea and so sailing along the coast to come to Anchor before Sinope the chief City of Paphlagonia and there to expect his coming thither with his Army by Land. This great City of Sinope stands pleasantly on a point of the Main which runs a great way into the Euxin sometime the Metrapolitical City of that Province but as then with Castamona and all the Country thereabout was under the Government of Ismael a Mahometan Prince upon whom Mahomet had now bent his Forces for no other cause than that he was in League with Usun-Cassan the Persian King. Now with great Expedition had Mahomet levied a strong Army and passing therewith over into Asia was come before he was looked for to Sinope Ismael seeing himself so suddenly beset both by Sea and Land in his strongest City although he wanted nothing needful for his defence having in the City four hundred pieces of great Artillery and ten thousand Souldiers yet doubting to be able with that strength to indure the Siege offered to yield up the City to Mahomet with all the rest of his Dominion upon condition That he should freely give him in lieu thereof the city of Philippopolis in Thracia with the Country thereto adjoyning Of which Offer Mahomet accepted and so taking possession of Sinope with the strong City of Castamona and all the rest of the Princes Territory sent him away with all his things to Philippopolis as he had promised This Ismael was the last of the Honourable House of the Isfendiars who had long time reigned at Heraclea and Castamona in Pontus From Sinope he marched on forward with his Army to Trapezond This famous City standeth also upon the side of the Euxin or Black Sea in the Country of Pontus where the Emperors of Constantinople had always their Deputies whilst that Empire flourished and commanded the East part of the World as far as Parthia but after it began again
Lords his Confederates and the Embassadors of the Venetians into his Bed-Chamber Where after he had at large with greater pain notably discoursed of his troublesome life led among them than he had before passed the same and carefully forewarned them of the dangers like to ensue he earnestly exhorted them to continue in Unity and Concord and valiantly to stand in defence of their Religion Country and Liberty And afterwards turning his Speech to his Wife and his Son commended them both with his Kingdom to the tuition of the Venetians who by the Articles of the Confederation betwixt him and them were in honour bound to protect his Son and Kingdom during the time of his Minority and afterwards peaceably to place him in the same In fine he willed his Wife after his Death to pass over with her Son into Apulia where they might in safety and quiet live upon such Possessions as he there held by the Gift of King Ferdinand And so after he had with most fervent prayer commended his Soul into the hands of Almighty God departed in peace the 17 th day of Ianuary in the year of our Lord 1466. when he had lived about 63 years and thereof raigned about 24. His death was worthily lamented of all Christian Princes but especially of the Venetians and Princes of Albania who had now lost their most careful Watchman and invincible Champion the sorrow of his Subjects is not to be expressed every man bewailing him as the only stay of the Common-weal and as if with him they had lost all their hope His dead Body was with the general Lamentation of all Men royally buried in the Cathedral-Church of St. Nicholas at Lyssa where it rested in peace until that about nine years after the Turks coming to the Siege of Scodra by the way took the City of Lyssa and there with great devotion digged up his Bones reckoning it some part of their happiness if they might but see or touch the same and such as could get any part thereof were it never so little caused the same to be set some in Silver some in Gold to hang about their Necks or wear upon their Bodies perswading themselves by the wearing thereof to be partakers of such good fortune and hap as had Scanderbeg himself whilst he lived which is not unaptly by Gabriel Fairnus of Cremona thus in Verse expressed Turcarum clades Othomanni nominis horror Epiri tutela illo jacuere Sepulchro Quo quondam invicti cubuerunt ossa Georgi Nunc membra viri dissectum in frustra sepulchrum Interijt sparsi manes conscisa vaguntur Ossa nec in gelida nunc saltem morte quiescunt Namque ut is assertum toties cum laude paternum Imperium exacta moriens aetate reliquit Illicet immanes tenuerunt omnia Turcae Tum clari Herois venerati nobile bustum Ossaque marmoraque invictum condentia corpus Abstuierant sibi quisque in partes secta minutas Tanquam ijs bellica vis Martiuss ardor inesset Et genium praestare bonum sortemque valerent Sic quae alijs tumulum virtus parat abstulit illi Atque cadem diro venerandum praebuit hosti In English thus The bloody Bane of faithless Turks and terrour of their Name Epirus strong defence and guard lay buried there with fame Within that Tomb wherein long since Great Castriotus lay But now those Limbs and Tomb defac'd are carried quite away The remnants of that worthy Wight out of his grave were torn And being dead could find no rest but were for Jewels worn For after he far spent with age gave place to fatal Doom And left his Fathers Kingdom got and kept with great Renown Forthwith the cruel Turks prevail'd and all things there possest Who worshipping his stately Tomb and place of quiet rest Dig'd up his Bones and brake the Tomb wherein he did remain And glad was he that could thereof some little part obtain As if in them some Martial force or vertue great had been Or fortune rare such as before in him was living seen So Vertue which to others gives a Sepulture and Grave Bereft it him yet forc'd his Foe in Honour it to have Most part of the times of those Wars betwixt Mahomet and Scanderbeg the Venetians by Sea and the Hungarians by Land kept the Turks throughly busied Mathias Corvinus King of Hungary according to his promise made unto the Venetians entred into the Kingdom of Bosna where by force he overthrew the strong Forts which the Turks had built for the defence of their Frontiers and manfully drave them out before him until he came to Iaziga of some called Iaitze the chief City of Bosna which he at length took and following the course of his Victory scarcely sufferd the Turks to breath until he had by force wrested all that Kingdom out of their hands Wherewith Mahomet being exceedingly grieved in great fury came with a strong Army into Bosna and laid hard Siege to Iaziga which was by the Christians right valiantly defended until Mathias with a puissant Army came to the Relief thereof who so troubled the Turks Camp with continual Skirmishes on the one side and they of the Town with desperate Sallies on the other that at length the proud Turk was driven to such extremity that he was glad secretly to steal away by night with all his Army into Servia and for hast to leave behind him both his Tents and great Ordnance which the Turks Histories report he caused to be cast into the River because it should not come into the hands of the Christians Mathias after he had thus valiantly put to flight his Enemies and relieved his City followed the Turks into Servia and took part of that Country alâ—o which together with Bosna he united to the Kingdom of Hungary In these Wars Mahomet had such proof of the Force and Power of Mathias and the Hungarian that for a good while after he had no great stomach to provoke them farther for why the name of Mathias was now become unto the Turks no less dreadful than was sometime the name of his Father the valiant Huniades The Venetians at the same time also with their Gallies scoured the Seas and landing their Men sometime in one place sometime in another did great harm in many places of the Turks Dominion near unto the Sea coast Amongst other their Generals at divers times sent from that State one Nicholas Canalis succeeding Lauretanus whom we have before spoken of as soon as he had received his Charge came with his Fleet into the Bay of Salonichi and landing his Men burnt divers Towns and Villages alongst the Sea side And afterwards returning into Peloponnesus he fortified the Town of Legosticium in the Gulf of Patras which work the Turks with their often Skirmishes laboured to have hindred but in despite of all they could do it was brought to perfection and a strong Garrison therein left for the defence thereof which
together most miserably slain The rest of the Citizens whose hard fortune it was to escape the Sword as people reserved to more misery were afterward shipt over into Grecia and there sold for Slaves The landing of the Turks in Apulia with the taking of Otranto brought a general fear upon all Italy insomuch that Sixtus Quartus then the great Bishop of Rome forgetting all things save himself was about to have forsaken the City for fear Now after the Turks had at their pleasure ransackt Otranto Achmetes caused the same to be strongly fortified as the sure footing of the Turks in Italy and victualled for eighteen months and there leaving eight thousand of his best Souldiers in Garrison returned himself with the rest to Vallona and so by Land to Constantinople to know his great Masters further pleasure but purposing with himself with the first of the next Spring to have returned with greater forces again to Italy for the prosecuting of his former Victory Which if he had done it was grealty to have been feared that all that goodly Country sometime Mistris of the World but then and yet also rent in sunder by the discord and ambition of the Christian Princes had in short time become a prey unto the barbarous Turk for ever But whilst the great Tyrant in his life time the great scourge of Christendom thus proudly plotteth the ruin and destruction of fair Italy God in whose hands the hearts of Kings are 〈◊〉 an hook in the great Tyrants Nose and led him quite another way For at the same time the Caramanian King aided by the Persian and the Sultan of Egypt had in a great Battel overthrown Bajazet Mahomets eldest Son then living and slain most part of his Army in revenge whereof Mahomet with great expedition raised a great and puissant Army and taking Achmetes with him as his chief man of War rejecting the Wars of Italy unto a more convenient time passed over into Asia where upon the way about a days journey short of Nicomedia a City of Bithynia at a place called Geivisin he fell sick and there for the space of three days grievously tormented with an extream pain in his Belly which some supposed to be the Colick died but being indeed as most men thought poysoned when he had lived about 52 years and thereof reigned 31 in the year of our Lord 1481. year 1481. His Body was afterwards magnificently buried in a Chappel near unto the great Mahometan Temple which he himself first built at Constantinople The death of this mighty man who living troubled a great part of the World was not much more lamented by those that were nearest unto him who ever living in fear of his Cruelty hated him deadly than of his Enemies who ever in doubt of his greatness were glad to hear of his end He was of stature but low and nothing answerable to the height of his mind square set and strong limmed not inferior in strength when he was young unto any in his Fathers Court but to Scanderbeg only his complexion was Tartarlike sallow and melancholy as were most of his Ancestors the Othoman Kings his look and countenance stern with his Eyes piercing hollow and a little sunk as it were into his Head and his Nose so high and crooked that it almost touched his upper Lip. To be brief his countenance was altogether such as if Nature had with most cunning hand therein depainted and most curiously set forth to view the inward disposition and qualities of his mind which were on both parts notable He was of a very sharp and apprehensive Wit learned as amongst that Nation especially in Astronomy and could speak the Greek Latine Arabick Chaldee and Persian Tongues He delighted much in regarding of Histories and the Lives of worthy Men especially the Lives of Alexander the Great and of Iulius Caesar whom he proposed to himself as examples to follow He was of an exceeding Courage and thereto very fortunate a severe punisher of injustice in them especially to whom he had committed the administration of Justice Men that excelled in any quality he greatly favoured and honourably entertained as he did Gentil Bellin a Painter of Venice whom he purposely caused to come from thence to Constantinople to draw the lively counterfeit of himself for which he most honourably rewarded him He so severely punished theft as that in his time all the ways were safe and a Theef scarcely to be heard of But these good parts were in him obscured with most horrible and notorious Vices for why he was altogether irreligious and of all others most perfideous ambitious above measure and in nothing more delighted than in blood insomuch that it is probably gathered that he was in his time the death of eight hundred thousand men Craft Covetousness and Dissimulation were in him accounted for tollerable Faults in comparison of his greater Vices In his love was no assurance and his least displeasure was death so that he lived feared of all men and died lamented of none He had issue three Sons Mustapha dead before him as is before declared Bajazet and Gemes or rather Zemes of some called Zizimus Competitor of the Empire with his eldest Brother whom he exceedingly troubled in the beginning of his Reign so that he could not well attend any other thing but him which opportunity by God himself no doubt offered for the safeguard of Italy Alphoâ—sus Duke of Calabria King Ferdinand his eldest Son taking hold upon with all the power he could make in Italy besieged the Turks in Otranto with whom he had many sharp skirmishes wherein he lost divers of his great Captains and Commanders as the Count Iulio de Aquaiva Loys de Capua and the Count Iulio de Pisa with others and was still by the strong Garrison of the Turks put to the worse until such time as being strengthned with Aid out of Spain and Portugal but especially with certain Companies of most valiant Souldiers sent from Matthias Corvinus out of Hungary whose Forces the Turks most feared he began to cut them short and straitly besieged the City both by Sea and Land until at length the besieged Turks hearing of the death of their great Emperor and now hardly pressed with the dangers of a strait Siege no longer expecting the return of Achmetes their General then ready to have come to their rescue with five and twenty thousand Souldiers yielded up the City unto the Duke upon composition before made That they might with bag and baggage in safety depart thence which they did after they had to the great terror of all Italy holden that strong City by the space of a year And so was that rich Country rather by the mercy of God in taking away the great Tyrant preserved than by the strength or policy of the Inhabitants which was then in great danger to have for ever given place unto the power of the great Tyrant had he longer lived yea and
by the Turks Horsemen and brought back to the Bassa Techellis thus put to flight Ionuses caused strait inquisition to be made through all the Cities of the lesser Asia for all such as had professed the Persian Religion and them whom he found to have born Arms in the late Rebellion he caused to be put to death with most exquisit Torments and the rest to be burnt in their Foreheads with an hot Iron thereby for ever to be known whom together with the Kinsfolks and Friends of them that were executed or fled with Techellis he caused to be transported into Europe and to be dispersed through Macedonia Epirus and Peloponnesus for fear lest if Techellis now fled into the Persian Kingdom should from thence return with new Forces they should also again repair unto him and raise a new Rebellion This was the beginning course and ending of one of the most dangerous Rebellions that ever troubled the Turkish Empire wherein all or at leastwise the greatest part of their Dominions in Asia might have been easily surprised by the Persian King if he would throughly have prosecuted the occasion and opportunity then offered The remainder of Techellis his Followers flying into Persia by the way lightning upon a Caravan of Merchants laden with Silks and other rich Merchandize took the Spoil thereof for which outrage coming to Tauris the Captains were all by the commandment of Hysmael executed and Techellis himself to the terror of others burnt alive year 1509. The next year which was the year 1509. the fourteenth day of September chanced a great and terrible Earthquake in the City of Constantinople and the Countries thereabouts by the violence whereof a great part of the Walls of that imperial City with many stately Buildings both publick and private were quite overthrown and thirteen thousand People overwhelmed and slain The terror whereof was so great that the People generally forsook their Houses and lay abroad in the Fields yea Bajazet himself then very aged and sore troubled with the Gout for fear thereof removed from Constantinople to Hadrianople but finding himself in no more safety than before he left the City and lay abroad in the Fields in his Tent. This Earthquake indured by the space of eighteen days or as the Turks Histories report a month with very little intermission which was then accounted ominous as portending the miserable calamities which shortly after hapned in the Othoman Family After this Earthquake ensued a great Plague wherewith the City was grievously visited and for the most part unpeopled But after that the Earthquake was ceased and the Mortality asswaged Bajazet caused the imperial City to be with all speed repaired and to that purpose gave out commissions into all parts of his Dominions for the taking up of Workmen so that there were at once in work eighty thousand Workmen who in most beautiful manner in the space of four months again repaired the ruins of that great City Bajazet had by his many Wives eight Sons and six Daughters which lived to be Men and Women grown and the Sons all Governors in divers Provinces of his large Empire whom the Turkish Histories reckon up in this order Abdullah Zelebi Alem Scach Tzihan Scach Achmet Machmut Corcut Selim and Muhamet Yet Antonius Utrius a Genoway who long time lived in Bajazet his Court and as he of himself writeth waited in his Chamber at the time of his death reckoning up the Sons of Bajazet maketh mention but of these six Sciemscia Alemscia Achomates Mahometes Selymus and Corcutus naming the forenamed by names something differing from the other Sciemscia the eldest Governor of Caramania for his towardliness most dearly beloved of his Father died a natural death before him and was of him and his Subjects greatly lamented Alemscia died in like manner of whose death as soon as he was advertised by mourning Letters written in black paper with white Characters as their manner of writing is in certifying of heavy news he cast from him his Scepter with all other tokens of Honour and caused general mourning to be made for him in the Court and through all the City of Constantinople by the space of three days during which time all Shops were shut up all trading forbidden and no sign of mirth to be seen and for a certain space after the manner of their Superstition caused solemn Sacrifices to be made for the health of his Soul and seven thousand Aspers to be given weekly unto the Poor His dead body was afterward with all Princely Pomp conveyed to Prusa and there with great solemnity buried Tzihan Governor of Caria and Muhamet Governor of Capha upon their Fathers heavy displeasure were by his commandment both strangled Of his other four Sons Achmet otherwise called Achomates Machmut or Mahometes Corcut or Corcutus and Selymus the second namely Mahometes was of greatest hope and expectation not given to sensuality or voluptuous pleasure as Achomates his eldest Brother neither altogether bookish as was Corcutus nor yet of so fierce and cruel a Disposition as Selymus but of such a lively Spirit sharp Wit bountiful Disposition and Princely Carriage of himself that in the judgment of most men he seemed already worthy of a Kingdom Which immoderate favour of the People caused his elder Brother Achomates yea and Bajazet also himself to have him in no small jealousie as if he had affected the Empire and was in short time the cause of his untimely death which thing he nothing doubting hastened as fatal things are by such means as he lest feared might have procured any such mortal distrust or danger Most of Bajazet his Children were by divers Women yet Achomates and this Mahometes were by one and the same Mother for which cause Mahometes took greater pleasure in him than in any his other Brethren although it were not answered with like love again Achomates was Lord and Governor of Amasia and this Mahometes of Magnesia who desirous to see the manner of his Brothers Life and Government disguised himself with two of his familiar and faithful Friends as if they had been religious men of that Order which the Turks call Imâ—lier These men are for the most part comely Personages born of good Houses who in cleanly Attire made after an homely fashion do at their pleasure wander up and down from Town to Town and Country to Country noting the disposition and manners of the People whereof as fitteth best their purpose they make large Discourses afterwards to others they commonly carry about with them silver Cymbals whereon they play most cunningly and thereunto sing pleasant and wanton Ditties for which idle delight they receive Mony of the People as an Alms given them of Devotion These are the common corrupters of youth and defilers of other mens beds men altogether given to ease and pleasure and are of the Turks called The religious Brethren of Love but might of right better be termed Epicurus his Hogs than any
War not only much decaied but almost quite lost after that Uladislaus far unlike in Policy and Prowess had succeeded the renowned Matthias in that Kingdom Neither had he as he said from his cradle learned to be afraid of death or of the common chances of War as knowing that neither God nor Man would be wanting unto him who with an honourable resolution did adventure upon vertuous and worthy attempts and that therefore he was fully resolved for his own honour which his Father had in some sort blemished by the immoderate advancement of his Brethren either to die honourably in the Field in battel against the Enemies of the Mahometan Religion or else gloriously to extend the bounds of the Turkish Empire and that he would not though one of the youngest in the Othoman Family be accounted inferior to any of his Brethren in Vertue and Prowess Thus was the Hungarian War never by Selymus entended notably by him pretended and with no less dissimulation by Bajazet disswaded The Embassadors although Selymus in all his Speeches shewed no token of Peace yet in his Fathers name presented unto him divers Gifts thereby if it might be to appease his fierce and cruel mind Unto his old Government they adjoyned Scamandria which the Hungarians call Schenderovia a strong City of Servia upon the borders of Hungary with many other strong Towns in the same Country they gave him also threescore thousand Ducats beside a thousand Garments of Cloath and Silk with good Store of Provision wherewith to relieve and content the Souldiers by him entertained lest that they drawn far from home in hope of Spoil should take it in evil part if they should be sent away empty handed Selymus in a happy time having received these Gifts returned the Embassadors unto his Father with more doubtful answer and uncertain hope than before yet changing nothing in himself of his former resolution secret Messengers and Letters from his Friends in the Court still whetting him forward too much already inflamed with desire of Sovereignty perswading him to make hast and to repose his greatest hope in his quick speed for that they understood that about the time of his setting forward his Brother Achomates was coming with a great power being sent for out of Cappadocia by his Father In the mean time Bajazet moved the rather with the fear of Selymus resolved upon that whereof he had long before in his mind deeply considered and now said openly That he would appoint his Successor who instead of himself spent with years and sickness should bring with him the flower of Youth and strength of Body fit to govern so great an Empire But when those things were propounded unto the Souldiers of the Court by the four great Bassaes who in all things both of Peace and War had next place unto the Emperor himself it was forthwith gainsaid by those Martial Men crying aloud with one voice That they would know no other Emperor but Bajazet under whose conduct and good fortune they had now served above thirty years and therefore would not suffer him to live a private life in obscurity who with so many Victories and strong Cities taken had brought the Othoman Empire unto that height of Renown and Glory They said moreover that there was in him yet strength enough if he would but with the reverend honour of his Age retain the Majesty of his place and the Glory he had gotten with his long and happy Reign and most famous Victories and that of his Children such an one should undoubtedly in his due time succeed in the Empire as of right ought only they wisht that the old Emperor might in the mean time live in health with a long and happy Reign neither needed he as they said to fear that after his death any controversie should arise among his Sons about the Succession for that the Othoman Progeny used to attain the imperial seat according to the old custom of their Ancestors the Othoman Kings by Right and Order only and not by Corruption or Faction But if he would needs upon his own private good liking or as it were by new adoption proceed to make choice of such an one as the People and the Men of War his most loyal and faithful Subjects could not so well like of it would be an occasion of much more trouble and happily the means to bring in that confusion of the State which he thought thereby to eschew For then beside the dislike of the People the other Brethren would never endure so notable an injury or ever be at quiet until they had as men wrongfully cast off and disinherited by strong hand and endangering of all recovered their honor lost by the headstrong Will of their aged Father The Souldiers thus before instructed by the Friends and Favourites of Selymus who with Mony and large Promises had corrupted their Captains and chief Officers spake these things frankly to have deterred the old Emperor from his purpose But he thinking that they had as he himself did especially affected Achomates his eldest Son for that they had generally protested That they would against all injuries defend his honour unto whom the Empire should of right appertain said he would make choice of Achomates if it should stand with their good liking But the chief of the Souldiers who corrupted by Selymus had together sold both their Faith and themselves cunningly commended Achomates and seemed wonderfully to like of him yet to accept of him for their Sovereign Bajazet yet living they said was not agreeing with the ancient custom of the Othoman Kings neither for the behoof of the men of War neither yet good for the State of the Empire forasmuch as neither his Brethren Corcutus and Selymus neither the Souldiers of the Court could patiently endure the least touch of the suspition of Infidelity which they must needs do if he as a suspitious Father should doubt either of the Love or Loyalty of his most dutiful Sons or of the Faith and Constancy of his most faithful Servants whereof he had made so many trials Besides that it seemed unto them all unreasonable that by the odious prejudice of that Fact the Souldiers should be left defrauded of the rewards usually granted unto them during the time of the vacancy of the Empire arising of the Spoil taken from them which are of Religion different from the Turks For it is a custom that immediately upon the death of the Turkish Emperor all the Jews and Christians which dwell at Constantinople Pera Hadrianople Thessalonica and Prusa especially Merchants exposed unto the injuries of the Turks are by the Janizaries and other Souldiers of the Court spoiled of all their Wares and Goods and become unto them a Prey neither will they give their Oath of Allegeance unto the new Emperor until he have granted unto them all that Prey as a Bounty and have solemnly sworn by his own Head the greatest assurance that can by Oath be
part Mariners able Bodies who in the time of the Siege did great service encouraged by their Sea Captains the Island People which repaired into the City served to little other purpose but to dig and carry Earth unto the Rampiers and the Citizens except it were some few of the better sort were for the most part weak and of small Courage not able to indure any labour or pains and yet hardly to be kept in order and governed great speakers but small doers greater in shew than in deed The Great Master having carefully provided and ordered all things needful for the defence of the City and fearing nothing more than the faint Hearts of the Citizens caused them all to be called together for incouragement of whom he spake unto them as followeth Valiant Gentlemen and worthy Citizens we hear that the Turk our mortal Enemy is coming against us with a huge Army raised of divers Nations from whose natural cruelty and wonted perjury except we defend our selves by force one and the self same danger is like to befal me my Knights and you all For we have with common consent and hand grievously spoiled him both by Sea and Land and you are by booties taken by strong hand out of his Dominions inriched and at this day we keep his People in grievous servitude and he ours but he injuriously and we most justly For his Ancestors weary of the dark Dens and Caves of the Mountain Caucasus their natural Dwelling without Right Title or Cause incited only with Covetousness Ambition and the hatred of our most sacred Religion have driven the Christians out of Syria and afterwards oppressed the Grecians in Grecia where not contâ—nted to have destroyed the People with one simple kind of death as Barbarism is ever cruel and merciless they have with most exquisite and horrible Torments butchered many thousands of that Nation All whom this wicked proud youth whose mischief exceedeth his years an evil Neighbour to all men not contented with the Dominions of Arabia Syria Egypt the greatest part of Asia and of many other places more seeketh in Tyranny Murther Spoil Perjury and Hatred against Christ and Christians far to excel and forceth himself to the uttermost of his power to take from us our Islands and to subdue the Christian Countries that so at length being Lord of all and Commander of the World he may at his pleasure overthrow the Christian Cities kill the Christians and utterly root out the Christian name which he so much hateth For the repulsing of which intollerable injury we have especially chosen this Island of the Rhodes for our dwelling place because the same seemed more commodious than any other for the annoying of this barbarous Nation We have done what in us lay holpen by you we know by proof your great Valour and Fidelity which we now have not in any distrust Wherefore I will not use many words to perswade you to continue in your Fidelity and Loyalty neither long circumstances to encourage you to play the men sithence worthy minds are not with words either encouraged or dismayed But concerning my self and my Knights of the Order I will speak a few words I with them with whom as I hope the Christian Princes and other my Knights of the West will in good time joyn their Forces are most ready and prest to defend your selves your Children your Wives your Goods the Monuments of your Ancestors and sacred Temples dedicated to the service of our God. Which opinion that it may remain firm and fixt in your minds if nothing else my Faithfulness in your Wars my Body not yet altogether spent but able enough to endure pains and travel the Nobility of these worthy Knights of the Order their Love towards you and their Hatred towards your Enemies were sufficient to confirm but beside this the strength of this City which this noble Order hath with infinite charges so notably fortified with Ditches Walls Towers and Bulwarks against all the force and fury of Artillery is such as that no City may worthily be compared much less preferred before the same It is wonderfully stored with all kind of Weapons and Warlike Provision we have laid up plenty of Wine Flesh and Corn in vaults so that neither wet Weather nor Worms can attaint the same of Wood and wholesome Water not to be taken from us things necessary for men besieged we have plenty and able men enough for the defence of the City All which things promise unto us assured Victory and such end of the War as we wish for Besides this Necessity which giveth Courage even unto Cowards will enforce us to fight Yet standeth on our side true Religion Faith Conscience Devotion Constancy the Love of our Country the Love of our Liberty the Love of our Parents Wives Children and whatsoever else we hold dear Whereas they bring with them the proud command of their Captains Infidelity Impiety Unconstancy a wicked desire of your Bondage of your Blood and the Blood of your Parents Wives and Children Out of doubt beloved Citizens our good God will not suffer so many good vertues to be overcome by their foul vices Wherefore be you in mind quiet and secure and trouble not your selves with forboding fear of your Enemies only continue in the Fidelity and Loyalty which you have always kept inviolate and unspotted toward this sacred and honourable Fellowship in most dangerous Wars and hardest chances of Fortune and if need shall so require with couragious band shew your Valour against your Enemies and make it known unto the Spaniards French Italians Hungarians and English That the Rhodians are of power to daunt the Turkish Pride and to avert their Fleets and Armies from Italy which they have so many years threatned with Fire and Sword and will no doubt thither with all speed hasten and come if that which my mind abhorreth to speak they should here prevail Neither will his ambitious youth in Courage Falshood and cruelty exceeding Hannibal imitate him in that that having overthrown the Romans in the great Battel at Cannas knew not to use his Victory but he will presently with more than Caesars celerity bring forth the Treasures his Father got in Egypt and with great Fleets and huge Armies invade Apulia Calabria and Scicilia from whence he will forthwith break into France and afterwards into Spain and other Christian Countries raging through them with all kind of cruelty But I am carried away further than I purposed and than need is For your Fidelity and Valour most worthy Citizens to endure the Siege and repulse the Enemy is such as needeth not my perswasion and of greater resolution than that it can be shaken with the dangers incident to men besieged yet the greatest and most forcible miseries of all which is Hunger and Thirst I assure you you shall never feel which pinching calamities for all that some People in Faithfulness Courage and Valor nothing comparable to you have nevertheless most
if it had been but to look to his charge when he was come as near as he could to Alis without mistrust thought good to assay if he could by policy bring that to pass which he was otherwise with great danger to attempt by force Wherefore feigning himself to be extream sick he sent Embassadors to Alis requesting him as a friend to vouchsafe to come unto him being at the point of death unto whom he had many things of importance from the great Emperor to impart and would if he should die leave with him all his charge until Solyman should otherwise dispose thereof Alis who from his youth had always honoured the Turkish Emperors and faithfully served them mistrusting no harm came to the Bassa accompanied with his four Sons whom the faithless Bassa without regard of infamy caused presently to be put to death with their Father and so reducing all that Country into the manner of a Province under Solymans obeisance came to him with twenty thousand Men about the time that the City of the Rhodes was yielded up This is the faithless dealing of the Turks not with the Christians only but with them of their own superstition also using it as no small policy utterly to extinguish the Nobility of all Countries subject to their servile Tyranny Solyman after he had thus subdued the Rhodes and disposed of the Island as he liked best returning to Constantinople brake up his Army and for the space of three years after followed his pleasure not doing any thing worthy of remembrance During which time and many years after the rich and flourishing Country of Italy sometime Mistress of the World was miserably afflicted and rent in pieces by Charles the Fifth then Emperor and Francis the French King the one envying unto the other the glory of the Empire and he not content therewith seeking with immoderate ambition to make himself Lord of all Italy most of the other Christian Princes and States being at the same time either by the one or by the other drawn into the fellowship of that War to the great trouble and sore weakning of the Christian Common-weal Whereupon Solyman waiting all occasions that might serve for the enlarging of his Empire and annoying of the Christians thought it not a fit time for him to set his foot into Hungary whereunto he had already laied open a way by the taking of Belgrade He knew right well that Lewis then King of Hungary was but young altogether unacquainted with the Wars commanding over his headstrong Subjects especially his rich Prelates and Nobility no otherwise than pleased themselves being himself rather by them altogether overruled besides that he was in good hope that the other Christian Princes near unto him either carried away with regard of their own Estate would not or else before unto himself by League fast bound could not afford unto him any great aid or succour the Germans he knew would make small hast unto such Wars as should yield them much danger and but small pay As for the Princes of the House of Austria Charles the Emperor and Ferdinand his Brother although they were joyned unto the young King with the nearest bonds of Alliance Lewis having Married Mary their youngest Sister and Ferdinand Ann King Lewis his Sister yet was there as he thought small help to be expected from them Charles having his hands full in Italy and Ferdinand altogether careful of himself and that Sigismund King of Polonia would for the young Kings sake break the ancient League he had with the Turkish Emperors he could hardly be perswaded As for other Christian Princes farther off he stood not in any great doubt year 1526. Thus having with himself singled out this young Prince the Hungarian King whom he had in his greedy mind already devoured he set forward from Constantinople and was come on his way as far as Sophiâ— in Servia with a mighty Army of two hundred thousand men before that the Hungarians had any knowledge of his coming so blind and senseless was that State which now sleeping in security had long before lost those Eies which ever watcht and never spared cost or pains to keep the same in safety in stead of whom were others come in place sharp of sight and too too provident for that concerned their own advancement but blind as Beetles in foreseeing this great and common danger wherewith they were shortly after all quite overwhelmed until it was now brought home unto their own Doors The young King of himself but weak by reason of his youthful years and nothing strengthned by them for whom he had most done and should have been his greatest stay was wonderfully dismaied with the fame of the approach of so mighty an Enemy yet the better to withstand him he sent Embassadors with all speed unto the Christian Princes his Neighbours requesting their Aid against the common Enemy but all in vain In the mean time after the ancient manner of his Country he gave out general Summons for the Assembly of his Counsel for the Wars whether his great stipendary Prelates of duty bound to appear came with their Troops of evil appointed Horsemen and not half full who also delivered in less sums of Mony by far than of right they should have done towards the maintenance of the charge of that common War. And the temporal Nobility forgetting the warlike Discipline of their famous Ancestors as fresh-water Souldiers which had seen the Turkish Emperor in his strength and but little acquainted with some light skirmishes or small invasions in their vain bravery made light account of the Turks proudly vaunting That although they were in number but few yet they would easily overthrow the great numbers of them if ever they came to handy strokes But above all the rest one Paulus Tomoreus Archbishop of Colossa sometimes a Minorite who had before been in divers light skirmishes against the Turks with great insolency did so confidently brag and boast of the Victory he vainly dreamed of that in his Sermons unto the Souldiers and in open talk with the Nobility if he could have done so much as he vaunted of it should seem that he himself had been enough to have overthrown the Turks whole Army But when all the Kings Army was assembled and a general muster taken there was hardly found five and twenty thousand men in all horse and foot So that the foolish hardiness of Tomoreus and others so forwards to give the Turks battel was of most wise men disliked The old Souldiers and men of great experience said plainly That it was meer folly and madness with such a handful of men to give battel unto the Enemy who would bring eight times so many more into the Field as they were Wherefore some wished that the young King should be withdrawn from the eminent danger among whom Stephanus Verbetius a noble Captain of all the rest best acquainted with the Turkish Wars gave Counsel
is reported That after Supper Solyman fell into a great rage with him charging him bitterly That he had misgoverned the State inverted his Treasures to his own private use and as a Traytor had secret Intelligence with the Christian Princes his Enemies for proof whereof Solyman with stern Countenance shewed him his own Letters which had by chance been intercepted oftentimes asking him in furious manner If he knew not that Hand if â—e knew not that Seal All which the Bassa lying prostrate at his Feet humbly confessed and with many Tears craved of him pardon But his hard heart was not by any prayers to be moved for the same night as he was slumbring upon a Palate in the Court overcome with heaviness an Eunuch cut his Throat with a crooked Knife which Solyman for that purpose had delivered unto him with his own hand He was murdred sleeping because Solyman had in former time oâ— his favour solemnly sworn unto him That he would never kill him whilst he lived By which Oath the great Mahometan Priest said He was not so bound but that he might kill him sleeping for as much as men by sleep deprived of sense are for that time not to be accounted as living but as dead mans life consisting altogether as he said in lively actions It is reported that after Solyman had looked upon the dead body and bitterly cursed the same he caused a great weight to be tied unto it and so cast it into the Sea. His Treasure and Goods which were almost infinite were the next day all seised upon for the Emperor and a small portion thereof appointed for his poor Wife to live upon His death was no sooner known but that the vulgar people devised of him infamous Songs and slanderous Reports as of a Traytor most justly condemned and in further despight with mire and stones defaced the Trophies of the Hungarian Victory which he had in a stately manner erected before his sumptuous House in Constantinople This was the woful end of Abraham the great Bassa who whilst he stood in favour with his Prince was of all others accounted most fortunate wanting nothing but the name of the great Sultan but after falling into disgrace became the scorn of Fortune and the lamentable Spectacle of mans fragility He was murdred the fifteenth day of March in the year 1536. How the Kingdom of Tunes was by Barbarussa the Turks great Admiral taken from Muleasses we have already told but how the same was again taken from him by Charles the Emperor a little before the return of Solyman out of Persia remaineth now to be declared It was commonly reported and not without just cause feared that Barbarussa possessed of the Kingdom of Tunes and supported by the Power of Solyman would the next Summer not content himself with the Spoil of the Coasts of Spain Sardinia and Italy as he had in former time but with all his Forces invade Sicilia the Granary and Storehouse of Italy and from thence attempt to Conquer the Kingdom of Naples which it was thought he in his immoderate desires had longed much after To repress this his barbarous Insolency and to work the safety of the Frontiers of the Christian Kingdoms much subject to the Rapines of the Turkish Pirates Charles the Emperor resolved in Person himself with a puissant Army to pass over into Africk whilst Solyman was yet buried in the Persian Wars and by force of Arms to dispossess the Tyrant of his new gotten Kingdom of Tunes For the accomplishment whereof he caused Souldiers to be levied in all parts of Spain and came down to Barcelona with eight thousand Footmen and seven hundred Horsemen far sooner than was by any man expected amongst whom were many of the Nobility of Spain with their Followers most gallantly appointed but especially Ferdinand of Toledo Duke of Alva whose forwardness in that honourable Action with the desire he had to revenge the death of his Father Garzias slain before by the Moors at Girapolis gave great hope even then unto his Country-men That he would in time prove a worthy Chieftain as indeed he afterward did In the mean time Andrew Auria the great Admiral unto whom only for his approved fidelity and long experience the Emperor had fully communicated what he had with himself before purposed had with wonderful diligence and celerity rigged up a great Fleet of Ships and Gallies so furnished with all manner of Warlike Provision as might well have sufficed a great Army whereunto he joyned also his own Fleet of seventeen Gallies and three Galleasses wherein he had imbarked the Flower of Genoa and Liguria who with exceeding chearfulness had voluntarily offered themselves to follow him their old General in that Sacred Expedition With this great Preparation Auria came to the Emperor at Barcelona Thither came also Lewis the King of Portugals Brother whose Sister Isabel Charles the Emperor had married with 25 Caravels Ships which the Portugals used in their Indian Voyages amongst whom was also one huge Galeon all Ships well appointed and fit for Service wherein were embarked 2000 Portugals beside Mariners there also arrived sixty Sail of tall Ships sent out of Flanders and the Low-Countries wherein were a great number of condemned persons whose lives were spared that they might serve in the Gallies Unto this War Paulus the Third of that Name then Bishop of Rome sent ten Gallies under the Conduct of Virginius Ursinus the great Master of Malta sent thither his Fleet also At the same time that all this preparation was in making in other places that worthy Chieftain Alphonsus D' aualus Vastius whom the Emperor had appointed General of all his Forces at Land had hy the Emperors Commandment taken up five thousand new Souldiers in Italy which were led by Hieronimus Tutavilla Count of Sarne Frederick Caracte and Augustine Spinula all famous Captains The old Spanish Garrisons which lay in Lombardy the Emperor commanded to be straitly looked unto that none of them should leave their places to go into this new Expedition but to remain there still under their General Antonius Leva which worthy Captain although he would fain have had him with him as of all his great Commanders the best yet he thought it good to spare him both for that he was much troubled with the Gout and also for that it was necessary as he thought to leave such a valiant Captain with his Garrisons in the Country so near unto the French and Swissers whom he durst not so well trust as to disfurnish that Country either of so great a Commander or of the wonted Garrisons At the same time Maximilian Eberstein an old Commander came to Vastius with eight thousand Germans over the Tridentine Alps to Millain and so to Genoa amongst whom were divers noble Gentlemen who then as voluntary men served of their own charges With these Germans and the five thousand Italians Vastius embarked himself at the Port called Portus Veneris
again That he could give him neither longer time nor delay and that it were best for him without more ado to be gone for fear of further harm Whereupon Rustan guilty in conscience of his most horrible Villany and Treachery accompanied but with eight of his most faithful Friends instead of his late world of Followers posted in haste to Constantinople and there not without danger of his Head with Roxalana and other the complices and contrivers of the Treason against Mustapha in great fear expected the event of his Fortune This young Prince Mustapha thus shamefully murthred by his own Father was for his rare Vertues generally beloved of the Turks but of the Souldiers most for his Martial Disposition and readiness for the effusion of Christian Blood. The opinion they had conceived of him was such and their love so great that they never thought there was any in the Othoman Family of whom they expected so much for the enlarging of their Empire insomuch that eveâ— since when in their private or publick Actions they fail of any great hope they use this Proverb even at this day taken from him Gietti Sultan Mustapha Sultan Mustapha is dead as who should say our hope is all lost Achomates Bassa the great Champion of the Turks a Man of exceeding Courage not ignorant of the small assurance of the great Honours of that State at such time as he received the Seal from Solyman boldly told him That as he did then frankly bestow it upon him so he would at one time or other to his no less disgrace take it from him to whom Solyman solemnly promised with an Oath not to displace him so long as he lived For all that he had not long enjoyed that honour but that Solyman falling in dislike with him and willing again to promote Rustan Bassa to that great honour greater than which there was none in the Turks Court which by reason of his Oath he could not do so long as Achomates lived To save his Oath and to prefer his Son in Law whom he had indeed displaced only to please the tumultuous Janizaries resolved to have Achomates put to death Of which his purpose Achomates altogether ignorant and one Morning after his wonted manner coming into the Divano in all his Honour upon the suddain received word from Solyman that he must presently die and forthwith was the Hangman ready to have strangled him as was given him in charge whom the stout Bassa thrust from him with his hand with countenance and chear in shew no more troubled than if the matter had nothing concerned him And looking a good while round about him espied at last an honest Man whom he had before many times pleasured whom he most earnestly requested for all the kindness shewed unto him to do him that last favour as to strangle him with his own hand which should be unto him the greatest good turn that he could possibly devise detesting nothing more than to die with the hand of the Executioner Which thing when he after much intreaty had undertaken to perform Achomates willed him that he should not at one twitch strangle him outright but letting the Bow-string slack again give him leave once to breath and then to dispatch him which his request was by his Friend accordingly performed and he in that sort strangled wherein it seemeth that he was desirous first to taste of Death and not to die all at once Immediately after whose death Rustan Bassa was again restored to his place of chief Visier and had the great Seal delivered unto him which honour he enjoyed about six years after and so at last died of the Dropsie This was the end of these two great Bassaes Achomates and Rustan who in that time swaied that great Empire under Solyman and of whom we have so much spoken It is reported that Solyman having appointed Achomates to die should say It is better for his great Heart once to die than to die a thousand times in seeing his Honour taken from him and bestowed upon another The Turks Gallies by the solicitation of the French before brought down into the Tuscan Sea year 1554. did much harm upon the Coasts of Calabria and Sicilia in this year 1554 as they had the year before and so did divers years after At which time also Pandulphus Contarenus the Venetian Admiral scouring alongst the Seas carefully looking to the Frontiers of the Venetian Estate chanced to meet with the Bassa of Callipolis who in the year before had rifled certain Venetian Merchants in revenge of which injury he set upon him and after a great Spoil made both of the Turks and their Gallies he ransacked Dirrachium then one of the Turks Port Towns in Dalmatia The next year 1555 year 1555. the same Bassa recovered his strength but not daring to be too busie with the Venetians surprised the Islands of Blumbis and Elba subject to the Duke of Florence and withal sent Letters to Solyman to perswade him to take up Arms against the Venetians as they which had broken the League At the same time year 1556. Haly the Bassa of Buda by Policy surprised the strong Castle of Baboza in Hungary and was in good hope by the like fineness to have taken the Town and Castle of Zigeth a place of great importance but failing of his purpose he came the next year 1556 with a great Army and the thirteenth day of June encamped before the Town wherein was Governor Marchus Horwath a valiant Captain with a Garrison of notable Souldiers Shortly after he began a most terrible Battery during which time the Christians sallying out divers times slew many of his Men who for all that used such diligence that the twentieth of Iune they won the uttermost Wall and after five hot Assaults were in hope at the sixth to have won the Castle also but the Christians perceiving the danger resolutely sallied out and having slain eight hundred of them drave the rest again from the Wall. Yet the Turks gave it not so over but with a great number of Carts laboured to have filled up the Marrish and Ditches about the Town which their Attempt was by the industry of the Defendants also defeated The Bassa perceiving how hardly the Town would be won by force attempted to have perswaded them to have yielded it up by composition but failing therein of his purpose began again the twelfth of Iuly to assault the City which Assault he maintained five days together without intermission still sending in fresh Men instead of them that were wearied or slain yet was the City for all that by the Valour of the Christians notably defended So when he had in vain proved the uttermost of his Forces he raised his Siege the one and twentieth day of Iuly and departed but within six days after he retuened from the City Quinque Ecclesiae and assaulted the City afresh but was at length glad to give over the Siege and be gone when
than was his Brothers and therefore through his Sides was his Life shot at which Treason had as he said been of long time plotted and now occasion sought to have the same performed wherefore he should take heed that he were not by such Treachery overwhelmed before he were aware thereof That for himself he could easily bear with the injuries of his Brother Bajazet yet could not chuse but be moved with the greatness of his Fathers dangers By which means Solymans hatred against Bajazet was still more and more increased Wherefore he by Letters put him in remembrance of his Duty how courteously he had used him and again what he had on his part promised that there would not alwaies be place for forgiveness that he should therefore cease to wrong his Brother and trouble his Father that he had but a short time to live and that after his death God would assign each of them their Fortunes But all this was to no purpose with Bajazet fully set down to hazard whatsoever rather than as a Beast to have his Throat cut by his Brother which thing he as plainly saw would betide him in the Reign of Selymus as if it had been then in execution Yet he answered to his Fathers commands not impertinently but his deeds agreed not with his sayings neither did he alter any thing of his intended purpose Which thing as soon as Solyman perceived he thought it best to take another Course and to remove his Sons both farther from himself and also farther the one from the other Wherefore he gave them to understand That it was his pleasure that both of them within a certain prefixed time should depart out of their Governments Bajazet being then Governor of Cutai and Selymus of Magnesia and that now Bajazet should remove to Amasia and Selymus to Iconium Selymus was without imputation and altogether in favour with his Father yet because no occasion should be given Bajazet to fall into extremities if he should have been removed alone Solyman to seem indifferent commanded them both to remove unto which command it was adjoyned that the further they were off one from another they should be so much the nearer in mind and Brotherly love for as much as nearness of dwelling of the Great did many times hinder their good agreement whilst by forwardness of Officers many things are on both sides done to the grieving of their Masters and that they should in any case do as they were commanded and that he which staid longest should not be free from the suspicion of Contempt Selymus made no long stay as he that knew a great part of all this to be done for his sake but Bajazet hung back and being gon a little on his way staid complaining of the unlucky Province of Amasia stained with the Blood of his late Brother the Noble Mustapha to be assigned unto him as ominous and that he could be better contented with any Province whatsoever than that where the deadly remembrance of the miserable end of the nearest unto him in Blood should be ever before his Eyes to the wounding of his Heart Wherefore he requested that he might at least winter in those places or else there from whence his Brother was now departed but Solyman would in no wise hearken unto him Now Selymus gon before certain days Journies with such Troops as his Father had sent him beside his own for fear of Bajazet who yet staid loitring and trifling on the time suddainly returning and fetching a compass about shewed himself at his Brothers Back marching towards Prusa in Bithynia the ancient Seat of the Turkish Kings which he did not without the privity of his Father who liked not of the lingring of Bajazet for what if he having gained the good Will of the Janizaries should have gon either to Prusa or directly to Constantinople what a danger might have grown thereby to Selymus yea unto the whole State in general In this common fear Solyman thought it best for Selymus there to stay from whence they might most conveniently help one another if Bajazet should as was feared turn himself upon either of them Yet was not Selymus so strong as to adventure to joyn Battel with his Brother whom he knew ready to put all to the hazard of one day But when Bajazet contrary to his expectation saw Selymus behind him and that he had got nothing by his long delay but that his Brother should be the undoutbed Heir of the Empire if his Father should die which was then by reason of his sickly conâ—titution of Body dayly more and more feared he writ unto his Father accusing his Brother That he could not more manifestly in any thing declare how maliciously he was affected towards him than by taking that indirect Course to no other purpose but to aspire unto the Empire and to have a short cut over to Constantinople if he should have any news of his Fathers death which he still gaped after which his longing if his Fathers longer Life should delay then by the secret Ministers of his Treason to dispatch him and by the murdring of him to possess himself of the Empire and yet nevertheless this man as a most dutiful and obedient Son to be of him much made of and as it were put in his Bosom Whereas he on the contrary part meaning well into whose conceit never any such thought came but was ever at command was not had in any regard but cast off and contemned whose greatest request was but to shun an unfortunate ominous Province After that he converted his style to Prayers requesting again of his Father to gratifie him with some other Province if it were but that from which his Brother was departed or with any other whatsoever so that it were more lucky than that of Amasia for answer whereof he said he would stay where he was to the end that finding favour in his request he should not have need further to retire but if he should not obtain his request that then he was ready to go whithersoever his Father should command It was not altogether for nought that Bajazet found fault with Amasia being the mannâ—r of the Turks of the smallest things of all to divine upon the greatest But Solyman understood the matter otherwise who not ignorant of his Sons Tears knew right well that he in them sought for nothing else but a more commodious place for him to raise new stirs in than was Amasia so far distant from Constantinople So Bajazet by many delays did what he could to frustrate his Fathers appointment ceasing not in the mean time to augment his strength with new Souldiers to provide Armor Mony and whatsoever else serving for defence of himself and the impugning of his Brother Which Solyman took in no other part than as intended against his own person yet would he seem as not to have any such understanding of the matter for why the wary old Sire would not by taking
Selymus lay encamped under the Walls of Iconium attending every stirring of Bajazet resolving there to expect further Aid from his Father and not by untimely fight to commit his safety to the hazard of one doubtful Battel But Bajazet on the other side not unmindful what a matter he had taken in hand slept not thereupon but first entertained a valiant sort of Horsemen which the Turks call Chiurts and are supposed to be of that People which were sometimes called Gordij Men for their known Valour famous He yet lay in the Plain and open Fields by Ancyra of the Commodities of which City which were indeed great he made great use In the Castle thereof he bestowed his Concubines and Children of the rich Merchants he took up Mony to be repaid with the use upon the good success of the War and from thence he took whatsover was needful for the arming and furnishing of his Men. Besides his own Family which was very great and those Chiurts which we spoke of many repaired unto him which had been in former time beholden to his Mother his Sister and Rustan the great Bassa many also of the Reliques of the valiant Mustapha and Achomates the great Bassa valiant Men and expert Souldiers who desired to revenge the unworthy death of their Lords and Masters even with their own Neither was there wanting an exceeding Rablement of such as weary of their present state desired some new innovation and change The commiseration also of the State of the unfortunate Bajazet easily drew many to take part with him whose whole trust was in his Valor they favoured the young Prince lively resembling his Father when as in Selymâ—s appeared no likeness of himself but the express Lineaments of his Mothers Face and Body a Woman whilst she lived generally hated of all the People he went heavily as overcharged with his greesie Paunch blub cheeked and exceeding red faced so that the Souldiers in sport would say he was fed with green Mault he was altogether given to his ease and spent his time in Drunkenness and Sleep neither was he courteous of Speech nor willing to deserve well of any Man for he would not as he said offend his Father by being popular so was he only of his Father belovâ—d and of all other Men hated of all kind of Men he most misliked of them that set all their hope in a bountiful and couragious Prince The same Souldiers were also wont to call Bajazet Softy that is to say a Man given to quietness and study but after they saw him take up Arms and for the safeguard of himself and his Children ready to adventure any thing they began to admire him as a Man of Valour and Courage and to ask among themselves Why his Father should reject him of such worth the the express image of himself and prefer before him that gorbellied Sluggard in whom no Spark of his Fathers Valour was to be seen This his entring into Arms was no Fault being thereunto by necessity enforced for had not Selymus their Grandfather done the like whereof no better example could be found whom the force of necessity constrained not only to take up Arms against his Brother but also to hasten the death of his Father and by so doing purchased unto himself and his Posterity the Empire which so gotten if Solyman did not unjustly possess why might not his Son use the same Course why should he so rigorously revenge that in his Son that was so lawful in the Grandfather Although there was as they said great difference between that Selymus and this Bajazet for that this Man intended no harm against his Father but wished him long to live neither yet against his Brother if he might by his leave but live if he would but once cease to do him wrong that it was always accounted lawful to repel Force by Force and to shun present Death if the Destinies would so permit By such Affections and Motives Bajazet his Power increased dayly which being now grown almost to the greatness of a full Army he thought it not best to use longer delay but to march forthwith against his Brother to fight with him one Battel for his Life State and Empire accounting it some commendation although in vain to have attempted so great an Enterprise His purpose was as Solyman feared to get into Syria which if he could bring to pass he then doubted not of the rest Selymus strengthned with his Fathers Power lay waiting for his coming before Iconium well appointed of all Warlike Provision his Army was exceeding strong and in it many notable Commanders Martial Men of great experience whom his Father had joyned unto him who all lay covered with their great Ordnance planted in places most convenient But Bajazet nothing terrified therewith as soon as he came within sight of his Brothers Army exhorted his Souldiers in few words to play the Men for that now was come the time they wished for and place for them to shew their Valour in wherefore they should shew themselves couragious and valiant and he would make them all rich and fortunate he told them that their Fortune was now in their own hands to frame it every Man as he would himself so that if any of them were weary of their present state there was the Field wherein they might exchange it with a better and therein lay down the miseries of their former lives that of him they should if they overcame expect Riches Promotions Honours and whatsoever else the Rewards of valiant Men that with the Victory of one Battel all their desires should be satisfied were they never so great which Victory was by the Valour which rested in them to be gotten and his Brothers Army the heartless Followers of a heartless Captain overthrown for as his Fathers Souldiers that were with his Brother they were in Body present but in Mind altogether on his side that it was only Selymus that withstood his Welfare and their Felicity whom they should therefore valiantly seek for in Field as their common Enemy and not to be afraid of his Multitude forasmuch as Victory was to be gained not by Number but by Valour and the most Mighty God of Heaven and Earth was still present not with the most but with the best Besides that he willed them to remember with what a cruel Enemy they were to fight who thirsted after nothing more than their Blood And to conclude he willed them all not to look upon his Words but his Deeds and said If as you shall see me fighting for your profit you shall likewise fight for mine Honour I dare then assure you of the Victory Which said he with great Courage charged the Enemy and fighting himself long time amongst the foremost and there performing all the parts of a valiant Souldier and worthy Captain was for his notable Valor no less commended of his Enemies than of his own Souldiers The Battel was
Leo the X. 1513. 8. Hadrian the VI. 1522. 1. Clement the VII 1523. 10. Paulus the III. 1534. 15. Julius the III. 1550. 5. Marcellus the II. 1555. 22 days Paulus the IV. 1555. 4. Pius the IV. 1560. 5. Pius the V. 1566. 6. Dissimilis patri Selymus regalia Sceptra Corripit et dira concutit arma manu Faedus cum Venetis frangit quid faedera prosunt Armataque manu Cypria regna rapit Instravit tumidum numerosis classibus Aequor Ut Naupactiacas nobilitaret aquas Unlike his Father Selymus fills the Throne Breathing where e're he march't Destruction His sacred League with Venice basely brakes And arm'd with power the Syrian kingdomes takes With a stupendious Fleet covers the Sea To be a Witness to his Infamy Muldavum faeda mulctavit morte Dynasten Et magni fines prorogat imperij Obruit Hispanos multa vi Punica regna Destruit et regnis adijcit illa suis. Sed nimis in venerem pronus vinoque sepultus Extremum properat praecipitare diem And to his Throne to add Moldavia Their noble Vayvod butcherly do's slay And when the Spanish powrs were overthrown They and the Tunis Scepters were his owne But spent with wine with women and with play Th' effeminate Prince Spur'd on his fatall day The LIFE of SELYMUS The Second of that NAME Fifth Emperor of the Turks SElymus the only Son of Solyman then left alive by Letters from Muhamet Bassa understanding of the death of his Father hasted from Cutai a City of Galatia not far from Ancyra towards Constantinople and coming to Scutary was from thence by Bostanges Bassa of the Court conducted over the Strait to Constantinople where by him and Scander Bassa Selymus his Son in law and then Solymans Vicegerent he was conveyed into the Imperial Palace the three and twentieth of September in the year 1566. and there possessed of his Fathers Seat was by the Janizaries there present saluted Emperor He was about the age of forty two years when he began to Reign a man of an unconstant and hasty disposition wholly given to wantonness and excess so that he never went to Wars himself but performed them altogether by his Lieutenants contrary to the charge of Selymus his Grandfather given by him to his Father Solyman whereof he was never unmindful The next day he came abroad and shewed himself in his Majesty and in the Temple of Sophia after the manner of the Turkish Superstition caused solemn Prayers and Sacrifices to be made for his Father which done he gave unto the Janizaries a Larges of 100000 Sultanines with promise to augment their Wages And all things being now in readiness for his intended Journey he with a goodly Retinue set forward from Constantinople the seven and twentieth of September and the twentieth of October a little from Belgrade met the Army coming from Sigeth gallantly marching under their Ensigns with the dead Body of Solyman whom the Souldiers generally supposed to have been yet living but troubled with the Gout to have kept his Horse-litter as his manner was to travel Selymus alighting came in his Mourning Attire to the Horse-litter looked upon the dead Body of his Father kissed it and wept over it as did all the other great Bassaes also And that the death of Solyman might then be made known to all men the Ensigns were presently let fall and trailed upon the ground a dead March sounded and heavy silence commanded to be kept through all the Camp. Shortly after Selymus was with the great applause of the whole Army proclaimed Emperor his Ensigns advanced and every one of the great Commanders of the Army in their degree admitted to kiss his hand So marching forward he returned again to Constantinople the two and twentieth of November but thinking to have entred his Palace which they commonly call The Seraglio he was by the discontented Janizaries but now come from the Wars prohibited so to do they with great Insolency demanding of him a greater Donative together with the confirmation both of their ancient and new Priviledges before they would suffer him to enter Against which their great presumption the Visier Bassaes together with the Aga opposing themselves and seeking by all means to appease them were by them fouly entreated and well rapped about the Pates with the stocks of their Callivars but especially the two great Bassaes Muhamet and Partau as the chief Authors that their Lord had dealt no more liberally with them With which so sudden and unexpected a Mutiny of his best Souldiers Selymus not a little troubled and calling unto him the Aga or Captain of the Janizaries demanded of him the cause thereof who with tears trickling down his cheeks for grief told him That it was for mony Which by Selymus noâ— promised unto them together with the confirmation of their Liberties and the Aga with fair words and heavy countenance most earnestly intreating them not to blemish the ancient Reputation of their wonted Loyalty with so foul a disorder nor to oppose the life of him their loving Captain unto the heavy displeasure of their angry Sultan and farther assuring theâ— that he would not fail them in the least of his promises but content them to the full of their desires the Mutiny was at length appeased the insolent Janizaries again quieted and Selymus into the Seraglio received Howbeit Muhamet chief of the Visier Bassaes for certain days after went not out of his Palace neither came as he was wont into the Divano but kept himself close for fear of some greater mischief from them This Tumult thus overpassed and all again well quieted Selymus with all Royal Solemnity buried his Father in a Chappel which he after the manner of the Mahometan Kings had in his life time most stately built with a Colledge and an Hospital Where fast by his side is to be seen the Tomb of Roxolana his best beloved Wife and of certain others his murthered Children and by him hangeth his Scimiter in token thaâ— he died in Wars an Honour not otherwise â—ranted to the Mahometan Princes The Reveâ—â—es arising of the Country about Sigeth of late â—on â—â—om the Christians at the time of his deâ—â—h were given to the Maintenance of his Hâ—â—â—es by him built of devotion which for 〈◊〉 Magnificence thereof exceed all the rest â—efore bâ—ilt by the Mahometan Kings and â—â—perors except those which were the Buildiâ—â—s of Mahomet the Great and Bâ—jazet the Sâ—cond It was by many thought that Solymâ—â— was in good time by death cut off as purposing that year to have wintred in Hungary and the year following to have done great matters against the Christians both by Sea and Land. year 1567. The great Army of the Turks thus drawn out of Hungary by the death of Solyman in some part asswaged but altogether appeased not the endless Troubles of that unfortunate Kingdom Maximilian the Emperor on the one side and Iohn the Vayvod of Transâ—â—vania with the Turks Captains on the
departure had reported the Victory and that the Enemy was in a great Battel overthrown good God how the people as Men overjoyed ran up and down the Streets doubling and redoubling the joyful name of Victory The Senators also rejoycing together gave thanks to God with publick Prayers and joyful Hymns in every Church and afterwards by ringing of Bells Peals of Ordnance Bon-Fires and other such like things shewed all the tokens of joy possible And to make this joy the more general all Prisoners were set at liberty and all Debts that exceeded not the sum of five and twenty Crowns payed out of the common Treasury which was generally done through all the Venetian Seigniory and a Decree made That that day whereon the Victory was gotten which was the seventh of October dedicated to the memorial of Iustina should for ever be kept Holy-day and for the perpetual remembrance thereof a great Mass of Mony was coyned with the impression of Iustina upon it and an Inscription declaring the Victory Many also their Neighbor Princes sent their Embassadors congratulatory to Venice namely the Dukes of Savoy Florence Ferrara Parma Mantua and Urbin and the Knights of Malta In which so publick joy no Man was seen to put on any mourning Garments or to shew any token of heaviness although many had lost their dearest Friends and nearest Kinsmen whose lives they reckoned not lost but given unto the Christian Common-weal The like rejoycing was also made in Rome in Spain Naples Sicilia and Malta especially at such time as Embassadors from their Neighbor Princes came to joy them of this Victory yea and afterwards in their Countries further off was like rejoycing and signs of joy as with us here in England This is that notable Battel commonly called the Battel of Lepanto fought near unto the Island Curzolari the seventh day of October in the year 1571. the like whereof was never fought at Sea against the Turk wherein he lost his chief strength at Sea with most of his best Sea Captains and might thereby well perceive what he and his Successors were to fear if the Christian Princes at unity amongst themselves all discord set apart should in zeal of their Religion joyn their invincible forces against them In the midst of all this joy generally conceived of the late Victory one of the chief Prisoners of the Turks hearing it compared with the loss of Cyprus for that Selymus had therein lost his Fleet his best Men of War with great store of Ordnance by a fit Comparison shewed it not to be so saying That the Battel lost was unto Selymus as if a Man should shave his Beard which would ere long grow again but that the loss of Cyprus was unto the Venetians as the loss of an Arm which once cut off could never be again recovered Declaring thereby the great inequality of the loss The rich Spoil taken from the Enemy in this most glorious Victory was thus divided amongst the Princes Confederate Unto the Pope were allotted nineteen Gallies two Galliots nine great Pieces of Ordnance two and forty lesser Pieces and fourscore and one Prisoners Unto the King of Spain eight and fifty Gallies and an half six Galliots and an half eight and fifty great Pieces and an half eight great murthring Pieces and an half an hundred twenty eight lesser Pieces and a thousand seven hundred and thirteen Prisoners Unto the Venetians were assigned for their share nine and thirty Gallies and an half four Galliots and an half nine and thirty great Pieces and an half five great murthring Pieces and an half fourscore and six lesser Pieces and a thousand one hundred threescore and two Prisoners The rest were bestowed upon such other Princes as had given aid or otherwise well deserved in that service The joy conceived of this Victory was not so great amongst the Christians but that the sorrow thereof was amongst the Turks far greater Selymus himself was then at Hadrianople where eight days after the Battel news was brought unto him That his Fleet was overthrown and almost all taken or sunk by the Christians Which so soon as he heard he was strucken with exceeding grief and overcome with melancholy would not that day suffer any Man to speak with him And the rumor of the overthrow still encreasing had in short time filled all places with fear tears mourning and heaviness some bewailing their Parents some their Children some their Husbands some their Friends or Kinsmen there lost But that which most grieved the Turkish Emperor was the loss of so many worthy and expert Captains of so many skilful Masters and notable Souldiers who brought up all their lives at Sea were not thought inferior to any then living besides the perpetual ignominy and unwonted disgrace thereby inflicted unto him and his posterity for ever Wherefore full of wrath and indignation he was about to have commanded all the Christians in his Dominions in number infinite to be put to death Doubting indeed nothing more than that they weary of the Turkish Thraldom and desirous of innovation should with Weapons put into their hands rise up against him and take part with the other Christians his Enemies But whilst the other Bassaes as Men dismaid with the cruelty of the command stood all silent Muhamet Bassa for his former deserts in great favour with the Tyrant thought it good to make proof if his fury might by reasonable perswasion be mitigated and some better course taken both for the honour of Selymus himself and the common good of the State yet well knowing how full of danger it was in that tyrannical Gevernment openly to speak any thing contrary to the good liking of the wilful Emperor he durst not apertly contradict him but leaning as it were to his opinion and pleasure by little and little to draw from himself and so before he were aware to lead him into his own device and by delay moderate the rigor of his former fury To which purpose he cunningly set upon him in this sort Your anger said he most magnificent and invincible Emperor against the Christians is most just and in this my desire exceedeth all others That they should endure and suffer such punishment as they have of right deserved Yet it behooveth us so to satisfie our wrath as Men better regarding their own good than the hot desire of revenge And forasmuch as I am for your many and undeserved favours in all Loyalty bounden unto your Highness above others I reckâ—n it in part my duty so much the more frankly to deliver my opinion such as it is in matter of so great importance Neither will I attempâ—r my Speech in any respect to the comfâ—rting of your grieved mind for how can it be that you who following the worthy examples of your noble Progenitors have always heretofore shewed your most heorical and couragious mind contemning all the chances of Fortune should not for ever after shew your self to be rather
be revenged for their former loss and impeach their Enemies entrance into Siruan But wanting rather strength than courage to assaile the whole Army they thought it best to stay in ambush in some fit place untill some part of the Turkish Army allured with the prey of the Corn and Cattel should for the releif of their common Necessities descend into those fields And the rather to draw them on sent out divers men who as if they had gone about their own business and by chance at unawares had lighted upon the Turks Camp revealed unto them as a great Secret what a good Prey was hard by them and so withdrawing themselves out of sight privily awaited the coming of the Turks when as within the space of three days it so fell out that the aforesaid ten thousand Forragers arrived at the wished place where they had no sooner begun to charge themselves with the Prey but they were surprised by the Persians and all slain saving a few who by hasty flight saved themselves The noise of this hot Skirmish being heard into the Turkish Host caused Mustapha to imagine that the matter was fallen out even as indeed it was and therefore rising with his whole Army hasted with all possible speed to have succouâ—ed the poor People who were now all slain And albeit he came not in so good time as to yield them relief yet came he very fitly to revenge their Death upon the Persians staying too long to load themseâ—ves with the Spoil of their Enemies The place from whence the Turks were to have had the aforesaid Booty was almost in manner of an Island inclosed with the Rivers of Araxis and Canac whereinto Mustapha entred with his whole Power Deruis Bassa leading the one Wing as did Beyran Bassa the other and he himself coming on in the middle with the main Battel The Persians seeing Mustapha with all his Forces hasting towards them and withall remembring the late overthrow by them received in the Plains of Chielder began to bethink themselves how much better it had been for them to have contented themselves with the late â—â—ughter of the Forragers and with speed to have got them away out of that Straight than by staying longer to be inclosed with the multitude of their Enemies as that they could now no way escape without most manifest Peril In this perplexity discoursing among themselves whether it were better to fly or with so great disadvantage to joyn battel and so rather to dye honourably than to live with reproach at last they resolved to reserve themselves to the further service of their Prince and Country deeming it rather a point of Wisdom than of Dishonour not to adventure unto most desperate and assured death so many worthy men as might in future time stand their Country in good stead yet did they not see how by flight well to escape for that they were in such sort strained within the Rivers as that there was no ground left for them to ecsape by than that which contrary to their Expectation was by the Turks already possessed In these Difficulties every man began to betake himself to his own private Conceit and Fortune Tocomac with Emir Chan and other the great Commanders of the Army were the first that turned their Backs and by the help of their Couragious Horses got over the River of Canac whose Example moved many others to attempt the like though not with like Fortune for that their Horses being not of such Courage and out of Breath lay many of them drowned in the River Wherewith others being amazed as perceiving inevitable death in flying present before their Eyes and reposing all their hope even in despair ran as it were headlong in a Rage and Fury upon their Enemies and in fighting shewed unspeakable Valour but what was one against an hundred For there they were also all slain though worthy of immortal Fame Thus was the Persian Army quite discomfited in this demy Island being first stained with the Blood of the Enemy and afterward with the slaughter of the Neighbour and proper Inhabitant and so became the perpetual Sepulchre of a most couragious and warlike People The Turks in this last Conflict lost not above 3000 men beside the slaughter of the 10000 Forragers although Tocomac to make his loss to seem the more tolerable made report to the King of a great slaughter made The Persian Captains full of sorrow for this unexpected overthrow with the license of their General departed every man to his several Government as Emanguli Chan to Genge Seraph Chan to Nassivan Tocomac himself to Reivan and all the rest to other Cities to the Government whereof they were before by the King appointed and so remained expecting his further Pleasure from Casbin Mustapha was now come to the River of Canac which he was to pass over into Siruan and therefore made straight Proclamation through his whole Army That every man should be in readiness against the next day to pass the River At which Proclamation all his People suddenly arose in a tumult and with injurious Terms even to his Face reproved his Folly and Inhumanity propounding utter danger unto himself and an universal Confusion unto the whole Army and therefore prayed him to surcease from proceeding any further unless he were minded to cast them all away But his resolute Mind was not by their Threats or Intreaties to be removed neither gave he them other Answer than this That so had Amurath commanded and that if all the rest should shew themselves unwilling to obey their Sovereign he himself would not nor could not but would be the first man to attempt and perform that which they all so abhorred and reproved Valiant Soulers he said were discovered and known not in Idleness and Ease but in great pains taking and difficult Enterprizes who never ought to be afraid to change this momentary Life for everlasting Honour or to shun Death if the Service of their Prince so required And for mine own part said he I most earnestly request you that after I have attempted the passage of the River if any thing happen unto me otherwise than well yet carry my dead Body to the other side of the River to the end that if I cannot whilst I yet live execute the Commandment of my Sovereign I may yet at least perform the same when I am but a speechless and liveless Carkas forasmuch as the desire of my Lord is not in any sort to be frustrated for making too great account of mine own Life Divers and sundry murmurings and whisperings followed upon this speech of the General who notwithstanding the next morning did first of all wade over the deep and swift River himself after whom presently followed the Bassa's with all their Slaves by whose Example the rest also were induced at last to do the like and so continued untill the darkness of the Night interrupted their Passage by which Occasion more than half
more but to have his Life spared fearfully promising a large ransom for himself and those few which were yet alive with him Howbeit the Vayvod mindful of the manifold Injuries by them done unto him and his Subjects and nothing mitigated or moved with the rich Spoils thrust upon him or the large Promises the Turks had made him commanded all those his Enemies now in Power to be slain every Mothers Son of whom his Souldiers had a wonderful rich spoil although much more was lost in the fire and so giving thanks unto God for the Victory rested with his People a while at quiet Yet within less than a Month after he sent Albertus Kiral his Lieutenant with an Army to Phloch a great open unwalled Town on the farther side of Danubius equally distant from Vrosczok and Nicopolis from whence the Turks oftentimes passing over that frozen River into Valachia had there done great harm which Town not inferiour unto a good City he suddenly surprized and sacked it and put to the Sword all the Inhabitants thereof except such as were before his coming fled And shortly after the more to annoy the Turks marching again over the frozen River to have surprized Hersowa a walled City but one days Journey from Brailoua he was by the way encountred upon the Ice by the Turks whom he there in a great conflict overthrew and having slain many of them and put the rest to flight holding on his intended Journey took that rich City which he rifled and burnt down to the Ground all except the Castle which was yet by the Turks valiantly defended and so with the spoil of the City returned again over the River there to refresh his Souldiers wearied with Labour and the Extremity of the Winter weather And yet not so contented within six days after passing again over the River and having upon the side thereof in a great Battel overthrown the Turks Garrisons took Silistra a great City of Macedonia built by Constantine the Great being the Seat of one of the Turks Sanzacks and well inhabited with rich Merchants which fair City he ransacked and having slain most part of the Inhabitants burnt it down to the Ground as he had the other no less Terror than Grief unto the Turks But whilst the aforesaid Confederation betwixt the Emperour and the Transilvanian Prince was yet in hand and the Troubles in Valachia thus arising Amurath the great Sultan grievously troubled with the Stone and attainted with the falling Sickness his wonted Disease and inwardly also tormented with the late Insolency of the Janizaries and Revolt of the Countries of Transilvania Valachia and Moldavia no small hinderance to the proceeding of his Wars in Hungary as a man both in Soul and Body tormented with great Impatiency and Agony of Mind departed this Life the eighteenth day of Ianuary in the year of our Lord 1595 when he had lived one and fifty or as some say two and fifty years and thereof reigned nineteen At the time of his Death arose such a sudden and terrible Tempest at Constantinople that many thought the World should even presently have been dissolved His dead Body was not long after with great Pomp and Solemnity buried by Mahomet his eldest Son in a Moschy which he himself had before built at Constantinople Christian Princes of the same time with Amurath the Third Emperours of Germany Maximilian the Second 1565. 12. Rodolph the Second 1577. Kings Of England Queen Elizabeth 1558. 45. Of France Charles the Ninth 1560. 14. Henry the Third 1574. 14. Henry the Fourth 1589. Of Scotland James the Sixth 1565. Bishops of Rome Gregory the XIII 1572. 12. Pius the V. 1585. 5. Urban the VII 1590. 12 days Gregory the XIV 1590. 10 months 10 days Innocent the IX 1591. 2 months one day Clement the VIII 1592. 〈…〉 le virtus non ingens copia rerum 〈◊〉 saâ—iunt magnum non 〈◊〉 dextra potens Maximuâ—â—t Superunt 〈◊〉 qui terriâ—at Orbem 〈…〉 â—ibi gloria tota manat 〈…〉 alia Sceptra paravit 〈…〉 maxima quaeque dedit 〈…〉 multumâ—e beatus 〈…〉 terror et ira Dei. 〈…〉 superbis inani 〈…〉 miseris numinis ira premat 〈…〉 magniâ—ni vis SuccuÌ„bere magnus 〈…〉 ponderâ— pressa ruunt 〈…〉 â—empâ—ra longa 'T is not thy vertue nor thy dread command That makes thee great nor thy victorious hand Ther 's an almighty God who makes thee so From him these glories Achâ—et on thee flow He in thy infant hands the Scepter plac'd And he thy vigorous youth with honours grac'd Not for thy merittâ— he exalted thee But that his Scourge of Vengeance thou shouldst be Boast thou not then of what is not thine owne For he that sett thee up may pull thee downe Be humble in thy most triumphant State For great things sink deprest by their owne weight Nor feed thy self with hopes of endless daies For at Fates Summons thou must goe 〈◊〉 waies THE TURKISH HISTORY The Second Uolume Beginning from MAHOMET III. And Continued to this Present Year 1687. THE SIXTH EDITION LONDON Printed for Tho. Basset at the George near St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet MDCLXXXVII Si quid in humanis magnum te reddere possit Quid prohibet magnis nomen inesse â—uum Qui subjecta vides tot dissona regna tot urbes Et nulli cedens sceptra superba geris Cum tamen ignores quid sit Sapientia Christi Omnia quae jactas sunt Mahomete nihil If any thing on earth can make man great Great as the greatest art thou Mahomet Who overlookst the World from thy bright Throne And seest the largest part of it thine owne But since the Christian Law thou dost disdeigne Thy labours to be truely Great are all but vaine THE LIFE OF MAHOMET The Third of that Name Seventh Emperour of the Turks year 1595 THE Death of the late great Sultan Amurath was not forthwith made known in the Court but with wonderful secresie concealed not onely for fear of the Ianizaries who in the time of the vacancy of the Empire always do whatsoever pleases themselves but also for that the People having in distrust the fierce Nature of Mahomet Amurath's eldest Son were generally better affected to Amurath the younger Brother a Prince of a more mild spirit and courteous disposition unto whom they in heart wished those stately honours which could by no means without the great wrong and prejudice of his elder Brother and danger of the whole State be given unto him Ten days after came Mahomet in post from Amasia to Constantinople and was there by the great Bassa's and other his mighty Favorites saluted Emperour which done he presently after caused all his Brethren to be invited to a solemn Feast in the Court whereunto they yet ignorant of the death of their Father came cheerfully as men fearing no harm but being come were there all by his commandment most miserably strangled and at once to rid himself of the
believe that the great Sultan himself was desirous of Peace and that his Captains well affected thereunto were willing to further the same Which done the Bassa presented unto Collonel Althem two Cases full of Turks Arms of all manner of Fashions very rich and cunningly wrought both carried by a Mule with Furniture for an Horse embroidered with Gold and Pearl very sumptuous and rich as a Present from the great Sultan his Lord and Master to the Emperour And for the Archduke Matthias he presented unto the Collonel a Robe of purple Velvet with Sleeves cunningly embroidered with Gold and Pearl embossed with fine and curious Figures cunningly wrought with the Needle for the rareness thereof as admirable to behold as for the richness thereof to have been desired which was by every man wondered at when as shortly after it was by Althem presented unto the Arch-duke together with other Presents from the Turks Besides that the same Bassa in token of Friendship presented unto Althem himself another very fair and rich Robe all the rest of the Commissioners receiving also from the Bassa other Robes of less Value but yet all very rich and sumptuous This business for this time thus ended and the Truce for twelve days concluded the Christian Commissioners loaded with Presents took their leave of the Turks with the shews of their good Wills and so returned back again to Pesth Howbeit these the Enemies fair Presents still favoured but of Enmity being indeed but like to the Presents of Hector and Ajax tending rather to War than to Peace Now the Death of the most valiant and renowned Lord Nadasti which at this time happened was another evil Presage of the bad Success of this Treaty of Peace now at hand who having of long been a bar unto the Turks Rage in that part of Hungary where he dwelt they now after his Death with the violence of their Forces as with an heady stream bare down before them all our good Fortune in that Province This worthy man of great Fame and Desert had spent both his Years and Fortune in the most honourable Wars against the Turks wherein he was so skilful and expert that he was of them feared as another Huniades and of the Christians honoured as another Matthias He had a thousand times most valiantly fought against these Miscreants and as many times foiled them to the great benefit of the Christian Commonweal the advancement of the Emperour's Service and the relief of his distressed Country These his heroical deeds of Arms were engraven upon the Gates of the Towns and Cities of Hungary and within the Rocks of Transilvania having both in the one Country and the other right happily defeated these Infidels He had the Honour to have received the first Incursions and Attempts of the Turks at such time as Amurath the Third having perfidiously broken the League made with Maximilian the Emperour with his Forces invaded Hungary and was the first of all the Christian Chieâ—tains that made head against them and being by their sudden coming in by them almost surprised performed yet great and worthy Exploits and Service against these faithless men It should seem that good Fortune favoured the Country of Hungary but only in respect of him for he being dead it died also burying it self as it were in his Grave and him in Glory not suffering him to grow old and so to languish in the Ruines of his native Country He died of a natural Death about fifty and four Years old most part whereof he lived in Arms still charged with the burthen of his Armour and even at the yielding up of the Ghost yet breathing Wars against these the Enemies of the Christian Faith. His Death was much lamented of many faithful Christians but especially of his own Tenants and Subjects whom he had always kept and preserved in Safety and still maintained them in all Peace and Tranquility during all these former Wars the Turks not daring once to assail them nor to enter into their Territory being staid from so doing by the Bulwark of his Valour right dreadful to their Attempts Never Turk was buried in his Territory no more than were the Barbarians upon the Banks of the River Eurotas his Wisdom had so wisely provided for the Preservation of his People and his Valour so worthily assured them of their Health and Safety He was for his Country another Epaminondas who made his Town not only free from the Arms and Invasions of their Enemies but also dreadful to their Forces so long as he lived The Turks on the contrary part no less rejoyced for his Death but accounting his Country now rich and plentiful for that it had never been by them spoiled for their most assured Prey came now thither on all sides to have taken the Spoil thereof and therewith to have enriched themselves But as they were about so to have done the valiant Collonitz honouring the Remembrance of the Lord Nadasti his late Fellow and Companion in Arms and holding that for his own which he had left opposed himself with his Forces against these ravening Wolves so that they were no sooner entered into this his Territory but that contrary to their Expectation they were encountered by this new Nadasti and by him so overthrown and cut in pieces that for a good while after they durst no more attempt the like This so great a loss of so worthy a man was a little â—ased by the Victory about the same time gained by the Vayvod of Valachia against the Tuâ—ks spoiling of his Country This valiant Champion not able longer to endure the proud Insolency and Tyranny of those barbarous People gathered together his Troops of Horse-men with such other small Forces as he had whereof the Turks having made small reckoning and therefore without order pillaging and ransacking his Country were when they least feared by him upon the sudden surprised and overthrown many of them being cut in pieces a number more taken Prisoners with all the Spoils they had got and the rest with such fear chased out of his Country as that being glad to have escaped they took no pleasure for a great while after to look into that his Province again But to return again to the Commissioners for the Peace to be made betwixt the Great Sultan and the Emperour The Bassa of Buda to the end that the Captains and Governours of the Turks and Castles belonging to the Turks being ignorant of the Truce should not continue their war-like Actions to the prejudice of his Faith given immediately after the departure of the Christian Commissioners from Buda dispatched divers Courriers towards them to give them knowledge thereof and especially the Governour of Agria commanding them from thenceforth to abstain from their ordinary Incursions into their Enemies Territories and from all other Actions of Hostility and so to keep themselves quiet until they were from him otherwise commanded This little time of respite and
General That he would not in any wise so do for that they greatly feared lest the Wallons being Men altogether given to the spoil not finding the Rebels to prey upon should after their wonted manner prey upon them the Emperours faithful Subjects At whose instance the former purpose for the sending of the Wallons being changed Collonitz himself was appointed unto that Service with whom Monsieur de Laual a Noble young Gentleman of France who but a few days before was newly come unto the Camp for the honourable desire he had to see Service and to serve himself with his Troop of Horsemen whom he had brought with him out of France went over into the Island also Whereinto when as the Rebels shortly after again entered they were by Collonitz overthrown and driven out of the Isle two hundred and fifty of them being slain and above fifty more of them taken Prisoners In which Conflict the noble young Gentleman Laual so bravely behaved himself as that he gained unto himself much Honour and Renown every mans Mouth being full of his Praises and wondering to see so great Courage in so young years he being then scarce nineteen years old With which loss the Rebels rather enraged than discouraged shortly after returned again in greater number and better resolved where betwixt them and them that were left for the defence of the Island was fought a more sharp and bloody fight than was the former yet so as that the Rebels were enforced again with loss to retire In which so hot and bloody a Skirmish Monsieur Laual having most valiantly born himself against the Enemy and done enough for his Honour but not so contented but carried away with the heat of Youth and the desire of Glory and not otherwise to be perswaded but still adventurously pressing on the retiring Enemy was there with a small shot slain all they which knew him much lamenting his untimely Death But the Rebels not so discouraged but still in one place or other invading the Island and threatning the Islanders with all Extremities except they would take part with them what by Force what by Perswasion so much prevailed with them that the most part of them revolting from the Emperour upon the sudden set upon the Count of Rhene being then in the Island and having slain three hundred of his men grievously wounded himself also For the speedy appeasing of which Multitude Basta sent over into the Island certain Companies of the Ratzians and Wallons who not regarding that the Islanders were daily damnified by the Rebels most miserably spoiled them of whatsoever the Rebels had yet left them The Turks encamped before Strigonium first planted their Battery against the strong Fort standing aloft upon Saint Thomas's Hill for that from thence they should have received infinite harm if they should before the winning thereof have attempted to have won the City it standing on their Backs and all the plain betwixt the Hill and the City wherein they were to plant their Battery being subject unto it Which Fort though very strong they with continual Battery by the space of almost three weeks having with infinite charge and the loss of a number of their Men made assaultable the four and twentieth day of September mounted the Hill to assault the same Unto which assault they went up the Hill so thick one thrusting another forward that the Hill seemed now to be nothing but a mount or heap of armed Men scarce any part of it being to be seen it was so covered with them Upon whom so swarming up the Christians in the Fort having reposed all the hope of their Welfare in their Valour and resolved thereby to die or live courageously discharged their murthering shot both great and small scarce any of their deadly Bullets falling in vain Howbeit the Turks resolutely set down for the performing of that they had taken in hand without respect of Death or Danger came still desperately on until that they were come to the push of Pike and so to handy blows even in the very Breaches which the long Fury of the Turks Cannon had made very assaultable Five hours this furious assault was by the Turks maintained and by the Christians with invincible Courage and Resolution endured many brave and valiant men falling on both sides and thrice the Turks repulsed were enforced to retire but were still by their Commanders brought on again The loss was to both sides common many worthy Men there ending their Days worthy of eternal Fame The Christians fell dead upon the Turks slain by their Valour and the Turks upon the Christians slain by their Multitude But what should we say The Turks by numbers died but not their Force that being by their great numbers still maintained even in despight of Death and always living in their great Multitude yet left alive Which was not so with the Defendants but even quite contrary who could not lose one only man without diminishing of their Forces and means of resistance so that they still lost without hope of safeguard and yet could not be in safety without continuing of their so great losses But he that still fighteth only for to save his Life without hope of killing his Enemy being too mighty for him to overcome must needs at last die overcome if it were but with very weariness So in the end of this long and furious assault nine hundred of the Christians being slain together with the Count Oetingen their Chieftain and his Lieutenant mortally wounded and nothing now more left but a few sore wounded men and the dead Walls for the Turks to overcome they entered the Place slew those few whom they found yet breathing made booty of their Death Blood and Arms and by the infinite price of their own Blood gained that place which had now no more Blood or Life left in it From whence they carried certain great pieces to help to batter the City withal and to vanquish them for whose defence they were but a little before appointed The Turks having thus gained Saint Thomas's Fort even as they were yet embrued with Blood and prick'd forward with Fury forthwith planted thirty great pieces of Battery against the base Town of Strigonium standing low by the side of Danubius and commonly called the Water Town which they with all their Force and Fury most terribly battered This base Town was environed with a Pallisado of Wood to defend it against all sudden Surprises as almost all the Towns of Hungary are Whereunto the confused Multitude of the Turks carried a number of brush Faggots stuffed with Gunpowder and Brimstone which being set on fire presently set fire upon the Pallisado also and burnt it down to the Ground making a way for the Turks to come even to the Walls of the City which they with their great Ordnance both Night and Day incessantly most terribly battered untill that by the Fury of the Cannon they had therein made a fair
have enforced them to the Breach But all in vain their dead Courages being not to be revived or stirred up in their so great a fear of Death Which much dismayed the Captains seeing their Lives and Honour together with the Place through this Tumult and Cowardise of their Souldiers to be in extream peril During which time the Turks coming on had without any great resistance gained the foot of the Breach whom the Souldiers now seeing so near unto them and out of hope to be relieved and destitute of Courage also instead of trusting unto their Arms and Valour betook themselves unto the refuge of their shame and Cowardise For compassing in the Count Dampierre Governour of the Place they would by Reasons have perswaded him to have yielded and by Threats have feared him from farther resisting of the Enemy Their Fury emboldened them proceeding not from their Valour but from their Fear storming against their General for not being a Coward as they themselves were trembling for fear of their Enemies and insulting against him They had but one man of him to fight against which made them furious and hardy hardy with cowardise against one not daring to hold up their Weapons against their Enemies being many Howbeit the Count in the middle of these Fears enraged continued firm in his Resolution his Courage increasing in this storm of Mutiny wishing rather to dye by the hands of his own Souldiers in the performing of his Duty than to be saved by the Turks in the bottom of his Dishonour Which his so brave a Resolution caused him even in the midst of these furious and tumultuous Companies to put them in mind of their Duties and to perswade with them That the Peril they so much feared was greater through their own fear than indeed it was that only their fearful Apprehension made the danger and not the Action that was by them to be performed seeing that it was impossible for the Enemy to overcome them if they would but resolutely stand upon their Valour to resist him That all things resting but in Opinion were by themselves to be subdued if they had but the desire to overcome them and yet of power to overthrow them if they will yield to their dishonour That therefore they should propound unto themselves the Honour and the Shame that was to ensue unto them by the different Deportment of themselves in this Action how much the deformity of the one differed from the beauty of the other and aspire unto the Honour which their Enemies had sometimes got in the same Place and in the very same Action wherein they were now for having with less appearance of their safety overcome the like danger wherein their holding out had made them Victorious with Honour without any great fight at all That it should be an eternal Infamy unto them That the Turks should surmount them by their Resolution in an Action wherein they ought to shew themselves most valorous and by their Cowardise become subject unto them whom at other times they had accounted unworthy to be compared with them in Valour That they should lay their Hands upon their Hearts and remember their Estate and Faith bound unto the first by their Honour and to the second by their Duty That they were Men of War living by their Pay which bound them to the Service of him from whom they received it even unto Death having before obliged their Lives unto their Pay and that they were Christian Subjects bound to keep their Promise given by Oath before God. That forgetting either the one or the other of these things they deprived themselves of the Pay promised to them which performed their Service and losing their Renown in this World for their Cowardise and in the World to come for breaking their Faith. That therefore they should continue constant in the performance of their Duty resolving themselves rather to endure an honourable Death unto which belonged the recompence of an eternal Fame for their Valour and Fidelity than to prolong a miserable Life with perpetual Infamy for their Cowardise whereof for all that they could no more assure themselves by the yielding up of the place than by the defending thereof for as much as the Turks were oft times even as cruel upon them that yielded as those that resisted keeping no Faith with the Christians but as best stood with their Profit and their Pleasure And that therefore for his part he was resolved rather to die with Honour in the Place than to be beholden to his Enemies for an infamous and miserable Life And that therefore he besought them to follow him in this last Action of their devoir which carried with it all the Trophies of their precedent Actions wherein they had oftentimes assisted him in many Actions of less worth and of much greater Peril This Discourse grounded upon so good Reasons and proceeding from so great Valour might have prevailed with any other generous Minds except with these degenerate Souldiers who by their Cowardise had hardened themselves against all the points of Honour which might any way move them in such sort that they stood as fast in their base Cowardise as did their General in his valorous and constant Resolution They stood with their Hands behind them without any Weapons in them as was their Minds without any Courage at all and as Men appointed to be sacrificed upon the Altar of Death attending without moving but the Hands of them that should sacrifice them Great and shameless Cowardise not daring by resistance to withstand the Violence of their Enemies for fear of hindering them in their desires being indeed such as had vowed their Death to satisfie their own Fury Mean while some of these Souldiers seeing their Speeches to be but vain and not able to move their Governour to satisfie their desire conceived the same their Requests with the Reasons thereof into Writing which they sent unto him Which the Governour having read in their sight tore their Letters in pieces and trod the same under his Feet rejecting as well their Demands by Letters as he had done their Requests by Words In brief having forgotten nothing of the Duty of a worthy General and valiant Captain joyned now thereunto the Office of a simple Souldier going himself unto the breach with some few to defend the same But the more the Count stood upon this his so great Resolution the more these cowardly and mutinous Villains proceeded in their base Obstinacy in so much that they fell from Prayers to Fury and Rage threatning to deliver him their Governour together with the Place unto the Enemy to save their Lives if he himself would not by Treaty save them from the imminent Perils If these base Cowards were before deaf unto the just Remonstrances of their Governour which might have preserved them from Death and Infamy he was also as deaf as they to conceive their Requests or to be moved with their Threats knowing
fifth Son of Sultan Achmet born of the same Mother with Sultan Morat Educated like the other younger Sons of the Ottoman Family within the Walls of an obscure and unhappy Prison so that 't is no wonder if wanting the advantages of seeing and practising in the World he should neither have studied Men nor been experienced in the Art of Government Nor less strange is it being natural to humane Infirmity for Men who have lived under Restraint Affliction and fear of Death to become licentious and immoderate in all kind of Pleasures whensoever they pass on a sudden from the depth of Misery to some transcendent degree of Happiness and Prosperity which as I say all Men are naturally subject unto so more especially those whose Religion indulges them all kind of sensual Carnality in this Life Ibrahim was in his own Nature of a gentle and easy Temper of a large Forehead of a quick and lively Eye and ruddy Complexion and of a good Proportion in the Features of his Face but yet had something in the Air of his Countenance that promised no great Abilities of Mind And giving himself up to all kind of Effeminacy and Softness attended not unto the Government of his Affairs and therefore it was his greatest misfortune to be served by wicked and faithless Officers to whom he trusted and to whom he gave Credence wanting in himself the Talents of Wisdom and Discretion to discern their Malice The continual apprehensions that he entertained of Death during his Imprisonment had so frozen his Constitution with a strange frigidity towards Women that all the dalliance and warm Embraces of the most inflaming Ladies in the Seraglio could not in a whole Years time thaw his Coldness which was the occasion at first of that Report which spoke him to be impotent towards Women during which time he attended to his Ministers of Justice and to a management of the Affairs of his Empire which in the beginning of his Reign gained him a Credit and Reputation and raised a great expectation of his goodness and Care of his Subjects Welfare an evidence of which he gave in his Charge to the Great Vizier that he should put no Man to Death unless for Capital and Enormous Crimes But at length losing himself in Lusts and Sensualities he forsook the Helm of his Regency committing the guidance of his Empire to other Hands and as he was ignorant of War so he foolishly sported in the Calms of Peace and suffering himself to be guided only by Fortune felt the Stroke thereof in his last Unhappy Fate year 1649. THE REIGN OF Sultan MEHMET OR MAHOMET IV. THIRTEENTH EMPEROR OF THE TURKS ANNO 1649. SUltan Ibrahim perishing in this manner by the mutinous Violence of the Souldiery his Son Mehmet or Mahomet being a Child of seven Years of Age succeeded in the Throne During whose Minority which was to continue for the space of ten Years longer his Mother who was the first Sultana assisted with the Counsel of twelve Pashaws took upon her self the Regency and in the first place resolved to continue the War against the Venetians which Ibrahim intended to conclude having engaged himself far in a Treaty of Peace with the Bailo or Ambassador which resided at the Port for that Republick Whilst these Matters were transacting and Preparations making to prosecute the War the Malignant Humours of the Empire began to ferment unto that degree as affected the Body Politick at first with unnatural Heats which soon afterwards proceeded to a Feaver and then to a dangerous Convulsion The ill-affected Part was the Militia which is the Heart and Principal of the Life of that Government For the Spahees and the Janisaries being the Horse and Foot entred into a desperate Controversie The first judged it their Duty to revenge the Death of their Soveraign Sultan Ibrahim and in order thereunto demanded the Head of the Great Vizier as the Chief Author and Contriver of the Death of his Lord and Master The others being conscious to themselves of having by their Arms carried on the Conspiracy not only declared their Resolutions to defend the Vizier but owned that what he had acted was by their Order and at their Request and Instigation The Spahees being highly provoked with this Declaration swelled with Anger and Malice against the Janisaries and both sides being equally proud and rich could not bear each others Reproaches The Spahees being Men of Estates in Land looked on themselves as the Gentry and to have the greatest Share in the concernment of the Empire The Janisaries living regularly in their Chambers or Martial Colledges looked on themselves as the better Souldiers and the more formidable Party and the truth is both of them were proceeded to that height of Command and Authority in Government that had they not been suppressed by the cruel Hand and bloody Disposition of Kuperlee as shall be more largely related hereafter this Empire was then in danger of falling into as many Divisions as there were at that time Pashaws or great Captains The cause hereof proceeded from the warlike disposition of Sultan Morat who being the most Martial Man of his Age preferred none but Men of great Courage and such as had signalized their Valour by undoubted proofs And such Men as these he loaded with Honour and raised them to the highest aâ—d most eminent Charges in the Government But Morat dying soon afterwards these Great Men had time to enrich themselves during the gentle and easie Reign of Sultan Ibrahim which being seconded by the Minority of this Young Sultan their Pride knew no bounds either of Modesty towards their Commanders or Reverence towards their Sultan Hence it was that the Souldiery dividing so great a Sedition arose amongst them that at last they came to Blows resolving to decide the Controversy by the Sword. But the Quarrels of Turks amongst themselves not being commonly of long durance the Care and Vigilance of the Magistrates prevented all open defiance in the Field but yet could not so pacifie their Animosities but that several Skirmishes or Rencounters passed between them in the Streets wherein the Spahees were always worsted and at length were forced to abandon the City scarce daring for some time to own the Name of Spahee within the Walls of Constantinople These Disturbances gave the Venetians some hopes to accommodate their Peace with better Advantage but the Reply to this Proposition was more fierce and positive than ever and so ill resented that the Bailo going from his Audience was on the 27 th of April seized on and with all his Retinue clapped into Prison and Chains being sent to those Castles which are scituate on the Bosphorus in the middle way between Constantinople and the Black Sea. But this furious severity by the intercession of other Christian Ministers continued not long before the Bailo received more gentle Treatment by the Sacrifice which the Turks made unto themselves of Grillo his Interpeter who being called down from the
departure nearly approached yet the Grand Signior was so impatient that he would scarce expect until the Equinoctial which was the Term formerly appointed and published for this expedition resolving sometimes to proceed before and leave the Vizier to follow him letting fall words often That such as loved and honoured him would keep him company But this hasty resolution and eager desire of his Journey the Vizier Mufti and others of his Counsellours did moderate perswading him to a little longer patience to which though with some difficulty he assented yet he could not forbear from his Horses back and constant exercises abroad nor could he be induced to take one Nights repose longer in his great Seraglio at Constantinople but lodged at Daout Pasha a small Palace about four miles distant from Constantinople Which extravagant manner of living most People attributed to his wandring humour and delights in hunting riding and such like exercises having his sole pleasure in the Woods and Fields But others who judged with better Foundation did conceive That the Grand Signiors choice of other places of Residence rather than his Imperial Seraglio proceeded not so much from his own unsetled humour and course of living as from an apprehension of some Designs and mutinous Treasons of the Janisaries against him For to speak the truth since the death of Kuperlee the Militia began again to be corrupted and if we may believe the opinion of the most principal Turks the Vizier undertook this War to employ the busie spirits of the Soldiery which began to grow resty and insolent through idleness and by that means secure his own life and establish his Condition and Fortune The Equinoctial being come the Grand Signior would not have one days longer patience for though the Season was wet and rainny yet the Tents were pitched and though the Wind was so violent and forcible as overturned almost the whole Camp yet no difficulties and inconveniencies of Weather could give one hour of intermission to the Sultans desires Wherefore on the Ninth of this Month the Grand Signior departed from Constantinople attended with his Court his principal Officers of State and with what part of his Army was then a in readiness to march The magnificence of the show they made was according to the usual Solemnity yet worthy the sight of a Stranger and perhaps not incurious to the Reader in its Relation First marched with a singular Gravity the several and distinct Orders of Civil and Military Officers in their proper Habits and Caparisons the Santones in their wild dress followed by the Emirs or such as are of the Kindred of their false Prophet the Great Vizier and Mufti rode in rank together the Vizier on the left hand the most honourable place amongst the Soldiery being the side to which the Sword is girt as the right is of greatest esteem amongst such as are of the Law being that hand which guides the Pen The Trappings of the Viziers Horse were plaâ—ed with Gold and before him were carried three Horse-tails called in Turkish Tugh and behind him came about Three hundred and fifty Pages all Young men well mounted and armed with Jacks and Coats of Male Next followed the Minions of the Court or Seraglio viz. the Paicks with Caps of beaten Gold and embroidered Coats the Solacks with Feathers armed with Bows and Arrows these two last are of the highest degree of Lacqueys which more nearly attend the Person of the Grand Signior these were followed by Nine led Horses of the Grand Signior richly adorned with precious Stones and Bucklers all covered with Jewels of an unknown value Immediately before the Person of the Grand Signior was led a Camel carrying the Alcoran in a Chest covered with cloth of gold The Gr. Signior himself was clothed in a Vest of cloth of gold lined with a Sable incomparably black held up from the sides of his Horse by four Pages his Person was followed with great numbers of Eunuchs and Pages with long red Caps wrought with Gold about the head carrying Lances and Mails with two Locks one on each side of their Head which are worn by such only as are of the Royal Chamber After these crowded great numbers of Servants with the chief Comp. of Saphees commanded by the Selictor Aga in number about 1800. And in this manner and order they marched to their Tents The Tents were raised on a small Hill as may be judged about Four Miles distant â—â—om Constantinople and about Two Thousand in number ranged at that time without order only the Grand Signior's seemed to be in the midst and to over-top all the rest well worthy observation costing as was reported One hundred and eighty thousand Dollars richly embroidered in the inside with Gold and supported by Pillars plated with Gold. Within the Walls of this Tent as I may so call them were all sorts of Offices belonging to the Seraglio all Retirements and Apartments for the Pages Chioskes or Summer-houses for pleasure and though I could not get admittance to view the innermost Rooms and Chambers yet by the outward and more common places of resort I could make a guess at the richess and greatness of the rest being sumptuous beyond comparison of any in use amongst the Christian Princes On the right hand hereof was pitched the Grand Viziers Tent exceedingly rich and lofty and had I not seen that of the Sultans before it I should have judged it the best that my eyes had seen The ostentation and magnificence of this Empire being evidenced in nothing more than in the richess of their Pavilions sumptuous beyond the fixed Palaces of Princes erected with Marble and Mortar On the Sixteenth of this Month the Aga of the Janisaries first raised his Tents and began his march the next day followed the Grand Signior Vizier and other Officers and Spahees At which time all Asia was full of Soldiers flocking from all parts of the East as from Aleppo Damascus Arabia Erzirum and Babylon So that for a long time Boats and Barks were continually imployed to ferry the Souldiery from Scutari into Europe And the High-ways Villages and all parts of the Road towards Adrianople were filled with Soldiers as if all Asia had issued out to devour and inhabit the German Possessions And for greater expedition in the march of the Army Proclamation was made of a general Rendezvous at Sophia at the Biram then within Three weeks time where they designed to soil their Horse and refresh themselves before they fell in earnest to their business But before the Grand Vizier departed from Adrianople to prosecute a War in Hungary against the Emperor he called Signior Ballarino to his presence as if he would treat with him of matters tending to an adjustment with Venice when at the same time he had 20000 men in a readiness at Scutari to march into Dalmatia and to joyn with other Forces in Bosna and Croatia but this dissimulation and
in the hearts of his People who now neâ—â—ed no farther Miracles to confirm them in theâ—r Faith. And thus was Sabatai exalted when no man was thought worthy of communication who did not believe him for the Messiah others were called Kophrim Infidels or Hereticks subjected to the Censure of Excommunâ—cation with whom it was not lawful so much as to eat Every man produced his Treasure his Gold and Jewels offering them at the feet of Sabaâ—ai so that he could have commanded all the Wealth of Smyâ—na but he was too subtle to accept their money lest he should render his design â—â—spected by any acts of covetouâ—ness Sabatai Sâ—vi having thus fully fixed himself in Smyrna and filled other places with the rumours of him declâ—red that he was called by God to visâ—â— Canstantinople where the greatest part of his work was to be accomplished in order whereunto he privately shipped himself with some few Attendants on a Turkish Saike in the month of Ianuary 1665 lest the crowd of his Disciples and such who would pâ—ess to follow him should endâ—â—â—â—r him in the eyes of the Turks who already began to be scandâ—lâ—zed at the Reports and Prophecies concerning his Person But though Sabatai took few into the Vessel wâ—th him yet multitudes oâ— Jews travelled over land to meet him again at Constantinople on whom all their Eyes and expectations were intent The Wind proving Northerly as commonly it is in the Hâ—llâ—spont and Prâ—pâ—ntiâ— Sabatai was thirty nine days in his Voyage and yet the Vessel not arrived So little power had this Messiah over the Sea and Winds â—n which time the News fore-running to Constantinople that the Jews Messiah was near all that people prepared to receive him with the same jâ—y and impatience as was expressed in other parts where he arrived The â—reat Vâ—zier then also at Constantinople being not â—et departed on his expedition for Candia having heard some rumours of this Man and the disorder and madness he had raised amongst the Jews sent two Boats whilst the Saik was detained â—y contrary Winds with Commands to bring him up Prisoner to the Port where accordingly Sabatai being come was committed to the most loathsome and darkest Dungeon in the Town there to remain in farther expectation of the Vizâ—ers Sentence The Jews were not at all discouraged at this ill Treatment of their Prophet but rather confirmed in their belief of him as being an accomplishment of the Prophecy of those things which ought to precede his Glory and Dominion which Consideration induced the Chieâ—est Persons amongst the Jews to make their Visits and Addresses to him with the same Ceremony and Respect in the Dungeon as they would have done had he then sate exalted on the sublime Throne of Iudah Several of them with one Anacago by name a Man of great esteem amongst the Jews attended a whole day before him with their Eyes cast down their Bodies bending forward and hands cross'd before them which are postures of humâ—lity and service in the Eastern Parts the undecency of the place and preâ—ent subjection not having in the leaâ—t abated their high thoughts and reverence towards hâ—s perâ—on For the Iews in Constantinople were become as mad and distracted as they were in other places all Trade and Traffick forbidden and those who owed Money in no manner careful how to satisfie it amongst which wild Crew some were indebted to our Merchants at Galata who not knowing the way to receive their Money partly for their interest and partly for curiosity thought fit to visit this Sabatai complaining That such particular Iews upon his Coming took upon them the boldness to defraud them of their right and desired he would be pleased to signifie to those his Subjects his pleasure to have satisfaction given Whereupon Sabatai with much affectation took Pen and Paper and wrote to this effect To you of the Nation of the Jews who expect the appearance of the Messiah and the Salvation of Israel Peace without end Whereas we are informed That you are indebted to several of the English Nation It seemeth right to us to enorder you to make satisfaction to these your just Debts which if you refuse to do and not obey us herein know you that then you are not to enter with us into our Ioys and Dominions In this manner Sabatai Sevi remained a Prisoner at Constantinople for the space of two Months at the end of which the Vizâ—er having designed his expedition for Candia and considering the rumour and disturbance the Presence of Sabatai had made already at Constantinople thought it not secure to suffer him to remain in the Imperial City whilst both the Grand Signior and himself were absent and therefore changed his Prison to the Dardanelli otherwise called the Castle of Abydos being on the Europe side of the Hellespont opposite to Sestos places famous in Greek Poetry This removal of Sabatai from a worse Prison to one oâ— a better Air confirmed the Iews with greater confidence of his being the Messiah supposing that had it been in the power of the Vâ—zâ—er or other Officers of the Turks to have destroyed his Perâ—on they would never have permitted him to live unâ—o that time in regard their Maximes enforce them to quit all jealousies and suspicions of ruine to their State by the death of the Party feared which much rather they ought to execute on Sabatai who had not only declared himself the King of Israel but also by Prophecies published fatal things to the Grand Signior and his Kingdoms With this Consideration and others preceding the Iews flocked in great numbers to the Castle where he was imprisoned not only from the Neighbouring parts but also from Poland Germany Ligorn Venice Amsterdam and other places where the Iews reside on all whom as a reward of the expence and labours of their Pilgrimage Sabatai bestowed plenty of his Benedictions promising encrease of their Store and enlargement of possessions in the Holy Land. So great was the confluence of the Iews to this place that the Turks thought it requisite to make their advantage thereof and so not only raised the price of their Provisions Lodgings and other necessaries but also denied to admit any to the presence of Sabatai unless for Money setting the price sometimes at Five sometimes at ten Dollars or more or less according as they guessed at the abilities and zeal of the Person by which gain and advantage to the Turks no Complaints or Advices were carried to Adrianople either of the Concourse or Arguments amongst the Iews in that place but rather all Civilities and Liberties indulged unto them which served as a farther Argument to ensnare this poor People in the belief of their Messiah During this time of Confinement Sabatai had leisure to compose and institute a New Method of Worship for the Iews and principally the manner of the Celebraâ—ion of the Day of his Nativity which he prescribed in this manner BRethren and my People Men of my
important places the which Marquess Villa performed accordingly in the night preceding the first of Iune with much order and care for first he caused the Artillery to be withdrawn with the Mortar-pieces Ammunition and Provisions of War and placed in the Fort of Mocenigo then he caused half the Army to work in filling the Trenches whilst the other half remained in form of Battel and two hours before day blew up the Fort which having done they marched in three Bodies to the City to the great joy and satisfaction of the Turks who on that occasion made a day of Festival These particulars of Action having passed under the Conduct of Marquess Villa without any signal Victory or advantage over the Turk administred subject to such who in the parts of Christendom were emulous of his glory and envious of his eminent charge to give liberty to their tongues to disparage the management of his Affairs as not agreeable to that high expectation of success which the World conceived thereof when he first entred on this imployment But here it is observable at what rate men who lye soft and warm in their beds at home unconcerned in the dangers labours and hazards of those who live and act abroad can make their reflexions and pass their censures on active and ingaged men not considering the state of affairs the uncertainty of Succours in so long and distant a tract of Sea as passes between Venice and Candia subjected to Winds and a thousand Casualties nor yet the numerous Troops of the Enemy nor the Puissance of â—hat Empire which for its Power Richess and the Valour of its Soldiery may be esteemed the most Potent and considerable of all the Monarchies and known Kingdoms of the Universe But what conjectures soever envious men might make of the Conduct of Marquess Villa yet the Senate of Venice appplauded his labours and owned his services as being such which having merited the admiration and esteem of all the World did in a particular manner challenge their thankfulness and acknowledgments About this time the Gallies of Malta arrived at Candia where some dispute arising touching the place of precedence in the Fleet which the Venetians denied to them they deparâ—ed thence with some dissatisfaction and returned to the Westward to transport the young Empress out of Spain into Italy And now intelligence coming to Candia by divers Letters that the Great Vizier was departed from Adrianople with a numerous Aâ—my and was already arrived at Thebes where a general Rendezvous was appointed of the whole Army with resolution to be transported from Malvoisin to that Island the Venetian Generals and Commanders in chief concluded it necessary if possible to hinder their passage and rather to fight them at Sea which was their more propitious Element â—han to attend their Landing where they would be forced to dispute with unequal numbers and on disadvantageous terms Accordingly the Captain-General reinforced his Fleet with two thousand Foot and a thousand Horse under the Command of Count Licinio Martinoni appointing the Rendezvous to be at Argenâ—iera to which place also Marquess Villa repaired touching by the way at Milo for refreshment of his Horse it being an Island abounding with Herbage the Captain General being for some days detained at Standia by contrary Winds a Consultation was held for the more advantageous management of the War aâ—ter which the whole Fleet making Sail was on August the ninth scattered by a furious storm and not being able to recover Santoxini they by good fortune fetched Stampalia an â—sland abounding with generous Wines excellent Fruit Partridges and other Provisions at length after various fortunes arriving at Andâ—a which is a great and populous Island another Council of War was held where it was again concluded That all care was to be taken to intercept the Succours which the Enemy daily sent to Candia to which end the Cavalier Grimani Captain of the Galleons was ordered to cruise about the Coast and hearing that twelve Turkish Ships were lading Provisions in the Gulf of Velo he repaired thither and had the good â—ortune to take them with all their lading but the other Squadrons missed of the like success for notwithstanding the care and vigilance which was used all matters seemed to succeed prosperous â—or the Turks and adverse to the Christians the designs of the first having an issue agreeable to their intentions whilst those of the latter were always disappointed either by Naâ—ure or by Fortune or rather by that secret hand of Providence which had allotted that Island for a Prâ—ze to the Ottoman Arms. By this time the Turkish Army being at their Rendezvous at Thebes the Great Vizier prepared to imbark and considering the difficulty of the passage thought it prudent first to make new Propositions to Signior Ballarino before he entred on this hazardous attempt supposing perhaps that the rumour of this March might have affrighted the Venetians to a Surrender of that Kingdom that they might spare the blood and charge of that War which afterwards ensued wherefore Ballarino being called from his House at Constantinople began his Journey towards Thebes on the twenty fifth of August accompanied by a Capugibashee and three Janizaries and in twenty three days arriving at Thâ—ssalonica now called Salonica he fell sick of a violent Feaver caused by that agitation of body in his Travels to which he was unaccustomed and for want of that sleep which he used to take after his slender dinner passing the rest of the day and night in continual watchings at first he felt only some little alterations which he hoping might pass over resolved to proceed on his Journey notwithstanding the perswasions to the contrary of Signior Patavino his Secretary with whom I was well acquainted and ever esteemed for an honest and a worthy Person but he continued resolute to proceed fearing leâ—t his delays by the way should lose him the opportunity of that moment of Treaty which was impossible afterward to be retrieved for in his Journey he would often reason in this manner If I should stop here what censure would the World pass on me I may possibly excuse my self but in the mean time the Vizier may ingage too far in his design and frustrate all those methods and foundations which I have laid towards a Peace and then if I live I shall be over-burdened with the reproaches of the World for having abandoned the grand incumbance in its ultimate necessity which is charged upon me which will be a more sensible afâ—liction than the agony of death My sickness will be esteemed by many to be rather dissembled than real The dead man lives in the memory of his faithfulness and constancy and the living man dies in the indelible characters of his cowardise and misfortune These were his own words And thus â—ravelling forward his Feaver daily increased to that excess that on the sixth day he was forced to stop at a City called Isdino where having
Marquess Villa presented him with a Bason of Gold valued at six thousand Ducats together with a Patent recounting at large the many famous Exploits which he had performed in their Service which they expressed with a stile so generous and obliging as may serve for a Record to transmit the Fame of his Merits to all Posterity Marquess Villa being departed from Candia the Captain-General recalled all his Forces from divers parts of the Archipelago which he had sent thither with the Soldiers wounded in the last Battle and being returned they brought with them great numbers of Pioniers and Workmen to labour in the Fortifications and Mines at the same time also the Captain-Pasha arrived at Canea bringing two thousand Janisaries withhim The Marquess St. Andrea Montbrun a Gentleman of the French Nation was transported to Candia by the General Proveditor Cornaro where being entred into the Charge and Office of Marquess Villa wanted nothing of the vigilance and circumspection of his Predecessour And therefore in the first place having visited all the Forts Out-works and Retrenchments of the Town ordered what was necessary for repair of the breaches and amended what was deficient in the most distressed Fortifications And though the Turks fired a Mine the 22 th of August at the point of the Fort St. Andrea which made a most dangerous breach yet it was so valiantly defended and so speedily repaired that the Enemy gained little or no advantage and all by the extraordinary diligence of this Marquess St. Andrea who passed whole months without uncloathing himself and as his nights were without sleep so his days consumed without repose applying himself personally to all places where was most of danger especially at the Fort of St. Andrea where he took up his constant Quarters The Turks now daily pressing the Town more nearly than before Skirmishes and Sallies were more frequent and more bloody so that about this time the Proveditor General Bernardo Nani applying himself with all earnestness in the performance of his Charge was slain by a Musket-shot in his head his death was much lamented by all being a Gentleman who was born as may be said in the Fleet having had his Education there and passed his youth in Wars and dangers for the safety and honour of his Country Girolamo Bataglia was elected by the Republick to succeed him in the Office whose death was also seconded by that of Francesco Bataglia Brother of the Duke of Candia being shot in the breast with a Musket-bullet and though he was sent thither to administer Justice to the People yet his zeal and courage carrying him to Martial Acts beyond his duty made a grave for him amongst the other Heroes and Worthies of that place The Turk approaching daily nearer with their Works infested very much the passage of Vessels to the Town and shot so directly into the Port that no Ship Galley or Bark could remain in any security from their Cannon to remedy which a small Redoubt was raised at Tramata which being well and strongly fortified served for a small Port under the shelter of which the lesser Vessels found some protection and was of great relief to the distressed City About this time the Popes Gallies with those of Malta arrived commanded by Fra. Vincenzo Rospigliosi the Popes Nephew who having not brought a greater number of people than what served to man their Gallies they were not able to spare many for defence of the Town The long continuance of this Siege and the same thereof noised through the whole World moved the heroick and gallant Spirits of our Age to descend into this Campus Martius this Field of War and give proofs of their Prowess and Valour in defence of the Christan Cause some being moved by a principle of vain-glory proceeding from the briskness of a youthful and aery Spirit and others from the sense of Devotion and fervour towards Religion amongst which none were more forward than some Gentleman of the French Nation as namely Monsieur La Fueillade alias Duke of Roanez with the Count St. Paul a young Cavalier to forward which design taking first the Licence and Benediction of their King they appointed their Rendezvous at Tolon where they listed two hundred Gentleman Cadets or younger Brothers who went in quest of Honour and not of Pay with four hundred ordinary Souldiers who expected their maintenance from the bounty of their Leaders The chief of whom was Monsieur La Fueillade and his Lieutenant the Chevalier De Tresmes Their whole Body was divided into four Bridgades The first commanded by Count St. Paul. The second by the Duke Dâ— Cardâ—â—ousse The third by the Count De Villa Maur. And the fourth by the Duke De Cheateau Tiery When these Persons of Honour and Courage arrived at Candia they found the City hardly beset and reduced to a strait and difficult condition for the Turks were advanced so near to the Fort of St. Andrea that the Souldiers within and without could cross their Muskets and reach Tobaco one to the other howsoever this breach was so well repaired with a good Palissado fortified with several Bonnets and a double Retrenchment on the Bastion it self and a third Retrenchment of squared stone withal that the courage of the Besieged being nothing abated by the many and furious assaults of the Enemy the Town still remained in a defensible posture and still capable with good Succours and Supplies to yield matter of imployment for several years to the Ottoman Forces These worthy Champions as I said being arrived moved with the sense of Religion and desire of glory to themselves challenged the priviledge of mounting the Guard of St. Andrea but that being already prepossessed by the Knights of Malta and other Officers of the place was refused to them Howsoever the Captain-General Morosini was pleased to gratifie them with the Guard of a small Chapel over that Bastion on the right hand of the breach a place of no less danger and therefore of no less honour than the other with which the Cavaliers being satisfied Monsieur St. Paul mounted the Guard one day at six a clock in the morning and continued there â—â—til the same hour of the day following during which time he lost his Major Dupre and Monâ—ieur De Marenval the latter of which had his brains knocked out with so violent a blow of a great shot that some pieces of his skull dangerously wounded the Sieurs De Chamilly and De Lare who were near to him and more maliciously did the Turks ply the stations of these new-come Guests than any others throwing Bomboes Granadoes Stink-pots and other sorts of artificial Fire without cessation into their Quarters notwithstandiug which this young Prince and Monsieur La Fueillade exposed themselves like common Souldiers animating their men more with their example than their words And now by this time by so many Works and removals of Earth by so many Traverses and Mines under ground and throwing up the
success concluding the year without any great Enterprise or Feats of Arms the Sultan returned to his Court at Adrianople about the end of November licensing all the Asian Horse and Souldiers of remotest parts to return to their own Countries with liberty to appropriate the the following year to their repose and care for their peculiar concernments To these Wars amongst secular Persons and men of Arms were added Differences and never to be decided Controversies between the Religious of the Roman and Greek Churches at Ierusalem who contending for the possession of the Holy Sepulchre of the King of Peace rent that seamless Coat of Christ and managed their Controversie with more malice and rancour each against other than Princes do who invade one the other with Fire and Sword. For the Franks or Western Christians subjected to the Popes Dominion had possessed for several Ages a right to the Holy Sepulchre and enjoyed the honour of the custody thereof notwithstanding the pretences of the Greeks thereunto who for many years in vain attempted at the Ottoman Court to obtain that Priviledge for the Franks being ever more powerful by charitable contributions brought from Christendom besides large Sums of Money from the King of Spain did always outbid the Market of the Greeks and consequently made use of stronger arguments than the adverse Party could produce in defence of their cause Until such time that one Panaioti a Greek born in the Island of Scio having by his parts and excellent address arrived to the honour of being Interpreter for the Western Tongues to the Great Vizier at length obtained that favour with his Master that he seldom refused whatsoever he with reason and modesty requested and being a great Zelot in his Religion and esteemed the chief Patron and Support of the Greek Church he secretly begged in behalf of his Country the recovery of the Holy Sepulchre at Ierusalem out of the hands of the Franks which the Vizier would not deny him both to reward him for some services already performed and likewise because he knew that a concession of this nature would again raise the spirits and animosities of Christians the allaying and appeasing of which being an office solely in the power of himself and the supreme Authority would certainly prove beneficial to the Ottoman Court. Panaioti having obtained this Command and considering that the defence thereof would be a trouble to him for that thereby he should create Enemies which were no less than Kings and Princes to contend with and perhaps should live to see it reversed wisely laid it by him there to remain dormant until the time of his death which happening the year past the Command was produced and brought to light and was before the Easter of this year set on foot at Ierusalem and by virtue thereof the custody of the Sepulchre sentenced by the Pasha and Kadi of that place to belong unto the Greeks the which was occasion of so great trouble and confusion as disturbed the Holy Feast and polluted the Sacrifices with the blood of one or two persons who most earnestly contended for the Priviledge of their Nation and Religion Nor could this difference he decided here but both sides appealed to the Court above which being heard and debated in publick Divan the possession of the Sepulchre was adjudged in favour of the Greeks the Franks being only to injoy aâ— precarious use thereof as Pilgrims and Strangers to the Country Howsoever the Fryers of Ierusalem would not tamely yield up their Right but again resolved to try their Fortune at the Court having by means of F. Canisaries their Commissario with expence of a great Sum of Money obtained a review of the case but without success for all these endeavours and charge proved fruitless the former sentence being confirmed in favour of the Greeks and the Franks having no other Expedient applied themselves to the assistance of the French Ambassadour to whose protection the Holy places are assigned by Capitulations But neither the power of the French Ambassadour nor of any other Christian Representative was available for the Vizier either mindful of his promise to Panaioti or being resolute to maintain the Command he had given would on no terms be perswaded to revoke it the which intention of the Vizier being made known to the Greeks their Patriarch earnestly pressed a hearing of the case but the Fryars not willing to abide the shock retired to Constantinople lest the Greeks forcing them to Justice they should be condemned in Iudicio contradictorio and a Hoget or Sentence passing they should be condemned in Law as well as by Authority of the Hattesheriff Which to put in execution the Patriarch took out a Command whereunto was added That the Fryers in token of their subjection should pay a Drachm of Silver a head to the Patriarch and hold all their places of them This was the issue of the present controversies which is certainly determined for the time of the Vizier without revocation yet perhaps in the time of another it may admit of a review for money especially being received when as yet the new Minister hath not satiated his covetous desires howsoever the expence will always be chargeable and the success uncertain Thus have I seen and observed in this particular the effect and experience of two things viz. The covetousness and pride of Fryars and the conclusion of their Law-suits before Infidels The Franks or the Western Christians had until this time the custody of the Holy Sepulchre and the Greeks that of the Chappel of Bethlem but the use was free to both but the Franks not being able to enjoy the Sepulchre with contentment whilst with envious eyes they beheld the Greeks in possession of Bethlem were always contriving designs by force of money and power of Christian Ministers to eject them from that Right until that now in these contentions they have lost both being neither able to recover the one nor conserve the other Before we end this year of 1674 and begin that of 1675 it will be necessary for us to discourse of the cause and original of that War which England had with the Government of Tripoli in Barbary and the success and conclusion thereof In the year 1672. Old Mahomet boar at Scio and of the Greek race who for many years by Baratz or commission from the Grand Signior had boaren the Office and Title of Pasha of Tripoli and being grown very rich and covetous by the Pyracies his Ships made on the Christians and oppression of his people not dividing amongst the Souldiery that just proportion of the prey which of right belonged to them so incensed the minds of that people that conspiring against him they murdered him in his Castle and seized all his riches to the use of the Publick The Pasha being dead all his creatures and persons that boar Office in his time were displaced and others of more justice and bravery as they imagined put in
be spared for he was sure he should live in her It was not long before the fatal Decree came for putting Chesmé Aga to death and sending the Woman to the Seraglio which was immediately executed which act might seem to denote a natural cruelty in the Sultan being in reality very severe though the whose course of his Reign hath been more gentle and mild than of any of the Ottoman Emperours only this fact proceeded rather from disdain than thirst of blood being angry that this Girl should prefer the Love of one of his Vassals before the Honours of the Seraglio and that her Mistress the Sultana should charm him with a lye of her being free when she was no other than a slave and not long before bought for an inconsiderable price Not long after this and towards the 11 th or 12 th of September when the Sun was come to the Equinoctial the Grand Signior prepared to depart The rumour of which displeasing and making sad the peoples hearts as much as his presence before comforted them it was given out That the Grand Signior intended to return with the Spring and divide the consolation which his residence produced between the two Regal Cities and for an evidence thereof he ordered a Platform to be laid for erecting a new Seraglio at Scutari and the Visier designed another at Bezick-rash and the Palaces of the Pasha's and great Men were all putting into a way of Reparation which for some time amused and contented the minds of the Commonalty About the beginning of October the Grand Signior set forward towards Adrianople being accompanied with the Mosayp which is his Favourite and Kara Mustapha who was his Chimacam taking his recreation by the way in Hunting but the Great Vizier Achmet Pasha continuing still sick of his Dropsie and Jaundice took his Journey by Water as far as Selebra for his better ease and thence proceeding in a Horse litter to Churlu which is the half-way to Adrianople on the twenty third of October expired his last his Disease though heightned by Wine and hot Spirits yet was in some part hereditary his Father dying of the Dropsie His Body was on the twenty fifth brought back again in a Coach to Constantinople with a small Attendance and buried in the same Sepulchre with his Father He was a Person for I have seen him often and knew him well of a midle stature of a black beard and brown complexion something short-sighted which caused him to knit his brows and pore very intently when any strange person entred to his presence he was inclining to be fat and grew corpulent towards his latter days If we consider his age when he first took upon him this important Charge the Enemies his Father had created him the contentions he had with the Valede Sultana or the Queen-Mother and the Arts he had used to reconcile the affections of these great Personages and conserve himself in the unalterable esteem of his Soveraign to the last hour of his death there is none but must judge him to have deserved the Character of a prudent and politick Person If we consider how few were put to death and what inconsiderable Mutinies or Rebellions happened in any part of the Empire during his Government it will afford us a clear evidence and proof of his gentleness and moderation beyond the example of former times for certainly he was not a Person who delighted in bloud and in that respect of an humor far different from the temper of his Father He was generous and free from Avarice a rare Vertue in a Turk He was educated in the Law and therefore greatly addicted to all the Formalities of it and in the Administration of that sort of Justice very punctual and severe He was very observant of the Capitulations between our King and the Grand Signior being ready to do Justice upon any corrupt Minister who pertinaciously violated and transgressed them of which I could give several instances but these being improper for this place are only in general to be mentioned with due gratitude in honour to his Memory As to his behaviour towards the neighbouring Princes there may I believe be fewer examples of his breach of Faith than what his Predecessors have given in a shorter time of Rule In his Wars abroad he was successful having upon every expedition enlarged the Bounds of the Empire He overcame Newhawsel or Oywar and laid thereunto a considerable part of Hungary which to this day continues subject and pays contribution to the Turk He concluded the War with Venice after twenty seven years continuance by an intire and total subjection of the Island of Candia having subdued that impregnable Fortress which by the rest of the World was esteemed invincible He won Kemenitz the Key of Poland where the Turks had been frequently baffled and laid Vkrania to the Empire reducing the Cosacks those mortal Enemies to subjection and to a desire of taking on them the Ottoman Yoke and finally he imposed a new Tribute on all Poland After all which Glories he dyed in the 47 th year of his Age and 15 th year of 8 th day of his Government a short time if we consider it for such great actions howsoever if we measure his triumphs rather than count his years though he might seem to have lived but little to his Prince and People yet certainly to himself he could not dye more seasonable nor in a greater height and eminency of Glory Vtcunqâ—e Principi Reipublicae parum sibi certè satis suaeque Gloriae vixisse videbitur The Great Vizier having in this manner expired his last breath the Seal was immediately carried by his Brother to the Grand Signior who upon Receipt thereof according to common expectation conferred the same on Kara Mustapha Pasha who had for so many years formerly exercised the Office of Chimacam which is as much as Deputy to the Great Vizier of whom in other places we gave a Character of being a wise and experienced Person of a smooth behaviour and a great Courrier agreeable to which temper of mind so soon as he attained this promotion he sent an obliging and courteous Message to the Servants of the deceased Vizier condoling with them the death of their Master promising to take them and their Concernments into his Care and Protection according whereunto he advanced Solyman Kahya who was the late Vizier's Substitute and for some years had managed all Affairs to the Office of Embrahore which is chief Master of the Grand Signiors Horse and is a place not only of honour but of great security He that was his own Kahya he made a Vizier of the Bench and Chimacam in the same manner as he was to Achmet Vizier by which point of policy he seemed to have strengthened himself against all Enemies for having two Creatures of his own so well disposed one near the Person of his Prince who would be able to do him all good
accompanied his Pipe with Tears and Sighs He was an excellent Musician and a deep Philosopher endued with those supernatural vertues as enabled him to work Miracles clear and notorious to all the world he was an Hermite called in Arabick Abdal went with his head bare and his body full of wounds without a Shirt or other Cloathing besides a Skin of some wild Beast thrown about his Shoulders at his Girdle he wore some fine polished Stone on his Wrists instead of Diamonds and Stones of value he wore counterfeit Jewels which carried a luster and fair appearance with them this man was called Sanâ—one Kalenderi who was continually singing Arabick Sonnets and according to them Musical Airs making also harmonious compositions so artificially that he seemed another David But how strict and sober this Santone was his Disciples or Proselytes are of another temper being wholly given up to jollity and delights they banish all kind of melancholy and sadness and live free of cares passions or torments of the mind and have this saying amongst them This day is ours to morrow is his who shall live to enjoy it and therefore studiously attend to lose no moment or least part of their pleasure but consume their time in eating and drinking and to maintain this gluttony they will sell the Stones of their Girdles their Earings and Bracelets When they come to the house of any rich Man or person of Quality they accommodate themselves to their humour giving all the Family pleasant words and chearfull expressions to persuade them to a liberal and free entertainment The Tavern by them is accounted holy as the Mosch and believe they serve God as much with debauchery or liberal use of his creatures as they call it as others with severity and mortification And the Turks say That in the Hegira 615 the Christians became Masters of Ierusalem by reason that the Institutour of this Order of the Kalenderi who had a chief hand in the Government of the City was found drunk when it was assaulted CHAP. XVIII Of the Edhemi THE original Founder of this Order was one Ibrahim Edhem concerning whom the Disciples themselves or Followers recount things very obscurely and tell us Stories that his Father was a Slave and Abasme by Nation and went one day under the Fort Horanan to discourse with Ibnimâ—lik King of Cairo that he was a man very comly facetious and sober in his carriage always desiring to please God continued in the Moschs reading the Alchoran and in prayer day and night with his face prostrate on the ground and often repeating these words O God thou hast given me so much Wisedom as that I know clearly that I am in thy direction and therefore scorning all Power and Dominion I resign my self to the speculation of Philosophy and a Holy Life His Servants seeing this his devout way of living applied themselves to the imitation of his Austerity and abandoning all greatness and vanities of the World applied themselves to solitude and mortification their superfluous Garments they bestowed upon the Poor giving to those whose necessities required them Their food is Bread made of Barley and Pray frequently with Fasting and their Priors apply themselves to a faculty of Preaching Their principal Convents are in Cities of Persia especially Chorasan Their Cloathing is of a course thick Cloth upon their heads they wear a Cap of Wooll with a Turbant round it and about their necks a white Linen Cloth striped with red In the Desarts they converse with Lions and Tigres salute them and make them tame and by the miraculous power of Divine assistence entertain discourse with Enoch in the Wilderness This and many other wild discourses they make of this Edhem but because there are but few of this Order in Constantinople being most appropriated to Persia I could not receive so particular an account of their Rule and Institutions as I have done of others CHAP. XIX The Order of Bectash THE original Founder of this Religion is of no ancient memory or standing nor had his Birth or Education amongst the Santones of Arabia from whence most of these superstitious pretenders have had their beginning but one of those that was an Army-Preacher that could fight as well as pray of whom my Learned Hogia gives me this account In the time says he that the Warlike and Victorious Sultan Amurath passed with his Army into Servia and overcame Lazarus the Despot of that Countrey and slew him in Battel Bectash was then a Preacher to Amurath who amongst other his Admonitions forewarned him of trusting the Servians but Amurath out of his couragious spirit relying on his own Wisedom and Force admitted a certain Nobleman called Vilvo upon pretence of doing him homage to approach near him and kiss his hand who having his Dagger ready and concealed stabbed Amurath to the heart and with that blow made him a Martyr Bectash knowing that this treacherous death of his Prince must needs also be the cause of his for being so near his person and prophesying of this fatal stroke sought not to prevent it but made preparations for his own death And in order thereunto provided himself with a white Robe with long Sleeves which he proffered to all those which were his Admirers and Proselytes to be kissed as a mark of their obedience to him and his Institutions from this action the custome hath been introduced of kissing the sleeve of the Grand Signior The Religious of this Order wear on their heads white Caps of several pieces with Turbants of Wooll twisted in the fashion of a Rope they observe constantly the hours of Prayer which they perform in their own Assemblies they go Cloathed in White and praise the Vnity of God crying Hu which is may he live and by these means obtain the Grace of God. This Santone hath many millions of Disciples and Followers now all the Janizaries of the Ottoman Porâ— are professours of the same Religion This Bectash at his death cut off one of his sleaves and put it upon the head of one of his Religious men part of which hung down on his shoulders saying After this you shall be Janizaries which signifies a new Militia and from that time begun their original institution so this is the reason why the Janizaries wear Caps falling behind after the manner of Sleeves called Ketche This Hagi Bectash was a person exceedingly attractive in his conversation holy to admiration a Man of great Worth and Majestick in his comportment he was buried in the City Kyr where they have many Convents and Religious followers who always praise and adore God and thus far my Hogia informs me But whatsoever he says this Order is the most abhorred in the World by the Kadizadeli because that Bectash left it to the free will of his Disciples either to observe the constant hours of prayer or not by which great liberty and licentiousness is entred amongst the Ianizaries who are Souldier-like not over zealous or
presum'd to represent unto his Imperial Majesty That it was one of the Fundamental Laws and Constitutions of their Country to have the Office of Palatine supply'd soon after the vacancy which having now been void for a considerable time all those Acts which have pass'd since ought to be esteem'd null and of no effect The Emperor who was well enough satisfy'd within himself that what was here alledg'd was the true and undoubted Right of the People of that Kingdom to observe which he had Sworn at his Coronation was inclinable to gratifie his People with a concession of these just Privileges but his Chief Ministers and Councellors disswaded him from it alledging that such a Condescension as this would raise again the Spirits of the Malecontents to such a degree as would blow up the fire of Rebellion into a flame That it was improper and incongruous to put the Tryal of the three Counts into the hands of those who were Conspirators and Complices in the same Plot with them That the People of Hungary had forfeited all their Charters and Priâ—ileges by their Rebellion and Revolt having sought for aid and protection from the Turks who are mortal Enemies both of â—he Emperor and all Christendom That Serini and Nadasti were actually Officers and Servants of the Emperor the first being Vice-King of Croatia and the other President of his Majesty's Privy-Council and for that Reason could not decline the Jurisdiction of that Court which his Imperial Majesty should erect for their Tryal These Reasons being given to the Assembly at Leusch little reply could be made thereunto nor knew they well how to proceed in other Matters in regard that being compos'd of different Religions and Interests their Meeting broke up abruptly without any Conlusion It will not be necessary in this place to enlarge upon the several Tryals of the Counts Serini Nadasti and Frangipani as also of Count Tassembach and Nagiferents Secretary of the League let it be sufficient for us to say that they were all Judicially Arraign'd and receiv'd Punishments agreeable to the blackness of their Crimes only we shall add that Nadasti was Executed at Vienna and the same day Serini and Frangipani at Newstadt year 1670. The Emperor out of his innate Clemency and Mercy restor'd their Estates in Land to their Children with Orders only to change their Arms and Names And accordingly the Children of Nadasti which were eleven in number took the Names of Creuzemberg and the Son of Serini was call'd Gadé who was a Gentleman of such Integrity and of that Loyalty to the Emperor that when his Father was living and would have given him for a Hostage to the Turks he refus'd to submit unto such a dishonourable Character protesting that he would continue uncorrupt in his Allegiance to his Prince Howsoever afterwards being provok'd and resenting highly the death of his Father he deserted those Principles and in revenge joyn'd himself with the Malecontents in their defection Tassembach us'd such Arts and Subterfuges supported by the interest of powerful Friends as conserv'd his Life for seven Months after the death of the aforesaid Lords tho' afterwards he was forc'd also to submit unto his Fate Notwithstanding all this Care and Severity of the Emperor the fire of discontent could not be smother'd but in other places under different Heads and Leaders burst forth into a flame Count Tekeli the Father was one of those who appear'd openly in the Field declaring That tho' he had ever own'd all Fidelity and Allegiance to the Emperor yet he desir'd to be number'd amongst those good Patriots who were oblig'd both in Honour Conscience and Religion to maintain and defend the Rights Privileges and Liberties of their Country Count Tekeli to maintain this Cause fortify'd himself in his Castle of Kus with a Garrison of 800 Hâ—ssars and caus'd all his Subjects with the Morlaques to take up Arms for his defence Col. Heister with a considerable Force was dis-speeded to suppress this Party which was the only open Enemy then appearing in the Field but whilst preparations were making to Besiege this Castle Count Tekeli died therein and resign'd up his Cause and Country to be maintain'd by his Son who afterwards was the grand Incendiary that again kindled the fire of War which continu'd for many years and in conclusion miserably wasted the Kingdom of Hungary and prov'd fatal to the Ottoman Empire And tho' in course of time the Turks were driven out of that Kingdom and the Emperor gain'd an absolute Dominion therein as of a Conquer'd Country yet it was done with such an effusion of Christian blood and with the loss of so many brave Captains and valiant Soldiers that the price or purchase thereof seems to have been gain'd at a dear rate In fine I say Count Tekeli the Father dy'd in his Castle which being hardly press'd by the German Forces was Surrender'd to Count Paul Esterhasi General of the Kingdom But young Tekeli together with his Kinsmen Kizir de Paragozi and Petrozzi made their escapes and retir'd to Licoüa but being also pursu'd unto that place which could not long stand out these young Lords made a second escape from thence by night and fled to Husse a very strong Castle in Transilvania but Paragozi was taken Prisoner in his way thither and carried to Vienna and Licoüa was Surrender'd year 1671. Thus whilst all Commotions seem'd to have been appeas'd and quieted in Hungary and that Esterhasi the General with Colonel Heister were return'd to Vienna fresh Advices were brought to the Emperor that the Chiefs of the Malecontents with great numbers of People were fled into Transilvania under protection of the Turks and that Prince Apafi by Order of the Port had given them assurance of Safety within his Dominions upon condition that as Subjects they should pay Carach or Pole-Money to the Grand Seignior But what Administred the greatest apprehension was the rumour that Apafi had been at Constantinople and there concerted and agree'd upon the methods of War and that upon his return the Malecontents had held long Conferences with the Pasha of Varadin and with the Ambassadors of Tartary and the Agents from Moldavia and Walachia and that all the Troops which were in their Quarters near Adrianople had Orders to march into Hungary where the Garrisons were to be reinforc'd and the Stores and Magazines replenish'd 'T is certain that Apafi being of the Protestant Religion was affected with much compassion towards the poor Hungarians who for that Reason and for maintaining the Liberties and Privileges of their Country year 1671. were forc'd to yield up their Lands and abandon their Habitations and therefore it will not be strange in case we find him abetting that Party and using all his endeavours and interest with the Turks to engage them in this Quarrel The Emperor on the other side alarm'd with these Preparations sends strict and severe Orders enjoyning all the Officers
the taking of our Churches XIII Hereafter no Churches Schools and Parishes shall be seized nor Exercise hinder'd on either side under the pain expressed in the 8 th Article of the 6 th Decree of Uladislaus Proceedings of the King's Commissioners contrary in every particular to the Articles of Sopron AGainst the opposite first Article The King 's high Commissioners or other private Persons employ'd by them have forbidden such a free exercise of Religion as could consist in the Service of God through Preaching Singing Praying Administring the Sacraments blessing Marriages making Burials and using other wonted Ceremonies which were perform'd by Ecclesiastical Ministers in many free Royal Cities and Mountain Towns namely in St. George Bazinium Tyrnaw Zakoliza Schemnizium Veterozolium Carpen Libeten Breznow Bakaw Bela Vibania Kusseghin and Rust whereby it appears That in those places the said Commissioners have supprest the whole exercise of Religion against the opposite Article for where there is no Liberty for the above mention'd Acts of Religion there can be no exercise of Religion at all They have likewise depriv'd the Inhabitants of all the Towns and Villages in the Counties of the free exercise of their Religion by Virtue of that Clause inserted for the destroying of our Religion and of the Gospel too provided that the Privileges of the Lords of Manors be not hereby prejudiced against the Confirmation of the Article made in the Year 1608. Against the II. The said Commissioners have Licensed but two Ministers in each County and but one or two in some Free Cities all over the Kingdom Banishing all the rest out of the Counties some within a Fortnight and others within Three days as in the Counties of Lypeze of Orowa of Owar of Sachsag of Zolnock and in others or requiring strict Deeds of Reversion from the same if they would continue in the said Counties They have also appointed that there should be no petty Schools but such where Children could learn only to Read and to Write But what kind of Liberty it is that hath been granted to our Ministers to profess their Religion appears 1st By the Recorded Banishment of a great many of them out of the Counties 2ly By the Case of the Ministers in Eperies that have been turn'd out by a Roman Catholick Magistrate under pretence that it was Your Majesty's Pleasure and Command altho' that Town be particularly named in the Articles 3ly By the violence that the Official has done to the Ministers and School-masters that liv'd but miserably in the Dominion of Tokai in Upper Hungary intimating to them under pain of Death and the Forfeiture of all their Goods to go out of the said County or by most strict Deeds of Reversion to renounce for ever under the same penalty to perform any Ecclesiastical Duty in the said County 4ly By the Confinement of several Ministers who are kept Prisoners in the Fort of Ledniche by Order of his Eminence the Cardinal of Kolocza and can obtain their Liberty on no other Condition but that of subscribing pernicious Deeds of Reversion Against the III. Here our Sighs interrupt our Complaints nor can we find words to express how variously and miserably our Ministers and we have been and are still disturbed every where either by the said Commissioners or by other private Persons As for instance in short not to repeat the abovemention'd Counties and many Towns of the County of Semlyn in the aforesaid Dominion of Tokai and their Ministers the above-mention'd City of Epperies in Upper Hungary and in the Lower all the Cities besides Presburg Sopron Modra Cremnicz and Neozolium with their Evangelical Ministers As also the Minister of Hodossia in the Isle of Shut who had all the means of Life Clothes Books and Furniture taken from him by the Secretary of the Archbishop of Gran and by the Soldiers which he brought along with him which is the Fate of a great many others that lead a most miserable Life in perpetual Changes owing their Liberty to a Special Providence of God or having obtain'd it after they had paid great Fines or made pernicious Deeds of Reversion Against the IV. The said Commissioners have Order'd that the Evangelicks should be made to bring their Processional Trophies and to Walk in Processions that the Evangelick Peasant should every where be forc'd to frequent Catholick Churches and that in all the Free Cities where there is no publick exercise of our Religion the Evangelick should be obliged to Ministerial Offices contrary to their way Against the V. The said Commissioners having no regard to the Assignation appointed in the opposite Article have seiz'd upon all the Churches and Chappels in the Counties of Lypcze of Arva of Turocz of Zolnock and and of Sachsag although the Churches of Pribocz Bella and Zathuriza in the County of Turocz have been Built by the Evangelick who were never reconciled to the Catholick Church there are likewise Chappels in Kiratilehota Potornia Vicbicz c. in the County of Lypcze that were Built by the Evangelicks and the Lords of those Manors nevertheless they are severely forbidden to make any use of them either Ecclesiastical or Civil being sent to two very remote inconvenient and dangerous places where they have only liberty to Build such Churches as cannot contain the Congregation by several Thousands Against the VI. No Convenient places for Churches Parishes and Chappels have been assign'd in any free Royal Town of Upper Hungary but here the Commissioners there the Officials of the Chamber and elsewhere private Persons as in Cassovia and Epperies have appointed places for Churches Parishes and Schools which are at a great distance in the Fields out of Desert and Desolate Suburbs and which are for any Common use of the Three Nations which rendreth them so inconvenient and nasty that to dedicate Churches to the most Holy God in such places were a most detestable Crime for any sort of Christians Against the VII In many Counties as also in that of Sachsag which is one of the aforenam'd the Kings Commissioners have caused all the Churches to be taken from the Evangelicks and their Ministers to be turn'd out by the Vicount of that County the Officials have done the like in the Counties of Abavivivar of Semlyn of Ugoza and in all the Towns of the Dominion of Tokai as we have already mention'd and some private Persons have presum'd to seize upon the Church belonging to those of the Helvetian Confession and of that of Ausbourg in the Town of Gyongyos which Gyongyos maketh the most considerable part of the County of Hewecz to put out their Ministers and even forbid the Evangelicks to exercise any way their Religion in that place The like has been done in the Town of Jaszbreny and the Frontiers of Legrad although the abovemention'd Counties be named in the Article whereby the Evangelicks are left in the Possession of all those Churches which they had in the said Counties when the Article was made Against the
Blood of Two thousand Germans and Hungarians all choise and select Men who lay dead in the Field But as it happens commonly amongst Soldiers those who live and survive have little sense or regard for such as are slain unless that being made Mad and more Furious by the death of their Companions they breath nothing but Revenge as did this remaining Party which exasperated by the difficulty of the late Fight fell upon the Lands of Seudin Geset Bahatz and the Parts adjacent or not far from the place of Battle destroying and consuming all with Fire and Sword. The News of these Successes were not very pleasing at Vienna where they esteemed the Victory too dearly obtained and thô they publickly applauded the bravery and resolution of the Officers and Soldiers yet in their private Councils they could not but secretly blame the rashness of the Commanders As all places in the upper Hungary were filled with Slaughter and Confusion so no less Damage was caused in Croatia by the vast Flouds and Inundations which for some time drowned all that Country and carried away whole Towns and Familes Castles and Provisions down the Torrent And not only hinder'd all Commerce and Correspondence of one Town with another but prevented the intended Incursions on the Enemy destroy'd the Provisions necessary for support of the Army and superinduced a grievous Famine over the whole Land. Count Nicolas Erdeody who was then Ban or chief Commander at that time of Croatia being much affected with the Common Calamity of his Country assembled a Convention of all the Estates at Zagrabia to consider of the said Condition and Desolation of their Province where after divers Conferences they concluded it necessary to represent unto the Emperor the State and Condition of Croatia and the Confines and Militia thereof and how necessary it was to defend and guard those Frontiers from the Forces then gathering between Belgrade and Esseck Nor were these Advices ill grounded for the Turkish Forces were daily on their march from Belgrade to the Bridge of Esseck which they had received Commands to Repair and Defend being the most important Pass of all Hungary Apti Pasha now Seraskier or General of the Turkish Army was extreamly diligent and active to provide every thing necessary against the next Campaign and with admirable Sedulity as well as the shortness of time would admit he succour'd all the Frontier Garrisons with Provisions and reinforced Waradin Agria Segedin Temiswar Buda Alba-Regalis and Kanisia with Recruits and all necessary supplies being places most exposed to the Enemy and such as might with Reason be believed would all or some of them be attempted and become the Enterprise and Design of this Years Campaign This Apti Pasha was a Man of some experience in the War but being of a sower and morose Temper was ill beloved by the Soldiery Tekeli being intent to Relieve his Countess and City of Mongatz and raise the Siege which Caprara had laid and now compleatly formed departed from Great Waradin about the beginning of February with Seventeen Standards and took his march by way of Hongland into Transilvania about two Leagues from Clausemberg where understanding that several of his Troops which the last Year had made a Defection from him were Quarter'd in the Parts thereabouts he hoped either to surprize and cut them off or else to regain them back to his Party but these Hungarian Troops having advice of his near Approach changed their Quarters and marched away to joyn with the Croatian Regiments of Lodron and six Companies of the Regiment of Spinola of which Tekeli being advised he alter'd his design and resolved to pass the Tibiscus and march with all expedition towards Mongatz This Motion of Tekeli Alarum'd all the Countries and caused Caraffa to endeaver to Way-lay him and take some convenient Post to intercept him in his march but Tekeli upon this intelligence directed his Course towards Giulia to joyn with the new Pasha of that place and to concert other Methods in order to their future proceedings In the mean time Caraffa not to remain idle having a Force of Four thousand Germans and Three thousand Hungarians with four Pieces of Cannon and four Mortars sent to Summon the Fortress of St. Iob about three Leagues distant from Great Waradin Situate in the middle of a great Marsh or Fen which render'd it naturally very strong and was formed by Art in a Quadrangular Figure encompassed by four Bulwarks joyned by strong built Curtains and encompassed by a very deep Ditch Upon one side of this Fortress there is a great wide open place in which many Houses are erected and is called by the name of the Little City which also is fortified in the nature of a strong Palanca encompassed with a convenient Ditch by which it is joyned to that of the Castle and hath communication therewith by a Draw-bridge Notwithstanding the strength of this place Caraffa invested it on the 9 th of February raised his Batteries threw Bombs and Fir'd instantly upon the Town which was reteturned in like manner from thence But so it hapned by the Divine Providence that one of the Bombs fell directly into a Tower in the middle of the Castle where the Powder and Ammunition was conserved with which all blowing up not only tore and rent the Tower in Pieces but shook the whole Castle and the neighbouring Town and put all the Soldiers and Inhabitants into such amazement and consternation that they knew not which way nor how to apply themselves for their defence and safety This fatal Blow gave advantage to the Christians to Attack the Fortress in three several places for which when the Turks perceived that preparations were making they spread a white Flag on the Walls and demanded Terms of Surrender which were readily granted and allowed to the Garrison and to all the Inhabitants to march forth with their Arms with their Wives and Children and with as much of their Baggage as every person could carry Possession being taken of the Gates and Entrances by the German Soldiers Six hundred Turks of the Garrison marched out besides Women and Children which were according to the Faith given safely conducted within a League of Great Waradin only an unlucky accident hapned that as the Garrison passed forth about Twelve Persons were discover'd amongst them to have been Hungarian Christians and such as had become Renegadoes and denied the Faith of Christ Upon the sight of which the Christian Soldiers became so scandalized and incented that forgetting the Capitulations agreed they violently seized upon them with intention immediately to Hang them up or by some other way to put them to Death as Apostates This Busle caused great disturbance and made the Turks to Cry aloud that the Conditions and Articles of Surrender were broken But the Officers applying themselves with their Authority to restrain the Licentiousness of the Soldiery the Tumult was appeased After which due care and
in a furious Tumult and cut in pieces the Tefterdar who was sent to appease them and Ali Effendi who the last year had been in the Treaty But the Reis Effendi who was sent on the same Errant upon their first stirring fled being too wise to trust their Mercy as did also a chief Commander of the Bostangees or Gardiners But Ajemzadee a reverend Person of about Eighty years of Age advising them not to spill the Blood of Musselmen was pursued by them into the Vizier's Tent who covering him with his Vest endeavoured to save him but finding the danger to which he exposed his own Life he was forced to deliver him up to their Fury He had been Reis Effendi or Chief Secretary but then had an Office in the Treasury They demanded also the two Teskaragees or Chief Clerks to the Reis Effendi to be delivered up to their Justice one of which had for many years done all the English business in that Office but they desiring to be Strangled rather than to have their Bodies mangled by the Soldiery it was accordingly performed behind the Vizier's Tent and their Bodies exposed Orta Chiaus of the Ianisaries of whom we have already made mention being suspected to have been corrupted by Regeb the Chimacam of Constantinople was cut in pieces Mustapha Pasha who had been General of the Ianisaries and Seraskier in the first Siege of Buda was secured and ran great danger of his Life but by the Mediation of the Vizier he was only deposed and sent to command at the Dardanelli in the place of Mustapha Kuperlee who was now Chimacam at Constantinople And lastly after this dismal Tragedy the Selictar coming to give an account of himself he declared That he was fearful of his own Life notwithstanding the good Office he had done in bringing the Seal and Standard to the Grand Vizier for which whilst he was expecting a great Present as was accustomary an Answer was given That the best Present could be given him was of his own Head which had been taken off according to the Lift in which he was proscribed but that he had merited his Life by this Office of bringing the Seal and Standard The Army having in this manner vented some part of their Fury at Nissa proceeded on their March towards Constantinople doing little other harm on the Way than only displacing some few Officers of the Ianisaries and putting an old Granatine who had been one of those who had been banished by the Spaniards out of the Kingdom of Granada a Person of Eighty years of Age in the Office of General of the Ianisaries As the Army approached so the Fears and Apprehensions of the great Men at Constantinople increased Mustapha Kupriogli as we have said being made Chimacam he appeared publickly in the Divan and gave out the Pay to the Soldiers and then went to the Grand Seignior whom he found at a Kiosk or House of Pleasure by the Water side and presently a Consultation was held at which were present the two Kadileskers or chief Justices the Nakib Effendi who is chief of the Green-heads of the Prophet or Mahomet's Kindred four Sheghs or Preachers the Stambol Effendi or Mayor of the City as also the Nisangi Pasha who sets the Firm of the Grand Seignior to Commissions these after a Consultation and Debate of about two hours time resolved on several Points not then divulged to the World but by the execution of them for they all went together to the Chimacam's House from whence in half an hours time afterwards the Chiefs of the Chiauses whith Thirty of his Men were sent to the Prison where Solyman the late Vizier was confined so soon as Solyman saw the Chiausbashee he said I know for what you come God's will be done the Chiausbashee who had been his Creature and raised by him with Tears in his Eyes delivered unto him the Command for his Head. Solyman taking it from him kissed it and said I have washed but not as yet said my Kindi or Afternoon Prayers for it was about that time let me perform those my last Prayers and then in the name of God execute your Office. Solyman having finished his Prayers called the Chiausbashee into an Inner Room and said Execute your Orders but first let me recommend two things to you One is That you declare and be a Witness to the World That I have given Freedom to all my Slaves both Males and Females And 2 ly That they do not torment my People to find out my Money for I never had any thing considerable the little I had was with me in the Camp where it was lost and made a Prey to the Enemy In my House at Scutari there is some Furniture and some few Galanteries which if the Grand Seignior will present to my Son it is well but if not he is Lord and Master of them And if you said he to the Chiausbashee shall not declare this to the Grand Seignior my Hands shall be upon you at the Day of Judgment And having said thus much he kneeled and turning his Face to the Wall the Executioners performed their Duty So was Solyman strangled a Person deserving to live in better times and worthy of a better Death his Head was cut off and carried to the Chimacam where it was flead and stuffed with Cotton and being put into a Box was sent to the Grand Seignior but his Body was consigned to his Friends and buried at Scutari His Son a young Man of about 24 years of Age was sent for from Adrianople and imprisoned to discover his Father's Estate but that being known to be very little the Chimacam by his own Authority set him at liberty The Wife of Solyman amidst her Fears sent two Trunks filled with Sables and rich Habits and Vestments to the House of a certain Friend to be there secured and were accordingly covered under a Pile of Wood This matter being observed by a crew of Rogues they came that Night pretending an Order from the Chimacam to seize those Goods naming the place where they were concealed at which the People of the House being affrighted immediately delivered the Trunks to the Hands of the Rogues The next day the Wife of Solyman full of sorrow and anguish of Mind came to the Chimacam to make complaint of this hard Usage declaring the Goods to be her own and not her Husband 's The Chimacam disavowing the matter and denying to have given any such Orders the Robbery appeared and Search being made after the Thieves four of them were taken and most of the Goods restored The next day Solyman's Head was sent for a Present to the Army by two Officers belonging to the New Vizier with a Letter from the Chimacam accompanying an Imperial Command or Signature from the Sultan declaring that if the Army would stay and Winter at Adrianople he would give them full satisfaction in sending the Heads of all they should demand
after his death to the power of Bajazet his Son had he not by Domestical troubles been enforced to turn himself another way and as it were to neglect in time to relieve his distressed Garrison in Otranto as shall hereafter be declared Christian Princes of the same time with Mahomet the Great Emperors Of the East Constantinus Palaeologus last Christian Emperor of Constantinople 1444. 8. Of the West Frederick the Third Arch-Duke of Austria 1440. 54. Kings Of England Henry the Sixth 1422. 39. Edward the Fourth 1460. 22. Of France Charles the Seventh 1423. 38. Lewis the Eleventh 1461. 22. Of Scotland James the Second 1436. 29. James the Third 1460. 29. Bishops of Rome Nicholas the V. 1437. 8. Calixtus the III. 1455. 3. Pius the II. 1458. 6. Paulus the II. 1464. 7. Xystus the IV. 1471. 13. Arma manu quatiunt fratres hostilia regnum Hinc Bajazethes Lizimus inde petit Bajazethes rerum potitur Rhodon inde Quiritum Lizimus extrema maenia sorte petit Sustinet et bello varias et pace procellas Bajazethes foelix et miser inter opes Iam senio tremulus sert bella domestica regno A Gnato ejectus dira venena bibit Two Brothers now infest the mighty State Lemes on this ' Side Bajazet on that Fortune crowns Bajazet while Lemes flyes From Rhodes to Rome drivin by his destinies Much Bajazet endur'd in warr and peace Happy and wretched his triumphall daies Till worne with age and with domestick strife A Cup of Poyson ends his loathsome life The LIFE of BAJAZET The Second of that NAME AND Second Emperor OF THE TURKS UPon the death of Mahomet the late Emperor great Troubles began to arise about the Succession in the Turkish Empire some of the Bassaes and great Captains seeking to place Bajazet the eldest Son of Mahomet in the Empire and others with no less devotion labouring to prefer Zemes or Gemes otherwise called Zizimus Bajazet his younger Brother By occasion whereof there arose two great and mighty Factions which in few days grew to such heat that many great Tumults and hot Skirmishes were made in the Imperial City betwixt the Favorites of both Factions and great slaughter committed In these Broils the proud Janizaries for an old grudge slew Mahometes one of the four great Bassaes a man by whose grave Counsel most of the weighty Affairs of the Turkish Empire had been managed during the Reign of the late Emperor and proceeding further in their accustomed Insolency spoiled all the Christians and Jews which dwelt amongst them of all their Wealth and Substance at which time the rich Merchants and Citizens of Constantinople which were natural Turks themselves escaped not their ravenous Hands but became unto them a Prey and Spoil also The other three Bassaes of the Court Isaac Mesithes and Achmetes lately returned from the winning of Hydruntum in Italy although they secretly maligned and envied one at the greatness of another yet to appease these so dangerous Troubles and to assure their own Estates joyned hands together and by their great Authority and multitude of Followers and Favorites found means that Corcutus one of the younger Sons of Bajazet a young Prince of eighteen years old was as it were by general content of the Nobility and Souldiers saluted Emperor and with great Triumph and Solemnity placed in the Imperial Seat. In whose name the aforesaid Bassaes at their pleasure disposed of all things little or nothing regarding either Bajazet or Zemes then both absent the one at Amasia and the other at Iconium in Lycaonia For the jealous Turkish Kings never suffer their Sons to live in Court near unto them after they be grown to years of discretion but send them to Govern their Provinces far off where they are also under the Command of the Emperors Lieutenants-General in Asia or Europe and may not depart from their Charge without great danger not so much as to visit their Father without express leave and commandment So jealous are those Tyrants yea even of their own Sons Bajazet and Zemes hearing of the death of their Father and of the Troubles in the Imperial City hasted thitherward with all speed where Bajazet being the nearer first arrived but finding the Empire already possessed by Corcutus his younger Son and himself excluded he in grief of his heart poured forth most grievous Complaints before God and man calling Heaven and Earth to witness of the great wrong and injury done unto him by the proud Bassaes. And what by Tears and humble Obtestations what by great Gifts and greater Promises but most of all by the earnest labour and solicitation of Cherseogles Vice-Roy of Graecia and the Aga or Captain of the Janizaries both his Sons in law prevailed so much with the great Bassaes and Souldiers of the Court that Corcutus being of a mild and courteous disposition overcome by their intreaty and the reverence of his Father resigned unto him the Imperial Government which he presently took upon him with the general good liking of the people and made Corcutus Governor of Lycia Caria and Ionia with the pleasant and rich Countries thereabouts allowing him a great yearly Pension for the better maintenance of his Estate with promise also of the Empire after his decease and so sent him away to his Charge where he most pleasantly lived during the Reign of his Father Bajazet giving himself wholly to the study of Philosophy which made that he was afterwards less favoured of the Janizaries and other men of War. Zemes thus prevented by his elder Brother and understanding by his Friends how all things stood at Constantinople and that Bajazet was already possessed of the Empire returning with great speed raised a puissant Army in the Countries which were under his Command and marching through the heart of Asia the less by the way as he went took into his possession such Cities and strong Places as he thought best and so entring into Bithynia took the great City of Prusa the ancient Seat of the Othoman Kings Purposing in himself that as Bajazet had shut him out of Europe so he would also in requital thereof exclude him out of that part of the Turkish Empire which is beyond Hellespontus in Asia and to make himself Lord thereof Wherein Fortune at the first seemed unto him most favourable all the people wheresoever he came yielding unto him Obedience as unto their Prince and Soveraign so that in short time he seemed both unto himself and to others in strong possession of that part of the Empire Of these his proceedings Bajazet having Intelligence and perceiving the greater part of his Empire now in danger to be lost and doubting further that Zemes his ambitious Mind would hardly rest therewith long contented for remedy of so great a Mischief levied a strong and puissant Army wherewith he passed over into Asia and came to Neapolis a City of Anatolia near whereunto Zemes lay with his Army strongly incamped As