but indeed fearing the Citizens of Alba and the Men of War who exceedingly favoured the Sons of Huniades for their Fathers sake For all that Ladislaus returning into Bohemia caused both the Sons of Huniades upon the suddain to be apprehended and most cruelly executed Uladislaus being then about six and twenty years old Mathias the younger Brother was kept in Prison expecting nothing else but to be partaker of his Brothers hard Fortune as undoubtedly he had had not Ladislaus the young King upon the suddain as he was upon the top of his marriage with Magdalain the French Kings Daughter by untimely death been taken away After whose death the Hungarians for the love they bare unto the remembrance of Huniades by a military Election chose this Mathias his youngest Son then in prison at Prague to be their King. Whereof Pogebrach who after the death of Ladislaus of an old Governor had made himself the young King of Bohemia having speedy intelligence as he was sitting at Supper sent for Mathias his Prisoner and when he was come commanded him to sit down at the upper end of the Table whereat the young Gentleman being then but about eighteen years of age and sore abashed began to crave pardon But when the King would needs have it so and that he was set the King to quiet his troubled thoughts willed him to be of good chear for that he had good news to tell him Good news said he if it would please your Majesty to grant me liberty Yea that said the King and more too and then saluting him by the name of the King of Hungary brake unto him the whole matter how that he was by the general consent of the Hungarians chosen their King. And so in few daies after married to him his Daughter which done he furnished him with all things fit for his Estate and Royally accompanied him into Hungary where he was with great joy and triumph received of the Hungarians over whom he afterwards gloriously reigned for the space of eight and thirty years In which time he notably enlarged the Kingdom of Hungary and became a far greater terror unto the Turks than ever was his Father Huniades And therewithal which is not to be accounted in the least part of his praises was alwaies a great favourer and furtherer of good Letters and ingenious Devices But to return again unto our purpose Mathias having well considered of that the Venetians had requested answered them that they had many times before in like case refused to give aid unto the Hungarian Kings his Predecessors yea and that more was thought it a thing not reasonable that any such thing should be requested at their hands forasmuch as they then received no harm from the Turk but were in League and Amity with him so that the Hungarian Kings wanting their help had many times received greater loss from the Turks than otherwise they should have done if they had been by them aided Yet for all that he was content to forget all such unkindness and to grant them what they had requested promising the next Spring to invade the Turks Dominion and according to their request to take into his protection all their Territory betwixt the Rhetian Alpes and the Adriatique which thing he most honourably performed For with the first of the Spring he passed over Danubius at Belgrade with a puissant Army and rased the Forts which the Turks had built thereabouts and so entring into Servia laid all the Country wast before him and afterwards laden with Spoil returned home carrying away with him twenty thousand Captives Neither so rested but with great good Fortune maintained great Wars against Mahomet during all the time of his reign and afterwards against Bajazet his Son also wherein he most commonly returned with Victory so that it is of him as truly as briefly written That no Christian King or Chieftain did more often or with greater fortune fight against the Turkish Nation or had of them greater Victories Mahomet delivered of the great fear he had before conceived of the general preparation of the Christian Princes against him determined now to work his Will upon such as were nearest unto him and afterward not to forget them that were farther off The proceeding of Scanderbeg with the late overthrow of Seremet with his Army in Epirus stuck in his Stomach in revenge whereof he now sent unto Balabanus Badera a most valiant Captain with fifteen thousand Horsemen and three thousand Foot to invade Epirus This Balabanus was an Epirot born a Churles Son of that Country and being of a Boy taken Captive of the Turks as he was keeping of his Fathers Cattel and of long time brought up in servitude amongst them framing himself both to their Religion and Manners after long service got the credit of a good common Souldier But when as at the taking of Constantinople it was his fortune to be the first man of the Turks Army that gained the Top of the Walls and entred the City he was for that piece of Service ever afterwards of Mahomet greatly esteemed and beside his other great Preferment now sent General of his Army into Epirus Who as soon as he was come to Alchria a City upon the Frontiers of that Country sent many rich Presents to Scanderbeg making shew as if he had been desirous peaceably to lie upon the Borders committed to his Charge without farther purpose to trouble his Country yet indeed waiting nothing more than some notable opportunity suddainly to do him the greatest mischief he could But Scanderbeg well seeing into the malice of the man rejected his feigned Friendship and Gifts and in derision sent him a Spade a Mattock a Flail with other such Instruments belonging to Husbandry willing him to take in hand those Tools and to follow his Fathers trade of life and to leave the conducting of Armies unto men of greater skill and better place Which disgrace Balabanus took in exceeding evil part purposing in himself if ever it lay in his power to be thereof revenged Wherefore knowing that Scanderbeg with a small power lay not far off upon the frontiers of his Kingdom he determined suddainly in the night to set upon him before he were a ware of his coming and so if it were possible to overthrow him but Scanderbeg having knowledge thereof by his Scouts set forward in good order to have met him When Balabanus perceiving that he was discovered staid upon the way and encamped within two miles of Scanderbeg who had then in his Army but four thousand Horsemen and one thousand and five hundred Foot but all choice men and most expert Souldiers and then lay in a large pleasant Valley called Valchal At the farther end whereof Balabanus lay also encamped near unto a rough and woody Hill which enclosed that part of the Valley Whilst both Armies thus lay within view one of another Scanderbeg well considering the ground the Enemy had taken and that it
for the establishing of the Succession in this new Kingdom and for the division of Othomans Treasure and Goods betwixt them two his Sons But upon view taken there was no Mony Plate or Jewels found in the Kings Coffers for that he had in his life time most bountifully bestowed it upon his men of War so that all the Wealth he left unto them his Sons was the honourable remembrance of his Life for them to imitate large Dominions for their Possessions store of ready Horses and Armor fit for service with great Herds of Beasts and Cattel for Houshold Provision Whereupon Orchanes demanded of his Brother Aladin what order he thought was best to be taken with those things by their Father so left To whom Aladin answered That it was most requiâ—ite first to establish a King in their Fathers Kingdom which like a good Shepherd might govern and defend his Subjects rule and maintain his men of War providing all things meet for defence of his Kingdom And that unto him of right belonged all these other things by their Father left as the Patrimony of his Successor for the common good and maintenance of his Estate As for mine own part said Aladin I claim no interest therein you being my elder Brother and so unto me instead of a Father by whom also you have been these two years as it were already put in possession of the Kingdom all things being committed to your Government during the time of his late sickness This modesty of Aladin was greatly commended of all the ancient Counsellors by means whereof the Kingdom in all peaceable manner descended to Orchanes In regard of which courtesie Orchanes would gladly have made Aladin his Brother President of his Council which Honour he would in no wise accept but requested rather that he would give him the Lordship of Fodore in Tekences Country which Orchanes frankly granted In which Lordship of Fodore Aladin most part lived a private and quiet life and afterwards built two Mahometan Churches and an Abbey at Prusa there yet at this day to be seen Some Latine Historiographers otherwise report this beginning of Orchanes his Reign as that Oâ—homan should have three Sons and that Orchanes the youngest obtained the Kingdom by murthering of his other Brethren A practice of late much used amongst the Turkish Princes but not before the time of Bajazet the first of that name who first of the Turkish Monarchs embrued his hands with his Brothers Blood where before they used all brotherly love one to another as the moâ—t probable Histories collected out of the Turks own Chronicles affirm The Christian Princes and Captains presently upon the death of Othoman recovered the City of Nice with divers other Castles and Forts out of the hands of the Turks as it commonly chanceth that Dominions lately won with great peril are soon again lost the Conqueror dying before there be a firm Government established Amongst other sorts by the Christians repossessed the Castle of Tzuprichiser situate upon the passages of the River Sangarius most grieved the Turks for thereby their passage into that part of Bithynia was much impeached Wherefore Orchanes desirous to recover this Castle disguised himself with a few other of his best Souldiers in the apparel of Christian Merchants and came to the Castle craving leave to pass as Merchants the Warders of the Castle verily supposing them by their Attire to be Merchants opened the Gates and let them into the Castle who presently drew their Swords slew the Warders and so by force possessed the Castle to the great benefit of the Turks and the hurt of the poor Christians yet left in the Country of Bithynia For they now having opened a way over the River Sangarius and as it were broken down the strongest defence of that side of the Greek Empire at their pleasure forraged the Country in such sort as that the great City of Nice for want of Victuals to relieve so great a multitude as for fear of the Turks was fled out of the Country into it was brought to great extremity and want For the relief whereof and for the repulsing again of the Turks Andronicus the young Emperor who then commanded with such an Army as he was then able to raise passed himself in person over the Strait of Constantinople into Asia the greatest Strength of his Army consisting in two thousand choice Horsemen the rest as well Horse as Foot being for the most part Artificers taken up in the City men altogether unacquainted with Arms who in token of their cowardise and that they were more mindful of Flight than of Fight carried over with them almost as many long Boats and such other small Vessels as they were men to be ready to receive them at such time as they should flie or else abject Rascals taken up here and there men of whom no great thing was to be expected and of all others most unfit for so great a Prince as was the Emperor to commit the defence of his Person and Honour unto But Orchanes hearing of his coming sent certain of his most expert Captains to forelay the strait passages of the Country whereby the Emperor was to pass following also himself after with his Army of purpose to encounter the Emperor Who in three days march after his landing in Asia being come to Philochrene a little Town in Bithynia and understanding that Orchanes having before taken the Straits lay not far off encamped with his Army he there at Philochrene pitched his Tents and staied that night also But the next morning the Sun as yet scarcely risen he seeing divers Companies of the Turks coming downg from the Mountains fast by put his Army into order of Battle and so set forward to meet them where to begin the Fight the Turks Archers freely bestowed their piercing shot amongst the Christians still keeping themselves aloof off so to do the more harm Which the Emperor mistaking and supposing that their keeping off to have proceeded of fear encouraged therewith commanded certain loose Companies disorderly to march forward and to skirmish with them which his more expert Captains not liking would have otherwise perswaded him as to have kept his Strength together against the danger of the Battel Nevertheless such was his youthful heat as that he could by no means be otherwise intreated but that forward needs they must But all the forenoon spent in this light and tumultuary kind of skirmishing and the Sun at the highest now shining very hot Orchanes from the top of the Mountains perceiving the Christians well wearied with the heat of the day and long skirmishing came down from the Hills with a world of men following him who with a most hideous cry charged the Christians on every side some a far off with their Arrows and some hand to hand with their Swords and other Weapons whose assault the Christians at the first most valiantly received and a great while right worthily defended themselves
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
Germany Frederick the Third Arch-Duke of Austria 1440. 54. Maximilian the Third 1494 25. Kings Of England Edward the Fourth 1460. 22. Edward the Fifth 148â— 0. Richard the Third 1483. 3. Henry the Seventh 1485. 24. Henry the Eighth 1509. 38. Of France Lewis the Eleventh 1461. 22. Charles the Eighth 1483. 14. Lewis the Twelfth 1567. 17. Of Scotland James the Third 1460. 29. James the Fourth 1489. 25. Bishops of Rome Xystus the IV. 1471. 13. Innocentius the VIII 1484. 8. Alexander the VI. 1492. 11. Pius the III. 1503. 26 days Jullus the II. 1503. 9. En Selymus scelere ante alios immanâ—or omnes In Patris et Eratrum dirigit arâ—â—a necem In Persas movet inde ferox Memphilica Regna Destruiâ—â—el Syros Aethiopasque domat Hinc in Christiâ—olaâ— irarum effundere fluctus Ipsorumque uno vertere regna parat Cum diro victus prosternitur ulcere Christus Scilicet est populi portus et aura sui Lo Selymus the vilest of the Othoman brood Embrud his hands in Father's Brothers bloud Persian Egyptian Syrian and Moore Submit their Scepters to his insolent pow'r But when the Christians Realms he vainly thought To speedy desolation to have brought A mortall ulcer seizd him to make knowne The great Messiah can protect his owne The LIFE of SELYMUS First of that NAME The THIRD and most WARLIKE Emperor of the Turks THIS Selymus by favour of the great Bassaes and Men of War whom he had before corrupted year 1512. having deprived his Father Bajazet first of the Empire and shortly after of his Life also and now fully possessed of the Empire himself first took view of the Treasures which the Turkish Kings and Emperors his Ancestors had before of long time heaped up in great abundance out of which he gave unto the Souldiers of the Court two millions of Ducats and for a perpetual remembrance of his thankfulness towards them augmented their daily wages allowing unto every Horsemâ—n four Aspers a day and to every Footman two above their wonted allowance By which exceeding bounty he greatly assured unto himself the minds of the Men of War. Shortly after he passed over with a great Army into Asia leaving the government of the Imperial City of Constantinople unto his only Son Solyman and marching into Galatia came to the City of Ancyra in hope there to have oppressed his elder Brother Achomates But he understanding before of his coming withal wisely considering how unable he was to withstand his Forces fled before into the Mountains of Cappadocia upon the Confines of Armenia taking up men by the way as he went and praying aid of all sorts of People yea even of such as were but of small ability themselves and unto him meer Strangers that so he might in best manner he could provide such strength as might serve him to make head against his Brother and for the recovery of Asia Selymus having spent that Summer without doing any thing worth the speaking of and considering that he could not well winter in that cold Country near unto the great Mountain Taurus by reason of the deep Snows and extream cold there usually falling and that to go farther was to no purpose forasmuch as Achomates flying from place to place and Mountain to Mountain was not to be surprised he retired back again into Bithynia and sending his Europeian Horsemen down to the Sea-coast and the Janizaries to Constantinople resolved to winter with the rest of his Army at Prusa At which time being wholly bent against Achomates his Competitor of the Empire he for certain years continued the League which his Father Bajazet had before concluded with Uladislaus King of Hungary Sigismundus King of Polonia and the Venetians And thinking no care no not of Children superfluous which might concern the establishing of his Empire he called unto him five of his Brothers Sons Orchanes the Son of Alem Scach Mahometes the Son of Tzian Scach Orchanes Emirsa and Musa the Sons of his Brother Mahometes all young Princes of great hope of years betwixt sixteen and twenty excepting Musa who was not past seven years old Of all these Mahometes whom his Uncle Achomates had a little before taken Prisoner at Larenda as is before declared and upon the death of Bajazet had again set him at liberty being about twenty years old was for rare Fonture and Princely Courage accounted the Paragon and Beauty of the Othoman Family which great perfection as it won unto him the love and favour of the Men of War and also of all the People in general so did it hasten his speedy death only Selymus his cruel Uncle envying at his life After he had got these poor innocents into his hands he sent for divers of his great Doctors and Lawyers demanding of them Whether it were not better that some five eight or ten persons should be taken away than that the State of the whole Empire should with great effusion of Blood be rent in sunder and so by civil Wars be brought in danger of utter ruin and destruction Who although they well perceived whereunto that bloody question tended yet for fear of displeasure they all answered That it were better such a small number should perish than that the whole State of the Empire should by Civil War and Discord be brought to confusion in which general calamity those few must also of necessity perish with the rest Upon colour of this answer and the necessity pretended he commanded these his Nephews before named to be led by five of his great Captains into the Castle of Prusa where they were all the night following most cruelly strangled It is reported that Mahometes with a Pen-knife slew one of the bloody Executioners sent into his Chamber to kill him and so wounded the other as that he fell down for dead and that Selymus being in a Chamber fast by and almost an Eye-witness of that was done presently sent in others who first bound the poor Prince and afterward strangled him with the rest whose dead bodies were buried at Prusa amongst their Ancestors The cruelty of this Fact wonderfully offended the minds of most men insomuch that many even of his Martial men filled with secret indignation for certain days absented themselves from his presence shunning his sight as if he had been some fierce or raging Lion. Of all the Nephews of old Bajazet only Amurat and Aladin the Sons of Achomates yet remained year 1513. whom he purposed to surprise upon the suddain and so to rid himself of all fear of his Brothers Children having then left none of the Othoman Family but them and his two Brethren upon whom to exercise his further Cruelty These two young Princes had a little before recovered the City of Amasia from whence they were the Summer before expulsed by their Uncle Selymus at such time as Achomates their Father was glad to flie into the Mountains of Cappadocia Selymus fully resolved upon their destruction sent
Kings Mony coined with the same Inscription but the chiefest Authority rested in George the Bishop for he was Treasurer and had at his command the Castles and strong Holds yet were the Souldiers with their Ensigns and Furniture at the devotion of Valentinus Thuracus In the middle between these two was placed Peter Vicche the Kings Kinsman and by the old King appointed for one of the Tutors of his young Son suspected of neither part honoured with the name of High Constable But because the name of this George the Bishop was most famous in this woful War which we were about to write I thought it worth the labour to speak something of his nature and disposition that it may be known to all posterity by what policy this War was managed and how this flourishing Kingdom by the madness of the Hungarians came into the hands of the Turks This George was born in Croatia and brought up from his youth in the House of King Iohn where vertue and industry never wanted relief when as he unadvisedly before had entred into the Orders of a Monastical life and weary too late of the straitness thereof had forsaken his profession Wherefore being of a very pleasing nature and still following King Iohn driven out of his Kingdom and long living in exile he won such credit and commendation for his Fidelity Integrity and ready Counsel in the Kings most doubtful and dangerous Affairs that after Sibacchus that worthy Bishop was by the treachery of Aloysius Grittus slain at Baxovia he obtained the great Bishoprick of Veradium After that when he had strengthned his credit with great Wealth he always as a faithful Counsellor swaid and happily ruled both the Court and Kingdom to the profit of the King. But he was of such a diverse and pliant Nature that performing in all actions all the parts of a most ready and excellent Man he seemed to be made of contrary qualities and born to do any thing for in saying of his Princely Service and performing the other Ceremonies of the Christian Religion he shewed or at leastwise counterfeited such a contrition in his devout Countenance and Speech that a Man would not have thought it could possibly be the same Man who in the most weighty Affairs both of War and Peace did most stoutly shew the wonderful force of a most pregnant and couragious Wit for he used to keep whole Companies of most excellent and ready Horsemen and would oft-times come forth into the Battel armed he would with often Banquets and Rewards win the Hearts of the Souldiers and after the manner of great Chieftains maintain the honour and credit of his Name both with punishment and reward as occasion required Besides that no Man looked into the Wealth of the Kingdom more diligently than he no Man did to more profit let to farm the Customs old Mines Feedings and Salt-Pits no Man could devise finer means to raise Mony of all others the readiest way to credit insomuch that King Iohn would confess himself to reign by the especial industry of that one Man And King Ferdinand would many times say That he envied at King Iohn for nothing he had but for one hooded Fellow which was better for the defence of a Kingdom than a thousand with Helmets on their Heads Wherefore this Bishop having taken upon him the Tuition of the young King was still busied in all the weighty causes of the Kingdom both Civil and Martial he laboured with great care that the Hungarians should agree together in Love and Unity and did what he might providently to foresee that no Tumult or Rebellion should any where arise whereby the beginning of the Kingdom yet but weak might any way be troubled But King Ferdinand hearing of the death of King Iohn thought it now a fit time for him to recover again the Kingdom of Hungary which he had so long desired Whereunto he was also the more prickt forward by the perswasion of Alexius Torso Ferentius Gnarus Petrus Bachit Balthazar Pamphilus Francus Capolnates Ianus Castellamphus and Casparus Seredus all Noblemen or Gentlemen of great account in Hungary who in the former troubles followed the part of King Ferdinand against King Iohn and lived now in Exile these all with one consent told King Ferdinand That now or never was the time when they might be again restored unto their Country with honour and that the War might that Autumn be dispatched if he would make haste for as much as Winter coming fast on would stay the coming of the Turks and such Noblemen of Hungary as took part with the Queen did not very well agree together being unwilling to be commanded by George the Apostate Monk who as they said with great cunning and dissimulation seducing the Queen and possessing the Treasure enjoyed all alone the power of a King and that they which for taking part with the right had long lived as banished Men might now safely return into their Country and be honourably preferred by the Queen the Bishop which commanded all assuring them thereof if they would return unto the young Kings Court unto their Friends and ancient Houses But they had as they said before given their Faith unto him as to a vertuous and faithful Prince whom they had preferred before one that was an Hungarian born wherefore he should do both unadvisedly and unkindly if letting slip the occasion presented he should defer to make War. For what could be more dishonourable to him so great a King and also Emperor elect than by shameful delay to forsake them being noble and valiant Gentlemen which had followed his part and were then ready with strong Troops of Horsemen to do him the best service they could The German Captains in like manner perswaded him to take the matter in hand who as Martial Men expecting some one preferment some another in the Army were desirous of Honour Pay and Prey the chief comforts of their travel and peril But Laschus the Polonian who in matters concerning Peace and War saw more than all they as he that knew the dispositions of many Princes and had seen the Manners and Fashions of divers Nations having travelled through a great part of the World and oftentimes been Embassador in the Courts of the greatest Princes was of a contrary opinion and told King Ferdinand plainly That the Kingdom of Hungary was to be obtained rather by policy than by force by craving it at Solymans Hand to hold it of him by Tribute as King Iohn had done For said he that may by petition and fair entreaty be easily obtained of that Heroical Prince who in his vain humor oftentimes fondly seeketh after honour which will never be got from him by force of Arms. I throughly know said he Solymans haughty mind and the proud disposition of his Bassa 's he contemneth Wealth and is cloyed with so many Kingdoms but they upon their insatiable covetousness and exceeding pride desire nothing nor perswade
secret commiseration of his inevitable Destiny or that he had by Loyalty or other means so won her Favour is not known but every Man saw that if it had lien in her Power she would undoubtedly have preferred him before his elder Brother Selymus and have placed him in the Empire but she must needs give way to her old Husbands Will firmly and irremovably set down that the Destinies so permitting none should reign after him but his eldest Son Selymus Of which his purpose and resolution Bajazet being not ignorant began most circumspectly to look about about him if he could by any means frustrate that forcible necessity and exchange his certain destruction with an Empire in which his deep and dangerous cogitations he was not a little comforted by the favour and love of Roxolana his Mother and of Rustan the great Bassa his Brother in Law who together had in any other matter been able to have overruled the aged Emperor Whereupon he resolutely set down himself rather to end his days by making proof of good or bad Fortune than upon the death of his Father which by Course of Nature could not now be far off to be as a Sacrifice basely butchered by some vile Hangman of his Brothers Bajazet so resolved and now already fallen out with his Brother Selymus took occasion upon the general discontentment of the People and others for the unworthy death of Mustapha their late joy to begin those stirs which he had before with himself plotted and so to make a Head whereunto he might afterward join the Body also for why that worthy Mustapha had left behind him so great desire of himself that now it wearied many to live after him they had so placed all the hope of their good Fortune in him unto whom nothing was more desired than to revenge the wrong done unto him or else to run the same hard Fortune with him othersome guilty of the immoderate Affection they had born unto him yet living and fearing to be called to give an account thereof thought any state better and more assured than that wherein they presently stood and therefore sought all occasions of new stirs how to set all in an hurly burly only a Captain was wanting Mustapha could not again be revived yet might he be strongly supposed to live This device pleased Bajazet as best fitting his purpose being not ignorant of this disposition of the People Wherefore by certain of his most faithful and trusty Followers he found out a certain obscure Fellow of a notable audacity which should take upon him the Name and Person of Mustapha whose Stature also and Countenance and Proportion of Body differed not much from Mustapha himself he as if he had by chance escaped first began to shew himself in that part of Thracia which is above Constantinople and lieth toward Danubius not far from the Countries of Moldavia and Valachia and was for that cause both fittest for Rebellion and also best stored with Horsemen who of all others most honoured Mustapha Hither he comes as if it had been from a long journey slenderly accompanied and as if he had been desirous at the first not to have been known his Followers being demanded as it chanced who it was did rather fearfully give them that asked occasion to ghess than plainly to tell them that it was Mustapha neither did he himself much deny it whereby the People became more and more desirous to know him Which beginning thus laid he afterward began to rejoyce of his fortunate coming thither and to give God thanks for his safe arrival there amongst his Friends he tells them That at such time as he was sent for by his Father he durst not come into his sight or commit himself unto him in his Fury but by the counsel of his Friends to have with great promises perswaded one that was marvellous like unto himself to go in his stead by whose danger he might make proof of his Fathers mind towards him who before he was admitted to the speech of his Father was without hearing miserably strangled and so cast out before his Pavilion at which time there were many as he said which perceived the deceit but the greater part remained in error deceived with the Lineaments and Countenance of the miserable dead Man who was much altered with the terrible pains of death and supposing it to have been him indeed that was slain Which thing as soon as he understood he thought it not good longer to stay but presently to flie and to provide for his own safety and so flying with a few of his own Followers thereby the more secretly and safely to escape and having passed above Pontus by the People of Bosphorus was now come thither where he was in good hope to find much help and comfort in the Fidelity of his Friends whom he requested not now to forsake him or to make less account of him disgraced by the malice of his Step-Mother than they had before in time of his Prosperity For that he was aminded to revenge the injury done unto him and by force of Arms to defend himself for what else had he now left being by no other means preserved but by the death of another Man that he had sufficiently proved how his Father stood affected towards him and that he now lived by his mistaking not by his Kindness The cause of all which his troubles was his Stepdame who as he said with her inchantments led the silly old Man now almost doating for Age and mad for love whither she would at her pleasure and by her Agent Rustan Bassa forced him forward headlong into all kind of mischief but that God be thanked he wanted not his Friends by whose help he would find a way out of these miseries and take revenge of his Enemies for why he had as yet couragious Hearts and the Janizaries with the greater part of his Fathers Family on his side and that great multitudes of People would flock unto him upon brute of his Name so that they which did now mourn for him as dead in number many would by heaps run to help him being alive so that they there present would only courteously receive him as a Guest and protect him now distressed till such time as his welwillers and Friends might repair unto him And this at last he gave out not in secret but openly to all Men wheresoever he came The same things did they also report whom he made the People to believe to have been the Companions of his Flight which was also confirmed by divers of good Account and Authority whom Bajazet had before dealt withal to that purpose So that a great number of Men altogether unknown to Bajazet were by that means seduced for this matter was so cunningly wrought that many of them that had known Mustapha alive and seen him laid dead before his Fathers Pavilion yet listed not greatly to believe that which they knew but easily suffered
issued out at the Castle Gate with the rest following him where valiantly fighting with the Janizaries upon the Bridge and having slain some of them he was first wounded in two places of his Body with small Shot and at last struck in the Head with an unlucky shot fell down dead the Turk for joy crying out their wonted word Alla. The rest of the Souldiers in flying back again into the Castle were all slain by the Turks except some few whom some of the Janizaries in regard of their Valour by putting their Caps upon their Heads saved from the fury of the reâ—â— In this Siege the Turks as they themselves reported lost seven thousand Janizaries and twenty eight thousand other Souldiers beside many voluntary Men not enrolled in their Muster-Books and three of their great Bassaes. Serinus his Head was presently cut off and the next day with the Heads of the other slain Christians set upon a Pole for all the Army to gaze upon After that it was taken down and by Muhamet the great Bassa sent to Mustapha the Bassa of Buda his Kinsman who by two Country Men sent it wrapped in a red Scarf covered with a fair linnen Cloth to Count Salma in the Emperors Camp at Rab with this taunting Letter thus directed Muhamet Bassa to Eccius Salma Greeting IN token of my love behold here I send thee the Head of a most resolute and valiant Captain thy Friend the remainder of his Body I have honestly buried as became such a Man. Sigeth biddeth thee farwell for ever The death of this noble and valiant Captain was much lamented of all the Christian Army and his Head with many tears by his Son Balthasar honourably buried amongst his Ancestors in Tschacatâ—rna his own Castle Solyman at his coming with this mighty Army into Hungary had purposed before his return if he had not been by death prevented to have conquered both the remainder of the Kingdom of Hungary and to have again attempted the winning of Vienna For the accomplishing of which his Designs he at his first coming sent Parthaus Bassa with forty thousand Turks to help the Bassa of Temesware and the Tartars in the behalf of the Vayvod to besiege the strong Town of Guyla situate upon the Lake Zarkad in the Confines of Transylvania not far from whence Suendi had but in August before overthrown the Tartars called in by Solyman for the aid of the Vayvod and slain of them ten thousand And at the same time he sent Mustapha Bassa of Bosna and Caraâ—beiâ—s with a great Power to Alba Râ—galis who joyning with the Bassa of Buda should keep the Emperor Maximilian busie whilst he in the mean time besiegeth Sigeth as is before declared Parthaus Bassa coming to Gyula and laying hard Siege to the Town was still notably repulsed by Nicholaus Keretschen Governor of the Town insomuch that in a sally he had certain Pieces of his great Ordnance taken from him by the Defendants and the rest cloied But this brave Captain not to have been constrained by all that the Bassa could do was at last perswaded by his Kinsman George Bebicus from whom Suendi had a little before taken certain Castles for revolting from the Emperor to the Vayvod for a great sum of Mony to deliver up the Town to the Bassa which he did covenanting beside his Reward That the Souldiers should with Bag and Baggage in safety depart all which was frankly granted who were not gon past a mile out of the Town but they were set upon by the Turks and all slain except some few which crept into the Reeds growing in the Marish fast by and so escaped The Traitor himself expecting his Reward was carried in Bonds to Constantinople where afterward upon complaint made how hardly he had used certain Turks whom he had sometime taken Prisoners he was by the commandment of Selymus who succeeded Solyman thrust into an Hogshead struck full of Nails with the Points inward with this inscription upon it Here receive the Reward of thy Avarice and Treason Gyula thoâ—â—oldst for Gold if thou be not faithful to Maximilian thy Lord neither wilt thou be to me and so the Hogshead closed fast up he was therein rolled up and down until he therein miserably died The Emperors Camp then lying at Rab and the Bassa of Buda and Bosna with thirty thousand Turks not far off at Alba Regalis and many hot skirmishes passing between them it fortuned that the fifth of September the Turks in hope to have done some great piece of service upon the Christians came forth of the Camp in great number and by chance light upon a few Forragers of the Army of whom they slew some the rest flying raised an Alarm in the Camp whereupon the Hungarians and Burgundians with some others issuing out pursuing the Turks slew divers of them in which pursuit George Thuriger descrying the Governor of Alba Regalis a Man in great account and very inward with Solyman whilst he lived fiercely pursued him in the midst of the flying Enemies and never left him until he had taken him Prisoner and at his return presenting him to the Emperor was for that good service Knighted and rewarded with a Chain of Gold. There was by chance then present a Spaniard who had heard him say openly at Constantinople That he alone with his own power was able to vanquish the German King by which name the Turks commonly term the Emperor With which words when that the Spaniard hardly charged him in the presence of the Emperor still urging him as it were to say something for himself the Turk answered him in these few words following Such is the chance of War thou seest me now a Prisoner and able to do nothing All these troubles with many more like in short time to have ensued were by the death of Solyman within a while after well appeased Muhamet Bassa after he had repaired the Breaches and placed a Turk Governor of Sigeth with a strong Garrison for the defence of the place and commanding of the Country called back the dispersed Forces and rising with the Army retired toward Belgrade carrying Solymans dead Body all the way sitting upright in his Horse-litter carried by Mules giving it out that he was sick of the Gout which thing the Janizaries easily believed knowing that he had been many years so carried yet still wishing his presence as always unto them fortunate although that he were able for to do nothing Christian Princes of the same time with Solyman Emperors of Germany Charles the Fifth 1519. 39. Ferdinand 1558. 7. Maximilian the Second 1565. 12. Kings Of England Henry the Eighth 1509. 38. Edward the Sixth 1546. 6. Queen Mary 1553. 6. Queen Elizabeth 1558. 45. Of France Francis the First 1514. 32. Henry the Second 1547. 12. Francis the Second 1559. 1. Charles the Ninth 1560. 14. Of Scotland James the Fifth 1514. 29. Queen Mary 1543. Bishops of Rome
changed and the Venetians glad to endure the proud looks of the Turks their disdainful ears their despightful speeches their long and insolent attendance with many other shameful indignities Yea the Bassa was so shameless as proudly to ask them How they durst be so bold as to impugn the great Emperor Selymus his Fleet at Sea. Whereunto the Embassador answered That the Venetians had always honoured the Majesty of the Turkish Emperors neither had at any time taken up Arms against him but in their own reasonable defence when force was by force to be repulsed a thing lawful even for the wild Beast in the wild Wilderness to do At the first entreaty of the Peace the Bassa seemed to put the Venetian Embassador in good hope that the Venetians according to his request should enjoy their Territories in Dalmatia in as ample manner as in former times and bounded with the same bounds whereof they had in these Wars lost some part about Iadena But when the matter should have come to the shutting up the Turk began to shrink from that he had before promised refusing not only the restitution of the Territory they had indeed by Treason got but by cautelous expositions of his meaning framing the conclusion of the present Peace unto the form of their former Leagues required That as the Turks had now yielded unto them Malvasia and Nauplus so now they should redeliver unto them two other places of like worth and importance As for not restoring the Territory they had taken about Iadera to colour their deceit they pretended that they might not by their Law restore unto the Christians any Town or place wherein were any Church or Temple dedicated or converted unto the Mahometan Religion as was there and further That the same Territory was already given by Selymus in reward unto his Souldiers Men of desert from whom without great injury it might not be again taken Hereupon the French Embassador complained That promises were not performed and the Venetians so fretted that they were even about to have returned as Men shamefully deluded without concluding of any thing Yet when no better could be obtained the Turks still standing upon such hard terms the Embassadors by the appointment of the Senate concluded a Peace with the Turk whereof these were the chief Capitulations first That the Venetians should give unto Selâ—mus three hundred thousand Ducats one hundred to be presently payed and the other two hundred by equal portions in two years next following then That the Merchants Goods should be indifferently on both sides restored and lastly That such places of the Venetians as the Turk was already possessed of should still remain unto the Turks but that such Towns or places as the Venetians had taken in the Turks Dominion should be again forthwith restored For the first payment of the Mony the Turk was earnest thereby as by a fine for an offence committed to make this League unto him more honourable This Peace at Constantinople concluded the eleventh day of February in the year 1574 year 1574. was by the Decree of the Senate confirmed and afterwards the 13 of April following solemnly proclaimed in Venice to the great wonder of the other Confederates For the better satisfying of whom the Popes Nuntio with the Embassador of Spain were sent for into the Senate House And although there were many things that grieved the Venetians yet did they forbear all hard speeches and of that their moderation received so much the more honour as it is more difficult for an angry Man to overcome himself than others The Duke with calm and temperate Speech framed to the purpose declared unto them That Anger and Hope two evil Counsellors being set apart he had concluded a Peace with the Turk not for that he was desirous of the Turks friendship which what account it was to be made of he right well knew but for the love he bare to the State which was not only with loss but even with death it self to be maintained How he had been spoiled of the Kingdom of Cyprus he further declared and that the Venetian State grew every day weaker and weaker by the continual War and that therefore before it were by loss upon loss come to the uttermost of extremity they not able to maintain so heavy a War were to take some better course for the preservation of that which wasyet left of their Seigniory for that the safety of the Venetian State should at all times be a sure fortress and defence of the Christian Common-weal against all the furious attempts of the Enemy and uncertain events of time The Fame of this suddain and unexpected Peace was for the just and common hatred of the Christians against the Turks generally evil taken and the Venetians for the concluding thereof hardly spoken of as if they had betrayed the whole Christian Common-weal or at leastwise their Confederates For Men were for the most part of opinion that the Turks Peace would be but feigned and deceitful and that having gained time to set things in order according to his desire he would for the natural grudge he bare unto the Christians come to his old course and as he had always done break the League and take up Arms. Some said That the Venetians forsaken of their Friends and Confederates would in their own devices perish yet so as that their destruction would turn to the general harm of all Christendom and these Men were of opinion That in that case and against that Enemy a dangerous War was to be preferred before an uncertain and dishonourable Peace Nevertheless the Venetians besides that they for the present eased themselves of many an heavy burthen so have they thereby enjoyed the fruits of a long and happy Peace and found the same unto their State both wholsome and profitable until this day It was thought by the sequel of matters That Selymus was the more willing to have Peace with the Venetians that he might the better recover the Kingdom of Tunes and the strong Castle of Guletta from the Spaniards who with the Knights of Malta now gaped more after Tripolis and the other Port-towns holden by the Turks upon the Coast of Barbary than how to defend the Venetians their Confederates Thus with the loss of Cyprus and some part of the Venetian Territory in Dalmatia ended the mortal and bloody War betwixt Selymus and the Venetians In the Course whereof is well to be seen what great matters the united Forces of the Christian Princes were able to do against this most mighty Enemy if all discord and contention set apart they would in the quarrel of the Christian Religion joyn with heart and hand against him and fight the Battel of Christ Jesus Selymus now at Peace with them who before most troubled him to keep his Men of War busied shortly after converted his Forces against Iohn Vayvod of Valachia and so at length joyned all that Province to his Empire This
reason of the Riches of the People and the Fertility of the Soil to which pretences could never be wanting on the score of those Differences which always arise amongst the People of the Frontiers During these Debates and Counsels Preparations were made for War both by Sea and Land as yet uncertain where they should be imployed To command them the Great Vizier was ordered to hasten his Journey from Persia whose Arrival was celebrated at Constantinople with a solemn Entry and for a particular and distinguishing Honour the Grand Signior sent him a Vest from his own Back to wear on the day of his Triumph This Vizier was a Person very austere in his Behaviour bold and valiant as he evidenced by his Actions in taking Bagdat zealous for his Master's Interest and what is rare in a Turk not much addicted to his own He had acquired a great share in the Esteem of his Master and his Authority increased as the daily Decay of the Grand Signior's Health rendred him less able for Government For now the strong Complexion of Morat began to grow feeble by excesses of frequent Debauchery his Stomach was become cold and weak not able to digest the lightest Meats his hand shook and a paralytical Distemper seized him in every part so that his Mother and the Physicians perswaded him to forsake the use of Wine as Poyson and Destruction to his Health and he whilst he was sensible of his languishing Condition like a true Penitent made many Protestations and Vows against it forbidding the accursed Poyson to be received within the Walls of the Seraglio Howsoever his kind Heart could not possibly withstand the Temptation of a Banquet to which his Pot-companions did sometimes invite him amongst which the Great Vizier would not be wanting also to please and cajole the Humour of his Master with the Liquor that he loved But his chief and constant Camerades in drinking were his Persian Favourite and Mustapha Pasha of Bosna one educated in the Seraglio promoted to the place of Selictar Aga to whom he gave the stately Palace of Ibrahim Pasha on the Hippodrome together with his eldest Daughter in Marriage These two stout Sons of Bacchus perswaded the Grand Signior to appoint one solemn Drinking-day in time of the Biram which is the great Festival of the Year and introduced by their Prophet in imitation of our Easter Morat being at this time possessed with the Spirit of Debauchery accepted the Motion and invited the two Drunkards to dinner with him The Persian provoked his Pleasure of drinking by salt Meats and by peppered and spiced Dishes the sort of Wine they most used was a sweet Malvoisia sometimes twisted and encouraged with the strong Waters called Rosa Solis of which they sucked so long and with such Excess that falling under the force of it they were insensibly carried away to their several Beds This dissolute Repast became fatal to the Grand Signior for a Fire being kindled in his Veins and Bowels he fell into a violent and continued Feaver The Physicians being called were fearful to administer Remedies lest proving unsuccessful their Lives should pay for the ineffectual Operation At length they agreed to let him blood but this hastened his Death For he died the fourth Day of his Feaver being the 8 th of February in the seventeenth Year of his Reign and the one and thirtieth of his Age having ruled in the height of all Disorders and irregular Excesses which his youthful Years enabled him to support With his Death all his thoughts and Designs of making a War against Christendom perished having sworn after his Return from Persia to reduce all his neighbouring Countries to the Mahometan Law. He was of a most cruel and implacable Disposition having amongst his other Acts of Tyranny imbrued his Hands in the Blood of his two Brothers Orchan and Bajazet as also strangled his Uncle Mustapha whose innocent Weakness had been sufficient to secure his Life against any but the most horrid Monster of human Tyranny He left no Son for though he had divers they died in their Infancy notwithstanding which his Kindred were so detested by him that he envied the Descendence of Monarchy on his Brother Ibrahim who was preserved by a strange Providence from his Fury often saying that he wished that he might be the last of the Ottoman Line that the Empire of that Family might end with him and devolve unto the Tartar. He was certainly the most absolute Prince that ever swayed the Ottoman Empire but of no Religion seldom fasting in the Month of Ramasan contemning and laughing at the Santones and others of their Religious Orders He was very inquisitive into all Actions of the City for which he maintained his Spies and oftentimes took his Rules and Measures from Discourses of People concerning his Government He was a great Dissembler ready active and revengeful covetous to Extremity having left fifteen Millions of Gold iâ— his Treasury which was empty when he entred upon the Soveraignty In short he was so bad that he had scarce any Allay of Vertue being so great a Tyrant that at length he became his own Assassinate and fell unlamented by all but the two Companions of his beâ—tial Excess The End of Sultan Morat's Life I that of Ott'man blood remain alone Call'd from a Prison to ascend a Throne My easy mind I bend to soft Delights Hateing th'unpleasent thoughts ofNavalFights Till mad with manton Loves I fall at first Slave to my orone then to my peoples lust THE REIGN OF Sultan IBRAHIM TWELFTH EMPEROR OF THE TURKS SVltan Amurath or Morat after a Fever of eight Days continuance caused by an excess of Debauchery in Wine having on the eighth of February 1640 according to the New-Stile expired his last Breath His Mother called Kiosem comforted her self with the thoughts that her Son Sultan Ibrahim still lived and was the sole Surviver and undoubted Heir of the Ottoman Family To whose Succession that she might make the more facile and undisturbed Entrance she consulted with all the Viziers requesting their Consent and Assistance in the lawful promotion of her remaining Son to the Throne of his Ancestors For she had understood that Morat who always abhorred the ill-shap'd Body and weaker Mind of his Brother envied him the Dignity of the Ottoman Scepter and therefore had bequeathed the Succession to the Tartar having in the Heat of a Debauch and Fumes of Wine compelled his Pasha's to swear to the performance of his Testament Wherefore the Queen assembling them together with gentle Words desired them to remember That Ibrahim was the Lawful Heir and their true Emperor that the Tartar Han was a Stranger odious to the Souldiery and not beloved by the People that an Alteration of this Nature could never be contrived and executed without danger to the Actors and that they to whom she assured the continuance of the same Honours and Offices in Reward of their constant
together with Priest Sorich Captain of the Morlachs entered into the Enemies Country spoiling burning and destroying wheresoever they came The Morlachs more greedy of Prey than ambitious of Glory divided themselves into small Parties to rob and pillage in which interim they were assaulted by the Turks but being scattered were so far from making a stout resistance that they committed themselves to a shameful flight in which great numbers of them were miserably Butchered nor could the valour of Sorich nor of the Governour Possidaria reduce them by their Examples into any Order whilst together with some few valiant Dalmatians and Morlach Captains they endured the shock of all the Enemies Fury in which Skirmish the Turks lost seven Agas and about seventy Souldiers On the Christians side were killed four hundred some few Slaves and about seventy Ensigns taken amongst the rest the good Priest Sorich scorning to turn his back had the misfortune to fall into the Enemies hands whom they flead alive and afterwards impaled and though they subdued his Body yet he was still master of his mind bearing the same constancy in his Torments as he had shewed Magnanimity and Courage in the Face of his Enemy Whilst these Martial Affairs were transacting with the Blood and Life of many thousands on both sides Sultan Ibrahim like a stout Souldier of Venus waged another War in the Elysiums of Cupid and casting aside all thoughts of Candia remitted the sole care and management thereof to the Vizier and Pashas of the Divan following a Life so lascivious and sensual as can neither be imagined with a chast Fancy or described by a modest Pen. A principal Instrument of his Delights and Engine to compass his Amorous Designs was a certain cast Wench of his which he named Shechir Para which signifies a little piece of Sugar for it seems she was so complaisant and dulcid in her Humour and Discourse as merited that apt Name to express the sweetness of her Conversation this Woman having the convenience to visit all the Baths in Town took notice of every Woman which she saw of more than ordinary Features and Proportion and having enquired her Condition and Dwelling presently reported the same with all advantage to her Sultan who having heard the Beauty described be came passionately Enamoured and could find no repose in his Fancy until his Instruments either by fair words or violence had seduced her or forced her to his Bed. But growing now extravagant and over-wanton in his Amours he fell in love with the Sultana or Widow of his Brother Sultan Morat To win her Affections he had recourse to his Dear Shechir Para who used all her Arts in this Service but her pretty wheedling Terms could prevail nothing on this Lady who answered her in short That at the Death of her Lord Sultan Morat she had resolved upon a perpetual Widowhood for that the memory of him was still so lively in her that she could not entertain the thoughts of admitting any new Embraces This repugnancy and opposition inflamed the heat of Ibrahim like a Feaver so that he resolved to assault her himself one day by force and took his time just as she came out of the Bath but she being a bold Woman and disdaining the wandring loves of Ibrahim laid her hand upon her Dagger which Sultana's and great Ladies usually wear threatning to wound him in her own defence the noise and brawling hereof being over-heard by the Queen-Mother called her from her Retirements and concerned her in the Quarrel who whilst she reproved her Son for the rape he intended on his Brother's Wife gave opportunity to the Sultana to escape and so delivered her out of the hands of this Satyr But Ibrahim mad with love and fuming with disdain to be checked and opposed by his Mother Commanded her immediately to the old Seraglio where he confined her to several days Imprisonment during which time he understood in what manner she had treated his large-siz'd Armenian of whom we have already spoken whereof the Queen-Mother being conscious submitted her self with all humility to her Son begging his Favour and Pardon and so well acted her part by those who carried her Addresses that she overcame quickly his easy Nature and was again restored to his Grace and her Lodgings in the new Seraglio In the mean time Shecher Para travelling over all the Baths in Town to discover new delights for her Master at length had the fortune to cast her Eyes on a Daughter of the Mufti a Maid of Incomparable Beauty and Features of Countenance and proportion of Body which she reported to Ibrahim so sensibly as if she her self had been in love and after she had praised every Part and Member of her she concluded in sum that she was the most Excellent and admirable Piece that ever Nature framed The Sultan had no sooner heard the Story but according to his usual Custom fell most desperatly in love and had immediately without farther consideration or counsel dispatched his Emissaries or without other Preamble Ceremony or Courtship to have fetched her to him had not the sense of the late Rebuff he had received from his Brother's Wife made some impression of fear in him and the apprehension he had of the Power of the Mufti created in him a certain Caution and Respect in the treatment of his Daughter wherefore he rather resolved to send for the Mufti with whom he treated of honourable Terms concerning Marriage promising to take her into his Bosom and prefer her in Honour equal to any other of his Sultana's The old Man who was tender of and doated on his Daughter knowing well the wandring humour of the Sultan in his Amours intended rather to marry her to some great Personage with whom she might be more happy than in being a Soltana for he considered that Ibrahim having already other Sons her Issue would either be Sacrificed for security of their Brothers or else spend their days in a Prison and become Grey-headed whilst they breath in a medium between Life and Death and are sad Recluses in the Grave of their unhappiness These considerations were well imprinted in the mind of the Mufti but because he durst not deny his proposal he dealt with him as Inferiours usually do with their Lords and Superiours that is he returned him thanks expressing infinite Obligations that he would vouchsafe to cast his Princely Eyes on the unworthiness of his Family however he advised him that according to the Canons of their Law of which he was the Expositor and obliged to be a severe and precise Observer it was great Impiety in a Father to impose on the Affections of his Child so that though he could heartily wish that his Daughter would embrace this Honour to which he would exhort her with all the earnest Perswasions of a Father yet if she proved refractory thereunto it would not be becoming his Power to force her and therefore hoped his Majesty would believe that
which run in Rhime and Meeter like the Golden Verses in Pythagoras containing excellent Sentences of Morality being directions for a Godly Life and contemplation of the Miseries and Fallacies of this World which many of them do commit to memory and repeat occasionally as they fall into discourse For other Sciences as Logick Physick Metaphysick Mathematicks and other our University Learning they are wholly ignorant unless in the latter as far as Musick is a part of the Mathemâ—ticks whereof there is a School apart in the Seraglio Only some that live in Constantinople have learned some certain Rules of Astrology which they exercise upon all occasions and bâ—sy themselves in Prophesies of futuâ—e Contingencies of the Affairs of the Empire and the unconstant Estate of great Ministerâ— in which their Predictions seldom divine grateful or pleasing Stories Neither have the wisest and most active Ministers or Souldiers amongst them the least inspection into Geography whereby to be acquainted with the situation of Countries or disposition of the Globe tho they themselves enjoy the possession of so large a proportion of the Universe Their Seamen who seldom venture beyond sight of Land unless they be those of Barbary who are Renegadoes and practised in the Christian Arts of Navigation have certain Sea-Charts ill framed and the Capes and Headlands so ill laid down that in their Voyages from Constantinople to Alexandria the richest place of their Trade they trust more to their Eye and Experience than the Direction of their Maps nor could I ever see any Chart of the Black Sea made either by Turk or Greek which could give the least light to a knowing Seaman so as to encourage him according to the Rules of Art to lay any confidence thereon in his Navigation The Art of Printing a Matter disputable whether it hath brought more of Benefit or Mischief to the World is absolutely prohibited amongst them because it may give a beginning to that subtilty of Learning which is inconsistent with as well as dangerous to the grossness of their Government and a means to deprive many of their Livelihood who gain their Bread only by their Pen and occasion the loss of that singular Art of fair Writing wherein they excel or equal most Nations The Effect of which is evident amongst the Western People where Printing hath taken footing And though there be few Historians among them who have any knowledg of past Times or the being of other Empires before the Ottoman mixing all Stories in confusion together as we have said before without distinction of Persons or respect of Chronology yet as to the Successes and Progress of Affairs in their own Dominions they keep most strict Registers and Records which serve them as Presidents and Rules for the present Government of their Affairs And thus the Reader may sound the depth of the Turks Philosophy who tho they reach not those Contemplations of our profound Sophies have yet so much Knowledg as neither to be over-reached in their Treaties with the Wits of the World nor for want of good Conduct of Affairs lose one inch of their Empire CHAP. VII Of the Affection and Friendship the Pages in the Seraglio bear each other SInce in the foregoing Chapter we have made mention of the amorous Disposition that is to be found among these Youths each to other it will not be from our purpose to acquaint the Reader that the Doctrine of Platonick Love hath found Disciples in the Schools of the Turks that they call it a Passion very laudable and vertuous and a step to that perfect Love of God whereof Mankind is only capable proceeding by way of Love and Admiration of his Image and Beauty enstamped on the Creature This is the colour of Vertue they paint over the deformity of their depraved Inclinations but in reality this Love of theirs is nothing but libidinous Flames each to other with which they burn so violently that Banishment and Death have not been Examples sufficient to deter them from making Demonstrations of such-like Addresses so that in their Chambers though watched by their Eunuchs they learn a certain Language with the motion of their Eyes their Gestures and their Fingers to express their Amours and this Passion hath boiled sometimes to that heat that Jealousies and Rivalties have broken forth in their Chambers without respect to the severity of their Guardians and good Orders have been brought into confusion and have not been again redressed until some of them have been expelled the Seraglio with the Tippets of their Vests cut off banished into the Islands and beaten almost to death Nor is this Passion only amongst the young Men each to other but Persons of eminent degree in the Seraglio become inveigled in this sort of love watching occasions to have a sight of the young Pages that they fansy either at the Windows of their Chamber or as they go to the Mosque or to their Washings or Baths offer them Service and Presents and so engage them as to induce them to desire to be made of the Retinue of him that uses this Courtship towards them which they many times obtain and being entertained in the Service of a Master who so highly fancies and admires them they become often sharers with him in his Riches and Fortune The Grand Signior's themselves have also been Slaves to this inordinate Passion For Sultan Morat became so enamoured of an Armenian Boy called Musa as betrayed him though otherwise a discreet Prince to a thousand Follies and at another time preferred a Youth for his Beauty only from the Novitiate of Galata to be one of the Pages of his Haz Oda or Chamber of his Royal Presence and in a short time made hime Silahtar Aga or Sword-bearer one of the greatest Offices in the Seraglio And this present Sultan became so enamoured of a Constantinopolitan Youth one of the Pages of his Musitians School called Kulogli or Son of a Slave that he made him his chief Favourite never could content himself without his company cloathed him like himself made him ride by his side commanded all to present and honour him in the same manner as if he had made him Companion of the Empire This Passion likewise reigns in the Society of Women they die with amorous Affections one to the other especially the old Women court the Young present them with rich Garments Jewels Mony even to their own impoverishment and ruin and these Darts of Cupid are shot through all the Empire especially Constantinople the Seraglio of the Grand Signior and the Apartments of the Sultans CHAP. VIII Of the Mutes and Dwarfs BEsides the Pages there is a sort of Attendants to make up the Ottoman Court called Bizebani or Mutes Men naturally born deaf and so consequently for want of receiving the sound of words are dumb These are in number about forty who by Night are lodged amongst the Pages in the two Chambers but in the day time have their Stations before the Mosque belonging
Aegypt to Damasco Galilee spoiled and the Castle of Burie taken by the Turks Berâ—â—us in vain besieged by the Turks Saladin invading Mesopotamia is himself invaded by the King of Jerusalem Aleppo betrayed unto the Turks Petra in vain besieged by the Turks 〈◊〉 in the Court of Jerusalem King Baldwin sendeth Embassadors unto the Châ—istian Princes of the West for Aid Guy the Ninth and last King of Jerusalem Saladin upon the discord of the Christians taketh occasion to invade the Holy Land. Ptoâ—omais besâ—eged by Saladin Guy King of Jerusalem taken prisoner Jerusalem besieged Jerusalem taken by Saladin The death of Raymund the traiterous Count oâ— Tripolis The famous City of Antioch betrayed unto â—he Turks Frederick the Emperor seteth forward towards the Holy Land. Frederick the Emperors Son chosen General of the Christian Army A great battel betwixt the Turks and the Christians Ptolemais assaulted by the Christians An old grâ—dge betwixt Philip the French King and Richard King of England King Richard revengeth the injury done to his people by the Cipriots King Richard arriveth at Ptolemais The French King sweareth to King Richard in his absence not to invadâ— his Territoriâ—s in France King Richard marcheth with his Army towards Jerusalem A notable Battel fought betwixt King Richard and Saladin King Richard purposing to have besieged Jerusalem is by the backwardness of the French inforced to retire King Richard glad upon hard comnditions to conclude a peace with Saladin King Richard returning out of the Holy Land taken Pâ—isoner by Leopold Duke of Austria The Turks overthrown bâ— the Christians Joppa repaired by the Christians The German Princes return home Kingdoms after the manner of other things have but their time to flourish in and so again decay The Turks driven out of Persia by the Tartars The beginning of the Aladinian Kingdom in the lesser Asia at Sebastia and Iconium Alâ—xâ—us the young Prince craveth aid of Philip the Emperor and the Latine Princes against his Uncle the Usuâ—per Great preparations made by the Christians for an Expedition into the Holy Land. Alexius cometh unto the Army A great Fleet of the Latines before Constantinople The Latines by force enter the Haven of Constanâ—â—â—nople A hot skirmish betwixt the Greeks and the Latines at their landing Isaac the old Emperor taken out of prison and again saluted Emperor together with young Alexius his son Alexius seekâ—th to bring the Latines again into the City The Constantinopolitans again in an uproar Murzufle attempteth to burn the Venetian Fleet. Murzufle encourageth his Souldiers Constantinople hardly besieged Constantinople set on fire Nicetas Choâ—laâ—es annalium â—ol 180. The Greek Empire divided amongst the Latines The beginning of the Empire of Trapezond by the Comneni Hadrianople besieged by the Emperor Baldwin Henry second Emperor of the Latines in Constantinople Antioch besieged by Jathatines Jathatines the Sultan slain by Theodorus Lascarâ—s the Greek Emperor John Brenne by Innocentius the Pope appointed King of Jerusalem Corradiâ— and Meledin divide their Fathers Kingdom betwixt them The situation of Damiata in Egypt A desperate act of a Christian. Damiata in vain assaulted A fair Offer evilly refused Succours sent unto the besieged Damiata without resistance taken by the Christians Damiata unpeopled by the Plague Pelagius the Legate perswadet the Princes of the Christian Army to proceed for the conquest of Egypt The Christians entrapped within thé Sluces of the River Nile The misery of the Christians in the drowned Land. The death of Henry Emperor of Constantinople Peter Emperor Robert Emperor of Constantinople An horrible outrage committed upon the person of an Empress Baldwin the last Emperor of the Latines in Constantinople John Batazes made Emperor of the Greeks in Asia Plenty ensuing of peace An Imperial Crown bought with Egg-money 1227 1228 Frederick the Eâ—peror Crowned King of Jerusalem The unfortunate Expedition of the King of Navar into the Holy Land. The Christians by perswasion of the Templars break their league with the Turks Jerusalem taken and rased by the Turks King Lewis setteth forward toward the Holy Land. The Citizens of Damiata set fire upon the City and ran away by the light A fair Offer â—ondly refused Earl Robert in flâ—ing drowned The Earl of Salisbury valiantly fighting slain The Governour of Caire apprehended The beginning of the Mamalukes and their Kingdom The ruine of the Turks Kingdom in Egypt The Emperor in love with Marcesina Marcesina the Emperors Concubine shut out of the Church Theodorus Lascaris chosen Emperor The death of Theodorus the Greek Emperor Enâ—y in Court. Muzalo traiterâ—usly murdred in the Church Michael Paleologus aspireth Michael Paleologus crowned Emperor by Arsenius the Patriarch Haalon the Tartar sent with a great Army against the Turks Aleppo rased by the Tartars Damasco won The Egyptian Sultan invaded Syria Antâ—och taken from the Christians Paleologus the Greek Emperor taketh possession of the City of Constantinople Paleologus jealous of his State. Paleologus causeth the young Emperors Eyes to be put out Jathatines died in Exile Carthage besieged by King Lewis Carthage won The Christian Princes returing from Tunes suffer shipwrack upon the coast of Sicilia Prince Edward arrived at Ptolemais Prince Edward wounded Rodulph the Emperor taketh upon him the Cross. Henry the Prince taken prisoner and sent to Caire Tripolis won and rased by Elpis the Egyptian Sultan Sidon and Berythus rased Tyre yielded The miserable â—state of a City abouâ— to perish Ptolemais besieged Ptolemais in vain assaulted by the Sultan Cassanâ—s the Emperor invadeth Syriâ— Jerusalem taken and repaired by Cassanes The description of Cassanes The City of Jerusalem with all Syria again recovered by the Egyptian Sultan The death of Mesoot and Cei-cubades The Turks Kingdom rent in sunder by themselves The Turks Anarchie Caramaâ—ia Saruchania Carasia Aidinia Bolli Mendesia Othoman none of the Selzuccian Family All worldly things subject to change The greatest Kingdoms have in time taken end and so come to nought Solyman Sultan of Machan forsaketh his Kingdom for fear of the Tartaâ—s Romania Asiatâ—ca The Sons of Solyman and their first adventures The Christians of Cara-Chisar fall out with the Turks Small things in time of trouble yield unto the Wise great content Othoman amorous of Malhatuâ— a Country Maid A folly common unto Lovers No friendship in love Othoman besieged and in danger for his Love. The Oguzian Turks in doubt of whom to make choice for their Governor The Castle of Chaâ—ce surpâ—â—sed by Othoman The Christians complain of the wrong done unto them by the Turks Othoman consulteth with his Brother Jundus what course to take for the oppressing of tâ—e Christians his Nâ—ighbours Othoman sâ—ttâ—th in order his little Commonweal Michâ—eâ— Cossi â—nviâ—eth Othomâ—n 〈◊〉 the marriage of his Daughter The Captain of Bilezuga treacherously seeking the death of Othoman is by him himself slain Othoman by administration of justice strengtheneth his government The City of Nice besieged by Othoman Neapolis the first Regal City of the Othoman Kings