faith vnto these also were joyned diuers other Christians which came out of GERMANIE BOHEMIA and HVNGARIE to serue the Turke in his warres This hath been none of the least meanes whereby the Turkish kings haue growne so great and their kingdome so mightily enlarged by enforcing and alluring Christians to fight against Christians to the vtter confusion of themselues Amongst the great multitude of the European Christians were mingled his effeminat soldiors of ASIA and his naturall Turks and Ianizaries which were in number fewest and yet commaunded all the rest With this great armie well appointed with all warlike prouision came Mahomet the Turkish king from HADRIANOPLE and the ninth day of Aprill in the yeare 1453 encamped before CONSTANTINOPLE and with the multitude of his armie filled all the maine land before the citie from the sea side of BOSPHORVS vnto the place where the same sea compassing in the citie on two parts and running farre into the land betwixt CONSTANTINOPLE and PERA maketh there a goodly hauen betwixt them This citie of CONSTANTINOPLE called in ancient time BIZANTIVM is in fourme of a Triangle situated in EVROPE in the pleasant countrey of THRACIA vpon a point of the main land shooting out towards ASIA called of Plinie Solinus The promotorie CHRYSOCERAS where the sea of PRODONTIS joyneth vnto that strait of sea which diuideth ASIA from EVROPE called in ancient time BOSPHORVS THRACIVS sometime the strait of PONTVS and the mouth of PONTVS and of the moderne writers the strait of CONSTANTINOPLE and about 200 yeares past or more S. George his aâ—me This point of the maine whereon the citie standeth lyeth about two Italian miles more Northward than doth the antient citie of CALCEDON on the other side of the strait in ASIA more than thirtie miles distant from the Euxine or blacke sea lying from it Northward and two hundreth miles from the strait of HELLESPONTVS or CALLIPOLIS from thence South Which noble citie of all others most fitly seaâ—ed for the empire of the world and with great majestie ouerlooking both EVROPE and ASIA is by the Cosmographers accounted to stand in the height of 43 degrees vpon seuen little hils of no great and easie ascent and was there first built by Pausanias the Lacedemonian king and called BIZANTIVM and so many yeares flourished as a populous and rich cittie vntill the ciuile warres betwixt Seuerus the emperour and Niger what time it endured the siege of the Romanes vnder Seuerus three yeares with such obstinacie that it yeelded not vntill it was brought to such extremitie that the citizens did eat one another and then yeelding had the wals ouerthrowne by Seuerus and the citie it selfe destroyed and brought to the low estate of a poore countrie village and so by him giuen to the Perinthyans In which base estate it continued vntill the time of Constantine the Great the sonne of Helena whom some will needs haue to haue ben an English woman by whom it was new built and beautified with buildings so stately and sumptuous that vnto the strange beholders it seemed a dwelling place for heauenly wights rather than for earthly men And to grace it the more translated his imperiall seat thether and called it NOVA ROMA or new ROME and all that pleasant part of THRACIA alongst the sea coast of HELLESPONTVS PROPONTIS and BOSPHORVS by the name of ROMANIA of the faire Romane collonies there by him planted which name it at this day retaineth and is of the Turks called RVMILIA and RVMILI that is to say the Romane countrey But as for the citie it selfe the glorious name of the founder so preuailed that the citie was and yet is of him called CONSTANTINOPLE or Constantine his citie and now of the barbarous Turkes commonly but corruptly STAMBOLâ— It is as we said built in the forme of a Triangle whereof the longest side which runneth from north-Northeast to Southwest is on the South side washed with the PROPONTIS and towards the ending of the point which is about the seauen towers is somewhat indented being commonly reputed to be eight miles long The other side lyeth East and West fiue miles in length being washed with the hauen which is somwhat more thaÌ„ eight miles long before it meet with the fresh water and about a quarter of a mile broad on the farther side whereof standeth the citie of PERA commonly called GALATA sometimes a colonie of the Genowaies This hauen is very deepe and by that reason as commodious as deepe bearing ships full fraught close to the shoare so that they may discharge their burthens with the least trouble that may be and is of Strabo called CORNV BIZANTII or the horne of Bizantium The third side of this citie towards the Continent lyeth almost North and South fiue miles also in length those two sides that lie vpon the sea and the hauen are enuironed and guirt in with a single wall built after the antique maner with many high towers which strongly defend flanke the same Without which wals especially towards the hauen there lyeth a street between them and the shore But the other side which is the third and regardeth the main land beside the ditch which is also fenced is defended with three wals the first wall standing vpon the ditch being but low and the second not farre distant from the first raised somewhat higher but the third ouerlooketh and commaundeth both the other from whence as from an high fortresse both the other wals and all the ditch without may easily be defended But the two vtter wals with the whole space betwixt them are now by the Turks but slenderly maintained lying full of earth and other rubbish euen as they were in the time of the Grecians some cause why they with lesse heart and courage defended the same against their barbarous enemies In the East part of the cittie on that point which in the raigne of the Grecians was called the cape of S. Demetrio distant from ASIA not much more than halfe a mile standeth the Seraglio or pallace of the great Turke containing in it selfe a great part of an hill enclosed round with a wall as if it were it selfe a citie in circuit more than two miles wherein amongst other stately buildings neere vnto the sea standeth a verie faire and sumptuous gallerie built for pleasure with a priuie gate well fortified and planted with great ordinance and other munition whereby the great Turke at certaine times passeth when he is disposed in his gallie to take his pleasure vpon the sea or to passe ouer the strait vnto his houses or gardens of delight on the other side in ASIA In this great citie are also many other most stately and sumptuous buildings as well of late erected by the Turkish Sultans since they became lords thereof as before by the Greeke emperours amongst all which the Temple of S. Sophia standing in the East side of the citie not farre from the Seraglio now reduced vnto
defendants from aboue ouerwhelmed them with stones timber wild fire and such other things as are vsually prepared for the defence of townes besieged For all that Feri-Bassa gaue so great an assault that he slew diuers of the defendants vpon the wals and had there forcibly entered had not the Gouernour perceiuing the danger with a companie of fresh souldiors come with speed to the defence of that place whereby the enemie was presently repulsed and driuen againe from the wals Amurath seeing the great slaughter of his men and no hope of successe caused a retreat to be sounded and so leauing the assault retired againe into his campe The great losse and dishonour at this assault receiued much troubled his wayward mind who for all that yet ceased not to giue the like vaine attempts At length the captaine of the Ianizaries perceiuing that part of the citie which was farthest from the campe to be commonly but slenderly manned by reason that it seemed a place impregnable both for the height and steepenesse of the rocke told Amurath That he would assay if it so pleased him secretly in the night to attempt by that place to enter the cittie where as they thought nothing was more to bee feared than the height thereof which they supported with the wings of desire doubted not to mount vnto This his deuice exceedingly pleased the king and was the next night with great silence put in execution But such was the carefulnesse of the Gouernour ouer euery part of his charge that nothing could be done against the same but that it was by him forthwith discouered The Gouernour aduertised by the watch of the Turks attempt with great silence presently repaired to the place with a great companie of the garrison souldiors and standing close from the top of the wall beheld the Turks as it had beene a swarme of Emmets climing vp the high rockes and one helping vp another by such desperate way as was in reason to haue been thought no man would haue attempted But when they were come to the top of the rocke now euen readie to enter they were from aboue suddenly ouerwhelmed as it had been with a shower of shot and so violently forced downe that high rocke that most part of them which had got vp to any height were miserably crushed to death either with the weight of themselues or of others falling vpon them and many of the rest slaine with shot from the top of the rocke whereof Amurath presently vnderstanding was therwith exceedingly greeued During the time of this siege Scanderbeg neuer lay long still in one place but remooued continually from place to place as best serued his purpose breaking sometimes into one quarter of the Turks campe and sometime into another and straightway so suddenly gone againe and as it were vanished out of sight that Amurath many times wondered what was become of him At this time being the latter end of Iune he was come with his armie within eight miles of Amuraths campe and from thence sent Moses his greatest captaine in the attire of a common souldior with two other to take view how the enemie lay encamped By which trustie espials he was enformed That the Turkes lay in great securitie as men without feare keeping but negligent watch Of which oportunitie Scanderbeg rejoycing the night following suddenly assaulted one quarter of the Turks campe Whose comming although it was a little before by the Turkes scouts discouered yet his furious assault was so suddaine and so forceable that he slew two thousand of the Turks and filled euery corner of that great campe with feare and tumult before they could well arme themselues or make resistance After which slaughter he safely retired carrying away with him two hundred and thirtie horse with seuen of the Turkes ensignes hauing in this skirmish lost of his men but two and fortie whose dead bodies the Turkes the next morning in reuenge of their slaine friends hewed into small peeces Vpon these great disgraces one following in the necke of another Amurath hauing no other object but the citie to shew his furie vpon gaue three fierce assaults vnto the same one after another and was alwaies with losse both of his men and honour repulsed But the more he lost the more he burnt with desire of reuenge persuading his souldiors That as the strongest citties and fortresses were built by mens hands so were they to bee ouerthrowne and laied euen with the ground by resolute and valiant men encouraging them to a fresh assault with greater promises of reward than euer hee had done before in all his warres from the first beginning of his raigne And because he would with more safetie giue this his last and greatest assault he appointed Feri-Bassa with twelue thousand horsemen and six thousand foot to attend vpon Scanderbeg if hee should hap to come as he thought he would to trouble the assault by assailing of his camp Feri-Bassa glad of this charge well hoping now to redeeme his former ouerthrow with some great victorie and leading forth his armie a little from the campe as he was commaunded so lay wishing for nothing more than the comming of Scanderbeg vainely boasting That he would seeke him in the field and there trie his force and fortune with him hand to hand which he did shortly after to his cost When Amurath had thus set in order all things requisit as well for the siege as for the safegard of his campe the next morning he compassed the citie round about with his armie and couered the ground with his men of war purposing at that time to gage his whole forces vpon the taking thereof The wals he had before in some places battered so much as was possible and yet but so as that they were not without skaling ladders to be assaulted partly for the naturall strength of the place and partly for that the defendants had with great diligence continually repaired and filled vp with earth what the furie of the cannon had throwne downe This assault Amurath began first with his archers and small shot which deliuered their arrowes and bullets vpon the top of the wall and into the citie as if it had beene a shower of haile thereby to trouble the stationarie souldiours In this heat ladders were clapped to the wals in euery place where any could be possibly reared and the Turkes began desperatly to skale the wals but the Christians nothing dismaied thereat with great courage resisted them and with shot from their safe standings wounded and slew many of them yet others still pressed vp in the places of them that were slaine so that the assault became most terrible in many places at once but especially neere vnto the great gate of the citie where the Turks had vpon the suddaine with ladders timber and planks clapped together raised close vnto that tower as it had beene a woodden tower equall in height to the wall from whence the Turks greatly distressed
against Tamas the Persian king Mahometes another of his great Bassaes he sent into HVNGARIE to relieue the besieged queene And after him Vstref Bassa which was the fourth of his chiefe Bassaes with another army to stay at BELGRADE in readinesse to aid the other Bassa sent before him as occasion should require if he should find his enemies too strong Vnto Barbarussa he committed his nauie for the defence of GRECIA and EPYRVS against Auria who but a little before aided by the gallies of SICILIA and NAPLES had driuen the Turkes and Moores which tooke part with the Turks out of CLVPEA NEAPOLIS ADRVMENTVM RVSPINA TAPSVS and all alongst that coast of AFâ—RICK which the Moores call MAHOMEDIA except the citie of LEPTIS and caused those cities to submit themselues to the gouernment of Muleasses king of TVNES These cities are at this day called CALIBIA SVSA MAHOMETA MONASTERIVM SFAXIA and AFRICA And because Solyman vnderstood that Maylat the Vayuod of TRANSILVANIA tooke part with king Ferdinand he sent against him Achomates gouernour of NICOPOLIS and commaunded Peter of MOLDAVIA prince of VALACAIA to aid him who afterwards accordingly came vnto him with thirtie thousand horsemen He himselfe also doubting the purposes of the Christian princes and especially of Charles the emperour more than he had â—eed came to HADRIANOPLE and in the countries thereabouts raised a third armie to aid the two Bassaes sent before into HVNGARIE keeping with him his son in law Rustan whom he had made one of the foure great Bassaes of his counsell hauing thrust out Luftibeius whom the Turkes call Lutzis his brother in law and exiled him into MACEDONIA for euill entreating and striking his wife which was Solymans sister as is before said but was at this time done Mahometes the Bassa desirous to doe his great Master the best seruice he could entred into HVNGARIE with his armie about the middle of Iune in the yeare 1541 taking with him in his way the other Mahometes gouernour of BELGRADE who gaue the shamefull ouerthrow vnto the Christians at EZEK joyning also with him the power of BOSNA now commaunded by Vlâ—mas the Persian for that Vstref the old Bassa was lately dead The captaines of the Christian armie hearing of the comming of the Turks entred into counsell Whether they should continue the siege or els goe and meet them by the way and giue them battell But the period of the Hungarian kingdome drawing fast on and the ineuitable destinie thereof so requiring the opinion of Rogenderff preuailed against the rest for the continuing of the siege he seeming more willing to die than to crosse ouer the riuer to PESTH or to retire to VICEGRADE or STRIGONIVM as diuers would haue persuaded him wherefore he remoued from the place where he lay before and encamped his armie on the further side of the citie at the foot of S. Gerards mount where the hill lying betweene BVDA and the campe and departing from the riuer leaueth a faire plaine toward the East of purpose that the Turks which he knew would not goe far from the riuer and their fleet should be enforced dangerously to passe by the mouth of his great ordinance which he had aptly placed vpon the front of his trenches for such was the nature of the place that the campe lay defended on the right hand with the steepe hill on the left hand with the riuer and behind toward the citie with a strong bulwarke Vpon the right hand vpon a little rising ground he placed the lesser campe wherein were the Hungarians which fauoured king Ferdinand and then followed his ensignes He made also a bridge from his campe into a little island which lay in the riuer and with a fort well planted with ordinance commaunded both the riuer and the plaine so to beat the enemies fleet comming vp the riuer and themselues also as they should march alongst the plaine He was about also to haue made a bridge of lighters and boats quite ouer the riuer from his campe to PESTH and in this order to expect the comming of new supplies from king Ferdinand and to repell the enemie who was comming and with long siege to wearie them in BVDA for there was such store both of victuall and all other warlike prouision in PESTH as would well haue sufficed his armie vntill Winter had beene spent As soone as the Turks were come nigh the citie Valentinus as an embassadour from the queene met them with two thousand horse and fully instructed both the Mahomets what the Christians did what strength they were of and how they might most conueniently encampe their armie Wherefore the Bassa marching on boldly forward came within halfe a mile of the Christian campe where he quickly entrenched himselfe round with a strong trench filling a great part of the plaine with his tents But the other Mahometes gouernour of BELGRADE a most polliticke captaine tooke the higher ground towards the rising of the hill neerer vnto the tents of the Hungarians than of the Germanes Vnto these two armies thus encamped belonged also two fleets the Christian fleet consisted of foure and twentie galleots about fourescore small pinnaces and little lesse than a hundred ships of burden and other great boats whereas the Turks fleet was not thought to be past halfe so great Neere vnto the little island joyned as we haue before said by a bridge to the Christian campe beneath in the riuer had the Turkes taken another island called CEPELLIA oueragainst their owne campe where casting vp a great bulwarke in the vppermost end thereof and planting it with great ordinance they from thence shot at the fort which the Christians held in the little island and at their vessels passing too and fro in the riuer as the Christians did at them likewise This island of CEPELLIA lieth somewhat more than fortie miles in length in the riuer Danubius full of countrey villages so commodiously that if Rogendorff had at the first taken it and fortified it before the comming of the Turkes as the Hungarians persuaded him to haue done the Turks could by no means haue encamped in the plaine but must needs haue forsaken their fleet fetching a great compasse about more toward the West further off from the riuer which would haue turned to the Turks great disaduantage But no man is so wise as to foresee all things when as the very euill successe be the plot neuer so well laid shall of it selfe beside the losse leaue vnto the vnfortunate man the note of the want of prouident foresight and discretion But Rogendorff was not willing to deuide his forces vntill he had some new supplie from king Ferdinand Whilest the armies lay thus neere one to the other there were some light skirmishes made euery day either by the horsemen or the footmen and sometime one braue man challenging forth another hand to hand whom he thought by his armour or some other signe of his worth to be like to himselfe
much as the Christian princes had made a perpetuall league amongst themselues he would for two yeares expect the euent and afterward as occasion serued so to resolue vpon peace and warre This improuident resolution of the king brought afterward vnprofitable and too late repentance vnto the whole Persian kingdome when as within a few yeares after all the calamities which the Senat had by their embassadour as true prophets foretold redounded vnto the great shaking thereof For the Cyprian warre once ended and peace concluded with the Venetians Amurath the sonne of Selymus succeeding his father in the Turkish empire inuading the Persian king tooke from him the great countrey of MEDIA now called SILVAN with a great part of ARMENIA the great and the regall citie of TAVRIS as shall be hereafter in due place declared At which time the Persian who now refused to take vp armes or joine in league with the Christian princes repented that he had not before hearkened vnto the wholsome counsell of the Venetians and taught by his owne harmes wished in vaine that the Christian princes would againe take vp armes and joyne with him against the Turke Mustapha the great Bassa and Generall of the Turks armie furnished of all things that could be desired for the maintenance of his siege and souldiors in great number daily repairing vnto him out of CILICIA SYRIA the Lesser ASIA and the countries thereabout beside great supplies brought vnto him by Haly Bassa from CONSTANTINOPLE insomuch that it was thought he had in his armie two thousand men began now that Winter was past in the latter end of Aprill to draw neerer vnto FAMAGVSTA and with incredible labour to cast vp â—â—enches and mounts against the citie of such height that the defendants from the highest places of the citie could scarcely see the points of the Turks speares or top of their tents as they lay encamped which was no great matter for the Bassa to performe hauing in his campe fortie thousand pioners alwaies readie at his commaund The citie of FAMAGVSTA is scituat in the East end of the island in a plaine and low ground betwixt two promontories the one called S. Andrewes head and the other the head of GRaeCIA It is in circuit two miles and in forme fouresquare but that the side toward the East longer and more winding than the rest doth much deforme the exact figure of a quadrant it is almost on two parts beaten vpon with the sea the other parts towards the land are defended with a ditch not aboue fifteene foot broad a stone wall and certaine bulwarks and parapets Vpon the gate that leadeth to AMATHVS standeth a six cornered tower other towers stand out also in the wall euerie of them scarce able to containe six pieces of artillerie It hath a hauen opening toward the Southeast defended from the injurie of the weather by two great rockes betwixt which the sea commeth in by a narrow passage about fortie paces ouer but after opening wider giueth a conuenient harbour to ships whereof it cannot containe any great number and was now shut vp with a strong chaine Neere vnto the hauen standeth an old castle with foure towers after the auntient manner of building There was in the citie one strong bulwarke built after the manner of the fortifications of our time with palisadoes curtaines casamets and such like in such manner as that it seemed almost impregnable All which although they made shew of a strong and well fortified citie yet for that there wanted many things it was thought too weake long to hold out against the great power of the Turke but what wanted by reason of the situation and weake fortification that the Gouernour and other noble captaines supplied in best sort they might with a strong garrison of most valiant souldiours the surest defence of strong places There was in the citie two thousand and fiue hundred Italians two hundred Albanoies horsemen before entertained by the Gouernour and of the Cypriots themselues were mustered two thousand and fiue hundred mo all men resolutly set downe to spend their liues in defence of their countrey Mustapha with wonderfull celeritie hauing brought to perfection his fortifications planted his batterie of sixtie foure great pieces amongst which were foure great basilisks of exceeding bignesse wherewith he continually without intermission battered the wals of the citie in fiue places but especially that part of the wall that was betweene the hauen and the gate that leadeth to AMATHVS And with great morter pieces cast vp huge stones which from high falling into the citie with their waight brake downe the houses they light vpon and fell often times through their vaults euen into the bottome of their sellars to the great terrour of the besieged The wals in diuers places sore shaken and the houses beaten downe he began to assault the citie which the defendants their forces yet whole valiantly repulsed and not onely defended their wals and draue the Turkes from the breaches but furiously sallied out vpon them and hauing slaine and wounded many wonderfully disturbed their fortifications and abated their courage neither did the enemy with greater furie maintaine the batterie or assault than did the Christians the defence of the citie still sending their deadly shot into the thickest of that great multitude insomuch that in few daies the Bassa had lost thirtie thousand of his men and the captains themselues wondering at the valour of the defendants as if they had not now to doe with such Christians as they had before so oftentimes ouerthrowne but with some other strange people began to dispaire of the winning of the citie The Turkes thus doubting and almost at a stand the Christians in the meane time made vp their breaches with earth baskets wool-sacks and such like not sparing their verie beds and bedclothes chests carpets and whatsoeuer else might serue to fill vp the breach Amongst many wants they feared the greatest was the want of pouder which with continuall shooting began greatly to be diminished wherefore to reserue some part thereof against all extremities they thought it best whilest yet some store was left to vse the same more sparingly and to shoot more seldome But the Turks still drawing neerer and neerer the citie and casting vp mounts higher than the wals of the citie with earth and fagots filled vp the ditch which done they of the broken stones made wals on either side to saue themselues from the flankering shot of the Christians then giuing a fresh assault they vsed not onely their shot and other missiue weapons but came foot to foot and notably fought in the breach hand to hand Which manner of fight as if it had been so agreed vpon they euerie day maintained for the space of six houres And although the Turkes by reason of their multitude were diuided into many parts and fresh men still succeeded them that were wearie yet such was the courage of the defendants that
two hundred gallies commended them to the conduct of Vluzales with expresse charge That by how much things had fallen out worse the last yeare he should with so much the more care now beware the like danger and not to go out of the bounds of the ARCHIPELAGO or to aduenture battell but vpon aduantage or at leastwise vpon an euen hand This Vluzales otherwise called Occhiall was an Italian borne in CALABRIA who in his youth taken at sea by the Turks and chained in the gallie and afterwards renouncing his faith by many degrees grew vnto the highest preferments amongst the Turkes and so became an exceeding plague as well to his owne countrey as to all other of the Christians bordering vpon the Mediterranean He now Admirall for the Turke after the manner of the prowd Barbarians threatned with fire and sword to be reuenged vpon the Venetians which knowne at VENICE much troubled them as well acquainted with the furie of the old Archpyrat Beside that Ant. Barbarus their embassadour all the time of this warre kept in safe custodie at CONSTANTINOPLE had by letters certified them what a great fleet and what a strong armie Selymus had prouided against them and that he himselfe told two hundred and fiftie saile of gallies when they set forward from CONSTANTINOPLE beside some other that were to meet with them at GALIPOLIS and that therefore they should beware how they encountred with the Turkes fleet but vpon equall strength It was also at the same time commonly reported that king Phillip chiefe of the confederats carelesse of the warres against the Turke in the East was about to turne his forces vpon the kingdomes of TVNES or ALGIERS neerer vnto him as in deed he did the yeare following The Venetians entangled with so many difficulties were euen at their wits end and day by day the Senat sat from the rising of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same consulting how all these mischiefes were to be remedied But for as much as the greatest danger was to be feared frō the Turks fleet as then houering euen ouer their heads they by letters commanded Fuscarinus their Admirall That whether the confederats came vnto him or not he should forthwith take his course towards the East and there according to the enemies dessignes and his owne discretion and valour to doe what he should thinke best to be done for the common good of his countrey and not to refuse to joyne with the enemie in battell if he saw any good hope of victorie Neither ceased they at the same time both by their embassadours and letters earnestly to call both vpon the Pope and the king to hasten their forces to encounter the enemie before he should come out of his owne seas and to carrie the terrour of the warre home to his owne doores rather than to receiue it at their owne The like message was also done to Don Iohn putting him in mind what his place what the time and what the danger of the time required entreating him if it were possible of himselfe to adde something vnto that hast which the necessitie of so important a cause required Who neuerthelesse for all the messages and letters to him sent which were many went still on faire softly delaying from day to day telling that he would by and by come and that the Spaniards would alwaies be so good as their word Which was so far from his thought that afterwards finding one excuse after another he not only staied his comming but called back again Requisenius also whom he had sent before with 20 gallies to CORCYRA Now were two months fittest for the wars vainly spent when Superantius grieued to see time to no purpose so slip away fearing least the rest of the Sommer should to as small effect in like manner passe also with great instance importuned him to hasten his journey Then at length Don Iohn answered that the Venetians requested but reason neither that he wished for any thing more than to satisfie their desires but that a greater care hindred the lesse which was first to be preuented He was aduertised as he said that the French king pretending the suppressing of certain pyrats had assembled a great fleet at ROCHEL with purpose indeed to inuade SPAINE now that the king was busied in these wars against the Turk that therfore they must pardon him if he preferred the regard of SPAINE before others being expressely commanded from the king not to depart from MESSANA vntill he had other commaundement from him But whether this his excuse by FRANCE proceeded of a true feare or otherwise the Venetians much doubted and the rather for that the French king vnderstanding therof by the Venetians was therewith as reason was exceedingly offended protesting that he was euer so farre from that purpose of hindering any the confederat princes in that their religious warre that if the troubles of his owne countrey would haue so permitted he would gladly haue giuen them aid therein Many there were also that thought Enuie the auntient enemie of vertue and valour to haue had a great power in this delay doubting whether the Spaniards would more rejoyce of the victorie well hoped for if they should joyne with the Venetians or grieue if the same should by the Venetians be obtained without them Superantius wearie of discourses and long expectation and almost out of hope of any helpe in time from the Spaniard how vntowardly soeuer things went thought better yet warily to moderat his griefe than in so dangerous a time to giue any occasion for the Spaniard to fall quite off Yet spake he not fauningly or flatteringly of the matter but with a certaine modest grauitie declared That he had thought heauen would sooner haue fallen than that Don Iohn would not at the appointed time haue come to CORCYRA And withall besought him and wished him to beware that he brought not the common State into some great danger if they had to doe with such an enemie as might be delaied with then he said he could easily abide delay but now for that the warre and the enemie was such as wherein or with whom neuer any Generall had dalied without losse to what end did he longer deferre or trifle out the time or what other fleet did he expect If they should diuide their forces then were they all too weake but vnited togither strong enough to defend the common cause The neerer the enemie came the more hast were to be made to joyne with the Venetian fleet And what could be as he told him more honourable or glorious than for him a noble yong gentleman roially descended of whom the world had conceiued a great hope that he would in martiall honour exceed the glorie of his most famous auncestours againe to vanquish the prowd Turke the greatest and most mightie monarch of the world to fight the battell of the highest to assure the Christian common-weale against so puissant an enemie and to