Capitulation the next day and march'd out with their Arms and Baggage But while the Duke was thus employ'd the Garrisons of Alba Regalis Zygeth and other places having notice that the Imperialists had left their Baggage at Gran guarded only by a small party of Horse and Foot under the Command of Major General Holloweil with a Body of six thousand men advanc'd to Gran and with so much fury fell upon the Imperialists that the foremost Troops being put into some disorder the Major General was after a brave resistance slain But then the Regiments of Rabata standing the whole brunt of the Enemy till the other Troops recovering out of their disorder came into their assistance they put the Turk to an absolute flight and pursu'd 'em for several Miles In this encounter the Turks lost 6 or 700 men and four standards afterwards presented to the Emperour the Imperialists about two hundred among whom the Baron Levi was said to be either kill'd or taken Count Rabata was also a Prisoner and tied by the Turks to one of their Horses tayls but releas'd in the pursuit All this while Newhausel had been closely block'd up by Caprara who had kept it all the winter time from being reliev'd by the Turks so that it was by this reduc'd to pinching extremity And therefore the Ottomans finding they could do no good with small parties resolv'd to succour the Town with a compleat Army of 20000 men The Duke of Lorrain having intelligence that the Enemy was advanc'd as far as Vaccia between Buda and Novograde resolv'd to give 'em battel To this purpose he set forward and coming within sight of the Enemy found 'em drawn up in Battalia upon the Hills near Vaccia having on the right Wing the River Danow and a large Morass and the left secur'd by a thick Wood. Thereupon the Duke having embattell'd his own men about eleven a Clock at Noon mov'd directly toward the Enemy in two lines besides the reserve and the Troops left to guard the Baggage The Turks suffer'd him to advance without opposition till he came to the foot of the Hill and then with their usual cries made a desperate charge upon Taff's Regiment which was almost in the middle of the line and where the Duke being in person had his own Horse wounded under him and two more Horses of the Officers next him kill'd with Pistol shot The Turks having thus spent their first fury and observing the firmness of the Imperial Battalions turn'd their back for a while but then rallying again fell upon the Christians on every side and then wheeling off return'd a third time and made another desperate charge but not being able to break their Enemies array who still made their way in good order they fell into confusion and routed by their own fears the Horse abandoning the Foot betook themselves to flight being pursu'd by the Imperial Cavalry of the first Line for above an hour but by reason of the swiftness of their Horses they soon got out of sight The Foot thus left to mercy were most of them slain the rest escaping into Vaccia This Body consisted of about 20000 men of which four thousand were Tartars commanded by the Bassa of Buda and several Bassa's under him The Bassa of Buda himself was suppos'd to be slain his Horse being tak'n by a private Soldier of Taff's Regiment who presented it to the Duke of Lorrain Nor did Vaccia protect the fugitives the Imperialists soon after making themselves Masters of the Town where the Turks surrender'd at discretion So that in all the number of the Enemy slain was reputed to be 3000. and 1500 taken Prisoners and among the rest a Bassa and ten Aga's with seven pieces of Canon and several Colours As for the loss of the Christians it was very inconsiderable as not having mist above twenty or thirty men in the whole Action Vaccia being thus surrender'd Novograde was immediately quitted by the Turks and assoon possess'd by the Imperialists This Battle was fought the 27th of June which Month thus ending with this memorable defeat of the Turks at the beginning of July the Duke of Lorrain hasten'd with his victorious Army to Pest another Garrison of the Turks on the farther side of the Danow and began without delay to batter the Town with his Canon and Fire Bombes But the Turks in great fear and disorder retir'd with the best of their goods to Buda having first set fire to several houses in the Town as also to the Bridge to prevent the pursuit of the Imperialists But they entring immediately soon became Masters of the Fire and of a place which had the Enemy had the courage to defend might have cost both time and men The Duke of Lorrain being thus in possession of Pest plac'd therein a considerable Garrison consisting of two Battalions of Foot and a party of Dragoons and being reinforc'd by Caprara with a body of six thousand men among which were six hundred Hungarians that had deserted Count Teckelie and by Lubomirskie with an addition of 4000 Poles in all 40000 strong repass'd the Danow upon the 11th and 12th of July over a Bridge of Boats laid over the River not far from the Isle of St. Andrew while Lesley was order'd with the Forces under his command toward the Bridge of Esseck to make good that pass Upon the 14th of July the Duke of Lorrain having forc'd the Turks from the Posts which they had on this side Buda came with all his Forces and sate down before the Town Buda by the Germans call'd Ofen is a City of the lower or hithermost Hungary standing for the most part upon a Hill near the Banks of the Danow the other part lying in a plain level about fifty four German Miles from Vienna to the South and forty nine from Belgrade to the North. Formerly the Residence of the Hungarian Princes and which King Sigesmund adorn'd with several Magnificent Structures particularly with a Palace built after the old Roman manner environing the Castle with beautiful Walls and Terrass'd Walks that overlookt most pleasant Gardens and Fields adjoyning It is fortified with strong Walls and Bulwarks containing a great number both of private and publick Structures exquisitely built so that all the rest of Hungary can hardly be said to shew anything more elegant more pleasant or more secur'd by art and nature It was taken the 12th of August in the year 1519. after it had been eleven times assaulted by the whole force of the Ottoman Army The Duke of Lorrain being sate down before this City in a short time made himself Master of the lower Town and lodg'd his Soldiers in the Ditch under the Wall of the upper Town before he sent his first express to the Emperour Whilst the Duke lay in this posture before Buda the Turks in a Body of thirty or five and thirty thousand men hover'd about two German miles from the Town near Hanschabets expecting all opportunities to relieve
it But the Duke not willing to be pester'd with so troublesome a neighbour and the toyl of continual skirmishes resolv'd to dissipate the main Body from whence these petty Obstacles of his greater Enterprises had life and Motion To this purpose about the 21 or 22 of July after he had left all his Infantry and what Horse was necessary to continue the Siege with the rest of the Cavalry and a thousand Foot commanded by the Count of Aversperagh together with fifteen hundred Hussars under the conduct of Count Esterhasi Governour of Raab he march'd all night to encounter the main Body of the Enemy who though very well entrench'd so soon as they saw the Imperialists came out of their Camp about twenty thousand strong The Duke of Lorrain divided his Army into two Battalias the two Wings being each compos'd of thirty Squadrons of Cuirassiers and ten of Dragoons and the Foot being plac'd in ten small Bodies between the intervals of the Horse The Turks had plac'd 2 or 3000 Janizaries upon the descent of the Hill and six thousand Horse at the foot of the Hill toward the right Wing of the Imperialists where were posted a thousand Hungarians and made several movements which plainly demonstrated their design of attaching their Adversaries in the Flanks which while the other labour'd to prevent the fight began wherein the Turks maintain'd a sharp dispute for the time and making use of policy as well as strength drove a hundred Camels upon the left Wing of the Christians thinking to have put it into disorder but the stratagem failing by the industry of 30 Dragoons which turn'd 'em quite another way the Turks recoyl'd and were follow'd so close that at length being all in confusion they betook themselves fairly to their Heels and fled up to the top of the Hill where they routed their own reserve while the Victors in the pursuit became Masters of their whole Camp as at the raising of the Siege of Vienna their Tents their Baggage consisting of 1000 Camels and 500 Mules their Artillery being eight peices of Canon and all their wealth Four thousand were slain upon the place among which were a thousand Janizaries beside what were kill'd and wounded in the pursuit by the Poles and Hungarians who was order'd to continue the chase The great Standard of Mahomet was taken which the Sultan usually gives to the grand Visier when he takes upon him the general command of the Army and the Pavillion of the Turkish Officer who is known by the Title of Serasquier and was chief Commander of the Army in the absence of the Visier At the same time Count Lesly lying before Berzeche or Virovitza a Town about two Miles distant from the Dravus had intelligence given him that the Turks were drawing together all the force they could make between the Savus and the Dravus to succour the place More particularly that the Bassa of Marotz who had the guard of the Bridge of Esseck was advanc'd with two thousand five hundred Turks as far as Flatina in order to his joyning with the Beg of Zerneg and Governour of Gradischia who for that purpose were upon their march with 1400 men more thereupon he sent away four thousand Croats under the Command of Count Trautmansdorffe to hinder the Enemies conjunction who marching all night about seven the next morning set upon the Bassa in his Camp near Flatina where after a short resistance the Turks were forc'd from their Post with the lost of many men kill'd and taken Prisoners the rest being pursu'd as far Tarbina But then the Victors returning from the pursuit met with a party Commanded by the Beg of Zarney who knew nothing of the defeat of the Bassa of Marotz with whom they were going to joyn and by that means unluckily dropt into the mouth of a victorious Enemy For the Christians flesh'd with their late success fell upon the half surpriz'd Infidels with that vigorous Resolution that they slew near five hundred upon the place took many more Pris'ners with a considerable quantity of Ammunition and Provision intended for the Releif of the Garrison So that the loss of the Turks in both these Actions was reckon'd to be no less than a 1000 of the choicest men of these two Bodies slain out-right while Trautmansdorffe thus doubly Crown'd with fresh Lawrels return'd with Plunder and Pris'ners to the Leaguer before Vicovitza The next day being the twentieth of July Count Lesley commanded the Prisoners that had been taken to be plac'd at the head of his Trenches and among all the rest he order'd one to acquaint the besieged with the defeat of the Body from whence they expected their Relief to which although the Garrison return'd no Answer yet did the General grant 'em till five in the Evening to consider of certain Propositions for the surrender of the Place and for two hours there was a Cessation from all Acts of Hostillity But then the same Evening the Besieged began to fire again Thereupon the General gave order for the filling up of the Mote and the Morass and for the providing ten Thousand Faggots for that purpose Which being done and all things now ready for an assault the Besieged began to reflect upon the danger they were in and unwilling to venture the last extremity in season desir'd a Parley and presently after the Hostages were exchang'd though the Articles were not agreed upon till the next day But then all things being concluded Virovitza was surrenderd to Lesley and six Hundred Men with the like number of Women and Children march'd out of the Town leaving behind 'em sixteen Peices of Cannon having all upon 'em the Arms of the Emperours Maximillian and Ferdinand The Garrison according to the Articles of Capitulation was convey'd two Miles from the City by a Guard of the Besiegers but afterwards meeting with a Party of Croats they were all or the most part stripp'd plunder'd and cut in peices together with the Women and Children Upon the taking of Virovitza the Turks having abandon'd Soppia Fatina and Werazin Count Lesley sate down before Bezowits which not being able to hold out made a timely Capitulation and surrender'd upon the same Articles that Virovitza had done By which means he had both leisure and opportunity to lay a Bridge over the River Dravus that so he might be in a condition to joyn the Duke of Lorrain upon all occasions While thus Count Lesley secur'd the main Leaguer at a distance the Imperialists took their several Posts about Buda and though the lower Town had no other defence then a single Wall yet did the General think it convenient to make formal Approaches to it as well because of the great Garrison that was in it as because of the Communication which they had with the upper Town These Approaches therefore being finish'd the Duke of Lorrain caus'd an Assault to be made upon the lower Town upon the nineteenth of July wherein the Imperialists behav'd themselves
Coronation and enterment of the Hungarian Kings two and forty Miles distant from Buda Thereupon the Duke of Lorrain leaving the Elector to manage the Seige set forward upon the 16th of September with a Body of twenty Thousand Horse and Dragoons to meet and fight him by the way But when both sides came in view of each other the Duke found the Bassa so strongly entrench'd with the River Sarwitz before him that he did not think fit to attaque him at so much disadvantage The wary Turk also kept close within his Trenches unwilling to hazard a battel so far from the Place which he was to releive So that after a short stay the Duke of Lorrain thought it more convenient to return to the Seige leaving the Prince of Baden with ten thousand Horse to observe the Enemies motion upon his return to the Leaguer a Council of War was call'd where it was resolv'd by the Imperialists to expect the Enemy in their Camp to which purpose the Elector and Duke attended by all the General Officers visited all the Quarters and Lines of Circumvallation as well as the Trenches and Posts toward the Town and every where gave necessary Orders On the other side the Serasquier observing the retreat of the Duke came boldly on and upon the 22th of September attack'd the Christian Camp with great fury in two places endeavouring to break in upon the Imperialists and to force his way to the Town but he met with so stout and undaunted a resistance that after a sharp and obstinate fight for several hours wherein many were slain on both sides he was forc'd to retire in much disorder and to leave two of his Standards behind him In the mean time the besieged made a desperate Salley with fifteen Hundred men as well Horse as Foot and fell upon the Guards of the Trenches with so much resolution that the Besiegers were forc'd to give ground upon which the encourag'd Turks advanc'd ruin'd several of the Besiegers Works and one of their principal Batteries nailing the Cannon that was mounted upon it with the loss of three hundred of the Christians but then certain Squadrons of Horse speeding to their assistance the Turks were again beaten back to the very Gates of the Town with the slaughter of above two Hundred men The Serasquier also retreated that Night about two Miles from the Leaguer but the next morning he made another attempt though not with that Vigour as the day before and seem'd by the event to be more out of design then that he thought to do any good For while the Imperialists were engag'd five Hundred Janizaries wading through a Morass which was lookt upon to be impassable up to the Arms in Water and Mud got into the Town yet not with that good luck but that they left some of their Company sticking in the Mire who became the Sport of the Musketeers These two attacks seconded by a Salley and three brave Repulses cost the lives of many valiant Men. However the Serasquier hoping he had done enough to save his Neck by putting five hundred men into the Town was glad he was got off so making all the hast he could from his unwelcome entertainment being pursu'd by the Duke of Lorrain till he had secur'd himself under the Guns of Alba Regalis Thus September drew toward an end a Month no less remarkable for other notable atcheivements perform'd against the Turks to their considerable dammage which as they very much weaken'd the Ottoman force so they greatly impeded the Releif of Buda For on the one side the Morlakes in Dalmatia toward the beginning of this Month made an incursion into the Turkish Territories not far from Clissa and after they had burnt several Villages brought away a considerable number of Prisoners In their return they met with eight Hundred Turkish Horse marching toward Clissa which they utterly defeated killing two Hundred upon the Place and taking all their Baggage Nor was this all for being reinforc'd with a recruit of six Thousand men they posted themselves near Clissa in order to their Conjunction with General Mocenigo who was resolv'd to attack that place being a neat City with a strong fortified Castle Much about the same time another Party of Morlakes and Heydukes being joyn'd with the Banditi sent by the Viceroy of Naples to serve the Venctian in Dalmatia defeated another considerable Body of Turks that were drawn together in the vicinity of Spatetro to hinder their incursions slew between two and three hundred upon the Place took several Pris'ners and brought away a considerable Booty of seven hundred Head of Cattle At a farther distance the King of Poland toward the latter end of August invested the strong Castle of Jaslowits not far from Caminiec and summon'd the Governour to surrender who at first according to the haughty manner of the Turks return'd q fierce answer That he had Powder and Bullet sufficient to defend the Place and would therefore maintain it to the last extremity but no sooner did the Polish Batteries begin to play and the Bombs and Caresses to fly about his Ears but suddain Terrour seiz'd the besieged in such a manner that they desir'd a Parley which soon ended in a Composition in pursuance of which the Turks march'd out the third day after the Seige to the number of 500 fighting men at what time several of the Turkish Officers besought the King for his Protection and that they might have liberty to remain within the Polish Territories being unwilling to return home for fear of being question'd at their return for their Cowardice Which success was attended by another of no less importance for much about the same time the Treasurer of the Crown of Poland wrested a compleat Victory from the Waywod of Walachia to the destruction not only of his own Forces but the Turkish Auxiliaries that were joyn'd with him who together with their lives lost also their Camp and all their Baggage Successes so much the more considerable because they kept the Turks upon their Guard in those Parts from whence the Serasquier expected his chiefest Reinforcements In the Upper Hungary General Schultz who commanded the Emperour's Forces in those Parts having notice that Count Tekeley had put an 150 Men with two Peices of Canon into Zeben a small Place bordering upon the Mountains not far from Esperies hasten'd thither took the Place and put all the Garrison to the Sword in revenge of what Tekeley had done before upon his taking a small Garrison from the Imperialists Zeben thus recover'd General Schultz sent several spies into Count Tekeley's Army by whom being duly inform'd of the number of his Men and the Situation of his Camp he resolv'd to give him a visit Accordingly leaving the lumber of his Baggage at Zeben upon the seventeenth of September about five in the Evening he advanc'd with all his Cavalry and part of his Infantry which the Horsemen carry'd behind ' em About three in the morning