throughe theyr wysedome and policie gatherid togyther wythin the space of two yeres an armie of xx legions of foremeÌ„ and of xx M. horse men a legion acording to the opinion of Liuie had in it the number of fyue thousand foure hundred souldiours and acording to the mynde of Vigetius it was of the number of syxe thousand and some tyme of greater number besyde this they had a Nauie of two hundred great shippes at the leaste they were thorowly furnished with all kinde of Munition and well prouided of money this had they brought to passe in the space of two yeres hauing Octauius surnamed Angustus Marcus Antonius Marcus Lepidus to enemyes who then gouerned in the triumuirate at Rome and dyd contynually persecute them with warres by all meanes possyble as the aforesaid auctor plainly doth declare Also they brought vnder their gouernaunce all the countres euen from Macedonia to the floodde Euphrates besyde these examples the histories are full of the praises of worthy generalles but by the way I wolde not that any man shoulde thincke that I doe so greatly honor the iudgement of the generall that I wolde therby condempne discipline in anye respecte in the which I wolde haue the souldiour broughte vp and trained but I doe thincke it as requisite that the generall with his chiefe officers of the armie be of iudgment sufficient to directe the vse of this disciplne as it is for the souldiours to be brought vp and instructed therin and the armie that wanteth eyther of them to witt the disciplined souldiour and the generall of iudgment is not perfecte nor sufficient to take any great enterprise in hand There is nothing more proffytable nor mete to bring a generall to this perfection then to adde to his experience the reding of histories in the which he shall se plainly set before his eyes in what order battailes haue ben foughte ouerthrowes gyuen victorie vsed countres defended and conquestes made wherfore if the generall with his chiefe officers wante this perfection they are not greatly to be feared althoughe their armi be of trained souldiours Furthermore their is nothing more to be embraced by a worthy generall then modesty and there is nothinge more peryllous in a Generall then to be ambitious rashe and wilfull as for example at the battayle of Canua as plutarck declareth in the second part of his lyues in the lyfe of Fabius Maximus and also of Aniball howe that both the Romane consulles were there pesent the one was Paulus Emitius a man of great iudgment and worthynes in armes the other was Caius Terentius Varro a vaine and wylfull man full of ambition glory boasting This Terentius coulde not be contentid to gouerne iointly with his companion and to vse mutual councell but wolde haue the gouernement deuided and wolde gouerne euery other daye absolutely to auoide conteÌ„cion Paulus Emilius graunted thervnto Emilius sawe howe to chase Aniball oute of Italie withoute hazarding of any one battayle and therfore he determyned to prolong the warres and seinge Anibal in a straunge countre in great extremitie throughe want of victualles his armie being of many nations he was assured by these meanes to enforce him to abandone Italie for that tyme contraryly Terentius being a maÌ„ of smale iudgment in Martiall affares did taunte blame and openly spake euill of that noble man Emilius hauing no respecte at all to his worthynes and wisdome but sayde it was great shame to see the enemy daily in battayle and the Romanes to lye idle within theyr campe not weing what it was that constrained the enemy so to doe wherfore wheÌ„ he had brought to passe that he mought gouerne euery other day Anibal being newly comme with his army to Canua and there lodged and the Romanes beyng lodged vpon both sydes of the Ryuer Aâ—sido nowe called â—ofanto not farre from him as sone as hys daye came in the morning by the rising of the sunne he caused to set vp on the heighte of his tente a token to signifie that he wolde gyue battayle which the Italianes call Veste militare this did he directly against the wyll of his companion when Aniball sawe this he was excedyng glade for it made well for his purpose for he was in great extremetie throughe wante of victuall Terentius had double the number of souldiours that Aniball had His souldiours were well trayned and broughte vp in discipline whom he put in ordre and gaue battayle the horse of Emitius was slayne vnder him and he foughte on fote lyke a noble man when Terentius sawe his people like to be ouerthroweÌ„ he fledde Emitius lyke a noble man foughte contynually tyll at the laste seing the Romanes all slayne and fled he sate him downe vpon a stone being full of woundes and embrued with bloude that no man dyd knowe him tyll at the laste Cornelius Lentulus a noble yonge man came by him knew him he lighted immediatly from his horse aud desyred him to lepe on and to saue him selfe for the loue of his Citizens who had great nede of so worthy a Captaine as he was but he aunswered not so O Lentulus but commauÌ„ded him to lepe to horse and said declare vnto Fabius Maximus and also be thou witnesse howe that Paulus Emilius hath obserued his councell euen to the laste of his lyfe and hath not broken one iote of the promes that he made vnto him and that he was not ouercomme onely by Aniball but also by Terentius and with suche commendations he licensed Lentulus and then he fell downe amonge the ded bodyes gaue vp the spirit Here was seen to the great hindrance of the Romane Citie the difference betwyne the modestie of Emilius and the arogancie of Terenrius Liuie saith that in this battayle there were slayne xl M fote men and two thousand seuen hundred horsemen pollibie declareth of a great number but trueth it is that the Romanes nether in the fyrst nor seconde warres of the Carthagvnenses receaued a greatter ouerthrowe then this for so muche as Emilius the Cousul a man of great worthines and vertue redi in all doutes towarde his countre with Seruilius whiche was Consul the yere before and a number of worthye Citizens eles who had byn Consulles pretors Tribunes Ediles and inche lyke were there slayne The lyke happened in Puglia and other tyme Fabius Maximus being then dictator Anibal determyned to winter with his army in a Citie named Glereon a Citie of great welthe Fabius encamped as neare him as he mought conueniently and being called to Rome for sondrie great affares of the common welthe lefte his armie vnder the conducte of Marcus Minutius with expresse commaundement nether to assayle the enemye ne yet to gyue battayle in anye wyse It happened after the departure of the dictator a squadrone of the enemies to goe forthe into the countre for corne Minutius hearing of it brake the commauÌ„demeÌ„t of the dictator marched forth with certaine
them he determnâ—ed in any wise to haue it by force wherupon he caused forthwith neare vnto the same castel another castell to be buylded of farre greater heyght then the first from y e height wherof he did so beate his enemies day and nyght without cease that in the ende with the losse of a great number of his people he toke it of force After this hauyng intelligence that in the citie of Caphia a garison towne of the Genoueses was great store of golde and siluer in the handes of the marchantes he hauynge alreadye purpofed to take that towne by force which standeth in Cheronesso Taurico not far from the Bosphono and straite Timerico and considerynge that the treasure although he wanne the towne mought easelye be buried vnder the grounde and so saued he determined to haue both the towne treasure by this meane he called to him the skynners of his countrey such as had most riche furres as Sables Armines Genettes Martirones and suche lyke and gane them commaundement for the more spedie dispatche of y e matter that they shulde not passe for the sellyng of them at a lowe price to the ende that through the meanesse of the price the marchantes mought more gredily by them this matter beyng skilfully handlded was sone dispatched and immedialy after that he denounced warres agaynst them and forthwith presented him selfe with his armie to the towne and when he had enuironed the towne wyth his campe he planted his batteries and continued them day and nyght without ceasing in such sort that in short space he possessed the towne the marchantes the furres and the money which was an inestimable treasure It is written also that this was his ordre in beseeging of townes y e fyrst daye his owne lodgings were white and if in that day the inhabitants of the towne dyd yelde vnto him they receuid no hurte nother in body nor goodes the seconde daye his lodgings were red which signifyed to them of the towne that yf then they yelded that he wolde put to death all the masters of the families And the thyrde day was his last change which was in to blacke Pauillions and tentes and then refused he all appointments and when he had in this sorte taken any Citie or towne he put all that were in it to the sworde not sparing any of whatsoeuer age or kinde they were when he had thus done then wolde he commaunde to sack the towne and when the goodes were taken oute of it then wolde he cause fyre to be set in the towne so consume it to ashes leue it deserte And there is a bruite which coÌ„tinueth euen to this daye in those partes that on a tyme a certaine populouse citie defended them selues tyll the third day and then seing a great space of the walle laid flatte on the earth and the enemie in battaile redie to gyue y â— assaulte they were discoraged and thincking to pacifie y â— wrath of this cruel proude aud victoriouse enemie by humblyng them selues sent forth all the wemen and chyldren of the towne in white clothynge wyth oliue branches in their hands offeringe him the towne calling to him with lowde voice for mercy whom wheÌ„ Tamerlano sawe a farre of comming toward him he gaue commaundement to certaine bands of his horsemen to charge vpon them and to put them all to the sworde after this he toke the citie and sacqued it and then burned it it happened at that time by meanes of traffique of marchaundeze certaine marchante a Genouese borne to be greatly in fauor with Tamerlano and being with him at that same present discoursing of soÌ„drie matters asked him why he vsed so great crueltie towardes those people which he ouercame but he torned to him with an exceding troublouse contenance with eyes flaming like fyre and said vnto him yf thou doste thincke that I am aman thou arte much deceuid for I saye to the that I â—amthe wrath of God sent to plague and punishe the worlde and I commaunde the that yf thou woldest not receue due punnishement for thy auditiouse and folishe demaunde that thou gette the hence out of my sight that thou comme lesse in my presence the pore marchaÌ„t being much feared with the words of the Tyran departed from him was neuer sene after that by him they that haue sen Tamerlano liuing haue said that he resembled much both in face and maners Anibal of Carthage acordinge to the opinion of diurse ancient wryters and before all other offenses he shewed his seuere Iustice againste thefts in punnishing theÌ„ most sharply w tout any remission And it is thought that he dyd it to that ende that the feare of punnishement shoulde cause them to refraine to y e ende that he alone mought robbe and spoile acording to his owne desire the whole world and last of all his delighte was wholly set to gouerne in so much that he emploied him selfe continually as in an exercise most vertuouse to molest and trouble other princes with warres by the which he had subdued many kings and vtterly impouerished a greate numbre of tyranes made deserte many contreis and conuerted in to ashes an infinite numbre of cities and townes then last of al he retorned into his contrey with his army in credibly enriched with the spoyle of those natyons whoÌ„ he had subdued and also he vsed to take oute of euerye towne that yeldyed vnto him certaine of the cheife housholdes with all their substances and riches and to sende theÌ„ wholly in to Parthia When he was retorned home he builded a newe Citie very bewtifull and of a greate circuite and placed their in all those housholds afore rehersed in so much y e the newe Cytie beinge inhabyted w t these riche noble men of diuerse nationes in shorte tyme increased so in welth that yt became the cheife citie of all the Orient And yf it had happened that Tamerlano had had with him some man of excellent learning and wysedome who mought w t his writings haue celebrated the great enterprises that he dyd their is no doute but that he mought haue ben numbred amonge the cheife and princypall captaynes eyther of the olde worlde orels of this present age but god gyueth not all things to one man also it semed that his great crueltye which he vsed towarde those y â— he ouercame dyd not deserue to haue his fame celebrated by writing ne yet y e it mought long remaine to his posteritie when Tamerlano died he lefteto succide him in his Empire whiche he had thus gotteÌ„ by y e sworde two sonnes which after his death fel oute maiÌ„tained ciuil warres betwene them were the cause y e the olde and ancient parthicke fame clerely extinckte brought to obliuion and after ward by Tamerlano reuiued coulde not continewe nor encrease But nowe retorninge to our Historie where we left after that the armie of Baiazith was defeicted
he had he gaue to as many as shoulde be staine in that iorney eternall lyfe and by these meanes and with the helpe of y e preachinge of freere Caprestano he had assembled an armie offortie thousande men of Almaynes Bohemes and Hungarianes all crossed mē not of the welthiest sorte or men of estate but pore men of the common sorte y ◠which for the zeale of y ◠christian faithe were contented to offer them selues to the daunger of the deathe for the name of Christ Iesus hopinge in this worlde to obtaine forgyuernes of their synnes in the worlde to comme foye euerlasting which matter is harde for preachers to perswade princes and great rulers of the worlde vnto for so much as many of them setting their hole felicitie vpon these transitorie vanities haue no care for the lyfe to comme which Christe hath promised to as manie as walke in his ordynances for the great ones of the worlde for the moste parte will not hazard them selues to loose this life for that they cā not assure them selues of the lyfe to come wherfore they doe not only not frame them selues to heare the worde of god but forasmuch as in them is they flee from it as from a thing mostedispleasante and contrarye to their natures like wise Iohn Vaiuoda had assembled an armie of valiāte men oute of Hungarie Bohemia both of horse men and fotemen Mahometh was in such a triumphe by meanes of the good successe that he had had that he thoughte there was no power in Europe able to encountre him And beinge puffed vp in this sorte with pride with great furie presented his campe to the citie of Alba which standeth vpon the mouthe of the ryuer Sauo not farre from the Danubio and at this daye is called Belgrado and at the lodging of his campe he gaue a great brauado and a notable charge vpon them of the towne and when he sawe the towne well furnished with defendantes and his assaultes receaued with great assurance and that the Hungarianes durste not only to defend their towne but also to holde the feelde contynually in armes within the shotte of the Cannon whervpon he thought good to assure him selfe frō outeward insultes and to plante his batteries wherefore he gaue order w t all spede to fortifie his campe with greate dykes and stronge rampares also they of the towne applied them daye and nighte in reparing them selues that in shorte space they were so fortifiede that notwith standing the greatest part of the walle was by y t Turckes batterie laid flatte on the earth yet stode they vpon their newe fortificationes and ripares y ◠they had made within the towne in farre greater assurance for the defence of the towne then if the walles of the towne ha◠contynued in their former state and the Turckes being at handes with them contynually both daye and night were entred the breaches and then the towne fought with them of the towne vpon grounde of equall aduantage with their newe fortificationes and defenses and coulde not enforce them to gyue vnto them one fote of y ◠grounde which they had determined to defend such was their valewe in armes When the Turckes had in this sorte batterid the towne for a longe tyme in vaine Mahometh being kendled with great furie and rage determined to holde them occupied daye and night continually and so to werye them And when he had embattayled all his people deuided them into regementes or squadrones apointīg to euery squadrone for conducte therof a man of great Iudgement in marcyal affares to the ende that they shoulde one succide an other in y ◠assaute with their battailones and so to kepe occupied continually them of the towne to the ende that they shoulde haue no tyme to fortifie them selues against them and then they began on euery syde to assayle the Christians whoe also put them selues in battayle and appointed also certaine extraordinarie bandes to be emploied where necessitie shoulde require and thus came on nobly and encountred their enemies there was betwene them a longe fyghte the assaulte was full of bloodshedde and crueltie and also doubtefull for some tyme the Turcks preuailed as thoughe they wolde forthewith becomme lords of the towne on the other syde the Christians suppliing the fyght often tymes with newe bandes and calling to mynde their wonted valiantize dyd so repulse y ◠enemies that some time they enforced them clerely to abandone the walles so that the victorie semed aparently to be theirs and in this sorte the battayle contynued so doubtefully y ◠it was harde to saye where y e victorye shoulde lighte and by meanes of the great obstinatie on both partes the matter was lyke to continewe doubt full tyll the darcke nighte wherupon Mahometh determined to proue whether his presēce mought anyething preuaile to encorage his souldiours or no imediatly came among them thincking by his presence so to encorage his souldiours that forthwith they shoulde inforce the Christians to abandone the walles whervpon he came to that place where his garde of Gianizzaries dyd assayle and as he approched some thinge neare was strycken with an aroe vnder the right pappe whervpon he was taken and caried to this lodging which so discoraged his people that immediately they lefte y ◠assaulte vpon the soodden abandoned their artillerie to their enemies in proie and with spede conueid them selues to their lodginges and the nigth folowing they leuied their campe with greate sylence and marched on with great spede tyl they came into Seruia and from thence into Romania when the Christians sawe the seege raised and the enemie gone they gaue god great thankes and were ioyfull and meruelouse glad Then they endeuored to cure their hurte men and to distribute the proye to euery man acording to his place this great rare victorie was attributed to there men in especiale which is to Iohn Carafagio Legate Apostolique in whose name the iorney was taken in hand To Iohn Vaiuoda and to freer Caprestano which two were present in all these affares althoughe that Vaiuoda in all his letters that he wrote to the Emperour and to other princes and frendes of his neuer made anie mencion of Caprestano nor Caperestano in his letters which he wrote to the Byshoppe of Rome and also to the Generall of his order and other prelates made anye mencion of Vaiuoda notwithstanding either of them affyrmed in his letters that god throughe him had gyuen to the Christianes that glorious victorie wherin it was apparantly seene that the nature of man being most gredie and desirous of honor wyll more easyly depart with kingdomes contreys riches and such like to approue this it was euidently seen in Caprostano whoe in time before coulde easyly contempne and dispize all wordly riches set at naught all erthely pleasures vanquishe ouercome the desires and motiones of the fleshe and yet coulde
and the Duke had thus promysed the Turckes delyuered the towne and receauyd into it the Dukes souldiours and delyuered vnto them the gouernance of the towne when this was done contrarie to all promes they helde all the chiefe of y â— Turckes prisoners and put a great number of the souldiours into the galleys and helde them of force all sauing certaine of them beinge men of place and circumspect who wolde rather committe them selues to the faythe of the Hungarian Cononel then to the Italianes when Sultan Baiazithe had ouerthorowen his brother Gemma and put him to slyghte and receauid obeisance of all the state and dominiones of his ancestrous in Asia the lesse and had visited the contre of Pontho Capadotia and other prouinces and gyuen order for the gouernaunce of them he coÌ„tynued in Burfia for a certaine space to giue audience to the gouernours of those prouinces of Asia which were subiecte vnto him in those partes where he bare him selfe so modestly and determyned his causes w t such humanitie that in the ende he obtained great good wyll of the people when he had thus done be passyd the straite homeward and was receauid into Constantinople with great pompe acording to the order of the triuÌ„p hantes of y e olde worldes he then gaue order altered the recepte of his reuenewes and customes withoute any sparcke of auarice or rapine and when he had made a reuewe of hys Gianizzaries he dyd not onely encreÌ„se the number of his fotemen but also of his horsemen and caused them to be wel paide which was an occasion that they were wel furnished in good order for so much as they sawe their prince to haue a delight ni them that he was very liberall vnto them And then began they to be excellently wel mounted their horses richely furnished them selues and their wiues soÌ„ptuously aparellyd with clothe of golde syluer Iuelles and suche lyke in sorte that the countre was chaunged from rude grose furniture into somtuouse and magnifique ornamentes and deckings And wheÌ„ he had bestoed a time in visiting his prouinces of Gretia and was come neare to Epâ—rro whiche is that parte of Macedonia that is inhabited by the nation called Albaneses from whoÌ„ the contrei hath yet his name is called Albania amoÌ„g whoÌ„ at the death of SultaÌ„ Mahometh there arose certain leaders seditioussi caused a great parte of y e couÌ„trei to reuolte whoÌ„ by his presence he agreed y e rest be toke bâ— force and so brought theÌ„ to his deuotioÌ„ before y e he wolde departe oute of that contre he sent to protest to the kinge Ferrante of Naples that yf he sent him not his artillerie munitioÌ„ wholli that was left in Ottranto at the deliuerie therof with his people and all suche substance and treasure of theirs as he then deteyned contrarie to his sworne promes that then he wolde make warres vpon him and seke to redresse his owne cause throughe the which message the king beinge sore a ferde embarcked all his artillerie monition and men with all such riches as they there had and caused them to be landed safely at Valona after that he lad his armie into Romania and coÌ„tinued with his courte in Andrinople began to make preparatioÌ„ for the warres against Caromano prince of the one parte of Cilicia beinge desirous to reuenge the defeicte that he receauid of him a litle before the deathe of his father This Caromano was the seconde prince of the Turckishe nation that then possessid anye dominion in Asia and they say that when he neded he was able to come to the feelde with xl thousand armed horsemen his principall state wherin he did reside was in y e for dest parte of the lesser Asia toward Soria called Cilicia campestre in that part therof where the ancient and famous citie of Tarso standethe which is builded vpon a plaine and is deuided throughe the middest by the ryuer Cidna and is not farre from the Baie Issico whiche is at thys daye the golfe of Iaza he possessed also in the lesse Armenia and Capadotia those partes that confyne with y e mounte Tauro wheÌ„ Baiazith had prepared al things mete for the iorney he put his Nauie to the sea embarâ—ked all his souldiours both horsemen and fotemen and passed then into Asia then marched throughe Bithi nia bothe y e contreis of Frigia Dardania Ionia Mâ—sia Caria Licia Pamphilia and finally with his people in ordre he entred into Cilicia campestre forasmuch as the contre of Cilicia hathe very large confines it is by ancient writers deuided into two partes of the whiche the lesse is called Trachea and hathe his sea bancke or shore of no great largenes it hath standinge vpon the plaine therof neuer a great towne for that the greatest parte of it is of the mounte Tauro and is so barren y â— it is not well inhabited the campestre begynning at y e Citie of Tarso and at Magnopoli a Citie in tyme paste of great power and fame stretcheth oute to y t baie Issico nowe called the golfe of Iaza and towarde the northe it confineth with Capadotia vpon the syde of the mounte Tauro when Baiazith was entred with his armie into y e countre of Abraham Caromano who had w t great diligence fortified his townes looking for his enemies and also he had furnished the straites of his contre and to the ende he wolde not be enforced to fighte he encamped alwayes in places of strengthe and great securitie and dwelled with his people as neare the enemye as he moughte The Turckes being lordes of the feelde went and spoyled and proied all the contre finalli when Baiazithe had consumed a great pece of the sommer coulde by no meanes prouoke the enemie to battaile he deter myned to besege some of his townes whervpoÌ„ he went to Tarso and besegyd it rounde planted his batterys and began to batter the walles not ceasiing daye nor nighte in suche sorte that in shorte space he had made so great breache that he thoughte it sufficient wherevpon he made redye for the assaulte and put his menne in battaile which thinge when they of the citie perceaued refusinge to put them selues in daunger of the losse of both lyfe and goodes they practized appointement and agreed to delyuer him the Citie vpon condition that he shoulde suffer them to enioye both lyfe and goodes wheÌ„ Baiazithe was come into the Citie he vsed y e Citizenes very gently and wolde not suffer anye of his armye to enter into the towne but onely those that were appointed to y e garde bothe of his person and towne and when the Automne was come on the sharpnes of the wether was suche that he coulde not well holde his people in y e felde whervpon he appointed them to lye in Garnisones in the townes there aboute from whence he ouer ran
warres as witnesseth Vigetius in his first Boke and vii chapter NOwe as touching the obedience of the souldiour the histories are full howe greate skyll is in it for what was the cause of the deathe of Pompey and defeicte or ouerthrowe of his Populous armie in Thesaly was it not onelye disobedience loke Cesare in his third Booke and Appian in his seconde Booke of the Gyuyll warres of the Romanes Hathe not disobedience ben also the deathe of dyuerse Romane Emperours and almost the distruction of the whole Empire loke Herodian and there you shall see the profe hereof This obedience is a bande that byndeth the rest of the braunches of disciplyne so firmely togyther that it maketh them to worcke theyr effecte and gyueth vertue power to euery of them Wherfore Andre Cambine iustly doth saye that a disobedient armie is lesse to be feared them a worthy Captayne withoute an armie THe worthye men of the olde worlde and chiefely the Romanes broughte vp their souldiours in sondrie exercyses as to runne lepe throwe the bare swyme to vse their weapons to marche the march called Passo militare which was to goe armed in the hotest of the sommer xx myles in fyue houres and vpon great occasion xxiiii myles in foure houres they had a feelde which laye vpon the syde of the Ryuer Tibre which once was of the possessioÌ„ of Tarquinus surnamed the proud and when he was banished Rome the Senate appointed that feelde for the exercyse of theyr souldiours there were in that feelde a number of greate stakes depely set into the grounde against whom the souldiours hauing their roundels made of wicker of the double weighte of those whiche they shoulde were in battayle and a staffe of the lengthe of a sworde and of the double weyghte of the sworde whiche commonly they dyd weare and beinge thus furnished they shoulde dayly fyghte against those stakes as against their enemyes In this feelde dyd they vse all theyr exercyses wherof I spake before and when they were wery they went into the Riuer and washed them and refreshed theyr weried bodies and lerned to swime as wytnesseth Vigetius in his fyrst Boke and x. Chapter To swymme wel is and exercise very commodiouse for a souldiour as for example Liure in his fyrst Decade and seconde Boke declareth that Oratius Cocleus a worthy Romane defended the ende of the brydge that putteth ouer Tiber against the whole power of the kinge Porsena whilest that they of the Citie brake the bridge behinde him and then armed as he was he leapte into the Ryuer from the brydge and dyd swymme to the lande and saued both him selfe the Citie for that tyme. Also the noble Emperour Iulius Cesare beinge in Alexandrie and assayled vpon the sudden by the Alexandrines and hauing but fewe of his people with him was enforced to flee their furie whervpon he lepte into the Ryuer and dyd swyme ouer to the other side by the which meanes he saued his life at that present as witnesseth Appian Alexandre in his seconde Booke of the cyuyll warres of the Romanes and also Aulus Hirtius in his fourthe Booke of the Commentaries of Cesar intitled de Bello Alexandrino the lyke dothe the same Aulus Hirtius declare in the aforesayde Booke of the Phâ—ritanes whiche dwelled in an Isle that standeth in the Ryuer Nilo eyghte huÌ„dred pases from Alexandrie which beinge assailed by the souldiours of Cesare and put to flyghte toke the Ryuer and did swyme to Alexandrie and saued a great number of theyr lyues The exercise of the souldiour and chiefely of the vse of the weapon that he shall vse in the feelde is a thinge of great valewe whiche the Romanes dyd so muche esteme that they appointed a number of Maisters to instructe theyr souldiours in the vse therof and euery Maister had double the entertaynement that a souldiour had as witnesseth Vigetius in his firste Booke and xii chapter and in my iudgement not withoute great reason for the felde is not the onlye place to traine souldiours in but they must also be made perfecte in the vse of theyr weapon in marching in theyr armour acustumed to order and such lyke exercyses before they coÌ„me to the felde otherwyse they be but an encoraging to the enemy and a people led to the slaughter wherfore the Romanes had their newe souldiours as perfecte in altheyr exercyses as were theyr olde souldiours before they wolde send them to the felde sauing in that that they had not seen the enemy nor felte of his force An other braunche therof is of importance which is furniture with oute the which no army is perfecte for yf a man be neuer so valiante well trayned yf he wante furniture he wyll not put him selfe in that peryll that he wyll doe beinge well armed and furnished As longe as the Romanes went wel armed and furnished to the felde their Empire dyd alwaye florishe as witnesseth Vigetius in his first Boke and xx chapter but wheÌ„ they became slouthfull and neglected discipline they then obtayned of their Emperours within shorte space license to goe to the felde first withoute their body Armour then withoute their sheldes and hedpeces and when they had obtained at theyr Emperours handes these noble demaundes within shorâ—e space after they payd well for their case the Gothes Vandales and also the Lombardes made warres vpoÌ„ them gaue them sondrie ouerthrowes Then was the difference seen betwyne the armie broughte vp in disciplyne and that wherein disciplyne was not knowen betwine the exercised souldiour and the vnexercised betwine the instructed souldiour and the ignorant betwine the armed souldiour the vnarmed betwyne the Captaine of iudgment and the vnskylfull Captaine for where as in tyme before the Romanes dwelling vnder discipline were not onely able to defend their owne most ample dominions but also that of their fryndes which laie fardest from them nowe when they had reiected discipline hauinge warres with these nationes afore named they were not onely vnable to defend their owne dominions but also to defend their Citie Rome which was twyse or thriese sacked by the aforesayd enemies as wytnesseth Carian in his historie There is also order which is of great value and withoute it an armie is but a confused multitude nether any battayle is worthily fought no towne perfectly besegyd nor any thing well done This the auncient Romanes had in suche estimation that whosoeuer dyd violate it was puÌ„nished withoute remissioÌ„ as for example Valerius Maximus in his second Boke declareth that Posthumius Tibutius being dictator hauing with him in the warres his onely soÌ„ne the only successioÌ„ that he had whoÌ„ he had very tenderly carefully brought vp yet forasmuch as he being in the warres did of him selfe not by his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t take those bands which the RomaÌ„es called aides or helppes encouÌ„tred the enemies gaue them a great ouerthrowe theÌ„ retorned to the campe with the
I wishe al men of honest spirites to seke to vnderstand the effecte of this discipline for it doth as muche more helpe to the obtaining of victorie then doth the greatnesse of the number as Ceser Appian Vigetius Plutarcke chiefly doe declare PeradueÌ„ture some maÌ„ wil say why sir we nede not this discipline wherof you speke we can haue for oure money straungers which are good souldiours to serue vs wheÌ„ we nede But such as are of that opinion I wishe to rede the histories Chronicles of Fraunce for Fraunce hath well felte the coÌ„moditie of the seruice of staungers which nether serue for honor of their countre prince ne yet for their wiues children goodes possessions but they seke onely to leade the warres at length to make their ptoffytt of it beside this I thincke it not inconuenient to showe an example or two of the good seruice of straungers Mounser de Lautrec being in Italie generall of the Frenshe armie at the sege of Pauie the Suissers came vnto him and required him eyther to gyue them license to repare home in to their couÌ„tre or els to goe encountre the enemies for they wolde no lengar tarrie in Italie whervpon fearinge that the Suissers shoulde leaue him he was enforced to goe encouÌ„tre the enemy in the which â—ncountre he was ouerthroweÌ„ beside Mylan at a village called the Pico â—ue all his armie put to flight as witnesseth paradyne in his first Boke of his historie The lyke dyd Andre Dorie at the sege of Naples being in the paie of â—he Frenshe king in his seruice at the seege before Naples and kepte â—heir victualles and reliefe from them whervpon they furnished the Naâ—ie of the towne then the chiefe princes rulers of the towne emâ—arcked them selues went and gaue battayle to the sayd Dore and afâ—er longe fyght Dorie obtained the victorie toke prisoners the prince of Orenge the Marques of Guasto Camile Colona â—cardo and a gentle man of Spaine named Gogna he slewe two worthy Captaines Feramus â—a and Gabone toke thre Galleys from the enemies after this he lefte â—he seruice of the Frenshe king caried with him his Galleys and the prisoners that he had taken went and serued the Emperour immediatly set his prisoners at libertie the Emperour gaue him the principalitie of Melphe with dyuerse other castls lordshipes The like did â—he Marques Brandenburge wheÌ„ he departed froÌ„ the seruice of Henry â—he Frenshe king caried not he the Duke Domerle with dyuerse others prisoners with him Also to comme to oure warres when the towne of Haddington in Scotland was holden for oure king Edwarde the vi did not the Almaignes Mutyne there and put them selues in armes against â—s which yf the enemies had vnderstode mought haue ben the losse of the towne Let these fewe examples fuffyse for this tyme and although that I haue in this litle preface briefely touched the worthynes of discipline yet am I well assured that victorie commeth not onely by it but by the gyfte of God wherfore I must saie with Saincte Paull Paull planteth Appollo watreth but god giueth the encrease eueÌ„ so the Generall commaundeth the souldiours obey but God gyueth the victorie wherfore let all men seke to knowe him and serue him as he him selfe hath appointed and then shall all thinges goe well with them Your honors most humble seruant Iohn Shute The translatour to the reader I Haue good reader turned into Englishe out of the Italien these two Bokes folowing the one is a coÌ„mentarie of Andrewe Lambine â–ª the other a commentarie betwixt George Scanderbeg the Tâ—tckes althoughe they be not done in an exquisite and curious stile whiche I leaue to those that haue bene brought vp in scoles and are seen in oratorie yet is the matter of importance and to such as delite in martiall affaires both pleasant and profitable the knowledge wherof is very necessarie forasmuche as no countrie can promesse to it selfe perpetuall peace and quietnes Wherfore take in good parte I beseche the this my traueill and vse it so that therby thou maist be the better able to serue to the maintenauÌ„ce of Godes glorie and common wealth of thy couÌ„try I haue added in thende of the bokes folowing a table which declareth the principall matters conteyued in them what the princes were that brought them to passe and the yeres wherin they were done I haue also noted the principall matters of the bokes in the margente which myne author hath not A Comentarie of Andre CAMBINO A FLORENTINE BORNE OF THE originall of the Turques and Empire of the house of Ottomanno The first Boke THE Turquish nation after the opinion of diuers writers chiefly of these ofâ—ate yeres for that they haue sene them rule in those partes where the citieof Troy once was and hauynge regarde to their name haue affirmed that thei are discended from Teu cxi from whence the Troians bad their originall the which is vtterly false for in dede that natioÌ„ which at this present dwelleth in the lesser Asia vnder the rule of the house of Ottomannâ— beinge of nature cruell and barbarous toke originall from the Scithianes and as the philosopher Etico dothe declare had their abidinge beyonde the montaines called Pyrithei not far froÌ„ the Isâ—es Tarraconite directlye towarde the Northwest sea And as Otho brother to Federyckes father of Austriche being Emperour doth declare that at the tyme when Pâ—pine raigined in Fraunce these people departinge from the confines of Caspie were aboute the yere of Christe 760. beinge encontred with the people Auari which in oure time are Hungarians and fighting betwene them a cruell battayle and great slaughter on bothe sydes done The Turques not withstanding continuing their enterprise ouerran and spoyled the contreis of Poutho and Capadocia with other prouinces to them adioyinge And in the beginning they gathered them selues togither secretlye and dwelled vpon montaynes and in stronge places perillous to assayle and maynteyned them selues and lyued of pâ—oie and spoyle as occasion was offered them After that when they grewe to some strength and were prouyded of captaynes and discipline they began with open warres to molest and trouble y â— people of those countries neare vnto them adioyning and to become lordes of their contreis and these people not being able to stande against and to endure their force and crueltie were enforced forced to giue place so that the Turques within shorte space possessed not only Pontho and Capadocia but assailed the lesser Asia which takinge his name of theÌ„ is at this daye called Turchia in such sort that in short time they became lordes and maisters of Galatia Bithinia Pamphiâ—ia Pisidia of the one and other Frigia of Cilitia and of Caria enlarging the coÌ„fines of their dominion euen from the sea called Ionio to the banckes of the sea Egeo and then appointed to euery faction and contrey hys
to abandone the seege then otherwise and finally conueyd their artillerie and monitions aborde their Nauie and abandoned there seege the xvii of Auguste sayled towarde the straite of Gallipoli and in this sorte was Rhodes delpuered froÌ„ the seege of the Turckes In this mean time Mahometh sent Acomath one of his Bascias with a Nauie of an hundred sayles beinge furnished w t xv thousand souldiours towardes the Golfe and vpon the sodden he assayled the Isle called Saincte Maura anciently called Eucadia and toke it and from thence he passed on towarde Cephalonia and Hiacinto â— in shorte space became lorde of them bothe and he determined to sayle backe againe by the Golfe and from thence into Pulia in intention as diuers men thoughte but to land and spoyle the contrey consideringe the greate riches y â— â—here was bothe of men treasure and catell and cheife â—y for that he had intelligence that y e contrey was lefte withoute garde of men of warre and also that the king was where he coulde not annoie him when the Nauie of the infideles was come within fighte of that pointe of â—ande that the Italianes call Cauo de Ottranto they made towarde the lande and came into the hauen of Ot â—ranto and seinge them of the towne to make no resysâ—ance but beinge afearde showed moste shamefull Cowardize and shutte the gates of the Citie holding them â—clues within the walles therof and durste not once to â—okevpon him in the feelde whervpoÌ„ he landed his men â—andhorses and firste he proied all the contre aboute Ot â—tranto and then spoyled it and broughte to his shyppes â—an excyding great proie without any resystance at all wherevpon he was the more bolde presuminge vpon the Cowardize of them of the towne and thoughte to attempte to take it whervpon he fortified his campe to defend him from outwarde inuasion and enuironed the towne in suche sorte that they of the towne coulde nether receaue in nor sende forthe anye thinge oute of it wheÌ„ this was done he planted his batteries and began to batter the walles and tormented them with his batteries daye and nighte he arriued at Ottranto xxviii of Iulye in the yere of our helth M. CCCC.lxxix and the xi daye of Auguste nexte folowing he gaue an assanlte to the towne and chased them of the towne from the breaches and toke the towne by force master frauncis Zurlo who was there for the kinge being fled with the Arche byshoppe of the Citie into the Cathedrale church where vnto all the the chiefe of the citie were fled also for succour was with the reste cut in peces and all the reste of the people with the wemen and children were sent into Gretia to be sold as slaues when the king Fer rante vnderstode that the Turckes were arriued at Ottranto he caused to arme all the shyppes and gallyes of the realme with maruelouse celeritie and sent also for his sonne the Duke of Calabria into Toscane who at that tyme had made peace with the Florentynes was in Siena making great preparation for solemne Iustes and triumphes to celebrate the feaste of our ladie not withoute greate suspition y e he was procured by diuerse noughtie Citizenes of his faction that daye to take the citie and to vsurpe it when the Duke had receauid this commaundement from his father he departed forthe w t oute of Tuscane with all his armie and marching on w t great spede broughte them into Pulia and entertained also as manye fotemen as he coulde gette and appointed them to Captaines he gathered togyther also all the men at armes and horsemen of all sortes that were in the kingdome and then marched on with his armie encamped not farre froÌ„ Ottranto the Nauie was made redie with maruelouse expedition by the great industris of the countie of Sarni and was alredie departed from Naples towarde Pulta the Duke of Calabria fortified his campe with stronge rampares depe dikes douting the furie of the enemie and durste not to approche the towne so neare as he moughte laie batterie vnto it but laie some things farder of and presented him selfe dayly to the towne and they of the towne sorted forthe contynually and scaramoshed with him and often tymes repulsed them and made great slaughter of them And one daie they attached a scaramoshe and it was maintained in suche order from tyme to tyme with freshe bandes y â— the whole power of the campe was at it and it grewe to a battaile coÌ„tinued by the space of certaine houres there was great slaughter and it was foughte w t great assurance on bothe sydes in that battayle was slayne the countie Iulio de Aquaiua one of the kinges chiefe conductours of his men at armes the fotemen being discoraged fled Loys de Capua beinge generall of them with certaine of his companie thincking to saue him selfe fled to a certaine towre whiche was of some force not farre from Ottranto the Turquyshe horsemen folowed him and when they came to the towre they deter myned to assayle it and prepared pitche and towe and other necessaries to let fire vnto it the afore saide Loys being destrous to lyue yeldyd him with all his companie to the Turckes and was caried prisoner into Ottranto after this there was daily scaramoch betwene them of y e campe y e towne but they of y e campe had alwaies y e worse there was slaine before Ottranto Mattheo de Capua y e counte Iulio de Pisa and diuers other Captaines officers of y e Italian armie y e king bycause he wolde make the iorney the more famous went w t his courte to Barletta he sent for aide to al y e ChristiaÌ„ princes y e king of Hungarie Mathia sent him a Colonell w t a regimeÌ„t of eight huÌ„dred HuÌ„garian horsemeÌ„ y e king of Portugale sent him manie Carauelles well armed and furnished there came also oute of Spaine Arragone and Catalona many gentlemen of their owne charges and good wil to aide the kinge notwÌ„standing these aides y e Turckes dismaied not at all but assured them selues fortisied their towne did not only defend it but went forth of y e towne dayly scaramoched w t y e Christians slewe many of them also brought of them to y e towne prisoners And when they had thus in vaine consumed both y e soÌ„mer y e Autome winter approched constrained them to abandone their seege to laye them selues in garnisonnes in y â— townes nearest about eit and in y â— same winter y e Nauie of y e Turcks spoiled al y e coaste of Pulia eueÌ„ to y e veri mouÌ„te of S. Agnolo for that y â— Acomathe Bassa desired to speake w t his lord Mahometh before y â— coÌ„ming of y â— springe of y â— yere he lefte in Ottran to for y e defence therof eight thousand choseÌ„ souldiours furnished theÌ„
spoyled all the contrey and wolde not suffer the subiects of Caromano other to sowe and plowe the grounde orels to doe anye thinge in the feeldes that moughte befor their commoditie whervpon they that dwelled vpon the plaine were in suche distresse that of their owne acorde they reuolted from Caromano for the greatest number and became subiectes to Baiazithe when the springe of the yere was cōme Caromano consideringe the inclination of his people and being in feare to be forsaken of his souldiours or els to be delyuered by them into the hands of Baiazithe obtaine of the Soldane of Egipte Caribeio a man of much fame and worthines a great sume of money and also certaine bandes of Arrabianes he sent into all partes of his dominions for such ayde as there was to be had and ioyned them all with his armie and made it of as great number as he coulde and determyned to se howe fortune wolde fauour hym and rather to Hazard the battayle then to gyue place to his enemie and in tyme to be delyuered by his owne mē into the handes of his enemyes whervpon beinge furnished with all necessaries he toke the feelde and chose a place of great strengthe and apte for the seruice of horse men when Baiazithe vnderstode that the enemey was come to the feelde and in campe he sent to all his garnisones commaūdinge them to repare vnto hym wyth spede with them to bring their whole furniture and when he had taken reuewe of them he marched to the feelde and put his souldiours in battayle and then marched towarde Caromano and when he came w tin sighte of him he sent his vauntgarde toward his enemie some thinge spedyly to begyn the battayle and he in person dyd conducte the battayle and folowed the Vauntgarde he also was folowed by the rierewarde and all his bagagers and when he came where the enemies were they refused not the battayle he came towarde them in good order and ioyned with them and notwithstanding that the force of Baiazithes people was greate and that a troupe of ten thousand horsemen of his went and serred them selues and with great furie assayled the enemies perswading them selues that in the first encoūtre they woulde disorder them but the Ciliceanes recauid theyr charge with great assurance in suche sorte that there was not one of them that gaue one fote of grounde to his enemie After this when they were entremelled there began a very braue and blooddie fyghte men fell downe dead and hurte contynally on bothe sydes and their places were alwaies supplied with freshe men and in this sorte they contynued for the greatest parte of the daye with great assurance nether partie gyuinge place to the other so that it coulde not be Iudged on whiche parte the virtorye shoulde lighte for the battayle contynued doubtefull euen to the darcke night Abraham Caromano shewed that daye of what value he was for in his order he shewed him selfe a Capten of great Iudgement and afterward in his fyghte he shewed him selfe a valiante and stoute souldiour and laste of all by the prouidence of god his tyme beinge at hand seinge his people to gyue place beinge charged by a greate numbre of his enmies whose force they were not able to endnre be thruste on spedilie towardes them with his garde a good number of other of his souldiours and gaue in vp on them in suche sorte that he perced euen in to myddest of their squadrone and beinge knowen by the enemies was by thē forth with enuironed and charged on euery syde with suche furie that they slewe his horse vnder hym where vpon he was constrayned to fyghte on fote in the whiche he behaued him selfe so nobly that w t his owne hande he slewe dyuerse of those which assailed him in the ende throughe the great losse of his bloude which contynually fell from him throughe his dyuerse and sondrie woondes whiche he had receauied in the battayle not beinge able to endure anye longer fell downe deade in the place as sone as his people vnderstode of his death they were so amazed and discouraged that immediatly they dysorderid them seules and lefte the fyghte scatteringe them selues all the the feelde ouer hoped to make flighte their sauetie but being folowed by y e Turckyshe horsmen the greatest number of them were slaine and a great parte of the rest were taken on lyue and delyuered to Baiazith when he had in this sorte obtained so greate a victorie he determyned forthewith to vse the same whervpon he began to occupie the reste of Cilicia campestre and marching on ouer all the contrey the cities and fortellezes yeldyd vnto him enerie where as he came withoute makinge anye resystaunce and hauing in shorte tyme broughte vnder his obeisance all that contrey that Caromano possessed in Cilicia he deuised then with his Captaines what was beste to be done fynally it semed beste in the opinion of euery mā first or he toke in hand to passe the mounte Tauro and so to goe on to conquere that which Caromano possyd in the lesse Armenia and Capadotia to possesse the other Cilicia called Thrachea to the ende to leue no enemie behinde thē y e mought empeche them whervpō he caused to moostre and paie his men and then gaue them a litle tyme to repose that done he vnited them and sent them towarde Setalia which is a Citie in that prouince then newlye inhabited a citie of greate traffique maruelously well inhabited by meanes of the decaie of the trade that was in Delo whiche in tyme passed was a Citie of the greatest traffique of all Asia and chiefely for the great number of slaues that then were there boughte and solde which were in nūber in maner infinite wherof it grewe into prouerbe marchantes make your voyage to Delo and there vnshippe for whatsoeuer is broughte thither is redie money when the traffique of this Citie was decaied the whole traffique and trade of marchandize was put ouer into Setalia and throughe the greate repaire of marchauntes it was become the cheife and beste in habited Citie of the lesse Asia in so muche that the sea coaste all there aboute losynge his olde name is called the golfe of Setalia euen at this daye vpon the whiche golfe directly ouer againste the Isle of Cipres standeth a noble Citie and a popolouse called Scandoloro the lorde wherof beinge a Turcke borne and all wayes in doubte of them hath euer ben an enemie to y e house of Ottomano and also to Caromano and confede rate with the greate maister of Rhodes and the King of Cipres dyd preserue his state vntyll that daie standing as a newter betwene them both but whē he sawe Baiazith come vpon him withe so populouse an armie vpon the sodden Iudginge him selfe not of power to witstand his force for all the power that he was able to make did not excede the number of xx M. men on horsbacke
charged the Turckes againe with suche force that he thoughte veryly in that charge to disorder them but notwithstandinge that the Turckes receaued the charge with great difficultie yet they maintained their order styll and brake not and althoughe that they in dyuerse places makinge hed to the enemye they defendyd them selues but slenderly and were in maner redie to breake yet Baiazithe throughe his good order relyued them in suche sorte with his presence and his reposed garde of Gianizaries that he encoraged his people renued the fyghte and repulsed some what the Mamalukes and fearing that yf his people shoulde be charged againe by the Mamalukes he sholde not be able to maintaine their order whervpon he thoughte it good to preuent this mischeife and with all his force to charge the enemie and then retiring by litle and litle to abandone the fighte thincking in this forte to gyue place and to a noid the losse of his whole armie rather then to make good the place to be charged by the enemye and so put to fighte whervpon he retired his people in that same order wherin they had foughte all the daye before with their faces to warde the enemie fightinge cōtynually in their retreyte in good order althoughe notw toute great losse in this forte broughte his people into his campe to their lodginges which he lefte wel fortified with trenches and rampares and also well garded with souldiours whervnto when the Mamalukes approched the nexte morninge folowing and consyderid the fortification therof the greate quantitie of the artillerie placed vpon the bulwarckes and rampares therof and also the number of the garde there vnto appointed they durste not to assayle their campe but retired them selues And it semed to Diadaro that he had for that tyme well prouided both for the securitie of Soria and also for his estimation thincking it not good to entre into furder peril whervppon he retorned againe to Aleppo from whence he came and when he had consumed the reste of the sommer in proinge and spoilinge the confines of the Turckes countrey and that Automne was comme vpon him he appointed his people to garnison vpon the confynes of Soria and Baiazithe appointed his in the lyke sorte in the prouince of Cilicia then Baiazithe practized an atonemēt with the Soldane and many Oratours were sent betwene them from the one to the other whervnto it was an easy matter to perswade the Soldane notwithstāding his victorious successe This Soldane was the cheife in degree and acompted him selfe y ◠firste prince of the Mahometane relygion and takinge vpon him the name and dignite of Soldane he is sacred in his creation with greate cerimonie and besyde that the eldeste of a noble house in Cairo and it is sayd that anciently they were the princes and helde the soueraintie therof were named Caliphi the Soldane is crowned with an Imperiall Crowne wherby he is acompted as y ◠father of all the Mahometystes they haue alwaies ben contented with their dominion of Soria Egipte they haue not vsed in tyme passed to make warres vpō any prince of their secte and relygion vnles they had ben enforced in y e defence of their owne state or els of some other Mahometyste prince there confederate and frinde in suche sorte that holdinge that principalitie and kinde of gouernement for y e space of thre C. yeres and moe they neuer enlarged their confynes nor soughte to possesse the dominions of others the which there maner and order of gouernance dyd chiefely cause for they prouided in y ◠begynninge and made a lawe that none shoulde be Soldane but be election and that also he shoulde be of their communaltie that is a slaue not yet worthye to be admitted into the order of the Mamalukes with whome was the whole gouernance and auctoritie to electe and chewse the Soldane the children of the Soldane neuer succeded their father in gouernance no more dyd they of y ◠Mamalukes succede in the place of their fathers neither in warres ne yet in anye publique prehemuinence they dyd lyue pryuately as other Citizines dyd and possessyd y ◠propre goodes and enheritaunces of their fathers which they lefte vnto them at their deathe vsed the same exercise and trade of lyfe that other of the countre dyd But nowe to our historie when Baiazithe by meanes of his ambasciadours and Oratours had pacified the Soldane renued and cōfirmed y ◠ancient league and confideracie y ◠had ben of a longe tyme betwene the Soldanes and his house and established his gouernement in Cilicia he retorned to Bursia the nearest waye then embarcked him selfe with his souldionrs of Europe and retorned into Gretia and when he be came thether he ceased from al hostilitie gaue him selfe wholly to prouide for the quietnes of his people and sent hys souldiours to garnisones and gaue order for the administration of Iustice in all places after this he gaue him selfe wholly to the studie of the Alchorane of naturall philosophie in the whiche he had greate delighte in so muche that he had alwayes aboute him of all nationes mē excellently wel seen in phisycke in whose companie he passyd the greatest parte of his time and when he had in thys sorte spent manye yeres he was moued to take in hande newe enterprises by occasion that was offery◠to make him lorde of Corcira nowe called Corfu being certifyed by certayne Greekes of the Isle who had practized with them of the fortes and so broughte to passe y ◠they wolde render the fortes vnto him at all tymes vpon condition that he shoulde consider them acordinge to their seruice and offeryd them also to take the Citie and the rest of the Isle to deliuer the whole into his hands this matter semed vnto him lykely and possyble to be broughte to passe and also that he coulde not make a conqueste more mete for the assurance of hys state nomore apte to anoie the enemyes of his religion immediatly he determyned in him selfe the order of the enterprise for that he wolde not that y ◠Venetianes shoulde suspecte him he began to make redie his Nauie and to prepare his armie by land bruted that he wolde make warres vpon the people of Valachia and Moncastro when he had made redie al thinges both by sea and land the Venetian Nauie retorninge from Candie whether it were by chaunce or els y ◠y e generall therof had some kinde of intelligence of the practize he came to Corsu acording to their custume when he had seen the moniti on vewed the gardes of the fortes townes he toke awaye the olde souldiours and put newe in their places and toke with him certaine men that dwelled in Corsu and when he had spoyled al the sea coaste of the Golfe he retorned with his Nauie to Venise which when Baiazithe vnderstode he dissembled the matter as thoughe
there were slaine of y e partie of y e Mamalukes the great Diadaro strycken with a falconete and of the Turckes partie Sinan Bassa and when the Soldane was retorned with his armys he lodged them betwene the Citie and the ryuer Nilo and determyned to supplie his armye with newe bandes and to defend him selfe and therfore sent for all the Mamalukes y t were appointed to the garde of other contreys and commaunded them to repaire to Cairo with all spede he toke oute of the Monition house of the Castle all the furniture of armour and weapon that there was and distributed it to the children of the Mamalukes and to twelue thousand slaues which they toke vp in that Citie besydes that he sent into Iudea and Arabia his Captaines to leuie and enrolle all suche horsemen and fotemen as they shoulde fynde that were trained and experimented in y e warres and for that he wolde as muche as in him was saue his people from the force of the artillerie he determyned w t all his power to assayle his enemye in the darckest of y e nighte for that he was assured that in the nyghte they coulde not well vse their artillerie withoute the slaughter of their owne people as well as of their enemyes discouering his opinion to certaine of the cheife of y e Mamalukes he prouided to put it in executioÌ„ but he coulde not vse the matter so secretly but y t amonge those fewe with whom he had debated the cause their were some traitours whiche dyd aduertize Selim therof who caused to make greate fyres withoute his campe rounde aboute it whiche made all the partes aboute the campe to be as well seen as in the myddeste of the daye and in this sorte prouided that he moughte well vse hys artillerie and then put hys armye in battayle lookinge for his enemyes Tommobeio in the nyght â–ª approched neare to the Turckes campe and when he sawe all these fires he was then assured that hys enterprise was discouered yet wolde be not so retorne but assayled his trenches in suche sorte that he entred them and synding them very well furnished be retorned agayne to his lodging froÌ„ whence he came and after that beinge enforced by the Mamalukes he was constrained to lodge within the citie and to defende it and for that he wolde prouide in euery respecte he caused with all spede to fortifye it and when he had made stronge the principall places therof he put stronge garde into them Selim as sone as he herde that the Soldane with his armie was lodged w t in the towne he marched with his armye into the towne which he moughte easyly doe for that the citie was not enuironed with walle nor rampare beinge within the Citie with his armye he foughte three dayes continually with the enemye and when he had slayne a great nuÌ„ber of them he became lorde of the greatest parte of the Citie and the Mamalukes seinge their force daily to de caie and that they were no longar able to contynue in the Citie went from thence to the ryuer Nilo and toke the boates that they founde there and passed all their armie with the Soldane ouer the ryuer into the Region Segesta which is a parte of Affrica that liethe towarde Cirene and Tomombeio for that he wolde not gyue ouer the matter sent for those Mamalukes that were appointed to grade the Citie of Alexandria and for y â— there came dayly into his campe Arabianes Affricanes and other Mores of y e prouices there abouts he began to be agayne in good hope to defende his owne whylest the matters of Cairo passed in this sorte Gazzele whome y e Soldane had sent into Thebaiade to leuie as manye bandes of both horsemen and fotemen as he coulde was coÌ„me neare to Cairo and had brought with him a gerat number of Arrabianes with their Captaines also and when he vnderstode of the losse of Cairo and that hys lorde was fied beyonde the ryuer Nilo and beinge oute of all hope of the preseruation of his countre vnder the gouernement of the Soldane seinge it paste all remedie determined to obserue time and to pronide for his safety by yelding him selfe to the victour and when he had in this sorte debated the matter with the Captaines of the Arrabianes which he had brought with him had per swaded them in that behalfe he came to the gate of Selim and required to be broughte to his presence when he came before him he fell prostrate to the grounde and ryssed his fete sainge for so muche as he had done for y â— preseruation of the Mamalukes state and of his lorde all that was possyble for him to doe and neuer brake his fait he so longe as there was any token of hope lefte for the preseruation of this same and nowe seinge his high nes possessyd of the Citie and placed in the Imperiall seate and his lorde to be fled and to haue lefte his kingdome wherfore he had determyned with him selfe no lenger to respste but trusting in his clemencie and goodnes was coÌ„me wholly to committe him selfe into his hands w t oute any maner of condition at all but to be well contentyd with all that that shoulde please his highnes to deteremyne of him Selim receuid him very corteously and willed him to be of good comforte and to assure him selfe not to wante place with him mete for a man of his worthines he caused him to be writen amonge y e reste of his chiefe Captaines appointed vnto him an honorable prouisionin lyke sorte he caused y e Captaines chiefe officiers of the Arrabianes to be broughte vnto him and gaue them very good wordes and entertained them in his ordinarie After this he vnderstode of a certaine man of Segesta which was comme to seke him of manye of the purposes of Tomombe is and howe he was contynually solycited by certaine Mores the principall and chiefe of Cairo in suche sorte as he was fully determyned to retorne thyther agayne when Selim vnderstode of these preparationes he thought good to pre uent it whervpon he determined to passe the ryuer Nilo and to seke him and to the ende that he moughte the more spedyly passe his armye and artillerie he prouided a great number of botes and fastened them to bothe the shores and then laide his bridge made of bordes and called into the Castle suche Citizens as he suspected and â—caused them to be safely kepte when Tomombe is vnder â—tode that Selim was makinge redie to passe the Nilo with his armye fearinge the inconstancie of the people and seing no way howe by flyghte he mought prolonge the warres determyned to proue what fortune wolde doe once more in battayle wherfore he thought it good to assayle the bridge and to se yf that he coulde synding his enemyes occupied in their passage ouer take them vnprouided and so to onerthrowe them whervpon he vsed greats celeritie departing
ducates and yf thou shouldest nowe dye not gyue order in that behalfe they shoulde be conueyd and stollen awaye were it not better that thou shoulde bestowe them vpon soÌ„me hospitale whervnto Selim answered woldest thou that I shoulde honor my selfe with the goodes of other men to bestowe them in vertuose worckes in the remembrance and commendation of me I wyl neuer doe it whervpon Perino replied sayinge what woldest thou then that there shoulde be done with them He answered that they be delyuered to them froÌ„ whom they were taken and also he called to his remembrance y â— there were thre thousaÌ„d ducates of a Florentyne sonne to one Thomaso de Aiolfo he commaunded also that they shoulde be delyuered vnto him Whervpon after that the money marchandize and sylkes that were arrested in Bursta were delyuered to the owners and he that reported this was one of them and had receaued a great quantitie againe and had brought of the same salkes to Florence two fardells this is spoken to confounde manye of our Christian princes amonge whom in the lyke case it is a very harde matter to fynde one that shal haue such remorse of conscience but nowe to our historie when Selim was in this sorte consumed with his disease in the ende of the monethe of Septem her the vere of the Christian helthe 1520. hauinge in righte yeres which was the time of his raigne brought to passe so manye maruelouse enterprises he ended his lyfe in whose place succeded Solimanno his onely soÌ„ne a yonge man of great worthines in whome their was great hope for the great modestie that was in him he was of the age of xxviii yeres and beinge in Natolia y â— newes were brought him fleing of the deathe of his father wherfore in the begynninge he was in doubte of them fearing leste it had ben fayned by the commaundement of his father wherfore he wolde not sturre at all oute of Natolia tyll suche tyme as Perino Bassa came into Natolia to him who dyd not onely assertaine him of it but also constreyned him to passe ouer into Gretia to Constantinople where as sone as he was arryued he was receaued and coronned withoute any coÌ„tradicti on at all and accepted Emperour with the vntuersall ioye and contentacion of his subiectes and in this sorte he accepted the gouernement vsing in all his determynations y â— councell of Perino Bassa whom he honored as thoughe he had ben his natural father in this meane tyme wheÌ„ the death of Selim was published in Egipte and Soria it dyd greatly moue the people of those countres and Gazelle beinge pricked with ambition perswaded him selfe that he moughte recouer both Egipte and Sorta and erecte againe y â— of state the Mamalukes acording to y â— ancient order therof vnder the Soldanes whervppon he caused the Citie of Damasco firste to rebelle and possessyd it callinge him selfe openly lord ther of and vtterly caste from him all obedience towardes y e house of Ottomanno which brute when it was sprede abrode throwe the prouince caused all the Mamalukes that were lefte which were hidden in Asia and Affrica to comme vnto him and then according to their anient custume they created him Soldane who made all preparation possyble to defende his state and gathered togyther a great number of Arrabians and of the counâ—res neare aboute him and sent his ambassadours to Cairo to desyre Carerbeio to ioyne with him to helpe to restore the Mamalukes state to his ancient libertie offering him to gyue him what parte of the domynion y â— he wolde yea to resigne vnto him his place and to make him Soldane when Carerbeio had gyuen publique audience to his ambassadours vnderstode their demauÌ„de withoute gyuing them anye answer caused his Ministers to cut them in peces hauing also proued Aleppo and dyuerse other Cities of Soria he founde none that wolde ioyne with him in this enterprise whervpon he determyned to defend him selfe as well as be moughte and leuied in all countreys suche bandes as he coulde get to serue him when the newes of the rebellion of Da masco was comme into Gretia Solimanno commaunded forthwith the Bellagarbei of Cillicia which was appointed for the garde of the lesser Asia with .xl. M. horsemen to goe thyther who entred into Soria acompained with the lieutenantes of Aleppo and of the rest of the cities of that prouince and came before Damasco with his armie in battayle he was not so sone comme before the Citie but Gazzelle hauing determyned for onely remedie to hazarde the battayle and wolde rather dye honorable w t his sworde in his hande then to be delyuered by some practize lyuinge into his enemyes hands whervpon he marched forthe of the Citie with his armie and put his people in battayle and then marched on with a noble mynde to encountre his enemye who marched also towarde him and withoute delaie ioyned in battaile and foughte for a longe tyme with greate assurance on bothe partes the vertue and discipliue of Gazzelle and of those fewe Mamalukes that were with him was such that notwithstanding they were excedingly ouerlaid w t nuÌ„ber yet for y â— space of certaine houres they so endured the force of their enemyes that they were nothing at al disordered nor gaue to their enemyes one fote of place in the end hauinge slayne a great number of their enemyes and manie of them beinge flayne also and the rest in maner all hurte beinge ouercomme with very wery nes and not able to vse their weapones Gazzelle fyndynge hym selfe enuironed by the Turckes foughte valiantly against them tyll at the laste he fell downe deade from his horse amonge them the Mamalukes beinge in the ende disordered and seynge no way by flighte howe to saue them selues determyned to dye lyke worthy men with their weapones in their hande and so foughte to y â— vttermoste in suche sorte that very fewe were taken lyuing by the enemyes As sone as Mustaffa Bassa had obtained this victorie he came forthwith w t his armie be fore the Citie the Citizens made no resystance but openned the gates and receaued the Bassa with such people as he wolde with him into the towne who entred acompanied with fewe for that he wolde not haue the Citie spoyled nor y e marchantes which were there oute of all partes of the worlde to exersyse their traffique he pardoned the Citizens and confirmed their liberties and freedomes which Selim had giuen vnto them he lodged his armye withoute the Citie and in this sorte dispatched the rest of the Mamalukes And established Soria and all y e prouinces of Egipte in perfecte peace which were wont to obey vnto Selim leuinge them vnder y e reule of Solimanno Ottomanno their lorde FINIS A COMMENTARIE OF THE WARRES OF THE TVRCKES MADE against George Scanderbeg prince of Epirro and of the victories obtained by the sayde George as well against the Emperoures
apointed Captaines to his townes and fortes in y ◠yere of oure lorde M. CCCC.xliii and in the yere from his byrthe xxxiii When the Turcke dyd vnderstande this fynosse of Scanderbeg and the victorie of the Hungarianes he had so greate sorowe as in all his lyfe he had not had y ◠lyke wherfore he determyned to be reuenged and to employe all his force against Scanderbeg but Scanderbeg being very wise and one that knowe what he had to doe being aduertized of the Turckes determination and purpose went to Alessio a Citie in Albania then vnder the gouernement of the Venetianes where at his requeste all the princes helde a councell with the reste of the nobilitie of Albania of whom these that folowe were y ◠chiefe Aramthe Conino which was afterwarde father in lawe to Scanderbeg Andrea Thopia Paulo Ducagino Nicolo Pietro Spano Lech Dusmano Leche Zacharia the honorable lieutenantes of the Senate of Venise to whom Scanderbeg spake in this forme Very honorable fathers and magnificent princes I doubte not but that it is well knowen to vs with howe great inimitie and dispite the Turckes doe persecuteour moste Christian faithe and howe greatly they are enemyes to all vertue and especially they neuer kepe anye promese that they make and yf their powre were agreable to there wyll they wolde make all Christian princes to passe by the edge of the sworde as by experience it hathe ben seen here to fore when god for our offences hathe permitted it yet I by the mightye arme of god haue chased the vsurpers of my fathers state oute of it and haue cut all the Turckes in peces that made anye resystance against me and besydes that I haue wonne all that which y e Turcke dyd possesse in Albania as it is manifeste to all men wherfore your excellenties maye be well assured that that cruell dogge wyll employe all his force possyble against me and that w t spede and yf that by chaunce which god forbydde he shoulde ouercomme me he wolde immediatly make warres vpon you wherfore I doe erhorte and erneslly desyre your highnesses that for the loue you heare towarde god our moste holly faythe and also for charitie that it will please you to vouchesafe to vnite your forces w t myne and yf it seme not good vnto you so to doe for so muche as you are at peace with the Turcke yet I shall ernestly desyre you to stande by and nether to ayde the Turcke nor trouble me and hereof I do attende your gentle aūswere for that that I hope with the mightie right hand of god to defend my selfe against y ◠great Tyran Then all the princes and noble men of Albania withdrewe them selues with the lieutenantes of the Senate of Venise and went to talke in secrete and when they had consydered and debatted the importancie of the matter they made aunswere to Scanderbeg in this sorte moste excellent prince George oure deare sonne and brother as touchinge your age but in respecte of your vertue worthynesse oure honorable father we haue very well consydered and weyed thy iuste and moste necessarie demaunde full of wysedome and worthye in euery respecte to be herde wherfore we gyue you to vnderstand by commō consent that we are determined to vnite our powers with the for euer and to esteme thy state as our owne and oure state as thyne and wyll contynue thys league according to oure promesse in welth and misery which of them that god shall send moreouer we make y ◠oure Captaine generall to defend our libertie hoping in the mightye god that there is no power that shalbe able to resyste oure most holly vnion wherfore be of good comforte and make prouision of suche thinges as shalbe necessarie and commaunde for you shall not wante and also we wyll alowe you a yerely stypende towarde your owne maintenance and you shal not lacke that that we shalbe able to doe in any respecte when this moste holly league was concluded the aforesayde princes of Albania went and dyned with Scanderbeg their newe lord and thancked god of this concord and then some of them toke leaue and retorned to their prouinces and others accompained Scanderbeg to the citie of Croia A briefe declaration of the chiefe princes of Albania included in the aforesayde league GEorge Castrioth els named Scāderbeg appointed Captaine generall by their common consent desernethe to be fyrst named after him his father in lawe Aranith Conino then the sonnes of Musachio Thopia called of many Carlnich which in the Schianuon tonge betokennethe gloriouse and they are called the sonnes of Charles for so muche as they are discended from the house of Fraunce then were the lordes of the house of Ducagini and the noble men of the hous of Spain the lordes Cernouichi and Dusmani but the Venetianes wolde not enter into this league for the good wyll they bare to the house of Angelo whiche is discended from the Imperiall house of Constantinople on the one syde and on the other from that of the dispotto of Scruia of y ◠noble princesse Margaerite of Monferato duchesse of Mantoa who besyde her other patrimonie had dyuerse parcells in Albania chiefely Driuasto Antiuari and Croia and possessethe at thys present Antiuari and Dolcigno with other places that haue not howed the knee before the Idol Baale which is Mahomethe and it maye please god to gyue them the grace to conuerte the Turckes and other infidelles to oure most holly faithe or els to ouerthro we their greate powers as dyuerse tymes Scanderbeg hath done Somme man mought aske me here from whence Albania had his name Whefore you shall vnderstande that Plinio in his Booke intitled de Hominibus Illusiris in the thyrde Chapiter dothe declare howe y ◠Tullio hostilio the thyrde kynge of the Romanes when he had destroied the Citie of Alba which was not farre distante from Rome and had ben often tymes enemye vnto it commaūded that the Albaneses shoulde come and dwell at Rome but a great number of them acordinge to the opinion of dyuerse writers went into Asia and dwelled amonge the people therof which possessed the countre y ◠lieth betwene the mountaines called hiberi and Caucast y ◠Albaneses increased multiplied from tyme to tyme so that at the laste their countre was called Albania Iberia which this same Plinio describeth in y ◠vi booke of his naturall historie and in the thyrde chapiter from whence one parte of the Albaneses departed and came downe into Europe of whom the one parte dwelled in Epirro others in Macedonia somme in one parte of Liburnia which at this present is called Esemptia y e loer neare vnto Macedonia and Epirro some dwelled in a certaine parte of Dalmatia and Illiria which is called y e hie Esemptia neare vnto that parte of Liburnia wher of we spake before when the Albaneses had longe contynued in the aforesayde countres they were so encreased
to y â— Christianes and euel neighbours also wherfore I wyl not put that in hazarde which god hath gyuen me and maruell not at it for it is my ryghte and not thyne to possesse that which dothe appertaine to the Christians althoughe it dyd not apertaine to my father it is myne for that I am a Christian and haue lawfully recouered it w t my sworde in my hand This also shoulde prouoke thee to becomme Christian for that the possession of the townes and the gouernement dothe apertaine to the Christianes and not to the infydelles wherfore againe I beseche thee that thou wylte becomme Christian for otherwyse I wyll contynually moleste and annoye the in all that I maye and I hope rather to take from the y e which thou vsurpest of the Christianes then to yelde in to thy handes one handful of grounde And as touching thyne othe that thou haste made 〈…〉 me oute of my countre and that yf I be not slayne I shall at the leaste be enforced to serue other men vnto this I aunswere y â— yf I were not a Christian I durste not encountre thee but coÌ„mitting my selfe into y e tuytion of God in whose handes are states and kingdomes I saye vnto thee y â— I haue an assured hope to defende me agaynste thy greate power where with thou hast threatned me and y u maiest well thincke that victorie consystethe not in number of men but in hauing god and righte of his syde and then in the vertue of the souldiours and disipline iudgemeÌ„t of the leaders and yf hit hervnto we haue possessyd all these thinges aforesayd as I doe belyue thyne owne people haue or nowe witnessyd wherfore to conclude I say that nother thy sugred perswasiones ne yet thy cruell threatings maye alter what I haue sayde but yf that y u wylte becomme a Christian I shall then be enforced to al that thou hast required of me further more I promise vnto thy highnes that I wyll not enuade anye parte of thy dominions onles that thy people doe firste begyn And thus I commende me vnto thee in suche sorte as shal please thee froÌ„ oure campe the xiiii of Iuly 1444. When y â— ambassadour was departed with this letter Scanderbeg called vnto him all his Captaines and declared vnto them in order what the Turcke had wryten vnto him and in what sorte he had aunswered hym wherof they were all very glad and hoped that their affares shoulde haue good yssue vnto whom Scanderbeg spake afterwarde in this sorte My deare companiones in armes I doe beleue that as sone as the Turcke shall haue consydered my letter and herde his ambassadour he wyl immediatly determine to emploie against me al his force possyble and therfore it is necessarie that we be prouided to the ende that we maye defende oure selues and also that we be vigillante and attentiue obseruing suche order as I shall appointe vnto you which is that we contynue together alwaye in armes and contynually whiles we eate or sleape our horses to stande brydled and sadled and that euery man with his horse also kepe that place of y e squadrone wherin he shall fyghte â—nd when the ordinarie tyme shall comme to gyue them prouender to gyue it then in litle sackettes and then to hange their brydles vpon the pomelles of there sadles whiles they eate to the ende that yf the enemyes shoulde comme vpon y â— soodden to assaile vs we mought be sone in order redie to auÌ„swere them and besydes that I wyl alwayes haue w toute my campe a good garde for that they shal not surprins vs wherfore I wolde that you sholde wel obserue this order but forsomuche as I am certaine that as yet no enemie wil offend vs I wyll that euery man departe to his dwellinge place and prouide him selfe of necessaries and repose him selfe for I wil forthew t with myne ordinarie bands goe to y e confines of my couÌ„trey and wil there lye nowe in one place and then in an other and wyl holde the enemies in doubte when it shalbe nedful to fighte I wyl send you worde and when so euer we shal encouÌ„tre with the enemie let this commaundement remaine alwaies with you that no man paine of lyfe take anye spoyle so longe as one enemie shal make hedde against vs vntyl the battayle be ended for I saye vnto you that a man that is loded with bagage can neuer fighte worthilie And therfore I gyue you to vnderstande that I wilbe obeid and what so euer he be that like the not this let him remaine here and not goe with me and when that god at anie time shal giue vs victorie I promise you as a faitheful souldiour that al the spoile shalbe yours Then with greate reuerence and humanitie the Captaines and chiefe souldiours aunswered that what so euer he wolde commaunde shoulde be done and then euery man toke leaue and retorned to his dwelling place and Scanderbeg with his two thousand chosen horsemeÌ„ and one thousand fotemen passed on to his confines and there continued Scanderbeg continued in this sorte vp on his confines in maner withoute ani lodgings sauing certaine tentes that he had to 〈◊〉 him from the heate he had by his good prouidenâ—â— exceding good prouisyon for al his horses he kepte taâ—â— for al his Captaines principal souldiours his 〈◊〉 to eate once a daie and acording to that ordâ—â— his tables were most plentuously furnished notwithstandinge whosoeuer dyd wel consider his stature and complexioÌ„ and the exercise that he did daily vse and also his diete mought wel perceaue that he delighted not greatlye to eate but onelye to sustaine nature and maintaine force Scanderbeg was of a goodly stature and fayre wel fewtrid of al his membres and of an excellent good complexion wel able to endure hete colde and al kinde of trauaile as touchinge y e vertues of his minde he was wise circumspect and magnanime ful of liberalitie and cortesie and iuste both in dede and worde as moughte be possyble valiante merciful apte to forgeue wronges if it were required of him he was an enemie of al vice and especially of that of the Citie of Gomorra he wolde neuer suffer his souldiours to sley women nor childreÌ„ of his enemies nor that anye woman shoulde be enforced in prosperitie he was neuer proude nor in aduersitie neuer discoraged besides these his rare vertues his experience was suche in the warres that his people neuer receaued ouerthrowe if y â— he were with them and being in the feelde he neuer laie oute of his armour nor was withoute his weaponnes aboute him but slepte on the grounde vpon a carpett fyue houres slepe suffised him In the beginninge of any battayle he neuer sayde to his souldiours on good felowes but folowe me he was alwaies the firste in giuing the charge and the laste that retorned from it his souldiours were richely apparelled in sylke and golde but he
to Scāderbeg who lyke a noble prince caused them al to be wel entertained sent them home wit houte any ransom of al those prisoners be caused to detēyne two men of acompte the one was Simone Vulcatal of the countrey of ◠cutari and the other was Andre Humoi brother to y e Captaine of Croia which he sent into his owne countrey kepte them prisoners in a forte of his y e was of great strength called Pietra Bianca where they were by his cōmaunded very wel vsed and had great prouision appointed vnto them after this Scanderbeg passed with his armye throughe al the countre which appertained to the Venetianes thinckinge to haue taken it but he coulde not whervpō he fortified a rased Citie name Balezzo which had ben distroied by Attilla Flagello di Dio he fortified it with walles trenches and bastiōnes he furnished it with al kinde of menition and valiante men and he appointed to be their Captaine one of hys Captaynes named Marino Spā a man of muche worthynes to y e ende that he shoulde with contynual courses spoyle and impouerishe the countre kepe them in continual doubte And when he had established this order he retorned to y e seege of Dagnio After this they of Scutari vnderstanding y e Marino Span was gone forthe of Balezzo they went thyther with al spede and spoyled the Citie to the very foundation wherwith Scanderbeg beinge greatly offendyd destroied al the countrey of Scutari When the Turcke venderstode that Scanderbeg had warres with the Venetianes and consydering that that countre laie betwene two mighty enemies he was excedinly glad thinckinge for that the Venetianes were of great force that they wolde sone chase Scanderbeg oute of his countrey wherefore he sent commaundement to Mustaffa which laye vpon his cōfines with xv M horsemen to goe and spoyle al Scāderbegs countre yet for al that Mustaffa cansydering the bandes that Scāderbeg had lying vpon his frontiers in redynes wolde goe no furder then that place which is called Dronich where he set vp his tentes and lying with his armie encamped there he helde the countrey in contynual feare wherof as sone as Scanderbeg had aduertizement he departed from Dagnio with two thousand souldiours and went to his other thre thousand souldiours that laye vpō his confines and whē he had exhorted them to behaue themselues valiantly he put them in order assailed y e Turckes with suche furie that within a shorte tyme he put them to flighte and slewe .x. M. of them and toke Mustaffa with .xii. others men of great acompte whom he caused forthewith to be sent where Andre and Simon was and then made a greate course into the Turckes countre broughte with him a maruelouse riche proie and distributed al to his souldiours and gaue amonge them afterwarde .xxv. M. ducates whiche he had for the ransome of Mustaffa and y e other xii When Scanderbeg had done this he retorned to Dagnio helde that countre in suche trauaile that he broughte it al vnder his obedience yet notwithstanding the Cities defended them selues and chiefely Driuazzo whyles Amesabeg Nephewe to Scanderbeg spoiled the countre about Drinazzo the worthy Andre surnamed Angelo descended of the Romanes whiche in tyme passed possessed the Empire of Constantinople beinge Captaine of Driuas tynes ysued oute of the towne with suche furie and assayled the armie of Scanderbeg so worthily that he put them to flyghte with great spoyle of them so that after that it was alwaies said that Scāderbeg was alwaies victoriouse onles it were before Driuasto but his excuse was for that he was not present at that rencoūtre In the ende Scanderbeg made peace with the Venetianes vpō condition that he shoulde restore vnto them al those places that he had taken from them and in recompence therof he shoulde haue one part of the valey or strascte of Scutari begynninge at the bancke of the ryuer Drino towarde Scutari and so stretching oute to a certaine place called Busgiarpeni which portions in dede were much more cōmodiouse for Scanderbeg then the towne of Dagnio When this agrement was made Scanderbeg spake to the ambassadour of Venise in sorte as foloweth right honorable my lorde ambassadours it is the opinion of suche as are wyse where a man louethe once in dede he must nedes loue alwaie and peraduenture the prouerbe hathe herof his begynninge whiche saythe that the discorde of frinds engendreth an increase of good wil wherfore I gyue your honours to vnderstande that notwithstanding oure difference I haue ben alwaie wel affected towarde my lordes of Venise for so muche as their state is most Christian and that they are fryndes of al kynde of vertue wherefore I wolde not suffer at the battaile of Scutari the victorie once beinge myne to sley anye moe of their souldiours and to the ende that it shall be well seen that I am their frinde in dede I shal holde me wel contentyd and satiffyed with anye thinge that maye be commodiouse to their state and for that they shall well vnderstande that I make lesse acompte of mine owne cōmodities then of thers I doe make them a presēt of al y e which is mine for the which we haue had this difference and doe holde my selfe as wel cōtented as if I had them contynually in my possession and furder I wyl them not to feare the Turcke for I truste in God to defende bothe their state and myne owne also and thus I commende me to your honours When Scāderbeg had this sayd he embraced the ambassadours retorned into hys countrey when he came thither he caused to take oute of prison Simon and Andre aforesayd and when he had delyuered them he did them great honor and gaue them great presentes in token of the goodwyl that he bare to the Senate of Venise At that same tyme Scanderbeg made a great course into the Turckes countrey and burned and spoyled al y e countre as he passed thorowe and brought a great proie from thence whervpon the Turcke called vnto him all his consellours called in the Turckishe tonge Vestri also his Bassas Sangiachi Captaines and others of his principall order of souldiours and spake vnto them in this sorte I am maruelously troubled and amased with the manifolde dāmages and dishonours that I haue receaued at the hande of Scanderbeg my mortal enemie wherfore I doe nowe determyne to be reuenged to employe al my force possyble against him and so muche the more for that I coulde neuer gyue him ouerthrowe but he hathe alwayes triumphed ouer my people and ouer the Venetianes also in one instante and nowe for that he is a Christian he hathe made peace with them and contynually maketh warres against me and maketh none acompte of me at al in so muche that he dothe not onely not determine to deliuer vnto me that which he hath taken from me but contynually threatnethe to spoyle me as he hathe al
redie certyfyed me by his letters of y e reste Wherfore I doe determyne to make prouisiō and to vse my whole force against him wherfore I giue you to vnderstande that I wyl goe thyther in person firste I wyl besege the Citie of Croia and take it and then al the reste of his state wherfore make you redie for woe shal he be that is not redie at my mustres Scanderbeg was spedyly aduised of this great preparatiō and with al spede furnished the Citie with al kynde of necessaries and good souldiours Albaneses of great experience and faith he gaue them for their general Vurana aforesaid and he in person stode wel vpon his gard in this meane tyme there came a great number of Turckes into Scanderbegs coūtre and encampdd before Sfetigarde a citie that standeth from Croia 58. myles when Scanderbeg vnderstode of this he went forthewith as secretly as he coulde and encamped within .vii. myles of y e Turckishe armie w t. 4. thousand horsemen one thousand fotemen and being thus encamped wolde not suffer day nor nighte any fire to be made within his campe by meanes wherof the enemye vnderstode nothinge of his beinge there in this meane tyme Scanderbeg determyned to put in vse a Strategeme whervpon he wylled the valiante Moises and his Nephewe Musachie de la Angelina to take with them .xxx. horsemen and to disguise themselues and the nexte morninge to attempte as thoughe they wolde goe into Sfetigard leadinge with them certaine Asses loded with corne it was so done acording to his commaundement and in the morninge as sone as the garde of the Turcks campe sawe them thincking y ◠they had ben victuallers they hasted to encountre them and when Moises with his companiones had fled a litle waye he torned and charged the Turckes and forthew t slewe .viii. of them and hurte manye whervpon the rest suddenly fled and hasted them to the campe to declare the newes but the Bassa beinge very circumspecte mistrusting as it was in dede that they were no rascalles consyderinge the woundes and great blowes that they had gyuen commaunded 4. thousand horsemen to folowe them and to take them lyuinge Moises which alwaies had regarde to his seinge them comme began to flee and to hide him in a certaine depe valey the Turcks folowed their tracte with great furie In this meane whyle Scanderbeg who dyd attende suche an occasion furnished the entres of the valey and then with certaine bandes with him entred the valley and charged them flewe the greatest number of them and the reste fled in maruelouse disorder and had it not ben that the Bassa loked for Amorathe in person he had then retorned againe with al his armie into the Turckes countrey After this the. 14 of Maye 1449. this Tiran came to his campe in Albania with 160. thousande Turckes with manie great bombardes and a great quantie of other artillerie beseged Sfetigarde very straitly where Pietro Parlato was Captaine who with his souldiours that he had oute of highe Dibra and the reste that were with him in that seege behaued them selues so valiantly that althoughe they were contynually occupied in y e defence of their towne and in scaramoche yet they alwayes lefte with the best but in the ende a certaine traitour dyd caste a ded dogge into their chiefe cisterne of y e towne by meanes wherof the people were greatly consumed and the Tiran Amorathe toke the towne and in the begynninge he dyd entertaine this traitour very honorably and gaue him greate presentes but after certaine daies he was no more seen of anye for in dede princes doe oftē times loue the treason but not the traitour nor neuer truste them after and therfore it is not to be maruelled at that the Turcke seinge suche horible villanie in a man wolde neuer trust him after consydering that for his priuate lucre he coulde be content to shed not onely the bloude of his countremen but also to destroie his religion and betraie his countre After thys Amorathe went and beseged Croia rounde and planted his batteries and battered for the space of 4. montthes notwithstandinge he did them of the towne smale hurte for that the Citie was very stronge on euery syde and y t they had within the towne a plentuouse fountaine of goodly water and an other very faire fountaine behind the Castle which the enemyes coulde neuer possesse In the meane tyme that the Turcke beseged Croia in thys sorte the noble prince Scanderbeg nowe in one place then in an other assayled the Turckes campe and spoyled contynually al such victuallers as came to his campe notwithstandinge for that his number was very smale he coulde not enforce them to rayse their sege In y e ende of y e fourthe monethe aforesayde Amorathe commaunded to gyue a general assaulte to y e towne and to assayle it rounde in the whiche he preuayled not but retorned from the assaulte with great spoyle and losse of his people for the whiche he toke so greate an inwarde grefe y t forthewith he died Then the soroweful amased dishonored and confounded Turckishe armie abandoned y e sege and retorned home in great disorder and were folowed and spoyled in manye places as they passed and were very euel handled in such sort as they came home greatlye diminished and Scanderbeg remained in hys countre with great triumphe and victorie contynully praisinge the Almightye God When Amorathe prince of the Turckes was deade Mahomethe his sonne succeded him in his kingdome he that was sōne to Hierenia or Catagusma daughter to George the Dispotto of Seruia and for that he was not yet suerly established in his seate he coulde doe no great hurte wherfore Scanderbeg beinge desyrous to leaue somme heire of his boddie after him toke to wyfe that excellent faire vertuouse ladie named Doneca daughter to Aranithe Conino but as sone as Mahomethe the newe Turckyshe prince was established in the seate of his father he began immediatly to threaten Scāderbeg and coulde not endure that he shoulde possesse Croia Epirro then Scanderbeg with his 2. thousand horsemen and a thousand fotemen which were his ordinarie garde went to his confines determyning not to enuade at all onles that Mahomethe fyrste began and being in this sorte vpon his cōfines he vnderstode that y e Turcke had no armie in redynes to send against him and consydering that it was nedeful to visyte his countre he toke with him his aforesaide wife and made a visitaciō in his countre mynistring Iustice in suche sorte with mercy that he was bothe honored loued and feared of both◠more and lesse a man mought safely haue gone through all that countrey with horses loded with golde no mā wolde haue touched it After this Scanderbeg sent for a great number of masonnes and laborers and went to a certaine highe mountaine ouer the which there liethe awaye that leadethe from Turchie downe into