Majesty that to compleat our happiness you will be pleas'd of your wonted goodness to permit the said Count as we earnestly entreat him to continue in the employment he discharges with so much Glory and Applause Your Majesties ardent Zeal joyn'd to your Heroick Courage will shew it self with so much the greater lustre since by this means you will make it appear that you have so great a consideration for the Glory of God and Interest of our holy Faith that you take them more to heart than all other Affairs of the World you will put an Obligation upon us which shall always be preserv'd in memory and acknowledg'd by us upon all occasions with the deepest resentments of Gratitude and Respect To conclude we wish your Majesty long life perfect Health and Success to all your desires Given at our Ducal Palace the 17th of March 1687. Sign'd Giovanni Baptista Nicolosi Secretary The Plague with which many Cantons of the Morea were infected was the cause that the Venetians entred late into action The Turks who were resolv'd to keep on the defensive part might have made great progress on that side by opposing their Enemies with equal numbers since the Pope's Galleys those of Malta and of Tuscany came not to the assistance of the Venetians by reason of the apprehension they had of the Plague but all prov'd quite contrary and there was something so surprising and wonderful in the good success the Christians met with in the Morea that upon due reflection it seems almost incredible the good understanding that was between the Generals did not a little contribute to it who though sometimes of different Sentiments yet were always united in the same methods by the consideration of the publick good as may appear by what follows A little before the Naval Army went from Climno a Turkish Aga put himself under the Protection of the Republique who reported that the Infidels had an Army consisting of twelve thousand choice men who were encamp'd near Patras and another of six thousand near Misitra The Venetians on the other side had but seven thousand Foot twelve hundred Dragoons and about the same number of Sclavonians The Pope's Forces and those of Malta and Tuscany not having joyn'd them for fear of the Plague made a diminution of three thousand men The Commanders of the Venetian Army were Generalissimo Morosini Count Coningsmark who was happily recover'd of a hurt he receiv'd by the kicking of a Horse and a Fever that was caus'd by it Prince Maximilian William of Brunswick and Lunenburg General who was newly arriv'd with a Reinforcement of some fresh Regiments and Lieutenant General D' Avila who notwithstanding his great Age was very vigorous Under the Conduct of these Commanders the Army left Climno the 20th of July towards the Evening and by the favour of the Wind were the next day in the Morning near Patras some were sent immediately to view the Dardanels that guard the mouth of the Gulf of Lepante and observe whether they might land their Forces there but they perceiv'd that the Enemies had made Retrenchments all along the Coast The same day in the Evening they went to the other side of the Gulf but found that the Enemy expected to be attack'd on that side and that they had divided their Army into four Camps one being above Patras another on the mid-way between Patras and the Dardanels the third on the farther side of the Castle of Romelia and the fourth on the nearer side of the Castle of Morea The Gulf of Lepante has four Rocks The Ionian Sea runs into it by a mouth form'd by two Promontories which shoot themselves on each side into the Sea that which is in the Morea is call'd Capo Antirio it is guarded by a Castle which is call'd indifferently the Castle of Patras or of Morea The other which is in Achaia is call'd Capo Rione it has also a Fortress call'd the Castle of Romelia These Castles are commonly call'd the Dardanels of Lepant They are of a Square form and have good Walls with Batteries near the surface of the Water On the 22d at break of Day they landed on the right hand of Patras about the distance of two French Leagues from the Fortress and a quarter of a League from the Turks Retrenchments This landing was made without any opposition and it was said afterwards by the Prisoners that the Serasquier suffer'd it on purpose being resolv'd upon this occasion to conquer or die The Christians being posted along the Sea-Coast about an hundred Turkish Horse came up and charg'd the Hanover Forces but were vigorously repuls'd with the loss of twenty men there being but two of the Christians kill'd and seven wounded The next day a Council of War was held to debate what way was to be taken to attack the Enemies in their Camp or force them to Battel The way by land was very bad and there was a Wood to pass of near a League and a half so that that was judged impossible it was found equally dangerous to go by Sea the Passage being very narrow and the Enemy expecting to be attack'd on that side had plac'd there a Battery of some Cannon this made them resolve to go round the Wood and attack the Enemy behind which resolution the Generalissimo could hardly be induc'd to approve thinking their march would be at too great a distance from the Sea but when Count Coningsmark had sent him an Approbation of it sign'd by all the Generals and Colonels he agreed to it They march'd in the Evening having made Provision for some days they left the Mountains on their right hand and the Wood and the Sea on their left They met with some very rugged ways in their march and so narrow that they could not pass two a breast from whence it may be judged with how much difficulty they brought on the Artillery which was done by those of the Galleys Signior Sanudo Captain of the Gulf had pass'd the Dardanels on the 23d in the Evening to cut off the Communication between the Turkish Camps and on the 24th about Noon the Christian Army appear'd before the Enemy in very good order the forces of Hanover being for the greatest part on the right Wing and the whole Army drawn up in a square Body The Enemy presently march'd out of the Trenches with ten thousand Foot and four thousand Horse and gave the first Volley though at some distance the Cavalry with their Swords in their hands charg'd the Venetians on the left Wing but Count Coningsmark advanc'd with his Squadrons and all the Cavalry commanded by the Marquis of Courbon who was very well seconded by Viscount de Turenne so that the Turks meeting there with so strong resistance turn'd all their Forces on the right Wing there were amongst them two thousand Janizaries each of whom had been regal'd by the Serasquier with five and twenty Reals and a promise of as much more after the Victory The
their men being kill'd and others wounded They would have seconded this salled by a large Detachment of Horse but they also retired without fighting The Works having been advanc'd to the foot of the Counterscarp on the 21st all necessary Preparations were made for a descent into the Ditch On the 22d the Turks detach'd a thousand Horse and Foot buy they retir'd on the first motion the Saxon and Brunswick Forces made towards them On the same day arriv'd an English Vessel with Men and Ammunition The 23d the Enemy made a Salley from their Camp but after some light Skirmishes presently retir'd The Besiegers endured great Fatigues being necessitated to be at their Arms Night and Day by reason of these continual Skirmishes On the 24th they fell to undermine one side of the Counterscarp The 25th the Galleys were sent to get Forage for the Cavalry about ten miles from the place The 26th after they had made their descent to the Ditch they began to work at the Galleries it was a piece of Work that prov'd fatal to the Major of the Battalion of Malta who was kill'd on this occasion by a Musquet-shot as Chevalier Alcenago Major General had been some days before viewing the Ditch The Sersquier advanc'd nearer the Besiegers which hindred the besieged from desiring a Capitulation notwithstanding the great consternation the whole Town was in they were animated by his presence and making no doubt of being reliev'd they wrought at their Retrenchments that they might defend themselves in case the Besiegers should make so considerable a Breach as to venture on an Assault On the 27th Monsieur Venier return'd with the rest of his Squadron The Generalissimo saw his Army very much impair'd several Officers being dead of their Distempers many others were disabled and therefore since a longer Siege could not but be very disadvantageous to him he resolv'd to go and attack the Serasquier afresh and for that purpose on the 28th he made a great Detachment of Souldiers from his Vessels Seamen and Voluntiers to make his Forces seem the more numerous But on the 29th at break of day the Serasquier prevented him coming in person at the head of ten thousand men to attack the Lines he presently made himself Master of an Eminence which commanded part of the Camp and there being but one Squadron to guard that side he made them give ground and fell most furiously on the Battalion of Malta which not only stood firm but repuls'd the Turks with such vigor that they were forc'd to turn back and regain their Hill Two Battalions of the Saxons and those of Brunswick commanded by Count Coningsmark march'd against them and charg'd them with the greatest Courage and Bravery imaginable The Generalissimo caus'd his grand Detachment from the Ships and Galleys to advance having first given all necessary orders for the safety of the Camp and having plac'd himself at the head of some select Forces he charg'd the Enemies whom this fresh supply and the other Forces that came from the Sea-side had so terrify'd that whatever their Officers could do tho' they threatned them with their Swords in their Hands and in effect kill'd some could not stop the others from flying The Battel lasted seven hours and was very obstinate on both sides The Infidels left fourteen hundred of their men dead on the Field and there were but three hundred kill'd or wounded on the Christians side The Defeat of the Serasquier being made known to the Besieged by the joyful shouts of the Army in their return to the Camp and the Standards they had taken from the Infidels on the tops of which they had fix'd the Heads of those they had slain in the Battel it was now no time to consider what was to be done The Governour sent three Deputies to the General 's Galley who granted them that the Garrison should go out with their Arms and Baggage That ten days should be allow'd them to embark and that they should have a Convoy to Tenedos The next day the Capitulation was adjusted the Turks put the Castle into the hands of the Generalissimo and sent Hostages without receiving any from him The 31. Signior Morosini attended by the Pope's Galleys with those of Florence and Malta went into the Town and there gave necessary orders On the first of September it was under derliberation whether or no they should pursue the Serasquier but he himself took away the ground of that Consult by retiring to Argos on the first tidings he had of the Surrender of the place There were found in the Castle seventeen Brass Cannon seven of Iron and one Mortar in the City an hundred piece of Cannon with great store of Ammunition and Provisions There was great and solemn rejoicing at Venice for the taking of this important place the Doge attended by all the Noblemen assisted at the Te Deum which was sung in the Ducal Church of St. Mark where as a token of extraordinary Joy the Standard of the Morea was expos'd which till now had not been unfolded in the space of these last hundred years The great Services Signior Morosini had for some years perform'd for the Republique deserving a signal Recompence the Senate intending to confer upon him a perpetual mark of Honour made a Decree that himself his Brother and all the eldest Sons of the Family should for ever be Knights and should enjoy all the Honours that attend that Dignity The Senate being also desirous to pay some marks of their acknowledgments to Count Coningsmark who during the whole Siege had done all that might be expected from his known Courage and Conduct it was ordered that he should be presented with a Gold Bason to the value of six thousand Ducats After the Capitulation according to which the Garrison and Inhabitants of the place were to be convey'd to Tenedos the richest of the Turks ask'd leave of the Basha to put their best Effects on board the Vessel where he with all his Family was to embark believing that there they would be best secur'd The Basha consented to their requests without permitting them to come on board themselves When they had set sail he caus'd the Pilot to steer his Course towards Venice with design to ask the Protection of the Republique being accompanied by his Brothers and the Governour of Chielifa they were accordingly taken into Protection and while they kept their Quarantane in the Hospital Lodgings were provided for them in the Seminary of Noblemen It was thought that the secret Correspondence Signior Morosini held with this Basha did more contribute to the surrender of Napoli di Romania than all the Bombs and Carcasses that had been employ'd against it But this is most certain that by this Conquest more than sixty Villages were brought under the Dominion of the Republique Athens and many other places redeem'd themselves from plunder by submitting to an annual Tribute and offering a considerable Summ in hand Signior Proveditor of Dalmatia
their Detachment sent to summon the Governour and to terrifie him they let him know that no quarter should be given unless he surrendred that the relief he might pretend to expect was at so great a distance that the place would be taken before it could come They bid him consider of it but the best advice they could give him was to provide for his affairs in good time The Governour having receiv'd this Complement gave them for answer That if either Party had reason to fear it must certainly be themselves That they were deluded by false hopes That they might have inferr'd from the resistance he had already made that it would not be easie for them to succeed in their design That if instead of giving him advice they would receive any from him he advis'd them in good earnest not to persist in so vain an attempt That he would have them know that General Cornaro was on his march to relieve him and that to avoid a greater disgrace they would do well to retire and make no longer stay there This Answer making them understand they had no fearful man to deal with they continu'd the Siege but with so little success that at the end of three Weeks they were no farther advanc'd than on the first day In the mean time the brave resistance of the besieged having given time to General Cornaro to draw together his Forces who were yet in their Quarters he march'd to their relief The Proveditor Zen General of the Horse join'd him with eighteen hundred men and Chevalier Janco brought him a thousand Morlaques which altogether made up fourteen thousand men General Zen commanded the Cavalry General San Paolo the Foot and General Cornaro the whole Body of the Army They arriv'd on the 22d of April to a place call'd Lism not far from the Enemies Camp where they made a halt two hundred men were sent to a Hill to give notice to the Besieged of the approach of Relief by a Volley at the noise of which the Infidels came to view the Christians and found the whole Army was on its march to make them raise the Siege The Turks would not stay their coming up though they were the greater number They prepar'd for their retreat on the 23. of April in the Evening by sending away their Cannon and Baggage which was follow'd by the Foot and Horse The Besieged at the same time made a Salley charg'd those that stay'd last in the Trenches and fill'd up their Works The Enemies during the Siege and in their retreat lost above three and twenty hundred men and some Officers of several stations In the mean time Chevalier Janco who was gone before with his Morlaques was surpriz'd to see that the Turks had rais'd the Siege in such haste and that their Horse had already gain'd the Bridge of Cettina He entred their Camp where he found some Barrels of Powder some Swords and one piece of Cannon which the Enemies had left having first nail'd it The 24th General Cornaro entred into the Town being extremely well satisfy'd with the vigorous resistance the Garrison had made and gave a thousand Commendations to Marquis Borri and the other Officers who had signalliz'd themselves on this occasion The Senate being advertis'd of it caus'd considerable Presents to be made them and the Souldiers had each of them a piece of money On the 25th Te Deum was sung On the 26th the General retir'd to Spalatro having first given necessary Orders for the reparation of the place and the Forces return'd to their Quarters The Basha of Ertzegovine being next that he could not succeed in his Enterprise took his revenge for that disgrace by wasting the Territory of Trau reap'd the Harvest and carry'd away all the Corn. This Basha gathered together three thousand men more and march'd towards the Fort of Opusch a little place situate on the River Narenta with design to attack it He flatter'd himself with the thought that he need no more than shew himself to gain the place but the Governour of the place had very different Sentiments instead of opening the Gates to him as he expected he represented to his little Garrison that a glorious Death was better than a shameful Servitude which was all could be expected if they surrendred on discretion and that they would not die without sacrificing a great number of the Infidels Signior Cornaro having notice of this thought himself oblig'd without delay to second the good resolution of the Besieged for this purpose he commanded some Forces of that side to march and sent orders to Chevalier Janco to be there with the Morlaques three Galleys and some other Vessels to transport the Forces This march and the resolution of the Besieged oblig'd the Basha to retire not being willing to engage himself farther in an attempt which was like to prove as vain as that of Singe had been But the Morlaques not content to have disappointed their Enemies Designs surpriz'd the Suburbs of Dumno and several Villages of that Country which they pillag'd and burnt The Booty they carry'd away consisted of many Prisoners with a great number of Sheep and Cattel During this time the Pirates of Dulcigno went on shore in the Territories of the Republique and carry'd many away into Slavery and amongst others the Governour of Citta-Nova with all his Family Some Vessels were commanded out to cut them off in their return but could not light on these Pirates Count Coningsmark had shew'd much Experience Courage and Conduct in the Service of the Republique The King of Suedes who had a value for him having remanded him the Doge writ the following Letter to his Majesty which here you have in the same terms as it came from Stockholm To the most Illustrious and most Potent Prince Charles by the Grace of God King of the Suedes Goths and Vandals c. Marco Antonio Giustiniani by the same Grace Duke of Venice sends greeting and wisheth all Happiness GEneral Coningsmark has shewn so particular good Conduct and given such Proofs of his Experience in the Campaigns which have been made in the Levant with Success happy and advantageous to the Service of all Christendom that in the Design which is now on foot for the common good of Christianity a great share of the Glory that may be expected from it is due to to him His singular merit shines forth with so much brightness that its Rays are reflected on your Majesty who so generously condescend to yield us a Subject adorn'd with such excellent Qualities We receive great Services from him of which your Majesty is pleas'd to deprive your self to let us have the benefit of them in this juncture of time so favourable for the pulling down and bringing to nothing the insupportable Pride of the barbarous Ottomans Since then we have stood in need of his support since we have demanded and obtain'd it and more than once felt the good effects of it we confide in your