at the self same time satisfie the Expectation of his Valour and of his Treason but Sybeius the Governour of Damasco dealt otherwise for entering over-thwart the Ranks in the right Wing of the Turks Army he with his Mamalukes Charged with such fury that having made great slaughter of the Asian Horsemen they broak in amongst them like a devouring Tempest bearing down all before them till they came to the Insigns in the midst of the Wing Neither could Mustapha the Beglerbeg nor Imbrahor Bassa with all their Forces withstand him or restrain the Flight of their Soldiers so that cutting in pieces the right Wing he resolutely thrust in between the Battle of the Janizaries and the Pentioners and there made such lamentable Slaughter that the whole Army was in great fear for Selymus by the breaking in of Sybeius was divided from his Footmen in whom he reposed his greatest trust and now the Janizaries hardly charged by Gazellesâ— who following the Fortune of Sybeius had set upon the Front of the Enemies Battle the Asian Horsemen also put to the worst found no means how again to restore the disordered Battle In this Confusion Sinan Bassa came in with the Squadron of Horse under his Command who had been but lightly Skirmished with by Cayerbeius he stayed the Fury of the Mamalukes whereby the Turks taking fresh Courage soon after wrung the Victory out of their Hands for the great Artillery being by the Commandment of Selymus discharged amongst them by the terrible Thundering thereof their Horses were so troubled that they could not well guide them neither could their Riders themselves though they were men of undaunted Courage prevaile being on every side oppressed with the multitude of their Enemies yet in that disaster nothing dismayed setting themselves close together they brake through the midst of their Enemies with great slaughter of the European Horsemen and Pentioners and so with speed fled towards the Camp and City of Aleppo after whom followed Sinan Bassa with the swiftest Horse so that the News of the overthrow being known to Compson the Sultan he indeavoured what he could to stay the flight of his Men but the press being great and the Turks pursuing hard after them making great slaughter every one shifting for himself in that general Calamity without Respect to the Sultan he was overborn in the Press and there by reason of the weight of his Armour and great Age not able to relieve himself was troden to Death who after wards being found amongst the slain was laid to the view of all People that they might not flatter themselves with his being alive and so on his behalf fight more obstinately for the future This great Battle cost Selymus 30000 men and the Egyptians few less amongst which there fell 1000 Mamalukes and was fought on the seventeenth of August Anno 1516. After which Selymus received the City of Aleppo into his obedience the Mamalukes being departed thence to Damasco after whom he likewise sent Jonuses Bassa and followed himself with all the Army but before his Arrival they were departed to Cair and in a full Assembly chose Tomombeius a Circassian born Sultan in the stead of Campson Gaurus who took speedy Care for providing all things necessary to defend his Countries from the Power of the Turks mustering great Companies of such of his Slaves as he thought fit for the War as likewise several Moors and Arabians His Neighbours hiering certian Persons for great Rewards to Travel through the Arrabian Deserts into Mesopotamia and so to Hysmale the Persian King with the Letters earnestly requesting him to invade the Turks Dominions in Asia the less or with all speed to break into Comagena and so to inclose Selymus with both Armies as he lay in the Borders of Judea and by that means greatly destress him by reason he had no Fleet at Sea to relieve him with Provision and by that means might revenge himself and prevent his Territories from Invasion for the future Whilst these things was doing Sinan Bassa with considerable Forces passing through part of Arabia seized upon the City of Gaza of which Gazelles having notice posted thither with 6000 Mamalukes and a considerable number of Arabian Adventurers thinking to surprize the Bassa but he having notice of his approach went to meet him with all his Forces So that both Armies incountering the Egyptians after a Bloody fight being over-powred by numbers and sore Gauled with Harqucbuss Shot left the fight and fled towards Cair but whilst the Turks were departed on this Expedition the Citizens of Gaza had plundered their Camp supposing them to be retired for Fear and discomfited 2000 Turkish Horses sent by Selymus to the Aid of Sinan Bassa who retreating were almost slain by the wild Arabs and had certainly all perished had they not fortunately met with Juleb Governour of Achaia sent with another Power yet the Arabians flocking about them greatly annoyed them with their Shot from the Hills not giving them any time to rest and such through weakness or for to seek Provision stragled from the Army and were cut off so that had not Imbrahor Bassa met them out of Syria they had never passed alive through those Desarts for the Arabians as men living upon spoil still pursued them and in a dispersed manner were continually hovering over their Army yet long they had not marched e'r they met with Selymus who with the remainder of his Army was marching towards Gaza when having notice from those that had been put to flight by the Citizens thereof what had befell them he verily believed that Sinan Bassa and all his men were either slain or taken Prisoners till such time as he was by the Syrian Scouts informed to the contrary at which he not a little rejoyced yet the Arabians daily molested his Army Insomuch that he was inforced to place his Harquebusiers and most of his Artillery in the Rear with order to Charge them as they saw occasion and so in that Order he marched till he came to Jerusalem which was then altogether ruinated and defaced from whence after having viewed the holy Sepulcher kept by a Company of poor yet devout Christians who payed Tribute for that priviledge to the Sultan of Egypt and having made his offering and some miles distant met with Sinan Bassa who having put to Death the Authors of the revolt of that City and Exacted a great sum of Money of the rest came forth to meet him whom he bountifully rewarded giving to the Captains Garments of Silk and to the rest rewards according to their Demerits After he had refreshed his Army at Gaza for the space of four days he leaving a Garrison therein passed over the Dangerous Desolate and unpeopled Sands which at many times moved by the Wind worked like a rough Sea and rising in the Air hindred the sight of the weary Passingers but such was the good fortune of Selymus that a little before he entered them such store of Rain
Tartars hath made this Coward so affraid that he thinketh every Enemy two The Armies being come near to each other upon the great Plains of Sennas he thought not good to joyn Battle presently by Reason the Evening approached yet many light Skirmishes happened between the Parthian Horsemen and the Forerunners of the Turkish Army but the next Morning either Hoast being set in Array after some Pause the charge was Sounded whereupon the Prince of Ciarcan Tamarlin's Kins-man with 40000 Horse charged the Turks in the Front and Piercing their Battle put the Jannizaries into disorder but venturing too far was there Slain whereupon Axalla Leading the Vaunt-Guard composed of Sciths and Parthians bore upon the left Wing of the Turks Army cutting in pieces and Bearing down all that oppos'd him at what time his Footmen coming to joyn with him he Faced the Batalion of the Jnnaizaries who behaved themselves Valiantly for the safety of their Prince who in the middle of them Fought on Foot which Fight continued Bloody and doubtful for the space of an Hour all the place being heaped with the Bodies of the Slain till at last the Tartars being overcharged gave Ground which Tamerlain from his Stand perceiving sent 10000 Horse to Reinforce them and other 10000 to Fight in the Rearward and at the same time sent his Foot-men who fell in with the Turks main Battle that remained yet unshaken with such fury that making them give way he opened them to the Rear of the Jannizaries wherein was yet the Person of Bajazet who sustained the greatest Brunt of the Fight but at last overpowered with number they were forced to give Gronnd at what time Tamerlain coming on with 50000 fresh Horse Bore down all before him till he came to the Jannizaries who always Fight in the Heart of the Army and they weary and not able to make sufficient resistance were trodden down on all sides so that the Battle Swerving the Turks betook themselves to Flight and amongst the rest Bajazet wounded as he was who afterwards fell into the Hands of Axalla together with his Son Musa The Despot of Servia and many others of note This great Victory fell to the Tartars chiefly by the revolt of a great number of Bajazet's men who were raised in the Countries of the Mahometan Princes expulsed who in the Heat of the Battle seeing their natural Lords under Tamerline's Standard went over to ' um This Fight lasted Bloody and doubtful from Seven in the Morning till four in the Evening wherein as many report 200000 on either side were Slain and amongst the rest Mustapha Bajazets Son with most of his great Commanders After this Bajazet being brought before Tamerlain and demanded why he oppressed the Christians and made War upon so Noble a Prince as was the Emperor of Greece to which he replyed Even the same thing that hath moved thee to invade me even the desire of Glory and Soveraignty and why said Tamerlain do you use such Tyranny over those you Conquer without Respect of Sex or Age That I did said he to give the greater Terror to my Enemies Ah what wouldst thou have done with me said Tamerlain if it had been thy Fortune to have had me in thy Power I would said the haughty Turk not Conquered tho overcome have put thee in a Cage of Iron and have carryed thee in Triumph about my Kingdom Even so said Tamerlain shalt thou be served and thereupon commanded him out of his presence and as he had determined shortly after Cooped him up in a Cage of Iron and carryed him into the Countries he Conquered whose Calamity may well serve as a memento to all aspiring Mortals by putting them in mind that the Worldly Glory is not perminent After this the Greek Emperor sent his Ambassedor to Tamerlain in his Name to deliver up his City and Empire but he refused saying he had Dominions sufficient of his own and after having seen the City and wondered at its fair Structures and Riches he taking leave of the Emperor he passed with his Army into Egypt to be revenged on the Sultan for assistng Bajazet against him with 30000 Mamalukes having first subdued all or the greatest part of all the Turks Dominions in Asia and intirely restored Europe to its rightful possessors and meeting with the Sultan he overthrew his Army consisting of 174000 Horse and Foot and so wining Damasco Jerusalem Damiata Cairo and most of the Cities in Egypt Syria Lybia and other Eastern Countries making all the Kings as he passed become his Tributaries he left Calibes a great Captain with the greatest part of his Army to pursue the Egyptian Sultan and secure what he had won having news that his Father in Law was sick and that his Wife was desirous of his Company he returned into his Country but ' ere his departure Bajazet as desperate and impatient of his Misfortune had beaten his Brains out against the Bars of his Cage as the mos Authentick Authors affirm tho the Turks say he was set at Liberty by Tamerlain who beforehand had caused to take Poyson of which within three Days he dyed tho their saying is very unlikely to be true but however he was Buryed in Prusa by his beloved Wife Despina Anno 1399. having Reigned seven years and kept under restraint two years CHAP. X. The Life of Mahomet the first King of the Turks and the restorer of their Kingdom ruined by the Tartars THough Historians somewhat vary about the Successor of Bajazet yet the most Credible do affirm that his Son Mahomet several of his other Brothers being slain and carried away Captive succeeded him and that the rest might be mistaken in the Name This Mahomet when his Father was taken Prisoner was but fifteen years of Age having been by him appointed his Successor for the great Hope he saw in him for the recovery of the broken and much shattered Kingdom When Mahomet entered upon Kingly Authority the Tartars possessed a great part of the before Turkish Dominion but the Remains of the scattered Army and other Aids resorting to his Standard after the departure of Tamerlain he recovered many Cities some by Force and others by Revolt from the Tartars and not long after in a great and bloody Battle overthrowing Inal Ogly Tamerlain's Lieutenant he advanced more boldly and charged Costor Ogly and Kinpeck Ogly two more of Tamerlain's great Captains whom he likewise overthrew and following his good Fortune passed into the lesser Asia of which Tamerlain having Notice sent for him with a Promise to give him one of his Daughters in Marriage to whom he intended to go but by the way being often forced to fight through the Ambushment of the Tartars he fearing it was a Design to take him Prisoner returned to his Government excusing himself to Tamerlain's Ambassador and sending one of his own Ambassadors to give the reason of his not coming upon Notice of which and that the Turks still prevailed Tamerlaine prepared for
over at length weary of his unwonted diet he sent his Servant to a Shepherds Cottage to purchase natural Food who suspecting by some words that passed that it was the Prince like a perfidious Swain he gave notice thereof to Coshmos one of Selymus's his Captains who was come insearch of him upon which he was apprehended and carryed towards Prusa of which the Tyrant having notice greatly rejoyced and immediately sent one Kirengi Og'ly a Squint-Ey'd Captain to strangle him by the way who accordingly performed his wicked Masters pleasure and now none remaining alive to obstruct the progress of his greatness but Achometes and his two Sons he resolved to go against them but in the beginning of his Expedition he intercepted some Letters signed by several Commanders of his Camp and directed to Achometes desiring him to advance towards Selymus with all speed and that he might be assured upon his approach a great part of the Army would revolt or at least in the Battle they would kill Selymus Upon this discovery those that were found to be concerned therein were Executed and the Letters notwithstanding sent upon which Achometes presuming made such hast that he left his Footmen behind at what time 10000 Janizaries were come to Selymus out of Europe so that Battle joyning after a most Bloody conflict Achometes was overthrown and seeking to save himself by flight his Horse fell with him into a deep Ditch where he was taken by the pursuers at whose hands he could not procure himself to be Slain tho he earnestly desired it but was lead Captive to his cruel Brother who Commanded the Squint-Ey'd Captain that had dispatched Corcutus to strangle him with a Bow-String and now desiring nothing more then to get in his possession the two Sons of Achometes who to his great Grief heard they were honourably received the one in the Persian and the other in the Egyptian Courts and that Amurath the Elder aided by Hysmael the Great Sophy with ten thousand Persian-Horse was entered into Cappadocia wasting the Country before him for fear of whom most of the adjacent Provinces had submitted to do him homage he resolved after he had driven him back in revenge of the aid the Sophy had lent him to War upon his Countries in Persia wherefore preparing a great Army tho many of his great Commanders lay'd before him the difficulty and danger of the undertaking and amongst the rest Chendemus Vice-Roy of Natolia a man of great Experience and of all others in greatest Credit and Authority with Selymus who used many Arguments to disswade him therefrom which he afterward found to be undeniable truths but some of his Flatterers perswading him that Chendemus was bribed by Amurath to divert his Arms another way and bring certain Ruffains hired for that purpose to attest what they had said the Tyrant caused the faithful Bassa to be slain without hearing his Excuse and then Marching from Arsenga he came to the Confines of Armenia the Less before whose Powerful Army the young Prince fled but Selymus fearing lest the Mountain Kings not being made his friends and yet left behind him should fall upon his Rear sent Ambassadors to them to desire free passage through their Territories and to send him provision for his Money at such time as he should be entered into Armenia the greater to all which they accorded whereupon with all his Army he passed the Mountain Scodrisci and after 8 days Marching over an other great Mountain called Moschiâ— which the famous River Euphrates with his mighty streams and huge broden Banks separateth from the great Mountain Anti-Taurus and with perpetual steep ridges runneth into Iberia and Cholchis Here Selymus with his Ensigns displayed Marching along the Banks of the River departed not from the same for fear in that hot Country he should be distressed for want of Water and so held on his way directly Eastward leaving the Country of Armenia the less upon the Left and the Kingdom of Aladeules on the right and so along to the Banks of Araxes finding all the Country before him destroyed and by reason the Mountain Kings kept not their words in sending him provision his Army began to fall into great want which though too late made him call to mind the faithful Council of Chendemus yet having Marched thus far he could not without great dishonour turn back and therefore passing Arazes about the City of Coy to defend which City Vsta Ogli the Persian General approached with his whole power contrary to the expectation of Selymus whose Souldiers being oppressed by want and for the most part were forced to live upon wild fruit began to Mutinie so that whilst either Army lay Hovering at some distance Hismael came in Person into his Camp and from thence sent a harauld to Selymus to know why he had in hostile manner entered his Country having no title thereto as likewise to take a view of the Turkish Army to which demand Selymus replyed that his Grandfather his Uncle and himself had greatly Indamaged the Othoman Empire by making several Invasions and Aiding the Rebels in the Reigns of Mahomet Bajazet and of late in his Reign yet he esteemed them not as sufficient causes of War but sought after his enemy young Amurath his Brothers Son who had of late spoiled Cappadocia whom if he would quietly and friendly deliver unto him he would withdraw his forces and peaceably return into his own Kingdom otherwise with fire and Sword he would destroy not only the frontiers of Armenia but the heart of Persia also and so dismissing the Herauld both the Armies for that day lay still in their trenches expecting the dreadful event of Battle and after both Armies were Marshalled and put in order the Bloody Blast was sounded whereupon the Persian Horsemen came on with great fury making great Havock of the Vaunt-guard of Selymus his Army overthrowing the Alapi or common Souldiers by heaps which are such as the Turks for the most part carry to stand the first Shock of the Enemies fury and to blunt their Swords nor did the Turkish Horse stand firm but charged in either Wing gave ground which Selymus seeing caused his orders to open and began with his great Ordnances to play furiously to avoid whose Murthering shot the Persian Horsemen opened likewise to the right and the left yet the thundering of the Cannon so amazed the Horses that many of them cast their Riders yet Hysmale with great fury broke and disordered the Turks right Wing composed of Asian Horsemen but whilst Vsta Ogli was indeavouring to do the same to the left he was slain with a harquibus shot which much dismayed the Soldiers under his command yet could they not be forced to retire till Selymus came on with all his Power of Janizaries yet gaining little ground whereupon he commanded all his great Ordnance which he had reserved as his last refuge to be furiously discharged against the right Wing of the Persian Horse where
Italy Flanders and other Countreys to leavy Forces which they did in such abundance to oppose the common Enemy that upon the Muster of the Army there were found Ninety Thousand old experienced Foot Souldiers and Thirty Thousand Horsemen well appointed all the flower â—â—â—ermany Italy Bohemia and Hungaria as likewise One Hundred and Forty Thousand of less experience the whole Army consisting of One Hundred and Sixty Thousand Men the approach of which so terrified Solyman that after he had in vain besieged Gonza and harazed the Countrey though with the loss of Ten Tousand of his Men he returned to Constantinople carrying with him into miserable Captivity Thirty Thousand poor Christians taken in divers Countries through which he passed and to appease his fury put no less a number to the Sword And now had the Christian Army composed of divers Nations pursued the Turk by Land and Sea as the Emperour earnestly desired they might have driven him quite out of Europe but Emulation arising amongst the Commanders and the Soldiers frequently mutining this great Army effected nothing more than to oblige Solyman to retire The Empire mindful of the damage sustained by the Turks in Austria Hungary and other Countries to revenge the same early the spring following set forth a Fleet consisting of Thirty Five great Ships and Forty Eight Galleys under the Conduct of Andreas Aurea a most expert Captain who sailing to the Bay of Ambracia thought there to have met with the Turks Admiral who had under his Command Sixty Galleys but he having notice of his coming from the Venetians who stood Newters was sailed to the strong Haven of Calcide whereupon Auria directed his course to Corone a strong City upon the Coast of Peloponesus and had it yielded unto him upon condition that the Garison might depart with bag and baggage where leaving a Garrison of Spaniards he sailed to Patras another City in the same Tract took it and ransacked it permitting the Garrison nevertheleless to march out in safety after which he took all the Castles that guarded the straight of Naupactum without any hindrance which gave Saluiatus General of the Malta Galleys opportunity to waste the Coast of Corinth and take great booties which done he returned loaden with spoils to Naples and from thence to Genoa the place of his birth and residence The Turks grieving at their great loss early in the Spring Anno 1533 lay'd siege to Corone both by Sea and Land of which Mendoza the Governour by Letters advised the Vice-Roy of Naples craving speedy aid with all assuring him he would defend the Town to the utmost extremity upon which Auria was sent with a well appointed Fleet the terror of whose coming so frighted the Turks that they left the siege having lost many Men before it and for haste left all their heavy Carriages which became a Prey to the Garrison Soldiers which exalted their courage to that degree that they requested Macicaus the Governour to lead them forth to the siege of Andrusa a Garrison of the Turks not far distant from Corone but their coming being discovered they could not surprize it as they intended yet ransacked the Suburbs and made great slaughter of the Turk Horsemen quartering therein though with the loss of Macicaus the Governour and divers others yet not long after they took the City being abandoned by the Garrison as not tenable but upon their return to Corone the Plague began to rage so fearfully that fearing if they stay they should all perish and fit opportunity offering it self by reason of the Arrival of several Galleys from Sicily with Corn all the Spaniards together with as many Greeks as would imbarqued with the Cannon and what else they thought convenient leaving the Town to be again possessed by the Turks though not without the consent of the Emperor Anno 1534 Aloysus Grittus Son to the Duke of Venice and Solymans great Favourite being by him â—ade Leiutenant of Hungary inwardly envying at Ameriâ—us Vayvod of Transylvania at the instance of one Docia caused him to be murthered in his Tent which so incensed the Transylvanians that they Arming themselves to the number of Forty Thousand under the Leading Maylat a Valiant Gentleman and Kinsman to the Vayvod pursued the Murtherer who sled to Mega which the Transylvanians besieged and not without great difficulty took and in it Aloysus and Docia the former of which they beheaded and the latter tore in pieces taking the spoil of their Goods which was very great for about Aloysus were found as many precious stones as were esteemed worth Forty Millions Solyman thirsting after Glory and resolving not to let his Soldiers lye idle resolved to invade at once both Africk and Persia the charge of the first he committed to Barbarusa who of a poor Fisher-Boy became a Pirate and afterward King of Argire and then travelling to Constantinople was upon the recommendation of Achometes the Great Bassa made one of the Bassas of Solymans Council Whereupon he cansed all his Galleys to be in a readiness appointing the aforesaid Barbarusa Admiral of all his Sea Forces who had no sooner taken upon him the Command but sailing out of Hellespontus with Eighty Galleys leaving Amurath with twelve to transport Solymans Army in to Asia he shaped his course for Italy when passing the Straights between Italy and Sicily he brought such a fear upon the Inhabitants on either shoar that they fled with all their substance further into the Countrey after which he layed siege to Saint Lucidius formerly called Tempsas which he took putting most of the Inhabitants to the Sword from whence with a rich booty and many Prisoners he marched to Citrarium which he took and burnt together with Seven Galleys that lay in the Port and so sailing by Naples he seized upon Spelunca from which he marched over Land to Fundi ten miles from Spelunca on purpose as was thought to have seized on Jula Gonzaga a Lady of incomparable Beauty whom he intended to have presented to Solyman but she though half naked getting on Horseback fled to the Mountains yet he took the City and put most of the Inhabitants to the Sword and so coasting along Italy and taking many Cities Towns and Castles he brought such a fear upon Rome once Mistress of the World that many conjectured that if he went directly thither with his Fleet the Romans would have forsaken the City but then contrary to the expectation of most he shaped his Course for Africk resolving to invade the Kingdom of Tunes over which Reigned one Muleasses having a little before stepped into the Throne by treacherously causing to be Murthered all his Brethren except Roscetes and Abdemelech the former of which having tryed his utmost fortune for the recovery of the Kingdom in right appertaining to him as Elder Brother to Mueasses he for his safety was fled to Constantinople which opportunity Solyman laying hold on to advantage his Wars in Africk kept him as a
to the assistance of the Vayvod Selymus hearing what had passed sent 30000 Turks and 2000 Hungarians to joyn such Forces as were raised by the Palatine of Valachia Transalpine with a Command that he should take John the Vayvod and send him in bonds to Constantinople and in his stead placed Peter his brother of which the Palatine an utter Enemy to John was not a little glad nor delayed but upon the Arrival of the Turks and Hungarians with an Army of 202000 fighting men passed over the River Moldavius not doubting but with his multitude to oppress his adversary but putting too much confidence in his strength and by reason thereof incamping disorderly on the Bank of the River the Vayvod and Captain of the Cossacks set upon with such fury that ere his Souldiers could recover their Horses then dispersed in the adjacent Medows or put themselves in a posture of defence they overwhelmed with shot and every where disordered so that flying in great confusion most of them were slain or drowned in attempting to repass the River the Palatine and Peter his brother hardly escaping to the Castle of Brailonia in Valachia In the Palatines Camp were found store of Riches which the Vayvod bestowed upon his Souldiers and with Fire and Sword entered Valachia Transalpine putting all to the Sword that came in his way without respect either to Age or Sex till he came to the Castle of Brailonia in which he understood that the Palatine and his Brother were in this Castle together with a fair City bearing the same name standeth on the Banks of Danubius which at that time was defended by a strong Garrison of Turks near unto which incamping his Army he wrote to the Captain thereof commanding him to deliver into his hands the Palatine and his Brother who had causelesly invaded his Territories and being overthrown in Battle was fled unto him the which if he refused to do he vowed never to depart from thence till he had constrained him to yield them up which Message being sent to the Captain by two Valachian Prisoners he returned four Messengers with ten great shot ten small shot and two Turkish Arrows giving them in charge to tell the Vayvod that forasmuch as he knew him to be a servant to his dread Soveraign Selymus he did respect him but would in no wise deliver into his hands those he required but forasmuch as he understood that he of late had slain a great number of his Lords Servants who by his commandement were bringing Peter the Palatines Brother into Moldavia he therefore commanded him to raise the siege or he would make him and his Souldiers seed upon those dishes meaning the Bullets and Arrows till gorged to the full they dangerously surfeited and cast This answer so incensed John that he caused the Messengers to be cruelly intreated by cutting off their Noses Lips and Ears and nailing them by their feet to a piece of Timber hung them up before the City with their heads downwards as a terror to the rest and they furiously battering the Walls till large breaches appeared the Souldiers entred by plain force put all to the Sword that they found therein Insomuch that the blood running like a Torrent into the Danubius crimsoned ore its stream for many a mile There the greedy Souldiers found inestimable Wealth heaped up in many peaceful years but perceiving the Castle not so easily to be won as the City he upon notice of the approach of 15000 Turks to the relief of the former razed the latter and suddainly went to meet them with his Cossacks and 8000 Moldavian Horsemen and by speedy Marches entred their disordered Camp ere they heard he had raised the siege where the inraged Souldiers so laid about them that scarcely 1000 of the Turks escaped which were afterwards put to the Sword in Teira which City the Vayvod took and utterly razed and returning from thence overthrew another Army of the Turks with incredible slaughter so that his name became terrible to the Turks and made Selymus doubt the keeping of his Dominions in Europe but as Treason is always the wreck of prosperous affairs so it happened to the Vayvod for he dissolving a part of his Army and appointing Czarnieuiche one of his great Captains and a man singularly by him beloved for the Guarding his Frontires and preventing the Turks passing the Danubius corrupted with the Turks Gold he suffered Peter with a great Army the next Spring to enter Valachia without resistance of which the Vayvod having notice lying then before the Castle of Teine he sent the Captain of the Cossacks and the Moldavian Horsemen to oppose their passage who meeting with 6000 of the forerunners of the Turks Army after a light skirmish put them to flight and taking one of them though mortally wounded inquired of him the state of the Army that had passed Danubius but he dealing unfaithfully with them would not make them sensible of the great power which was at hand yet the Captain of the Cossacks doubting to be oppressed by multitudes and having in distrust the fidelity of Czarnieuiche sent to the Vayvod to advertise him thereof and to desire him to provide for himself and the safety of his Army but he as a man resolved to give the Turks Battle returned for answer that in the first place he little doubted of the Faith of him whom he had found most faithful in the time of his greatest distress and used as a most trusty companion in all his Travels and that it was no time now to stand in doubt or be afraid and that as for himself he would ere long come with the rest of the Army and take a view of the Enemies Camp for that he was not come so far to fly but to fight in the defence of his Subjects and Country and so within four dayes after he joyned with the forerunners of his Army and incamped near a Lake which runneth out of Danubius and with several of his trusty followers ascended a high Hill the better to take a veiw of the Enemies huge Camp upon which plainly perceiving that he was betrayed by Czarnieuiche who had then under his command 13000 of his choice Souldiers he sent for him but he doubting his Treason was discovered sent him word that he could not now come the Enemy being so nigh at hand but that he should without delay see him in the Field as forward as the most couragious against the Enemy but herein he failed his Lord for Battle being joyned he caused his Ensigns to be let fall and revolted to the Enemy which so discouraged the rest of the Souldiers that after a desperate and bloody fight finding themselves oppress'd with multitudes and their Countrey-men who should have assisted them fighting against them they gave back which the Vayvod perceiving caused the retreat to be sounded and with 20000 Foot men and such Horsemen as escaped the Battle retired in as good order as the danger would permit
nevertheless obliged to kiss the Hand that beat him Their Imploys are different in time of Peace for some wait upon Ambassadors others upon Merchants and Consuls others again upon such as travel through the Turkish Empire They likewise arrest Malefactors and see good Order kept being feared of all Men insomuch that if they buy any thing they will have it at their own Price the Vender not daring to refuse it They have great Power in their Princes Election no Emperour thinking himself safe in his Throne till they approve of him So that to gain their good Opinion every new Emperour at his entring upon the Government distributes large Sums of Money amongst them and increases their Stipends Though the chief Strength of the Turkish Foot Forces rests in the Janizaries yet are there another sort of Foot-Men called Acouices which is a Forlorn Hope These receive no Pay but have free liberty to plunder so that they deliver the fifth Part to the Grand Seigniour Another kind there are called Asapi who are but of small Account and rather used as Pioneers than to encounter the Enemy yet are they often thrust into the Front of the Battle with their Bodies to blunt the Enemies Swords or to scale the Walls of Towns that by being slaughter'd their Dead Bodies may fill up the Ditches and so give the Janizaries opportunity on their Dead Carkasses to mount the Bullwarks The Grand Seignior keeps in continual Pay six thousand Gunners whom the Turks call Topegi and for the Guard of the Powder and Shot upon the March of the Army twelve thousand Men are kept in pay called Jebegi The Grand Seignior hath likewise certain Officers attending on him to the number of three thousand whom they call Chiaus which act in the Nature of Serjeants at Arms. These Men are well esteemed and are often employed in Embassies to Forreign Princes They also carry Letters or Commendations from the Grand Seignior or his Chief Vizier and are impower'd to apprehend Malefactors But never go to the Wars unless the Grand Seignior be there in Person They are commanded by a Chiaus Bassa who is of such Credit with all Men that when he is sent by the Grand Seignior to any Bassa Sanzack or Caddi to have any Man's Head cut off though he have no Warrant in writing yet his Authority is not disputed Thus have I set down the Land Forces of the Turkish Empire in number so great that in shew they should breed Confusion and ruin themselves yet such is the Order and Discipline that in that point they give place to none They live for the most part on a little Bread baked in the Ashes with Rice and Powder of Flesh dried in the Sun Wine is forbidden them by their Law though 't is often drunk by them in private especially the Great Commanders No Women are seen in their Armies In their March they observe a wonderful Silence and all the Soldiers are governed by the Beck of the Hand or Shew of the Countenance Quarrels and Thefts are severely punished When they March they dare not enter any Corn-field or Vineyard The Valiant are assured of Preferment and the Coward of Punishment As for the Grand Seignior's Naval Forces they are great he having of late for Gain-sake allured many Christian Carpenters and Shipwrights to his Arsenal and hath a great number of Men trained up in Marine Affairs by being continually imployed aboard his Gallies at Rhodes Cyprus and Mitylene and Alexandria He has also at his Beck the Pirates of Tunis Tripoley Sally Argire and other Places from amongst whom he chooses his prime Commanders in Marine Affairs To maintain these great Forces it is requisite a wonderful Mass of Money should be imployed which is the Sinews of War and without which so great an Empire could not be kept in frame though many are of opinion that the Grand Seignior's Annual Revenues exceed not eight Millions meaning thereby that which is collected of his Subjects and upon the account of Customs For which they give these Reasons First That the Turks have no care but of Arms the which do rather ruin than enrich a Country Secondly They consume so many Men in their Enterprizes that they scarce leave a sufficient number to manure the Land insomuch that the Subjects despairing to injoy their Wealth and necessary Commodities which they might get by their Labour and Industry employ not themselves to work nor traffick more than by necessity they are constrained For they argue 't is to no purpose to labour for another their Lives and Estates being daily exposed to the Mercy of their Prince And for this Reason many spacious Countries in the Turkish Empire lie waste which neglect frequently causes a Dearth A Third Reason that is given why the Grand Seignior's Revenues are no greater is for that when he Conquers any Country he assigns the Lands therein to his Timariots who serve in the Wars and are no otherwise liable to accommodate their Prince But although his ordinary Revenues amount to no great Sum in consideration of the large Circuit of his Empire yet his extraordinary Profits accruing by Confiscations Presents for no Stranger may approach his Presence empty handed and Mony raised upon Places and Offices of Trust amount to a far greater Sum than what has been mentioned Nor are the Sums small which he draws from the Princes their Tributaries that are not absolutely under his Jurisdiction as Moldavia Vallachia and Transylvania with many more So that in all moderate Writers affirm That his Coffers are yearly supplied with twenty Millions The Management of which is left to the Defterdari or chief Treasurer who has many Sub-officers under him Thus much having been spoken of the Forces Revenues and great Officers I shall now proceed to give the Reader a View of their Religion if it may without offence be so termed which they call the Law of their great Prophet As for their Religion it began in the time of Heraclius the Emperor at what time the Heresie of Arius and Nestorius spread it self to whose Infamous Proselytes Mahomet the Impostor born in Arabia joyned himself impiously denying the Divinity of Christ and proclaiming himself a Prophet sent from God drawing a Multitude after him Insomuch that such as would not receive his impious Tenents by fair means he compelled by force And the better to ingratiate himself with the lewd and licentious sort of People he tolerated all manner of Lust and Worldly Delights By the Law this Impostor left and that now has overspread two Parts of the World a Distinction is made between clean and unclean Meats to content the Jews who are the greatest Merchants in the Ottoman Empire They also maintain Circumcision but not at the Expiration of Eight Days according to the Jewish Custom but at the End of Eight Years when the Infant is able to make a Confession of his Belief and lifting up his Finger to speak these words in the Arabick Tongue viz.