the releefe thereof by sea Of which preparation Saladin vnderstanding as also of the kings comming by letters intercepted by his scouts directed to the besieged for the holding out of the siege with promise of speedie reliefe he presentâ—y rise with his armie and departed whereof the king being aduertised retired to SEPHOR Not long after Saladin according to his ambitious nature desirous aboue measure to extend the bounds of his kingdome and seeing the successe of his attempts against the king of HIERUSALEM not answerable to his desire conuerted his forces vnto the countries more eastward and passing the riuer EUPHRATES and entring into MESOPOTAMIA partly by force partly by corruption got into his hand the cities of EDESSA CARRAS and diuers others In which time the king of HIERUSALEM tooke occasion first to spoile the country about DAMASCO and after that diuers other places of the Sultans kingdome making hauock of whatsoeuer came in his way and so laded with the spoile of the Turkes retired to HIERUSALEM Saladin with victorie returning out of MESOPOTAMIA in reuenge of the injuries done vnto him in his absence marched directly to ALEPPO the strongest citie of the Christians in that part of SYRIA which aboue all other he longed after where hee had not long lien but that it was by the treason of the gouernour deliuered into his hands with all the countrie thereabouts wherwith the Christian princes were so discouraged that they euen then began to feare greater matters to ensue The prince of ANTIOCH sould TARSVS the metropoliticall citie of CILICIA to Rupinus prince of ARMENIA for that he saw it was not without great charge and danger to be by him defended being so farre from him and Saladin as it were now stept in betwixt him and it At the same time king Baldwin at NAZARETH fell sicke of a feauer the leprosie also his old disease growing dayly more and more vpon him in so much that dispairing of his life he called vnto him Guy Lusignan countie of IOPPA and ASCALON vnto whom he had before espoused Sybill his eldest sister and in the presence of his mother the Patriarch and all the chiefe commaunders of the souldiers of the sacred war appointed him gouernour of the kingdome reseruing vnto himselfe only the title of a king with the citie of HIERUSALEM and a yearely pension of ten thousand duckats All which was done to the great disgrace and discontentment of the countie of TRIPOLIS the old gouernour It was not long but that Saladin hauing breathed himselfe a little after so great labours came againe into the Holy land where he tooke many castles and did infinit harme in so much that the countrey people were glad for feare to forsake their houses and to flie into cities The Christian armie in the meane time lying fast by at SEPHOR not once moouing although many a faire occasion were offred For the chiefe commaunders affectionated vnto the countie of TRIPOLIS and enuying at the preferment of Guy the new gouernour were vnwilling to fight but finding one excuse or other suffered the enemie at his pleasure to spoile the countrey and so in safetie to depart which he had neuer before done in those quarters Within lesse than a moneth after Saladin with a great armie well appointed with all the habilliments of war needfull for the besieging of a citie or strong castle came againe into the land of PALESTINE and passing through the countrey beyond IORDAN sat downe at last before PETRA in hope by the taking thereof to haue made his passage betweene AEGYPT and DAMASCO more safe Of which his purpose king Baldwin hauing knowledge and taught by the euill successe of late to what small purpose it was to commit the managing of his wars vnto a generall so euill beloued and lesse regarded as was Guy his brother in law sent against him with his armie Raymund the countie of TRIPOLIS the old gouernour whom he had againe restored vnto the gouernment and displaced Guy Of whose comming Saladin hearing raised his siege after he had lien there a moneth and so departed A little before this expedition the king still growing sicker and sicker his foule disease still increasing by the common consent of the nobilitie appointed Baldwin his nephew by his sister Sybylla a child but of fiue yeares old to succeed him in the kingdome and the countie of TRIPOLIS to haue the gouernment of the state during the time of his minoritie This Sybilla the kings sister was first married to William the yoonger marquesse of MOUNT-FERRAT who dying within three months after left her with child with this his posthumus sonne Baldwin now by his vncle deputed vnto the hope of the kingdome After whose death she was married to Guy Lusignan countie of IOPPA and ASCALON the late gouernour who taking in euill part this the kings designement especially for the gouernment of the kingdome by the countie of TRIâ—OLIS departed from the court as a man discontented vnto his citie of ASCALON whereof the Patriarch and the princes of the sacred war fearing and that not without cause great danger to ensue came to the king then holding a parlament at the citie of ACON most humbly requesting him for auoiding of further danger and the safetie of his kingdome to receiue againe into his fauour the countie Guy his brother in law and to make an attonement betwixt him and the countie of TRIPOLIS But this their request sorted to no purpose so that the parlament was dissolued without any thing for the good of the commonweale in that point concluded After that time the kingdome of HIERUSALEM began still more and more to decline In the old king Baldwin sicke both in bodie and mind was almost no hope in the yoong king yet vnfit for so great a burthen much lesse and the dissention betwixt the two counties Guy and Raymund with their fauorits was like enough to bring great harme vnto the state Besides that the countie of TRIPOLIS fearing the power of Guy his enemy was thought to haue secret intelligence with Saladin the Turke in so much that the king was almost in purpose to haue proclaimed him traitour Wherefore the king now rested onely vpon the counsell of William archbishop of TYRE and the masters of the knights of the sacred war by whose aduise he sent Heraclius Patriarch of HIERUSALEM Roger Molins master of the kinghts of S. Iohns and Arnold master of the Templars embassadours vnto Lucius the third then Pope vnto Fredericke the emperour Philip the French king and Henrie the second king of ENGLAND to declare vnto them the dangerous state of that Christian kingdome and to craue their aid against the Infidels These embassadours comming to the Counsell then holden at VERONA with great grauitie and diligence in the presence of the Pope and of the emperour declared the hard estate of the Christians of the East with their humble request vnto them for aid in such sort that they mooued
them with all the princes there present to compassion From thence they were by the Pope directed vnto Philip the French king with whom hauing dispatched their affaires they from him passed ouer into ENGLAND afterward into GERMANIE and had at length broght their negotiation to so good passe that in euerie place great preparation was made for a great expedition to be vndertaken against the Turks for the reliefe of the Christians in the East with which good newes the embassadours returning to HIERUSALEM filled the sicke king with the hope of great matters But greater quarrels shortly after arising betwixt the Pope and the emperour and sharpe war likewise betwixt the French king and the king of ENGLAND and the other Christian princes also being at no better quiet the notable expedition that had with the expectation thereof so filled the world was againe laid aside and quite dashed Whereof king Baldwin vnderstanding both by messengers and letters from his friends oppressed with griefe and heauinesse more than with the force of his disease a man for his prowesse and painefulnesse not inferiour to any his predecessours died without issue the 16 day of May in the yeare 1185 being but fiue and twentie yeares old whereof he had raigned twelue His bodie was afterward with the generall mourning of his subjects solemnly buried in the temple neere vnto the mount CALVARIE together with his predecessours the kings of HIERUSALEM King Baldwin thus buried Baldwin the fift of that name yet but a boy was crowned king But then began the sparks which had of long lien raked vp hidden in the ashes to break out into a great fire For Raymund countie of TRIPOLIS contended the whole gouernment of the kingdome tuition of the king to be due vnto him by the appointment of the late king consent of the nobilitie and did so much that he had almost obtained it to haue beene confirmed vnto him in open parlament But Sybilla a woman of a most haughty spirit sister vnto the late king mother vnto the yoong king yet liuing prickt forward her husband Guy in no case to giue place vnto his competitour Raymund and so animated him that by the helpe of his owne fauourits and the countenance of Boniface marquesse of MOVNT-FERRAT who euen then was come with a great power into SIRIA he extorted from the nobilitie whatsoeuer hee desired But seuen moneths were scarce well passed but that this yoong king Baldwin was dead and buried poysoned as was reported by his mother for the desire shee had of the kingdome herselfe whose death she with all secrecie concealed vntill she had obtained of the Patriarch and other princes of the kingdome That Guy her husband might be proclaimed king So by her meanes it was so wrought that vpon one and the selfe same day the yoong king Baldwin was buried by his vncle and Guy the countie crowned This yoong king Baldwin by reason of his tender yeares and short raigne is of some not reckoned amongst the kings of HIERUSALEM howbeit seeing he was by his vncle and the princes of that time thought woorthy of the kingdome let him also haue his place amongst the rest as the eight king of HIERUSALEM When Guy was thus possessed of the kingdome the countie of TRIPOLIS seeing himselfe out of all hope of the gouernment and highly therewith discontented did what he might by all meanes to crosse the doings of the king whose sicke and aspiring mind Saladin prickt dayly more and more forward promising him his helping hand whensoeuer hee should need which courtesie the countie desirously imbraced For now the fatall period of the kingdome of HIERUSALEM drew fast on and all things tended to destruction discord raigning in euerie place which Saladin well perceiuing after that he had compacted with the countie by messengers sent of purpose inuited the Turks Sarasins Aegyptians as men agreeing in one and the same religion generally to take vp armes in so fit an oportunitie of the discord of the Christians assuring them of great prey and spoile besides the honour of the conquest The citie of PTOLEMAIS was the place by him appointed where all this power should meet whether such a multitude of the barbarous Mahometanes partly for the hatred of the Christian religion partly for the hope of the rich spoile which Saladin had promised them came flocking out of all places that in short time there was met together about fiftie thousand horsemen besides an infinit number of foot And vnto such as could not safely passe by the borders of HIERUSALEM to them the false countie gaue safe conduct by the countries of TIBERIAS NAZARETH and GALILEY All the power of the infidels thus assembled Saladin laid siege vnto the citie of PTOLEMAIS which the Templars and the knights Hospitalers had notably fortefied and strongly manned as before vnto them giuen by the kings of HIERUSALEM to defend against the infidels and therein now were both the masters of both those honourable orders with the whole flower of the knights of their profession Vnto this citie Saladin gaue a most terrible assault vpon May day in the morning in the yeare 1187 which was by the Christians notably defended and the enemie with great slaughter still beaten downe In the heat of this assault the two great masters sallying out with certaine troupes of their most readie horsemen assailed the enemies campe and bearing down all before them raised there a great tumult and by and by turning vpon the backs of them that were assaulting the citie made there an exceeding great slaughter Insomuch that Saladin dismaied first with the confusion in his campe and now with the suddain danger behind him was glad to giue ouer the assault and to turne his whole forces vpon them where was fought a most bloodie and terrible battell Amongst others that there fought the countie of TRIPOLIS now an enemie vnto God and his country disguised in the habit of a Turke notably helped the infidels and meeting with the great master of the knights Hospitalers vnhorsed him who surcharged with the waight of his armour and oppressed with the multitude of his enemies there died Neuerthelesse such was the valour of these woorthie men and new succour still comming out of the citie that Saladin hauing in that battell and at the assault lost fifteene thousand of his Turks was glad with the rest to betake himselfe to flight Neither was this so notable a victorie gained by the Christians without blood most part of the worthie knights Hospitalers being together with their grand master there slaine Saladin by this ouerthrow perceiuing that by open force he should not be able to doe much against the Christians thought it good vnto his forces to joyne also pollicie Wherein the false countie of TRIPOLIS was the man he thought best to make choice of as his fittest instrument to worke by Him hee compacted withall to seeke for grace at the king of HIERUSALEM his
throne And for as much as the king of SPAINE hath by fraud and deceit got whatsoeuer he holdeth without doubt these deceitfull deceiuers shall by the power of God in short time be dispatched and taken out of the way In the meane time we exhort you not to loose any opportunitie or time but to be alwayes vigilant and according to the conuentions betwixt vs fauourable vnto our friends and vnto our enemies a foe And giue notice here to our high Court of all the new wars which you shall vnderstand of concerning the said king of SPAINE for the behoofe both of your selfe and vs. To be briefe your embassadour after he had with all care and diligence dispatched his embassage and here left in his place one Edward Bardon his Deputie and Agent now by our leaue maketh his returne towards your kingdome being for the good and faithfull seruice he here did worthie to be of you esteemed honoured and before others promoted who when he hath obtained of you all those his deserued honours and preferments let him or some other principall embassadour without delay be appointed to our imperiall Court to continue this office of legation This we thought good to haue you certified of vnder our most honourable Seale whereunto you may giue vndoubted credence From our imperiall pallace at CONSTANTINOPLE the 15 of the blessed moneth Ramazan 1589. Yet for all these faire shewes it may seeme vnto him that looketh more neere into the state of the Turkish affaires at those times and that which hath ensued since that Amurath glad of the discord of these two so great Christian princes and not yet well assured of his new conquests in PERSIA had no great mind to the inuasion of SPAINE as too farre from the strength of his empire an enterprise not to be so easily managed by sea as were the wars he shortly after vndertooke against the Christian emperour Rodolph by land wherewith for all that God be thanked he found his hands full all the remainder of his life as hath his sonne Mahomet that now raigneth after him euen vnto this day About this time also the Polonian borderers whom they call Cossackes a rough and warlike kind of people after their wonted manner making an inrode vpon the Turkes and Tartarians vpon the sudden surprised KOSLAVV a port town within a daies journey of CAPPA where they had the spoile of many rich warehouses of the Turkes marchants and the rifling of certain ships lying there in harbour and hauing taken their pleasure burnt the rest and so with a great bootie returned to their lurking places With which injurie the Tartars prouoked and set on by the Turkes to the number of fortie thousand brake into PODOLIA and the prouinces neere vnto POLONIA and resting in no place but burning the countrey before them slew the poore countrey people without mercie and making hauocke of all that they light vpon beside the spoile carried away with them many thousands of most miserable captiues the greatest part whereof for all that the Polonians rescued with the notable slaughter of the enemie surprised in his returne Whereupon such vnkindnesse rise between the Turkish emperour and Sigismund the Polonian king that it was thought it would haue broken out into open warres had not the Polonian by his embassadours and the mediation of the queene of ENGLAND wisely appeased the angrie Turke and so againe renewed his league Amurath now at peace with the world from which he by nature abhorred not and sitting idle and melancholie at home was persuaded by the Bassaes his counsellors to take some new warre in hand For that great empires as they said could not without the continuall vse of armes long stand or continue as appeared by the Romane state which so long as it was at wars with CARTHAGE or their great captaines and commaunders occupied in armes against their neighbour princes still remained triumphant and commaunded ouer a great part of the world but giuing it selfe to â—ase and pleasure and the martiall men not after their wonted manner employed it in short time by ciuile discord fell and of the mistresse of the world became it selfe a prey euen vnto the basest nations Which old Cato in his great wisdome foreseeing cried out in the Senat That the souldiors and men of warre were to be kept still busied in armes farre from home for that in so doing all should goe well with the state and the glorie thereof encrease Wherunto the Othoman emperours his noble progenitors hauing respect propounded not peace as the end of their warres as do other weake princes hauing their owne forces in distrust but as inuincible conquerours still sowed warres vpon warres making one victorie the beginning of another whereby they not onely brought that their empire vnto that greatnesse it was now of but by such continuall employment made their souldiors more couragious and readie and also kept them from rebellions and tumults whereunto in time of peace and liuing at ease these martiall men are most commonly enclined learning as all others doe being doing nothing to doe that is euill and nought Euery thing as they said was by the same meanes to be maintained whereby it was at the first encreased and that therefore great empires as they were by warres begun and augmented so were they by continuall wars also to be from time to time established whereas otherwise the souldiors liuing in peace and forgetting their martiall prowesse would for most part grow cowardly as giuing themselues ouer to the loue of their owne dwellings of their wiues and of their children and other pleasures or els conuerting their studies vnto marchandise or other profitable trades would in time forget the vse of armes and be thereunto againe hardly drawne vnto the great weakening of his strength both by sea and land and the deminishing of the number of his great commaunders and expert captaines not to be had without the continuall vse of warre With these and such like reasons the great Bassaes of the Court persuaded Amurath That he must of necessitie take some new expedition in hand and not to suffer his valiant souldiours but now lately returned out of PERSIA to grow lasie or insolent for lacke of employment Which they did not so much for the loue of their prince or zeale vnto the State as for their own particular profit especially the two old Bassaes Sinan and Ferrat the enuious competitours the one of the others honour who although they both much and almost all commaunded both in peace and warre yet was their honours greater and their profit farre more in commaunding of the Turkes great armies abroad than in sitting in the Diuano at home vnto which no lesse honourable than profitable preferment they both with like ambition aspired accompanied with the hot desires of their great and many fauourites both at home and elsewhere These persuasions well pleased Amurath who although he were himselfe no souldior yet was he
cruell and bloodie sight betwixt the Christians and the Turks euen in the Temple of Ierusalem 1099 Godfrey duke of Buillon by the generall consent of the Christian armie chosen first king of Ierusalem An hundred thousand Turks and Sarasins slaine Godfrey of Buillon first Christian king of Ierusalem dieth of tâ—e plâ—gâ—â— 1100 Baldwin countâ—â— of Edessa and brother to Godfrey second king of Ierusalem 1101 King Baldwin mortally wounded Ptolomais woon by king Baldwin Bohemund dieth at Antioch 1111 Sidon woon 1118 Baldwin Brâ—gensis chosen king of Ierusalem 1118 1120 1122 Iâ—ppa besieged bâ— the Sarasins Tâ—re bâ—siâ—â—ed by the Christians 1124 Damasco in vaiâ—e besieged by the Christians The death of Baldwin the second the third king of Ierusalem 1131 Caâ—o Ioannes 〈◊〉 Greeke empeâ—â—uâ— seâ—keth 〈…〉 Tâ—e death of 〈…〉 the Greeke emperour The miserabâ—◠〈…〉 of Ierusalem Baldwin the third of that name fift king of Ierusalem 1142 Conrade third emperor of Germanie taketh vpon him an expedition into the Holy land Conrade the emperour not suffred to enter into Constantinople The Turke with 〈…〉 A notable speech of Conrade the emperour to encourage his soldiers to aduenture the riuer Meander The Turks ouerthrowen by the Christians with a woonderfull slaughter Nicetas Choniates Annali primo rerum à Manuele Comoeno Imperatore gestar fol. 139. Iconium in vaine besieged by the Christianâ— 1146 The honourable expedition of Lewis the French king by the malice of the Greeks and 〈◊〉 of other Christian princes of Syria frustrated and brought to naught Damasco in vaine besieged by Lewis the French king 1147 Paneade taken and sacked by the Turks Paneade â—gaine repaired by the Christians The death of king Baldâ—in lamented by his â—â—â—mies 1163 Dâ—scord amongst the Tâ—â—kâ— in the lesser â—sia Masâ—t the Sultan deuideth his kingdâ—m amoÌ„gst 〈◊〉 three sâ—nnes Another foolish Icarus Nicetas Choniates reâ—um ab imperat Manuele Comnenâ— gestar lib. 3. fol. 143. Vnkindnesse betwixt the emperour and the Sultan Baldwin slainâ— The miserie of the Christians by the Turks inclosed in the straits The emperour in great perplâ—â—itie The desperat resolution of the emperour A moâ—â— miserabâ—e spectacle The emperour in danger to haue been takâ—n notably defendeth himselfe The malapert speech of an insolâ—nt soldiour to the emperour The great patience of the emperour The â—earfull resolution of the emperour A sharpe reprehension of a common soldior vnto the emperour The emperour returneth The emperour aâ—together 〈◊〉 not what he hâ—d 〈◊〉 to the Sultan Andronicus aspireth Ambition couered with the zeale of the commonweale Andronicus departeth from Oenum towards Constantinople Androniâ—us encampeth in sight ouer against Constantinople Xiphilinus senâ— ouer to Andronicus dealeth â—â—faithfully in dâ—â—ng his messagâ— The proud answer of Andronicus Contostephanus reuolteth to Andronicus Alexius in despaire Alexius and his friends apprehended A strange alteration Alexius broght to Andronicus hath his eyes put out The meeting of the Patriarch Andronicus Andronicus passeth ouer the straâ—â— Andronicus taketh vpoâ— him the gouernment Andronicus tyrannizeth A miserable state of a commonweale Mary the daughter of Emanuell with her husband Caesar poysoned by Andronicus Xene the empresse accused of treason and condemned Dangerous to speake the truth to a tyrant A wicked counsell The miserable death of the empresse The slie practise oâ— Andronicus in aspiring to the empire Alexius depriued of the empire Alexius coÌ„demned to die Alexius the emperour cruelly strangâ—â—d An vnequall mariage Androniâ—us seeketh 〈◊〉 â—â—â—annie to establish his estate Exceeding crueltie Isaack Angelus taketh saâ—ctuary The people in a tumult â—eâ—ort vnto Angelus Andronicus in vaine seeketh to appease the tumultuous people Isaack Angelus by the people in a 〈◊〉 saluted emperour Andronicus forsaken of his flattering fauourits A strange chaÌ„ge Andronicus the emperour taken and brought in bonds to Angelus Andronicus the emperor hanged vp by the heeles Nicetas Chomates Annal. lâ—b 1. fol. 161. col 4. Isaack Angelus the emâ—eâ—our 〈…〉 Isaack the emperour 〈◊〉 froÌ„ the empire and 〈◊〉 of his 〈…〉 brother 〈◊〉 Cazastâ—lan the Turkâ— Sultan 〈…〉 vpon the 〈◊〉 empire in the â—â—sser Asia The sonnes of Clizasâ—lan at variance among themselues Almericus 〈◊〉 king of Hierusalem Noradin the Turke discomfited by the Christians Aâ—â—â—andria yeeâ—ded to Aâ—meâ—icus 1167 Pelusium takeâ—â— by Almericus The Sultan of Aegypt vnder the colour of friendship slainâ— by Saracon How the kingdome of Aegypt first fell into the hands of the Sarasins with the notable alterations thereof 1170 1171 1173 Baldwin the fourth of that name seuenth king of Hierusalem Saladin ouerthrowne by king Baldwin 1177 The Christians deuiding the spoil ouerthrown by the Turks Saladin goeth 〈◊〉 of Aegypt to Damasco Galiley spoâ—led and the castle of Buâ—â— taken by the Turks Berytus in vain besieged by the Turks Saladin inuading Mesopotamia iâ— himselfe inuaded by the king of Hierusalem Aleppo betraied vnto the Turks Petra in vaine besieged by the Turks Discord in the court of Hierusalem King 〈◊〉 sendeth embassadours vnto the Christian princes of the West for aid 1185 〈…〉 of Hierusalem Saladin vpoÌ„ the discord of the Christians taketh occasion to inuade the Holy land Ptolemais besieged by Saladin 1187 Guy king of Hierusalem taken prisoner Hierusalem besieged Hierusalem taken by Saladin The famous city of Antioch betrayed vnto the Turkes 1160 Fredericke the emperour setteth forward towards the Holy land Fredericke the emperours sonne 〈◊〉 generall of the Christian armie A great battell betwixt the Turks and the Christians Ptolemais assaulted by the Christians An old grudge betwixt Philip the French king and Richard king of England King Richard reuengeth the iniurie done vnto his people by the Cipriots King Richard arriueth at Ptolemais 1191 The French king sâ—eaâ—â—th vnto king Riâ—hard in 〈◊〉 absence not to inuade his territories in France King Richard marcheth with his army towards Hierusalem A notable battel fought betwixt king Richard Saladin King Richard purposing to haue besieged Hierusalem â—s by the baâ—kwardâ—es of the French enforced to retire King Richard 〈…〉 to 〈◊〉 a peaâ—e with Saladin King Richard returning out of the Holy land taken prisoner by Leopold duke of Austria 1197 The Turks ouerthrown by the Christians Ioppe repaired by the Christians The Germaine princes returne home 1199 Kingdomes after the manner of other things haue but their time to flourish in and so againe decay The Turks driueÌ„ out of Persia by the Tartars 1202 The beginning of the Aladinian kingdome in the lesser Asia as Sebastia and Iconium Alexius the yong prince craâ—eth aid of Philip the emperour and the Latine princes against his vncle the vsurper Great preparation made by the Christians for an expedition into the Holy land Alexius coÌ„meth vnto the armie A great â—leet of the Latineâ— before Constantinople The Latines by force enter the hauen of Constantinople A hot skirmish betwixt the Greekes and the Latines at their landing Isaack the old emperour taken out of prison and againe saluted emperour together with young Alexius his son 〈◊〉 seeketh 〈◊〉 bring the Latines
their auntient libertie Two dayes after this victorie Venerius sent Humfredus Iustinianus with newes thereof vnto the Senate at VENICE who comming in at the Adriaticke port about noone the nineteenth of October by shooting off of certaine great pieces gaue warning vnto the citie of his comming which at that time hung in great suspence betwixt hope and feare The citiâ—â—ns generally awaked with the report of the great ordinance came flocking by heapes to 〈◊〉 port euery man longing to heare the first newes There they might see Iustinian comming afarre off with his gallie but when he was come neerer they might perceiue all the marriners attired like Turkes and foure of the Turkes ensignes hanging behind at the poupe of the gallie which filled their minds with the hope of good newes deeming it to be as indeed it was part of the spoyle of the enemie But after that Iustinian was landed which he had much to doe for the prease and was gone to the Court with a world of people following after him crying out for newes and had there deliuered his letters and at large discoursed of all the successe of the battaile which was forthwith blowne into the citie and the marriners also after his departure had reported the victorie and that the enemie was in a great battaile ouerthrowne good God how the people as men ouerjoyed ran vp and downe the streets doubling and redoubling the joyfull name of victorie The Senatours also rejoycing together gaue thankes to God with publicke prayers and joyfull hymnes in euery church and afterwards by ringing of bels peales of ordinance bone-fires and other such like things shewed all the tokens of joy possible And to make this joy the more generall all prisoners were set at libertie and all debts that exceeded not the summe of fiue and twentie crownes payed out of the common treasurie which was generally done through all the Venetian seigniorie and a decree made That that day whereon the victorie was gotten which was the seuenth of October dedicated to the memoriall of Iustina should for euer be kept holyday and for the perpetuall remembrance thereof a great masse of money was coyned with the impression of Iustina vpon it and an inscription declaring the victorie Many also their neighbour princes sent their embassadours gratulatorie to VENICE namely the dukes of SAVOY FLORENCE FERRARA PARMA MANTVA and VRBIN and the knights of MALTA In which so publicke joy no man was seene to put on any mourning garments or to shew any token of heauinesse although many had lost their dearest friends and neerest kinsmen whose liues they reckoned not lost but giuen vnto the Christian commonweale The like rejoycing was also made in ROME in SPAINE NAPLES SICILIA and MALTA especially at such times as embassadours from their neighbour princes came to joy them of this victorie yea and afterwards in other countries further off was like rejoysing and signes of joy as with vs here in ENGLAND This is that notable battell commonly called the battell of LEPANTO fought neere vnto the islands CVRZOLARI the seuenth day of October in the yeare 1571 the like whereof was neuer fought at sea against the Turke wherein he lost his cheefe strength at sea with most of his best sea captaines and might thereby well perceiue what he and his successours were to feare if the Christian princes at vnitie amongst themselues all discord set apart should in zeale of their religion joyne their inuincible forces against them In the middest of all this joy generally conceiued of the late victorie one of the cheefe prisoners of the Turks hearing it compared with the losse of CYPRVS for that Selymus had therin lost his fleet his best men of warre with great store of ordinance by a fit comparison shewed it not to be so saying That the battell lost was vnto Selymus as if a man should shaue his beard which would ere long grow againe but that the losse of CYPRVS was vnto the Venetians as the losse of an arme which once cut off could neuer be againe recouered Declaring therby the great inequalitie of the losse The rich spoyle taken from the enemie in this most glorious victorie was thus deuided amongst the princes confederat Vnto the Pope were allotted nineteene gallies two galliots nine great pieces of ordinance two and fortie lesser pieces and fourscore and one prisoners Vnto the king of SPAINE eight and fiftie gallies and an halfe six galliots and an halfe eight and fiftie great pieces and an halfe eight great murthering pieces and an halfe an hundred twentie eight lesser pieces and a thousand seuen hundred and thirteene prisoners Vnto the Venetians were assigned for their share nine and thirtie gallies and an halfe four galliots and a halfe nine and thirtie great pieces and a halfe fiue great murthering pieces and a halfe fourscore and six lesser pieces and a thousand one hundred threescore and two prisoners The rest were bestowed vpon such other princes as had giuen aid aid or otherwise well deserued in that seruice The joy conceiued of this victorie was not so great amongst the Christians but that the sorrow thereof was amongst the Turks farre greater Selymus himselfe was then at HADRIANOPLE where eight dayes after the battell newes was brought vnto him That his fleet was ouerthrowne and almost all taken or sunke by the Christians Which so soone as he heard he was strucken with exceeding greefe and ouercome with melancholie would not that day suffer any man to speake with him And the rumor of the ouerthrow still encreasing had in short time filled all places with feare teares mourning and heauinesse some bewayling their parents some their children some their husbands some their friends or kinsmen there lost But that which most grieued the Turkish emperour was the losse of so many worthie and expert captaines of so many skilfull masters and notable souldiors who brought vp all their liues at sea were not thought inferiour to any then liuing besides the perpetuall ignominie and vnwonted disgrace thereby inflicted vnto him and his posteritie for euer Wherefore full of wrath and indignation he was about to haue commaunded all the Christians in his dominions in number infinit to be put to death Doubting indeed nothing more than that they wearie of the Turkish thraldome and desirous of innouation should with weapons put into their hands rise vp against him and take part with the other Christians his enemies But whilest the other Bassaes as men dismaied with the crueltie of the commaund stood all silent Muhamet Bassa for his former deserts in great fauour with the tyrant thought it good to make proofe if his furie might by reasonable persuasion be mitigated and some better course taken both for the honour of Selymus himselfe and the common good of the State Yet well knowing how full of danger it was in that tyrannicall gouernment openly to speake any thing contrarie to the good liking of the wilfull emperour he durst not apertly
Bassa of AGRIA going out with ten thousand Turkes in hope to haue surprised TOCCAIB a strong hold of the Christians in the vpper HVNGARIE was encountred by Ferrant Gonzaga the emperours lieutenant there and by him ouerthrowne and with great slaughter of his Turks chased to the gates of AGRIA Now was Mahomet the Turkish emperour this yeare also no lesse troubled with the proceedings of the Scriuano in CARAMANIA and NATOLIA than with the euill successe of his affaires in TRANSYLVANIA and HVNGARIE For the Scriuano by his last yeares victorie growne into great credit with the common people and still by them more and more followed to maintaine the reputation of his credit came now againe this yeare with a great power into the field to meet with Mahomet the great Bassa and Generall of the Turkes armie who with fiftie thousand good souldiors a power thought sufficient to haue repressed him was readie to encounter him With whom the Scriuano joyning battell in a great fight â—ut in sunder a great part of the Bassaes armie and so became master of the field forraged all the countries adjoyning almost as farre as ALEPPO still calling the people vnto libertie and causing himselfe to be proclaimed the true defender of the Mahometane faith and of the liberties of those coâ—â—tries with him combined in such sort as that it now stood the great Turke vpon to send an other great armie to the aid of Mahomet the discomfited Bassa With whom also the Scriuano presuming of his former fortune comming to a day of battell and ouercharged with the multitude of his enemies was at the first encounter with his people put to the worse but forthwith by his good direction hauing repaired his disordered battell and thereby giuen as it were new courage to his fainting souldiors he with a great slaughter disordered also the Bassaes armie Yet hauing not any other firme state or stay to rest vpon more than the fauour and reputation he held with these his rebellious followers of whom he had now lost a great many he thought it not best to aduenture too far not knowing how presently to repaire his losses but contenting himselfe with that he had alreadie done retired with his armie into the strength of the mountaines there that Winter to liue vpon the spoile of the countries adjoining and the next yeare to do more harme than euer he had done before Beside all which former troubles the plague also this yeare sore raged both in CONSTANTINOPLE and many other places of the Turkish empire At which time also the Ianizaries at CONSTANTINOPLE hauing receiued some disgrace by some of the great Sultans fauourits and with great insolencie requiring to haue their heads caused their Aga well accompanied presumptuously to enter into the Seraglio to preferre this their request Whom Mahomet to the terrour of the rest caused for his presumption to be taken into the middest of the Spahi and so by them to be cut in pieces which was not done without the great slaughter of the Spahi themselues also slaine by the Ianizaries Whereupon the other Ianizaries arising vp in armes also and euen now readie to haue reuenged the death of their captaine were yet by the wisedome of Cicala Bassa bestowing amongst them a great summe of money againe appeased without farther harme doing Which their so great insolencie Mahomet imputing vnto their excessiue drinking of wine contrarie to the law of their great Prophet by the persuasion of the Muftie commaunded all such as had any wine in their houses in CONSTANTINOPLE or PERA vpon paine of death to bring it out and to staue it except the embassadours of the Queene of ENGLAND the French king and of the State of VENICE so that as some report wine for a space ran down the channels of the streets in CONSTANTINOPLE as if it had been water after a great shower of raine Sigismund the Transyluanian prince now of late againe possessed of TRANSYLVANIA as is before declared could not yet well assure himselfe of the keeping thereof for that he with the Transyluanians of his faction alone was not able to withstand the force of Basta who still strengthened with new supplies both of men and all things else necessarie for the warres from the Emperour was now with a great power alreadie entred into TRANSYLVANIA the Polonians busied in the warres of SUEVIA and the Turkes with their other greater affaires neither of them sending him their promised aid the greatest hope and stay of himselfe in that newnesse of his state Wherefore seeing himselfe euerie day to loose one place or other and fearing also least his souldiors for want of pay should in short time quite forsake him and go ouer to Basta he thought it best betimes and whilest he had yet something left and was not yet altogither become desperat otherwise to prouide for his estate especially hauing small trust in the Turkes to whom he had before been so great an enemie Wherefore he dealt with Basta for a truce or cessation from armes vntill embassadours might be sent vnto the emperour to entreat with him for some good attonement Wherewith Basta being content and the embassadours sent the matter was so handled with the Emperour that Sigismund to make an end of all these troubles was contented to the behoofe of his Imperiall majestie to resigne vnto Basta his lieutenant all such places as he yet held in TRANSYLVANIA vpon much like conditions he had about three yeares before made with him and so in all and for all to submit himselfe vnto his majestie Which intended surrender of the princes being bruted in TRANSYLVANIA Zachell Moises his lieutenant and now in field with the princes forces not able to endure or to heare that that noble prouince should againe fall into the hands of the Germanes encouraging his souldiors went vpon the sudden to assaile Basta in hope to haue found him vnprouided and so discomfiting his armie to haue driuen the Imperials quite out of TRANSYLVANIA But he an old and expert commaunder perceiuing euen the first mouing of the Transyluanians with great sceleritie put his armie in good order and so joyned battell with them wherein hee with the losse of some fiue hundred men ouerthrew Moises with his armie of Transyluanians Turkes and Tartars hauing slaine aboue three thousand of them and put the rest to flight Moises himselfe with some few others being now glad to take their refuge into the frontiers of the Turkes territories towards TEMESVVAR But when Sigismund vnderstood what his lieutenant had without his knowledge done he in token of his owne innocencie went himselfe vnto the Imperiall campe accompanied only with certaine of his Gentlemen and there vnto Basta excused himselfe of that which was by his lieutenant against his will and without his priuitie done frankly offering to performe whatsoeuer was on his part to be performed according to the agreement made betwixt the Emperour and him And so presently calling his garrisons out of