Beauty she made but an ill use of the Kings Favours The Dolphin who was not naturally very docible could not endure a haughty and imperious woman who had but little respect for him On the other side the great Authority of Charles of Anjou Brother to the King of Sicily offended him extreamly He took it ill that a Prince for whom he had no kindness should have so great a share in the confidence of his Father So that the Favorite was no less a trouble to him then the Mistress But that which vex'd him most of all was that after the taking of Montereau where he fought so well against the English that in Courtship they applauded him for it before the King he had but a bad reception from his Father instead of the thanks which he expected For the King perceiving that this first Essay had puft up the mind of his son he return'd him under the Discipline of his Goverment and remov'd him also from the Court Whether he were jealous of a valour that made such a noise in the world or whether understanding the bad disposition of the Dolphin he thought this first success of his might transport him too far if he did not take care to curb him The Dolphin dissembl'd his dissatisfaction for some time but a young Prince once provok'd whose passions are violent and who never wants bad counsel is soon aweary of counterfeiting And therefore to revenge himself like the Son of a King he went and put himself at the head of the Rebellious Nobility The Count of Marche to whom the revolt of his disciple was no small dishonour omitted nothing that might reduce him to his duty Besides what he did himself he made use of the management of Aubusson whom the Prince lov'd and who had found a means to preserve his favour without confederating in the revolt Certain it is that the Dolphin was of a jealous ticklish disposition not easie to manage and one of those who are of that head strong obstinate humour that they are seldom to be recover'd when they have once fix'd upon their party But Aubusson knew him very well and understood which way to take him For he had those sweet and insinuating charms which are not incompatible with a fierce and fiery Disposition But above all he had a natural Eloquence that always wrought it's Effect and which perswades so much the more by how much it is the less distrusted So that he had not much to do to make the Prince list'n to reason He so dextrously mannag'd his passions and mollify'd him in such sort by degrees that when the Count of Eu came afterwards to treat with him on the Kings behalf he found him altogether enclin'd to lay down his Armes and beg pardon The King was so satisfy'd with Aubussons address upon this occasion that he employ'd him in other Negotiations of concernment In all which he so behav'd himself that Charles the fifth highly applauded the sharpness of his wit Insomuch that one day speaking of Aubusson he said it was a hard matter to find so much fire and so much prudence both together After the Princes were come to an accommodation the War grew very warm between the French and English and much blood was shed on both sides But the truces that were afterwards made chang'd the whole face of affairs France began to breath a more quiet Aire and the pleasures which afterwards succeded the Toyles of war had perhaps effeminated the hearts of the souldiers if their Marches into Lorrain and Germany had not found them work Rene of Anjou King of Sicily and Duke of Lorrain requested aid of Charles King of France his Brother in Law against some places in the Countrey of Messin that would not acknowledg his Iurisdiction Charles presently appeares before Nancy with a great Army of which one part went briskly to beseige Mets. The City defended it self with great courage and obstinacy Upon which the Dolphin with whom the tediousness of the seige did not agree found a fair occasion to satisfie his boyling and ambitious Humour The Emperor Frederick the third dissatisfi'd with the Swisses who pretended to have nothing to do with the House of Astria and who under that pretence affected a kind of Independencie not much differing from a Revolt invited France by the mediation of Sigismund Duke of Austria to come and defend the Rights of the Empire There needed no more encouragement for the Dolphin who had espoused the Sister of the Dutchess of Austria to enter Alsacia with an Army Aubusson was one of the young Lords that attended him and one who had the greatest share in the defeat of the Swisses near Basle But the Duke having reduc'd some places and cast a terror upon others march'd back again sooner then was expected Either because the Emperour unwilling to draw upon himself ill will for being the occasion of the war in some measure disown'd it or because the German Lord who had conducted the French Army into Switzerland and was to have been their guide through all the narrow and difficult streights of the Mountains being slain there was no safety in proceeding farther In the mean time the Affair of Mets being brought to an accommodation advantageous for the Beseigers and honourable for the Beseiged the Embassadors of the German Princes whom the Dolphins march had alarm'd came to demand a confirmation of the ancient Alliances between France and Germany Their demands were granted them and as there is a time when the Spirit of Peace is predominant the truce was prolong'd for five years between France and England The Court in such a quiet calm began to think of nothing but divertisement and the Marriage of Margaret Daughter of the King of Sicilie with Henry King of England occasion'd such extraordinary rejoycings that they had almost forgot their last troubles Never was a more beautiful Court nor a more numerous then that of Nancy For not to speak of the several Princes and Princesses that were of lesser dignity there were two Kings and three Queens beside The Earl of Suffolk who was sent to fetch the new Queen of England had with him the flower of the English Nobility Several daies were also spent in magnificent Turnaments where the King of France and the King of Sicily ran together But Aubusson soon grew weary of that which employ'd others so much to their delight Besides that he naturally lov'd war he had Principles of Piety which did not correspond with a lazie and voluptuous life On the other side the victories of John Hunniades and George Castriote which they had obtain'd against Amurat inspir'd him with a new zeal for Religion and the Cruelties which the Turks exercis'd against the Christians at the Battel of Varna awakn'd in him the hatred which he had conceiv'd against the Enemies of Jesus Christ He could not but with great grief of mind understand the report which ran at that time that Vladislaus King
after an extraordinary manner either because the Court had a great esteem for him or because they had a design to keep him in delay He saw through the gentleness and caresses which he receiv'd which way the Court stood affected toward the Holy-war The King would not undertake it by any means whether he thought his Kingdom too much exhausted to defray the expence of a war that might prove of a long continuance or whether he minded nothing but his Repose after his past toiles or that the Charms of the fair Agnes had cool'd his zeal which he formerly had for the interest of the Church or whether it were that he would not submit to the inclinations of his Son who was retir'd male-content to Philip Duke of Burgundie the most zealous of all the Christian Princes and one that had declar'd himself so much an enemy of the Turk that he solemnly swore to make war upon them The Cardinal Legate who was a Frenchman and very understanding ing in affairs appli'd himself wholly to effect this Negotiation After many Conferences in vain with the publick Ministers he treated at last in particular with the King not being able to obtain any thing Calistus being advertis'd of the Kings disposition writ to him very sharp Letters threatning him at length with the Thunderbolts of Rome and the Malediction of Heaven if he refus'd the holy League Those Letters wrought no effect if they did not make it worse The King was incens'd at the Popes threats and not perswaded by his reasons In such a ticklish conjuncture there appear'd no probability of hopes for the Commander D'Aubusson However he ceas'd not to act and in regard that besides the character of an Embassador he had other good qualities which made him esteem'd by the King and his Ministers he was heard more favourably then the Legate He represented at first that Christendom was never in more eminent danger and that there was nothing which we had not to fear if the Progress of the Infidels were not quickly stopp'd that Mahomet since the taking of Constantinople aim'd at nothing but Rome that he was fall'n into Hungaria to enter into Germany with a purpose to make his way that way into Italy That it was one of his maxims that as there is but one God in Heaven so there could not be but one Monarch upon Earth That he had been constrain'd to raise his siege before Belgrade because he had not taken the right course and for that he had been wounded himself but that his misfortune had no way disincourag'd him that he was one of those great men that make the best advantage of their errors and misfortunes or rather that he was like the fiercer sort of Beasts who when they have receiv'd a wound and feel their blood begin to flow are never more furious till then That since his ill success in Hungary he had drawn to his side the Soldan of Egypt the Caraman and the Tartar and that he would return with fresh forces to the siege of the Belgrade and that his Generals who had tak'n almost all the Isles in the Archipelago would soon powre their fury upon Rhodes In short that those two Ramparts of Christendom being forc'd not any of the Dominions of the Christian Princes could be safe either by Sea or Land Aubusson afterwards represented to the King that being the eldest Son the Church he could not forsake their interest without dishonour to himself That as for the transportment of the Pope it was but a transportment of zeal and that his good intentions deserv'd the pardon of a few sharp expressions He added at length that because there were in Rhodes more Knights of the French then of any other Nations in the world the Monarch of France could not in justice dispence with succouring the Island at a time when it lay only in his power to do it That Alphonsus King of Aragon so wise and so brave before he came into Italy was not only effeminated by the delights of Naples but embroyl'd with Pope Calixtus who though a native of Arragon had refus'd to give him the investiture of the Kingdom of Sicily and to assure the succession to Ferdinand his natural son That Henry King of Castile as poor spirited and more vitious then his Father had business at home and abroad and that his Rebellious subjects found him as much work as the Moors of Granada his Neighbours and Enemies Thas Henry of England was not Master at home and that the Duke of York who had usurp'd the Government minded nothing but to sustain himself against his Rivals That the Emperor Frederick liv'd an idle life minding neither his own honor nor the safety of Christendom That besides the war grew hot between the Empire and Hungary and that Ladislaus at the same time was to make head against the Emperor and the Turk That civil dissentions turmoyl'd all Italy and that the Kingdoms of Sweedland Danemark were full of troubles Christiern had been set up in the place of Charles whose irregularities and crimes had render'd him unworthy of the Crown That Alphonso King of Portugal quiet enough at home wanted not a good will but that all he could do was but very little if a Prince more potent then himself did not assist him That thus France being the only Kingdom in Europe that enjoy'd a true peace it was only from France that they could expect relief sufficient to ruine the designes of the Port and for that reason parhaps it was that Heaven had freed it from the power of the English All these reasons propounded after a smart and insinuating manner made a deep impression upon Charles's thoughts That Prince who was so averse before to the Holy-war began to desire it and awaking from the profound sleep wherein his pleasures had lull'd him he only follow'd the motions of his Piety and Courage He gave liberty to Cardinal D'Avignon to leavy a tenth upon the Clergy to defray the expence of the war he entred into a League against Mahomet with Hungarie and that there might be no question of his faithful inclinations he confirm'd the League by the marriage of Magdalene of France his Daughter with King ' Ladislaus As for the Knights he promis'd them all assistance and immediately caus'd sixtie thousand Crowns in Gold to be paid to the Embassador of Rhodes Aubusson lay'd out that mony for provisions of war according to the orders he receiv'd and freighted away Ships laden with Canon Armes Powder and Lead Then he departed himself after he had collected most of the money which was due to the Order in several parts of Europe The success of the Embassie and the Letter which he presented to the Grand-Master from the King of France made him to be acceptably receiv'd by the Knights and all the people The Letter was very generous and very obliging For the King after he had only spok'n a word or two touching the gratifying of their desires
and endow'd by the Grand Master should enjoy the Revenues of his Order within his Dominions He also wrote to the Pope at the same time and very earnestly represented to him That the courses he took steer'd directly to the ruine of the Order wholly devoted to the Holy See That the Zeal of the Knights was not altogether so pure and Angelical but that they had an eye upon Temporal Recompences while they fought against the common Enemy of the Faith and that both their Zeal and Courage too would cool when they beheld the Price of their Labours and their Sweat in the hands of Strangers and unknown Persons So that if his Holiness did not preserve their Priviledges it might be fear'd that the Rampart of Christendom might be expos'd to the fury of the Infidels Alexander submitted to the Reasons or at least to the Authority of the King of Castile He revoked the Collation which he had made in favour of his Nephew and the Grand Master gave the Commenderie of Wovelles with that of Baioles to Don Ferrand of Arragon of the Royal Family and very dear to the King of Castile having before that created him a Knight In the mean time intelligence came that the Turks were building great Ships and every where made great Preparations for War Thereupon the Grand Master sent an Ambassador to Constantinople in shew to Congratulate the Grand Signior upon his recovery from sickness but really to penetrate into the design of those new Preparations Bajazet kept his design very secret but the publick rumor of the Port was that those Preparations were intended against Egypt and was a report probable enough Cairbei had been dead some months before and the youngest of his Sons was advanc'd to the Throne by the subtilty of a Circassian Mamaluke who did what he pleas'd at Caire and pretended to govern during the Minority of the Infant But an absolute Authority in one particular Subject is always suspected and odious The principal Nobility of the Court would not endure the new Government so that instead of doing Homage to the new Sovereign they revolted from him and made Confederacies with the Turks to deprive him of his Crown The Grand Master was inform'd of the rumour of the Court but he believ'd it so much the less the more the Grand Signior's Ministers desir'd it should be believ'd He kept himself upon his Guard and gave order for every thing He engag'd in the Service of the Order all Strangers Ships that us'd the Levant Seas He hir'd Companies of Spanish Infantry out of Sicily from whence he also sent for Corn in abundance The Grand Prior Blanchefort after a dangerous Voyage at length arriving safe had order to go for France to make his Complements and to desire aid of the Successor to Charles the VIII who was dead of an Apoplexy a disease fatal to great men in that Age. Thereupon Lewis the XII who had a great esteem for the Grand Master kindly receiv'd the Grand Prior and order'd two and twenty great Ships to be made ready for the service of the Knights At that time the Grand Master understanding that Henry the VIII King of England laid out for the fairest Turky Carpets that were to be got presented him with some that were very rare Henry became sensible of the Civilities of the Grand Master and in acknowledgment sent him several excellent Pieces of Artillery with some Horses of an extraordinary Mettle and Colour Ladislaus King of Hungary who of all the Princes of Europe was most liable to be a Prey to the Barbarians offered the Knights of St. John two Provinces of his Dominions to engage them all together to his Interests But the Grand Master was not of that humour to despoil a Prince to protect him he refus'd the offers of Ladislaus but promis'd him all manner of assistance Blanchefort was no sooner return'd to Rhodes but the Armada of the Turks pass'd through the Straits of Gallipoly the Course they steer'd at first caus'd a great fear that the Storm threaten'd the Order of St. John but soon after it was seen to fall upon the Republick of Venice The Turks pretended that they had suffered great wrongs in Romania and the Morea Besides that the Proveditor Prioly having met a Turkish Vessel alone near Meteline and perceiving that the Ship in stead of Loring Sail fir'd at them with all her Artillery fought and sunk her Now though the Act of Prioli was regular however it incens'd the Grand Signior who lov'd the Captain of the Ship for which reason he resolv'd a War against them nevertheless he did not at all declare his resentment For Zancari whom the Senate sent to discover the inclinations of the Port received a thousand Caresses from Bajazet Nay the Barbarian desir'd to renew his Alliance with the Republick but he caus'd the Articles of the new Treaty to be written in Latine to the end he might break it when he pleas'd according to the Principles of the Mahumetan Law which suffers them not to have any regard to their words in Contracts that are not written in their own Language At the same time that the Ottoman Fleet sail'd out of the Streight the Grand Signior enter'd into Romania with a powerful Army having imprison'd before all the Venetians that were at Constantinople One part of the Turkish Cavalry was divided from the rest and sent to harass the Countreys of Zara and Dalmatia General Grimani who lay at Modon with the Fleet of the Republick had implor'd the assistance of the Grand Master upon the first noise of the War But he more urgently requested his aid when he saw the Turks double the Point of the Morea Justiniani who commanded in Candy joyned his requests with those of Grimani and both of them sent to Rhodes certain Letters from the Duke Barbarigo The Grand Master look'd on the attempt of the Turks upon the Venetians as a violation of the Treaty of Peace made with the Order by reason they were oblig'd not to molest the Christians so that he made no scruple to succour the Venetians in the present Conjuncture But because he would not make too great a noise he onely sent them the Spanish Infantry that was come from Sicily and some other Foreign Troops The Republick also at the same time sent to the King of France to obtain of his Majesty the Vessels design'd for the assistance of Rhodes Who thereupon being then in League with the Pope and the Venetians against the Duke of Milan gave order to his Admiral to sail away for Greece to observe the countenances of the Turks and in case that Rhodes were in no danger to joyn with the Venetian Fleet. The noise of War inflam'd some of the Knights and amongst others the Grand Prior Blanchefort whom the affairs of the Order detain'd in France during the Siege of Rhodes And therefore to satisfie the extreme desire he had to meet with the Infidels he desir'd leave to go
THE LIFE Of the Renowned Peter D'Aubusson Grand Master of RHODES Containing Those Two Remarkable Sieges of Rhodes by Mahomet the Great and Solyman the Magnificent being lately added to compleat the Story adorn'd with the choicest Occurrences in the Turkish Empire at that Time LONDON Printed for Geo. Wells and Sam. Cair Book-sellers in St. Paul's Church-Yard 1679. To the READER MEN of Active Spirits and designing Fame and honour hereafter can no where better benefit themselves then by reading the lives of such Persons as have trod the same steps before them For in the lives of great Personages they find those Examples of Conduct which they are either to follow or avoid Since that by celebrating the deeds of good men they that come after are incited to deserve well of mankind To this purpose the Author of this short story chose to revive the memory of Peter D'Aubusson Grand Master of Rhodes a Person for courage and piety not inferiour to any of his time For the truth of what he writes He informes ye where he had it from an ancient Manuscript written by William Caoursin Chancellour of the Order who wrote nothing but what he was an eye-witness off As also from several other original Papers which he found in Malta it self Nor did he refuse the help of Khodgia Afendy a Turk who living at the same time wrote a Relation of the Siege with a great deal of Justice to the high merits of the Grand Master Thus then the vigorous fury of Mahomet the zealous and fortunate resistance of D'Aubusson the misfortunes of Zizim a pleasing yet melancholy variety though inseparable from the story being the Subjects of this Relation 't is something probable that they that seek either for instruction or divertisement cannot fail of their expectation However it is wholly left to them to be either severe or Candid Judges as they find most Reason The loss of Rhodes is added not only to compleat the story but to revive the renown of the Great and Famous Villerius who sustain'd the whole power of the manificent Solyman till his Pride was quite tyr'd out Insomuch that had not Treachery within put a fatal period to the flourishing Estate of Rhodes Solyman might have waited long enough upon Palermos for the conquest of that City In short they that read to the end of these few Pages will find variety sufficient for so small a volume and a recital of such actions as rather deserv'd the Grandeur of a Heroick Poem then the ordinary dress of Prose THE HISTORY OF Peter D'Aubusson Great Master of RHODES PEter D'Aubusson whose History I have undertaken to write was by providence chosen out among the French about two hundred years since to set bounds to the Conquests of the Infidels And He it was that sav'd Rome from the destiny of Constantinople defending Rhodes against all the force of Mahomet the second Emperour of the Turks He was the Son of Reginald D'Aubusson Lord of Monteil-au-Viconte in Marche and Margaret of Comborn both of the most Ancient and Illustrious Houses in the Kingdom He receiv'd from nature together with a Noble Birth a strong and proportionable body fit for great undertakings a quick wit and vertuous inclinations As he was born valiant and that the fiery constitution of his body could not away with an idle life he took upon him the profession of Arms so soon as he was of Age to handle a sword The Truce which had been concluded between France and England by the address of Cardinal Sainte Croix Legate to Pope Eugenius the fourth and the Peace which follow'd oblig'd him to seek for Employment and Honour in Germany The Emperour Sigismund had potent enemies both at home and abroad The Hussites made war against him in Bohemia and though they seem'd inclinable to a submission after the bloody Battel of Pragne where they lost above twenty thousand men yet Rebellion was all they had in their thoughts They were also so much the more to be fear'd by how much they were highly inrag'd at their defeat and that rage redoubl'd in some measure the zeal which serv'd for the pretence of their Revolt But the greatest mischief was in Hungary where the Turks made horrible havocks Sigismund who was at that time tak'n up with the affairs of the Council of Basle not being able to oppose himself against the Torrent which threatned to overflow all Germany sent away with all speed Albert Duke of Austria his Son-in-law to repel the Barbarians Aubusson by chance or rather by a particular Providence of Heaven got a Command in this Army For providence having design'd him to a Profession and a Trust that concern'd the Defence of Christendom so order'd it that he should perform his first feats of Arms against the enemies thereof The Prince march'd with all the hast he could and though far inferiour in number he no sooner discover'd the Ottoman Army but he fell on with out any farther deliberation The beginning of the Combat favor'd the Imperialists They overturn'd at first whatever Resistance oppos'd them and made a very great slaughter Aubusson who felt his courage kindl'd upon sight of the Infidels flew a great many with his own hand and fought alwaies in the formost Ranks But when the Victory seemd to have been assuredly on Alberts side the Turkish Cavalry surrounded that of the Christians and fell upon them so impetuously that they made them give way and broke them upon the first charge The disorder was not long Aubusson rally'd all the Troops about him and renew'd the fight under the conduct of a Hungarian whose name is not recorded in Histories though his valor deserves to live eternally in the memory of men This brave person remarkable for his tall size of body and his undaunted Air together with Aubusson sustain'd almost without other Assistance all the whole power of the Enemy and with his battle-axe in his hand after he had beat down several made his way through the rest Which Action so Resolute as it terrifi'd the Turks so it reincourag'd the Christians All Alberts Troopes follow'd this new Leader who seemd to be sent to them from Heaven and as if they had at the same time been inspir'd with fresh Vigour they charg'd the Barbarians so rudely that eighteen thousand lay dead upon the place the rest thought of nothing but Flight While the Arms of Sigismund had this happy success in Hungary his affairs prosper'd no less in other places The Hussites weak'nd by their Losses and either terrifi'd by the Threats or gain'd by the Promises of Emperor at length return'd to their duty The Treaty of Prague put an end to all the Troubles of Bohemia and upon a sudden the Imperial Authority was re-establish'd All things being thus calm'd and Albert having disbanded his Troops Aubusson attended the Nobility that went to the Emperour's Court. There he was receiv'd as one that contributed highly to the Victory in Hungary and that which was related